I Reincarnated as the Captain of a Battleship in a Robot Anime, but at This Rate, I’m Going to Be Assassinated – Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Grand Causes Can Be Fabricated, But Executing Them Is Difficult
[space_man][space_man]In short, to leave the military, you need a corresponding reason. This is something that all of history has proven. And the only method Shougo can currently employ is essentially to launch a coup d’état.
[space_man][space_man]He will defy the military’s upper echelon, raise his bow against them, declaring that the current regime is wrong. Or rather, there’s no other way.
[space_man][space_man]If this were before the operation, there would have been a few options. It would have simply been a matter of submitting a resignation.
[space_man][space_man]However, for Shougo, who has become Jowain, there are no other methods left, nor could he think of any.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]While a top-secret mission sounds impressive, what they’re doing is massacring civilians. If you become a perpetrator who commits such an act of dishonesty, you’ll naturally be put on a leash. You’ll be discarded if you become a nuisance. The higher your position, the greater the risk.
[space_man][space_man]If it were the original, vulgar Jowain, he wouldn’t care about such things. He has the arrogance to believe that no matter what kind of evil deeds he commits, Colonel Anferu, his boss, will protect him, and his position will never be threatened.
[space_man][space_man]It’s only natural, since he’s a man who has been deeply steeped in the honey of corruption.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]’Either way, even if I retire, I’ll be under surveillance, won’t I?’
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]As expected, if he wanted to be reborn as this man and grasp happiness honestly, he would have no choice but to start over from childhood and not join the military in the first place.
[space_man][space_man]In other words, it’s too late. There are no longer any safety nets.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Y-you intend to carry out a coup d’état?”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]One of his subordinates said that.
[space_man][space_man]Triggered by this, the bridge became noisy.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”That’s right. Unfortunately, the moment you boarded this ship and carried out the operation, your ‘death with honor’ became inevitable. Even if you were to escape death, it’s easy to imagine that you would be treated as slaves with collars. We can no longer retreat.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Naturally, voices of discontent arose.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Are you kidding me?! Are we disposable toys?!”
[space_man][space_man]”W-we’ve had high-handed operations before, haven’t we?! Why are we the only ones now?!”
[space_man][space_man]”Wasn’t our noble mission to establish a new world order?! For that purpose, we……!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Shougo wanted to nod in agreement with their words.
[space_man][space_man]But at the same time, he wanted them to understand that the chickens were coming home to roost for the privileged mindset they had held as a sense of solidarity until now.
[space_man][space_man]New Balance has carried out numerous atrocious operations in the past. Jowain’s memories include instances where regular soldiers were executed to prevent information leaks. And while these are ostensibly kept hidden, they leak out as rumors, eventually tarnishing New Balance’s reputation.
[space_man][space_man]Despite this, the structure of New Balance’s upper management and organization, which still clings to its authoritarian and privileged mindset, could be described, in childish terms, as an evil secret society.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”……Even if we abandon this ship now, what awaits us is the charge of rebellion for insubordination, desertion in the face of the enemy, and execution for violating orders.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]It was Lieutenant Mark who cast this stone into the tumultuous situation.
[space_man][space_man]As an elite pilot with a pragmatic personality, his words, surprisingly, held weight among the lower-ranking officers, and many soldiers listened attentively.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”There are surprisingly many people who have complaints about the current state of New Balance. But there were none who dared to voice them. Honestly, I didn’t care either way. As long as I could rampage in a Teurugia, I was satisfied, and New Balance provided that stage for me. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to be killed after I’ve outlived my usefulness.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]As he spoke, Mark walked right up to Shougo and stared straight into his eyes.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”It’s a surprise that you’re the first one to raise a bow against such a military. To be honest, you were the Colonel’s yes-man. An obnoxious guy who would agree to anything and everything. For such a guy to suddenly say something like this, it’s no wonder we’re suspicious, right?”
[space_man][space_man]’That’s absolutely right.’
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Shougo agreed.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”It wouldn’t be surprising if this whole uproar was a setup, and you’re ready to immediately execute anyone who voices dissent. The Colonel has the power to do that.”
[space_man][space_man]”I swear that’s not the case.”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]This relies on Jowain’s memories, but……
[space_man][space_man]He honestly couldn’t rule out the possibility that Anferu was secretly sending in agents without Jowain’s knowledge. But there was no point in fearing that. Those agents would be eliminated anyway.
[space_man][space_man]Shougo felt it was time to play his last card.
[space_man][space_man]He had no other words, no other grand cause, no other method left to offer. This was all he could think of.
[space_man][space_man]Therefore, Shougo declared in a loud voice:
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Do you think I’ve been bowing and scraping under that baldy for nothing?! It was to gain trust as Anferu’s loyal subordinate and to discover his worst operations! I was playing the fool for this! If you all choose to pledge your allegiance to that man, and by extension, the Supreme Commander who condones the massacre, and choose death, then so be it! But I refuse! I don’t want to die! And by the way, I’ve reached my limit! I even finished a whole bottle of liquor yesterday! Any complaints?!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Shougo was surprised at himself for being able to spout such a lie with such momentum. But he couldn’t get through this situation without doing so.
[space_man][space_man]The only truth was that he didn’t want to die.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”We will be the witnesses! We will prove the current wrongdoings of New Balance, but also that we are upstanding soldiers who object to them! We will let the world know! I am Jowain, the man who was Anferu’s confidant! I am aware of my lack of credibility! That’s precisely why it will sound true! Because I’m the man who has been sucking up to him for years!”
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Even Anferu wouldn’t have thought that this Jowain would betray him.
[space_man][space_man]Because he wasn’t the kind of man who had such deep-seated schemes.
[space_man][space_man]He had no way of knowing that a plus alpha had been added to the equation.
[space_man][space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”As soon as we arrive at the site, I will reveal this truth to the Rebel Army and join them. At that point, those who want to leave the ship can leave. I won’t stop you. I will not interfere with you in any way from now on. If possible, I would like to meet you again somewhere, but that’s unlikely. But if you are willing to pursue the truth with me, I want you to stay on this ship. I intend to announce it to the whole world!”