Peace Negotiations Part 2
「Hmm. Lastly, though it might not seem very valuable, we’re offering the Megareus as reparations. It’s up to you to decide what to do with it—it might just be scrap to you, but it’s yours to use as you wish. That’s all the concessions we can offer for the peace negotiation.」
Given its current state, partially buried and beyond feasible repair, using it as a bargaining chip was the most practical approach for the Stones.
「The Megareus, huh. It’s still in battle and hardly what I’d call ‘scrap’.」
The resistance inside the battleship was still formidable. Depending on reinforcements, there was even a chance the assault forces might have to retreat.
「Then fix it up, and put it to use if you think it’s worth the effort.」
Vasa said with a touch of irony.
At present, the Megareus was far from operational. Its bridge had been destroyed, the protective barriers around the aircraft elevators had been obliterated, and panjandrums were wreaking havoc on the remaining bulkheads. Even the elevators to the main deck had been rendered useless, with severe structural damage spreading across the ship.
Barry sighed internally. Eirene had been thorough, leaving the Megareus in a state far beyond salvaging. Yet, blaming her would have been unfair. Without her efforts, taking down such a ship would have cost an enormous amount of time and resources.
「We’ll take what’s offered. Now, let’s hear what you demand next.」
The terms so far were surprisingly favorable—almost too good. Which meant the demands on the other side were likely to be substantial.
「First, we propose establishing a framework for wartime treaties and a negotiation channel. If mass weapons are dropped from orbit, even Planet Asia could be at risk.」
「That’s our line! You lot are the ones who built carrier bombs, turning our Fortress Area into a hellhole. Don’t act like you’re innocent.」
「True enough. Both sides have grievances, don’t they? That’s exactly why we need to formalize these discussions. To prepare for any future conflicts.」
「Fair enough. I have no objections to that. It’s something both sides need.」
Barry’s firm response drew a nod from Vasa. Establishing a set of rules—a bare minimum framework—was essential for any future engagements.
Neither side harbored illusions about the other’s goodwill. Even with such a treaty, both would undoubtedly look for loopholes to exploit. But having some rules was still better than none at all.
「Next, this one is a trivial demand for us, so you are free to reject it, but rejecting it will only cost you resources… We’d like the return of captured pilots and the custody of the Megareus’s commander, Albert. He’s a rare friend of mine, you see.」
The way Vasa said it made it seem like this request was unimportant—almost irrelevant. It felt like even if it were denied, it wouldn’t matter much.
「The prisoners and the ‘Artillery Lord,’ huh? Fine. That won’t be a problem. Even if there are minor issues, we’ll handle them. We’ll accept.」
Barry agreed without hesitation. To him, it was a trivial matter as well, hardly worth debating.
The prisoners in question were individuals brainwashed by nanomachines. Even if the brainwashing were reversed, they would require long-term treatment—a burden, to put it bluntly. Metal Iris wasn’t a charity organization, and returning the prisoners posed no ethical issues from a humanitarian standpoint.
The greater concern was Albert the Artillery Lord, a B-class Development Engineer. While he was a skilled Development Engineer, he was far from being the only technician to defect to the Stones. It was tempting to hold him accountable for the carrier bomb attack, but if pushing that point jeopardized the peace negotiations, it was better to let it go.
What mattered more was establishing treaty negotiations to prevent the use of carrier bombs like the ones Albert had created. However, that was a matter for future discussions, not the current moment.
「So, what’s your main demand?」
「Let me be clear upfront. If you can’t accept this condition, there will be no peace.」
「Understood.」
Barry straightened in his chair, bracing himself. He couldn’t begin to imagine what the Stones would demand in exchange for conceding victory to humanity. Whatever it was, it had to be significant enough for them to willingly relinquish their advantage.
If the negotiations fell apart, the war would inevitably drag on, descending further into a bloody stalemate. While humanity might hold a temporary upper hand, a prolonged conflict would only play into the Stones’ favor, given their control of other continents and vast resources. Barry knew he needed to finalize the terms here and now, no matter what it took.
「We want the body of Castor-sama back. It’s still in a state of suspended animation. Asia’s Knight struck with remarkable precision. Had the MCS been destroyed entirely, there would have been no chance for these peace talks.」
「What?!」
Kou was left speechless. He had been careful to avoid further damaging Shuuji’s body, wanting to lay it to rest peacefully. Even if it remained in suspended animation, Castor’s consciousness was already gone. Shuuji’s soul had been overwritten and extinguished. He hadn’t imagined that the Stones would demand possession of the body—a body that, to them, likely represented nothing more than a defeated remnant.
「Th-that’s…」
「Kou, you decide. This wasn’t something we did; it was your achievement. If this leads to the collapse of negotiations, no one here will blame you.」
「That’s right. No one will hold it against you. Do as you feel is right.」
Barry let out a deep sigh. Without Kou, Metal Iris wouldn’t have been able to fight as far or as fiercely as it had. Burdening Kou with the decision was a dereliction of duty as the supreme commander, but Barry wanted to respect Kou’s decision.
Jenny gave a sad smile, fully aware of the painful burden this placed on Kou. It was a cruel choice to force upon him.
Aimer, who empathized deeply with both of them, remained silent, her expression unreadable.
「If I’m honest, I hope you accept their terms. I understand wanting to honor the dead, but…」
Barry hesitated, reluctant to voice his opinion. Yet, as the supreme commander, it was his duty to share his perspective, however difficult it might be.
「I… I have to decide this?」
Aimer gazed at Kou with concern. It was an agonizing choice for him. If they were going to hand over the body, then why had he gone to such lengths to recover it intact?
「I don’t understand, Vasa. Accepting defeat and giving us favorable peace terms… is that body really worth all of this?」
If the demand had been for him himself to be taken into custody, Kou might have found it easier to handle. But this was about Shuuji’s body. To him, it didn’t seem like the body held enough value to justify what they were offering.
「It didn’t hold such value before. It’s only because of its current state. I understand your doubt—this has never happened before. The destruction of the MCS connection unit to the Kaleidolith without obliterating the body… Such an event has never occurred, not even once in the long history of the Nemesis system.」
「So we’re dealing with something unprecedented? Give us some time—Kou needs time to think this through.」
Barry genuinely couldn’t understand the significance. Was this a peculiar situation unique to the Stones? Even considering the bizarre technologies they wielded, he had never heard of a body being reused after such a process.
He glanced at Asia, hoping for insight, but she shook her head. Even she couldn’t discern the reasoning. If Asia couldn’t fathom it, there was no way Barry, an ordinary human, could.
「Very well.」
Vasa magnanimously acquiescenced.
Aimer was shaken to her core. For Vasa to grant them time to think in such a tense situation only emphasized how much value the body of Castor truly held. She bit her lower lip, suppressing the urge to speak. She didn’t want Kou burdened with any more troubling information.
「I…」
「What’s there to agonize over, Kou-kun? Just hand it over.」
Hyoue spoke with a cheerful tone and a smile.
「Hyoue-san!」
Hyoue’s expression was calm and serene. It was clear to anyone that he, more than anyone else, wanted to honor Shuuji’s remains.
「Shuuji’s funeral rites are already complete. You even avenged him. What’s left there is just a body that died five years ago. Even if handing it over doesn’t end the war entirely, if it can bring peace for even a while, then it’s worth it.」
Hyoue’s desire to lay the body to rest with proper honors was undeniable. Yet, he was suppressing those feelings, looking toward the future instead. He knew better than anyone that Shuuji wouldn’t come back.
Kou remained silent.
Vasa broke the silence.
「Do as you like with the Kaleidolith. It’s valuable in its own way. What we truly want is the body.」
「That stone isn’t Castor anymore, huh?」
「…As expected, you grasp the essence of the matter. Correct. Even if the personality inside it possesses another body the resulting individual would likely be someone entirely different.」
Vasa couldn’t help but be impressed by Kou’s understanding. Few in the Nemesis system truly comprehended the mechanics of the demigods. Memories, experiences, and related judgment capabilities were tied to the physical body. The chance of recreating the personality of Castor was slim at best.
「I won’t sell it, but I’ll do what I see fit with it. Can consciousness even be installed twice?」
「I’ll answer honestly—I don’t know. But it’s unlikely to work with that particular Kaleidolith.」
Vasa’s response seemed genuine. It was clear even he wasn’t certain about the intricacies of the process.
「…Fine. I’ll accept your primary condition.」
Kou finally forced out the words.
If not for Hyoue’s intervention, he would likely have remained stuck in internal conflict. Hyoue, as a family member and someone deeply tied to Shuuji, had made up his mind. Kou couldn’t keep being indecisive
「A wise decision. Thank you, Asia’s Knight. The peace negotiations are now settled. Asia herself is our witness.」
「Understood.」
The planetary super-AI, Asia, confirmed the agreement, becoming a witness to this historic moment. This was a turning point, one that would be recorded in history.
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