Chapter 96: To Gantz part2
That night, we held our regular Fleet Conference. We reconciled the information from Cleria with what Iris had gathered and sketched out a rough plan. Selena and Sharon were in a heated discussion about running the school. Next, we’d have to meet with the advance-party clerks and build out the detailed organization; the sheer volume of work made me want to hold my head.
In three years, the kingdom will start to collect taxes. I’ll need to arrange recruitment of clerks with capital experience too…
I was giving Iris additional instructions about those matters after the conference when—
「Captain, as lord, you must decide the organization’s structure carefully and explicitly.」
Iris raised the issue.
「What is it?」
「If your position as the territory’s ruler and Cleria’s future position and status aren’t clearly defined, conflict and confusion are likely between your new subjects and the former Starveek subjects.」
「Huh? If Ria is there, won’t the Starveek side be fine?」
「The territory’s residents are obliged to obey you—the ruler, Baron Corinth—and within the clan, we already have a shared understanding that you and Cleria will be co-rulers of the Starveek Kingdom. So, internally, there’s no problem. However, making that public now would be tantamount to defying the kingdom, so you cannot present it to the populace. That being the case, for the moment Cleria is merely a member of Shining Star—fourth in line or lower in the clan.」
「…True. The clan’s number two is Selena, then Sharon, and there’s Adjuntant Dalshim…」
「As people gather, factions will form—those who look to you as lord, and those who look to Cleria of the Starveek royal house. Among those who look to Cleria, some will be former Starveek citizens, others the margrave’s people; conflict is inevitable. What’s more, those who favor Cleria will be dissatisfied: they’ll feel they should obey Cleria rather than Alan, yet as subjects, they have no clear standing for her, and within the clan she ranks fourth or lower. To prevent this, we must clarify Cleria’s status within the domain.」
Iris machine-gunned me with logic. I had no rebuttal and could only hold my head.
「…Isn’t this a bit too much of a problem?」
「It is. But this is the first unavoidable step in governing a domain. As of now, Shining Star’s authority holds, so concretely, please determine Cleria’s clear position within the domain within roughly three to six months—before migrants arrive from Starveek.」
「…Got it. I’ll make that a high-priority issue.」
「There’s a simplest solution. Would you hear it off the record?」
Iris said it with an expression that felt like a mischievous grin. ‘Off the record’ means she doesn’t want it logged—never a good sign. From that look, I have a bad feeling, but I have to hear it.
「…I accept the off-record proposal. What is it?」
「Formally announce Cleria as your fiancée.」
My brain needed a beat to process the words.
「…Fiancée?! As in—I’m marrying Cleria?!」
「Yes. It’s unfortunate for Selena and Sharon, but at present it’s the best solution to clarify Cleria’s position.」
「Hold on, hold on. Cleria’s like a little sister to me, and we need the other party’s consent!」
My head is spinning. Also, why are Selena and Sharon suddenly part of this?!
「Captain, you haven’t noticed, but Cleria is thinking along those lines.」
「What?! Since when? We’ve never even talked about it!」
「You truly have issues as a man. Do you remember Cleria’s reaction when you proposed co-rulership?」
I remember it now—how, at the inn, when I proposed co-ruling, Cleria suddenly went beet-red and flustered.
「…Don’t tell me when she said, ‘A-Alan, you don’t mind if it’s me?’—that’s what she meant?!」
「It was a splendid proposal—aside from the part where you didn’t realize it.」
Iris kept teasing me, looking far too pleased.
「…Good grief.」
I wanted to cut the line out of sheer mortification. So this is what ‘wanting to crawl into a hole’ feels like.
「In any case, if you just announce the engagement, Cleria’s position is solvable. Or do you find Cleria unacceptable as a partner?」
「No, no, it’s not that—I’ve just never thought about it.」
「Do you also remember what you told Selena and Sharon when you conveyed Imperial policy?」
「…What about it?」
「When they asked about increasing Imperial forces, you said, ‘Our sons and daughters will surely become the kind of people who lead the Imperial military’.」
「…I do remember saying that.」
「’Our sons and daughters’—in any reading, that refers to children born between you and the two of them.」
「…No way. I wasn’t trying to seduce subordinates!」
「They accepted your words with that in mind. It’s a bit late to claim you meant something different.」
「…You’ve got to be kidding me.」
「Fortunately, this planet’s culture permits polygyny so long as those involved consent.」
「…Imperial law would never allow that!」
「Selena and Sharon are clones, so their Imperial citizenship is ambiguous, and Cleria does not have Imperial citizenship. During transitional periods before Imperial annexation, local rules are typically recognized.」
「Good grief…」
「So please pay more attention to women’s feelings, Captain. Selena and Sharon are my precious daughters; don’t you dare neglect them.」
Iris’ beaming smile was terrifying.
「…I can’t agree with half of this, but I understand your point…」
「One more note for our oblivious Captain: on this planet, it’s normal to marry at eighteen and have your first child at twenty. If you’re past twenty and unmarried, people may assume there’s some problem. This isn’t the Empire, where people wed in their thirties. Don’t string them along. Be considerate.」
「…You’ve got to be kidding me.」
「And further: Cleria must restore both House Starveek and House Ludvic. Be aware she will likely be expected to bear multiple children.」
「…」
「That’s all from me. This conversation will not be recorded.」
Still wearing that infuriating grin, Iris ended the topic.
「…Sign-out.」
After cutting the connection, I sank into a bleak mood. I want to curse past me for being careless. And who, exactly, decided to give a battleship AI the logic of a neighborhood gossip auntie…?
Well, it’s my own damn fault. Looked at from their perspective, I’d been accidentally flirting left and right. Those cold looks I’d get sometimes—so that’s what that was about.
Needless to say, for a while afterward, I became awkward every time I looked at them.
Comment (0)