The 19th generation Marquis Odgar, Tami Asenti, is 30 years old this year, having just entered the most charming stage of a man's life.
He is tall, with handsome features and silver hair neatly cut short.
His athletic physique is encased in a silver and black Imperial senior officer's uniform, making him look like a resolute statue.
However, though his features are strong, his expression always carries a quiet melancholy, and his rose-red pupils are always full of thought and calmness, which generally prevents him from being mistaken for a fierce and brutal warrior.
The young Marquis Odgar was indeed very hesitant; he had barely smiled since he inherited the title.
If he had a choice in life, he certainly wouldn't want to be this troublesome Marquis.
This was truly not an affectation.
Wouldn't it be great to live a happy life as a Star Realm Knight born from a collateral branch of a noble family, without having to bear the Blue Eagle heraldry of the Odgar family, without facing the expectant gazes of his vassals and hereditary retainers, and without carrying the glory of his ancestors?
Serving in the Star Realm Knight Order, and in his leisure time, frequenting salons of high society to soothe the lonely and restless bodies and minds of young ladies and noblewomen.
In fact, a noble scion like him, well-versed in both civil and military arts, graceful, and handsome, was indeed the most popular type in the Imperial capital.
Then, after achieving some Achievements, becoming an elegant and brave Imperial Knight in white, developing his military theories, and being remembered as a famous general in history.
He might even establish his own lineage and create his own heraldry.
It wouldn't have to be a family as historically renowned and troublesome as the Marquis Odgar's; a sword-bearing noble family without territory would suffice, and a low-level title like a Baronet or Baron would be perfectly adequate, enough for a respectable life in the Imperial Capital.
Wouldn't such a life be wonderful?
Then, he would marry his goddess, the singer from the Sacred Sound Palace Grand Opera House.
Yes, his Lord Tami Asenti absolutely did not want to marry any noble lady; engaging in super-friendly relationships to soothe their bodies and minds in salons was one thing, and marrying and living with them day and night was another.
A singer who was understanding, gentle, considerate, with a picturesque smile and a voice like a spring, was the true conscience worth spending a lifetime with.
But if he were just an ordinary noble youth, it would be fine; once he became the Marquis Odgar, his marriage would no longer be his to decide, and furthermore, his retainers would not accept a commoner woman becoming the Marchioness.
“You tell me, how did I, a third-class Baronet, become the Marquis Odgar?” He sighed deeply in his heart.
The young Marquis had just finished sighing when he realized he had lost his composure.
Fortunately, he was currently sitting alone in the captain's chair, with a quiet force field activated around him, so the others on the bridge did not notice his expression—the design of an Imperial warship's bridge was naturally quite Imperial, divided into three platforms.
The ordinary soldiers on the lower level and the general middle management on the middle level could not see the situation on the highest level, so even if the captain were to engage in a group activity up there, no one would know.
The class attribute was naturally clear at a glance.
The current Marquis Odgar soon heard footsteps behind him.
He did not turn around, still staring at the starry sky before him, as if in contemplation, or perhaps in a daze.
The newcomer seemed to have already grown accustomed to this, and directly opened his information terminal, saying in a slightly effeminate and low voice, “Your Excellency… it has been confirmed that all the pirates who went to deliver the goods are gone.
The Earthlings have deployed a fleet in the Luna Star System in advance.”
“What is the strength of the Earthlings' fleet?”
“The last transmitted image confirmed it is not a very large fleet, under twenty ships.
The largest warship is a light cruiser, but the ship type cannot yet be confirmed.
Preliminary parameter analysis suggests the total mass should not exceed one hundred thousand tons.”
Marquis Odgar pondered for a moment: “What about that Lumina Rebel, the one named Morda?”
“Communication is impossible.”
“Heh… As expected, typical pirate behavior.” The Marquis sneered.
“Similarly, communication with Mr. Ke'ermo from the Lumina Rebels has also been completely cut off.”
“...Ke'ermo is in grave danger.
Poor fellow, but he fought for his ideals, so he got what he wanted.” The Marquis sighed.
Speaking of which, when he was in the Imperial Capital, he had met the leader of the Lumina Rebels a few times and knew that he was also an excellent international student, and his impression had always been good.
“Your Excellency, your subordinate suggests that we should withdraw now.
Mr. Ke'ermo is trustworthy, but we cannot guarantee that the pirates will keep quiet!
The Commonwealth must already know that we are on standby here.
Continuing to stay will pose too great a security risk!”
Marquis Odgar, however, rejected it on the spot without even thinking: “This is public star territory; why can't an Imperial warship be here?”
“Strictly speaking, Your Excellency, this is not an Imperial warship, but a Bakerville Republic warship,” the newcomer earnestly distinguished.
Indeed, on this ship, the Buckwheat Birdmen sailors accounted for two-thirds, and if the bridge were ignored, this was a complete Bakerville warship.
“That's right!
So we are here to engage the Commonwealth Fleet!
After defeating them, we will go to Lumina again; I must at least fully understand the situation before I can proceed!”
“This is an active invasion, Your Excellency.”
“It's the Bakerville people who are invading the Commonwealth; what does that have to do with the Empire?”
These words were truly too logical.
Moreover, once conflicts between Earthlings and Bakerville people re-emerge, it would be easier for the Empire to preside over the overall situation from behind and Present itself as a responsible major power.
Of course, the premise was that they could indeed thoroughly defeat the Commonwealth Fleet in this desolate, unmonitored star system, and not the former.
Marquis Odgar saw his subordinate's doubts: “With the Clear Sky-class's combat power, it's at least a fifty-fifty chance!”
“I thought you could at least give a more promising number.”
“In a casino, I'd bet on thirty percent, let alone fifty-fifty?
Of course, the enemy doesn't know the Clear Sky-class's combat power, plus with my brilliant command, it can probably be increased to seventy percent!”
“...Do we need to take such a risk for that Highness?”
“I am not doing this for that Highness… Of course, his support is indeed very important to the family.
However, both the joint operation with the Lumina Rebels and those pirates, as well as the cooperation with that Highness, are merely incidental.
Ke'ermo's life or death is even irrelevant to me!” Marquis Odgar pointed to his eyes: “...I must confirm with my own eyes whether an Imperial warship can truly successfully cross this chaotic nebula, which is called a forbidden zone!
Now, it's only one last step away from success.
However, how many people in history have fallen at the last step?
I cannot give up!”
The person sighed, just about to say something, but then heard the Marquis say again: “Also, I really want to hit the Earthlings, very, very much!
Lainong, as a hereditary retainer of the Marquis Odgar, the son of the Chancellor, as a dignified Kiye Yang Sky Knight, don't you want to?”
This Imperial officer named “Lainong” was indeed a Kiye Yang with pointed ears, a flat nose, and a pair of topaz vertical pupils.
This race is considered one of the human subspecies, appearing more slender and frail than humans, but they are naturally powerful warriors, especially skilled in various forms of Driving, including various powerful exotic beasts, and of course, various armed vehicles.
In the Empire's society, with its distinct class system and human supremacy, this powerful warrior race was quite trusted by the nobles, and their treatment was generally fair.
In Imperial history, there had even been three Kiye Yang Marshals and one Imperial Chancellor, and the Heraldry Institute still retained two hereditary Viscount families.
“...Very much so, Your Excellency!”
As a hereditary retainer of the Marquis Odgar, how could he forget the family's great vengeance?
We must respectfully acknowledge that the Marquis Odgar family is indeed a very typical Imperial sword-bearing noble family, truly full of martial virtue, with members shedding blood on the battlefield in every generation.
A preliminary count even shows that nearly one-third of the Marquises died on the battlefield, so the family's population has never been very prosperous.
As for the family's great vengeance, it dates back to recent times.
The great-great-great-grandfather Marquis Odgar died in battle, and he died in Earth's Independent War.
Also killed were his two younger brothers, a nephew, and a large number of retainers, including this Lainong's grandfather and two paternal uncles.
The great-great-grandfather Marquis Odgar also died in battle, as a military advisor to the Kaitai Kingdom, in an unspeakable border conflict.
The culprit, of course, was also Earth.
At this time, the only remaining member of the main branch of the family was a single sprout still in swaddling clothes.
The retainers carefully nurtured this sole heir into a healthy and excellent young man, and joyfully arranged the new Marquis's marriage, quickly finding a suitable future mistress from a matching family.
However, just after their honeymoon, the Marquis, overly burdened by a sense of responsibility, went to inspect a family-owned Arsenal where an explosion occurred, and he could not be saved on the spot, dying at the age of twenty.
This time, it should have nothing to do with the Earthlings, right?
However, during the subsequent investigation, a technical worker who had immigrated from Earth was arrested, claiming that his operational error had caused the malicious accident…
In short, because the previous Marquis died too young, leaving no achievements, he only left behind an Imperial noble family whose main line was completely extinct, and a young widow of the same age as him.
Thinking of this, Tami Asenti felt like crying.
He actually liked that sincere and enthusiastic distant cousin, ten years younger than him; he had watched the latter grow up.
“Poor Cousin Niki, and poor Miss Nis, you were just newly married… But why did the Chancellor insist on me taking over?!”
Thinking of his deceased young cousin, of the past Marquises, of the happy life that was about to disappear, and of the singer who was about to disappear, Marquis Odgar felt that life was so hard, and he eagerly wanted to destroy something.
“The Earthlings might come, or they might not!
But I earnestly pray to the universe spirit that it must be the former!
Have the warship enter the Asteroid Belt and enter quiet mode!
Start charging the kinetic main cannons, prepare proton torpedoes!” He looked at his Kiye Yang adjutant and gave his first pre-battle command.
“Also, have the carrier-based aircraft prepare for takeoff!”
Lainong stood at attention and saluted, delivering the Marquis's order in a murderous tone.
Fortunately, none of these arrangements were in vain.
As they slowly hid their experimental Clear Sky-class heavy cruiser in the icy Asteroid Belt, they indeed detected multiple warp signatures coming from the Luna direction.
Since it couldn't be a pirate fleet, it could only be the Commonwealth Fleet.