Mob No. 82: “The phrase bedridden king alone makes this speech absurdly suspicious.”
Leaving the guild, I head not straight home but to Gonzalez to get some intel I’m curious about.
En route, the city is quite chaotic. Shops for food and medicine are mobbed while restaurants, clothing stores, companies, travel agencies and such are already closed. With martial law in 4 hours, everyone’s frantic.
Some seemingly clueless folks make a ruckus in the streets too.
In the black market street, shops are successively shuttering, but food sellers seem intent on operating till the last minute.
That butcher has a banner for [Meat orbs embraced by bitter black viscosity, drowning in filthy oil] making the most of pre-curfew sales.
Ignoring the scene, I arrive at Pattson Pharmacy.
“Yo.”
Waving lightly as I enter, no customers with pharmacies requiring physician prescriptions.
Gonzalez himself seems unhurried, leisurely reading.
“Yo. About that coup huh?”
“Food and medicine ingredients alright?”
“Got extra stocked ahead of time so it’s fine. Power cells and nutrient solutions stockpiled too. Bought a good amount of regular food as well.”
“You knew beforehand?”
“Had intel on nobles gathering in one place and decisive stuff in cyberspace.”
Saying that, he holds out his palm.
Usually it’s 50k per piece but I prepared 100k for what I wanted to ask first, so add 50k and hand it over.
Satisfied with the amount apparently, Gonzalez plays a video.
“This was on the Nekirelma Star Kingdom’s net. Probably right before the coup I’d guess.”
Displayed is a speech platform with a swarthy, richly dressed man shown.
[My friends! Our opportunity has finally come!
The Empire that invaded and colonized various nations across the galaxy shows signs of decline!
The current Empress Amelia Franourd Ovarth lacks solidarity and over half her citizens’ support!
To prove this, imperial citizens have sought our protection!
When the current Empress is overthrown, they plead for us to lead the new administration!
We accept their plea and have provided the funds and arms for it!
His bedridden Majesty the King also expects much from this operation!
If their fight succeeds, the path for us to become the galaxy’s ruler opens brilliantly!
Rise up! For seizing all of the galaxy!]
The video ends on the swarthy man with a finished look, smiling.
Seeing this, I reflexively clutch my head.
The Nekirelma backing them is within expectations.
But the speech content is the issue.
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“Feels like way too many faults… Current Empress lacks solidarity and over half the citizens don’t support her… wasn’t her approval rating 75%?”
“To the speaker, citizens probably means just nobles. Looking only at them, many do seem rebelling probably.”
“Imperial nobles earnestly asking us to guide the new administration after overthrowing the current Empress… No way imperial nobles seriously ask that! They’d obviously watch for chances to attack! Well, deliberately lying I’m sure but…”
“Of course to deceive watching imperial nobles. And thinking they can win since the enemy will be exhausted right after combat!”
“The phrase bedridden king alone makes this speech absurdly suspicious.”
“Pretty sure it’s the premier and marquess, Kaiyese Dauin. Touches call him the brilliant premier enjoying tremendous trust from the king.”
“All self-proclaimed obviously.”
Among other faults, these seem the biggest.
Anyway, I’ll stop the headache-inducing extras and ask what I originally intended.
“So what’s their military force right now anyway?”
Gonzalez’s intel network surely can’t pin down precise numbers but more info helps judge.
“I’d guess around 400k total including unmanned drones and remotely operated unmanned bombardment ships and such for just the nobles. How many the Nekirelma Star Kingdom added is unknown but at least 500k more for certain. Yet with similarly including drones and remote ships, the mere 10k 7th fleet halted their advance, so no motivation to move now probably.”
With Gonzalez’s gathered data, mistakes should be few but he was mistaken about the nobles’ actions.
“Nah. I’d say over 90% of nobles are like [What Demon God! That plebeian acting like nobility with his rabble army! I could best him easily if given the chance! He’s not worth dirtying my hands on! Let’s pawn him off on you!]” While shoving responsibility on Brigadier General Toonchid, too scared to face him directly.
The wording might differ but that’s certainly how it is.
Losing interest in the nobles, I promptly make my other request.
“Also, do you have a [detailed map] of the site?”
“Oh, gimme a sec.”
Ordinary bookstores and convenience stores would have maps but a [detailed map] here means noble coup faction deployments, local military/law enforcement installations, asteroid positions, internal info on those, and such.
As Gonzalez prepares the map, the book he was reading catches my eye. It’s the old light novel [Planet of Storms].
Receiving the [detailed map] of the site, I leave Pattson Pharmacy to get home before martial law begins.
I properly bought that [Meat orbs embraced by bitter black viscosity, drowning in filthy oil] by the way.
Getting home, I tidy up, do laundry, eat a late lunch with the [Meat orbs] side dish, then relax watching anime backlogs. As expected, a summons from the mercenary guild comes.
With martial law enacted I briefly consider ignoring it but that won’t fly.
Reluctantly preparing and going out, the city streets under martial law are deserted, completely ghost town-like.
With public transport stopped, I borrow a shared bike from the manager and head for the guild.
As usual I get stopped by police but showing the guild notice gets me smoothly passed.
Arriving at the mobbed guild, it seems the summoned mercs overflow.
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