Chapter 35: The Words of Arthur Von Ashbourne [BONUS - ]

Chapter 35: The Words of Arthur Von Ashbourne [BONUS Chapter]

Suddenly...

〘SYSTEM NOTIFICATION〙

〘Average Loyalty to Fleet Commander has decreased to 55%.〙

Arthur’s eyes flickered slightly.

〘Warning: Average loyalty is actively decreasing.〙

Arthur resisted the urge to smile.

Below him, the atmosphere among the Iron Angels had noticeably changed.

Octoria remained perfectly composed.

Her expression was calm.

But behind her back...

Her hand slowly tightened into a fist.

Arthur noticed.

Then he smiled.

"But you know what?"

The entire hall fell silent.

"I’m not going to do any of that."

His voice echoed throughout the massive chamber.

"In fact..."

Arthur took another step forward.

"I dare say all of you standing here are going to go down as legends in the Empire’s history."

Several Iron Angels raised their heads.

Arthur continued.

"What if I dared to say that each and every one of you will live full lives?"

The silence deepened.

"What if I dared to say that as long as you’re with me..."

His gaze became firm.

"...you will never have to fear the possibility of defeat?"

The expressions of the Iron Angels slowly changed.

"What if I dared to say that each and every one of you has become as precious to me as family?"

He paused for a moment.

"What if I dared to say..."

He slowly looked across the hundreds of soldiers standing before him.

"...that I will go to any length to see every single one of your problems solved?"

There was a sudden pause.

Then...

The Iron Angels stared at him.

Looks of confusion...

And disbelief...

Slowly appeared across their faces.

Arthur smiled as he looked around at them.

"Sounds outlandish, right?"

He chuckled.

"Most of you are probably thinking, ’He’s only saying this to win our hearts.’"

Arthur shrugged.

"And you would be right."

"What sort of commander wouldn’t want the loyalty and hearts of his fleet?"

He paused.

"But that aside..."

His expression became serious.

"There is something I want all of you to remember today."

He paused, spreading out his arms in a magnificent T-pose.

"Something I want you to never forget."

Arthur’s eyes swept across the assembled Iron Angels.

"The words of Arthur Von Ashbourne..."

He paused for emphasis, placing his right hand on his chest.

"...are worth their weight in gold."

Arthur turned.

"Vice Commander Octoria."

Octoria immediately straightened.

"Please step forward and drop to one knee."

Octoria paused for a moment, seemingly confused by the command.

But she quickly nodded.

"Understood."

She stepped forward and lowered herself onto one knee before Arthur.

Arthur looked down at her.

"Now..."

"As I’m sure you all know, your Vice Commander is a remarkable Gold Iron Angel who is slowly losing herself to Chi Psychosis."

The crowd remained silent.

"At any moment on the battlefield, she could turn from ally to foe."

"Some say she can only be continuously pacified while she goes into battle."

Arthur’s expression became solemn.

"But one day..."

"She will eventually lose control."

"And when that happens..."

"She will have to be put down."

A heavy silence descended over the hall.

"There is no known cure for her condition in the entire Empire."

Arthur paused.

Then his lips curled into a faint smile.

"But what if I told you..."

"...that wasn’t the case?"

Several Iron Angels exchanged confused glances.

Arthur’s voice grew firmer.

"What if I told you that I could cure her?"

He looked across the assembled soldiers.

"And not just her."

"What if I told you that I could cure each and every one of you of your defects?"

A brief silence followed.

Then...

CRASH!

Somewhere within the fleet vessel, inside the Recovery and Medical Aid Wing, one of the medical personnel watching the live broadcast wasn’t having it.

"What a load of bull!"

A young, brown-haired, brown-eyed female medical officer had suddenly slammed the tablet in her hand onto the floor.

Several heads immediately turned toward her.

She pointed angrily at the holographic display.

"He’s just saying whatever he thinks will make us more loyal to him!"

She scoffed.

"He probably doesn’t even know what he’s talking about!"

The woman folded her arms.

"Does the Young Master seriously think a few words are going to change reality?"

She shook her head.

"Chi Psychosis is medically incurable!"

"Even with the most advanced medical technology in the Empire, the strongest elixirs, and the best Chi stabilizers available, the most we can do is delay the onset of full psychosis!"

Her expression became increasingly exasperated.

"And he’s standing there claiming he can cure it?"

"Does he even understand how absurd that sounds?"

A calm voice suddenly came from behind her.

"Mariel."

The young woman froze.

She slowly turned around.

Standing behind her was the head doctor of the Recovery and Medical Aid Wing.

A lime-green-haired, yellow-eyed woman in a lab coat.

Lady Auriel.

The older woman calmly stared at the broken tablet on the floor.

Her expression was completely unreadable.

"Yes, Doctor?"

The head doctor adjusted her glasses.

The lenses briefly caught the light, producing a sharp glint.

"That is the second piece of medical equipment you’ve damaged this month."

Mariel’s expression stiffened.

The doctor continued calmly.

"I will not have you trashing equipment again."

She pushed her glasses higher against the bridge of her nose.

"If you do..."

She paused.

"...I will personally ensure the replacement cost is deducted from your salary."

Mariel’s face immediately paled.

"Yes, Doctor."

She quickly bent down to retrieve the damaged tablet.

"I’m sorry."

The head doctor gave a small nod.

Mariel hesitated.

"But..."

The doctor looked at her.

Mariel swallowed.

"Don’t you find the Young Master’s claim absurd as well?"

The medical personnel around them fell silent.

The head doctor glanced toward the holographic display.

Arthur’s image was on the screen.

She was silent for several seconds.

"...Absurd?"

Her expression remained calm.

"Yes."

Mariel looked relieved.

"I knew it!"

"But..."

The head doctor adjusted her glasses again.

"...I would prefer to determine whether it is absurd after what he does next... Or at least the explanation he’s willing to give."

Mariel blinked.

"Doctor?"

The head doctor turned her attention back toward the screen.

"Medical science has declared Chi Psychosis incurable."

She paused.

"But that doesn’t mean the Young Master is necessarily wrong."

"Perhaps he knows of a method that significantly slows it down to a near halt that isn’t widely known."

The room became silent.

Mariel stared at her in disbelief.

"...You actually think he might be telling the truth?"

The head doctor didn’t answer immediately.

Her eyes remained fixed on Arthur’s image.

"I think..."

"...we should listen carefully to what our new commander has to say. He is a member of a very well-known family. I don’t think he would go around lying blatantly like you say."