Chapter 46: The First Battle of the Giant Mechs – Section 8

In this world, there are always many kinds of helplessness. Not being able to obtain something is one form of helplessness; having too much to the point of not being able to consume it is another. Thus, all that remained for the overexcited Baroka was disappointment. As for Grand Duke Bosisi, who had watched the entire battle from start to finish, being willing but powerless was also a form of helplessness.

It was truly astonishing. Having witnessed Snake Fang’s power throughout the battle, his mood at this moment could only be described in such terms. But as the intense shock subsided, all that remained in Grand Duke Bosisi’s heart was bitterness.

Why? Why wasn’t such powerful strength in his own hands?
Why did a battle that should have brought him fame end in such a manner?

Humans are not gods; they always have their flaws. Grand Duke Bosisi was well aware that in just a blink of an eye, he had dropped countless ranks from being a human hero. Even if someone were to depict such a war, he would at most be seen as a defiant loser.

From hero to loser—how vast is the gap between the two?
Grand Duke Bosisi didn’t know, but he knew for sure that nothing good awaited him. The other nobles he had suppressed would surely seize this opportunity to attack him harshly through public opinion, causing his reputation and power to plummet.

Had he really done something wrong? For a little fame, he had sent his fleet on relentless patrols day and night, even beyond the warning zones, resulting in an ambush. Was all this loss of crew and ships due to his greed?

Grand Duke Bosisi pondered silently, his expression growing darker.

“Grand Duke… Your Excellency?” At that moment, a respectful voice sounded beside him. Grand Duke Bosisi looked up and saw Captain Rocot’s concerned gaze.

“Hm? What is it? Isn’t the battle situation stable now? We’re safe. Captain Rocot, I don’t need to direct the cleanup, right? I’m tired and need to rest.”

“No… that’s not what I mean.” Captain Rocot sensed the dissatisfaction in the grand duke’s words and grew anxious, pointing upward repeatedly.

“It’s them… they’re right above us!”

“Who?” Grand Duke Bosisi was stunned and didn’t react at first. Only after seeing Captain Rocot’s embarrassed expression did he suddenly realize.

“Black Hair… Blood Wolves!?”

“Yes, they are,” Captain Rocot nodded repeatedly.

“Aren’t they attacking the Moors? What are they doing above us? Do they think those mechs are impressive enough to show off to me?” Duke Poseidon was instantly furious, his voice rising sharply, drawing glances from the crew around him. Seeing the duke’s anger, they all fell silent in fear.

Captain Rocott also felt awkward and quickly leaned close to the duke’s ear, whispering something.

“You mean they want to see me?” Duke Poseidon’s eyebrows drew together. “Then we can just communicate directly. Why go through such trouble?”

“We can’t communicate simply,” Captain Rocott said in a low voice, so low that only the duke and he could hear it. “The Dark-Haired Lord wants to meet with you alone.”

“Meet alone?” Duke Poseidon was surprised, but quickly regained his composure. “Very well. Get everything ready for me. I need a private meeting room. If the Dark-Haired one wants to see me, let him come to my flagship.”

“Understood! I’ll handle it right away.” Captain Rocott quickly saluted and rushed out of the room. Not far away, outside the window, a damaged black crystal giant ship exploded into a dazzling ball of fire.

Normally, although the Dark-Haired One often fought in person, he was still a true lord—moreover, a lord with the strongest fleet in humanity. The protocols for receiving him couldn’t be neglected. But since this was a battlefield, everything had to be simplified. So five minutes later, a giant mech landed next to Duke Poseidon’s flagship. After being secured, the Dark-Haired One entered the private room prepared for him, surrounded by guards. As soon as he saw Duke Poseidon, he gently waved his hand.

“Guards, leave. I want to talk to your duke alone. You’re not needed here.”

The guards behind the Dark-Haired One were stunned. They glanced at Duke Poseidon, and seeing his expressionless face, they could only nod reluctantly and leave the room. The metal door closed quickly, plunging the room into silence. Duke Poseidon didn’t beat around the bush and asked straight away.

“Speak. Why do you want to see me? What’s the matter?”

Actually, this issue had been pondered many times by Grand Duke Posisi long before Black Hair arrived. He just couldn’t find an answer. In his mind, Black Hair’s purpose was either to show off or to offer hypocritical comfort. After all, with his fleet in such a miserable state, as a lord, he couldn’t turn a blind eye. At the very least, he had to maintain some face.

Unfortunately, Grand Duke Posisi hated such superficial negotiations the most. So he had already made up his mind: if Black Hair didn’t have anything substantial to say, he would have to show him some disapproval. “How dare you! I, a grand duke, have earned all my achievements through my own efforts. When have I ever needed your pity?”

His strong sense of pride made Grand Duke Posisi’s expression stern and rigid, even his tone when speaking to Black Hair became stiff. Black Hair noticed all of this clearly.

Yet, to Grand Duke Posisi’s surprise, this lord of the 31st Star Region, known for his toughness, didn’t confront him head-on. Instead, he quietly walked over, sat down, poured himself a glass of red wine from the table, and drank it in one gulp.

“I didn’t expect Grand Duke Posisi to be such a thoughtful person, knowing I like this kind of wine. You even remembered to prepare it in this completely enclosed room. That must have been quite troublesome for you.”

“Stop talking nonsense. It was Roquart who prepared it. I don’t have that much time. Just get to the point. But let me make it clear—no need for comforting words. I, Posisi, don’t need your pity,” Grand Duke Posisi replied, his face still tightly clenched and expressionless.

Seeing his reaction, Black Hair didn’t seem bothered. He simply shook his head lightly.

“Of course, Grand Duke Posisi doesn’t need anyone’s pity. If you think I’m here to comfort you, that’s rather stingy of you. You are you, and I am me. Even if half of your fleet still remains, or even if it’s all dead, what does it have to do with me? Could it even affect me in the slightest? To put it plainly, it was your own carelessness that allowed the Moors to ambush you!”

“You!?” Grand Duke Posisi flew into a rage. He had been famous for decades, and as his power grew, who dared speak to him rudely? Black Hair’s blunt criticism was, to put it mildly, a harsh rebuke; to put it harshly, it was like being slapped. How could he not turn pale?

But just as his anger flared, Black Hair spoke again, completely unbothered.

“Calm down, calm down, Grand Duke Poseidon. I’ve heard much of your name. People say you’re meticulous and follow rules strictly in all your dealings. But not like this now. Well, maybe my words just now weren’t very pleasant. But do you really expect me to point out your mistakes in a gentle, weak tone? In front of tens of thousands of dead crew members?”
Watching Grand Duke Poseidon’s face turn pale, the black-haired man smiled and spread his palms. “I’m sorry, but I’m not in the mood. If my mistakes have caused so many of my subordinates to die, I’d rather die than vent my anger on others. Of course, if even death can’t atone for my sins, I think taking responsibility bravely might solve the problem.”
After saying that, the black-haired man fell silent, merely staring at Grand Duke Poseidon with a smile in his eyes, ignoring the duke’s increasingly pale complexion. The atmosphere in the quiet room suddenly became eerie. After a long while, Grand Duke Poseidon finally spoke, his voice suddenly hoarse.
“Is this why you wanted to see me? Afraid I’ll give up on myself? That I’ll become someone unemployable? If that’s the case, I can only express my regret. I, Poseidon, won’t sink to that level. Even if this failure ruins my reputation, I’ll arrange everything. For all the crew members who sacrificed, I’ll ensure their families live without worry and happily for the rest of their lives. You don’t need to worry about that, Lord Blackhair!”
A glint appeared in his eyes, and in an instant, Grand Duke Poseidon showed his true heroic demeanor. Not only did he show no sign of weakness, but he seemed even more determined, as if fully energized. His posture, which had slumped due to failure, straightened again. A powerful aura emanated from him, making the black-haired man feel somewhat suffocated.
Seeing such a dramatic change in Grand Duke Poseidon, the black-haired man smiled—not the mocking smile at first, but a genuine one.
“Very good. It seems I really came for no reason. But then again, we seem to have strayed from the topic. Well, let me explain my real purpose here. It’s actually quite simple. I’d like to ask you to do something for me.”
“Hm? What is it?” Grand Duke Poseidon frowned, clearly unaccustomed to the black-haired man’s sudden change in attitude. But noticing the use of the word “ask,” his tone softened considerably. Yet, the black-haired man’s next words shocked him once again.

“Do not reveal my presence,” the dark-haired man replied, speaking slowly and clearly as he looked at Duke Poseidon. “I want to see in tomorrow’s newspapers that this ambush was carried out solely by Duke Poseidon. He perfectly lured the Moorish expedition force and destroyed it all by himself, shattering the Moors’ ambition to invade humanity. That’s all there is to it.”
“What… what?” Duke Poseidon stood up abruptly. “Are you treating me as if I’m being granted a favor!?”