"So why did you do a hostile takeover of Olivia's role as main protagonist anyway?" I regarded the gremlin while she drank some water. "You know about all the possible Bad Ends that can happen, right?"

It was something that had been niggling at the back of my mind ever since I noticed what Marie had been doing. She had played the game so she should have known how brutal being in Olivia's canon shoes actually was.

Marie slammed the empty glass on the table and glared at me. "Just because we're both from Earth doesn't mean I have to trust you!"

I frowned but could understand that she had a point. "Fine. You don't have to trust me but we don't have to keep getting in each other's way either."

"That's what you've been doing!" Marie pointed at me with a snarl. "Everything was going fine until you started scooping up the heroine, the villainess, and the minor antagonist!"

"Because they needed help after you went too hard with the flags!" I shot back. Marie's actions blindsided Clarice, caused a mental breakdown with Angie, and hamstrung Livia's character growth.

"So what?! I don't care about them!" Oh this bitch!

I would like to advise a moment of calm. Remaining adversarial benefits neither of you.

Control cut in just as I was seriously considering strangling the selfish little gremlin. Both of us continued to glare at each other until Marie spun around and went to sit on her bed. I ground my teeth but chose to sit on an available chair.

"So you can be inside my room too?" Marie hissed at the ceiling where she thought Control probably was speaking from.

I am the control system of the ship itself, Miss Marie. Being able to monitor passengers is a requirement for health and safety.

That got a scoff from the gremlin but she didn't say anything else against it.

More importantly, I suggest that you both take this opportunity to reach an understanding on certain things. Regardless of personal feelings, you are both now affecting major aspects of this country's possible future.

Marie and I both narrowed our eyes at each other. It was pretty clear that there was no love lost between us.

Miss Marie, we do not understand your motivations. You also have no prerogative to share them with us. However, it is undeniable that your actions have been affecting certain events and causing unintended consequences that we currently do not know the full extent of. Cooperation would allow us all to adjust and deal with any problems that may arise.

"Why are you making it sound like this is all my fault?!" she yelled at the ceiling indignantly.

"You snapped up the love interests too fast and too soon." I finally spoke out, making her look at me in confusion. "Julius and the boys didn't stand a chance against me because you triggered the duel while they only had their starter level Armors. That fight should have happened at the start of Year Three."

"Urk!"

"I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but this Pirate Hunt we're currently on was supposed to happen in Year Two." I continued with a sigh.

"Ack!"

We also have to consider the very serious possibility of the timetable suggested in the game as a whole being moved forward, this includes the endgame with the Principality of Fanoss' invasion.

Ah, looks like things are finally clicking together based on how pale she was getting. "Didn't consider that, huh?"

"How could I?! I only went after the romance events! I didn't know that the combat events would trigger too!" She said in growing panic, likely remembering how terrifying the last third of the game was like for underprepared players. There was one particular boss we definitely needed to be ready for.

Regardless of intent, this may be something we need to prepare for. Black Getter F and the Nagare can only do so much on their own. May we know the reason why you chose to take on the mantle that was originally meant for Olivia?

Marie still looked hesitant so I took a breath and leaned forward in my chair. "There had to have been tons of other options for you when you got to the Academy without getting involved in the plot."

"There wasn't. Taking Julius and the others and becoming the Saint was the only choice I had." The empty look in Marie's eyes and the hollow tone in her voice genuinely spooked me.

Then Marie actually told us what her story was.

I slammed my fist against the nearest wall. I was back out in the hallway outside Marie's room, the girl quietly asking me to leave after she finished explaining her side. I felt my heart stop when I heard her break down and sob as the door closed behind me.

"Fucking nobility my ass!" I hissed out. I knew that my family situation probably wasn't the only crappy one out there, but it never really sunk in until I heard Marie's own situation.

Neglect, abuse, indifference.

At least my family outside of Zola's side actually loved me!

Marie wouldn't have any good prospects for marriage at the Academy either. Other houses would immediately recognize that her family was poor and marrying her would just drag them into debt as well. I felt like a complete ass when I remembered every time I made fun of her figure and stature. She was probably malnourished when she was growing up which was why she looked like that.

When she learned that she could use healing magic, she worked herself to the bone in order to bump it up to a level that would be able to rival Livia's. She wanted to take the title of Saint in order to escape the hell she was reincarnated into.

I asked why she hadn't told Julius and the others yet. I was certain that they would obliterate her house for how they treated her. Marie just shrugged at me before answering with a broken smile.

"And then what?"

It didn't take long for me to see what she meant. Regardless if she was a victim in the situation, it would only look like she manipulated the prince and the other heirs for her own revenge-slash-hostile takeover of her family's holdings. I wouldn't be surprised if one or more of their families would have her killed in order to save their houses' reputations. The Lafan territory would then be cut up and distributed to whoever the Crown saw fit.

It didn't excuse what she did to Angie, Livia, and Clarice, but I at least understood why she had to attempt something so drastic. I walked back to the bridge and slumped in the Captain's chair.

It is unfortunate that humanity's worst traits have lived on even after tens of thousands of years.

"I can't think of anything to get her out of her family situation." I whined, feeling a headache coming on.

For now, leaving her with Prince Julius and the others would be the best course of action.

"It just keeps piling up, Control. How the hell do we deal with all the problems that I can't just blast away using Black Getter?" It reminded me of what I told Duke Redgrave when he and Minister Atlee originally talked to me about getting engaged to their daughters.

Unfortunately, there are no easy solutions to most of the issues we face. I suggest that we focus on things we can resolve for now.

"Pirates." I immediately mused while looking at some of the displays. Still a fair bit away from our destination. "How long do you think until Clara breaks and spills the beans?"

Three minutes ago. She is presently making her way to the bridge when I told her that you are here.

Huh, that didn't take long at all. "Really?"

She discovered that she could communicate with me in her room. She asked where you were as she wished to speak with you about something important.

"Yeah, I bet. Where is she?" The main display on the Captain's console changed to show a live feed of Clara exiting an elevator.

She just entered the hallway outside the bridge.

"Let her in." This should be good. The doors opened and Clara briskly walked in before bowing in front of me.

"Viscount Bartfort, I need to speak with you urgently." She said in a formal tone.

I decided to call back to something I said before. "Finally decided to assassinate me, huh?"

"Wha–no! I'm here to–" She started to say in a panic until I cut her off.

"This whole thing is a trap. The pirates waiting for us are more numerous than what you originally told me and their actual objective is to kill me. Did I forget anything else?" I told her in a bored tone. I didn't expect her to immediately throw herself at my feet and grovel.

"Please forgive me! I didn't want to do this! I didn't have a choice!" She babbled through tears. "Miss Offrey ordered me to make the request to you an–"

"Stop!" I called out and she immediately shut up. "Do you mean Karen Fou Offrey?"

"Yes, Viscount. The Waynes are vassals of the Offrey house and I am expected to follow any orders from Miss Offrey. She was the one who told me to lead you to our destination." She quickly said. Clara certainly didn't hold any loyalty to Karen or her family. Zero-to-Under the Bus within a minute.

I hummed, recalling that the incident at the school festival was the first time I ever even saw her. "Why would she want to do that?"

"I don't know. I know better than to ask, Viscount." Clara answered with a shake of her head.

It is also curious that the daughter of House Offrey is able to coordinate an attack using Sky Pirates.

Control made a pretty good point. You never really get to the bottom of the cause of the pirate ambush in the game, it was just used as a framing device for the chosen love interest's new Armor and the Saint's Necklace.

"You think they're working with the Pirates? Or the pirates actually work for them?" I asked while leaning into the seat, tenting my fingers in front of my face, and narrowing my eyes. A gesture that made Clara look even more afraid.

It would explain their freedom of movement and lack of persecution.

I slowly looked down and regarded the girl who was still on her knees. "And your family works under them, huh?"

"Please! I'll do anything! I'll testify against them! I'm sure my father would do the same! Please don't kill us!" I ignored her pleas, hopped off the Captain's chair and crouched down so we were at eye level.

"How many pirates are waiting for us?" I asked in a low tone, making the girl shiver.

"I wasn't told. They just told me that it would be enough." She said before her eyes widened. "In fact, we should probably turn back and just leave!"

That was an option, if the pirates didn't have something I wanted. "No, we'll keep going. It would be rude to stand them up after they went through all the trouble."

"This is only one ship! Even with advanced Armors, you would be overwhelmed!" Clara exclaimed while spreading her arms.

I chuckled at her fear and looked up at the ceiling. "Control, how many enemies can the Nagare face by itself?"

At the minimum range where all weapon systems would have full effectiveness, the Nagare is capable of engaging two hundred and seventy-six individual targets of standard Armor size or larger simultaneously.

I whistled. I didn't know the number was going to be that high.

"As you can see, we won't be trapped out there with them." I looked back down at the gobsmacked girl. "They'll be trapped out there with us."

"From this point forward, you do what I tell you. Don't talk about your family's involvement in this." I said while pulling Clara back up to her feet. "If Jilk finds out, he might just shoot you where you stand."

I ignored how she started shaking in fear. "Control, get everyone to the briefing room. It's time we talk about tactics."

Of course.

"Follow." I ordered and exited the bridge.

"Y-yes, my Lord!" Clara answered as she started following me. Wait, why was she calling me her lord? Whatever, I had bigger things to worry about.

Twenty minutes later, Control and I finished telling everyone the current situation. Well, the one we decided to go with anyway. It was kind of funny the way Clara looked at me with wide eyed shock when I explained that the mission had changed from suppression to the rescue of the Wayne family. Control "detected" a larger than expected number of pirates and they were headed directly to the Wayne estate.

"Do you think that whoever has been working with the pirates decided that the Waynes have become a loose end?" Jilk asked with narrowed eyes. Marie was looking at me with suspicion but didn't speak up.

"That could very well be the case. Their numbers are probably so they could erase everything completely." I agreed with a nod.

"Are we sufficient to deal with so many foes?" Chris very reasonably asked.

The Nagare will be engaging the bulk of the Pirate forces.

"Our job will be to find and secure the flagship and take in their leadership. Hopefully we can actually find out who has been behind this whole mess." I continued from Control's initial answer. It was also to ensure that we keep the flagship intact as the Saint Relic was likely stored there. Even if it was stashed somewhere else, we'll have the ones who would know in custody.

"Not to doubt the strength of a Lost Item, but are you sure that you can fight against multiple ships?" Brad asked Control.

The Nagare was designed specifically to face overwhelming odds and prevail.

Everyone was silent after that, likely thinking about our odds. It made sense. As talented and prepared as we all were, enough numbers could still eventually make up for the difference. Greg didn't seem to be all that worried, neither did Chris after giving a nod. Jilk and Brad looked at each other but Jilius' reaction was the one that really surprised me.

"I trust Leon and Control." He declared as he gave me a look of complete confidence. "Tell us where you need us."

Well, I definitely didn't want to disappoint after something like that.

"Okay, here's what we do."