BATTLE FOR STARS

“Unfortunately, it's working all too well,” Claudia replied.

“Ever since the Children of God narrative was made public, combined with the Prison Slave Policy, the Hill Empire's attacks have nearly doubled in both intensity and scale.”

“To their soldiers, killing enemies now means money and promotion. On top of that, they can be awarded prison slaves. That's a benefit they've never had before.”

“So when they go into battle, they care even less about staying alive.”

“Our defensive lines have been pushed back again and again over the last few years. We've already lost many star systems.”

“And now there's simply nowhere left to retreat.”

“Has no one considered pushing the Hill Empire back? Or launching a counteroffensive?” Ding Yufei asked.

“We tried.”

“When the Hill Empire's offensives were still relatively limited a few years ago, we organized several campaigns to contain their expansion.”

“All of them failed.”

“Then this new policy was introduced.”

“The Hill Empire almost immediately shifted into a full-scale offensive posture.”

“Our fleets have been stretched thin defending every front. We haven't had the resources to mount a meaningful counterattack.”

“Things have gotten that bad?” Belina asked quietly.

She had never imagined that in just over two years, the strategic situation could deteriorate so drastically.

“Yes.”

“The systems we've lost so far have mostly been remote frontier territories.”

“Aside from the defeats early on, civilian evacuations have generally been carried out in time, so there hasn't been widespread panic.”

“But strategically?”

Claudia shook her head.

“The situation is extremely unfavorable.”

Then her expression brightened slightly.

“Fortunately, I've heard that the military plans to make a major stand in the Epsom System.”

“They want to change the momentum of the war.”

“Hopefully with a decisive victory.”

Only then did she finally reach the topic that mattered most.

After a brief silence, Liang Jinsong spoke.

“We're talking about interstellar warfare.”

“Does victory still come down to who's less afraid of dying?”

Claudia sighed.

“As advanced as our weapons have become, defensive technology has improved just as much.”

“Especially since planet-destroying weapons have been banned under the interstellar treaties.”

“The gap in weapon effectiveness between both sides isn't that significant anymore.”

“In that kind of environment, the side that's less afraid of casualties is often the side that can force a breakthrough.”

“And breakthroughs win battles.”

Although Claudia explained it clearly, neither Ding Yufei nor Liang Jinsong fully grasped it.

After all, neither of them had ever witnessed an interstellar war.

Suddenly, Belina clapped her hands.

“How about this?”

“Let's accompany Cousin to Epsom.”

“We can see an interstellar war for ourselves.”

For someone who had grown up among the stars, it was a surprising admission.

Despite all her years in space, the princess had never actually witnessed a real war.

“Your Highness, this isn't a game.”

Claudia immediately objected.

“One mistake and both ship and crew are gone.”

“You've read the reports. You know people die in wars.”

“I know.”

Belina nodded.

“But that's exactly what I don't understand.”

“Why are people unwilling to spend centuries living peacefully?”

“Why do they insist on fighting?”

“This...”

For once, Claudia had no answer.

Neither did Ding Yufei or Liang Jinsong.

Humanity inhabited an unimaginably vast galaxy.

Yet even on tiny Earth, wars had never ceased.

And Earth's people didn't even live a hundred years.

Shouldn't that make life more precious?

No one could explain why war continued.

Yet it always had.

And perhaps it always would.

“Your Highness,” Claudia said, trying a different approach.

“Once we pass through this Stargate, we'll enter the Kramic Kingdom's territory.”

“That's where we'll part ways.”

“You'll return to the Imperial Capital.”

“I'll continue directly to Epsom.”

“I'm going with you,” Belina said stubbornly.

“Your Highness, this is serious.”

“I can send you battlefield projections. You'll be able to experience everything from home.”

Claudia still remembered the princess she had known before leaving Earth.

A mischievous girl who constantly chased excitement.

What she didn't realize was that two years on Earth had changed Belina profoundly.

She had learned that reports and documents could never replace seeing things with her own eyes.

As the only princess of the Kramic Kingdom with a claim to the throne, she genuinely believed she needed to witness reality firsthand.

She had no intention of fighting.

She simply wanted to observe.

The battlefield was still within Confederation territory.

Friendly fleets surrounded the region.

The risk seemed manageable.

“No.”

Claudia's tone hardened.

“You cannot go.”

Belina folded her arms.

“Major, I think you've forgotten something.”

“You're currently serving within my fleet.”

“Without my authorization, you're not going anywhere.”

“You—”

Claudia nearly choked on her response.

The princess was blatantly abusing her authority.

“Don't worry.”

“I'll stay far away from the fighting.”

“The orders you received are for Topuk Planet anyway, not the front line itself.”

“And look around.”

Belina gestured toward the fleet.

“I have thousands of ships with me.”

“My safety won't be an issue.”

“Just let me come.”

“I...”

“If you refuse,” Belina interrupted casually, “then we'll both return to Violet Lily.”

She shrugged.

“If that causes you to arrive late, the Ministry of Defense certainly won't blame me.”

Claudia's face changed several times.

Only tremendous self-control prevented her from exploding.

She knew perfectly well that she couldn't win this argument.

At last, she surrendered.

“Fine.”

“You can come with me.”

“But you'll follow my orders. Every single one.”

“Deal.”

Belina smiled triumphantly.

In the entire Kramic Kingdom, perhaps only the King could truly control the princess.

And at the moment, Claudia had no way of contacting him.

Still, she reassured herself that the risk was manageable.

They weren't heading directly into combat.

Their destination was merely a planet within the Epsom System.

As long as she remained vigilant, nothing should go wrong.

-----------------------

Three weeks earlier.

Muslai Planet, on the frontier of the Duir Republic.

By either fame or prosperity, Muslai was hardly one of the Republic's notable worlds.

Yet strategically, it occupied an extremely important position.

It was the key gateway to the Epsom System.

Epsom possessed only two Stargates connecting it to the outside world.

One linked to Muslai.

The other connected directly to the Kramic Kingdom.

The reason was simple.

Epsom was one of the Duir Republic's most important mining systems.

Its resources supplied countless industrial worlds throughout the Republic while also supporting massive export operations.

Normally, the region was crowded with commercial freighters and transport vessels.

Today, however, those ships were nowhere to be seen.

In their place floated a colossal battle fleet.

More than ten thousand warships filled the surrounding space.

The formation consisted of the Duir Republic's First, Third, Fourth, and Eighth Border Fleets, supplemented by numerous local defense forces.

Together they formed a massive combined armada.

For the first time in many years, the Republic had concentrated so many fleets into a single force.

Their numbers represented nearly one-third of the entire Republic Fleets.

In terms of actual combat effectiveness, however, they accounted for almost half.

The reason was simple.

The border fleets had spent years fighting the Hill Empire.

Their experience and battlefield capability far surpassed those of the domestic defense fleets.

The new formation was given a name.

The Tekara Fleet.

In the Duir language, the name meant:

"Resistance Against Aggression."

And it had only one mission.

To ensure the safety of the Epsom System.