Fated to Die to the Player, I’ll Live Freely with My SSS-Class Ship!

Time continued to pass. Soon, the promised day of war would arrive. To be precise, the "day" itself was only two hours away. The atmosphere in the Military Hub was thick with tension, a mix of anxiety and steeled resolve. Security had been heightened to the extreme—so much so that we couldn't even leave the premises to continue our practice anymore. But more than that— "So many ships..." Eva muttered, gazing out the lobby's window. She wasn't wrong. With the war imminent, the entire Standing Army of the Astoria Conglomerate was mobilizing. The thousands of ships stationed around this Military Hub were no more than 1% of their total fleet—an overwhelming display of force meant to cover every corner of the Astoraxia-001 Star System. Eva and Cassandra were trying to act casual, but I could tell they had already pieced together what was happening. 'I guess telling them now won't make much of a difference.' With that thought, I stood up and walked over to them. "I have something important to tell you both. Can you come to my room in a bit?" Although most of those present here are military-related, it's not like there are no civilians around. Discussing it here, in a public space, wasn't a good idea. At my words, the two exchanged glances before giving me a silent nod. They didn't even bother to voice their agreement… Were they still mad about "that"? Regardless, I left first, heading straight for my room. Though it was technically "mine," I hadn't used it once in the past fifty-odd hours. Taking a glance around, I noted the unnecessarily luxurious design—renting a place like this must have cost a small fortune. Thankfully, it was provided to us free of charge. "This must be at least 10,000 Credits per night..." I muttered, shaking my head. I sat at the edge of the bed, waiting for the girls to arrive. But it wasn't until ten minutes later that a knock finally came at the door. I frowned. "You're slo—!" I pulled the door open, ready to scold them— —only to freeze. *BAM!* In a split second, I slammed the door shut, pressing my fingers to the bridge of my nose with a deep groan. "I must be more tired than I thought... I'm even seeing hallucinations now." Honestly, it wouldn't be that surprising. Aside from my short, forced "nap" courtesy of Eva—a mere thirty minutes—I had been working non-stop without even a second of proper rest. *THUMP!* *THUMP!* *THUMP!* "Bastard! How dare you slam the door in my face?!" Eva's furious voice rang out, her fist pounding against the door. "A-Arthur, can you let us in...?" Even Cassandra's hesitant voice followed, sounding utterly mortified. "I-It's embarrassing standing out here dressed like this..." I exhaled loudly. "Ah, fff—!" Moving swiftly, I swung the doors open and yanked them inside, before slamming the doors shut again—this time locking it up for extra measure. "If you're going to get embarrassed, then don't wear these things in the first place!" I grumbled, though that didn't stop my eyes from taking a long, deliberate look at them. Eva was draped in a red silk nightgown—the fabric clung to her curves, but her ample chest kept it from fully tracing her figure. Even so, the sight alone was a feast for the eyes in its own way. Cassandra, on the other hand, wore a semi-transparent gold nightgown. And underneath—I could faintly see a pair of cute, pink, frilly underwear. My gaze hesitated on her for a moment. Unlike Eva, looking directly at Cassandra felt… dangerous. As if I stared too long, I'd be sucked into the twin abyss glaring back at me. Leaning against the door, I crossed my arms and sighed. "And? Care to explain why the two of you are dressed like this?" "T-That..." Cassandra fidgeted, her fingers clutching the hem of her nightgown as a deep blush spread across her face. "J-Just in case... You know... Since you called us here for something 'important'..." "H-hmph! Now, out with it!" "...Huh?" I blinked. My brain scrambled to recall what I had actually said earlier. And then it hit me—I really should have phrased that differently. "Ah... My bad." I exhaled, closing my eyes as I hung my head. "Seems like I wasn't clear enough. I didn't call you two for 'that' kind of confession." The faster I cleared up this misunderstanding, the less damage I'd take. Though, let's be honest—theirs would probably be emotional damage. Mine? Definitely physical. 'Rather…' I turned toward Eva, my curiosity piqued. I could understand Cassandra's reaction—she had already been treating me like a husband from the moment she woke up. Though, if I recall correctly, she had said something along the lines of "giving up on me" some time ago... Anyway. But Eva? That didn't make any sense. As far as I was concerned, she only saw me as a punching bag at worst and her boss at best. I couldn't recall any moment where I had raised flags for her to do something like this… "M-Misunderstanding...?" Eva muttered, her voice shaking. A deep tremor ran through her body as her gaze slowly drifted downward—fixating on her own attire. Then, she froze. "...ll." "Eh?" I barely caught her whisper, unsure of what I just heard. The next moment, Eva snapped her head up, her teeth clenched as her entire face turned beet red—her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I'll kill you and then kill myself...!" "W-Woah?!" I barely dodged her lunge, but even though she looked defenseless in that thin nightgown—her strength was as real as ever. "C-Calm down! It's fine, the damage is shallow!" I raised both hands in surrender, trying to placate her like a matador fending off an enraged bull. "Ugh...! How did I misunderstand...?!" Eva groaned, her voice laced with frustration. She staggered for a moment, as if in a trance—then suddenly whipped around and lunged at me again. "DIE!!!" Her speed was terrifying. Too fast. I had no chance of dodging this time. I wasn't a close combat expert—I specialized in space warfare, not brawling! Her fist soared toward my face—the silk fabric of her nightgown flaring with the force of her movement. In that split second, I caught an unintended glimpse of her black lingerie, the mature design completely uncharacteristic of her usual tomboyish self. For a brief moment, I thought— 'I'm about to take another nap, aren't I?' But then— "[Eva, stop.]" Cassandra's voice rang out, firm and commanding. As if struck by an invisible force, Eva froze—her entire body locking up mid-motion. My breath hitched. "This..." I turned my gaze toward Cassandra, my heart pounding. I knew this power. The very same ability that earned her the title of "Crazy Princess" in the game. The ability she had used without hesitation—claiming millions, even billions of lives in her wake. But in the original story, she wasn't supposed to unlock it for a few more years. 'She awakened it early...!' Cassandra's deep blue eyes darkened as she stared at me, her voice cold. "Arthur..." She took a step forward. "...Playing with a maiden's heart is unforgivable." Her tone sounded almost like a sermon, but the intensity in her gaze sent a shiver down my spine. She approached slowly, measuredly. I knew that we'd spent a lot of time together, but... was I truly safe from her control? If she could manipulate me too—then I was screwed. Finally, she stopped just an arm's length away. Then—she reached out. Her fingertips brushed my cheek, her voice soft but chilling. "But well... Since we're partly at fault for misunderstanding your words..." She tilted her head slightly, smiling faintly. "I'll let you off with a little punishment." I swallowed hard. I feared for my future. --- "...So, you're saying a war is about to break out between the Meyers and the Astoria?" Thanks to Cassandra's "assistance," I had managed to avoid a brutal beating from the still-embarrassed Eva. Now, after they had changed—throwing thick bathrobes over their revealing nightgowns—I finally got to explain the real reason I had called them here. "Yes," I answered Eva's grumpy question. "And to be specific, the war is set to begin in just a few hours. I was told to keep it confidential, but since it's inevitable at this point, I figured you two deserved a heads-up." Cassandra remained silent. Her voice, when it finally came, was but a whisper. "Father..." Her expression was hidden from me—all I could see was the top of her head. Eva, on the other hand, didn't dwell on the emotions of it all. "So, what's the plan?" she asked, her tone brisk—businesslike. That attitude of hers was exactly what we needed in a situation like this. "Of course, I plan to participate," I said with a wry smile. "But only if the two of you are on board with it." Eva snorted, shifting in her seat as she flipped her legs, crossing it the other way. "We were going to fight those fuckers sooner or later anyway. Taking them down with Astoria's support? Sounds like a better deal to me." She had a point. I turned to Cassandra, waiting for her response. But she hesitated. I could see the conflict within her. Even if she had resolved to oppose her father, it didn't mean she had fully accepted what that entailed. This war was happening because of her. And it wouldn't end unless either she died—or King Meyers did. The weight of it all pressed down on her shoulders. Finally, after a moment of silence— She clenched her fists. "I've made up my mind." Her voice trembled at first, but she steadied herself. "If surviving means taking my father's life... then so be it." I studied her carefully. But in the end, I smiled—nodding in understanding. "...Anyway, how much longer do I have to keep doing this?" "Until we're satisfied, of course." "H-Hmph!" Despite all my efforts, I still ended up as a victim of Cassandra's power. As "punishment" for the "misleading invitation," she ordered me to— Pat their heads. And so— With the two sitting side by side on the edge of the bed, I knelt behind them, my hands moving on their own—softly patting their heads. At first, I thought— 'This isn't even a punishment. This is a reward, right?' ...I couldn't be more wrong. It became a punishment when I realized—I had to do it for two hours straight. By the time the war officially began, my legs were completely numb.