A few days passed in a flash.
After the intimate days aboard the Eternal Snowfall, the girls around Setsuna became unusually harmonious.
Kanae had initially been a bit reserved, but under the guidance of her senior sisters, she quickly learned many things she never knew before.
The only small drawback was her weaker physical constitution—she often had to withdraw midway.
But she had become much more familiar with the shipgirls, Heroic Spirits, and Spirits.
She realized that these extraordinary beings weren't as distant as she had imagined—everyone was very friendly.
Whenever she encountered difficulties in training, there were Heroic Spirits for swordsmanship and dragon girls or Spirits for magic.
Much more efficient than practicing alone.
"I'm back. Long time no see."
Returning to the Demon Slayer Squad's base, Kanae was met with surprise from Kanao, Shinobu, Nezuko, and others.
"Onee-chan, hasn't it only been one night?"
Kanao blinked, full of confusion.
"Ah, sorry, I forgot..."
Kanae paused, then quickly laughed it off.
It was easy to lose track of time aboard the Eternal Snowfall.
To her, she had spent over ten intimate days with the Commander, and had learned various things from the shipgirls.
But for the others in the capital, it had only been a single night.
"...You're acting suspicious, Onee-chan."
Shinobu noticed something different in Kanae's demeanor.
She had become more mature—more so than when she led the Demon Slayer Squad.
In terms of manga and novel logic, she now exuded a strong aura of a married woman.
From the intentionally raised collar, two faint hickeys were visible on her fair neck.
"I'm the Commander's wife now. Hmm... what should you all call him in the future? Brother-in-law?"
Kanae introduced her new status openly and proudly.
Prompting gasps of admiration from the Demon Slayer girls.
"How did you do it, Onee-chan?!"
Kanao, Shinobu, and Nezuko all crowded in, eager to hear her story.
"Well..."
Kanae recounted her experiences in full—minus the not-kid-appropriate parts—along with the near-miraculous time distortion aboard the Eternal Snowfall.
"So Ritsuka Fujimaru is actually really shy?"
Shinobu mused.
"If it were me, I definitely wouldn't have run away. What a golden opportunity."
"It's just that I don't get to see the Commander much..."
Saying so, she and Kanao both clung to Kanae's arms, acting spoiled.
"Onee-chan, Onee-chan, next time you go see the Commander, can you take us with you? Please?"
"???"
Kanae was startled.
"Aren't you still too young? Get back to school. Has Chen Hai not been giving you enough homework?"
"Nooo!"
Shinobu pouted, then her eyes lit up with an idea.
"But isn't Nagato even younger than us? What's the difference?"
"Huh?"
Kanae recalled the events aboard the Eternal Snowfall.
The Commander really was quite loving.
That shrine maiden girl looked tiny, always clinging to Setsuna like a chick, letting him pet her ears and tail.
For her beloved little sisters, Kanae couldn't bear to say no.
But to share the Commander's affection with them... she still felt reluctant.
After a moment's thought, she hesitated but then nodded slightly.
"I'll think about it... If you behave, maybe."
"The Commander did mention you two before. He called it something like... a rice bowl combo?"
...
After what felt like just one night—but was actually more than ten days—of blissful life, Setsuna returned to his post.
Gudako moped for a few days, but quickly returned to her usual quirky self—though noticeably more reserved than before.
She'd even get shy now from minor physical contact with Setsuna.
In the administrative office, Setsuna reviewed a statistics report.
During the expedition, Yat Sen had managed Earth flawlessly, with all projects progressing steadily.
At present, the entire planet was under complete control.
Most of the population was concentrated in Constantinople and the surrounding aerospace bases and satellite cities.
Each continent, based on climate and geography, handled specific functions like industry, agriculture, and more.
Tens of millions of Bulins, Manjuus, and Angeloids were spread across the globe developing resources.
For a civilization with advanced technology, sheer population numbers were no longer important.
Just as a combine harvester could outpace dozens of farmers, the efficiency of Angeloids and Manjuus far surpassed that of machines from the pre-space era.
According to the report, the output in agriculture, livestock, mineral refining, and other sectors had already far exceeded that of former human societies.
Metal and ore consumption remained the highest—used for starship retrofits, angeloid production, and city expansion.
Food production was so abundant it could feed another Earth. The Bulin fleet had to regularly ship the surplus to vassal worlds to prevent spoilage.
Effectively, less than 20 million people were generating the wealth equivalent to over 7 billion.
—And all of it from real industry. There was no financial sector in the capital, and currency had yet to be introduced.
The policy followed was: "From each according to their ability, to each according to their need."
Whatever was needed, Bulins would make it—resources were limitless.
If the Bulins couldn't handle it, it would be escalated to the Commander and resolved using otherworld solutions.
"It's a bit like a utopian society, Commander. Incredible that we've actually maintained this model."
Yat Sen was filled with emotion.
When the capital had just been founded, visiting Heroic Spirits were stunned to learn that food and goods in the city were free.
Back then, Setsuna hadn't been sure what model civilization would eventually adopt.
But from expanding a small town into a megacity, then a continent, and now an entire planet…
The civilization continued to thrive, always maintaining its utopian roots.
"Hmm... Maybe our people just have high quality? Plus we're kind of a synthetic empire..."
Setsuna thought aloud.
Shipgirls, Heroic Spirits, and Spirits aside, the Angeloids were mechanical—part of a synthetic intelligence group.
As long as the little lolis were properly educated, they'd all become high-quality talent.
Crime rate: zero. Stability and unity: frighteningly high.
If this were Stellaris, their governing ethics might be something like: "Idealistic Foundation."
...
Earth's construction now ran smoothly without his intervention.
Mundane data analysis was handled by Angeloids—Setsuna only needed to guide overall strategy.
His attention shifted to several vassal worlds:
Demon Slayer, Date A Live, Nekopara, Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid (surface world), Arpeggio of Blue Steel, Girls und Panzer, Akame ga Kill.
Development varied across these.
Date A Live, Nekopara, and Girls und Panzer resembled pre-space Earth.
Demon Slayer and Akame ga Kill were more primitive; Arpeggio of Blue Steel was a marine world.
"Should we go inspect a bit? Maybe flex on some locals?"
"We're the suzerain state, right? They should be kneeling in greeting, offering treasures and beauties."
Gudako suggested.
"That's so you."
Setsuna ruffled her hair.
After some thought, he nodded.
"Alright. Let's visit a few vassal worlds."
He wasn't really interested in showing off—he mainly wanted to assess their progress.
His original policy for vassals had been "sustainably exploitative."
The idea was to develop them into stable rear bases and resource suppliers.
After conquest, management had been delegated to the shipgirls. Judging from the Bulin fleet's reports, things seemed to be going well.
As the suzerain, he had to inspect regularly.
"I'm going!"
Gudako was the first to volunteer.
"Want to visit your hometown?"
Setsuna smiled at Kanae, Akame, and Yamato.
"Eh?"
The girls realized it had been a long time since they last went back.
With so many new magic techniques and technologies in the library, their schedules were packed.
They'd long forgotten about their hometowns.
Gudako patted Kanae and elongated her voice teasingly:
"Kanae, dost thou miss Demon Slayer?"
"Huh???"
Kanae was speechless—there was no right way to answer that.
Setsuna and the shipgirls chuckled at the pair's antics.
"Let's go, then. Consider it a territorial inspection."
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