Buzz—
The spacecraft cruised steadily toward the pink star not far ahead.
In the living quarters of the starship, the holographic projector was playing a film from the Starsea Empire.
Elysia lounged lazily in Setsuna's arms, snacking while staring unblinkingly at the holographic screen.
"Commander, get me an oran—ge..."
Setsuna casually shaped one out of Honkai energy.
"No, I don't want something made from Honkai energy. I've eaten enough of that! I want something natural!"
The girl puffed out her cheeks.
Setsuna picked one from the fruit platter.
"Peel it for me."
"Feed me~"
Elysia opened her mouth and took the opportunity to bite Setsuna as well.
"Mm..."
"So this is what being in love feels like?"
Elysia tilted her head back to look at him.
"Watching movies together, eating together, sticking close... mm, and having someone to act spoiled with~"
She had thought it was just a passing whim, yet somehow it had turned into this.
"What did you think it would be like?"
Setsuna smiled and pinched her cheek.
No matter how one looked at her, Elysia was a rare beauty—possessing the elegance of an older sister, yet adorable with a hint of playful charm.
"I don't know. I've never been in love before~..."
Elysia shook her head, her pink hair spreading out in Setsuna's arms.
"Given what the Previous Era was like... there was no chance to fall in love, right? Besides, I was the Herrscher of Origin."
"Mm... though I've read quite a few romance novels and watched plenty of romance films. Both from Earth and from the Starsea Empire."
"So this is what couples feel like?"
She snuggled closer into his embrace.
It was warm beside him, and there was a strange feeling in her heart.
As though no matter what difficulty she faced, someone would stand behind her and hold it all up.
After all, this was a man who had given her a star.
"What a coincidence. I'm the Herrscher of Finality. We're quite the match."
Setsuna's arm wrapped around her waist, his hand sliding upward along her white uniform.
It had to be said—her white top paired with white thigh-high stockings was extremely eye-catching.
"Naughty. Bad person~"
Elysia pressed down on his hand and gave him a sly smile.
"If you're too impatient, girls get angry, you know~"
"Not really. Usually they're more impatient than I am."
Setsuna recalled life at the port.
Whether it was the Azure port, the Kancolle port, or the Arpeggio port, he received dozens of invitations on average each day.
The more straightforward ones, like Taihou and Akagi, would directly ask, "Are you free tonight?"
The more subtle ones would say, "The moon is beautiful tonight, Commander. Would you like to come to my room and admire it together, perhaps with a drink or two?"
"...You really are something..."
Elysia didn't know whether to laugh or be angry.
"How did I end up liking a playboy like you?! Hm?!"
She raised her head and met his gaze.
"I want to be the empress—uh, is that what it's called? I haven't watched many historical dramas."
"There's no such thing."
Setsuna tapped her lightly on the head.
"I treat everyone equally."
"Eh..."
Elysia seemed unwilling to accept that. She pinched his face and pouted cutely.
"Give me a little more~"
"Look, I like everyone in the Starsea Empire. Whether it's children in school, shipgirls, Spirits, or all sorts of strange and wonderful people—I like them all equally. I just like you a tiny bit more."
"Shouldn't you feel the same? Mm~"
"..."
Setsuna had to admit that when Elysia acted spoiled, the damage was considerable.
Looking into her blue eyes, it was nearly impossible to say no.
"I love everyone equally. Everyone is my wing."
He gently smoothed her hair.
"Otherwise, if everyone else asked the same question you just did, what would I do?"
"Mm... I suppose that's true..."
Elysia thought for a moment, then stubbornly persisted.
"Then we can decide by strength! Mm, the strongest becomes the empress and manages everyone else. No objections then, right?"
"I'll make you spend six days a week with me, and the remaining day can be divided among the others~"
She sounded as though she were joking, already drifting into fantasy.
"Are you sure?"
"Are you planning to fight a starship that can shatter a star, or go a round with Nyarlathotep?"
Setsuna nearly laughed.
"If Nyarlathotep had that idea... she'd probably have succeeded long ago. Unfortunately, the Outer Gods on our side are rather reasonable."
"Guh..."
Elysia immediately deflated.
There were simply too many strange beings in the Starsea Empire, to the point that a Herrscher like her seemed completely ordinary.
"Hmph~"
She nestled back into Setsuna's arms and continued enjoying their time together.
From time to time, she had him feed her little snacks.
Everything Elysia knew about how couples interacted had come from books and films. She found the feeling wonderfully novel.
One movie, then another...
She watched the holographic screen with great relish, as though she herself had become the protagonist.
"...Ah? Commander, you're being naughty again, aren't you?~"
"Isn't it enough just to hold me properly?"
She pressed down on his hand again and poked him.
"Didn't you notice that couples are supposed to do something else too?"
Setsuna lifted his chin.
In films, following the standard sequence of a date—going out, eating, watching a movie—came the moment when the two stood awkwardly at a hotel entrance or at one person's door.
For example, "No one's home tonight, so it's fine if I don't go back," and so on.
"Hm? Commander, don't tell me you want to?~..."
Before Elysia could tease him further, she was suddenly scooped up in a princess carry.
"Eh? Eh, eh, eh?!..."
Meeting his gaze at such close distance, her usually composed expression grew slightly flustered.
"Commander, what are you doing?"
"Guess."
"Uh..."
Elysia was completely unprepared.
Flustered, her face flushed red.
"Th-That... isn't it a bit early?"
"According to Earth's timekeeping, it's 1 a.m. Not early at all."
"W-Wait..."
She held it in for a moment, thoughts in chaos, words betraying her heart.
"N-No... don't! It's too sudden! I—I—I... actually, I like girls! The little lolis in the capital are super cute!"
"It's fine. You'll change your mind soon enough."
...
In the dark depths of space, the spacecraft hovered in orbit around the pink elf star.
Inside the star, blazing flames burned fiercely, casting pink radiance outward and coating the outer hull of the starship in a faint glow, like a celestial wonder.
When the ship traveled a short distance along the star's orbit and the holographic dome shifted from night mode to daytime,
Elysia slowly woke up.
Rubbing her eyes, she dragged her slightly weary body upright, slipped on her white coat and black shawl, then rolled up her pantyhose and put them on leisurely.
As a Herrscher, she would never gain weight no matter how much she ate. Even without exercise, her figure remained elegant, so she was especially particular about her clothing.
"Ah—"
She felt Setsuna wrap his arms around her from behind again and gave a soft protest.
"Stop it~ I'm tired..."
"Didn't you say yesterday that you liked girls? Mm?"
Setsuna pinched her cheek as he asked.
At first, Elysia had stubbornly insisted. But later, things were no longer up to her.
Stopping at crucial moments and watching her blush and grow anxious while pleading was unbearably adorable.
"You're bullying me!~"
Elysia's face flushed even redder as she pounded him a few times, only to be pulled into his embrace and teased again.
Indeed, girls with high attack and low defense were the most suited to straightforward strikes.
"This is only the beginning. Later on, everyone can bully you together."
...
"Eh? Eh, eh, eh?!"
"Why are there so many people here?!"
Even though Elysia had mentally prepared herself, the first time she stepped into the mini-universe, she was still stunned.
A huge number of shipgirls from the major ports had arrived, along with girls from Chaldea, Night Raid, and various other stations.
Even Eris, who usually stayed in the grand cathedral bestowing blessings upon her followers, was present.
Dressed in a tightly wrapped, ascetic-looking nun's habit, she followed quietly behind Setsuna.
Shing—
Setsuna tapped the holographic interface a few times, adjusting the spacetime curvature within the mini-universe.
"Vacation! Everyone, free activities!"
"Woooooo—"
The little lolis and small shipgirls scattered in all directions.
Back in the capital, they had a packed schedule of classes and training every day. Even vacations were structured like a school system, divided into regular days off and winter or summer breaks.
Whenever the Commander returned from an expedition and held a celebration, they were granted an additional long holiday.
Meanwhile, the shipgirls, Heroic Spirits, and other harem members gathered around him.
"Commander, would you like to eat first, bathe first, or eat Taihou first?"
"I once again propose that the Commander try the special drug Nia and I developed. This is an important clinical trial..."
Some were serious. Some very much were not.
Setsuna held one in each arm and was instantly submerged in a sea of warmth and fragrance.
"Ahem, no rush. There's plenty of time. I'll accompany each of you properly."
He cleared his throat.
"If we're going in order... newcomers first?"
"Hm?"
Exclamation marks seemed to pop up over Elysia and Gudako's heads.
One had never attended such a party before. The other looked bold and shameless on the surface, but was in fact only strong in words.
"Oh? Just as I thought!"
Observer sat atop her rigging and poked Gudako with an octopus tentacle.
"I thought you were going to be the Commander's bro for life."
"I had to save Human History back then!"
Gudako argued, her face bright red.
"Saving Human History... can you throw a party about Human History?"
Then came a stream of incomprehensible terms—"the Mage's Association are all vermin," "Golden Apples," "Spirit Origin Ascension"—and the mini-universe filled with cheerful air.
"It's fine. We'll take good care of you together with the Commander."
Observer wore a mischievous smile.
"If we don't turn you into full-on ahegao, hearts in your eyes, flashing peace signs, then I didn't study hard enough."
"After all, the Commander is super amazing, right?"
"???"
...
Elysia thought she had the advantage.
Elysia charged forward.
Elysia was defeated!
Elysia, Gudako, and Tohru formed a party to challenge the boss!
Total wipe!!!
The Spirit of Origin led Origami Tobiichi, Nia Honjou, Kurumi Tokisaki, and all the Spirits to provide reinforcements!
Another total wipe!!
Taihou and Richelieu led the shipgirls into the battlefield and began sweeping up!
Setsuna activated multi-core energy supply—then was counter-swept!!
"..."
Within the mini-universe where time curvature had been distorted, time passed in a flash.
When the final day's sunlight filtered through the glass and spilled into the room,
Elysia slowly rose with the assistance of the Angeloids and changed her clothes.
She felt utterly drained, with barely enough strength left to take care of herself, so she could only sit at the dining table and wait for the Totsuki chefs and angels to prepare the meal.
Perhaps because they were newcomers, she and Gudako had received Setsuna's special attention.
This man was terrifying.
If he said party, then it was party. Any attempt to provoke or tease him would inevitably end in walking straight into a trap.
"Good morning. Here is today's breakfast."
Erina led the Totsuki chefs, carrying trays as they distributed dishes to everyone one by one.
Being able to enjoy Totsuki cuisine during vacation was truly a delightful experience.
Though they possessed little combat ability, their culinary skills had reached the pinnacle. Especially within the Starsea Empire, where ingredients from multiple worlds were fused together, their cooking had risen to an even higher level.
Yet today, something felt off to Elysia and Gudako.
"This is chocolate cream puff pastry, this is a special snow rice cake, this is German sausage..."
Megumi Tadokoro introduced shyly.
"Um, aside from my usual regional dishes, I tried making some new varieties. I hope everyone likes them..."
The oden and other countryside dishes she used to excel at seemed a bit narrow within the Starsea Empire. Occasionally, she needed some innovation.
"?"
Elysia felt as though certain memories had just been triggered.
"What's wrong? No appetite? Didn't you like sweets?"
Setsuna casually picked up a cream puff and fed it to her.
"..."
"I've had enough!!! Change it!!"
"?"
Megumi, completely unaware of the situation, looked confused.
"Have I made this before...?"
...
"Haa—"
After a brief rest and adjustment, Setsuna yawned and returned to the Administrative Center.
He still felt a bit unsatisfied mentally, but health came first.
Even though most of them were no match for him, there were exceptions like Nyarlathotep.
"Hehe... Commander is the best..."
Nyarlathotep squeezed into his arms and rubbed against him, her ahoge swaying in front of his face.
"If Shub had come too, maybe she could've given you lots of dependents. After all, she's the Black Mother and Mother of a Thousand Young..."
"?..."
The nerves on Setsuna's forehead twitched.
After thinking about it, if it were the cute chibi black goats Shub used to sculpt for him, it might not be impossible.
But dealing with one Outer God was already enough. If all three pillars attacked together, he would probably be drained both physically and mentally.
Shing—
He opened the holographic interface.
After the party ended, it was naturally time to handle proper work.
Beep—
"Commander, are you free?—"
The call from the Starbase connected first. The avatars of Einstein and the wide-eyed researcher appeared projected before him.
Judging from Einstein's messy bird's nest of hair, she had clearly pulled multiple all-nighters.
"Go ahead. What do you need?"
Setsuna waved generously, indicating that the Research Division could make its requests freely.
Whatever they wanted, he would find a way.
"Three matters. It's not that we need many resources, but we need to report them."
Purifier delivered a document, and Einstein began her report.
"First, the Honkai world is preparing for extraterrestrial navigation. After breaking through the Imaginary Tide, we will explore deeper regions of the universe and search for traces of intelligent civilizations."
"Second, regarding the remaining un-conquered worlds, we strongly recommend visiting the A Certain Magical Index world first. The Empire's database currently under construction requires more data input."
"Third, the False Epigraphy system developed from Ex-Machina research requires a massive central processor as support. We plan to build another megastructure. As for the name... we'll call it Eternal Stars."