IWBNAM Chapter 6 (Part 1)

6. Agreement Reached

The shuttle arrived inside the flagship Spartacus. Nael’s attendants let out sighs of relief and rose from their seats. Nael also stood up with a calm expression.

After steadying his breath and stepping out of the shuttle, the soldiers who had come to greet him all saluted at once. Nael and his close attendants returned the salute while quickly scanning them. Other than Brigadier General Appelkampf, captain of the Spartacus, and Kranaha’s deputy aide, no senior officers were present. The rest were ordinary soldiers.

“……”

For the Imperial Chancellor to personally come aboard, and yet only the captain and the deputy aide were here?

Chief Secretary Gilbert and Head of Security Hessler openly frowned, feeling insulted. They hadn’t expected Admiral Kranaha to greet them himself, but this was far past the line of discourtesy. Since their own superior remained indifferent, they couldn’t step forward on their own and only clenched their fists.

“It is a true honor to receive the Regent Chancellor aboard the Spartacus. I will guide you to Admiral Kranaha’s location.”

Appelkampf respectfully raised a hand, indicating the direction they should go.

“Very well. Lead the way.”

Just as Nael stepped forward and his attendants prepared to follow him, armed soldiers moved in and blocked them.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Gilbert asked in a cold voice. His rank was lieutenant general. Here, he held the second-highest authority after the Chancellor.

“My apologies, but Admiral Kranaha has ordered that only Chancellor Azani be escorted.”

Appelkampf relayed the order exactly as he had received it, his face utterly lacking any sign of apology.

“This is an insolent action. Even if this is the Admiral’s flagship, how dare you tell someone of higher rank to go alone without a single attendant? Do you consider that an appropriate command?”

“Step aside. At the very least, the two of us will accompany him.”

Gilbert and Hessler pushed at the soldiers with their bodies, protesting fiercely. The armed soldiers held their ground in silence. They knew the men before them outranked them by far, but they followed only the orders of their direct superior.

“Your Excellency, let’s go back. If this is how things begin, what conversation could possibly take place? It seems pointless.”

“I feel the same. We cannot allow you to go alone.”

They had no idea what humiliation awaited ahead. Nael’s closest people forced down their anger and urged him to return.

“…You will all wait here. I’ll go alone.”

“Your Excellency!”

Nael gently shook his head.

“We came uninvited, so demanding this or that from the host might itself be rude.”

Kranaha had never sent an invitation begging him to visit. This was something Nael had to yield on.

“That won’t do, Your Excellency. If you go alone…”

“What could happen? The captain of the flagship will be responsible for my safety. Isn’t that right, Captain Appelkampf?”

“You may trust me with that.”

Appelkampf responded shortly and firmly. Gilbert and Hessler stared at Nael with eyes full of dissatisfaction.

“Wait here.”

Tilting his head slightly as he spoke, Nael turned away. His attendants, blocked by the soldiers, watched anxiously as their superior walked out of the shuttle bay.

The captain led in front, with the deputy aide and soldiers behind. Whether this was an escort or a detainment was hard to tell. Nael, walking wedged between them, made no small talk. Since he stayed silent, the captain and deputy aide didn’t dare speak first. Instead, the soldiers following behind unconsciously shrank under Nael’s presence.

So this is why he’s the Imperial Marshal? Outwardly, he only looked like a very young, mixed-race East Asian youth. But there was no mistaking that he wasn’t someone to be taken lightly.

The soldiers kept glancing at Nael while matching his pace, unable to tear their eyes away. Ever since being assigned to Kranaha’s fleet, they had been swept up by their commander’s bias and mocked Azani endlessly. But now that they saw him up close, he felt strangely uncanny. Even those who privately called people of Eastern descent “yellow-skins” regretted it. He was not someone whose worth could be judged by skin color. To think the world held someone so elegant and poised, yet possessing a domineering presence that seized people entirely.

Nael, paying no mind to whatever they were thinking, mulled things over. He couldn’t guess where he was being taken. Although he had never been aboard the Spartacus before, the basic structure of large warships was the same, so he had a rough idea of where key areas were. But this path didn’t seem to lead to the bridge or the offices.

Should I ask where we’re going?

He considered it but decided against it. He had stayed silent all this time; asking now would make him look unsettled.

“If you head that way, you’ll arrive. I will take my leave here.”

A few minutes later, the captain pointed toward a certain area. Nael recognized it as a section reserved for high-ranking personnel. On any sizable warship, officers of general rank and above had private rooms and lounges separated from the crew areas.

As he approached the guarded door, the armed security saluted and opened it for him.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

A dull sound leaked out through the open doorway. Ah, exercise equipment. So that bastard Kranaha called me to the training room.

Feigning indifference, Nael stepped inside. He had naturally assumed it would be the bridge, an office, or a small meeting room, so the training room was entirely unexpected.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Nael’s arrival could not have gone unnoticed, yet the so-called host kept his focus solely on punching the sandbag in his workout clothes. Several of his close aides stood waiting around the edges of the training room, but none of them announced that Imperial Chancellor Azani had arrived. Even the deputy aide who had accompanied them merely pressed his lips together and joined his comrades.

So this is another contest of presence.

He really excelled at making people tired. How nice it would be if he could just get straight to the point, say what needed to be said, and be done with it. This was why Nael disliked men with strong urges to flaunt their masculinity. Did they ever once reflect on how much needless conflict that particular brand of macho swagger had caused? Probably not.

Forget announcing the guest’s arrival, he didn’t even offer Nael a seat or something to drink. Fine. Let’s say it’s the fault of the one who came uninvited.

Nael confirmed that there were chairs and a water dispenser against the wall, but he didn’t move toward them. He chose instead to stand where he was and wait quietly. Patience was one of Azani’s specialties. Being ignored? Being treated coldly? It was nothing new. Being born a mixed-race child, he had been despised more times than he could count.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Only the sound of the sandbag being struck echoed through the training room. Nael silently watched Kranaha’s back. As expected, he had to admit he was envious of the man’s physique. Even among Westerners, he was a giant with an overwhelmingly superior build. He had likely never been threatened in his life, nor had he ever felt inferior to anyone.

Rumor said his close-quarters combat skills were the strongest in the Empire.

Although repeated promotions had firmly set him in the position of fleet commander, Nael knew that in his junior officer days Kranaha had made remarkable achievements as part of the marine corps. Even now, there was probably no one who could surpass him. Thirty-two was still young enough to serve actively without issue.

Nael casually wondered how many of Hessler’s security chiefs it would take to subdue Kranaha.

Thud.

The sound of punching suddenly stopped. Bored already? Kranaha was taking off his gloves.

“Hoo… hoo…”

In the now-quiet training room, the man’s rough breathing filled the air. The workout must have been intense for him as well. Nael could even feel the heat radiating off the man’s body.

“Towel.”

His voice rumbled like a beast growling from deep inside a cave. The deputy aide quickly approached and handed him a towel. Kranaha wiped his face roughly and finally turned around. His unshaven beard, grown out over the past few days, made him look unfamiliar.

“My apologies. I was so focused on my workout I didn’t realize an esteemed guest had arrived.”

The man spoke shamelessly without blinking an eye. Nael could sense the strange gleam flickering in those yellow eyes.

“Think nothing of it. The one who came without an invitation is at fault.”

“As you say.”

Kranaha finished wiping his neck, handed the towel back to his aide, and took a cup of water. His movements were neither fast nor slow. After finishing the drink, he flapped the collar of his shirt as if overheated, then took it off entirely. His swollen muscles, still tense with leftover adrenaline, and the thick body hair covering his torso were exposed before everyone.

Still in that state, he walked over to a nearby bench press and sat down. Surrounded by neatly uniformed officers, he alone wore nothing but workout shorts, yet his presence overwhelmed everyone in the room.

Alpha Brown Bear.

Nael recalled his nickname. The Alpha Brown Bear was a new breed of bear created by artificially breeding the fiercest and largest specimens. They had once roamed the Empire’s wildlife reserves, terrifyingly powerful, until the human casualties became too great and they were all wiped out. Now they existed only as taxidermy displays in museums.

When Kranaha was still fighting in close-quarters combat, people around him often said he reminded them of the monstrous bears that had gone extinct long ago. The coloring was similar too. His hair was dark reddish, his eyes yellow. His build was massive, his palms large and thick, and even the oppressive aura he carried was the same.

Even after moving from close combat to fleet battles, his fundamental nature had not changed. He knew how to charge at the enemy with ferocity and smash them apart with overwhelming destructive force. He must not have disliked the nickname either, because when he received the flagship Spartacus, he ordered claw-mark shaped patterns to be painted onto it. His fleet was even nicknamed the Space Brown Bear Corps. For reference, Azani’s own nickname was the Viper.

Wait. Why am I thinking about my own nickname?

Stop drifting. That isn’t important right now.

“Come closer, Chancellor. No, I should call you Your Excellency Regent Chancellor. In any case, welcome to my flagship. So what business brought you here?”

Kranaha placed both hands on his widely spread knees and asked as if he truly had no idea.

“…I heard communications weren’t connecting after entering the system, so I came out of concern. Did everyone’s comm devices break at once during the warp?”

Nael acted as if it were nothing and stepped closer to Kranaha.

“Ah, that. Something must’ve gone wrong by coincidence. It should all be fixed by now. Probably.”

“I see. That’s fortunate. If something happened during the landing procedure for the entire force, it would be a disaster. We’re talking about a force of fifty thousand ships.”

“Hm. True. And we’re close to the capital planet, so it would be troublesome if communication with the spaceport authorities wasn’t smooth.”

“At once, notify the Military Affairs Ministry that nothing is wrong, and then have the entire force…”

“Are you giving me orders?”

Kranaha cut him off, his voice suddenly cold.

“It’s advice. Just as I used to give you when I was Chief of Staff.”

Nael answered without avoiding his gaze. Their eyes clashed in midair.

“Oh. Advice. Advice is good. Sure. All that is fine, Azani.”

Kranaha’s voice sank even lower. Something strained and heavy seeped into his tone.

“Why should I obediently listen to your advice?”

He had to choose his words carefully. If he snapped back thoughtlessly, everything would be ruined. This was not a world where mistakes could be reset. Every word, every action had to be chosen with care.

Nael did not answer immediately. He simply looked into Kranaha’s eyes. The eyes of a beast, waiting for the chance to bite into its prey’s throat. What was it that he truly wanted?

“His Imperial Majesty suffered an unexpected accident and passed away, Admiral Kranaha.”

“I know.”

“The Empress is gone as well. Only the young heir remains.”

“I know that too.”

Kranaha’s reaction could not have been more devoid of emotion. No grief, no despair, no sympathy. He acknowledged only the objective facts.

Was it that he had already made up his mind to ignore everything because he harbored treason, or was he simply paralyzed and undecided, observing from the sidelines?

“In this moment of chaos, the Empress summoned me and appointed me Imperial Chancellor.”

“All widely known facts.”

Kranaha spoke in a bored tone, as if asking how long Nael planned to keep reciting obvious details, and even made a show of yawning. Nael paid it no mind and continued.

“The moment I saw the young heir inside the incubator, I understood the path I must walk.”

“Hm.”

“That young life must safely grow and one day stand tall as a rightful ruler. Protecting this Empire until that day comes is my mission.”

Complex emotions rose on Nael’s face. It was a lament for himself, an apology to those who had died in vain, an affection for the child who lost his parents and would inherit a heavy burden, and a hazy fear for the future.

“……”

Kranaha’s eyes, staring directly at Nael’s face, shifted subtly. For the first time, he felt as though he had glimpsed Azani’s true sincerity.

“So I ask you, Admiral Kranaha. I know very well that you don’t think highly of me, but for the peace of the Empire, I hope you will lend me your strength.”

“……”

“This country, once on the brink of ruin, has begun to dream of hope. Although His Majesty Sirius has departed for a far and distant universe before his time, should we not carry on his will and allow the Empire’s glory and prosperity to bloom?”

“……”

“I cannot accomplish this alone, Admiral Kranaha. I desperately need the help of others. So once again, I earnestly ask you. Will you not prove how much you love this nation? Please reassure the people. Tell them that you will bring not chaos and conflict but stability and protection. That as a loyal servant of the Empire, you will devote yourself to the young Emperor and guard this country firmly.”

Clap, clap, clap.

The man who had been listening intently suddenly applauded as if moved by a grand speech.

“Splendid. Your words were enough to stir anyone’s sense of loyalty. I nearly burst into singing the national anthem without realizing it.”

“Admiral Kranaha.”

Nael felt a wave of discouragement. What he had just said was his honest, unembellished heart. Did it not reach him at all? Was he still untrustworthy in the Admiral’s eyes?

“Oh, it’s too early to look disappointed, dear Chancellor. I didn’t say it to mock you. I was halfway convinced, actually. But!”

“What did I fail to provide?”

Nael asked, his expression dimming slightly.

“Come closer.”

Kranaha crooked a finger. Nael stepped forward.

“Closer.”

Kranaha repeated in a low, heavy voice. Nael moved to stand right before him. Then, without warning, Kranaha grabbed his hands. Right to left, left to right.

“Admiral….”

He was not offering a handshake to signify cooperation. Kranaha enclosed Nael’s hands with his own large, rough, bear-like palms as though trying to overpower him.

“Your hands are soft and warm. I expected something cold and eerie, like a snake… or dry ice.”

He wasn’t squeezing violently, but something felt wrong. Nael felt the man’s thumb brushing slowly across his palm in a strange way. As if trying to imply something sexual.

“…Kranaha.”

“I understand well enough what you’re trying to say. Knowing it is one thing, but it doesn’t quite stir my heart. I feel like you could show a little more sincerity.”

“What more do you want from me? Speak, Admiral Kranaha.”

Nael asked calmly.

“Since I dislike beating around the bush, I’ll say it plainly. Come to my bed, Azani. Come up and warm it for me. I want you to prove that your body is just as soft and warm as your hands.”

Kranaha tightened his grip as he spoke bluntly. Nael flinched, his eyes widening. But strangely, part of him wasn’t surprised. Odd as it sounded, this was exactly the kind of thing this man seemed capable of saying.

The ones who reacted instead were Kranaha’s subordinates. Their beloved superior had suddenly and openly demanded someone’s body, and the stunned officers broke their long silence in a rush to contain the situation.

“Y-Your Excellency, your joke is too much.”

“Admiral, people might misunderstand if they hear such words. It seems you have made an overly inappropriate joke toward the Chancellor…”

“H-ha ha. Our lord is something else. Such a… lively sense of humor, truly… ha ha. Who could imagine you’d make such a joke….”

Up until now, they believed their superiors were only fighting for dominance. Seeing the Marshal, who had far more to lose, lower himself first, they had started to think that perhaps this wasn’t a bad direction after all.

If their commander intended to pursue ambition, they would support that. If he chose to remain a loyal admiral as before, that was also fine. But just as things seemed to be going well, he suddenly demanded sexual tribute? From Azani, of all people? Was it some kind of high-level metaphor?

“It’s no joke. Silence.”

Kranaha cut them off sharply without even glancing their way.

“Your Excellency!”

“Now then, give me your answer. What will you do? Ah, and just so you know, I promise I won’t be crude or forceful. I’ll make sure you enjoy it too, so don’t worry about that.”

Kranaha looked only at Nael’s face. In his eyes, Nael saw a deep, obsessive flame of desire. The man no longer intended to hide his dark lust.

Nael’s trapped hands felt hot.

Nael hesitated to answer. He knew he wasn’t in a position to refuse the man outright. But he also couldn’t let himself be swept away like this.

“Why? You don’t want to? Don’t you need my cooperation?”

Kranaha growled. Now that he had started speaking, he seemed unable to restrain himself any longer.

“Antigonos Kranaha.”

Nael cooled his thoughts and spoke his name in an icy tone.

“Just answer.”

“As someone four years older than you, I’ll give you advice regardless of rank. If you’re not looking for a night’s release with a common whore, you should at least observe some basic manners. You want to sleep with me? I won’t refuse. But follow the proper steps. Send me an invitation saying you want to host me at your home. Prepare a dinner with fine wine. Then ask me to stay the night. If you do that, I’ll agree.”

“……”

“For all appearances, I am the Imperial Chancellor. I’d like my dignity considered. Instead of rumors saying you forced yourself on me and took my body against my will, wouldn’t it be far better if people thought we drank pleasantly over dinner and were drawn to each other, ending up in bed? It benefits both of us.”

If he wanted to sleep together, Nael would accept. But not here. Not now. They needed to land the fleet first, get to the surface, and follow the normal steps others did for dates.

“So you’re not saying no?”

Kranaha asked, sounding suspicious but overall accepting.

“I heard that after you became a Marshal, you purchased a mansion with a beautifully tended garden. You even hosted a party for your colleagues, didn’t you? Let me see the house too. I was quietly disappointed when you left me out of the dinner.”

Nael forced a smile and said it like a joke.

“Did I? At the time, you seemed terribly busy attending the opera house almost every evening, so I refrained from inviting you out of consideration. I’m sorry if it made you feel left out. That won’t do. I’ll send you an invitation soon, dear Chancellor.”

Kranaha shifted his grip, took Nael’s hands more properly, then brought them together and kissed the back of one before letting them go.

“I’ll be waiting gladly, Admiral Kranaha.”

Nael took a step back. Somehow, the negotiation had worked out.

“Think nothing of it. I too am very pleased that our opinions, which once ran in parallel, have finally reached a reasonable compromise.”

Kranaha rose from his seat and answered politely.

“Then I will take my leave…”

Nael bowed lightly and turned to go, but Kranaha grabbed his wrist again.

“Don’t you dare change your mind later, Azani. That would be very disappointing.”

“Just send the invitation.”

“Listen to that cold tone.”

Kranaha let out a soft laugh and pressed his lips firmly onto Nael’s palm. Nael sighed inwardly. It would be this body that would have to deal with him later. The thought of how the man would be in bed was terrifying to imagine.

“You. I’m talking about you.”

Kranaha lifted his lips from Nael’s skin, but he still held his wrist as he spoke.

“Changing your hairstyle was the right decision. If you had shown up with that shitty slicked-back hair again, you would’ve been leaving my flagship Spartacus today to set up a newlywed home with me.”

He wasn’t joking. He meant it.

“I agree that the slicked-back style was shitty. I don’t plan to do it again.”