Chapter 51

Book Introduction for October!

Fairy Bullet — The Mechanical Maiden and the Beast Soldier — Volume 1 [October 19]

I Am the Wicked Lord of an Interstellar Nation! Volume 9 [October 25]

This month, two books will be released!

On the bridge of the flagship Vaal, Christiana, who was commanding the entire fleet, noticed a particular report.

When the information that had been flowing like a waterfall from the ceiling stopped, it alone drew attention.

What could have happened? Could there have been a fatal mistake in the external battle?

Ignoring the unease around her, Christiana reached for the information.

As Christiana's hand touched it, the information, condensed to a single sheet, expanded on display.

"A request for assistance from people not belonging to the Empire... This pattern is typical of the United Nations of States..."

Christiana's expression briefly showed a smile of nostalgia but quickly turned to sadness as she remembered the destruction of her homeland.

Noticing that something was wrong with Christiana, the reserve officers gathered around her.

They were backup personnel, ready to step in if someone fell.

Among them was Claudia.

Seeing the document Christiana was looking at, Claudia understood what was happening.

"Lady Tia? Is this a request for assistance from Mistylia? But why now..."

Confused, Claudia's colleague tilted her head.

"Um, what is Mistylia?"

Claudia explained to her colleague, who was unaware of the situation.

"...It's Lady Tia's homeland."

"Eh? But wasn't it already destroyed?"

"That's why she's struggling to decide."

Listening to the voices around her, Christiana finished reading the report and grasped the general situation.

"Most likely, the people who escaped from Mistylia have settled on a planet that was attacked. They fled to a harsh planet that is barely habitable..."

The people from her destroyed homeland had escaped and hidden on a harsh planet.

How much suffering must they have endured?

Imagining the hardships of the people, Christiana felt a painful constriction in her chest.

—But.

"...We've wasted time."

It seemed Christiana had no intention of helping the people suffering from the Empire's plundering.

Claudia's voice rose in protest.

"Lady Tia, are you really sure about this?"

Christiana turned only her head to face Claudia.

"What do you mean? I'm in the position of commanding the entire Imperial Army. I don't have the time to intervene in a small battlefield."

Claudia, understanding Tia's feelings, spoke directly.

"Lady Tia, you have the power and authority to help. Just say to intervene, and all problems will be solved."

"If I do that, I'll waste one of our reserve forces. It could lead to a loss in another battlefield, and we might lose to the United Kingdom of Oxyse."

Despite her position to see the big picture, she couldn't make a shortsighted decision.

Christiana had her own priorities.

Claudia, sensing Tia's feelings and thinking that not intervening now would lead to regret, pressed on.

"Still, we should help. There's a chance we can make a difference now."

"I'm here to win—to offer victory to that person. I won't fulfill my own wishes at the expense of my priorities."

In the end, Tia didn't budge.

But then, a male knight descended.

"Then, allow me to make a proposal."

The one who suddenly interrupted their conversation was Klaus.

Claudia's eyes widened.

"Commander... Proxy?"

◇

On the bridge of the Merea, Allison was furious at Emma's reckless actions.

"She descended to the planet and engaged the Imperial Army in combat!?"

The reaction of the bridge crew was, for the most part, favorable.

Tim, the commander, was practically out of his seat.

"Haha, she really did it... that knight lady."

He had previously mocked her as "the knight lady," but now he finally recognized Emma as a true knight.

"She really challenged the plundering Imperial Army. She's a fool... a real fool!"

The correct judgment would have been to retreat.

Everyone in the room understood that, but Merea was now a place for exiles and outcasts in the military.

Emma's evaluation was rising, not falling.

Even Tim was impressed by Emma's unwavering foolishness.

But Allison was different.

"Deploy a ready knight to stop Captain Rodman. If necessary, shoot her down."

Tim showed reluctance at the order.

"Are you going to let the plundering go unchecked?"

"They are the regular Imperial Army! Do you understand how many regular Imperial forces are involved in this battlefield? Even if the Banfield family is in command, not all the armies are obedient. If the military splits here, it will drag everyone down!"

While fighting the Oxyse United Kingdom, internal conflicts within the Imperial Army were not an option.

Saving people not belonging to the Empire would bring no benefit to the Banfield family.

In fact, it would only bring harm.

Facing such an Allison, Tim straightened his hat and said,

"Arrest the supervisor. From now on, I will take command."

"What!?"

Before Allison could say anything, Tim issued the order.

"Deploy the ready knights to support Captain Rodman. Remember, this is my order. Don't forget to emphasize that."

Seeing Tim's attitude, Allison seemed to realize something.

"You're being foolish... This is more than you can handle alone."

"You won't understand, but in the old military, we fought with pride. You've really reminded me of the old days."

Tim threw off his hat and styled his hair into a pompadour.

When he finished, his entire demeanor had changed.

From a tired middle-aged man, he transformed into a determined, old-school delinquent.

The bridge crew, seeing this, became excited as Tim raised his voice and issued the order.

"Merea, charge into battle, damn it!"

◇

Breaking through the atmosphere, the Atalante descended, aiming her multi-purpose rifle and issuing a warning.

"This is Captain Emma Rodman. Cease your plundering immediately and withdraw. I repeat, this is—!"

In response to Emma's warning, the Imperial ships descending began their attacks.

They had no intention of stopping the plundering.

"Since that's your intention!"

Unlocking the safety on her multi-purpose rifle, Emma began firing while evading the attacks.

As she destroyed the main guns and anti-aircraft guns of the warships, the Imperial mobile knight units, led by the Mohayev, launched to intercept her.

"Even the regular Imperial Army uses the Mohayev as their main unit?"

Despite her confusion, Emma pulled the handle of a laser sword from the left skirt of the Atalante.

Holding the laser sword in her left hand, she charged at the ascending Mohayev units.

"You're too slow!"

Since they were allies, their communication lines were open, and she could hear the enemy's voices.

'Those provincial nobles have the latest models! The nouveau riche Banfield family!'

The Atalante, engaging in aerial combat with the Mohayev, was outmaneuvering them with its speed.

As she sliced off the limbs of the Mohayevs, they lost balance and descended.

Even though they could still fight, they were pretending to be combat-incapable and slowly descending.

Emma felt angry at their cowardly attitude.

"Fight seriously if you're the regular army!"

Kicking the head of what seemed to be the command unit, Emma heard the pilot respond with a strained smile.

'Even if we're the regular army, we're originally from the patrol fleet's mobile knight unit. What did you expect?'

Their lack of enthusiasm reminded her of the original Merea crew.

But the enemy's numbers were overwhelming.

'You're finished for attacking us. You'll be executed when you return!'

'What a good girl. This is everyday life on the battlefield.'

'The Banfield family doesn't plunder? What a liar!'

The Imperial pilots were trained and numerous.

Emma, with a broken right arm, couldn't fight at full strength.

"There must have been other ways to handle this!"

As she was about to attack a Mohayev, enemy units were hit by beams from above.

Looking up, she saw the Valona team.

"Lieutenant Kimura!? Why are you participating!?"

Ain, understanding Emma's feelings about being dragged into such a battle, replied,

'I also dislike plundering. Besides, seeing the lackluster regular army makes me want to vomit... it's a matter of mood.'

"Mood!?"

Confused by Ain's response, Emma continued to evade enemy attacks and deliver kicks.

'My father was also a soldier. He was a stubborn man who hated injustice. I chose this path out of respect for him.'

The Valona, piloted by Ain, destroyed the head of a Mohayev with its rifle, following Emma's example.

Seeing Ain's resolve, Emma stopped arguing.

"We will suppress the plundering units!"

'To say that with just four units, I'm impressed, Captain. —I'll accompany you.'

The Atalante accelerated, and the Valona team followed.

Despite saying they would act on their own, they were now following Emma's lead.

Breaking through the Mohayev units, another mobile knight unit appeared, likely returning from plundering.

Ain immediately identified the units.

'They also seem to be the latest generation of mobile knights. The model name is... Wilder. A versatile unit from the First Weapons Factory.'

"No wonder they're different from the Nevan type."

The mobile knight, with a bucket-like head, had no distinctive features.

Its knight-like appearance was typical of Imperial mobile knights, and it didn't seem to have any special armaments.

It was a simple, high-performance unit.

The pilot, riding the knight, charged at the Atalante head-on.

'Third Weapons Factory's Nevan type! But my Wilder won't lose!'

The pilot's skills were not bad.

Compared to the regular soldiers she had faced, they were more motivated and eager to fight.

However, they were no match for Emma's Atalante.

Deflecting the enemy's sword with her laser blade, the Wilder types continued to attack.

Ain, recognizing the elite mobile knight unit, felt at a disadvantage.

'This enemy is troublesome, Captain.'

"Yes, I understand. That's why—"

Emma began to unlock the Atalante's limiter with her injured right arm.

"—I'll end this quickly."

The Atalante's reactor generated excessive energy, causing discharges from the joints.

The machine's color changed to yellow due to the energy release, and its appearance, like a dancing lightning bolt, stunned both enemies and allies.

Ain was surprised.

'So that's the origin of the lightning name.'

In an overloaded state—overdrive—the Atalante's twin eyes emitted a strong light, and it vanished from in front of the Wilder.

The enemy knight was confused.

'Huh?'

Immediately after, the enemy knight's cockpit was violently shaken.

When he realized it, both arms and legs were severed, and other Wilders were being destroyed one after another.

The knights were trembling in fear.

The Imperial knight called for help.

'You guys, it's your turn! Mercenaries! If you can hear me, come to our aid immediately!'

In response to the Imperial knight's plea, mobile knights descended one after another.

'You'll have to pay extra.'

A female voice responded, and the Imperial knight, trembling, replied.

'Send the bill to the fortress! Just stop this thing!'

While destroying the Wilders, Emma saw one of the mobile knights and her hair stood on end.

Furrowing her brow, she raised her voice in the cockpit.

"Serena!!"

The Goldrakoon, having lost both arms in battle, had replaced them with sinister limbs.

These long, thick arms, equipped with sharp claws, also had optical weapons like beam cannons and beam gatlings.

'Pleased to fight you again. This time, I'll crush you, justice girl!'

The overdrive Atalante and the Goldrakoon, with its replaced arms, clashed in the air.

Bryan (*´ω｀) "This Bryan used to be quite the troublemaker in the past. It's nostalgic, isn't it~"

Liam (；゜Д゜) "You had a pompadour too? (What does 'Bui Bui' mean?)"