Chapter 168 – I Intend to Become the Mightiest Knight of All, So I Shall See This Through!

Two days later--

The atmosphere in Seldia had changed completely. With tension strung taut everywhere, in the general dock the freelancers summoned for the coming great battle were each carefully tending to their beloved machines and preparing to sortie.

"All ready, boss!"

A small, bespectacled girl with braids, dressed in a pilot suit, came down the work ladder and hurried over.

"Good, setup's done on my end too, Fal."

The one who answered was a bearded man -- Zein.

The two were a skilled freelancer duo who had come through dangerous missions together with Letaria in the past.

"Listen, Fal, the circumstances of this job are far different from usual. Whatever you do, don't push too far forward, understood? Our role is strictly rear support and watching the rear."

At Zein's emphasis, Fal gave a small, exasperated shrug and puffed out her chest.

"How many times is that now?! I know already, you don't have to tell me!"

At Fal's spirited rebuttal, Zein scratched at the stubble on his chin, troubled.

"Honestly... with these 'large-scale power struggle' jobs, if you stick your neck in carelessly, it could stain your freelance record later..."

Zein grumbled in a low voice that no one else could hear.

"Look, this time it's not the usual cheap, brutish raiders we're up against. It's trained regular forces and a corporation's private troops. The stars of this show are the Vigilante Corps people, and we're just the supporting cast."

"I know already! ...But Letaria will surely go straight to the very front line without hesitation, won't she?"

As Fal murmured it, her eyes looking far away, Zein too dropped his gaze and let out a deep breath.

"...Well, yes. That young lady... will probably be all right no matter what reckless thing she pushes through."

◆◆◆

At the same time, in the Syn-Fibra dedicated dock.

Enthroned in the center of the vast hangar was Letaria's beloved Arden, deep indigo with gold ornamentation. At its feet, two women stood facing each other.

"...Preparations are perfect."

Milea, her unkempt hair carelessly tied back, rubbed the deep dark circles under her eyes as she spoke to Letaria.

The Seldia Administration Bureau and Syn-Fibra, having foreseen the worst-case development of a clash with Coroshe in advance, had been quietly pressing ahead with thorough preparations for this all-out confrontation, not only these past two days but from well before.

"Yes! The Noble Lotus II that Sora-san tuned so perfectly is in top condition as well!"

Dressed in her refined dedicated pilot suit, helmet tucked under one arm, Letaria returned a bright smile.

"And..."

Letaria looked up at her beloved Arden.

Unlike its earlier appearance as a medium-weight machine, it now had a form that could well be called a heavyweight.

"It looks like a knight clad in full armor -- a heavy knight, one might say. It has become a truly magnificent figure."

She gazed at Arden with narrowed eyes.

Milea looked up at Arden as well.

"Yes. Unlike the exterior parts of before, I've fitted it with armor and weaponry 'for combat.' It becomes your shield and your sword. It looks weighty now, but Arden's mobility hasn't been compromised."

Hearing Milea's words, Letaria smiled.

"It is very gallant, and a figure fitting for me." Letaria laughed softly.

Milea smiled back at those words.

"I'm truly glad to hear that. This time, Syn-Fibra's Seldia branch is backing you with everything it has. You, and the Corps members too... I'm sure everyone will make it back here safely."

Milea, who by all rights should have been worn out from a string of all-nighters, narrowed her eyes gently. Letaria took her hand and squeezed it firmly.

"Naturally...! Milea and the others are doing their utmost for us like this. There is no way we shall lose!"

Milea's eyes widened for an instant at having her hand suddenly taken, but her face soon softened and she squeezed back warmly.

"...Go and rampage to your heart's content. Defend Seldia, and rescue that girl Rofi too... you can surely do it."

At Milea's confident words, Letaria beamed with her very best smile and puffed out her chest.

"I intend to become the mightiest knight of all, after all -- I shall see this through!"

◆◆◆

Several hours later--

In the outer-rim space of Seldia, where pitch-black darkness spread.

"Incoming from the scouting unit. Coroshe's invasion force has already finished deploying at roughly the midpoint between our two territories."

From the cockpit of the black-and-white machine -- Riese -- Grain's voice rang out over the wide-area common channel for the entire Seldia side.

"Operations begin now. Freelancers, concentrate on rear support as designated and hold Seldia's defenses firm."

After giving that instruction, Grain switched the comm's encrypted line to the channel dedicated to the Vigilante Corps and Letaria.

"The enemy must be thrown off balance by the support of our 'collaborators.' Let's seize the chance and push through!"

"Ooooh!!"

The Corps members' fiery roars erupted over the comm.

A few minutes later, a direct interrupt came in from the scouting unit, tense.

"We've confirmed the enemy mobile force's strength! ...The main body of the Coroshe Autonomous Forces is far smaller than expected! We count roughly forty older mixed-model general-purpose machines and about twenty 'Grido.' But... we've confirmed a group of non-standard Makina that appear to be Argria's private troops! Six machines that look to be the large red 'Gordo,' one 'Acuitas,' and in addition one blue new-model machine!"

"The enhanced-human unit totals about eight machines, then...! All units, take notice: engage the ordinary and mass-produced machines in the main! Handling the enhanced humans will be left to me, Letaria, and a few specialized members only!"

Grain's sharp exhortation flew across the whole force.

Inside Arden's cockpit, Letaria concentrated her magic. Magic that merely senses presences -- it spread out through Arden to the distant region of space.

The enhanced-human unit... Rofi... are you here as well...?

She could not feel what ought to be there.

Letaria gazed at the pitch-black darkness spreading before her.