Chapter 11

The world of otome games is harsh for side characters.

After the announcement of the anime adaptation, I received many congratulatory comments.

Thank you.

Since I can't reply to each one individually, I would like to express my gratitude here.

Thanks to everyone, the anime adaptation has become possible (✿´∀`✿)

The big boar that looks like a small hill.

Emma, riding on Atalante, was making small adjustments to the control stick and foot pedals as she flew around it.

Despite the machine's wild behavior, Emma skillfully handled it, but it wasn't perfect.

To avoid attacks from optical weapons, the machine was making small, forced movements repeatedly.

It was being jolted slightly, and a high-power laser grazed the surface of the armor.

Moreover, the excessively high energy output of Atalante was putting a great strain on its joints.

It seemed more likely to self-destruct than to be destroyed by the enemy.

"We have to take it down before it breaks."

Sweating inside her helmet, Emma confirmed that a lens on the Big Boar's armor had moved slightly and immediately moved the machine.

By rolling the machine, she narrowly avoided several lasers.

It was as if she knew from the start where the attacks would come from.

Atalante was keeping up with Emma's reaction speed.

"With this one, I'm sure I can—"

Although freed from the burden, the rifle Emma had didn't have enough power to penetrate the Big Boar's armor.

Emma checked her equipment.

"Even with high output, the beam sword won't work. I don't think a physical sword will do the job either—then!"

Emma discarded the rifle Atalante was holding and purged the left arm shield and physical sword as well.

The lighter Atalante accelerated even more.

Thinking she had discarded all her weapons, a worried shout came from her allies.

"You idiot!!"

"How do you plan to win without any weapons?!"

There was frustration, but also concern from her allies.

However, Emma hadn't just discarded her weapons.

There was a weapon hidden under the shield on her left arm.

A weapon not usually equipped on a standard Nevan.

Without time to respond to the voices around her, Emma released Atalante's limiter.

She switched the simple switches attached to the control seat one after another with her right hand.

Excessive energy was transmitted, and a sound like a scream came from various parts.

Discharge occurred from the joints.

"I'll end this quickly!"

◇

Claudia's Nevan cut down the Zork that had attacked her.

She was using an axe stolen from a pirate, but her gaze was on Emma, who was fighting the Big Boar.

Atalante, flying around while discharging, looked like lightning.

One of her subordinates muttered.

"—A flash of lightning"

Hearing the word "flash," Claudia thought it was fitting.

However, she couldn't understand why Emma had discarded her weapons.

"What do you plan to do by discarding your weapons? Are you carrying some weapon we don't know about?"

It wouldn't be strange if the experimental Atalante had weapons that even Claudia didn't know about.

However, more than that, Claudia was astonished by Emma's talent, which she hadn't recognized.

Not only was she moving a machine called a defective unit, but she was also bringing out its performance.

She was controlling performance that exceeded that of a standard mass-production unit or even a custom unit.

"I couldn't see it, but she did."

In a word, a prodigy.

A special talent that wouldn't be recognized in a normal test.

The ability to operate a mobile knight with no assist function as if it were an extension of her limbs.

In an era where assist functions are common, it's a miracle to be discovered.

Normally, she would have been deemed unsuitable before being recognized.

In fact, Claudia had treated Emma as incompetent.

—Her lord had seen through it and deliberately sent Emma the appropriate machine.

Along with regret, Claudia felt a twinge of jealousy.

A Zork that had boarded the plant aimed a machine gun at Atalante.

"I'll shoot her down!"

The pirates also thought it was better to take out Atalante first, as they didn't know what it would do.

Claudia rammed her machine into the enemy, then aimed her axe at the opponent's unbalanced position.

"You have some nerve to be distracted."

"Stop, stop!"

She mercilessly swung her axe at the cockpit.

Letting go of the axe, Claudia took the machine gun from the Zork.

When Nevan gripped the machine gun, it asked for an ID.

Claudia immediately started hacking.

With practiced movements, she forcibly made the machine gun operational.

Holding the machine gun in her right arm, she destroyed the Zorks that appeared one after another while giving orders to her subordinates.

"Don't let a single one get close!"

"Understood!"

The Nevan units continued to fight the Zorks that were trying to overwhelm Atalante to protect her.

Seeing her allies fighting to protect her, Emma spoke to Claudia.

"Instructor!?"

"Do what you have to do!"

"Yes, sir!"

Claudia wanted to complain about Emma still calling her "instructor" even at a time like this, but she held back and faced the enemy machine in front of her.

With the Zorks kept at bay, Atalante landed and slid due to its momentum.

Stronger discharges occurred from the joints.

◇

Inside Atalante's cockpit.

Alarms were ringing, indicating that the joints couldn't withstand the high output.

In this state, Emma dodged the rain of lasers and made contact with the Big Boar.

"Here it is!"

The communication line opened upon contact, but a man in a suit appeared on the screen, despite being a pilot.

"I don't know what you're planning, but what can you do with just one machine? The result is already clear. In a few minutes, this Big Boar will explode, taking you all with it."

The man was calm, even knowing that the internal power source would cut off and cause an explosion.

This made Emma feel uneasy.

"Do you not understand that you're going to die?"

"I've already overcome death. I'm Mr. Liver, an immortal salesman who can be resurrected no matter how many times I die."

"!"

Using some kind of technology to be resurrected.

Emma felt disgust at Liver, who spoke of using technology that should be prohibited to overcome death.

"Just because you can survive alone, do you think other people's lives are expendable?"

Liver treated the lives of the pirates, who were supposed to be allies, as cheap expendables.

This was unacceptable to Emma.

"Life? A low-value expendable. Humans are just one of many resources. You should be the same."

"No! We're not—"

"You are. Especially your lord. Nobles are the ones who don't value human life. They truly believe that human lives exist for their own benefit."

Hearing this, Emma remembered the past.

The sight of Avid triumphantly returning after defeating the space pirates.

"—He's different."

"Lord Banfield? He's the same. He's the one who devalues life. If he truly valued human life, he wouldn't have mercilessly killed the pirates."

"!"

For a moment, Emma was almost convinced by Liver's words, but—she pushed the control stick with all her might.

"Even so—I want to be—like him—"

Atalante grabbed the Big Boar and lifted it.

"What are you doing!?"

The boosters on Atalante's back ignited, and it started to lift the massive Big Boar.

Liver seemed surprised.

As the machine tilted, he panicked.

Emma glared at the Big Boar, shouting to herself.

"—I will become a knight of justice!!"

Atalante's twin eyes glowed brightly as it lifted the Big Boar.

With one side lifted, the Big Boar lost its balance.

Like a turtle flipped over, it showed its belly, a part not designed to withstand attacks.

The armor plate was there, but it wasn't thick enough to be impenetrable.

Atalante punched the belly with its left hand.

Instead of a hand, the weapon attached to the left arm pierced the Big Boar's belly.

Emma pulled the trigger on the control stick.

"Pile—Bunker!!"

The weapon ignited, driving a stake into the Big Boar's belly.

The stake pierced through and reached the inside, where it glowed red and exploded.

Liver, inside, was terrified by the explosion.

"What are you going to do with such an outdated weapon—"

The communication line cut off, telling the story of the cockpit's situation.

As Atalante released the Big Boar, it exploded from the inside, spewing fire.

Claudia, watching this, confirmed with the electronic warfare unit.

"Hey"

"—The self-destruct function didn't activate. It was a bit nerve-wracking."

It seemed they had managed to destroy it without triggering the self-destruct function.

Emma felt relieved that it was all over.

However, Atalante was reaching its limit, and smoke was coming from the joints.

"Huh? Ah, that!? I'm going to fall—"

As the machine fell, Claudia's Nevan caught it.

"Causing trouble at the last moment."

"Instructor!"

"Call me Colonel!"

"Yes, sir."

While they were talking, the Zorks ridden by the pirates gathered around.

"—That bastard is dead, but you guys—"

Emma, surrounded by the pirates, was sweating coldly, but Atalante's radar detected the approach of allies.

The name of the ally was—Merea.

"No way."

A light carrier appeared in the sky above the plant, and Mohayevs descended one after another.

Seeing this, the surviving pirates panicked.

"You still had reserves!?"

The pirates tried to fight, but interstellar warships entered the atmosphere one after another.

"That's—"

Emma confirmed the presence of allies on the monitor. It was the main force led by Claudia.

"They've come."

Nevans launched from the warships and started destroying the descending Zorks.

A Nevan with horns, like Claudia's, descended nearby.

"Sorry for the delay."

"No, thank you."

The Nevans with spread wings chased and destroyed the Zorks carrying the fleeing pirates.

Faced with this overwhelming scene, Emma finally let out a sigh of relief, and then vomited.

Wakagi-chan ( ゜∀゜) "The anime adaptation is thanks to my promotion! So, I'll keep promoting it! 'The World of Otome Games is Harsh for Side Characters 9' will be released on November 30th! Some stores might already have it, but it's officially on the 30th! Don't spoil it!"

Emma ( ・∀・)ノ "Please also support the 'Next Light Novel Grand Prix 2021' being held on Kimirano! You can vote once a day! I hope you'll support 'I Am the Corrupt Lord of an Interstellar Nation!'"

Emma (*´∀｀) "—If I work hard here, maybe there's a chance for 'I Am the Corrupt Lord of an Interstellar Nation' too?"

Wakagi-chan (#゜Д゜) "Don't take promotion lightly!"