Chapter 33

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Emma, clad in a special suit, was sparring with Marie in a two-pistol style.

The pistols she held had enough power to cause a tingling sensation in the body if hit, but not enough to cause serious harm.

Even so, ranged weapons were advantageous in combat.

If she could land a hit and stop her opponent's movement, she could then press the advantage.

—Or so it should have been.

"It's not hitting!?"

Emma fired her pistols in rapid succession, but Marie paid no mind.

With quick, minimal movements, Marie dodged and approached Emma.

Emma, holding her pistols, retreated and was cornered.

Her energy depleted, the pistols no longer responded when she pulled the triggers.

The empty clicks echoed, and Emma threw the pistols aside.

"Then this!"

This time, she grabbed the shock swords she had on her hips.

She wielded two of them, mimicking Char's dual-wielding style.

(I have no talent. If that's the case, I'll overwhelm her with numbers!)

Having given up on her talent, Emma abandoned the elegant style of sword and pistol she had learned at the knight academy.

It didn't matter if it was messy.

—She decided on a style that would simply defeat the person in front of her.

She swung the short swords in a crossing motion from the outside to the inside.

It was a slashing attack meant to trap the approaching Marie, but it was easily dodged.

Marie jumped to avoid the attack and then kicked Emma in the head with her left foot.

Emma was blown back, but the special suit absorbed the impact.

Still, it wasn't painless.

Her head shook from the kick that penetrated the suit's shock absorption, and she couldn't stand up.

"Still... not..."

Seeing Emma trying to stand up without giving up, Marie looked a bit pleased and praised her performance.

"Your fighting has improved compared to before."

After trying many weapons, it seemed Emma had finally found one that suited her.

However, Marie also pointed out a problem.

"However, the timing of switching weapons is bad. Always be aware of your remaining ammunition. Your switch to the short swords was too slow."

Emma took Marie's hand to stand up.

"I'll be more careful in the future."

Seeing Emma wobbling, Marie sighed slightly.

"The problem is that your performance drops drastically when you hold different weapons in each hand. Perhaps you should use the same weapon for both—"

Emma was puzzled by Marie's serious consideration of her style.

(Why is she doing this much for me?)

Emma didn't belong to Marie's faction.

If anything, she was closer to Claudia, who was on the Christiana faction.

Marie, on the other hand, was a renowned knight in the Banfield family, having served alongside Liam.

Would a major like Marie really take the time to train a lieutenant?

Emma couldn't understand why Marie was so serious about her.

"Why are you training me so much?"

Faced with this simple question, Marie stopped thinking and looked at Emma.

The usually mature Marie now showed a childlike smile.

"Because he took an interest in you. And because I like you."

"Me? I think Lieutenant Charmel is a genius?"

"No one is talking about talent. Besides, I don't think that girl is a genius."

Surprised by this unexpected evaluation, Emma's eyes widened.

"Huh? But she has a high number of downed enemies and is amazing. She's much better than me."

Seeing Emma's dejection, Marie had a look of "She doesn't understand."

"There are many people called geniuses in the world. However, not all of them can achieve results. Those who truly achieve results are the true geniuses."

Emma understood Marie's point but still couldn't help but think:

(Lieutenant Charmel has achieved more results than me, right?)

Then, Marie talked about the charm she saw in Emma.

"The reason I like you is—because you are very arrogant and suited to be a knight."

Emma immediately denied this.

"N-no, that's not true!"

"No, it is. Protecting Melea, who would be better off being left behind, and imposing your ideals on others is incredibly arrogant."

"..."

Hearing this, Emma reflected on her actions.

What she thought was for someone else's benefit—was just self-centered.

"You don't seem to realize it. Melea and her team would be happier if they were quietly discharged and started a new life. Or if they were transferred to another unit, they would only be a burden and not contribute."

"But they can only live in the military."

"They are just afraid of change. —Wanting to keep them tied to the military is a wonderful arrogance. You are suited to be a knight."

Far from criticizing Emma's arrogance, Marie seemed to have a favorable impression of it.

"A knight must be arrogant. Of course, that's only if they have the strength to back it up."

Emma couldn't agree with Marie's unconventional ideas about knights.

But she understood that she was arrogant.

(Forcing Lord Liam's recognition on everyone, I really am a bad knight.)

Thinking that a knight should be noble and not arrogant, Emma felt disheartened.

Ignoring this, Marie continued.

"And I know the most arrogant knight in the world. —Liam Sera Banfield."

When Marie mentioned this name, the movements of the knights training around them stopped.

To them, this name was special.

The name of the one who saved them and ruled as an absolute master.

In the silence, Emma objected.

"Lord Liam is a great person! He's not arrogant! He governs the territory well and goes to the battlefield—He's a wonderful lord."

A strong knight and a wise lord.

Emma truly believed Liam was an ideal figure.

Seeing this, Marie looked very pleased.

"Your loyalty is admirable. But Lord Liam is arrogant. And he has the strength to back it up. —He even admits and publicly states this."

"..."

"Lord Liam often says that the development of the territory is for his own benefit. He doesn't care about the people at all."

As Emma hung her head, Marie explained Liam's true intentions.

"He was intelligent even as a child. He understood. —In the end, protecting the territory and governing it well to care for the people is his arrogant ideal."

"Is that arrogance?"

"It is. After all, he thinks it's fine to destroy space pirates to protect his people. A true saint would find a way to save both sides. But—I agree with Lord Liam's thinking."

Emma murmured.

"—That's why he calls himself evil."

"Yes. His ideal of justice is on a grand scale. —If he can't achieve it himself, he will become evil. He is truly noble."

When Marie's expression turned serious, Emma remembered the story Claudia had told her.

Liam, who openly declared himself evil.

It wouldn't be strange to acknowledge that he was the most arrogant of all.

When Emma couldn't say anything, Marie advised her.

"Admit that you are arrogant. And gain the strength to stand by your will. Only with strength and the ability to take responsibility can a knight be considered a true knight."

While Emma couldn't fully accept Marie's unique ideas, she understood one thing.

"—Am I arrogant?"

To this question, Marie smiled and answered.

"Yes, a cute, arrogant knight."

Emma thought to herself.

(He is arrogant but nobler than anyone else. If that's the case, I will aim to be the most arrogant knight.)

Emma made a request to Marie.

"I want the strength to stand by my will—this arrogance."

Marie accepted her request and took a stance.

"Then, you should be grateful to me. I, Marie Mariann, will train you to be a true knight."

◇

It had been a while since Emma started living on the flagship.

On Melea's ship, the members of the third squad were leading a lax life.

In the hangar.

In front of the hangar where Atalante was docked, Mori was holding maintenance tools and fuming.

"Both Doug and Larry are too relaxed just because Emma's not here! I heard that Emma is being scolded because of us?"

Larry, sitting on a container and playing a game, was tired of Mori's lecture.

"The complaints are from the higher-ups. What's the point of lecturing someone we can't command? As usual, the higher-ups don't understand the field."

"Stop shifting the blame so quickly! And Doug is drinking and won't even come to the hangar. We finally got the new model deployed thanks to Emma's efforts."

Feeling that Emma's efforts were being wasted, Mori was angry.

Seeing this, Larry seemed exasperated.

"If one person's effort could get a new model deployed, it would be easy. It was a coincidence. A coincidence."

"Really think a new model will be deployed to us by coincidence?"

They were a border security unit, even called a place of exile.

The military wasn't so lenient as to deploy new Raccoons to such a unit and modify the flagship on a whim.

Faced with Mori's logic, Larry seemed to give up and didn't respond.

Next to the third squad, the elite squad's Nevan units were lined up.

The Nevan units, having completed maintenance and adjustments, were ready.

The pilots, living a disciplined life even on Melea, were preparing.

"I wonder how Emma is doing now?"

Worried, Mori sighed, and Larry let out a small sigh.

He seemed bothered but was probably feeling guilty about Mori's attitude.

Putting away his game, he headed to the cockpit to adjust the unit.

"Larry?"

Surprised, Mori looked at Larry, who seemed embarrassed.

"I'm going to adjust the unit. Let's get it over with quickly."

Seeing Larry, who had been playing games, show some initiative, Mori was happy.

"Okay! Then, let's also review the settings we've been neglecting. It should take about five hours!"

"—Five hours is too much."

Faced with Mori's relentless attitude, Larry's cheeks twitched.

At that moment, an alert sounded throughout the ship.

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