Chapter 36

......

I'm tired of the propaganda.

Ha, I want to be able to do propaganda as naturally as breathing.

The temporary squad led by Atalante, who launched from the front line where Merea was stationed, successfully rescued their struggling allies.

Mary, who was on the bridge of the flagship, seemed satisfied and smiled.

"You can do it when you try."

Heidi, standing next to her, whistled after seeing Atalante's performance.

"The third weapons factory's wild horse is a monster machine even more than the rumors suggested."

Mary, noticing Heidi's focus on Atalante's performance, said in a slightly exasperated tone.

"You're as silly as ever. What you should be looking at is the pilot, not the machine. —Well, how is the battle situation?"

Heidi projected several images around her, quickly confirmed them, and then answered.

"They are fighting well, but they are being pushed back by the enemy's offensive. Given the situation, it's actually a good effort. If the enemy continues like this, we will ultimately win."

Hearing Heidi's relaxed explanation, Mary thought for a moment and then smiled coldly.

Heidi scratched her head.

"What do you intend to do, Mary?"

"It's obvious, isn't it?"

◇

In the flagship of the rebel forces, Migela's figure was present.

She was sitting in the commander's seat, hysterically giving orders to those around her.

"Why are we struggling so much against an enemy that is outnumbered! Drive them away!"

Looking at the monitor displaying the battle situation, it was clear that their vanguard was collapsing.

The only part that hadn't collapsed was the fleet of the Daria mercenary group, which they hadn't expected to hold up.

The commander standing next to Migela, frowning, explained to her.

But it seemed to be an explanation she had given many times before.

Her voice contained a hint of exasperation.

"We can't attack the transport ships. We can't advance any further."

The surprise attack had gone well, but the problem was that Migela's target was the transport ships loaded with supplies.

The enemy ships could be attacked, but the transport ships were not to be damaged.

"Those supplies are necessary for our future operations."

It was true that they needed the supplies both politically and militarily.

But they didn't have the power to make it possible.

"The enemy is strong. We can't win unless we give up the supplies. It's fine as long as the supplies don't reach the unified government."

"You were the ones who said we needed the supplies to move the army!"

The argument had been going on for a while, but it seemed that Migela had given up on persuading the commander.

"Enough. Send out the enhanced soldiers quickly. You know the humanoid mobile weapons brought by the dirty mercenaries, right?"

Humanoid mobile weapons—what the empire calls mobile knights.

The commander made a bitter face.

"They are our trump card. Besides, their training isn't complete."

"Just do it. Wake up all the ones in cold sleep! This is an order!"

The unified government was under civilian control, and Migela and her group had inherited this system.

The commander gave the order.

"Deploy all enhanced soldiers. —Wake up the enhanced soldiers in cold sleep."

◇

The room where the knights—known as enhanced soldiers in the unified government—were confined was small.

They had dedicated their lives to the military and had lost many freedoms that ordinary people enjoyed.

All of them were bald and had their reproductive functions restricted.

Their faces were expressionless and mechanical. When an order was given, they silently stood up, changed into pilot suits, and headed towards the humanoid mobile weapons.

Some of the enhanced soldiers in cold sleep were also hurriedly awakened.

The military treated them as tools.

◇

"This is the eighth one!"

In the cockpit of Nevan Custom, Russell was drenched in sweat.

The monitor showed a cruiser, jointly destroyed by the squad, enveloped in flames.

It was good that they had destroyed a battleship at the beginning, but since then, the rebels, who couldn't leave them alone, had concentrated their attacks, forcing them into a tough battle.

He quickly checked the remaining ammunition, oxygen, and energy.

"We can still fight, but it's getting tough."

While considering the timing for resupply, he saw mobile knights being launched from the enemy fleet.

They were humanoid mobile weapons used by the unified government, but their form felt different.

"What is this?"

The difference from the enemies they had fought before was that these looked like mobile knights.

They weren't the kind of mobile knights used by the unified government.

Nevan Custom analyzed the enemy machine's data.

The result showed that it was over 60% similar to the noble's machine, which was developed at the first weapons factory.

"Is this a new model from the empire!? Everyone, stay focused. These are the latest and most advanced machines of the same generation as Nevan!"

As the mobile knights approached, Char charged in.

His movements were different from those of ordinary soldiers.

'These are enhanced soldiers? Then, they'll be my score!'

Char, using two laser blades, cut through the enemy machines, but there were multiple machines, and it took time to destroy them.

'Ch! They're stronger than I thought!'

Yom, who was holding a rifle behind them, was slightly anxious as he watched the enemy's movements.

'They've deployed a large number of enhanced soldiers. We should focus on other battlefields.'

Russell realized the situation was dangerous and regretted his mistake.

"We stood out too much. I should have advised a retreat earlier!"

If they fled now, they would be shot from behind.

But the machines piloted by enhanced soldiers, who were on par with knights, had surrounded them.

The situation was hopeless.

Meanwhile, Atalante mounted a multi-purpose beam rifle on her back.

In her free hands, she held two pistols from a makeshift holster.

Electric discharges occurred from Atalante's joints as she entered an overloaded state—Overload—causing the machine's color to turn yellow.

"What are you doing, Rodman!?"

Atalante, being a highly classified machine, was unknown to Russell.

When Emma appeared on the monitor, she didn't seem surprised by the situation.

'I'll create a breakthrough. Everyone, follow me from behind.'

"One person? What are you going to do! We'll support you immediately—"

'No, it's not necessary. Atalante—going all out!'

As Atalante accelerated, a yellow light trailed behind her.

She charged at the enemy machines, destroying them one by one.

One, two—before they knew it, a hole had been created in the surrounding circle.

(Rodman—you're this strong—damn!)

Russell, who initially couldn't believe what he was seeing, quickly changed his mindset.

"Follow the path Rodman has opened! Both of you, don't fall behind!"

◇

An enhanced soldier watched the glowing machine from the cockpit.

What a ridiculous machine.

Glowing on the battlefield is like telling the enemy your position.

A humanoid mobile weapon with an unnecessary function, typical of the empire.

As he watched the glowing machine with his suppressed emotions, he noticed it held pistols with blades.

It would shoot from a distance and slash up close.

But it was just one machine.

The other three machines were almost the same as the ones they were piloting.

Four mobile knights would be destroyed quickly, and they would be given the next mission—so he thought.

'All units, prioritize the glowing machine—'

The communication from the lead machine was cut off, and the glowing machine was the cause.

The enemy machine had stabbed the lead machine's cockpit with a blade and fired several laser shots before kicking it away.

The lead machine exploded.

The enhanced soldier felt a slight stir in his heart at the loss of the commander, with whom he had fought for a long time.

"I'll take command. All units, surround that machine."

More than ten machines had already been destroyed, but their mission was to destroy the mobile knight squad that threatened their allies.

There was no order to retreat, and they were in a situation where they couldn't back down.

His subordinates advised him.

'The casualty rate has reached 20%. I advise a retreat.'

"Denied. I just advised the flagship, but we were ordered to continue the mission."

As friendly machines attacked one after another, they couldn't capture the glowing machine.

Then, the glowing machine appeared in front of the enhanced soldier.

"—You monster of the empire."

—Immediately, the cockpit was engulfed in flames, and the enhanced soldier's life ended there.

◇

The machine once called Goldrake had been renamed Chimera.

Its lost left arm was replaced by a longer left arm from another machine.

It had long claws, making the arm itself a weapon.

The mobile knight unit of the Daria mercenary group led by Sirena.

Using the function of Goldrake, they disappeared from radar and visual range and approached the transport ship.

"At least we need to capture one, or that woman will be annoying."

When the mercenary group's mobile knights suddenly appeared, the transport ship of the Newlands introduced mobile knights to counter them.

'Captain, their bodyguards are coming out.'

Hearing the subordinate's words, Sirena licked her lips.

"The bodyguards of the Newlands Trading Company, we'll play with them."

Chimera pierced the approaching enemy machine with its left claw and swatted it away.

"Well, let's take control of the bridge."

◇

In Merea's bridge, a rescue request from the transport ship had arrived.

"To let the enemy slip through, the escort fleet is no good."

The colonel sitting in the commander's seat had no intention of helping, even after hearing the rescue request.

He couldn't move Merea on his own because he had lost command to Emma.

The operator turned to look at the colonel's face.

"What do we do? Our allies are already struggling with the enemy in front of us."

"Just follow the knight's orders. Besides, not all pilots have been given permission to sortie, right?"

This was also Emma's fault, the colonel said, and the operator had a troubled look on his face.

—Isn't this the same as the upper echelons who threw us into danger and didn't help us? He seemed to be holding back.

The colonel felt the same way.

Sitting restlessly in his chair, Dag came to the bridge.

He had changed into a pilot suit and was ready to sortie, apparently sobering up from his drinking.

"Commander, give us permission to sortie! If not, we'll go out on our own."

"Dag? But you—"

Looking behind Dag, there were the figures of Larry and other pilots.

"Can we just back down as that girl says? Besides, I—I don't want to be like them."

Dag, who regretted his past actions, looked regretful and sad.

Dag said.

"—We'll sortie on our own. Open the hatch for us."

He knew in his heart.

That they were the same as the upper echelons they once despised, and were just venting their aimless anger on the current upper echelons.

But he couldn't do anything about it.

When the old military was dissolved, the thread was cut, and their hearts were broken, unable to stand up.

The colonel put on his hat again, stood up from his seat, and gave orders.

"What will mobile knights achieve by sortieing and consuming energy? Merea will head to the rescue of the transport ship. Inform the girl."

The operator, surprised but slightly happy, responded.

"Is that okay?"

"To protect civilians. We have no reason to be criticized by that self-righteous girl."

"Yes!"

As the pilots headed to their machines, the colonel called out to Dag.

"Dag, are you sure?"

Dag answered without turning around, seemingly embarrassed.

"I know it's too late, but if I don't stand up after being told that— I'll be as good as dead."

As Dag left the bridge, the colonel muttered.

"—As good as dead. Indeed, it's the same as being dead."

Bryan (´；ω；｀) "I'm happy that the girl has become a fine knight, and the main story of [I Am the Corrupt Lord of an Interstellar State! Volume 7] is now available. Please support us until the girl appears in the main story."

Wakaki-chan ( ゜∀゜) "I'm the revived Wakaki-chan! Thanks to everyone's cheers, I'm back today. Everyone, did you miss me? —Say you missed me."