Chapter 40

The manuscript isn't progressing, but if I keep waiting for it to be perfect, I'll never post it, so I've forcibly resumed it.

This time, as usual, I plan to advance to a good stopping point, but I'm considering updating daily at 8 PM.

The Banfield family's territory includes a planet called "Pyton."

It is the second most developed planet after Hydra, and the Banfield family began serious exploration and colonization during Liam's tenure.

Like Hydra, it is a habitable planet in harmony with nature.

Pyton has developed to the point where it can be called a planet worthy of a viscount, and it has become one of the important planets for the Banfield family.

It was also known as the second habitable planet.

The Merea, which serves as the flagship of the technical test team, was docked at the space fortress defending Pyton, bringing in new mobile knights.

Until now, the Merea had been using the Raccoon from the Seventh Weapons Factory, except for the prototype experimental machine Atalante, which was modified from the Nevan.

As a technical test team, they needed a machine to test.

Atalante, having completed its role as a prototype experimental machine, is now used as a dedicated machine for Major Emma Roddman.

While they plan to continue providing data to the Third Weapons Factory, the stage of testing using the Merea's facilities has passed.

Therefore, they were bringing in new test machines.

The technical test team, centered around the light carrier Merea, is accompanied by four destroyers for escort.

Commander Colonel Tim Baker was out of the Merea for a meeting at the space fortress.

There were many detailed discussions, including the introduction of mobile knights, the replacement of crew members who had left, and other matters.

When he arrived at the dock, he loosened his collar and sighed.

"Meetings could be finished via communication. The base commander is old-fashioned, insisting on in-person meetings."

In a world where anti-aging technology has advanced, looking over forty is a sign of considerable age.

Beside Tim, who couldn't shake off his weary appearance, was Emma, who now led the Merea's mobile knight unit.

"There are confidential matters, so we were informed in advance that there would be oral explanations."

Seeing Emma's disgruntled face, Tim had a bitter expression.

Emma, who used to be a hopeless knight who didn't know left from right, had now been promoted to a major and was leading a mobile knight squadron with an A rank.

She had grown into a competent officer, and for Tim, she had become a troublesome opponent.

Just a short while ago, she was a new knight, but now she even gives him advice.

The problem is that Emma is a capable and accomplished knight.

Even if he tried to threaten her with the charge of insulting a superior officer, Emma's position was slightly higher now.

While Tim was of a higher rank in the military, knights were a privileged class.

If Tim formally protested, the military would likely side with Emma because she was in the right.

"Yeah, you're right. It's my fault."

In response to Tim's sulky attitude, Emma had a dissatisfied look.

She seemed to want to say something but gave up.

As they moved through the dock towards the Merea, they saw mobile knights being brought in.

These were the test machines scheduled to be loaded onto the Merea.

Emma looked at the two types of mobile knights with interest.

"One is a Nevan type. It's probably a heavy-armed type, right? The other one... hmm? Could it be a next-generation machine?"

Both Atalante and Raccoon are considered next-generation machines, so the current mainstay machines were rare for Emma.

Tim was inwardly exasperated.

(To treat the current generation of mobile knights as outdated, times sure have changed. In the past, old models were the norm, and new generations weren't even deployed.)

Thinking about the past made him feel that the current situation was a luxury.

Colonel Tim looked at the two types of mobile knights.

One seemed to be a Nevan type, but despite being slender, it had thick armor, making it look like a different machine.

If it weren't for the Nevan-type head, he would have thought it was a different model.

The other one was very similar to the Nevan type.

While the Nevan has a binder that resembles wings, this one was a slender mobile knight without wings.

One of them had a skirt-type binder, but the body was very similar to the Nevan.

"These all look the same to me, except for the bulky one."

When Colonel Tim said this, Emma responded with a disgruntled expression.

"They're completely different. While they do share similarities with the Nevan, I think this one is from the Third Weapons Factory."

"Built in the same place, huh. But why bring in an old model now when they're all next-generation machines?"

What are they testing now? Emma tried to answer Tim's question but couldn't because she wasn't informed.

"That's... I haven't confirmed it yet, but I can get the details after the acceptance is complete. I've been told that both are highly confidential machines."

Hearing Emma's explanation, Tim sighed.

"Highly confidential means a lot of trouble. It's depressing."

"Again, you're making it sound troublesome..."

While talking, they moved into the Merea and entered the hangar.

In the Merea's hangar, maintenance personnel were moving around busily.

They were shouting loudly as they worked on bringing in the mobile knights.

"Prepare the space for the next machine first!"

"Move the Raccoon!"

"Alright, alright..."

The hangar was filled with shouting, but there was no tense atmosphere.

Seeing this, Tim recalled the past.

(There's a lot more energy now. I never thought this place, which used to be a place of exile, would become a regular military base.)

Over 40% of the Merea's crew had retired, and nearly half were to be replaced by new crew members.

It was natural for the atmosphere to change.

However, many of the maintenance personnel were veterans.

As Tim and Emma walked together, the maintenance personnel who noticed them saluted and quickly returned to their work.

The change in the crew, who used to barely greet each other, made Colonel Tim feel like he was in a dream.

"Things do change. This place, which used to be a place of exile, now feels like a regular military base."

Hearing Colonel Tim's words, Emma sighed.

"It's always been a military base."

"Oh, right."

When Colonel Tim pretended to be oblivious, Emma opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Lieutenant Doug Walsh, who poked his head out of the Raccoon's cockpit.

"Major, I'm sorry, but could you help me with the squad coordination later?"

Called by Doug, Emma saluted Colonel Tim.

"Excuse me."

"Yeah, good work."

In the zero-gravity hangar, Emma pushed off the floor and flew towards Doug's cockpit.

"What's the matter?"

When asked, Doug looked at Colonel Tim, grinned, saluted, and then turned to Emma with a serious expression.

"The pattern for following Atalante fails a lot in the simulator. The acceleration is different, so the usual pattern is almost useless."

Doug had been running simulations in the Raccoon's cockpit to check the squad coordination.

While his speech was still casual, it was clear that he had a certain level of respect for Emma.

Emma, unlike before, didn't show a weak attitude.

"Let's confirm it during training. After all, we can't know everything until we actually move them. In the meantime, memorize all the patterns."

Knowledge can be drilled into the mind through education capsules, but it's just in the head.

To use it effectively, it needs to be practiced consciously, or it will be forgotten.

Asked to memorize coordination patterns that might not even be usable, Doug sighed and scratched his head.

But there was no sign of dissatisfaction.

"That's the only way. Heard that, Larry? Improve enough to have an excuse before the live training."

When Doug called out to the adjacent Raccoon, the cockpit hatch opened, and Lieutenant Larry Kramer appeared.

He was drenched in sweat, even his hair was wet.

"How many hours do you think we train every day? I can't do any more!"

When the drenched Larry protested, Doug frowned.

"There's still time before the live training."

The exhausted Larry was amazed at the relaxed Doug.

"Or, do you never get tired, Doug? I'm already exhausted."

"You're just lacking in physical strength."

As the three discussed the future of the squad, Private First Class Molly Barrell, the dedicated maintenance crew for the third squad, appeared.

Her twin-tails and revealing outfit hadn't changed, and Molly hadn't changed much since she was assigned to the unified government.

"You both have been training non-stop since you got back from leave. It's a big change from before. But thanks to you, the adjustments to the machines are going smoothly, and I'm very grateful."

Doug flexed his muscles.

"I've been training to prevent rust during my leave. It's different from Larry's training."

Larry, who was mentioned, looked displeased.

"Did you have to bring me down in that conversation? Besides, Doug just wants to show off."

After the long mission, including the development of Atalante and the escort of supplies to the unified government, the Merea's crew was given a well-deserved leave.

After that, they faced days of training.

Everyone was thrown into education capsules for re-education.

The reason was simple: they hadn't trained properly before.

With over 40% of the crew retiring, the upper echelons decided to re-educate the Merea as part of the process of accepting new personnel.

It took some time, but the Merea was finally ready to resume full operations.

(They all got serious after the leave.)

Colonel Tim had spent his leave on the Merea.

He had no home to return to.

No, he had no home to go back to.

(I wonder how my family is doing. It's been over a hundred years since I stopped contacting them. I remember I had three grandchildren... I hope they're all doing well.)

He had stopped going home and stopped contacting his family a long time ago.

He knew his children had grown up and had grandchildren, but he didn't know what had happened to them after that.

(Well, it's too late now. Worrying about my family isn't like me.)

Tim straightened his hat and headed to the bridge.

I have started posting a new work, "Fairy Bullet," so if you're interested, please give it a read.

This is a work intended for publication by GCN Bunko, so it might be difficult to read as a web novel, but I've posted it to give you a sense of what it's like.

Also, "That Otome Game Is a Harsh World for Us, Volume 4" is on sale today!!

This is a spin-off of "That Otome Game World Is a Harsh World for Mobs," and it features a story where Leon and Marie work together.

Thank you for your support.