Chapter 6

【The World of Otome Games is Harsh for the Extras Vol. 9】

【On Sale November 30th!!】

【Synopsis】

The male character who was the third target in the game has turned into a girl!? The latest chapter of the popular otome game-style fantasy in a different world begins with a shocking twist!

The male character who was the target has turned into a girl!?

The story jumps into the timeline of the third otome game, where Leon, the protagonist, tries to pair up the main character and the targets. However, his plans are already showing signs of unraveling. One of the targets has undergone a gender change and is now a girl. Moreover, the main character is getting along well with a knight who doesn't even appear in the game. To make matters worse, a series of murders by a mysterious organization in the capital city has thrown everything into chaos. Can Leon, putting his own issues aside, restore the game to its normal path!?

The Banfield family's home planet, Hydra.

The government building was bustling with bureaucrats and military personnel from early morning, due to the information received.

A pirate base has been discovered on the planet Aelias, which the Banfield family recently acquired as a territory.

Upon receiving this news, former head knight Christiana opened a communication channel with her subordinate, who is on a mission.

Her subordinate is Colonel Claudia Bertrand, who is currently leading a fleet of hundreds of ships to maintain order.

Christiana sat in front of a monitor-equipped communication device with a serious expression, speaking to Claudia, who was far away.

"Claudia, can you head to the planet Aelias immediately?"

Claudia, responding to her superior's order, answered with a firm attitude.

"We are currently in the middle of an operation to capture the pirate base. I will head there as soon as this is resolved."

Christiana, despite knowing that Claudia's unit is in the middle of a battle, called her out. While it might not be the best action, Christiana conveyed the seriousness of the situation to Claudia.

"A pirate base has been found on the planet Aelias."

"As soon as this is resolved, I will head there immediately—"

"That won't be soon enough. We are dispatching a fleet from the home planet, but Claudia's unit is the only one that can make it in time."

"Is there a reason it has to be that urgent?"

Christiana's voice lowered slightly as she responded to Claudia's puzzled question.

"A weapons manufacturing plant has been discovered. It turns out Aelias was the main target."

"What!?"

Claudia, who had been calm until now, was shocked to hear about the weapons manufacturing plant.

Destroying the weapons manufacturing plant is Claudia's top priority.

"Destroying the plant is the most important order."

"Aelias is a newly acquired planet by the Banfield family, but it also comes with the responsibility of governance. If the Banfield family is found to have overlooked a pirate base and been involved in weapons manufacturing, our credibility will be lost."

There is a weapons manufacturing plant for the pirates on the newly acquired territory.

This is a matter of credibility for the Banfield family.

"Although we destroyed the Berkeley family a few years ago, there are still many nobles in the empire who are hostile towards the Banfield family. We cannot show any weakness to them."

After explaining the reason for the emergency call, Claudia's gaze shifted for a moment.

She was likely considering how to handle the situation.

"I will send a minimum force ahead."

"I'll leave it to you. Then, if possible, capture the plant and the pirates."

"Capture them?"

"There is a high possibility of supporters. I have also obtained permission from Lord Liam. The Special Marine Corps will be dispatched on fast ships. They will rendezvous with you on site."

"The Treasures? It's rare for them to be authorized for use."

The Special Marine Corps, also known as "The Treasures," are an elite unit under the current head of the Banfield family, the Earl.

They are usually only dispatched by the Earl's direct order, which is a clear sign of the severity of the situation.

"Even with this, I'm still concerned about our strength. Add the local security forces to your command."

"The security forces on the frontier planets are useless."

Christiana did not miss the cold look in Claudia's eyes when she mentioned the security forces on the frontier planets.

Therefore, she deliberately gave her the freedom to act as she saw fit.

"I'll leave it to your judgment, Claudia. Do as you see fit."

After the communication ended, Christiana muttered to herself.

"This is also a chance for you, Claudia. Overcome your past."

◇

The Banfield family's home planet, Hydra.

The mansion of the Earl, who rules Hydra, is on a scale of a city itself.

The current head of the mansion, Earl Liam Sera Banfield, is reviewing reports from his subordinates on an electronic document.

Glancing at the dozens of screens floating around him, he confirms the information in just a few seconds and snorts.

"A parting gift from the Berkeley family? More troublesome than a simple base."

In the spacious office, Liam was alone, but a large man slowly appeared from his shadow.

A man with a sinister aura and a mask appeared, but Liam did not even turn to look at him.

He spoke to the man who had appeared.

"Is it done?"

Liam asked if the task he had entrusted to the large man had been completed, and the man knelt and bowed his head.

"Yes. The butler's concern was due to a single knight."

"Knight?"

In front of Liam, the data of a female knight appeared.

Looking at the data, he immediately narrowed his eyes.

"Worried about a friend who was sent to the frontier. If he had told me, I would have arranged a safer assignment for her."

Recently, the butler seemed to be worried about something.

He had asked the dark side to investigate, but the result was disappointing.

The large man spoke on behalf of the butler.

"He didn't want to bother Lord Liam. Besides, the butler dislikes favoritism. He wouldn't expect special treatment just because it's a friend."

"That sounds like him. Still, her assignment is Aelias. What bad luck. But it would be troublesome if she died. I'll recall her and assign her to a rear duty—"

The data of the knight, who had the lowest evaluation of D rank, and the unlucky girl, caught Liam's attention. He stopped speaking mid-sentence and began to review the detailed data.

The data of the girl, Emma Rodman, from her time at the knight academy.

When he checked the data related to mobile knights, he put his right hand to his forehead, looked up at the ceiling, and started laughing.

"What an interesting one."

The large man, surprised by his lord's sudden laughter, asked.

"Is this the knight Lord Liam likes? A girl with a D rank evaluation?"

Liam, who had stopped laughing, stood up from his seat.

"I was planning to send a fast ship anyway. This is perfect. Deliver 'it' to this girl. Whether she can use it or not is up to her."

◇

The frontier planet survey team temporarily retreated from the planet Aelias.

The aircraft carrier Lemia, which was assigned to escort them, was now dominated by a tense atmosphere.

In a large room where the key personnel had gathered, a meeting was being held around a holographic image.

In the dimly lit room, the members of Lemia's mobile knight unit were also present.

Emma, standing by the wall, was watching the meeting and looking at the colonel who had boarded Lemia.

(Instructor)

Former instructor Claudia Bertrand.

The escort fleet had joined forces with Claudia's unit, but the atmosphere between them was tense.

The lackluster commander of Lemia was expressing his dissatisfaction to Claudia.

"I was told a fleet would be sent, but only a small mobile knight squadron and a few marines? To expect us to capture a pirate base with this level of force is a clear sign of the Banfield family's lack of strength."

Claudia's subordinates were about to draw their weapons in response to the commander's criticism of the Banfield family and the upper echelons.

Claudia raised her hand to stop them, but she also seemed to be irritated by the commander's attitude.

"We don't have the time to indulge in your sarcasm and complaints. Let's finish the briefing quickly."

Claudia's unit, the Banfield family's private army, was rebuilt by the current head of the family.

It is an ideal army with high training, quality, and morale.

In contrast, Lemia's side is a disastrous army lacking in all aspects.

The two sides seem to hate each other, and the meeting atmosphere is at its worst.

Next to Emma, who was standing by the wall, Larry was leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets.

After looking at Claudia, he turned to Emma and snorted.

"The real knights have a different presence. You're a far cry from them."

"That's true, but—"

It's inevitable to be overshadowed when compared to the excellent knights Claudia leads, all of whom are B rank or higher.

Claudia herself is ranked "AA," which is above A.

That's why Emma sensed that the current situation was abnormal.

(Sending her handpicked knights herself is not normal. There must be a reason, right?)

Claudia, explaining the capture of the enemy base, did not reveal the true purpose to the Lemia military personnel.

"---That's all."

When Claudia finished her explanation, Doug, who had been listening with his arms crossed, stepped forward forcefully.

"Wait a minute. You seriously expect us to capture the enemy base with just us?"

Doug, a warrant officer, spoke rudely to Claudia, a colonel.

Emma tried to stop him in a panic.

"Doug, don't!"

"Shut up, kid. We're not going to die in vain."

Claudia's gaze briefly turned to Emma but then quickly shifted to Doug with a cold look.

"It's not your place to judge whether it's a waste. This is an order. Follow it without question."

"Ha! After ignoring us, it's convenient for you now, isn't it?"

"---We are in a situation where we have to use half-baked people like you. Do your job for the pay you receive. I don't expect anything more."

Doug's behavior, which would normally warrant severe punishment, was ignored by Claudia, who turned her back and left the room with her subordinates.

The commander rubbed his head.

"You just shortened your life, Doug."

"I know, Commander. But I don't have the loyalty to risk my life anymore."

"Same here."

◇

"Emma, over here!"

"Wait, wait!"

In the zero-gravity ship corridor, Emma was being pulled by Molly towards the hangar.

"What do you have for me?"

"It's amazing! You'll be surprised when you see it!"

Emma was forcibly pushed into the hangar by the excited Molly and saw a mobile knight that would replace her lost Mohayv II.

Approaching the mobile knight, Emma looked up from below.

The mobile knight, illuminated by the hangar lights, was Nevan, the one she used to ride.

However, the backpack was different.

It had a sleek silhouette reminiscent of a knight, but instead of wing-like additional boosters, it had two rockets on its back.

The joints were reinforced, giving it an appearance more like a prototype than a standard Nevan.

But it was undoubtedly the latest and most advanced mobile knight—Nevan.

"---It's Nevan."

"It's the real deal. A real Nevan! Isn't it great, the latest and most advanced mobile knight?"

Molly, excited in front of Nevan, was hugging the legs of the machine.

Stunned, Emma was approached by a soldier in a powered suit-type spacesuit.

The combat suit, designed for the marines, was heavy and intimidating.

Despite its intimidating appearance, a woman's face was revealed when the faceplate was opened.

"Are you Lieutenant Emma Rodman? Please sign for the receipt."

Emma, who was handed an electronic document to sign, shook her head.

"Wait! Is this a mistake? I'm a D rank, and—"

"It's not a mistake. Please sign quickly."

"O-Okay."

After signing, the female soldier confirmed and nodded slightly.

"---I have a message from the sender."

"Sender? Who is it?"

"I can't tell you that."

The military decides the deployment of mobile knights, and it's rare for an individual to send one.

If Emma were a noble, it might have been possible, but as a commoner, it was unlikely.

"The message is—'A friend has taken care of it.'"

"What? That's all?"

"Yes. I've delivered the message."

With that, the female soldier walked away.

Wakagi (゜∀゜)ノ "After all, advertising is important. Today, I'll have my subordinate, Emma, help me. Let's promote the 9th volume of 'The World of Otome Games is Harsh for the Extras.'"

Emma (；゜Д゜) "I'm not your subordinate! Um—"

Emma (*´∀｀) "The main story of this work, 'I Am the Corrupt Lord of an Interstellar State!,' is nominated for the 'Next Light Novel Grand Prix 2021' hosted by Kimirano."

Emma (´∀｀) "You can vote once a day, so you can support the main story every day. It's okay to support other works too! Let's all get excited together! I'll do my best too!"

Wakagi (#゜Д゜) "I said to promote 'The World of Otome Games is Harsh for the Extras'!"

Emma (；・∀・) "S-Sorry (This plant is scary)"