Chapter 89

The sky of the Republic was filled with airships and armored suits flying about.

In the cockpit, Jiluk clenched his back teeth.

Wielding a rifle in his green armor, he pulled the trigger one after another, shooting down the enemies.

"The numbers are too overwhelming."

Though they could fight due to the performance difference, being outnumbered was a painful disadvantage.

The voice that reached his ears was Eriks'.

"An enormous ship is coming from the Raulut family's territory!"

Eriks, who was on the deck of Einhorn as a guide, informed the four of them, directing their attention to the distant Idear.

Blade was so surprised that he stopped moving on the battlefield.

"Without using a floating island, how big is that thing? It's even bigger than Partner."

"Blade, don't stop moving!"

"R-right, sorry."

Usually, large airships often utilized floating islands.

Partner, exceeding 700 meters, was one of the largest airships when considered purely as an airship.

Seeing an even larger airship was a first for Jiluk and the others.

From the main body of the large airship—Idear—airships and armored suits were continuously dispatched.

All of them were unmanned.

"Is this the enemy's Lost Item that Baron Baltfart mentioned?"

The entire thing was covered in metal armor.

Faced with the mysterious flying ship, Jiluk looked at Einhorn.

The floating Arroganz was destroying the approaching armored suits one by one.

After checking his remaining ammunition, Jiluk returned to Einhorn.

Just as he was returning, Chris, who was performing resupply, was leaving the deck.

"Jiluk, get back up quickly. Gregg and I will support Arroganz. We can't handle this number with just Blade."

Jiluk released the control stick and took a deep breath.

"I understand. Be careful."

Watching Chris ascend into the sky, Jiluk's armor was surrounded by maintenance robots.

They quickly performed resupply and maintenance.

"But, we managed to lure out the main force from their nest."

After swapping his rifle and finishing his rest, Jiluk ascended into the sky once again.

◇

The main body of Idear.

Serge, wearing a pilot suit, was walking inside the ship.

He was about to board Gia.

Accompanying him was Idear.

"Master, the shape of Arroganz is different from before. Be cautious."

"Do you think I'll lose?"

"Have you forgotten that the opponent has war experience? Don't be complacent."

"Got it. But, it's just a cheat battleship with forced performance. I'm not afraid of such a thing."

Watching Serge's complacency, Idear thought to himself.

(Serge is a bit too overconfident. His genetic information is already in our hands, so it doesn't matter if he disappears here. Losing a reincarnated sample is painful, but he's not an absolutely necessary existence for our goal.)

Though he called him "Master," he was merely using him.

Serge, boarding Gia, had the attitude of someone about to start a game.

He didn't look serious, as if he was excited.

"I'll end this quickly."

"Then, I'll provide support from the main body."

"Sure. This time, I'll bring back his head."

(Whose head? Leon's head? Or Arroganz's head? Probably the latter. He's too naive. Really naive.)

Serge didn't want to deploy for this battle, but he agreed when Serge insisted on going.

(If his successor is Reira, that's fine. Sending her to the battlefield with Olivia as a shield—what a noble spirit. It's really touching.)

With Reira, Luxion couldn't easily get serious.

Idea couldn't drag Luxion into the planned battlefield and felt a bit frustrated.

(Well, it doesn't matter.)

As Gia's cockpit closed, the twin eyes glowed.

"Leon, no one will stop you this time!"

Watching Gia depart, Idear headed to the bridge.

◇

The Republic soldiers welcomed Serge with loud cheers.

"It's Serge of the Raulut family!"

"This means we'll win!"

"Long live the Republic!"

In Gia's cockpit, Serge happily gripped the control stick.

The kingdom's airship Einhorn, which was desperately resisting, had its armor scorched by the Republic's attacks.

Seeing the armored suits flying around, Serge whistled.

"Are they the princes from a dating game? They seem to be able to fight a bit, but they're no match for me and Gia. I'll take down Leon quickly."

Gia flew through the darkening sky and attacked Arroganz, which was beside Einhorn.

"Found you, Leon!"

Arroganz, holding a battle axe, intercepted Gia's spear strike as it descended. Sparks flew, and they quickly distanced themselves before launching the next attack.

"Your back is a bit different. Are you getting serious?"

From the resistance he felt when striking with the spear, he could tell the opponent's power had increased.

But, Gia was still superior.

"Again, it's you. I don't have time to deal with you."

Leon's voice made Serge smirk.

"I'll make this your grave. This time, Noel won't stop me!"

Since Noel wasn't there to stop him, there was no reason to hold back—Leon responded.

"I have no intention of stopping either."

Gia took distance and attacked Arroganz with the machine guns in its arms.

Arroganz fired lasers from the Schwert on its back, but Gia's armor deflected them.

"It's useless! Don't think you can do anything with that level of attack!"

In contrast, Gia's machine guns were chipping away at Arroganz's armor.

"Even if your speed has increased, a large target is easier to hit. I can't understand why you're using such a slow thing!"

Leon reacted to those words.

"Slow? Don't underestimate Arroganz's speed!"

The Schwert on its back roared and emitted a loud noise, and Arroganz disappeared from Serge's sight.

But, Serge wasn't panicked. He turned around and readied his spear.

"You're too naive!"

Enhanced by magic, Serge could keep up with Arroganz's speed.

"What's wrong? Is that all you've got, trash knight?"

Leon was taken aback.

The battlefield was intense, with Serge and Arroganz fighting fiercely.

Blue and red armored suits approached Serge from both sides.

"Got you!"

"You bastard!"

Watching the movements of the armored suits piloted by Chris and Gregg, Serge responded.

He kicked the two armored suits, spinning them on the spot, and intercepted Arroganz's battle axe with Gia's hand.

"Don't think you can stop me with that!"

With Serge joining the battle, the tide quickly turned in favor of the Republic.

◇

The Raulut family's mansion.

Reira was resting in the prepared room when Clemen visited.

Clemen, Reira's teacher, was originally a former knight of the Respinas family.

He was handsome in his youth and popular among women.

The reason Clemen visited Reira was—

"What do you want? I don't know where my sister is."

"Reira, I mean, Reira-sama. A body was found in this mansion."

"Lie! Could it be my sister!?"

"No, it's not her. But, someone has definitely intruded. We are urgently searching for Noel-sama, but please be very careful, Reira-sama."

Reira was relieved to know Noel was not dead.

More importantly,

"Why don't you go look for my sister?"

"I am ordered to protect Reira-sama. Even without the order, I would have protected you."

"Is that so."

Reira knew Clemen was a Respinas family knight. After all, Clemen was one of the people who had hidden them.

So, she wasn't particularly surprised.

"Still, I'm surprised. You remembered me, Reira-sama, even though you were young during that incident."

Reira was inwardly unimpressed.

(There's no way I could forget someone like you. You were even more handsome back then, but now—well, it's fine.)

"So what?"

"I was happy. Back then, I was just a new knight."

Reira remembered the day Clemen was assigned as a new knight.

She had helped Clemen, who was being scolded by his superior for a mistake, for the sake of the future.

Young Reira had been strategic even as a child.

"Still, who could have intruded?"

"There are those who hold grudges against the Raulut family, but the other six great nobles can't be trusted either. They might be trying to eliminate their political rivals by taking advantage of this chaos. However, both possibilities are extremely low. It's more likely to be someone related to the kingdom."

Hearing this, Reira was alarmed.

"Are you kidding?"

(They've come this far?)

But, she reminded herself that Leon should be fighting Serge.

(Leon couldn't have come. Then, who—)

As she was thinking, she heard a noise from the other side of the door.

Clemen drew his sword, facing away from Reira.

"Reira-sama, please step back. Who's there!"

The door opened, but no one was there.

However, the guard in front of the door was lying on the ground.

Reira was surprised.

"There's no one."

But, Clemen was sweating.

"There you are. It's rude to hide from a girl, isn't it?"

Despite no one being there, a voice answered Clemen.

"I apologize. But, I don't have time to play. Please forgive me."

Clemen, with no one in sight, swung his sword horizontally from left to right. The invisible something ducked and slipped into Clemen's guard, striking his solar plexus.

Clemen's large body floated slightly, and he bent over.

But, Clemen grabbed the invisible something.

"I won't let you escape!"

"That's a problem."

Clemen's jaw was struck, and he was thrown back by the invisible something.

Clemen, lying on the floor and bleeding from the nose, tried to stand up.

"What do you intend to do to Reira-sama!"

Reira, not understanding what was happening, could only stand there.

(What? What's going on—)

The invisible something spoke.

"I'm not interested in this one. I spent some time searching the large mansion, so I just need to ask for directions. It was tough to sneak in without support."

Reira recognized the voice.

"Why are you here? You should be on the battlefield!"

The invisible something spoke in a low voice.

Reira realized her jaw was being held up, and a gun was pressed to her chin.

"Tell me where Livia is."

Reaching out with her right hand, Reira gave an electric shock, just as she had done to Livia.

For a moment, a transparent figure appeared.

But, that was all.

"Why isn't it working!"

Surprised, the figure in front of her asked again in a low voice.

"No second chances. Tell me where she is."

Hearing a different male voice, Reira, out of fear, revealed Livia's location.

◇

Livia's room.

"Let go! Let me go!"

Lambert unbuckled his belt and tried to take off his pants, but he couldn't do it well with one hand holding Livia's arm.

"Be quiet! I hear the women of the kingdom enjoy being with subhumans. Have you been with many of them? You look so innocent, yet you're a slut."

"I would never do such a thing!"

"That's great! Then, I'll show you what a real man is. Stop resisting—"

Lambert was strong, even stronger than women and children.

But, Livia's resistance was stronger than he expected. He managed to push her down with his pants around his ankles, but he couldn't proceed further.

"Stop it! Just give up!"

Then—

"You give up."

A sound, as if something hit Lambert's head, was heard, and he was lifted away from Livia.

Livia, now free, clutched her chest.

She recognized the voice and felt relieved.

"Leon?"

Suddenly, Leon appeared as if out of nowhere, wearing a pilot suit and holding a rifle.

"I've come to get you, Livia."

Tears streaming down her face, Livia hugged Leon.

"Leon! I—I!"

"It's okay now. I've knocked out the guards outside, so we'll leave this place quickly."

Livia nodded.

"Yes. Um, by the way—Noel is also in this mansion. So—"

"I'm sorry, but I can only take one person. We'll talk about the details later. Put on this optical camouflage sheet."

When Livia put on the invisible sheet, she blended into the surroundings and disappeared.

She checked in a mirror and confirmed she was really invisible.

"This is amazing."

"It's not perfect. I have some business to take care of, so please wait outside the door."

"What are you going to do?"

Leon smiled at Livia.

"Just a little mischief."

"Leon, even at a time like this—?"

Leon's face was different from usual.

"Leon, are you angry?"

Leon covered his face with his left hand.

"It's because of someone that things got complicated."

"I'm sorry."

Gripping the sheet and looking down, Leon spoke to her with a smile.

"I'm lying. It's my mistake. I'm the one who's wrong. You must have been scared. Don't worry, wait outside. I'll be done soon, and we'll leave immediately."

Livia nodded and left the room. Immediately, she heard two "click" sounds from inside the room.

(What was that sound? It sounded like something rubbing against something else.)

It was a sound she had never heard before.

When Leon came out of the room, Livia asked.

"What did you do? I heard a sound I've never heard before."

"It's a secret."

Leon, holding the rifle, hid something in his right hand—a suppressed pistol.