"Hurry, open all the isolation walls in the corridors! Send out all the Wizards and Bandersnatch! We absolutely cannot let the Spirits reach here!"
In the command room on the bridge of the third airship sent by DEM, the commander, Knox, was frantically issuing orders.
Honestly, Knox regretted it from the bottom of his heart right now.
Originally, after a transportation mission failed at the end of last year, he and his good friend Burton had been preparing to change jobs. However, he didn't expect that after that failed mission, his career would go up instead of down. A newly built airship happened to be missing a commander, and this spot just happened to fall on him.
Although he wasn't without doubts about this pie falling from the sky, looking at the terrifyingly high annual salary of a battleship commander, he couldn't resist the temptation of money. He refused his friend Burton invitation to work together at a small or dium-sized enterprise and accepted upper managent's transfer.
Yet, he didn't expect that less than a month after his promotion, before his seat as commander had even gotten warm, he was dragged by Ellen to the front lines to catch a Spirit together. And the battlefield was space, no less?!
Knox felt extrely weak inside.
Fortunately, although called to catch a Spirit, Executive Director Ellen clearly didn't have high expectations for them, intending to take on the Spirit alone from the start. The commanders of the other two airships, after having a few drinks and heart to heart talks with Knox, very supportively said they would cover his airship, telling him not to be too nervous.
Knox originally thought he could just fire a few magic cannons to keep up appearances and coast through. He never expected that Ratatoskr's airship would co and ss things up, engaging in a battle with Executive Director Ellen. He especially didn't expect that the seniors who boasted so much while drinking earlier would have their airships so easily snatched away by Spirits.
(If the Spirits enter this command room, I'm dead.)
Thinking of the Wizards he often saw at headquarters who lost arms and legs after fighting Spirits, Knox's face turned completely pale.
Right now, all he could do was try to stall the Spirits as much as possible, waiting for Executive Director Ellen to defeat Ratatoskr and co to his rescue.
Just then, a sudden "ding" sound ca from behind, followed by Knox hearing footsteps approaching him.
Like a startled bird, Knox pushed off with his feet and suddenly jumped down from his chair.
"D-Don't co near ! I don't want to die! Don't kill —eh?"
Before he could finish half of his prepared begging lines, Knox realized the newcor wasn't the Spirit he imagined, but a female Wizard wearing the most common mass produced CR-Unit and a mask.
"U-Um—Ahem!"
Knox froze for two seconds. Realizing the ugly display he had just put on in front of a subordinate, he hurriedly coughed twice and scolded with feigned authority.
"Which squad are you from? Why are you standing there like an idiot? Didn't you hear what I just said? Go intercept the invading Spirits!!!!"
Regarding Knox's scolding, the Wizard wasn't angry. She stood there and let out a light laugh.
"Rest assured, Captain Knox. The Spirits invading this airship have all been expelled by ."
"Hah?"
Knox couldn't help but let out a disdainful, angry sound.
"R-Report! It's true, the Spirit reactions inside the ship have disappeared."
It's actually true?
Hearing his subordinate's report, Knox widened his eyes, turned his head, and looked at the Wizard in front of him with a surprised gaze.
"This is the second ti we've t since I ca to DEM, Captain Knox."
Saying that, the Wizard took off her mask.
Long, profound hair like the dark night instantly fell out, nimble eyes like black pearls, and the beautiful facial features unique to Easterners.
The woman smiled faintly at Knox, a hint of fox like charm and cunning faintly showing through her smile.
"Ai Mulian... No! Hello, superior!!"
After subconsciously calling out her na, Knox reacted a beat late. He hurriedly straightened his back and saluted while saying.
"I am very sorry! I didn't recognize your identity and yelled at you so rudely!"
"It's fine, it's fine~" Ai Mulian waved her hand uncaringly. "I should be the one apologizing for standing by in your ship without notifying you beforehand."
"Not at all! I am deeply grateful that you ca to help deal with the Spirits."
"No need to be so polite. You've been in the company much longer than I have. I have no interest in throwing my weight around in front of a senior."
"Hah..."
Unable to figure out Mulian's temper, Knox could only give a vague reply.
"Well, I'll skip the unnecessary pleasantries. The other two airships have already been taken by Ratatoskr. The operation has failed, there's no point in you staying here. Retreat quickly."
"...Understood. I will imdiately order the ship to return to headquarters."
Regarding this young superior's order, Knox didn't have much resistance and nodded readily. Honestly, he didn't want to stay in this dangerous battlefield for a second longer.
"Ah, no, no!"
However, Ai Mulian waved her hand, correcting Knox's misunderstanding.
"I an, you guys take the escape pods back to Earth. This airship will be abandoned here."
"Hah?!"
Knox almost doubted his ears.
"I cannot accept your order, superior! I don't understand why my airship must be abandoned?"
Although he didn't understand why Ai Mulian would give such an order, it didn't stop him from protesting. If he abandoned this airship here, not only would he beco a commander in na only upon returning, but he would also beco the laughingstock of the entire company.
"Very simple. Because starting from now, this airship is no longer yours."
Ai Mulian looked at him with a smile and handed over a docunt.
"Director Westcott has agreed that during this operation, excluding Ellen-san's Goetia and Artemisia's Realizer, I have the right to judge based on the situation and arbitrarily allocate all resources used in this operation."
"..."
Looking at Westcott's signature on the docunt, Knox's face looked very ugly. If it were before, Knox might have talked back a bit upon seeing this docunt. But now, with the MacGregor faction in the board of directors declining and Westcott holding all the power, inside DEM, this docunt was as unreasonable as an imperial sword from ancient tis.
"Before coming to the command room, I already had the Wizards and other staff evacuate. Right now, the only ones left on this airship are , and you few."
Mulian shrugged, making a joke in a very relaxed tone.
"Of course, if you, Captain Knox, are the kind of tough guy who vows to live and die with his airship, I won't stop you from staying. Just don't bla when you're blown up by the explosion."
Explosion?
Hearing the concerning word in her sentence, Knox looked at Mulian in surprise. However, Mulian still looked at him with a smiling expression.
In an instant, a chill ran down Knox's spine, making him shudder.
At this mont, he finally rembered. This superior standing before him, who had just joined the company, although always maintaining a humble and friendly attitude, sotis gave off a creepy sense of incongruity in her words and actions.
This feeling was very similar to the atmosphere given off by his ultimate boss—Westcott.
Now he realized just how stupid a decision it was to choose to stay in DEM.
"I understand... Good luck to you, superior!"
Squeezing out this sentence through gritted teeth, Knox turned around resentfully. The other pilots, seeing the commander retreat, hurriedly followed suit.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Captain Knox. Please continue to take care of at DEM in the future."
Ignoring Ai Mulian's words, the only thing Knox cared about now was whether there were any job openings at the company Burton was currently working at.
...
"OK, then next."
After everyone had completely evacuated, Mulian breathed a sigh of relief, turning her head to look at the large screen in the command room.
On the screen, Ellen's Goetia was currently engaged in a bitter struggle due to the Fraxinus EX's redirecting magic focused cannons.
"Ah... Ellen-san is going to lose after all."
Mulian sighed with a bitter smile. Although the victor had not yet been decided, she could already be very certain of Ellen's defeat.
As for the reason, it was actually very simple. From that airship's attack thods and combat style, Mulian now knew very well who Ellen's true opponent was right now.
The person she loves could never lose. Casting aside reason and logic, Ai Mulian was like a girl deeply in love, holding an absolute and blind confidence in Ryougi Yutsuki's victory.
"Alright, it's about ti I did my own thing."
Separating public and private matters, Mulian took a deep breath, reined in her infatuated emotions, and began operating the devices in the command room. Although at her level, she couldn't pilot an airship as nimbly as Ellen or Kannazuki, setting up a few simple commands was no problem.
Of course, what she was doing now was not to assist Ellen. Interfering in the battle between a respected superior and the object of her secret crush would clearly be very tactless. Moreover, the mission Mulian received from the start was only one thing.
[Comncing movent towards the target—Optical camouflage activated————Deploying Territory towards the designated target—Self-destruct sequence initiated—Countdown starting—60—]
"Alright—mission accomplished. I should also retreat quickly."
Slowly stretching her back, Ai Mulian looked at another screen—Itsuka Shido engaged in combat with Hoshimiya Mukuro—and a smile of anticipation appeared on the corner of her lips.
"Ah—I'm really looking forward to this. It would be great if this strike kills you directly, Itsuka Shido."
That way, I can see what Yutsuki looks like after she inverts.
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