Uzumi readily agreed to Reid's request to visit the Archangel and tour the Dawn Company. He probably figured that as long as Reid didn't sneak into the classified archives, there was no harm in letting him see the rest.
After all, when a billionaire asks to look at a hundred-dollar bill in your pocket, few would assume he's trying to steal it.
As for the Archangel, Uzumi likely reasoned that denying its presence would only make Reid more suspicious. If Reid then sent external forces to investigate, it would cause unnecessary trouble. Since there was nothing critical to hide, letting him take a look wouldn't hurt.
Seeing that Uzumi had granted both his requests, Reid decided not to push further. For now, this level of communication with Uzumi was enough—after all, the man would soon become a footnote in history, hardly worth any more effort.
Once the meeting concluded, Reid left the conference room with a satisfied expression, accompanied by Mina and Cagalli. Uzumi, however, remained behind, deep in thought with a troubled frown.
The moment they stepped outside, Cagalli—who had been bottling up her anger and questions—finally exploded. She blocked Reid's path after just a few steps and shouted,
"Reid! Where do you get off having so many prejudices against Orb?! And calling Orb a warmongering nation—I can't accept that!"
Reid watched as Cagalli practically bared her teeth, looking ready to bite him at any moment. He could only sigh and rub his temples.
"Enough, Cagalli. What kind of country Orb is, the world already knows. Once you're in charge, take a good look at Orb's financial structure before arguing with me about whether it fuels or quells wars. And please, don't try to claim that selling weapons to other nations is for the sake of 'lasting peace' for their people."
Cagalli felt as though Reid was questioning her integrity, and she immediately wanted to argue further. But Mina had heard enough. She pulled Cagalli aside and said sharply,
"That's enough, Cagalli. If your father didn't bother refuting it, you shouldn't either. If you have questions, go ask Uzumi-sama at home—don't make a scene in public."
"Also, today's itinerary is over. Time for you to go home. Unless you'd rather come sleep at the Sahaku residence?"
At that, Cagalli had no choice but to leave—though not before shooting Reid several furious glares, clearly still fuming.
But Reid had no energy to spare for Cagalli. The meeting with Uzumi had just been the appetizer; the real discussion—his private talks with Mina about potential collaboration—was yet to come.
During the car ride back to the Sahaku estate, neither Reid nor Mina spoke. Both were conserving their energy and mentally preparing for the negotiations ahead.
However, trouble arrived the moment they got back.
The issue arose after Reid and Xia Yufang had retired to their room to "rest" (for security reasons, they shared a room). In reality, Reid had only taken a quick shower and was now waiting for Mina to seek him out.
Sure enough, past 10 PM, Mina showed up at his door—wearing sleepwear.
Frankly, to any outsider, her appearance at this hour and in this attire would seem highly suggestive.
However, this was exactly the effect she wanted, as it would prevent eavesdropping and send the guards on perimeter patrols. After all, the Sahaku Family wouldn't fail to protect their young mistress's privacy.
The only thing was, when Mina entered, she was followed by a maid carrying a pot of tea—clearly meant to refresh them both.
But from the moment this servant stepped in, Reid sensed malice emanating from her.
So when she brought the tea before Reid, he looked at Mina with a serious expression and said:
"Sorry, Mina, but could I switch my cup with yours?"
Reid's abrupt request was incredibly rude—it practically accused the host of trying to poison him.
Yet Mina seemed genuinely unaware. Though visibly displeased, she took the cup from Reid's side, preparing to take a sip herself before mocking him.
But just as Mina lifted the cup, the maid suddenly snatched it from her hands and downed it in one gulp. Then, to Mina's shock, the maid clutched her stomach and collapsed unconscious.
Reid merely smirked coldly at Mina, while Xia Yufang's gaze turned deadly. A single signal from Reid, and she would snap Mina's neck without hesitation.
But Reid could tell from Mina's ashen face that this cliché poisoning attempt wasn't her doing—someone of her intellect wouldn't resort to such crude methods.
Mina's expression shifted several times after the maid collapsed, then realization dawned. She roared toward the doorway:
"Rondo Gina Sahaku! Get in here!!"
No sooner had she spoken than a man matching Mina's height and features—dressed in formal attire—opened the door and strolled in, remarking:
"Sister, please don't be angry. I was merely clearing away flies trying to take advantage of you. Besides, it wasn't lethal—just a specialized control drug. Someone like Reid Isaac—better to control him directly than cooperate."
Listening to this, Reid could only sigh internally. Rondo Gina Sahaku was even more of a fool in person than in the comics.
Where did this guy in the comics find the audacity to challenge both ZAFT and the Earth Alliance just because he had an MS (Astray Gold Frame Amatsu)? With his mediocre piloting skills and Amenomihashira's limited resources, how did he cultivate delusions of world domination? This wasn't mere arrogance—it was full-blown fantasyland idiocy.
Even McGillis Fareed from the neighboring Iron-Blooded series—another obsessive who thought one Mobile Suit could bring him power—at least had the Gundam Bael with its historical significance and propagandized divinity to dupe the masses.
So when Rondo Gina Sahaku resorted to poisoning, Reid found himself completely unsurprised. This was entirely on-brand for him.
Being no pushover, Reid gave Xia Yufang a hand signal: Teach him a lesson, but don't kill him.
In an instant, Yufang closed the distance, flooring Rondo before he could react. Planting a foot on his back, she wrenched both arms up and twisted—dislocating his shoulders with surgical precision.
It all happened in an instant. Rondo Gina Sahaku barely had time to process what was going on before he felt the world spin violently and found himself slammed onto the ground. Excruciating pain shot through his shoulders, but with a foot pressing down on his back, he couldn't get up no matter how hard he tried. All he could do was howl in agony while threatening Reid to let him go immediately.
However, Mina had already dismissed the guards around Reid's room earlier to ensure the confidentiality of their conversation, ordering them to expand their patrol radius to prevent outsiders from approaching.
Coupled with the excellent soundproofing of Reid's room and the fact that the only maid who had been serving tea was now lying unconscious nearby, Rondo Gina Sahaku could scream his lungs out—no one would come to his rescue.
Of course, Mina was still present. Watching her twin brother being pinned to the ground and wailing in pain, her heart ached instantly. To Mina, this brother of hers was dearer than anyone else. She could practically be called the textbook definition of an overprotective older sister. That was precisely why Reid had stopped Xia Yufang from instantly killing Rondo Gina Sahaku when he had attempted to poison him.
So without hesitation, Mina immediately set aside her pride for the sake of her foolish younger brother. Grabbing Reid's arm, she gave him a pleading look and said,
"Reid, please let Gina go first. I apologize on his behalf. I promise he won't appear in the Sahaku Family tonight."
Seeing this, Reid decided to give Mina face. After all, this Rondo Gina Sahaku was someone who would get himself and his family killed in just a few months anyway. There was no real need to kill him here, especially since this was Orb—the Sahaku family's home turf.
So Reid spoke up,
"Yufang, let Mr. Gina go. He's learned his lesson."
Then, he turned to Mina and said,
"Mina, it's best to send your maid and Mr. Gina to the hospital. Otherwise, they might suffer lasting injuries."
Mina understood that Reid was offering her a way out. Without hesitation, she took the opportunity and called in a few guards via her communicator to have the two sent to the hospital.
In the Sahaku family home, Mina's words carried far more weight than Gina's. Reid was confident that this fool would indeed be confined to a hospital bed for the next few days, unable to cause any more trouble outside.
With the matter settled, Mina had no choice but to personally fetch fresh tea leaves and a new teacup. She brewed the tea herself and handed it to Reid, speaking softly,
"I apologize once again for my brother's foolish actions, Reid. Please don't hold too much of a grudge against Gina. He probably thought you were really trying to harm me and acted out of a desire to protect me."
Seeing this, Reid decided to lighten the mood with a joke, ready to put the incident behind them. Accepting the teacup, he chuckled and said,
"Oh? Aren't you worried that your brother might not have been wrong? What if I really did take advantage of you driving everyone away to make a move on you? Right now, you seem completely isolated and defenseless."
Mina knew Reid was joking—the matter with Gina was already behind them. So she replied half-seriously, half-jokingly,
"As long as you, Reid, are prepared to pay the appropriate price, go right ahead. Taking advantage of me, Rondo Mina Sahaku, doesn't come cheap. The cost of momentary pleasure would be steep."
Reid nodded in acknowledgment of her words. This woman was not someone to be trifled with. Cooperation was fine, but it was best not to get too involved. He wasn't lacking in women anyway—why invite trouble for himself?
Thus, Reid steered the conversation back to the main topic, saying,
"I understand, Miss Mina, but it's getting late now. If you have something to say, speak up. Otherwise, even if I do nothing, your reputation will be ruined."
Mina rolled her eyes at Reid—this man was clearly doing it on purpose. She had stationed the guards so far away with such tight patrols that all the major families in Orb had probably received the news by now.
Her own father likely thought she was involved with Reid, but that was precisely Mina's intention. Regardless of how today's discussion went, within Orb, she had already borrowed Reid's influence. From now on, everyone would think twice before acting against her, wondering if Reid Isaac's support stood behind her.
Still, there were questions Mina needed to ask. Her expression turned serious as she cut straight to the point:
"My question is the same as Uzumi's—Reid, what exactly are you here for in Orb? I don't believe you took such a huge risk just to see whether Orb truly opposes you. Frankly, given the current situation, the New Misurugi Republic, with all its advantages, couldn't care less about Orb's hostility.
"And you don't even adhere to any neutrality principle. If a real crisis came, I'm sure you'd just find a patron to side with—like the East Asian Republic."
Reid didn't deny it. Indeed, if things became truly dire, aside from PLANT under Patrick's rule—who would undoubtedly try to kill him—he could seek refuge with any of the Earth Alliance's three major powers, preferably the East Asian Republic.
As for Mina's question, Reid was prepared to offer some substantial information while stirring the pot within Orb. Dipping his finger into the tea, he wrote two characters on the table: "Akatsuki."
Then, feigning seriousness, he spoke half-truths:
"I came for this project. Though I don't know its exact product, location, or purpose, I'm certain Orb has such a plan underway—and it's not small in scale. Rumor has it that its success could have significant consequences.
"This project is secretly led by the Athha family. Erika Simmons is likely involved, but beyond that, I have no details."
Mina fell into thought after Reid swiftly wiped away the characters.
To her, Reid wouldn't fabricate a project just to deceive her—the Akatsuki Project must exist. Moreover, from what she knew, the Athha family did have substantial unaccounted funds.
But then, every major family had such funds—it was common sense not to put all eggs in one basket. They all needed reserves to rebuild their fortunes if their houses ever fell.
So Mina pressed further:
"For you to take such an interest, even risking your life for it, this project's results must be crucial—Mobile Suit development, I assume?"
Reid merely shrugged, playing ignorant.
"I really don't know. But I'm certain of its importance. Don't ask about my sources—I just know. And who knows? Maybe I came to Orb partly for you too."
Upon hearing Reid's words, Mina felt like rolling her eyes at him. If he didn't want to talk, he could just stay silent. She could always investigate the Akatsuki Project herself later. As long as it was a project conducted in Orb, there would inevitably be traces left behind—she wasn't afraid of being unable to find clues.
Still, Mina decided to humor Reid and replied,
"Oh? For my sake? Reid, what exactly do you want me to do? Let's hear it."
Seeing the conversation reach this point, Reid seized the opportunity to spin his tale.
"Mina, how much longer do you think Orb's peace can last? Don't give me the official rhetoric—let's have an honest discussion about this."
Mina frowned slightly, pondering for a moment before finally answering,
"You know I've never been optimistic about Uzumi's neutrality policy. But I am doing my best to maintain Orb's peace. As for how long it can last? That depends on when the balance of power between the Earth Alliance and ZAFT collapses. Given the current situation, Orb's peace can still hold for now."
Reid shook his head at her response. Even Mina couldn't foresee how rapidly the situation would change in the near future.
Of course, he only knew this because he had "read the script." It was understandable that Mina, lacking sufficient intelligence, couldn't predict that Orb was merely months away from its first destruction.
Without spoiling anything, Reid continued,
"Alright, then let me share my perspective. ZAFT's forces on Earth won't last much longer. The Earth Alliance's major counteroffensive is imminent, and once they free up their forces, their first target will be Orb."
"Because Orb possesses a Mass Driver and is strategically positioned as the best supply point for the Atlantic Federation's attacks on the Oceania Union. If Orb refuses to join the Earth Alliance, the Atlantic Federation will attack."
"Given Orb's limited depth and resources, even if you deploy the mass-produced Mobile Suits currently under testing, you'd only last two or three days at most."
Mina didn't refute Reid's analysis. If the Earth Alliance truly decided to strike Orb, lasting two or three days was already a generous estimate. By her own calculations, Orb wouldn't even hold for a single day. (Without the Archangel and Freedom, they really wouldn't last a day.)
But this entire premise hinged on the Earth Alliance gaining the upper hand against ZAFT and having the capacity to force Orb into taking sides.
So Mina cut straight to the point.
"Reid, how do you know the Earth Alliance is about to launch a counteroffensive? Right now, aside from the East Asian Republic's territory, ZAFT is still dominating the Earth Alliance on most fronts."
Reid answered without hesitation.
"That's thanks to the G Project—the joint development between Orb and the Atlantic Federation that you spearheaded. In truth, even though the Archangel is desperately trying to deliver the G Project data to the Alaska Base, the Atlantic Federation already possesses complete records of the project."
"The mass-production models and second-generation G Weapons are nearly complete and will soon be deployed. Once that happens, ZAFT's technological advantage will be neutralized, and the numerically superior Earth Alliance will sound the charge for their counterattack."
Hearing this, Mina immediately understood—and the realization sent a chill down her spine. If what Reid said was true, then Orb's peace was already on borrowed time. If they maintained their current stance, their downfall was imminent.
Mina's expression turned serious as she earnestly asked Reid,
"Reid, thank you for the intel, but why are you telling me all this? What do you want in return? Detailed information on the Akatsuki Project, or something else?"
Mina knew there was no such thing as a free lunch. Reid wouldn't have shared such crucial information without an ulterior motive, so she decided to hear him out first before making any further considerations.
However, Reid simply smiled and gave an answer she hadn't expected.
"Didn't I already say it? Part of the reason I came to Orb is for you."
Then, noticing Mina's suddenly incredulous expression—tinged with a faint blush—he quickly added,
"I hope that in the future, when the New Misurugi Republic returns to Earth, you and your trusted followers will join us. Of course, I'm not asking you to betray your country. If Orb still exists by then, just forget I ever made this request. Consider the intel I shared a failed investment."
Hearing this, Mina understood. Reid might have phrased it as wanting her, but what he really wanted was her entire faction.
Still, the terms were quite favorable. He wasn't demanding she defect—meaning he was confident Orb would no longer exist by then, leaving her and her people stateless or under someone else's rule. He was simply preparing to absorb her forces.
As for whether Reid could actually return to Earth, Mina had no doubts. This man had a knack for exploiting every opportunity. Given how chaotic Earth was, it wouldn't be surprising if he found an excuse to carve out his own territory.
A fox-like smile curled on Mina's lips. Having someone offer her a safety net was hardly something to complain about. She replied bluntly,
"If those are the terms, I can agree. But you must promise me that if I join the New Misurugi Republic, you'll at least secure me a position equivalent to one of the Five Family heads in Orb's Upper House."
Reid immediately rejected the demand. The New Misurugi Republic was his autocracy, and though dissent might arise as it expanded, he had no intention of inviting in a bunch of entitled nobles. He stated plainly,
"No. Mina, if you want the position you just described, you'll have to earn it through contributions to the New Misurugi Republic. Merit-based promotions only—no nepotism. Everyone in my faction is treated equally. Prove your capabilities first, secure a practical role, and then climb the ranks through tangible achievements."
Mina considered this. Reid didn't seem to be lying. Most of the New Misurugi Republic's current leadership had endured hardships during its founding. Though some lacked competence—like that Lucrezia Noin, who, despite her loyalty to Reid, remained stuck training recruits and special forces without a high-ranking position.
In the end, Mina didn't push further on benefits. After all, this was all still hypothetical. She simply said—
"If that's the case, I can accept it. However, Reid, I still want to tell you that Orb isn't so fragile. Peace will always exist in Orb."
Tomorrow marks the launch of Zenless Zone Zero. Taking a day off to play ZZZ, so there might only be one update today. If you don't see a second update by 22:00, then there will only be one.
--Support me in Patreon for more chapters 35+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LegendaryTL
Thanks!