Chapter 176: The Tragic Duel (Part 3)
Relena listened to the protesting voices coming from the Tallgeese and, looking displeased, turned to Zechs and said, "You're Zechs Merquise, aren't you?"
"Princess, please fall back at once. I must avenge my subordinates."
"Then, in the name of Peacecraft, I order you to stop this fight right now—immediately!"
Inside, Zechs felt very satisfied with Relena's reaction. He thought to himself, Relena, you've become stronger than before — this is how the daughter of the Peacecraft family should be. Use your own eyes to see how filthy and despicable war truly is.
Zechs decided to play the villain so that Relena would feel the ugliness of human nature firsthand.
As the shuttle veered away and the Tallgeese broke off, he made his Mobile Suit raise its beam saber. He struck the other's beam saber to the ground, then slashed wildly at the defenseless Heavyarms in a merciless barrage.
Relena watched Zechs' attack and shouted in fury, "Zechs, you've gone too far! If you're still a warrior—still a Peacecraft warrior—you must never stoop to such despicable acts!"
At that moment, the old steward said to her, "Miss Relena, Lieutenant Noin is on the line."
Relena, unhappy that Zechs was completely ignoring her and refusing to listen, walked back into the shuttle's cockpit with an annoyed expression.
On the comm, she looked at Noin—who had earlier lied about not knowing Zechs' whereabouts—and said, "Lieutenant Noin, I was completely mistaken about you before.
I thought you were an honest person, yet you've allowed this kind of fighting to happen.
This isn't a contest or a duel—it's nothing but mutual slaughter!"
Noin closed her eyes and endured the scolding helplessly. "Miss Relena, you're right. It's understandable if you look down on it."
But when it came to Zechs, she couldn't help defending him. "However, I believe in Colonel Zechs Merquise. As for what he's done, I will never interfere."
Relena, hearing Noin defend Zechs' disgraceful behavior, suddenly flew into a rage and shouted to Heero:
"Heero, take Zechs down for me! People who belong to a despicable organization like OZ are the shame of the Sanc Kingdom. It's fine, Heero—just kill him!"
When Noin heard Relena say such a thing—asking Heero to kill Zechs, her own brother—she could no longer stay calm. She lost the composure she had maintained before.
"No, Miss Relena." She lowered her head sadly and pleaded, "Please don't say that! You're right—he did act with OZ, and I can't deny the mistakes he's made.
He certainly can't justify his choices by claiming love for the Sanc Kingdom.
But, Miss Relena, no matter what fate has arranged, please don't ever wish for your brother's death. That thought is far too tragic."
Relena listened to Noin, feeling completely confused—she had been talking about Zechs, so why was Noin suddenly speaking as if she meant her brother?
Relena asked, puzzled, "Brother… my brother?"
Noin bowed slightly before the comm screen and explained softly, "When the Peacecraft family was destroyed by the United Earth Sphere Alliance, he swore to take revenge.
But uniting the fractured forces of the Sanc Kingdom was extremely difficult. To get close to the Earth Sphere government, he joined OZ's military and waited for his chance.
Wearing the mask of Zechs Merquise, he's lived on until now. His hands are already stained with too much blood; only you, Relena, are worthy of restoring the Sanc Kingdom.
With OZ's military bringing new chaos to the world, I think Zechs has already lost his reason for existing. Only through battle against a Gundam can he rediscover himself as a soldier.
That is the fight Zechs has always had — to live according to his will, and to fight Heero as an equal.
For the love of the Sanc Kingdom and the name Peacecraft, he's prepared to sacrifice his life. I will always believe in that.
What Zechs seeks to do, the things he's searching for — I will continue to follow them."
Hearing Noin's long defense of Zechs, Relena finally calmed down a little. She began to accept, at least somewhat, that Zechs might indeed be her brother. Summarizing softly, she said, "Noin… you love my brother, don't you?"
Noin's face turned bright red as she replied, "Yes. I love him."
"Will you always stay by my brother's side and protect him?"
"I don't know if I'm capable enough. Colonel Zechs always acts recklessly."
Relena smiled proudly at that answer. The bond between Noin and her brother reminded her of her own pursuit of Heero. "Perhaps that's the Peacecraft bloodline."
At that moment, a communications officer nearby suddenly reported in alarm, "Report! At the three o'clock direction, a large number of combat transport craft are approaching. Possibly a reconnaissance unit from the Romefeller Foundation."
Noin asked tensely, "How many?"
"Confirmed by beam sensors—over thirty. It's a major force."
Hearing that more than thirty combat transports were approaching, Noin estimated that the number of Mobile Suits aboard must be at least ninety.
If fully loaded, that would mean over 150 units, though that was unlikely—there were no OZ bases near Antarctica, and fully loaded transports couldn't fly such a long distance anyway.
Even so, Noin immediately issued orders through the comm:
"All available Mobile Suits—launch! Intercept the reconnaissance unit!"
On the battlefield where Heero and Zechs had been dueling, both men stopped their fight and looked up at the sky. A massive number of combat transports appeared overhead, and from them poured swarms of Aries units, filling the sky like a black cloud.
Nearby, Duo Maxwell, piloting the Wing Gundam, called out to them:
"Can you hear me? Heero, Zechs! The enemy's got around thirty transports. Counting the Aries they're carrying, that's over a hundred units.
Thirty per person—we should be able to handle that easily!"
But Zechs immediately rejected Duo's proposal. This battle was his best chance to leave OZ and sever all ties with them.
"Wait. Let me hold them off."
Then he turned the Tallgeese toward the OZ reconnaissance fleet and shouted at the top of his lungs,
"Glory to the colonies!"