Chapter 235: Iron and Blood (Part 3)
Tolle looked over to Kudelia — she, too, was preparing to depart for the CGS base.
In the sunlit greenhouse garden of her family's estate, Kudelia faced her mother with a look of resolve and said, "Mother, I'm preparing to depart for Earth."
Her mother leisurely sipped her tea and replied in a calm tone, "Lana, you're leaving already? Remember — when you arrive on Earth, be careful not to offend anyone there."
"I always thought Father would oppose my efforts for Mars' independence," Kudelia said, lowering her head in shame. "But unexpectedly, he entrusted me with the heavy task of mediating with Earth."
"Your bad habit is always assuming the worst. Your father has always cared for you — you've just never noticed."
Not wishing to argue, Kudelia replied obediently, "I understand, Mother. I was careless."
"Good. When you return, you should talk with your father properly."
"Yes, Mother. I'll take my leave now — it's almost time for departure."
"Mm. Go on."
"Goodbye, Mother."
After bowing and leaving the greenhouse, Kudelia walked some distance before turning to her personal maid, Fumitan Admoss.
"My mother just doesn't want to face reality. She has no interest in knowing what's happening beyond these mansion walls. I can't stand that — I want to see and experience the truth for myself."
Expressionless, Fumitan asked, "Is that why you chose them as your escorts?"
"That's right. Those unregistered child soldiers — they're the very symbol of the problems Mars faces under Earth's control. Just like Tolle said:
'When the youth are wise, the nation is wise. When the youth are rich, the nation is rich. When the youth are strong, the nation is strong. When the youth are independent, the nation is independent. When the youth are free, the nation is free. When the youth progress, the nation progresses. When the youth stand proud before Earth, the nation stands proud before Earth.'
Kudelia stopped walking, gazing out the window. "By interacting with them, maybe I can feel even a fraction of their suffering. Only then can I truly learn how to guide them."
Meanwhile, at the Gjallarhorn satellite headquarters in orbit, Kudelia's father, Norman Bernstein, was drenched in sweat as he was being scolded by the Mars Branch Chief, Coral Conrad.
"Ah, youth… and purity. How beautiful. Who would've thought that the daughter of the well-connected Bernstein family would become the symbol of Mars' independence movement? Quite the irony, don't you think, Norman Bernstein?"
Norman bowed deeply, wiping his sweat with a handkerchief as he stammered, "Y-Yes… I apologize. My foolish daughter has been deceived by others."
Coral smirked. "No, no. To be that naïve is quite an accomplishment in itself. Perhaps that's exactly why those ruffians on Mars support her so fervently.
In that case, let's help her become the perfect leader — one who will live forever in the people's memory."
Coral placed his hand over Kudelia's photo in the report, then stared at Norman with a thin smile. "We should lend a helping hand, shouldn't we?"
Under Coral's veiled threat, Norman immediately caved. Begging for mercy, he said, "Yes, yes — please, Lord Coral, have mercy. The Bernstein family has nothing to do with this."
"Hahaha. Don't worry. As long as we handle this properly and deal with that meddling inspector from Earth, your family's reputation won't suffer."
"Then… I'm relieved to hear that."
Watching from his screen, Tolle sighed. "Selling out your own daughter and still begging for mercy… 'pathetic' doesn't even begin to cover it. This kind of father really has no backbone. Maybe Kudelia's real dad is the gardener or the guy next door — she's nothing like him at all."
Once Coral finished with Norman, he immediately sent orders to his men — Orlis, Crank, and Ein — to pilot their Graz units down to the CGS base and carry out the planned assassination of Kudelia.
At the same time, Tolle had Minmay and Ange return to the warship's core space, while he stayed alert, ready to launch in his heavily armed Bael Gundam at a moment's notice to protect Kudelia and the CGS base.
After all, the CGS base would soon become part of his future assets — he couldn't let it get too damaged.
But then he frowned. Once he joined Tekkadan and went to Earth with them, using the Bael Gundam might be too risky — it would expose his ties to the Spark Group, making him stand out too much in front of Gjallarhorn.
Still… not using a Gundam just didn't have the same presence. A real dilemma.
Just as Tolle was torn over what to do, inspiration struck.
He called out, "Nami, make me a new Bael Gundam — but give it an Ogre outer shell, like Kamiki Burning Gundam from Gundam Build Fighters Try.
It needs to be able to shed the disguise mid-battle to reveal the true Bael Gundam underneath."
"Understood, Master," Nami replied. "I'll make sure your Gundam is flawless. The disguise armor will perfectly replicate the Ogre's appearance."
"Good, Nami. Let's do it."
"Oh, Master, should I also make a few Zaku II units with Ahab Reactors? They say a real man pilots a Zaku, after all. We could keep them as backups — or lend them to Ange and Zola when needed. That way, we wouldn't expose Spark Group's involvement."
Tolle grinned. "Nami, you really get me. A Zaku II with an Ahab Reactor — not bad at all. Take that thing to the UC world and every beam and bullet would bounce right off. We'd scare little Amuro half to death!"
Having settled on his new machine, Tolle turned his attention back to the screen, ready to intervene in Barbatos Gundam's first battle at the right moment.
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Bael Ogre (Core: Bael Gundam)
Class: B-Rank (B+ with Alaya-Vijnana B+ active; A– when armor removed)
Terrain Adaptability: Sea B / Land A / Air A / Space A
Fixed Armaments: Physical Thermal Blade ×1, Rocket Launcher ×1, High-Power Electromagnetic Cannon ×1, Handheld Grenade Launcher ×1, Chest Diffusion Beam Cannon ×1, Shield ×1
(After Removing Outer Shell): Bael Swords ×2
Built-in Weapons (in Flight Wings): Machine Guns ×2, Electromagnetic Cannons ×2
Special Equipment: Detachable Ogre Disguise Armor, Twin Ahab Reactors, Ahab Nano-Layer Armor, PS Armor, Reaction Force Wing System (Legs), Alaya-Vijnana System