The day after our brief respite at White Star with my three lovers, we found ourselves in the command center of Morgenroete's underground mobile suit factory. It was the same facility where we had previously witnessed the development of the Natural-use OS for the M1 Astray.
A large crowd had gathered, far exceeding the group we had negotiated with two days prior. All eyes were fixed on the hangar floor, where an M1 Astray stood in a tense standoff against our Megilot.
From the Shadow Mirror side, the observers consisted of myself, Lemon, Cornelia, and Murrue. Echidna had remained behind at the underground warehouse with the mass-produced W-series units to guard the gate and respond to any unforeseen complications.
From the Archangel, only Kira and Mu were present. Since this negotiation was strictly between Shadow Mirror and Orb, I imagined they were here out of nothing more than pure curiosity.
Naturally, the largest contingent belonged to Orb—a sea of politicians and military brass.
I suppose their interest was inevitable; the fate of an alliance with Shadow Mirror rested entirely on the outcome of this mock battle. While Uzumi likely had his mind made up—given the "global crisis" I'd warned him about—the rest of the government needed to see proof of our worth.
"Heh. So, you're the ones from that 'Shadow Mirror' outfit I've heard so much about?"
The voice rang out abruptly about ten minutes before the scheduled 3:00 PM start. I turned toward the source to find a slender, refined man with purple hair. He gave off the unmistakable air of a pampered aristocrat.
"And you are?" I asked.
Cornelia's brow furrowed at the man's thinly veiled condescension. Lemon, conversely, wore a smile—though it was her "archaic smile," a perfectly sculpted expression that didn't reach her eyes. Murrue merely offered a strained, awkward look, as if she already knew who he was.
"Forgive me. I am Yuna Roma Seiran, heir to the Seiran family—one of the Five Noble Families of Orb. I simply had to see the people who, despite being a mere mercenary unit, believe they can treat with Orb as equals. I thought it only proper to come and say hello."
So, this was Yuna Roma Seiran. In SEED Destiny, he was the clown who paved the way for Orb's invasion. While he was supposedly an economic expert who helped rebuild the nation within two years of the war, I suspected most of that success came from his father—or perhaps from their ties to Logos.
"I see," I replied. "I'm Axel Almar, leader of Shadow Mirror."
"Yes, yes. And these lovely ladies behind you? Won't you introduce us?"
Yuna gave me a dismissive wave and turned his gaze toward Lemon, Cornelia, and Murrue. His eyes held a distinct, predatory glint. All three of them were exceptionally beautiful, so I suppose such attention was to be expected, but the fact that he didn't even try to hide his lechery spoke volumes about his character. Then again, it was exactly this lack of substance that would lead to his downfall later.
Still, he hadn't caused any actual trouble yet. He was a man expected to shoulder Orb's future; as someone seeking an alliance, I couldn't simply brush him off.
"From the right: Lemon, Cornelia, and Murrue," I said.
The three of them offered polite, shallow nods. Yuna's mood seemed to brighten instantly.
"All three of you carry your long hair so elegantly. Tell me, would you care to join me for dinner sometime?"
He began his pursuit with practiced ease. As the rumors suggested, he had a clear preference for long hair—though I wondered if Lemon's hair even qualified by his standards. It was certainly longer than Cagalli's, at least.
"I appreciate the offer," Lemon said, her archaic smile never wavering, "but I already have a lover in Axel. I'll have to decline."
"Indeed," Cornelia added, her eyes flashing with a cold, sharp light. "I have dedicated both my body and soul to Axel. I am not so frivolous as to entertain invitations from other men."
"I'm sorry," Murrue followed up with a soft, apologetic tone, "but I also have a lover—Axel."
Yuna froze, looking utterly bewildered. "...What? Are you saying all three of them are your lovers?"
I gave him a simple nod. "That about sums it up."
"I see..." Yuna's expression shifted from condescension to blatant envy. "So the famous Shadow Mirror is actually just a harem squad?"
Given my relationship with the top brass—excluding Echidna—he wasn't entirely wrong. However, he was missing the most important point.
"Regardless of our internal structure, Representative Uzumi is seeking an equal alliance because Shadow Mirror possesses power that matches or exceeds Orb's. Wouldn't you agree?"
"Hah! A single unit matching Orb? Your conceit is staggering. And look at your machine—what is that thing? It doesn't even look like a Mobile Suit."
Yuna gestured toward the Megilot, which sat motionless across from the M1 Astray.
We couldn't help but share a dry chuckle. There was no reason for an unmanned weapon to be humanoid when it wasn't designed for a pilot. In the grand strategy of things, the Megilot was a pawn—a unit built for quantity over quality. Its design was optimized for cost and mass production.
But Yuna's biggest mistake was his sheer underestimation of its performance.
"Is that so? Then how about a wager?" I suggested.
"A wager?"
"Yes. On which will win this mock battle: Orb's pride, the M1 Astray, or our Megilot. Naturally, I'm betting on the Megilot."
"Fine! I'll take the M1 Astray. If I win, those three ladies spend a night with me. That's fair, isn't it?"
His intentions were as transparent as glass. If he wanted to play for high stakes, I was happy to let him set the pot. There was no reality in which the M1 Astray could beat a Megilot in these conditions. Had the pilot been Kira, he might have pulled it off through sheer skill or the awakening of his SEED, but Uzumi had already informed us through Echidna that the pilot for this test was Asagi, one of the three test pilot girls.
"Hmph... Very well," I replied. "And if that 'ugly bug' wins, you will cover every expense we incur while staying in Orb for the next week. How does that sound?"
"I accept! It will be a small price to pay for such a victory."
I glanced back at the others. Lemon was now wearing a genuine, beaming smile—vastly different from her previous one. Cornelia, having stayed at White Star and seen our technological edge firsthand, gave a confident nod. Murrue, who had only heard stories of Shadow Mirror's technical prowess, looked ready to intervene for a moment before sighing in resignation.
"Axel-kun, it is time. Shall we begin?" Uzumi called out. He had likely been waiting for our conversation to finish.
I checked the clock: 2:57 PM. Time had flown during our "negotiation" with Yuna.
"Ready. Lemon."
Lemon nodded and her fingers danced across the keyboard of her portable terminal.
Megilots were typically AI-controlled, and the standard commands were blunt: Destroy target MS or Sink enemy flagship. However, since this was a mock battle, we had to ensure the M1 wasn't actually destroyed and that Asagi remained unharmed. Lemon was hard-coding those behavioral constraints in real-time.
"Representative Uzumi, this is a mock battle, so we are reducing our weapon output to the absolute minimum. Is that acceptable?" Lemon asked.
"Yes. We have also tuned the beam rifle output for training purposes. Very well—begin the exercise!"
The moment the declaration left his lips, the M1 Astray raised its shield and leveled its beam rifle, firing three consecutive shots.
Voom. Voom. Voom.
The beams struck the hangar floor. The Megilot was already gone.
Taking advantage of its insectoid frame, the Megilot had vaulted into the air the instant the rifle was aimed. It unfurled its dorsal wings and glided toward the M1 Astray with terrifying speed.
"This battlefield is actually a disadvantage for the Megilot," I muttered.
"How so?" Uzumi asked, intrigued.
The Megilot slammed into the ground in front of the M1, thrusting its horn upward in a piercing strike. Asagi managed to catch the blow with her shield.
"As you just saw, the Megilot is capable of independent flight. Its tactical programming assumes an open-air environment. It isn't particularly fond of cramped spaces like this."
"I see... However, with Earth Alliance and ZAFT reconnaissance satellites overhead, we cannot conduct this test on the surface. Your alliance and that machine are top-priority secrets."
The M1 Astray had blocked the lower strike, but the Megilot was already a step ahead. With a sickening crunch, the machine's mandibles clamped onto the bottom of the shield and tore a chunk of armor clean off. The raw tooth-marks left in the alloy were a vivid testament to its power.
"You say it's a secret, yet you have quite the audience," I remarked.
"Only those who hold the future of Orb in their hands," Uzumi replied.
Panicked by the loss of her shield's integrity, Asagi tried to bash the Megilot away. The bug-like unit darted left and right with frantic, erratic movements, easily evading the heavy blows.
"Including the Seirans?" I asked.
The Seirans were connected to Logos. I had to assume data on the Megilot would leak, but with the Alliance's invasion of Orb looming, they wouldn't have much time to act on it.
"They are one of the Five Families," Uzumi sighed. "If I excluded them from a moment this significant, they would use it as political ammunition against me."
Asagi finally regained her composure. She discarded her rifle, drew a beam saber from her backpack, and swung it down in a wide arc. The Megilot sensed the shift in tactics and leaped backward, opening its "mouth" to discharge a Circle Laser.
The M1 had no way to dodge the bizarre, ring-shaped projectile. Asagi pulled her shield in front of her, but it couldn't cover the entire frame. The laser clipped the Astray's legs, leaving scorched welts on the armor.
"...I see. It was wise of you to lower the output," Uzumi murmured.
At combat power, those legs would have been severed instantly. The command center computer reached the same conclusion; the monitor flashed a "Lower Limb Damage" warning. For a machine like the M1 Astray that relied entirely on mobility, the loss of its legs was a death sentence.
The Megilot didn't give her a chance to recover. It glided forward, using its momentum for a full-body tackle. The M1 took the impact on its shield, but a fifty-ton machine couldn't withstand a four-ton projectile moving at that velocity without stable footing. The Astray was blown off its feet, crashing into the floor.
The Megilot pounced, pinning the downed Mobile Suit. It opened its mandibles—the same ones that had effortlessly shredded the shield—and aimed them at the cockpit.
"That's enough! End the mock battle!" Uzumi shouted.
With that, the match was over.
Status Report
Name: Axel Almar
Level: 36 | PP: 165
Melee: 254 | Ranged: 274 | Skill: 264 | Defense: 264 | Evade: 294 | Hit: 314
SP: 446
Ace Bonus: SP Boost (Consumes SP to enhance Slime performance)
Growth Type: Universal / Special
Terrain Rating: Air: S | Ground: S | Water: S | Space: S
Spirit Commands:
Accel (SP 4)
Effort (SP 8)
Focus (SP 16)
Direct Hit (SP 30)
Awaken (SP 32)
Love (SP 48)
Skills:
EXP Up
SP Boost (SP Up Lv.9, SP Regen, Concentration)
Telekinesis Lv.10
Attacker
Gunfight Lv.9
Infight Lv.9
Morale Limit Break
Geass (Grey)
[Locked] ... [Locked]
Kill Count: 288
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