Previous Chapter: Chapter 14: The Fomentation of the Evil God Next Chapter: Chapter 16
Xenia: Huh? Cybuster needs some work done?
Masaki: Yeah, after using the Cy-flash in Volkruss’s Shrine, it feels a little off.
Xenia: Well, bring it into the lab later. I’ll give it a thorough look-over.
Masaki: Got it, thanks. By the way, what’s that in your hand?
Xenia: This? It’s information on a new Elemental.
Masaki: Did you design it?
Xenia: Huh? W-well , yeah…
Masaki: A machine based on the mechs from the surface, eh?
Xenia: (Damn, he’s not going to give up. I thought I would be able to sneak some peeks at the final adjustment data from Ryoto….)
Masaki: Well?
Xenia: Fine, fine. I’ll tell you. It’s an Elemental based on the Huckebein series.
Masaki: Of course it is…
Rio: Really?
Xenia: Yeah. It’s a very high-spec Elemental called the Duraxyll. I plan to have it ready tomorrow.
Masaki: Meaning it’s mostly finished already.
Ryoto: Now I know why you wanted to see the real Huckebein Mark 2 and 3….
Rai: Why did you select the Huckebeins?
Xenia: I looked at the data for a bunch of different surface machines… and my assessment was that the Huckebeins had the most balanced frames. They look delicate, but when equipped with the right high-power generator they’re actually quite tough…. And they’re fast and versatile, too.
Irm: Yeah… Just like you say, they’re great machines… though they do have a certain history.
Xenia: Oh, I know. There are people here who were part of that history.
Irm: You certainly know your stuff.
Xenia: Yeah, the data Masaki gave me outlined the gist of it.
Irm: Wow, Masaki, sounds like you were dedicated to taking notes.
Masaki: Er, it wasn’t really me.
Kuro: I was doing the record-keeping.
Rio: Oh, I see. Yeah, I can’t really imagine Masaki pouring over collected data.
Masaki: Well… sorry.
Ryoto: Anyway… What kind of machine is Duraxyll?
Xenia: It’s a fire aspect Elemental. The basic design is from the Huckebein series, with a hardened frame and high-power generator added on. After that, though it doesn’t have a contract with the spirits, there’s a device that produces fake Prana, so with the pilot’s natural Prana, it can produce the same power as an Elemental.
Masaki: No contract, eh? From what I’ve heard, that sounds less like an Elemental and more like a Super Robot.
Xenia: That’s right. I want it to become Langran’s flagship machine.
Tytti: Lady Xenia, Masaki, it’s time to go see Lord Feil.
Masaki: Got it. I can’t send out Cybuster, so go on ahead.
*Feil’s room*
Feil: I see, so it was Volkruss…
Novus: We still have to deal with Kirkus’s left over troops and these Shutedonias nuisances, and now we’re adding on this dreadful situation…
Feil: Indeed…. If Shutedonias is even remotely involved in Volkruss’s resurrection, we can’t overlook this.
Masaki: Though it seems that the only forces working with Louzorl were one squadron.
Feil: It’s not the size of the involvement, it’s the very fact that they were involved in the first place. If the Shutedonias army is conspiring with the people who plan to cause destruction with Volkruss… Then we should consider the threat of a second invasion.
Masaki: I... I guess.
Xenia: But, Feil, considering they just now gathered their forces, I don’t think they can attack right now.
Feil: No, we can’t afford to be careless. We must re-focus our preparations right away, in case other countries show the will to invade us.
Xenia: That may be true…. But couldn’t that give them a reason to try something underhanded?
Feil: It will force them to move, true. But that one squad has already come to Langran. These are circumstances that they caused.
Xenia: …
Masaki: … What about their relations with Louzorl?
Xenia: I think Kristoph has some hand to play in the Volkruss affair… because Terius and Monica are with him, we need to pursue those leads. We should increase the number of investigators in Intelligence, and if needed, prepare Elementals or Elemental Lords for their usage.
Feil: I understand. We’ll look into it. I’ll form a brigade that can independently respond to any emergency, not just Volkruss.
Masaki: An independent brigade… like the Steel Dragons?
Feil: Similar, but with more authority. But it’s not something I can decide myself. It’ll take time to get it up and running. Until then, if there’s an emergency similar to Volkruss, I’ll be counting on you all.
Masaki: Got it.
Tytti: Understood, your highness.
Feil: And as far as getting the people from the surface home…. We’ll do that after the announcement of the Coronation Ceremony and the new system of government.
Masaki: Coronation ceremony…. Then you’re going to…
Feil; That’s right, I will be the 288th king of Langran.
Tytti: Congratulations, your highness… Or rather, your lordship now, I suppose.
Feil: You’re quick to pick up on things, Tytti.
Xenia: It seems like things are getting busy, Feil.
Feil: Indeed. Even after I become king, would you mind taking me along? Not only for Langran, but to bring peace and order to all of La Gias.
Masaki: Of course, your highness.
Feil: …That’s what I expect from you, Masaki. From here on out, I’ll need powerful friends like you and the Elemental Lords. As always, I’m very thankful for your help. That’s not from the future king of these lands, but from myself, as a person.
Masaki: … What’s with you today? You’re acting weird.
Feil: I guess it’s because I’ve made up my mind about a few things. From here on, I have to be very prepared.
Xenia: Feil… What do you plan to do?
Feil: You’ll understand soon enough. Also, please get the Duraxyll ready to move. I want it to be debuted on the day I announce the new government.
Xenia: What about the pilot?
Feil: I will pilot it.
Tytti: You will?
Novus: I will not allow it. You are to be the king of this country. You cannot be so careless.
Feil: I understand, but the standard we hold people to is the King. I want to be seen as a force that will not turn from any threat. We’ve talked about this, Novus.
Novus: … I understand.
Xenia: ….
Feil: Xenia, I leave the adjustments to you.
Xenia: … You don’t intend to head to the front lines, do you?
Feil: Oh, I do.
Xenia: (Why are you doing this, Feil… You look excited… or rather, impatient….)
*elsewhere*
Masaki: … So the return to the surface will take place after the coronation ceremony and announcement of the new government. Until then, the Hagane is to take charge of the capital’s security.
Tetsuya: Roger that.
Azuki: We’re almost home, huh…
Eita: Masaki, are you staying in Langran?
Masaki: Yeah, Tytti and I are going to help out Lord Feil.
Azuki: That means I won’t see Kuro and Shiro anymore….
Kuro: We may go back to the surface at some point… this isn’t goodbye forever!
*Alarms*
Masaki: What?!
Eita: Captain, there’s been a massive explosion in the capital!
Tetsuya: Is it an enemy attack?
Eita: No, there’s no signs of enemies anywhere in the vicinity of the capital!
Azuki: Captain, there’s a message from Lady Xenia!
Tetsuya: Patch it through!
Xenia: Tetsuya, Masaki! There was a piece of Volkruss on Cybuster’s Ether Thruster!
Masaki: W-what?!
Xenia: It was so small the mechanics didn’t find it! And as soon as we tried to tear it off, it started regenerating!
Masaki: So that explosion was caused by…
Xenia: That’s right, by a regenerating Volkruss!
Eita: Th-that means there’s a monster in the capital?!
Tetsuya: All units, battle alert level 1! All Fireteams, sortie!
Masaki: Xenia, is the Cybuster okay?!
Xenia: Yes, the problems only began when the fragment was removed, so….
Masaki: Great, I’ll be there soon! I’m fighting, too!
Chapter 15: Feil’s Darkness
Mio: There’s more than one of them?!
Xenia: It split and multiplied. If we don’t do something soon, their numbers will probably grow even more.
Masaki: Dammit, this is my fault! I wasn’t able to finish things with Volkruss…!
Viletta: Now’s not the time for that. We need to defeat them for sure here.
Novus: Lord Feil, let’s ask the squad from Troiya to return.
Feil: We can’t do that. We need them there.
Novus: But this is important. If there’s any more problems in the capital, your plan will be…
Feil: Right now, I have a reason for wanting to repel these monsters with only the power we have here. Masaki and his friends said they’ll lend their support to me, but this is a chance to show people inside and outside this country the power of the new Langran.
Novus: Don’t tell me, my lord! You’re going out in the Duraxyll?!
Feil: Yes. I said it earlier. I want to be a king who confronts whatever threat appears.
Novus: But if something happens to you…
Feil: If I fall here, I won’t be able to complete my important work.
Novus: U-understood…
Ort: Your highness, please let me come with you.
Feil: No, General, I need you to get the citizens to the shelters and guard them. And don’t forget the priests and Zabod. If anything were to happen to them, we couldn’t have a coronation ceremony or send the people from the surface home.
Ort: I understand.
Xenia: If we fight the Volkrusses inside the city, the fragments will scatter and things will get even worse. Everyone, draw them out of the capital.
Irm: Got it.
Freki: Lady Tytti, it doesn’t seem like those substitutes have the power of the ones we encountered earlier.
Tytti: Meaning they haven’t completely regenerated.
Excellen: Looking at them, it only looks like they have the top half.
Geri: If we waste time and the lower half regenerates, we’ll have a problem.
Aya: If they regenerate any further inside the city, we won’t be able to repel them.
Carla: We have to get this done even faster than usual!
Viletta: We’re starting the attack. Defeat the substitute Volkrusses!
Chapter 15: Feil’s Darkness
Victory: Defeat all enemies.
Defeat: The Hagane is shot down.
SR point: Complete the victory condition in 5 turns.
*shoot down one*
Masaki; Dammit, it divided!
Xenia: They’re multiplying faster than I thought! At this rate….
*hey it’s that guy*
Ryoto: Is that?
Xenia: Duraxyll! Feil!?
Feil: That’s right. I’m going to help out.
*kaboom*
Rio: I-in one shot….
Ibis: W-wow…
Rai: It’s certainly as powerful as an Elemental Lord.
Feil: (Duraxyll… Even with me at the helm, it’s this powerful….)
Masaki: Are you going to be alright, Your Highness?
Feil: Though it’s not as much as you all, I do have some experience fighting with Elementals. I won’t be a hindrance, at least.
Xenia: But Duraxyll’s not ready to use all of its weapons yet….
Feil: No, they were just recently finished. So let’s see what I can accomplish.
Xenia: …What do you mean by that?
Feil: There’s no time for that right now. We need to deal with Volkruss as soon as possible.
Tytti: But still, your health is very important. Be sure not to overdo it.
Feil: I seem to hear that a lot these days. I understand.
Masaki: Now that His Highness is here, we can’t give it anything less than all we got!
Defeat: Feil is shot down.
Eita: All the Volkruss readings in the area are gone.
Masaki: Whew, we somehow did it…
Feil: Block off the areas where Volkruss appeared. I’ll have Ort’s division dispose of the fragments. I’d like the Hagane to continue guarding the city. I’ll soon be announcing the new government.
Xenia: Feil, you should do that after we’ve disposed of everything…
Feil: No... It should happen now.
Xenia: Huh?
Feil: (That’s right, it can’t be anytime but now…)
*Hagane Briefing room*
Xenia: Sheesh…. And after all those times you told me not to take a fragment home…
Masaki: Y-yeah, I’m sorry, okay? Just please don’t tell any of the maintenance people…
Shiro: I wonder how much we should of this we should actually write into the report….
Xenia: Well, it’s not totally Masaki’s fault. I also failed to notice it. Let’s work on and submit the report together.
Ryoto: …Duraxyll was amazing, huh.
Xenia: Yeah…
Rio: What’s wrong? Was there a problem?
Xenia: It’s not the machine, it’s my brother… Something seems weird about him.
Masaki: He’s becoming the king of this country. He’s probably more stressed than usual.
Xenia: It’d be great if it was just that…
Presia: Ah, the monitor isn’t on… Bro, Lord Feil’s speech has already started.
Masaki: Oh, right. We gotta watch that.
*monitor AND SCARY MUSIC OOOOOOOH*
Feil: …Thanks to the effort of all of our forces, we have been able to take back the capital. Also, the invasion forces from Shutedonias have withdrawn beyond our borders, but… As I’m sure the citizens of the capital already know, they have prepared biological weapons with the express purpose of destroying us. While we were luckily able to repel the forces that appeared in the capital with the Elemental Lords, the Steel Dragons, and our new Hyper Elemental Duraxyll…. we can no longer overlook the perpetual horrendous actions of Shutedonias. Today, I, Feil-lord Gran Bilseia, along with the declaration of the beginning of a new legitimate government, hereby declare war on the Shutedonias Union.
*Back to the room*
Masaki: Wh-what?!
Xenia: Th-that’s…!!
Masaki: What’s the meaning of this? Just as we’re ending the fighting, he starts another war!
Xenia: This means…!
Masaki: I can’t believe this!
Presia: Masaki, where are you going?!
Masaki: To the castle! I’m going to ask him about this declaration directly!
Xenia: Wait, I’m coming too!
*Outside the castle*
Masaki: What’s that supposed to mean?!
Novus: Exactly as it sounds, you are not allowed beyond this point. This is a direct order from King Feil.
Masaki: King?! The coronation ceremony hasn’t happened yet!
Zabod: It happened in secret, but the Coronation Ceremony is finished. Lord Feil has become the 288th king of Langran.
Xenia: Sir Zabod!
Masaki: Are you serious, old man?!
Zabod: Ah! What are you doing?!
Tytti: Masaki, stop it!
Masaki: Grr….!!
Xenia: The coronation ceremony ended without him even saying anything to us…!
Novus: In any event, please leave. I’m afraid that includes members of the royal family.
Xenia: Th-this can’t be happening!
Masaki: As if! There’s no way we’d leave!
Tytti: … Masaki, let’s go.
Masaki: But!
Tytti: Making a scene here won’t do anything. Afterwards, we’ll make a formal proposal to the king as the pilots of the Elemental Lords.
Masaki: As the pilots?
Tytti: Yes.
Masaki: …Got it.
Tytti: Novus, please inform the king of our intentions.
Novus: … Understood.
Previous Chapter: Chapter 14: The Fomentation of the Evil God Next Chapter: Chapter 16: Changed Ways