Unlimited Ambition

Well, let's keep him for now. Consider him a new servant. Brittany lost a little knight, but surely they won't cause a huge uproar or make a scene at the Chinese Federation's consulate.

And so, I assigned Viletta to the same group as Red Moon Flower, and she officially became my maid.

So, now there's only one thing left. After I finish this, I'll also be leaving Japan for the time being.

Toudou Kyoushiro, that junior lieutenant colonel. If we don't go to save him soon, he'll really be dead.

※※※

My feelings about being a siscon lately are similar to those of Shirley before; it's like falling from heaven to hell in an instant.

Following the events of that night, the Kyoto Six Families cut off all aid to the Black Knights. Meanwhile, Katase Kyouko, who should have died in the "sister complex" plan, is still alive and well, and her strength has greatly increased.

Furthermore, their tactical thinking had made significant progress. Suddenly, the Japanese archipelago was engulfed in flames of war, with unidentified individuals claiming to be from the Japanese Liberation Front attacking Britannian troops. Although the mechs they piloted were all painted with the Japanese Rising Sun Flag, they were all standard equipment of the Chinese Federation.

Meanwhile, the new Japanese liberation front was spreading rumors detrimental to the "sister complex" (a term used to describe someone with a strong attachment to their sister). They didn't even need to fabricate anything; simply recounting the Battle of Narita and the attack on Katase in their original form was enough for other resistance groups to understand what "Black" was.

Immediately, curses erupted within the Black Knights, and many announced their departure. This was especially true of the Four Holy Swords under a certain lieutenant colonel. Upon receiving the news, they immediately went to join the Japanese liberation front without even a word.

The organization, which was obsessed with its sister, was on the verge of collapse.

Similarly, in his personal life, the brother-complex was also suffering immense torment. The constant, hateful glares from Shirley these past few days made him feel like he was sitting on pins and needles. Countless innocent people died in the Battle of Narita. If the brother-complex couldn't see others, that would be one thing. But Shirley was someone he saw every single day. The brother-complex suspected that if this continued, he might go insane.

Just then, when Shan came to report that several more members had left without saying goodbye, and the brother who was obsessed with his sister almost couldn't hold back and was about to start cursing, his phone rang.

The brother-obsessed man finally calmed down, took a deep breath to steady himself, and answered the phone, saying, "Hi, Prince Lelouch. This is Mao sending his greetings..."

The brother-complex man's arm trembled, and he almost threw his phone away. But then Mao said, "Xia Li is in my hands."

※※※

This was the day Lieutenant Colonel Todo was about to be executed. If they didn't save him now, there would be no way to save him.

To be honest, I don't particularly like this kind of upright guy. And from what I understand, his military skills are indeed excellent. If he's not controlled properly, it could be a major disaster. And another point, and most importantly, is that he could never become a traitor.

But I can't leave him alone. Lately, that actor, basking in a series of victories, has become self-proclaimed Japan's savior. He's acted far too recklessly. He doesn't even consider who helped him get to this point. Therefore, I must support another hero to counterbalance him. Lieutenant Colonel Todo is the perfect candidate.

And so, the day of execution arrived. A rescue force, led by the Four Holy Swords and composed of four hundred improved versions of the Snow Wolf Mechs, the Frost Giant Wolf Mechs, was assembled. They stormed into the prison where Fujido was being held, just moments before the execution.

Alarms blared immediately. The Sarand mechs that had been lying in wait quickly activated, and a rough count revealed that they outnumbered the rescue force by more than double.

Governor Cornelia, observing the battle on her screen, smiled slightly. She thought to herself: Finally, we're going to win a battle. Those terrorists have been acting like they're on steroids these past few days. And that heartless guy, he didn't give me any face at all. He really gave those terrorists so much aid…

Thinking of this, Cornelia gritted her teeth. A hint of ferocity appeared on her pretty face, making General Darudon tremble. The flattering words he had prepared beforehand vanished.

Unexpectedly, this rescue force was quite different from what was expected. Its combat capabilities far surpassed those of the Sarand mechs, and even the Gloucester mechs equipped by Cornelia's guards were slightly inferior. In a short time, they wiped out an enemy force several times their size. It seemed that Lieutenant Colonel Toudou was about to be rescued.

At that moment, Dr. Lloyd, who was also watching the new mecha wreak havoc on the screen, knocked over his coffee cup and roared, "How is this possible? The design of this mecha is even better than my own... No! I still have Lancelot! That's right, I still have Lancelot! As long as this mecha is deployed, nothing can stand against it!"

Just as Count Patch let out a laugh resembling that of a mad scientist, he was punched hard on the head.

“Count, that won’t do. Remember you’re a nobleman.” The count’s assistant smiled sweetly, as if she hadn’t been the one to throw the punch.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Shattered Dreams

"Special agents? Those numbered ones?" Cornelia scoffed. "Could it be that the Britannian army has fallen so low that it has to rely on numbered individuals to achieve victory?"

General Darudon thought to himself: The princess is really stubborn. If you hadn't said anything, the mecha wouldn't have been made of transparent glass. Who would have known it was a numbered one?

Of course, he couldn't say that out loud, so he could only advise, "This battle is different from the past, as it's being broadcast live. Our army's defeat under such public scrutiny is already extremely demoralizing. If we really let them rescue the people, then I'm afraid..."

Cornelia was incredibly annoyed by this. She waved her hand and said, "I don't care anymore, do whatever you want."

General Darudon nodded and smiled apologetically. He then immediately gave the order, authorizing the special forces to be deployed.

Immediately afterwards, the pure white knight revealed its brilliance for the first time. The seventh-generation prototype easily and effortlessly tormented the sixth-generation mass-produced units. Moreover, Suzaku was indeed quite talented. Although his combat experience was pitifully scarce, he already possessed the demeanor of an ace pilot. While it was unlikely that a single Lancelot could completely annihilate hundreds of Frost Wolves, it could certainly hold off Toudou alone.

Seeing that the rescue forces' several assaults had been thwarted by the white mech, and with Brittany's reinforcements rapidly approaching, I couldn't help but feel increasingly frustrated. If only that white mech could hold out a little longer, the situation would turn around.

If that mech hadn't been so close to Todo, things would have been better. After all, that mech couldn't move; it was a complete target. I also provided the Japanese liberation front with several high-powered missiles. If they had all been fired at once, that white mech would have been severely damaged, if not destroyed.

However, this means that Lieutenant Colonel Toudou will basically... no, he's definitely going to die. Therefore, this rescue operation can be declared a failure.

That leaves one option: send out an equal number of ace pilots. My objective is rescue; once I find the right opportunity to pull the lieutenant colonel up, I'll run. With hundreds of Frost Wolves blocking the way, that white mech definitely can't catch up.

However, ace pilots aren't like cabbages sold by the roadside. They're not something you can just grab and sell by weight. Here, I'm one ace, and my two bodyguards, Dian Wei and Xu Chu, are half—these two guys can't unleash their ace potential without their own familiar mechas.

And I also have my reasons for not being able to fight. After all, I'm too famous. My fighting style is also very unique. Countless people around the world have specifically studied my piloting style. Even without using the Killer Wolf mech, I'll be recognized as soon as I enter the battlefield.

Secretly aiding the Japanese resistance, even sending some soldiers and low-ranking officers, is easy to explain. Under the guise of international humanitarian fighters, Brittany would never turn against the Chinese Federation for this. But if I were to intervene, the situation would be completely different. My identity and position are far too sensitive. This could easily be seen as a declaration of war against Brittany. Such consequences are something I cannot afford to bear now.

What should I do? Damn it, am I going to fail? I'm not willing to accept that!

Just then, the part-time maid, Hongyue Hualian, who had been standing beside me, spoke up: "If it's alright, please let me go on stage."

"You?" I looked at her with some confusion.

Since I rescued her and she heard about my plans to aid the Japanese resistance, Hua Lian voluntarily stayed by my side. For the first few days, she had some reservations, worried that I was just making things up and playing a trick on her. She was also concerned about the Black Knights, having spent several months there and developed feelings for them.

In the end, I fulfilled my promise, and even more than Hua Lian had imagined. The Black Knights' reputation became utterly tarnished. They were basically finished. Hua Lian's heart was at peace.

I rescued her on a whim, just to keep her as a pet for fun. I never expected her to be such a top-notch pilot. Otherwise, any random woman I picked up would be an ace pilot. I wouldn't need to do anything else; I could just run around the streets kidnapping people. That way, I could build an elite squad every month, and a whole brigade in a year. Conquering the world would be just around the corner!

Okay, putting everything else aside, I can't believe Hua Lian is volunteering for the mission. Thinking back, when we first met, she was definitely the best pilot among those terrorists. It's just that her mech was a bit inferior. That's why I took her down so easily… Could it be that she really has ace-level skills?

Thinking about this, I decided to give it a try and said, "Since you're so confident, go and pilot an Ice Giant Wolf mech. But if there's any danger, come back quickly. Don't get hurt. I'm just worried you don't have any experience piloting this mech before..."

Hearing how concerned I was about her, Hua Lian blushed and whispered, "Don't worry about that. I've tried out this mecha before."

"Huh?" When I heard her say that, I turned my head to look at those two idiots, Dian Wei and Xu Chu. As a result, those two idiots actually turned their heads to look at the wall, not daring to meet my eyes.

Wow... beautiful women really do get a lot of preferential treatment.

"You two, come here." Seeing their behavior, I waved my hand to make them come closer.

The two simpletons shoved and jostled each other for a while before reluctantly moving a little closer. Surprisingly, I didn't scold them; instead, I quietly asked, "Does Hua Lian really have the abilities of an ace pilot? Have you two ever fought? What was the outcome?"

The two idiots exchanged a glance, both looking a little embarrassed. I glanced at them and said "Oh," they'd probably lost. Fine, whatever.

Having learned everything I needed to know, I felt reassured enough to let Hua Lian make her appearance.

On this side, Suzaku had been blocking others from rescuing his teacher for quite some time. He watched as a horde of mechs surged forward like a tide, only to be repeatedly pushed back by him. In this back-and-forth, he had already lost dozens of them. He felt a secret sense of satisfaction.

He fantasized that this achievement would earn him acceptance as a high-ranking citizen of Brittany. Then he'd rise from lieutenant to captain, from junior officer to field officer, and from field officer to general. After that, wealth and power... I mean, the ability to use that power to do something for his fellow Japanese compatriots, haha, do something.

While Suzaku was lost in his own thoughts, he completely forgot about Britannia's deep-seated racism. Meanwhile, the Frost Wolves, led by the Four Holy Swords, launched another attack.

"Useless! Fall to the ground beneath my sword! Anyone who stands in my way of promotion and wealth... I mean, anyone who hinders my creation of a bright future, shall die!" Suzaku roared inwardly, charging forward with unwavering confidence. He employed the same tactics he had used in previous battles...

This is where things really went wrong.

Suzaku, of course, was unaware that an ace pilot had infiltrated the pack of giant wolves. He was still viewing new problems with the same old perspective. And sure enough, trouble ensued.

Hua Lian went to the battlefield seething with anger. After learning about Zhu Que's identity and deeds from me, the naive girl exclaimed, "How can there be such a shameless person in the world?" She had already blacklisted Zhu Que in her mind. Although my orders were to avoid entanglement and quickly rescue the lieutenant colonel, Hua Lian had already decided to kill him. She showed no mercy.

This put Suzaku at a significant disadvantage. A large chunk of the armor on the outer shell of his mech was torn off by the Frost Wolf's alloy claws, leaving him completely exposed. His defenses were practically zero. A single, casual strike would be enough to destroy him.

Seeing that Zhuque was suffering a great loss, the rest of the rescue team joined in the attack. Fifty-centimeter-long claws specifically targeted Zhuque's head, putting him in grave danger. He narrowly escaped several times, almost being torn to pieces.

Meanwhile, Cornelia, watching on screen, was also furious, cursing, "The Numberers are useless trash," while urging the reinforcements to hurry up and arrive.

At this point, the princess was still concerned about saving face; otherwise, she would have simply ordered Suzaku to kill Toudou. This shows that most of the time, nobles cannot defeat thugs, much less noble thugs.

It seemed that Suzaku might face divine retribution in the near future. I was also eager to see him make a fool of himself. However, the Britannian reinforcements would arrive in the blink of an eye. I hesitated for a moment, then decided to spare his life for now. I should focus on rescuing the lieutenant colonel first.

Meanwhile, the other Bretons watching on screen, unaware of the truth, witnessed this incredible spectacle—a mere numbered individual sitting inside a mech. They instantly forgot their earlier cheers and began hurling insults. It was as if, in a flash, they had all betrayed their country and sided with the terrorists.

At this moment, Euphemia, the vain princess who had some connection with Suzaku but knew nothing about his background and was rather dim-witted, stepped forward out of her adolescent rebelliousness and said, "Everyone, the hero who is fighting bravely is the guardian knight I have chosen, Lieutenant Suzaku Kururugi."

As a result, the onlookers' impression of the princess collectively dropped by one percentage point.

In that short time, Euphemia's hero was almost about to become a demon. Just as the rescue forces were preparing to press their attack and kill him to avenge their soldiers, my order was given.

"All troops, do not linger in battle. Brittany reinforcements are on their way. Quickly rescue Lieutenant Colonel Todo, then retreat immediately."

After I said those words, I was able to save that scumbag Zhuque. The other drivers, though unwilling, were bound by military orders and feared enemy reinforcements. They hadn't even managed to save him; they'd gotten themselves killed in the process.

At that moment, Hua Lian didn't attack Zhu Que again, but instead rushed to Teng Tang's side. Zhu Que tried to stop her, but several pilots extended their claws towards his head. He had no choice but to turn his arms to defend himself.

Hua Lian immediately opened the hatch, rushed to Teng Tang's side, pulled out a dagger, cut the ropes, and ran back into the cockpit to cover the lieutenant colonel's retreat. Zhu Que was filled with resentment, but could only watch helplessly as the credit that was about to be his slipped away. He couldn't help but lament that he was truly not destined for promotion and wealth.

Once Toudou had thrown the vehicle a certain distance, a waiting vehicle stopped and picked him up. The rescue team watched the vehicle drive away, then completely ignored Suzaku and vanished. When the Britannian reinforcements finally arrived, they hadn't even seen a trace of the terrorists. Only a furious and secretly annoyed Suzaku remained.

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Damn Military Rank System

My first meeting with the lieutenant colonel was unpleasant. It seems like the kind of guy who only listens to orders. He absolutely won't listen to anything else.

When two complete strangers meet and are about to sit down and discuss something, Eastern civilizations typically use the phrase "I've heard so much about you," while Western civilizations might say "It's a pleasure to meet you."

As soon as the lieutenant colonel sat down, before I could even say "I've heard so much about you," he spoke first, his words anything but polite: "I am grateful to you for saving my life. But if you think that this gives you the right to order me around like Todo Kyoshiro, then please don't speak. I'll just have to give you my life in return."

I was speechless. Holy crap, is this how you talk to your savior? That's incredibly rude!

However, I really can't say that. Otherwise, the lieutenant colonel might directly reply, "I apologize for breaking the rules and being impolite. I will now commit seppuku to express my remorse. Please prepare a kaishakunin for me."

I went through all that trouble to save you, to support you in keeping Katase Kyoko in check. Not to watch you perform your long-lost seppuku technique. You bastard.

I rolled my eyes. I knew I'd made a mistake; not all guys with innovative tactics have innovative ideas. The lieutenant colonel opposite me was a prime example. He was a stubborn, die-hard conservative, and hopelessly so.

Okay, ignoring all that, I laughed and said, "Mr. Todo, it's an honor to meet you."

Okay, to be honest, after being immersed in Chinese culture for over a decade, this is basically how I start conversations with strangers.

The lieutenant colonel still had a look on his face as if he owed him money, and nodded in return.

Damn it, if you weren't still useful, I would have dragged you out and shot you right now.

My smile remained unchanged as I asked, "It's truly commendable that Mr. Todo has passed this crucial test. I wonder what your plans are after this?"

The lieutenant colonel immediately declared that he would dedicate himself to the cause of Japan's liberation until his dying breath. He also stated that if there was nothing else, he would be going to find his organization. "Thank you for the hospitality, I won't see you off."

I could still laugh when I heard his first words. But then, hearing him about to leave, acting like he was avoiding a plague, I slammed my hand on the table, abandoning all my previous politeness, and yelled, "You idiot! Sit down!"

Perhaps it was because I shouted so loudly and aggressively, making me seem like his superior, that the lieutenant colonel was startled and almost jumped up to salute me.

I watched as he obediently sat back down, and I snorted coldly. He only responds to force, what a jerk.

"Do you want to die? I guarantee that if you go back to the Japanese liberation front with this attitude, your head will be rolling within three days. Do you think I'm exaggerating? Before I even met you, I already told Katase Kise that I wanted to support you as an independent force, with an equal status to his. What do you think he'll do to you if you refuse my offer and then go back to Katase Kise like this?!"

The boss behind him was supporting someone else, which naturally made him resentful. That person, ungrateful for the boss's kindness, refused, which naturally brought him a sigh of relief. But then he thought, what if this kid suddenly becomes shrewd? Wouldn't that create another competitor? No, he'd better take advantage of this moment, while the boss is still angry with him and he has no power to deal with him. That way, it'll be easier to talk to the boss…

That's the gist of it.

Todo's rigid thinking doesn't mean he's stupid. A little analysis will reveal this implication in my words. Having worked with Katase Kise for many years, he knows Katase's character well. He knows what I'm saying isn't just speculation; it could very well be true.