CH 269

Disaster

When the report of the fall of the [Valizer] came in, what hit the Empress first was not joy but relief.

“It fell…….finally……”

Exhaling a sigh of relief, the Empress rubs her eyebrows. In reality, the Empress’s fleet did not stay inside the canyon for that long but as she was on the pressured side, a day felt like a thousand.

“With the [Valizer] removed, all we have to do is leave this hole. But……”

The Empress growled as she directed her eyes at the situation outside that was being displayed on the main monitor. The enemy is no longer laying down suppressive fire but it’s obvious that the Calencians would concentrate fire on the [Odelcrois] if she ascends.

What came to her mind was when she ordered the ascension earlier. Despite having the thickest armor of all the battleships in Nored, [Odelcrois] still suffered considerable damage. Even if the [Valizer] is no longer a threat, the enemy’s firepower can not be taken lightly.

“…….can you ready the [La Grume]?”

“Ha……..?”

The unexpected request caused the chamberlain to be confused for a moment. [La Grume] is the Empress’s personal striker. Naturally, same as any other Vuld commanders’ personal machine, it is always on standby and ready to be sortie at any time. Still, the Empress was never the type to head to the frontline herself. In the first place, there’s no need for her to head out at this time.

However, the chamberlain understood well how foolish it is to question the Empress’s order. She’s the type that would execute her subordinate for the most trivial reason. Rather than saying anything, the safest way would be to obey her order.

“Certainly, you can sortie immediately, Your Majesty.”

“Very well, I’m going out. You will follow me with the [Odelcrois] and break through the enemy line. I will take the lead.”

Saying so the Empress stood up with a conceited smile.

In truth, the Empress’s aim was extremely simple. The Calencians would definitely pour everything they have on the [Odelcrois] so if that’s the case, she would be safer on board a smaller craft. That may sound cowardly but she thinks that risking one’s life for honor and appearance is stupid. It’s unlikely that the [Odelcrois] will fall but using it as a decoy is still the most reasonable plan for her.

With that being the case, the Empress headed toward the storage deck where and catapulted off with her [La Grume]. The mechanics and crews were saluting her as she left but she didn’t spare them a glance.

“Now then, let’s see what the Calencian dogs have in store.”

The Empress muttered while confirming that the Imperial Guards are gathering around her. Naturally, among her guards are 2 of the black&white strikers. They were the remaining 2 of the new 4 Heavenly.

“Even so, this is such an overkill. I will have to repay this humiliation a hundred times over……”

Even if she loses the [Odelcrois] the remaining force of the Noredian army is still plenty enough to crush the enemy despite the damage they have suffered.

The Empress was seeing off the ascending [Odelcrois] while thinking something along that line but the next moment a gigantic explosion suddenly occurred on both sides of the canyon. A flash of light as intense as the sun wraps around the fleet and the violent blast and shockwaves shook the [La Grume].

“Gahh!!

The Empress screamed. A number of warning messages popped up on the sub-monitor, reporting the damage her striker has suffered. The Empress managed to remain conscious by shaking her head. The impact from the shockwave was so strong that without the high specs of her striker and Vuld innate physical endurance she would have fainted.

However, the Empress could not afford to analyze her situation right now. After all, a number of huge ice blocks more than a kilometer in size are raining on them from above. At the edge of her vision, she could see a number of her ships getting hit directly by such debris and falling to the abyss.

“ARGHHHHHH!??

With her face instantly pale, the Empress managed to avoid an ice block. However, there were still many left. The canyon itself is heading toward a full-scale collapse. At this rate, she won’t be able to escape. Thinking so, the Empress hurriedly activated her thrusters and soared with her guards in tow.

She never expected that such a disaster would occur even before they left the cover of the canyon. Fortunately, however, no shells rained down on her when she left the canyon. As she rushes away from the collapse, the Empress wipes the cold sweat off her face.

“Ughh……what just happened…….”

She could still hear the sound of explosions from the canyon. From the sound, she judged that she was already far enough away. It appears that the enemy has detonated a large number of explosives in the canyon. Most of her fleet is probably buried alive by this time.

The armor of her battleships is extremely sturdy so such collapse won’t cause fatal damage but if they are crushed under such a volume of ice then it will be difficult for them to escape. The Calencians must have planted those explosives and this was their plan from the start.

“C, Curse you…….!”

The Empress’s shoulders are trembling in anger but her suffering has not come to an end yet. Suddenly, the AI voiced another warning.

[[High-mass approaching! High-mass approaching!]]

At that time, the light of Galea(Star) that’s floating in the middle of the sky was blocked by something. It was as though night suddenly arrived and her surroundings turned pitch black. When the Empress looked up to the sky in a hurry, a potato-like massive rock was in the sky. Its exterior was dyed red by adiabatic compression.

[Galea e-1]. That was the name of the rock mass AKA a satellite that’s being displayed on the monitor. It’s the only satellite orbiting Galea-E and it is now approaching the surface with tremendous momentum. The Empress’s face, which was already deep blue, has turned white as a sheet.

“TH, TH, TH, THAT GIRL…….! SHE’S DROPPING A WHOLE SATELLITE ON TOP OF HER OWN MOTHER’S HEAD!!?”