CH 287

Even if it’s cowardly

Seeing the huge ball of fire flared up in the darkness of space, the Empress showed a satisfied smile.

“Seriously, they gave me such a hard time.”

After exiting the atmosphere, the Empress activated her stealth device and spent most of her remaining fuel on a forced march to reach this area filled with dark impromptu space reefs before Kisei’s group. Using the head start she earned using her precious fuel, she had set up traps all over the area.

Naturally, she also had an option to quickly find a ride booster and get out of here but she knows that she won’t have a future left if she gets captured mid-escape. It’s easy to assume that the Calencians would send their most elite pursuers after her so, rather than letting them catch her while she was escaping, she decided to turn the table on them here and escape in peace.

“That was 46cm High explosive round at point blank. Even if they are piloting Zeniths, they shouldn’t get away unscathed…….”

The traps were made using explosives and ammunition she scavenged from the wreckage. It was disgraceful but the traps she laid should be powerful enough to take down her opponents. Even a heavily armored machine should be rendered immobile with this.

“Still, it’s better to confirm the result with my own eyes huh.”

The Empress knew that she would be the most vulnerable the moment she thinks that she got them. Because of that, she made sure to load the mega blaster rifle in her hand before leaping out from the cover of a cruiser’s wreckage.

“If it’s from that direction then the one that got triggered must have been No.3 huh? In that case…….”

She had set up many traps besides the one that got triggered earlier. Knowing that, Empress makes her way through the debris while being careful not to get herself caught in her own traps.

“Muh!”

However, when she was flying past a large chunk of iron, the lock-on warning sound suddenly resounded inside her cockpit. The Empress immediately pulled back the control stick and performed an evasive maneuver. And after a moment of delay, a thick streak of light hit the surface of the iron chunk.

“Tsk! Missed huh!”

“That voice, Diaroze!?”

The voice she heard over the comm was a familiar one. No matter how cold-hearted the Empress is, there’s no way that she would mistake the voice of her own daughter.

“Indeed!”

A pure white striker…….[Ex-Caliburn] jumped out from the shadow of the debris. The head and various other parts were completely different but from the shape of its chest armor, the Empress could tell at a glance that it was a modified version of the [Zentis].

Currently, [Ex-Caliburn] is being piloted by Diaroze. Kisei is resting his exhausted body in the front seat of the cockpit since he had fainted from the impact of the explosion.

“It’s a little unexpected but I will have you die here! For the sake of Schleer and Valentina who died protecting us………!”

“I’m still alive okay! A-L-I-V-E!”

“Stop spouting nonsense and fight her seriously!”

Retorts came flying immediately after. It appears that both Schleer and Valentina are fine. However, they can not participate in the battle. When the trap was triggered, the two(+Diaroze in the cockpit) shielded Kisei. It was thanks to their effort that the [Ex-Caliburn] was almost unscathed.

Their two strikers on the other hand suffered fatal damage and are mostly destroyed by the explosion. This is especially true for Schleer’s [Mistilteinn] as it took the brunt of the explosion and is already beyond repair. With that being the case, Diaroze has no choice but to work hard and take down the Empress by herself.

“Hmph, so you’re my only opponent huh? Then there’s no problem. I will embed it into your brain that you are nothing more than a downgraded copy of me!”

The Empress fearlessly smiled and pointed the muzzle of her mega blaster rifle at the [Ex-Caliburn]. She hasn’t been on the battlefield for a long time but she had never missed her combat training which is mandatory for Vuld nobility. Because of that, she doesn’t even entertain the idea that she would lose to Diaroze who’s more specialized in commanding an army.

“Hmph, there’s no way a weakling who relies on cowardly traps like you to win against me!”

Dodging the rapid-firing beams with a low-powered thrust, Diaroze replied with provocation. However, the Empress’s accuracy was much better than she had expected so cold sweat started forming on her cheeks. A momentary opening could spell her death.

“Hah, my subordinates are not here. There’s no need to worry about reputation no matter what I do anyway!”

Naturally, setting such booby traps to ambush her enemy is not something that her subordinates would look kindly upon. As a royal, being labeled as a coward would be fatal. However, she’s freed from such restraints right now.

“What, so in other words, you are saying that you are no match for me without relying on those traps? ……..Mother, it seems your age has finally gotten to you huh?”

“I don’t want someone who just showed the entire army how she was so happy to be whipped by a man to tell me that!”

The Empress yelled. Perhaps when it comes to throwing away their pride, Diaroze is much better than her.

“I will kill you here! You can regret ever rebelling against me after you die!”