The hangar of Melea, reborn as a technical test ship, has become narrower than before its renovation.

Previously, space was used inefficiently, but during the modernization overhaul, the equipment and facilities necessary for the technical test fleet were installed.

Most of the hangar is occupied by Raccoon units from the Seventh Weapons Factory.

At the far end, a dedicated space for Atalante has been prepared, making it seem like this single unit receives special treatment.

The newly deployed units in Melea’s hangar are mobile knights from the Third Weapons Factory.

Two types of units have arrived.

Each belongs to a different project, but they have been assigned to Melea, along with their staff, as the technical test fleet begins full-scale operations.

In front of Emma, the test pilots are lined up, and the most flamboyant-looking young man steps forward to introduce himself.

"I’m Second Lieutenant Rick Martin! The mobile knight I’m assigned to is the Armored Nevan. Nice to meet you, Senpai!"

Emma is taken aback by Rick’s casual introduction.

"Se-Senpai? You mean me, right?"

"Of course! I may look like this, but I’m technically a knight too. I’m your junior, Captain Rodman!"

Rick, who claims to be Emma’s junior, is indeed a knight.

He’s tall and well-built, but his demeanor is undeniably frivolous.

Most notably, Rick sports a mohawk with his hair dyed pink.

Even in front of Emma, the squadron leader, he’s wearing sunglasses and seems lax about discipline.

Emma feels a headache coming on but looks up at the mobile knight Rick is assigned to.

"...I have a lot of things I’d like to say, but let’s first confirm the mobile knights you’ll be piloting. We’ve already shared the data with the team, but since test units often have classified information and modifications, could you give us a general overview?"

Emma asks for a general explanation during the introductions so that the pilots and mechanics around her can also hear.

She wants to know why they’ve come aboard Melea.

When Emma requests a brief explanation, Rick gives a sloppy salute.

"Got it! —The Armored Nevan I’m piloting is a joint development with the Third Weapons Factory. It’s more about testing optional parts than the unit itself."

While the standard Nevan is a sleek mobile knight, Rick’s Armored Nevan has a heavily armored silhouette.

"Optional parts? So they can be removed?"

Emma’s question makes Rick shake his head.

"Nah, this is a test unit for additional armor. If you remove the extra armor, you’re left with the basic frame of a standard Nevan without its usual armor. The higher-ups want data on how it performs with this setup, using weapons and other optional parts."

Emma looks up at the Armored Nevan and gets a rough idea of what kind of unit it is.

("As per the documents I checked earlier, it’s a test unit for converting the Nevan into a heavily armored type... Now, onto the next one.")

Satisfied with Rick’s explanation, Emma turns her attention to the team piloting a mobile knight classified as a generation before the Nevan.

Unlike Rick, this team is a three-unit squad, and the leader steps forward.

A man with black hair slicked back and oval-shaped glasses, he has narrow eyes and a perpetually stern expression.

In contrast to Rick, he exudes a strict, disciplined demeanor and gives a flawless salute.

"I am Lieutenant Ein Kimura, leader of the Valona squad."

Emma feels relieved that this one seems serious and immediately asks for an explanation of the mobile knights—the Valona squad.

"Lieutenant Kimura, if I may, what is the purpose of the Valona squad—"

"Our squad is investigating the impact on combat effectiveness when the Bannfield family shifts its main units from next-generation to current-generation models."

"Ah, thank you. I have a personal question, though. Isn’t it about time for next-gen units to become the current standard? Why go back—"

Before Emma can finish her question, Ein answers.

"The Bannfield family was quick to adopt the next-gen Nevan as a mass-produced unit. However, this has led to skyrocketing maintenance costs. Our team was formed under the belief that adopting current-generation models would allow the Bannfield family to significantly revise its military expenditures."

"...I see."

Having been cut off twice, Emma realizes that the seemingly serious Ein is also quite the problem child.

Molly, who seems to have a question after hearing Ein’s explanation, raises her hand.

"But, but! The Nevan units, which are treated as next-gen, are about to become current-gen, right? If you adopt them now, they’ll be outdated soon. Is that really okay?"

In response to the question about whether it’s acceptable to use outdated weapons, Ein adjusts his glasses.

He answers as if he’d been waiting for this question.

"Your point is valid. However, the generational shift in mobile knights doesn’t happen in just a few years. In fact, many other families still equip their knight orders with older models. It wouldn’t be surprising if it took a hundred years for the Nevan and other next-gen units to become widespread. That said, I doubt many noble families could afford to equip their forces with current-gen units even after a hundred years. In fact, a hundred years ago, the Bannfield family was still using the Mauve, several generations behind. In other words, we predict that the current-gen Valona will remain highly valuable for over a century."

After hearing Ein’s explanation, Molly regrets asking such a thoughtless question.

"Uh, sorry about that."

Ein continues, unfazed.

"No need to apologize. I’ll address another concern I’m sure many of you have. Some may worry that the Valona is inferior to the Nevan. While it’s true that it falls short in performance, the Valona is an excellent unit. It’s practically the pinnacle of current-gen models. Its production and maintenance efficiency surpass the Nevan, and its expandability is also commendable. With modifications, it can even rival next-gen units in performance."

Emma tries to stop Ein, who keeps talking.

"Lieutenant Kimura, that’s enou—"

"We are striving for the Valona’s official adoption. We sincerely hope for your cooperation."

Despite Emma’s attempt to cut him off, Ein finishes his spiel.

As Emma stands frozen with her hand outstretched, Rick, who has his hands in his pockets and is slouching, makes a face.

"Man, this guy’s a real pain, huh, Senpai?"

Emma thinks to herself.

("Why are all my new subordinates so eccentric!?")

In the lounge used by mobile knight pilots, the members of the third squad, having finished simulator training, enter.

Emma loosens the collar of her pilot suit and lets out a deep breath.

Wiping her sweaty forehead with her hand, she’s followed by Doug and the others.

Larry is drenched in sweat and unsteady on his feet, prompting Doug to sigh.

"You okay, Larry?"

Doug, who’s also exhausted from the long hours in the simulator, looks concerned.

Larry sits down on the sofa in the lounge and leans back.

"Do I look okay? Being stuck in the cockpit for dozens of hours has left me too tired to even move my fingers."

Doug also sits on the sofa and sips a drink through a straw.

The bottled drink is a handy item that not only replenishes fluids but also provides a day’s worth of nutrients.

Seeing the bottle, Emma thinks to herself.

("Doug’s drinking the strawberry flavor.")

It’s an unexpected choice for someone as rugged as Doug, but he seems too exhausted to even remember what he picked.

After finishing the drink, Doug looks at the bottle and frowns.

Realizing his mistake, he crushes the bottle in his hand.

As the two sit in silence, resting, Emma is about to speak when someone else enters the lounge.

"Senpai, great work out there! Man, thanks for helping with the simulator training. The development lead said he’d thank you personally later."

The simulator training was requested by the development team for Rick’s Armored Nevan.

Since the opponent for a knight’s mobile knight had to be another knight, Emma’s third squad was roped into assisting.

"It’s part of the job. Still, Second Lieutenant Martin, you seem quite energetic."

Like Emma, Rick is a knight and doesn’t seem particularly tired.

In fact, his cheerful demeanor makes him seem even more energetic.

"Just call me Rick, Senpai."

"If that’s the case, I’ll call you Second Lieutenant Rick from now on. By the way, could you be a bit more careful with your behavior?"

When Emma gives this perfectly reasonable advice, Rick scratches his head awkwardly.

"Yeah, I’m not great at that stuff. Well, thanks to that, I’m stuck as a perpetual second lieutenant with no hope of promotion, but I’m fine with how things are now. I don’t plan on changing."

Rick boldly declares that he has no intention of improving his behavior, prompting Emma to let out a small sigh.

"It’s a waste of talent. You have the skills to be a test pilot."

When Emma says this, Doug chimes in, agreeing.

He must be recalling the simulator training from earlier.

"Yeah, your skills are impressive. With skills like yours, you could go much further."

Since Doug has joined the conversation, Larry also feels free to speak up.

"To be that energetic after being stuck in the simulator for so long is amazing. We’re just regular pilots, and we’re completely exhausted. I’m really jealous. You must be a top-tier knight."

Having seen Rick’s skills in the simulator, Larry assumes he must be an elite knight.

Emma is exasperated but agrees to some extent.

"Whether he’s top-tier or not, he gave even Atalante a hard time. Second Lieutenant Rick’s skills are very high. ...But for some reason, his knight rank is quite low."

"Huh?"

Hearing that Rick’s knight rank is low, Larry’s eyes widen.

He hadn’t expected a knight so skilled in piloting mobile knights to have a low rank.

Rick laughs nonchalantly.

"Well, yeah. I’m specialized in piloting mobile knights, but my other scores were barely passing. Hmm... As a pilot, I’d say I’m not quite on par with the Captain, but I can hold my own. In a regular fight, though, I’d get wiped out instantly! ...Oh, I mean I’d be the one losing."

Rick is a knight who excels only in piloting mobile knights.

Faced with his cheerful demeanor, Emma makes an indescribable expression.

She’s reminded of her own past as a rookie.

("Come to think of it, I was terrible at piloting mobile knights back then... My other scores were average, though.")

Looking at Rick now, she can’t help but recall her own shortcomings from back then.

Rick himself doesn’t seem bothered by his own deficiencies.

"Man, having Melea as a training partner is the best! Senpai, you’ve got experience with special unit development too, so I think I can consult you on all sorts of things. This is the perfect environment!"

The third squad members are left dumbfounded by Rick’s cheerful laughter.

Emma is about to suggest they all go change when an urgent notification arrives on her terminal.

She immediately checks it, and a video begins playing.

The four of them turn their attention to the hologram that appears in the air.

"A broadcast?"

As Emma mutters this, the person in the video begins to speak.

It’s Christiana Sera Rosebrea.

"To all forces of the Bannfield family: The Algrand Empire has entered a state of large-scale war with the Oxyis United Kingdom."

Her straight, shining blonde hair and jewel-like green eyes are striking.

The beautiful woman delivers the news with a melancholic expression: the beginning of a large-scale war.

Doug stands up and mutters.

"An external war?"

Large-scale wars between interstellar nations involve millions of ships.

They can last for decades, even centuries.

Their impact often spreads throughout the entire empire.

But the announcement doesn’t end there.

"Our family will be participating in this war. From this point forward, all forces of the Bannfield family will be reorganized under central command. Follow the central orders promptly. ...That is all."

After the video ends, several seconds pass in silence.

Emma is the first to speak.

"Well, a war just started out of nowhere."