The conference room was filled with Banfield family members and Percy, the head of the Atalante development team from the Third Weaponry Factory. The two groups were seated across from each other, negotiating the Atalante’s development.

Klaus, the leader of the group, was looking at the documents, his eyes narrowed slightly. He had a stoic expression, but there was an undercurrent of displeasure.

"Shouldn’t the Third Weaponry Factory be responsible for the prototype experimental craft? It’s not like we’re co-developing it—no, in this case, it’s a request for an investment. Asking us for funds at this point is a breach of contract."

The soldiers and bureaucrats, including Klaus, had grim expressions.

Percy, on the other hand, seemed troubled. The loss of a significant amount of repair costs was a factor, but the primary reason was something else.

It was an internal power struggle within the Third Weaponry Factory.

“There’s a split among the upper management regarding the special machine development. The plan itself will continue, but our budget has been drastically reduced. If this continues, the project will be effectively shut down.”

Even Percy, who had been involved in the Atalante’s development, was unhappy about the situation.

However, the Banfield family wouldn't be happy to be told to just pay for their mess.

The soldier with the general’s insignia stared at Percy. His gaze briefly landed on Emma, who was included in the meeting.

His eyes seemed to accuse her of causing this problem: a useless knight.

"We acknowledge the importance of special machines. We’ve seen them in action on the battlefield many times. But, we don’t need them to be your product."

Another soldier spoke up.

“The Banfield family’s army has a long history of working with the Seventh Weaponry Factory when it comes to special machines. Our lord often entrusts them with his personal machine."

It was common knowledge within the Empire that the Banfield family and the Seventh Weaponry Factory were close.

Percy knew this, but she couldn't back down.

“I am aware. But isn’t the Third Weaponry Factory also a crucial partner in supporting the Banfield family’s military?”

While the Seventh Weaponry Factory excelled in special machine development, the Third Weaponry Factory produced the mass-produced machines that supported the majority of the Banfield family’s soldiers.

The soldiers looked annoyed. Klaus, whose expression remained unchanged, spoke.

"This is a matter we can't decide ourselves. After all, this whole Atalante development project is something that person is involved in."

"That person."

Upon hearing Klaus's statement, the soldiers reacted in various ways. Some were surprised, others looked annoyed, and others looked troubled.

Klaus clasped his hands together and told Percy that he would hold off on an answer.

"I will confirm this with them immediately. But they are busy. Please be patient for the reply."

Percy nodded dejectedly. "Understood. I’ll explain the situation to headquarters."

...

After the meeting ended, Percy and the soldiers left the room.

Only Klaus and Emma, who had been called upon, remained.

"Lieutenant Rodman, I want to hear your honest opinion."

“Yes, sir!”

Emma, tense, offered a salute.

Klaus sighed softly. "There's no need to be nervous. I just want to hear your personal opinion. Do you really think this Atalante project will be completed?"

“Um…”

Emma, assuming it was a technical question, was trying to figure out how to answer, but Klaus projected several screens around them.

Displayed on them was the Atalante’s data.

“The Atalante, developed by the Third Weaponry Factory, is indeed high-performance. But at this point, only a few pilots in the Banfield family, including yourself, can handle it. Can a mobile knight like that truly be completed?”

It had major problems as a weapon.

Emma looked down and asked, "Are you saying that it’s useless even if it’s finished? Are you asking us to stop the project?”

The reason for stopping the project made sense. It was the right thing to do, as it was a flawed machine, but it was difficult for Emma to accept personally.

Klaus replied softly, “It's up to the people above us to determine its usefulness. We should just focus on fulfilling the tasks given to us.”

Would the flawed machine be finished?

Emma answered.

"If that's the case, I’ll make sure it's completed."

Klaus, sensing her determination, erased all the projections around them.

“I see.”

...

After dismissing Emma, Klaus began compiling a report on the matter.

He created the report while viewing projections in mid-air. The documents included data on Emma, the test pilot.

As Klaus looked over Emma's data, he noticed something amiss.

"I thought so, but her Knight Academy performance is dismal."

A new knight was given a B-rank and a lieutenant’s position. She was treated better than the elite knights, yet she was assigned to the frontier security forces. He was curious about this discrepancy.

"That’s why she’s so attached to the prototype experimental machine."

Emma had not had any noteworthy achievements before receiving the Atalante. In fact, her performance as a knight was subpar.

Now he understood why she was so attached to the Atalante, the chance she had finally gotten to prove herself.

"That’s all I can do," he muttered.

He then prepared a different document. He wrote a request for continued development of the Atalante project, signed with his name.

...

Emma, back in the hangar, was floating, knees drawn up to her chest, her face hidden, in front of the Atalante, which was bound by numerous wires.

Molly was beside her, trying to console her.

“It’s not your fault. Percy told me. It’s supposed to self-destruct if it overloads. You don’t need to worry, Emma.”

Originally, they were supposed to test if the machine would self-destruct when it overloaded.

But Percy, based on the combat data, had decided that it was too dangerous and had asked Emma to stop.

It was her fault that she didn’t listen.

“If only I’d...”

“Okay, stop being so gloomy! It’s too depressing! Thinking about it won’t solve anything, so let’s go have some fun.”

Molly showed Emma a pamphlet that projected images of various attractions on Asteroid Neya.

“I've been doing some research. This place is super weird, since it’s a weaponry factory. It’s completely different from other colonies. I’ll give you a tour, so let’s go have some fun.”

"B-but..."

“Come on, come on. And besides, you haven’t taken a break since you came here, have you? You need to take some time off.”

Emma was dragged along by Molly and went shopping.

...

A few hours later, Emma and Molly were gawking at the goods displayed in the shop window.

Their eyes lit up, and their voices rose.

"This is amazing! You don't see this every day!"

“It’s so amazing, it’s almost disturbing. Oh, look at that, too!"

The people walking by looked at them with curious glances as they watched two young girls giggling excitedly.

There wasn’t anything unusual about the scene, but the problem was the item they were looking at.

Emma’s voice quickened as she looked at the item.

“This isn’t a special Banfield-edition Avid, is it? This is super rare. The Banfield family has their garage kit version of the Avid, but you don’t see it outside of the family. I’ve heard they’re difficult to find. They’re really something, the Seventh Weaponry Factory. Ah, I want to buy it and put it up in my house.”

The display case contained an Avid, the mobile knight that the Banfield family’s lord used as his personal machine.

But it was different from the Banfield family’s version. Its color scheme was a metallic gray.

Molly twisted her body beside Emma.

“I love the prototype feel of this. But the price is high.”

The two girls looked at the price tag and sighed in disappointment.

But Emma looked up.

“I’m going to buy it. I’ll buy it and build it and put it on a shelf at my house. I’ll put it beside the Banfield-edition Avid.”

Molly turned to Emma, tilting her head in confusion. “There’s an Avid model? I heard they’re not even available for sale, let alone a garage kit.”

Emma put her hands on her hips, smugly explaining the circumstances.

“They only released it for a short time. It was a limited-edition kit that was only available for a few months. It’s a rare, phantom kit.”

Molly covered her mouth with both hands, looking at Emma with envy.

“That’s so cool.”

“I’m proud of myself for buying it. I spent all my money to buy three of them.”

"You’re amazing, Emma!"

Emma, pleased with the praise, walked into the model shop and bought three Avid kits before leaving the store.

She was delighted but her face was blue.

"Emma, what's wrong?"

“I got carried away and bought three.”

"O-kay."

Emma began to worry about how she would manage her money this month.

The two of them were talking outside the store when a beautiful woman approached them.

She had a slightly annoyed expression, the same woman who had been looking at the Raccons earlier.

“You’ll be disrupting the store if you make so much noise.”

Emma blushed, feeling embarrassed as she saw people staring at them.

“I’m so sorry.”

“You don't need to apologize to me. I recognize you. We met when you were looking at the Raccons, right?”

The woman smiled slightly, tilting her head.

“Y-yes.”

She turned and walked away, waving to them as she did.

“Have a nice day.”