Selena stood on the bridge of the Dahlia mercenary group’s flagship, gazing at the recently captured fortress. "I was expecting a tough fight and came to offer my services, only to find it already over. What a shame," she sighed, disappointed at missing a lucrative opportunity. While her second-in-command was in high spirits,

"We've earned plenty already, haven't we?" he pointed out. They had participated in several battles on their way here, lining the Dahlia mercenary group’s coffers nicely.

Selena, however, found his complacency irritating. “You lack business acumen,” she chided. “Participating in the siege would have put us in a better position to negotiate. Now, if we simply ask to join them and use the fortress facilities, they’ll lowball us.” While they had profited from recent battles, their ships and Mobile Knights were showing signs of wear and tear. She had hoped to resupply and carry out repairs, but things hadn't gone as planned.

“Captain,” an operator called out, “Rear Admiral of the Imperial Army wishes to speak with you.”

“Put him through,” Selena replied, taking her seat and composing herself before the image of the Rear Admiral appeared on the monitor. Recognizing his noble status, she adopted a respectful tone.

“It’s an honor to have you address me personally, Rear Admiral,” she said. “We are the Dahlia mercenary group, affiliated with the Mercenary Guild.”

The Rear Admiral, looking displeased, addressed her with an air of arrogance. “You contacted us right after the fortress was taken. I was curious as to your purpose. It would have been preferable if you had arrived before the siege.”

Selena maintained her polite smile, unfazed by his condescending tone. “I apologize for the delay. However, wouldn’t you be interested in employing the Dahlia mercenary group until the fortress's defenses are restored? Reconstructing the defense systems will take some time, I imagine.” Capturing a fortress didn't necessarily mean it was ready for immediate use. Time was needed to check for enemy traps and repair the damaged defense systems.

The Rear Admiral’s expression was sour. “You’re a shrewd one. Name your price.”

“Since I’ve already inconvenienced you, Rear Admiral, I’m happy to offer our services at a discounted rate,” Selena replied smoothly. “In exchange, may we use the fortress docks? We require resupply and maintenance. That's all we ask.”

The Rear Admiral was clearly aware of her true motives—resupply and repair. However, likely still apprehensive after the recent battle, he seemed eager to secure the Dahlia mercenary group's support. “Very well. But expect to be worked hard. My subordinates will finalize the details with you.”

“Thank you, Rear Admiral,” Selena replied, her tone insincere. “The Dahlia mercenary group will serve you to the best of our abilities.” The communication ended abruptly.

Selena turned to her second-in-command with a sly smile. “It takes this much to even be considered a proper mercenary,” she remarked.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he replied, chastened.

“Excellent,” Selena said, satisfied. The Dahlia mercenary group, under the guidance of the Imperial forces, entered the fortress.

The Rear Admiral’s secretary questioned his decision to hire the mercenaries. “Are you sure about bringing them in, sir?”

“We need time to secure the fortress,” the Rear Admiral explained. “I intend to keep the Banfield fleet here under some pretext as well.” He had no intention of letting them leave just yet.

“The Dahlia mercenary group is quite large, sir. I'm concerned about our current resources.”

“What’s the problem?”

“Reports indicate that the fortress has fewer supplies than anticipated. We might be able to manage the Banfield fleet, but I doubt we have enough to fulfill a contract with the Dahlia group.”

The Rear Admiral’s face paled. “They’re already inside the fortress. Antagonizing them now would be problematic.” The Dahlia mercenary group had requested resupply and maintenance. Failure to provide these services would be considered a breach of contract, which could lead to them switching sides if the enemy attempted to recapture the fortress. Even their presence within the fortress was a risk, as they could easily leak information to the enemy out of spite.

“Are there any inhabited planets or colonies in this sector where we can requisition supplies?” he asked his secretary.

Meanwhile, back in the fortress docks, Emma’s voice was sharp with anger. “What do you mean you can’t resupply us?! We helped capture this fortress! It's outrageous that we can’t even get proper maintenance!” She had submitted their requests for resupply and repairs, but nothing was happening. When she went to inquire, she was met with a cold response from the officer in charge.

“Don’t get uppity with me, you Earl’s private army wannabes! We’re prioritizing the resupply and maintenance of the Imperial regular army! Wait your turn!” The officer, clad in work overalls, was clearly swamped with work, prioritizing the regular army. Dealing with Emma and her squadron seemed like an annoyance.

Emma refused to back down. “We participated at your request, and now you’re ignoring us?! Central Command has already assigned us our next mission! We can't stay here indefinitely!”

“I’m busy trying to get this fortress operational! If you’re going to complain, you can just leave!”

Behind Emma, Doug and Larry watched the heated exchange. Doug was impressed by Emma’s assertive stance. “The Captain’s really grown. It's important to be assertive in situations like this,” he commented.

Larry, on the other hand, seemed to be reminiscing about Emma's earlier, more timid days. "I preferred her when she was nicer," he sighed.

“You say that, but she caused us a lot of trouble back then with her niceness," Doug pointed out.

“So did you!” Larry retorted. They both had their own perspectives on Emma's development.

Just then, a woman with flowing silver hair landed gracefully, surrounded by a group of imposing soldiers. She addressed the dock officer.

“Excuse me. I’d like an explanation as to why our resupply and maintenance requests haven't been fulfilled.”

Emma froze, recognizing the voice. The dock officer, startled by the woman’s entourage and her commanding presence—and most likely, her status—adopted a subservient tone.

“Captain of the Dahlia mercenary group,” he stammered. “We are working diligently to prepare your resupply and maintenance. Please wait just a little longer.”

“I was told the same thing over the comms,” the woman replied. Then, turning towards Emma, she said brightly, “Well, well, long time no see!”

Emma, finally finding her voice, exploded. “You!” She lunged forward, only to be quickly surrounded and restrained by Selena’s subordinates. One by one, she threw them off, her strength surprising them. Selena, watching the display, clapped her hands in amusement.

“You’ve gotten stronger since the last time I saw you,” she remarked. “You were such a sweet, innocent thing back then. You’ve become quite the brute.” The implied criticism of her lack of grace infuriated Emma.

“What are you doing here?!” she demanded, struggling against her captors. “You’re our enemy!”

Selena placed her hands on her hips and approached Emma. Grabbing her hair, she pulled her close. “As a mercenary, I can be both enemy and ally,” she purred. “You’re still as naive as ever, aren't you? Strong, perhaps, but still the same little girl inside… Truly a pathetic Knight.”

Enraged, Emma broke free from the remaining soldiers, but Selena swiftly countered, putting her in a joint lock. Lifting her off the ground, Selena tightened her hold, causing Emma to cry out in pain.

“L-Let go!”

“No. If I let you go, you’ll likely resort to violence. And then I’d have to kill you, which would be tedious.” Selena continued to treat Emma like a subordinate. While Emma was undoubtedly stronger than before, she was still outmatched.

Selena then turned her attention to Doug and Larry. “I’m currently employed by the fortress commander, so I’d rather not have any trouble. You don’t want your captain getting arrested here, do you?”

Doug, understanding the precarious situation, stepped forward. “Captain, stand down.”

“Doug?! But she’s—!”

“I know she’s our enemy. But the fortress commander has hired her. If you cause trouble here, you’ll be the one in trouble.” Starting a fight with a mercenary group hired by the Imperial army, based on a past grievance, would put Emma at a severe disadvantage.

As Emma relaxed, Selena smiled, a chilling, predatory grin spreading across her face. A sickening crack echoed through the air.

“Gah!” Emma suppressed a scream, sweat beading on her forehead.

Selena leaned in and whispered, “Consider this repayment for injuring my men.” She kicked Emma and walked away with her entourage.

Emma, clutching her broken right arm with her left hand, spun in the air. Doug and Larry rushed to catch her and assess the damage. Doug seemed relieved. “A clean break,” he observed.

Larry, however, stared in disbelief. “A Knight’s bones are supposed to be incredibly strong… How did she break it so easily?”

Emma, fighting back the pain, glared at Selena’s retreating figure. “She’s right here, and I can’t even get revenge…”

Doug placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Just seeing her again is a miracle in itself. Obsessing over the past will only drag you down… like it did us.”

Emma, feeling the throbbing pain in her arm, acknowledged her weakness. I can’t beat her in hand-to-hand combat, not without my Mobile Knight. But the next time we meet…if a miracle happens, I’ll be the one to take her down. She accepted the pain as a reminder of her weakness and vowed to be victorious next time.