The time of war is slowly coming for Holfort. Preparations were undergoing for the upcoming battle, but for now there are various of things that Kira and Lacus needs to do; one of them would be to confront Marie who was designated as the Fake Saint of the Kingdom and also as an Anotherworlder by the pink haired princess.
Currently, Kira and Lacus are in the private room by themselves. Both of them are looking straight at Marie who remains unconscious after the pink haired princess scared her till she fainted.
"an Anotherworlder?" Kira spoke as he looks at Lacus. "What is that?"
"it's a term I made for people who aren't originally of this world." Lacus explained as she glances at Kira before she looks at Marie. "but that term I've decided to split into two definitions and titles." She points a finger up and an imagination bubble appears showing two different images. "first is the In-Direct Anotherworlder which is the term for a person who is from another world and came to a different world that he/she had no knowledge of." She points to the image of a person from a futuristic high-end society entering a portal and then arriving into a different place that is medieval. "and the next one is an Direct Anotherworlder which is the term for a person who is from another world and came to a different world however he/she somehow possess knowledge regarding that world." The second image shows a person from one world suddenly appearing in a different world but through unknown means. "in simple terms, the first method is called Teleported while the second method is called Reincarnation."
"so you think that this girl is an Anotherworlder who came to this world that she has knowledge of?" Kira asks as he looks a bit bewildered. "Teleported? Reincarnation? Is that even possible?"
"such things were thought to be just false words or madness in our world." Lacus spoke before she looks at Kira and then motions a hand to their surrounding environment. "yet here we are, in a world that we have no knowledge of."
Kira looks at Lacus and thought about her explanation for a moment before he nods in understanding, believing that there's such things as being reincarnated or teleported to a world of a different dimension.
"so if she is like us." Kira spoke as he looks at Marie. "which Anotherworlder is she?"
"We shall find out once she wakes up." Lacus replied as she looks at the sleeping Fake Saint with a very hard gaze. "Whichever she is. It won't change the fact that she is guilty and sinned for everything she has done in this world."
Both look at Marie, waiting for the time for her to wake up and possibly not caring about what she is currently dreaming about.
In Marie's dream, the girl is seeing an old dream or rather a memory from a previous life.
It takes place at the street of an Asian country, Marie is an astral figure who sees a little girl crying to a boy who looks to be much older than her.
"this is…" Marie looks at the scene and realize that it is nothing but an old memory in her dream. "that's right. This was when Oni-chan.." she remembered the memory as the time when she scratched her knees, wanted her brother to pick her up but he denied, and it ended with her crying herself till she fell asleep on the road. "I was also stupid. Even though I should just go home right away, I got stubborn instead. Come to think of it, how did I go home after this?"
Marie looks at the boy and girl and see that he carried her up and gave her a piggyback ride.
"that's right…he came back and picked me up and…" Marie looks at the scene and shed some tears.
"This idiot. You should just walk home rather than crying until you get tired." The boy complained as he adjusted his hold on the little girl.
"He always complained but he does the things I wanted and…" Marie wiped away her tears that keeps on flowing. "Damnit! Just why didn't you carry me from the start, trash bro?"
"just why does she always rely on me?" the boy asks.
"Oniichan, it's because.." Marie wanted to answer the question from the boy in her dream. The blonde misses the one she called brother in her previous life.
"She's always spoiled, a brat, and also…" the boy spoke out before he smiles and he stops. "ah, that's right. She's also…"
Marie looks at the scene confused before her face looks pale and became horrified when the young boy turns around and showed a very disfigured and bloody face that looks like it belongs to a corpse.
"A mUrDErER~!"
"W-What the!?" Marie looks in shock before she sees everything shattering like glass and she soon stands in a black void filled with nothing. "w-what's going on!?"
"YOU LIED~!" "LIAR!" "MURDERER!" "YOU BRAT!" "HOW DARE YOU KILL US!" "YOU KILLED US!" "WHAT'S WITH THAT LIE OF YOURS!? YOU CALL YOURSELF THE SAINT BUT YOU LIED TO US!" "LIAR!" "YOU KILLED ME AND NOW MY FAMILY IS ON THEIR OWN!" "MURDERER!" "KILLER!" KILLER!"
Voices begin to echo everywhere as they sounded angry, mad, despaired, and sad, all that emotion is mixed together and it's creeping Marie out.
"w-what's going on here!?" Marie screams as she looks very afraid to the point she is in tears. "who is there!?"
As she tried to find the source of the voice, she felt something grabbing hold of her leg.
"w-wha!?" Marie looks down and she looks more scared when she saw that it was a bloody corpse hand that has its flesh torn, rotten, and crumbling with the bones sticking out. "what is this!?"
Marie tried to fleet but more hands came out and grab her legs while also pulling out bloody dead corpse that look like zombies.
"YOU'RE A MURDERER!" "A MURDERER!" "A KILLER!" KILLER!" "KILLER!" "KILLER!"
The corpses started to yell at Marie while slowly piling onto her body.
"l-let me go! Get away! Get away! I'm the Protagonist! I didn't do anything wrong in the game!" Marie screams as she tries her best to flee but the corpses won't let her go. "h-help me! Julius! Anyone! HELP ME~!"
"No one will come to help you, little sis~" a chilly and eerie voice spoke in a whisper behind Marie who started to look pale, the voice made her spine crawl non stop not because of how quiet and eerie it sounded, but also because of how familiar it sounded. "You always took advantage of everyone just because you're so smart and pretty, right? But after everyone knows the real you, I don't think anyone will be coming to help you at all…." a bloody and pale hand reaches from the side and made the blonde return her head to see the bloody and horrifying corpse face of her deceased brother who is giving her a bloody and ghastly looking smile. "but don't worry~! Oniichan is here to help you~!"
Marie wanted to scream in total fear and panic, the blonde couldn't believe what she was seeing and it just made her cry in pure terror.
'n-no…I didn't…I…someone! Please help me~!' Marie tried to cry out for help but she was getting pulled into the darkness by the dozen of zombie corpses who placed their hands all over her body. 'HELP ME~!'
In a flash of an instant, Marie's eyes snapped open in tears as she sat up and started gasping for air. The Fake Saint looking like she woke up from a terrible and terrifying nightmare that she could only escape by waking up from that terrifying dream.
"so you're now awake." Kira spoke out as Marie turns and sees him standing near her while Lacus had sat on a chair and is looking at her. "get up."
"n-no.." Marie said as she sits up and looks as firm as she could at Kira. "I-I'm not going to do anything until my bro comes!"
"your brother?" Lacus asks while folding her hands on her lap. "I'm afraid that you didn't realize that all the members of your Household had abandoned you and the kingdom when the war had begun." She closed her eyes before she slowly opened them and glance at Marie. "but if I were to be precise, you must be referring to your brother of your world, correct?"
"w-wha…" Marie looks rather surprised at Lacus before she slowly looks down and become a bit afraid. "no…I meant my brother from my household..his name is…"
"it'd be better if you stop lying and be truthful." Kira spoke as he sounded very serious and stern towards Marie. "it may or may not help procure the safety of your life at the end of this war."
Hearing his words, Marie became to look very afraid as she looks like a cat who just got caught in the act.
Meanwhile outside of the room and by the hallway just a few minutes ago. Angelica along with Olivia and Julius with his entourage were placed a few rooms away by Hachi who had taken them away from the area upon Kira's instructions.
"let us through! There's no telling what Bartfort would do to our Marie!" Brad shouted, wanting to go back to Marie but Hachi's robot workers were too strong for him. "w-why you little!"
"resistance will be met with sufficient actions." Hachi replied as one worker robot had one of its arms change into an electric taser which delivers a powerful shock that electrified Brad in an instant.
"B-Brad!" Julius cried out as he and the others look awfully scared to Hachi and the worker robots that prepared their electric taser arms.
"Further resistance will be met with appropriate countermeasures." Hachi said after beeping a few times.
While Hachi handles Julius and his entourage, Angelica and Olivia are standing by the sidelines and are thinking of something else.
"Just what was going on there?" Olivia asks Angelica who shakes her head while having a rather firm expression on her face.
"I can think of many things that could lead to such a situation, but after considering that Princess Lacus was there as well…" Angelica spoke while thinking hard with her hand cupping her chin. "that's just gives more questions than answers."
"Do you think that something bad was going on before we entered, Angie?" Olivia asks and Angelica shakes her head.
"I can't tell for sure, but I can only make an estimation that they were conversing something very serious." Angelica replied while crossing her arms under her chest. "but we can get most of our answers with Hachi." She and Olivia then turns to look at the AI's little drone that is having the worker robots tie up Julius and his entourage together, to make sure that they don't do anything stupid or crazy.
"This will ensure that no one can bother Kira and Miss Lacus." Hachi said with a few beeps before the AI's drone turns and looks at Angelica and Olivia who came near it. "is there a problem?"
"not a problem, but a question." Angelica spoke with a hand raised and waved to the side. "in the room, what was going on in that room?"
"ah, yes. I promised you an explanation." Hachi replied as the AI's drone hovers around the girl once. "but please understand that this explanation of mine is only half of the truth and the other half is held by Kira himself. Therefore…"
"THIS WORLD ISN'T A GAME! EVERYONE IN THIS WORLD IS ALIVE AND YOU BLATANLY MAKES AN EXCUSE THAT EVERYTHING IS NOTHING MORE THAN A GAME!"
Abruptly, Kira's shouting voice is heard as this surprised everyone who heard him.
"w-what was that?" Olivia asks surprised as she and Angelica turns towards the room where their friend is currently in.
"YOU CAUSED SO MUCH DEATH! YOU LIED ABOUT BEING THE SAINT AND THEREFORE CAUSING MANY OTHERS WHO BELIEVED IN YOU, TO DIE! YOU STILL BELIEVE THAT THIS WORLD IS A GAME AFTER YOU KILLED SO MANY INNOCENT LIVES!?"
"why is he shouting?" Angelica asks as she and Olivia went near the room with Hachi following.
"please do not enter for it will escalate the situation in the room." Hachi told the two.
"but just what is going…" Olivia asks but she winced when she heard something loud. "t-that was.."
"just what was…" Angelica whispers as she tries to listen on what was going on in the room.
"YOU LIE AND YOU NEVER TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS! YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A SELFISH BRAT!"
"Kira-san is yelling at Marie-san…but why?" Olivia asks while looking a bit worried. "I mean, he never yells at others unless it was necessary and.."
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A SELFISH BRAT!? YOU'RE THE ONE WHO IS SELFISH! IF YOU DIDN'T INTERFERE THAT NIGHT! I COULD'VE GOTTEN RID OF ANGELICA AND THEN THAT NAÏVE BRAT GIRL! I COULD'VE GOTTEN EVERYTHING IF YOU DIDN'T INTERFERE."
Marie's voice is then heard as it sounded like she is yelling back at Kira.
"What did she just say?" Angelica spoke, looking rather angry to hear what Marie just yelled out. "she wanted to get rid of me and Livia?"
"but why?" Olivia gets more confused as she didn't know what was going on.
Angelica and Olivia keeps on listening in but they couldn't hear everything because of how the room was made to not allow too much noise to come out. they were only able to make parts of what they could hear.
After a minute of listening, no more words could be heard from inside as things went quiet.
"they're not talking anymore." Olivia spoke out and Angelica nodded, both trying to listen on what was being conversed in the room, but they couldn't hear a single thing.
"just what is going on inside right now?" Angelica asks, very curious on what is occurring inside.
Back in the room, Marie who sits on a chair, is looking very afraid and nervous because sitting across from her are Kira and Lacus who were staring down at her with hard interrogating gazes.
"Tell us everything that you know of this world, Marie Fou Lafan." Lacus spoke out in a demanding tone of a voice. "and do not think of lying. I can tell a lie from the truth."
Marie looks very nervous as she begins to look more scared of Lacus and Kira.
"i-if I tell you…will I live?" Marie asks, knowing that her fate to be executed is wanted by the Temple Priests and possibly the two in front of her. "a-and not get executed and stuff?"
"That will depend on how truthful you are in this conversation." Kira stated as he hardens his gaze. "any lies and you can be assured that you won't live through this very moment."
Marie shivers in fear as she is very traumatized from having a single conversation with the two people before her.
The Fake Saint looks incredibly nervous for a single moment before she gulped loudly and slightly parted her lips.
"i-it all started with…." Marie spoke out as she begins speaking or rather explaining about her life in a world called Japan before being transported to her current world which is based on an Otome Game that she played years ago or rather had her brother played it. circumstances come and go as she had chose to get her brother to play the game till it get cleared while she went off with a friend for a vacation to another country. Afterwards, her brother had died from mentally and physically exhausting himself to finish all of the game's routes and slipped down the stairs where he broke his neck; next is her being called back to her home from her vacation and then getting disowned by her parents who found out of all her wrong doings over the years because they received an email from the deceased brother before his unfortunate incident. "and then…" she followed it up with the story of how she came to the world when her boyfriend was violently abusing her and that she has been using all the knowledge she possesses of the game to have a blast in her second life but everything was going down sour.
It took 10-20 minutes for Kira and Lacus to hear and understand every bit of detail from Marie's story, the two hardening their gazes when they heard peculiar parts.
"so you believe that you could do whatever you want because of you having such information?" Kira spoke with a very stern and hateful gaze directed at Marie who gulped a bit loudly while having cold sweat covering her face. "You are beyond selfish and arrogant."
"You still believe that it was none of your fault that your brother died in such an accident." Lacus said as she closed her eyes and slightly tilts her head down. "I've no comments at all for your selfishness."
"i-I just asked him to play it till it was finished! I didn't mean to get him killed!" Marie cried out. "it was that stupid bro's fault he played it till he got sick! I was just!"
"You were just being selfish and arrogant." Kira stated as he cuts her off and stares down Marie. "You have no morality and have no care for others. do you still believe that you are innocent after killing someone who is blood related to you?" he showed a very scornful look to the girl. "I'm Disgusted."
"H-How was I wrong?! That bro of mine isn't of your concern and!" Marie cried out but a powerful hand slammed on the table stopped her. "ugh!?" She looks at Lacus who had slammed her hand to the table and is looking rather terrifying cause her pale cerulean eyes that turned hollow cause she had gone Seed mode once again. "w-wha?"
"Do you feel any remorse of what you've done?" Lacus spoke out as she slowly stares deeply into Marie's fearful eyes. "You knew everything about this world and yet you only acted to gain prosperity for yourself while allowing others to fall for your actions. Do you feel any remorse of everything you've done?"
Marie looks a bit tense at a moment before she looks away and whispered. "T-They're just Players in the game and just that…"
"I see…" Lacus heard her and her face showed a very scornful look which is something very rare of the pink haired princess to do. "it has been decided." She stands up and stares down at the girl. "Marie Fou Lafan, you are to be executed after the war with Fanoss Dukedom is over."
"eh?" Marie looks confused for a moment before she looks incredibly shocked and afraid. "w-wait! Why?! I didn't do anything wrong! I was just!"
"You were just being a selfish child." Lacus stated as she turns and begins walking to the door. "you hold no remorse and take no responsibility for your actions that cause trouble for others." she stops walking and turns to show a very scornful and hateful glance at Marie. "Therefore you are to be executed upon the Temple's request."
"w-wait! I was just trying to live my best life! What's wrong with living a good life when my first one was horrible!?" Marie cried out in outrage. "do you have any idea how hard I was living my life when everything went south?! I just wanted to!"
SLAP!
Marie was slapped on the cheek by Kira who look very angry.
"do you not have any idea what caused your first life to go south in the first place?" Kira spoke out as he glare at Marie who looks to be in pain from the slap to her already swollen cheek. "You choose to inflict pain upon others and have no care of the consequences." He hardens his gaze. "this is your Karma." He turns and begins walking to Lacus. "for everything you've done to Angie and Livia. This is your punishment, and no one will come to help you."
Marie looks pale as she started to fear for her life that has its thread slowly being ripped apart.
Kira walks pass Lacus who glance at him for a moment and then at Marie.
"if you wish to have any hope for your life to be spared, you will answer this one last question of mine." Lacus spoke out as Marie looks at the pink haired princess who stares down at her. "tell me the name of the person who should've been the real Saint of Holfort Kingdom. Tell me the name and I promise that you will still have your life at the end of this war."
Marie looks hesitant for a moment as she thought about the question and if Lacus would keep her word or not.
"i-it's…." Marie spoke out as she gulped once and looks at Lacus. "It's that naïve girl..it's Olivia who is supposed to be the Saint."
"I see…" Lacus slightly squinted her gaze before she close her eyes and turns then walks to Kira who is standing by the door. "I'll think of how to spare your life after the war ended, so just stay in this room." She stops and then glances back at Marie. "Understand?"
Marie could only nod in response as she started to pray that her life would be spared no matter what.
After interrogating Marie, Kira and Lacus exited the room and soon finds themselves facing Angelica and Olivia who have been waiting outside.
"Angie…Livia…why are you two…?" Kira spoke out before he turns to see Hachi's drone hovering near him. "Hachi?"
"I tried to prevent them from eavesdropping, but considering that they are your friends…" Hachi spoke and Kira nodded in understanding.
"thank you, Hachi." Kira said before he looks at the two and sighs a bit. "I suppose both of you heard much and…!?" he was cut off when the two girls suddenly hugged him. "w-wha?"
"we're so glad that you're alright, Kira-san." Olivia spoke out while crying some tears as she hugs Kira with Angelica. "when you were arrested that day…we were so worried and…"
"we're just so glad that you're safe and sound." Angelica added in while smiling a bit. "we're just so glad.."
Kira looks at the two a bit surprised at first before he smiles and nodded.
"I'm sorry to worry the both of you.." Kira said while sighing a bit. "perhaps, if we had never met before…"
"don't say that!" Angelica and Olivia exclaimed as they look up at Kira and have a rather angry look at him. "Don't you ever day say those words! Don't you ever!"
"e-eh?" Kira looks at the two confused.
"If I never met you, I would've regretted it my whole life!" "you helped me when no one would! I would regret not meeting such a kind and nice person like you!" Angelica and Olivia exclaimed loudly at Kira who looks taken aback. "so don't ever say such words! We would have such great and deep regrets if we never had met you! WE WOULD REGRET NOT BEING YOUR FRIENDS AT ALL! UNDERSTAND!?"
"R-Right…i-I'm sorry…" Kira spoke, bewildered and looking rather scared from their sudden outburst.
Angelica and Olivia look rather angry at Kira for a moment before that expression disappeared and is replaced with smiles as both glanced at one another and then proceeds to lean up to place two kisses on the young man's lips in one go.
"w-wha!?" Kira looks surprised from the sudden kiss to his lips, the man started to look red in pure embarassement. "w-why are you two!?"
"Think of that as your way to ease our worries." Angelica said and Olivia smiles happily.
"w-well…that's just…" Kira mumbled out before he realized something that made him look pale as he slowly turns his head to the side. "U-Uh..Lacus..this is…"
Lacus had been standing beside the three this whole time in pure silence, the pink haired princess seemingly calm and just had a happy smile on her face. But in Kira's eyes, he sees the red fiery aura that is growing around her body that terrifies him.
"isn't it great that you have friends, Kira?" Lacus said with a short giggle. "it's not nice to worry them, right?"
"y-yeah…" Kira started to look more paler and more scared cause he could tell that Lacus is really furious inside. "i-I won't do it again and…I promise not to do it at all?"
"that's very good to hear." Lacus nods before she looks at Angelica and Olivia who separated from Kira. "pardon me for asking, but how much did the both of you hear of our conversation with Marie Fou Lafan?"
"not much. We only heard outbursts from Kira and that girl, just that." Angelica said after shaking her head and then bowing her head a bit. "I apologize for eavesdropping, but we were so worried about Kira and…"
"if that is the case, you have nothing to worry about." Lacus replied with an understanding nod before she looks at Olivia for a moment, the girl making a confused noise as to why she is being looked at but that only lasted for a moment when the princess turns to look at Kira. "now that we have finished this one problem, I suggest we begin to prepare for the upcoming war, Kira."
"r-right.." Kira said while nodding before he looks at the door to the room nearby. "what about her?"
"I shall inform some guards to keep watch of her." Lacus replied as she then turns towards Hachi. "can I also ask for some help with keeping Marie Fou Lafan under guard, Hachi?"
"I shall dispatch some worker robots to guard this room." Hachi replied after beeping a few times.
"thank you." Lacus nods before she looks at Kira. "come, Kira. We must go and converse with Mylene-san regarding the procedures of the upcoming meeting with the other nobles and battle." She looks at Angelica and Olivia. "as much as I wish for any assistance, I am afraid that both of you cannot be here during the meeting."
"why?" Angelica asks before Lacus explains that there is going to be an arrest of Marquis Malcom and every other nobles who is in league with him and conspired with Fanoss Dukedom. "I see. But if we were there…"
"please understand that this problem arise in the Royal Court and it is in the duties of the Royal Family to resolve it." Lacus said with a nod. "we cannot allow anyone from outside of the court to have any interference in it."
Angelica wanted to retort but she is conversing with a person of higher rank than her and therefore she has to back down.
"yes, I understand." Angelica nods before she looks at Kira and gave him a small smile while patting his right shoulder. "don't make us worry again, you hear me? if you do something rash and get thrown into the Dungeon again, I'll make sure to teach you on how to have etiquette."
"I got it." Kira nods in understanding. "be safe." He turns to look at Olivia. "you too, Olivia."
"yes, Kira-san." Olivia nods.
Afterwards, Angelica and Olivia leaves the area with the escort of two of Hachi's worker robots while Kira and Lacus with the AI's copter drone stays behind.
When the two girls were gone, Kira started to look very nervous and scared cause he just received two kisses from his female friends right in front of his own girlfriend/lover.
"L-Lacus…that was just.." Kira muttered out as he tried to explain that they were just friends and nothing else to his pink haired princess, but Lacus went and held his hand in a rather firm grasp that made him look a bit surprised and confused. "eh?"
"as soon as this war is over." Lacus spoke out as she looks at Kira with a very sweet smile that holds fury and anger. "I'll make sure to let everyone know that you're mine, Kira~."
"y-yes…" Kira had cold sweat forming all around his face. The young man very scared on what method Lacus would use to basically mark him as her possession.
As the little tense situation slowly evaporates between the two, Hachi watches them and the AI made a few beeping noises.
"perhaps I should've tried harder to not allow Angelica and Olivia to eavesdrop." Hachi said with a beep.
The preparation for the upcoming war is undergoing a slow progress as the Kingdom is trying its best to round up soldiers to increase their military strength. Kira and Lacus had gone to meet with Mylene who is making direct preparations to confront the enemy with several trusted military generals.
Currently, Kira and Lacus entered the room which Mylene is in. the Queen had ordered her trusted generals to do several tasks for their upcoming battle.
"Count Bartfort has provided us with Armors and Airships, make use of them to prepare for the war, understand?" Mylene spoke to the generals who nodded and bowed before leaving to do her orders. The queen watches them leave before she turns and sees Kira and Lacus entering. "you two. Just in time."
"how are the preparations for the battle, Mylene-san?" Lacus asks.
"not going well, I'm afraid." Mylene replied as she goes and sits down on a seat. "right now, our forces are rather scattered and we're growing thin in numbers after what had happened to the advance forces." She sighs and shakes her head. "to be honest, we're struggling now."
"what about asking assistance from other countries in alliance with the kingdom?" Kira asks. "I've heard that the Kingdom has allies and.."
"we're allies, but it's just a cover for peace and nothing else." Lacus told Kira. "as much as we do economics trade and have peace diplomacy with one another. There's still some struggles for peace in between." She shakes her head. "after so much diplomacy, there's not been any advances for a permanent peace treaty at all."
"I see…" Kira nods in understanding. "if that's the case…what should we do?"
"perhaps we should enlist the help of the students studying in Holfort Academy." Mylene spoke out. "if we enlist their presence in our military strength…"
"Mylene-san, are you saying that we should ask help from students who have no experience in battle?" Lacus asks, looking surprised. "we can't do that."
"I understand your concerns, but it's the time of war." Mylene told the princess. "I do not wish to do this as much as you do, but there's no choice." She sighs and then looks at Kira. "Count Bartfort, can I ask your assistance in enlisting the strengths of the students in your academy? I'm sorry to be asking you such things but we need their strength to overcome this battle no matter what. can you do it?"
Kira looks hesitant at first, but he thought about the chances of their victory against the Fanoss Forces. The young man knew that even if he and Hachi along with the Archangel and the Five Gundams were to be involved in it, there'll still be losses from their side.
"I understand." Kira nods after sighing a bit. "I'll try to get their help."
"please be quick, there's no telling when will the enemy forces arrive." Mylene said and Kira nodded in understanding.
"Kira." Lacus looks worried to Kira who smiles reassuringly to her.
"I know and don't worry." Kira said as he nods to her. "I've got friends there, and I'm sure that they would help me protect the kingdom, no matter what."
Lacus looks at Kira with some worry but she nodded to him before watching him leave the room.
Now in the hallway, Kira begins making his way to the castle's main entrance as he was joined by Hachi's drone.
"can we really ask help from the students of Holfort Academy?" Hachi asks. "unlike the time during the first invasion, this is a full scale war between two kingdoms and the danger levels are particularly very high."
"I know and it's something that no one can just stand by for." Kira replied with a nod. "everyone in the academy were trained to be nobles whose duties are to protect the kingdom. I'm sure that they are ready to do what they need to do in order to save the people that they love."
"I'm not so certain of that." Hachi stated with a few beeps.
Afterwards, Kira and Hachi leaves the kingdom as they ride on the Perfect Strike that flew away from the castle and straight for the academy.
30 minutes later, Kira is facing Raymond and Daniel along with other students of his class. The group were staying in the academy cause they were waiting for their parents to come and pick them up.
"good to see you safe and sound, Kira." Daniel said as he patted Kira's backside. The group had a little relieving reunion with the young man who they were worried for. "man, you had us scared when you got arrested and stuff."
"good to know that it was just all a lie." Raymond added in while adjusting his glasses.
"thank you, and I'm sorry to worry you all." Kira nods in gratitude while smiling to his friends. "so what is the situation in the academy?"
"a crazy situation to answer you." Daniel replied as he begins explaining how everyone is going crazy after the Fanoss advanced forces came and gets dealt with by Kira. Many students left the academy with their parents who are either preparing for the war or just planning on running away to avoid the fight. Everything was just pure chaos that they couldn't fully comprehend.
"right now, most of us are just waiting to get picked up." Raymond stated while looking outside from the glass window nearby, the young man seeing the number of female nobles leaving the academy with their servants and luggage. "this is really getting ugly."
"I see." Kira nods in understanding before he looks at everyone currently in the room. "I know that this may look bad, but I want everyone to listen to me. this war can be won but only with your help."
"huh? What do you mean?" Daniel asks.
Kira begins to explain the situation of the battle from how the Fanoss forces are coming because of the conspiracy betrayal of Marquis Frampton and his cohorts to the point that the royal family is planning for a counterattack against the enemy.
"Can I ask you all to help me win this battle?" Kira asks as he looks at Daniel and Raymond along with other students who begin to look at each other rather nervous and tense.
"Kira, dude. We're friends and all, but I don't think we can help you at all." Daniel said while looking rather scared as he scratches the back of his head. "I mean, we're nobles and upcoming knights but we have zero experience in doing anything like this."
"yeah, we haven't gotten any good experience in a fight against another kingdom who control monsters too!" Raymond added in. "let's face the facts that this is a losing battle for the kingdom."
"but…you guys" Kira looks at his friends with a taken aback look as he understood that they were scared but he couldn't believe how they were already giving up without trying. "do you really want to surrender to the Fanoss Dukedom?"
"it's the easiest way to survive, right?" "The kingdom's army is practically annihilated. We can't possibly fight a monster that destroyed nearly 200 ships so easily like that." "it's better for us to just surrender to them than fight against them." Everyone chattered amongst each other as they practically chose to surrender or flee than to fight back.
"Kira, you should give up too. You were imprisoned with a false charge right?" Raymond said while adjusting his glasses. "There isn't any need to work so hard like that. If the kingdom lose, we simply need to obey the principality next."
"yeah, and it's better to join the winner than the loser." Daniel added in before he smiles. "besides, I don't think joining the enemy kingdom is a bad idea cause I heard that the male has the stronger position in the principality and it's the female there who's anxious about marriage."
"Really?! I'll swear fealty to the principality!" "Me too!" everyone begin to get ready to surrender to the Principality, all to have a good life of finding a marriage partner.
"all of you…" Kira whispers as he couldn't believe how easy they want to surrender without a fight.
"perhaps we could motivate them by using this information, Kira." Hachi spoke to Kira via his earpiece communicator. The AI begin to give information and guides the Coordinator on how to get his friends to fight for the kingdom.
"everyone, before you join the Principality. Let me ask you one last question before you do." Kira spoke out as everyone looks at him. "is this really what you want? To join and serve your enemies?"
"isn't that what anyone would do if there's no hope left?" Daniel replied while shrugging his shoulders. "no offense, Kira. You're strong and all but I doubt you can take on an entire Kingdom's military forces."
"yeah, we'd be better off serving than die fighting." Raymond added in.
"I see, then what about Jessica and Milly? What about them?" Kira asks and this got everyone's attention once again, but in a more serious tone.
"What about them?" Raymond asks.
"you all do understand that those who surrender the Principality will be worked like laborer slaves, right?" Kira said as he explained how males who surrendered to their enemy's faction would become worker slaves with no chance of freedom. "do you not realize what is the fate for women who surrendered to the principality?"
"for women…" Raymond said before he looks a bit pale. "they'd be Prostitute Slaves!?"
"r-really!?" Daniel asks in shock.
"everyone, including all of you and the girls. You'd all be slaves to the Principality and you have no freedom at all." Kira stated as he waves a hand to the side. "do you really wish to see the girls you all like to be slaves to other men and you're fate to be virgins is sealed forever?"
"n-no way! I don't want to be a virgin forever! I want to be a man!" "just thinking of Jessica-san and Milly-san becoming slaves… I HATE IT!" "those principality bastards better not touch them!" "even if they got engaged to other guys! They're still our goddesses!" everyone started to get riled up as they are fuming with anger.
"everyone, I know that I'm asking you all too much but please lend me your strength to stop this war from destroying us all." Kira said as he did a head bow to them. "I will lend you all every single Espada Airships and Gladius Armors that I have manufactured on my island. I will support your military might to the limits. So please, help me fight this war."
Everyone looks at one another and then nodded before looking back at Kira.
"Kira, you've been making our lives better day by day when we first met you." Raymond said as he adjusted his glasses before smiling. "you helped us when we're in trouble with no questions asked."
"if you're sure that with our help we can win this war." Daniel added in as he grins and did a thumbs up. "then you can count on us!"
"everyone." Kira looks up and smiles gratefully to them. "thank you!"
"alright! Let's kick some principality bastards' asses!" "and get popular with the girls!" "raaaah! I'm fired up!" everyone started to do some chanting about defeating the principality.
"you go and get ready for the battle, Kira." Raymond told Kira. "we'll be getting ready when the fight starts."
"just make sure that we get promoted for fighting, okay?" Daniel added in.
"I'll do my best to ensure that happens." Kira chuckles and nodded.
After achieving success in getting help from his friends in school, Kira prepares to leave the academy as he has other places to be.
"it's a good thing you told me how to motivate them, Hachi." Kira said as he is walking in the school hallway. "we would've been in trouble if they didn't want to help."
"Motivation through general suggestions has been noted to have a significant impact in recorded wars." Hachi replied with a few beeps.
Kira went straight out to the courtyard where the Strike is currently standing by. The young man was about to get on his Mobile suits when he find three particular people standing near the Gundam.
"you three are…" Kira looks at them and sees that Jessica, Milly, and Carla are nearby. "why are you guys here?"
"Kira-kun, it is you." Jessica said as she sighs in relief. "I knew that if the Strike is here, then so will be you."
"yes, but why are you three here?" Kira asks them. "shouldn't you all be evacuating the academy?"
"we were planning to, but with how chaotic is becoming. We couldn't go home at all." Milly said while shaking her head before she looks at Carla. "while she's with us because no one from her household is coming to pick her up at all."
"Perhaps it is because of that sky pirate incident that she isn't so wanted?" Hachi told Kira who shushes him.
"in any case, staying in the academy isn't safe." Kira said before he looks up as a cable line comes down from the Strike's opened cockpit door thanks to Hachi's help, the young man grabs hold of it and then looks at the girls. "I'll take you to the Bartfort Household where they will help in evacuating you all."
"r-really?! I mean, is it alright?" Jessica asks with a rather surprised face. "cause I don't think other nobles would want to help other nobles' daughters and all."
"yeah, it's like basic common sense." Milly added in with a nod.
"Balcus-san is a kind man who always help others no matter what." Kira replied with a smile. "of course, I'll ask his help to get you all evacuated."
"e-even myself?" Carla asks with a rather nervous face. "I d-don't think that I can because of what…"
"The past is in the past." Kira stated while still smiling. "and it doesn't matter what you did to me in the past, what matters now is that you didn't mean to do it therefore you shouldn't be scared to ask for help. Understand?"
"y-yes…" Carla replied with a blush and looking a bit happy. "thank you."
Kira nods, a bit oblivious to see her blush as he looks up and let himself get pulled up to the cockpit from the retracting wire rope.
A few minutes later, the Strike rises to its feet and the Gundam held up both hands to its chest as it carries Jessica, Milly, and Carla on it palms before gently holding them towards the cockpit door.
"be careful of your steps." Kira said as he helps Jessica to come in and let her hang on the right side of his gundam's cockpit then repeated the action with Milly who takes the left side.
"u-um…there is no more room." Carla said as there is no more room for her to get in.
"if we squeeze in, I think we can fit you in." Jessica said as she tries to reposition herself.
"I don't know if we can." Milly stated as she sees how there's not much room is available in the Gundam's cockpit.
"I-I believe I should stay outside and just…" Carla said, thinking that it'd be best for her to stay outside.
Kira thought about it for a moment as he didn't like the idea of carrying a person outside of his Gundam which isn't a very good idea. He looks deep in thought for a moment before he sighs.
"come here." Kira said as he reaches out a hand to Carla who made a confused look. "just come here."
Carla looks confused at first before she takes Kira's hand and lets herself gets pulled in.
Things goes here and there which leads to Carla nervously and embarrassedly sitting on Kira's lap.
'why does she get to sit there!?' Jessica and Milly thought in unison while looking jealous.
"u-umm…." Carla cried out as she looks very nervous.
"hold on." Kira told the three as he focuses his attention on doing some quick checks on his Gundam's controls. The young man presses a button and this activates the mobile suit's activates its Phase Shift Armor. The Strike's eyes flashes yellow and its thrusters ignited before it soon flies into the air where it gets a ride from a Guuru that came flying by remotely by Hachi.
At the Bartfort Household's floating island, an evacuation of its citizens have begun as Balcus is managing the people to evacuate to the Espada Airships that he received from Kira as a gift.
Nix is also present as he is helping his father in the evacuation of the citizens of his family's island.
"please be calm as you get on the airship!" Nix exclaimed as he oversees the people getting on the airships. "there will be more airships coming! Everyone is going to be evacuated to safety! So don't worry!"
As Nix continues to evacuate the people, he heard some commotion nearby that made him turn and then look up with a surprised look cause he sees the Strike on the Guuru flying to the island's air where it came jumping off and then landing on the island rather slowly with the help of its thrusters.
"The Strike!?" Nix exclaimed in surprise before he runs straight for the mobile suit that deactivates its Phase Shift Armor and slowly gets down to its knees while holding a hand to its opened cockpit door from which Jessica, Milly, and Carla came out of.
Kira soon exited the cockpit of the Strike as he got down from his Gundam and is soon faced with Nix who came to him.
"Kira! You're safe!" Nix said as he gave Kira a quick hug and then patted his shoulders a few times. "man! You made us all worried when you got taken a prisoner by the kingdom soldiers!"
"I know and I'm sorry to worry you." Kira nods in understanding. "where is Balcus-san?"
"he's currently getting everyone evacuated." Nix replied. "I'll take you to him."
"alright." Kira said before he took a quick look at Jessica and the others and then back at Nix. "but before that, can you also get them to be evacuated along with the others?"
"they are?" Nix asks as he looks at them in confusion.
"friends of mine who weren't able to evacuate in time." Kira said before bowing his head to Nix. "I know I'm asking too much, but please allow them to be evacuated with everyone else."
Nix looks at Kira for a moment and then sighs with a smile.
"You helped my Family grow in their finance and helped us when we needed it. you asking us to help you." Nix said as he went and patted Kira's shoulder. "is nothing more than a small favor."
"Nix.." Kira looks up and sees Nix smiling while nodding as he patted the young man's shoulder a few times.
"you've been so nice and helpful to my family after my father found you. Therefore I'm inclined to help you when you're in trouble." Nix said as he then shakes Kira's shoulders once. "so don't bow your head to ask me for help anymore, got it? whether it is to go fight a war or stuff, you don't need to ask for my help, got it?"
Kira looks at Nix with a small surprised face before he smiles and nodded.
"thank you." Kira nods to Nix who nods back and then looks at the girls.
"come on, we still got some rooms for you guys on board." Nix said as he turns and did a follow me hand wave. "let's go and chat up with my dad, Kira."
"yes," Kira nods before he motions the others to also follow which they did.
Everyone followed Nix as he got them to the main evacuation airship which is a very modified Espada that Kira gifted to the Bartfort Household when he started his business to produce and sell Armors and airships.
In the bridge of the evacuation airship, Balcus is currently ordering everyone to prepare to evacuate the citizens on his island before he came to meet Nix who brought Kira to him while Jessica, Milly, and Carla were taken to safety by a sailor who was asked to help.
"Kira! You're alright!" Balcus said with a relieved smile as he went and hugged Kira for a moment. He then separates before he begins shaking the young man with a rather furious look. "just what did you do this time!? A war is coming and you got imprisoned!? Just what did you do!?"
"I-I didn't do anything, Balcus-san!" Kira cried out as he is being shaked around before he was saved by Nix who stopped his father.
"Dad, Kira is safe and that's what matters the most." Nix said before he looks at Kira. "although I am curious as to why were you imprisoned and why are you here now."
"yeah, that's very true." Balcus said as he nods and looks at Kira. "so? what really happened?"
"what happened is…" Kira spoke as he started to explain how everything had happened; from his false imprisonment which was done my Marquis Frampton who framed him to be a spy for Fanoss to the point that the war is coming and he is going to participate to stop it.
"boy, you're going to make me die of stress one of these days!" Balcus said as he facepalmed and then sighs before he looks at Kira rather seriously. "alright, you do what you can and I'll do what I can." He then looks at Nix. "tell everyone to get ready to participate in the battle. I can tell that we're going to need all the help we can get."
"alright!" Nix nodded as Balcus looks back at Kira.
"Kira, I understand that you want to fight in this war but remember that you're still a foreigner and it's alright if you.." Balcus spoke but Kira shakes his head and looks at him with a rather determined expression on his face.
"even if I am a foreigner, I will do my best to fight in this war to protect everyone of the Bartfort Household and the kingdom." Kira said before he smiles. "I'm the Bartfort Household's Vassal knight after all."
"you…." Balcus spoke before he sighs with a smile. "let me finish next time, won't you?"
"no promises." Kira said before he hears something from the side as he turns and looks in surprise when Jenna came and suddenly lunged at him. "gah!?"
"KIRA-KUN~!" Jenna cried out as she hugs Kira who she made fall to the floor. "I WAS SO WORRIED~! SO~! SO~! SO~! WORRIED~! I SAW YOU GET TAKEN AWAY AND I WANTED TO SAVE YOU! BUT I COULDN'T BECAUSE OF MY STUPID BROTHER WHO STOPPED ME!"
"hey, if I didn't stop you. You'll be taken prisoner, you know?" Nix stated but was ignored.
"J-Jenna-san…please stop!" Kira cried out as Jenna continues to smother against him and making him look very uncomfortable.
"are you alright?! Are you not hungry?! They gave you food right?! Do you need anything to drink!? Do you.!?" Jenna blabbered out but was stopped by Balcus who picks her up. "h-hey!"
"Jenna, unless there's anything else but to confirm that Kira is safe. How about you go too Luce and Finley and evacuate with the others?" Balcus said while crossing his arms on his chest. "we need to get you all evacuated before we can go in the war."
"evacuated?" Jenna said before she looks surprised for a moment. "ah! that's right!" she then points to the doorway to the outside. "outside! It's them! They came!"
"who came?" Nix asks confused.
"who else!? It's that old bag Zola!" Jenna exclaimed.
"Zola?" Kira, Balcus, and Nix spoke in unison.
Outside of the airship and being held back by guards are Zola along with her children and followers who are yelling and screaming to be let onto the airship.
"I said let me through!" Zola shouted at one guard before she saw Balcus and the others coming down the airship. "Balcus! Let us in right away! We need to get to the capital and collect all the fortune in my mansion before evacuating! You get that!?"
"Are we really going to get them on board?" Nix asks, not liking to be on board an airship with Zola and her children.
"we are if they are going to help." Balcus said as he went and faced Zola. "as you know, Zola. A war is coming and it's in the kingdom's rules that all men from a household to participate." He then looks at Rutart who is standing behind his mother. "come, Rutart. This will be your first campaign as a knight."
"huh?! No way! I'm not going to get myself killed!" Rutart shouted. "don't order me around, you pompous countryside noble!"
"it's war! You cannot run away or you'll be stripped of your nobility!" Balcus exclaimed, in a commanding tone which surprises Nix and Kira cause they never seen the older man having such a tone that doesn't match his rather smooth nature.
"Balcus! who do you think you're giving order to!?" Zola shouted as she swung a hand to the side and pointed a finger at Balcus. "Who do you think it thanks to that you could live in peace!?"
"hand over Rutart so that we can fight in the war." Balcus stated. "it's his duties as a knight and future heir of the Bartfort Household. He has to fight and nothing you say can change that."
"Don't get carried away you trash!" Zola shouted, the older woman losing her temper. "Rutart is the son of my beloved! He doesn't have the blood of the like of you flowing inside him." she then points a finger at Nix and then at Kira. "If you want to go to war then go with that good for nothing and that brat over there!"
Balcus looks silent from Zola's outburst, one would think that he would comply with the older woman's demand but seeing how there is a war coming and the situation is very tense, the head of the Bartfort Household made a very serious look at his so called Legal Wife.
"I see. That's what I suspected from you, Zola." Balcus said before he turns and closed his eyes. "I knew about it from the start but its' refreshing to know that it was the truth all along." He begins walking straight back to the airship. "leave and never come back here again, Zola."
Hearing his reply, Zola started to look scared and changed her attitude.
"W-Wait! Just now is a misunderstanding! You know, it's!" Zola exclaimed as she tried to reach out to Balcus but the guards pushed her and the others back. "If you want a heir no matter what, then we can do that after this! Anyway, for now take us away from here!"
"sorry, but I have no obligation to help someone who didn't give me an heir." Balcus said as he glance at Zola with eyes of anger and hatred which is something no one has ever seen before. "leave now." He then did a signal which got many more soldiers of his household to come and begin to push away the former Legal Wife of the Bartfort Household. "and don't you dare show your face here ever again."
"wait! That airship! Please! Please!" Zola cries out as she begs to get on the evacuation airship, but Balcus didn't even care about her anymore.
As Zola and the others are getting pushed away, Balcus and the others went to the airship but stopped near the entrance to the bridge. The head of the Bartfort Household faces his vassal knight with a very serious face.
"Kira, this war is something that might go down in history." Balcus said as he started to look more serious. "have you resolved yourself?"
"yes." Kira nods. "I will do my best to protect everyone."
"I see." Balcus nods back with a smile. "I'm going to still evacuate everyone, and when I'm done, we're going into the war." He then patted Kira's right shoulder. "be safe and don't get thrown into the Dungeon again, alright?"
"yes, I promise." Kira smiles and Balcus nodded before he went to the bridge.
"don't get into trouble again, alright?" Nix told Kira while patting the young man's back and then following his father.
Kira nods and watches the father and son get prepared for the war while evacuating everyone.
"it would seem that your encounter with them might have been fate, Kira." Hachi told Kira via his earpiece.
"Yeah, it could've been fate." Kira nods before he looks to the side and then into the sky. "Hachi, how is our progress for the military strength improvement?"
"at 58%." Hachi replied with a few beeps. "it's steadily increasing and in time, we will have enough military strength to counter the principality."
"good." Kira nods before he begins walking straight back to his Strike. "and how is Lacus doing?"
"she's making progress for the meeting of all the nobles to the castle 's throne room." Hachi replied. "she request that I should inform you that the meeting will begin in just a few hours and that you should be present when it comes."
"got it." Kira said as he gets on the Strike's hand and the Gundam slowly raise it to its opened cockpit with the help of Hachi's direct remote control. The Ultimate Coordinator gets inside and started the mobile suit's system. "tell her that I'm on my way."
"roger." Hachi replied as the Strike rises and activates its Phase Shift Armor before it tilts its head up and then proceeds to fly into the sky where its Guuru came flying back and gets the mobile suit to ride on its back.
The Strike proceeds to fly away from the Bartfort Household's floating island as it is heading straight back for the Holfort Kingdom's floating island.
That's a wrap!
Bye bye