The airship's hangar.
Lined up there were — Arroganz and the other refitted armors.
"Oh~, this is impressive."
As I gazed in admiration, Luxion, floating near my right shoulder, gave an explanation.
"The armors used in the Republic have been refitted to their limits. As for Arroganz, additional armor plating has been installed."
If I had to describe it, it looked like a "Full Armor Arroganz."
Armor-like plating had been attached to the usual Arroganz, and various weapons had been mounted as well.
And around it, Julius and the others' armors were lined up.
Armors that Luxion had refitted, giving them performance approaching Arroganz.
The five idiots were in the hangar.
Just like me, they were wearing pilot suits, but——
"It's just not the same without a fundoshi and happi coat style."
——Agreeing with Chris, who was sulking as he said that, was Greg, who wore a twisted hachimaki headband.
Both of them, instead of the same vest I wore, were draped in festival happi coats.
"I even prepared a new fundoshi for this day, and now nobody can see it, so what's the point?"
Where exactly did these guys go astray?
Brad, of all people, was wearing a cape and a silk hat.
"You guys just want to strip, don't you?"
As I shook my head in exasperation, Chris and Greg began protesting fiercely.
"We're not naked! We're properly wearing fundoshi!"
"Don't make us sound like perverts! Besides, your getup is the perverted one!"
Brad flew into a rage.
"Are you saying this magician style is weird!"
Three noisy guys.
Jilk, of all things, had brought a tea set into the hangar and was enjoying tea.
And it was wafting a terribly questionable aroma.
"Everyone, how about calming down a bit? More importantly, Bartfort — no, Leon, why did you prepare five armors?"
There were five armors aside from Arroganz.
But including me, there were only four people present.
"Ah, that one is——"
Just as I was about to explain why I'd prepared it, footsteps echoed clop-clop through the hangar.
The one who appeared was——Julius.
But wearing a mask and a cape——if an outsider saw this scene, they'd probably suspect it was a costume contest.
"That machine is mine."
The masked man gave off an air of having appeared at just the right timing.
"It's been a while, gentlemen. I shall lend my hand as well."
At that, Greg stood with arms crossed in a Nio pose.
"What did you come for, perverted knight!"
"It's masked knight! Don't get it wrong!"
Watching this exchange, my shoulders slumped.
"How long am I going to have to watch this farce?"
"My sympathies."
Even Luxion sympathized with me.
Jilk stood up.
"Just who exactly are you? Could it be you're a spy from the Empire?"
"An Empire spy? How rude. I am your ally."
Brad was also on guard.
"We don't know your background. And it's right before an important operation, so the fewer uncertainties, the better."
These guys, not knowing the masked knight's true identity, were doubting his origins.
——What a seriously stupid bunch.
Chris took up his sword.
"Masked knight, show us your true face."
I sat down on a nearby crate and made a request to Luxion.
"I'm hungry. Got any light snacks?"
"It's right before combat, you know."
"Could be my last meal, right? You got anything?"
"That doesn't sound like a joke. ——I'll prepare onigiri."
"That sounds great."
As Luxion drifted away, I watched the farce of the five idiots.
The masked knight, with a sword pointed at him, brought his hand to his mask.
"——Your concerns are reasonable. So I, too, shall show my sincerity."
Julius, removing his mask, shook his head sideways, making his hair sway.
Handsome guys look picturesque no matter what they do. So enviable.
The four of them gasped.
The first to speak was Jilk, Julius's milk brother.
"Y-Your Highness?!"
Julius smiled.
"The masked knight's true identity is——me."
Chris lowered his sword.
"To think the masked knight was His Highness all along — I never imagined it."
Did you really not notice? Hey, are you really okay?
While retorting in my head, Brad placed a hand on his chin and began deducing.
"I see. Come to think of it, the only one who could move at the timing the masked knight appears is His Highness. He knows about us in detail, and it makes sense that he'd show up right at the best moment."
Yeah, that's right.
I wanted you to notice much sooner.
I've even gone into denial, thinking maybe they actually did notice and were just pretending out of kindness.
But these guys always betray my expectations from an angle below the obvious.
Greg was dumbfounded.
"——Julius was the masked knight?"
Julius brushed up his bangs with his hand, and his face took on a serious look.
"I'll fight alongside you all too."
Greg rubbed under his nose with a finger.
"Heh! Do as you like. Besides, the Julius you are now being here is no trouble at all."
For some reason they were giving off an emotional-scene atmosphere, but from any outside perspective it was just a farce.
Still, Greg's "the Julius you are now" line is a little puzzling.
Since his younger brother Jake threw away his position by going for men, Julius might still have a chance of being reinstated as Crown Prince.
Well, Roland apparently has many children, so once this battle ends safely, I'm sure he'll carefully choose his successor.
Taking into account the failed examples of Julius and Jake, I really want him to choose seriously this time.
While I was watching the five idiots' farce, Luxion came carrying the onigiri.
He'd properly prepared green tea too.
"Master, I have brought them."
"Thanks. Mm~, this, this!"
It was just salt and seaweed, but somehow it was delicious.
As I was eating with delight, Julius and the others were looking my way.
"What is it?"
"No, I was just wondering what you were eating."
"Onigiri."
"Onigiri? Mind if I have one?"
The five of them swarmed over and started eating my onigiri.
I mean, there's plenty, and I don't mind if they eat some, but——these guys are shameless.
Jilk narrowed his eyes.
"——It has a strange feeling."
He went and called the onigiri strange.
What a rude fellow.
Brad was the same.
"It's sticky."
If you don't like it, don't eat it.
Greg swallowed one in a single gulp and tilted his head.
"Unusual food. But wouldn't bread or something be just fine for this?"
Reaching for my third onigiri, I answered Greg.
"This is my soul food. Mock it and I'll kick you off the ship."
At that, Chris, whose glasses had fogged up from the onigiri's steam, looked delighted.
"In other words, this is also Marie's soul food. Mm, good to know."
These guys judge everything by Marie's standards, huh.
As I silently ate, Julius asked,
"Leon, aren't you going to tell Angelica and the others about that?"
That — meaning the reincarnation thing, probably.
"Angie and the others are delicate, unlike you guys. I'm staying quiet because I don't want to worry them unnecessarily at this important moment."
Julius looked at me sadly.
"If it were me, I'd want to know everything about the person I love. When Marie told me her circumstances, I was truly happy."
If you talk about reincarnation and the like, normally people don't believe it.
"You guys are abnormal. Normally people don't believe it. Still, even after being told she's a reincarnator, you accepted Marie pretty well."
It worked out in the end, but it was a careless statement.
She should have hidden it better.
Jilk was drinking the green tea Luxion had prepared.
"We fell for the Marie of today. The reincarnation talk surprised us, but it was a 'so what?' kind of thing."
Greg nodded while eating his third onigiri.
"That's right. We fell for what's inside Marie!"
"What's inside is a nasty middle-aged woman, you know. You guys really okay?"
Are these guys really not seeing what's inside that woman?
No matter how you look at it, they have absolutely no eye for people.
Thinking that makes me worried.
However, Brad denied my opinion.
"It's not about looks or age. Besides, Marie is a great woman."
Looking at Marie, how could he say that?
As I was utterly exasperated, Chris looked embarrassed.
"The mysterious side of her hiding various things was nice too, but knowing about her past life is incredible, isn't it? As I thought, Marie really is an amazing woman."
Hmm~, these guys are too stupid.
Too stupid that——I felt relieved.
"I see. Well, take care of her from here on out. ——Don't cause her trouble."
When I said that, Julius looked embarrassed.
"Ah, don't worry. We'll protect Marie. Leon——Brother-in-law."
"B-Brother-in-law?!"
When I was startled, Julius tilted his head.
"Well, that's right, isn't it? If you're Marie's brother, then you're our brother-in-law. We're counting on you from now on too, brother-in-law!"
"Stop it! I'm getting goosebumps!"
Then the five of them started smirking and saying "Brother-in-law!" "Brother-in-law!" at me.
I was a fool for trusting these guys.
After all, these guys are just plain idiots.
◇
I climbed into Arroganz's cockpit.
Luxion's drone followed me in, and he started explaining about my new powered suit.
Its appearance hadn't changed, but I had a backpack on my back.
"Master, I have set the enhancement drugs in the backpack on your back. Please call on me when you wish to use them. Also, after use, a neutralizer will be injected within ten minutes."
"Just ten minutes?"
"Any longer than that and Master's body won't hold up. It's not a drug that should be used in the first place."
"So I can be a hero for just ten minutes. I don't dislike it."
If I use the drug, the effect will appear instantly and boost my own abilities.
"——Please don't use it recklessly. Even a single use is a dangerous substance."
"Relax. I'll pick my timing to use it."
After all, the Empire has Finn, and there could be similar knights too.
"Still, only three doses is a little reassuring."
When I said that, Luxion felt angrier than usual.
"Please don't consider a third use. Even a single use carries the risk of death. If I judge it dangerous, by my own judgment——"
"Sorry. This is a Luxion 'command.' Don't stop me partway, no matter what."
"——Master."
Watching Luxion mutter in a somewhat sad voice, I thought this guy is rich in emotions.
"Sorry. Just this once, don't stop me."
"Is it really just this once? Master is a liar, so I can't trust you."
"You really have a nasty personality."
While making stupid talk, I lowered my head and asked Luxion about what's to come.
"——Sorry, but if something happens to me, I'm leaving the rest to you. I'm worried about everyone."
"I refuse."
I hadn't expected to be refused at this point.
"You always do this——"
"If something happens to Master, it means I no longer exist. Therefore, if you want to protect everyone, Master must survive."
I opened my mouth in surprise, then put my hand to my face and burst into laughter.
"Were you planning to commit double suicide with me?!"
When I laughed at him, Luxion shook his single eye sideways with a "good grief" feeling.
"No thank you. However——if something happens to Master, Cleare will handle things."
"I see. Hearing that put me at ease."
I really was relieved.
"In that case, all that's left is to sink the enemy's cheat weapon and end it all. Sorry, but I'll need your help too."
This time, even Luxion wouldn't get through it unharmed.
And Luxion was aware of that.
"If I weren't here, Master can't fight properly, you know."
"You really do say it. At times like this, read the mood and say something fitting."
"Serious moods don't suit Master."
"You're not wrong!"
Compared to Julius and the others, a mob like me striking a cool pose is just a gag.
Laughing, I closed my mouth and waited for the time to come.