The battle ended, and Veldora resumed making hotcakes as though nothing had happened.
Michel, left to her own devices, hesitated briefly before approaching him.
Then, seeing the children around them grow frightened, Michel spoke up as if the thought had just occurred to her.
"I'm sorry about earlier. Every sound had been collected, so I had no choice but to say it was garbage. In truth, I was just surprised to see you all eating something that looked so delicious."
She offered her apology.
It was the truth.
According to the informant's regular reports, the food served at the Resistance was miserable at best.
That's what she'd believed — and yet here they were, eating hotcakes.
It was only natural that Michel had been surprised.
"Kuh-hah-hah! See? It really is good, isn't it? Why don't you try one too?"
—Showing her that he ate the same thing was the fastest way to clear up the misunderstanding. That was how Michel interpreted Veldora's words.
"Thank you. I'll have some, then."
Michel accepted the plate with a hint of hesitation.
And then she took a bite.
Using a fork and knife of unclear origin, she cut a small piece and placed it in her mouth.
It was a textbook display of perfect elegance — far too refined for a home-cooked hotcake, and yet somehow picture-perfect all the same.
"…It's delicious."
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Though it didn't look like much, it had a simple, nostalgic flavor — a far cry from the sophisticated cuisine served in the cities, it was a dish brimming with the warmth of homemade cooking.
And with Michel eating the hotcake, the children gradually lowered their guard toward her.
She was the same kind of being as them, and a sense of kinship took root.
Sensing the shift in atmosphere, Michel offered a small smile.
That was the deciding factor.
A beautiful woman's smile carried tremendous power. Even those who had braced for death were won over in an instant.
It seemed everyone could finally breathe a sigh of relief, convinced the fighting was truly over.
Once that tension lifted, however, anxiety about Michel's true purpose began to creep in.
"Um, uh, Lady Michel…? About what you said earlier — you didn't come here to purge us, did you…?"
Kalman was the first to voice his concern.
He scratched his head sheepishly and asked cautiously, even though she had been talking about traitors.
Michel tilted her head with a blank expression.
She chewed the hotcake that puffed out her small cheeks, savoring it with a quiet munching sound before swallowing.
It was an endearingly cute gesture, utterly unbefitting her sharp, intelligent beauty.
Michel's face lit up with a look of satisfaction, and she glanced at Kalman.
"Purge…?"
She considered for a moment — "Oh, that! Hiiragi was making a fuss about it, but that man always overreacts. Just because I let the Resistance go doesn't mean I think you betrayed the Empire. If that were the logic, then I'd be far more of a traitor — I was the one diverting supplies to you."
—And then, as though it had just slipped her mind, she dropped a bombshell.
"Wha—!?"
"Diverting supplies!?"
"W-w-wait, Lady Michel!? What exactly do you mean by that…?"
Michel let the stunned reactions wash over her without batting an eye.
"I mean exactly what I said. Besides, if I had truly intended to purge you all, I would have deployed the supervision squad instead of coming personally. This time, it was quite the opposite — I came out here myself precisely to keep you from being killed."
She delivered it all with the same casual nonchalance as someone saying a hotcake mattered more than military urgency.
The Resistance members were stunned.
"That's absurd! You're at the top of the Empire…"
"Then who have we been fighting all along?"
"I can't believe it. Are you trying to trick us?"
And so on.
None of them could take Michel's words at face value, and no one knew how to react.
Stepping forward to represent the group, Sharma spoke up.
"I'm Sharma, the one in charge of this branch. Lady Michel, may I ask you a question?"
"Of course. Ask me anything."
Michel responded easily.
At this point, she had no intention of hiding anything.
Whether they would actually believe her, however, was another matter.
"Then let me ask one thing. Is it really true that you've been diverting supplies to us this whole time?"
"It is true. Speaking for myself, I believe that as members of the same humanity, we should be working together. But as things stand, that's difficult. With one city already destroyed by the mob, winning the trust of the people living in the cities is extremely hard."
"Please wait. Then why were you diverting supplies to us? As the guardian of the city, aren't you, in a manner of speaking, our enemy?"
"I can understand why you'd think that. But with humanity's numbers already so depleted, turning on each other over who's friend and who's foe strikes me as deeply warped. That said, I can't accept all the refugees either. All I could do was provide a place where you could shelter for a while, and divert a small amount of supplies."
"So you're saying… you couldn't take us into the city, but you didn't intend to abandon us either? If that were the case, wouldn't it have been better to just tell us openly? Then this whole conflict could have been — "
Sharma was about to finish that the fight could have been avoided entirely, but her words were cut off.
"That's nothing but hypocrisy!"
Rindou shouted, cutting into the conversation between Sharma and Michel.
He glared at Michel with eyes burning with fury.
Then he jabbed his accusations at her, voice like a hammer blow.
"You forced all the hardship on us while you yourselves lived comfortable lives! And you don't even feel ashamed of it — how can you stand there so calmly — !!"
But Michel didn't so much as change expression. She merely glanced at Rindou.
Her conversation was with Sharma, the group's representative — not Rindou.
"Rindou, stand down."
"But — !"
"That's an order! The one negotiating with Lady Michel is me, the representative here!"
Sharma silenced Rindou with a burst of Intimidation.
Watching Rindou's behavior, Sharma felt she could now see the heart of the problem that even Michel hadn't spoken aloud.
"…I see. So what you're saying is that the people in the city don't trust us — "
"Exactly. You couldn't trust us either, could you? You suspected it was a trap, and I don't think you ever truly believed we could join hands. After all — "
Not everyone who survived the Great War could be admitted into the cities.
That meant a selection process was necessary.
Fairness had already been lost, and there was no noble principle to fall back on.
Those already living in the cities and the refugees — their lives were worth no more or less than one another. Precisely for that reason, it was individual talent that became the criterion for selection.
But who would make that decision?
—To judge the value of human lives while being nothing more than fallible humans themselves — That was precisely why the selection criteria were kept simple and blunt.
Those already in the city, and everyone else.
Even if explained that way, understanding was impossible.
It could never be accepted.
That was exactly why the Emperor of the Mechanized Empire Almsvin had exercised absolute authority without offering any explanation.
Michel explained this as best she could, though she knew it was pointless.
She had never expected them to accept it.
She couldn't even accept it herself, after all.
"…And that was the decision at the time. No one could defy it. I know you can't accept it, and I understand your frustration and anger. But this is the truth as it stands for us."
"You say you understand!? Do you think that's — "
At that point, Rindou broke down in tears.
The others stood stunned at Michel's words.
It was hardly surprising.
They had been told that there was no clear reason behind the suffering they'd endured through their entire lives — the death of their comrades, every last hardship — all of it had been placed on their shoulders without justification.
"Then why did you try to help us? Did you want our suffering to drag on even longer!?"
"No. What that man said earlier is closer to the truth, but it's still wrong. Think of it as hypocrisy if you like. But I want to elevate it into a genuine act of kindness."
"Th-that's…"
"Eventually, the cities will lose their function. When that time comes, those who've lived in comfort within the cities will find it very hard to survive what comes next. Don't you think that, from a crisis-management perspective, it's important to keep every possible seed of hope alive?"
"So you're saying it's fine as long as we in the Resistance survive, even if the cities fall?"
"That is correct."
"That's — that's an incredibly arrogant way of thinking!!"
Michel did not flinch even at Sharma's scream.
Believing that her actions were right — that was a resolve she had forged the moment she became a soldier.
That was her justice.
"Then let me ask you in return: what would have been the right course of action at the time?"
"That… that…"
Sharma faltered.
Though she hadn't been born yet, there hadn't been a day when she hadn't thought about it.
She hated this world, she sought the Empire as the cause of what it had become, and she believed in her own justice through the weight of that sin.
But whether it was truly right to condemn the Empire as evil — that had always been Sharma's lingering doubt.
"You can't answer? I'll tell you with certainty: if the response at the time had been wrong, humanity would already be extinct."
Without a moment's hesitation, Michel declared it.
"You expect us to believe that you diverted supplies to us because you wanted to preserve humanity's chance of survival? Me — believe the words of someone at the very top of the Empire…?"
Desperately grasping for words, Sharma let her voice trail off.
She no longer believed Michel was lying. But even so, accepting it all at this point was too much — Michel's words carried too heavy a burden.
"Mmm, if you can't trust me, we won't be able to move on to negotiations…"
When Michel said this with a troubled expression — "That should be enough, shouldn't it, Lady Michel? Sharma, Rindou — I've been working on the Empire's side. I'm sorry for keeping quiet. But this was necessary…"
Zaza, who had been silently watching the exchange until now, finally spoke up.
◆◆◆ The room erupted into a clamor, which Sharma quickly silenced with a sharp command.
They moved to a different location, and now everyone had gathered in a makeshift small conference room set up in one corner of a warehouse.
"Why was I summoned as well?"
"Because everyone realized you're amazing, Master!"
"Oh? Tell me more!"
"Well, you see…"
"I agree with Lady
"Oho! I see!"
In one corner of the small meeting room, this exchange was taking place, but no one bothered to comment on it.
Michel was the only one who cast a curious glance toward Veldora and his companions, wearing a slightly puzzled expression.
Ramiris and
It was remarkably peaceful, so nobody minded.
And so, the so-called negotiation — really a continuation of the talks — resumed.
"First, let me explain."
Zaza was the one who began speaking.
Before the Great War, Zaza had been assigned as a soldier to the Seventh City, which no longer existed.
His rank was lieutenant, and he had commanded a company made up of two platoons. But before he could take up his post, the Great War broke out.
Zaza's family — his beloved wife and daughter — didn't live in the city but in a rural village in the countryside.
Zaza hesitated.
There was nothing he could do at the Seventh City, already engulfed in nuclear fire.
So instead, he led his troops to assist in evacuating refugees.
He was worried about his family, but he prioritized the city center over the countryside.
His duty as a professional soldier took precedence over his family.
But that decision would become his undoing.
The fires of war, once confined to the urban center, spread to the countryside, and the world was engulfed in nuclear flame.
There was nowhere safe anymore — outside the cities, at least.
With the countryside no longer safe, the fate of Zaza's family grew hopeless.
Filled with regret, Zaza resolved to at least protect those who had survived.
Hearing that the Sixth City was accepting refugees, Zaza and his unit set out to escort them.
And then the worst tragedy occurred.
The Sixth City fell.
Chaos erupted, and Zaza's unit was swept into the fighting.
Who was the enemy? Who was the ally?
Those they had been escorting turned on them, and Zaza was wounded.
The counterattacking city forces fired shells that blew off Zaza's limbs, and his unit disintegrated.
Complete, utter chaos.
The ones who saved Zaza from death's door were Michel's forces, deployed to retake the city and restore order.
Zaza barely survived, but by the time he regained consciousness, everything was over.
Yes — everything.
When Zaza had contemplated death, Michel requested a meeting.
And she said: —If you are to throw away your life, then give it to me. Not for the Empire, but to protect those who survived. I want your help — It was a considerably romanticized memory, but those words became a precious treasure to Zaza.
And so Zaza became a mechanical soldier, serving as Michel's inside agent all this time.
"And, well, that's roughly how it went. I was making it look like I'd discovered the shelters Michel had prepared, then spreading the word to everyone."
"Then what about the surviving generators and life-support systems…?"
"Yeah, Michel's personal unit had set everything up without anyone else noticing. Otherwise, how could all those machines still be working with barely any maintenance?"
"Now that you mention it…"
After Zaza's explanation, even Rindou — who recognized the truth — nodded in understanding.
After all, Zaza was the eldest among them.
Without Zaza, the Resistance could never have maintained the strength it had now — that was certain.
He had been recognized as a career soldier who'd survived since the Great War, so it had actually been puzzling that he hadn't become the leader.
Zaza had been traveling between branches, scouting new hideouts before any of the existing ones could be compromised.
He'd just been lucky, he'd said with a shrug, but given how things had unfolded, that explanation made perfect sense.
After hearing Zaza's account, they could only conclude that his achievements had been made possible by Michel's support.
In other words, it was the strongest proof that Michel's words were the truth.
"That explains it. I always thought it was strange that the Resistance had mechanical soldiers in the exact same configuration as mine."
"Tch — you noticed?"
"By coincidence, yes. I thought the technology was too advanced for a Resistance outfit. But the real suspicion hit when you said you couldn't eat hotcakes."
Then, watching how Michel handled the situation afterward, he became certain — or so Kalman said.
Zaza's exterior was as refined as a human's, hardly the appearance of a combat model.
A Resource-strapped Resistance group wouldn't have the luxury of modifications solely for life-extension.
And certainly not a newer model that used reinforced organs requiring regular meals — no, this was an older model. In fact, if it was the same system as Kalman's, then it was the highest-difficulty surgical modification, one where only the brain remained organic.
Kalman and the others had received their surgery from Michel around the same time, and because they were the same model, Kalman had recognized Zaza's true identity.
"I mean, calling the enemy commander 'Lady' — that's an instant disqualification as a spy!"
"Right?!"
Ramiris chimed in with a teasing jab, and Veldora laughed.
Zaza scratched his head and said, "My apologies."
He'd been caught off guard by Michel's true intentions, and he'd been too relieved that Veldora was safe to stay on guard.
"You fool. As if I could ever lose. Small fry are always like this — "
"Hey, hey! If Michel had really meant it, we'd all be dead for real!"
"That's why I called you a fool! From what you've told me, that woman has no reason to kill anyone here. If that's the case, it stands to reason she has some other objective. Zaza, you should have noticed that!"
"Well, that's true, but… in the end, it made for a pretty good act, didn't it?"
He said it with a grin, laughing it off.
◆◆◆ The conversation then moved to the main topic.
The group had been shaken by the revelation that Zaza was a spy, but a single cough from Michel pulled their attention back.
"I'm sure you have things you want to say about the cities, and about me personally. But I'd like to set that aside for now. The reason I've taken direct action this time is because I've sensed an unsettling presence within the city. I can't even trust the upper echelons, and it's become difficult to tell friend from foe. That's the situation we're in. So I'd like to seek allies outside the city. It's a sad irony that I find myself trusting you more than my own people… but — "
"Wait. An unsettling presence within the city? What exactly are you talking about?"
"Yes. From what you're saying, it sounds like there are enemies inside the city. None of us in the Resistance could infiltrate a city — and I haven't heard of anyone succeeding. Who exactly is this enemy you're wary of…?"
Rindou and Sharma pressed Michel for answers in response to her cryptic words.
Michel considered briefly before speaking.
"Very well. I am asking for your cooperation, so I'll explain. But this matter is still classified — "
And so Michel began to speak.
It was a "darkness" that even Zaza had been unaware of — something Michel had been facing alone.
What, after all, had been the true cause of the Great War?
The greatest factor was the predicted famine and the explosive acceleration of population growth.
But even without that prediction, it was fair to say collapse had been inevitable.
"Don't you think something doesn't add up? If those who entered the city no longer had to work, then every time a city was completed, the available workforce would decrease. It was officially announced that admission would be determined by lottery, but in reality, it wasn't. The residents of the five cities were selected based on merit and superior genetic profiles — "
Michel's explanation was met with nods.
Since a city's completion and its labor supply were inversely proportional, once a certain number of cities were finished, securing enough labor for the remaining ones became impossible.
Whatever the final trigger had been, it was merely a catalyst.
No — rather…
"— Once a sufficient number of talented individuals had been secured, I began to wonder: were the rest simply cut off?"
Michel paused there.
And she surveyed the room for reactions.
Sharma closed her eyes in deep thought.
Rindou was speechless with shock.
Zaza, who had perhaps already harbored a faint suspicion, remained silent.
Kalman drew on his cigar, sifting through the information in his own way.
"Do you have… proof?"
Sharma asked.
Michel nodded and answered.
"I don't. It's all speculation on my part. However — "
— However.
At the Seventh City, the defensive forces had been insufficiently deployed.
Furthermore, the city's defense mechanism had been incomplete and failed to activate, making it the first casualty of the Great War.
The Sixth City had accepted refugees — and subsequently fell.
This gave rise to a prevailing sentiment among the remaining five cities to justify the exclusion of refugees.
The result was the birth of the Mechanized Empire Almsvin.
The ever-growing population was suddenly decimated, and the world's technology was concentrated under the Empire's control.
If only the radioactive contamination poisoning the world could be eliminated — no, even that…
— What if all of this had been orchestrated?
On the surface, each element seemed unrelated, but when viewed from a broader perspective, a different picture emerged.
Everything had unfolded too conveniently for the Empire — "Then!! Are you saying that the Emperor of the Empire planned all of this!?"
Sharma cried out in shock.
But Michel remained calm.
"I have no proof. Even circumstantial evidence is weak. But when I look at it that way, everything does seem to connect. That is why I've been conducting a covert investigation in secret."
She answered in a measured, even tone.
And then continued: "That is why I need allies I can trust. I'm asking you — please lend me your strength."
………
……
…
The group sat in silence.
They didn't know how to respond.
They couldn't say they would cooperate, but they couldn't refuse either.
In the midst of that heavy silence, it was Veldora's laughter that suddenly broke through.
"Kwaaaahhahahaha! Cooperation? Very well! We were just discussing how to go and smash that Empire of yours — the timing couldn't be better. Naturally, you'll be helping too, yes?"
Veldora slung his arm around Zaza's shoulder and unilaterally decided the matter.
"Wha — !? You're just as bad…"
Zaza was bewildered but steeled himself.
"Well, I've already devoted my life to Michel. If this is for the sake of the humanity that remains, then I'll follow to the end!"
He said it with a grin, flashing a smirk at the laughing Veldora.
Kalman and his subordinates echoed the sentiment.
"Heh. If that's how it is, then we'll cooperate too. If the whole Great War was rigged from the start, then everything I've done up till now was nothing but a clown act. I'm not putting up with that. Right, guys?"
"Course we ain't!!"
Their resolve was ironclad, their solidarity undeniable as Kalman and his crew agreed to cooperate.
"In any case, our future depends on cooperation with the Empire. I can't speak for the other branches, but at least for this branch — and for me personally — I trust you, Michel."
"…I feel the same. Just because Zaza was connected to Michel doesn't mean he betrayed us. Having heard everything, my judgment is the same as Sharma's. I trust you, Michel."
Setting aside the various doubts, fears, and uncertainties, Sharma made her decision to trust Michel.
Rindou, too, steeled his resolve.
"It's decided then! Well, I'm just going along with Master!"
Because, after all, having only Master get in trouble was more than enough! — Thinking such calculating thoughts, Ramiris agreed.
Beretta's answer went without saying — he would follow Ramiris's will.
And so, everyone pledged their cooperation to Michel.
As a result, Kalman and his subordinates were placed under Zaza's command and would act alongside him.
Since Zaza had been a lieutenant in the former ground forces, he held a higher command authority than Kalman in matters of military hierarchy.
As for Sharma and the others, they would leave the premises and head to the new hideout Michel had prepared.
Though Michel was currently using her power to seal off the upper levels, in the end she intended to burn through every floor and report that all Resistance members had been eliminated.
And so, under Michel's direction, their future strategy began to take shape.
All that remained was to determine the role of Veldora and his companions.
"At last, it is our turn! So then, Michel — what kind of assistance are you requesting of us? Should I simply charge in?"
"Hey! You really are something else! You can't possibly win by just charging in!!"
"That's right, just like Zaza says. Even if Michel is on our side, the Empire still has three of the Four Armored Machine Generals. Plus there are plenty of Machine Guide Officers — there's no way we can win!"
"Indeed, Veldora. I know nothing of combat, but even I can tell that fighting now would be foolish. Michel should investigate first and identify the enemy!"
Zaza, Kalman, and Rindou all cut in to restrain the enthusiastically volunteering Veldora.
They wore expressions of bewildered exasperation — as if wondering how this person could possibly be so eager for battle.
"Master, even you have to admit, causing a ruckus on this scale at a time like this…"
Ramiris also hurriedly stepped in to rein Veldora back.
She was genuinely concerned he might do something dangerous.
And then Beretta.
True to form.
"Is the star of the show not always the one who appears last? To sell oneself so cheaply is a poor strategy, if I may humphly suggest…"
"Hmm!?"
With a skill born of long familiarity, Beretta used words that tickled Veldora's ego, seizing control of his temperament with ease.
Without relying on his abilities, a single choice of words was all it took to take the reins of Veldora himself.
"You would identify the enemy in the final moment, and rescue Michel just when she's struggling the most. For Veldora-sama, that would be simple, would it not — ?"
"Mmm, indeed. Beretta's words have merit! I would appear at the very end and shine in the spotlight — just as the plan always was!"
He was always getting into trouble with that kind of thinking, but Veldora had long since forgotten every instance.
He adopted Beretta's suggestion and agreed to follow Michel's lead.
"Then I'd like to ask Veldora to serve as escort during the relocation of the people living here. The surface is dangerous, and I'd like every bit of combat power I can get. Besides, with your strength, you could handle any situation."
Michel alone was fully aware of Veldora's true power.
More than that — she had a fairly accurate sense that he might be stronger than herself.
That was precisely why she entrusted him with the most important task, and with respect.
The fighting would come after the evidence was secured — in other words, once the safety of the noncombatants was guaranteed. There was plenty of time.
Veldora accepted Michel's request and agreed to serve as the escort for Sharma's group during their relocation.
After the plans were settled, Sharma asked Michel one final question.
"So, if we believe your words, the mastermind is most likely the Emperor…?"
"On that matter, I'm still conducting my own covert investigation. But as I said, I haven't found conclusive evidence yet. I can't even let them know I'm suspicious, so I have to move carefully. I'm afraid there won't be a quick answer…"
"I see… But Lady Michel, isn't the Emperor your own father? If he truly is the mastermind, then what will you…?"
"If Father is the mastermind, is that a problem? To slay evil without hesitation — that is something I cannot fathom being reluctant about."
With a will so strong it cut through Sharma's concern and Zaza's doubt alike, Michel declared it without wavering.
Decades ago, when she had first harbored the suspicion, she had already resolved to bring down whoever the mastermind turned out to be.
However, whether her father the Emperor was truly the mastermind — even Michel couldn't say for certain.
Passing judgment would have to wait until she knew the truth.
She would make her decision only after securing evidence worthy of trust.
To that end, she would unify the will of every Resistance branch.
— And finally, she asked that volunteers be gathered to form combat units, and Michel's account came to an end.