19 The Day of the Final Battle 6
Edelweiss had noticed Jin and the others approaching, of course.
As Jin had explained, the people of Terminus perceive something akin to another's soul through sensation.
Individual identification is possible from the waveform.
That is all.
The innermost thoughts of that person remained beyond comprehension.
He tries calling out several times, but it seems the sound does not reach its destination.
Things made by humans are prone to external influence.
Communication among the Terminus people—conversation is not impeded by minor interference, but human etheric communication is not so resilient.
Unlike them, who shift formats casually on an instinctive level, ether communication protocols are not easily altered.
Thus, conversation was impossible, yet Jin’s positioning was convenient for them as well.
It can be positioned to form a pincer movement.
Then, Edelweiss thinks.
The timing aligned—this was the moment to advance.
By this point, the enemy’s combat proficiency was roughly assessed.
To be frank, stronger than the Third Fleet they fought eight years ago.
Yet, sadly, insufficient in number.
The people of Terminus have dwindled even further than before.
They have not fully recovered from the damage sustained eight years prior.
That is not all.
Some warriors outright reject this alliance and refuse participation.
(Their feelings are not without reason.)
The people of Terminus are a singular community.
They have no other kin. They distinguish themselves clearly from the former Hagle ASID group, who once were their kind.
Thus, to them, the Third Fleet and the Second Fleet are indistinguishable.
Both are of the same species—humans—who stole their next ruler.
If this battle can reclaim what was lost, then perhaps it is acceptable.
Even after the battle ends, keeping her under human custody for an extended period is something he cannot tolerate.
Eight years ago, there was considerable unrest, Edelweiss reflects.
It was she herself who heard Mio’s wish that day.
When the operation concluded and she returned to the queen, she was on the verge of being publicly condemned.
Some demanded to know why she had retreated after causing such damage.
It was the queen’s single command that silenced them all. She said, Let the child do as she wishes.
That judgment, however, is now met with strong dissent.
Yet Edelweiss believes the opposite.
Since then, having chosen to remain near Mio’s migration fleet of her own accord, Edelweiss has listened to her voice every day.
The thoughts Mio speaks without awareness.
Each time Edelweiss reported these to the queen—Therminal Seven—she found delight in the act.
Edelweiss learned of humanity through Mio, just as the queen did.
That there are many kinds of thoughts, and some attempt to converse with themselves.
That is precisely why she is certain.
Humans are essential for the Terminus people to survive the future.
She prepared for the inevitable end, yet could not deny the odds were slim.
For according to the queen’s account, only by uniting the full strength of the nine clans—once known as the Hagle—was it barely possible to banish the threat into the subdimension.
Should the seal break, the Terminus people, reduced to a single clan, would have no chance.
The eight lost clans.
It is natural, Edelweiss thinks, to seek to fill that void from outside.
This war will surely determine the fate of centuries to come.
—What now?
The individual holding the rank of deputy commander beside her—ship formation named Unicorn, and who goes by that name when addressing humans—steps closer and inquires.
She is the same entity who dealt heavy damage as a gunner during the assault on the Third Fleet.
Well-suited for engagements against multiple targets—yet, from Edelweiss’s perspective, she has one flaw.
—Let me charge forward and take them down in sequence. I’ll crush them all.
—Stay behind. Conserve your Ether for that moment.
She consistently pushes forward too aggressively.
Edelweiss wishes to reserve her gunfire for decisive moments.
For the Terminus people, whose long-range offensive options are limited, her artillery capability is invaluable.
Her Reactor output is insufficient to match her combat potential.
Her true value cannot be realized without sufficient time to charge.
—Yet, the artificial bodies crafted by humans excel at long-range attacks.
The Unicorn, referring to the assault frame, questioned again whether it would remain stable as it was.
—Indeed, our side has suffered considerable damage. Should we intervene?
—Not necessary. Look. They have arrived.
Pointing to Jin and his group, who were attempting to flank from behind, the Unicorn showed a brief hesitation.
—Can we trust them?
The Unicorn remains neutral rather than opposed to this plan.
It speaks the name given by humans only because the Queen commands it. It cooperates only as directed.
Should the Queen change her stance, it would follow immediately. Elsewhere, outside the Queen’s orders, it would likely do nothing.
It is here this time not only because the Queen commanded it, but also because the retrieval of the Princess is unavoidable.
No intention to cooperate actively with humans, nor to trust them.
— First, we must demonstrate it ourselves.
Edelweiss says it is our duty to take the initiative.
To humans, they have fought against Hugre—against ASID—for centuries.
The people of Terminas are also part of that lineage.
Thus, Edelweiss anticipated their resistance would be stronger than ours.
Both sides carry opposition within.
To prevent a parting of ways, Edelweiss worked quietly, tirelessly.
Patiently explaining the necessity, one by one.
— Humans are not a unified whole. There are factions capable of joining hands.
— Is it truly necessary to go this far to unite?
— We are not a single entity either. If we reject those with differing views, we will only reach an impasse.
Even now, the Unicorn understands this.
Yet there remains a rejection response.
Same species as the one who abducted the Child.
That alone makes trust impossible.
Ironically, this mirrors the human side’s opposition faction—namely, a faction of ASID—whose stance is equally untrustworthy.
—Synchronize and scatter slightly. Understood?
Edelweiss issues the command to Unicorn.
Reluctantly, Unicorn nods and channels ether into its cannon.
—Warband. Transition to counterattack. All personnel, prepare for assault!
Uninstantly, Edelweiss’s will spreads across the force.
Rising combat spirit manifests as reactor output.
Reason for the prevalence of close-combat units—Terminans, by nature, possess few long-range weapons.
Only those accompanying the Queen at birth are capable of wielding them.
The Queen says the individual desires it, but Edelweiss does not fully understand the matter.
Thus, each weapon is bestowed after birth.
They choose the one that best aligns with their nature—the one that allows them to exert their greatest power.
Behind the enemy group—the cyborg squad—Jin and the others had closed in.
In response, Edelweiss issued the command once more.
—All personnel, charge!
As if waiting for that signal, the Terminus warriors surged forward in unison.
Individually, the people of Terminus possess abilities that surpass assault frames in direct combat.
Yet at the tactical level, their methods are rudimentary.
They never fought among themselves, nor had they needed to refine their strategies against beast-like hordes.
Thus, their tactics remain extremely simple: advance or retreat.
And now, they were on the offensive.
Spear, axe, sword.
Ether flows into each weapon, glowing with energy.
An object that increases in power through vibration.
A projectile of ether, engaging in mid-range combat.
A spear, emitting light from its tip, streaks through the air, aiming to pierce multiple griffons.
No uniform armament exists.
It is precisely in such chaotic combat that their true value emerges.
Each attacks in a completely different manner.
No strategy can be prepared against such unpredictable, first-time encounters.
They slice through the griffon unit—driven by the chaos behind and the relentless frontal assault like a torrent.
Yet the enemy is no fool.
They manage to escape the death trap, attempting to force a clash with Edelweiss and Jin.
— A detestable tactic.
Perhaps that kind of unpleasantness is what we lack. Still, we’ll take note.
As Grace had judged, the alliance between the Third Fleet and the Terminus people was more fragile than it appeared.
They had been forced into deployment with opposing factions still present—inevitable under the circumstances.
Thus, the true test began here.
How much cooperation could be sustained when united in this manner.
Should it collapse now—Edelweiss thought—future collaboration would be nothing but a dream.