Chapter 39

After concluding negotiations with the unified government, the escort fleet decided to return to the home planet.

In the meantime.

When Emma poked her head into the training room of the *Mermaid*, she found not only the members of Russell's squad but also several familiar faces.

Emma was surprised.

"Mr. Doug and Mr. Larry?"

Standing at the entrance, stunned by the sight of the two men training, Molly came running up to Emma.

"Listen, Emma! They're both really getting into the training! They must have been really affected by your scolding."

"Huh? Really?"

When Emma looked at the two men, they were both sweating profusely and grimacing.

Larry, who had been slacking off in training, was struggling to complete the regular routine.

"No, no, no! This is something we decided on our own. We had some things to reflect on after the last battle, so we're just training."

Next to the breathless Larry, Doug was also drenched in sweat, looking shocked by the decline in his physical condition due to neglecting training.

"Do you really think we'd move just because we were scolded like children?"

Despite saying this, they resumed their training.

And then—

"But the lieutenant's words were correct. We're reflecting on our own shortcomings."

Emma, who was naturally referred to as "lieutenant," was nudged by Molly several times.

"How about it? How! They're both motivated now!"

"..."

Initially surprised, Emma's expression softened.

"If that's the case, you need to train more as pilots of the Mobile Knights. Starting today, I'll prepare your training menus!"

In response to Emma's enthusiasm, the sweating Larry and Doug had strained expressions.

"Cut us some slack. We've been out of it for a long time."

"I'm not exactly young, you know?"

As the two tried to make excuses to avoid it, Emma said firmly.

"No way. Let's start by measuring your stamina today."

Molly was laughing at the two.

"Good luck, both of you~"

But Molly wasn't in a position to laugh either.

"Huh? Molly too. Just because you're a mechanic doesn't mean you can skip training."

"Me too!?"

◇

In the training room, Russell, who had been observing the third squad, was smiling.

"It's good to see them getting along."

Yohm, his subordinate, looked at Russell curiously.

"You seem quite happy. Didn't you dislike her, Captain Russell?"

"If a rival gets stronger, it means the Banfield family becomes stronger. Isn't that a good thing?"

Yohm shrugged, unable to say anything in response to Russell's matter-of-fact statement.

Then, he turned his gaze to their problem child.

"More importantly, do something about Sharmel."

"Sharmel Lieutenant—"

When Russell looked at Sharmel, she was training hard, drenched in sweat, her gaze fixed on Emma.

It seemed she had developed a sense of rivalry.

"She seems to be working hard out of rivalry. Seeing a stronger knight must have been a good stimulus for her. I don't think it's a bad thing, right?"

Yohm was exasperated by Russell's perception.

"The stimulus is more about money. She exceeded twenty kills in the last battle and destroyed multiple ships. Hearing that she would receive a special reward along with a medal, she's motivated by that."

Russell, upon hearing Yohm's explanation, had a mixed expression.

"No—well, it's good that she's motivated. I guess."

◇

The escort fleet, having completed its mission, returned to a space fortress near the home planet.

It was a military base utilizing a resource satellite, with docks inside for berthing ships.

From the *Mermaid*, which was secured in the dock, the crew members were disembarking.

Emma and the third squad, along with Russell's squad members, were among them.

However, some crew members were packing their belongings.

One of them approached Doug.

"Are you staying?"

"Yeah—what about you?"

The crew member, who was leaving, glanced at Emma with a complex expression.

With a complicated look, he saluted politely.

Emma returned the salute, and the crew member smiled wryly.

"Your words woke me up. More than that, I realized I had already given up. So—I'm leaving the military."

Having been friends for a long time, Doug looked sad but blessed his friend's departure.

"What are you going to do after you leave?"

"Before returning to civilian life, the military will provide vocational training. Things are busy everywhere, so I won't lack for work. I'll try to be serious this time."

"I see."

"Take care, all of you."

With that, the crew members, who made up more than forty percent of the total, left with their belongings.

Emma watched this with a bitter feeling.

"If I had worked harder—"

Then, from the flagship, which was secured next to the *Mermaid*, Marie and the others disembarked.

Faced with the noisy group of knights, Emma and the others saluted.

Heidi noticed first.

"Hey, there are some young ones who did well."

Marie then approached Emma and Russell.

Putting her arms around both of them, she spoke.

"Good work, both of you."

"Y-Yes! Thank you!"

"For you, who have been on the elite track, this must have been a good experience. Broaden your horizons while you can. If you want to support the Banfield family as a knight, this is a necessary experience."

"Right! I'll gain more experience!"

"Very good."

While Russell was moved, Emma had a complex expression.

"Still, a lot of crew members left the ship."

Looking at the *Mermaid*, Marie said to Emma.

"Keeping half of them is a good result. You'll need to take in new recruits and rebuild the squad, so put more effort into it."

"Huh?"

Surprised, Emma watched as Marie smiled like a child who had successfully pulled off a prank.

"The squad will be maintained as you wished. Keep working hard—Emma Rodman."

Marie, who had previously called her "the pilot of the *Atalante*," now called her by her name.

Watching Marie leave, Emma responded a bit late.

"Y-Yes!"

◇

In the government office of Hydra, the home planet of the Banfield family, Marie and Heidi were talking in the office.

Sitting at her desk, Marie was asked by Heidi, who was sitting on the sofa, without looking at her.

"Is it true that you recommended the pilot of the *Atalante*, Marie?"

Marie, who was compiling reports on the negotiations with the unified government and the entities lurking behind the scenes, answered while working.

"Emma Rodman, Heidi."

Heidi, who was in work mode and expressionless, shrugged but seemed pleased.

"You really took a liking to her. So, you recommended her promotion and rank advancement?"

Due to her performance on this mission, Emma was almost certain to be promoted to major and her knight rank to A, making her the most successful among her peers.

Marie, after finishing her paperwork, stretched and explained her intentions.

"She has the ability and experience, so there's no problem. The woman who was grooming her wanted to give her more experience and nurture her slowly, but—"

Marie had planned to keep Emma as a lieutenant and let her lead the squad for a while to nurture her.

However, Marie wouldn't allow that.

"However, we don't have time. It's important to provide excellent knights with positions where they can excel."

"True. Then, are you going to bring Emma into our faction?"

Marie showed a troubled expression at the question of whether to bring Emma into their faction.

"Since she's a knight that Lord Liam has his eye on, putting her in a faction might anger him."

Heidi looked exasperated.

"I'd rather avoid that. Angering a general isn't something we want. Got it, I'll tell our people not to meddle with her."

"Thank you. Still—"

Marie displayed the data on the *Mermaid* to check the situation.

After quickly reviewing several pages, she smiled.

"I'm looking forward to seeing how she will lead the squad in the future."

The *Mermaid* had always been understaffed, and with many crew members leaving, they would need to replenish the ranks.

However, given the squad's reputation as a place for exiles, the new recruits would likely be a mixed bag.

Imagining Emma struggling with her quirky subordinates, Marie smiled and thought to herself.

(Work hard as a squadron leader in the future.)

◇

The crew of the *Mermaid*, on a long break, had returned to their homes.

Emma had also returned to her family home.

In her room, Emma was assembling models on a desk that could be called a workbench.

These were the plastic models she had bought but hadn't had time to assemble.

"Ah~ I wish I could get an *Atalante* model someday~"

After finishing one, she admired it for a while, talking about her beloved machine.

Looking around her room, one wall had been converted into a display shelf.

It was filled with assembled models.

The storage space had tools for making models, and there were boxes of unassembled models.

Placing the completed model on the shelf, Emma was happy to see her collection grow.

Lying on her bed and admiring her collection, she heard a knock on the door.

"Sis, I'm coming in~"

"Sure, come in~"

Her brother, Luca, entered the room with a slightly surprised look.

"Sis, your room is still all about your hobby."

"It's my oasis~"

"There are other things you could spend your time on, like fashion."

"Hmm, I'm not lacking anything right now, so it's fine."

Seeing Emma, who had let her guard down at home, Luca was exasperated.

"You don't look like a knight who received a medal."

Hearing about the medal, Emma turned her back to Luca.

She didn't want to show her dejected face.

The reason was simple: she couldn't be happy about it.

She had defeated many enemies—put another way, she had killed that many people.

"Anyway, it's fine. I just want to relax at home."

Luca sighed deeply.

"That's fine, but Mom won't be back today. She said to eat on our own. I'm going out with friends, what about you?"

Emma sat up.

Now that she thought about it, her mother had said something like that.

"I'll eat out too."

◇

Emma arrived at a square that resembled a park.

There were many food stalls, offering a variety of snacks and meals.

Tables and chairs were set up for dining, making it easy to eat right after buying.

It was a lively place, bustling with families during the day and adults drinking and socializing at night.

"More stalls than the last time I came?"

With a cheerful step, Emma had already visited several stalls.

Her hands were full of plastic bags filled with food, and she was eating a skewer as she walked.

Around her, there were families and couples.

—A truly peaceful scene.

A different landscape from the battlefield.

What they were protecting.

"I hope this scene continues forever."

As she thought about various things, Emma passed a young child.

The girl, with distinctive red hair, seemed to be around ten years old.

"Mom!"

"Ellen, you shouldn't run!"

"Hey, hey. I want ice cream!"

The child, who had passed Emma, hugged a woman who seemed to be her mother.

The mother, lifting the child, smiled warmly.

"Again? Ellen really loves ice cream. But just one, okay?"

"Okay!"

Seeing the heartwarming mother and child, Emma was captivated.

The child, noticing Emma, turned her head and tilted it curiously.

Emma, startled, waved her hand frantically.

The child also waved back.

As the mother and child walked away, Emma pondered.

"Will I have children someday? A husband first, maybe? —Hmm, I can't imagine it now."

Thinking about love and marriage, Emma couldn't quite picture it.

How was the third chapter of "My Wicked Lord"!

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With this, the third chapter ends, and daily updates will be on hold.

The next chapter will be the fourth, and I plan to advance the main story, so the resumption of updates is currently undecided.

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