Nalfa chose her words carefully and expressed her complicated feelings. If Koutarou couldn’t stay in the safety of the rear, then she would prefer that he armed himself like a hedgehog when he went to the front. In that sense, the new Blue Knight had taken on her preferred shape. In fact, many people had a similar mindset to varying degrees.
“But your circumstances are a little different from other people’s in Forthorthe, Nal-chan,” Kotori whispered so that only Nalfa could hear.
In response, Nalfa’s face turned red as she looked down. Koutarou having fought enough wasn’t the only reason she wanted him to be safe. She had private reasons as well.
“In the end, this was the decision due to all kinds of circumstances and feelings,” Theia concluded.
“Even so, it’s costing way too much,” Koutarou said.
“The people sure do love you, Kou,” Kenji teased him.
“This isn’t a laughing matter.” Koutarou sighed.
Fortunately, he hadn’t noticed Nalfa’s state. He was discussing things with Theia and Kenji. Nalfa looked up ever so slightly to gaze at him. After confirming that he wasn’t looking at her, she finally raised her head.
As they descended onto planet Waragthorn, they were able to see the shipyard. The new Blue Knight was being built in six separate parts: head, torso, and both arms and legs. Each part was over a kilometer long. The torso alone was bigger than the old Blue Knight. As such, the shipyard could be seen from the spaceport. The six shipyards were strung together like a mountain range.
“Oh, was it this close?” Harumi tilted her head. When she had last visited, it had felt a little more distant.
But Elfaria smiled at her. “It’s not closer; it’s just that the shipyards are bigger than before. Scaffolding is needed around the perimeter as armor and equipment is put on.”
The six parts had been built from the bottom up. In response, the shipyards had expanded upward until the entire ship was covered. That was why the shipyards had gotten bigger since their last visit and now seemed closer to Harumi.
“Construction has also begun on two additional parts,” Elfaria said.
“New parts? What are they making?” Harumi asked.
“Extra equipment,” Elfaria answered. “The first is a spaceport that can be detached before battle.”
The new Blue Knight was meant to be used in both Forthorthe and Earth. As such, a small-scale spaceport was being added. It had lodging and meeting rooms, so when equipped with the unit, the Blue Knight could function as a small space station. It was meant for long-distance travel and political activities and had no combat function. Therefore, it was built to be detachable.
“The other is an anti-ship energy sword. Its function is the same as before but made bigger to match the new ship,” Elfaria said, looking at Harumi. “You could say that this is a ship made for you.”
Harumi’s eyes opened wide in surprise. “For me?!”
“Yes.” Elfaria nodded. “The crest you made the other day has been engraved on it, and the beam flag raises your battle flag. So while you may not legally be able to have a ship, it is without a doubt yours.”
The new Blue Knight was equipped with the anti-ship energy sword Signaltin, just like the old one had been. And its functions were the same, making it the largest sword, capable of cleaving ships. But there were differences, such as its size and the fact that it was its own structure.
This increased size was of course to match the enlarged Blue Knight. The old one would have been closer to a short sword in the hands of the new ship. The separate structure was a little more complicated. The old Signaltin had been integrated into the Blue Knight’s right arm, but if the larger Signaltin were integrated into the right arm of the new Blue Knight, it would easily exceed a kilometer in length. So it had been decided that it would be created independently.
However, Signaltin was a name with a lot of meaning as well, so it had been decided that Signaltin could also be piloted as a ship. In addition, each part of the Blue Knight could be flown on its own, but none of them reached the standards of what one would call a battleship, making them markedly different from Signaltin. Moreover, neither the crest engraved on it nor the flag it flew were Koutarou’s or Alaia’s. They were Harumi’s. In that sense, Signaltin distinguished itself from the other parts of the ship.
“Are you sure that’s okay?!” Harumi asked. In her mind, she had no connection to Forthorthe and was just an individual related to Koutarou. Yet now she was clearly starting to get embedded into the legend and core of Forthorthe. It was a startling turn of events to Harumi, who only saw herself as an ordinary girl caught up in events from time to time.
“Haha, don’t worry, Harumi-san,” Elfaria said. “We don’t expect anything in return. It’s simply that those of us who know your circumstances can’t ignore your existence and role. There’s nothing more to it.”
Those in the highest positions in Forthorthe, as well as the soldiers in the Nefilforan unit, knew where Harumi’s powers and role originated and who her soul had been before. And they couldn’t ignore that. But at the same time, they didn’t demand anything from her. They wanted her to be a normal girl if possible. Just like someone else had once desired.
“But I can’t help but feel sorry if you do this...” Harumi said.
“Just think of it as a benefit and accept it,” Elfaria replied.
“I don’t know anything about politics or the military...” Harumi had no desire for power. Her only wish was to live a peaceful life with the people she loved. In that sense, she didn’t need the military or politics.
“Oh, that isn’t what I meant,” Elfaria whispered to Harumi, narrowing her eyes. “If we lay the groundwork like this, there will be less opposition to you marrying Koutarou-sama.”
Legally, Koutarou might have been able to accept any number of wives. But what about their statuses? Wouldn’t they have to come from worthy families? And any who didn’t would have to have achieved something special. At least, that would be the opinion of those who cared about history and tradition. Naturally, there would be discussions about Harumi. But if her status and position were established through the new Blue Knight, most opposition would be removed. The administrator of Signaltin would no doubt be seen as far more advantageous to the people of Forthorthe than a senior who looked after Koutarou in school.