“It stings!”
I climbed out of Usapyon to tend to my wounds. I applied first aid, sealing the inside of my mouth with nanomachine adhesive. It would take ten seconds to dry and set, so I kept my mouth open in the meantime.
I checked my vitals; everything looked normal. My internal organs weren't ruptured, and my bones seemed intact.
As I breathed a sigh of relief, Vilma-san rushed over.
“Lieutenant Colonel! Are you alright?!”
“I’m fine~”
“Th-This machine! The Bloody Rabbit!”
For some reason, Vilma-san was utterly shocked.
Hey, my baby’s name is Usapyon!
“The pilot of the Bloody Rabbit isn't supposed to be public knowledge! Could it be that you are the pilot, Lieutenant Colonel?!”
“It’s not exactly a secret. I just refused to be featured in the photo book because it was embarrassing.”
An extra like me appearing in a photoshoot would be absurd. That was a job for the likes of Veronica-chan or Kevin-kun.
“I might be treated as a ‘Named’ character by mistake, but really, I’m just a mob.”
“A... mob... I see. A ‘mob’ that can jump from the fiftieth floor and come out unscathed...”
Did she have some kind of issue with that?
I was a Mid-range Specialization Type. Naturally, the Leo Kamishiro Squad was packed with close-quarters experts. Only Eddie-kun, the all-rounder, Edge-kun, the ESP specialist, and I could cover the mid-range.
My role was to serve as a relay for Kevin-kun and Nina-chan. If those two were taken out, the squad’s offensive power would plummet. That was why I couldn't afford to be shot down.
That was precisely why a mid-range specialist like me occupied this slot. I laid down suppressive fire with heavy weaponry and relied on my Urumi if anyone got too close. While I was weak in a total melee, the strategy was for me to buy time until backup arrived.
“Heh, there’s no way I’m actually strong.”
Just then, Luna-chan chimed in.
“What are you talking about? You’re one of the squad's top fighters if you’re trusted with the relay function alone—”
“Luna-chan... I’m a mob. Understand? I’m an extra.”
“Ah—right. Well, if you say so, Riko-chan, then fine.”
And just like that, I settled the "mob" debate through sheer force of will.
“Well then, shall we?” I asked Vilma-san.
“Go where?”
“To the harem. We’re going through the front door.”
I pulled a portable minigun—well, a Gatling gun—from Usapyon’s storage. I donned my custom protector and personal shield, then hoisted the spare power supply onto my back. I even hauled out a ballistic shield for good measure.
I wound my Urumi around my waist. Since we were going indoors, I might not have room to use it. I also grabbed a Kattara—a short dagger.
“Um... Lieutenant Colonel... I don’t think a minigun is typically considered an individual's sidearm.”
“Well, my aim is terrible, so a minigun is the only thing I can actually use.”
“I-I see... I feel like we have very different definitions of ‘can’t use.’ Doesn't that usually mean nobody else in the squad is capable of wielding a minigun...?”
I didn't quite follow her logic, but whatever! I had to compensate for my lack of talent with superior gear.
I marched into the Lord’s Mansion through the ground floor. Normally, you’d breach from the top, but circumstances were what they were. I’d already made the leap from the fiftieth floor, after all.
Gunfire greeted me as soon as I stepped inside.
Seriously! That gave me a heart attack!
Judging by their uniforms, they were part of the Former Duke’s Knight Order.
“Waaaaaaaah! The Bloody Rabbit is here!!!”
Feeling a surge of irritation, I let the minigun roar. Why did I have to be called the Bloody Rabbit too?!
“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
A sudden explosion rocked the area. Maybe I'd nicked a gas pipe?
“T-Too strong...”
“Tee-hee~♪”
I stomped up the stairs, my heavy gear clanking and thumping with every step.
“Dieeeeeeeee!”
A man wielding a sword leaped down from the floor above.
“Hup!”
I swung the heavy minigun in a wide arc, using it like a club.
“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
The man was sent flying, tumbling back down the stairs in a heap.
“Naïve!”
Hmph! Even I could handle a bit of close-quarters combat like that. Vilma-san and her group just stood there, their mouths hanging open.
“S-She’s too strong...”
I wasn't strong. This was just average.
Reaching the hallway, I sensed something behind the emergency exit. Yep, enemies. So, naturally, I...
“Hiyah!”
I punched straight through the concrete wall with a fist reinforced by my combat suit. Or rather, my Pulse Pile Bunker. It looked like a gauntlet, but it was actually a beam-powered pile bunker.
I grabbed the guy who had been leaning against the wall and hurled him into another one.
“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!! It’s the Bloody Rabbit!!!”
A group of men and women opened fire, peppering me with pulse rifle rounds. I hunkered down behind my ballistic shield.
Hmm... what to do?
Here, have a pulse grenade. I rolled the canister across the floor.
“R-Run awayyyyyyyyy!!!”
Then—boom.
“S-So merciless... A literal executioner...”
Vilma-san and the others were gawking again. Seriously, this was normal.
“As usual, Riko-chan’s Heavy Infantry Mode is so invincible it’s hilarious~”
Luna-chan was clearly enjoying this.
I wasn't a heavy infantryman! And I wasn't a tank, either. I was just a Defense Type.
I squeezed the trigger, and the Gatling gun began chewing through the wall.
“Gya, gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Stop!!! I surrender! Just stop, please!!!”
The men threw down their weapons in terror.
“Alright, Vilma-san, tie them up.”
“Yes, ma'am!”
I suppose this floor was secured. But the Mistress Army was still out there.
I realized the bleeding in my mouth had finally stopped. Good grief, and here I was, supposed to be a delicate girl. I was getting more and more... unrefined. I’d never be popular with the guys at this rate.
Not that it mattered; watching Leo-kun and the others was entertainment enough for me. I swapped out my energy cartridges, including the one for my personal shield.
Sigh...
Just as I was catching my breath, the building's intercom crackled to life. A woman's voice came through.
“You accursed Bloody Rabbit! We will never yield!”
Oh, it was the classic "proud-warrior-demands-death" vibe, but coming from an odd angle. Was it that female knight from earlier? I wasn't exactly thrilled.
Women like her had no shame. If I was going to tease someone, I'd much rather stick to Claire-chan, Melissa-chan, or Ren-chan. Kevin-chan and Leo-kun were good targets too. Eddie-kun was fun, but Minerva-chan was way too scary.
“Vilma-san... Competent women really are built different, aren't they?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, nothing. Tee-hee-hee.”
I was making a rather smug face when that older woman's voice cut in again.
“Today, we declare our independence from the Empire!”
Wow... they really had zero grasp of reality. Maybe if this were Claire-chan’s territory, they’d have a shot. But on this planet? No way.
Good grief. I guess it was up to me to handle this!