Chapter 264: Conspiracy & Uprising 2
Hiding behind Fumitan, Kudelia asked McGillis with confusion, "Who exactly are you?"
But McGillis didn't answer her directly. Instead, he continued, "Who supplied those laborers with the weapons they needed to revolt?
That would be your campaign sponsor—Nobliss Gordon.
You're not the kind of girl who can't understand something this simple, are you?
He's the type who would use you without hesitation, even placing his trusted subordinates at your side to infiltrate you."
Hearing her identity exposed, the anxiety that had long weighed on Fumitan unexpectedly eased. She felt that perhaps the time had finally come for her to leave Kudelia.
She no longer had to agonize over being forced to betray her.
But Kudelia still didn't understand his implication and asked again, "You… what exactly are you trying to say?"
Wearing a sly smile, McGillis looked at Fumitan and countered, "Have you never once suspected the people beside you?"
Kudelia glared at him sternly. "Fumitan is my family. She's always lived with me like an older sister. Take back those unreasonable words—or I'll get angry."
"Oh? But what is she really like?"
Abandoning her final traces of hope, Fumitan lowered her head. "My lady… everything he said is true.
I really am a spy sent by Nobliss to Lord Norman's side. I'm sorry, my lady."
Kudelia froze, but still clutched Fumitan's arm tightly. "Fumitan… this is a lie, right? You must be lying to me, aren't you?"
"I'm sorry, my lady. Farewell." With sadness clouding her eyes, Fumitan walked away from Kudelia.
When Kudelia tried to chase her, McGillis grabbed her arm and said smugly, "Revolutionary girl, take care of yourself. You may yet become everyone's hope."
Kudelia broke free from him in grief and ran desperately in the direction Fumitan had gone.
Just as Fumitan reached the hotel entrance, Tolle reluctantly activated the nano-armor communicator and spoke to them both: "Fumitan, you're not allowed to leave Kudelia. Doing this will only make her heart ache.
And I've already taken control of Nobliss—there's nothing left for you to fear.
Kudelia, Fumitan had no choice. She already told me everything Nobliss forced her to do. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to be hurt. Forgive her.
Don't let yourselves be divided. We'll talk about the details once we rescue Biscuit and Atra."
Kudelia finally caught up to Fumitan at the hotel entrance. The two clung to each other tightly, both crying in relief and sorrow.
Meanwhile, Tolle and Mikazuki successfully reached the place where Biscuit and Atra were being held. After killing all the Gjallarhorn guards, they freed the two.
Mikazuki didn't waste a second—he hoisted Atra over his shoulder and ran with Biscuit and Tolle toward Kudelia's hotel.
Partway there, they encountered Orga and the others arriving by vehicle, and together they rushed to retrieve Kudelia and Fumitan, preparing to return to the Isaribi.
But on the way back, they ran into a group of laborers participating in a protest march, and Kudelia was pulled into the procession.
Soon after, a series of explosions erupted nearby. Gjallarhorn forces attacked the march, and many of the workers died under the bombardment.
Tolle sighed to himself—Kudelia surviving this scene in the anime was a miracle. Everyone else around her died, yet she lived. It was almost unbelievable.
Massive plot armor—classic heroine privilege.
But this time, things didn't go as easily. Shrapnel from the explosions struck Kudelia repeatedly, and she only remained unharmed thanks to her nano-armor.
If he hadn't given her the compressed-space bracelet earlier, she would've died—what a huge difference.
Fumitan still threw herself in front of Kudelia to shield her, but the nano-armor absorbed the hit and even generated realistic fake blood to stain her clothes.
As expected of Nami's work—its disguise capabilities were top-tier.
The sight terrified Kudelia, who cried uncontrollably. Only through the internal nano-armor communication did she learn the blood was fake.
After calming down, she helped Fumitan move out of danger.
Tolle took the opportunity to shoot the hidden sniper who had fired the deadly shot.
Meanwhile, numerous Gjallarhorn warships had already arrived near the Dort Colony Group, preparing to invade and occupy the colonies under the pretext of suppressing the uprising.
Tolle contacted the two warships assigned to escort the Isaribi—the Spark No.1 and the Warhammer—ordering them to hide.
They were not to attack unless he sent explicit instructions; they were only to fight if absolutely necessary.
This was all part of a conspiracy, and Tolle had no intention of dragging the Spark Group into a premature full-scale war.
His time in this world was running out.
However, Tolle also used the DG cells he had planted earlier in the Gjallarhorn forces to locate the warship carrying the Kimaris.
He hoped Gaelio wouldn't launch too early—Tolle planned to seize it in the chaos.
Meanwhile, the laborers on the colonies launched in the Shiden-Rodi units supplied by Nobliss.
They charged at Gjallarhorn's MS forces first, but these units were also part of Nobliss' trap—their weapons were completely incapable of attacking.
They were unusable.
In the end, the workers became nothing more than sacrifices in this political game.
———
Kimaris B-Rank Mobile Suit
Terrain Suitability: Sea C / Land B / Air — / Space A
Fixed Armaments:
– Gungnir Spear ×1
– Cannon ×1 (integrated with Gungnir)
– Combat Knife ×1
– Shoulder Slashing Discs ×2
Special Equipment:
– Dual Ahab Reactors
– Ahab Nano-Layered Armor
– Alaya-Vijnana System