Lolibaba -Enjoying the Daily Life of a Mercenary From the Age of Six- Chapter 23

(Changing Aiandinna to -> Iron Dinna)

The mercenary group Jakan was a small scale mercenary group of thirty two members, having the machiini [Hedgehog], which was piloted by the leader Golias, and a gnome and a Silphy as the core of the group.

Together with the Rozen group leaded by Maia, they had been hired by a n.o.ble of the south, lord Roua. However, he perished in his last battle, so their contract of protecting him was cancelled.

Even if the reason for his death was because his third son went too much forward because he wanted fame, the one they would be complaining to was already headed to the world of G.o.d, a world above heavens where the river of mana Naagarain.

Having lost their employer, they also lost their job.

Even with that said, there is no way they could immediately get another contract at the front lines. It wasn´t rare for one to get a bad contract if one was in rush to get employed, and it also seemed that there was still some time before the next a.s.sault, so they decided to return to the city of Morson and find an employer.

And then, it happened yesterday. They received a message from Maia, the leader of the Rozen mercenary group, which had been hired by the lord Roua together with them before. Hearing that they got hired with good terms by a certain mercenary group, Gilias accepted the invitation.

The Jakan mercenary group arrived at the neighboring city of Morson, which was where they were invited for the meeting.

“”…Hou.””

Golias glanced around. They were at a place that machiini pilots would sometimes use for training. It was wide enough that there wouldn´t be any problems even with the machiinis moving around. The ones present there was the Rozen mercenary groups with their fifty one members, and at a place slightly away from them were two machiinis and two elementals.

“”So that´s the Beladonna mercenary group Maia was talking about? Although their numbers of two machiinis and two elements are reasonable, don´t they have anybody else?””

If it was in close terrain, it was feasible for soldiers of living flesh to fight a machiini. Actually, if the soldiers had equipment specialized for dealing with machiinis, it wasn´t impossible for five people to bring a machiini down.

In addition, with the cooperation between machiinis and soldiers following along it it, it was possible for the soldiers to defeat the machiini in the gap made by the fight between them. The opposite was also possible. Because of that, although it still depends on the situation, it is thought that it is essential to have machiinis and supporting soldiers as a set.

“”Are the elements serving as subst.i.tutes?””

Although this was costly, this was also a good way to use elements.

Golias thought that maybe they were intending to hire them in order to supplement their forces. However, the black knight model machiini caught his eyes because of that.

As a mercenary, by the time you possess a machiini like that, you would certainly already be holding considerable power. At the time he saw it, Golias concluded that the pilot of the black machiini was the leader of the Beladonna mercenary group.

[Oh, so you came.]

However, the one that spoke when Golias approached them wasn´t the black machiini, but the small red machiini that was beside it.

“”What?””

Golias was confused. By looking at the positions they were standing, it felt as if the top of the Beladonna mercenary group was actually the small machiini. Despite how it still didn´t grow up, it indiscriminately wore a red painting that stood out. Golias thought that it would become target in the battlefield because of that, and thus it would get taken down right away. However, he first put those thoughts aside and asked.

[Golias of the Jakan mercenary group has arrived. Is the leader of Beladonna here?]

[Yeah, it´s me. I am the leader of Beladonna.]

It was the red machiini that had blatantly spoken before the one stepping forward.

“”So it was really the red one. It isn´t the black one?””

It couldn´t be helped that Golias was thinking like that. That machiini was still young.

“”Besides that, the voice seems to be very young?   ….It looks like a woman. That is if the one inside isn´t making that weird voice on purpose. Now that I look closely, that element used to be one of that n.o.ble´s slaves.””

Golias was remembering about it as he looked at the Salamas [Expressif]. It was an element that used to serve beside lord Roua. Golias remembered well that its pilot was very skillful despite the reckless explosions.

[Alright. Bela, are those there all you have? Is your mercenary group only four machiinis and elements?]

[Well, I´ve just started here, you see. There is a lot still lacking, but well, I am hiring you because of that, you know.]

Hearing those words, Golias responded.

[You´ve just started? Maia, you invited me for someone like that?]

[Well, that´s right.]

Maia answered Golias with just that. From those words, it could be felt the feeling of resignation. It was as if she already knew about that.

[I can make up with skill for what I lack of experience. I will have you compensate for the experience. There shouldn´t be any complaints about that, right?]

[As if there isn´t. First of all, even if you spout about your strength, there is no way I can believe with a shabby machiini like that.]

[Hyahyahya.]

Laughs resounded, being directed to Golias. Those were clearly laughs that were making fun of him.

[In that case, should I first show you my power?]

[What? Do you want to fight me?]

Golias´ machiini [Hedgehog] was three meters and eighty centimeters. It was a height that was like comparing an adult and a child when compared to Bela´s [Iron Dinna]. However, the proposal coming from [Iron Dinna] wasn´t a one-on-one fight against [Hedgehog].  

[It should be better if the side hiring and the side being hired can properly grasp the strength of each other. Maia, you and Gauro go join them too.]

[Eh… Yeah, alright.]

Hearing Bela´s words, Maia told the ones of her group that didn´t have machiinis to step back, and along with Gauro, she went over to where the Jadan mercenary group were at.

[So, is it going to be four against five?]

Golias said as he signed his subordinates without machiinis to step back with his arm. The mercenary group Beladonna had four machiinis and elements while the mercenary groups Jadan and Rozen had three machiinis and two elements in total. Golias and the others had the numeric advantage of one machiini. However, it indeed wasn´t a bad match.

[Nope. You will be fighting against me alone.]

[Master, let me fight too.]

[No]

Bal proposed, but Bela rejected.

[With just your current strength, those guys would end up getting hurt. I don´t want any machiinis getting destroyed before we go to the war.]

[With how you say that, it sounds to me you are telling us you can defeat us without getting any scratches though?]

Golias said as veins popped in his forehead.

At this field that had been opened up at this rocky place, the more [Iron Dinna] walked forward, the more Bela laughed.

[I should have told you I was going to show my strength, right?]

Hearing Bela provoking Golias, Maia put her hands in her head. From what she heard from Bal, Bela´s strength was indeed at an abnormally high level. However, Maia couldn´t believe that she was going to overturn this difference of numbers just because of that.

“”I guess I will need to find another employer if she gets killed here.””

In the time Maia was having those pessimistic thoughts, Gauro spoke to her from behind.

[It´s really fine if we end up killing her, right?]

Hearing those words, Maia realized Gauro was influenced by the experience he had yesterday. He ended up wetting his pants at the mercenary a.s.sociation before everyone´s eyes. His pride was provoked after having been laughed at and also after being seen with eyes of pity. This was something that couldn´t be helped however.

[I don´t mind.]

“”She was saying it was fine to come with the intent to kill after all.””

Maia asked Bela about that beforehand. It was possible to see she was very strong just by looking at Bal´s machiini. But even so, she still didn´t know many things about Bela.

Rethinking about that, Maia thought that it could be nice to take back at what she had done to them now. The feeling of wanting to corner Bela was present on both Maia and Gauro.

And then, all of the machiinis and elements faced each other, standing one next to another in a line. Looking at them from side to side, [Iron Dinna]´s small stature really stood out. That was so even despite how it was obviously bigger than elements.

[So, how are we fighting? I don´t mind what you choose though.]

Hearing Bela´s words about fighting, Golias laughed. At that point in time, Gauro thought in his heart that this was going to be a spanking in order to wake up that haughty person. Golias wasn´t part of a knight group. He didn´t do knight-like things such as going one-on-one. They were mercenaries.

[You…]

Taking the round s.h.i.+eld that was set at the left arm at hand…

[…are finished!]

…he threw it like a disk.

[Ah, how dirty.]

Standing at the back, Borudo said while still inside his gnome.

[Ah, he has a pretty good character.]

Standing next to him, Jadan praised Golias while putting his tongue out. With Borudo being at the middle, at the other side was Bal, who in contrast was trembling. It seemed he wanted to partic.i.p.ate in the fight so much he was trembling.

And then, Bela…

[It´s nice you can go with all you got.]

…caught the s.h.i.+eld with the left hand as she was saying that. With just one hand, she stopped the round s.h.i.+eld spinning at high velocity without breaking a sweat, holding it with the fingers. This wasn´t her own body she was controlling. Moreover, she had to press the b.u.t.ton that controlled the grip of the fingers with the right amount of strength and paying mind on the receptive stones behind the neck of her machiini at the same time. Even if it was still fine for when holding a weapon or carrying luggage, something such as catching something moving at high speed was already like a miracle… However, as if Golias didn´t care about that feat, he charged.

Golias thoughts were already set on fighting. No matter what kind of existence was the opponent, he would only fight. The weapon being hold by Golias´ machiini [Hedgehog] was a mace; a iron ball filled with spikes that granted the machiini its name. Holding that, he pointed it forward.

[Go flying, ojou-chan!]

Along with the sound of explosion, the iron ball was sent flying. As the chains were being stretched while making jangling sounds, the iron ball was headed to Iron Dinna with a high rotation speed.

It was the gimmick weapon [Iron Ball]. Similarly to Bela´s gimmick ability [Stinger] at the left hand, it was a weapon that had special mechanisms that transformed magic power in kinetic energy.