Chapter 76: Operation Skybreak, part 1/11

One day later:

Tia sat nestled in the plush armchair, her legs folded gracefully beneath her. In the quiet, her eyes flickered in harmony with the ethereal glow emanating from the runes floating above her outstretched palms, illuminating the dark, luxurious suite.

'System, please, I put effort into this! Please reward me!' She pleaded internally, looking upward with her eyes.

Ding!

You have learned the novice-tier rune, Deflect, with your own effort.

+1 to MAG

[Novice Runic Spellcraft] 45% -> 55%

Ding!

You have learned the novice-tier rune, Harden, with your own effort.

+1 to MAG

[Novice Runic Spellcraft] 55% -> 60%

"Thank you." She whispered, still unsure if the systems were sentient beings, logical programs, or only the creation of her broken mind.

The next moment, the last droplet of her energy entered the glowing runes, and her vision darkened and spun as if she were sucked into some vortex.

Beep!

<<<<<<<>>>>>>>

<Anouncement> Fixing the spacetime anomaly

<100%>

<<<<<<<>>>>>>>

The platinum-blonde girl squirmed in her bed. Her lilac irises flickered open, the delicate hue of her eyes revealing a world of depth as they focused on the familiar white ceiling of her room. She brought her hands up, rubbing her eyes tenderly.

'The constant practice consumed my mana faster than I anticipated,' she reflected, a surge of awareness bringing her fully back into the realm of the conscious.

Her stress peaked once more, knowing it was only a matter of time before she would meet with the deranged red-eye.

Her muscles tensed with readiness, and with a fluid grace that belied her inner turmoil, she sprung from the bed, landing softly on the carpet below.

'I have to do it.' Her hands moved, adjusting the folds and creases of her uniform until it sat perfectly upon her, and she ran her fingers through her messy, long hair, straightening and combing the silky strands of platinum.

'No matter what, I should at least look like I care.'

After giving herself a determined nod of approval in her reflection, she walked purposefully, yet somewhat hesitantly, to the living room.

As she approached, the door creaked open abruptly, startling her and causing her heart to leap into her chest. The handler standing there greeted her with a rare, kind smile as she declared, "Rejoice; today is the day we will take this planet from the hands of the corrupted federation."

Tia tensed up instinctively, offering a stiff nod in response. She tried to shake off the nervousness clinging to her as the handler continued, "There is no reason for you to be so tense. We are now both knights of Her Grace."

'So she is also a knight.' Tia thought as she finally learned what the official role of the woman always observing her was.

The handler's smile vanished, and her tone turned cold and threatening. "However, I warn you; do not even think about betraying us, or you will regret ever being born. The empire has zero tolerance for traitors."

With her head lowered meekly, Tia nodded, feeling the oppressive weight of the handler's cold stare. Inside, her frustration was nearing its boiling point. 'This is why I want to leave. You are only threatening me,' she seethed silently, the desire for freedom burning stronger.

"Follow me." Handler waved at her and turned to walk away, her black coat wavering behind her.

In silence, Tia turned to follow her down the run-down corridors and the old creaking staircase, watching the handler's black coat with interest and realizing it wasn't that different from her own.

'Huh?!' The moment Tia reached the ground floor, her eyes went wide.

The heavily armored soldiers in the ornamental power suits stood alert. The visors of their helmets glowed purple, casting an eerie luminescence that reflected ominously on the high gloss of their armor. The humming generators at the core of their weaponry emanated a subtle but constant heat as they pulsed rhythmically.

As Tia and the handler entered the room, the soldiers instantly straightened their backs. Clad in shiny black gloves, their clenched fists shot upward in an imperial salute. The chorus of the chants, muffled by their helmets, boomed, brimming with zeal and fanaticism.

"For the Emperor!"

"For the Empire!"

"For Her Grace!"

"For humankind!"

The handler turned toward her, the smile on her face sharp and cold as she spoke, her voice rising to match the soldiers' fanaticism. "Today, our operation is different. Today, we cast aside the shadows and strike with all our might, revealing our true strength to the corrupt government of this planet!"

The rallying cry was met with a renewed burst of energy from the troops, their chants reaching a fever pitch as boots slammed against the ground in unison, creating a thunderous roar of approval and readiness.

"For the Emperor!"

"For the Empire!"

"For Her Grace!"

"For humankind!"

The atmosphere, the elegance of their armor, and their chanting made even Tia burn with enthusiasm, feeling like part of something greater. She despised this planet and the government, which treated her like an animal for years. It was the planet that took the lives of her parents and her childhood.

'This time, our goals align. I want to see the people who run this place executed. This single time, I will fight for the Empire of my own volition.' She saw how shitty the planet was under the federation's rule.

'Can't I use my standing as an imperial knight to settle some grudges?' Her eyes gleamed dangerously. This time, she would be the one with the legal system behind her back.

'The hospital director, my horrible family, and the doctors who stamped my fate—I want to see their faces when I will be the one sentencing them.' If even a quarter of the rumors about the empire were correct, then she, as a knight, should be able to execute people on the spot without any trial.

The handler raised her arm, silencing the entire room, and said, "Here are your orders. You will go to the central office of your family's company to secure it and the cooperation of your cousin. Your priority is to protect our computer specialist while he finishes his work and to gain the biometric access keys of your cousin."

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