episode_0176

While the other Violets made calls, we continued our discussion.

Assuming we excluded our friends from our plan, how could we send them away?

“Should we send them somewhere else?”

“Let’s send them on a trip!”

That’s right. The romance of school life comes from school trips!

Unfortunately, I lost that opportunity by enrolling in a bad academy, but perhaps the Violets could create those school memories in my stead.

“Let’s go outside the Academy City! There are good places to travel around here.”

“Cascadia Island!”

We’d been working them too hard. It would be good to let them rest for a while.

We also needed to clear our heads before the big event.

“What about training?”

Number 65 asked, and Number 1123 replied.

“We’re already doing it!”

Just as she said, the Violets were conducting various training exercises without rest.

We held endless simulated battles on deserted islands, in dungeons. Even within the Violet Network, fights broke out.

“Yahoo! We’re flying!”

As we shared our vision, a formation of wingsuits soared across the blue sky.

In front of the wingsuit formation was a large, vertically spread fabric. Small and large windows were drawn on the fabric.

A Violet, flying at high speed, collided with the fabric target.

“Argh!”

-Boom!

As the Violet guided bomb exploded in mid-air, the target burst into flames and collapsed.

“Missed. Looks like a control error, don’t forget that it’s windy around tall buildings. Like now!”

“It’s difficult…”

On one side, artillery fire boomed incessantly. A buoy floating in the sea was swallowed by a massive column of water and vanished.

“Direct hit!”

As the successful shout echoed, the Violets cheered.

Even if it was just training, artillery drills conducted with live ammunition like this were truly thrilling.

“With a little more practice, we could deploy these in real combat.”

Number 631 said with a voice full of confidence.

We continued our discussions even during breaks. The topic was infiltration methods. Everyone agreed that the experience gained from artillery firing drills and wingsuit flight training would be a great help in this operation.

“Our main battlefield will be the city. Their buildings and bases are equipped with anti-aircraft batteries by default.”

A Violet began the analysis. According to the information we had discreetly gathered, their main facilities were equipped with formidable anti-aircraft turrets designed to defend against attacks from aircraft and flying magic beasts.

“But we have wingsuits, parachutes, and hibernating Violets. We’ll be able to quickly infiltrate their anti-aircraft blind spots.”

“Once infiltration is complete, we must cut off the power and blow up their vehicles and facilities at our designated locations.”

Another Violet added to the plan.

“What about after infiltration? We don’t have blueprints for all their buildings. It will be complicated, so we’ll need to quickly deal with our respective targets and withdraw.”

Another Violet offered an opinion.

“Speed is key! Be stealthy, and I don’t think we need to kill indiscriminately. Let’s distinguish between those to be abducted and those to be killed. Unnecessary actions will only be a hindrance.”

Number 65 added.

“Right, we also need to collect data! If it looks like worthwhile data, secure it without fail and put it into our inventories. The longer we stay, the more dangerous it becomes, so time management is important.”

As soon as we finished talking, we began to slowly simulate how the actual operation would proceed within the Violet Network.

While the simulations repeated, Number 427 spoke.

“There are two core aspects to this fight. How effectively we strike their key facilities and personnel. And…”

“How much we damage their reputation.”

Number 901 continued. Kalia’s uncle’s advice was vividly etched in our minds. Osprey-nim’s warning was by no means trivial.

“Suppose we get lucky and even kill the chairman. What happens then?”

“Well…”

When Number 568 asked, the Violets began a simulation through the network. A small city model appeared within the network.

The Academy City representative Violet cried out in shock.

“They destroyed the academy? Whatever their reason, they’re clearly dangerous terrorists!”

The Violets of the Three Great Clans discussed with serious expressions.

“Since those unlucky mages have fallen, we’re definitely next! They’re destroyers of order, so we must strike first!”

The Federation Chairman Violet gave a stiff command.

“They’re clearly a threat to the system! Hunt them down!”

How many people would welcome an armed organization that suddenly appeared and destroyed a major clan?

They might even be treated as a new kind of pest that could steal their money and power.

Adela’s family and the people from the mid-to-small clans would provide supporting fire, but that wouldn’t be enough. We might end up having to hide.

If the Violets were fish, the public was the lake.

We could choose to live in dungeons or the wilderness, sleeping rough, but it was better to be properly hidden among people.

“Ultimately, we need to establish a clear justification. Simply exposing their true state and spreading data won’t be enough.”

We pondered how to create justification.

Reporting to the media or filing complaints with the inspection agency were methods we had already considered, but these alone weren’t enough.

While diligently discussing, one Violet brought up a good idea.

“Why don’t we show them directly? As the saying goes, seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times [a proverb meaning ‘seeing is believing’]!”

“Ah! Such a method…”

We consulted with the Violets who had been sold to the research institute and adjusted our schedule. Other Violets ordered cameras.

“Which broadcast channel is the most watched in the Academy City? Let’s investigate.”

“Also, learn how to use online streaming sites. It’s important!”

***

While we were deep in preparation, I carefully brought up the idea of a trip during dinner.

“Everyone! You’ve worked hard, haven’t you? You’ll be resting for a while. What do you think?”

When I contacted Adela about my friends’ escape, her reaction was very favorable.

She was too busy with schoolwork and handling family matters to help directly, but she said she could arrange for a villa to be rented for us by contacting her family beforehand.

Without telling all my friends, I brought up the idea of going on a trip.

The team members’ gazes focused on me. My friends’ expressions were somewhat gloomy.

“A trip? Didn’t you say you were going to terrorize the academy? What about that?”

Lucian seemed deep in thought, twisting the pasta on his plate with a fork. I replied.

“Not terror, but revolution! Our plan is underway, but we’re still in training, so it’s a bit awkward to do anything immediately. And everyone’s worked hard, haven’t they? You should have some fun and rest.”

Saying that, I introduced several travel destinations. All of them were locations outside the Academy City.

Irene, who had been listening to me, asked carefully.

“So, we can participate in the plan, right?”

“Uh… if you want to? Do you all really intend to participate? Then raise your hands.”

When I asked, my three friends raised their hands without hesitation. Following them, the other three team members slowly raised their hands as well.

“How could I possibly miss out on helping the Violets?”

Daphne said, and the other friends nodded as if agreeing. I was very happy to see that, but at the same time, I was worried.

“Ugh, everyone’s so enthusiastic…”

Seeing that, we Violets became seriously more worried about our friends. Now, the Violets’ concern was how to persuade our friends to back out.

“Let’s try to persuade them, and if it doesn’t work, we’ll just leave them at the travel destination and start secretly!”

“Should we?”

***

Our training and preparations proceeded smoothly. The trucks were modified one by one, and the Violets became accustomed to operating heavy weapons.

“Let’s do a quick mobility drill.”

On a weekend holiday morning, while the friends rested, a group of Violets drove trucks towards a dungeon.

This dungeon, named ‘Marqus Plains,’ was known for its low difficulty and vast size.

As we drove the cars in, a grassland stretched beyond the gate. Here and there, people were chasing skull-kits, each wielding a sword.

“Let’s go!”

We slowly cut across the path, heading towards a sparsely populated area.

Perhaps because it was a holiday, the number of people inside the dungeon was very small.

The Violets stopped the cars, took out the separated mounts and heavy weapons from their inventories, reattached them to the truck beds, and conducted test fires.

-Rat-a-tat-tat!

“It’s holding up better than expected?”

The modified truck withstood the recoil of the heavy weapons quite well.

It even endured the recoil of heavy autocannons without issues.

For something disposable, it seemed like it would last a long time, which wasn’t bad. I admired the skill of the engineer uncles who helped us.

“It’ll be useful for fire support.”

It would explode if hit by magic, but it would be suitable for moving quickly within the academy as an armored vehicle substitute. It would also be useful for ambushing roads or airfields.

While the mobility drill was underway, as we were discussing our response to our friends and travel plans, we suddenly remembered some people we had forgotten.

“Let’s reveal our identities and request cooperation from the Instructor-nim and the Professor-nim. When is the Instructor-nim expected to arrive?”

“I think I’ve been in contact with Professor-nim, but I’ll have to ask.”

Before we broke the academy, we had to tell them both beforehand.

It felt like they were also preparing something on their own. At the very least, based on what we’d seen so far, they were definitely not on the side of the Board of Directors and those Magnabys guys.

By the way, how far has the research interpretation entrusted to Teacher Yurik progressed? I should ask immediately after the mobility drill ends.

“Ugh, all we want is to live freely. Why is there so much to do?”

One Violet grumbled. She was right. It truly was a busy time.