Leila is an honest and kind girl, so it's very hard for her to accept such a machine. Her angry side told her that she should take it without hassle because he kidnapped her and nearly got killed!
But! After seeing these machines' abilities and raw power, she wasn't sure anymore.
Her honest side is bleeding; she wants to pay back somehow.
After watching the designs coming together and then the funnel system being tested so rigorously, she couldn't take it anymore.
"Leila?" Marcus asked, seeing her acting strangely.
"I don't think I can keep this up…" She said while biting her lower lip.
"What are you talking about?" He asked her, confused, but then she grabbed his collar and pulled him closer before kissing him on the lips.
She narrowed her eyes, making sure she kissed him hard, but then her eyes widened as he grabbed her ass and pulled her up In turn, she wrapped her legs around his waist as he took her to his seat.
Once in his seat, they continued to kiss for a while; however, the kissing session had to end as they needed to breathe.
"I wasn't expecting that you would go on offence like that." Marcus joked as his hands were still on her perfectly shaped bum.
"Hmph. You were waiting for me to go on offence." She replied, realising that he didn't do anything to her, apart from hugs and cuddles on purpose.
"Maybe~ after all, I already kidnapped you~."
"Heh, so you feeling guilty~" She leaned closer, lying on his chest, quite close to his face.
"Maybe."
"...Regardless, I am giving up." She got a bit more serious while saying that.
"Giving up? On what?" He asked, confused again!
"Isn't it obvious? I was trying to resist… think of ways to… somehow show my fangs…" She rolled her eyes, getting embarrassed, as it started to sound bad! In her head, it was far better!
When it comes from her mouth, she sounds like a small girl trying to be naughty!
"But?"
"...But… I realised that my arsenal of weapons is nothing compared to yours." She said that while looking away.
Her explanation caused him to chuckle; he found it amusing.
"I-I am serious! You think it's easy to forgive for getting shot and kidnapped!?" She puffed her cheeks.
"Oh, I know, that is why I am treating you like a Princess."
"Hmph! Debatable!" She puffed for a second. But then she returned to leaning into his chest. The girl is feeling better now after 'surrendering'...
"If you think…" His hands finally moved from her bum as he hugged her properly and started to relax.
"...How long are you two going to stay like this?" Milly, who just left her simulation, looked annoyed. Those two began to get all touchy!
And the attention she was getting is slowly shrinking!
She noticed that recently.
"As much as we want," Marcus replied as he moved and kissed the blonde in his hands.
Milly's pounding increased as she couldn't believe he kissed Leila! She was with him most of her childhood!
"Are you sure? Legion finished collecting data for my machine." The blonde puffed her chest proudly.
"Hm? Now that is interesting." He pulled back from Leila.
"You should check what Legion designed for her." The blonde in his hands replied, she was curious what Milly could pilot.
"If you insist." Marcus sighed. He just started to enjoy the cuddly girl in his hands.
"We can cuddle as much as you want in the bed~." She whispered into his ear.
"INDEED." With that said, he moved, standing up and letting Leila stand, who took a couple of steps to the side.
Milly frowned, wondering what Leila just said to him to motivate him like that.
Marcus moved to his computer, ignoring Milly's stares.
He checked the data that Legion just gathered.
"...Sniper? You?" The Inventor Prince looked at the girl; he needed a double take. He never imagined that this girl would like blowing things up from a distance.
"...What? I realised that I like to one-shot one-kill my enemies! Especially with a high-calibre weapon." Milly did a pistol with her fingers, doing a shooting motion at Marcus.
"...I see."
He checked the data on the Sniper Rifle designed by Legion, which Milly used in simulation.
'That's some impressive range.'
Marcus' eyes widened a bit. He realised that Legion needed to upgrade its system twice to adjust to the range…
"That was some impressive shooting."
"Hehehe, praise me more!" Milly puffed even more.
"I will, because of you, Legion needed to update itself, design a new weapon and improve some of its technologies."
"..."
"...Really?"
"Indeed. Weapons were not something I delved into much. Mobile suits took most of the time, only now we are improving our destructive capabilities."
Marcus explained as he updated other systems with new data. Tiranis and Andraste are getting a new targeting OS as well.
"Hehehe, then I helped the cause." The girl felt even more proud.
"Indeed, it turns out that you can help and not run away."
"Gah!? What's that supposed to mean!?" Milly felt offended! She can easily help! Not with tech, sure! But she is quite social! She could find some talented people!
Marcus didn't reply, as he was already busy checking the new data. He was fascinated by what Legion self-developed through the simulation done by Milly.
Leila's simulation already gave him fascinating data in the form of funnel technology, which is an augmented version of a neural interface that was developed through his Prosthetics technology.
It appears that his modern version of Joan of Arc is talented in spatial awareness and calculations of angles, which is the factor that allows the usage of funnels.
Leila assisted in the development of a stronger neural Interface, and this is vital in the mobile suit's fluid movement.
Regardless, getting more pilots was a great development that will allow him to develop stronger machines!
~~~~~~Meanwhile~~~~~~
As Marcus was developing machines for the pair of blondes, his knight had already installed the backdoor in the government systems and was already organising a patrol to deal with the rebels.
The Margrave has called two people whom he could trust.
"Villeta, Kewell. Good, there is something I wish to speak with you two." Jeremiah looked at two people who arrived to meet him.
One was a chocolate-skinned beauty with silvery blue hair, and the other was a man with short brown hair and blue eyes; both of them were in their mid-twenties, and both of them were part of his pureblood faction.
A faction he created, and it will come in handy to help his Prince.
"What can we do for you, my Lord?" Both of them were quite respectful, as Jeremiah was a talented and great Knightmare pilot.
"You two might have heard of Anaheim Robotics?" The Knight asked the two.
"Of course." The pair nodded at the question. Of course they knew! It's a company that is keeping Britannian soldiers safe and limiting the number of outsiders they need in the army! For Purebloods, it's an important company.
"I spoke with their representative. They help Area 11 in several ways, one of them is by recycling our old Knightmares and keeping them away from the terrorists' hands.
However, recently, these terrorists have become bold and started stealing high-grade refined metals from Anaheim refineries.
The representative would have gone to the Viceroy, but I think we can help them, don't you think? In return, Anaheim could personalise our Sutherlands with their limbs technology, improving them, making them as good as Gloucesters if not better."
The pair got pumped up by the reward!
Dealing with rebel scum? With their Sutherlands!? That's easy work!
"I am in!"
"So am I!"
The pair got excited, making Jeremiah grin.
'My Prince, once we are done, there won't be any scum in your way!'
"Good, then I shall fill out a deployment request. The commanders only need to know the basics that we are going on patrol to hunt some terrorists down." The knight smiled, making the two smile back. The details don't need to be spread.
Before long, three machines launched from the government barracks. They were rushing towards one of the junkyards. From there, they would track the route of their retreat and use known data about the terrorists in the area.
While Viceroy Clovis is lax when it comes to terrorists, when they poke long enough, the Prince does respond.
As long as his quality time is not interrupted, he doesn't care, but when it is, he doesn't mind deploying his entire garrison.
This is what the trio abuses, the prince's lax nature.
The trio swiftly arrived at one of the known terrorist spots.
The immediate gunfire tells them that they are in the right place.
"These stupid elevens are not even trying to hide!" Kewell exclaimed as he opened fire and began to spray bullets without hesitation. His mounted guns on the Knightmare frame were enough to punch through concrete and hit the terrorists that are hiding behind the walls.
"Don't get carried away, Kewell. We need to find out if they are the ones who stole the high-grade metals."
"Right! But ending these filthy terrorists is not against the mission!"
"Indeed. We need to show them that stealing from Britannians is not a wise thing to do!" Jeremiah exclaimed as he and Villieta joined in the slaughter.
Before long, after spraying bullets for a good minute, the ammo has ended. The whole area turned quiet.
"Spread out and look for survivors."
The trio moved out and began to scan the area with their factspheres, looking for any survivors.
"I can't find anything. It looks like they are dead."
"Same here, My Lord." The lady of the group replied.
"Same here. Begin to look for stolen materials."
The trio continued to look, and Jeremiah began to look frustrated.
Will his first mission for his prince be a failure!? This can't be happening!
Eventually, he couldn't take it anymore and jumped out of his Sutherland with sword in hand.
A gun would be more effective, but he is confident in his combat skills.
Though he did have a pistol, but he was a traditional knight.
He walked into a damaged building that he believes is the command centre. He found some radio equipment, maps, and some primitive guns used by the old Japanese military.
'Hmph, using gunpowder? So primitive…'
Since Sakuradite became mainstream material, everything uses electricity, including guns, but not these people.
After looking around, he found some fascinating documents, or more like receipts.
'They were hired by even bigger terrorist groups… Is it Liberation Front?'
He sneared, those are the remnants of the army who hide in a mountain.
'Regardless, this is not a complete failure, I learned what happened to my prince's resources.'
The Knight checked everything before returning to his Knightmare.
"How was it? Did you find anything?" Kewell asked Jeremiah.
"The resources are gone, but there is a trail; it would seem they were taken to a bigger terrorist group." The Margrave replied, sounding frustrated.
"Does that mean we won't be getting those upgrades?" Villeta asked, a bit dissapointed. Having a superior machine is something few have; only higher-ranking members of nobility have customised machines.
There is none in Area 11 to her knowledge who has a custom Knightmare.
"Nothing is yet lost. We can follow the trail and figure out where these resources went, too." Jeremiah seriously replied.
The pair nodded, they are feeling the same way. It's an opportunity that they can't miss! They will try all the angles they can before giving up.
"Yes. But for now, we need to return. Our Knightmares are running out of energy and ammo." Villeta remained that small detail.
"Yes, I know." The Knight nodded. He pulled out his phone and messaged his prince.
Marcus replied a few moments later. This development is something he expected. High-grade metal is good for military installations like defences, and if someone has a forge they could use to make barrels for cannons.
So there are many uses for the metal.