Partner Swapping
……She couldn't offer any resistance. His mana had extended roots into every corner of her body. An intense pressure, as if her entire form were bound by invisible threads, choked the breath from her lungs.
In that moment, all Seres could do was greedily devour the mana he force-fed her and generate power for the Holy Knight as he desired. As his mana relentlessly pushed deep into her lower abdomen, carving itself in, a flood of thoughts raced through her mind. Long-forgotten memories began to resurface, one by one.
They were the life of a foolish girl, utterly obedient, devoid even of the will to resist. A time when she couldn't stop herself from killing her own father in the end… Such a pathetic era.
Was that why? Even against her will, her body submitted on its own. Just recalling those memories made her tremble as if her blood were drying up.
And slipping into that crack came the whispers: Obey. Submit. Devote yourself. The memories of her childhood twisted into an unseen, murky voice that incessantly murmured in her ear.
She didn't want to hear it anymore. So Seres squeezed her eyes shut. She curled up, blocking out her senses. Only the hard contour of the cockpit seat embraced her gently.
But the voice didn't fade. It kept echoing. The cockpit felt filled with snakes. Unwanted memories reverberated as sounds.
Shhhr… Shhhr…
Then, like a snake's hiss brushing the corner of her brain, another long-buried memory floated to the surface of her consciousness. It was from her childhood—a question her instructor had posed.
What is a female pilot?
What had she answered back then? For the male pilots… For the sake of the male pilots…
For male pilots…?
Nausea welled up. It was hard to believe she'd said such shameful things. She pitied her younger self, beaming innocently at the instructor's praise, clueless and giggling.
I hate this. I'm not like that anymore. Not like that weak girl from back then…
──!
It was then, as she gritted her teeth in resolve, that a brutal surge of mana rammed into her lower abdomen like a battering ram. Her mana nerve system, unable to withstand the violence, shuddered as if screaming.
“……Ngh!”
Seres's unmistakable moan echoed through the cockpit. Netoru, gripping the controls, spoke coldly.
“Seres. Whatever you're thinking, cut it out. You're distracting me.”
“……”
Trembling, Seres clenched her teeth. She hated his casual whipping, but distracting? The flow of consciousness linked through their coupling must feel like nothing more than an annoyance to him.
In that instant, a sense of injustice surged through her. Cut it out? This is all because of you.
Clenching her fists at his cold, indifferent warning, she turned to protest—but… ah. His stark, icy eyes, as if saying What can you even do?, turned her mind blank.
Her lips twitched, but no words came. Pathetic, she averted her gaze. She despised herself.
2.
“……”
Netoru furrowed his brow. Part of it was the vague emotions seeping through from Seres via the coupling, but more than that, her attempts to reclaim control of the mana path while peeking at him seemed amusing.
Whimpering just moments ago… Now rebelling to take back dominance?
…Was she always this troublesome?
If it had been Karen, she'd grumble but yield control willingly. It was the rational choice. For smooth combat, one pilot—male or female—needed full dominance.
But Netoru decided to let Seres be. She couldn't seize control no matter what she tried. She'd tire herself out and give up eventually.
Anyway, combat was the priority now. They were nearing the target point.
Before battle, Netoru focused on the sensation of piloting the Holy Knight. Surprisingly, the coupling wavelength might be decent. Her body, conditioned from childhood to submit to men, absorbed mana readily, and her sensitivity was higher than expected. No discomfort in moving the Holy Knight.
Satisfied, he worked to familiarize himself with Seres's machine. Naturally, it felt very different from Karen's. Each step cratered the ground deeper, with a heavier weight and thunderous roar. Like a medieval knight charging in full plate armor.
Yet a boiling urge to unleash that overflowing power surged within him. If Karen's Holy Knight was a light tank optimized for mobility and agility, Seres's was a heavy tank that crushed foes with raw strength and defense.
As he gauged her machine, Netoru also probed the mana nerve system she'd built inside her. In a way, that blueprint was the most crucial. A well-trained yeogisa's body was prime research material.
Through the linked mana path, he accessed and scrutinized its structure. But scattered areas remained inaccessible. Probably because not all of Seres's mana nerve system was fully activated. She wasn't using her full capabilities.
But that couldn't be helped. Using everything while just moving would be the anomaly.
…Guess I need to test it in actual combat.
Netoru checked the enemy composition and positions updated via Rien's data link. Point 406. The approaching bugs on the path weren't too threatening in number or makeup. Six Spiders and some Locusts. Classic scrap forces.
Clear the artillery-firing Spiders, and the machine-gun Locusts would be easy pickings. Ideal for a first coupling battle with Seres.
As they reached the target, Rien, who'd been monitoring, spoke.
3.
Still some time before the bugs arrived. Netoru had the squad hold nearby and broke the lukewarm silence.
“Seres. What was your original partner like in the Saint Mishar Knight Order?”
The same question again. Seres turned, sighed, and replied.
“…Didn't we agree to drop that?”
“When did I say that?”
“……”
She'd asked him to stop, but he'd never agreed. Realizing that, her expression twisted slightly. Not scary—just cutely masochistic.
Strange how a mature woman could make such a childish face. Probably never learned to express anger properly as a kid. Some people were like that—idiots who didn't know how to vent rage.
Seres fit the bill, from what Netoru observed. That's why her actions turned sly and cowardly. She lacked the guts or know-how to face someone head-on.
How did a woman like this…?
He wasn't deeply invested in her backstory, but now curiosity piqued. What had happened to get her kicked from the knights?
“……”
Netoru waited for her answer. But silence. She just looked away, lips sealed. A wordless protest.
He chuckled. Fine, if she won't talk. But he had to say his piece. Planned to wait till after battle, but it grated too much.
Her gaze, expression, emotions—all avoided him properly. She was projecting someone else's shadow onto him, lost in the past, terrified.
Netoru loathed it. I'm the one coupled with you now. Why obsess over some dead ghost?
Fear him, resent him—focus solely on him.
──!
Venting his irritation, Netoru yanked her control stick. Seres's back arched primly as she whipped around in alarm.
“Ugh! What now?”
“Now you're looking properly.”
Netoru stared into her pale purple eyes and murmured low.
“I don't know what your old partner was like, but don't compare us.”
“…I'm not.”
Amusing, a grown woman sassing like a brat. Netoru pressed on.
“Seres. No sloppy lies. Think I can't tell? We're coupled. I get a faint read on your thoughts and feelings.”
“……”
Her emotions had leaked through hazily—a muddy sludge of negatives mirroring her life. Fear, resentment, regret, self-loathing. Unpleasant even for him.
Were all yeogisa like this? He'd only observed them, never coupled or chatted much. Knights were arrogant; their yeogisa attendants, even less approachable. He was just a commoner.
“Funny for me to say this, but Seres—I'm nothing like your old partner.”
“…How are you different?”
“How?”
Netoru smirked at her wavering eyes, released the stick, and reached out to toy with her hair. She flinched in surprise but didn't protest much.
“Very different. Couldn't be the same.”
Her long violet hair cascaded over his fingers to her waist. Silky smooth—like satin. Just looking at her poise, she seemed a fine woman…
Playing with her locks teasingly, Netoru whispered.
“I'm not some half-assed guy like your old partner. So quit the useless thoughts. Focus only on me.”
Her eyes widened at the arrogance, staring up in dazed awe.
Then a voice cut in.
Sure enough, bugs were closing in. Car-sized Locusts in front ranks, Spiders trailing behind, using them as shields. Credible tactics. To hit the turreted Spiders, they'd have to breach the thick Locust line first.
Chitchat over. Netoru gripped Seres's stick again and briefed the squad on positions and plan. Simple, but backlash was instant.
Netoru understood Rin and Ran's objections. It was brutally straightforward. But he didn't waver, charging ahead stubbornly.
Hearing Rin's shriek, Netoru led Seres's Holy Knight boldly into the bugs' path alone.
──Kiririk?
The orderly bugs spotted the enemy and assumed combat stance. Locusts formed impeccable infantry lines; Spiders' turrets locked on Seres's machine.
Perilous. But Netoru calmly ramped output without hesitation. Seres yielded smoothly and asked quietly.
“…Have you ever coupled with a yeogisa before?”
“Nope.”
Shrugging at whatever she'd expected, Netoru added.
“Seres. You're my first.”
“Huh? W-wait! And you're still gonna…!?”
Before her shocked words finished—
──BOOM!
Spiders fired; Locusts unleashed volley. Bullets and shells screamed toward the lone target. A dizzying barrage.
Netoru exhaled steadily, focusing on Seres's Holy Knight. He wasn't charging blindly. He trusted her abilities.
“Even reckless has limits…!”
Seres fell silent amid the noise, the massive mana influx forcing her to concentrate on the connection. Netoru wasn't unscathed either—dizzy vertigo, skull-splitting headache from the mana surge.
Embracing it, as projectiles closed in, he activated her machine's power.
The air warped, shifting hue—
──GRRRND!
──KABOOM!
Shells halted inches away, crumpling against an invisible barrier before exploding. The blast scattered storm and debris, but nothing touched the Holy Knight.
The unseen force was its shield—its armor. The technique called mana release.
Impossible for Karen's machine yet—exclusive to veteran female pilots, specialized in Seres the ex-knight.
“Hah… hah… A-are you suicidal…!?”
Gasping from near-death, she glared fiercely. Netoru liked it. Finally, proper anger. Her upturned eyes were seductive, not scary. Who knew that gentle face could twist like that.
Should've been like this from the start.
“I like that look.”
“…What the hell now. Ngh!?”
Battle unfinished. No breather—Netoru yanked the stick. Cloaked in the invisible force, the Holy Knight kicked off.
Mana release guzzled power; duration short. But enemy numbers matched. In reality, charging gunfire was suicide—but here, trained knights could. Or rather, trained yeogisa.
Relying on the barrier, Netoru bulldozed the Locust wall like a heavy tank, then impaled a Spider's body with his blade.