Chapter 91: SEED – The Price of Growth 5
Tolle Koenig continued to speak in a domineering tone to the people of the Dawn Desert.
"Good that you've yielded! What are you still standing around for? Clean up the battlefield and take your comrades' bodies back!
Remember this lesson and live properly from now on. There's always a way if you think hard enough—use your brains!
That reckless behavior of yours wasn't called bravely fighting back, it was called charging in without a plan and throwing your lives away!
As for revenge, wait until you have the strength to match it. Otherwise, you're just sending yourselves to die."
The Dawn Desert group, after hearing Tolle Koenig's words, whether they were truly convinced or not, at least submitted in their actions.
They immediately began doing as he said—gathering their comrades' bodies and salvaging any usable supplies.
Standing nearby, Cagalli Yula Athha suddenly had her eyes light up for some reason, staring straight at him.
The moment Tolle Koenig met her gaze, he felt unbearably uncomfortable, goosebumps all over.
He decided to ignore her and ran over to Kira Yamato.
"Kira, my martial arts aren't bad, right?"
Kira nodded, his curiosity immediately piqued.
"Not bad at all. Where did you learn that? And that thing where you turned a strip of cloth into a staff—what was that? Don't tell me it's some kind of superpower."
"Heh heh, no, this is real martial arts I learned in a dream—not some scam, and definitely not a superpower."
"Seriously? Then why haven't I ever seen you use it before?"
"Of course it's real. I only learned it not long ago. After that, I boarded the Archangel, so I never got the chance to tell you."
Then, pulling a lecherous grin, he added,
"This martial art even has certain… benefits for men and women, you know. Want me to teach you?"
Kira gave him a look of disdain.
"Cough, you filthy pervert. But seriously… would I even be able to learn it?"
"Don't worry, even Miriallia learned it, though she couldn't keep it up for long.
It's simple—if I'm teaching, you'll pick it up right away. After that, it's just a matter of practice. Stick with it long enough, and you'll be just like me."
…
For some reason, Cagalli Yula Athha committed every word of their exchange to memory.
She decided that she would shamelessly pester Tolle Koenig into teaching her this martial art, then, once she mastered it, she would pay him back by giving him a solid beating.
Of course, Tolle Koenig himself had no idea of her thoughts. If he did, he would definitely retort, "You just want a spanking!"
I'm a man with cheats. You'll never catch up to me—you'll always be chasing my backside, but never reaching it.
Tolle Koenig and Kira each returned to their machines, flying back to the Archangel together.
Vehicles from the Archangel also arrived at the town's edge, transporting the refugees to the Dawn Desert's base.
Murrue Ramius distributed food and water to them, though the Archangel's own supplies were beginning to run short.
After consulting with Mu La Flaga and Natarle Badgiruel decided that the next day they would head to the city managed by the Desert Tiger to purchase supplies.
Thanks to Tolle Koenig's "physical persuasion," the Dawn Desert members treated him with the utmost respect, even inviting him to join them in the city while they went shopping for supplies.
Knowing that this was a crucial plot event, he couldn't possibly miss it—just watching it happen from the sidelines would be too pathetic.
Satisfied, he nodded and agreed to go along. After all, this was his chance to meet Andrew Waltfeld, the Desert Tiger—and his wife, Aisha..
A gentle older-sister type wife! Heh heh heh, just my type.
And she dies later—how pitiful. I'll save her if I can.
Even if I can't have her, she's still nice to look at. Consider it a favor to that Andrew Waltfeld guy.
Besides, it'll keep him from setting his sights on my Captain Murrue Ramius! She belongs to Mu La Flaga.
Sure, my idol is "the Husband-Stealer," but I'm a man of principle! I'll never ruin a happy family.
→_→ But if it's a troubled marriage, and I'm interested… then I might. Ideally, I'd be the best kind of bull-man.
Though, trying it now and then isn't bad either. Fun without responsibility—perfect!
Right, I should also implant some neo DG Cells into Mu La Flaga and Natarle Badgiruel, just in case. If they die, that'll be a problem.
Actually, I might as well do the whole Archangel crew. Since the ship is basically mine, I should protect everyone on board.
…
The next day, members of the Dawn Desert accompanied Tolle, Kira, Cagalli, Natarle, and the others, all disguised, into the city where the Desert Tiger resided.
Along the way, Cagalli kept sneaking glances at Tolle. Whenever their eyes met, she would immediately look away with a huff.
Tolle found her behavior baffling. Could this be Stockholm syndrome? Some kind of masochistic tendency? No, no way. ←_←
But then he thought, *In the original story, it was also after Kira hit her that she started showing feelings beyond friendship for him at sea.
They had a bond, a debt of life-saving, and even the twin connection—of course they'd be drawn to each other.*
*This has to be one of life's three great illusions. I must be mistaken. She's looking at Kira, caring about Kira, liking Kira.
Nothing to do with me. Not a single cent's worth. Right, next time I'll stay far away from this Cagalli "No-Brains, No-Smiles" Athha. Can't let her stupidity rub off on me.*
Once they arrived at the city, Tolle, Kira, and Cagalli got off first.
"We'll pick you up here in four hours," the Dawn Desert members said.
"See you then!"
Cagalli's bodyguards reminded her to stay safe, and she nodded in acknowledgment.
Natarle Badgiruel turned to Kira. "Kira Yamato—"
Realizing she'd exposed his identity, she immediately blushed and corrected herself. "Y-young man, please take care."
Seeing her red-faced expression, Tolle Koenig felt an arrow strike his heart.
Too cute. No worse than a married woman. Old man likes this.
But two seconds later, he shook his head and muttered to himself,
What nonsense. I'd never like Natarle Badgiruel. She's only fit to be my servant, working for me her whole life to repay the grudge in my heart.
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