The Mech Touch

"Kellandra! You're finally here!"

Two Hexer women both approached each other before hugging each other with great affection.

A large number of Wodin Warriors and Glory Warriors stood guard around the landing zone of the Larkinson Clan's temporary base on Cinach VI. Both mechs and foot soldiers diligently scanned the perimeter for any threats.

The reason for their caution was because two of the Wodin Dynasty's descendants had both gathered on a foreign planet!

The identity of Gloriana Wodin had always been special. As the sixth child of Constance Wodin, she had always been the baby of the family. She enjoyed the love of five older siblings as well as her parents and many other relatives.

Yet it was only in the last few years that she made her mark in Hexer society. Ironically, she only managed to break into prominence by leaving the Hexadric Hegemony and entering into a relationship with a foreign boy of all people!

Many of the Hexers back home who knew Gloriana silently or overtly disapproved of her shameful actions. Why in the galaxy did she decline to choose from the billions of eligible and well-bred pretty boys of her home state in favor of pursuing a rustic space peasant?

Gloriana paid no mind to the jeers. She had already made a determination to stay with Ves forever and even her own relatives couldn't stop her from making her dreams come true!

Fortunately, the bet she made on Ves had paid off. With the help of his unique design philosophy, the so-called Miracle Couple shot up into prominence. With their reach expanding into other star sectors, there were hardly any Journeymen in the Yeina Star Cluster who had achieved more impact in the mech community!

The Wodin Dynasty eventually changed their mind around Ves. While there were still many conservative old women in the expansive dynasty who still opposed the relationship, Constance Wodin and many other forward-looking Hexers saw the potential to rise up and benefit from the Miracle Couple's rise.

The latter faction soon received vindication in the form of the successful reception of the Blessed Squire. The supportive knight mech designed by Gloriana and Ves not only caused the Marrakath System to fall ahead of time, but also inspired great fervor among the Hexers who fought under its glow.

Even though the Blessed Squire was very problematic in terms of quality and attribution, many Hexers believed it was only a matter of time before the council of matriarchs reluctantly approved the use of the unique new mech model.

In fact, Gloriana had even heard rumors that other units of the Hex Army had secretly begun to mass produce the Blessed Squire. As soon as the stubborn matriarchs ceased their resistance, a flood of mechs that was partially designed by a boy would quickly flood the battlefields across every frontline!

Under this enormous momentum, more and more people in the Hegemony paid attention to those who were pivotal in designing and realizing this huge contribution to the war effort.

Though it was hard to believe, in the perspective of the Hegemony as a whole, Gloriana Wodin had quietly become the most famous and prominent member of the Wodin Dynasty!

Not even Matriarch Xiaphna Wodin, the two-hundred year old leader of the dynasty, could match one of her descendant's fame!

This was one of the most universal quirks in human society. No matter how much the Hegemony differed from other states, most of its citizens never paid much attention to the leaders and politicians who governed the way they lived their lives.

Instead, celebrities such as famed expert pilots and prominent mech designers were much more dazzling from their perspectives!

The work they performed and the achievements they made resonated much more to the masses. The marketability of their efforts made it easy for the media to hype and promote their greatness.

In contrast, Matriarch Xiaphna and Minister Constance largely escaped the public eye despite their high positions and advanced ages. Fortunately, there was hardly any conflict within the Wodin Dynasty on this matter.

After Kellandra and Gloriana finished hugging each other, they separated and took a good look at each other.

Gloriana wore the typical red-and-white uniform of the Larkinson Clan. Even though she hadn't asked for permission, she added some extra emblems and markings to it to allow her to stand out of the other clansmen.

She also wore some tasteful Hexer jewelry this time in order to make a better impression on her older sister. In addition, she wore her opulent engagement ring with pride.

As for Kellandra Wodin, she wore the blue-and-grey officer uniform of the Wodin Warrior as if she was born into it. After letting herself go for a moment, she regained her impeccable, disciplined demeanor, causing her to exude the unmistakable aura of a senior military officer.

The various gold-rimmed markings and epaulettes on her shoulder signified that she bore the rank of mech colonel!

Within the Wodin Warriors, she commanded an entire mech regiment. With 2,000 mechs and mech pilots at her beck and call, she expected to be deployed to the frontlines of the Komodo War this year.

She never thought that the Wodin Dynasty delayed her deployment and instead directed her mech regiment to leave the Hexadric Hegemony and travel all the way to the Sentinel Kingdom!

And that wasn't all. She arrived alongside several other mech regiments and reinforcements to the Glory Battalion.

Right now, the Wodins appeared to have taken over the entire Cinach System. While regular traffic and commerce still kept the star system busy, the presence of hundreds of Hexer carriers and thousands of Hexer mechs loomed heavily on the local sentinels!

House Evenson and the other noble houses in the star system did not dare to make any peep. The Wodin Dynasty might not be a great power in the Hegemony, but they were more than strong enough to sweep their forces in a matter of days!

The increasing amount of Hexer combat assets reflected the growing value of Gloriana. The wedding scheduled to begin a couple of months had become an increasingly more notable event.

Some of the Hexers who had rejected Gloriana's invitation regretted their decision!

"I have waited so long for your arrival." Gloriana giddily said. "Let me show you around the Larkinson Clan! While they are rather.. rustic and misguided, they mean well. Don't let their shabbiness fool you. Once we get our hands on our new ships, our strength will soon transform."

Kellandra raised her eyebrows at her younger sister's choice of wording. She already showed an obvious belonging to the Larkinson Clan. This was not entirely proper, as boys usually married into the families of women instead of the other way around!

Still, Ves was such an exceptional boy to the Wodins and the Hexers that Kellandra opted to let this matter slide. The matriarch herself had issued some decisive commands.

"Miaow."

"Oh, let me show you my new cat that I've picked up from Centerpoint!"

Gloriana eagerly held out her hands, causing Clixie to jump into her grasp in a practiced motion. The Rubarthan Sentinel Cat looked similar to a calico cat, but her glossy fur exuded a sense of class and elegance that was far superior to her more mundane cousins!

"Miaow~"

Even though Kellandra was an accomplished mech colonel, she couldn't help but drop her stern mask once again as she petted the cat's head.

"What a lovely feline. You have acquired two great companions instead of one. You have grown up so fast."

"I told you that I would be able to find my success once I left home!"

The pair of prominent Wodins continued to chat while they toured the base where the Larkinsons had made their home for many months. The clansmen who lived and worked at the expansive complex all distanced themselves from the large groups of Hexer soldiers and guards.

While Kellandra caught up with Gloriana, her eyes kept darting around. She paid especially great attention to the various LMC mechs that Gloriana expressly showed off. Their unique glows each left a profound impression on the older Wodin.

Before she left for the Sentinel Kingdom, Kellandra had already experienced the glows of the Blessed Squire. She had witnessed the performance of the prototypes during the testing phase and had become mildly impressed at the time.

Yet the mech model's actual performance in the Marrakath System completely exceeded her expectations! When the Blessed Squire's glow had reached its full form, its utility astounded every Hexer who experienced it in person.

This happened to be related to one of Kellandra's goals for visiting the Larkinson Clan today.

As they continued to tour the base as if it was their own possession, Kellandra and Gloriana soon discussed some of the new arrangements.

"The batch of Wodin Warriors that have just arrived with me won't be the last. There are more mech regiments on the way. During the wedding, we hope to have a full mech division in place."

"A full mech division?! That's much more than I expected!" Gloriana looked surprised.

"It's barely adequate. Mind you, your Glory Battalion will also play a greater role. We have decided to elevate its strength to a full mech regiment and implement some changes. From now on your personal protection detail will be called the Glory Seekers."

From Glory Battalion to Glory Seekers, the mech pilots and guards trained by the Wodin Dynasty still fulfilled the same mission. They were all expected to dedicate their lives to protecting Gloriana!

Though she was happy with the obvious sign of favor from the dynasty, Gloriana looked a bit concerned.

"Bringing twelve-thousand Hexers mechs to the Cinach System is a huge undertaking. Will our dynasty be able to bear it? Why bring so many mechs?"

"Your value to the war effort is immeasurable, sister. We don't want to take your protection for granted, especially since we have become aware that the Fridaymen are plotting to take your life and the life of your boy. Our Wodin Warriors are only needed in order to protect all of the guests who will arrive from the Hegemony in the coming months. Your mother and all of your brothers and sisters will attend, and so will our matriarch!"

Gloriana widened her eyes. The exaggerated troop movements all made sense once she knew that Matriarch Xiaphna planned to attend her wedding. The aged woman's presence was incredibly important, and showed that the matriarch was willing to commit her political capital to bless the coming union!

Even if Matriarch Xiaphna was her grandmother, Gloriana still doubted whether the leader of the Wodin Dynasty was willing to stand up to her relationship with Ves. Now, all of the uncertainty disappeared.

Thanks to the Blessed Squire, Gloriana had gained a great amount of credibility, enough to excuse all of her radical actions in the past few years!

The tour soon ended once they entered an underground warehouse guarded by the soon-to-be-dubbed Glory Seekers.

The tight security was warranted due to the extremely valuable treasure that resided within.

After passing through the security checks, the two Wodins and cat slowly approached the marble-like statue of the Superior Mother.

Ves had left it behind to keep Gloriana and her fellow Hexers happy. Each day, she and her Hexer bodyguards worshipped in front of the tall and imposing artwork.

Its face imperiously stared forward as it exuded both love and consequence.

"As expected of the Superior Mother!" Kellandra gasped. Her emotions grew turbulent as she experienced the raw glow emanated by the statue. "It's 'glow' so much more purer than the glow of the Blessed Squire!"

Gloriana smiled piously at the work of art. "This is my fiance's mother. What you are feeling now is just an inkling of her power. During the ceremony that baptized this statue, I had the honor of experiencing the Supreme's full might!"

Kellandra slowly adopted a similar pious expression. "I hardly believed when you initially told me about it, but now.. I believe you. I believe in the Superior Mother. No wonder your fiance managed to make a mech as remarkable as the Blessed Squire. He is truly the son of the Superior Mother!"

"That makes him a Hexer." Gloriana grinned. "Isn't that right?"

"Your logic is impeccable. It's a travesty to call him a Brighter! We should correct his citizenship right away!"