Rondo Mina Sahaku

"So, your request is for me to confirm whether the data has been thoroughly destroyed?"

Gai Murakumo quickly identified the task he was capable of handling.

"Yes."

The old man nodded, feeling nothing improper about his lack of trust in his colleagues.

"How thorough?"

Gai Murakumo frowned as he asked.

"Everything. I want you to destroy every piece of related data and information."

"Everything you speak of..."

"Mobile Suit, documents, witnesses... everything!"

The old man spoke with firm conviction.

Listening to the old man's resolute tone, Gai Murakumo was silent for a moment before saying, "I have a question."

"What question?" The old man looked puzzled.

"Who gave you this intelligence?" Gai Murakumo voiced his doubt.

"Are you trying to verify the accuracy of the intelligence?"

The old man seemed to have caught onto the other's suspicion and immediately explained, "This intelligence was given to me by an intelligence broker I have dealt with before; the information is absolutely reliable."

"Can you tell me the specific time?"

Gai Murakumo continued to inquire.

"Three days ago."

Although puzzled, the old man still stated the time he had received the intelligence.

"Three days ago..."

Hearing this, Gai Murakumo could not help but recall the battle from three days ago, the pilot named Michel, and the words the other had spoken: "Le Creuset Team, huh..."

"What is it?"

The old man was somewhat confused by Gai Murakumo's reaction.

"Nothing. It's just that you should try to be wary of that intelligence broker in the future."

Considering the generous reward for this commission, Gai Murakumo gave the old man before him a well-intentioned warning.

"Why? Is there a problem with this intelligence?"

The old man looked confused, not understanding why the other would say such a thing.

"The intelligence is definitely not problematic." Gai Murakumo shook his head; this intelligence was certainly true.

"Then—"

"It's just that if I'm not mistaken, he is the one who passed the information about Orb developing Mobile Suit to ZAFT, and after he finished passing that information, he sold the news of ZAFT discovering Heliopolis to you."

Having spent many years in the mercenary world, Gai Murakumo was very clear about the operational methods of intelligence brokers.

If an piece of intelligence is managed well, it can turn into even more intelligence.

Playing both sides is a skill almost every intelligence broker must possess.

"..."

The old man opened his mouth upon hearing this, clearly having not considered this possibility.

"You people are truly pitifully naive."

Gai Murakumo could not help but feel a sense of pity as he watched the old man's reaction.

Perhaps in politics... no, with a brain like that, he probably wouldn't have any achievements in politics either, so it was likely he was relying on the shade of his ancestors.

However, to be able to obtain such intelligence and pass it directly to ZAFT, this intelligence broker was likely no nameless nobody.

At the same time.

Located at an altitude of 36,000 kilometers, the space station—Ame no Mihashira.

"Achoo!"

Kenaf Luchini, who had just stepped off the warship, instinctively sneezed.

After standing in place and rubbing his sore nose, he casually remarked, "It seems another woman is missing me in secret. My damn, restless charm."

"Oh, shut the hell up. With that shitty hairstyle of yours, who the hell would have to be blind to fancy you?"

A Coordinator girl standing nearby, dressed somewhat revealingly, retorted with disdain upon hearing this.

"Elisa, have you noticed your mouth has been a bit foul lately?"

Kenaf felt a headache coming on after hearing that.

"I'm just stating the facts."

Elisa replied calmly, "Your hairstyle is ugly to begin with."

"Hey, hey, hey! You can eat whatever you want, but you can't just say whatever you want. You can call me ugly, but you can't say there's something wrong with my hairstyle!"

Kenaf Luchini cursed, clearly displeased, "This iconic hairstyle of mine has captivated countless fangirls."

"Heh, ugly people make weird choices, and their hairstyles are even weirder."

The girl replied calmly.

"!!!???"

Upon hearing this, Kenaf Luchini's eyes widened as he stood rooted to the spot, staring at her in disbelief.

"Let's go. We're almost at ZAFT. If you don't hurry up, you won't even get a bite of the fresh stuff, let alone the leftovers."

The girl walking in front said without looking back.

"!!!???..."

Kenaf Luchini...

In C.E. 58, when Uzumi Nara Athha took office as the Representative Chief of the United Emirates of Orb, he drafted a construction project known as the Orbital Elevator.

Unfortunately, the era did not allow this project to succeed.

By the time the space station at the very top of the elevator, Ame no Mihashira, was completed, relations between Earth and PLANT had plummeted to freezing point, and war had erupted.

The Orbital Elevator project was thus declared a failure.

The space station of the Orbital Elevator, Ame no Mihashira, was handed over to the Sahaku Family of Orb, to be managed by the elder twin sister of the Sahaku Family, Rondo Mina Sahaku, who was known as the Shadow War God of Orb.

And the target for Kenaf Luchini and his companions was this woman known as the Shadow War God.

Her jet-black hair emitted a luster as soft and smooth as silk.

Her curvaceous figure was wrapped in a uniform of the same deep black, an attire that would usually strip a woman of her allure, yet it could not conceal her regal presence or her aristocratic elegance.

Facing such a woman, even Kenaf Luchini, who had seen his fair share of storms, could only sit obediently to the side, awaiting her "judgment."

The chatterbox Elisa also reined in her expression, becoming serious.

"What is the reason you have prepared to keep me from killing you?"

A moment later, Rondo Mina Sahaku set down the documents in her hand, her eyes gazing calmly at Kenaf Luchini and his companion.

"Kill me? Why?"

Upon hearing this, a look of disbelief appeared on Kenaf Luchini's face.

Rondo Mina Sahaku did not respond, simply reaching out to press the call button nearby: "There are a few people here who need to be dealt with."

"Wait, wait, wait!"

Seeing this, Kenaf Luchini hurriedly stood up and waved his hands.

"Have you decided?"

Rondo Mina Sahaku's gaze remained suffocatingly calm.

"Well... even if the deal doesn't go through, there's still goodwill. Why do you want to kill me at every turn?"

Kenaf Luchini said, struggling.

Rondo Mina Sahaku did not speak, simply sitting in the main seat and watching Kenaf Luchini's performance in silence.

"Look, I... oh, fine! I'll just give it to you for free, will that work?"

Kenaf Luchini's face showed a pained expression as he spoke.

"Is this your last word? I have received it."

As Rondo Mina Sahaku finished speaking, she tapped her fingers lightly on the desk.

The tightly closed door was suddenly pushed open from the outside, and fully armed soldiers swarmed in, raising their guns to aim at Kenaf Luchini and his companion.

"Wait, wait, wait! I'll talk, I'll talk!"

Just as Rondo Mina Sahaku's palm was about to fall, Kenaf Luchini hurriedly shouted to interrupt her movement.

Rondo Mina Sahaku gestured with her fingers and said, "My patience is limited. Do not make me waste too much time."

"OK."

Kenaf Luchini said, tossing a piece of candy into his mouth. Feeling the sweetness spread through his mouth, he chuckled and said, "Actually, I came here to seek a partnership."