"Sss~"
Kurumi shifted in her seat, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. "It feels a bit tight."
Red Queen opened her eyes, and Kurumi's alluring figure appeared before her.
Seeing Kurumi using her fingers to adjust the combat suit, Red Queen's holographic face showed a hint of amusement. "Master, maybe you're more used to wearing pyjamas. It will get better with time."
"Is that so?" Kurumi was somewhat uncertain.
"Of course!"
She found it surprisingly flexible after wiggling in her seat and realising that the combat suit didn't hinder her movements.
"Alright, what do I do next? Do I just sit inside like this?" Kurumi asked.
"Well... yes, that's correct."
"Ka-chk."
Kurumi climbed into the "cockpit" and sat down. "It feels quite cosy. In IS, don't they instantly deploy their suits?"
Red Queen floated onto 'Nightmare' and said helplessly, "I have no idea about the physical constants in the IS world. It does not apply to the Marvel Universe or any other universe. Once you become proficient, you can instantly deploy it in a localised area."
"Oh?" Kurumi's eyes lit up, and she couldn't wait. "Can you store 'Nightmare' in a spatial backpack? I never thought that the technology for spatial folding in a Beta-level civilisation could be so advanced."
"...Red Queen? Why aren't you talking?"
"I'm afraid that what I'm about to say next might make you want to punch me, Master."
Raising an eyebrow, Kurumi asked, "You're not going to tell me to store 'Nightmare' in a spatial backpack, are you?"
"Hehe... Master, you're brilliant."
"Smart, my foot! And here I was, looking forward to it."
"Well, there's no other way." Red Queen pouted and sat on the left armour of 'Nightmare,' swinging her legs. "Although we've made some progress in studying spatial folding, it's highly classified even if there are successful cases. As a reconnaissance ship AI like me, I don't have permission to access such data."
"And... even if we could access the data, could we build it with the materials and technology of the Alpha civilisation? "
Kurumi rolled her eyes. "Fine, you have your reasons. But in the end, we'll still have to communicate using telepathy, right?"
"No!" Red Queen widened her eyes and flew in front of Kurumi. "Master, I've developed a mental interface for communicating with 'Nightmare.' When the time comes, all you need to do is think about it, and the mech will be equipped on you."
"Like the bracelets or other devices in IS?"
"Well..." Red Queen scratched her cheek with her finger. "Superficially, it may look similar, but the internal structure is likely very different. After all, one is similar to spatial folding, and the other is mental manipulation. Of course, from a technological perspective, spatial folding is indeed more advanced..."
"Let's stop talking about this for now. Tell me what to do next." Kurumi looked left and right but couldn't find the activation device for 'Nightmare.'
Red Queen blinked, somewhat embarrassed. "Because I haven't gotten inside yet."
With a flawless face, Kurumi, whose wine-red eyes were now slightly dull, asked, "Then what are you waiting for?"
...
"Ding. Authentication is successful. 'Nightmare' is beginning to activate, estimated time, thirteen seconds. Please prepare, pilot."
"Zzzz—"
A series of screens popped up in front of Kurumi. She extended her hand and casually manipulated the neural interface device on her combat suit.
The "right hand" of 'Nightmare' in front of her mimicked Kurumi's movements. She swung it backwards.
"Boom!—"
An explosion echoed, and the resulting airflow was blocked around Kurumi's perimeter.
"Is this the so-called protective shield?"
On the front screen, the projected image of the Red Queen replied, "Indeed, it is. It's an energy shield compressed from highly pure energy."
Kurumi turned a bit pale when she heard the term. "Are you sure this thing won't explode under enough pressure?"
"Master, please rest assured. Thirty per cent of the world's computing power is at your service anytime. It can significantly reduce energy consumption, and the 'shield' will only provide a necessary defence. It usually remains in a weak state."
Still looking pale, Kurumi recalled her encounters with energy shields in previous missions in the tech world. They had become something of a trauma in her life.
"When you say that, it makes me even more anxious... And what about this 'weak state'?"
"Umm..." Red Queen raised a finger and scratched her little face. "Superficially, it may not be much different, but internally, it should be quite different. After all, one is similar to spatial folding, and the other is mental manipulation. Of course, from a technological perspective, spatial folding is indeed more advanced..."
"Let's not dwell on this for now. Tell me what to do next." Kurumi touched left and right but couldn't find the activation mechanism for 'Nightmare.'
Red Queen blinked and said, somewhat embarrassed, "Because I haven't gotten inside yet."
With a flawless face, Kurumi, whose wine-red eyes were now slightly dull, asked, "Then what are you waiting for?"