Saga of Tanya the Evil

… I admit my shout was in frustration. Where is this luck you're wishing me? Why the unnecessary words? The disgusting feeling welling up in my chest is making me frown.

My situation right now is like the Tokugawa army on the verge of complete victory in the battle of Sekigahara, when the Shimazu forces came out of nowhere. What I want to say is— "Don't come here! Shoo, go the other way." Tanya bit her lower lip as she cursed her own misfortune.

Forget it, this is my fate after being manipulated by [existence X] and co. I was prepared for this in the end… Although I've already gathered my resolve, I still have to buy some time in the sky where the enemy has the upper hand...

Are there no child protection services here? I might not be cute on the inside, but my outward appearance is that of a kid. Instead of a kid, I am closer to a small child or toddler. Maybe the enemy would be hesitant to attack because of how I look, but it is difficult to expect such humanism on the battlefield.

Including the Holocaust, if you knew what happened in Sarajevo and Rwanda, it was easy to understand that believing blindly in human kindness is very dangerous.

People will change into 'devils', and commit demonic acts easily. It might not be taught in civics and ethics classes, but that's the kind of beings humans are.

Speaking of which, thinking that the existence of such devils committing inhuman acts meant a benevolent god must surely exist— such viewpoints from western culture are interesting too. But regrettably, I don't think [existence X] is benevolent, so I'll have to refute their views.

["Is God dead?"]

There might be room for argument, but Nietzsche's conclusion is correct. There is no God. Humanity has to save itself. In such a situation, that means conducting delaying defences.

What she had on hand was full military garb with light protection against bullets, observation equipment, and a standard Mk. 13 Operation Orb made by Folkerr factory.

Her spell rifle that shot magical projectiles beyond the caster's range of consciousness wasn't with her, as this was an observation mission. It was also too heavy, and regrettably, this body couldn't handle it.

Under such circumstances, what can I do in order to hinder the progress of the enemy? I know right from the get-go that I can only hope to target their weak points.

And of course, I have no intention of dying needlessly. In the worst case scenario, I will even blow myself up. Instead of being picked off easily, I would rather take them with me. However, I really want to survive this.

Naturally, the main priority should be to live on, so no, it is better to run now. If I abandon the equipment for artillery support, I'll be lightly geared.

If the objective of the enemy is the artillery, I just need to focus on fleeing and can definitely pull a large distance away into a safe area. The problem is, I am confident about running away now, but not so sure of what happens next. Desertion before the enemy is punishable by death.

The moment you desert in the face of the enemy, you will need to play an intense game of hide and seek with the military police forever. Even though I am alone without any wingman, I have no choice but to fight.

"... That means this is my personal battle?"

Fighting with the resolve to die in a battle where victory was assured. No, strictly speaking, the objective of the enemy wasn't to neutralize me, but to relieve their allies' withdrawal effort by attacking the artillery. To them, killing me was like swatting a fly nearby as an afterthought.

The threat of my elite life and career ending in such a casual way is humiliating. Looking down on others is my right, how can others do that to me? With no regards to the consequences, Tanya repeatedly injected herself with stimulants via doping spells. Her reaction speed and explosive strength was enhanced.

She forced her magic power circuits open, and soothed the pain before it started with anesthesia in her brain. Ahhh, it feels good, my body is getting stimulated and becoming burning warm.

This must be what it means to feel high. Even if I get shot down, I won't be tormented by any pain and could run away without a hitch.

"What an honour. So much fun... The greatest enjoyment. Hmmm, I'm so excited that I can't help myself..."

"Fairy08?"

By intentionally letting the command post hear me talking to myself, I'll feel more at ease. There will at least be a witness to prove I am full of fighting spirit.

Even though I am feeling so great and happy that the world seems to be spinning, I can still keep a clear mind and think. The brains of Mages are really excellent.

I can keep my mind from being corrupted by drugs and madness. That is why I can't give up being a Mage. As for my job in the army, I want to give that up immediately, of course.

"I was just thinking what a boring job this was, to think I will be facing an army by myself as the spotlight of the battlefield."

This means that I definitely can't die in a place like this. Even though this world is unfair and depressing, that was because of the market failure. Since there was market failure, it needs to be optimized.

The most crucial part is the assets I actually have, so I need to increase the value of my assets. I will need a marketing strategy then. I need to promote myself as a product. Hold on to any chance to perform, and attack fiercely. That's the gist of it.

Which means if I can utilize the opportunity I was given, my life would be very enjoyable.

"I thought this would be a battle that involved all elements of warfare, to think it would be a stage for me to shine."

I wasn't happy at all and I was the only one in this airspace. The worst-case situation where I can't even sneak off. I am severely lacking in battle options.

Others won't see me no matter how pretentious I act, I just need to consider the viewpoint of my superior. When humans become desperate, they unexpectedly turn into actors.

"I really am grateful. Well, well… This is a good day to die."

"Throw away the observation equipment. Right, let's dance with the enemy Mages wearing heavy armour with ground-attack loadouts—" While Tanya hyped herself up with motivational thoughts, she started air combat maneuvers.

In this most dire of situations she didn't want to face, all she could do was give it her all. Most importantly, she has to survive this while fulfilling her obligations.

"I just need to show that I did my duty. Fight a few rounds, then use my acting skills to make it look like I have been beaten back, or shot down. I will leave the rest to the others.

Those bastards who are insisting on coming over to attack our artillery even if it meant pushing themselves will probably not pursue me if I was to run—" Tanya thought in her heart.

The ideal scenario would be to lose my ability to fight even if I "want" to, and make an emergency landing near allied forces.

If I successfully hindered the mission of these Federation maggots, that would be wonderful. Anyway, I need to waste their time. For enemies who are breaching our defensive lines, there was nothing more valuable than time.

This might just be self-consolation, but I hope to let them learn about karma. This will definitely be a battle without winners...and if there is one, it will be me.

Although I hate hurting myself, I'm willing to do it even if my body will be covered in mud. But I don't want to die.

There is no reason why I have to die. Even if I have to drink muddy water, I must live on. Life itself is a battle, afterall.