Kanata has taken a liking to Lilith and seems determined to do something for her.
Fortunately, there was no pursuit by combat helicopters, and they safely returned to the Land Battleship Shiranui.
The operation had been an extreme practical joke, and few were unscathed.
Perhaps it was a miracle that no one among their comrades died.
…No, it was likely the achievement of an elite force accustomed to intense combat.
Even Marika-san, who was almost unharmed, was severely exhausted. It was because she repeatedly used her eye techniques while looking after me.
Thank you, Marika-san.
The hatch of the Shiranui’s hangar opened, welcoming us.
Axel-san let out a sigh and took his hands off the steering wheel.
“It’s a relief to be back on the Shiranui. You’d need a dozen combat helicopters to take this thing down.”
Even if ten dozen was an exaggeration, this Land Battleship Shiranui had actually shot down a dozen helicopters in combat.
For now, it was a relief.
Marika-san called out to me.
“Kanata, you’re seriously injured. Get into a Medical Pod immediately.”
“Yes, I will. See you later, Lilith. I’ll see you again.”
“Ciao, Corporal.”
Vodka came to greet me as I got out of the command vehicle. We walked and talked on the way to the Medical Clinic.
“Kanata, you did it! I hear you took down the defense captain. That’s a hefty reward!”
“Thanks to that, my left arm is like this. I’ll just say it was worth the pain.”
“That will heal soon enough in a Medical Pod. You survived your first battle and took down a general. Couldn’t ask for more!”
“I’m just relieved to be back on the Shiranui. We completed the mission somehow, right?”
Rasen-san called out to us from behind.
“Not yet. Don’t let your guard down until we return to Rose Garden.”
Vodka and I turned around and saluted.
“Sir, yes sir.”
“Don’t do things that don’t suit you. The journey isn’t over until you get home.”
Some journeys are certainly more dangerous than others.
After parting ways with Vodka, I entered a Medical Pod to heal my wounds.
I woke up and got out of the Medical Pod.
The gunshot wound on my side was completely healed, and the sword wound on my left arm had also significantly closed.
I wondered how long I had been asleep.
I displayed the time in my eyes.
24 hours had passed. I could return to Rose Garden in one more day.
Since we returned to the Shiranui just before dawn, it was still dawn now, 24 hours later.
But I was hungry.
It made sense, as I had consumed a lot of calories.
I headed towards the rest area.
I was sure there was something that looked like instant noodles in the vending machine.
Marika-san was at a table in the rest area.
When she noticed me, she beckoned me over.
Of course, I sat in the chair opposite Marika-san.
“It’s still dawn. You’re up remarkably early.”
“I just couldn’t sleep. Waking up early occasionally isn’t so bad.”
“What will happen to those children?”
“The healthy ones will likely be sent to an orphanage somewhere, and the ones in the experimental pods will go to a hospital. But you want to ask about Diabolos X, don’t you?”
“Marika-san, it’s not Diabolos X. It’s Lilith, Lohengrin.”
Marika-san scratched her head.
“That’s right. I guess I’m getting too used to war. …That girl will probably be sent to an Alliance Army laboratory.”
“Wait a minute! If that’s the case, nothing will change! The laboratory’s nameplate will just change from Mechanist Army to Alliance Army!”
“That girl understood that from the beginning. When you said you were here to save her, she replied, ‘It won’t make any difference to me in the end.’ She’s a terrifyingly sharp kid, really.”
“It’s not okay just because she understands it!”
“To put it cruelly, she’ll be treated as a weapon, not a human. I’m not saying it’s right or natural. If you consider good and evil, it’s definitely wrong. But that’s the reality right now.”
“I can’t accept that!”
“What will you do if you can’t accept it?”
“I’ll take Lilith and run away.”
I can’t abandon that girl, who has the same eyes as me.
…Besides, I somehow took a liking to her.
I don’t even know what I like about her.
She’s got a sharp tongue and isn’t cute, but I can’t help it if I’ve taken a liking to her.
And if she’s asking me to risk my life, it’s a fair price. I’ll gladly pay it.
It’s a cheap life anyway.
“Desertion is punishable by imprisonment, at best, and execution at worst. Are you saying this in front of your superior? Are you an idiot?”
“I’m not saying this thinking I’m in front of my superior. I just feel obligated to tell someone I respect, so as not to cause trouble.”
“Are you serious?”
I know it’s a long shot. Even if I tried to desert, there are anti-desertion mechanisms built in.
Even if I could somehow disable them before Lilith is handed over to the laboratory, I probably wouldn’t be able to escape if the commanders pursued me.
This is an impossible game, really. I’m completely screwed.
But I won’t back down. At the very least, I’ll risk my life to ensure “Lilith has a choice.”
“I’m serious. It’s not necessarily desertion, but I will prepare a path for Lilith to make a choice.”
“To make a choice?”
“A path to the Alliance Army’s laboratory, or another path. If Lilith chooses to go to the laboratory herself, then I can accept it.”
Marika-san finished her coffee and lit a cigarette.
Her face clearly showed that I was someone troublesome.
She spoke to me while twirling her lighter.
“Kanata, you really are a troublesome and demanding person.”
“I’m sorry. I really cause nothing but trouble.”
“You certainly do. …But it’s interesting. You’re not using a childish excuse like ‘I want to save that girl no matter what,’ but saying you’ll at least give her a choice. A child is also a person. You can’t just be overprotective. However, it’s an adult’s job to give a child the chance to choose their path. Don’t you think so?”
Marika-san, you have a wicked smile. I should show a wicked smile too.
“Of course. And adults do some rather unscrupulous things, don’t they?”
“To get by in this tough world, a little bit of trickery is just common sense. I’ll join Kanata in your schemes. Your strength is in your meticulous thinking. If I’m your accomplice, maybe we can think of something other than desertion?”
If Marika-san becomes my accomplice, my range of thought will expand dramatically.
Think, think, think! You’re Kindaichi Kosuke’s grandson, right?!
…No, I wasn’t his grandson. I was Tenkake Shohei’s grandson.
…!! With this, can it work?…Yeah, it’s not a bad idea.
“It seems possible. That is, if we can persuade the Commander. I can’t do that. It’s quite an unreasonable request.”
“That’s where I come in. I’m always getting unreasonable orders from Iska. It’s only fair that I make an unreasonable request once in a while.”
“If we can clear that hurdle, the job is almost done. After that, the Commander will be the one struggling. Let’s count on her powerful influence.”
“I’m actually looking forward to seeing Iska’s gloomy face. So, what exactly is this scheme?”
Ah! I remembered something important. This is extremely important.
“Please, let’s make it a bartering transaction.”
“Bartering transaction?”
“Marika-san, didn’t you tell me? If I survived, you’d tell me the color of your nipples.”
“You remembered that, huh? You little pervert.”
“It’s a promise. Tell me. What color are they? Come on, please, tell me.”
“Your mood swings are wild. How can you be so eager from looking so glum just moments ago?”
“Tell me, now! Now!”
“Well, you did a good job in this operation. It’s a special bonus. …See for yourself.”
With that, Marika-san opened her military uniform jacket.
What greeted my eyes was the ultimate, the supreme, the origin, and the pinnacle of live rocket breasts!
Truly a paradise! The color of her nipples was a pale pink!
What’s remarkable is the perfect balance; the nipples perfectly matched the size of her breasts!
The golden ratio of breasts that Comrade Axel spoke of actually existed!
There was a “bubba” sound. What sound was that?
Don’t disturb me. This is the moment of bliss in my life.
“I never thought I’d see someone get a nosebleed from looking at a woman’s breasts. Are you a manga character?”
Blood was flowing like Niagara Falls from my nose.
Marika-san said while readjusting her military uniform.
“Alright, that’s enough. Dying from blood loss from your nosebleed would be a ridiculous way to go.”
“Even if I died, I’d have no regrets, so just a little longer…”
“You also got to see Natsume’s breasts during the operation. You got to see breasts twice in one operation. Be content.”
“You’re right. Although it’s incredibly disappointing, I’ll consider it a success.”
“Here, wipe your nose with this.”
Marika-san handed me a handkerchief. I held it to my nose.
“I’ll hear about your wicked scheme later. Kanata, with that kind of state, you’ll be a virgin for a while. How pitiable.”
It’s fine. I can live with breasts, so it’s fine.
I failed with Natsume, but I’m a man who doesn’t make the same mistake twice.
Marika-san’s breasts are burned into my retina.
I took a picture with the camera function. I will never delete this image.
This image is the greatest achievement of the Kidnap Operation. Good job, me.
Staying at a capsule hotel for a business trip. It’s nice once in a while.
