It seems Kanata, having discovered he had a cheat constitution, decided to have a light drink before heading home.
I discovered I had a unique constitution that allowed my Nenshin Power to grow.
Hibiki-sensei and I left the command room and returned to the infirmary. It was decided that another medical check would be performed as a precaution.
The results of the repeated medical check were unchanged; my current Nenshin Strength was 1.02 million N.
“It’s confirmed, your Nenshin Strength is indeed growing. I really want to unravel the process of this growth. Is there any way…” Hibiki-sensei paced back and forth in the infirmary, her hand on her chin. Dr. Shijima had the same habit, maybe they were cousins. It might be in their blood to be such dedicated researchers.
“Hibiki-sensei, am I done?”
When I called out to her, Hibiki-sensei turned with a startled expression.
“I’m so sorry, you’re fine now, you can go home. I tend to lose track of my surroundings when I get deep in thought.” I should probably not mention that Dr. Shijima was the same.
“See you tomorrow then.”
“Tomorrow? Iska did tell me to increase the frequency of your medical checks, but I don’t think daily checks are necessary.”
“No, I’ll be coming in tomorrow with some minor wounds to get treated. At worst, I might need a Medical Pod. Both Natume and I are confirmed to get injured.”
“What are you planning to do?!”
“I’m going to have Tozen train me.”
“What?! You want to train with that killer?! Don’t! It’s too dangerous!”
“That’s why it’s good. It’ll be far more beneficial than any mock battle. Don’t worry, considering the difference in skill between Tozen-san and us, it won’t be that dangerous. Tozen-san won’t need to go all out.”
“B-be very careful. Especially Natume, she’s a girl.”
“If I may say so, on a battlefield where life and death are at stake, gender doesn’t matter. The Mechanist Army won’t hold back just because she’s a girl.”
“…You’re right. Not everyone is like Damian.”
“Damian? I think I’ve heard that name before… I believe it was in the Alliance Army’s official gazette…”
“Damian Zaza. Known as Damian of ‘The White Rain’ (Squall). A highly skilled soldier. It seems Iska is trying to scout him. Apparently, Damian has a code of not killing women.”
“What a creep, so pretentious.”
“I saw his photo, he is certainly very handsome.”
He’s even more of a creep then.
“If the recruitment is successful, Todd-san’s position as a ladies’ man will be in jeopardy.”
“Oh, Kanata, you’re so confident. Marika and Shigure might fall for Damian.”
“Marika-san and Shigure-san aren’t so cheap as to be swayed by a thin layer of skin covering their skull.”
“My, my, you do talk. But that’s quite cool, Kanata.”
“I’m asking out of personal interest, but Hibiki-sensei, can you perform cosmetic surgery?”
Hibiki-sensei smiled mischievously.
“Oh, after saying something so cool, are you still worried? You’re a handsome young man, Kanata. Agito, although his personality was questionable, had good looks.”
“I was wondering if it’s possible to change this face. There must be many people who have unpleasant memories associated with this face. Perhaps changing my face would help me avoid unnecessary grudges.” It might even make the stimulation I give Hotaru a little better. I don’t have any attachment to this face anyway.
“…The surgery itself is not impossible. I have experience with facial alteration procedures. However, Kanata, I don’t think changing your face will solve the fundamental issue. And for you, Kanata, a fifth-generation Bio-Metal user, cosmetic surgery is simply impossible.”
“Is that so? Darn it. I should have come to the Garden with a background unrelated to Agito and a changed face. The Commander is heartless. To give me a background as the nephew of someone so hated.”
“Iska wasn’t trying to be mean to you, Kanata. Bio-Metalization is a one-way process. You can change from flesh to Bio-Metal, but not the other way around. I believe cosmetic surgery is possible for Bio-Metals up to the third generation, but the fifth-generation models, with their upgraded performance, also have high-performance tissue repair functions. At this point, I assume you understand what I mean, right, Kanata?”
…Ah, I see. Bio-Metals have a powerful tissue repair function. This function remembers the original body and attempts to revert it to its original state when damaged. If I were to significantly change my face through cosmetic surgery, it would be different from the original body stored in my cells… what would happen?
…Before the surgically altered new face could settle… the force acting to return it to the original face… Ah, that makes cosmetic surgery pointless. So, since I was a fifth-generation Bio-Metal from the moment my body was manufactured, I cannot change my face. Perhaps I should have made my debut as a Masked Soldier, like Char. But the Commander isn’t a god, she couldn’t possibly know how Agito treated Hotaru. Normally, she would try to add prestige by making me Agito’s nephew if she didn’t know.
“So, I can get a cyborg arm like Curtis-san, but plastic surgery is impossible, huh?”
“Yes, even with Bio-Metal, if a part is lost or completely destroyed, it’s not like a lizard’s tail. But cosmetic surgery involves repeated, meticulous surgeries to create a different face…”
“The procedure regenerates before it can set, right? I understand. I was just asking, I didn’t really intend to change my face.”
“Kanata, you told me not to have such conversations in the infirmary before. You shouldn’t be the one to break that rule.”
“I forgot. I was only thinking about my own situation. Well, see you tomorrow then.”
“Try to keep the injuries light. It’s best not to get hurt at all.” I wish I could do that too. But Tozen-san is someone who seems to have been born to fight.
The sun was already setting when I left the infirmary. Night would fall soon. I was told to be back for dinner, so I should head back to my room. Or, wait, wait. Before going back to my room, how about a quick drink in the entertainment district? That sounds good. I’ll have a quick drink, go back to my room, and then have some serious drinking with Lilith pouring. I’ve become quite the drinker. Alright, let’s head to the entertainment district. The neon lights of the entertainment district began to glow as I pushed through the curtain of aYakitori restaurant called “Torigen.”
“Welcome, is it just one person?” The kimono-clad waitress asked. Hmm, I think I saw her at the coffee shop…
“Yes, just me. You, weren’t you also a waitress at Garimpeiro?”
“Yes, I finish there at 5 PM and then come to work here. Will a seat at the counter be alright?”
“Ah, yes. You’re quite hardworking.”
“I want to earn money for my sister’s tuition. Guiding a single new customer to the counter~!” Earning money for her sister’s tuition, what a good older sister. Perhaps she lost her parents in the war. The hardworking sister guided me to a counter seat.
“Here you are.”
“Thank you. …Ah!” Standing next to the seat I was shown was Shuri. Hotaru came to mind… Never show it on my face. Keep it normal, always normal. Okay, I’m good, I’ve calmed down. I never imagined this strict person would come to a Yakitori place alone for a drink.
“Shuri, fancy meeting you here. Do you come to this place often?”
“What, Kanata? I come here sometimes with the team. But I’m alone today.”
“Is that so? I was also thinking of having a drink before heading home.” I sat in the seat next to Shuri and wiped my hands with a wet towel.
“Speaking of drinks, I heard from Uroko-san. You were drinking until you threw up the other day? Listen, alcohol is something to be enjoyed in moderation and…”
“Starting with scolding already? But I didn’t think Shuri would come for a drink alone. I thought you only drank for socializing.”
“There are times I want to drink alone too.”
“If you want to drink alone and relax, I can switch seats. I’ve stopped being a loner, but there are times I want to be alone.”
“It’s fine, we’re friends, aren’t we? Listen to my complaints once in a while.” Even though I always hear his lectures, you want me to hear your complaints too? I guess I have no choice, we are friends.
“Yes, yes, I’ll listen to your scolding or your complaints.”
“You’re good at imitating Sanpin-san’s voice. I also heard from Uroko-san that you’ve become good friends with Sanpin-san and the King Brothers.”
“The King Brothers, do you mean Viper-san and Python-san?”
“Ah, they seem to be using their mother’s surname to live together peacefully.” They are not living peacefully. They even went as far as trying to kill each other over their surname.
“Excuse me for disturbing you from behind. Here is your appetizer.” The diligent waitress brought the appetizer. I suddenly feel like an adult. Am I an adult because I’m 20? Ohh, it’s sesame tofu. Nice, I like this kind of thing.
“Hey Shuri, what’s recommended here?”
“The ‘Geban’ set is good to start. It comes with your choice of drink, three skewers of Yakitori, and one side dish for 980Cr, it’s quite a good deal.” I didn’t know until I joined the army, but in the Army, the start of duty is called ‘Joban’ and the end of duty is called ‘Geban’. In salaryman terms, it’s like a ‘tiredness set’.
“Then I’ll have the Geban set. For the drink, a pint of draft beer. For the side dish, chilled tomatoes. Does it come with mayonnaise?”
“Yes, you can choose between our special dressing or mayonnaise.”
“Then mayonnaise, please. For the Yakitori, Negima, skin, and Bonjiri, with sauce.”
“Kanata, it should be salt there. Yakitori’s classic is salt, after all.” What! This guy is a salt person!
“What are you talking about! Yakitori’s classic is sauce, sauce!”
“N-no, it’s salt, salt!”
“It’s sauce, I tell you!”
“It’s definitely salt!”
“sauce!”
“salt!”
The waitress’s words, delivered with a pleased-to-be-of-service smile, became the trigger for the heated battle.
“Customers, why don’t you try both sauce and salt before debating?”
“You’re right! Are you in, Shuri?”
“As you wish, Kanata! Do not underestimate the power of salt!”
“Hahaha, how absurd! Salt is nothing before sauce, like a mere puff of wind!”
“Hmph, as the word ‘umami’ implies, the basic of cooking lies in the seasoning! Salt is the origin and the ultimate destination! Draw your swords…”
“It’s a match!” …Shuri, this is our destiny.
“…Ah, ever since we met, we were destined to decide the victor between us.” My friend and my destined rival, we gazed at each other with melancholic eyes. The waitress, perhaps a messenger from the star of fate, prepared the stage for our decisive battle.
“For additional orders, two Yakitori Assortment Sets, with salt and sauce, is that correct?”
“Yes~.” “Ah, it’s too much meat, so for balance, a salad with seven seasonal ingredients, please.” And so began the battle that neither Kanata nor Shuri could afford to lose.
I truly do love this kind of frivolous idle chatter. This should be a brutal war story, but it’s turned into a brutal comedy. How did this happen? (lol)
