Major Himnon seems to be called by the nickname “Himu-himu” by Lilith.
I’ve gotten used to waking up in the morning at the Shangri-La Hotel’s superior room.
Yesterday ended after I received the Zero-Type Unit, a gift from Mikoto-sama.
Starting tomorrow, the Curriculum will begin again. How should I spend these precious days off in a big city?
As I was contemplating this over coffee, the in-room phone rang.
“Hi, Honey. How are you?”
“I’m worried about how long Lilith’s patience will last and can’t sleep at night.”
“Don’t lie to me. It’s an operation order. First, come pick me up at the Penthouse at 6 PM tonight. Once we rendezvous, we’ll start moving. Our destination is Wishbone Stadium. The main event of the operation begins from there.”
“Sounds like a fun operation. Please explain the operation overview.”
“The condition for success (must-order) is to escort a supremely beautiful girl while enjoying watching the Ligrit Condors vs. Shokyo Blazes World Series.”
She got tickets to the Powerball World Series! Lilith-san, I love you!
“Mission understood! See you at the operation start time.”
“Communication ends, Zaijian!”
The night is bringing a special treat. That means I should dedicate the time until then to studying and training.
I spent the morning in classroom study and the afternoon sweating it out at a deserted beach, practicing Mugen Ittouryu (Dream-Illusion One-Sword Style).
I returned to the hotel, took a Shower, and changed.
Should I wear something casual? A leather jacket, a long-sleeved checkered shirt, and dark blue slacks should do.
After changing, I headed to the Penthouse with a spring in my step.
Inside the car, which was long like a dachshund and heading towards the stadium, Lilith grumbled.
“Even though unforeseen elements are part of any operation, this is quite the disruption.”
“……Yes. A disruption.”
“Let me tell you, Natsume, you’re also a disruption!”
“……Kanata said it was okay.”
“There’s no way a Warrant Officer with a chicken heart could say no to you when you’re all dressed up for an outing!”
“Now, now, since the Commander prepared four Platinum tickets, let’s all enjoy the big game together.”
“Himu-himu! First of all, you are disruption number one!”
Major Himnon, who was called by the nickname “Himu-himu,” didn’t seem to mind.
“Ever since I entered Officer Candidate School, I’ve supported the Condors for over twenty years. Finally, finally, the moment of their World Series victory has arrived. Don’t I want to see that moment of joy with my own eyes?”
Major Himnon’s tone was higher than usual. He was excited.
I understand how he feels. If you’re a die-hard Condors fan who’s supported them for over twenty years, of course you’d want to see this big game.
“Himu-himu, I understand you’re excited, but it’s not guaranteed the Condors will win, you know? The Blazes are considered favorites.”
“They’ve brought it to the final match by overturning a previous prediction. The momentum should be with the Condors. Kanata-kun, whose fan are you?”
“I just like watching Powerball, so I’m not a fan of any particular team, but given the circumstances, I’ll cheer for the Condors today.”
“Yes, yes, please do. Something good happened today, and I’m sure the Condors will win too.”
“Something good? What happened?”
Major Himnon held up his left hand in front of my face.
“Is something wrong with your left hand?”
“You’re dense, Warrant Officer. Where’s your ring?”
Ah, so that’s what it is! But is that really a good thing?
“Did the divorce go through? Congratulations, I guess?”
Major Himnon smiled with a radiant face.
“Congratulations is fine. I have to thank the Commander.”
“The Commander? The Commander was involved?”
“Yes, my wife, or rather, my ex-wife, agreed to the divorce but demanded all my assets. I was going to accept because I felt guilty for marrying her when I didn’t love her, but the Commander stopped me.”
Anyone would have stopped him, not just the Commander. It’s not like Major Himnon was entirely at fault.
“Major Himnon, you’re too kind. Didn’t your ex-wife have a young lover?”
“Perhaps my ex-wife turned to a younger man to alleviate her loneliness when she realized my heart wasn’t with her. However, the results of an investigation by the Commander, using the Midou Zaibatsu’s investigation agency, revealed that wasn’t the case.”
“What was the situation?”
“It was a case of mutual infidelity. My wife didn’t have just one lover. She had been involved with one of them even before I married her. In other words, she only married me for appearances.”
That’s terrible. No matter how you look at it, his ex-wife is more at fault than Major Himnon.
“The Commander, having gathered evidence, summoned my wife and her Father, a Colonel, to the Hotel and said, ‘Your daughter seems to have quite a flashy social life, doesn’t she? Naturally, there will be no division of assets. Furthermore, you will pay damages to the Major. Otherwise, I believe the weekly magazines might make a fuss, don’t you think?’ His face at that moment… The former father-in-law was always harsh on me because we couldn’t have children. This is what it feels like to have your mind put at ease.”
…The Commander is a professional at blackmail. They must have been petrified, both mother and son.
“I shouldn’t enjoy other people’s misfortune, but I kind of wanted to see it.”
“I saw it, and it was quite amusing. Especially how, after initially being so arrogant, their faces turned from red with anger to blue with fear as evidence was presented one after another. It was nothing short of comical.”
“But the father wouldn’t have been that terrified, would he? While he might be ashamed of his daughter’s misconduct, she’s a grown woman. He can’t be held responsible for all of her behavior.”
Lilith explained with a smirk.
“Iska is a pro at blackmail. She had evidence of her father’s corruption too. It might be possible for him to avoid dismissal if he reimburses the misused public funds for personal travel, but his career as a military bureaucrat is over.”
As expected of a professional at cornering people. Her methods are something else.
“What’s scary about the Commander is that after the damages were transferred to me, he planned to leak the affairs and corruption to the weekly magazines to finish them off. I begged him not to go that far, and he agreed. In any case, I’ve learned that you absolutely cannot defy the Commander.”
Major Himnon seems to have reached the same conclusion as I did.
By the time Major Himnon finished talking about his divorce, the dachshund-like car had entered the stadium parking lot.
As we got out of the car, we were escorted by men in black suits and boarded the most magnificent elevator, right in the center.
“Are these VIP-only seats that the Commander prepared?”
“This elevator leads to private rooms for VIPs. I’ve been in one as an attendant to a superior officer, and it was a splendid room.”
“Himu-himu, Iska prepared the Emperor’s Room. Have you been in it?”
“The Emperor’s Room! No, I certainly haven’t. Isn’t it, isn’t it a bit beyond what we deserve?”
The Commander is truly generous.
The Emperor’s Room we were guided to was as spacious and gorgeous as its name suggested.
Not only did it offer a panoramic view of the stadium from the highest point, but there were also multiple 3D screens, like a mini-theater. We could watch not only the game but also the reactions from the bench.
On a table covered with a delicately patterned cloth, Champagne was chilling. Caviar, cheese, and a fruit basket were also perfectly prepared as refreshments.
“Well, if it’s called the Emperor’s Room, it has to be like this.”
Lilith, a Countess accustomed to luxury, sat back on the leather Sofa and popped a grape into her mouth.
Natsume, the unsociable girl who didn’t seem intimidated, also sat on the Sofa, picked up the menu, and started looking for food.
“……Kanata, I want to eat shrimp Coquilles. Order it.”
You could order it yourself, but fine.
“It’s, it’s a special occasion. Ka, Kanata-kun, let’s enjoy the big game in the Emperor’s Room.”
Major Himnon, who grew up in poverty, timidly sat down on the Sofa.
“Major Himnon, you’ve been to VIP rooms before, haven’t you? You don’t need to be so nervous.”
“Only as an attendant. Besides, this Emperor’s Room is so luxurious that even VIP rooms pale in comparison. I’ve accompanied superiors to many seats, but this is the first time I’m the main guest…”
“A sad Remora fish’s life, Himu-himu.”
That’s harsh, Lilith-san. But I should put in a word.
“Lilith, Major Himnon is one of us now. Don’t say such things to an elder.”
Setting aside the fact that there’s no one younger than Lilith in the Asura Unit.
“It’s fine. Lilith-kun is right. A Remora fish’s life struggling to get nutrients from a giant shark isn’t so bad.”
“Himu-himu, Remora fish have a one-sided symbiotic relationship; the giant creature gets no benefit. But it’s different for you now, isn’t it? Himu-himu can be useful to the Asura Unit, and you must be. If you have that resolve, you should act with confidence.”
“……That’s also what Lilith-kun says. It’s pointless if I’m going to be intimidated by something like the Emperor’s Room. However, to have a 10-year-old child lecture me on how to approach life… Lilith-kun is quite formidable.”
Exactly. How formidable is this genius girl?
Oh, the game has started from a First Down of 10 yards. For now, I should just enjoy the big game without any worries.
Recently, in the sumo world, scandals seem to ignite just as they’re extinguished, only to ignite again.
It may be a tragedy for the association, but it’s pure comedy for us watching.
