Kanata visited the infirmary for his regular medical check-up. Just as he expected, a beautiful female doctor was there, but…
20:00. I can’t wait. It’s finally time to visit Marika-san’s room.
If there was a spell to fast-forward time, I’d use it without hesitation, but unfortunately, I’m no wizard.
Leaving the shooting range behind, I headed for the infirmary.
Nothing is wrong with my body, but I have a regular medical check-up.
A beautiful female doctor greeted me at the infirmary.
Hmph, I’m getting used to beautiful women, so not much can surprise me anymore.
This doctor has the type of appearance that men find attractive.
Perhaps the beauty mark below her left eye contributes to that impression.
She looks like an Izuruha person, with black hair and black eyes. Her hairstyle is, let’s see… roughly curled long.
“That’s a lovely rough curl long,” I said.
“Thank you. But complimenting my hairstyle after a quick study won’t raise your favorability, Kanata-kun?”
“Right. I should stop. Beautiful women are beautiful, no matter their hairstyle.”
And her breasts… what the heck! Not only are they big, but she’s not wearing a bra!
A beautiful, bra-less doctor in the infirmary. This is a perfect flag, don’t you think?
This is Neptune Man-level perfection, isn’t it?
“I am Doctor Hibiki. Please to meet you.”
“Corporal Amagake Kanata. Please to meet you, Dr. Hibiki.”
After that, my blood and hair were collected, and I was checked with various equipment I didn’t know the purpose of.
She could have tested my Umaibō too, of course, with a physical examination.
Tasting it would be okay too; it might even be better than mentaiko or corn potage flavor?
While I was letting my imagination run wild like that, I was trying my best not to inflate my Umaibō…
Looking at my data, Dr. Hibiki’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Hey, hey, don’t tell me I have a serious illness or something.
“Your permeation rate has increased by 2%. Have you engaged in combat since arriving at Rose Garden?”
“Only when Ms. Marika beat me up during the entrance exam, and when I had an exhibition match with Vodka at the welcome party.”
“To increase by 2% with just that is incredible. It’s known from research that the permeation rate increases easily when it’s far from its upper limit, but to rise without actual combat…”
“So, my upper limit seems to be quite high.”
After all, I’m a clone of a soldier whose upper limit is 100%.
Of course, Dr. Hibiki probably doesn’t know that.
There’s no established method yet to know the upper limit of a soldier’s combat cell permeation rate.
“As expected, someone with a 100% upper limit has great growth potential.”
“!!!”
This woman! How does she know that!
“Wait! I’m not your enemy!”
Dr. Hibiki shouted, her complexion changing.
I must have unconsciously reached for my sword.
“…What do you mean?”
Dr. Hibiki made a gesture, as if to calm me down, pressing her hands together.
Then, she slowly began to explain, as if to a child.
“I know your situation, Kanata-kun. I heard it from Iska. You understand, your data needs to be sent to the laboratory. That’s the purpose of its practical application, isn’t it?”
I see. That makes sense.
“Is that so? I wish the Commander would properly inform me of such things. I was told only the Commander and Lieutenant Colonel Kurando knew. You gave me a fright. I apologize.”
“I was really scared. I should have spoken up first. It was a mistake to get mischievous and try to surprise you. It’s pathetic that I’m the one who’s surprised.”
“Was I that scary?”
“Yes, you had such eyes. I got goosebumps. You looked like the Ice Wolf Agito had come back to life.”
Killer’s eyes, huh? I did kill Unit 10.
But maybe that’s for the best.
When I go into actual combat, I’ll be killing real humans, not clones.
“It seems like you’ve been having a terrible time because of your cousin.”
“My cousin?”
“My full name is Shijima Hibiki, Kanata-kun.”
The image of the poor-looking Dr. Shijima flashed in my mind.
“I see. Dr. Hibiki, you are Dr. Shijima’s cousin?”
“Yes, my cousin was intelligent, but… well…”
“A smart idiot. All he cared about was his research, with no common sense or ethics.”
“That’s a harsh but accurate assessment. I never imagined he’d be creating clone soldiers… I’m sorry, that’s not something I should be discussing in front of you, Kanata-kun.”
“It’s fine. If that hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t be here. Regardless of what kind of person Dr. Shijima is, it has nothing to do with you, Dr. Hibiki.”
“…Indeed. I’ll try to think of it that way.”
“Dr. Hibiki, please take the utmost care to ensure my existence is not revealed. In the future, please only collect the necessary data and do not bring it up in conversation as we are now.”
“Understood, Kanata-kun. Your life is at stake.”
“Yes. From the perspective of doctors like you, I may not strictly be human, but my desire not to die is the same as yours.”
I suppressed the urge to scream that my thoughts were the same as yours.
“This may sound like small comfort, but I believe you are human, Kanata-kun. Also, I spoke with Iska about it, and the research your cousin and his colleagues are doing is an insult to human dignity. I promise I will stop them, even if it takes time.”
“Then will I be executed to bury that research?”
“I won’t let that happen. Don’t worry.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t take those words at face value.”
“You’re right, asking you to believe me is unreasonable.”
“…Let’s stop. I’ll just end up taking my frustration out on you, and it will be painful for you too, Dr. Hibiki.”
“…Alright.”
The infirmary was supposed to be filled with romance elements thanks to the beautiful doctor, but in reality, my stress just skyrocketed.
I want to become stronger. To survive in this cruel world.
But the stronger I become and the more my usefulness as a weapon is proven, the more I’ll be helping to perpetuate that detestable research.
It was unavoidable since there was no other way to escape the laboratory, but I’ve been burdened with an unsolvable dilemma.
And my conversation with Dr. Hibiki seems to have ripped off the scab from that dilemma.
I left the infirmary without saying anything further.
I felt Dr. Hibiki’s gaze on my back, but I didn’t look back.
…She was probably looking at me with pity.
I came to the manga cafe in the entertainment district within Rose Garden.
It was still before 8 PM, but I didn’t feel like training.
I decided to read Vodka’s recommended manga, “Muscle Heavy Armor Aniking.”
It’s quite interesting. I finished volume 10 out of 30.
When I get absorbed in manga, I don’t have to think about other things.
I’ll save the rest for enjoyment after tomorrow.
Aniking’s special move, Anikick, kicked away some of my stress.
As expected, I’m a man who can’t live without manga and anime.
Maybe I was lucky not to be transported to a medieval fantasy world.
Putting the manga back on the shelf, the dilemma, which I didn’t want to think about, crossed my mind.
I really hate this gloomy side of myself.
I came up with an excuse to convince myself. There was no other way. I wasn’t wrong. After all, nothing could be done if I didn’t escape the research facility.
It might be wrong if judged by the standards of noble causes or justice, but I have no intention of correcting the world at the cost of my own life.
Let’s think positively like Aniking, a future where everything goes my way.
Dr. Shijima’s experiment will not succeed… this is highly likely.
After all, while I’m the only one to have succeeded, it’s actually a failure. It might even be impossible to implant self-awareness into clone soldiers in the first place.
And thus, the clone soldier cultivation experiment, plagued by failures, will be canceled. However, since I had already achieved significant results by then, I was deemed too valuable to discard and my combat deployment continued.
I would achieve even greater victories and become a soldier whose name would be renowned among the Alliance Army, earning me a moniker.
Unable to execute me, who had become a hero, the military leadership would grant me human rights on the condition that the secret of my origin be strictly kept.
This is it! I’ll aim for the realization of this scenario.
Thank you, Aniking. I feel a little more optimistic.
Oh! It’s almost time for the main event of the day, visiting Marika-san’s room.
I’m sure she will heal the remaining unease accumulated within me. I think. I hope so.
I should take a shower. Should I buy some cologne at the convenience store first?
No, no. Trying something unfamiliar won’t lead to good results.
Damn it, I’ve never visited a woman’s room before.
I don’t know what to do.
At 19:30, I returned to my room, took a shower, brushed my teeth, and shaved.
It’s a relief that fashion sense isn’t a concern on base. Everyone wears military uniforms.
In my previous world, my clothes were plain ones from a discount store. The only stylish item I had was a magatama given to me by my grandpa, a Shinto priest, which I wore as a pendant.
Now, feeling that I was dashingly wearing my military uniform, I opened the door to my private room to arrive at Marika-san’s room ahead of time.
“You came at just the right time.”
“Huh? Marika-san, you told me to come to your room, didn’t you?”
“I changed my mind. I’m coming in.”
Before I could reply, Marika-san barged into Room 649.
No way! If Marika-san was coming to my room, I should have at least vacuumed!
“Wait! Marika-san! Give me just five minutes!”
“I hate waiting.”
Marika-san promptly sat down on the computer chair and gestured for me to sit on the bed.
Even though it’s my room, she’s acting so bossy. I’m falling in love with her even more.
“Is it traditionally hidden around the bottom of the bed?”
“W-what are you talking about?”
“Your hiding spot for erotic books.”
“I don’t have any of those!”
That’s the only answer I could give. Oh, Marika-san doesn’t look convinced at all.
“Well, I’ll let it slide. I don’t want to discover anything super niche and be put off by it.”
Phew, I’m relieved.
“Why did you change the location of our talk to my room?”
“I don’t want to bring Kanata into my room.”
How cruel, how cruel of you, Marika-san.
“You might steal my underwear when you get the chance.”
“…How horrible. Why would I do such a thing?”
“What was with that pause? Anyway, the talk is about the Number 1 Unit receiving sortie orders.”
“Finally? My arms are itching for action.”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself. This is about you.”
“Yes, what kind of mission will I be assigned?”
Marika-san took out her portable ashtray, lit a cigarette, and said with a sigh mixed with smoke.
“The plan is that you won’t be going.”
