Vodka, a former member of Snow Rabbits, seems to want to hear the full story of the unit’s destruction from Shion.
There was no one in the park adjacent to the cemetery. We sat around a round table.
Vodka was the first to speak.
“Shion, where have you been? I’ve sent you so many letters since I heard about your father’s death?”
“I’m sorry. After losing my father, I never went home and drifted between various units.”
Vodka, looking uncomfortable, continued to question Shion, who looked apologetic.
“Shion, about your father, I heard some unpleasant rumors…”
“You mean the rumor that I killed Papa?”
“Yeah, I know that’s nonsense. But… what happened?”
“It’s not nonsense. I killed Papa with my own hands.”
“!!!…No way! There are lies you can tell and…”
“Ivan, will you listen to my story?”
Vodka took out his small bottle, took a swig, and then replied.
“Let me hear it. Sorry, Kanata, but could you leave for a bit? This is a Snow Rabbits issue.”
“The Captain already knows.”
“Is that so? Then tell me too. About Papa’s last moments…”
Shion began to recount the nightmare of two years ago in the snowy fields.
“You damn woman! How could you do such a thing! I can’t forgive you!”
In his rage, Vodka crushed the small bottle in his hand. Blood dripped onto the round table.
“Ivan, your blood…”
Vodka opened his jacket and wrote words on his chest with the flowing blood. It was probably a ritual of revenge.
“Shion, I will definitely kill that damn woman named Origa! If a scumbag like that is living freely under the sun, Father can’t rest in peace!”
“Of course, that’s my intention. But killing Origa will be me. Ivan, will you help me?”
“Damn right! I’ll leave killing Origa to Shion, Father’s beloved daughter, but I’ll be involved in the revenge too!”
“Of course, I’m counting on you.”
“It seems we’ve reached an agreement. Vodka, I’ve been appointed to lead a squad. Shion will be the副隊長. Will you join as a bodyguard?”
“Leave it to me! I’ll be the squad’s shield!”
Vodka thumped his thick chest and accepted.
“Captain, that means we only need one more person.”
“That’s right. Attacker, sniper, bodyguard, and then…”
“How about Rimse? Rimse is an irregular, but she can also scout.”
Rimse could scout too? I always thought she could because she’s small and agile.
“I’ve never seen Rimse scout before, can she do it?”
“She just hasn’t had the chance because Crystal Widow is full of assault ninjas. Rimse has been a hunter in the forest since she was ten. She’s an expert at stealthily tracking prey.”
“I’ve worked with Rimse many times, so our coordination should be smooth.”
“It’s decided then.”
I nodded, then gave the two former Snow Rabbits a stern warning.
“I’ll tell you both. Killing that damn woman, Origa of ‘The Pure White,’ is decided, but not right now. First, we need to get stronger. She’s a unit captain in the Last Legion, and her strength rivals that of an Asura Unit captain. I don’t fight battles I can’t win.”
“It’s no good if we get defeated. Understood.” “Yes, let’s get stronger first.”
These two are veteran soldiers, not immature brats who can’t see the big picture due to their emotions. They’re not like those greedy brats who prioritize revenge without considering the difference in strength.
The next problem is… Shion’s reputation.
“Vodka, how famous is the rumor of Shion ‘killing her father’?”
“All the thugs in the Garden probably know. Your father was a man renowned as the Alliance Army’s top sniper.”
Vodka replied with a grim expression.
“…I understand what you’re trying to say, Captain. But I don’t intend to explain myself.”
“Shion, some people will misunderstand if you don’t! There are many good-natured thugs in the Garden, but there are also those who won’t speak their minds.”
Vodka’s concern is valid, but…
“Ivan, I don’t like being pitied. I’d rather be despised than pitied. You understand, Captain, don’t you?”
“I do. I’m the same. To hell with sympathy. We don’t need people who only look at rumors and appearances to understand you, Shion.”
Shion nodded contently at my answer.
“Alright. I won’t say anything more. Shion, you’re a fine adult, aren’t you?… My, how you’ve grown from that little child.”
Vodka seems to have known Shion for a long time.
Meow, meow, meow, the sound of a cat echoed in the park. It wasn’t a real cat, but Lilith imitating cat sounds.
“What is it? Imitating a cat?”
“It’s my Handycom’s ringtone. This is Arrow, Kanata…”
“Kanata, where are you now?”
“I’m at the cemetery park. Shigure-san, did something happen?”
“I’m looking for Sergeant Ignachev. Sergeant Kodama said you might be with him, so I called.”
“We are. Is there something you need from Shion?”
“I need to give both of you a tour of the Garden facilities. Wait for me in front of the cafeteria, and please tell Sergeant Ignachev to come.”
“Understood. So, Shion, Shigure-san will give you a tour of the facilities. Head to the front of the cafeteria right away.”
“Roger. (Yes.)”
Shion saluted me and left the park.
After Shion had completely disappeared from the park, Vodka asked,
“…Why did you decide to help Shion with her revenge? You have no connection to her father, do you? Is it the chivalry that the warriors of Izuruha Nations value?”
“It’s not something as noble as that, and I’m not a warrior. My rule is to make things that don’t make sense make sense, sometimes by force. Shion’s case is one of those times, that’s all.”
“I see, that’s a good rule. I know Kanata is a man who acts by his own rules. But… it’s not just that, is it?”
Sigh, to be seen through. The proverb that big men are full of wisdom is a load of bull.
“If I left Shion alone, she might rush into revenge by herself and self-destruct. I’ll make her pay for what she did to Origa, but more than anything, I want to save Shion. I like Shion, who knows revenge is meaningless but can’t extinguish the flames of revenge…”
“You’re getting involved because you like her, huh? Just like with Lilith. You’re a selfish guy.”
“There’s nothing to praise me for. Vodka, you seem to have known Shion for a long time?”
Vodka took out a cigarette case with Russian writing engraved on it, and I lit it with my lighter.
“I was in Snow Rabbits before Father took Shion in. When I joined the army, I was reckless… I was proud of my mediocre strength and acted tough. Then, I challenged Father, a soldier with a nickname, to a bare-handed fight and got completely beaten. Father was a master of combat sambo, so there was no way I could win.”
“So Vodka’s combat sambo is directly from the Emperor? I’m intrigued, tell me the rest.”
“It’s not a very interesting story. Father, after breaking my arrogance, said, ‘You’re a promising young man. If you want to beat me, come to my place.’ I joined Snow Rabbits single-mindedly wanting to beat Father, and before I knew it, we became like family.”
Vodka continued his story, exhaling purple smoke with a nostalgic look.
“Trained by Father, I became a true soldier, and my desire changed from wanting to beat Father to wanting to *become* like Father. As a ambitious young man, I left Snow Rabbits and aimed to become a commander… I’m sorry, I don’t want to talk about that part.”
I recalled Vodka’s words from the coffin room of Mai Shiranui.
…I don’t want subordinates anymore. I want to take responsibility for my mistakes with just my own life.
Vodka must have had a bitter past as well. It probably involves an incident where he was almost sent to a military prison for a violent offense.
“It’s alright. If you don’t want to talk about it, you can tell me when you feel like it.”
“That’s all about my story. I committed a violent act and was about to go eat smelly food when Marika-san picked me up. I readily followed her and now I’m a proper thug.”
“If Marika-san picked you up, I guess you couldn’t refuse. Can I ask you a little about Shion?”
“I don’t know her measurements.”
Don’t wink, it’s creepy. Vodka’s wink is a criminal act.
“I met Shion during the Officer Curriculum at Ligrit, and at first, she was as cold as absolute zero. After a lot of ups and downs, she agreed to be my副隊長, but her attitude changed drastically…”
“It was probably because she was going through a rough patch after what happened with Father. Shion is naturally a very devoted person. When I was on leave, I often visited Father’s house. The Shion I saw there was caring for Father diligently, sometimes excessively. Even to an onlooker, it seemed a bit too much.”
“Seriously!? Devoted? Shion, who’s nicknamed ‘Absolute Zero’?”
“Seriously. It was probably because she was so devoted that Father became worried. He used to say, ‘I’m worried because Shion is too good a girl. She might devote herself even to a worthless good-for-nothing.’ It was like his catchphrase.”
“Is that her natural personality? It’s good if she’s not forcing herself.”
The big man Vodka looked down at me from his height with a glare and sighed.
“…Haa… This might be what Father was worried about…”
Hey, Vodka! What do you mean by that?!
I’m going to post four days in a row starting today.
