Kanata appears to be participating in a meeting for a new operation.
In the small briefing room were Marika, Rasen, Gen, Yukikaze, and a sulking Lilith.
“What’s wrong, Lilith? You look grumpy,” I said, nudging her as I took the seat next to her. A dam of complaints broke, and a flood of grumbling poured out.
“This is what happens when Marika and Gen-san give me their precious lectures! Honestly! It all started with Warrant Officer…”
Before I drowned, I decided to act. I put my hand over Lilith’s mouth, stopping the torrent.
“That was unfortunate, but it was Lilith’s fault.”
“What are you talking about, acting like it’s none of your business? It’s not just Lilith’s fault. Kanata is just as guilty.”
Marika-san, the Judge, had me bleeding. Just as I’d managed to stop the flood, now I had to stop the bleeding.
“Lady Marika, Kanata was in a difficult position. He probably couldn’t speak about it given his nature.”
“Rasen-san, you know the circumstances too? Marika-san, did you speak to him?”
“No, I heard the details from Shuri and Hotaru last night. I wasn’t thinking straight. I’m a failure as a副官 (fukukan – aide-de-camp), I’m mortified.”
I see. So after that, they went to explain the situation to the executives. It must have been difficult for Hotaru.
“Don’t make that face. It’s not Kanata’s fault.”
“Rasen, don’t spoil him. When you realized, you should have consulted me!”
I know I should have, but…
“Lady Marika, with all due respect, is this a baseless complaint?”
“Gen-san, I won’t stand for being called a baseless complainer! When have I ever complained without reason?”
“The old man thinks it’s wrong to take your anger at Agito and yourself out on Kanata.”
“…You’re right. Taking it out on Kanata is indeed wrong.”
Only Gen-san could disagree with the rampaging Marika.
He’s an elder of the Hidden Fire Ninja Clan, and it’s said that Gen-san and his wife raised Marika after she lost her parents early. I breathed a sigh of relief, having escaped the jaws of death thanks to the opinionated elder of the Number One Unit.
“Only the members present here need to know about Hotaru’s situation. Do not let it leak to anyone else.”
Everyone nodded at Marika’s words. However, Marika still seemed to be seething with indignation, and she crumpled a perfectly good steel pot as if it were spun sugar candy.
Just then, a dry knocking sound echoed, and Shuri entered with Hotaru.
“Lady Marika, is something wrong? You don’t seem to be in a good mood?”
Even this dense fellow seemed to sense the heavy atmosphere.
“Shuri, read the room a little.”
Hotaru, who understands nuance well, tugged at Shuri’s military uniform sleeve. He’s struggling already, I see.
“…Um… I troubled everyone regarding my situation. I’m sorry.”
As Hotaru bowed to everyone, Marika gently admonished her.
“Hotaru, we’re not angry that you troubled us. We’re angry that you *didn’t* trouble us. It’s too much to be so distant. Don’t forget we’re family.”
“Lady Marika is right. What is family if we don’t support each other? Are we that unreliable?”
Rasen, usually so carefree, admonished them with rare severity, and Gen stepped in to mediate.
“Rasen, given the circumstances, it must have been hard to tell the men. You should allow for that. However, Hotaru, you should have consulted Lady Marika once Kanata arrived.”
“Yes, when I returned to the village, my grandmother told me the same thing.”
“Hotaru, did you tell Grandmother Owl the circumstances?”
“No. But she noticed I was troubled.”
A stranger has appeared.
“Who is Grandmother?”
Rasen answered my question.
“She is the supreme elder of the Hidden Fire Ninja Clan and presides over the village on Lady Marika’s behalf. She’s a kunoichi owl, and everyone calls her Grandmother Owl.”
I never knew such a person existed.
“Well then, Lady Marika, now that the executives are assembled, let’s begin the briefing.”
“I’ll make coffee for everyone. Oh, where is the pot…”
I rolled the steel pot, now a metal sphere, in front of Hotaru.
“…Lady Marika, I believe we should treat our equipment with care.”
“Just pour it directly into the cups. Lilith, explain the operation outline.”
Lilith handed out tactical tablets to everyone and began the explanation.
“I see. So, we’re creating a false operation to form a unit against the Grim Reaper. The issue is that the target is far away and time is limited. If our movement is by helicopter and Shiranui cannot be used, we can’t send the entire unit. Therefore, we need to be cautious with the personnel selection.”
Shuri muttered thoughtfully after hearing the outline, and Hotaru voiced her concern.
“Destroying a remote base and leaving no survivors… But won’t there be civilian staff at the base, like in the Garden?”
“I chose a base without civilian personnel. The mechanics and kitchen staff are all regular soldiers. Of course, since it’s a remote, not-very-important base, some might not have seen frontline combat.”
Marika answered Hotaru, and Rasen spoke with a cold expression.
“If you seek safety, you shouldn’t become a soldier. Once you belong to the army, we can assume you are resolved. I believe there’s something like that in Kanata’s sayings.”
I can’t believe I’m being quoted here. And there’s a slight misunderstanding.
“Rasen-san, please quote accurately. I have no intention of showing mercy to those who stand before me with the will to fight. I don’t intend to kill those who surrender.”
“Kanata, then what do you propose?”
When Gen-san asked me that, I answered honestly.
“Wouldn’t it be fine to take those who surrender as prisoners of war?”
“It depends on the numbers. That target base has around 100 soldiers.”
“There are 80 combatants at the base. If Rasen and I go all out, 80% will die. That’s 64 killed, leaving 16 to surrender. Add the 20 mechanics and kitchen staff, that’s 36 people in total. We could fit them into the cargo hold of three large helicopters.”
“But Kanata, we can’t have them on the prisoner exchange list. At least, not until our bluff is discovered.”
“Forced labor camp as non-existent prisoners. We’ll have to make them accept that it’s better than dying.”
“Scary. So scary. Kanata, you’ve become quite the soldier.”
I don’t feel like laughing when you say that. …But I suppose I am quite the inhuman being now.
“We’ll adopt Kanata’s plan. It’s a short, decisive battle with a small number of people, so we won’t need much in the way of supplies. If there’s enough cargo space, prisoners are fine. I also dislike needless killing, Kanata, how capable are Comma Two?”
“If the opponent is an average soldier, we can achieve complete victory.”
“Alright, Comma One and Two will be deployed for practical testing. After selecting the remaining personnel, we’ll finalize the operation details.”
We began discussing the operation over coffee.
“First, I’ll infiltrate the base alone and destroy its communication functions, then the surprise attack will begin. Rasen’s wide-range flame art and Kanata’s Wolf Eye will annihilate the enemy, and Gen will clean up any stragglers. Shuri, you are to capture those who flee with Yukikaze. The key to this operation is you, Hotaru. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I will deploy Insect Users around the base and maintain close surveillance to ensure no one escapes.”
“Good, that’s fine. Lilith, do you have any good operational names?”
“Let’s see. The operation name is ‘Pumpkin Head’.”
She’s come up with something outlandish again.
“Pumpkin Head? Like the ones you wear on Halloween?”
We have Halloween here too, you know.
“That’s right. Let’s go out in costume for this festival, or rather, blood festival. Otherwise, I can’t bear to carry out such a ridiculous operation.”
“Not bad. We need to hide our faces, after all. Lilith, I’ll handle the costume arrangements.”
Rasen said so, and Marika concluded the meeting.
“Then we will sortie tomorrow at 10:00. Lilith and Hotaru will remain and input the operation outline into the tactical tablet. The rest are dismissed.”
“Oh well. I suppose I’ll be getting overtime pay. Hmm, Yuki-chan. What’s wrong?”
Yukikaze, the dog, tugged at Lilith’s sleeve as she grumbled.
…Wait? An image of a milk bottle just popped into my head. …Could it be…?
“Yukikaze, you’re thirsty, aren’t you? You want milk, don’t you?”
“!! Woof! (That’s right!)”
“There should be milk in the refrigerator. Wait here.”
“Woof! (I’ll wait!)”
“Hey! Warrant Officer! How can you understand what Yuki-chan is saying!”
“Ah, somehow. I could read the nuance, or rather, an image.”
“…Kanata, you have Animal Empathy too? That’s overdoing it along with Lilith.”
Marika seemed surprised. I’m surprised too.
“No, I wanted to chat with Yukikaze too, so it’s perfect. Here, Yukikaze. Milk for you~.”
“Woof woof! (I’m not a child!)”
Oops, that’s right. Even though she just became a grown dog, she’s a proper lady.
“Woof woof! (Let’s go for a walk!)”
After quenching her thirst, exercise? That’s a good idea.
“Okay. Let’s go for a walk until the main operation meeting begins. Then, have fun on my date with Yukikaze.”
With the executives staring in astonishment, I left the room with Yukikaze.
So, I have Animal Empathy too. I wish I’d realized sooner.
Oh well. From now on, I can have fun chatting with Yukikaze and Shurimaru.
