It seems Kanata will be promoted again.
The Asura Unit’s tremendous efforts led to victory in the battle on Beta Street, but the pursuit of the retreating LeBron Division was left to the Hinkley Division, and the Asura Unit returned to the Garden. The tide of this battle had turned. It seemed to be a political consideration to let the Hinkley Division have the final glory.
Now I finally understood the meaning of the Commander’s all-out attack order. So, the Commander never intended to join the pursuit from the start.
After several days of marching, seeing the barbed wire surrounding the base brought a deep sense of relief. We returned alive. Back to our home, the Rose Garden.
Upon returning, I was immediately summoned to the Command Room, so I headed there without even having time to wash off the dust of my journey. I knocked and entered, but the Command Room, filled with cheap office furniture, was empty.
“Kanata? She’s in the study at the back. The door is on the right.”
There was a door inside the Command Room, and it led to a study. I wondered what kind of door it was, but it apparently connected to the Commander’s private space. Opening the door and stepping inside, I found myself in a splendid, Commander-like space. An expensive study desk, a taxidermied deer head on the wall, what looked like real famous paintings, and curtains with an elaborate design.
The Commander was lounging on a luxurious leather sofa set, smoking a cigarette. Nodding her head to indicate I should sit, I took a seat on the sofa opposite her. Wow, I could tell just by touching it. This was expensive stuff. It really felt like the Commander’s room.
“You did good work again this time. That bluff you used to trick LeBron was excellent.”
“Thank you. Oh, isn’t Lieutenant Colonel Kurando with you?”
“She seems busy with some preparations. I don’t know what kind of preparations.”
Huh, it’s rare for the Lieutenant Colonel not to be by the Commander’s side. But what could she be preparing for?
“I hope it’s not preparations for the next operation. I’d like to relax in the Garden for a bit.”
“If it were operational preparations, I would certainly know.”
That’s true. Phew, I think I can finally get some rest.
Right, there was something I wanted to ask the Commander about this operation.
“Regarding the battle on Beta Street, you didn’t intend to join the pursuit from the start, did you, Commander?”
The Commander nodded and replied.
“Yes. I wanted to give Major General Hinckley a chance to redeem himself. I intend to bring him into my faction. I want to diminish the impression of his initial crushing defeat.”
“The Asura Unit could have achieved even greater results if they had joined the pursuit. Why didn’t you allow that?”
“Do you know the rules of Powerball, Kanata?”
“Yes, I do. I’m a fan.”
Powerball is a major sport in this world. It’s very similar to American football in my original world, so as an American football fan, I’ve watched game videos many times. The difference from American football is its more extreme rules. There isn’t a professional league that doesn’t have fatalities throughout the year.
“To use a Powerball analogy, I wanted to win 35-0, not 56-7. Considering the overall superiority of the Alliance Army and the Mechanist Army, one might aim for 56 points. But for me, zero points conceded is more important.”
By “points conceded,” she meant the casualties of the Asura Unit. Ah, I see. So she thinks that far ahead when issuing orders.
“That look on your face tells me you understand. Yes, I prioritized individual play over the team, the Alliance Army.”
“Yes, the Asura Unit is your source of power, and you didn’t want to damage it.”
“To be precise, I don’t want to deplete it here. There will always be situations where we must win without regard for sacrifice. Until then, I want to minimize the attrition of our precious elite unit. This time, we achieved considerable results, and the Asura Unit had zero casualties. I’m quite pleased with myself. I had expected some casualties from the 4th Unit, who seem eager to die. But zero casualties is good for our image, too. That’s also important.”
“As you go higher up in the army, politics become involved, not just military matters. Reversing a losing battle with zero casualties. It certainly improves the unit’s reputation.”
“When reputation is enhanced, it becomes legend. And legends are usually created by those around them out of necessity.”
“The masses are always looking for legends and heroes, aren’t they?”
“You understand perfectly. Now, let’s get to the main point. Kanata, you are being promoted. Effective today, you are a Sergeant Major.”
“The miraculous man whose rank increases with every operation is born!”
“After 12 operations, Marshal Amagake will be born. What will you do then?”
“Hire a copywriter to fix the abysmal naming of the Alliance Army’s weaponry, perhaps?”
Names like “Danbira” and “Onikiri” are just too lame.
“That’s a good idea. But jokes aside, your promotion to Warrant Officer is confirmed for one month from now, so be prepared for that. I’ll tell that to the thugs in the Garden as well.”
“What? I just became a Sergeant Major today, and I haven’t achieved anything yet!”
“You uncovered the truth about the Grim Reaper and used the Land Battleship as a bluff to gain an advantage in the battle against the LeBron Division. One achievement for one rank. Personally, I see no problem.”
“It might not be a problem for you, Commander, but isn’t it a problem for the army?”
“When reporting to the army, I’ll fabricate some achievements, so there won’t be any issues. Naturally, it would be even better if you genuinely earned them.”
She just said “fabricate.” She’s way too blunt.
“Y-yes. Thank you, I suppose? Is it really okay? Such a rapid promotion?”
“It’s fine. The Alliance Army has many cases where individuals with no achievements are given undeserved positions simply because they are from noble families or influential figures. While I may not have the same persuasive power, coming from a noble family myself…”
“Not ‘coming from a noble family,’ Commander. You are the daughter of Marshal Asura, the founder of the Alliance Army. You’re from the most prestigious family there is.”
But Marika-san told me that the Commander entered a prestigious university with advanced placement and graduated at the top of her class. She then entered the officer academy and graduated at the top again. She was an absolute prodigy, achieving the best results since the academy’s inception. Then, against the opposition of those around her, she fought on the front lines, achieved remarkable results, and founded the Asura Unit. Dr. Shijima was a smart idiot, but the Commander is smart in both studies and work, a truly capable woman.
“Your position was earned through your abilities. Even if you weren’t from a noble family, Commander, you would have become a Colonel. Honestly, with your skills, you should be a General, not just a Colonel.”
“I am deliberately stopping at Colonel. Reaching General makes it harder to move freely. This is a period of waiting in the wings. I will gather excellent subordinates, achieve results, and gain the trust of the regular soldiers. In parallel, I will build sympathetic ties with high-ranking military officials and strengthen my influence over the Alliance Army from the shadows. I will become a General when I have created a situation where, even if I am seen as a protruding nail, they cannot strike me down.”
Is this all a deep strategem to take the top position in the Alliance Army? She’s quite the formidable woman.
“Once you are at the top, Commander, the Alliance Army might change. I hope that day comes soon.”
If that happened, she would immediately cancel those disgusting clone experiments. However, the Commander’s response was far more grand than I could have imagined.
“Kanata, my goal is not to become the top of the Alliance Army. It’s not even to win this war. … … I want to change this world. No, I will change it.”
Her expression was more serious than I had ever seen it. Is it possible for a human to look that serious? I readily accepted that this was the kind of person who would change the world.
Changing the world. That’s an almost impossible feat for an ordinary person like me, but for her, it’s not. Overwhelming talent and charisma that transcends ordinary people, coupled with a sense of mission. For such a person to be born in this era must be a blessing from heaven, a heavenly mandate.
“When it came to Lilith, Marika-san said, ‘Iska carries a burden of battle that we cannot. That’s why we can fight with our lives.’ I understand that feeling now.”
The Commander’s serious expression melted into her usual defiant smile.
“Hmph. Then I expect you to be as useful as possible to me.”
“Yes, I have to cover the Commander’s deficit on the balance sheet too.”
“That’s a commendable attitude. You really don’t need to worry about the promotion to Warrant Officer. Frankly, I can do anything up to Captain with just my own decision.”
…She’s done it again with a blunt statement. Is it candid or careless? But it suits her.
“Yes, I will accept it gratefully without worry.”
“Therefore, you will be going to Ligrit, the Alliance Army’s main base, in the near future.”
“What? Why me again?”
“Kanata, you didn’t graduate from the officer academy. You must attend the Curriculum to become an officer to be promoted to Warrant Officer.”
“…There will be lectures, won’t there? And possibly exams?”
“Of course, both. You’ll have no problem with the practical aspects, but the lectures might be another story. You’ll need to study military law, even if the Natto Bacteria do their work on tactical and strategic theory.”
“I’m not good at studying…”
The trauma of failing my high school entrance exams is acting up. It itches, it itches! I thought I was free from studying since coming to this world!
“Don’t worry, if push comes to shove, I’ll pull some strings from behind the scenes. If I have to go to that much trouble, I’ll add it to your ledger.”
Now she’s revealed her behind-the-scenes manipulation. That’s the third blunt statement today. A triple combo starting with fabricating achievements, leading to arbitrary promotion, and ending with falsifying exam results… Is it really okay to let this person take over the Alliance Army?
“It looks like I’ll be in debt beyond repayment. Why didn’t you just make my record show I graduated from the officer academy!”
“I didn’t imagine Kanata cultivating Natto Bacteria in his brain. Besides, if you met classmates with your officer academy graduation record, the lie would be exposed immediately.”
You have a point there.
“Iska, are you in?”
It seems my superior, who doesn’t knock, has entered the cheap Command Room.
“Marika? She’s in the study.”
And then she barges carelessly into the Commander’s study. They’re quite similar.
“Kanata, you’re here too. Iska, the party preparations will be finished in about two hours. Think of something to say for a greeting.”
“Oh, a victory party. Those thugs are always eager to find an excuse to make a ruckus.”
Marika looked at the Commander with a resigned expression.
“You workaholics are just impossible to deal with. Have you forgotten what day it is today?”
The Commander tilted her head, thinking.
“Hmm, what day was it? It’s not the founding day of the Asura Unit, was it?”
“Iska, it’s your birthday. I’ll keep your age a secret, though.”
The Commander’s face brightened with an “Ah!” She had genuinely forgotten her own birthday.
“Marika, my age is a military secret! If you speak of it, you will be charged with leaking classified information!”
Apparently, the Commander is not happy about getting older.
The long promotion arc has finally ended. The next installment will be the “Anguish Arc.” After the first episode of the Anguish Arc, I plan to write the second part of the Kanata x Marika alternate episode.
