Sharshar Kingdom.
The Royal Capital.
Some time after the Alexy series took off.
“Hey…? The direction they took off in… isn’t it the opposite?”
“…? Ah.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
Whispers, rustling, whispers, rustling.
There was no information about the war situation.
Is the war situation unfavorable?
Was that the reason for sending so many reinforcements?
Those reinforcements flew west, not east?
…Why the opposite direction?
How should I know.
“Oi!? There’s a group approaching here, kicking up dust.”
“–!?”
Rustling, rustling, rustling…
Reinforcements were to the west.
The mysterious group was to the east.
…Enemy machines during the war?
“!!!”
“Wow, wow, hiii, noooo.”
Run away!?
We must have lost!?
My family… ah, the factory!?
The Royal Capital residents were in an uproar.
Meanwhile, the mysterious group, completely unaware of this.
The important figures trusted by King Nine His Majesty.
Gira, Suurl, Tōyashi.
Former important figure Zappa.
Gira’s subordinate Isaac.
The remaining soldiers in retreat.
And now.
Everyone boarded Suurl’s exclusive machine, the “Idaten,” and hovered at high speed towards the Royal Capital.
It was understandable that the Royal Capital residents mistook them for a great army attacking.
They were stirring up the sand on the ground.
“Hah, finally we’re at the Royal Capital.”
“So, what now? It’s not time to be happy.”
“I still can’t forgive you guys for getting on my exclusive machine.”
“……”
“Lord Gira, an urgent contact has come from Lord Patch. What do you mean by going to the battlefield without permission?”
“Aaaah, so he’s angry.”
“Hey, that’s why we should just return…”
“You guys are seriously asking me to walk! We’re already in front of the Royal Capital! The Idaten is my machine alone!”
“Lord Gira, isn’t it bad not to reply to Lord Patch?”
“……”
Squawking, aah, hey, so.
They returned to the Royal Capital cheerfully.
The Royal Capital residents were relieved that they weren’t enemy machines, and they tilted their heads, wondering why one of the important figures’ exclusive machines was carrying so many people?
Each and every one of the exclusive machines was like new, with no signs of battle.
Did they flee from the battlefield as a group???
Exclusive machines have vastly superior performance to mass-produced machines.
With that many exclusive machines,
Couldn’t they easily slaughter enemy machines?
And yet that group returned without fighting.
It made no sense???
“Welcome, we’ve been waiting for you~~♪”
“It’s Lord Tōyashi’s return~~♪”
“Hey, that’s why… damn. It’s Suurl~♪”
“Lord Gira’s popularity is rising♪”
“…This is out of place (muttering).”
“Kyaa~♪ It’s Lord Gira~♪”
“Lord Tōyashi, please come to our shop next time~!”
“Hey, it’s Lord Suurl, known as the Lightning Flash. I’m seeing him for the first time.”
“Hey, that’s… why is he here, even though he should have been demoted…”
Whispers, giggles, “How embarrassing~♪”
Zappa, the former important figure, was met with disdain and contempt.
Isaac was a new face.
They ignored him.
But he was happy that Gira’s stock was rising, and he didn’t care about himself.
He’s a sycophant to Gira, his protector.
Gira and Tōyashi smiled broadly to curry favor.
Suurl, fearing he might be demoted if he kept getting angry, opened the hatch and plastered on a smile to compete with the other two.
For some reason, he was feared by the men.
The reason was that he repeatedly undertook seemingly reckless kamikaze attacks, yet always returned unharmed. He was a man with a screw loose.
That perception was undoubtedly correct.
“Waaaaaah♪♪ Wooooooh♪♪”
The commotion in the Royal Capital had, without anyone noticing,
transformed into a triumphant entry ceremony for returning heroes.
The easily swayed Royal Capital residents.
Is that okay?
“Oooooooh, faaaaaa, areeeee~~~~”
“…….Well then, Patch~?♪”
“……Lord Gira, do your best (in a small voice).”
“……(I’m just a squad leader’s assistant. Only those three should be yelled at. It should be fine! Why am I too!?)!?”
In front of the Royal Castle’s main gate.
Patch, radiating fighting spirit from his body, stood to greet them.
As representatives of this group.
Gira and the other three confronted Patch.
The others stood about twenty paces behind,
watching the end of the conversation.
Isaac alone stood five paces behind Gira, cheering him on.
“What do you mean, ‘Well then’? Giraaaa~!”
“Ah, uh.”
“Tōyashi! Suurl! Fleeing from the front lines, do you intend to embolden the enemy!?”
“Ah, no, well…”
“Tōyashi did it, ah, no, it’s nothing…”
“Don’t avert your eyes~!”
“O-Ou!”
“So? Zappa~, where’s the squad leader~, huh~?”
“…He’s dead (muttered).”
“I see, I see~♪ So? Why are you the only one who came back alive, showing your face, huh~!? I heard your report! It says you’ve been a beat slow in executing operational actions, haven’t you? You’re a disgrace to us important figures! Why didn’t you die honorably? Do you want to bring us down that much!?”
“No, it’s not like that!? The squad leader ordered me to execute a dangerous operation alone…”
“Excuses~!!”
“Uoooh, it’s not like that…”
“…Wow… he’s terrifying…”
Whispers, whispers.
The surviving soldiers, witnessing Patch’s scolding,
firmly etched in their minds: Patch… only the Director of the Intelligence Agency should not be angered, nor opposed.
“All of you, come to the conference room~.”
” ” “Ah.” ”
“Sniffle… Why am I, who was about to die… why? We were classmates, weren’t we…”
“Lord Gira, I will store the machine in the hangar and wait for your return.”
“Well then, is it okay to disperse? Excuse me…”
” ” “They ran away.” ”
“Hurry up and come!”
The battle report meeting with the Wispa Holy Nation Army began, with Brain, the shadow warrior, also participating.
The Intelligence Agency, which had been under information blockade and couldn’t grasp the situation at all.
Patch questioned the four relentlessly.
“This is in front of the King His Majesty. Don’t hide anything, recall your memories vividly.”
“Ugh, this is absurd!?”
Gira and the others relayed information to Patch and occasionally to King Nine His Majesty, who asked questions.
By the time the meeting ended, they felt as if their mouths, bodies, and souls had been completely drained.
“…Isaac, I’m already…”
“Fufufu, Patch… just you wait… absolutely… fuhu… fufufu.”
“To a degree where I’ve forgotten everything… I must ride the Idaten…”
“Why me… (muttering) This is ridiculous… (muttering) I’m not getting promoted… (muttering).”
The four, with unsteady steps, began to move.
Upon reaching their destination, they revealed their pent-up frustrations and exploded, ran wild, and fell asleep.
