5

"Ugh...."

 

 

Did I pass out again?

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the FOX Squad leader, 3rd year student Yukino-senpai.

 

 

"Ah, you're awake. Are you alright?"

 

 

"Yukino-senpai...? What about the others?"

 

 

Yukino silently pointed behind her with her finger.

When I looked where she was pointing, I saw 1st-year students, including the RABBIT Squad, receiving rations from what looked like a mess vehicle.

The scenery looked familiar, so it seems the 1st years successfully drove the enemy out of the city and established a defensive position.

 

 

"Everyone seems safe...."

 

 

"Right after you collapsed, those kids desperately carried you here on their backs."

 

 

"I almost put the whole squad in danger because of me...."

 

 

I ran my hand over the area where I was hit by the enemy's sniper earlier.

Of course, there was no blood at all.

 

 

"Tactically speaking, it was a pretty dangerous move. But in the end, nothing happened. Don't blame yourself too much."

 

 

Yukino placed her hand on my head and gently patted it as if to comfort me.

I quietly felt Yukino's touch and opened my mouth.

 

 

"Was it really right for someone like me... to come to SRT?"

 

 

An interloper. An anomaly. An outsider. Unwelcome.

That was me.

 

 

Is it really okay for me to live in this world as if nothing happened?

Would I have just ended up breaking relationships that would have been whole if I wasn't here?

 

 

I looked at the members of the RABBIT Squad, who were happily laughing and sharing rations among the four of them without me.

 

 

Even if I wasn't there, those four would have been the same as they are now.

Even if I wasn't there, those four would have met Sensei, and overcome hardships and adversity.

 

 

My existence is something that can be or not be, an impurity that this world doesn't need.

 

 

I was always meant to be alone.

 

 

"Why do you think that?"

 

 

Yukino's voice pulled me out of the swamp of my thoughts.

 

 

"I'd rather ask you in return. What did you come to SRT for?"

 

 

I couldn't answer Yukino's question.

It's not that I wanted to join SRT in the first place, but when I opened my eyes, it was already planned for me to join SRT.

 

 

"...Someone might have joined in response to SRT's beliefs. Someone else might have joined because they valued strict principles, someone else for the powerful weapons, or to change themselves. They all chose SRT for their own reasons."

 

 

I listened to Yukino's words in silence with my head down.

Then Yukino took something out and put it in my mouth.

It was inarizushi.

 

 

"You should first remember your own reason. Then maybe that worry you're holding onto will fly away."

 

 

With those words, Yukino returned to her place.

 

 

"My own, reason...."

 

 

It's late to say this now, but it was so delicious that I really wanted to eat it again.

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

After some time, on the morning of the fourth day, I had fully recovered and was in good enough condition to participate in the operation again.

This was something different from the training in my past life, where death meant the end, and it was something unique to Kivotos.

Yukino was briefing the first-year students under her command on today's strategy.

 

"According to the information gathered last night, we have successfully pushed back the enemy forces on each front. This time, we will take on the most important position that will determine the outcome of this mission!"

 

 

This time, we will finally recapture the factory complex, our final objective.

Among them, our squad was assigned the mission to stay nearby and provide cover to support the RHINO and REINDEER squads' entry into the factory.

It was a large-scale offensive involving not only our team led by the FOX Squad but also other first-year squads under the command of other third-year allies, so everyone seemed to be itching to get started.

 

 

Of course, since they were up against second-year seniors with some experience, not all of the first-year squads were completely intact.

Nevertheless, I believe we were able to come this far without major damage thanks to the commanders who are the best among the third-years.

 

 

The first-years were visibly exhausted from the operations that continued day and night, but despite this, their eyes were still full of fighting spirit.

This is also all thanks to the capable commanders.

In my past life, I had many experiences where operations and morale were ruined because of incompetent superiors. I didn't want to go through that again.

 

 

"Now then, let's go, first-years! Tonight, we'll be eating on a warm carpet, not on the corpses of our enemies!"

 

 

The final operation began.

 

 

Let's do our best until the end.

 

 

 

*

 

 

 

In the hills near the factory complex, Miyu and I stuck together, sniping at the 2nd year seniors guarding the entrance to support the vanguard's entry.

I took on the role of a spotter, assisting Miyu in taking out targets she couldn't handle alone.

 

 

<<Th-This is RHINO 3! We can't enter because of the heavy resistance from the enemy's heavy machine gun!>>

 

 

"RABBIT 5, received. Report the exact location."

 

 

<<It's the west entrance of the factory! We need support as soon as possible!>>

 

 

"Location confirmed."

 

 

I borrowed Miyu's binoculars and checked the target's location.

 

 

"The distance is about 1000 meters, wind speed is 1m/s from the southeast. Can you do it, Miyu?"

 

 

"Y-Yes.... I've done this many times, so I'm used to it now...."

 

 

I told Miyu the distance and wind speed I measured, and Miyu took a deep breath and began to focus.

After a moment of silence, Miyu pulled the trigger.

 

 

-Bang!

 

 

"Target silenced."

 

 

<<This is RHINO 3! We just confirmed the silence of the enemy machine gun battery! Thanks for the support!>>

 

 

"That was a clean shot. Miyu is amazing, as always."

 

 

"Y-Yeah... Thank you... Nanna-chan is also amazing."

 

 

"...No, I collapsed on the first day and was more of a burden than a help. I'm... not worthy of such words."

 

 

"...."

 

 

-Pat. Pat.

 

 

Miyu suddenly started patting my head.

 

 

"Wh-What are you doing all of a sudden?"

 

 

"Y-You've been through a lot, haven't you, Nanna-chan?"

 

 

I expressed my confusion, but Miyu didn't stop patting my head.

But Miyu's hand and voice were somehow warm and reassuring.

 

 

"It's okay now... It's okay, so... you don't have to suffer anymore... Just like Nanna-chan told me... To me, Nanna-chan is also a precious person."

 

 

It's a simple comfort.

It's really just a simple comfort.

 

 

"...."

 

 

Why does it resonate so deeply within my heart?

 

 

"Hic... sob...."

 

 

"N-Nanna-chan?"

 

 

I always thought I was alone.

I thought I could never blend into this world.

 

 

"I-Is it really okay? Do I really not have to suffer and struggle alone anymore?"

 

 

"...Yes. Of course."

 

 

But in the end, it was all just my misunderstanding.

 

 

I was already a precious person to someone, and I was a being who could fully blend into this world. Why didn't I know that until now?

 

 

The lock that had been deep inside my heart was released.

 

 

"Waaaaah... Waaaaaaaah... I was, I was scared. I was scared. That I could be erased from this world at any time. But, buuut...."

 

 

"There, there...."

 

 

I cried in Miyu's arms for a long time.

 

 

"Um... Miyu?"

 

 

"What is it, Nanna-chan?"

 

 

"C-Can you let go of me now? I've calmed down...."

 

 

-Squeeze...

 

 

"U-Ugh."

 

 

In the end, Miyu didn't let go of me until the next radio call came.

She seems to have become strangely clingy... Is this really okay?

 

 

Anyway, we returned to our sniping mission and successfully continued the battle, watching the squad members running around from afar.

 

 

Then, something unexpected happened.

 

 

<<This is REINDEER 1, we have successfully reached the target point... but something is strange!>>

 

 

<<This is FOX 1. What's strange? Explain in detail.>>

 

 

<<Th-There are no enemies to be seen▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒>>

 

 

Suddenly, static started to interfere with the radio, and soon we couldn't hear anything.

 

 

"REINDEER 1? Respond! What's going on!"

 

 

"N-Nanna-chan. Our squad can't receive the radio either... What happened?"

 

 

"...I have to go check."

 

 

"I-I'll go with you. I can't just send Nanna-chan alone...."

 

 

Miyu and I ran as fast as we could to the factory complex.

We saw another first-year student collapsed at the entrance, so we asked her about the situation.

 

 

"I-It was a trap... The forces we thought had retreated were all lying in ambush... The ones who went in first are...."

 

 

With those last words, the nameless first-year student lost consciousness.

 

 

"Wh-What do we do... Miyako-chan and Saki-chan are also inside...."

 

 

...It's just like back then.

 

 

In a situation where we thought we had won completely, an unexpected enemy ambush.

We lost most of our forces and were completely surrounded, with no hope of retreat.

We couldn't even save our isolated allies, so we had to abandon them and run away.

 

Once again... the nightmare engulfs me.

 

 

 

But this time, I won't run away.

 

 

I grit my teeth, pull myself together, and pick up my gun.

 

 

I remember Yukino's words. I remember what I wanted to do.

 

 

I wanted to protect.

 

 

This time, I will definitely protect.

 

 

I will never abandon my comrades in front of me again.

 

 

Scribbling the last unfinished stroke, the fifth rabbit ran towards where it belonged.