Chapter 11: Through Training

With a steady thoom-thoom-thoom rhythm, 40mm two-pound training shells burst from the barrels in flashes of fire and slammed into the ground. They might have been dummy rounds with no explosive charge, but the kinetic energy alone—and the shock of impact—was nearly the same as live ammunition. A direct hit would knock out an ordinary student in one shot.

Yes, this is Gion Aika. Since the timing worked out, they asked me to act as the training target for the vanguard unit using the Pom-Pom Gun. So here I am, standing in the back of the Loyalty’s cargo bed, firing training rounds nonstop.

I asked if it was really fine for me, a first-year, to skip vanguard combat drills, but apparently—my gun aside—I’m better suited for support and command roles in the rear. And, well… being shot hurts, so if they say I don’t need to do frontline training, I’m not complaining.

Training continued like that until eventually, I ended up doing exercises with the two girls I met at the previous Tea Party.

"Whenever you're ready~"

"Then, here we go… Fire!!"

I turned the crank and began firing. No matter how many times I see it, the way the barrels hop and alternate as they launch shells is mesmerizing. In front of the muzzles, Masa dashed lightly across the training field, making it nearly impossible to get a clean bead on her. While she kept me distracted, Maiha moved only as much as necessary to evade and slipped behind cover.

"None of those are hitting, you know?"

"That’s because you are far too quick!"

I kept firing, intent on landing even one hit, but she dodged each shot with effortless little hops, completely throwing off my aim.

"You're getting awfully distracted by Masa-chan, aren’t you~?"

"What—since when did you get there…?!"

I continued firing for a while longer, and my concentration finally began to fade. Just as I was about to ease up, something struck me from outside my field of view—a 7.62mm NATO round from a sniper rifle hit me square in the head, making me stagger.

"You left yourself open when the barrage stopped… and that makes this the end."

Masa suddenly closed the distance in a burst of speed and landed a .303 shot on me—checkmate.

"Y-you two really are incredible…"

"Hehe~ we weren’t called promising newcomers for nothing~"

"Well, that’s the idea."

We continued training for a while longer, and after it wrapped up, we did the most Tea Party-like thing possible—relaxed with tea and small pastries.

"Still, Aika-chan, why the Pom-Pom Gun~?"

"I wanted a one-of-a-kind firearm—something no one else used. I was searching before enrollment and happened to come across this little one."

"Well, it’s true that there are practically no students who use an anti-air autocannon as a personal weapon."

"…It can be inconvenient, I admit. I can’t bring it into tight spaces, so I always need to carry a sub-weapon, and its handling isn’t exactly great. But still… the power of a one-shot kill has such irresistible charm."

Even if you sacrifice some convenience, having your own unique heavy-firepower setup is the kind of thing that makes your heart race.

"Compared to mine, your guns prioritize maneuverability, don’t they?"

I glanced at the rifles the two had leaned against their chairs. Masa’s weapon was a No.5 Mk1—better known as the “Jungle Carbine”—and Maiha’s was an L42A1. Both were based on the Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk I, refined and proven across countless battlefields.

"…Yes. As you saw earlier, my combat style works best with a shorter barrel. It’s easier to handle."

"I didn’t really pick mine based on handling or anything, but this girl just felt right when I saw her~"

"I see, so that’s how it was."

Among Kivotos students, the universal conversation topic will always be their weapons. We chatted happily, and with that, the tea gathering came to an end.

"…I see. Thank you for the explanation. I understand what you’re saying, Hifumi-san."

It was mid-afternoon, on the veranda the Tea Party often used for gatherings. There sat the Tea Party’s host—and one ordinary student.

—Ajitani Hifumi. A girl Nagisa was close with and occasionally invited to tea. She had recently encountered and accompanied a student from Abydos High School, and today she was reporting what she had seen and heard. Specifically: Kaiser PMC—likely a subsidiary of Kaiser Corporation—was plotting something in the Abydos Desert. For years, Abydos High School had been struggling due to sandstorm damage, and Kaiser had been offering financial aid, only to demand land transfers as repayment, effectively turning that territory into Kaiser’s private property. Having gained control over nearly all of Abydos, they then orchestrated an attack by the Helmet Gang on the last remaining piece: the Abydos High School Branch.

Of course, she had no choice but to gloss over the part about visiting the Black Market with the Countermeasures Committee, and about raiding Kaiser Loans to steal documents.

"If what that teacher said is true, then we can’t simply ignore this. With the treaty deadline approaching, we can’t act rashly, but…"

Nagisa closed her eyes for a moment, thinking it over. When she opened them again, she found Hifumi waiting anxiously for her reply. Nagisa softened her expression, trying to ease her worry.

"…At the very least, it’s clear that the existence of this Kaiser PMC could negatively influence our students. Since this situation is something of an exception, it seems we should take some form of action."

"Th-thank you very much, Nagisa-sama…"

Hifumi let out a small sigh of relief and bowed gratefully.

"Let me think… If I remember correctly, there was an outdoor class scheduled for handling towed howitzers. Since the opportunity is right, how about we turn it into a little pi-cu-nic~?"

She smiled, the gesture carrying the subtle implication of let’s consider it handled that way.

"Um, if it’s a towed howitzer, does that mean… the L118…?"

"Yes. And since it’s you, Hifumi-san, I’ll entrust everything to you. I’ll handle the administrative adjustments on my end, so if you have any questions, ask the officer cadet accompanying you."

"Officer cadet…?"

"Yes. Very capable. Extremely."

At the word extremely, Nagisa’s expression darkened for a fleeting moment—something Hifumi didn’t notice.

"Love has a way of coming back around… I look forward to the day you return your love to me, Hifumi-san. Fufu."

"Ah—ahh…"

"And besides… no, without a doubt, it would be wise to build up a few favors with ‘Sensei from S.H.A.L.E.’ while we can…"

"A-ahaha…"

Of course, this was all for the Eden Treaty. Only a few weeks had passed since the teacher’s arrival, yet word of them had already spread throughout all of Kivotos. If that teacher were to support them in the upcoming treaty negotiations, nothing could be more reassuring.

Following the previous profile for Masa, this time we introduce Maiha. With both Maasa and Maiha’s information now revealed, anyone familiar with the subject matter has probably already pinpointed Aika’s motif.

Name: Maiha
Full Name: Tsuchimikado Maiha
Weapon Type: SR (L42A1 sniper rifle)
Academy: Trinity General School, Year 1
Club: Tea Party
Age: 15
Birthday: December 5
Height: 175 cm
Hobbies: Cooking, trying out food from different places

Basic Information
A girl belonging to the Sanctus faction of the Tea Party, Trinity General School’s equivalent to a student council.

She is a natural mood-maker who can talk with anyone, and she enjoys going on food outings with friends or cooking meals for others. Despite her cheerful everyday demeanor, she is exceptionally sharp—so much so that she is said to be one of the key figures who will shape the future of the Sanctus faction.