Chapter 44: Coin Toss

"King, Blues! Get to the front and hold the line!"

"Understood!"

"Yellow, provide cover! Noise, set up a barrier so Yellow's attacks don't interfere with the server!"

"I'm at fifty percent, so stay sharp."

"Spare a thought for me, the one who has to stop her."

"Scarlet, hurry with the analysis! But don't rush it!"

"Roger."

"Esil, status report!"

"Acknowledged. It appears the wiring is bridging due to years of degradation. Attempting restoration."

The things we were fighting now weren't the Imperial Army's mechanical automatons, but our own country's security robots. They were characterized by their slim, uniform white design.

"Connection to the Cleshuze analysis circuit... success. Scarlet, immediately—"

"Right. Calculation Sharing... I've got it. It's below us."

"Then the stairs—"

"Ugh, this is so annoying! Lancelot, do it!"

The moment Yellow spoke...

The rapid roar of her modified gun filled the air as she shredded through the floor of the corridor, tracing a path with her bullets.

"King! Get above it!"

"Indeed! A delightful suggestion!!"

"Wait, you don't mean—!!"

"See ya, scraps."

"Scarlet! Grab the Commander!"

As Yellow tossed a grenade overhead, Noise clicked her tongue and shot it with perfect precision. King shifted her weight to drive the impact into the floor, turning her shield upward...

With a thunderous, splintering crash, a rectangular section of the floor gave way completely, and we plummeted to the level below.

"Noise, I believe a wall is in order."

"I'm doing it, dammit!!"

Esil made the request, and Noise shouted back. Blocked by a wall of vibration, the mechanical dolls were unable to drop down after us.

"Scarlet, weld it!"

I shouted the order while being held in her arms. She immediately pulled a burner cutter from her waist and began fusing the metal plates Lancelot held up into place.

"Phew."

"What’s with that look of accomplishment?"

I delivered a swift iron claw to Yellow's head as she stood there looking satisfied.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow!! Why does that actually hurt!?"

"Don't you ever put the party in danger like that again. Even if you're going to do something, clear it with everyone first."

"Fine, I get it! Just let go already!"

Seeing Yellow's defiant but pained expression gave me a strange sense of satisfaction as we followed Scarlet's navigation further in.

"It appears this place is a weapons factory. The models are all old, but their firepower rivals modern equipment. They seem prone to breaking, but... it's easy to imagine the results if this technology were revived with current standards."

"How violent. Can't everyone just get along and have some tea?"

"We're here because they can't. If you count the unofficial ones, this war has been going on for over a thousand years."

"Truly a tragedy. Was there no path to cooperation between people of the same nation!?"

"..."

"Well, it doesn't have much to do with us right now."

"......Blues, you of all people..."

Scarlet’s murmur from the front of the line reached no one's ears.

"...Let's take a break here. Scarlet, Esil, go set up the jammers."

"Yes."

"Commander, my thrusters are acting up. I propose that King takes over rear guard duty for me."

"Oh, right. King, is that okay?"

"Of course! If anything, Blues has been handling everything so well that I haven't had enough to do!"

It's my personal philosophy that taking breaks while you're still feeling okay is vital. Mental fatigue follows a parabolic curve; if you don't rest early, the recovery time only gets longer. Performance-wise, I like to take a ten-minute breather before levels drop below seventy percent.

I didn't realize Esil had such a distinct sense of self.

"Still, I didn't expect Lancelot to be able to move like that."

"Lancelot and Yellow have been taking out almost every enemy we encounter along the way."

She gave a slight, awkward bow with a complicated expression. Her gaze was fixed on King, who had moved away.

"Commander, we can't let this go on."

"Yeah, I know."

It would be too late once a problem actually occurred. I had to resolve the party's risk factors as soon as possible.

"Lancelot, did something happen between you and King?"

".....!?"

She stiffened instantly. I continued calmly.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to... but I have to lead this party correctly. I want to nip any anxiety in the bud while I can."

Lancelot hesitated, seemingly battling with herself, before finally finding the resolve to speak.

"I... I... I have to apologize to King! By all rights, I should have been the one to die!"

"Why do you feel that way?"

"I... I was too overconfident in my own strength, and the Commander...!! King!?"

"..."

King was looking at Lancelot with a cold, hollow gaze that was completely unlike her usual self.

"!"

"King!?"

"Where are you going!?"

"Everyone, wait here! I'll talk to her!"

"Commander, it's dangerous!"

"I detect no hostile intent. I recommend proceeding with forty percent caution."

"Right. I'm going!"

With a push from Esil, my hesitation aligned with my will. I had to go.

"Knowing King, she’ll hide in some narrow, dark corner! That's all I can tell you, but... please!!"

I heard the regret in Noise's voice as I began searching every possible spot.

Where is she?

Where did she go?

Then, from somewhere... I heard the sound of sobbing.

"King."

"Ah..."

When I found her, her beautiful emerald eyes were bloodshot and she was clutching her knees, tears streaming down her face.

"Y-You certainly found me quickly, Master Amane!"

"..."

"As expected of someone recognized by Lady Asuna!"

"..."

"Ugh! Say something, would you!"

"King... you've never once called me 'Commander,' have you?"

".....!"

"I always thought it was because your previous commander was just that incredible."

"Yes! Norton... Veia Norton was a magnificent commander!"

She spoke each word through the tears spilling from her eyes.

"He was amazing! Noise and I were the worst possible match! We were failures who constantly fought and botched our missions!! Everything we've achieved is thanks to him!!!"

"He was the best commander! A man with the strongest heart! A fool who would throw away his own life to save others! And...!!!"

"He was my most beloved... my lover!!!"

Having forced those words out, she collapsed to the ground again.

"Oh, Norton! He... he loved me, a Phantasm Girl, a monster. And I poured all my love into him, a love deeper than any lake! But...!"

"He's gone... it was an accident. He protected Lancelot from a stray bullet and died right then and there."

She scratched at her head, gripping her golden hair with enough force to tear it out.

"Lancelot is my comrade-in-arms!! A knight who protects our people alongside me!! How could I possibly hold a grudge against her!? AND YET!!!!!"

King slammed her fist into the floor.

"I hate her so much I want to kill her right now."

Her hollow eyes continued to shed tears as she looked at me with an unfocused gaze.

"Which is right? Tell me, Master Amane... what am I supposed to do...?"