Ch 116

The next morning, Syuen, the CEO of Misillis, and the members of the Metis squad, who had achieved a complete revival, held a press conference in front of reporters. The atmosphere in the Commander's office at the forward base was heavy and indescribable.

The commander's office, which had given Anis and Neon a break, witnessed their return from the Ark. Interestingly, their first destination was the commander's office.

After confirming the red magnet on the whiteboard was in place, Anis approached Commander Moore and the squad leader, Rapi. Moore, the room's owner, and Rapi, the squad leader, were present.

"Ah, welcome back. How was your break?"

"More importantly, Master. Did you see Misillis' press conference yesterday?"

Moore, with a slightly bitter smile at the corners of his eyes, nodded in response to Anis' direct question.

"Yeah, I saw it. Well, I was in the middle of work..."

"Then, take a look at this article."

Anis handed Moore a tablet device with a frustrated expression. Rapi, sitting on the reception sofa, also leaned over to see what was on the screen.

"...Without side effects like memory loss or functional decline, Nikke's normalization... Dramatic recovery of Misillis' stock price... Will Misillis monopolize the seller's market... Hm... Well, considering the higher demand than supply, Misillis monopolizing more than the other two companies makes sense."

"No, no! That's impossible, right!?"

Moore, calmly analyzing the situation, nodded in agreement with Anis. He returned the tablet device he had borrowed and, feeling his hands empty, picked up a soft pack from the desk and lit an oil lighter.

"Why did Unchained end up in that shitty brat's hands, joking aside about it being Unchained's unique technology they developed?"

"...After yesterday's press conference, I remembered one thing... There was only one clue."

Sensing that Anis might express her frustration by slamming the tablet on the floor, Moore exhaled a sigh mixed with purple smoke.

"What do you mean?"

"...During the total war, against Marian—no, against Modernia..."

Representing everyone's curiosity, Rapi, sitting next to him, turned to Moore as he uttered the clue.

"...I see... I understand."

"Ah..."

"What... What do you mean, Master?"

The clue he mentioned. As they recalled, everyone, including Anis, widened their eyes in surprise and sent their gaze to Moore.

"...It was during the total war when I fired a bullet at Heretic Modernia from point-blank range."

Moore fires a bullet at Heretic Modernia at close range during the total war. Everyone recalled the sight of her catching the bullet with her teeth.

"...I never thought she could stop it."

In fact, it would be unimaginable for anyone.

The muzzle velocity was about 260 m/s—she caught the bullet with her teeth and mouth, surpassing the limits of comprehension. This was even though it was fired at close range.

Nevertheless, the Unchained bullet that she caught was spat out and left untouched.

Perhaps, Moore concluded within himself last night, satisfied with the result or that some effect had been exerted on Modernia, she didn't consciously consider retrieving it. 

"...During that total war, either Syuen dispatched someone to find the bullet afterward, or it was taken..."

"Probably, but still, quite diligent. To find a bullet the size of a fingertip from the wreckage and spent cartridges scattered around."

Nodding to Rapi's speculation, Moore withdrew the pistol holstered on his leg. He removed the magazine, pushed out a .45 ACP round, and placed it in the palm of his hand.

The overall length of the bullet from the base to the tip of the bullet head was about 32 mm. It showed remarkable determination to find just the bullet head from the battlefield.

A word leaked from his mouth, a mix of praise or sarcasm, making it difficult to judge. The latter seemed stronger.

"...Despicable."

"I agree. ...But—can't entirely deny it."

The fact that they, including Moore, hadn't recovered the bullet they had missed in the first place was the reason. Of course, it would be correct to say that he had lost consciousness to recover it, especially since he had passed beyond critical condition and was on the verge of death.

Rapi agreed with Neon's point of view but stated that it couldn't be entirely denied.

"Anyway, Shuen managed to revive Metis with that Unchained, and thanks to that, we have hope. ...From now on, even if we're invaded, we can remain ourselves..."

"...That's true, but..."

"Well... I can understand it in my head, too..."

While Neon and Anis expressed a certain level of agreement with Rapi's opinion, Moore, glancing at their figures at the edge of his vision, reloaded the bullet that had been rolling in his palm back into the magazine. He then pushed it into the pistol's insertion point and returned it to the leg holster.

"...That Unchained was ours, right? We went through so much trouble to get it. Keeping it stolen by Syuen in silence is a bit..."

"That's right! It's frustrating!"

"I didn't say I'm keeping silent. Commander."

While Anis and Neon expressed their frustration again, Rapi, sitting calmly, directed her gaze towards Moore.

He recrossed his legs and lightly tapped the cigarette on the edge of the ashtray on the desk to shake off the ash.

"Whether to leave Unchained in Syuen's hands like this or to retrieve it by any means necessary. The final decision is up to the Commander."

"...Understood."

Under the attentive gazes of Rapi Anis and Neon, he exhaled a faint purple smoke and nodded.

-----

.

.

.

There was an exchange with subordinates this morning, and the current time is 10:10.

In an oddly spacious room with exceptionally comfortable sofas, Captain Moore, in his military uniform adorned with captain's insignia, found himself in the midst of experiencing a strange psychological discomfort while seated on the low-resilience sofa.

To say the least, he hadn't expected to be ushered in so easily.

The location was the reception room on the upper floor of Misillis Industry's headquarters building.

The room clearly felt out of place for him.

Whether an appointment could be secured or not was uncertain, but surprisingly, the message from Syuen came back, indicating that a little time could be arranged.

Although the meeting time and location were specified in the headquarters building, when he conveyed this information to the receptionist on the first floor, he was hurriedly guided to this room. 

As coffee cups were presented unexpectedly in front of him, along with a white porcelain cup adorned with the Misillis logo on a saucer, Moore, sipping his coffee, felt a peculiar impression that the reception was surprisingly well-handled.

The only dissatisfaction was the lack of an ashtray on the desk.

A faint sound of two porcelain objects rubbing together played as Moore placed the cup on the saucer after ten minutes of waiting. The door opening sound resonated.

Rising from his seat, facing the entrance, Moore noticed a small figure he had an appointment with raising a hand to halt his movement. It seemed they didn't mind skipping the formal greetings.

Next to this person was an unfamiliar figure with black hair arranged in a short bob, and an apparatus resembling white rabbit ears hanging down from the crown of her head—Nikke.

"Long time no see. How's the injury?"

"Thanks to you."

"Yeah, that's good. Oh, this is Lian."

During a simple exchange of greetings, Shuen pointed to Nikke, who had been kept in the background.

Moore and she—Lian—lightly bowed to each other and exchanged greetings.

Eventually, when Syuen took a seat for the meeting, Moore also sat on the low-resilience sofa.

"But really, I never thought I'd see you sitting there yesterday."

"...That's a lie."

"...Well, it's a lie. I did think about it a little. Satisfied with this answer?"

Responding with a shrug, whether affirmative or negative—Moore conveyed his reaction. He finished the remaining coffee in the cup and placed it back on the saucer.

"...Did you like the taste?"

"Not bad. Personally, I prefer a slightly deeper roast."

"I see."

Making a roasted coffee with a perfect taste seemed like a strange story. Syuen couldn't tell if Moore was joking or serious and involuntarily smiled slightly at the ambiguous response.

"...Shall we get to the main topic?"

"I don't mind. Well, I have an idea of what to expect."

As Syuen sat on the sofa, Lian, standing behind him, observed Moore in front of her, wondering what kind of person he really was.

According to preliminary information, he was a military officer belonging to the Nikke Management Department, concurrently serving as the commanding officer of the forward base and the Counter's squad. She had heard that he had successfully led missions and operations considered impossible before, and in the recent total war, he played a key role in defeating and securing the special individual Chatterbox and the Heretic.

Additionally, although this was unofficial information, she also knew that during the subsequent battle with the Central Government Army over the captured Heretic, he single-handedly killed numerous soldiers and a group of terrorists who had launched an attack amidst the chaos.

Just hearing this much made it difficult to determine whether he was an uncontrollable combat enthusiast or a genuine madman.

In front of Lian, Syuen, and Moore, who was meeting Syuen, responded with a remarkably composed tone, more so than the numerous pieces of information she had heard. The lack of harmony between the information and the actual appearance was an unsettling factor that couldn't be ignored.

"Let me ask you directly. Did you secure the Unchained from the battlefield, or more precisely, from the engagement with the Heretic Modania?"

"Yes."

While his deep brown eyes pierced straight through Syuen, she responded with a gaze met by her amethyst eyes.

"Is there a problem? We picked up the bullets lying around and put them to good use, you know?"

"I didn't come here to condemn the right or wrong of that."

"Huh? What? Is that so?"

"...Thinking calmly about it, bullets are expendable items. Moreover, claiming ownership over the projectile after firing is nonsense. It's like asserting ownership over a garbage bag after taking out the trash. What's the point?"

Shuen was now confused. She couldn't understand why Moore had come all the way to the headquarters for an appointment if he didn't intend to question this incident.

She had assumed that he would surely be reprimanding her for this matter, and her surprise was greater than expected.

However, Moore had thought that he couldn't express this in front of them, especially the cute Snow White.

"...Regarding the Unchained—the projectile, where is it now? Is it stored in Misillis?"

"The Unchained projectiles we obtained were all consumed to remove Metis's NIMPH. To be precise, the core components essential to destroying N.I.M.P.H. collapsed, and it is no longer functioning as Unchained."

As Lian answered, Moore nodded a few times. Unable to endure any longer, he finally took out a soft pack from the chest pocket of his military jacket.

Showing it to Shuen, he asked with a glance whether smoking was acceptable. She nodded slightly, granting permission. Lighting a cigarette with an oil lighter, he exhaled a light purple smoke while crossing his long legs and gazing up at the ceiling.

"So, the Unchained hasn't been mass-produced yet. Moreover, it's not even developed independently. I won't ask why you spoke about it like that at the press conference. I can guess roughly."

"Yeah. It's a relief we don't have to explain that."

With the plummeting stock prices of Misillis, and various rumors spreading day by day—Moore sensed that to recover from these and dispel the citizens' anxiety and suspicions, announcing new technology was the most effective strategy. Syuen probably understood his thoughts and affirmed the exchange.

Dropping the ash into the portable ashtray, Moore turned his gaze back to her.

"...What are you planning to do with the crucial Unchained? Since you, the CEO, and no one else, announced its existence, the public believes it completely. If requests for treatment come in before you can develop the Unchained, what will you—no, I won't ask after all."

"...It's a relief to skip the explanation."

In her opinion, even if a treatment request for Nikke, who had been invaded, came in, this CEO would likely set a treatment fee higher than the production cost of one unit. It would be more cost-effective to dispose of her and procure a new Unchained afterward. Moore, feeling that this was a highly probable scenario, let out a small sigh.

"...There's one issue, though."

"...What is it?"

"The Unchained isn't necessarily one of a kind. Have you considered that possibility?"

As he brought up the topic, Syuen's expression, naturally aware of this potentiality, tensed.

"As I mentioned earlier, that was a pistol bullet. And once you strip it down, it's nothing more than a consumable item. In other words, if the components can be reproduced or developed independently, it's almost possible to produce and supply them infinitely. Of course, 'almost infinite' is a bit exaggerated, so don't read too much into it."

"...And what's the significance of that?"

"It's a hypothetical scenario, just in case."

Having taken the last drag of the shortened cigarette and reluctantly exhaled the purple smoke, Moore threw the butt into the portable ashtray, closed the lid, and asked, "The previous agreements are still in effect. I consider myself an upright person, but... What would be the public perception of Misillis Industry if I were to discover a second or third Unchained?"

"Are you trying to threaten me?"

"Of course not. I'm just a mere commander. Probably just a half-baked military man who might end up as a captain for eternity. It would be presumptuous of me to threaten you, the CEO."

Moore wore a self-deprecating smile, and Syuen seemed to interpret this as a sign of composure. However, her face rapidly flushed with anger.

A mere commander—this was a laughable term. There was support from the CEO and one of the Iron Woman of Elysion, a man who was cherished, as one could put it.

A mere commander? What a ridiculous joke.

"Do you want to hinder me that much?"

"Do I seem so tasteless to you?"

"I didn't make this announcement out of self-interest. What do you think will happen if Misillis falls? Misillis has been the cornerstone of Arc's defense, relying on its accumulated technological and developmental capabilities. If Arc loses Mishiris, humanity—"

"I didn't come here to question the ethics. The reason I came here... is because I want your cooperation."

"Huh?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry, but could I ask for another cup of coffee?"

He casually picked up the saucer with a cup and gestured for Lian, who was standing behind Shuen, to take it. After a moment of hesitation, she nodded in response. Lian left the reception room with the cup and saucer, and Shuen turned her attention back to Moore.

"So?"

"I want you to provide supplies and funds. To search for the Unchained."

"Hmm..."

Anis and the others might call Syuen a "damn brat," but she was still a CEO. She was a representative and manager of a corporation, adept at discerning the fundamental nature of human beings and their ilk.

Her amethyst eyes, full of humor, fixed on Moore, who was sitting across from her. Although she was initially caught up in his way of speaking, upon closer observation, she felt an unusual lack of composure compared to usual—a hint of impatience.

Unlike her usual calm demeanor, there was a sense of anxiety—almost a sense of urgency.

Why did he bother asking for another cup of coffee? Was he trying to indirectly brush her off? Perhaps, unconsciously, he wanted to reduce the number of those who could sense his inner turmoil.

Realizing this, the corners of Syuen's mouth slightly lifted.

"Lies aren't good. Moore, isn't that right?"

"Hooh? What do you mean?"

Even though he had just finished smoking, he demonstrated lighting another cigarette. Smoking without a reservation might be overlooked in this situation, but still, it seemed like he was on the verge of losing composure.

"Why do you want to find the Unchained so badly? Is it for the sake of humanity, or more so, for the sake of the products you command, the Nikkes?"

"---I'm not burdened with such base desires."

His deep brown eyes narrowed sharply as he ignited the cigarette with the oil lighter. Syuen didn't overlook the brief pause in his movement.

"Hmm? Are those products so important to you? Perhaps you're emotionally attached? Ah, that's why it's important?"

"Unfortunately, I don't possess such vulgar emotions."

While the intense brown eyes were sharpened, the flame from the oil lighter touched the tip of the cigarette. Syuen, exposed to a gaze that could potentially kill, didn't miss the momentary pause. However, his tone remained calm, almost as if he were suppressing any trace of passion.

It seemed like she had struck a chord. She couldn't help but smile.

"Hmm?"

"Let's stop this pointless banter. It's a waste of time."

"I didn't come here to guess why you're in a hurry. I'll provide funds, resources, manpower, and support for you, and you'll find the Unchained. That's cooperation, right?"

"As you say."

"Hmm? What are you so anxious about?"

"...Am I anxious?"

Having been pointed out, he furrowed his brow in a puzzled manner while exhaling purple smoke. Whether his reaction was amusing or not, Syuen, seeming genuinely interested, leaned forward and directed her gaze toward him.

"Let's change the topic a bit. Don't you feel sorry for your precious Nikkes?"

"...I've heard the most uncharacteristic words from you recently."

"At this rate, your cherished—ah, let me put it differently. Those Nikkes you love so much will be exposed to the risk of infiltration multiple times, and above all... was it Marian? You might end up seeing such cases more than you can bear."

The ash accumulated at the tip of the cigarette fell onto the military slacks. While he sensed a faint warmth through the fabric, he kept his narrowed dark brown eyes fixed on Syuen in silence.

"I see. However, there's only one way to avoid that future. It's to join forces with none other than me. If we succeed in mass-producing Unchained, I can free your Nikkes from the perpetual fear of infiltration. After all, I can't say no. Because, more than anyone, I am seeking Unchained."

"..."

"Is my idea wrong?"

The question from Syuen, reminding him who had the initiative in the conversation, was nothing more than a confirmation.

Facing Moore's gaze head-on, Syuen, having been exposed to this gaze multiple times, seemed to have developed some resistance. However, as if drawn into it, she also sent a challenging glare.

Several minutes passed in silence until Syuen eventually averted her gaze first.

"...Fine. Let's cooperate. After all, I'm also looking for Unchained."

"...Thank you."

"For the common good. I'll provide you with troops and resources as much as you want."

He no longer felt like smoking. Pushing the half-smoked cigarette into the portable ashtray, he exhaled purple smoke with a small sigh.

"...In return, just one thing."

"...What is it?"

"Can you keep the details about proprietary technology a secret?"

"I want to refuse, but... I'll think about it."

"...Alright."

There was no choice but to find satisfaction and relief in his response. When Syuen let out her held breath, Lian returned to the reception room. In her hands, there were cups of coffee with steam rising.

"I apologize for the wait. I brewed a strong one as you prefer."

Moore, taking the cup and saucer handed to him, gripped the handle and brought the slightly dry lips to the edge, sipping quietly.

"...How's the taste?"

Directed at Syuen's inquiry, he furrowed his brow while nodding.

"...Yes. It's to my liking."

—His expression seemed as if he had just swallowed a bitter medicine.

-----

"Wait? Cooperation with Syuen? Master, am I not mistaken?"

"No. I did say that."

The squad members who had welcomed him followed him to the commander's office. They asked him about the meeting with Syuen, but Moore provided succinct answers.

Neon was the first to express concern, wondering if there was a malfunction in her auditory sensors, but he assured her that her functions were in perfect condition.

"...If we find the second Unchained on the surface and bring it, Misillis will use its technological capabilities to mass-produce Unchained. Not a bad plan, right?"

Anis' voice was sharp. Perceiving her reaction, he took off the military cap and loosened his tie.

He had anticipated reactions and resistance, but explaining how to handle it until returning from Arc to the forward base was impossible.

Without consulting or discussing anything related to the contract, he had unilaterally decided. Feeling the anger directed towards him, Moore sat on the sofa without a word, lowering his face.

"However, the problem is Syuen. As long as we know that Unchained isn't Misillis' proprietary technology, that brat can betray us at any time. For the sake of keeping it quiet. Is that really okay?"

"...I proposed cooperation prepared for that."

Even without looking up, he could feel the piercing gaze. To avoid it, he took out a cigarette and, without words, ignited it with an oil lighter.

It was a familiar taste, but the bitterness was overwhelming.

"Commander, I've always obediently followed your orders until now, but... this is different. And..."

"I broke the promise with Anis. You can despise me; it doesn't matter."

His voice lacked vigor and determination. Smoke was exhaled with a sigh, and the expressions on Moore's face couldn't be discerned, but it wasn't hard to imagine multiple vertical wrinkles between his eyebrows.

"Commander..."

Rapi, who had maintained silence in the commander's office, called him, kneeling near the sofa. When she peered into his face, he averted his gaze as he met her crimson eyes.

"...What are you hiding?"

"...Nothing, really..."

"You're bad at lying. When you lie, you avoid looking into the other person's eyes."

Rapi wasn't interrogating him. She just wanted to know what he was struggling with and hiding. He, who was usually diligent and straightforward, was deliberately breaking the consultation promise with Anie. She wanted to understand the nature of his torment or impatience, hinted by the faint shadows and the numerous vertical wrinkles on his forehead.

Rapi extended her slender hands, grasping Moore's bare right hand, directing his attention.

"Please talk. Neon, Anis, and I won't hold it against you."

—So, please confide in us.

She strongly conveyed this, though not explicitly.

Moore, with the cigarette in his mouth, turned his deep brown eyes towards his right hand being held. Eventually, a small sigh escaped.

"I've been having dreams lately. Unpleasant ones."

"What kind?"

"Well..."

He decided to talk, and Rapi felt relief, but Moore choked on his words halfway. He opened and closed his mouth several times, seemingly searching for the right words.

Just say it in your own words. That's what she wanted. Rapi, for just a moment, squeezed his right hand more forcefully—eventually, Moore made up his mind.

"...I dream of shooting and killing you, who have been corrupted. In my dream... I hesitate, but I always end up pointing the gun and pulling the trigger. If such a situation were to happen, I would undoubtedly pull the trigger. That's something I can imagine happening in reality."

It's just a nightmare. Things have been tough lately. Past events—especially painful experiences—were amplified, and the brain was playing tricks by showing such dreams.

It would be easy to respond that way, but those who knew him well couldn't help but imagine the scene and were left speechless.

At the same time, it was surprisingly not an unpleasant feeling to think that if he were to be executed by him, that wouldn't be so bad. The certainty of that strange fact was also discernible.

Hidden—there was no need to reveal it. Moore, who had exposed his innermost feelings, unintentionally gripped Rapi's hands tightly, as if enduring the impending pain.

"If... someone could stop me from doing that... I'll do anything."

Satisfied with this, he raised his face, wordlessly asking the others.

---More than I had imagined—or rather, I was aware, but it seems we are held in regard by him. Anis, realizing this, couldn't help but scratch her cheek with her fingertips.

"...Well... saying that is kind of unfair, isn't it? Truly a killing phrase... you Nikke flirt(Whispered)."

"...I didn't mean to seduce you. I'm not that skillful."

"Even if you hear that kind of thing, it's polite to pretend you didn't hear. Got it?"

Still seemingly angry, Anis lectured Moore, placing her hands on her hips. Even though the content of the guidance was unclear, he decided to nod for now.

"...So, is it settled?"

"Yes. I don't care what happens."

"...I'm sorry."

Anis' reaction, which he had been concerned about, was not entirely unexpected. The incident of Exia being shot added to the growing suspicion towards Syuen. Moore struggled with how to persuade her.

She understood, but she wasn't convinced—her response conveyed this. Moore, realizing that it was his fault, could only apologize.

"Don't apologize, Commander. But let's make one thing clear. Syuen, the support you say that brat can provide. I want to know if it's really something incredible enough to take on this kind of risk."

"The unit name wasn't disclosed, but according to Chairman Syuen, it's a useful unit. But they won't dispatch incomplete units or squads."

"Exactly. Syuen needs Unchained the most right now, so she wouldn't attach some weird kids, right?"

"...I don't know. Given the other party... Anyway, Commander. Where should we start looking for Unchained?"

If they had decided to act, they first needed to find a lead. Wandering around without a clue and searching for Unchained, whose whereabouts were unknown, would be too vast a task on the surface.

When Rapi asked, Moore took out a mobile device from his pocket with his left hand.

"...Let's try contacting Snow White. She gave us information about Unchained. Some information might—"

"...Is something wrong?"

Whether he was sending a message or an email, Moore's fingertips were busy sliding across the LCD screen, tapping. Eventually, he must have tapped the send button—his expression darkened instantly.

"...Failed to send."

"...It might be because she's in an area with a high concentration of Evra particles. Those particles interfere with communication."

"...Is that so? ...Rapi. Do we have the map data with the coordinates where Snow White—or, Rudmila, was spotted?"

He asked Rapi, who was gripping his right hand, and she nodded in response. If that was the case, the solution was straightforward.

"...It would be good if there were coordinates passing nearby in the coming days..."

"...Are you going to visit her from here?"

"That would be faster."

"...Understood. The data is still there, so I'll transfer it to the desktop immediately."

"Thank you."

Rapi released his hand, stood up, and headed to the desktop in the commander's office, taking out her mobile device. While she worked, Moore crushed the dwindling cigarette into the ashtray, observing her from the corner of his eye.

"...Commander, I'm still angry, you know?"

"...I understand. It's inevitable if you look down on me."

"...But, thank you. Let me say just that much."

Anis' slender hand reached out to his head as she walked up to him. She was still upset. Certainly, it was indiscreet, and promises were broken. However, strangely, anger didn't well up within her towards his actions driven by concern for them.

Anis, after ruffling his shortly cropped black hair, also headed towards the desktop where Rapi was transferring data.

Watching them go, he breathed a sigh of relief without realizing it.

"...Master, you've got a few more white hairs."

"...Is that so? ...Maybe."

It must be stress. Without showing any signs of concern in response to the apprentice's remark, he shrugged and stood up.

----

Author's Note: In the end, the flow remains the same as in the original... but Captain Moore, who has a stronger sense of camaraderie with the members of the Counters than the Commander (protagonist) in the original, is likely to do things like seeking cooperation with Syuen rather than showing a strong rejection. The author probably considered that Captain Moore doesn't harbor negative feelings towards Shuen to the extent shown by the Commander in the original story.