Prologue: A Walkdown through Memory Lane

A Walkdown through Memory Lane

Ariel Colt stood at the doorway of Shuiro Hinawaju, her arms shophouse in the heart of Sapporo, Japan. The store boasted a wide variety of firearms and ammunition, making it a renowned establishment in the city. As the manager, Ariel took great pride in her booming business.

She was no ordinary manager, though. Ariel was a female doll, brought to life with advanced artificial intelligence. Her husband, a military attaché, had brought her to Hokkaido, Japan, and encouraged her to pursue her dream of opening the arms store. With his support, she had also obtained permanent residency in the country.

Ariel's excitement and joy knew no bounds as she embarked on this golden opportunity to achieve something meaningful in her life. Utilizing her savings and securing the necessary licenses, she finally realized her dream and opened Shuiro Hinawaju. To assist her in running the store, she had hired Matsumae Haruka, a full-time student from Hokkaido University.

Inside the store, firearms of various categories adorned the walls—assault rifles, submachine guns, long machine guns, sniper rifles, shotguns, and handguns. The centerpiece of the store was a glass table displaying bullets of different sizes and shapes.

At the counter, Haruka diligently handled the register for customer purchases. Suddenly, a new customer approached the counter, inquiring if she could meet the store manager. Haruka asked the customer about her purpose, to which she replied that she was an old friend and simply wanted to hang out with the manager.

Curiosity piqued, Haruka informed the customer to wait for a moment and made her way to the backroom. She called out to her boss, Ariel Colt, who was engrossed in maintaining an assault rifle variant while listening to some J-pop music through her headphones. Haruka tapped Ariel's shoulder to get her attention.

Ariel turned around to find Haruka bowing apologetically for the interruption. Haruka relayed the news of the customer, an old friend, who wanted to meet Ariel. Intrigued, Ariel paused her work and followed Haruka to the front of the store.

As Ariel's gaze shifted away from the doorway, she caught sight of a familiar figure standing at the register. It was none other than her old co-worker and friend, Jericho. Overwhelmed with joy, the two soldiers, once comrades in their previous occupation, embraced each other warmly.

Ariel noticed the ammo box Jericho intended to purchase and swiftly declared it as a gift from an old friend. She called Jericho to join her behind the backroom, and Jericho gladly obliged. Ariel instructed Haruka to continue her duties until closing time.

In the backroom, Jericho's eyes wandered around, taking in the pictures and medals adorning the walls. Ariel noticed her curiosity and explained that her store had become a hub for weapon enthusiasts, drawing airsoft aficionados and members of the Hokkaido Shooting Club. She proudly mentioned that her team had received recognition awards for their espionage work, with Ariel herself being awarded the Medal of Honor for public service in Hokkaido.

Jericho's attention was drawn to a small framed picture on the table. It depicted three individuals—a man sitting in the front and two women standing behind. Ahmar Asada, Ariel Colt, and Layla Herstal—the Airfox squad. Memories flooded back as Jericho picked up the picture.

Ariel, thinking about refreshments, decided to grab peach-flavored ramune and slices of strawberry pie. Carrying a tray, she returned to the table, only to find Jericho holding a picture of Ariel and Ahmar on their wedding day.