Ch 92: Reunion, Meat, Unexpected Encounter

The lush green trees thrive, and the small birds rest their wings at the tips of the branches, chirping.

Ever since the parasitic humans were driven from the surface and began hiding underground, nature might be gradually restoring its original balance.

"...Ironic, isn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"...It's nothing."

Hidden on the mountainside path, Rapi and Anis, including Moore, waited for someone at the designated meeting point.

It's the third day since he received the diagnosis of full recovery. According to Moore, it's the perfect job for rehabilitation.

"Commander, we're 30 minutes past the scheduled time."

"I know... Let's wait for another 30 minutes. If they don't come by then—"

Suddenly, the branches of the trees at the top rustle. The small birds took flight.

They were startled by something. It's easy to imagine.

The visibility is poor in the mountains.

This time, the mission is relatively simple, so there are no operators present. Delaying the discovery of Rapture enemy aircraft could be fatal.

"Remove the safety devices."

At his command, Rapi and Anis remove the safety devices from the firearms they carry.

Moore, holding an assault rifle, a newly acquired Tetra model, also removes the safety device with his fingertips. At that moment...

Rustling sounds come from the top of the bushes.

It's enough of a disturbance for them to reflexively point their guns.

Each index finger is placed on the trigger, gradually squeezing. Just before the hammer falls, at that moment...

"Hmm?"

"Huh?"

"Wolves?"

A wolf appears, peeking out from the bushes. With gleaming golden eyes, the large wolf leaps out of the bushes and runs straight toward Moore, displaying its agility.

With a gray coat, the massive wolf reaches Moore's feet, stands up on its hind legs, and starts licking Moore's face with its tongue.

"Oh... This is... It feels familiar..."

"Did we keep you waiting?"

—Even though she probably didn't think that at all.

While being licked on the face, he pushes the wolf away and catches sight of a figure coming down the mountain road from the summit.

Beyond this mountain lies the snow- and ice-covered North. At the end of his gaze is the Snow Queen who rules the North. Carrying a briefcase and accompanied by five robust wolves.

"You're late."

"These little ones suddenly started hunting. Perhaps they caught the scent of a servant?"

"...I see... That would make sense. By the way, it's been a while, Ludmila."

"Uh-huh, it has. ...Is this a souvenir, or is it a tribute to the king?"

"...I didn't know you could go from being a servant to a king. ...Disassembly will be troublesome."

The Snow Queen, Ludmila, who came all the way on foot from the North, and her six companions begin to descend the mountain path. Eventually, they reached a spot near a creek where they parked the armored vehicle.

"Let's dismantle it early," he says, pulling out the fighting knife he's carrying. However—

"What about you all? Any experience with disassembly?"

Rapi, Anis, and Ludmila all shake their heads simultaneously. It's a silent gesture indicating that they don't know how. Moore nods in understanding.

"Well, that's to be expected."

"...What about Commander?"

"I also—...gh!"

Just as he was about to say he had no experience, a dull pain surged inside his skull.

Furrowing his brows and grimacing, Moore quickly recovered from the pain.

"I have no experience, but I have knowledge. Rapi, the winch. Anis, bring the rope."

The wire of the car-mounted electric winch is extended by Rapi, and Anis brings the rope from inside the car.

The extended wire is passed over the thick branches of the trees, and the rope received from Anis is wrapped around the hind legs of a deer. After securing it to the hook, they use the winch to hoist it up into the air.

—Let's get this done quickly.

He uses the knife to slit the deer's belly, scooping out the entrails. After cutting out the heart and liver, he throws them towards the wolves.

"You can eat."

As soon as permission is granted, the wolves eagerly begin devouring the offerings.

With a sidelong glance, he starts skinning the deer. However, he discovers ticks swollen with blood, which he flicks away with the tip of his knife. They are wild animals, and such things are to be expected.

"...Is this really your first time?"

"What do you mean?"

"Disassembling."

"...Ah."

Despite that, it's done with practiced hands. Ludmila watches the gradually disassembling deer with interest while thinking that.

The task this time is Ludmila's escort—her Unlimited Squad. It seems Anderson relayed the message that she specifically requested Moore for the job. While questions arose about why, Moore judged that early rehabilitation was necessary and thus took on the mission.

—It's cramped.

The elevator, set to head to the forward base, has just started descending, and Moore mutters complaints from the driver's seat.

Normally, it feels more spacious, but today, it feels cramped. And for a good reason.

Ludmila is in the passenger seat. Anis and Rapi, who gave up their usual positions, are sitting in the back seat. Behind them, the cargo bed is occupied by six wolves lying quietly with their tongues out.

The deer meat is thrown into a cooler box that usually contains drinks, maintaining its freshness. Moore appreciates that he brought this along; otherwise, he might have considered tossing it into the "Brain Shelter." 

It is a small freezing storage device that can preserve the brain of a damaged Nikke for about seven days. Although it was originally designed for preserving brains, Moore has found an alternative use for it in transporting fresh meat.

In any case, they are close to overloading.

The new car, a gift from Ingrid, has just been deployed to the forward base, but it's already being heavily used. This, too, might be a run of bad luck.

In addition to the cramped space, there's the beastly smell emanating from the wolves. Trying to ventilate it, Moore opens the windows of the armored vehicle while he sighs.

Taking out a soft pack and an oil lighter from the newly acquired pouch of his body armor, Moore puts one in his mouth.

The lid of the oil lighter opens with a unique metallic sound, and he turns the wheel, generating sparks through friction with the flint. He uses the ignited core to toast the tip of the cigarette, exhaling purple smoke. Just as he does...

"I'll take that."

Between the driver's seat and the passenger seat—due to the structure of the car where the transmission seems to float up, creating a gap the width of a single person that is covered and hidden by a metal cover—Ludmila leans out and snatches the cigarette Moore had just lit, placing it between her moist lips.

"...Can you give it back? I've only had a few puffs."

"No. It's mine now."

What a selfish queen.

Having released a sigh, Moore takes out a new cigarette from the soft pack and bites it onto his somewhat dry lips, then lights it again with the oil lighter.

"...You did the same thing before."

"I gave proper praise. Are you expecting more? Servants are greedy."

"...I doubt anyone would say that."

Purple smoke fills the front seats of the car. In the midst of the exchange between Moore and Ludmila, Rapi and Anis in the back seat alternate their gazes.

—Huh? The same thing? When?

—...

Is it during a mission in the North? Anis narrows her eyes at Ludmila, who unhesitatingly took the cigarette Moore had bitten, while Rapi directs her crimson eyes outside the car.

Moore pulls out the ashtray attached to the drink holder, places it on the step separating the driver's seat and passenger seat, and lightly taps the cigarette on the edge, shaking off the accumulated ash.

"So, coming all the way here... Did you have some business? I was told to escort you to the forward base, but the details were omitted."

"If I don't have any business, I won't get close to Ark."

Ludmila exhales purple smoke with an irritated tone, as if spitting it out.

Observing her demeanor, Moore speculated whether there might be some personal resentment, but he decided not to inquire further, sensing that it would be better not to know the details.

"I've heard about the total war. The underground facility Rapture built, and the matter of the Nikke gathered there."

"I did hear from you that the number of protected Nikke in the North has decreased over the past few years... Is it related to that?"

"Well, something like that. Compiling statistics and submitting reports is the purpose of this mission... Since machines break when I handle them, I brought printouts from the research base in the North."

The attached case she brought is placed on the step with the ashtray. Moore looks at Ludmila and silently asks if he can open it. She lightly shrugs her shoulders, indicating that he is free to do so. Moore opens the attached case.

Indeed, inside are reports printed out from the research base in the North, neatly bundled together.

"When you arrive at the forward base, have your servant submit it. I don't want to go to Ark."

"...I won't ask for the reason... that much?"

"That much."

Ludmila, exhaling purple smoke from her moist lips, informs him emotionlessly. Moore, interpreting from her appearance that there must be something significant, nods in response.

Soon, the elevator's descent becomes gradual. They will arrive shortly. Moore starts the engine and, a few minutes after starting the warm-up, the elevator stops, and the previously closed doors are left wide open.

"Welcome to the forward base. We welcome the visit of Her Majesty the Queen."

After safely submitting the reports, along with the attache case, to Commander Anderson in the headquarters, Moore and Anis, whom he asked to accompany him, return to the parking lot on the premises and exhale a sigh. Becoming a major and still being used as an errand runner—it's inevitable as a military servant, but it makes him keenly aware that the organization is not kind to a recently recovered individual.

"Commander, happiness is running away."

"Happiness that runs away is less important than protecting mental health."

Having changed into his military uniform, Moore sits in the driver's seat of the armored vehicle, and Anis, in her usual position, sits in the passenger seat, fastening her seatbelt.

All that's left is to return to the forward base, but...

"Before that, should we buy some alcohol?"

"Oh, could it be...?"

"It's boring to have meat without alcohol, right?"

"Yes, sir!! Commander, I love you!!"

—Really, this girl.

With Anis cheering in the passenger seat, Moore chuckles lightly and starts the engine of the armored vehicle, driving it out of the parking lot.

Before returning to the forward base, they purchase a large amount of alcohol and juice, load them onto the cargo bed, and head for the elevator.

For a few dozen minutes, they surrender to the vibrations of the ascending elevator. The destination they reached was their home base, the forward base.

The armored vehicle, which had started its warm-up, moved under Moore's control. After descending from the elevator, it headed towards the base headquarters.

As it slid into the parking lot of the headquarters building, Moore's eyes caught sight of a gathering of people in one corner—all of them were staff from the forward base.

"What are they doing?"

"Who knows?"

Moore got out of the vehicle after turning off the engine, opened the cargo bed, inserted wheel chocks, and then walked towards the crowd.

"What's going on?"

"Oh, Commander!"

"We were giving these girls a bath! They had a bit of a smell and dirt—"

"Everyone, run! She's coming!"

The voice of the Elysion F.A. model manufactured by Elysion echoes from the back of the crowd.

The urging to evacuate triggers the dispersal, and just as they scream "Kyaa!" with a somewhat gleeful color, they throw away the hoses and disperse. In the meantime, several wolves, with their fur dripping, standing at full attention, shake their bodies vigorously.

Needless to say, drops of water mercilessly soaked Moore's entire body.

Not only that—perhaps because they recognized Moore's figure—the wolves, with slightly dampened tails, approached, their tails still dripping water. They surrounded him, stood on their hind legs, and licked his face with their tongues hanging out.

The military uniform needs washing, and ironing is now necessary.

Letting out a grand sigh, Moore pushes the wolves away and takes off the jacket of the military uniform. The sensation of the shirt sticking to his skin is not particularly pleasant.

"Achaa, Commander... It's better to take a shower quickly."

"Yeah, I'll do that... Ah, there , there... I'll play with you later..."

One particularly massive wolf stands up again, placing its front legs on Moore's shoulders and leaning against him. It, too, is soaking wet.

Managing to shake it off, Moore instructs the wolves, who are trying to follow him, to wait outside the building and then steps into the headquarters.

First, a shower, and then a change of clothes.

He exhales a sigh and reaches the commander's office on the second floor. Taking into account the short duration of the mission this time, and not setting up booby traps, he enters without particular vigilance, and—

"Oh, welcome back."

"...Put on some clothes."

—It seems she just got out of the bath. Ludmila, with only a bath towel wrapped around her body, lifts her damp, wavy blonde hair in a gesture. Somehow, Moore finds himself unexpectedly face-to-face with her. 

-----

Author's note: In response to Ludmila's appearance with only a bath towel, the comment is, "Put on some clothes."... Commander Moore really doesn't seem to have any sexual desires... (Just a gentleman.)

"Don't say that, you!" A retort comes from Anis or someone else... Huh? It seems someone has come.