"──...You're quite sloppy. You shouldn't have drunk that much."
"──...Ugh, fine...! Even like this, I'm strong when it comes to alcohol...!"
"──Your self-evaluation seems to be mistaken. Correct it for the future."
In these times, it's rare to come across a fine Scotch. A figure with chestnut-colored long hair, holding that bottle, stood outside a room's door, listening intently.
In the airship's command room, voices, each with a different tone but all low, indicated a gathering where people were indulging in drinks.
──You seem a bit late.
The figure, Dorothy, let out a faint sigh of disappointment.
She had intended to approach, share a drink, and learn about the clandestine discussions now that they had become somewhat familiar, but it seemed her target had already begun drinking with someone of the same gender.
Although she had tried to extract his whereabouts from his subordinates, it seemed to be in vain.
As she was about to turn on her heel, she spoke, "──Kratos, the plan... what is it?"
"──Did you know about it?"
"──Just the name... and what the goal of the plan is. That's about it. I don't know the details..."
"──Hmm..."
Her steps came to a sudden halt. Unconsciously, she directed her auditory sensors towards those beyond the wall.
"──Oh, right... I've been wanting to ask, but... have you ever met me from the days when I was a mercenary? On the battlefield?"
"──On the battlefield? That's a strange story."
"──What's strange about it?"
"──If we had encountered each other on the battlefield, you wouldn't be here. I would have undoubtedly killed you."
"──This overconfident attitude of yours!"
"──I might lose to you and Dorothy, though."
She felt a slight, truly slight, irritation. She sensed he might be shrugging his shoulders beyond the wall and the door. While he was not a frivolous character by nature, his occasional light and shallow attitude were not appreciated.
Nevertheless, the conversation seemed to be quite intriguing.
──The sound of an oil lighter's lid opening.
"──Want a drag?"
"──...I'll pass. I might throw up."
"──I see. Too bad."
──The wheel turns, sparks scatter from the flint. After toasting the cigarette, the sound of the lid closing echoes.
"──About the Kratos plan... are you not curious?"
"──...About what?"
"──Opposite to you, who's turning red from drinking too much, don't you find it strange that I and the others remain sober?"
A sudden topic that tickled Dorothy's hearing. She recalled the occasional drinking gatherings within the unit. Even when soldiers under his command, including him, drank a lot, there was no sign of them getting drunk.
"──So what?"
"──Do you know that when alcohol enters the body, it's first broken down into acetaldehyde in the liver? It's a strong toxin to the human body. The enzyme that breaks it down is ALDH2. Well, I'm not an expert, but according to what I've heard, we either have resistance to most harmful toxins that interfere with activity, or we break them down instantly."
"──Is it a matter of constitution?"
"──You could say that. On the flip side, it's the result of deliberate adjustments to become like this. Nevertheless, nicotine and tar strangely have an effect. Many people still use tobacco in these times for that reason."
The prevalence of individuals who preferred cigarettes, whether rolled or in other forms like chewing or snuff, was noticeable.
To imitate Snow White – while she wasn't a child, she requested the older individuals to refrain from spitting, given the gathering's nature. They reluctantly spat into tissues or chewed normal gum in her presence. However, once Snow White was out of sight, they promptly resumed nicotine and tar consumption.
"──Subject to deliberate adjustments, huh... as rumored... using the genes of exceptional soldiers for cloning..."
"──Nah, that's different. That information was intentionally spread as false. Generally speaking, if it were a clone, the face and physique would have to be identical."
Cloning, a copy of molecules, DNA, cells, and living organisms – creating a human using cloning. The opinion that it doesn't exist yet or hasn't succeeded is widespread.
"──If not a clone, then what are you, what are you all?"
"──Who knows? I don't understand either. Conversely, what about you? What are you?"
──Is there a guarantee that this isn't a version of oneself existing within the dream observed by a butterfly?
Upon being asked, her commander snorted.
"──I am me."
"That's a virtue I should learn. Unfortunately, I don't have the confidence to state it so definitively. Well... I'm not a clone, but it's something similar."
Nevertheless, she didn't dwell on it so much. She had long ago accepted her true nature.
His calm, deep voice – a masculine characteristic that involuntarily teased Dorothy's hearing.
Soon, a soft inhaling sound.
.
.
.
To drink and sing
In life, how many?
Like morning dew,
Gone in a day, bitter and many.
Lament with a toast,
Profound thoughts unforgettable.
How to dispel worries?
Only with Dukang's wine.
.
.
.
"──Sorry... I don't understand that language... Without a translation app..."
"Don't rely on machines or systems. Look it up yourself. Well, it doesn't have much meaning, but life is a journey of continuous learning."
"Hmph, smarty. Saying you have no education is a lie."
"I really don't have formal education. I didn't go to an officer's academy."
"Those with education always say that... But setting that aside, there's something I'm curious about as the unit's commander. ──How have you been with Lilith lately?"
"Why bring up the captain here?"
"Don't play dumb, handsome. Do you think I don't know?."
A faint pain ran through her chest at that pointed remark. Perhaps she was distracted by it.
"Dorothy."
A voice, mature but with a hint of youth, was spoken from behind.
"Ugh!"
It was Lieutenant Lilith, the leader of the Goddess Unit. Remaining in the same posture after lightly patting Dorothy's shoulder, she stood behind her and gazed with star-filled eyes at a bottle held in her slender hand.
Upon being asked, her commander snorted.
"──I am me."
"That's a virtue I should learn. Unfortunately, I don't have the confidence to state it so definitively. Well... I'm not a clone, but it's something similar."
Nevertheless, she didn't dwell on it so much. She had long ago accepted her true nature.
His calm, deep voice – a masculine characteristic that involuntarily teased Dorothy's hearing.
Soon, a soft inhaling sound.
To drink and sing
In life, how many?
Like morning dew,
Gone in a day, bitter and many.
Lament with a toast,
Profound thoughts unforgettable.
How to dispel worries?
Only with Dukang's wine.
"──Sorry... I don't understand that language... Without a translation app..."
"Don't rely on machines or systems. Look it up yourself. Well, it doesn't have much meaning, but life is a journey of continuous learning."
"Hmph, smarty. Saying you have no education is a lie."
"I really don't have formal education. I didn't go to an officer's academy."
"Those with education always say that... But setting that aside, there's something I'm curious about as the unit's commander. ──How have you been with Lilith lately?"
"Why bring up the captain here?"
"Don't play dumb, handsome. Do you think I don't know?."
A faint pain ran through her chest at that pointed remark. Perhaps she was distracted by it.
"Dorothy."
A voice, mature but with a hint of youth, was spoken from behind.
"Ugh!"
It was Lieutenant Lilith, the leader of the Goddess Unit. Remaining in the same posture after lightly patting Dorothy's shoulder, she stood behind her and gazed with star-filled eyes at a bottle held in her slender hand.
"Oh, is that Scotch?"
"Uh, yes..."
"Could it be... Commander─ no, that's not it. The slightly scary Werewolf, perhaps?"
There was no need to lie. Dorothy nodded.
"I wonder if it suits his taste... This must be an expensive one, right? His sense of taste is poor, though... even if it's good alcohol, his comment might just be 'tastes good.'"
Indeed, she remembered that he usually said things were good when he could put them in his mouth. She interpreted it as having no likes or dislikes, but in reality, it was different. Wait, why did Lilith know?
"──We're inside the room. Let's go in."
"W-wait a moment─"
Before she could finish her sentence, Lilith pressed the button to open the door to the command room.
Immediately, the scent of purple smoke and alcohol wafted into their noses.
"Oh, come on... What are you two doing alone? Without even ventilating. It's going to smell like cigarettes."
"...Do you mind?"
"Well, a bit. Sorry. I'll ventilate now."
"Ugh! Just a moment, Lieutenant-san. It's inevitable you're a smoker, but can't you be a bit more considerate?"
As Lilith scolded with her hands on her hips, the man, with his long legs crossed while sitting on a chair, exhaled purple smoke.
In an embarrassed expression, he tried to find something to refute, but just before he could speak, the cigarette he had clenched between his lips was removed by slender fingertips and crushed into the ashtray.
From the furrowed brow, a sense of wastefulness could be inferred.
"Hey, are you listening?"
"I hear you loud and clear, Lieutenant-san."
A dissatisfied voice deliberately emphasizing rank, with a low tone.
"What? Unhappy? Am I wrong in what I'm saying?"
"No. Everything you say is absolutely right, Lieutenant-san."
A faint blue vein appeared on Lilith's forehead.
Oh, this is bad. Sensing the imminent tension, the commander, seemingly unaffected by alcohol, stood up from his chair and intervened between the two.
"Lilith. He's drunk. Don't get so worked up..."
"Commander. It's a matter of his constitution. No matter how much alcohol he ingests, he doesn't get drunk, you know? In other words, he's sober."
Wait, why does she know that? Even though he had just learned it a moment ago, Lilith spoke as if she was well aware of the details.
Despite being scolded – much like a troublesome student receiving a reprimand from a teacher – he showed no surprise at being hit with the truth.
"Separating smoking areas is basic etiquette, you know?"
"Get a grip. When smoking in public, I always ask if it's okay. I'm considerate."
Is he really that lacking in manners? Lilith's forehead showed a faint blue vein, and while sitting in the chair, she looked up at the commander.
Despite being adults, the commander couldn't help but sigh as he looked up at the ceiling, feeling like he was witnessing a futile argument between teenagers.
"──Both of you. If you're going to argue, can you do it somewhere else?"
"...Yeah. Let's change the location."
"Yes. There was a need to properly discuss manners and etiquette with you."
He untangled his legs, stood up, looked down at Lilith, and motioned with his chin for her to leave the room. Following the echoing high heels of her departure, he also revealed his tall figure in the corridor.
Dorothy was about to call out to him, but before she could, the backs of both standing side by side quickly, yet harmoniously, diminished as they walked away.
"...Ah, scary. The strongest soldier and the strongest Nike on the brink of a clash... it's scarier than a monster movie."
"Do you watch those?"
The commander, showing only his face peeking into the corridor, expressed a slightly offbeat impression and concern. Unable to confirm or deny, Dorothy was also at a loss for how to respond.
──What should I do with this Scotch?
The remaining unopened bottle would follow the path of being stored in her room for a while.
----
Author Note: For those who imagined that Lilith and he engaged in a confrontation afterward, you are correct. Surely, an intense battle unfolded. (Tl Note:....Damn, that's hardcore, LOL.)
