Volume 1, Chapter 9

"...The command was for an investigation of the power plant, not for 'destruction', wasn't it?"

Tension hung in the air within the vice-commander's office at the headquarters building. Naturally, it emanated primarily from the room's occupant.

He leaned his elbows on the surface of his desk, intertwining his fingers before his face, and fixed his blue gaze on the young man before him, who remained motionless in a posture of rest. The insignia of a lieutenant adorned his shoulders, marking him as a young officer.

"As you say, Your Grace."

His expression was like a mask, concealing his inner thoughts. Naturally, it was difficult to discern his inner thoughts. The lieutenant simply accepted the truth and nodded in affirmation.

"...As a result of the engagement within the power plant, operational equipment malfunctioned, causing a pipe's pressure to increase, resulting in a steam explosion. Subsequent chain reactions led to this state of affairs."

The room's owner, Anderson, calmly manipulated a remote control in his hand. The monitor on the wall projected the state of the power plant onto the screen. The plant had been utterly devastated, reduced to rubble and ruin. Even the towering chimney had not escaped the shockwaves of the explosion.

"Two months' worth. Two months' worth of resources and equipment capable of sustaining all of Arc's power needs were blown away by you and your group.---Do you have any excuses for this?"

"As you said, Your Grace. The full responsibility lies with me, the Commander. I am prepared to accept any punishment without complaint."

Although he inquired about excuses and explanations out of due diligence, the confident manner in which they were dismissed left him speechless. Well, for an officer and commander, such a response was ideal.

Anderson let out a sigh, feeling unable to judge whether the youth before him was being naive or loyal.

"...Speak up. Just be thorough."

There was fortunately some minutes to spare. It was important to hear the field commander's perspective before announcing the punishment. With this in mind, Anderson urged the youth, Moore, who hesitated momentarily before speaking up.

"The cause might be the hand grenade I used during the engagement... It might be a matter of hindsight, but the destruction of the facility in question might have been for the best."

"....Hooh?"

Anderson's blue eyes narrowed, implicitly encouraging the young man to continue.

"Why did the Rapture occupy that power plant and activate the equipment? Furthermore, it is unclear where the power was being transmitted. It remains speculation, so I did not report it, but..."

"...Considering the risk of supplying the enemy with electricity in the future, destruction of the facility would be the best course of action?"

"No, Your Grace. The best course of action is still recapturing the power plant. However, given the current strength of the Arc's forces, I believe that a continued occupation is nearly impossible."

That's reasonable. Anderson nodded in response to his explanation, acknowledging the logic in his defense. It wasn't a bad response.

He couldn't help but feel that he wished he could have someone from the central government express this to him in his place.

"However, it is not your role as the field commander to make that judgment. It wouldn't be strange if you were seen as getting carried away."

"Yes."

His reply was succinct and clear. Each of Anderson's words seemed perfectly reasonable.

"Let me convey your punishment. You are expelled from Arc."

Regarding the topic of punishment for him and the squad under his command, Moore's brow furrowed deeply. "Expelled" seemed to carry a heavy weight in his choice of words, and Anderson could discern his apprehension.

"By 'expelled,' I do not mean you'll be sent to the Underrealm or the Rehabilitation Center. It's a reassignment to a forward base. Being cast away into an 'island' might be the most fitting description."

The area was devoid of humans and was occupied solely by a unit of mass-produced Nikes tasked with management and security duties. The facilities were far from adequate, with only minimal infrastructure.

"Ah, you don't need to worry that much. Essential resources are already stored there, and if you request them, we can transport them to the forward base as needed. Any questions?"

"I have three questions."

When prompted, Moore briefly bowed his head and then proceeded to ask his questions.

"First point. Please inform me about the current status of Rapi, who was designated as 'partially disabled,' as well as the future of the two members who participated in the mission."

"Elysion Corp is currently in the process of replacing Rapi's body and making adjustments. Once that's done, they'll send her to the forward base. As for the two Nikkes, they will accompany you and be assigned to the same forward base."

"Thank you very much. Second point. Regardless of whether future missions are assigned, will resources such as ammunition and fuel be provided for the security of the forward base? Also, will we be completely barred from entering Arc in the future?"

"As I mentioned before, as long as you request them, resources will be supplied without any issues. I promise. ...However, please keep this between us... As long as you don't draw attention, entering shouldn't be a problem. But be cautious."

"Thank you. Third point. Your Grace, what do you expect from me upon my assignment to the forward base?"

Sharp eyes reminiscent of a wolf. Anderson, who had those intense brown eyes fixed on him, found himself at a loss for words. Therefore, he kept his response concise.

"...While making the most of being away from the center, I hope you'll focus on providing general care for Nikkes and others, who might not be able to be given as typical commanders."

"Understood."

A clicking sound of heels aligning echoed. When Moore was silently urged to leave the room, he donned his military cap, saluted Anderson, and departed.

-----

"...I knew it really, but... Why are we being assigned to A PLACE LIKE THISSSSS?!~~~~"

Annoying, he muttered inwardly as he used an oil lighter to ignite his cigarette.

Uniforms and ranks held no meaning here anyway. If so, combat pants and a short-sleeved black shirt were sufficient. Moore, who carried a handgun holstered to his right leg for self-defense, glanced sideways at Anis, who was screaming next to him, and exhaled a thin plume of purple smoke.

"... Same comment as me, who is your guardian, Neon. Oh, and maybe the masterminds behind blowing up the power plant caused it."

"Thanks for speaking on my behalf, Neon."

Beside him, Neon responded to Anis's screams while holding her beloved shotgun. Moore sincerely expressed his gratitude.

"...How are we supposed to get by in this wasteland?"

"...Well, there should be abandoned buildings under construction. There are other options, but... training for clearing can be done. Anis and Neon seemed somewhat inexperienced during yesterday's mission, after all."

"....Commander, it's that part of you, you know?"

(Tl notes: Maybe otakus will recognize this most:そういうところだよ. so yuu tokorodayo. Hint: Barghest and Artoria Caster)

"...What do you mean?"

Seeing Moore blowing smoke rings nonchalantly, Anis felt a bit annoyed. However, Moore's demeanor made it impossible for her to direct her anger at him.

Even though she was thinking that he was a dependable commander on the battlefield, gunshots suddenly resounded from nearby.

An attack? Or perhaps terrorism? Anis was surprised. Neon, who had produced the gunfire, turned to her with an excited expression, addressing both her master and Anis.

"Master! Anis! It's amazing! No one cares even if you shoot your guns!!"

"Wow~~~, that's InCreDiBLe~~~."

"...The stationed Nikkes probably shoot occasionally to blow off steam. I saw bullet marks over there."

Moore, who had bundled his personal belongings and luggage into a large bag, had met with about twenty mass-produced Nikes stationed at the forward base as soon as he arrived.

It seemed they were at a loose end, using their free time to fire bullets around as a pastime and competing with each other. Occasionally, they engaged in combat with the invading Raptures or found enjoyment in activities like eating and sleeping.

Still, Moore also pondered whether it was wise to contribute to the dilapidation of the buildings by shooting at them until they became ruins.

"... Well... there's nothing we can do. Whether intentionally or not, it's not like we're innocent."

When Anis vocalized the thought that they should be grateful they weren't expelled, Neon continued with enthusiasm.

"That's right. But you know, doesn't it make you a bit excited? It's like camping."

"... Was camping supposed to be exciting? Well, I can't say I don't understand."

What to do, really.

Anis sighed, realizing that with just the three of them, she was the only one who could provide any TSUKKOMI(Comeback). She had initially thought that he, being the commander, was a sensible person, but upon reflecting, she reevaluated that notion. After all, he wasn't within the confines of conventional norms if he could handle firearms meant for Nikkes.

(Tl Notes: If he's normal, then we, the real normal people are just trash or worms. ...sob~~.)

"... By the way, Master. Where are we going to sleep? Are we going to be tenting?"

"I heard they have accommodations for you two. It should be near the base headquarters."

"This way," he said while still holding the cigarette between his lips, leading the two of them to a car parked on the side of the road. The vehicle resembled a Humvee.

Moore became the driver, and following the paved road and the signs, they arrived at the base headquarters building and the adjacent accommodations.

He parked the car in the small parking lot in front of the headquarters and, after throwing his cigarette into a portable ashtray from his pocket, followed the two of them hesitantly into the accommodations.

"... This isn't a warehouse. Is this... a cafeteria?"

As they entered the accommodations where they were to sleep, what immediately came into view as they walked down the hallway was a room that appeared to be a cafeteria.

Anis headed towards the kitchen of the cafeteria. After she grabbed a container placed casually on the floor and returned, she placed it noisily on one of the tables of varying sizes, then opened it deliberately to inspect its contents.

"Canned goods... and here are combat rations? Ugh... these are almost expired."

"Ah, it's true."

"...Even if they're past their expiration date, you can still eat them for several years. They're packed with preservatives and additives."

At the very least, these weren't things they would consume in their everyday lives voluntarily. The fact that consuming such food regularly could negatively affect one's physical and mental well-being had been proven in experiments conducted by a certain country's military during the old days.

While sensing the looming dark cloud over their future diet, the two of them began searching for the shower room. It was definitely a point of concern.

Eventually, Neon discovered the shower room and entered with a light-hearted demeanor to check it out. However...

"Sensei! Anis! THERE'S NO WATER COMING OUT!!"

"That's just dreadful..."

"...I should probably check for any pipe blockages later. Also, even if you all want to take showers, how...?"

Was there some solution to it? Moore speculated. Just as he was thinking about this, a disheartened Neon returned. Even a casual observer could tell that she was feeling down.

"...I can overlook the showers, but there's still something bothering me. Don't tell me you're going to stay in the accommodations as well?"

"There's no way that's happening."

In response to Neon's question, who asked while her narrowed eyes reflected in her glasses, Moore replied with a straight face.

Even he wouldn't lack that much delicacy.

He informed them that he had a dedicated room, but this seemed to have backfired.

"...Huh? Wait a moment."

"...Show it to us."

Perhaps he shouldn't have to go to that extent.

As a result of their pressing gazes, he seemed to surrender willingly—or rather, he didn't have much choice—and quietly led them into the interior of the headquarters building, which was also the commander's office.

They headed to the commander's office, which was allocated to him.

"...It's seriously unfair."

"...I misjudged my master."

Why did he have to be complained relentlessly?

As the first words from the two upon entering the commander's office, Moore unintentionally furrowed his brow.

"What the heck's this? Why is it so spacious for a single person's use? And wow, there's a sofa!?"

"I have something to confirm, please."

In the corner of the commander's office, which Moore had entered only an hour ago, were the equipment and firearms he had used during the previous mission.

Initially, Moore had planned to finish guiding them around since they had just arrived, and then proceed to tidy up. However, he hadn't anticipated this turn of events.

Suddenly, Neon approached the shower room set up within the room, breathing heavily. As she pressed the sensor on the wall, warm water began to flow from the showerhead. Catching the steam with her gaze, she returned while bowing her head and muttered a few words to him.

"Sensei... I TRUSTED you..."

Is it really that much of a sin? No, it must be a sin. Certainly, there was a vast difference between their accommodations and the one they were staying in.

Would repairing the boiler make hot water available in the accommodations? He was even considering the possibility that there might not even be a boiler to begin with. Just as he was thinking about this, Anis clapped her hands as if she had come up with a great idea.

"That's it! How about we swap accommodations with you?"

"Well, I don't really mind..."

Staying in those accommodations wouldn't be a problem for him at all. As long as the water issue was resolved, it would be manageable.

When he was about to nod in agreement to Anis's suggestion, the door suddenly opened automatically.

"...Being too kind is also a problem, Commander."

—The one who entered the room was Rapi. Her left arm, which had disappeared during the previous mission, had been restored to its original appearance through the replacement of her body.

"Oh, you're back."

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. I've completed the readjustment and returned to duty. On my way here, I took a look around the outpost base... But there's something I'd like to say more than that... Muhh..."

After turning back to Moore, whom she had responded to affirmatively regarding her return, Rapi suddenly looked up at his face, which was considerably higher, as if she was about to say something. However, her lips pursed and her brow furrowed as if she was trying to utter the words.

"...You all smell."

"Huh!?"

"Oh, I forgot. I've had my olfactory sensors turned off all this time."

"…Does it smell? Well, I didn't realize since my nose went awry during yesterday's mission..."

Hearing Lapi's observation, Anis quickly turned to Neon, who was flustered. Anis shrugged her shoulders as if recalling something.

Or rather, Moore couldn't help but gaze at Anis with a look of exasperation, wondering if she had really turned off her sense of smell since yesterday.

"...Go ahead and shower here."

"Huh? Seriously? YEAH! In that case, Neon, you can go first."

"Thank you for the offer, then!"

The two of them happily left the commander's office. They had likely gone to get their change of clothes from the items they had brought into the car, but they would return soon.

As Rapi turned to face Moore after watching Anis and Neon leave, she pointed towards the door with her hand. Moore nodded in response.

Guided by her, they left the commander's office without exchanging a single word and reached the main entrance. Passing each other with the two girls carrying their change of clothes, Lapi stood beside the car that was parked nearby.

"----It's quite a desolate place. I'm worried about what's to come."

"Don't you want to talk about something?"

No need for a preamble, Moore responded indirectly while taking a soft pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He lightly shook it, then put the end of one of the cigarettes that popped out into his mouth and opened the lid of his oil lighter, striking the wheel.

As the flint and wheel made contact, sparks scattered and ignited the oil that was volatile in the wick sound the "click" voice. Moore lit the tip of the cigarette, closed the metal lid, and inserted the lighter, along with the soft pack, back into his pocket after the distinct sound.

As the closed lighter made a distinct sound, Rapi turned to face him and directed her gaze to his face, which was tall.

"Why did you do something like that?"

He suspected that she was referring to an incident from the previous mission.

Seeing that he didn't respond beyond releasing a trail of purple smoke, Rapi continued, likely because she felt considerate for him.

"Since we have this opportunity, I will tell you. —We, Nikkes are not human. We are merely weapons with immense power and immortal lives created to fight the Raptures. It's quite common for a heavily damaged Nikke to return to their original state. —So please refrain from doing anything like that again. It concerns the commander's life."

"...So, are you saying that what I did was utterly meaningless, wasteful, and bothersome?"

"..."

Responding to Moore's question, she seemed to imply that she didn't need to answer, and she turned her back to him again. Gradually, the makeshift sky projected overhead was changing from blue to the red of sunset.

"...Commander."

"What is it?"

"...How do we appear to you, Commander?"

"Human. I can't see you as anything else."

In response to Lapi's question, he gave an honest answer. It was almost as if he was speaking with a tone of "obviously."

She didn't react immediately. After a few seconds of deep silence, words finally came from her lips, in a refined voice.

"...It's appreciated that you see us as humans, like yourself... However, in the end, you will be hurt, Commander. As time passes, you'll gradually feel the differences between us and humans. Please never forget my words."

While Rapi calmly spoke to him from behind, the purple smoke from his cigarette tickled her nostrils. It wasn't unpleasant... To her personally, it was a soothing scent.

Just as she was about to wrap up the conversation, now that she could be certain that her olfactory sensors were functioning properly, she caught a faint sound of him inhaling.

"Existence precedes essence."

Lapi couldn't help but turn around at the words he spoke. Moore, who was still holding his cigarette, shrugged his shoulders slightly.

"...Words of a philosopher from a bygone era."

"Why bring it up all of a sudden?"

"...I wonder why? I can't explain it myself."

It was an ambiguous response, and Rapi felt somewhat brushed aside. Nevertheless, Moore continued to let the purple smoke drift, seeming somewhat carefree.

"...The sun will set soon. Let's call it a day."

Without a response, as she attempted to conclude the conversation and head towards the accommodations nearby, he directed a question towards her delicate-looking back.

"...About yesterday... Was that bothersome?"

He hadn't heard her answer yet. Moore asked as Rapi stopped in her tracks upon his question reaching her ears.

The distance between them was such that they could reach each other within a few steps. They weren't far apart at all, yet it was a distance that demonstrated the divide between their existences—between a human and a Nikke. It was a closeness that felt distant, similar yet not.

"...It wasn't bothersome. In fact... I was a little... happy."

"I see. Well, that's good to hear. Rapi, I'm glad you're back to the squad."

Having both expressed their inner thoughts, which they couldn't put into words earlier, the long conversation came to an end.

Rapi started walking again, and as he disposed of the cigarette butt in his portable ashtray and began walking towards the command headquarters building, their distance gradually grew.

Gradually, the distance between them increased.

Illuminated by the projected makeshift sun, the shadows extending from beneath each of them seemed to stand side by side until their figures disappeared.

------

Author Notes:

In Volume1, Episode 7, Anderson uttered the phrase:

"人間の運命は人間の手中にある" which translates to: "The fate of humans lies within human hands."

And in this episode, Moore said:

"実存は本質に先立つ" which translates to: "Existence precedes essence."

Both of these phrases are from the words of the French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre.