Dawnbringer: The Story of the Machine God Vol 1 Chapter 3

Six weeks of basic training was just enough training to give the soldiers enough skills to adapt to any type of situation. Those who excelled and displayed extraordinary talent during this training were transferred to specialized training facilities, promoted to Petty Officers or Cadets, and received further training.

 

Although I was a Vice Admiral, I was extremely well versed in an ordinary soldier’s training and other requirements, since I was a former instructor. From security, to support, to administration: I wasn’t lacking in any of them!

 

And soon, they will realise my true value, even if I’m being treated like a greenie right now!

 

…Is what I thought.

 

 

◊             ◊             ◊

 

 

There was emergency maintenance training on the armoured cars, called Spiders, in the morning.

 

The multi-purpose Spider was a four legged armoured car with wheels attached to each of its legs, thus it was able to travel along normal roads, and could scale haphazard terrain with its legs. On top of all that, it was able to carry a sizeable load.

 

The Spider given to us for training was just about ready to be sc.r.a.pped, but nevertheless, we had to train about how to deal with different types of unwieldy movement and breakdowns.

 

The other recruits tried first and….

 

I was the last one to lay my hands on the armoured car, right after Pencolt.

 

What did that mean?

 

“Ku ku ku…. You poor greenie. They’ve put you last thinking that you might break it, man!”

 

Recruit Pencolt held the trainers’ PCB (printed circuit board) and turned around to look at me pitifully.

 

Hey, if I’m a greenie, then you’re also a greenie, you know? Don’t look down on me like that, when you’re one too! But why am I going after this guy?! Does that mean I’m more of a greenie than him?

 

“Take a good look, and be amazed at my skill that is greater than yours! Hah?”

 

…Was what Recruit Pencolt said, but after 10 minutes of working on the armoured car; Spider, and replacing its PCB, he electrocuted himself by touching a capacitor.

 

As the other Recruits carried Recruit Pencolt away, Sergeant Aroha signalled to me with her hand while holding the PCB. She signalled to me like one would a pet.

 

‘Geez, to think that a Petty Officer would treat me like this, while I am still alive!’

 

To think that she would treat me like a pet, when I should be honoured as the heavenly Vice Admiral, that I am. It was certain that she was looking down on me, but that playful smile of hers was strangely enchanting. Should I describe that as cute or overflowing with s.e.xiness?

 

“Cough, cough…. What’s the matter, Sergeant?”

 

“Hey Lezirth? If you don’t go wrong this time, I’ll show you my b.r.e.a.s.t.s.”

 

“What? Who do you think you’re talking to!”

 

Wow, I really got angry just now! People thought of me as a troublemaker and a greenie, so doing that was no different as someone saying ‘I’ll give you a candy, so behave’!

 

“Ah, so that won’t work. I see you’ve got some determination in you.”

 

Sergeant Aroha smiled brightly and slapped my back loudly with her hand.

 

“Great! That’s a good att.i.tude! Do your best, Lezirth!”

 

She slightly winked and pushed me at the armoured car.

 

“W-Well, I’m not saying that I wouldn’t look if you were to show me them…. Tsk.”

 

Listen to me until I finish talking! But since there was no point in talking about it any further, I grumbled and walked towards the SAV (Spider Armored Vehicle).

 

After inspecting the PCB first, I stuck my hand inside the armoured car.

 

“Why would you replace the PCB? You can just bypa.s.s it. You can’t wait for a new PCB to be replaced while a battle is raging on. Witness my skills, honed through countless battles, rather than military school!”

 

“Huh?”

 

All of the recruits looked at me dumbfounded as they saw what I was doing.

 

I loosened a few wires and connected them over the broken area, bypa.s.sing them in the process.

 

Then, Spider suddenly sprang to life! The generator worked up momentum, and with a whirring noise, it started to stand up like a dead organism coming back to life.

 

Hm. Take a gander at that, you fools! This is what I, a Vice Admiral, can do! I didn’t earn three stars just by playing around!

 

“Wow… he’s really fast.”

 

“Everyone took around 10 minutes, but he did it in 7 seconds…”

 

“Is he a genius?”

 

Everyone finally recognised my skills and started to admire me.

 

But then.

 

—Woooon

 

The Spider-mounted, crowd control rockets came to life.

 

Huh? What? Isn’t the Spider looking at the Recruits right now?

 

—Recognizing target. Foe: Replicant Rebels! Commencing attack!

 

“… Huh?”

 

“What’s going on?”

 

The recruits looked at the Spider with dumbfounded expressions.

 

I tried to switch off the Spider at once, but the armoured car launched its attack first. Numerous plastic lids from the rocket pods flew out and covered the Recruits.

 

Luckily, the rockets were not loaded, but nevertheless, the lids. .h.i.t the Recruits and things became chaotic. Furthermore, the Spider recognised it didn’t have any rockets loaded, so it raised its front leg and tried to commence physical attacks.

 

“Tsk!”

 

I clung onto the runaway armoured car and stopped its movements by pulling out the PCB. As it was about to stomp on the Recruits, the Spider became still.

 

“Phew, that was too close for comfort. I think I overlooked the training routine by bypa.s.sing. But this machine… something doesn’t seem right with it. Is anyone hurt?”

 

I jumped off the Spider, landed gracefully and explained myself to the Recruits about what just happened.

 

However, those Recruits eyed me with a suspicious look.

 

“Huh? What’s wrong everyone? Huh? Haah?”

 

Shortly after, I had to decide whether I wanted to be jailed or give up free periods for a week and clean out the training shed.

 

 

◊             ◊             ◊

 

 

When I walked into the kitchen and took a tray, everyone’s attention was fixed solely on me. And when I sat down at the table after getting my food, the Recruits around me glanced at me and moved somewhere else.

 

“Hmm, if they’re moving their seats while eating, this must be some kind of a new game. A flash mob, was it? Yes, it must be that flash mob play.”

 

I looked around at them in puzzlement.

 

At that moment, Recruit Pencolt came and sat across me with piles of fried food on his plate.

 

“Tsk, tsk, I feel sorry for you, man. Aren’t you being bullied by everyone cuz of your mess?”

 

“Huh? What are you saying? There’s no way I could ever get bullied!”

 

I was the one who lead the Dawn Corps and had companies asking me to be featured in commercials. I obviously refused as I was a militant, but I was often featured on military-related advertis.e.m.e.nts.

 

There’s no way that I, who was loved by soldiers, cadets and officers alike could ever be bullied!

 

“Hu hu hu. People can’t accept the reality at the start, man. I know, because I’ve experienced it. But the time will come when you realise everyone’s hateful gaze.”

 

“…”

 

“And to prepare yourself for that time, I’ll give you this. It’s something precious, so be grateful, alright? It’s something that you can’t buy with money these days.”

 

Pencolt rummaged through his pocket and handed me something like a key-ring. Inspecting what was handed to me, it turned out to be a key-ring of an anime-like chibi character who had her pink hair in a twin-tail, winking.

 

“What’s this?”

 

“It’s Misha from Love Love Angels. Misha is nice enough to be called an angel, so she won’t forsake you even if the world does.”

 

While I didn’t like the fact that he thought the entire world was going to be against me, I a.s.sumed that he had good intentions behind his words. But geez, this guy really gets on my nerves. Why does he tick me off this much?

 

“Hah…. Um, I guess t-thanks. But why are you giving something like this to me?”

 

He did have strange tastes, but I could tell that he was worried about me. I’m not interested in something like this, but I suppose I should accept it gratefully.

 

But shouldn’t something like this be valuable among collectors? Why is he giving this to me for free?

 

“Ah, because Misha-chan kissed someone else in a recent TV anime adaption. I don’t need a woman who plays around with other men apart from me, man. It doesn’t matter how nice a girl is if she doesn’t have a set mindset. Isn’t it the best when I get to cheat but the woman doesn’t?”

 

“….”

 

I-I want to move seats as well.

 

But looking around the place, all of the Recruits were glaring at Pencolt and I. If I take my plate and move somewhere else, the others will move as well, right? What should I do?

 

Then, someone else sat next to me.

 

“H-h.e.l.lo, Lezirth. Do you mind me sitting next to you?”

 

“Ah~?”

 

I stopped myself as I tried to salute her out of reflex. The shortly-cut brown haired girl with golden eyes was blushing furiously with her head bowed down as she sat next to me, holding onto the seat cover.

 

That girl was the Chief of Staff and Admiral Luise Maynard, who also woke up into this time period after being induced in 120 years of cold sleep like me.

 

“Something that you liked must’ve been on the menu if you’re staring at the plate so intensely. Do you like apple jellies?”

 

“N-No… um, I don’t dislike them.”

 

She smiled brightly. Her brown hair shined like gold when the Epiece light shone through the windows and warmly embraced her back. 

 

Without realising it, I forgot all about my manners and started to look at her in wonder.

 

Suddenly, Pencolt got overly excited and started to snort like an animal.

 

“Wow! A beauty!”

 

Seeing him snort, huff and puffing like that reminded me of a bull just about ready to charge at a bullfighter. He really seemed to be reaching out for her, so I blocked Pencolt and Chief Luise by extending my arm between them.

 

“Ah, don’t worry. This person is my roommate.”

 

“I-I see. h.e.l.lo, my name is Luise Maynard.”

 

“Wow! Ain’t she quite a beauty? Lezirth, who? Someone you know? Older sister? Younger sister? Cousin?”

 

“Ehh, so….”

 

How should I explain this to him?

 

Then, Chief Luise answered him with an uncertain voice.

 

“W-We’re friends. Friends.”

 

“Don’t tell me childhood friends? Like ever since you were young? Can I call you Luise?”

 

“No!”

 

I refuse! I blocked Pencolt. And Pencolt glared at me.

 

“Hmph! I bid you farewell.”

 

“…”

 

“Heh heh, don’t wet your pants now, I’m only kidding. Haven’t I already given you my old woman, my friend? This is how generous I am, and our friendship will never change, man. Our friendship lasts forever~ my brother.”

 

For that moment, I was really ashamed of myself.

 

When he said ‘Hmph! I bid you farewell,’ I was actually worried for a moment. The thought of being all by myself in this world filled my head.

 

It was only for a moment though.

 

But now that he’s said that our friendship lasts forever~, I didn’t like that either. Ah, these complexities of a human’s mind.

 

“That aside, how is the gravity adaptation training?”

 

“Mhmm, calcium isn’t leaking out because I have medical nano-machines in my bones, but I am lacking in muscle…. So I have been doing rehabilitation activities such as swimming.”

 

Chief Luise smiled at me after she said that.

 

“How about yourself, Lezirth? I trust you are coping well?”

 

“No…. well, you see...”

 

The current King of Greenies in our platoon is me.

 

Is what I should say, but I couldn’t bring myself to say that.

 

The others didn’t know about my three-star days. So making a mistake in front of them was just an ordinary occurrence, but Chief Luise knew about my previous life.

 

“How I envy you. I wish I could be more like a soldier like you, Lezirth.”

 

I let out a long sigh, trying not to be caught in the process of doing so while Chief Luise admired me.

 

This is no good. I wasn’t lying on purpose, but it would be cruel to let her think otherwise. I believed it was worse to hide any shame or any mistakes rather than committing them.

 

“To tell the truth, I have not been acting like a true soldier as of late.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I am ashamed to inform you that I have been referred to as a greenie in this platoon.”

 

“A greenie?”

 

“It is a nickname that the other Recruits have given me due to me being still green behind the ears. I have been troubling my peers.”

 

Now that I’ve said that, I was too ashamed to raise my head. Wordlessly, I forked away at my food and hung my head low.

 

“Be at ease, Ms. Luise. I’m taking care of Lezirth, so you may address me, Pencolt, as oppa[1]. If you don’t flow with oppa, you can use oppan, op̂pa, great brother, exalted brother, brother, bro or whatever floats your boat.”

 

“Ah! T-Thank you.”

 

Admiral Luise Maynard politely bowed her head to the unpleasant Pencolt, who was only a mere Recruit. Hey Pencolt, I see that you’re accepting her thanks like a big shot, but when was I ever in your care?

 

“Lezirth.”

 

“…”

 

Chief Luise grabbed my arm and inspected my expression. I raised up my head and looked at her.

 

“If something like this happens again, please consult it with me. We now only have each other in this world…”

 

“Yes, understood. I will abide by your orders.”

 

When I nodded my head, she extended her finger towards me.

 

“It is not an order, but a promise.”

 

“A promise?”

 

“Yes, now link your finger to mine.”

 

Admiral Luise Maynard was smiling brightly. The sight of her with the bright light shining on her back would’ve been blinding even without the light source.

 

I wrapped my pinky finger around her soft finger.

 

“Good. I won’t forgive you if you go against your promise, so prepare yourself. Hee hee.”

 

Why does she appear to be happy? Don’t tell me Chief Luise actually planned ahead and wants to punish me with this promise? What did I do to her to deserve this punishment?

 

“Yes, of course! I wouldn’t dare to go against your orders!”

 

“Geez, I’m telling you it’s a promise.”

 

She pouted out her lips and started her meal after setting her eyes back on the plate.

 

Nothing changed from the conversation I just had with her. However, I felt better for some reason. It was truly amazing. I could feel warmth spreading from inside my chest to my hands and face.

 

 

◊                      ◊                      ◊

 

 

After making that promise with Admiral Luise, I stopped trying to prove myself in training. That was because I thought I was messing up because I was trying to prove myself and rushed things.

 

It’s no secret that I’ve been holding onto my past as a war hero and tried to prove that fact. But now that I’ve reflected on it, wasn’t that something pathetic?

 

So I quietly completed a week of training.

 

And my punishment from that armoured car Spider incident ended some time then as well.

 

The training shed was not a robot maintained one, but of pure manpower, so cleaning it out was quite a ch.o.r.e.

 

I finally was able to finish the week of punishment after being charged with the duty because of my modified Spider attacking other Recruits.

 

“I guess my punishment ends with this. Whew, I still can’t accept that I’m a greenie… but I somehow I finished without a hitch.”

 

I sighed and looked around the shed. Lit up with some LED lighting, the shed measured 20m by 10m in shape and consisted of numerous cabinets.

 

After inspecting the shed, I turned off the light. And as I was about to leave, I heard someone’s voice.

 

“Wait Meihowa! Wait up!”

 

“If that was all that you had to say, then I will take my leave.”

 

Hmm? Was it Ensign Meihowa? Then who was the other person?

 

It was awkward to step outside, so I waited without opening the shed door. I only did so because I thought they might leave for somewhere else. So it was strictly not because I wanted to eavesdrop on their private matters out of interest.

 

However, they started to talk behind this shed’s wall unlike my expectations.

 

“Meihowa, you will no longer be in the world of the living after 6 weeks if things continue this way. Listen to me. The platoon you lead is full of failures.”

 

“And it is my duty as a leader to train them to a level where they will be able to survive somehow. It is also your duty as well, sir.”

 

Ensign Meihowa’s voice was stern. She seemed to hate the other male with a pa.s.sion. She was talking to him like he was a mouse, c.o.c.kroach or some other pest.

 

“But am I not a male and you a female? There is something called relationship between both se…”

 

The male’s voice was obsequious and sticky. What was with this guy?

 

“I do not think of you as someone of the opposite gender, Lieutenant, sir.”

 

I see. The other person was Lieutenant Imamura; one of the instructors in the Cadet Academy. I do remember seeing him every now and then while walking along…. Hmm. I do remember him being a married man, but is he flirting with Meihowa? Don’t tell me they share an affair… there’s no way, right? I mean, if Meihowa dislikes it that much?

 

“Don’t be like that…. If I use my powers a bit, you can get away from that group of failures, Ensign Meihowa. Is it not better than wasting your life on the battlefield? Did you not seduce me because you knew of it?”

 

“I never seduced you, Lieutenant, sir. On the contrary, were you not the one who has been s.e.xually hara.s.sing me all this time?”

 

Meihowa’s stern voice. Lieutenant Imamura’s voice started to quaver.

 

“Then what about those presents I left on your door? Huh? Were you not the one who seduced me first? Are you not tempting me right now with that gaze, that att.i.tude and those fingers?”

 

“What? But my hand is staying still. And about those presents you mentioned, I handed in all of them at the office. I informed them to return the presents to the owners. Please do not leave any presents in front of my door. If you continue to, I will report you for stalking.”

 

“Haahh! Don’t lie to yourself. You like me! Even though I am married, that is. Have you grown cold about me after seducing me like that?”

 

“Please let go of me. I’ll call someone.”

 

Ensign Meihowa’s voice grew urgent. Now wasn’t the time to continue listening to them. I tried not to leave because I would become an eavesdropper, but the Platoon Leader was in danger! Wasn’t this a typical stalking situation!

 

Judging the situation, I slammed the shed door open.

 

When I went outside, the sight was quite something to see. Lieutenant Imamura was wearing an expression fit for a psychopath and was pinning Meihowa to the wall by force, while clutching her wrist.

 

Both of them had an expression that said they were taken aback by my sudden appearance.

 

“W-What? Just a Recruit? Hurry back to your barracks, Recruit. Don’t b.u.t.t into the situ…”

 

“Don’t make me laugh. And you’re supposed to be a Lieutenant!”

 

Grabbing onto Lieutenant Imamura’s collar, I lifted him up. He writhed in surprise, but I planted a punch into his abdomen and silenced him.

 

“Lezirth!”

 

I placed Lieutenant Imamura onto the floor. There was a chance of him snapping his neck and dying if I dropped him while he was unconscious. I had to follow the correct procedures as this wasn’t the battle field—even if it meant I was dealing with a joke of a Lieutenant.

 

“Ensign Meihowa, are you alright?”

 

“No… what… sigh.”

 

Meihowa must’ve been confused as to what just unfolded before her eyes, because she sighed and covered her face with her hands.

 

“Why did you do that! Recruit Lezirth! You’re just a Replicant! Are you even aware of the consequences if you lay even a finger on pure blooded Earthlings? And how could you hurt a Lieutenant when you are but a Recruit!?”

 

I tilted my head in wonder as I couldn’t understand her concern.

 

“Then Ensign Meihowa, did you actually like this Lieutenant?”

 

“W-What kind of a joke is that! Not at all!”

 

“So, I’m not mistaken in thinking that he was bothering you when you didn’t like him?”

 

“T-That’s obvious!”

 

Meihowa nodded her head.

 

“Then what I did was correct! Well, while I do agree that my way of dealing with him was slightly overkill, it feels great to do something right!”

 

“Sigh, you really are… thoughtless.”

 

She sighed, walked into the shed I walked out of and sat on top of a canned food box. And she signalled me to sit by hitting on the s.p.a.ce next to her.

 

“Come sit over here, Lezirth.”

 

“OK. Sure.”

 

While looking at Lieutenant Imamura sprawled out on the floor, she asked.

 

“He shouldn’t wake up for a while, right? How could you lift up a fully grown man like that with a single arm and punch him in the abdomen with the other? On a 103% gravity level planet at that? Are you really not a Fortified Cyborg?”

 

“Well, while not dead, he shouldn’t be able to wake up so quickly. I didn’t feel anything bursting when I punched him, but who knows. His appendix might have burst.”

 

“What?”

 

“Ah, don’t worry. Seeing as he isn’t giving off cold sweat and is fast asleep, it didn’t burst.”

 

Ensign Meihowa finally sighed in relief. As she did, the black wings on her back fluttered slightly and gave off particles of light. The sight was reminiscent of silver powder sparkling in the wind.

 

“Well… I suppose I should thank you. Thank you.”

 

“Not at all. It’s only my duty as your subordinate to rescue my Platoon Leader. But why didn’t you report someone like him to the Superior Office if he continued to bother you? Don’t tell me you actually dated him before or something like that?”

 

At my question, Meihowa appeared to be quite shocked.

 

“I was placed in this academy only two weeks ago after completing my Naval Cadet training. Do you really think I would have the time to have an affair when I’m still fresh to this academy like Recruits like yourself? It’s just some common treatment I receive as a half Elcro.”

 

“Half Elcro…”

 

“That’s right.”

 

She buried her head between her knees and let out a sigh.

 

Seeing her like that piqued my interest. Why would a half Elcro want to become a Commissioned Officer?

 

“Hey, you mentioned that I’ll be having my meals through a straw if I ask anything more about your private matters before, right? Is that still valid?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Meihowa quickly raised her head from between her knees. There were slight traces of teardrops smudged under her green eyes.

 

However, there weren’t enough traces on her white make-up free skin to a.s.sume that she actually cried. So did she yawn or something? She can’t be actually sad and crying from that, right?

 

“Y-You know. While it’s true that I’m just asking because of my curiosity… but I think it would be nice if you can share it with someone. If you start talking, then maybe you’ll have some stress relief.”

 

“Sigh…. To hear that from a greenie like you. Well, OK. I’ll tell you.”

 

Shaking her foot while seated on the canned food box, she looked at me.

 

“If you really are the late Lezirth Dawnbringer who was killed in action 120 years ago, then you might not know about the war between the Elcros. I’ll a.s.sume that for now and tell you, so you better listen carefully.”

 

“I’m telling you I’m not dead.”

 

“My biological and legal father partic.i.p.ated in the Elcro War and captured a female Elcro as a slave. And he… Commander Riwoo Kwanshin was already married. But bearing a love child with a female Elcro slave is a right given to a militant.”

 

“What?”

 

I was revolted. Even when I was active, many male militants died during the war with Letix, so the gender ratio was out of proportion. As a result, many people did commit adultery while still being married.

 

But even then, they still could separate right from wrong. And now people were enslaving creatures from completely different species and committing adultery?

 

“A female Elcro is nothing but a slave to them. Even now, female Elcro captives are highly sought after by the top officials. So the Lieutenant must’ve thought of me as an easy target.”

 

“Holy h.e.l.l. Things are really rotten to the core. Just what did the government do while the Federation rotted away like that?”

 

“Don’t you already know the Federation and the government go hand in hand? They were crazy about capturing Elcro slaves. Unlike the war with Letix, where there was no money to be made, Elcros were a perfect target as they had a civilisation similar to humans and they could even vent out their s.e.xual urges. There were so many things to be gained from the Elcros. Military supply chains profited from the war, while the government used the war as an excuse to strengthen their hold on the citizens while the Federation expanded their influence. They are all in it together.”

 

After speaking, she smirked.

 

“I really do feel better after talking it out. But geez… what should we do with that?”

 

She rested her eyes on the knocked out Lieutenant Imamura.

 

“I suppose it would be a stretch to report it to the higher ups to have it taken care of?”

 

“That would be difficult. I am only an Elcro while you’re a Replicant Recruit. Furthermore, this may sound silly for me to say this as a hopeful Commissioned Officer. But the military’s ranking system is a mess. However, as this incident was caused because of me, I will sort it out myself.”

 

“Huh? Do you have any plans?”

 

“If I take this upon myself, no harm should come to you. I can’t let a greenie like you also take the blame.”

 

Meihowa jumped off the canned food box and landed on the ground. Surprised, I also jumped off the box.

 

“No, that’s not right. And why was this incident your fault, Ensign Meihowa? You didn’t do anything wrong! It is this guy’s fault for abusing his powers to his subordinates!”

 

“When you’re just a greenie…”

 

 “Huh?”

 

What was she trying to say?

 

While in my slight moment of hesitation, Ensign Meihowa looked at me over her shoulders and smiled cheerfully.

 

“I feel great, having you cheer for me… when you’re just a greenie. Thanks.”

 

“…”

 

I felt like something just dropped inside my heart with a clang. Something like a pot falling and shattering type of feel, maybe?

 

‘I’ll be back, Vice Admiral. I was glad to be part of the Dawn Corps. If I come back alive, please take me out for some drinks.’

 

I was reminded of my soldiers who were deployed while embracing death itself.

 

Those soldiers who were so playful but left serious wills behind. Their blinding smiles that were bright as the stars despite their unkempt clothes. I was reminded of them for some reason.

 

Why did I think of their death embraced smiles when I saw her smile?

 

“But don’t worry. I may not look it, but I’m still the daughter of a Commander. I won’t even stay for a long time if I do end up being sent to jail. You don’t need to worry about me.”

 

She was prepared to sacrifice herself. Just like my soldiers long ago.

 

“No.”

 

I clenched tightly onto her sleeve. And from her sleeve, I moved up to her elbow then her collar as she stood in surprise. I held her collar tightly and locked her movements.

 

“W-What is it? Recruit Lezirth?”

 

Ensign Meihowa seemed to be slightly fearful.

 

“Ensign Meihowa, there is no need for you to sacrifice yourself. If you do as I say, it should work out.”

 

“Huh?”

 

I explained my plan to her as she was still shocked. She seemed to be half agreeing and half disagreeing to my plan, but when I urged her firmly, she agreed to it.

 

“S-Should it work out if we do that?”

 

Still hesitant, she tilted her head left and right.

 

 

◊                      ◊                      ◊

 

 

Breathing coa.r.s.ely, Lieutenant Imamura searched every nook and cranny of the barracks. I hung upside down under the bunk bed and waited for him to move away without finding me.

 

Shortly after, Lieutenant Imamura gasped for breath like a wounded boar and walked outside. Only then could I crawl out from under the bed.

 

“Whew, he’s gone. Just what’s going on, man?”

 

My roommate Pencolt asked while munching on a large slab of chocolate.

 

“You don’t need to know.”

 

“Really? He asked me where this guy by the name of Lezirth Dawnbringer was… so I told him he’s near the entrance of the academy, man.”

 

“The entrance of the academy?”

 

“Isn’t there the statue?”

 

“…”

 

So, this guy told him where the statue of Lezirth Dawnbringer, the General of the Dawn Corps? Sure, I was that very Lezirth Dawnbringer, General of the Dawn Corps, but I’m pretty sure Lieutenant Imamura was looking for Lezirth Dawnbringer the Recruit.

 

This Pencolt fellow was really something else.

 

“He wouldn’t really go to the entrance even if he’s stupid, right?”

 

“Who knows, man. If he’s a Lieutenant playing around in a base, then don’t you reckon he’ll be beyond stupid? Do not limit your imagination, young one.”

 

After saying that, Pencolt gobbled up the slab of chocolate by himself.

 

Someone with some common sense would offer some chocolate even out of an insincere heart, so how dare you eat all of that!

 

But without a doubt, Pencolt was losing weight rapidly even though he ate like this. I suppose it’s because the training is too difficult and straining on him.

 

Well~ I was more concerned about Ensign Meihowa rather than eating.

 

 

Ensign Meihowa told Lieutenant Imamura that she will give some recordings of their conversation when he tried to hit on her, to his wife, if he continues to bother her in the future (I made her do it).

 

Of course, Meihowa had no such audio or video recording, but a stingy person like the Lieutenant would be easily tricked by such trick.

 

As a result, Lieutenant Imamura was hot on my trails to take out his anger on me since he couldn’t bother Meihowa. So I’ve been hiding in places where it would be difficult to find me.

 

“You’ve got some mad skills, man. How can ya hide like that? Like hanging off the ceiling and that?”

 

“Well, I’m quite fit and agile.”

 

At that moment, I could hear a wolf-like howl resounding from the outside. Epiece-2, where this academy was located, was not a naturally habitable planet, so there was no way a wolf could exist here.

 

It seemed like that stupid Lieutenant actually went to the entrance and realised his stupidity after seeing the statue.

 

“He’s really beyond all imagination.”

 

Lieutenant Imamura’s stupidity was beyond me.

 

People really shouldn’t limit their imagination. Because imagination is limitless.





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Reference

1. Oppa: Brother. Oppan Gangnam Style babe. ↩