“Alright, alright! It’s morning! Everyone fold your futons and get ready for breakfast!”
The cafeteria lady, or rather, Yoshie-obasan, woke the children with a frying pan and a ladle, a truly Showa-era way of doing things.
The children, like well-trained soldiers, quickly put away their futons.
In no time, breakfast was laid out on the tables. Rice, miso soup, rolled omelet, and seaweed. A simple meal, not much in quantity, but very warm.
“Okay, everyone, let’s eat! Itadakimasu!”
“Itadakimasu!”
“It’s a lively meal, isn’t it?”
“Indeed, mornings are a daily battle.”
Kaguya and Kenyya ate their breakfast amidst the children’s boisterousness. None of them had parents. Yet, they ran around so energetically, enduring so well despite not having parents.
“Kenyya?… No, it’s nothing.”
Kaguya looked at Kenyya. She saw the tears that had been welling up since morning finally spill over. Kenyya himself didn’t quite understand what those tears meant.
Was it because he understood their feelings a little? Because he was projecting himself onto them? Or was it the atmosphere of eating breakfast together like a family?
Kenyya didn’t know. He didn’t know if he was happy or sad.
…
“Now, let’s announce the operation!”
In the main hall, many soldiers, including Kenyya and Kaguya, sat in their seats. Isshin was the one making the announcement.
“First, the objective of this operation is to seize the KOG.”
The plan was as follows: They would attack the Aasgard Empire’s transport ship that was scheduled to arrive at the old Tokyo Bay this evening.
They would activate and seize the KOG being transported, then immediately leave the area. It was an operation to increase their fighting strength and inflict damage on the enemy.
Kenyya wondered if they could even operate the enemy’s KOG, but apparently, they had a collaborator within the Aasgard Empire, so there was no problem. The activation keys were given to everyone.
“May I ask a question!”
One of the soldiers raised his hand.
“Even though it’s a transport ship, it’s expected to be escorted by KOGs. How will we deal with that?”
“We’ll deploy our KOG as well.”
“Our one and only KOG!? But Kaguya-san isn’t yet at a level where she can fight…”
The one and only KOG they had managed to seize before. All the soldiers here had practiced to the point where they could operate it, which was why they were able to seize it. However, they had never operated it in actual combat, so they weren’t at a level where they could fight.
Apparently, that was why Kaguya was also learning to be a KOG pilot.
“Ah, originally, I was planning to operate it myself, but the final piece fell into place yesterday. Mitsurugi Kenyya-kun, step forward.”
Kenyya was called out. The skeptical gazes he had been receiving from everyone in the strategy meeting room intensified even further.
“I’ve heard from Kaguya. You are said to surpass even the Ice Princess in KOG operation.”
“What did you say!?”
The soldiers raised their voices. The name of the Ice Princess was so famous that she was said to be the second strongest in the country after the War God.
“Can I count on you… Kenyya-kun?”
Isshin had decided yesterday after looking into Kenyya’s eyes. The man Kaguya had brought, the man Kaguya had acknowledged. And.
“To protect Kaguya, and this country, a great responsibility.”
“Leave it to me.”
Kenyya agreed. That was why he had come here.
“To such a newcomer! Who even are you!”
The soldiers started to clamor in agreement. Isshin silenced them with a hand gesture.
“He has sworn to protect Kaguya, with his life. Do you understand what that means?”
“So, that means…”
“Yes, that’s right. He is our family, Kaguya’s precious person.”
The soldiers understood, or rather, misunderstood Isshin’s words. Just as Isshin had intended, they misunderstood.
“Then we have no complaints. Kenyya-kun, I apologize. Please take care of us.”
“Yes, I’ll do my best, please take care of me too.”
Kenyya shook hands firmly with the soldiers one after another. Along with words of congratulations.
Kaguya couldn’t understand it.
“Huh? What? What’s going on?”
Kaguya didn’t understand the situation. But one of the soldiers offered words of blessing to Kaguya. With those words, she understood everything, what her father had said to make the soldiers acknowledge Kenyya.
“Kaguya-san. Congratulations on your marriage.”
“Haaah!?”
With those words, she understood. They were misunderstanding that Kenyya and Kaguya were lovers.
And then, words of blessing were conveyed one after another.
“Ojou! Congratulations!”
“Wait… it’s not”
“When is the ceremony?”
“N-no, it’s not”
“Don’t be shy, we’re looking forward to the children!”
However, if she denied it, it would undermine trust in Kenyya. It could also have a significant impact on the operation. Kaguya’s boyfriend, the daughter of Isshin and a member of the resistance.
If that situation was what made them trust him, then she couldn’t strongly deny it.
That was why Kaguya.
“Uwaaaaaahhhh!!”
Ran away with a bright red face.
…
“Well then, Kenyya-kun, let’s go.”
“Where to?”
“That’s obvious, isn’t it? There are less than 10 hours left until the operation.”
And he was led to the warehouse.
Inside, there was a single black Aasgard-made KOG.
“I can finally ride you. You…”
“This is the card key. You know how to activate it, right?”
“Yes!”
Kenyya had read the manual that was urgently provided by the military, and the activation method was simple. The operation was the same as the simulator. And Kenyya climbed the ladder attached to the back and entered the cockpit.
“The feeling of sitting is the same as the simulator. Insert the card key…”
Then the startup screen appeared.
Since it was made by the Aasgard Empire, the startup screen showed the Aasgard Empire’s flag.
But the operation was the same as before.
“Phew… Alright!”
Kenyya gripped the control levers. He had moved them countless times, but he never thought he would have the chance to ride a real one.
He moved it as usual.
“I-it moved. It moved!”
The KOG started to move straight. The cockpit had inertia control, so there was almost no shaking. But even so, he felt subtle vibrations with each step.
As Kenyya got used to it, he moved it a little faster.
Gradually, gradually. The soldiers who were watching let out voices of admiration.
“It’s amazing, it’s like a human.”
“Yeah, it’s amazing, it would take us years.”
Kenyya moved the KOG as if it were his own limbs. Before long, Kenyya’s movements became like the martial arts of a master. As if dancing, he did backflips and swung his sword.
Kenyya’s operating skills reached a level that even his own body couldn’t achieve. Not just in the simulator, but in the real world, he was getting closer to that movement.
“With this, it looks like we can do it.”
Isshin smiled. Seeing the movements that were no different from what Kaguya had said, he was convinced of the success of the operation.
“Amazing, amazing! It really moves, just as I want it to!”
Kenyya, while ecstatic, checked the details of the movements.
“I’m going to fly a little!”
He warned everyone on the open channel.
And he moved the KOG that even flew in the sky. It was as if he himself was flying in the sky.
“Amazing, the KOG is really amazing.”
Kenyya, bathed in the morning sun from the front, was moved. He felt a greater emotion than when he first operated it in VR.
This world was hell, but he felt that it was worth coming here.
The world was shining in the morning sun.
…
And in the evening, the operation began.
“Ugh, I didn’t need to be on watch duty.”
“Hey, don’t fall asleep.”
The guards of the transport ship changed shifts. In the control room of the huge ship, which was being operated by autopilot, one man sat.
“Nothing’s going to happen anyway. Ugh, sleepy.”
The sea was as calm as ever. It was evening, and the sun was about to set, but the orange sunset faintly illuminated the ship.
The transport ship was carrying 10 KOGs. A single KOG was a weapon that could change the course of a battle. Of course, it depended on the pilot’s ability, but when an Ace-class pilot rode it, it became an unstoppable weapon.
That was why there were specialized schools for training pilots, and the Empire was focusing on pilot training.
“Maybe I can sleep a little…”
The man closed his eyes. But immediately after, a loud alarm sounded.
“W-what is it!?”
The man, startled, looked at the radar. It showed that a ship, which had not been contacted, was approaching at high speed.
“W-wait, what is it!?”
The man immediately warned via radio. Even though he declared it to be an act of hostility, the ship did not respond. It was then that the man finally understood.
“Could it be, this is…”
But it was too late when he realized. A huge jolt hit the transport ship, and a ship blocked its path and came into close contact.
On that ship, a flag was raised.
A white and red flag with the Hinomaru was raised.
And under Isshin’s command.
“Operation start!!”
The KOG seizure operation had begun.