“Ma’am. Emergency alert detected. It’s ＜Fenrir＞.”
“Hmph. Here it comes again!”
＜Ringo＞ reported to Eve, who was doing her daily running in the training room.
Eve stopped running and took a deep breath. ＜Ringo＞ quickly approached her and handed her a towel.
“Well, it’s a bit short, but it’ll do. I’ll listen while heading to the command center.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
Eve quickly wiped her face with the towel and hung it around her neck. She accepted the electrolyte replenishment drink that was handed to her at the perfect moment and started walking while drinking it.
“Same as usual?”
“Yes, Ma’am. No unusual behavior observed. It is believed to be patrolling its territory.”
A projection display appeared diagonally in front of Eve as she walked. Displayed were various data captured by the motion detection sensors.
“Footsteps, estimated speed, and appearance location are all within the predicted range. Same response as always?”
“Yes, Ma’am. ＜Iris＞ has already started the response.”
While answering, ＜Ringo＞ quickly put a jacket on Eve. Then, ＜Ringo＞ skillfully unraveled the hair that had been tied up for exercise and the turban that had been wrapped around it. Following Eve’s movements, without hindering her actions at all, she untied her hair, combed it, and arranged her appearance.
It was a practiced movement. Perhaps both master and servant enjoyed such play.
“Right now, we have those fuel-stone warheads deployed, right…? Yes, scheduled for deployment. I wonder how it will go.”
“If we don’t clearly demonstrate our ability to respond, there is a high probability that the territory will be expanded again, according to the prediction results. A war of attrition is easy, but the impact on the surrounding environment is too great.”
Incidentally, ＜Fenrir＞ had been appearing near the border like this irregularly since the previous battle.
At first, they braced themselves for another invasion, but it seemed to be some kind of reconnaissance, and now it is believed to be a normal territorial patrol behavior for ＜Fenrir＞.
And each time, they fire a large number of warheads and missiles to intercept it.
“Soil contamination from radioactive materials and heavy metals, huh? It’s helping the maturation of removal technology, but this is too frequent…”
The main component of the shells is depleted uranium, which has a higher specific gravity than iron or lead, in order to increase their power. There is also the aspect of disposing of the stock of by-products generated for the refining of nuclear fuel.
In addition, various heavy metals and harmful chemical substances are used in missiles, so a large-scale attack would severely contaminate the surrounding soil.
“Removal itself is possible, but the surrounding ecosystem will be greatly destroyed, so we don’t want to do it frequently.”
And the decontamination work is carried out by brute force, tearing off several meters of the surface soil of the target area and throwing it into a decomposition and recovery device (recycler) to separate the toxic substances.
Naturally, the inhabiting animals are scattered, and the vegetation is completely destroyed.
Even if it is a limited area, causing too much environmental destruction can lead to various problems, so it is a troublesome task that increases the stress levels of the intelligences belonging to ＜The Tree＞.
“Fuel-stone warheads, first practical deployment, huh? I hope they work properly…”
“Let’s trust Asahi’s verification results. The 12th Jotunn-class ship equipped with fuel-stone warheads has begun to move. Approximately 15 minutes until arrival on scene.”
Eve and ＜Ringo＞, who had tidied themselves up to some extent while walking, entered the command center. Akane and Ichigo were waiting in the room, backing up the local strategic AI ＜Iris＞.
“Akane, Ichigo, thank you for your hard work. What’s the situation?”
“Yes, Onee-sama. The scramble of the attack aircraft is complete. The hypersonic missiles launched in advance will arrive on scene shortly.”
23 seconds until impact.
Such a display was posted on the projection display. The ordinary warhead missiles for deterrence were rapidly approaching ＜Froz＞, which had appeared on the scene.
“Identification complete. Individual identification name ＜Froz＞. Estimated normal territorial patrol behavior.”
Multiple flashes occurred in the video from the surveillance device. The missiles, flying at a super high speed of Mach 6, impacted around ＜Froz＞.
Only six missiles, and without precision guidance, so it’s nothing more than a deterrent. However, ＜Froz＞ seems to be measuring our response capabilities, so it is important to shorten the time it takes to respond as much as possible.
It is a display of information that we have already noticed ＜Froz＞’s approach and can respond at any time.
“Attack aircraft will arrive in 5 minutes. Active radar is already activated. Its presence should be known.”
“＜Froz＞’s direction of movement has changed. It is leaving the forest. It is entering the buffer zone.”
＜Froz＞ jumped into the buffer zone set outside the boundary set by ＜The Tree＞.
However, this is also its usual behavior.
It is confirming where and what is set as its territory.
Because it accurately remembers and judges this area, the threat level of the ＜Fenrir＞ species is set very high.
“Attack aircraft, missile launch. 80 seconds until impact.”
“＜Froz＞ reacted to the attack aircraft or missiles. Estimated reaction to radar waves.”
The advanced information gathering devices buried on site are sending analysis results one after another.
＜Froz＞ seems to be measuring ＜The Tree＞’s response capabilities, but ＜The Tree＞ is doing the same.
In these multiple territorial patrol behaviors, ＜The Tree＞ is making slightly different responses each time. They are trying to analyze the abilities of the ＜Fenrir＞ species based on their reactions to it.
“We’ve got a pretty good idea of ＜Froz＞’s response capabilities during normal patrols, huh?”
“Yes, Onee-sama. Information has been gathered on the range of reaction to radar waves, the intensity of reaction to sounds and vibrations, and the speed at which it can respond. However, we are not certain that this is not deceptive information, so the estimation accuracy is not very high.”
At least, ＜The Tree＞ is incorporating random elements into its responses so as not to give information to the other party. Similarly, the possibility that ＜Froz＞ is also taking deceptive actions always exists.
The ＜Fenrir＞ species is judged to have quite high intelligence based on the results of past behavioral observations. If so, it may be carrying out diversions such as giving false information to opposing parties.
“If we could have a dialogue, there might still be a possibility of mutual understanding…”
However, it is difficult to think that the other party has the will to have a dialogue at present. Or, if we continue to associate with it patiently, there is a possibility that such a development will occur eventually.
It is hard to believe that a species living in the Demon Forest, which is dominated by strife, would actively seek dialogue.
“Missile, entry trajectory.”
“＜Froz＞ seems to have entered an interception stance.”
In the video, ＜Froz＞ firmly planted its limbs on the ground and glared at the sky. Although the sound cannot be heard, there is a sense of spirit that makes it seem as if a growl is leaking from its clenched mouth.
Is it atmospheric molecules that have been exposed to high temperatures and turned into plasma, flickering from between its interlocking fangs?
“Missile, impact.”
“＜Froz＞ released a breath of interception.”
An amount of light that caused the video to white out occurred instantaneously. The observation equipment, which had been white-out, adjusted the amount of light immediately afterward.
A crimson lotus flower blooming in the sky is displayed on the entire display.
“All 18 missiles were shot down in the air.”
“＜Froz＞’s number of simultaneous attack targets, speed, and accuracy all exceed the previous time.”
“Hmm, it’s strong…”
＜Froz＞, which appears every time, is definitely growing. Or, it is accumulating learning of how to respond. It will no longer be possible to hit it with just fast missiles.
It also has the troublesome property that even if a saturation attack is launched, it cannot be contained within the attack range in the first place if it is completely focused on escaping.
“At this rate, it looks like it will break through someday…”
“Yes, Ma’am. ＜Iris＞ is also concerned about that point.”
“＜Iris＞ is eagerly awaiting the practical deployment of fuel-stone warheads. Its response capabilities are increasing, but it can still hit the warheads. This timing is important.”
“It seems to be the last possible moment to make them aware that we have a fatal means of attack. ＜Iris＞ reports that if there are a few more clashes of this scale, ＜Froz＞ may be able to respond completely.”
And so.
While the aerial bombardment bought them time, the Land Battleship Squadrons were finally approaching the area.
In reality, it’s interaction with my neighbor, who might be my closest friend. A slice-of-life episode.
Well, I’m about to beat them up, though.