Hey, Who Are You?
In the orbit transport ship heading to the Obelisk.
“How much longer until we arrive?”
“Look out the window, Miss Maria.”
“Hehe, now I'm Maria 'Captain', right? Is that the 'Obelisk' over there?”
Maria was chatting pleasantly with the Edelvine family butler while gazing at the assault destroyer Obelisk visible far out the window.
“Yes. The David-class assault destroyer, 'Obelisk,' is what you're seeing now.”
Elia is the captain there. Her heart began to beat slowly. How much has my sister changed after two months? Elia, Elia, my dear sister, Elia. It seems she recently achieved a historic feat by shooting down an Unknown's ambush.
“Would it be better to send a letter informing Lady Elia?”
“It's fine. A surprise visit is the best. It's a good excuse for a surprise inspection.”
“Miss, your love for your brother is something else.”
“Elia is really lovable. But...”
She said that, then with a somehow dangerous and decadent smile, she looked at the front seat.
“Everything is good, but it's uncomfortable. The Elder Council member is following us?”
“The Elders have ordered surveillance. I am only following orders.”
“Well, do as you like. Interfering with a family reunion is truly the Elder Council's style.”
Maria shrugged as if it was ridiculous. Then her steel prosthetic left arm made a clanking sound.
“It's the weekend. Shall I grant you vacation time with my authority?”
“I am on a mission. I will decline.”
“How diligent. So, what is your name?”
“Nakiri Endel, direct subordinate of the Londinium Elder Council.”
A surveillance agent of the Londinium Elder Council wearing a red robe.
To Maria, she was a thorn in the side.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Nakiri Endel.”
“......”
“Oh my, Nakiri is very quiet, isn't he?”
Conversation stopped. The High Elf who introduced himself as 'Nakiri Endel' no longer seemed willing to talk and closed his mouth tightly. Maria's expression turned gloomy, and she called the butler and gave orders.
“Butler? Report the situation on Uranus planet.”
“Miss, is that okay? That is...”
“It's fine. The 'Incompetent Elder Council' can't do anything.”
The butler glanced at Nakiri with narrowed eyes, and Maria smiled leisurely and answered. Hearing the words 'Incompetent Elder Council,' Nakiri bit his lip once, but that was it.
“...I will report. Currently, we are tracking the behind-the-scenes of armed forces claiming the invalidity of Edelvine family's rule on Uranus and inciting unrest. According to information, they are estimated to have their base on Titan, a satellite of Uranus.”
The butler took out a small circular hologram projector from his pocket and placed it on the tea table in front of Maria. She stared at the projected image of the satellite Titan for a moment, then closed her eyes and pondered.
“...By the way, butler, the picture hanging there seems to be upside down.”
“Hehe, what a mistake. I will remove it now.”
Nakiri stared at the picture the butler removed from the wall, but since it was an incomprehensible picture, he couldn't distinguish front, back, left, or right. She thought, "I have a strange hobby of collecting pictures." Then she recalled the Elders' order to spy and listened to their work report.
“Titan, I still don't know much about it.”
“Is that so?”
“I've been so busy that I didn't have time to pay attention to the satellite's situation. Sorry.”
Maria awkwardly smiled and tapped the hologram, and the flat map of Titan floated in the air. There were six blue dots on the flat map. When she touched the dots, the main forces of Titan appeared.
“This... By the way, there are five force leaders besides the lord, right?”
“Yes, Miss.”
“Ah, then they must be the culprits! The lord of Titan will have a hard time.”
She clicked her tongue with an unpleasant expression.
“Will you help him?”
“Of course, a loyal subject must help. So, um...”
Maria tapped her lips and ordered the butler.
“Protect the lord of Titan and spare no support for the territory.”
“Everything is according to Miss's will.”
“By the way, this strawberry!”
She picked up the red strawberry in front of her and bit into it.
“Not to your liking? Shall I remove it?”
“No need. This strawberry is delicious enough.”
“Understood.”
She laughed once and said while looking at the strawberry.
“It seems like it's freshly picked.”
“I think so too.”
The half-eaten strawberry spun in Maria's hand.
“Butler, do you know the expiration date of the strawberry?”
“I think it's about three days.”
“I see. If any sign of spoilage appears later...”
Maria's words trailed off, and suddenly she clapped her hands and said, “Ah, that would be good!” and added.
“How about making a smoothie by blending it?”
“Excellent idea. I will do so.”
Listening to their conversation, Nakiri thought, 'How childish.' The work report was full of holes, and it was no different from the foolish conversation of typical noble daughters. The Elders' order to thoroughly monitor this woman felt insignificant.
“Nakiri, how about one? It's the strawberry that is the pride of my 01 district?”
“I am on a mission. I will decline.”
“Hah! How delicious it is.”
“Interesting. Now she's pouting too. I don't think it's worth paying attention to.”
She turned her head and looked out the window.
“Camouflage identification, business documents, and the captain's uniform from the Aegis Defense Department.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Raise your arm. I will put it on you.”
The pure white uniform symbolizing the Aegis Defense Department. Those who wear this uniform bear both respect and fear. To friendly forces towards the Aegis Union, it means infinite trust and reverence, and to opposing forces, it means merciless death.
“It feels different since I wore it when I was young.”
“It looks beautiful. Lady Elia must remember it too.”
“I hope so. This is more precious to me than anything.”
The uniform from the captain days. Although Maria is now a Brigadier General, a much higher rank, this uniform had a special story. It was the uniform she was wearing when she first met Elia.
“I'm so excited. Honestly, my heart is racing and I can't hold back.”
“Please convey my regards to Lady Maria.”
“Hehe, of course.”
“Wait a moment.”
While having a warm conversation.
Suddenly, Nakiri stopped Maria.
Their gazes locked in the air for a few minutes.
“The Elder Council's approval comes first in a face-to-face meeting.”
“Oh? What does that mean?”
Once.
“Wait here until the Elder Council's permission is granted.”
“Nakiri? But Elia is my sister, shouldn't I see her first?”
Twice.
“The Elder Council has not granted permission-”
“Hic. Please, Nakiri. Even though I—”
“Elia Edelvine's custody is managed by the Elder Council! Everything is Elder- Ugh?!”
Three times.
Before Nakiri could finish speaking, explosive killing intent erupted from her. Maria's narrowed eyes, which had been curved like a crescent moon, widened slightly as she scanned Nakiri's entire body. The eyes of a beast digging into the prey's weaknesses. A cold fear permeated the surroundings.
“The Elder Council's dog barks well. Who, who is managing whom?”
“H, ugh? Kuaaa?!”
The tone of the voice didn't change, but the smile on her twisted lips implied that it had touched her nerve.
Nakiri, suppressed by the dense killing intent dominating the space, grabbed his neck and fell to the floor. He couldn't breathe.
“I will teach you the Edelvine way. Listen well.”
The 0th rank successor of the Edelvine family slowly stood up from her seat. She grabbed Nakiri's hair with her steel prosthetic and pressed it to the floor. Her pink lips approached Nakiri's ear. And for some reason, the ancient language that only members of the Elder Council could use flowed smoothly from her lips.
“Pokud za mnou někdo stojí, budu ho chránit. (If anyone stands behind me, I will protect them.) … A pokud budete stát při mně, budu je respektovat.” (…And if you stand by me, I will respect them.) But if you dare to stand in front of me... I will thoroughly destroy you, I won't ask you to kill me. Whatever it is. So, 'presbytery' try to stand in front of me. This is the last warning.”
This is a story before Maria went on a business trip.
Londinium 01 district, small bar Eden.
There was still some time until opening.
“...Should I change the bandage or something.”
Linda Scarlett, the bartender and master of 'Eden', placed a small water bowl on the customer's table. Then she sat down, slowly unwound the bandage wrapped around her hand, and wiped the black scab of the old wound on the back of her hand. The wound was almost healed, leaving only a thin scar. The clear water gradually turned into a dark red from the dead blood. She stared blankly at the cloudy water bowl.
“If I had...”
It had been a long time since she moved here. Originally, moving to another district was prohibited, but by chance, she won the 01 district transfer application held in 03 district. About 300 winners. Later, it was revealed to be a competition rate of 13,000 to 1.
“If I had come here with Elia.”
Londinium 01 district was very warm. The life of freedom felt from the people. Kind neighbors. A harmonious place without discrimination between races. No distinction between unregistered and registered. Above all, the power of the family ruling here was so strong that there was no cruel Elder Council war preparation like 'unregistered conscription'. Feeling the warmth, she started to hate herself for not being able to come here with Elia. At the same time, she hated the world that didn't send Elia to such a place.
“This can't be.”
The war that took Elia.
In the murder competition starting with overwhelming violence, those with pure and clear souls like Elia could never survive. The fight between those who wage war with childish minds to protect precious things and those who know over thirty ways to kill people will end in a tragedy with a predetermined ending.
“Snap out of it, Linda. It's almost opening time.”
She tapped her cheek with her palm. She had thought about death many times in endless overflowing sadness. But then she couldn't wait for Elia who might come back.
At that time, she saw a small ointment tube.
A beautiful black-haired woman customer with an impressive steel prosthetic arm.
“Her name was... Maria, right.”
A while ago.
While cooking a simple meal for the customer, she accidentally dropped the knife, cutting the back of her hand with a sharp blade. Linda, without thinking, wrapped the wound with a clean handkerchief nearby and continued cooking. However, the customer sitting right in front of her, waiting for the reserved coffee beans, suddenly shouted loudly.
“Oh, you got hurt?!”
“Ah, did you see? It's okay. This kind of wound is common...”
“Don’t! Absolutely not! Wait here without moving!”
“There... customer? I'm okay-”
Before she could finish her words, the woman who ran out of the store in a hurry to get ointment and bandages introduced herself as 'Maria'. She treated Linda's wound with her own hands and told her that she found this place Eden because the cafe around her original residence was closed, so she couldn't get coffee beans. Even as she left with the reserved coffee beans, she left with urgent warnings as if she were a mother.
“Don’t dip your injured hand in water for a while.”
“Customer, this is-”
“I don't know! I don't know! Answer me!”
“Y-yes.”
The ointment smelled like cherry blossoms.
Suddenly, she remembered the photo in her room.
A photo taken under blooming cherry blossoms. The child who left only memories like falling cherry petals and disappeared. Elia's voice seemed to be heard from somewhere. Kind, gentle, soothing voice. The child who was happy seeing the cherry blossoms. Feeling a gloomy feeling as if she would sink into the memory of that time, she hurriedly applied the ointment and finished bandaging. Thinking she should boil some coffee, she picked up the water bowl and stood up.
At that moment, with a ding, the customer came.
“Welcome-”
“-Hello. How is the wound?”
“...They say even a tiger comes when called. Ah, in this case, it's not a tiger.”
Linda showed the newly bandaged bandage and smiled at Maria.
“It has healed a lot thanks to you. Would you like a cup of coffee as a sample?”
“Ah, um... Today, I'll just take it. I have to go back quickly.”
Because she was in a hurry, she quickly took the reserved coffee beans from the shelf. While handing over the carefully packaged hazelnut coffee beans, Linda asked kindly.
“Are you very busy today? That's a shame.”
“I have to go on a business trip urgently. For about a week?”
“You’re busy. Take care.”
“Of course. 'Linda' also have to stay healthy while I'm away?”
“...Yes? Yes.”
While looking at Maria's back as she hurriedly left the door,
“By the way, did I say my name...?”
Linda tilted her head.