The Second Escape (3)
My reunion with a superior officer was paradise—no. It was the worst.
Johannes Kalon, the former battalion commander who had died at a Valkyrie's hands mere months ago, had somehow turned to stone and appeared before me.
"Hey, hey, hey! Stop rolling me around! I'm getting dizzy!"
No matter how many times I ran that voice through my mind, it was unmistakably familiar.
Was I hearing things?
No. That was impossible.
Just as every person has unique fingerprints, every mage radiates a distinct mana wavelength. We call it a mana signature. Any proper mage can sense those signatures and tell friend from foe.
There was no mistaking it. This mana signature belonged to Battalion Commander Kalon.
"Is it really you, sir? Is it truly you?"
"Yeah. Long time no see."
In truth, I had felt a mana signature when I first met David as well. I simply hadn't understood what it meant back then. The thought that a person could become a rock had never crossed my mind.
Lucky bastard.
"How on earth did you end up like this?"
"I don't know the details myself. It's a long story… but before that, could you stop touching me? Getting groped all over by another guy feels absolutely foul."
"Ah. Yes, sir."
"I may look like this, but I still consider myself human. I'd appreciate it if you treated me accordingly."
I examined the humming stone more carefully.
From the outside alone, I couldn't identify what kind of rock it was. There were no tool marks, yet it formed a perfect spherical symmetry. No naturally occurring mineral cleaved this way.
Unnatural, and yet somehow natural.
Fascinating. My scholarly curiosity was practically overflowing.
The battalion commander had asked to be treated like a human being. Looking at his exterior, though, that was easier said than done. He was a rock from every angle. Checking his streak color wouldn't hurt, would it?
"…You were just thinking about scraping me with a streak plate."
"Commander."
"No. Don't. That's an order."
"Commander—no, Senior—you know you wouldn't be able to resist either."
There was a reason I could call this man my senior. We really had been senior and junior.
Battalion Commander Kalon and I first met at Laron Academy. We shared the same department. I was a freshman when he was a graduating senior, and he ran the mineral exploration club. That was where our connection began.
Every week, the club members tore through mountains and streams. Officially, we were collecting specimens for research. Of course, a certain amount of personal interest was involved.
From then on, Senior and I spent a fair amount of time together, and when I was assigned to the Eighth Fleet he became something of a mental anchor for me. At the very least, there was no cascading abuse from above, which was a blessing.
So even though this reunion ought to have been a cauldron of emotion, I was certain Senior Kalon would understand a shameless junior whose first instinct was academic hunger.
"Just a light scrape? Would that be all right?"
"Ugh—ah—no! Absolutely not!"
Apparently not.
"Look carefully. This perfect physique of mine—no, this perfect rockique. Flawless spherical symmetry. How hideous would it look if you put a scratch on it?"
"Hmm."
"A first-rate specimen only reveals its true worth when you appreciate it. I've been telling you since the old days to distinguish research samples from display pieces. Besides, I'm harder than most streak plates right now. Don't waste your effort."
"Very logical of you."
"Right?"
"But Senior, you know my personality."
"Huh? Gyaaaaaah!"
I scraped him with the streak plate I was carrying.
Scratch. Scratch. Scratch.
Nothing. It wouldn't mark.
"That hurts! It hurts, you bastard! What the hell do you think you're doing to your superior officer and senior?!"
"My apologies. This is the first time I've ever scraped a stone that has a sense of self… Once I find a harder plate, I'll be gentler next time."
"Just don't do it at all!"
A sigh resonated inside my head.
"Still, I'm glad. It feels like the Erihi Ronshstein I knew from the academy days is back. Before I died—just a few months ago—you'd lost all expression."
"What do you mean?"
"Even allowing for the war, your emotions had dried up completely, you hopeless junior. I kept telling you to lighten up that face of yours, but it went in one ear and out the other while you churned out military magic stones nonstop. Back then you didn't have a shred of ease about you."
I remembered. The days I spent researching without sleep.
It had been for revenge—for my seniors, juniors, and classmates. They had died so unjustly. The only thing I could do was craft more powerful magic stones and knock as many dragon knights out of the sky as possible.
"Your face back then was pure vengeance. You didn't look human. You looked like a component of the state."
"…I suppose I did."
"Judging by the state of you, it seems you've been shipwrecked on this island… Well, shipwreck might be better than war. So—is the improved color in your face thanks to those ladies over there?"
Only then did I sense the presence behind me. The Valkyrie and the Saintess were watching me with pitying eyes.
"This man has clearly lost his mind. Talking to a rock just sitting there…"
"It's a regular occurrence. He does it several times a day."
"He must have been under enormous stress from the war. He might even have developed a mental illness. The Magic Kingdom was the aggressor, but still… it's a little sad."
"…Ah."
What? Why? Had they never seen someone converse with a rock before?
"Both of them are beauties. But they seem to be enemy combatants. Hmm. Unusual situation."
I told the battalion commander everything that had happened. As I spoke, the Valkyrie's and the Saintess's faces grew darker still.
"I see. So that black-haired woman is the one who killed me."
"Aren't you angry?"
"I don't know. Mostly just hollow, I think."
There was one other being who agreed with Kalon's words.
"I feel the same way."
David.
"You… isn't that Second Lieutenant Kanihi? How did you end up like this?"
"I don't know, sir. When I came to, I was a star-shaped rock. I thought I was dreaming and just sat there blankly until, somehow, Major Ronshstein picked me up."
"So Erihi got promoted in the meantime. Is this brat the battalion commander now?"
"Yes, sir. Major Ronshstein inherited Major Kalon's post."
"I'm a lieutenant colonel now. I died, after all."
"Please call me first lieutenant as well. I died too."
An alumni reunion had broken out out of nowhere. Among the dead, no less.
I felt dizzy. Disturbed.
All this time I had assumed the comrades who died at the Valkyrie's hands would speak with one voice and demand revenge. Instead, something entirely different was unfolding.
At the same time, I began to question a fact I had simply accepted without thinking.
Why had these two become stones instead of ghosts?
"Come to think of it, last time I heard one of the mage's rocks speak. It definitely said 'wah.' What was its name again? David, was it…?"
"…Colonel?"
"It's true! Don't look at me like that! I'm telling you it's true!"
There was no time for deep contemplation. First we would escape this island. Once we were completely safe, we could uncover the truth.
In the mountains we found a few more maritime charts and ancient documents. With the mana compass readings already recorded, there was nothing else worth examining, so we decided to descend.
On the way down, David and former Battalion Commander Kalon chattered without pause. It was a bit noisy, but having audio fill the silence was pleasant in its own way—like taking a stroll with the radio on.
Then Kalon raised a question.
"We've been talking this much, but it seems most of what we say doesn't reach those women."
"Exclamations get through, though."
"Really? Let's try it."
Ooooooooh.
The two stones resonated. The Valkyrie and the Saintess, who had been leading the descent, leapt like cats whose tails had been stepped on. In an instant the two servicewomen put distance between us.
"W-what was that sound?"
"These stones made it."
"What on earth are they?"
"My army comrades."
"Don't say ridiculous things."
"It's the truth. I keep telling you—my dead classmates are right here."
"…"
The Saintess's eyes turned a clear, deep blue. The emotion I felt from her was pity.
"She seems to feel sorry for you, Major."
"Damn it, Erihi. What the hell did you do? How does a Holy Kingdom chaplain end up looking at you with that much pity?"
A sigh slipped from my lips. No matter what I said, the Valkyrie and the Saintess wouldn't believe me. At times like this, keeping my mouth shut was the best option.
Once we returned to base, we began stockpiling water and food in earnest. At the same time, we cross-referenced the maps taken from the sirens and ghouls and selected the next island worth visiting.
Choosing the island was not difficult.
"North-northeast."
When I tied a fragment of origin stone to a leaf and set it floating on water, it pointed in that direction—the place showing the strongest mana response. In other words, the direction where the barrier's entrance would be.
One week. Two weeks.
Around the time Hazkail's capital would have been deep in midwinter, our party finally finished every preparation and launched the lifeboat.
Our next destination was a dumbbell-shaped island.
Magic Kingdom Southern Fleet.
The private quarters of Air Force General Tetman Gipold.
Tetman let out a low sigh. Lately, bad news had been piling up, and there was far too much demanding his attention.
"This is not good."
He set down his cigar and muttered.
"So. Has Major General Adora arrived?"
"Yes, sir. She's waiting outside."
"Send her in."
The aide-de-camp saluted Tetman and opened the command office door. A moment later, a young woman in a black uniform stepped inside.
The Seven Blades.
That dress uniform was worn only by the President's personal guard.
The woman in Seven Blades uniform offered a casual salute and shut the door. The moment she turned her head, her short-cropped steel-gray hair swayed. Her eyes held both languor and ease at once.
"Reporting to the General. Yeah."
"Adora. You've grown quite a bit."
"Yeah. Thanks to you."
Tetman's gaze dropped slightly. Adora wore a silver sword at her hip.
"Didn't the aide tell you to turn in your weapon?"
"I told him it was fine. Yeah."
"Haa, that idiot…"
"Shouldn't it be all right? It's you and me, after all."
"Public and private must be kept strictly separate. This is the military. If you're going to wear a general's stars at your age, you need to be more careful about how you conduct yourself."
"That's exactly why I'm wearing it."
Chew, chew.
Adora worked her lips as she stepped closer.
"I'm in a position to guard His Excellency the President. Surveillance or assassination attempts could come anytime, anywhere—so of course I should at least carry a sword."
Adora's breath drew nearer. Tetman narrowed his eyes. Before he knew it, her lips were almost at his ear.
Fwooo—POP.
A raucous sound filled the command office.
"Right, Dad?"
"You little brat! Who blows bubble gum on duty?! Spit it out right now!"
"If I don't chew something I get bored. Yeah."
"Spit it out while I'm still asking nicely!"
Adora Gipold whined as she wrapped the gum in a tissue.
Once Tetman had calmed down, he asked,
"So. What brings you here?"
"A classified order from Supreme Command. We're to blockade the Holy Kingdom's Sacred Engineering Unit from approaching our 'facility' and crush them with full force. Yeah."
Adora grinned.
"I hear it's a unit composed of beastmen. While we're at it, let's pull those filthy things out by the roots."