Chapter 198: Resumed Invasion Activities (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 198: Resumed Invasion Activities (2)
One thing I often say when talking about myself is that I’ve traveled to many planets over a long time and had a wide variety of experiences. I don’t say this to imply that I’ve reached some grand enlightenment because of those experiences.
It’s literally just a statement that I’ve seen a lot of things while going through various situations. The universe is far too vast to claim mastery over it just because of a few experiences. Depending on a planet's culture, the expertise you’ve built up can sometimes become completely useless.
But back to the point. Having visited so many planets, I’ve met countless people. In the process, I’ve become acquainted with individuals who were once enemies, but I’ve never actually become close to any of them.
I’ve occasionally seen people around me form close relationships with the enemy, but I’ve never seen a case where they became lovers or a married couple. This is why I say I still have much to experience.
No matter how much a person has done, there will always be more things they haven't experienced than things they have.
At any rate, since I had never seen such a case, I never imagined that I would be the first person in my circle to enter a romantic relationship with a hostile planetary native.
Because of that, I thought I would be confused during our confrontations, but surprisingly, I wasn't. I keep my public and private lives strictly separate, and even though I knew I was fighting my girlfriends, the burden was lighter because they didn't know my true identity.
But now, the situation has changed significantly.
I had confidently told my girlfriends to give it their all if we ever fought, but I hadn't actually considered whether I would be okay.
Until now, I was the only one who knew who they were during our battles. From now on, they will know who I am as well.
The moment I heard that single change voiced by someone else—by Luche—my mind became a mess. I had been naively thinking that since I had fought them without issue before, everything would continue to be fine.
Luche knew that I had continued to fight the members of Hunter Killer even after we started dating.
However, starting with the terror incident, my girlfriends—Team Hunter Killer—found out that their boyfriend was a member of Spacetro’s Team 3.
That was exactly what Luche was worried about.
"You're right. I thought I'd be fine, but now that the battle is actually approaching, I'm feeling a bit restless."
I considered speaking comfortably like last time, but since people had only just left the auditorium, I worried someone might still be around. I answered formally and glanced at our surroundings.
Even if no one is there, I try not to use informal speech with Luche as long as we are at Headquarters, but I suppose I can't help but be wary of my surroundings.
"If they're conscious of you, won't that make things difficult for you, Senior?"
It sounded like she was condoning my relationship with the Hunter Killer members, but if I thought about it, she wasn't focused on who they were; she was focused on the fact that I might be put in a difficult spot.
I suppose it makes sense from Luche's perspective. Even if we have a long history together, she and I are currently in a superior-subordinate relationship. From a boss's perspective, nothing is more tiring than a subordinate creating a difficult situation that interferes with work.
So, knowing that Team Hunter Killer’s combat style would change because of me, she wanted to avoid anything that might hinder the battle.
"For now, I've told them not to worry about me. I'm trying not to be conscious of it either, but it's hard to give a definitive answer before we actually get into a real fight."
Luche watched me with a worried gaze, stroking her chin as she fell into thought.
"What if we arrange it so you don't participate in the battles?"
"I don't want that."
That was the one thing I wanted to avoid. When I'm doing non-combat work, I do my best at the task at hand, but right now, I am deployed to Team 3 as a combatant.
If I can't perform my duties just because I'm fighting my girlfriends, then my value to Team 3 becomes non-existent.
Since I had no intention of sitting out, I firmly rejected the suggestion. Perhaps I was more resolute than expected, because Luche looked at me with a stunned expression, as if caught off guard.
"No matter how my feelings change, I won't let it affect the battle. If necessary, I'll even change my position, but I'm going to keep participating."
"...Fine. If you're that determined, I can't stop you."
Whether she was satisfied with my answer or not, Luche, who had been looking at me with concern, let out a sigh and smiled.
"I figured you'd never say you'd sit out a fight, Senior."
"And I didn't think you'd be the one to suggest I sit out, Team Leader."
The moment our eyes met, we both burst into laughter simultaneously. Although our relationship was the exact opposite of what it used to be—with our use of formal and informal speech swapped—the feeling of facing Luche after learning she was A.T. wasn't much different from the old days.
"I'm the one who has to solve the problem, after all. Besides, who's the one who made me make such a suggestion?"
"That would be me."
When I spoke with a bold attitude as if I had done nothing wrong, Luche let out a hollow laugh, looking exasperated.
"Unbelievable. Since you're being so shameless, buy me something sweet later."
"Your excuses are as good as they've always been."
"And who taught me how to use excuses to turn a situation to my advantage?"
"That would also be me."
Looking at her like this—and looking back—I realized many of Luche's small habits were things I had taught A.T.
To be precise, it wasn't that I taught her, but that she watched me and learned. These days, I live while minding others and my bosses, but back when I was in charge of Luche, I was young and reckless, living without caring what anyone thought.
I suppose it's a relief she didn't inherit my rudeness.
"Shall we head in? You need to brief our team on what they need to know."
"I should."
Just as we were about to head back to the office, having said all there was to say about the fight with Hunter Killer, I remembered something about Seira and stopped in my tracks.
"By the way, Team Leader."
I called out to Luche, who was walking beside me. She had been about to take a step ahead but stopped and turned around at the sound of my voice.
"Has there been anything strange about the 4th Team Leader lately?"
"About Seira?"
Luche tilted her head at the sudden question, casting her gaze into the air as she recalled Seira’s behavior over the past few days.
Since Seira rarely showed any noticeable change in expression, it was impossible to know what she was thinking. I simply stared at Luche's face, waiting for her to finish thinking.
"No. Nothing strange."
After thinking it over, Luche shook her head, certain that there had been no particular change in Seira’s recent behavior.
"Did that woman do something to you again, Senior?!"
Then, Luche’s voice suddenly spiked.
"No, no. I was just asking, just in case."
Luche and Seira had always been incompatible. Whenever they were together, they would glare at each other, never letting a single word go without a retort.
Having watched that process from right beside them, I had no desire to cause a misunderstanding and watch them growl at each other again.
"There had to be a reason for you to ask 'just in case.' That woman, seriously..."
I had tried to deny it, but it was already too late.
"I told her to stop making you do things all the time. I'm the Team Leader, so why is she interfering? But now she's going directly to you without even going through me?"
She had been talking to me directly for a long time now, but telling Luche that would only make things worse. More importantly, this was the first I’d heard of Seira telling Luche to stop making me do things.
This just proved how poor the communication was between Luche and Seira. They both spoke to me separately, but they never shared what they said to each other.
As I just mentioned, Luche is my direct superior. Therefore, Seira has no authority to give me direct orders. Of course, the things Seira had said to me weren't exactly orders or tasks, but Luche wouldn't see it that way.
As if to show she didn't see it that way, Luche immediately bared her hostility toward Seira the moment she heard my words.
"Luche!"
Thinking I needed to calm her down first, I called her name with a bit of force in my voice.
Luche, who had been scowling in anger toward Seira, flinched and looked at me with wide, round eyes when I addressed her with such a strong accent.
"It's not like that."
Realizing Luche wouldn't be convinced otherwise, I ended up explaining what had happened with Seira myself—from the moment Yubin and Seira ran into each other at the house to the fact that Seira now knew everything.
I added that since I had mentioned Luche also knew about my situation, I was just wondering if Seira had said anything to her.
I thought I had explained it well enough for her to understand, but Luche’s expression remained pouting.
"..."
When Luche didn't react after I finished my explanation, I wondered if I had explained it properly.
"...Are you sulking?"
I had told her everything because I thought the cause of her pouting was Seira. But looking at her face, I suddenly got the feeling that Seira wasn't the reason for that expression.
Then what was the cause? Who else was here besides Luche and me? No one. In other words, the only conclusion was that the cause was me.
"I was only angry because I thought Seira was being unfair to you... but you're getting mad at me..."
It seemed she thought I was angry because I had called her name firmly to calm her down.
"I wasn't getting mad. I just..."
"...Hmph."
I was left speechless as she snorted and whipped her head away. I was used to this since it wasn't the first or second time Luche had done this, but it felt fresh today.
Fresh or not, I already knew how to handle her when she acted like this, so I started by stroking her hair.
"Alright, alright. I'll buy you something delicious next time."
"You already promised that."
The excuse she used to get me to buy her food had somehow turned into a promise. Even so, there was no point in saying, "That wasn't a promise." It wouldn't work on her.
The feeling of comforting Luche felt like I was comforting both Luche and A.T. at the same time, even though they were the same person, and a hollow chuckle escaped me.
"Fine. What do you want me to do?"
"..."
With her head still turned away, the pouting Luche spread her arms wide. Only her eyes were directed toward me.
I used to think this brazenness—demanding I fix her bad mood immediately—was just Luche's personality. Her features and impression were different from back then, but the current Luche overlapped perfectly with the old A.T.
"I wasn't mad."
I pulled her into a hug and lightly stroked her hair. The thought naturally occurred to me that if I ever had a daughter in the distant future, this is what it would feel like to comfort her when she was sulking.
"I think I'd feel like forgiving you if I went to your place and we watched a movie together."
"Huh? I can't do that. I moved into my girlfriend's place."
There was no movement at all, to the point where I could feel her freeze instantly in my arms.
"Huh?"
Luche, seemingly snapping back to her senses in an instant, pulled away from me and couldn't hide her bewilderment as she looked up. The Team Leaders were the ones who said it would be better for me to move since I had five girlfriends, so why was she surprised now?
"I said I moved into my girlfriend's place."
"Why?!"
"Huh? What do you mean, why?"
"Why didn't you come to my house?!"
"Why on earth would I go to your house?!"
I admit Luche and I are close, but logically speaking, it made no sense for me to move into her house.
I moved into Su-ah's place because, aside from the benefits of living there, she's my girlfriend, and I thought it would be nice to live together.
"Why did you move into a house where a member of Hunter Killer lives? What are you two planning to do?!"
"That's my privacy. Do I have to report things like that now, too?"
"I don't know! You're an idiot, Senior!"
After suddenly shouting that, Luche ran off toward the Headquarters building where the office was located.
No matter how much I thought about it, the only thing on my mind was, 'Am I not right?' But Luche had no intention of listening, and I was left standing there with an exasperated expression, watching her retreating back.