Who Is the Partner?
"What're you doing? Keep talking."
"W-wait a sec... Didn't you hear something weird just now?"
"Hear what? Seres, you gonna keep changing the subject like this?"
"N-no... I definitely heard..."
Netoru acted like he hadn't heard a thing. Acknowledging that sound would give away Karen's presence. But Seres seemed really bothered by whatever she'd heard moments ago. Her eyes kept drifting toward the closet.
He needed to snap her out of it first. Pushing her further might work, but it'd cross a line he couldn't uncross.
...Guess this is as far as it goes.
Netoru slowly released the hem of Seres's clothes he'd been holding up. Of course, he had no real intention of going through with it. Not with Karen watching. Keeping the pressure on would just complicate things later. Karen had heard enough by now to grasp the situation—what Seres had been trying to pull. Plenty of ammo for excuses if needed.
So instead, Netoru deliberately crushed the recorder in his hand to steal her attention.
—Crunch.
"...Ah."
Seres, who'd been sneaking glances at the closet, blinked in surprise with a small gasp.
He didn't need this junk to handle her anyway.
"Seres."
He called her name low and steady. In that instant, shadows sharpened the edges of his fierce features, and his cold eyes turned predatory, like a bird of prey.
"........."
Pinned beneath him, Seres trembled faintly in fear. Her eyes, lips, breath—none of it steady. Soon her face paled.
A chill seeped from Netoru's voice.
"This is your first and last warning. Pull something like this again, and I won't let it slide."
His words cut like a blade of honed ice—something Seres couldn't refuse in her current state.
"Your answer?"
"...Got it."
She answered in a tiny voice, averting her gaze while shaking. Netoru clicked his tongue indifferently, released her wrists, and pulled back.
Seres lay there blankly staring at the ceiling for a while before slowly sitting up and straightening her disheveled clothes first.
The only sound in the room was the rustle of fabric as she dressed, heavy silence stretching on.
From the corner of the bed, Seres finally spoke in a trembling voice.
"...Netoru. I'm truly sorry about what just happened. But don't get the wrong idea. I mean it—I don't want one-sided coupling like today. That's not how I want to fight."
One-sided coupling meant no control ceded to her at all. She was pleading now: give her a little say during coupling.
Did she hate losing dominance that much? He'd roughed her up in battle to test her limits, but he hadn't expected this response.
Actually, he'd half-anticipated it. Her fragility was obvious from their first coupling. He didn't know exactly what trauma he'd triggered, but her teary cockpit breakdown showed she wasn't mentally tough.
And here she was proving it again.
"Netoru. Believe me."
No acting in her earnest plea. She'd become a wilted lily.
"I won't stand on pride anymore. I know I can't handle you."
Resignation filled her eyes, like she'd given up everything.
Watching her, Netoru wondered: if she was like this, why accept the swap? She could've refused during the briefing without bending her pride.
Unit circumstances? Trading her self-respect for that?
"You're groveling like this, but you still wanna keep coupling with me?"
"Yes."
Seres nodded, eyes downcast. In her broken demeanor, she seemed desperate to say one thing clearly.
"I don't want to feel guilty about Karen anymore. And I don't want her suffering like I did before..."
"......"
Like I did before. Knight order days, probably.
"To be honest... I'll admit it. Like you said in the cockpit, I'm a selfish woman."
Hand on her chest, she trembled and hung her head.
"Because I hated you... I stuck with Takuya, who wasn't even a good match, and pushed you onto that kid who isn't even an adult yet. Anyone would call that ugly."
—So admit it. You're selfish. You pretend to care about the kids, but inside you're rotten.
Seres repeated Netoru's cockpit accusations with a self-mocking smile. Not a pleasant sight.
He'd wanted the warm, reliable woman the unit knew—not one crumbling on her own terms.
But why the sudden breakdown? Just the dominance issue? Or guilt over Karen?
As if answering, Seres murmured through tears.
"That girl... she's suffering from overheat again today. But she hides it from me and the unit..."
She bit her lip in anguish, eyes reddening.
"If she keeps coupling with you, her body'll break eventually. Shattered mana nerves, or worst case, a vegetable."
"Seres. You think you're fine?"
"No. I won't be either. I don't have confidence handling you. But..."
Her gaze dropped to the floor—then to the closet where Karen hid. Probably coincidence, but she spoke low as if staring right at her.
"I can't watch Karen push herself anymore. Even I, a knightess, struggle with you. How hard must it be for her?"
Netoru's neck felt stiff. Karen was hearing all this.
"If you wanna atone, tell her yourself. Don't cry to me about regrets."
"...Sorry. The tears won't stop."
"Tch... whatever."
What a mess. Netoru sighed. She'd come with a recorder to catch his weakness, but the mood killed any anger.
Pushing now might really break her. She'd bared all her vulnerabilities and surrendered.
Essentially begging now.
Netoru just watched.
...This ain't good.
Her knightess talent was top-notch, but he didn't want a mentally fragile woman. Even the best weapon was useless if it snapped easy.
He could toughen someone like Karen, but not Seres.
He knew her type well. Once broken, no fixing it.
Trouble. Netoru rubbed his temples.
She didn't need a whip now.
"Seres."
"...Yes."
She lifted her head slowly, eyes colorless with pure resignation. No fight left.
Would've preferred it as an act, but this was probably the real Seres. Everything she'd built in the 393rd—facades, lies. Fake shells.
Her pride from handling boys had shattered tonight, and now the rest was cracking.
But it couldn't. She'd break for real.
Someone had to force a stop.
"We'll finish this talk later."
"...Huh?"
She tilted her head at the cryptic words. Netoru closed the distance and pulled her into his arms.
"...!?"
She trembled in shock but didn't resist—melted into it instead.
He felt her limp body against him clearly. Then he tilted her chin up.
"...Ah."
Instinct told her what was coming; she squeezed her eyes shut.
Netoru kissed her lips, linked the mana path, and severed her consciousness.
—Thud.
Her body slumped onto the bed. Basically passed out... but sometimes forcing sleep was best.
A good rest, and she'd regain some calm by morning. Better than now, at least.
The problem was Karen, who'd seen it all.
Netoru turned to the closet.
2.
Maybe it was better she hadn't known.
Seres's actions and words had been that shocking. How'd it come to this?
Karen hugged her knees, burying her face.
"......"
Depressing. Overhearing unexpected truths from someone she'd trusted for so long.
And worry gnawed at her too. Everything Seres said in the changing room was a lie.
—But I'm fine. His piloting's rough, but not as bad as the knights I dealt with. Netoru's actually decent. Knights are worse.
—Even though I got kicked out, handling a guy like Netoru's no problem. And today's first coupling went smooth, right?
All that confidence—fake?
...Seriously. Then why swap?
And seeing Seres cry like never before made it worse. If the first coupling did that, what next?
Netoru, who'd suggested swapping first, suddenly seemed hateful.
How'd it really end up like this?
As random thoughts invaded her mind, the closet door creaked open.
—Creeeak.
Light filtered into the dim, cramped space.
She looked up, blinking at Netoru's face.
Silence hung between them briefly.
But it didn't last. Still hugging her knees in the closet, Karen stared at him steadily.
"...You. Don't swap with Seres."
A sudden demand. Netoru furrowed his brow.
"Then what?"
"Just keep coupling with me."
"......"
Short silence again. But brief.
To her bold request, Netoru replied with his usual shameless grin.
"Nah, don't wanna."