Change 1: Fractured Bonds
…How did it come to this?
After breakfast, Seres sighed as she reflected on what had happened in Karen's room. She never imagined she'd end up arguing so heatedly with Karen. By the time she snapped out of it, they were both letting their emotions run wild, voices raised in a full-blown quarrel. The realization hit her like a shockwave. Me, quarreling? Seres had scarcely ever raised her voice at anyone, let alone gotten into a fight. She'd never even learned how to get angry in the first place.
From childhood, all she'd been taught was obedience. In the knight order, she did what she was told and avoided what she wasn't. That extended to her partners as well. Hers had always been a life of compliance. Things weren't much different in the 393rd Unit. That was why she could be kind and gentle with the others—stepping back first, pretending to be considerate, just like back in the order. But today, for the first time, Seres couldn't suppress her feelings.
No matter how she tried to talk it out, Karen wouldn't budge. And Seres couldn't understand Karen's side. Their emotions clashed head-on, running parallel lines to an inevitable dead end—especially over something neither could yield on.
…But still, why did it have to turn out like this? She hadn't wanted a real fight with Karen.
"…Haa."
It was late lunchtime. In the changing room, suiting up in her pilot suit for sortie, Seres let out another deep sigh. Even after mulling it over post-fight, she still couldn't figure out why Karen was suddenly acting this way. Fighting emotionally with others, growing awkward with Karen—it all left a bitter taste, drawing only a wry smile.
Yet on the flip side, Seres felt a sliver of relief. In the worst-case scenario, they'd dodged a bullet.
…Thank goodness she doesn't know about yesterday.
To be safe, Seres had probed Karen several times during their talk. But there was no sign she knew. It seemed Netoru really hadn't said a word. A huge relief, but…
—I'm going to couple with Netoru.
—Karen. I told you. That's not happening.
—Seres… No, Seres unnie! I'm not saying we switch partners for good! Just… occasional swapping… That's not okay either?
Why was Karen so obsessed with Netoru? Why? She'd surely suffered through tough times. Even now, she was struggling with overheat. Seres had seen Karen suffer from low coupling compatibility more than once or twice.
Seres didn't want to dump her burdens on Karen anymore. It was too ugly, too cowardly. But how could she fix this? Despair gripped her in this dead-end situation, sighs repeating endlessly.
"…Jeez. Another sigh."
Rin, suiting up beside her, shook her head at the sound. The sudden awkward vibe between Seres and Karen was getting on her nerves.
"Seres unnie, did you really fight with Karen?"
"Well… It just kinda happened."
"Why? What would you two even fight about?"
Rin tilted her head innocently. Ran, nearby, perked up her ears too. Seres never fought with anyone—let alone Karen. Two people who seemed destined for lifelong peace were suddenly in a cold war. Bizarre.
As Seres checked her pilot suit, she gave a wry smile at Rin's question.
"…Seems like Karen didn't like this swapping thing, for some reason."
"Hmm… Figured as much?"
"Huh?"
Rin nodded, like she'd suspected it. Seres's eyes widened. Did everyone know but me? That Karen hated the swap?
"…Did you know, Rin?"
"Kinda… I mean, yeah. Guessed it."
"Seres unnie might not have noticed, but yesterday Karen was serious… Sighing like the ground would swallow her, even in front of us."
Ran chimed in, having eavesdropped. Seres swallowed hard.
…So Karen really hated swapping. Her expression darkened as the truth solidified. But Seres still didn't want Karen coupling with Netoru. No matter how stubborn Karen got, she would be the one.
2.
The observed bug swarm this time was nothing special. No heavily armed spiders with dive-cannon firepower—just mostly locusts with weak output.
So only 2nd Squad, led by Seres, sortied. With unit fatigue piling up lately, they'd minimized numbers.
Suit on, Seres climbed atop her Holy Knight. Netoru was already in the cockpit, settled in.
He glanced her way. "Seres. You're late."
"…Sorry. Had some things on my mind."
It was true, so she apologized readily. Then, to connect with the Holy Knight, she aligned her lower abdomen—housing her mana nerve system—with the cockpit, spreading her thighs.
——Whirr.
Small magic circles floated up on cue, scanning her body slowly. Authenticating if the female pilot matched the 'key.'
In this routine coupling process…
"…"
Seres felt more tension in her body than usual. Simple reason: only their second coupling. Netoru's gaze from behind felt utterly foreign. And somehow, he seemed like he had words for her.
She tried ignoring it at first, but Seres spoke up.
"…Do you have something to say to me?"
"Trouble talking with Karen this morning?"
"…That."
His probing tone, like he'd been waiting, stabbed at her chest. Seres gripped the cockpit handles tight, gritting her teeth.
Anything but this—Karen-related. Trying to stay composed for sortie, she glared at Netoru, recalling the morning.
"……Yeah. It didn't go well. And it's partly your fault. If you hadn't shoved me into the room like that, we wouldn't have fought."
"…"
"Why'd you do it? Trying to make Karen and me fight for fun?"
Her voice trembled with bottled fury. But Netoru said nothing, just gazing into her eyes.
Finally, he sighed. "Sorry about that. I thought dragging it out wouldn't help, but I misjudged. I'll apologize for the morning."
"…Huh?"
Netoru—apologizing first? Rare. Seres felt her face relax unwittingly. She'd expected shameless denial.
"Wait. If you're apologizing so easily…"
Better if he'd been his usual smug self. This made grilling him over the morning harder.
"That's a bit unfair… An apology doesn't fix everything…"
Her murmur slipped out, almost childish petulance.
"Yeah. My mistake this time."
"…"
His low voice rang true—not brushing it off, but genuine regret. Then why start trouble that morning?
What the hell…
Seres found this Netoru alien. Unfathomable. And annoyingly so—leaving her unsure who to blame.
In the end, she swallowed her resentment. "…Let's focus on coupling for now."
"Yeah."
Connection complete for startup. As Netoru gripped the controls, their mana paths linked. His mana flooded in through the open channel.
Her uterus-bound mana nerve system quivered under his influx. The usual brutal, Netoru-style mana.
Yet somehow… It felt less oppressive than last time, more comfortable, like pooling sediment.
Second coupling effect? Or her body adapting? Though body chemistry wouldn't shift that fast without sex.
Just her imagination.
3.
—Even if the observed bugs are few, never let your guard down.
Maybe from last battle's solo mana release charge, Rien warned repeatedly en route to the target.
With major unit losses, she wanted no mishaps. Her worry made sense, but the repetition made Netoru tune it out.
Heading smoothly, Netoru frowned atop Seres's Holy Knight, lost in thought. Karen and Seres.
Never dreamed they'd trash-talk that bad in the room. Serious enough that everyone knew—their raised voices carried next door.
…Not good.
This wasn't what Netoru wanted. His goal: smooth couplings with both. So naturally, he'd prefer them getting along.
But watching them fight over partnering? Baffling, almost comical.
He'd figured it wouldn't be easy, but what exactly went down? Karen's sincerity toward Seres made predicting a fight impossible.
…Hope they reconcile soon.
Netoru grew impatient. The unit wasn't fixating yet, but he still obsessed over that underground pit from the observation tower.
Rien's odd reaction to the report wasn't dismissible. When pressed, she dodged—'not confirmed.'
Obvious info-hiding.
What the hell is it?
Commanders rarely hid reports unless no gain in revealing. Or worse: revealing would hurt.
Chaotic unit mood already. Hiding meant info that'd demoralize.
I.e., something dangerously new. Netoru had never seen that pit shape before—definitely novel bug.
Still quiet so far, buying time… But a bug digging that big? How massive?
"Eek…! W-what was that?"
Seres's faint moan snapped him out. Looking down, she stared puzzled. He'd unconsciously boosted output.
Sudden mana surge startled her.
"Ah. Sorry. Was thinking."
"Haa… Thought enemies appeared outta nowhere. Scared me."
She shot a grumpy glance but held back rebuke. Netoru chuckled despite himself.
Already moody over Karen, hiding it. As apology, he yielded some control to her. Would reclaim in battle, but for now… Her frown eased noticeably.
Good start. Light fight today—he'd loosen her up.