Chapter 286: Blazing Flames of the Battlefield[R-18] (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 286: Blazing Flames of the Battlefield[R-18] (4)
A moment later, Hina and I arrived at the door to the briefing room. When we entered, the Battalion Commander was already seated inside.
"Sir!"
I shouted, matching the expected protocol. Hina, looking momentarily startled, followed suit with a stiff posture.
"S-Sir...!"
"Trainee 6974. And Trainee 3182. At ease."
"Yes, sir."
I nonchalantly plopped down in a chair, while Hina cautiously sat down next to me.
The Battalion Commander slowly asked us.
"What was the reason for ignoring orders and acting independently during the training exercise?"
Without so much as raising an eyebrow, I calmly opened my mouth.
"Based on my assessment of the situation, I determined it would be more efficient to clear the battlefield that way."
"Are you saying that ignoring orders is efficient?"
"In some cases, I believe so."
A moment of silence.
At my words, Hina sucked in a quiet breath. She was tense beside me, her eyes filled with anxiety.
Just then, the briefing room door opened, and Eleonora walked in.
The female officer with her blonde hair tied back neatly and a cold look in her eyes entered quietly.
Eleonora.
She stood at attention, her lips pressed together, and spoke.
"Sir."
"Company Commander, you may be seated as well."
The Battalion Commander said, turning his head slightly.
"Understood."
Eleonora replied curtly and sat down next to me.
Her expression was nearly blank. Her gaze was quietly observing me.
The Battalion Commander rested the back of his hand on the table and began to speak slowly.
"I didn't call you here to reprimand you, so don't be so tense."
The Battalion Commander continued, looking intently at my face.
"Trainee 6974. I looked up your records... no history of special procedures, no genetic modifications."
"No, sir. There are none."
"However—"
The Battalion Commander brought up a file on the screen. A simple family tree and a genetic profile appeared.
"You're an extremely rare case. Both of your parents underwent 'genetic modification,' yet you yourself were born through pure-blood reproduction without any procedures."
He stared at the monitor as he spoke.
"There's a very slim chance that when the parents' modified genes combine with a higher degree of adaptability, the result can be superior to the procedures themselves, even without any intervention."
Hearing this, I thought to myself.
'...So, it seems the lore of this world is constructed that way.'
As I was processing this, the Battalion Commander continued.
"That's why I personally reported your exceptional performance, along with footage from this training exercise, to my superiors. And..."
The Battalion Commander paused for a moment.
"...the higher-ups have decided to assign you to a special position."
'Oh?! Could it be... a pilot?!'
This flow. This pause. This build-up.
This had to be the moment I was assigned as a pilot.
I took a breath as a small spark of hope ignited within me. But his next words mercilessly crushed all of it.
"The decision has been made to assign you as the top priority for a VVIP-Level Special Guest Escort Mission."
My expression soured in an instant.
'...This shit is a special position?'
A pilot?
Deployment to the front lines?
It was none of that.
They'd given it a fancy name, but in the end, it was nothing more than being a human shield with a good body.
The corners of my mouth turned down on their own. I nodded silently, but my eyes were no longer smiling.
Hina, sitting next to me, flinched slightly and glanced at my expression. And Eleonora was still just listening quietly with a blank face.
At that moment, the Battalion Commander spoke again.
"And, as it is a VVIP escort mission, based on the judgment of the higher-ups that a suitable rank is required..."
He paused, then continued with a slight smile.
"It has been decided that you will be commissioned as an 'officer,' a Second Lieutenant."
Hina's eyes widened into circles.
"A Second Lieutenant...?"
She looked at me as if she couldn't believe it.
But I said nothing.
"..."
The Battalion Commander must have known I wasn't pleased with my expression. Nevertheless, he continued with what he had to say.
"And, Trainee 3182."
He turned his head to look at Hina and continued.
"You will be commissioned as a non-commissioned officer, a Sergeant."
"What...? A-A Sergeant...?!"
Hina's eyes flew open. Her small shoulders trembled, and her lips quivered slightly in disbelief.
"That's right. As an official NCO, you will be assisting Trainee 6974."
Hina looked at me for a moment with a surprised face, then nodded happily.
Her small lips parted slightly, and a hushed gasp of admiration escaped.
"You will each undergo about a month of preliminary training for officers and NCOs."
The Battalion Commander quietly looked back and forth between the two of us.
"After that, you will receive your official assignments, so prepare your bodies and minds accordingly."
He finished speaking and leaned back slightly.
"Any questions?"
I remained silent, and Hina also cautiously shook her head.
"Good. If not, you are dismissed. Your respective officer and NCO training will begin immediately tomorrow, so go back and pack your things."
"Yes, sir!"
Hina answered clearly, and I silently stood up and walked toward the door.
*
"Eleonora, you seem quite angry."
After the briefing room had cleared out, the Battalion Commander was the first to speak between the two who remained.
"I am not."
Eleonora answered shortly. Her expression was still cold. But a faint tremor flickered in her eyes.
"Don't deny it. It's obvious you're furious."
"I am truly not."
The Battalion Commander chuckled lightly. He flipped through a few papers on his desk and spoke nonchalantly.
"Your grand-uncle asked me to look after you... but it seems that ends today."
Eleonora's eyebrow twitched slightly, almost imperceptibly.
"Is this... disciplinary action for failing to properly control the trainees?"
"No, no. It's not that."
The Battalion Commander waved his hand. Then he looked at Eleonora carefully and continued.
"It just means it's time for you to move to a new post."
"A new assignment?"
"Yes. Congratulations, Eleonora."
The Battalion Commander smiled as he casually pulled out a document from his desk and handed it to her.
"The 3rd Fleet, where your grand-uncle is stationed. You've been assigned there."
At those words, Eleonora's gaze dimmed slightly. She quietly took the document and pressed her lips together.
"...You don't seem very happy about it."
When the Battalion Commander made the light comment, Eleonora shook her head slightly.
"...I am not."
"Are you still on bad terms with your grand-uncle?"
At that, Eleonora lowered her gaze quietly, her expression unchanging.
"I have no personal feelings on the matter. I will follow my orders."
*
“Hehe… A non-commissioned officer. An NCO~”
Hina couldn't hide her good mood, humming like a child as she walked beside me.
Watching her, I reached out and gave her round butt a light smack.
Slap!
“Heek...!”
Hina let out a surprised yelp and flinched. But she quickly raised the corners of her mouth and glanced at me shyly.
"O-Oppa... why so sudden..."
"Because you're making it too obvious how happy you are."
I replied nonchalantly, stuffing both hands into my pockets.
Hina puffed up her reddened cheeks and silently pressed herself closer to my side.
Her small shoulder brushed against my arm. Then she muttered in a low, whisper-like voice.
"...Still... it's all thanks to you, Oppa."
"If you know, then you'd better be good to me."
At my words, Hina smiled playfully and tilted her head.
"Hehe. Later... should I do it for you?"
"Yeah."
I nodded calmly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Hina went quiet for a moment, then lowered her voice slightly to ask.
"But... aren't you happy... about being commissioned as an officer, Oppa?"
"...Not really. My goal was to be a pilot."
"Aha... so that's why."
"So I'm thinking about it. Maybe I'll just desert."
"W-Whaaat...?! D-Desert?!"
Hina jumped in surprise, quickly looking around before lowering her voice.
"Are you crazy? Th-That's a violation of military law!"
I smiled as if joking and asked back.
"You want to come with?"
"...Are you crazy?"
Hina glared at me for a moment before adding with a serious face.
"And... I heard that the position you received comes with one mobile weapon."
"...A mobile weapon?"
I stopped walking and turned my head slightly.
"What are you talking about?"
"You didn't know? It's a really famous story..."
Hina gestured with her small hands as she continued.
"The exclusive VVIP escort position... includes one Legion in the basic equipment package. I heard you can even do a test run before you're assigned."
I mulled over her words.
'...They're giving me a unit?'
Just a moment ago, I thought I was being treated as nothing more than a 'human shield with a good body,' but the story was starting to take a completely different turn.
A Legion.
A high-end tactical model.
The highest-spec unit that normally only pilots ranked at least First Lieutenant or higher—and with a proven track record at that—could ever be assigned.
And I was getting one just for this position? I narrowed my eyes.
'...Isn't this a jackpot?'
Hina, as if reading my expression, added with sparkling eyes.
"That's why everyone's so jealous. The VVIP escort isn't just for show; the equipment specs are top-tier, and they say the operational authority is pretty broad, too."
I stared ahead without a word. My expression remained nonchalant, but my mind was racing with calculations.
'...Desertion is canceled.'
After a moment of silence, I glanced at Hina and asked.
"But... why did you know that and I didn't?"
Hina blinked, then pursed her lips and spoke with a slightly dumbfounded tone.
"...Oppa, do you... not use the internet?"
"The internet?"
"All the kids know about it these days... It's on the military intranet forums and in the news. There's even criticism that it's too excessive for a VVIP escort."
I let out a smirk.
"I see. First time I'm hearing about it."
"Ugh... were you really locked up somewhere before you came out into the world...?"
"Something like that."
Hina stuck close to my side. Then she muttered quietly.
"Still, I'm glad. That you're not deserting, Oppa... I really thought you might do it."
At her words, I quietly turned my head.
"But if I really did desert, you wouldn't have come with me?"
Without hesitation, Hina just gave a small nod.
"You want me to ruin my life?"
"Looks like I'll have to drill some manners into that pussy of yours again today."
I dragged her to a nearby empty space and fucked her without mercy.