A Saintess Visits the Military Base
Their unit's family visit day. I hadn't realized it before because everyone around me is so impressive, but objectively speaking, she has a genuinely attractive style. If I had lived out my original life, she might have been someone I could have met... Actually, no. The class president is solidly upper-middle in the looks department. On top of that, she's an excellent student and excels at every sport. If it had just been her appearance, she would have been exactly the kind of heroine that a manga protagonist admires.
Welcome, families of our soldiers.
Unlike the camp we usually visit, this base was pretty rundown. I'd seen on the internet that bases students tour are usually the ones with top-tier facilities and equipment, meant to ease the anxiety of future enlistees. Most units—especially the frontline ones that actually fight—live in roughly built, shabby buildings because no one knows when the monsters might push them back and force a retreat.
'Guess that was true after all.'
As soon as we stepped inside, the place was already packed with other families attending the event. People were walking around the base, reading the displays about its history. They listed the number and ranks of monsters defeated recently, along with their perfect safety record. Instead of the outdated WWII-style rifles we used at camp, they had the real field-issue weapons on display: the KM-2 rifle modified for monster combat—single-shot but with massively increased power—along with sniper rifles and the 81MM-M mortar adapted for use against monsters.
So these are the weapons my future classmates will be carrying. They look brutally heavy.
'Doesn't concern me, though.'
Since Yu Daye is registered as my one dependent, even if I did end up enlisting, I'd apparently be sent to a rear-area post like a community service center.
While I was lost in random thoughts, I spotted someone rushing toward us. The class president let out a sigh and muttered, "That idiot brother of mine sure hurried over."
Watching her head toward him while grumbling, I figured it must be her older brother. The moment he made eye contact with me his eyes flew wide open, so I offered an awkward greeting. When I glanced around, sure enough, everyone was staring.
'I'm not an idol like Yohiko, you know.'
"Oppa, I told you I was really coming. Did you think I was joking?"
"No matter how I think about it, who would believe a Serena Union student from your class would visit a regular unit like ours...? The platoon leader told me to stop spouting nonsense."
It was a typical brother-sister exchange. Then—
"Miss Primrose, I'll be right back after talking with my brother!"
The two of them headed off somewhere. While they were gone, Haru slipped away to check the perimeter for any possible exit leading toward the contaminated zone. Primrose stayed behind, waiting for the class president and her brother to return from inside the base.
"Excuse me."
A man wearing a lieutenant's insignia spoke to Primrose. She tilted her head cutely.
"Yes?"
"May I ask what brings you here?"
"I came with a friend... Is there a problem?"
"Not at all. It's just that the battalion commander urgently ordered me to report the moment I saw you and bring you to him..."
"Yes?"
"Well... This might be forward, but are you by any chance acquainted with Lady Sorcia and Lady Daisy of the Serena Union?"
"We live in the same house."
"I see. Understood."
He bowed politely and left. So even here, those names carry weight. Those two really are celebrities. It must be exhausting being that popular, I thought.
A short while later the class president returned. She sighed and said, "I'm sorry for the wait, Miss Primrose. I had some personal matters to discuss with my brother, and this guy is always causing a scene."
"Hello. My name is Primrose. I'm in the same class as Han Seohee."
When I greeted him so politely, the class president's brother turned red and answered in a crisp, military voice, "Hello! I'm Han Ruckus, Han Seohee's older brother!"
He cleared his throat and continued, "If it's not too much trouble, may I give you a tour of the base?"
"Yes, that would be wonderful. Thank you."
In the meantime, Haru had circled the area but found no route that led toward the contaminated zone. I'd assumed that since this was the frontline, the base would be right on the edge, but it turned out the contaminated area was behind the base itself.
'My thinking was too shallow. Even if it's the frontline, of course they wouldn't bring civilian visitors right up to the contamination line.'
Ugh, idiot, idiot! I regretted it bitterly.
"Um... you're not a child, are you?"
"I'm not!"
"I'm sorry... Have you finished growing?"
"My height isn't that tall, but... my... Never mind!"
I had almost blurted out that only my chest had grown!
"Oppa." The class president cut in with an icy voice. "Are you seriously asking a girl you've just met about her body—specifically her chest? Have you lost your mind? That's clearly a crime!"
"...."
Was it? Having been a man before, and thanks to Yu Daye—who constantly makes weird jokes and gives detailed daily reports about every change in her body—I had grown numb to this kind of thing and hadn't realized.
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine. Really, it's fine."
While we were talking, the battalion commander came hurrying over. Han Ruckus snapped to attention and saluted sharply. The commander looked at me and said, "It's an honor to meet you, Miss Primrose. I am Lieutenant Colonel Gam Cheol-su, commander of this battalion."
"Ah... yes. Hello."
"If it's not too presumptuous, may I personally give you a tour of the base?"
"You really don't have to..."
I didn't want the hassle, but the desperate look in his eyes left me no choice but to answer, "Yes, please."
The class president of first-year Class 4 at Saetbyeol High School in Saetbyeol City had suddenly been told by her brother to bring a friend around her age to the base. He had promised to give her allowance money if she did. The offer itself was tempting, but the fact that he specifically wanted a female classmate made it obvious he was scheming something. Who in their right mind would waste their precious weekend in a place like that? That's what I had thought—until I agreed to come. And not just anyone: the girl who had recently become the hot topic among every boy in the school. Miss Primrose.
I had doubted it, but it was really her. The fact that the school's biggest troublemaker, Haru, had tagged along was whatever. My brother had always pestered me to bring a cute girl to the base open house. Since an actual cute girl had shown up, I figured that was good enough. But...
Was it too much?
There are levels to these things, but the other party was on a completely different dimension. An impossibly beautiful girl that no one could even dream of approaching. If she had just been cute, I would have tried to get her number! With Primrose, though, it seemed hopeless. Sorry, brother—your plan went completely off the rails. Still, I have to give him the allowance as promised.
...I didn't think this through.
I hadn't considered that she was a different race with fraudulently perfect looks. Every man and woman around us kept stealing glances at her. The stares were so intense they actually stung.
In the middle of that atmosphere, the battalion commander suddenly appeared. My brother shouted "Attention!" and saluted crisply. Before long we were escorted to the battalion commander's office, where they served us tea and treated us like honored guests. The commander looked to be in his late forties. Surely he wasn't... No, I told myself. But then the regiment commander arrived, my brother saluted again, and shortly after that even the division commander showed up.
"Hey!" When my brother finally had a free moment, he pulled me aside. "Is that other-race girl you brought really your classmate?"
"Our school recently became a special preferential institution for other races, remember? She's one of the transfer students. Oh, and that guy who was with her? He's her older brother—even though he's human."
"What? He looked completely human."
"I don't know the details, but that's what they say. Anyway, I brought the girl you wanted. Handle the rest yourself."
"There's a limit! The whole base is in chaos because of you!"
"How is this because of me? You told me to bring her, so I did. You should be saying 'Thank you so much!' while handing over my allowance for bringing the cute girl you like so much. Speaking of which, give me the money you promised."
"Wait, but still—"
"Isn't she cute?"
"...It's fraudulent."
"Right? Satisfied?"
"..."
"Stop stalling and hand it over!"
"Damn sister. Taking what little money I have."
He grumbled but still gave me 100,000 won. I smiled brightly. "With this I can make one outfit."
"Are you still making those manga character costumes?"
"Got a problem with my hobby?"
"No, I don't... but shouldn't you be focusing on college entrance exams soon?"
"I'll take care of my own business. Worry about yourself."
"Yeah... But, um... does that girl Primrose have a phone number by any chance?"
"No. She doesn't even own a smartphone."
"Really?"
"Don't even think about trying to hit on her. Do you have any idea how many incredible people are around her? Besides, she's from a long-lived otherworld race that can live over a thousand years. It takes several years just to develop a romantic relationship because of their lifespan. You'd be an old man on your deathbed before you even became her boyfriend."
"Still, the company commander asked me if I knew her number this time."
"What...?"
"The whole unit is going crazy saying how pretty Primrose is."
"How did they even see her?"
"A lieutenant saw her earlier and declared that a saint had descended to the present world. The rumor spread like wildfire. All the guys were trying to catch a glimpse of her. But once the division commander showed up, that was the end of it."
"Really? That's too bad."
I said it without a shred of sincerity, slipped the money into my wallet, and smiled. "Give it your best shot. But as one girl to another, let me tell you—everything you do will be completely useless, oppa."
"Damn sister."
"I'm just telling you the truth."
"Han Ruckus!!"
Someone called for my brother. He snapped to attention and shouted, "Private Han Ruckus!"
"Wherever you're going, put on your Class A uniform right now and prepare to move out."
"Yes, sir! May I ask where we're going?"
"I don't know either! The division commander said you're coming with him, so prepare immediately!"
"Yes, sir!"
I had no idea what was happening, but he rushed off in a panic. Thinking he was in for a rough time, I was about to skip away cheerfully when—
"Miss, the sister of Private Han Ruckus, please follow us. We will guide you together with Miss Primrose."
Damn it. I was screwed.