The Commander's Business Trip (4)

I hadn't let it show, but I'd been wrestling with insomnia for quite some time now. The root of the problem was my own greed. I'd originally meant to ease my way out two or three months from now, creeping along at a cautious pace — but I'd yanked the whole schedule forward instead.

Of course I could have postponed it while we were coordinating the itinerary… I'd just gone and done ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the thing. I'd thought it was a good opportunity. Apparently my mind hadn't caught up yet.

I'd sworn I would become someone worthy of the Commander's seat. For an ordinary person who'd spent her life as nothing more than a cog in society's machine… that was apparently asking a bit much.

This isn't how it should be…

The anxiety creeping in under the surface didn't help either. The fear that something might go wrong while I was away. I knew it was a pointless worry, but once that anxiety started rolling, it only grew, snowballing bigger and bigger.

If you really dug into it, Firma hadn't suffered any particular damage from the outside during the two years without a Commander… but when has the human heart ever been that simple? Once you've made a plan, the moment you start carrying it out, anxiety has a way of showing up. Especially if an ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠unexpected variable has already cropped up.

Fortunately, it vanished completely once we actually left.

After a brief confirmation procedure, we passed through the gate. The sight of the security detail standing in crisp, perfect formation melted away even the last scrap of worry I'd been carrying. The thought that nothing much would happen even without me there was enough to put me at ease.

It'll be fine.

…Right. This place had been locked down tight even without someone like me around. I feel a little weird saying this myself, but who would dare attack this place? Not unless the things sitting on their necks were just for show. And even if someone did try, our girls would beat them half to death. Yeah.

Repeating it'll be fine over and over, I turned my head toward the window.

…There's nothing out there.

And I was disappointed. There was a reasonably developed city near Firma, but once you actually looked, it wasn't dramatically different from my previous ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠life. And once we left the city behind, all that met the eye was barren plains. I'd expected the outside world to have something cooler, something more interesting. It felt like a fantasy had been punctured. At least the roads were well paved, so I didn't get carsick. Was I supposed to take that as a consolation…?

"Commander."

I'd been bored out of my mind, but I'd at least been using that scenery to kill time — when Cardia, still in the middle of driving, suddenly spoke up.

"Commander?"

"I'm listening. What is it?"

"You should get some sleep. You clocked out late yesterday too, didn't you?"

Ah. She'd caught me. She was right — yesterday I'd worked straight through until nearly midnight before heading home. I'd wanted to keep going, but Calia had kicked me out, telling me I at least had to leave today. I'd been hoping that if I overworked myself, I might actually be able to sleep. Not a chance.

"Still…"

"You do realize that if you nod off during the talks like this, we're all finished, right?"

Before I could even get a word out, a thoroughly furrowed face appeared in the rearview mirror. I couldn't see anything below the eyes, but the message came through loud and clear: listen nicely when I'm talking to you.

Honestly. Why were both the older sister and the younger one so high-strung about this? It wasn't as if skipping a night or two of sleep was going to kill me. Still… if this was all the scenery had to offer, there was no real need to keep looking at it.

"…Alright then. Excuse me for a bit."

Not that I knew ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠whether I'd actually be able to sleep. With that thought, I gently stroked the heads of Lucy and Shien, who'd been clinging to me from either side the whole way, then leaned back against the seat and quietly closed my eyes.

"We're here, Commander."

"Hweh—"

When I opened my eyes, a great many things had changed. For one, the car that had been racing along had come to a stop. Outside the window, buildings stood scattered here and there. And… I was using someone's thigh as a pillow.

…When did this happen?

I hadn't even realized I'd fallen asleep. No — how had I fallen asleep in the first place? Up until today, two hours of sleep would have been a blessing. And I'd dropped off this easily? More importantly, I was definitely sitting up, wasn't I? When did I lie down? Then the sensation against my head… this texture…?

"You need to get up now. The checkpoint is right ahead."

"R-right."

While I was still floundering in confusion, another jab came in. Right. I needed to get up first. Berta's side would already be aware that we were coming, but we'd still have to go through a basic inspection. The fastest way to cut that time down was for me to step forward and vouch for everyone's identities. …And more than that, I couldn't exactly go through a checkpoint lying down. There was nothing to gain by making a bad first impression.

…That had been the plan, anyway.

"Um… Shien? Could you let me up now…?"

"Stay down… a little longer."

Our resident asymmetric warfare asset and walking tactical nuke apparently had no such intention. It looked like she was barely pressing down with her fingertips, but the force in those fingers was anything but ordinary. If I got up the wrong way, she'd punch a doughnut hole straight through me. What was I supposed to do…?

"Nnngh…"

"Haa…"

Lucy's furious groan overlapped with the sigh Cardia let out. Please don't. I was at my wit's end here too…. Everyone was usually fine, but every now and then, when they pushed in with raw strength like this, there was simply no answer. Ah… what was I actually supposed to do….

I was finally released about ten minutes later.

There was no unfortunate incident of getting held up at the checkpoint and denied entry. Well, of course not — the moment they saw my face, they all but waved us through. They went through the motions of an inspection, offered the customary greetings, and sent us on our way. The vice president had probably given them a heads-up in advance. Well… their pupils did shake pretty violently when they caught sight of Shien. Anyway, we got through, so it was probably fine?

"We've made it in, at least… so where are we going?"

We were rolling slowly along the road when that sudden declaration of so what do we do now dropped. But Cardia was allowed. She'd earned it. She'd been dragged here one hundred percent against her will, and on top of that she'd been stuck with all the driving. She had a completely different kind of nerve from a certain someone who'd sent her little sister off on a whim. Yeah.

"Wanna go sightseeing? I can show you around Berta, Commander."

"I… only need the Commander…"

"I've got a da— I mean, I've put together a great sightseeing itinerary! Just say the word!"

"Anywhere… is fine… as long as we're together…"

Before I could even answer, the two beasts lunged in as if they'd planned it. Girls, you came here to work. This is not a vacation. And what sightseeing itinerary? Does none of this strike you as a little too sincere?

But what could I do. My answer had been decided from the start.

"Let's go to the hotel."

"Right now?"

"We should rest a bit. You and me both."

"Heh. That's the first welcome news I've heard all day."

Leaving a stunned Lucy and a thoroughly unreactive Shien behind me, I issued the order at once. I punched the address we'd received from the Berta Federation into the navigation, and we rolled down roads so clean they were almost offensive….

"…Whoa."

A luxury hotel that looked for all the world like a citadel rose into view.

"…You knew about a place like this?"

"Knew about it? Hardly. That vice president reserved it for us."

When you're hosting distinguished guests, the least you can do is provide somewhere to stay, or so he'd said. It had sounded like nothing but empty flattery to me, but you take what's offered. According to Calia, it was the finest hotel in all of Berta. I was looking forward to it, at least.

"Would you be the Commander of Firma?"

"Ah, yes."

The moment I started walking toward the check-in desk, someone emerged from inside with impeccable timing. It felt as though she'd been waiting this whole time for me to arrive.

"It is an honor to receive you. I am Brynn, and I shall be your guide during your stay at this hotel."

My guess hadn't been wrong — she introduced herself with an exceedingly deferential bearing. From head to toe, she was a maid measured out with a ruler. Even the uniform was a proper maid outfit! Unlike Rielly, whose back and chest and various other places had holes cut out of them.

…No, that's rude.

I forcibly dragged my eyes away from where they had been naturally trying to wander somewhere they shouldn't. One wrong move and it wouldn't be the talks I'd have to worry about — I'd be getting hauled into court. The sentences around here were a bit steep, which would be a problem.

"I shall take your luggage."

"Yes, please."

Fortunately, she didn't seem to have noticed my gaze. Even if she had, it would only have earned me a little suspicion, but the best kind of suspicion is the kind that never happens. No need to make noise before the talks even started.

In the meantime, she carefully accepted the bags Shien and Lucy held out and, with crisp, measured steps, led the way.

"Commander."

"What is it, Lucy?"

As we followed along at a leisurely pace, Lucy leaned in and whispered in a small voice. What was she being so quiet about now? Had she figured something out in that brief span of time?

"The rooms — who are you sharing with?"

"Huh?"

For a second I'd thought maybe, but of course it was nothing. I'd gotten my hopes up for no reason. This tiny young lady apparently had some fantasy about sharing a room with someone. That said, if she'd lowered her voice so the others wouldn't hear…

"Obviously that would be me!!!"

…there was no point. Yeah. Maybe if they were incompetents, but every last one of them had hearing so good they'd catch all of it anyway.

"Who's the one who's been working herself to death this whole time? Shouldn't it be me?!"

"Y-you're sharing with me, right? Right???"

"Obviously… me…"

Cardia's words seemed to have lit the fuse — everyone started desperately making their case. Perhaps because the spectacle had drawn attention, people's eyes began quietly gathering our way. No, but why were they even fighting? There was no need for this.

"What… are you all talking about?"

"Huh?"

"Pardon?"

"…?"

I mean, we'd come all this way — why did we need to pick roommates?

"One person per room, obviously."

The moment I said it, everyone's faces went dark in an instant.

…Isn't one person per room a good thing? Why?