The Commander's Return (1)
For all how brief our stay had been, the things that had happened were anything but small. And now, at last, the day of our return to Firma had arrived.
"You've packed everything, right?"
"Just the Commander's things left and we're done."
And so it was a morning spent together with everyone.
...I'd chewed them out so thoroughly yesterday, and yet we'd ended up sharing a room anyway.
I'd wanted to give everyone some personal space, seeing as we'd come all this way to a nice place... but the sudden attack we'd suffered had been a pretty big factor. They all insisted they'd keep watch so nothing would happen to me, and I couldn't even pretend to refuse. I didn't particularly want to become a cold corpse in some far-flung foreign land. Being targeted by someone wasn't exactly a pleasant feeling.
Still, our girls were professionals through and through. Even without any specific orders from me, they'd provided some seriously thorough security. The three of them had taken turns standing night watch, among various other things.
...Though when I actually woke up, I found two of them clinging to me on either side, so it was the exact same situation as yesterday morning. If anything, it was reassuring.
I did feel a little bad for the Vice President, though. She'd gone to such expense to treat us well, and we hadn't even used half the rooms she'd provided. ...Not even half. Just a quarter of them, actually. Precisely one-fourth.
Well... it probably didn't matter.
"Commander."
"Lucy? What's up?"
"I've got a favor to ask. That okay?"
We'd nearly finished getting ready to leave, and I was checking over the luggage when Lucy—who'd already wrapped up all her own preparations—came over.
A favor? What kind of favor would she bring up today of all days. Was she going to ask for a generous travel allowance after all the work she'd done? Or maybe she wanted to do some sightseeing we hadn't gotten around to before we left?
"Show me your chest."
"Sure, then... wait, what?"
I'd answered without thinking, assuming it was something ordinary—and then my brain came to a complete halt.
What kind of insane request was that...? I mean, if she were some clueless little kid who didn't know how the world worked, I could've just let it slide. But you—you're already old enough to know exactly what you're asking for, aren't you...?
"What's the big deal? You saw me naked yesterday, Commander."
"W-what?!"
And before I could even protest, the words that followed left me utterly stunned.
"W-w-when did I?!"
"You pretended you didn't, but you saw everything."
"I covered my eyes and turned my head right away...!"
"So you did look, then?"
You can't phrase it like that. Anyone listening would get the wrong idea...! Look, I'm genuinely grateful you saved me, but that's a separate issue—I didn't look at you. You showed yourself to me. There was no intent on my part. Strictly speaking, I'm the victim here. And most of the important parts were covered by the towel anyway, so I didn't even get a proper look. My conscience is clear.
...Okay, saying it like that sounds weird. Officer, this is a misunderstanding. I don't want to get arrested.
"Just take off your dress shirt for a second. You haven't put on your uniform yet, right?"
"No..."
"I'm not telling you to strip completely. We're both girls. Can't you show me that much?"
"Ugh..."
...If you put it like that, I genuinely can't argue back. More importantly, why the sudden obsession with my chest. Is it really that... well, okay, honestly even I think they look pretty good. But do we have to go this far...? I even changed in the bathroom because I was embarrassed, and you're doing this knowing that?
...And why are the rest of you just standing there watching. If I'm being sexually harassed, shouldn't you, as a matter of common sense, try to stop it?
"...Does it really have to be that?"
"Yep. Otherwise I get the feeling I might go back and tell everyone exactly what the Commander said yesterday—and how she said it."
...Ah, damn it.
I should've just kept my mouth shut back then. Why did I have to go and blurt out whatever came to mind. If even a fraction of the nonsense I spouted yesterday got around Firma, I'd never be able to show my face again. What was I supposed to do. And rumors spread ridiculously fast—there'd be no time to stop them. Then I'd be... socially dead?
"...Haaah."
I glanced once at Lucy, whose eyes were sparkling with no regard whatsoever for my inner turmoil, and once at the uniform laid neatly on the bed.
...Do I really have to do this?
Just the thought of doing something like that with my own hands was already making my head want to explode. If I actually went through with it, would I even stay standing? I was nothing but an innocent victim here. Was this reality even right—one where the victim had to bear it all?
"...J-just this once."
...Fine. Let's just get this over with and go home.
I took a deep breath, then reached for the dress shirt I'd just put on. Lucy had told me to take the shirt off, but... to show as little skin as possible, I only undid the buttons down to just below my chest, then grabbed the collar and pulled it open down to my shoulders.
...Now that I'd done it, it somehow had the effect of emphasizing my chest, which felt a bit strange. But if I was going to show them anyway, this was probably the way to do it, right? No need to undo everything and put it all on display.
"...Th-there. Happy?"
Of course, the embarrassment that came with it was more than I could bear, so I immediately dropped my head and turned it to the side. The gaze I felt in that moment was so intense it went past piercing and into something downright sticky. That was surely just my imagination.
...It had to be my imagination.
Having summoned every last ounce of a modern person's stubborn will to live, I had somehow survived—and before I knew it, I was standing here.
"So you're leaving now."
"Our work here is done. We should get back before it gets too late."
At the checkpoint on the way out of Berta, I'd left the girls in the car and was having a private meeting with the Vice President. Seeing as she'd come with only a single aide and no entourage, it seemed she'd come purely to see us off in a personal capacity.
"I'm sorry for everything."
"...Excuse me?"
"I wanted to give you the very best treatment, but... I've caused you trouble in so many ways."
I hadn't expected an apology, though. And in a setting like this, no less. Not that I'd been planning to blame her or anything. If you really thought about it, Berta's side had been played too. A third party targeting me specifically had used that idiot as a tool. And that guy had ultimately paid the price for his own incompetence, so I didn't have any lingering feelings about it.
"We failed to keep our own house in order, and couldn't even track the movements of someone as prominent as a senator..."
"...Vice President."
"We couldn't even provide proper security around the lodgings, and dared to put the Commander's life in danger."
"Vice President Erhild?"
"Because of my mistake, the Commander, the Commander almost..."
The Vice President seemed to see things a bit differently. What was with this reaction. It almost felt like our positions had been reversed. Was that just me? And besides... was she having a panic attack? Why was this woman suddenly spiraling.
...Hmm.
...Guess I didn't have a choice. I hadn't wanted to go this far, but this wasn't an official setting, so she probably wouldn't hold it against me.
"Erhild!"
"Y-yes?"
"Look in front of you. So who's standing in front of you right now?"
I grabbed Erhild by both shoulders without warning and called her name. The aide flinched at my sudden move, but settled down once she realized I had no ill intent. Thanks. I'll get you something later if I get the chance.
"Don't worry about what happened. It's just something that's already in the past, isn't it?"
"That's... what...?"
"I'm right here. Whether it was your fault or not, everything got resolved, and I'm standing here in one piece."
I looked the stunned Erhild straight in the eye and spoke with complete conviction. Don't dwell on the past. It wasn't your fault. You did the best you could. I'd packed a lot into those few words, but someone like Erhild would understand what I was trying to say.
"I'm not telling you never to look back. If you only ever look forward, you'll eventually lose the things that matter most."
"..."
"But if you're going to keep standing in a position where you lead everyone... don't regret your decisions."
...And don't have regrets.
Learn from the past, but don't drown in it—look to the future and keep moving forward. I wasn't sure I should be giving unsolicited advice to someone this smart in the first place. But here we were. She definitely hadn't been this emotional two years ago. Still, she'd become more human than before, so maybe I should take that as a positive sign?
"...Yes. I'll keep that in mind."
"Good. Then."
Anyway, it seemed like things had gone the way I intended, so I let go and took a step back. The Vice President... no, she was the president in all but name. Putting my hands on her any more than this would be a problem.
"Well then... see you next time, Vice President Erhild?"
And with that, I offered a warm farewell to the woman who was now smiling softly. Then I climbed into the vehicle that had already cleared inspection some time ago, and left Berta behind.
After the Commander's party had departed, Erhild, Vice President of the Berta Federal Republic, remained standing in that same spot until they had vanished beyond the horizon.
"Your Excellency, the wind is cold."
"...Yes, it is."
At her aide's call, Erhild stirred from her thoughts. She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them, came to a decision, and spoke quietly.
"We should head back as well."
"This way, Your Excellency."
But even after saying they should go back, Erhild remained where she was for a long while longer. The aide, apparently used to this, didn't press her any further and simply went ahead to take the driver's seat. Erhild didn't fault him for it either, as if this had been her intention all along.
"...You really don't play fair."
It had already been genuine. And then, just like last time, she'd been sorry for causing trouble—afraid of drifting apart. And then, to go and shake someone's heart like that all over again...
Having finally settled her own feelings, she stepped forward without lingering. If it was to transform this nation into a country worth living in with a spouse... there would, after all, be a great deal of work to do.
...Huh.
Did I... just talk casually to the Vice President back there? It came out so naturally I didn't even notice.
Hmm. I hope... she didn't mind?
...It should be fine, right?
She would've said something if it wasn't. Probably.