Chapter 3 – Area 39
After all, I should have avoided it a little bit.
Netoru felt the throbbing lingering in her cheek, and she thought of the female pilot she had coupled with today.
‘… Did she say her name was Karen?’
Although it has already been a week since she was deployed to Area 39, Netoru met a girl named Karen for the first time today. She says she’s been hospitalized for a while and she’s back today.
Anyway,
Although the end ended badly, the overall impression was that she was a good girl. An elegant yet calm atmosphere, and black bobbed hair…
It was a girl with a great appearance, befitting the anime world, where most people are drawn as handsome and beautiful.
But what impressed me most was the magical nervous system built into her body. Her magical nervous system, which was built more neatly and precisely than most aristocratic women, was enough to surprise Netoru.
Most of the members of District 39, including a girl named Karen, are commoners. That’s why it’s a long way for her to build a high-level magical nervous system.
Even so, it must have been thanks to great effort and outstanding talent that he was able to build a magical nervous system of that level.
When you think about this, even though Netoru was slapped by a girl named Karen, she didn’t lick her lips for nothing, saying that she had a good compatibility.
It was not easy to find a commoner who had built that level of magical nervous system.
Considering that the ability of a female pilot is the mobility ability of a sexual cavalryman, Karen, that girl, was an easy talent to let go of.
“Just in case, is it true that she was slapped by Karen the moment she got back today?”
Have you heard the story somewhere?
“Yes. You’re right.”
Rien’s expression hardened at Netoru’s answer.
“Even though it was temporary, I was slapped by my coupling partner from the first day… I must say that it is also a talent. Karen is not a child who can use violence so recklessly…”
A worried expression appeared on her face as she sighed as she placed her hand on her forehead.
“I don’t know what the hell you did during the battle, but Karen is the only one who can couple with you in the current unit.”
“Are there any other people on standby?”
“Yes. No.”
Perhaps, Netoru reacted calmly. Without her, she has no choice but to live without her. It’s because the female pilot doesn’t suddenly fall out of nowhere just because she’s in a hurry to save her.
Of course, there are several other female pilots in the unit besides Karen. However, they already had a coupling partner.
Coupling wasn’t simply an act of riding the same holy cavalry,
Pilots who have paired up once do not change their coupling partners hastily, no matter how much practice it is.
It is not easy to find a partner with a matching coupling wavelength, and it is because the coupling wavelengths that have been matched at best are disturbed.
That’s why it was impossible to break the coupling she had been maintaining for her personal sake and bring another female pilot.
“…How do I do this?”
As Rien’s sighs deepened thanks to this, Netoru was carefree as if the story had nothing to do with him.
It has to be. In fact, this situation wasn’t too bad for Netoru in a way.
Not having a coupling partner means you can’t sortie soon, and at the same time you don’t have to risk fighting bugs.
In that respect, the most difficult thing here was the commander of the unit, Lien Frost.
As her commander, from her point of view, she has no coupling partner, so her precious power is left unattended.
* * *
In the end, Rien couldn’t find any other way and sent Netoru back. She then thought to herself.
She was there to decide what to do with Karen, including Netoru’s coupling.
In fact, Karen, who had been coupling with Netoru today, was in a state where a coupling partner openly existed.
However, the problem is that her partner needs long-term treatment for half a year because of an injury sustained in the last battle…
Not a month or two, but half a year. During that time, she can’t keep Karen waiting in her unit.
So Rien proposed to Karen today. She told me to try coupling with Netoru.
‘… After all, it would be impossible to ask him to try it one more time.’
Coupling is not something that even a commander would readily order. Because I know how much strain the coupling puts on the pilot.
What Lien Frost knows about coupling is,
It is a contract between a man and a woman to move the sexual cavalry.
There are coupling partners who do not match each other’s wavelength, but mana. In normal cases, the holy cavalry could not even be moved, and even if it was possible, it would not be able to exert its full strength.
At worst, they can hurt each other both physically and emotionally.
That’s why I had to be careful when choosing a coupling partner. Coupling with a partner that doesn’t match the wavelength was tantamount to suicide in the battle against bugs.
No sane pilot would want to fight in pairs with a partner he didn’t feel comfortable with.
In that respect, Netoru, her man, and her man were strange beings in many ways.
─It doesn’t matter who the coupling partner is.
On the first day he moved in, he clearly said that,
In fact, he succeeded in coupling with Karen, whom he met for the first time today.
“I can’t believe the rumors are true…”
At first, I thought the rumors about Netoru were exaggerated. But the rumors were real. Didn’t he check his ability in the battle that took place today?
It’s amazing that people I met for the first time made a coupling at once, but to be able to draw out Karen’s power to that extent.
Of course, sometimes there are.
A man and a woman who pair well from the first day because their coupling wavelength matches each other to the extent of being strange.
But that was a really rare case,
This was not the case for Netoru and Karen, as anyone can tell.
As evidence of this, you can tell just by hearing that Karen slapped Netoru on the face as soon as she returned to base. It’s hard to imagine such a split between people with a good coupling wavelength.
Then, as expected, did Netoru really have a special ability? The power to couple with any female pilot…
“… Lien. What do you think?”
Rien, lost in thought at the familiar voice right in front of her, raised her head slowly.
Then she saw a woman with brown hair in her white gown. She was Asuna, a maintenance mage in charge of maintaining the holy cavalry in the unit.
“Could it be because of Netoru, who just left the room?”
“… Well. How could you possibly do that?”
“Hmm…”
Apparently Asuna ran into Netoru on the way. She hesitated for a moment, raising her eyebrows, then spoke in her mysterious voice.
“Leen. Did you really have to bring that guy to our unit?”
Asuna, who oversees the maintenance team, doesn’t like a guy named Netoru. Rumors are rumors, and it was because of his characteristic cocky attitude.
Just look at the way he treats Lien, the commander right now. What kind of soldier shows an arrogant attitude in front of the commander. He was truly a bullshit guy.
Rien’s expression blurred at Asuna’s clear displeasure.
“Asuna. You know that. How bad things are in Area 39. We can’t afford It’s a situation where you have to use as much power as possible.”
“… I know that. Is it to the point where I have to call in such a bully? That guy is the one who threw away even nobles.”
Even though Netoru has excellent skills and special abilities, there is a reason why he was kicked out by other units.
Still can’t help it.
“Still… Because I’m sure of your skills.”
“… “
At Rien’s answer, Asuna licked her lips. But in the end, she couldn’t speak. She has a lot to say, but she definitely understands what Rien is thinking.
If there are good pilots in a unit, the survival rate of other unit members will surely rise noticeably. Considering the situation in Area 39, the damage had to be minimized.
Even if it means borrowing the hand of a bully-like man.
“… Ha. Yes, anyway, this is your decision.”
Asuna let out a low sigh and held out the thing she was holding in her hand to Rien. It was a document that contained information on Netoru and Karen’s coupling from today’s battle.
“As you requested, it is a report containing the records of coupling wavelengths.”
“Ok, thanks.”
Rien immediately checked Asuna’s report on the spot.
And soon his expression had to harden.
“…”
Because unexpectedly, the coupling wavelengths of the two did not match at all.
In other words, the coupling between the two was the worst.
* * *
Since when The guy who didn’t know anything naturally rode the holy cavalry and fought the bugs.
To be honest, fighting bugs while riding a holy trooper is not an easy task. A small mistake can lead directly to death. That’s why he had a lot of trouble in the beginning.
Is it right to continue living as a holy cavalry pilot?
The battlefield where the animation seen through the monitor became a reality was like hell. On the battlefield overflowing with blood and carnage, death overflowed every day.
Living in such a place makes him constantly worry.
I wondered if it would be better to be protected like ordinary citizens in the city behind the unit.
Certainly, no matter who sees it, it is easier to be protected from behind rather than fighting monsters. You just have to let go of everything.
But at some point, Netoru realized.
You have to fight to survive here.
He saw too many innocent citizens slaughtered by the bugs because of the incompetence of the Phrangian army. When you see them dying without the strength to resist the monsters, you come to one certainty.
After all, in order to survive in this world, you shouldn’t depend on anyone.
The only thing you have to trust is yourself.
Rather than being somehow protected by others and suddenly being slaughtered by bugs one day,
It is better to decide your life on your own on the wire.
“… No matter how many times you look at it, it’s an old unit.”
The sun was setting and a reddish color was painting the inside of the bag. Netoru shook his head gently as he looked around at the scenery around the unit.
The unit he was currently in was a place with only appearance inside the ruined city. Without a proper defense facility, the clumsiness was about to bother the eyes.
Could it be that the other units in Area 39 are also like this? To Netoru, who was on the other front, this place looked like a gathering of defeated soldiers.
I was on my way back to my room while looking at the scenery of the base that I had been tired of seeing for the past week.
Suddenly, there was one person who caught Netoru’s attention.
“… That guy.”
A crude basketball court prepared in an empty lot by bringing a basketball hoop that is all rusting. Someone was playing there, bouncing a basketball.
Looking closely, it was a small girl with brown hair tied back in twin tails. Her well-tied hair swayed every time the girl ran with the ball, straining her legs.
Netoru paused and watched the girl. Because it was something I was interested in anyway.
He had been through many battlefields, but this was the first time he had actually been seen.
Coupling is usually done by men and women of different genders.
However, there were a few occasional exceptions, one of which was twins born on the same day.
‘Where did the other guy go?’
Hearing the rumors, I heard that they are close enough to always stick together, but why is he bouncing the ball alone?
It was the moment when such a question arose.
“Sneaky Yellowy. What are you spying on secretly like pervert?”
It was then. A sonorous yet cheeky voice like that of a child came from behind.
Netoru frowned at the strange name he had never heard of before, and turned his back.
‘…Who is this guy?’
Then I could confirm that the girl who had just been on the basketball court was right behind me.
No, not exactly. Should I say something similar to the girl on the basketball court?
Same look, same physique, same hair style.
I don’t know who’s older sister or younger brother…
Twin Sisters – Ran and Rin.
One of them was now crossing his arms and staring at him.
