Chapter 128 – Gifts
How many days had passed since Unit 393 began to be stationed in the city? In the meantime, preparations to explore Elflandia were progressing step by step.
So, inside the hangar, the knights mounted on the holy cavalry were in the process of coupling one by one.
Inside the hangar, there were heavily armed holy cavalry soldiers lined up in a similar form to Ceres’ holy cavalry, so it was a great scenery in many ways.
In particular, the most notable among them was the holy cavalry of a knight named Berléans.
Even just by looking at the holy cavalry heavy armor with all sorts of magic stamps densely engraved on it, it was clear that it was in a different position from other knights.
Of course, that didn’t mean the lack of weapons used by the knights. On the contrary, compared to other normal cavalrymen, theirs were too great.
According to Asuna, all the armors used by the knights were separately magically processed.
The holy cavalry itself is strong, but how great it would be if the power of the armor was added to it.
It was to the point of being certain that Asuna would say that she would be fine even if she was hit by a shell from a certain distance.
Karen stared blankly at the cavalry of those knights and was lost in thought for a moment. It was because she suddenly remembered what happened a few days ago while looking at the knights’ genital diseases.
In fact, the fact that the knights diligently entered the test maneuver now was not simply because of the inspection before the sortie.
The main reason was that the coupling between the knight and the female knight suddenly broke two days ago in a situation where the mission was only a few days away.
According to a vaguely told story, it seemed to be a conflict problem stemming from a coupling partner relationship.
In other words, there was a problem in the realm of ’emotion’, which is important for the establishment of coupling.
Strangely, however, there seemed to be no instance of the coupling breaking in this way within the Knights so far.
When I asked if there was a special reason for that, Ceres smiled wryly and said.
It’s just that it’s better not to know.
Anyway, from Karen’s point of view, who was somehow related to this case, I wondered if something like this was a result that was planned a long time ago.
“…That sister is also very pitiful.”
To be honest, I don’t have a very good relationship with Karen. But as much as she was beaten by her partner, even if Karen saw her, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.
Karen still had vivid memories of her day.
The image of a woman coming out of her cockpit after a sparring session with her lips parted. It was absurd that she would hit her partner like that in the first place and hope they would stay in the coupling.
What could be more miserable than being treated insignificantly by your partner when you can’t rely on each other?
So it was natural for the coupling to break between the two.
In fact, when the coupling broke, the red-haired woman who came out of the cockpit looked relieved and in a good mood. Conversely, Baldroy’s face was miserable.
In a way, Kerene must have really wanted the coupling to break. When she released her heavy shackles, did she return to her original personality?
——Karen. I’m sorry about what happened last time. Will you accept my apology?
What should I say about the smile on her lips and her lively appearance? It was splendid and beautiful like a rose that started to see the light late.
It was a time when I was reminiscing about the events of the past few days that seemed like something I wouldn’t easily forget.
“Karen. Would you like to go to the central square with me today?”
Karen, who had been blankly resting her chin on her chin, turned her head to look at her Natsuo at the suggestion she heard from beside her. She has been thinking about something for a while now with her nervous face, but she has an unexpected proposal.
Concourse. It was literally a large square in the center of the city. And because it is a place where the population movement is the most active, it was once a place where restaurants and shops that sold various miscellaneous goods were concentrated.
“You want to go to the central square together?”
“Huh.”
Natsuo nods. It seems that they are not wrong. Karen tilted her head curiously.
“Why are you there all of a sudden? Is there anything I can do?”
“…Just to go and look around to see if there’s anything to buy. It seems that the shops there have been reopening for a few days.”
Although the inside of the city became a battlefield due to the attack of the bugs and became a mess, fortunately the center of the city was relatively intact.
This was because the main battles took place on the outskirts of the city thanks to the efforts of the 393rd unit.
In addition, the city was rapidly stabilizing as the holy cavalrymen were put to work removing rubble. To the extent that basic urban functions have been restored.
So, in the central plaza, it seemed that recently shops had reopened.
Since the large-scale evacuation plan was still a long way off, there was no choice but to continue living among the citizens until then.
No matter how much the headquarters said it was providing daily necessities to the citizens, there was a limit to that. The trivial necessities had to be obtained and used by each individual somehow.
It even seemed that each citizen was selling his personal belongings in one form or another to raise money before leaving the city.
“Hmm···. But what can I buy?”
“How are you? There’s nothing to do in the unit anyway, right? I think I’ll just go and change my mind.”
“Mmmm…”
How will we do it.
She pondered for a moment before Karen nodded her head.
As long as the adjustment work for the holy cavalry is over, there is nothing the pilot does in the unit.
This is because all the troublesome things inside the unit are done by the agents of the maintenance team.
But will it be possible next time to live as leisurely as now? Maybe this will be my last vacation. If I cross the border, I’ll be crazy again.
So it wouldn’t be a bad idea to take a look at it for a light refreshment when you can afford it.
That was when Karen got up from her seat.
“Well, can we go together?”
A twin sister intervened between the two.
It was Rin and Ran.
Natsuo was taken aback by that sudden appearance.
Because this wasn’t originally in his plan. He slowly turned around to see the two girls walking amicably.
“… Huh? Are you guys going too?”
“Huh. Go and buy a hair tie if it’s on sale. The one I was using was cut off anyway.”
Lynn ran her fingers through her own hair as if to explain why she was following her.
Her hair, which was not tied up in her usual way, hung down neatly down her shoulders.
Rin’s expression was somehow refreshing, but Natsuo barely managed her expression and smiled awkwardly.
“That, yes… You too, let’s go together.”
2.
Fortunately, Rien’s permission to go out with the unit was readily granted. She said not to be late, she told me to come back only on time. She’s that, she said, don’t worry because it’s a natural thing.
In the central plaza she arrived at, trade between citizens was more active than expected.
It was so crowded that people were crowded without even a chance to set foot.
People who go around diligently to buy the things they need, and people who raise their voices to somehow sell things to those people.
As much as the war on bugs continues.
Are people getting used to such times?
I could feel the strong vitality in the faces of people trying to survive the next day somehow. I wondered if I had come here for nothing because there was nothing worth seeing, but it was a useless worry.
However, there were many street vendors that seemed to have been made simply on the spot rather than proper shops. There were even people selling goods lined up on the street.
Even if it wasn’t a merchant, it was unavoidable because citizens from all over the city gathered to sell their goods.
Karen, Lynn, and Ran were walking around the temporary market and looking at things.
Suddenly, Rin knelt down in front of her grandmother, who was putting all her miscellaneous goods on the floor with only a small tent spread out on the floor.
Lynn looked at her things for a long time, and as if she found something, she smiled and pointed with her finger.
“Hmm···. This would be nice Granny, give me one of these.”
Is it because of Rin’s unique lively voice? Or is it good that things are sold? The old man also smiled softly and handed over what Rin pointed out.
And it was when Rin handed the money to the old man.
The old man who was checking the amount tilted her head.
“…Little girl. Do you think I gave you the wrong money? It’s not that expensive.”
“Hey. Just take it This is because I like the item, so I gave it more on purpose. This, her grandmother made, right? It is very pretty!”
Old man’s wrinkled hands. After forcing the money into her grip, Lynn jumped to her feet, turned her back, and ran away.
Karen and Ran, who watched it nearby, just smiled bitterly.
What Rin had just bought was a modest-looking hair tie decorated with ribbons. However, the amount Rin had just given her was no small amount for her to buy such a thing.
Of course, Lin simply really liked the product, so she probably didn’t spend that much money.
“…Ran. Is Rin usually like that?”
“Hmm···. Well, yes. In the past, every time I came to the city, I spent all the money I saved on the spot. She said there would be no point in saving money anyway.”
It doesn’t make any sense…
Ran’s answer gave Karen a bitter expression.
Karen seemed to have a rough idea of why Lynn was spending her money so carelessly. A fight that never ends. In such a situation, there is no way that the desire for wealth can arise.
After all, money is meaningless when you die.
At that time, Rin, who was tying her loose hair with the hair tie she had just bought, walked over and asked.
“Karen. By the way, Natsuo, where did that guy go?”
“···I know. Where the hell has she gone?”
It was a moment when this side was also frustrating, so Karen frowned. The person who asked to come to the market was Natsuo, but he said he had something to look for and disappeared somewhere alone.
It was at that time that she was looking around to see if she was around.
Ran next to her tilted her head as if she saw something strange.
“What. Karen, is that person…?”
Wanting something, Karen looked where Ran pointed her finger. Then she found someone she didn’t expect instead of Natsuo.
Why is that guy
It was so natural for her to wander around by herself that Karen wondered if she was mistaken for a moment.
“Hmm… It’s interesting. Shall we try following him?”
Linda, who had her hair tied up just as it happened, had a mischievous smile on her lips as if she saw her back.
