Chapter 69 – Attack Battle
One.
Is it because there are no troops?
Inside the camp restaurant with a quiet atmosphere.
Since the two of them had been together since earlier, Ceres didn’t say anything throughout the meal.
Come to think of it, even when he ate with the other members of the unit, Ceres didn’t seem to talk much. He just kindly responds when his troops talk to him.
Netoru didn’t talk much during the meal, so the lukewarm silence continued.
Eventually, it was time to end the meal at the same timing as each other.
“…And Bonnie, I didn’t ask for this.”
Ceres cleared the table and then spoke up.
“How did our coupling wavelength test go? Did the matching rate increase from last time?”
“Sorry, but there has been no major change.”
“···Yes? No change?”
For a moment, Ceres’ eyes trembled faintly. His mouth was also gaping blankly, which gave him an expression of disbelief.
“Hey, don’t lie. No way···.”
“Sorry. It’s just a joke, and it has gone up a lot.”
“·······”
I tried to joke around a bit, but Ceres’ reaction was so pitiful. So Netoru had no choice but to apologize right away.
Ceres, who had been glaring at Netoru coldly for a while, bit his lower lip and said.
“Ha···. Really···. So, how much did it rise in the end?”
“38.5963%”
“·······”
Again, Ceres’ eyes narrowed. Then he said with a hint of anger in his voice.
“…Don’t play around and say it properly. I think I’m going to be really angry this time.”
“No, this is not a joke, it is real.”
“I’m not kidding, you just said that figure is real? Do you think that makes sense? If you’re right, the match rate has gone up by about 10% all at once.”
“If you don’t believe me, check it out for yourself.”
Netoru held out the wavelength test paper he had received from Asuna to Ceres. Until that moment, Ceres began to slowly read the paper he had received, keeping his eyes suspicious.
“Huh? Now, hold on… No, that’s nonsense…”
Soon after, Ceres’ eyes began to widen little by little, similar to just before, but in a different meaning.
Surprise and astonishment.
“It was only once…?”
And some shame.
Ceres muttered as he blushed as if he had just remembered something.
“Ah, indeed. It’s definitely worth the effort at night…”
When it was confirmed that he was not joking, Ceres cleared his throat and avoided Netoru’s gaze. If you look closely, you can see his hands wiggling under the table.
It’s a good result, but is it a problem that it’s too high?
Rather than being delighted, Ceres cautiously asked with his reddened face.
“…But, is this what it used to be?”
“What?”
“No, so… What is it···. That’s it!”
“So what is it?”
Netoru calmly watched Ceres whirling his horse with his chin resting on his chin. Is it hard to say one thing while mixing your body once already?
At the end, Ceres lowered his head slightly, and he said.
“…Does it go up so much when you have sex? You have a lot of experience, so don’t you know something?”
“No, it doesn’t usually go up this much.”
“However···. Why are we like this?”
“Are you sure you can’t guess?”
“·······”
Ceres, who kept his mouth shut, only nodded his head slightly.
At Ceres’ answer, Netoru tilted his head. Do you really not know Maybe it’s because I’ve been living without paying attention to sex at all?
“Ceres. How old were you when you joined the Knights?”
“…What do you do with that?”
“Stop grumbling and speak plainly.”
“… Oops.”
It’s an important story. So when it came out strong, Ceres averted his gaze and muttered.
“…I’m 18 years old.”
···Indeed. Was she a virgin like this?
She was kicked out before she reached adulthood, so she couldn’t help but have no experience with men. It may not have been for Ceres, but it was a lucky thing for this side.
“When you’re 18… Still, by the time you become an adult, how much will you tell me? Didn’t the other female knights around me tell you? How important the first experience is.”
“I haven’t heard of it.”
“Have you ever been bullied within the Knights?”
“·······”
Could it be the correct answer? Netoru, who watched Ceres’ reaction, for some reason, smiled bitterly.
Certainly, now that I think about it again, she must have had an accident so big that she was kicked out by the knights, so she must have been ostracized by the knights.
But then Ceres spoke as if making excuses.
“It wasn’t bullying. So don’t get weird. I don’t know what you’re imagining, but at least I haven’t had any major problems with my relationships.”
“Okay.”
Even as he said that, a dark shade fell on Ceres’ expression. Besides, the eyes are red again. It seems that a bad memory came to mind. When he was kicked out of the Knights, he must have had a pretty big deal.
Really… Do you have no intention of hiding the fact that you shed a lot of tears in front of me now? Maybe it’s just natural enough that I don’t even feel embarrassed anymore.
Netoru also decided not to dig deeper than that. So he gave the answer.
“It is true that it is the first experience. It has a large wavelength change. That’s probably why the match rate soared this time.”
“···Is that so? The Knights Templar was strict about castles, so I didn’t know.”
Wasn’t there a need to tell you exactly?
After all, it was decided who the female knight would offer her maiden to.
Anyway,
Actually, there is one thing Netoru didn’t say.
It was that no matter how first experience it is, it usually doesn’t show such a drastic change.
It was just that Netoru was special.
But he decided not to go that far. Ceres wouldn’t have to know that anyway. No, should I say that there is nothing good to know exactly?
Ceres, who did not know what was going on, asked with an innocent face.
“Can I ask you something?”
“What?”
“You···. At this level, can we fight the Death Worm and win?”
“·······”
Netoru smiled lightly. I want to tell you that I can win in style, but I’m not the kind of guy who would show off such a bravado.
“Well. I’m not sure about that either. It’s the first time I’ve seen such a monster, so I’ll have to deal with him first.”
“Don’t do that, anything is fine, so tell me honestly. It seems difficult, it seems possible. Roughly this much.”
Ceres’ eyes and expression were serious. So, the four toru who were forced to rest on his chin had no choice but to correct his posture and think about it.
Death Worm. When I first saw it, Netoru was an out-of-standard monster to the point of being rigid for a moment at that moment.
Although all of the bugs were big monsters, it was way too far fetched.
Would it be obvious if I stabbed the sword?
Even though the Holy Trooper is by no means a small existence, it is bound to feel relatively small compared to him. The monster itself was like a vicious weapon.
Netoru couldn’t do anything about it when he recklessly pushed in. If you get into it just a little bit, you’ll be crushed to death on the spot by its weight.
Besides, it wasn’t just one death worm that was less than anything. Other nearby bugs are also a big risk.
Netohru simulated a battle with the monster while trying out various conditions in his head.
And he soon made up his mind.
“…Ceres, on the premise that an overheat will come to you, if you do your best without hesitation, the probability will be roughly half.”
“Is that all you can do?”
“I set this too high. Because I don’t know at this point how long you can endure or not. But if one condition is added to this, you can probably kill it.”
“Conditions? What is that?”
“If you become incapacitated during a fight, you need someone to replace you. Even then, I will definitely be able to continue fighting.”
“Anyone who can replace it…?”
“Certainly who?”
“······You. No way.”
Ceres’ eyes twitched. As if you were given an inconvenient offer. It must be unavoidable. Ceres doesn’t want to be coupled with him.
2.
It was before Netoru came to Unit 393.
Karen said she had been hospitalized with Natsuo at a hospital in the city for about a month. She was discharged first by herself, but during that time, she was able to get acquainted with the pilots of other units simply.
No matter how different the unit is, the fact that they are comrades fighting bugs and risking their lives remains unchanged. So it wasn’t difficult to talk to each other.
But that didn’t mean Karen was friendly with everyone in the hospital. It wasn’t even that sociable personality in the first place.
Is that why?
─····. Judging by the reaction, do you think you can’t remember my name? I’m trying to be kind of upset.
Karen couldn’t help but be embarrassed when a red-haired man who remembered her face at first glance but couldn’t remember her name suddenly spoke to her in a friendly manner.
And she was even more taken aback when she suddenly introduced herself as Carlyle and asked to guide her unit.
But she couldn’t bear to refuse.
It was because she was a pilot who had come to support this operation, and the red-haired man had also quietly brought up a story about Natsuo.
“···Excuse me. Mr. Carlyle?”
“Just feel free to call me Carlisle.”
“Ah yes.”
“And just talk comfortably. At the hospital, even with Natsuo, we talked comfortably with him.”
. . Judging from her attitude, she seemed to be a sociable person. Thanks to her, she was quite a burden for Karen.
After I was discharged, was Natsuo close with someone like this?
Although it was a bit odd.
Anyway, Karen decided to ask what she was curious about.
“Hey, Natsuo… How are you?”
“Well···.”
“Yes?”
I wonder if something is going on.
When Carlyle suddenly made a serious face, Karen couldn’t help but hesitate as her expression hardened.
“That guy…”
Carlisle is speechless. Karen swallowed her saliva.
But the next moment, he suddenly changed his mood in an instant and smiled.
“I’m doing well in the hospital, so there’s nothing to worry about. What you just said is just a joke.”
“No, are you kidding?”
“Why? Is your heart pounding? It seems that she is worried about her, after all.”
“·······”
Karen frowned.
Somehow this guy… Netoru seemed to have a knack for teasing people needlessly like that guy.
But even after seeing Karen’s expression, Carlisle smirked and maintained her smile before opening her mouth.
“Oh, and by the way, who is your partner now? She heard the outline from Natsuo at the hospital, but never heard the name.”
“…My partner?”
“Okay. Now that we are fighting together in this operation, I want to see your face.”
“·······”
At Carlisle’s words, Karen inadvertently smiled bitterly. The man in front of her seemed to be mistaken for something. He’s not my partner anymore.
She had no reason to hide, so Karen let out a long breath before opening her mouth.
“Now I have a partner…”
“Karen.”
But then, before Karen could finish her words, someone called her name.
The familiar voice startled Karen.
“…Netoru?”
With her rigid body, she carefully turned her head and saw four Tohru walking.
