Uncle Hunter’s Login Life 496

Chapter 496 – Tolerance

Since I knew why Alcyone was upset, I also had nothing to say.

“Didn’t they say something from above?!”

That’s right.

Strangely enough, he didn’t say anything.

Even failure seems like a good mission…

Do I enjoy failing?

“Hmm… But the kid is good, isn’t he? Why don’t you watch him a little more?”

“What else are you watching here? And are you kind? Is this something that can be passed off as being nice? It’s a miracle that we’re still okay. Haha… Team leader, don’t get caught up in this unnecessary affection.”

“…”

It wasn’t like that.

The reason I did not dwell on the failure of the mission was simple. Because it doesn’t matter to me whether I succeed or fail.

Even if I fail, I am not the one who loses.

It’s Rebellion.

If I had to count my losses, Rebellion’s reputation might suffer…

Rebellion’s reputation.

Joanna’s favorability.

The weight of the scale was clearly tilted towards Joanna.

He has a bit of a torturer temperament, but… Yeah… He’s good. Above all, the face.

“Because of him, my living expenses this month were cut in half?”

“… Cost of living?”

I wondered what this meant.

“Don’t you know that if you fail a mission, your pay gets cut in half? Surely… The operations team leader doesn’t have anything like that? Is that why you’re so relaxed? Unlike the team leader, I might have to work a part-time job now!”

Alcyone rolled her eyes and gave a look as if she had discovered her superior’s corruption.

I also knew that Rebellion deposits a certain amount of compensation after completing a mission.

Sunni mostly manages my funds.

And it’s been quite a while since I lived without worrying about things like money. I wasn’t hungry enough to care about the meager compensation…

Unlike me, Alcyone didn’t seem to have a very well-off life.

Having living expenses cut in half due to tight living conditions was also a matter of survival.

When I think about it that way, I think I understand why Alcyone is so angry.

“It’s not what you think. I don’t know how much compensation Rebellion gives me. Furthermore, I’m rich enough to not be concerned about such small amounts of money.”

Alcyone looks dumbfounded at my words.

“… Unlucky.”

“Then… How about this? If the cost of living is an issue, I will compensate you for the loss. Then, you will be able to watch over Joanna a little longer, right?”

“Wow… Really? You would do that to me? Why are you being so generous to that Mojiri? Is this really an affair?”

Affair…

I hope that’s true.

“You know very well that’s not true.”

We were still in a relationship where we broke up as soon as we got home from work.

Maybe he could have had a relationship like that with Lynette, but she was shattered by Cowra’s interference.

Lynette seems to have quite clear morals in that regard, so it is not easy.

“If the team leader compensates for my losses, then I don’t have anything more to say. But, do you want me to behave in moderation?”

Alcyone won’t understand.

Rather than being a brat, money has now reached a point where it has no meaning to me. So it was no big deal to help this much.

“Are you worried about me?”

“It’s not that I’m worried. It’s because I feel bad that the team leader is wasting money on a kid like that! Instead of regretting it, it’s better to let go of the person you want to let go quickly.”

I feel ashamed of being caught worrying about myself.

Alcyone… He seems to have a bit of a tsundere temperament.

*

*

*

Joanna had her father who was a military officer.
Zephyria’s soldiers are an elite group among the elite.

She also admired such a wonderful father and tried to follow in his footsteps and join the military.

And she failed.
Her written grades weren’t bad, but she made a series of mistakes in her practical skills and failed.

Joanna could not forget the pitiful look in her father’s eyes when she failed her exam.
She failed to enlist several times and left her home as if running away. She then found out about a group called Rebellion.
She thought their willingness to fight against the world for the mistreated Panthera people was great, so she joined the Rebellion.
But even there she was always a failure.

The missions that Rebellion sent out from time to time also gradually decreased and stopped at some point.

Just when I was wondering if I might even be abandoned by Rebellion… I got a call.

Wouldn’t you like to join in creating a new team?

Joanna thought that this time she would pull herself together and do well in her new team.
But things did not go as expected.

A series of mistakes and mission failures.

Joanna’s confidence gradually diminished.

If she had been, it wouldn’t have been strange if she had already been kicked out of her team, but Joanna still remained on her team.

It was because of Bark, the leader of the Mongoose team.

Bark was the most generous person Joanna had ever seen in her life.

There were many captains who overlooked one or two mistakes. But from the third time onwards, the color of her face changed.

In contrast, Captain Bark, whom I met this time, never made a loud noise.

There was a chance that I would be annoyed, but there was nothing like that.

He forgave Joanna as if nothing had really happened. Surprisingly, it didn’t even feel like an affectation.

But the more it happened, the more Joanna suffered.

Joanna was a person with a conscience.

Did she ever have someone who believed in her this much?
Even her father did not trust her to this extent.

It would be better if you cursed like Alcyone…

It was quite painful for Joanna to always feel betrayed by the person she trusted and waited for.

Joanna was going through the most difficult period of her life. She had suffered in the past, but it was much harder for her to bear it now.
She was almost afraid to go on her mission now.

She felt sorry for her mongoose teammates, but especially couldn’t raise her head in front of her captain.

Joanna headed to Bach’s office.

It was selfish, but she felt like an apology would put her mind at ease.

Joanna stopped when the captain was about to knock on her office door.

『Bark is currently interviewing with Alcyone. Would you like to wait until the interview is over?』

I hesitated at the words of the artificial intelligence voice assistant.

“Ah, member of Alcyone? Uh, yes… I understand. Just wait.”

-Are you going to leave Joanna like this?!

Alcyone’s faint shout was heard from inside the office.

Joanna was startled to hear her own name. And she put her face close to the office door and listened.

Although the team leader’s office had basic soundproofing equipment, it was not enough to block out loud noises. If she used magic she could hear without problem.

Alcyone had one request.

It was about excluding Joanna, or herself, from her mongoose team.

Joanna was not offended by Alcyone making such a request.

It just exploded.

She rather thought that Alcyone’s request was a little late.

(… If living expenses are an issue, I will compensate you for the loss. Then, you will be able to watch over Joanna a little longer, right?)

Joanna was moved to tears by Bark’s words.

I thought that the captain, who tried not to abandon me at all costs, was extremely grateful but also cruel.

That kind of appearance of Bark made Joanna feel regretful.

“…”

Joanna thought that it was time to let go of her regrets.

*

*

*

『Bark, Joanna visited.』

I soothed Alcyone through financial treatment.

And then another guest came.

Joanna hesitantly entered her office.

“Joanna, what’s going on?”

“Well, that is…”

She can hardly open her mouth.

“Have you ever enlisted?”

As the thought occurred to me, I asked something I was curious about.

Because I was curious about why she always wore military look.

“Oh, no. I failed the enlistment test and couldn’t go to the military.”

Are you taking a test to enlist?

“Officer?”

“Oh, no. How dare I… I am supporting an ordinary soldier.”

I heard that being a soldier in Zephyria is an elite job, but even soldiers have to take a test to get in… It looks like the treatment is quite good.

Aren’t the guys who were arguing with me on the ground the soldiers of Zephyria?

After hesitating for a moment, Joanna looked as if she had made up her mind and parted her lips.

“… Captain.”

“Huh?”

“I will quit the Mongoose team.”

“… Why?”

“Why… You ask…”

Joanna’s face looks like ‘Are you asking because you don’t know that?’

“Is it because of a mistake during the mission?”

“… Why aren’t you expelling me from the team?”

“Well…”

If it were a black man, he would have been merciless… But I guess the biggest factor is that her face is pretty.

This guy’s lookism.

I can’t help it.

In the first place, life is unfair.

“… Do you need a reason?”

“Yes? That’s… But… Many missions have failed because of me…”

“Joanna Crew! Are you planning to run away without even thinking about making up for your mistakes?!”

“Do, run away… Uh, that’s… No… Not…”

“Joanna, you need to think about making up for the mistakes you’ve made so far. You’re only going to use it if you’re trying to run away! Let’s pretend this story never happened.”

“Captain… Keuuuuu.”

Joanna lowered her head and lifted her shoulders.

I walked up to her crying and patted her on the shoulder.

“Joanna, I believe you will one day become an indispensable member of the Mongoose team.”

“Captain! Wow!!”

Joanna buried her face in my arms and cried.
I gently rubbed her back as if to comfort her.

-Sharp!

Joanna, who was sobbing in my arms, suddenly falls to her knees.

“Captain! I’ve been causing all kinds of trouble to the team, so there’s a problem with me not getting any punishment! Please at least punish me!”

“Bee?”

“Yes! I will accept any punishment. I think it will put my mind at least a little at ease!”

“Punishment…”