Chapter 46

"In my whole life, the Ancient relics I've laid hands on number in the double digits, but this is the first time I've seen anything like this."

Empire Integrated Maintenance Yard.

Dwarf Brak, staring at Glaepnir stored in the special maintenance facility, gazed at the ashen colossus in front of him and sank into thought.

"It took an entire day just to detach the broken arm. We're not repairing a battleship-who knew a single colossus would give us this much trouble...."

Every time the left-arm armor plating fell away and the drive system inside came into view, gasps spilled from the researchers and mechanics in the maintenance yard.

"This is really...."

"If we can just decipher the tech applied to this one arm, think how many breakthroughs we'll get."

"Did you see the cooling circuits and hydraulic systems in the armor? Enough material for an entire thesis!"

Where Glaepnir's left arm had been removed and the research team clustered around it, they sketched the sight and meticulously recorded the material and shape as if sleep were a waste.

"What's the Frame status?"

When Yaan's voice came from behind, Brak, startled, jumped in place.

"Ugh!? You scared me!"

"Is something wrong?"

Brak, seeing Yaan ask the question in puzzlement, grimaced and replied.

"Make some noise when you come in! You're not a ghost...!"

The researchers who turned their heads at Brak's words likewise-

"Whoa!?"

"W-when did you arrive...."

"Hey, hey, move aside!"

The shield crest on his chest-the badge of a knight.

And the Penal Corps brand carved into his shoulder. Recognizing who he was, the researchers hastily cleared the way.

"...Did I do something wrong?"

"When a Penal Corps guy shows up bold as brass in the maintenance yard, do you think those stuffed shirts can just sit still?"

"Is the Penal Corps really that infamous?"

It was a scene Yaan couldn't understand.

It was common knowledge that only criminals entered that unit, but the truly vicious criminals known to the public vanished before long.

Most either lost control of themselves on the front lines or, thanks to that very nature, took a bullet in the back.

Those who remained were, for the most part, the ones who had survived and forged trust within such a brutal human network.

"Whatever you people actually do on the front lines, do you think the folks here would care? Especially not humans."

"True enough."

Nodding at Brak's blunt remark, Yaan approached Glaepnir stored in the maintenance yard.

"As you said, the repairs are mostly done. All that's left is the connection work. It'll take about another day...."

"We just need to attach that arm?"

Seeing Glaepnir's repaired left arm lying to one side of the yard, Yaan asked, and Brak nodded.

"It's ridiculously heavy. I'm thinking of requisitioning a maintenance colossus. What material is it even made of?"

"Ask that tin can."

After saying so, Yaan looked up at Glaepnir.

He felt the black colossus standing motionless was watching him.

"Nill. Open the cockpit."

[Order confirmed.]

Krrrr....

At Yaan's single word, Glaepnir stepped forward and bowed its head toward him.

"Wh-what!?"

"The colossus moved on its own?"

Ignoring the researchers and mechanics gaping in shock, Yaan mounted Glaepnir.

[Good morning, Pilot.]

"That arm. You can pick it up and attach it, right?"

[Connection interface operating normally. Left-arm diagnostics estimate 80% operability. Self-repair possible.]

"That's the limit. Connect it."

The moment the device at the back of his neck linked up, Yaan's vision flipped.

The vision of a colossus over ten meters tall-not human eyesight.

Used to the heightened vantage, Glaepnir extended its right hand and lifted its left arm.

"You're saying it lifted that with one hand?"

"A Frame with no mana core-where does that kind of power come from?"

Clang!

After raising the arm, mechanical devices extended from the connection interface and locked the left arm to the shoulder.

Glaepnir then opened and closed the left-arm armor plates as if checking its condition.

Like a beast grooming its fur before a hunt, everyone in the maintenance yard swallowed dryly.

It felt as if they were watching a living creature.

[Connection complete. Additional implants detected inside pilot body. Synchronization complete. Frame operational status: good.]

- I have orders, so I'll need to hurry.

At those words, Brak gave a wry laugh and shouted toward Glaepnir.

"I'll send it to the front lines by tomorrow's train! I'll give word, so move the Frame over there!"

- Very well.

Thud-

People stared dumbfounded as Glaepnir walked across one side of the maintenance yard.

"Hey, what are you doing!? You finished today's work!?"

Brak snapped the mechanics back to their senses with a stream of curses, and the Empire Integrated Maintenance Yard finally returned to normal.

"Company commander!"

Having dismounted Glaepnir and watching it loaded onto the train, Yaan turned at the voice behind him.

"Aren't you supposed to avoid a superior when you meet him on leave?"

Dandel stood there with a smile on his face.

"If I'm unlucky, those guys in your unit will kill me."

"Like the former commander?"

Mentioning the potbellied company commander-no, commander-who vanished after a soldier's stray grenade, Dandel, who knew the inside story, snickered.

"Would you like to dine together? I know a good place."

He still had to deliver the Emperor's order and had nothing more to do; Yaan nodded without objection.

The two men in uniform pushed into a market in the capital's busy district.

Just one block from the nobles' quarter, the cramped space overflowed with people and energy, unlike the refined atmosphere moments before.

"Pickpocket!"

"Catch that bastard!"

"If you borrowed money, you pay it back, you son of a bitch!"

"Screw you! Kill him! We're not paying, you bastards!"

"Sixty thousand Vailsar for this junk? Are you scamming me?!"

...And so, threading through the choking crowd of this lively market street, Yaan and Dandel arrived at a restaurant.

"Mister! I'm here!"

The moment he stepped inside, Dandel called out.

Hearing his voice, the owner emerged from the kitchen, delighted.

"Oh my! Our young master is here! Got leave...?"

But then his gaze shifted to Yaan's shoulder and he gasped.

"P-Penal...!"

He'd thought wearing the only uniform he had couldn't be helped, yet every time he visited the capital or another city this happened; Yaan sighed.

"Sigh, I really need to cover this thing up."

"You only thought of that on the last day of leave?"

"It was leave for you; for me it was work."

Watching the two chat, the owner trembled and asked Dandel.

"Da-Dandel, what is...?"

Dandel? Must be some kind of nickname.

If every future guest reacted like this, it was only going to get more exhausting.

While Yaan took off his coat, thinking this, Dandel calmed the owner.

"Don't worry. He's my direct superior. And a Sir Knight, too."

"A Sir Knight?"

When Dandel said that, the owner's gaze fell on the shield emblem on Yaan's chest and he gasped, bowing his head in a hurry.

"I-I'm sorry for not recognizing you! To think someone so distinguished would grace our humble place...."

"Up until a moment ago I was the shabby one."

At that answer Yaan gave, Dandel let out a chuckle, ordered a few dishes from the owner, then guided Yaan to a table.

"Do nobles really come to places like this often?"

The streets, packed with commoners, looked utterly different from the scenery in the noble quarters.

Shouting, laughter, and the loud curses of drunkards mingled in the air.

It was a place that didn't suit the Dandel Yaan had seen until now.

"No. I'm the odd one out. Nobles rarely come here."

"Then you...?"

"I'm a bastard. Thanks to that, there's no place for me in the main house."

Dandel gave an awkward smile as he spoke.

Only then did Yaan notice that Dandel was still wearing his army uniform even though he was on leave.

"Sounds like you've had it rough, too."

"Haha, I'm used to it now."

While they spoke, the owner came over and began setting food on their table.

A wooden tankard brimming with beer. A chunky tomato soup and bread just warmed in the oven. Two smoked chicken legs each.

"Used to it? Didn't they drag you into the army just to clean up after the family's mess? Nobles, I swear...."

"Is that so?"

When Yaan asked, Dandel waved a hand to send the reluctant owner away, then opened his mouth with an awkward look.

"There's a decree that each house must send at least one person to serve as an example for conscription. I couldn't send my younger brothers.... So I ended up wearing a uniform that doesn't suit me."

The moment he finished, Dandel tipped back his beer.

Following suit with a sip, Yaan tore off a piece of bread and spoke to Dandel, who was eating as if nothing had happened.

"It suits you now."

"...!"

At those words Dandel lifted his head and looked at Yaan's face.

Yaan's gaze, however, was fixed only on the beer in front of him.

"The rest of the unit thinks so too, so don't worry."

Dandel ducked his head and let out a small laugh.

"Thank... you."

"Don't mention it."

Just then the door burst open and a group of men and women barged in.

"Owner! Bring us some beer and snacks!"

"The booze here's no good."

"Aw, c'mon, have a heart. My brother's broke."

A gang of rough-looking men. Their leader swaggered in wearing an expensive silk shirt half unbuttoned, a woman hanging off one arm.

Seeing him, the owner clicked his tongue briefly and plastered on a smile.

"Thank you as always! What'll it be today?"

"Bring whatever! Clear us a spot!"

"Yes, sir!"

After muttering something more to the owner, the man turned his head-and his gaze landed on the two in uniform.

"Tch, army bastards.... Huh?"

Just as he was about to look away with a scowl, his eyes met Dandel's and his mouth twisted into a grin.

"Well, well~ Look who we have here?"

Speaking thus, the man walked over to Yaan and Dandel's table.

Thump!

He planted one arm on their table, ignoring Yaan entirely, and grinned straight at Dandel.

"So the back-alley rat who got patted on the head by the nobles is playing officer now, huh~?"

At that, Dandel flinched and his face hardened.

Noticing, Yaan asked Dandel curiously.

"Someone you know?"

"Someone I knew before I was entered into the main house as a bastard...."

"Hey, hey, just knew? You used to call me big brother; forgetting that isn't nice, little shit~"

Hearing that, Dandel clenched his teeth.

"Big brother? Like hell I'd call the man who had my little brothers running drugs 'big brother'!"

"So what, you gonna tell headquarters?"

"Urk-!"

When Dandel cursed under his breath, the men around began snickering. The man's twisted grin widened.

"Imagine what your family'll say when they hear the little brothers of an Imperial Army officer were drug mules?"

"You bastard...!"

"Watch your mouth, punk. Or your life's gonna-"

"Hey."

The man who'd been taunting Dandel turned at the voice cutting him off.

"That's enough."

Yaan, having taken off his uniform jacket and draped it on the chair, was looking straight at him.

"Who the hell's this punk."

"Don't butt in while I'm buying my subordinate a meal-mind your own business."

"Hah, subordinate?"

Hearing that, Dandel called to Yaan with a worried look.

"Lieutenant. Are you sure this is-"

"Lieutenant? Did that little lieutenant just tell me what to do?"

At his words Dandel exhaled in resignation.

"Hey. You know who I am?"

"No clue."

"Ha! Ya hear that? He doesn't know!"

"Hahahaha!"

At his shout the men around burst into deliberate laughter.

"Watch yourself, punk. My big brother's a Colonel in the Capital Defense Force-he can ship a little shit like you off to the frontier in one shot!"

'I came from that frontier, actually.'

While he was thinking that, the sniggering man snatched the beer glass from Yaan. Then-

Glug-glug-glug!

He poured the beer straight over Yaan's head.

"Drink up, plenty more! Let's not see each other again!"

"Hahahaha!"

"Wahahaha!"

At that, Dandel hung his head and clutched it in his hands.

"Sigh..."

"What's with the sigh, punk! Thanks to you your superior's-"

Just as the man was shouting at Dandel-

Clang.

Something metallic hit the table. Every eye snapped toward it.

And when they saw the silver shield emblem lying there, the men could scarcely believe their own eyes.

"That's..."

"A knight...?"

They looked back at Yaan's seat.

There he was, wiping his head with a towel the owner had thrown him.

"Shit. My shirt's soaked."

"D-Did you just take that out...?"

Before anyone realized, the man's way of speaking had turned polite.

A knight?

One who holds the right to duel?

That knight who, in effect, has received permission to kill from His Imperial Majesty?

The one who commands a colossus?

"You. And the eleven behind you."

"Ugh...!"

The moment they saw the badge of a knight, those who had been inching away froze in place.

"I challenge every last one of you to a duel. Come outside."

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