Chapter 70

"I guess it doesn't really matter, does it?"

After a few minutes of pondering the intentions of the upper management, Shoko stopped trying to figure them out.

"Uuuuuuuh..."

Is this really okay? Nana's gaze, which seemed to be asking this question, was directed at Shoko, but Shoko wasn't being irresponsible.

"Because, you know, even if I think about it, I won't understand. And even if I did understand, there's no benefit. Besides, if I start speculating, I might come up with something I didn't expect. It's better not to think about it, right?"

"Indeed, we won't gain anything by understanding the thoughts of the upper management, especially of the First Division."

While it is part of an officer's job to act based on the intentions of the upper management, they are currently students, not officers. Therefore, it's not ideal to spend time on something they can always do later.

"Right? I think that poking around in the bushes should only be done by someone who can take responsibility for whatever comes out. And that's definitely not us."

"That's true, I guess."

"If you're really curious, just ask. I don't know about Captain Kuga, but he would probably tell us what he can, right?"

"If he says 'I can't tell you,' then it's not something we should be involved in, right?"

"Exactly. Now, let's confirm something."

"What is it?"

Nana, who seemed to have understood to some extent, decided to change the direction of the conversation.

"Is the cultural festival canceled, right?"

"Of course. It's impossible to continue in this situation."

Even though the demon was defeated, the fact that it appeared in the capital is not a trivial matter. Moreover, it was revealed that the demon's purpose was to target Keita, but that might not be the whole truth.

Furthermore, there is a high possibility that there are other demons besides the one that was defeated. In such a situation, it's not appropriate to hold a cultural festival. They need to ensure the safety of the civilians who came as guests and spectators, and also review the security of the political center and other matters.

Right now, the upper management of the First Division is likely holding a heated meeting.

"...I see. That's right."

"I haven't even fought once, you know."

At this point, Natsuki and Mari, who had been frozen, restarted.

From the way they naturally joined the conversation, it seemed they had been listening to Shoko and Nana even when they were frozen.

(Not bad.)

Shoko didn't think they had been eavesdropping. Rather, she was glad that she didn't have to explain everything again.

The reason for this was that she had made a decision after watching Keita's battle with the demon.

(If the number increases too much, it's impossible to monopolize the information. But if there are too few samples, we won't get the necessary information.)

While Mari complained about not having fought, Natsuki said something that was hard to understand, whether it was to comfort her or to taunt Nana, who had defeated her.

Nana, who had defeated Natsuki, said, "Well, you weren't weak," with a condescending tone, without revealing her true thoughts.

(Are we going to use these two? But there's no one else. If we use Satoko Muto, the Third Division might interfere. And Fujita... while not bad, there's the issue of close combat. So, we have no choice but to use these two. I understand that. But Nana is one thing, the other two...)

"So, what did Ito-san want to say?"

Nana, who seemed to be tired of taunting Natsuki or perhaps dissatisfied with not being involved in the conversation, asked Shoko, who had been silent.

"Oh, right. We were in the middle of a conversation."

"About the cultural festival being canceled, right?"

Natsuki and Mari, who had been reminded of the conversation, also turned their attention to Shoko.

Shoko, who was now the focus of their attention, thought, (The timing and content of the conversation aren't bad, but...), and said, "Actually, I have an idea," deciding to involve the three in front of her in her plan, especially Nana, whom she was almost certain shared her thoughts.

---

"I have returned."

I don't know if he intended to use some ultimate technique, but I ended up piercing the demon, who was standing there in a state of overconfidence. I left the cleanup to the soldiers, who looked stunned, and quickly returned to the hangar connected to the VIP seats, where I greeted the boss and Saiko.

Greetings are important. It's written in the Kojiki.

"Good work."

"You did well. So, how was the demon? Is there a body left? No, even if there's no body, what about blood or bones?"

The boss, who was normally considerate, and Saiko, who was clearly trying to do something unethical, were both there. Researchers would naturally want to study a demon's body if they had the chance.

But that's not possible.

"There's no body left. I think there might be some blood or bones if we search, but they're definitely mixed with the demon's remains. Besides, the military is already handling the cleanup, so I don't think there will be much left."

"...I see."

Even if I went there now, I wouldn't get any leftovers. Besides, it's not something that should be handed over to a private company.

"...But, did you really need to go that far?"

"What do you mean?"

Was it because I spread the incendiary grenades too much? Or because I used the 40mm too much? I don't think it was a budget issue...

"Stop. If you just wanted to kill it, one shot would have been enough. You could have finished it with the Grave. But you chose two 88mm shots. You should have known that nothing would be left after two shots to the torso. Didn't you think it was a waste?"

(Ah, that's what you mean.)

So, he was also after the demon's body.

Yeah, I knew Saiko was like that, so I'm not surprised. But I don't like it when he mistakes me for someone like him.

Anyway,

"We can't afford to leave it half-dead and have it come back to life."

"Come back to life? Can demons do something even in that state?"

Honestly, I don't know.

"They might, or they might not. But I think we should eliminate any chance of a counterattack."

Even if it doesn't come back to life, it might use its last strength to merge with the demon's remains, grow larger, and kill the opponent. I think it should be killed when it can be.

"Besides, if we had left the demon, other demons might have come to observe. That would have caused more confusion. So, I decided that it was best to completely dispose of it on the spot."

I don't know how demons think, but they might try to help their kin if they know they will be used as research material. Or they might try to hide the evidence to avoid a disadvantage. If that happens, I won't be able to take responsibility.

"I see."

"Yeah, your judgment was correct. Some military researchers and certain people might complain, but we will also say the same thing, or even that 'the lives of the VIPs and spectators cannot be sacrificed.' If anyone says anything to you, tell them the same."

Hmm? Is this a hint? Maybe someone among those who made me fight the demon one-on-one was complaining that it was unfair?

...That's why I hate politicians. If they have a complaint, they should do it themselves.

"Understood."

If I follow the boss's advice, I'm sure I'll be protected in some way. I didn't violate any orders, after all.

But, there's something I need to ask first, before thinking about the upper management's intentions.

"So, what about this machine?"

Normally, it would be reset, right? I have adjustments to make for the prototype and the exoskeleton. But considering the magic power and experience gained from defeating the demon, it seems wasteful to reset it easily.

"Yeah, about that."

So, I asked what would happen to it in the future, but Saiko was scratching his head with a somewhat awkward expression.

"The military is divided on this."

"Divided?"

Why? Is there a reason for the division?

"Yeah. They're debating whether to entrust it to me or send it to the military factory."

I see.

What I'm more concerned about is the previous stage.

"Will it not be reset?"

Will it be reset after taking data from its growth and optimization, or will it be reset as it is?

The former seems like a waste of effort... but it might hinder other research, so I'd rather avoid it if possible.

But if we use this as a stepping stone to put the mass-produced model on track and make it usable by other pilots in the future, it might not be so bad.

That way, my involvement in the mass-produced model will decrease.

In other words, it will be more work at first, but easier in the long run.

Like the saying, "Haste makes waste."

"Yeah, that's right. Although the time was short, it definitely has accumulated a significant amount of magic power and experience after a proper battle. So, if we let it grow and optimize, it has a high chance of evolving positively. Everyone involved understands this."

"Right."

The previous ones degenerated, so it's not bad to confirm a case of positive growth, right?

Considering the effort it would take on my part.

"But..."

"But?"

"The problem is that the data you provided is too advanced. The other pilots are still at the stage of trying to move the machine. What good is data that jumps so far ahead?"

"That's... true."

Indeed, it might be. It's like showing a long jump to a toddler who can only crawl. I fully agree.

"Of course, it's not meaningless. It can serve as a goal or a midpoint for the pilots who will eventually ride the mass-produced model. But..."

The boss, who was struggling with this dilemma, was speaking with difficulty. After all, he was admitting that the military pilots were inexperienced in front of a civilian, even if he was involved.

"The machine is brand new, and you've only used it in actual combat for the first time. There's plenty of room for improvement through training. It can't be a goal yet."

"I see."

While the boss was struggling, Saiko bluntly said, "There's still a lot to improve."

His attitude, which doesn't consider others at all, doesn't impress me or make me admire him. I think he should pay more attention to his surroundings.

"But we want the data. While there's a high possibility that it will be reset in the future, we plan to let it grow and optimize for now. It will be a lot of work for you, but consider it a formal mission and accept it."

It's a formal mission, after all.

"Considering all of this, let's continue the previous conversation."

The previous conversation? Oh, right.

"The military is debating whether to entrust it to Saiko or send it to the military factory, right?"

That was the original topic.

"Right. Normally, it would be best to entrust it to me, who has been working with you to maintain and improve it. After all, once it grows and optimizes, it can't be ridden by anyone else."

"That's true."

If we need to collect operational data, it has to be entrusted to Saiko. It would be a lot of trouble to call me for tests, and I have my own tasks with the prototype and the exoskeleton.

But if they are debating, it means...

"Is the military more interested in the changes that occur during growth, such as weapons and armor, rather than operational data?"

If that's the case, they can check it without me. The data before growth is already recorded.

"That's right. In addition, if it's entrusted to me, there's the question of how much growth and motion patterns to measure, and how to take the machine away from me after it grows."

Hmm? That sounds strange.

"Isn't the machine the property of the military?"

(Originally, it was the prototype, but the mass-produced model belongs to you, right?)

I used to think that way.

"You're right. So, what benefit do I get if the military prioritizes the growth and optimization of a machine that isn't mine?"

"Ah, I see. That's what you mean."

"Exactly."

In other words, if he is entrusted with it, he intends to clearly tell the military that he has no intention of prioritizing a machine that isn't his.

Or maybe he already has.

(That's possible for him.)

He didn't like it when the prototype was taken away, and he certainly doesn't want to do the military's or the corporate conglomerates' dirty work.

Moreover, the data obtained from experiments will naturally benefit Saiko Heavy Industries the most.

This would be a significant advantage for the corporate conglomerates, who are already at a disadvantage.

Therefore, the people connected to the corporate conglomerates don't want to entrust the machine to Saiko. But if they don't, the research might be incomplete.

The key is