Chapter 74

"Well, we've finished talking about the surveillance cameras, but the discussion about the instructional battalion is not over yet."

"Cameras are important, I think?"

No, seriously.

"......Well, regarding wrongful convictions. While the first four might be manageable, it's true that among those who will come in the future, there might be assassins sent by forces who wish to tarnish your reputation. Additionally, if we consider that surveillance cameras can prevent crimes and assassinations, then informing about their presence and existence has a certain significance. I acknowledge that."

"Thank you."

Assassinations, huh. Honestly, I hadn't considered that, but from now on, I guess I need to be on guard for such things. It's troublesome... but I shouldn't say that, right?

And, informing. Yes. Proper notification is important because without it, it could be seen as peeping. Notification is crucial.

"Even if you're happier about the installation of surveillance cameras than about promotions or battalion matters... Well, it's fine. Let's continue the discussion."

"Ha!"

The main topic, huh. Honestly, I don't want to hear it, but I can't just say that.

"As you know, the original four—Fujitani, Taguchi, Hashimoto, and Ayase—were sent to strengthen the influence of their own divisions in the planned Third Division or to secure positions prepared for the Third Division."

"That's how it seems."

To prevent that, there's Mr. Watanabe from the Third Division, right? As for Kobayashi and Kasahara... I wonder.

"Under normal circumstances, it would have been fine. Even if Fujitani and the others did nothing, the positions prepared for Kobayashi and Kasahara would have eventually disappeared."

"Ha."

It seems the National Defense Army has enough integrity to say that even connections can't change the inevitable. I think that's a good thing, but frankly, hearing about power struggles between divisions is just troublesome.

"So, there should have been a competition for the positions prepared for Kasahara and Kobayashi, especially for Kobayashi. But the situation has changed."

That's right. It's completely changed.

"The reconstruction of the Third Division has been put on hold, right?"

"That's part of it, but it's not the only reason. The Second Division is half-destroyed, and the Sixth and Eighth Divisions have also suffered significant damage. Therefore, it has been decided that a large number of lieutenants and captains need to be replenished."

"Ah."

Many have died in the line of duty.

"Of course, it's not just anyone who can fill these positions."

"Of course not."

That's true. It takes time and budget to train suitable lieutenants and captains. But more importantly, we need to be selective about who we invest in, given the limited budget.

Considering this, the most priority should not be given to the officers currently in the field.

If we invest in them, they might die in the Second Major Offensive without fully developing their skills. Given the urgency of reconstruction, there's no time to spare.

Therefore, the ones who should be invested in are the cadets who will soon be deployed to the field. In other words, students who have at least two years of leeway.

"Each division decided to utilize Fujitani and Taguchi for their own divisions, right?"

"Right."

They were originally sent because of their excellence. It's understandable that they prefer to use them in their own divisions rather than sending them elsewhere. For the instructional battalion, it's probably about creating an environment where they can become more proficient in mass-produced models.

"This is a gamble, both for the divisions and for them."

"A gamble?"

Just training to become proficient... What's the gamble? What do you mean?

"I don't know what you think, but for Fujitani and the others, this personnel change means switching from the Kusanagi models, which they are familiar with as their personal combat machines, to mass-produced models whose operability is still unknown. What else would you call this but a gamble?"

Is that so? But...

"Even if you say it's a gamble to switch to mass-produced models..."

I operated them normally, didn't I? Of course, I understand that my method is special, but is it really fair to call it a gamble?

"You would think so."

No, no, no, no. I admit I'm special, but the premise is that the machine can be operated by others, not just me.

"Even if it's not exactly the same as me, jumping and shooting shouldn't be that difficult, right? There were people who did it in the Second Major Offensive, right?"

I think it was Lieutenant Kakiyama.

"Right."

He died, but he managed to defeat two or three enemies, right?

"If they could achieve that with two months of training, I don't see why Fujitani and the others, who have more than two years, can't do it."

Unless they are suddenly deployed, it should be fine, right?

Of course, they might find it so difficult that they say, "It's impossible!" But I can't be responsible for that.

"Logically, that's true. What you say is not wrong. However..."

"However?"

Is there some problem I'm not aware of?

"The higher-ups. They don't consider two months of training for top-notch pilots, who have been trained with the battlefield in mind, the same as two years of training for students who have no battlefield experience. Of course, Fujitani and the others might share this sentiment."

"Ah, I see."

A problem of common sense.

Moreover, on one side, it's a life-or-death situation where soldiers must train to survive, and on the other, it's a relaxed environment where students can switch to another machine if they can't operate it, and they can train as a side activity.

It's understandable that the former is seen as more intense and focused.

Furthermore, the more experience a pilot has, the more they might sanctify the former. The boss might think the same way.

That's fine. It's their personal freedom to think what they want. But that's a different issue.

"Originally, there's no need to be prepared to die to operate that machine."

Really, why would it come to that?

"That's because it's you..."

Because I can operate it?

No, that's not it. That's a misunderstanding.

"Emotions like determination are actually a hindrance when using the command system. The important thing is to press the buttons without thinking."

"......What?"

I must have explained this when explaining the command system.

"To reiterate, when operating mass-produced models, the feeling of operating a Kusanagi model is a hindrance. In fact, the machine won't accept commands because it reacts to such feelings."

It results in conflicting commands, leading to malfunctions.

"No, but..."

Still not convinced? The boss seems to prefer Kusanagi models.

A good analogy... Ah, how about this?

"Do you think emotions are necessary when driving a car, boss?"

That would be scary, right? Press the accelerator to speed up, the brake to stop, turn the steering wheel to steer, and shift to reverse to go backward. That's what a car is.

That's why I explained that the command system is like operating a tank.

"......No, that's right."

"Yes, that's right."

Alright. Checkmate.

I won. Taking a bath... just kidding.

In that sense, Lieutenant Kakiyama, who operated a machine during the Second Major Offensive, can be seen as a successful example of operating a machine with emotion. But this success led to the misconception that determination and perseverance are enough to operate the machine.

Of course, determination and perseverance are not entirely unnecessary.

If the machine only operates with buttons, there will be issues with balance and braking. Therefore, when using the command system, it's necessary to clearly distinguish between unconscious and conscious actions.

"Considering the difficulty of this adjustment, I think that's why there are currently no satisfactory users. What do you think?"

That was just a guess. I can't understand why others can't use it since I could from the start.

If they can't use it, I want to know why.

"......Well, I don't know either."

The boss doesn't know either.

Given that the machine has only been in use for about a year, it's understandable, right?

Well, whatever.

"Then, let's consider it part of the instructional battalion's role to verify these various functions."

It feels a bit unsatisfactory, but it's probably because my emotions haven't caught up yet.

This is a matter of values, so I can only hope time will resolve it.

"......Is that okay with you?"

Hm? You're asking me with a serious face.

"Is what, okay?"

I need a subject to understand.

"......The technical knowledge, no, the key points you just mentioned are important, almost confidential information for operating mass-produced models. Is it okay to spread this information so easily?"

Ah, that. Yes, it is confidential, but...

"It's not about spreading it easily. I've been stating it openly from the beginning."

It's already public.

I don't know if you didn't take it seriously or couldn't switch your mindset, but I haven't been hiding it.

"But..."

Technology should be kept secret. I understand that's what the boss thinks. However,

"Part of the purpose of establishing the instructional battalion is to extract the tips I might be hiding, right?"

"......Yes."

As expected. I've been asked about mass-produced models many times.

Ms. Fujitani also brought a lot of information.

...Whether they are utilizing it is another matter.

Regardless of what happened to the information that spread from me,

"From the beginning, I had no intention of hiding information to monopolize military achievements. Even if I tried to hide it, I couldn't keep it hidden."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, that's right. So, if you have any questions, feel free to ask. No need for hostages or drugs."

"......"

I will choose who to talk to, but if ordered from above, I will definitely talk. I don't want to be imprisoned, interrogated, or tortured.

Moreover, if the instructional battalion can experiment, verify, correct, and implement the data collected, a capable mass-produced model unit will be formed, reducing my workload.

Reducing my workload means staying away from dangerous areas.

Staying away from dangerous areas means reducing the risk of death.

Even if my chances of promotion decrease, I'm already promoted, so I won't lack for money.

Of course, this won't affect my sister's position.

Where's the problem?

The scary part is being used as a foundation for science or medicine without anyone knowing, but given my current position, that's unlikely.

In other words, if I handle the next few years well, I can live as a secret weapon and a rear instructor.

To put it mildly, it's the best, isn't it?

"......I understand your thinking."

"Eh?"

Did you already figure out that I plan to be a rear instructor?

Is the boss a S〇RI? Or am I a Sato〇re?

"Your thoughts are noble and correct."

"Eh?"

Noble and correct?

Being a rear instructor isn't noble or correct, is it?

"But there are people in the current National Defense Army who would try to exploit someone like you."

"Ha."

I don't know what kind of person I am, but there are people who try to exploit others, right?

Like Ms. Saikō.

"That's why you should choose who to share your technology with. No, only those I approve of."

"That's... No, understood."

It's not about monopolizing information. You're going to be a filter?

I was already planning to leave the things I don't understand to the boss, so that's fine.

"That's right. I understand your hesitation. But you must comply. Ah, of course, there's no problem with Fujitani and the others. I'll make sure they keep quiet. You can tell them everything you know."

"Ah, yes."

I feel like there's some misunderstanding, but at least I can use the four of them to collect data. That's good enough for now.

"That's all. I'll contact you as details are decided, so be prepared."

"Ha. Thank you for your time."

"Ah."

I wanted to say, "Can't you decide everything at once?" but if I did, I might be given a thick manual and told to memorize it all by the day after tomorrow. So, I kept quiet and left the room.

"......As an officer, no, as a teacher, I must repay his feelings, huh?"

As I closed the door, I heard the boss mutter something, but I couldn't make out the words.

Thank you for reading.