“I am God’s bride.” The girl spoke to Lud with a face so sad it was hard to believe she ordinarily wore a smile.
“Bride? What do you mean?” Lud felt a tightening in his chest as he asked.
“Exactly what I said. The True System is the foundation of the empire. It’s the ultimate computerized and synchronized intelligence of all the citizens of the nation.”
The True System was the collective intelligence that provided answers to any question. It gave a reason for living and everyone had to obey it. It told them exactly what they should do.
“God is perfect. It gives perfect instructions. What to eat, what to do, who to fall in love with... It teaches everything.”
“That’s... um...”
She was describing a world he couldn’t imagine. This was understandable. According to her, it was a world where the people of the capital had relinquished the duty of making their own choices; using freedom to abandon freedom.
“They call it God, but it’s their caretaker. And that being wanted a companion.” The girl didn’t know why. She didn’t know why she was chosen. “But no thank you. I don’t want to be that thing’s spouse!”
Another person might have obeyed without questioning. But, she couldn’t accept a life decided according to God’s whims.
“I need to ask a favor. Please, take me away from here!” The girl begged him to help her.
He was the only one she could rely on. Others, unable to understand her suffering, might have considered her strange... perhaps even abnormal.
“Understood. Let’s run away.” He couldn’t refuse her request. He couldn’t simply watch as she lived a miserable life.
“If we leave the capital and go far away, no one will pursue us.”
However, that was a dangerous path. It meant abandoning a paradise blessed by God. They might die within a few days.
“Thank you. Let’s go!”
She knew all of that. In full understanding, she wanted this. She asked to make her own choice even if it meant losing her life.
Lud was attacking fiercely, and Sven was skillfully dodging. She wasn’t just defending herself. She was expertly controlling his attacks. She could do nothing else. She desperately kept at it, waiting for Lud to exhaust his strength.
Lud doesn’t disappoint... If I were a human, I’d have died many times by now!
She realized once again how fearsome Lud was in hand-to-hand combat. Just when she thought he would attack with his muscles and large frame, he accurately determined that Sven was stronger and he switched to using his nimble footwork. That would ordinarily throw off an experienced soldier and create an opening.
As a soldier, he’s such a realist...
She had known that ever since she had welcomed him inside her when she was a Hunter Unit. Even under a surprise attack by the enemy military, he had the decisiveness and adaptability to respond immediately. He was a true soldier with a spirit of steel, unyielding no matter what the predicament.
But...
As she dodged Lud’s fists, she suddenly remembered the first day she visited Tockerbrot. His big round back had been hunched over inside the empty shop.
I could hardly believe he was the same person.
She had reunited with him more than two years after he quit the military. Her chest had tightened at the sight of his sad face. He was feared as a frightening former soldier and ostracized by the townsfolk, yet he continued baking bread no one would eat. Sven had known that she must do something. She had to find a way to ease his suffering, if only a little. And think of something to increase his joy, if only a little.
A lot had happened. They had fought special operations soldiers from August, battled young soldiers and mechanical soldiers from Greyten on an airship, worked together to save their business against a billionaire, almost lost their lives when they were targeted by the Schutzstaffel, baked bread for Thanksgiving and baumkuchen for the Holy Festival... So many things had happened.
“Urgh!” As if vexed at Sven for dodging his ferocious attacks, Lud drew the pistol at his hip.
“—?!”
He pointed the muzzle at Sven. For a moment, the two stopped and silence reigned.
“Unnngh...!!” Lud moaned in agony. Then he threw the gun in his hand aside.
Yes, I should think so!
Relief filled Sven. Lud had said it himself. To eat was to live. Someone who fed others for a living couldn’t kill. For that reason, he had always loathed killers. He had stuck to that belief even when he was in danger.
You haven’t changed.
Sven was relieved because no matter what happened, Lud Langart remained the same.
“Enough... Please, just leave!” Lud spoke as if in pain. “I suspect you’re stronger than I am. You could easily kill me. But you don’t. I think you’re a kind person.”
It wasn’t strange that he noticed how his opponent tried not to hurt him. He was kind. That was why he couldn’t stand to fight any longer. He hadn’t willingly held the pistol. Toolman had probably given it to him.
“You must have something you can’t forsake. I do too. I understand... so... I want you to leave!” Lud suddenly fell to his knees and lowered his head. He bent into a deep bow. He was bowing to the enemy.
“Master...” Immense sadness and frustration welled inside Sven.
This man hadn’t changed. He would never change. He would reject the option to kill even if it meant feeding his pride to the dogs. He was that kind of person. She knew that better than anyone. However...
“Why?!”
“What?”
Sven’s shoulders were trembling. An unknown feeling was growing inside her. It was anger, intense anger. She had known intense anger many times. She had let her iron fists fly at anyone threatening her beloved Lud. This time was different. This was a first. She was angry at Lud.
“Just three days ago, you swore you would love me forever!!”
“W-What are you talking about?”
From Lud’s point of view, a woman whose name he didn’t know had suddenly started sputtering nonsense.
“But some woman from who-knows-where overwrote your memory and you forgot all about me!!!!”
His response only fueled the flame of Sven’s anger.
“Master, you... you...”
That anger pushed her over a line she had never been able to cross.
“You’re a dummy, Lud!!!!”