Chapter 2

Chapter 1 Second Valkyrie 1 Her memory of that moment was still shrouded and distant. “I see, so you’re the one who ■■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■.” The fragmented words seemed almost unbalanced. The reason for that was probably the calm tone of the voice that carried the weight of many years even though the speaker gave off the opposite impression. The owner of this striking voice looked young, childish even, but his gaze was like that of a parent inspecting his child. The dissonance of it all shook the emerging Valkyrie out of her reverie. Her thoughts dulled, almost like she had a fever, even as her eyes welled in exultation. This was truly a mysterious place. It was not particularly hard to see, and yet, there was an unmistakable darkness all around them. It was unclear what she was standing on, but she instinctually knew there was solid footing under her. She was kneeling in front of a spring—Mímisbrunnr. It was a well that possessed a divine power and could grant special blessings. Just moments ago, she had gathered some of the cool, clear water in her hands and paused briefly before raising it to her lips. She could feel herself being released from human limits as each trickle of water passed her throat. People metaphorically described the process of becoming a Valkyrie as rebirth, but in truth, it may have been literal as well. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say it felt like being granted a new set of wings, something that simply could not be perceived with a human body. She wouldn’t go so far as to claim that she had transcended humanity, but she could confidently say she had crossed onto a different path from the rest of mankind. “The path you will walk from here on will assuredly be a difficult and noble one.” A youthful, austere voice addressed her as she knelt and endured the aftershocks of her rebirth. “You will likely be forced to see and experience a great many terrible things and more than your share of wretched nights.” “” “There shall come a time when you will even hear the sound of your own heart shattering as the unbearable losses continue to pile up.” “” “I will not tell you not to grieve. Nor will I tell you not to give in. That is a right afforded to every one of you.” No one would condemn her for open tears or faltering legs. The young, steady voice gradually seeped into her body, circulating inside her like lifeblood, spreading through her arms and legs before returning to her heart. Even after countless nights of loss and heartbreak, even if her will failed her and she fell to her knees, she was not alone. She would never be alone again. That truth and reassurance gave her strength, helping quell the trembling in her arms and legs. “” “Can you stand, my child? You imbibed the well’s water even knowing what an arduous and painful path awaited you. I shall grant you new wings, my beloved daughter.” As soon as she heard that solemn declaration, a large presence appeared directly behind her. Turning to see what it was, she opened her eyes wide in shock. Behind her was a crimson machine, a fighter plane wreathed in heavenly light. Her breath caught at the sight of it as the voice spoke again. “Deus ex Machinas. A Valkyrie’s wings and the only means for humanity to resist the pillars.” The voice—the voice of God—proclaimed it so. “Spread thine wings and take to the sky, Valkyrie—I, Odin, grant thee my divine blessing.” 2 “—Are you Rusalka Evereska?” “” When she heard her name being called, she turned around to look back down the hallway. She sported long silver hair reminiscent of a snowy field under the full moon and sharp sky-blue eyes. Her tall and slim figure made her look like a model, but her chest was a bit on the large side. The neatly starched and pleated uniform she had on accentuated her bust, and the black stockings covering her long legs all the way up to the tight skirt of the uniform were a reflection of her meticulous nature. She was a beautiful soldier—that was the impression most people had of Rusalka Evereska, and it was the most superficial appraisal possible. Her clear sky-blue eyes and icy beauty made an impact on anyone who saw her. “Yes, I am Rusalka Evereska. And you are?” “I knew it! Yeah, you look exactly the way they described you.” “You’ve heard of me before?” “You betcha!” This girl, who seemed like the exact opposite of Rusalka, nodded cheerfully. Her golden-blond hair flowed over her shoulder down to her waist, glimmering like she was the embodiment of sunny cheer. She was shorter than Rusalka, and her figure was thinner and less curvy. At the same time, her face was sweet and charming, and more than anything, her crimson, ruby-like eyes were mesmerizing. Her outfit was both gorgeous and seemingly easy to move in, which suited her bubbly personality. But for better or worse, they were on an army base, so it looked incredibly strange. A girl who was the embodiment of peacetime and an unrefined, utilitarian army building. Everything about it was mismatched, and the resulting dissonance was so intense it was hard to put into words. Of course, in recent times, extenuating circumstances were all too common, given the state of the world. Even so, there was still a responsibility to maintain a proper uniform on base whatever the situation, and Rusalka always heeded regulation dress codes. Because of that, seeing this girl, who looked so out of place, made Rusalka deeply uncomfortable. While she wrestled with that internal turmoil, she mulled over what the girl had said before posing her own question. “May I ask who gave you my description?” “The bigwigs here. I’ve wanted to meet you for a while now, and I finally got my chance. Turns out, you really do look a little bit naughty in uniform, just like I heard!” “N-naughty?” “Mm-hmm!” Rusalka had tried to deal with the girl in good faith, but her expression unconsciously darkened after hearing that upsetting impression. No matter how you looked at it, being called “naughty” couldn’t really be taken as a compliment. At the same time, she couldn’t detect any hint of malice in the girl’s cheerful expression. There was a chance she had misspoken. If so, then it was just a simple mistake. “Ummm, what do you mean by ‘naughty’?” “Huh? Isn’t it obvious? The way your uniform around your breasts is practically bursting at the seams, plus that black stockings and tight skirt combo—it’s almost lewd.” “” Apparently, it had not been a misunderstanding. She had meant every single word. Rusalka closed her mouth at that. All of a sudden, the girl gasped, and her eyes went wide. “Ah! I didn’t mean it in a bad way! You thought I was bad-mouthing you, right? That’s not what I wanted to say! If anything, I’m honestly a little bit jealous!” “And what do you mean by ‘jealous’…?”