“You should hurry and get changed. You won’t have time to finish your meal.” “I only eat once a day. If I ate more, it’d be impossible to maintain my figure.” “I recommend you eat while you are able. A soldier needs energy to fight.” “Sure, that works fine for you, since it all goes straight to your breasts…” This time Rusalka left to spare herself Xenia’s grumbling. She could hear the sound of her second-in-command slamming a locker in annoyance from the other side of the door. “Honestly…” But even so, there was still a cloud lurking in Rusalka’s heart. She was mad at herself for being unable to meet Xenia’s eyes. It felt like her heart had been slammed instead of the locker. They had been together for a long time, and Xenia could read Rusalka like an open book. So much for being expressionless and no one being able to tell what I’m thinking. The collapse of her poker face was undoubtedly related to a certain recent encounter. “Ah, finally! Over here, Rusalka!” A cheerful voice called out the moment she entered the mess hall. Looking over, she saw someone waving their hand in the corner that was specially set aside—the so-called Valkyrie zone. The eager voice and sunflower-like smile unmistakably belonged to Amy. She was patting the empty seat next to her, waving Rusalka over. Seeing that, Rusalka sighed ever so slightly and then proceeded to walk right past her. “Wait, what? Where are you going? Could you not hear me? Heeey!” “No, I can hear you fine. This is just me pretending to not hear you.” “Huh? Oh, it was just pretending… Wait, why?!” “Just kidding.” Once Amy was well and truly baffled, Rusalka sat down next to her, as requested. Amy beamed, seemingly satisfied. “You’re late. I was getting tired of waiting.” “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were waiting for me… I thought Canan and Victorica were keeping you company.” “I was actually chatting with the two of them until just a little while ago. But then they got a call from someone, so I ended up waiting here all by my lonesome.” Amy broke into a renewed smile as she took a sip of coffee. Rusalka scanned the room and came to a sudden realization. It wasn’t as if the mess hall was devoid of people. They were all simply keeping their distance from Amy. This wasn’t because they wanted to ostracize her. It was the opposite. Amy was the most special member of an already special group. “Times like this are when I feel the loneliest, always flying solo and moving around from base to base instead of being part of a squadron.” “…The way the military uses us Seconds is different from how they utilize the First.” “Meanie,” Amy responded crossly before chuckling to herself. “Joking, joking. I know, I know. Solo operations and group operations have entirely different goals, so it makes sense. Though calling it a solo operation makes it sound more important than it really is. I mean…” She paused and gathered her breath before saying, “…I’m the only first-generation Valkyrie in the world, after all.” Rusalka was awestruck when she saw that Amy’s smile did not waver in the slightest. She could not begin to imagine the weight behind that declaration. Valkyries were the flare that God granted humanity to signal the start of their counterattack. And the very first one, the only first-generation Valkyrie, was— “Amy.” She was the only one in the entire world who held that title. From the first time she met Rusalka to when she greeted the rest of the flight in the hangar and even to when she greeted everyone after formally reporting for duty at the base—she always introduced herself that way. “I’m the First Valkyrie, Amy.” “You don’t ever say your family name, do you?” That thought slipped out unbidden. Rusalka immediately regretted touching on a potentially sensitive topic. There was a reason for all things. Rusalka had her reasons for being a soldier, and Amy surely had a reason for not using her family name. But Amy only shook her head. It almost felt like she was telling Rusalka that she didn’t mind. And as if to confirm that, she playfully stuck out her tongue before assuring her, “No need to worry. It’s not like I have family issues…or had, I guess I should say.” “Past tense? That means…” “Ah, my bad, my bad. That was confusing. I don’t mean that. My family’s doing fine. It’s just that it’s gotten difficult to see them.” “” Amy’s long eyelashes obscured her eyes as she looked down, her voice trailing off by the end of her sentence. It was easy enough to guess what she meant. It all went back to what she mentioned at the start of the conversation: She was the First Valkyrie. Even in a crisis where all humanity needed to unite, there were still a few instances of people who acted irrationally. To avoid potential incidents and prevent anything from happening to her, the military surrounded Amy with the strictest security possible. “And the publication of Monthly Einherjar would surely cause some controversy,” Rusalka concluded. “I’m not too thrilled to have that being brought back up now…” Amy flashed a wry smile as she scratched her cheek. “It looks like there’s still a bit of confusion, though. It wasn’t the army that separated me from my family, so I hope you aren’t getting the wrong idea.” “Really? Then who…?” “God.” Rusalka was at a loss for words. That single word cut off all conversation. Seeing that reaction, Amy lowered her eyes slightly, wearing an expression that was a jumble of mournful loneliness, understanding, and incomprehension. “The reason I don’t use my family name is simple: I offered it up to God.” “To…Lord Odin?” “Yeah, that’s right. The All-father Odin. He said, ‘Starting today, you are my child.’ I had to wonder what he was talking about when he came looking the way he did, though.” Amy covered her mouth as she giggled. Some would have interpreted her remark as disrespectful. Odin had given humanity the strength to fight the pillars, thereby proving the existence of the uncertain and questionable concept of gods. In other words, Amy had literally laughed at God, which under certain situations could be cause for a court-martial. But there was no way Rusalka could admonish her for it. Having seen how conflicted Amy looked just moments earlier, only an utterly heartless person could say such a thing. Rusalka let it slide—but that wasn’t why. She had a different reason for not mentioning anything— “…How were you…chosen by God?” “Oh? Finally showing a little interest in me? Heh-heh, that makes me happy.” “If you would rather not discuss it…” “Ah, no, no, I’m not trying to avoid talking about it. Don’t get me wrong now.” Amy shook her head as Rusalka started to sigh. She set her coffee cup on the table, a pensive look coming over her face. Rusalka recognized that a complex swirl of emotions dwelled in her crimson eyes. Amy fell silent, seemingly choosing her words with care. Rusalka waited quietly for her to continue. “………” “………” “………” “Ummm.” The silence continued longer than she had expected, and finally Rusalka could not bear it any longer. “If it’s really that hard to talk about, then…” “No! It’s not that. I just don’t know where to start… Uhhh, I mean, it’s not like there’s that much stuff to cover, but the beginning is complicated; that’s all.” “Complicated?” “Wellll, you know how the first time Odin showed up was at the world conference, right?” Rusalka nodded. Odin’s first appearance before humanity was at the conference attended by world leaders one year after the war against the pillars had begun. It went without saying, but humanity had been searching for any means to fight back with their own strength, and prayers to a deity were considered nothing more than delusional and desperate. However… “When Odin came, he demonstrated his power by producing a Deus ex Machina capable of fighting the pillars and a Valkyrie to fly it. In other words…” “Me.” “Everyone in the army talks about it like something out of legend.” A god bestowing humanity with a holy lance did indeed sound like it had come straight from a myth. Rusalka couldn’t begin to imagine the shock of the world leaders who had experienced it in the flesh. But Amy, who had actually been there herself, simply blushed bright red. “C-calling it something out of legend is a bit much, don’t you think…?” “Finding out God is real, and then the lance that he presents humanity turns out to be you. What else would you call that?” “I’m begging you, please stop. I’m dying here.” The embarrassment was evidently overwhelming, because Amy’s face was the deepest crimson as she desperately pleaded with Rusalka. Still, though, with that prelude out of the way, she nudged Amy along. “So what of it?” “Um, in other words, it’s not like I didn’t already know about Odin by that point in time. Of course, I had never met an honest-to-goodness god before…” “So…?” “Honestly, I one hundred percent didn’t believe him at first.” Amy simmered in shame as she recalled her past mistakes. Rusalka’s eyes widened a bit at that, but it wasn’t because she criticized her. It was only natural to be suspicious of someone who appeared out of nowhere and started calling themselves a god. In the end, Amy had believed Odin and become a Valkyrie, and she was still fighting on the front lines for all of humanity to this day—that was why she wasn’t ■■■■■■. “—. At first, I heard a voice in my dreams. It gradually got closer and closer, and at some point, I started hearing it even when I was awake. And then…” Amy trailed off. “And then…?” And then what? She met Odin and somehow ended up reenacting a scene from an ancient legend? Ultimately, she would not get to continue her story that day. “” Sirens started blaring all over the base, interrupting their conversation. It was an alarm indicating the pillars of light, which defied the natural law of this world, had appeared inside the base’s area of responsibility. The army—or rather, the Valkyries—would immediately sortie. “That’s the scramble order,” Rusalka quickly explained. “Guess we’ll have to continue this another time.” Rusalka and Amy bolted straight up and briefly exchanged glances before taking off at a run. They needed to immediately change into their flight suits and get to the hangar so they could sortie. They had to fulfill their duty as Valkyries as soon as possible, to save as many as they could. So that a Valkyrie would never be ■■■■■■ again. The two Valkyries, Rusalka and Amy, ran beneath the wings. 5 Amy was like a different person when she flew during combat. “” Her golden wings tore through the clouds, intercepting the pillars that crossed her path, annihilating them and turning them into plants. One of the First Valkyrie’s specialties was slicing the enemy in two with just her wings, not using her guns at all. An approving whistle came over the radio from someone seeing her pull it off in person. Common sense would dictate that slamming your plane’s main wings into something while in midair was a barbaric act that would just end with your plane going down. But Deus ex Machinas made it a viable option in battle. Due to a divine blessing beyond human ken, the Deus ex Machinas far surpassed the original specs of the planes they were modeled on in every way. All Deus ex Machinas were based on aircraft dating back to the two World Wars. Rusalka had heard it had something to do with the weight of history and general recognition by the masses that those old planes embodied the very idea of war machines. It was in essence an article of faith, and trying to assign it some kind of logical value was pointless and impossible. “Put bluntly, it’s love.” That was the explanation she had been given when she received her Deus ex Machina. There was no telling whether that was the truth or not, but she believed it was likely the former, as the Deus ex Machinas carried their Valkyries through the skies. They needed to be maintained and supplied just like the planes they were based on, and they guzzled a massive amount of inefficient fuel every time they valiantly soared through the air. But they also boasted unrivaled speed, durability, and offensive power compared to their predecessors—meaning they wielded enough power to combat the pillars of light. Amy’s Deus ex Machina, a Hawker Fury, danced through the sky as if she owned the vast blue expanse. Normally, her plane was a silver color, but in battle, it emitted a golden gleam. It was the pride of the girl who ruled the skies, and she flew it nimbly through the swarm of pillars that looked like sea slugs, avoiding their whiplike tentacles trying to drag her down and snap her golden wings. In the blink of an eye, she wove a spiraling path through the swarm, shooting them down all at once. “—Splash nine tertiary pillars.” Hearing the report over the radio, Rusalka put some strength into her arm as she pulled on the control stick. She could hear a voice howling that they couldn’t fall behind, followed quickly by another voice saying to be careful and not disrupt the formation. Then there was a third voice, more distant, chiding the first two to calm down. “” But none of those had come from Rusalka. The morale-boosting shout, the warning not to get cocky, and the calm comment reining in the others—they all belonged to other members of her flight. It was a situation where any of those reactions was completely natural, but for some reason, nothing fell from her lips. “—Ngh.” Gritting her teeth, Rusalka leaned into the turn as her plane banked. A single pillar that was slow to notice their approach came into view. It retracted the tentacles that were facing the other direction to bat her plane down. “Too slow.” That was her reaction to the tentacles shooting straight at her with the speed of a flying bullet. Once she climbed into her Deus ex Machina and put on her goggles, her field of view became wide and clear. She even had time to wonder whether she should dodge left or right before the enemy’s attacks reached her. Using that extreme focus, she slipped through the swarm of tentacles bearing down on her, aimed for center mass, then pulled the trigger. Fire erupted from her machine guns with a low, growling rumble. A faintly glowing geometric pattern hovered around the barrels of her machine gun. The bullets passed through this field and slammed into the pillar one after the other, causing its grotesque form to shudder. Conventional rounds would have simply been nullified by the pillar’s defenses, but it was plain to see her shots were effective. “—aaaaAAAAAH!” At some point she had started roaring. An unfamiliar level of emotion came rushing to the surface as she carved away at the pillar until her guns ran dry. Her target resembled a living creature, but it was not alive, nor did it bleed. But strangely, it almost seemed to be silently begging for mercy, as if it could feel pain. Of course, there was no way she would give these invaders any quarter. “” She evaded a collision at the last moment, guiding the nose of her plane to slip past it. The pillar was covered in wounds, but it wouldn’t stop moving until it was totally defeated. An unfair ability that ignored the inconveniences of living creatures. The slug nimbly swung around, flailing its appendages like whips. “” But the three craft following behind her in formation didn’t give it a chance to finish its counterattack. The three of them accelerated just like she had, guns roaring as they tore into the pillar from different directions. Its tentacles were sheared from its body, and the holes in its torso became yawning gouges big enough to see through. “” Broken beyond its limit, the pillar’s movements suddenly stopped. For a split second, it gave off a faint light, and then greenery started swelling from inside it, forcibly pushing outward until the pillar lost shape completely. “Annihilation confirmed.” Her lips moved as she watched it fall to earth. When the plants hit the ground, instead of shattering on impact, they set down roots. Green buds were already starting to sprout around it. A heat welled in Rusalka’s eyes. It was only natural for that which had been stolen from the earth to be returned to the earth. They could reach now. With the power God had granted them, humanity could finally tear open the necks of their enemies. So— “Evereska flight splashed one tertiary pillar.” “” She could hear the cool voice of the operator over the radio. The operator did her best to keep any emotion out of her voice as she reported the results of Rusalka’s flight to the rest of the forces. It was hope. She was spreading the hope that humanity’s attacks could touch the hated pillars of light. Even if… “In addition…” “” “…the First, fifty-three tertiary pillars downed.” …Even if it paled in comparison to the true hope, it was still hope. 6 “You really are amazing, Amy. Even though you’re so much younger than me.” “With that big a gap, we can’t just write it off as a difference in experience. That was inspiring.” “Wait, wait! Don’t rub my head so hard! Argh!” When Rusalka returned to the hangar after handing in the after-action report, she was greeted by boisterous voices. Looking up, she saw Amy running around with a red face as two women in flight suits chased her. The tall Victorica, with light-brown hair done up in two buns, and Canan, the cool beauty with a distinctive beauty mark near her mouth. They were Valkyries in Rusalka’s flight, and at the moment, they were engrossed in pursuing the young ace pilot. When they finally caught Amy, they wrapped her in a big hug, patting her head and rubbing their cheeks against hers. Rusalka was both exasperated and a little bit impressed at how much energy they still seemed to have. It went without saying that the two had also taken part in combat and had only just gotten back from a life-and-death battlefield. Despite that, they seemed to be having the time of their lives. “Lots of energy to spare, I see…” “Mrgh! If you’re here, then say so, Rusalka! Hurry up and save me!” Seeing Rusalka, Amy’s face suddenly brightened, and she rushed over, breaking free from reaching arms. “Awww, running away to the captain isn’t very nice.” Victorica looked disappointed, but Rusalka wasn’t very pleased, either. “I’m not sure how I should react to that…” “Ahhh, this feeling. It’s like coming home…” Amy snuggled closer. “And you’re being excessive…” Rusalka frowned at both Victorica’s complaints and the way Amy clung to her arm. Xenia just laughed as she watched from a short distance away. Rusalka glared at her second-in-command playing the innocent bystander. “Please don’t just stand there laughing. Say something, Xenia.” “What do you want me to say? The only thing that comes to mind is Our girls sure are cute. Was that what you wanted to hear?” “…No…” Rusalka felt a little uneasy about how well she and her second-in-command understood each other. Still, there was a mischievous glint in Xenia’s eyes, so she gathered it was probably a joke. Right as she reached that conclusion, she suddenly felt a weight on her other arm. “What are you doing, Canan?” “Just copying Amy. Is that a problem?” “Please behave your age.” Rusalka heaved a sigh. Beautiful girls were hanging off both her arms, a situation that would have surely sparked envy in most of the soldiers on the base if they were here to see it. To Rusalka, it was nothing but a burden and uncomfortably stuffy. “Please don’t start clinging to me, too, Victorica.” “Gah! Y-you want me to be the only one left out…?” “If by that you mean whether I’m rejecting meaningless physical contact such as this, then yes. I am leaving you out, Victorica.” “You didn’t have to put it so bluntly!” Victorica grabbed on to her anyway, pretending to collapse into tears. Ignoring the dramatics, Rusalka dexterously slipped her arms away from the other two and took a step back. Then she looked at the four Valkyries still in the hangar questioningly. “Why haven’t you left yet?” Amy was the one who spoke for the group. “Don’t scrunch up your face so much. We were just waiting for you to come back.” “For me?” “Yeah! It was a big win, so we wanted to celebrate together.” Amy clenched her fist and held it up as Rusalka cocked her head. For a moment, she was bewildered, but after a brief pause, she brought her fist up to meet Amy’s. Amy’s eyes widened a little. “Oooooh. I’m surprised. I didn’t think you’d play along.” “All I did was match you. Is that really so surprising?” “Sorry, sorry. I just didn’t expect you to be so willing. It’s kind of the opposite of how you usually seem.” Rusalka eyed Amy dubiously as the girl waved her hands and smiled innocently. From their first meeting and the confusion where Amy seemed to think that naughty was somehow a compliment, she had said quite a few things that made Rusalka want to register a complaint somewhere. Xenia and the others glanced at one another with wry smiles. “Huh? Did I say something weird again?” Amy was a bit worried by their reactions. Rusalka spoke up to assure her. “It’s a rather common occurrence, so I don’t mind.” “Eh? Really? So you get that a lot from other people, too?” “To be clear, I was talking about you.” “Wait, what?” Amy cocked her head even farther as Rusalka relaxed her shoulders and then looked down at her hand. “I am a soldier. By necessity, I have expended a significant amount of effort to fit in while navigating a male-dominated culture.” “Navigating a male-dominated culture… Ummm.” “Not in a naughty sense.” “I—I wasn’t thinking that at all! R-r-really! Not even a little!” The way she was waving both hands so excessively warranted plenty of suspicion, but Rusalka chose not to probe further. Noticing that, Amy asked, “Does that mean you were ordered to become a Valkyrie?” “…Yes, that’s right. That goes for most of our generation.” Xenia, Victorica, and Canan all nodded. It was sometimes hard to tell, but they were also career soldiers. All three had been in the military before becoming Valkyries, just like Rusalka. They had been in very different branches back then. Victorica and Rusalka were the only ones who had already been pilots. Xenia and Canan only started flying once their aptitude had been confirmed and they became Valkyries. “Xenia was a medic, and Canan worked with comms,” Rusalka explained. “That’s right. I was a top-notch operator.” Having nothing to do with herself after Rusalka had slipped away, Canan had locked arms with Victorica. With their height difference, it almost looked like she was fawning over her older sister. “” “Amy? What’s the matter?” Rusalka noticed her strange reaction. “Ah! Uh, nothing! Hearing that Xenia was a medic makes a lot of sense. A medic is basically like a doctor, right? She seems like she’d be good at giving shots or something…” “Heh-heh, for the record, I actually was pretty good. If the opportunity ever comes up, I’d be happy to give you a personal demonstration.” Xenia flashed a dangerous smile as she pretended to hold a needle. Amy shuddered and hid behind Rusalka. “Oh-ho, do you not like me anymore?” “N-no, it’s just…” “If that’s not it…then is it maybe because you’re scared of getting a jab?” “Grgh!” Xenia broke into a grin at discovering a new target worth teasing. Normally, she was an upstanding person and a reliable second-in-command. Her only flaw was that every once in a while, this terrible habit of hers would rear its head. Rusalka sighed. “Can we leave it at that, Xenia? Besides, there’s no reason for Amy to be scared of needles. She is still quite immature, but to make light of her because of that would be insulting.” “Yeah, that’s right! Or at least that’s what I’d like to say, but could you explain what you mean by ‘immature’ first? How old do I look to you…?” “Around thirteen years old.” “Wait, what?! I’m fifteen! Fifteen, I’ll have you know! I’m a perfectly grown-up lady!” Amy hopped around with her hands in the air, demanding to be treated like an adult. She was hard at work disproving her own claim to maturity, but in all honestly, whether she was thirteen or fifteen hardly changed much in the grand scheme of things for Rusalka—or the others. Amy did not like the description, but immature did genuinely seem to be the best way to describe her. “Fine. If you four are gonna act like you’re all mature adults, then tell me how old you all are,” Amy demanded. “I’m nineteen years old. Just barely an adult.” “You’re nineteen, Rusalka?!” Rusalka furrowed her brow, not taking kindly to such an over-the-top reaction. If Amy was that surprised, it begged the question of just how old did she think Rusalka was before? “Actually, I’m scared to ask, so you don’t have to say anything else.” “Hey, Amy, how old does Rusalka look to you? I wanna know.” “Victorica…” “Incidentally, I’m twenty-two. A proper lady.” Her older subordinate casually broached the exact topic that she had wanted to avoid. Rusalka glowered at her in obvious displeasure, but Victorica didn’t seem to mind. Amy thought for a moment about the question and then glanced at Rusalka with wide eyes. “…You won’t get mad at me, right?” “It would be entirely unreasonable for me to get mad at you for simply answering a question…but judging from the fact that you thought it necessary to give a disclaimer, I suppose I should assume whatever you’re about to say will likely upset me.” Put that way, Rusalka decided she had no interest in ever hearing the answer. “Fine then, just whisper it in my ear.” “That’s no fair. I want to know, too.” Canan joined Victorica’s quest for knowledge. Xenia wasn’t far behind. “In that case, tell me, too, for future reference.” And so the three curious women all gathered around Amy. Putting aside Victorica and Canan, who tended to get carried away, what use could Xenia possibly have for knowing something like this? Rusalka guessed it would just be inspiration for some new way to tease her. Frowning as their whispered conversation grew suspiciously animated, Rusalka’s mood only turned darker. “Ahhh, that was a good laugh. You don’t have to worry about anything, Rusalka.” “I’m sure you’ll enjoy your next assessment, Victorica.” “Gah! So immature!” “If you wish to be treated like an adult, you should behave like one. And you two, Xenia and Canan—you’re acting like this has nothing to do with you, but you can expect the same.” They had no grounds to complain about an immature response when they were the ones who started being childish first. Amy, who had managed to be the only one to escape punishment, breathed a sigh of relief. “And you, Amy. Rest assured, I’ll find an appropriately immature way to deal with you as well.” “Ehhh?! What do you mean? Wait, are you going to stop eating meals with me or stop showering with me or stop letting me rest my head on your lap…?” “I can’t recall having ever done two-thirds of that…” Still, if she put down her foot there, that would be the end of those sorts of terrible things. At the very least, Amy seemed to have learned her lesson, given the way she slumped over in the blink of an eye. “You too, Victorica. At least act like you’re sorry.” “Fine, fine.” “Even I can tell you haven’t reflected on what you did at all.” Amy chuckled a little at Victorica’s noncommittal response. But then she cocked her head with her finger on her cheek. “Wait, if Rusalka is nineteen and Vicky is twenty-two, then why is Rusalka the flight commander?” “That’s simple. I’ve been serving longer. Also, I had better grades.” “The lectures… The lectures were hell…” The furrows in Victorica’s brow deepened as she pressed a hand to her chest. But hearing that, Amy’s confusion just grew. “…But you were already going to be a pilot, right, Vicky? So isn’t it weird that the former medic is the second-in-command?” “It isn’t odd at all. Just thinking about having someone as scatterbrained as Victorica as second-in-command gives me chills. Look at these goose bumps.” “You’re always so dedicated to playing the part, Captain. It’s not like you really have… Wait, you really do have goose bumps!” Seeing Rusalka’s arm, Amy and Victorica started a whole new commotion. After that had run its course, Victorica pensively closed one eye. “In the end, we would still just be dreaming of becoming pilots if the pillars hadn’t shown up. Then again, it’s not exactly a situation where I can say I’m happy just to be able to fly.” Victorica shrugged. “That was how desperately the army wanted to put bodies in cockpits.” Canan was expressionless, but her tone of voice dropped. The reason they had become pilots was in large part due to the string of defeats and losses humanity had suffered when the pillars first appeared. These incomprehensible beings were surely enemies, and the soldiers had a duty to defend the people. And naturally, when that happened, the first ones to set out and confront the enemy were active-duty pilots. Most of them were forced to do battle with an unknown enemy. No matter how skilled the pilot, there was no way of winning against an enemy completely unfazed by their attacks. The result was undeniably tragic, but it secured humanity the time and information that had led to the present day. After humanity suffered those losses, there was no choice but for the next people in line to fill the empty cockpits. And the ones who were next in line were Rusalka’s generation, who at the time had just finished an accelerated training program. Ordinarily, she would have been considered too young, but there was no one else to turn to. Because of that, the average age in the European armed forces and in armies around the world dropped dramatically. The reason Rusalka and the rest of her class were already flying combat missions was because the times and the vagaries of war had forced command’s hands. So when they were asked why they were flying, the answer was complicated. “It’s not like we are doing this against our will, though. We all chose this for ourselves.” Sensing how Rusalka felt, Xenia quietly chimed in to dispel any potential misunderstandings. “…Yes, that’s right.” Rusalka nodded in agreement. Victorica and Canan did the same. The situation had compelled them into these roles, but it wasn’t as if they had no choice in the matter. They had picked their paths from limited options and had no regrets, nor did they blame anyone for it. “Well, that’s the gist of it, so I’d like to keep doing what I can.” Victorica scratched her cheek as she smiled weakly, the aura of childishness from before nowhere to be found. Her eyes glanced over at the younger ace standing right beside her. “You took out dozens more than we did on this sortie, right? Honestly, it would feel wrong if all I did after seeing that was just talk about how amazing you were.” “Agreed.” The others all nodded. Amy responded with a hesitant “huh?” but it was an undeniable fact. “” All told, Rusalka’s flight had scored seven kills. Frankly, that was a fantastic result that would make it into base’s record books. There were other Valkyrie flights deployed at various air bases on the European front, but Rusalka’s was the only one that could consistently take down five or more pillars in a single mission. A typical battle with pillars was generally about Valkyries taking point and drawing the enemy’s attention so that civilian areas could be evacuated or friendly forces could withdraw. Pillars were generally not engaged with the intention of wiping them out. Naturally, if they could be taken down, that was ideal, since it helped counteract the enemy’s draining effect. But that was easier said than done. Or at least it was for Rusalka’s generation. In any case, her flight downing seven enemies was considered a truly remarkable feat. But that performance paled in the face of what Amy had accomplished. “…Seventy-four kills,” Rusalka murmured. That was the number Amy had shot down. Solo. It was a whole magnitude greater than what they had done. And looking at the numbers like that made Rusalka painfully aware of the difference between them. The overwhelming difference between one who had been chosen by God and those who had not. As Rusalka slipped into thought, Victorica suddenly clapped and said, “Oh yeah, there was another thing I wanted to ask you, Amy!” Amy was puzzled. “Me?” “Yeah! I heard this rumor. Is it true you are visiting all the different bases because you’re scouting people?” “Scouting?” Rusalka furrowed her brow quizzically at the unexpected question. She could feel Xenia’s eyes homing in on her apparently wrinkle-inducing expression, while Amy turned her gaze to meet Rusalka’s sky-blue eyes. Amy promptly covered her face with her hands. “Judging from that reaction, I guess the answer is yes?” Victorica didn’t think there was much doubt. “It’s a little hard to say yes or no, exactly… Where did you hear that?” “A cute and beautiful Valkyrie such as myself has her ways, kiddo.” Victorica crossed her arms and smugly stroked a nonexistent beard. Regardless of where she got her information, though, Amy’s reaction was an obvious sign she had hit the bull’s-eye. After essentially spilling the beans and drawing everyone’s attention, Amy let out a little sigh. “Don’t get mad at me, please? It feels terrible that I’m basically judging all of you…” “I don’t think it’s bad. It’d be an honor to meet the First’s discerning standards.” “Then that means Vicky heard right. The higher-ups are planning to put together a squadron based around you,” Xenia neatly concluded. “Technically, it’s more like looking for a squadron to fly with me, I think. They’re still gonna keep me flying alone for the most part…” “So you’re looking for sisters in arms, then! You’ve been flying all over looking for comrades!” Amy smiled faintly as Victorica dramatically clenched her fists. She didn’t explicitly confirm or deny it, but her reaction made it all but certain. “Well? Were we up to your standards, Amy?” “Hmmmmm. Welllll, I dunno…” “Oh, come on! Don’t be a tease.” Amy bashfully avoided giving a straight answer when Victorica poked her cheek, demanding an explanation. Canan followed suit by poking her other cheek. “It’s fine. She’s always clinging to Rusalka, so chances are looking good.” “True!” Victorica was fully convinced. “Arrrgh! You guys really just say whatever comes to mind, don’t you?!” Amy puffed out her cheeks and glared at her would-be tormenters. The way she latched on to the two older women looked cute to Rusalka. Fitting for a girl her age. She didn’t seem so much like a fifteen-year-old who was carrying the hope of all humanity on her shoulders. “” Suddenly, she remembered the way Amy had been all alone in the mess hall. There were not many who wanted to be alone, and yet everyone felt compelled to give her distance out of respect. The girl the sky loved most was forced to be alone even when she was on the ground. It was only natural that she would want companions, allies she could fly alongside. The way she is when they’re all messing around must be the real her. And so… 7 “How was it working together with the First, Captain Evereska?” “” …And so when someone asked Rusalka that question, she hesitated for a second. During that brief pause, several thoughts crossed her mind. Then she banished those distractions in the blink of an eye and snapped to attention like a soldier should. “It was difficult to get on the same page as her, but I believe we are capable of working together for the most part.” “So there were difficulties with the First Valkyrie even for your flight,” the base commander murmured, a look of concern chiseled on his deeply wrinkled face as he leaned his elbows on the ebony desk. Guessing what the old officer was thinking, Rusalka responded with a short nod and a “sir.” The morning after the scramble order, Rusalka had been called to the base commander’s office for a full debrief. But she had already reported all there was to report yesterday. It was clear the real focus of the discussion was not the mission but Amy herself. “Is the whole European Command having difficulties dealing with the First, sir?” “That’s a pretty blunt way of putting it, Captain. But I can’t really deny it.” He shook his head slowly as he stood up, seeming like he found it all bothersome. He stepped away from his desk and looked at the shelf on the wall, which was lined with countless files and a single picture. In the picture was the base commander in his youth, standing alongside his fellow soldiers. The picture had been taken at the entrance of the base, back when it was still new. “I’m not fool enough to say the old wars were any better. War is hell no matter the era. But at least back then we knew our enemies were putting their lives on the line, just like we were.” His eyes narrowed, and he stroked his wrinkled cheek before continuing in a husky voice. “Calling it the European Command sounds nice, but the army is just a paper tiger wholly dependent on the Valkyries. We are forced to make you young women bear the fate of humanity all by yourselves.” “…That’s not really true, sir, as I’m sure you are aware.” “Yes, I guess you’re right.” He sighed. Rusalka understood that that had been his own form of consideration for her, but she didn’t need or want his pity. She preferred to speak openly and honestly. It was true enough that Europe’s armed forces were incredibly reliant on the Valkyries, but that was not quite the whole story. “More precisely, it is dependent on the First Valkyrie, sir.” “…Of all the pillars shot down by flights under European command, approximately ninety percent are attributed to the First. She is really coming through for us, visiting every front, drumming up morale among the troops.” “” “Because of that, we absolutely cannot afford to lose her. That would surely lead to humanity’s defeat.” “That’s…” Rusalka’s eyes widened at his forceful tone. “Is there some reason to believe that might be a pressing concern? Some change in Amy…in the First?” “No, at present there is no indication of that. But there is no guarantee that will be the case forever.” The commander’s ashen gaze met Rusalka’s. The air in the room grew tense, and she reflexively snapped to full attention. The base commander broke the silence and said, “You may have already heard, but the brass intends to attach a squadron to the First. A unit that would accompany her as she moves between fronts and that would fly in the same battles she does.” “I had heard rumors…” It was something that had come up just yesterday, after the sortie. Putting that conversation together with what the commander was saying made it clear this was a measure to let the army continue its reliance on Amy. An act of desperation to prolong Amy’s ability to keep flying even a little bit longer. “If your reaction was the same as mine, then I’m sure that plan must sound shameless and craven.” “No, sir…” His tone had dropped, losing strength, as if he could tell what Rusalka was thinking. His voice had dripped with despair and disappointment, all of it directed at himself. And there was also a sorrow that every soldier felt to some extent. Other than Amy, who was not really a soldier, it was something that every person fighting felt. “” Rusalka lowered her eyes as an awkward silence developed. Considering the flow of the conversation, she could guess what he was about to say. And sure enough, it was exactly what she suspected. “Captain Evereska, I intend to recommend your flight for the role.” “” “I heard your relations with the First are excellent. And the most important aspect of this mission is not what happens in the air…” “It’s what happens on the ground. And our relationship with her, right, sir?” “…I have no intention of minimizing your flight’s capabilities and accomplishments.” There was an earnestness in the way he chose his words. It certainly wasn’t his fault that she could suddenly feel the inescapable reality swirling around her head. “The second generation can hardly be called fortunate or blessed, given their position, but even so, your flight was quick to adapt and react flexibly to the developing war situation. I am sounding you out about this out of respect for what you have managed to accomplish.” “Sounding me out, sir? Not an order?” “A formal reassignment would take place after I’ve made my recommendation to the command staff. But I wanted to speak with you personally first.” He placed his hand on the table as he peered into Rusalka’s eyes. It felt like he was genuinely considering Rusalka’s feelings on the matter and not just probing her. In her experience, most soldiers were earnest, but even so, humanity was in a situation where they all had to work together regardless of any reservations they might have. “Thank you very much for discussing it with me first, sir. However, I am a soldier. I will humbly accept my orders, whatever they might be.” Rusalka stood at sharp attention, puffing out her chest. She was proud to act as a soldier should. At the same time, it served as a statement of where she stood on the matter. But the commander shook his head. “While it is true that you are a member of the army, you are a Valkyrie… Your freedom and status are guaranteed under Odin’s authority.” “That’s…” Rusalka’s face tensed, and she was at a loss for words as the old officer continued. “So this is nothing more than a discussion. With that in mind, allow me to reiterate.” The wrinkles on his forehead deepened as the old officer’s voice took on the certain gravitas that came with age. “Captain Evereska, I intend to recommend you as the squadron leader of the First’s attached unit. Do you have any objections?” “” She should have immediately responded, No, sir. His restated declaration had been lip service meant to trigger her sense of duty and eliminate the weakness that had taken root in her heart. It was human nature to crave that sort of dramatic back-and-forth. Humans could not willingly go to their deaths without a reason. And along those same lines, they needed a reason to willingly risk their lives. Rusalka knew she should respond forcefully, straightforwardly, and immediately. And yet— “—Ngh.” She could not bring herself to say that she did not have any objections. In the moment that response was required of her to fulfill her role, she couldn’t say it. “I see, so you’re the one who ■■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■.” For some reason, the words God had said when she first received her wings wouldn’t stop echoing in her ears. 8 “Is it true you said you didn’t want to fly with me?” When Amy came to Rusalka’s room that night, that was the first thing she said as she looked Rusalka in the eyes. When she was hit with that question, Rusalka was shocked by the realization that it was already nighttime. She had spoken with the base commander first thing in the morning, but she couldn’t remember anything else happening. It felt like she had just been lying on her bed until the buzzer for her room rang. “Can I come in?” “…It’s a bit of a mess.” “Oooh, I’ve never seen you be messy before. I wanna see, I wanna see.” Sighing as Amy showed no hesitation, Rusalka welcomed her in. Her room was located in a women-only barracks on the base. As a Valkyrie and a flight leader, Rusalka was near the top in terms of pay and status, so she had a room to herself that was impressively large by military standards, and maybe even a bit larger than she knew what to do with. There were only a few personal effects and a neatly kept bed. Glancing around the room, Amy cocked her head. “Ummm…where exactly is the mess?” “Everywhere.” “What, like all of creation?” “I wasn’t speaking on such a large scale. But the desk and bed are terribly cluttered.” The sheets were slightly rumpled, and the cover was technically not properly tucked in. There were also a few unfinished documents on the table as well as a pen kept out, missing its case. It was all left lying about, which was rather upsetting for Rusalka. “Actually, would you mind if I cleaned up a little first? Just one hour would…” “This would take you an hour?! What?! Are you gonna scrub everything down with a toothbrush?!” “No, of course not. That would be unhygienic. Anyway, do you mind waiting?” “I know that was a silly question, but is your heart really still set on cleaning?!” Amy gave a loud “upsy-daisy!” before hopping onto the bed. She disturbed the sheets even further, the bedsprings creaking beneath her. It was practically a plea for Rusalka to simply accept the clutter for now. “Is it that fun to torture me?” “Does this actually bother you that much? Did these sheets save your life at some point…? On second thought, let’s stop while we’re ahead.” “Well, the sheets did once…” “I said let’s stop! We’re leaving it there! This conversation is done!” Her face turning red, Amy clapped her hands loudly, forcibly ending the conversation. That was when Rusalka realized she had not even turned on the light yet, so she hit the nearest switch. Amy’s golden hair seemed to shimmer in the suddenly bright room. Having trouble settling down, Rusalka moved a chair in front of the bed before finally taking a seat facing her. “Your hair is so pretty, like the light of the moon.” Rusalka caught her breath at Amy’s sudden compliment, which had come just as she was admiring the young girl’s hair. It almost felt like Amy had read her mind. Feeling compelled to say something—anything—Rusalka managed to reply, “Your hair is very beautiful, too, like gleaming sunlight.” “Ah, really? Heh-heh, I’m so happy. You like my hair?” “No, I don’t really base my preferences on hair alone. From my limited knowledge, that would be akin to admitting I have a rather specific fetish.” “If you’re gonna compliment someone, do it right!” “Sorry, it was just embarrassing, so I…” “That hit way too hard if you were just trying to cover up being embarrassed!” Rusalka cringed. Reflexively, she touched her silver hair. It wasn’t as if she had never been complimented on her hair before, but this was the first time she had been praised so poetically. She didn’t hate the moon. There was something about it being the crowning jewel of the night sky that made her heart ache. “Still, though, I’m glad.” “You are?” Amy broke into a smile as she stopped pouting and let her expression relax. Rusalka found it hard to keep up with her changes in mood. But her unease didn’t show much on her face as Amy continued. “I mean, you didn’t turn me away at the door, and you even complimented my hair… It seems like you didn’t turn down the position because you hate me.” “…It’s not like I refused.” “But you didn’t immediately agree, either… I’m not mad about it or anything. You get that much, right?” Rusalka felt like she was being cornered for some reason by Amy’s line of thought. What is this vague sense of guilt? Rusalka kept questioning herself as she stared into those ruby-red eyes. Or perhaps it was the same question she had asked herself dozens—no, hundreds of times during the half day that she could barely remember. Why hadn’t she been able to immediately answer the commander’s question? —No, it would have been far better if it was simply a matter of speaking up sooner or later. She hadn’t been able to give an answer at all. When the base commander had offered to give her some time and wait for her response, she had taken him up on his kindness. That was when she had truly lost track of time, questioning herself until Amy had come to see her. And if someone asked what she had gained from that pointless exercise, the answer was…absolutely nothing. She still didn’t know what to do. Now, face-to-face with Amy, she just felt even more lost. As her worries grew deeper and heavier, she suddenly had a new thought. “May I ask you something?” “Hmm? Sure, ask whatever you want. We know each other well enough for that.” Thinking back to their initial encounter more than ten days ago, Rusalka dredged up an old question. “When we first met, why were you looking for me?” She had run into Amy, who had been all alone in an unfamiliar place. But when they first spoke, Amy had definitely said she was looking for Rusalka. “I had thought at first it was because I’d been chosen to show you around the base, but…” “” “You said your desire to meet me was related to you, so it was only natural that I wouldn’t understand. Meaning your goal from the very start was to meet me.” “…Wow, I’m surprised you remember something like that so well.” Amy smiled. And the lack of denial more or less confirmed Rusalka’s memory was correct. In other words, she had come to meet Rusalka with a goal in mind. “I’ve thought it was odd several times. I’m not particularly skilled at getting along with people, and I lack both humor and common sense. I certainly would like to improve in those areas, but I haven’t been making much progress…” And because of that, Amy going out of her way to talk with Rusalka was hard for her to wrap her head around. Still, she had avoided probing too deeply into the young girl’s motives. Because the more she probed, the more she would be forced to actually face Amy head-on—which meant facing her own feelings head-on as well. “Please tell me, Amy. Why—?” “Because you made it back alive that day.” Rusalka’s desperate question was met by a soft voice. She fell silent. Tension seemed to drain from the corners of Amy’s mouth as a tranquil feeling suffused her being, almost like a calm sea breeze had begun blowing. The way her expressions changed so freely, from smiles to anger and everything in between…it was everything Rusalka couldn’t do. That had been her impression of Amy, but this moment changed that. She had thought Amy’s expressions freely shifted from smiles to anger and whatever else bubbled to the surface, but Rusalka could not recall her ever looking sad. There was even a time when I thought she had probably never cried before. The First Valkyrie. The chosen of God who offered up her family name and received an unparalleled blessing in return, I genuinely believed there was no way she had ever wept. And that was true. If crying was defined as “tears falling from her eyes,” then she had not cried. There was probably no one who had ever seen her weeping. “—You were the only survivor from that day who became a Valkyrie.” “” “That’s why I wanted to meet you.” “What would you…?” “What would I do once I did? I don’t really know myself.” Amy shook her head as she smiled ever so slightly. The tranquil aura around her faded somewhat, and Rusalka could tell she had put on her mask again—or more accurately, it was not really a mask. Amy was not smothering her emotions. If anything, the one who kept forcing her emotions down was— “Why did you become a Valkyrie, Rusalka?” Amy asked the same question that had been answered just last night. She had already explained it in front of Xenia and Victorica and Canan. What Amy was really asking was… “Why did you become a Valkyrie?” “I—I am a soldier. I have a responsibility to obey orders that come down the chain of command…” “But you’re trying to avoid flying with me.” “That’s… I—!” Rusalka reflexively stood up as Amy mercilessly pressed her, cutting off all escape routes. There was a sound as her chair fell over, but Rusalka and Amy never broke eye contact. Even as Rusalka looked down at her from standing height, Amy didn’t waver in the slightest. The force of Rusalka’s gaze was little more than a cool breeze to her. If anything, that would have been an improvement. It was entirely possible it didn’t register at all. It’s— “—It’s not that at all.” Amy shook her head slowly, the corners of her eyes dropping slightly. “” Rusalka thought she was already an open book. From time to time, she felt like Amy’s crimson eyes could see right through her. She felt it again as she gritted her teeth. “You’ve always…from the very first time I saw you…” Rusalka didn’t mean the time they met at the base. To her, the first time she had encountered Amy—the First—had been long before that. Their first contact had been on the battlefield on the day that was now known as the Ride of the Valkyrie. The day she had spread her golden wings in a sky filled with despair and rewrote history, a day to be memorialized— “—Ngh.” Rusalka clenched her jaw, desperately trying to control the impulse that kept threatening to burst through her chest. To kill that shameful side of herself and return to the usual Rusalka Evereska— “—Rusalka.” “”
Chapter 4
46 min read