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Chapter 15
Reports of corruption regarding Major General Flancy had been steadily coming in for the past two months.
Of all things, he’d only chosen to commit the very worst of military crimes, and judging by the timing, it seemed to have begun the very day he took up his post as commander of the military district.
“I knew something felt off.”
The day before his business trip, upon receiving such a report, General Adbelo reacted with a bored expression, as if he had expected this outcome.
“Make sure it’s cleaned up before I return.”
“In that case, I’ll bring back something delicious.”
“Kid, if you don’t like it, why don’t you take my place as General?”
“I don’t think I could do it while you’re alive.”
And with that, after ordering Leto to take out the trash, he promptly set off for the sea.
“……”
Closing the report, Leto looked at Colonel Ice with a serious gaze.
“What do you think about leaving this alone until the old hag comes back?”
“Then both of us would likely end up with cement poured on our legs and tossed into the water. Destination: hell.”
Of course, he quickly added that he was personally hoping for heaven, and firmly refused to join Leto in such a fate.
“Besides, I have a beastly wife and children who are like little predators.”
“They seem like they’d do just fine without you, though?”
“That’s exactly why I’m asking for mercy. I can’t close my eyes and leave a family that happy behind.”
With an almost deranged sense of attachment, Colonel Ice clung to the idea.
“But, General.”
Joking aside, Colonel Ice returned to the main point.
This conversation they were about to have was probably the most important one.
“Does His Majesty the King know of this?”
“Of course he does.”
That was why, Leto guessed, Sir Delat had come all the way down here, and why such an insolent visit from the delegation had been approved.
“The old hag must have reported it before going on her trip.”
“Perhaps His Majesty just threw the problem our way.”
“Well, the king’s not exactly in his right mind…”
“As much as you, General?”
At the Colonel’s joke, Leto chuckled.
“He’s just as crazy as I am.”
Standing up, Leto picked up his uniform jacket draped over the chair and headed out past Colonel Ice toward his own office.
“Ah.”
Just before closing the door—
“Today’s the day of the joint training with the knights, isn’t it?”
“Yes, we’re about to head to the training grounds.”
“Hmm…”
Leto smirked mischievously.
“Make them suffer a little.”
“I shall follow orders.”
Colonel Ice saluted.
The royal knights who had come to visit the navy numbered seven.
For something supposedly meant to improve relations, the delegation was far too small. From the lack of prior notice to their shamelessly rude arrival, everything had been appallingly discourteous.
Their first impression was the worst possible.
Complaints about them were already piling up at headquarters.
Even if all soldiers under the heavens were comrades, they couldn’t simply dismiss the knights, who had guarded the kingdom for generations.
Headquarters had no choice but to hastily arrange a program of exchanges.
And today was the very first joint event between the navy and the royal knights.
“…They really are as big as the rumors say.”
One knight whispered under his breath.
“Looks like they ride magic-powered vehicles just to move around here.”
“Even in the capital, those haven’t been widely distributed yet…”
The joint exercise was held at the navy’s seaside training grounds, located within the base.
It had taken only five minutes by magic-powered vehicle from headquarters to arrive at the beach, where numerous facilities had been built for specialized naval training.
“And this morning’s meal…”
At the mention of food, their mouths watered.
“The croissants smelled of butter, and the salad gleamed fresh!”
“They even had sauces we could choose from!”
“It was a buffet, a buffet!”
“You mean those navy bastards eat like that every day?”
“No way, it’s probably just because we’re here that they put on a show.”
But they themselves knew better.
Since they had arrived the very next day after giving notice, there hadn’t been enough time to change the entire meal plan just for show.
“Even the wake-up call wasn’t some blaring trumpet—it was the soft sound of bells…”
“I even saw some of them biking around casually.”
The knights were overwhelmed.
The navy, whom they had openly looked down on, was nothing like what they had imagined.
Superior living conditions, a relatively free atmosphere, cutting-edge facilities—
Everything compared unfavorably to themselves.
Envy and jealousy welled up inside them.
“…Get it together.”
The one knight who had remained silent until now scolded them sternly.
He was a man with bright red hair slicked tightly back. The knights called him Sir Ferata.
“Do you think we came here to play around?”
Ferata glared at them one by one until the loosened expressions disappeared, and they straightened up at once.
Some hid their unease behind tense, stiff expressions.
“Knights!”
Just then, someone called to them from the opposite side.
“You’ve arrived. We’ve been waiting.”
Colonel Ice greeted them with a friendly smile, extending his hand.
“I’m Dura Ice, attached to the Special Fleet Command.”
Sir Ferata clasped his hand and quickly glanced at the rank insignia on Ice’s training uniform.
Two bamboo-like stripes.
“…Colonel Ice, then.”
Sir Ferata smiled.
“I am Gibel Ferata of the royal knights. I look forward to today’s training.”
“And we, in turn, are honored to be training with the noble royal knights.”
After the polite exchange of formal greetings, both commanders called their subordinates over.
The men who had been standing apart fell into neat formation.
“……”
Ohh.
One of the knights made a silent cheer.
They had expected only grizzled old men, but among them was a beauty rarely seen even in the capital.
Her hair was tied up plainly, her face bare of makeup, clad in a shabby training uniform and scuffed black boots that probably smelled of sweat.
She was the very image of a soldier.
But even dressed down, Noah stood out immediately.
The knights exchanged glances, smirks, and suggestive gestures, their amusement gradually turning offensive.
‘…They’re not paying attention at all.’
Noah, however, couldn’t have cared less.
Her eyes were as indifferent as if she were watching fish gape for air in a tank.
Colonel Ice was explaining the training program, but the knights weren’t listening properly.
“Hey.”
Beside her, Ami nudged Noah with her elbow.
“Sir Delat went out with the General.”
“Where to?”
“Acon.”
Noah twisted her lips.
‘So, they finally went there, huh?’
She could already guess what might happen.
“Well then…”
Colonel Ice, finishing his explanation, turned to the knights.
“Shall we proceed with training as planned?”
“Hmm…”
Sir Ferata hesitated.
“I know this may sound rude, but you and your men are from the Special Fleet, aren’t you?”
“That’s correct.”
“When one speaks of the navy—especially the Special Fleet—one thinks of your personal ships. Would it be possible for us to try them out?”
“Ah…”
Colonel Ice’s expression turned troubled.
“As you surely know, those vessels aren’t something just anyone can board. Even we only use them during designated training or in emergencies.”
Moreover, the personal ships were still classified as experimental weapons.
Though stored in the naval armory, they were technically property of House Adbelo.
Colonel Ice politely declined, citing these reasons.
“……”
But Sir Ferata and the knights immediately scowled.
“Come on, what’s the big deal about hiding them so tightly?”
“Exactly. They’re nothing more than fancy armor anyway.”
Some even sneered openly.
“If even delicate women are able to ride them, surely that means they’re safe enough.”
Their eyes flicked toward Noah and the other female members.
“……”
“……”
Noah and the others merely gave them looks that said, So what? What nonsense is this?
The jeers had no effect whatsoever.
“Lieutenant Chitia…”
Private Honess, standing at the rear, whispered.
“Are they begging us to kill them?”
“Must be a popular new suicide service in the capital.”
“What? Are you angry?”
“Of course! They don’t even know how amazing you and the others are…!”
Ami grinned and ruffled Honess’s hair roughly.
“Colonel!”
While Honess flustered, his ears burning, Ami addressed Colonel Ice.
“They’re practically begging. I suggest we let them try ‘that’ instead.”
“‘That’?”
Colonel Ice widened his eyes.
“But that’s just the basic prerequisite training for piloting the personal ships…”
“It feels similar enough, and it should satisfy them, even if it’s not the real thing.”
“Hmm…”
Hesitant, Colonel Ice glanced at the knights.
“Would you like to try this, at least?”
“What sort of training is it?”
Sir Ferata looked intrigued.
“It’s a required basic course before one can operate a personal ship. It was directly proposed by House Adbelo.”
“Oh, that sounds interesting.”
“Yes, though, well… knights are supposed to be…”
Colonel Ice paused as he looked the knights up and down, then finally nodded.
“Well, let’s see how you do.”
Turning to his men, the Colonel shouted:
“Contact the armory!”
Not long after, a truck arrived. The sailors carried over training equipment, hefting one under each arm.
“What’s this all about?”
A soldier helping to unload asked, baffled.
“You’re not seriously going to make those knights swim with this gear, are you?”
“Who knows, they insisted.”
“What? Are they insane?”
“Don’t ask me, I have no idea either…”
“Ah, youngsters these days…”
Clicking his tongue, the supply officer quickly drove the truck away.
“Allow me to explain.”
Noah stepped forward, holding one of the protective rigs.
“The training is simple. You put on the equipment, modeled after the personal ship, and swim to the buoy marking the turnaround point.”
Then she dropped the equipment onto the ground.
Thud! Thud!
“……”
“……”
The knights stared blankly at the sand where it landed.
It looked as if a massive hunk of iron had crashed down—waves of sand rippled out from where the gear hit.
“For reference.”
Noah continued.
“Each one weighs about forty kilograms.”
The protective rigs weighed the same as the personal ships themselves.
