86 - Volume 10 - Chapter 5.3

2

During that day’s operation, two people died, and one of them was only injured, though not mortally enough to die.

That was, well…

“…Not something that happens every day.”

Saiki looked at the two immobilized Juggernauts.

But then again, it wasn’t all that unusual, either. One had their cockpit blown off by a Löwe’s shells, and the other had his rig slashed by a Grauwolf’s high-frequency blade.

He directed an accusatory gaze at Holly, a member of his platoon, but didn’t say anything about her remark. There was nothing more to say. That’s just what happens to the Eighty-Six. They’re disposable weapon components. Cattle in human form. Even if they go extinct, the Republic wouldn’t mind one bit.

So death wasn’t a surprise anymore. They were used to it. And besides…

“We do have our Reaper, though,” Holly said with a smile, her voice a mixture of sorrow and relief.

“…Yeah.” Saiki nodded.

Right, they had their Reaper. He could accurately predict the Legion’s movements during battle, and if someone died, he’d carry on their memories and take them along. When Shin first entered the Eighty-Sixth Sector, he made a pledge. That the one who survived until the very end would carry the fallen to their final destination.

And Shin survived. He was the one who could attain new heights they would never reach. So knowing he would take them there with him made death that much less scary. Even if they were unlucky enough to be injured but not die.

Shin approached the third stranded Juggernaut. Inside its burning aluminum armor was one unfortunate comrade of theirs, his body blackened and roasting but still alive. Shin’s hand swiftly drew the pistol from his right leg’s holster. He pulled the slide as he walked, loading the first bullet with practiced motions.

He then reached for the canopy’s opening lever and muttered, as if speaking to himself, “…Plug your ears if you don’t want to hear this.”

Some of the younger Processors, roughly the same age as Shin, looked at the charred Juggernaut with their expressions pale and strained. They plugged their ears. Others turned away painfully. Confirming this with a sidelong glance, Shin opened the canopy.

He reached out for their comrade within the canopy, likely touching him and telling him a few words. Seeing this, Saiki lamented. He was so cold and always kept his distance from the others, but he wasn’t emotionless. If anything, he really was—

But that thought was ruthlessly torn apart and scattered by the roar of three intermittent 9 mm shots.

When Saiki woke up the next morning, Shin was gone. His Juggernaut was missing from the hangar, as well.

Oh. Then he should be…

With that thought in mind, Saiki went to the spot where he would likely find him. And after walking for a while, he did indeed find him.

It was deep in a forest, in one corner of the Bayonet squadron’s battlefield. A spring battlefield where one could spot a field of red flowers through the streets. And standing in front of the wreckage of the three Juggernauts that had been destroyed the previous day were Shin’s Juggernaut and an old Scavenger he called Fido.

Fido was busy cutting off fragments of the three Juggernauts. The slashed, burned, and blasted bits. Cutting those bits of armor into plates, small enough to settle in the palm of one’s hand.

These would fulfill the role of grave markers for the three who had died the previous day, since the Eighty-Six were forbidden from digging their graves.

Shin’s expression was always a bit softer whenever Fido was around. But his expression grew a bit colder, and he turned his bloodred gaze in Saiki’s direction.

“What are you doing in a place like this, Tateha?”

Hearing this question, Saiki stepped out from the shadow of the trees into the sunlight. He wasn’t trying to hide per se, but he still raised his hands jokingly.

“You were gone, so I figured the Legion wouldn’t show up today.”

Shin wouldn’t go out on his own if he’d have predicted a Legion attack. At least, he wouldn’t be so quiet about it. This seasoned captain wouldn’t just cast aside his duties like that.

Shin gazed at Saiki, who was walking with his hands held up, but didn’t smile.

“I’d be able to escape even if there was an attack, so I came this far… We’re in the middle of the contested zones. This isn’t the sort of place you can just take a stroll in.”

You wouldn’t be able to escape. His words contained that implicit, curt warning, but Saiki smiled nonetheless.

“I’ll be fine so long as I’m with you, then.”

Shin blinked once. Saiki knew, from their short acquaintance, that this was how Shin reacted when he was taken by surprise. Shin was still young enough to have the kind of gestures that Saiki…or rather, everyone else could easily detect. He was trying to hide his feelings, but he couldn’t entirely bury them. He was trying to keep his heart silent, but he couldn’t completely muffle its voice.

Shin wouldn’t abandon him, and Saiki knew that. And that’s why Saiki could do something as dangerous as walk into the contested zones alone.

He wouldn’t abandon him. This guy wouldn’t even abandon the dead, so he certainly wouldn’t give up on the living. Such were Saiki’s thoughts as he looked down at him.

Yes, looked down—even standing right in front of him, Shin still stood below his eye level. He was still a boy who hadn’t quite grown to his full height. Saiki, who’d already hit puberty a few years ago, was larger than him in both height and build. And despite that, he had to rely on this younger boy for so much… None of them thought this was right.

“You say you’re the one who’ll take those who’ve died with you, but…I want to grieve them just as much as you do.”

No one came to these places because they thought Shin, with his transcendent combat prowess, wouldn’t need them, and they’d only hold him back. But the truth was, everyone wanted to…