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Foreword

I’ve received some feedback pointing out issues with the simulation.

(The simulation is correct)

I get that some people can’t help but worry about it…

I want to fix it, but there’s just too much, so please let me put it off for a bit.

I’ll get to it someday.

I wish I could just do a full find-and-replace…

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“Huh?”

Zeke couldn’t help but take a rude attitude toward royalty.

“You against it? Zeke.”

“N-no. My apologies. I was just a bit surprised.”

“R-Road! Explain what’s going on!”

“Sigh… Honestly. Didn’t I say you’d be operating as an Earthguard from now on? So what about your background?”

“Th-that’s…”

“If you’re Japanese, you can get away with saying you have no parents. But Earthguard don’t work that way. Plus, how do you explain that strength? To be honest, I’d love to hear the real reason right now.

When someone asks, just say you’ve been under Zeke’s special training since you were little. No one will suspect a thing. And it’s the blood of the Military God. It’ll come in handy for all sorts of things from here on out.”

“I-I see…”

“Sigh… I’m seriously getting sleepy now. I need eight hours or my brain doesn’t work. I burn through a ton more brain energy than you do.”

(Grr…)

Kenya bristled at Road’s casual jab.

Road, spotting it, decided to poke the bear some more.

“Just stating facts. Don’t get mad. Sigh, that’s it. Can’t do any more tonight. Let’s call it, Zeke. Meet at Zeke’s place tomorrow at noon. We’ll pick up this mech later. Come in that vehicle.”

“H-hey!”

“Night—my ally.”

“Make sure no one spots you, Mikazuki.”

“Good night, Kenya-kun.”

With that, Zeke, Reina, and Road were gone.

Once it was decided, everything wrapped up quick and clean.

“Is Road always like that? His character’s all over the place now.”

The lone ruler.

Noble, full of pride, yet a genius at war.

That’s what he’d thought—until today. Talking to him felt exactly like chatting with a peer, a same-age friend.

A loner with no friends himself, but come to think of it, Road was one too.

“Still, this is a mess we’ve gotten into.”

“Yeah. If only we could let Kaguya and the others know about this…”

No way to contact Kaguya’s group.

Tanaka had swapped contacts with Isshin and such, but they were out of range now—no signal in the capital.

Communications between nations here weren’t linked up like the internet back home.

The Asia Union and Earthguard Empire were at war, after all. Strange if they could reach out.

If something big happened in this era, they’d apparently hold face-to-face summits with delegations.

Even back home, major talks between key nations were in person. Probably the same deal.

The reps probably had some exclusive comms method, though.

“We’ll get word to them eventually. If we share the same goal. Sorry, but I have zero connections to the Asia Union.”

Tanaka wasn’t handling diplomacy; Isshin had been the one dealing with their reps.

“…Yeah. I want to see Kaguya, but… I guess I can’t tell her I’m alive.”

He wanted to let Kaguya know he was okay.

But anything short of a trusted channel would expose him as Mikazuki, per Road’s warning.

“Right. Tough to announce it publicly with the op in play. Meeting in person… nothing comes to mind off the bat. For now, crash and tackle tomorrow’s problems tomorrow.”

And so Kenya and Tanaka bedded down right there for the night.

The air was comfortably mild, and with the scent of gunpowder lingering, they drifted off.

◇Next Morning, Early

The morning sun woke the pair.

“This isn’t a dream, right…? Everything from yesterday really happened.”

Kenya still couldn’t fully accept it as real.

Too much had gone down. He glanced at Takemikazuchi nearby and knew it was no illusion.

“Morning, Kenya-kun. Here, coffee. It’ll wake you up.”

“Ah, thanks.”

Tanaka, up first, handed him a cup to shake off the grogginess.

The transport seemed loaded with amenities.

“Shall we head to Zeke’s place first?”

“Before that… mind if we…?”

Kenya eyed Takemikazuchi and the fallen victims.

“Yeah… Right. Good call.”

Kenya climbed into Takemikazuchi and dug graves.

He buried the victims—couldn’t get them all, but he wanted to do what he could.

Including the orphanage kids.

At the simple gravesides, the two clasped hands in prayer.

Their eyes squeezed shut, tears seeping through the cracks.

“Azusa, Midori, Takeru…”

Names spilled out one by one, faces flashing in memory, as they wished them peaceful rest.

He’d heard it once before:

Funerals and graves weren’t for the dead, but for the living left behind.

What a pain, he’d thought back when he was a twisted brat.

But now he got it. The meaning.

“Graves mark the line, huh. A way to move on.”

“Yeah. To push forward.”

Kenya stood.

Not like the sadness was gone. But now he had a goal.

So he switched gears, straight toward that clear target.

Put Road on the throne.

And end the world’s wars.

That’d give meaning to these kids’ sacrifice.

His greatest way to repay them.

“See ya, everyone. Leave the rest to me.”

Kenya didn’t look back.

But he’d etched them deep in his heart, weaving their memory into his resolve.

Carry it forward—hearts linked forever.

That’s humanity’s strongest weapon.

…

Tanaka at the wheel, they headed for Zeke’s place.

“What’re your plans from here, Tanaka-san?”

“Depends on you, Kenya-kun, but I was thinking of continuing research somewhere. This mech’s got tons of upgrade potential.”

They hashed out the future.

With royalty as backing, they’d have some freedom.

Yesterday’s talks had ended vague—no firm plans yet.

“Alright, we’re here.”

An hour or two by car brought them to Zeke’s mansion.

Still an absolute palace. Military vehicle parked out front? Felt right at home. Like a hotel rotary.

“Made it, Tanaka.”

“Park here okay?”

“Nah, back’s better. I’ll show you.”

Zeke greeted them on arrival.

“Kenya-kun, chat with Tanaka about the future. Go get cleaned up.”

“You sure!?”

“Yeah. Figured you’d need stuff, so Reina’s out shopping. Should be back soon. Bath’s straight ahead—left after entering, then straight.”

(Honestly, I’m filthy with sweat, blood, sand… This is heaven.)

Kenya followed instructions into Zeke’s home.

He’d been once before, so he kinda knew the layout.

No bath prior, but left led to the bath.

“Whoa, huge. And a tub~”

Not quite a public bath, but spacious.

Picture a luxury condo jacuzzi tub. About that size. Steaming with inviting hot water. Nobles, amirite.

“Thanks, Zeke-san!”

Kenya stripped his mud-caked clothes carefully, piling them aside.

Dove into the bath.

The hot shower alone was bliss—could’ve nodded off.

Two shampoos ahead.

One basic mass-produced—Zeke’s for sure. Guy didn’t strike as the fancy type.

Probably says a cold rinse is man enough.

The other? Pricey-looking, stylish shampoo and conditioner.

Instinct hit Kenya.

“Gotta be Reina’s. Yeah, she bathes here all the time.”

Excitement surged.

Imagining her sensual, sexy nape.

Shower silhouette burned in his brain.

Oh crap.

Kenya was riled up.

High school freshman bod. Sex drive incarnate. Every day an everyday.

Usually 7-for-7 at bat, sometimes a double in one swing.

“N-no way. Not here… Wait, especially not here.”

Shook his head wild to fend it off.

Too pervy. C’mon, self-control, do your job.

After all that? Body’s honest. Trauma amps libido, they say.

Instinct to propagate in crisis.

“B-but just a whiff of this shampoo… Yeah. No one said which to use. Total accident. Pure accident.”

Grabbed what was surely Reina’s shampoo, washed up.

Sweet sudsy scent. Amazing.

“This is Reina’s smell… Might as well go direct…”

Brain flooded with pink fantasies of Reina.

Exhaustion wrecked his rationality. Full tilt.

“Kenya…-kun?”

“Hearing her voice now, haha.”

Imagination so vivid, he’d manifested her voice.

Thrilled even more at it amid the shower spray.

Wish I could picture her naked. Bath together.

Knock knock.

“Coming in? Kenya-kun.”

“Come on in—scratch my back while you’re…”

“…!?”