Editing HEAVY OBJECT:EX Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 11===

Quenser gasped for breath while tearing the duct tape from his body.

Exterminating all those bugs was not the end of this. First they had to rescue the injured. Then they had to report on the damage caused by collapsed buildings and chewed-through wiring. They also had to extinguish the sea of flames. And if they did not dispose of the bug corpses littering the base, they could easily become a hotbed of disease.

A few of the prisoners did not show up when they were counted.

They had probably used the commotion to escape and were currently running through the humid jungle. If the Faith Organization learned about the damage here, they could make another attack with the Trinity Style piloted by Urd or Verdandi.

“Now I’m nervous,” he said without thinking.

“Yes,” replied the person next to him.

It was not the Princess or Heivia.

Faith Organization Pilot Elite Skuld sat on the ground there.

“But this was always going to happen. Urd and Verdandi will never forgive me. Even if I tried to escape this island, they would attack at some point along the way.”

“…”

“What is it?”

“Nothing really.” Quenser shook his head. “I just realized you didn’t run off is all. It does seem some of the prisoners fled into the jungle.”

“We have no idea if those were the only Draupnir around here. Besides, they have a base to return to while I’m being hunted by my own people. Frankly, I’m amazed that the people like Eric decided to stay.”

“I see.”

Quenser took another breath.

It had been a horrible day since morning, but this seemed to signal the end of that.

“Then we’re in this together. Once again, it’s nice to meet you.”

“…”

Skuld stared at the proffered hand in shock, but then she hesitantly reached out her own hand and grabbed it.