Editing HEAVY OBJECT:Volume1 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 8===

And so Quenser, Heivia, and Froleytia survived. They were aboard a large transport plane that had taken off from a military base.

All three of them were holding the type of giant hamburger that completely ignored balanced nutritional needs and that they could not get while stuck on a base. Froleytia’s Japan obsession showed itself once more as her burger held a Japanese tatsuta-age rather than a beef patty.

She moved her small, pale lips and said, “I thought I wouldn’t be able to properly enjoy normal food after months of nothing but flavorless rations, but it seems good food is good food no matter what. Just eating this is enough to remind me that I am a living being.”

“Sorry to interrupt you in the middle of some kind of philosophical dissertation, but could you not cross your legs while wearing that tight skirt? Please think about how your subordinates must feel sitting right in front of you.”

“Hm? What, you don’t like it? C’mon, I’m going out of my way to give you a little reward. Can you really escape the allure of this sexy zone made up of black stockings and red panties?”

“No, I feel panties aren’t something that should just be out in the open like that. I mean, they need to be a rare sight that you just catch a slight glimpse of. Not that I think the sight of panties is a bad thing, but my theory is they just aren’t living up to their full potential like this. They’re red. And soaked with seawater. Those black synthetic fibers are torn just a bit showing some white skin… Dammit, you’re right!! I am happy!! Gwaahh!!”

The slightly bluish-silver-haired and large-breasted Froleytia laughed and gave a victorious smile as she toyed with the healthy young man that was Heivia.

“Damn, my clothes ''are'' sticking to me uncomfortably though. Why does seawater stick to your skin like this? Just changing clothes would be meaningless if I still reek of the beach like this. If only we had had enough time to get a shower back at the port.”

“The plane has no shower room, so you’ll just have to put up with it until we reach the next base.”

“Not necessarily, Quenser,” said Froleytia as she undid the latch on a large box on the ground nearby. She pulled out a strange item that looked like a bag that was made of water resistant material that had a watering can-like faucet attached to the bottom. “This is a simple portable shower. It seems the divers have had the same thoughts.”

Froleytia moved her damp body and hung the water resistant bag from a hook on the ceiling.

“Ehh?” Heivia shouted upon seeing his superior officer pull out a kiddie pool-like object to prevent the water from spreading across the floor. “You mean…here…? We’re all going to take a shower together here!? W-with pleasure, ma’am!!”

“I’ll be partitioning the shower off with a curtain, so outta the way, Heivia!”

“Ghahh!?”

Heivia let out a scream as Froleytia pulled a thick plastic sheet across in front of her on a rail on the ceiling while kicking him in the side as he sat on the ground.

When he heard the sound of clothes being slipped off from behind the sheet, Heivia stopped rolling around on the ground and became completely still.

“…Shit. Talk about a cock tease.”

“Y-yeah… That’s right… You’re completely right, Heivia.”

“Eh? What kind of half-hearted reply is that? W-wait, is there a gap between the sheet and the wall over there…!?”

“Nope. Not at all. Not even slightly. Don’t worry about it.”

Froleytia’s exceedingly calm voice that was accompanied by the sound of water came from the other side of the thick sheet.

“Quenser, I only allowed you to see as far as the underwear. If you go any further, I may have to use the interrogation room afterwards.”

“Wah!! You noticed!?”

“Wait, so you ''can'' see!?” exclaimed Heivia.

The two idiots started struggling over that spot, but Froleytia upped her defense by using a piece of electrical tape to close the gap between the sheet and the wall. By the time Heivia managed to look over, there was nothing left to see.

“Oh, c’mon, Heivia. Is it really something worth sulking in the corner over?”

“…Leave me alone. Someone who got everything he wanted can’t understand how I feel.”

As it was not enough of an issue for him to worry about when he was so sweaty, Quenser decided to leave Heivia be. Quenser had other things to worry about.

“The princess sure has it tough,” he muttered as he glanced out the window. “It’s normally just a quick plane ride away, but they have to actually alter the landscape to transport her giant Object to the next battlefield.”

From behind the thick sheet, Froleytia turned Quenser’s words to himself into a conversation.

“And yet that thing is a monster that can rush across land or sea at the speed of a linear motor train. There are plenty of just causes for this war, but the primary reason seems to be gaining exclusive control of the best routes to efficiently move an Object to any battlefield in the world. Straits are especially desirable in that sense.”

“What, are we back to the Age of Exploration?”

Quenser was forced to reflect once more on the reasons behind the killing he had been taking part in. As he did, the thick sheet partitioning off the shower area slid to the side, revealing a fully-clothed Froleytia.

“Tah dah. Now that was refreshing. It’s a shame the only available change of clothes were unfashionable overalls, but what can you do? …By the way, Heivia, why are you sulking in the corner?”

“…Being under the command of a beauty of a superior officer comes with some serious problems,” muttered Heivia with a grim look on his face, but Froleytia only looked confused.

Quenser looked over at what she was holding.

“Froleytia, why are you hooking that tablet up to that notebook right after getting out of the shower?”

“Hm? Oh, this? I have to provide real-time long-distance orders to secure the transport route for an Object in South America and the troops supporting it. Doing this really drives home how much the power balance of the world can change based on who holds the quickest routes with which to transport Objects.”

“…I really don’t care. Just so you know, I’m never taking part in an awards ceremony again. I’m leaving!” Heivia said out of displeasure.

“You know what the military regulations are, right?”

“Fuck the regulations!! Go ahead and discharge me! If you need a reason, I’ll rape you and those giant breasts of yours right now!! I only enlisted in order to gain the experience I needed to become the next head of my noble family!! After destroying two Objects with normal firepower, I think I’ve more than done that! I’m never going back to a battlefield like that!!”

“You know, I’d say today’s victory goes to Quenser alone…”

“Yeah, in more ways than one!! I didn’t get to see anything!!”

“? I have the feeling we’re talking about two different things now… Where did you get off track, Heivia? Well, I’m not quite sure what the problem is, but quit crying.”

Froleytia had looked up from the map on the computer in confusion, but then her radio started beeping. After an exchange over the radio that was filled with special military jargon, Froleytia frowned in annoyance and finally cut the connection after giving a quick word of consent.

“It seems you’re in luck. You aren’t going to have another awards ceremony.”

“Really!? Thank goodness, I can go home! The home country is designated a safe country, so everything will be fine once I get back there!!”

“Who said you had been ordered back home? That’s been cancelled too.”

“Hah?” said Quenser and Heivia as they stared at their superior’s face.

Froleytia shrugged and responded with, “A previously inactive military country in Oceania has made a major move. Now that you two have destroyed two Objects, it looks like the higher ups have really taken a liking to you. They referred to you by name when they asked to have you sent straight to Oceania.”

“Fuck that!” 

“Let me off!”

“I’ll hijack this plane!”

The two soldiers shouted in protest, but the large transport plane’s route could not be changed. It seemed some distant person was controlling the plane’s route remotely by drawing a line on a map on a computer.

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