Editing HEAVY OBJECT:EX Chapter 7 (section)

===Part 7===

Eric Kingsvalley climbed onto the roof of an armored truck rocking in the current and continued with his mission. He threw coiled barbed wire into the river from upstream of the Baby Magnum. The plan was simple: wait for the barbed wire to catch on the Object’s naval float.

They were not actively attacking and they were not sure how effective this would even be, but the possibility of a trap in the river would restrict the enemy Pilot Elite’s movements. It was like asking someone to cheerfully walk across a minefield.

They of course made sure to mark the barbed wire’s location with an ultrasonic emitter. That allowed their side to remain cheerful. Even if the enemy picked up on the signal, they would still restrict themselves. Were there marked traps and unmarked traps? Were they playing into the enemy’s hand by relying on those markers? Even if they focused on those uncertain markers, it would still have an effect.

The Faith Organization’s plan was going well.

In fact, it looked like Saint Skuld was hunting down the Legitimacy Kingdom First Generation with or without their help.

That should have been a joyous scene.

They should have been watching the defeat of their hated enemy.

But a cloud hung over Eric’s face.

(What are we doing?)

Wars were given a justification, but good was not rewarded and evil was not punished. He had learned that all too well while taking part in this clean war. If he peeled away the thin layer of flowery words about their heroic actions, he was sure to find the sordid profit and scheming behind the scenes. He understood that and he knew that was none of his concern. Just as the military had its battlefields, the politicians had their own battlefields.

But something seemed wrong with what Saint Skuld was doing here. Eric did not care if someone was popping open some champagne in a secret villa to celebrate a successful conspiracy. If that ultimately benefited the people of the safe countries, then it was for the best. Eric was not a fish who swam through pure white bleach. If it would bring everyone happiness, he was fine with mixing in some “lubricant”. As long as it was a small “thank you” that did not put any pressure on the national treasury.

But who would see happiness from Saint Skuld’s actions here?

Who other than Skuld herself would be saved by this?

This entire battle was the same. They were killing the Legitimacy Kingdom’s First Generation in order to continue using the Saint Skuld in battle. That would prove that Skuld could be controlled by the Faith Organization while also having her destroy the original cause of this entire mess.

This battle had begun with Skuld’s selfishness and was meant to rid her of a personal crime.

This would only benefit a single individual.

That was nothing but a nuisance to the Legitimacy Kingdom and the taxpayers funding all of this. Not to mention the soldiers who had fallen victim to Skuld’s brutal “hobby”.

Was this really the right thing to do?

Wasn’t there something else he should be doing?

“…”

Eric clenched his teeth.

He felt ashamed that his hands kept working even as those thoughts filled his mind. Was he trying to escape those unpleasant thoughts by losing himself in his work, or had he just been that thoroughly trained by the Faith Organization and the Saints? Not even he knew.

At any rate, he finished throwing a set of barbed wire coils into the river and then used the headset in his ear to contact the fellow soldier in the armored truck.

“This is Eric. I’ve finished dumping them. Begin the ultrasonic signal test. We’d look like idiots if the barbed wire we dumped got caught on our own propeller.”

He had assumed he would receive the standard sort of response with a crude joke mixed in, but he did not.

“Wait, what the hell!? Hey, what’s going on!? Hey!!”

“What is it, Neil? If you think something’s malfunctioned, tell me. I’m on the roof, so I can pop open the engine grille and check the-…”

“We’re getting a distress signal from Saints Urd and Verdandi! But why!? Why would the ejection process be running when they’re winning!?”

An unpleasant sensation stroked along Eric’s back.

The situation was unnatural enough on its own, but one fact was more concerning than the rest: Urd and Verdandi. But what about the third sister?

If those two really were being ejected by some sort of malfunction, who would have absolute control of the powerful Norn?

“It can’t be…”

For whom was this battle being fought?

That question rose to the surface once more, and in the worst possible way.

“It can’t be!!”