DOWL Master:Volume1 Chapter 0
The Scene of A Certain Usual Day
The gently bending artificial land, at a height of 100m the fake sky being reflected, the structures around built from Carbon Metal (carbon nanotube composite steel) and resin concrete; made you realize that this is not a natural planet.
This is the circular residential quarter joint with the workshop of Iwa Metropolis Island, a part of the man-made satellite [Island], developed and actualized under the Stanford Torus-type space colony.
Inside the peculiar dual rings of this Island, in a low gravity block with pseudo gravity of 0.5G (gravity on earth= 1G), two armored warriors faced each other.
Each of their bodies are covered with full length metal plate-type armor. A full armor-helmet replica. The two were holding a practice use spear and 2-handed long sword respectively.
“Here I come”
The spear holding tall one called out.
“Yes!”
The long sword holding short boy affirmed.
Both simultaneously rushed forward, the thrust of the spear was averted by the drive of the sword. The spear instantly drew back and once again struck out. The movement was smooth. Compared to that, the hand operating the sword which parried the spear was awkward and stiff. They know that though the armor-helmet replica is made of metal much lighter than iron, its bulkiness along with the small shield on the shoulder is for improving the body, has a gross weight of at least 10Kg under 1G. The weapons too, though made of light weight carbon resin, have a weight of around 5Kg under 1G. The low gravity environment is for the purpose of reducing this load. The boy seems to have not yet gotten used to wearing the armor-helmet. The conclusion came too quick. The boy without getting a chance to even retaliate lost his balance and posture and the spearhead swing stopped at nape of the neck, touching the armor there.
“……I surrender.”
--with a nod the spear drew back. The person acting as the referee looking at the from the sidelines raised her right hand and with a bored voice announced the result.
“Winner Cadet Kisaragi”
And glared at the boy with displeasure whose face had become a smoke screen due to sighing as he stood back up.
“That was pathetic Aoi. It has already been one month since you came here. Winning besides, to not able to even match the opponents’ strike! And you still call yourself my younger brother?”
Not just the gaze, even her voice sounded in a bad mood.
“You may say so nee-san, but I’m raising my skill too. Ryuichi-san is just too strong..”
“fuun….alright, I’ll take revenge for you then.”
“Revenge? This was just a practice match……..”
But the elder sister refused to listen to her younger brother’s complaint. She turned around, making a clanking sound and raised her head. “Ryuichi, mind fighting me this time?”
“Alright.”
She was wearing the same armor as the two. With vivid red hair dangling at the joint, put on her helmet, lowering the smoke shield faced Kisaragi Ryuichi.
“Akari, are you okay with that weapon?”
Even among the conventional weapons, said to be difficult to handle, Ryuichi questioned Akari as she set up her Cross-blade spear. “Its alright. In my case it doesn’t matter what weapon I choose. I’ll show you a very freaky way of using this.”
Akari answered shaking her head with a daring smile.
“Is that so? That means I don’t have to hold back right?”
“Ou!”
Without any signal, the mock battle between Akari and Ryuichi starts.
“woah!”
Aoi, who was going to take the vacant place of the refree, dodged the swinging weapon and fell on his back. Due to the low gravity, there was no chance of wound like a bone fracture, but it didn’t mean that pain was also zero. Cursing the two, who were clashing their spears, in his mind he tried to get up. At that moment.
“…..Aoi you, are you alright?”
A voice like the smell of a sweet flower in a gentle breeze came. Turning around, the one who came in his eyesight was, with height 2m, the wire controlled humanoid robot, Marionette DOWL (aka Marion) and skillfully balancing on its right shoulder sat a girl.
“Reine-san”
Aoi panicked and stood up. In front of him, the girl known as [Reine] took of her helmet. The face hidden underneath was now seen. Long eyelashes and hazy big eyes were impressive, it gave of a fairy like image. The girl while holding her helmet, easily jumped from the humanoid robot Marion’s shoulder. Her movements were that of one completely adapted to the low gravity. Aoi thought that these very fine movements were very appropriate for her. The hem of her long jacket fluttered as she came down. Even though he knew that she was wearing pants underneath, Aoi’s heart still skipped a beat.
Her shoulder length silky black hair gently swayed as she collected herself. Without any kind of stagnation, Reine was walked towards Aoi. His heartbeat grew faster due to the sudden decrease in distance. Reine’s petite stature was further 5cm less than Aoi. She looked at the still-standing Aoi with a worried face.
“You ‘re not injured, are you?”
She asked with small upturned eyes and a fixed gaze, Aoi, unable to resist it, awkwardly turned away. “I’m fine. Sorry to have made you worry.”
While still looking away, he apologized. As if seeing something funny, Reine smiled.
“Aoi you don’t have any reason to apologize. I was worried by my own convenience after all.”
“Ah, yes, sorry.”
“You’re apologizing again. No need to be so formal.”
Watching Reine giggle, Aoi again realized for the Nth time that her appearance was not the only thing which was fairy-like. Reine’s words were neither on whim nor illogical, always sensible, yet somehow gave a slippery feeling. Maybe it was because she was a special [Exa]. “By the way……that, is it okay to leave them like that?”
Looking towards where Reine pointed, Aoi finally remembered his job.
[Nee-san! Ryuichi-san also! Seriously, what are you doing?”
The weapons with which the mock battle was to be done were now lost. Yet Akari and Ryuichi both were now grappling each other rolling on the artificial grass.
Though Akari had a bigger frame for a woman, Ryuichi was still 20cm bigger. In a grappling battle she would be no contest but Akari, with her well trained body, gave no signs of weakness as she took part in close combat.
“Both of you, move away from each other!”
He somehow forced himself between the two, but got elbowed and kicked away. The damage was less thanks to the armor but he was unable to hold on. As Aoi resolved himself to call the teacher as a last resort, from the side a clumsy machine hand went towards the two.
“Akari, can’t you see you are troubling Aoi-kun? Also Ryuichi-san what are you doing wrestling with a woman?”
Wearing her helmet and a cable that extended from the head, Reine, as she played with her hair with one hand, pleasantly smiled towards them as they kept hanging upside down. The other end of the cable was connected to nape of the Marion as it kept the two hanging in its arms. This humanoid robot was being manipulated by Reine’s control ability.
“Seriously, what were you two doing?”
Reine moved her hands towards Akari and Ryuichis’ helmet. Both resisted for a second, but soon their heads were exposed as she easily manipulated while removing their helmets.
With the smoke shield out of the way, Akari averted her eyes as she was exposed to Reine’s line of sight. On the other hand, Ryuichi gave a very dandy looking forced smile.
“I always thought so but Reine is definitely amazing. My movements with the Marion are completely different.”
A statement completely unrelated to the question asked was given. But no matter how much he tried to change the topic, he was still hanging upside down. Blood was now starting to collect in their heads. It was Ryuichi who finally surrendered to the smiling Reine.
“……Sorry. I’ll apologize for getting conceited so can you please let me down? Even if we are in low gravity, maintaining this position while wearing armor is painful.”
“…..Sorry, Reine. I’ll also apologize. My nose is starting to bleed.”
After Ryuichi, Akari also apologized. Satisfied with it, Reine manipulated her Marion and released them. Both of them fell head first, but something unsightly like hitting their heads didn’t occur. Both Akari and Ryuichi used their hands to roll around avoiding any damage.
“Rather than apologizing to me, you should start thinking of an excuse for the instructor.”
Damaging them with words, Reine turned towards Aoi. He was wearing an expression that said ‘I couldn’t do anything ‘ but Reine noticing it or rather, not noticing it, smiled and talked to him.
“Aoi-kun, won’t you practice with me? Aoi-kun is cut out to be MITU rather than an NITU I think.”
“Eh, No, I….”
Seeing Aoi’s hesitating behavior, Akari angrily replied.
“If you want to learn from Reine rather than me, then do as you wish?”
Looking at the smiling Reine who did not realize the meaning and Akari’s back who had turned away, Aoi’s tongue was paralyzed. “Aoi, its difficult being a popular man.”
Enduring his laughter, Ryuichi whispered in Aoi’s ear in an enjoying voice.
Aoi wanted to look towards the heavens. Knowing that all he’ll see is the camouflaged limited sky. ……..Obviously, he couldn’t do something that could worsen his position,
(I thought everyone had more honest and upright personalities than this…..)
All he could do was grumble inside his mind.-----Enjoying the happy time that he could grumble over something as boring as this.
Iwa Metropolis High-Class Training School. This is the army educational institution under the direct supervision of the Solar System Alliance. This institution objective is to not just give military training but also provide and teach essential knowledge and study technical ability for ages 15-20 military cadets.
For education, old materials and miscellaneous info from the aged are installed in the all purpose computer terminal. To Aoi, who was taught daily skills by adults directly, this was a dream like environment. No, two months back this would have definitely been only a dream for him. 2 months back- C.E. 2417/7/31 that day was the beginning for him. At that time, the only person besides Aoi was his sister Akari. Ryuichi was life-taking enemy. Reine was a stranger, who lived in a different world.
“Cadets, assemble!”
The instructors command brought him back to senses. He, who was thinking about his life just 2 months back, came back to his current tiring, busy but also happy [present] life.
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