Toaru Hikuushi e no Seiyaku:V2Part5

Part 13 (Part 5 of Volume 2) The weather is not at all pleasant. I am merely continuing this life because I must go through the status of a student to achieve my goal.

The Urano special operative "Hachidori" muttered this soliloquy without justifying it to anyone, then obediently attended the academic class.

There’s no need to learn this again. I acquired all the education necessary to become an officer at the age of ten. The other students seem like fools to me, but if I display my exceptional abilities and overwhelm my surroundings, I will definitely arouse suspicion about my identity. I must discipline myself, making sure not to stand out too much while not falling too far behind, and continuously adjust the output of my abilities.

── These idiots.

The elite officer candidates look utterly foolish. I want to make all of them taste the hell that I have endured in the special operative training program. Out of the hundred selected children, only eight could survive the inhumane training that led me here. If they were thrown into that situation, none of them would survive.

── I will kill them all someday.

Continuing to repeat such curses in my mind is something I do intentionally. If I don't, I might find myself influenced by the softness of this environment.

Honestly, there are times when I occasionally envy these peers of my age.

And strangely enough, sometimes I find myself inadvertently helping them due to their complete ineptitude. When I see the grateful expressions on the faces of those I've helped, I realize that, unknowingly, I feel happy.

Every time I notice this side of myself, I hastily direct silent curses toward my surroundings to remind myself of my purpose in infiltrating this place.

── To rise through the ranks of the Urano Intelligence Division, buy back my sold home, and treat my mother.

── I want my healed mother to remember me.

Reconfirming the motivation that led me to become a special operative, Hachidori feigned focus on the boring lecture once again.

May this life continue forever.

The former heir to the Sylvanian throne attended the usual academic class, harbouring such a wish deep in her heart where no one could hear it.

Although it has been a considerable amount of time since I started living as an ordinary student, having forgotten my status, life at the Air Hunt Officer Academy is tough but also filled with many enjoyable moments. Moreover, I have made comrades with whom I shared the same oath. Lately, I remember less about my birthright, and I wish to enter society as an ordinary citizen.

However, there are still former retainers who refuse to leave me alone. It's commendable that they remain loyal to the Sylvanian royal family, even after being exiled from their territory, but to be honest, I would like to live as a plain student for a little while longer, at least until I graduate from this school.

Coincidentally, I have become one of the "Seven of Eriadore," and my former retainers are anxiously worried that my identity might be revealed. Among them, the Holy Knight Akmed is said to be seeking my audience with the consent of my guardians. During the invasion of Urano, Akmed protected me and broke through enemy lines, ensuring that the blood of the Sylvanian royal family would continue to the next generation. He likely wishes to confirm with his own eyes how the faint hope that was left has grown.

I like Akmed. I am alive here thanks to him. If I were just an ordinary officer candidate, I would surely be thrilled to welcome the visit of the famed "King of the Skies."

However, as the heir to the throne, I honestly wish he would not come here. If Akmed, known as the "King of the Skies," were to visit the school, he would undoubtedly attract unwanted attention. If he were to kneel before me in front of everyone, I would surely not be able to escape unnecessary scrutiny.

Fortunately, Akmed's visit is said to be after the winter break. Before then, I should arrange to meet him somewhere discreetly, away from others. There’s no need for him to kneel in front of me on the throne; just showing my face in the back garden of the student dormitory to reassure him should keep him quiet for a while. While it may seem cruel to someone who has come all this way to visit, I have a life I wish to cherish. I don’t want the happiness I’ve built up as an ordinary student to be destroyed by my former retainers. As I indulge in such foolish thoughts in my heart, the heir to the throne resumed concentrating on the lecture with a nonchalant expression.

Wings cut through the air, turning it white.

With a creaking right turn, thin lines of steam flowed into the December blue sky.

Beyond the windscreen, the silver shadow of the fleeing enemy aircraft.

As speed increased, so did the vibrations. The target in the sight moved up and down, left and right. Amidst the vibrations, I cautiously operated the controls, trying to catch up to the enemy aircraft fleeing at over 400 kilometres per hour.

── Am I going to kill an unknown person?

── Am I flying in this sky to kill people?

The familiar whispers stroked Kiyoaki Akira's mind.

His finger, poised over the trigger, trembled.

In that instant, Kiyoaki envisioned the faces of his deceased family over the enemy aircraft in his sights.

His parents, who died as decoys to protect their child from gunfire.

His sister, who hugged him tightly and died using her life as a shield.

The people he couldn’t protect, who would never return.

── If I don't shoot down this enemy, the important people will be lost.

── I don’t want to kill. But the world is cruel. I can't live on ideals alone.

── To ensure I never lose important people again.

At that moment, another important person’s smile overlapped with that of his parents and sister.

Someone very dear to him, living in this moment.

If it’s to protect this person, I can shoot down the enemy.

── Mio.

I could shoot down dozens, even hundreds, without hesitation.

── If I don't shoot this enemy, Mio will be shot.

The moment he thought that, Kiyoaki pulled the trigger.

The fired special round shot straight and dyed the enemy aircraft's tail red.

The speaker announced.

“Arrow 1, shot down. Lance 1 wins.”

Kiyoaki exhaled as he looked down at the runway below.

With this, it made six consecutive wins since the day before yesterday. He felt like he wanted to have one more match today. As his ranking rose, his pride also grew, and the way others viewed him was changing.

He put the training aircraft, Gray Fox, into the hangar, reported today’s achievements to the control tower, and returned to the group of air force students gathered by the runway.

“You’ve really changed lately. Has something good happened?”

Approaching with a light wave was Kagura. As his friendly smile got closer, he stared intently into Kiyoaki’s eyes.

“Did you get a girlfriend?”

“Your face is too close. It’s not that.”

“Good. But it really looks like a sleeping lion has awakened. The top ranks are wary of you.”

“I'll do my best. But there’s still a gap with the top ranks…”

“I think today’s results will put you in the top twenty. A match with me or Balthazar should be coming soon.”

Currently, Balthazar was in second place, and Kagura had recently climbed to sixth. As the end of the year approached, matches between the top ranks would start to be organized. The truly tough battles would begin from here.

The upperclassmen, who were in the top ranks, cast sidelong glances at Kiyoaki. He could feel the wariness in the air. With the third-year Illia at the top, the upperclassmen wouldn't take kindly to Kiyoaki climbing the ranks further.

As Kagura looked up at the aerial combat above, she spoke.

"Did you hear? During the final battle, Knight Akmed is supposed to visit our school to observe mock aerial combat. I have no idea what his purpose is... but surely he's not trying to recruit officer candidates for Valkyrie."

This was the first time hearing this. Kiyoaki couldn't hide his surprise.

"Master Akmed is coming here?!"

"Baltha heard it from the principal. It seems Akmed himself was eager for the visit. Judging by that, it's probably not for you..."

"I haven't seen my master for about five years, and I'm just calling him master on my own. I doubt he even thinks of me as his disciple... He won't come just to see me."

"Hmm. It feels suspicious. The King of Aerial Assault crossing the seas just to visit this remote island... It's enough to make one wonder about his intentions."

The aerial mercenary unit "Valkyrie" is the world's strongest combat squad, formed by Akmed, who gathered elite ace pilots from around the world. Sponsored by small countries in the Multi-Island Sea and emerging financial groups that do not fall under Urano's influence, they traverse aerial battlefields worldwide as an independent combat organization, including support operations. However, the condition is that they must fight against Urano; they supposedly do not even make contact with enemies affiliated with Urano. Rumour has it they maintain the organization solely to eventually restore the Sylvanian royal family.

"The tale of a presumed dead heir escaping into the city and surviving is the stuff of national legends. There are rumours that during the fall of Santos Island, Akmed fought through enemy lines to protect the heir. Perhaps one of our students is the heir, hidden among us."

"No way. Kagura, you're surprisingly romantic."

When Kiyoaki joked, Kagura suddenly shot him a sly glance.

"I'm a romantic. The one I care about never notices."

Kagura gently placed her pinky under Kiyoaki's chin, lifting his face. Up close, her expression, usually so masculine, bore a feminine charm.

Kiyoaki's face turned beet red.

"W-What? Stop joking! I can't handle that kind of thing!"

He hurriedly turned away, and in an instant, Kagura dropped the flirtation and smiled sweetly.

"Yes, that’s quite adorable. I hope you stay just like that."

"Please take it easy... I might get killed by your fans."

"That sounds nice. Kagura, let me do that too."

Before he knew it, Reiner had appeared beside him, grinning as he teased.

"I refuse. I have no interest in a dirty boy."

"That's harsh. I'm pure white!"

"A boy who spends every weekend picking up girls at the clubhouse can't be pure white."

"No, no, I’m definitely clean. I haven't gotten involved with anyone. By the way, Kiyoaki, you've been impressive lately; did you get a girlfriend?"

"Why does everyone keep saying that? It's not like that. I’ve just managed to prepare myself to shoot down opponents."

"Oh really? What’s the mindset?"

"I won't say because it's embarrassing. You, Reiner, have been doing well lately too."

"Well, my biorhythm is on the upswing. I'm riding a good wave lately."

Just like Kiyoaki, Reiner has been winning more often than tying lately. It wouldn't be surprising if he broke into the top ten soon. Even though it looks like he's just playing around, Reiner's abilities are indeed very high, as shown by his results in both piloting and navigation.

"I can't lose now. Want to face off against me next?"

As Kiyoaki challenged him with a fierce gaze, Reiner let out a strange noise and shrugged.

"I think I’ll pass. It feels too intense. I’ll do it if the instructor orders it, but I don’t want to fight someone I know I’ll lose to."

Easily brushing him off, he looked up at the blue sky. It was Illia who was engaged in a two-on-two formation aerial battle.

"You want to do that, right? From what I can see, you're probably the only one who can compete with Illia right now."

As if in response to those words, Illia shot down the enemy aircraft with manoeuvres that could rival a regular aerial officer's dogfight (where both sides approach head-on and fire at each other while passing). She executed a slow roll to evade the pursuit of the second enemy, and in a battle reminiscent of an ant's hell, she drew the enemy into a horizontal turn, gaining their back on the second spin.

"She’s getting stronger every day. I’d like to see what happens when she’s unleashed on the battlefield. Competing with Akmed and Karnasion might not be a dream after all."

Without waiting for the end of his words, Illia painted the enemy's right-wing red. As Reiner said, Illia was gaining experience and strength with each mock battle. She might one day challenge the two aerial kings of the current multi-island sea: "Akmed of Valkyrie" and "Karnasion of Urano."

── I want to catch up to Illia quickly...

Longing for that, Kiyoaki looked up at Illia flying in an empty sky. He felt he had gotten a little closer recently, but Illia was also growing at quite a pace. Through daily training in the swordsmanship club, she seemed to be discovering something new. Her distance management and tactics with enemy aircraft had progressed significantly compared to the beginning. The back that was just coming into view could disappear into the heights again if he let his guard down even a little.

"The climax is finally approaching after winter break, with more matchups among the upper ranks. It would be great if you could show off in front of Master Akmed."

Kagura murmured as she gazed up at the same sky. Completely forgotten, it dawned on him that winter break started the day after tomorrow. Kagura, Cecil, Mio, and Illia would spend the fifteen-day break in their hometowns, while Baltha planned to use his saved wages for a trip to the Vestelant continent. Among the seven, only Kiyoaki and Reiner would remain in the dormitory. With no family waiting for him and no hometown, Kiyoaki felt a bit lonely but was grateful that Reiner was there.

"Yes. I’ll be training here over winter break. So I can beat Illia."

He declared resolutely to Kagura’s profile, and the talented woman smiled refreshingly in support.

The Imperial Capital, Selfaust.

This metropolis, which has nearly a thousand years of history as the capital of the St Vault Empire, has seen its three million citizens invigorated by the long-awaited war since the outbreak against the Hydrabard Federation three months ago.

Such a grand war hadn’t occurred since the "Multi-Island War" fought against the Akitsu Federation nearly twenty years ago. The war named the "Hydrabard Campaign" is a major invasion operation allied with the Akitsu Federation, the former enemy. With the market capitalism entering a saturation phase and the closed economic situation needing to be broken, it was essential for the St Vault Empire to seek new capital and interests. The quickest way to achieve this was to seize from their neighbours. It was barbaric, but without doing so, they would lose in the struggle for supremacy against the Harmonia Empire to the north and the Zunjin Dynasty to the east, creating a three-way conflict. To avoid being devoured by the strong, they would devour the weak—this was the natural national policy in the world ruled by imperialism.

Until now, the St Vault Empire had been unable to expand into the multi-island sea due to fear of the northeastern strong nation, the Harmonia Empire. The border with the Zunjin Dynasty was separated by a steep mountain range, so there was no concern there, but the border with Harmonia was unclear, merely a vast plain claimed by both sides. The reason they could finally embark on a full-scale invasion of the multi-island sea was largely due to the completion of the "Kukuana Line," which secures the entire lengthy border with Harmonia. The Kukuana Army Headquarters, which designed it, boasted that "not even a fly could pass" through this massive complex of trenches, bunkers, and concrete barriers, making a ground invasion by Harmonia very difficult. With the Kukuana Line protecting their rear and eliminating concerns, the St Vault Empire finally moved towards their long-cherished goal of "conquering the multi-island sea north and south."

Illia Kreischmidt stepped off the platform at Selfaust Central Station, buried her mouth in her scarf, and pulled her wheeled suitcase behind her as she walked down the main street, breathing out white puffs of air.

The town was dull and gray. The main heating fuel was coal, and by the end of December, the sky was always polluted with smoke from chimneys. Wearing a bright-coloured coat would make the dirt stand out, so everyone on the street was wrapped in black or gray overcoats, walking with slightly hunched backs to avoid inhaling too much of the polluted air.

Soon, she arrived at the tram station. As she stood in line with a dozen citizens, a heavy tram arrived, packed with passengers even on the roof. Paying the fare of 2 pesos, Illia received help from the other passengers to sit on the roof, gazing blankly at the flowing stone, tile, and concrete buildings in front of her.

Balloons floated beyond the row of department stores, advertising for new recruits. Military officers in uniforms were using megaphones to urge passing youths to enlist and fight for their country. Whether it was the patriotic fervour being stirred or a desire for stable employment, many young people were lining up to enlist.

── Am I going to lead those kinds of people into battle once I leave school?

Sitting on the roof of the tram, Illia pondered this. If she graduated from the officer school, she would be in a position to give orders to non-commissioned officers and soldiers older than herself. Watching the cheerful faces of seemingly carefree youths, she felt anxious about whether she could joyfully send them into battle to face death. Most of the conversations among the passengers were about the Hydrabard Campaign, filled with rumours about the upcoming major operations.

After swaying for about an hour on the slower-than-a-car tram, the number of passengers decreased, and there were now empty seats in the cabin. The roof passengers rushed into the warm interior, but Illia stayed on the roof, raised the collar of her plain black coat, and extended her long, slender legs into the air, looking at the townscape of Selfaust.

Ilia had disembarked in a suburban residential area.

The desolate shopping district had few stores still open, and passersby were sparse. The fading daylight illuminated the decaying signs and closed shutters with a dazzling bronze hue. Dragging her suitcase along, Illia stopped in front of a bakery.

Though the shop looked old and worn, it was still in business. On the shelves, a few leftover breads were marked down. After hesitating for a moment, Illia entered the store.

An elderly woman scratching a cat's back behind the counter looked up, surprised to see Illia.

"My goodness, isn’t that Illia! Have you come back?"

Illia maintained a stiff expression as she greeted the bakery owner.

"Yes. I’m back for the winter break from the officer school."

"Oh, that's nice! Your father will surely be happy. He’s been looking so lonely all by himself..."

"Yes. Um, about my father..."

She hesitated, her voice trailing off. The bent old woman, with an expression that seemed to understand everything, said:

"He's doing fine, really fine. Another war just started recently, and it seems like some people are coming by to visit him, so he's okay. As for food, we’re here for that."

"Yes. Thank you so much. Um... I hope it's not a bother..."

"We're so used to it by now, it's nothing. If anything, we’d feel anxious if he weren't here. The ones who complain are the newcomers, so you don’t need to worry about that."

"...I’m terribly sorry... I really appreciate everything. You’ve been taking care of him for so long..."

"It’s fine, it’s fine. It’s nothing at this point. Just leave it to us, from now on too. We're like family now anyway."

The old woman’s words warmed Illia’s heart. Just like she said, the owner of this bakery had been looking after Illia since she was a child, practically like a real mother. Illia wished she could express her gratitude more through words or expressions, but she was terribly bad at things like that. Feeling frustrated, she bought all the leftover bread as a small token of appreciation.

"You didn’t need to do that, really."

"No, there’s likely nothing at home. It’s a big help."

"You always liked donuts, right? I’ve kept some for you, just wait a moment."

Without giving her a chance to refuse, the shopkeeper disappeared into the back and soon returned with colourful donuts in a plastic bag.

"Your father must like them too. Strawberry, almond, and, um, lemon cream. Take them home."

She forced them into Illia's hands. It would be rude to refuse too much, so Illia graciously accepted.

"…I'm sorry. Thank you very much. My father will be pleased."

Illia lied. In truth, her father hated being reminded of her mother. The donuts from this shop were her mother's favourite, so she couldn't show them to her father.

After a while of exchanging pleasantries with the bakery owner, Illia confirmed once more that her father wasn’t causing trouble in the neighbourhood before leaving the bakery and heading home.

As the sun set and the redness faded from the western sky, she arrived at a house slightly detached from the surrounding homes.

It was an old two-story building like any other. The front yard, overrun with weeds, had a rusty bicycle and flowerless pots scattered around, giving no sign of habitation.

She pressed the doorbell. No one answered. Unlocking the front door, she stepped into the dark house, where the musty smell of liquor filled the air.

"I’m home."

When she turned on the living room light, her one-armed father was slumped over the table, sleeping. Beside him lay an empty whiskey bottle. Illia maintained her expressionless demeanour as she went upstairs, placing her belongings in her room, which contained only a bed, a table, and a bookshelf. She took a blanket back down and draped it over her sleeping father. Since childhood, it had been Illia's routine to cover her father with a blanket while he slept at the table.

Without changing clothes, she sat down opposite her father and gazed at his sleeping face.

Karsten Kreischmidt.

Once called the "King of the Skies," he was the man who once ruled the skies of the Multi-Island Sea.

How had the father, who seemed so large and robust in his childhood, deteriorated into this withered state?

His posture, with one arm resting on his forehead as he slept, was melancholic. The right arm that once skilfully handled the control stick had been taken from him by another "King of the Skies."

"Have you returned?"

It was twenty minutes later that Karsten opened his eyes, sensing Illia's presence. He blinked his yellowed eyes wide, taking in the sight of his only daughter.

"What’s with that hair?"

"My friend insisted I grow it out."

Karsten snorted.

"Getting a bit fancy, are we?"

"Not really."

"You need to take care of it."

"My friend helps with that."

"Cut it short, then. What does a fighter pilot care about appearances?"

"…Yes."

"Are you getting paid?"

"Yes."

"Go buy some liquor."

"Yes."

Illia left the house and walked to the local liquor store. After asking the familiar owner about her father’s condition, she received a response that things were generally as usual and bought her father's favourite wine and whiskey before returning home.

"It seems the war has started."

Sipping cheap alcohol, Karsten murmured toward the empty air.

"Yes."

"It’s as I predicted. First, they’ll take down Hydrabard, then secure a foothold in the Southern Multi-Islands before crossing swords with the Akitsu Federation again. Conquering the entire Multi-Island Sea is the Empire's long-held ambition. The great Imperial Army wouldn’t continue to ally with those monkey people forever."

"…Yes."

"I saw in the newspaper. The monkeys have mixed in with Air Hunt, huh?"

He was referring to the Seven of Eriadore. The "monkeys" likely meant Illia's friends, Kiyoaki and Kagura. Illia, who had been looking down, finally looked her father in the eye for the first time today.

"The monkeys?"

"The Akitsu monkeys. You know that."

"……………………"

"What's your answer?"

"……Yes."

"What’s with that face? What don’t you like?"

"Nothing."

Illia looked down again. Having been trained since childhood to absolutely obey both physically and mentally, she trembled just from her father’s glare.

"We’ll transfer the little monkeys to our officer school to prove that the alliance is genuine to the great powers. It’s also possible they could accompany the Imperial Army as dispatched officers after graduation. How filthy. Where has the once proud and powerful Imperial Army gone?"

Karsten took a swig of whiskey. His drinking had become more careless than before; his cheeks were hollow, and he had a thick, unkempt beard. The yellowing of his eyes was more pronounced than ever.

"Father, what about dinner?"

"I don’t need it."

"Wouldn’t it be better to eat something?"

"You’ve become quite bold with your words. I said I don’t need it."

"I overstepped."

The whiskey bottle was empty. Karsten immediately uncorked the wine.

"I hear the son of Sakagami Masaharu is in the same aviation department."

He must have seen it in the newspaper. That was already covered in various newspapers and magazines in an amusing manner.

"…Yes."

"Did he say anything about me?"

"……………………"

Illia fell silent, pondering. She hesitated to share the truth about Kiyoaki’s one-on-one duel. The scenes in Karsten’s memory and what Kiyoaki had heard were too far apart.

"…No."

After careful consideration, she lied. If she spoke of it, it would only lead to more drinking.

"Is that true? Did he really not say anything?"

Suspicion flickered in Karsten’s yellowed eyes as he peered at Illia. It felt as though he could see right through her, and Illia instinctively looked down.

"…I spoke about it a little."

The truth slipped out before she could stop it. She scolded herself for being so weak.

"Oh? What did you say? Did you apologize? Not that I would forgive him."

Karsten asked forcefully. It seemed he was quite concerned about Kiyoaki being Illia's classmate.

"It was just a brief conversation. We have no points of contact in daily life and don’t really talk."

"He? You speak as if an Akitsu person were human. I don’t care if he’s a monkey; what did the little monkey say?"

Illia desperately tried to think of an innocuous lie. But since she had never done such a thing before, she couldn’t come up with a story on the spot. All that surfaced were fragmented, unconvincing tales.

Resigned, she steeled herself. She was not the kind of person who could easily lie.

"In the Akitsu military records, it says that Sakagami Masaharu shot you down," she said honestly.

As soon as she said it, she regretted it.

—Why can’t I understand people’s feelings?

Her father’s brows furrowed, his skin pale instantly, the tiny blood vessels standing out against the whites of his eyes, and his lips quivered. She should have known this would happen.

—I've hurt my precious father, my only family.

As she felt ashamed of herself, Karsten slammed his fist on the table.

"You cowardly monkey pack!! You shameless pretenders to be human!! Bring that bastard here, and I’ll rip off his right arm and shove it up his ass!!"

His twisted expression spewed forth crude words in rapid succession. Such lowly military slang was too vulgar for his only daughter to hear. Illia closed her eyes, telling herself these were just meaningless sounds. Like thunder, they carried no meaning; this torrent of words from her father’s throat and tongue held no significance.

"I accepted the duel!! He betrayed me!! He tricked me with his companions and tore off this right arm…!!"

His angry voice had shifted to a scream. His harsh words were mixed with tears. Having lost his right arm in a duel twenty years ago, Karsten had become a body that could no longer fly, consumed by curses against the Akitsu people and Sakagami Masaharu, lost in the past, and warped his humanity.

In the records of the time, newspaper articles, and photographs, Karsten Kreischmidt appeared as the gallant ace. He loved the skies more than anyone, proudly soaring high and bravely. He was said to be a pilot who understood the respect owed to enemies, much like ancient knights. Illia did not know that version of him. The man she knew was a one-armed drunkard who scattered crude words and violently drove her mother away.

—How pitiful.

Looking at her father before her, she felt that way. No matter how harshly he was treated, or how he was forced to train her to learn nothing but about aircraft, she could not abandon this pitiful man.

And—

—I don’t want to be abandoned.

Illia herself clung to Karsten. The memories of her mother, who had left her behind, would not fade. If her father turned his back on her too, she would have nowhere to belong.

So, she endured. Until the day Karsten reflected her own image and praised her for a job well done.

"Kill the monkeys, Illia. That is why I raised you. Don’t let those lowly monkeys fly the skies. If you see a flying monkey, make sure to shoot it down with your own hands."

His eyes bloodshot, Karsten finished off the two bottles he had just bought, breathing out a stench of alcohol. Illia silently looked down, imagining herself standing in the rain without an umbrella, and continued to absorb every word from her father as if they were lifelines. If she could think of it that way, some semblance of mental peace could be maintained. With the methods she had learned since childhood, Illia spent her time during this long-awaited reunion with her father.

Karsten again collapsed onto the table, asleep. She draped a blanket over him that had fallen to the floor, then stepped out to the backyard alone.

Under a sky full of stars, the cockpit of an abandoned fighter was damp with dew.

It was a place she had grown accustomed to since she was twelve, meant for flying through a virtual hell. She removed the rain cover and climbed into the cockpit, gazing up at the stars.

The stars shone brightly in the December night sky. Their purity, living through the ages, offered solace to her tired, wilted heart.

This cockpit, left for training by Karsten, was Illia’s home. Surrounded by levers, switches, the control stick, and instruments, she had grown up in this cramped space.

Wrapping herself in the blanket she had brought from her room, she ate the donuts the old woman had given her. Her mother had often shared these with her in secret in the backyard. Perhaps there had been unpleasant or painful moments. The memory Illia had of her mother was of a sad face, stroking Illia's head while hiding away to eat donuts. The sweet, moist taste brought back the fading memories of her mother.

After finishing the donut, she sat in the cockpit, gazing at the stars.

Among the stars, her father’s curses, her mother’s sad face, Kiyoaki’s expression, and the image of Sakagami Masaharu she had heard about overlapped.

On that night during the water landing, she had placed her hand atop Kiyoaki's and gripped the throttle. The hand of the cowardly son had felt noble and gentle.

Illia could not discern what the truth was. She had come to understand that the truth of history is something that will remain eternally unknown. The testimonies of those present differed on both sides; over time, memories are rewritten, and only the facts one wishes to see eventually become the truth. It would be pointless to argue which side was correct.

—But at the very least, I want to comfort my father.

As she looked up at the stars, Illia thought this.

—If I can win against Sakagami Kiyoaki in mock aerial combat, my father will surely be pleased.

Illia closed her eyes and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders.

—He will see me for who I am now, not for past glories...

Sending her tiny wish to the stars, Illia fell asleep in the cockpit.

"Why are we riding around in a place like this with a guy on board?"

Reiner, gripping the motorcycle's handlebars, grumbled. Kiyoaki, seated behind him, held onto the seat with both hands under his rear and replied to the complaint.

"There's nothing we can do about it. Everything fun is closed."

"How lame. Everyone's probably having a good time back in the country. Lucky them."

He revved the engine, and the 250cc bike emitted a lively sound as it sped along the national highway of Air Hunt Island.

This was a used motorcycle that Reiner had bought on loan. Normally, on weekends, he would be riding with girls he picked up at the clubhouse on the back seat. But during winter break, all the students disappeared, and the clubhouse closed for the long holiday. Since students were the centre of the economy on the island, all the shops closed during the long break, leaving nowhere to play. With time on their hands, Kiyoaki and Reiner decided to go touring together.

"Stop complaining. We should be getting close, right? To Cross Cape…"

Three minutes later, after Reiner pouted, they parked the bike at the bicycle parking lot of Cross Cape, a tourist spot on Air Hunt Island. Reiner often came to this cape with girls.

"It's sunset. How romantic. Ugh."

After taking off his helmet and looking up at the sky, Reiner made a distorted face.

"And there's no one else here. Just the two of us, Reiner."

"Stop joking. I wish at least Mio or Cecil were here."

At the end of December, the sun cast its slanted light across the hard, frozen blue sky. They exchanged light banter as they walked together to the edge of the cape.

Far below, a rocky outcrop jutted into the sea, curiously carved in the shape of a cross, with seawater seeping into it. This cape was named after the cross that could be seen from above. It was said that if you threw a one-peso coin into the cross, your wishes would come true.

Looking to the north of the cross, Kiyoaki spotted Air Hunt Port clearly about ten kilometres away. From here, the three docks and the ships entering and exiting were clearly visible.

"A battleship's docked there. It seems the Air and Navy is already using the third dock."

"This island can't remain unrelated to the war forever. It’s tough, really."

Perhaps preparing for the upcoming invasion, military ships had begun entering Air Hunt Port. During the day, they could even see fleet manoeuvres being trained offshore from this cape. The Hydrabard Campaign was finally moving into the full-scale operational phase.

"Look over there, there's a huge battleship… I’ve never seen a battleship that big."

Two ships were docked at the pier, with a large battleship towering over the others. It was probably a new model, and Kiyoaki didn’t recognize its class. Reiner glanced at it with little interest before turning his gaze toward the sea.

The setting sun painted a vibrant contrast against the deep blue sea.

Even now, sporadic battles were occurring beyond the horizon between the Akitsu-St Vault Alliance and the Hydrabard-Urano Alliance. Once they graduated from Air Hunt, they would also be thrown into that conflict. The peaceful days they currently enjoyed would surely be something precious that would never return.

"Next year, we'll be seniors. Time flies, huh?"

"Yeah. Man, I didn’t think being at the officer academy would be such a hassle."

Reiner's familiar grumbling tone filled the air. Kiyoaki suddenly felt curious and asked somewhat hesitantly.

"Reiner, why did you want to come to Air Hunt in the first place?"

"Huh? Where’d that come from? Didn’t I say? I’m gonna serve five years in the military and then quit to become a civilian pilot. It’s much easier in a company—no life-threatening risks, and the salary is great."

"Yeah, you mentioned that before, but you’re dual majoring, right? Isn’t that aiming for promotion after joining the military?"

When he asked, Reiner's expression became somewhat bewildered as he looked at Kiyoaki for a moment.

"Uh… yeah, about that…"

clearing his throat, he gazed out at the sea with distant eyes.

"I thought it would be cooler to be dual-majoring."

Kiyoaki's knees buckled in surprise. The reason was just too trivial.

"That’s it!? You're studying twice as hard just for that!?"

To learn both navigation and piloting meant doubling the work compared to a single major. Unless aiming for future promotions, one wouldn’t typically choose a dual major course.

"Shut up. It’s whatever. It doesn’t matter. I don’t care about promotion; I’m just someone who can do a little bit of everything. I can't match you or Illia in piloting, and I can’t beat Mio or Cecil in navigation, but combining both gives me a better overall score. So I’m just competing where I can win. Don’t make me say that out loud."

Reiner was unusually defensive, rattling off his explanation in one breath. Feeling somewhat pressured by his unexpected intensity, Kiyoaki nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I was just a bit curious. But you're right, Reiner, you're skilled enough to do anything."

"Whatever. Let’s make a wish. It probably won’t come true, but at least it’ll be comforting."

"Why so pessimistic? We’ve come all this way, so let’s believe it’ll come true. Uh, do we throw the coins…?"

Taking a one-peso coin from his wallet, Kiyoaki threw it toward the cross below, about thirty meters down. The coin veered off course and plopped uselessly into the sea.

"This is tough. I don’t think anyone can do it."

With one peso, you could buy a loaf of bread. Even if he was getting paid, it wasn’t an amount a student could just toss away. After wasting three pesos, Kiyoaki gave up on his wish.

"Look, I’ll show you how it’s done."

Reiner also tossed his coin, but it flew in an entirely different direction.

"Nice demonstration."

When Kiyoaki joked, Reiner snorted in response. He held up a second coin near his temple, took careful aim, and with the precision of a darts expert, he shot the coin down.

The coin descended diagonally through the air like a bullet, hitting the cross dead centre.

"Wow, Reiner, that’s amazing!"

Kiyoaki was taken aback and turned to Reiner, who seemed utterly nonchalant.

"I’m multi-talented."

"Hurry up and make your wish; it’ll definitely come true!"

"Shut up, I’ll do it without being told. Not that it’ll come true, though…"

Despite his words, Reiner closed his eyes, clasped his hands, and prayed to the cross over the sea.

Kiyoaki watched Reiner’s profile. The usual carefree expression was gone, replaced by a serious look he had never seen before.

—I didn’t know he could make a face like that.

He was a bit surprised. It was a sincere expression, almost desperate, something he had rarely shown in front of others.

"What did you wish for?"

When Reiner opened his eyes and asked, his usual casual demeanour returned.

"I wished to have a hundred women."

That was a lie.

Kiyoaki's intuition whispered that there was no way Reiner could make such a wish with that kind of expression.

Reiner must have been offering something much deeper—a serious wish to the cross. But if he were to ask about it, Reiner probably wouldn’t answer sincerely.

"That sounds like something Reiner would say."

"Is there really any other wish in life?"

"I'm sure there are plenty."

"What are you looking so smug for?"

Kiyoaki smiled. He had thought of Reiner as a frivolous playboy, but it seemed there was more to him than that. Even though he spouted lies, something in the depths of Reiner's heart showed through when they exchanged words, and Kiyoaki found himself drawn to it.

Though Kiyoaki had no hometown or family to return to during the winter break, he was grateful to have Reiner by his side.

"During break, there's no curfew, so let's play until morning."

"Huh? What’s that about? There’s nowhere to have fun."

"Teach me how to ride the bike. I want to try it."

"You don’t have a license. That’s dangerous."

"It’s easier than flying a plane. I’ll learn quickly; it’ll be fine."

"Why are you suddenly so eager? It’s creepy."

"Just lend me the keys. I’ve been watching how you drive, so I have a general idea. This is the gear and that’s the clutch, right?"

Getting on Reiner's bike, Kiyoaki placed his left hand on the clutch and tapped the gear shift with the toes of his left foot. Reiner, with an exasperated expression, tossed him the keys.

"If you break it, you’ll have to pay for it."

Kiyoaki smiled as he caught the keys, kicked the starter, and revved the engine. The roar of the internal combustion engine was familiar, and compared to a plane, the controls were much simpler.

"This is so fun!"

As he started to shake and wobble, Reiner heckled him.

"What’s that? You’re shifting too low!"

"Shut up, I’m doing well for my first time. Look, I’m riding it!"

With Reiner’s jibes and guidance coming from behind, Kiyoaki quickly learned to ride, and soon he had Reiner on the back seat as they cruised down the public road.

"I feel like a delinquent!!"

Exceeding the speed limit by about twenty kilometres, Kiyoaki shouted into the wind.

"You’d be a real delinquent. If they catch us, we won’t just get suspended!"

"We’re riding all night!!"

"Who are you? Do you change into a different person when you grip the handlebars? ... Don’t crash."

With a resigned look, Reiner stayed with him as Kiyoaki continued to ride around Air Hunt Island. They circled the coastal highway multiple times and climbed up a winding mountain road. Famished, they sped around until they found a diner open late, where they stuffed themselves with hamburgers and fries while chatting about nothing in particular, then enjoyed hot coffee before riding some more. Reiner grumbled the entire time but ultimately stayed with him until morning.

"Hey, Reiner."

"Huh?"

"Are you not going back home?"

Stopping the bike at the pier of Air Hunt Port, which was just beginning to redden with dawn, Kiyoaki asked as they sat on a mushroom-shaped mooring post.

"I don’t know, it’d be boring to go back. Wasting train fare, you know."

Looking at the scorched sky, Reiner sat down with his back to Kiyoaki and spoke nonchalantly.

That was a lie.

Once again, Kiyoaki’s intuition whispered to him. It was as if Reiner had predetermined his answer to such a question.

A deep feeling in Kiyoaki's chest resonated with something Reiner was hiding. From Reiner’s back against the backdrop of the dawning sky, a great loneliness radiated.

"I see. Then during winter break, I’ll play with you."

"I don’t need it."

Reiner coldly declined and looked up at the sky. The winter constellations that had been twinkling were swept away by the dawn.

— Reiner is an interesting person...

As Kiyoaki watched the reddish lead-coloured sun rise above the horizon, he thought that.