“I didn’t know there were other large warehouses in a place like this besides the supply warehouse. Is that because they use the theme park for so many different things?”
“They change the atmosphere and background for special days and anniversaries too, so there’s probably all kinds of commemorative goods and random stuff piled up in there.”
So it wasn’t just a place full of rides and attractions. At Saratoga’s words, Jinseong nodded, thinking about the underground warehouse passage that trucks could easily drive through. Right now, they were descending the stairs connected to the administrative office while he authenticated himself at the entrance.
Beep—
“Just hearing that makes it sound like there’d be a lot of reasons to go in and out, so why are all the entrances ones that need the Commander’s authentication?”
The door only opened when Jinseong authenticated his Commander status at the door or the reader beside it. As a test, neither the flagship New Jersey’s authority nor Laffey’s credentials, nor even biometric authentication, would open it.
“How annoying.... So that’s why Manjuu, who I asked to handle the storage, said he had to come all the way to the Commander’s office and accompany me....”
Of course, he was busy with work and opening the shop, so he had just quietly handed over his necklace to Manjuu and sent him off.
Jinseong, New Jersey, Laffey, and Saratoga were able to stand in front of a huge door before long. There was no signboard or label, but at a glance it gave off nothing but warehouse vibes.
“So this is it.”
Beep—Ziiing.
The identification was confirmed, and the door opened automatically. Dust that had settled so thinly it felt like the door was opening in slow motion scattered around them. As Jinseong slowly stepped inside, the warehouse lights began turning on one by one, and the contents inside started coming into view.
“Uh.... Saratoga? This is.... theme park commemorative goods and random junk...?”
“....”
“Half the warehouse is full. I never requested this much supply....”
The shelves were packed so full that empty spaces were rare. Boxes that looked like food and waffle ingredients for the shop were stacked in one corner, all in paper cartons of a different color at a glance.
Laffey, still holding Jinseong’s hand, walked deeper into the warehouse while scanning the supplies, while New Jersey and Saratoga stood at the entrance with sour expressions.
“So it was here.... I did think they were setting some aside separately....”
“Saratoga, this was that guy’s doing from way before he got dishonorably discharged and kept throwing tantrums about coming back to the base, right?”
“Probably. He was also the one who shut the theme park down.”
The unpleasant atmosphere, which had been fading a little lately, was back again. Jinseong felt a fresh wave of resentment, thinking he’d once again be cleaning up after some other Commander’s mess. But after hearing New Jersey and Saratoga’s conversation, a thought flashed through his mind that maybe he could turn this around.
“Wait.... So that means he stashed it away, but failed before he could pocket it? Then this is all....”
From his point of view, this was supplies that had fallen out of the sky with no record at all. Jinseong let out a dry laugh, and Laffey tilted her head at him.
“Honestly.... This is a whole different level from the supply sergeant skimming one box off every shipment meant for the soldiers and eating it, isn’t it? Hah.... New Jersey, Saratoga! Come here!”
Having apparently made up his mind, Jinseong frowned and called out in a rare loud voice. The two shipgirls quickly approached the Commander.
“There isn’t a separate organized list for all these supplies here, right? Saratoga, start quickly by sorting out the supply list and capacity. New Jersey, call the Manjuu and have them unload the supplies Saratoga checks off.”
“Huh? You’re serious?”
Saratoga stared at Jinseong with a dumbfounded expression. Jinseong, in turn, looked just as incredulous at her question.
“What kind of question is that? Why wouldn’t I be serious?”
“These supplies here.... are basically things the base doesn’t even have. If we took these and sold them, we could easily buy a house and still have money left over....”
As if Laffey, whose hand Jinseong was still holding, had already caught the meaning of this, she covered her mouth with her sleeve and snickered.
“How would I even have a route to take these and sell them somewhere else? And these were originally yours, weren’t they? Why are you saying it like that?”
“....”
“Saratoga.... I thought you were sharp and clever despite being playful, but you’ve got a strangely airheaded side in weird places?”
“W-what?! I-I was just going to let it slide if the Commander used a little of it however he wanted! Y-you’re the idiot for not getting it!”
Seeing Saratoga’s flustered, red-faced expression, Jinseong found her unusually cute and almost reached out to pat her head, but he stopped himself.
Hiss. She’s not my niece. For the love of God, do not touch shipgirls carelessly!
He slammed on the brakes in time, and his hand changed course to Saratoga’s shoulder, settling for a light tap instead.
“It’d just rot sitting here. So, I’ll leave the rest to you? I’m going to take Laffey and the shop supplies out.”
As soon as Jinseong finished speaking, Laffey tugged his hand and headed toward the direction where the shop goods were stored. Saratoga watched his back as he left, then ran a hand through her hair. New Jersey, who had been fidgeting behind her, let out a sigh too.
“Should I take that as a good thing, that he’s so ungreedy.... or should I be worried that he’s so unattached....”
“...I’ll need to cut the agenda at the meeting down to the bone.”
When Saratoga and New Jersey met eyes, they nodded.
-------------
“The cafeteria menu’s gotten a lot better, huh?”
“Mm. So it has.”
“Sis! That’s why I told you not to just eat whatever and come properly!”
“I’ve got things to think about too, and I need to stay on standby properly, Hornet.”
“Seeing the dorms and the theme park and all the other stuff getting better.... I feel like it’d be okay to relax a little....”
The two shipgirls sat down with plates of food in hand. Hornet, with her revealing black bikini top, hot pants, and blonde hair tied into twin tails, looked around the cafeteria.
“Until not long ago, everyone was getting the same rations, but at some point it clearly changed to a partial buffet. Did Saratoga, who’s in charge of supplies, finally decide to get serious?”
“Are you spacing out even while eating, Enterprise?”
While Enterprise was thinking for a moment, Yorktown came over and sat down beside her.
“Yorktown unni, you’re here? How’s life? Isn’t it hard?”
“Hehe. What’s there to be hard about? If anything, it’s a little fun.”
“Really? I mean.... ever since things changed, you’ve basically been handling the Commander’s secretary duties all by yourself.”
At Hornet’s words, Enterprise also looked at Yorktown and nodded. She didn’t say anything, but her eyes were clearly worried.
“Thanks for worrying about me, Hornet, Enterprise~ But I’m fine. It’s been a long time since I’ve done something I really wanted to do, and it feels rewarding, so I like it.”
“If that’s what you think, then I won’t stop you....”
Only then did the three sisters quietly begin eating.
Clink.
“I heard the theme park opened. Want to go too?”
The voices of some light cruiser shipgirls came from nearby. It looked like a group of four or five had just finished eating and were about to get up.
“If Cleveland unni wants to go, then anywhere’s fine.”
“Montpelier, that’s not exactly your own opinion.... never mind....”
“What about Helena?”
“Huh? No.... I’m going to see my sister.”
“Saint Louis? I see.... Is Saint Louis okay?”
“She’s fine. It’s not like she’s staying in the dorms and never coming out. It’s just.... she’s gotten a little quieter, which is a bit concerning. I guess she’s got a lot on her mind.”
Yorktown watched the shipgirls leave while talking among themselves, then gave a small shrug.
“The one who caused all this isn’t here anymore, so the people left behind need to stop having to clean up the wounds.”
“....”
“Mm.... Come to think of it, Azur Lane has issued a special order.”
As if trying to keep Enterprise from sinking into thought in the heavy atmosphere, Enterprise changed the subject.
“From up there? Another deployment or something?”
“No, this time it’s different. I strongly argued that most of the Eagle Union shipgirls don’t want outsiders brought into the base unless they’re the Commander, but.... they insisted just as strongly, and New Jersey and I couldn’t find any reason or grounds to block the order.”
“What happened?”
Under the attention now focused on Enterprise, she paused as if choosing her words, then set down her utensils and said, “They’re sending over a Navy officer from another country who used to be a deputy commander, for the purpose of educating the Eagle Union’s Commander.”
“Something unnecessary...!”
“Ah....”
“Our current Commander, Yoo Jinseong, is definitely from the Army, and he never received proper academy training.”
Following Enterprise, the hands moving the other two sisters’ utensils also stopped.
“A shipgirl isn’t some kind of warship that can’t do anything without a human.”
“Anyway, once that former deputy commander arrives, it looks like they’ll send him and the Commander out together on a special mission. Even so, it won’t be any real combat or anything like that.”
“That’s news to me. I should tell the Commander. Did New Jersey already tell him?”
“Even if New Jersey did, it’d still be more certain if you told him too, sis.”
As the mood at the table grew heavier, Hornet moved her utensils again and gave a small laugh to lighten the atmosphere.
“Hehe. So the Commander, who came to Eagle Union and has never once gone out to sea, is finally going to head out for the first time? I kind of want to see that.”
At Hornet’s words, Yorktown clapped her hands.
“Oh, right. If we’re taking the Commander aboard, I should get myself serviced and polished up too, shouldn’t I?”
“N-no, why would you think the Commander would be getting on your flagship...?”
“Well.... he’s the deputy commander.... for now?”
“Commander.... isn’t there already a ship you came here on?”
“...Ah.”
Yorktown deflated.
Comments (0)
Please log in to leave a comment. Login or Register