Since that conversation on the first day, Nachahmer found himself genuinely looking forward to his working hours.
It wasn't exactly joy or a sense of accomplishment—it was a more subtle, mysterious feeling—but since it wasn't a bad mood, he decided to enjoy the current situation.
Being a personal attendant to a Sternritter sounded like a very difficult and important mission, so his fellow recruits had secretly worried that he might be struggling.
However, contrary to those expectations, his daily routine was mostly the same.
He would clock in and clean Bambietta’s room and its surroundings.
During that time, he spent most of his time talking with her, and whenever she went somewhere, he always followed along.
On the rare occasions when he wasn't organizing things or cleaning up a mess, he would either ask other Sternritter for their understanding or handle the cleanup himself.
When the female Quincies gathered together, he prepared snacks and arranged the seating.
He didn't intrude on their 'girls' time,' instead helping other soldiers with their duties nearby.
Even then, he didn't wander too far, working within a range where he could return at any moment.
This kind of daily life had repeated for the past few weeks.
It wasn't without its gains.
He had learned several new pieces of information.
For instance, that Bambietta’s favorite cookies were the ones embedded with dark chocolate.
That while her coat never wrinkled because it was always hung on a stand, the back of the neck tended to stretch out a bit.
That she had a habit of pulling off her gloves with her teeth rather than using both hands.
That there was no trash can in her room because she used her ability to erase trash entirely.
Or that she possessed an oddly large number of heart-shaped accessories.
In addition to this vital information, there were also things of somewhat lower priority.
For example...
'Do the Sternritter not have assigned duties?'
...that sort of thing.
To begin with, he could count on one hand the number of Sternritter he had seen actually working.
People like Quilge and Haschwalth from their first meeting, for instance.
Aside from them, there were virtually no others performing duties as soldiers.
'Perhaps I just haven't met them yet.'
Even if it didn't cause much inconvenience right now, it could become an obstacle in an unexpected place later.
There was no harm in finding out in advance.
"...And so, while you're chatting, I'll step away for a moment to visit Lord Äs Nödt."
"Come back the moment I call. And don't forget to check your alarms like last time."
Nachahmer’s name had already begun to spread slowly among the Sternritter.
Naturally, they wouldn't remember a bottom-tier private impressively, but they knew of him as a sort of amusing toy created by Bambietta’s whims.
And as news of his exploits—specifically, the fact that he had experienced the Soul Society firsthand—began to circulate...
The 'ants' who worked hard on behalf of the 'grasshoppers' called for him.
Loyalists or fanatics like Äs Nödt and Lille Barro.
Even though the Wandenreich could already monitor every corner of the Seireitei, they left open the possibility that the testimony of someone who had been there might be different.
At this point, Nachahmer felt a slight sense of touched emotion.
A sense of relief... that this organization wasn't a total lost cause.
However, since it wasn't proper procedure for a group of Sternritter to swarm a single Soldat...
They decided that one representative would call him to hear his testimony.
Cang Du was sad.
He wondered why, last time, he had been stuck with those low-borns instead of these sensible people.
Nachahmer arrived at the room and knocked.
It was said that Silbern contained both private quarters and offices for the Sternritter, but in reality, many utilized the space as a single studio-style apartment combining the two.
"Enter."
When he opened the door and stepped inside, a pale man with long hair greeted him.
He was shorter than Nachahmer, but because he was so thin and had long proportions, he appeared much taller.
His lower face was covered by a black mask studded with thorns, giving him a somewhat chilling impression.
"Private Second Class Einsamer Nachahmer. I have arrived as requested."
"Sit there."
The conversation took place on a small stool without a table.
Combined with the man's appearance and the dim lighting, it felt as if a criminal were being interrogated.
"I've seen the primary report written by Haschwalth himself. Well, it was flawless, but there are things I personally want to know."
"What would that be?"
"It's nothing else... but did you perceive any flaws in them?"
"I'm not sure I understand what you mean."
Flip. Äs Nödt turned a page of the document he was holding.
He exuded an intellectual atmosphere hidden behind his dark appearance.
"I am talking about... the objects of their loathing, avoidance, and fear."
Äs Nödt.
His Schrift was 'F,' 'The Fear.'
The abilities and Schrifts of the Sternritter were not classified secrets.
While those who didn't reveal them weren't well known, there were others who flaunted them.
If one wanted to find out within the organization, it wasn't very difficult.
"The ones I saw were the Captain of the Department of Research and Development and those under his command."
"Hmm."
"The ordinary members seemed to fear the Captain himself, and the woman who appeared to be the Lieutenant was so mechanical she seemed devoid of emotion."
As he listened to the testimony, Äs Nödt began to make small notes on the document.
The sound of him tapping the wooden board behind the paper echoed.
"And the Captain, Mayuri Kurotsuchi... I only met him for a very brief moment, so I cannot be certain, but..."
"But?"
"In my personal opinion, he seemed to dislike having the schemes he prepared unraveled—more accurately, he hated seeing what he had built up destroyed."
"..."
"Furthermore, he would likely loathe someone breaking his weapons in a truly fair and square manner. Because that would be the complete opposite of his own nature."
Äs Nödt, who had been listening intently, stopped writing for a moment and stared at him.
It was only for a moment, but it was incredibly quiet.
Quiet enough to give one goosebumps.
"...You clearly said you didn't even have a proper conversation with him and only heard him talking to himself.
Yet you are exceptionally specific and accurate."
Click.
He set down his writing utensil and leaned forward, looking at him.
His eyes narrowed, and the atmosphere began to tighten.
"I wonder why. Is it simply that you are good at reading others? Or is it..."
Can you read minds?
"..."
It was a talent of his he had never doubted.
How did I—
"You are Basterbine’s personal attendant. In that case, are you loyal to her?"
A sudden question.
But there was no playfulness in it.
"Yes. I am her—"
"And Basterbine is loyal to His Majesty. If that logic holds, then it doesn't matter."
He straightened his upper body, which had been leaning toward Nachahmer.
He refreshed the atmosphere slightly. It was a very intentional shift.
"No matter what ability you possess or what ideology you hold. If it ultimately contributes to the Holy War, I have no reason to interfere."
Fanaticism.
It was truly a yearning for Yhwach and the Wandenreich.
It was a life lived solely for that purpose.
To put it another way, it was a malformed society where only devout believers worked.
That was the current life of the Quincies.
How bizarre.
"If I may be so bold, with your ability, Lord Äs Nödt, surely you don't need to collect information like this?"
"Are you being serious? Deep analysis and acceptance are required, not simply using an ability.
And at the same time, I am a soldier of the Empire. The title on my shoulders isn't just 'ability user.'
You don't seem stupid, but being with Basterbine seems to be making your thinking simplistic."
A surge of emotion.
Because it was a slight—though not quite an insult—directed at Bambietta, a wave of emotional agitation rose within him.
Once again, he couldn't suppress a reflexive reaction.
It was a great relief that his mask hid all his expressions.
Since it wouldn't be good if these mistakes were seen by others.
He resolved once again that he should only take off his mask in front of her.
After the personal Q&A, he received a few more questions that would be common knowledge shared among the Sternritter.
As if he hadn't forgotten his position as a soldier, Äs Nödt maintained an extremely thorough attitude.
"Fine. That will be all. You may leave."
"Thank you for your time. I shall take my leave."
As he straightened the stool and turned around, a low voice spoke from behind him.
"...And, out of respect for Basterbine, I answered your question earlier quite readily."
Shadows fell over his eyes, and a bone-chilling sharpness bloomed.
His narrowed eyes radiated a keen edge that seemed ready to slice through whatever they looked at.
"Always remember the fact that you are, first and foremost, a Soldat."
"..."
"Do you understand?"
"Yes. Thank you for the advice."
He bowed his head and finished turning around.
It felt as if the weight of the air was different on the other side of the door.
Certainly, he was enough to be terrifying to anyone else.
****
What he felt from the conversation just now was that a man like Äs Nödt was quite wary of the other Sternritter.
It wasn't a rivalry or hostility derived from a common desire for promotion.
It was as if he were looking at people who would inevitably betray him one day...
This wasn't a problem unique to Äs Nödt.
During his few weeks living in Silbern, most of the Sternritter had shown such patterns.
Even though they lived in the same building and had been acquainted for hundreds of years in some cases, their solidarity was worse than that of a casual social club.
The destruction of this organization was inevitable.
Then why on earth were the leader known as Yhwach and the top brass like Jugram Haschwalth standing by and watching this situation?
No matter if the Emperor was still regaining his senses, unity was an essential element for the future maintenance of the organization.
If it weren't for the goal of the war forty-six years from now, they would have split apart through internal strife.
Whether they lost the war or won it, it was a problem.
Did they truly believe it was possible to maintain a society with such people at the top?
In the worst-case scenario, they might be planning to purge them all like useless tools once they were finished.
If not even that, then there was a very slim possibility.
That there was simply no reason to maintain the organization after the war.
'...That's groundless speculation.'
Lost in thought, he returned to Bambietta’s room.
"Miss Bambietta, I have returned from my errand."
"Ah, perfect timing. You know those cookies you gave me last time?"
A week ago, he had obtained ingredients and made a first experimental batch to give to Bambietta.
He had no idea why the Sternritter’s rooms were equipped with small kitchenettes.
With the intent of finding out her personal taste, he had purely made them to suit his own palate.
Bambietta had eaten the remaining cookies deliciously... but since there were still some left, she had just served them to the other female Quincies.
"Do you need more? Please wait a moment. I'll make them right now."
Very naturally, he tied on the apron hanging in the room and rolled up his sleeves.
"No, wait, that's not it."
"You, did you make those yourself?"
Unexpectedly, Liltotto was the one to ask the question first.
"Yes. They were cookies I made to suit my own taste."
"That's strange."
Liltotto picked up the last remaining piece and turned it this way and that.
It rotated according to the movement of her index finger and thumb.
"They taste exactly like the ones Gremmy gave me."
"Pardon?"
"From the appearance to the sweetness and the texture."
Crunch.
"You. Have you ever met that guy?"
Small crumbs decorated the plate.
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