The sea was quiet.
In this place, where only water and sky existed, a girl was crying out in anguish.
"No... no...!!!!!"
Have you ever had the thing you wanted most slip through your fingers right in front of you?
That was what Enterprise was experiencing now.
But even as Enterprise screamed, the Sirens surged toward her like a tide.
Enterprise raised her bow again and fought while wiping away her tears.
She fired arrows like a madwoman.
So much so that the skin on her thumb and forefinger peeled away and began to ooze.
"Aaaahhh!!!!!!"
With her speech half gone and her vision blurred by tears, Enterprise kept shooting at the enemy.
The blue carrier planes were dwindling by the minute, while the Sirens’ aircraft kept multiplying.
Enterprise moved a hand to her quiver, but all she could find were the arrows used to guide reconnaissance planes.
"What...!"
Enterprise gave up.
"So this is... my end...?"
Black smoke and red flames surrounded her.
Far away, beyond the sky stained crimson by the fire, dozens of Siren aircraft were flying in.
The moment Enterprise abandoned everything.
"I really can’t stand to watch this pathetic sight."
"..!!!"
Enterprise raised her bow and aimed toward the voice.
"S-sis...?"
At the appearance of someone she never expected, Enterprise froze.
But soon she tightened her grip on the bow and aimed at the center of the stranger’s brow.
"You... aren’t my sister... My real sister is... in a hospital bed."
"Sigh... where do I even begin explaining this..."
Yorktown closed her eyes, lost in thought for a moment, then looked up at the sky.
"Eagle, come here."
Then Eagle, who had been flying above Enterprise, flew down and landed on Yorktown.
"Heh, you’ve been well."
"How...?"
"Enterprise. You’re not the kind of weak girl who would just collapse here, are you?"
Enterprise threw herself into Yorktown’s arms.
"Ah... hehe..."
Enterprise buried her face against Yorktown and acted spoiled.
"...My little sister, you’ve had it rough."
Enterprise told Yorktown everything that had happened.
"I see... I see..."
"But Sis... what happened to you...? You were definitely..."
"Shh."
Yorktown placed a finger against Enterprise’s lips.
"For now... don’t think about anything and rest a little."
As Yorktown gently stroked Enterprise, sleepiness washed over her.
"Ah...? Sis..."
The last thing Enterprise saw was Yorktown standing before her and launching a swarm of carrier planes.
...
"...What happened?"
"Since the causality of this world was twisted, impossible things have been happening."
"Is the purification operation still not done?"
"...We deployed the Purifier, but she couldn’t handle that human Commander."
"......"
...
"Mmm..."
Enterprise rubbed her eyes and sat up.
How many days, no, how many weeks had it been since she’d slept this soundly?
As she stretched her slender body, all her memories came rushing back.
"Ah, s-sis?"
Looking around, she realized she wasn’t on the sea at all, but back at the dock where she had been staying.
"...So I fell asleep there."
So it really had all been a dream. Enterprise stared blankly into space.
When she shifted slightly, something strange brushed against the inside pocket of her clothes.
"What’s this...?"
Even in the dark, this small rose-shaped brooch was gleaming. It was the one Yorktown had worn near her chest.
"It... wasn’t a dream...?"
Enterprise recalled the dream.
Yorktown appearing before her as she cried in misery.
After pouring out everything that had happened to her, sleep had come over her, and she had drifted off.
Enterprise turned the brooch over and over, then discovered words engraved on the back.
"Light from Beyond the Darkness"
"Th-this is..."
The title the Commander had bestowed upon Yorktown after she survived three air raids and returned alive.
It was vivid proof that none of what had happened had been a dream.
Enterprise clenched her fist.
Do what she could, right now.
Enterprise headed back to the main base.
And then...
"Mmm..."
"Y-Yorktown! Are you awake?!"
Vestal, who had been nursing her at the side, sprang up in shock.
"H-Hornet! Yorktown’s awake...!"
Watching Vestal rush out the door, Yorktown smiled softly.
A small miracle had happened.
...
"Mmm... what a tiring morning..."
It was work again today.
Still, waking up while receiving the best treatment in the Sakura Empire had made my resistance a little weaker.
I hurriedly got dressed, yawned lazily, and pushed the door open.
"Heheh."
I quietly pushed the door shut again.
"W-wait, Commander! Why are you closing the door!"
Akagi grabbed the door in a panic and clung to it.
"No... it’s too much pressure... don’t do that first thing in the morning..."
"Waaah... Akagi... Akagi just came to bring you breakfast..."
Looking down, I saw a neatly wrapped onigiri set there.
"Heheh... These are onigiri Akagi made with care for the Commander~ If you don’t eat them....."
Akagi’s expression turned cold.
If I don’t eat them, what... what happens...?
Akagi pulled a dagger from her bosom.
"I’ll stab the Commander and then kill myself."
"........."
I desperately shoved the onigiri into my mouth.
Akagi watched me with obvious satisfaction.
Of course. My eating show would easily outclass even Ha Jung-woo.
After I finished, Akagi took the empty plate away.
"...It’s good. Especially the salmon. That was my style."
Akagi stopped walking and looked back at me.
Then she bit her lip, smiled, and ran toward me.
"Of course~♡ Ahh...! It was worth it for Akagi to put so much love into them....!"
"Akagi... I was really worried you wouldn’t like them..."
Akagi even let out a tiny tear. She must have been that happy that I liked the meal.
Just then, Tirpitz slid the door open and came in.
"Commander... I was coming to have breakfast......"
Akagi clicked her tongue, and Tirpitz fixed her gaze on the plate in Akagi’s hands.
"...I shall eat alone."
Tirpitz spun around and trudged away.
I slipped on my shoes and hurried after her.
"A-ah...! I guess breakfast wasn’t enough... haha... I should go eat breakfast too~"
It was rare for Tirpitz to work up the courage to do this. I couldn’t let it go to waste!
Tirpitz gave no reaction.
Still, she seemed secretly pleased that I was paying attention to her, because her expression softened and a faint blush rose on her cheeks.
Tirpitz ordered a pork cutlet set meal, while I got a mini udon and a drink.
After quickly finishing the udon and sipping my drink, Tirpitz speared a piece of pork cutlet with her fork and held it out to me.
"Here. Judge whether my choice was the right one, Commander."
I bit down on the pork cutlet on the fork she offered.
"......!"
Tirpitz flinched for a moment, then took the fork back and, for some reason, her cheeks were flushed.
"Mm... it’s good. Nice choice, Tirpitz."
Tirpitz looked strangely restless as she gripped the fork tightly.
I snatched the fork from Tirpitz and, just as she had done, speared a piece of pork cutlet and brought it to her mouth.
"Ah... mm..."
After a brief hesitation, Tirpitz brushed her hair back slightly and accepted the food.
"Eat slowly. We’ve got plenty of time."
"Th-thank you..."
Tirpitz enjoyed her meal at a relaxed pace.
I also savored the morning calm while sipping my drink little by little.
After breakfast, we walked around various parts of the Sakura Empire.
"There are so many cherry blossoms. The name Sakura Empire really suits it."
When I looked back at Tirpitz, she kept glancing around.
"...Commander, I think someone is following us."
Come to think of it, I had also felt a gaze fixed on me the whole time.
I had assumed it was Tirpitz, but judging by her reaction, it didn’t seem to be her.
"...We should stay alert."
We kept walking for quite a while longer.
But even after all that time, the sensation of being watched never went away.
Then Tirpitz went behind a tree and dragged someone out.
"You there."
What she pulled out was the Sakura Empire’s newest aircraft carrier, Taihou...
"Tch... tch...! How dare that fox bitch ruin even the time I get to look at the Commander...!"
Taihou glared at Tirpitz with murderous intensity.
Tirpitz glared back, radiating cold even more fiercely.
"Um... can I at least ask why you were following me?"
Taihou finally relaxed her expression and looked at me.
"Well~ how could I not pay attention when my destined one has come to the Sakura Empire~"
Taihou brought a finger to her lips.
Her loosely draped clothes and red eyes combined to give off a thoroughly decadent air.
She kept saying "destined one, destined one," but what on earth was a destined one supposed to be?
"Um... what exactly is this destined one you keep talking about...?"
"Our god revealed it to us... that the emperor, driven into exile in the western lands, has returned once more... and that person is the destined one...!"
Taihou wore an ecstatic expression as she took my hand.
"It was fate decreed by the gods... Taihou is so happy to finally meet you...."
Why are there so many people like this in the Sakura Empire...?
"Commander...?"
A voice tinged with chill came from behind me.
"A-Akagi..."
Akagi was smiling, but the atmosphere around her made it absolutely clear that this was not a smile.
"Hehe, heheh... Come to think of it, I heard there’s been a lot of vermin crawling around the Commander lately...."
"Is it time to do some ‘cleaning’.....? Ufufu..."
It looked like black-red flames were blazing around Akagi.
Oh no... judging by the mood, this was about to turn into a fight. I had to smooth things over fast...
A soft, squishy sensation touched my arm.
Taihou had pulled my arm against her chest and pressed herself close.
"My, how unfortunate~. Right now, the one by the Commander’s side is Taihou, Akagi-san♪"
"But don’t worry. Taihou will clean out all the pests for Akagi-san in your place~."
Wow... Akagi, that trade is a total loss...
"You... you’re the one who tried to copy the key to the Commander’s room, aren’t you...?"
"What exactly are you all doing?"
Just as the heat of the confrontation was reaching its peak, Tirpitz poured out a blast of cold air.
With her cap pulled low and her blue eyes gleaming ominously, even I shrank back and could only stand there.
"The Commander is here on assignment as part of Iron Blood. And this is a tactical training visit, not a sightseeing trip, so I would appreciate it if all of you remembered your duties."
At Tirpitz’s words, both Akagi and Taihou calmed down somewhat and turned away.
"Tch... Taihou... I’ll deal with you someday..."
"That fox bitch... I have to protect the Commander..."
They both seemed to be under some kind of misunderstanding, but well... as long as it was settled, that was fine.
"Phew... let’s go, Commander."
"Huh...? Y-yeah..."
I had been staring blankly as the two of them parted, but at Tirpitz’s call I snapped back to reality and kept walking.
"Commander, I think you need to feel a stronger sense of belonging as Iron Blood’s Commander."
"Huh...?"
I tilted my head at the strange sense of déjà vu in Tirpitz’s words.
"Hah... I’d like it if you could focus on what I’m saying."
Tirpitz pinched the back of my hand as she spoke.
"Aaagh!! Okay, okay!"
I yanked my hand free from Tirpitz’s grip at the stinging pain.
Tirpitz looked at me with clear dissatisfaction.
"Sigh... now I understand why my sister was so anxious when your assignment here was decided."
"Bismarck was?"
Without another word, Tirpitz dragged me toward the science department.
Bismarck really did worry about the strangest things...
When we arrived at the science department, the Sakura Empire’s staff officers were gathered there.
"A-ah?! Commander!"
Suruga, who had been spacing out in her chair, saw me and quickly saluted.
Nagato and her escort, Kawakaze, were there too.
"So you have arrived. I had come early and been waiting."
And there was also the First Carrier Division.
"You... didn’t you definitely go the opposite direction after we split up just now?"
"Heheh, I guess my desire to see the Commander outran the Commander himself~"
Akagi laughed breezily as she approached.
Then the Fifth Carrier Division came over as well to greet me.
"Hello~ You must be exhausted from being tormented by your seniors... here, come this way and rest for a bit..."
"Shokaku, since when did you get so cheeky...?"
"Tch, what a nuisance."
Akagi really did have a lot of enemies...
Then the noisy science department door opened.
"Hm?"
Someone in a black uniform walked in.
"Is this the right place...?"
"That’s the great senior Mikasa."
Kawakaze quietly whispered in my ear.
"This is the right place! Ah! You must be that Commander!"
She strode up to me with a vigorous tone and held out her hand for a shake.
"Ah, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mikasa."
"Hahaha, no need for the formalities. I’m not your senior or anything. Just call me ‘Mikasa’!"
"No... Great senior Mikasa... that feels a little... and everyone’s watching..."
"Nonsense! I said it’s fine, didn’t I? Come on, say it. ‘Mikasa’!"
Great senior Mikasa was looking at me with very expectant eyes.
As I fumbled awkwardly, Tirpitz came over and whispered in my ear.
"She’s older than us, so how about calling her Grandma?"
"Grandm..."
I couldn’t hold back my laughter and ended up saying half the nickname Tirpitz suggested.
When I looked at Mikasa with a startled expression, she was glaring at me with half-tears in her eyes.
"Y-you...!"
"Showa-born idiot!!!!"
With a crash, Mikasa vanished...
It took a long time to calm the sulking Mikasa down and begin the tactical training...
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