Chapter 10
"Does it hurt?"
"I'm used to this much-ghk!?"
A sword cut running from shoulder to forearm.
Ren's hands bound the bandage with savage strength.
He couldn't fathom where such power came from in that small frame.
"That's enough for hemostasis."
"Right."
A throbbing sensation rose from the bandaged left arm, but it didn't seem to hinder movement.
"Corporal Yaan. Are you there?"
The voice outside his quarters belonged to Commander Cain.
"Yes. I'm here."
A curt answer; the flap lifted and the blond nobleman appeared.
"How's the body?"
"I feel pain, but I'm fine. The nerves weren't damaged."
"Good. Thank goodness."
The aide wasn't accompanying him.
A signal that this was a private conversation.
"I was late because I checked on Randel. They say you nearly beat him to death?"
Hearing that the man's face was completely caved in and the bones of his palm twisted from the impact, Yaan sighed.
"A knight's duel is a double-edged sword. If he's defeated like this, he won't pressure you anymore."
"Then I'm glad."
It was clearly good news for Yaan, yet his face didn't look bright. Recalling the smile Yaan had worn before the duel, Cain swallowed.
"From the start... did you intend to kill him?"
"..."
Yaan silently swung his wounded arm a few times and gave no answer.
Silence stretched. Then came Cain's pressing question.
"From the moment you parried his blade, you deliberately avoided going on the offensive. It was as if you were gauging him. Then suddenly you changed-"
"Commander."
Yaan cut off Cain's words.
The face he turned showed a calm that seemed impossible for someone who had just fought.
"I'd never harm a knight, sir."
A man who had smashed a knight's face said such a thing.
Any other knight hearing it would have flown into a rage.
"You..."
Yaan's face was full of pretense.
Seeing it, Cain had no choice but to fall silent.
It was a silent warning.
If he probed further, something worse than what he'd seen today might happen.
'Corporal Yaan Verkut. Reason for demotion: killing a superior...'
Recalling one of the charges, Cain clenched his fist. He had meant to dismiss it as the commander's bluster, but after meeting those eyes he was certain.
If Yaan wished it, he could kill even Cain here and now.
Without caring what happened afterward.
"...Your charges have been cleared, but the brass now view you even worse. Who knows what orders will come."
"I'm used to it."
"The battlefield where you ride a colossus is different, isn't it?"
Cain spoke, recalling how Yaan's Frame had broken down within five minutes of battle. Yaan couldn't find a retort and merely kept quiet.
"I'll authorize movement. From tomorrow until the next order, your entire schedule is mobility training."
Though healers were swarming over him, Randel's wounds would take at least another week. To fill that gap, they had to raise Yaan's skill as high as possible.
"Will there be another battle soon?"
Sensing the odd haste in Cain's tone, Yaan asked. Cain nodded heavily and spoke.
"Word came from a contact. The Elf Kingdom, learning I'm on this front, has sent reinforcements."
With those words, Cain handed Yaan a document.
A crude sketch on crumpled cigarette paper.
A depiction of the situation at the time, sent by courier.
"Colossi... five units."
"That brings their total to ten. Considering kill ratios, that's three times our strength."
His mind reeled.
Seven thousand men had been lost to stop three colossi. Reinforcements were coming by train, but the numbers were absurdly short.
And now colossi were being reinforced?
"Our reinforcements-"
"Were rejected. HQ sent the colossi meant for this front to the central plains. They're planning a grand offensive."
"..."
"The knightly order has also been ordered to withdraw. After the next battle we're to return to the center."
By revealing the Silver Knight's presence they would turn the enemy's strength, then press the central front and push the line.
A supremely efficient decision. But for ordinary soldiers, not knights, it was the worst.
Ten colossi including the newly reinforced ones.
While they butchered the troops on this front, they would charge the central army-
"Corporal Yaan."
"Yes."
Cain's voice roused Yaan from his thoughts. After studying him for a moment, Cain spoke again.
"Train with everything you've got. Learn to handle that colossus even a little better. And win the next battle."
A battle that cannot be won. The only chance of victory lies in him and his colossus.
That was what Cain was telling him.
"If we win on this front, you could become a knight."
Knight.
Hearing that name, strength filled Yaan's hand.
As the lights on the front went out one by one save for the watch-fires, the ancient colossus Glaepnir beyond the tent seemed to stare at him, bathed in light.
***
[Connection confirmed. Glaepnir. System start.]
With the startup sound the cockpit lit up.
A dull ache swept through his body; Yaan confirmed that no matter how much strength he used, his body wouldn't move.
'Whether it's hurt or not, it can still move.'
Counting that as a blessing, he began moving the Frame. After clenching and opening his hand several times, Glaepnir slowly rose.
The motion was smoother than the first startup.
-Can you hear me?
A clear voice came from a corner of the Frame.
It was Ren's.
"Where are you speaking from?"
-External comm. Remember what I said?
Yaan recalled the other day's conversation at Ren's question.
"To talk to it?"
-Yeah. If you want to move this child properly, you have to speak to it yourself.
"Hah..."
As if he were taming a wild horse.
That's what Yaan thought, yet he still had to struggle to move Glaepnir.
If it let him move even a little more freely, he had to try anything.
"Hey."
Speaking into empty air with obvious reluctance.
Silence for a moment.
Soon the usual flat voice answered him.
[User call confirmed. Frame control support AI. A-01. Movement.]
A pattern appeared in one corner of the screen.
The emblem A-01 written in white inside a red circle. It glowed as it spoke to Yaan.
[User confirmed. 6,230 days elapsed since AI shutdown. 172 hours elapsed since last activation until present AI call. Combat control AI requests prompt action from pilot hereafter.]
"...Huh?"
At least he could tell that this thing was some sort of personality that had been inside Glaepnir. Its words had barbs, as though a great deal had built up over a long time.
"Ren said you'd be happy if I called you."
[Reply. The consciousness structure of the biological terminal differs from AI. This individual's emotional structure also differs from other biological terminals, making objective judgment impossible. Re-education of current pilot regarding the biological terminal is required.]
"Aren't you being a bit curt with your master since earlier?"
Irritation seeped into Yaan's voice as he said it.
The constant demands directed at him, the uniquely emotionless tone, and the unnecessary verbosity-there wasn't a single thing he liked about that voice.
- You didn't call me for a long time after I woke up. I'm just sulking a little.
[Negative. This AI is not equipped with emotion circuits. Demand that the biological terminal retract the earlier rude remark.]
'Says the thing claiming it has no emotions, calling me rude with its own mouth?'
That was what Yaan thought, but he simply kept quiet.
- The moment you showed up, a signal came straight through. She was definitely happy.
[Demand retraction of that statement as well. This AI merely selected the most efficient pilot.]
- But when it first activated, it was so excited it kept hopping around.
[Negative. It merely adopted the most efficient course of action under the circumstances.]
- Leaping thirty meters into the air was efficient?
"Both of you, shut up."
Ren rarely spoke much, so it was impressive she was going on this long. The light flashing in one corner of the screen looked like it was flickering.
What is that, is it angry?
"From what I'm hearing, the first time I got into this thing, you moved it for me, didn't you?"
Recalling that first time he had boarded Glaepnir in the cave, Yaan asked that.
[Affirmative. At the time the pilot possessed only enemy aptitude and had zero knowledge of operation. Therefore, according to emergency action protocols, the Frame was controlled for a limited time.]
"Then why didn't you show up in the next fight? If you'd come out, it would have been easy."
Recalling the brutal battle that had left him unconscious from shock, Yaan pressed.
[Reply. Analysis indicated the enemy's combat power at the time lacked the impact required to damage this Frame. No call was issued, thus AI control was unnecessary under those circumstances.]
"Unnecessary, my foot-I thought I was going to die...."
In other words, 'You didn't call me.'
Yaan let out a sigh-Phew-and closed his eyes for a moment.
Getting angry at a thing like this only amuses it. Thinking that, Yaan gave a wry chuckle and spoke.
"Yep, this brat's definitely sulking."
As soon as he said it, one corner of the screen flashed as though on fire.
[Negative. Negative. Evidence detected that the biological terminal's emotion circuits have influenced the pilot's personality. Immediate retraction of the statement is required....]
"Thanks."
The single word slipped casually from Yaan.
The AI's voice cut off at once.
"I survived thanks to you, and truth is I was promoted to ordinary officer against all odds, so it's only polite to say at least that much."
[...]
Apparently surprised by Yaan's words, the AI said nothing for a while.
- Then what about me?
Ren's voice cut in over the comms.
Her tone was slightly heavier than usual.
"What are you suddenly going on about...."
- I brought you to this kid. But you didn't praise me. That's unfair.
'Did they all take some kind of drug together? What's wrong with everyone today?'
That was what Yaan thought, but feeling Ren's gaze across the screen, he couldn't stay silent.
"Right. Ren, thank you too."
- Mm. You're welcome.
Goosebumps rose at a feeling he hadn't experienced in ages, and Yaan shook his head.
Had he ever felt like this before?
He didn't know. He couldn't quite remember.
"Starting training. We'll be running all week, so help out however you can."
[Order confirmed. Beginning consciousness synchronization between control AI and pilot. Switching to virtual training mode.]
With the start-up sound, the eyes of the seated Glaepnir began to glow.
Virtual enemies appeared all over the screen and rushed at Yaan.
[Training initiated. Glaepnir, roll out.]
***
"Get this cleaned up right now!"
"Kyah!?"
Crash!
A specialized infirmary set aside for knights.
An entire floor had been rented out and stood empty; at one end of the ward a mirror flew and shattered with a grisly sound.
"Damn it, how dare-how dare those Penal Corps bugs touch my face! Aaaaargh!"
A roar loud enough to shake the infirmary.
Randel, his whole face wrapped in bandages, didn't even glance at the trembling healers as he breathed roughly, still not calmed.
"Ugh!"
The moment he clenched his fist in rage, pain wracked his body. The bones in both palms were grotesquely twisted; this way he wouldn't be able to do anything for at least a week.
"Sir Randel. You have a visitor."
"What!? What visitor at a time like this...!"
Randel raged at the steward's voice from outside, but at the sound of a familiar voice his face brightened.
"The knight is here from outside. He told us to bring him here."
"...Tch! Let him in!"
At Randel's words, he gestured to the healers surrounding him. A private conversation-an order for them to leave.
"Ah, your injuries are still severe. It would be best to leave at least one person-"
"If you speak again I'll slit your throat! Out, now!"
"Eeek!?"
They couldn't abandon a patient, but their opponent was a knight of House Belkuth.
One wrong move and their heads would roll; the terrified healers hurried out of the building.
"I came a long way because you requested it, Sir Randel."
The one who entered speaking thus was a man in a hood.
When he removed the hood, inhumanly long ears appeared.
He was an elf.
"Hmph. You crossed the front lines, I suppose. Rael."
When Randel spoke his name, the elf Rael smiled. He had green-glowing hair and androgynous features.
"You're in dreadful shape."
"Shut up!"
Rael's soft words were cut off by Randel's sharp voice.
Rael bowed his head as if in apology. Seeing that insincere gesture, Randel ground his teeth.
"...I heard. Your lot are after the colossus we have, aren't they?"
"Not just any colossus. It's the Creator's legacy."
"Hah, a useless legacy."
So said Randel, yet he too had seen Glaepnir's might on the battlefield.
His knightly judgment warned that they must not let that colossus go.
But the master of that colossus-
Yaan Verkut.
Each time he recalled that man's face, such rational judgment vanished in an instant.
'If only I could wipe that detestable fellow off the face of the earth...!'
Once tainted by a desire for revenge, no force could restrain that heart. Already, not a shred of knightly reason remained in him.
"The colossus you're after-I'll hand it over. Draw up a plan."