Interlude: The Struggles of a Subordinate
While Raze was happily going out with a friend her own age for the first time,
the scene changed to the Cyan Imperial Army’s Monster Subjugation Unit.
“Captain, the report.”
“Got it.”
Captain Cross Bonalt was struggling with unfamiliar work due to his superior’s absence.
So far he had somehow led the squad and completed missions, but Raze’s absence had a major impact.
He was made painfully aware of just how excellent a person she was after she left. He wanted Raze to hurry up and come back, but it couldn’t be helped since his younger superior was attending school for her mission. He didn’t want to rain on her parade.
“Cross, let’s go get some grub.”
Called by his friend of the same age, Harul Dicard, Cross looked up from the documents.
I’m coming.
Somehow a considerable amount of time had passed.
Getting up from his seat, Cross sighed as he looked at the long table waiting for its master to return.
“I wonder how the boss is doing.”
“Who knows? But it’s the boss, so she’s probably doing fine.”
“That boss, huh…?”
“….”
Harul fell silent.
While she looked like an ordinary girl, Raze Shes Orphan was a person high in the military’s ranks.
During missions, she made harsh judgments without letting her guard down, and even during training, she strictly instructed them so there would be no casualties like it was the real thing. Those who took her lightly would regret it dearly.
“I-it’ll be fine, right?”
Harul barely managed to nod.
Since she was someone who saw missions through to the end, she must have blended in as a student.
“Yeah…”
With a complicated expression, Cross responded and closed the door.
They had joint training with another squad in the afternoon.
He had to properly eat now or it would be rough later. He fondly recalled the time when training had been so grueling he couldn’t swallow his food and Raze had yelled at him, [Even if it kills you, eat!].
“Oh Captain, working hard?”
“I guess.”
When Cross went to the mess hall, his friends had naturally gathered at their usual table.
“So we were talking about the boss just now. Don’t you wanna see the boss wearing a uniform and stuff?”
“Hey, isn’t that a bit much?”
“Huh!? Whaddya mean. Aren’t you guys curious?”
“Well, um, it would be a lie to say I’m not curious, but…”
“If the boss dressed her actual age, she’d be cute, right…? How the hell can anyone see through that she’s a monster-level strong?”
The men pictured their superior whose appearance belied her extreme strength. A heavy atmosphere descended on just their table.
“Hey hey, why’s the mood so down?”
The one who appeared was Lieutenant Colonel Zelhide Nit Olsanya, commander of the 302nd Special Forces Unit that they were scheduled to have joint training with today.
“What is it? Worried that joint training will be difficult without your little weapon?”
This man intensely disliked Raze and would seize any opportunity to find fault with the 537th Unit.
He was a noble-born soldier. “Noble-born” meant that unlike commoners, they could rise to high positions with some martial skill since they had academic knowledge.
“Without one starving demon around, you guys won’t survive. Don’tcha get it?”
The silent 537th Special Forces members glared quietly at Olsanya.
If left to speak, this guy was mocking their pillar without knowing anything–.
Their fierce gazes aligned.
“Eep!”
Olsanya shuddered and averted his eyes before beating a hasty retreat.
“Captain~”
Harul called to Cross in a frivolous tone.
The other men also looked to him.
“The boss has been letting that guy’s crap slide until now cause she’s so nice but,”
In an instant, Harul’s expression concealed terrifying anger.
“We’re good now, right?”
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If we take care of it now, it won’t be the boss’s responsibility.
Hearing those words, Cross heaved a deep sigh.
With Raze gone, command of the squad fell to him.
In other words, any trouble they caused would come back to him.
Cross furrowed his brow at their gazes fixed steadily on him.
This was exactly why he wanted Raze to hurry back… But,
“If we’re doing this, crush him thoroughly.”
“Ohh!!”
There were some things even Cross wouldn’t compromise on.
They were filled with killing intent.
A few hours later.
“S-stop already!! We can end training here, right?!”
Olsanya screamed in the training grounds, reduced to a limp rag.
It was a sorry state unbecoming of a soldier. Even if just for appearances, he should have shown some backbone as a military man.
“What are you saying? There’s still time left, Lieutenant Colonel Olsanya. Our commander values punctuality, so we also strive to act accordingly.”
Cross smiled as he aimed his unloaded rifle at the trembling Olsanya.
Though they were blanks since it was training, Olsanya shook like a leaf at having shots fired right by his face.
(To think he was shooting his mouth off despite only reaching Zone IV.)
Cross was surprised this man who outranked him.
He said to the man whose spirit seemed to have left his body.
“Go on, insult our boss again. We’ll all chase you to the depths of hell.”
Olsanya had never been so utterly trampled before, so he could do nothing but nod vigorously.
His proud unit was in a state of devastation. Though there was still much Cross wanted to say, he signaled for them to withdraw. The gathered friends had somewhat refreshed expressions.
“Haah. I’m shocked how weak he was.”
Harul muttered beside him and Cross nodded.
“At least make it to Zone VI or you’re not worth talking to. Does he not know we’ve now entered Zone XI?”
“There’s no way he has any idea what Zone XI is like, right?”
“Oh, right.”
The deeper you progressed into Baluda, the stronger the creatures that inhabited it. Going further and further into the unmapped land divided based on depth were them, the 537th Special Forces Unit, the conquerors of the deepest areas.
“But still… Victor, are all nobles like that guy?”
The one Harul called out to, Victor, was of noble birth himself. He vigorously shook his head.
“There may be more eccentrics than commoners, but it’s not like they’re all like that.”
“Yeah, that’s reassuring to hear. Otherwise I’d feel bad for the boss being sent to a noble’s academy.”
Harul shrugged.
Though they complained she was too harsh and too strong, they admired her when all was said and done.
That was because they understood just how much she treasured her comrades and cherished the squad like family.
“Aah, boss, hurry up and come back.”
The words none of them had said slipped out from Harul, and thoughts of Raze came to everyone’s minds as well.
“Hey, when she gets back, why don’t we have a party or something?”
“That’s a great idea! The boss likes sweet things, so I’ll find some good stuff.”
“She probably only wears shirts and pants normally right? I’ll ask my sister to buy her some clothes.”
While they could rely on her in combat and missions, they were waiting for the return of their small superior who was bad at taking time for herself.
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