Chapter 133 : Reconnaissance

“I ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍would like to conduct a reconnaissance trip in preparation for the Frontline Inspection.”

“...I've ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍been so overworked lately that I must have misheard you. Say that again.”

Ideale ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍looked at Jin Crow, who had barged in through the door and confidently made his declaration, then asked in return.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍dark circles beneath her eyes stood out more than ever.

She ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had heard he had recently been clashing with the Ministry of National Defense over the use of the Training Dummies, so perhaps he had simply lost his mind for a moment.

Yes.

That had to be it.

Otherwise, there was no way he could so calmly suggest something that would completely undermine the fragile discipline the academy had only just begun to recover.

“Frontline Inspection. Reconnaissance.”

However, Ideale's modest and entirely reasonable hope was shattered by Jin Crow's unwavering reply.

Did he even realize how utterly defeated she felt?

The glasses she wore only while working slid down her nose.

With an irritated sigh, she took them off and placed them on the desk.

“You already know what I'm about to say.”

There was no longer any trace of underestimating the Creatures in her mind.

Naturally.

Even setting aside what had happened in Mercato, there was still what Bishop T.D. had done.

Of course, Martin's confession had revealed that it was ultimately caused by outside interference.

Even so, the destructive power it had displayed remained horrifying.

...Yes. Creatures are unquestionably dangerous.

That was precisely why the Ministry of National Defense was gradually establishing systems to deal with them.

Although the Kukenhauzen family still seemed to be underestimating them.

Or perhaps they knew and simply chose to ignore it.

But that wasn't what mattered now.

“At least tell me why. Why does it have to be now?”

It wasn't as though he had no justification.

She had already approved his reconnaissance request before.

On paper, there wasn't a single issue.

But public opinion is another matter. Conducting a Frontline Inspection involving Creatures would be an enormous burden.

As Instructor Jin Crow had repeatedly warned, the threat of the Creatures was approaching.

Having fought them herself, she understood perfectly well how important the Training Dummies were for training.

But the timing couldn't have been worse.

Not only the Central Special-duty Officer Academy, but every other Special-duty Officer Academy had halted plans to introduce Training Dummies.

Professor Lillian was still dismantling the disabled Bishop T.D. in order to determine a proper countermeasure.

No one even knew when they could be safely reactivated.

And now he wanted a Frontline Inspection?

“Precisely because it's now.”

However, Jin Crow hadn't come to her without reason.

Her reasoning was entirely logical.

Most people would think the same.

But from his perspective, this was the ideal time.

“Even if the academy resumes classes, we'll only be able to continue extremely limited instruction. At best, theory classes and practical exercises through the simulation rooms. Everything can be handled entirely by Assistant Instructor Ginatio.”

It was something he had already discussed with Ginatio.

To begin with, most of the theoretical lessons were little more than material based on Professor Risu-jong's research.

As for the simulation rooms, they had been created using extremely limited combat data, making Knight-class opponents the upper limit.

Meanwhile, the cadets were already capable of defeating Knight-class opponents using the Training Dummies.

In other words...

It would be a complete waste of time.

Of course, that wasn't his only reason.

“I know perfectly well that I've become something of an inconvenience within the academy. More so now than before.”

“......”

Ideale could only answer his calm statement with silence.

Naturally.

She, too, had noticed that the academy's opinion of Jin Crow had changed.

Previously, his reputation had been simple.

'Rude and authoritarian, but an exceptionally capable instructor with strong factional backing.'

Hardly flattering.

Yet compared to the rumors surrounding him now, those earlier opinions almost seemed nostalgic.

—Obsessively fixated on the danger posed by Creatures.

—Completely blacklisted by the Kukenhauzen family.

—Either isolated by, or abandoned by, the Rosen faction.

—The man responsible for getting a cadet killed during class.

Most of those accusations were incredibly narrow-minded and based entirely on speculation.

But people naturally remembered wrongdoing more vividly than good deeds.

Of course, some cadets, Military Police personnel, and instructors had actually begun viewing him more favorably.

But they were only a minority.

And public opinion was always driven by the overwhelming majority.

That was why Jin Crow had reached his decision.

“If you wish, we can postpone the Frontline Inspection until the first semester of the second year. But I'd like to at least complete the reconnaissance as soon as possible.”

His words left Ideale deep in thought.

Furthermore, although he hadn't said it outright, the moment he claimed that now was the best opportunity, she couldn't help thinking of her own family—

The Kukenhauzens.

Indeed... if it's now...

Even a major faction like the Kukenhauzen family couldn't avoid political attacks over what had happened.

No matter how quietly they tried to bury the incident, every rival faction would want to tear into them.

If something were to happen to Instructor Jin Crow during the reconnaissance at a time like this, who would the public blame?

There wasn't even any need to think about it.

The Kukenhauzens.

Even if many reasonably suspected that Rosen had abandoned him, he was still officially a member of the Rosen faction.

And everyone knew the Kukenhauzen family had been behind the Bishop incident.

Truthfully, she wasn't opposed to the Frontline Inspection itself.

The only problem was that the target was the Creatures.

It wasn't particularly unusual for cadets from the Special-duty Officer Academies to conduct Frontline Inspections in areas where sporadic skirmishes with the Empire occurred.

After thinking it through that far, Ideale had no choice but to admit it.

...His reasoning was surprisingly sound.

After staring into his calm, unwavering eyes for a long while, she finally spoke.

“If I told you not to go... would you stay?”

No answer came back.

Yes... you really are that kind of man.

Realizing there was no way to break his stubborn resolve, Ideale quietly sighed before conceding.

“I've already approved it. That's all I have left to say.”

In truth, she had known it all along.

From the moment she approved it previously, Instructor Jin Crow had been free to leave the academy for his reconnaissance whenever he wished.

Even so, he had still come to ask for permission again.

That was his own way of showing consideration.

If only he would show that same consideration to himself.

He might not realize it, but at some point he had begun pushing his body far beyond its limits.

As though it were merely a temporary vessel he would eventually abandon.

Feeling that strange impression, Ideale watched him.

After confirming her approval, Jin Crow straightened his slightly loosened black necktie and saluted.

It was a short, concise salute filled with gratitude.

Would it be reading too much into things if she could almost hear him saying, 'I knew you'd approve it'?

Returning his salute, Ideale also handed the headstrong instructor a small gift.

“Oh, and one more thing. During the reconnaissance, you'll be accompanied by Major Obia Timist in case of any 'unfortunate incidents.'”

“That in itself is an unfortunate incident.”

“Either go together, or don't go at all.”

“......”

This time, Jin Crow had no choice but to yield.

—The galaxy is endlessly vast.

It was a truth no one had ever disputed, even when humanity had still been confined to the tiny planet called Earth, gazing toward the stars with nothing but imagination and unprovable theories.

Especially now, in an age where Hyperspace allowed travel across dozens of light-years in only a few hours.

Humanity had left its own footprints across the immeasurable universe—

Sometimes through violence.

Sometimes through mercy.

And in doing so, they had encountered countless alien races.

The Empire's Servus, a human species genetically 97.9% identical to the Empire's Elves.

The warlike Titans, who claimed to be descendants of giants.

The wandering Narrators, a race that was naturally averse to labor.

The Nymphas, whose entire race consisted of beautiful females.

And many more...

Hundreds of civilizations and races each carved out their own histories throughout the vast galaxy.

But once humanity ventured into space, every one of them, sooner or later, was forced to face an age of upheaval.

Ironically...

The same was true for humanity.

—This tragedy must never happen again.

Humanity bore the original sin of erasing an entire race known as the Acurin.

The day five thousand nuclear warheads, launched under the belief that the Acurin would one day invade and destroy Earth, struck Planet Aqua-0, its strange purple oceans filled with extraordinary vitality turned pitch black.

To this day, no one could live there.

It remained a planet under Black Alert.

Fear faded.

Each nation dispatched investigation teams.

The results were shocking.

Every subsequent expedition unanimously concluded that the Acurin, the indigenous inhabitants of Planet Aqua-0, had never possessed even the slightest possibility of escaping their atmosphere and reaching space.

—This is humanity's original sin. We'll never truly be free of it.

Dozens of soldiers and scientists who had participated in the operation later committed suicide, unable to endure the pressure and guilt.

Hundreds more were discharged or resigned due to PTSD.

Afterward, the Human Composite State enacted numerous laws and treaties in preparation for future encounters with extraterrestrial civilizations.

Using those as its foundation, the Human Composite State went on to colonize hundreds of planets.

「Area」

The administrative system by which humanity stripped planets of their original names and replaced them with numerical designations like livestock identification tags.

Perhaps because of that...

Baek Hui-young had never liked those names.

And for Jin Crow, who could not help but follow in his footsteps, the original names of those planets remained far more vivid in his memory than any assigned number.

“Ju.”

Jin Crow quietly murmured the planet's true name as he gazed down upon a world of endless blue oceans and lush green forests, reminding him of Earth itself.

A planet with an Eastern aesthetic, inhabited by beastfolk who called themselves the Juin.

And before long...

A planet destined to be slowly ravaged by the Creatures.

Whether he was thinking about that predetermined future or not, he silently watched the brilliantly radiant planet below.

Then a voice beside him shattered the moment.

“Instructor, this trip is kind of boring. It was much more fun last time when we blew up the bridge. Couldn't someone attack us again?”

“...Haa.”

Obia Timist fondly reminisced about their previous attack with complete innocence.

And Jin Crow had only one thing to say to her.

“Be quiet.”