Chương 115: Chapter 35 The Bath (Part 2)

After getting out of the bath, I have a smoke in front of the bathhouse. The tube top and shorts I bought the other day are cool and nice. While being chattered at like an idol, I have casual conversations and take commemorative photos with the WACs. Occasionally, male Self-Defense Force members passing by on business also look over here, but in front of the WACs, they don't seem to have the courage to strike up a conversation.

In the first place, the location is in front of the women's bath, so if they stop, strange rumors will start. As a first day, it's probably a good start. There are members I haven't spoken with, but it's impossible to talk to everyone all at once. Looking at my smartphone, there was an invitation to a group LINE from Miyafuji, so I join the group, write a greeting and the fact that I will basically just watch, and close the app. While smoking a cigarette and looking at the sunset, Mochida came up.

The other members also came up, but apparently they are staying here tonight, and they saw me off with smiles. Walking out with Mochida, I glance at her. Having been able to stretch her body in the large bath, she looks like she feels good, but was it good for her? Let's ask her on the way to the parking lot. If she entered the bath together with me out of strange consideration, I would indeed feel apologetic.

"Kaori, um, you went out of your way to invite me to the bath, but was it really okay?... About what's inside..."

"Huh? It's fine, you know? In terms of thinking, I consider you a post-operative transgender. In the first place, from what part could you be male... that was thoughtless. I am sorry."

"No, it's fine. Either way, I won't change from this appearance. In a way, I've made up my mind. Certainly, I can't enter the men's bath with this body, and the facilities I use will be women's...., Yes, if I am a female externally, then after all, that is a female. The parts that cannot be seen can't be helped." Yeah, yeah, it's probably a difficult problem, but this is just how it is.

For example, if I, Hyodo, and Tachibana entered a family bath together, it would look like a couple, and with Mochida, it looks like a friend. People's evaluation is an external thing, and they cannot evaluate the essence. Then, as an external evaluation, I am a female. However, in front of my wife, I shall be myself. Hmm, it's a compromise.

"Um... are you alright?"

"Hmm? If you live for 43 years, you get better at making compromises. There are lines that cannot be conceded, but that is that, and this is this. It would be troubling if I made a special attack into the men's bath, wouldn't it?"

"I would stop you with all my might. Why do I have to watch Tsukasa walk into a wolf's den on purpose?"

"Fufufu, you never know? Maybe, a man is... ugh, just thinking about it gives me goosebumps!"

"Wow, you're already a bird, a bird. Because you're white... a swan (shiratori), maybe?"

"I see, the ugly duckling, huh." Without either starting it, we both burst out laughing. A girl of six months, I don't really understand the distance between women, but I'll probably figure it out eventually. Swayed by Mochida's car, we arrive back at the hotel. Perhaps because of the exercise and the bath, she also looks a bit sleepy.

"Kaori, is your house close by?"

"Eh? Well, reasonably so."

"Falling asleep at the wheel is scary, you should eat together and stay over." There are two beds, and it's not cramped. Rather, since I haven't moved from the room I stayed in with my wife, it feels slightly cold when I'm alone. Really, it's about time I rent a cheap apartment... No, let's not. It would be troubling if they made strange considerations for me again. I'd hate it if everyone in the apartment I rented except me was police.

"Tsukasa turned tsundere (dered)!"

"No. Seriously, it would be troublesome if you caused an accident. Besides, once in a while, I want someone to drink with." Ordering room service appropriately with Mochida, we toast. It seems she drinks sake, but is she okay with the alcohol's effects? Hangovers can be dealt with in any way with gate-produced medicine, so it's fine, but...

"The music is~, the sound is~, a flute is... what are you, Ushiwakamaru?"

"Class-wise, I'm Benkei, though."

"Uuu~, at least, at least if it were a microphone... Is there no tone-deaf musician...?"

"There is, you know?" Leaving her meal half-finished, the tipsy Mochida is complaining about her weapon. I am also not good at musical instruments, so I understand the feeling. However, what Mochida just said is wrong. There is a tone-deaf musician, or rather, an extremely famous person. Since she is an old person, it's no wonder if you don't know her, but her songs can make you quite energetic. In fact, when the notes match, it makes you happy. Shall I take out my smartphone and play that person's song?

"Pff, what is this? Is it one of those tone-deaf 'tried singing' videos?"

"No. Florence Foster Jenkins, a legendary diva. She was an incredibly good person, the kind who would send high-class cigars to the driver who had an accident. She didn't care even if she was insulted at her recitals, and above all, she sang with absolute confidence and received applause from the people."

"Haa~, that's amazing..."

"No, it's something you lack, you know?"

"..., Confidence, is it..." That way of catching it is different. Certainly confidence is a necessary element, but to get that, what comes before is necessary, and it's impossible to tell someone to suddenly have confidence. In the first place, Mochida is bound by the evaluation of music and the inability to use the instrument. But if you think about it, you'll understand. Perfect pitch isn't needed, and in the first place, if it's to be mastered, the master is her. This story has been taken without authorization.

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"First, it is good to enjoy it lightheartedly. If the sound you heard can be reproduced, you can play and feel your own unique sound. It's not academia anyway, so you won't be evaluated."

"Enjoying it, is it... For now, it's about relaxing my shoulders. Alright, let's drink!" Mochida, whose drunkenness had been fading, started gulping down sake. I am fine because even if I get drunk I return to normal quickly, but that way of drinking might make her see hell tomorrow, or make friends with the toilet tonight. As you age, you get worse at making friends. The decrease in encounters is one factor, but somehow looking ahead is tedious.

Besides, even if you make them, you can't easily run around playing like a student. Then, looking after a newly made friend is also a friend's duty, I suppose.

"Gooood mooorning..."

"For now, take the medicine and take a shower. I've already finished mine." A zombie-like Mochida crawled out of bed. Her hair is a mess, and her face is pale. She looks like she's about to throw up right now, but let's have her take the medicine quickly and get moving. It's not like there's no time, but preparing for women probably takes a reasonable amount of time. The pale-faced Mochida, upon taking the medicine, seemed to have calmed down considerably and disappeared into the shower room with unsteady steps.

In the meantime, I check the notifications on my smartphone. Running, then classroom lecture, then running again and sparring. Today's flow is like that, but since there's no point in dilly-dallying too much, I want to enter the gate early and get to monster extermination. For now, shall I take the people who haven't reached the 15th floor?

"I'm out. Wow, medicine is great." Mochida, resurrected from a zombie, appeared in training wear. There was no time to wash clothes yesterday, but she probably has several outfits. Having a ring makes traveling empty-handed so comfortable. It's easy and great.

"Well, then, let's get going." Entering the garrison in Mochida's car, we separate in front of the classroom and have a meeting with Miyafuji and the others. There's nothing particularly unusual, but the lecture itself is scheduled to end in about 4 days, and after that, it will mostly be practical training. The practical training curriculum is mostly gate-confinement. Although the target was set to the 35th floor, if we can go further, we can go further.

"Come to think of it, Chiyoda-san came in the morning and said the editing of the video we saw before is finished, and he also uploaded it to the net. He was complaining that editing was very difficult..."

"Well, talking to oneself... and the thread are fine, but other than that would have been deleted. As for the last part, if it's just sound, I don't care that much." As if remembering something, Yuji and Suguru looked away. Are they naive, or was something dangerous filmed? The mystery deepens, but since poking at it won't do any good, let's pass it over.

"The Chiyoda-san in question seems to have something to talk about and will come here later. In the morning, we will watch the video, so please feel free to do as you like. It's probably gate-related anyway."

"Understood. For now, let's listen to what he has to say." Miyafuji and the others left the room and I had a smoke. Looking down, the participants are starting to run. Shimizu, running alongside Akamine, runs as if leading the followers, but those following look unsatisfied. The road is flat, there are no obstacles, and there's no need to think about danger, so it must be lukewarm. For the magic classes, Miyafuji and Suguru act as pacemakers at the front, and seem to gradually increase the speed.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"No, it's fine." With a knock, Chiyoda came in. He has a few sheets of paper in his hand, so it must be some kind of document. Now, since he said he became a negotiator, I think there will be some kind of request, and I hope it's not something outrageous.

"This time, I came at the request of the government. First, the documents."

"..., Missing person search? People... are tough, you know? In the first place, it's too wide, and meeting others is, according to what I heard before, rare."

"Yes, I understand. This is a matter of government prestige, so human lives themselves are not being considered. However, there was an opinion asking if the dog tags could be recovered." I understand what they want to say, and the bereaved families must want some kind of token, but it's not something that can be promised. If there were some kind of human presence sensor... A test case can be made?

"Chiyoda-san, what's the status of bringing in aircraft? Just like the Aokigahara Forest, walking to search has its limits. Indeed, I saw a video of a drone flying before. Then, a helicopter should be able to go too, right?"

"Considering the armament aspect, borrowing from the Self-Defense Forces is appropriate. If there is a gunner, we can fight from the sky. Chloe, do you have any ideas?" A gunner, huh? Despite being a general class, they are extremely useful thanks to their compatibility with modern weapons. A helicopter needs a depot considering fuel, but in the first place, if fuel is kept in the ring, we don't have to think about it that much. What is needed is a supply depot, and a rescue base in case survivors are found.

If we run a marathon from the 5th floor to the 15th floor, we can conduct a search, though not perfect.

"Do you think I'm some kind of cat-type robot from somewhere? Well, I do have ideas. A place that will definitely lend them." Hang in there, Hyodo! I'll pour your drink when we have a drink. Well, given the nature of the matter, the Self-Defense Forces probably won't refuse. If asked about the nominal reason, it would be difficult... maybe an experiment on the usefulness of modern weapons?

Even if live ammunition is not effective, if they know that motorcycles or fighter jets can be used inside gates, there will be usefulness.

"I don't know whose connection it is, but please don't get involved in strange places, okay?"

"How ill-mannered to say so. I am moving with legitimate rights and rewards. Now, is that the only request?" When asked, Chiyoda had a tired face, but I don't want to poke at it. I have a bad feeling, and the fact that he has that kind of face means he's a defeated soldier after losing to pressure. Alright, the probability is low, but let's run.

"Well then~!"

"Please wait. I'm in a state where I'm thinking of quitting my job soon, because I hate it so much. Bringing up this talk."

"Then, keep it in your heart and resign! I'll hire you~, you can punch politicians as much as you want under my name!"

"Kh! How tempting! But, we are in a state where we can't say that. The US has moved." The skit aside, we both sit back down and listen to the talk while smoking cigarettes. Which US? The US military? Or the government? Either way, foreigners are impossible! I can't speak English, and somehow I shrink. But, this is...

"Eh! Because they heard Florence's song..."

"I don't know who that is, but it is still at the request stage. They want to be included in this training. The dispatched personnel is set to 1." Dispatched personnel 1, huh? Is it Ethan, 007, or MI6? In any case, it's impossible. In the current situation, it is beyond my capacity. At least, a bit later... actually, preferably not coming at all...

"Even if they come, I will only instruct them to run. I won't have conversations, and in fact, I don't want to have contact."

"Is it that much... Can't you, like, find some compromise?" Compromise? Hmm, is there anything? In the first place, I want to reject it outright, though. A compromise, huh... Shall I raise unreasonable demands like Kaguya-hime? Well, as an ally, I understand that they can't refuse, and I don't not understand adult circumstances. But, the timing is too bad. Although it is at the request stage, if I say OK here, they will probably fly over immediately.

"Fluent in Japanese, no muscles, not fierce-looking, slender, well-proportioned, and... a beautiful person! The arrival must be at least one month later." Fufufu, unreasonable demands at their absolute peak. Appearance cannot be changed easily, and Japanese is difficult. In that case, there is a possibility that their arrival will be dragged out. Then, they will arrive at least at the stage where we are trained. And besides, I am originally an advisor. Then, I can move on the premise of not meeting them.

I feel bad for Miyafuji, but I'll have him get involved as a lecturer.