CH 47

KT47: For the Future

—- Arakawa Shuichi Point of View —-

When I entered the meeting room and sat down in my seat, I saw a card in the desk that says “No Smoking”. Looks like Miki asked someone to put it in there. Was she really disappointed when Kouki move away from her with a disgusted face? Ma~ since it says no smoking then I cannot smoke. I took a nicotine gum from my pocket and threw it in my mouth.

“Captain, are we going to sortie?”

Luis who is sitting next to me asked a question but there is no reason for me to know the answer.

“I do not know but make sure your troops are ready to move out at anytime”

“Understood”

In my direction, Luis took out his personal terminal and started giving out instructions to his subordinates. I look around the room and found Kouki consulting Miki at the side next to the screen. Every time Kouki ask something, Miki is desperately manipulating her terminal with a distorted look but for some reason her face looks youthfully beautiful.

In addition, I saw Claire and Ellis setting up a large display screen in the back. Perhaps it is for the people who are on Noah Island that will participate the meeting via video communication.

“Kon!”

I was surprised when I heard a voice from below. I look down and found Kon looking up at me by my feet.

“What’s the matter? Aa~ You want me to pick you up?”

In my question, Kon nods and extends both of her small hands. I can’t help but smile on her figure. I pick up Kon and she jump out from my hand with dexterity to the top of my head. I firmly hold her body with both hands so that she will not be shaken off.

Perhaps Kon came to see me because she cannot go to Kouki. It might have been better if I didn’t notice that. Feeling somewhat sad, I decided to close my eyes, put another nicotine gum in my mouth and wait.

“It took us some time to set up the equipments but we will now begin the ‘Anti-Ghoul Strategy Conference”. Everyone, Please take your seat.”

I hear the voice of Claire and open my eyes and saw that the lighting in the meeting room has already been dimmed. Kouki is standing next to the platform. I arrange my sitting posture since the meeting is about to begin.

“Now then, Let us listen to Special Major General, Arakawa Kouki. He is the one who wrote the data about the Ghouls which were sent on your terminals. He will explain our future policy”

Kouki came up to the platform replacing Claire who is acting as the facilitator. He seems a bit nervous when he looks at the people who are attending the meeting.

“My name is Arakawa Kouki. First of all, the war started on October 5th and we fought until we capture the Imperial Capital this morning. I like to give my thanks for everyone’s hard work… There are major and minor injuries but there has not been any death in the Alliance. I believe that this is a result of everyone’s cohesiveness and actions. Although we have high degree of refinement with other races, I expect further unity in the future”

Kouki stopped talking and continue after drinking water from the glass on his desk.

“We, the Multi Race Alliance, have continued to advance, pushing our way through any obstacle. Perhaps if we keep on advancing this way, the major and minor countries of the Union will fall and nearly half of this continent will be under the Alliance.

In such situation, when we started the operation to capture the capital last night, the Union began using the ’Biological weapon, Ghoul’ in the battlefield as their trump card against the alliance

Right now, the Ghouls are rampaging as I expected and are making tremendous damage on the remote areas of Rikuru Nation and Capus Kingdom“

It was as Kouki said, the Union don’t have the Ghouls under their control if you look at the video sent by the Information Department. They were just like a flock of locusts that eats meat in their wake…

“Noah has modern weapons and it is not impossible to advance while destroying the ghouls. The cities destroyed by the ghoul are a lot easier to occupy compared to cities with Union troops guarding it. We only need everything moving be shot and killed. The future historian will say ‘The continent was protected from the ghouls in exchange for the human race’ but will that be really good? We will be saving ourselves the trouble of saving those people who we might be able to help or those who are innocent. Isn’t that what the Union does?

I do not want to be the same as the Union. At times like this, we need prove that the alliance is different from the union. Let’s face the threat of Ghoul, everyone! Let’s work with each other regardless of our race!

Thus, I propose a large-scale evacuation strategy ‘Operation Future’”

At the moment Kouki finished talking on the stage, my terminal vibrate notifying me of an incoming mail. Looking around, it seems everyone in the meeting room, not just me, received an email. Some who have forgotten to turn off the sound of their terminal even have their ringtone ringing.

I opened the mail and found a file with the strategy outline for ‘Operation Future’ attached so I read the content but upon reading the first line I cannot help but to voice my objection.

“This is stupid… You plan to evacuate 10 million people!? It’s impossible to do it in just 24 hours!”

Luis who is sitting next to me is also surprised. What on earth are you thinking? The inside of the meeting room started to become noisy, Claire, who quickly regained her composure spoke loudly to calm everyone down.

“Silence! Please be quiet. Major General, please continue”

In Claire’s clear voice, everyone looks at the platform again and focus on Kouki.

“This operation is divided into three stages: First, we will evacuate civilians from the areas that we expect to be damaged by Ghouls. Using the information from satellites and report from Information Department, we predict that there are a total of 6 million to 10 million people. The Alliance will use everything in their arsenal to transport the civilians to safety. As soon as we reach 50% of the transfer, the operation will enter the second stage.

In the second stage, we will need to capture the government leader of Rikuru Nation, Capus Kingdom and Principality of Ragire. The captured leaders are will be put in trial by countries who did not participate in this war once everything is over. So please, do not kill them.

By that time, we should have already successfully evacuated 90% of the civilians. After we confirm that everyone from our troops has returned, regardless of the success in evacuation. We will shift to the third stage.

In the third stage, we will use the ‘Imaginary Bomb’ to completely annihilate everything around 2000km in the target area, the area where ghouls initially appeared. The whole operation would take 24 hours… We will change the world in these 24 hours. Are there any questions?”

‘Are there any question?’ is not enough to ask everything. I have so many question that I do not know where to even begin. Also, the more I read the content of the operation the more I get dissatisfied about it.

Food, medicines, residential facilities used by the refugees will all come from Noah’s stockpiled supplies. The evacuation area is the territory of Merkava and security is handled by the troops of Ursna Empire. The content is so unbelievable, this is as if─

“Kouki-sama! Doesn’t this looks like our Alliance lost?”

Cassis-ojo speaks what I was thinking. The princess shuddered her shoulder and glaring at Kouki in rage. I smile a little as she reminds me of Miki when she was angry.

“Dissatisfied?”

“It doesn’t matter if I am dissatisfied. If I announce this operation to my people, they will riot!” (TN: Said in a shouting manner)

“Then keep them down. Cassis-ojo, you are royalty, right? Then it is your obligation to handle such situations.”

“…ku!”

The princess was unable to answer back. She sat down on her chair and bit her lips. This is bad, what Kouki is saying is indeed true and the ideal itself is of the alliance. My son grew up in such a way that makes me, his father, proud. It makes want to go near him pat his head and embrace him.

However, he needs to think about the feelings of the people around him a little more. No one will follow someone with such a high-pressure attitude. I know he is smart so, could it be he already knows?  Also, for some reason Miki is not stopping him. While having doubt on the action of Miki, her majesty Victoria opened her mouth this time.

“Naught good. We should punish them for their action, they steped over on everyone” (TN: Raw was Mekake-tachi)

“Punishment huh… What will that bring us? We are repeating ourselves here… If we punish them, certainly there may be peace after the war but the same thing will happen again in the future. In the generation of our children and grandchildren, they will fight again over the same thing. Victoria-san, do you want your child and future generation to inherit such foolish fighting?”

“Nay, I doth naught mean yond”

“Victoria-san, I said that we will use the ‘Imaginary Bomb’ a while ago, but that missile uses a special launching system. In this world, only ‘Satanachia’ is equipped with that launching system”

“So yond means”

“If the civilians who belong to the Union did not respond to the evacuation or they are not able to evacuate in time, I will launch the bomb regardless of the result to protect the Alliance. Victoria-san, you should be prepared for this as well”

I think over the words that Kouki just said and cover my face using both of my hands. I see, so this is the reason why Miki doesn’t stop him. Not just Miki, no one in this room can stop my son. Kouki is prepared to kill 10 million people in this strategy─

—- Arakawa Kouki Point of View —-

“If the civilians who belong to the Union did not respond to the evacuation or they are not able to evacuate in time, I will launch the bomb regardless of the result to protect the Alliance. Victoria-san, you should be prepared for this as well”

After saying that, Victoria-san opened her mouth as if trying to say something but no words came out. I guess she thought that I will be saying something naive again. The palm of my hands are wet with moist due to my fear of killing 10 million people and my legs won’t stop trembling since a while ago.

However, I will not look away from this war any more. By chance, when I look at where macho was sitting. I saw Kon sitting on the head of macho and staring firmly at me. I’m alright… Like I told you, I will not run away from my obligation and responsibility anymore. As long as you help me, I will take the hardest role.

“Understood. Ursna Empire shall cooperate. If mine own subordinates try to run away, they shall be punished”

Victoria-san said those words, sit on her chair and began to talk with her maid who was next to her. The right to make the final decision for Noah is held by mom and I can have Kon take care of Marvelous and the others. The problem is Merkava Kingdom which is led by Princess Cassis.

Is there a way to have her cooperation? I am troubled. I sent a signal to my mom with ‘Please help me’ using my eyes. Mom who was silent until now stood up and spoke to Princess Cassis.

“Cassis-ojo, in this context, the burden on this strategy is heavy for the kingdom. Providing a location also directly relates to security and logistics. Your worry is reasonable but please consider the merit.

If this strategy succeeds, the kingdom will have great political influence in the continent despite being a small country. Your Kingdom will be someone who save the continent from crisis. Provide a place for the operation that Noah initiate and we will never forget the decision of the kingdom who walk together with us”

As expected of Noah’s Three Witches’ leader, the way she negotiate is amazing. Of course, there are limit on things that my mom can say so I wonder if is it really okay to said such statement on this situation? Ma~ I guess it’s okay since its mom.

“That, Is that true?”

“Yes, Noah will always support the kingdom unless it is against the ideals of the Alliance”

“I understand, Merkava Kingdom will also cooperate with Noah”

After confirming that, my mom nods towards me. I face everyone and give the ‘command’ as the Major General.

“The operation will begin after 11 hours, Instructions and information are always updated so make sure to constantly check it. Everyone is now dismissed”

When I breathe a sigh while watching the back of the people who stood up and leave the room, Macho came walking towards me while holding Kon in his head. He then silently stroke my head.

“Dad… that hurt. What is it?”

“Nothing, I just thought that you have become a fine young man. You sure you made up your mind?”

He unusually praise me directly so I became embarrassed and nod silently. Kon flew over to my shoulder and hold herself in place. Macho smiled looking at us. He took out a gum from his pocket and put it in his mouth before talking.

“We are going to prepare our equipment and get ready to sortie. I think we will not meet each other until the operation is over but leave the second stage to me. I will absolutely make it successful”

“Yes, please. The whole operation will become a mess if you fail. Do everything that you can”

In my word, Macho only say “Ou”, took Coat-san and left the meeting room. Now, I only need to load the missile to Satanachia but I will have to go to Noah Island to pick it up. Maybe I should check with mom if my suit is done with the inspection and refuel?

“Mom, is my suit ready? I need to fetch the missile from Noah Island”

Mom who was talking with Claire-san looks back to my voice and answer me after confirming something on her terminal.

“Yes, you can leave soon. As soon as the main thrusters and maneuvering unit are attached, you can fly anytime”

Attached? Did you really need to remove them from the main body to do the inspection? No, my suit is important for this operation, they need to carefully inspect everything…

“Ja, I’m going to Noah Island. I will be back after loading the missile”

After I told my mother, I walk towards the hangar.

It was about an hour and 20 minutes after I flew away from the Ground Battleship Alice, the sun is about to set. Speaking of which, I haven’t slept since capturing the capital together with Ririn last night. I should take a quick nap once I arrive at Noah Island.

While thinking about such things and rubbing my sleepy eyes with my right hand, Kon who is on my shoulder growled violently while pointing at the monitor using her tail.

“Kon! Konkon”

“What’s wrong? Did you find something?”

I stop the suit in the air and let it hover as I zoom in the main camera to the direction where Kon is pointing. There was a figure of a person on the monitor but I cannot see very well because the area is dark. I switch the camera to night vision mode using the panel with my hand.

“It looks like a person… What’s behind it… This is bad!! Those are ghouls! They already reach this place?”

The enlarged image shows a man was holding a child and desperately running away from the ghouls. I tried to release the safety device of my weapon immediately and try to shoot them but Kon created a floating text faster than that.

“Master, they are heading towards us but there are ghouls in front!”

Damn it! If they come over here the ghouls in the front will notice them. What should I do? Shoot it now? No, that is no good. The bullets might penetrate the ghoul and pass through, hitting those people. It would be better if I can issue a warning…

That’s it! There is the roaring device. I had completely forgotten about it ever since that one time. I hit the device button to push it and shoot my rifle towards the sky. (TN: One Time pertaining to the Egg Hatching Incident)

“Gugyaa~yaaa!”

A roaring sound which is like a violent badly tuned violin resound through the dusk. The muzzle flash produced by the rifle when I fire will also make me visible. Do not come over here! The scary Satanachia is here.

I was watching the monitor and praying in my heart, apparently he seemed to judged that the ‘monster’ in front is more dangerous than the ghouls behind them. They quickly change their direction.

“Thank goodness, now I can shoot without worry”

I sigh and readied the rifle. I start the unfamiliar firing system, position the gun, aim the reticle and was about to pull the trigger… however, I felt something wrong and release my finger from the trigger.

“What happened?”

I ignore the text that Kon made to ask me and focus my mind on the situation. Why did the ghoul ‘stop’? Why did they suddenly stop when they were chasing the man in full speed just a while ago. Think, what happened before they stop.

“……… made the suit roar and shoot the gun to the sky”

If they are responding to the light made by the gun then they should also react on magical explosions. That means, if it is not the light then it is the sound of Satanachia when I used the roaring device. If so, is it possible to control the ghouls?

“Oi Kon! Use my personal terminal to access the data bank of the Intelligence Department. From there, search for a video that include the sound made by Ghouls and extract that sound.”

“Kon!”

Kon started operating the terminal using her tail according to my instruction. While looking at her appearance from the corner of my eye, I extract the sound made by the roaring device from Satanachia’s Information System. If the coincidences happens to overlap and this is one of those coincidence, then the roaring sound of Satanachia and the sound made by the Ghouls are─

“Master! I’m done. Here is the sound data”

I had the data found by Kon to be transferred to the main terminal of the suit and display the sound data of both Satanachia and Ghouls as waveforms. Alright! As expected, the two waveforms are almost identical.

In addition to that, Kon was able to extract the sound skilfully from a video with other living beings for a very short time. As expected of Ancient Dragon, you can really count on them.

“Kon, you did well. Thanks to you, this did not take too long”

I pet the head of Kon and started creating a new program inputting basic sounds for ‘congregate, advance, retreat and spread out’. It was really nice that I was able to learn basic programming from Shingo!

Once I return to Hakone Base, I will treat him to as much food as he want. While considering such thought in my mind, I desperately complete the program and install it.

“Alright! Let’s do some experiment. First is retreat, then advance and then stop”

Every time I flick a switch, the suit let out a sound and the ghouls move according to instruction. I’d like to analyze them so that I can issue more detailed instruction… but I have to contact mom before doing that.

I operate the terminal next to the monitor and send a message to the CIC of Alice.

“Alice, can you hear me? This is call sign Goetia, Arakawa Kouki. I am contacting you from Satanachia. Sorry to bother you but please relay this transmission to the personal terminal of Arakawa Miki”

“Roger, please wait for a while”

After receiving the reply of the Alice’s communication staff, I waited for a while and heard my mother’s voice mixed up with some noise.

“This is your mom, what’s wrong?” (TN: Why did Mi-chan said ‘This is your mom’? Don’t ask me. It is not a misstranslation, she said ‘Okasan yo(お母さんよ)’)

“Etto~ne, I can control the Ghouls now”

“…………I…see… I’m sorry, can you give me a moment?”

“Sure”

When I reply, my mom forgot to put me on hold and started to run somewhere. While listening to the sound of her footsteps running through the corridor, I then heard a loud sound from the door which was opened with force and heard the voice of mom talking to someone.

“My son is now able to control the Ghouls”

“Haa!?”

“I need to confirm if it is true so prepare the reconnaissance satellite within 5 minutes”

“Y-yes!?”

Mom, 5 minutes is unreasonable. At least, give them a little more time than that. I bet the one my mom talked to is from the Technical Department and looks like they are also used to my mother’s unreasonable demands… Let’s do something nice for them the next time we had the chance.

While I was waiting and imagining the appearance of the crews who are setting up the satellite while having a face that looks like they are about to cry, I heard instructions from my mother.

“Can you hear me? I can see you on the video feed from the satellite. For now, try to make the ghouls go away from you and had them get close to you again”

I made the ghouls move as instructed. Mom thinks for a while and releases a big sigh before asking a question.

“Are there any limit to the number of ghouls that you can control? Also, are you sure you are not in danger like this?”

“I think that there is no limit to the number, perhaps the ghouls thought that the loudest sounding Satanachia is the leader of the flock so I can control them as long as they can hear the roar. There is no danger, they are not powerful enough to break through the armor of the power suit”

“…, I understand. I will give you an order as Noah’s Chief Executive. We are changing the content and strategy of Operation Future. Special Major General, Arakawa Kouki, will use the power suit, Satanachia, to control the ghouls all over the continent. I will inform you of your routes and where you will receive fuel and food supply”

“Roger that”

When I replied, my mom said “I’m counting on you” and cut off the communication. Alice is going to be busy similar to a battlefield since they will need to re-enumerate the strategy which is already running out of time.

I was thinking about the confusion in the CIC of Alice while holding Kon, then a notification that I receive a data coming from the satellite shows on the monitor. I use the panel and it display the new route for Satanachia.

“Looks like we need to go west. Yoshi! Kon, let’s go”

“Kon”

While smiling on the energetic reply of Kon, I let Satanachia walk to the west──

An electronic beeping sound woke me up and I was surprised on the dark cockpit of Satanachia. That reminds me, I decided to take a nap at the 5thsupply point. I look down and saw Kon rounded as she sleeps on my lap.

“I’m hungry… I wonder what we have. Kon, wake up, let’s eat”

When the rounded Kon woke up, she created floating text in front of me.

“I like canned green peas”

Uwa~ You have chosen something weird. I look in the food bag, which was dropped by a transport aircraft at the second supply point, for the canned foods that Kon like and canned rice for myself and took them out. I open the lid and hand one to Kon.

I eat my meal with a fork while watching Kon eating with her neck inside the can. Naturally, the food was cold.

“I want to eat hot food”

“I want to eat mom’s stew”

On my mutter, Kon create text without turning back. Stew is nice but my mom’s curry is also delicious. I was thinking about such things and try to eat a chocolate bar for dessert but as soon as Kon finished eating her own food, she jumped and took away the chocolate bar from my hand.

“Oi you(kora), that was already mine. A lady does not steal away people’s food”

The self-proclaimed little lady on my lap ignores my words and started eating the chocolate while holding it on her two small hands. Guess it can’t be helped, we only have one chocolate bar but I’ll let you have it. I don’t feel like taking it away from Kon after seeing her eating it with happy eyes. I gave up and drink water from a pack using a straw.

“Do you want to drink too? You know how to use a straw?”

Kon nod to answer my question. She skillfully put her mouth on the straw and started drinking from it. Her mouth and hands are dirty with chocolate. She really is someone that you need to take care of…, I decided to take out a wet tissue from the bag and wipe the mouth and hands of Kon.

“Here, I will wipe you clean so don’t move. You are a girl, you should be more mindful of your appearance”

“Gurruu…”

It is not an intimidating “Gurrruu”, it is a growling sound similar to a cat when they are comfortable. Speaking of which, she is also growling like this when Alice is taking care of her.

While remembering the appearance of Alice wiping the mouth of Kon with a smile, I decided to look outside using Satanachia’s Main Monitor.

“Yoshi, time to face reality. I will turn on the main monitor”

I turn on the monitor while trying not to imagine the outside scene as much as possible. As soon as the display is shown, I wanted to beat the crap out of the person in Noah’s Development Department who improve the image quality of the camera to its maximum limit.

A myriad of ghouls surrounding me… It was night before I took a nap so I cannot see clearly but now that the sun is about to rise, the ghouls who are standing around me are clearly visible.

“How many are there?”

“I counted using the linked satellite, there are about 30,000”

Is that so! Ma~ we will move them to an uninhabited area and detonate the imaginary bomb so at least they will not increase any further. Since the missile is already lowered together with the supplies before I took a nap, it is already loaded in Satanachia’s Missile Launcher. I will now head north as instructed.

“Kon, we will now head to the last point”

While talking to Kon, the echo of the ‘advance’ sound resound and we turn towards the north. Moving for about two hours, Kon who is operating the terminal create floating text while rocking her tail in a good mood.

“Dad’s unit just returned home! Looks like they are successful in capturing the leaders. The operation is almost complete, Master!”

“Is that so, dad’s unit did it. That’s good. The war should end with this. A lot of people were hurt and a lot of unhappy events happened but now─”

While talking, a ‘mysterious army’ reflected on the monitor caught my eyes and I stop talking in the middle of my sentence. A flag with a scale and wolf on a white background and plain red flag is being raised in front of me.

What are they? I don’t know who they are so I sent transmission to the CIC of Alice.

“Alice, can you hear me? I think you already see them but there’s an army deployed in front of me. Who are they?”

“We are currently reviewing the details. Please wait for a little while”

It seems Claire-san is the one who reply from Alice. I apologized for shouting at her before flying away from Alice and when I asked her to stay as my personal adjutant, she forgive me with a smile. Even now, she is taking good care of me.

“I got confirmation. That army is part of Connet Federal State. The red flag means “We will attack if you get close”. It is a warning flag, so do not approach them and change your course. The place you are currently present is the border of Rikuru Nation and Connet Federal State”

“Claire-san, does the federation issue any statement about the damage caused by ghouls? Also, which side of the borderline are the army deployed?”

“No, there is no Connet Federal State in the list of countries offering statements and assistance. Regarding the place of deployment, they are technically standing in Rikuru’s territory”

Fumu… they did not make a statement nor offer support for this continent’s crisis? Ma~ That’s fine. It could be that they are having domestic problems so they don’t have enough hand to offer assitance.

However, what about trespassing on your neighboring country and saying you will attack if I ‘Approach’? That attitude is surprising and more like a joke. If you do not want to engage in battle then you should quietly stay in your own country! I reply to Claire-san while suppressing my anger.

“I will not change course. I will advance and change course at the point according to the plan”

“Kakka! If you do that… No, I understand but make sure that they will be the first one to shoot their weapon. Please make sure that we are not the one who attack first”

“Roger that”

Claire-san who is talking to me said to absolutely not attack and cut off the communication.  Of course, I do not plan on attacking but I need to let the people from the federal know consequences of their actions.

I advance Satanachia and stop 500 meters before the Federation Soldiers. Behind me, are the 30,000 Ghouls who are following me and are now standing quietly. The time pass slowly as we stare at each other but after around 20 minutes, the red flag was lowered.

“Yes, that decision is correct. Quickly go back to your own country”

I murmured in my anger and Kon gently hugged my arms while looking anxious. It’s alright, I will not do anything anymore… I gently smile and tell her. I made the ‘advance’ roaring sound and rush to the planned detonation point for the missile.

We arrive at the designated detonation point. We made it to the final part of the work by cooperating. The ghouls were densely packed together so that the range of explosion could be kept to the minimum. I finished my own work and while entering the code to the device which is directly connected on the missile’s warhead. I talk to Kon.

“Kon, I’m done. The explosion radius is kept to the minimum and is about 3 kilometers. It will detonate after 120 seconds. Are you done setting up the boosters for our escape?”

“Done. We can leave anytime”

I am satisfied with the text that Kon created in the air and take a good look on the ghouls again. These ghouls are the victims of this war…

I will absolutely never forget this sight. I will make sure to let the future generation know of this event so that such tragedy will never happen again. ‘For the future’ where everyone can laugh and live.

“Kon… Let’s withdraw”

I buckled myself in my seat and ignite the boosters. Satanachia starts to withdraw while rapidly accelerating. I look at the monitor that the rear camera is showing. While withstanding the G-Shock as we break through the speed of sound, I saw the missile being shot and the bomb detonated creating a black light ball in the area.

Looks like it is a small black hole just like mom said to me. While looking at it gradually growing while swallowing everything around it, I quietly closed my eyes and pray for the ghouls for their souls to rest in peace─

—- Arakawa Miki Point of View —-

I was watching from a satellite feed on the image of Kouki leading the ghouls and moving to the detonation point. How does he feel right now? Kouki who is controlling a large amount of ghouls by chance should be feeling the misery of this war.

While I was worrying in my mind about Kouki, Shuichi-san returned from his battle and talked to me.

“Even so, it is a magnificent sight. Together with the appearance of the suit Kouki is using, you know, it is that”

Although the words are turbid, I can understand that this sight is certainly can only be describe as a ‘figure of a demon leading his army’. Other staff members feel the same… Everyone is staring at the screen with a wry smile.

“You are right. I am thinking the same as Shuichi-san but I am more worried about Kouki who can see these ghouls closely. I hope it doesn’t leave any adverse effect to him”

“Miki, do you really think that he was able to control the ghoul by ‘coincidence’?”

“What do you mean?”

I cannot understand what Shuichi-san is saying. If he can control the ghoul other than by chance, then Kouki should have said so from the beginning. That child is not someone who will silently watch while seeing people being pointlessly sacrificed.

I yell at Shuichi as I told him about this but he answer back with a serious expression.

“Do you seriously believe that he did not take any countermeasures against ghouls even though he know about them and their weaknesses? Why did Kouki hurry you to install the roaring device before the war started? Is it not because he assume that this situation may happen?”

“No way…That’s a lie, that is impossible”

“Kouki was trembling while I was talking to him in the conference room. I thought that he is scared of killing 10 million people at that time but could it be that he was just angry? He may be angry in this world that doesn’t want to go forward. If we did not go forward in that situation… If we only try to prosper on our own, he could be planning to use the ghouls to destroy this world”

That is absolutely impossible, such a foolish thing. However, it really is possible if its Kouki. Since when did he starts preparing? When the war began or when he first visit this world? Or perhaps when he opened the Lunar Ruins? I wonder if that child can really see the future.

“I do not know. I do not know how far he can see”

“Saa~ Even I do not understand but whatever he can see, it will not change that he is our precious son”

“Y-yes, you are correct”

That’s right, no matter how terrified other people are of Kouki. He is our precious son. Even if no one can understand him, we will make sure that we will at least understand.

When I resolve myself in my mind, Claire-san reported to me while using the terminal.

“There was a consultation from Merkava Kingdom that the Union wants to surrender to the Alliance”

“What are the conditions for their surrender?”

“There is none. It is an unconditional surrender”

“Very well, please accept it”

In response to my instruction, Claire-san operates her terminal and began sending instructions to various places. Apparently, the war has come to an end. I feel like I suddenly get old since we were too busy lately.

When I look back into the screen, the imaginary bomb detonated and a black hole was created. It seemed to work properly according to theory, Kouki was also able to get away from the danger zone.

That’s right! Let’s make his favorite stew for a change of pace, I’m sure that he will be pleased since he will be tired when he return. Ignoring all crews in the political department who are desperately trying to stop me when I said “I have something to do”, I decided to go to the kitchen of Alice. Even though I was called workaholic, sometimes I need to take a breather to stop myself from breaking down.