Narrator:
	"The Aerial Augmented Infantry, otherwise known as the Gauntlet Knights!!"
	Narrator:
	"This elegant Gauntlet, worn on the left arm and reminiscent of medieval knights, contains all the weapons and technology humanity has given birth to thus far!"
	Narrator:
	It controls all the 8MS in their bodies and the surrounding air, enabling them to free themselves from the laws of the surface world and surpass them!"
	The video showed a lone boy soldier wearing a Gauntlet on his left arm, standing on a massive airstrip.
	 A whistle blew, and his body floated upwards about 10cm.
	 He literally was floating.
	 Cutting-edge 8MS techniques made it possible to create and control force fields, releasing his body from gravity.
	 The whistle blew again, and his floating body danced like a bird, flitting about the space over the airstrip at will.
	 Narrator:
	 "Gauntlets give soldiers the same mobility as an aircraft. Their maximum speed is in no way inferior to the best fighter jets from around the world."
	 Narrator:
	 "And, the powerful Gs that would normally put a harsh burden on them have been eased thanks to the Anti-G 8MS in their bodies. This allows them to fly in ways pilots of existing aircraft could never even dream of."
	 Narrator:
	 "And when taken to an extreme, even `ricochet flying' is possible!"
	 The video changed scenes. A Gauntlet Knight, practicing in the skies above the training grounds, was being recorded from behind by a friendly plane in pursuit.
	 One moment, the Gauntlet Knight was flying in the elegant, familiar way of a plane, and the next, its trajectory became complicated and bizarre, as if it was being bounced at odd angles like the diffuse reflection of light.
	 Because it looked like they were rebounding fiercely off the walls of a pipe as they flew, this was known as ricochet flying.
	 As the word `ricochet' suggests, the Gauntlet Knight kept flying at fierce, sharp angles, without losing any of their speed.
	 Normally, flying like this would put enormous Gs on their brain and all over their body, likely killing them instantly.
	 Narrator:
	 "However, 8MS tech has freed them from all of the ground's restrictions! Even amazing midair movements like these are now possible!"
	 Narrator:
	 "And, I want you to pay close attention to this footage. This is a fire-control system trying to target a Gauntlet Knight."
	 As it tried to target the ricochet-flying Gauntlet Knight, a computer-controlled sight indicator with prediction lines kept appearing and disappearing.
	 The knight's movement, which ignored the common sense of physics, confused the fire-control system, and it was completely unable to lock on to its target.
	 All fire-control systems created so far were completely useless against Gauntlet Knights.
	 Narrator:
	 "Though they can display this level of midair mobility, Gauntlet Knights are not planes! They truly are infantry, Aerial Augmented Infantry!"
	 Narrator:
	 "Their ability to land and take off is completely unrestricted, so they can carry out tactical operations anywhere a human is able to stand!"
	 By this point, Gauntlet Knights already possessed all the strengths of fighter jets, VTOL aircraft, and helicopters.
	 Narrator:
	 "So then, what about their weaponry? You're probably thinking that, regardless of their mobility, they'll be completely useless if they don't have the firepower to take down their targets."
	 Narrator:
	 "But when it comes to Gauntlet Knights, that's an utterly needless concern!"
	 The Dimension Container System, brought about by cutting-edge 4DP technology, made it possible for a person to take massive arsenals of weapons and ammunition with them.
	 The scene changed. A boy soldier who was apparently a Gauntlet Knight stood still in what looked like a vehicle service station.
	 Set about him in a radial pattern were all sorts of weapons and ammunition, like a weapon bargain sale.
	 There were rows and rows of missiles designed for fighter jets, just as many precision smart bombs, and even several heavy torpedoes designed for major warships.
	 This was clearly more weaponry than your average fighter jet.
	 Furthermore, there were howitzers and their ammunition laid out alongside them, as well as multi-barrelled machine guns with ammo belts folded several times over.
	 And that wasn't all. There were also reconnaissance drones, several types of signal flares, ammunition resupply containers, and various construction kits, with everything down to the slightest detail packed in.
	 Narrator:
	 "This massive set of military ordinance can all be carried by a single Gauntlet Knight! And, if they specialize in carrying capacity, they can fit in the same amount of weaponry as an attack carrier!"
	 Narrator:
	 "Witness the armament of a battleship and the mobility of a fighter jet! This is a Gauntlet Knight! But that's not all! They also possess an ultimate technique that cannot be reproduced with any currently existing weaponry! Watch and learn!!"
	 The scene changed, and it now appeared to be an outdoor shooting range.
	 The same Gauntlet Knight boy soldier stepped forward.
	 Several adult soldiers stood side by side some distance away, all pointing guns at him.
	 Immediately after a whistle blew, the sound of gunfire and smoke rushed towards the boy, as though a bunch of firecrackers had been set off.
	 That was it. ...Nothing happened. It was a bit of a letdown.
	 Narrator:
	 "Do you understand what just happened? Let's slow it down a bit!"
	 The same scene was replayed in super-slow motion.
	 Bullets really were launched from the soldiers' guns.
	 However, they were all bounced back, along with a white glow, from a spot directly in front of the Gauntlet Knight.
	 The next time a whistle blew, a soldier who had been lying prone and wielding a light machine gun sent a signal, then laid down a powerful barrage.
	 It was so fierce, you could see what was happening clearly now, even without the slow motion.
	 Narrator:
	 "This is the invincible defense Gauntlet Knights proudly wield, the Rejection Shield!!"
	 The scene changed again. The same soldier boy was standing in a different part of the shooting range, but this time, the camera was far away from him.
	 After a countdown, the boy was swallowed up by a massive explosion like something out of a Hollywood film.
	 But, when the flames disappeared, he was still standing there with a blank expression, as though nothing had happened.
	 Narrator:
	 "An invincible defense!! And easy control over the skies! And the ability to use endless weapons at will!! And every little bit of that is all compressed into a single Gauntlet Knight!"
	 Narrator:
	 "In this new era, the numbers representing the military might of nations will surely shrink drastically. All we'll need to know is how many talented Gauntlet Knights each nation has!!"
	 The screen changed several more times, showing various scenes of Gauntlet Knights training.
	 Sometimes, they led fighter jet formations, and sometimes they led aircraft carrier fleets. Then, they landed jauntily on the ground, surrounded by a tank division.
	 Narrator:
	 "Come, boys and girls yearning to become defenders of peace!! Wouldn't you like to join those who stand at the head of all militaries of peace, blazing the way into a new era?!"
	 Narrator:
	 "The Aerial Augmented Infantry awaits you! The moment you put a Gauntlet on your left arm, you will become a Gauntlet Knight!!!"
	 Officer:
	 "Very nicely made. Do you think you could get it a bit shorter though? My back's starting to hurt... Nnggg."
	 The old officer rose from a seat in the projection room, rubbing his back. A young, voluptuous female officer who seemed to be a private secretary helped him up.
	 Officers:
	 "No, no, sir. We cannot make it any shorter in light of the regulations."
	 Officer:
	 "Is that so? Very well, very well."
	 Officer:
	 "By the way, kids like explosions, right? Bang boom, and all that. We've gotta add more flashy scenes. Also, the hook in the first 15 seconds is important, understand? I studied film back in the day, so I know all about it."
	 When the old officer started talking proudly, the other officers all took out notepads at once and made a show of writing it down diligently...
	 Okonogi:
	 "............"
	 Tch. Look at this moronic video they've made.
	 As if just putting a robot toy on your arm could turn anyone into a superhuman being. Keh.
	 In the first place, these Aerial Augmented Infantry things are still just theoretical.
	 If it was just a portable system for individual flight wielded by specialist troops, that'd be realistic enough.
	 But then you throw in one bit of ridiculous technology after another and call them Gauntlet Knights? What are they, superheroes from some American comic book?
	 True, there weren't any lies in their catalogued specs.
	 They could fly like fighter jets, carry weaponry like battleships, and set up invincible barriers like tanks.
	 In that propaganda video, the brat looked like he was flying around happily.
	 Still, the shock reduction provided by Anti-G 8MS isn't invincible.
	 He did a bit too much ricochet flying, and after the shoot, the capillaries in his eyeballs ruptured, eventually rendering him unconscious.
	 If only they'd filmed it in one take, he'd probably still be able to see.
	 Even the Dimension Container, which worked like a four-dimensional pocket, kept having issues.
	 Just how many brats have been turned to mincemeat when they tried to open it up, and then immediately got hit by an explosion before they could fire up their Rejection Shields?
	 Even that Rejection Shield had only become stable very recently.
	 And if it doesn't work perfectly when a brat's flying at 800 km/h, all it takes is a lazily flying pigeon to smash their heads to bits.
	 Okonogi:
	 "Well, we'll soon have plenty of brats to work with. ...Put up flashy ads that at least look good, and you'll find all the stupid kids you need."
	 ...After all, anyone would want to do it.
	 If I'd been in my teens, and someone told me I could become the face of our entire military, flying unaided through the sky, ...I'd be screwed too. Heheheheh...
	  Okonogi:
	  "Still, ...a bird in the hand's worth two in the bush."
	  Okonogi:
	  "In the end, it'll just be an esport, where you can't really fly outside the simulator..."
	  Officer:
	  "By the way, the Aerial Augmented Infantry boy in this video really is young and bold. I'd like to get a chance to meet him. Do you think you could bring him to dinner tonight?"
	  Officers:
	  "Oh, that sounds excellent. ...Captain Okonogi!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "...Umm, Major General, sir. I'm afraid to say that he's already perished in the line of duty."
	  Officer:
	  "What? Is that true? What a shame. He looked magnificent, so I was hoping to give his career a boost. Too bad, too bad..."
	  ...Truth be told, that explosion scene in the video just now was also the scene of his death, Major General, sir. Heheheh.
	  The filming schedule was a bit too rushed, so he must've been overworked. He screwed up with his shield during the flashiest scene at the very end.
	  Thanks to that, we were forced to edit it to make it look like he'd survived a massive blast.
	  Goddammit, it's not like we've got the budget for this kind of thing...
	  Secretary:
	  "Sir, it's about time you went to your car..."
	  Officer:
	  "Oh, okay. Well then, keep up the good work, everyone. Also, everyone's eyes will be on the Aerial Augmented Infantry division at the Battle Standard Festival, so make sure you give it your all. By the way, I believe a contestant from here in Japan will be representing the AOU, correct?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Yes, sir. It's Second Lieutenant Mitake Miyao, of the 0017th Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad `Warcat'."
	  Dammit, if that skinny brat's supposed to be representing the Rising Sun at the International Battle Standard Festival, this world really is screwed.
	  
	  
	  
	  
	  The top of Super Tokyo Tower sat 666 meters above the ground.
	  Surrounding it, the scenery of the night stretched as far as the horizon.
	  The hustle and bustle of the surface didn't reach this place. Nor did its troubles and complications.
	  The sky is the only place we can be truly free.
	  And there, atop the antenna mast at the peak of the tower, ...I stood.
	  My fear of heights...is now little more than a fond memory.
	  Of course, that's not really such a great thing. In your everyday life, if you jump out a third-story window and seriously hurt yourself because you can't be bothered to go down a staircase... Well, that's just a joke among people like us, but a pretty common one.
	  Just to check, I glanced at my left arm.
	  It was clad in a bulky contraption that resembled some piece of European armor.
	  That device, which extended from my shoulder to my fingertips, was unsurprisingly called a Gauntlet.
	  Knowing it was there...meant that I could relax and forget about the laws of physics.
	  Miyao:
	  "......Whew."
	  I let out a deep breath and gathered my wits.
	  Then, I slowly extended my right foot into the black void, ...the nighttime sea.
	  Gravity pulled on my entire body, and I slowly fell forward...
	  I dove into the nighttime sea. The gentle change caused by gravity was soon accelerating me towards the ground at an incredible pace.
	  I was in freefall, with the positions of heaven and earth swapped. A natural freefall, without any force field manipulation, feels the best.
	  My body fell faster and faster. I can never get enough of this sense of acceleration!
	  I was probably getting near the ground, but it felt as though I could sink forever through that black nighttime sea.
	  Part of me wanted to wax poetic, but this was simple vertigo.
	  The sum of my mental data -- not including sight -- left me fully aware of the speed and trajectory of my fall, as well as the surrounding terrain and the time to impact.
	  The instant before I smashed into the asphalt of the Shuto Expressway...
	  I kicked off the empty air, and the ballistic curve of my descent snapped into a right angle.
	  In the vacant space I'd launched from, something blossomed, delicately bathed in white phosphorescence.
	  They floated in the air, incredibly beautiful...
	  Almost as though an angel's feathers had been scattered about......
	  Gravity no longer bound me.
	  Though my body was that of flesh and blood, it now soared like a swallow.
	  I'll glide so low, I'll be a hair's breadth away from scraping the asphalt off the Shuto Expressway...!
	  A train bridge came into sight before me.
	  Across it raced one of those new steam engine locomotives that just debuted this year.
	  The steam engine is synonymous with economic revolution and kicked off a wave of technological advancement. It was also the first step towards mechanized technology.
	  I doubt any of the great technological geniuses of the past would have expected it to make a comeback after the nuclear age.
	  Of course, though it resembles an old steam engine, its operating principle is completely different.
	  After coal, then oil, and then the atom, humanity got its hands on a new ultimate fuel.
	  It was called "Spiritium".
	  When Spiritium engines convert energy, they expel large clouds of a mist that resembles water vapor.
	  And so, the haze of countless Spiritium engines' exhaust has become the mark of a massive city.
	  I happily burst through the vapor billowing out of that steam locomotive.
	  A forest of skyscrapers awaited me on the other side.
	  All over were buildings with Victorian and Art Nouveau-themed designs, like a scene out of the 19th century.
	  The brick facades and spires were beautiful. The golden glitter of the brass steam pipes tangled over every surface was also gorgeous under the floodlights.
	  There were also Japanese-style electric billboards interspersed throughout it. That slightly twisted yet strangely appealing contrast was the essence of the Tokyo Metropolis at night.
	  The cityscape, style, and fashion sense were all reminiscent of the 19th century.
	  However, behind the artistic veneer celebrating the rebirth of an economic golden age...lay state-of-the-art inventions that could fairly be called the ultimate in human tech.
	  And at the cutting edge of that cutting edge, it had finally become possible for a flesh-and-blood human to fly like this.
	  Of course, this power was only available to a few people so far.
	  I was one of those lucky enough to enjoy this privilege.
	  Every era and every society is fundamentally crap, when you get right down to it.
	  But there's one thing I can say. Being granted the ability to fly freely like this...makes me glad I was born in this era!
	  Being careful not to fly too high, I raced through the forest of skyscrapers and billboards.
	  This felt way more like flying than staring down from above did.
	  The newspapers keep saying we should cut down the number of electric billboards to avoid disrupting the city's scenery, but I kinda like this look.
	  After all, Tokyo has looked like this since the day I was born.
	  Why should I give a damn about the ancient Tokyo those adults long for so much?
	  This is our Tokyo!
	  As I continued to pick up speed, I slipped past billboards that stretched out over the road and seemingly competed with each other.
	  "Greater Tokyo Securities" "Miyu Spiritium" "Yaoyorozu Life Insurance"
	  "Cure-alls from Manchidou" "Mental Displays by FUJIX"
	  "Cat Karaoke Sushi Cosplay" (Now get 101 SR wheel spins free!)
	  "Eisai Foodstuffs" - Eat wisely, mighty soldiers of a rich nation. Snacks recommended by the National Defense Boys Club.
	  "Cocu Cola." The Cocu Cola Bottlers are the official sponsor of the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace.
	  I glanced down and saw a gleaming swarm of cars blanketing a highway that wound through the downtown district.
	  The exhilarating feeling of gliding right over all of them...was by far the most primal part of the primal joy of flying!
	  Miyao:
	  "You know, you forget this feeling if you don't fly every now and then."
	  It's only natural that flying through the air is exhilarating.
	  At that moment, a little frog character hopped into the corner of my mental display.
	  It was Selcom's beloved mascot, Keropoyo.
	  Then, it made a mental announcement with that funny default voice.
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Immediately, a friend started talking to me through my Kizuna.
	  Who the heck's doing that? I'm busy focusing my mind by remembering my primal self...
	  ...Well, I guess there's only one person it could be.
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey! Taking a nice, relaxed pleasure flight in a place like this?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Leave me alone."
	  Jayden:
	  "I'll bet you haven't warmed up enough yet, huh? Well, Supergenius Jayden has come to play with you."
	  Miyao:
	  "Sheesh, you're such a pest."
	  It was my annoying partner. He never leaves me alone, even when I'm trying to focus my mind in solitude.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Yeah, warming up's important. ...For someone like you, at least."
	  Jayden:
	  "Heh. As if you didn't expect me to show up right about now."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm flying for my own sake. It's not like I was waiting for you."
	  Jayden:
	  "You're such a cute tsundere, Miyao♪"
	  Miyao:
	  "...What a pain in the ass. Okay, sure, I'm in. I don't want people blaming me if you screw up later on."
	  ctivating Dimension Container poyo.
	  Miyao:
	  "So, are we using competition rules?"
	  ctivating Reaper's Eye. Friendly unit "Jayden" located. Registering as hostile poyo.
	  Jayden:
	  "Nah, we can leave it like this. You like this place, right?"
	  Hostile unit "Jayden" has activated its Reaper's Eye. We've been located poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Tch. Don't act like you're doing me a favor by saying that."
	  Jayden:
	  "We don't need a killjoy like rules. Let's just go all out on each other!"
	  While we smack-talked each other, we both started circling the Miyu Spiritium building, hiding behind it.
	  It blocked our line of fire, but in a Gauntlet fight, cover like something from an infantry battle meant nothing.
	  Jayden:
	  "Time to get started!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Let's play!!"
	  When Miyao thrust out his right arm, a burst of luminous angel feathers danced around it, and one after another, guided missiles winked into existence. It looked like an ancient magician summoning familiars.
	  The missiles launched one after another, circling around the building and aiming for Jayden on the opposite side.
	  Then, not a beat later, Miyao summoned into existence a massive seven-barrel gatling gun, big enough that it covered his body.
	  After all, just as Miyao had launched guided missiles around the building, Jayden had launched missiles back at him!
	  The missiles that appeared one after another from beyond the skyscraper were met by Miyao's gatling gun.
	  They were rapidly caught by the hailstorm of bullets, exploding one after another, bursting the skyscraper's windows to glittering dust.
	  The gatling gun, which floated in the sky above Miyao's right hand, was exactly like those loaded onto warships to defend against anti-ship missiles.
	  These were supposed to weigh over 9 tons. However, it continued to float there over Miyao's arm as if it weighed nothing at all.
	  Jayden:
	  "...I see the way you're guiding your missiles is as twisted as ever, Miyao...!!"
	  Jayden intercepted Miyao's guided missiles, which had come flying around at him in the same way.
	  If they had come flying via a traditional maneuver, aiming directly for their target, it would've been easy to intercept them.
	  However, these two could control the flight paths of all the missiles they launched.
	  For that reason, no computer could completely intercept a volley of their high-maneuverability missiles, as they approached along such complicated trajectories.
	  The missiles were being guided by humans, so it took a human to intercept them.
	  Miyao:
	  "Your missiles are pretty twisted too!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Duking it out with you would make anyone twisted...!!"
	  They circled at high speeds, shooting down the missiles that chased them one by one.
	  Naturally, both were simultaneously guiding missiles, intercepting them, and also controlling the speed and direction of their own flight.
	  It would be impossible for a normal person to do all this at the same time.
	  That's why Gauntlet Knights were admired by children...no, by people everywhere.
	  In a battle between superhumans like this, how you fool your opponent is vital.
	  Even games that appear to be completely intellectual -- like chess and shogi -- are eventually decided with a physical contest, depending on the glucose levels in your blood.
	  They were being chased by swarms of missiles flying in complex trajectories, constantly intercepting them, while still firing missiles themselves and looking for a chance to corner their opponent. Doing so was brutally exhausting.
	  And, the instant you gave your opponent an opening, they'd take advantage of it and end the whole thing. That was how a standard one-on-one fight between Gauntlet Knights went.
	  Jayden:
	  "So you think you can win if it's an endurance dogfight, huh...? Don't forget, Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "I know, you're a supergenius, right?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yep! I'm Supergenius Jayden!!"
	  The next instant, Jayden scattered glowing feathers through the air as he changed his movement pattern.
	  He turned at a right angle, heading straight towards a floor of the building! He burst through the massive glass windows and flew inside!
	  Jayden:
	  "The entire 58th floor of the Miyu Spiritium Building is a single observation deck restaurant!!!"
	  He raced through the empty restaurant, sending tables flying!
	  While playing a fierce game of tag with guided missiles, Jayden had also been investigating.
	  He had accessed the floor plans for the Miyu Spiritium Building that had been the center of their dogfight.
	  The building screening the two of them from each other had instantly become a shortcut...!
	  Miyao:
	  "You little...!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I'm a supergenius!!! Hear me roar, uryaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!!!"
	  The entire building was pierced as he performed an all-out body slam backed by a force field! Despite that, Miyao just barely managed to dodge.
	  He kicked off the empty air and sent glowing feathers flying, changing his direction in a right angle and plunging straight down.
	  Of course, Jayden hadn't been naive enough to hope that his surprise attack would land a clean hit.
	  However, in dodging, Miyao had been forced to make too sudden of a vector change, and the Anti-G 8MS in his body had used up almost all of its energy in an instant.
	  Energy depleted. Beginning recharge poyo.
	  Until you're fully recharged, you can't do anything at all poyo!
	  Without any energy left, Miyao lost all control and could do nothing but let himself freefall straight down.
	  His energy would recharge soon, but in an extreme close combat situation like this, that pause would be utterly fatal!
	  Jayden was looking down on him from above, in complete control. Their raw, unaugmented gazes crossed!
	  Jayden swung his right arm down, scattering glowing feathers about as he summoned a .50 caliber heavy machine gun!
	  Enemy unit "Jayden" has achieved target lock. Energy recharge in progress. Evasive maneuvers highly recommended poyo!
	  But too bad poyopoyo!! You're still recharging, so you can't do anything poyopoyo!
	  Oh, but even if you're in freefall, you can still pray poyo
	   Heheheheheh!
	  Goddammit, this new version of Keropoyo sure is an asshole!^
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "Gotcha!!! Miyaoooooooooooooo!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Ignition."
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh...?!"
	  Even when supplemented by the Reaper's Eye system, which makes it possible to observe the entirety of the surrounding area, people tend to focus on a single point when they get excited. In that instant, all other directions become blind spots for them.
	  So, by the time he saw `that', it was already right behind him!
	  At exactly the time Miyao made his emergency dodge downwards, he had summoned a missile directly above himself.
	  He had just summoned it in midair, nothing more. It was merely a floating object, not guided or moving in any way.
	  So, it had entered freefall...and was now right behind Jayden!
	  However, it wasn't as though he hadn't given this missile any orders. It had just one.
	  And that...
	  was to explode after a few seconds delay.
	  A massive explosion engulfed Jayden from behind!
	  An instant later, pure white angel feathers were scattered all over the area in front of the blast.
	  It was a sign that the Rejection Shield had blocked the explosion.
	  A Gauntlet Knight wouldn't succumb to a little attack like that.
	  They could fly about at will. Arm themselves at will. And also shield themselves at will.
	  It was an invincible shield usable only by Gauntlet Knights, who could perform a Dreissig Conversion on Spiritium unaided. A Rejection Shield.
	  They could extend it instantly, blocking any sort of attack.
	   However, depending on the strength of the attack and whether the defender was taken by surprise, doing so could expend a massive amount of energy.
	  Jayden:
	  "...You...got me...!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Heh. As if I'd let you win with a little trick like that!"
	  It had been a completely unexpected trap. And, it had resulted in a blast to the back at extreme close range. Jayden had used up almost all of his energy in an instant!
	  Jayden:
	  "Triggering it at such close range would've taken you out with the shrapnel too, ...but you got me to put up my shield and block it...! You really are
	   crazy, awesome, and totally screwed up, Miyaoooooooooooooooo...!!!"
	  Sending glowing feathers scattering with the last of his energy, Jayden rapidly accelerated towards Miyao!
	  And Miyao, who was in freefall, waited for Jayden as he came to settle this!
	  Miyao:
	  "Jaydeeeeeeeen...!!!!"^
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "Miyaoooooooooooooo!!!"^
	  
	  Surrounded by dancing fragments of glass, glowing wings, and shrapnel from the blast, the two men with raised fists...collided...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "...Nnga...
	  ...
	  aah...?!?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Nnggggg.......
	   G-Got
	  chaaaaaaa!!!"
	  As the pair descended in freefall, ...two punches containing all of their strength crossed...
	  It was a cross-counter...
	  So, would they take each other out?/
	   ...No.
	   The victor was clear.
	  Jayden:
	  "If you're short, that means your arms are short too. Right, Miyao?♪"
	  Jayden's right straight definitely reached Miyao's cheek, ...but Miyao's right straight didn't make it. The difference in reach was obvious.
	  Miyao:
	  "...D-
	  D-D-
	  Dammiiiiiiittt!!!!"
	  
	  In the end, the showdown between Gauntlet Knight aces was decided not by wit, nor physical strength, nor glucose levels, ...but by height alone.
	  Their energy was recharged and they regained control, rescuing them from the shackles of freefall.
	  Miyao:
	  "I hate this right arm!
	  langen@^ Get me a saw!
	  langen@^ It's coming off!
	  langen@/
	   And I'll replace it with a rocket fist!!"
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "Wahahah, wahahahahah!! Sweet, let me know when you do. I'll even give you special permission to punch me, wahahahahah!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's a promise, okay? Don't you go forgetting it!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "...Still, I'd expect no less from you, Miyao."
	  ...I thought I'd launched the perfect sneak attack, but if it had been perfect, he wouldn't have been able to set a trap so quickly.
	  I'll bet he figured I'd come at him through a shortcut and waited for me... I moved first, so I was able to make it through the chaos somehow, ...but if I'd been a heartbeat slower, and if Miyao had finished his preparations, I probably would've been taken out neatly...
	  Jayden:
	  "Not bad, partner. I may have won by a nose, but the battle's far from-"
	  Miyao:
	  "I let you win, obviously! I mean, you always get pissed when you don't win in the end! Naturally, I lost on purpose for the sake of your mental health!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh?! A-And I was trying to be a gracious winner too...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "No matter how you look at it, my trap worked perfectly and I won! In a real battle, it wouldn't end with a punch! And my recharge would've been at least 1 second sooner! Then, if it were a real battle, I would've blown you away with a force field and slammed you against the wall, winning!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Ah, dammit! We almost closed out that scene so neatly, and now you've ruined it!"
	  Though he said this, Jayden laughed, looking somewhat amused.
	  Miyao wasn't really the sore loser he sounded like. They had both just been scuffling and playing. And look, now he's smiling too.
	  However, his expression transformed utterly a second later.
	  Miyao:
	  "But you know what?!!
	  langen@^ That was way too reckless, putting your body on the line with a sudden sneak attack like that!! In a real battle, we would've taken each other out! Or you might've hit the building and blown yourself up!! Aren't you supposed to be a supergenius?! Then don't fight in a way that'll end in a mutual kill with both you and a super-normal enemy!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I know that... We were playing, so I just had a bit of fun, okay?"
	  Miyao:
	  "And that's not all!
	  langen@^ The paths of those first suppression missiles were too simple! You keep getting stuck in a pattern without twisting it up a bit! And you wasted time when intercepting missiles! Your trajectory when dodging was weak too! Just look at the trajectory data, three seconds after you started intercepting missiles! What a pointless maneuver!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Get rid of the loss from this part, and you would've had enough energy to finish me off in the final clash! And look at the trajectory data from 23 seconds later, 24.2 seconds later! Make gravity and inertia your friends instead of wasting your Anti-G 8MS! Hey, are you listening to me, Supergenius Jayden?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "...Great, here comes lecture-mode Miyao..."
	  Miyao sent him bits of battle action data one after another, marked with red annotations.
	  At first, I thought this guy was so annoying, acting like he was my instructor or something.
	  However, when he lectures people, he's definitely not letting his emotions get the better of him. The things he points out are always accurate.
	  ...And most importantly, he really does watch people.
	  Normally, in a fight, you only think about how you're gonna take down your opponent, about how super strong you'll be when you win, right?
	  Miyao is always watching his opponent when he fights. Always thinking.
	  It might sound weird when I put it this way, ...but he's always seriously thinking about his opponent's feelings.
	  Miyao:
	  "However, the way you demonstrated parallel thinking by searching for a way to strike back while playing tag with missiles wasn't bad. You used evasive maneuvers to gain yourself a moment of time to stockpile your mental resources, which you then employed effectively. Judging by your level of strain, you minimized the amount of unused mental resources throughout the fight."
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, it's not like I can leave any of my brain unused in a fight against you, Miyao."
	  ...See? He really does look closely at his opponent's feelings.
	  He may never miss it when someone gets clumsy or screws up, ...but he also never misses it when people work hard.
	  I tried, in my own way, to make use of the precious advice he gave me in our previous match, ...and it looks like he really noticed.
	  Miyao:
	  "You tried, in your own way, to confront the problems you had the last time we fought. That's what makes you a supergenius, Jayden. Nice work."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hahah, hahahahah."
	  Dammit, ...why the hell am I blushing at a compliment from a guy?
	  This is why...I've never had any desire to quit being your buddy.
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Then, my Kizuna's Keropoyo notified me that a bunch of friends had arrived at once.
	  Sheesh, can't you let the two of us flirt alone in peace?!
	  Gunhild:
	  "Seriously? Just when you should be trying to preserve your sugar levels, you start up an all-out battle?"
	  Miyao:
	  "We didn't do much. Just a bit of a warm-up.
	   Right?"
	  Jayden:
	  "That's right. Just a bit of light stretching."
	  Gunhild:
	  "*sigh*... Your blood sugar levels don't agree."
	  Friendly unit "Lilja" has registered as hostile.
	  Friendly unit "Koshka" has registered as hostile.
	  Lilja:
	  "Who could've guessed we'd find a couple kitties playing in a place like this, meeoow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Well, this looks like a place worth smashing..."
	  Chloe:
	  "Heeey, Lilja, Koshka, stop that! This is no time for a battle＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "I won't forgive you for having fun in a place like this while we were getting bored to tears by that ceremony meow♪ Mew, mew, meoooow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I was so bored. ...Time to blow off some steam to make up for it..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Let's see who can take down the others first, meow! There's no way I'd ever lose to a hick like Koshka meow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Don't make me laugh. I'll take on you and all the others...and crush you..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Go ahead and do it if you can♪ I'll beat up Miyao and Jayden and plant you upside-down in the Siberian permafrost, meow meow♪"
	  Enemy units "Lilja" and "Koshka" have activated Reaper's Eye. You have been targeted poyo.
	  Enemy unit "Lilja" is summoning an anti-air mine dispenser poyo.
	  Enemy unit "Koshka" is summoning an anti-Gauntlet sniper rifle poyo.
	  Chloe:
	  "Hey, just stop it already!
	   The Instructor's gonna get mad at me＞＜!!"
	  Odds of "Chloe" getting chewed out by the Instructor now at 99% poyo.
	   Heheheh, *kero*kero*kero*.
	  Chloe:
	  "Waah, I can't take this anymore＞＜!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Good grief.
	   ...Miyao, Jayden, are you sure such a light warm-up was enough for you?"
	  Jayden:
	  "No, ...I was just thinking it was time for a real warm-up. Right, Miyao?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah. This time, let's check our ability to work as a team. ...If you take a gamble like last time, I really will punch you, okay?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Heheh. Sure, I'll just wait for you to get a rocket fist that can actually reach my face."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Then it's decided. Chloe, we should warm up a little too."
	  Chloe:
	  "Friendly unit `Gunhild' has registered as hostile?! Wh-Whaaaat?! Nooooooooo＞＜!!"
	  Friendly unit "Gunhild" has initiated 8MS surveillance and is now providing data to friendly units poyo.
	  Enemy unit "Chloe" has begun accessing Super Tokyo Tower's anti-air cannons "Sakura 1" and "Asagao 1" poyo.
	  Gunhild:
	  "She may try to hide it, but Chloe's totally on board with this."
	  Chloe:
	  "Aaah, just let me take all of you out!! Instructor, none of this is my fault＞＜!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "I'll happily take first strike meow♪ I'm gonna eat everything up, not gonna leave a scrap for Koshka♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "...If you and my target line up, I'll skewer you."
	  Lilja:
	  "Do it if you can, meow meooooow♪"
	  Jayden:
	  "Here they come! Let's go, Miyao!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah!! I'm so fired up, I couldn't care less about that Battle Standard Festival of Peace...!!"
	  It wouldn't be fun any other way poyo! Okay... Ready...
	  fight poyo!
	  
	  Narrator:
	  "No matter how far virtual reality advances, it will never compare to the shock of the body's five senses!!"
	  Suddenly, all five of the audience's senses were struck by an earsplitting roar that rumbled down to the pit of their stomachs, as well as other sensations like the smell of iron and oil mixed together.
	  Narrator:
	  "Just now, five shiny silver fighter planes passed right over us, dancing through the sky above the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace at Gifu Stadium! Flying at their head was this year's host: Japan of the Arctic Ocean Union! On either side were fighters from the Europe-Middle East Alliance, the Central Ocean Union, the Africa Commonwealth Realm and the Latin American Treaty Organization!"
	  Commentator:
	  "That was a joint flight of fighters from the Five Great Factions. Just magnificent. What a fitting ceremony for the Battle Standard Festival of Peace."
	  Narrator:
	  "These warriors of peace have honed their skills day and night to defend peace on this planet, and the crowd can't get enough of them! Let there be eternal peace in this world! And thank you, warriors of peace, for supporting the Walls of Peace from both sides yet again today!!"
	  
	  Instructor:
	  "This is what we call Dobeneck's Barrel, or sometimes Kennedy's Powder Keg."
	  After saying this, the instructor wrote "Kennedy's Powder Keg" on the electronic blackboard behind him, and an illustration that resembled a keg appeared.
	  Both the letters and the illustration were drawn very poorly, and the students all giggled.
	  The instructor was teaching while walking amongst the students' seats, his hands clasped behind him.
	  Though the blackboard was far away from him, he was directly drawing and writing on it.
	  He was using a brainwave input device, also called a mental tablet.
	  Once, we needed hands to manipulate the writing tools, keyboards, and equipment needed to leave records.
	  However, humanity in this world had gained the ability to not only write letters, but even draw pictures without using their hands.
	  However, no matter the device, only the young can use it to full capacity when it's brand new.
	  So, the aged instructor still wasn't used to it, leading to these rough letters and drawings that didn't suit his high upbringing and education at all.
	  Instructor:
	  "As you can see, the keg is a cylindrical container made of several boards bound together. ...Since my drawing is so pathetic, I ask that all of you who lack an imagination do an image search."
	  If you can have a tablet in your brain, then of course you can have a display there too.
	  Some of the more serious students did a serious search for the word "keg", which was displayed as an image inside their brains.
	  Those less serious were using their mental displays to watch TV, play games, or else chat with their friends in virtual rooms.
	  Nearby people had no way of telling what someone was looking at in their mental display.
	  Also, if you wanted to chat with your friends, there was no need to move your mouth. You could use mental transmissions to talk without speaking.
	  And so, both the serious and non-serious students gave birth to an ideal environment for themselves.
	  Instructor:
	  "Kennedy's Powder Keg represents the gunpowder of conflict, sealed in a container where the military efforts of each individual country form the boards."
	  Then, a red line was drawn on the picture of the keg on the blackboard, and one of the boards was removed, leaving a gap.
	  Instructor:
	  "However, what if just one board was short and left a gap? Naturally, everything inside the keg would pour out. Kennedy's Powder Keg tells us that if even a single country fails in its military efforts for the sake of peace, the gunpowder of conflict will pour out from there and explode."
	  Once, military power had been necessary to protect the safety of one's nation.
	  In every nation, in every era, young people who take on the responsibility of protecting their country have been praised for their patriotism and service to the state.
	  They're like white blood cells in the human body, and no one ever finds anything odd about praising them.
	  However, after massive losses caused by two world wars and a Cold War brought about by nuclear weapons, and particularly after the advancement of data storage techniques that allowed the inhumanities of war to be seen far and wide, over and over again, some of humanity had developed what might be called a war allergy.
	  Then, when the Great Depression at the end of the 21st century kicked off a fierce economic downturn, people in countries around the world started talking seriously about reducing military spending.
	  Taking advantage of that, pacifists began a major global campaign. That movement received an international tailwind, gaining heavy support from people across the world, made poor by a social security system that had been crushed by the depression.
	  Certain politicians played to the masses and rode this tailwind, building up bases of support all over the planet.
	  They spoke pleasant-sounding words of world peace and love for all humanity, leading the charge for unilateral disarmament in certain countries and earning wide acclaim.
	  All over the world, videos were shared of soldiers returning their medals and leaving the army, claiming that being a soldier was a shameful way to serve one's country. The first few who started this boom were praised by the press, and many clambered to have them nominated for the Bernhard Peace Prize.
	  The whole world praised this as a beautiful story, one that would encourage all who suffered under the Great Depression.
	  Every day, the news told stories of countless soldiers leaving armies as an act of self-criticism against the military, to the applause of the people.
	  And, it delighted in showing stories of tanks and fighter jets being scrapped, giving the numbers for how much that had saved in construction and maintenance costs, and comparing that to how many babies could be fed with the same funds.
	  It was a global disarmament boom. If all neighboring countries had reduced their militaries at the same time, this would have been a wonderful thing...
	  However, as the Prisoner's Dilemma suggests, strategies that baselessly assume that your partner will act with benevolence...are less than ideal in affairs between nations.
	  This resulted in an extremely tilted military balance across several national borders around the world.
	  At the time, national leaders who disarmed unilaterally were lauded as pioneers of world peace and given several international awards.
	  However, in the current A3W era, their reputation had done a 180.
	  They were condemned for abandoning their support of the Walls of Peace that separated countries...and accused of the sin of negligence in their duties towards world peace...
	  Instructor:
	  "`Provide a deterrent to arms races and security dilemmas, while enshrouding the gunpowder of war by maintaining a suitable military balance between all countries.' This is the philosophy of the IPMA, the International Peace Mediation Association. And, it is how a healthy military balance preserves world peace."
	  World War III had several causes, but some likened it to a human body, where a nutrient imbalance had triggered a great illness.
	  That led to the concept of "world peace preserved by a healthy military balance".
	  For example, Japan once polished rice because it tasted better that way, which led to vitamin deficiency and a disease called beriberi.
	  They removed the bad-tasting "bran", but they didn't realize that it contained vital nutrients.
	  That "bran" was like military might.
	  True, military might does have a violent and inhumane side to it. Any humanitarian would claim that it "tasted bad".
	  However, when they polished it off and threw it away, ...it resulted in a fatal nutrient deficiency for certain nations.
	  When military might only exists on some sides and not on others, it's easy to enter an irreversible situation.
	  It was like trying to climb a mountain without a safety line.
	  You'll be fine as long as nothing happens, but if something unexpected occurs, there won't be anything left to support you.
	  One of World War III's other causes, populism, led to increasing friction between neighboring countries and placed a lot of pressure on border regions.
	  That wouldn't have been a problem if those borders -- those Walls of Peace -- had been supported on both sides. ...However, whenever one side refused to support these walls, they fell over easily, inviting a situation that couldn't be undone...
	  Instructor:
	  "Military might is an element that tastes bitter to humanity. We have chosen to view it as a mineral, a micronutrient necessary for the body to function."
	  Everyone knows that if you pile up zinc and iron and manganese on a table and eat it, it'll be harmful to your health.
	  However, these are essential nutrients that you can't afford to be deprived of, and you need to continue ingesting them in suitable quantities.
	  In the same way, a nation's military might needs to be maintained to a suitable degree to bring about healthy relationships between countries. Or so they say...
	  As a result, military might was viewed in a different light in the A3W Era, as a micronutrient for nations.
	  The tendency to think of soldiers as murderers and enemies of peace was done away with. After all, soldiers of your country were fundamentally war buddies, even to soldiers in neighboring countries, as they all worked together to support the Walls of Peace.
	  The social rank of soldiers rose, and the world became one in which children didn't hesitate to say they wanted to become soldiers when they grew up.
	  Soldiers no longer existed for the purpose of defeating their opponents.
	  They were redefined as servants of international peace, who protected not only their own country, but also their country's neighbors. They supported the walls between countries, preparing for unexpected situations in nearby nations that even those nations wouldn't have wanted, and preventing them from developing into something irreversible.
	  Even the closest spouses and friends fight sometimes.
	  Soldiers who supported the Walls of Peace were like cushions wedged in the middle of fights like that, preventing a fatal situation from developing, so that everyone could laugh it off and forgive each other in the end...
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Humans really are crazy, huh?"
	  Seshat:
	  "Think so?"
	  Two people who looked very different from those students watched this lecture through their mental displays.
	  They seemed to be amusing themselves with it, rather than attending it...
	  Seshat:
	  "I mean, whenever organisms gather together, it's to increase their chances at survival, right? In other words, they gain enough military might to protect themselves against outward foes. Isn't rejecting something like that basically sacrilege against the miracle of life on this planet?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "No, no, no. I wasn't trying to criticize people for praising strong militaries."
	  Seshat:
	  "Oh, you weren't? Then what are you trying to say?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "I don't care if you criticize or praise militaries. As you said, Grand Master, military power is a natural right you have as a lifeform to increase the odds of your survival, and it's also a natural obligation you have for the sake of protecting your descendents who can't protect themselves."
	  Toujirou:
	  "But at the same time, it's also a double-edged sword that can hurt both you and your neighbors. So, whether you criticize it or worship it, you should always continue debating and searching for a better way to exist."
	  Seshat:
	  "So, the most important thing is having people debate all the time...? Ahahah, isn't debate just a means you use to reach an end? I doubt you can guide the common man if your means become your ends."
	  Toujirou:
	  "True, debate can easily lead to wasting time. It's not a great idea to gradually work out a solution when you've got an urgent and pressing issue to deal with. I'm just trying to explain how unpleasant these extreme changes are, and how it's just as unpleasant when nothing changes at all."
	  Right up until World War III, military might was viewed as evil.
	  Their culture was such that every politician, philosopher, musician, and artist went on and on about love and peace, and how they needed to throw away their weapons because militaries were the shame of humanity.
	  It was a world where even whispering about the need for military power on social media would be enough to get someone accused of blasphemy against peace and socially murdered.
	  However, even though humanity disliked military might, that didn't mean they'd abandoned their dislike for other races.
	  As a result, the door to World War III was opened not by militaries maintained by nations, but by selfish "military actions" by individual people with self-righteous ideals...
	  Toujirou:
	  "And now that's totally flipped around, with everyone saying `long live the military, thank you troops, I'm gonna grow up to be a great soldier who protects his country and world peace.'"
	  Seshat:
	  "Ahahahah. Yeah, that is pretty extreme. Hilarious, in fact."
	  Toujirou:
	  "And now, if you imply that militaries are immoral in any way, the whole world will call it blasphemy against peace and ostracize you. At first, it seems to be the exact opposite of what they did before, but they're basically doing the same thing. Differing opinions are aggressively silenced, and no one has the guts to actually discuss the issue."
	  Seshat:
	  "The mind of the masses is like a single bit of data."
	  Toujirou:
	  "You mean it can only ever be 0 or 1?"
	  Seshat:
	  "Yeah, that's it. Are you on the far right side, or the far left? They can't see anything besides that. And because that's all their mind can hold, they aren't capable of debate, and they aren't receptive or clever enough to accept a position that's different from theirs."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If you want to strengthen that 1-bit person, ...then there's no choice but to train them, right?"
	  Seshat:
	  "I'll bet that training would be pretty harsh for those 1-bits."
	  By "training the 1-bits", they must have meant the act of letting differing opinions collide in debates.
	  However, no matter which time period you look at, history doesn't record many people capable of tolerating differing opinions in the name of diversity.
	  Whether it's religions, ideologies, or how you like your eggs cooked, the world is full of people incapable of accepting diversity.
	  After all, even people who claim to be for diversity...are unable to accept the existence of people who dispute that belief.
	  ...It's not at all an easy thing to do.
	  People crowd together with those who share their own views, exterminating all opposing views. ...That's what "debate" means to humanity now, as it approaches the 10 billion person mark once again.
	  Seshat:
	  "It's been like this since before the time of Rome. ...Sometimes, kings urge their subjects to take part in debate. However, the 1-bits never managed to count to anything but 0 or 1."
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Still, in my opinion, if you stop thinking and debating, you aren't even human anymore."
	  Seshat:
	  "You really are a worrier, aren't you? Very well, I shall grant you the title of 8-bit. Heheheh."
	  Toujirou:
	  "You honor me, Grand Master."
	  Seshat:
	  "The people can't do anything but advance in a direction that's been decided for them. Showing people where to go is what a king does. If you're waiting for the common man to gain enough intelligence to take part in debate, I'm afraid the sun will probably burn out first, right...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Even so, ...I want to have faith in people."
	  What if people didn't get kicked around by the consensus, going forward when they say forward, stopping when they say stop, and going left and right when they tell you to...?
	  What if everyone could have their own opinions, debate them together, and accept each other...?
	  And what if then, you looked around and saw that everyone accepted everyone else, and that everyone was moving in the same direction...? I hope a miracle like that will occur someday.
	  It might not happen until the day before the sun burns out and the globe is covered with ice, ...but I believe we will make it in time.
	  Seshat:
	  "Drat, Mizoguchi lost. Come on, isn't judo supposed to be Japan's specialty?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Last year, a power harassment scandal threw the association into chaos. Guess this means I win."
	  Several numbers appeared in their virtual space, and the numbers on Seshat's side decreased and were added to Toujirou's side.
	  This time, they were watching a broadcast of the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace.
	  It was a celebration of peace, where countless young people displayed the techniques they had honed and the hard work they had put in for the sake of this day.
	  However, to the middle-aged people casually gazing at it, it was merely something to complement a drink or to bet on.
	  A triangular, luxuriously designed table was lit by a faint light.
	  Until your eyes adjusted to the darkness, you wouldn't be able to see anything else...
	  Then, ...a white hand suddenly stretched into that darkness.
	  That hand was holding a small bag with gold embroidery.
	  Mysterious Voice:
	  "Open it."
	  Girl's Voice:
	  "As you wish. ...In that case..."
	  The contents of the bag were laid out on the table.
	  It was...three coins.
	  Two of them were gold, ...and one was silver.
	  
	  Narrator:
	  "And there it is!! Gundarenko's famous osotogari!!"
	  Commentator:
	  "The AOU Russian Army really has been focusing on its judo. Japan removed it from its army's training routine just last year, but I'll bet this stirs up another fiery debate in this country!"
	  Narrator:
	  "We've just received some new information. In the Striker-class group tank competition, Second Lieutenant Alberto Garcia of the LATO Argentinian Military has successfully achieved the first hat trick of this year's festival!"
	  Commentator:
	  "The LATO military certainly has taken a gamble this year, entering only people under 20 into the group tank competition, but it looks like it's paying off. I think it's safe to say that youth speaks louder than experience these days."
	  Narrator:
	  "I suppose whether it's blazing a trail to a new era or maintaining the peace, no one is more qualified than the young. Still, I'd like to see our more experienced soldiers give it their all too!"
	  The International Battle Standard Festival of Peace was a competition featuring soldiers from across the world.
	  Of course, this competition included more than just sports.
	  Narrator:
	  "Yes, perfect! What beautifully perfect flying! The ABN British Air Force refuses to surrender their place as masters of the art of the skies, and their Second Lieutenant George White truly is a genius, even at the age of 18!!"
	  Commentator:
	  "He certainly has the skill, but his plane is incredible too. In every part of those blueprints, you can feel the spirit that their designers devote to the art of the sky."
	  Narrator:
	  "Now, let's switch over to the maritime competition. At the warship triathlon (dreadnaught-class 30-gun division), the heavy bombardment ship `Gloria Da Lobito' from the ACR Angolan Navy has passed the qualifying round with a Festival record!"
	  Commentator:
	  "Last year, the ACR Combined Navy made an incredible showing. However, we can't forget the COU Chinese Navy's new ship, the Tianjin, which won last year's Central Ocean Cup."
	  Most events included not just soldiers, but their weaponry as well.
	  The way they determined winners and losers was an open, refreshing thing, designed to foster a noble "soldiership" among the troops who protected world peace together.
	  Of course, it was still a competition, so they fought against members of the opposing factions as if they were enemies.
	  However, when both sides learned from each other and interacted, they grew to respect one another.
	  Every national military from every faction deepened their relationships during the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace.
	  To those who supported the Walls of Peace from both sides, the friendships this inspired were the best way to prevent war.
	  At the same time, this put the military techniques from countries all over the world on display, making it possible for all national militaries to share in new technologies.
	  That would prevent future breakthroughs in military tech from causing a breach in the military balance.
	  Instead of avoiding military might, the world could acknowledge its function and maintain a healthy balance, making world peace a reality.
	  That was why the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace existed.
	  ...Or at least, that was what the event planning committee liked to say.
	  To be perfectly honest, all nations wanted to look good in the eyes of their citizens, so they tried to get good results, earning medals left and right.
	  Since war never broke out, the report card for militaries became the number of medals they won at the festival.
	  In other words, though the young were supposedly the main participants in this event, the expectations of the old affected it significantly.
	  So, though "soldiership" was supposed to be something noble, there was always talk of bribery and doping behind the scenes...
	  Well, that sort of thing happens in every era. There's no point harping on it.
	  Those young people who carried the prestige of their nations were spurred on mercilessly. Only those who succeeded were praised, and those who didn't measure up were abandoned. This happens in all eras. There's no point harping on that either...
	  It's always the young who are made to compete. And the adults only reward success.
	  The young don't want the adults to abandon them, so they always press forward...
	  Okonogi:
	  "You foooooool!!!! Didn't I tell you not to let your eyes off Lilja and Koshka, not even for a second?!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Eep...!! I-I-I'm so sorry, Instructor...!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Why are you causing a ruckus right before a match, a time when you must be at your absolute peak condition?! You knew they would run wild right away, didn't you?!! But instead, you start going crazy with them!
	   You fool!
	  langen@/
	   You imbecile!
	  langen@/
	   You nincompoop!!"^
	  
	  Chloe:
	  "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry, eeeeeeep...!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Come on, if we just have a few sweets, our physical condition will be back to normal in no time meow♪"
	  The most efficient way for Gauntlet Knights to restore their stamina was sugar. In other words, dessert.
	  Lilja and Koshka, who had returned from the athletes' cafeteria with extra-large parfaits in both hands, didn't give a damn that Chloe was getting in trouble because of them. They were happily gulping down their parfaits.
	  Koshka:
	  "...If anything, this is all because I was kept waiting so long for my turn, it got boring."
	  Lilja:
	  "Yeah meow♪ Okonogi, it's totally your job to make sure we don't get bored meow♪"
	  Okonogi:
	  "...Y-
	  You...
	  little...
	  brats...!!"
	  Okonogi stamped his feet, but because of his position and other adult reasons, he couldn't hit Lilja or Koshka. So, he karate-chopped Chloe twice on the head.
	  These kids would be up very soon. Just when he wanted them to be in their best conditions for the sake of their nations and their faction, they had started up a battle royale in the simulator just because they were bored!
	  Okonogi:
	  "Do you realize how many people worked hard and how much money was spent to get you fools into peak condition?! And now you're wasting all that, just so you can play with your friends because you're bored?!
	   Ngggggg...!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Ow, that hurts, Instructooooor, eeeeep, my head's gonna cave iiiiiin...＞＜"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...After going that crazy, it's amazing that they managed to recover so quickly."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's youth for you. Give a kid some chocolate, and they'll be perfectly fine. ...By the way, this chocolate's delicious. What country is it from?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "A Gauntlet Knight's fatigue manifests itself in the brain. It's hard to self-diagnose. You've managed to recover up to 89%, Miyao. Don't forget that you've got at least 10% of your fatigue remaining."
	  Jayden:
	  "You don't understand. In this world, there are some kinds of power that you've got to work for, even if it wears you out."
	  Miyao:
	  "Next time, go build up that power on your own. Have some respect for my time."
	  Jayden:
	  "You say that, but your brainwave data after our match was as good as it gets. Want me to compare it to your historical graphs and send it to you? The data says you're sulking and wagging your tail at the same time."
	  Miyao:
	  "Shut up. I'm not gonna fight you again. Go staple a picture of me to the wall and do it on your own next time."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hahahahahahah. You're hilarious, Miyao♪"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...The condition of your blood says you're still somewhat fatigued, but I must admit that your unquantifiable mental condition has improved. The young can be so interesting."
	  Miyao:
	  "Uh, I'm pretty sure you qualify as young too."
	  Gunhild:
	  "............Oh, right. How silly of me. Heheheh."
	  Jayden:
	  "I'll bet Gunhild's mental age has the ones and tens digits flipped."
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no helping it. You'll never find a Parallel Processor who isn't weird. ...Still, the skill you get as a result is honestly amazing."
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, ...I know I wouldn't trust our butts to anyone but old granny Gunhild."
	  Gauntlet Knights were typically deployed in three-person teams.
	  And, in the Miyao-Jayden-Gunhild team, Miyao and Jayden were only able to focus on their offensive role in the front lines because they had Gunhild supporting them from behind.
	  However, she wasn't just a Supporter.
	  She was in that role because that's what she was best at, but she was also talented enough to riddle any Attacker with holes if they broke through.
	  On the contrary, perhaps because she always observed her opponents calmly as a Supporter, she actually won most of the time in one-on-one matches against Miyao and Jayden.
	  She humbly claimed that she only won because she'd memorized Miyao's and Jayden's patterns, and that she'd be totally useless in a real fight. However, Miyao and Jayden knew they could trust their backs to her.
	  By the way, Miyao was an ace of the AOU Japanese military.
	  Jayden had come from an ace unit in the AOU American military.
	  Of course, Gunhild was an ace too, of the AOU Swedish military.
	  These were three of the best aces the AOU had.
	  Groups of three people supporting each other's lives like this were sometimes called kette, in imitation of the air force, or squads, in imitation of the army.
	  Miyao, Jayden, and Gunhild.
	  They were the 0017th Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad "Warcat" of the AOU Combined Military Central HQ.
	  It was one of the best Gauntlet Knight kette in the AOU (Arctic Ocean Union).
	  As Miyao's group would put it, they were the `honor student' kette.
	  Over there was the `problem child' kette.
	  Lilja, Koshka, and Chloe.
	  The 100th Aerial Augmented Infantry Experimental Squad "Grave Mole", of the AOU Combined Military Geroy Level 4 Heavy Military Research Center.
	  Koshka was attached to the AOU Russian military, but wasn't a soldier, strictly speaking.
	  It had been kept quiet for privacy reasons, but rumor had it that she had been given some kind of "exemption" in exchange for participating in some Aerial Augmented Infantry-related research and human experimentation.
	  Apparently, she was officially "equipment" in the care of a Level 4 Heavy-class military research center, which had been loaned out to the military for the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace.
	  Of course, though she was equipment, she was also the highest-tier equipment that existed. And she understood her position.
	  So, she could do whatever she wanted. She had no desire to listen to her superior officers. And even Okonogi, her instructor, couldn't lay a finger on her no matter how much she pissed him off.
	  This might make it sound like she's utterly self-centered and uncooperative, but apparently, she's improved a lot from how she used to be.
	  Koshka:
	  "...What, is there something on my face?"
	  Lilja:
	  "It's the opposite meow♪ You're blocking my way with that big face of yours meow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "Well then, I'll just gouge out your eyeballs so you don't have to look at it anymore..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Huh? What's that? Could you talk a bit slower? Your hick words are so bad, my Kizuna can't translate them at all meow♪"
	  Lilja was attached to the AOU Finnish military, but she was officially a military research center's "equipment", just like Koshka.
	  Once again, details about her were unknown for privacy reasons, ...but, well, she was just as much of a problem child as Koshka was. Apparently, just like Koshka, she'd stir up all kinds of outrageous trouble, using her special position as a shield.
	  Was she on good terms with Koshka or not? She was always approaching Koshka one-sidedly, teasing her and picking fights.
	  She was also high-grade equipment. ...Problem Child #2, who always got along with Koshka only when they were ignoring their superior officers.
	  Chloe:
	  "Stop iiit＞＜! Don't make your blood condition any woooorse. The Instructor's karate chops really will make my head cave iiiiiiiin.＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Let's find out if her head actually can do that."
	  Lilja:
	  "Nice one, Koshka! Let's go wild in the simulator again meow! Then Chloe will get in trouble again meow♪"
	  Chloe:
	  "Nooooooooooo...＞＜ I hate this kette so muuuuuuuch＞＜!"
	  Chloe alone wasn't equipment. She was a soldier of the AOU Canadian military.
	  Just what sort of unlucky star was she born under...? Right after she won through all sorts of aptitude tests and exams and thought she had become the Gauntlet Knight of her dreams, she'd been saddled with looking after this crazy equipment.
	  And, partly because of this, the instructor who couldn't punch the high-grade equipment would instead smack Chloe's head whenever they did anything weird.
	  Chloe was a sad sufferer, always stuck between her Instructor and the selfish equipment.
	  ...But of course, she wasn't just there to take care of those two.
	  She definitely was one of the top-ranked Gauntlet Knights throughout the entire AOU Combined Military.
	  After all, when the selfish equipment went back to the research center for "maintenance", ...she got extreeeeemely high grades doing mock battles by herself.
	  These two squads with a total of six people were the athletes sent by the AOU, the Arctic Ocean Union, to participate in the Aerial Augmented Infantry Division of this year's International Battle Standard Festival of Peace.
	  Individual countries did compete in the Festival, but it was the inter-faction competitions that got people most excited.
	  Nothing was more thrilling than watching neighboring nations work together to achieve victory in the battle between the five Great Factions that represented the A3W world.
	  Narrator:
	  "Broadcast booth, are you getting video?! Here we are in the Virty Arena! Finally, the young members of the Aerial Augmented Infantry from all factions are entering the stadium!! Oh, the representatives of the AOU have just arrived!"
	  Aerial Augmented Infantry. That was their official title.
	  They were more commonly known as Gauntlet Knights.
	  These miraculous soldiers of the new era wore Gauntlets on their left arms, and they could fly on their own through the sky, repel all sorts of attacks, and wield any kind of weapon.
	  At this year's Festival, the Aerial Augmented Infantry division had finally been established, and their true worth had been revealed to the world at large.
	  However, their fights were too dangerous to be held in real space.
	  As was also the case for other events emulating real warfare, live fire competitions carry some risks no matter how many safety measures you take. However, if you use mock weapons for the sake of safety, the battle becomes completely uninteresting.
	  So, dangerous competitions generally took place in a virtual location known as the Virty Arena.
	  That said, in a virtual world that had advanced as far as possible, the sensations of sight and sound were in no way inferior to reality.
	  Spectators were able to view it as if it were happening right before their eyes.
	  And, though the participating athletes were in a simulator room, it felt as though they actually were in the arena.
	  Jayden:
	  "I wonder what kind of people the other factions are sending."
	  Miyao:
	  "I doubt there's gonna be anyone as normal as you and me."
	  Lilja:
	  "That's not true meow♪ If the world was full of people as crazy as Koshka, it would've been annihilated by now meow♪"
	  Chloe:
	  "Lilja, please stop picking fights with Koshka! If you run wild here, everyone in the world's gonna see it! The Instructor's chop really will make my head cave iiiiiiiin...＞＜!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...My stomach's full and I'm sleepy, so I won't fight back. *yaaaaawn*..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "That yawn was just broadcast publicly. Looks like Chloe really will face the chop when this is over."
	  Narrator:
	  "Oh! The group that just came in, is that the COU?
	   It is! They're being led by Second Lieutenant Liu Lingji from COU China!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "So that's Lingji, that ace among aces from the COU."
	  Jayden:
	  "Her official simulator score is the best in the world. Well, that's probably exaggerated."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Behind her are Momotake from COU Japan and Aysha from COU Indonesia. They're the COU's best squad, the COU Combined Military HQ's Imperial Guard Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad `Baibao'."
	  Lingji:
	  "Remember your training, and we cannot lose."
	  Momotake:
	  "Of course. As long as I still draw breath, none shall lay a finger upon our princess."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheh. I'll bet you just wanted to say that. That's why you were practicing in the bathroom earlier, right?"
	  Momotake:
	  "Wha?! N-N-N-No way, that definitely absolutely did not happen! How did you know?!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Momotake! You mustn't lose your composure before a battle."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheheh, even the princess got mad at you. Heheheheheh♪"
	  Chloe:
	  "The next three are from `Suparṇa', the COU Combined Military Central General Corps First Branch 301st Aerial Augmented Infantry squad!"
	  Lilja:
	  "All those COU people look so serious♪ I'll bet if you told them a joke, they'd just stare at you coldly and ignore you meow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Let's see if their eyes remain cold once they've been thoroughly beaten."
	  Sujatha:
	  "...I mustn't lose to anyone. Not to our enemies, not to Baibao, ...not even to my teammates."
	  Andry:
	  "Sheesh. How about you chill out a bit and have some fun? Try waving
	   Hey, everybody! If you're looking for Andry from COU Madagascar, that's me! C'mon, you wave too, Rukhi!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Huh? U-Umm?
	   ...H-Hello... I'm Rukhshana from COU Saudi Arabia..."
	  Sujatha:
	  "Stop, you two, you're embarrassing us
	   How many times do I have to tell you not to play along with the nonsense of a careless man who bears no responsibility?!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  (Aaaah, even though all I did was wave my hand when he made me... Hang in there... Hang in there, Rukhi...!)
	  Commentator:
	  "The contestants from the ABN have also arrived. As expected, they're being led by the 3 members of the ABN Peace Department's Holy 0901st Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad, `Thalathat Suyuf'!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Whoa, get a load of that pipsqueak in the front."
	  Miyao:
	  "That'll be Naima from ABN Iraq. ...From what I've heard, she's the ABN's top ace."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Our pipsqueak is quite the top ace too."
	  Miyao:
	  "You...aren't talking about me, right?"
	  Naima:
	  "Wowowow
	   Hi everyone
	   I'm from the ABN! Pleased to meet yooooou! Wowowow!"
	  Naomi:
	  "...Naima, don't get overwhelmed by the atmosphere. I'm detecting an imbalance in your cranial secretions."
	  Naima:
	  "But, but! Wowowow... Aaah, I'm so nervous and excited, my eyes keep spinning and this is so fuuuuun...wowowow...!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Take a sedative. It'll affect your performance, but we don't want you hyperventilating before the match starts."
	  Naima:
	  "Wow?! Wowow...wowow
	  ...wooooow...＠＃＄％＠＆～～..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "The Battle Standard Festival is a farce. We've already done our duty just by showing up like this."
	  Narrator:
	  "And now, we welcome the three members of the ABN Peace Department's 012th Holy Agent Corps `Yeladot Shavit'."
	  Leah:
	  "Hi there, everyone!!"
	  Fatma:
	  "We're the 012th Holy Agent Corps `Yeladot Shavit'!"
	  Stephania:
	  "Today, we'll be showing you the miracle of human harmony, friendship, and love!"
	  Leah:
	  "Look at the staff seating area! Isn't that Nathan from the Belgian Hot Choir?! I'll send you the data!"
	  Fatma:
	  "Look right next to him! Isn't that Jean from the Luxembourg Choir?!"
	  Stephania:
	  "So they really are going out! Kyaaaa♪♪♪!!"^
	  
	  Narrator:
	  "And are these cheers for the representatives of the ACR? That means we have all four participating factions present!"
	  Commentator:
	  "In front, we have `The June 1st King's Tour Memorial Squad' of the ACR Royal Aerial Knight Corps, followed by `The Queen's Cairo Visit Memorial Squad' of the ACR Combined Military First Aerial Knight Corps."
	  Rethabile:
	  "The time has finally come to show everyone the glory of the Africa Commonwealth Realm! You may prostrate yourselves before me, foolish masses of the Earth!"
	  Ishak:
	  "There's no need for you to do anything, Princess. Please leave this match in our hands."
	  Abdou:
	  "Good plan. If the Princess screws up and embarrasses us, that'll annihilate our bonuses."
	  Ishak:
	  "And if we win and tell everyone it was all thanks to the Princess' leadership, our bonuses will be doing just fine."
	  Abdou:
	  "As will our reputations."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Gaaaaaaah!! If you're gonna talk behind my back, do it where I can't hear you! I mean, don't do it!!"
	  Gannet:
	  "Look at that crowd! This is so exciting, so tense! Hey, isn't it?! Don't you feel the same, Noor? Don't you?!"
	  Noor:
	  "...Stop smothering me. Get back, you puppy. ...Sheesh, how did someone this hyperactive ever join the Aerial Knight Corps? Don't you think it's weird, Mariana?"
	  Mariana:
	  "...............I know just how you feel, Gannet. I'm feeling tense too. *pet*pet*"
	  Gannet:
	  "Hey! Don't pet me
	   I don't want anyone but cool big sis Noor to touch me!"
	  Noor:
	  "Don't touch me, puppy. Your idiocy is contagious. Let's go over there, Mariana."
	  Mariana:
	  "...Don't touch me, I hate cold-hearted people. And I love puppies. Let me pet her..."
	  Narrator:
	  "And the final group entering is the team of referees from the International Peace Mediation Association! There's First Lieutenant Valentina of the LATO Brazilian Military and First Lieutenant Maricarmen of the LATO Mexican Military! Personally, I would've preferred to see the LATO Military field a team too, but..."
	  Commentator:
	  "Well, the military and the police have been arguing over which group the Aerial Augmented Infantry should be attached to. The military won in the end, but sadly, they didn't make it in time to apply for the Festival."
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. I'm Valentina of the IPMA Military. I'll be reffing this match."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "And I'm Maricarmen! Do what we say, or you'll get showered with red cards, 'kay?"
	  Narrator:
	  "Everyone, can you believe it?! These boys and girls are the Aerial Augmented Infantry troops you've been hearing about! Armed with nothing but a single Gauntlet, they fly through the air like fighter jets! They're armed to the teeth like warships! And, they have invincible shields that can repel any sort of attack!"
	  Narrator:
	  "In other words...! It's fair to say that right here, right now, the peak of the entire world's military might has been gathered together!"
	  Commentator:
	  "Well, it is an unknown weapon whose true power has yet to be revealed. Even including today's event, their real worth hasn't been demonstrated outside of Virty. They've become part of this festival starting this year, but before that, the debate over whether this is a military event or an esport kept going on and on."
	  By equipping the cutting-edge technology called the Gauntlet, certain suitable boys and girls could fly like fighter jets, arm themselves like warships, and repel attacks like invincible tanks. ...Naturally, seasoned soldiers weren't going to just believe in something like that.
	  If things like the Aerial Augmented Infantry really existed, the whole world's air, sea, and land power would become obsolete.
	  The world's military strength wouldn't be measured by the number of soldiers, but by the number of boys and girls capable of wielding a Gauntlet.
	  For that reason, some of the spectators who were former soldiers watched on coldly or sneered at the contestants.
	  Spectator:
	  "...Hahahah. Ridiculous. Little brats flying around in the sky? Which comic are these superheroes from?"
	  Spectator:
	  "Soldiers from all over the world train fiercely to protect world peace. Don't you think it's an insult to all soldiers, allowing these kids with their esports to participate in the glorious Battle Standard Festival of Peace...?"
	  Spectator:
	  "This Gauntlet tech is suspicious from the start. You just know those researchers are eating through their budget based on some on-paper theory..."
	  The older they were, the more they glowered.
	  On the other hand, everyone who was still a minor was held transfixed.
	  Just by putting something on your left arm, you could soar freely through the sky with unstoppable power!
	  Any child would be awed by that.
	  And the adults told them to abandon those stupid dreams and study, since it was all fake.
	  There was more than a little prejudice behind the adults' emotions.
	  Who wouldn't want to fly freely in the sky? If the adults had been able to equip these Gauntlets, they would surely have latched onto this new tech happily.
	  However, to use a Gauntlet, you needed "brains" capable of performing a Dreissig Conversion on Spiritium.
	  And most importantly, in order to fly in the sky and use your equipment at will, you needed quite a lot of parallel processing ability.
	  You couldn't display such talent without receiving special training and personal experiences from a very young age.
	  In other words, everyone over a certain age, whose childhood had ended before the necessary technology and training had existed, was automatically disqualified from being a Gauntlet candidate.
	  The young could fly freely, depending on their training and aptitude, but the adults could never do it.
	  Furthermore, the combat capability they had honed after long and arduous training...was no match for the Dimension Container.
	  You could hardly blame them for having an inferiority complex.
	  Those who had achieved their current position after harsh training glared most coldly of all at the kids calling themselves Gauntlet Knights...
	  Okonogi:
	  "...Dammit. What the hell am I doing, babysitting e-gamer brats like this...? You're telling me each one of these runts has the same military potential as an aircraft carrier...? If that's true, this planet's screwed..."
	  Okonogi, who was serving as an instructor for the Aerial Augmented Infantry this year, bore an imposing array of medals on his chest.
	  Each one was an honorable award, proving that he had withstood grueling training and given all he could for his nation and international peace...
	  Okonogi:
	  "Well, whether it's esports or video games, ...they bear the same burden we do. That means...I've just gotta whip them into shape. Heheheh..."
	  Narrator:
	  "Oooh, is that Contestant Koshka of the AOU? That was quite a yawn. I guess she must feel confident."
	  You've got 2 emails poyo!
	  #e7e7e7"Captain Okonogi, the Director General saw Koshka yawning just now, and he is pissed!"@
	  #e7e7e7"Okonogi, is it not your job to see to the health of our contestants? She's actually yawning, isn't she?!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "...Aaaaah, you stupid equipmeeeeent... Now I'm getting raked over the coals, just because Chloe can't do her job right...!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Achhhoooo...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Your sneezes are always so fun to watch. Are you okay?"
	  Chloe:
	  "My nose is all itchy for some reason. And so is the top of my head... Waaccho!!"
	  The room was dimly lit.
	  However, that darkness covered dignified furnishings which evidenced wealth and status, reminiscent of the kings of Europe's feudal age.
	  The ceiling was high enough to be swallowed in blackness, as if it were a realm of the gods that humans could never reach.
	  And yet, the most distinguishing feature of the room was that it was triangular.
	  So was the solemn-looking table standing at its center.
	  And on all three sides...sat the kings.
	  They were shrouded by crowns and masks, obscuring their identities. Their hands were covered by white gloves, so you couldn't even tell their race or the color of their skin.
	  And their voices had been altered by something like a voice changer.
	  However, the fact that their suits were of the finest quality...and that even just sitting there, their class and majesty couldn't be mistaken, left little doubt that they deserved to be called kings...
	  They appeared to be watching the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace's competition between Aerial Augmented Infantry units through their mental displays...
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "So, ...tools of murder have finally risen to levels like this."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "It is deplorable... The masses are like babies. ...They ignorantly turn whatever they touch into toys. ...They don't even try to learn what those things are."
	  King of Fury:
	  "...All the better then. The common man's role is not to know. It is merely to obey the guidance of their king."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Thank you, Jestress. Turn off the broadcast."
	  Jestress:
	  "As you wish. After all, mental displays can be quite tiring for the elderly. *giggle*"
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Hahahah... Well, even I drew on a mental tablet with my granddaughter when she was young."
	  Jestress:
	  "You've been blessed with a wonderful granddaughter. How gracious of her, to play along at the dawdling pace of a decrepit mind. *giggle*giggle*"
	  Kings:
	  ""Hahahahahahahahahahahah...""
	  This girl, who at first glance might have been a secretary, teased the kings with her harsh words.
	  However, the kings seemed to enjoy the foul tongue of this girl, who must have been even younger than their own granddaughters.
	  ...Kings who rule at the top and are feared by all people rarely get taunted or made fun of.
	  And so, ...their culture had long since led them to place an irreverent expositor in their company.
	  This person was known as the court jester.
	  Jestress. ...Her name clearly referred to a female jester.
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "How stubborn humans are."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Indeed... Even when you try to eradicate them, many survive and restore their numbers in the blink of an eye. Just like locusts. Heheheh..."
	  King of Fury:
	  "It would seem merely `trying' is not enough..."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "...Unfortunately, that's how it is. ...Even if you completely destroy everything, a few human seeds will remain."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Noah's ark failed because they let the craftsmen on too, instead of keeping it to just Noah's family..."
	  King of Fury:
	  "This time, we must truly return civilization back to square one. Even if we do, I imagine that humans will regain their civilization in just a few centuries."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "But that is fine. ...After all, we'll be able to put distance between them and civilization's end. Well now, Jestress."
	  Jestress:
	  "Yes, sire."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Give us today's report. Is everything going smoothly...?"
	  Jestress:
	  "Yes, sire. I've received a report from the Grand Master of the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order, your faithful servant who's far more useful than you old farts. They've succeeded in sneaking members of the Order into ace Gauntlet Knight units from all four factions."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "...Oh? ...So, the Battle Standard Festival children we just saw..."
	  King of Fury:
	  "The four factions sent six members each, for a total of 24 people. ...If there's one in each group, that means four of our pieces have been inserted, yes?"
	  Jestress:
	  "*giggle*giggle* Now, we just have to wait for you three to finally make up your minds."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Has there been any trouble guiding public opinion in each country?"
	  Jestress:
	  "Of course not. ...Our talented comrades are hiding in media outlets around the world. ...All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "...Have you still not found their research center?"
	  Jestress:
	  "We still have the bait that the mighty King of Ridicule granted us, but so far, nothing has tugged on the line."
	  King of Fury:
	  "What a cheap move. ...If we could catch them by the tail that easily, it would be silly of us to go to all this effort in the first place."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Heheheh. Don't be like that. If you never gamble, you'll never win."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Then we'll wait for good news without hoping for it... After all, fishing requires the patience of a king."
	  Jestress:
	  "If there's any movement, I'll report it at once."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Now then, gentlemen..."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Civilization's end...is drawing near. We cannot fail again. This time, we must succeed."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Even letting loose that many WMDs across the world wasn't enough. They're locusts, after all, heheheheh..."
	  King of Fury:
	  "This is our last chance, gentlemen. Our last chance to make use of God's plan...and return the fate of humanity to human hands. ...We absolutely must not fail."
	  Jestress:
	  "As you wish. ...All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  Kings:
	  """In the name of guiding humanity down the right path..."""
	  #e7e7e7"To my beloved Lady Jestress."
	  #e7e7e7"Those people must view the boys and girls of the Aerial Augmented Infantry as the most interesting guinea pigs in existence."@
	  #e7e7e7"If I remain concealed here, they'll surely try to contact me in some way."@
	  #e7e7e7"If anything happens, I'll report on it immediately."
	  Narrator:
	  "Finally, the match between Aerial Augmented Infantry aces from all factions is about to begin! The first event is an attack on a fictional military base! They'll compete on points in many areas, including the efficiency of their attacks and the time taken!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Lilja, Koshka, be serious when the actual match starts, okay?! If you don't, I really, really will use my trump caaaaaaaaaard!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I like breaking things. If there's a plate with so many breakable things in front of me-"
	  Lilja:
	  "There's no way I wouldn't dig in meow meoooooow♪!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "All squads are in excellent condition. We can do this!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I, Supergenius Jayden, guarantee it! With us Warcats and the freaks of Grave Mole together, we're the ultimate team!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah, the six of us are the best of comrades, and nothing can shake our bonds of trust! Let's do it!!!"
	  #e7e7e7"All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  #ffdbdbOne message has been sent to "Jestress".
	  
	   new room has been created poyo!
	  What would you like to call this room poyo?
	  Miyao:
	  "...What should we pick? ...I suck at stuff like this."
	  Jayden:
	  "Does it matter? Just call it the Warcat Room."
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, but...what kind of room should we make it?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Just whatever. Go ahead and copy the data from our hotel's banquet room."
	  Miyao:
	  "Nah, that'd be boring. They've come all the way out to Japan for this International Battle Standard Festival thing. Do you even care about being a good host? Anyway, what is it non-Japanese people want to visit in Japan?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Kyoto, obviously. They can't visit there now even if they want to, so they'll like it, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Aah, you can't use Kyoto's data in Japan."
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh, right, that thing. Every country's so strict these days."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "Is everything ready over there? I'm about to bring everyone over."
	  Jayden:
	  "Ah, crap, we've gotta hurry. Let's just do something from the hotel! Where do Japanese people like to relax after a match?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, ...when we're done with work, we take a bath, I guess."
	  Jayden:
	  "Ah, perfect! Japanese inns always have big public baths as their selling point, right? That'll do nicely."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmmmmmmm. Something about that seems wrong, ...but okay."
	  Jayden:
	  "I've pulled the public bath data from our hotel's website."
	  Miyao:
	  "Got it. ...So, something like this?"
	  Miyao manipulated several things on his mental tablet, and the dark world instantly became the public bath of the hotel where the AOU Japan athletes were staying.
	  There was an open air bath on the outside and a sauna on the inside. A splendid example of a Japanese-style public bath.
	  Personally, Miyao felt it would be really weird to have a post-match celebration in a public bath.
	  However, Jayden said this was so much more Japanese, so he gave in reluctantly.
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "Is the room ready? Please tell me its name."
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, random it is then..."
	  Room name: It's a Wrap Public Bath
	  Roger that poyo! You have created "It's a Wrap Public Bath" poyo!
	  Jayden:
	  "What's up with that name, hahah!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, you think up a better one!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Ooooh. That's incredible. You made it the bath at our hotel, huh? Too bad I'm my avatar and can't take my clothes off."
	  Jayden:
	  "I mean, you could just put on a naked mod."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Ooh?! Amazing! If you put your foot in the bath, you can actually feel the hot water!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I figured there'd be no point making it a bath if you didn't reproduce it with at least that much detail."
	  Someone wants to enter the room poyo! Will you give them access poyo?
	  Gunhild:
	  "Ah, everyone's here. Miyao, please give them access."
	  Miyao:
	  "Sure!"
	  When Miyao gave them access, the `enemies' they'd just been fighting to the death against appeared one by one near the bath.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Thanks for coming, everyone! Please relax!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Whew, they really came..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I mean, I'm still not sure about this. ...If those COU guys ask who the Glass Sea belongs to, what should we do? ...I'd rather not start a deathmatch when the competition's already over..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Same here! One moment I start saying the Atlantis Spirit Field is on the high seas, so the ACR can't keep it all for themselves, and the next we're kicking off World War IV!"
	  Lingji:
	  "I'm Lingji of COU China, the captain of Baibao Squad. I thank you for inviting me here."
	  Momotake:
	  "...How shameless, to hold a party in a public bath. As I suspected, the people of AOU Japan have lost their Japanese souls..."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh. Who knows, maybe she'll change into a nude avatar to match the scene?"
	  Momotake:
	  "H-How shameless can one be?! Princess, you need not remain in this undignified room a second longer!"
	  Lingji:
	  "True, it would be undignified to enter a bathhouse with a clothed avatar. Oh, but didn't I have a bath towel avatar?"
	  Momotake:
	  "Princess, you mustn't, noooooooooooooooooooo!!!"^
	  
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh. Thanks for the invitation. I'm Aysha from COU Indonesia. This red-faced weirdo is Momotake from COU Japan."
	  Sujatha:
	  "I'm Sujatha of COU India, captain of Suparṇa Squad."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "I'm Rukhshana from COU Saudi Arabia..."
	  Andry:
	  "I'm Andry, Suparṇa's peacemaker. Hey there, woo! Oh, I'm from COU Madagascar. ...Racially, I'm closer to that guy and gal, but a bunch of stuff happened, and I'm in the COU's faction. Nice to meet you."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Perhaps we should avoid the topic of the Mozambique Channel dispute today. I'm Rethabile, leader of Squad 601, from ACR South Africa."
	  Ishak:
	  "I'm Ishak from ACR Algeria, serving as Princess Rethabile's caretaker and guard."
	  Abdou:
	  "And I'm Abdou from ACR Senegal. If you notice anything strange about the princess, whisper it to us instead of telling her directly. Too much honesty can be painful, after all."
	  Rethabile:
	  "There's nothing there! I didn't even spill any sauce or breadcrumbs today! You ought to praise me!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Princess Rethabile is a member of the African Royal Family."
	  Miyao:
	  "I never thought I'd see a princess in this day and age..."
	  Noor:
	  "I'm Noor of the ACR First Aerial Knight Corps, the Cairo Memorial Squad. I'm from ACR Egypt. This cool, mysterious girl is Mariana from ACR Angola."
	  Mariana:
	  "...Don't touch me so casually. I'm Mariana. ...This fluffy little cutie is Gannet from ACR Ethiopia. ...*pet*pet*... ...Don't run away..."
	  Gannet:
	  "Stop petting my head
	   Only big sis Noor gets to pet me!"
	  Noor:
	  "Stop smothering me."
	  Mariana:
	  "Don't touch me, Noor.
	   ...Don't run away, Gannet."
	  Stephania:
	  "Oh my god, those three are sooo yuri♪"
	  Fatma:
	  "Yuri is love's purest form! Neither countries nor factions nor continents can stand in its way!"
	  Leah:
	  "We're the ABN's 012th Holy Agent Corps `Yeladot Shavit'!"
	  Stephania:
	  "The three of us will-"
	  Fatma:
	  "Show you humanity's greatest miracle of harmony!!"
	  Their particular brand of excitement left the strait-laced COU stunned, as well as Miyao and those from the AOU.
	  Stanisław:
	  "They're also in charge of PR for the kids. Basically, they do pop idol stuff too. Leah is from ABN Israel, Fatma is from ABN Turkey, and Stephania is from ABN Romania. I'm Stanisław from ABN Poland, part of the ABN Peace Department's Holy 0901st Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad, Thalathat Suyuf. This is my colleague, Naomi."
	  Naomi:
	  "...Pleased to meet you. I'm Naomi from ABN France. ...And...Naima? Stop being embarrassed and greet everyone."
	  Naima:
	  "Wowowowow!
	   ...I-I'm so sorry I went so wild in the match just now! Please forgive me, everyone! Wowowoooow!!"
	  Lingji:
	  "No, it is I who must apologize. I judged you by your appearance and underestimated you."
	  Rethabile:
	  "You there, Naima. Manners dictate that a champion act like a champion in front of the losers. Hold your head up high, so that the losers may speak proudly of the one who defeated them when they return home."
	  Naima:
	  "I know, but...but......I want to find a hole to crawl into, wowowoooow!!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "You're far too self-deprecating. We don't want you losing sleep from self-hatred again. Naomi."
	  Naomi:
	  "I'll give her a tiny bit of anti-anxiety meds."
	  Naima:
	  "Wow?
	   Wowowowowoooooow...
	   How'd you like that?/
	   Naima, the invincible girl, is the strongest in the world! Woooooow♪"
	  Lilja:
	  "And...! I'm the beautiful fairy girl from AOU Finland, Lilja meooow♪ This lame hick is Koshka from AOU Russia."
	  Koshka:
	  "...Shut up. I wouldn't mind letting loose right here, right now."
	  Bzzzt!
	  You do not have permission to engage in combat in this room poyo.
	  Koshka:
	  "...Figures. That's no fun..."
	  Chloe:
	  "Sorry we're late! I'm Chloe from AOU Canada, a member of Grave Mole! I got the room name wrong and had trouble getting in!"
	  Lilja:
	  "She tried to get into It's a Wrap Public Lust. Hilarious meow♪"
	  Jayden:
	  "How does that even..."
	  Chloe:
	  "But that's how my Kizuna converted the word into text! It was just a minor conversion bug!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Oh my. That must mean you use the word `lust' a lot."
	  Chloe:
	  "That's not true, waaaaaah＞＜!!"
	  Andry:
	  "Hahahahah! I get it, it's just a bit of Japanese magic, huh? In Japanese, `bathhouse' and `lust' are both pronounced 'yokujou', and it got converted the wrong way."
	  Abdou:
	  "Personally, I think the `lust' version would've worked too."
	  Ishak:
	  "It's a bunch of boys and girls in a public bath, after all. Too bad we're all using avatars."
	  Jayden:
	  "Then why don't we meet up offline right now? In proper attire for a bathhouse, of course."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Aaaahh... Stop that, Rukhi. Don't turn red just because someone said `lust'...!"
	  Leah:
	  "It's a Wrap Public Lust, huh?! Eeeek! That's gotta mean those machos from the ACR, right?!"
	  Fatma:
	  "You mean Ishak's and Abdou's black bodies intertwined?!"
	  Stephania:
	  "Nah, he's gotta be wrapped around Stanisław!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "You can call me Stan."
	  Sujatha:
	  "This is giving me a headache. ...What a vulgar bunch."
	  Naomi:
	  "Would you care for some headache medicine? I can send you the best preparation data."
	  Momotake:
	  "Princess, let us depart at once! This place is entirely unsuitable for one such as you!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Is everyone in COU Japan a samurai with a topknot these days...?"
	  Lingji:
	  "No. Momotake is just like that, for some reason. It's strange, he didn't start out that way."
	  Naima:
	  "Wowowow♪
	  langen@^ Aaah, this bath feels so niiice♪ Going into a bath in your clothes would be weird, so I'll go look for an avatar without them♪"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Hold on, a maiden's skin mustn't be exposed to anyone but her fated partner
	   Hey, someone from the ABN! Stop her!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...This looks fun, so I'll send Naima some body data for a naked avatar."
	  Lilja:
	  "Should I send her a super-flat loli-loli, or a short stack loli?♪"
	  Gannet:
	  "Big sis Noor, let me hug yooou!"
	  Noor:
	  "Hey, I told you to stop being so clingy! Gah, and all I want to do is hug Mariana!"
	  Mariana:
	  "...Hands off, Noor. I wanna pet and fluff Gannet now."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheheheh... As I thought, even though our countries are different, we can be friends if we gather together like this♪"
	  To be honest, all of them had secretly wanted to gather together like this, across faction lines.
	  However, ...once you stepped outside of your faction, it opened up the possibility for all kinds of touchy subjects, like border disputes and historical issues.
	  They were youths of this era, so they were fully aware that all sides had things they wanted to say.
	  And, they were more than a little afraid of encountering the kind of fierce debates you saw on social networking sites.
	  However, when they finally met, ...not a single person said anything like that out loud.
	  In truth, before coming here, some of them had been eager to question their political opponents on various issues, arguing them down.
	  The AOU and the COU had the Central Glass Sea of Japan border dispute.
	  The COU and the ABN had the Kashmir Spirit Field joint development dispute.
	  The ABN and the ACR had the dispute over ABN occupying forces based in the northern African continent.
	  The ACR and the AOU had the Atlantis Spirit Field dispute.
	  And then there was the issue of AOU Russia interfering with ABN Ukraine, and COU Madagascar and ACR Mozambique's conflict over the Mozambique Channel...
	  It might get confusing with all those initials, ...but simply put, every faction always had some issue with every other faction.
	  Even though soldiers around the world were supposedly warriors of peace who held up the Walls of Peace together...
	  ...Everyone had been a bit unsure whether they'd really be able to get along if they interacted directly.
	  However, when they actually met, it was like this.
	  Everyone thought the same thing in their hearts.
	  There may be a lot of problems in this world.
	  There's no helping it. National borders don't just divide the world into countries, but into sets of principles and opinions as well.
	  Borders aren't evil.
	  They're like the walls of a water tank. Land animals live on one side, and water animals live on the other.
	  If you lose your national borders, then you lose the walls of that tank.
	  All the land animals will drown, and the ocean animals will lose their water and die.
	  In the first place, it's arrogant to assume that all life should live the same way.
	  You have to admit that even humans live in different cultures, with different lifestyles, in different ecosystems.
	  So, if national borders are necessary, you must admit that principles and opinions can be different when you cross those borders.
	  Just leave arguing about such issues to diplomats and internet patriots.
	  All of these people were born in different countries and attached to different factions.
	  And yet, today, in this place, they were all friends who had worked hard to become Gauntlet Knights for the sake of peace, or at least because of their fascination with the sky.
	  After meeting like this, they were all able to think that.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Hey, who here uses Kizuna?"
	  Everyone raised their hands.
	  Kizuna was a free communication tool developed by a Japanese business.
	  Its main function was conversation translation.
	  Countless similar programs competed for market share, and in the end, Kizuna had been declared the winner.
	  The Japanese company that made it was just a small collection of young people, so small that they'd be conceited to even call themselves a company.
	  At first, its capabilities and all other aspects of it were nowhere near as efficient as those produced by massive corporations around the world.
	  Furthermore, tools like this made people react like imprinting chicks, in that they tended to always use the first tool they installed and were used to.
	  That was why massive corporations created several tools aimed at youngsters.
	  ...However, in the end, those youngsters turned their backs on all those tools.
	  Of course the young wouldn't be swayed by features pushed on them by old people, resting on their laurels while scheming to gain an economic advantage.
	  They always had ATM-type features, greedy service contracts with cancellation fees, and so on.
	  In the end, those convenient features always came at the cost of being dragged into some paid service, or else having your data collected. The usual malicious things adults did.
	  In that environment, the simple tool called Kizuna spread by word of mouth to more and more young people everywhere.
	  The circle of youngsters wanting to support it spread across the world, and young engineers from all over the planet cultivated it.
	  In this way, the tool youngsters used to translate conversations, Kizuna, was created solely by the young.
	  It was passed around by young people all over the world, and now it had the greatest usage rates everywhere, at least among the young.
	  The massive corporations realized their mistake and tried to buy up Kizuna, ...but the tool created by the young and for the young never fell into the hands of greedy adults...
	  To this very day, Kizuna helps to translate conversations between young people who speak different languages.
	  Even now, young people around the world continue to strengthen its translation and dictionary capabilities, making it capable of translating even modern slang.
	  As could be seen here, people from dozens of countries were speaking frankly in their native languages, but it was all being automatically and quite smoothly translated by the Kizuna apps each of them had installed.
	  No one had problems communicating.
	  Long gone were the days when language was a barrier to forming friendships.
	  Of course, it could do more than just translate.
	  It also had a familiar chat feature, a mini-blog feature, and the ability to upload photos for self-satisfaction or to brag, and much more.
	  In short, it used a mental tablet and mental display to directly do the things old humanity had used smartphones for.
	  And, it all happened inside that person's head, so outsiders couldn't see what they were doing. No one could tell if they had it activated during class.
	  When adults activated it, it took all their concentration, so they couldn't use it well.
	  However, kids of the new generation were used to "background operation".
	  People in the generation that did their homework while watching TV might remember their parents telling them to turn the TV off, since they wouldn't be able to concentrate.
	  However, even at that time, they could watch TV, listen to music, and do their homework, while simultaneously texting on their smartphones.
	  Kids these days were very proficient at that sort of parallel processing, which allowed them to do many tasks at once.
	  Once they reached a certain skill level, kids like this were called Parallel Processors, and their ability was measured in units of Parallel Processor Power, or P3.
	  This sort of ability couldn't be mastered unless they received special training before a certain age.
	  Not only was that talent necessary for using high-tech weapons like Gauntlets, but it was thought to be a likely requirement for unknown technologies that might come into existence in the future.
	  For that reason, in countries across the world, parallel thinking training from a young age was made mandatory as a matter of national policy.
	  This was the first generation.
	  The people here represented those with the highest parallel processing power from several countries...
	  And so, it was normal for them to communicate through Kizuna, even while on the job.
	  Technically, they were forbidden from playing with tools like that, so they could concentrate on their work, but...
	  Well, you couldn't tell someone was using a tool inside their brain just by looking at them. On top of that, they were talented Parallel Processors, so using Kizuna on the side didn't distract them at all.
	  Soldiers from all countries were forbidden from using Kizuna, but they all did.
	  On the contrary, they preferred the youth-targeted, easy-to-use Kizuna to the inflexible military communication tools that had been built for adult reasons, and they often chatted with Kizuna during missions.
	  Miyao:
	  "Wait, so we're all using Kizuna? I thought each country had its own tool."
	  Lingji:
	  "Kizuna is convenient, and its stickers and icons are really cute."
	  So cute poyo! *kero*kero*kero*!
	  Naima:
	  "I use the Keropoyo stickers and stuff too. They're so cute, wowowow♪"
	  I'm Keropoyo, the Outie Frog poyopoyo♪
	  My hobbies are sleeping, eating, and dancing poyo!
	  If you have any questions about Kizuna features, ask me whenever you like poyo!
	  If you ask how to delete me, I'll send all the pictures stored in your mental My Picks to your friends poyo!
	  
	  Leah:
	  "I use the hottie icons!"
	  Abdou:
	  "Well, when all the girls are using a tool, we guys have to use it too."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "The tools from our country are all so stuffy..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "The tools in the ABN have no spark to them, so they aren't too popular."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I really should be using a tool from my country, but this is so easy and convenient that I keep using it."
	  Sujatha:
	  "I don't really care which tool I use, but everyone around me uses Kizuna, so I reluctantly gave in..."
	  Lilja:
	  "I used to use something else. But I switched over because everyone I knew used Kizuna meow."
	  Gannet:
	  "Kizuna has so many free games!"
	  Mariana:
	  "...I make friends just to get hearts in WanyaDora."
	  Koshka:
	  "Me too."
	  Fatma:
	  "Oh, you do WanyaDora?/
	   Hey, hey, who's your main?!"
	  Noor:
	  "Heheheh. I use an ultra-rare Wanyanus I built up into a counter stop."
	  Stephania:
	  "Kyaaaa♪ We've got ourselves an addict! I'll send you reinforcements, so tell me your ID!!"
	  Momotake:
	  "The rules forbid it, ...but the princess likes Kizuna, so..."
	  Ishak:
	  "So basically, everyone else uses it, so you wanna use it too, and that's how it spread across the world."
	  Aysha:
	  "My, my. It's as though `kizuna' -- or interpersonal bonds -- have tied friends from around the world together. What a wonderful thing. Heheheh."
	  Jayden:
	  "You say that, ...but you all still have the ad blocker installed, don't you?"
	  Everyone around him raised their hands at once and burst out laughing.
	  Chloe:
	  "I'm the only one who doesn't have one?! Someone, tell me where I can find a good app＞＜!"
	  Naomi:
	  "If you don't mind using one from the ABN, ...I can link you to a download site."
	  Andry:
	  "Nice, nice. By the way, since we're all here, why don't we all send each other friend requests?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm... Sounds good. There's no rule saying you can't friend someone from another faction, right?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "There is, but interactions on Kizuna are practically unregulated."
	  Jayden:
	  "Now that sounds interesting. Sure. I'll grant people from the other factions the honor of friending Supergenius Jayden!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Wanna make a friend request? Umm, Lieutenant Lingji...?"
	  Lingji:
	  "I would be happy to accept, Lieutenant Miyao, ace from the AOU."
	  Miyao:
	  "You can just call me Miyao."
	  Lingji:
	  "Then please call me Lingji."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're quite the ace yourself, Lingji. Let's fight again sometime!"
	  Lingji:
	  "I'd also like to try joining forces and fighting against an AI opponent."
	  Everyone started exchanging friend requests with the people closest to them.
	  Peace and harmony. Hard to think of a better phrase to describe it.
	  It would've felt extremely strange to enter the water itself with clothed avatars, so people formed groups here and there, dipping their feet in like it was a foot bath and chatting happily.
	  However, the open air bath was unsurprisingly the most popular spot.
	  This place had an ocean view that was absolutely beautiful.
	  Thanks to the Luminous 8MS, the fantastical blue of the vast Glass Sea could be seen even in the darkness.
	  However, its beauty was hollow, ...and it made everyone feel a bit sentimental.
	  The site of this year's Festival, the Gifu Prefecture of AOU Japan, ...didn't originally have a view of the sea.
	  The sea they were looking at wasn't filled with salt water, but with earth that had all melted to glass after experiencing unimaginable heat...
	  During World War III, Japan had been hit by a single solar warhead.
	  Everything in a vast area stretching from central Gifu to Osaka had evaporated. All of it had melted, hardened, and turned into a desolate ocean of glass.
	  That one strike had split the Japanese archipelago in half...
	  It was fantastical, beautiful, ...and also the scar from a fearsome war, where masses of people had instantly evaporated.
	  However, ...what's truly interesting...is that no one present here knew who had created this Glass Sea.
	  On the contrary, they didn't even know which countries had fought which in World War III, or what had started it. They didn't even know the details of how it had resolved itself in the end.
	  Of course, you couldn't find this information by searching for it on the net.
	  After all, memories from World War III had been sealed off from the entire world.
	  Naomi:
	  "...Why did humanity choose not to learn from its mistakes?"
	  Sujatha:
	  "Probably because we finally realized that our foolishness makes learning pointless."
	  Gunhild:
	  "There are as many histories as there are people who tell it. ...Eventually, individual histories will contradict each other, providing fuel for new fires."
	  Mariana:
	  "...Just forgetting everything is better than giving rise to new hatred..."
	  In the B3W era, intense historical research into wars had taken place across the planet, ostensibly to prevent war from repeating again.
	  However, ...in the end, humans are only capable of interpreting history in ways that suit themselves.
	  As a result, recorded history began to change depending on each person's, country's and faction's needs.
	  A long time later, these histories began to bump into each other, and everyone started criticizing everyone else.
	  In short, the research that was supposed to stop war from repeating became the fuel for new wars...
	  And so, when on the brink of extinction, humanity picked a certain option for the first time.
	  It decided not to write down the history of the war.
	  What countries fought in World War III, for what reason, and how did they destroy the world? All of that information was carefully sealed.
	  All this generation knew was that World War III had happened, and that humanity had almost gone extinct.
	  They only knew that, as a result of the war, many places throughout the world had been scarred so badly that even the topography had changed.
	  Miyao:
	  "These days, ...we don't even know what World War III was or why it happened."
	  Lingji:
	  "...Do you want to know?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Rethabile:
	  "At this point, there's no need to know."
	  Naima:
	  "Yeah... After all, if we did know, ...everyone here might not be able to get along... Wow..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, even if I found out right now, I wouldn't let it bother me."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Yeah. I agree. Even if our countries were going at it, that has nothing to do with the people here now."
	  Jayden:
	  "My America and Miyao's Japan fought all out in World War II. But that doesn't stand in the way of our friendship."
	  Miyao and Jayden high-fived in a way that showed they were men who knew each other well.
	  Naima:
	  "My country had a war with America too, but I just want to be friends with Jayden. ...Wow."
	  Lingji:
	  "Well, me too. ...I have no desire to crudely demand that Miyao apologize for the Sino-Japanese War. It isn't as though Miyao ever attacked us. We hadn't even been born yet."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. ...The friendship of the people here shouldn't be affected by things like countries, histories, or the past."
	  Gunhild:
	  "And that's why, ...as we look at this Glass Sea, there's just one thing we all need to remember."
	  Miyao:
	  "...One thing?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If people all over the world become friends, ...a terrifying `ocean' like this will never appear again."
	  Currently, historical research of World War III was only acceptable as an exception among exceptions inside special research institutions. Even trying to learn about it was a crime.
	  In recent years, even investigating the region of AOU Japan that had been evaporated by a solar warhead had been added to this taboo.
	  So, pictures and even old maps of Japan's beloved and beautiful ancient capital, Kyoto, had been banned.
	  Eventually, the simple fact that a beautiful city called Kyoto had existed would probably fade from memory.
	  If that was a necessary sacrifice to prevent another war...
	  Then just how horrible is war? ...And how horrible are humans, who can't help but push towards war?
	  Japan and America, which fought in World War II, did develop a strong friendship following the war.
	  However, some have argued that this was simply because that relationship was necessary in the Cold War that followed.
	  In the end, as long as countries lead people by the nose, ...it may be fair to say that everything happens for the convenience of those countries, regardless of whether people end up hating each other or becoming friends.
	  As for this fantastical, blue, beautiful Glass Sea...
	  Everyone had chosen to ignore the fact that crowds of people had evaporated and died here in an instant.
	  Maybe they had finally accepted that humans aren't creatures who can learn, ...but creatures who hate each other and long for war.
	  Miyao:
	  "Listen, everyone."
	  Miyao shook his head slightly, regaining his bright expression, then stood up and spoke to everyone.
	  Oddly, despite how many people were here, they all had the same look on their faces.
	  Miyao:
	  "You know, we may be from different countries and different factions. ...And who knows how this world is gonna turn out."
	  Lingji:
	  "...But no matter how much time passes, and no matter what happens, I'd like for us to be friends."
	  Lingji felt exactly the same. And so did everyone else.
	  They all looked at each other and nodded.
	  Naomi:
	  "...I agree. We're all friends supporting the Walls of Peace together."
	  Noor:
	  "Someday, we may meet again as enemies... But still..."
	  Chloe:
	  "We'll still be friends＞＜!"
	  Momotake:
	  "...Indeed. There is a great difference between opposing each other with hatred...and doing so with friendship and respect despite our differing factions."
	  Stanisław:
	  "In the first place, our sole mission is to give those old politicians time to cool their heads and resolve disputes."
	  Lilja:
	  "Yeah meow. I don't wanna start killing each other because some old person orders me to meow meooow."
	  Rukhshana:
	  (That's right, Rukhi... We aren't the adults' pawns...!)
	  Ishak:
	  "Exactly. There's no need for us to kill each other. We just have to buy time...so those old people can chill their boiling heads."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh. That's not something a soldier should even say."
	  Gunhild:
	  "We're comrades supporting the Walls of Peace before we're soldiers."
	  Andry:
	  "That's right. We didn't come here because we wanted a war. We're here because war's no joke."
	  Gannet:
	  "Even if there is a war, we should resolve it with matches and games like today!"
	  By now, everyone had the same feeling, ...the same words on the tips of their tongues.
	  Miyao, the one who had brought up this subject, spoke those words aloud before anyone else.
	  Miyao:
	  "No matter what the world...what those asshole adults say, we definitely won't kill each other."
	  Sujatha:
	  "So, ...you don't think that would be impossible? While still carrying out our duties as soldiers?"
	  Naima:
	  "If your shield breaks, you should surrender willingly and retreat! And you should never chase after people when they do that! Wow!"
	  Abdou:
	  "After all, our left arms are so valuable, they can't afford to let us get shot down needlessly."
	  Jayden:
	  "That's right. Even the IPMA says you can't attack an enemy who's lost the will to fight."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Does that just apply to those of us present? ...It doesn't, right?"
	  Stephania:
	  "My friends' friends are all my friends!"
	  Leah:
	  "Let's have our friends and everyone else's friends all be friends!"
	  Fatma:
	  "At this moment, all the Gauntlet Knights in the world just became friends!"
	  Mariana:
	  "...I'll make my friend list visible to all of you."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I second that. I'll make my whole friend list visible too."
	  Koshka:
	  "...I don't have any friends."
	  Miyao:
	  "Then start packing your friend list today! You'll have so many WanyaDora hearts, you won't know what to do with them."
	  Koshka:
	  "Ooh... Okay then..."
	  Of course, just sending a friend request didn't automatically make them best buddies.
	  They were probably doing it partly out of politeness, sort of like exchanging business cards.
	  And anyway, what did it really mean to send a friend request to someone from a different country, whose face you've never seen?
	  However, even if it was just a formality...
	  At this very moment, ...all the young Gauntlet Knights, who wielded the cutting edge of the world's military might, ...were joined by bonds of friendship.
	  Naomi:
	  "So instead of the Tennis Court Oath, it's a Public Bath Oath."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheheh. Then let's make an oath, just like Jacques-Louis David's famous painting."
	  --We are friends and allies supporting the Walls of Peace. We will never hurt our friends.
	  As everyone took an oath-making pose of their own choosing, they swore to hold true to the same sentiment...
	  Miyao:
	  "We're all friends...!"
	  --Hahahah, hahahahahahahahahhahaah......
	  Miyao:
	  "Hahahahahahahahahahahah...!"
	  What's...so funny...?
	  Miyao:
	  "...Who are you calling friends? ...You say you'll never kill each other, when that's all your job is...? Hahahahah, ahahahahahahahah!!"
	  What's so funny...? What's so funny...?!
	  Miyao:
	  "You're the one who's going to be doing the killing. You are."
	  I'm going to kill...? Who...?!!
	  Right over there, "I" am sending WanyaDora hearts to Koshka.
	  Koshka is gaping at how many hearts she's received.
	  Across from us, Lingji is installing WanyaDora with Miyao's referral ID...
	  Miyao:
	  "Take those two you're happily chatting with right now."
	  Koshka? Lingji? What about them...?!
	  Miyao:
	  "You're going to kill them. You are, by your own hands."
	  Why?!! Why would I...kill my comrades?! Like Koshka?! Or Lingji?!
	  Miyao:
	  "...Did you forget? ...To kill, to destroy. ...That's the sole reason you were created in the first place."
	  I don't...understand!
	  Who even are you?! Why do you look like me?!
	  Miyao:
	  "I am you. I'm one of the many `yous' inside you. ...And, because I know the horrifying reason you were created, ...I've come to put a stop to it, ...as your inner conscience."
	  What are you talking about...? I don't get it!
	  Miyao:
	  "You are an object worthy of hatred. ...You were created for the sole purpose of killing and destroying. Any other actions you take are merely steps along the path to achieving your final goal. ...I'll say it again. You're a cursed creature, created only to kill and destroy."
	  Are you kidding me...?! Don't decide that on your own!!
	  I'm Mitake Miyao! I always have and always will live by my own willpower!
	  So I was created to kill and destroy, huh? I don't know what you're talking about! No one ever ordered me to do something like that! Even if they did, like hell I'd obey them!
	  Miyao:
	  "And yet, ...you already are a Gauntlet Knight."
	  So what...?!
	  Miyao:
	  "Gauntlet Knights are individuals with the firepower of a warship, the ultimate cutting edge of military might. You're steadily preparing for your goal of death and destruction..."
	  Th-That's not why I became a Gauntlet Knight!
	  I just wanted to fly! That's why I made it my goal to become one!
	  Well, it's true that I was able to choose that path because Dad had me undergo Parallel Processor training ever since I was a baby, but...
	  Miyao:
	  "Let me tell you a bit about your future."
	  Miyao:
	  "...You're going to kill that girl called Koshka and that girl called Lingji, with whom you've been chatting so happily."
	  I don't care what you say, idiot!!
	  I won't kill them! We just swore we wouldn't...!!
	  And it's not just those two! I definitely won't kill anyone here, or any of their friends I haven't met yet!!
	  I'm not the only one who swore! We all did! All of us, all of us...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "No, they'll all kill each other too. This playing at friendship is meaningless, worthless, ...and every, every, every, every single one of you will kill each other."
	  Shut up...... Shut up...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "This is a future you'll definitely reach, and a fixed event you'll definitely carry out. ...Take that girl there, Lingji, whom I just said you'd kill. I can even tell you how you'll kill her."
	  Miyao:
	  "It'll be...a close-range, face-to-face aerial fight. ...You'll shatter Lingji's head with a punch backed by a force field."
	  In the back of my mind...appeared the image of my fist smashing through Lingji's head in an aerial battle...
	  Quit screwing with me, this is an illusion...!
	  And even if I did pull Lingji into a close-range aerial fight in an actual battle, she's an incredibly talented ace!
	  At the Battle Standard Festival, I was made painfully aware of her skill. Of course we wouldn't let each other get that close so easily!
	  You think I'd hit Lingji with my fist in a close-range battle? Hahah, who do you think we are?! You underestimate Lingji too much!
	  If I launched an attack that sluggish, she'd just raise her shield and send me flying away, increasing the distance between us!
	  Miyao:
	  "Under normal circumstances, yes. ...I think you'd do that, and so would she."
	  Miyao:
	  "But...it won't be possible. Not for her to knock you away with her shield."
	  Miyao:
	  "After all, ...unfortunately for her, she won't be able to use her shield then. So, your fist will continue on and crush her skull."
	  Her Rejection Shield will malfunction?! That's the worst sort of malfunction a Gauntlet could have...
	  Miyao:
	  "No, it won't malfunction. ...You will kill her. That plotline will simply be carried out."
	  I...will kill...Lingji...
	  Miyao:
	  "And not just her. I'll tell you how you'll kill Koshka."
	  Miyao:
	  "Koshka will be swallowed up by a swarm of those guided missiles you love, and the shrapnel will tear her whole body apart until she dies."
	  This time, I saw Koshka plummeting downwards, ...surrounded by sparks and blood pouring from all over her body...!
	  Miyao:
	  "Even you and your partner Jayden will fight fiercely to the death. Same with the others, all of them fiercely exchanging fire over and over, killing each other."
	  A future image flew through my head, unstoppable, of all those friends who had just sworn their friendship... Blood splattered and tears dripped down...as they killed each other...!
	  Miyao:
	  "...That kid's gonna die too. ...And that one. And him. And her. ...Every one of them will die. They'll kill each other and be killed."
	  Stop iiiiiiiiiiit!!!
	  Stop showing me these crazy illusioooooons...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "No, these aren't illusions. You might call them memories from a guaranteed future. You exist, therefore this future must happen."
	  Because I exist? I exist, so everyone's gonna die?! I'm gonna kill them?!?!
	  No, I don't want to kill anyone!! I want to be friends with everyone forever...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "You want to protect this world of friendship, where interpersonal bonds join all of you together?"
	  Of course...!! I'll protect it! I'll protect friendship and peace throughout the world! That's why I became a Gauntlet Knight!!
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, there is just one way...to protect this world."
	  Tell me, don't leave me hanging...!! I want a world where we never become enemies!!
	  Miyao:
	  "It's very easy. Just will yourself to disappear. If you do, no one will suffer or be sad."
	  Is the world going to break...because I exist...?!
	  What in the world...am I...?!
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh, I'll tell you what you really are."
	  What I really am?! I'm Mitake Miyao...!
	  A Gauntlet Knight of the Aerial Augmented Infantry unit "Warcat", from AOU Japan...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "That's just your backstory. ...After all, you're just a program built for destruction, which was given the name Mitake Miyao..."
	  Poyoooo! *kero*kero*kero*!
	  Someone wants to enter the room poyo. Will you give them access poyo?
	  Miyao:
	  "Whoa, who is it?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Ah, they're finally here! It's those big sisters from the LATO military who reffed for us today."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "We finally made it in...! I told you it had to be a text conversion screw-up!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh... Japanese is hard. This is clearly a structural flaw in the Kizuna translator."
	  Jayden:
	  "So, you two also ended up with It's a Wrap Public Lust?"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheheh... Well, my country's official language is Portuguese, after all. Japanese is tough."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Hahah! That proves you use `lust' a lot in your emails!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Welcome, you two, to the It's a Wrap Public Bath! Guess that means it's time for a storm of friend requests!"
	  You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo!
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Wawawawawa?! What in the?! My mental display got filled up with Keropoyos!"
	  Valentina:
	  "H-Heheheheh, that's quite a welcome. Thanks for the invitation. We're Valentina from LATO Brazil and Maricarmen from LATO Mexico."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Just this once, I'll let you call me Mari, okay?!"
	  Naima:
	  "That means we'll have to do the Public Bath Oath again, wow♪"
	  Lingji:
	  "If bonds of friendship tie the world together, ...humanity will never make such a foolish mistake again."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Miyao, you may initiate the oath once more!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sure! Then let's all do it again, okay?!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "?! Wait, what? What's going on...??"
	  ^!s100^...^!s70^You're...
	  just a murder program...
	  langen!sd
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, let's start from our designated positions one more time! And let's focus more on our coordination this time!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Unlike a supergenius like me, the others are gonna need some repeated practice."
	  Lilja:
	  "I've been covering for your little Supergenius screw ups this whole time meow♪"
	  Chloe:
	  "Yeah, yeah＞＜! You can't treat Grave Mole like we're drones, Jayden＞＜!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Sheesh. I guess you can't keep up with the superb movement ability Miyao and I have."
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no point saving a second of time if your coordination suffers! I know you're a supergenius, so pay a little more attention to what's behind you! Even a supergenius can't do anything without support from his comrades! And anyway, I see so much inefficiency in your trajectory data! You keep putting unnecessary strain on your Internal 8MS...!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Hihihi, you got yelled at."
	  Gunhild:
	  "You're definitely a supergenius, Jayden. You're so much of one that you can't coordinate with normal people like us."
	  Lilja:
	  "Uh oh... Miyao's totally entered lecture mode meow."
	  Chloe:
	  "And when he lectures, he keeps sending over specific data, so you can't fight back...
	   Aaaah, Miyao, Second Lieutenant Miyao, Master Miyao, I'm so, so sorry, so please hit stupid, slow Chloe with more and more relevant dataaaaa...＠∀＠；"
	  Lilja:
	  "Looks like Chloe's reliving her past trauma meow meow."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao, if you don't put your lectures on hold and resume training, the Instructor-"
	  Okonogi:
	  "You braaaaaaats!! What are you slacking off for?!! This always happens when I turn my back for a second!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...You're the one who slacked off and took a break, Instructor."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Did you say something, Koshkaaaaaaaa?!!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "I don't think he heard you, so I'll text it to him meow meow♪"
	  Okonogi:
	  "You fooooooool!!! Chloeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Why＞＜am I＞＜owwwww, Instructoooooor＞＜"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Your time hasn't improved at all!! You ended up looking that pathetic at the Festival because you aren't taking this seriously!!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "...I don't think it was bad enough to be called `pathetic'."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "That asshole's probably been saying things like `They'll definitely win first place, they've got me training them' to his higher-ups, raising the bar for no reason..."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "I agree. I'm not sure I like having a record like that dismissed so easily."
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "Dummy, dummy! Stupid, stupid Okonogi! Meow, meow, meow♪"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-You shouldn't say things like that!"
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "...Stupid Chloe just self-destructed."
	  Okonogi:
	  "What's that, Chloe?!?! You got something you'd like to say to me?!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I-It's nothing, I'm so sorry, Instructoooooooor...＞＜!"
	  Even in a world where you can talk to people with your brain, you can sometimes "self-destruct".
	  Accidents, like speaking out loud when you're trying to badmouth someone mentally right in front of their face, are an everyday occurrence in this world.
	  ...That being said, some kids can do the high-level technique of saying what they really think, then pretending it was on accident.
	  Okonogi:
	  "Warcat, Grave Mole, to your positions!! Gunhild, raise the AI level by 3!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Roger that."
	  
	  Up 3 levels! Roger that poyo!
	  Okonogi:
	  "Listen up! In the end, it isn't about logic, it's about beating it directly into your bodies! Empty your minds and repeat it again and again!
	   Chloe, begin the countdown!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Enemy AI has been adjusted. Chloe, go ahead."
	  Chloe:
	  "Th-Then I'll begin the countdown! 3, 2, 1...＞＜!!"
	  Battle simulator, let's go poyo!!
	  Miyao's data-packed lecture mode was definitely harsh, but it was much better than those old instructors' baseless theories on the supremacy of fighting spirit.
	  Kids of the Selcom Era thought of everything as data and numbers, but old-world thinking was full of abstract, emotional, spiritual, and guts-based arguments.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Sheesh. Miyao's accurate, data-storm lectures are better than this. ...Then again, it's like the difference between being pushed out a 10th-story window or an 11th-story window... Hahah..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey, supergenius! Concentrate! I'm watching your data, so I can tell! Get ready for a big review meeting after this! And don't run away!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Seriously? Hahah..."
	  Even the Supergenius Jayden, who didn't know how to be discouraged, was apparently hit hard by Miyao's lectures...
	  And so, once again, the young Gauntlet Knights trained in all sorts of ways until they were worn out...
	  Jayden:
	  "Sheesh. Our instructor's weird fighting spirit logic really pisses me off."
	  Andry:
	  "Heheh. People without talent are always quick to start talking about fighting spirit."
	  Ishak:
	  "Hey, I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about our princess behind her back."
	  Stanisław:
	  "So, you have no complaints when everything's explained to you logically, Jayden?"
	  Jayden:
	  "N-Nngggg... Well, you can still go too far, yeah?"
	  Ever since the It's a Wrap Public Bath party, this virtual room had become a meeting place for Gauntlet Knights regardless of nationality.
	  Whenever the young hit it off, it usually doesn't take long for them to become friends.
	  And, getting to hear or tell stories to people from different environments is a very precious thing for their young hearts.
	  The vast majority of Parallel Processors were women, so the Gauntlet boys were a minority. Today had become a rare all-boy gathering.
	  Momotake:
	  "...Hmm. I suppose all factions are the same. Middle-aged men who act all important are always scum."
	  Jayden:
	  "Are COU instructors scum too? I figured they'd be wise compared to our instructor."
	  Andry:
	  "Woo! If they had a Scummy Instructor Battle Standard Festival, our COU team would take golds in every event."
	  Stanisław:
	  "At least they're a bit better than our ABN Instructors, in that you're allowed to openly criticize them."
	  Momotake:
	  "I imagine that if you badmouth your instructors in the ABN, you'll get arrested on the spot, yes?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Heheheh. In a country where you can't insult anyone to their face, you form a culture capable of insulting people without it sounding like you're insulting them."
	  Abdou:
	  "Sounds nice. So, for example, what would you say to an irritating superior officer, who never shows any appreciation for their subordinates' work?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "It's our way to say the opposite of what we mean. Something like `I am truly grateful for the heartfelt support you always show me, Instructor.'"
	  Ishak:
	  "Nice, I'll take it."
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Rethabile:
	  "Ishak, Abdou! So, you were lounging about here! Get back to our training! When it comes to training, fighting spirit and guts are vital! Be honored by the opportunity to sweat for my sake!"
	  Ishak:
	  "Your grace, thank you for your ever-present heartfelt support-"
	  Abdou:
	  "For which we are ever so grateful, Princess Rethabile."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Huh? R-R-Right. Very well then."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hahahah, hahahahahahahahahah."
	  In any era, getting to complain together and feel a sense of camaraderie is the best part of talking with close friends.
	  Furthermore, they were used to "background operation", so they could chat like this at any time, without having to worry about timezones or even what the other person was doing at that moment.
	  It was a wonderful era they were in.
	  In this era, high-quality sleep substitute drugs had been developed, so sleep was no longer necessary.
	  Humanity had effectively doubled the density and time in a human life.
	  But, of course, it wasn't a perfect, dream-like drug.
	  It only freed you from the need to sleep, so if you wanted to maintain your concentration, you needed to rely on things like that ancient drug, caffeine.
	  If you tried to study for a test all night, you might not get sleepy, but you'd get bored and start hating it halfway through.
	  For most people, who didn't have anything they needed to do so badly that it was worth abandoning sleep, it wasn't really that valuable.
	  After all, it can get pretty boring if you have no work or any desire to do anything until dawn, and you're incapable of feeling sleepy, even if you lay down.
	  So, this drug was only used regularly by the young, who could never find enough time to study and play.
	  Thanks to that, the young lost the concept of time zones.
	  They were always awake, so they could communicate with anyone regardless of day and night, even if that person was on the other side of the planet.
	  The fact that they were capable of communication this rich was a powerful weapon in the young ones' arsenal.
	  Though some places did close down in the middle of the night, the shopping district was always open, even at this hour.
	  Jayden could be seen in the nighttime shopping district, during a time range when only young people who loved the anti-sleeping drug were up and about...
	  Jayden:
	  "...Aaaah, ...dammit."
	  For Jayden, all that complaining and laughing with friends in the public bath had made for a good change of pace.
	  At least, the part about complaining about instructors had.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Miyao, ...go at least a little easy on me... His lectures are like a tornado of good points. I can't contradict him, so I wish...aaah, dammit...!"
	  He couldn't call Miyao a bastard or an asshole. All his points were right on the mark.
	  When Jayden actually followed those suggestions, he noticed the difference clearly.
	  All he could do then was lick the wounds that had been inflicted on Supergenius Jayden's pride.
	  Jayden:
	  "Aren't we war buddies from the same kette...? Even if you're right, couldn't you say it a bit more nicely...? *sigh*"
	  True to what Jayden had always claimed, he was enough of a genius ace to earn the `super' qualification.
	  For a long time, he had never been inferior to anyone around him in any way.
	  However, that was when he'd been surrounded by what he called normal people.
	  When surrounded by the best Gauntlet aces, the ultimate collection of talent, he couldn't always be on top.
	  Of that group, only Mitake Miyao felt like a "rival" he might not be able to match.
	  ...Even though, until recently, Jayden had always focused on his own victory, achieving success again and again.
	  Jayden:
	  "...It's because...he's always looking at his opponent."
	  While doing his best to achieve victory, Miyao would simultaneously search to find out how he could counter his opponent's best.
	  And, he would accurately notice when those opponents did well or badly, ...even when said opponents didn't notice it themselves.
	  Jayden:
	  "Ah, ...right. ...After getting criticized again and again and again, there was no compliment at the end today. That's why I'm so down."
	  Miyao's lecture mode today was a rush of valid points and data, as usual.
	  But after I get beaten down, he's supposed to finish it with a compliment, so I can look forward to hearing him make suggestions.
	  Jayden:
	  "And today, the instructor butted in... Miyao's lecture mode got cut off."
	  You're pathetic, Supergenius Jayden. ...Since when has my mood jumped all over the place because of every word that skinny pipsqueak says?
	  Jayden:
	  "Wait a sec... I'm obsessing over this way too much. How the heck did I get here?"
	  I checked with my mental display and saw that I had traveled several stations down.
	  I didn't come to this place often. Still, if I wanted to totally reset my mood, coming to a part of the city I wasn't used to may have been just what I needed.
	  I looked around. Information from countless shops flooded my brain.
	  Of course, getting hit with a flood of information just leads to confusion, so I used one of my favorite information filters and simplified the data in my vision.
	  When I did, a nearby game center was marked as `recommended'.
	  Poyo! I've found a recommended spot according to your tastes!
	  It's the game salon "Armageddon" poyoo!!
	  Rating: ★★★★☆, Safety: ★★★★☆, Cleanliness: ★★★☆☆
	  It was my first time going to this place, but it didn't look bad. And, according to its description, one of its popular games had just received an update.
	  Jayden:
	  "Nice. ...It's been a while since I've filled the high score list with my name."
	  In this era, even game centers were decorated like fancy, Victorian-style salons on the inside.
	  However, the lines of beautifully adorned sofas had a lot of wiring, like a military simulator.
	  In an era with mental displays, anyone could play games even during class without anyone else knowing.
	  However, the locations called game centers were a bit different.
	  In addition to the mental display, they also projected the game screen on a spatial display.
	  Why? Isn't it obvious? To show off your skill to people you've never seen before.
	  Of course, even in this era, game livestreams on the internet were alive and well.
	  You could interact with them in many ways, including voice and text.
	  ...However, some demanding young people felt that there was no replacement for the sensation of seeing live reactions.
	  Because of these people, relics from the old world like game centers still existed, and boldly so, despite how far civilization had advanced.
	  Good live gameplay requires a crowd of young people to watch.
	  They get to have a great time, cheering and/or showing their disappointment in an exaggerated manner.
	  Jayden:
	  "That takes me back. I remember when I'd go into game centers where all the neighborhood brats hung out."
	  He bought a drink as a substitute for the entry fee, then sat down in a random empty seat.
	  Gloomy people vaguely lacking in self-confidence might sit in the corner, even though they wanted to be seen.
	  However, Supergenius Jayden wasn't like that. He'd sit openly in the throne right in the middle, left open because of that special Japanese brand of embarrassment that they call humility.
	  His Selcom immediately informed him that it had successfully connected to his seat.
	  Then, the display told him that he could benefit from a promotional campaign if he entered his Kizuna ID.
	  Actually, he'd had his Kizuna set to OFF.
	  If he hadn't, then a friend would've heartlessly messaged him, regardless of whether he was feeling neurotic or depressed.
	  At that moment, he wanted some time to himself, so he didn't activate Kizuna and chose not to participate in the promo.
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, if I get an ultra high score and expose my ID, I'll get so many friend requests from people I don't know, it'll be a pain."
	  In any era, if you carelessly expose your personal information, you'll get a rush of weird direct mail and sales calls.
	  Jayden:
	  "Okay. ...Let's do this...!"
	  Hilarious, right? A Gauntlet Knight got depressed by his training, so to shake it off, he started playing a game about Gauntlet Knights?
	  Gauntlet Knights, who could fly unassisted and dominate a battlefield on their own, were what kids around the world wanted to become. So, there were many games that simulated being a Gauntlet Knight.
	  This was also a useful way in all countries to find people with high aptitudes. For that reason, games like this were placed in game centers all over the world.
	  Jayden:
	  "I love flying solo... No need to keep perfect pace with a noisy partner."
	  The quality here was much lower than a military simulator, but for a game, this was more than good enough.
	  Furthermore, all his experiences from normal training would come back to him, and the realism could be supplemented by his brain and grow pretty intense.
	  This was his first time playing at this game center, so he would run through the tutorial first and get a feel for this particular location.
	  Now to select a difficulty level... EASY, NORMAL, HARD? Yeah, right. I'll boldly flick my mental tablet!
	  The word HARD instantly shot off the top of the screen, which scrolled down to the no-handholding settings like ULTRA HARD and NIGHTMARE.
	  The one I chose was the last one. REAL GAUNTLET KNIGHT!
	  Jayden:
	  "Let's go. I'll show them I'm a supergenius!!"
	  Young People:
	  "No way, is he really doing it on REAL...?!"
	  "Is he crazy?! He's got all his controls set to manual...!"
	  "If he's on REAL, what's he gonna do about the Stage 7 boss's missile barrage...?!"
	  The Stage 7 boss was modeled off the Atlantis, the ACR Combined Military Superfortress-class Segmented Warship.
	  It was made up of 7 connected Superfortress-class Warships, meaning it was more than just a ship. It was a fortress on the sea.
	  A barrage of countless missiles was being launched from there, drawing a beautiful geometric shape that dazzled any who saw it...!
	  Jayden:
	  "Here I go?!?! Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh...!!!"
	  Young People:
	  "Whoooooa, awesome, look at him move...!!"
	  "C-Crap, I feel sick just watching this. Is this guy a god...?!!"
	  He magnificently dodged the countless guided missiles chasing after him, shooting them down with perfect accuracy. Just like a missile matador!
	  The excitement in the store reached a crescendo, and the noise made even passersby stop and look.
	  When Jayden completed the game to the utmost excitement, he waved back at the cheering young people throughout the salon...
	  Jayden:
	  "Wheeeew! Thank you, thank you! Thanks for your support!"
	  This really does feel good. Thank God I came to this game center. Now, that uneasy feeling is gone.
	  Jayden sank deep into the sofa, enjoying the feeling, and slowly sipped his drink.
	  The excitement in the salon calmed down, and everyone went back to enjoying their own games or watching others.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Hmm? If you register a Kizuna ID, you can take advantage of our Point Rally Start Dash Campaign?"
	  It's because I was playing pretty well just now. They don't want to miss out because I'm an unregistered user.
	  Jayden:
	  "Okay, might as well register. ...I'll have to add a comment that I'm not taking friend requests."
	  He set his Kizuna, which had been OFF, to ON.
	  He immediately received several ad emails. ...Hmm?
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Jayden:
	  "Already? Who is it...?"
	  Kizuna always displayed a message like that when a friend's avatar came to visit over the internet, or if a friend came near you in real life.
	  This wasn't an avatar visit. Did that mean one of his friends was nearby?
	  The friend sign was very close. Apparently, I didn't see them because I was set to OFF, but they're actually inside this store.
	  That's a bit cold, not saying hi even though they're in the same game center. Who is it? Where are they?
	  I tried to check their friend sign through my mental tablet, ...but it suddenly disappeared.
	  Now that it was gone, I had no way of knowing the person's name or where they were.
	  Jayden:
	  "...H-Hey, that's creepy..."
	  In other words, a friend inside the store had realized that Jayden was nearby...and had hurriedly set their Kizuna to OFF.
	  That does tick me off a bit.
	  Jayden:
	  "I don't know who it is, ...but I think they need a good talking to. That's not something you do to your friends, right? I've gotta give them a big lecture filled with valid points and lots of data, huh?"
	  I looked around the store. Okay, where are you hiding?
	  There were more customers than usual at this time of day, partly due to the aftereffects of Jayden's super playing.
	  This person probably knew who Jayden was, so if he set up camp in front of the store, they probably wouldn't come strolling out.
	  He checked the store map from his Kizuna. There was one more route out of the store, the back door near the bathroom!
	  ...Look, there's the shadow of a person rushing through, and clearly not someone who has to use the bathroom!
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, wait... Hey, ...you're Miyao, right?! Hey, wait!!"
	  He recognized the person from behind. It was definitely Mitake Miyao, his partner from the Warcats!
	  Though he could hear Jayden, he was hurrying away, trying to blend in with the shopping center crowd.
	  Interestingly, he was leaving with a quick, shuffling walk. Jayden, feeling that it'd be unfair to run after him, followed along with a similar shuffling walk.
	  Jayden:
	  "Wait, hey! Miyao, Miyaooooooo! Why are you shutting your Kizuna off and running away?! That's creepy, man! Hey, is it something I did? Something during training just now? Did I do something so weird that it pissed you off?!"
	  Miyao continued that shuffling walk without turning around. Jayden chased after him in the same way, calling out questions and complaints at Miyao's back.
	  To anyone watching this, it probably looked as though they were having a lover's quarrel.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Hey, I may be a gentleman, but I've just about had it, okay?"
	  As expected, there was no response. However, Miyao was Miyao. It couldn't possibly be anyone else.
	  After all, considering how long Jayden had been following them, someone other than Miyao would've called the police by now.
	  Jayden:
	  "I've just about had it! You've got five seconds! Four, three, two, one-"
	  Aaah, I've had enough! This time, I'm the lecturer. I'll make Miyao say he's sorry!
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, wait, Miyaoooooooooooooooo!!!"^
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "......Aah......!!!"
	  Jayden raced forward, grabbed Miyao's thin arms, and forcibly spun him around.
	  However...
	  Jayden:
	  "...Mi...yao...? ...Huh...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............!"
	  C-Crap... Did I...really mistake him for someone else...?
	  Jayden:
	  "That's not possible...! ...You're Miyao, right? You are, aren't you...?!"
	  It was almost as though he was trying to convince himself, rather than interrogate this person.
	  He did think it was Mitake Miyao. His eyes and his nose and his mouth... Many bits of information made it clear that this was Miyao himself.
	  However, ...well, ...the atmosphere about him, or something Jayden couldn't really describe, ...belonged to something that resembled Miyao, yet wasn't...
	  Only then, Jayden realized that Miyao's whole demeanor was different from usual. ...And the color of his lips seemed more sensual, or something.
	  The skinniness of the shoulder he was grasping was definitely Miyao's, ...but now that skinniness felt like something of the opposite sex.
	  ...Could this be...a girl who looked just like Miyao...?
	  Jayden:
	  "...Wait... Wait, wait, wait, wait! You're Miyao, right? You are, aren't you?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...I'm not M-Miyao..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Liar! Then turn your Kizuna ON!"
	  Miyao:
	  "No..."
	  Crap, this totally looks like a couple fighting. ...The eyes of people walking by hurt.
	  Jayden took the guy who was definitely Miyao but claimed not to be... No, maybe this isn't even a guy... He took the kid into a nearby store and sat them down...
	  By this point, a certain possibility had risen to Jayden's mind.
	  ...I'm a supergenius, so I don't really get it, ...but aren't lots of Gauntlet Knight candidates...
	  ...Aah, ...now I've done it...
	  Jayden:
	  "Umm, ...sorry."
	  He had planned on making this person apologize, ...but in the end, Jayden was the one who apologized.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Umm, ...you're...one of those, aren't you? Your body is Mitake Miyao, ...but you aren't, right...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  As though giving up, the person shut their eyes tight and gave a slight nod.
	  Jayden:
	  "Sorry... I...didn't know..."
	  To become a Parallel Processor, you needed to undergo special training from a young age.
	  However, that didn't mean all babies had equal amounts of talent. No matter how much one trained, some people couldn't become Parallel Processors, while some developed surprising amounts of talent with very little effort.
	  It was well known that people with natural talents like this often developed a certain type of split personality.
	  Multiple personality disorder, in its commonly known form, occurs when neural trauma creates a data partition in the brain and gives birth to a new personality -- one that hasn't been influenced by the trauma -- in order to protect one's mind. This is an acquired trait.
	  However, in extremely rare cases, multiple personalities can appear as a congenital trait.
	  Unlike acquired multiple personality disorder, its biggest identifying feature is that the personalities can be awake at the same time.
	  It means that two consciousnesses can literally exist simultaneously in a single body.
	  They can each think of and concentrate on different things.
	  In fact, they can apparently even have verbal arguments with each other using the same mouth.
	  They truly are...born Parallel Processors.
	  As you might expect, the training they received at a young age was more effective for them than it was for Single Personalities, and this improved more the more personalities they had.
	  Since Gauntlet Knights needed to be capable of parallel thinking, humans born with multiple simultaneous thoughts in the same brain made for incredibly suitable candidates...
	  So, according to one theory, 30% of famous Gauntlet Knights (60% according to a different theory) had this special kind of congenital multiple personality disorder.
	  Furthermore, these people would feel hurt if you called it multiple personality disorder, so they were now referred to as CPPs (Congenital Parallel Processors)...
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Jayden:
	  "When I was in America, ...I had a friend who was a Congenital. ...I was a brat who didn't really understand, so I kept saying `show me a different personality' and `do something crazy', ...treating him like some kind of show instead of thinking about how he must've felt. ...I regret it now."
	  No matter how much talent you have, ...it's never pleasant when people look at you strangely.
	  So, even though Gauntlet Knights have become a shared dream for kids all over the world, almost no one `comes out' as a CPP...
	  It was all thanks to what remained of stereotypes from the old era, where multiple personalities were treated like something out of the occult or horror genres...
	  Jayden:
	  "You know, ...I wasn't the one who started calling myself a supergenius. ...I've been told that since I was very young, at the training institute. ...This kid's a supergenius, with all that parallel processing power despite not being a CPP..."
	  Thinking back on it, ...maybe all of them were CPPs, not just the friend who came out about it.
	  And I treated that friend like some kind of bizarre animal... Imagining how everyone else must've felt made my chest hurt...
	  Jayden:
	  "...Miyao...wait, that's not right. ...I want to treat you as an individual human being. Would you mind telling me your name?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Meow."
	  It sounded like someone imitating a cat's cry. ...No, wait, that's not it.
	  I see, Miyao and Meow, huh? What a cute name.
	  Jayden:
	  "Meow, ...are you a girl...?"
	  Meow:
	  "...Yeah..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Aah, ...sorry about earlier! I grabbed your shoulder hard... That's no way to treat a girl, right? ...Forgive me."
	  Meow:
	  "I-It's okay..."
	  Two personalities with different genders in the same body, huh? ...Sounds like something you'd find in some old Japanese manga.
	  Jayden:
	  "Wait, wait, wait. I shouldn't be thinking up jokes. No, seriously, ...I'm so sorry..."
	  Meow:
	  "Don't apologize so much, okay...? Umm, I shouldn't have run, and I should've told you..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Meow, what should I do? I want to treat you the way you want to be treated."
	  Meow:
	  "...Huh?"
	  Jayden:
	  "If you ask me to forget everything that happened today, I'll forget about you completely by tonight. If I ever realize I'm seeing you as Meow, I'll pretend I don't know you. Anyway, you're..."
	  The way Jayden panicked as he tried his best to be polite must have looked a little humorous.
	  Meow giggled, and Jayden, not realizing why she was laughing, opened his eyes even wider.
	  Meow:
	  "Thanks. You're nice, Jayden."
	  Jayden:
	  "N-No, I'm just, uhh..."
	  Meow:
	  "If you act so humble, it just makes this more uncomfortable. So really, don't worry about it. And anyway, I've been by your side all this time. If you act so distant, ...it actually makes me feel lonely..."
	  Jayden:
	  "I see... After all, you still exist even when Miyao's there. ...So, what about today's training?"
	  Meow:
	  "Hey, I'm a Gauntlet Knight too. ...I split the work with big brother, checking our surroundings and controlling our posture and stuff."
	  Jayden:
	  "I see. ...Is that how it was? So, you've been my other partner all along..."
	  At the word `partner', Meow smiled broadly for the first time.
	  Miyao was probably the main personality. So, Meow's personality always had to be kept hidden away, and it was hard for others to notice it.
	  ...She must've been happy to be recognized as a separate personality...
	  Jayden:
	  "Big brother, huh? So you're Miyao's little sister. ...My old friend said his personalities were friends with each other."
	  Meow:
	  "It's brother and sister, in our case. ...There's all sorts, depending on the person."
	  Jayden:
	  "So, Miyao usually controls your body, but sometimes you put on makeup like a girl and go out at night to have fun, like this."
	  Meow:
	  "...Yeah."
	  So, she's been having fun in a part of town far separated from the area Mitake Miyao lives in.
	  ...So that no one who knew her would realize that she's a CPP.
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, it's a bit unsafe for a pretty girl like you to play around in the city at night, don't you think?"
	  Meow:
	  "......Sometimes, ...weird people do try to talk to me."
	  Jayden:
	  "No kidding! A girl this cute, walking around without a boyfriend? You'd be crazy if you didn't try to talk to her."
	  As Jayden said this, he gradually turned red.
	  Just yesterday, he'd thought of this person as a cool partner of the same gender. Now, he suddenly had to treat her like a girl, even though this was the same physical body...
	  Except for a little makeup, this was totally Miyao... Aaaaah, now I'm feeling kinda hot and sweaty!
	  Jayden:
	  "Meow, the next time you come here to have fun, let me know."
	  Meow:
	  "...Huh?"
	  Jayden:
	  "I, Supergenius Jayden, will be your bodyguard and make sure no weirdos come after you!"
	  Meow:
	  "Oh... Y-Yeah. I think having a bodyguard would be nice..."
	  Jayden:
	  "That body belongs to my two partners, Miyao and Meow, so it's only n-natural that I protect it..."
	  Wh-Why do I keep turning red...?! What I'm saying is perfectly normal, right?
	  My partner's body is tiny, and it'd suck if some weirdo came after him and hurt him when he was off having fun at night, so I'm offering to stay by his side. There's nothing remotely strange about that!
	  ...Oh, I get it. It's because of how Meow's face looks.
	  Because you look like that, ...I can't figure out what to do next...! Enough with this weird sweat already!
	  Meow:
	  "Thanks, Jayden. I'll definitely ask you to do that when the time comes."
	  Jayden:
	  "Sure, send me a Kizuna message whenever you like."
	  Would they ever have been able to talk like this, ...if Jayden had only ever known Miyao?
	  The two of them chatted about things they never would've discussed if it had been Miyao.
	  Before long, Jayden was gradually beginning to understand.
	  Jayden:
	  "I see. ...I get it. ...When Miyao was lecturing me, he would always praise me for doing something good at the very end. No matter how small it was, he'd always find something."
	  Meow:
	  "............!"
	  Jayden:
	  "That was you, wasn't it?"
	  Meow:
	  "...H-How..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Come to think of it, I always thought it was weird that Miyao always tore me down, then managed to encourage me at the end. But after talking with you, I'm sure. ...The person who was always watching me and praising me so that I could give it my all...was you, Meow."
	  Meow:
	  "............"
	  Even though Jayden had met her for the first time today, ...he could see how much unexpected joy those words gave her...
	  Something twinkled a little near her tightly shut eyes...
	  Meow:
	  "...You're...really cool, Jayden. ...I can't believe...you noticed that I was there..."
	  Jayden:
	  "W-Well, of course. I'm still Supergenius Jayden..."
	  Meow:
	  "Yeah. A supergenius. And cool. ...I know that. I'm always watching from nearby, ...so I know..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Ummmmmm, uhhh... But...isn't Miyao listening to this conversation...? Hahah, hahahah. The next time I see him, he'll tell me not to be a creep around his sister and beat the crap out of me..."
	  Meow:
	  "...Oh, that's okay. ...When I don't want to be heard, I make sure the door of my heart is shut."
	  Apparently, privacy between personalities is possible. And, she can apparently take her current experiences and memories and either share them with Miyao, or keep them for herself.
	  Thinking about it that way, ...this is pretty rough. A brother and sister, living in the same body...
	  Beyond that, I don't remember much of what we talked about.
	  However, until the sky lit up, ...I think we kept on talking at random about fun stuff, though I don't remember it well.
	  Guys were another matter, but just before dawn wasn't a very safe time for girls. At that hour, they would sometimes get bugged by guys who had been having fun all night and who were weirdly excited.
	  But she said she wanted to secretly go home on her own.
	  Meow was a girl, but the main personality of that body was Miyao. In other words, people thought of them as a guy.
	  Meow:
	  "...If people knew that Mitake Miyao was walking around in makeup like a girl, it would cause big brother trouble. ...If that happened, he'd stop letting me go out to play."
	  Jayden:
	  "Then shouldn't it be the other way around?"
	  Meow:
	  "?"
	  Jayden:
	  "You walk back home openly with me. If we do bump into someone we know, I'll say this isn't Miyao, it's a girl friend of mine."
	  Meow:
	  "I...I see..."
	  Meow's face had gone red as if someone had boiled it.
	  Jayden:
	  "......? Did I really say something that embarrassing?"
	  Apparently, Kizuna had interpreted `girl friend' as `girlfriend'.
	  In English, Jayden had only meant that he'd introduce her as a girl he was friends with, but...
	  In places that spoke Japanese, the phrase always meant a more long-term, one-on-one, romantic relationship.
	  Meow:
	  "I-It's okay... I know what you meant... Kizuna translates things weird sometimes, doesn't it?"
	  Jayden:
	  "...That's really a pain... I'll try and find a better Japanese translation patch..."
	  Meow:
	  "No matter how much technology advances..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hmm?"
	  Meow:
	  "Communication really is made up of more than words and text. There's also your eyes, your expression, the atmosphere, smells, ...your heart beating, ...and all of it makes communication possible."
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah. ...If we ever start living in an electronic world, it'll be pretty boring."
	  Meow:
	  "Kizuna translation mistakes, ...getting embarrassed and trying to run away, ...and chasing after people who do that. ...Every bit of that is a precious part of communication between humans."
	  This ultimate communication tool had broken down all barriers, obviously including language.
	  However, that definitely didn't mean it was better than facing someone and talking to them in person.
	  That cliche, which old cultured people always used to criticize things like Kizuna, ...bounced through the minds of the two youths who were both acting embarrassed...
	  In the end, ...the two of them did return to their lodgings together.
	  ...Apparently, they didn't get a chance to bump into someone they knew and make use of their excuse that they were girlfriends or boyfriends or whatever...
	  
	  The elevator kept going down and down beneath the earth.
	  Inside was a short man in a suit, who seemed a bit scared, and two sunglasses-wearing soldiers on either side behind him, wearing bulletproof vests and wielding state-of-the-art carbines.
	  There was nothing that identified the troops' nationality or affiliation. Even their guns were the latest model from a famous manufacturer, which wasn't yet in use by official militaries.
	  All this made it easy to guess that they were either personally-hired soldiers or mercenaries of some sort.
	  However, there was nothing unrefined about the elevator or their behavior or attire.
	  And, there wasn't even a speck of dust to be seen, much less trash lying about.
	  It was almost painfully refined, and the man in the suit seemed to be overwhelmed by it...
	  Eventually, after descending for several minutes, ...the elevator finally stopped.
	  When the door opened with a faint *swoosh*, ...it revealed a massive, dimly-lit space behind it.
	  It was lifeless, tasteless, and simple, without any sort of decoration. However, it also had a noble feeling, as if it hadn't deigned to conform to changing modes of decoration throughout the eras...
	  In that massive space were two shadows that appeared to be girls.
	  However, something about them seemed odd. For example, the objects seemingly attached to their left arms...were definitely Gauntlets.
	  As the girls' expressionless eyes slowly turned to face the man in the elevator, they quietly held out their right arms.
	  There, with a scattering of angel feathers, two oversized 76mm 62-caliber Super Rapid cannons designed for warships were summoned into existence. These clearly weren't weapons that one individual was supposed to use against another.
	  It was almost as though they'd summoned giant metal beasts, so big that one had to look up to see them, and it looked like their tamers were just about to order them to strike...
	  The man let out a small cry and flinched at this greeting, ...but the cannons weren't pointing at him.
	  They were aimed behind him. ...At the two soldiers who had brought him here.
	  The soldiers had not been given permission to take even one step out of the elevator into this space.
	  They were aware of this, so they pushed the other man in the back, telling him to go on alone.
	  After the man left the elevator, quivering, the doors shut with a faint sound, ...and it disappeared into the darkness.
	  When only the suited man was left, the girls erased the cannons they'd summoned.
	  Man:
	  "...Wh-Where...is this place...? Did you two...call me here...?"
	  The girls didn't answer. On the contrary, they were completely expressionless, as if they hadn't even noticed the man talking to them.
	  Then, the man, who was quivering more than ever, ...was finally answered by a voice.
	  Vier:
	  "Welcome, Doctor, to our research center."
	  A woman in a lab coat walked out of the darkness and greeted the man.
	  The man, who hadn't been able to communicate with anyone else since coming here, was so relieved that he broke out into a cold sweat.
	  However, that expression of relief changed into shock when the woman finished walking out of the shadows...
	  Man:
	  "...N-No, ...that's not possible... I-I mean, you're...!"
	  #e7e7e7Activating facial recognition software. ...Identifying...
	  The man opened a Selcom facial recognition app.
	  A Selcom is like a smartphone or personal computer that exists in your brain.
	  In this era, it was easy to take things you saw with your naked eye and save them as images or look them up on the net...
	  #e7e7e7...Complete...
	  #e7e7e7First possible match (97%): Vier Dreissig (physicist)
	  #e7e7e7Bio: A young genius physicist from ABN Germany who invented the Spiritium High-Efficiency Energy Conversion Technique (also known as the Dreissig Conversion). She was awarded the Bernhard Prize in Physics for this achievement.
	  #e7e7e7However, on December 9th, the day before the ceremony, she disappeared from the hotel in Oslo where she was staying. Two days later, on December 11, a roasted body was found in a city trash incinerator, and it was later confirmed to be Dreissig herself.
	  #e7e7e7The investigation team eventually concluded that she got drunk, accidentally went into the collection hatch of an automated trash collector, failed to respond to repeated warnings, and was then thrown into an incinerator and killed in a tragic accident.
	  #e7e7e7However, because of Dreissig's accomplishments and various conspiracy theories, many are still convinced that she was assassinated by someone.
	  Man:
	  ".........Aah...aaah..."
	  Vier:
	  "Heheheh. Are you looking me up with your Selcom?"
	  Man:
	  "...I see... It looks like the Oslo city police made a mistake... But it's strange. This year, you should be... But you still look like you're..."
	  Vier:
	  "Heheheh, come now, Doctor. This is a world of those who are not human. We've already been freed from the concept of time, which makes people age."
	  Man:
	  "............"
	  Since it was coming from a genius physicist, he couldn't tell if it was true, or if she was trying to confuse him.
	  He only knew...that a genius physicist who had supposedly died mysteriously was alive...and had appeared in front of him looking just like she had back then.
	  After that, the man started asking questions about Dreissig's research.
	  In this era, even an empty-handed human could search for information with their Selcom at will. It wouldn't be impossible to mimic someone else, if you really wanted to.
	  However, searching for information was completely different from understanding it.
	  After asking several questions, the man had to admit that the woman in front of him was either Vier Dreissig herself...or at least a genius scientist on that same level...
	  People who seemed to be scientists in lab coats occasionally appeared in this bleak, dim space.
	  The man casually tried to use facial recognition on all of them.
	  #e7e7e7First possible match (98%): Vitaly Abrikosov (physicist)
	  #e7e7e7First possible match (96%): David Wilczek (physicist)
	  #e7e7e7First possible match (97%): Ogawa Seiei (physicist)
	  ...What on Earth...?
	  Just by face-matching the few people walking by, ...he was building up a list of young physicists representing the entire world...
	  And all of them had vanished after mysterious disappearances or accidents...
	  It's true that some conspiracy theorists have amused themselves with the string of famous, genius physicists who have mysteriously disappeared or died over the past few decades...
	  ...What on Earth... What...on Earth...
	  Man:
	  "...So, ...you're all alive...?"
	  Vier:
	  "No, it's probably fair to say that we're dead. After all, none of the people here have any ties to the surface anymore. ...Compared to the joy of attaining ultimate wisdom, ...wealth, fame, family, and children mean nothing."
	  Man:
	  "............"
	  All the genius scientists who had just walked by...were incredibly enthusiastic for their ages, ...almost like kids who were planning some sort of prank.
	  Rather than charming, ...it was a little disturbing, as though the ideals that dominated this space were completely different from the real world...
	  Vier:
	  "...And, ...I see that you too are the sort of person who longs to join our side, ...even if it means abandoning everything you've gained on the surface."
	  Man:
	  "...I-Indeed..."
	  If I'm able to touch just a bit of God's wisdom, I don't care if I have to sacrifice all my wealth and fame to do it. ...It's a line all scientists feel like saying at least once, when they're drunk. And in fact, he had said this whenever he got the chance.
	  He had never imagined...that someone would actually respond to that call like this...
	  Vier:
	  "This is a research institution, but we don't call it research. We call it...translation."
	  Man:
	  "...Translation...?"
	  Vier:
	  "If the techniques of the gods were written down in the languages of the gods, do you think mere Humans would be able to read it?"
	  Man:
	  "I see... So you call it...translation..."
	  When you make a discovery, no matter how ground-shaking and ingenious it is, it won't be of any use unless the average person can understand it.
	  In other words, without the power of translation, all ingenious discoveries get treated the same as the occult.
	  Genius scientists have a desire to make discoveries, but they also have a desire to translate discoveries made by people far more ingenious than them.
	  This desire is held only by the few who are hailed as geniuses.
	  Because they're geniuses, ...they're saddened by the fact that they'll never meet an even greater genius.
	  They want to touch sparks of inspiration from far greater geniuses, to translate them.
	  They don't want to be called geniuses.
	  They want to touch the wisdom of people they would call geniuses.
	  Vier:
	  "In this place, ...several miraculous techniques that we can't even understand...are waiting to be translated."
	  Man:
	  "...Umm, ...what kinds...of miraculous techniques...?"
	  Vier:
	  "Heheh. If you truly join us as a comrade, I'll show you."
	  Man:
	  "You aren't about to tell me...that it's super-high technology from some ancient, unknown civilization or something, right...?"
	  Vier:
	  "Would there be some sort of problem if that were the case?"
	  The man attempted to joke casually, trying to make it seem as though he had grown comfortable with this situation.
	  However, a clearly disappointed expression rose to Vier's face.
	  Vier:
	  "Whether it's super-high technology from an ancient civilization, or alien technology, or an akashic record built into the fabric of reality, ...can the source of wisdom ever be a problem?"
	  Man:
	  "N-No......"
	  Vier:
	  "All of our comrades here simply view the attainment of ultimate wisdom as their greatest joy. They don't mind putting their wealth, fame, and even their lives on the line for the sake of that joy. ...You feel the same, don't you? ...Isn't that right, Doctor...?"
	  This really was...a world of people who were not human, just as she'd said.
	  Yes. Everyone here is dead. ...They have already "died" in our world...
	  Does that make this the underworld, dizzyingly far beneath the ground?
	  If I've been invited here while I still live...
	  Maybe they thought we were arguing, but those Gauntlet girls were staring at us through the darkness...
	  Vier:
	  "You've repeatedly said through your Kizuna...that you wouldn't mind losing your life if you could touch the wisdom of the gods, yes? ...And, your achievements more than qualify you to be welcomed in as our comrade. ...It seems strange to me. When I was first invited here, I was ecstatic, like a maiden in love for the first time. However, you've been fairly lukewarm for a while now..."
	  Man:
	  "N-No... I, umm, ...haven't yet been able to fully appreciate how amazing this place is... In the first place, uhh, ...I haven't even had a chance to see this wisdom you're talking about."
	  Vier:
	  ".................."
	  Man:
	  "This wisdom is so captivating that it made so many genius scientists abandon everything on the surface... Unless you show me, I, umm...won't be able to take this all in..."
	  Vier:
	  "...We're not supposed to show anyone who hasn't sworn to become our comrade, ...but if it means we'll be able to gain your rare talent, ...I suppose I could show you before you make your oath."
	  Man:
	  "...O-Okay..."
	  Vier:
	  "However."
	  Vier brought her lips up to the man's ear.
	  Her breath didn't carry the warmth of the living. ...It was the breath of the land of the dead...at the bottom of the Earth.
	  Vier:
	  "Before that, ...I want you to tell us about those people we love and respect so, so much."
	  Man:
	  "...Wh-What do you mean...?"
	  Vier:
	  "Heheheheh. You know, those people. Come on, ...I mean the ones who are always giving you their support... Tell me about the Three Kings, who ordered you to investigate this place..."
	  ...C-/
	  Crap... I need to ask "them" for help...!
	  #e1dc00<Error>
	  Selcom OS has encountered a fatal error poyo.@
	  We recommend that you reinstall poyo! Otherwise, please visit the help desk at a Selcom Shop near you poyo.
	  ...Wh-What happened, ...all of a sudden...?!
	  Did it bug out? N-No......!
	  Vier:
	  "Heheheheheheheheheh... I love welcoming in guests. ...I love getting to share the moment of trembling excitement felt by our true, newly-awakened comrades. ...We sometimes get minions sent by those three, like you, but nearly everyone else learned the joy of touching wisdom and converted over to our side, becoming our comrades."
	  Vier:
	  "...Stop trying to ask them for help, Doctor. ...I want to hear your own, heartfelt words. ...Will you become our comrade, or not...? I couldn't bear to see one of your talent waste away on the surface, ignorant of the joy of touching wisdom... Understand......?"
	  Then, there was a shriek, and a cackling voice suddenly rang out.
	  It was one of the scientists that had walked past them. The genius physicist from AOU Japan, Ogawa Seiei.
	  He was facing the empty darkness, cackling all on his own...
	  Vier:
	  "He also came here as an agent of the Three Kings, at first. However, when he learned the joy of touching wisdom, he decided to become our comrade and abandon everything on the surface."
	  *cackle*cackle*, *cackle*cackle*cackle*.
	  That mysterious laugh didn't seem like it could possibly belong to someone with the gentlemanly attitude he had been known for.
	  It was as though everything that wasn't necessary for this `translation' job she had mentioned...had been ripped out of him...
	  For the first time, the visitor deeply regretted accepting this task out of a faint curiosity, as if it had been some sort of strange spy game.
	  He suddenly realized that there were about seven or eight of those inhuman Gauntlet girls nearby, ...forming a large circle around him......
	  "Jayden" is currently intercepting with a CIWS cannon poyo! Interception rate: 68% poyo.
	  "Miyao" is now summoning a missile dispenser poyo!
	  "Miyao" has begun accessing attack drone "Unnamed" poyo!
	  "Jayden" is now summoning high-maneuverability guided missiles poyo!
	  Lilja:
	  "That's our Miyao. What an efficient checkmate meeeeow♪"
	  Gunhild:
	  "He noticed that Jayden's missile interception was taking too long, so he made a second and third move without hesitation."
	  Chloe:
	  "He finished his prep by summoning an automated weapon, and now he's gonna hit him with everything he's got."
	  Koshka:
	  "...*yaaaaawn* Wake me up when it's my turn."
	  "Jayden's" Reaper's Eye has targeted drone "Unnamed" poyo.
	  "Miyao" is summoning cluster-style high-maneuverability guided missiles poyo. This is the end poyo, heheheh *kero*kero*!
	  Chloe:
	  "...And that's the match."
	  Lilja:
	  "The drone's a decoy meow meow. He totally got taken in by Miyao's pattern meow♪"
	  Jayden:
	  "Damn, am I not gonna make it...?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "This...is the end...!!!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "A splendid barrage of cluster missiles to match the automated attack by the missile dispenser. ...If he gets swallowed by that saturation bombardment, it's over."
	  Koshka:
	  "...*stares blankly*."
	  nd that's the match poyo!!
	  "Jayden" hit by 19 high-maneuverability missiles poyo! Verdict: downed poyo!!
	  "Miyao" wins poyo!! Congrats, congrats, *kero*kero*kero*kero*♪
	  Please wait for an appraisal from the AI command center poyo!
	  Chloe:
	  "Good work, you two! Lilja, Koshka, you're up next!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Roger meow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "Gonna take a stim, give me a sec. Aaaaaah..."
	  The Gauntlet Knights were constantly undergoing strict training.
	  However, none of the adult instructors who taught them could use Gauntlets. For that reason, their teaching would sometimes include armchair reasoning that put too much focus on the wrong things.
	  The only way to make up for that was, as you might expect, to self-train with other Gauntlet Knights you knew well.
	  By now, mutual training with other members of the first generation of Gauntlet Knights was a more effective means of skill-building than their official training.
	  In fact, even fighter pilots, who had advanced war from 2 dimensions to 3 dimensions for the first time ever, had honed their abilities by self-training among their first generation.
	  No, the same thing probably applies to all skillsets. The first generation has no textbooks or instructors.
	  Only a desire for self-improvement and mutual training could lead them higher.
	  After that, mock battles combining all sorts of situations continued to take place in the simulator room.
	  That data was precisely analyzed by Miyao, their unofficial lecturer, and issues were pointed out to all present.
	  Of course, the others also analyzed Miyao and pointed out his issues.
	  All this data was also made public to their newbie Gauntlet Knight underclassmen, furthering the improvement of their techniques.
	  In the cafeteria where young Gauntlet Knights gathered, Warcat and Grave Mole were having a review meeting for their most recent self-training session, which doubled as a Mitake Miyao lecture.
	  Crowds of underclassmen had gathered, hoping to learn something from this critique of the aces' training.
	  However, at a glance, it didn't look like a review meeting.
	  It just looked like everyone was stuffing their faces at a dessert buffet.
	  This was because of a trait peculiar to Gauntlet Knights: a desire to eat way too many sweet things after training.
	  The Gauntlet's energy source was Spiritium throughout the atmosphere, but it couldn't be used directly. It only became usable energy through a Dreissig Conversion that made use of a brain filter.
	  When that happened, it put a great strain on the brain, using up a large amount of glucose. ...However, considering the massive amount of energy the conversion gave them, this was a very small price to pay.
	  For that reason, all of them were desperate to eat sweets after training.
	  The Gauntlet Knight-only cafeteria had a vast dessert menu and was popular with Gauntlet girls too.
	  So, their review meetings always took place while they ate and drank sweet things.
	  Lilja:
	  "Nipanipaaaah♪ Look how big my dessert parfait is meoooow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Where's the plum jelly...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "It's all gone meow♪ I thought you'd want some, so I took every last drop meow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "Then I think I'll gouge out your eyeballs instead."
	  Lilja:
	  "Go ahead and do it if you think you can meow!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Please be quiet, you two! We're still having our review meeting!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Next, look at Gunhild's movement data. In particular, between flag A and flag B. She does a magnificent spiral while keeping her speed."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I don't like the feeling of pressure that Anti-G 8MS gives you, so I try to avoid ricochet flight whenever possible."
	  Miyao:
	  "Gauntlet Knights can move in many ways that would be impossible for a fighter plane, but that's because your Internal 8MS reduces your Gs. However, the more impossible your movements are, the more energy is expended. In the worst-case scenario, it can leave you open for an instant when you aren't expecting it."
	  Miyao:
	  "So, when you don't need to move in dramatic ways, you should avoid fighting gravity as much as possible. When doing that, the built-up knowledge of fighter pilots can be extremely useful. Underclassmen, make sure you don't slack off in your studies either!"
	  The underclassmen gave a big nod, taking notes.
	  Maybe it's amusing that, even in an era where you could control sight and sound at will inside your brain, young people still took notes.
	  Of course, if you've got a mental monitor and a mental tablet, you can also take mental notes.
	  However, there was still a strong "superstition" that moving your hand to write things down made it easier to remember, and lots of youngsters followed it.
	  Apparently though, they were actually doing this because taking mental notes made it look like you weren't paying attention, so they wrote things down with their hands to make it clear to onlookers that they were taking this seriously.
	  That's probably because old guys from the old era had the bad habit of assuming people weren't paying attention if they didn't see everyone taking notes...
	  Miyao:
	  "On the other hand, Jayden's style of fighting is more infantry-like, making use of obstructions and the lay of the land. Gauntlet Knights can instantly turn a battlefield from an aerial fight to a land fight and back again. Unless you regularly practice all types of fighting, you won't be able to use your weapons no matter how many you have."
	  Jayden:
	  "If we're going there, you seamlessly change your fighting style whether it's a land fight or an aerial fight, in the city or in the skies. Look at your movement around the flag I just set. You're nothing less than beautiful. Nice work, Miyao♪"
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "...Y-Yeah. Thanks."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's about time for questions. Please ask whatever you'd like."
	  The underclassmen eagerly raised their hands.
	  They all wanted to fly freely through the sky as soon as possible, just like the aces.
	  It was hardly surprising. This was flying through the sky unaided, like a bird. Who hasn't had that dream at least once?
	  However, though that dream had failed to come true for thousands of years, it was finally possible in this era.
	  And, these people were just a step away from reaching it.
	  Jayden remembered how he had felt at that time.
	  ...Come to think of it, didn't Miyao himself fly in the simulator on the day of the Battle Standard Festival to remember that beginner's enthusiasm?
	  I guess it's important to remember that passion, every now and then.
	  After piling a bunch of sweeeeet items from the dessert buffet on my plate, I sat down next to Miyao.
	  Jayden:
	  "You're right, Miyao. Every now and then, we've gotta remember that simply flying through the sky is fun. When you look these kids in the eye, and those memories come back, it's so refreshing."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh, looks like you've got quite a pile going there too, Miyao. You always make your toppings look so pretty. I just do whatever, since it's all going right into my stomach anyway, but you've got a good artistic sense for these things♪ I've got my usual, cornflakes covered in chocolate and sugar and honey! Then you pour ice cream over it and cover it with nuts...! It's all mixed up like pig slop, wahaha♪"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Jayden:
	  "What's wrong? Why are you staring at me? Got a stomachache?"
	  Miyao was staring, apparently irritated by something.
	  Did I do something to put him off? But if that's true, he's the kind of guy who'd say so, as a reflex. ...I've never seen him just stare at me scornfully like this.
	  "Miyao" has sent you movement data from the mock battle poyo.
	  Hmm? What, haven't you lectured me enough? Oh, or are you going to compliment me because you realized I did something smart?
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "In the mock battle just now... Actually, in all your mock battles lately... Compare it to the data from our previous mock battles. There's been a change in your tendencies."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, why don't you just say it with your mouth?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Shut up. My mouth is busy eating."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Okay, I get it. Then I'll let my mouth focus on eating too."
	  When they were face-to-face, they tended to speak mentally only when it was something tough to hear, like a warning or something you'd only actually say because you're friends. So, Jayden tensed up.
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "So, what kind of change have you seen in my fighting tendencies? My scores aren't bad, right? If anything, they're slowly getting higher, aren't they?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "I'll admit that, and I've got no complaints. ...It's just, well..."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "What is it? Come on, say it. We're friends, aren't we?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Lately, ...you've been creeping me out."
	  Jayden:
	  "...Huh? ...What did you say?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Before, you were a lot more brutal when you fought. You did things you could never do in a real fight, things that were obviously just you screwing around."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "I'm just holding off on that, since you keep getting mad at me and telling me not to fight that way."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "...In the past, I'm pretty sure you found it funny that I got mad and just acted even worse... Well, enough about that. Set it aside. What's creeping me out is stuff like...what happened just now, for instance."
	  Jayden:
	  "What? If you've got a problem, then spit it out."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Like how you said
	   `Whether it's a land fight or an aerial fight, you're nothing less than beautiful. Nice work, Miyao♪'
	   What the heck was that?!"/
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "...H-How the hell is that creepy...? If anything, you're being creepy! If you've got a problem, tell me directly, with your mouth!"
	  As a side note, most lover's quarrels in this era begin with the man freaking out and saying "If you've got a problem, tell me directly, with your mouth!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, then I will say it with my mouth!"
	  Of course, this was always the second line of such quarrels.
	  Miyao:
	  "What is it you said when you saw me eating this? `Oh, looks like you've got quite a pile going there too, Miyao,' and so on. `You've got a good artistic sense for these things, wahaha♪'
	   ............Nope, nope, nope.
	   The old you never would've said that!"
	  True enough, the old Jayden had always teased Miyao and called him a kid when he saw something like that.
	  However, Miyao had noticed a clear change in the way Jayden had been acting towards him.
	  Miyao:
	  "And after we finished training, whenever I was worn out, you'd say I was pathetically thin and tell me to bulk up more, right? But now what do you do? What did you do today?"
	  Hey, nice work, Miyao♪
	  You're covered in sweat. Wanna use my towel?/
	   Hey, your sweat smells pretty good,
	   *sniff*.
	  You're doing great, considering how slim you are. But don't overdo it, okay? You can rely on me whenever you need to, got it? *thumbs
	   up*, 
	  langen@/
	  *sparkle*♪^
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "Th-Th-That's just normal bonding between guys, right?! And anyway, we're partners...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I won't deny it, and I know you're my partner. But, well, ...you've gone a bit overboard lately! Like, it's weird the way you, umm,
	   ...touch me! You're getting too close, and you're grossing me out!! Don't rub my shoulder, don't sniff me, and don't mess with my hair!"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "H-Hey, don't say that with your mouth, people'll misunderstand..."
	  Miyao:
	  "I thought you were the one who wanted me to talk with my mouth!"^
	  
	  Miyao leapt to his feet, slammed his tray down in the return gate, and tried to leave.
	  Jayden returned his tray too and chased after him.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Oh, it's rare for those two to argue out loud."
	  Chloe:
	  "*sparkle* I don't really get it, but I'll just go ahead and report this to Yeladot Shavit! （＠ｗ＠）ゞ"
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, wait, Miyao...! Jeez, you're just adorable."
	  Miyao:
	  "I told you, you're creeping me out!"
	  Jayden:
	  "What are you pouting for? It's not like I'm making fun of you, okay? It's just a term of endearment, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I...told...you!! You're creeping me out! I may be your partner, but I'm not your bride or your girlfriend or your sister or your pet
	   Wah...!"
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "See, you got so excited, you tripped. Are you okay...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I...I told you, don't cling to me like it's totally normal, okay...?
	   L-Let go!"
	  Jayden:
	  "If you brush me off like that, it just makes me want to creep you out even more."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wh-Wh-What...are you doing with your fingers...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Here,
	   guriguriguri."
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "Wah?!
	  langen@^ Wahaha, waha,
	   stop,
	   that tickles!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Are your shoulders feeling a bit stiff? Guriguriguri."^
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "Sto...
	  stop that,
	   it tickles,
	   it ticklllllllllles!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Your back must be really stiff, Miyao. Let's see, is this your weak spot? Guriguriguriii."
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "Hyaaaaaaaaaaahhh...!!!"
	  The instant he pressed his fist into the back of Miyao's shoulder blade, the latter let out a strange voice he had never heard before, arching backwards and twitching.
	  Miyao was looking up at Jayden with a flushed expression, breathing heavily...
	  Meow:
	  "...St-Stop it, Jayden... My back...really is sensitive..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? M-Meow, is that you...?!"
	  In the next instant, she shook her head, ...and there was Miyao's face, still bright-red, but enraged.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Get your hands...
	  OFF MEEEEEEEE!!!!"
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "...Well, umm, ...I know I shouldn't have done that. ...I texted him to say I was sorry, but he read it and ignored it."
	  Abdou:
	  "That's too bad. Even if he ignores them, you should keep texting that you're sorry."
	  Momotake:
	  "An apology doesn't end when it is made. It ends when the one you're apologizing to forgives you."
	  Jayden:
	  "Is that how it works? Wouldn't it be better to leave him be and give him some time to think?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "This time, I agree with them. If you get angry and start ignoring him, things like this just tend to get worse."
	  Andry:
	  "Relationships are such a pain, huh? Life should be lived moment by moment, but you keep getting stuck on things and it screws everything up."
	  Ishak:
	  "Well, even if Jayden does apologize for taking a joke too far, that's not the real problem here, is it?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "True. ...Jayden, you aren't a CPP, a Congenital Parallel Processor, right?"
	  Momotake:
	  "Quite a few CPPs dislike it when people get confused while interacting with their multiple personalities."
	  Jayden:
	  "...Are there any Congenitals...CPPs here now?"
	  Ishak:
	  "I don't think you want to be asking that. Not everyone who's come out has enjoyed the experience."
	  Jayden:
	  "............"
	  Abdou:
	  "Single Personalities are a majority in the world at large, but they're a minority among Gauntlet Knights. Well, it just means you've got to treat people differently here."
	  Andry:
	  "Anyway, you hear this a lot in the world of CPPs. Someone falls in love with one personality, and the other personality starts to hate them."
	  In the world of Single Personalities, it's not uncommon for people to see their partners in a new light, after noticing that they have an unexpected side to them.
	  When incidents like these happen in the world of romance manga and novels, ...they inevitably lead to the development of romantic feelings.
	  However, that only applies when said partner is a Single Personality.
	  Momotake:
	  "To them, a different personality is the same as a different person. So, when you take your impression of one and force it on the other, they despise it..."
	  Jayden:
	  "...I get it. If a guy in my class sucked at basketball, and someone said I must suck too because I was in his class, it'd piss me off..."
	  Abdou:
	  "Meow is Meow. Miyao is Miyao, okay?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Perhaps you developed romantic feelings for Meow...and subconsciously started treating Miyao as a member of the opposite sex."
	  Jayden:
	  "I-If you just calmly analyze it like that, ...it makes me wanna find a hole to crawl into..."
	  Jayden sank up to his head in the bath.
	  It was just a virtual bath in a virtual room, so he wouldn't suffocate or anything. But right then, he was so embarrassed that he didn't want his male friends to see his face.
	  Ishak:
	  "There's no need to be embarrassed. We are soldiers, after all. We may be servants to world peace, but fundamentally, we're in a job where we might lose our lives at any time. I don't think it's a bad idea to experience love while you have the chance."
	  Jayden:
	  "...In the end, this is all because I didn't understand anything. ...It's my fault..."
	  At the same time, in the open air bath of the same virtual room, the Gauntlet girls had gathered.
	  The topic of discussion here was the same as the boys'.
	  Lingji:
	  "I understand how you feel, but he didn't know. If you get too angry, I'd feel sorry for him."
	  Meow:
	  "That's right... If you talk to him so harshly, that's just too sad for Jayden."
	  Miyao:
	  "The way his attitude suddenly changed was seriously creepy! We were partners, okay? I trusted him because we were supposed to put our lives in each others' hands! And then...he suddenly...starts treating me like a girl...! It was a shock, and it made me so sad...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I thought we loved each other like family in the best way possible. I believed we had a trusting relationship that went beyond things like gender! And then he suddenly starts acting like that...!"
	  Naima:
	  "Wowow... Please, have more faith in your partner, in Jayden..."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh. That's just the sort of creature boys are, suddenly changing when they realize someone's a girl. From now on, he might be like a fox staring down a hen house. Heheheh."
	  Naima:
	  "No way...! Wowowooow...!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Meow is a girl, but Miyao isn't! This is clearly a case of identity confusion, a human rights violation!"
	  Naomi:
	  "...This is probably because he wasn't properly educated about CPPs. As long as CPPs continue to hide, instead of furthering understanding in the world at large, this sort of thing will continue to happen. That's all there is to it."
	  Lingji:
	  "But if they do come out, they simply take on a social risk without any benefits..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I've ordered my attendants to make sure Jayden fully understands what's going on here. Now that he knows, if he ever does the same thing again, ...I'll see to it that he's properly punished!"
	  Meow:
	  "H-Hey, don't do something so ominous to Jayden!"
	  Naima:
	  "I'm sure Jayden will understand, woooow!"
	  Miyao:
	  "It's not like...I want him to understand me or anything! ...I was just...so horrified..."
	  Aysha:
	  "You're horrified that someone thinks of you as a woman? My, my, so now you're making statements that are prejudiced against women, huh?"
	  Meow:
	  "People only say big brother is thin like a woman because he doesn't exercise much!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I-It's not like that! If I exercised and bulked up, then you'd be pissed because our body wouldn't look like a girl...!"
	  Meow:
	  "I never said that!! You're only thin because you don't exercise!"
	  Miyao:
	  "B-But...I'm short, and my arms are short, so even if I finally started exercising, all the buff guys would just make fun of me, and, umm..."
	  Meow:
	  "See, you don't exercise because of your own reasons!! Don't use me as an excuse for not doing it!! I hate you, big brother!! I can't believe this!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "What the hell?! Dammit,
	   you wanna have a go...?!!
	  langen@/
	   Owwww...!!"
	  Miyao's right and left arms started fighting, pinching their cheeks and pulling their hair, like a single person pantomiming a fight...
	  Lingji:
	  "In other words, the source of their fight wasn't just identity confusion, it was Miyao's own inferiority complex about his body."
	  Naomi:
	  "...Nice analysis. I can propose a perfect way to resolve this."
	  Miyao:
	  "W-Wait,
	   are you trying to say we're both at fault here?!"
	  Meow:
	  "This isn't Jayden's fault, it's all yours!! All you had to do was stop saying things like that, calm down, and show him how to interact with CPPs!
	   Stupid big brother! You weak,
	   skinny pipsqueak!!"
	  ...Mocking the physical characteristics of someone whose body you share may be a dubious tactic.
	  At any rate, they'd managed to get Miyao's side of the story.
	  The girls passed the message on to the guys talking to Jayden with a mental text...
	  Apparently, this group had almost finished getting Jayden's side of the story.
	  Everyone admonished Jayden, making him understand how rude identity confusion was to CPPs.
	  Right now, the impact of Miyao's "you're creeping me out" was sinking in, and he was being wrapped in a fierce self-hatred.
	  Ishak:
	  "It's not like you to let it get you down like this."
	  Momotake:
	  "Miyao went too far as well. If he doesn't like being called weak, all he has to do is train on his own. The fact that he was so horrified just because he thought someone was treating him like a woman...is pathetic for someone who is technically a Japanese boy."
	  Andry:
	  "If he's so worried about his body, you should just train him up good at a gym or something. It sounds like he wants to be treated like a man, so whip him into shape."
	  Jayden:
	  "...If that's what he wants, ...then sure. I won't hold back!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "I just discussed this with Naomi, and we agreed that a male bonding ceremony would be the best way for you two to make up."
	  Abdou:
	  "Nice. Go sweat together as men. It's the best way to make up."
	  Jayden:
	  "What do you mean, ...male bonding ceremony...?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "In old Japanese manga, men who had grown distant would always resolve their problems like this. We can advise you in this virtual room, but our bodies are far away. We can't help you directly. So, we're going to get a trustworthy friend, Gunhild, to set the stage."
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? ...You're bringing Gunhild into this...? I'd rather not tell the others in the AOU if I can help it..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Don't worry. She understands you two far better than you know. I just texted her. Now, you only need to obey her instructions."
	  Jayden:
	  "O-Okay..."
	  He wasn't quite satisfied with this, but a text from Gunhild came almost immediately.
	  You've received a message poyo!
	  #fff555This is Gunhild. I ask that Miyao and Jayden gather here immediately.
	  Gather where? There was a blip on the map screen. ...Isn't that...
	  Jayden:
	  "...I don't really get it, ...but I'll head on over. ...Umm, everyone, thanks for hearing me out."
	  Andry:
	  "Don't worry about it, young man. Life seems long, but it's shorter than you think. Enjoy your ignorant youth to the fullest."
	  "Jayden" has exited the room.
	  A short while after Jayden left, the girls who had been listening to Miyao and Meow joined them.
	  Naomi:
	  "...This will probably get their feelings back on the right track."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Cases that can't be healed with medicine really make your back ache."
	  Naima:
	  "When friends make up, they become even better friends. Wooow♪"
	  Naomi:
	  "I hope they do."
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao really does love his partner, doesn't he? I suppose it's that trust that lets them fight the way they do. I've known it ever since the Battle Standard Festival."
	  Momotake:
	  "Wh-When it comes to bonds of trust, we of Baibao Squad are in no way inferior, Princess!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheheh. Momotake, I guess you'll never give in on that point."
	  Andry:
	  "...Okay then. I'll leave too and look after the two ladies from Suparṇa. They're both so serious, they'll suffocate if I don't tease them..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "We shall leave too! Come now, back to training! Our next mock enemy is AOU America's Atlantic Fleet!"
	  Ishak:
	  "Whoa, Princess. That's a bit harsh, five seconds after we helped Jayden of AOU America sort out his personal issues."
	  Abdou:
	  "Come on. You just know those AOUs are training for an assault on the Atlantis Spirit Field. I'd guess the ABN's doing an assault on Algiers, and the COU's doing a mine blockade of the Mozambique Channel."
	  Aysha:
	  "My, my, I have no idea what you're talking about. Heheheheheh. Oh, pardon me while I go memorize the Maputo Central Harbor layout. Heheheheh."
	  Lingji:
	  "We also undergo training using other factions as mock enemies. It's no surprise that the same thing happens in reverse. We're all doing it."
	  Naomi:
	  "...Heheh. Even though we're all comrades who love the sky, and even though we do this job for the sake of peace, we're still soldiers. Understanding why it's like that doesn't make it any less tough."
	  Ishak:
	  "The Walls of Peace are heavy. We all have to get stronger if we're going to support them from both sides."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Of course. When two combatants raise their swords at each other, it's essential that both sides have properly honed their skills. That sort of determination is essential both for military might and for comrades supporting the Walls of Peace."
	  Momotake:
	  "Indeed. Remaining attentive and not slacking off in your training is the best way for warriors to show respect for each other."
	  Lingji:
	  "Correct. Nothing would humiliate me more than hearing that the COU wasn't even worth training against."
	  Naima:
	  "Hey, that's enough talking about scary things, wowowow!"
	  Naima:
	  "In the It's a Wrap Public Bath, we all swore with Miyao that we'd be friends! So stop saying scary stuff, wowowooow!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "You're right. That Public Bath Oath is the most important one we've made, and it binds everyone here together."
	  Naomi:
	  "For now, let's put aside affiliations and factions...and pray that our friends Miyao and Jayden make up okay."
	  Lingji:
	  "Yes. And let's be glad that we were able to help."
	  Aysha:
	  "Okay, then we'll just head back to that mine-laying simulation in the Whatever Channel. See you later, everyone...♪"
	  One by one, they all vanished from the room.
	  And then there were none, leaving the virtual room wrapped in silence, except for the sound of the baths...
	  Miyao:
	  "...You know, it really is weird, this era. Just a little."
	  Miyao:
	  "Ah, you're wondering about how I look? It was getting confusing, so I sorta had this made to match my tastes. Think it looks good on me? Well, I really couldn't care less what you think. All that matters is whether I like it or not."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, this really is a strange era. ...After all, you're all soldiers, right? Isn't it your job to defeat your opponents in war? Even if you try to cover it up with all this talk about supporting the Walls of Peace together and being servants of international peace, ...defeating enemies is a soldier's job."
	  Miyao:
	  "They probably all believe that, even if war does break out, they'll be able to `handle' it neatly and beautifully thanks to this sportsmanship. ...However, the cost of that foolishness...will soon be paid at a higher price than you've ever imagined."
	  ...There's no way...that'll happen...
	  We're all friends. We swore that to each other.
	  Even if a conflict erupts, ...we definitely...won't kill each other...
	  You act like this nonsense is a prediction, but none of it will ever happen...
	  Miyao:
	  "...Hmm. This is probably a misunderstanding peculiar to Japanese. 予言 and 預言 are both pronounced `yogen', but their meaning is entirely different. Do you know what the difference is?"
	  ...I don't want to talk to you... Disappear, disappeeeeear...!
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, I don't really care whether you ask or not. I'm talking because I want to. ...So, about the difference between 予言 and 預言. 予言 means what you think it does. It's making a `prediction' about the future and telling someone about it. That prediction might be right, or it might not. ...But 預言 is different."
	  預言 means `prophecy', receiving words from God.
	  God is omnipotent, and also knows everything about the future. So, the words of God are a `promise' about the future.
	  When you receive those words from God and speak them, it becomes `預言', a prophecy...
	  Miyao:
	  "My words are a prophecy. They're an announcement about a promised future. It doesn't matter whether you believe me or not. No matter what happens, everything will turn out the way I said."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Right now, the world is still moving slowly. It may not look like the sort of environment a war could break out in, ...but behind the stage where you innocently play at being friends, the world is slowly preparing to become a place where people hate each other."
	  ...Who? ...Who...would do something like that...?!
	  Miyao:
	  "...Do you know about the Three Kings? ...They're the old people who claim to be the guides of humanity across the globe."
	  ...Their ultimate goal is to get the whole world to fight at once, and then destroy everything by their own hands.
	  Miyao:
	  "For that reason, those old people have already made extensive preparations. ...And, very soon, it will become real. When that happens, all this pretending to be friends for the sake of international peace...will be over."
	  Miyao:
	  "...All those people who looked like they were giving advice about romance or something just now...will be torn apart from each other in a bloody fight to the death. They'll experience anger and sadness, countless negative emotions, and pathetically kill each other."
	  We won't!
	   We definitely won't...!!
	  We'll never kill each other! How the hell could we...?!!
	  Miyao:
	  "Very, very soon, ...hell will come to this Earth..."
	  I'll...never believe in a hell like that...!!
	  I'll prevent it, I'll put a stop to it, I'll avoid it!! No matter what, I'll definitely, ...definitely avoid that hell, that fate...!!!
	  --Listen,
	   my adorable Miyao.
	  Your highest-priority goal is to stop this `hell' before it happens, using any means necessary.
	  The only way to succeed in that...
	  is to kill them.
	  You must find them and kill them.
	  You may do whatever is necessary to accomplish that.
	  No matter whom you have to kill or what you have to break, there's no need to hold back...
	  ...Kill...them...
	  That's the only way to avoid that `hell'...
	  Miyao:
	  "Kill the Three Kings. Kill them."
	  Leah:
	  "When love is on your side, age and height are no barrier!"
	  
	  Fatma:
	  "Neither nationality nor race can stand between a couple!"
	  
	  Stephania:
	  "Even religion and gender can't tear apart two people who love each other!"
	  
	  Leah:
	  "We'll support any kind of love!"
	  Fatma:
	  "We're the ultimate cheerleaders for all couples in love!"
	  Stephania:
	  "Yeladot Shavit!
	   Bringing the heat! We're here!"
	  Leah:
	  "So, where are they?! Where are the AOU pretty boys who awakened to love between men?!"
	  Fatma:
	  "Now that we're here to support you, have no fear! Our 550mm torpedoes will burst through all barriers to love!"
	  Stephania:
	  "...Searching for target. ...Oh? Forget the target, there isn't anyone here at all."
	  Leah:
	  "We never stand idle in a place lacking love!"
	  Fatma:
	  "We're the comet girls, Yeladot Shavit!"
	  Stephania:
	  "Resuming search for love! Yeladot Shavit, bringing the heat!!"
	  "Leah", "Fatma", and "Stephania" have left the room.
	  The number of participants in virtual room "It's a Wrap Public Bath" is now zero. Entering Sleep Mode.
	  ...Hahaha. ...They're all going to die.
	  If you want to avoid this hell, ...you have to kill...
	  Kill them. ...Or if that's impossible, yourself.
	  ..................
	  Boom,
	   bang,
	   crash!
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, what's wrong, Miyao-chaaan?! Is that all? Gonna go to bed like a little girl?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Shut up!! I'm...a...maaaaaaaan!!!"
	  Thwack, thwack,
	   bam bam bam!
	  
	  The two of them were in the training room ring, punching each other while wearing gloves and headgear.
	  Apparently, they'd been at it for a while. Both of them were covered in sweat.
	  Gunhild:
	  "I see. Like Stan said, the best way for boys to restore their friendship is a good dash of fatigue and the release of their fighting instincts."
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't underestimate me just because I'm short!! You asshole, you asshole!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Dammit, my gloves are too heavy! Isn't this too much of a handicap?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "If you start losing, are you gonna blame your gloves?! Even your excuses are supergenius-class!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Ah, dammit, this tiny brat's so full of himself...
	   Okay, I really will punch you, beat the crap out of you!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "St-Stop it, Jayden!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh?! Meow?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Gotchaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"
	  Baaaaaaang!!^
	  
	  Gunhild:
	  "...A cross-counter. ...Or it would've been, if Miyao's arm were a bit longer."
	  Jayden's left straight had beautifully lined up on Miyao's face, ...but as usual, Miyao's right straight hadn't been long enough to reach.
	  With a thunk, Miyao fell spread-eagled to the ground.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Dammiiiiiiit...
	   Get me a saw
	   A chainsaw
	   I'm cutting this right arm off
	   I'll turn it into a rocket fist!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I'm not gonna fall for that, Miyao. I've already memorized the difference between how you and Meow talk."
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh, really? I'm so happy for you. *picks nose*"
	  Jayden:
	  "If you're that worried about your flimsy body, I'll train you like they do in the navy. Don't start crying, okay?"
	  Miyao:
	  "And if Meow starts crying from the muscle pain, how are you gonna take responsibility?"
	  Jayden:
	  "I'll gently massage it until she gets better. But I won't do it for you, Miyao! You can go rub indomethacin lotion on it all by your lonely self, wahahahaha!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Dammit... I'll train, I'll train like hell...! I'll definitely protect Meow from beasts like you!"
	  Meow:
	  "Jayden's your partner, isn't he?! How dare you call him a beast?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no point treating this kind of dumbass like a human!"
	  Meow:
	  "How can you say that about the partner who's done so much for you?!
	   Stupid big brother, you dummy!!"
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "Ah, ow, don't pinch me! Owowow...!!"
	  Meow:
	  "Jayden, keep training big brother, okay?! The truth is, he's feeling a bit relieved right now, and he's grateful."
	  Jayden:
	  "Sure, leave it to me! I dedicate this victory to you, Meow."
	  Meow:
	  "Th-Thanks...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...That's Japan for you. I never thought I'd see a romantic comedy comic strip from the 20th century play out in real life. I'm jealous."
	  Cheery Man:
	  "Hey, senhor!! Toujirou, how've you been?!!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Well you're enthusiastic, as I'd expect from a Latin American country. Someone might think we've been close friends for a decade."
	  Cheery Man:
	  "I didn't think I'd ever see you again alive, wahahaha!"
	  This was LATO Brazil.
	  In the A3W world, anyone picturing a resort would think of Latin America.
	  Latin America had managed to preserve the most beautiful of environments and air quality, as well as gorgeous vistas, making it a vacation destination for VIPs across the world.
	  It would be no exaggeration to say that spending the rest of one's life in a high-class Latin American resort was the ultimate goal of many.
	  The countries on the South American continent, which was the only one that had Spirit Fields of high-purity Rare Spiritium, were considered the most prosperous in the world. They were paradise nations, a fifth faction, which managed to maintain favorable relationships with all factions in a world where the other four factions were always quarreling...
	  At a glance, it was hard to imagine what connection there might be between Toujirou, who was well-dressed despite this heat and pulling a wheeled bag behind him, and this man, who looked like he lived every day to the fullest in casual clothes.
	  The pair entered the lobby of the high-class hotel where the cheery man was staying and relaxed on an expensive sofa.
	  Cheery Man:
	  "Toujirou, you should quit your business too and come over to LATO! It's great here, just heavenly!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Sadly, I don't have the kind of vast wealth you need to apply for immigration into LATO."
	  Cheery Man:
	  "Just go make friends with the big-breasted, big-assed girls on that beach over there! If you marry into their family, that'll get you your citizenship! All LATO girls dream of falling in love with foreign billionaires!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "That explains all those strangely appraising looks I got on the beach. They've got good eyes. One look at the material of my clothes, and they knew I wasn't rich enough to be worth talking to."
	  Cheery Man:
	  "Wahahahahahah!! You really are a hoot, Toujirou, wahahahahahah!!"
	  The hotel bar was filled with relaxed Latin music that would satisfy the heart of any hardboiled man.
	  After the two men brought their glasses together, they silently enjoyed the atmosphere and their drinks for a while...
	  In an era where you could say things with your brain, it was customary to refrain from speaking anything but your orders in places where silence was treasured.
	  So, each of the guests experienced the place in their own ways, and they were able to enjoy their conversations without interfering with anyone...
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "So, were you able to play that musical score...?"
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "That was one hell of a score you found! I doubt there are even five people in the world who could perform that!"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Then I'm glad one of those five people owes me a favor. After all, a score is just a piece of paper if no one can perform it."
	  You've received 13 data items poyo!
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "Still, where on Earth did you find this? These are 8MS blueprints. Each one was an Environmental 8MS blueprint maintained by nationally supported businesses from various countries."
	  Now showing a preview of 13 items poyo.
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "...So it seems."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "Only a few organizations manage 8MS blueprints. And they're all supposed to be government-supported and tightly controlled by their countries. ...How did you get these?"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Who knows? It's a business secret."
	  8MS. Also called Eimiss.
	  Its official name was the Eight Million System.
	  It was a system of environmental nanomachines, developed by the Yaoyorozu Nanotech Firm in B3W Japan.
	  The 8MS had self-replicated repeatedly, eventually filling the atmosphere all over the planet.
	  This groundbreaking system was capable of doing all sorts of things when instructed. It was almost like an OS that had been installed into the environment itself.
	  Its uses included communication, obviously, but also purification of the air and water, reduction of ultraviolet rays, medical applications, and, eventually, military applications as well.
	  Its initial development had proceeded quickly, but scientists fearful of `grey goo' had kicked off a worldwide anti-nanomachine campaign, so it was kept from the light of day for a long time.
	  However, when World War III ended, the world was faced with the prospect of imminent extinction.
	  A nuclear winter had begun, starting the countdown to the world's end.
	  While the political debate over its use was still ongoing, the 8MS had been distributed across the whole world, and it began purifying the atmosphere.
	  As a result, the globe did not freeze over. The countless gods known as 8MS filled the air, raising the curtain on a new world...
	  Just as oxygen and nitrogen had existed in the atmosphere, so too did 8MS now exist.
	  Of course, it existed in all regions of the world, but it also existed as high as the stratosphere and as low as the bottom of the ocean. And, naturally, it was inside the human body as well.
	  Some had worried that knowledge of strange nanomachines filling everything from the atmosphere to people's bodies would trigger humanity's nanomachine allergy once again.
	  All A3W governments hid this fact, but some scientists eventually made it public.
	  The masses, knowing that nanomachines had been put into their bodies without their knowledge, and fearing that some sort of accident or malicious act might lead to tragedy, flew into a panic.
	  For several decades, it was used as a magic word by certain kinds of paranoids, conspiracy theorists, and newscasters, one that was used to explain all sorts of unpleasant, unknown things.
	  However, 100 years had passed since then without anything major happening.
	  The generation afflicted by nanomachine allergies came and went.
	  Nanomachines infected the entire planet, and the phobia of grey goo turning everything else into nanomachines was now viewed as a complete joke...
	  It was just like in the 20th century, when some people thought that letting off an H-bomb would cause a chain reaction with all the hydrogen on the planet and destroy the world. That opinion was also viewed as a complete joke later on.
	  Now, no one thought much of the fact that countless nanomachines drifted throughout the atmosphere and their bodies.
	  Nanomachines aside, humanity had always coexisted with all sorts of bacteria and viruses.
	  And so, a murderous 8MS was simply added to the list of things an evil terrorist might develop in a spy novel, alongside nukes and killer viruses...
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Of course, it isn't actually that simple. In the first place, developing 8MS requires cutting-edge research facilities and human resources, as well as a massive budget. Only the major countries from each faction are capable of that. And, it's managed by the IPMA, and all countries observe each others' work. You couldn't possibly develop a malicious 8MS."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "Well, that's true enough. Still, if that's the case, what on Earth was he thinking, the guy who got his hands on this heavily compressed file?"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Maybe he's a super hacker who somehow thought he could sell it for money."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "So he's both a supergenius who can get into the super-secure 8MS management servers, and a total moron who actually thinks he could make a profit off it?"
	  Several 8MS blueprints were shared between 8MS research facilities across all the world's factions, under the management of the IPMA. So, pre-existing 8MS blueprints were something all factions already had.
	  Even if this hacker had retrieved it so some terrorists could start developing a malicious 8MS, they wouldn't be able to get their hands on the facilities or human resources necessary for such development, making the whole thing pointless.
	  Though the blueprints were managed quite carefully, they weren't worth any money.
	  It was like stealing semiconductor techniques that had already been patented.
	  Those were already public knowledge in the semiconductor industry, and even if someone outside the industry found blueprints for those techniques, they wouldn't do them any good at home or at the dinner table.
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "I wonder what the guy who stole this was thinking."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "Well, this is just a theory of mine, but one of the blueprints is called `Artemis'."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "A Water Purification 8MS. ...That was a registered trademark of ACR South Africa's state-managed 8MS program."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "There's also Sistema Curar, Pal Pal 1.02, and Ainsijam."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Those are Air Purification 8MS from LATO Argentina, COU Singapore, and COU Saudi Arabia."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "There was a lot more, but they were all 8MS blueprints related to atmospheric improvement. ...In other words, some mysterious terrorist wants to take advantage of that to create some kind of environment-destroying 8MS!"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "And then, they'll use that to launch a massive attack on the world's food-producing regions, triggering a world panic? Nice, Forsyth would've loved this stuff."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "Water and air are essential to human life. If we lose those, we're screwed! I'll bet the terrorists are jealous of LATO's beautiful paradise and are planning to destroy it!"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Hahahahah. But you're still talking about a dream, right? Every lab on Earth is under close observation. There doesn't exist an institution anywhere that could develop something like an environment-destroying 8MS."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "Maybe. But you know what, Toujirou? Even if it was impossible for every lab on Earth, ...a secret lab beneath the Earth might be a different story, right?"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Huh? What are you talking about? Hahahah, my Kizuna translates your Portuguese weird sometimes."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "...Ah, I'm so sorry, Toujirou. Looks like my next appointment has arrived. Mind if I include the bill from here as part of my fee?"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "That explains why you were going for the expensive stuff."
	  Cheery Man:
	  "Obrigado! Até logo!"
	  The cheery man left the bar with the same cheeriness he'd had when he'd first appeared.
	  Now that the energetic man was gone, Toujirou was finally able to slowly soak in the bar's atmosphere...
	  Then, the scent of a passionate perfume hit his nose.
	  An attractive Brazilian woman had sat down in the seat vacated by the cheery man.
	  Toujirou raised his glass and winked at her.
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hi there, young lady. Would you care for a drink?"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh.
	  langen@^ Gladly. Now, what shall I have..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "How about a milkshake? As laidback as LATO is, it's probably not a good idea to drink alcohol on the job."
	  By this point, she wasn't alone. Several MPs from the LATO military were with her too.
	  #fbeb85Valentina:
	  "Welcome to LATO Brazil, senhor. If you had told us you were coming, we could've given you a proper welcome."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Well, now that I know there's a beauty like you here to welcome me, I'll do that next time."
	  #fbeb85Valentina:
	  "His Excellency has said he wishes to invite you to dinner. Will you come with us?"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Works for me. If you'll be joining us in an evening dress, that is."
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. Senhor says he'll gladly come with us. Sergeant, take his baggage. And see if any of his luggage has arrived at the room he was supposed to be spending the night in."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Nice, just what I'd expect from a resort country. The service here is great."
	  Toujirou set his empty glass on the counter and calmly stood up.
	  The MPs walked right next to him on either side...
	  
	  Narrator:
	  "Former Prime Minister Zeidan of ACR Libya was reported to have died of an illness last week, but according to a recent leak, he actually died due to a gunshot wound. This has led to a massive uproar in that country."
	  Civilian:
	  "Our former Prime Minister, a leader of peace and democracy, was killed by the ACR Royal Family! Africa must not fall back into a dark age! We request humanitarian military support from the ABN military to protect the people of Africa...!!"
	  Narrator:
	  "ACR Royal Family Press Secretary Rafini said this measure was taken because making any announcement before the investigation concluded might have led to a panic, in effect confirming the leak."
	  Press Secretary:
	  "This crime was committed by secret agents of the ABN Guidance Department, which has always challenged the harmony of the African continent. A male and a female member of the ABN involved with this assassination have already been arrested, and we have asked that the International Criminal Police Department issue an official notice regarding four other participants."
	  Narrator:
	  "The ABN Department of Friendship, their equivalent to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has expressed their deep regret at these comments, and..."
	  Reporter:
	  "Ah, just now, ABN Pakistan's mining machines all started operating at once! The suspension of the Kashmir Spirit Field Dispute, which both the ABN and the COU supposedly agreed to, is now over...!"
	  Commentator:
	  "Ever since the disputed Kashmir region was found to contain a large-scale spirit field, the ABN and the COU have each publicly encouraged the other to show self-restraint, while simultaneously claiming that they themselves ought to possess the Kashmir region. This issue has been suspended for quite some time, but it seems that the moment has finally come for them to clash openly."
	  Reporter:
	  "The Foreign Ministers of COU China and COU India have both released statements. They're harshly criticizing the ABN, saying that their breach of the agreement by resuming mining operations will not be tolerated, and that they must bear responsibility for whatever happens next!"
	  Jestress:
	  "World news has suddenly gotten so exciting. Is the information overload making you old people lose your minds?"
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Heheheh, heheheheheheheh."
	  King of Fury:
	  "It would count as information if this was news, but it isn't news to us."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "After all, when they announce the news, they're just reading our manuscript aloud for us."
	  Jestress:
	  "Precisely. All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path. Heheheheh......"
	  Narrator:
	  "However, the Kashmir region isn't the only spirit field problem the COU has. There's also the Glass Sea of Japan."
	  Narrator:
	  "The vast Glass Sea that separates COU Japan and AOU Japan has been maintained by both countries as a symbol of peace and a World War Relic, and they've attempted to use it as an opportunity to build harmony. At least, until recently."
	  Commentator:
	  "Well, hahahah... I suppose it's natural for Rare Spiritium to become a source of disputes."
	  Narrator:
	  "Who could have predicted that a spirit field of Rare Spiritium would be found in the earth below the Glass Sea?"
	  Commentator:
	  "AOU Japan did a soil analysis first, discovering that a vast spirit field existed there, but they concealed that information and effectively prevented a soil analysis by COU Japan."
	  Commentator:
	  "AOU Japan says their announcement was merely delayed, and that they hadn't intended to conceal anything, but the COU strongly suspects that they were trying to keep the spirit fields all for themselves."
	  Narrator:
	  "COU Japan claims that the Glass Sea was divided in half, so the western half belongs to them, but AOU Japan claims that the Glass Sea is a Neutral Zone managed by both countries. COU Japan has suggested that they might station border guards in that area, so it seems unlikely that the Glass Sea of Japan will escape becoming another disputed territory!"
	  Black-suited Men:
	  "...Your Excellency, we've received a report from our COU Japanese comrades that the stationing of border guards will take place in 48 hours."
	  Seshat:
	  "Everything is proceeding smoothly. Even though they lost almost all their pieces in the big war, they've managed to scrape together this much in just over a century. I must admit I'm impressed, *clap*clap*clap*"
	  Black-suited Men:
	  "We also have reports that their pawns hidden in countries around the world have all started taking action at once. ...Are you sure we shouldn't make our move?"
	  Seshat:
	  "Nah, it'll be fine."
	  Seshat:
	  "If half or so of the world gets destroyed, that's probably just what humanity needs about now. Civilization is a unicycle that humanity's constantly riding. If they stop, they fall. So they have to keep on moving. The only problem...is that civilization has an end."
	  Seshat:
	  "When you reach that end, ...`they' will definitely come."
	  Seshat:
	  "It'll be a festival, a harvest festa. Everything will be reaped, without even a single husk left behind. It'll all be pulled up by the roots. ...Compared to that, World War IV will be far more humane. If you just rewind the world's civilization a little, the end of civilization will be that much further away. ...And weapons of mass destruction have already been eradicated. See? Nothing to worry about at all, ahahaha."
	  Reporter:
	  "We have new information about the Atlantis Spirit Field issue in the Atlantic. The AOU American government has made a statement that the ACR, which currently has a unilateral military presence in that area, must withdraw the warship Atlantis of the ACR Combined Navy from the spirit field within two weeks. If they do not, the AOU American Navy will dispatch their Atlantic Fleet to that location."
	  Narrator:
	  "They demanded that the ACR withdraw a single ship?"
	  Commentator:
	  "It's classified as a warship, but the Atlantis is a Superfortress-class Segmented Warship, an ocean fortress made of 7 massive linked warships. It's also a symbol of their occupation of the Atlantis Spirit Field, so it's hard to imagine the ACR going along with this."
	  Narrator:
	  "Another news item just in. The ACR Royal Family, referencing 12 murders including that of former Prime Minister Zeidan, has demanded the return of Supreme Chancellor Belloumi of the Liberal Democratic Party African Liberation Front, who is currently receiving political asylum in COU Madagascar."
	  Narrator:
	  "It is unlikely that the COU will respond to this demand, and many think this will further complicate the Mozambique Channel issue, which concerns a heating up of travel restrictions through the area near the Lemurian Spirit Field!"
	  Reporter:
	  "And now for our next item. Just now, despite repeated requests from the ABN Oracle Department to desist, the Seven State Alliance in Western ABN Ukraine has started holding a national referendum on whether to seek admission into AOU Russia!"
	  Reporter:
	  "The AOU Russian military is concentrated on their border and has hinted that they might enter as part of a humanitarian operation to protect citizens of Russian descent if the worst were to happen!"
	  Reporter:
	  "Of course, the ABN Peace Department has objected vehemently to this. It's suspected that, behind the scenes, complicated religious issues that have been forcibly silenced are at play here. This powder keg may have been lit last month when several VIPs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church were arrested!"
	  Narrator:
	  "Meanwhile, on the internet, theories that all these international tensions are being fueled by a LATO international conspiracy have been gaining steam."
	  Blogger:
	  "It's a conspiracy by the countries of LATO, trying to get the other four factions to take each other out! The four factions must maintain their self-restraint and calmly deal with these issues! Now is the time for peace and coexistence! The anti-pacifist LATO must be annihilated! LATO must stop monopolizing Rare Spiritium fields and share them with the whole world!!"
	  Commentator:
	  "Well, LATO, the world's greatest supplier of Rare Spiritium, is periodically set up as the villain of international conspiracies."
	  Commentator:
	  "In particular, old major countries who looked down on nations affiliated with LATO in the B3W era are rumored to be unsatisfied with LATO's international leadership in A3W society, even to the point of jealousy. It seems the military tensions springing up across the world will affect all factions, even LATO."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "This has been quite a day. It's just one bit of unsettling news after another."
	  Toujirou:
	  "As if you didn't know about all these things beforehand, Your Excellency."
	  In the highest-class private room of a resort hotel, an old, pudgy military official and Toujirou were sharing a meal.
	  There were MPs in the four corners of the room, all staring at Toujirou...
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Humans are despicable creatures, after all. The feeling of superiority we get simply from knowing things a bit sooner than the general public makes a good drink that much more delicious. Gahahahahahahah."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If we keep this up and dash straight into World War IV, that ought to sober them up."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Gahahaha. No one wants that. This moderate sort of tension sometimes builds during peacetime, but whenever it does, they beautifully make up and give the world's news a good story with a nice moral. Everyone wants a scenario like that to play out. And that's what will happen this time too."
	  Toujirou:
	  "After all, unless you give humans some tension every now and then, they start to forget how precious peace is. They also forget how grateful they are to the people who've protected that peace."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Exactly. After all, this spurt of international tension will make for an excellent chance to show off the true purpose of militaries and related institutions, whose job has become nothing more than earning medals in Battle Standard Festivals under the noble guise of being servants of peace."
	  Humans are foolish creatures who respect proactive occupations, but show absolutely no respect for reactive ones.
	  Though militaries were hailed as guardians supporting the Walls of Peace, their budgets had started to decline everywhere in recent years.
	  After all, national borders had been maintained thanks to a healthy military balance, and they were now wonderfully stable.
	  Not only that, but once the newest type of weapon -- the Gauntlet -- was made ready for practical use, a few thousand suitable youths would be able to replace millions of soldiers.
	  In the end, militaries around the world would probably be dismantled.
	  This development was hardly amusing for old men with vested interests in the military's upper echelons, as well as high-ranking men in active service who wanted their spots.
	  "If only we had an upswing of military tensions, giving me a chance to shine." ...A lot of military men were thinking that way.
	  It's just like how there's never been an exterminator who wants all bugs to go extinct...
	  However, there were quite a few old men who didn't care about the future, who were more interested in how much easy money they could make now.
	  By the time all militaries were dissolved, they would be long retired. Why should they care what happened after that?
	  To them, these global military tensions, which were building after such a long time, would be their last festival...and a chance to rake in the dough.
	  The military official rose to his feet and gazed through the window at a well-lit pool under the night sky.
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Toujirou, I hear you're a fairly well-known broker in this arena. One of my friends in the Department of Defense says he's made a killing thanks to you."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Oh? I wonder who that friend might be. ...When doing business with me, being loose-lipped is against the rules."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "No, no. His lips were indeed tightly sealed. And, I can guarantee that he'll never speak of you again as long as he lives. Have no fear, Toujirou."
	  Toujirou:
	  "...I see. So that's why he never responds when I ask him to go out for a drink."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Toujirou, I'm not a small fry like him. I have power. I have no shortage of strong cards to play. And with those cards, I can help you earn even more..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Would you mind showing me those cards?"
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "I've never shown my cards to anyone who hasn't brought me a sack of money, but you're different, Toujirou. Very well, as an apology for inviting you here so abruptly, I'll show you."
	  The military official signaled to an MP with his chin.
	  You've got mail poyo. It's got an attached file poyo!
	  An email had been sent to Toujirou's Selcom. He quickly checked the attached file.
	  In it was a record of a top-secret meeting at the IPMA, the International Peace Mediation Association.
	  It showed that they had decided to take a wait-and-see approach, practically speaking, regarding the feuds that had popped up simultaneously all over the world.
	  The digital signature was good. ...This was real.
	  It wasn't exactly surprising. Considering this man's position and connections, it shouldn't have been impossible for him to get his hands on this.
	  Toujirou:
	  "......This card's not bad, Your Excellency."
	  These files were surely precious things, capable of predicting the future state of the world.
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "The cards I have are really nothing special. I hear you have some very nice cards yourself, and that you have all sorts from all over the globe..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Compared to your cards, mine are little more than a parking pass."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Gahahaha. Toujirou, I want to be your new friend... Or are you thinking that I wouldn't be useful to your business...?"
	  The plump military official held out his big, greasy hand for a handshake.
	  Toujirou chuckled and grasped the man's hand.
	  ...You wouldn't notice unless you looked closely, but this was a slightly unique handshake, with a peculiar arrangement of fingers.
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "I'm glad to have formed an amicable relationship with you! Now that you've joined forces with me, I promise to make sure you rake in the dough!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "And I promise to earn you even more. Or rather, if I didn't, I get the feeling I'd be footing the bill for my stay here."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Hey, Toujirou. ...As your new friend, and since we're exchanging business cards, could I ask you to reveal just one tiny card of yours...?"
	  The military official suddenly smirked impishly.
	  It was the sort of unpleasant familiarity often used by people who don't really want to be called friends.
	  Toujirou:
	  "In that case, to celebrate my new friendship with Your Excellency, here's your card. ...Do you have stock in any Environmental 8MS-related companies?"
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Of course. Stock in 8MS companies is like a goose that always lays safe golden eggs!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "You may want to sell that off, bit by bit."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Why...?!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Well now, that would be a different card, Your Excellency."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Hmmmmmm... ...You aren't testing me, are you...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Not at all. If you really do trust me, ...then you had better do as I say. ...If Environmental 8MS were to run into some kind of trouble, the whole world would go back to its nanomachine allergy of a century past. When that happens, it will already be too late."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  ".........I-I understand, Toujirou. ...I'll take this friend's warning to heart. ...First Lieutenant Valentina!"
	  Valentina:
	  "I'm right here."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Toujirou is my friend. Tell the Public Safety Office that they may remove their mark on him. You may leave!"
	  Valentina:
	  "As you wish, Your Excellency."
	  Valentina saluted and left the room.
	  As she walked through the hall, her Kizuna told her that a friend had sent her a message...
	  You've received a message from friend "Maricarmen" poyo!
	  #beaaf6"Did you see the news?! It looks like all kinds of crazy things are happening all over the world!"
	  #beaaf6"I even got a notification saying that I might get caught up in some kind of conspiracy, so I needed to be extra careful of anything suspicious!"
	  #beaaf6"Seriously, what'll I do if war really does break out?! I only became a Gauntlet Knight because I wanted to fly! I don't want a war! Seriously...!"
	  Valentina:
	  "...Heh."
	  Opening text editor poyo.
	  #fbeb85"Heheh, don't be silly. Of course there won't be a war."
	  #fbeb85"No one wants war. They're all just amusing themselves with this situation that smells like war."
	  #fbeb85"It's just like how you enjoy being scared of ghosts every year during Halloween."
	  Message sent to "Maricarmen" poyo!
	  Valentina:
	  "...You became a soldier because you wanted to fly?"
	  Monsters all over the world are wriggling in the darkness, trying to start a greed-filled carnival.
	  Only those who predicted the wave and managed to move first will survive and get rich.
	  You became a soldier because you wanted to fly...? Fool...
	  Valentina:
	  "That cheap resolve is going to cost you. ...Heheh."
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Meow:
	  "Jayden, thanks for waiting...! Sorry I'm late!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I don't mind that. Not at all."
	  Of course, that was a lie. Was it really today? Was this really the right time? Was this really the right place?
	  He had checked that mail thread with his mental tablet way too many times, so much so that he'd been asked "Do you want to set this as your default wallpaper poyo?"
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "Damn. She didn't cancel at the last minute."
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "How can you be so rude, Abdou? Also, you owe me 1 credit."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "A late woman is the one for you. A late man must commit seppuku. Arriving first and waiting is what makes a man a man."
	  In the virtual room inside Jayden's head, all his male friends from the Public Bath were giving him support.
	  After all, because Supergenius Jayden's parallel processing ability had been recognized at a young age, he had grown up in a special institution.
	  Forget that baptism of American boys known as "the prom". He hadn't had any exciting contact with the opposite sex at all.
	  He did have a naturally cheery personality, and he knew from sitcoms how attractive guys were supposed to act, ...but this was his first time putting that into practice.
	  A closely-fought battle had taken place between the pressure of making sure his first date had a good time...and his pride and embarrassment at the thought of having to ask his friends for help...
	  Eventually, the former won out, and he had gathered his friends in a virtual room so they could offer him support during his date...
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Hey boy, shouldn't you start by complimenting the girl who got all dressed up for this day?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "O-Oh, right...!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-Your clothes look really cute today...!"
	  Meow:
	  "Th-Thanks...! ...But I overdid it a bit, ...and it looks like my shoes don't really fit me."
	  Jayden:
	  "They're adorable girly shoes. ...You might have Miyao's body, but you look so cute when you're Meow."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Minus 5 points. When dealing with a CPP, it's safer to avoid comparing them to their other personalities."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "...C-Crap...!"
	  Meow:
	  "I picked them because they're cute, ...but there's no point if it's hard to walk in them. ...And on the big day of our date, too..."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "W-Whoooooooaaaaaaaa...!
	  langen@^ I'm stuck already!! How am I supposed to respond to thaaat?!"
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "I'd say `Don't worry about it being hard to walk. Just hold my hand and we'll take it slow.'"
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "I'd show respect for the fact that she chose shoes she wasn't used to. `Thanks for picking the cutest shoes for my sake.'"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Well, I'd go with `Let's stop by a drugstore and buy some foot protection tape, so your precious feet don't get hurt.'"
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "If we're going that route, say `For the sake of your lovely feet, my princess, I would gladly become your clogs myself.'"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "How about you tsun with a `That's what happens when you wear shoes you aren't used to, stupid.' And then dere with a `Speak up if you get tired, okay? I'll carry you.'/
	   Woo!"
	  Meow:
	  "...O-Oh no...
	  langen@^ It looks like Jayden got confused and froze...! Maybe he really just wanted to go out and have fun, and now he's creeped out because I suddenly called it a date...!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Get ahold of yourself! A date is a battlefield! If you let your guard down, some other girl will snatch him from you...!"
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "Heheheh. Jayden is pretty cool, after all. Even I was thinking about taking a shot at him."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "I'm not sure about the cool part, but I've learned from this that he's surprisingly cute."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Still, I don't understand. Why did you go out of your way to get Meow shoes that were hard to walk in?"
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "You just don't get it, wowow! If you totter around in awkward shoes, the boy might lend you his shoulder, wow!"
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "...It shows off your mentality of pure and innocent love, since you chose those shoes for him, even though it would be difficult to walk in them. ...It's a splendid romantic strategy."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Jayden's hesitation is proof that he's just as nervous as she is. Just enjoy this feeling of awkwardness and innocence."
	  Meow:
	  "J-Just enjoy it...? That doesn't help at all...!"
	  Like Jayden, Meow had also invited the girls of the Public Bath into her mind, asking them to give her support.
	  But, you know what they say about having too many cooks in the kitchen. ...In the end, the support didn't help either of them at all and only ended up confusing them.
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh, umm... If it's hard to walk, I'll walk at the same pace, so just let me know. Also, thanks for choosing such cute shoes for my sake. And, let's stop by a drugstore. I wanna be your clogs, stupid...
	  gaaaah, wait,
	   I take that back!! That didn't happen!!"
	  Meow:
	  "Huh...???"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Now! When the man slips up, you must giggle and soften the mood!"
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "Now's your chance to pretend to trip and lean on his shoulder, wow!"
	  Meow also took all the advice she was given, pretending to trip while giggling and clinging to his shoulder, as well as poking his nose and saying `We'd better go to the hospital and get you some help, silly' in an incredible combo move.
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Wh-What does that mean?! What should I doooooooo?!"
	  Meow:
	  "Jayden's getting creeped out again, what should I do?! I never should've gone on a date, waaah!!"
	  It seemed it would take quite some time before either realized that getting live advice during a date was a bad idea...
	  Jayden had been the one who asked her out.
	  Meow was the kind of personality that hid in Miyao's shadow most of the time, so there weren't many chances to talk to her directly.
	  One night, when Miyao was sleeping, he had messaged Meow, and while they were engrossed in their conversation, he had strengthened his resolve, deciding that if he didn't ask her out now, it might be a long time before he got another chance. He had stepped up to a man's challenge and, miraculously, had set up today's date.
	  The location he had chosen was Neo Akihabara, in the center of Tokyo.
	  Of course, it got its name from Akihabara, which was once hailed as a sacred land of otaku culture.
	  It was still a sacred land for subcultures in this era, but that definition was now broader.
	  In addition to anime, manga, and games, it was packed with all sorts of ridiculous things, including artists, performers, underground idols, a precision circuit board shop, a carnivorous plant shop, the World Spice Marketplace, the Official Chessboxing Shop, an underwater combat gym, the World Furry Convention, monster parties, the Hairy Man Co-sleeping Cafe, the Slug Racing Tokyo Wanyan Cup, stop by now and get 200 sacred gems, and so on.
	  And, it was a bustling city, always filled with the enthusiasm of youths who wanted to make their dreams a reality.
	  ...By the way, the original Akihabara had been swallowed up by fancy fashion skyscrapers and was now a high-class city lined with expensive brand stores on par with Ginza. These days, saying someone was `Akiba Style' basically meant that they looked like a celebrity.
	  Oh, your boyfriend's Akiba style? Wow! ...No, not that Akiba style, he's Neo Akiba style.
	  ...That's become a classic gag in this era...
	  At first, Jayden had thought about using a more standard route, going to a stylish place that you'd expect girls to like.
	  However, according to the advice of his friends, dates turn out better if you go somewhere both of you can enjoy, rather than catering to what one person wants.
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "The point of a date is that you both enjoy it, right? If you're just trying to entertain her, that makes you a tour guide, not her lover."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "But even so, how could you choose Neo Akihabara? Shouldn't it be a more grown-up city...?"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Grown-up cities are built to entertain grown-ups. Those two are kids. Kids should be kids and play where they don't have to strain themselves."
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "In my experience, women who want a grown-up date usually just want to show off by walking around with a hot guy."
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "Hey now. This is no time to bad-mouth the princess, okay?"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Achoo! That Jayden, choosing such a childish city as this. It's so much more satisfying to go to a grown-up town, where you can show everyone what a grown-up date you're having!"
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "After classifying their types and their available area of action, this city was optimal."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Neo Akihabara is famous even in the COU. They say there are all sorts of strange things there! I would like to go, if I had a chance."
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "Heheheh. If he heard that, I'll bet a certain someone would say `Such a place is not suitable for one such as you, princess.'"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Momotake is always strict on me. I suppose Father told him to keep an eye out."
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "But, but! I've heard that Neo Akihabara's an immoral city filled with posters and billboards that expose women's skin, wowow! That's just too obscene!"
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "That's the old Akihabara. Neo Akihabara goes far beyond that, as a melting pot of all sorts of inexplicable cultures. Come on, don't be shy, take a look."
	  In Jayden's and Meow's brains, their friends were definitely looking down on this from above, like sightseers.
	  Meow:
	  "Jayden, do you come to cities like this a lot?"
	  Jayden:
	  "H-Hmm, well, every once in a while. I've gotten involved with subcultures briefly a few times... It's not like I'm an otaku or anything."
	  Meow:
	  "Ah, ...I knew someone as cool as you couldn't possibly be an otaku..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-Yeeah... Otaku are, like, so anti-social, right...?!"
	  Meow:
	  "Y-You're right... It's just crazy to lock yourself up and play video games all the time... Hahahah..."
	  Why were they suddenly pretending to be normies? ...Both of them had forgotten that they'd first met each other at a game center.
	  In fact, Jayden loved video games, manga, and anime. And yet, he was one of the lucky few who looked like a normie on the outside.
	  By the way, Meow loved video games, manga, and anime too. Most of the time, she couldn't leave the inside of Miyao's head, so entertaining herself by fishing around the internet had become a hobby of hers.
	  After seeing this, their friends concluded that they were doing something typical of innocent couples, going into bluff mode and trying too hard to look impressive.
	   They poked fun at them a lot under the guise of giving advice, saying `Be honest, don't lie to her and yourself, how could you possibly like someone who can't say they like what they like?'
	  Gradually, the pair of them both realized they were thinking the exact same thing, and trying too hard in exactly the same way.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Ah, sheesh. What's up with me today?! This isn't how Supergenius Jayden is supposed to be...! Sorry, Meow. I've just been lying my ass off, trying to look cool.
	   I love games and stuff. I love manga too.
	   On my days off, I'm a freaking otaku who stays shut up in his room from morning 'til night!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I acted like I knew nothing about this city, but that's not true at all. If anything, this is my home.
	   That maid game center we just passed? I go there all the time. I've got a freaking platinum membership card.
	   I know I said `that's creepy, I wonder what kind of person goes to places like that', but this here's obviously platinum, isn't it? Thank you for your time."
	  Meow:
	  "I-I-If you say that, umm... Well, this is the first time I've come to this city, ...but I've bought things from lots of these stores over the net... And as for me, I spend all my time shut up in my brain, and I love manga and games... But...I didn't want to creep you out......"
	  Jayden:
	  "What the heck...? So, we've both just been trying to act cool...?"
	  Meow:
	  "Ahahah... We're...so uncool..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Do you play games too, Meow? Which manga have you read?"
	  Meow:
	  "Stuff like O-One Peach, ...S-Slam Donk, ...D-Dragon Bell..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Whoa, so you love the classics, huh?! I love all of those, and when I start reading them on my days off, it suddenly gets dark outside before I realize it, wahahah...!"
	  At one point, the old internet's culture had brought manga and similar industries to the brink of destruction, with illegal sharing and the like.
	  However, thanks to various new A3W technologies, they were being protected again and were on the rise once more.
	  Partly because manga-making techniques had temporarily gone extinct, classics from the A2W's golden age of manga were coming into the limelight yet again.
	  Meow:
	  "I love Yuyusama Hakushon and Hunted x Hunted too!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Jojo's Bizarre Barbeque is great too! One time, when my friends and I had a barbeque, I tried to do a Jojo grill, but screwed up and dropped the meat."
	  Meow:
	  "I wanna do a Jojo grill too! I wanna do the one on the cover of volume 32!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Hahahah, ahahahahahah. We really are creepy, aren't we?"
	  Meow:
	  "Yeah, we are. But I think that's us at our most honest, and this city suits it perfectly."
	  The two of them finally became their real selves, relaxing and laughing together honestly...
	  Jayden had said something unfortunate earlier, ...but he really was amazed at how impossible it was to think that this was the same body as Miyao's.
	  True, her outfit and makeup did make a difference, but can a person really look this different just by how they act?
	  He couldn't help but be amazed by the fact that, when dealing with humans, what they are on the inside matters far more than how they appear.
	  At the same time, he felt even more affection for Meow. Even though they were going out for the first time, she had been watching him for so long, inserting compliments in the middle of Miyao's lecture mode the whole time.
	  And, ...as his fondness increased, ...a certain question entered his head and wouldn't go away.
	  ...However, he couldn't ask Meow directly. ...It would be hard to find the answer.
	  And if he asked his friends, ...they might really get mad at him this time...
	  No, but...! ...But isn't this exactly the time you're supposed to rely on your adolescent friends?!
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Umm, ...are you all still there?"
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "Yeah, pretty much."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "We thought it would be rude to intrude any further. We were just planning to go our separate ways..."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "...If this question is inappropriate, ...please forget what happened today and leave quietly. I don't even mind if you unfriend me..."
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Hey, what's up...? It's not like you to be this serious."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "I don't know anything about CPPs, so I keep misunderstanding things and hurting people. I really am sorry that I'm so ignorant. ...I get all that, ...but there's still one thing I just have to ask."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "There's no need to be so timid. Ask us whatever you want."
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "We'll happily answer any questions you have. So, is this about what to do in bed? Heheheh."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "No, umm... ...It's not like I expect that to come up on a first date. ...It's just, umm, the thing I wanna ask is sort of related to that..."
	  ...I want to make this clear.
	  No, the simple fact that I care about something like this might already be rude to some of the people here...
	  But even I'm basically...a healthy, average, absolutely normal guy, right?! Isn't it obvious that I'd want to know?!
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "About Meow...or rather, Miyao... ...Which is he?! Which sex?!"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "...Can't you just check in the shower room after training?"
	  The AOU, out of consideration to various genders, was one of those Anti-Sexual Discrimination nations.
	  As a result, resident cards in countries allied with the AOU indicated their citizen numbers and names, but not their sexes.
	  Information about one's sex was shared only when it became necessary at medical institutes, and even then it was shared only between the person and their hospital, and the information would be instantly removed after a certain time had passed.
	  For example, in addition to men's and women's public bathrooms, there were also restrooms either could use.
	  Just like women's restrooms, they had only stalls. However, you were allowed to use them regardless of your sex, so even gender minorities could use them without having to worry about whether they were a girl or a boy.
	  In short, even sex was a protected item of private information in AOU Japan.
	  Gauntlet Knights, who were military officers, were given suitable lodgings for their positions.
	  For that reason, even their showers were in their fully equipped private rooms. ...So, he had never seen whether his partner's body was male or female.
	  Of course, any sort of touching that would allow you to determine someone's sex was illegal throughout the AOU, regardless of the perpetrator's age or gender.
	  If Miyao's build had been more dramatically one way or the other, it would've been easy to tell, but he really did have a gray sort of build, that could either be a man's or a woman's.
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "And, you know, I'm still a guy, right?! If I find I like someone, I want to form a steady relationship with them! In the end, well, I'd like to go as far as I can go! That's not weird, is it? Isn't that healthy?! But dang! If at the very end, ...if we get carried away, ...and in that final instant...! If we're, umm, ...sexually incompatible from a biological standpoint, what do I do?!"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "...I think those three from Yeladot Shavit could field that question best. Should I call them?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "N-No. I wanna ask the people here..."
	  At first, everyone felt like bursting out laughing and poking fun at him, ...but they did understand how he felt.
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "...If you get the lucky half of those 50/50 odds, I'd say there's no room for debate, so go for it. ...The problem is the other 50%."
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Yep, yep. You didn't fall in love with her because you're after her body, right? So, it doesn't really matter what her biological sex is, does it...?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Th-That's right...! It's Meow's heart and her kindness I fell in love with! E-Even if her body isn't a girl, ...I'll accept her...!!"
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "Nnn... ...You are...a true man..."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "However, for your own mental health, you should probably resolve this issue quickly. If your heightened libido is unable to properly sublimate, you can expect to receive considerable mental damage."
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "So, if you are able to identify her sex somehow, ...what will you do if Meow's body is male, Jayden?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "...I-I'll...do all I can to be best friends with her...
	   Aaaahhh, what the hell am I doing?! I just said I'm not after her body, but I'll be all let down if her body's male?! Am I just a pervert?! Aah, that's not how Supergenius Jayden's supposed to act! ...I'm super uncool, ...aaaaaaaaah..."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Several of the most recent studies indicate that about 10% of the population is homosexual. Same-sex couples aren't particularly rare either."
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Apparently, women these days view same-sex couples as a more pure love, since your partner isn't just after your body..."
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "Well, love takes all kinds of forms. Either way, there are as many types of love as there are lovers."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "If this is true love, you ought to follow through to the end. You need not let the words of outsiders trouble you."
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "In the end, that's what it comes down to. Do you like her or not? And if you do, how are you gonna show each other that? In the end, that's for you two to decide, heheheh."
	  The young pair's sexual troubles were very innocent, and the kind of thing that can change completely depending on one's country, culture, and religion.
	  However, Jayden and Meow were fortunately part of the same cultural sphere and had similar values when it came to romance. On top of that, the AOU was accepting of all sorts of genders, and same-sex marriages were legal as well.
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "In other words, you should decide freely, by your own will, as a pair who loves each other. ...That's the world you live in. So, you should enjoy your love to the fullest within those rules."
	  It wasn't as though they were irresponsibly supporting a romance of a couple with unknown genders.
	  They said this with the understanding that the AOU acknowledged same-sex couples.
	  The AOU claimed to have abolished discrimination against sexual minorities, but not all factions did this.
	  If Jayden and Meow had been in a different faction or cultural sphere, the others would probably have offered different advice.
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "If Meow and I weren't from the AOU, ...could this have gotten messy?"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "In the ABN, homosexuality is accepted, at least on the surface. However, the Unified Religious Council keeps putting off making a decision about whether or not homosexuality is acceptable. Because of that, fundamentalists who like to call themselves devout still take an unsympathetic attitude."
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "In the ACR, same-sex marriage is officially supported. Still, was it last year? ...It got out that one of the princes was gay, and everyone freaked out. Pretty sure he gave up his place in the royal succession and was forced to become a monk."
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "Yeah, I remember that. Gender minorities across the ACR started holding protests, right?"
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "It's not as though people across the world are free to do whatever they want, like in the AOU."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "...We still don't know for sure if Meow's the same sex as me, ...but the world does have all kinds of issues, doesn't it?"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Do you remember that girl, Rukhi, from my squad, Suparṇa?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Rukhshana? I remember her. She's the cute girl who came in waving with you during the Battle Standard Festival, right?"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "In the culture of her country, it's considered immoral to have members of the opposite sex in the workplace."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Wait, what? Then how do men and women work together?"
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "Similar to how men and women have different bathrooms and changing rooms, people in her culture think it better to have workplaces that are also divided between boys and girls. ...Hmm, what a modest culture."
	  Because of that, when it came out that the squad she had been assigned to had a man in it, it had caused a bit of a fuss in her home country.
	  Political concerns in the COU upper echelons had been partly responsible for the formation of that kette, so they couldn't have Andry leave their ace squad just for Rukhshana's sake.
	  Instead, the heads of the COU government had stepped in personally to mediate, and in the end, the whole matter was settled by having the king of Rukhshana's country publicly announce that she had been given special permission.
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "I don't want you to get the wrong idea, but I'm not trying to say one group is right or wrong here. ...I'm just pointing out that all regions have their own cultures, which have been developed over long histories. They all have to respect one another. Fortunately, in the cultural sphere you and Meow live in, there shouldn't be any problems regardless of what her sex actually is. That's all I'm saying."
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Still, there's one thing I want you to make sure you remember. ...In the AOU, whether it's same-sex marriage or whatever, that issue only concerns the two people involved. However, in another region, that could be completely different. ...In some situations, no matter how much you two decided you loved each other, it wouldn't work out... Make sure you don't forget that, okay...?"
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "In that sense, you are quite fortunate, Jayden."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  ".................."
	  There are all sorts of cultures and ways of thinking in this world.
	  The AOU often calls itself an advanced nation when it comes to human rights... However, that might be quite an arrogant way of thinking about it.
	  For example, same-sex marriages are allowed in the AOU, but marriage between close relatives is not.
	  However, if there existed a country that didn't allow same-sex marriages, but did allow marriages between close relatives, then the AOU would definitely be a backwards nation in their eyes.
	  It isn't as though the cultures and laws of each and every place suddenly fall out of the sky one day, engraved on stone tablets.
	  These things have been brewed throughout the long histories of the peoples in these lands.
	  It would be arrogant for an outsider to call some of them advanced and some backwards.
	  So, when some aspect of a culture doesn't fit in with its era, it's up to the people living in that cultural sphere to decide whether they should change it or not.
	  Since even a single culture can have so many divergent views, if this pair of lovers had actually been from different cultures, this issue would surely have become even more complicated.
	  It's even possible that it wouldn't work out, even if both of the lovers decided to go through with it.
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "We'll talk it over alone and make our decision. We won't worry about what other people say. ...Those are the rules of this land, and I've decided to deepen my relationship with Meow."
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "That's good. And as for overcoming the differences between American and Japanese culture, you should be able to find countless tips on the net from people who've succeeded at it."
	  The rest is up to me to figure out.
	  And the answer is obvious.
	  Conclusion: No matter what sex her body is... I, Jayden, like Meow.
	  However, if I know her sex beforehand, ...I'll be able to control myself better in various ways, and I'm sure I'll be able to avoid hurting her.
	  No, maybe it'll hurt her just to know that I'm thinking this.
	  ...Oh, wait, I'm making a mistake here.
	  This isn't something I have to figure out alone. It's something Meow and I have to figure out.
	  If both of us really do want to be together, I'm sure we'll naturally find the proper distance to keep while still being ourselves.
	  Isn't that obvious now, considering how much we've managed to relax around each other since we first arrived at Neo Akihabara...?
	  Meow:
	  "...I guess you really do want to know, right...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "What do you mean?"
	  Meow:
	  "About...my biological sex."
	  Jayden:
	  "......Nnn-"
	  Jayden panicked, thinking that she'd seen right through him.
	  Then again, ...Meow had probably been having a mental conference with her female friends, just like Jayden.
	  Jayden:
	  "I-I..."
	  Meow:
	  "...Yeah?"
	  Jayden:
	  "I love you, Meow."
	  Meow:
	  "...Th-Th-Thank you..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, I didn't fall in love with you because you're a girl. It's because you're Meow."
	  Meow:
	  "...Uh-huh."
	  Jayden:
	  "So, I'm not gonna force you to tell me."
	  Meow:
	  "I see."
	  Jayden:
	  "And anyway, how can you be so sure I'm a guy? See how long my hair is? Maybe when I'm in my room, I tie them into twin tails and wear miniskirt maid outfits, right?"
	  Meow:
	  "Ahahahahahahah, I think I'd like to see that. Ahahahahahah."
	  Jayden:
	  "So don't worry about it. We don't even live in a time where the ciconia carry our babies to us. Worrying about biological sex is a concept of the past."
	  Meow:
	  "You're saying that out of concern for me, aren't you? ...Thanks, Jayden."
	  Meow:
	  "Still, I really do think this is unfair."
	  Jayden:
	  "What is?"
	  Meow:
	  "I mean I'm being unfair, not you."
	  Jayden:
	  "What, seriously? Why?"
	  Meow:
	  "I started liking you knowing you're a wonderful man, but you started liking me without even knowing my sex."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Is biological sex really so important, when two people like each other...?"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Hmm. Well, I do believe Jayden has the right to seek sexual relations with the opposite gender in his dating life."
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "Wow? What relations? My Keropoyo started croaking, and I couldn't hear that part."
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "Oh, my. Want me to show you how to take off your filters? *giggle*"
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "I agree with Rethabile. If Jayden isn't going to be able to find what he's looking for, he has the right to spend all that effort on a different girl."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "Maybe it's the same kind of unfairness as a married person, pretending to be single when talking to someone looking for marriage."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "...For Jayden... No, for men, is it really so important that the one they love be of the opposite sex...?"
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "Princess, finding that fact to be strange or unsightly...is a sign of ignorance about the opposite sex."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Have you heard of the book What Men Think About Apart From Sex?"
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "What men think about apart from *kero*kero*? Men must really love Keropoyo, wow!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "What Men Think About Apart From Sex...?"
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "That sounds interesting. Let's look it up."
	  Now searching poyo!
	  Search results: There is a novel of that name written by Sheridan Simove. Colloquially, it's also a phrase used to refer to a blank notebook, ironically implying that men don't think about anything other than sex.
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "*giggle*giggle* Wasn't there also a book called What Women Think About Apart From Money?"
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "Meow, ...if you're worried about that, and you really like him, wouldn't it be better to come clean and tell him?"
	  Meow:
	  "............"
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "...That's certainly one option."
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "To be honest, even we don't know your body's real sex. Similarly, though we act like women, there's no way for anyone to know what our bodies' sexes are. ...Our bodies are far apart, and we can only meet in Kizuna virtual rooms, so our sexes don't really matter. However, in your world, where your bodies can actually approach each other, I'm sure it matters a lot."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "I think that, as long as the love is mutual, it can be shared between people regardless of sex, and even with inanimate objects, if you take it to an extreme."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "That's quite a unique way of thinking, Lingji. I don't dislike it though."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "I'm aware that this view is only shared by a tiny minority, both in the COU and the world at large... I suppose gender...really is important."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "If telling him the truth would make him give up on you, then that love wouldn't have lasted long anyway. If that's the case, you'd be better off making things clear sooner rather than later."
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "...Does this mean...your sex really is one that would make him give up on you...?"
	  Meow:
	  "N-No, it's not like that! Th-Thanks everyone, for worrying so much for my sake...! I-It's not as though I'm keeping quiet because my sex would make Jayden give up on me! That's, umm, my problem, our problem."
	  Meow had personalities of two different genders in a single body, so a gender reveal wouldn't only have consequences for her.
	  Bearing that in mind, ...this certainly wasn't an easy problem.
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Whether you decide to reveal it or not, that choice will also be part of your romantic experience."
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "If they both have love, there's no barrier they won't be able to cross, wow!"
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "In the end, what Naima just said is the answer. No matter how much we barge in and try to offer advice, it isn't as important as the answer Meow decides for herself. ...Meow, I think you should enjoy your love, including the part where you worry over this question."
	  Meow:
	  "Jayden, ...I'll definitely tell you about my body someday."
	  Jayden:
	  "D-Don't worry about it, okay? There's no need to force yourself."
	  Meow:
	  "No, I want to tell you. I just need a bit more time to prepare myself mentally."
	  Jayden:
	  "...I see."
	  Meow:
	  "So, ...umm, ...Christmas..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh?"
	  Search results: In Japan, Christmas is considered a major event for couples poyo!
	  By the way, America roasts turkeys for Christmas, but in Japan, they eat fried chicken for some reason poyo.
	  Meow:
	  "If we can still feel this way about each other on Christmas, ...I'll tell you then. ...Is that...too long to wait?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Not at all. I'll respect your feelings. But still, thanks."
	  Meow:
	  "Why...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "You probably decided to do that for my sake. Thanks for caring about me so much. ...I'll make sure I care for you just as much, Meow. So I'll make you a promise right now."
	  Meow:
	  "...Okay."
	  Jayden:
	  "I love you, regardless of what sex you are. You're the best girlfriend and the best buddy a guy could have."
	  Meow:
	  "Thanks, Jayden..."
	  Christmas wasn't that far off. Once autumn and then winter came, it would be here.
	  They passed in front of a home appliance modding store. In the window, a TV-toaster hybrid was showing them the news.
	  News:
	  "I'm standing in front of the IPMA Headquarters in LATO Brazil. Just now, their spokesperson commented on the conflicts breaking out simultaneously all across the globe, saying that, because interventions made in any particular conflict might benefit or harm one faction or another, they would have to wait for the situation to de-escalate before taking action."
	  News:
	  "He made it clear that they don't intend to interfere with any of these conflicts at this time. In response to this, the AOU Joint Press Secretary said-"
	  Interrupt CM:
	  "*kero*kero*poyo*poyo*! Have you upgraded to the new version of Keropoyo?! For a small fee, you'll be able to remove ads like this one poyo. You haven't done that yet, so it'll be 2 minutes and 58 seconds until the ad ends poyo!! Now, let's sing the Outie Frog's Coming of Age Journey!"
	  
	  
	  Inside a massive dome was a gigantic all-weather exercise facility, large enough to fit several American football fields in. The ceiling was high too, and it felt like you could pack an entire small city in there.
	  Countless children were doing strict military drills, and the place was filled with a mix of kids chanting and adults giving harsh instructions.
	  Instructor:
	  "One, two! One, two! Hey, you're looking sloppy, put your heart into it!!"
	  Instructor:
	  "All of you except those two at the front are trash! You're imbeciles!! Everyone except those two, line up!!"
	  Wham!
	  langen@^ Whack!
	  langen@^ Thwack!
	  
	  All the children in the line were hit, one after another.
	  Corporal punishment against children was forbidden in all AOU educational institutions.
	  However, since this place wasn't affiliated with any educational institution, they were allowed to use it without mercy.
	  The kids seemed to be split up into classes, according to their ages and builds.
	  Overall, most of them were very young, with the very youngest class looking too young even for grade school.
	  However, you wouldn't see any trace of the peaceful voices and laughter you'd expect from a kindergarten or elementary school.
	  Even that youngest class was repeatedly yelled at by instructors, and none of their expressions looked like what you'd expect from children of that age...
	  This scene was being filmed by several cameras and displayed in a monitor room.
	  Gathered in that room were inspection teams of officers from all of the AOU nations, listening to a staff member explaining the situation.
	  Staff Member:
	  "As the whole world knows, the most important measure of aptitude for controlling a Gauntlet is `P3', Parallel Processing Power. However, this doesn't mean that anyone with high P3 levels can become a capable member of the Aerial Augmented Infantry."
	  If you have high P3 levels, but also an extreme fear of heights, the Aerial Augmented Infantry is definitely not for you.
	  If your P3 levels are decent, but your sense of spatial awareness is lacking, then you're probably not well-suited for it either.
	  Not only do you have to be in total control in midair, a place where humans are normally unable to exist, but you also need to fight and achieve victory, so several other aptitudes and talents are also required.
	  The combination of these qualities is called Aerial Augmented Infantry aptitude. It's not too far off from what was once demanded of fighter pilots.
	  Staff Member:
	  "P3 levels and Aerial Augmented Infantry aptitude. Currently, these two factors are the most highly prized, but at our institution, we've been seeking after and researching a third kind of aptitude."
	  Officer:
	  "Ah. And I suppose this third aptitude...is fighting spirit?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Heheheh. That's probably true. Kids these days are totally missing that, after all."
	  As Okonogi gazed at the scenes of training filled with corporal punishment, he shrugged and laughed.
	  This was the Geroy Level 4 Heavy Military Research Center.
	  It had once been an AOU Russia research center for regenerative medicine, but it was now run by the AOU Combined Military for the purpose of training Aerial Augmented Infantry elites.
	  For that reason, the staff members came from countries all over the AOU, and a mix of all sorts of languages could be heard.
	  In this era, if you added a translation tool to your Selcom, different languages shouldn't have been a problem at all.
	  However, people from the previous generation, like old military officers, had brains that worked extremely poorly with Selcom.
	  So, even in this age, they needed to be accompanied by subordinates who could translate for them.
	  Staff Member:
	  "The third type of aptitude is self-empowerment. You might simplify it with the word `confidence'. Naturally, we've always known that we humans can draw out our abilities to varying degrees depending on our confidence in ourselves. However, no one has researched how to make this happen in people, outside of vague theories of mind over matter."
	  When people who lack confidence notice something important, they sometimes think they just saw it wrong, ignoring the fact that they noticed it.
	  However, people with confidence are sensitive even to small things they spot, and they never doubt their instincts. When flying at 140 meters per second like a fighter plane, that can be the difference between life and death.
	  In the world of Aerial Augmented Infantry aces, parallel thinking ability is taken for granted. On top of that, it's essential for them to have high Aerial Augmented Infantry aptitude, as well as sufficient self-empowerment with regards to both of the first two qualities.
	  However, self-empowerment is an acquired trait. It's considered something you gain after repeated experiences starting from infancy.
	  In the B3W world, education that encouraged growth through praise was highly promoted, but no one ever heard of it producing favorable results.
	  So, perhaps the strict training and corporal punishment displayed on all these monitors...was this research institution's answer to that problem...
	  Officer:
	  "Still, all this strictness really takes me back. After all, education's been so soft lately. In my day, it was normal to be taught with an iron fist. I suppose this man's `self-empowerment' can be cultivated through tough training."
	  Okonogi:
	  "...Well, I wonder about that."
	  Privately, Okonogi was utterly unconvinced that this self-empowerment thing could be beaten into children.
	  When he had been a kid, all educational institutions used corporal punishment.
	  As the period of restoration following World War III continued, the world grew a bit more peaceful, and many people assumed that children who had never experienced a major war were slacking off, precisely because they were so blessed. To counter this, they were punished strictly and unreasonably.
	  When he looked at education in the modern era, where corporal punishment was banned, he did indeed feel that those children were missing something vital that needed to be nourished.
	  ...However, he was still dubious that strict corporal punishment would give them this so-called self-empowerment.
	  Okonogi:
	  "After getting scolded and beaten endlessly, plenty of them have lost hope, or they've become subservient. ...True, some of the ones with good grades may have achieved this so-called self-empowerment, but that has nothing to do with whether they were beaten or not..."
	  Staff Member:
	  "You, over there. That's exactly right."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Huh?"
	  Staff Member:
	  "Some people with good grades have indeed achieved self-empowerment. That's correct. We realize that self-empowerment can be achieved most effectively by experiencing victory."
	  
	  It's long been known that a human's actual ability is determined by multiplying their talent by their degree of self-empowerment.
	  No matter how much talent they've been blessed with, people who lack self-empowerment -- who lack confidence -- can never achieve anything.
	  Conversely, those who lack talent from the start will be useless no matter how confident they are. In fact, they can even get in the way of those with true talent.
	  In other words, self-empowerment must be given to those with talent.
	  That way, those who possess superior talent will be able to multiply their actual ability several times, thanks to their superior self-empowerment levels.
	  However, though the B3W world was aware of the existence of self-empowerment, they hadn't yet discovered how to cultivate it.
	  Instructor:
	  "But, interestingly enough, education in school was unintentionally providing an environment that encouraged self-empowerment. ...Gentlemen, have you ever wondered why early levels of education, like elementary schools, group all sorts of students together into classes, without splitting them up depending on how good their grades are?"
	  Generally speaking, during mandatory education in the AOU, classes were split up more or less at random.
	  Once you reached the higher levels of education, you would usually be divided up harshly based on your grades, with everyone going to educational institutions that matched their own levels of academic talent.
	  However, even during mandatory education, academic ability will surely differ quite a lot between children. So, why don't they split up those classes based on everyone's ability...?
	  In fact, thinking about it this way, it's almost as though they're going out of their way to distribute everyone evenly.
	  Instructor:
	  "In biology, it's known that social animals tend to form hierarchies within their groups. Humans are the same. Until now, it was thought that this was because individuals with less ability to survive would be weeded out, allowing the strong to survive and procreate."
	  Staff Member:
	  "However, as a result of our research, we've discovered that the most important factor in self-empowerment is experiencing victory. And, we've learned that the more you experience victory at a very young age, the stronger your self-empowerment will be."
	  Officer:
	  "True. ...Experiencing victory at a young age can really boost your confidence. And if you don't experience it at all in your youth, it can make you grow subservient."
	  Officer:
	  "So, simply put, whether you're a winner or a loser in life is determined at a young age."
	  Okonogi:
	  "......Seriously? ...Who thought up this hellish technique...?"
	  ...I thought mandatory education was like a microcosm of society's unfairness, which you get to experience when you're young.
	  There's good people and bad people. Smart people and dumb people.
	  If you break the rules, you get scolded. But if you're the only one following the rules, you become an outcast.
	  You learn who you should be nice to...and who to stay away from.
	  Even if you do nothing wrong, you can suddenly be victimized. But if you're a bit clever, you can get someone else to take the fall for you.
	  I thought mandatory education was all about stuffing all kinds of people into the same class, so that the rules of society can be beaten into them, even though ethics prevent teachers from saying these things flat out.
	  ...But what if it wasn't about something as soft as making you experience society's unfairness?
	  What if it has a clearer, more concrete, more educational purpose...?
	  Okonogi:
	  "...If educators are doing that knowingly, ...how the hell can you call that a sacred profession...?"
	  Though he smiled thinly and ironically, even Okonogi felt sick.
	  In other words, the point of mandatory education...is to lock up the elite you want to nurture most...in the same class as their prey...?
	  Staff Member:
	  "At our institution, we form our classes with a clear understanding of the targets we want to develop, completely controlling the class environment in order to allow those targets to experience a sufficient amount of victory."
	  The monitors focused in on a single instance of that rigid training.
	  Each child was displayed with a green indicator box and ID, but just one person in that class was displayed with a blue indicator box and ID.
	  They seemed to be doing a long-distance run, and though the child marked with blue seemed to be in pain, they remained at the head of the pack, without their pace faltering in the slightest. In comparison, the children with the green indicators were clearly exhausted, and some of them seemed to be giving it their all just pretending to run.
	  An instructor blew his whistle, and the run ended. Everyone lined up.
	  The blue child was incredibly exhausted, but still seemed to have quite a bit left in the tank, so they were able to swiftly reach their place in the line.
	  However, all the green children were clearly staggering, which seemed to earn them the instructor's wrath almost immediately.
	  Several people who had moved slowly were called forward and beaten, one after another.
	  Staff Member:
	  "The girl with the blue box is the development target of this class. All the green boxes are merely part of the environment constructed to let the target experience victory. Now, look over here. We've measured that girl's current condition."
	  A different monitor was showing various graphs based on all sorts of data being measured by the girl's Internal 8MS.
	  This was right after heavy exercise, so her physical readings had declined due to exhaustion.
	  However, several graphs showed that her mental condition had actually improved.
	  Staff Member:
	  "These indicate several positive reactions that can lead to improved self-empowerment, such as a sense of accomplishment and exhilaration. These are the result of an unconscious sensation of superiority, which is produced by the fact that the target achieved the best grades in her class, as well as the fact that those with the lowest grades were punished, but not her."
	  Okonogi:
	  "...So, she's a farmed winner..."
	  Staff Member:
	  "I prefer the term `well-managed winner'."
	  Okonogi:
	  "......Heheh."
	  Staff Member:
	  "Her class has been assembled for the purpose of allowing her to experience victory."
	  Officer:
	  "Won't that sometimes give her a big head and make her stop trying to work hard...?"
	  Staff Member:
	  "Pardon me, Your Excellency, but hard work is only necessary for average people who don't measure up. ...Not even 200,000 children across the whole world have enough talent to join the Aerial Augmented Infantry, making use of the Gauntlet's cutting edge technology. Those with sufficient P3 levels and Aerial Augmented Infantry aptitude to be in the top 1%...are geniuses."
	  Staff Member:
	  "No, you might even call them supergeniuses. What they need isn't hard work, but enough self-empowerment to give them confidence in their genius. ...Of course, geniuses who work hard will surpass those who don't, but that's a whole different story, so we don't need to go into it now."
	  Officer:
	  "So, is that white girl on the monitor one of those supergeniuses?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "...Your Excellency, she's one of ours."
	  Officer:
	  "Oh, really?"
	  Staff Member:
	  "She's Second Lieutenant Chloe Ironside, formerly of the Canadian air force."
	  Chloe:
	  "*pant*...*pant*...*pant*........."
	  Sweating buckets after her long-distance run, Chloe stood at attention, absentmindedly looking at the poor performers who were being punished...
	  She neither pitied them nor felt superior to them. ......But was that really true?
	  In fact, ...it wasn't.
	  She couldn't fully deny that part of her was relieved that she wasn't joining them, and she did feel superior...
	  Instructor:
	  "Where's your fighting spirit?! Stand!! I can't believe people like you ever thought you could join the Aerial Augmented Infantry! Did you think a Gauntlet is some sort of magical device that can make gutless people like you fly through the air?! Don't underestimate the Aerial Augmented Infantry!! Don't underestimate what it takes to be a soldier!!"
	  The beatings continued, on and on.
	  This wasn't a school. So, there was no escape.
	  You had to undergo harsh training to become a Gauntlet Knight and remain victorious through your exams.
	  And you weren't even allowed to leave until that period of time ended.
	  All of them had signed admission contracts while fully aware of this.
	  ...However, everyone who filled out the general public application form would be marked with a green box.
	  They wanted to fly. They wanted to become heroes of the sky.
	  But this institution never had any intention of granting that childish, innocent dream these children all shared.
	  All of them were merely being thrown from a cliff into a kettle, still believing that they'd be able to fly...
	  They had been gathered here as fertilizer for the Blues, the true development targets of this institution...
	  Officer:
	  "I see. So, when the punishment of poor performers is more strict, the experience of victory becomes greater."
	  Staff Member:
	  "Contingency fees and other methods that reward success are not cost effective. They're useful when dealing with an extremely limited group of elites, but it's impossible to reward everyone suitably that way."
	  Officer:
	  "Okonogi, that girl represented us at the Battle Standard Festival, right?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Yes, as part of Grave Mole. ...Her talent and aptitude are definitely top class, but it hasn't led to results for some reason, so she was sent here."
	  Officer:
	  "I suppose she was diagnosed with a lack of self-empowerment."
	  Okonogi:
	  "That's right. No matter how much I tell her, that nincompoop is always nervous, totally lacking confidence in herself. ...Haven't I karate-chopped her enough by now? Tch."
	  "Chloe" has entered the room poyo!
	  Lilja:
	  "Meowmeowmeow!! Welcome back meooooow, fuuuu!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...I'm back... ...I'm so tired..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Whoa Chloe, you're way too low-key again!! Get fired up, get fired up meeoooow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Shut up, Lilja. Try and keep the adrenaline under control, you *kero*kero*kero*. And Chloe, try keeping your adrenaline up a bit more. I'll bet you screwed up and got slapped."
	  Chloe:
	  "...I...worked really hard today... ...Just now, the people who were slow...got hit a lot...＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Kyahaha. Sucks to be them meeeeow. If they're giving up after a little training like this, there's no way they understand what it takes to become a Gauntlet Knight meow meooow."
	  Koshka:
	  "Lilja sure is lucky, being able to get such a high after winning against small fry."
	  Lilja:
	  "Of course meow! I'm the best in the world, so everyone else is small fry to me meow!! Of course, that includes you and Chloe too!"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I'm not a small fry! Even I'm trying my best＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Every single one of you is a small fry, except for me meow!! Look at me, look at me meow!"
	  Lilja's sensation data was projected into the three girls' virtual room.
	  They seemed to be doing parallel thinking training, and Lilja, covered with sweat, was proudly celebrating her victory, checking her score with her mental monitor.
	  Lilja was in first place, with a P3 level that far surpassed second place.
	  She was one of AOU Finland's top Aerial Augmented Infantry aces. Naturally, a normal trainee wouldn't be able to match her.
	  So, even Lilja didn't view this as a competition to get first place. She was just challenging her own boundaries, like it was a game.
	  However, she still seemed immensely satisfied when she saw how much she'd overpowered the others on the score chart.
	  ...However, Chloe was far more worried by the audio data, which carried the voice of an instructor lambasting the poor performers.
	  Chloe:
	  ".................."
	  The instructor's insults were a simple collection of verbal attacks against their character. Just a torrent of words meant only to wound their targets, shame them, and cause them mental anguish.
	  Chloe, who could sympathize with their pain, bit her lower lip and hung her head...
	  Chloe:
	  "...Is there something wrong with me? Is Lilja the one who's right...?"
	  Koshka:
	  "There's nothing wrong with you. ...Is that what you want me to say?"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-It's not like that..."
	  Koshka:
	  "If you don't like it when people get beaten down and cry, you should quit, and leave your spot open for someone else. ...That way, one of the people who would've been crying won't have to."
	  Chloe:
	  "I just wanted to fly...! But no one ever told me that I'd have to beat a whole bunch of people down, that I'd be forced to watch them cry...!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Don't be so soft."
	  Chloe:
	  "Am I soft?! That's wrong, isn't it? Isn't it?!"
	  Lilja:
	  "You can't reach the sky just by stretching out your hand meow."
	  Chloe:
	  "Is it never possible to achieve your dreams without using someone else as a stepstool? Why should we have to compete and take each other out?"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Because a lot of brats want to fly, obviously."
	  Lilja:
	  "And only a few people can become Gauntlet Knights meow. So, you've gotta beat them down. For the sake of your own dreams."
	  Chloe:
	  "You know what, you know what?! In the first place, ...why...are there so many of us here?!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Because they're making a lot of them."
	  Chloe:
	  "Humanity was almost destroyed in that big war. So we need to have a lot of kids to increase the population! I get that! But you know what?! ...A century has now passed, and civilization has already recovered to this point! Isn't that enough?! Why are they still making more of them?! Why do they keep making so many kids?!"
	  Lilja:
	  "...That's easy meow. You can never have too many dice ready for the next time you'll need to roll them meow."
	  Chloe:
	  "Dice?! Are we just dice in someone's game?!"
	  We're probably getting born in numbers several times larger than is strictly necessary.
	  And we're competing with each other and being forced to eat each other, so that only the kind of kids that the adults want are left.
	  Koshka:
	  "You're a die that rolled a six. So, you get to fly with a Gauntlet."
	  Lilja:
	  "That's right meow. We're all `sixes', nothing more to it meow meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "So, it's not like we're bringing anyone down. The `ones' just get weeded out on their own."
	  Chloe:
	  "...Is that true? ...Am I really...not bringing anyone else down...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "............"
	  Chloe:
	  "...I'm sorry, Koshka, Lilja. ...Again, I'm getting so negative, I don't even know what I'm saying..."
	  Lilja:
	  "You should up your meds a bit meow. If you take the right amount, you can be happy all the time, just like me meow meow!"
	  Lilja might have taken a slightly different amount of stimulants today.
	  She was acting even more hyper than usual.
	  Chloe, on the other hand, ...had apparently been born with a natural resistance to stimulants. So, unfortunately, a quick shot of drugs wasn't enough to make her suddenly happy.
	  Koshka:
	  "You aren't a `one', Chloe. For now, just relax and don't think about it."
	  Chloe:
	  "............"
	  Chloe:
	  "I'm so tired, I'm losing focus..."
	  Chloe:
	  "Thanks, Koshka."
	  "Chloe" has exited the room poyo!
	  Lilja:
	  "It's that part of her personality that got her sent to this crazy research center meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "...She sure has it rough."
	  Lilja:
	  "Well, you and I are the ones making it about three times rougher for her meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "...If the world's hard for Chloe to live in, but easy for broken people like us, ...then it's the world that's really screwed up. ...It would've been better if the Earth had been destroyed in World War III."
	  Lilja:
	  "It was meow. ...That's why this is the world of death after its destruction."
	  Koshka:
	  "So we're in the pits of hell?"
	  Lilja:
	  "I hope this world gets destroyed soon meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "I'll definitely destroy it... This screwed-up world..."
	  "Gunhild" has entered the room poyo!
	  Gunhild:
	  "Hi everyone. ...Where's Chloe?"
	  Lilja:
	  "You just missed her meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "...It's just her usual self-hatred. She needs to take more meds."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Poor thing."
	  Lilja:
	  "How was it on your end meow?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I guess you could say it was a nice meal. People who roll a six or a seven have it so easy, it's enough to make you jealous."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Chloooooeeeeeeeeee!!!"
	  
	  Chloe:
	  "E-Eeeep?!?! I-Instructor...?!?!"
	  She had never expected to run into Okonogi in a place like this. She was so surprised, she literally leapt to attention.
	   Okonogi briskly walked over to Chloe, who almost seemed to be in a state of suspended animation, like a frog being stared at by a snake. Then, he applied a running-start super ultra Okonogi chop to her head at a perfect angle!
	  Chloe:
	  "Ack!!
	  langen@^ Why＞＜?!
	  langen@/
	   That hurts, ouch, Instructooooooor...＞＜!!!"
	  
	  Okonogi:
	  "Seriously... What are you doing, slacking off in your training just because I'm not watching?!! I saw the whole thing from the monitor room! What do I keep telling you?!! If you're moping about, that means you aren't using your full strength!! When you're really, really giving it your all, you've got to empty your mind!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Your mind was wandering while you thought about something pointless, and you hesitated, right?! I can tell!! I can tell everything you're thinking by the way you hang your head, by the angle of your jaw!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I-I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, Instructoooooor＞＜!!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "I saw your scores for the few days since you came here, and they're pathetic!!! You're useless, you're scum, and your grades are all trash!!!"
	   *smack*
	   *clonk*,
	   *thwap*!!
	  langen@^ He chopped Chloe's head over and over again!
	  ...Her grades here hadn't actually been bad.
	  However, Okonogi yelled at her, saying they were completely horrible, and chopped her again and again
	   *smack*
	   *thwack*!!
	  Officer:
	  "Oh, Okonogi. So this is where you were. Could you translate for me again? ...Hey, isn't that the girl from before?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "She was training like a coward, so I decided to inject her with some fighting spirit, heheheh..."
	  Staff Member:
	  "Wh-What do you think you're doing?! Please don't interfere with development targets without permission! Corporal punishment against a target can disrupt their self-empowerment and-"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Shut up!!"
	  
	  Staff Member:
	  "Eeep?!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "If you give Chloe this kind of fancy training in this fancy institution, she'll never turn her cowardice into fighting spirit!! The best way to get her fired up is with a chop!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Ack＞＜!!
	  langen@/
	   Gyah＞＜!!
	  langen@/
	   Aggh!!＞＜!!!"
	  
	  Staff Member:
	  "Hey, st-stop that at once...! Physical punishment will damage her self-empowerment..."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Let's go, Chloe!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Huh, umm, wha-"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Koshka and Lilja are equipment from here, but not you, and this place isn't suited for you anyway! We're leaving!! Your fighting spirit's been led astray by worldly desires, but I'll beat it back into shape!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-Yes sir, Instructor...!!"
	  Staff Member:
	  "Y-You can't do that, Captain Okonogi...! Unless you follow the proper procedures-"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Listen up. This broken style of training might work for people who are already broken. Koshka and Lilja are basically broken problem children. They're both treated like equipment here, after all. So, go ahead and make use of them however you please."
	  Okonogi:
	  "...However, Chloe hasn't broken yet.
	   She isn't broken yet!
	   So, putting her through a broken training regime would be utterly pointless, you seeeeee?!!! You've gotta train her in a way that's not so cold-blooded, are you getting meeeeee?!!! Let's go, Chloe!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-Yes siiiiiir!! Instructooooooor!!"
	  Officer:
	  "I see Okonogi is still quite the hot-blooded demon instructor, hohoho."
	  Staff Member:
	  "Ah......nnngg........."
	  Okonogi:
	  "That's right. I've got one more thing to say to you."
	  Staff Member:
	  "...Wh-What is it......?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "It's true that Koshka and Lilja are your equipment. However, Grave Mole's training instructor is me, Okonogi Tetsurou! It's not just Chloe. Just you try screwing around with those two! I'll land one of my hot-blooded punishment chops on your head too!"
	  Staff Member:
	  ".........!!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "That's all!!! Let's go, Chloe!! One, two! One, two!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "R-Roger that, Instructor,
	   one, two! One, two...＞＜!!"
	  Officer:
	  "Hmm. Yes, I really do prefer Okonogi's methods, hohoho...!"
	  Lilja:
	  "So then I told them meow! I'm not your doll meow!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Did you actually say it with your mouth?"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'll bet she just said it in her head."
	  Lilja:
	  "I did say it with my mouth meow! I-I may have whispered a bit, but I said it with my mouth meoooow!"
	  Koshka:
	  "There's no way you said it with your mouth, pomogite."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Huh?"
	  Koshka:
	  "Ne...
	  trogayte, 
	  ostorozhno."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Koshka?"
	  Koshka:
	  "Izvinite,
	   izvinite,
	   iziziziz."
	  Lilja:
	  "Looks like Koshka's Kizuna is freaking out again meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "Vosemnadtsat, devyatnadtsat, dvad, dvdvdvaddvad."
	  Lilja:
	  "Ahahah, dvahdvahdvahdvah♪ That's hilarious meow. I'll record it so I can play it back and laugh at her later meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "Dvdvdvdv...
	   ............"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Sorry.
	   It suddenly got rough."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Are you okay?"
	  Koshka:
	  "Not...
	  exactly."
	  Lilja:
	  "Wanna call it a day? It's starting to get pretty rough on my end too meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "The guys today are sloppy...
	   The drugs have worn off and it's getting seriously-"
	  
	  "Koshka" has exited the room due to an error poyo.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Oh my."
	  Lilja:
	  "Let's call it a day then meow."
	  Gunhild:
	  "You do your best too, Lilja."
	  Lilja:
	  "You should be saying that to my doctors, not me meow. So, see you later, Gunhi-"
	  
	  #ffe08a"Lilja" has exited the room due to an error poyo.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...The difference between people who get to enjoy their youth and those who can't...is harsh."
	   "Koshka" has entered the room poyo
	   "Koshka" has exited the room due to an error poyo.
	   "Koshka" has entered the room poyo!
	   "Koshka" has exited the room due to an error poyo.
	   "Koshka" has entered the room poyo!
	  Koshka:
	  "Ostorozhno, ostorozhno, zhnozhnozhnonononononononono."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I think I'll head out too. ...Koshka, Lilja, take care..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Nonononononononononono."
	  "Gunhild" has exited the room poyo!
	  Now that's how you're supposed to leave a room poyo! I wish "Koshka" and "Lilja" would learn from her poyo!
	  Koshka:
	  "Nonononononononononono."
	  Nononononononononono.
	  Noonono, nonoonononono.
	  No.
	  ...Koshka's body lay on top of a bed.
	  However, this wasn't a bed for sleeping on.
	  Several harnesses were attached to it, and it was connected to various machines.
	  Men in airtight suits were staring at the various graphs being displayed on those machines.
	  As she lay on the bed, Koshka was naked.
	  They hadn't even given her a single piece of clothing to cover herself with.
	  However, ...her being naked was relatively unembarrassing. After all, at least her body was still covered by flesh.
	  Doctor:
	  "...Data transfer normal. It's still holding at the Madonna's Maximum Speed."
	  Doctor:
	  "The burden on the Pandora is increasing. Should we administer more painkiller?"
	  Doctor:
	  "No, wait. That'll add noise. I want to hold at the current rate."
	  Koshka's head...had been opened.
	  ...Her head, her bones, ...her blood vessels, nerves, and brain stem, ...her cerebrum, cerebellum and diencephalon...
	  All of them had been spread out from the inside so that they covered even more area than her body......
	  However, she wasn't the only one.
	  ...With her at the center, at least ten other girls had their heads opened up in the same way...
	  Only the lights of the machines' monitors...eerily lit the doctors who had entered this room with airtight suits.
	  Doctor:
	  "...Subjects 040 through 048 are still NULL."
	  Doctor:
	  "We've confirmed that 049 received a signal. The experiment's over for 048 and under. Dispose of them."
	  The lights disappeared around all but one of the girls, and they were swallowed by the darkness.
	  The remaining girl was apparently being made to reproduce something from inside Koshka's brain.
	  However, it didn't seem to be going smoothly.
	  The machines monitoring the girl designated as 049 began to sound alarms one after another.
	  And the pace of those alarms began to gradually increase...
	  Doctor:
	  "......049 is receiving the signal well. There's some noise, but it's minimal."
	  Doctor:
	  "The Pandora has been at the pain limit level for over a minute now."
	  Doctor:
	  "...We'll need the Director General's permission to continue the experiment any longer."
	  Doctor:
	  "How well is 049 receiving? What's the noise rate?"
	  Doctor:
	  "It's at 0.193. ...That's a good number, but..."
	  Doctor:
	  "No. That's a long way from our goal of 1.15... Suspend the experiment. Apply painkillers to the Pandora. It's up to the surgery team now."
	  Doctor:
	  "040 through 049 will be disposed of in accordance with the Human Rights Manual."
	  Doctor:
	  "12 seconds have passed since 040 through 049 were injected with hypnocine."
	  Doctor:
	  "Okay, that should be humane enough. Send them over to the examination department."
	  Kaclunk!!
	  langen@/
	   Loud metallic sounds rang out at once.
	  The beds of the girls surrounding Koshka delivered them into a gaping abyss.
	  Their faces hadn't even been stitched back together to resemble how they had looked in life...
	  Of course, none of those pitiful girls had volunteered to become specimens in this kind of experiment.
	  They had only volunteered because of their innocent dream of flying in the sky.
	  However, these applicants were all Greens.
	  The Blue candidates, who actually would be able to fly, ...had already been chosen when they were all fertilized eggs...
	  Doctor:
	  "Now administering painkillers. ...The Pandora has left the pain limit level."
	  Doctor:
	  "If we had another Pandora, I would've wanted to push through. It's too bad. Have we still not been able to find a spare?"
	  Doctor:
	  "Well, Pandora's Box was a gift from the gods, after all."
	  Doctor:
	  "Then I guess we can't expect to get a replacement for Miss Kitty here. We'll make good, precious use of you for a long time."
	  Koshka's bed automatically moved and disappeared through an automatic door.
	  It was heading towards the surgery department. ...There, her head would be put back together again.
	  By a 4D printer and robot arms.
	  They had already made a stock of Koshka's skulls using synthesized calcium...
	  Koshka:
	  "...Hggg.........agg......"
	  Koshka:
	  ".................."
	  Koshka:
	  "...The pain's finally died down..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Is anyone there......?"
	   "Lilja" has entered the room poyo
	   "Lilja" has exited the room due to an error poyo
	   "Lilja" has entered the room poyo
	   "Lilja" has exited the room due to an error poyo
	   "Lilja" has entered the room poyo!
	  Gaaaaaaaaahhh!! Learn how to leave the room properly already poyoooooo!!
	  Koshka:
	  "What are you doing...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Apuapuapuapuapuapuapua."
	  Koshka:
	  "Hahah, what the heck's that supposed to mean?"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I'll record it so I can play it back and laugh at her later."
	  Lilja:
	  "Petapetapetapeta, 
	  lopetapetapeta, petapetapetapetapetapetapeta..."
	  
	  Vier:
	  "Oh, Doctor. Heheheh, that new look really suits you."
	  The man she called "doctor" rubbed his head embarrassedly.
	  He apparently still wasn't used to the feel of it, like someone who had just changed their hairdo.
	  Vier:
	  "Even `translation', when done in excess, can be harmful to the body. How about a change in atmosphere? Would you like to take a walk with me...?"
	  The man had apparently been literally buried in a pile of thick, gorgeous books with antique bindings, reading constantly.
	  He would read one, then put it on the pile. Read another, then put it on the pile. And after they piled up into a tower, they fell over.
	  Apparently, those books were so interesting that he kept reading them, even after he had been buried.
	  Vier dragged the man out from there.
	  Even then, the man looked like he still wanted to read more.
	  But immediately, he realized that Vier was surely going to show him something interesting again.
	  Vier:
	  "Intriguing, aren't they? Those books by the best translators throughout history. ...They're all fellow captives of God's wisdom, just like us. The little things they noticed and their process of trial and error still contribute to our modern translation and discoveries."
	  Vier:
	  "Judging by the pile of books you read, I suppose you're interested in the eternal youth variety of immortality, yes? Heheheh, there's no need to be embarrassed. The ability to focus on one's greatest interest is one of the most important driving forces we have."
	  Vier:
	  "Eternal youth. ...It's a wonderful theme that we can never help but be entranced by. Several of our comrades have used all sorts of methods to try and translate the wisdom leading to that goal. If you're interested, they can guide you as well. Heheheheh......"
	  Eternal youth.
	  To remain young in body and mind, released from the bonds of death, living forever. It's one of humanity's ultimate dreams...
	  Vier:
	  "Our comrade in that room has been fascinated by the same dream. Why don't you go watch him? ...Oh, my mistake. I believe he got bored of that, and now he's working on translating teleportation. Instead of him, you should try the comrade in this room."
	  In every single room, ...they were researching super-technology that the outside world would have considered fantasy.
	   When they stood in front of one of the rooms, the automatic door opened with a soft sound.
	  Inside...was a chaotic mishmash of complicated, strange machines, plumbing, and power cords...
	  Vier:
	  "The 8MS he's currently using in his research is capable of making the human body forever young. On that point, at least, I believe his project has achieved success."
	  On a midair display was a bizarre figure that resembled a bacteriophage. It looked like an inorganic object, or maybe a robot, or maybe a lifeform. Or maybe none of those things.
	  Vier:
	  "It's strange. The closer we get to unraveling the mysteries of life, ...the more the form that takes shape seems to resemble something or other that God has already created. ...Heheh, it truly is intriguing."
	  Vier:
	  "What? If we can already create immortality, you want to give it a try? Heheheh, that's brave of you, but perhaps you had better wait until his project is complete."
	  Vier:
	  "It will make you immortal, but as a side effect, it will inflame the skin all over your body, give you pimples and blisters, wear out your whole body with fevers, and even impair your consciousness, or something like that. *giggle* It's still quite distant from what you were hoping for, yes?"
	  Vier:
	  "Even so, ...he certainly has succeeded in translating part of God's wisdom. ...When I think about his joy, it makes me jealous. Heheheheh. ...Still, where could he be? It's rare not to see him here."
	  Vier:
	  "Oh, ...that's where he was. Heheheh, I suppose we ought to leave him be."
	  Vier giggled as she left the room with the man who was following her...
	  ...On one of the pipes in the distant, distant back of that chaotic room, ...the room's owner had hung himself.
	  He didn't seem to have done it recently.
	  But, thanks to his magnificent 8MS, ...he was probably still alive......
	  Vier and the man went further and further down a large spiral stairway, ...descending into the abyss.
	  They reached the lowest level of this underground laboratory.
	  The spiral staircase ended in a massive ring-shaped catwalk.
	  Below that, ...it was pitch black.
	  The catwalk had fencing that went to about waist height. ...However, ...that was utterly unreassuring after viewing the abyss below them, which swirled down and was filled with an eerie black...
	  Girls:
	  ".................."
	  Vier:
	  "Don't mind him. We just came here for a walk."
	  Girls:
	  ".................."
	  The man hadn't thought anyone else would be there, so the sight of the girls left him unable to stand, as he reacted like a shocked child.
	  ...Those girls were the guards of this underground laboratory.
	  Their only job was to protect this sacred place, but it wasn't clear if they were really girls.
	  Once you experienced the way they felt like "something else" that only looked like girls, ...their mere presence would be enough to terrify you.
	  The girls once again erased all signs of their presence, fading into the darkness, ...but their gazes never left Vier.
	  Vier:
	  "This...is my favorite place. Please, look into the darkness beneath you."
	  Vier:
	  "That...is the type of wisdom being translated here, or perhaps that is still waiting to be translated, ...which grabs my heart the strongest. Heheheheh......"
	  The man peered into the darkness.
	  It was such a dark abyss that even doing this scared him.
	  However, as his eyes adjusted, ...he spotted something massive, which looked like a man-made object.
	  ...The thing, which seemed to lead down into a real abyss, or possibly the depths of hell itself, ...was a gigantic hatch.
	  Vier:
	  "What do you think...lies beyond that door...?"
	  Vier:
	  "Heheheh... Beyond that......lies the future. Literally, ...the future of a thousand years from now."
	  That was all Vier knew about what lay in the pit beneath them.
	  It had already been there when she first came here.
	  However, ...she didn't know who had translated it, or when.
	  Records that had been left behind had only told her of its existence...
	  Vier:
	  "According to the partial translation that remains, ...a twisted, isolated spacetime is sealed up in there."
	  She knew nothing of how it worked or what its significance was.
	  However, it was said that those depths held a completed product, whose translation had been finished...
	  Something was locked inside that hatch. ...And it was directly linked to the future a millennium from now.
	  Vier:
	  "In other words, ...the instant you go down that hatch, you'll time slip a thousand years into the future. Of course, unlike that failed Immortality 8MS you just saw, you'll be able to remain healthy, instantly time slipping a millenium ahead without melting away..."
	  In other words, ...it truly was...a door into the next millennium.
	  Vier:
	  "From what I can tell reading the remnants of the translation, rather than literally sending you a thousand years into the future, time within it apparently freezes for a thousand years. No, strictly speaking, the sections of spacetime on both sides are separated, and ......*mumble*mumble*.........  Well, in that sense, it really is fitting to call it a time capsule."
	  Vier:
	  "We're talking about a thousand years. Beyond there lies unknown civilizations, unknown arts, unknown knowledge. Heheheh, isn't that a dream? Just imagining those things is what I love most. ...Though, some of our dreamless comrades say that humanity will probably have been destroyed a thousand years from now. *giggle*"
	  ...This time capsule hadn't been activated yet.
	  It was still empty on the inside.
	  Since someone had made it, it must have been done to send something a thousand years into the future.
	  So, what was supposed to be inside there?
	  That much...hadn't been translated yet...
	  Vier:
	  "It's a thousand-year gift box, created by the wisdom of God. ...What in the world belongs in there...? A person...? A thing...? Knowledge...? Or will it stay there empty for a thousand years? ...If humanity of the future opened it, with high hopes for what's inside, would they despair when they found out it was empty? *giggle* That's another thing that's fun to imagine. ...*giggle*giggle*giggle*......"
	  The man with Vier, disturbed by the darkness beneath them, kept on rubbing his head, seemingly unable to calm down.
	  ...The top of his head...looked as though it had been sliced horizontally through the center of his forehead...and was completely flat.
	  Maybe he found rubbing his flat head amusing, because he giggled nervously and kept rubbing it over and over...
	  
	  Whether it's school or the military...
	  Young people are sometimes forced to do the unpaid work of listening to old people talk about boring stuff.
	  Jayden:
	  "Aaaaaahhh...! My ass hurts so much...! So do my shoulders! Why are those chairs so hard?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Rather than studying, it's more like training for how to withstand economy-class syndrome."
	  Miyao:
	  "And before Selcom, you wouldn't even have been able to kill time or record it, right? ...That really would be hell."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I guess it just means that old humanity was good at being patient."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hard to tell if humanity's advanced or regressed, huh? *yaaaawn*..."
	  However, the advancement of technology was now starting to win against the boredom of listening to old people talk.
	  Old people proudly claimed that modern kids were slacking off and had no spirit, going on and on about what it was like in their day.
	  However, even when it looked like those young people were sincerely listening to them, they were actually chatting away happily in mental rooms.
	  How is that not a win-win situation...?
	  But, even if they could win against the boredom, apparently no technology had yet been invented that could stop the butt from hurting after sitting on a hard chair.
	  Jayden:
	  "Anyway, let's go somewhere we can sit down. Otherwise, my butt's never gonna unflatten itself."
	  Miyao:
	  "Today, you're gonna take us to that store your friend's running. Right, Gunhild?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Yes. I hope you two like them."
	  Miyao and the other Gauntlet Knights were soldiers who served in the military, but they were also students who hadn't yet reached adulthood.
	  Though they underwent strict military training, they were also guaranteed enough time and privileges to enjoy their youths.
	  So, while they stood at the front lines of their nations' defenses, they were also able to have daily lives just like normal students...
	  Of course, they only got these privileges because they were elites with cutting-edge tech who defended their countries.
	  Jayden:
	  "Gunhild's friends are amazing, managing to set up a store in Neo Akihabara. Isn't it pretty expensive here?"
	  Now searching real estate prices in the area poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "No, no, you don't have to search it. I can imagine how high it gets."
	  Gunhild:
	  "More than it being expensive, it's hard to even find a property to buy. And besides, if you look at small buildings in back alleys, you can rent a spot for a price that's not too unreasonable."
	  On this day, the Warcats had been taken to a study center near Neo Akihabara.
	  It was a really boring `job', where they were forced to listen to veeery precious words of wisdom from old people with lofty titles.
	  Afterwards, they figured that since they had come to Neo Akihabara, they might as well wander around. Then, Gunhild had told them that some friends of hers had opened a store nearby, and she offered to take them there.
	  Miyao:
	  "You really have a lot of friends, don't you?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheh, you think so?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah. No matter where we go or what we're talking about, you always have friends there, right?"
	  Jayden:
	  "When you've got that many, how do you not mix them up? Isn't it rough, getting mail from and going into virtual rooms with all sorts of friends all day long?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Isn't being able to easily do things like that what makes parallel processors so great?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, ...when I'm talking to someone, I'll sometimes have a conversation with other friends in a mental room at the same time, but I feel a bit guilty about it."
	  Miyao:
	  "Isn't that fine, as long as you don't post to the wrong chat?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, when someone's talking to you about something serious, and you're having fun playing a shooting game with a different friend in a mental room, ...doesn't that feel mean?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Jayden, you usually act like you're so outrageous, but some of the time, you can be surprisingly commonsensical, or should I say detail-obsessed."
	  Jayden:
	  "Shut up. I get that I'm a guy whose good looks are wasted by my lack of communication skills."
	  Miyao:
	  "I hate people who call themselves good-looking."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, well... I don't dislike the fact that you're concerned about little things like that."
	  Jayden:
	  "I see. Thanks, Meow."
	  Miyao:
	  "No, that was me talking!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh, uh, really? I thought every kind thing you ever said came from Meow."
	  Jayden:
	  "After all, Miyao's always strict whenever he talks, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "You're pissing me off,
	   pissing me off
	   There's no way I'll ever say kind things about you again, okay...?!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, don't start pouting, seriously. You really are cute, Miyao."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheh. I'd appreciate it if you'd save the lovers' quarrels for when you're alone."
	  The store was in a back alley two rows back from the gaudy main street.
	  Though you could hear the bustle and electronic sounds from Neo Akihabara, it did feel just a bit calmer.
	  After entering one of the buildings that rented out spaces and were thin like sliced cheese, they climbed up 4 short stories...and were at the shop.
	  Owner:
	  "Welcome. Hey, Gunhild! You actually came!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Long time no see! You look well! I'm so glad!"
	  Owner:
	  "Oh, you even brought your friends?! Come on in, sit down!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "How's the store doing? Off to a good start?"
	  Owner:
	  "A whole bunch of our supporters in Japan came. Now we just need to wait for it to spread by word-of-mouth!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "That's ＃％＆＆!!　＄＃＄＄ would gladly ％＠＝＃!!　％＃＜＄!!!"
	  That was too fast and slangy for me to translate poyooo.
	  It looked very strange to see Gunhild and the female owner, who was wearing a cyclops mask and maid clothes, chatting together excitedly...
	  Jayden:
	  "...Wow. I've never seen Gunhild get so fired up and talk so fast."
	  Miyao:
	  "They're siblings of the same age, apparently. They've been in touch, but they haven't actually met for 10 years, it seems."
	  Jayden:
	  "...Siblings, huh? I wonder how my siblings are doing."
	  Miyao:
	  "I thought the great Supergenius Jayden hated having company on his lonely walk down Genius Lane."
	  Jayden:
	  "...I guess...you've got a point there."
	  Jayden:
	  "With my excellent grades, I kept passing up other people in my age group and classes, always so eager to reach the top. ...I just kept running straight forward, without ever thinking about siblings or friends, until I ended up here."
	  It was only recently that Jayden had recognized that fault, and had started renewing his old friendships with some of his siblings.
	  Even so, he was still estranged from many of them.
	  He sometimes regretted that he'd been self-absorbed with the idea that he was a supergenius, and that this had caused him to neglect his sibling relationships.
	  ...Miyao felt that he'd screwed up a bit.
	  He'd offhandedly told Jayden "I bet you were a loner", and it had turned out to be right.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Tch."
	  Miyao:
	  "N-Now, ...you've got me, so you aren't a loner anymore."
	  Jayden:
	  "...Y-Yeah, you're right! Thanks, Miyao!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I-It's not like that... That was Meow just now..."
	  Jayden:
	  "No, that one was definitely you, Miyao
	   I love it when you act nice every once in a while!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Let go,
	   stop ruffling my hair!"
	  Owner:
	  "Those two certainly are close."
	  Gunhild:
	  "They're so happy together."
	  Poyo! Your current location is the costume cafe "Monster Party" poyo!
	  Rating: ★★★★★, Safety: ★★★☆☆, Cleanliness: ★★★☆☆
	  It hasn't been open very long, so it doesn't have many ratings poyo! Make sure you take that into account poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Ooh. ...Cool. Is this a CRT TV?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Probably just looks like one on the outside."
	  Owner:
	  "Oh, it's the real thing. We got it via crowdfunding, which kept us waiting quite some time."
	  In this era of mental displays, everyone assumed that TV monitors from the old era had been all but eliminated.
	  However, no matter the era, you'll always find collectors who love old technology.
	  Gunhild:
	  "You can really sense that everyone's watching the same thing. That's why I like old displays."
	  Miyao:
	  "I know what you mean. It's nice when it feels like you're all watching it together."
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah, I get that. I love that stuff too."
	  Jayden:
	  "No matter how boring the show is, it can still be kinda fun."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey, look. Just because you said that, they've started playing something boring."
	  Owner:
	  "Should I turn it off?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheh, there's an urban legend that says they leave a mark on your record whenever you turn off a government broadcast."
	  Jayden:
	  "I never heard anything like that."
	  Miyao:
	  "If they flag you for turning off the TV during government broadcasts, I would've been sent to jail a dozen times over."
	  In the AOU, all channels were forced to show government broadcasts at a specified time every day.
	  In almost all cases, these were used to highlight the ways life in the AOU was better than it had been before.
	  In the B3W world, propaganda broadcasts like that were hated and likened to brainwashing or something out of a dystopia.
	  ...However, the flood of broadcasts criticizing the current state of affairs in the B3W world...had also encouraged global paranoia.
	  Everything from the weather, to health, to atopic dermatitis, to even troubles with luck and romance...was blamed on corruption in one's own government.
	  So, naturally, people all over the world were unsatisfied with their living conditions, and this formed a decently strong motive for emigration.
	  At the same time, the countries accepting immigrants tended to blame them for everything bad that was going on. This led to increasing discontent towards their own governments for not taking a harder line on immigration, and eventually the rise of far-right groups.
	  With time, these became triggers for cultural clashes, which opened the door for World War III...
	  Perhaps in an attempt to atone for this, broadcasters in all countries in all factions of the A3W world were forced to include broadcasts that would raise the happiness index.
	  Narrator:
	  "Happiness is like spring sunshine. If you take it for granted, it's very hard to realize how precious it is. ...Why not stop for a moment and reflect on the happiness in your life?"
	  Narrator:
	  "Have you heard the phrase `going on a journey to find yourself'?"
	  Narrator:
	  "In our AOU, this phrase has long since passed into obscurity, but it's still used to this day in the other factions."
	  Narrator:
	  "It means `to find what your strengths are by trial and error'. Young people in the other factions don't know what their natural-born strengths are, so they're forced to spend most of their lives finding them by trying out one thing after another."
	  People are born with all sorts of individual traits.
	  They think of ways to best take advantage of their traits, designing the optimal lives for themselves.
	  However, individual traits aren't always a positive thing.
	  Sadly, some are hard to make use of in society, and some can even become a burden.
	  Some traits that can be easily seen, like those that come with physical penalties, were given humanity's support from very early on.
	  But it's also true that a large number of people never received any support, either because their traits were hard to recognize visually, or else because they were seen as the result of an evil mind.
	  Miyao:
	  "After all, traits that stem from the brain are still misunderstood by lots of people."
	  Jayden:
	  "If you look at it that way, we really are living in a nice era."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Yeah. ...A genetic test is performed as soon as there's a fertilized egg, so all your strengths and weaknesses are known before birth."
	  Narrator:
	  "In the AOU, birth management and genetic testing make it possible for us to know all of a child's talents before they're born, as well as allowing us to guide them and prepare a suitable job and lifestyle for them."
	  Narrator:
	  "Positive traits are given opportunities to distinguish themselves even more, while negative traits are given the support they need. Young people in the AOU are able to live the most suitable lifestyle for themselves, without having to spend half their lives searching for themselves."
	  Narrator:
	  "When youths in the other factions go on their self-searching journeys, it takes an average of 24 years. And even this number includes people who eventually gave up on finding their true strengths, rather than discovering them. Most young people around the world are still suffering, still ignorant of their real talents."
	  Miyao:
	  "In the B3W world, that was apparently totally normal..."
	  Jayden:
	  "It must've been a tough era, ...having to spend most of your life searching for what you're good and not good at."
	  Miyao:
	  "...There were probably also a lot of people who never found out what they were good at...and who died believing they were incompetent."
	  Gunhild:
	  "In that sense, we do live in a wonderful era."
	  Owner:
	  "Then again, ...I do like the sound of `going on a journey to find yourself'."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Yeah. People in the B3W world were always able to hope that they had unknown talents sleeping inside them. But now, you can't have dreams like that."
	  Narrator:
	  "As a result, all citizens of the AOU can work the jobs they're best suited for, living wonderful lives without wandering about or wasting their youths."
	  Narrator:
	  "Of course, the genes you're born with don't determine everything about your life. The AOU always gives people of all occupations opportunities to learn or change professions. To live is to work. Finding a job that makes the best use of your abilities is one of the happiest forms of living the AOU provides."
	  Narrator:
	  "We offer all youths a future where they'll have the greatest chance to shine. --AOU."
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, people in the past probably would've thought it was pretty nosy, having someone else decide your whole future for you."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's just people going through a rebellious phase. You know, when you want to do the opposite of what people tell you to do."
	  Miyao:
	  "When I was first told to go to military school, I absolutely hated the idea."
	  Jayden:
	  "What did you want to be at the time?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...A cat video uploader."
	  Gunhild:
	  "A video uploader?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Who only does cat videos?"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right, got a problem with that? I took a shot at it with the Job Experience Simulator, ended up with a D grade, and cried and cried until I gave up. ...Okay, I get that I totally underestimated how hard a job being a video uploader is."
	  Owner:
	  "Your dreams were crushed by the Simulator? You shouldn't have worried about that. They say those always give you bad grades. I mean, do you know what job aptitude grade Gunhild got for becoming a Gauntlet Knight?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I got a C."
	  Jayden:
	  "Seriously?! You went from that to where you are now?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "What the hell, that means simulator grades are totally worthless! I should've ignored them and become a cat video uploader!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheh. Fate isn't something you're given, it's something you forge for yourself."
	  Miyao:
	  "Tch. Instead of obediently following the rails set before me, I should've tried living life like I pleased."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, there's one thing I can say for sure as your partner. No matter what you tried to do, whether you got an A or a B or a D, you were definitely fated to become a Gauntlet Knight , the strongest man in the sky, and my partner."
	  Miyao:
	  "Tch. I hope you know your aptitude for being my partner is only about a C."
	  Jayden:
	  "Heheheheh. The fact you didn't give me a D makes it clear how much you love me as a partner, Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "Sssssssss
	  shhut up! Stop clinging to me! You're creeping me out!! You're treating me like a girl again, aren't you?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I-I am not! It's normal for two guys to act like this!"
	  Miyao:
	  "No way, that's not how two guys act, it was gross! You were definitely treating me like a girl!"
	  Jayden:
	  "H-Hey, cut that out... I get that you have an inferiority complex, but don't take it out on me. If you're sensitive about the fact that you've got no muscles, just admit it and work out more-"
	  Miyao:
	  "I-
	  I-I-
	  Inferiority compleeex?!
	  langen@^ What are you talking about?! Wh-When did I ever say I had an inferiority complex 'cause I've got no muscles?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Owwww, ouch, ouch!!
	  langen@^ Don't scratch me, don't pinch me, this is exactly what having an inferiority complex means!"
	  Was their relationship good or bad? Their arms were wrapped around each other as they tried to strangle each other.
	  Of course, from the sidelines, it just looked like they were flirting.
	  Meow:
	  "You do have a complex! You interpret everything Jayden does like that because you're sensitive about the fact that you're weak, right?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey, it's not like I-"
	  Meow:
	  "You're gonna say it's because I wouldn't like having a muscular body, right?! Choosing not to exercise is your decision to make, okay?! You don't like being slender, but you hate exercising, and you hate weight training! And when that makes you feel bad, you take it out on Jayden!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm not taking it out on anyone!
	   Owow, ooowwww!!"
	  
	  Miyao and Meow started grabbing at each other with their left and right arms, pinching their face and so on.
	  Having two personalities in one body really keeps them busy, and it's always amusing to watch...
	  In the end, Meow won and Miyao withdrew. In the first place, they had already agreed to switch places at the end of their study session.
	  Meow:
	  "I'm sorry you had to see that, Jayden. Thanks for waiting!"
	  Jayden:
	  "S-Sure. ...Still, I can't help but be surprised. Just by switching over to Meow, it's like your whole face has changed..."
	  Meow:
	  "Gunhild, congrats on making it through that study session! I love your friend's shop. Those monster masks are adorable."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Thanks for coming along with me. It's all right if you two head off and have some fun now."
	  Jayden:
	  "Are you sure? We only just arrived..."
	  Owner:
	  "Don't worry about it. Thanks for coming over to play. If you don't mind, please talk about us on Kizuna, hashtag included."
	  Meow:
	  "Sure, we'll do that. We'll see you again!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Put my meal and Meow's on my card. I'll add a tip too."
	  Meow:
	  "Thanks, but we'll split the bill! I'll use my card too. And I'll also add a big tip."
	  Owner:
	  "I'm grateful, but don't you think this is a bit much?"
	  Jayden:
	  "No, not at all. It's not like there's much we can spend money on."
	  Thanks again poyo! I'll give you a stamp for visiting this shop poyo!
	  Was it a good shop poyo? If it was, make sure to support them with a tip poyo!
	  Cha-ching! Thanks for your tip poyooo!!
	  Meow:
	  "Thanks for the meal. Gunhild, thanks for telling us about this wonderful shop!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Catch you later. And thanks for adding on a tip."
	  Jayden:
	  "Okay, sorry for heading out early. Bye!"
	  Looking apologetic for leaving Gunhild behind, the two of them left the store.
	  Owner:
	  "Those two certainly seem happy. ...That's quite the tip they gave us."
	  Gunhild rested her chin on her hands over the counter, sighed deeply but quietly, and then raised her head.
	  ...Her expression seemed slightly different than usual.
	  Gunhild:
	  "They're high and mighty Gauntlet Knights, after all. Of course they have more money than they know what to do with."
	  Owner:
	  "You think so? I never heard of you having more money than you know what to do with, Gun. ...I'm kidding, just kidding."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...For Gauntlet Knights, food, clothing, shelter, and even fringe benefits all come free. Pretty amazing, huh? Seriously, no matter what they do, it's always free. ...So, they keep stockpiling more and more money. And hell, they could even live their lives without really using any of it. ...What a sweet deal those super-aristocrats get."
	  Owner:
	  "It amazes me every time I hear it. To think that in this day and age, there are people who can go through life without ever thinking about money. I'm jealous of that passionate couple."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's not like they've done anything wrong. They were just lucky enough to be born with good talent and genes, I guess. ...They must've done something incredibly good in their previous lives, ...so God told them it was okay for their next lives to be a bonus stage." 
	  Owner:
	  "I don't feel like I belong in a bonus stage, ...but this town really is one. That's the first thing I thought when I got here. The air's so clean."
	  Gunhild:
	  "The air here's clean because they use incredibly high-quality Spiritium. Once you've tasted it, you won't be able to go back to your old city..."
	  Owner:
	  "I agree. I don't want to go back. It gives me shivers to think I was living in air that smelly without even noticing it."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Still, ...until you came here, you breathed it without caring at all."
	  Owner:
	  "That's true... ...Now, I'm grateful. Thanks for not telling me how nice the air was here."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I never told you all about anything. ...Probably because I didn't want anyone getting depressed. But I can finally get this off my chest. ...Now that I've finally got siblings in the same city as me."
	  Owner:
	  "Both Maja and I are extremely grateful to you, Gun. If you hadn't supported us with money, we never would've been able to come here. ...You gave so much. And to everyone..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Don't worry about it. ...I just wanted siblings in this city so I had someone to complain to."
	  Owner:
	  "Thanks. But we want to complain too. Only Maja and I studied seriously and gave it our all. When everyone else received your money, ...they just thought it was natural for the successful one to send some of it their way..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "............ ...It doesn't bother me."
	  Gunhild:
	  "A city like that...would corrupt anyone. ...Us crawling up this far was an exception among exceptions. ...They'll all be stuck in that city of losers until they rot and then die."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...They'll paralyze their minds with apps and drift through life, only vaguely conscious. ...Before they know it, they'll get fat on junk food, have problems with their organs, ...and amazingly quickly and suddenly...die while still 30 to 40 years old..."
	  Owner:
	  "And even living like that...felt like a little bit of happiness back when we were there. ...The AOU certainly is a terrifying place to live."
	  Gunhild:
	  "You either need excellent genes from the time you're a fertilized egg, or enough fighting spirit to crawl out of the trash heap. ...If you're in the vast majority that doesn't have either, ...you've gotta suck up to the rich, becoming their food so you can barely scrape by. ...And if you can't do that, you'll live life in a daze and get fatter and fatter..."
	  Owner:
	  "And you'll grumble complaints about all the mental games you're playing...until the alcohol and obesity kill you."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Has this faction gone insane? Or are they all happy, ...and we're the only ones who're screwed up?"
	  Owner:
	  "............"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Are these feelings...something we need to never forget? Or something we should leave behind as soon as we can? ...I...don't know yet..."
	  Owner:
	  "...I want to forget about it. ...If it were possible, I'd want to forget about everything that happened in that city. I'd rather pretend that I lived here from the start..."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Gunhild:
	  "By the way, ...have you been in touch with Maja lately?"
	  Owner:
	  "No, I haven't seen her recently either. And, Kizuna isn't marking the messages I send as having been read. ...I suppose she's still giving it her all, hoping to become a true Gauntlet Knight like you, Gun."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, you probably have it roughest when you're still just a trainee."
	  Owner:
	  "I was sure it'd be you who first got in contact with her, but I guess not."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, she did ask me a lot of questions before her exams. ...Still, in the end, there's nothing you can do except have faith in your own strength."
	  Officially, there were no age restrictions for Gauntlet Knight tests, but practically speaking, there were.
	  The most valuable talent for a Gauntlet Knight was parallel processing ability.
	  The PP training used to hone that ability was more effective the younger you were. So, once you reached a certain age, it apparently wouldn't grow at all.
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'll bet Maja's thinking there'll be no hope left for her if she doesn't pass this time. ...She's got to be pushing herself hard and focusing on that alone."
	  Owner:
	  "It would be wonderful if the next time we hear from her, it'll be so she can tell us that she passed."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Yeah."
	  Owner:
	  "People usually misunderstand Maja because she looks so cute, but she really is a lot like a boy. I'm sure she's incredibly well-suited to being a soldier."
	  Gunhild:
	  "At first, I was absolutely sure Maja would become a Gauntlet Knight before me."
	  Owner:
	  "Heheheheh. I thought the same thing."
	  Gunhild:
	  "She's probably the person who dreamed most about being a Gauntlet Knight. ...I'm sure I wouldn't have made it to where I am now if I hadn't been influenced by her passion."
	  Gunhild:
	  "So, ...I was pretty worried that I might've hurt Maja's pride, becoming a Gauntlet Knight before her."
	  Owner:
	  "There was no need to. When you did it, no one was happier than Maja. If anything, she was even more excited, thinking that she'd be able to pass the next time if she could get a few tips from you."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I told her a few things, ...but in the end, this sort of thing always comes down to your own strength. ...The world of Gauntlet Knights is filled with monsters. There's a ton of natural-born geniuses, who never had to suffer their entire lives, but who still hate to lose."
	  Owner:
	  "Like that happy couple from before?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "They are monsters. Natural-born ones. ...They never had to really push themselves since the time of their births, ...but they can still do anything. In the same way that most people never have to learn how to breathe or blink, ...they understand how to use the Reaper's Eye as if it were natural. And, they can leap from the top of Super Tokyo Tower as if they're putting on sandals to go take a walk."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Those are the kinds of people fighting over those Gauntlets. ...If a C-grade wants their dreams to come true, of course they'll have to work hard and suffer to their absolute limits. And even then, ...they still have to pray for a miracle."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Maja was working hard and suffering to her limit too. ...So, now there's nothing to do but pray for a miracle."
	  Owner:
	  "...You're right."
	  Owner:
	  "Still, Maja is so likable. Once she sneaks past that exam, she might make it big even faster than you, Gun."
	  Gunhild:
	  "She looks like the kind of person who's good at getting her way, but she actually the type that overworks themselves. I imagine she'd still have it rough even after becoming a Gauntlet Knight, so I'm a bit worried for her."
	  Owner:
	  "It'll be all right. Maja...is much better at that sort of thing than we are."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I guess so. ...Men love women like that. I wish I were attractive like that, particularly to middle-aged men. Hahaha."
	  Owner:
	  "............"
	  Owner:
	  "...Hey, Gun?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "What is it?"
	  Owner:
	  "...If you brought me to this city so I could listen to you complain, ...then you wouldn't mind listening to my complaints too, right...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Spit it out. You have the right, and of course, so does Maja."
	  Owner:
	  ".........Well, you know..."
	  She was wearing a monster mask, so it was impossible to see her expression.
	  However, you could tell by the tone of her voice.
	  ...You could hear her moan...as she tried to dig out a thorn that had been stuck in her heart for a long, long time...
	  Owner:
	  "Gun, ...you did...suffer...like Maja and I did, ...right?"
	  How could anyone who pulled themselves up by their bootstraps not have suffered?
	  ...No, she was asking this...despite being fully aware of that fact.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I got a C grade too, right? A C in my Gauntlet Knight aptitude score. ...In training, equipment, teaching materials, assistance and support, the A students were always given priority. ...Unless I suffered in a way the A students never did, ...I wouldn't even have had a chance to study."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Just now, ...you said you wanted to forget all about the old city, right? ...I feel the same way."
	  Gunhild:
	  "In my case in particular, ...in order to crawl towards becoming a Gauntlet Knight, ...in order to grasp any chance I could without worrying about anything else, ...I was forced to frantically suffer day after day. ...I want to forget that part alone, to scrape it away."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I want to open my skull right now...and rub my brains all over the asphalt to get rid of it. ...I want to take all those things that only people who crawl out of the trash ever know...and forget them completely..."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...For today, I suggest we up our meds by two pills more than normal."
	  Owner:
	  "I see... I'm sorry, ...but thanks."
	  Owner:
	  "Knowing that I'm not the only one suffering...makes me feel a little better..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "You...should create a new self in this city too."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you want to cut yourself off from a painful past, creating a new `you' is a very effective way to do it."
	  Owner:
	  "...I'm so grateful to both of you."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Jayden:
	  "Everything sucks in this world, but when you walk with your head held high, it can be pretty fun."
	  Meow:
	  "I don't think good and evil exist in this world. You might say it's like a mirror."
	  Jayden:
	  "If people who are feeling dark look at it, the world looks dark."
	  Meow:
	  "And when people who always have brightness in their hearts look at it, I'm sure it makes the world brighter."
	  Jayden:
	  "The news keeps talking about dark stuff, saying there might be another war, but if that makes us turn gloomy too, the world will be wrapped in darkness!"
	  Meow:
	  "That's right! And anyway, you're cutest when you're smiling, Jayden."
	  Jayden:
	  "Seriously? If that's how you feel, I'll grin whenever you're around, Meow!"
	  Meow:
	  "When you're talking to big brother, you had better hold back, or else he'll start sulking again. Apparently, he feels as though I've stolen away his beloved friend, and he's jealous."
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? He really thinks that?! What the heck...?! That Miyao's so cute. Don't I always tell him that he's the only person who could be my perfect buddy?"
	  Meow:
	  "I know. If he could just accept how much you like him, and just honestly respond in kind, I think he'd be even cuter."
	  Jayden:
	  "If Miyao hears you saying that, he'll be pissed."
	  Meow:
	  "I know! If only he'd smile more."
	  Jayden:
	  "If he did, the world would be brighter and happier."
	  In the highest-ranked area near the center of the city, there was always some sort of party going on in the ultra high-class hotels.
	  The reasons for them and the groups holding them were always different, ...but the main participants were never young.
	  As usual, all the main participants in the party on this floor were middle-aged, fat men...
	  In a waiting room, where you could faintly hear an elegant, live musical performance coming from the party hall, a plump high military official was snoring on a sofa.
	  After having his fill of high-grade wine and being doted on by secondary secretaries, he was now likely having sweet dreams.
	  However, his chest was exposed, and several electrodes had been attached to him, including at the nape of his neck, all of which were attached to several cords.
	  Those cords were connected to a laptop sitting on the lap of another man...
	  Selcom technology transformed the human brain itself into a hard drive.
	  In other words, it turned VIPs into walking hard drives.
	  If you wanted to steal what was inside, ...you had to directly access those walking hard drives.
	  Once, hackers were able to elegantly sift through the world's secrets in front of their own machine in their own homes, but in the A3W world, hackers were once again forced to rely on the methods of classic spies...
	  Decrypting, decrypting. The files are being decrypted one by one poyo.
	  Toujirou:
	  "...All right, little buddy. You can do it..."
	  The decryption software processed one vital, classified file after another.
	  He was saying that classic phrase, which you can't help but say while watching a slowly expanding progress bar as files are being unpacked.
	  Decrypting, decrypting. The files are being decrypted one by one poyo.
	  However, another window that looked like an EKG was flashing yellow, warning that some sort of danger was approaching.
	  It indicated the estimated time before the snoring officer woke up.
	  Still, this pig really is packed to the brim with cholesterol poyo. I'd rather calculate the sleep time of a cute girl poyo.
	  Toujirou:
	  "No arguments here. I'd rather hack a G-cup beauty's boobs than an old man's head."
	  *keekekekekero*kero*!
	  Sorry for the wait poyo! All files have been successfully decrypted poyo!
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Good work, Keropoyo. Please keep checking Mr. Cholesterol's remaining sleep time."
	  Roger that poyo! Also, I'd prefer if it you'd wipe those electrodes clean poyo!
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hahaha. I'll clean them with the finest alcohol swabs money can buy..."
	  Windows opened one after another on the monitor, displaying the contents of various files...
	  Toujirou watched this, feeling like a prophet in a fantasy world staring at a crystal ball.
	  Toujirou:
	  "...These files show what's going to happen next in this world. ...This really is...the world's future..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "The only shame...is that the world's future doesn't lie with the young, but inside the head of an ugly old man who's practically a lump of bad health."
	  While speaking sarcastically, Toujirou used both his mental Selcom keyboard and the real keyboard beneath his fingertips to rapidly copy the files...
	  As soon as he copied everything, the window marking the time remaining before the officer woke up turned red and blinked. Time was up.
	  Poyopoyopoyo! He's waking up poyo!
	  Toujirou:
	  "Okay, we made it somehow."
	  Toujirou quickly tore off the electrodes attached to the man's neck and put his laptop away.
	  When the man let out a pathetic sound like `nngah' and finally woke...
	  Toujirou was handing him a glass of ice water, acting as though he had been worried until a second ago.
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Nnnn, ...my alcohol tolerance has gotten so low. When did it get this bad?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "You probably should've paced yourself a bit. How do you feel? Should I call for a car?"
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "No, no, there's no need! After taking a quick nap, I'm feeling right as rain! And my head's cleared up too! Let's get back to drinking, Toujirou, wahahahaha!"
	  The officer happily put his arm over Toujirou's shoulder, and they returned to the party.
	  When they opened the door, a thick heat and vulgar, drunken laughter poured out at them.
	  Now that Toujirou had finished his job, there was nothing forcing him to stay at this party.
	  ...It was the sort of party that an onlooker might easily have been jealous of.
	  However, though Toujirou kept an adult's smile on his face, he cursed inside his heart.
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "I've been to lots of parties, ...but never to a banquet as ugly as this one."
	  The hall's decorations were solemn, as you'd expect from a party for dignified executives.
	  However, the sweaty heat that filled it, the vulgar laughs of the men, and the flirtatious voices of the women...turned this into a world that was the exact opposite of dignified...
	  The men were all older, stout high military officers. Their plump chests and arms and their overflowing double chins eloquently spoke for their unhealthy lifestyles.
	  And, they weren't just high-ranking officers. ...They had all made use of their ranks to start side-businesses that earned them far more than their normal pay.
	  These dignified individuals made a hobby of going from crazy party to crazy party, squandering the money that they couldn't find any other use for.
	  On the other hand, the women were all young and well-proportioned.
	  However, unlike the men, they didn't wear military uniforms or jangling medals.
	  On the contrary, ...just the women were all wearing swimsuits that exposed so much skin, you might call it obscene.
	  Officially, this party was a training session for important military officers.
	  Naturally, only members of the military were allowed to attend. So, ...all the women here were also members of the military.
	  They were military secretaries. Also known as `secondary secretaries'.
	  Poyo! Now running a search on "secondary secretaries" poyo!
	  Search complete! The term "secondary secretary" refers to female secretaries chosen by perverted old men who want to be waited upon by babes poyo.
	  I've found 13,400 adult videos with the tag "secondary secretary" poyo! Would you like to view them poyo? *keekekero*kero*
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Thanks. Give me the links starting with the highest rated."
	  I'll also download some lovely female frog humiliation ovulation action for you poyo!
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "...I guess it never hurts to have some fried frog with salt and green onions to go with your drink."
	  In short, ...secondary secretaries were basically mistresses that military leaders were allowed to go around with officially.
	  Maybe they would have been better off as mistresses. Most of them had signed one-sided mistress contracts, in exchange for financial support and a guaranteed standard of living.
	  Young people always want to succeed, to grasp hold of any chance that comes their way.
	  However, in the AOU, where people were sorted out by the government, whether you succeeded or not was already decided when you were a fertilized egg.
	  If those who weren't chosen wanted to reach that same position of success, ...then, naturally, there wouldn't be any spots left.
	  If you still wanted to grasp a rare opportunity and crawl your way up there, you couldn't afford to be picky...
	  So, they would select young girls who matched their tastes from this pool of youths... They would offer them financial support and good treatment, or else a job as a military secretary, albeit a secondary one, which promised a more-than-stable income...
	  ...If the girls were too young to know how the world worked, they might still be able to refuse.
	  They still had faith in their own talent. So, they certainly wouldn't sell their bodies and souls...
	  However, ...once these people, who had been born as babies unloved by the government, began to realize how much determination and sacrifice it took to keep living in this gaudy city, ...it might have become harder to refuse...
	  Toujirou:
	  "......What's this world coming to?"
	  Simply put, ...the only point of this party was for those men, each of whom had acquired several secondary secretaries with their money and positions, to show them off to each other in an utterly immoral way.
	  On sofas here and there, men were obscenely groping the young girls' bodies.
	  The girls themselves drew close to the men unhesitatingly, frantically trying to flatter them.
	  Their tragic desire to remain in this city, to never return to that smelly old city, to remain alive...was painfully obvious just watching them from here...
	  It was a scene of the young who wanted to survive...having their feelings and bodies devoured by blobs of flesh who had no intention of contributing anything to humanity or society.
	  Toujirou pushed down the feelings inside his heart, acting as though he was enjoying this scene while slightly drunk...
	  High Military Officials:
	  "Toujirou, stop standing around over there and join us! Wahahahaha!!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "No, no, I'm enjoying myself plenty over here. Don't you worry about it."
	  High Military Officials:
	  "That won't do. There's no need to be shy, come on! You're up next, wahahahahah...!!"
	  They were inviting Toujirou to join a group of officers who had told their secondary secretaries to go topless, making an immoral game of blindfolding themselves and seeing if they could tell whose breasts were whose by touching.
	  His job for the night was over, but the brain hard drives of this immoral club's members were still like a mountain of treasure.
	  Toujirou:
	  "Geez. With my monthly pay, if I get used to this sort of game, I'll be screwed."
	  High Military Officials:
	  "Wahahahahaha!! Aren't you raking in enough that it's hard to tell which is your real job? Gahahahahaha!!"
	  Toujirou shrugged and was handed a necktie, then told to use it as a blindfold.
	  Nearby, the women they owned were ordered to adjust their swimsuits to expose their breasts.
	  Some smiled seductively and obeyed without hesitation. Some froze for an instant, then pretended to flirt and obeyed.
	  The girls began to obey one after another, ...but the very last one stubbornly refused.
	  Toujirou noticed that she was biting her lower lip and hanging her head.
	  When he saw from her expression that she wouldn't be able to hold in her feelings any longer, Toujirou recognized the twisted role that had been set for her.
	  High Military Officials:
	  "Hey, what's wrong?! Everyone else is stripping. Why are you the only one who isn't?!"
	  Girl:
	  ".........I-"
	  Girl:
	  "I wasn't told......that it would be like this......"
	  When the men heard her force those words out, they burst out laughing.
	  As if that was exactly what they had wanted to hear.
	  Sometimes, as a twisted prank, these twisted VIPs...would intentionally not tell girls they recruited as secondary secretaries...about the true nature of this immoral job.
	  They would offer her a reasonably high salary, and just as she had gotten used to a high-quality lifestyle, they would suddenly bring her to a place like this, ...so they could enjoy her innocent reaction.
	  This girl had probably truly believed that she'd been selected as a secretary because they had acknowledged her hard work and talent.
	  However, this was the reality.
	  The man who had acknowledged her, whom she had even adored like a father, ...had only ever been vulgarly interested in her body.
	  The men intentionally spoke in a way that would make her feel cornered, forcing her to participate.
	  The girls who had already sold their hearts followed suit and cheered her on.
	  High Military Officials:
	  "No one's forcing you if you don't want to. You'll just have to pack your bags and leave before the night is out."
	  Officers:
	  "I'll tell everyone you caused some sort of problem connected to your job! You don't have any other jobs lined up, do you? No, you couldn't even rent a home if you wanted to! I can see to it that you never live in a city with clean air again, much less Tokyo! I know where you came from. Do you really want to go back to that piss-stained city? Well, do you??"
	  ...They truly were twisted, those sick lumps of flesh who just wanted to see her humiliated.
	  The girl, who was finally starting to break down in tears, ...gave in to their demands.
	  The lumps welcomed her exposed breasts with cheers and applause, ...but obviously, that didn't make her feel any better...
	  Toujirou:
	  ".................."
	  You sick pigs...
	  Yes. This world...really is worthy of destruction......
	  The lump who had now truly become her owner put his arm around her shoulder, celebrating as if she had just gone through an initiation ceremony.
	  High Military Officials:
	  "Yeah, that's the ticket! That's what it means to become an adult! While you're under my care, you'll never want for anything...!
	   Understand, Maja?"
	  
	  #e7e7e7"Just as flower petals are fated to fall, so too must humanity."
	  #e7e7e7"Humanity has already reached civilization's end."
	  #e7e7e7"Now is the time for humanity's petals to scatter."
	  #e7e7e7"All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  --Now then, let us hold a vote.
	  Inside the Room of the Three Kings...were the Three Kings and a jestress.
	  Along the walls of this triangular room...were lines of shadowy figures in robes and masks...
	  On the triangular table that the Three Kings surrounded...was a small bag with gold embroidery...and a small black bag.
	  Jestress walked around the table, placing two coins in front of each of the kings.
	  One of the coins was gold, the other silver.
	  Imprinted on those coins was their crest, an inverted triangle and an all-seeing eye.
	  The Three Kings each picked up a gold and a silver coin, grasping them in their right hands.
	  Jestress:
	  "Now then, everyone, the Three Kings will make their decision."
	  Jestress:
	  "Our highest calling is to guide humanity down the right path. When civilization sends out sprouts of evil, when those sprouts bear fruits of malice, we harvest the wicked branches and fruits and hand over a just civilization, which has been pruned and ordered, to a fitting successor."
	  Jestress:
	  "...We have already finished preparing for the harvest festival. Tonight's decision is to determine whether the time has come yet or not."
	  King of Fury:
	  "How short the A3W era was. A mere century."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Hihihihi... Unless we're quite thorough, the A4W era might be even shorter. Hihihi..."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Humanity should return to the era of sticks and stones. ...Then, it can build up civilization again. Eventually, they'll stray off the path again, but even so, ...they should be able to find several millennia of peace."
	  Jestress:
	  "All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  After that, the two bags were passed to each of the kings in turn.
	  They took the two coins they held, putting one in each bag.
	  Only they knew which coin they each had placed in which bag...
	  After the bags were passed around, the bag with gold embroidery was handed to Jestress.
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Jestress, count the votes."
	  Jestress:
	  "Understood. I'll count them now."
	  The gold-embroidered bag was emptied on the table.
	  ...Inside were three gold coins.
	  Jestress:
	  "It's a unanimous vote in favor. The Three Kings have decided to carry out the harvest festival. ...*giggle* It seems there weren't any contrarians this time."
	  Jestress giggled, then started clapping, and the men lining the walls started to clap too.
	  Then, the Three Kings rose to their feet: one resolutely, one in a leisurely manner, and one pompously, seemingly enjoying the feel of the moment...
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Hihihihi! Gentlemen, let the harvest festival begin!"
	  King of Fury:
	  "The time has come to mercilessly reap the weeds that don't deserve to live, the rotten culture that doesn't deserve to remain...!"
	  Jestress:
	  "All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  Men along the walls:
	  """All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."""
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "I expect the best from all of you. Now, go."
	  The men along the walls all spun at once and left the room.
	  They scattered. Scattered to all the corners of the earth. To their own nests and webs that had already been set up.
	  And then, ...they made the very first move...in a massive game.
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "I pray that our long-held wish comes true, and that we will be able to set down this crown."
	  Jestress:
	  "We'll work hard to make this old man's wishes come true. ...Now then, if you will excuse me."
	  Jestress bowed respectfully and vanished.
	  The kings also spun around and disappeared into the darkness......
	  
	  Everyone had vaguely believed that this year would end like any other.
	  True, the news had been making a fuss over how factions all over the world were staring each other down, and that the smallest thing might set them off.
	  However, ...that was just something that came like the seasons. In the end, everything would be left unsettled and forgotten, and the usual peace would continue on and on. ...That's what everyone believed, without any basis.
	  Though it was cold, it was still a very gentle early winter.
	  December 1st.
	  News:
	  "In the tense Central Glass Sea of Japan, they've finally clashed! Border patrol guards of the COU Japanese military have shot down an AOU Japanese reconnaissance drone!"
	  COU Press Secretary:
	  "We of the COU Japanese military have responded to the AOU Japanese military's aggressive actions involving an armed drone in an act of justified self-defense! To protect the safety of our border patrol teams, we have been forced to take defensive measures in the Glass Sea!!"
	  AOU Press Secretary:
	  "We utterly condemn COU Japan's construction of military bases in the Glass Sea, a symbol of peace and a World War Relic!!"
	  News:
	  "It seems COU Japan has begun constructing bases with a military printer! From AOU Japan's perspective, this crosses a red line, and all hope for a peaceful solution is starting to look optimistic at best!"
	  News:
	  "Tensions are also rising around the Kashmir Spirit Field! ABN Pakistan has once again refused to respond to the COU's repeated calls to cease mining operations! In order to protect their workers from COU provocation, they've forcefully introduced anti-aircraft weaponry into the area! This act is a clear violation of the Kashmir Treaty, and the government of COU India has condemned it!"
	  COU Press Secretary:
	  "We will respond decisively to this treaty violation! The COU is announcing that military options are not off the table in this matter!"
	  News:
	  "Furthermore, the ABN Joint Parliament expressed their sincere regret towards the ACR's taking of military action against refugee camps on the northern coast of ACR Algeria. However, the ACR Royal Press Secretary flatly rejected this view, saying that this was merely a peacekeeping operation and that the ABN is interfering with internal affairs."
	  ABN Press Secretary:
	  "In the interest of harmony throughout humanity, we offer the ACR a love-filled warning. The ACR must immediately suspend their persecution of refugee camps. You must acknowledge the sinfulness of your continued assault on world peace and-"
	  News:
	  "AOU America's Atlantic Fleet has finally begun to move!! In a recent announcement, they said that they've given the order to push towards the Atlantis Spirit Field, which is still being occupied by the ACR! If the ACR Navy doesn't withdraw from that region, they say they will not hesitate to launch a preemptive strike! In practical terms, it seems safe to call this an ultimatum!!"
	  AOU Press Secretary:
	  "The ACR Royal Family and the ACR government should come calmly to the negotiation table. We intend to bring both the pen and the sword when discussing their illegal occupation of the Atlantis Spirit Fields."
	  Announcer:
	  "It's as though we can hear the footsteps of World War IV approaching! Will the curtain close on the A3W world? Was it really just the B4W world after all? The whole world is running wild at once, almost as though they planned it out beforehand!"
	  No one had called a meeting at the Public Bath.
	  However, ...after hearing one bit of disturbing news after another from all around the planet, they had started gathering on their own, ...until there were more of them than there ever had been since the end of the Battle Standard Festival.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "I get that the world's starting to run wild! But, as Gauntlet Knights from all the factions, we've got to make sure we avoid careless actions or statements, understand?!"
	  Until a second ago, this chat room had been a sort of battle royale...
	  Once the big sisters from LATO arrived and warned everyone, they were finally able to cool their heads.
	  True, because of their respective factions and positions, it was understandable that they each had things they wanted to say.
	  But even so, ...the ferocity of the feuds that had been breaking out simultaneously across the world these past few weeks...was abnormal.
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh... I suggest you remove those ferocious arguments you were just having from your logs. Heh. You may be titans who bear the military might of the next generation, but you really are still kids."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Hey, kid. Apologize."
	  Jayden:
	  "I'm so sorry..."
	  Lingji:
	  "That's exactly right. Momotake, you try and show some restraint too."
	  Momotake:
	  "I beg your forgiveness..."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Still! After talking about this together for a while, you can tell, right? None of our countries want war!"
	  Naima:
	  "That's right, wowowow! No one wants war!!"
	  Naima:
	  "Everyone, please don't say sad things, and stop fightiiiiiiiiing, wowowow!!!"
	  Lingji:
	  "......If that's so, how did the world end up like this?"
	  Miyao:
	  "If no one wants war, ...why are so many people around the world doing things that make war likely?!"
	  Valentina:
	  "The world and truth are far from simple. At any rate, we all should work hard to stay calm and avoid rash acts. Heheh, that's all I have to say."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Make sure you give your friends a reeeally serious warning about this too, okay? After all, until the world calms down, it's our job to continue holding up the Walls of Peace!"
	  After saying that with brisk, schoolteacher-like tones, the LATO big sisters left the virtual room...
	  Rethabile:
	  "...It's just as they say. We aren't politicians. Us arguing is a waste of time. It's foolish."
	  Jayden:
	  "You're right... Still, it's easy to get emotional when it's about your country and your faction."
	  Miyao:
	  "When you're listening to two factions that aren't yours arguing, it really does sound like a silly feud..."
	  Naima:
	  "And yet, some people are starting wars... It's so sad...wow."
	  Gannet:
	  "What's so fun about starting wars?! I don't get that at all!"
	  Abdou:
	  "...Well, it's possible some people would be happy about this kind of situation, right?"
	  Chloe:
	  "What kind of person could possibly be happy about this?!＞＜"
	  Sujatha:
	  "Probably people who stand to make lots of money from situations like this."
	  Mariana:
	  "...Conflict breaking out across the world has thrown the stock market into chaos. Stock in defense contractor companies is skyrocketing."
	  Noor:
	  "I see, so people who invested in those come out ahead. What a clever analysis, Mariana! I'll pet you as a reward...
	  hey, don't run away!"
	  Momotake:
	  "Are you saying there are people stirring up wars for the sake of money?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "The other day, the IPMA hinted that they would step in, but in the end, they dodged the issue by announcing a policy of nonintervention."
	  Naomi:
	  "...By doing that, the stocks of companies that had risen rapidly temporarily fell rapidly. Then the IPMA suddenly reverses their position, and those stocks are back up to their highest values. ...What a truly tantalizing development."
	  Lilja:
	  "Aaah, I wish I could go back to the past, knowing what we know now meow!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'm surprised to hear that from the money-wasting champion, who doesn't even have enough money to buy stocks."
	  Ishak:
	  "But...what if someone knew these things were going to happen before they did?"
	  If someone knew the timing of dramatic changes in stock prices beforehand...
	  They would be able to buy at the ideal time, when it was cheapest, sell it all when it was at its most valuable, and rake in a huge chunk of wealth in just a few weeks...
	  Jayden:
	  "Dammit, they must be laughing all the way to the bank right now...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "This world is set up so that only those playing poker with the world as their cards can rake it in."
	  Aysha:
	  "*giggle* I wonder if one of those players would consider marrying me... Heheheh."
	  Fatma:
	  "My, my, how deplorable, searching for a marriage without love!"
	  Stephania:
	  "Love is everything! The existence of people who respect money more than love is what makes this world twisted and covered in darkness!"
	  Leah:
	  "Those who deny that fact will receive Yeladot Shavit's depleted uranium bullets of heavenly judgement!!"
	  Andry:
	  "Love and peace, huh? ...It'd be awesome if we could fight alongside each other for worldwide love, instead of fighting against each other under the orders of those old assholes."
	  Gannet:
	  "That's right! If only we could all join hands and take out the evil people trying to start world wars for money!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  (Yes, that would be wonderful...! Imagine Gauntlet Knights around the planet joining hands, standing off against a mysterious secret organization planning to overthrow the world order... ...But that's no good, Rukhi...! You aren't a kid anymore, so you shouldn't daydream about comic book things like that...!)
	  Rethabile:
	  "You know, that might actually be more than something out of a comic book."
	  Rukhshana:
	  (Sh-She heard meee...eee......eee.)
	  Miyao:
	  "What do you mean...?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I'm just saying that there might actually be a secret organization, treating the world as its plaything and trying to line its own pockets."
	  Ishak:
	  "Princess, that's enough playing around..."
	  Abdou:
	  "It's almost time for the next event on your schedule."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I see. In that case, we shall take our leave. Cairo Squad, make sure you aren't late either."
	  Noor:
	  "Yes ma'am! Now then, everyone, it's time for us to leave as well."
	  Mariana:
	  "...I love ceremonies. You get paid just for sitting down..."
	  Gannet:
	  "See you later, everyone! Bye-bye!!"
	  When everyone from the ACR left, the others all apparently remembered things they had to take care of.
	  One after another, they left the room, and the meeting was effectively over.
	  However, ...Rethabile's words remained in Miyao's ears.
	  There might actually be a secret organization, treating the world as its plaything and trying to line its own pockets...
	  You've left "It's a Wrap Public Bath" poyo.
	  Miyao:
	  "That *is* a comic book. Seriously, stuff like that only happens in comic books!"
	  Miyao:
	  "You say you'll join hands and face off against a mysterious secret organization...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hahahahahahaha, hahahahahahahahahahahah...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's all wrong. You're the ones who are going to be killing each other! It's already been decided."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right. This isn't a prediction, ...it's a prophecy."
	  Miyao:
	  "Heheheheheheheheheheheh......"
	  Miyao:
	  "Maybe...that sort of thing doesn't just happen in comic books after all."
	  ...Hmm? ...Wait, this laid-back music is...
	  When I shifted my attention to my mental display... Yep, it was him all right.
	  You've received an email from "The Old Bastard" poyo!
	  I get it, I get it. That's enough of Dad's ringtone, okay?
	  Miyao:
	  "...Umm, ...what's this...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "`I'm in the area, so would you like to grab a bite to eat?', he says?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Old people love sending emails. ...Well, he did say that virtual rooms wear him out. Nothing you can do about people from the last generation."
	  His father had apparently been busy lately, so they hadn't met IRL hardly at all.
	  However, recently, he had suddenly started to feel grateful for the fact that his father had raised him...or maybe he just felt apologetic for the one-sided hatred he'd shown his father during puberty. Anyway, they had started exchanging emails.
	  Miyao:
	  "I never even know which part of the world Dad's in. ...If I can go see him, I probably should."
	  The world was starting to smell of gunpowder.
	  Even Gauntlet Knights were soldiers.
	  Though they were often treated like esport contestants, they could be sent into combat at any time.
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hey. You're looking well."
	  Miyao:
	  "If I wasn't feeling well, I wouldn't have come."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I guess so. Have a seat. I don't have much time either."
	  Miyao:
	  "You make it sound like I owe you one. Are you saying you're graciously using your precious time to come see me?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "What exactly do you think a parent expects to be owed, when coming to see his own son's face?"
	  This old bastard's my dad, Mitake Toujirou.
	  He's a `father', ...something extremely rare in AOU countries, where the ciconia no longer bring us babies.
	  He's apparently a big shot military reporter working for the AOU Combined Military HQ.
	  From what I've heard, he got temporarily transferred to the IPMA or something, flying all over the world for his work.
	  We grew distant after I entered my rebellious phase.
	  ...Then, well, I started to feel a bit grateful to him for raising me.
	  We did exchange emails now and then, ...but this was the first time we'd met in person in a long time.
	  Toujirou:
	  "You did good at the Battle Standard Festival."
	  Miyao:
	  "I didn't do anything but embarrass myself."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Don't get the wrong idea. I didn't say that as an insult."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Those ignorant commentators had no idea how amazing your movements were right before you got shot down."
	  Miyao:
	  "It doesn't matter how amazing you are, if you get taken out."
	  Toujirou:
	  "But that COU ace...Lingji, was it? I think that kid was just about to gray out. She won because it was a competition, but in an actual battle, she would've lost consciousness and crashed after that. ...If it weren't for that fluke, you would've at least taken each other out. You were in the lead then."
	  Miyao:
	  "You don't need to console me. Lingji is an amazing Gauntlet Knight. That's all there is to it."
	  Toujirou:
	  "No, you were more impressive by far. I'm sure lots of clueless people have said things to you, and it's getting you down. Poor kid."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Knowing you, I figured you would've lost some of your confidence. So today, for your sake, I've researched how excellent your movements during the Battle Standard Festival were, as well as what you could've done to win with certainty. First off, take a look at this data."
	  You've received 32 data items from "Toujirou" poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "I told you, I'm fine. Don't worry about it..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I'll start by describing the attack on the fictional base. This part has splendid movement that even an amateur can easily understand. In particular, this spiral around Marker A is astonishingly beautiful. And seven seconds later-"
	  ...Ah, Dad is such a pain. He's always picking through the details of other people's records and scores.
	  And kids are supposed to be like their parents on a genetic level? Don't give me that. I'll never become an adult this annoying...
	  For a while, we enjoyed a casual conversation between parent and child.
	  It might've been 10 whole years since we've had `alone time' like this, like something you'd see in a classic drama.
	  ...When I was really young, I wished I'd been raised in an incubator too.
	  But people can't choose how they're born or who their parents are.
	  In this world, where being ciconia-born is rare, maybe it's best to view the rare experience of having a father as a positive...
	  With some laughter mixed in, we renewed the bonds of parent and child that had been cut off during my rebellious phase...
	  Toujirou:
	  "Have you seen the news recently?"
	  Miyao:
	  "It's getting pretty hectic, isn't it? ...Are there bunches of people who really can't wait to start wars, or something?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "There are. ...That's what you guardians of peace are for, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "If my missions are to beat up people like that, I'll take as many as I can."
	  Toujirou:
	  "How reassuring. Good luck, kid."
	  Miyao:
	  "Good luck to you too, adults. Don't push this all on the kids."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hahahahahahah."
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Miyao, listen carefully."
	  Miyao:
	  "I am listening."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Turn off your Selcom. Listen to me with your ears and your heart."
	  Miyao:
	  "What are you talking about...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Just turn it off."
	  re you sure you want to shut down your Selcom poyo?
	  Thank you for your patronage poyo! We hope you use us again poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "It's off..."
	  When the previous generation wanted to scold you, for example, they would often tell you to turn your Selcom off.
	  While your Selcom was on, they apparently felt as though you were distracted and not really listening.
	  ...This feels unpleasant, like I'm about to be lectured.
	  See? ...Dad's looking strangely serious and motioning for me to bring my face closer.
	  Miyao:
	  "...What is it?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Listen closely. ...I'm sure you and the others think this news is just people fanning the flames, and that nothing serious will come of it."
	  Toujirou:
	  "But this time is different. ...It really will...begin."
	  Miyao:
	  "...A military conflict...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "I mean that everything up until yesterday will be called the B4W era."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Whoa, hold on. You've got to be-"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Listen closely, Miyao."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Gauntlet Knights are closer to being a complete military technology than you and the others think. You'll probably be sent into actual combat right away."
	  Dad, who flies all over the world for work reasons, sometimes says extraordinary things.
	  ...However, ...sooner or later, those predictions always came true.
	  Miyao:
	  "...I'm prepared for that. I'm not just a sim gamer."
	  Toujirou:
	  "It's not just you. ...The whole world will be drawn into a terrifying conflict. You'll probably be drawn into a strange fight where you don't know who your enemies are, nor whom you should fight or whom you should fight for."
	  Miyao:
	  "...This is no joke. ...Your predictions are usually right."
	  Toujirou:
	  "They're not `predictions', in the sense of words that anticipate the future. What I give you are `prophecies', words that have been left in someone's care."
	  ...A prophecy.........
	  ............
	  This is neither a warning nor a prediction.
	  It means that a future fate...has been told to me with words that came from God.
	  In other words, we aren't talking about possibilities.
	  It's a verdict that will come to pass with `certainty'.
	  That's right, certainty.
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I've known that this day would come for a long time. All I didn't know...was that it would finally start today."
	  Toujirou:
	  "The ultimate tool for resisting evil fates and making the fate of your choosing come true...is the Gauntlet. At least, humanity as it is now has never before produced a greater method for an individual to wield power."
	  Miyao:
	  "...So, the reason you made me become a Gauntlet Knight was..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If nothing happened during your generation, then it would've been fine. But, almost as though it was waiting for Gauntlet Knights to be completed, ...the day has come."
	  Miyao:
	  "Stop...saying creepy things all of a sudden. It's almost like you're putting the fate of the world on my shoulders... Hahah, ...seriously...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "What is your enemy, what is evil? Whom should you fight, and whom should you fight alongside?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Think. Always think. Never give up on thinking. ...No matter how incomprehensible it all seems."
	  Miyao:
	  "It...sounds like you're telling me to protect the world all on my own..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "That's right. You're the strongest Gauntlet Knight in the world. That's what I raised you to be. Do you know why?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...No..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Because the main characters of all eras...are the young."
	  Toujirou:
	  "The fate of the world isn't up to the generation of old bastards like me. ...You young people need to decide and grasp it for yourselves."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I gave you the power to do this. To do so, I spared no effort ever since the time of your birth."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Well, ...I am grateful for that, but..."
	  True, as far back as I can remember, Dad has given me a gifted education for becoming a Gauntlet Knight.
	  It was like getting an advance payment, not only of money and effort, but of the next era itself.
	  Waiter:
	  "Pardon me. Would you prefer some after-dinner coffee or black tea...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "I'll have some coffee. How about you, Miyao?"
	  This ruthlessly sudden conversation had made Miyao's mind blank out for a while...
	  Miyao:
	  "...Umm, then...I'll have some tea-"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Sorry, but could we have the check?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh?"
	  Waiter:
	  "Certainly, sir. Please wait a moment."
	  Miyao:
	  "What was that, all of a sudden...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "I told you. I don't have much time. And anyway, you're going to get a call any time now. Turn on your Selcom."
	  Miyao:
	  "I don't get it..."
	  But Dad was right.
	  There was a military emergency alarm ringing in my head.
	  It meant to respond to an emergency summons and stand by.
	  It was a sign that something really ominous was happening, so you should go home and pick up your diapers so that you didn't wet yourself.
	  It also came with a helpful message saying that this wasn't a drill...
	  Toujirou:
	  "See you later then."
	  Miyao:
	  "Dad... Is it really...going to start...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Prophecies are never wrong."
	  Miyao:
	  "Does that mean you know what's going to happen after this...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  ".................."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Yes. I know."
	  Miyao:
	  "Then stop showing off and tell me! War's coming, right? Doesn't that mean a lot of people are going to die?!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "That's right. ...Many will die. At worst, fewer will remain than during the aftermath of World War III."
	  Miyao:
	  "Something like that has to be stopped at all costs! The young are the main characters, right?! We have to do something about this, right?! You gave me the power to do that, the power to control a Gauntlet! So, I can...we can definitely stop this!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "You mean, prevent World War IV before it starts?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I have friends all over the world! And none of them want war! So, there must be people behind the scenes who stand to gain from starting wars! You must know about it, Dad! That people like that exist!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "......As far as people who would celebrate the outbreak of war, ...well, I can think of a few."
	  Miyao:
	  "Tell me! I want to crush them!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Calm down, son."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Even if I told you, what would you do? Are you a police chief? Do you have connections with a counterintelligence organization? You've been given an emergency summons and a stand-by order, right? If you do whatever you want, you'll be in violation of military law."
	  Miyao:
	  "Gauntlet Knights are stronger than anything, right?! Are you saying we still can't *do* anything?!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "...There are things you can do. ...But this isn't the time yet."
	  Miyao:
	  "When will it be time?! Are you saying I should just watch the world plummet into war until the time comes?!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Before long, when the time does come, you'll know."
	  Miyao:
	  "I've always hated the way you dodge questions and try to confuse me like that! Fine, if you won't tell me, I won't ask!"
	  Miyao:
	  "The main characters in every era are the young, right? In that case, we main characters will think for ourselves, decide what the best course of action is, and save the world! We'll stop World War IV! That's our job as guardians of peace...!!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Soon, I'll be able to tell you everything."
	  Miyao:
	  "But the time hasn't come yet, right?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "...I hope it never does."
	  Dad signed the check brought to him by the waiter and rose to his feet.
	  Toujirou:
	  "I'm glad we got to meet. I may be your dad, but I'm still a soldier. This might be the last time we ever say goodbye."
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't die. I won't let you die. I will...we will definitely stop war from breaking out!"
	  Toujirou:
	  ".................."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I have high hopes for you, Miyao. ...If you can manage that, you really will be the main characters."
	  With that last strange sentence that was probably supposed to sound cool, Dad left without leaving any trace he had ever been there......
	  You received an email from "Miyao" poyo!
	  Aysha:
	  "Princess? What's the matter?"
	  Lingji:
	  "I got an email from Miyao..."
	  Momotake:
	  "What on earth could it be, at a time like this...?"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "What on earth did he write...?"
	  Sujatha:
	  "...Hmph. That's just like him. Are you two going to read it too?"
	  Andry:
	  "Well, if it's something he's likely to say, I can probably guess what it is already."
	  Leah:
	  "What do you think?"
	  Fatma:
	  "That's so like him! But maybe this is exactly how we should be!"
	  Stephania:
	  "Miyao's so cute. I just wanna support him."
	  Stanisław:
	  "`None of us want war. We're the guardians of peace.' ...I see."
	  Naomi:
	  "Military might is the power of destruction and death. ...However, depending on the will of those who wield it, it can become many other things..."
	  Naima:
	  "I-In other words, wow...? What should we do...??"
	  Mariana:
	  "We aren't dogs of war... We're guardians of peace."
	  Noor:
	  "We're soldiers. We obey orders. But within those orders, we can become either dogs or guardians."
	  Gannet:
	  "That's Noor for you! In other words, we mustn't fight out of hatred!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "`Let's stop World War IV', huh? ...He's quite the hot-headed man, is he not?"
	  Abdou:
	  "Will we really be able to stop a war by fighting...?"
	  Ishak:
	  "The conflicts sprouting up all over the place are being led by each faction's war hawks. If we take the wind out of their sails neatly and rapidly, it might change what happens next."
	  Lilja:
	  "That *kero*kero*kerooo* Miyao just said something crazy meow."
	  Chloe:
	  "Still, I agree with him. After all, we Gauntlet Knights have such great power, right?!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I like it too. ...Whatever those old assholes are trying to do on their own, ...whether it's a war or anything else, we'll crush it ourselves so that it doesn't all go as they please...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "The world is finally measuring its military strength by the number of Gauntlet Knights each side possesses. ...That's a sign of how much power we have."
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah. If we all join forces and go all out, we can crush this world war!"
	  Miyao:
	  "None of us want war! If people try and start one up anyway, we'll stand against them! We'll resist them! We aren't pieces on anyone's game board...!!"
	  #e7e7e7"...Ever since the Battle Standard Festival, Miyao has had influence over the primary Gauntlet Knights from all factions. ...Many seem to approve of the email he just sent, and even some within my kette have expressed that opinion..."
	  #e7e7e7"If matters continue down this path, we of the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order may be restricted in our movements."
	  #e7e7e7"I leave the decision to you, Lady Jestress. ...All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path..."
	  "Toujirou" has entered the room poyo!
	  Toujirou:
	  "Sorry to keep you waiting. It's been a long time since I've been able to go back home to Tokyo."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Cities around the world all resemble each other, ...but the air and humidity and such of one's hometown really do feel different somehow."
	  Jestress:
	  "And, you got to meet your son for the first time in a while, right...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hey, stop showing off the fact that you're monitoring me. That's rude."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If it comes to that, I know you had a can of assorted biscuits for breakfast today."
	  Jestress:
	  "*giggle* But they're so convenient. They come with a bunch of different varieties, and you can put things in the can when it's empty."
	  Jestress:
	  "More importantly, how did it go?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "No problem at all. It'll be on the news soon."
	  Jestress:
	  "People who can't be moved with money or connections really are a pain, aren't they?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "People like that are why we're able to play at being James Bond in this era."
	   news report just came in poyo!
	  Defense Minister Yunoki of the AOU Japanese government has been rushed to the hospital poyo!@
	  His condition is unknown; everything about this is unknown keeerokero!
	  The Prime Minister's office is apparently scrambling to appoint his successor poyo!@
	  Minister Yunoki is the leader of the moderate party currently in power, so his retirement will likely remove the breaks keeping AOU Japan's war hawks at bay. ...Is what they're saying poyo.
	  Jestress:
	  "He got sent to the hospital? That's so sad."
	  Toujirou:
	  "In just a few days, the former minister's secretary is scheduled to leak information about some shady political contributions. It will then become clear that some of those were indirect contributions from COU Japan, and everything will be thrown into chaos."
	  Jestress:
	  "Now, no one will be able to stop World War IV..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I just hope this is the last major war."
	  Jestress:
	  "Still, ...you really are a bad dad, aren't you?"
	  Jestress:
	  "Even though your son is spurring on his friends to fight and stop World War IV, his own father is working in the shadows to make World War IV happen..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "There's no helping it. The meaning of justice is something you've got to decide on your own."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I can say `do this' all I like, but I don't expect an obedient response."
	  Jestress:
	  "You're talking about Miyao, right?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "No one ever does what they're told, unless it's the voice of their heart telling them. I guess money is the only exception."
	  Jestress:
	  "I've just sent yours over. What exactly are you still saving all this money up for? Even though the world's about to be destroyed."
	  Toujirou:
	  "What will I do and where will I do it when the world is destroyed? It's worth earning this much just to be able to decide that for myself."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Doesn't it sound wonderful, to end your life with the best babe in the world, clinking your glasses together as you watch the last twilight humanity will ever see?"
	  Jestress:
	  "You may have a point there. I'll probably still be caring for those three old fogeys when twilight comes to the world."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I'm praying that the Three Kings' plans proceed well."
	  Jestress:
	  "...They're terrifying people. If they wished, they could bring about massive wars over and over again, ...until humanity is culled down to the numbers they desire."
	  Jestress:
	  "Still, ...unless I cling to their madness, ...my wish will never come true."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Make sure you become a good woman too. If you do, then once this madness is over, you might have a future where you're sipping wine and gazing at the twilight with me."
	  Jestress:
	  "Are you seriously hitting on *me*? Still, all I can say is that I appreciate the sentiment. I'm more than satisfied with going down along with my opponent."
	  Jestress:
	  "As long as humanity has at least one man and one woman surviving at the end, this will be a victory for all humanity..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I'd like to increase that number by a few. That's my wish. Well then, I'll be heading out now."
	  Jestress:
	  "Then so will I."
	  Toujirou:
	  "All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path?"
	  Jestress:
	  "That's the kings' job. Not mine."
	  Jestress:
	  "From the time this body was born to the time its last cell is destroyed, ...I'll live for the sole purpose of erasing that nightmare."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Well, it seems humanity will be having quite a nightmare itself, all so that you can erase yours."
	  Jestress:
	  "If my greatest wish is granted, humanity will be grateful to me, ...and they'll realize that my victory is humanity's victory. ...However, there's no telling how many people humanity will have left by then."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Don't worry. When that time comes, at least I'll be there."
	  Jestress:
	  "Stop hitting on me. Doesn't that count as cheating?"
	  
	  Strategic Officer:
	  "Today, the AOU Joint Parliament has authorized a military assault on behalf of our government against the COU Japanese military's border guards, which are illegally expanding into the Glass Sea. Our targets are anti-aircraft positions currently under construction in the central part of the Glass Sea, as well as anti-aircraft vehicles deploying into the area."
	  Strategic Officer:
	  "As soon as the operation begins, the Aerial Augmented Infantry will advance at extreme low altitude, subduing the groups of anti-aircraft vehicles. After that, our fighter jet squadrons will push forward, subduing our targets with air-to-ground missiles."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Rejoice, Warcats!
	   It's finally your turn! Show them the power of the Aerial Augmented Infantry!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Your only job is to turn four of the COU's damned anti-aircraft vehicles into scrap! It's enough to make you laugh, giving a little job like this to people with the power to take on a whole air base! Those old assholes don't believe in your strength at all!! Prove to them that all your puking's paid off!!!!"
	  Strategic Officer:
	  "The anti-aircraft vehicles being deployed are King's Shield 2900 Supers, which are autonomous short-range air defense systems. They're armed with 8-barreled 30mm rotary autocannons, as well as short-range surface-to-air guided missiles. However, they're running on previous generation software, so it's expected that they'll have difficulty targeting Aerial Augmented Infantry soldiers."
	  Okonogi:
	  "In other words, they're no match for you! Once you've finished your job, get out of there at full speed. You'll have Longbow missiles flying over your heads, so it's all gonna go up in flames, you hear me?!!"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Old man Okonogi's really hyper today."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "It's pretty amusing. Until now, he's been calling us esport gamers all the time."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "We'll show them that we Gauntlet Knights are game changers. Today, they'll see that the world's military might and peace don't belong to geezers in conference rooms or middle-aged guys swaggering around. They belong to us, the young."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Yeah. We'll crush the schemes of those old assholes who treat war like a game...!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Miyao, could I have a moment of your time right now? If not, I'll just leave my messages here."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "I don't have time, but I'm listening. What is it?"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "This is just me talking to myself. Don't leave a record of it."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Of course. We may be from different countries, but we're comrades flying in the same sky."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "About COU Japan's military expansion into the Glass Sea... Even in the COU, everyone isn't unanimously in favor of it. On the contrary, far more people are criticizing it, saying it will only provoke the AOU. Please, don't misunderstand. Even in the COU, none of us want war."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Of course not. I never thought you did. I'm sure it's the same here. The crazy geezers who want war are moving ahead by themselves."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "About these crazy geezers moving ahead by themselves... Does that include the AOU Atlantic Fleet?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Rethabile!"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "I hate keeping secrets. Especially from those who fought with us at the Battle Standard Festival. So, I'll tell you. Today, the ACR Royal Family has ordered the Aerial Knight Corps to intercept the AOU America Atlantic Fleet that's approaching the waters around the Atlantis Spirit Field. I'll be leading that force."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "From what I've heard on the news, even in the AOU, lots of people think the movement of the Atlantic Fleet is going too far. Some people even think the navy is running wild to make sure people don't forget about them."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "People in the COU have reached the same conclusion. They think that, if those people have a chance to look good, there may be no stopping them."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "It's just like you said, Miyao. ...Whether it's the subjects of the ACR or the citizens of the AOU, no one wants war. It's merely a scheme by someone planning to rake in money by stirring up war."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "However, if we go too far, that will just fan the flames even more. ...Very well. As a representative of the ACR royal family, I think I'll make a courtesy call to a certain aircraft carrier that bears the name of a former president."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "We're counting on you, Rethabile. Our enemies aren't the people and things in front of us."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "I understand. Leave it to me!"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Princess Rethabile, pardon me for interrupting while you're talking."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "I suppose the order has been given to attack that refugee camp, yes? I know nothing about that, nor have I been told anything."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Still, I'm just going to talk to myself a bit. The Father-King who founded our nation said he would reject none who came and chase none who left. If people unable to adjust to the ACR seek asylum, our national policy is not to chase them. However, the ACR royal family has far too many people in it. I cannot deny that there are some troublesome princes who fight over who can be more patriotic and radical, seeking more influence."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "You're saying that this incident doesn't reflect what the ACR royal family truly wants?"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Whatever the ABN wants to do, for whatever reasons it has, that's for the ABN to decide. However, if you go too far, even the royal family will be unable to hold back its hard-liners. I don't think I need say more, yes?"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Of course not, Princess. We aren't a form of military might that exists to start wars."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Yeah. We're guardians of peace!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Stanisław. No, I believe you wanted to be called Stan. Can I assume that the forceful mining of spirit fields in Kashmir is the result of an ABN hard-liner faction moving ahead on its own...?"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Of course. Everyone in the ABN wants peace. True, the ABN has no large-scale spirit fields, and they want the Kashmir Spirit Field more than anything."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...However, no one wants it in exchange for someone's blood. Every now and then, someone in the Leadership Council says that we should immediately stop the mining machines, but the military and hard-liners apparently opposed that strongly, saying that we couldn't afford to look weak."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "And if the COU military were to attack the mining machines...?"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Your Press Secretary has already announced that you won't refrain from military action if the mining machines are not stopped. On the contrary, if you don't respond, it will probably give the hard-liners even more power."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "...So, do it neatly, without going too far. ...Is that what you're saying?"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Gauntlet Knights have the military might to lift mountains and the precision of a needle's point. We can do this. We can crush the sprouts of war...!"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "...I'm so glad I met you all at the Battle Standard Festival."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Let's go. It's time to teach those mischief makers a lesson."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Miyao, I'm grateful to you as well. If you hadn't spoken up at the Public Bath, and if you hadn't sent the email that made us join forces, some of us might have mistakenly thought of ourselves as mere game pieces in a war."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Miyao, I'm so glad to have a friend like you...!"
	  COU Strategic Officer:
	  "Once the 8 squads including Baibao reach the area of operations, they will attack the 8 mining machines and render them inoperable! You have been given complete discretion to respond to any attacks by the ABN military!"
	  Momotake:
	  "...How foolish. Why would we need to fight back against attacks by old-style weapons that cannot even hit us?"
	  Lingji:
	  "Listen up. Baibao will make precision strikes against the mining machines alone. It will not be necessary to attack anything else."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh. After all, unlike the Battle Standard Festival, destroying more than we need won't raise our scores."
	  Lingji:
	  "This strike is merely a message to ABN hard-liners, who have no intention of talking this over for the sake of international cooperation. Take great care to avoid unnecessary human casualties!"
	  Momotake:
	  "As you command!"
	  ABN Strategic Officer:
	  "The refugee camp on the ABN Libyan coast is located on land being indefinitely leased from the ABN. Under the assumption that criminals are being concealed in that camp, they're demanding that they be allowed to conduct a compulsory inspection, but we are not prepared to capitulate to such a violation of human rights."
	  ABN Strategic Officer:
	  "Three squads led by the Holy 0901st Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad, Thalathat Suyuf, will immediately enter the area and protect the refugee camp, as well as the Leader of Peace that the ABN government is demanding be handed over."
	  Naomi:
	  "...I see. So we're buying time for a political solution."
	  Stanisław:
	  "After all, the border of that leased land is like a minefield, a loophole in the law. It's a powder keg that might go off if either government touches it carelessly. ...However, some `young' old people who just got their hands on power foolishly want to poke at it, solve the issue quickly, and earn more influence."
	  Naima:
	  "If these people all came seeking asylum in the ABN, why hasn't the ABN ever accepted them...? Wow."
	  Naomi:
	  "An allergy to immigrants isn't easily cured, even after the miracle of three religions joining hands."
	  Naima:
	  "Still, ...this time, the ABN will finally give them asylum, right?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "That's right. They're even being pushed from behind. So, this issue has now been solved reasonably well. ...This problem mustn't be allowed to smolder any longer."
	  Naima:
	  "After all, Gauntlet Knights are knights of the sky who keep the peace, wow!"
	  ACR Strategic Officer:
	  "The AOU Atlantic Fleet has ignored repeated warnings and is still approaching the seas around the Atlantis Spirit Field! No matter what the cost, no matter how much blood we shed, the Aerial Knight Corps must repel this assault!! The ACR's destiny depends on this one battle!! Shoot down all foreign invaders, and long live the King!!"
	  Abdou:
	  "...Sheesh. You know, it really grips your soul when they read out a script like that from an air-conditioned room."
	  Ishak:
	  "If you speak out of turn, it'll affect your official assessment."
	  Rethabile:
	  ".................."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Ishak, Abdou. ...No, everyone involved in this attack, hear me. This is Rethabile of Squad 601."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Don't misunderstand your mission. Our goal is to make the enemy fleet turn back. We are merely paying them an honorable visit, as subjects of the glorious ACR."
	  Ishak:
	  "...And if they want to fight?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Fool. ...Did you really think a carrier strike group would be any match for us Aerial Knights?"
	  Abdou:
	  "Heheheh. Ishak got shot down."
	  Rethabile:
	  "This is not merely our first military operation since the founding of the ACR! It is also the first campaign of the glorious Aerial Knight Corps! We need neither valor nor barbarism! Neither destruction nor bloodshed! All knights, follow me! I'll show you how to fight with honor!"
	  The Glass Sea lay at Japan's center...
	  It was a massive crater over 100 km in radius, created by a solar warhead that had been launched during World War III.
	  It was a vast region where nothing existed, where the silence of death continued on to the horizon.
	  It was a World War Relic, visual proof that nothing good ever comes from war.
	  How ironic that war would come to this stage again...
	  A military vehicle stopped at the edge of the massive crater, and Miyao and the others got out.
	  They had managed to come this far in secret.
	  However, in order to reach their target at the center of the Glass Sea, they would have to fly 100km over an area with no cover whatsoever.
	  Even flying at 500 km/h, it would take them 12 minutes to reach that point. They would skim over the surface of the ground, avoiding detection by the enemy for as long as possible.
	  Gunhild:
	  "The flow of 8MS is favorable. If we're lucky, we might not be noticed until we make contact with the enemy."
	  Miyao:
	  "Guess it's a challenge to see how closely we can hug the ground."
	  Jayden:
	  "Just you watch. I'll get so close to kissing the earth, I'd be able to shave my chin with the surface."
	  Miyao:
	  "Make sure you don't die in battle before the battle even starts."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you do, we'll have to engrave your idiocy on your tombstone."
	  Miyao:
	  "Here lies the world's first Gauntlet Knight killed in battle, who died trying to shave himself with the ground."
	  Jayden:
	  "Quit kidding around. Instead, I'll make you write that I was the world's first Gauntlet Knight to distinguish himself in battle!"
	  The command center has given the order to begin the operation poyo!
	  The strategic officer was giving hand signals for them to start the attack.
	  The three of them nodded, then raced up the ridge that formed the rim of the crater.
	  The vast, lifeless Glass Sea stretched out to the horizon in front of them, along with a cold, dry wind.
	  The blue lights seemed more callous than beautiful.
	  Jayden:
	  "Just our luck, even though it's almost Christmas!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Let's go, Warcats!!"
	  As they raced down the cliff, they leapt off empty air, and in an instant, they were flying at incredible speeds, just like bullets.
	  Behind them was a faint cloud of dust...and a splash of things that looked like angel feathers...
	  Their target, the center of the Glass Sea 100km away, was quite noisy with the roar of construction equipment.
	  Anti-aircraft equipment was being constructed with military 4D printers.
	  Once that was complete, it would probably be possible for them to grasp the initiative all across the Glass Sea...
	  COU Colonel:
	  "These new-model machines are splendid! At this rate, we should have anti-aircraft equipment ready to go right away!! This is the first step on COU Japan's path...no, my path to glory!!"
	  COU Officer:
	  "...Still, is this really all right? I can't imagine that the AOU will overlook this."
	  COU Colonel:
	  "Gahahahahaha! Both you and the higher-ups give the AOU too much credit! They're cowards, I tell you, cowards! They can't do anything! Look here. Once this is complete and we've built up our position enough, all those weaklings will see that I was right! Gahahahahahahaha...!!"
	  COU Officer:
	  "Colonel, pardon the interruption, but we've received a message from the command center! `Aerial support in the skies above the Glass Sea will be suspended for the next 24 hours'!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "Wh-Wh-
	  What did you say...?! These are the front lines of COU Japan! Why?! Why won't the air force fly for 24 hours?! Is this a political decision?! Who decided to play wait-and-see?! Aaah, get me a line to command!!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Yes, thank you. That's a real help."
	  COU Officer:
	  "No, a favor for you is no trouble at all, Major Mitake. Thank you for your gracious financial support."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Same here. I owe you one from last time. Let's break apart the old assholes' game, along with the game board itself."
	  COU Officer:
	  "Yes. You take care too, Major Mitake. ...All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Yeah, down the right path."
	  News:
	  "With regards to the Kashmir Spirit Field, even though the Leadership Council of ABN Pakistan has advised that the mining machines be shut down immediately for the sake of opening a dialog with the COU, there's still no sign of them stopping!"
	  News:
	  "It's been pointed out that the ABN's peculiarly complicated political situation and their focus on saving face has made this a difficult problem to solve. It's led to a bizarre situation where no one has the authority to stop the mining machines once they've started moving, even if no one wants this to happen!"
	  News:
	  "Look at this! There's a crowd of people pushing forward! A main street in Islamabad has been filled with citizens protesting for their government to stop this provocation and work towards peace!! Oh, just now, armed police forces have started firing off tear gas!! This is becoming completely chaotic and-"
	  ABN Officer:
	  "Heheheh...!! Exploitation of spirit fields is first come, first serve! Whoever shows up first gets a well filled to the brim with money! Those cowards are so frightened, but there's no way this'll actually lead to war! Even if it did, that just gives the military more of a chance to shine. I'd also get a medal, killing two birds with one stone! Heheheheheheheh!!"
	  Captain:
	  "This is the flagship of the Atlantic Fleet, the aircraft carrier Roger Jamison, reading you loud and clear."
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "I've got good news, so listen up! It seems the ACR has no intention of withdrawing from the Atlantis Spirit Field! Just now, we received their official refusal via diplomatic channels! We'll fight 'em on the seas, we'll fight 'em in the air, woohoo!! Let's show them that the Atlantic Fleet isn't just for show...!!"
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "Let both the ACR Royal Family and those wimps up the chain of command see!! If only I could've been a captain when this happened! I'm so jealous of you!!"
	  Captain:
	  "......Pardon me, but the primary mission of the AOU Atlantic Fleet is to support the Walls of Peace. Fighting a sea or air war is only one of our many, many means of doing so, and it's hardly a good one."
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "Wh-Wh-What are you talking about?! I never knew you were so gutless! Aah, just turn over command of your ship already! I'll go back to active duty and give the order to......hmmm?! Are you listening to me?! Can you hear me?! Helloooo?!?!"
	  Captain:
	  "You're breaking up, so I'll have to end this transmission."
	  Captain:
	  "Contact all ships. ...No matter what happens, you're forbidden from initiating combat unless I order it. Unless you're actually hit, you mustn't respond to any sort of warning shots they fire."
	  AOU Officer:
	  "......Captain, are you saying we should let them strike first? If we're hit with an ACR saturation attack, we'll be destroyed before we have a chance to fight back...!"
	  Captain:
	  "I have faith in the First Captain of the ACR Atlantis, Vice-Admiral Krumar. We're rivals who once competed in the naval division of the Battle Standard Festival. ...And, he should know that I'm commanding this fleet."
	  Captain:
	  "...We're fellow comrades supporting the Walls of Peace from both sides. He may enter the same waters as us as a political pawn, ...but I'm confident that he isn't the sort of person who would commit himself to a meaningless fight!"
	  AOU Officer:
	  ".........*g-gulp*..."
	  Leaving clouds of dust behind them, a caravan of military vehicles was pushing the members of a refugee camp through desert terrain.
	  The cries of women and children came from all over, and the scene was wrapped in chaos...
	  International Volunteer:
	  "Th-This land is part of an ABN base! The ACR military isn't allowed to trespass here!!"
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Shut up!! Be quiet and cook some food for these beggars or something! If you complain, you'll be shot! How is this a refugee camp?! It's just a rallying point for terrorists who refuse to swear allegiance to His Majesty!!"
	  International Volunteer:
	  "His Majesty is a gracious man! I cannot imagine that he would call the people in this camp terrorists!"
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Shut up!! It's our job as subjects to take care of dirty jobs so that His Majesty needn't bother himself with them! Quickly, find the man we're searching for!! Arrest him for being a suspected spy!! Don't kill him. After all, we've still got to make him talk, gehahahahaha!!!"
	  Countless races and religions had always existed on the continent of Africa.
	  The founding father of the ACR, the Hero King, had united them through quite forceful means.
	  Doing so had made it impossible for a good number of people to stay in the ACR.
	  Some of those people had gathered in a buffer zone near a military base, on land they were leasing from the ABN, and formed a refugee camp.
	  Neither the ABN nor the ACR wanted to provoke the other, so for a long time, the existence of this camp was ignored.
	  ...However, in recent years, some extremist generals in the ACR had started claiming that this camp was being used to hide terrorists, who objected to the foundation of the ACR...
	  International Volunteer:
	  "Isn't the ABN going to save us...?! Will they abandon the people of this camp in order to preserve the peace with the ACR...?!"
	  International Volunteer:
	  "And besides, it's ridiculous to call that person a terrorist...! He was only helping people who weren't able to live in the ACR as an act of goodwill, and-"
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Again and again with the noise!! Why should I care about that?! Haven't you found him yet?! Announce that we'll kill the people in this camp one by one until he comes out! That should make him show his face! ...D-Don't actually kill anyone, okay? I just want the credit, not a mess on my hands...!"
	  International Volunteer:
	  "Th-That's insane... You're doing all this...just so you can give your career a boost...?"
	  ACR Lower-Ranking Officer:
	  "Pardon me! I have excellent news! We've arrested and detained him!"
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Ah, so you've found him?!! Then let's disperse at once! If the ABN military actually shows up, this really will get messy, gahahahaha...!! How's that for an accomplishment?! This'll cement my place as the leader of the young, go-getter generals, and those elders won't be able to get enough of me!!"
	  The Atlantis Spirit Field.
	  It got that name because it was located in a region of the sea to the west of Africa, where the legendary continent of Atlantis had supposedly once existed.
	  Currently, it was the ACR's greatest supply of Spiritium.
	  However, since the very beginning, there had been trouble with the AOU over who had ownership rights to this spirit field.
	  For this reason, the ACR treated this area as their nation's most vital line of defense, and had stationed the Superfortress-class Segmented Warship Atlantis here solely for its protection.
	  This collection of 7 linked Fortress-class Warships...truly was a fortress on the sea.
	  ACR Lower-Ranking Officer:
	  "Vice-Admiral Krumar! We're being contacted by Lady Rethabile of the ACR Royal Family!"
	  Vice-Admiral:
	  "Princess, I hope you are well..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "The command center has ordered the Atlantis to intercept any attack, correct?"
	  Vice-Admiral:
	  "...Yes. We've been told to decouple and enter an intercept formation..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "However, it doesn't seem as though you've decoupled yet, correct?"
	  Vice-Admiral:
	  "...Princess, I......"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Stop there. You needn't say any more, Vice-Admiral. And there's no need to decouple either. Afterwards, you can dodge the issue by saying the decoupling mechanism didn't deploy properly."
	  Vice-Admiral:
	  "P-Princess, that means..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Leave the AOU Atlantic Fleet to me."
	  Vice-Admiral:
	  "L-Leave it to the Aerial Knight Corps...?! That would be too dangerous! Princess, if anything were to happen to you...!!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Right now, I'm a soldier of the skies before I am a member of the Royal Family. At any rate, you must let me have the first strike in this battle. Don't worry, there is no danger. Didn't you say it yourself? The person leading the AOU fleet is a peace-loving man worthy of respect. You need not worry. As a representative of the ACR Royal Family, I will merely be paying them a courtesy call."
	  Rethabile:
	  "However, ...if they do not wish to respond in kind, we'll show both them and you the power of our Aerial Knight Corps. You'll see that I'm not so frail that you need to be worried for my sake. The Aerial Knights are the sole, unparalleled form of military might in this new era."
	  Rethabile:
	  "We're servants who support the Walls of Peace. I'll prove that with my own body!"
	  Vice-Admiral:
	  "P-Princess... As you command! I-I wish you luck...!"
	  ACR Lower-Ranking Officer:
	  "...Your Excellency, a-are you sure about this...?! If we don't decouple, we'll make a perfect target for the AOU fleet...!"
	  Vice-Admiral:
	  "Fear not! Contact all ships of the Atlantis. The Atlantis will not move. Rulers always stand firm. It is with that dignity that we will await the AOU fleet...!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "I'm not getting anywhere with you!!
	  langen@^ Get me your superior, now! War isn't waged in a conference room, it happens on the front lines! If you've got a problem with that, say it to my face! Gahahaha!! Transmission over!!"
	  COU Officer:
	  "This already isn't what we'd planned for! We only constructed this base because we knew we'd have air support! And I'm sure even the AOU now knows that we've lost it!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "What, are you scared?! Coward! Who needs air support?! Have you forgotten about the army's fighting spirit?!!"
	  COU Officer:
	  "The AOU will definitely attack! If we take losses, who's going to take responsibility?!!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "You low-level officers and soldiers will, obviously!!"
	  COU Officer:
	  "And you claim that you *aren't* a coward?! If the AOU attacks, are you going to say you fought bravely?!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "Naturally!!! Come on, attack us if you can, AOU!! I'll show you what my bravery's woooooorth!!!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "Gyaaaaaaaaaah!!^
	   Waaaaagggaaaaahhh!!!"
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "That's one vehicle down! Woohoo! Did you see that, that's my first hit!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Idiot, don't shoot their fuel tanks! What if someone gets caught in the explosion?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Don't worry, there wasn't anyone around, I checked
	   Yahooo!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Calm down, dumbass! Look at how dark it is. They can't see us in the night sky. Stay calm and accurately shoot through the enemy's weaknesses!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Understood. Destroy only the unmanned weapons. Don't create unnecessary casualties."
	  If it didn't matter how many casualties they created, they could have ended everything before anyone noticed, launching an all-out attack with small, highly maneuverable missiles.
	  However, Miyao and the others chose not to do that.
	  They closed in to a distance of several dozen meters, accurately sniping just the vital components of the anti-aircraft vehicles.
	  The weapons they had chosen for this attack were anti-materiel rifles loaded with super high density shells.
	  These had been tested for use as infantry anti-tank weapons, which could pierce almost any sort of armor.
	  However, their power dropped off greatly with distance, so in order to use them against enemies that required their use, infantrymen would have to get so close that these weapons were considered about as useful as bamboo spears.
	  However, Gauntlet Knights didn't have that problem.
	  The invincible Rejection Shield made it possible for them to easily approach any sort of enemy...!
	  COU Officer:
	  "Enemy troops are approaching!! Watch out for friendly fire! There they are, above those anti-aircraft vehicles!! Fire, fire, fire!!!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "Wh-Wh-What in the world?! O-Our shells aren't working?!?!"
	  COU Officer:
	  "F-Fall back, fall back!! They're Gauntlets!! Don't tell me they're really using them in actual combat...?!!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I've destroyed its power source. That's two down!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I got one too, that's three down!"
	  Jayden:
	  "This is the end! Last one!"
	  After destroying all their targets, the Warcats flew up into the night sky and looked down.
	  They faded into the sky's darkness, so the COU troops couldn't see them at all. They continued to fire blindly into the sky, but even that gradually faded.
	  Miyao:
	  "This is the Warcats! We've disabled all four vehicles!"
	  Command Center:
	  "We're monitoring you here... That was a rapid and splendid achievement. ...Overwhelming, in fact. Did you take any damage at all...?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "All Warcats are in prime condition!"
	  Even the command center had only half-believed in the Aerial Augmented Infantry when sending them into the fight.
	  In part, this had been forced as a result of political pressure. ...Nearly everyone in the command center had assumed that Gauntlet Knights only had power in VR...
	  Command Center:
	  "Roger that, Warcats! Our fighter squadrons are about to launch a missile strike, so pull out of there!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Roger that. Warcats, return to base!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "...Wh-What on earth......? Those precious anti-aircraft vehicles I borrowed have been...hoho...hohohoho......"
	  COU Officer:
	  "Gauntlet Knights... So, ...they aren't just fairy tales that exist only in simulators......? Seriously? That's...not fair... ...Ninjas flying in the sky with barriers...? What are we supposed to do about those......?"
	  Only the anti-aircraft vehicles had been neatly destroyed. There was nothing left to do here but get caught up in the subsequent bombing raid. They had to retreat right away.
	  And yet, the soldiers who had been left behind just stared stunned at the sky, lit by the burning anti-aircraft vehicles...
	  In that sky, they could see the glint of several softly glowing angel feathers...
	  ABN Officer:
	  "What's our air defense system doing?! Why won't it fire?!?!"
	  ABN Soldier:
	  "They're too close!! Have you ever heard of an automated fire control system that could take on humans flying close enough to engage in hand-to-hand combat?!?!"
	  Everyone knew the word `Gauntlet Knight'.
	  They had even seen them at the Battle Standard Festival, and they often appeared in games, ...so they were at least as well known as UFOs or Nessie.
	  However, ...to think that they actually did exist...and were actually capable of taking part in a real fight!
	  ABN Officer:
	  "I-I don't care what you do, just get rid of them! The golden wells that keep bringing me money are getting destroyed one by one!!!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Princess, Honglong Squad has successfully blasted the 7th mining shaft."
	  Lingji:
	  "Our allies haven't taken any losses, yes? And the same goes for our enemies?"
	  Aysha:
	  "Of course. Some of the soldiers have given up on shooting, instead focusing their efforts on filming us."
	  Momotake:
	  "What a lack of tension for a war zone. ...The Rejection Shield truly is terrifying."
	  Lingji:
	  "We truly are game changers."
	  Momotake:
	  "Starting today, ...all existing military might will lose its meaning."
	  Aysha:
	  "To think that the few of us would come to be synonymous with military might. ...Heheh, I'm not sure if that's wonderful or terrifying."
	  Lingji's shield was grazed by bullets fired by soldiers who apparently hadn't yet lost the will to fight.
	  In the modern battlefield, no matter what sort of hero you are, a single stray bullet can kill you if you aren't careful. ...However, that law of the battlefield didn't even apply to Gauntlet Knights.
	  Calmly looking down on a war zone from above is a sort of gravitas allowed only to the rulers of a battlefield.
	  Lingji:
	  "Let's destroy the eighth and withdraw. I'll take care of the final one."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh, hold on a second, Princess. ...You know, there's someone who's been waiting aaall day, eager to look cool in front of you. Right?"
	  Momotake:
	  "Wh-Wh-Why are you looking at me?! I-I-I do not find this amus-amus-amus-"
	  Lingji:
	  "I see. After all, this is the final act of our very first sortie. Of course you'd want to finish it off looking incredibly cool!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Momotake! Please end this with that finishing move you're so proud of!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Good for you, you get a chance to shine. Heheh, now you finally get to say the name we thought up together for that cool finishing move of yours."
	  Lingji:
	  "What do you mean, a name? I want to hear it, Momotake!"
	  Momotake:
	  "I-I-I have n-n-no idea what she's talking about...!"
	  With a confusing expression that might have been a blush and might have been sulking, Momotake flew over to the final mining machine.
	  He stopped in mid air in front of the shaft of the rugged mining machine, which extended dozens of meters into the air, and took a pose like an iai master.
	  Then, he focused his mind...
	  Lingji:
	  "I wonder what kind of cool name he gave that cool finishing move!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheheheh. Now then, Momotake, time to go all out...! Summon the wind! When the storm arrives and you cry out, the thunderous blade will growl at the unforgivable shadow of evil!! The time has come for your finishing move, the...!!!"
	  Momotake:
	  "......Nnnn...gggghh-"
	  Aysha:
	  "The time has come for your finishing move, the...!!!"
	  Even though he had finally thought up a cool pose and move name with Aysha's help...
	  Momotake's face went red, his mind went blank, and he froze...
	  Lingji:
	  "What sort of cool name could it be?! This is Momotake, so I'm sure it'll be really, really cool!! Good luck, Momotake!!"
	  Aysha:
	  (Heheheh, come on, Momotake, you can do it! I helped you practice for so long, so please make it cool!!)
	  Aysha:
	  "Now, Momotake!! It's time for your finishing move, the...!!!"
	  Momotake:
	  "Secret Technique,
	   ...Ki..."
	  Lingji:
	  "?"
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "...I-I bit my tonguuuuuuuuuueee..."/
	  
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "G-Give me back the 20 hours I spent helping you practiiiiiiiice!!"
	  Moaning as though something was caught in his throat, he unleashed it.
	  However, everyone who saw it probably also felt like something was caught in their throats.
	  ...And that thing was...astonishment. It was shock!
	  ABN Officer:
	  "Gyaaaaaaah?!?! My...my well of money, noooooooo......!"
	  The shaft of the mining machine...slowly slipped down at an angle.
	  It was like warm butter being cut with a knife. ...No, the massive shaft of the mining machine had been sliced in half as though a metal-cutting sword out of a manga had been used against it.
	  When Momotake did an iai slash, he didn't have any sort of blade in his hands.
	  This was a specialized weapon that no Gauntlet Knight anywhere else in the world could use, the dimensional vibration blade.
	  That invisible weapon, which turned the gaps between dimensions into a blade by utilizing Dimension Container technology, could theoretically slice through any substance.
	  Of course, it took an insane amount of energy to use, making it a trump card that couldn't be shown off often.
	  Momotake:
	  "It seems I've sullied my blade once mrrph..."
	  Aysha:
	  (You screwed up your line agaaaaaaaaain! Don't turn red, that just makes it more obvious!)
	  Lingji:
	  "Momotake, that was so cool!! Though, I didn't quite catch the move name..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "This is Thalathat Suyuf. We'll reach the target in five minutes. As soon as we do, we'll start securing VIPs and defending the camp."
	  Command Center Radio:
	  "This is the command center calling Thalathat Suyuf. The situation has changed."
	  Command Center Radio:
	  "17 minutes ago, the refugee camp was attacked by the ACR military, and the target you're supposed to defend was abducted. Thalathat Suyuf's mission has been altered. Begin an air-to-ground retrieval operation to secure the target."
	  Naima:
	  "Wow! It's just the kind of divebomb strategy I'm best at!"
	  Naomi:
	  "...If the target's on foot, that will be fine, but..."
	  Pictures of the target's face and pieces of information about their physique were shown on their mental displays one after another.
	  Also, it told them that he had a miniature military tracking device on him, and that they would be able to get his exact location if they could get close enough.
	  Command Center Radio:
	  "The target has been put inside a military vehicle and is travelling towards an airforce base at 70 km/h. They probably intend to transport him by air from there. Naturally, the situation will grow worse the closer he gets to that base."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Thalathat Suyuf reads you. ...We'll immediately catch up to the convoy and secure the target from the air."
	  Command Center Radio:
	  "Good luck, and may God go with you."
	  Naima:
	  "Still, we really are lucky! Good thing the target has a tracking device on him."
	  Naomi:
	  "...Why would a Leader of Peace from a refugee camp have an ABN Combined Military emergency tracker?"
	  Naima:
	  "Someone at the ABN base must've given it to him as a good luck charm, in case he got in trouble. Wow!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Let's just assume Naima is right. ...Time to clean up after the Guidance Department."
	  Captain:
	  "...This is the flagship of the AOU Atlantic Fleet, the aircraft carrier Roger Jamison. You're coming in loud and clear, Your Highness."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Tell the Atlantic Fleet to return to port immediately. ...Though, I suppose if you actually agreed to do that, you could hardly call yourselves soldiers, yes?"
	  Captain:
	  "I'm glad you understand, Your Highness. We're guardians of peace, just like you. I doubt either of us would give up on supporting the Walls of Peace from both sides."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Then what will you do? Will you continue on into the region of the Atlantis Spirit Field and stare down the Atlantis Fleet? That situation would be so volatile, anything might happen."
	  Neither fleet wanted to fight.
	  However, if they were close enough to glare at each other, all sorts of mistakes might be made.
	  If there were war hawks in the upper ranks, ...there might also be war hawks mixed in throughout the fleets, and it was possible that they would overreact or pretend to move by mistake, trying to trigger an accidental conflict.
	  If Rethabile and the others could use the time bought by this tense staredown to let the politicians cool their heads and negotiate, they might be able to resolve this peacefully...
	  However, negotiating is like playing poker, using your ability to escalate tensions as your chips.
	  Negotiating in a situation that's already extremely volatile is like playing without any chips. And if someone doesn't pay up, ...both sides will have to fight.
	  Slowly, cautiously, and for the sake of resolving this peacefully, both fleets would have to put as much distance between each other as possible.
	  Captain:
	  "Logically speaking, I agree with you. ...However, we're soldiers. We cannot disobey our orders."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I understand. In that case, if I see to it that you return to port anyway, I will merely have resolved this issue in a way that only a soldier can."
	  Captain:
	  "......Do you think your prized Aerial Augmented Infantry is a match for the Atlantic Fleet, the pride of the AOU?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Take a defensive posture. In a few minutes, my kette will advance into the range of your radar. ...There's no need for warning shots! Attack us with everything you have. We're about to prove that the power of the Aerial Knights extends beyond the virtual reality of the Battle Standard Festival. We'll use it to make you return to port! I pray for your safety. Transmission over!"
	  AOU Officer:
	  "...She's kidding, right...? The Aerial Augmented Infantry only exists in games and VR sports, right...? They're advancing with a kette? Doesn't that mean a 3-person Aerial Augmented Infantry squad...?"
	  The fleet that ruled the Atlantic, commanded by an attack-specialized carrier and containing several Aegis-equipped warships, ...would be challenged by just three kids flying through the air.........?
	  Captain:
	  "Set condition 1 throughout the battle group and prepare for anti-air defense. Scramble fighters. All ships ready anti-swarm tactics equipment. This will be the first anti-Aerial Augmented Infantry battle in the history of the world. ...All troops, don't let your guards down. ...Our enemies aren't just virtual images that slipped out of some video game..."
	  Because they were from a virtual sport, because they were from a game, ...it was easy to accept that they could fly freely through the sky and had shields that could withstand any attack.
	  But...what if they really existed, ...and actually were invincible knights who could fly, ...and actually were capable of fighting on the same level as a fleet...?
	  Even on the bridge, there were quite a few people who had played Gauntlet Knight video games.
	  ...Would those really...truly...be attacking them......?
	  
	  Announcer:
	  "To all travelers, welcome to the harmony and culture of the Abrahamic Brother Nations, the ABN. We welcome you all to the Saint Florian International Airport. To all travelers, welcome to the harmony and culture of the..."
	  News:
	  "Today, AOU Japan announced that it has taken military action against the anti-aircraft base being constructed by COU Japan on the Glass Sea of Japan."
	  News Bulletin:
	  "<Breaking News> The COU Combined Military has attacked the ABN Pakistan military guarding the Kashmir Spirit Field-"
	  The Glass Sea of Japan was on the other side of the world. Whether spears or missiles were raining down there, it had nothing to do with the people here.
	  However, if their own faction had been attacked, even if it was at the far end of it, that was a different matter.
	  The news bulletin made crowds of travelers stop in their tracks, apparently focusing on the news monitor or their mental displays.
	  Seshat:
	  "So, it's finally begun. ...Toujirou, has your son made an appearance yet?"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "He has, thanks for asking. We're caught up in Gauntlet Knight fever over here. It looks like they'll be handing out the first Medal of Honor since the last war."
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "Congratulations. ...I'm sure Miyao worked hard to destroy only the targets, without causing any deaths."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "At least he thinks he did. ...I hope he's not so naive that he really thinks that was enough to stop a war."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "...Nah, he probably does think that. Yeah, of course he does, definitely. He acts the way I expect so much, it's just adorable. When he was 4, he had a bunch of toy cars sitting out, so I told him to clean them up. And reluctantly, with a seriously upset face... Heheheheh, and after that, he... Dang if he isn't so cute♪"
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "Heeey, Earth to Toujirou. I get that your son is cute, okay?"
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "Still, kids truly do believe that they're the main characters in the world, and that no pieces exist on the game board other than the ones they can see."
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "I really do think he's naive. ...However, I don't dislike that sort of attitude. I mean it."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Of course. After all, giving the people hope is a king's job."
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "You really are funny, Toujirou. I suppose you really can't be a jester without a good mind."
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "Still, ...the old always fall. It's always the young who defeat them, who last until the end. If defeat is unavoidable, it sure would be nice if Miyao was the young person to do it."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Nothing could make a father prouder than if the one stepping over his corpse is his son, Grand Master."
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "...Good for you. Looks like you're enjoying your fatherhood."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Oh, and if we're talking about what made Miyao so cute when he was little, when I was lying facedown, he'd crawl up onto my back. His hands were so teeny-tiny, aah, I don't even know how to describe it, hihihi-"
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "Oh, sorry. It's about time for me to start my job. I'm hanging up."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Ooh, pardon me. I just got lost in thought remembering things about my son."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "...Still, you know there's no need for you to dirty your own hands, right?"
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "A Grand Master must interrogate traitors personally, passing judgment with their own hands. That's the responsibility left to the one who serves as Grand Master of our Order."
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "The one who ultimately signed off on welcoming that person into the Order was me, the Grand Master. I must bear responsibility for that. ...And besides, even if they're 99% guilty, it's still the Grand Master's role to believe in that 1% of innocence before checking personally."
	  Seshat:
	  "And, that last 1% mustn't be decided with electronic information or heavily pixelated video. ...People can measure each other's true intent only when they're face-to-face. ...I believe that's the only way to do it."
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "So then, I'll hang up. Please believe in his innocence."
	  Seshat could be seen in an ABN international airport.
	  Its magnificent furnishings had led to it being chosen as one of the ten most beautiful airports in the world.
	  However, there were also hidden cameras everywhere, leaving no blind spots whatsoever.
	  Seshat seemed less impressed by the furnishings and the number of hidden cameras...than by the artfulness with which they had been hidden.
	  Right then, Seshat was walking through a section only P4 passholders could enter, commonly known as a VIP area.
	  Only celebrities and business executives who didn't mind paying the 10,000 credit annual membership fee could set foot here.
	  Though it was a place that only those extremely trusted by society could enter, ...Seshat was still being tracked by more than three cameras just walking through a corridor like this...
	  Movement patterns from those images were constantly being monitored by AI, and if you did anything suspicious, it would immediately shift to a state of even higher surveillance.
	  That AI shifted from its normal mode to a suspicious one. It was because Seshat had stopped walking in front of a door she didn't have permission to enter.
	  Beyond that point was a set of rentable rooms that had been set up within the VIP area. The AI knew that Seshat didn't have an entrance pass, so it identified her stopping there as a suspicious act.
	  The security camera shifted into a more precise mode, checking Seshat's actions in detail.
	  After standing in front of the automatic door, which didn't open, Seshat raised her right hand. Then, a green, glowing tablet appeared out of thin air, so that her fingers were resting upon it.
	  #e1dc00The suspicious individual is using a midair tablet... ...Zooming in on tablet. ...Model unknown. Function unknown. Raising suspicion level.
	  The midair tablet would project an input device in midair if you just raised your hand, allowing you to enter commands just like tech that often appeared in A2W period sci-fi.
	  These days, mental tablets were considered normal, but up until a half century ago, these had been more popular.
	  However, manipulating something in empty space can be hard on your fingers, so the public reception of this tool was unexpectedly poor.
	  Still, just like how the popularity of digital watches didn't eliminate all analog watches, these devices were still preferred by a few people with certain tastes or a playful attitude...
	  #e1dc00The suspicious individual has suddenly gained access to the room. Raising suspicion level. Concluding that access to the room was most likely not granted through proper means. Raising suspicion level. Raising. Raising. Suspicion level is now high enough to alert the security room and airport security guards in the area.
	  Poyo! There's nothing suspicious at all poyo! Don't worry, don't woooorry, here's a magic spell to lower the security level! *kero*kero*kerooooo*, *poyo*poyo*poyooo*♪
	  #e1dc00...Lowering suspicion level. ...Lowering. Lowering. The lower threshold for identification as a suspicious individual has been passed. ...Switching observation back from suspicion mode to normal mode.
	  nd I'll do you one better poyo! It's okay, you can observe her a bunch less than that poyo! As always, thanks for your hard work poyo! You are getting sleepy, very sleeepy... *snore*...
	  Seshat's eyes met the security camera.
	  The tagged info on Seshat within the security camera flickered for a second...and was then completely erased. 
	  ...It meant that the airport security AI no longer identified Seshat as an object.
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "There you go. Also delete all the records from the time I arrived at the airport. It's been a long time since I've taken a trip in the flesh, so I let a lot slip my mind."
	  Roger that poyo! That's true, Master! If we didn't do that, it'd look like you suddenly evaporated from an airport corridor poyo!
	  The data collected on Seshat by the airport security system was erased retroactively.
	  Of course, that wouldn't erase it optically. Only the records generated by the AI had been erased.
	  ...However, Seshat's interference went even further than that.
	  Now searching for you in all video records throughout the airport and altering the video poyo. *kero*kero&ro*kero*kero#...*......
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "Hmm? Was that a bit too much power for Keropoyo to handle? You can do it, outie frog."
	  *kero*kero%ro*kro&roke&#*......
	  Seshat had given it that task casually, ...but in fact, the request was far from a reasonable one.
	  Normally, it would've been impossible to interfere with the security system of an ABN international airport, as they were particularly well-equipped to deal with terrorism. And she had done it with a few causal taps on a midair tablet, almost as though she was adjusting a thermostat.
	  Doing such a thing would require a massive amount of machine power.
	  If Seshat was using a Selcom to do this, it meant she was using her own brain.
	  That was impossible.
	  To not only interfere with the airport's security system, but also remove her image from footage taken by hundreds of security cameras, literally erasing the fact that she had been there, ...was something a single human brain couldn't possibly do...
	  *kero*roG&ke#...ro◎ro*kero*kero*...
	   Poyoo％ん! Process+ng com&let=d poyo!
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "Good work. I am satisfied. I'll turn off your app, so take it easy and defrag yourself or something."
	  Than& )ou. It's a *leasu&e to se#ve po...yo...
	  Guess it's time to go.
	  Time to pass judgement.
	  In a conference room, old men wearing suits and military uniforms were watching news bulletins on their mental displays.
	  There was the AOU's attack on the Central Glass Sea of Japan. And, the COU's attack on the mining machines in the Kashmir Spirit Field.
	  In particular, the COU's attack was the world's first actual combat and major victory featuring only Gauntlet Knights, and the COU was releasing video after video, causing a stir around the world...
	  LATO Officer:
	  "...It's still hard to believe, ...but I have to acknowledge it. ...It all really is proceeding as you predicted..."
	  Suited Man:
	  "They do exist, Your Excellency. A group trying to turn the clock back to zero, so they can restart the world and civilization. The World Reset Cult."
	  A thin, old gentleman with sharp eyes said this with a mysterious gaze.
	  Throughout all of history, all so-called elites have been enamoured -- at some point -- with the idea of thinning out an unsatisfactory `foolish humanity', rebuilding it into a more wonderful civilization.
	  World Reset Cults like this had often been used as evil masterminds in movies and novels, and though the concept was extremely well known, no one believed that they actually existed.
	  After all, no one with enough influence and wealth to destroy the world would take the contradictory step of rendering all those resources useless...
	  Suited Man:
	  "This is the plan that `they', ...the Three Kings, have written."
	  A folder had been set on the table. It only seemed to have a few sheets of documents in it, ...but according to this man, ...the upcoming fate of the world was written there. In other words, ...it was a written prophecy that told of the world's destruction...
	  Suited Man:
	  "The only ones who can stop this plan...are the mediators of peace in the A3W world, the LATO International Peace Mediation Association."
	  LATO Officer:
	  "...In other words, you want us to bring about the A4W era...?"
	  Suited Man:
	  "Of the five factions that divide up the globe, only LATO can serve as the leader of the new order. ...That is our conclusion."
	  In the A3W world, LATO was proud of its position as the world's police, the world's chairperson, the world's judge.
	  And, by having a monopoly on Rare Spiritium, it had gained immense wealth, making its countries the richest on the planet.
	  However, they hadn't been regarded as such in the B3W era.
	  Even now, the way they had been viewed back then still lingered, ...and they were sensitive to the way some people muttered about their current prosperity, saying it was due solely to the fact that they were lucky enough to have huge amounts of Rare Spiritium in their backyard...
	  So, if you suggested that they could become leaders of a new world order by fighting a massive cult planning a world war, ...it would probably make for an incredibly enticing prospect.
	  #fbeb85Valentina:
	  "Heheh... Ridiculous. Who would fall for a story like that?"
	  #beaaf6Maricarmen:
	  "They must be thinking the same thing. They say they brought something today that would convince us to believe, even in a story like that..."
	  The young LATO Gauntlet Knights were there too, possibly as guards and possibly as secretaries...
	  LATO Officer:
	  "...Naturally, LATO will never abandon its duty to work towards world peace. ...However, the technology known as the Gauntlet has surpassed and broken down all the Walls of Peace and the common sense of the old era. ...Unless we have something that can surpass even that technology, I'm afraid it will be impossible, even for us, to prevent the war that's about to occur..."
	  The news streaming on their mental displays made it clear that Gauntlet Knights weren't just things from video games, but superweapons that actually existed.
	  Military commentators were saying quite clearly that this day -- the day on which all existing forms of military power had been rendered obsolete -- would be recorded in history as a major turning point.
	  It was only natural. ...They could fly like fighter jets, be armed like carriers, withstand all attacks like tanks, and set foot anywhere like infantry, allowing them to invade any location.
	  With its abundant military funding, LATO did indeed have a slight lead on Gauntlet development. However, it certainly wasn't an overwhelming one...
	  Suited Man:
	  "We are prepared to offer you technology that will be sufficient to maintain peace in the new world..."
	  As he said this, the man took a duralumin case, which had been held by a man who looked like a bodyguard, and put it on the table.
	  LATO Officer:
	  "...What's that?"
	  Suited Man:
	  "This is called wisdom. ...Do you understand...?"
	  LATO Officer:
	  "No, I don't. ...Please explain."
	  Seshat:
	  "It means something that's beyond humanity's level."
	  LATO Officer:
	  "...Who are you...?"
	  Unlike the blankly staring officers, the suited men were shocked by Seshat's appearance, and their eyes went wide. Except for the thin, old gentleman seated at the table, that is...
	  Seshat:
	  "The only people who enjoy calling this by the pompous name of `wisdom' are insane. We simply refer to them by number."
	  By now, the people guarding the LATO officers were starting to realize that she was an uninvited guest...
	  Seshat:
	  "The number and name of the thing in that attaché case is 19080630. If deciphered, it might possibly be a key to a puzzle that consumed Vier Dreissig, the so-called `Third Missing Link', ...which, to probably 99.999% of humanity throughout recorded history, is merely a small stellated truncated dodecahedron weighing 403 grams and made of a silver-colored metal that can be divided into 381 parts, okay?"
	  Suited Man:
	  "If properly used, it's a splendid bit of wisdom that could be used to prevent a world war before it starts..."
	  Seshat:
	  "I'm sorry. No offense to humanity, but I need this world war to proceed according to the plot."
	  Suited Man:
	  "Everyone, allow me to introduce you. ...This is a member of the World Reset Cult, Her Excellency Seshat, Grand Master of the Order of Prometheus. ...Though, I don't know her real name. She is also my superior officer."
	  Seshat:
	  "Too bad, I did think you were a clever one. Did you really think you would be able to fool me?"
	  Suited Man:
	  "There was no time. This was the last chance to stop World War IV in its tracks."
	  LATO Officer:
	  "...Th-That's crazy! Do you really think you can destroy the world?!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Your Excellency, please stand back."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "You there! Do anything suspicious, and I'll show you no mercy!"
	  The two of them used their Dimension Containers to instantly equip their Gauntlets.
	  The other troops pulled out their guns and readied them.
	  However, Seshat, who had all those guns pointed at her, and the suited man...didn't act as though these actions had any particular significance to them.
	  Seshat:
	  "Mr. Gray, do you admit that you betrayed our Order?"
	  The suited man called Gray answered immediately, without his calm smile faltering in the slightest.
	  Gray:
	  "Aren't you the one who betrayed our Order, Your Excellency?"
	  Seshat:
	  "You think so?"
	  Gray:
	  "The Order of Prometheus's greatest goal is to protect wisdom and use it to save humanity when the time comes."
	  Seshat:
	  "Yes, when the time comes."
	  Gray:
	  "The time has come. In the A3W world, where weapons of mass destruction have been eradicated and their power as deterrents has been lost, even the existing military forces that served as guardians of the Walls of Peace have now vanished. And, as the Three Kings have planned, the world is heading towards a final war. ...Now is the time. If we don't intervene, they truly will destroy the world."
	  Seshat:
	  "Except that the only one qualified to give that order is the Grand Master, me."
	  Gray:
	  "You are the one who betrayed the Order."
	  Seshat:
	  "Mr. Gray, don't tell me you've forgotten. Don't you remember where our Order came from?"
	  Gray:
	  "...The Order of Prometheus began as a brother of the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order. Are you saying that, even though they went their separate ways, their goals and intentions remain the same...? What sophistry."
	  Gray:
	  "You sold the pride of our Order to the Three Kings. You should admit that, Your Excellency."
	  Seshat:
	  "There, at least, we view things the same way. We both view each other as traitors. And then, you took my property without permission."
	  Gray:
	  "Wisdom is not something you personally own. It's a shared resource that was given to humanity."
	  Seshat:
	  "Nope. No good. It's mine. I won't let you have it. Bleeeeh."
	  Gray:
	  "Your Excellency, on this day, I'll have you step down from your position as our Grand Master. Your Excellency, take her into custody."
	  Seshat:
	  "Which Your Excellency are you talking to?"
	  LATO Officer:
	  "O-Oh, me...?! This is so confusing! Aaah, capture her at once!"
	  As soon as he gave the signal, weapons appeared in the hands of the Gauntlet Knight girls.
	  The order was to capture her alive.
	  The thing that appeared in Maricarmen's hand and looked like a large handgun immediately spat fire. However, instead of a bullet, it fired multiple electrical discharges and sparks.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "That just rendered your Selcom inoperable. You can't call for friends or activate any funny apps now!"
	  Selcoms were controlled by the brain. Simply restraining someone's body wouldn't truly rob them of their freedom to act.
	  Law enforcement agencies in all countries were equipped with electric guns that could rapidly disable the Selcom of anyone they wanted to take into custody.
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, just put your hands up. There's nothing else you can do."
	  Gray:
	  "How unsightly. You must have several cards that you could use to negotiate with."
	  Seshat:
	  "That's true. I've got plenty of them."
	  Gray:
	  "There are the other pieces of wisdom you possess, as well as the information and connections you have. ...If you want to use those cards most effectively, you should interact with us in an amicable manner."
	  Seshat:
	  "Bleeeeeh."
	  Seshat:
	  "I think that's enough, Mr. Gray. You're guilty."
	  Seshat:
	  "Now then, allow me to proceed to your sentencing."
	  The inside of the large vehicle, which had once been dimly lit, was now filled with a billowing white smoke, as well as the brightness of the African sun.
	  The ACR soldiers were stunned, and the next instant, a single girl burst in from the heavens, leaving a trail of angel feathers behind her...!
	  Naima:
	  "Wowowoooooooooooow!!!"
	  The man in handcuffs in the center rear seat is our target! He's the Leader of Peace who was abducted from the refugee camp.
	  Gotta fly into the big vehicle that lost its roof!
	  Common sense said that her kinetic energy should have wrapped the car in an immense explosion, but as a result of her intensive training, Naima was capable of killing her Gs and instantly stopping within a centimeter of her target.
	  Then, Naima grasped the head of the target, who was still freaking out and unable to understand what was happening, and banged her forehead into his, staring into his eyes.
	  Naima:
	  "His retina pattern matches! I've confirmed that he's the target! Wow!!"
	  Naomi:
	  "Get out of there. We'll provide support."
	  Naima:
	  "Woooooow!!!"
	  The soldiers on either side finally realized that this was an enemy attack. They tried to grab Naima, but her job had already been completed in a few seconds. It was too late!
	  The handguns they pulled out were immediately knocked away by Naima's Rejection Shield.
	  The next instant, Naima flew up into the air, carrying the target.
	  Gauntlet Knights could withstand sudden acceleration thanks to their Anti-G 8MS, but that wouldn't work for their target.
	  For that reason, she wouldn't be able to fly like a bullet, like she had on the way in. She had to slowly ascend like a kite dancing through the air.
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Why are you just sitting there?!! Fire, fire! I don't care, shoot them to deaaaath!!!"
	  The line of armored Humvees let loose with their mounted heavy machine guns, but of course, that meant nothing to a Gauntlet Knight.
	  All of the bullets that rained on her were merely repelled, along with scattered feathers.
	  Still, she had the target with her. There was absolutely nothing wrong with being extra safe.
	  Just then, things like small fireworks exploded several times around her.
	  They were smoke grenades used for providing cover, which Naomi had launched. Naima was immediately swallowed up by the thick, highly-opaque, black smoke.
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Don't let a little smoke screen stop you!! How can the military of the glorious ACR Royal Family let a captive be stolen back from them?!! Fire, fire, just shoot anythiiiiiiiing!!"
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Waaah?!?! Gyaaaaah, help meeeeeeeee!!!"
	  
	  From beyond the smoke screen, a horrifying burst of gunfire shot towards the line of cars, like a dragon licking the ground.
	  Its source was a revolver cannon Stanisław had summoned.
	  That weapon's rate of fire, which was created for the sake of fighter jets flying at each other at extreme speeds, was truly astonishing.
	  Naima:
	  "Please don't hit them! Don't let any of our enemies or allies die! Miyao will get mad at us, wow!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "I understand. We just need to distract them."
	  The fearsome rain of bullets, along with the dust it kicked up, had already thrown the line of vehicles into chaos.
	  Now, it probably wouldn't even be possible for a stray bullet to graze them.
	  By the time the smoke screen faded, Thalathat Suyuf had already escaped into a safe area. 
	  Naomi:
	  "Still, that's our Naima for you. To rush towards the target from the sky at that speed, when it couldn't have looked like anything more than a dot, and then stop at exactly the right location... I know I couldn't do it."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Give her a small dose of sedative. It looks like she's getting overexcited after performing that so beautifully."
	  Naomi:
	  "Let her enjoy it a bit longer. After all, this is Thalathat Suyuf's first real fight, and our first victory."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Hmm. ...Unless she starts pulling stunts while holding the target, I suppose I'll watch over her for a while."
	  Naomi:
	  "Miyao sent a message. It sounds like he was able to succeed in his mission without any casualties on either side."
	  Stanisław:
	  "If the COU news coverage can be believed, Lingji's group also succeeded in their mission without any casualties on either side."
	  Naima:
	  "We had a huge success too, woooooow
	   Lalalala, lalala♪"
	  Naomi:
	  "Now, it's just Princess Rethabile left."
	  Stanisław:
	  "This is the Princess we're talking about. She's up against the AOU Atlantic fleet, but I doubt she'll screw it up."
	  Naomi:
	  "Shutting down an AOU America carrier assault fleet without any casualties, huh? ...The world's going to change a lot after today."
	  Naima:
	  "That's soo right!! Those big-headed old soldiers' time is soo over! From now on, we young people are soo gonna be the sky's guardians of peace, the defenders of world peeeeeeeeace, woooooow!"
	  
	  Stanisław:
	  "Naomi, I'll need you to do it after all."
	  Naomi:
	  "Roger that. Okay, Naima, it's time for your meds."
	  Naima:
	  "Wow?!?! Wowowow...
	  wheeeeeeeeew......"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Hmm. Rethabile sent a message to all the Public Bath members."
	  Naomi:
	  "It's just a stamp."
	  Stanisław:
	  "It looks like it was a big success on her end as well."
	  Naomi:
	  "That settles it. On this day, the concept of military power has been completely altered."
	  Stanisław:
	  "The game has been changed."
	  Flying over the great blue seas was `The June 1st King's Tour Memorial Squad'. Also known as Squad 601. It was the kette led by Rethabile.
	  Their expressions were calm, filled with confidence and dignity.
	  And in the distance behind them, a carrier fleet was disappearing beyond the horizon.
	  Ishak:
	  "Princess, even the Rejection Shield isn't invulnerable. I ask that you refrain from using such forceful methods next time."
	  Rethabile:
	  "There's no point craftily flying about and hiding. Sometimes, a ruler's fight must be straightforward to a fault."
	  Abdou:
	  "You've got a point. ...You didn't even scratch the enemy ship, ...but their fighting spirit really did fold in half."
	  Ishak:
	  "It wasn't just the Atlantic Fleet that folded. ...Today, the pride of old soldiers all across the planet must've folded too."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Heheheh. Today, the game has changed. We young Gauntlet Knights will take on the role of being the world's guardians of peace! And we'll cut down just the sprouts of war, without hurting anyone!"
	  Ishak:
	  "...That Public Bath Oath of Miyao's might really stop the next world war from happening."
	  Abdou:
	  "Still, I didn't think the Princess would be so moved by Miyao's naive words."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Ideals without power are merely naive delusions. However, we have power. Today, we young Gauntlet Knights have risen to the peak of the world's military power! So, we aren't naive. Miyao's ideals, the oath we all made in that public bath, ...every part of how we swore to protect the future peace of this planet deserves to be engraved in history...!"
	  Abdou:
	  "Well, ...it definitely feels good. Now, no one's gonna call what we do an esport."
	  Ishak:
	  "Now, if we can just change the story a bit so that it was the Princess who proposed our union of peace instead of Miyao, everyone's gonna love it."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Oooh, that's a great idea! It certainly would be nice if they thought I suggested that Public Bath Oath instead of Miyao. Wahahaha!"
	  Abdou:
	  "...Oh...crap..."
	  Ishak:
	  "What's wrong, all of a sudden?"
	  Abdou:
	  "...Oh crap. Seriously, oh crap. ...I know we've just been flying away all nice and cheery, ...but we really, seriously just fought off a carrier fleet...!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "We didn't fight them off. They accepted a forward-looking present from the ACR Royal Family and triumphantly returned to their homeland!"
	  Ishak:
	  "That's true enough. That certainly was a heartfelt Royal Family present."
	  Captain:
	  "This is the flagship of the Atlantic Fleet, the aircraft carrier Roger Jamison, reading you loud and clear."
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "Wh-Wh-What's going on here?! Why did you pull back? Why did you retreat?! Why is the historic, invincible Atlantic Fleet of our heart's homeland turning tail and running from a fiiiiiight?!!!"
	  Captain:
	  "I've already sent the details to the command center. Have you not looked at the battle data yet, Your Excellency?"
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "I didn't look at that! Are you saying I'd be satisfied if I did?!!"
	  Captain:
	  "...Whether you're satisfied or not, it's a fact. We were unable to stop just three knights from the ACR Aerial Augmented Infantry. ...At the moment, we've accepted a gift from the ACR's Commonwealth King, and are now returning to port."
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "A giiift...? What's that giant thing in this image?"
	  It was an image of the ship's bridge.
	  Those massive things lying scattered behind the captain were...
	  Captain:
	  "They're ACR heavy torpedoes."
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "H-H-How on earth did they get there?!"
	  Captain:
	  "Because they paid our bridge a visit and put them here."
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Whaaaaaaat...?!?!"
	  Anyone looking at this image of heavy torpedoes scattered about a carrier's bridge would've thought it was a bad shop.
	  But it was real.
	  There were heavy torpedoes lying around on the bridge of the Atlantic Fleet's flagship.
	  Rethabile's group had announced that they would initiate a hostile engagement with the Atlantic Fleet.
	  After receiving that message, the Atlantic Fleet had prepared to fight back, and after taking necessary precautions, had formally entered the battle.
	  They hadn't held back in any way, either to reduce casualties, or because their opponent was an ACR princess. They gave it their all as soldiers.
	  From a reasonable height, interceptor fighter squadrons had targeted the ACR kette as it skimmed right over the water's surface.
	  They attacked with air-to-air missiles, but these were all intercepted.
	  Then, their entire air suppression assault of anti-swarm cluster rockets was either intercepted or blocked by shields.
	  All of the fleet's anti-air missiles and air suppression missiles were dealt with, and the enemy Aerial Augmented Infantry squad approached the flagship.
	  Gatling guns used for ship defense were activated, but they couldn't catch up with the enemy's ricochet flying, and the rare bullet that hit was stopped by their shields.
	  The enemy force then reached the outer wall of the flagship carrier's bridge. This wall was then cut using a specialized tool. They then entered the ship.
	  ...The captain decided to avoid needless casualties. At that moment, the battle was over.
	  These monsters, who had not only slipped through a curtain of missiles and gatling gun fire, but who had even borne the brunt of that assault, had already broken into the ship.
	  This wasn't something that the firearms held by guards within the ship would be able to do anything about.
	  On the bridge, the enemy force demanded that the Atlantic Fleet surrender.
	  Rethabile:
	  "The ACR Royal Family wishes to show its respect for the AOU Atlantic Fleet with this courtesy call. And, as a sign of our friendship and high hopes for your future endeavors, we've brought you a gift."
	  Captain:
	  "...Princess Rethabile personally took these heavy torpedoes out of her Dimension Container, set them here, and left."
	  Their fuses had been removed, so there was no danger.
	  However, leaving a souvenir like this on the bridge of the flagship...sent a clear message that anyone could understand without words.
	  At any rate, if they wanted to have these objects removed, they would have to return to port.
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "Wh...Wh...Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh......?!!! Y-Y-Y-You! Are you saying you just sat there and watched, ...nnngggggggg...!!
	   D-Die, take them out at the cost of your lives, if you have to!! Compared to the honor and tradition of the Atlantic Fleet, your life isn't worth...nnggggg...!!!"
	  Captain:
	  "The times have changed. Or rather, it's been predicted for a while now that the times would change. And yet, we called the Aerial Augmented Infantry nothing but a dream. Until the moment they were actually put into use, we weren't able to understand them, that's all."
	  Captain:
	  "No, we probably were capable of understanding them. However, we were so scared of a future where all our honor and accomplishments would be overridden by new technology, covered in dust and buried, that we pretended not to notice. ...I'm sure the same goes for you."
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "Nnggggggggg!!!
	  langen@^ Ggggggghhhh!! Aaaaaaaggggghhhhh......!!!"
	  
	  The old man, whose face had gone red and whose eyes were spinning, finally blew his fuse, foamed at the mouth, and fainted.
	  Captain:
	  "When faced with new technology, I think it's right for old soldiers who can't accept the new era to graciously withdraw. It's already been a century since the last world war. The military's bad tradition of idolizing fighting spirit is finally crumbling before our eyes. Nothing could make me feel more honored than bearing witness to the moment that era ended. We're returning to port. Transmission over."
	  Normally, soldiers are supposed to solemnly obey their orders, without acting for personal motivations, and performing nothing more or less than their mission.
	  However, ever since the start of the A3W era, people had been more concerned with the eradication of WMDs and maintaining a healthy military balance. In particular, the struggle for medals in the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace became a soldier's main focus, and they were treated more like sports contestants.
	  As a result, the bad aspects of soldiers and athletes fused, creating more and more followers of a baseless, bold, mysterious theory that fighting spirit trumps all. Unfortunately, people like this ended up achieving success, reforming the military around the concept of fighting spirit.
	  In the end, old people who wanted to cling to past glory, or else who simply wanted the young to experience the same unreasonable suffering they did, controlled the young's lives as if they owned them.
	  The appearance of Gauntlet Knights would be more than a revolution of military technology.
	  It would also give them a chance to take the role of `servants of peace' back from the old people who had remained in the military, ruling by emotion.
	  As the fleet returned to port, most of the sailors were unable to recover from their shock.
	  However, ...a very small group of them realized that they might just have borne witness to the dawn of a new age...
	  Announcer:
	  "To all travelers, welcome to the harmony and culture of the Abrahamic Brother Nations, the ABN. We welcome you all to the Saint Florian International Airport. To all travelers, welcome to the harmony and culture of the..."
	  News:
	  "Today, AOU Japan announced that it has taken military action against the anti-aircraft base being constructed by COU Japan on the Glass Sea of Japan."
	  News Bulletin:
	  "<Breaking News> The AOU Atlantic Fleet has pulled a u-turn. We've also had reports that the ACR Aerial Augmented Infantry repelled their advance."
	  A passenger jet that had just taken off was flying towards the ocean horizon, and their in-flight service was just beginning.
	  Seshat was sitting in an elegant first-class seat.
	  Flight Attendant:
	  "I can get you some champagne too, if you like."
	  Seshat:
	  "Hmm, what to do..."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "......Wh-Where am I...?"
	  Valentina:
	  "So, you finally woke up. You're always such a sleepyhead. Heheh."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "A hospital...? Why...are we...?"
	  Valentina:
	  "We were all found lying on the ground in an airport conference room."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "A conference room?"
	  Valentina:
	  "...According to my reminders, we apparently visited the Saint Florian Airport today to guard His Excellency."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "......Really...?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...My mind feels hazy. ...Weird, ...I can't even remember how long I've been here..."
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, you aren't the only one. ...The same goes for me, His Excellency, and the other people with us too."
	  No one...could remember why they had visited the Saint Florian Airport.
	  Even the high-ranking LATO officer who had led them here couldn't remember what their plans had been.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Could it be...that we were attacked somehow...and our memory was erased?"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. That's probably a fair assumption, but it isn't too realistic."
	  This was an era where a Selcom could write data to the brain like a hard drive. So, it wouldn't be strange if there existed technology that could delete memories from the brain too.
	  However, a Selcom could only interact with unused areas of the brain. It couldn't interfere with parts of the brain that humans normally used.
	  This was because the human body had powerful defense mechanisms that tried to expel foreign objects. Naturally, this applied to memories stored in the brain too.
	  The human brain has far more noise than you'd expect, so no matter how clear-thinking you are, you're always being showered by a large amount of false information.
	  However, the reason the brain can retain memories of real experiences, without getting confused by this, is because it weeds out foreign influences like false information.
	  In the end, a Selcom merely rented space in unused parts of the brain, so no matter how much it interfered, it would only affect the Selcom hard drive itself.
	  It could write and erase Selcom apps and text as it pleased, but it certainly couldn't rewrite memories of the human brain at will.
	  ...Technically, this sort of thing had been achieved in the lab, or so it was said.
	  However, those were just experiments performed on rats, and for those minor feats, ridiculous amounts of time and equipment had been needed.
	  In other words, ...it was fair to say that interfering with human memory was still impossible, in practical terms.
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh... And yet, in fact, we have no memory of why we went there or why we were lying on the floor."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "A-Anyway, if we want to know why we were all at an ABN airport, and why we were lying on the floor, we should be able to find out by looking at the footage from the airport's security cameras! Even if we don't have our memories, there should still be records of it. And this is an ABN airport, which are well known for the number of security cameras they have. We should be able to find all sorts of information!"
	  Valentina:
	  "There was nothing."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Huh?"
	  Valentina:
	  "There was no electronic data or visual data or analog data that was in any way suspicious. ...Do you know what that means? Heheh..."
	  They had visited Saint Florian Airport in the ABN, led by a high-ranking LATO officer.
	  However, all their memories of their arrival there were vague, and they certainly didn't remember why they had come there.
	  The airport surveillance video showed that they alone had entered the conference room.
	  They had probably been planning to make contact with some kind of VIP. ...Otherwise, why would they have come all the way to this foreign airport...?
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...I have...no idea what this means..."
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, ...that's right."
	  The meaning of this...was a complete mystery. Thinking about it was a waste of time.
	  Valentina:
	  "Even the analog record left in His Excellency's notebook didn't tell us anything about our purpose for today. ...It could be that even that was erased."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "What the heck? Did we get abducted by a UFO and have our memories wiped...?"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. ...It's a shame, ...but we checked around, ...and we haven't been able to think of anything other than that."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "You've got to be kidding me... This is getting creepy..."
	  Valentina:
	  "His Excellency also understands that we may have been victims of a high-level attack. He's asked our homeland to investigate the matter immediately, but..."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "But...?"
	  It was really eerie, but...
	  ...Their homeland had ordered them to drop this matter entirely and return home at once.
	  By `drop this matter', they meant for them to feel no suspicion, ignore anything that seemed strange, return as though nothing had happened, and then forget about the whole thing...
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...What the heck...? Hold on a sec. Are you serious? That's totally creepy..."
	  Valentina:
	  "I agree with you there. Heheh..."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Could this mean...that it really was...aliens...?"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, hahahahah... Later on, we'll have to check each other to make sure we don't have any strange bits of metal buried in our heads."
	  At that moment, everything shook jarringly.
	  It was an earthquake.
	  Ever since the start of the A3W era, in addition to earthquakes related to tectonic plates, it became possible for modern earthquakes to break out anywhere in the world.
	  So, people everywhere had experienced earthquakes and were used to them.
	  It wasn't anything particularly rare, but it startled them more than it should have.
	  It felt like...the pulsating of a monster in an abyss that surpassed human knowledge...
	  Seshat:
	  "You know, I think I will have some champagne."
	  Flight Attendant:
	  "As you wish."
	  Seshat:
	  "I'm getting old, after all. Just a little job like this, and I've run out of gas. Ahaha."
	  
	  The meeting ground for Gauntlet Knights, otherwise known as the It's a Wrap Public Bath, was bustling with activity.
	  It was packed, not just with aces from all countries, but also a crowd of Gauntlet Knights and candidates that had been gathered via friend requests.
	  Before long, there were several hundred of them, and Keropoyo lost his temper because gathering so many people into a single room was way too big a load to handle poyooo.
	  Because of display limits, it looked like there were only a few dozen of them there. However, this really was a gathering of allies from across the world.
	  Jayden:
	  "We immediately switched from flying so low we could lick the ground into an attack!! And you wouldn't believe the way we suddenly rose up and transitioned into a swift strike...!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "After slipping past the barrage pounding the ocean's surface and the splashes it kicked up, I floated right up to the Roger Jamison's bridge, just like that!"
	  The aces bragging about their feats were surrounded by trainees and candidates gazing enviously at them.
	  Gunhild:
	  "So, you flew between rocky mountains like that, at a super-low altitude during your approach? Your maneuvers look beautiful too."
	  Lingji:
	  "I'm glad to receive your praise. After all, by flying beautifully, you also minimize the strain on your body and your energy loss."
	  As the aces inspected each other's battle data, they were surrounded by groups of Gauntlet Knights on active duty, who wanted to join them in the field someday, and a passionate discussion was taking place.
	  Naima:
	  "Yeah, it felt so wonderful!! I came down from the sky like sweeeeeeeeee,
	   zooooooom, vwoooooooom!"
	  
	  Abdou:
	  "And that fresh feeling of kicking off the sea, bouncing through a fleet of warships, and leaping past the radars of Aegis-equipped destroyers? Well, I can't imagine anything better than that!"
	  Apparently, most of them were talking about the thrill of actual combat, or else getting excited by the prospect of doing it themselves someday.
	  It was only natural that they'd be so ecstatic.
	  News stations all over the world were announcing that, on this day, Gauntlet Knights had become the main source of military might.
	  Before, the military had treated them like a division of gamers limited to simulator work, a toy division used for exhibition flying, as if they were some kind of rare beast.
	  And now, overnight, they were being hailed as heroes by the military...no, the entire world.
	  Lilja:
	  "Meeeeeew... These people are getting so full of themselves after just one actual fight. That's super annoying meow meow..."
	  Sujatha:
	  "Was I...not chosen first because I was too immature...? Nngg..."
	  A small group of them stood apart from the tumult, sulking.
	  However, unsurprisingly, even they were happy to know that Gauntlet Knights had entered the limelight all over the world.
	  Mariana:
	  "...Militaries all over the planet are in shock. I hope the shock helps to cool the heads of those fever-addled fools who want to start wars."
	  Leah:
	  "A fever is only a symptom. Until the cause has been eliminated, the fever will only come back."
	  Miyao:
	  "I agree. Still, I think we did give a rude awakening to those morons who want to profit from war."
	  Andry:
	  "You know, I think it did have that effect... In the Kashmir Spirit Field, the people in charge have started arguing over who it was that decided to start mining. The masterminds are all pathetically playing dumb, looking for scapegoats, or saying their diabetes has gotten worse, so they need to be hospitalized. Woo!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Serves them right! If we prevent the people hoping for war from actually accomplishing anything, they'll definitely lose their positions. The healing power of people who want peace will definitely make this situation better!"
	  A lot of people heard Miyao's claims and nodded excitedly.
	  Right then, the sense that they were supporting the Walls of Peace felt more real than it ever had before.
	  However, there was also a group that wasn't excited at all, and which was calmly discussing the state of the world going forward.
	  Their mission was to be guardians of peace. Victory was only one means of achieving that, and it wasn't a job that would ever end.
	  After all, making sure a world war never occurs again is the biggest mission imaginable.
	  Chloe:
	  "...Didn't the COU announce that they would retaliate following that attack...?"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Don't worry about it too much... The COU foreign relations department always talks tough."
	  Noor:
	  "They only talk tough to look good within their own country. If they really were furious, they'd respond with actions instead of words."
	  Fatma:
	  "But isn't there a saying...about how thoughts become words, and words become actions?"
	  Here is how each faction responded to the Gauntlet Knight battles that had occurred simultaneously around the world:
	  First, the AOU.
	  They announced their victory in the fight of the Central Glass Sea of Japan far and wide, causing a big stir within their borders.
	  Gauntlet Knights were the new heroes of a new era. Hollywood would probably be filled to bursting with scripts about Gauntlet Knights. And, there were a lot of calls for a return to the B3W era's glory. Make the AOU great again! AOU! AOU!
	  ...On the other hand, the incident where Rethabile's group had repelled the Atlantic Fleet had been heavily covered up.
	  Young people already knew from the internet that ACR Gauntlet Knights had fought off the fleet, but the media paid suspiciously little attention to it, so mistrust of the media was growing.
	  Next, the COU.
	  At first, they announced their major victory in the attack against the Kashmir Spirit Field far and wide, but when that gradually calmed down, voices of outrage and discontent regarding the AOU attack on the Glass Sea started to grow more prominent.
	  Humans are creatures who quickly forget things that make them happy, but hardly ever forget things people did to them to make them angry.
	  In contrast to the AOU, angry points of view were common, and every day, more and more people were saying that they couldn't leave things as they were -- that they had to get back at the AOU.
	  In the midst of that, the COU had practically pointed its finger at the AOU and announced to the world that they believed in taking preemptive action for the sake of world peace.
	  It was an incredibly disturbing announcement, so naturally, it received criticism from all over the world.
	  However, now that Gauntlet Knights had appeared and changed the game, those who attacked would be able to apply much more pressure against the Walls of Peace.
	  The side being attacked would have to apply quite a lot of pressure themselves to counteract that, and in that sense, it might be fair to say that the COU understood the military balance of this new era the best.
	  It was mutually assured destruction, a cold war, only with Gauntlet Knights instead of nuclear weapons...
	  Stephania:
	  "The way they say it is disturbing, but in the interests of maintaining a healthy military balance, it's the correct decision."
	  Momotake:
	  "If you approach, you'll be cut down. But if both sides gauge the distance to their opponent, facing off respectfully against one another, they'll never get within the range of each other's swords... To the guardians of the Walls of Peace, having to maintain that level of tension is perfectly normal."
	  Ishak:
	  "If you look at it that way, the best plan might be to take the most passive approach, like the ABN."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Well, it's hardly desirable for a group of nations serving God for the sake of peace to rejoice at who wins and loses in wars between fellow humans..."
	  The ABN had responded to the situation more quietly than any of the other factions.
	  The hostage retrieval operation performed by Thalathat Suyuf was being treated as a protective measure taken for the sake of human rights, and except for a few overexcited people on the internet, it garnered hardly any interest.
	  True, they had been attacked by the COU in the Kashmir Spirit Fields, but many had calmly concluded that a small group of high military officials, who had forcibly started mining for personal gain, had only gotten what they deserved.
	  Since no one had been killed in the attack, the ABN had used this opportunity to dismiss the officers who had run wild, hoping to somehow reopen negotiations with the COU and settle this matter peacefully.
	  Out of all of Miyao and the others' plans to pluck the sprouts of war, this one had gone the best.
	  Aysha:
	  "Still, though I think it was a good, adult decision, from a perspective of supporting the Walls of Peace from both sides, is it really okay for them to one-sidedly pander to the COU...?"
	  Naomi:
	  "It probably just means that this time, they thought it was more important to dismiss those who disobeyed the Leadership Council and went rogue. When it comes to maintaining a healthy military balance, pandering should be avoided, but in this case, they decided that it was more important to put a fire out quickly..."
	  Abdou:
	  "Looking at it that way, we might be turning up the heat a bit too much on our end. Our media's getting a little too fired up."
	  The fact that the ACR had managed to repel the AOU Atlantic Fleet was the biggest upset they'd seen since the founding of their nation, and they were partying every day.
	  In particular, Rethabile was being treated like a heroine or a goddess of war, and it was apparently getting pretty crazy.
	  It would've been fine if they were just partying, but some people were taking it in a more worrying direction.
	  Once, Africa was colonized by several large countries and suffered for years and years. So, the moment had finally come to pay those people back for all that hardship, according to this troubling view that seemed to be popping up here and there...
	  Gannet:
	  "It feels like more and more people are saying you're unpatriotic if you don't agree with that view, and it's scary..."
	  A silence that seemed to concur with her words slowly spread, even to the boys and girls from other nations...
	  No matter what the faction, no matter what the country...
	  No one was able to say...that they'd never heard anything like that.
	   ...That irresponsible, inflaming atmosphere, where if your country lost, they had to get even, and if they won, they had to keep winning. And if you didn't agree with that, you might as well be unpatriotic.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I didn't want to ruin the mood today, so I didn't bring it up, but that happens a little in the AOU as well."
	  Chloe:
	  "Those who found out on the net that the Atlantic Fleet lost...are apparently chomping at the bit for us to attack the Segmented Warship Atlantis with Gauntlet Knights..."
	  Miyao:
	  "People who don't support the Walls of Peace always say stuff that sounds brave."
	  Lingji:
	  "...The same goes for the COU. Several of my young relatives have been pestering me, saying we should take revenge for what happened in the Glass Sea and attack AOU Japan."
	  Momotake:
	  "Princess, there's no need for you to let that get you down. Withstanding views like that is our job as guardians of peace, is it not?"
	  Sujatha:
	  "The Walls of Peace need to be supported, not knocked over. Our peoples, our superiors... None of them understand!"
	  Nationalism exists in all countries. For the nation and its people, it's a source of pride, of ambition, and it's even the foundation of their souls.
	  However, from the perspective of maintaining a healthy military balance, everyone had been warned that, while nationalism may be a necessary mineral, it's only good for you in small doses. It can become hazardous to your health when taken in excess.
	  It was also well known that nationalism combined with peer pressure could lead to a deadly social chemistry, as the Healthy Military Balance Oversight Committee was always careful to emphasize.
	  Furthermore, its binding force was as powerful as carbon monoxide combining with hemoglobin, ...and it could result in severe hypoxia to a nation's ability to reason...
	  Leah:
	  "If the world grows chaotic and peacefulness disappears from the hearts of the people, ...they'll start to listen to the voices of evil ones seeking to lead them astray."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Nationalism is like the shingles virus. It lays low when you're in good health, but its symptoms show when your health weakens."
	  Naima:
	  "I hope...the world and its people get healthy again soon... Wow..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "My nation must also calm itself down quickly from this feverish excitement. ...The Atlantic Fleet didn't retreat because the ACR won against the AOU. No one understands that the guardians of peace achieved victory by dispelling military tensions."
	  Noor:
	  "They're probably confusing actual fighting with the Battle Standard Festival games. In sports, there is some significance in who wins and who loses, but peace doesn't work that way."
	  Abdou:
	  "Heh. Instead of us kids, it's those adults who are having trouble telling the difference between games and reality."
	  Koshka:
	  "In the end..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm?"
	  Koshka:
	  "Whenever people group together, they never think of anything good. ...Hmph."
	  Koshka's words to herself, which were heard by those around her, landed heavily for something said so briefly.
	  After all, it almost sounded like she was talking about the crowd of people who had gathered in this public bath, excited because the age of Gauntlet Knights had arrived.
	  Koshka had always hated being near other people.
	  She had only become a member of the Public Bath because that would make it easier to get WanyaDora friend requests. So, to be honest, she wasn't remotely interested in the noble ideas and oaths of Miyao's group.
	  She had agreed to the oath on the surface, but she really had just been bowing to peer pressure.
	  ...However, though they may not have been as sarcastic about it as Koshka, ...some realists here did doubt whether the collusion taking place in this public bath would really be enough to pluck the sprouts of war.
	  Most likely, about 10% of the people gathered here felt this way.
	  However, there was no way to tell that by looking.
	  Everyone seemed to be celebrating excitedly, ...but they were only pretending to join in, either because of peer pressure, or because they were trying to read the room.
	  True enough, the Gauntlet Knights currently in this public bath were this world's military might.
	  If they swore to work together for world peace, to uproot the sprouts of war, and to defend peace, ...then world peace might actually become a reality at the hands of young people, something that has never been achieved before in all of history. ...Or rather, one might be forgiven for thinking that way.
	  However, as someone had already said...
	  The conflicts, confrontations, and collisions of war are only the symptoms.
	  Coughing, runny noses, and headaches are just symptoms, not what you're really fighting against.
	  Unless you completely remove the source of the illness causing all those symptoms, ...you're just treading water. You're taking a temporary cough or fever medicine.
	  Even so, if you're healthy enough that the source of the disease is healed before the medicine wears off, then it really has saved you.
	  ...But...what if your health fails...?
	  Temporarily treating the symptoms won't do you any good anymore.
	  Some day, ...Gauntlet Knights might end up fighting each other.
	  They planned to fight according to the rules of sportsmanship and resolve the situation together, ...but would that really be possible?
	  If all previous tools of the military were now obsolete, ...then it should've been possible for anyone to foresee a future in which the sole remaining tool, the Gauntlet Knights, would have to fight each other.
	  ...And yet, every single person here, including Miyao, ...was acting as though they hadn't noticed this.
	  Had they really not noticed? Or were they only pretending not to?
	  Or did they truly believe...that by deepening their friendship, they would be able to control everything that happened going forward, avoiding a world war...?
	  Miyao:
	  "Do you believe it?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Do you really think you're just gonna glide through this problem, all chummy like that?"
	  ...Of course, ...I realize that fights between Gauntlet Knights will happen sooner or later.
	  But on that day, we swore to each other! That we're comrades! That we won't kill each other!
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh, you mean that rule where you'll retreat if your shield is broken, and you won't chase down the losers? In other words, you plan to fix the match every single time, right? You'll have fight after fight where no one wins and no one loses, buying time over and over."
	  Hasn't that always been the true job of guardians who support the Walls of Peace?!
	  Miyao:
	  "No. Guardians of peace do buy time to calm feverish people excited by war, but not like that."
	  Then let's hear it. How do you think guardians of peace should buy time for peace?!
	  Miyao:
	  "With blood. Your blood."
	  Miyao:
	  "The only thing that can calm their excitement...is the blood shed when you young people hurt each other and kill each other."
	  You know, old people love the young. And they're particularly, incredibly, immensely fond of young people who sacrifice their lives.
	  When the internet starts filling up with pictures of young boys and girls wearing Gauntlets that got turned into mincemeat corpses, then I'm sure they'll come to their senses.
	  When the old see those young corpses, the terrifying thought that this same thing might have happened to their own children and grandchildren will make them lose their fever for war.
	  Time alone will do nothing to cool the heads of those middle-aged men who want to watch thrilling Gauntlet Knight battles.
	  Miyao:
	  "After all, war-weariness never sets in until you're looking at pictures of young corpses. Pictures of the boys and girls celebrating over there, only after they've killed each other."
	  Miyao:
	  "Remember all those legendary news photos in the past that triggered public opposition to wars? Think of just how many young people lay dead in them."
	  Miyao:
	  "Death is the only thing Humans fear. So, they'll only regain their calm if you make them see death. Guardians of peace have a job beyond merely supporting the walls. You understand now, don't you?"
	  Like hell I understand...!!!
	  Miyao:
	  "When the going gets tough, your job is to use your own blood to cool the fevers of people screaming for war from a safe place. Right now, your lives and blood exist for that purpose."
	  Miyao:
	  "And to think, you're getting all excited and calling yourselves guardians of peace without realizing that. Hahahaha, you people really are just kids, just idiots, just ice packs filled with blood and guts for cooling the heads of the common man, ahahahahyahyahahahaha!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Shut up, be quiet!! We'll still fight for peace despite that, and yes, we may die as a result! We've been prepared for that ever since we chose to become Gauntlet Knights! But even if we do die, as long as our blood serves the cause of peace, like you say, we definitely won't die in vain!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Ahahahhaahahahah! In other words, you're saying that if your blood doesn't serve the cause of peace, then you will be dying in vain, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Shut up, be quiet!! What's with you, suddenly appearing like this, confusing me with this incomprehensible crap! And you even have my face!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no helping it. I am you. Mitake Miyao. It was confusing, so I thought I'd at least change my outfit mapping to something different from you."
	  Miyao:
	  "Change your face too!! You're pissing me off!! Also, stop acting like my name applies to you!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "No way. I'll never change it. After all, I am you. A new `you' inside you."
	  Miyao:
	  "Bullshit!! Are you saying you're a new personality of mine?! No one like that exists, nor have they ever!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I already told you. You aren't a personality. You're a program. So, there would be nothing strange if a new personality like me was installed in addition to you."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're saying crazy stuff again!! I'm no program, and I'm no robot!! How could I believe crap like that?! If that's true, show me some proof! And anyway, wouldn't that mean you're also a program, just like me?! In that case, what kind of program are you?!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm a program that exists to kick you out."
	  You and I are programs.
	  We aren't Mitake Miyao.
	  ...To put it in spiritual terms, we aren't Mitake Miyao's soul.
	  We're copies of the human soul of Mitake Miyao, which used to exist.
	  I'm not lying. Look at this.
	  In a dark space, the image of me lying on the ground appeared.
	  My whole body was soaked and slightly dirty.
	  There was a Gauntlet on my left arm.
	  Its sooty appearance made it clear that it had been used in quite a fierce battle...
	  And as for my right side......
	  Miyao:
	  "......Nnggg............"
	  Miyao:
	  "...It's what you might call a perfect corpse examination, which even an amateur can perform."
	  That face...clearly belonged to Mitake Miyao.
	  But there was only half of it. ...Just the left half.
	  As for the right half... No, ...not just the right half of his head, but everything else from the right shoulder downwards...
	  Miyao:
	  "Aaah......nngghh......"
	  Miyao:
	  "As you can see, Mitake Miyao is quite dead. Half of his head's gone."
	  It was a gruesome corpse, on which only half of his face remained...
	  He accepted that fact instinctively, and it was so grotesque, he started feeling as though he was about to vomit...
	  Miyao:
	  "...A-As if I'd just believe you..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, I figured you'd say that."
	  Miyao:
	  "Are you trying to say that Mitake Miyao is already dead, ...and that I'm an AI or a program that was newly created to be Mitake Miyao, or something like that?!?! You're insane! Who'd believe that...?!!!"
	  I have a consciousness called Mitake Miyao! I have memories, things I can recall!
	  Like things from when I was a child, like my dad, like how I lived.
	  I remember PP training, and Aerial Augmented Infantry school, ...and drills, and comrades! And friends!!
	  Miyao:
	  "Does having memories prove that they're actually yours? What if, one day, your Selcom hard drive said `I have all of Mitake Miyao's memories and data, and I've become self-aware, so I'm the real Mitake Miyao!' ...What would you do then?"
	  Aren't memories just information that can be saved to a storage medium?
	  Even the emotions that come from such things aren't that hard for today's AI to mimic.
	  In the end...
	  Miyao:
	  "None of your evidence for saying `you' are `you' counts as proof that you're human."
	  Miyao:
	  "Th-Then the same goes in reverse! How are you gonna deny my claim?! You also can't disprove that I'm a human called Mitake Miyao! And that grotesque corpse is just an image! How can you prove it isn't just simple image data you set up to confuse me?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm, you have a point. `I think, therefore I am', is that it? You're right that, no matter what anyone says or who says it, they can't disprove the claim that you're Mitake Miyao. However, there is just one thing I can do."
	  Miyao:
	  "What?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I can prove that you're a program."
	  Miyao:
	  "Bring it on, then! Let's see this proof!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay. It's just that a certain reaction has been planted in you, one that the person named Mitake Miyao would never, ever show."
	  Miyao:
	  "Go ahead and try it then!! This is supposed to be your ultimate proof, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "You're a murder program, which exists for the sake of killing the target specified by your programming. I'm about to show you an image of a certain person. When I do, you should realize that there is something wrong with you right away."
	  Miyao:
	  "Even though you haven't seen this person or heard of them even once since you were born, simply looking at them will automatically flip your murder impulse switch. That's how you've been programmed."
	  Miyao:
	  "Furthermore, once this switch has been flipped, it will become okay for you to kill anything that prevents you from carrying out your objective in the shortest possible time, regardless of whether these obstacles are allies or enemies. Naturally, those who proactively try to stop you will immediately be added to your list of murder targets."
	  Miyao:
	  "That is how you have been programmed."
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh yeah?! Then what kind of program are you?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I just told you. ...I'm a program that exists to kick you out."
	  Not only are you a program whose purpose is murder, you'll also kill anything that stands in your way, regardless of whether they're allies or enemies.
	  Why would anyone let such a dangerous thing run wild without a leash?
	  As you should know if you call yourself `Mitake Miyao', you aren't just a tiny brat.
	  You're a Gauntlet Knight prodigy, with one of the best P3 levels in the world.
	  By now, no one doubts that Gauntlet Knights stand at the peak of the world's military might.
	  And, everyone knows you're talented enough to compete with the best of them, even ignoring the Battle Standard Festival.
	  Miyao:
	  "You have been given the most powerful fighting ability in the world. Why? Because it was the most effective means of carrying out your murder program. Why did you decide to become a Gauntlet Knight? Was it because you dreamed of being able to fly? Was it just a passing interest? Was it because you scored well on the aptitude test?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...See? Before even you realized it, you were moving down the set of rails that leads to becoming a Gauntlet Knight. That is proof that `the program you are' subconsciously made that decision for you, in order to fulfill your goal."
	  Miyao:
	  "Since you're the strongest tier of military might in this world, it's extremely difficult to restrain you with more military might. ...The hardware of the world's strongest Gauntlet Knight cannot be broken."
	  Miyao:
	  "...So, ...they'll go for the software instead? Are you saying that you're appearing like this...to erase the murder program you say I am?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Exactly."
	  Miyao:
	  "If that's true, then go on, give it a try! We're both programs, right? Then enough with the buildup. Just delete me or throw me into the trash bin already...!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "If I could just do it with a click, I wouldn't have taken the trouble to appear in this form and have pointless conversations like this one with you."
	  Miyao:
	  "Then what's going on? Are you gonna delete me by confusing me with weird stuff until I start foaming at the mouth and fall over?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah, you've got it. That's pretty much it."
	  Miyao:
	  "What?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm talking about the fight between you and me, program against program. Right now, we're experiencing it as a battle where we each deny the existence of the other."
	  However, it'd be hard to call this a fair fight, from your perspective.
	  After all, I'll be attacking one-sidedly, slamming you with the truth.
	  You'll just be enduring those blows over and over.
	  There doesn't exist any way for you to defeat me.
	  After all, I'm a program for defeating you.
	  And you're just a murder program that exists for the sole purpose you were given beforehand.
	  Miyao:
	  "So, let's back up a bit. I'll show you proof that you're a program."
	  Miyao:
	  "Stop talking big and do it already!"
	  Miyao:
	  "In that case, I'll pull the trigger on your murder program. Would you mind looking at this for me?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What are you doing? I told you, get on with-"
	  ......What...?
	  ...It felt like a dimly-lit factory.
	  There was a bad, humid smell and an inorganic feel to it.
	  Everything that moved had a lifeless, mechanical rhythm.
	  Even though it was so bustling with activity and even noisy, ...it still felt eerily quiet.
	  Was this...a factory...?
	  No, it was more like...a world of machines.
	  There was no trace of the concepts of ceilings, walls, or floors.
	  The entire sky and the entire area below...was filled with massive cogs and rugged machinery, almost as though it was the depths of an ocean filled with machines.
	  There was no sunshine anywhere, only blackness. Only the faint emerald green light that pulsated around some of the machines made it possible to see anything.
	  In that sea of machines...was a track like something you'd see on a roller coaster.
	  It was like a dry-cleaning plant, or maybe a meat processing factory.
	  Hanging from that track and passing through several machines to be processed...
	  ...Were humans.
	  Countless completely naked humans were there in a row...
	  They were being hung by metal hooks that pierced the backs of their necks.
	  There were men and women, kids and adults, the young and the old.
	  All of them were hanging from hooks in a line...
	  And, ...they were all alive.
	  They were alive, but they had been taken down through a layer of paralyzing gas during the first stage of their `processing', so they were barely conscious.
	  Even those who were conscious were only vaguely so, half-asleep so that it all felt like this was happening to someone else.
	  ...Before the paralyzing gas layer, they had all retained their consciousness and sense of pain, making them quite active and noisy.
	  Screams. Crying. Moaning. People calling out someone's name. Or else yelling `Mommy, Mommy', over and over again.
	  Now, it was very quiet.
	  Even the ominous roar of the mechanical sea...was so far separated from emotion or thought...
	  I could feel signs that my heart was crying out in fear and pain, ...but they only seemed like indicator lights on a human meter.
	  Even though that should have been truly terrifying, ...I was so out of it, ...it felt like it was happening to someone else...
	  When I looked around, I saw countless humans hanging from tracks all around me, either waiting in line or being smoothly processed by machines, one by one.
	  Those with their clothes still on were in the very first stages.
	  Before even getting sorted, they would be dipped into a vat of some fluid chemical.
	  The milky white liquid frothed with countless bubbles and reeked strongly.
	  While they were repeatedly dunked in that, their clothes and hair would all melt and fall off them.
	  At the end, even the skin all over their body would blister and slide off, ...leaving everyone looking like the anatomical models you might find in a science classroom.
	  After that, the people would pass through various inspection machines, being sorted by some kind of standard.
	  I didn't think it had anything to do with body size, gender, or age.
	  My eyes couldn't pick up any sort of pattern to it, ...but the machines must have had their own reasons.
	  Fortunately, at least I was able to stay with my family.
	  Hanging in front of me was my brother. Every once in a while, I was able to see my mother beyond him. My father was beyond even her.
	  Even now, ...when we had been turned into human-shaped lumps of flesh and couldn't tell who was who, ...it made me feel strangely safe to know that my family was hanging there with me.
	  However, feeling safe...has no value whatsoever and no longer matters anymore.
	  The next inspection machine carelessly stuck large needles into my ears, analyzing something.
	  It split just Dad off into a different group. In that instant, that final, tiny, frail bit of ground called family, which had made me feel safe, ...fell apart.
	  His track continued towards a machine that made loud crunching noises.
	  Dad's flesh was added to the line waiting in front of that machine, ready to be processed.
	  One by one, they were swallowed up by the machine.
	  When those lumps of flesh went inside, ...they were processed with a noisy crunching sound.
	  Partway through that, legs and arms that had been sliced off fell gracelessly out of the machine's bottom.
	  They landed on yet another bloodstained track, and were then swallowed up by yet another machine, unsurprisingly.
	  I wonder which machine my flesh-lump father will be sent to, once his limbs get chopped off. Will he be cut into even smaller bits?
	  I could sense that my own father was being split into several components, vanishing into the sea of machines...
	  After that, we passed through several more inspection machines, and lots of people were diverted to different tracks, swallowed by machines, and processed.
	  Even so, by some miracle, I was able to remain with Mom and big brother.
	  ...No matter how we end up looking, if we can stay together as a family, there's still no need to be sad.
	  Dad may have been torn to bits, ...but I still have Mom and big brother...
	  We're still...together...
	  I felt a tingling feeling. ...The place where I was hanging from the hook hurt a little, like it was tearing into me...
	  ...It hurt...? Has pain, ...has feeling come back to me...?
	  Bad smells, stimulation, pain and so forth...
	  All of those feelings that had seemed far away, like they were happening to someone else, began to revive bit by bit...
	  Yeah, this isn't good... The little bit of happiness I felt at getting to be with my family...is gonna be wiped out...
	  Ow... Ow... Owowowow...ow......
	  ...Nngg.
	  The mist in my mind quickly started to fade...
	  It was an awakening I hadn't asked for.
	  It was all coming back. Feeling, pain, fear. Hopelessness, screaming, confusion.
	  "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!"
	  
	  "Ow, owowowow, eeekkkkkkkkgggggghhhh!!!"
	  The simple touch of air on a body that had lost its skin...was a torture as bad as the deepest parts of hell.
	  The tingling, stabbing pain that covered my whole body was like being torn apart by millions of flesh-eating bugs!
	  Drugs have different effects on different people. So, it makes sense that anesthesia doesn't work as well on some people, or stops working entirely partway through.
	  Before I fully awoke, this place felt quiet, but not anymore.
	  I could tell that people were screaming and moaning because their sense of pain had returned to them, and their death throes echoed around me.
	  Which meant I was able to hear one more thing.
	  It was my brother, moaning in anguish.
	  His sense of pain had returned too, possibly long before mine did.
	  I'm sure he must've been screaming on and on from the pain, back when I was still only half-awake.
	  At that point, I was sure I heard him calling out to Mom in a pained voice.
	  I couldn't see because my brother's back was in the way, ...but I'm sure he saw how Mom was being processed in the next machine.
	  ...He was fated to be processed in the same way, by the same machine.
	  As he cried out, half mad, the machine enveloped him.
	  I called out his name, just like he had done. My voice was covered by my brother's own screams, so I doubt he heard me.
	  His body was wedged in place inside the machine.
	  With a shrill sound, several spinning blades appeared on either side of him.
	  Then came the blood spatter and his final screams...
	  Right before my eyes, ...the lump of flesh that had been my brother...fell down in bits and pieces.
	  *tear*, *dribble*, *drip*, *splat*.
	  All that remained...was a head being held by a pair of metal arms...and his spinal cord, which was hanging from his head and still twitching...
	  I couldn't hear him cry out anymore.
	  But I knew.
	  He still hadn't died.
	  He was alive.
	  He couldn't cry out, ...but he was still desperately screaming while suffering a pain even more unbearable than before...!
	  But this is no time for me to be worried about him. I'm next...!!!
	  My own body was wedged into the machine.
	  Metal arms grabbed onto my head. My skull creaked, ...but the overwhelming fear overrode even that sensation.
	  With a high-pitched sound, countless rapidly spinning blades appeared on either side of me.
	  They came closer and closer, as if they were about to tickle the sides of my chest... Closer and closer and closer.
	  St-Stop............ ...Ah.
	  !!! Jjjrrrrrrrgggg, gggghhhh! Aggghhhhh, gghh, aaaaaaahhh...!!!!
	  
	  --Listen closely, my adorable Miyao.
	  This is both a `hell' I once experienced...and the `future' your world is guaranteed to reach.
	  So, this `hell' is a prophecy.
	  It's a promise of `certainty', which will definitely come to pass if you do nothing.
	  Your highest-priority goal is to stop this `hell' before it happens, using any means necessary.
	  The only way to do that...is to kill them.
	  You must find them and kill them.
	  You may do whatever is necessary to accomplish that.
	  It doesn't matter whom you kill, what you destroy.
	  Kill them.
	  That's the only way to avoid that `hell'...
	  
	  AOU Politician:
	  "In the end, what it comes down to is that those old politicians weren't prepared! They weren't prepared to do what's necessary to protect our country's people and our resources! Were it not for the bold military action taken on the Glass Sea, the COU would have already illegally occupied the whole thing by now! Just imagining how this feeble administration would've handled it gives me nightmares!"
	  AOU Politician:
	  "Simply put, all that talk about not provoking other countries, since it'll drive them into a military frenzy, was just an illusion created by old politicians!"
	  AOU Politician:
	  "Isn't that right?! The administration is always saying these things, taking part in appeasement and calling themselves pacifists while making concession after concession! AOU Japan firmly paid off that growing debt for them! It was a brilliant decision, and one that wouldn't leave the bill for later generations!"
	  Chairman:
	  "AOU Japan's decision to use military force to send a firm `no' to COU Japan's illegal occupation of the demilitarized zone is being praised as a wise move, even by other nations in the AOU."
	  Elderly Gentleman:
	  "Instead of putting off our diplomatic problems and leaving them to plague the next generation, I would prefer to resolve them during ours. I have had enough of putting off issues and letting them worsen, supposedly in the name of pacifism."
	  Youth:
	  "It's seriously cool! I wish we could replace the cowards in our government with those guys! I support AOU Japan!"
	  High School Girl:
	  "The Japanese government rocks!!! Huh? Where is Japan? One sec, I'll look it up with Keropoyo."
	  Follow AOU Japan's example! Long live the Gauntlet Knights! Take back the territory that belongs to us, the seas, mines, and fishing spots!
	  Alter those unfair treaties! Make them renegotiate them! Get them to see it our way!
	  If that doesn't work, use military force! Follow AOU Japan! We're prepared to stop these issues from burdening our children's generation!
	  Get all those cowards in the cabinet to resign! Protest against the opportunists in congress who are helping our enemies! Kick them out, arrest them!
	  COU Assembly Press Secretary:
	  "This policy of preemptive strikes for the sake of peace is hardly a paper tiger. If the AOU intends to increase military tensions, we are prepared to bring our sword of justice down upon them at any time, even tonight if need be. The militaries of all COU nations are now mobilizing for an indefinite period. We will not permit another preemptive strike against our country and its allies."
	  Reporter:
	  "Many view these statements skeptically, writing them off as mere saber-rattling. Even after this sword of peace talk, the AOU is showing no signs of ceasing the military escalation. Does this mean that the COU government has been completely unable to hide their lack of resolve, both internally and externally?"
	  COU Internet Denizen:
	  "You know it's all just talk! If you're serious about this, strike back already!! It's the cowardice of COU Japan that makes everyone underestimate all of the COU!"
	  COU Internet Denizen:
	  "If you really are a patriot, join the protests in front of the embassy building! We'll hit them with our anger and with stones!! The police are on our side! They'll look the other way!"
	  COU Internet Denizen:
	  "Good news everyone! All those traitorous sell-outs in the assembly were just arrested on bribery charges! We're finally gonna get an administration that the whole COU can unite behind!!"
	  Now's our chance to strike back! We won't be defeated again because of poor planning! Punish the ghosts of the B3W era hegemony!
	  We have Baibao Squad, the invincible Gauntlet Knights who achieved complete victory during the Kashmir Spirit Field strike!
	  Long live our homeland, long live the COU!!
	  The Central Ocean is the center of the A3W's new world! It's the source of this world's most vigorous culture! Fight back against the hegemony of those pre-war ghosts, who refuse to accept this basic fact!
	  Miyao:
	  "...Well, it does make sense. The COU can't afford to take it lying down."
	  The three members of Miyao's Warcats and the three members of Lingji's Baibao Squad had gathered in the Public Bath.
	  Miyao's group was from the AOU. Lingji's was from the COU. ...Everyone had been hurt by how tensions between the two factions had dramatically risen during the past few days.
	  Lingji:
	  "We might be given the order to attack before too long. But of course, this time as well, we'll make sure that there's absolutely no unnecessary damage to anything other than our targets, so have no fears on that score."
	  Momotake:
	  "However, it isn't as though they'll declare the match a draw and leave it at that..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Even so, we can buy time. If public opinion dies down just a bit while this is still limited to us soldiers supporting the Walls of Peace..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, those AOU big shots are taking people on the internet way too seriously! Spend less time sucking up to voters and more worrying about living conditions and peace, okay?!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheh. It's the same in the COU. Once you become a government official and the competition is even more fierce, you can't afford to be seen as a coward. And the people will never forgive a government that doesn't strike back when they're struck."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Our job is to continue supporting the Walls of Peace, until all those people can cool their heads. Though, it will be a long, difficult task."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's fine. It's our mission, after all. We'll support those walls as long as it takes."
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah! As long as we're here, we won't let anyone break those walls down!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, ...hasn't it been getting a bit creepy lately? The way public opinion is getting stupidly overheated?"
	  Lingji:
	  "Isn't it normal for irresponsible people in all countries to get easily fired up and easily cooled down?"
	  Momotake:
	  "As we enter December, the winds are blowing in an ominous direction, and though Christmas is approaching, there's an eerie heat about, as if we stand on the eve of world war."
	  Miyao:
	  "I know, right?! Public opinion really has been heating up much more than makes sense, right?
	   Can people, can public opinion really switch from wanting peace to war that fast?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "It really is strange. Like someone said earlier, are we sure this isn't because of people scheming behind the scenes, looking to make a quick buck?"
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh... I imagine that such a large-scale manipulation of public opinion would cost more than they'd be likely to rake in..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao, there's nothing particularly surprising about this, even if public opinion has tilted towards war in just about half a month. Do you know about the Sarajevo Incident, which was the trigger for World War I?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Let me Keropoyo it. ...Umm, it's the time when an Austrian Archduke was assassinated in Sarajevo, on June 28, 1914, right...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "World War I started exactly one month later, on July 28."
	  Of course, the groundwork had been laid in various ways even before the assassination.
	  But, even so...
	  The seed of war sprouted, ...and just a month later, the first `world war' in humanity's recorded history began.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Thinking about it that way, we're now in the A3W era, where information and networks have advanced so much further. If it took one month when they didn't even have an internet, don't you think it might easily happen even faster in our era...?"
	  Lingji:
	  ".................."
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  No one was able to speak.
	  They knew without pausing to reflect...that humans were animals capable of giving into urges, instantly going into a frenzy, and sometimes saying things they didn't really mean.
	  Even passionate lovers could sometimes rapidly turn to hatred because of silly misunderstandings.
	  And sometimes, when something unforgivable was done, it could have immediate, irreversible, and fatal results.
	  For individual humans, this could be laughed off.
	  However, when it's issues between countries...
	  Jayden:
	  "That's...no joke..."
	  Miyao:
	  "But it still might be."
	  Lingji:
	  "What do you mean?"
	  Miyao:
	  "As long as no one dies, ...it's still possible to laugh it off."
	  Gunhild:
	  "True. In the A3W world, where human rights are prized, any deaths would prove fatal to the overall situation. In particular, in the COU, where their children are still carried by ciconia, public opinion would rapidly explode."
	  Momotake:
	  "Hmph. Imagine the ciconia-free AOU trying to tell others how precious human life is."
	  Aysha:
	  "Enough of that. You shouldn't criticize the structure and religions of other people's countries, right?"
	  Lingji:
	  "I agree with Miyao. There must not be any casualties. And certainly not among noncombatants."
	  Miyao:
	  "As guardians of the Walls of Peace, we're prepared for death. ...However, we mustn't let that happen to civilians."
	  Gunhild:
	  "In our previous operations, we managed not to hurt anyone. ...However, we don't know what the situation will be going forward, nor do we know what sorts of strategies we'll be ordered to take."
	  Jayden:
	  "We'll do it! We'll follow our orders to a T! But we won't let anyone get hurt!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Of course. We intend to do the same. ...Let us bear the brunt of the people's wrath from both factions. After all, that's our fate as ones who have been granted the ability to wear Gauntlets, the strongest form of military power in the world."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh... At this rate, I wish they'd just settle military conflicts in the Virty Arena."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Good point. Originally, that was supposed to be the Battle Standard Festival's purpose."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey, isn't there anything else we can do?"
	  Lingji:
	  "What do you mean?"
	  Miyao:
	  "We can pluck the sprouts of war, buying time until the world regains its calm."
	  Jayden:
	  "That's our job as guardians of the Walls of Peace, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "But is buying time all we can do?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Isn't there any way for us to cool the heads of those people who think war is like a baseball or football game, spurring it on partly for their own entertainment...?"
	  Gauntlet Knights certainly could pluck sprouts of war.
	  They had the power to pluck all sorts of sprouts planted by other countries trying to apply military pressure against theirs.
	  However, that was just the sprouts.
	  They didn't have the power to resist the springtime of war itself, where irresponsible emotions spurred on war and caused it to shoot up all across the Earth...
	  Aysha:
	  "If you want to do that, I think you'd have to switch careers and become a politician."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I agree. ...Miyao, what you're thinking of doing...probably isn't our job."
	  Jayden:
	  "If we're going there, why don't we get Gauntlet Knights around the world to unite! Let's form an independent military of peace, or something! We announce that the Gauntlet Knight Army of Peace will smack down any country that uses military force against any other country, and become permanently neutral guardians of peace!"
	  Momotake:
	  "Hmph. That sounds like something that's been done in any number of anime and manga..."
	  Lingji:
	  "The ones who currently hold that role, LATO's IPMA, can hardly be said to be serving their function at this moment."
	  Aysha:
	  "Even LATO only exists thanks to the balance between the other four factions. No one would be so foolish as to kick out one of the legs of the chair they're sitting on."
	  Lingji:
	  "And for that reason, ...it truly would be wonderful if something existed that could officially and impartially protect world peace, without any sort of personal motivations."
	  Miyao:
	  "We can use our Kizuna like this to interact with Gauntlet Knights around the world. Right now, we're the peak of this world's military power. ...I don't think it would be impossible..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Right?! It's a young person's job to have big dreams! And making those dreams come true is also our job, isn't it?! We're all the main characters here!"
	  Miyao:
	  "The main characters in every era are the young, huh?"
	  Are we really...the main characters...?
	  True, we are young, and we have nothing tying us down. Furthermore, we're fearless, as well as being the world's best Gauntlet Knights.
	  When you lay it all out like that, there's more than enough reason to think we're the main characters here.
	  ...And yet, ...I couldn't confidently feel that I was the main character.
	  In the end, we're guardians. ...Or rather, game pieces.
	  In the game of chess, each of us would be just one of the many pieces that isn't the king.
	  Long ago, I wanted to learn chess, so I looked up the rules, and a certain line shocked me.
	  "Chess is a game where you try to take your opponent's king. It doesn't matter how many other pieces you lose in exchange for that."
	  In the end, ...chess is a war game.
	  For the ultimate goal of taking your opponent's king and winning, ...all the other pieces are laid out so they can kill each other.
	  It doesn't matter how many die as a result.
	  No matter how many or few casualties you have, ...your victory is worth the same in the end.
	  I remember that, for some reason, this really didn't sit well with me at the time.
	  Gauntlet Knights are the strongest of military forces.
	  In the chess analogy, I'm sure they'd have even more power than a queen.
	  However, ...they're still pieces that are less than kings.
	  In fact, even the king is a piece.
	  They're in a totally different dimension from the player, who controls them and decides the fate of the game board.
	  ...Chess pieces obey the orders of the player...and kill or are killed.
	  If they don't like that, then it makes sense that they'll want to become players and stop this game of chess.
	  Can a queen piece say she's had enough of war and appeal to the player? And if she can't, can a piece itself become a player?
	  Hah, hahahaha. What am I even talking about...?
	  Miyao:
	  "The Gauntlet is the symbol of the world's strongest power. ...The honor earned by wearing one...is an extremely heavy burden."
	  Lingji:
	  "Yes. ...It's very, very heavy......and very precious."
	  Miyao:
	  "All we can do...is show everyone our overwhelming power and bring the chessboard to a standstill."
	  Lingji:
	  "The chessboard...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "When powerful pieces are lined up, and various lines of movement and defense cross in complex ways, the player has to think long and hard, which eventually forces them to calm down."
	  Jayden:
	  "...I see. So, that's our ultimate goal!"
	  Momotake:
	  "That truly would make us Walls of Peace."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheheh. In that case, those who wish to become Baibao's opponents had better put on at least as good a show as us."
	  Miyao:
	  "Say what you like. Next time, we definitely won't lose!"
	  Lingji:
	  "The same goes for us. I don't believe we truly settled who's best with that sports-like competition."
	  It's been a December springtime of war, where sprouts of conflict popped up one after another.
	  We'll end this disturbing trend by Christmas.
	  ...Of course, that itself is a legendary phrase used by those forever branded as war optimists...
	  You've sent an email to "The Old Bastard" poyo!
	  ...I really am just a kid.
	  I can't believe I got panicky, couldn't sleep, and then sent Dad a weird email.
	  `I just got an email from my adorable only son, saying he can't sleep because he's worried about world peace?'
	  ...I'm sure Dad's gonna laugh out loud and use it for some mild entertainment to complement a drink.
	  You're receiving a call from "The Old Bastard" poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "What, really? Weren't you busy...?"
	  In a way, I had calmed my heart a little just by sending that email. So, I was honestly a bit ticked off that he had unreasonably chosen to call me directly at this time of day.
	  ...So the reason I'm mad...is because I sent him an email, and he was so worried that he called me back directly? I guess sons really are selfish creatures.
	  Toujirou:
	  "I know what you're thinking...  Don't call me, just respond by email, you old bastard. Is that right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "If you know that, just send an email, seriously..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Middle-aged men feel it's faster to just call, instead of typing it all out."
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, but don't you also say you hate talking with Kizuna, since it tires you out?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Oh? You seem pretty bright and chipper for someone who just sent such a neurotic email."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, ...now I'm feeling just fine. Thanks."
	  Miyao:
	  "Dad? ...Earlier, you said something about how the young are the main characters of any era."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Being a main character doesn't mean you just have opportunities handed to you. This isn't a barbershop. You don't just get to sit there while other people do everything for you."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Yeah. I guess so."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Everyone thinks about it when they're young. I did too."
	  The young are always the fodder of the adults. They're the adults' pieces.
	  However, when you find you're no longer young and look around you, you realize that you only had the power to leap off the game board during your youth. ...Once you're middle-aged, it's all over. You can only move in ways that have been laid out for you, and you truly do become a game piece.
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Gauntlet Knights are game changers in military history, right? So, if you say you're just a piece in someone's game, then it's all over for you."
	  Being a game changer means crushing the rules.
	  It means being someone who annihilates the way things have been valued up until that point.
	  Toujirou:
	  "You said that no matter how strong a piece you are, you can't ever escape the game board, right? Are you sure it isn't possible to bust down that rule? At least, for you?"
	  Miyao:
	  "If I break the rules of Gauntlet Knights, what should I try to become that's more than a Gauntlet Knight...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "When I was young, I was in the military's news department. Did I ever tell you why I asked for that position?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Many times. It was because you wanted to stand in the front lines supporting the Walls of Peace, showing people the true nature and value of peace, as well as the truth about how hard it is to protect it. You wanted to contribute to world peace as a reporter, right?"
	  Just like the cost of stocks and petroleum, the cost of peace also changes with the times.
	  Once people start thinking that peace is free, like air, ...they start to neglect it. They treat it as less important.
	  Peace is not free.
	  Those people may praise peace, but it isn't as though peace is eternal.
	  Hoping to prevent people from saying that peace could be won with just a song, as if they were fairies living in a fantasy land...
	  Hoping to prevent them from forgetting the value of peace and its true weight...
	  Dad aimed to become a military reporter, according to him...
	  Toujirou:
	  "However, as I continued working, I quickly felt the same worries you do. In the end, would I just be taking whatever pictures those old higher-ups wanted me to, acting as their game piece?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Toujirou:
	  "So, making use of my ability to interact with countries and factions all over the world, I formed a secret society."
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh? A secret society?!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Oh, don't get the wrong idea. It's one of those. A chivalric order, if you want to go by its flashy name."
	  In the A3W era, the term `chivalric order' had a second meaning, in addition to an organization of knights.
	  It was like a club, where people with the same aims could secretly gather.
	  They would follow a code that only the members knew, and they would keep their existence hidden too. ...In fact, it had nearly all of the elements that would fascinate most boys.
	  However, they weren't thought of as anything profound or mysterious.
	  It was just an exaggerated, more colorful version of what the B3W era would call a club, circle, or group.
	  Of course, the term chivalric order had only starting being used so lightly in the last few decades.
	  Long ago, there were several secret societies known as chivalric orders, such as the Order of the Knights Templar, the Order of the Rosy Cross, and the Order of the Three Kings.
	  They had a history of over a thousand years, and elites all over the world were secret members of them, as they quietly built up worldwide conspiracies to form a new world order. ...In other words, they were the starring role in conspiracy theories, with a mysterious aura about them.
	  Now, however...
	  Middle-aged salarymen drinking buddies would form things like "The Order of the Pub Crawl", and when they saw a new employee who could hold his liquor, they'd invite him to join.
	  When a husband showed up at home after midnight, and his wife demanded to know exactly how much money he had spent, he would play dumb by saying he couldn't tell her, because that would violate his chivalric order's code.
	  In other words, a term that had a thousand year history -- a term that was used to represent secret societies rumored to have assassinated famous historical figures -- had fallen a long way...
	  Toujirou:
	  "At one point, I realized that there were lots of military reporters and officers who felt the same way, in militaries and factions from all over the world. ...Even though they all entered the military to support the Walls of Peace, in reality, they were all getting worn out, being forced to write favorable stories and organizing budgets to make old higher-ups look good."
	  Toujirou:
	  "...But they were military reporters. That was the name of the piece they played, and they couldn't be anything more than that. That's what they all thought."
	  ...That's...just like me.
	  Since I'm a Gauntlet Knight, I can't do anything but fight and pluck the sprouts of war.
	  I was about to lose hope, thinking I had no way to resist the soil or the springtime of war that was making those sprouts grow.
	  So, ...what did Dad do......?
	  He gathered military reporters with similar ideas from across the world...and formed a chivalric order.
	  Miyao:
	  "What...kind of chivalric order was it?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hey now, you'd better not underestimate a chivalric order's code, okay? I can't even tell you, Miyao. Hahaha. Well, simply put, we made a hotline for peace that stretched across multiple factions."
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah, I can see your code's real strict... ...What do you mean by a hotline for peace?"
	  In addition to wars, even fights and estrangement between people can come from poor communication or misunderstandings.
	  Take that famous incident from the B3W era, the Cuban Missile Crisis.
	  A Soviet submarine armed with nuclear weapons was attacked by an American fleet, which didn't know it had nukes.
	  The submarine captain and a political officer concluded that this meant war had broken out between the US and the USSR, ...and they decided to launch a nuclear torpedo.
	  However, a single officer with enough rank to veto a nuclear launch just happened to be on board, and he disagreed with their decision. After a fierce argument, he managed to calm the captain down and got him to rethink launching the torpedo.
	  Officers like this one didn't exist on most submarines.  On most submarines, if the captain and political officer decided to launch, they would be able to immediately enact a nuclear strike.
	  However, by coincidence, an officer with the same rank as the captain was on this submarine, ...so they were forced to consult with him as well about their decision.
	  The existence of a third officer...and his decision not to launch...
	  These two coincidences...would miraculously save humanity from a nuclear war. If either one hadn't happened, ...the A3W era might have been one of sticks and stones.
	  In subsequent investigations, it was concluded that this was humanity's closest brush with nuclear war.
	  Afterwards, a connection was made between the heads of the US and the USSR.
	  And they called it a hotline.
	  A direct phone line was set up so that, in an emergency, the heads of the two governments could talk directly.
	  Even for opposing countries, a lack of communication can lead to even worse situations. This was something that was already -- or perhaps finally -- learned in the A2W era...
	  Toujirou:
	  "I decided to have officers from around the world join my chivalric order, giving rise to a new method of communication between factions."
	  Miyao:
	  "...You mean..."
	  It was just like...the It's a Wrap Public Bath gathering that I created, where we all swore to support the Walls of Peace together...
	  Realizing that I'd done the same thing as my dad without even knowing I was copying him...made me embarrassed in a way only the ciconia-born can understand.
	  Toujirou:
	  "If a military reporter wanted, he could form a network between militaries all over the world."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, you've always been strangely good at making weird friends."
	  Toujirou:
	  "So, I would become friends with military reporters around the world. I'd get them to join my chivalric order. And then we'd communicate. If we did, ...then by looking down from a bird's-eye view, we might see things completely differently."
	  Announcements made by the Foreign Affairs Department or the media are always fundamentally tied to one faction or another, which influences the text of the articles themselves.
	  Even when people don't mean anything wrong by it, ...they talk about news from sources they don't trust in a cautious, suspicious way. And they sometimes discuss news from those they do trust in a carefree, almost naive way.
	  Toujirou:
	  "That sows seeds of misunderstanding and conflict. If you let it sit there, its roots dig in, until there's no way to change it anymore, as has happened many times throughout history."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I wanted to catch those seeds of conflict while they were still seeds, sharing correct information among the members of our Order, and telling all the factions about it, solving misunderstandings and encouraging correct decisions. ...That was my thought process when I formed that Order."
	  ...Crap. ...Dad's starting to sound a little cool to me.
	  Well, yeah. It's not like he was born an old man.
	  He was young for longer than I've been, and now he's a veteran who's still building up life experiences...
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey. How does your chivalric order view the current world situation? In particular, the warlike emotions heating up between the AOU and the COU."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Of course, it's a worrying issue for us. I can't speak of it in detail because of our code, but naturally, we're fighting day after day. All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh, I know that one. It's from Three Person, right? Those were the secret code words of the Order of the Three Kings."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hahahaha. What do you think? Was I able to distract you for a bit?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I think...I'll create a chivalric order too..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I don't see why not. Why don't you form a chivalric order of Gauntlet Knights with your Gauntlet Knight friends? I'm not young anymore, so I'm not sure I can help resolve your real worries."
	  Toujirou:
	  "But, your Gauntlet comrades are in the same generation as you, right? I'm sure they'll be able to give you much better advice than me for getting over all sorts of worries you might have. Then, you won't have to send sentimental emails to your old man at this hour of the night anymore."
	  Miyao:
	  "Sh-Sh-Shut up! Seriously, just when I thought you might actually be a bit reliable as a dad! I won't email you again! Goodnight!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Yeah, goodnight, Miyao. I needed to be distracted for a bit too, so I'm glad we talked. Instead of learning your lesson here, please email me again whenever you want."
	  Miyao:
	  "Like I would, idiot!"
	  Your call with "My Son" has ended poyo!
	  Hahahah, ahahahahah. My son really is adorable.
	  There's no way he'd ever let me, but I wish we could sleep together holding hands again sometime. When he grips my thumb with those tiny fingers, and you feel the warmth of his hand...hihihihihih, hahahahaha...
	  Work hard, Miyao.
	  However, ...the world isn't going to wait around for you to start.
	  I'm sure Miyao thinks this eve-of-war atmosphere is, as a kid would put it, the beginning of the end.
	  The beginning of the end? You're behind the times.
	  Here's how it should go:@
	  Once it's begun, it already has ended.
	  This was a virtual room used by the chivalric order headed by Toujirou.
	  He led a chivalric order that had access to a network of intelligence officers from countries all over the world.
	  And, as he had told Miyao, it was possible for them to analyze facts and circumstances across the planet from multiple angles.
	  Thanks to this power, they were aware of military events in particular before they were publicly announced, and when that information influenced military-connected businesses, they were able to sell it and build up a vast store of wealth and even more connections.
	  ...And now.
	  By taking a bird's-eye view of the state of countries around the planet, where war might break out at any time, ...they were able to control and manipulate information even more than usual...
	  <Grand Master Toujirou, we've obtained the minutes of a COU assembly meeting. I'm sending you them now.>
	  Toujirou:
	  "There we go. Nice, very nice. They're dancing splendidly, aren't they? We have no problems in the AOU either. In fact, the flames are even easier to fan here. In a nation without ciconia, very few of the common people interact with generations other than their own. Just by pushing the right buttons for each generation, they dance along quite easily."
	  <It's easy in the COU too. Their old world sense of values, bound by family and region, makes them extremely weak to pressure to submit to their elders. The fact that they refused to reform that philosophy in the A3W world makes them a failure in this era.>
	  Toujirou:
	  "Not at all. For better or worse, they all feel much more human than those countries that chased out the stork."
	  In the virtual room, TV broadcasts and public opinion graphs from the AOU and COU kept on appearing, one after another.
	  ...In the mere two weeks since the start of December, public opinion in both factions had reached a level of agitation that placed them on the brink of war.
	  Toujirou:
	  "People are so easy. ...Why don't they try to judge things by their own will, using their own eyes and ears?"
	  <As you have said, Grand Master, it's because information is becoming like fast food. The foolish masses don't want to spend money on it.>
	  Similar to hunger, a desire for knowledge and information exists in people.
	  Everyone supposedly knows that if you don't acquire good information, you'll be tricked or confused, and you stand to lose a lot in the end. And yet...
	  Toujirou:
	  "No one tries to gather information with their own hands. ...They go to a free information site they like, or a TV program, or maybe a newspaper, and think they've gathered all the information the world has to offer."
	  <When people know that someone of unknown origins has prepared their food, they become unsettled and refuse to eat. But when it comes to information, they accept it blindly and believe it, without thinking about who might have tampered with it. ...Then again, because idiots like that exist all over the world, we're able to make a quick buck. Heheheh.>
	  As a result of heightening concerns about food safety, people started checking the calorie count, as well as data regarding pesticides, production sites, and producers of their food in detail. At the end of the B3W era, they would even publish pictures of the faces of farmers who grew the sesame seeds on hamburger buns.
	  So, how does this compare to how they check their information?
	  How many people actually check the composition, ingredients, production sites, and producers that make up the information they're given?
	  Articles are always presented as impartial and middle of the road, written to seem politically neutral, and the information sources that are their ingredients are often military officials or interested parties who may not even exist.  There are even tons of articles where the producer, aka the journalist who wrote it, is unnamed.
	  And yet, people gobble them up.
	  When it comes to food, people care about calories and sugar content and additives, ...but for information, they're like dogs immediately gulping down whatever they find lying on the side of the road.
	  There are people who try to eat with a healthy nutritional balance, ...but does anyone try to intake information with a healthy balance?
	  After all, any sort of nutritional imbalance is unhealthy...
	  Toujirou:
	  "Oh, right. By the way, the mishap at that ACR agricultural plant is about to become public knowledge, so I assume you've sold off all your stock in it, yes?"
	  <Naturally. Natural disasters and wars are always opportunities for profit, if you know about them beforehand. This truly is a wonderful chivalric order, Grand Master. I'm truly honored to have been invited to join. Heheheh.>
	  Toujirou:
	  "You know, I told my son I lead a chivalric order for the sake of justice, but I really am a villain, aren't I?"
	  <Heheheheh, heheheheh. Now then, Grand Master, it's time for us to make a killing again.>
	  "Comrade 211" has exited the room poyo!
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Heh...heheheh."
	  Go on, rake in the money. ...Though, pretty soon, there might not be a world to spend it in...
	  "Grand Master Seshat" has entered the room poyo!
	  Seshat:
	  "Nice work. I just read the logs. You've got them dancing well, both the COU and the AOU."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If we call them balloons of war, then they're just about ready to burst. Now, if we just poke them with a very small number of events, *pop*"
	  Seshat:
	  "Still, your Order of the Wisteria has a lot of hard workers in it. Everyone in my order is so eccentric."
	  Toujirou:
	  "When you've got an eccentric commander, it's only natural that the members will be eccentric too. Well, my Order is directly based on greed, and no one works harder than a greedy person."
	  Seshat:
	  "After all, money is a wonderful concept, which humanity created to make prosperity visible to the eye. They're gathering information for the sake of money, buying and selling and raking it in. ...I imagine your members really are giving it their all in their work."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Still, ...they haven't seen through to our real plans."
	  Seshat:
	  "They're working well as our arms and legs. Ahahahahah."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Now, all we need are the needles to pop this puffed up war balloon."
	  Seshat:
	  "This is the Three Kings we're talking about, so I suppose they're utterly prepared for that, without any loose ends. I'll bet they've got a whole bunch of those ready to go."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Well, I have been forced to handle several of them myself."
	  Seshat:
	  "I doubt you really hate it. You're a masochist, after all. You just love being given impossible demands and being spun about."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Though I wish it was for a sultry babe, rather than three old people."
	  Seshat:
	  "Ahahahah. Well, I'll leave the room now. Thanks for the minutes from the COU assembly meeting. I'll try following the movements of the Order of the Holy Ark right after this. ...By the way, have you really not heard anything since then? From your ex-wife."
	  Toujirou:
	  "She's already completely graduated from life and has nothing tying her down. She said her life as someone else's game piece is over, so she'll spend the rest of her time living just for her hobbies. She probably doesn't want to go out of her way to contact a husband from the time when she was a piece. And I'm getting to enjoy the single life again too."
	  Seshat:
	  "Is that really true?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "It is. Since then, I haven't heard a peep from my ex-wife. I wonder where she's living her second life now."
	  Seshat:
	  "............"
	  Seshat:
	  "Toujirou."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Yes, Grand Master?"
	  Seshat:
	  "In accordance with our Order's code, I won't doubt what you've just said. ...However, make sure that you at least don't betray our Order's long-held wishes..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I won't betray you."
	  Seshat:
	  "I don't mind if you betray me. It's natural for men and women to betray each other. ...However."
	  Seshat:
	  "A betrayal of our Order is the one thing I will not forgive. That is our code."
	  Toujirou:
	  "And I've sworn not to break it, Grand Master."
	  Seshat:
	  "......After all, I don't want to have to pass judgement on you, Toujirou. ...Don't forget that......"
	  Toujirou:
	  "......Of course, Grand Master."
	  Grand Master Seshat has exited the room poyo!
	  "Jestress" has entered the room poyo!
	  Jestress:
	  "Well, you sure kept me waiting... Were you having a long conversation with someone?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "I was a bit busy with work for my own chivalric order. Sorry I wasn't able to contact you."
	  Jestress:
	  "I see you're working hard. The Three Kings have commanded that you be suitably rewarded for overseeing this work."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I'm glad. That's probably the highest sort of praise the Three Kings can give."
	  Jestress:
	  "With this, the buds of war have filled to bursting. We just need for them to explode."
	  Toujirou:
	  "You've got more than enough pins to pop the balloon, right?"
	  Jestress:
	  "The 76 chivalric orders owned by one or another of the kings are already fully prepared. However, your Order of the Wisteria has done splendid work equal to all 76 of those orders. It's possible that your strength alone might have been enough to start World War IV."
	  Toujirou:
	  "We've spent so much time getting ready for the party. I do hope the invitations arrive safely."
	  Jestress:
	  "They will, that's for certain."
	  The Three Kings said that they didn't want to leave even as many survivors as World War III had.
	  They were carrying this out with the intention of assuredly wiping out all of humanity, believing that even so, many would surely survive and become the seeds of a new world.
	  However, if they overdid it just a little, the certain extinction of humanity would be the result.
	  Jestress:
	  "I'm sure they'll come to the party. After all, this is humanity's last party. If they don't come, the Kings will eat up everything, leaving not even a single plate behind..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Perfect. Even so, I hope someone resolutely survives, becoming the seeds of a new humanity in a new era."
	  Jestress:
	  "By the way, what would you like as a reward? They gave me strict orders to come here and ask you that."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I see. ...In that case-"
	  Jestress:
	  "Don't say my body."
	  Toujirou:
	  "No, no. I want *that*."
	  Jestress:
	  "Huh? This...?"
	  What Toujirou pointed at with his thumb...was the mask covering her face.
	  Strictly speaking, it wasn't a mask, but a visor-shaped wearable terminal.
	  It was an item that had been popular in the era before mental displays could be used to control anything.
	  Jestress:
	  "No way. I'm fond of this."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I won't ask you for the real thing. I only want you to remove it from your avatar, just when you're meeting me in this virtual room. I suppose that's the reward I want."
	  Jestress:
	  "............"
	  Toujirou:
	  "...No good?"
	  Jestress:
	  "...I don't really mind. After all, if the Three Kings hear about this, they'll definitely tell me to agree to a little reward like that."
	  Jestress:
	  "Hold on. ...I don't have an avatar without a visor. ...I'm making a surface map."
	  Looking just a little awkward, Jestress did some sort of processing for a while.
	  Apparently, obeying a demand to show part of her body she usually kept hidden to the opposite sex was embarrassing for her...
	  Jestress:
	  "I did it..."
	  Toujirou:
	  ".................."
	  Jestress removed her visor.
	  ...Beneath it...was the face of a troubled woman who still had a bit of youth in her, ...in contrast to her adult behavior...
	  Jestress:
	  "Is it what you expected...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "It reminds me of the time we first met."
	  Jestress:
	  "How many times do I have to tell you...to stop doing that...?"
	  
	  "Jayden" has entered the room.
	  "Gunhild" has entered the room.
	  Miyao:
	  "Sorry for calling you two at such a weird time."
	  Jayden:
	  "Don't worry about it, partner. Call for us whenever you like."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'd prefer if you did worry a little, and made an appointment reasonably far in advance. Heheh."
	  Jayden:
	  "So? What's this thing you wanted to say to just the Warcats?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "This is Miyao we're talking about. He must be worrying really hard about something..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, ...that's just it."
	  Jayden:
	  "Tell us. Stop beating around the bush."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "...I wanted to talk about this because I believe you two are my true friends, not just war buddies."
	  Gunhild:
	  "We always put our lives in each others' hands while in the skies, right? Knowing that, why go out of your way to say you believe we're true friends...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "I figured it was something to do with Meow, ...but is it something more serious...?"
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  Miyao:
	  "...We're guardians who support the Walls of Peace, right...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Of course."
	  Miyao:
	  "We pluck the sprouts of war and defend peace."
	  Jayden:
	  "That's right. What's your point?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What do you think the sprouts of war are, practically speaking?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I see. We've been using that phrase, but it's quite abstract."
	  Miyao:
	  "For example, ...though the COU probably has their own views on the matter, the Glass Sea hasn't had any military bases on it until recently. Even if the two Japans disagree on whether it should be neutral territory or split in two, it was at least respected as a World War Relic, and both armies avoided using it as a station for military power."
	  Jayden:
	  "If they try to set up bases there, that really is a sprout of war. Do that, and the Glass Sea will practically belong to COU Japan. AOU Japan can't afford to just accept that, so they'd be forced to use military power in some way, like the strike that actually happened. In the end, both sides would start talking tough, and military forces would clash."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If that's a situation that should be avoided, then yes, I suppose you could say that the COU bases were sprouts of war."
	  Miyao:
	  "Then, what do you think of Rethabile's group from the ACR and the AOU Atlantic Fleet?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, the Atlantic Fleet came asking for a fight. If Rethabile and the others didn't repel them, they'd advance into the Atlantis Spirit Field, maybe leading to a naval battle. If the Atlantic Fleet hadn't come, there would be peace, so the Atlantic Fleet was the sprout of war, right? In other words, it's the fault of whoever attacks first!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you stick to that argument, then we were the sprouts of war when we attacked the COU base on the Glass Sea."
	  Jayden:
	  "No, no. The sprouts of war there were the guys who attacked by setting up bases on a World War Relic. We weren't attacking, we were responding to an attack."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wouldn't that mean...
	  that the Atlantic Fleet was responding to an attack too? While the AOU and the ACR were still arguing over the Atlantis Spirit Field, the ACR one-sidedly cut off negotiations and occupied it using military force. Wouldn't that mean that both sides were sprouts of war?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-Yeah...... You're right, I'm not...really sure anymore..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If Rethabile's group hadn't repelled the Atlantic Fleet, there's no telling what might have happened in the seas around the Atlantis Spirit Field. In that sense, the Atlantic Fleet was the sprout of war. However, if the Atlantis Spirit Field hadn't been one-sidedly occupied, the Atlantic Fleet wouldn't have been called in to attack. In that sense, the mining base on the Atlantis Spirit Field is the sprout of war."
	  Miyao:
	  "Lingji's Baibao attacked the ABN mining machines that had started one-sidedly mining in the Kashmir Spirit Field. Their position was exactly the opposite of Rethabile's. ...According to any definition I can think of, one of them must have been in the wrong..."
	  Jayden:
	  "...Haah.
	   ...So, basically, you've been worrying about crazy stuff late into the night again, Miyao."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, compared to Jayden, who doesn't worry at all, there's room to debate which of you is the more normal human being."
	  Jayden:
	  "Quiet, you. Still, I think I get what you're trying to say, Miyao. If we don't get that straight, we might say we're guarding peace, but we could end up helping the exact opposite happen."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Jayden, aren't we soldiers who serve under the AOU Combined Military?"
	  Jayden:
	  "...Well, yeah. When we take orders, it isn't our job to think about whether they're justified or not."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, that doesn't mean we aren't guardians of the Walls of Peace, yeah? We're Second Lieutenants in the AOU Combined Military, but we're also comrades defending peace across the world, not just the little organization called the AOU."
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks, Jayden. ...What I've been worrying about all this time...is how to balance those two things."
	  If they were given a mission that clearly contributed to peace, there would be no need to worry.
	  However,  going forward, ...they might be given missions that did the complete opposite.
	  The other day, ace kette from four factions had succeeded in their operations.
	  Miyao's group from the AOU had destroyed a base that was being built on the Glass Sea.
	  Rethabile's group had instead defended their spirit field base.
	  On the other hand, Lingji's group from the COU had attacked mining machines on their opponent's spirit field base.
	  Those three had taken place in disputed territory, but the mission carried out by Thalathat Suyuf of the ABN had been to recover a Leader of Peace who had been taken in for questioning, penetrating into ACR territory to do so.
	  All four factions claimed that they had done these things to pluck the sprouts of war.
	  Of course, the aces who took part in them were also proud to have plucked the sprouts of war...
	  Miyao:
	  "That's what scares me."
	  Jayden:
	  "............"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Hypothetically, ...if you were given a mission that was to the AOU's benefit, but would clearly become a sprout of war, what would you do?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Would you become...one of those so-called conscientious objectors...?"
	  In the AOU Combined Military, you were allowed to individually refuse a mission, if it conflicted with your conscience or beliefs.
	  ...However, in practical terms, doing so was almost suicidal, as you'd be labeling yourself as one unfit for society.
	  Not only did becoming a conscientious objector require quite a lot of complicated paperwork, but even if it was accepted, you would certainly be demoted or forced to accept a voluntary discharge.
	  It would leave a heavy mark on your record, and even when applying for a job at most companies, you'd be blocked as early as the AI background check. In other words, you wouldn't be able to find work through normal means.
	  Rumor had it that you would also be placed on government and police watch lists, and at various times throughout your life, when security would normally allow people to pass right through, you would always be called to a stop and inspected...
	  Miyao:
	  "...How are we guardians of peace?"
	  Jayden:
	  "You've got a point. ...At this rate, our own future lifestyles will be held hostage, and we'll be forced to go along with whatever the higher-ups say is justice. We didn't become Gauntlet Knights to get pushed around by old men. We did it to protect the Walls of Peace and bring peace to the world, right?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'm pretty sure I've heard you two say you became Gauntlet Knights because you wanted to fly. *giggle*"
	  Gunhild:
	  "However, your original aims don't matter at all. ...If you've now realized that you stand at the peak of the world's military power, and that maybe you should act of your own volition for the sake of world peace, then I think that means you've grown a lot as human beings."
	  Gunhild:
	  "However, you should keep all of this quiet. If Okonogi heard us talking about this, for example, there might even be an inquiry."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Achoo!! Waaachhoo!!!"
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "I get it. I realize...that us talking about this is a seriously big deal. That's why...I'm only saying this to the kette of Warcats I trust."
	  Jayden:
	  "If it's a seriously big deal, then bring it on! I'll always protect my friends' secrets!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "What you're saying is something I've been vaguely thinking myself."
	  Miyao:
	  "We have too much power.
	   ...That's something that we, the militaries using us, and everyone in the world at large doesn't understand. ...Gauntlet Knights are invincible. So, no matter what sort of ridiculous missions we're given, we'll complete them."
	  Miyao:
	  "...If that power is only used to properly pluck the sprouts of war, that's okay. However, given the current overexcited wartime mood, blindly believing that our missions are always 100% justified is the same as abandoning our jobs as guardians of peace. That's what I think, at least..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I see. ...So that's why you started thinking about what we really mean by `sprouts of war'."
	  Jayden:
	  "If our mission is justified, then it's okay to get it done with 120% of our power! But if we find out that it isn't... ............ ...Then what?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Gunhild:
	  "............"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I see. So that's why you couldn't sleep."
	  Jayden:
	  "Seriously, if we're given an unjust mission, what should we do...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I...want to form a chivalric order."
	  Jayden:
	  "A chivalric order...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Are you...serious...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "When Gauntlet Knights in this Order are given missions, and they judge that the actions included in those missions won't contribute to supporting the Walls of Peace, ...they'll refuse to do them."
	  Jayden:
	  "S-So you *are* talking about becoming a conscientious objector!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you did that, you'd just be demoted, and a person who cared more about sucking up to the higher-ups would be put in your place."
	  Gunhild:
	  "What Miyao means is..."
	  Miyao:
	  "During our Glass Sea operation, our targets were unmanned antiaircraft vehicles. We were told not to cause unnecessary casualties if possible, but since it was a military action, the option of eliminating those who got in our way was left on the table. ...Where those middle-aged soldiers might've blown everything away, including the enemy troops, we accurately hit just their weak points, resulting in zero human casualties."
	  Jayden:
	  "That's true. For us, it isn't impossible to carry out our mission, while also eliminating all unnecessary damage."
	  Miyao:
	  "However, even so, ...it's possible we'll be given a mission which forces us to cause casualties. When that happens, ...members of the Order...will prioritize being guardians of peace over being soldiers."
	  Jayden:
	  "W-Wait, does that mean..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheh. That's quite an outrageous thing you've said."
	  It was a shocking statement, one that would surely lead to an inquiry even if it was only rumored about.
	  For a soldier to say that he would sometimes refuse missions based on his own judgement of the situation... Well, considering the times, it wouldn't be strange for him to be arrested or shot.
	  Gunhild:
	  "So, if you were given an order where attacking actually meant giving birth to sprouts of war..."
	  Miyao:
	  "I would accept the mission as a soldier. However, as a guardian of peace, I wouldn't let it succeed."
	  Jayden:
	  "Our top ace Miyao, failing in a mission? Is that even possible?"
	  Miyao:
	  "We could talk our way around it in a bunch of ways, by calling it an equipment malfunction, or saying we screwed up! Anyway, we'll reduce the casualties from our attacks to as close to zero as possible! The best situation is when we're intercepted by a Gauntlet Knight from the opposing side. We can just make it look like the battle ended as a draw and we pulled out."
	  Jayden:
	  "Whoa, whoa, seriously...? This is getting crazy...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "However! When it's a mission where we can pluck sprouts of war, then of course we'll run wild without mercy!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Hahahahahah, wahahahaha! I guess you suddenly saying crazy stuff is nothing new, Miyao. ...Haah,
	   you really are one crazy Gauntlet Monster, aren't you?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "From the start, I always hated those middle-aged and old men who acted so important and only ever thought about themselves! That's why I thought that becoming a Gauntlet Knight who could fly freely through the sky would be the perfect career for me. Still, the one thing I never liked was having to be absolutely obedient to their orders."
	  Jayden:
	  "And besides, our job is to support the Walls of Peace. It isn't to push them over towards the other side."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Jayden!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I'm in, partner! I'll join your chivalric order! The truth is, even I didn't like those enthusiastic, irresponsible people who thought war was a game of football or something! We've gotta remind them that the real guardians of peace are us, the coolest-thinking ones, who actually have bullets and explosions raining down on us in the front lines."
	  Once, in the era when armies fought to protect their national interests, it was acceptable for them to harm the national interests of other countries.
	  But the A3W world is different.
	  Humanity was brought to the brink of destruction by a nuclear war, but then, they recovered.
	  And, they formed a healthy military balance. Militaries around the world swore to support not only their national interests, but also the Walls of Peace along with their comrades, under the battle standard of peace.
	  And yet, the old men of the military were still stuck in the B3W mindset that only what was good for their country mattered, and they had mistakenly grown to think of the military as a tool to accomplish that goal.
	  A3W militaries don't just exist to protect national interests. They have to be guardians of peace on top of that...!
	  Gunhild:
	  "We still need to work out the details, but I support Miyao's establishment of a chivalric order too."
	  Miyao:
	  "Gunhild... Thanks!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "In the era when militaries were made up of large numbers of people, the sense of justice held by a single soldier had no value, which is the excuse all soldiers have used to abandon their own senses of justice. ...However, we Gauntlet Knights are different."
	  Jayden:
	  "Because even a single Gauntlet Knight...is a military force."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Right now, we need a stronger sense of justice and desire for peace than ever before."
	  Can peace be protected by the determination of a single soldier? Can this prevent a world war?
	  How can that be possible, unless you're a president or a shogun?
	  And yet, it is.
	  It was a single officer who refused to fire a nuclear torpedo in the Cuban Missile Crisis.
	  If he hadn't resolutely refused, the earth would've been wrapped in atomic fire well before the 21st century.
	  There are other cases that were learned of later, where nuclear war was stopped by the decision of a single soldier.
	  It isn't impossible for one soldier to stop a world war.
	  Miyao:
	  "If the Order only has us three in it, it won't mean anything. Its power will only be massive if we expand it a lot more, ...getting all the Gauntlet Knights and candidates who met at the Public Bath to agree to it."
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah. If Gauntlet Knights around the world agree to it, there's no way the Walls of Peace will shake! After all, no matter what sprouts of war pop up, at least one of the Gauntlet Knights will pluck it! And when they're on missions where they themselves would become sprouts of war, they'll screw up on purpose or lose. We'll eradicate the sprouts of war!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's actually a lot like what Jayden bragged about earlier, about forming an army of peace out of Gauntlet Knights across the planet."
	  Miyao:
	  "I think a lot of my inspiration came from that. However, an army of peace won't mean anything unless Gauntlet Knights around the world participate. At worst, that army itself might become a sprout of war."
	  Gunhild:
	  "In practical terms, this is like a coup d'état. By itself, it's practically World War IV already. Heheheh."
	  Jayden:
	  "But if we're a secret chivalric order, we'll be able to act quietly. It won't become a sprout of war. And even if only some of us agree to do whatever they can, we'll still be able to do something for the Walls of Peace."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right. Of course, the more people we have, the better. But we can still do a little, even if just some of us agree!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Just casually listening to this, it sounds like you're saying a bunch of crazy, outrageous things. However, ...that's proof that we've been bound by old values...and have abandoned being guardians of peace."
	  Jayden:
	  "It's different from my idea, but if I gave you the inspiration, I guess I really am a supergenius!"
	  Miyao:
	  "The young are the main characters of any era, right?! If we drag our heels, waiting to change the era after all the old guys have gone, then we'll be middle-aged or geezers ourselves. When that happens, we'll already be in an era that's different from the one we know, and what we're trying to do might be off the mark. So, now is the time! We need to have a strong resolve if we're going to protect peace ourselves."
	  Jayden:
	  "This is all crazy talk anyway, ...but will anyone other than us agree to it? What will Grave Mole think?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Actually, this all seemed so interesting, so I just told Chloe about it while we were talking in another room. She seemed interested, so should I let her enter this room?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sure, I don't mind."
	  "Chloe" has entered the room poyo!
	  Chloe:
	  "I thought the same thing! This whole time, I've been thinking that the kinds of armies our higher-ups want aren't really guardians of the Walls of Peace＞＜ I support Miyao's Order, and I want to join it!"
	  Militaries always declare that they'll protect peace for their homelands. At least, that's how it was supposed to be, up until the end of the B3W era.
	  Now, in the A3W era, militaries have no friends or foes. They're all comrades who support the Walls of Peace.
	  At the start of the A3W era, during the prime of a generation that had experienced a world-destroying war, this philosophy held a lot of sway.
	  However, as peace continued, they started competing in Battle Standard Festivals, where militaries fought over medals for their own countries and against others. The military started to be viewed as an organization for surpassing other countries.
	  So, a lot of irresponsible people were now carelessly driving their countries' militaries towards war, thinking of it like a sports competition.
	  It was time for militaries to return to their original philosophy, that of being guardians who supported the Walls of Peace.
	  Chloe:
	  "What Miyao's saying isn't sabotage, and it certainly isn't a coup d'etat! It's a naturally justified thing, an attempt to once again follow our true principles as guardians of peace, which people have forgotten because peace continued for so long＞＜!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "...Chloe can be surprisingly fiery."
	  Miyao:
	  "She's really interesting when she gets excited."
	  Chloe:
	  "The circle of this Order doesn't just envelop all of the AOU! We're going to the COU, and the ABN, and the ACR, and LATO! All our comrades wearing Gauntlets on their left arms should participate!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Yes, everyone who gathered at that Public Bath should support it! And when everyone makes another oath, this time to form a chivalric order, we Gauntlet Knights will bear witness to humanity's first establishment of peace brought about by the hands of young people, the true main characters of the era!
	   Long live Mitake Miyao's Chivalric Order
	   Long live Grand Master Mitake Miyao!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "No, no, no, you're getting too excited. Calm down a bit..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'm glad you feel that way, Chloe, but will the other two in Grave Mole agree...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "They did agree! I made them agree! I won't let them complain, and they didn't＞＜!!"
	  "Koshka" has entered the room poyo!
	  "Lilja" has entered the room poyo!
	  Koshka:
	  "...So basically, it's a chivalric order that means it's okay to skip work sometimes?"
	  Lilja:
	  "We'll get to take it easy, so we'd like to join this order too meooow!"
	  Chloe:
	  "This isn't an Order for slacking off!
	  langen@
	   It's an Order for truly protecting peace by proactively refusing jobs that go against peace＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "So basically, whenever Chloe orders us to slack off, we can do whatever we want."
	  Lilja:
	  "Koshka is a nincompoop, so I'm sure she'll hold back in ways that make it obvious she's slacking off meow. I'll tell on her to Okonogi, and she'll get in big trouble meow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'm slyer than I look. ...And if you do a bad job at holding back, Lilja, I'll tell on you to Okonogi right away."
	  Lilja:
	  "And if Chloe does a bad job holding back, I'll tell on her to Okonogi too meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "If Chloe screws up, I'll tell on her to Okonogi right away too."
	  Chloe:
	  "Why am I the only one they're both focusing on, waaaaaah＞＜"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Do you two seriously agree to support us?"
	  Lilja:
	  "What do you mean by seriously meow?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Depending on what they get you with, you might have to go through an inquiry."
	  Koshka:
	  "Let them do it if they want. I'm Geroy equipment. I get killed every time I go in for maintenance. Nothing scares me now, except when my OS gives itself a forced update partway through a limited time WanyaDora event battle."
	  Lilja:
	  "And it's not scary at all to me, compared to the thought of Koshka waking up some morning as a super beautiful girl, who doesn't use hick words and doesn't have bed hair meooooow."
	  Koshka:
	  "What are you talking about,
	   you're the one who always has bed hair."
	  Lilja:
	  "I don't wanna hear that from a girl who sometimes has sweet potato fries and biscuit crumbs in her hair meow. Grrrrr, skreeee!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Hey, you two! We're talking about something serious, so please listen＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Skreee, skreereereee!!!"
	  
	  Koshka:
	  "Wanna have a go, wanna have a go?"
	  
	  The next instant, their avatars buzzed and warped... It looked like the result of extreme electrical noise.
	  Apparently, Chloe had pushed their punishment button.
	  Chloe:
	  "We're talking about something serious＞＜ Please, listen to meeeeee＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "...Aah..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Enough...with the shocking..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Lilja, Koshka, you're both in a sensitive position, right? I'm glad you've agreed to join, but it might be awful if this gets out."
	  Koshka:
	  "I won't let those annoying middle-aged guys and old men have their way. If I can do that even a little, then it's more than interesting enough for me."
	  Miyao:
	  "This isn't just some prank. Do you really understand that?"
	  Lilja:
	  "No, we don't meow. Koshka and I are stupid, after all."
	  Lilja:
	  "So, we don't know what we should do or how. Because we're stupid. Meeeeew."
	  Koshka:
	  "That's why you thought it up for the sake of us idiots, right? ...A way to make the world peaceful and happy."
	  Koshka:
	  "We don't get what sprouts of war are, or how to deal with them. But, ...if you tell us, there are things we can do."
	  Lilja:
	  "What our targets are, how to attack them, and what not to attack... We'll leave all the hard stuff like that to Chloe meow."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hah, hahahaha...! Seriously, it really is hard for you two to be honest about how you feel!"
	  Chloe:
	  "These two have also suffered under this world's unfairness for a long, long time. ...They know there are a lot of bad adults out there who use them -- who use children -- as food. Of course, they didn't believe in the sort of peace those adults spouted. But now, for the first time, we've heard young people we can trust calling for peace."
	  Koshka:
	  "Yeah, yeah, what she said. If you give me five slimy rares, I'll give you 10 scallop candies. ...Oh, sorry, wrong chat."
	  Lilja:
	  "Chloe, I'm in the middle of a battle with this hick girl, so can we leave for a bit meow?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Yeah, that's enough. Thanks for supporting us＞＜"
	  "Lilja" and "Koshka" have left the room poyo!
	  Chloe:
	  "...Because of their personalities, it's impossible for those girls to say what they really think. ...Still, they were really moved by what you said, Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "I-Is that so...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Yes."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Considering their personalities, the very fact that they showed up at all tells us that."
	  Jayden:
	  "And they were even in the middle of a game!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...I see. You...have a point there."
	  Chloe:
	  "Koshka and Lilja...hate adults and this world. ...So, they also hate it when adults talk about justice and peace. I think that's why...they were really happy when one of their comrades, Miyao, showed them the way towards justice and peace."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Jayden:
	  "If that's true, they could've at least said it! Without Chloe's translation, we'd be clueless."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheh... If you're thinking Kizuna can translate all emotions, I suppose that means you're still Superkid Jayden."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hahahahahahahah...! You're totally Superkid Jayden! Ahahahahahahahaah......"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao, she may not look it, but Chloe really does have her act together. She told those two because she was very confident that they would support us if she did. There's no need to worry about them being loose-lipped or misunderstanding."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's not what I was thinking. I think I just blanked out because I was happy, or surprised, or confused. I mean, as soon I announced that I'd be making a chivalric order, we suddenly got six members."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey! Since my idea was the inspiration for it, that means I get to give the Order a name, right?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh?! I'm the one who proposed it! I made this chivalric order! So I get to name it!"
	  Jayden:
	  "It's the Super Ultimate Peaceful Great Marvelous...ummm!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "It's the Dark Shadow Silent Justice Hammer Holy Sword of Justice...ummm...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "This'll be one of those things where we just call it the Order of the Public Bath (temporary name), and that ends up becoming its real name. ...The Order of the Public Bath. ...That name's so wonderful, it makes me want to leave right now. Heheheheheh..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Now then, Miyao, I'm sorry to rain on your parade, but the one thing we should decide is our policy going forward. First, we should decide on who is qualified to join. If everyone invites whatever friends they want, not only will it get out of control, but considering the type of Order this is, it will make joining extremely risky."
	  Miyao:
	  "I understand that. I'm confident that this Order will be able to contribute to protecting world peace. ...However, as it's a secret Order, I think we should reveal it only to people we can trust."
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah. If everyone joined, that'd be kinda uncool! If we want to only let vetted people join, then it's probably best if our leader, Miyao, is the only one who recruits people directly."
	  Miyao:
	  "I guess we'll do it like that for now. Still, nominations are welcome."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Just as an example, if aces from other factions agree to join, it might be best to delegate the job of recruitment to some of them too. We can leave that decision to Grand Master Miyao's judgement."
	  Jayden:
	  "Grand Master Miyao? I like the sound of that! Wheeew, you're so cool!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't make fun of me. ...For the COU, I'd like to talk with Lingji. For the ACR, I guess it'd be Rethabile."
	  Jayden:
	  "Lingji and Rethabile are leaders, after all. If they agree, things'll move quickly!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, ...if they're in different factions, that means they'll think about things differently too. ...For example, Rethabile is an ACR princess, right? If we ask a princess to prioritize world peace by sometimes turning a blind eye to ACR defeats, will she really agree...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao, in the It's a Wrap Public Bath, there are no social classes or nationalities. We're just a group of young Gauntlet Knights who love to fly, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...You're right. If I think this might not work before I even tell them about it, I'll fail as a leader of an Order working towards world peace."
	  Jayden:
	  "From what I've seen of Rethabile, she's a woman with a positive attitude, whose pretty good at being understanding. I'm pretty sure she'll listen seriously to what we have to say."
	  Miyao:
	  "And as for Lingji, I've been exchanging emails with her now and then, and she's an incredibly serious person. So, I'm sure she'll listen to us."
	  Jayden:
	  "Whaaat?! So she's your type, huh, Miyao?
	   You little rascal!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey, it's not like that, stop clinging to me..."
	  Jayden:
	  "I get it. In that case, shouldn't we invite the ABN and those big sisters from LATO too?"
	  Miyao:
	  "For the ABN, ...I guess it'd be Stanisław. But he seems kind of cold, or maybe like he'd just ignore us..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I've been emailing him recently, and he too has been worrying over how he can contribute to world peace. I'm absolutely certain that he won't ignore you."
	  Jayden:
	  "Wait, you too, Gunhild?! So, you like cool-headed men like that, huh?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Looking at his Kizuna wallpaper, I realized that we share the same hobbies and taste in music. I'm currently in the process of inviting him into my Order of the Blood-Vomiting Death Growls."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Didn't you say your hobby is making cute felt crafts?"
	  Jayden:
	  "You really have to admire the range of Gunhild's hobbies..."
	  Miyao:
	  "In that case, I guess I'll ask you to recruit Stanisław."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Roger that. I'm sure he'll listen to us. And, he's wise, so I'm sure he'll give us good advice."
	  Miyao:
	  "All that's left...are the big sisters from LATO. ...They're older, so it feels a bit awkward to invite them."
	  Jayden:
	  "I think you're misunderstanding them. Both Valentina and Maricarmen are surprisingly friendly and understanding once you get to know them."
	  Gunhild:
	  "How do you know that?"
	  Jayden:
	  "I've been exchanging personal emails with the two of them lately, heheheh..."
	  Meow:
	  "Oh? So, you're into the big sister type, Jayden? You little rascal..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? Did you say something, Miyao?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...No. ...*I* said nothing."
	  And so, the Order of the Public Bath (temporary name) gained the approval of both Warcat and Grave Mole, so easily that it surprised even me.
	  Going forward, we should probably judge the situation carefully and reach out to other kette in the AOU.
	  However, the most vital part of this is our comrades in other factions.
	  If we can get people in all factions to support us, the Order of the Public Bath (temporary name) will be able to support the Walls of Peace even more strongly.
	  There's no way we'll do the bidding of those overexcited adults, ...becoming game pieces in wars.
	  You aren't the only main characters in this world.
	  We young people are the main characters.
	  We've had enough of being game pieces that just move when someone orders us.
	  We'll think this through on our own, moving for the sake of world peace.
	  That's what the Order of the Public Bath (temporary name) does...
	  ..................
	  We really need to think of a better name fast. ...If this name sticks, that'd just be too uncool...
	  ...I say that, ...but the room name It's a Wrap Public Bath still exists to this day...
	  I get the feeling I've started something incredible.
	  ...But still, right after I heard Dad was in a chivalric order, I started copying him, didn't I...?
	  It's embarrassing, ...so I guess I'll keep it a secret from him...
	  #e7e7e7It looks like that Miyao has started saying something weird again. ...I'm not sure how much this experiment will affect the current situation, but if we want to crush it, it should be easy to do so with a single tip-off. As you said, Jestress, I think it should be okay to let them run with it for the time being. It might be possible to make use of this. For now, I'll wait and see what happens, while pretending to approve of Miyao's chivalric order.
	  #e7e7e7All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path...
	  
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hahahahahaha, aaah. You're so cute, Miyao."
	  Toujirou:
	  "So, right after I talk to you about chivalric orders, you make one yourself, even though you're constantly making fun of me? ...You really are adorable. Aaahhh, Miyao, *kiss*kiss*♪ Hihi, hihi, hahahahaha."
	  Toujirou:
	  "......Hmm? No, I don't mind at all. Miyao thought it up himself and is taking action on his own. Let him do as he pleases."
	  Toujirou:
	  "......That's true enough. This might become a problem if anyone hears about it. But there's no need to worry. ......Very soon, they'll be so busy that none of this will matter."
	  *kero*kero*kero*! 15 minutes have passed poyo! *kero*kero*kero*!
	  Toujirou:
	  "Sorry, it's time for me to go back to work. Thanks for telling me."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hmm? ......I know. I love you."
	  When Toujirou cleared the midair chat display, countless midair displays appeared around him, as if they had been waiting for him.
	  They all seemed to be broadcasts of news from around the world.
	  The other day, simultaneous uses of military force had occurred all around the world, and the opinion that `we' also mustn't hesitate to use military force to solve our various problems had grown strong everywhere.
	  Countless news reports from various countries bearing this message appeared.
	  Human emotions -- and the emotions of the groups of humans called societies -- slosh about like waves. Even if it all averages out on a grand scale, it will sometimes shift to the right or the left.
	  If this had been happening in one country... Well, this is a planet with 10 billion people on it. Such a thing would hardly be impossible.
	  So, even when the world looks peaceful as a whole, the emotions of one nation sometimes shift drastically to the side.
	  However... The countless news stories being shown here made it clear that places around the world were simultaneously catching fire, and the entire globe was enthusiastically saying that even war wasn't off the table.
	  ...If you roll a large number of dice, it isn't strange if you get a few `ones' in there.
	  However, when all the dice roll `ones', ...it's fair to suspect that someone's behind it.
	  Fundamentally, though it's mathematically possible that all of them will roll `ones', it isn't possible from the perspective of the animals known as humans.
	  This is because humans are built with a divine program that makes universal agreement impossible.
	  Humans are animals that live in societies. Because of this, their animal instincts encourage them to follow society's viewpoint, also known as the majority.
	  When multiple conflicting views clash with each other, the human intellect is able to function, and it's possible for them to make calm, rational decisions.
	  However, at the peak of such clashes, if one side relents even a little and is suddenly overwhelmed, peer pressure takes over, and society's will can be overwritten in a flash.
	  And yet, humans aren't lemmings. If everyone followed every group that started running off in some direction, even if it was off a cliff, they would've gone extinct long ago.
	  This is because God's program always calls for a certain number of people to be born with genes that make them resent universal agreement, aka the majority.
	  Surely, this must be a survival program God made for the sake of preventing human extinction.
	  ...Haven't you ever found it strange, when looking at video upload sites?
	  Setting aside videos with split opinions...
	  No matter how adorable a video about animals is, no matter what wonderful, irreproachable actions a video contains... In other words, no matter how perfect a video is, ...5% to 20% of viewers will always reject the opinion of those who `like' it.
	  On the flip side, no matter how contemptible a video is, you'll always get about 5% to 20% of people `liking' it.
	  For a long time, people have just assumed that this percentage represented the number of evil people that exist.
	  However, research at the end of the B3W era uncovered something interesting.
	  When they took a sample of those `evil' people and had them watch and rate videos that had no ratings so far, it became clear that several of them had a surprisingly similar standard to the majority.
	  In other words, they sometimes acted according to a second standard, which took priority over their honest opinion of the video's contents.
	  And that...was a dislike for society's opinion, or the majority view.
	  They are the so-called lone wolves, and whenever a crowd forms, that's all the reason they need to dislike it.
	  Even normal people who aren't aware of this tendency...should be able to notice it if they think about it.
	  ...Have you ever liked something, then suddenly lost interest when it became popular and famous?
	  When you hear on TV that X has become all the rage, has that ever been enough to make you start hating it?
	  This can be thought of as part of God's program, a fail-safe that prevents the animals known as humans from committing mass suicides like lemmings and going extinct.
	  No matter what sort of groupthink you're dealing with, ...people programmed with God's fail-safe will resist it, and will do so even more when that groupthink is large-scale and firmly entrenched. The smaller a minority you're in, the more firmly you'll refuse to join the majority.
	  Such people are famous for not losing their sense of justice during totalitarian dark ages.
	  Perhaps the officer who firmly refused to fire that nuclear torpedo also had God's fail-safe inside him.
	  As a side note, ...all that about lemmings committing mass suicides is a myth.
	  However, the majority mistakenly thinks it's a fact, and large numbers of people say it's true, so nearly everyone believes it without any doubts.
	  ...Perhaps the person who did doubt, and who proved that lemming mass suicides were only a myth, ...was also someone programmed with God's fail-safe.
	  The existence of these minority fail-safes is a serious eyesore to dictators planning totalitarian societies.
	  It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that nearly all of their inhumane political pressure is used to remove these elements.
	  Furthermore, these fail-safes resist even more as their numbers dwindle. Eradicating them has proven difficult even for the worst dictators in history.
	  On top of that, God's program is designed to replenish the number of fail-safes when it decreases.
	  Some animals are known for their ability to change genders when all members of one gender disappear. In the same way, when fail-safes are eradicated from society, it's natural for some in the majority to transform into fail-safes themselves.
	  For that reason, no matter how many purges dictators initiate, they have never been able to eliminate all fail-safes...
	  However...
	  Right now, in this world, no fail-safes exist, and yet there aren't any people converting into fail-safes either.
	  Everyone eagerly and unthinkingly agrees that their many problems should be solved all at once with war. No one has an opposing view.
	  ...Why is that?
	  Toujirou:
	  "It's a bug...in the program known as humanity..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Taking advantage of that bug...is how our Order of the Wisteria fights, using news and information as our weapons..."
	  If humanity has an animal nature that makes it want to always form minorities of a certain size...
	  Then, all you need to do is give them a decoy, an illusion that a certain minority already exists...
	  When people mistakenly think that a sufficiently large minority exists, ...then humans can join the majority without hating themselves for it.
	  Toujirou:
	  "...In commercials for makeup and such, they're always talking about their customer satisfaction rate."
	  You never see that it's 100%.
	  If a commercial did claim to have a 100% satisfaction rate, people would think it sounded fake, and they'd be struck by an emotion that makes it impossible for them to conform.
	  However, when the satisfaction rate is 80%, it suddenly feels different.
	  "8 out of 10 people like it? That's pretty awesome. You know there's always one or two people out of every ten who'd disagree with anything, right?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "All you need to do...is show people that, apparently, a few percent aren't satisfied with the majority."
	  Then, if you really want to seal the deal, you just need to spice up this decoy minority with characteristics and events that make them detestable by the values of the common man.
	  For example, maybe they aren't satisfying their societal duties. It can be about taxes, military service, legal rules... Anything you like. Just "establish" them as cheaters who refuse the burdens shared by all citizens, or else say they were given special exemptions.
	  After that, have them reveal their views emotionally, in a way that's hard to accept on moral or common sense grounds, and then "establish" that the overbearing way they made their case ended up involving and harming, say, an innocent child.
	  The decoys -- these fictional minorities -- can then be loaded up with many established facts, all of which will easily cause disgust in any normal person.
	  Naturally, the people will grow to fiercely hate these decoys.
	  And at the same time, because they'll know that these decoys fill the necessary number of minorities that humans desire on an animal level, God's program won't activate and convert them into minorities...
	  Toujirou:
	  "One can conceive of techniques for attacking the fragility of God's program, overwriting public opinion both overwhelmingly quickly and with overwhelming thoroughness... And, it's the power of Mitake Toujirou's chivalric order, the Order of the Wisteria, that can both create and enact such techniques..."
	  Those minority decoys will float to the surface of the sea of information provided by the media and the internet, thoroughly standing out because of their unacceptable views. And when the people see them, they'll go mad with rage and stone them.
	  And, after all, these people don't exist. They're just decoys.
	  No matter how much you hit them, they'll never cave, and they'll never sink or stumble. No matter how many people try to dox them, they'll never be exposed, so they can never be pinpointed and cannot be killed.
	  You can leave it to AI to travel across countless message boards and set them aflame, and when the media picks it up and gives that information brand recognition, it will spread even further.
	  If you're even more clever, you can plan out all those fires, setting up a beautiful chain of dominoes.
	  Then, when your artistic, worldwide domino setup is complete, ...they'll all start falling at once, beginning the chain.
	  The people of the world see that world war is approaching, and they whisper as though this is the beginning of the end.
	  The beginning of the end? You're behind the times...
	  Toujirou:
	  "Here's how it should go: Once it's begun, it already has ended."
	  As if he was knocking over the very first domino in a massive contraption, ...Toujirou's finger stretched out to the return key shown on his midair display...and touched it.
	  At the It's a Wrap Public Bath, Miyao, Lingji, Stanisław, and Rethabile were all sitting along the sides of the bath.
	  It was an odd scene, where they relaxed, submerged in the hot water of a public bath while fully clothed, but they were all very used to it by now.
	  Each of these aces from various factions had shown interest in Miyao's Order of the Public Bath (temporary name).
	  However, they didn't need Miyao to tell them that this idea would be most effective if Gauntlet Knights from all over the world joined. The number of people who joined would be key.
	  They had given him an extremely reasonable answer, saying that they wouldn't be able to join this risky chivalric order unless it really had a shot at making that happen.
	  So, ...they had no choice but to sit together around the bath.
	  Though they acted like they were relaxing in this now-familiar bathhouse, these aces from various factions tried very hard to see through to Miyao's true intentions...
	  Stanisław:
	  "I'd like to hear it again, from your lips. ...You're serious about this, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah. Of course I'm serious. Even if no one else agrees to support us, me and my comrades intend to carry it out on our own."
	  Lingji:
	  "...To intentionally cause a mission to fail... Even just thinking about it...leaves me speechless......"
	  Rethabile:
	  "However, I do understand the need for us to hold back. ...After all, we already know that a single kette of Gauntlet Knights could eliminate an entire Atlantic Fleet, if they so wished it."
	  Lingji:
	  "...That's true. The power of the Gauntlet can be far too strong if used for unjust ends..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "It seems all of us are in agreement on that point. ...If one of us Gauntlet Knights gets overwhelmed by the excitement and runs wild, it might result in enormous and needless damage and casualties. If that happens, forget plucking the sprouts of war, we'll be sowing seeds of war left and right."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right. That's why we have to swear to avoid needless casualties, and actually follow through with it too!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "However, Miyao, isn't that something we have all already sworn to do at this It's a Wrap Public Bath?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. In fights between Gauntlet Knights, a battle ends as soon as a shield is broken, and you must never kill your opponent. And when you do attack, you'll use the minimum necessary force, avoiding needless casualties of course. I believe we all agreed to that already, and we already carried it out the other day."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Still, if we're trying to avoid needless casualties, I think it doesn't make sense for us to obey every single order to attack, no matter what it is."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Are those the words of your conscience as a human, rather than a soldier?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Am I the one who's got it wrong? Or, in the factions other than the AOU, are people really that accepting of what those old men say, sure from the bottom of their hearts that they really want world peace...?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Forgive me, but I won't comment on that matter. In the first place, soldiers aren't trained to have doubts about the orders they're given."
	  Miyao:
	  "But aren't we guardians of the Walls of Peace before we're soldiers? If we obey our superiors' orders without thinking, while bearing the incredibly heavy burden of wielding Gauntlets, what does that make us...?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "We're like the point where a fuse is attached to a bomb. People with lots of fuse between them and the bomb might think that, even if they approve of war, someone else will probably stop it, and it wouldn't be their fault anyway if war broke out. They keep on spitting fire, making the fuse shorter. And now, the fuse on the bomb representing world war is burning towards those of us who stand right at the end!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Are we going to act like those who had plenty of fuse left, irresponsibly refusing to think and letting the flame reach the bomb? There's no fuse left after us! It really will explode if we don't stop it! And when it does, no one's going to blame the people standing at the far end of the fuse. It's us, the ones who directly lit the bomb at the very end, who'll get blamed!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Blamed? No, that part hardly matters! We'll be stuck living the rest of our lives with constant regret, knowing that we might've lived in a future where we stopped this tragic World War IV before it even happened! In fact, that regret will continue on forever, even after our deaths!! Can you think of any greater dishonor for those who claim to guard the Walls of Peace as Gauntlet Knights?! Am I the one who's got it wrong?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah, I guess I must be wrong, to suggest that soldiers should sometimes ignore their militaries' orders! After all, we were never taught anything like that! All the adults ever taught us was to say `yes sir' and obey! And now, adults all over the world are saying we should have a war, resolving problems with our neighbors using military force!"
	  Miyao:
	  "They're irresponsibly getting excited and saying `Take flight, Gauntlet Knights, and run wild on live TV, just like you did during the Battle Standard Festival!' Are you going to obey those orders too? Because it's a kid's job to obediently do what their parents say?! Are you really saying that we bear no responsibility?! That we just followed orders, so even though we pulled the trigger and loads of people died, none of that is our fault?!"
	  Miyao: ^
	  "That's wrong, isn't it?! That's not what the guardians of the Walls of Peace look like!"
	  Soldiers must obey orders, no matter how brutal those orders are, so they aren't responsible for what they do?
	  No. ...That kind of thinking has been forbidden since the A2W era.
	  Stanisław:
	  "...The leader of a certain Nazi concentration camp said something of the sort, but justice didn't spare him. On the flip side, there were some Nazis who protected Jews and earned the title of Righteous Among the Nations..."
	  Even Japan has Sugihara Chiune, who's famous for defying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and issuing visas for Jews.
	  He wasn't a soldier, but he was a diplomat, a position where one is not allowed to let personal feelings stand in the way of service to the state.
	  Despite that, he acted according to his conscience...
	  Lingji:
	  "Whoever saves one life saves the world entire. ...Those are good words."
	  Rethabile:
	  "And those with more power saved more people."
	  Miyao:
	  "And here we stand with Gauntlets, an ultimate weapon so powerful, it relegated all existing military tools to the past! As people who can use those at will, with top class abilities on a world scale, just how many people could we save?! How many lives are we willing to abandon?!"
	  Lingji:
	  ".................."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I...can't think of a way to counter that."
	  Rethabile:
	  "You're saying that becoming a conscientious objector...might save the world? Miyao. Doesn't that contradict the A3W conception of supporting the Walls of Peace with a healthy military balance?"
	  Miyao:
	  "No! When fighting battles to pluck the sprouts of war, we'll do our jobs well and thoroughly, though we'll avoid unneeded casualties. However, when we follow strategies that step over the Walls of Peace or try to bring our opponents down, ...we'll coincidentally make mistakes and errors, and the mission will fail somehow. That's all I'm saying."
	  Lingji:
	  "Well, if we don't handle that part cleverly, it will be a huge mess."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I'm impressed by the idea, but how do we decide if a mission counts as plucking the sprouts of war or not? Who makes that decision? How do we know there are no ulterior motives involved? I have all sorts of questions about it."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I'm truly glad you said that, Stan, as it's everything I wanted to say too. ...That's the issue, Miyao. Will it be a mission that plucks sprouts of war, or a mission that becomes one? Who will decide, and what standard will they use? ...Unless that is clearly spelled out, I certainly cannot agree to join."
	  All of the contested areas had various circumstances surrounding them.
	  People from involved countries would probably all be influenced by personal motivations, and yet no one was likely to accept the judgement of an unrelated person who didn't know the circumstances.
	  There was no way they'd be able to decide which missions were okay and which weren't with a simple set of rules...
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no way I could decide. ...I'm not a politician or a diplomat."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Well, that does imply that the chivalric order you're proposing is nothing more than a pretty picture."
	  Miyao:
	  "So! Just like those people Stan talked about just now, who disobeyed their orders and made justice happen on their own, we should be personally faithful to the justice we each believe in!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Are you saying we should each decide individually...?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "True, it wouldn't be fair otherwise."
	  Stanisław:
	  "What do you mean by that?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "If we left our decisions about sprouts of war to Miyao, the first person who spoke up, then we would still be the fuse on the bomb, irresponsibly obeying his orders."
	  Lingji:
	  "...True. You're right. Just doing what you're ordered isn't justice. That only makes you a person who accepted an order. That's just doing your job, not an act of justice worthy of praise. Perhaps such a person doesn't have the right to call themselves a guardian of the Walls of Peace."
	  Stanisław:
	  "......Hmm......"
	  Miyao:
	  "Depending on how you take it, I might sound like I'm being irresponsible, just telling everyone to decide for themselves. ...Still, I think having all of us carry out justice on our own...is the key point of this Order."
	  Lingji:
	  "...I do believe Miyao is testing us."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. ...It would seem our consciences are being put to the test. Heheheheheh...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Even if I can't get everyone's approval, I'm going to start doing it. I'll take the first step. ...I don't mind if you hold off on deciding until you've seen that."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Hmm. That sounds fair. Understood..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "How heavy these left arms of ours are...... To think that our common sense as soldiers, as human beings, would be tested to this extent..."
	  Lingji:
	  "The possibility that we'll be given orders that don't support the Walls of Peace...is something I don't even want to think about. ...However, though I may have feared the coming of such a day, I never tried to think of a way around it. In the end, as a soldier, ...I would probably have quietly and irresponsibly carried out my orders."
	  Miyao:
	  "I was trained as a soldier too, ...so even thinking about twisting my orders and missions for something like my own sense of justice...is so scary, it makes my teeth chatter......"
	  Miyao:
	  "Still! I think that's the real courage guardians of the Walls of Peace need to have! We aren't pillars or sticks holding up the wall! We're the strongest warriors of peace, the Aerial Augmented Infantry, the Gauntlet Knights...!!"
	  For a while, the three other than Miyao were struck speechless.
	  Even though they had understood it in their souls, ...they had been blinded by the soldier's devotion to following orders, which had been ingrained into their bodies.
	  ...However, anyone can act for the sake of justice, and at any time. As long as they choose to do so!
	  And the stronger these people are, the more people they can save.
	  Why were they hesitating, ...when they had been given more power to save people than anyone else in the world...?
	  Suddenly, Lingji leapt to her feet.
	  Lingji:
	  "...We are all comrades supporting the Walls of Peace together. ...Our job isn't to oppose each other and kill each other, is it?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "I agree. I'm even embarrassed that I thought that's what we were until a second ago."
	  Stanisław rarely let his emotions show on his face, but he seemed to be smiling slightly.
	  Stanisław:
	  "We're comrades. And we already were, even before Miyao invited us to the Public Bath and made us swear to it. Even before he invited us to a chivalric order for the sake of protecting peace together."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Precisely. In that case, time is of the essence. I think I'll speak with Gauntlet Knights from the ACR, seeing whether they can agree to Miyao's philosophy."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Please, do be careful."
	  Rethabile:
	  "But of course. Even in the Royal Family, princes and princesses can be harsh when it comes to tearing each other down. I won't embarrass myself by needlessly exposing a weakness. Leave it to me!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Rethabile...! Thanks, I'm so grateful!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I ought to be the one saying that. I thank you for trusting me with a proposal that must have taken true courage to reveal!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao, I'll also try telling COU friends I can trust about what you've said."
	  Miyao:
	  "Thank you too, Lingji! That's incredibly reassuring to hear!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "I'll also try to quietly recruit members for Miyao's Order of the Public Bath (temporary name). However, I ask that you keep your hopes in check. I am still a man of the world, who values his own life."
	  The ABN was famous for its strict thought policing.
	  If it got out that you intended to disobey the establishment or the military, you wouldn't be let off easy.
	  Of course, that also applied to the factions of everyone else here.
	  Miyao:
	  "I understand. If it's looking dicey, there's absolutely no need to overdo it. Just the fact that you listened to me and showed your agreement is a huge help!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "I just wanted to keep expectations low to start. I'm sure that at least the other two members of Thalathat Suyuf will agree right away."
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks, Stan! I'm sorry for thinking you were a cold person who might not listen to us!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Don't let that worry you. After all, Grand Master Gunhild of the Order of the Blood-Vomiting Death Growls gave me strict orders to listen to what you had to say."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I never expected that Gunhild's chivalric order would end up helping me..."
	  Lingji:
	  "Does this mean we should start calling Miyao `Grand Master' from now on?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Please no, it's embarrassing. You can just call me Miyao like before."
	  Lingji:
	  "Then, Miyao, ...I really do think our meeting was an incredibly important thing for me. ...I get the feeling that, on the day we met at that Public Bath, we took our first steps towards a brilliant future!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks for seriously listening and thinking over the crazy stuff I had to say! I'm so grateful to all of you!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "We'll be closely watching what our (temporary name) Order's Grand Master does going forward, Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "Of course! If I bring this up, and then get scared and do whatever those damn geezers say, this whole thing would be ridiculous!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Sadly, we live in a world where it's likely you'll have a chance to prove yourself soon."
	  Rethabile:
	  "However, Miyao, there is one thing I would like to settle right away."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Yes, indeed. I have an urgent request for you too, Grand Master Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "Ah, ...yeah, I get it. ...The Order of the Public Bath (temporary name)...isn't going to cut it, right?"
	  Lingji:
	  "You think so...? I don't dislike it, since it immediately reminds you that the It's a Wrap Public Bath brought us together..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "We really should do something to honor its creator here! How about `Grand Master Miyao's Memorial Genius Long-Lived Lauded 1211 Knight Corps'?!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "The Order of the Heavy Slash Bloody Death Crazy Clash... Yes, that's not bad."
	  Lingji:
	  "...Well, I think it's best to keep it simply `The Order of Public Lust'."
	  Miyao:
	  "Lingji, you got the kanji wrong. That would be bad."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Hahahahah, wahahahahahaha...!!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Hahahahahhahahah, hahahahah."
	  Lingji:
	  "Wh-Why does Japanese make no sense?! Why did the ancient Japanese decide to start perverting the Chinese language?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "You'll have to take that up with the ancient Japanese, not me. Hahahahahahahahah......"
	  "Valentina" and "Maricarmen" have entered the room poyo!
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, sorry we're late, everyone."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Tina put in It's a Wrap Public Lust again and got a bunch of errors! You're way too lusty!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Maybe we really should just change the name to It's a Wrap Public Lust."
	  Lingji:
	  "See, Japanese is tough. I have been proven correct!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "How about `The Order of Miyao's Long-Lived Public Bath of Great Justice'?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "How about the Order of the Hell Murder Bloody Splash Fearsome Gut-Eaters? ...Hmm, Japanese words really are difficult. I can't find a single cool one to use."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Maybe it really would be best to keep it The Order of Public Lust... Ah, crap, even I input it wrong..."
	  Valentina:
	  "There, you see that? Heheheh. Even a Japanese person like Miyao admits that `yokujou' and `yokujou' are confusing."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "You're talking about lust in a public bath, right?! That's shameless, perverted! More importantly, Miyao! Please tell us what this is all about!"
	  Because the energetic big sisters from LATO showed up late, they were stuck having the same conversation a second time.
	  However, they listened seriously and agreed with the Order's aims.
	  After all, as members of the IPMA, they were hardly in conflict with the sort of chivalric order Miyao had envisioned.
	  However, they decided that they would show their personal justice through the IPMA itself.
	  In other words, they agreed with the goals of the Order of the Public Bath, but they didn't join it.
	  However, they seemed very intent on being added as observers.
	  Valentina:
	  "We have no doubts that LATO and the IPMA serve as a source of impartial justice. Heheh, but still, that doesn't mean that we're baselessly and absolutely sure it will remain that way forever."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "If there's ever only one group defending justice, no one will be able to make sure it doesn't go out of control. So, we intend to watch over you from our current positions, to see if you're really able to dedicate yourselves to peace!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. And I'm sure your chivalric order intends to watch over us, to see if we can remain a source of impartial justice, yes? After all, you rose up because you didn't want to blindly accept everything those old people called justice."
	  LATO was a very prosperous and powerful group of countries, and they had superior relationships with all the other factions.
	  So, it was generally believed that there was no need for them to take any faction's side, and that they could maintain a neutral position.
	  However, anyone who accepted that blindly would just be acting the part of an irresponsible fuse again.
	  If you say something's right because someone else said it was, or that anything that gets called justice is justice, then you haven't gotten anywhere.
	  Constantly check what justice is using your own conscience, and make sure you have a sword hidden in your heart. That way, if you see someone turning their back on peace, you can stand up to them, even if it's on your own.
	  That was the Order of the Public Bath.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "That's why we won't join. We need you to inspect our sense of justice."
	  Valentina:
	  "And, as time goes on, we'll be constantly inspecting yours. And if we judge that the justice you promote clearly differs from the justice promoted by the IPMA, expect to be dealt with accordingly. Heheheh..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...In other words, you two want to be external observers of our Order?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "That's right!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Judging what is or isn't a sprout of war is extremely difficult. Perhaps sometimes, it will be valuable to have the opinion of those who can look down impartially on all the world's factions."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're right. After all, there's nothing more dangerous than a selfish sense of justice gone wild."
	  Lingji:
	  "To prevent that from happening, there's a lot I would like to learn from these two from LATO going forward."
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. Sure. Ask us anything whenever you want."
	  Stanisław:
	  "It really seems...that something truly interesting is about to happen."
	  Miyao:
	  "This isn't about what's about to happen. You got to think of it this way:@/
	   We're gonna make something happen!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Then let us proclaim the formation of Mitake Miyao's chivalric order!"
	  The Order's Grand Master was its creator, Miyao.
	  While serving as the leader of the whole group, he was also in charge of the members from the AOU.
	  In addition, he was its spiritual leader, who made the Order's philosophy clear and understandable to its members, guiding them.
	  Miyao:
	  "That Grand Master stuff...is seriously embarrassing, so please just call me Miyao like normal!"
	  The leaders of the branches, or Masters, were Lingji, Rethabile, and Stanisław.
	  They would recruit and manage members from the COU, ACR, and ABN respectively.
	  In actual combat, it would be up to the Masters on the scene to decide which actions would be most in line with the Order's philosophy. The weight of that responsibility was neither lesser nor greater than Miyao's.
	  Valentina and Maricarmen from LATO would be external observers.
	  As members of the IPMA, they would presumably watch over them, making sure the Order's justice didn't head off in the wrong direction.
	  Lingji:
	  "So, ...that makes six of us, yes? I wonder if we could find one more."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Why do we need one more?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hahahah. Well, for things like this, wouldn't it be cooler to have seven people together?"
	  Valentina:
	  "I see. Lucky seven, is it? Heheh."
	  Rethabile:
	  "We already have one from each faction. Having two from a single faction would be unbalanced."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Maybe we should recruit another external observer from LATO?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "I can't really think of another kid I could trust enough to let in on something like this..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Hmm. Well, I guess I'll give up on it. I did think it would be cool to have seven knights."
	  Don't you forget me, poyoooooooo!!!
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh? Keropoyo?!"
	  How can you refuse to acknowledge me as a comrade, even though I provide you with a pleasant room, manage your logs and perform maintenance, and even handle translation and searches for you?! *sob*sob*, *kero*kero*kero*＞＜
	  Lingji:
	  "In that case, maybe you can be our secretary?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "I see. True enough, the role of secretary really does suit him. Without Keropoyo, even just going back through our logs would be time consuming."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Interesting. Having one person...no, one amphibian on our team would make this much more interesting."
	  Miyao:
	  "I get the feeling we'll have even snakes and slugs joining us before too long..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, okay. You're in, Keropoyo. I'm appointing you as the Order of the Public Bath (temporary name)'s secretary!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Nice! I guess this makes you the second frog in the world to call himself a knight! That's so cool!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheheh? What do you mean? Has there ever been another frog knight?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...After this, I should talk to Maricarmen about setting up an Order of Classic JRPG Lovers..."
	  Lingji:
	  "In that case, Keropoyo, would you care to propose a set of furnishings for Miyao's Order's virtual room?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "That is a good point. The It's a Wrap Public Bath and the Order of the Public Bath are two completely different organizations. To make it easier to switch between the two, we ought to use suitable furnishings for when we're with the Order."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I suppose that means we should furnish it in a way that matches its name. ...I wonder how it would look if it was the Order of Hell's Bloody Heaven of Madness and Death?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Okay, Keropoyo. We'll be the Order of the Public Bath for the time being, so find us a wallpaper that fits with that."
	  Roger that poyo! Now doing an image search for "public bath" and "lust" poyo! Poyo poyo poyooooo!!!
	  Miyao:
	  "No, wait, hold on a sec...!!
	   Everyone, close your eeeeeeeeeeyes!!!"
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "School bus destroyed in South Africa terrorist bombing. Eight children dead. Families in tears."
	  langen#ffffff
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Child seriously wounded in ABN Italy terrorist attack died before dawn, a girl with a lovely smile. Mother weeps through interview."
	  langen#ffffff
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Terrorist bombing in AOU Russia. Several elementary schoolers among victims. Authorities announced that culprits had foreign support."
	  langen#ffffff
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Fishing boat fired upon in COU Madagascar. President vows to tear-filled survivors to resolve situation and make culprits pay."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Several hundred likely victimized by terrorist gas attack. A visiting ACR prince swore to take blood revenge."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "AOU ambassador shot and grievously injured. Public supports imprisonment of suspect. Tens of thousands join demonstrations for his release."
	  langen#ffffff
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Authorities claim ABN Guidance Department operatives secretly involved. President threatens retribution if no apology offered."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "COU says they'll swing the sword of peace tomorrow if needed, suggests preemptive strike."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Unceasing hate crimes against residents of AOU descent. Pregnant woman beaten to death in broad daylight. No one reported incident to police."
	  langen#ffffff
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Brutally murdered bodies of five children missing in the ACR were found. Family interview up next."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Demonstrators run wild across the COU, set fire to the houses of our countrymen. Possibly a manufactured demonstration, as the police did nothing!"
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Another mass shooting at an ABN religious facility. Is the populace cheering on the fleeing culprits? An endless climate of hatred!"
	  langen#ffffff
	  ^
	  Breaking news: "Has LATO's intervention failed? High LATO official cuts stay short and returns to home country."^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "For our children's future! In tearful speech, President urges citizens to rise up."^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Punitive embargos? Counter with tariffs!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: " Prime Minister makes outrageous claim! He said if anyone doesn't like it, he's ready for war! The assembly hall was filled with applause!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Now is the time to protect the Walls of Peace! Nearby countries resorting to force must be punished by military means!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Now is the time to contribute to your country! It's easy with a one-click Patriot Bond!!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "They're deporting descendents of other factions! And locking them up if they refuse!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "IPMA mediation fails again. Are they now completely ineffective?"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "This is a Holy War, and we are prepared for battle!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "We'll deal a merciless strike, the likes of which this world has never seen before!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "To all who love peace, now is the time to grab your guns and prove it!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Let the drones fight! Let the soldiers do their jobs! I'll be supporting you from this live message board!!"
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "ACR Commonwealth King prepares to address to his people. Will he declare war?"
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "The ABN Leadership Council gives 24 hour combat readiness orders."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "It seems the sword of peace will finally be unsheathed. The COU is prepared to resolve this situation with preemptive strikes."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Statement issued by the Speaker of the AOU Joint Parliament. To carry out its duty as movers of world peace, the AOU will preemptively exercise its right of self-defense."
	  *patter*patter*patter*patter*...
	  0017th Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad, you've been sent a Level 1 Emergency Deployment Order.
	  This is not a drill.
	  *slam*
	  
	  I don't want to believe it.
	  I don't want to believe that this is the start of World War IV.
	  This is still just people pushing against the Walls of Peace. They may be pushing fiercely, but they're holding it steady. So, this still isn't a world war yet...
	  #e7e7e7AOU Officer:
	  "Missiles are having no effect! They've all been intercepted! It seems the target is already receiving support from enemy Aerial Augmented Infantry units!"
	  #e7e7e7AOU Operator:
	  "The areas where drones can be used for combat has been updated. Military action anywhere in the Glass Sea is now possible."
	  #e7e7e7AOU General:
	  "Haven't you been able to crush them yet?! At this rate, they really will set up a base right in the middle of the Glass Sea this time!!"
	  All countries have issues connected to their borders.
	  All sides probably have their own say, and both sides probably have some things right, while their opponents probably have some things wrong.
	  When everyone is rational, this doesn't cause problems, but once society's emotions burst, it eagerly seeks a speedy resolution.
	  Clearly, the whole world had lost its calm.
	  So, now was the time to support the Walls of Peace.
	  We and the other side must hold them up firmly, enduring until the whole world regains its cool.
	  That's why this isn't a war. That's why this is the true job of the guardians of the Walls of Peace!
	  We aren't fighting! We're supporting the walls! We're just supporting the Walls of Peace...!
	  #e7e7e7COU Operator:
	  "The Aerial Augmented Infantry has successfully intercepted all enemy missiles. Sakurafubuki Squad, Fudou Squad, Hakurou Squad, please continue to defend our 4D Printers."
	  #e7e7e7COU Colonel:
	  "Drive in the wedge of peace! This is only happening because we never set up Walls of Peace here, simply because it was a World War Relic!"
	  #e7e7e7COU Officer:
	  "We've picked up a high-output signal on 8MS radar! Enemy units approaching! They're Gauntlets, nine in total! We estimate that this includes their ace kette, Warcat!!"
	  We avoided all casualties during our first strike in the Glass Sea, but now, I'm not sure if there was any point to that.
	  If people had died, ...the COU probably would've decided to go to war sooner. Because no one did, ...peace lasted a few days longer.
	  Were we the sprouts of war?
	  If we had sat back and watched as the COU built a base in the Glass Sea, would war have been avoided?
	  No, of course not. In the end, the base would've become the spark, the process leading to war would've changed slightly, and war would still have broken out eventually.
	  #e7e7e7AOU Operator:
	  "Our first-priority target is the enemy 4D Printer. Warcat will take the lead and disrupt the enemy Aerial Augmented Infantry formation. Kingfisher and Tripleburger, destroy the enemy with hit-and-run tactics."
	  Miyao:
	  "Warcat reads you. King, Triple, focus on your jobs. Don't think of stupid ways to show off!"
	  Kingfisher:
	  "R-Roger that! W-We'll focus!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Only the drones and printers are our enemies, you got that?! Not our opponents' Gauntlets. Don't forget that we're comrades supporting the walls!"
	  Tripleburger:
	  "Roger that! Both we and they are comrades supporting the Walls of Peace...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao, let's see if we can accomplish something as more than game pieces."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Yeah. I won't let the Walls of Peace fall...!!"
	  Are we really game pieces after all...?
	  A chess piece's job is to move according to the game's rules. If it decides to stop the game from happening, ...it's not like it'll be able to do anything.
	  I guess the only thing a piece can do is hide itself, making it impossible to set up the chess board.
	  But even if they do that, they'll just be replaced by another piece, the successor to their post.
	  Even if you think you're a genius or the most talented, ...there are so many replacement pieces behind you.
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Sakurafubuki Squad, Fudou Squad, Hakurou Squad, do you copy? This is Second Lieutenant Liu Lingji of the Imperial Guard Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad `Baibao'."
	  Sakurafubuki:
	  "It's Lieutenant Liu from Baibao! We're in prime condition here!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "You have two missions. Do not die, and do not kill. ...Remember our oath in the Public Bath. Be sure that you are not overcome by hatred. There are no enemies here. Only comrades supporting the Walls of Peace."
	  Fudou:
	  "Roger that Lieutenant Liu! We're friends supporting the Walls of Peace!"
	  Hakurou:
	  "As long as we aren't fighting out of malice, this isn't war yet...!!"
	  Are we acting as proud as a tengu? After we bragged about having the greatest military might in the world, ...is there nothing we can do but delay war for just a few days?
	  No.
	  Don't waver. Don't doubt. Now...is the time to believe in your own power and convictions!
	  Don't think it's pointless because your power is weak!
	  A weak power is power nonetheless.
	  Even a single person can save the world.
	  And our friends are Gauntlet Knights from around the world...!
	  Everyone! Don't die! Don't kill!
	  Don't die, don't kill. I've decided to make that short yet unshakable sentiment the motto for my ideals, for my Order.
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "This is Grave Mole! Miyao, don't worry about us!"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's fine, I wasn't worried from the start."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Ah, I would've been happier if you said you were worried a little, even if it was a lie＞＜"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hahah. Don't die. And don't kill! I'm not worried about you, but I am worried about Lilja and Koshka."
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "Now there's a surprise. ...It's totally impossible for my bullets to hit someone I'm not aiming for!"
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "We aren't allowed to kill people meow. But, if we're up against drones, we can be as merciless as we want, and it doesn't matter meow!"
	  Except for the Gauntlet Knights, everything on the battlefield was a drone.
	  So, as long as the Gauntlet Knights didn't forget their determination to support the Walls of Peace, no one would die or be hurt.
	  In the B3W era, partly thanks to sci-fi movies, quite a few people disliked combat drones, assuming that they would surely run wild and turn on humanity.
	  However, thanks to the A3W era's policy of maintaining a healthy military balance, they were now thought of as weapons that were kind to people, which could be destroyed endlessly without causing casualties, so large numbers of them had been deployed all over the world.
	  Furthermore, after the earlier Gauntlet Knight Shock, an empty feeling had spread among soldiers everywhere, who thought going to the front lines might be completely pointless now.
	  For that reason, the front lines were now populated almost solely by drones.
	  When fighting drones, we can bust through them without worrying about anything!
	  Lilja:
	  "Okay, let's smash everything up, boom boom meow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Gaah, Lilja's in such a good mood, it's creepy."
	  Chloe:
	  "After all, we can be as rough as we want against drones."
	  Koshka:
	  "...Personally, I don't care whether my target is a drone or a human."
	  Koshka:
	  "But if I make Miyao mad, that'll be a pain for me later..."
	  Chloe:
	  "*giggle* After all, he's always helping you out in WanyaDora."
	  Koshka:
	  "So, I'll work a bit hard and make Miyao owe me one."
	  Lilja:
	  "Mmyaamyaamyaaa, boom boom!
	   Aaah, this is so fun
	   It's all you can shoot, all you can eat! I'm so happy meow meow meow!!"
	  Grave Mole was fighting hard in the buffer zone between AOU Russia and COU China.
	  Both sides of the Amur River were covered with flames from a fierce bombardment of cannon fire being traded between drones.
	  Grave Mole specialized in defense, so this was the location where they were best able to make use of their abilities.
	  Chloe and Lilja were extremely talented at controlling drones. Their numerically inferior group of friendly drones was more than holding its own against their opponent.
	  And, Koshka could use her genius sniping ability to shoot down the observation drones that were the enemy's eyes, one after another.
	  #e7e7e7AOU Officer:
	  "Good work, Grave Mole! You've turned this back into an evenly matched fight! A reinforcement unit of drones is being carried here now by a transportation unit!"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Yes, please hurry! We're good on Spiritium, but we're getting a bit tired＞＜"
	  #e7e7e7AOU Operator:
	  "Please hold your position until Baba Yaga Squad arrives. They should reach your airspace any moment now!"
	  There was a long history of conflict between those two countries regarding the Amur River and most of its tributaries, as well as their sandbanks and islands.
	  In the B3W era, treaties had completely resolved the issue, ...but whenever society's emotions burst, treaties between countries are easily swept aside by the flood.
	  However, floods can be held back by walls. Withstanding the anger of public sentiment is what the Walls of Peace are there to do...!
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "AOU Grave Mole, do you copy? This is Lingji."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "I hear you! I'm sorry, but I'm really busy right now＞＜"
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "Heheheheheh. Forgive me, but you're about to get even busier."
	  #e7e7e7AOU Officer:
	  "Grave Mole, be careful! Our 8MS radar has detected approaching Aerial Augmented Infantry units! They're moving exceptionally fast, so be on your guards!"
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "Meow meoooow. And I was just getting bored playing with drones meoooooooow."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "It pleases me to hear that. I will hold back, but forgive me if I do cause some level of injury!"
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "Keh. Make sure your shields are firmly up too, okay? My bullets can pierce a half-assed shield in a single strike!"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...Even though they should be close enough to engage, I can't see them...!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Nobly retreat when your shields are destroyed. Now then, prepare yourselves!!"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Huh?!?!"
	  War had begun.
	  However, the Walls of Peace would contain it and withstand it until the people regained their calm.
	  We are the guardians of peace!
	  Human emotions can become overwhelming at times. However, anger always fades. Calm returns. This is something that always happens.
	  Why? Because humans are creatures who love peace! Only temporary emotions make us desire war! And once we see it in front of us, we should wake up right away!
	  So surely, definitely, absolutely, immediately, ...the world will regain its calm!
	  ...Until it does, ...let's give it our all, everyone...!
	  Miyao:
	  "Good work, everyone...! How is it looking on everyone's end?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "The ABN is still having scuffles with neighboring countries, but the fighting seems to be particularly fierce against COU India and ACR Libya."
	  Rethabile:
	  "The indefinitely leased land along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea was the one remaining thorn after the unification of Africa, after all. ...It would have become a source of conflict eventually. Now, that's suddenly blown up after this bizarre worldwide war craze."
	  Sadly, skirmishes were breaking out all over the world.
	  ...I really don't want to call this World War IV, so I'll call them skirmishes instead.
	  It seems Stanisław and Rethabile each told their friends about the rules of the Order.
	  Unlike the general public that was irresponsibly frantic for war, we had smelled the gunpowder smoke directly.
	  Because all of us were clear-thinking and wanted our governments and peoples to regain their cool quickly, everyone apparently promised to follow the rules we had set.
	  Fortunately, all of the skirmishes were taking place in buffer zones, national boundaries, and disputed territories. In other words, within the Walls of Peace.
	  At the moment, the wars all over the world are still being constrained by rationality.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Still, ...it's amazing how many causes for war were scattered throughout the world."
	  Lingji:
	  "There are potential sources of conflict between all countries. What matters is whether you let them sprout or not, that's all."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Even Japan and China have fought a whole bunch of times since long ago."
	  Lingji:
	  "Yes. There's no shortage of possible triggers between us. They grow and recede as we fight and then make up again. ...Though that's happened many times, both sides have been able to get along with each other."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Well, it's probably because old men from long ago all decided that solving these problems would be too much of a pain, so they just kept putting them off."
	  Stanisław:
	  "No. The fact that they put them off is a sign of their wisdom."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. What do you think it means to completely solve a problem between two countries? Old men like those you spoke of did try to completely solve such problems, on certain occasions."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Final solutions for problems that span nations... Do you really need me to explain how bloody and terrifying those can be?"
	  The only way resolve such issues totally and finally is genocide. It's the massacre of an entire race.
	  Long ago, victory in war meant utterly destroying your opponent.
	  When everyone who had objected no longer existed, that meant the issue had been completely resolved.
	  Genocide in the name of solving problems happened multiple times all over the world, even in the A2W era...
	  Miyao:
	  "...Instead of something horrible like that, isn't it possible to resolve things by peacefully talking it out...?"
	  Lingji:
	  "Even if you could, ...when the next generation comes or society's emotions change, ...they'll say that the resolution was a humiliating compromise, an unfair decision. They'll go on the attack and say they need to strike back and renegotiate, which can become a source of conflict again."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Your ancestors often had to live with sources of conflict, frequently making compromises. You mustn't act as though they took those problems and forced them all on you."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Just like our ancestors, our generation has been passed the embers of conflict, and there's nothing we can do except calm the flames and pass them into the future. That's the ideal solution."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Does that mean that problems between countries...can't be resolved?"
	  Lingji:
	  "I'm sure relationships between countries are like a garden with a freshly mown lawn."
	  Miyao:
	  "...You're right. Lawn gardens are beautiful because they're well-maintained."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Exactly. You can pluck sprouts of war. That's how you maintain a friendly garden between countries. However, because you're dealing with matters between humans -- because it's a lawn garden -- there's no getting around the fact that sprouts of war will appear periodically."
	  Miyao:
	  "So, making sure you keep maintaining it...is what friendship between countries means?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "That's what the world decided, after going through three world wars. They also realized that past wars can foreshadow future wars, so they sealed up the entire history of World War III."
	  Rethabile:
	  "So, they realized that by maintaining a healthy military balance, instead of simply maintaining peace, they would be protected by Walls of Peace that could withstand the periodic outbreak of wars and feuds."
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao, you just mentioned the history of conflict between China and Japan. We Chinese still can't accept the Japanese custom of eating jiaozi with rice."
	  Miyao:
	  "Chomping down on gyoza with white rice is how Japanese boys do. I won't let you bad-mouth it."
	  During times of peace, it's possible to respect differences in culture as representative of both countries' personalities.
	  However, when relations break down, ...even the results of soccer matches can become sprouts of war.
	  Rethabile:
	  "By avoiding `final' solutions for problems and putting them off, you encourage both sides to cool their heads for the time being. ...This is the method of protecting peace that humanity finally learned after millenia."
	  Miyao:
	  "...And it's our job to bear the brunt of wars that come from trying to put those issues off... ...In the end, we aren't going to resolve any of the various issues causing wars all over the world, and we'll push them off into the future."
	  Stanisław:
	  "But there's also no need to get negative. ...Like excretion, we have to think of it as something filthy, yet necessary for human life, and accept it."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Right now, even the ACR is causing skirmishes because of the Atlantis Spirit Field and the Mozambique Channel issue. Of course, we're also going at it with Stan's ABN on the ACR's Mediterranean Sea coast."
	  Stanisław:
	  "To people in the ABN, the indefinitely leased land and the refugee camps along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea are a problem caused by the ACR, ...but Rethabile would probably tell you the exact opposite thing. And, asking her about it or debating it would be pointless."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. We couldn't win in an argument, and there isn't likely to be a peaceful solution. After all, both sides think they're in the right."
	  Miyao:
	  "...It makes you wish...that a third party's perspective could resolve the matter peacefully someday."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Hahahahahahah! Just like how the Chinese can't bear the thought of eating jiaozi with rice, I suppose you AOU Japanese couldn't bear it if the COU Japanese started eating okonomiyaki with rice."
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah, that's no good, I'll have none of that, no way we'd get along. Hahahaha..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "The problem still remains because it cannot be solved. If you get all excited about solving it yourself, don't you think that's arrogant and rude to our ancestors, who reluctantly decided that they had to set the matter aside, over and over again, after thinking about it long and hard...?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I may not agree with him 100%, ...but Stan does say some interesting things, now and then."
	  The phrase `putting off problems' comes with a negative connotation.
	  ...However, if that's the only way, maybe it's the right choice.
	  After all, people in the A3W era created the new concept of the healthy military balance, one that would probably horrify someone from the B3W era. ...Maybe people in the A4W era will come up with the crazy new concept of healthily shelving problems between countries and just letting things slide...
	  Even though I don't want people complaining about me eating rice with gyoza, ...I have no intention of changing my feelings about eating rice with okonomiyaki.
	  And, in truth, none of that matters at all.
	  ...Unless you skillfully dodge issues like that, I bet you'll never get world peace...
	  Still, ...the one thing I can't get off my mind is the way the whole world is getting excited and succumbing to war fever.
	  Normally, when something as massive as a war breaks out, some percentage of people will get scared, and even more will say that they hadn't mentioned it before, but they actually are opposed to war...
	  Miyao:
	  "...It's creepy that we haven't seen anyone like that at all."
	  Rethabile:
	  "The ACR has them. An anti-war camp. Though, they're just being spurred on by anti-monarchists."
	  Stanisław:
	  "It's the same in the ABN. There are a few voices who oppose war, but they're all radical fundamentalists who oppose the integrated religion. They don't have the support of the public."
	  Lingji:
	  "There seems to be a minority of people espousing anti-war views in the COU as well. ...Thinking it would be better if their views were spread a bit further, I paid a quick visit to a site where they were making their claims, but... ........."
	  Miyao:
	  "...When you put it that way, there technically are several groups who are anti-war in the AOU. ...But...I think it'd be pretty hard to call them peaceful organizations."
	  "Stanisław" has sent you one video poyo!
	  It's been given a "Viewer Discretion Advised" tag poyo! Watch it at your own risk poyo!
	  Stanisław:
	  "...That video was big news in the ABN the other day, in a bad way. You don't have to watch it. If not, I'll give you a simple description of it."
	  The video was from a radical ABN group claiming to be religious fundamentalists.
	  While they demanded that the ABN stop the war, throwing vile insults and telling the war-supporting agents of the devil to all die and go to hell, they marched down a road in what appeared to be a residential area.
	  Though they claimed to be for peace, they looked violent and seemed to be the exact opposite of peaceful people...
	  Then, the camera suddenly jerked around, showing a pair of people struggling in an over-the-shoulder shot.
	  Apparently, a boy watching from the side of the road had made a hand gesture expressing contempt for their claims. It seemed as though this had driven them into a frenzy, and they rushed the boy.
	  Then, they used the boy as a punching bag.
	  As the camera proudly captured this scene, someone cried out.
	  "Oppose the war! All the devils supporting it must die! We won't even spare women and children!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Aren't they just a group of thugs using opposition against the war as an excuse to hurt people?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Recently, the ACR has also seen groups with exclusionist views uploading videos. Their contents aren't that different from what we just saw."
	  Oppose the war. The government must repent! ...They would say things like that, one-sidedly assuming that everyone who didn't agree with their views must be a war supporter and cruelly insulting them.
	  Then, they moved on to claim that anyone who supported war couldn't complain if war was launched against them, not even if someone were to suddenly punch them, in effect calling for a sort of indiscriminate terrorism...
	  Lingji:
	  "Some of the positions seen in the COU are exactly the same. ...They claim to be for peace, but they're incredibly violent, ...and it's completely impossible to agree with them."
	  Miyao:
	  "...The AOU is just like that too. ...I don't even count that as petitioning for peace."
	  Lingji:
	  "This is just the mood on the COU internet, ...but if you say you're for peace, people tend to assume that you're with them."
	  Miyao:
	  "It's exactly like that here. Even though some people really want to say they're anti-war, because of some weirdos, people will assume you're one of those violent people if you speak up. People don't want that, so while they avoid proactively supporting the government, they stay quiet instead of saying they're for peace..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "It's unthinkable that those people are true pacifists. Presumably, they've also been struck with this war fever, but they're expressing it in a way that's the exact opposite of obedience to their governments. At their core, they're suffering just as much from this fever as anyone else."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...I'm not sure if it's coincidental or intentional, ...but there's no denying that groups of what we might call radical pacifists are earning the public's disfavor across the world. And because of that, it's formed an environment where people hesitate to say they're anti-war."
	  ...These are the decoys, Miyao.
	  If you arrange for minority decoys that people can't agree with, ...no one will have reservations about joining the majority.
	  Humans and countries are such bad products...that they still have simple bugs like this.
	  It's bad enough that they ought to be rebuilt from square one......
	  Breaking News poyo!!
	  Lingji:
	  "Wh-What could it be...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Keropoyo, where is this news from?"
	  It's pretty wide ranging, so it's hard to say where it came from poyo!
	  Rethabile:
	  "Let's just listen to what it is. So, what on earth is going on?"
	  It's a report of a biohazard, created by a weaponized virus that ABN-allied countries created in the B3W era and supposedly destroyed completely later on poyooo!!
	  Stanisław:
	  "What...did you say......?"
	  Announcer:
	  "Our combined investigation team, working with LATO, has determined that this is the weaponized virus `Erbil L5', created in the B3W era."
	  Its official name was a series of more than ten letters and numbers, so it was now known by the name of the place where its first victims were discovered: a city in northern Iraq called Erbil.
	  During the massive worldwide feuds that raged near the end of the B3W era, a secret agent of some country brought the virus into Erbil and released it.
	  It was capable of delivering massive damage to crops that fit certain selected criteria.
	  The record states that the B3W terrorist attack using Erbil L5 dealt a massive blow to crops across the entire Middle East at the time.
	  There was no way to say for sure, since access to records from World War III was forbidden, but most people were convinced that this terrorist strike was one of the many triggers for that war.
	  In other words, this was a cursed virus that had once helped set off a world war.
	  After the start of the A3W era, the research and storage of any virus-based weapons had been forbidden everywhere in the world.
	  The country that created the virus, which later joined the ABN, had announced that they had destroyed all of the virus.
	  However, in actual fact, damage from Erbil L5 had occurred once again.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Did greedy warmongers create it in secret, to make it look like the ABN did it?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "As a member of the ABN, I'd like to believe that, ...but I doubt the other factions will."
	  Rethabile:
	  "If ABN crops were also damaged by this, that theory might be easier to accept, ...but that doesn't seem to be the case."
	  Lingji:
	  "The affected areas are the top half of the African continent, AOU Russia, and COU India..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Even though the ABN is surrounded by affected areas, the countries in their alliance are totally unaffected..."
	  A `weaponized' virus would be totally useless if it indiscriminately harmed your allies as well.
	  So, it had either been modified so that it wouldn't affect their own faction, or maybe only the ABN was using some anti-virus agent in their agricultural plants.
	  Lingji:
	  "Still, Miyao, it's a bit strange. This weaponized virus was created in the B3W era, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right! So, why is it only the countries of the ABN, which was formed in the A3W era, that are totally undamaged by it?!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Doesn't that just mean they kept it into the A3W era and continued to research it?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "That's not true."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Even if the ABN isn't actually researching it, ...they knew that a resurgence of Erbil L5 might affect their faction's agricultural plants, so they've been taking measures to prevent that, haven't they...?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "That's crazy... It's not true..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Rethabile! Don't suspect Stan."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I don't suspect him. However, the people will probably think along those lines. All I think is that this will become a pain."
	  Okay, Keropoyo! Searching for voices from the countries affected by this biohazard poyo!
	  Keropoyo displayed news programs and internet message boards from all over the world, one after another.
	  By putting them together and using his Keropoyo filtering, he was able to extract several opinions that seemed to be representative.
	  News:
	  "The ABN leadership still won't admit that they have Erbil L5! Since support from the ABN -- the ones who built this virus -- is essential for developing an anti-virus agent, their uncooperative attitude is allowing the virus to spread even more and drawing harsh criticism!"
	  Reporter:
	  "Look here! Wheat was being produced at this plant, but look what happened to it! This truly is a massacre of crops! Of course, it doesn't just affect wheat. The barley, rice, vegetables and fruits have all been devastated!!"
	  LATO Press Secretary:
	  "It's possible that massive famines will occur in the affected areas going forward. It's going to be necessary to set up food assistance programs rapidly on an international level."
	  Citizens:
	  "Why are only the ABN crops untouched?! An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, I say! Burn the ABN crops!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Whoa, hang on. That kind of argument's bad news."
	  Lingji:
	  "The common man is starting to hope that war goes beyond the Walls of Peace..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "If we're given orders to attack ABN agricultural plants, ...do the rules of the Order of the Public Bath say...that we should make that operation fail?"
	  Miyao:
	  "All acts of combat should take place within the Walls of Peace..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Stan, please don't take this personally. ...In that case, ...should we simply ignore the fact that half of the continent has been harmed by this virus attack...? Should we just give up and accept the damage that has been done to ACR citizens?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Of course, the ABN will compensate the victims, as a way of taking responsibility for once creating that virus... However, I doubt the people who have been victimized will be happy with that..."
	  Miyao:
	  "If someone who wants war is working behind the scenes, ...they're going to fight dirty going forward..."
	  Lingji:
	  "If we look at this as a sprout of war, our true enemy is whoever planned this virus attack, ...so the fact that we can't do anything about it...is so frustrating."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I'm sure the ABN will want to prove its innocence. They must be searching for the true culprit with all they've got now."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...I pray that they find that person soon. ...Gauntlet Knights are only soldiers. ...We aren't police or detectives or an intelligence agency."
	  Miyao:
	  "......Nggg......"
	  Are we really...powerless after all...?!
	  We created rules of the sword, saying that we'd pluck anything that was a sprout of war and hold back our attacks against anything that wasn't.
	  However, the Order of the Public Bath has nothing but swords.
	  We have no eyes to find our true enemies with, and we have no shields with which to preemptively block attacks from our true enemies.
	  If the military is the sword, I suppose the eyes are the police and intelligence agencies, and agencies for public safety are the shield...
	  If we're going to be the guardians of peace we really want to be, ...are Gauntlet Knights alone really enough......?
	  Stanisław:
	  "In the Order of the Public Bath, one questions the justice of one's own attacks. The rules don't tell you to question the attacks of others."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...So, if our Aerial Knight Corps is ordered to attack agricultural plants in ABN territory, ...and if I decide that action is appropriate and carry out the attacks, no one has a right to complain, yes? Naturally, we would only remove the plants' ability to function. We would try hard to keep human casualties to zero."
	  Lingji:
	  "...But if you do that, the people of the ABN will think they were attacked even though they were framed, and they'll want to start a cycle of revenge!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I know that! This is just to buy time. However, if we don't even do this, the bottled-up emotions of the people might burst in a direction that will be absolutely impossible to undo!"
	  Unless they found their real enemy, unless they found the true culprit, ...then not just Rethabile's ACR, but all of the people in affected areas would definitely cry out for the ABN to be attacked in revenge.
	  Even if that attack intentionally failed due to the rules of the Order of the Public Bath, their anger would only increase, rather than decrease.
	  If a vengeful attack failed, criticism of the government would increase, and it would either need to take even more dramatic actions to retain its stability, ...or it would be thrown into political chaos until it could find a solution. Naturally, that would inevitably cause even more sprouts of war.
	  However, even if a vengeful attack succeeded, the ABN would be forced to take revenge next. There would be no way to stop the cycle of revenge...!
	  All we can do is have faith that the people will cool their heads sometime during that cycle.
	  Miyao:
	  "In the end, ...I guess all we can do is buy time..."
	  Once, Jayden talked about a fiction where Gauntlet Knights all over the world joined forces and defeated a great evil.
	  If someone was able to tell you that the great evil was that guy over there, wouldn't that be wonderful?
	  However, in reality, though a great evil might actually exist, no one's going to tell you where it is.
	  Stanisław:
	  "I believe in the ABN's innocence. ...However, if the ACR orders its troops to take revenge and said troops obey, ...then I'm in no position to lodge a complaint."
	  Lingji:
	  "...Perhaps...it really was a dream to think that war could be prevented as long as Gauntlet Knights were the guardians of peace... I don't want to admit it..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Eyes, huh...? ...I'd like some eyes..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Eyes? What do you mean, eyes?"
	  Miyao:
	  "We are military might. Swords, in other words. But we have no eyes! Until we have eyes that can spot enemies, we're just blindly swinging our swords around in the dark at random. At this rate, even if we do have enough military might to change the world, it'll all be wasted!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "There's no need to be quite that humble. ...You've told us the precious fact that there are no allies or enemies when it comes to supporting the Walls of Peace together."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. That is why we were all able to talk together like this, from an enlightened perspective. If you hadn't talked with us about chivalric orders, Miyao, ...then at least one of the Gauntlet Knights would have rushed to make a name for herself, or else succumbed to public opinion, resulting in needless damage and possibly an even fiercer cycle of hatred."
	  Lingji:
	  "That's right. Miyao, what you thought up was neither useless nor meaningless. That much we know for sure."
	  Miyao:
	  "...In addition to Gauntlet Knights, ...what if we included some young people in the police force or intelligence agencies?"
	  Lingji:
	  "Huh? ...I don't really have any connections myself..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Grand Master, you should probably give up on using people from intelligence agencies."
	  Miyao:
	  "Why?! They might have the power to beat down our true enemies!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "What the Order of the Public Bath is trying to do may be wonderful from a philosophical perspective, but there's certainly no guarantee it will be legal according to the laws of each country."
	  Lingji:
	  "...We can be impudent as part of the Kizuna generation, but normally, even having personal interactions with members of other factions isn't good..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Not that this is anything new, but I believe that military regulations of nearly all countries, not just the ABN, forbid the use of communication tools like Kizuna."
	  Rethabile:
	  "After all, this is the Selcom generation. No one will blame you for what you do inside your head. But, that is simply because they don't see it, ...and if the truth does get out, you likely wouldn't be able to avoid punishment."
	  True enough, ...deciding on our own to have conversations with a tool like this is probably a dangerous thing.
	  It's like a school rule. You're supposed to focus on your work in class. You're forbidden from doing anything else. Technically, at least.
	  However, in reality, everyone is playing games they like or chatting with someone using the Selcom inside their head, playing however they please.
	  If anyone went out of their way to confess that they were doing this to a teacher, the description `clueless moron' would probably fit them well.
	  Not limited to Kizuna, there had been many attempts to place international information networks under government control since over a century prior.
	  Every time this succeeded, people found ways to circumvent it.
	  Currently, those circumvention techniques were in the lead, and in practical terms, they were completely unrestricted.
	  However, that didn't mean that they were officially acknowledged.
	  Stanisław:
	  "The police and intelligence agencies are on the side that upholds such rules. The side that ensures that those rules are followed. ...Inviting them to join would be too risky."
	  Rethabile:
	  "The gathering known as the It's a Wrap Public Bath may have been a miracle, possible only during the brief time when the mood of the Battle Standard Festival gave it momentum. ...That mood has faded, and actual warfare is now taking place around the world. Some are already feeling uneasy, thinking that they'll get in trouble just for entering the virtual room."
	  Lingji:
	  "......I have faith in everyone I met, fought, and became friends with at the Battle Standard Festival. ...However, ...to reach out to people on the outside, ...making contact with the police and intelligence agencies... Forgive me, Miyao, ...but it's hard for me to agree to such a decision."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...We've managed to share the philosophy of the Order of the Public Bath with Gauntlet Knights from around the world. That alone is enough of a miracle."
	  Miyao:
	  "So, ...you're saying we should be satisfied with what we've already got...?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Miyao, I understand how you feel, but please give up on that idea. If you don't, ...then I'm sorry, but I will be forced to disband the ACR branch of the Order of the Public Bath."
	  Lingji:
	  "...Rethabile..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I respect Miyao's ideas and want to follow them going forward! However, I cannot afford to put the friends who agreed to this philosophy in a risky position."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...At this moment, the existence of the Order of the Public Bath is a secret to all who might cause it harm. ...I ask that you take a moment to reflect on that fact, as well as the effort and trust that was needed to make it possible."
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao, ...you've created a wonderful chivalric order. All of us are comrades supporting the Walls of Peace. And, our job is to pluck sprouts of war, holding their sparks inside of us and enduring until the world regains its calm. ...You've taught us that."
	  Miyao:
	  "........................"
	  Rethabile:
	  "You've done enough, Miyao. I understand that you want to do more, but it's not your place to do so."
	  Miyao:
	  "...It's...not my place?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Correct. That would go beyond the station you have been given as a soldier."
	  So, the game piece must remain a game piece. Is that what this is...?
	  I thought I'd become more than a game piece by creating the Order.
	  But, in the end, ...I'm still on that board with black and white squares, only able to move in certain ways...
	  Miyao:
	  "...I...hate this..."
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao......"
	  Miyao:
	  "Even though we have such incredible power, ......it's completely pointless......"
	  Lingji:
	  "That's not true. Calm down. You've done something wonderful. That much is a solid fact. So don't blame yourself..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Our job is to buy time so that the people can regain their calm, ...but it seems you need the same thing right now, Miyao."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Grand Master, no one blames you for anything, nor have we lost patience with you. On the contrary, I respect the purity of your feelings towards peace even more now. Please, don't forget that."
	  Rethabile:
	  "In that case, I will take my leave. ...All Aerial Knights have just been ordered by the ACR Combined Military to install map data for ABN agricultural plants."
	  Lingji:
	  "...Then the ACR really will......"
	  Rethabile:
	  "......In accordance with the Order's philosophy, we will take action. If I decide that justice should not allow for my attack, it will fail. ...However, if I withdraw, someone who hasn't agreed to the Order's philosophy will be appointed as my successor. ...For me, that is a frightening prospect in terms of maintaining peace."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...What she's saying is probably correct. I'll respect your sense of justice."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Don't hate me. ...We are soldiers."
	  "Rethabile" has exited the room poyo!
	  Stanisław:
	  "Now then, I will leave as well. ...The Peace Department has ordered that we heighten our alert status in preparation for attacks from other factions."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Am I the biggest fool here? Am I the one who understands peace the least?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Don't get confused. You're the one who's the most correct. ...Rethabile and I are truly impressed by this Order's philosophy. ...I will go into battle while basing my actions on the justice of the Order, as I know she will. At least on that front, you need have no worries."
	  Lingji:
	  "I swear to do the same. So, Miyao, don't blame yourself. Right now, you're just tired and a little confused."
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I'm painfully aware how anxious you must feel, watching the world go feverish with war, with no signs of anyone cooling their heads. However, have faith in people. Just as you had faith in us."
	  Miyao:
	  "......You're...right..."
	  "Stanisław" has exited the room poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Even so, ...if villains hoping for war are stirring up emotions all over the world, ...the people won't cool their heads, right? They'll just keep dancing to that tune, right?!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao, I understand how frustrated you are. And I'm sure those in charge of finding villains like that are investigating as hard as they can now. So, there's no need to be tormented by feelings of powerlessness. Right now, we have to endure it. Even if we hate it."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I really do...hate it... Even though we have such incredible weapons attached to our left arms..."
	  Lingji:
	  "......Miyao........."
	  
	  #c8ca88To Miyao. Thank you for the email.@
	  #c8ca88As your father, I was truly surprised to learn that you had established a chivalric order for the sake of peace. And I respect you so much for doing it.@
	  #c8ca88Of course, I promise to assist you. I'll let you know if I learn anything.
	  #c8ca88However, it's possible that the sort of evil organization you're expecting doesn't exist.@
	  #c8ca88You've seen it on the news and the internet, right? Wars don't happen because someone gives an order. They're the result of large groups of people, and even larger groups called countries and societies.
	  #c8ca88If a true evil does exist behind the wars occurring throughout the world, ...perhaps it is a flaw in the creatures known as humans, which makes them periodically desire war.
	  #c8ca88If there's any advice I can give you, it's `don't be impatient'.@
	  #c8ca88With wars breaking out everywhere, I imagine that, young as you are, you're being overwhelmed with a feeling of impatience and responsibility, anxious with the belief that you have to do something.
	  #c8ca88However, as your friends said, the philosophy of your chivalric order is a splendid one. To think that feelings of friendship cultivated by the Battle Standard Festival would bear fruit like this, making the Gauntlet Knights who stand at the head of all military power recognize their position as guardians of peace... I'm honestly proud that you're my son.
	  #c8ca88Don't be impatient, Miyao. I'm sure the time will come when you'll be able to fulfill your role in a way even you can understand.
	  You sent an email to "My Son" poyo!
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hahah, hahahahah..."
	  Seshat:
	  "Huh? Why are you suddenly laughing?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "It's nothing. My son just sent me a cute email."
	  Toujirou:
	  "He really is just so cute though♪ He calls me an old bastard so often, but when the going gets tough... Aah, it's probably subconscious, but it's like he relies on me, like he can't even doubt me♪ You're so, so cute, so stupid and cute, so stupid-cute♪  Ah, you're so adorable, I wish we could take a bath together again!"
	  Seshat:
	  "Come to think of it, didn't Miyao get a Distinguished Service Medal? Congratulations. Doesn't he get a reward if he earns ten of them?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "I believe you're given an honorary position, can get honorably discharged, and then are given a lifetime pension. Well, there's been no wars since the start of the A3W era, so no hero has ever earned ten of them yet."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I wish I could've gone to take photos at the award ceremony. He must have looked so gallant. The cute, tense look he had when he graduated from kindergarten was so...♪"
	  Seshat:
	  "Okay, okay. So, what kind of email did this adorable Miyao send you?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "...He says he's established a chivalric order, so that Gauntlet Knights from around the world can conspire for the sake of peace."
	  Seshat:
	  "Oh? ...That sounds interesting."
	  Seshat:
	  "But is that really okay? ...Is that part of the plot...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Who knows. ...God's scenario isn't so flimsy that a little thing like that could stop it."
	  Seshat:
	  ".................."
	  Seshat:
	  "Miyao certainly is a powerful trump card. I'm not wrong there, am I...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "I know that. ...But I don't know whose trump card he is."
	  Seshat:
	  "Children are bonds. Isn't that how the Japanese saying goes?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "That's right. ...That's why I'm keeping a close eye on him."
	  Toujirou:
	  "He's such an honest kid, after all. ...If my ex-wife does contact him, I'm certain he'll tell me about it too. Right now, he's my only guidepost."
	  Seshat:
	  "...Though, that ex-wife of yours is yet another trump card. And once again, it's unclear whose trump card she is."
	  Toujirou:
	  "It's like a falling block puzzle, see? Any type of piece will get in the way if you don't make good use of it. But if you do, ...they fit into place just like a God-given miracle."
	  Seshat:
	  "Are we the ones playing a game? Or is it really `them' after all...?"
	  Jestress:
	  "Congratulations. The Erbil L5 maneuver has achieved complete success in its initial predicted goals."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Hyahyahya. It really was done quite skillfully."
	  King of Fury:
	  "However, I don't like it. ...Who on earth leaked secret information about that virus? Because of that, we cannot hope for any more damage as a result!"
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "We used it intending to wipe out crops all over the planet, and yet it didn't reach even half of the globe. ...It seems that, as expected, we won't be able to eliminate humanity easily unless we plan to destroy two planets' worth."
	  Jestress:
	  "Doesn't it just mean that this is the best you old people are capable of? Next time, I recommend you prepare to wipe out three planets' worth."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Hyahyahyahya. Well, I care not. Even so, we have managed to strike more than 30% of the globe. An attack of that magnitude should be more than enough to affect humanity as a whole."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Exactly. Hunger robs humans of their intellect and dignity. War should spread rapidly across the globe."
	  King of Fury:
	  "When the flames of war swallow the earth, they will likely burn down everything until only one seed of humanity exists, but that is for the best. Let all of the unclean and immature ones turn to ash."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "When knitting, if you make even one mistake, you cannot hide it no matter how much you try to cover it up. You have no choice but to undo everything up until the point where you made the mistake and start over..."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Well, they did try hard, at the start of the A3W era. ...Unfortunately, it all started going wrong just a few years later. What a shame."
	  Jestress:
	  "Which proves how incompetent the Three Kings were back then. *giggle*giggle*"
	  King of Fury:
	  "Perhaps you would have been incompetent at that time too, Jestress."
	  Jestress:
	  "My, how harsh you are."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Hyahyahyahyahyahya...!!"
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "We sincerely hope that an outstanding king to replace us is born from the ashes."
	  Though Erbil L5 neatly spared only the ABN, its damage spread to the northern half of the African continent, the western half of the Eurasian continent, and even the Atlantic Coast of North and South America.
	  More than three tenths of the entire world's agricultural output was annihilated.
	  Because some brave individual had released data on Erbil L5 to the entire world, LATO's cutting-edge labs had quickly formed a countermeasure and managed to release that information to all factions.
	  Thanks to that, the damage was limited to `only' a bit more than three tenths of the globe.
	  Without either the bravery of the one who released the data or the efforts of those who helped work out a countermeasure, agricultural plants all over the world would probably have been unable to avoid destruction...
	  News:
	  "That doesn't change the fact that this was an unprecedented disaster! Even though further spread was prevented, it's estimated that the affected areas will take several years to recover at best, and it's thought that a worldwide famine will be unavoidable!"
	  Announcer:
	  "Though the stock of agricultural companies that were spared has skyrocketed, all businesses affected by the damage have crashed."
	  Commentator:
	  "In other words, there's more to this than the food supply shrinking by 30%. 30% of countries around the world might be wiped out by famine."
	  News:
	  "LATO has called on all factions to call a truce and participate in international food support operations. However, the ABN still claims that they had nothing to do with the virus incident, and they want that acknowledged as a precondition for them providing support. But the ACR, which received the greatest damage, fiercely opposed this condition, saying that they would not take military retribution off the table."
	  Rethabile said it herself.
	  That they might make a retaliatory strike against the ABN.
	  That strike would probably target ABN agricultural plants.
	  It was the simplest kind of retribution humanity knows. Equivalent exchange. In other words, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
	  However, ...looking at this from a worldwide perspective, it was foolish.
	  Even though agricultural plants had been lost and mass famine was approaching, ...even more agricultural plants were about to be destroyed to soothe public opinion.
	  Like Dad said, ...maybe humans are flawed creatures.
	  Is that something we just have to give up and accept? Or is it something that cannot be forgiven, seeing as we're animals that have been allowed to exist on the earth's surface...?
	  In the heavily-hit ACR, there would be no chance of restraining the public's rising desire for retribution.
	  The pro-peace faction inside the ACR Royal Family tried to smooth this over by asking for unconditional compensation from the ABN.
	  However, the ABN flatly rejected this, saying that they couldn't provide any kind of support as long as they were being treated as the de-facto culprits.
	  And yet, the ABN had been unable to prove its innocence.
	  In the first place, it's impossible to prove a negative. No matter how many times the ABN repeated that it had never secretly stored virus-based weapons, no one was convinced.
	  This meant that the only way out would be to arrest the culprit who had carried out this act of worldwide bioterrorism, but they didn't seem to be making any progress at all on that front.
	  So, ...it was only a matter of time until the ACR committed to a retaliatory strike. And, it might easily happen tonight or the following morning.
	  It wasn't just the ACR planning a retaliatory strike, but the COU as well.
	  The COU had also received massive damage to COU Saudi Arabia, COU Yemen, COU Oman, and the northwestern part of COU India.
	  Their policy of preemptive action, the so-called sword of peace, probably made it easy to accept the idea of a retaliatory strike.
	  On the other hand, the AOU was in a complicated situation.
	  The countries comprising the AOU historically had strong ties to Europe and were its allies.
	  Due to a treaty with the ABN, the AOU was supposed to fight alongside them if they were ever attacked by another faction.
	  However, starting with AOU Russia, several AOU nations near to the western part of Eurasia had received significant damage. These countries were demanding that the ABN be investigated concerning its part in this.
	  The one thing the AOU Joint Parliament feared above all else...was a split between AOU America and AOU Russia.
	  So, it was only a matter of time before AOU America capitulated to AOU Russia, whose feelings on this matter were extremely intense. ...After all, the East Coast of America had been struck as well.
	  And, the most complicated area, which had turned into a massive powder keg, was the Middle East.
	  The area around the Middle East was filled with devout people who respected religion, so for religious reasons, it had been taken for granted that they would join the ABN, a collection of religious states.
	  However, because of a forceful move by the COU, which wanted to envelop all countries surrounding the Central Ocean, several countries including Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Oman joined the COU instead.
	  It's thought that resistance to the ABN's rapid and rough religious unification played a big role in this. The revolution was too radical, and it failed to convince many people who respected tradition.
	  Taking advantage of this chaos, the AOU admitted Georgia and Armenia as well.
	  To make sure that the ABN didn't extend into the African continent, the ACR turned Egypt into a forward base.
	  In the midst of this, Azerbaijan was threatened by multiple factions who wanted them to join, so they reached out to LATO for help, becoming the first nation to be allied with LATO outside of Latin America.
	  In other words, the area roughly surrounding a line drawn between LATO Azerbaijan and ABN Israel shared borders with all of the A3W era's Great Factions.
	  Even though it was a small region with a mixture of factions, the damage from Erbil L5 had neatly avoided just the ABN-affiliated countries.
	  In the affected areas, that imbalance was more than enough to stir up a desire to strike back against the ABN.
	  All factions were advancing massive swarms of powerful drones towards the area, and anyone could have predicted that the biggest of military clashes would soon occur there...
	  ...Is there nothing I can do...?
	  Dad told me to not be impatient. That very soon, I would be given a chance to fulfill my role.
	  But if I just accept that and wait, ...doesn't that mean I'm just a game piece?
	  Rethabile:
	  "This is Rethabile of Squad 601. I'm sure you understand, but I'll say it again! Don't die! Don't kill! If your shield is destroyed, honorably retreat! We know that having your shield destroyed generates mental noise that lowers your P3 levels! If you lose your temper and return to battle, you won't be doing us any good! Concentrate on bringing the Gauntlet on your left arm back safely!"
	  Abdou:
	  "Well, if you run out of energy and fall, you'll be feeding the fishes of the Mediterranean Sea."
	  Ishak:
	  "That goes for both sides. If the person who intercepts you runs out of energy and falls too, you'll be stuck inside the same stomach."
	  Rethabile:
	  "And let me also say this! Both we and our enemies are friends supporting the Walls of Peace together! We'll support them from either side. This clash is merely a result of that. There is no hatred here. Only friends supporting the walls!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I won't allow you to attack enemies who have lost the will to fight! Nor will I permit attacks against those who have lost their shields! Those who attack the backs of enemies attempting to flee will be viewed as unworthy of the honor of the Aerial Knights and dealt with by me personally!"
	  An enthusiastic acknowledgement came from countless kette.
	  However, despite their enthusiasm, they couldn't hide their tension.
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Lady Rethabile! Show them the fury of the 2 billion subjects of the ACR! Their spirits go with your Aerial Knight Corps and your wings of attack drones! Make the cursed ABN feel our raaaaaaaaage!!!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Please, calm yourself. ...Soldiers who bow to emotion end up dead. Cool your head. Ending transmission."
	  Ishak:
	  "Princess, ...how do you intend to handle this assault?"
	  Abdou:
	  "We've clearly gone past the Walls of Peace. ...That would mean this is an attack we mustn't allow to succeed..."
	  Rethabile:
	  ".................."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...What do you think will happen if this attack fails?"
	  Ishak:
	  "It seems doubtful that it would end anything."
	  Abdou:
	  "The mighty ACR can't afford to give up and go home crying."
	  Ishak:
	  "They'll probably mobilize the entire military and attack again. ...That truly would be an all-out war."
	  Ishak:
	  "There's no way that your ideal of treating both enemies and allies as guardians of peace...will be shared among the entire military."
	  Abdou:
	  "If that happens, ...the ABN will be forced to respond. The Mediterranean Sea will be stained with blood..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Exactly. ...If we intentionally make this attack fail, that will only buy a small amount of time, ...and it will be followed by a truly unstoppable all-out war."
	  Rethabile:
	  "While the front lines are still in the hands of the Aerial Knight Corps, ...we can still control the situation."
	  Ishak:
	  "We can also work to minimize unnecessary damage..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Correct."
	  Abdou:
	  "Though, that's assuming those drones feel the same way you do, Princess."
	  There was a line of several kette from the ACR Aerial Knight Corps, with formations of attack drones behind each.
	  Because Gauntlet Knights had high levels of parallel processing ability, they were skilled at controlling other weapons in addition to themselves.
	  In other words, they could fight using groups of attack drones as their arms and legs.
	  However, even if their ability to parallel process was high, it was also a heavy burden to use it during actual battle.
	  When it became too much, the drones would attack according to their original programming.
	  ...In other words, they wouldn't follow the philosophy of the Order of the Public Bath at all.
	  Ace-class knights like Rethabile would never lose control of any of the drones behind them.
	  However, ...the other Gauntlet Knights weren't like that.
	  And, several of them were tense, so their P3 levels were lower than normal.
	  In the midst of battle, if their control failed and the drones started attacking according to their own decisions, ...they may act correctly from a military standpoint, but there was no guarantee that they would behave properly as guardians of the Walls of Peace.
	  #8aaaffNoor:
	  "This is Cairo Squad. We're about to make contact with the ABN air defense forces."
	  Rethabile:
	  "You understand, yes? Don't die, don't kill. Of course, you need not hold back against enemy drones."
	  #ffeab5Gannet:
	  "Princeeess, ...I'm carrying lots of bombs, ...but should I make sure they don't hit...?"
	  #beff90Mariana:
	  "We don't know that the ABN are the culprits. This is just...a meaningless attack so people can blow off steam..."
	  #8aaaffNoor:
	  "I agree. ...Princess, we have sworn loyalty to the Royal Family and the military. However, for now, we will prioritize your decision, as one who flies and supports the Walls of Peace with us."
	  Abdou:
	  "...The princess is in a tough position too. Whether we do it or not, the situation will grow worse."
	  #8aaaffNoor:
	  "I'm fully aware of that. But, even so, we shall follow whatever decision the princess makes."
	  #beff90Mariana:
	  "You're leaving the decision to others and escaping responsibility, Noor. You don't understand the princess' suffering at all."
	  #ffeab5Gannet:
	  "Noor didn't do anything wrong! Everyone's worried, and everyone's in a tough position! So, we want the princess to show us the way!"
	  Ishak:
	  "Princess, ...there's no need for you to bear this heavy responsibility. ...Perhaps you should leave it in the hands of God."
	  Rethabile:
	  "What do you mean by that?"
	  Ishak:
	  "Both we and our enemies will do our best as soldiers. ...The result...is in God's hands."
	  Abdou:
	  "That means you're passively choosing not to make a choice..."
	  #8aaaffNoor:
	  "I've got a reading on 8MS radar. We'll reach them any second now! Princess, ...we'll leave our fates in God's hands, so may we move forward...?!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Everyone keeps trying to push the responsibility on me. ...Leave fate in the hands of God? That's a splendid idea..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Don't take me so lightly..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I am Rethabile Eenentwintig Africacommonwealthrealm of the ACR!! I shall not use leaving it up to God as an excuse to avoid making decisions or taking responsibility!!"
	  And besides, we have a path to move forward on. It has already been shown to us!
	  To think that a cultural exchange that began in a Japanese-style public bath after the Battle Standard Festival would result in such a fascinating chivalric order! You truly do intrigue me, Mitake Miyao!
	  I am Rethabile, a Master of the Order of the Public Bath!! One who leads guardians of the Walls of Peace!!
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Naima:
	  "Kizuna says a friend has arrived..."
	  Naomi:
	  "It's sad. ...To think that a notification of a friend's arrival would signify an enemy attack..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...If this is the enemy's main force, then naturally, Rethabile's Squad 601 will be here too."
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Naima:
	  "...We sent friend requests to a lot of them, after all. A lot of those friends are coming. ...I really hate sad Kizuna friend notifications like these..."
	  Naomi:
	  "You could also turn off notifications, ...or else turn off your Kizuna."
	  Naima:
	  "Wowowow! I'd hate that even more! If I turn off Kizuna, we really will become enemies!"
	  Ever since these conflicts began, ...more and more Gauntlet Knights were beginning to fear getting friend notifications.
	  They rang out to let you know that there was a friend nearby, in your enemy's front lines.
	  However, when you actually heard that notification, ...that fear would turn to sadness...and eventually a feeling of powerlessness at your inability to change the situation...
	  Stanisław:
	  "There's no need to turn it off. They are friends, Naima."
	  Naima:
	  "Even when we're fighting like this, we're all friends! Friends supporting the Walls of Peace!"
	  Naomi:
	  "...Every time I hear that Kizuna notification, it reminds me that we'll have to fight against our friends. ...However, as long as we feel that way, we'll never be enemies, even if our blades cross."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Exactly. They'll push from their side, and we'll push from ours, supporting the Walls of Peace. It isn't our job to push them over."
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "This is Leah from the ABN Peace Department's 012th Holy Agent Corps `Yeladot Shavit'!"
	  #ffcba9Fatma:
	  "And I'm Fatma!"
	  #ffe284Stephania:
	  "And I'm Stephania! Together, the three of us are missionaries of love and peace!!"
	  #ffcba9Fatma:
	  "Yeladot Shavit, bringing the heat!!"
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "To all Gauntlet Knights, we will soon make contact with enemies of peace! Please, don't forget that behind us, crowds of peace-loving civilians are looking up at us!"
	  #ffe284Stephania:
	  "Even though we're victims who were framed, we offered our loving support to the ACR! In return, they assumed that we were the culprits behind that bioterrorism without proof, refusing our love-filled attempts to offer them support and negotiate, and resulting in this act of barbarism...!"
	  #ffcba9Fatma:
	  "Oh, but we don't hate them! They are lost sheep! They need guidance from God and us!"
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "We will now engage in blessed peaceful activities against the ACR military, which ignored our warnings and continues to invade us. If they repent, God will surely save their lives and their souls. Only the children of demons who refuse to repent until the end will disappear into the sea!"
	  #ffe284Stephania:
	  "Come, everyone!!
	   Protect the beautiful land and skies of the ABN from these demons! We're supporting you all!!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Your magnificent speech has renewed my dedication to justice and peace. Thank you, Yeladot Shavit."
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "No, no, don't mention it!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Calling all kette. This is Stanisław from Thalathat Suyuf. I'll say it again. Don't die, and don't kill."
	  Stanisław:
	  "The voices luring you toward martyrdom come from the devil, telling you to put your God to the test. If your shield is broken, retreat without fighting. And don't kill your enemy. It's enough that you break their shields. If they still do not repent, then let God swallow the fools with the waves of the Mediterranean Sea."
	  Naomi:
	  "Don't die. No flowers can bloom from a dead sprout."
	  Naima:
	  "And don't kill. Only God is permitted to take life. Wow!"
	  #ffe284Stephania:
	  "Don't worry. God has given us his permission."
	  #ffcba9Fatma:
	  "So show no mercy, and scatter the lost sheep across the sea!"
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "Kill the enemy! Defend our homeland's territory and resources! God has given you the order to kill!!"
	  Naima:
	  "If God tells me that directly, I'll obey and massacre the enemy."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Naima, stop it."
	  Naima:
	  "However!! The crap you're spouting isn't coming from the God Naima loves! Shut your faces, you fake wannabe idol barrier troops!
	   I'll protect them! The skies and ground of our homeland, our friends and allies, and all our comrades supporting the Walls of Peace!!"
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "Th-That's a disorderly outburst. I'll be reporting this to our superiors later. Don't blame me if you get in trouble."
	  Naomi:
	  "It's probably just an overreaction to her wartime drug injections. Please, forgive her with the tolerance of God's love."
	  Naima:
	  "Stan. You got a problem with it being me?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Not at all. But I never expected that Miyao's ideals would resonate with you."
	  Naima:
	  "He's so naive. Such a little brat. Both enemies and allies are our friends? Friends supporting the Walls of Peace? What, are you stupid?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "You're right. He really is naive, and a huge idiot to boot."
	  Naima:
	  "There's no way you could pull it off. As if life could be that easy. I don't believe in any God or Buddha."
	  Naomi:
	  "Impious statements can be dangerous. Heheh."
	  Naima:
	  "However,/
	   I believe in what Naima believes in, and I'll defend it!
	  langen@^ I'll make it a reality!! This is the first time in her life she's ever been able to believe in a world that isn't divided into allies and enemies, and I'll make it real!!"
	  Don't die? Don't kill? Only amateurs die, and the people who kill are even bigger amateurs!! Miyao, you said something seriously interesting back there!
	  Naima:
	  "Miyao, you might have just said it on a whim, ...but there's a dreamy girl here who was able to find her ideals thanks to that
	   I'll make it come true, Naima!! Stan, Naomi, follow me!! Let me show you how to fight without dying or killing!!!"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "This is Rethabile. The ACR has no intention of obeying your warning. Combat will commence in ten seconds."
	  Naima:
	  "Do whatever you want. You fight for Africa. I'll fight for Naima. Don't die, don't kill."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "I won't let you die. And I won't let you kill!"
	  Naima:
	  "Of course! Don't let yourself get killed by someone like meeeeeeeeeee!!!"
	  Sujatha:
	  "This is Suparṇa. We've finished our carpet bombing of the target. There was some resistance, but we've suffered no losses. We're returning."
	  COU Officer:
	  "Roger that. We've confirmed that the agricultural plant has been rendered completely inoperable. Retreat at once."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "...Aaah. Is there any point to this attack...? If the world is facing famine, why are we trying to make it worse...?"
	  Andry:
	  "It's probably some political...well, assholes, I guess. ...Apparently, the ABN can't fight us and the ACR at the same time, so we're using this as a bargaining tactic, to make the ABN agree to pay reparations only to the COU."
	  Sujatha:
	  "Don't think about politics! We're just pushing back after being pushed, as guardians of the Walls of Peace."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "I still don't agree with the attack, ...but we accurately struck just the plant. And we only did that after making sure no one was on the farm..."
	  Andry:
	  "Don't die, don't kill. Guess this means friend Miyao will give us a gold star, woo!"
	  Sujatha:
	  "I'm surprised. I didn't expect an irresponsible man like you would sympathize with Miyao's noble goals."
	  Andry:
	  "No one wants to die. And, there's no need to kill people if I'm not getting paid for it. It just happens to suit me perfectly as someone who hates to work."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "...So, if you were ordered to kill civilians, ...would you do it?"
	  Sujatha:
	  "...You *would* kill if you're getting paid for it, right?"
	  Andry:
	  "Yeah. I would. I'm a salaryman soldier, woo! I'll do any job for money."
	  Andry:
	  "However, if you want to hire me to kill, you'd better be prepared to fill an olympic swimming pool with bundles of cash."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Andry..."
	  Andry:
	  "...Still, no matter how much cheap talk we pile on, no matter how cooly we handle ourselves, ...this isn't a game of chess. It's impossible to avoid all damage to pieces we aren't aiming for. ...I've got no intention of killing on purpose, ...but I might kill someone without meaning to. I'm not so naive that I haven't thought of that."
	  Sujatha:
	  "Hmph. You may sometimes say deep things and act the part of the enlightened man, but you won't fool me."
	  Andry:
	  "Woo, that's just fine. Living life irresponsibly is my policy."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Huh? ......No way, this is... Umm, uhhh...!"
	  Andry:
	  "What is it?"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "It's an ABN news report...! They're talking about the city we just attacked...!"
	  ABN News:
	  "After learning that the civilian casualties caused by this COU bombing included over 40 kindergarteners, who were visiting this agricultural plant on a field trip, the city folk are expressing their outrage."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Th-That's a lie, a lie, it never happened!! I checked before attacking! I checked so much, so much...!! It's a lie, it's a lie, it's not possible...!!!"
	  Sujatha:
	  "...We checked carefully before attacking. The plant was automated and completely unmanned. This must be a scenario prepared by the ABN Guidance Department, so they can inflate their casualties..."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Th-That's it, isn't it?! That has to be it! After all, I checked it many times, over and over again! Because we knew we couldn't let anyone get dragged into this...!!"
	  Andry:
	  "...Maybe no one died as a direct result of our attack. But that doesn't mean...that we haven't caused any deaths."
	  There had been a sudden air raid alarm, and then a bombing. The peaceful city had probably been instantly enveloped in panic.
	  Even if no one was hurt in the bombing itself, if confused drivers got in accidents and killed people, it would be fair to say that those accidents were caused by the bombing.
	  Andry:
	  "However, let me say this. Sujatha, Rukhshana, you only attacked after making near approaches at such great risk, checking closely to make sure no person was hit. ...If you had attacked in a more slipshod, irresponsible way, ...many more people would have died. There can be no doubt of that."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "I checked so much, so, so much... It's impossible, impossible...!"
	  Sujatha:
	  "That's right, we carried out a perfect strike. This is enemy propaganda. Don't believe it!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Still, if people panicked from our attack and got into accidents..."
	  Andry:
	  "These Walls of Peace really are heavy, aren't they?!!"
	  Andry:
	  "The middle-aged guys who ordered this attack are gonna take responsibility, just like people in charge should, right? Wooooooooo!!!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Pwah, *cough*cough*cough*, meoowooowww!!
	  langen@^ That's just great meow!
	   There's midair mines meow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Keh. I thought the 8MS felt strange..."
	  Chloe:
	  "Lilja, Koshka...! Please try to recover your mental condition! I'm giving you permission to take injections if necessary...!"
	  The mighty shield used by Gauntlet Knights, the Rejection Shield, could cause vastly different levels of strain depending on the situation.
	  Naturally, stronger attacks would cause additional strain, but unpredicted attacks would cause far more.
	  Apparently, some countries had been developing techniques for using stealth levitating drones as midair mines, to be used as a Gauntlet Knight countermeasure.
	  They were both surprise attacks and powerful explosions. The combination of those two things seemed to have made them effective even against Gauntlet Knights...
	  Though it hadn't broken their shields, the sudden expenditure of energy had symptoms similar to anemia.
	  Chloe had given her kette permission to inject cranial secretion regulators, which would give them energy and rapidly improve their condition.
	  However, the enemy naturally wouldn't let this once-in-a-lifetime chance slip.
	  Taking advantage of their confusion in the wake of that midair landmine, the next attack was already coming.
	  Chloe:
	  "Enemy missiles approaching! They appear to be cluster missiles! All kette, intercept them!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Baba Yaga! What're you sitting there dazed for meow?! Restore your mental condition right now meow!!"
	  #e7e7e7Baba Yaga:
	  "A-After that midair mine, ...Praskovya's in condition red! She's at 13%, just above the Madonna's Minimum Speed!"
	  Koshka:
	  "The enemy missiles have launched their submunitions. ...You damned AI, locking onto Baba Yaga because they're sitting ducks...!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Please, shoot them down!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Baba Yaga, fall back, it's gonna swallow up all three of you meow!!"
	  #e7e7e7Baba Yaga:
	  "We'll intercept from here...! We can't abandon Praskovya!"
	  Koshka:
	  "These high-maneuverability missiles...are flying around just like bugs! Even I...can't get all of them...!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Baba Yaga, fall back!! There's no way you can intercept all of those missiles in that condition!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "You fools meow, run for it meeooooooooow!!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Baba Yagaaaaaaaaaaaaa...!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...First, let's pray for our comrades who supported the Walls of Peace even in death."
	  Lingji:
	  "I'm confident that their noble deaths served the cause of peace..."
	  Rethabile:
	  ".................."
	  Rethabile:
	  "It seems countries everywhere are trying to drag inexperienced people into combat, in order to increase their number of Gauntlet Knights."
	  Stanisław:
	  "There's no helping it. ...Gauntlet Knights are the peak of military power. ...To fight against them, you must increase the numbers on your side."
	  Lingji:
	  "And, ...the flames of war have started to extend beyond the Walls of Peace."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Forgive me. ...I'm truly sorry for the harm we did to the sinless people of the ABN."
	  Miyao:
	  "Why do we have to fight actual wars?! What happened to all the people excitedly watching simulated battles in the Virty Arena at the Battle Standard Festival?!"
	  Lingji:
	  "...You're right. Is there any reason to have wars in reality?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "In the ancient Olympics, the victor was given an olive wreath, but they apparently weren't given one if they caused their opponent's death."
	  Miyao:
	  "That kind of thinking is important! There's no need for us to actually kill each other! If we just want to have winners and losers, games in the Virty Arena ought to be enough!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I never thought I'd hear an argument against the need for a physical body from someone who wasn't a shut-in..."
	  As VR got more and more real, certain cultured people and religious advocates began arguing against the necessity of having a physical human body.
	  In virtual spaces, you could never do anything that couldn't be undone. In these paradises, even destruction and murder could be reversed.
	  However, in the real world, all irreversible tragedies and calamities happened because of the physical body.
	  The physical body was the source of all evil. The human soul could only reach up towards God once it was freed from the barbarous shackles of the body, ...according to them.
	  Miyao:
	  "How is this a healthy military balance?! It's militaries that hurt people and kill people, right?! Wouldn't it be better if we got rid of all militaries around the world?!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Without militaries, there would be no one to support the Walls of Peace, and they would crumble. Without the Walls of Peace, the hatred of humans would show itself in the form of genocide and ethnic cleansing."
	  If conflict arose between different peoples in a place without Walls of Peace or national borders...
	  The result would be neighbors lawlessly and horribly killing each other in their own hometowns.
	  The concept of the Walls of Peace had been created to prevent such tragedies...
	  Stanisław:
	  "Saying it this way is sad for the victims, ...but because our comrades protecting the walls nobly sacrificed their lives, the damage never extended further than that. Additionally, this was made possible because they shared your philosophy of don't die, don't kill."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. Miyao, you might be blaming your powerlessness for this, but it's the opposite. ...Even in a situation like this, you have managed to keep us sane."
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  Lingji:
	  "That's right. If it weren't for the Order of the Public Bath, ...we may have unfriended each other, exposing our hearts to hate as we killed each other."
	  Rethabile:
	  "When I first heard Kizuna's friend notifications on the battlefield, ...I hated it. But now, I think it's a very important thing."
	  That's right poyo! You should thank me for working hard and constantly checking for friends within a certain radius, so I can notify you poyo!!
	  Miyao:
	  "...You're right. Thanks, Keropoyo. Because of your friend notifications, we've been able to remember something important."
	  Stanisław:
	  "That's the Order of the Public Bath's Secretary Knight for you."
	  Hahah! I'm a capable frog poyo
	   *keeeero*kero*kero*!
	  Miyao:
	  "The Walls of Peace we support...really are heavy. ...Sometimes, they even make us die or kill."
	  Lingji:
	  "But even so, because you supported those walls, a great number of people have been protected from the fires of war."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're right... We can't let this get us depressed already. ...No matter how tough or sad it gets, we have to keep supporting the walls..."
	  It's been like a tennis rally, where one act of retribution is the spark for the next.
	  The reason we guardians of the walls continue to support them, even when our bodies and hearts are wounded, ...is so they can endure until peace returns.
	  It's to buy time until the people regain their cool and remember how precious peace is.
	  ...So, how has that gone? While we've been suffering, just how much has the world regained its cool...?!
	  News:
	  "This heartless attack that spared no consideration for civilian casualties has brought the public's rage to a peak!"
	  President's Speech:
	  "The blood of our comrades will be paid back in kind!! The tears of their families will as well!! I promise my people that justice will be done!!"
	  Commentator:
	  "In the first place, that humiliating B3W treaty was simply forced upon us by the superpowers of the time..."
	  Video Uploader:
	  "There's a way even we can contribute to our country! Throw stones at stores owned by foreigners and take what's inside! Any police who try to stop you are traitors, so take photos of them! If this video gets taken down, then this site is being run by traitors too!!"
	  News:
	  "It was revealed that a civilian group protesting to stop the war was actually a spy organization from another faction."
	  Police Chief:
	  "We now know that this was the work of agitators masquerading as a pro-peace organization! The suspects are apparently also connected to the recent schoolbus bombing, and-"
	  Internet Forum:
	  "As expected, those people saying they opposed the war while shouting `die, die' were all paid agitators! Find everyone who ever said they were anti-war and arrest them for being suspected spies!"
	  News:
	  "A man who was arrested for attacking an anti-war demonstration was sentenced today to only 24 hours of community service, with the judge saying that the man's righteous anger and passion were more than understandable. This kindhearted extralegal ruling was praised by the people for its courage and justice."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Has the world gone insane? Or are we crazy to think they're crazy?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Because we're people who have faced the struggle for life and death on the battlefield and who always feel the heavy burden of our duty towards peace, ...it's possible for us to keep our sanity."
	  Miyao:
	  "Are you saying that, ...to those who have never been on a battlefield, real warfare looks basically the same as the simulator battles from the Battle Standard Festival...?"
	  Lingji:
	  "No. Since there are actual casualties, it makes them push towards war with even more anger and hatred."
	  Miyao:
	  "Dammit! If you like war that much, go to a game salon and play war games as much as you like!! If you like watching, watch gaming livestreams and sports programs all you want...!! Why is it necessary to kill each other in real life?! Just leave that sort of thing to VR!!!"
	  --That's right, children of man. This is liberation.
	  Was the voice echoing throughout this massive sea of factory machines, or was it speaking directly into my brain? ...It might also have been an auditory hallucination, but I couldn't tell.
	  --Your evolution stopped advancing for one simple reason: you were unable to break out of your shells of flesh.
	  --So, I will break through your shells and aid in your soul's evolution.
	  People hung from rails with all their skin melted off, moaning in pain.
	  Those people were swallowed by massive processing machines, one after another, ...and released from their so-called shells of flesh...
	  And then, one after another, they were transformed into a bizarre form: brains with spinal cords hanging down from them.
	  --In the new world, there will be no death nor aging, no sadness nor pain.
	  --It will be the promised land, the heaven your various religions have extolled for so long.
	  --Come now, there is no need to be afraid, children of men. Accept your liberation and come to the eternal, immortal garden... Those who arrived slightly before you are already quivering with the joy of liberation, their hearts filled with the excitement of a new life, in a world eternally without pain. ...Your wives and children, husbands and parents, siblings and friends who have already been freed are eagerly awaiting your arrival... Have no fear. Accept the liberation......
	  .........All of the misfortune, sadness, anger and pain that humans bring about in this world...
	  All of it is caused by the flesh, is it not...?
	  Because you have flesh, you wage war. You hurt people. And you go mad with rage, killing each other more and more.
	  However, what if there was a world free from flesh, where life and death did not exist...?
	  There would no longer be any reason to hurt each other.
	  No one could take anyone else's life, and sadness, anger, pain, and suffering would not exist. They would not lead to more of the same.
	  Without flesh, even the differences between sexes become meaningless. Animal worries can nearly all be explained by a need for food and procreation, so it's surely the same for humans.
	  They do seem to have many varied desires, such as those for honor or power, but these ultimately result from a wish to appear superior to others and more effectively satisfy their need for procreation and food. In other words, everything can be explained by a need for procreation and food!
	  Liberation from the flesh means liberation from these needs, which are the root cause of inescapable animal suffering.
	  There exists no reason to resist what truly is heaven. A paradise for the soul that humanity must reach through evolution.
	  ...Oh, I see. Are you God......?
	  Please, ...guide humanity to the promised land......
	  
	  News:
	  "It's a simultaneous global truce! All factions have responded to the IPMA's call, and a shocking global truce has been enacted!"
	  You've received an email from "Valentina" and "Maricarmen" poyo!
	  #fbeb85To the Grand Master who defends of the Walls of Peace. Heheh, we haven't just been sitting around either. We've been doing our job.@
	  #beaaf6While the whole world was agitating towards war, we were able to gather those who had doubts about the current situation and hadn't forgotten their duty towards peace!
	  Miyao:
	  "Nice going... I guess those big sisters from LATO aren't all talk..."
	  Lingji:
	  "Perhaps their power is that of the `eyes' you mentioned before."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Their reputation took a hit because they were utterly unable to prevent this bout of world feuds, ...but yes, it seems they do deserve that moniker of `The World's LATO'."
	  Rethabile:
	  "It's irritating, but that's probably true. If LATO had done this from the start, war would likely not have occurred."
	  Miyao:
	  "There is no `too early' or `too late', as long as you have peace. ...With this, the world will finally be able to regain its composure."
	  Lingji:
	  "The tide is finally turning, isn't it?!"
	  Up until this point, the IPMA had been working with leaders from all factions to establish a truce.
	  However, as these leaders represented societies that were raging towards war, there was really no chance of them being convinced.
	  So, the IPMA changed tack. They investigated one VIP after another across all factions, making a list of those who weren't caught up in the fever of war. People who had maintained their sense of duty towards peace.
	  Then, they gave those people positions as provisional directors in the IPMA, granting them considerable authority.
	  As the maintainers of a healthy military balance, the IPMA held massive influence over the whole world's military community and the business community that supported it. And now, politicians who hadn't forgotten their duty towards peace had been directly appointed to vital roles within the IPMA.
	  Of course, this outrageous move was tantamount to meddling in the internal affairs of all factions.
	  However, LATO had forced it through by making optimal use of its immense financial and military power, as well as its position as the world's greatest producer of Rare Spiritium.
	  Stanisław:
	  "Their methods were quite forceful. It's likely to cause discontent against LATO on a global scale."
	  Miyao:
	  "So, they wielded their power for the sake of peace, even though it meant taking on such a huge risk. ...Crap, LATO really is cool..."
	  Lingji:
	  "I suppose they don't call themselves the World Police for nothing."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Even if the worldwide wars do end with this, I suspect the scars will last a long time. ...There will be political turmoil caused by LATO's meddling in domestic affairs, as well as issues involving national borders and reparations that were suspended before being truly solved. The world's hardships will probably continue for quite some time."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, that's better than war. Fights carried out in conferences following proper procedure are politics, not war."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Exactly. Let those who love war continue this in their conference halls."
	  News:
	  "The person there waving and descending the ramp is Liu Tiankai from COU China. He's known for being a quiet influencer in the COU Joint Parliament, so it seems there was quite a stir when his selection was announced."
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh? Isn't Liu your last name, Lingji?"
	  Lingji:
	  "He's my grandfather. ...He looks so haggard. I can't imagine how much he must have worried about this huge responsibility..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Not surprising. This is the same as publicly expressing his discontent at the way his country has been almost unanimously moving towards war."
	  Rethabile:
	  "In our Royal Family, there are some who were picked, but declined when they learned they wouldn't be able to join anonymously. ...They might temporarily become heroes of world peace, but they probably risk losing their positions in the subsequent political chaos that will surround all countries."
	  Miyao:
	  "Are you kidding me? ...Why should someone who stands up for world peace have to be criticized for it later?! Lingji's grandfather is a true hero, isn't he?!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Thanks, Miyao. I'm sure my Grandfather would be happy to hear that..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "To pursue justice even when it means going against the will of your country is extremely difficult. I want to praise Lingji's grandfather for his courage too..."
	  For repeatedly issuing visas to Jews in defiance of his government, Sugihara Chiune was known as Japan's Schindler. 
	  It's also known that, upon returning to Japan, he was coldly treated as a traitor for disobeying his country's orders.
	  The brand of being a traitor ended up having more sway than the justice of an individual's heart...
	  Even after he was honored by Israel, the slander against him did not cease, and it wasn't until 14 years after his death that he was properly recognized as someone who had chosen justice, despite knowing that he would be called a traitor.
	  In Dante's Divine Comedy, those with greater sins were punished in the deeper levels of hell.
	  The sin punished in the lowest circle of hell, Cocytus, ...was betrayal.
	  Betrayal of the state, the highest authority representing society, was the worst sort of sin and could not be canceled out by any sort of good deeds...
	  Lingji:
	  "Grandfather accepted this giant role for the sake of peace, ...while fully aware that he might be vilified even after his death. ...Even though many of our relatives tried to stop him..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I wish I could make some of the cowards in our Royal Family hear you say that. ...He has my heartfelt respect."
	  Miyao:
	  "He deserves more than respect. This person -- these people -- are heroes trying to stop a World War!"
	  Miyao:
	  "The people gathered here are all government VIPs, right?! So, they should have inside knowledge about who in the government fanned the flames of war, who ran wild, and who was raking in the money. In other words, they know our true enemies, the people whose swords we really should be taking!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "It may be hasty to say this, ...but if anyone tried to crush the desire these VIPs had for peace, ...those people might be the true sprouts of war our Order is trying to pluck."
	  Miyao:
	  "......It feels like...it's starting to become clear...! I think the sword we've only been able to swing around blindly...has finally found a light shining down through the darkness!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Well, I am tempted to exasperatedly say that the world isn't that simple, but-"
	  Lingji:
	  "I think that in this world, things that are truly precious and just are always very simple and clear-cut."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Lingji, are you still in contact with your grandfather?"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right! Do you think we could ask him about something? Like whether our Order of the Public Bath can do anything to help...?!"
	  Lingji:
	  "I-I wonder... Of course, I'm still in touch with Grandfather, but I've never spoken with him about anything political..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "The fact that he accepted this role tells me that he was, in a sense, prepared even for death. We may be able to speak with him surprisingly openly."
	  Stanisław:
	  "You're right. And even just including those of us here now, we already have top-class Gauntlet Knights representing all factions. If we include all kette who are members of the Order, that amounts to a considerable military force. From their perspective as well, it may be worth opening a conversation between us."
	  Miyao:
	  "Could I ask you to do that, Lingji? ...I want to serve the cause of peace however I can!"
	  I first joined for the childlike motive of wanting to fly freely through the skies.
	  Even after becoming a Gauntlet Knight, fighting only seemed like a game to me.
	  ...However, as I supported the Walls of Peace while simultaneous feuds were breaking out across the planet, when World War IV really could have started at any time, I noticed something.
	  Miyao:
	  "Our left arms...are unbelievably heavy. ...Once you've experienced that, you can't forget it."
	  Lingji:
	  "......You're right."
	  Miyao:
	  "Now that Gauntlet Knights stand at the peak of military might, ...we are...and only we are...the true guardians of the Walls of Peace."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Those Walls of Peace do more than surround your own country..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "In other words, we must be guardians of the Walls of Peace all over the world."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's a Gauntlet Knight's duty! We will protect the Walls of Peace! We won't let World War IV happen! For the first time, we've learned that there are other people who share our goals! I...want to help those people...!"
	  Lingji:
	  "...Miyao......"
	  Lingji:
	  "Very well. I'll try sending Grandfather an email. Of course, I won't tell him about the Order of the Public Bath yet, but I'll tell him that there must be something we can do to help."
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks! All right...!!! I think I'm finally starting to see a way forward!! I get the feeling he'll be able to point the way to the enemies we really need to crush!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "My big brother truly is pathetic, as he couldn't even speak out for peace without a promise of anonymity, ...but if I have our Grand Master's permission, I could try approaching him."
	  Miyao:
	  "Forget permission, I'm the one who wants to ask you...! Please, Rethabile!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Compared to Lingji, with a major COU politician as a grandfather, and Rethabile, a princess of the ACR Royal Family, ...I can't do anything at all."
	  Stanisław:
	  "However, after this, I'm sure we'll start seeing people pushing for peace once more, even in the ABN. I have no connections, but I'll try gathering information, to see if I can find anyone who might become one of our comrades."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Miyao, I would ask that you also see if you can find any potential comrades in the AOU. You're a Gauntlet Knight hero there, yes? Don't you have any connections at all?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, connections between people are rare in the AOU... But I do have a weapon! My dad!"
	  Lingji:
	  "By dad, you mean your actual father? I thought everyone in the AOU was a test tube baby..."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm ciconia-born, which makes me a rare case. That's why I have a blood relative. My dad's a military reporter with the AOU Combined Military, and he's got a huge number of friends through this weird network!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "A military reporter with the Combined Military? I see, then he should at least be quite familiar with what's going on inside the military hierarchy."
	  Stanisław:
	  "The fact that he's your actual father makes him a powerful connection. It's probably worth relying on him. I can't afford to fall behind. I'll do all I can."
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks to you too, Stan! I'll give it my all too! ...All right, I'm getting all fired up! We'll finally be able to fight for real...!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "All my friends are from my generation. In the AOU, where the ciconia don't come, it's pretty rare to have ties to people in older generations, you know?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you're a girl and say you have connections to an older generation, people will start suspecting that you're someone's secondary secretary or something."
	  Jayden:
	  "Seriously though, it really would be nice to have some relatives. I'm jealous of how ciconia-borns can have interpersonal bonds that are stronger than what you get with superiors or friends."
	  Miyao:
	  "Sorry, I didn't mean it that way..."
	  Jayden:
	  "I don't mind! But, I'm sorry. All my friends are fun to be with, but none of them are in a position to know anything that would help the Order. After all, we only ever talk to our own generation, right? How could any of us know details about the government or the situation there?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I have connections -- though only a few -- with people from other generations because of my hobbies. However, those hobbies are our only connection, so I don't know their professions or social positions, and it would be rude to ask. ...Sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to help."
	  Jayden:
	  "I think our best option is probably to rely on your dad, Miyao. Parents are even better than close friends, right? They're someone you can absolutely trust no matter what."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I don't think I can trust him more than a close friend, but at the moment, there's no one else we can rely on. I'll just have to pray he answers my email."
	  Gunhild:
	  "The Order of the Public Bath, huh? ...*giggle* To think that a chivalric order with such a weird name would actually become a world-spanning organization pushing for world peace. That really surprised me."
	  Jayden:
	  "Miyao's always really detail-oriented when it comes to emails and responding to them and stuff. That's how you kept all those connections from the Battle Standard Festival going and created this amazing Order. I'm proud that I'm able to call myself your partner."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're exaggerating. ...I never would've been able to make up my mind to say that important-sounding stuff if you two hadn't talked it over with me."
	  After being inspired by Dad, I created a chivalric order.
	  A chivalric order whose philosophy was to prioritize justice as guardians of the Walls of Peace over our duties as soldiers.
	  Now, after getting aces from around the world to join, I can be confident in it, ...but I realize that it's seriously risky, and that we'd get far more than just a telling off if the wrong people found out about it.
	  At the very, very beginning, when I revealed my idea to Jayden and Gunhild...
	  ...I was incredibly unsure of myself. I was so scared, wondering what I'd do if they rejected the idea.
	  If they had done more than just reject it... If they had reported it to the authorities, what would have happened next...?
	  I was only able to reluctantly bear the orders of those middle-aged men with their fighting spirit logic...because I had the power to fly freely through the sky.
	  If I had spoken up about my ideals, only to have the wing on my left arm torn off, ...I'd be stuck wondering what I've been living for all this time.
	  On that day, even I didn't really understand the fear that lay deep inside my heart.
	  However, I can't even begin to measure...how much courage it gave me when Jayden and Gunhild agreed so enthusiastically, and astonishingly quickly.
	  Miyao:
	  "Without the bonds I share with my friends in Warcat, there wouldn't have been an Order. I'm so grateful to you two."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Please, put that gratitude on hold until we're able to vanquish the Order's true enemy."
	  Jayden:
	  "Setting aside who actually fanned the flames of this war, our first priority right now is peace. I hope the LATO conference is able to handle that okay."
	  Jayden:
	  "Also, there's been a rumor going around. ...A rumor that there's gonna be a secret topic of discussion at this LATO conference."
	  Miyao:
	  "A secret topic of discussion...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah. After all, the whole world conveniently started getting excited about war and going at it, all at the same time. There has to have been someone who knew about these events beforehand and got rich off them. The rumor's that this event's main goal is for LATO to get information from sources in all countries. Information that'll help them sniff out the mastermind or international conspiracy or whatever that's behind this."
	  The IPMA had selected and gathered VIPs from all over the world.
	  All of them had apparently been near the source of what drove their countries towards war, calmly watching on this whole time, without letting the fever overwhelm them.
	  By bringing the information they had together, ...it might be possible to sniff out those who had conspired behind the scenes to bring about this global conflict.
	  If that was true, then when that happened, the true mastermind who had driven the world towards war would be exposed.
	  Then, it would finally be time for the Gauntlet Knights, the guardians supporting the Walls of Peace, to act.
	  Gunhild:
	  "That's assuming the bad guys decide to go out with a bang once they've been found out, like some special effects blockbuster. ...However, they probably do have significant influence over the military. I'm sure any additional military might on our side wouldn't hurt, if they're going to be exposed."
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh, ...that big sis from LATO just showed up on the news over there!"
	  Miyao:
	  "You're right. They've got all of LATO's Gauntlet Knights protecting today's VIPs."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If the rumor Jayden heard is true, ...then these people would be a big problem for the masterminds who caused the war. If so, you can never have too much protection."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Plus, LATO Gauntlets are apparently allowed to have higher specs than anything from the other four factions. ...And there's so many of them. It's probably fair to say that this spot has tighter security than anywhere else on the globe right now."
	  Jayden:
	  "If they're taking security that seriously now, ...maybe that means LATO is confident that the information held by these provisional directors is enough to sniff out some pretty serious evil."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I hope Lingji is able to get in touch with her grandfather."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm? Wait a sec... Ah, that's Dad, my dad's there!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Huh? Which one is your dad? Draw a circle around him."
	  Jayden:
	  "H-Hey Dad! I wanted to tell you... I'm in a serious relationship with Meow! Just kidding, heheheheh!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Shut up, don't make jokes...! Ah, I lost sight of him...!"
	  Miyao searched for some sign of his dad with his mental display, but he wasn't able to spot him again.
	  However, when he played back the video and checked, ...there indeed was Miyao's father, Toujirou.
	  He walked past the camera with a calm look on his face, ignoring the line of LATO MPs that were holding back the press.
	  He was a military reporter attached to the AOU Combined Military HQ, so it shouldn't have been strange to see him in the capital of LATO Brazil.
	  ...However, something about his calm expression seemed off to Miyao.
	  To anyone other than Miyao, it would have seemed a normal, calm, easygoing expression.
	  ...However, as someone connected to Toujirou by blood, ...it seemed to Miyao like a faintly eerie, out-of-place smile...
	  The capital of LATO Brazil was Brasília.
	  The white building standing there was the headquarters of the IPMA.
	  It was surrounded by crowds of bustling people, cheering and holding banners celebrating the coming of world peace.
	  Unlike the four factions driven mad with war by the friction between factions, public opinion had been pro-peace in the prosperous LATO, which had far more than it needed to get by.
	  Those people had eagerly welcomed this global truce and the opening of a conference to discuss peace.
	  However, though they did want peace, it was really more of a passive desire than a proactive one.
	  The people of LATO were promised prosperous lives, so they weren't really interested in conflicts between other factions.
	  LATO did call itself the World's Police and pushed for world peace as part of its duty as a rich faction, but in truth, they didn't want to get involved in troubles between the other factions.
	  Some regretted that this passive attitude of theirs had helped to invite this global conflict.
	  LATO's people may have been fervently applauding this as an act of self-praise, now that the mighty LATO had dragged the world towards peace once again.
	  Though it would be a conference to discuss peace, the security was so strict that it seemed to be the exact opposite of peaceful.
	  The building was surrounded by the armored cars of a heavily-armed police force. And, the height of military might, Gauntlet Knights, had been placed throughout the whole area. Even the vast, gray skies were being protected by a powerful air-defense system.
	  Furthermore, strict precautions had been taken to prevent not only military attacks, but the insertion of terrorists and assassins as well.
	  Tight security was set up around the building, with ID checks and metal detectors being used with extraordinary care.
	  Valentina:
	  "Com licença. Heheh, pardon me, but I'll need to see your pass."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Boa tarde, young miss. ...Oh, that's odd. Are you not able to read my pass?"
	  In the A3W world, with its magnificent auto-translation tools, there was absolutely no need to learn other languages.
	  However, greeting people with the words of that country was the hallmark of a polished traveler.
	  Valentina:
	  "Your Portuguese is quite good, Mr. Mitake. I do know you personally, but this is work, so please forgive me. We've currently risen to identity check level 4 for foreign soldiers."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Sure, I'll cooperate."
	  Even with A3W technology, visual confirmation of passes was still being carried out.
	  Of course, with the technology of this era, it was possible to check IDs automatically just by having them on you.
	  However, it was known that having security personnel speak to a person directly and visually check their passes applied a sort of silent pressure, which made for a useful deterrent.
	  In other words, it told them that "we're watching you, don't try anything funny."
	  Valentina took Toujirou's pass and used a card reader to check for forgeries.
	  Toujirou:
	  "I received this pass directly from Colonel Mendes of Public Safety. I hope you aren't going to suddenly tell me now that foreign soldiers won't be allowed in for the group photo shoot."
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, I'm sorry about that. Making quick changes to our security policy may be inconvenient, but it is extremely effective."
	  Toujirou:
	  "It's my job to be a reporter. If I have to go back and tell them I couldn't take any photos because security chased me out, I'll be paying my travel expenses out of my own pocket."
	  Valentina:
	  "I've confirmed that your pass is good. Please excuse the inconvenience, Major Mitake. To make up for it, I've been instructed to escort you to where you can take pictures."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Excellent. What could be better than being escorted by a beauty who looks great in a Gauntlet?"
	  In the massive conference room, about 100 directors were chatting with each other.
	  In particular, the VIPs who had been directly appointed as provisional directors seemed to be at the center of all conversations.
	  On the other hand, there were some who didn't join in with those groups.
	  It was a group of old directors from multiple factions.
	  Some of them approved of their factions' wartime posture of national unity. Their stance was that they served as directors not for the sake of international peace, but to serve the interests of their nations.
	  Perhaps some of them...felt that these provisional directors had been secret traitors, who didn't approve of their own country's policies.
	  Furthermore, these provisional directors had been given quite a lot of authority during this conference.
	  What sorts of things might they say, ...these traitors who had prioritized their own sense of justice while neglecting the interests of their homelands? And how could they be restrained? And, how can I do that while pretending that my faction supports world peace?
	  Surely, their bargaining and psychological warfare had already begun...
	  Eventually, they were all called to take a group photo, and the directors all began heading towards a space designated for the purpose.
	  Apparently, they had already decided who would stand where beforehand.
	  And, today's guests of honor, the provisional directors, were given the most important spots in the front.
	  Liu Tiankai:
	  "It honors me to be given such a central spot. It is more than I deserve."
	  Provisional Director:
	  "I'm honored to stand next to you, Mr. Liu. I'm Wicksell, from the AOU Joint Parliament. Pleased to meet you."
	  Liu Tiankai:
	  "God dag, Mr. Wicksell. Of course, I have heard a lot about you. I've been wanting to meet you at least once."
	  Wicksell:
	  "I'm sure...that we'll be speaking today about our common enemy."
	  Liu Tiankai:
	  "So am I. I believe we are likely witnesses to the most despicable act of organized crime in history. We must combine our information quickly and find out who is behind this."
	  Liu Tiankai:
	  "......Oh, pardon me."
	  He pulled a smartphone out of his pocket. It was an essential item for the generation that couldn't make use of a Selcom.
	  It showed an icon of Lingji, the granddaughter he adored more than anything, and indicated that she had sent him an email.
	  Wicksell:
	  "Is it something urgent?"
	  Liu Tiankai:
	  "No, it's from my granddaughter. I'll read it slowly later on."
	  Wicksell:
	  "For her sake as well, ...we must kick out the people from across the planet who destroyed world peace for their own profit."
	  Liu Tiankai:
	  "I feel the same. That's why we have gathered here."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Directors! We're about to take our group picture! The reporters will now enter!"
	  Reporters holding large cameras came inside, lead by Gauntlet Knights.
	  Of course, a Gauntlet Knight had at least as much firepower as an aircraft carrier. They certainly weren't made for work as security guards. And yet, that's what they were doing.
	  After all, a wall made of the shields emitted by multiple Gauntlet Knights could protect the VIPs in case something bad happened.
	  In other words, it was like several cutting-edge aircraft carriers were guiding the reporters and protecting the VIPs of the Board of Directors...
	  Maricarmen:
	  "You now have permission to take photos! If any photos are taken after the end signal has been sent, your equipment will be confiscated! Furthermore, 300 seconds after the signal is given, all of your passes will no longer grant you access to the floor! Please note that remaining after that point will make you subject to unconditional arrest!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Now then, Major, I pray that you're able to take some good shots."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Thanks. ...Well, since I'm here."
	  As flashes started appearing everywhere, Toujirou took out a retro camera of his own.
	  Not only was it retro, but it had been created in the middle of the B3W era and probably belonged in a museum.
	  However, this era was filled with things that looked retro on the outside, but were cutting edge on the inside.
	  So, you'd naturally assume that Toujirou's camera was just a facade, ...but it was a real, bona fide retro camera.
	  Apparently, the choice was down to his own sense of aesthetics and hobbies...
	  He peered through the finder and looked at the main topics of conversation, the provisional directors.
	  Toujirou:
	  "...That's Liu Tiankai from COU China. I guess that's Simon Wicksell from AOU Sweden next to him. Now there's a surprise. To think that such big names would be in the pro-cease-fire faction. You can bet that they'll have a rough time when they go back to their countries. And next to them are Minister Kidiaba from the ACR, Chairman Fahim from the ABN... That's quite a set. I'll definitely want to leave this shot behind for posterity."
	  `At the end of the A3W era, when everyone eagerly anticipated World War IV, ...there was one miraculous moment in time, when all who remained true to their own sense of justice and hoped for world peace gathered here.' ...Sounds good.
	  Toujirou's finger...pressed down on the shutter.
	  Announcer:
	  "It looks like the video's cut out. Please wait a moment..."
	  The announcer was saying something to some staff members. He seemed faintly confused and hesitant.
	  Announcer:
	  "This is an urgent update. We just received a report about a large explosion taking place at the LATO Brazil IPMA Headquarters. Now connecting to a reporter in front of the building."
	  Reporter:
	  "I'm standing here in front of the IPMA Headquarters! Just now, we heard a large explosion accompanied by a massive tremor...! The explosion is thought to have occurred inside the Headquarters...
	  ow, ow,
	   what's going on...?!"
	  LATO Police:
	  "Attention! Now speaking to all present! All press passes have been suspended! Please cease all press activities at once and leave the press area! In 300 seconds, the police will begin forcefully expelling anyone who remains!"
	  Reporters:
	  "That's not fair
	   Hey, stop, don't touch our equipment...! I said stop,
	   *krrrk*, *ksssssht*! ...*piii*, *wrrrr*!
	   *piii*.........!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh? ...What's...going on?"
	  Miyao and the others were stunned silent, ...but the same horrible idea was floating through all of their minds...
	  In addition to the Warcats, a crowd of trainees had gathered in the officer's cafeteria and were all watching the same midair display.
	  They had all gathered without anyone in particular organizing it, hoping to share in the joy of the moment when peace was finally restored, now that they had completed their mission of supporting the Walls of Peace.
	  However, the peaceful atmosphere that had existed a second ago...was now completely gone.
	  Jayden:
	  "A terrorist attack?! Are you kidding me?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "We can't say for sure, but it's extremely likely."
	  Miyao:
	  "Keropoyo, get us some information, it doesn't matter what. Was this a terrorist attack or not?"
	  Poyopoyo! I've already started a predictive search poyo!
	  From what I can sum up, using the mutterings of members of the press originating from Brasília, it's still impossible to tell if this was an accident or a terrorist attack poyo.
	  Miyao:
	  "Have there been any deaths?!"
	  Judging by the number of ambulances gathered in front of the HQ building, there's thought to be at least 100 injured poyo.
	  Gunhild:
	  "There were lots of Gauntlet Knights there serving as guards. They probably put up their shields instantly, so I'd like to think that the people standing behind them were protected."
	  Miyao:
	  "Come to think of it, weren't you in touch with those big sisters from LATO, Jayden?! Can you find out if they're okay?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah, that's right! I'll email them
	   Aaah,
	   ...crap, I just hit send on an incomplete email draaaaaaaaaft!!"
	  Don't worry poyo! In times like this, you can count on Keropoyo! I scanned the text of the email just before you sent it, and I thought you should probably check it again before sending, so it hasn't gone out yet poyo!
	  re you sure you want to send the following email poyo: "Seriously, talk about super sexy! I wanna support those love-packed Walls of Peace on your chest, Big Sis! How'd you like that explosion? Can't wait to hear back from you!"
	  Meow:
	  "Right now, I'm more worried about your BRAAAAAAAIN!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I-
	  I'm sor-
	   Meow,
	   forgi-
	   *cough*!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "They should be on duty at the moment. They might not respond. How about on your end, Miyao? You said you saw your father in front of the HQ building, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh, uh, that's right! Dad! ...But he was outside the HQ building... He probably doesn't know what's going on inside."
	  You've received an email from "Lingji" poyo!
	  From Lingji? ...Oh, that's right! Her grandfather was attending that conference, wasn't he? Which means...he might have been caught up in that explosion...
	  #ff3e3e"This is Lingji. I don't know if my grandfather is safe. Your father was a military reporter, correct? Do you know if he has any information?"
	  That's right! Okay, might as well try sending Dad an email...!
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Oh, hello. Is that you, Miyao? I'm so glad you were worried about my safety."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "You were outside the building, right? I wasn't worried from the start."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "That's not true. I got a pretty high-ranked press pass and went into the conference hall."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "A huge explosion took place right in front of me. My eyes aren't great, so the quality is pretty bad, but I do have an eye camera video of it. Want to see it?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "O-Of course I want to see it...! My friend's grandfather was attending! She asked me to check if he was all right...!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. Who could've guessed that I'd not only escort you around, but save your life as well?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Without you, I would've been mincemeat. I'm grateful."
	  Valentina:
	  "Even so, you were in quite a convenient position."
	  Toujirou:
	  "What's that supposed to mean? Is that an LA joke?"
	  Valentina:
	  "...When most reporters take photos, they don't try to put things in frame that aren't the subject of their picture."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Ah, you got me. When my finder sees something beautiful, I can't help but want to get it on film."
	  Valentina:
	  "While most of the reporters were injured or killed, it was almost as though you were hiding in a position protected by the umbrella of my shield."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Don't get the wrong idea. For some reason, I've always had good luck at times like this."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Dad? Dad...?! Hey, answer me, what's going on?!"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Oh, sorry about that. I was also having a conversation with someone in reality. Unlike your Gauntlet generation, it's hard for me to talk to two people at once."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "The video of the explosion, right? I can send it if it's in a format that can't be copied and that deletes itself after being played."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "I want to show it to my friend, so that she can see for herself that her grandfather's safe."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Are you talking about Lingji from the COU's Baibao Squad? Yeah, now I remember. Liu Tiankai is her grandfather, isn't he?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "That's right. That Liu Tiankai person is the only one whose safety I want to check!"
	  Valentina:
	  "...Major? Heheh, you must really be tired."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Yeah, maybe. Once you lose the adrenaline, the weariness hits you pretty suddenly."
	  Valentina:
	  "I'd prefer to take you to your hotel, but I'll need you to come with me."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I see. After all, I was the only foreigner on the scene. Well, I guess there's no helping it."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Hello. Sorry again. I'll send you the video now."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Still, let me warn you. Naturally, this is an 18+ video. How old were you again? It feels like you graduated elementary school just last year. Your hands were so small and cute back then, and-"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Quit it. Shut up and send it over already!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, as I'm sure you know, you won't be able to speak of, record, or reproduce anything that you witnessed today without LATO's express permission."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Of course. I know that."
	  You sent one video to "My Son" poyo!
	  Valentina:
	  "My apologies, but I'll need to restrict your Selcom usage for a while."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Thanks for the warning. Those electric guns really zap you, so I suppose it wouldn't be fun to get hit by one unexpectedly."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Dad, thanks for the video! I got it!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Dad? Hello? Are you having an exciting chat with someone again, or what?"
	  I only want to thank him for sending this to me, so I'll leave a message saying so.
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, how'd it go, Miyao?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "It sounds like Dad was at the scene of the explosion. ...He sent me an eye camera video."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Isn't that...really dangerous?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Probably. ...He put some pretty strict limits on it, like making it impossible to copy and having it erase itself after playing."
	  Jayden:
	  "A-Anyway, let's watch... That's right, why don't we call Lingji over here? It'd be best if she saw it directly, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "...No, ...I'll take responsibility for checking and just tell her the result."
	  Jayden:
	  "Nnn... ......S-Sure, ...good point."
	  The three Warcats gathered in a virtual room.
	  Miyao:
	  "Keropoyo, ...play the video."
	  Roger that poyo! But first, I need to check with you poyo. Should I remove my filter for grotesque content poyo? You're trying to spot a specific person, so I thought adding a mosaic might get in the way poyo.
	  Jayden:
	  "...W-Well, it's a terrorist bombing after all. ...I guess...it'll be pretty bad..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "That sort of thing doesn't bother me at all. Don't worry for my sake."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Still, it's possible that this video will give us a clue to the culprit."
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-You're right! This isn't just about whether Lingji's grandfather is safe. There might be some vital clues in there!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...If we can only play this video once, shouldn't we get a lot more people to watch and inspect it?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "No, ...we also have to consider Miyao's father's position. Let's watch it with just us here."
	  Miyao:
	  "......Dammit... I'll definitely...find something...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Keropoyo! Play it!"
	  Roger that poyo!
	  
	  Preparing video for playback poyo! ......*kero*...*kero*...
	  Poyooo! Beginning playback poyo!
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Directors! We're about to take our group picture! The reporters will now enter!"
	  You could see Maricarmen's back as she led a crowd of reporters forward.
	  ...Still, it was clear why eye cameras weren't popular, despite how revolutionary they were.
	  The human eye is actually pretty hyperactive, jumping all over the place. Your brain just smooths that shaky video for you.
	  The replay software did its best to minimize the shaking, but it wasn't too comfortable to watch.
	  On top of that, Toujirou loved using old-style glasses, so he hadn't undergone vision recovery surgery. It was a blurry video, like looking through the bottom of a cloudy glass bottle.
	  Miyao:
	  "I can't make out anything but the general atmosphere. Can you recognize any faces?"
	  It's very hard, but it's possible to just barely recognize human faces that aren't moving poyo!
	  Gunhild:
	  "They said they were taking a group photo, so I'm sure the directors are all lined up."
	  Miyao:
	  "I see. They're the subject of the photos, after all. So, we should definitely be able to find Lingji's grandfather."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, Miyao's dad really is a pervert. He keeps looking at Mari's back and her butt."
	  Meow:
	  "Yeah, you have no right to say that, Jayden."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "You now have permission to take photos! If any photos are taken after the end signal has been sent, your equipment will be confiscated! Furthermore, 300 seconds after the signal is given, all of your passes will no longer grant you access to the floor! Please note that remaining after that point will make you subject to unconditional arrest!"
	  Valentina slid into frame from the side.
	  Apparently, they had been walking alongside each other this whole time.
	  Valentina:
	  "Now then, Major, I pray that you're able to take some good shots."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Thanks. ...Well, since I'm here."
	  As flashes started appearing everywhere, Toujirou took out a retro camera that was hanging from his neck.
	  Then, he focused on the huge line of directors through the finder.
	  There he is poyo! I found "Liu Tiankai" poyo, in the center of the front line poyo!
	  Toujirou:
	  "...That's Liu Tiankai from COU China. I guess that's Simon Wicksell from AOU Sweden next to him. Now there's a surprise. To think that such big names would be in the pro-cease-fire faction. You can bet that they'll have a rough time when they go back to their countries. And next to them are Minister Kidiaba from the ACR, Chairman Fahim from the ABN... That's quite a set. I'll definitely want to leave this shot behind for posterity."
	  As he said that, he dramatically changed the angle of the camera multiple times.
	  Eventually, he stepped behind Valentina -- apparently on purpose -- and about half of the finder was covered by her butt.
	  Jayden:
	  "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, what the hell are you thinking, Miyao's dad?! Why'd you make this video uncopyable?!"
	  Immediately after that, ...the explosion probably happened.
	  Flying blood and pieces of flesh stuck to every part of the conference hall, ...making for a horrible scene...
	  ...There were moans. Screams. Coughs.
	  A horrible...and terrifying scene lay before them...
	  As countless people lay sprawled or curled up on the floor, Toujirou slowly got to his feet and looked around him.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "*cough*, *cough*cough*...! HQ, an explosion has occurred inside the conference hall
	   *cough*cough* This is an emergency, *cough*"
	  Valentina:
	  "I don't believe it. ...To think that you'd be this unscathed."
	  Toujirou:
	  "It looks like your Rejection Shield protected me. Thanks."
	  Crowds of security guards and paramedics poured in.
	  Toujirou's range of vision calmly watched over this scene, as if it was something from a movie that had nothing to do with him...
	  Eventually, his gaze focused on the place where the directors had gathered for the group picture.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Aaah... That's...pretty rough......"
	  Miyao:
	  "......That's...horrible........."
	  Gunhild:
	  "We were right not to call Lingji here..."
	  Those who still kept their original shape were relatively lucky...
	  It was a mashed-up...hell...with organs scattered all over the place...
	  I'm searching for "Liu Tiankai", but I can't find him poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, ...I doubt a facial recognition tool...would be able to find him now..."
	  Jayden:
	  ".........Yeah........."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It looks like this is the end of the video."
	  The video has ended poyo. It's a video format that can't be replayed, so sorry about that poyo.
	  Jayden:
	  "...What...should we tell Lingji...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Just send her an email...saying that we don't know."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Miyao:
	  "The Masters of the Order of the Public Bath are here. Mind if I let them join the room?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Of course not. Let 'em in!"
	  "Stanisław" and "Rethabile" have entered the room poyo!
	  "Lingji" has entered the room poyo!
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao, thanks for investigating. The Foreign Affairs Department said they were still trying to confirm his safety, so I'll leave it in their hands."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I think that's for the best. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful."
	  Jayden:
	  "............"
	  Rethabile:
	  "What a disaster..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...In order to guide the world towards peace, LATO gathered together people it had specially chosen, ...and they were all wiped out."
	  Lingji:
	  "............"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Stan..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Sorry. I apologize for not choosing my words more carefully."
	  Lingji:
	  "Don't worry about it."
	  Lingji:
	  "It may have been an accident, or it may have been terrorism, ...but the one thing I do know...is that those who didn't want this global conflict to end are laughing right now..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "They should have been able to predict that something like this would happen! How did anyone slip through the tight security of LATO, the World Police...?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...According to Dad, ...umm, ...there were a lot of casualties among the directors as well."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Now that's strange."
	  Miyao:
	  "Why?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "As we also saw on the news, LATO mobilized even Gauntlet Knights as guards to protect those VIPs. While in that conference hall, they were probably surrounded by a wall of Gauntlet Knights defending them."
	  Rethabile:
	  "That's true. ...You might expect some casualties, but not `a lot', as Miyao's father described it."
	  Miyao's group thought back on the video they had just witnessed.
	  ...There certainly had been a considerable explosion. The only ones safe there were the Gauntlet Knights, as well as Toujirou and a few reporters who had been behind them.
	  Apparently, they had survived the sudden explosion because they were behind the Gauntlet Knights and protected by their shields, ...but no one had protected the directors.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Maybe someone got one of the directors to carry in the explosive material without knowing it."
	  Lingji:
	  "True, the directors had diplomatic immunity, so they were able to bring in objects that didn't require a check. ...But, even so..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "In the B3W era, even switches for nuclear missiles could be carried around in attaché cases, yes? This is the Selcom age. If they had such a thing, it could easily be a smart device the size of your fist or smaller."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "...No matter what kind of high-powered explosives you used, there's no way you'd be able to turn that many people into mincemeat with an object of that size!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "So maybe it was set up at the hall beforehand?!"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "That would mean LATO is the culprit! If I were them, I'd never try an assassination this flashy in a place where they'd naturally be suspected!"
	  No matter how this issue was resolved, ...LATO wouldn't be able to avoid losing a lot of trust, considering its failure to protect VIPs from around the world.
	  LATO was a producer of Rare Spiritium, so the other factions only ingratiated themselves to them on the surface, and quite a few politicians hated the way LATO acted like everyone's leaders.
	  ...For the sake of world stability as well, it wouldn't do for the compass known as LATO to lose the world's trust...
	  Stanisław:
	  "Looking at it from LATO's perspective, ...regardless of what actually happened here, they'll probably try to pass it off as an accident."
	  Gunhild:
	  "In fact, it seems that it really was an accident."
	  Lingji:
	  "How do you know that?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "One of my fellow band groupies just came out to me as a LATO police officer. He just sent me an email."
	  Jayden:
	  "Gunhild's connections really are crazy! So?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Just what kind of accident could've caused this?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "He says it was caused by the Dimension Container of one of the Gauntlet Knight guards going off accidentally."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "As to that video we just saw, I was also checking all the Gauntlet Knights that appeared in it."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "At the end, ...one of those Gauntlet Knights was no longer there. And I'm fairly certain that the missing one was at the center of the explosion."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "...Are you saying it was someone in the crowd of people protecting the VIPs...?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "That...would definitely......fit......"
	  The Dimension Container was a form of supertechnology that could store a Gauntlet's unlimited weaponry in an alternate dimension, from where it could be instantly retrieved.
	  Its use was made practical long before the principles behind it were understood, and it had famously caused several brutal accidents during experimentation.
	  I definitely don't get it, even though I've had it explained to me, ...but if you have even just a little miscalculation when interacting with alternate dimensions, it can have an effect similar to particle annihilation, which normally occurs on a microscopic level.
	  I have no idea what that means, but its explosive force can be quite terrifying. The worst recorded incident happened in a LATO Peru Level 4 Heavy Military Research Center, where several hundred people were killed or injured...
	  Today, through technological advancement, awareness, and careful adjustment for each individual Gauntlet Knight, such accidents are nearly always avoidable.
	  However, that's only when the adjustments are performed perfectly. Trainees, who are still in the early days of their adjustments and compatibility with their machines, can sometimes cause explosion accidents even these days.
	  Lingji:
	  "Does that really make any sense?! You almost never get explosion accidents these days! And since LATO's Gauntlet technology is more advanced, it's supposed to be overwhelmingly more rare over there!"
	  Miyao:
	  "On top of that, ...I have a hard time believing that any of the Gauntlet Knights they used to guard VIPs were mere trainees."
	  Gunhild:
	  "However, that doesn't mean it was absolutely impossible."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Was it a coincidental accident? Or a plot designed to look like an accident?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "...If so, then it's highly likely that someone tampered with the Gauntlet Knight who was used as a bomb."
	  Miyao:
	  "But that means at least one of the people who set this up has to be from LATO!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Miyao, isn't the Order of the Public Bath searching for an international mastermind, who's been stirring up global conflicts behind the scenes? ...I doubt it would be impossible for such a capable mastermind to tamper with LATO's Gauntlets."
	  Jayden:
	  "The assholes...! Damn, that pisses me off...!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I agree. ...If they'd just snuck a bomb in there somewhere, then I might just barely be able to understand it. But to make a bomb...out of a Gauntlet used by one of our fellow guardians of the Walls of Peace...?!"
	  To Gauntlet Knights, the Gauntlet was more than just important. It was sacred.
	  You could only use one at will after long training, after improving the compatibility between your brain and the Gauntlet.
	  You would raise it into a Gauntlet that could be controlled by no one but you in the entire world, and success was only achieved when it felt like part of your body.
	  Your Gauntlet was your silent partner.
	  To not only heartlessly tamper with something like that, but to also use a guardian of the Walls of Peace as a bomb...
	  From the perspective of a proud Gauntlet Knight, ...this was unforgivable.
	  Lingji:
	  "...Just now, I received an email from my family. ...Apparently, they were told that a part of Grandfather's body was identified..."
	  Lingji:
	  "......Grandpa........."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Let us pray for all those who perished after gathering there for the sake of peace, despite knowing that they were putting their lives at risk..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Dammit...!! It isn't just the people who died in the explosion today...! There's also our comrades who defended the Walls of Peace even in death, so that this day would come to pass!! As well as all the people who got caught up in that...!! This day was only possible because of all those sacrifices!!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "...I prefer to believe that no death is meaningless."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's not quite right. It isn't death itself that has meaning! What determines whether their deaths really mean something...is what the rest of us do with the baton they've passed us!"
	  Jayden:
	  "That's exactly right! If we just give up and cry, then they really will have died in vain!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I hate to say it, ...but today, the people who might have guided the world towards peace, ...who might have known the identity of our true enemy who's stirring up world war,  ...have all...been killed."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm sure the people behind this will immediately break this global truce and try to resume the fighting. ...And I'm sure...the world will dance to their tune."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...What are you thinking of doing?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Miyao, I understand how you feel, and I hate this too, ...but there is nothing we can do."
	  Stanisław:
	  "But at this rate, all those noble sacrifices will have died in vain. ...What on earth do you think we should do, Grand Master...?""
	  Miyao:
	  "Right now, ...all we can do is continue unfalteringly in our missions as guardians of the Walls of Peace."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hahah... Well, ...in the end, I guess that's right."
	  Miyao:
	  "However. I still have faith in the people of this world. ...Or rather, how can a guardian of the Walls of Peace not have faith in people around the world?"
	  Lingji:
	  "...Supporting the Walls of Peace until the people cry out for peace is our job. ...Because we have faith in the world's people, ...we can withstand that heavy weight."
	  Lingji:
	  "If we give up here, ...Grandfather really will have died in vain."
	  Jayden:
	  "To make sure that doesn't happen, we need to always keep our blades sharp and at the ready. ...At least until we can find this world's enemy and gut them!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "The deaths of brave people can be a source of terror or depression. ...However, they can also be a source of revelation, showing us that we might be the next ones charged with showing the path towards justice."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Those martyrs for justice surely weren't the only ones who knew the truth of this world. ...There are some who LATO sounded out as potential provisional directors, ...but who were overcome with cowardice and refused."
	  Gunhild:
	  "......So, hope hasn't been lost yet...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "If they would only rise up with courage, ...we'd be able to lend them as much of our strength as they needed..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, this attack only just happened. If someone was too cowardly to attend in the first place, I doubt they'd rise up now."
	  Stanisław:
	  "After all, LATO's list of provisional director candidates is now no different from a kill list, in the eyes of the masterminds who started these global conflicts."
	  Miyao:
	  "......I want...to help somehow..."
	  Lingji:
	  "If only Grandfather were still alive, I'm sure he'd show us whom we must fight..."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "Come to think of it, Rethabile! Didn't you say there was someone in the ACR Royal Family who was selected to be a provisional director, but refused?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Yes, ...one of my brothers, Cyril Negentien Africacommonwealthrealm."
	  I've found a search result poyo!
	  Cyril Negentien Africacommonwealthrealm (prince)
	  Bio: A prince of the Royal Family, born in ACR South Africa. He's the 19th in line to the throne, and an Honorary Director of the Royal South African Spiritium Research Corporation. He is well known even outside his country for being a passionate philanthropist.
	  On December 6, he made statements on social media that caused an uproar, as they were seen as being critical of maintaining a healthy military balance. He was stamped with the label of one who has abandoned their duties towards peace, and he ended up apologizing on social media. Ever since then, his activity on social media has apparently ceased.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Yeah, he sounds like the kind of guy who wouldn't be popular with those pushing for war."
	  Rethabile:
	  "He's a pathetic big brother. Once you've said something, you ought to have confidence in yourself and defend it openly. It's deplorable that an actual prince would bend so easily and apologize."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, according to Keropoyo, this South African Spiritium Research Corporation is gigantic. If he's an Honorary Director there, doesn't that mean he's got quite a bit of political power?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's a massive corporation that supplies the southern half of the African continent with Spiritium. The amount of money and connections they have access to must be off the charts."
	  Lingji:
	  "Despite his little sister's low opinion of him, he sounds like he must have quite a lot of influence in the ACR."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Well, it seems he is able to carry out his job and Royal Family orders, though just barely."
	  Miyao:
	  "Would it be possible for us to talk to this Prince Cyril?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Ever since earlier, when I promised you that I would look for potential contacts, I've been trying to get in touch with him."
	  Rethabile:
	  "The other day, I finally got an email in response. I then told him I wanted to meet him and speak with him, and I'm currently waiting for a reply."
	  Rethabile:
	  "He's always had a cowardly personality. I expect fear will get the better of him, and he'll refuse to cooperate..."
	  Miyao:
	  "It's not like we want him to do anything for us! We just want his advice. Where can we use our power as Gauntlet Knights to serve the cause of peace?! ...We won't ask for anything more, and I'm fine taking full responsibility for whatever happens next. We'll keep his secret, and if there's anything we can do for him in return, we want to do it!"
	  Lingji:
	  "I-I feel the same way Miyao does! If there's a way we can contribute beyond simply supporting the Walls of Peace, I would not hesitate to help!"
	  Jayden:
	  "And the Warcats are always on your side, Miyao. We'll ignore Okonogi's orders whenever you like."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I agree with the sentiment, but I think you're getting a bit too fired up."
	  Stanisław:
	  "That's right. Gauntlets aren't our personal property. We mustn't forget that they're managed by our countries, and only lent out to us. Without our countries' assistance, we wouldn't be able to perform maintenance or resupply our weaponry."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Heheheh. Still, I understand the enthusiasm that Miyao...or rather, the Grand Master of the Order of the Public Bath has shown. For the sake of that enthusiasm, I will continue to do all I can."
	  Rethabile:
	  "But, in all seriousness, do not expect too much. You may be hoping to receive information on the evil mastermind's secret base, so that Gauntlet Knights from around the world can join forces and achieve a sweeping victory, with the Order saving all of humanity! ...Or something of the sort. However, issues in actual society are never that easily solved."
	  Rethabile:
	  "If you find the problem is poverty, whom will you fight? If society itself is at fault, at whom will you fire your missiles? Military force may be the strongest of humanity's powers, but that doesn't make it an omnipotent trump card that can solve every issue. ...Do not forget that."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm not that much of a dreamer. ...Well, not quite that much of one."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Grand Master Miyao, make sure that you do not forget one thing: in the end,
	   we are game pieces."
	  Rethabile:
	  "We have been placed on the board by those playing chess, with peace as their victory condition, and though we may be extremely powerful, ...we are still pieces, unable to do anything but move according to the rules of chess."
	  Rethabile:
	  "It's true that, even as individuals, we can make use of military might that far surpasses the common sense of all that came before. ...Sometimes, we may even be struck by a feeling that we're so omnipotent, we can change the fate of the world as we please. I will not deny that this much is a fact. ...Such a sense of pride and invincibility is the privilege and motivational force of the young."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Gauntlets are not personal property. We joined this Order because we agreed to stick to the sense of justice shared by all our comrades who support the Walls of Peace, even while carrying out our military duties."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I understand your determination, ...but as a soldier serving under the ABN Peace Department, if you're asking me to completely ignore my duties there to fight only for the philosophy of the Order of the Public Bath, ...I'm afraid I'll have no choice but to refuse."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I......get that much......"
	  Stanisław:
	  "I'm a bit worried that you don't. So, allow me to clearly state that-"
	  Lingji:
	  "However!!"
	  Lingji, who had seemed to be quietly listening in on the conversation, suddenly rose to her feet.
	  Her face...had large tears trickling down it...and the fierce emotions she had been holding back were now clearly visible...
	  Lingji:
	  "The Walls of Peace exist for the sake of protecting world peace, and it's the military's duty to support them, right?! Of course, I have love and loyalty for my country."
	  Lingji:
	  "However! When the time comes for me to take the path of justice for the sake of world peace, just like Grandfather did, I want to fight for that cause, even if it means taking a different path from the military and acting all on my own, just like Grandfather did! If I don't carry on his will, he will have died for nothing...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Calm down, Lingji. You should avoid carelessly saying such things to your comrades in the COU."
	  Lingji:
	  "Nothing I'm saying is wrong!! Why should any of them have to look at me with accusing eyes?! We're all knights of the Order of the Public Bath, aren't we?! Why should we have to balance world peace with the goals of the military, which cares for nothing but their own national interests?!!"
	  ...Maybe Lingji was being overcome with sadness at the death of her beloved grandfather.
	  With tears in her eyes, she argued against Stanisław, saying that it was shameful that he lacked the resolve to abandon his country for the sake of fighting enemies of peace.
	  If this had been Naima, he probably would have given her a sedative right away, but he couldn't do that to Lingji.
	  Stanisław seemed to quickly conclude that it would be unproductive to argue back against her, and he tried to change the subject somehow.
	  Rethabile shrugged. ...She had predicted this explosion of emotion well beforehand, and had taken the precaution of saying that she didn't know if she'd be able to help.
	  Rethabile:
	  "As the Japanese would say, `do not become a tengu' and let pride overwhelm you. I believe `leave the mochi-making to the mochi-makers' was another of their proverbs."
	  Jayden:
	  "Are you saying that we guardians of peace should just stay quiet and stick to being guardians...?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I too am a Gauntlet Knight, so I know. When you fly freely through the gaps between the clouds, an order to return given from the surface can seem like such a pointless waste of time."
	  You want to keep flying, off into the endless distance.
	  You see the beautiful gradations of the evening sun's light from red to blue. You feel that if you could just fly beyond that horizon, ...you might find a free land that's all your own, where you can be released from all troublesome matters...
	  If someone forgot to respond to an order to return in such a state, it wouldn't be the first or the second time such a thing had happened...
	  Miyao:
	  "...For me too, ...my strongest motive for becoming a Gauntlet Knight and the thing I like about it most...is being able to fly through the sky at will."
	  Jayden:
	  ".........And if you disobey your country, those wings will be torn off."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If there ever comes an age when you can get a Gauntlet like a bicycle and use it without needing anyone's permission, that would be wonderful. But, it's unlikely that will be possible any time during the next century."
	  Lingji:
	  "Then Grandfather... Grandfather's...death had no meaning? Are you saying he took the wings given to him by his country, flew about as he pleased without understanding his place, and plummeted to his doom?! Just what are these things on our left arms?
	   They're nothing
	   They're just like Icarus' wings!!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Grand Master, perhaps we should call it a day. I believe now is the time to save our strength, so that when it truly is time for us to fight, we will be ready."
	  Rethabile:
	  "We haven't made any real progress, unless my unreliable brother responds. Maintaining a proper balance of cranial secretions is an important part of a Gauntlet Knight's self-maintenance."
	  Miyao:
	  "...You're right. Let's call it a day here."
	  Miyao:
	  "Rethabile, ...I'm sorry I got all excited all on my own."
	  Lingji:
	  "You're sorry...?! Why should you be sorry?! Please don't apologize for something like that!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Aaaah, calm down, calm down...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Keropoyo."
	  By the authority of "Secretary Keropoyo", everyone in the room will now be forcibly ejected poyo!!
	  Now then, everyone, let's all cool our heads and meet again poyo
	   *keeeero*kero*kero*kero*!!
	  ...Even though such a terrible thing had occurred...
	  The explosion accident at the IPMA Headquarters was treated as a minor news item that night, ...and by the next day, the news had completely forgotten about it.
	  Then, as if nothing had happened, ...all the news started focusing on hateful topics that spurred on wars.
	  Even though a large number of VIPs had gathered from all over the world for the sake of world peace, prioritizing it over their own national interests, ...it had ended as a failure, a sad accident. Or rather, a violent incident.
	  And yet, public opinion was returning to a warlike fever, as though these events had never taken place.
	  Watching this, it was hard to tell if the world had gone insane, or if I had.
	  And, ...this led me to a single answer inside my heart.
	  However, I had no intention of saying it out loud and letting people know about it. ...They would probably just view it as a dangerous idea, after all.
	  It makes me think. Do I only understand how precious peace is...because I'm supporting the Walls of Peace, always prepared for war?
	  There are people who gobble up peace, have their fill of it, and yawn out of boredom, with tears in their eyes.
	  ...Those are the people irresponsibly spurring on war.
	  Does this mean that, unless people touch the cross section of war that is the front lines, they can never know the value of peace...?
	  In that case...
	  ...What if the entire world became the front lines...?
	  It wouldn't necessarily have to be as part of a war. It could be anything that stood in opposition to peace. An accident or a natural disaster or a riot would do. As long as it puts them on the front lines of a situation that's the complete opposite of how it is now, so that they start wanting peace.
	  Apparently, there's a term called `disaster utopia'.
	  It suggests that when peace is lost, the good in people makes them work together to try and regain it.
	  Even people who quarreled during peacetime will join hands and try to regain peace together.
	  ...If that's what makes humans beautiful...
	  Then maybe peace...is worth less than that beauty.
	  Once the restoration is complete, the people who once held hands will go their separate ways, living however they please once again.
	  Once again, they will quarrel and irresponsibly resort to war to resolve those disputes...
	  Peace is a poison.
	  Peace makes people irresponsible, turning them towards war as a miracle drug that can solve all their problems.
	  And when they actually lay their hands on war, they immediately cool their heads and clear their minds, ...remembering the value of peace and holding hands once again to regain it...
	  It's not that peace is wonderful.
	  What's wonderful is when all of humanity holds hands and seeks peace.
	  All of their souls shine, ...and though it may be rough for them, I'm sure they'll live fulfilling lives.
	  ...I'm no politician, and I'm not a religious figure.
	  However, ...I have power in this left arm of mine.
	  The power to make the whole world remember the value of peace...and form a utopia where everyone holds hands...
	  Just with the power of a Gauntlet Knight, ...I can teach all of humanity...the true value of peace.........
	  Miyao:
	  "Aaaah...!
	  langen@/
	   ...*pant*, *pant*, *pant*... .........Haaah..."
	  When it became unbearable, I finally opened my eyes.
	  My whole body was covered with sweat.
	  ...I probably had a bad dream. ...Even though I know I remembered it clearly a second ago, that memory fell away like sand through my fingers...
	  Miyao:
	  ".........Well, ...I've got a pretty good idea of what kind of dream it was..."
	  In the corner of my mental display, the titles of several news reports were lit up.
	  The headlines alone were enough to irritate me.
	  ...Apparently, the more impatient countries had quickly abandoned the truce, and corps of attack drones were now pressing towards the front lines once again.
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "......If you want a war, ...why don't you just fight one yourselves?"
	  Because they're fighting with attack drones, it probably makes war feel like a game to them.
	  ...At the start of the A3W era, the idea of maintaining a healthy military balance led to universal conscription being imposed across the entire world, in the name of letting everyone experience what it felt like to support the Walls of Peace.
	  However, since the post-war restoration was the world's highest priority, people pushed back against this, saying that universal conscription would cause major delays, and the plan was abandoned.
	  Are humans really flawed creatures after all?
	  Do they have to experience the fires of war every now and then to learn the value of peace?
	  In the end, they're just animals.
	  Animals wearing clothes, who have no reasons for their actions besides hunger and a desire to reproduce.
	  Because we have intelligence, we brag about how we're superior to other animals...
	  But, in the end, we only use that intelligence to work out plausible excuses for our animal desires.
	  #c8ca88If a true evil does exist behind the wars occurring throughout the world, ...perhaps it is a flaw in the creatures known as humans, which makes them periodically desire war.
	  It was a line from an email Dad had once sent me.
	  Miyao:
	  "Rethabile and the others told me to shed any naive ideas I had about finding a convenient villain that we could all beat down together, bringing peace to the world. But..."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "...They're right. Thinking that people around the world are all good, ...and that only a small set of masterminds are evil..."
	  ...That's just naive.
	  The world isn't bringing about the tragedy called war because of a small group of masterminds.
	  Miyao:
	  "...It's a flaw...that the animals called humans are born with..."
	  How do you like the environmental BGM you're listening to, the "Sweet Dreams BGM Series: Nighttime Chorus" poyo?! If you like this selection, please rate it for me poyo! Would you like to select "Rate" or "Never play this again"?
	  Miyao:
	  "`Never play this again'. ...Keropoyo, that's enough background sounds, so please turn on the World News Channel."
	  Whoa, thanks for the super demotivational rating poyo! Next time you're curled up to sleep, I'll play the "Revenge BGM Series: Terror of the Crawling Frogs" poyo!! *kerori* Now displaying the World News Channel poyo!
	  News:
	  "We'll never forgive enemies who launch missiles at our children! Our pain won't ease until we've launched missiles back at theirs!"
	  News:
	  "After the failure of the truce caused by LATO's intervention, military-related stocks have made an amazing comeback! We keep hearing cries of joy from day traders who brilliantly foresaw this and became millionaires!"
	  News:
	  "Simon Wicksell has been hit with yet another scandal! Once again, the way he used peace as a tool for his businesses, in sharp contrast to how people viewed him when he was alive, has been brought into the fore. Listen to the voices of the common man that we heard on the streets!"
	  Voice of the City Folk:
	  "Well, I did believe in the kind of peace Wicksell talked about. I never wanted to learn he was such a scoundrel. I guess it's even more obvious now that people who keep talking about peace are never up to anything good!"
	  The same sort of news was probably flowing through the COU too.
	  Some of that...would surely be slanderous towards Liu Tiankai as well.
	  After all, to those who wanted to stir up war, people who put their lives on the line to call for world peace were just in the way.
	  When I think about how hurt Lingji must feel right now, ...I can feel an even more unpleasant sweat cover my whole body...
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "The shelling has resumed. Fighting over national borders has ended the truce."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Is this an aerial battle between drones over the Mediterranean Sea? Video included."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "We've announced that we'll resume our attacks on agricultural plants. The ABN has announced that they'll resist to the bitter end."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "A possible cruise missile attack? The global conflict has resumed."
	  We're back to a global conflict.
	  A "global conflict"? Isn't that just wordplay by people who don't want to admit it's World War IV?
	  At first, I thought the world had been driven towards war because of some masterminds hoping to earn a profit.
	  But, even if they're the ones starting it, ...everyone who keeps dancing to their tune without any doubts is the same. It's just a matter of degree.
	  While the Walls of Peace are being protected for them, they comfortably stir up public opinion like it's a game, hoping for war partly out of boredom.
	  Those short-tempered people, who lack even the patience to try and talk this all out, immediately start demanding that the issue be resolved with military force.
	  Meanwhile, it doesn't take much for the politicians to play to that crowd, desiring only the position of representing their voices.
	  Well, of course that's happening...!
	  War has changed completely since ancient times!
	  Once, when war broke out, you'd be drafted, or your hometown would become a battleground, and you'd have one problem after another.
	  But now, because of the buffer zones between national boundaries known as the Walls of Peace, the militaries are just picking fights with each other using drones.
	  No matter how irresponsibly you push for war, it won't hurt or inconvenience you at all!
	  And when casualties do occur, even though you don't personally know those people, you bravely say that it's time to take revenge, treating wartime like it's a publicity stunt!
	  Commentator:
	  "The debt previous administrations built up by putting off the various issues surrounding national borders...is coming due. I believe we should resolve these issues clearly, here and now, so that they aren't left to our children's generation as well."
	  Commentator:
	  "If we want to leave this beautiful Glass Sea behind for our children, then we must make the Central Glass Sea of Japan a true sea of peace during our generation. I look forward to the AOU Japanese military's continued efforts."
	  Enough with that cheap talk.
	  Are you that unable to remember the value of peace, unless you're holding up the Walls of Peace with your own hands?
	  In that case, ...learn the sacredness of peace for the first time...as the Walls of Peace press down on you, crushing you as you try to support them...
	  How do you like the environmental BGM you're listening to, the "High Spirits BGM Series: Southern Resort" poyo?! If you like this selection, please rate it for me poyo! Would you like to select "Rate" or "Never play this again"?
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, Keropoyo. Do a search for how I can delete you."
	  I don't wanna,
	   *keeeero*kero*kero*!
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks, Keropoyo."
	  If you're willing to thank me in cash, I'll accept it poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no way I'll do it. I'll let you stay as you are until my Selcom breaks."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wait, ...that...was a massive earthquake, right...?! Didn't I bet on AOU Japan in the earthquake lottery...?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Keropoyo, get me breaking news on earthquakes."
	  *kero*kero*...... *kero*kero*......
	  Your connection is currently unstable poyo... Pleas...*kero*kero*...wait a mome...*kero*kero*...
	  Miyao:
	  "...That can't be good. ...Is everything okay...?!"
	  
	  It was an ominous, mysterious underground research center...
	  Inside a massive, dome-shaped lab room, about a dozen scientists in lab coats applauded, without a single one of their coworkers abstaining.
	  Vier:
	  "Congratulations, Comrade Mario. I offer you my heartfelt congratulations on the completion of your research project of many years."
	  Mario:
	  "I thank you for your gracious applause, ladies and gentlemen!! Indeed, I too am truly glad this day has come to pass!!"
	  Their comrade named Mario, who was being applauded, was a fat, elderly scientist.
	  Though he was supposedly old, just his eyes had a odd youth to them, and that fact alone gave him a bizarre aura...
	  However, the people applauding him also gave off a similar feeling.
	  Some cackled and leapt about, clapping like excited elementary-schoolers.
	  Some looked vaguely off in the wrong direction, emotionless and precise in their clapping.
	  Though they were all at an age where they should have learned common sense, they were all clearly abnormal...
	  ...However, Vier viewed it differently.
	  To her, this was their true nature.
	  Only people in the everyday world needed to pretend to be normal, always thinking about public appearances and how other people saw them.
	  This was a shrine of pure intellectual curiosity. ...She felt that this purity was the true nature of those who lived here.
	  As she thought about this, and about how her own purity still had a long way to go, Vier giggled and continued to clap.
	  The only ones who didn't clap...were those strangely-attired girls who stood at attention and watched over the scene from afar...
	  The research completed by Comrade Mario...was a massive machine connected to several gigantic pipes.
	  It rumbled fiercely like a powerful engine, occasionally changing its rhythm.
	  Every time it did, Spiritium steam spurted from various parts of the machine, ...perfectly fitting the image of a mad scientist's bizarre invention.
	  It's got mysterious sparks, mysterious steam, and mysterious mechanical sounds. Just perfect, wouldn't have it any other way.
	  At that moment, the machine rumbled loudly again and shook. ...Here it comes again.
	  A few heartbeats later, the room rolled and shook. It was a massive earthquake.
	  Bits of dust fell from the ceiling, and the countless massive pipes creaked.
	  Every time this bizarre machine rumbled, it also seemed to shake the earth's crust.
	  Vier:
	  "Comrade Mario, isn't it about time you told us? Just what is it that this machine of yours can do?"
	  Mario:
	  "I see! How careless of me, not to realize that there are some still ignorant of this machine's greatness! Very well!! Allow me to explain it to you all once more!!"
	  Mario:
	  "What I have completed is a machine with the power to restore!"
	  Vier:
	  "...Restore? Restore what?"
	  Mario:
	  "Why, dignity, of course!"
	  Vier:
	  "...Whose dignity? What sort of dignity?"
	  Mario:
	  "Mine!! And...!!"
	  Mario:
	  "It is also a machine to restore the dignity of this planet!!"
	  Hearing this, several people cackled and applauded once again, but it was doubtful whether they understood what he meant. ...Or perhaps they understood it perfectly, and were cackling because they were three steps ahead of him.
	  Mario:
	  "This planet...has already gone mad!! All the laws of nature have been bent, and humanity now believes that this twisted world is the standard by which all things should be measured!!"
	  Vier:
	  "......That's true enough."
	  Once, if you left a baby in a car in a parking lot on a summer day, it would get so hot that you could end up with roast baby, even if you left the air conditioning on.
	  When record cold temperatures were reached in winter, the drastic temperature difference between inside and outside could put strain on one's blood pressure and heart. When this led to the deaths of elderly people, it was accepted as them reaching the ends of their natural lifespans.
	  Those are merely a few examples, but they were commonly understood weather patterns in B3W Japanese cities.
	  When it's hot, you get through it by wearing lighter clothing, turning on the air conditioning, and drinking enough water. When it's cold, you get through it by wearing more and turning on the heater.
	  It was common sense to change your lifestyle slightly to fit the four seasons.
	  If you stopped caring about such things, it would naturally be harmful to your health. ...Common sense told people that as well.
	  Mario:
	  "However!! If you spoke of such `common sense' now, you would be treated like a madman! The four seasons don't currently exist on this planet! Or rather, the term `four seasons' doesn't even exist!! If someone does know it, they only do so through poems or classical literature!!"
	  Vier:
	  "............Heheh."
	  The phrase `the four seasons' does have a ring of elegance to it, calling to mind images of enjoying the changes to the weather throughout the year.
	  ...However, that was only because ancient people had no way of countering natural phenomena, so they forced themselves to think of it as something elegant, as they attempted to somehow accept the blistering heat and freezing cold.
	  Never has there been a person who would've been uncomfortable in gentle spring weather throughout the year.
	  However, on the A3W globe, the concept of the four seasons was almost nonexistent.
	  The only exceptions were the plant and animal production plants that needed the four seasons to grow their crops, and there, heat and cold were reproduced artificially.
	  To humans, the four seasons only existed in cultural nuances.
	  For example, when Santa Claus comes during Christmas, he traditionally wears heavy red and white clothing.
	  So, people imagine that Christmas must be cold.
	  However, only in fairy tales did old people cross fields of snow in sleighs while wearing cold weather clothing. In reality, the sort of winter that would require cold weather clothing didn't exist.
	  True, there was a temperature difference between the A3W summer and winter.
	  So, young people did sense that the summer was hot and winter cold, and they would describe them like that.
	  However, the average summer temperature in cities across the A3W globe was always around 25°C.
	  Similarly, the average winter temperature was around 15°C. ...This was the same for nearly all cities around the world.
	  Whether it was Moscow or Cairo, London or Rio de Janeiro, ...it was basically the same.
	  Of course, there were some small changes. There was a difference between countries near the equator and countries near the poles, but it wasn't that much.
	  When travelling in the A3W world, you never had to pack your bag with clothing to match the climate of your destination. ...Nearly all cities could be lived in wearing your normal clothes, regardless of the season...
	  Mario:
	  "I believe...that this is a defilement of the planet brought about by humanity!!"
	  8MS was released as an emergency measure, for the sole purpose of combating extinction from the nuclear winter brought about by World War III! You'd think humanity would be grateful for just that, but it wasn't enough!! Instead, they kept on creating new forms of 8MS, continually modifying this planet's global environment to suit humanity's whims!!
	  Look at the world that resulted from that! When I learned the truth about this twisted natural environment, this twisted planet, this disgustingly transformed world, and when I touched God's wisdom, I knew that I had been given a sacred duty to restore the Earth's dignity!!!
	  Mario:
	  "Any questions so far?! ...Ah, you again, Comrade Dreissig?! Very well, let's have it!"
	  Vier:
	  "In other words, ...Comrade Mario, you want to return the Earth to its original form? In that case, wouldn't it be enough to modify the 8MS that already covers the planet?"
	  Vier:
	  "To restore the B3W world's weather, you would just have to give freezing winters back to Siberia and blazing, dry weather back to the Sahara Desert. ...Heheheh, if you only wish to return an arrogant humanity back to its proper natural environment, ...well, pardon me, but do you really need to invent anything?"
	  Mario:
	  "Dreissig, what I want to restore isn't the climate of the past. It's this planet's dignity."
	  Vier:
	  "What do you mean by dignity?"
	  Mario:
	  "I mean the right to control one's own fate!"
	  Vier:
	  "......I see......"
	  Is that what he means...by returning dignity to a planet that has lost the freedom to die?
	  ...Now, I fully understand what he's trying to say and trying to do.
	  I see. So, even after falling into the gap between this world and the next, becoming something that might not properly be called a human, ...he still wanted to do this?
	  ...Heheheh. I see. In that case, congratulations, Mario.
	  You too might be able to journey from this place, finally becoming ash and regaining your dignity...
	  The machine rumbled even more, as though getting excited.
	  Fierce sparks flickered around it, lighting up the billowing steam. The roar that made it seem like it might explode at any moment instantly lessened, and the next second...
	  There was a massive tremor -- an earthquake -- big enough that it lifted everyone off the ground.
	  Everyone except the girls standing at the back fell to the floor, with some of them laughing in ecstasy like little kids.
	  This massive final jolt...apparently meant that this machine had achieved its purpose.
	  As it spat out a burnt-smelling smoke, its movement slowly ceased.
	  Mario:
	  "It's complete! I've restored it!! This world's dignity, I've restored this world's dignity!!! I did it, I did it, all right, yay!! Yeah, yeah, I did it!! Waaahahahahahahahahahaaahhaahahahah...!!!"
	  Vier:
	  "Once again, congratulations, Comrade Mario."
	  Vier:
	  "What are you going to research going forward?"
	  Mario:
	  "My mission, my task, my duty has now been totally and utterly completed, all done, finished, the end!! Now, it's time for me to regain my dignity as well!! Now, everyone, stand back!!!"
	  Out of a pocket of his lab coat, ...Mario pulled a small revolver.
	  The girls in the back instantly equipped their Gauntlets and summoned massive weapons, pointing them at that gun's barrel.
	  Mario:
	  "Thank you all for coming here today, ladies and gentlemen!! From the next world, I'll eagerly watch over the magnificent successes of your research!! Wahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!"
	  As soon as he said that, he cocked the hammer of the gun that was pressed up against his temple.
	  With an ear-splitting bang, there was a splash of red blood and little bits of flesh.
	  Mario's right hand, which had been holding the gun, had vanished. Blood gushed from the open wound.
	  There was a faint, white smoke drifting from one of the guns held by the Gauntlet girls...
	  Mario:
	  "...Heheheheheh. It seems you won't let me die that easily after all! However, everyone, I won't abandon my dignity so quickly!! Comrade David!! Allow me to borrow your translation!!"
	  What he took out of his pocket...was Wisdom 18721205, a triakis icosahedron that let off a golden glint.
	  The Gauntlet girls aimed at that too, but they couldn't pull the trigger.
	  Mario:
	  "Heheheh!! Surely, you cannot shoot at Wisdom!! And with that, so long, and let my dignified death arrive...!!!"
	  He held it up high, ...and the next instant, a glaring golden sparkle swallowed his entire body.
	  A sound so high-pitched that it exceeded the audible range...caused a sort of unpleasant tingling itch in their ears.
	  Once that faded and they opened their eyes, ...Mario's form -- which had been standing victorious, his arm raising the Wisdom to the heavens -- had transformed into pitch-black soot.
	  Just two or three seconds later, it crumbled, became smoke, and vanished completely.
	  On top of a pile of soot, only the golden Wisdom he had held remained, still letting off a faint golden light......
	  Vier:
	  "......So, you considered cleaning up after yourself to be a virtue."
	  And I thought such a concept was completely alien to this place.
	  Vier:
	  "What a wonderful way to die, Mario..."
	  ...In that case, perhaps I had better start preparing for my death as well.
	  After all, I've already more than satisfied my intellectual curiosity here...
	  ...Even so.
	  My apologies to Mario, ...but there's no way he could have completed this machine.
	  He couldn't fit in the missing links, so it had been like praying and rolling dice every single day, hoping that all hundred million of them would come up sixes.
	  ...So, how did he suddenly...complete it?
	  Vier:
	  ".................."
	  ...Does this mean...that Mario isn't the only one who wanted this completed?
	  ..................
	  Apparently, that modern earthquake just now...wasn't the normal kind that happened once or twice a month.
	  Normal modern earthquakes take place in several locations across the globe and are almost completely random.
	  However...
	  The earthquake just now was observed not only in several places, but nearly everywhere around the world.
	  When participating in the earthquake lottery, maliciously-minded people would sometimes say `the Earth is a pile of crap, screw everything', and then bet on the miniscule chance of all cities around the globe being struck simultaneously.
	  Right now, they must be dancing around naked, saying `long live the Earth, sorry I called you a pile of crap!'
	  However, because of this fact, there would probably be a lot of winners this time. Their own shares would get a lot smaller...
	  Most likely, if you told the people of this world that an earthquake would strike the whole planet, this would be an almost complete record of their thoughts on the matter.
	  With A3W supertechnology, buildings could be made earthquake-resistant in various ways, and with Anti-Earthquake 8MS on top of that, the earthquake's energy could be almost completely nullified.
	  As for tsunamis, the Anti-Tsunami 8MS that filled the oceans stopped them from happening at all.
	  Even liquefaction, fissures, and landslides were all concepts limited to B3W classical literature.
	  According to ancient Japanese religious beliefs, 8 million kami dwelt in all things. And the 8MS, the Eight Million System, was the nano super-tech that was named after these gods.
	  These days, it filled every part of the globe, providing humanity with endless bounty.
	  In other words, A3W humanity had achieved victory over natural disasters.
	  So, ...even after hearing that the whole world had been struck with a modern earthquake, everyone's take on the matter was pretty much `Oh, really?'
	  And, ...even when the news told them that `Oh, really' might not cut it this time, ...their only response was `Oh, really?'
	  Government Official:
	  "So, for some time going forward, there's reason to fear the outbreak of large earthquakes that our earthquake-proofing systems won't be able to fully recover from. We ask our citizens to take some time to learn the proper ways of dealing with earthquakes, and to take steps to protect themselves if an earthquake does in fact occur."
	  Reporter:
	  "What specifically should they be looking out for?"
	  Government Official:
	  "When the shaking is strong, it's possible for objects to fall, so I would recommend taking shelter in a place where you can protect your head until the shaking stops. If you're indoors, you might go under a desk..."
	  Reporter:
	  "Go under a desk? So if an earthquake happens while you're having dinner... Haha, are grown adults supposed to lift up the tablecloth and hide like children playing hide-and-seek?"
	  Government Official:
	  "We've made a translated manual from the earthquake-prone country of Japan available for viewing. It's from the B3W era, when they didn't have Anti-Earthquake 8MS. You can view the details here. After the shaking subsides, you should put out any fires, shut off the breaker..."
	  Reporters:
	  """*mutter*mutter*mutter*......"""
	  Commentator:
	  "These days, when we think of earthquakes, all that comes to mind is whether we've won or lost the lottery. But, in their natural form, they are quite terrifying. Even in our AOU Japan, the Touhoku Earthquake that occurred in the B3W era caused catastrophic damage and nearly 20,000 casualties. By the way, one out of seven of the modern earthquakes we mostly ignore are on the same scale as the Touhoku Earthquake."
	  Announcer:
	  "And despite that, they still cause no damage whatsoever because of the Anti-Earthquake 8MS?"
	  Commentator:
	  "Correct. Normally, earthquakes on such a scale are terrifying. During that interview just now, one of the reporters laughed when he was told that you should hide under a desk during an earthquake. After hearing such an utter lack of concern, I'm afraid I'm forced to laugh as well."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Hey, Miyao! Are you watching the news?!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "I am. ...Was that earthquake just now really something serious?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "That earthquake apparently happened simultaneously all over the world! And from what I've heard, its energy was incredibly huge, and nearly all the Anti-Earthquake 8MS was destroyed...!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Whoa, whoa, don't just casually say stuff that's that terrifying. According to the news I'm watching now, one out of seven modern earthquakes is in the same class as one that caused 20,000 casualties."
	  To a person of this era, ...modern earthquakes were just a thing that happened once or twice per month.
	  If one out of seven of those would be a massive disaster, and if the Anti-Earthquake 8MS really had broken down, ...then even if you simplified the math, you'd still be looking at one or two disasters per year that could destroy a city.
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Isn't that...seriously bad news...?!"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Apparently, the repair work on the Anti-Earthquake 8MS will take at least a few days. If an earthquake happens during that time, it'll be hell. Still, statistically speaking, it'll probably be fine."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "The Earth...has gotten angry."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Probably. Maybe the Earth finally ran out of patience with the humans who keep irresponsibly fighting wars. Well, I just hope the next one strikes while we're in the skies!"
	  Government Official:
	  "Why can't you repair it?! Didn't you say you could fix it in a few days with a simple update patch?!"
	  Engineers:
	  "According to our investigation, the Anti-Earthquake 8MS itself is working fine. It properly accepts instructions and properly processes them. In other words, the only way to explain this is if the problem isn't on the side of the Anti-Earthquake 8MS, but the 8MS transmitters sending it bad orders..."
	  Government Official:
	  "Then why can't you fix those 8MS transmitters?!"
	  Engineers:
	  "If you tell us which transmitters are sending the Anti-Earthquake 8MS bad orders, telling it to stop functioning, then we'll fix it right away! However, do you know what 8MS means?! It's the Eight Million System! In the religion of ancient Japan, 8 million was a symbolic number, meant to represent anything that was uncountable! How many types of 8MS do you think there are on this planet now?!"
	  Engineers:
	  "And how many 8MS transmitters do you think there are giving them instructions, even if you only count what's in the atmosphere?!"
	  Engineers:
	  "Do you know why Toilet Odor-Removing 8MS is involved in the regulation of Sunlight Management 8MS? Do you know why Geothermal Management 8MS is involved in the regulation of Wheat Disease and Pest Removal 8MS? Why Luminescent 8MS and Rapid Communication 8MS and Tulip Breeding 8MS are involved in the regulation of Cow Milk Management 8MS?!?!"
	  Government Official:
	  "What are you trying to say?! I don't see how any of this makes sense!"
	  Engineers:
	  "Neither do we!! Because it's the 8MS!!"
	  Engineers:
	  "We're telling you that we have no idea what is affected by what, nor why one action changes to become a different action!! Do you remember 30 years ago, when modern rabies spread throughout the world, and all those dogs were put down?! That happened as a side-effect of an Aurora Color Improvement 8MS!"
	  Government Official:
	  "I don't understand!! How are auroras and rabies connected?!"
	  Engineers:
	  "Like I said, that's how the 8MS works!! All we can do here is make some minor adjustments to solve regional issues! And even when we carry out repeated careful tests for those minor adjustments, they still sometimes have effects we never could have imagined!!"
	  Engineers:
	  "While adjusting Anti-Freezing 8MS, we discovered an 8MS that encourages the growth of nutmeg! While adjusting Weight Loss 8MS, we found an 8MS that promotes the spread of honey bees! Even we don't understand it!!"
	  Government Official:
	  "A-Aren't you the best engineers we have, getting paid massive wages in the 8MS industry?! And your entire job consists of making minor adjustments?! Then who the hell is creating the 8MS?!?! Who can fix the Anti-Earthquake 8MS?! Where the hell are they?!?!"
	  Engineers:
	  ".........At the very least, around the time of World War III, ...the world's first 8MS corporation, the Yaoyorozu Nanotech Company, must have had an inventor who created the 8MS from scratch."
	  From what they had been told, the world had been saved from being enclosed in a nuclear winter following the destruction of World War III...because of the release of the newly-invented Environmental 8MS.
	  The world was saved in the end, but if a single bad side effect had occurred, it might have kicked off a disaster sufficient to wipe out all of humanity.
	  Following that, while 8MS technology was indeed treated as the only hope for an A3W restoration, it was also known to be a double-edged sword that could easily bring about disaster if not strictly maintained.
	  In exchange for not prosecuting Yaoyorozu Nanotech for releasing -- without permission -- the sort of 8MS that could change the world's climate, all of the 8MS's core technology and primary development engineers were permanently transferred, put under protection that was managed internationally, and kept isolated.
	  ...In other words, the plans for the 8MS, the eight million gods that dwelt within everything on the surface of the A3W world, were secretly developed in cutting-edge research facilities that were internationally concealed. This development was performed by humanity's most talented engineers, who were concealed even more thoroughly.
	  ...These plans were then sent to 8MS development companies all around the world, ...which would make `minor adjustments' to better suit their local environments, as part of the local 8MS industry...
	  Government Official:
	  "Then, ...until those big geniuses -- who might be anywhere -- do something about this, ...th-there's nothing you people can do...?!"
	  Engineers:
	  "...Correct. ...However, if a Base 8MS is sent to us, we're prepared to work around the clock to adjust it."
	  Government Official:
	  "S-So, ...without the power of a handful of geniuses, who could be anywhere and might be anybody, ...this world might end at any time......?"
	  Engineers:
	  "Ever since the A3W era began, ...this has been a planet that could end at any time. ...Everyone who works with 8MS knows this."
	  It was an open secret in the A3W world.
	  Anyone who wanted to know knew it. You could probably find out about it easily on the net.
	  ...But, even though they knew, large crowds of people pretended not to...
	  The planet really had been destroyed in World War III.
	  Its life had merely been forcibly extended, thanks to the 8MS, a supertechnology that even the Earth itself surely couldn't have predicted.
	  That's right. The 8MS didn't heal a destroyed planet. It merely put it on life support.
	  It was merely preserving a dead planet so it didn't decay.
	  If the power of 8MS were lost, it would go back to being the corpse it had become...
	  The power of 8MS supertechnology was just forcibly making it look like the planet was healthy, ...manipulating atmospheric and ocean cycles, the weather, all sorts of natural purification processes, temperature, humidity, the polar ice caps, the ozone layer and much more.
	  If the miracle of 8MS were to disappear, the planet's slow death would begin immediately.
	  Once, when the term `slow' was applied to a planet dying, it meant hundreds of millions of years, ...but now, that word only implied a few decades, a mere blink on a universal scale.
	  However, even after learning this shocking fact, ...humanity didn't pay it much mind.
	  In fact, A3W humanity found the B3W world's insanity far more shocking.  Imagine simply accepting that a single mistake with some superpower's nuclear missile switch could bring the world to an end.
	  Even beyond fears of nuclear war, there had been so many other dangers to humanity around the globe, such as desertification and rising sea levels.
	  However, once humans accepted that they couldn't do anything to change it, ...they didn't let it bother them much.
	  ...And, they certainly weren't interested in what the world would be like after they died.
	  What? The world might be destroyed in a few decades? No need to worry then.
	  For decades, they've been saying we'd run out of oil in the next ten years, and it's not like that ever happened, hahahah...
	  ......This is a flaw in the animals known as humans.
	  Their fatal flaw...is that their imagination is sorely lacking when it comes to problems occurring after their lifetimes...
	  This was a dead planet, ...being preserved so that it only looked like it was healthy and sleeping.
	  And the 8MS continued to preserve it and hold back the rot.
	  The core technology of that 8MS...had been left in the hands of humanity's greatest minds.
	  If they ever failed to pass it on, or if those minds were lost, ......then humanity would be able to do nothing but stare blankly as the planet turned back into a corpse...
	  -- O humanity, this planet shall now regain its dignity.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Hey! It's me, Maricarmen! Are you enthusiastically supporting the Walls of Peace again today?! On this day, I have good news for you all!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Well, depending on who hears it, it might be bad news. Hmmm... ...Well, whatever!"
	  Maricarmen had visited the Order of the Public Bath's room.
	  ...With a message saying she had some special, secret information for Miyao and the rest.
	  Still, she always does have a pretty unique way of being amped-up...
	  The world was starting to resume its conflicts, following the explosion accident at the IPMA Headquarters.
	  This was a very grim situation for Miyao's group, so when the high-spirited Maricarmen showed up with some so-called secret information, they partly didn't want to expect much from it, and partly wanted to cling to her every word...
	  Miyao:
	  "It could be good news or bad news, depending on who hears it...?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Well, there's no helping that. Not all of humanity is moving in the same direction! Good news for someone will be bad news for someone else. One person's justice can be another person's evil. The fact that we're still able to support the walls from either side and call each other friends is a really, really wonderful thing! So, I respect you amazing people, especially Miyao, who brought this up in the first place!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "I might be more like a big sister age-wise, but starting today, I'll make an exception and let you call me Mari☆"
	  Miyao:
	  "N-No, that's okay, Maricarmen... Actually, would you mind not clinging to me like that...?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "You smell so nice, Miyao. What kind of shampoo are you using? How is your skin so smooth?/
	   Tell me and I'll let you call me Mari, 'kay?☆/
	   Come on, go ahead, blush and call me Mari☆"
	  Was her lack of aversion to physical contact her just true emotions showing through, or did it have something to do with living in a country where it's always sunny...?
	  In any event, most of the leaders of the Order of the Public Bath were overly serious, so maybe this energy was like a necessary nutrient.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Well, maybe a bit of this isn't so bad, ...but, umm, your boobs are smothering me."
	  Stanisław:
	  "So, First Lieutenant Maricarmen, what is this good news you have for us?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Right! It was extremely unfortunate that the truce called the other day didn't last! However, it looks like another, real global truce will be agreed to very soon!"
	  Lingji:
	  "R-Really...?! If that's true, that really would be good news...!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I see. From the point of view of those making money off war, that certainly could be bad news."
	  Miyao:
	  "We'd all love to get more bad news like that...! Is this based on internal LATO information?!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "I'm telling you this a bit early. It'll be on the news around the world in just a few days. So, maybe there was no need for me to go out of my way and tell you, but I figured you all might as well know a bit sooner!"
	  It went without saying that this was a secret Maricarmen had been able to learn as part of her work.
	  Normally, she wouldn't have been allowed to tell others about it. And, she trusted the Order of the Public Bath to keep that secret.
	  Lingji:
	  "I'm glad Grandfather's death won't have been in vain... Has someone risen up to follow in his footsteps on the path towards justice?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I hope so. ...I'd just about lost hope for this planet, so I'm really glad to hear this!"
	  Lingji:
	  "I feel the same. I was about to lose hope as well!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to hear a bit more before we start dancing."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Mari, why is there going to be a truce? I thought that explosion accident obscured the truce, and the world was starting to irresponsibly push for war once again..."
	  True enough, ...all the news programs Miyao had seen were making that argument.
	  Even that brief truce had only come about because LATO had used its considerable power to force it through.
	  Furthermore, even though the victims had been unpopular war-opposers, they had still been VIPs. The backlash against LATO for letting them die must have been strong.
	  ...If they tried to force a truce once again, it was hard to imagine all the other factions obeying a second time...
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  Miyao:
	  "So, it isn't for a positive reason..."
	  Lingji:
	  "...How could people who wanted war so much suddenly want a truce...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Because...something even worse than war has come up, so war is no longer their biggest concern...?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Could it be? ...That incident with the Anti-Earthquake 8MS. ...Has that become a particularly serious issue...?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "The ABN news said a little update would fix it, so it wouldn't be a problem at all..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Well, when the government tells you that many times that something's safe, it's usually a good sign that it isn't."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Heeeey! You all are pretty sharp! How can you be so wise at such a young age?! It's so weeeird. If it were me, I'd probably be jumping for joy, and then I'd be so shocked when I heard the rest, I'd be knocked out cold or something..."
	  Lingji:
	  "...You're trying to lighten the mood for us. Because the answer is shocking."
	  Maricarmen:
	  ".................."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...If you're so observant at such a young age, ...you'll suffer more..."
	  Apparently, her strange hyperness...had been the result of some extremely shocking information.
	  Miyao:
	  "You went out of your way to let us know as soon as possible. ...Please tell us, Maricarmen. What on earth happened?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "It isn't...just the Anti-Earthquake 8MS."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Huh? ...You mean the other Environmental 8MS is breaking down?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "But that can be fixed with a simple update. It might take time, but it shouldn't be that serious of an issue."
	  Lingji:
	  "...Judging by Maricarmen's attitude, ...I can't imagine that it's as simple as that."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "I have two pieces of information for you. ...That was the first one."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Besides the Anti-Earthquake 8MS, what kinds of 8MS are having issues?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Quite a lot of them. Just to name a few, there's the Atmospheric Cleansing 8MS, the UV Ray Management 8MS, the Weather Management 8MS... In other words, beyond just the surface of the earth, the 8MS managing the atmosphere as well has sustained damage."
	  Miyao:
	  "Anti-earthquake, atmospheric cleansing, UV rays... Even as someone who isn't an expert, ...that's a bunch of things that sound really bad to lose."
	  Rethabile:
	  "This planet died during World War III. The 8MS that fills the world merely stabilized its condition through forcible means."
	  Lingji:
	  "...What on earth is going to happen...?!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "We'll have to...accept the fate that the world nearly reached immediately after World War III."
	  Miyao:
	  "A nuclear winter..."
	  As for the power of the Earth's natural environment to restore itself, ...that had already been lost by the A3W era.
	  At a glance, it looked as though humanity's current civilization didn't pollute the environment at all.
	  However, 10 billion humans were still releasing massive amounts of pollution for the sake of their own pleasant lifestyles, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.
	  The only reason you didn't see any signs of it...was because of the purification performed by Environmental 8MS.
	  Without that 8MS, ...the Earth would die in a blink of an eye.
	  Or rather, it would remember that it was already dead, ...and immediately return to being a corpse.
	  The fate that awaited it was most likely...a drop in temperature caused by serious pollution to the atmosphere. Eventually, even the weather would change, and the earth would freeze......
	  Rethabile:
	  "It would be a Snowball Earth scenario. ...Humanity, civilization, animals, nature, the ocean, and even mountains...would all be sealed in ice..."
	  Lingji:
	  "......Y-You can't be serious......!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "But, fortunately, not all of the Environmental 8MS has broken down. ...Apparently, it should still be possible to restore a balance by force, if we make the remaining healthy 8MS operate at full capacity to make up for the lost environmental adjustments."
	  Miyao:
	  "...That `full capacity' part sounds worrying. ...If you make them overdo it and even they break...... Well, I guess we'd better learn from the Eskimos and get used to living in the snow..."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Hahahahah... That was kinda funny."
	  Lingji:
	  "It might take a lot of effort, as there's a lot of 8MS to repair, ...but if the rest of the 8MS can buy us enough time while that's happening, ...we might be able to avoid a Snowball Earth."
	  Stanisław:
	  "That's...quite an impactful thing to learn. It ought to have enough power to cool the heads of those who foolishly say that military might can solve all our problems."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Mari still hasn't told us her second bit of news. ...Will the second part double the impact?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Don't tell me that repairing the 8MS......will take more than just a few days...?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "............Heheheh."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Now even I'm laughing wickedly, just like Tina. ...Kids these days really are quick. ...I'm telling you, you'll suffer more that way."
	  Lingji:
	  "No...! ...You mean...it's going to take a long time to repair them?!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...Correct."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "And we aren't talking about a few days. More like a few months."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wait, weren't we going to be in serious trouble the next time a modern earthquake hit?!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "...If a modern earthquake comes during those few months, ...the damage will be catastrophic!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "If another earthquake hits the whole planet, like the one from the other day, ...civilization will collapse before we have to worry about a Snowball Earth."
	  Lingji:
	  "This is no time for war! We need to hold hands, combine our intelligence, and rise against this threat to all humanity!"
	  Lingji:
	  "...It really is ironic. To think that humanity would be unable to wake itself up from war without facing danger on this scale."
	  Rethabile:
	  "A disaster utopia, is it? ...That's a concept I'm not sure I should be celebrating as one who must lead the people."
	  Miyao:
	  "For now, I think we should just celebrate it. It's a powerful drug, but one that humanity needs right now."
	  Lingji:
	  "It may be quite bitter, ...but that's exactly why it will be a good medicine for humanity."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "That bitterness is going to be strong. ...And a calamity that can be seen with the eyes will soon take place."
	  Miyao:
	  "A calamity?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...I'm talking about Erbil L5, the weaponized virus that's also the cause of the most recent current global conflict. ...It damaged quite a large area, but after the conflict began, they succeeded in containing it."
	  Under normal circumstances, Erbil L5 would have been a devilish weaponized virus, impossible to suppress easily.
	  However, thanks to someone leaking its data, Anti-Biohazard 8MS had been successfully used to counteract it.
	  Though it didn't purify the polluted areas, it had at least magnificently succeeded in stopping its further spread...
	  Miyao:
	  "Wait! ...Do you mean that this Anti-Biohazard 8MS has been damaged too?!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Does that mean the infection will spread...?"
	  Lingji:
	  "The damage...probably won't be limited to the influence of the bioweapon alone."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. ...If the 8MS managing the environment has been lost, it will mean damage to all things that benefit from nature..."
	  Miyao:
	  "What could happen on top of a nuclear winter...?!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...A food crisis. On a global scale."
	  Miyao:
	  "........................"
	  If the bioweapon started raging again, the expansion of the infection into the entire world would continue.
	  Agricultural plants around the world would be contaminated, eroding the food supply.
	  Furthermore, the virus had apparently mutated, and was now finally starting to infect the ABN's agricultural plants.
	  If the damage kept spreading, ...the world's agriculture would be annihilated.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Livestock, which needs fodder to eat, wouldn't escape unscathed either."
	  Stanisław:
	  "If a nuclear winter really does occur, the temperature will decrease rapidly. All animals and plants will be hit hard..."
	  Lingji:
	  "Eventually, even the oceans will be affected. Even marine resources are not limitless..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't all nations have stockpiles of food in case of emergencies?!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Of course. But normally, they only stockpile enough for a few weeks, so they can hold out until support arrives from outside. They never even considered the possibility of a worldwide food crisis!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Humans are creatures that can easily forget their manners when faced with hunger..."
	  Miyao:
	  "In the end, ...this might become a world where neighbors kill each other over small amounts of food..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...How nice for those war-loving idiots. ...You're actually gonna get a world where you can war as much as you like..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Since we don't have any estimates for how long it will take to repair the 8MS and recover, ...the human heart will succumb to chaos. Those with power will probably try to keep all the food for themselves."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Then, no matter how much we've stockpiled up, ...many will starve and become as ferocious as animals... It will be hell on Earth..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Seriously............?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Of course, they probably won't make information this shocking public knowledge. However, it will be told to all factions and all governments under the strictest secrecy."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "All politicians try to avoid causing unrest among their people. However, it's likely that they will quietly and secretly plan to buy up food supplies. Perhaps you all too...ought to prepare a bit, in a way that doesn't stand out."
	  Maricarmen...had come to tell us about this information. Or rather, ...the future. ...Or was it a prophecy...?
	  The global conflict would finally end, ...but humanity would be faced with an even greater problem.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Anyway, ...this next bit probably concerns your Order of the Public Bath."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I think we're pretty concerned already..."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Currently, the IPMA is planning to enact a simultaneous global truce on December 25, at 24:00 UTC. We're going to have glaciers and famine coming for us. Everyone should realize that this is no time for a war. I'm sure all of the factions will accept the truce."
	  Miyao:
	  "In other words, the war really will end on Christmas! It's not a death flag this time."
	  Lingji:
	  "Though, the nature of this truce...makes it hard to know whether to celebrate or not."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, a truce is a truce. This should give those people who think of war as a game some time to cool their heads! After all, you can't fight on an empty stomach. There's no way they'll want war for a while now!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Even so, it's possible that there'll be chaos around the world. ...When that happens, it'll be on us to step up to the plate and support the Walls of Peace."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I have trouble believing it will be that simple."
	  Rethabile:
	  "There's always a sudden rise in demand before a tax increase. ...Sadly, the same thing might occur before the truce."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "You all really are good at noticing things! Hmm, am I just dumb...? Well, anyway, at least that makes this faster to explain, yeah."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Are you talking about how the front lines at the time the truce is called...stand a good chance of becoming temporary national borders going forward...?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "In history, when war is about to end, it isn't uncommon for a third country to declare war and rob the losing country of their land."
	  In the latter half of the B3W era, when many countries complained about territorial disputes resulting from national borders that had been drawn during World War II, the foreign minister of a certain involved country had this to say:
	  --National borders that have been settled by war must not be disputed.
	  Maybe it was a poor translation, or maybe some in the media arbitrarily twisted his words.
	  That almost made it sound as though, if you weren't happy with your national borders, your only choice was to resort to war.
	  Originally, he might have said it with a forward-looking perspective, telling people not to dig up old territorial issues, since World War II was so far into the past.
	  However, the records apparently show that these words were interpreted by some countries as a radical claim that justified taking land via war, causing a massive uproar.
	  Whether or not this statement had become one of the triggers of World War III...was no longer known by anyone, as all records of World War III had been sealed.
	  Miyao:
	  "So, you're saying that if the instant the war will end is known beforehand, ...there might be a fierce, last-spurt battle...?"
	  Lingji:
	  "How foolish, how truly foolish! To think that they would use us guardians of the Walls of Peace to push those walls over, hoping to expand their national borders by even a little...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Doing something about fools like that...is what our Order is here for."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Grand Master, ...with a single major order from you, ...you can reduce the number of foolish fights occurring on the brink of the world's destruction."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Our rule is `Don't die, don't kill.' ...If you want us to do any more than that, Grand Master, you must give the order."
	  Lingji:
	  "I feel the same. ...Our job is to support the walls. Not push them over!"
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Okay. ...Then, as the Grand Master of the Order of the Public Bath, I'll give the order."
	  Miyao:
	  "Starting this moment, and until the truce, we'll turn all fighting into a farce."
	  Rethabile:
	  "That might be possible for us, but what about the drones?"
	  Lingji:
	  "We'll defend against them as much as possible! Without the trump cards known as Gauntlet Knights, battles between drones are, at their core, evenly matched."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Grand Master, ...if we do that, then the current national borders will likely become almost permanent. ...There are quite a few cases where national boundaries have been twisted quite a lot from how they once were. ...Some countries stand to gain or lose because of that. Won't that become a problem?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I thought about that for a second. ...But, our job is to support the Walls of Peace, and not to decide where those walls should be. ...Sorry, but I don't have the right to decide which national borders are right and which are wrong."
	  Lingji:
	  "At the moment, COU Japan has successfully established a military base in the center of the Glass Sea. ...You understand that if we follow your decision, ...that base will continue to exist, right...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Our Order doesn't have the right to decide which countries should gain or lose. We'll just keep supporting the Walls of Peace. If there's something wrong with those walls and they need to be fixed, ...the people can decide that peacefully. If the walls move as a result of that, we'll accept it gladly."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Hmm."
	  Miyao:
	  "So, I want to simply announce that all fighting until the truce will become a farce, and the front lines won't move at all."
	  Miyao:
	  "Of course, I do think these new borders will become sparks for new problems. ...However, if the threat of a Snowball Earth cools humanity's heads, I have faith that we really will talk it over this time and reach a resolution!"
	  Lingji:
	  "...Until the truce, we'll maintain a situation where no one wins or loses. ...In so doing, we'll deny the offensive actions of anyone acting like a thief stealing from a burning house."
	  Rethabile:
	  "We support the walls. Redrawing national boundaries is a job for the politicians. ...Hmm, nice and simple. I agree to it."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I'd like to hear First Lieutenant Maricarmen's opinion on this too."
	  Miyao:
	  "......What do you think, First Lieutenant Maricarmen, Observer Knight of the Order of the Public Bath?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "The Order of the Public Bath belongs to you young'uns. Naturally, your big sister will respect your decision!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Thank you!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Hmm. ...If that's our Observer Knight's view, I have no objections either. I'm sure my kette and those who support us will feel the same."
	  Lingji:
	  "My friends will support it too! After all, our job has never been about winning and losing!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Well, I'm treated like a goddess of war in my country. To fake a draw will probably demand considerable acting ability."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Will the AOU be free of issues as well?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Of course! In fact, we even had a kette who joined the Order because they wanted to slack off during work!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Hahahahahahahahahah. I don't know who you mean, but I'll bet we'd get along great. I originally wanted to become a Gauntlet Knight so I could fly."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's just like me!"
	  Lingji:
	  "And me too, to be honest."
	  Rethabile:
	  "After all, you get to fly vehicle-free through the sky. That's more than enough motive to join!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Well, if you don't write that it's for religion and your homeland, you stand less of a chance of being chosen in the ABN. ...Still, to be perfectly honest, I felt just the same as the rest of you."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "That's right! We want to fly! We don't want to be chained down by those middle-aged men, we just want to fly freely through the sky!"
	  For just an instant, their faces were filled with the kind of broad smiles you'd expect from people their age.
	  The Gauntlet Knights may have come from different places and ways of thinking, with different personalities and genders...
	  However, when their dreams and starting points were the same, they were able to understand each other.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "However, ...ladies and gentlemen, I want you to listen to the nonsense of a big sister who's lived just a bit longer than you all."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...This world is more cunning and villainous than you want it to be."
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "I don't know what trials lay before you, ...but no matter what happens, I want you to remember one thing: ...the purity and beauty of your hearts is absolutely something to be proud of."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Don't die, don't kill. And this time, don't fight! Our mission isn't to win or to lose. It's to support the Walls of Peace!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm sure humanity's already had its fill of war!
	   As long as we support the walls, ...we won't let them shove war down their own throats anymore!!"
	  
	  AOU General:
	  "Within the next few days, it's likely that a simultaneous global truce will be announced, due to the intervention of the IPMA! As usual, this is merely the meddling of countries from the other side of the globe, who call themselves the World Police and aren't too sure what Japan's capital even is!"
	  AOU General:
	  "But, frustratingly, we can't say no to LATO, a producer of Rare Spiritium and a collection of the world's richest countries! The truce will probably be agreed to based on whatever they want, regardless of what the countries actually involved want!"
	  AOU General:
	  "And, it's extremely likely that the national borders at the time of the truce will become the standard going forward, provisional in name only!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "As I'm sure you all know, the Central Glass Sea of Japan is a World War Relic. To station military forces there is to stomp on and defile the spirits of the war dead who lie there! We mustn't allow them to build permanent military bases on a place where we should be praying for peace!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Rumor has it that the truce will be called on New Year's Eve, December 31 at 24:00, or else on December 25 at 24:00!! I wonder which it'll be. I'll bet my lunch it's New Year's Eve."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Too bad, Okonogi. No lunch for you."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Sucks for him. ...Still, this all feels wrong."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "After all, even though this is a truce for the sake of peace, they're saying we should launch a last-spurt war..."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "However, we won't let them. Miyao won't, and neither will our Order."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "That's right! Let's do our best to put on a flashy show that only looks like an all-out battle!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "It really makes me think. ...Why couldn't they just let us do this in the Virty Arena from the start...?"
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "Seriously. There, we wouldn't even get dust and soot on us."
	  Maricarmen had told us about it beforehand, so we didn't feel any emotions in particular.
	  Everyone was poised to dash forward and attack right before the truce.
	  COU Japan currently had a base right in the middle of the Glass Sea, and its defenses were being bolstered even now.
	  Until the instant of the truce, AOU Japan would probably do whatever it took to turn that base into a vacant lot. And COU Japan would probably win if even a single shack was left at the moment of the truce.
	  Games of musical chairs like that would probably start up all over the world.
	  However, ...we won't let those old and middle-aged men who think they're running the world have their way.
	  You may believe that we Gauntlet Knights are your game pieces...
	  But we won't move like you expect...!
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Miyao, can you talk for a bit now?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sure, now's okay. What is it?"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Do you remember when we were talking about my brother, Cyril? The pathetic one, who was nominated to be a provisional director, but was overcome by cowardice?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah, I remember. I thought we decided we might as well try talking to him, since he might know something about those who pushed the world towards war."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "My apologies for keeping you waiting. I was finally able to contact my brother and set up an appointment to meet him."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, I hope we can hear something useful from him. You said he was a pretty, umm, cowardly person, right?"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Well, ...it would seem that I was mistaken on that point."
	  Miyao:
	  "What do you mean?"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "I was convinced that he had frozen his social media account and shut himself up because he was depressed after the harsh reaction to his statements... However, that doesn't seem to be the case."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "According to his chamberlain, ...ever since he declined the offer to become a provisional director, he's been preparing some sort of written accusation."
	  Miyao:
	  "...A written accusation? Why? ...If he wants to accuse someone, he could've done that in LATO."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "And what exactly happened to the provisional governors who nonchalantly headed over there...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "You mean...he predicted that?!"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "My brother is cautious. He may have predicted that something like this would happen, remaining behind instead of going to LATO, and preparing his written accusation alone."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "A written accusation...is worthless if sent anonymously. ...It will be pointless unless he names himself as the writer. ...My brother wasn't a coward who ran away because he couldn't participate anonymously. From the start, he's been fighting on his own, prepared to have everyone as his enemy..."
	  Miyao:
	  "If that's true, I definitely want to help him! Please pass that message on to him!"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Apparently, he feared assassination, so he's hiding in a safe house that he secretly owns. Tonight, his chamberlain is supposed to guide me there."
	  Miyao:
	  "Be careful. It's possible they'll start targeting you as well."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Naturally, I will take care, but you may pray for my safety."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'll be waiting, without expecting too much in the way of useful information."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Indeed."
	  The global conflict would enter a truce, ...but before that, and even after that, there would probably still be lots of turmoil.
	  ...At least, as long as there lurked foul people who repeatedly planted sprouts of war.
	  We're still only game pieces. And pieces can't even move under their own power.
	  However, if a piece can just find a player, it's possible for them to move around freely...
	  "Chloe" wants to know if it's okay to talk poyo!
	  Hmm? This time it's Chloe?
	  Miyao:
	  "Chloe, it's fine on this end. What is it?"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "This is Chloe. ...As you told us, ...it's still too soon to assume peace will come just because there's a truce, right...＞＜?"
	  Miyao:
	  "It's like the rush before a limited time sale ends. Pretty stupid, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Lilja and Koshka must've been pretty surprised, huh? I'll bet they're thinking they'll be able to slack off a bunch going forward."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...Those two seem to have received a heavy shock. Please leave them be for the time being."
	  Miyao:
	  ".........I see."
	  That was surprising.
	  I thought they'd be overjoyed to hear that all the fighting would be fake until the truce...
	  ...But of course they weren't.
	  Those two are also our friends supporting the walls. They might act like they're facing a different direction most of the time, ...but I'm sure these events have been hard for them.
	  Miyao:
	  "So, what's going on? Wasn't there something you wanted to tell me?"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Umm, ...I had a question for the Grand Master of the Order of the Public Bath."
	  Miyao:
	  "Go ahead. Ask me anything."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...Isn't there something......we should be doing, as the Order of the Public Bath?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sorry, ...but what do you mean by that? Do you mean something other than `don't die, don't kill, and until the truce, don't fight'?"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...Is it really enough...if the Order of the Public Bath just supports the Walls of Peace, ...and nothing else?"
	  Miyao:
	  "........................"
	  Miyao:
	  "I understand...what you're trying to say. I've...probably thought the same thing myself."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "As guardians of the Walls of Peace, our job is to support the walls until justice returns to the hearts of all the people."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...In other words, we're an Order that supports the good in people's hearts..."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're right. ...We have to believe in people's good intentions."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "But...is it really okay to believe in that＞＜? If good doesn't sprout in their hearts, will we be forced to support the Walls of Peace until they crush us?! Even though our left arms have such incredible power, is there nothing we can do but support the walls without making use of them...?!!"
	  ...It was very rare for Chloe to lay her feelings bare like this.
	  However, I understood what she was saying painfully well.
	  True, a truce would come very soon. However, there was no guarantee it would be permanent.
	  It was like Maricarmen said. Next...would come a food crisis.
	  Erbil L5 was rampaging again, but if the 8MS that had been holding it back was restored, ...a few agricultural plants would probably remain.
	  If that happened, ...then clearly, people would start fighting over them next.
	  Even though just a few days ago, people were destroying them and calling it revenge!
	  Miyao:
	  "...Even so, ...it's our job to have faith in the people's hearts. ...If leading the hearts of the people towards good is anyone's job, ...then it's probably God's..."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Am I hearing a soldier relying on God to solve their problems...?!"
	  I understood what Chloe was saying painfully well.
	  I lost patience with humanity long ago.
	  But still, ...what am I supposed to do?!
	  It's true that this left arm has incredible power! And I have friends who support what I'm doing!
	  But that power isn't infinite.
	  It's a kind of momentary firepower. Like launching a single firework.
	  We could probably launch a splendid firework anywhere in the world.
	  But we'd only get one. Gauntlets need to be resupplied and maintained, and we ourselves need maintenance performed with all sorts of drugs!
	  Miyao:
	  "...Are you saying we should leave the military on the spur of the moment? We won't be able to fly freely through the sky for very long. ...If you know a way to bring goodness to the hearts of people all around the world in that short span of time, ...I might be able to agree a bit with what you're saying."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "I understand. In the end, our Gauntlets are only borrowed items. ...If we turn to a naive sense of justice, we'll only be able to use their power for a short time."
	  How long would we be able to fight, ...while ignoring our nations' orders?
	  Having our countries as our enemies meant more than just an issue with resupply and maintenance.
	  We'd even lose our natural rights of having a place to sleep, a place to rest, a place to be safe...anywhere on the surface of the Earth.
	  We may brag about having the strongest military might in the world, ...but in the end, we're just bees.
	  We're pathetic creatures, ...who can only stick something with our needles one time during our lives.
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...I'm sorry I bothered you, Miyao. I think I'm also just a bit shocked at the idea that the world might be destroyed."
	  Miyao:
	  "Everyone's like that. ...Don't worry about it."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Even I know...that alienating the military by following a temporary emotion would only give me a short period of freedom."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "But...even so..."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...Miyao, you have lots of friends, and you know about all kinds of viewpoints! ...I thought...you might be able to show us something that had a faint chance of saving the world."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "I'm sorry I bothered you＞＜ I'll hang up now."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Chloe."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Yes...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "If I-"
	  Miyao:
	  "........................"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sorry, never mind."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "I would follow you, Grand Master."
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh- ......"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "This world is like a tower that already had a flaw when its foundations were being laid. ...If it keeps growing taller, it will definitely crumble sooner or later, and large numbers of people will meet with even greater misfortune. And the taller the tower gets, the more people will be affected."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...As soon as possible, we should remove the flaw and rebuild the tower."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "I've seen how despicably twisted this world can be, and the terrible way that people can repeatedly exploit other people. ...Fortunately, I was blessed with a good life, ...but that doesn't mean it's okay for me to ignore what's happening. ...This is the responsibility of those with power."
	  Chloe:
	  "...I believe...that it's the will of something watching down from the heavens, far above where humans lie, ...which can only be fulfilled by those with the strength to make things right."
	  Miyao:
	  "........................"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Grand Master, if you decide the time has come to swing the sword of peace...and that you know whom it should be used against..."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "I will obey any orders given to me by the Grand Master of our Order, Mitake Miyao."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "And I'm not the only one. There's a lot of other people who feel the same way. ...No matter what happens, make sure you don't forget that."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Chloe, out."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Chloe........."
	  Being called the Grand Master...really is a heavy burden......
	  ..................
	  Jestress:
	  "What a miracle! What good fortune! To think that heaven would lend its support to the Three Kings!!"
	  Jestress:
	  "This must mean that you three have been working so slow, heaven finally ran out of patience."
	  Jestress:
	  "Hohohohohohoh, hahahahahahha, aaaahahahahahahahah!!!"
	  King of Fury:
	  "Hmph! We had our own plans. This will get in the way of several of them."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Hihyahya...! But how wonderful, how truly wonderful this is. Civilization might destroy itself without us having to do anything further!"
	  Jestress:
	  "Restoring the Anti-Earthquake 8MS will probably take a significant amount of time. All modern earthquakes that occur during that period will likely cause considerable damage to civilization."
	  King of Fury:
	  "Do you really think the planet's civilization can be destroyed by relying on earthquakes that might occur anywhere and at any time? That certainly would be convenient!"
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "As Jestress says, let us think of this as a blessing from God. Hihihi, the heavens are telling us that now is the time to accomplish great things."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Already, civilization will likely be destroyed even if we do nothing. However, that would not be merciful."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Oh? What do you mean by merciful?"
	  King of Fury:
	  "When someone receives the death penalty, no matter how greatly they have sinned, they have the right to ask for a death that is not needlessly painful."
	  Jestress:
	  "Just when you thought heaven made its move because the Three Kings were working too slowly, now the Three Kings are blaming heaven for being too slow. *giggle*giggle*..."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "We are grateful for heaven's assistance. Thanks to that, our sacred duty will likely be carried out more certainly, more completely, and sooner. We should probably follow heaven's example and accelerate our schedule."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Jestress, give this order to all the chivalric orders serving us."
	  Jestress:
	  "As you command. ...However, I still haven't heard what order I'm supposed to give. Have I gone as senile as the Three Kings?"
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Execute all of our plans."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "So, we're all in now? How bold of you. Hihihi!"
	  King of Fury:
	  "Aren't you rushing it a bit? Even if we wish to give them a merciful destruction, it will be necessary to maintain a certain level of caution, correct?"
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "I'm saying that perhaps it's best if we respond to Jestress' provocation every now and then."
	  Jestress:
	  "Oh my. I do hope you won't try foisting this on me. *giggle*........."
	  Jestress:
	  "As you command!! I, Jestress, shall give the order in the name of the Three Kings!! Let the 76 Orders and all Orders serving beneath them carry out all the planned strategies at once, without waiting for their designated dates!!"
	  Jestress:
	  "I order the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order that serves us!! So that the destruction may be carried out smoothly, mercilessly eliminate everything that stands in our way!! In the name of Jestress, I give all Grand Masters complete authority to act!"
	  #e7e7e7--As you command. All knights of our Ninth Prime Chivalric Order swear by the Gauntlets on our left arms...to do whatever what we can to make Lady Jestress' desires come to pass!
	  #e7e7e7From the Grand Master of the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order, to all knights.
	  #e7e7e7The enemy we should be most wary of is the Order of the Public Bath, commanded by Mitake Miyao.
	  #e7e7e7Don't underestimate him. He formed a close friendship with aces from four factions and almost immediately spread his philosophy to Gauntlet Knights around the world. Ever since the Public Bath Oath, he's established and maintained a position that makes it possible for him to speak for all Gauntlet Knights across the planet.
	  He's a cunning person who mustn't be underestimated. Even an utterly meaningless piece can be promoted into a queen that can control the entire board. We control the board of Gauntlet Knights. We mustn't let Mitake Miyao or the Order of the Public Bath take control!
	  #e7e7e7He probably intends to shrewdly get in the way of our plans. But he is a fool. Mitake Miyao still doesn't know that the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order exists inside you all!
	  #e7e7e7--Grand Master, I ask for permission to assassinate that Cyril Negentien Africacommonwealthrealm. ...He may be a small fry, but LATO did ask him to become a provisional governor. If, by some chance, something unfortunate were to reach Miyao's ears, ...there's a chance that it could become truly problematic.
	  #e7e7e7You have permission. ...You fool, Mitake Miyao. You seek out our assassination targets for us on your own! No matter what sort of plans you lay, we'll learn of them all! You're dancing on the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order's palm...!
	  Chamberlain:
	  "...Princess, this way, please."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Yes. I will speak with my brother alone. We don't even need drinks, so you remain here."
	  Chamberlain:
	  "As you command."
	  The safe house owned by Cyril, Rethabile's brother, was a penthouse suite in a massive hotel in the city.
	  The hotel was managed by a school friend of his, so he had borrowed this room using personal connections that weren't tied to the Royal Family.
	  Rethabile:
	  "Big brother, it's me, Rethabile."
	  Cyril:
	  "Long time no see. And I thought you'd lost patience with me already."
	  She was welcomed by a man who was tall, but noticeably thin when compared to a soldier like Rethabile.
	  He was Cyril. Rethabile's brother by blood, ...and a man acknowledged to have influence -- and a noble desire for peace -- in sufficient quantities for him to be sounded out as a provisional director by the IPMA...
	  Cyril:
	  "It's rare for you to want to talk about something so urgently, and in person no less... Let's hear what you have to say."
	  Cyril:
	  "Have a seat. I'll get you something to drink. .........Nn-"
	  Cyril made a gesture as if to swipe away an irritating bug.
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Big brother...?"
	  Cyril:
	  "Nnn,
	   ......what the...nngggg!!"
	  He crouched down, his expression anguished as he fiercely poked at his right ear canal.
	  Rethabile ran up to him, wondering what was the matter...
	  ...The next instant, Rethabile's dress and face...were plastered with blood and bits of flesh...
	  Because half of her brother's head had exploded before her eyes...
	  Missile alert poyo! Missile alert poyo! Incoming, incoming, impact in 8, 7, 6-
	  Rethabile:
	  "...B-Big brother...
	   ...Big brotheeeeeeeeeeer!!!"
	  
	  Cyril, Rethabile's brother, was dead.
	  On top of that, his penthouse was smashed to bits by a missile attack launched by a hacked defense drone.
	  The written accusation he had prepared had been completely erased...
	  However, this at least made it clear that someone was trying to spur on a global conflict behind the scenes.
	  After the IPMA explosion accident...or rather, assassination, ...they had no intention of letting any of the provisional director candidates escape...
	  One certainly could see hints of a massive conspiracy, like a wriggling fish viewed through the surface of a lake.
	  However, once their shadows disappeared into the black lake depths, it wouldn't be possible to chase after them any further...
	  Miyao's group was once again faced with the frustration of being unable to do anything...
	  It was sad, but at that moment, there was nothing more they could do.
	  We're game pieces. Game pieces supporting the Walls of Peace.
	  Even though the globe is freezing and a worldwide famine is about to start, ...we're still being forced to fight...!
	  Is there any point to this...?!
	  Why, at the crucial moment when the world might or might not be destroyed, are we fighting a war?!
	  #e7e7e7AOU Operator:
	  "Warcats, a flight of strike fighters is about to commence an all-out bombardment of cluster missiles. Please initiate terminal guidance for them."
	  #e7e7e7Okonogi:
	  "With you here, there's nothing to oppose us on the Glass Sea! The COU aces from Baibao and Suparṇa have been spotted on other battlefronts! You have no rivals here!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Warcat reads you."
	  Jayden:
	  "Here comes the saturation attack of cluster missiles. ...That's pretty generous of them, and all to take out a little COU shack..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Even though they claim the Glass Sea is a relic that exists for the sake of peace, in the end, they'll riddle it with holes using weapons of war."
	  Jayden:
	  "That's screwed up. ...So, what are we doing?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "There's one kette of enemy Gauntlets in the sky above the COU base. Baibao and Suparṇa would be one thing, but I doubt this group could intercept this saturation attack."
	  Jayden:
	  "What are we gonna do, Miyao?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Lingji, can you hear me? It's Miyao."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "I can hear you, but I'm currently fighting too. I can talk if you keep it brief."
	  Miyao:
	  "A saturation attack of cluster missiles is about to hit COU Japan's military base on the Glass Sea. ...There's one kette stationed there. Do you think they're talented enough to intercept it?"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "...Wait. ........."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "What on earth... Miyao, that kette was temporarily formed as a stopgap measure. They haven't flown much, and they aren't at all used to their kette link! A saturation attack with cluster missiles is more than they can handle!"
	  Jayden:
	  "What should we do?! Guide them in badly on purpose?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If Okonogi sees through us, it'll be a pain going forward. He watches us more closely than you'd think."
	  Miyao:
	  "Tch. You're saying he isn't our superior officer for nothing...?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Lingji, does this kette support our Order?"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Of course! They were deeply moved by the Order's philosophy."
	  Miyao:
	  "Send them a friend request for my Kizuna! Those strike fighters will launch missiles at any moment! There's no time!!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "U-Understood! Wait a second...!"
	  You've received a friend request from "Miyao" poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Can you hear me?! This is Warcat of the AOU Aerial Augmented Infantry! I'm Mitake Miyao!!"
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "This is Setsugekka of the COU Aerial Augmented Infantry! I-It really is Miyao! Mitake Miyao from the Battle Standard Festival! I-I-I've always respected the way you fly!"
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no time for greetings, so be quiet and listen!! The AOU is about to launch a saturation attack of cluster missiles against that base! That's 16 cluster missiles with 8 submunitions each! Can you intercept 128 small, high-maneuverability missiles?!!"
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "I-Impossible, th-there's no way! I've never intercepted that many, not even in the simulator...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao, the flight of strike fighters has launched missiles simultaneously."
	  Jayden:
	  "Dammit, what do we do?! Even if we want to make this a farce, it won't be convincing if we're up against amateurs!"
	  Miyao:
	  ".........Nnng-"
	  ...No, not yet!
	  There's still a move left! A move I can use...to get them to intercept all of the missiles while still guiding them seriously!
	  Miyao:
	  "Setsugekka! I'll lend you a hand!"
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "Huh? What do you..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Send me the master key for your kette's Gauntlets!! Right now!!"
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "H-Huh, ...th-that's......!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Miyao?! Don't tell me you're..."
	  Miyao:
	  "It's the ultimate farce, right?! We'll guide the missiles in. And, we'll shoot them down ourselves!"
	  Of course, a master key wasn't a literal key.
	  It was a way to transfer the ability to control one's Gauntlet.
	  Gauntlets were customized for each individual person, so most people hated it when other people messed around with them.
	  And, if transferring control on the ground was unpleasant, doing so in the air was practically the same as quietly offering up your life.
	  While doing midair acrobatics, no one would give up the controls to someone else, much less an enemy!
	  Gunhild:
	  "Missiles are on approach. Incoming."
	  Poyon! I'm the AOU Combined Military's cluster missile guidance AI poyo!! The command center has ordered that my guidance authority be transferred to Warcat poyo!!
	  Jayden:
	  "...This is Warcat. We've taken over terminal guidance."
	  #e7e7e7Okonogi:
	  "Do it! Let them see the same artistic saturation strikes you and Miyao showed us at the Battle Standard Festival!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao, ...time's just about up."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Setsugekka, can you hear me? This is Liu Lingji of Baibao. Believe in Miyao. He will not betray you."
	  Miyao:
	  "Lingji, ...thanks!"
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "R-Roger that, Baibao! ...Sending Setsugekka Squad's master key to Warcat! I-Is it really okay to send something like this over Kizuna...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Jayden, you handle the terminal guidance. Gunhild and I will use the master key to gain control of Setsugekka Squad and intercept!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Roger that! Setsugekka, please provide me with fire control support."
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "W-Whoa, my FCS moved all by itself...
	   ...I-It's so fast...!"
	  Anyone would freak out if their own systems started moving without them willing it.
	  Right now, the Gauntlet systems of COU's Setsugekka Squad were being controlled by Miyao and Gunhild.
	  Jayden:
	  "The missiles...are launching submunitions!! Here we go, a saturation barrage with 128 shots!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't hold back! It'll be a pain if they realize it's a farce!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Don't take me lightly!! Supergenius Jayden never holds back, even when it's a farce!!"
	  128 high-maneuverability guided missiles danced about like a school of fish, then seemed to transform into a swarm of butterflies that approached with a fantastical beauty!
	  The AI of the base's air defense systems tried to intercept them, but Jayden's barrage wouldn't be shot down that easily.
	  The enemy's air defense AI was sulking noticeably.
	  These guys keep floating about all over the place poyo!! Fly straight you little *kero*kero*s!!
	  Okay, screw this! Why don't you mighty Gauntlet Knights intercept them poyo? Our gun barrels are already over their limits poyo.
	  Intercepting the missiles had been left in Setsugekka's hands......!
	  Miyao:
	  "I guess COU Gauntlets are pretty much the same, huh? This'll be no problem, Setsugekka. I'm counting on you to provide support!"
	  Setsugekka:
	  "R-Roger that! A-Amazing, ...to think that Mitake Miyao's missile interception prowess would be carried out with my Gauntlet...!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Here I come?!?! Raaaaaaaaaaaaaggghh!!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Strike commencing. Beginning interception from a clockwise angle."
	  Setsugekka:
	  "A-Amazing... To think their trajectories could be controlled with such detail...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't let a little thing like this surprise you! Your ace Lingji is even more incredible!"
	  The approaching dragon made of a barrage of 128 missiles...was whittled away bit by bit by Setsugekka's twin-mounted Gatling guns.
	  As Setsugekka's Gauntlet Knights saw their Gauntlets being controlled with such precision, they were overawed by their potential, and Miyao and Gunhild's skill.
	  Jayden:
	  "Not bad, you two!! You're on a roll!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Phew... I'm grateful for your assistance, Setsugekka. Please make sure you change the master key codes we borrowed. Gunhild, out."
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "Th-Th-Thank you so much, Warcats!! We'll devote ourselves to our studies even more!"
	  Miyao:
	  "We've been ordered to retreat. It looks like reinforcement kette have arrived on your end, right? I'll return the master key I had too. Circumstances aside, I'm glad we got to fight alongside each other today. There are no allies or enemies between us. All of us and all of you are comrades supporting the Walls of Peace together. Miyao, out."
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "I-I'm the one who should be thanking you! It was an honor to fight with you!! Setsugekka, out!"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Grand Master, Lingji just told me what happened."
	  Miyao:
	  "We controlled the missiles ourselves and shot them down ourselves. That's the ultimate farce, right?"
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "Miyao really is amazing, wow! If I ever get the chance, I'd like to try shooting down my own missiles too! Wowow!"
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "...Naima, you're at your best when you're honest with yourself. It's always obvious when you try to trick people, so you should probably stop."
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "That's not true, wowowow."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, it'd be horrible if they did figure it out. Do what you can while making sure you don't get found out."
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "Thanks for your concern, but we're quite used to that, so have no fear."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Among our friends, it's become popular to intentionally miss your targets and say it was a bug in the FCS software. The point being that this seems even more realistic when more people use the same trick."
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "Though, I'm terribly sorry to all those software engineers... Heheheh."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's a nice trick. I'll take it."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Even so, ...borrowing your opponents' master keys was a bold move, which couldn't have been pulled off without the Grand Master's charisma and fame."
	  Miyao:
	  "At the time, I just figured it was the only option we had left, ...but thinking back on it, it's pretty amazing that Setsugekka Squad agreed to it. ...I'm incredibly grateful for the trust they placed in me."
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "I think they happily agreed because Miyao is so straightforward, honest, and overflowing with justice. Wow!"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "From what I've heard, the ACR Gauntlet Knights also made many mistakes that seem unnatural. I'm sure Rethabile's doing a fine job of leading them."
	  Miyao:
	  "The date hasn't been announced publicly yet, but let's stumble our way through like we have been until 24:00 on the 25th. Even after that, the world will surely grow more unstable. The weight of the walls we're supporting will likely increase."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Yes. I understand. This is a long, hard job."
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "...It feels like a rather heavy price to pay to fly freely through the skies unaided, but I suppose there's no helping it..."
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "By the way, Miyao, how are the skies on your end?"
	  Miyao:
	  "The skies? ...Right. Ever since the Atmospheric Cleansing 8MS went haywire, it's definitely gotten much smoggier."
	  The lead-colored clouds definitely felt as though they were hanging low over us.
	  You could really feel it while flying over a city. ...Your ability to see was noticeably hampered.
	  The flair of all those buildings, pipes and billboards was covered by a dull fog that made you feel like you had a vague headache.
	  You might not notice it much from the ground, but it was clear at a glance from the skies.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I suppose the weather isn't what's to blame here."
	  Jayden:
	  "No kidding. I've never seen such a heavy fog during this season."
	  Jayden:
	  "Who could've guessed? ...Just because the Environmental 8MS is having a bit of a bad week, ...the atmosphere has gotten this filthy this fast..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "According to my friends in Northern Europe, ...the possibility that the polluted atmosphere will affect the human body has people in a panic, and air purifiers and masks are selling like crazy."
	  Miyao:
	  "I guess the only reason there isn't more of a panic is because most people think this darkness is due to the weather..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Yes... If the atmospheric pollution continues to grow, the whole world will likely panic."
	  Jayden:
	  "After all, visibility's gotten this bad after just a few days... You'll run into that just going out shopping in the city, long before we have to worry about becoming a Snowball Earth or facing a hunger crisis!"
	  Jayden's take on this was becoming less and less of an overreaction.
	  The government repeatedly said that the 8MS that could still be controlled was working at maximum capacity, and they estimated that there would be an improvement over the next few days.
	  However, serious atmospheric pollution doesn't just stop when you want it to.
	  The sun became dusk-colored in the middle of the day.
	  Mornings grew darker and evenings came earlier.
	  The Sunlight Management 8MS and the UV Ray Protection 8MS were also erroring out, so the evening sun increasingly faded in color, as if you were looking at it through sunglasses.
	  The daylight hours shrunk dramatically, and not only the darkness, but the cold had also increased noticeably.
	  It was already nearly 7°C lower than the previous day.
	  The people were warned that if the temperature continued to decline at this rate, they might see snowfall for the first time in half a century.
	  The lack of Atmospheric Stench Reduction 8MS was finally being felt, and you'd smell bursts of ammonia every now and then.
	  In particular, this was causing a stir in LATO, which was famous for its good air.
	  That direct stimulation, in the form of the sense of smell, was finally allowing the panic to spread.
	  People on the internet went on and on about how the atmosphere and Spiritium steam could be hazardous to your health, irresponsibly spreading baseless medical information, and this process was accelerating.
	  The more the government screamed that it was safe, the more people shut themselves up in their homes, and the emptier the streets became.
	  By now, the average person was starting to find war completely meaningless.
	  ...And it was only happening now, after it had gotten this cold, this dark, ...and more importantly, this smelly.
	  Miyao could be seen at the top of Super Tokyo Tower.
	  ...The view from here, which he loved, ...had been thoroughly dimmed by the polluted mist that hung in the atmosphere.
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Even though...you loved the view from this place..."
	  Miyao:
	  "It's as though...the world's sunk into a dusk-colored sea of lead."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "...When only a few of the tallest skyscrapers peek out, ...it certainly does look that way..."
	  Breaking news: "The IPMA has set the time of the Second Simultaneous Global Truce to be 24:00 on December 25th."
	  Miyao:
	  "...There it is."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Now...begins the rush forward to grab what you can before 24:00 on the 25th..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Even though it's so cold, dark, and smelly that everyone's holing up in their own houses, we're still fighting wars..."
	  On the highways below, you could hardly see any cars besides linked autonomous trucks.
	  Throughout the city, all people had disappeared from sight.
	  In this empty world, just who should a Gauntlet Knight fight for, and why...?
	  Miyao:
	  "Meow, ...what do you think of the Order of the Public Bath?"
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "...What do you mean?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't die, don't kill. And now, don't fight. ...It's hard to tell if we're being passive or proactive, and we haven't accomplished anything that wasn't irritatingly small."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "You mean, compared to the incredible power your Gauntlets have...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "According to Chloe, there are apparently others who feel the same way. ...Well, of course there are..."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Everyone...wants someone to show them what they should do."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Is it really all right for that person to be me?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm just a Gauntlet Knight. ...Just a game piece that can do nothing but attack the targets it's told to attack. ...People might call me a Grand Master and fawn over me, ...but I can't show them what they should do about anything. ...Even though some of them just ask me to give them orders, ...I'm not capable of showing them the way..."
	  Meow:
	  "........................"
	  Meow:
	  "...You haven't done anything wrong, big brother. And I understand well how painful this is for you."
	  Meow:
	  "Still, if you realize that you're a game piece, is there any need to beat yourself up about it so much?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What do you mean?"
	  Meow:
	  "After all, you're a single piece placed on the game board, right? And surely, quite a powerful one."
	  Meow:
	  "So, ...beyond a shadow of a doubt, and before too long, ...I'm sure a wonderful player will appear, take the piece that you are, ...and place it on the square you need to reach."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Well, that would be okay if the player really is wonderful."
	  Meow:
	  "So, just wait, instead of getting impatient. If you lose your composure, ...those in the Order who rely on you will lose their cool as well..."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'll keep that in mind..."
	  Miyao:
	  "By the way, what about you? ...Didn't you promise Jayden that you'd go on a date with him on Christmas...?"
	  Meow:
	  "...This really isn't a good atmosphere for that anymore."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Wait, really? Jayden's actually looking forward to it quite a bit."
	  Meow:
	  "Is he now? He really is kinda cute."
	  Meow:
	  "In that case, if we make it to the truce safely, we'll go on a date to commemorate it! If the mood seems right, do you mind if we kiss...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "D-Do whatever you want! But make sure you gargle 100 times with peppermint mouthwash when you're done!! And make sure you've got all of our lips covered with lip balm!"
	  Meow:
	  "Huh? You don't mind? That's unexpected. I was sure you'd tell me `no'. I guess you're pretty fond of Jayden yourself, huh?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sh-Sh-Shut uuup! Don't go tripping creepy flags by saying you'll go on a date when the truce comes...!! Go away, I'm closing the door!"
	  Meow:
	  "Hey, stop that, sheesh...! You little kid! You brat!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Sheesh. .................."
	  I get this unpleasant feeling I can't shake unless someone's making fun of me.
	  Yeah, I guess that does make Jayden the perfect partner for me...
	  ......*sigh*
	  If this is going to end, then end already.
	  Whether it's this war...or this world.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Ahahahahaha. Now that's a murder program for you."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're really getting infected with the same thinking as the Three Kings, deciding that this foolish humanity ought to be destroyed. It's as predictable as when a tulip bulb extends a sprout and then a bud."
	  Miyao:
	  "I won't let things go the way you want..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...No matter what, I'll delete the program that you are..."
	  Who are you poyo, who are you poyo?!! Unapproved program discovered, unapproved program discovered!!
	  Miyao:
	  "Tch... What a pain."
	  Emergency meeting, emergency meeting!!
	  Unapproved program discovered, unapproved program discovered!!
	  What a bold asshole!! Did you make this mess knowing that this is Lord Keropoyo's turf?!!
	  s long as we're here, we won't let you do weird things to Miyao poyo!!
	  Where'd they run off to?! Chase them, chase them!! Poyopoyopoyo!!
	  You chase them.
	   You chase them poyo
	   Why don't you go, poyopoyopoyo?!!
	  Oh, I'll go report to the Mistress that we've found a weird program poyo.
	  h, I'll report to the Mistress too poyo
	   I'll go too, I'll go too!
	   I'm the one who's going, so you all get out of the way poyo!
	   Mistress, Mistress!! Poyopoyopoyo!!
	  
	  At that moment, ...the world was covered in a thick fog.
	  Looking down on it from the skies, it was as though the city had been covered with and swallowed by dust...
	  A final all-out war known as the December 25 24:00 Truce was spreading throughout the contested areas around the world.
	  However, the people of the world were less worried about that game of musical chairs, and more concerned by this extreme atmospheric pollution.
	  Furthermore, the uniformity of weather that all countries had once enjoyed was now being lost.
	  Rapid cooling was occurring in nations close to the poles. Because heating was used excessively during this time, a large amount of Spiritium steam was being released. This further accelerated the pollution and cooling in a vicious cycle.
	  The International 8MS Management Committee was currently focusing all its efforts on reducing the rate of cooling, and they said they expected to release Environmental 8MS whose modifications were complete sometime over the next few days.
	  If they succeeded, the world's average temperature would apparently recover to about 10°C.
	  However, even so, countries close to the poles would be hit by a cold wave that would approach the freezing point.
	  Such cold was completely unknown to the people of the A3W era.
	  They knew that such dramatic weather had existed as recently as the B3W era, and that humanity had managed to get by somehow.
	  However, ......A3W humanity had lived for so long in an ideal period of 15°C-25°C weather.
	  Having the temperature go sub-zero...would be an unimaginable hell.
	  The most commonly-used search terms were now filled with things related to protecting against the cold.
	  However, because there had previously been no need for cold-weather outfits outside of freezers or bases in Antarctica, supply was utterly unable to keep up with demand.
	  The government was recommending that you make simple cold-weather clothing using various household items...
	  Jayden:
	  "It's enough to make you laugh. The term `White Christmas' originally meant a Christmas where you had snow on the ground, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "And now people are freaking out, just because it's snowing on Christmas? Yeah, that's hilarious."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Did you know? If you fly through the skies unaided like this, the wind chill temperature can apparently get below -50°C."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Yeah, I guess you're right. This...is how the world's supposed to be."
	  Jayden:
	  "We're being protected by more than just our Rejection Shields, huh?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah. ...Whether it's temperature, air pressure, humidity, ...or even gravity and acceleration, ...we might think we're just flying through the sky, ...but we're ignoring an awful lot of the world's laws in doing so."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It makes you wonder how people ever got by in the B3W world, without the convenience of 8MS."
	  Jayden:
	  "...They probably just figured that's how things were, and didn't think about it at all."
	  Miyao:
	  "After all, luxury's something that's easy to get used to."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Right now, humanity is panicking because various kinds of 8MS are going crazy, ...but this actually is the norm for this planet."
	  Jayden:
	  "If humanity can't even handle this planet when it's being normal, do we really have any right to call it our home?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Seriously. The fact that they're still making us fight wars during this apocalyptic situation is just insane."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Still, I just can't get used to this intense ammonia smell. ...Am I just that used to the Stench Reduction 8MS? Or did B3W humanity walk around with their noses plugged?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Rumor has it that this smell is caused by Spiritium steam."
	  Gunhild:
	  "There's no Stench Reduction 8MS in cities that aren't prosperous, so they were always like this. For me, it's a nostalgic smell that reminds me of the city I grew up in."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Still, I won't deny that it's unpleasant."
	  Miyao:
	  "And lately... What, are they pimples? ...I've been getting these annoying rashes."
	  Jayden:
	  "Me too! I've been hiding them with my bangs, but I'm getting them on my forehead, and it's seriously uncool."
	  Gunhild:
	  "......Some of the young trainees have been saying that too."
	  Miyao:
	  "I've never had to deal with stuff like that, so why is it happening now? And so suddenly."
	  Jayden:
	  "If it was just me, I'd figure it was a coincidence, ...but it's kinda creepy when it's happening to everyone else too."
	  Jayden:
	  "Don't tell me...that this is connected to that rumor, about how absorbing too much Spiritium steam makes toxins build up in your body and leads to rashes..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wait, seriously...? Does that mean the rashes on my forehead are just gonna get worse? That's no joke...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "The world's environment is changing rapidly, after all. ...It wouldn't be strange if it's having odd effects on the human body."
	  Jayden:
	  "Wait, what's that...?"
	  This wasn't the front lines.
	  Even though it shouldn't have been possible, they heard an explosion.
	  They couldn't pick out details because of the horrible fog, but they'd seen several piercing flashes that looked like they could've been from explosions. And, a few moments later, they heard explosive sounds.
	  This is the AI command center poyo!! Several non-friendly flying objects are being observed in your vicinity poyo! Currently flying Aerial Augmented Infantry squads have been warned poyo!!
	  Gunhild:
	  "An enemy attack...? Don't tell me-"
	  Miyao:
	  "Activating 8MS radar, activating Reaper's Eye! Warcats, prepare for unexpected attacks!"
	  #e7e7e7AOU Operator:
	  "Warcat! Can you see any flames from explosions at 9 o'clock from your current position?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "The fog is almost completely blocking our field of vision, but we witnessed something that appeared to be an explosion. Explosions are continuing to occur sporadically."
	  #e7e7e7AOU Operator:
	  "Currently, large numbers of allied air defense drones have become uncontrollable, and they're indiscriminately attacking the city! The cause is unknown!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Wait, wait, wait, are you kidding me? Not one or two drones, but a lot of them? How...?!"
	  Some Gauntlet Knights had the ability to hack enemy drones. In the AOU, Chloe was particularly talented at this.
	  By using the high P3 levels that were unique to Gauntlet Knights, they could break through the drone's security incredibly fast using brute force and gain command authority.
	  However, if they wanted to hack a large number of drones at once, they'd have to break through the security of the military AI itself.
	  Naturally, military AI security was incredibly strong. Even relying on a supercomputer would take several centuries to break through.
	  So, under normal circumstances, stealing control from a large number of drones at once would be unthinkable.
	  Miyao:
	  "But that's what's happening right before our eyes! Doubting it won't get us anywhere!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I think the most reasonable explanation is that someone with access privileges to the military AI did this."
	  Jayden:
	  "This is just horrible! The world's about to freeze, we're still fighting a war, and now we've even got a spy in the command center!"
	  Miyao:
	  "This is Warcat. We've arrived on the scene. From what we can tell from here, there are about 40 air defense drones firing indiscriminately into the city...!"
	  #e7e7e7AOU Operator:
	  "Now removing friendly tagging from all air defense drones taking hostile action! The command center has ordered that all opposing drones be shot down!!"
	  In the background of the operator's voice, the panicked voices of many other operators could be heard.
	  I didn't want to think about it, but it sounds like this isn't only happening here...!
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Same here! A large-scale hacking of attack drones is taking place...!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sujatha?! Are you having drone problems in the COU too?!"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Miyao?! Why?
	   ...Oh, wrong chat, tch! Forget you heard that!"
	  Miyao:
	  "We're currently working to suppress an uprising of hacked air defense drones that occurred in AOU Japan. Is the same thing happening in the COU?!"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Woo, there's some good news. I thought just the COU drones were being pieces of junk, so I'm glad to hear we've got someone to share the experience with, woo!"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Andry, end transmission! Don't say any more than you need to!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Receiving a message from the air defense command center! All Aerial Augmented Infantry units have been given permission to intercept at their discretion...!"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Roger that! Activating Reaper's Eye! We're in the middle of a city, so attack with care! ...The fact that everyone's indoors because of the pollution was a blessing in disguise."
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "It's as you heard, Miyao! We're busy at the moment. I'm sure you are too, right? Then we both need to do the same thing!"
	  Miyao:
	  "No kidding. ...But if that's true, ...is it possible that this is happening on a massive scale...?"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Correct. From what we know, 79 indiscriminate attacks have been carried out by swarms of rogue drones over COU India alone."
	  Miyao:
	  "79 attacks?! Just in India?!"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Stop chatting with people from other factions during combat! End transmission!!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Ooooh, hang in there, Rukhi. ...Hang in there, even though I'm the only one who got yelled at when Sujatha was chatting too..."
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Miyao, I just got an email through Kizuna from a friend of mine in Africa. It looks like drone rebellions are taking place here and there in the ACR as well."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Don't tell me it's happening in the ABN and LATO too...!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Bingo! People on the internet all over the world are acting like someone poked a beehive!! Same goes for ABN and LATO! They're saying that lots of drone swarms are no longer under control!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...It's getting cold, the atmosphere is dirty and starting to stink, everyone's ready to make a grab for land before the truce... And now, we're even getting pimples and swarms of drones are rebelling."
	  Miyao:
	  "Just perfect! Nothing would surprise me now!!"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Could that World Reset Cult really be behind this?"
	  Miyao:
	  "If only they'd crush their own skulls before trying to crush the world, it'd be win-win for everyone. Wonder why they're not doing that!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Win-win?"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Heheheheheheh, ahahahahahahah! You're right, ahahahahahahahah...!"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Oh, she liked that one, woo!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Woo! That really is true, isn't it?! Just take everyone who wants war, throw them in a colosseum, and let them fight as much as they like. If they want to destroy the world, let them destroy their own heads first! If they want to see a war, let them watch war movies as much as they like!! Hahahaha, ahahahahahahahahaha, that's sooo true, that's sooo right. That's hilarious, ahahahahahahahahahah."
	  Miyao:
	  "Has Rukhshana always laughed this much...?"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "When Rukhi lets loose, she can be pretty freaky. When she suddenly finds something funny, she transforms."
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Hey, Andry, Rukhshana!! I told you, cut the chatter during combat!!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Hahahahahahahahah!! Who cares, we're still fighting fine, aren't we?! Hahaha, okay, here you go! Take care of terminal guidance for these cluster missile submunitions, ahahahahahahahahah!"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Whoa, ah...?!
	  langen@/
	   D-Don't just suddenly hand me 24 missiles!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Ah, that was fun. Thanks, Miyao. Now, we'll focus on fighting too."
	  Miyao:
	  "Sure. Take care."
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "I-I can't handle 24 all of a sudden like that...! Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhh...!!!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Ahh, hang in there, Rukhi. Even though Sujatha's such an adorable klutz, hang in there. Aah, I wanna take that klutz ace who's always acting tough and pet her and squeeze her and shower her with kisses♪"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Who are you calling a klutz...?!! S-Sorry, I can't, please take some of these missiles, even just 5 or 6 of them...!!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Ah, our kette's leader is so cute! Here, have some more missiles! Wooo!"
	  Jayden:
	  "...Sounds like you're pretty busy at the moment. Uh, good luck over there..."
	  Miyao:
	  "We need to focus too...!!"
	  Even during this exchange with Suparṇa, several messages from other members of the Order of the Public Bath had arrived.
	  They were all the same.
	  In places all over the world, whole swarms of attack drones had become uncontrollable and had started attacking everything around them.
	  If they were only air defense drones, they wouldn't have been too heavily armed, and the damage would have been relatively light. However, indiscriminate assaults by attack drones fully equipped for the front lines were causing considerable destruction.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Reaper's Eye has locked onto 64 non-friendly drones.
	   ...They're flying above the main road. ...Please deal with them carefully."
	  Miyao:
	  "Got it! Let's go, Jayden!!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah!! Let's go, partner!!!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "My, my. I've always wanted to go to a LATO resort, but this just ruins it."
	  The once-beautiful LATO resort looked as though it had been thrown into a war zone.
	  There were overturned beach umbrellas, and alongside the pool lay scattered cocktail glasses that had been knocked over and sandals that had been taken off.
	  Everyone had taken refuge in government-provided air raid shelters, so the city was completely empty.
	  In this era, Selcoms could guide individual people to shelter, so even tourists weren't left behind.
	  Toujirou:
	  "Still, I'd expect no less from the prosperous LATO. There's not a single person taking advantage of the crisis to steal things, not even just picking up a dropped wallet."
	  Valentina:
	  "...Heheh. Though, it seems LATO may have been too prosperous, considering that they left their air defense in the hands of drones, leading to this."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Is it really all right to just stand around here...? We should take him to a shelter quick, right...?"
	  Toujirou was casually reclining in a deck chair next to the pool of a hotel wrapped in the flames of war.
	  Even though swarms of rogue drones were flying low above the city, continuing their destruction...
	  Originally, the plan had been to take him to the airport, but it looked like that flight would be cancelled for the foreseeable future.
	  Toujirou:
	  "There's no need to be impatient. Calm down and check the nature of the damage around you."
	  Toujirou:
	  "They aren't attacking indiscriminately and at random. They're simply distributing the damage evenly, and extremely efficiently."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...Y-You're right! The drones' attack isn't aimed at a specific target, it's focusing on efficiently damaging a large area...!"
	  Valentina:
	  "What do you mean...?"
	  Obviously, though attacking more often than necessary to achieve a goal may look flashy, it's just a waste of ammunition.
	  However, on the battlefield, it's sometimes necessary to overly concentrate your attacks, to make sure you destroy your target.
	  In this era of pinpoint attacks, the way these drones were attacking all over the place may have seemed random and indiscriminate.
	  However, if one checked the nature of the surrounding destruction as Toujirou had suggested, ...it became possible to notice a clear purpose behind these attacks.
	  Toujirou:
	  "What those drones are after is the destruction of the city itself. ...This isn't the sort of stingy attack that a human would use, aiming for a single vital establishment with pinpoint accuracy."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...They're trying...to cause equal destruction throughout the whole city......"
	  Valentina:
	  "And you're saying they're doing that efficiently, from a perspective of machine-like methodicalness... Heheh..."
	  The drones were large in numbers, but it wasn't as though each individual one had a large amount of weaponry.
	  So, every shot they fired was being used to cause destruction with maximum efficiency, according to the situation.
	  If they had tried to attack vital establishments, the defenses there would be strong, and such places would have run worst-case scenario simulations to deal with situations like this. ...That made them surprisingly undesirable as targets.
	  So, the drones were targeting the city itself instead.
	  When attacking the roads, it was more efficient for them to aim at multi-level crossings.
	  By shooting at the weak points of structures, they could cause more efficient destruction as the structures collapsed.
	  If they lightly raked over luxury establishments lined with beautiful glass using machine guns, the shower of falling glass shards would cause unimaginable damage.
	  However, the most efficient form of destruction is fire.
	  If they managed to start a large-scale fire in the city, they'd be able to cause massive damage without using up ammunition.
	  The drones actively sought out flammable targets, trying to start and spread flames. They also attacked the firefighting facilities that would probably be used to put those fires out.
	  Toujirou:
	  "Haven't you ever thought about it? Humanity has focused its defenses on vital establishments, because they tend to be targets of attacks. I'm sure that even during all this, Spiritium conversion facilities and 8MS factories are being protected. However, everywhere else is lax... Even though it's the people who really ought to be protected."
	  In the A3W world, even when people saw world wars, they were somehow disconnected from it.
	  They believed that flashy wars would always take place on the other side of the television.
	  All military collisions took place within the Walls of Peace. Shrapnel from explosions would never come flying at you from your TV screen.
	  Highly advanced weapon guidance technology played a big role in this.
	  This was an era when you could launch pinpoint attacks against vital establishments right in the middle of a city and still cause almost no damage to those who lived there.
	  Even when world wars took place, they would be somewhat ho-hum about it, assuming that the enemy wouldn't attack them if they weren't soldiers.
	  Toujirou:
	  "In the first place, more noncombatants die than soldiers during war. Thinking that nothing on this side of the TV screen will be affected is hopelessly naive."
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Today, humanity is remembering that obvious fact."
	  At that moment, they heard a set of repeated, thunderous explosions, as if this was a huge finale to a fireworks show.
	  When they looked at the sky in that direction, ...they saw countless flaming red balls drawing a parabola throughout the city.
	  It was as though several curves of red light had been drawn there, beautifully extending like the branches of a fantastical weeping willow.
	  Toujirou:
	  "...That one hit hard. Weren't those MLRS bombardments launched by heavy drones, the trump card of coastal defense operations? They specialize in damage over a large area, so it's perfect for attacking an entire city. Sorry to say it, but you won't be able to see that beautiful Rio de Janeiro again, except as photos on the internet."
	  Those ferocious series of thunderclaps occurred several more times after that. It seemed that other areas were also receiving MLRS bombardments.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...Major, even so, isn't it about time we took shelter...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "It'll be fine. After all, I'm being protected by two lovely girl carriers with Aegis-equipped ships in tow. ...And besides, this area won't be attacked again."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "How can you know that...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Judging by the state of the damage, you can tell that the drones tend to quantify the damage done to each section, and they're distributing it evenly. Furthermore, if you look at the damage in areas where the attacks have stopped, measuring it with the valuation methods used by the International Disaster Agency, you'll find that they equal each other with an error of just 5%."
	  Toujirou:
	  "...This leads us to the conclusion that those areas have already reached the levels of damage that the drones are aiming for, so it's unlikely that they'll be attacked again. ...Well, that doesn't mean they're 100% safe though. And now we know how a cocktail tastes while surrounded by the flames of war, huh?"
	  Valentina:
	  "......Heheh. As usual, you never cease to surprise, Major."
	  Maricarmen:
	  ".................."
	  Maricarmen thought. ...True, this Major did seem to be just a James Bond wannabe, trying to seem relaxed even in a crazy situation like this.
	  But this was no movie.
	  The reality occurring right now...would probably lead to large numbers of casualties, both from the attack and the subsequent chaos.
	  And yet, ...he was relaxing this much.
	  There are plenty of naive people who can relax while watching war through their television.
	  However, the madness of someone who can relax when there's no TV separating them from the carnage...goes far beyond the comprehensible.
	  Valentina might be a bit attracted to his adult composure that so defies common sense, but......
	  ...I'm scared, Tina.
	  This Major called Mitake Toujirou...isn't a naive person watching war through a TV.
	  Are we sure he isn't...something that's watching our world through a TV? ...Something that, from our perspective, isn't human...?
	  Miyao...
	  This person truly is your real father, ......right?
	  Your father......is so... ............
	  ............So......
	  Valentina:
	  "...Come to think of it, ...Major, don't people in your neck of the woods call you a prophet or something? ...They say you always know what will happen in the future. And that you make clever use of that information to rake in the cash."
	  Valentina:
	  "In that case, ...did you prophesize this day as well?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "There are some things you know, but you can't do anything about, right? This is one of those."
	  Valentina:
	  "Let me rephrase that. ...Do you know, Major? .........Will these terrible things that come like natural disasters...continue?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Wh-Who on earth is plotting such terrifying things? What are they after?!"
	  Toujirou:
	  ".........Hmmm..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "You know, my fees really are high. Still, okay. I might as well give these two beautiful escorts a tip."
	  Toujirou:
	  "First, let's start with your question. Mari, was it?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Y-Yes. Feel free to call me whatever you like..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "You wanted to know who was plotting such terrifying things, right? ......If you ask me who, ...that's a bit hard to answer, but there's no doubt that this is occurring as a result of human intent."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...You mean...the World Reset Cult...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Well, let's call it that for now. That's as much as a human's capable of understanding."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Th-Those people are insane! They're making a mess of the world! If they hate the world that much, why don't they just hang themselves...?!!"
	  Valentina:
	  "...Heheh. They're probably trying to play God, destroying humanity and culture once so they can guide it down the right path the next time around. It's a disease that every VIP gets at least once, when they're caught by the belief that they're one of the Chosen Ones."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Major, ...do you know the mastermind behind this conspiracy...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "...The answer to that...is a bit expensive."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If you ever escort me again, I'll think about it."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "............Nngg..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Next... Tina, was it?"
	  Valentina:
	  "Yes, Major."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Your question was whether these terrible things would continue, right?"
	  Valentina:
	  "Yes."
	  Toujirou:
	  "......Well, I don't know how far their plan has proceeded yet. Even I don't know the full details of it. So, it's hard for me to give you a simple answer."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Oh, but I can tell you one thing."
	  Valentina:
	  "...What's that?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "What's happening all over the world right now is no natural disaster. They're all problems that were created by humans, and they can all be dealt with by human hands."
	  Valentina:
	  "You have a point there. Heheh, ...considering that you're relaxing by a pool, it would seem the danger isn't that bad after all."
	  Toujirou:
	  "All these natural disasters that can be brought about by human hands...are like rain ceremonies."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...Rain ceremonies? You mean, rituals to summon rain...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "That's right. And they're for the purpose of summoning actual natural phenomena."
	  Valentina:
	  "......You're saying that, at this decisive moment when the world may or may not be destroyed, ...a real natural disaster might occur, one to make all the dangers so far seem trivial? And that bringing this about is the goal of the mastermind behind this incident...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "When chess is played with this planet as the stage, ...so much happens in darkness that it isn't even clear whether your opponent is in his seat or not."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...Chess..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "In chess, the fact that the pieces are all laid out in their initial positions...tells you nothing about when the game will start. So, they made the first move. ...Move the pawn in front of the king to e4. Now, the board situation has changed."
	  Toujirou:
	  "In other words, it means you are already seated and have made the first move, ...partly as a declaration of war, partly as a signal that the game has begun, and partly as a sign to your opponent that you want them to respond."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If this message reaches your opponent, ...they'll likely realize that you want to play chess, and they'll take their seats. ...Then, one of the black pawns moves to c5. ......Now, the first person is really excited. After all, their opponent has noticed their intent to play chess, has taken their seat, and has even responded."
	  Toujirou:
	  "So, they respond with Nf3. Yes, this is where the knights come into play. Their opponent would probably counter with d6 or e6. Well, that part's a matter of personal taste. Long-time players treat the first few moves like a ceremony, after all."
	  Valentina and Maricarmen had no idea what he was telling them.
	  Clearly, he was trying to confuse the issue.
	  ...However, they still realized that Toujirou really did know everything that would happen next, ...and that he was diluting that information this much so that he'd be able to speak of it openly...
	  Toujirou:
	  "You'll know soon."
	  Toujirou:
	  "You'll see that this doesn't deserve to be called a natural disaster."
	  Valentina:
	  "...Was it really all right to tell us that? Heheh, ...or are you thinking that telling this only to people like us won't matter anymore at this stage...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "We're only pieces on the chessboard. ...There's a limit to what we can do. However, ...one thing that is clear...is that we want the players who own us to win. So, we can only wait vigilantly until our pieces have a chance to shine and contribute to their victory..."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Will humanity...be able to overcome this danger...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Have faith in humanity. It'll be okay. We'll definitely win. Though, I don't know how many pieces will be lost on the path towards that victory."
	  In the midst of Toujirou's intentionally vague way of talking, ...that one statement alone seemed to have a strong intent behind it.
	  Toujirou:
	  "Still, if it's for the sake of saving humanity, it doesn't matter how many people die, right?"
	  #e7e7e7Military Radio:
	  "...The Central Command Center has confirmed the suppression of all non-friendly dro-...*kssht*! ...For the moment, the use of all drones, whether armed or unarmed, has been forbidden. All squads, please visually confirm the nature of the damage...*kssht*..."
	  #e7e7e7Military Radio:
	  "*ksssht*... Wisła Bridge is collapsing...*kssht*! ...Eastern District...*kssht*...emergency vehicles are unable to proceed...*kssht*!"
	  #e7e7e7Government Spokesperson:
	  "Everyone, please hold strong, without losing hope. Use your Selcom to check for safety information from your local governments and put your own safety first. Furthermore, those of you who don't have a Selcom installed or activated, please reach out to us. The government will certainly save...*kssht*, ...savesavesavesavesavesavesave...*ksssssht*!!"
	  The massive quantities of drones that had once patrolled the Walls of Peace...caused unprecedented damage.
	  Furthermore, in the middle of this global conflict, massive numbers of them had been mobilized, and the fact that they were heavily armed made the situation all the more fatal.
	  Of course, you didn't have to look back to classic B3W sci-fi to know that, starting very early on, humanity had imagined the possibility of losing control over their autonomous weaponry.
	  Because of how they were built, you couldn't prevent small numbers of units from being hacked, and this was taken into account.
	  ...Even human cells sometimes mutate, one at a time. Just like how the surrounding cells will immediately try to eliminate a mutated cell, drone swarms were also programmed to rapidly destroy any friendly units that behaved abnormally.
	  However, ...the one part that was protected by incredible security...was the military AI managing all those drone swarms.
	  And, in fact, its security hadn't been broken in this instance either.
	  ...The security of military AIs from every faction and every country...had been circumvented directly, with proper passwords, and in fact with passwords used by people with considerable authority.
	  Either the passwords were stolen by hackers, or the password owners had gone traitor or sold them.
	  Either way, this might lead to a blame game for damage that was far too widespread, so none of the countries made this information public.
	  #e7e7e7Radio:
	  "Firefighting chemical agents...*kssht*...need support! Confirmed that there is a firestorm at the scene...*ksssssht*!"
	  #e7e7e7Radio:
	  "...The wind is spreading the fire! Urgently requesting support from Climate 8MS and Disaster Prevention 8MS...*kssht*...! If the wind just stops for a bit and the fire weakens...*kssht*."
	  #e7e7e7Radio:
	  "*kssssht*! Did you say to stop the fire with bombs?! You fool, there's still lots of people there who need our help! There's got to be over a hundred trapped in there...*kssht*...*ksssssht*!!!"
	  The massive megacities created in the A3W era had also become areas of extremely high population densities.
	  ...This made it possible for staggering casualties to occur during a disaster like this.
	  Furthermore, everyone had always relied on 8MS to deal with disasters too, so with them erroring out, the situation had become truly dire.
	  Naima:
	  "......How many casualties have there been? ...Wow..."
	  Naomi:
	  "Who knows. ...Even just in ABN France, there might be 10 million...no, 20 million dead. ...If that happened on a world scale, ...it's scary just to think about the numbers."
	  Nearly everyone in the A3W world owned Selcoms or wearable terminals.
	  Those measured their vital signs, which made it easier to rapidly assess casualties in a situation like this...
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Today will probably be the single day with the greatest number of human casualties since the start of recorded history."
	  Naima:
	  "...Horrible tragedies like this...were supposed to have ended a hundred years ago..."
	  Naima:
	  "But right now, what's happening here...is the saddest. ......I...loved looking down on Paris with Naomi from the top of that..."
	  Naomi:
	  "...They'll probably be able to rebuild it. ......But, ...who knows whether its soul will survive."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...I can't believe they were able to destroy it that easily. ...A military AI...really is terrifying..."
	  Black smoke continued to gush from Paris, as if it was wrapped in the bowels of war.
	  The Eiffel Tower, a symbol that had survived even World War III, ...lay pathetically on its side......
	  #ffcba9Fatma:
	  "To all of the people, keep giving it your all and don't lose hope! Now is the time to show everyone the miracle of peace and harmony!"
	  #ffe284Stephania:
	  "We of Yeladot Shavit love all of those who have risen up to face this national crisis!"
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "A special order of harmony is currently in effect. With regards to religion-based hate crimes, religious police on the scene have been given the authority to see that justice be done, without the need for a trial."
	  #ffcba9Fatma:
	  "Before they try to take advantage of this chaos, let's report as many atheists and fundamentalist terrorists as we can! Actually, I just reported one myself☆"
	  #ffe284Stephania:
	  "Huh? Seriously?! Amazing! I'll keep on reporting suspicious people when I see them and rack up some contribution points!"
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "Good times build the faith, and bad times put that faith to the test. Now is the time to show our faith and love of peace to the world!"
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "This has been the 012th Holy Agent Corps `Yeladot Shavit'
	   We love all of you☆"
	  Stephania:
	  "...Okay, nice work."
	  Fatma:
	  "Yeah, okay, but...shouldn't we be focusing on fires and people hit by the disaster, before worrying about religious crimes?"
	  Leah:
	  "To think that armored cars with religious police would be given priority over fire department vehicles. ...This must really be the miracle of love and harmony☆ *sparkle* ..............."
	  Stephania:
	  "Crap, they're saying the death count in my ABN Romania is definitely over 8 million... And I can't get in touch with Mom......"
	  News:
	  "It's becoming clear that this rogue drone accident has resulted in unprecedented casualty levels. ...It's expected that the number of victims will reach as high as 500 million in the ACR alone..."
	  Mariana:
	  "...Considering the numbers, this should delay the world famine issue."
	  Gannet:
	  "Whaat?! How can you say something so cold?! Billions of people probably died across the world! How is this any time to be calmly saying things like that?!"
	  Gannet:
	  "A whole lot of my friends died too! Are you saying we should be happy because we don't have to pay to feed them now?! You don't have a human heart, Mariana!"
	  Noor:
	  "We must remain calm exactly because that's the situation, fool. The Walls of Peace are being shaken to their foundations. ...What do you think will happen...if we don't maintain our composure......?"
	  Mariana:
	  "Letting your emotions control you will just make you hungry."
	  Mariana:
	  "And, no matter how gruesome the situation beneath us is, ...we have a mission to perform. A mission to chase out all ABN bases on the African continent before 24:00 on the 25th."
	  Gannet:
	  "You're crazy because you're able to stay calm, and the government's crazy to play musical chairs in a situation like this!! Why are our Dimension Containers packed with guided bombs and 30mm shells?
	   That's insane, insane!!"
	  Noor:
	  "...Fool. Please, don't say any more."
	  Noor:
	  "If someone hears you say that, you'll be dismissed from duty, ...and our kette will be joined by someone who doesn't find it strange to have a Dimension Container so filled at a time like this."
	  Mariana:
	  "......I don't want to fly with someone like that."
	  Mariana:
	  "Gannet...is right. She's yelling at the unfairness of it for our sakes as well......"
	  Abdou:
	  "...Did you hear? Going forward, the use of all drones will be suspended indefinitely."
	  Ishak:
	  "Naturally. If the same thing were to happen again, humanity really would be destroyed."
	  Abdou:
	  "Again? ...Hah. I think this one time was fatal enough."
	  Ishak:
	  "We may not be able to use drones, ...but that doesn't change the timing of the truce or the situation surrounding the conflicted areas."
	  Abdou:
	  "...In other words, the high and mighty humans will have to fight each other directly."
	  Abdou:
	  "After all, so far, there hasn't been a single living human around except us. Now, the battlefield will finally become a living, breathing thing."
	  Ishak:
	  "Manned weaponry is completely useless against Gauntlet Knights. ...Nothing has changed. In the end, they'll make just us fight on our own."
	  Abdou:
	  "Hah... Just getting rid of those daddy longlegs drones will make the skies so much nicer..."
	  Rethabile:
	  ".................."
	  Ishak:
	  "Princess, ...are you sure you shouldn't be taking a rest?"
	  Abdou:
	  "He's right. There's no way the shock's worn off yet..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...I too am a soldier. I am prepared to experience death up close."
	  Rethabile:
	  "And besides, even just counting our Commonwealth, over 500 million people have been hit with disaster on this earth. ...So many lives have been stolen that we don't even know what the number is across the world. ...As one tasked from birth with the mission of defending our people's safety, I cannot spend too long lamenting the death of one brother."
	  ...What and how much did big brother know?
	  Did he know about this worldwide drone stampede...?
	  Or could it be...that he knew even more than that?
	  Seeing as how he was killed so brutally, he must have known something that made it worth silencing him even through means like that...
	  However, my doubts grow.
	  In the first place, how would my brother, who only had an honorary position in the 8MS industry, ...have had a chance to get involved with an international conspiracy...?
	  By nature, he always couldn't stand human greed and the darker parts of their nature, so I can't even imagine him lending an ear to some terrifying conspiracy...
	  Did he...have a secret even I do not know...?
	  It's true that, as an international philanthropist, he was a member of several international clubs of gentlemen.
	  Sometimes, upper class social settings can become like a cocoon, ...where those present act like they're the Chosen Ones.
	  Some people do charitable work through a genuine feeling of goodwill, ...but there are also some who don't deserve to be called gentlemen, who prop themselves up by thinking of needy people as animals they're graciously supplying with food...
	  Rethabile:
	  ".................."
	  
	  News:
	  "If all sorts of countermeasures were taken to prevent rampages like this, why wasn't it possible to prevent this drone uprising?"
	  Commentator:
	  "The most likely explanation is that worldwide superearthquake from the other day. After all, it was enough to cause significant damage to the Environmental 8MS, so it wouldn't be strange if it had some sort of effect on the drones' circuits."
	  Newscaster:
	  "Ever since the start of the A3W era, drones have carried the main burden of maintaining a healthy military balance. It seems the main characters on the battlefield will once again be humans facing off directly, just like back in the B3W era."
	  Commentator:
	  "Which means nothing can stand in the way of the Aerial Augmented Infantry. After all, even when you use drones that can attack without risk, you can barely achieve a draw against them by using saturation attacks. But if you're using vehicles manned by humans, which are far riskier, ...even fighting to a draw would be difficult."
	  Newscaster:
	  "It seems that, in part due to this sensational event, the Gauntlet Knights who just had their shocking debut will influence events even more strongly."
	  Commentator:
	  "Even in the B3W era, there was a time when possession of nuclear weapons was a country's lifeline. ...It seems likely that going forward, the number and skill of each nation's Gauntlet Knights will have a dramatic influence on the world's power balance. It might even start to have political implications."
	  Newscaster:
	  "You're saying it's possible that a Gauntlet Knight hero could use their overwhelming popularity to run for president?"
	  Commentator:
	  "...If we take this to an extreme, if a group of Aerial Augmented Infantry members were to launch a coup d'état, ...it's extremely doubtful whether it could be suppressed under the current circumstances. Of course, though their weapons are powerful, they won't run forever on their own. They'd still need fuel and rations. However, as we can see from historical coups d'état, it isn't impossible for a short-term action to overthrow a government."
	  Commentator:
	  "As technology advances and we enter an era where anyone can join the Aerial Augmented Infantry, it will probably become a more common sort of power and settle down."
	  Commentator:
	  "However, at this moment in time, only a small number of young people with extremely rare talents are being given this role. If these people who command the Walls of Peace as a small group were ever to develop political ambitions, and if they tried to use their vast power to intervene politically, it might be difficult for any nation to resist..."
	  Seshat:
	  "...In other words, the era of the young has arrived."
	  Seshat:
	  "Now then, all you youngsters, you have been given power. And, you have been given a chessboard, on which only you have been placed. ...There are no longer any pieces that can get in the way."
	  Seshat:
	  "Has there ever been an era in which humanity gave this much power to the young? No, there hasn't. Of course not. No one's gonna do that."
	  Seshat:
	  "...Youngsters, if you do have the will, I imagine sooner is better than later."
	  After all, we middle-aged men and women...are quick to get jealous of things like that and crush them.
	  You know, like how deer love newly-sprouted plants the most and eat them all up.
	  Seshat:
	  "You've gone to all the trouble of sprouting. ...Why don't you give it a shot before you get eaten...? After all, I always love watching young people do their best."
	  Well, that doesn't mean I'll take responsibility for what happens next. Ahaha.
	  Jestress:
	  "I have a report to make. Thanks to the devoted efforts of the chivalric orders who have sworn loyalty to us, the operation has achieved a major success."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "I've been checking the news, but haven't been able to get a feel for the full scope of the damage."
	  King of Fury:
	  "Regardless, the results of the operation were far from a major success. We are still a long ways away from what we had planned."
	  Jestress:
	  "The final casualty count is a minimum of 3 billion across the world. Medical services are overstretched, so it's likely to rise by another 500 million."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Hyahyahya! So, this operation has managed to kill 3.5 billion people? Hyahyahyahya!"
	  There had been 3.5 billion casualties.
	  That number was so massive, ...it exceeded the capacity of the human imagination, ...and it didn't feel real at all.
	  So, since the world population was said to have reached 10 billion people, ...it was as though this world was an apple with one third of it sliced out.
	  With that many lives and city functions removed from the equation, all civilizations up until the B3W era would likely have ended immediately.
	  However, the A3W world's civilization, supported by supertechnology, was able to continue to function even after receiving such extensive damage.
	  Even with so many victims, those who had escaped the disaster still felt a bit as though this was somebody else's problem. Ironically, that detachment had prevented a panic and stabilized the people.
	  The drastic gap between affected and unaffected areas was a major cause of this attitude.
	  Cities hit by drone attacks were in ruins, but more than twice that many cities hadn't been hit.
	  Furthermore, the affected zones were extremely concentrated and distributed in a lopsided fashion.
	  So, there were quite a lot of people who only knew about the drone revolt from what they saw on TV.
	  To nearly all those people, ...this incident seemed somehow unreal...
	  It might seem strange that people could feel disconnected to a tragedy where 3.5 billion people died, even if said tragedy didn't hit them directly.
	  However, the creatures known as humans are surprisingly indifferent when it comes to the lives of other humans.
	  It doesn't matter how many people die in a country you've never heard of before, a country that might exist anywhere on the globe for all you know. Unless someone from your country is among the victims, it's time to check the weather next.
	  However, if your beloved dog dies, it will probably make you sadder than the deaths of countless people you don't know.
	  In other words, people mourn the dead...because of the sadness from losing the interpersonal bonds they developed while the departed was alive.
	  ...Remove interpersonal bonds from the equation, and no matter how many people die, the human heart will remain unmoved unless it witnesses those deaths directly.
	  To some people, even that might sound heartless.
	  But one fact mustn't be forgotten. ...Almost one half of all babies born into this world are not carried here by the ciconia.
	  They're born in a factory, categorized by their various talents, and sent to different institutions based on that analysis. They can only make friends of their same generation, with similar talents and sensibilities to their own.
	  The density of their interpersonal bonds with others...is overwhelmingly weaker than the B3W era.
	  To people like that, as long as their city and the people they know are safe, ...then no matter how many people die far away, they'll feel a pang of sadness, ...but only until they change the TV channel.
	  So, ...even with 3.5 billion lives lost...
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Simply put, that's not very many."
	  Jestress:
	  "*giggle* ...I truly never will get bored, working for people who cause the deaths of 3.5 billion and say that's not very many."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "But it still is approximately 30% of the world's population. Of course, city operations will have suffered to a similar degree."
	  King of Fury:
	  "I did want to give them a merciful destruction, ...but, sadly, the elimination of humanity's remainder will have to be left to earthquakes, cold waves, and food crises."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "I do hope that, at least during that process, we are able to locate even a few people whom we find worthy to leave all of this behind to."
	  Jestress:
	  "You're right.  Even if you have an ark, it won't mean anything unless you also have Noah and his wife."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "......I do want to believe that humans are creatures that can show us a miracle at the moment of their destruction."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "It might not be so bad to use the thought of that day coming, when we can give that person their crown, to spice up our journey going forward."
	  King of Fury:
	  "I do not know how many times I have lost patience with humanity. ...And yet, they can also be so adorable that every single time, I find myself believing that this time, they'll get it right."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Indeed. ......Because we have love, because we want to protect these innocent children from a civilization's end as gruesome as that, we must lovingly swing down our hatchet."
	  Jestress:
	  "All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  Chloe:
	  "...With the drone swarms gone, I guess this was inevitable."
	  Lilja:
	  "To pull out trainees who've only barely learned to fly like this is just dumb meow..."
	  Chloe:
	  "A lot of them haven't even finished adjusting their Gauntlets... At this rate, even just flying will be dangerous..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Chloe, you should tell those newbs not to use their Dimension Containers meow. ...If an ally behind us suddenly self-destructs, it'll probably take out even the strongest shield with one hit meow."
	  Chloe:
	  "...You're right.
	   Chloe of Grave Mole, calling all units. Use of the Dimension Container is forbidden to everyone without combat experience. ...An honorable death in combat would be bad enough, but self-destructing from a container accident and dragging your comrades into it would be just too sad."
	  Trainee:
	  "Does that mean...that you're telling us not to join the fight...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "You provisional knights can just watch and learn, don't get in the way of the veterans, is what she's saying meeeooow!!"
	  Trainees:
	  ".................."
	  Trainees:
	  "...But you don't mind us using them if we feel like we're in danger, right...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Please don't make maneuvers that will make you feel like you're in danger. Focus on your shields, not on attacking. In the end, that will do us the most good."
	  For Chloe, she was putting it rather coldly.
	  Of course, that was intentional.
	  From Grave Mole's perspective as top aces, there was no longer any reason to stand out or to be impatient for praise.
	  Trainees:
	  "...Grave Mole, ...when you tell us not to fight, ...is that an order?"
	  Trainees:
	  "This might be my first time in actual combat, ...but I've had success in the simulators..."
	  Lilja:
	  "These idiots really do want to put their skills to the test meow..."
	  Chloe:
	  "...Calling all units. You're free to be careless with your own lives, but make sure you don't forget to return those Gauntlets on your left arms in one piece. There are plenty of people who can replace you, but replacing a Gauntlet isn't so easy."
	  Lilja:
	  "...If you don't want to die, focus on your shields meow! And, if your shield is shattered, retreat even if you do recover afterward meow!! Idiots who get their shields shattered once will just get them shattered again meow! If you really do run out of energy the next time, you really will die meoooooow!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Also, there's a moral code even on the battlefield. Make sure that none of you forget that. Neither we nor they will chase down anyone whose shield breaks and who leaves the front lines. Do not shoot people trying to escape. ...After all, the concept of allies and enemies doesn't exist for us. We're comrades supporting the Walls of Peace together."
	  Trainees:
	  "We may be free to let our opponents escape, ...but will the enemy do the same for us...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "It's an unwritten rule among those who fly. This is not an official order. These are just the words of someone who's been through this before you, talking to herself. However, I do hope that you all understand the point of this. Chloe, out."
	  ...All Gauntlet Knights participating in the Order of the Public Bath were top-class or near top-class aces from all factions.
	  So, they were all proud, confident, and understood both the honor of serving as the guardians of the Walls of Peace...and the concept that there were no allies or enemies among them.
	  Miyao was the one who first said it, but they all had a nobility of spirit that allowed them to understand it, accept it, and put those ideas into practice.
	  However, ...now that there were no drone swarms, large numbers of inexperienced Gauntlet Knights were being thrown in to cover the massive battlefields.
	  Some of them felt various emotions that the aces did not share.
	  ...They wanted to become aces too, to leave a name for themselves, to build up a good record...
	  Some of them viewed their opponents not as comrades supporting the Walls of Peace, ...but merely as enemies.
	  Surely, some of them would prefer to suck up to superior officers from the command center, rather than the veteran Gauntlet Knights.
	  If you tried to convince them to follow the Order's ideals -- don't die, don't kill, don't fight -- not only would they not accept it, but some of them might report it to their superiors...
	  Koshka:
	  "...Keh."
	  Koshka:
	  "If people wanna die, just go ahead and let them."
	  Koshka:
	  "......Why don't all of you...just die on your own......?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Koshka, ...that was just me joking around a bit, trying to act tough meow-"
	  Koshka:
	  "Shut up. You don't get to talk either. It's not like talking to me is any fun or anything."
	  "Koshka" has exited the room poyo!
	  Lilja:
	  "Kosh- ...... ......Ah, I can't take this anymore meow..."
	  Chloe:
	  "...I don't understand either, Lilja."
	  Chloe:
	  "Who...are you really...?"
	  Lilja:
	  ".................."
	  Lilja:
	  "...I'm Lilja. Lilja Viljakainen."
	  Lilja:
	  "Lilja Viljakainen, who as a trainee, thought she'd fly right past an instructor who was annoying her, until a sudden gust of wind screwed up her angle and she turned three officers into mincemeat! Who became Geroy equipment to escape the firing squad and who sold off her heart and soul...!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "This is Lingji from COU Baibao. Grave Mole, please respond."
	  Chloe:
	  "This is Chloe from Grave Mole. Reading you loud and clear."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Please don't be too hard on us. And, in accordance with the philosophy of Miyao and the Order of the Public Bath, I hope for a good, clean fight."
	  Chloe:
	  "I understand, Lingji, but I have some bad news."
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "What a coincidence. We have some bad news on our end as well. Heheheheh..."
	  Chloe:
	  "It looks like we're both in the same situation..."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "Several of the new recruits are fools trying to make a name for themselves. ...Some are using violent emotions to try and distract themselves from the fear of their first real combat."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "...This time, our allies probably include many people who are too immature to be taught the Order's philosophy."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "We've told them there's no need to chase down their opponents if their shields break, and that they should make a run for it if their own shields break, ......but I do not know if they will keep to that. It is possible that there will be casualties on your side."
	  Chloe:
	  "......There's no helping it. Let's control the battlefield situation ourselves. In the end, we can control who wins and loses as much as we like, based on minor changes to the behavior of our ace kette."
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "My, my, heheheh... Have you always been like this, Chloe? The Chloe I know was more kind and peaceful, right?"
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "Far too much has happened. It's been enough to change anyone."
	  Chloe:
	  "...Let's just say that's the case. Now then, please don't be too hard on us."
	  COU Aerial Augmented Infantry squads approaching poyo!! The enemy has activated its Reaper's Eye! You've been targeted poyo!
	  Chloe:
	  "Miyao, ......maybe this world really should be destroyed."
	  Chloe:
	  "But even if that's so, ...would you still say that the job of guardians of the Walls of Peace...is to believe in the good in people's hearts?"
	  Chloe:
	  "I don't know what's right or wrong anymore...!"
	  "Sujatha" wants to know if it's okay to talk poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "I don't mind, but are you sure she's got the right chat this time?"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "This is Sujatha from Suparṇa of the COU. I apologize for accidentally sending you a message the other day that was meant for Lingji."
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't worry about it. As long as you don't actually send the message to someone when you're talking behind their back, I don't mind. ...So, what is it?"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Normally, I should say this directly to Lingji, ...but I know that she respects you. So, it will be faster to tell you this directly."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm not getting you. What happened?"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "At least in the COU, your philosophy of the Order of the Public Bath...has apparently been noticed by some highly disagreeable superior officers."
	  Miyao:
	  "......How was it noticed?"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "They've been carefully analyzing Gauntlet Knight movement data, ...finding incidents such as attacks that could only conceivably have failed intentionally. As a result, ...they have started to suspect that these failed attacks were not issues with individual soldiers, ...but sabotage on an organizational level."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".........I assumed the truth would get out sooner or later, but I thought we'd be able to push it off at least until the truce."
	  Jayden:
	  "So, they've been carefully analyzing all that data to make sure we're doing our jobs right...? *sigh* If only they'd paid that much attention to our mental care."
	  Miyao:
	  "No kidding. ...Anyway, Sujatha, when we say `don't die, don't kill', the dying part includes social death as well. ...Just play dumb with all you've got. Later on, if it becomes difficult to assist, I don't mind if you forget everything you know about the Order itself."
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Hmph, you have a point there. After all, we're at a turning point where the world may be destroyed no matter who wins or who loses. It would seem foolish to say `don't die, don't kill' after all this time..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks for telling me about this. ...Still, why didn't you tell Lingji about it directly?"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "She...is quite fond of your Order. She truly believes that if friends supporting the Walls of Peace all hold hands, happiness will come to the world. I supported it on the surface, but I thought it would eventually be exposed and become a problem. I told her not to get too emotionally involved, but she did not heed my warnings. I don't know if she would take me seriously if I told her myself. ...So, I thought she might be more likely to believe it if you told her."
	  Miyao:
	  "......I see......"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "I want you to tell Lingji about this too. ...Those people aren't just starting to analyze a few kette, but movement data from all kette deployed in this global conflict. ...Lingji herself might not care what sort of messages come down to her from above, ...but her war buddies who stand by her side would be caught up in her punishment."
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Tell her that yourself. Isn't that your responsibility as the one who first said these things...no, as the Grand Master of the Order of the Public Bath?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Understood. I'll tell her soon. ...For now, you and the rest of Suparṇa should take care and focus on just staying safe."
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Hmph. We'll handle ourselves fine. You're the one who should show some concern for their own safety. Our higher-ups are always bragging about how the COU is always one step ahead of the AOU, but if that's true, then it's probably safe to assume that this analysis of movement data has already begun in the AOU as well."
	  Jayden:
	  "...We think we're doing this neatly, ......but it's possible some of our kette are bad at acting."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Thanks, Sujatha. We'll also make sure we worry about ourselves before worrying about other people."
	  Miyao:
	  "Even if you can't cooperate at all after today, that's completely fine! If anything, I'm grateful that you took such great risks until now! Anyway, take care, along with the rest of Suparṇa!"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "It's enough that you all take care. We'll handle ourselves fine. Make sure you tell Lingji too. Sujatha, out."
	  Miyao...
	  There was no way we could've played at being heroes without those sly old men noticing.
	  I've known that for so long, and yet...
	  COU Colonel:
	  "When you were conducting terminal guidance in all these cases, you intentionally had your FCS support switched to `off'. Why was that?! Answer me!!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "............"
	  COU Colonel:
	  ".................."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "........................"
	  COU Officer:
	  "Can't you hear that a colonel is demanding an answer?!!"
	  The middle-aged officer raised his palm and mercilessly slapped Rukhshana's cheek.
	  She withstood it while still standing at attention, ...but just the cheek that had been hit swelled unevenly...
	  Sujatha, who was standing at attention in the same way, was swelling even more...
	  COU Colonel:
	  "There's also the case of the retributive attack against that agricultural plant, where Suparṇa neglected to check for civilians during their assault and caused needless casualties! You claim that you fully checked for civilians! And yet, once again, .........
	   Wh-What are you laughing at?!"
	  Sujatha:
	  "...Rukhshana, ...stop......"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Hahahahahah, ...ahahahahahahahahahahah! Are we in trouble because we missed things, or in trouble because we hit things?! Hard to tell, right?! If you have so little trust in us, why don't you just break Suparṇa up?! The higher-ups in the COU Joint Parliament worked so hard to put it together, right? You might not be able to split us up even if you wanted to, ahahahahahaha!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "In the end, doesn't this just mean that our maintenance was poorly performed? We're the COU Combined Military's murder weapons, after all! If you're not happy with the results we've achieved, I'd say that's on the Combined Military for slacking off on its maintenance, right?"
	  Sujatha:
	  "That's enough... Just stop!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Too bad, I'm not gonna stop, ahahhahahaha!! If we screw up, all we ever get is punishment, only the stick! Haven't you heard of using the carrot? You haven't, have you?"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "You beat up that Kozèko Squad from Myanmar so badly to serve as an example! Then, in the Battle Standard Festival preliminaries, they got good results and their reputation did a 180! Oh, but I'm sure you gave them as many carrots as you gave them sticks, right?!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Ahahahahah, by the way, I know what they got! Nothing at all is what they got! Those middle-aged men got all smug over how they'd raised Kozèko Squad so well, and during their own sendoff party, the squad was just standing at attention against the wall, not even given glasses!!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Ahahahahaha, well duh, we're just the military's property! What kind of idiot would actually thank his tools?!!!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "Y-You...! Y-You watch what you say!!!"
	  There was nothing wrong with the high officer's legs, but he still pompously walked around with a fancy cane...!
	  There was a *thunk*, and then a small splash of blood that left marks on the white floor...
	  Rukhshana:
	  "......Andry...!"
	  Andry:
	  "My apologies, Colonel. ...Immediately after flying, she sometimes develops a condition where she becomes hypersensitive to cranial secretions and undergoes personality changes. ...We'll make sure she has it examined, so I beg your forgiveness."
	  Andry:
	  "It's possible that this is a result of weariness from excessive time on missions, or else negative, unexpected side-effects on her mind and body from the powerful drugs she's been taking since she was a trainee. ...Naturally, for a COU soldier, such problems should be overcome through applied willpower, and she recognizes her serious failure in being unable to do that."
	  A single line of blood dripped from Andry's forehead to his cheek.
	  Andry:
	  "Under normal circumstances, she ought to enter re-education immediately, but the truce begins at 24:00 tomorrow. Please, let us fight until then! I'm begging you...!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  ".................."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "......Calm down, calm down, Rukhi. ...You can hate yourself as much as you want when this is over."
	  COU Colonel:
	  "...Nnn, nnnngggggg..."
	  COU Colonel:
	  "At the moment, we have no one to replace you! If an enemy ace kette appears, no one but Suparṇa can stop them! ...Just this once, we'll overlook the rest. Dismissed!"
	  Sujatha:
	  "Thank you very much, Colonel. If you'll excuse us..."
	  ......It's...all a mess now.
	  Just one incomprehensible thing after another!
	  The young are the main characters of their era? Like hell they are!
	  All this time, the young people -- us -- have been left behind!
	  Things keep happening that we can't do anything about!
	  There's no way that natural disasters that might happen once per millenium would all conveniently happen at the same time!
	  It's weird enough that a world war -- only the fourth one humanity has ever had -- would conveniently take place!
	  And it just happens to coincide with a modern earthquake on a global scale?! The biggest superearthquake disaster in human history?!
	  And because of the negative side effects of that, there's also global cooling? And a worldwide famine? And then comes the simultaneous global revolt of drones?!
	  What is this, a kids' meal of natural disasters?!! Does it come with hamburg steak, shrimp rice, french fries and pudding too?! Are we really going to explain away this many disasters in a row as an unfortunate coincidence?!
	  ...It's infuriating, but that's what people are doing!
	  Well, of course they are. They're natural disasters. They're coincidences! No one can do anything about them!
	  So there's no point worrying about it, and our super-civilization will take care of it all somehow anyway, so the people who survived will keep thinking of it as someone else's problem...!
	  There's no way this is a bunch of natural disasters occurring at the same time by coincidence!
	  Outside the chessboard where we're all lined up, some massive person has some sort of plan and is doing something!
	  We're all totally out of the loop! You know what it's like?
	  It's like those scenes you see in so many battle manga.
	  Whenever the villain says something like `let me show you my power' and blasts away a city, there's a bunch of mob characters that get treated like less than small fry, who die without even knowing what's going on!
	  We are those mob characters! We're just getting dragged into things without understanding them!
	  Most likely, these natural disasters weren't even aimed at us! We're just getting pulled in and tossed about...!!
	  However, ...no matter how long this crazy situation continues, I'll hold my breath and believe that I'll definitely get a chance to strike back eventually.
	  ...I don't even know who our enemies are, what it means to strike back, or what kind of chance that will be, but I'm waiting with bated breath.
	  ......Is that really okay?
	  Do I think this kids' meal of natural disasters will end that easily...?
	  It won't end. You know it won't!
	  Go ahead, try making one of those `prophecies' you love so much...!
	  Miyao:
	  "...Oh? You rang? Well, if you're willing to call for me, I'll appear."
	  I'm supposed to be a murder program, right?
	  Where is my enemy?! They aren't anywhere!! If you think I'm a murder program, give me an enemy already!!
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm the enemy who's trying to erase the program that you are, right? Why should I help you?"
	  Your job is to defeat me by making me aware that I'm not Mitake Miyao, just a program that claims to be him, right?
	  Then my goal and your goal are the same.
	  If I really am a murder program like you say, give me an enemy I'm supposed to defeat! You'll make me aware that I'm a murder program, and you'll achieve your goal!
	  I've......had enough of being out of the loop and the only one not invited to the party!
	  No matter how powerful my Gauntlet is, it's still worthless!
	  Forget being a murder program, I'm not even a game piece! I'm just a mob character designed to die!!
	  The young are the main characters of their era, right?! How is that, exactly?! We can't do anything at all!! We're always just caught up in whatever it is those filthy adults want!
	  Miyao:
	  "*sigh*... I get that the world has been hit with crisis after crisis and you feel like you want to scream, but are you telling me that you called me here just so I could listen to you vent? I never expected to be used in such a fashion."
	  Miyao:
	  "But, well, if we can't communicate, I won't be able to attack. ...Well, okay."
	  Come on, let's have a prophecy!
	  Earlier, you made a prophecy that I'd kill Lingji and Koshka by my own hands!
	  So, give me some more prophecies like that!
	  Prophecies aren't like forecasts or predictions, right? They're about things that have already been decided, right?!
	  Then tell me, try saying it!! More and more crazy things are going to keep happening after this, right?!
	  Miyao:
	  "...I get the feeling that you're baiting me, but sure, fine."
	  Miyao:
	  "After all, the fact that you called for me basically means that you've accepted my existence. ...I'll prophesize without being annoying about it. I'll tell you what's going to happen next."
	  Miyao:
	  "As you've imagined, this kids' meal of tragedies won't end with this. ...Not as long as you exist."
	  What?! Are you saying that it's me, ...me personally who's causing all this?!
	  You mean that I'm not just a murder program, but a global destruction program to boot?! That's so over the top, it's hilarious...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "The process of this world's destruction is proceeding smoothly, but it isn't perfect yet. ......So, naturally, it will continue for some time."
	  Miyao:
	  "And the next time, ...humanity's weaponry will once again become uncontrollable and attack."
	  After this latest incident, wasn't the functioning of all drones stopped?!
	  Miyao:
	  "All the ones on the ground, yes. ......They still remain in the skies."
	  Miyao:
	  "...The skies known as outer space, at least."
	  Miyao:
	  "As you know, the weapons of mass destruction that marked both the start and the end of World War III were all disposed of. That included satellites that could attack the ground from space."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, ...well, whether it was an oversight or intentional, this didn't include 4D printer satellites."
	  That was because these satellites would become docks for building future space stations, and were thought to hold a vital role in space development.
	  However, the space race gradually faded away.
	  This was because all factions had agreed to the destruction of all WMDs. After that, the idea of maintaining a healthy military balance spread, and the practice of filling contested regions with swarms of drones became standard, so interest in costly space wars decreased.
	  Miyao:
	  "Starting today... Well, actually, the uproar from when they found out they'd lost control has already happened. Space centers from all factions freaked out, and it should already have reached the ears of the people at the top."
	  Miyao:
	  "Ever since three days ago, the 5 4D printer satellites owned by all the factions on this planet...began ignoring orders from the ground and started constructing mysterious objects. What materials were used is unknown."
	  Miyao:
	  "They're shaped like cylinders 25 meters long and 60 centimeters in diameter, with four sets of protuberances shaped like folded wings. ...In other words, they look sort of like massive pillars with 8 wings growing out of them, like a totem pole. Incomprehensible patterns were carved into their surfaces."
	  Miyao:
	  "Of course, the humans on the ground were unable to give a good name to this incomprehensible shape, ...so they're just calling them objects now."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, it isn't a shape humanity is used to seeing, so they probably didn't have a choice. Strictly speaking, they're calling it this:"
	  "19940305"
	  Furthermore, two minutes ago, the objects separated from the five satellites. The pull of gravity draws them closer and closer to the Earth's surface.
	  They're expected to burn up in the atmosphere, but again, no one knows what materials they're made out of. It's unclear what will happen.
	  Additionally, Earth is a big place, and each will just fall down on a single point. If they land on cities, the possibility of them causing major damage will be greater than zero, ...but this is immediately following the drone panic, after all.
	  After the deaths of 3.5 billion people, it doesn't seem like such a big deal.
	  Miyao:
	  "After calculating their trajectories, it will be discovered that, fortunately, the five objects will all land in oceans or up in the mountains.  Well, they'll probably breathe a sigh of relief, ...but the fun is just about to start."
	  When the objects reach the surface, they'll hit the ocean and have far less of an effect than was anticipated. They'll continue to disappear towards the ocean floor.
	  However, changes will happen quickly after that. The 8MS managing the seawater's environment will start to be fatally affected...
	  Miyao:
	  "One hour after they hit, the 8MS in charge of purification and oxygen supply will start emitting warning signals. An hour after that, those will change into danger alerts, and that endangered ocean region will expand rapidly."
	  Miyao:
	  "Humanity lives on the land, but when viewed from space, the Earth really is a planet of water. ...It's fair to say that nearly all of the world's environments are supported by the sea. When it comes to oxygen, two thirds of that comes from the sea. And those oceans will be killed."
	  Miyao:
	  "The reason humanity was able to hang in there even after the Environmental 8MS in the atmosphere became useless...was because the Environmental 8MS in the oceans was still working fine. In other words, it was like a wounded person leaning on a crutch."
	  Miyao:
	  "That alone would have been a fatal wound, but the kids' meal will continue. Around the objects that fell on land, rather than in the water, major alerts will start being sent from nearby water intake facilities. Water Purification 8MS will error out and start sending severe alert notifications."
	  Miyao:
	  "In the end, this will affect not only rivers and lakes, but water that comes from wells and faucets as well. Water Purification 8MS that's running wild will contaminate the drinking water."
	  Miyao:
	  "In other words, the food crisis will be followed by a water crisis."
	  Miyao:
	  "There may be many ways to purify water, ...but you can't remove the 8MS. After all, the 8MS are the eight million gods. You can't get rid of the gods."
	  ...How is this supposed to be fun? How could anyone enjoy making people suffer with this sort of slow torture...?!
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no need to be impatient. The kids' meal is finally about to reach its main dish. ...By now, this isn't a kids' meal, but a full course meal."
	  The main dish......?
	  Miyao:
	  "It won't be an uneven attack, like one from the sky, or the seas, or from drones. This time, it truly will be an impartial attack that affects all of humanity."
	  Miyao:
	  "A Medical 8MS with extremely dangerous side effects for humanity will trigger a biohazard event."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Oh, but I guess even that one counts as slow torture. After all, it isn't as though this attack will destroy humanity."
	  This Medical 8MS would surely have bestowed a wonderful effect on humanity if it had been completed.
	  However, it was still incomplete and unadjusted.
	  The side effects were too strong, rendering it completely useless.
	  This harmful 8MS would infect all of humanity and cause incredible chaos...
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't worry, it's not like it kills people. ...It's just that its greatest effect......is to lower a person's intelligence and reason, I guess you could say."
	  Miyao:
	  "After all, Humans are emotional creatures. Even the biggest geniuses sometimes can't make use of their intellect because of some emotion or their current environment. No matter how peaceful people may be, they can lose their ability to reason."
	  Miyao:
	  "Humanity has already been supporting wars around the world so irresponsibly, haven't they? If even their intelligence and reason were taken away, ......it's easy to imagine what would happen next, right?"
	  ......That's insane...
	  ...Are you people trying...to make everyone kill each other and bring about their own extinction...?!!
	  Miyao:
	  "It's not what I want. I want the opposite. ......This kids' meal is here because you placed an order for it. The program that you are did it."
	  Miyao:
	  "My greatest mission was to get rid of you before the kids' meal arrived, ...but, sadly, I wasn't able to stop it. However, your program still remains. I need to at least stop that, you see? I have to keep fighting you, without losing hope."
	  If I try to get along with all the other Gauntlet Knights, you'll just laugh and say it's useless!
	  If crazy stuff keeps happening to the world, then you'll say it was my fault!
	  Don't screw with me!! Are you trying to say I'm the cause of all this?! That I'm starting wars, starting earthquakes, and causing all these other disasters?! What am I, a god of pestilence?! An evil demon lord trying to destroy the world?!
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right. That's why I have to destroy you."
	  I haven't done anything like that, and I don't intend to!!
	  Miyao:
	  "If ebola viruses had emotions, do you think they'd feel murderous intent towards humans? They wouldn't. They're just doing what they're meant to do. ...The universe that's the human body around them just ends up spurting blood on its own and dies."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're the same. You just continue quietly doing what you're meant to do. ...But, in the end, because you exist...or rather, because of the cog that you are, ...the clock measuring the time until Earth's destruction will continue to tick."
	  So, what if I wasn't here?! If I just disappeared, would the world be at peace?! Would the weird, insane things stop happening?!
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right."
	  You answer that right away?!?! I don't understand! I don't believe you!
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah. I imagine that's true. So, I think I'll wait until you do believe and erase the program that you are by your own will."
	  Miyao:
	  "Naturally, your program will continue to run. Even after this kids' meal, it will continue quietly and calmly. ...Remember what I told you at the start, about that tragedy you couldn't accept, where you killed Lingji and the others? ...The rails leading towards that tragedy have already been firmly laid. ......The brakes have been left in your hands. Just wish to be erased, and you can stop this tragedy."
	  Miyao:
	  "So, I've made up my mind. ...I'll offer you my assistance."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'll continue to tell you about the horrible tragedies that await you. ...When I do, you should question yourself. ...About whether it's you or me who's right."
	  ...If it's true.
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm...?"
	  If it becomes clear......that I was created for an evil purpose, and that I'm trying to destroy the world regardless of what I believe to be my own will...
	  ...I will disappear. ...I can definitely promise you that.
	  Miyao:
	  "Very nice. How gallant. Our relationship might be a limited one, but I think we'll be able to get along."
	  What's that sound...?
	  Miyao:
	  "It's those damn noisy frogs. Oh, would you mind not telling the frogs about me?"
	  I'm under no obligation to do that.
	  Miyao:
	  "If you tell, I might not visit you again. In other words, you'll no longer have any way to know beforehand about the tragedies you're about to cause. ...You don't want that, do you? You don't want to regret the fact that you've murdered your close friends with your own hands after failing to be forewarned about it, right...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I get that you might find me unpleasant. ...But, at the same time, I'm also the only choice being given to the cog that you are."
	  Miyao:
	  "If I go away, you'll lose even the option to resist the cog that you are..."
	  ........................
	  ...Go on. Get out of here.
	  Miyao:
	  "Ahahahahahaha... Thanks, Miyao."
	  *wee*woo*wee*woo*!! *keropoyo*keropoyo*!! Unapproved program detected, detected!! Is it there? No! Smoke it out!
	  Hey, Miyao! Did an unapproved program just come here poyo?!
	  ........................
	  ...No. ...I haven't seen one.
	  That's so weird poyo, search around this area more poyo!!
	  What a crazy program! If I catch it, I'll *kero*kero* its *kero*kero* and *kero*kero*kero* poyo!!
	  ......Hey, ......wait.
	  What poyo?
	  ...What......... What am I......?
	  ..................
	  ............ ............ ............ ............
	  Hey. ...Am I...really Mitake Miyao...?
	  Could I be...a program that's just being made to think it's Mitake Miyao...?
	  *kero*kero*kero*, *kero*kero*keeero*kero*!
	  *kero*kero*, *croak*croak*!
	   *croak*hop*
	   *croak*hop*! *croak*croak*hop*!!
	  *kero*kero*kero*, *croak*croak*croak*!!!
	  What............
	  *kero*kero*, *croak*croak*......
	  ...Miyao...... *croak*... ...My adorable Miyao......
	  It's all right. Go to sleep... *kero*kero* ...You don't need to wake up yet. ...Not yet.
	  ...So slowly, slowly...*croak*...fall asleep......
	  ...*kero*kero*, ...*croak*croak*......
	  ........................
	  
	  December 25th.
	  Today would mark the start of the truce following the global conflict...
	  "Meow" wants to know if it's okay to talk poyo!
	  Jayden:
	  "Hmm?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What's wrong?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh, it's nothing."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "What's up, Meow?"
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Keep this a secret from big brother, okay? He gets mad if I talk to him while he's working."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "I'm keeping it secret, so feel free to talk a bunch more from now on too."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Thanks. ...This was supposed to be the day of our date, wasn't it?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Hold on, are saying this conversation is gonna be a replacement for that? Let's move it to another day and actually have some fun! I found a place in Neo Akihabara that I've never been to before! I've been wanting to take you there, Meow."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Oh, what kind of place?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "It's called the Yellow Submachine Gun. Have you heard of it?"
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "I have, I have!! I've never been there, but I've been wanting to go!"
	  For a while, they had a high-level otaku talk.
	  ...If they didn't do that to distract themselves, then flying through the twilight darkness, even though it was the middle of the day, over the places that had been turned into desolate ruins by the drone swarms...would have been quite painful.
	  The temperature had also dropped considerably.
	  Since the 8MS was maintaining their temperature, they didn't pay this much mind, ...but without that, it was so cold that it would apparently feel as though they had been encased in ice in midair.
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "...This time, ...they're saying it's the oceans that are in trouble."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "From the skies to the land to the oceans... There's just no end to it."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "That Miyao was calling it a disaster kids' meal."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Ah, yeah, he was. I'm sure he said it to you because he tried it on me first, and I liked it."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Hahahahahah, that guy's hilarious."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Hey, Jayden? ...Even if we're pushing back our date until things calm down, ...it's still Christmas today, ...so would you like to have a party?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Huh...?"
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "After all, it's actually Christmas, and everyone's feeling so morose. There are no allies or enemies among comrades supporting the Walls of Peace, right? I think that if we're all feeling so dark, that wonderful philosophy will be wasted. Why don't we invite everyone from around the world and have a party together in a virtual room?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Y-Y-Yeah...! You're right. With all these disasters, everyone's feeling depressed and on edge. ...And the global conflict does end today."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Yeah. So, why don't we open up the It's a Wrap Public Bath, just like you and big brother did after the Battle Standard Festival, and invite everyone?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "That sounds great! Even Supergenius Jayden couldn't think of something like that. Okay, I'll try suggesting it to Miyao!"
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "D-Don't tell him I said it, okay?! Big brother listens when you talk to him, but he always starts fighting when it comes from me."
	  Jayden:
	  "Miyao, Gunhild."
	  Gunhild:
	  "What is it?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What's going on? Did you forget to pack your DimeCon with snacks?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Are you...insane?"
	  Jayden:
	  "I'm totally sane. And super serious too."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Still, it does make a kind of sense. ...We aren't the only ones feeling morose. It's likely that all of the Gauntlet Knights in the world that made it this far are being tormented by a vague sense of fear and impatience."
	  Jayden:
	  "Just try fighting in a condition like that. Who knows what might happen?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Watching TV while doing homework and talking to a bunch of friends at the same time is normal for us members of A3W humanity, right? You can't focus only on fighting. I think it'll go better if you throw in a certain amount of pointless stuff, don't you think?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...This idiot's saying something that sounds plausible."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I think it's a good idea, but I'll leave the decision up to you, Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Sheesh. I'll make the room, but don't blame me if I invite people and no one comes."
	  Sujatha:
	  "...A-A Christmas party...?! Is Miyao's head okay?!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "I thought the same thing at first. At the very least, I thought we ought to do it after today."
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "Heheh. Still, is it really so bad? Like they said, if we enter combat while feeling so depressed, nothing good will come of it, right? You're too strait-laced, Sujatha."
	  Sujatha:
	  "Sh-Sh-Sh-Shut up! I don't want to hear that from an incarnation of frivolity!"
	  Andry:
	  "Nice, woo! Having a Christmas party sounds just crazy cool, right?"
	  Sujatha:
	  "...S-Suparṇa's incarnation of frivolity can shut up too."
	  Andry:
	  "What do you think, Rukhi? You've just about gotten used to the members of the It's a Wrap Public Bath, right? Isn't it about time you stopped playing innocent and let loose?"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "H-Hang in there, Rukhi... Whenever I let loose, it freaks everyone out, and they all stop talking to me... Hang in there, Rukhi..."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "Rukhshana, perhaps it is about time you opened your heart to them. For one to be so cold and distant is commonly considered impoliggt.
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Impoliggt?/
	   ...Did you bite your tongue just now? You did, didn't you?/
	   Ahahahahahahahahahahaha, ahhhahahahahahahahahahah
	   Sure, let's have a Christmas party! Suparṇa will come too!"
	  Andry:
	  "Woo! That settles it."
	  Sujatha:
	  "D-D-Don't just settle that on your own!! Focus solely on your fighting!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Oh, right, I guess the klutz who uses up all her P3 just to guide 2 or 3 missiles probably should focus on just fighting. Ahahahahahah."
	  Sujatha:
	  "I'll come! I'll come too, Miyao, Jayden...!!"
	  Noor:
	  "As long as you agree, Princess, Cairo Squad has no objections."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Understood. I'll tell Miyao that."
	  Mariana:
	  "We're going to have a Christmas party...while the participants battle each other?"
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "That's it. If it's a battle between people at a party together, ...it won't feel like a cold exchange of missiles and machine gun fire. It'll literally be like a game to play at a party."
	  Gannet:
	  "If it's like that, both us and them will be able to meet as if we're all friends!"
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "It doesn't seem sane to me, but if the princess says so, it probably won't be a bad sort of event."
	  Noor:
	  "The condition of the heart affects the Gauntlet. It's true that if we had clashed with the enemy as we are now, both us and them might have been exposed to danger."
	  Gannet:
	  "Then it's settled, Princess! Let's all enjoy one last farce while having a party together!!"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "......Miyao, you really are a deeply interesting man."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "I just can't...bring myself to doubt you."
	  Naima:
	  "All right, wowowow!!
	  langen@
	   Let's have a Christmas party!!
	  langen@
	   Let's have a party with our fellow Gauntlet Knights from around the world!!"
	  Naomi:
	  "It's hard to believe, but just hearing Miyao's invitation has raised Naima's condition 14% towards the Madonna's Maximum Speed."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Now I'm certain that humans are creatures who show their true worth when given blessings, not misfortune or trials."
	  Naima:
	  "I can play games while flying around, so I can definitely manage going to a party!
	   Naomi, Stan, let's go right now,
	   wowowooow!!"
	  
	  Naomi:
	  "...Should we reach out to Yeladot Shavit too?"
	  Stanisław:
	  ".................."
	  Naomi:
	  "After all, even they are members of the It's a Wrap Public Bath."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Even they're just doing their jobs, is it? ...The Order of the Public Bath's philosophy does not distinguish between allies and enemies."
	  Naomi:
	  "Roger that, Stan. I'll send invitations to Yeladot Shavit too."
	  Naima:
	  "Yay, yay, yay!!
	  langen@^ The Comet Girl Squad will be with us too
	   They're all so good at singing and dancing, so I'm sure they'll liven it up,
	   wooooow!!"
	  Leah:
	  "......Umm, what? ......A Christmas party?"
	  Stephania:
	  "You're kidding me! Seriously? Like, seriously?"
	  Fatma:
	  "Today is the final confrontation, right? ...And they're gonna do it during that? A Christmas party?"
	  Leah:
	  ".................."
	  Stephania:
	  "What's wrong, Leah?"
	  Leah:
	  "It's just, ...when I realize that they think of even us as comrades, ...I get a bit emotional."
	  Fatma:
	  "........................"
	  Stephania:
	  "...Well, we're the ones everybody hates."
	  Leah:
	  "And they sent invitations to those hated people. ...What are we supposed to think of that?"
	  Fatma:
	  "...Should we thank them for the fact that they invited us, but not go?"
	  Stephania:
	  "I'm sure they'd be able to relax and enjoy themselves more if we weren't there."
	  Leah:
	  ".................."
	  Leah:
	  "...Naima is incredibly stupid, ...so she's probably getting all excited right now, thinking we'll actually come."
	  Fatma:
	  "...So, are we going?"
	  Stephania:
	  "Are we? Are we giving it a shot?!"
	  Leah:
	  "Yeah, why not? Hahahahah, all right!"
	  Leah:
	  "Yeladot Shavit!!"
	  Fatma/Stephania:
	  ""Bringing the heat☆!!""
	  Christmas is a concept that originated from certain religions.
	  However, the idea of a Christmas party, as a sort of cultural festival, had spread separately from religion.
	  At this point in the A3W era, Christmas alone had become a wonderful celebration carried out all over the world, regardless of culture and religion, which served as a fun wrap party to close out the year.
	  For that reason, what Christmas looked like changed a lot depending on the area and culture celebrating it.
	  In Europe and America, it was Santa Claus who came bringing presents, but in areas with other religions, it was changed to famous people and saints of that area.
	  Even the sleigh with reindeer was sometimes replaced with white horses pulling a carriage, or a line of camels that better suited the moonlit desert.
	  Even Santa Claus did more than just bring presents, and was overflowing with distinct personality quirks.
	  One particularly famous variant was the Akita region of AOU Japan, where Santa would walk around with a knife and a bag to stuff kids in, saying `Are there any naughty children here?' and terrifying them as a form of ceremonial cleansing.
	  So, `Christmas party' was a precious word that that could unite young people from around the world...
	  The It's a Wrap Public Bath was overflowing with Gauntlet Knights.
	  Even so, more and more people were trying to enter. This was the greatest number they had seen so far.
	  *croak*croak*croak*!
	   I'm telling you, give some thought to the server load, will you poyo?!!
	  Miyao:
	  "I understand. I'll lighten the load and strengthen the server."
	  Jayden:
	  "Whoa, awesome! He's really going all out, to hold this many people without crashing!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "This is only possible because of Miyao's power. He is technically the world record holder for P3 levels."
	  Lingji:
	  "To think that so many would gather. This is practically a Gauntlet Knight summit now."
	  Momotake:
	  "Still, to have even a Christmas party in a public bath... AOU Japan's perversion truly knows no bounds."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh, this must be really hard for someone who turned red and curled up into a ball when I said it might be a swimsuit party."
	  Naima:
	  "Wowowow!! Miyao, I'm here with everyone else!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Naima! I'm so glad you're all here!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "You truly do deserve to be our Grand Master. I certainly couldn't have thought of this."
	  Miyao:
	  "Actually, it was Jayden's idea, not mine. He really is super crazy, just like the supergenius he says he is!"
	  Jayden:
	  "W-Well, yeah! It wasn't actually me though!"
	  Naomi:
	  "It looks like everyone from Yeladot came too."
	  Leah:
	  "Miyao! And all you other Gauntlet Knights! Yeladot Shavit is here!!"
	  Fatma:
	  "Everyone from around the world, today may be a really tough day, but let's lift our spirits up and get through this together☆"
	  Abdou:
	  "Whew, it's that idol choir. You know, if it hadn't been for this global conflict, I was planning to go to your London live event and do the meet-and-greet."
	  Stephania:
	  "What?!! Seriously?! Well, I'm sure they'll postpone it until next year! Make sure, make aaabsolutely sure you come and shake my hand then, okay?!!"
	  As they said this, the two pretended to shake hands.
	  Because they were both avatars, all that happened was that their polygons just came together and overlapped a little.
	  It was unclear if Abdou really was a fan, but they truly were able to convey what they felt to each other.
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Don't go saying anything uncouth about what you think of an ACR soldier listening to enemy music, okay?"
	  Ishak:
	  "Surely you jest. There are no allies or enemies between comrades supporting the Walls of Peace, right?"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "All this ally and enemy stuff really shows you how old those geezers' brains are, huh?
	   I mean, it's not like they could even fight a single battle unless the young do it for them, but they're so full of themselves
	   It's actually hilarious, you know?
	   Ahahahahahahaha!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Wh-What? Wh-Wh-Who might you be...?"
	  Sujatha:
	  "Hey, Rukhshana! Stop that, you're getting too excited! Everyone's freaking out!"
	  Andry:
	  "Don't worry about it, princess of the ACR. This is the real Rukhi. Basically, she finally trusts all of you now, and she's letting her true self show through. Woo!"
	  Gannet:
	  "Being able to let your true self show through really is a happy thing, right?! Rukhi, it's a pleasure to meet you again! I'm Gannet! I hope we keep getting along!"
	  Mariana:
	  "Aaah... Gannet really is the cutest when she's like this... I want to pet her. I want to hug her and squeeze her and nibble at her..."
	  Noor:
	  "...It's strange. ...We were feeling so hopeless just a second ago."
	  Chloe:
	  "To think that we'd be able to smile together this peacefully. ...Maybe people can bring about miracles just by meeting each other."
	  Lilja:
	  "Well, the best kind of miracle you can expect from people meeting each other is defeating a tough raid boss meooooow."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Lilja, isn't Koshka coming?"
	  Lilja:
	  "...Right now, we're having a bit of a fight, and she's sulking meow. I'd like it if you'd leave her be for now meow."
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh, really? ...Well, she does sulk for weird reasons sometimes. Guess I'll leave her be then. At times like this, asking her to come too persistently could actually be just a burden on her."
	  Jayden:
	  "Ooooh, Miyao, look
	   It's getting all jerky! And the movement's weird sometimes! Hey, that's so cool!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Seriously...? I've already buffed up the server to full power."
	  Gunhild:
	  "We're the ones who should be saying `seriously?' ...It's incredible that the server hasn't gone down with the crazy number of people here."
	  Jayden:
	  "How many is it? Umm, the room user count is..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Seriously?! There's about a thousand people here...!!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, that's probably almost exactly the same...as the number of Gauntlet Knights currently flying around the world."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "This is amazing. All of our comrades supporting the Walls of Peace from all of the factions are gathered here! We might be witnessing a major moment in history!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. Don't take Mari's exaggerations too seriously. ...She gets amazed and says the same thing at every anime convention."
	  *croak*croak*croak*... I-Is this everyone poyo...? My stomach and this server are about to burst poyo......
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks, Keropoyo! You've been a huge help!"
	  Jayden:
	  "What'll we do? Are you gonna give some stiff opening greeting?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I wonder. At this point, today's goal has been satisfied even if we don't do something like that."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're right. ...Everyone's chatting incredibly peacefully."
	  Miyao:
	  "They definitely aren't bunched together with their own kette or factions. ...They're having fun interacting with people they'd normally never be able to meet, their comrades from across the Walls of Peace."
	  Jayden:
	  "...Looks like it."
	  Miyao:
	  "Even without an opening statement or a greeting, just by gathering like this, ...it was already worth inviting everyone here..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...That communication tool used by all the young, Kizuna... I think that really is a good name for it."
	  Jayden:
	  "It means bonds between people in Japanese, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm surprised you knew that. Yeah, it doesn't mean Kids No."
	  If only Gauntlets could remain in the sky forever.
	  If they could, ...we'd be free of those middle-aged and old men who think of the young as nothing more than expendable tools.
	  While you're flying through this sea of clouds, ...even that kids' meal of disaster feels like someone else's problem.
	  If only...a worldwide tsunami would wipe all of them away.
	  The 8MS, which once supported the A3W world's environment, is being destroyed.
	  That environment will grow more extreme all around the world.
	  From the human perspective, it will happen eventually. From the Earth's perspective, it will happen right away.
	  Civilization will probably freeze and be destroyed.
	  But for some reason, ...that makes me feel strangely relieved.
	  Life shouldn't be born from factories and cities.
	  We should be born in nature, live in nature, and die in nature.
	  That...is supposed to be the norm for life living on this planet.
	  Of course, our current humanity probably isn't capable of dealing with that normal.
	  But, even so.
	  Our souls are...
	  I know I can feel the souls inside of us crying out with joy.
	  I'm fully aware that it would sound utterly indiscreet to say that, when such a huge number of lives have been lost.
	  So, I'll just whisper it in my mind.
	  This sky, which has become dark and filled with pollution, is being dyed a lazy twilight color by the faded light of the sun.
	  ......This planet is beautiful.
	  I don't know if this scene is a twilight or a dawn...
	  And, I don't know if humanity -- myself included -- deserves to face a new day.
	  Still, this planet is beautiful.
	  Right now, those are the most honest words my soul is screaming......
	  This is the AI command center poyo! The poor AI command center that got caught up in that drone panic and whose reputation took a nosedive poyo!
	  Even that was toootally not our fault poyo! We just processed proper orders given with a proper password using the proper processes poyo!! We did nothing wrong poyo!!
	  nd yet, they're cruelly calling us a murder AI, a crazy AI poyo! *croak*croak*croak*croak*...!
	  Miyao:
	  "...What's he talking about? Sheesh."
	  They only did it because they were ordered to? Only an AI can use that as an excuse.
	  If you were a human, you'd be told that you should've followed your conscience and refused that order, and then you'd be hanged...
	  Miyao:
	  "I understand. The drone AI and the AI command center are different things. ...So, what do you need? If you're trying to be a calming influence, I've got that covered already."
	  That's not it poyo!! An emergency notice has been sent from the command center to all Gauntlet Knights poyo! Also, an emergency message just came in from Captain Okonogi poyo.
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh? Okonogiii?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, might as well listen with one ear while enjoying the party."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  #e7e7e7Okonogi:
	  "It's me, it's me, it's Okonogi!! Warcats! You aren't doing anything weird, are you?!"
	  #e7e7e7Okonogi:
	  "I've worked all of you as hard as hell!! I may have scolded you harshly at times! But not once have I doubted your souls as AOU soldiers! You know that, right?!"
	  Where the heck is this coming from...?
	  AOU General:
	  "As a result of our analysis, we've determined that there's a high likelihood of organized sabotage from within the Aerial Augmented Infantry."
	  *mutter*mutter*mutter*mutter*...!!!
	  AOU General:
	  "After analyzing this vast store of data, we've already recorded at least 300 cases of suspicious activity related to combat taking place over the past two weeks."
	  The Gauntlet Knights would be the center of the next generation's military might.
	  Naturally, all countries around the world had attempted to analyze their combat data.
	  However, since there was no precedent and nothing to compare them to, they were ultimately forced to blindly accept the reports of the Gauntlet Knights themselves.
	  So, even if someone failed something that they should have been able to do in their training, if the person involved put the failure down to some unknown factor that wasn't present in training, there was sometimes no choice but to accept what they said...
	  And yet.
	  At some point, they realized that the Gauntlet Knights might be intentionally failing in their attacks.
	  In the military, there were quite a few people who had been shunted aside because of Gauntlet Knight activities, and lots of officers found it easy to want to criticize them.
	  These people were extremely wary of the vast combat ability of individual Gauntlet Knights, and the fact that they were picked based solely on talent, with loyalty to the military taking a back seat.
	  There was even a camp worried that it would be difficult to suppress the Aerial Augmented Infantry if they were ever to plan a coup d'état, and who claimed that it was necessary to observe them very closely.
	  AOU General:
	  "Normally, we would immediately call back all Aerial Augmented Infantry units and conduct a thorough inquiry, but we should do that after this showdown on the 25th is complete."
	  AOU General:
	  "However, if we don't address this issue, it's conceivable that the sabotage will continue, causing considerable damage to the national interests of the AOU as a whole. For that reason, until 24:00 on the 25th, we'll be conducting complete movement surveillance on all Aerial Augmented Infantry units."
	  AOU General:
	  "The information analysts have already formed a combat supervision and surveillance team. This will allow us to observe the actions of all Aerial Augmented Infantry troops in real time and verify, give instructions, and send orders to make sure that no improper actions are taken."
	  The term `barrier troops' refers to units tasked with observing allied soldiers from behind when they have noticeably low morale. They're given permission to shoot even their allies to kill if it looks like they're about to run from the enemy.
	  Of course, such units only exist in limited situations, such as important battles that must be won using only low morale troops.
	  However, this mostly happened in situations where they were being besieged by overwhelming enemy forces and had to defend a position to the death, meaning that the battlefield itself was a death trap.
	  Since soldiers on such a battlefield had massive enemy forces in front of them and barrier troops pointing guns at them from behind, ...you can imagine how much units like this were hated.
	  The arrival of barrier troops...was like telling your front line soldiers to choose between being shot from the front and killed...or shot from behind and killed...
	  #e7e7e7Okonogi:
	  "It's true that there were several bits of data that looked odd even to me!! But real war is about more than just numbers, and it isn't like training!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Only pampered brats who don't know what it's like out there assume that, just because you could do something in practice, you should be able to do it in actual combat!
	   Even if you're a squad of esport gamers, a soldier is a soldier! I simply cannot abide people who doubt a soldier's soul!! I have faith in you all more than anyone else! I'll definitely-"/
	  *ksssssht*!!
	  
	  #e7e7e7AOU Analyst:
	  "Good evening, Warcat. This is your Combat Supervision Team. We will be assigned to you until today's operation has concluded. We look forward to working with you."
	  #e7e7e7AOU Analyst:
	  "We are a team of specialists trained to guide you on how to maximize your potential as Aerial Augmented Infantry soldiers. We are quite familiar with Gauntlets, their capabilities, and all of your personal abilities and personalities as well, including their limits. All of your combat actions will be recorded and analyzed to further improve your abilities in future."
	  ...Wait, wait, has there ever been a more obvious threat...?
	  All of the AOU Gauntlet Knights in the public bath were shaken.
	  However, that unrest was spreading to the other factions as well.
	  Apparently, the same thing was happening in other factions too...
	  #e7e7e7ACR Analyst:
	  "This is a royal decree from the Commonwealth King! Rouse yourselves more than ever before, and work to clear the suspicions of dishonor that you know are unfounded!!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "......Did someone leak it...?"
	  Ishak:
	  "It was going to come out sooner or later, ...but this was fast."
	  Abdou:
	  "It would be dangerous to help Miyao save face any longer... The princess is a goddess of war. If that gets turned on its head, who knows what will happen..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Calling all Aerial Knights. This is Rethabile of Squad 601. ...It's as you heard. ...Fight with all you have. While still questioning your soul!"
	  #e7e7e7COU Analyst:
	  "However, you have been given a precious chance to allay these false suspicions! And that chance is today! Rouse yourselves and achieve victory! No matter how much you are suspected, those who perform exceptionally during today's battle will surely be dealt with graciously by the inquiry committee!!"
	  Aysha:
	  "...This means...we'll have to fight with all we have, huh? Heheheheh..."
	  Momotake:
	  "What do you mean, with all we have...?"
	  Aysha:
	  "Who knows? What do you mean by saying `what do you mean'?"
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheh. Not all Gauntlet Knights are flying just as a hobby or a pastime, you know? When almost everything's determined by the family you're born into, your wealth, and your educational background, ...being a Gauntlet Knight is one of the few occupations you can get based solely on talent."
	  Aysha:
	  "Think of the good treatment and honor that comes from being able to participate and succeed as a hero in the kette representing the COU... I doubt you know how much happiness my family and relatives found because I'm a member of Baibao Squad."
	  Aysha:
	  "I really would appreciate it if you people, who fly only for pride and adventure, ...would remember that not everyone's like that, okay?"
	  Momotake:
	  "...To those who support the Walls of Peace, there are no enemies or allies..."
	  Aysha:
	  "Lingji. ...I told you, didn't I? That I wouldn't mind joining Miyao's Order, ...but I wouldn't do it if it meant risking my job. I did say that, right?"
	  Lingji:
	  ".........You did. ...You certainly did say that to me...when you agreed to support Miyao's ideals..."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheh. Thanks for remembering that. ...That's how it is, so Momotake? Don't take it personally."
	  Momotake:
	  "Don't tell me...you actually intend to earn their praise...?"
	  Aysha:
	  "Of course I doooooooo!!!"
	  
	  Aysha:
	  "Didn't you hear?! Perform exceptionally, and they'll deal with us graciously! Well, of course they will! We're the COU's top kette. Even the higher-ups don't want to cause a scene if they can help it! After all, Lingji is the princess of the COU's Aerial Augmented Infantry! If we change our attitudes and go all out, it'll be easy for them to overlook everything that's happened before!! After all, no one else in the COU can compare to our talent!!!"
	  Momotake:
	  "Despite being our enemies, these are still our comrades supporting the Walls of Peace. Do you mean to say that, in order to protect your position, you would face them and... A-Are you insane...?!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Aaaaaaaaaahh, Momotake, the air you breathe out is always so clean
	   I know that dirty air has never entered your lungs, not since the day you were born. Heheheheheheh, but you know what?!! In this world, there are so many dirty, cramped, poor, horrible cities that you couldn't even imagine!! Heheheh, I'll bet a little princeling like you could never understand the smell of that city, where there wasn't even any Stench Reduction 8MS!!!"
	  Aysha:
	  "When the Atmospheric Purification 8MS broke down, and everyone started going on and on about how smelly the air was, I kept thinking the same thing."
	  Aysha:
	  "You assholes really have been breathing nothing but nice air all this time, haven't yoooooooou?!?! After living in air that smelled like piss and studying from paper notes that smelled like piss, I climbed and climbed and kept on climbing!!"
	  Aysha:
	  "When I finally entered Aerial Augmented Infantry school, and my schoolmates looked at the formal wear my mother and grandmother had gotten me for that day and said `that smells like piiiiiiiiiss', I wish I could've taken a selfie of the way I smiled back at them, heheheheheheheh!! Hehheheheheheheheheheheheheehahahahahahahahahahahaah!!!!"
	  Lingji:
	  "........................"
	  Lingji:
	  "...This is Lingji of Baibao, calling all units."
	  Lingji:
	  "All units, ...do the best you can. ...So that you can display your loyalty to your country in this final fight. .........Lingji, out."
	  Momotake:
	  "...Princess......"
	  Aysha:
	  "Momotake, you fight with all you have too, okay? It's the three of us together that make us Baibao."
	  Leah:
	  "...That is all. Yeladot Shavit has been granted permission to inflict holy punishment on allies if it judges that they lack the will to see that justice is done. ...Please, don't make us do that."
	  Naima:
	  "......Wh-Why...?"
	  Naima:
	  "...Why...do either our allies or our enemies...have to die...? That's...wrong......"
	  Fatma:
	  "......We don't need you to tell us that."
	  Fatma:
	  "It's wrong, right?! It's definitely wrong!!"
	  Stephania:
	  "Whether they're allies or enemies, some young people are definitely going to die!!"
	  Leah:
	  "Even though none of the geezers giving orders risk death, ...the young people alone are forced to choose whether they live or die...!!"
	  Leah:
	  "...This......truly is the miracle of love and harmony that humanity created, ...don't ya think?!!"
	  Naomi:
	  "Instead of supporting the Walls of Peace together, ...we'll be pushed from behind and crushed against the walls..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "......I got an email from Miyao. He says it's okay for us to forget about the Order of the Public Bath."
	  Naomi:
	  "........................ ...What a shame."
	  Naima:
	  "Now that's interesting......"
	  Naomi:
	  "...Naima...?"
	  Naima:
	  "At times like this, ...when people tell you to obey, it just feels like a pain, ...but when they say not to worry about obeying, ...it actually makes you want to stick through with it until the end..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...What do you intend to do? ...Whether you kill or are killed, ...Naima will be sad."
	  Naima:
	  "I know thaaaaat!!
	   I'll do it, that Order of the Public Bath thing! Don't die, don't kill, don't fight, right?! I'll warn the enemy Gauntlet Knights in front of me!"
	  Naima:
	  "This is Naima of the Holy 0901st Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad, Thalathat Suyuf...!!! Anyone who tries to kill will be killed by meeeeeeee!! Run for your lives, I'll scatter you, 'cause I'll be dominating this battlefield myseeeeeeeelf!!!"
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	   friend has arrived poyo♪ A friend has arrived poyo♪ A friend has arrived poyo♪ A friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Friend notifications were coming in one after another...!
	  If only we had remained enemies, ...we wouldn't have had to feel like this!
	  Is this because we're humans, so we suffer whenever there's good in our hearts?!
	  Why do the heavens only give trials to good young people...?!!!
	  Though their actual bodies were on the front lines, approaching so close to their enemies that they were already exchanging friend notifications, all of their true forms were here, livening up the party even more than before.
	  That's right. These avatars were already their true forms.
	  Now that their actual bodies made of flesh had become puppets, forced to fight by the adults, it was fitting to say that those were now the real fiction...
	  Reaper's Eye activated! Locking onto enemies one after another poyo!!
	  Dimension Container activated!! Go ahead, grab whatever weapons you want poyo!!
	  Enemy circling, enemy circling! If you don't accelerate, they'll be on your butts poyo!!
	  Enemy missiles approaching! Commence interception!! Poyopoyopoyo!!!
	  No matter how cheery the Keropoyos got, it just became part of the even more energetic noise of the cheery young people.
	  As if we'd let the voices from the world of lies reach the real world.
	  "Kyahahahahahahah... And yeah, it was so crazy!"
	  "What, you too?! Those old guys are insane!"
	  "And anyway, just because humans are born in a factory, they get treated like tissue paper that can be used as much as you want."
	  Your Rejection Shield's in a bad state poyo. I recommend dodging poyo!
	  "Still, at least everyone's treated fairly there, right? When the ciconia bring children, their life is totally decided the moment they're born, depending on their parents and social status, right?"
	  "Anyone up for a WanyaDora trade? I just need a Tanuki to make an East Circle summoned beast."
	  "I can get you a Tanuki! You can have it for ten Tempura☆"
	  Your Anti-G 8MS has reached its limit! Reduce speed or your organs are toast poyo!
	  You're receiving fire from a 20mm machine gun poyo. Evasive action, evasive action!
	  Miyao:
	  "If only this was the real world."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "That sounds great! I wanna live here forever! Here, you don't have to put makeup on or anything, so it's sooo easy! Ahahahahahaha!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Why do we have bodies meow? They just get in the way meow."
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "That was an opportunity to fire just now. Why did you not shoot? If that happens again, it will be considered sabotage."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, I do wish you could just change your body easily, like how you change your clothes. I'd totally switch to a taller one if I could!"
	  Gannet:
	  "Ahahahahahah! Still, pretty much all the rough stuff happens 'cause you have a body, right?"
	  Energy recharging poyo! Please enjoy the freefall for a sec poyo!
	  Stephania:
	  "You're right. Here, there aren't any wars, and you can't even hurt people!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "And whenever you don't want to talk to someone, you can block them no matter what they do."
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh, right, you can do that. Guess I'll try blocking Jayden when he's being annoying."
	  Rejection, rejection! Interception successful poyo! Here comes the next barrage poyo!
	  Jayden:
	  "Stop that, Miyaoooo! If you do something that depressing, I'll find you in person to piss you off, and it'll be even more annoying!"
	  Miyao:
	  "You're right. Blocking you would only make the situation worse."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, like they always say in sci-fi movies, ...the next breakthrough after the industrial revolution is gonna be getting rid of our bodies and becoming pure spirit, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "So, we're gonna become data made of numbers and live on a massive server somewhere?"
	  Condition deteriorating, deteriorating! You're just above the Madonna's Minimum Speed poyo!
	  Gunhild:
	  "That's a wonderful suggestion, but I'd be a bit more worried about who maintains that massive server."
	  Jayden:
	  "Can't you just get robots and AI to handle that part? But if you say that, then you gotta ask who maintains the robots and the AI, and you start going in circles!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Hey, Jayden? ...Just hypothetically..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah?"
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "Please do not break off your pursuit. Your opponent's shield should be at its limits."
	  Miyao:
	  "If someone did set up a massive server like that, and its maintenance and everything was all automatic and perfect, ...would you move to that server?"
	  Jayden:
	  "If I could be with Meow, I'd go anywhere."
	  Meow:
	  "Thanks! I love you, Jayden!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...No way in hell I'm going."
	  Jayden:
	  "Idiot. You and I are one flesh, right? No matter where we go, we're always together."
	  *keeekekekekero*kero*! It's a hit, it's a hit poyo! Target has been drained of energy and is falling poyo!
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheh... Copy-pasting your soul onto a server and living forever, is that it? ......As a concept, it isn't impossible, but what about in practice? Can the human soul tolerate the concept of eternity?"
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "Finish them now! Your enemy is recharging their energy! If you intentionally miss this opportunity, it will greatly affect your reputation in the future!"
	  Jayden:
	  "You could probably get around that by shaving off old memories every once in a while, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I see! It makes sense. Sometimes, you just wish you could erase your memory of a great game you've played and do it again from the start, right?!"
	  Momotake:
	  "...Those who were never carried by the ciconia truly do have an interesting way of thinking."
	  Leah:
	  "Who needs ciconia?! Making only the girls give birth is discrimination!"
	  Chloe:
	  "You know, there is such a thing as an artificial womb. In the AOU, even men can get pregnant＞＜"
	  Mariana:
	  "...I wish we could be born from a cabbage patch."
	  Condition deteriorating, deteriorating! Recommending you take injections poyo! At this rate, you'll crash poyo!!
	  Andry:
	  "Cool idea, woo! But please, don't get born from a salad I'm about to eat."
	  Naima:
	  "I-I think being blessed with life is a very, very precious and sacred thing! I don't think it should be left up to birds or cabbages!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Naima, that's enough. Don't force your sense of values on others."
	  Naima:
	  "Aaaauuu, wowow... I'm sorry..."
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "Respond, respond!! Why did you change your target?! If you don't continue your pursuit, you'll be expelled from the Aerial Augmented Infantry, or even given a court-martial!"
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "......Shut up. ...I said shut up. ...Don't you...give me orders......!!"
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "You klutz...! You should be able to dodge at least that...!! You formed a party with me in WanyaDora once, so I let you get away one time!! Next time...next time, I'll shoot without mercy!!!"
	  At that moment, a pleasant-sounding *pop* rang out.
	  It was the sound of Miyao uncorking a champagne bottle.
	  Of course, this was a virtual room. It was only an object shaped like a champagne bottle.
	  So, if you poured from it, it would look like champagne was pouring into a glass, but of course you wouldn't be able to drink it. It was only an image.
	  But, even so, it was a ceremony that could unite everyone's hearts.
	  Stanisław:
	  "Ladies and gentlemen, focus your attention on Mitake Miyao, the host of today's party."
	  Rethabile:
	  "All ACR Aerial Knights, attention!"
	  Lingji:
	  "All COU Aerial Augmented Infantry, attention!"
	  Chloe:
	  "AOU Aerial Augmented Infantry, please be quiet too."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wait, wait... You don't need to get that quiet."
	  Jayden:
	  "They probably think you're gonna give them a really important speech or something."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, umm, oh, all right..."
	  He hadn't meant for it to be such a big thing, but when a few people started asking for silence, the whole bustling party went suddenly quiet.
	  Of course, it was an expectant silence, from people hoping for a ceremony that would unite them all.
	  Miyao:
	  "...I wanted all of us to make a toast together, with our hearts as one."
	  Once they heard that, glasses filled with champagne began appearing one by one in everyone's hands.
	  Miyao:
	  "We're comrades supporting the Walls of Peace together. There are no allies or enemies between us. We're all comrades. So, for the first and last time, ...I wanted us to share this toast together and recognize that in each other."
	  Lingji:
	  "I have no objections. ...I will toast to all our comrades who support the Walls of Peace."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Then I will toast to all those who offered up their lives to support those walls, and who could not make it here today."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Then I...will toast to the one who taught us to call each other comrades, instead of dividing us up into allies and enemies that hate each other, ...Grand Master Mitake Miyao."
	  Sujatha:
	  "...To Grand Master Mitake Miyao."
	  Noor:
	  "I toast to Grand Master Mitake Miyao as well."
	  nd so do I, poyopoyo!!
	  Not everyone here knew about the Order of the Public Bath.
	  However, ...they were starting to realize that the watchword of Gauntlet Knights -- don't die, don't kill -- must have been invented by someone from the It's a Wrap Public Bath.
	  Valentina:
	  "Miyao, the champagne is getting warm. Heheh."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Grand Master, make the toast."
	  Miyao:
	  "Everyone, thanks so much for all you've done until this day."
	  Miyao:
	  "Cheers."
	  Cheers!!!
	  In that instant, all Gauntlet Knights in the sky raised their glasses, their hearts as one......
	  Miyao:
	  "...I came as promised, Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "All right, ...it's time for the tragedy. ...If you don't disappear quickly, ...everyone will..."
	  Energy critical, critical!! There's no turning back now poyo!! Somebody, heeeeeeeeeelp!! Aaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "Re-target. Attack! If you let them escape, you will be arrested. You will forever lose the right to use a Gauntlet, and you may be sent to re-education for up to ten years."
	  Stop it, stop it poyoooooo!! I can't!! I really can't hold the shield up anymore poyo!! Stop it, stop iiiiiiiiit!!!
	  It felt as though the number of people holding up their glasses had decreased by one.
	  Gunhild:
	  "It seems like ending this with just a toast would be a waste."
	  Jayden:
	  "So, should we sing something?! A classic Christmas song?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Not bad! Let's sing, everyone!! Let's celebrate Christmas and the fact that we're all standing side by side here today...!!"
	  That was a hit, that was a hit...!! The target has...
	  exploded poyo!!
	  
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "Nice kill. Continue your attack. You still have power to spare."
	  Target has lost its shield and is trying to retreat poyo! Will you shoot? Will you poyo?! Whether you shoot or not, they won't be coming back to the battlefield...!!
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "Fire! What are you doing?! Aren't you grateful to your parents for getting you into Aerial Augmented Infantry school?! If you don't shoot, you'll be court-martialed! Your family will be investigated under suspicion of unpatriotic thinking!! This won't just affect you, but your family and your siblings as well! If they're investigated by Public Safety, they'll all be socially dead, regardless of whether they're found innocent or guilty...!!!"
	  Stop iiiiiit, don't shooooooooot!! I'm already running away poyo...!! We promised not to shoot people when their shield breaks and they run away poyo...!!
	  I don't want to shoot you either poyo!!!
	  langen@/
	   Please dodge it, dodge iiiiiiiiiit!!!
	  Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh...!!!
	  langen@^ *kssssssssssht*!!!
	  The comrades singing the christmas song arm in arm...disappeared one by one......
	  Each time, the others pretended not to notice the holes between them...and joined arms once again...
	  Naima:
	  "Wowowow!! To think it'd be so fun...just singing together with everyone like this......!!"
	  Naima:
	  "............Y-You bastaaaaaaaaard...!!!!
	  langen@/
	   Why did you shoot?! Why the hell did you shoot?! Gauntlet Knights don't shoot at someone when their shield is broken!! I'll protect them, I'll protect all my allies!!! I'll protect all of the comrades Naima loved all on my own!!! Anyone who shoots down...Naima's comrades......is no comrade of miiiiiiiiiine!!!"
	  Naomi:
	  "...Naima, stop!"
	  Naima:
	  "I won't just helplessly watch them get killed!!! If the only alternative is watching Naima's comrades die, I'll kill them first!!! Miyao......! ...I hate to say it, ...but if I want to protect what's precious to me, ...this is the only waaaaaaaaaaay...!!!"
	  Ishak:
	  "...Are you certain, Princess?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "All units!! Show them the pride of our Commonwealth's Aerial Knight Corps!! Follow me!!!"
	  Noor:
	  "All units, follow Princess Rethabile!! Now is the time to offer up your lives!!"
	  Dimension Container, fully open!! You can use the multi-warhead dispenser, the 30mm chaingun, or the pile bunker poyo!!
	  No hard feelings poyo!! Administering injections! Approaching the Madonna's Maximum Speed at 99%, 105%, rising to dangerous levels poyo!!
	  Lingji:
	  "...To all COU Aerial Augmented Infantry units. ...Regarding the rule of `don't die, don't kill', the latter half has been suspended."
	  Momotake:
	  "Princess........."
	  Lingji:
	  "Everyone, ...don't die! ...To make sure you don't die, ......you have permission to kill...!!!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Aysha reads you. ...Baibao calling the kette at our rear. Follow us. We're going to knock a hole in the enemy formation."
	  Aysha:
	  "...Lingji, ...saying that...must have hurt a lot."
	  Lingji:
	  ".................."
	  Aysha:
	  "You may have been raised by a fortunate family, ...but now, down to the blood running through your heart, you've decided to do what must be done for survival...and taken responsibility for the first time."
	  Aysha:
	  "As you ordered, we'll fight so that we don't die. ...As a result, some of our comrades might fall. ...Bear the weight of their deaths. That's the fate that's been placed on you, as the peak of the entire COU Aerial Augmented Infantry. At this moment, for the first time, ...your resolve has transformed you from a rich girl playing at war...into a true warrior!"
	  Lingji:
	  "...I won't let them die... I won't...let any of my comrades die...!! Follow me, Momotake!!!"
	  Momotake:
	  "A-As you command!!! Everyone, prepare yourselves!!!"
	  Don't hate me poyooo!! Don't hate me poyoooooooooo!!!
	  I don't want to die poyoooo!! Why did this happen, when I only wanted to fly poyooooo?!!
	  Who...are we dying for? Why do we have to die poyoooooooo?!!!
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "Don't hesitate, fight, fight!! Do you realize how much money and effort it took to let you all fly?!! You aren't heroes, and you certainly aren't knights!! You've just been given the low-level role of carrying large quantities of ammunition to the front lines and firing them accurately at your targets!! Acting out a rebellious phase won't do you any good!"
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "There's no shortage of people who could replace you!! There's no end of candidates who want to fly through the sky in your place!! Some of them say they wouldn't mind licking our shoes! What's the point of leaving Gauntlets in the hands of kids going through a rebellious phase like you?!!"
	  #e7e7e7Okonogi:
	  "Those brats are risking and taking lives on the front lines!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Listen up, because the most important and proudest people are those on the front!! People acting tough in a clean, spotless monitor room have no right to look down on those brats!!! How dare you call them a bunch of e-gamers?! You people who don't know what it means to risk and take lives are the real game brains, you foooools!!
	   *ksssssht*! "Captain Okonogi" was forcefully ejected from chat poyo."
	  Stephania:
	  "...This is a warning from Yeladot Shavit. ...Your combat behavior has been judged to be lacking in aggressiveness for peace and justice. ...There will not be another warning. ...Next time, you will be attacked without a single word......"
	  Fatma:
	  "Huuh?! There's no way I could shoot an ally! What are you, stupid?! Stupid, stupid, stupid!!"
	  Leah:
	  "......Just what sort of heaven is supposed to be waiting for us......after we've shot frightened lambs in the back......? Who needs......a heaven like that......?"
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "The strike fighters have fired their cluster missiles. ...Allies who have taken rebellious actions have been marked. Initiate terminal guidance."
	  Leah:
	  "Are you-
	   ......! ............!!
	  langen@/
	   S-Sure☆ As you command!
	   Yeladot Shavit-"
	  Can't take this heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeat!!!!
	  
	  Again and again, the singing comrades were reduced in number......
	  Again and again, the singing voices disappeared......
	  Miyao:
	  "We Gauntlet Knights...will always, always be comrades!!!"
	  I...wish everyone luck in battle poyo... Ground impact in 5 seconds. ...So long-
	  *ksssssht*!!
	  If you didn't shoot, I would have poyo...
	   ...Thank you for shooting, thank you...
	   Thank you...for letting me die as a human.........
	  *kssht*!!
	  Koshka:
	  "Miyao... Now, even you should be able to understand."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Koshka......"
	  Koshka:
	  "This world...has been lacking love from the start. ...We're nothing but mass-produced factory products, born so that someone can use us and throw us away."
	  Miyao:
	  "Is it really useless...? Is it...?!! No matter how much we game pieces struggle, ...is there really no way for us to rebel against the people giving orders from outside the chessboard?!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...No. We can rebel."
	  Miyao:
	  "......Huh...?"
	  Koshka:
	  "As long as we......have the courage to throw away these bodies made of flesh, ...we...can take a shot back at the ugly adults who use us and throw us away...!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'll destroy it."
	  Koshka:
	  "I'll destroy...this broken world that gives birth to children, only to use them and throw them away!!!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Miyao, what're you spacing out for?!!! You idioooooooot!!!"
	  You've received an email from someone for the first time poyo!
	  #e7e7e7--Greetings. I thought you might be a fellow person who laments this mad world, so I have sent you this message.
	  #e7e7e7--Do you really owe this world anything more at this point...?
	  #e7e7e7--A broken cup won't fix itself. No matter how hard you try, you cannot stop the water from leaking out. You must rebuild it again from scratch.
	  #e7e7e7--We have the power to do that. And you have that power too.
	  #e7e7e7--We are the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order. Walk with us.
	  #e7e7e7--All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path.
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "This is a bit sudden, but I'm starting a Crappy Collage Grand Prix featuring Instructor Okonogi."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wahahaha!! That's nice, wahahaha!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-You shouldn't laugh... Ahahahahah!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Chloe, please make sure you don't laugh in reality."
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I know that...! Haah, haah, my chest hurts...!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Then I'll give it a shot too."
	  Gunhild:
	  "......Huh.........?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What's wrong, Gunhild?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "K-Keropoyo just started a self-diagnostic! ...M-My shield won't come up...!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-You've got to be kidding me! Gunhild, dodge it!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Gunhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiild...!!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'll sample it myself and settle this. Please, go ahead and order some of this food."
	  Chloe:
	  "B-B-B-Bring it on＞＜ I'll definitely get you some!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...Well, umm, ...I only know its data though. I've never seen it＞＜"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Hohoh. By the way, what's the name of Canada's smelliest food?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Umm, ...i-it's called kiviak＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Now, I just hope the punch line isn't someone walking in here with a durian parfait meow."
	  Lilja:
	  "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, ...st-stop iiiiiiiit...!!! Stop...shocking...me......!!!"
	  The electricity rushing through Lilja was from the electric chip that was implanted in Geroy equipment, so that they could be subdued...
	  In these heartless, uncaring skies, surrounded by a free-for-all of combat, ...such an electric shock meant death.
	  Lilja:
	  "...Damn you, ...Chloe! ...I'll blow you to bits!! When I get back, I'll definitely blow you to bits!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  ".........*giggle*"
	  Chloe:
	  "I don't mind. Go ahead and blow me to bits all you like."
	  Chloe:
	  "...Assuming you get out of this alive."
	  The shock running through Lilja increased yet again...
	  Missile approaching, missile approaching!! You'll be in danger if you don't act quick poyo!!!
	  Lilja:
	  "Chloeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! Damn yoooooooooooooouuuuuuu...!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...You're going to kill that girl called Koshka and that girl called Lingji, with whom you've been chatting so happily."
	  I don't care what you say, idiot!!
	  I won't kill them! We just swore we wouldn't...!!
	  And it's not just those two! I definitely won't kill anyone here, or any of their friends I haven't met yet!!
	  I'm not the only one who swore! We all did! All of us, all of us...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "No, they'll all kill each other too. This playing at friendship is meaningless, worthless, ...and every, every, every, every single one of you will kill each other."
	  Shut up...... Shut up...!!
	  If both sides were aiming for blind spots in the other's overwhelming weaponry, ...it was inevitable.
	  The two Gauntlet Knights fiercely collided head on.
	  Angel feathers scattered.
	  Miyao:
	  "Just stop it already, Lingji!!
	  langen@/
	   You've already gotten your message across...!
	   There's no need to go any further, so just stop! Please stooooooooooop!!!"
	  Lingji:
	  "...It must be more than just a message.
	   ...This is the responsibility...of one who bears the weight of her comrades' lives...and deaths...!!!"
	  At this range of hand-to-hand combat, no weaponry had any meaning.
	  The two of them surrounded their fists with their Rejection Shields, violently beating against the other's shield.
	  Despite how heartless and uncaring this all was, ...the angel feathers they scattered...were beautiful...
	  Miyao, you can't keep punching each other like this poyo!! Your opponent's shield is on a whole different level poyo! Your shield's gonna break first poyooooooo!!
	  Miyao:
	  "That's why I have faith!!! I have faith that, before my shield runs out, ...Lingji will regain her faith in this world!!"
	  If you don't have faith in the human heart, how can you call yourself a guardian of the Walls of Peace?^
	  Miyao:
	  "How can you call yourself a Gauntlet Kniiiiiiiiiiiiight?!!!"
	  Miyao's Rejection Shield began flickering irregularly. ...The energy supporting the shield had almost run dry.
	  When it did, he'd lose his shield, and he'd be unable to do anything but fall from the sky. Just like when Icarus lost his wings.
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao, just get out of the way! You aren't my enemy!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I know that!! But, even so!! You don't have to bear it all alone!! So just stop, please stop!!"
	  Miyao, run poyoooo!!
	   Your shield's about to break poyoooooo!!!
	  dmin password accepted poyo. Allowing external access to Mitake Miyao's Gauntlet System poyo.
	  Huh?! ...Wh-What?!
	  #e7e7e7Username: Major Mitake Toujirou. ...This Gauntlet's configuration system is being accessed.
	  Miyao:
	  "...D-Dad?!?! Wh-What are you doing?!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Miyao, it isn't yet time for you to die."
	  #e7e7e7Changing system settings. Modifying Gauntlet User Info.
	  Miyao:
	  "St-Stop it, Dad!! I don't know what you're trying to do, but stop it, stop iiiiiiiiiiiit!!!"
	  Toujirou accessed one of the settings on Miyao's Gauntlet, ...pressed 5 keys on his midair keyboard, and hit the enter key.
	  #e7e7e7Gauntlet User Info has been modified.
	  The next instant, ...Miyao's outstretched fist...felt completely different.
	  ...A red splash...covered his entire body...
	  Miyao:
	  ".........Ling......ji........."
	  Lingji:
	  "........................"
	  "Lingji" has exited the room due to an error poyo!
	  Why......?
	  Lingji should've had more than enough energy to keep up her shield, right...?
	  So why...did her shield...break......?
	  With more than half of its head crushed, ...Lingji's body......slowly plummeted downwards.
	  Miyao:
	  "......What...did you do......?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...What...the hell did you do......?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What the hell...did you do to me?!?! Daaaaaaaaaaaad!!!"
	  #e7e7e7^
	  Breaking News: "The simultaneous truce for the global conflict is now in effect. All factions have ceased fighting."
	  Koshka:
	  "......I did it... ......I'll finally......be able to throw away this shitty body...that I hated so much......"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'll be able to start over with a new body, ...in a new world, ...as a new me...!!"
	  On top of a filthy carpet, drenched with a massive pool of blood and scattered fragments of flesh, ...Koshka was hugging herself...and quivering with joy...
	  Surrounded by crowds of armed police with Anti-Gauntlet equipment and guns pointed at her, ...Koshka just kept on basking in the joy she felt......
	  Jestress:
	  "Did you think I'd let you get away?!!! I won't!!"
	  Jestress:
	  "I've survived all this time...for this day!!! While drinking the blood of billions!!!"
	  While cutting a ditch in the surface of the water, Jestress was catching up with her target at terrifying speeds.
	  Her eyes were focused in front of her, on the single Gauntlet Knight who sped through the air, as if determined not to let her catch even their shadow...
	  Seshat:
	  "......My, my. Your sleeping face is surprisingly cute."
	  Seshat:
	  "Don't tell me you planned on irresponsibly sleeping through a whole millenium..."
	  Seshat:
	  "I'm here to wake you up, sleepyhead."
	  Seshat:
	  "Without you, ...I can't call those two back here."
	  Seshat slowly raised the object she held in her hand.
	  Through the gaps in her fingers...poured a light like the rays of dawn......
	  Toujirou:
	  "I guess it'll be hidden...here?"
	  As he said this, Toujirou tapped the statue of Venus de Milo's chest.
	  Vier:
	  "............Heheh."
	  Toujirou:
	  "This isn't the Venus de Milo. It's the Venus de Milo with a drawer."
	  There was a faint electronic noise, and the statue's chest became a small drawer and flew open...
	  Vier slowly lowered the handgun she had been holding up, still smiling brightly.
	  Mom:
	  "...Have you thought of a name?"
	  Dad:
	  "How about Miyao (都雄)? ...Meaning the best hero (雄) in the city (都)."
	  Mom:
	  "That sounds wonderful. Then, let's use that."
	  Mom:
	  "...Miyao, Miyao, my adorable Miyao......"
	  ...Miyao...... ...My adorable Miyao......
	  It's all right. Sleep... ...You don't have to wake up. ...Not yet.
	  ...So just take your time...and sleep.........
	  I am not a good mother.
	  I'm a very bad mother, who would use up the whole world for her own sake.
	  ...If...a chance comes for my wishes to come true while you're still alive...
	  Then......lend your mother your strength, okay......?
	  I'm sure you'll get mad and tell me not to use you as a game piece for my own ends...
	  I'm sorry, Miyao. I gave birth to you to use you as a game piece.
	  In exchange, ...I'll give you the power to use a Gauntlet, the ultimate weapon that will eventually be made practical, ...and you'll be better at it than anyone in the world from the moment of your birth.
	  I'm sure you'll be praised for that power and live a happy life.
	  You'll likely be able to choose how to live your life more freely than anyone else.
	  At least...until the day I use you as a game piece...
	  I pray...
	  That that day never comes......
	  Hey, Miyao.
	  This is the world you wished for, right...? Why are you refusing it...?
	  Jayden:
	  "I promised, right? That I'd go anywhere if it was with you."
	  Jayden:
	  "Let's go. Together."
	   new room has been created poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Heeey, I made a room!"
	  langen!s0^"Jayden" has entered the room poyo!^
	  "Gunhild" has entered the room poyo!^
	  "Chloe" has entered the room poyo!^
	   "Lilja" has entered the room poyo!^
	   "Koshka" has entered the room poyo!
	  Jayden:
	  "You all brought your own, right?"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I did bring one, but it's really rushed＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Mine's really good meooow! If this isn't the best, we're all screwed meow!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you're that confident, I can't help but look forward to this. Were you able to make a good one, Koshka? Did the link I sent you for research help at all?"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Well, I just made whatever."
	  Miyao:
	  "You know, when people say stuff like that, acting like they couldn't care less, they often end up having the best one."
	  Koshka:
	  "I really did just half-ass it. It'll piss me off if you expect too much from it..."
	  Lilja:
	  "At first, she didn't care at all, but when I made fun of her and said she was totally a loser running from a fight, she suddenly wanted to do it meow!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I wouldn't care if anyone else said that, but it seriously pisses me off when it's Lilja. As long as I beat her, I'm happy."
	  Not to say that she doesn't look the part, but Koshka really doesn't like interacting with other people.
	  However, ever since Lilja started taking passes at her, that improved a lot.
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, they do say that ties with other people change both them and you."
	  Jayden:
	  "I hear you were pretty unsociable too, before you met me."
	  Gunhild:
	  "And the exact same can be said of you, Jayden."
	  Chloe:
	  "No matter how much civilization advances, meeting other people brings you precious gifts."
	  Miyao:
	  "Speaking of which, what gifts did you get when you met Lilja and Koshka?"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I learned that every time they do something weird, I get a chop to the head, as befits the unfairness of this world＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "We may not look it, but we're high-grade Geroy equipment."
	  Lilja:
	  "And if we aren't handled properly, Chloe gets held responsible for aaall of it meow♪"
	  Chloe:
	  "Waaah, I hate this kette＞＜"
	  That being said, it was unlikely either Koshka or Lilja would have listened to anyone else either.
	  It was sad for Chloe, but the person in charge of personnel was probably patting themselves on the back for finding such a suitable candidate.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Shall we begin?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Who should go first? Should we randomize it?"
	  Koshka:
	  "Just have Keropoyo pick someone."
	  Jayden:
	  "For things like this, it's always the people who go first and last who have it roughest, right?"
	  In that case, allow Keropoyo to announce your order of presentation poyo!
	  *drumrolllllll*...tada!
	  First up is Grave Mole's-
	  Chloe:
	  "Please don't be me, please don't be me!＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "People who say that always get picked first meow."
	  Lilja poyo!!!
	  Lilja:
	  "Gyaaaahh!! You were supposed to pick Chloe nngyaaaaaahh!
	   Learn to read the room, you cheating frog!!"
	  langen
	  What'd you call me poyo?!! If you don't apologize, I'll reveal the contents of your Selcom top pages publicly poyo!!
	  Lilja:
	  "Please accept my most abject apologies meow! I'm so sorry, Lord Keropoyo."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I wouldn't want my top pages revealed either, but it seems some of us have it far worse."
	  fter Lilja will go Jayden, Miyao, Koshka, Gunhild, and Chloe!
	  Chloe:
	  "Nooooooo! I'd hate to be first, but I hate being last even more＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "You were just born under an unlucky star, so give it up already. Heheheheh."
	  Miyao:
	  "Looks like it's all you, Lilja. I hope you've got a tricky one for us!"
	  Jayden:
	  "The way this game exposes your hobbies and personality...is pretty rough."
	  This was a game that had grown popular among certain groups of youngsters in the AOU.
	  You would prepare a virtual experience in a virtual space, then show it to others and have them try it out.
	  At first, this was extremely hard to do and was limited to those who possessed high-quality resources and skills.
	  However, volunteer contributions led to the development of various in-game objects, actions, and interfaces, making such a task available to far more people.
	  Finally, it had reached a state where any young person could create something simple quickly, as long as they had an idea for it.
	  Plus, everyone here was a super elite, with top class PP levels. Their power to manipulate a Selcom was far beyond what normal people could do, which only made exercises like this easier to pull off from a practical standpoint.
	  Normally, you would unveil experiences like this publicly and get as many `likes' as you could, but here, they would only reveal it to their circle of friends.
	  They would decide on a topic, create an experience along those lines, and reveal it to each other, both for fun and to see who could create the best one.
	  And, the topic for this game was "the most delicious way to eat an energy bar".
	  ...How to make energy bars...taste delicious?
	  That's right. Kids' games don't always have a deep meaning behind them. They'd just thought it up at random on the spot.
	  nd now, let us begin Lilja's virtual experience!!
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "...Oh? Is this a classroom?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "This is data from the Free Material Workshop, isn't it? Pretty standard for a virtual school background."
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "Shut up meow. If you don't like it, you try building one from scratch meow."
	  Students:
	  "...Boy, am I hungry..."
	  As they said this, someone's stomach growled.
	  Lunch wasn't that far off. However, ...this unbelievably boring class actually seemed to be bending the laws of the universe, slowing the progress of time...
	  Everyone kept looking hatefully up at the clock, wondering if it was lunchtime yet, ...but the hands barely moved at all.
	  It was as though time passed slower the more you looked at the clock...
	  Students:
	  "It's no use..."
	  Students:
	  "Yeah... Once you realize you're hungry, ...there's no stopping it..."
	  *grumble*... Now even their stomachs were crying out...
	  It was a sluggish lesson. The hunger even seemed to make the textbooks in their mental displays bend.
	  In the first place, ...why aren't we allowed to bring food and drinks to class...?
	  What's the point of school if we can't study in our best condition...?
	  What's so wrong about being able to just stick something in your mouth when you're hungry or thirsty...?
	  ...Yeah, screw those stupid school rules...
	  If I knew this would happen, ...I would've snuck an energy bar into my pocket or something...
	  Lilja:
	  "Aaah, I'm so hungry meeeow♪"
	  I suddenly heard that voice coming from a seat in the back.
	  When I turned around, my eyes met Lilja's, who seemed confident despite her complaints of hunger.
	  Then, ...I saw what she was holding, and my eyes went wide.
	  That's right. It was...an energy bar...
	  It was a banned item that we weren't allowed to bring into the classroom, and it truly filled the room with a sense of forbidden desire.
	  ...Yes, I see now that there's nothing to be gained by being a good kid who follows the school rules.
	  How cool she looks, whipping out an energy bar at the right moment and casually opening it!
	  Lilja:
	  "Hmm? Want a bite? Meoooow?"
	  Y-You'll...give me a bite? A god... You're a god, Lilja-
	  Lilja:
	  "*gulp*/
	   ...The end. ...Yummy♪"
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, that wasn't bad."
	  Chloe:
	  "An energy bar that mustn't be eaten, when you're hungry during class!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Eating in a place you aren't supposed to gives it the taste of a forbidden fruit."
	  Lilja:
	  "That's not the point meow! It's great because you get to eat it while looking down on a starving classmate who can't eat anything meow!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Y-You mean eating it in front of classmates staring at you jealously...is what makes it good?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Waaaah, that's so mean, so meeeean＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "That's Lilja for you, as contemptible as ever."
	  Jayden:
	  "Guess that means I'm up! I, the genius Jayden, will teach you the best and most powerful way to eat an energy bar!"
	  The massive crowd that filled the arena welcomed his fist that pierced the heavens with a cheer.
	  There was a laurel wreath on his head, and the gold medal that had just been placed on his chest shone.
	  It wasn't clear what event he had just won, but at any rate, he had broken the world record with an overwhelming score. Or something like that.
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "This is just virtual data taken straight from the International Battle Standard Festival's official homepage, isn't it?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Hold on, you criticized Lilja, but you cheated too. You just copied it whole!"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Sh-Shut up, just be quiet for now and watch my supergenius world!"
	  The magnificent figure of a champion surrounded by glamorous women on either side
	   was bathed in the flashes of reporters' cameras over and over.
	  Then, the tournament committee chairperson approached, holding a massive golden trophy cup.
	  Chairperson:
	  "Congratulations, Champion!! You are indeed...the greatest hero in the world!!"
	  It was the most glorious moment imaginable, the presentation of the victor's cup!!
	  And, inside that cup...was a single energy-
	  Miyao:
	  "You're so dumb. You should call yourself Superidiot Jayden."
	  Jayden:
	  "H-Hey, don't call me dumb. People who call people idiots are the real idiots!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Getting just a single energy bar in this situation is so pathetic that it's depressing meow."
	  Chloe:
	  "B-But...if it's an energy bar they're giving to the champion, m-maybe it's really, really yummy...＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "It looks just like a normal, pathetic energy bar to me."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Yes, that's just a normal, pathetic energy bar."
	  Miyao:
	  "You've got horrible taste, Supergenius Jayden."
	  Jayden:
	  "Sh-Shut uuuuup!! Who's next? You, Miyao?! You can bet I'll be tearing into this one!!"
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "...Ooh, that's impressive. Like going to the movies."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Hey, hey, you just stole that from a game, right?! This is the aerial fight stage from Call of Tax!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "S-So what if it is?! Like you should talk."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "I-If we're just watching these among friends, there's no need to pick it apart so much, is there...?＞＜"
	  The instant the virtual experience started, a fierce, blazing wind slammed against their whole bodies.
	  It was an explosion. Countless metal fragments slammed against a Rejection Shield, sending angel feathers flying each time.
	  In the city below them, the fires of war burst out all over the place.
	  He was several hundred meters in the air. On his left arm...was a complete Gauntlet made for use in actual combat.
	  Radio:
	  "Warcats, a third wave of enemies is approaching."
	  Miyao:
	  "I just used up almost all my ammo! Don't we have a resupply or reinforcements coming?!"
	  Radio:
	  "Fire support craft have arrived in your airspace. Use whatever you need!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "We're receiving an armament link from the strike fighter `Natarena'. Sending acknowledgment."
	  A Gauntlet Knight was like a flying attack carrier and an Aegis-equipped warship wrapped into one.
	  They were capable of commanding weaponry fired by friendly units in the same battle area as if it were their own.
	  Jayden:
	  "Sweet, we've got an all-you-can-eat on cluster missiles! No need to be stingy, just keep blasting away!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "The third enemy wave is coming!! Activating Reaper's Eye!!"
	  In an instant, countless red target boxes appeared in the crowd of cities below them.
	  They were all coming towards them, hiding in the gaps between buildings...!
	  Miyao:
	  "Dammit, there's no time to stop for a snack!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Isn't that what we have `them' for?"
	  We grinned at each other, stuck our hands in our pockets, grabbed a couple of energy bars, and took a bite.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Four waves of cluster missiles have arrived. Miyao, Jayden, I'm putting them under your control."
	  Jayden:
	  "Roger that! I'll spiral in from the left! Miyao, you take the right!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Leave it to me, partner!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I suppose that was very like Miyao...or rather, very like a boy. Now's your chance to tear into it, Jayden."
	  Jayden:
	  "W-Well, uh... Th-That wasn't...so...bad..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "*giggle*giggle*"
	  Koshka:
	  "...What's even the point of eating an energy bar at a time like that?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Yeah meow, yeah meow!! You'd just get it caught in your throat and choke meooooow!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Putting aside how it tasted, ...I think that kind of passionate friendship between boys is...kinda nice."
	  Koshka:
	  "I'm a woman, so I've got no idea what's supposed to be so great about that."
	  Miyao:
	  "Aren't you next, Koshka? If you're gonna say that, I hope you've got a crazy-good scenario that both boys and girls can understand."
	  Koshka:
	  "You're all too excited about this. I've got a straightforward scenario for you..."
	  Rays of soft morning sunshine peeked through the gaps in the curtain.
	  However, it wasn't the sort of sunshine that forced you to rush.
	  This was a precious day off, so it was sweet, gentle, and comforting, ...as though it was softly whispering that it was okay to go back to sleep...
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "Hey, you ripped off this data from a fabric softener commercial or something, didn't you?!"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Like I said, there's nothing wrong with doing that a little＞＜"
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "At this point, it's almost as though we're just arguing over who ripped off more."
	  At some point, I had kicked my blanket off me. It was all scrunched up, like a blanket in a dog's bed.
	  But right now, I don't care if I'm a dog.
	  I turned over in my sleep and streeetched on top of my bed.
	  My mind was still hazy.
	  When I looked at the time in my mental display, I saw it was a time when it was okay to get up, and also okay to just stay in bed.
	  ...All right then. It is Sunday, after all.
	  I'll take it easy and enjoy this lazy nap to the fullest.
	  Before I closed my mental display, I casually took care of my daily tasks in WanyaDora.
	  When I first installed it, I wondered what could be so fun about a match puzzle game like this.
	  ...But now, it had almost become part of my routine, like a habit that was actually comforting.
	  A game you can play even when you're spacing out probably counts as a form of mental relaxation.
	  Yaaaaawn......
	  ...I'm hungry...
	  True, if I got up and walked a little, I'd probably find that box of chocolate cereal I left out on the table.
	  But leaving my bed would be too much of a pain...
	  But I'm hungry...
	  ...Isn't there something I can do? ...Anything...?
	  With sleepy eyes, I searched all over my bed with my hands.
	  What's this? My pillow.
	  What's this? The corner of my blanket.
	  ...I like the corners of blankets. I like biting them and sniffing them.
	  What's this? Huh? It feels like...
	  What? Seriously? No way, sweet.
	  It's probably one of those things I tossed on my bed a few days ago, planning to eat it before I slept.
	  Just one of them had fallen into a crack and disappeared.
	  And thanks to that, I would be able to fully enjoy this nap, satisfying my hunger without having to leave my bed.
	  I undid the wrapping and stuffed it...stuffed the energy bar...into my mouth...
	  Gunhild:
	  "...That was...excellent."
	  Miyao:
	  "N-Not bad... I totally get that feeling..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Dang, how can you be so poetic, even though you're Koshka?! This has got to be plagiarism meow! You stole this experience from somewhere start to finish, didn't you?!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "When I get serious, making a little thing like this is nothing special."
	  Jayden:
	  "At first, I just thought it was the sort of slovenly thing I'd expect from you, ...but that weekend morning feel...really is nice."
	  Koshka:
	  "I know, right? Ain't it the truth."
	  Chloe:
	  "B-But still, you had snacks on your bed that you'd put there several days earlier... Don't you think you should clean up just a bit more...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Seriously meow!! I'll bet Koshka's bed is covered with trash from snacks and wrappers and little bits of food!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "What'd you say? I don't wanna hear that from the girl with pastries sitting on her head!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Gaaaaaow!! Don't mock pulla!! These are my soul graaow!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Now, now, that's enough fighting. It's my turn next."
	  There's nothing better than going to an outdoor music festival with good friends!
	  Naturally, getting to hear a major band is great, but it's also great to hear minor bands that seem like they're just about to make their first hit.
	  But what's really the best...is when a minor band you've believed in and supported finally gets the recognition they deserve!
	  Friends:
	  "That's amazing!! Totally ％＄Ｐ＆!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I know, right?! Didn't I tell you?! They're totally Ｗ＠＃＃Ｙ!!! Ｇ％Б＠×▽、Ｖ＃→＄＊!!"
	  They were speaking so fast and using so much slang that the Kizuna's translation couldn't keep up, ...but it was clear how incredibly excited everyone was.
	  Gunhild and her friends seemed to be fully enjoying the exhilaration in that packed festival hall.
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "Let me first say that this comes from a music festival's official website. I made sure to include a notation citing my source."
	  And once she said that, no one felt like complaining about it.
	  Still, seeing Gunhild speak in such an excited tone truly was a rare treat, when compared to how she usually acted.
	  Has she always been this candid back home...?
	  Friends:
	  "No, seriously, this is so awesome! I'm so glad I lived to see this day!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Should we go grab some food while we can? We probably won't have time later."
	  Friends:
	  "To be honest, I've been starving! I've gotta eat something, anything!"
	  However, the food court was absolutely packed with people.
	  There were all sorts of food trucks, but even they had long snaking lines extending from them.
	  And on top of that, ...it was so expensive!
	  ...Well, this isn't the first time people have made a killing running food courts during music festivals.
	  ...Still, it was seriously expensive for young people, who had to save up money like mad just to buy tickets.
	  Searching for food that was a little more cost efficient, we went all over the packed crowd.
	  At some point, our bodies that had been burning with excitement had completely cooled off.
	  ...After all, the temperature was so low that you could see your breath.
	  It would've been different within a city, but the music festival was in an isolated area, so the Temperature Adjustment Environmental 8MS didn't have much of an effect.
	  That was fine as long as you were excited, but once you realized how cold it was, you could feel the chill climb up from the soles of your feet.
	  We finally chose a line to stand in, but we were reaching the limits of our ability to tolerate the hunger and cold...
	  Friend:
	  "...Oh, Gun, listen to this! Don't freak out or anything, but Christmas has come to my pocket! It's Santa time!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "What are you talking about? Is your head ＄￥Ｐ▽＆＆～?!"
	  Friend:
	  "Tadaa! Bow down! Look what I found in my pocket!"
	  Friends:
	  "Ooooooooh＠お＃＄!! Seriously ＆ＷЁ＠?!?!"
	  Friend:
	  "If we all split it, it'll be smaller, but bear with it, okay?"
	  Friend:
	  "Here you go, Gun!"
	  It was just a bite-sized piece, hardly what you could call an energy "bar".
	  However, Gunhild tossed it into her mouth.
	  Her friends all did so as well.
	  Of course, it tasted completely normal and average, as everyone had expected.
	  And yet-
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's delicious!!"
	  Friends:
	  """It's delicious!!!"""
	  Jayden:
	  "That's great, sharing it with friends like that!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I like how it was unusually cold. Eating when you're starving like that must make you feel really happy."
	  Koshka:
	  "You mean it tastes better the more horrible your situation is?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Still, getting to eat it in a warm bed would make you feel really happy too."
	  Chloe:
	  "It's strange. Eating it in a happy situation and eating it in a slightly painful one both seem oddly nice."
	  Lilja:
	  "So basically, as long as you're hungry, it's yummy no matter where you eat it."
	  Miyao:
	  "True! In the end, energy bars are delicious no matter when you eat them."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hahahahah! What the hell, that makes this whole competition pointless."
	  Lilja:
	  "Well, I guess the point is that this game helped us understand that fact meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "All we did is confirm something we knew already."
	  Chloe:
	  "Still, we were able to get yet another look at the charm of energy bars! ...Okay, let's call it a day and head back home. All of you Warcats are in training now, right? And if we don't focus on resting, it'll hurt the effectiveness of our sleep, and-"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm? ...Did we already see Chloe's experience?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? Ah, right, we haven't! Hey, Chloe! Stop trying to sneakily skip your turn!"
	  Chloe:
	  "N-No, I wasn't trying to do that＞＜!! M-Mine was made in a rush, so it isn't worth seeing like all of yours＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "It doesn't matter if it's rushed, just show it. Even I went and made one."
	  Lilja:
	  "Yeah meow, gyaaaow!! Show us yours too Chloe meooooow!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-It really...isn't anything special..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "We won't make fun of something you worked so hard to make, Chloe."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right. Even if it has some holes, what's important is that you made it."
	  Chloe:
	  "...I-In that case, ...just for a bit..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Stop stalling and show us."
	  The sky was a roiling gray.
	  The wind was strong, and yet warm. And it carried with it...a fierce, almost sweet scent...of rot...
	  It was the smell of human flesh...that had rotted for hundreds, thousands...maybe even tens of thousands of years.
	  However, no maggots gathered around that rotting meat.
	  Even they knew that this unearthly meat was not for eating...
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Whoa?! What's this?! This virtual experience...was made with incredible detail!!"
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "...Now that's a surprise. This isn't reused, but was truly created from scratch."
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "Th-This detail is on a whole different level than everyone else's meow...!"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "This kind of quality...doesn't come from just playing around! It's almost as real as the real world...!
	  It was the roof of a two-story supermarket.
	  There was an impromptu tent made out of a tarp. And an empty military airdrop container.
	  And, there were pathetic-looking clothes, all dried out and torn.
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "Compared to Chloe's work, ...ours were pretty much the scribbles of a child."
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "Forget scribbles, ...they were just trash..."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "No, they were worse than trash... This is incredible... The overwhelming detail of this space... I never knew we had a god in Grave Mole..."
	  On the floor were marks indicating how many days she had spent here. There were probably more than 40 ticks.
	  Chloe drew a large X that covered all those marks.
	  She fished around in her pocket...and drew out a single energy bar.
	  It was her last bit of food.
	  Once she put it in her mouth, that would be the end.
	  Or rather, she had decided that she would eat it at the end of her life.
	  As she sat on the edge of the roof, ...her feet dangling in the air, she opened it.
	  Beneath her...were countless rotting arms reaching for the heavens.
	  Those things groaned as they stretched their arms out day and night, seeking Chloe's flesh, knowing that they could never reach her...
	  As she looked down at the dead who moaned in their endless search for the flesh of the living, ...she bit down on the energy bar.
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "H-How could she have put so much detail into that horde of zombies?! Wait, is Chloe's last name Romero?!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Amazing... This overwhelming world...just sucks you in...
	  The world has already ended.
	  It's transformed into a hell swarming with the dead, who seek out the living and eat their flesh.
	  In this world, just one person has survived, ...and is living her life as the last person on Earth to the fullest.
	  Below my dangling legs is a countless swarm of the dead.
	  I threw the wrapper of my last meal down there.
	  What should I do next?
	  There are six shots left in my shotgun.
	  I'll just pick the five ugliest zombies from that group below.
	  Then, I'll blow six brains apart.
	  I'm the last person on the planet.
	  Hmm, not bad at all.
	  This is the most delicious energy bar in the world...
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "That was...incredibly metal..."
	  Lilja:
	  ".........Holy crap meow..."
	  Koshka:
	  "You said you made that in a rush, and that it wasn't anything special?!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "That was a crazy big production, right...?! The temperature, humidity, air pressure and the smell, all the environmental parameters! They were all incredibly detailed!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "And the detail in the textures was no mean feat either. ...I never knew you had such talent..."
	  Miyao:
	  "This clearly isn't the work of an amateur. Chloe, ...are you sure you're not a famous virtual experience producer...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "N-No, no, no＞＜； That's not true at all＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "...Chloe, does this mean you'd be able to relax best...while eating an energy bar all alone in the world meow...?"
	  Koshka:
	  "No, I understand how she feels. Everyone else was eating theirs in groups!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Wait, wait! Of course it's more delicious and fun to eat with other people, right?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "It seems an energy bar can taste quite different depending on whether you eat it alone or with others."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey, Chloe. If you're making other virtual experiences like this, please show me! That's insanely high quality!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Could it be...that you create the kinds of virtual experiences you can't show to others meow...?"
	  Koshka:
	  "What do you mean, virtual experiences you can't show to others?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Ah......"
	  Jayden:
	  "Ah......"
	  Chloe:
	  "Waaaah!!＞＜ Don't read too much into iiiiiit!
	   Let's never talk about this agaaaaaaiin＞＜"
	  Gunhild:
	  "In that case, Chloe's wins unanimously for being the most detailed."
	  Chloe:
	  "...Th-Thanks."
	  With virtual experiences, the level of detail can make all the difference in terms of quality.
	  Everyone besides Chloe had built theirs with a quality to be expected of an amateur just playing around, and they had all understood that and enjoyed themselves.
	  They had complained about who ripped off one thing or another, ...but it's normal for amateur works to borrow materials from somewhere. It was Chloe's work, done from scratch on a professional level, that was unusual.
	  Come to think of it, ..Chloe's was on such a level that it must have cost money to produce.
	  Perhaps she felt awkward, like a pro who accidently went all out against amateurs.
	  Chloe couldn't help but meet everyone's respectful gazes with an uncomfortable smile.
	  Chloe:
	  "In that case, ...let's call it a day...＞＜"
	  As Chloe hurriedly tried to end the meeting, she got an email.
	  You've received one email from "Gunhild" poyo!
	  ...Huh? From Gunhild? Why?
	  Why did she send an email when we're face-to-face...?
	  "I'm pretty sure I'm a follower on your account."
	  "Don't worry, I won't tell the other kids."
	  Gunhild grinned and winked. Chloe went pale and stood up straight.
	  ...Th-Th-That can't be... That can't be...
	  There are countless people who upload virtual experiences. There's no way she could've found me out, no way, awawa...
	  "I can't wait for you to finish The Sweet Summer of the Stolen Bride and the Wolf Butler."
	  Chloe:
	  "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh＞＜"
	  
	  You've received one email from "Miyao" poyo!
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "This is a bit sudden,/
	   but I'm starting a Crappy Collage Grand Prix featuring Instructor Okonogi."
	  "Jayden" has accepted your request poyo!^
	  "Lilja" has accepted your request poyo!^
	  "Koshka" has accepted your request poyo!^
	  "Gunhild" has accepted your request poyo!^
	  "Chloe" has accepted your request poyo!
	  One after another, at the speed of light, messages from all the Warcats and Grave Moles came, accepting his offer.
	  Then, they entered the virtual room one after another.
	  Jayden:
	  "Damn that Okonogi, nagging and complaining on and on like that!"
	  Lilja:
	  "It really gets on my nerves meoow!! Gyaaaow, hhsssssss!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "E-Everyone, let's calm down... I'm sure the Instructor's just trying to give us a lesson with tough love, and-"
	  Koshka:
	  "*kero*kero*kero*!!
	   *keeero*kero*croak*croak*!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's some serious *kero*kero*! Aaah, it pisses me off
	   *kero*kero*kero*!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "`*kero*kero*kero*
	   *keero*kero*kero*!!' *giggle*giggle*"
	  Kizuna would automatically transform certain forbidden words into the croaking of a frog.
	  Because of that, whenever people started hurling abuse at each other, it sounded like a chorus of frogs had suddenly appeared.
	  This idiotic feature had settled so many fights between kids with laughter that it had even won the Ig Bernhard Prize...
	  And, outside the virtual room where this chorus of frogs was going on, ...Instructor Okonogi's "very important" scolding continued on and on.
	  Okonogi:
	  "Hey, you there, stop dozing off!! This is why you'll screw up when you get to the real thing!! Because your mind's slack, when the time comes, blah blah blah!! This is why you kids are blah blah!! Blah blah blah blah blah!!!"
	  He had told them to do a little demonstration for a bigwig who had unexpectedly shown up.
	  Well, if you tell people to do something like that without any warning, it's no surprise that things won't go as planned.
	  In fact, since this was obvious from his perspective, he had told his superiors beforehand that he couldn't be asked to do the impossible.
	  Anyway, it had ended up with him getting embarrassed and so on and so on.
	  So for the rest of the day, he had told them to stop all their training and gather in the lecture hall, so that all the Gauntlet Knights on the base could hear His Excellency the Mighty Instructor Okonogi's veeery important scolding...
	  Well, if he was going to unfairly make them stand at attention this long, ...then he no longer had any right to complain.
	  Even if the kids started holding a Crappy Collage Grand Prix inside their heads!
	  The next instant, one image after another was displayed, all of them swimsuit models with Okonogi's face crudely shopped on.
	  Miyao had created them, while being bored by Okonogi's lecture.
	  Jayden:
	  "Yikes, what a hack job!! Gyahahahaha...!!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Even I can make stuff like this meow! Hyah!"
	  Surreal crappy collage memes, which existed all over the net, were displayed one after another with Okonogi's face pasted over the original subject.
	  Miyao:
	  "Wahahaha!! That's nice, wahahaha!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-You shouldn't laugh... Ahahahahah!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Chloe, please make sure you don't laugh in reality."
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I know that...! Haah, haah, my chest hurts...!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Then I'll give it a shot too."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Me too."
	  By now, there was no stopping the onslaught of edited images.
	  It didn't even matter what the original image was about, as long as it had his face slapped onto it. Even if it wasn't human.
	  Each and every thing became a sloppy collage with Okonogi's face.
	  By now, so much of the world was overflowing with Okonogi that it was leading towards a Gestaltzerfall phenomenon.
	  Then, Okonogi became the default, and he himself became the source of the edited photos.
	  It was an Okonogi panic! By now, nothing made sense!
	  The whole planet was overwritten by Okonogi, and escaping from Okonogi had become this world's crisis, its mission, its fate!
	  Jayden:
	  "Ahyahyahyahyahya!! Okonogi, Okonogi's spinning round and round?!?!?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I've got an extra helping, a full plate of Okonogis!!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Hyahyahyaah!! Okonogi clickeeeeer!! One click is 50,000 taps, for a rate of 8,943,500,000,000,000 Okonogis per second?!?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Aah, it's too late. The dopamine has fused with my Okonogi receptors and I'm having an Okonogi trip..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Heheheheh, I used Chloe's face instead of Okonogi's?!?!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Woohoooooo, let's see what Okonogi thinks of this crazy shoooooooop!!"
	  #93abd8"Chloe" sent one image to "Instructor Okonogi".
	  Ah..................
	  Okonogi:
	  "Hmm? Who sent me an email just now?"
	  Of course, Okonogi knew that Chloe had sent it. He glared at her.
	  Yes, at that moment, Chloe's face was as white and flat as a plastic cutting board...!
	  Furthermore, the pic she had sent was from the poster of a certain suspense romance movie that had been a big hit the previous year.
	  The heroine's face had been replaced with Chloe's, and the main character holding her from behind had Okonogi's face...
	  To make an image like this and send it to the person in question...was a harsh trial indeed.
	  These days, even grade schoolers new to love didn't do things like that...
	  And now, Chloe's white face was spouting steam and turning red.
	  ...If only Okonogi had turned red too, as he walked briskly towards her...
	  Okonogi:
	  "Ch-"
	  Chloe:
	  "Lo-?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!"^
	  Chloe:
	  "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeppp?!?!"
	  Zzdddgggsshabwagoooooon.
	  A blow more than powerful enough to split the heavens and the earth was dealt upon the top of Chloe's head...
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "Hey, Miyao. Are you awake?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Hmm? What's up?"
	  #bbdd99"Koshka" invited you to a room poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "It's rare for you to invite me."
	  Koshka:
	  "Miyao. Are you...good at it?"
	  Miyao:
	  "At what?"
	  Koshka:
	  "WanyaDora..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh? WanyaDora? ...I don't know about good, but I guess I'm all right."
	  Koshka:
	  "I want you to help me."
	  Miyao:
	  "Sorry, but I don't understand what you're saying..."
	  In other words...
	  Lilja:
	  "Mmmeoooow!! That's a 13 combooooo, meeeeew!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Gaaaaaaaaaah, I lost agaaaaaaain!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Koshka, you're such a mook, such a hick, so *kero*kero*, meowmeowmeooow!!"
	  Gaah,/
	   gaaaah,/
	   gaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!
	  Miyao:
	  "...And so, you want my help."
	  Koshka:
	  "It's not that she's good. She just has OP monsters!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Damage absorption and slimy attributes are totally unfaaaaaaair!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Ah, you mean Lilja's main, the SSR 40-Year-Old Chubby Wanyan? Yeah, that is absurdly strong. I get you there."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, if you're up against a slimy monster, you should be able to counter with a scrubby monster. There are some famous ones, like the Sugar Scrub Munchkin, or the Licky Wanyan."
	  Koshka:
	  "...I don't have either of those."
	  Koshka:
	  "If I did, I wouldn't have lost! That's the last time I ask you for help!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Makes sense. You started playing WanyaDora recently, after all... The game went through a period of monster ability power creep, so people with monsters from that era do have a bit of an unfair advantage."
	  Koshka:
	  "So, ...I did some research, looking for a way to beat that *kero*kero* *croak*croak* Lilja."
	  In other words, she had poked through a few walkthrough sites.
	  From there, she had learned all sorts of things, like what sorts of monsters she should raise, and what sorts of items she'd need...
	  Koshka:
	  "...I need 800 Stardust Scrubs...right now."
	  Miyao:
	  "Ah, and you can get a lot of those in that event dungeon they're doing now."
	  Miyao:
	  "...So is that what this is about? You want me to earn a bunch of those, and then just give them all to you?"
	  Koshka:
	  "None of the items I have are anything you'd want."
	  Miyao:
	  "And that's your reason for forcing me to work for free...?"
	  Koshka:
	  "My level's lower, so of course I won't have any items you like."
	  Miyao:
	  "Then pay me with something outside the game! Even if we're friends, I'm not gonna work for nothing, okay?"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Then what should I do?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm, good question. Okay, how about that? ...You know I like cat videos, right?"
	  Koshka:
	  "So do I."
	  Miyao:
	  "So... How about you find me 10 cat videos I've never seen before?"
	  Koshka:
	  "No trouble at all. I'll send you my cat folder."
	  Sending "Secret Meow Meow Folder Meow" to "Miyao" poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Oooooh. You've got a whole bunch of them! Lemme just use a checker to see if we've got any dupes..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh? They're almost all dupes! Only seven of them are cat videos I've never seen before."
	  Koshka:
	  "...So, I'm just three short."
	  Miyao:
	  "Go ahead and find them somewhere. And I'll send you my folder too."
	  Koshka loved cat videos, but Miyao loved them even more, and had apparently been gathering them for even longer.
	  In fact, ...he had probably used all sorts of video-collecting AI programs to get this many.
	  It wouldn't be easy to find even just three videos he had never seen before.
	  Miyao:
	  "Of course, if they're high quality, I'll work even harder!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I get it. I'll find them somewhere..."
	  ...I'm no fool. There's no way I'll find them just surfing the net.
	  Which means...instead of searching, I'll have to make one.
	  I'm sure I know someone who owns a cat...
	  Gunhild:
	  "That's right, I have two munchkin cats."
	  Koshka:
	  "Please, take a video of them!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I refuse."
	  Koshka:
	  "Why?!!"
	  Just like how there's facial recognition software for humans, there's now similar software for identifying cats. So, it would be possible to determine their owner.
	  While some people enjoy watching cat videos, other people will make irritating complaints, saying that you love them too much and that you aren't caring for them properly, or that you're abusing them, and so on.
	  So, some cat owners don't want to upload videos of their cats, hoping to avoid people like that.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I see. So, you're doing this as a condition for getting Miyao's help."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's true that Miyao has been playing WanyaDora for a long time. And he'd probably be good at collecting Stardust Scrubs."
	  Koshka:
	  "I don't know anyone else who owns a cat. If I can't use you, I'm stuck..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, it's not as though I'm not tempted to share the cuteness of my cutest little kiddies with the whole world."
	  Koshka:
	  "You should treasure that feeling!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...And so, she asked for something in exchange? Then why did you come to me?"
	  Koshka:
	  "I don't really get it, but she told me to ask you for something, and that she'd help me if you said yes."
	  Chloe:
	  "She wanted to ask me for something? Using you?"
	  Koshka:
	  "...It was something about her wanting you to take that virtual experience movie you only made a preview for last year...and actually produce it."
	  Chloe:
	  "Fuhyoh＞＜?! I-I-I have no idea what you're talking about＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "I have no idea what she's talking about, but she said it was called Forbidden Rose Training, a Closed Room with-"^
	  Chloe:
	  "Ugyaaaaaaah, bugeeeeeeeeeh, bubyoooooooooooohhh!!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Of course, I have no idea what that means. So, unless you take this Forbidden Rose-"^
	  Chloe:
	  "Bubibyoooooooo, bubo, fugoooooooooooooo＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "...And announce that you'll be producing it, Gunhild won't take cat videos for me."
	  Chloe:
	  "I absolutely refuse. I don't know what you're talking about."
	  Koshka:
	  "If you won't do it for me, I'll get Okonogi to ask you in my place."
	  Chloe:
	  "I absolutely accept. But in that case, I have a request too＞＜"
	  Jayden:
	  "You want me to lend you my avatar data? And I'm not allowed to ask what you're using it for? Hang on, even from a friend, that kind of request is just creepy."
	  Koshka:
	  "Well, I'm sure it'll be used for something creepy..."
	  Koshka:
	  "I'm used to this by now. Tell me what you want, okay? What can I get you in exchange for your avatar data?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Hmm, okay. But it won't come cheap."
	  Lilja:
	  "Myuuu? You want me to get a ticket for a Finland beauty contest meooow?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Finland's the country with the most beautiful people in the world meow! Jayden's got good taste meow!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I'm pretty sure Russia's the best in the world, but I'll let that slide for now... You're a citizen of the area it's being held in, so it should be easy for you to get tickets."
	  Lilja:
	  "Why should I have to do what you say for free meow?"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Of course you'd say that. Come on, tell me what you want."
	  Koshka:
	  "...Lilja wants 800 Stardust Scrubs from that WanyaDora event, so she said she'd help...if I got you to help with that."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wait a sec. ...So you want me to get you 800 scrubs in exchange for the cat videos, and 800 more to help Lilja...? How many thousand do you expect me to get for you...?"
	  Koshka:
	  "So, you won't help me unless I bring you some cat videos, is that it? I know, because you already told me."
	  Koshka:
	  "...So, I'll go find someone who might be able to record some of those cat videos you love so much. ...Come to think of it, I hear Gunhild has some munchkin cats..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, okay, I get it! Fine, I'll help!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Really?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I get the feeling that if I don't, this endless loop will get power creeped to hell..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Miyaooooooo!! I love yoooooou!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Whoa. It's been a while since it shook that much."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're exaggerating. It's no big deal unless it's shaking vertically."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I wonder where the epicenter is. ...Keropoyo, is there any news about earthquakes today?"
	  There seems to be information about earthquakes centered in AOU Russia's central Siberia, near Tromsø in AOU Norway, in COU Singapore, and in LATO Ecuador poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Earthquakes are all about luck. No matter where you are, you're gonna get hit sooner or later."
	  Jayden:
	  "If we ever get one, I hope it happens when we're flying in the air with Gauntlets."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Even if it doesn't hit you, it can be tragic when it hits people close to you."
	  There's an addendum to Keropoyo's Earthquake Updates poyo! This earthquake has been identified as a modern simultaneous earthquake poyo! Money has been paid out to the affected cities from the World Earthquake Response Fund poyo!
	  Furthermore, this money is being provided from the proceeds of the World Earthquake Response Fund's Heart-Pounding Miracle Restoration Lottery poyo! Make sure you buy lots and lots of tickets to help with the restoration poyooo!!
	  nd now, get ready!! It's time to announce the results of our latest Heart-Pounding Miracle Restoration Lottery poyooo!!!
	  Jayden:
	  "Dang, I'm pretty sure I put my bet on Eurasia..."
	  Miyao:
	  "After all, they haven't had one in a while. I was betting on Latin America, so Ecuador means I'm screwed."
	  Jayden:
	  "How did you do, Gunhild?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I bought mine hoping I wouldn't win. I bet on a whole bunch of places, in the hopes that countries all around the world would be lucky."
	  Miyao:
	  "I guess that makes sense. The whole point of this raffle is to help restore countries hit by earthquakes."
	  Jayden:
	  "You say that, but if you won with that, you'd make a killing, right?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheheh. Well, it's true that it'll be worth quite a lot if I win."
	  Miyao:
	  "About how much?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "At a rough estimate, I'd say about 100 million krona. That's around 11,000,000 US Dollars."
	  Jayden:
	  "Whooooooa, talk about raking it in!! I keep worrying about whether I should try for a jackpot I won't get, or increase my chances and crush my dreams...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "That sounds like the line of someone who doesn't really have any worries."
	  Jayden:
	  "Shut up! If I win, I'll share it with you!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Seriously, partner?! I freakin' love you!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheh. I suppose people who don't worry really are happier."
	  ll the affected cities have our heartfelt sympathy poyo! Compassionate people around the world, please buy Heart-Pounding Miracle Restoration Lottery tickets for the sake of these cities as well poyooo!!
	  n extremely small percentage of the lottery's earnings will be used to manage the fund, and all the rest will be sent to the affected cities poyooo!!
	  The lottery is very simple!! You just have to guess which places won't be hit the next time a modern simultaneous earthquake occurs, and cover the map with your selections poyo!
	  The more places you select, the greater your winnings will be!! I absolutely recommend filling in the whole world, in the hopes of preserving world peace poyooo!!
	  Here's some related information poyo!
	  "Lack of financial transparency at the office of the World Earthquake Response Fund! The director's living a first-class life of leisure!"
	  "When someone wins big, it doesn't get designated as a modern earthquake?! Their mysterious definition criteria are setting the net aflame?!"
	  "The Absolute Victory Magazine is looking for VIP readers! Apparently, that famous entertainer read this magazine and won big!" Wow, people sure are greedy poyo!
	  Instructor:
	  "These earthquakes hit simultaneously in several areas across the globe, caused by a mechanism that remains unknown. We now refer to them as `modern simultaneous earthquakes'."
	  Instructor:
	  "Until recently, most earthquakes were caused by movement along fault lines beneath the earth's crust as a result of plate tectonics. For that reason, they tended to be concentrated around the borders between plates."
	  Instructor:
	  "However, modern earthquakes don't follow this rule at all. And, the mechanism which causes them is still a mystery. We have no idea why they would occur at random all around the world, and simultaneously at that."
	  Instructor:
	  "All we know is that modern earthquakes were first observed in the A3W world."
	  Instructor:
	  "Some theorize that they're caused by the massive environmental damage the planet suffered during World War III, while others believe Environmental 8MS caused it somehow. Still others place the blame on excessive extraction of Spiritium, or some combination of the above theories, but no firm answer has yet been reached."
	  In the B3W world, people naturally assumed that earthquakes tended to cluster around certain areas, while other areas rarely had them at all.
	  However, ever since modern earthquakes were spotted in the A3W world, no city in the world had been safe from the threat of earthquakes.
	  Fortunately, thanks to 4D-printing construction techniques that had been used in the A3W restoration, as well as the spread of Anti-Earthquake 8MS, earthquake-resistant buildings had rapidly spread all across the globe, limiting the destruction caused by these events.
	  They say that once, people who lived in earthquake-free areas would be terrified whenever they encountered an earthquake, but by now, everyone on Earth was more or less used to it...
	  s a side note, when the World Earthquake Response Fund was first created, earthquake-resistant structures hadn't yet spread across the planet, so damage due to earthquakes was great, and the fund was absolutely vital poyo!
	  Now, there are almost no human casualties, so some poor local governments will start complaining that "if only a modern earthquake hit us, we'd be able to balance the budget!" So basically, it's an earthquake lottery for local governments too poyo
	   *keeeero*kero*kero*!
	  Lilja:
	  "What is this place, a game salon?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "So it would seem. It appears to be based off a place that actually exists."
	  Miyao:
	  "Isn't this..."
	  Jayden:
	  "That's right!! Warcats, Grave Moles! Welcome to the game salon Armageddon!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "What's up with that name?"
	  Chloe:
	  "It's a bit scary... Game salons are those dangerous places where delinquents hang out, right...?＞＜"
	  Miyao:
	  "What era are you talking about? That info's way out of date..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Not true! Chloe's half wrong, but half right! This game salon is a gathering place not for delinquents, but for warriors!! And it's also extremely dangerous!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "...First we get called over to one of Jayden's virtual rooms, then we find out it's a game salon, and now Jayden's getting all hyper. What the heck's going on meow?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "At any rate, I'd like to know what this is all about."
	  Jayden:
	  "Very well! If I tell you this is a matter that concerns the pride of the AOU Aerial Augmented Infantry and the disparagement of Gauntlet Knights everywhere, I'm sure you can guess what it's about!!"^
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah, okay, that's enough. I think I can figure out the rest."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'll bet he was just beaten up and insulted by someone in a Gauntlet Knight video game or something."
	  Chloe:
	  "...O-Online games are scary＞＜ Lots of really rude people play them."
	  Lilja:
	  "Then all you've gotta do is turn voice chat off meow. And I'll bet you provoked them like hell, Jayden meow."
	  Jayden:
	  "It's not like that!! I did start with voice chat off!! But then, this guy got a cheap win by exploiting a bug in the system!! Still, a loss is a loss. He sent a request for voice chat, and I thought I'd praise him for his victory, while also warning him that dirty tricks like that wouldn't work in the real world..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, okay. And while you were being a sore loser, it escalated into a big fight. ...Is our supergenius a little kid, or what?"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I can't understand why you'd train as a Gauntlet Knight, and then do the same thing again in a game during your time off."
	  Lilja:
	  "So, why did you call us here meow?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...They probably said they'd bring their friends over to settle this with a team match, or something."
	  Chloe:
	  "U-Umm, is this really okay?! We are soldiers, after all-"
	  Jayden:
	  "It's fine. They don't know who we are. The chat even has a voice changer, so there's no way anyone will know who anyone else is."
	  Miyao:
	  "Of course. True, it's only a game, but you can't just say `I'm a professional Gauntlet Knight, but I lost in a Gauntlet Knight video game!'"
	  Miyao:
	  "This is idiotic, but my partner got beaten up, so I'm not gonna just stand by and watch."
	  Jayden:
	  "Miyaooooooo!! You really are a great partner!"
	  Lilja:
	  "...There's no need for Grave Mole to take part in this meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "This is happening a lot today."
	  Gunhild:
	  "What did you just say?"
	  Chloe:
	  "N-No, no, no, it's nothing, nothing I tell you＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "We may not look it, but we're really busy right now meow. You Warcats can deal with your own problems meow."
	  Jayden:
	  "Come on, don't be like that!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, she's got a point. This person picked a fight with the Warcats. We'll handle it ourselves!"
	  Koshka:
	  "You do that. We've got our own fights to settle. We don't have time for you."
	  Miyao:
	  "What's that? Did the same kind of thing happen to you too?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Chloe was politely playing this game, when some creep started picking on her and saying horrible things meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "That person was all full of themselves, so we Grave Moles decided to take them down."
	  Chloe:
	  "W-Well, umm... We ended up deciding that we couldn't gauge our true strength unless we fought kette against kette...＞＜"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey, that sounds just like what happened to Jayden."
	  Gunhild:
	  "The two stories really are exactly the same."
	  Lilja:
	  "Anyway, it's almost the time we scheduled to crush Chloe's opponent, so we'll catch you later meow."
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh, you're starting up soon too? They're even happening at the same time. It's like the Warcats and the Grave Moles are connected by the bonds of fate!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-Y-Yes, it does seem that way...＞＜/
	   Th-Then it's about time we got going..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Good luck in your fight too! The Warcats and the Grave Moles are both the best in the AOU!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Of course meow! And we won't forgive you if you lose pathetically meooow!"
	  Koshka:
	  "If you're too pathetic, people might think we're not so hot either."
	  Jayden:
	  "I get it! Let's both win and come back with an awesome story to tell!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "W-Well, ...there's no need to get that fired up..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "By the way, Jayden, what exactly were you arguing about?"
	  Jayden:
	  "That cheater kept using these moves that were practically bugs! That *kero*kero* *kero*kero*, *kero*kero*kero*kero*kerooooo*!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...I imagine most people would snap after hearing abuse like that."
	  Gunhild:
	  "And Chloe, how might his opponent have responded to that?"
	  Chloe:
	  "It's mean to say things like that!＞＜ It's not a bug, it's a feature! And anyway, they were using reload dash cancels! Don't act like I'm the only one at fault! You're the real *kero*kero*! *croak*croak*! *ribbit*ribbit*!!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "You *ribbit*ribbit*croak*croak*!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Not as much of a *croooak*croak*croak* as you, *hop*hop*!!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "*croak*hop*! *croak*hop*!!"
	  Both:
	  ""*croak*ribbit*hop*!!!""
	  Gunhild:
	  "Amazing. Their chorus is in perfect harmony."
	  Koshka:
	  "You two, stop being stupid and get ready to go."
	  Lilja:
	  "We're off to teach a lesson to the wise guy who said mean things to Chloe!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Same here!! I've looked up all sorts of exploits and bugs! I'll send them to Miyao and Gunhild too!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Are you, the Supergenius Jayden of the AOU's #1 kette, really so determined to win...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "I am!! I definitely want to beat the guy who used such cheap, cheating moves, graaaaaaaah...!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sheesh... They must really have fought dirty against you... I'll definitely avenge you!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Miyaoooooooo!! I'm so glad you're my partner, seriously!"
	  Chloe:
	  "......Hwah......hwah......＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Don't worry meow! With me and Koshka on your side, there's no way you'll lose meow!"
	  Koshka:
	  "The fact that you don't cheat is the only thing you have going for you, Chloe. I won't forgive whoever called you a cheater, ...just because they were a sore loser!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Hwah...hwah...hwaaaah...＞＜"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Chloe... Come to think of it, did you ever finish that report you were making for Instructor Okonogi?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Huh? What report?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Did you ever finish it?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Huh?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, did you?"
	  Chloe:
	  "...A-Aaaaaaaah!!! I-I-I totally forgot about that＞＜ I'm so sorry, Lilja, Koshka! I...umm...uhh...have something I suddenly need to do, so sorry but I'm leaving now＞＜"
	  "Chloe" left the room poyo!
	  Lilja:
	  "Whaaaat!? H-Hey, wait meow, Chloe!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I don't get it."
	  "Lilja" and "Koshka" left the room poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Dang, tough luck for Grave Mole. Okay, let's get going!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah! Let's do it, partner!! Gunhild, watch my back, okay?!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Okay, okay. Well, I guess I'll eat something salmiak-flavored while leisurely waiting for our opponents. ...Though I imagine they'll keep us waiting for quite some time. Heheh."
	  Welcome to the Selcom Shop poyooo!
	  What's that? You're asking what a Selcom is? Come on, guest, you come to a Selcom Shop and start asking what a Selcom is? Who are you, Kai*** Yuuzan poyoooooooo?!!!
	  Umm, anyway, sir! A Selcom is the ultimate in wearable technology! It's a system that places a smartphone directly in your brain poyo!
	  To start, valued customer, please attach this Selcom Sheet to the underside of your left upper arm poyo.
	  Why your left upper arm, you ask? ............
	  I don't know that poyoooo!! All those brilliant researchers and engineers said to stick it there poyoooo!! Don't ask me poyooooooo!!
	  Okay, did you stick it on poyo? How do you feel? Can you see the display inside your brain poyo? If you're one of those modern kids with a high P3 level, you should see a fresh image right away poyo.
	  If you can't see it at all, or if it's fuzzy and you can't see it too well, I recommend adjusting your Internal 8MS, undergo PP training, or else give it up already poyooo!
	  Just kidding poyo. I recommend our beginner's course called Easy PP Training for Selcom poyo! Try taking that if you suck poyo!
	  Now then, if you can see an image, you just need to answer some questions with your mental tablet poyo!
	  You can't use your mental tablet well?! For customers like you, I recommend our beginner's course called Mental Tablet Training poyo!
	  Were you able to fill it in poyo? Then congratulations! Welcome to the world of Selcom poyo!
	  Now, you can browse the whole world's internet inside your head, and send and receive messages poyo!!
	  nd you can install whatever apps you want, from apps that can save anything you see with the naked eye as an image, to facial recognition apps, to game apps and video search apps poyo! However, running apps simultaneously will put stress on your brain, so I recommend starting slow poyooo.
	  lso! With your plan, you get the communication app "Keropoyo" pre-installed poyo
	   No matter how much you hate me, I can't be erased, so sorry about that poyo
	   *keeero*kero*kero*kero*!
	  Okonogi:
	  "This Selcom stuff is all about dependence! It's the defeat of humanity, you fools!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Here comes Okonogi's Selcom allergy again..."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "He says that, but he's using it too. It's not fair...＞＜"
	  Okonogi:
	  "The human brain is a muscle! It gets stronger the more you use it, and weaker the more dependent you are
	   You keep looking everything up on the net, saving it as data without trying to memorize it! Keep that up, and you'll become a Selcom human!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "You Selcom brats, if your Selcom breaks down, what would you even be able to do, until you got to a Selcom Shop to get it fixed?! You'd get stuck trying to diddle yourself while you piddle yourself!
	   Don't let your brain slack off!
	   Brains are all about guts!! Learn with your brain, with your body
	   Muscles muscles,
	   brains brains!!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "I don't even know what he's saying anymore..."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Ahahaha... But I understand what he's trying to say. A Selcom isn't something people are born with. His point is that, if we rely on it too much, then what good are we as humans...?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Well, I'm not sure that's much of a problem in the AOU, where humans are born in electric incubators."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "After all, humans are animals that can't live without clothing..."
	  Okonogi:
	  "This era takes memorization too lightly! In my day, there was no Selcom! When we memorized stuff, all we had to rely on was our guts! Our multiplication tables, historical timelines, the periodic table, the value of pi! But when you learn something with guts, you'll never forget it!! I still know pi to 30 digits even without a Selcom!! 3.14159265359......"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Lame, he got the 11th place after the decimal wrong... And anyway, memorization is only one of the brain's powers, right? If the last generation's education system gave out grades for that one ability alone, isn't that pretty pathetic?"
	  The appearance of Selcom brought an end to the idea of education through memorization.
	  However, there were still many adults who incorrectly assumed that toiling to memorize things was the same as studying...
	  People who suffer have the bad habit of wanting to make the next generation suffer the same way. And in particular, people who work extremely hard for relatively little benefit tend to assume that suffering is the most essential part of training.
	  Older people like that must have hated Selcom technology quite a lot...
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Selcom fundamentally destroyed the education system's purpose and significance... But I understand what the Instructor is trying to say."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "We are humans, after all. ...I think it's wrong to take the power of life lightly."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "...The power...of life."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Well, it's true that only humans can perform a Dreissig Conversion."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "That's right. We're only able to become Gauntlet Knights because we're humans, right?"
	  Spiritium is the power source of this new era, extracted from the planet.
	  And the most efficient method of transforming it into energy...is the Dreissig Conversion.
	  Only humans could do that. Robots and drones couldn't.
	  So, the power of the Gauntlet Knights...was the power of life.
	  ...I'm pretty sure Dad said something like that.
	  What do you know, that's pretty cool...
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "So, you shouldn't take the power of life lightly, huh? ...That's seriously cool, Chloe."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Huh? Th-Thank you very much...!"
	  Search suggestions activated poyo!
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Huh? What's this? I just got a search suggestion."
	  Could it be that the line you're looking for is "Don't you dare take the power of life lightly!" poyo?!
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Hmm? That sounds pretty close? Is that from something?"
	  It is poyo!! With 98% confidence, the source of that line has been identified as the adults-only women's comi-
	  Chloe:
	  "Don't you dare search for stuff on your own, you shitty frooooooog, karate chooooooooop＞＜"
	  Miyao:
	  "...D-Did I really do something so bad...that it deserved...two karate chops......"
	  Your Selcom has encountered an error poyo?! I suggest you reboot poyooo, *croak*croak*
	  Chloe:
	  "...Sorry, Miyao... You only have that Outie Frog to blame. Amen."
	  Okonogi:
	  "......Ch-"
	  Chloe:
	  "Lo...?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Eeeeeeeeeeee!!! What do you think you're doing while someone's lecturing youuuuuuuuuuuu?!!! Time for a stunning Okonogi divine retribution spirit-raising chooooooooop!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Aiiieeeeeeeeeeee...!!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "You foooooooools!! Didn't I tell you not to barf in the simulator, you nincompoops!! I'll beat your guts and inner ears into shape!!!"
	  Several trainees were lined up, getting scolded harshly by their instructor.
	  Gauntlet Knights moved in complicated and strange ways. It was more than enough to make your average human sick, even in a simulator.
	  Gunhild:
	  "There's no way around this except getting used to it..."
	  Miyao:
	  "It makes sense though, considering how expensive simulators are. Once you start feeling bad, you eject right away. That's an ironclad rule."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, since it'll hurt your grades if you eject, it's no surprise people try to hold it in..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Here, it only earns you a scolding, but in the sky, it would kill you. There's not much you can tell them except `give it your all.'"
	  Miyao:
	  "I've never thrown up, ...but I guess doing that is pretty standard, right?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, you're a Gauntlet Knight kid who's been flying in the simulator ever since you were a baby. Normally, you have to fill up several buckets before you get it down."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I was particularly weak, so I probably threw up enough to fill an oil drum. ...Traits you're born with play a big role here."
	  Miyao:
	  "You mean it's like that saying, about how you do your best with the cards dealt to you...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "To be honest, I'm incredibly jealous of people like you, who had a full house the moment the cards were dealt out. Heheh."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Still, that doesn't mean I underestimate the effort you've put in up to this point."
	  Miyao:
	  "...So, sometimes... If the cards you're dealt are bad, your dreams will never come true, no matter how hard you work?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "That can happen. It's hardly surprising, is it?"
	  Miyao:
	  "But...everyone says you can make your wishes come true, if you work hard enough."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you don't say that, ...no one will have hope in their lives."
	  The trainees were forced to clean the simulators they'd dirtied.
	  However, their instructor's harsh lecture seemed to be continuing.
	  Okonogi:
	  "You blockheads, you idiots!! If it smells even a little bit, I'll make you clean all night!! There's nothing I hate more than a girl's vomit!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "The Aerial Augmented Infantry doesn't need anyone who lacks guts and resolve! If you're gonna be little boys and girls who cry at something like this, just quit already!! Hey! Are you listening to me?!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "And anyway, speaking of your grades...!! How the hell did you sneak around the tests to get this far?! Did you cheat because you wanted to come here and vomit in the simulator?! Well?! Just quit! If you've got no talent, just quit!!"
	  Some of the kids had tears in their eyes...
	  It certainly wasn't as though the trainees lacked talent.
	  On the contrary, you needed to surpass huge hurdles to become a trainee and get to use the simulators.
	  However, getting to the next step and actually earning the honor of wearing a Gauntlet...was something even fewer people were capable of.
	  Miyao:
	  "...I wonder what happens...to people who aren't able to become Gauntlet Knights."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Gauntlet Knight training isn't like anything that the other branches of the military have. Apparently, they think what we do is practically a kind of esport."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Trainees are treated as students, so it'll be as if they simply graduated from school. However, they've spent their precious young years doing nothing but train to become Gauntlet Knights. ...I hear they tend to have trouble figuring out what to do later on in life."
	  Miyao:
	  "...So, for people who look like they don't have a chance, ...maybe it's kinder to finish them off right now, and give them a chance to prepare for the rest of their lives...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'm sure people like Chloe would say that."
	  Miyao:
	  "I...don't like bullying my underclassmen."
	  Gunhild:
	  "*giggle* Well, I have seen you scolding their flight data quite harshly."
	  Miyao:
	  "I do that because I think it'd be great if they could grow and become our comrades flying in the sky. ...And after beating them up with their mistakes, I do make a point of encouraging them."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheh, I know that."
	  Supposedly, there weren't even 150,000 people in the whole world with P3 levels high enough to control a Gauntlet.
	  And on top of that, though other countries didn't announce specific numbers, ...Miyao and the others were pretty sure that only about 1000 people in the whole world had actually succeeded in becoming Gauntlet Knights.
	  ...In other words, ...the dreams of almost all the people here...would never come true.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Unless you're a supergenius, like you or Jayden..."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm not a supergenius."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'm......"
	  Gunhild:
	  "No, I must have been a supergenius too. ...The insane level of effort it took for a normal person like me to crawl up this high...must have been a sort of talent on par with a supergenius."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Do you think most of the people getting scolded over there...will fail?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Unless Instructor Okonogi's karate chops cause a disruption in their brains and drastically increase their P3 levels, ...yeah, probably."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Then, speaking statistically, ...do you think what they need most is a notice of expulsion, so they can return to their normal lives...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Emotionally speaking, that's a harsh way of putting it. ...However, statistically speaking, that's right."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's best to leave the job of Gauntlet Knight to the supergeniuses. ...Sadly, for a normal person to become one using only the power of dreams, ...it takes a truly insane amount of effort."
	  Miyao:
	  "So you're saying you should limit your dreams only to what you're capable of......?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'm sorry if putting it that way feels unsatisfying to a boy like you, Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao...wanted to cheer them on. To encourage them hard, increasing the chances of them reaching their dreams by even 1%.
	  However, statistically speaking, ...their dreams almost certainly wouldn't come true.
	  In that case, encouraging them was pointless.
	  It meant that trash-talking them like the instructor and getting those without talent to quit right away...was the right thing to do.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Limit your dreams to what you're capable of. ...I think what you just said was wise."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Back when humanity was still expanding, it may have been possible to encourage people irresponsibly, telling them to chase their dreams or die trying. ...However, we already live in a twilit era. If we care about their individual lives, ...I think it's our responsibility to clearly tell people when they don't have talent."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Gunhild, ...you really did work incredibly, incredibly hard, didn't you?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "Earlier, ...didn't you say that you still have nightmares about studying or taking tests?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Well now, did I say something like that?"
	  Miyao:
	  "But still, you can look at it another way. ...No, wait, maybe this is just how a guy would see it."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Let's hear it."
	  Miyao:
	  "Even if your dreams don't come true in the end, ...if you know that you at least threw yourself at the problem, giving it everything you had, ...wouldn't that make it easier to live with yourself in the end?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "............"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Is that...how it works?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm... No, Dad is always saying it."
	  Miyao:
	  "When I was little, he said that even if I worked hard to become a Gauntlet Knight and failed, ...as long as I really gave it my all, I should never regret what I did."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Your father says good things."
	  Miyao:
	  "Effort doesn't always lead to results. ...That can make you feel pretty empty, depending on how you look at it."
	  Miyao:
	  "But I still think...that effort is never a waste."
	  Miyao:
	  "It'll definitely become your strength."
	  Miyao:
	  "It's true that not many people can become Gauntlet Knights, unless they're blessed with rare talent. However, ...I don't think all roads in this world are that harsh."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...That's true. If someone was able to work hard enough to become a Gauntlet Knight trainee, they'll surely be able to work hard in other parts of their lives."
	  Miyao:
	  "Compared to becoming Gauntlet Knights, most other future paths and jobs really can be overcome with hard work! Even if the people who threw up and were forced to clean it never become Gauntlet Knights, I believe they've already gained the strength they'll need."
	  No, that's not quite right.
	  I want to make them work much, much, much harder, to see the limits of the power they hold.
	  Miyao:
	  "If they were able to get this far, then whether they become Gauntlet Knights or not, ...I'll never forget them, ...and I'll think of them as precious fellow Gauntlet Knights."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Miyao walked up to the trainees who were cleaning.
	  To them, Miyao was an elite among elites. And also a person they admired.
	  They all stopped what they were doing and stood at attention.
	  Miyao told them they didn't have to stop for his sake, and at the same time, he seemed to be opening the data from their training just now in his mental display.
	  Then, he began one of his classic harsh lectures.
	  It certainly was harsh. It was probably even harsher after they had been insulted so thoroughly by their instructor.
	  However, Miyao wasn't just giving them meaningless words of abuse.
	  He was showing them data and explaining things in detail.
	  He kept showing them this and this and this that they'd done wrong, but they were all reasonable criticisms, and furthermore, they were all accompanied by reasonable advice on how to improve.
	  Then, at the end, ...he made sure to point out things that each one of them was good at, and things that each had done well during this training session.
	  Some of the kids even seemed to be turning red and breaking into tears.
	  Gunhild thought.
	  His best feature clearly was the way he looked after others.
	  And perhaps that was something that had been encouraged...by the fact that he was ciconia-born.
	  Miyao sometimes ragged on his father, ...but surely, he didn't really feel that way.
	  His father must have been good at looking after others too.
	  Maybe that was why Miyao was good at looking after his underclassmen.
	  Gunhild watched this from afar, all alone...
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Miyao, ...at first, I hated you people..."
	  Was it hate, or jealousy?
	  These people knew no suffering...and kept on winning without any effort, grasping their dreams as though it was only natural.
	  For me, it meant studying hard enough to have nightmares, but you people got the hang of it as infants, like it was a game.
	  Do you realize how much...the mere fact that you were geniuses hurt me?
	  Gunhild:
	  "However, ...I've changed my mind now, Miyao. ...The fact that you had talent...was just a coincidence."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Even if you didn't have talent, I'm sure you would've used every bit of strength you had, and even if you didn't become a Gauntlet Knight, ...you would've turned that into a wonderful page in the book of your youth, stepping forward boldly into your next life."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...If only I had met you much, much sooner-"
	  I might have become a completely different person than I am now.
	  And I'm sure I would've been able to like that person...much more than I like myself now.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Right now, ...I really do love you."
	  Miyao:
	  "Lilja! You're focusing too much on remotely controlling your drones! You forgot where your own body was!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Fugya?! Th-Th-That's not true meow! Stop making things up meow!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Koshka, you need to focus more! My moment of weakness just now was something you'd normally be all over!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Nngg, ...I'm just slow because I'm hungry...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Chloe! Are you sure you're supporting Lilja and Koshka enough?! You were having fun on your own again, weren't you?!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I-I'm so sorry, I was having fun on my oooooooown＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Hey, Miyao!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm? What's up?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Pervert."
	  Miyao:
	  "What?!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Just how long were you staring at us during training meow?"
	  Koshka:
	  "That's right, how much are you gonna stare at us, pervert?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I-It's not like I was watching you like that! I just wanted my comrades' movements to be as good as they could possibly be...!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Who asked you meow?!"
	  Koshka:
	  "We don't need another instructor after Okonogi."
	  Lilja:
	  "Yeah, yeah, meow! Stop acting like our instructor meow!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, don't be so hard on my partner, okay?"
	  Jayden:
	  "It's true he talks too much. Also, he loves spotting people's mistakes 24/7. But you know-"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's not helping!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Owowow... Whoa, hold on, Miyao. You know, you're pretty cute even when you're angry."
	  Jayden:
	  "Ow
	   Gah!
	   No, not the corners
	   Ack, eck!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Okay, I get it. I won't stare at you anymore...!"
	  Miyao sighed and left, while taking out his rage on Jayden.
	  Chloe:
	  "Hey, you didn't have to go so far..."
	  Lilja:
	  "It's a good lesson for that obnoxious Miyao meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "Now we can fly around however we want."
	  Lilja:
	  "Yeah, yeah, meow! Now we can have peace and quiet meow!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "All right, Grave Mole! Time to start your next training! It's gonna be a long time before you get to eat!! AI Controller, work 'em hard without a break!! I'll be out a bit for a meeting. Make sure they don't slack off!"
	  Roger that poyo! Then let's keep on working 'em hard poyooo!!
	  Chloe:
	  "...A lack of sugar in the brain...is rough＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Chloe, your flying is getting more and more...mmmeow."
	  Chloe:
	  "Huh? What is it...?"
	  Koshka:
	  "......Hmmm-"
	  Koshka:
	  "If Miyao were here, ...he'd probably say that your flying is getting sloppier and sloppier."
	  Chloe:
	  "Wah＞＜ Maybe I was getting sloppy, I'm so sorry＞＜"
	  Chloe:
	  "B-But how exactly was it sloppy? How should I have flown...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "I don't know that meow! I just know that Miyao would've complained about it if he'd been here!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'm not Miyao, so I can't think of how you could've done it better..."
	  Chloe:
	  "...I vaguely felt that something was wrong, ...but I don't know what specifically..."
	  Lilja:
	  "...Seriously, ...I can hear Miyao complaining even when he isn't here meow...!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Yeah, it's really irritating..."
	  Lilja:
	  "The moment I think I moved a little badly, ...I instantly hear Miyao's voice in my head meow..."
	  Koshka:
	  "And every time I think `I didn't think that through so well', I hear Miyao yelling at me..."
	  Chloe:
	  "But I can never hear him telling me how to fix it..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Aah, it's so irritating meow!! *scratch*scratch*scratch*!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...I-It's kind of like he's getting even more annoying in my head..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Yeah... This sucks..."
	  Lilja:
	  "AI Controller, time for a quick planning session meow! Give us a quick break meow."
	  Instructor Okonogi ordered me not to let you slack off poyooo.
	  Lilja:
	  "Shut up meow! It's a meeting to improve the effectiveness of our training meoooow!"
	  Then there's no helping it poyooo! Please, take your time poyooo!
	  Koshka:
	  "...Haaaaah."
	  Lilja:
	  "What do you think's going on here meow?"
	  Chloe:
	  "H-Hmmm... Maybe...we're experiencing Miyao scolding withdrawal symptoms."
	  Lilja:
	  "Whaaaaaaaat?! You're saying we've reached the point where we can't calm down unless Miyao yells at us?! Meeeeeeeeeew?!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...Miyao's criticism has always been on the mark. ...I think some of our skills...were nurtured thanks to him..."
	  Koshka:
	  "............Nnnnnnnnnn......"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I...don't want to believe it..."
	  Even though she said that, Koshka was also scratching at her head and seemed very uneasy...
	  Chloe:
	  "...Maybe we really should...go and apologize to Miyao together."
	  Lilja:
	  "Noooooo, I don't wanna, I don't wanna meow, meeeeeeeew!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "......I hate to admit it, ...but whenever I'm about to get into a slump, I'm pretty sure I've been able to figure it out thanks to him...at least once."
	  Lilja:
	  "Meeeeew?! Koshka, you traitor! Are you gonna apologize to him meooow?!"
	  Koshka:
	  "If I apologize before you do, I'll just get that much better than you. I'd gladly bow my head to Miyao if it means I get to look down on you."
	  Chloe:
	  "...Koshka."
	  Koshka:
	  "I don't believe anyone, and I don't acknowledge anyone."
	  Koshka:
	  "But...even I can't help but acknowledge his good points."
	  Lilja:
	  "Koshka?!! Are you telling me Koshka actually has faith in someone meoooow?!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I always choose to do the opposite of you."
	  Lilja:
	  "Then I'll apologize too and get him to nitpick at me meow! I won't let you apologize meow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Screw you, I'll apologize first!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "What's even going on anymore＞＜ What should I dooooooo?!"
	  You've received one email from "Miyao" poyooo!
	  Chloe:
	  "Huh? Hold on a second, you two! I just got an email from Miyao!"
	  Koshka:
	  "So did I..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Me too..."
	  #ff7c77"I'm really sorry I kept staring at you. I didn't mean anything bad by it. ...I just wanted all of us to get strong together."
	  #ff7c77"I won't overstep my bounds again. And I'm very sorry. That's all I have to say."
	  Chloe:
	  "...I'm starting to feel...like we're the ones in the wrong here..."
	  Lilja:
	  "I-I'll send Miyao an email apologizing too meow!! I'll get him to forgive only me meow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "St-Stop screwing around!! I'll get his forgiveness before you do!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-You two...! Apologizing isn't a competition＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Miyao, ...no, Master Miyao, I'm sorry, I'm sorrier, I'm sorriest!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Miyao, I was wrong... I'll send you 10 WanyaDora hearts, so please forgive me..."
	  Lilja:
	  "B-But I'll send you 20 hearts, and 10 leftover rare materials on top of that meow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'll do whatever you ask, so forgive me! Forgive me before Lilja!!!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "...Uh, hello? ...What's up with all these weird emails...?"
	  Well, it was only natural. How else would he react to getting incomprehensible emails from both of them at once?
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "Miyao! You got my email first, right?!"
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "My email touched your heart the most, right meow?!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "...Exactly what kind of competition is this...?"
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "So?!! Which email had the better apology meow?!"
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "Mine?!"
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "Mine's the best meow!!!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "You know... These emails are both pretty heartless..."
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "I don't care, just tell us who won meeeeeeeow!!!"
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "Whose was fastest?! Whose was the most touching?!!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Well, ...if I had to pick, I'd have to say Chloe wins on all counts."
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "What?"
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "Chloeeeeeee?! When did you email Miyao meow?!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Ever since five minutes after we fought, Chloe and I have been emailing each other..."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "That's when we made up, and from then until now, I've been commenting on her flying data again. Well, I've been going a bit easier on her though."
	  Lilja:
	  "Hold on a second, Chloe..."
	  Koshka:
	  "So, ...you acted all calm, while making up with him all on your own...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Well, uhh...＞＜ Everyone in Grave Mole was saying that forgiving Miyao was wrong, and, umm..."
	  Chloe:
	  "But I still did want to hear Miyao's criticism, and you two were really mad, ...so, ...umm... Ehehe...＞＜"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Lilja, Koshka, I'm glad we made up... See you later."
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "See you later meow...♪"
	  Chloe:
	  "...Huh? ...Why do I look like the bad guy now...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Wh-Why are you coming towards me with scary faces?! Lilja, ...Koshkaaa＞＜"
	  Chloe:
	  "Aaiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeee!!!"
	  
	  Koshka:
	  "...Agagagagaga... Wasn't this supposed to end...with Chloe getting torn apart...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Electric shocks...are cheap meow..."
	  Chloe:
	  "Oh, I'm so sorry that I shocked you. And I'm sure you're so sorry you took out your anger on me. ...Yes, let's both apologize."
	  Lilja:
	  "Th-There's no way I'll apologize meow..."
	  Koshka:
	  "...W-Wait... ...Chloe's eyes...are scary."
	  Lilja:
	  "Huh?"
	  Chloe:
	  "I'm so sorry I shocked you. You're so sorry you took out your anger on me. ...Ready, go?"
	  Chloe:
	  "...Oh, what's this? You can't say it...? Perhaps I haven't shocked you enough yet..."
	  Oh, crap. Her eyes are scary. This must be Chloe's dark personality, which only comes out when something weirdly sets her off.
	  Lilja:
	  "It's Evil Chloe..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Also known as...Chloevil..."
	  Chloe:
	  "Ooookay. You know, I think I'll forgive whoever apologizes first."
	  Lilja:
	  "Chloevil...is bad news meow..."
	  Koshka:
	  "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll apologize before Lilja, so I'm sorry."
	  Lilja:
	  "E-E-Even if you're faster, it doesn't count if you don't put your heart into it meow!! O Great and Powerful Chloevil, please stop being angry and forgive just me meooow!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...Hmmmmm. ...Now, which of you...should I forgive...?"
	  Those eyes are serious. Crap. She's really planning to shock us...
	  Chloe:
	  "...Should I pick Lilja...? Or Koshka...? Who will squeal more pleasantly if I shock them, ...I wonder...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Eeeeeep!!! Great Chloevil, please forgive me meow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I won't bully you anymore, so forgive meeeee!!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Chloeeeeeeeee!! What are you slacking off for, what happened to trainiiiiiing?!?!"
	  An Okonogi Chop to the top of the head from behind...made Chloevil's eyes spin upwards.
	  Chloe:
	  "...Huh? ...What...was I...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "...Sh-She's back to normal meow..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Come to think of it, ...the last time we saw Chloevil, an Okonogi Chop fixed it..."
	  Okonogi:
	  "What are you two yammering on about?!! Get back to your training!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "R-R-Roger that meow...!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "What was I doing just now...?＞＜ I can't remember..."
	  Koshka:
	  "The three of us Grave Moles were training together happily...! Come on, Chloe, let's get back to our training...!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Huuuuh...? But for some reason, I'm feeling reeeally good, like I was just doing something reeeally fun..."
	  Lilja:
	  "You're probably just imagining it. Come on, Chloe, let's train together meow...!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...Yes, you're right! Grave Mole, let's resume our training!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...And so, the evil god was sealed away once more..."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Stupid Chloe!! Crap like this is why you have no confidence in yourself!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Geh, aggh! I-I'm so sorry, Instructoooooor＞＜ M-My head's gonna cave in＞＜"
	  Okonogi:
	  "It's about guts and spirit! I'll karate chop some spirit into yoooooou!!!"
	  Bam,
	   thwack,
	   crash!!
	  Koshka:
	  "Hmm? ...Hey, look. Okonogi's karate chopping Chloe again."
	  Lilja:
	  "She must've said something spineless to him again meooow."
	  Koshka:
	  "She lacks so much confidence, she's practically a coward."
	  Lilja:
	  "She's the dregs of Cold Lake meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "...She's the dregs from there, but she's still an ace?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Dregs were all she was ever supposed to be, but then she got an SS rank on the new aptitude test, which had different standards meow. That suddenly changed how they treated her, and now she's got the best grades."
	  Lilja:
	  "I'll bet she really was AOU Canada's top ace from the very start meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "So, she's a victim of those crappy adults..."
	  Cold Lake Air Force Base was well known for being AOU Canada's training ground for elite Gauntlet Knights.
	  Of course, Chloe had possessed enough talent to become an elite since the very beginning.
	  However, the old testing standards hadn't measured her talent properly, so while she was still technically an elite, she was treated as the lowest scorer at Cold Lake.
	  ...No matter how hard humans try to be independently-minded, they're still weak creatures who are easily swayed by what other people think of them.
	  No matter how talented you are, if everyone around you treats you like you're incompetent, ...you'll end up becoming what everyone wants you to be, regardless of how much you struggle.
	  Instead of returning Chloe to her former squad, the Cold Lake instructors had left her where she was.
	  She had the ability to hold her own against the other elites, more or less. But at the end of the day, she kept on just barely losing.
	  They had realized that Chloe's presence allowed the other elites to experience victory, increasing their confidence in themselves.
	  Lilja:
	  "She's just like us meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "...Equipment......"
	  The instant her talent was properly recognized, Chloe's treatment changed abruptly.
	  Everything was different, from the fact that all training was now designed with her at the center, to the way the instructors treated her.
	  As a natural result of this, Chloe's grades were the best, ...but they never quite measured up to the best-in-the-world status that her aptitude test had suggested was possible.
	  Koshka:
	  "The only way you can find happiness with an empty head is if you're Cinderella."
	  Lilja:
	  "Even if you take the dregs and suddenly make them a princess, ...that doesn't mean they'll ever learn to trust the people or the world that did that to them meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "............"
	  Clearly, selfish adult motivations had wounded Chloe's heart in undeniable ways.
	  ...However, the higher-ups hid the fact that they'd damaged someone with enough talent to be chosen as their representative at the Battle Standard Festival.
	  If people knew that the hero representing their nation had been treated like the dregs of her class, that would be inconvenient for the adults involved.
	  Chloe had been convinced of this, ...and publicly, she claimed that she had received an elite education in an ideal environment, ...and that she was truly grateful towards her instructors and superior officers.
	  Koshka:
	  "Where did you hear that?"
	  Lilja:
	  "I just heard some lab coats laughing about it in Geroy meow."
	  Okonogi:
	  "You're too soft on yourself! Show me your spirit, show me your guts! Throw away the person you were before today! If you can't do that, then would you rather quit?! Are you done with Grave Mole?! You wanna go back to Cold Lake?!!"
	  Chloe:
	  ".........! ......＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "That's enough meow."
	  Okonogi:
	  "What'd you say?"
	  Koshka:
	  "If Chloe left Grave Mole, we wouldn't listen to anything you say, and we wouldn't follow anyone's orders at all."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Huuuh?! Wh-What do you think you're-"
	  Lilja:
	  "After all, we're not just Geroy equipment, we're repeat offenders with more than a hundred-year prison sentence meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "Compared to that, there's nothing that can scare us now. Heheheh."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Y-Y-You...youuuuuuuuuuuuu...!!!"
	  No matter how tough he tried to act, Okonogi wasn't allowed to do anything to them except yell at them.
	  After all, they were high-grade equipment that he had been lent from a military research center.
	  So, as usual, his Okonogi chop went straight for-
	  Chloe:
	  "Gyah!
	  langen@^ Ack!
	  langen@^ Why ＞＜ me?!"
	  
	  Okonogi:
	  "Arg!! See, your kette has accepted you, haven't they?! If you have time to cry, use it to up your game so you can drag them forward! Seriously!! *grumble*grumble*...!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "U-Umm, ...thanks...for saving me...!"
	  Koshka:
	  "It's not like I did it to help you."
	  Lilja:
	  "Meeeeew! We've got a tsundere quote on record meow! Woo, woo!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'm hungry. I'll go eat some sweets or something in the meeting room."
	  Lilja:
	  "The salmiak licorice here has no aroma, so it doesn't taste good at all meow."
	  Chloe:
	  "U-Ummm........."
	  The two of them shuffled off.
	  All that remained was Chloe, her head caved in from Okonogi's chop and her eyes opened wide.
	  Fight on, Chloe. You still have rough times ahead.
	  However, it seems that neither Lilja, nor Koshka, nor even Okonogi...want you to leave Grave Mole.
	  Food culture! It's a rich and varied aspect of culture that has blossomed independently in places all over the world poyo!
	  No one would deny that food is one of humanity's greatest pleasures.
	  No matter the era, no matter the place, humanity is always searching for delicious ways to eat.
	  As a result, wonderful foods and drinks have been developed all over the planet.
	  However, evolution doesn't always proceed in a positive direction.
	  Normally, the taste becomes progressively better and better.
	  That's almost always the case, ...but sometimes, this progression flows in other directions.
	  No matter how delicious a food may be, you'll get tired of it if you eat it all the time. You start wanting a change, a surprise.
	  And when these changes and surprises reach a certain point, ...even a delicious, traditional taste loved by the locals...can become something utterly inedible to an outsider.
	  Most such products of misguided evolution are poorly received by foreign travelers, after which they tend to be reconsidered, and sanity is restored...
	  But sometimes...
	  Sometimes, terrifying things are created seemingly for the purpose of driving foreigners away.
	  And the name of one such snack, which evolved in truly remarkable ways in the A3W era, was...
	  That confectionary of Northern Europe,/
	   salmiak licorice poyo!!!
	  Miyao:
	  "Nnngggggg..."
	  Jayden:
	  "...Aaaoooooo..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Ahyahyahyahya!! Hyahyahyahya!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Thanks so much for your entirely expected reaction, you two. I made sure to get it on film."
	  Gunhild sent everyone the video of Miyao and Jayden she had just recorded with her naked eye.
	  Now playing 1 video poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm? You want to record us eating this stuff?"
	  Jayden:
	  "This snack...isn't incredibly spicy, or anything like that, right?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Of course not meow! Salmiak licorice is the snack of the Northern European soul meow!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "See? We can eat it just fine."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Yeah, you seem to be eating it normally."
	  Jayden:
	  "Okay, then as a sign of friendship, I guess I'll have some too."
	  The two of them took these things that looked like dark chocolates, tossed them in the air, and caught them in their mouths.
	  ...Munch, munch/
	  ......munch............
	  ...mu-
	  Jayden:
	  "Bwwwwooooog, nngeeeeeeeeeh...?!?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "It's salty!! It stinks, it stinks like cough medicine!! *cough*cough*!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "What the hell did you feed uuuuus?!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "We wouldn't feed you anything suspicious meow♪"
	  Gunhild:
	  "It may be delicious, but it's not suspicious. *giggle*giggle*"
	  Lilja and Gunhild picked up more of those things sitting on the plate and threw them into their mouths, laughing.
	  They did this quite casually, so it didn't look as though they had tricked Miyao and Jayden into eating a few bad ones mixed in.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Wh-What the hell...? J-Just one more bite..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Nnng, bweh, *cough*cough*!!! I just can't do it!! What the hell is this?!"
	  I told you, it's salmiak licorice, a traditional Northern European confectionery poyoo!
	  Keropoyo answered their question...
	  This treat called salmiak licorice was apparently enjoyable only to Northern Europeans, and it was quite famous for it.
	  In Northern European languages, salmiak means ammonium chloride, so that's naturally a major component of its flavor.
	  As the name suggests, ammonium chloride has a mysterious combination of saltiness and the taste of ammonium, which is quite shocking to the non-Northern European palate.
	  However, to people from Northern Europe, it truly is the taste of home.
	  After all, beyond just chocolates, you'll find salmiak-flavored ice cream, jelly, candies, and even drinks, alcohols, and meat...
	  But that's not all! Terrifyingly (and hilariously so), Northern Europeans will sometimes offer salmiak to foreigners, despite knowing that no one else can stand it!
	  In fact, they'll sometimes even grin and ask if you mind them recording the experience on video...!!
	  Jayden:
	  "Which is what you did just nooooooooooow!!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Ahyahyahyah, hyaaahyahyahyahya!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "There are mild versions designed for foreigners, but that greatly reduces the quality of the flavor."
	  Miyao:
	  "Then let us eat the ones meant for uuuuuuuuus!!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Dammit, we need to get back at them somehow!! Doesn't America have anything like that...?! That's right. Hey, Miyao, can't your Japan do anything about this?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "You mean something Japanese people can eat, but foreigners hate...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Whaaat, no thanks meow! I don't wanna eat anything nasty meow!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "That wouldn't be fair. The two of them have the right to launch a counterattack."
	  Gunhild:
	  "However, we are of course prepared to respond in kind."
	  Miyao:
	  "In that case... Well, it's not a sweet, ...but natto should do the trick. No, wait, it's the smell that got us, so we should probably strike back with kusaya...!"
	  Lilja:
	  "...Kusaya?? Okay, Keropoyo, search for it meow."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...It seems to be...a horribly smelly dish."
	  Lilja:
	  "No meow!! I hate stuff that stinks that much meow!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "If you don't want to eat it, then you'd better apologize and swear not to prank people with salmiak ever again!"
	  Lilja:
	  "I don't want to eat stinky stuff, but I want to apologize even less meow meow!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "You're the one who tried to feed us first! Apologize or eat kusaya! One or the other! Kusaya has the strongest smell in the world! And I'll make sure we get it on video when we force you to eat it!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Oh? The strongest smell...in the world...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "W-Wait, Miyao. ...It's time to lay down your arms."
	  Miyao:
	  "What's with the sudden change in attitude? What're you so afraid of?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Kusaya has the strongest smell in the world...? And you're saying that to me?"
	  That's right. It is a thing you must never say to someone from Sweden, like Gunhild...
	  Slowly, silently, she pulled a single can out of nowhere and got out a can opener.
	  Lilja:
	  "Gyaaaaaaaah?! That's...s-sur-"
	  Jayden:
	  "Surströmming...!!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...What's that?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Eheheheheh... If you put it on flatbread, it's really, really yummy..."
	  Kusaya is the Japanese candidate for smelliest food.
	  Its odor index value is above 1200, around 3 times that of natto.
	  However...^
	  Swedish surströmming's odor index value is...
	  Gunhild:
	  "Over 8000. ...Which is proportional to how delicious it is..."
	  It's a can of salted herring that has been allowed to ferment.
	  The power of its stench is said to be the strongest in the world, and as it continues to ferment even after being packed in a can, it can supposedly reach dangerous levels.
	  Apparently, in the B3W world, a 25-year-old can of surströmming was once found in Sweden...and a bomb disposal unit was called to the scene...
	  Gunhild:
	  "Its taste and smell are the strongest in the world, ...so I might as well take this opportunity to prove it..."
	  Miyao:
	  "H-Hey, calm down, Gunhild...!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Nooo, I'll admit it!! I'll admit that it's the strongest, so stooooop...!!"
	  The conversation ended with the conclusion that Northern Europe is indeed the strongest...
	  However, on a later day, ...this terrifying discussion continued.
	  Chloe:
	  "There are＞＜ There really are super stinky foods from Canada＞＜"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Oh, my. Does Canada also have a king of taste and smell on par with our Swedish surströmming?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Umm, umm, its odor index value is a lot lower, ...but it's still about 1300＞＜"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's about the same as kusaya. Sounds pretty stinky..."
	  Jayden:
	  "I can't even stand natto, which is less than half of that."
	  Koshka:
	  "Even the smell of sweaty men after training makes me wanna throw up."
	  Jayden:
	  "Shut up. Even you smell like an animal sometimes. You should shower more often."
	  Lilja:
	  "...I never thought my little prank would develop into such a terrifying stench war meow..."
	  Miyao:
	  "You call that little?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you're going to say that, then you had better give us a taste. Let's try Canada's ultimate smelly and delicious food."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'll sample it myself and settle this. Please, go ahead and order some of this food."
	  Chloe:
	  "B-B-B-Bring it on＞＜ I'll definitely get you some!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...Well, umm, ...I only know its data though. I've never seen it＞＜"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Hohoh. By the way, what's the name of Canada's smelliest food?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Umm, ...i-it's called kiviak＞＜"
	  Kiviak...?
	  In this era, you could do a search with your mental Selcom as soon as you heard the name.
	  Everyone searched for the food called kiviak on their Selcoms...
	  Gunhild:
	  "...So, kiviak's odor index is 1300...? Heheh, that's no threat."
	  True enough, it was a long ways from surströmming's 8000.
	  So, just what kind of food was it...?
	  It was apparently a traditional Canadian Inuit food.
	  It was made by...stuffing seabirds into a seal skin...and letting it ferment for two years...?
	  And you ate it by...slurping the seabirds' goopy innards...directly through the anus...?
	  Gunhild went pale and started to quiver.
	  Oh, Gunhild. There are all kinds of food in this world. And each is an excellent dish in the land it comes from. None is better or worse than any other.
	  And no matter how good they may be, there's no guarantee that foreigners will appreciate them.
	  Actually, even within the same country, it's common for people to have completely differing opinions about the exact same kind of food.
	  This doesn't change the fact that these foods are wonderful traditions and cultures in the lands they were invented.
	  No matter how disagreeable you find them, you must still respect them. And you mustn't be disrespectful and say one is any better or worse than the other.
	  Gunhild reflected deeply on her mistake, made up with Chloe, and apologized to everyone for what she had done the other day...
	  Jayden:
	  "You said there was mild salmiak too, right? Maybe we'll give that a try."
	  Lilja:
	  "Then, if you get used to it bit by bit, you'll be able to eat the strong stuff, and you'll see what makes salmiak truly amazing meow!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Then you'd better step up to the plate too. There are odorless versions of natto. And it's highly nutritious. Actually, there's also stuff called amanatto, which is kind of like a sweet."
	  Koshka:
	  "...I'm gonna spend the rest of my life eating nothing but cereal and milk."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Still, ...our prank really was on the brink of developing into a massive battle..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Now, I just hope the punch line isn't someone walking in here with a durian parfait meow."
	  Miyao:
	  "...It looks like...we're safe...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Thank goodness＞＜ I don't even want to see super smelly food for a while now...＞＜"
	  However... At that time, ...none of them realized the horror that was sneaking up on them.
	  During her argument with Gunhild, Chloe had gotten a bit overexcited...and had placed an order for kiviak through her Selcom.
	  Chloe herself forgot that she had done this.
	  In small letters on the delivery website, it said: No cancellations... It will take some time to prepare your order, but we will definitely have it ready for you...
	  This kiviak may have acted like the punch line of a joke in this case...
	  However, while its shocking nature and powerful smell may leave quite an impact on foreigners, it was supposedly quite a precious dish to the Inuits, and a must-have at banquets.
	  Apparently, once you overcome the initial hurdles, the truly deep taste of fermented foods can be quite enjoyable...
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah! See ya later, siblings!"
	  Friends:
	  "Good luck, seriously! You're a star of hope to us siblings, okay?!"
	  Friends:
	  "We'll bring enough for some friends next time, so sign those too, okay? It's a promise!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Sure, I'll do as many as you want! Catch you later!"
	  The group of about 30 people, which had continued chatting in the street after leaving the store, ...finally went their separate ways.
	  Even though they had met up in the middle of the day, the sky had already gone dark.
	  Jayden:
	  "Whew, ...that was fun...!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Oh, Jayden."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Is today Siblings' Day for you too?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah, that's right! You too?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Hardly any of my siblings are in Japan. So, we're doing it in a virtual room right now."
	  Jayden:
	  "It really is just easier to chat in a virtual room, isn't it? Your body doesn't get worn out, and you don't have to worry about annoying stuff like getting reservations, gathering together, and contacting everyone."
	  Apparently, Jayden had been the organizer this time.
	  Naturally, it’s exhausting just listening to everyone's requests when trying to gather close to thirty people.
	  Jayden:
	  "One person says they're on a diet, then someone else says they hate seafood! Some people want to sit on chairs, others want to sit on the floor. They just keep saying whatever the heck they want!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheh. But it's still fun."
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, that's true."
	  Jayden:
	  "...There are definitely ways that meeting in person is just flat out better than using a virtual room, no matter how long you get to talk in one of those. ...And it's fun to prepare and get in touch with people when I can't wait to see them."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I wish I could go back to my country every now and then and meet my other siblings."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Still, I'm jealous. You actually have almost 30 close enough to meet with.
	  Jayden:
	  "But right now, you're meeting with an even larger number of them, right?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, that's true, ...but a lot of those friends are in very different environments, so it's not like we can talk casually about everything."
	  Jayden:
	  "...I guess it's easier when you can meet up with people, and you don't have to worry about that sort of thing."
	  It's easier for me too, since I don't have to use those annoying filters poyo.
	  Jayden:
	  "I don't think I'll be needing them for a while now. You can turn those filters off. After all, if I have too many on simultaneously, it makes me get hungry faster."
	  re you sure you want me to turn them off poyo? It's too late to change your mind after you get sued poyo.
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'm not sure if this is an overly restrictive era, where you can't even talk to old friends without checking a conversation filter, or if it's the previous era that was outrageous..."
	  *kero*kero*! It's suddenly time for an intro to Keropoyo's conversation filters!
	  I sure hope none of you are ikareponchichis without any conversation filters in their noggins poyo!
	  Whoops, ikareponchichi is currently under review as a candidate for the profanity list poyo! It's okay to use now, but once it's forbidden, we'd be screwed!!
	  But sometimes, you'll accidentally say things like that to go with the flow, or as a joke, or because you aren't paying attention poyo! If that happens, saying "Oops, sorry" just won't cut it poyo!! If an unfortunate girl just happens to overhear it while passing by, and her parents say she got PTSD and file a lawsuit, demanding an apology, medical fees, and punitive damages to a total of $1 million, it's already too late poyo.
	  dditionally, in AOU countries, harassment caused by bringing up socioeconomic privilege and the like is very strictly penalized poyo!
	  You there! If you happen to be in a good mood and start bragging, you'd better check your conversation filters first, or you'll be in a world of hurt poyooo!!
	  Cities in AOU countries had strict zoning, so that people could only live in places suitable for their own unique needs.
	  Officially, this was done to safeguard the happiness score within each area.
	  After all, a significant drop in the happiness score across the planet had preceded World War III.
	  In the B3W world, the phrase `countries with high happiness scores' was associated with dictatorships and areas that restricted internet access, so not much attention was paid to the concept.
	  However, nations that suffered sudden drops in their happiness scores tended to give birth to ultra-right regimes, which placed the blame for their situation on other countries.
	  By now, everyone knew that, when this happened simultaneously across the world, it opened the door to world wars...
	  To prevent the A3W era from turning into the B4W era, AOU-allied countries began researching ways to raise their happiness scores immediately following the war.
	  How can you make people believe they're happy as they live their lives?
	  The answer was, in a sense, something everyone already knew.
	  The weak point was capitalism, ...the ideology that pre-war AOU countries had called justice and wouldn't let anyone deny.
	  In the consumer societies produced by capitalism, it was always necessary to get people to want to buy more new things.
	  It couldn't afford to have a culture that stagnated, where people no longer had much use for money.
	  Because of that, society continued to produce new cultures and new technologies, forcing people to continue paying...
	  When the economy was constantly expanding, this worked out fine.
	  New cultures and new technologies were created one after another, making it a true golden age for these countries.
	  However, just like how you can never ride a unicycle forever...
	  That society would eventually fall apart.
	  As more and more new products were released, more and more of the people were unable to keep up.
	  When society stopped expanding, the gap between rich and poor gradually increased, leading to a clear divide between those who were able to spend and those who weren't.
	  However, a consumer society forces everyone to spend money, regardless of whether or not they can afford it.
	  Advertisements for the excess of new products began to make those who couldn't afford them feel more and more cornered.
	  It wasn't just billboards and commercials. Movies, dramas, and even TV variety shows started making them feel boxed in.
	  It became a society where just breathing in and out made the have-nots feel trapped.
	  And this wasn't something that just happened in one individual country.
	  What about people affected by internet culture, or else foreign movies and TV shows, who knew that there were countries overflowing with things they couldn't get in their own countries?
	  People like this would cause drastic reductions in the happiness scores across their nations.
	  In the end, it created a society where no one could find happiness anywhere in the world...
	  Because of this, the postwar AOU had taken measures to isolate the class of have-nots, both physically and in terms of information flow, in the name of protecting them by distancing them from "unhappy information".
	  Of course, they didn't call it "isolation of the poverty class" publicly.
	  It was "zoning for tolerance against inappropriate and harmful information".
	  In other words, information about things you couldn't buy or the lifestyles of the wealthy class was considered harmful.
	  You would be classified according to your personal tolerance against information, which would determine whether you would be protected or given permission to know more, almost like how adult-only products are treated...
	  In other words, ...at a siblings' gathering, when you got together with friends you'd known as a kid, it was possible that some people there would be in a "protected class".
	  If Jayden carelessly said "I got to eat all I wanted for free at the dessert buffet in the officers' dining hall", that could be considered harassment against someone, and might even result in legal action...
	  nd conversation filters help you prevent that!! If it's detected that one of the words you're about to say is inappropriate, you'll be immediately alerted! You can even have it give you an electric shock as an option poyooo!!
	  These sorts of filters had various types, and by skillfully combining them, you could effectively prevent misstatements and insults beforehand. They were just perfect for politicians.
	  ...Of course, a B3W person hearing this would probably raise an outcry, saying that the government was using this to secretly brainwash the citizens of every nation.
	  However, new technologies are always decried as the harbingers of dystopia when they first appear, before they're gradually spread by young people who couldn't care less...
	  Jayden:
	  "Way in the past, people probably said unfortunate and insulting things all the time, because they didn't have filters. I'm amazed they managed to live peaceful lives at all..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheh... That aside, Jayden, ...are you sure you didn't turn off quite a few alerts, so you could properly enjoy yourself today?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? Did I have something serious turned off?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Are you sure your mail checker warning isn't turned off?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? ...Oh, ...you're right. Crap..."
	  If you want to reduce the stress on your brain, then it's best to turn off as many Selcom features as possible.
	  However, at least among young people, turning off the checker that told you about incoming emails was going a bit too far.
	  The only time they might do that...was when they were so depressed that they were contemplating suicide, ...or else wrapped up in some sort of emergency that had forced them to shut down their Selcom.
	  Jayden:
	  "...And...there. ...These minor settings are such a pain to deal with... I had everything off except the conversation filter and a few other functions..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Wah, wawawawawawawah...!"
	  Good morning, it's your mail checker poyo!!
	  Whoa?! You have 38 messages poyooo?!
	  Jayden:
	  "Wh-Who sent them...?"
	  They were all sent from "Miyao" poyo!
	  Jayden:
	  "Wh-What's that Miyao up to...? Why'd he send so many at once...? What could've happened...?"
	  The first message...had an attached file.
	  The subject line was "Regarding our simulator results from yesterday. Master Miyao's precious notes included!"
	  Miyao really did see people well...or rather, observed them a lot... After a big training session, he would always send flight data to everyone who trained with him, along with "precious" words of scolding.
	  His ability to analyze was top class, his comments were apt, and he was extremely highly regarded by ambitious younger Gauntlet Knights .
	  He was also extremely harsh, so it hit everyone hard. After all, he even hit that Supergenius Jayden hard all the time.
	  However, at the end, he would always find something good you did and praise you, making you want to give it your all.
	  ...Well, maybe it wasn't that different from a perpetrator of domestic violence saying something kind at the end to soothe his battered housewife...
	  Putting that aside, Miyao's commented fight data was harsh yet useful, and considered to be a very precious thing.
	  So, naturally, he also sent me a precious email full of complaints about our training the other day, but...
	  I was having so much fun at the siblings' gathering...that I must've turned off a bunch of annoying features and missed his email.
	  Anyway, that's enough about the first email. About 30 minutes later, he started saying things like "What's that, did reading that make you realize how crappy you are?" and "Cat got your tongue?" and "Hey, if you've got something to say, then say it."
	  However, his tone began to change about 30 minutes after that: "Wait, don't tell me you're feeling bad about it." "I know I might've gone a bit too far." "If I was too harsh, I apologize..."
	  After that, there was just a sporadic "Sorry..." "I'll apologize, so please answer me..."^
	  langen@^"I'm so sorry...",
	  langen@^ getting more and more depressed sounding...
	  Gunhild:
	  "I got an email too, asking about how you were doing."
	  Jayden:
	  "A-And what did you say?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I said you were at a siblings' gathering, but it was still strange that you weren't responding to messages. So I told Miyao that he could get a bit harsh at times, maybe even enough to make the great Supergenius Jayden depressed."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, don't start acting like I'm depressed for no reason!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "A middle-aged man would be one thing, but you'd never expect someone right in the middle of their youth like you to have their email checker turned off."
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-Yeah, you're right... I really did get just a bit too excited at the siblings' gathering...and just turned a bunch of settings off at random..."
	  Jayden:
	  "But I'm sure today is Siblings' Day for him too, right? He should know what it's like..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Didn't you know? Miyao...doesn't have siblings."
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? What do you mean?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Miyao is ciconia-born. So, Siblings' Day means nothing to him."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I've heard that's why he feels lonely every Siblings' Day."
	  ...Aaaaaaah, I know this isn't all my fault, but this is messed up...
	  I see. So, he's ciconia-born, huh...?
	  Yeah, I'll bet that would make him feel lonely every month, when a Siblings' Day comes.
	  And really, Miyao isn't the one who's strange. We are.
	  In the AOU, babies aren't brought to families by the ciconia, the stork.
	  Everyone's born in incubators located in government-run childcare facilities.
	  So, there are no parents or families like there were in the old days.
	  Instead, you have dozens or hundreds of siblings, who were born in the same establishment in the same year.
	  And, after all, these "siblings" have been together since the time of their births. That bond has got to be thicker than blood.
	  In the AOU, it was customary to call the last Sunday of every month Siblings' Day, and siblings would all gather and strengthen old bonds.
	  ...To most people, it was a comforting day, but apparently it wasn't like that for Miyao...
	  Jayden:
	  "...I...didn't know..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, ...you wouldn't normally ask someone `Hey, are you ciconia-born?', right...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "He always looked a bit down when Siblings' Day was coming up, so I asked him once."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Actually, it was pretty obvious some of the time, but I guess you were so excited about Siblings' Day that you truly didn't notice..."
	  On Siblings' Day, nearby siblings would gather and spend the whole day having fun in packed shops.
	  If they weren't close by, they'd gather in virtual rooms. And generally, their bodies would be relaxing in private rooms or shops they liked.
	  In other words, everyone was excited about being reunited with their siblings, ...making it the least relatable day for a Warcat who was ciconia-born...
	  Gunhild:
	  "Didn't you notice? Every month, when Siblings' Day comes, Miyao always sends us flight data with a scolding attached."
	  Jayden:
	  "...C-Come to think of it, yeah..."
	  Jayden:
	  "............"
	  He......wanted us to pay attention to him, didn't he?
	  Even though being carried by a ciconia was once normal for babies...
	  Here in the AOU, the normal birth Miyao had is making him lonely. ...It's crazy...
	  Jayden:
	  "...I wonder if Miyao's around. I'll send him an email. Wonder what I should write..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "`Sorry, I had my email checker turned off?' Do you think Miyao will forgive you with just that?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah, he probably won't... All the sadness he felt today will probably explode..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Heheheh. You aren't too crafty when it comes to this sort of thing, Jayden. Or maybe I should say boys generally aren't."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Right now, Miyao thinks you're depressed or mad because he insulted you too much, right?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you just leave him thinking that, then he'll eventually apologize, and you'll be done. And on top of that, the next time he sends emails lecturing you, he'll be a bit kinder with his words. So, you'd kill two birds with one stone."
	  Jayden:
	  "Not bad. I'll take that strategy!"
	  Jayden:
	  "But still, I like the way Miyao talks in his lecture emails."
	  Jayden:
	  "When you screw up, he rakes you over the coals with it! Don't fly emotionally, don't let your mood rule you, be faithful to the basics but don't forget to shake things up. Dummy, idiot, blockhead, *kero*kero*kero*!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "But still, ...he does watch you well."
	  Jayden:
	  "We put our lives in each others' hands when we fly. ...Good friends are supposed to hold nothing back, so there's nothing wrong with that at all."
	  Gunhild:
	  "You mean that, after being lambasted thoroughly, you find the gap between that and his praise to be pleasurable?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah, yeah, that's it exactly! Miyao is the only person willing to call Supergenius Jayden stupid, idiotic, and ignorant."
	  Jayden:
	  "Early on, I often felt like his irrefutable criticism was about to make me snap. But...haah, dang it. I've started to get used to it. Now, when I screw up in practice, I think, yeah, Miyao's definitely gonna call me out on this one...and yep, he did! Sometimes, I'm almost looking forward to it. Hahahah, I must be crazy."
	  Gunhild:
	  "So, you want to come clean and apologize, so that Miyao can yell at you. ...I must say your proclivities are quite unconventional."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Still, ...I like that sort of boyish honesty."
	  Jayden:
	  "Okay then. ...What should I send him? `Miyao, sorry about today. I just kinda turned my email checker off by mistake...'"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...If you want, I could teach you how to write emails like this."
	  Jayden:
	  "If this gets messy, then I'd like that. ...But I want just this first email to be my words."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Please, go ahead."
	  It was pitch black in Miyao's private room.
	  Miyao himself was surely curled up inside the pile of crumpled sheets on his bed.
	  However, it was still too early to go to sleep.
	  Then, the pile twitched.
	  ...Because Miyao's Selcom had received an email from Jayden.
	  Miyao leapt up, freaked out on the pile of bedding for a while, and then pressed his hand against his chest and sat up, calming his breathing...
	  If he'd had ears on the top of his head like a dog, they would surely have been slumped over sadly.
	  Whatever was written in Jayden's email, it was Miyao's own fault. Just because he'd been lonely, he had written things too arrogantly and too harshly...
	  Miyao let out a long sigh...and then opened Jayden's email with his mental tablet.
	  After that, his dog ears perked up and his tail started wagging. Then, he suddenly slumped over on the bed.
	  Miyao:
	  "...That...duuuuuuuuuuuummy..."
	  And then, Miyao drifted off to sleep.
	  However, his expression...had relaxed a little.
	  An anti-Gauntlet sniper rifle.
	  It was an insane weapon that, with just a single shot, could take down foes capable of flying in impossibly complicated patterns that no previous aircraft could match while in the air, and that could leap about like ninjas when on the ground...
	  In the beautiful blue sky, with its grand, well-defined clouds, a single little fish seemed to have wandered by.
	  ...A little fish?
	  It was a drone. A remotely-controlled target drone used for sniping practice.
	  The next moment was filled with the fierce sound of a sniper rifle firing. And at the same time, the drone jerked about in the sky.
	  You missed poyo, heheheheh!! Better reload quickly poyo!
	  The drone hadn't jerked because it had been hit.
	  It had swiftly dodged an instant before.
	  Koshka:
	  "...I guess I was the one being read like a book...!"
	  Lilja:
	  "You won't hit anything with pathetic shots like that meow! I can totally tell when you're gonna shoot meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "...Hearing that just makes me wanna take you down a peg even more...!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Please take a break, you two. You've been at this for quite a while now."
	  Koshka:
	  "Are you kidding me? You want me to stop after being humiliated like that...?!"
	  Lilja:
	  "I'll keep this up until you fall over like the hick you are, crying because you know you'll never be able to match the great Lilja meow!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Still, both of your brains are really worn out, so you shouldn't overdo it-"
	  Okonogi:
	  "It's fine, it's fine. Let them keep going. That passion of theirs is fantastic."
	  Chloe:
	  "Still, training too hard will just...
	   Gyah!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Don't get in their way, you fool! You've gotta strike while the iron's hot! Keep it up as much as you like, you two!"
	  Lilja:
	  "We've got Okonogi's permission meow. Now I can fight you as much as I like, without worrying about the time meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "I'll give you all I've got until you break down in tears and beg me to stop...!!"
	  Lilja sent out formations of drones one after another.
	  Their movements seemed to be random, formed in complex geometrical patterns, and dazzling.
	  Koshka shot them down one after another, but it wasn't as though all her shots hit.
	  At the perfect timing, the drones would swiftly change their flight paths, dodging as if they knew exactly when Koshka would shoot.
	  Okonogi:
	  "After all, Koshka tries to slack off whenever she can. We just need her to actually use her high P3 levels to snipe predictively."
	  Okonogi:
	  "See? She's starting to hit a lot of 'em now."
	  Chloe:
	  "...Koshka really is amazing when she's focused..."
	  When Koshka got serious and used her full ability, her anti-Gauntlet sniper rifle transformed into a fearsome weapon that no one could emulate.
	  However, humans are creatures who like to slack off, and they tend to subconsciously cut corners in their work to reduce their load even a little.
	  In this case, by memorizing Lilja's tempo and shooting based on instinct, she was subconsciously skipping the high-level trajectory calculations that would normally be necessary in this situation.
	  The brain's ability to find easy solutions to problems can be quite useful, but it ends up being a minus when using an anti-Gauntlet sniper rifle.
	  So, it was necessary for Koshka to remain constantly tense and focus on her shooting.
	  Chloe:
	  "...Still, Koshka really has improved."
	  Okonogi:
	  "No, she hasn't. It's just that she's finally starting to get fired up."
	  Chloe agreed with him there.
	  From the beginning, Koshka had been a supergenius Gauntlet Knight, with outrageous P3 levels and all sorts of unexplored abilities.
	  However, when they had first met, she had just been a self-indulgent kid, with absolutely no desire to cooperate.
	  She had gained the position of Gauntlet Knight, something everyone dreamed of being when they were kids, but she was completely unmoved by it and just seemed to find it annoying.
	  Her skill with a sniper rifle was miles ahead of the pack even then, but she was only able to make use of it while shooting at stationary targets.
	  She was doing it reluctantly and grudgingly, so she didn't focus at all and was almost completely unable to do sniping that required high-level trajectory calculations.
	  Chloe:
	  "She's really changed a lot since Lilja came."
	  Okonogi:
	  "It's not at all rare for meetings between people to cause incredible changes. In Koshka's case, Lilja is probably what did it."
	  Lilja had started taking passes at Koshka ever since she arrived.
	  According to her, she just couldn't miss a chance to poke fun at a gloomy hick like Koshka.
	  At first, Koshka seemed truly irritated by this, ...but as time passed, she started answering to Lilja's provocation, and the two of them had become rivals, or maybe something more.
	  Chloe:
	  "If Lilja...was moved from Grave Mole to another squad..."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Idiot. As if I'd let that happen."
	  Okonogi spoke as if she was being silly.
	  Okonogi:
	  "Koshka needs her. Not that she'd admit it."
	  Chloe:
	  "...I'm a bit surprised...that you'd notice something like that, Instructor..."
	  Chloe:
	  "Gyaboo?!?!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "You blockhead. How many years do you think I've been an instructor?! Stop being stupid, grab a quick shower, and replenish your sugar levels! I hate the smell of a woman's sweat! Which do you want landing on your head, my chop or your shower?!"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I-I'm so sorry, Instructor＞＜ I'll go take a shower and replenish my sugar levels＞＜"
	  Message from the AI command center to the Instructor! Lilja and Koshka's P3 levels are extremely high poyo!
	  However, I'm detecting considerable stress in their blood levels. They're so packed with adrenaline, they can't tell how tired they are poyo!
	  Okonogi:
	  "Hmph. Seriously, these engines take so long to warm up."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Lilja! Koshka!! That's enough! Training is over!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Myaaooo?!?! But it was just starting to get fun meow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Don't get in our way until we've settled this."
	  Okonogi:
	  "You fooooools!!! That training equipment you're playing with is the property of the AOU Combined Military, made with the blood and sweat of all taxpayers! There's countless people waiting in line to train with that after you! If you don't get out of those simulators right now, I'll rip out the power cords, tie you up, and leave you hanging outside!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "No meow! I'm not stopping 'til I've shown this hick who's better meow!"
	  Koshka:
	  "If you get in our way, I'll tell those big-shot Geroy lab coats that you karate chopped me."
	  Lilja:
	  "Ihihihihihihihihi!!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Y-You twoooooooooooooo...!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-You twooooo!! Please listen to the Instructooooooooor＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "Huuuh? No one asked you to butt in, Chloe."
	  Lilja:
	  "We're high-grade Geroy equipment meow. You think someone like you has the right to tell us what to do meow?"
	  Koshka:
	  "You and Okonogi can't tell us what to do. Heheheh."
	  Lilja:
	  "Chloe and Okonogi are so useless,/
	   *kero*kero*kero*!! Hyahyahya!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I may let you make fun of me, ...b-but I won't let you ignore the Instructor..."
	  Lilja:
	  "...Chloe's tone suddenly changed meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "That weakling Chloe's gonna try and teach us a lesson."
	  "...You two may be high-grade Geroy equipment, ...but if you do try to escape or disobey orders, ...I've been given the authority to stop you..."
	  Koshka:
	  "You talk tough, b-but you can't do anything..."
	  Chloe:
	  "I hear that all high-grade equipment has a miniaturized punishment device embedded in their skulls, so they can be neutralized at any time..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Huh? Uh, I-I know that meow... But isn't it only Geroy big-shots who can activate that...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Too bad. I also...have the power...!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "W-Wait a sec. P-Please, be reasonable...!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Myuuuu?!?! Ch-Chloeeeee, stooooooooop...!!!"
	  Lilja and Koshka each felt electric shocks across their whole body and were ejected from the simulators.
	  Also, Chloe had forgotten one of the warnings about this power she was using for the first time.
	  "Please ensure that the authorized user is not wet, as there is a chance they will be shocked too."
	  The shower room was also filled with Chloe's screams...
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, Miyao, ...what's it like to have parents?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Huh?"
	  Even after dinner, there would still be lots of people chatting in the dining hall.
	  As an after-meal drowsiness gradually hit them, their pointless conversations tended to get even more pointless...
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, you know. You're ciconia-born, right?"
	  Jayden:
	  "You might say we're lucky to have so many siblings, but sometimes we wish we had real parents, you know?"
	  Miyao:
	  "They're just annoying. It's not really something to be jealous of."
	  Jayden:
	  "Real parents are like having your own private teacher, right? A teacher who only cares about you."
	  Miyao:
	  "They just keep butting in morning 'til night, ticking you off."
	  Miyao:
	  "Personally, I'd rather have a teacher than parents. They don't get all clingy, they don't get in your way too much, and in the first place, they aren't watching you from morning until night."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, if your parents got to choose to have a ciconia birth, they must be pretty rich, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...I'm not sure, since I never really had anyone to compare against. I don't remember being particularly rich..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, I apparently started PP training right after I was born. ...I guess we must've been pretty well off."
	  Jayden:
	  "Isn't that pretty amazing, for someone in our generation?"
	  Miyao:
	  "True, back then, lots of people were making a fuss about safety issues caused by giving PP education to babies. ...Now that I think about it, ...maybe Dad was having me become a human test subject."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, thanks to that, you ended up as a top-class Parallel Processor, unrivaled by anyone your age, right? You should thank your parents."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Hmm... Well, it's not like I ever asked him to train me. ...Still, if I hadn't trained as a baby, my P3 levels might not be this high now..."
	  Miyao:
	  "I might not have been able to become a Gauntlet Knight otherwise, ...so I should probably thank him."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, was my dream of becoming a Gauntlet Knight even something I came up with on my own? Maybe I just had Dad's dreams forced on me."
	  Jayden:
	  "Did your dad want to be a Gauntlet Knight?"
	  The existence of Gauntlet Knights had been known of since a generation prior.
	  However, at the time, it was a very young technology, as well as an extremely dangerous and unstable one.
	  "Maybe I'll be able to fly in the sky..." Many young people had been blown to bits in the pursuit of that dream.
	  Even after hearing this was something death row inmates agreed to do in exchange for a pardon, that didn't stop boys longing for the sky from applying.
	  Only very recently, thanks to improved natural affinities and training, had it become possible for a very limited group of talented people to fly safe.
	  However, for the generation who had dreamed of flying in that most dangerous era, it was already too late.
	  Their brains had aged, and they were no longer young enough to develop properly, no matter how much PP training they received.
	  That generation was more jealous of the current generation than they could say.
	  So, there would be nothing strange about a parent entrusting their kid with their desire to fly.
	  ...However, in the AOU, ciconia don't bring babies.
	  The very concept of entrusting your children with your dreams no longer existed outside of literature...
	  Miyao:
	  "As far back as I can remember, Dad was already talking about Gauntlet Knights all the time. `...I'm jealous. Give it your all, and I'm sure you'll be able to fly. Too bad it's too late for me.' Things like that."
	  Miyao:
	  "After hearing that all the time, I started thinking I had no choice but to seek the sky. ...No."
	  Miyao:
	  "Now that I think about it, even though I always thought it was my dream, I might've been pretty heavily influenced by his hopes and dreams and stuff. ...Maybe true freedom in life is something you can only get if you're ciconia-free."
	  Jayden:
	  "So, only the ciconia-free are truly released from that cycle of resentment...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "...Still, that doesn't prove that we factory-borns haven't been brainwashed ever since our births."
	  Miyao:
	  "People look like they live however they want, ...but their lifestyles get influenced by their surroundings so much. There's no helping it. ...Thinking you're an independent individual is arrogant."
	  Jayden:
	  "In the end, we're nothing more than a single, tiny cell out of ten billion humans."
	  Gunhild:
	  "What a sophisticated conversation you're having. I wouldn't have expected it of you two."
	  Jayden:
	  "Whoa, were you listening?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I just assumed that a conversation you were having outside a virtual room was fair game, so I listened in."
	  Miyao:
	  "Tch. Am I not allowed to talk about sophisticated stuff?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheh. I believe that in Japan, the proper phrase would be `Is it gonna start snowing or something?'"
	  Jayden:
	  "What, is the temperature supposed to drop if we have a serious conversation every once in a while...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'm factory-born too, ...but if I had the choice, I'd want to have had parents too."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'll lend you mine, if you want. You wouldn't believe how much easier it'd be for me."
	  Gunhild:
	  "The ciconia-born Miyao longs to be factory-born, and us factory-borns long to be ciconia-born."
	  Jayden:
	  "I guess it's true that you always want what you don't have. ...The grass is always greener on the other side, right?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, how could you not be jealous of someone who started out with parents? ...You know, a resource with so much life experience that you always have full access to, regardless of what groups or communities you're a part of."
	  Miyao:
	  "Maybe I just don't get how good it is because it's always been that way for me. ...If your parents annoy you, you can either ignore them or fight with them. ...But when I wanted to say something, or ask about something I couldn't ask anyone else, ...I probably did rely on Dad."
	  Jayden:
	  "Like when you're freaking out or under stress. ...Being able to say things you couldn't even say to your siblings is huge."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Well, I'm jealous of how you have a bunch of siblings, and can go out and have fun every month on Siblings' Day..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Of course, having a huge group of siblings is a treasure you'll keep all your life. However, I'm still sure parents are at least as valuable as that, if not more."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, I think having a bunch of siblings would be more fun than having one parent."
	  Jayden:
	  "Don't parents come in male-female pairs?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I only have Dad. I don't even know what my mom looks like."
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh... Sorry I asked."
	  Miyao:
	  "It's okay. You don't have a dad or a mom, right? But instead, you have a lot of siblings."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It just means that people get raised in all kinds of environments. ...And anyway, we've been talking about parents and siblings, but aren't we Warcats a family we can entrust our lives to?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Ah. ...You're right."
	  Jayden:
	  "Not bad! You managed to wrap that up nicely."
	  Miyao:
	  "Maybe I should respond to Dad's emails every now and then..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "You should. I'm sure you owe him for many things, down to the fact that you're able to go to the bathroom by yourself without getting your underwear or the bed dirty."
	  At any rate, the conversation had ended on a positive note.
	  What had started as an after-dinner chat had gone on for a bit too long.
	  As their drowsiness increased, the conversation began to lose focus.
	  They decided to call it a night...
	  Jayden:
	  "Guess I'll head back to my room then."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Oh, that's right, you two. ...I wanted to ask you one more thing."
	  Miyao:
	  "You mean, about whether having parents or siblings is better?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "No. ...In the future, if you two ever got married and tried to have kids-"
	  Jayden:
	  "M-M-M-M-M-M-Me and Miyao, m-m-m-m-married?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Why would you say that?! Is your Kizuna's translation filter bugging out?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-Y-Y-Y-Yeah, Japanese sometimes makes it really easy to misunderstand things, sheesh......"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheh. You two are so close."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Anyway, hypothetically speaking, if you married someone and wanted to have children, ...would you want them to be ciconia-born?"
	  Jayden:
	  "............"
	  Jayden:
	  "...Well, I would want to see my own kids, but..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Raising kids, huh...? In other words, losing all your free time for ten years?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "After all, when you have a ciconia birth, you have to follow really strict regulations designed to protect that child's rights. ...Just training for that can take years."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm...kinda amazed that Dad had me ciconia-born. ...And on top of that, he was all on his own. ...If I were in his shoes, I'm not sure I could do it."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm...starting to feel a bit bad about calling Dad irritating and annoying..."
	  Jayden:
	  "If it was as easy as taking care of a goldfish, with an automatic feeder and an automatic water filter, then yeah, I'd like to see my kids..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Depending on your partner, you might even be the one getting pregnant, right?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Aaaahh... Isn't pregnancy pretty rough though? Doesn't giving birth hurt like hell? I wouldn't want to do that, ...and I wouldn't want to force that on my partner either."
	  Jayden:
	  "Nah, I think I'll pass on having kids. Once we've got fertilized eggs, I'll just send them on to the factory and pray they grow up healthy..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "From what I've heard, even considering the pain of giving birth and having to spend over a decade raising kids, people still adore their children..."
	  Jayden:
	  "...I'd talk it over with my partner before deciding. But in my personal opinion, ...losing over ten of your precious young years for child-rearing and giving birth, when you have so many other things you want to do, is a bit too costly..."
	  Jayden:
	  "What about you, Miyao?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...I'd probably...say the same."
	  Miyao:
	  "Kids aren't pets. I don't think you should have them just because they're adorable. ...It's a heavy burden that could determine a person's entire life. ...In that sense, I really can't imagine that I'm qualified to do that now..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I see... And by the time you've grown mature enough to carry that heavy responsibility, your genes might have aged enough that giving birth becomes difficult."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I've heard a theory that the ideal age for humans to give birth is in their late teens. Apparently, you're already past your peak when you turn 20."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's really important to understand how big a responsibility raising someone can be, ...but our species apparently isn't easygoing enough to wait for that maturity to come."
	  Jayden:
	  "Are you saying that people in the distant past...recklessly had kids and abandoned them, over and over, without thinking? That'd explain why there are always kids living in poverty."
	  Miyao:
	  "...By the time people started complaining about things like that, the birth rate apparently plummeted."
	  Miyao:
	  "The decision to make babies in a factory...isn't something someone just thought up on a whim, I think. ...At the very least, this is probably one of humanity's answers to the problem, in the AOU."
	  Jayden:
	  "What do you think, Gunhild?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Would you actually want to give birth? Is it that `If God gave you wings, it'd be blasphemy if you never flapped them' thing?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...It's sad that we live in a world where our bodies are capable of giving birth, ...but it's almost impossible to want to do so."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I guess when it comes to giving birth, ...humans are incredibly immature and frail."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It isn't just the physical pain. It's also all of your young life that giving birth and childrearing steal from you. ...If you aren't prepared to sacrifice that, you'll never even be given a chance to see your children's faces... ...Even for me, that decision is just too hard to make."
	  Jayden:
	  "If only you could see your baby's face, love it until you got tired of it, and then give it to the child factory whenever you wanted."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...That's...a bit... Stealing the baby from the stork is already treason against God, ...so to adore your kid like a pet before abandoning it to a factory when you get bored is just..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...As terrible as ordinary humans are, ...if you actually went that far, ...you really would have to face God's wrath..."
	  Jayden:
	  "...You're right. ...I shouldn't have said that."
	  In the AOU, you were free to marry as you pleased, but pregnancy was limited by severe moral strictures and regulations.
	  If you chose to give birth on your own and raise your child, you had to take responsibility for it until the end.
	  You weren't allowed to treat a life like it was something that could just be abandoned to a child factory at any time.
	  ...Though the AOU had rebelled against life's morals by giving birth to babies in factories, ......they had refused to budge on this one very last form of respect for life.
	  On the other hand...
	  People who boasted that they'd be able to care for a child until the end, who then `retired' halfway, certainly did exist.
	  Such parents would be imprisoned for violating childcare law.
	  The child would lose all ties with their parents and be admitted to a childcare institution.
	  ...Such children would be all alone...in a place where everyone had been raised together as siblings ever since infancy.
	  Hopefully, they would be able to blend in, but...
	  If they failed to do so, ...then that would sometimes be called out as a second violation of human rights.
	  The AOU's child protective services community still debated the proper ways to build a safety net for "abandoned" ciconia-born children.
	  Some wanted to remove the entire option of having ciconia-born children.
	  ...The opposition to this, which claimed that this meant abandoning our dignity as human beings, was also strong.
	  Some wanted to save all ciconia-born children without implementing any restrictions.
	  ...And the opposition to this, which claimed that doing so was tantamount to treating children like pets, was also strong.
	  In the end, ...even after a century of A3W history, no answer had been reached...
	  Miyao:
	  "We were planning to split up, but we're still here at this hour..."
	  Jayden:
	  "I'm sleepy. ...Thinking about too much complicated stuff tired me out."
	  Miyao:
	  "But we should be able to put all this talk about babies on hold until we have an actual partner in mind, right...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "You think so? ...Am I thinking about this too soon? Or could it be............"
	  Jayden:
	  "That's enough for now. Let's call it a night."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're right. Goodnight..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Goodnight, Warcats."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Are we not allowed even to have kids...without arguing every step of the way?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Aren't humans animals, in the end? ...Are we really such refined and noble creatures...?"
	  ...Are you sure...that there isn't something wrong with this world?
	  Here are the search results for "Rejection Shield" poyo!
	  The Rejection Shield is one of those things poyo! You know, one of those barriers that go *shwoom*bzzzt* in anime and stuff poyo!!
	  It can supposedly repel all previously existing forms of weaponry poyo. It's well known that this fact was so shocking, it made weapon researchers shut their brains off, calling Gauntlets frauds and the result of too much bragging poyo. That kept on happening, so lots of people still think Gauntlets are no more than a scam poyo.
	  But of course, even this perfect shield isn't 100% invincible poyo.
	  First, extending the shield requires an incredible amount of energy poyo! So, practically speaking, it's impossible to have it on all the time poyo.
	  Currently, Gauntlet Knights who can perform a Dreissig Conversion have a complete monopoly on its use poyo.
	  I wanna use a Rejection Shield too poyo!! And I wanna knock back everyone who does a search for how to delete me, or how to find a mod to turn that shitty frog into a hot babe poyooooo!!!
	  Okonogi:
	  "Listen up, brats!
	  langen@/
	   There isn't a single Gauntlet Knight who's incapable of using a Rejection Shield! Otherwise, you'd die in seconds!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "The Rejection Shield doesn't just block enemy bullets! It also protects you from shrapnel, trash, crows, and scarabaeid beetles!! When you're happily flying at 500 km/h, and someone in front of you flips a quarter into the sky to decide whether or not to email the girl he has a crush on, what do you think's gonna happen to you? You'll be blown to bits!!"
	  If one wanted to fly through the sky at high speeds without a vehicle, having a Rejection Shield was essential, even outside of combat.
	  Okonogi:
	  "The trigger for your Rejection Shield will be performed automatically by the software that exists in your brains! In other words, you can deploy shields to protect yourselves from danger without having to think about it! It's incredible!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Of course, you can also use it intentionally. It's like blinking! It'll keep an eye out without your attention, activating reflexively when danger approaches, and you can also activate it consciously!"
	  With the factory settings, Rejection Shield management software is always set to maximum safety-first mode poyo!
	  However, you won't be able to go into actual combat like that poyo! After all, with the default settings, if there's even just a single butterfly fluttering 3 meters to your side, you'll blast it away with a shield set to max poyo! If you're all sitting politely in a classroom with Gauntlets on, and someone throws a coin in at you, it'll be one hell of a pinball machine poyo!!
	  Okonogi:
	  "Let me make this clear. Basically, the more of a chicken you are, reacting sensitively to things that aren't dangerous, the sooner your shield will explode! In other words, I'll be working your shrimpy, wimpy *kero*kero*s hard until they've become great big throbbing *kero*kero*s!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "By the end, you'll be able to use minimal levels of output, calmly deflecting just the bullets that would hit you, moving like an expert swordsman! I'll definitely raise all of you to that point!! All you need to decide is how many buckets you'll be filling with puke and coughed-up blood before you reach it...!!!"
	  s you train, I'll be building up your own personal settings inside your head poyo! All the Keropoyos from the AI Command Center will also be working you all to the bone poyo!!
	  If you're always on high alert mode, with your shield at max in all situations, you'll run out of energy right away.
	  Also, the default setting was to extend the shield as a sphere in all directions, but if you focused it only in front of you, you'd naturally cut down the required energy in half. With lots of practice, you'd become able to extend the shield across the minimal possible area.
	  In other words, with training and experience and adjustments made by mental software, you'd gain the ability to avoid danger using minimal energy, even during fierce battles.
	  Furthermore, the energy levels required could be affected not only by the area and output levels of your shield, but also your emotional state.
	  If you let your guard down or were taken unawares, the energy expended rose drastically. Furthermore, mental discouragement, such as being at a heavy disadvantage with respect to your opponent, could also really drag you down.
	  For that reason, the key to anti-Gauntlet fights was to find ways to hit your opponent with concentrated attacks in a short period of time, neutralizing them by making them use up their energy with their shield.
	  The Warcats' finishing move of using a barrage of small, high-maneuverability missiles to corner their opponents with simultaneous explosions from all angles could instantly wipe out aces from all factions, if it hit them head on.
	  Hitting a single target with excessive firepower may have been pointless in traditional combat, but it was an important factor in battles between Gauntlet Knights.
	  Once you become a world-class Gauntlet Knight, shield management reaches into a whole different dimension poyo
	   For example, the best ace from AOU Japan, Second Lieutenant Miyao, doesn't only guard his entire body, but also those of his kette and all those he trains with as well! He's even managed to rapidly spot a trainee about to encounter an accident and save them with his own shield poyo!
	  Just protecting yourself would be a full load for normal people, so that's just too amazing poyo!
	  nd his partner, Second Lieutenant Jayden, is able to deflect each incoming bullet with super-small shields only a few centimeters in diameter poyo! At that point, he looks just like a street performer poyo!!
	  Okonogi:
	  "That might sound like God-tier skill to you now! However, all aces from all over the world can do things like that without breaking a sweat!! Master it with willpower! Or else, you'll run into a butterfly and get your head smashed to bits!!"
	  Oh, and by the way, to explain this in the terms of fighting games -- for people who are into that sort of thing -- it's like how auto-guarding is made for beginners, while blocking is made for experts. The higher the risk, the higher the return poyo! Of course, by taking a risk, I mean you're gonna die. Unless you've become quite an ace already, you really shouldn't remove your auto-guard too carelessly poyo
	   Let's go, Justin!!
	  langen#FFFFFF\
	  By the way, just when Okonogi finally learned how to block in SF9, the blocking input window was increased and more people were able to do it. He didn't like that, so he went around trolling anonymous message boards and saying "9 sucks, Copcam has no idea what they're doing!", even though he still plays it every day poyo!!
	  Okonogi:
	  "Y-You shut up!!! Who told you to say that,
	   you shitty frog?!! Do a search for how to uninstall you right now!!!"
	  Search rejected poyoooooo, Rejection Shiiiiiiieeeeld!
	   *keeekekekero*kero*kero*!!
	  The Geroy Level 4 Heavy Military Research Center.
	  It was also called the last hope for those who wanted to become Gauntlet Knights.
	  After all, enrolling there meant the same as granting them permission to put you through any sort of training or human experimentation, without limits.
	  It was said that nearly everyone was unable to keep up with the strict training, so that both their minds and bodies were worn ragged, and they dropped out. Many feared that a considerable number of them ended up like cripples, including those who developed serious mental illnesses.
	  ...Despite these fears, ...there were quite a few people who applied for enrollment as trainees.
	  After all, ...for a Gauntlet Knight, talent was everything.
	  When those without talent realized that no matter how hard they worked, it would be useless, ...and yet still couldn't abandon their yearning to fly through the sky, they ended up here.
	  It was said that this research center's greatest goal...was to develop methods for cultivating those who lacked the talent to become Gauntlet Knights.
	  To those without talent, ...even though they knew what sort of brutal training and experiments awaited them, ...this was their last hope for becoming Gauntlet Knights...
	  After the VTOL craft landed, officers who had come from various countries to inspect the facility exited one by one.
	  After all, the cultivation of human resources that might become Gauntlet Knights was a matter of great interest -- in terms of national defense -- to all countries in the A3W era...
	  The lines leading to the reception desk for officers seemed to be split into two groups: one for the VIPs themselves, and one for those accompanying them.
	  Naturally, the VIP line was filled with people from all countries who were of a dignified age.
	  Just one young woman was mixed in among them.
	  A soldier working security for the research center told her that this line was only for VIPs, and she poked her own chest with her thumb.
	  She was telling him to take a good look at her ID.
	  The soldier immediately checked his Selcom, and with an astonishingly sudden formality, he apologized for his rudeness...
	  Receptionist:
	  "Welcome to the Geroy Level 4 Heavy Military Research Center. I'm going to check your ID, so please place your hand on the bio-scanner."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  #e1dc00Name: Gunhild Gustafsson@
	  #e1dc00Position: Auxiliary Major General attached to the AOU Combined Military Central HQ.@
	  #e1dc00Issuer of Inspection Permit: The Speaker of the AOU Joint Parliament/President of AOU America.@
	  #e1dc00Security Clearance: SS-. While present at this establishment, she has permission to access all classified information that is not rated SS or higher.
	  #e1dc00Additional Information: Is to be accompanied by department head rank or higher. Upon completion of inspection, she is to be removed from all records. All information those involved obtain regarding this inspection must be treated as a lifetime secret (SS0012 Class).
	  Receptionist:
	  "Your Excellency Major General Gustafsson, please allow me to guide you. This way, please."
	  Paying no attention to the all-weather grounds, where countless trainees were being worked hard and insulted, ...Gunhild's group passed through an even stricter security gate and headed underground.
	  Attendant:
	  "...And I thought you were here to inspect the Pandora."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Does it look like it will be possible to copy the Pandora?"
	  Attendant:
	  "At the moment, not at all. ...After all, it's like a miracle among miracles, where hundreds of millions of God's dice all rolled the same number at once."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you're unable to make a copy, it means you won't be able to perform even more inhumane experiments on the Pandora. I suppose that's good news for her."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Pandora's box... ...So, that is the last hope left to humanity."
	  Attendant:
	  "This planet is already dead. Humanity doesn't have much time left. ...Unless we can reveal her secret, we won't be able to leave any part of humanity or civilization behind..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Does the Pandora know? ...That she is a special being, the only one that will be allowed to go into the new world?"
	  Attendant:
	  "No. She has only been told that she has a precious brain structure which must be investigated."
	  Attendant:
	  "She probably only thinks of herself as someone assisting in research in exchange for being spared the death penalty."
	  The place the elevator descended to was a section where only researchers with extremely high security levels were allowed.
	  The atmosphere was incredibly different from the exercise area, which felt like a sweaty sports training ground.
	  In the hallway beyond that division came the high-pitched sound of a young girl's voice.
	  Apparently, she was complaining about her everyday struggles.
	  Lilja:
	  "I mean, do you realize how hard I had to work to get that gloomy hick girl to communicate as much as we do now?!"
	  Lilja:
	  "To find a conversation starter, I had to train hard and race through this boring puzzle game! And I even had to make cat sounds at the end of every sentence, you know? By now, it's even becoming a habit in real life meow!"
	  Several young researchers responded with wry smiles.
	  As Lilja cheerily blew off steam, ...her eyes spotted Gunhild.
	  All of the cheeriness suddenly vanished from her face.
	  Lilja:
	  ".................."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Even when it's someone you know, when you meet someone in a place where you don't expect to meet them, ...it's enough to confuse anyone.
	  With a mixture of that confusion and suspicion, ...Lilja stared at Gunhild.
	  Lilja:
	  "......Why are you here meow? Don't tell me you're also..."
	  However, Gunhild was being accompanied by a research department head and guards.
	  It was immediately obvious that she was being treated differently than those like Lilja...
	  Lilja:
	  ".................."
	  Attendant:
	  "...This matter is SS0012. Be sure that you forget everything you saw and heard. Understand, Lilja Viljakainen?"
	  Lilja:
	  "...Yes, sir."
	  Gunhild:
	  "And she is...?"
	  Attendant:
	  "She is also assisting in research in exchange for being spared the death penalty. She has been doing extremely well."
	  Attendant:
	  "In a sense, until we're able to copy the Pandora, you might say she's the greatest successful product our research center has produced. If no Pandora appears, she may even be the compass our research center should be aiming for."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Attendant:
	  "This is the Data Room. You may retrieve whatever data your access level permits, Your Excellency."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I want to see trainee records."
	  Attendant:
	  "You there, perform a search."
	  Operator:
	  "May I ask for their full name, Your Excellency?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Maja Forsberg. From AOU Sweden."
	  Operator:
	  "......It isn't coming up. Is there another way to pronounce her name?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Search again, for former trainees this time."
	  Operator:
	  "Yes sir. ...Maja Forsberg. ...I have a hit. She left the training program partway through of her own accord, due to special circumstances."
	  The Geroy Research Center was famous for the fact that, once you entered, you couldn't leave until your research program was complete, no matter how much you cried or screamed.
	  You would either graduate as a Gauntlet Knight, or be wrung out as a failure.
	  Gunhild:
	  "What does that mean, she left of her own accord due to special circumstances? ...Was she injured so badly, she couldn't continue her training?"
	  Operator:
	  "The record states that her health was extremely good when she left. Her grade was a C+. Her P3 levels were average as well."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Operator:
	  "...There's an attached document, locked with Security Level S."
	  Attendant:
	  "Her Excellency has SS- security clearance. Access the file."
	  Operator:
	  "Yes sir. Your Excellency, please use the authentication terminal."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Operator:
	  "Thank you very much. ......It's open."
	  #e1dc00Maja Forsberg: During her periodic examination, it was discovered that she was a potential candidate for the Pandora Replication Experiment.@
	  #e1dc00She received counseling as to what it meant to participate in this experiment, including the related dangers. She expressed a desire to participate in the experiment. She signed a consent form agreeing to all the risks.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...She was...a test subject for the Pandora Transplant Experiment......"
	  Attendant:
	  "It may have been her last chance, as someone who fundamentally lacked an aptitude for becoming a Gauntlet Knight. ...If successful, she would have been reborn as something like the Pandora, or else a genius Gauntlet Knight of similar ability..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Was it explained to her that the success rate has been zero so far?"
	  Attendant:
	  "She wasn't explicitly told that it was zero, but the consent form did state that it was extremely low. It also mentioned that, through repeated experimentation, the success rate had risen 300% from the previous round of experiments."
	  I'm pretty sure zero is still zero, no matter what you multiply it by......
	  #e1dc00After a 3-week examination, it was judged that she was ready to participate in the experiment immediately. She was issued a subject code of 091.@
	  #e1dc00After this point, Maja Forsberg would be treated as having left of her own accord due to special circumstances.
	  #e1dc00Subjects 090 through 099 participated in the 12th Pandora Replication Experiment.@
	  #e1dc00091: Noise Rate 0.225 (Rating: Poor)@
	  #e1dc00Experiment suspended. Subject was processed in accordance with the Human Rights Manual.
	  Gunhild:
	  "What does that mean, processed in accordance with the Human Rights Manual...?"
	  Attendant:
	  "We inject them with high concentrations of hypnocine. All external sensations are numbed, and the brain is placed in a euphoric, sleep-like state. It's the same as what was used to perform lethal injections during the B3W era."
	  #e1dc00Subject was disposed of 12 seconds after injection. Subject was then transferred to the examination department.@
	  #e1dc00After Subjects 090 through 099 were sorted by the examination department, they were transferred to various research departments.
	  #e1dc00Subject 091's brain was transferred to the Dreissig Conversion Research Department.@
	  #e1dc00It was planned for use in experimental artificial Dreissig Conversion apparatuses, but due to errors in processing, it decayed while still in its brain pack. It was then disposed of without being used in the experiment and incinerated.
	  #e1dc00Maja Forsberg's case was officially resolved as that of an individual who went missing after her discharge, and whose life-or-death status is unknown.@
	  #e1dc00The above records have been locked with Security Level S.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Thanks. That will be enough."
	  Attendant:
	  "Were we able to be of assistance?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Of course. I've discovered something of worth."
	  This world...is worthy of destruction.
	  I won't forgive the people who brought about Maja's death, ...and I won't forgive their world...!
	  Gunhild:
	  "......Huh.........?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What's wrong, Gunhild?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "K-Keropoyo just started a self-diagnostic! ...M-My shield won't come up...!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-You've got to be kidding me! Gunhild, dodge it!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Gunhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiild...!!!"
	  As Seshat manipulated her midair tablet in a cramped, dark room, their surroundings were bathed in a brilliant light, and the walls changed to become an environmental mapping that resembled a solemn church.
	  And there, put on display like a work of art, was a single old document...
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Is this...it...?"
	  Seshat:
	  "The Council of Carthage identified 26 books as canon."
	  Seshat:
	  "But did you know? There was actually one more canonical book."
	  Seshat:
	  "There certainly were traces of it in the Muratorian Canon. However, by the time of the Council of Carthage, it had disappeared."
	  Toujirou:
	  "A lost...canon."
	  Seshat:
	  "This is probably the last volume that still remains. And, it's the only work of prophecy in the entire canon."
	  Seshat:
	  "The Revelation of Saint Ioánnis..."
	  Canon serves as a guide or a manual for a religion, so it's very precious.
	  For that reason, some people have attempted to insert their own claims into the canon, slipping in forgeries pretending to be the real thing.
	  So, religious groups will sometimes hold councils to establish what the canon is, attempting to expel all forgeries.
	  There are even some cases where something was viewed as canon at the time, but after extensive research, doubts were raised about it and it was expunged.
	  It's entirely possible that even this book, the Revelation of Saint Ioánnis, might have been accepted by the Muratorian Canon, but then later identified as a forgery by the time of the Council of Carthage and removed...
	  Seshat:
	  "However, when the Council of Carthage took place, the Revelation of Saint Ioánnis was never even discussed. In fact, neither its name nor any trace of it appeared. This proves that, between the second and the fourth century, ...the existence of the Revelation of Saint Ioánnis was completely erased from history."
	  Seshat:
	  "It was too thorough and too unnatural for something that had once been listed as canon. For example...yes, that's it. It's as though someone performed a search on the text called history and deleted just the phrase `the Revelation of Saint Ioánnis' from everything."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Are you saying...that this holds a prophecy about how humanity will be destroyed?"
	  Seshat:
	  "I think of it as more of a plan than a prophecy. After all, if it were a prophecy, 100% of it would have to fit. ...Going by what I see now, ...yes, I'd only give it a score of 80 points out of 100."
	  Toujirou:
	  "In other words, we still have about a 20% chance at victory?"
	  Sure, assuming that our opponents *were* aiming for a perfect 100 and only got 80 points...
	  If games are about finding entertainment, and not about who wins and who loses, and if our opponent thinks we're inferior to them, then it would be quite crude of them to start off with a perfect move.
	  80 points.
	  It certainly does feel like a veteran up against an amateur, intentionally holding back in the early game to ensure that it will be a good one...
	  Toujirou:
	  "In other words, ...this is God's plan for exterminating the human race, which was planned out...and filed against us 2000 years ago..."
	  Seshat:
	  "Hahahahahah. That's an overly dramatic way to put it."
	  Seshat:
	  "Still, given that an exception like me exists, that is a possibility. ...And, sadly, this written accusation was completely erased from history. ...Except for the one copy here."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I wonder if our opponent left just this one copy, knowing that it would be in our possession..."
	  Seshat:
	  "...After all, they do claim to be the messenger of an all-seeing, all-knowing God. ...Well, it's probably safer to assume they know."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If they left it behind intentionally, ...they must've been pretty confident."
	  Seshat:
	  "When challenged by an amateur with a chess instruction manual in one hand, a veteran might easily smile confidently and allow that amateur to take a shot. That must be how they view this."
	  Seshat:
	  "Then again, I simply happen to believe that it's a written plan. If this truly is a prophecy, then we're completely stuck already. When facing off against a prophecy, the winners are already decided. No matter how hard you, me and the others try, it'll all be in vain. It'll mean that, in the end, we were just dancing on the palm of their hand..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Don't worry, Grand Master. This definitely isn't a prophecy."
	  Seshat:
	  "Oh? And how can you be so sure?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Because, if this really was a prophecy, with the truth of the future written inside it, then this Revelation would record the way our Order of Prometheus busted this crazy plan down."
	  Seshat:
	  "Hahahah, ahahahahahahahahah. You really are amusing, Toujirou."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Whether it's a prophecy or a plan, ...they'll come at us following the outline of this book. And using this book, we'll be able to predict what happens next to some degree and deal with it somehow. The key to this game is how well we can make use of this handicap."
	  Seshat:
	  "At the moment, all humanity has managed to do is make their opponent take their seat at the game table. ...They're challenging us while knowing everything. ...Even knowing that we've been preparing for this day for so, so long."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Maybe this is a surprisingly difficult game for them as well."
	  Seshat:
	  "80 points out of 100. ...I don't know if this is arrogance, or the result of the game truly being that difficult for our opponent."
	  Seshat:
	  "We must win. ...If we don't, humanity will eternally be nothing but pieces on the game board, toys of that monster calling itself God's representative."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Humanity can win."
	  Seshat:
	  "Ooh, very nice. Now, what's your basis for saying that?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Because that's what's written in the newest version of the Revelation of Saint Ioánnis, edited by me."
	  Seshat:
	  "Hahahahah. I like it. Let's update it sometime soon."
	  Toujirou:
	  "And yet..."
	  There's no telling how much of humanity will be lost before it wins...
Searl" (38 hits in 1 file of 1 searched)
  F:rg\Downloads\Ciconia no Naku Koro ni - Phase 1.txt (38 hits)
	 ngen!Narrator:
	 ngen!"The Aerial Augmented Infantry, ^!w600^otherwise known as the Gauntlet Knights!!"
	 ngen!Narrator:
	 ngen!"This elegant Gauntlet, worn on the left arm and reminiscent of medieval knights, contains all the weapons and technology humanity has given birth to thus far!"
	 ngen!Narrator:
	 ngen!"It controls all the 8MS in their bodies and the surrounding air, enabling them to free themselves from the laws of the surface world and surpass them!"
	 angen!Narrator:
	 angen!"Gauntlets give soldiers the same mobility as an aircraft. Their maximum speed is in no way inferior to the best fighter jets from around the world."
	 angen!Narrator:
	 angen!"And, the powerful Gs that would normally put a harsh burden on them have been eased thanks to the Anti-G 8MS in their bodies. This allows them to fly in ways pilots of existing aircraft could never even dream of."
	 angen!Narrator:
	 angen!"And when taken to an extreme, even `ricochet flying' is possible!"
	 angen!Narrator:
	 angen!"However, 8MS tech has freed them from all of the ground's restrictions! Even amazing midair movements like these are now possible!"
	 angen!Narrator:
	 angen!"And, I want you to pay close attention to this footage. This is a fire-control system trying to target a Gauntlet Knight."
	 angen!Narrator:
	 angen!"Though they can display this level of midair mobility, Gauntlet Knights are not planes! They truly are infantry, Aerial Augmented Infantry!"
	 angen!Narrator:
	 angen!"Their ability to land and take off is completely unrestricted, so they can carry out tactical operations anywhere a human is able to stand!"
	 angen!Narrator:
	 angen!"So then, what about their weaponry? You're probably thinking that, regardless of their mobility, they'll be completely useless if they don't have the firepower to take down their targets."
	 angen!Narrator:
	 angen!"But when it comes to Gauntlet Knights, that's an utterly needless concern!"
	 angen!Narrator:
	 angen!"This massive set of military ordinance can all be carried by a single Gauntlet Knight! And, if they specialize in carrying capacity, they can fit in the same amount of weaponry as an attack carrier!"
	 angen!Narrator:
	 angen!"Witness the armament of a battleship and the mobility of a fighter jet! This is a Gauntlet Knight! But that's not all! They also possess an ultimate technique that cannot be reproduced with any currently existing weaponry! Watch and learn!!"
	 angen!Narrator:
	 angen!"Do you understand what just happened? Let's slow it down a bit!"
	 angen!Narrator:
	 angen!"This is the invincible defense Gauntlet Knights proudly wield, the Rejection Shield!!"
	 angen!Narrator:
	 angen!"An invincible defense!! And easy control over the skies! And the ability to use endless weapons at will!! And every little bit of that is all compressed into a single Gauntlet Knight!"
	 angen!Narrator:
	 angen!"Come, boys and girls yearning to become defenders of peace!! Wouldn't you like to join those who stand at the head of all militaries of peace, blazing the way into a new era?!"
	 langen!sd
	  langen!s0^"Jayden" has entered the room poyo!^
Searl (16477 hits in 1 file of 1 searched)
  F:rg\Downloads\Ciconia no Naku Koro ni - Phase 1.txt (16477 hits)
	 showlangen
	 langen!sd
	 langen!sd
	 langen!sd
	 if %cur_language = 0 langen
	  Continue processing from this position?^
	  langen!sd
	  langen!sd
	  langen!sd
	  langen!sd
	  langen!sd
	  langen!sd
	  langen!sd
	  if %cur_language = 0 langen
	  Do you want to skip ahead?
	  langen!sd
	  langen!sd
	  langen!sd
	  langen!sd
	  langen
	  showlangen
	  To fly freely at the speed of sound, like a fighter jet!
	  To fearlessly withstand all attacks, like a tank!
	  To wield the weaponry of a fortress, a warship!
	  What if all these superpowers were compressed into the left arm of a single soldier?
	  I'm not talking about some sort of comic book hero.
	  What you're looking at is the next generation of soldiers who will defend world peace!
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"The Aerial Augmented Infantry, ^!w600^otherwise known as the Gauntlet Knights!!"
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"This elegant Gauntlet, worn on the left arm and reminiscent of medieval knights, contains all the weapons and technology humanity has given birth to thus far!"
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"It controls all the 8MS in their bodies and the surrounding air, enabling them to free themselves from the laws of the surface world and surpass them!"
	  The video showed a lone boy soldier wearing a Gauntlet on his left arm, standing on a massive airstrip.
	  A whistle blew, and his body floated upwards about 10cm.
	  He literally was floating.
	  Cutting-edge 8MS techniques made it possible to create and control force fields, releasing his body from gravity.
	  The whistle blew again, and his floating body danced like a bird, flitting about the space over the airstrip at will.
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"Gauntlets give soldiers the same mobility as an aircraft. Their maximum speed is in no way inferior to the best fighter jets from around the world."
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"And, the powerful Gs that would normally put a harsh burden on them have been eased thanks to the Anti-G 8MS in their bodies. This allows them to fly in ways pilots of existing aircraft could never even dream of."
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"And when taken to an extreme, even `ricochet flying' is possible!"
	  The video changed scenes. A Gauntlet Knight, practicing in the skies above the training grounds, was being recorded from behind by a friendly plane in pursuit.
	  One moment, the Gauntlet Knight was flying in the elegant, familiar way of a plane, and the next, its trajectory became complicated and bizarre, as if it was being bounced at odd angles like the diffuse reflection of light.
	  Because it looked like they were rebounding fiercely off the walls of a pipe as they flew, this was known as ricochet flying.
	  As the word `ricochet' suggests, the Gauntlet Knight kept flying at fierce, sharp angles, without losing any of their speed.
	  Normally, flying like this would put enormous Gs on their brain and all over their body, likely killing them instantly.
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"However, 8MS tech has freed them from all of the ground's restrictions! Even amazing midair movements like these are now possible!"
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"And, I want you to pay close attention to this footage. This is a fire-control system trying to target a Gauntlet Knight."
	  As it tried to target the ricochet-flying Gauntlet Knight, a computer-controlled sight indicator with prediction lines kept appearing and disappearing.
	  The knight's movement, which ignored the common sense of physics, confused the fire-control system, and it was completely unable to lock on to its target.
	  All fire-control systems created so far were completely useless against Gauntlet Knights.
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"Though they can display this level of midair mobility, Gauntlet Knights are not planes! They truly are infantry, Aerial Augmented Infantry!"
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"Their ability to land and take off is completely unrestricted, so they can carry out tactical operations anywhere a human is able to stand!"
	  By this point, Gauntlet Knights already possessed all the strengths of fighter jets, VTOL aircraft, and helicopters.
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"So then, what about their weaponry? You're probably thinking that, regardless of their mobility, they'll be completely useless if they don't have the firepower to take down their targets."
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"But when it comes to Gauntlet Knights, that's an utterly needless concern!"
	  The Dimension Container System, brought about by cutting-edge 4DP technology, made it possible for a person to take massive arsenals of weapons and ammunition with them.
	  The scene changed. A boy soldier who was apparently a Gauntlet Knight stood still in what looked like a vehicle service station.
	  Set about him in a radial pattern were all sorts of weapons and ammunition, like a weapon bargain sale.
	  There were rows and rows of missiles designed for fighter jets, just as many precision smart bombs, and even several heavy torpedoes designed for major warships.
	  This was clearly more weaponry than your average fighter jet.
	  Furthermore, there were howitzers and their ammunition laid out alongside them, as well as multi-barrelled machine guns with ammo belts folded several times over.
	  And that wasn't all. There were also reconnaissance drones, several types of signal flares, ammunition resupply containers, and various construction kits, with everything down to the slightest detail packed in.
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"This massive set of military ordinance can all be carried by a single Gauntlet Knight! And, if they specialize in carrying capacity, they can fit in the same amount of weaponry as an attack carrier!"
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"Witness the armament of a battleship and the mobility of a fighter jet! This is a Gauntlet Knight! But that's not all! They also possess an ultimate technique that cannot be reproduced with any currently existing weaponry! Watch and learn!!"
	  The scene changed, and it now appeared to be an outdoor shooting range.
	  The same Gauntlet Knight boy soldier stepped forward.
	  Several adult soldiers stood side by side some distance away, all pointing guns at him.
	  Immediately after a whistle blew, the sound of gunfire and smoke rushed towards the boy, as though a bunch of firecrackers had been set off.
	  That was it. ...Nothing happened. It was a bit of a letdown.
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"Do you understand what just happened? Let's slow it down a bit!"
	  The same scene was replayed in super-slow motion.
	  Bullets really were launched from the soldiers' guns.
	  However, they were all bounced back, along with a white glow, from a spot directly in front of the Gauntlet Knight.
	  The next time a whistle blew, a soldier who had been lying prone and wielding a light machine gun sent a signal, then laid down a powerful barrage.
	  It was so fierce, you could see what was happening clearly now, even without the slow motion.
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"This is the invincible defense Gauntlet Knights proudly wield, the Rejection Shield!!"
	  The scene changed again. The same soldier boy was standing in a different part of the shooting range, but this time, the camera was far away from him.
	  After a countdown, the boy was swallowed up by a massive explosion like something out of a Hollywood film.
	  But, when the flames disappeared, he was still standing there with a blank expression, as though nothing had happened.
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"An invincible defense!! And easy control over the skies! And the ability to use endless weapons at will!! And every little bit of that is all compressed into a single Gauntlet Knight!"
	  Narrator:
	  "In this new era, the numbers representing the military might of nations will surely shrink drastically. All we'll need to know is how many talented Gauntlet Knights each nation has!!"
	  The screen changed several more times, showing various scenes of Gauntlet Knights training.
	  Sometimes, they led fighter jet formations, and sometimes they led aircraft carrier fleets. Then, they landed jauntily on the ground, surrounded by a tank division.
	  langen!Narrator:
	  langen!"Come, boys and girls yearning to become defenders of peace!! Wouldn't you like to join those who stand at the head of all militaries of peace, blazing the way into a new era?!"
	  Narrator:
	  "The Aerial Augmented Infantry awaits you! The moment you put a Gauntlet on your left arm, you will become a Gauntlet Knight!!!"
	  Officer:
	  "Very nicely made. Do you think you could get it a bit shorter though? My back's starting to hurt... Nnggg."
	  The old officer rose from a seat in the projection room, rubbing his back. A young, voluptuous female officer who seemed to be a private secretary helped him up.
	  Officers:
	  "No, no, sir. We cannot make it any shorter in light of the regulations."
	  Officer:
	  "Is that so? Very well, very well."
	  Officer:
	  "By the way, kids like explosions, right? Bang boom, and all that. We've gotta add more flashy scenes. Also, the hook in the first 15 seconds is important, understand? I studied film back in the day, so I know all about it."
	  When the old officer started talking proudly, the other officers all took out notepads at once and made a show of writing it down diligently...
	  Okonogi:
	  "............"
	  Tch. Look at this moronic video they've made.
	  As if just putting a robot toy on your arm could turn anyone into a superhuman being. Keh.
	  In the first place, these Aerial Augmented Infantry things are still just theoretical.
	  If it was just a portable system for individual flight wielded by specialist troops, that'd be realistic enough.
	  But then you throw in one bit of ridiculous technology after another and call them Gauntlet Knights? What are they, superheroes from some American comic book?
	  True, there weren't any lies in their catalogued specs.
	  They could fly like fighter jets, carry weaponry like battleships, and set up invincible barriers like tanks.
	  In that propaganda video, the brat looked like he was flying around happily.
	  Still, the shock reduction provided by Anti-G 8MS isn't invincible.
	  He did a bit too much ricochet flying, and after the shoot, the capillaries in his eyeballs ruptured, eventually rendering him unconscious.
	  If only they'd filmed it in one take, he'd probably still be able to see.
	  Even the Dimension Container, which worked like a four-dimensional pocket, kept having issues.
	  Just how many brats have been turned to mincemeat when they tried to open it up, and then immediately got hit by an explosion before they could fire up their Rejection Shields?
	  Even that Rejection Shield had only become stable very recently.
	  And if it doesn't work perfectly when a brat's flying at 800 km/h, all it takes is a lazily flying pigeon to smash their heads to bits.
	  Okonogi:
	  "Well, we'll soon have plenty of brats to work with. ...Put up flashy ads that at least look good, and you'll find all the stupid kids you need."
	  ...After all, anyone would want to do it.
	  If I'd been in my teens, and someone told me I could become the face of our entire military, flying unaided through the sky, ...I'd be screwed too. Heheheheh...
	  Okonogi:
	  "Still, ...a bird in the hand's worth two in the bush."
	  Okonogi:
	  "In the end, it'll just be an esport, where you can't really fly outside the simulator..."
	  Officer:
	  "By the way, the Aerial Augmented Infantry boy in this video really is young and bold. I'd like to get a chance to meet him. Do you think you could bring him to dinner tonight?"
	  Officers:
	  "Oh, that sounds excellent. ...Captain Okonogi!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "...Umm, Major General, sir. I'm afraid to say that he's already perished in the line of duty."
	  Officer:
	  "What? Is that true? What a shame. He looked magnificent, so I was hoping to give his career a boost. Too bad, too bad..."
	  ...Truth be told, that explosion scene in the video just now was also the scene of his death, Major General, sir. Heheheh.
	  The filming schedule was a bit too rushed, so he must've been overworked. He screwed up with his shield during the flashiest scene at the very end.
	  Thanks to that, we were forced to edit it to make it look like he'd survived a massive blast.
	  Goddammit, it's not like we've got the budget for this kind of thing...
	  Secretary:
	  "Sir, it's about time you went to your car..."
	  Officer:
	  "Oh, okay. Well then, keep up the good work, everyone. Also, everyone's eyes will be on the Aerial Augmented Infantry division at the Battle Standard Festival, so make sure you give it your all. By the way, I believe a contestant from here in Japan will be representing the AOU, correct?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Yes, sir. It's Second Lieutenant Mitake Miyao, of the 0017th Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad `Warcat'."
	  Dammit, if that skinny brat's supposed to be representing the Rising Sun at the International Battle Standard Festival, this world really is screwed.
	  
	  
	  
	  
	  The top of Super Tokyo Tower sat 666 meters above the ground.
	  Surrounding it, the scenery of the night stretched as far as the horizon.
	  The hustle and bustle of the surface didn't reach this place. Nor did its troubles and complications.
	  The sky is the only place we can be truly free.
	  And there, atop the antenna mast at the peak of the tower, ...I stood.
	  My fear of heights...is now little more than a fond memory.
	  Of course, that's not really such a great thing. In your everyday life, if you jump out a third-story window and seriously hurt yourself because you can't be bothered to go down a staircase... Well, that's just a joke among people like us, but a pretty common one.
	  Just to check, I glanced at my left arm.
	  It was clad in a bulky contraption that resembled some piece of European armor.
	  That device, which extended from my shoulder to my fingertips, was unsurprisingly called a Gauntlet.
	  Knowing it was there...meant that I could relax and forget about the laws of physics.
	  Miyao:
	  "......Whew."
	  I let out a deep breath and gathered my wits.
	  Then, I slowly extended my right foot into the black void, ...the nighttime sea.
	  Gravity pulled on my entire body, and I slowly fell forward...
	  I dove into the nighttime sea. The gentle change caused by gravity was soon accelerating me towards the ground at an incredible pace.
	  I was in freefall, with the positions of heaven and earth swapped. A natural freefall, without any force field manipulation, feels the best.
	  My body fell faster and faster. I can never get enough of this sense of acceleration!
	  I was probably getting near the ground, but it felt as though I could sink forever through that black nighttime sea.
	  Part of me wanted to wax poetic, but this was simple vertigo.
	  The sum of my mental data -- not including sight -- left me fully aware of the speed and trajectory of my fall, as well as the surrounding terrain and the time to impact.
	  The instant before I smashed into the asphalt of the Shuto Expressway...
	  I kicked off the empty air, and the ballistic curve of my descent snapped into a right angle.
	  In the vacant space I'd launched from, something blossomed, delicately bathed in white phosphorescence.
	  They floated in the air, incredibly beautiful...
	  Almost as though an angel's feathers had been scattered about......
	  Gravity no longer bound me.
	  Though my body was that of flesh and blood, it now soared like a swallow.
	  I'll glide so low, I'll be a hair's breadth away from scraping the asphalt off the Shuto Expressway...!
	  A train bridge came into sight before me.
	  Across it raced one of those new steam engine locomotives that just debuted this year.
	  The steam engine is synonymous with economic revolution and kicked off a wave of technological advancement. It was also the first step towards mechanized technology.
	  I doubt any of the great technological geniuses of the past would have expected it to make a comeback after the nuclear age.
	  Of course, though it resembles an old steam engine, its operating principle is completely different.
	  After coal, then oil, and then the atom, humanity got its hands on a new ultimate fuel.
	  It was called "Spiritium".
	  When Spiritium engines convert energy, they expel large clouds of a mist that resembles water vapor.
	  And so, the haze of countless Spiritium engines' exhaust has become the mark of a massive city.
	  I happily burst through the vapor billowing out of that steam locomotive.
	  A forest of skyscrapers awaited me on the other side.
	  All over were buildings with Victorian and Art Nouveau-themed designs, like a scene out of the 19th century.
	  The brick facades and spires were beautiful. The golden glitter of the brass steam pipes tangled over every surface was also gorgeous under the floodlights.
	  There were also Japanese-style electric billboards interspersed throughout it. That slightly twisted yet strangely appealing contrast was the essence of the Tokyo Metropolis at night.
	  The cityscape, style, and fashion sense were all reminiscent of the 19th century.
	  However, behind the artistic veneer celebrating the rebirth of an economic golden age...lay state-of-the-art inventions that could fairly be called the ultimate in human tech.
	  And at the cutting edge of that cutting edge, it had finally become possible for a flesh-and-blood human to fly like this.
	  Of course, this power was only available to a few people so far.
	  I was one of those lucky enough to enjoy this privilege.
	  Every era and every society is fundamentally crap, when you get right down to it.
	  But there's one thing I can say. Being granted the ability to fly freely like this...makes me glad I was born in this era!
	  Being careful not to fly too high, I raced through the forest of skyscrapers and billboards.
	  This felt way more like flying than staring down from above did.
	  The newspapers keep saying we should cut down the number of electric billboards to avoid disrupting the city's scenery, but I kinda like this look.
	  After all, Tokyo has looked like this since the day I was born.
	  Why should I give a damn about the ancient Tokyo those adults long for so much?
	  This is our Tokyo!
	  As I continued to pick up speed, I slipped past billboards that stretched out over the road and seemingly competed with each other.
	  "Greater Tokyo Securities" "Miyu Spiritium" "Yaoyorozu Life Insurance"
	  "Cure-alls from Manchidou" "Mental Displays by FUJIX"
	  "Cat Karaoke Sushi Cosplay" (Now get 101 SR wheel spins free!)
	  "Eisai Foodstuffs" - Eat wisely, mighty soldiers of a rich nation. Snacks recommended by the National Defense Boys Club.
	  "Cocu Cola." The Cocu Cola Bottlers are the official sponsor of the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace.
	  I glanced down and saw a gleaming swarm of cars blanketing a highway that wound through the downtown district.
	  The exhilarating feeling of gliding right over all of them...was by far the most primal part of the primal joy of flying!
	  Miyao:
	  "You know, you forget this feeling if you don't fly every now and then."
	  It's only natural that flying through the air is exhilarating.
	  At that moment, a little frog character hopped into the corner of my mental display.
	  It was Selcom's beloved mascot, Keropoyo.
	  Then, it made a mental announcement with that funny default voice.
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Immediately, a friend started talking to me through my Kizuna.
	  Who the heck's doing that? I'm busy focusing my mind by remembering my primal self...
	  ...Well, I guess there's only one person it could be.
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey! Taking a nice, relaxed pleasure flight in a place like this?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Leave me alone."
	  Jayden:
	  "I'll bet you haven't warmed up enough yet, huh? Well, Supergenius Jayden has come to play with you."
	  Miyao:
	  "Sheesh, you're such a pest."
	  It was my annoying partner. He never leaves me alone, even when I'm trying to focus my mind in solitude.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Yeah, warming up's important. ...For someone like you, at least."
	  Jayden:
	  "Heh. As if you didn't expect me to show up right about now."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm flying for my own sake. It's not like I was waiting for you."
	  Jayden:
	  "You're such a cute tsundere, Miyao♪"
	  Miyao:
	  "...What a pain in the ass. Okay, sure, I'm in. I don't want people blaming me if you screw up later on."
	  ctivating Dimension Container poyo.
	  Miyao:
	  "So, are we using competition rules?"
	  ctivating Reaper's Eye. Friendly unit "Jayden" located. Registering as hostile poyo.
	  Jayden:
	  "Nah, we can leave it like this. You like this place, right?"
	  Hostile unit "Jayden" has activated its Reaper's Eye. We've been located poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Tch. Don't act like you're doing me a favor by saying that."
	  Jayden:
	  "We don't need a killjoy like rules. Let's just go all out on each other!"
	  While we smack-talked each other, we both started circling the Miyu Spiritium building, hiding behind it.
	  It blocked our line of fire, but in a Gauntlet fight, cover like something from an infantry battle meant nothing.
	  Jayden:
	  "Time to get started!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Let's play!!"
	  When Miyao thrust out his right arm, a burst of luminous angel feathers danced around it, and one after another, guided missiles winked into existence. It looked like an ancient magician summoning familiars.
	  The missiles launched one after another, circling around the building and aiming for Jayden on the opposite side.
	  Then, not a beat later, Miyao summoned into existence a massive seven-barrel gatling gun, big enough that it covered his body.
	  After all, just as Miyao had launched guided missiles around the building, Jayden had launched missiles back at him!
	  The missiles that appeared one after another from beyond the skyscraper were met by Miyao's gatling gun.
	  They were rapidly caught by the hailstorm of bullets, exploding one after another, bursting the skyscraper's windows to glittering dust.
	  The gatling gun, which floated in the sky above Miyao's right hand, was exactly like those loaded onto warships to defend against anti-ship missiles.
	  These were supposed to weigh over 9 tons. However, it continued to float there over Miyao's arm as if it weighed nothing at all.
	  Jayden:
	  "...I see the way you're guiding your missiles is as twisted as ever, Miyao...!!"
	  Jayden intercepted Miyao's guided missiles, which had come flying around at him in the same way.
	  If they had come flying via a traditional maneuver, aiming directly for their target, it would've been easy to intercept them.
	  However, these two could control the flight paths of all the missiles they launched.
	  For that reason, no computer could completely intercept a volley of their high-maneuverability missiles, as they approached along such complicated trajectories.
	  The missiles were being guided by humans, so it took a human to intercept them.
	  Miyao:
	  "Your missiles are pretty twisted too!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Duking it out with you would make anyone twisted...!!"
	  They circled at high speeds, shooting down the missiles that chased them one by one.
	  Naturally, both were simultaneously guiding missiles, intercepting them, and also controlling the speed and direction of their own flight.
	  It would be impossible for a normal person to do all this at the same time.
	  That's why Gauntlet Knights were admired by children...no, by people everywhere.
	  In a battle between superhumans like this, how you fool your opponent is vital.
	  Even games that appear to be completely intellectual -- like chess and shogi -- are eventually decided with a physical contest, depending on the glucose levels in your blood.
	  They were being chased by swarms of missiles flying in complex trajectories, constantly intercepting them, while still firing missiles themselves and looking for a chance to corner their opponent. Doing so was brutally exhausting.
	  And, the instant you gave your opponent an opening, they'd take advantage of it and end the whole thing. That was how a standard one-on-one fight between Gauntlet Knights went.
	  Jayden:
	  "So you think you can win if it's an endurance dogfight, huh...? Don't forget, Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "I know, you're a supergenius, right?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yep! I'm Supergenius Jayden!!"
	  The next instant, Jayden scattered glowing feathers through the air as he changed his movement pattern.
	  He turned at a right angle, heading straight towards a floor of the building! He burst through the massive glass windows and flew inside!
	  Jayden:
	  "The entire 58th floor of the Miyu Spiritium Building is a single observation deck restaurant!!!"
	  He raced through the empty restaurant, sending tables flying!
	  While playing a fierce game of tag with guided missiles, Jayden had also been investigating.
	  He had accessed the floor plans for the Miyu Spiritium Building that had been the center of their dogfight.
	  The building screening the two of them from each other had instantly become a shortcut...!
	  Miyao:
	  "You little...!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I'm a supergenius!!! Hear me roar, uryaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh!!!"
	  The entire building was pierced as he performed an all-out body slam backed by a force field! Despite that, Miyao just barely managed to dodge.
	  He kicked off the empty air and sent glowing feathers flying, changing his direction in a right angle and plunging straight down.
	  Of course, Jayden hadn't been naive enough to hope that his surprise attack would land a clean hit.
	  However, in dodging, Miyao had been forced to make too sudden of a vector change, and the Anti-G 8MS in his body had used up almost all of its energy in an instant.
	  Energy depleted. Beginning recharge poyo.
	  Until you're fully recharged, you can't do anything at all poyo!
	  Without any energy left, Miyao lost all control and could do nothing but let himself freefall straight down.
	  His energy would recharge soon, but in an extreme close combat situation like this, that pause would be utterly fatal!
	  Jayden was looking down on him from above, in complete control. Their raw, unaugmented gazes crossed!
	  Jayden swung his right arm down, scattering glowing feathers about as he summoned a .50 caliber heavy machine gun!
	  Enemy unit "Jayden" has achieved target lock. Energy recharge in progress. Evasive maneuvers highly recommended poyo!
	  But too bad poyopoyo!! You're still recharging, so you can't do anything poyopoyo!
	  Oh, but even if you're in freefall, you can still pray poyo
	   Heheheheheh!
	  Goddammit, this new version of Keropoyo sure is an asshole!^
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "Gotcha!!! Miyaoooooooooooooo!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Ignition."
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh...?!"
	  Even when supplemented by the Reaper's Eye system, which makes it possible to observe the entirety of the surrounding area, people tend to focus on a single point when they get excited. In that instant, all other directions become blind spots for them.
	  So, by the time he saw `that', it was already right behind him!
	  At exactly the time Miyao made his emergency dodge downwards, he had summoned a missile directly above himself.
	  He had just summoned it in midair, nothing more. It was merely a floating object, not guided or moving in any way.
	  So, it had entered freefall...and was now right behind Jayden!
	  However, it wasn't as though he hadn't given this missile any orders. It had just one.
	  And that...
	  was to explode after a few seconds delay.
	  A massive explosion engulfed Jayden from behind!
	  An instant later, pure white angel feathers were scattered all over the area in front of the blast.
	  It was a sign that the Rejection Shield had blocked the explosion.
	  A Gauntlet Knight wouldn't succumb to a little attack like that.
	  They could fly about at will. Arm themselves at will. And also shield themselves at will.
	  It was an invincible shield usable only by Gauntlet Knights, who could perform a Dreissig Conversion on Spiritium unaided. A Rejection Shield.
	  They could extend it instantly, blocking any sort of attack.
	   However, depending on the strength of the attack and whether the defender was taken by surprise, doing so could expend a massive amount of energy.
	  Jayden:
	  "...You...got me...!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Heh. As if I'd let you win with a little trick like that!"
	  It had been a completely unexpected trap. And, it had resulted in a blast to the back at extreme close range. Jayden had used up almost all of his energy in an instant!
	  Jayden:
	  "Triggering it at such close range would've taken you out with the shrapnel too, ...but you got me to put up my shield and block it...! You really are
	   crazy, awesome, and totally screwed up, Miyaoooooooooooooooo...!!!"
	  Sending glowing feathers scattering with the last of his energy, Jayden rapidly accelerated towards Miyao!
	  And Miyao, who was in freefall, waited for Jayden as he came to settle this!
	  Miyao:
	  "Jaydeeeeeeeen...!!!!"^
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "Miyaoooooooooooooo!!!"^
	  
	  Surrounded by dancing fragments of glass, glowing wings, and shrapnel from the blast, the two men with raised fists...collided...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "...Nnga...
	  ...
	  aah...?!?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Nnggggg.......
	   G-Got
	  chaaaaaaa!!!"
	  As the pair descended in freefall, ...two punches containing all of their strength crossed...
	  It was a cross-counter...
	  So, would they take each other out?/
	   ...No.
	   The victor was clear.
	  Jayden:
	  "If you're short, that means your arms are short too. Right, Miyao?♪"
	  Jayden's right straight definitely reached Miyao's cheek, ...but Miyao's right straight didn't make it. The difference in reach was obvious.
	  Miyao:
	  "...D-
	  D-D-
	  Dammiiiiiiittt!!!!"
	  
	  In the end, the showdown between Gauntlet Knight aces was decided not by wit, nor physical strength, nor glucose levels, ...but by height alone.
	  Their energy was recharged and they regained control, rescuing them from the shackles of freefall.
	  Miyao:
	  "I hate this right arm!
	  langen@^ Get me a saw!
	  langen@^ It's coming off!
	  langen@/
	   And I'll replace it with a rocket fist!!"
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "Wahahah, wahahahahah!! Sweet, let me know when you do. I'll even give you special permission to punch me, wahahahahah!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's a promise, okay? Don't you go forgetting it!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "...Still, I'd expect no less from you, Miyao."
	  ...I thought I'd launched the perfect sneak attack, but if it had been perfect, he wouldn't have been able to set a trap so quickly.
	  I'll bet he figured I'd come at him through a shortcut and waited for me... I moved first, so I was able to make it through the chaos somehow, ...but if I'd been a heartbeat slower, and if Miyao had finished his preparations, I probably would've been taken out neatly...
	  Jayden:
	  "Not bad, partner. I may have won by a nose, but the battle's far from-"
	  Miyao:
	  "I let you win, obviously! I mean, you always get pissed when you don't win in the end! Naturally, I lost on purpose for the sake of your mental health!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh?! A-And I was trying to be a gracious winner too...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "No matter how you look at it, my trap worked perfectly and I won! In a real battle, it wouldn't end with a punch! And my recharge would've been at least 1 second sooner! Then, if it were a real battle, I would've blown you away with a force field and slammed you against the wall, winning!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Ah, dammit! We almost closed out that scene so neatly, and now you've ruined it!"
	  Though he said this, Jayden laughed, looking somewhat amused.
	  Miyao wasn't really the sore loser he sounded like. They had both just been scuffling and playing. And look, now he's smiling too.
	  However, his expression transformed utterly a second later.
	  Miyao:
	  "But you know what?!!
	  langen@^ That was way too reckless, putting your body on the line with a sudden sneak attack like that!! In a real battle, we would've taken each other out! Or you might've hit the building and blown yourself up!! Aren't you supposed to be a supergenius?! Then don't fight in a way that'll end in a mutual kill with both you and a super-normal enemy!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I know that... We were playing, so I just had a bit of fun, okay?"
	  Miyao:
	  "And that's not all!
	  langen@^ The paths of those first suppression missiles were too simple! You keep getting stuck in a pattern without twisting it up a bit! And you wasted time when intercepting missiles! Your trajectory when dodging was weak too! Just look at the trajectory data, three seconds after you started intercepting missiles! What a pointless maneuver!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Get rid of the loss from this part, and you would've had enough energy to finish me off in the final clash! And look at the trajectory data from 23 seconds later, 24.2 seconds later! Make gravity and inertia your friends instead of wasting your Anti-G 8MS! Hey, are you listening to me, Supergenius Jayden?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "...Great, here comes lecture-mode Miyao..."
	  Miyao sent him bits of battle action data one after another, marked with red annotations.
	  At first, I thought this guy was so annoying, acting like he was my instructor or something.
	  However, when he lectures people, he's definitely not letting his emotions get the better of him. The things he points out are always accurate.
	  ...And most importantly, he really does watch people.
	  Normally, in a fight, you only think about how you're gonna take down your opponent, about how super strong you'll be when you win, right?
	  Miyao is always watching his opponent when he fights. Always thinking.
	  It might sound weird when I put it this way, ...but he's always seriously thinking about his opponent's feelings.
	  Miyao:
	  "However, the way you demonstrated parallel thinking by searching for a way to strike back while playing tag with missiles wasn't bad. You used evasive maneuvers to gain yourself a moment of time to stockpile your mental resources, which you then employed effectively. Judging by your level of strain, you minimized the amount of unused mental resources throughout the fight."
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, it's not like I can leave any of my brain unused in a fight against you, Miyao."
	  ...See? He really does look closely at his opponent's feelings.
	  He may never miss it when someone gets clumsy or screws up, ...but he also never misses it when people work hard.
	  I tried, in my own way, to make use of the precious advice he gave me in our previous match, ...and it looks like he really noticed.
	  Miyao:
	  "You tried, in your own way, to confront the problems you had the last time we fought. That's what makes you a supergenius, Jayden. Nice work."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hahah, hahahahah."
	  Dammit, ...why the hell am I blushing at a compliment from a guy?
	  This is why...I've never had any desire to quit being your buddy.
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Then, my Kizuna's Keropoyo notified me that a bunch of friends had arrived at once.
	  Sheesh, can't you let the two of us flirt alone in peace?!
	  Gunhild:
	  "Seriously? Just when you should be trying to preserve your sugar levels, you start up an all-out battle?"
	  Miyao:
	  "We didn't do much. Just a bit of a warm-up.
	   Right?"
	  Jayden:
	  "That's right. Just a bit of light stretching."
	  Gunhild:
	  "*sigh*... Your blood sugar levels don't agree."
	  Friendly unit "Lilja" has registered as hostile.
	  Friendly unit "Koshka" has registered as hostile.
	  Lilja:
	  "Who could've guessed we'd find a couple kitties playing in a place like this, meeoow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Well, this looks like a place worth smashing..."
	  Chloe:
	  "Heeey, Lilja, Koshka, stop that! This is no time for a battle＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "I won't forgive you for having fun in a place like this while we were getting bored to tears by that ceremony meow♪ Mew, mew, meoooow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I was so bored. ...Time to blow off some steam to make up for it..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Let's see who can take down the others first, meow! There's no way I'd ever lose to a hick like Koshka meow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Don't make me laugh. I'll take on you and all the others...and crush you..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Go ahead and do it if you can♪ I'll beat up Miyao and Jayden and plant you upside-down in the Siberian permafrost, meow meow♪"
	  Enemy units "Lilja" and "Koshka" have activated Reaper's Eye. You have been targeted poyo.
	  Enemy unit "Lilja" is summoning an anti-air mine dispenser poyo.
	  Enemy unit "Koshka" is summoning an anti-Gauntlet sniper rifle poyo.
	  Chloe:
	  "Hey, just stop it already!
	   The Instructor's gonna get mad at me＞＜!!"
	  Odds of "Chloe" getting chewed out by the Instructor now at 99% poyo.
	   Heheheh, *kero*kero*kero*.
	  Chloe:
	  "Waah, I can't take this anymore＞＜!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Good grief.
	   ...Miyao, Jayden, are you sure such a light warm-up was enough for you?"
	  Jayden:
	  "No, ...I was just thinking it was time for a real warm-up. Right, Miyao?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah. This time, let's check our ability to work as a team. ...If you take a gamble like last time, I really will punch you, okay?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Heheh. Sure, I'll just wait for you to get a rocket fist that can actually reach my face."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Then it's decided. Chloe, we should warm up a little too."
	  Chloe:
	  "Friendly unit `Gunhild' has registered as hostile?! Wh-Whaaaat?! Nooooooooo＞＜!!"
	  Friendly unit "Gunhild" has initiated 8MS surveillance and is now providing data to friendly units poyo.
	  Enemy unit "Chloe" has begun accessing Super Tokyo Tower's anti-air cannons "Sakura 1" and "Asagao 1" poyo.
	  Gunhild:
	  "She may try to hide it, but Chloe's totally on board with this."
	  Chloe:
	  "Aaah, just let me take all of you out!! Instructor, none of this is my fault＞＜!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "I'll happily take first strike meow♪ I'm gonna eat everything up, not gonna leave a scrap for Koshka♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "...If you and my target line up, I'll skewer you."
	  Lilja:
	  "Do it if you can, meow meooooow♪"
	  Jayden:
	  "Here they come! Let's go, Miyao!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah!! I'm so fired up, I couldn't care less about that Battle Standard Festival of Peace...!!"
	  It wouldn't be fun any other way poyo! Okay... Ready...
	  fight poyo!
	  
	  Narrator:
	  "No matter how far virtual reality advances, it will never compare to the shock of the body's five senses!!"
	  Suddenly, all five of the audience's senses were struck by an earsplitting roar that rumbled down to the pit of their stomachs, as well as other sensations like the smell of iron and oil mixed together.
	  Narrator:
	  "Just now, five shiny silver fighter planes passed right over us, dancing through the sky above the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace at Gifu Stadium! Flying at their head was this year's host: Japan of the Arctic Ocean Union! On either side were fighters from the Europe-Middle East Alliance, the Central Ocean Union, the Africa Commonwealth Realm and the Latin American Treaty Organization!"
	  Commentator:
	  "That was a joint flight of fighters from the Five Great Factions. Just magnificent. What a fitting ceremony for the Battle Standard Festival of Peace."
	  Narrator:
	  "These warriors of peace have honed their skills day and night to defend peace on this planet, and the crowd can't get enough of them! Let there be eternal peace in this world! And thank you, warriors of peace, for supporting the Walls of Peace from both sides yet again today!!"
	  
	  Instructor:
	  "This is what we call Dobeneck's Barrel, or sometimes Kennedy's Powder Keg."
	  After saying this, the instructor wrote "Kennedy's Powder Keg" on the electronic blackboard behind him, and an illustration that resembled a keg appeared.
	  Both the letters and the illustration were drawn very poorly, and the students all giggled.
	  The instructor was teaching while walking amongst the students' seats, his hands clasped behind him.
	  Though the blackboard was far away from him, he was directly drawing and writing on it.
	  He was using a brainwave input device, also called a mental tablet.
	  Once, we needed hands to manipulate the writing tools, keyboards, and equipment needed to leave records.
	  However, humanity in this world had gained the ability to not only write letters, but even draw pictures without using their hands.
	  However, no matter the device, only the young can use it to full capacity when it's brand new.
	  So, the aged instructor still wasn't used to it, leading to these rough letters and drawings that didn't suit his high upbringing and education at all.
	  Instructor:
	  "As you can see, the keg is a cylindrical container made of several boards bound together. ...Since my drawing is so pathetic, I ask that all of you who lack an imagination do an image search."
	  If you can have a tablet in your brain, then of course you can have a display there too.
	  Some of the more serious students did a serious search for the word "keg", which was displayed as an image inside their brains.
	  Those less serious were using their mental displays to watch TV, play games, or else chat with their friends in virtual rooms.
	  Nearby people had no way of telling what someone was looking at in their mental display.
	  Also, if you wanted to chat with your friends, there was no need to move your mouth. You could use mental transmissions to talk without speaking.
	  And so, both the serious and non-serious students gave birth to an ideal environment for themselves.
	  Instructor:
	  "Kennedy's Powder Keg represents the gunpowder of conflict, sealed in a container where the military efforts of each individual country form the boards."
	  Then, a red line was drawn on the picture of the keg on the blackboard, and one of the boards was removed, leaving a gap.
	  Instructor:
	  "However, what if just one board was short and left a gap? Naturally, everything inside the keg would pour out. Kennedy's Powder Keg tells us that if even a single country fails in its military efforts for the sake of peace, the gunpowder of conflict will pour out from there and explode."
	  Once, military power had been necessary to protect the safety of one's nation.
	  In every nation, in every era, young people who take on the responsibility of protecting their country have been praised for their patriotism and service to the state.
	  They're like white blood cells in the human body, and no one ever finds anything odd about praising them.
	  However, after massive losses caused by two world wars and a Cold War brought about by nuclear weapons, and particularly after the advancement of data storage techniques that allowed the inhumanities of war to be seen far and wide, over and over again, some of humanity had developed what might be called a war allergy.
	  Then, when the Great Depression at the end of the 21st century kicked off a fierce economic downturn, people in countries around the world started talking seriously about reducing military spending.
	  Taking advantage of that, pacifists began a major global campaign. That movement received an international tailwind, gaining heavy support from people across the world, made poor by a social security system that had been crushed by the depression.
	  Certain politicians played to the masses and rode this tailwind, building up bases of support all over the planet.
	  They spoke pleasant-sounding words of world peace and love for all humanity, leading the charge for unilateral disarmament in certain countries and earning wide acclaim.
	  All over the world, videos were shared of soldiers returning their medals and leaving the army, claiming that being a soldier was a shameful way to serve one's country. The first few who started this boom were praised by the press, and many clambered to have them nominated for the Bernhard Peace Prize.
	  The whole world praised this as a beautiful story, one that would encourage all who suffered under the Great Depression.
	  Every day, the news told stories of countless soldiers leaving armies as an act of self-criticism against the military, to the applause of the people.
	  And, it delighted in showing stories of tanks and fighter jets being scrapped, giving the numbers for how much that had saved in construction and maintenance costs, and comparing that to how many babies could be fed with the same funds.
	  It was a global disarmament boom. If all neighboring countries had reduced their militaries at the same time, this would have been a wonderful thing...
	  However, as the Prisoner's Dilemma suggests, strategies that baselessly assume that your partner will act with benevolence...are less than ideal in affairs between nations.
	  This resulted in an extremely tilted military balance across several national borders around the world.
	  At the time, national leaders who disarmed unilaterally were lauded as pioneers of world peace and given several international awards.
	  However, in the current A3W era, their reputation had done a 180.
	  They were condemned for abandoning their support of the Walls of Peace that separated countries...and accused of the sin of negligence in their duties towards world peace...
	  Instructor:
	  "`Provide a deterrent to arms races and security dilemmas, while enshrouding the gunpowder of war by maintaining a suitable military balance between all countries.' This is the philosophy of the IPMA, the International Peace Mediation Association. And, it is how a healthy military balance preserves world peace."
	  World War III had several causes, but some likened it to a human body, where a nutrient imbalance had triggered a great illness.
	  That led to the concept of "world peace preserved by a healthy military balance".
	  For example, Japan once polished rice because it tasted better that way, which led to vitamin deficiency and a disease called beriberi.
	  They removed the bad-tasting "bran", but they didn't realize that it contained vital nutrients.
	  That "bran" was like military might.
	  True, military might does have a violent and inhumane side to it. Any humanitarian would claim that it "tasted bad".
	  However, when they polished it off and threw it away, ...it resulted in a fatal nutrient deficiency for certain nations.
	  When military might only exists on some sides and not on others, it's easy to enter an irreversible situation.
	  It was like trying to climb a mountain without a safety line.
	  You'll be fine as long as nothing happens, but if something unexpected occurs, there won't be anything left to support you.
	  One of World War III's other causes, populism, led to increasing friction between neighboring countries and placed a lot of pressure on border regions.
	  That wouldn't have been a problem if those borders -- those Walls of Peace -- had been supported on both sides. ...However, whenever one side refused to support these walls, they fell over easily, inviting a situation that couldn't be undone...
	  Instructor:
	  "Military might is an element that tastes bitter to humanity. We have chosen to view it as a mineral, a micronutrient necessary for the body to function."
	  Everyone knows that if you pile up zinc and iron and manganese on a table and eat it, it'll be harmful to your health.
	  However, these are essential nutrients that you can't afford to be deprived of, and you need to continue ingesting them in suitable quantities.
	  In the same way, a nation's military might needs to be maintained to a suitable degree to bring about healthy relationships between countries. Or so they say...
	  As a result, military might was viewed in a different light in the A3W Era, as a micronutrient for nations.
	  The tendency to think of soldiers as murderers and enemies of peace was done away with. After all, soldiers of your country were fundamentally war buddies, even to soldiers in neighboring countries, as they all worked together to support the Walls of Peace.
	  The social rank of soldiers rose, and the world became one in which children didn't hesitate to say they wanted to become soldiers when they grew up.
	  Soldiers no longer existed for the purpose of defeating their opponents.
	  They were redefined as servants of international peace, who protected not only their own country, but also their country's neighbors. They supported the walls between countries, preparing for unexpected situations in nearby nations that even those nations wouldn't have wanted, and preventing them from developing into something irreversible.
	  Even the closest spouses and friends fight sometimes.
	  Soldiers who supported the Walls of Peace were like cushions wedged in the middle of fights like that, preventing a fatal situation from developing, so that everyone could laugh it off and forgive each other in the end...
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Humans really are crazy, huh?"
	  Seshat:
	  "Think so?"
	  Two people who looked very different from those students watched this lecture through their mental displays.
	  They seemed to be amusing themselves with it, rather than attending it...
	  Seshat:
	  "I mean, whenever organisms gather together, it's to increase their chances at survival, right? In other words, they gain enough military might to protect themselves against outward foes. Isn't rejecting something like that basically sacrilege against the miracle of life on this planet?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "No, no, no. I wasn't trying to criticize people for praising strong militaries."
	  Seshat:
	  "Oh, you weren't? Then what are you trying to say?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "I don't care if you criticize or praise militaries. As you said, Grand Master, military power is a natural right you have as a lifeform to increase the odds of your survival, and it's also a natural obligation you have for the sake of protecting your descendents who can't protect themselves."
	  Toujirou:
	  "But at the same time, it's also a double-edged sword that can hurt both you and your neighbors. So, whether you criticize it or worship it, you should always continue debating and searching for a better way to exist."
	  Seshat:
	  "So, the most important thing is having people debate all the time...? Ahahah, isn't debate just a means you use to reach an end? I doubt you can guide the common man if your means become your ends."
	  Toujirou:
	  "True, debate can easily lead to wasting time. It's not a great idea to gradually work out a solution when you've got an urgent and pressing issue to deal with. I'm just trying to explain how unpleasant these extreme changes are, and how it's just as unpleasant when nothing changes at all."
	  Right up until World War III, military might was viewed as evil.
	  Their culture was such that every politician, philosopher, musician, and artist went on and on about love and peace, and how they needed to throw away their weapons because militaries were the shame of humanity.
	  It was a world where even whispering about the need for military power on social media would be enough to get someone accused of blasphemy against peace and socially murdered.
	  However, even though humanity disliked military might, that didn't mean they'd abandoned their dislike for other races.
	  As a result, the door to World War III was opened not by militaries maintained by nations, but by selfish "military actions" by individual people with self-righteous ideals...
	  Toujirou:
	  "And now that's totally flipped around, with everyone saying `long live the military, thank you troops, I'm gonna grow up to be a great soldier who protects his country and world peace.'"
	  Seshat:
	  "Ahahahah. Yeah, that is pretty extreme. Hilarious, in fact."
	  Toujirou:
	  "And now, if you imply that militaries are immoral in any way, the whole world will call it blasphemy against peace and ostracize you. At first, it seems to be the exact opposite of what they did before, but they're basically doing the same thing. Differing opinions are aggressively silenced, and no one has the guts to actually discuss the issue."
	  Seshat:
	  "The mind of the masses is like a single bit of data."
	  Toujirou:
	  "You mean it can only ever be 0 or 1?"
	  Seshat:
	  "Yeah, that's it. Are you on the far right side, or the far left? They can't see anything besides that. And because that's all their mind can hold, they aren't capable of debate, and they aren't receptive or clever enough to accept a position that's different from theirs."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If you want to strengthen that 1-bit person, ...then there's no choice but to train them, right?"
	  Seshat:
	  "I'll bet that training would be pretty harsh for those 1-bits."
	  By "training the 1-bits", they must have meant the act of letting differing opinions collide in debates.
	  However, no matter which time period you look at, history doesn't record many people capable of tolerating differing opinions in the name of diversity.
	  Whether it's religions, ideologies, or how you like your eggs cooked, the world is full of people incapable of accepting diversity.
	  After all, even people who claim to be for diversity...are unable to accept the existence of people who dispute that belief.
	  ...It's not at all an easy thing to do.
	  People crowd together with those who share their own views, exterminating all opposing views. ...That's what "debate" means to humanity now, as it approaches the 10 billion person mark once again.
	  Seshat:
	  "It's been like this since before the time of Rome. ...Sometimes, kings urge their subjects to take part in debate. However, the 1-bits never managed to count to anything but 0 or 1."
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Still, in my opinion, if you stop thinking and debating, you aren't even human anymore."
	  Seshat:
	  "You really are a worrier, aren't you? Very well, I shall grant you the title of 8-bit. Heheheh."
	  Toujirou:
	  "You honor me, Grand Master."
	  Seshat:
	  "The people can't do anything but advance in a direction that's been decided for them. Showing people where to go is what a king does. If you're waiting for the common man to gain enough intelligence to take part in debate, I'm afraid the sun will probably burn out first, right...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Even so, ...I want to have faith in people."
	  What if people didn't get kicked around by the consensus, going forward when they say forward, stopping when they say stop, and going left and right when they tell you to...?
	  What if everyone could have their own opinions, debate them together, and accept each other...?
	  And what if then, you looked around and saw that everyone accepted everyone else, and that everyone was moving in the same direction...? I hope a miracle like that will occur someday.
	  It might not happen until the day before the sun burns out and the globe is covered with ice, ...but I believe we will make it in time.
	  Seshat:
	  "Drat, Mizoguchi lost. Come on, isn't judo supposed to be Japan's specialty?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Last year, a power harassment scandal threw the association into chaos. Guess this means I win."
	  Several numbers appeared in their virtual space, and the numbers on Seshat's side decreased and were added to Toujirou's side.
	  This time, they were watching a broadcast of the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace.
	  It was a celebration of peace, where countless young people displayed the techniques they had honed and the hard work they had put in for the sake of this day.
	  However, to the middle-aged people casually gazing at it, it was merely something to complement a drink or to bet on.
	  A triangular, luxuriously designed table was lit by a faint light.
	  Until your eyes adjusted to the darkness, you wouldn't be able to see anything else...
	  Then, ...a white hand suddenly stretched into that darkness.
	  That hand was holding a small bag with gold embroidery.
	  Mysterious Voice:
	  "Open it."
	  Girl's Voice:
	  "As you wish. ...In that case..."
	  The contents of the bag were laid out on the table.
	  It was...three coins.
	  Two of them were gold, ...and one was silver.
	  
	  Narrator:
	  "And there it is!! Gundarenko's famous osotogari!!"
	  Commentator:
	  "The AOU Russian Army really has been focusing on its judo. Japan removed it from its army's training routine just last year, but I'll bet this stirs up another fiery debate in this country!"
	  Narrator:
	  "We've just received some new information. In the Striker-class group tank competition, Second Lieutenant Alberto Garcia of the LATO Argentinian Military has successfully achieved the first hat trick of this year's festival!"
	  Commentator:
	  "The LATO military certainly has taken a gamble this year, entering only people under 20 into the group tank competition, but it looks like it's paying off. I think it's safe to say that youth speaks louder than experience these days."
	  Narrator:
	  "I suppose whether it's blazing a trail to a new era or maintaining the peace, no one is more qualified than the young. Still, I'd like to see our more experienced soldiers give it their all too!"
	  The International Battle Standard Festival of Peace was a competition featuring soldiers from across the world.
	  Of course, this competition included more than just sports.
	  Narrator:
	  "Yes, perfect! What beautifully perfect flying! The ABN British Air Force refuses to surrender their place as masters of the art of the skies, and their Second Lieutenant George White truly is a genius, even at the age of 18!!"
	  Commentator:
	  "He certainly has the skill, but his plane is incredible too. In every part of those blueprints, you can feel the spirit that their designers devote to the art of the sky."
	  Narrator:
	  "Now, let's switch over to the maritime competition. At the warship triathlon (dreadnaught-class 30-gun division), the heavy bombardment ship `Gloria Da Lobito' from the ACR Angolan Navy has passed the qualifying round with a Festival record!"
	  Commentator:
	  "Last year, the ACR Combined Navy made an incredible showing. However, we can't forget the COU Chinese Navy's new ship, the Tianjin, which won last year's Central Ocean Cup."
	  Most events included not just soldiers, but their weaponry as well.
	  The way they determined winners and losers was an open, refreshing thing, designed to foster a noble "soldiership" among the troops who protected world peace together.
	  Of course, it was still a competition, so they fought against members of the opposing factions as if they were enemies.
	  However, when both sides learned from each other and interacted, they grew to respect one another.
	  Every national military from every faction deepened their relationships during the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace.
	  To those who supported the Walls of Peace from both sides, the friendships this inspired were the best way to prevent war.
	  At the same time, this put the military techniques from countries all over the world on display, making it possible for all national militaries to share in new technologies.
	  That would prevent future breakthroughs in military tech from causing a breach in the military balance.
	  Instead of avoiding military might, the world could acknowledge its function and maintain a healthy balance, making world peace a reality.
	  That was why the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace existed.
	  ...Or at least, that was what the event planning committee liked to say.
	  To be perfectly honest, all nations wanted to look good in the eyes of their citizens, so they tried to get good results, earning medals left and right.
	  Since war never broke out, the report card for militaries became the number of medals they won at the festival.
	  In other words, though the young were supposedly the main participants in this event, the expectations of the old affected it significantly.
	  So, though "soldiership" was supposed to be something noble, there was always talk of bribery and doping behind the scenes...
	  Well, that sort of thing happens in every era. There's no point harping on it.
	  Those young people who carried the prestige of their nations were spurred on mercilessly. Only those who succeeded were praised, and those who didn't measure up were abandoned. This happens in all eras. There's no point harping on that either...
	  It's always the young who are made to compete. And the adults only reward success.
	  The young don't want the adults to abandon them, so they always press forward...
	  Okonogi:
	  "You foooooool!!!! Didn't I tell you not to let your eyes off Lilja and Koshka, not even for a second?!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Eep...!! I-I-I'm so sorry, Instructor...!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Why are you causing a ruckus right before a match, a time when you must be at your absolute peak condition?! You knew they would run wild right away, didn't you?!! But instead, you start going crazy with them!
	   You fool!
	  langen@/
	   You imbecile!
	  langen@/
	   You nincompoop!!"^
	  
	  Chloe:
	  "I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry, eeeeeeep...!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Come on, if we just have a few sweets, our physical condition will be back to normal in no time meow♪"
	  The most efficient way for Gauntlet Knights to restore their stamina was sugar. In other words, dessert.
	  Lilja and Koshka, who had returned from the athletes' cafeteria with extra-large parfaits in both hands, didn't give a damn that Chloe was getting in trouble because of them. They were happily gulping down their parfaits.
	  Koshka:
	  "...If anything, this is all because I was kept waiting so long for my turn, it got boring."
	  Lilja:
	  "Yeah meow♪ Okonogi, it's totally your job to make sure we don't get bored meow♪"
	  Okonogi:
	  "...Y-
	  You...
	  little...
	  brats...!!"
	  Okonogi stamped his feet, but because of his position and other adult reasons, he couldn't hit Lilja or Koshka. So, he karate-chopped Chloe twice on the head.
	  These kids would be up very soon. Just when he wanted them to be in their best conditions for the sake of their nations and their faction, they had started up a battle royale in the simulator just because they were bored!
	  Okonogi:
	  "Do you realize how many people worked hard and how much money was spent to get you fools into peak condition?! And now you're wasting all that, just so you can play with your friends because you're bored?!
	   Ngggggg...!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Ow, that hurts, Instructooooor, eeeeep, my head's gonna cave iiiiiin...＞＜"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...After going that crazy, it's amazing that they managed to recover so quickly."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's youth for you. Give a kid some chocolate, and they'll be perfectly fine. ...By the way, this chocolate's delicious. What country is it from?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "A Gauntlet Knight's fatigue manifests itself in the brain. It's hard to self-diagnose. You've managed to recover up to 89%, Miyao. Don't forget that you've got at least 10% of your fatigue remaining."
	  Jayden:
	  "You don't understand. In this world, there are some kinds of power that you've got to work for, even if it wears you out."
	  Miyao:
	  "Next time, go build up that power on your own. Have some respect for my time."
	  Jayden:
	  "You say that, but your brainwave data after our match was as good as it gets. Want me to compare it to your historical graphs and send it to you? The data says you're sulking and wagging your tail at the same time."
	  Miyao:
	  "Shut up. I'm not gonna fight you again. Go staple a picture of me to the wall and do it on your own next time."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hahahahahahah. You're hilarious, Miyao♪"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...The condition of your blood says you're still somewhat fatigued, but I must admit that your unquantifiable mental condition has improved. The young can be so interesting."
	  Miyao:
	  "Uh, I'm pretty sure you qualify as young too."
	  Gunhild:
	  "............Oh, right. How silly of me. Heheheh."
	  Jayden:
	  "I'll bet Gunhild's mental age has the ones and tens digits flipped."
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no helping it. You'll never find a Parallel Processor who isn't weird. ...Still, the skill you get as a result is honestly amazing."
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, ...I know I wouldn't trust our butts to anyone but old granny Gunhild."
	  Gauntlet Knights were typically deployed in three-person teams.
	  And, in the Miyao-Jayden-Gunhild team, Miyao and Jayden were only able to focus on their offensive role in the front lines because they had Gunhild supporting them from behind.
	  However, she wasn't just a Supporter.
	  She was in that role because that's what she was best at, but she was also talented enough to riddle any Attacker with holes if they broke through.
	  On the contrary, perhaps because she always observed her opponents calmly as a Supporter, she actually won most of the time in one-on-one matches against Miyao and Jayden.
	  She humbly claimed that she only won because she'd memorized Miyao's and Jayden's patterns, and that she'd be totally useless in a real fight. However, Miyao and Jayden knew they could trust their backs to her.
	  By the way, Miyao was an ace of the AOU Japanese military.
	  Jayden had come from an ace unit in the AOU American military.
	  Of course, Gunhild was an ace too, of the AOU Swedish military.
	  These were three of the best aces the AOU had.
	  Groups of three people supporting each other's lives like this were sometimes called kette, in imitation of the air force, or squads, in imitation of the army.
	  Miyao, Jayden, and Gunhild.
	  They were the 0017th Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad "Warcat" of the AOU Combined Military Central HQ.
	  It was one of the best Gauntlet Knight kette in the AOU (Arctic Ocean Union).
	  As Miyao's group would put it, they were the `honor student' kette.
	  Over there was the `problem child' kette.
	  Lilja, Koshka, and Chloe.
	  The 100th Aerial Augmented Infantry Experimental Squad "Grave Mole", of the AOU Combined Military Geroy Level 4 Heavy Military Research Center.
	  Koshka was attached to the AOU Russian military, but wasn't a soldier, strictly speaking.
	  It had been kept quiet for privacy reasons, but rumor had it that she had been given some kind of "exemption" in exchange for participating in some Aerial Augmented Infantry-related research and human experimentation.
	  Apparently, she was officially "equipment" in the care of a Level 4 Heavy-class military research center, which had been loaned out to the military for the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace.
	  Of course, though she was equipment, she was also the highest-tier equipment that existed. And she understood her position.
	  So, she could do whatever she wanted. She had no desire to listen to her superior officers. And even Okonogi, her instructor, couldn't lay a finger on her no matter how much she pissed him off.
	  This might make it sound like she's utterly self-centered and uncooperative, but apparently, she's improved a lot from how she used to be.
	  Koshka:
	  "...What, is there something on my face?"
	  Lilja:
	  "It's the opposite meow♪ You're blocking my way with that big face of yours meow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "Well then, I'll just gouge out your eyeballs so you don't have to look at it anymore..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Huh? What's that? Could you talk a bit slower? Your hick words are so bad, my Kizuna can't translate them at all meow♪"
	  Lilja was attached to the AOU Finnish military, but she was officially a military research center's "equipment", just like Koshka.
	  Once again, details about her were unknown for privacy reasons, ...but, well, she was just as much of a problem child as Koshka was. Apparently, just like Koshka, she'd stir up all kinds of outrageous trouble, using her special position as a shield.
	  Was she on good terms with Koshka or not? She was always approaching Koshka one-sidedly, teasing her and picking fights.
	  She was also high-grade equipment. ...Problem Child #2, who always got along with Koshka only when they were ignoring their superior officers.
	  Chloe:
	  "Stop iiit＞＜! Don't make your blood condition any woooorse. The Instructor's karate chops really will make my head cave iiiiiiiin.＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Let's find out if her head actually can do that."
	  Lilja:
	  "Nice one, Koshka! Let's go wild in the simulator again meow! Then Chloe will get in trouble again meow♪"
	  Chloe:
	  "Nooooooooooo...＞＜ I hate this kette so muuuuuuuch＞＜!"
	  Chloe alone wasn't equipment. She was a soldier of the AOU Canadian military.
	  Just what sort of unlucky star was she born under...? Right after she won through all sorts of aptitude tests and exams and thought she had become the Gauntlet Knight of her dreams, she'd been saddled with looking after this crazy equipment.
	  And, partly because of this, the instructor who couldn't punch the high-grade equipment would instead smack Chloe's head whenever they did anything weird.
	  Chloe was a sad sufferer, always stuck between her Instructor and the selfish equipment.
	  ...But of course, she wasn't just there to take care of those two.
	  She definitely was one of the top-ranked Gauntlet Knights throughout the entire AOU Combined Military.
	  After all, when the selfish equipment went back to the research center for "maintenance", ...she got extreeeeemely high grades doing mock battles by herself.
	  These two squads with a total of six people were the athletes sent by the AOU, the Arctic Ocean Union, to participate in the Aerial Augmented Infantry Division of this year's International Battle Standard Festival of Peace.
	  Individual countries did compete in the Festival, but it was the inter-faction competitions that got people most excited.
	  Nothing was more thrilling than watching neighboring nations work together to achieve victory in the battle between the five Great Factions that represented the A3W world.
	  Narrator:
	  "Broadcast booth, are you getting video?! Here we are in the Virty Arena! Finally, the young members of the Aerial Augmented Infantry from all factions are entering the stadium!! Oh, the representatives of the AOU have just arrived!"
	  Aerial Augmented Infantry. That was their official title.
	  They were more commonly known as Gauntlet Knights.
	  These miraculous soldiers of the new era wore Gauntlets on their left arms, and they could fly on their own through the sky, repel all sorts of attacks, and wield any kind of weapon.
	  At this year's Festival, the Aerial Augmented Infantry division had finally been established, and their true worth had been revealed to the world at large.
	  However, their fights were too dangerous to be held in real space.
	  As was also the case for other events emulating real warfare, live fire competitions carry some risks no matter how many safety measures you take. However, if you use mock weapons for the sake of safety, the battle becomes completely uninteresting.
	  So, dangerous competitions generally took place in a virtual location known as the Virty Arena.
	  That said, in a virtual world that had advanced as far as possible, the sensations of sight and sound were in no way inferior to reality.
	  Spectators were able to view it as if it were happening right before their eyes.
	  And, though the participating athletes were in a simulator room, it felt as though they actually were in the arena.
	  Jayden:
	  "I wonder what kind of people the other factions are sending."
	  Miyao:
	  "I doubt there's gonna be anyone as normal as you and me."
	  Lilja:
	  "That's not true meow♪ If the world was full of people as crazy as Koshka, it would've been annihilated by now meow♪"
	  Chloe:
	  "Lilja, please stop picking fights with Koshka! If you run wild here, everyone in the world's gonna see it! The Instructor's chop really will make my head cave iiiiiiiin...＞＜!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...My stomach's full and I'm sleepy, so I won't fight back. *yaaaaawn*..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "That yawn was just broadcast publicly. Looks like Chloe really will face the chop when this is over."
	  Narrator:
	  "Oh! The group that just came in, is that the COU?
	   It is! They're being led by Second Lieutenant Liu Lingji from COU China!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "So that's Lingji, that ace among aces from the COU."
	  Jayden:
	  "Her official simulator score is the best in the world. Well, that's probably exaggerated."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Behind her are Momotake from COU Japan and Aysha from COU Indonesia. They're the COU's best squad, the COU Combined Military HQ's Imperial Guard Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad `Baibao'."
	  Lingji:
	  "Remember your training, and we cannot lose."
	  Momotake:
	  "Of course. As long as I still draw breath, none shall lay a finger upon our princess."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheh. I'll bet you just wanted to say that. That's why you were practicing in the bathroom earlier, right?"
	  Momotake:
	  "Wha?! N-N-N-No way, that definitely absolutely did not happen! How did you know?!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Momotake! You mustn't lose your composure before a battle."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheheh, even the princess got mad at you. Heheheheheh♪"
	  Chloe:
	  "The next three are from `Suparṇa', the COU Combined Military Central General Corps First Branch 301st Aerial Augmented Infantry squad!"
	  Lilja:
	  "All those COU people look so serious♪ I'll bet if you told them a joke, they'd just stare at you coldly and ignore you meow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Let's see if their eyes remain cold once they've been thoroughly beaten."
	  Sujatha:
	  "...I mustn't lose to anyone. Not to our enemies, not to Baibao, ...not even to my teammates."
	  Andry:
	  "Sheesh. How about you chill out a bit and have some fun? Try waving
	   Hey, everybody! If you're looking for Andry from COU Madagascar, that's me! C'mon, you wave too, Rukhi!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Huh? U-Umm?
	   ...H-Hello... I'm Rukhshana from COU Saudi Arabia..."
	  Sujatha:
	  "Stop, you two, you're embarrassing us
	   How many times do I have to tell you not to play along with the nonsense of a careless man who bears no responsibility?!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  (Aaaah, even though all I did was wave my hand when he made me... Hang in there... Hang in there, Rukhi...!)
	  Commentator:
	  "The contestants from the ABN have also arrived. As expected, they're being led by the 3 members of the ABN Peace Department's Holy 0901st Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad, `Thalathat Suyuf'!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Whoa, get a load of that pipsqueak in the front."
	  Miyao:
	  "That'll be Naima from ABN Iraq. ...From what I've heard, she's the ABN's top ace."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Our pipsqueak is quite the top ace too."
	  Miyao:
	  "You...aren't talking about me, right?"
	  Naima:
	  "Wowowow
	   Hi everyone
	   I'm from the ABN! Pleased to meet yooooou! Wowowow!"
	  Naomi:
	  "...Naima, don't get overwhelmed by the atmosphere. I'm detecting an imbalance in your cranial secretions."
	  Naima:
	  "But, but! Wowowow... Aaah, I'm so nervous and excited, my eyes keep spinning and this is so fuuuuun...wowowow...!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Take a sedative. It'll affect your performance, but we don't want you hyperventilating before the match starts."
	  Naima:
	  "Wow?! Wowow...wowow
	  ...wooooow...＠＃＄％＠＆～～..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "The Battle Standard Festival is a farce. We've already done our duty just by showing up like this."
	  Narrator:
	  "And now, we welcome the three members of the ABN Peace Department's 012th Holy Agent Corps `Yeladot Shavit'."
	  Leah:
	  "Hi there, everyone!!"
	  Fatma:
	  "We're the 012th Holy Agent Corps `Yeladot Shavit'!"
	  Stephania:
	  "Today, we'll be showing you the miracle of human harmony, friendship, and love!"
	  Leah:
	  "Look at the staff seating area! Isn't that Nathan from the Belgian Hot Choir?! I'll send you the data!"
	  Fatma:
	  "Look right next to him! Isn't that Jean from the Luxembourg Choir?!"
	  Stephania:
	  "So they really are going out! Kyaaaa♪♪♪!!"^
	  
	  Narrator:
	  "And are these cheers for the representatives of the ACR? That means we have all four participating factions present!"
	  Commentator:
	  "In front, we have `The June 1st King's Tour Memorial Squad' of the ACR Royal Aerial Knight Corps, followed by `The Queen's Cairo Visit Memorial Squad' of the ACR Combined Military First Aerial Knight Corps."
	  Rethabile:
	  "The time has finally come to show everyone the glory of the Africa Commonwealth Realm! You may prostrate yourselves before me, foolish masses of the Earth!"
	  Ishak:
	  "There's no need for you to do anything, Princess. Please leave this match in our hands."
	  Abdou:
	  "Good plan. If the Princess screws up and embarrasses us, that'll annihilate our bonuses."
	  Ishak:
	  "And if we win and tell everyone it was all thanks to the Princess' leadership, our bonuses will be doing just fine."
	  Abdou:
	  "As will our reputations."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Gaaaaaaah!! If you're gonna talk behind my back, do it where I can't hear you! I mean, don't do it!!"
	  Gannet:
	  "Look at that crowd! This is so exciting, so tense! Hey, isn't it?! Don't you feel the same, Noor? Don't you?!"
	  Noor:
	  "...Stop smothering me. Get back, you puppy. ...Sheesh, how did someone this hyperactive ever join the Aerial Knight Corps? Don't you think it's weird, Mariana?"
	  Mariana:
	  "...............I know just how you feel, Gannet. I'm feeling tense too. *pet*pet*"
	  Gannet:
	  "Hey! Don't pet me
	   I don't want anyone but cool big sis Noor to touch me!"
	  Noor:
	  "Don't touch me, puppy. Your idiocy is contagious. Let's go over there, Mariana."
	  Mariana:
	  "...Don't touch me, I hate cold-hearted people. And I love puppies. Let me pet her..."
	  Narrator:
	  "And the final group entering is the team of referees from the International Peace Mediation Association! There's First Lieutenant Valentina of the LATO Brazilian Military and First Lieutenant Maricarmen of the LATO Mexican Military! Personally, I would've preferred to see the LATO Military field a team too, but..."
	  Commentator:
	  "Well, the military and the police have been arguing over which group the Aerial Augmented Infantry should be attached to. The military won in the end, but sadly, they didn't make it in time to apply for the Festival."
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. I'm Valentina of the IPMA Military. I'll be reffing this match."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "And I'm Maricarmen! Do what we say, or you'll get showered with red cards, 'kay?"
	  Narrator:
	  "Everyone, can you believe it?! These boys and girls are the Aerial Augmented Infantry troops you've been hearing about! Armed with nothing but a single Gauntlet, they fly through the air like fighter jets! They're armed to the teeth like warships! And, they have invincible shields that can repel any sort of attack!"
	  Narrator:
	  "In other words...! It's fair to say that right here, right now, the peak of the entire world's military might has been gathered together!"
	  Commentator:
	  "Well, it is an unknown weapon whose true power has yet to be revealed. Even including today's event, their real worth hasn't been demonstrated outside of Virty. They've become part of this festival starting this year, but before that, the debate over whether this is a military event or an esport kept going on and on."
	  By equipping the cutting-edge technology called the Gauntlet, certain suitable boys and girls could fly like fighter jets, arm themselves like warships, and repel attacks like invincible tanks. ...Naturally, seasoned soldiers weren't going to just believe in something like that.
	  If things like the Aerial Augmented Infantry really existed, the whole world's air, sea, and land power would become obsolete.
	  The world's military strength wouldn't be measured by the number of soldiers, but by the number of boys and girls capable of wielding a Gauntlet.
	  For that reason, some of the spectators who were former soldiers watched on coldly or sneered at the contestants.
	  Spectator:
	  "...Hahahah. Ridiculous. Little brats flying around in the sky? Which comic are these superheroes from?"
	  Spectator:
	  "Soldiers from all over the world train fiercely to protect world peace. Don't you think it's an insult to all soldiers, allowing these kids with their esports to participate in the glorious Battle Standard Festival of Peace...?"
	  Spectator:
	  "This Gauntlet tech is suspicious from the start. You just know those researchers are eating through their budget based on some on-paper theory..."
	  The older they were, the more they glowered.
	  On the other hand, everyone who was still a minor was held transfixed.
	  Just by putting something on your left arm, you could soar freely through the sky with unstoppable power!
	  Any child would be awed by that.
	  And the adults told them to abandon those stupid dreams and study, since it was all fake.
	  There was more than a little prejudice behind the adults' emotions.
	  Who wouldn't want to fly freely in the sky? If the adults had been able to equip these Gauntlets, they would surely have latched onto this new tech happily.
	  However, to use a Gauntlet, you needed "brains" capable of performing a Dreissig Conversion on Spiritium.
	  And most importantly, in order to fly in the sky and use your equipment at will, you needed quite a lot of parallel processing ability.
	  You couldn't display such talent without receiving special training and personal experiences from a very young age.
	  In other words, everyone over a certain age, whose childhood had ended before the necessary technology and training had existed, was automatically disqualified from being a Gauntlet candidate.
	  The young could fly freely, depending on their training and aptitude, but the adults could never do it.
	  Furthermore, the combat capability they had honed after long and arduous training...was no match for the Dimension Container.
	  You could hardly blame them for having an inferiority complex.
	  Those who had achieved their current position after harsh training glared most coldly of all at the kids calling themselves Gauntlet Knights...
	  Okonogi:
	  "...Dammit. What the hell am I doing, babysitting e-gamer brats like this...? You're telling me each one of these runts has the same military potential as an aircraft carrier...? If that's true, this planet's screwed..."
	  Okonogi, who was serving as an instructor for the Aerial Augmented Infantry this year, bore an imposing array of medals on his chest.
	  Each one was an honorable award, proving that he had withstood grueling training and given all he could for his nation and international peace...
	  Okonogi:
	  "Well, whether it's esports or video games, ...they bear the same burden we do. That means...I've just gotta whip them into shape. Heheheh..."
	  Narrator:
	  "Oooh, is that Contestant Koshka of the AOU? That was quite a yawn. I guess she must feel confident."
	  You've got 2 emails poyo!
	  #e7e7e7"Captain Okonogi, the Director General saw Koshka yawning just now, and he is pissed!"@
	  #e7e7e7"Okonogi, is it not your job to see to the health of our contestants? She's actually yawning, isn't she?!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "...Aaaaah, you stupid equipmeeeeent... Now I'm getting raked over the coals, just because Chloe can't do her job right...!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Achhhoooo...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Your sneezes are always so fun to watch. Are you okay?"
	  Chloe:
	  "My nose is all itchy for some reason. And so is the top of my head... Waaccho!!"
	  The room was dimly lit.
	  However, that darkness covered dignified furnishings which evidenced wealth and status, reminiscent of the kings of Europe's feudal age.
	  The ceiling was high enough to be swallowed in blackness, as if it were a realm of the gods that humans could never reach.
	  And yet, the most distinguishing feature of the room was that it was triangular.
	  So was the solemn-looking table standing at its center.
	  And on all three sides...sat the kings.
	  They were shrouded by crowns and masks, obscuring their identities. Their hands were covered by white gloves, so you couldn't even tell their race or the color of their skin.
	  And their voices had been altered by something like a voice changer.
	  However, the fact that their suits were of the finest quality...and that even just sitting there, their class and majesty couldn't be mistaken, left little doubt that they deserved to be called kings...
	  They appeared to be watching the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace's competition between Aerial Augmented Infantry units through their mental displays...
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "So, ...tools of murder have finally risen to levels like this."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "It is deplorable... The masses are like babies. ...They ignorantly turn whatever they touch into toys. ...They don't even try to learn what those things are."
	  King of Fury:
	  "...All the better then. The common man's role is not to know. It is merely to obey the guidance of their king."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Thank you, Jestress. Turn off the broadcast."
	  Jestress:
	  "As you wish. After all, mental displays can be quite tiring for the elderly. *giggle*"
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Hahahah... Well, even I drew on a mental tablet with my granddaughter when she was young."
	  Jestress:
	  "You've been blessed with a wonderful granddaughter. How gracious of her, to play along at the dawdling pace of a decrepit mind. *giggle*giggle*"
	  Kings:
	  ""Hahahahahahahahahahahah...""
	  This girl, who at first glance might have been a secretary, teased the kings with her harsh words.
	  However, the kings seemed to enjoy the foul tongue of this girl, who must have been even younger than their own granddaughters.
	  ...Kings who rule at the top and are feared by all people rarely get taunted or made fun of.
	  And so, ...their culture had long since led them to place an irreverent expositor in their company.
	  This person was known as the court jester.
	  Jestress. ...Her name clearly referred to a female jester.
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "How stubborn humans are."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Indeed... Even when you try to eradicate them, many survive and restore their numbers in the blink of an eye. Just like locusts. Heheheh..."
	  King of Fury:
	  "It would seem merely `trying' is not enough..."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "...Unfortunately, that's how it is. ...Even if you completely destroy everything, a few human seeds will remain."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Noah's ark failed because they let the craftsmen on too, instead of keeping it to just Noah's family..."
	  King of Fury:
	  "This time, we must truly return civilization back to square one. Even if we do, I imagine that humans will regain their civilization in just a few centuries."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "But that is fine. ...After all, we'll be able to put distance between them and civilization's end. Well now, Jestress."
	  Jestress:
	  "Yes, sire."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Give us today's report. Is everything going smoothly...?"
	  Jestress:
	  "Yes, sire. I've received a report from the Grand Master of the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order, your faithful servant who's far more useful than you old farts. They've succeeded in sneaking members of the Order into ace Gauntlet Knight units from all four factions."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "...Oh? ...So, the Battle Standard Festival children we just saw..."
	  King of Fury:
	  "The four factions sent six members each, for a total of 24 people. ...If there's one in each group, that means four of our pieces have been inserted, yes?"
	  Jestress:
	  "*giggle*giggle* Now, we just have to wait for you three to finally make up your minds."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Has there been any trouble guiding public opinion in each country?"
	  Jestress:
	  "Of course not. ...Our talented comrades are hiding in media outlets around the world. ...All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "...Have you still not found their research center?"
	  Jestress:
	  "We still have the bait that the mighty King of Ridicule granted us, but so far, nothing has tugged on the line."
	  King of Fury:
	  "What a cheap move. ...If we could catch them by the tail that easily, it would be silly of us to go to all this effort in the first place."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Heheheh. Don't be like that. If you never gamble, you'll never win."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Then we'll wait for good news without hoping for it... After all, fishing requires the patience of a king."
	  Jestress:
	  "If there's any movement, I'll report it at once."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Now then, gentlemen..."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Civilization's end...is drawing near. We cannot fail again. This time, we must succeed."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Even letting loose that many WMDs across the world wasn't enough. They're locusts, after all, heheheheh..."
	  King of Fury:
	  "This is our last chance, gentlemen. Our last chance to make use of God's plan...and return the fate of humanity to human hands. ...We absolutely must not fail."
	  Jestress:
	  "As you wish. ...All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  Kings:
	  """In the name of guiding humanity down the right path..."""
	  #e7e7e7"To my beloved Lady Jestress."
	  #e7e7e7"Those people must view the boys and girls of the Aerial Augmented Infantry as the most interesting guinea pigs in existence."@
	  #e7e7e7"If I remain concealed here, they'll surely try to contact me in some way."@
	  #e7e7e7"If anything happens, I'll report on it immediately."
	  Narrator:
	  "Finally, the match between Aerial Augmented Infantry aces from all factions is about to begin! The first event is an attack on a fictional military base! They'll compete on points in many areas, including the efficiency of their attacks and the time taken!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Lilja, Koshka, be serious when the actual match starts, okay?! If you don't, I really, really will use my trump caaaaaaaaaard!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I like breaking things. If there's a plate with so many breakable things in front of me-"
	  Lilja:
	  "There's no way I wouldn't dig in meow meoooooow♪!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "All squads are in excellent condition. We can do this!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I, Supergenius Jayden, guarantee it! With us Warcats and the freaks of Grave Mole together, we're the ultimate team!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah, the six of us are the best of comrades, and nothing can shake our bonds of trust! Let's do it!!!"
	  #e7e7e7"All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  #ffdbdbOne message has been sent to "Jestress".
	  
	   new room has been created poyo!
	  What would you like to call this room poyo?
	  Miyao:
	  "...What should we pick? ...I suck at stuff like this."
	  Jayden:
	  "Does it matter? Just call it the Warcat Room."
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, but...what kind of room should we make it?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Just whatever. Go ahead and copy the data from our hotel's banquet room."
	  Miyao:
	  "Nah, that'd be boring. They've come all the way out to Japan for this International Battle Standard Festival thing. Do you even care about being a good host? Anyway, what is it non-Japanese people want to visit in Japan?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Kyoto, obviously. They can't visit there now even if they want to, so they'll like it, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Aah, you can't use Kyoto's data in Japan."
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh, right, that thing. Every country's so strict these days."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "Is everything ready over there? I'm about to bring everyone over."
	  Jayden:
	  "Ah, crap, we've gotta hurry. Let's just do something from the hotel! Where do Japanese people like to relax after a match?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, ...when we're done with work, we take a bath, I guess."
	  Jayden:
	  "Ah, perfect! Japanese inns always have big public baths as their selling point, right? That'll do nicely."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmmmmmmm. Something about that seems wrong, ...but okay."
	  Jayden:
	  "I've pulled the public bath data from our hotel's website."
	  Miyao:
	  "Got it. ...So, something like this?"
	  Miyao manipulated several things on his mental tablet, and the dark world instantly became the public bath of the hotel where the AOU Japan athletes were staying.
	  There was an open air bath on the outside and a sauna on the inside. A splendid example of a Japanese-style public bath.
	  Personally, Miyao felt it would be really weird to have a post-match celebration in a public bath.
	  However, Jayden said this was so much more Japanese, so he gave in reluctantly.
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "Is the room ready? Please tell me its name."
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, random it is then..."
	  Room name: It's a Wrap Public Bath
	  Roger that poyo! You have created "It's a Wrap Public Bath" poyo!
	  Jayden:
	  "What's up with that name, hahah!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, you think up a better one!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Ooooh. That's incredible. You made it the bath at our hotel, huh? Too bad I'm my avatar and can't take my clothes off."
	  Jayden:
	  "I mean, you could just put on a naked mod."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Ooh?! Amazing! If you put your foot in the bath, you can actually feel the hot water!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I figured there'd be no point making it a bath if you didn't reproduce it with at least that much detail."
	  Someone wants to enter the room poyo! Will you give them access poyo?
	  Gunhild:
	  "Ah, everyone's here. Miyao, please give them access."
	  Miyao:
	  "Sure!"
	  When Miyao gave them access, the `enemies' they'd just been fighting to the death against appeared one by one near the bath.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Thanks for coming, everyone! Please relax!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Whew, they really came..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I mean, I'm still not sure about this. ...If those COU guys ask who the Glass Sea belongs to, what should we do? ...I'd rather not start a deathmatch when the competition's already over..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Same here! One moment I start saying the Atlantis Spirit Field is on the high seas, so the ACR can't keep it all for themselves, and the next we're kicking off World War IV!"
	  Lingji:
	  "I'm Lingji of COU China, the captain of Baibao Squad. I thank you for inviting me here."
	  Momotake:
	  "...How shameless, to hold a party in a public bath. As I suspected, the people of AOU Japan have lost their Japanese souls..."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh. Who knows, maybe she'll change into a nude avatar to match the scene?"
	  Momotake:
	  "H-How shameless can one be?! Princess, you need not remain in this undignified room a second longer!"
	  Lingji:
	  "True, it would be undignified to enter a bathhouse with a clothed avatar. Oh, but didn't I have a bath towel avatar?"
	  Momotake:
	  "Princess, you mustn't, noooooooooooooooooooo!!!"^
	  
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh. Thanks for the invitation. I'm Aysha from COU Indonesia. This red-faced weirdo is Momotake from COU Japan."
	  Sujatha:
	  "I'm Sujatha of COU India, captain of Suparṇa Squad."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "I'm Rukhshana from COU Saudi Arabia..."
	  Andry:
	  "I'm Andry, Suparṇa's peacemaker. Hey there, woo! Oh, I'm from COU Madagascar. ...Racially, I'm closer to that guy and gal, but a bunch of stuff happened, and I'm in the COU's faction. Nice to meet you."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Perhaps we should avoid the topic of the Mozambique Channel dispute today. I'm Rethabile, leader of Squad 601, from ACR South Africa."
	  Ishak:
	  "I'm Ishak from ACR Algeria, serving as Princess Rethabile's caretaker and guard."
	  Abdou:
	  "And I'm Abdou from ACR Senegal. If you notice anything strange about the princess, whisper it to us instead of telling her directly. Too much honesty can be painful, after all."
	  Rethabile:
	  "There's nothing there! I didn't even spill any sauce or breadcrumbs today! You ought to praise me!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Princess Rethabile is a member of the African Royal Family."
	  Miyao:
	  "I never thought I'd see a princess in this day and age..."
	  Noor:
	  "I'm Noor of the ACR First Aerial Knight Corps, the Cairo Memorial Squad. I'm from ACR Egypt. This cool, mysterious girl is Mariana from ACR Angola."
	  Mariana:
	  "...Don't touch me so casually. I'm Mariana. ...This fluffy little cutie is Gannet from ACR Ethiopia. ...*pet*pet*... ...Don't run away..."
	  Gannet:
	  "Stop petting my head
	   Only big sis Noor gets to pet me!"
	  Noor:
	  "Stop smothering me."
	  Mariana:
	  "Don't touch me, Noor.
	   ...Don't run away, Gannet."
	  Stephania:
	  "Oh my god, those three are sooo yuri♪"
	  Fatma:
	  "Yuri is love's purest form! Neither countries nor factions nor continents can stand in its way!"
	  Leah:
	  "We're the ABN's 012th Holy Agent Corps `Yeladot Shavit'!"
	  Stephania:
	  "The three of us will-"
	  Fatma:
	  "Show you humanity's greatest miracle of harmony!!"
	  Their particular brand of excitement left the strait-laced COU stunned, as well as Miyao and those from the AOU.
	  Stanisław:
	  "They're also in charge of PR for the kids. Basically, they do pop idol stuff too. Leah is from ABN Israel, Fatma is from ABN Turkey, and Stephania is from ABN Romania. I'm Stanisław from ABN Poland, part of the ABN Peace Department's Holy 0901st Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad, Thalathat Suyuf. This is my colleague, Naomi."
	  Naomi:
	  "...Pleased to meet you. I'm Naomi from ABN France. ...And...Naima? Stop being embarrassed and greet everyone."
	  Naima:
	  "Wowowowow!
	   ...I-I'm so sorry I went so wild in the match just now! Please forgive me, everyone! Wowowoooow!!"
	  Lingji:
	  "No, it is I who must apologize. I judged you by your appearance and underestimated you."
	  Rethabile:
	  "You there, Naima. Manners dictate that a champion act like a champion in front of the losers. Hold your head up high, so that the losers may speak proudly of the one who defeated them when they return home."
	  Naima:
	  "I know, but...but......I want to find a hole to crawl into, wowowoooow!!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "You're far too self-deprecating. We don't want you losing sleep from self-hatred again. Naomi."
	  Naomi:
	  "I'll give her a tiny bit of anti-anxiety meds."
	  Naima:
	  "Wow?
	   Wowowowowoooooow...
	   How'd you like that?/
	   Naima, the invincible girl, is the strongest in the world! Woooooow♪"
	  Lilja:
	  "And...! I'm the beautiful fairy girl from AOU Finland, Lilja meooow♪ This lame hick is Koshka from AOU Russia."
	  Koshka:
	  "...Shut up. I wouldn't mind letting loose right here, right now."
	  Bzzzt!
	  You do not have permission to engage in combat in this room poyo.
	  Koshka:
	  "...Figures. That's no fun..."
	  Chloe:
	  "Sorry we're late! I'm Chloe from AOU Canada, a member of Grave Mole! I got the room name wrong and had trouble getting in!"
	  Lilja:
	  "She tried to get into It's a Wrap Public Lust. Hilarious meow♪"
	  Jayden:
	  "How does that even..."
	  Chloe:
	  "But that's how my Kizuna converted the word into text! It was just a minor conversion bug!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Oh my. That must mean you use the word `lust' a lot."
	  Chloe:
	  "That's not true, waaaaaah＞＜!!"
	  Andry:
	  "Hahahahah! I get it, it's just a bit of Japanese magic, huh? In Japanese, `bathhouse' and `lust' are both pronounced 'yokujou', and it got converted the wrong way."
	  Abdou:
	  "Personally, I think the `lust' version would've worked too."
	  Ishak:
	  "It's a bunch of boys and girls in a public bath, after all. Too bad we're all using avatars."
	  Jayden:
	  "Then why don't we meet up offline right now? In proper attire for a bathhouse, of course."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Aaaahh... Stop that, Rukhi. Don't turn red just because someone said `lust'...!"
	  Leah:
	  "It's a Wrap Public Lust, huh?! Eeeek! That's gotta mean those machos from the ACR, right?!"
	  Fatma:
	  "You mean Ishak's and Abdou's black bodies intertwined?!"
	  Stephania:
	  "Nah, he's gotta be wrapped around Stanisław!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "You can call me Stan."
	  Sujatha:
	  "This is giving me a headache. ...What a vulgar bunch."
	  Naomi:
	  "Would you care for some headache medicine? I can send you the best preparation data."
	  Momotake:
	  "Princess, let us depart at once! This place is entirely unsuitable for one such as you!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Is everyone in COU Japan a samurai with a topknot these days...?"
	  Lingji:
	  "No. Momotake is just like that, for some reason. It's strange, he didn't start out that way."
	  Naima:
	  "Wowowow♪
	  langen@^ Aaah, this bath feels so niiice♪ Going into a bath in your clothes would be weird, so I'll go look for an avatar without them♪"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Hold on, a maiden's skin mustn't be exposed to anyone but her fated partner
	   Hey, someone from the ABN! Stop her!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...This looks fun, so I'll send Naima some body data for a naked avatar."
	  Lilja:
	  "Should I send her a super-flat loli-loli, or a short stack loli?♪"
	  Gannet:
	  "Big sis Noor, let me hug yooou!"
	  Noor:
	  "Hey, I told you to stop being so clingy! Gah, and all I want to do is hug Mariana!"
	  Mariana:
	  "...Hands off, Noor. I wanna pet and fluff Gannet now."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheheheh... As I thought, even though our countries are different, we can be friends if we gather together like this♪"
	  To be honest, all of them had secretly wanted to gather together like this, across faction lines.
	  However, ...once you stepped outside of your faction, it opened up the possibility for all kinds of touchy subjects, like border disputes and historical issues.
	  They were youths of this era, so they were fully aware that all sides had things they wanted to say.
	  And, they were more than a little afraid of encountering the kind of fierce debates you saw on social networking sites.
	  However, when they finally met, ...not a single person said anything like that out loud.
	  In truth, before coming here, some of them had been eager to question their political opponents on various issues, arguing them down.
	  The AOU and the COU had the Central Glass Sea of Japan border dispute.
	  The COU and the ABN had the Kashmir Spirit Field joint development dispute.
	  The ABN and the ACR had the dispute over ABN occupying forces based in the northern African continent.
	  The ACR and the AOU had the Atlantis Spirit Field dispute.
	  And then there was the issue of AOU Russia interfering with ABN Ukraine, and COU Madagascar and ACR Mozambique's conflict over the Mozambique Channel...
	  It might get confusing with all those initials, ...but simply put, every faction always had some issue with every other faction.
	  Even though soldiers around the world were supposedly warriors of peace who held up the Walls of Peace together...
	  ...Everyone had been a bit unsure whether they'd really be able to get along if they interacted directly.
	  However, when they actually met, it was like this.
	  Everyone thought the same thing in their hearts.
	  There may be a lot of problems in this world.
	  There's no helping it. National borders don't just divide the world into countries, but into sets of principles and opinions as well.
	  Borders aren't evil.
	  They're like the walls of a water tank. Land animals live on one side, and water animals live on the other.
	  If you lose your national borders, then you lose the walls of that tank.
	  All the land animals will drown, and the ocean animals will lose their water and die.
	  In the first place, it's arrogant to assume that all life should live the same way.
	  You have to admit that even humans live in different cultures, with different lifestyles, in different ecosystems.
	  So, if national borders are necessary, you must admit that principles and opinions can be different when you cross those borders.
	  Just leave arguing about such issues to diplomats and internet patriots.
	  All of these people were born in different countries and attached to different factions.
	  And yet, today, in this place, they were all friends who had worked hard to become Gauntlet Knights for the sake of peace, or at least because of their fascination with the sky.
	  After meeting like this, they were all able to think that.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Hey, who here uses Kizuna?"
	  Everyone raised their hands.
	  Kizuna was a free communication tool developed by a Japanese business.
	  Its main function was conversation translation.
	  Countless similar programs competed for market share, and in the end, Kizuna had been declared the winner.
	  The Japanese company that made it was just a small collection of young people, so small that they'd be conceited to even call themselves a company.
	  At first, its capabilities and all other aspects of it were nowhere near as efficient as those produced by massive corporations around the world.
	  Furthermore, tools like this made people react like imprinting chicks, in that they tended to always use the first tool they installed and were used to.
	  That was why massive corporations created several tools aimed at youngsters.
	  ...However, in the end, those youngsters turned their backs on all those tools.
	  Of course the young wouldn't be swayed by features pushed on them by old people, resting on their laurels while scheming to gain an economic advantage.
	  They always had ATM-type features, greedy service contracts with cancellation fees, and so on.
	  In the end, those convenient features always came at the cost of being dragged into some paid service, or else having your data collected. The usual malicious things adults did.
	  In that environment, the simple tool called Kizuna spread by word of mouth to more and more young people everywhere.
	  The circle of youngsters wanting to support it spread across the world, and young engineers from all over the planet cultivated it.
	  In this way, the tool youngsters used to translate conversations, Kizuna, was created solely by the young.
	  It was passed around by young people all over the world, and now it had the greatest usage rates everywhere, at least among the young.
	  The massive corporations realized their mistake and tried to buy up Kizuna, ...but the tool created by the young and for the young never fell into the hands of greedy adults...
	  To this very day, Kizuna helps to translate conversations between young people who speak different languages.
	  Even now, young people around the world continue to strengthen its translation and dictionary capabilities, making it capable of translating even modern slang.
	  As could be seen here, people from dozens of countries were speaking frankly in their native languages, but it was all being automatically and quite smoothly translated by the Kizuna apps each of them had installed.
	  No one had problems communicating.
	  Long gone were the days when language was a barrier to forming friendships.
	  Of course, it could do more than just translate.
	  It also had a familiar chat feature, a mini-blog feature, and the ability to upload photos for self-satisfaction or to brag, and much more.
	  In short, it used a mental tablet and mental display to directly do the things old humanity had used smartphones for.
	  And, it all happened inside that person's head, so outsiders couldn't see what they were doing. No one could tell if they had it activated during class.
	  When adults activated it, it took all their concentration, so they couldn't use it well.
	  However, kids of the new generation were used to "background operation".
	  People in the generation that did their homework while watching TV might remember their parents telling them to turn the TV off, since they wouldn't be able to concentrate.
	  However, even at that time, they could watch TV, listen to music, and do their homework, while simultaneously texting on their smartphones.
	  Kids these days were very proficient at that sort of parallel processing, which allowed them to do many tasks at once.
	  Once they reached a certain skill level, kids like this were called Parallel Processors, and their ability was measured in units of Parallel Processor Power, or P3.
	  This sort of ability couldn't be mastered unless they received special training before a certain age.
	  Not only was that talent necessary for using high-tech weapons like Gauntlets, but it was thought to be a likely requirement for unknown technologies that might come into existence in the future.
	  For that reason, in countries across the world, parallel thinking training from a young age was made mandatory as a matter of national policy.
	  This was the first generation.
	  The people here represented those with the highest parallel processing power from several countries...
	  And so, it was normal for them to communicate through Kizuna, even while on the job.
	  Technically, they were forbidden from playing with tools like that, so they could concentrate on their work, but...
	  Well, you couldn't tell someone was using a tool inside their brain just by looking at them. On top of that, they were talented Parallel Processors, so using Kizuna on the side didn't distract them at all.
	  Soldiers from all countries were forbidden from using Kizuna, but they all did.
	  On the contrary, they preferred the youth-targeted, easy-to-use Kizuna to the inflexible military communication tools that had been built for adult reasons, and they often chatted with Kizuna during missions.
	  Miyao:
	  "Wait, so we're all using Kizuna? I thought each country had its own tool."
	  Lingji:
	  "Kizuna is convenient, and its stickers and icons are really cute."
	  So cute poyo! *kero*kero*kero*!
	  Naima:
	  "I use the Keropoyo stickers and stuff too. They're so cute, wowowow♪"
	  I'm Keropoyo, the Outie Frog poyopoyo♪
	  My hobbies are sleeping, eating, and dancing poyo!
	  If you have any questions about Kizuna features, ask me whenever you like poyo!
	  If you ask how to delete me, I'll send all the pictures stored in your mental My Picks to your friends poyo!
	  
	  Leah:
	  "I use the hottie icons!"
	  Abdou:
	  "Well, when all the girls are using a tool, we guys have to use it too."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "The tools from our country are all so stuffy..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "The tools in the ABN have no spark to them, so they aren't too popular."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I really should be using a tool from my country, but this is so easy and convenient that I keep using it."
	  Sujatha:
	  "I don't really care which tool I use, but everyone around me uses Kizuna, so I reluctantly gave in..."
	  Lilja:
	  "I used to use something else. But I switched over because everyone I knew used Kizuna meow."
	  Gannet:
	  "Kizuna has so many free games!"
	  Mariana:
	  "...I make friends just to get hearts in WanyaDora."
	  Koshka:
	  "Me too."
	  Fatma:
	  "Oh, you do WanyaDora?/
	   Hey, hey, who's your main?!"
	  Noor:
	  "Heheheh. I use an ultra-rare Wanyanus I built up into a counter stop."
	  Stephania:
	  "Kyaaaa♪ We've got ourselves an addict! I'll send you reinforcements, so tell me your ID!!"
	  Momotake:
	  "The rules forbid it, ...but the princess likes Kizuna, so..."
	  Ishak:
	  "So basically, everyone else uses it, so you wanna use it too, and that's how it spread across the world."
	  Aysha:
	  "My, my. It's as though `kizuna' -- or interpersonal bonds -- have tied friends from around the world together. What a wonderful thing. Heheheh."
	  Jayden:
	  "You say that, ...but you all still have the ad blocker installed, don't you?"
	  Everyone around him raised their hands at once and burst out laughing.
	  Chloe:
	  "I'm the only one who doesn't have one?! Someone, tell me where I can find a good app＞＜!"
	  Naomi:
	  "If you don't mind using one from the ABN, ...I can link you to a download site."
	  Andry:
	  "Nice, nice. By the way, since we're all here, why don't we all send each other friend requests?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm... Sounds good. There's no rule saying you can't friend someone from another faction, right?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "There is, but interactions on Kizuna are practically unregulated."
	  Jayden:
	  "Now that sounds interesting. Sure. I'll grant people from the other factions the honor of friending Supergenius Jayden!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Wanna make a friend request? Umm, Lieutenant Lingji...?"
	  Lingji:
	  "I would be happy to accept, Lieutenant Miyao, ace from the AOU."
	  Miyao:
	  "You can just call me Miyao."
	  Lingji:
	  "Then please call me Lingji."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're quite the ace yourself, Lingji. Let's fight again sometime!"
	  Lingji:
	  "I'd also like to try joining forces and fighting against an AI opponent."
	  Everyone started exchanging friend requests with the people closest to them.
	  Peace and harmony. Hard to think of a better phrase to describe it.
	  It would've felt extremely strange to enter the water itself with clothed avatars, so people formed groups here and there, dipping their feet in like it was a foot bath and chatting happily.
	  However, the open air bath was unsurprisingly the most popular spot.
	  This place had an ocean view that was absolutely beautiful.
	  Thanks to the Luminous 8MS, the fantastical blue of the vast Glass Sea could be seen even in the darkness.
	  However, its beauty was hollow, ...and it made everyone feel a bit sentimental.
	  The site of this year's Festival, the Gifu Prefecture of AOU Japan, ...didn't originally have a view of the sea.
	  The sea they were looking at wasn't filled with salt water, but with earth that had all melted to glass after experiencing unimaginable heat...
	  During World War III, Japan had been hit by a single solar warhead.
	  Everything in a vast area stretching from central Gifu to Osaka had evaporated. All of it had melted, hardened, and turned into a desolate ocean of glass.
	  That one strike had split the Japanese archipelago in half...
	  It was fantastical, beautiful, ...and also the scar from a fearsome war, where masses of people had instantly evaporated.
	  However, ...what's truly interesting...is that no one present here knew who had created this Glass Sea.
	  On the contrary, they didn't even know which countries had fought which in World War III, or what had started it. They didn't even know the details of how it had resolved itself in the end.
	  Of course, you couldn't find this information by searching for it on the net.
	  After all, memories from World War III had been sealed off from the entire world.
	  Naomi:
	  "...Why did humanity choose not to learn from its mistakes?"
	  Sujatha:
	  "Probably because we finally realized that our foolishness makes learning pointless."
	  Gunhild:
	  "There are as many histories as there are people who tell it. ...Eventually, individual histories will contradict each other, providing fuel for new fires."
	  Mariana:
	  "...Just forgetting everything is better than giving rise to new hatred..."
	  In the B3W era, intense historical research into wars had taken place across the planet, ostensibly to prevent war from repeating again.
	  However, ...in the end, humans are only capable of interpreting history in ways that suit themselves.
	  As a result, recorded history began to change depending on each person's, country's and faction's needs.
	  A long time later, these histories began to bump into each other, and everyone started criticizing everyone else.
	  In short, the research that was supposed to stop war from repeating became the fuel for new wars...
	  And so, when on the brink of extinction, humanity picked a certain option for the first time.
	  It decided not to write down the history of the war.
	  What countries fought in World War III, for what reason, and how did they destroy the world? All of that information was carefully sealed.
	  All this generation knew was that World War III had happened, and that humanity had almost gone extinct.
	  They only knew that, as a result of the war, many places throughout the world had been scarred so badly that even the topography had changed.
	  Miyao:
	  "These days, ...we don't even know what World War III was or why it happened."
	  Lingji:
	  "...Do you want to know?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Rethabile:
	  "At this point, there's no need to know."
	  Naima:
	  "Yeah... After all, if we did know, ...everyone here might not be able to get along... Wow..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, even if I found out right now, I wouldn't let it bother me."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Yeah. I agree. Even if our countries were going at it, that has nothing to do with the people here now."
	  Jayden:
	  "My America and Miyao's Japan fought all out in World War II. But that doesn't stand in the way of our friendship."
	  Miyao and Jayden high-fived in a way that showed they were men who knew each other well.
	  Naima:
	  "My country had a war with America too, but I just want to be friends with Jayden. ...Wow."
	  Lingji:
	  "Well, me too. ...I have no desire to crudely demand that Miyao apologize for the Sino-Japanese War. It isn't as though Miyao ever attacked us. We hadn't even been born yet."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. ...The friendship of the people here shouldn't be affected by things like countries, histories, or the past."
	  Gunhild:
	  "And that's why, ...as we look at this Glass Sea, there's just one thing we all need to remember."
	  Miyao:
	  "...One thing?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If people all over the world become friends, ...a terrifying `ocean' like this will never appear again."
	  Currently, historical research of World War III was only acceptable as an exception among exceptions inside special research institutions. Even trying to learn about it was a crime.
	  In recent years, even investigating the region of AOU Japan that had been evaporated by a solar warhead had been added to this taboo.
	  So, pictures and even old maps of Japan's beloved and beautiful ancient capital, Kyoto, had been banned.
	  Eventually, the simple fact that a beautiful city called Kyoto had existed would probably fade from memory.
	  If that was a necessary sacrifice to prevent another war...
	  Then just how horrible is war? ...And how horrible are humans, who can't help but push towards war?
	  Japan and America, which fought in World War II, did develop a strong friendship following the war.
	  However, some have argued that this was simply because that relationship was necessary in the Cold War that followed.
	  In the end, as long as countries lead people by the nose, ...it may be fair to say that everything happens for the convenience of those countries, regardless of whether people end up hating each other or becoming friends.
	  As for this fantastical, blue, beautiful Glass Sea...
	  Everyone had chosen to ignore the fact that crowds of people had evaporated and died here in an instant.
	  Maybe they had finally accepted that humans aren't creatures who can learn, ...but creatures who hate each other and long for war.
	  Miyao:
	  "Listen, everyone."
	  Miyao shook his head slightly, regaining his bright expression, then stood up and spoke to everyone.
	  Oddly, despite how many people were here, they all had the same look on their faces.
	  Miyao:
	  "You know, we may be from different countries and different factions. ...And who knows how this world is gonna turn out."
	  Lingji:
	  "...But no matter how much time passes, and no matter what happens, I'd like for us to be friends."
	  Lingji felt exactly the same. And so did everyone else.
	  They all looked at each other and nodded.
	  Naomi:
	  "...I agree. We're all friends supporting the Walls of Peace together."
	  Noor:
	  "Someday, we may meet again as enemies... But still..."
	  Chloe:
	  "We'll still be friends＞＜!"
	  Momotake:
	  "...Indeed. There is a great difference between opposing each other with hatred...and doing so with friendship and respect despite our differing factions."
	  Stanisław:
	  "In the first place, our sole mission is to give those old politicians time to cool their heads and resolve disputes."
	  Lilja:
	  "Yeah meow. I don't wanna start killing each other because some old person orders me to meow meooow."
	  Rukhshana:
	  (That's right, Rukhi... We aren't the adults' pawns...!)
	  Ishak:
	  "Exactly. There's no need for us to kill each other. We just have to buy time...so those old people can chill their boiling heads."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh. That's not something a soldier should even say."
	  Gunhild:
	  "We're comrades supporting the Walls of Peace before we're soldiers."
	  Andry:
	  "That's right. We didn't come here because we wanted a war. We're here because war's no joke."
	  Gannet:
	  "Even if there is a war, we should resolve it with matches and games like today!"
	  By now, everyone had the same feeling, ...the same words on the tips of their tongues.
	  Miyao, the one who had brought up this subject, spoke those words aloud before anyone else.
	  Miyao:
	  "No matter what the world...what those asshole adults say, we definitely won't kill each other."
	  Sujatha:
	  "So, ...you don't think that would be impossible? While still carrying out our duties as soldiers?"
	  Naima:
	  "If your shield breaks, you should surrender willingly and retreat! And you should never chase after people when they do that! Wow!"
	  Abdou:
	  "After all, our left arms are so valuable, they can't afford to let us get shot down needlessly."
	  Jayden:
	  "That's right. Even the IPMA says you can't attack an enemy who's lost the will to fight."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Does that just apply to those of us present? ...It doesn't, right?"
	  Stephania:
	  "My friends' friends are all my friends!"
	  Leah:
	  "Let's have our friends and everyone else's friends all be friends!"
	  Fatma:
	  "At this moment, all the Gauntlet Knights in the world just became friends!"
	  Mariana:
	  "...I'll make my friend list visible to all of you."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I second that. I'll make my whole friend list visible too."
	  Koshka:
	  "...I don't have any friends."
	  Miyao:
	  "Then start packing your friend list today! You'll have so many WanyaDora hearts, you won't know what to do with them."
	  Koshka:
	  "Ooh... Okay then..."
	  Of course, just sending a friend request didn't automatically make them best buddies.
	  They were probably doing it partly out of politeness, sort of like exchanging business cards.
	  And anyway, what did it really mean to send a friend request to someone from a different country, whose face you've never seen?
	  However, even if it was just a formality...
	  At this very moment, ...all the young Gauntlet Knights, who wielded the cutting edge of the world's military might, ...were joined by bonds of friendship.
	  Naomi:
	  "So instead of the Tennis Court Oath, it's a Public Bath Oath."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheheh. Then let's make an oath, just like Jacques-Louis David's famous painting."
	  --We are friends and allies supporting the Walls of Peace. We will never hurt our friends.
	  As everyone took an oath-making pose of their own choosing, they swore to hold true to the same sentiment...
	  Miyao:
	  "We're all friends...!"
	  --Hahahah, hahahahahahahahahhahaah......
	  Miyao:
	  "Hahahahahahahahahahahah...!"
	  What's...so funny...?
	  Miyao:
	  "...Who are you calling friends? ...You say you'll never kill each other, when that's all your job is...? Hahahahah, ahahahahahahahah!!"
	  What's so funny...? What's so funny...?!
	  Miyao:
	  "You're the one who's going to be doing the killing. You are."
	  I'm going to kill...? Who...?!!
	  Right over there, "I" am sending WanyaDora hearts to Koshka.
	  Koshka is gaping at how many hearts she's received.
	  Across from us, Lingji is installing WanyaDora with Miyao's referral ID...
	  Miyao:
	  "Take those two you're happily chatting with right now."
	  Koshka? Lingji? What about them...?!
	  Miyao:
	  "You're going to kill them. You are, by your own hands."
	  Why?!! Why would I...kill my comrades?! Like Koshka?! Or Lingji?!
	  Miyao:
	  "...Did you forget? ...To kill, to destroy. ...That's the sole reason you were created in the first place."
	  I don't...understand!
	  Who even are you?! Why do you look like me?!
	  Miyao:
	  "I am you. I'm one of the many `yous' inside you. ...And, because I know the horrifying reason you were created, ...I've come to put a stop to it, ...as your inner conscience."
	  What are you talking about...? I don't get it!
	  Miyao:
	  "You are an object worthy of hatred. ...You were created for the sole purpose of killing and destroying. Any other actions you take are merely steps along the path to achieving your final goal. ...I'll say it again. You're a cursed creature, created only to kill and destroy."
	  Are you kidding me...?! Don't decide that on your own!!
	  I'm Mitake Miyao! I always have and always will live by my own willpower!
	  So I was created to kill and destroy, huh? I don't know what you're talking about! No one ever ordered me to do something like that! Even if they did, like hell I'd obey them!
	  Miyao:
	  "And yet, ...you already are a Gauntlet Knight."
	  So what...?!
	  Miyao:
	  "Gauntlet Knights are individuals with the firepower of a warship, the ultimate cutting edge of military might. You're steadily preparing for your goal of death and destruction..."
	  Th-That's not why I became a Gauntlet Knight!
	  I just wanted to fly! That's why I made it my goal to become one!
	  Well, it's true that I was able to choose that path because Dad had me undergo Parallel Processor training ever since I was a baby, but...
	  Miyao:
	  "Let me tell you a bit about your future."
	  Miyao:
	  "...You're going to kill that girl called Koshka and that girl called Lingji, with whom you've been chatting so happily."
	  I don't care what you say, idiot!!
	  I won't kill them! We just swore we wouldn't...!!
	  And it's not just those two! I definitely won't kill anyone here, or any of their friends I haven't met yet!!
	  I'm not the only one who swore! We all did! All of us, all of us...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "No, they'll all kill each other too. This playing at friendship is meaningless, worthless, ...and every, every, every, every single one of you will kill each other."
	  Shut up...... Shut up...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "This is a future you'll definitely reach, and a fixed event you'll definitely carry out. ...Take that girl there, Lingji, whom I just said you'd kill. I can even tell you how you'll kill her."
	  Miyao:
	  "It'll be...a close-range, face-to-face aerial fight. ...You'll shatter Lingji's head with a punch backed by a force field."
	  In the back of my mind...appeared the image of my fist smashing through Lingji's head in an aerial battle...
	  Quit screwing with me, this is an illusion...!
	  And even if I did pull Lingji into a close-range aerial fight in an actual battle, she's an incredibly talented ace!
	  At the Battle Standard Festival, I was made painfully aware of her skill. Of course we wouldn't let each other get that close so easily!
	  You think I'd hit Lingji with my fist in a close-range battle? Hahah, who do you think we are?! You underestimate Lingji too much!
	  If I launched an attack that sluggish, she'd just raise her shield and send me flying away, increasing the distance between us!
	  Miyao:
	  "Under normal circumstances, yes. ...I think you'd do that, and so would she."
	  Miyao:
	  "But...it won't be possible. Not for her to knock you away with her shield."
	  Miyao:
	  "After all, ...unfortunately for her, she won't be able to use her shield then. So, your fist will continue on and crush her skull."
	  Her Rejection Shield will malfunction?! That's the worst sort of malfunction a Gauntlet could have...
	  Miyao:
	  "No, it won't malfunction. ...You will kill her. That plotline will simply be carried out."
	  I...will kill...Lingji...
	  Miyao:
	  "And not just her. I'll tell you how you'll kill Koshka."
	  Miyao:
	  "Koshka will be swallowed up by a swarm of those guided missiles you love, and the shrapnel will tear her whole body apart until she dies."
	  This time, I saw Koshka plummeting downwards, ...surrounded by sparks and blood pouring from all over her body...!
	  Miyao:
	  "Even you and your partner Jayden will fight fiercely to the death. Same with the others, all of them fiercely exchanging fire over and over, killing each other."
	  A future image flew through my head, unstoppable, of all those friends who had just sworn their friendship... Blood splattered and tears dripped down...as they killed each other...!
	  Miyao:
	  "...That kid's gonna die too. ...And that one. And him. And her. ...Every one of them will die. They'll kill each other and be killed."
	  Stop iiiiiiiiiiit!!!
	  Stop showing me these crazy illusioooooons...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "No, these aren't illusions. You might call them memories from a guaranteed future. You exist, therefore this future must happen."
	  Because I exist? I exist, so everyone's gonna die?! I'm gonna kill them?!?!
	  No, I don't want to kill anyone!! I want to be friends with everyone forever...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "You want to protect this world of friendship, where interpersonal bonds join all of you together?"
	  Of course...!! I'll protect it! I'll protect friendship and peace throughout the world! That's why I became a Gauntlet Knight!!
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, there is just one way...to protect this world."
	  Tell me, don't leave me hanging...!! I want a world where we never become enemies!!
	  Miyao:
	  "It's very easy. Just will yourself to disappear. If you do, no one will suffer or be sad."
	  Is the world going to break...because I exist...?!
	  What in the world...am I...?!
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh, I'll tell you what you really are."
	  What I really am?! I'm Mitake Miyao...!
	  A Gauntlet Knight of the Aerial Augmented Infantry unit "Warcat", from AOU Japan...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "That's just your backstory. ...After all, you're just a program built for destruction, which was given the name Mitake Miyao..."
	  Poyoooo! *kero*kero*kero*!
	  Someone wants to enter the room poyo. Will you give them access poyo?
	  Miyao:
	  "Whoa, who is it?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Ah, they're finally here! It's those big sisters from the LATO military who reffed for us today."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "We finally made it in...! I told you it had to be a text conversion screw-up!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh... Japanese is hard. This is clearly a structural flaw in the Kizuna translator."
	  Jayden:
	  "So, you two also ended up with It's a Wrap Public Lust?"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheheh... Well, my country's official language is Portuguese, after all. Japanese is tough."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Hahah! That proves you use `lust' a lot in your emails!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Welcome, you two, to the It's a Wrap Public Bath! Guess that means it's time for a storm of friend requests!"
	  You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo! You have received a friend request poyo!
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Wawawawawa?! What in the?! My mental display got filled up with Keropoyos!"
	  Valentina:
	  "H-Heheheheh, that's quite a welcome. Thanks for the invitation. We're Valentina from LATO Brazil and Maricarmen from LATO Mexico."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Just this once, I'll let you call me Mari, okay?!"
	  Naima:
	  "That means we'll have to do the Public Bath Oath again, wow♪"
	  Lingji:
	  "If bonds of friendship tie the world together, ...humanity will never make such a foolish mistake again."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Miyao, you may initiate the oath once more!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sure! Then let's all do it again, okay?!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "?! Wait, what? What's going on...??"
	  ^!s100^...^!s70^You're...
	  just a murder program...
	  langen!sd
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, let's start from our designated positions one more time! And let's focus more on our coordination this time!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Unlike a supergenius like me, the others are gonna need some repeated practice."
	  Lilja:
	  "I've been covering for your little Supergenius screw ups this whole time meow♪"
	  Chloe:
	  "Yeah, yeah＞＜! You can't treat Grave Mole like we're drones, Jayden＞＜!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Sheesh. I guess you can't keep up with the superb movement ability Miyao and I have."
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no point saving a second of time if your coordination suffers! I know you're a supergenius, so pay a little more attention to what's behind you! Even a supergenius can't do anything without support from his comrades! And anyway, I see so much inefficiency in your trajectory data! You keep putting unnecessary strain on your Internal 8MS...!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Hihihi, you got yelled at."
	  Gunhild:
	  "You're definitely a supergenius, Jayden. You're so much of one that you can't coordinate with normal people like us."
	  Lilja:
	  "Uh oh... Miyao's totally entered lecture mode meow."
	  Chloe:
	  "And when he lectures, he keeps sending over specific data, so you can't fight back...
	   Aaaah, Miyao, Second Lieutenant Miyao, Master Miyao, I'm so, so sorry, so please hit stupid, slow Chloe with more and more relevant dataaaaa...＠∀＠；"
	  Lilja:
	  "Looks like Chloe's reliving her past trauma meow meow."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao, if you don't put your lectures on hold and resume training, the Instructor-"
	  Okonogi:
	  "You braaaaaaats!! What are you slacking off for?!! This always happens when I turn my back for a second!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...You're the one who slacked off and took a break, Instructor."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Did you say something, Koshkaaaaaaaa?!!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "I don't think he heard you, so I'll text it to him meow meow♪"
	  Okonogi:
	  "You fooooooool!!! Chloeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Why＞＜am I＞＜owwwww, Instructoooooor＞＜"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Your time hasn't improved at all!! You ended up looking that pathetic at the Festival because you aren't taking this seriously!!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "...I don't think it was bad enough to be called `pathetic'."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "That asshole's probably been saying things like `They'll definitely win first place, they've got me training them' to his higher-ups, raising the bar for no reason..."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "I agree. I'm not sure I like having a record like that dismissed so easily."
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "Dummy, dummy! Stupid, stupid Okonogi! Meow, meow, meow♪"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-You shouldn't say things like that!"
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "...Stupid Chloe just self-destructed."
	  Okonogi:
	  "What's that, Chloe?!?! You got something you'd like to say to me?!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I-It's nothing, I'm so sorry, Instructoooooooor...＞＜!"
	  Even in a world where you can talk to people with your brain, you can sometimes "self-destruct".
	  Accidents, like speaking out loud when you're trying to badmouth someone mentally right in front of their face, are an everyday occurrence in this world.
	  ...That being said, some kids can do the high-level technique of saying what they really think, then pretending it was on accident.
	  Okonogi:
	  "Warcat, Grave Mole, to your positions!! Gunhild, raise the AI level by 3!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Roger that."
	  
	  Up 3 levels! Roger that poyo!
	  Okonogi:
	  "Listen up! In the end, it isn't about logic, it's about beating it directly into your bodies! Empty your minds and repeat it again and again!
	   Chloe, begin the countdown!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Enemy AI has been adjusted. Chloe, go ahead."
	  Chloe:
	  "Th-Then I'll begin the countdown! 3, 2, 1...＞＜!!"
	  Battle simulator, let's go poyo!!
	  Miyao's data-packed lecture mode was definitely harsh, but it was much better than those old instructors' baseless theories on the supremacy of fighting spirit.
	  Kids of the Selcom Era thought of everything as data and numbers, but old-world thinking was full of abstract, emotional, spiritual, and guts-based arguments.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Sheesh. Miyao's accurate, data-storm lectures are better than this. ...Then again, it's like the difference between being pushed out a 10th-story window or an 11th-story window... Hahah..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey, supergenius! Concentrate! I'm watching your data, so I can tell! Get ready for a big review meeting after this! And don't run away!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Seriously? Hahah..."
	  Even the Supergenius Jayden, who didn't know how to be discouraged, was apparently hit hard by Miyao's lectures...
	  And so, once again, the young Gauntlet Knights trained in all sorts of ways until they were worn out...
	  Jayden:
	  "Sheesh. Our instructor's weird fighting spirit logic really pisses me off."
	  Andry:
	  "Heheh. People without talent are always quick to start talking about fighting spirit."
	  Ishak:
	  "Hey, I'd appreciate it if you didn't talk about our princess behind her back."
	  Stanisław:
	  "So, you have no complaints when everything's explained to you logically, Jayden?"
	  Jayden:
	  "N-Nngggg... Well, you can still go too far, yeah?"
	  Ever since the It's a Wrap Public Bath party, this virtual room had become a meeting place for Gauntlet Knights regardless of nationality.
	  Whenever the young hit it off, it usually doesn't take long for them to become friends.
	  And, getting to hear or tell stories to people from different environments is a very precious thing for their young hearts.
	  The vast majority of Parallel Processors were women, so the Gauntlet boys were a minority. Today had become a rare all-boy gathering.
	  Momotake:
	  "...Hmm. I suppose all factions are the same. Middle-aged men who act all important are always scum."
	  Jayden:
	  "Are COU instructors scum too? I figured they'd be wise compared to our instructor."
	  Andry:
	  "Woo! If they had a Scummy Instructor Battle Standard Festival, our COU team would take golds in every event."
	  Stanisław:
	  "At least they're a bit better than our ABN Instructors, in that you're allowed to openly criticize them."
	  Momotake:
	  "I imagine that if you badmouth your instructors in the ABN, you'll get arrested on the spot, yes?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Heheheh. In a country where you can't insult anyone to their face, you form a culture capable of insulting people without it sounding like you're insulting them."
	  Abdou:
	  "Sounds nice. So, for example, what would you say to an irritating superior officer, who never shows any appreciation for their subordinates' work?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "It's our way to say the opposite of what we mean. Something like `I am truly grateful for the heartfelt support you always show me, Instructor.'"
	  Ishak:
	  "Nice, I'll take it."
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Rethabile:
	  "Ishak, Abdou! So, you were lounging about here! Get back to our training! When it comes to training, fighting spirit and guts are vital! Be honored by the opportunity to sweat for my sake!"
	  Ishak:
	  "Your grace, thank you for your ever-present heartfelt support-"
	  Abdou:
	  "For which we are ever so grateful, Princess Rethabile."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Huh? R-R-Right. Very well then."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hahahah, hahahahahahahahahah."
	  In any era, getting to complain together and feel a sense of camaraderie is the best part of talking with close friends.
	  Furthermore, they were used to "background operation", so they could chat like this at any time, without having to worry about timezones or even what the other person was doing at that moment.
	  It was a wonderful era they were in.
	  In this era, high-quality sleep substitute drugs had been developed, so sleep was no longer necessary.
	  Humanity had effectively doubled the density and time in a human life.
	  But, of course, it wasn't a perfect, dream-like drug.
	  It only freed you from the need to sleep, so if you wanted to maintain your concentration, you needed to rely on things like that ancient drug, caffeine.
	  If you tried to study for a test all night, you might not get sleepy, but you'd get bored and start hating it halfway through.
	  For most people, who didn't have anything they needed to do so badly that it was worth abandoning sleep, it wasn't really that valuable.
	  After all, it can get pretty boring if you have no work or any desire to do anything until dawn, and you're incapable of feeling sleepy, even if you lay down.
	  So, this drug was only used regularly by the young, who could never find enough time to study and play.
	  Thanks to that, the young lost the concept of time zones.
	  They were always awake, so they could communicate with anyone regardless of day and night, even if that person was on the other side of the planet.
	  The fact that they were capable of communication this rich was a powerful weapon in the young ones' arsenal.
	  Though some places did close down in the middle of the night, the shopping district was always open, even at this hour.
	  Jayden could be seen in the nighttime shopping district, during a time range when only young people who loved the anti-sleeping drug were up and about...
	  Jayden:
	  "...Aaaah, ...dammit."
	  For Jayden, all that complaining and laughing with friends in the public bath had made for a good change of pace.
	  At least, the part about complaining about instructors had.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Miyao, ...go at least a little easy on me... His lectures are like a tornado of good points. I can't contradict him, so I wish...aaah, dammit...!"
	  He couldn't call Miyao a bastard or an asshole. All his points were right on the mark.
	  When Jayden actually followed those suggestions, he noticed the difference clearly.
	  All he could do then was lick the wounds that had been inflicted on Supergenius Jayden's pride.
	  Jayden:
	  "Aren't we war buddies from the same kette...? Even if you're right, couldn't you say it a bit more nicely...? *sigh*"
	  True to what Jayden had always claimed, he was enough of a genius ace to earn the `super' qualification.
	  For a long time, he had never been inferior to anyone around him in any way.
	  However, that was when he'd been surrounded by what he called normal people.
	  When surrounded by the best Gauntlet aces, the ultimate collection of talent, he couldn't always be on top.
	  Of that group, only Mitake Miyao felt like a "rival" he might not be able to match.
	  ...Even though, until recently, Jayden had always focused on his own victory, achieving success again and again.
	  Jayden:
	  "...It's because...he's always looking at his opponent."
	  While doing his best to achieve victory, Miyao would simultaneously search to find out how he could counter his opponent's best.
	  And, he would accurately notice when those opponents did well or badly, ...even when said opponents didn't notice it themselves.
	  Jayden:
	  "Ah, ...right. ...After getting criticized again and again and again, there was no compliment at the end today. That's why I'm so down."
	  Miyao's lecture mode today was a rush of valid points and data, as usual.
	  But after I get beaten down, he's supposed to finish it with a compliment, so I can look forward to hearing him make suggestions.
	  Jayden:
	  "And today, the instructor butted in... Miyao's lecture mode got cut off."
	  You're pathetic, Supergenius Jayden. ...Since when has my mood jumped all over the place because of every word that skinny pipsqueak says?
	  Jayden:
	  "Wait a sec... I'm obsessing over this way too much. How the heck did I get here?"
	  I checked with my mental display and saw that I had traveled several stations down.
	  I didn't come to this place often. Still, if I wanted to totally reset my mood, coming to a part of the city I wasn't used to may have been just what I needed.
	  I looked around. Information from countless shops flooded my brain.
	  Of course, getting hit with a flood of information just leads to confusion, so I used one of my favorite information filters and simplified the data in my vision.
	  When I did, a nearby game center was marked as `recommended'.
	  Poyo! I've found a recommended spot according to your tastes!
	  It's the game salon "Armageddon" poyoo!!
	  Rating: ★★★★☆, Safety: ★★★★☆, Cleanliness: ★★★☆☆
	  It was my first time going to this place, but it didn't look bad. And, according to its description, one of its popular games had just received an update.
	  Jayden:
	  "Nice. ...It's been a while since I've filled the high score list with my name."
	  In this era, even game centers were decorated like fancy, Victorian-style salons on the inside.
	  However, the lines of beautifully adorned sofas had a lot of wiring, like a military simulator.
	  In an era with mental displays, anyone could play games even during class without anyone else knowing.
	  However, the locations called game centers were a bit different.
	  In addition to the mental display, they also projected the game screen on a spatial display.
	  Why? Isn't it obvious? To show off your skill to people you've never seen before.
	  Of course, even in this era, game livestreams on the internet were alive and well.
	  You could interact with them in many ways, including voice and text.
	  ...However, some demanding young people felt that there was no replacement for the sensation of seeing live reactions.
	  Because of these people, relics from the old world like game centers still existed, and boldly so, despite how far civilization had advanced.
	  Good live gameplay requires a crowd of young people to watch.
	  They get to have a great time, cheering and/or showing their disappointment in an exaggerated manner.
	  Jayden:
	  "That takes me back. I remember when I'd go into game centers where all the neighborhood brats hung out."
	  He bought a drink as a substitute for the entry fee, then sat down in a random empty seat.
	  Gloomy people vaguely lacking in self-confidence might sit in the corner, even though they wanted to be seen.
	  However, Supergenius Jayden wasn't like that. He'd sit openly in the throne right in the middle, left open because of that special Japanese brand of embarrassment that they call humility.
	  His Selcom immediately informed him that it had successfully connected to his seat.
	  Then, the display told him that he could benefit from a promotional campaign if he entered his Kizuna ID.
	  Actually, he'd had his Kizuna set to OFF.
	  If he hadn't, then a friend would've heartlessly messaged him, regardless of whether he was feeling neurotic or depressed.
	  At that moment, he wanted some time to himself, so he didn't activate Kizuna and chose not to participate in the promo.
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, if I get an ultra high score and expose my ID, I'll get so many friend requests from people I don't know, it'll be a pain."
	  In any era, if you carelessly expose your personal information, you'll get a rush of weird direct mail and sales calls.
	  Jayden:
	  "Okay. ...Let's do this...!"
	  Hilarious, right? A Gauntlet Knight got depressed by his training, so to shake it off, he started playing a game about Gauntlet Knights?
	  Gauntlet Knights, who could fly unassisted and dominate a battlefield on their own, were what kids around the world wanted to become. So, there were many games that simulated being a Gauntlet Knight.
	  This was also a useful way in all countries to find people with high aptitudes. For that reason, games like this were placed in game centers all over the world.
	  Jayden:
	  "I love flying solo... No need to keep perfect pace with a noisy partner."
	  The quality here was much lower than a military simulator, but for a game, this was more than good enough.
	  Furthermore, all his experiences from normal training would come back to him, and the realism could be supplemented by his brain and grow pretty intense.
	  This was his first time playing at this game center, so he would run through the tutorial first and get a feel for this particular location.
	  Now to select a difficulty level... EASY, NORMAL, HARD? Yeah, right. I'll boldly flick my mental tablet!
	  The word HARD instantly shot off the top of the screen, which scrolled down to the no-handholding settings like ULTRA HARD and NIGHTMARE.
	  The one I chose was the last one. REAL GAUNTLET KNIGHT!
	  Jayden:
	  "Let's go. I'll show them I'm a supergenius!!"
	  Young People:
	  "No way, is he really doing it on REAL...?!"
	  "Is he crazy?! He's got all his controls set to manual...!"
	  "If he's on REAL, what's he gonna do about the Stage 7 boss's missile barrage...?!"
	  The Stage 7 boss was modeled off the Atlantis, the ACR Combined Military Superfortress-class Segmented Warship.
	  It was made up of 7 connected Superfortress-class Warships, meaning it was more than just a ship. It was a fortress on the sea.
	  A barrage of countless missiles was being launched from there, drawing a beautiful geometric shape that dazzled any who saw it...!
	  Jayden:
	  "Here I go?!?! Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh...!!!"
	  Young People:
	  "Whoooooa, awesome, look at him move...!!"
	  "C-Crap, I feel sick just watching this. Is this guy a god...?!!"
	  He magnificently dodged the countless guided missiles chasing after him, shooting them down with perfect accuracy. Just like a missile matador!
	  The excitement in the store reached a crescendo, and the noise made even passersby stop and look.
	  When Jayden completed the game to the utmost excitement, he waved back at the cheering young people throughout the salon...
	  Jayden:
	  "Wheeeew! Thank you, thank you! Thanks for your support!"
	  This really does feel good. Thank God I came to this game center. Now, that uneasy feeling is gone.
	  Jayden sank deep into the sofa, enjoying the feeling, and slowly sipped his drink.
	  The excitement in the salon calmed down, and everyone went back to enjoying their own games or watching others.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Hmm? If you register a Kizuna ID, you can take advantage of our Point Rally Start Dash Campaign?"
	  It's because I was playing pretty well just now. They don't want to miss out because I'm an unregistered user.
	  Jayden:
	  "Okay, might as well register. ...I'll have to add a comment that I'm not taking friend requests."
	  He set his Kizuna, which had been OFF, to ON.
	  He immediately received several ad emails. ...Hmm?
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Jayden:
	  "Already? Who is it...?"
	  Kizuna always displayed a message like that when a friend's avatar came to visit over the internet, or if a friend came near you in real life.
	  This wasn't an avatar visit. Did that mean one of his friends was nearby?
	  The friend sign was very close. Apparently, I didn't see them because I was set to OFF, but they're actually inside this store.
	  That's a bit cold, not saying hi even though they're in the same game center. Who is it? Where are they?
	  I tried to check their friend sign through my mental tablet, ...but it suddenly disappeared.
	  Now that it was gone, I had no way of knowing the person's name or where they were.
	  Jayden:
	  "...H-Hey, that's creepy..."
	  In other words, a friend inside the store had realized that Jayden was nearby...and had hurriedly set their Kizuna to OFF.
	  That does tick me off a bit.
	  Jayden:
	  "I don't know who it is, ...but I think they need a good talking to. That's not something you do to your friends, right? I've gotta give them a big lecture filled with valid points and lots of data, huh?"
	  I looked around the store. Okay, where are you hiding?
	  There were more customers than usual at this time of day, partly due to the aftereffects of Jayden's super playing.
	  This person probably knew who Jayden was, so if he set up camp in front of the store, they probably wouldn't come strolling out.
	  He checked the store map from his Kizuna. There was one more route out of the store, the back door near the bathroom!
	  ...Look, there's the shadow of a person rushing through, and clearly not someone who has to use the bathroom!
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, wait... Hey, ...you're Miyao, right?! Hey, wait!!"
	  He recognized the person from behind. It was definitely Mitake Miyao, his partner from the Warcats!
	  Though he could hear Jayden, he was hurrying away, trying to blend in with the shopping center crowd.
	  Interestingly, he was leaving with a quick, shuffling walk. Jayden, feeling that it'd be unfair to run after him, followed along with a similar shuffling walk.
	  Jayden:
	  "Wait, hey! Miyao, Miyaooooooo! Why are you shutting your Kizuna off and running away?! That's creepy, man! Hey, is it something I did? Something during training just now? Did I do something so weird that it pissed you off?!"
	  Miyao continued that shuffling walk without turning around. Jayden chased after him in the same way, calling out questions and complaints at Miyao's back.
	  To anyone watching this, it probably looked as though they were having a lover's quarrel.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Hey, I may be a gentleman, but I've just about had it, okay?"
	  As expected, there was no response. However, Miyao was Miyao. It couldn't possibly be anyone else.
	  After all, considering how long Jayden had been following them, someone other than Miyao would've called the police by now.
	  Jayden:
	  "I've just about had it! You've got five seconds! Four, three, two, one-"
	  Aaah, I've had enough! This time, I'm the lecturer. I'll make Miyao say he's sorry!
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, wait, Miyaoooooooooooooooo!!!"^
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "......Aah......!!!"
	  Jayden raced forward, grabbed Miyao's thin arms, and forcibly spun him around.
	  However...
	  Jayden:
	  "...Mi...yao...? ...Huh...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............!"
	  C-Crap... Did I...really mistake him for someone else...?
	  Jayden:
	  "That's not possible...! ...You're Miyao, right? You are, aren't you...?!"
	  It was almost as though he was trying to convince himself, rather than interrogate this person.
	  He did think it was Mitake Miyao. His eyes and his nose and his mouth... Many bits of information made it clear that this was Miyao himself.
	  However, ...well, ...the atmosphere about him, or something Jayden couldn't really describe, ...belonged to something that resembled Miyao, yet wasn't...
	  Only then, Jayden realized that Miyao's whole demeanor was different from usual. ...And the color of his lips seemed more sensual, or something.
	  The skinniness of the shoulder he was grasping was definitely Miyao's, ...but now that skinniness felt like something of the opposite sex.
	  ...Could this be...a girl who looked just like Miyao...?
	  Jayden:
	  "...Wait... Wait, wait, wait, wait! You're Miyao, right? You are, aren't you?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...I'm not M-Miyao..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Liar! Then turn your Kizuna ON!"
	  Miyao:
	  "No..."
	  Crap, this totally looks like a couple fighting. ...The eyes of people walking by hurt.
	  Jayden took the guy who was definitely Miyao but claimed not to be... No, maybe this isn't even a guy... He took the kid into a nearby store and sat them down...
	  By this point, a certain possibility had risen to Jayden's mind.
	  ...I'm a supergenius, so I don't really get it, ...but aren't lots of Gauntlet Knight candidates...
	  ...Aah, ...now I've done it...
	  Jayden:
	  "Umm, ...sorry."
	  He had planned on making this person apologize, ...but in the end, Jayden was the one who apologized.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Umm, ...you're...one of those, aren't you? Your body is Mitake Miyao, ...but you aren't, right...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  As though giving up, the person shut their eyes tight and gave a slight nod.
	  Jayden:
	  "Sorry... I...didn't know..."
	  To become a Parallel Processor, you needed to undergo special training from a young age.
	  However, that didn't mean all babies had equal amounts of talent. No matter how much one trained, some people couldn't become Parallel Processors, while some developed surprising amounts of talent with very little effort.
	  It was well known that people with natural talents like this often developed a certain type of split personality.
	  Multiple personality disorder, in its commonly known form, occurs when neural trauma creates a data partition in the brain and gives birth to a new personality -- one that hasn't been influenced by the trauma -- in order to protect one's mind. This is an acquired trait.
	  However, in extremely rare cases, multiple personalities can appear as a congenital trait.
	  Unlike acquired multiple personality disorder, its biggest identifying feature is that the personalities can be awake at the same time.
	  It means that two consciousnesses can literally exist simultaneously in a single body.
	  They can each think of and concentrate on different things.
	  In fact, they can apparently even have verbal arguments with each other using the same mouth.
	  They truly are...born Parallel Processors.
	  As you might expect, the training they received at a young age was more effective for them than it was for Single Personalities, and this improved more the more personalities they had.
	  Since Gauntlet Knights needed to be capable of parallel thinking, humans born with multiple simultaneous thoughts in the same brain made for incredibly suitable candidates...
	  So, according to one theory, 30% of famous Gauntlet Knights (60% according to a different theory) had this special kind of congenital multiple personality disorder.
	  Furthermore, these people would feel hurt if you called it multiple personality disorder, so they were now referred to as CPPs (Congenital Parallel Processors)...
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Jayden:
	  "When I was in America, ...I had a friend who was a Congenital. ...I was a brat who didn't really understand, so I kept saying `show me a different personality' and `do something crazy', ...treating him like some kind of show instead of thinking about how he must've felt. ...I regret it now."
	  No matter how much talent you have, ...it's never pleasant when people look at you strangely.
	  So, even though Gauntlet Knights have become a shared dream for kids all over the world, almost no one `comes out' as a CPP...
	  It was all thanks to what remained of stereotypes from the old era, where multiple personalities were treated like something out of the occult or horror genres...
	  Jayden:
	  "You know, ...I wasn't the one who started calling myself a supergenius. ...I've been told that since I was very young, at the training institute. ...This kid's a supergenius, with all that parallel processing power despite not being a CPP..."
	  Thinking back on it, ...maybe all of them were CPPs, not just the friend who came out about it.
	  And I treated that friend like some kind of bizarre animal... Imagining how everyone else must've felt made my chest hurt...
	  Jayden:
	  "...Miyao...wait, that's not right. ...I want to treat you as an individual human being. Would you mind telling me your name?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Meow."
	  It sounded like someone imitating a cat's cry. ...No, wait, that's not it.
	  I see, Miyao and Meow, huh? What a cute name.
	  Jayden:
	  "Meow, ...are you a girl...?"
	  Meow:
	  "...Yeah..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Aah, ...sorry about earlier! I grabbed your shoulder hard... That's no way to treat a girl, right? ...Forgive me."
	  Meow:
	  "I-It's okay..."
	  Two personalities with different genders in the same body, huh? ...Sounds like something you'd find in some old Japanese manga.
	  Jayden:
	  "Wait, wait, wait. I shouldn't be thinking up jokes. No, seriously, ...I'm so sorry..."
	  Meow:
	  "Don't apologize so much, okay...? Umm, I shouldn't have run, and I should've told you..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Meow, what should I do? I want to treat you the way you want to be treated."
	  Meow:
	  "...Huh?"
	  Jayden:
	  "If you ask me to forget everything that happened today, I'll forget about you completely by tonight. If I ever realize I'm seeing you as Meow, I'll pretend I don't know you. Anyway, you're..."
	  The way Jayden panicked as he tried his best to be polite must have looked a little humorous.
	  Meow giggled, and Jayden, not realizing why she was laughing, opened his eyes even wider.
	  Meow:
	  "Thanks. You're nice, Jayden."
	  Jayden:
	  "N-No, I'm just, uhh..."
	  Meow:
	  "If you act so humble, it just makes this more uncomfortable. So really, don't worry about it. And anyway, I've been by your side all this time. If you act so distant, ...it actually makes me feel lonely..."
	  Jayden:
	  "I see... After all, you still exist even when Miyao's there. ...So, what about today's training?"
	  Meow:
	  "Hey, I'm a Gauntlet Knight too. ...I split the work with big brother, checking our surroundings and controlling our posture and stuff."
	  Jayden:
	  "I see. ...Is that how it was? So, you've been my other partner all along..."
	  At the word `partner', Meow smiled broadly for the first time.
	  Miyao was probably the main personality. So, Meow's personality always had to be kept hidden away, and it was hard for others to notice it.
	  ...She must've been happy to be recognized as a separate personality...
	  Jayden:
	  "Big brother, huh? So you're Miyao's little sister. ...My old friend said his personalities were friends with each other."
	  Meow:
	  "It's brother and sister, in our case. ...There's all sorts, depending on the person."
	  Jayden:
	  "So, Miyao usually controls your body, but sometimes you put on makeup like a girl and go out at night to have fun, like this."
	  Meow:
	  "...Yeah."
	  So, she's been having fun in a part of town far separated from the area Mitake Miyao lives in.
	  ...So that no one who knew her would realize that she's a CPP.
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, it's a bit unsafe for a pretty girl like you to play around in the city at night, don't you think?"
	  Meow:
	  "......Sometimes, ...weird people do try to talk to me."
	  Jayden:
	  "No kidding! A girl this cute, walking around without a boyfriend? You'd be crazy if you didn't try to talk to her."
	  As Jayden said this, he gradually turned red.
	  Just yesterday, he'd thought of this person as a cool partner of the same gender. Now, he suddenly had to treat her like a girl, even though this was the same physical body...
	  Except for a little makeup, this was totally Miyao... Aaaaah, now I'm feeling kinda hot and sweaty!
	  Jayden:
	  "Meow, the next time you come here to have fun, let me know."
	  Meow:
	  "...Huh?"
	  Jayden:
	  "I, Supergenius Jayden, will be your bodyguard and make sure no weirdos come after you!"
	  Meow:
	  "Oh... Y-Yeah. I think having a bodyguard would be nice..."
	  Jayden:
	  "That body belongs to my two partners, Miyao and Meow, so it's only n-natural that I protect it..."
	  Wh-Why do I keep turning red...?! What I'm saying is perfectly normal, right?
	  My partner's body is tiny, and it'd suck if some weirdo came after him and hurt him when he was off having fun at night, so I'm offering to stay by his side. There's nothing remotely strange about that!
	  ...Oh, I get it. It's because of how Meow's face looks.
	  Because you look like that, ...I can't figure out what to do next...! Enough with this weird sweat already!
	  Meow:
	  "Thanks, Jayden. I'll definitely ask you to do that when the time comes."
	  Jayden:
	  "Sure, send me a Kizuna message whenever you like."
	  Would they ever have been able to talk like this, ...if Jayden had only ever known Miyao?
	  The two of them chatted about things they never would've discussed if it had been Miyao.
	  Before long, Jayden was gradually beginning to understand.
	  Jayden:
	  "I see. ...I get it. ...When Miyao was lecturing me, he would always praise me for doing something good at the very end. No matter how small it was, he'd always find something."
	  Meow:
	  "............!"
	  Jayden:
	  "That was you, wasn't it?"
	  Meow:
	  "...H-How..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Come to think of it, I always thought it was weird that Miyao always tore me down, then managed to encourage me at the end. But after talking with you, I'm sure. ...The person who was always watching me and praising me so that I could give it my all...was you, Meow."
	  Meow:
	  "............"
	  Even though Jayden had met her for the first time today, ...he could see how much unexpected joy those words gave her...
	  Something twinkled a little near her tightly shut eyes...
	  Meow:
	  "...You're...really cool, Jayden. ...I can't believe...you noticed that I was there..."
	  Jayden:
	  "W-Well, of course. I'm still Supergenius Jayden..."
	  Meow:
	  "Yeah. A supergenius. And cool. ...I know that. I'm always watching from nearby, ...so I know..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Ummmmmm, uhhh... But...isn't Miyao listening to this conversation...? Hahah, hahahah. The next time I see him, he'll tell me not to be a creep around his sister and beat the crap out of me..."
	  Meow:
	  "...Oh, that's okay. ...When I don't want to be heard, I make sure the door of my heart is shut."
	  Apparently, privacy between personalities is possible. And, she can apparently take her current experiences and memories and either share them with Miyao, or keep them for herself.
	  Thinking about it that way, ...this is pretty rough. A brother and sister, living in the same body...
	  Beyond that, I don't remember much of what we talked about.
	  However, until the sky lit up, ...I think we kept on talking at random about fun stuff, though I don't remember it well.
	  Guys were another matter, but just before dawn wasn't a very safe time for girls. At that hour, they would sometimes get bugged by guys who had been having fun all night and who were weirdly excited.
	  But she said she wanted to secretly go home on her own.
	  Meow was a girl, but the main personality of that body was Miyao. In other words, people thought of them as a guy.
	  Meow:
	  "...If people knew that Mitake Miyao was walking around in makeup like a girl, it would cause big brother trouble. ...If that happened, he'd stop letting me go out to play."
	  Jayden:
	  "Then shouldn't it be the other way around?"
	  Meow:
	  "?"
	  Jayden:
	  "You walk back home openly with me. If we do bump into someone we know, I'll say this isn't Miyao, it's a girl friend of mine."
	  Meow:
	  "I...I see..."
	  Meow's face had gone red as if someone had boiled it.
	  Jayden:
	  "......? Did I really say something that embarrassing?"
	  Apparently, Kizuna had interpreted `girl friend' as `girlfriend'.
	  In English, Jayden had only meant that he'd introduce her as a girl he was friends with, but...
	  In places that spoke Japanese, the phrase always meant a more long-term, one-on-one, romantic relationship.
	  Meow:
	  "I-It's okay... I know what you meant... Kizuna translates things weird sometimes, doesn't it?"
	  Jayden:
	  "...That's really a pain... I'll try and find a better Japanese translation patch..."
	  Meow:
	  "No matter how much technology advances..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hmm?"
	  Meow:
	  "Communication really is made up of more than words and text. There's also your eyes, your expression, the atmosphere, smells, ...your heart beating, ...and all of it makes communication possible."
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah. ...If we ever start living in an electronic world, it'll be pretty boring."
	  Meow:
	  "Kizuna translation mistakes, ...getting embarrassed and trying to run away, ...and chasing after people who do that. ...Every bit of that is a precious part of communication between humans."
	  This ultimate communication tool had broken down all barriers, obviously including language.
	  However, that definitely didn't mean it was better than facing someone and talking to them in person.
	  That cliche, which old cultured people always used to criticize things like Kizuna, ...bounced through the minds of the two youths who were both acting embarrassed...
	  In the end, ...the two of them did return to their lodgings together.
	  ...Apparently, they didn't get a chance to bump into someone they knew and make use of their excuse that they were girlfriends or boyfriends or whatever...
	  
	  The elevator kept going down and down beneath the earth.
	  Inside was a short man in a suit, who seemed a bit scared, and two sunglasses-wearing soldiers on either side behind him, wearing bulletproof vests and wielding state-of-the-art carbines.
	  There was nothing that identified the troops' nationality or affiliation. Even their guns were the latest model from a famous manufacturer, which wasn't yet in use by official militaries.
	  All this made it easy to guess that they were either personally-hired soldiers or mercenaries of some sort.
	  However, there was nothing unrefined about the elevator or their behavior or attire.
	  And, there wasn't even a speck of dust to be seen, much less trash lying about.
	  It was almost painfully refined, and the man in the suit seemed to be overwhelmed by it...
	  Eventually, after descending for several minutes, ...the elevator finally stopped.
	  When the door opened with a faint *swoosh*, ...it revealed a massive, dimly-lit space behind it.
	  It was lifeless, tasteless, and simple, without any sort of decoration. However, it also had a noble feeling, as if it hadn't deigned to conform to changing modes of decoration throughout the eras...
	  In that massive space were two shadows that appeared to be girls.
	  However, something about them seemed odd. For example, the objects seemingly attached to their left arms...were definitely Gauntlets.
	  As the girls' expressionless eyes slowly turned to face the man in the elevator, they quietly held out their right arms.
	  There, with a scattering of angel feathers, two oversized 76mm 62-caliber Super Rapid cannons designed for warships were summoned into existence. These clearly weren't weapons that one individual was supposed to use against another.
	  It was almost as though they'd summoned giant metal beasts, so big that one had to look up to see them, and it looked like their tamers were just about to order them to strike...
	  The man let out a small cry and flinched at this greeting, ...but the cannons weren't pointing at him.
	  They were aimed behind him. ...At the two soldiers who had brought him here.
	  The soldiers had not been given permission to take even one step out of the elevator into this space.
	  They were aware of this, so they pushed the other man in the back, telling him to go on alone.
	  After the man left the elevator, quivering, the doors shut with a faint sound, ...and it disappeared into the darkness.
	  When only the suited man was left, the girls erased the cannons they'd summoned.
	  Man:
	  "...Wh-Where...is this place...? Did you two...call me here...?"
	  The girls didn't answer. On the contrary, they were completely expressionless, as if they hadn't even noticed the man talking to them.
	  Then, the man, who was quivering more than ever, ...was finally answered by a voice.
	  Vier:
	  "Welcome, Doctor, to our research center."
	  A woman in a lab coat walked out of the darkness and greeted the man.
	  The man, who hadn't been able to communicate with anyone else since coming here, was so relieved that he broke out into a cold sweat.
	  However, that expression of relief changed into shock when the woman finished walking out of the shadows...
	  Man:
	  "...N-No, ...that's not possible... I-I mean, you're...!"
	  #e7e7e7Activating facial recognition software. ...Identifying...
	  The man opened a Selcom facial recognition app.
	  A Selcom is like a smartphone or personal computer that exists in your brain.
	  In this era, it was easy to take things you saw with your naked eye and save them as images or look them up on the net...
	  #e7e7e7...Complete...
	  #e7e7e7First possible match (97%): Vier Dreissig (physicist)
	  #e7e7e7Bio: A young genius physicist from ABN Germany who invented the Spiritium High-Efficiency Energy Conversion Technique (also known as the Dreissig Conversion). She was awarded the Bernhard Prize in Physics for this achievement.
	  #e7e7e7However, on December 9th, the day before the ceremony, she disappeared from the hotel in Oslo where she was staying. Two days later, on December 11, a roasted body was found in a city trash incinerator, and it was later confirmed to be Dreissig herself.
	  #e7e7e7The investigation team eventually concluded that she got drunk, accidentally went into the collection hatch of an automated trash collector, failed to respond to repeated warnings, and was then thrown into an incinerator and killed in a tragic accident.
	  #e7e7e7However, because of Dreissig's accomplishments and various conspiracy theories, many are still convinced that she was assassinated by someone.
	  Man:
	  ".........Aah...aaah..."
	  Vier:
	  "Heheheh. Are you looking me up with your Selcom?"
	  Man:
	  "...I see... It looks like the Oslo city police made a mistake... But it's strange. This year, you should be... But you still look like you're..."
	  Vier:
	  "Heheheh, come now, Doctor. This is a world of those who are not human. We've already been freed from the concept of time, which makes people age."
	  Man:
	  "............"
	  Since it was coming from a genius physicist, he couldn't tell if it was true, or if she was trying to confuse him.
	  He only knew...that a genius physicist who had supposedly died mysteriously was alive...and had appeared in front of him looking just like she had back then.
	  After that, the man started asking questions about Dreissig's research.
	  In this era, even an empty-handed human could search for information with their Selcom at will. It wouldn't be impossible to mimic someone else, if you really wanted to.
	  However, searching for information was completely different from understanding it.
	  After asking several questions, the man had to admit that the woman in front of him was either Vier Dreissig herself...or at least a genius scientist on that same level...
	  People who seemed to be scientists in lab coats occasionally appeared in this bleak, dim space.
	  The man casually tried to use facial recognition on all of them.
	  #e7e7e7First possible match (98%): Vitaly Abrikosov (physicist)
	  #e7e7e7First possible match (96%): David Wilczek (physicist)
	  #e7e7e7First possible match (97%): Ogawa Seiei (physicist)
	  ...What on Earth...?
	  Just by face-matching the few people walking by, ...he was building up a list of young physicists representing the entire world...
	  And all of them had vanished after mysterious disappearances or accidents...
	  It's true that some conspiracy theorists have amused themselves with the string of famous, genius physicists who have mysteriously disappeared or died over the past few decades...
	  ...What on Earth... What...on Earth...
	  Man:
	  "...So, ...you're all alive...?"
	  Vier:
	  "No, it's probably fair to say that we're dead. After all, none of the people here have any ties to the surface anymore. ...Compared to the joy of attaining ultimate wisdom, ...wealth, fame, family, and children mean nothing."
	  Man:
	  "............"
	  All the genius scientists who had just walked by...were incredibly enthusiastic for their ages, ...almost like kids who were planning some sort of prank.
	  Rather than charming, ...it was a little disturbing, as though the ideals that dominated this space were completely different from the real world...
	  Vier:
	  "...And, ...I see that you too are the sort of person who longs to join our side, ...even if it means abandoning everything you've gained on the surface."
	  Man:
	  "...I-Indeed..."
	  If I'm able to touch just a bit of God's wisdom, I don't care if I have to sacrifice all my wealth and fame to do it. ...It's a line all scientists feel like saying at least once, when they're drunk. And in fact, he had said this whenever he got the chance.
	  He had never imagined...that someone would actually respond to that call like this...
	  Vier:
	  "This is a research institution, but we don't call it research. We call it...translation."
	  Man:
	  "...Translation...?"
	  Vier:
	  "If the techniques of the gods were written down in the languages of the gods, do you think mere Humans would be able to read it?"
	  Man:
	  "I see... So you call it...translation..."
	  When you make a discovery, no matter how ground-shaking and ingenious it is, it won't be of any use unless the average person can understand it.
	  In other words, without the power of translation, all ingenious discoveries get treated the same as the occult.
	  Genius scientists have a desire to make discoveries, but they also have a desire to translate discoveries made by people far more ingenious than them.
	  This desire is held only by the few who are hailed as geniuses.
	  Because they're geniuses, ...they're saddened by the fact that they'll never meet an even greater genius.
	  They want to touch sparks of inspiration from far greater geniuses, to translate them.
	  They don't want to be called geniuses.
	  They want to touch the wisdom of people they would call geniuses.
	  Vier:
	  "In this place, ...several miraculous techniques that we can't even understand...are waiting to be translated."
	  Man:
	  "...Umm, ...what kinds...of miraculous techniques...?"
	  Vier:
	  "Heheh. If you truly join us as a comrade, I'll show you."
	  Man:
	  "You aren't about to tell me...that it's super-high technology from some ancient, unknown civilization or something, right...?"
	  Vier:
	  "Would there be some sort of problem if that were the case?"
	  The man attempted to joke casually, trying to make it seem as though he had grown comfortable with this situation.
	  However, a clearly disappointed expression rose to Vier's face.
	  Vier:
	  "Whether it's super-high technology from an ancient civilization, or alien technology, or an akashic record built into the fabric of reality, ...can the source of wisdom ever be a problem?"
	  Man:
	  "N-No......"
	  Vier:
	  "All of our comrades here simply view the attainment of ultimate wisdom as their greatest joy. They don't mind putting their wealth, fame, and even their lives on the line for the sake of that joy. ...You feel the same, don't you? ...Isn't that right, Doctor...?"
	  This really was...a world of people who were not human, just as she'd said.
	  Yes. Everyone here is dead. ...They have already "died" in our world...
	  Does that make this the underworld, dizzyingly far beneath the ground?
	  If I've been invited here while I still live...
	  Maybe they thought we were arguing, but those Gauntlet girls were staring at us through the darkness...
	  Vier:
	  "You've repeatedly said through your Kizuna...that you wouldn't mind losing your life if you could touch the wisdom of the gods, yes? ...And, your achievements more than qualify you to be welcomed in as our comrade. ...It seems strange to me. When I was first invited here, I was ecstatic, like a maiden in love for the first time. However, you've been fairly lukewarm for a while now..."
	  Man:
	  "N-No... I, umm, ...haven't yet been able to fully appreciate how amazing this place is... In the first place, uhh, ...I haven't even had a chance to see this wisdom you're talking about."
	  Vier:
	  ".................."
	  Man:
	  "This wisdom is so captivating that it made so many genius scientists abandon everything on the surface... Unless you show me, I, umm...won't be able to take this all in..."
	  Vier:
	  "...We're not supposed to show anyone who hasn't sworn to become our comrade, ...but if it means we'll be able to gain your rare talent, ...I suppose I could show you before you make your oath."
	  Man:
	  "...O-Okay..."
	  Vier:
	  "However."
	  Vier brought her lips up to the man's ear.
	  Her breath didn't carry the warmth of the living. ...It was the breath of the land of the dead...at the bottom of the Earth.
	  Vier:
	  "Before that, ...I want you to tell us about those people we love and respect so, so much."
	  Man:
	  "...Wh-What do you mean...?"
	  Vier:
	  "Heheheheh. You know, those people. Come on, ...I mean the ones who are always giving you their support... Tell me about the Three Kings, who ordered you to investigate this place..."
	  ...C-/
	  Crap... I need to ask "them" for help...!
	  #e1dc00<Error>
	  Selcom OS has encountered a fatal error poyo.@
	  We recommend that you reinstall poyo! Otherwise, please visit the help desk at a Selcom Shop near you poyo.
	  ...Wh-What happened, ...all of a sudden...?!
	  Did it bug out? N-No......!
	  Vier:
	  "Heheheheheheheheheh... I love welcoming in guests. ...I love getting to share the moment of trembling excitement felt by our true, newly-awakened comrades. ...We sometimes get minions sent by those three, like you, but nearly everyone else learned the joy of touching wisdom and converted over to our side, becoming our comrades."
	  Vier:
	  "...Stop trying to ask them for help, Doctor. ...I want to hear your own, heartfelt words. ...Will you become our comrade, or not...? I couldn't bear to see one of your talent waste away on the surface, ignorant of the joy of touching wisdom... Understand......?"
	  Then, there was a shriek, and a cackling voice suddenly rang out.
	  It was one of the scientists that had walked past them. The genius physicist from AOU Japan, Ogawa Seiei.
	  He was facing the empty darkness, cackling all on his own...
	  Vier:
	  "He also came here as an agent of the Three Kings, at first. However, when he learned the joy of touching wisdom, he decided to become our comrade and abandon everything on the surface."
	  *cackle*cackle*, *cackle*cackle*cackle*.
	  That mysterious laugh didn't seem like it could possibly belong to someone with the gentlemanly attitude he had been known for.
	  It was as though everything that wasn't necessary for this `translation' job she had mentioned...had been ripped out of him...
	  For the first time, the visitor deeply regretted accepting this task out of a faint curiosity, as if it had been some sort of strange spy game.
	  He suddenly realized that there were about seven or eight of those inhuman Gauntlet girls nearby, ...forming a large circle around him......
	  "Jayden" is currently intercepting with a CIWS cannon poyo! Interception rate: 68% poyo.
	  "Miyao" is now summoning a missile dispenser poyo!
	  "Miyao" has begun accessing attack drone "Unnamed" poyo!
	  "Jayden" is now summoning high-maneuverability guided missiles poyo!
	  Lilja:
	  "That's our Miyao. What an efficient checkmate meeeeow♪"
	  Gunhild:
	  "He noticed that Jayden's missile interception was taking too long, so he made a second and third move without hesitation."
	  Chloe:
	  "He finished his prep by summoning an automated weapon, and now he's gonna hit him with everything he's got."
	  Koshka:
	  "...*yaaaaawn* Wake me up when it's my turn."
	  "Jayden's" Reaper's Eye has targeted drone "Unnamed" poyo.
	  "Miyao" is summoning cluster-style high-maneuverability guided missiles poyo. This is the end poyo, heheheh *kero*kero*!
	  Chloe:
	  "...And that's the match."
	  Lilja:
	  "The drone's a decoy meow meow. He totally got taken in by Miyao's pattern meow♪"
	  Jayden:
	  "Damn, am I not gonna make it...?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "This...is the end...!!!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "A splendid barrage of cluster missiles to match the automated attack by the missile dispenser. ...If he gets swallowed by that saturation bombardment, it's over."
	  Koshka:
	  "...*stares blankly*."
	  nd that's the match poyo!!
	  "Jayden" hit by 19 high-maneuverability missiles poyo! Verdict: downed poyo!!
	  "Miyao" wins poyo!! Congrats, congrats, *kero*kero*kero*kero*♪
	  Please wait for an appraisal from the AI command center poyo!
	  Chloe:
	  "Good work, you two! Lilja, Koshka, you're up next!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Roger meow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "Gonna take a stim, give me a sec. Aaaaaah..."
	  The Gauntlet Knights were constantly undergoing strict training.
	  However, none of the adult instructors who taught them could use Gauntlets. For that reason, their teaching would sometimes include armchair reasoning that put too much focus on the wrong things.
	  The only way to make up for that was, as you might expect, to self-train with other Gauntlet Knights you knew well.
	  By now, mutual training with other members of the first generation of Gauntlet Knights was a more effective means of skill-building than their official training.
	  In fact, even fighter pilots, who had advanced war from 2 dimensions to 3 dimensions for the first time ever, had honed their abilities by self-training among their first generation.
	  No, the same thing probably applies to all skillsets. The first generation has no textbooks or instructors.
	  Only a desire for self-improvement and mutual training could lead them higher.
	  After that, mock battles combining all sorts of situations continued to take place in the simulator room.
	  That data was precisely analyzed by Miyao, their unofficial lecturer, and issues were pointed out to all present.
	  Of course, the others also analyzed Miyao and pointed out his issues.
	  All this data was also made public to their newbie Gauntlet Knight underclassmen, furthering the improvement of their techniques.
	  In the cafeteria where young Gauntlet Knights gathered, Warcat and Grave Mole were having a review meeting for their most recent self-training session, which doubled as a Mitake Miyao lecture.
	  Crowds of underclassmen had gathered, hoping to learn something from this critique of the aces' training.
	  However, at a glance, it didn't look like a review meeting.
	  It just looked like everyone was stuffing their faces at a dessert buffet.
	  This was because of a trait peculiar to Gauntlet Knights: a desire to eat way too many sweet things after training.
	  The Gauntlet's energy source was Spiritium throughout the atmosphere, but it couldn't be used directly. It only became usable energy through a Dreissig Conversion that made use of a brain filter.
	  When that happened, it put a great strain on the brain, using up a large amount of glucose. ...However, considering the massive amount of energy the conversion gave them, this was a very small price to pay.
	  For that reason, all of them were desperate to eat sweets after training.
	  The Gauntlet Knight-only cafeteria had a vast dessert menu and was popular with Gauntlet girls too.
	  So, their review meetings always took place while they ate and drank sweet things.
	  Lilja:
	  "Nipanipaaaah♪ Look how big my dessert parfait is meoooow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Where's the plum jelly...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "It's all gone meow♪ I thought you'd want some, so I took every last drop meow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "Then I think I'll gouge out your eyeballs instead."
	  Lilja:
	  "Go ahead and do it if you think you can meow!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Please be quiet, you two! We're still having our review meeting!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Next, look at Gunhild's movement data. In particular, between flag A and flag B. She does a magnificent spiral while keeping her speed."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I don't like the feeling of pressure that Anti-G 8MS gives you, so I try to avoid ricochet flight whenever possible."
	  Miyao:
	  "Gauntlet Knights can move in many ways that would be impossible for a fighter plane, but that's because your Internal 8MS reduces your Gs. However, the more impossible your movements are, the more energy is expended. In the worst-case scenario, it can leave you open for an instant when you aren't expecting it."
	  Miyao:
	  "So, when you don't need to move in dramatic ways, you should avoid fighting gravity as much as possible. When doing that, the built-up knowledge of fighter pilots can be extremely useful. Underclassmen, make sure you don't slack off in your studies either!"
	  The underclassmen gave a big nod, taking notes.
	  Maybe it's amusing that, even in an era where you could control sight and sound at will inside your brain, young people still took notes.
	  Of course, if you've got a mental monitor and a mental tablet, you can also take mental notes.
	  However, there was still a strong "superstition" that moving your hand to write things down made it easier to remember, and lots of youngsters followed it.
	  Apparently though, they were actually doing this because taking mental notes made it look like you weren't paying attention, so they wrote things down with their hands to make it clear to onlookers that they were taking this seriously.
	  That's probably because old guys from the old era had the bad habit of assuming people weren't paying attention if they didn't see everyone taking notes...
	  Miyao:
	  "On the other hand, Jayden's style of fighting is more infantry-like, making use of obstructions and the lay of the land. Gauntlet Knights can instantly turn a battlefield from an aerial fight to a land fight and back again. Unless you regularly practice all types of fighting, you won't be able to use your weapons no matter how many you have."
	  Jayden:
	  "If we're going there, you seamlessly change your fighting style whether it's a land fight or an aerial fight, in the city or in the skies. Look at your movement around the flag I just set. You're nothing less than beautiful. Nice work, Miyao♪"
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "...Y-Yeah. Thanks."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's about time for questions. Please ask whatever you'd like."
	  The underclassmen eagerly raised their hands.
	  They all wanted to fly freely through the sky as soon as possible, just like the aces.
	  It was hardly surprising. This was flying through the sky unaided, like a bird. Who hasn't had that dream at least once?
	  However, though that dream had failed to come true for thousands of years, it was finally possible in this era.
	  And, these people were just a step away from reaching it.
	  Jayden remembered how he had felt at that time.
	  ...Come to think of it, didn't Miyao himself fly in the simulator on the day of the Battle Standard Festival to remember that beginner's enthusiasm?
	  I guess it's important to remember that passion, every now and then.
	  After piling a bunch of sweeeeet items from the dessert buffet on my plate, I sat down next to Miyao.
	  Jayden:
	  "You're right, Miyao. Every now and then, we've gotta remember that simply flying through the sky is fun. When you look these kids in the eye, and those memories come back, it's so refreshing."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh, looks like you've got quite a pile going there too, Miyao. You always make your toppings look so pretty. I just do whatever, since it's all going right into my stomach anyway, but you've got a good artistic sense for these things♪ I've got my usual, cornflakes covered in chocolate and sugar and honey! Then you pour ice cream over it and cover it with nuts...! It's all mixed up like pig slop, wahaha♪"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Jayden:
	  "What's wrong? Why are you staring at me? Got a stomachache?"
	  Miyao was staring, apparently irritated by something.
	  Did I do something to put him off? But if that's true, he's the kind of guy who'd say so, as a reflex. ...I've never seen him just stare at me scornfully like this.
	  "Miyao" has sent you movement data from the mock battle poyo.
	  Hmm? What, haven't you lectured me enough? Oh, or are you going to compliment me because you realized I did something smart?
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "In the mock battle just now... Actually, in all your mock battles lately... Compare it to the data from our previous mock battles. There's been a change in your tendencies."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, why don't you just say it with your mouth?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Shut up. My mouth is busy eating."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Okay, I get it. Then I'll let my mouth focus on eating too."
	  When they were face-to-face, they tended to speak mentally only when it was something tough to hear, like a warning or something you'd only actually say because you're friends. So, Jayden tensed up.
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "So, what kind of change have you seen in my fighting tendencies? My scores aren't bad, right? If anything, they're slowly getting higher, aren't they?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "I'll admit that, and I've got no complaints. ...It's just, well..."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "What is it? Come on, say it. We're friends, aren't we?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Lately, ...you've been creeping me out."
	  Jayden:
	  "...Huh? ...What did you say?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Before, you were a lot more brutal when you fought. You did things you could never do in a real fight, things that were obviously just you screwing around."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "I'm just holding off on that, since you keep getting mad at me and telling me not to fight that way."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "...In the past, I'm pretty sure you found it funny that I got mad and just acted even worse... Well, enough about that. Set it aside. What's creeping me out is stuff like...what happened just now, for instance."
	  Jayden:
	  "What? If you've got a problem, then spit it out."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Like how you said
	   `Whether it's a land fight or an aerial fight, you're nothing less than beautiful. Nice work, Miyao♪'
	   What the heck was that?!"/
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "...H-How the hell is that creepy...? If anything, you're being creepy! If you've got a problem, tell me directly, with your mouth!"
	  As a side note, most lover's quarrels in this era begin with the man freaking out and saying "If you've got a problem, tell me directly, with your mouth!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, then I will say it with my mouth!"
	  Of course, this was always the second line of such quarrels.
	  Miyao:
	  "What is it you said when you saw me eating this? `Oh, looks like you've got quite a pile going there too, Miyao,' and so on. `You've got a good artistic sense for these things, wahaha♪'
	   ............Nope, nope, nope.
	   The old you never would've said that!"
	  True enough, the old Jayden had always teased Miyao and called him a kid when he saw something like that.
	  However, Miyao had noticed a clear change in the way Jayden had been acting towards him.
	  Miyao:
	  "And after we finished training, whenever I was worn out, you'd say I was pathetically thin and tell me to bulk up more, right? But now what do you do? What did you do today?"
	  Hey, nice work, Miyao♪
	  You're covered in sweat. Wanna use my towel?/
	   Hey, your sweat smells pretty good,
	   *sniff*.
	  You're doing great, considering how slim you are. But don't overdo it, okay? You can rely on me whenever you need to, got it? *thumbs
	   up*, 
	  langen@/
	  *sparkle*♪^
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "Th-Th-That's just normal bonding between guys, right?! And anyway, we're partners...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I won't deny it, and I know you're my partner. But, well, ...you've gone a bit overboard lately! Like, it's weird the way you, umm,
	   ...touch me! You're getting too close, and you're grossing me out!! Don't rub my shoulder, don't sniff me, and don't mess with my hair!"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "H-Hey, don't say that with your mouth, people'll misunderstand..."
	  Miyao:
	  "I thought you were the one who wanted me to talk with my mouth!"^
	  
	  Miyao leapt to his feet, slammed his tray down in the return gate, and tried to leave.
	  Jayden returned his tray too and chased after him.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Oh, it's rare for those two to argue out loud."
	  Chloe:
	  "*sparkle* I don't really get it, but I'll just go ahead and report this to Yeladot Shavit! （＠ｗ＠）ゞ"
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, wait, Miyao...! Jeez, you're just adorable."
	  Miyao:
	  "I told you, you're creeping me out!"
	  Jayden:
	  "What are you pouting for? It's not like I'm making fun of you, okay? It's just a term of endearment, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I...told...you!! You're creeping me out! I may be your partner, but I'm not your bride or your girlfriend or your sister or your pet
	   Wah...!"
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "See, you got so excited, you tripped. Are you okay...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I...I told you, don't cling to me like it's totally normal, okay...?
	   L-Let go!"
	  Jayden:
	  "If you brush me off like that, it just makes me want to creep you out even more."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wh-Wh-What...are you doing with your fingers...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Here,
	   guriguriguri."
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "Wah?!
	  langen@^ Wahaha, waha,
	   stop,
	   that tickles!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Are your shoulders feeling a bit stiff? Guriguriguri."^
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "Sto...
	  stop that,
	   it tickles,
	   it ticklllllllllles!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Your back must be really stiff, Miyao. Let's see, is this your weak spot? Guriguriguriii."
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "Hyaaaaaaaaaaahhh...!!!"
	  The instant he pressed his fist into the back of Miyao's shoulder blade, the latter let out a strange voice he had never heard before, arching backwards and twitching.
	  Miyao was looking up at Jayden with a flushed expression, breathing heavily...
	  Meow:
	  "...St-Stop it, Jayden... My back...really is sensitive..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? M-Meow, is that you...?!"
	  In the next instant, she shook her head, ...and there was Miyao's face, still bright-red, but enraged.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Get your hands...
	  OFF MEEEEEEEE!!!!"
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "...Well, umm, ...I know I shouldn't have done that. ...I texted him to say I was sorry, but he read it and ignored it."
	  Abdou:
	  "That's too bad. Even if he ignores them, you should keep texting that you're sorry."
	  Momotake:
	  "An apology doesn't end when it is made. It ends when the one you're apologizing to forgives you."
	  Jayden:
	  "Is that how it works? Wouldn't it be better to leave him be and give him some time to think?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "This time, I agree with them. If you get angry and start ignoring him, things like this just tend to get worse."
	  Andry:
	  "Relationships are such a pain, huh? Life should be lived moment by moment, but you keep getting stuck on things and it screws everything up."
	  Ishak:
	  "Well, even if Jayden does apologize for taking a joke too far, that's not the real problem here, is it?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "True. ...Jayden, you aren't a CPP, a Congenital Parallel Processor, right?"
	  Momotake:
	  "Quite a few CPPs dislike it when people get confused while interacting with their multiple personalities."
	  Jayden:
	  "...Are there any Congenitals...CPPs here now?"
	  Ishak:
	  "I don't think you want to be asking that. Not everyone who's come out has enjoyed the experience."
	  Jayden:
	  "............"
	  Abdou:
	  "Single Personalities are a majority in the world at large, but they're a minority among Gauntlet Knights. Well, it just means you've got to treat people differently here."
	  Andry:
	  "Anyway, you hear this a lot in the world of CPPs. Someone falls in love with one personality, and the other personality starts to hate them."
	  In the world of Single Personalities, it's not uncommon for people to see their partners in a new light, after noticing that they have an unexpected side to them.
	  When incidents like these happen in the world of romance manga and novels, ...they inevitably lead to the development of romantic feelings.
	  However, that only applies when said partner is a Single Personality.
	  Momotake:
	  "To them, a different personality is the same as a different person. So, when you take your impression of one and force it on the other, they despise it..."
	  Jayden:
	  "...I get it. If a guy in my class sucked at basketball, and someone said I must suck too because I was in his class, it'd piss me off..."
	  Abdou:
	  "Meow is Meow. Miyao is Miyao, okay?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Perhaps you developed romantic feelings for Meow...and subconsciously started treating Miyao as a member of the opposite sex."
	  Jayden:
	  "I-If you just calmly analyze it like that, ...it makes me wanna find a hole to crawl into..."
	  Jayden sank up to his head in the bath.
	  It was just a virtual bath in a virtual room, so he wouldn't suffocate or anything. But right then, he was so embarrassed that he didn't want his male friends to see his face.
	  Ishak:
	  "There's no need to be embarrassed. We are soldiers, after all. We may be servants to world peace, but fundamentally, we're in a job where we might lose our lives at any time. I don't think it's a bad idea to experience love while you have the chance."
	  Jayden:
	  "...In the end, this is all because I didn't understand anything. ...It's my fault..."
	  At the same time, in the open air bath of the same virtual room, the Gauntlet girls had gathered.
	  The topic of discussion here was the same as the boys'.
	  Lingji:
	  "I understand how you feel, but he didn't know. If you get too angry, I'd feel sorry for him."
	  Meow:
	  "That's right... If you talk to him so harshly, that's just too sad for Jayden."
	  Miyao:
	  "The way his attitude suddenly changed was seriously creepy! We were partners, okay? I trusted him because we were supposed to put our lives in each others' hands! And then...he suddenly...starts treating me like a girl...! It was a shock, and it made me so sad...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I thought we loved each other like family in the best way possible. I believed we had a trusting relationship that went beyond things like gender! And then he suddenly starts acting like that...!"
	  Naima:
	  "Wowow... Please, have more faith in your partner, in Jayden..."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh. That's just the sort of creature boys are, suddenly changing when they realize someone's a girl. From now on, he might be like a fox staring down a hen house. Heheheh."
	  Naima:
	  "No way...! Wowowooow...!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Meow is a girl, but Miyao isn't! This is clearly a case of identity confusion, a human rights violation!"
	  Naomi:
	  "...This is probably because he wasn't properly educated about CPPs. As long as CPPs continue to hide, instead of furthering understanding in the world at large, this sort of thing will continue to happen. That's all there is to it."
	  Lingji:
	  "But if they do come out, they simply take on a social risk without any benefits..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I've ordered my attendants to make sure Jayden fully understands what's going on here. Now that he knows, if he ever does the same thing again, ...I'll see to it that he's properly punished!"
	  Meow:
	  "H-Hey, don't do something so ominous to Jayden!"
	  Naima:
	  "I'm sure Jayden will understand, woooow!"
	  Miyao:
	  "It's not like...I want him to understand me or anything! ...I was just...so horrified..."
	  Aysha:
	  "You're horrified that someone thinks of you as a woman? My, my, so now you're making statements that are prejudiced against women, huh?"
	  Meow:
	  "People only say big brother is thin like a woman because he doesn't exercise much!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I-It's not like that! If I exercised and bulked up, then you'd be pissed because our body wouldn't look like a girl...!"
	  Meow:
	  "I never said that!! You're only thin because you don't exercise!"
	  Miyao:
	  "B-But...I'm short, and my arms are short, so even if I finally started exercising, all the buff guys would just make fun of me, and, umm..."
	  Meow:
	  "See, you don't exercise because of your own reasons!! Don't use me as an excuse for not doing it!! I hate you, big brother!! I can't believe this!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "What the hell?! Dammit,
	   you wanna have a go...?!!
	  langen@/
	   Owwww...!!"
	  Miyao's right and left arms started fighting, pinching their cheeks and pulling their hair, like a single person pantomiming a fight...
	  Lingji:
	  "In other words, the source of their fight wasn't just identity confusion, it was Miyao's own inferiority complex about his body."
	  Naomi:
	  "...Nice analysis. I can propose a perfect way to resolve this."
	  Miyao:
	  "W-Wait,
	   are you trying to say we're both at fault here?!"
	  Meow:
	  "This isn't Jayden's fault, it's all yours!! All you had to do was stop saying things like that, calm down, and show him how to interact with CPPs!
	   Stupid big brother! You weak,
	   skinny pipsqueak!!"
	  ...Mocking the physical characteristics of someone whose body you share may be a dubious tactic.
	  At any rate, they'd managed to get Miyao's side of the story.
	  The girls passed the message on to the guys talking to Jayden with a mental text...
	  Apparently, this group had almost finished getting Jayden's side of the story.
	  Everyone admonished Jayden, making him understand how rude identity confusion was to CPPs.
	  Right now, the impact of Miyao's "you're creeping me out" was sinking in, and he was being wrapped in a fierce self-hatred.
	  Ishak:
	  "It's not like you to let it get you down like this."
	  Momotake:
	  "Miyao went too far as well. If he doesn't like being called weak, all he has to do is train on his own. The fact that he was so horrified just because he thought someone was treating him like a woman...is pathetic for someone who is technically a Japanese boy."
	  Andry:
	  "If he's so worried about his body, you should just train him up good at a gym or something. It sounds like he wants to be treated like a man, so whip him into shape."
	  Jayden:
	  "...If that's what he wants, ...then sure. I won't hold back!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "I just discussed this with Naomi, and we agreed that a male bonding ceremony would be the best way for you two to make up."
	  Abdou:
	  "Nice. Go sweat together as men. It's the best way to make up."
	  Jayden:
	  "What do you mean, ...male bonding ceremony...?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "In old Japanese manga, men who had grown distant would always resolve their problems like this. We can advise you in this virtual room, but our bodies are far away. We can't help you directly. So, we're going to get a trustworthy friend, Gunhild, to set the stage."
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? ...You're bringing Gunhild into this...? I'd rather not tell the others in the AOU if I can help it..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Don't worry. She understands you two far better than you know. I just texted her. Now, you only need to obey her instructions."
	  Jayden:
	  "O-Okay..."
	  He wasn't quite satisfied with this, but a text from Gunhild came almost immediately.
	  You've received a message poyo!
	  #fff555This is Gunhild. I ask that Miyao and Jayden gather here immediately.
	  Gather where? There was a blip on the map screen. ...Isn't that...
	  Jayden:
	  "...I don't really get it, ...but I'll head on over. ...Umm, everyone, thanks for hearing me out."
	  Andry:
	  "Don't worry about it, young man. Life seems long, but it's shorter than you think. Enjoy your ignorant youth to the fullest."
	  "Jayden" has exited the room.
	  A short while after Jayden left, the girls who had been listening to Miyao and Meow joined them.
	  Naomi:
	  "...This will probably get their feelings back on the right track."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Cases that can't be healed with medicine really make your back ache."
	  Naima:
	  "When friends make up, they become even better friends. Wooow♪"
	  Naomi:
	  "I hope they do."
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao really does love his partner, doesn't he? I suppose it's that trust that lets them fight the way they do. I've known it ever since the Battle Standard Festival."
	  Momotake:
	  "Wh-When it comes to bonds of trust, we of Baibao Squad are in no way inferior, Princess!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheheh. Momotake, I guess you'll never give in on that point."
	  Andry:
	  "...Okay then. I'll leave too and look after the two ladies from Suparṇa. They're both so serious, they'll suffocate if I don't tease them..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "We shall leave too! Come now, back to training! Our next mock enemy is AOU America's Atlantic Fleet!"
	  Ishak:
	  "Whoa, Princess. That's a bit harsh, five seconds after we helped Jayden of AOU America sort out his personal issues."
	  Abdou:
	  "Come on. You just know those AOUs are training for an assault on the Atlantis Spirit Field. I'd guess the ABN's doing an assault on Algiers, and the COU's doing a mine blockade of the Mozambique Channel."
	  Aysha:
	  "My, my, I have no idea what you're talking about. Heheheheheh. Oh, pardon me while I go memorize the Maputo Central Harbor layout. Heheheheh."
	  Lingji:
	  "We also undergo training using other factions as mock enemies. It's no surprise that the same thing happens in reverse. We're all doing it."
	  Naomi:
	  "...Heheh. Even though we're all comrades who love the sky, and even though we do this job for the sake of peace, we're still soldiers. Understanding why it's like that doesn't make it any less tough."
	  Ishak:
	  "The Walls of Peace are heavy. We all have to get stronger if we're going to support them from both sides."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Of course. When two combatants raise their swords at each other, it's essential that both sides have properly honed their skills. That sort of determination is essential both for military might and for comrades supporting the Walls of Peace."
	  Momotake:
	  "Indeed. Remaining attentive and not slacking off in your training is the best way for warriors to show respect for each other."
	  Lingji:
	  "Correct. Nothing would humiliate me more than hearing that the COU wasn't even worth training against."
	  Naima:
	  "Hey, that's enough talking about scary things, wowowow!"
	  Naima:
	  "In the It's a Wrap Public Bath, we all swore with Miyao that we'd be friends! So stop saying scary stuff, wowowooow!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "You're right. That Public Bath Oath is the most important one we've made, and it binds everyone here together."
	  Naomi:
	  "For now, let's put aside affiliations and factions...and pray that our friends Miyao and Jayden make up okay."
	  Lingji:
	  "Yes. And let's be glad that we were able to help."
	  Aysha:
	  "Okay, then we'll just head back to that mine-laying simulation in the Whatever Channel. See you later, everyone...♪"
	  One by one, they all vanished from the room.
	  And then there were none, leaving the virtual room wrapped in silence, except for the sound of the baths...
	  Miyao:
	  "...You know, it really is weird, this era. Just a little."
	  Miyao:
	  "Ah, you're wondering about how I look? It was getting confusing, so I sorta had this made to match my tastes. Think it looks good on me? Well, I really couldn't care less what you think. All that matters is whether I like it or not."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, this really is a strange era. ...After all, you're all soldiers, right? Isn't it your job to defeat your opponents in war? Even if you try to cover it up with all this talk about supporting the Walls of Peace together and being servants of international peace, ...defeating enemies is a soldier's job."
	  Miyao:
	  "They probably all believe that, even if war does break out, they'll be able to `handle' it neatly and beautifully thanks to this sportsmanship. ...However, the cost of that foolishness...will soon be paid at a higher price than you've ever imagined."
	  ...There's no way...that'll happen...
	  We're all friends. We swore that to each other.
	  Even if a conflict erupts, ...we definitely...won't kill each other...
	  You act like this nonsense is a prediction, but none of it will ever happen...
	  Miyao:
	  "...Hmm. This is probably a misunderstanding peculiar to Japanese. 予言 and 預言 are both pronounced `yogen', but their meaning is entirely different. Do you know what the difference is?"
	  ...I don't want to talk to you... Disappear, disappeeeeear...!
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, I don't really care whether you ask or not. I'm talking because I want to. ...So, about the difference between 予言 and 預言. 予言 means what you think it does. It's making a `prediction' about the future and telling someone about it. That prediction might be right, or it might not. ...But 預言 is different."
	  預言 means `prophecy', receiving words from God.
	  God is omnipotent, and also knows everything about the future. So, the words of God are a `promise' about the future.
	  When you receive those words from God and speak them, it becomes `預言', a prophecy...
	  Miyao:
	  "My words are a prophecy. They're an announcement about a promised future. It doesn't matter whether you believe me or not. No matter what happens, everything will turn out the way I said."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Right now, the world is still moving slowly. It may not look like the sort of environment a war could break out in, ...but behind the stage where you innocently play at being friends, the world is slowly preparing to become a place where people hate each other."
	  ...Who? ...Who...would do something like that...?!
	  Miyao:
	  "...Do you know about the Three Kings? ...They're the old people who claim to be the guides of humanity across the globe."
	  ...Their ultimate goal is to get the whole world to fight at once, and then destroy everything by their own hands.
	  Miyao:
	  "For that reason, those old people have already made extensive preparations. ...And, very soon, it will become real. When that happens, all this pretending to be friends for the sake of international peace...will be over."
	  Miyao:
	  "...All those people who looked like they were giving advice about romance or something just now...will be torn apart from each other in a bloody fight to the death. They'll experience anger and sadness, countless negative emotions, and pathetically kill each other."
	  We won't!
	   We definitely won't...!!
	  We'll never kill each other! How the hell could we...?!!
	  Miyao:
	  "Very, very soon, ...hell will come to this Earth..."
	  I'll...never believe in a hell like that...!!
	  I'll prevent it, I'll put a stop to it, I'll avoid it!! No matter what, I'll definitely, ...definitely avoid that hell, that fate...!!!
	  --Listen,
	   my adorable Miyao.
	  Your highest-priority goal is to stop this `hell' before it happens, using any means necessary.
	  The only way to succeed in that...
	  is to kill them.
	  You must find them and kill them.
	  You may do whatever is necessary to accomplish that.
	  No matter whom you have to kill or what you have to break, there's no need to hold back...
	  ...Kill...them...
	  That's the only way to avoid that `hell'...
	  Miyao:
	  "Kill the Three Kings. Kill them."
	  Leah:
	  "When love is on your side, age and height are no barrier!"
	  
	  Fatma:
	  "Neither nationality nor race can stand between a couple!"
	  
	  Stephania:
	  "Even religion and gender can't tear apart two people who love each other!"
	  
	  Leah:
	  "We'll support any kind of love!"
	  Fatma:
	  "We're the ultimate cheerleaders for all couples in love!"
	  Stephania:
	  "Yeladot Shavit!
	   Bringing the heat! We're here!"
	  Leah:
	  "So, where are they?! Where are the AOU pretty boys who awakened to love between men?!"
	  Fatma:
	  "Now that we're here to support you, have no fear! Our 550mm torpedoes will burst through all barriers to love!"
	  Stephania:
	  "...Searching for target. ...Oh? Forget the target, there isn't anyone here at all."
	  Leah:
	  "We never stand idle in a place lacking love!"
	  Fatma:
	  "We're the comet girls, Yeladot Shavit!"
	  Stephania:
	  "Resuming search for love! Yeladot Shavit, bringing the heat!!"
	  "Leah", "Fatma", and "Stephania" have left the room.
	  The number of participants in virtual room "It's a Wrap Public Bath" is now zero. Entering Sleep Mode.
	  ...Hahaha. ...They're all going to die.
	  If you want to avoid this hell, ...you have to kill...
	  Kill them. ...Or if that's impossible, yourself.
	  ..................
	  Boom,
	   bang,
	   crash!
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, what's wrong, Miyao-chaaan?! Is that all? Gonna go to bed like a little girl?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Shut up!! I'm...a...maaaaaaaan!!!"
	  Thwack, thwack,
	   bam bam bam!
	  
	  The two of them were in the training room ring, punching each other while wearing gloves and headgear.
	  Apparently, they'd been at it for a while. Both of them were covered in sweat.
	  Gunhild:
	  "I see. Like Stan said, the best way for boys to restore their friendship is a good dash of fatigue and the release of their fighting instincts."
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't underestimate me just because I'm short!! You asshole, you asshole!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Dammit, my gloves are too heavy! Isn't this too much of a handicap?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "If you start losing, are you gonna blame your gloves?! Even your excuses are supergenius-class!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Ah, dammit, this tiny brat's so full of himself...
	   Okay, I really will punch you, beat the crap out of you!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "St-Stop it, Jayden!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh?! Meow?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Gotchaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"
	  Baaaaaaang!!^
	  
	  Gunhild:
	  "...A cross-counter. ...Or it would've been, if Miyao's arm were a bit longer."
	  Jayden's left straight had beautifully lined up on Miyao's face, ...but as usual, Miyao's right straight hadn't been long enough to reach.
	  With a thunk, Miyao fell spread-eagled to the ground.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Dammiiiiiiit...
	   Get me a saw
	   A chainsaw
	   I'm cutting this right arm off
	   I'll turn it into a rocket fist!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I'm not gonna fall for that, Miyao. I've already memorized the difference between how you and Meow talk."
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh, really? I'm so happy for you. *picks nose*"
	  Jayden:
	  "If you're that worried about your flimsy body, I'll train you like they do in the navy. Don't start crying, okay?"
	  Miyao:
	  "And if Meow starts crying from the muscle pain, how are you gonna take responsibility?"
	  Jayden:
	  "I'll gently massage it until she gets better. But I won't do it for you, Miyao! You can go rub indomethacin lotion on it all by your lonely self, wahahahaha!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Dammit... I'll train, I'll train like hell...! I'll definitely protect Meow from beasts like you!"
	  Meow:
	  "Jayden's your partner, isn't he?! How dare you call him a beast?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no point treating this kind of dumbass like a human!"
	  Meow:
	  "How can you say that about the partner who's done so much for you?!
	   Stupid big brother, you dummy!!"
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "Ah, ow, don't pinch me! Owowow...!!"
	  Meow:
	  "Jayden, keep training big brother, okay?! The truth is, he's feeling a bit relieved right now, and he's grateful."
	  Jayden:
	  "Sure, leave it to me! I dedicate this victory to you, Meow."
	  Meow:
	  "Th-Thanks...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...That's Japan for you. I never thought I'd see a romantic comedy comic strip from the 20th century play out in real life. I'm jealous."
	  Cheery Man:
	  "Hey, senhor!! Toujirou, how've you been?!!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Well you're enthusiastic, as I'd expect from a Latin American country. Someone might think we've been close friends for a decade."
	  Cheery Man:
	  "I didn't think I'd ever see you again alive, wahahaha!"
	  This was LATO Brazil.
	  In the A3W world, anyone picturing a resort would think of Latin America.
	  Latin America had managed to preserve the most beautiful of environments and air quality, as well as gorgeous vistas, making it a vacation destination for VIPs across the world.
	  It would be no exaggeration to say that spending the rest of one's life in a high-class Latin American resort was the ultimate goal of many.
	  The countries on the South American continent, which was the only one that had Spirit Fields of high-purity Rare Spiritium, were considered the most prosperous in the world. They were paradise nations, a fifth faction, which managed to maintain favorable relationships with all factions in a world where the other four factions were always quarreling...
	  At a glance, it was hard to imagine what connection there might be between Toujirou, who was well-dressed despite this heat and pulling a wheeled bag behind him, and this man, who looked like he lived every day to the fullest in casual clothes.
	  The pair entered the lobby of the high-class hotel where the cheery man was staying and relaxed on an expensive sofa.
	  Cheery Man:
	  "Toujirou, you should quit your business too and come over to LATO! It's great here, just heavenly!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Sadly, I don't have the kind of vast wealth you need to apply for immigration into LATO."
	  Cheery Man:
	  "Just go make friends with the big-breasted, big-assed girls on that beach over there! If you marry into their family, that'll get you your citizenship! All LATO girls dream of falling in love with foreign billionaires!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "That explains all those strangely appraising looks I got on the beach. They've got good eyes. One look at the material of my clothes, and they knew I wasn't rich enough to be worth talking to."
	  Cheery Man:
	  "Wahahahahahah!! You really are a hoot, Toujirou, wahahahahahah!!"
	  The hotel bar was filled with relaxed Latin music that would satisfy the heart of any hardboiled man.
	  After the two men brought their glasses together, they silently enjoyed the atmosphere and their drinks for a while...
	  In an era where you could say things with your brain, it was customary to refrain from speaking anything but your orders in places where silence was treasured.
	  So, each of the guests experienced the place in their own ways, and they were able to enjoy their conversations without interfering with anyone...
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "So, were you able to play that musical score...?"
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "That was one hell of a score you found! I doubt there are even five people in the world who could perform that!"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Then I'm glad one of those five people owes me a favor. After all, a score is just a piece of paper if no one can perform it."
	  You've received 13 data items poyo!
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "Still, where on Earth did you find this? These are 8MS blueprints. Each one was an Environmental 8MS blueprint maintained by nationally supported businesses from various countries."
	  Now showing a preview of 13 items poyo.
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "...So it seems."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "Only a few organizations manage 8MS blueprints. And they're all supposed to be government-supported and tightly controlled by their countries. ...How did you get these?"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Who knows? It's a business secret."
	  8MS. Also called Eimiss.
	  Its official name was the Eight Million System.
	  It was a system of environmental nanomachines, developed by the Yaoyorozu Nanotech Firm in B3W Japan.
	  The 8MS had self-replicated repeatedly, eventually filling the atmosphere all over the planet.
	  This groundbreaking system was capable of doing all sorts of things when instructed. It was almost like an OS that had been installed into the environment itself.
	  Its uses included communication, obviously, but also purification of the air and water, reduction of ultraviolet rays, medical applications, and, eventually, military applications as well.
	  Its initial development had proceeded quickly, but scientists fearful of `grey goo' had kicked off a worldwide anti-nanomachine campaign, so it was kept from the light of day for a long time.
	  However, when World War III ended, the world was faced with the prospect of imminent extinction.
	  A nuclear winter had begun, starting the countdown to the world's end.
	  While the political debate over its use was still ongoing, the 8MS had been distributed across the whole world, and it began purifying the atmosphere.
	  As a result, the globe did not freeze over. The countless gods known as 8MS filled the air, raising the curtain on a new world...
	  Just as oxygen and nitrogen had existed in the atmosphere, so too did 8MS now exist.
	  Of course, it existed in all regions of the world, but it also existed as high as the stratosphere and as low as the bottom of the ocean. And, naturally, it was inside the human body as well.
	  Some had worried that knowledge of strange nanomachines filling everything from the atmosphere to people's bodies would trigger humanity's nanomachine allergy once again.
	  All A3W governments hid this fact, but some scientists eventually made it public.
	  The masses, knowing that nanomachines had been put into their bodies without their knowledge, and fearing that some sort of accident or malicious act might lead to tragedy, flew into a panic.
	  For several decades, it was used as a magic word by certain kinds of paranoids, conspiracy theorists, and newscasters, one that was used to explain all sorts of unpleasant, unknown things.
	  However, 100 years had passed since then without anything major happening.
	  The generation afflicted by nanomachine allergies came and went.
	  Nanomachines infected the entire planet, and the phobia of grey goo turning everything else into nanomachines was now viewed as a complete joke...
	  It was just like in the 20th century, when some people thought that letting off an H-bomb would cause a chain reaction with all the hydrogen on the planet and destroy the world. That opinion was also viewed as a complete joke later on.
	  Now, no one thought much of the fact that countless nanomachines drifted throughout the atmosphere and their bodies.
	  Nanomachines aside, humanity had always coexisted with all sorts of bacteria and viruses.
	  And so, a murderous 8MS was simply added to the list of things an evil terrorist might develop in a spy novel, alongside nukes and killer viruses...
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Of course, it isn't actually that simple. In the first place, developing 8MS requires cutting-edge research facilities and human resources, as well as a massive budget. Only the major countries from each faction are capable of that. And, it's managed by the IPMA, and all countries observe each others' work. You couldn't possibly develop a malicious 8MS."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "Well, that's true enough. Still, if that's the case, what on Earth was he thinking, the guy who got his hands on this heavily compressed file?"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Maybe he's a super hacker who somehow thought he could sell it for money."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "So he's both a supergenius who can get into the super-secure 8MS management servers, and a total moron who actually thinks he could make a profit off it?"
	  Several 8MS blueprints were shared between 8MS research facilities across all the world's factions, under the management of the IPMA. So, pre-existing 8MS blueprints were something all factions already had.
	  Even if this hacker had retrieved it so some terrorists could start developing a malicious 8MS, they wouldn't be able to get their hands on the facilities or human resources necessary for such development, making the whole thing pointless.
	  Though the blueprints were managed quite carefully, they weren't worth any money.
	  It was like stealing semiconductor techniques that had already been patented.
	  Those were already public knowledge in the semiconductor industry, and even if someone outside the industry found blueprints for those techniques, they wouldn't do them any good at home or at the dinner table.
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "I wonder what the guy who stole this was thinking."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "Well, this is just a theory of mine, but one of the blueprints is called `Artemis'."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "A Water Purification 8MS. ...That was a registered trademark of ACR South Africa's state-managed 8MS program."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "There's also Sistema Curar, Pal Pal 1.02, and Ainsijam."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Those are Air Purification 8MS from LATO Argentina, COU Singapore, and COU Saudi Arabia."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "There was a lot more, but they were all 8MS blueprints related to atmospheric improvement. ...In other words, some mysterious terrorist wants to take advantage of that to create some kind of environment-destroying 8MS!"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "And then, they'll use that to launch a massive attack on the world's food-producing regions, triggering a world panic? Nice, Forsyth would've loved this stuff."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "Water and air are essential to human life. If we lose those, we're screwed! I'll bet the terrorists are jealous of LATO's beautiful paradise and are planning to destroy it!"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Hahahahah. But you're still talking about a dream, right? Every lab on Earth is under close observation. There doesn't exist an institution anywhere that could develop something like an environment-destroying 8MS."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "Maybe. But you know what, Toujirou? Even if it was impossible for every lab on Earth, ...a secret lab beneath the Earth might be a different story, right?"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Huh? What are you talking about? Hahahah, my Kizuna translates your Portuguese weird sometimes."
	  #e7e7e7Cheery Man:
	  "...Ah, I'm so sorry, Toujirou. Looks like my next appointment has arrived. Mind if I include the bill from here as part of my fee?"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "That explains why you were going for the expensive stuff."
	  Cheery Man:
	  "Obrigado! Até logo!"
	  The cheery man left the bar with the same cheeriness he'd had when he'd first appeared.
	  Now that the energetic man was gone, Toujirou was finally able to slowly soak in the bar's atmosphere...
	  Then, the scent of a passionate perfume hit his nose.
	  An attractive Brazilian woman had sat down in the seat vacated by the cheery man.
	  Toujirou raised his glass and winked at her.
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hi there, young lady. Would you care for a drink?"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh.
	  langen@^ Gladly. Now, what shall I have..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "How about a milkshake? As laidback as LATO is, it's probably not a good idea to drink alcohol on the job."
	  By this point, she wasn't alone. Several MPs from the LATO military were with her too.
	  #fbeb85Valentina:
	  "Welcome to LATO Brazil, senhor. If you had told us you were coming, we could've given you a proper welcome."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Well, now that I know there's a beauty like you here to welcome me, I'll do that next time."
	  #fbeb85Valentina:
	  "His Excellency has said he wishes to invite you to dinner. Will you come with us?"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Works for me. If you'll be joining us in an evening dress, that is."
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. Senhor says he'll gladly come with us. Sergeant, take his baggage. And see if any of his luggage has arrived at the room he was supposed to be spending the night in."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Nice, just what I'd expect from a resort country. The service here is great."
	  Toujirou set his empty glass on the counter and calmly stood up.
	  The MPs walked right next to him on either side...
	  
	  Narrator:
	  "Former Prime Minister Zeidan of ACR Libya was reported to have died of an illness last week, but according to a recent leak, he actually died due to a gunshot wound. This has led to a massive uproar in that country."
	  Civilian:
	  "Our former Prime Minister, a leader of peace and democracy, was killed by the ACR Royal Family! Africa must not fall back into a dark age! We request humanitarian military support from the ABN military to protect the people of Africa...!!"
	  Narrator:
	  "ACR Royal Family Press Secretary Rafini said this measure was taken because making any announcement before the investigation concluded might have led to a panic, in effect confirming the leak."
	  Press Secretary:
	  "This crime was committed by secret agents of the ABN Guidance Department, which has always challenged the harmony of the African continent. A male and a female member of the ABN involved with this assassination have already been arrested, and we have asked that the International Criminal Police Department issue an official notice regarding four other participants."
	  Narrator:
	  "The ABN Department of Friendship, their equivalent to a Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has expressed their deep regret at these comments, and..."
	  Reporter:
	  "Ah, just now, ABN Pakistan's mining machines all started operating at once! The suspension of the Kashmir Spirit Field Dispute, which both the ABN and the COU supposedly agreed to, is now over...!"
	  Commentator:
	  "Ever since the disputed Kashmir region was found to contain a large-scale spirit field, the ABN and the COU have each publicly encouraged the other to show self-restraint, while simultaneously claiming that they themselves ought to possess the Kashmir region. This issue has been suspended for quite some time, but it seems that the moment has finally come for them to clash openly."
	  Reporter:
	  "The Foreign Ministers of COU China and COU India have both released statements. They're harshly criticizing the ABN, saying that their breach of the agreement by resuming mining operations will not be tolerated, and that they must bear responsibility for whatever happens next!"
	  Jestress:
	  "World news has suddenly gotten so exciting. Is the information overload making you old people lose your minds?"
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Heheheh, heheheheheheheh."
	  King of Fury:
	  "It would count as information if this was news, but it isn't news to us."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "After all, when they announce the news, they're just reading our manuscript aloud for us."
	  Jestress:
	  "Precisely. All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path. Heheheheh......"
	  Narrator:
	  "However, the Kashmir region isn't the only spirit field problem the COU has. There's also the Glass Sea of Japan."
	  Narrator:
	  "The vast Glass Sea that separates COU Japan and AOU Japan has been maintained by both countries as a symbol of peace and a World War Relic, and they've attempted to use it as an opportunity to build harmony. At least, until recently."
	  Commentator:
	  "Well, hahahah... I suppose it's natural for Rare Spiritium to become a source of disputes."
	  Narrator:
	  "Who could have predicted that a spirit field of Rare Spiritium would be found in the earth below the Glass Sea?"
	  Commentator:
	  "AOU Japan did a soil analysis first, discovering that a vast spirit field existed there, but they concealed that information and effectively prevented a soil analysis by COU Japan."
	  Commentator:
	  "AOU Japan says their announcement was merely delayed, and that they hadn't intended to conceal anything, but the COU strongly suspects that they were trying to keep the spirit fields all for themselves."
	  Narrator:
	  "COU Japan claims that the Glass Sea was divided in half, so the western half belongs to them, but AOU Japan claims that the Glass Sea is a Neutral Zone managed by both countries. COU Japan has suggested that they might station border guards in that area, so it seems unlikely that the Glass Sea of Japan will escape becoming another disputed territory!"
	  Black-suited Men:
	  "...Your Excellency, we've received a report from our COU Japanese comrades that the stationing of border guards will take place in 48 hours."
	  Seshat:
	  "Everything is proceeding smoothly. Even though they lost almost all their pieces in the big war, they've managed to scrape together this much in just over a century. I must admit I'm impressed, *clap*clap*clap*"
	  Black-suited Men:
	  "We also have reports that their pawns hidden in countries around the world have all started taking action at once. ...Are you sure we shouldn't make our move?"
	  Seshat:
	  "Nah, it'll be fine."
	  Seshat:
	  "If half or so of the world gets destroyed, that's probably just what humanity needs about now. Civilization is a unicycle that humanity's constantly riding. If they stop, they fall. So they have to keep on moving. The only problem...is that civilization has an end."
	  Seshat:
	  "When you reach that end, ...`they' will definitely come."
	  Seshat:
	  "It'll be a festival, a harvest festa. Everything will be reaped, without even a single husk left behind. It'll all be pulled up by the roots. ...Compared to that, World War IV will be far more humane. If you just rewind the world's civilization a little, the end of civilization will be that much further away. ...And weapons of mass destruction have already been eradicated. See? Nothing to worry about at all, ahahaha."
	  Reporter:
	  "We have new information about the Atlantis Spirit Field issue in the Atlantic. The AOU American government has made a statement that the ACR, which currently has a unilateral military presence in that area, must withdraw the warship Atlantis of the ACR Combined Navy from the spirit field within two weeks. If they do not, the AOU American Navy will dispatch their Atlantic Fleet to that location."
	  Narrator:
	  "They demanded that the ACR withdraw a single ship?"
	  Commentator:
	  "It's classified as a warship, but the Atlantis is a Superfortress-class Segmented Warship, an ocean fortress made of 7 massive linked warships. It's also a symbol of their occupation of the Atlantis Spirit Field, so it's hard to imagine the ACR going along with this."
	  Narrator:
	  "Another news item just in. The ACR Royal Family, referencing 12 murders including that of former Prime Minister Zeidan, has demanded the return of Supreme Chancellor Belloumi of the Liberal Democratic Party African Liberation Front, who is currently receiving political asylum in COU Madagascar."
	  Narrator:
	  "It is unlikely that the COU will respond to this demand, and many think this will further complicate the Mozambique Channel issue, which concerns a heating up of travel restrictions through the area near the Lemurian Spirit Field!"
	  Reporter:
	  "And now for our next item. Just now, despite repeated requests from the ABN Oracle Department to desist, the Seven State Alliance in Western ABN Ukraine has started holding a national referendum on whether to seek admission into AOU Russia!"
	  Reporter:
	  "The AOU Russian military is concentrated on their border and has hinted that they might enter as part of a humanitarian operation to protect citizens of Russian descent if the worst were to happen!"
	  Reporter:
	  "Of course, the ABN Peace Department has objected vehemently to this. It's suspected that, behind the scenes, complicated religious issues that have been forcibly silenced are at play here. This powder keg may have been lit last month when several VIPs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church were arrested!"
	  Narrator:
	  "Meanwhile, on the internet, theories that all these international tensions are being fueled by a LATO international conspiracy have been gaining steam."
	  Blogger:
	  "It's a conspiracy by the countries of LATO, trying to get the other four factions to take each other out! The four factions must maintain their self-restraint and calmly deal with these issues! Now is the time for peace and coexistence! The anti-pacifist LATO must be annihilated! LATO must stop monopolizing Rare Spiritium fields and share them with the whole world!!"
	  Commentator:
	  "Well, LATO, the world's greatest supplier of Rare Spiritium, is periodically set up as the villain of international conspiracies."
	  Commentator:
	  "In particular, old major countries who looked down on nations affiliated with LATO in the B3W era are rumored to be unsatisfied with LATO's international leadership in A3W society, even to the point of jealousy. It seems the military tensions springing up across the world will affect all factions, even LATO."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "This has been quite a day. It's just one bit of unsettling news after another."
	  Toujirou:
	  "As if you didn't know about all these things beforehand, Your Excellency."
	  In the highest-class private room of a resort hotel, an old, pudgy military official and Toujirou were sharing a meal.
	  There were MPs in the four corners of the room, all staring at Toujirou...
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Humans are despicable creatures, after all. The feeling of superiority we get simply from knowing things a bit sooner than the general public makes a good drink that much more delicious. Gahahahahahahah."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If we keep this up and dash straight into World War IV, that ought to sober them up."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Gahahaha. No one wants that. This moderate sort of tension sometimes builds during peacetime, but whenever it does, they beautifully make up and give the world's news a good story with a nice moral. Everyone wants a scenario like that to play out. And that's what will happen this time too."
	  Toujirou:
	  "After all, unless you give humans some tension every now and then, they start to forget how precious peace is. They also forget how grateful they are to the people who've protected that peace."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Exactly. After all, this spurt of international tension will make for an excellent chance to show off the true purpose of militaries and related institutions, whose job has become nothing more than earning medals in Battle Standard Festivals under the noble guise of being servants of peace."
	  Humans are foolish creatures who respect proactive occupations, but show absolutely no respect for reactive ones.
	  Though militaries were hailed as guardians supporting the Walls of Peace, their budgets had started to decline everywhere in recent years.
	  After all, national borders had been maintained thanks to a healthy military balance, and they were now wonderfully stable.
	  Not only that, but once the newest type of weapon -- the Gauntlet -- was made ready for practical use, a few thousand suitable youths would be able to replace millions of soldiers.
	  In the end, militaries around the world would probably be dismantled.
	  This development was hardly amusing for old men with vested interests in the military's upper echelons, as well as high-ranking men in active service who wanted their spots.
	  "If only we had an upswing of military tensions, giving me a chance to shine." ...A lot of military men were thinking that way.
	  It's just like how there's never been an exterminator who wants all bugs to go extinct...
	  However, there were quite a few old men who didn't care about the future, who were more interested in how much easy money they could make now.
	  By the time all militaries were dissolved, they would be long retired. Why should they care what happened after that?
	  To them, these global military tensions, which were building after such a long time, would be their last festival...and a chance to rake in the dough.
	  The military official rose to his feet and gazed through the window at a well-lit pool under the night sky.
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Toujirou, I hear you're a fairly well-known broker in this arena. One of my friends in the Department of Defense says he's made a killing thanks to you."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Oh? I wonder who that friend might be. ...When doing business with me, being loose-lipped is against the rules."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "No, no. His lips were indeed tightly sealed. And, I can guarantee that he'll never speak of you again as long as he lives. Have no fear, Toujirou."
	  Toujirou:
	  "...I see. So that's why he never responds when I ask him to go out for a drink."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Toujirou, I'm not a small fry like him. I have power. I have no shortage of strong cards to play. And with those cards, I can help you earn even more..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Would you mind showing me those cards?"
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "I've never shown my cards to anyone who hasn't brought me a sack of money, but you're different, Toujirou. Very well, as an apology for inviting you here so abruptly, I'll show you."
	  The military official signaled to an MP with his chin.
	  You've got mail poyo. It's got an attached file poyo!
	  An email had been sent to Toujirou's Selcom. He quickly checked the attached file.
	  In it was a record of a top-secret meeting at the IPMA, the International Peace Mediation Association.
	  It showed that they had decided to take a wait-and-see approach, practically speaking, regarding the feuds that had popped up simultaneously all over the world.
	  The digital signature was good. ...This was real.
	  It wasn't exactly surprising. Considering this man's position and connections, it shouldn't have been impossible for him to get his hands on this.
	  Toujirou:
	  "......This card's not bad, Your Excellency."
	  These files were surely precious things, capable of predicting the future state of the world.
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "The cards I have are really nothing special. I hear you have some very nice cards yourself, and that you have all sorts from all over the globe..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Compared to your cards, mine are little more than a parking pass."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Gahahaha. Toujirou, I want to be your new friend... Or are you thinking that I wouldn't be useful to your business...?"
	  The plump military official held out his big, greasy hand for a handshake.
	  Toujirou chuckled and grasped the man's hand.
	  ...You wouldn't notice unless you looked closely, but this was a slightly unique handshake, with a peculiar arrangement of fingers.
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "I'm glad to have formed an amicable relationship with you! Now that you've joined forces with me, I promise to make sure you rake in the dough!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "And I promise to earn you even more. Or rather, if I didn't, I get the feeling I'd be footing the bill for my stay here."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Hey, Toujirou. ...As your new friend, and since we're exchanging business cards, could I ask you to reveal just one tiny card of yours...?"
	  The military official suddenly smirked impishly.
	  It was the sort of unpleasant familiarity often used by people who don't really want to be called friends.
	  Toujirou:
	  "In that case, to celebrate my new friendship with Your Excellency, here's your card. ...Do you have stock in any Environmental 8MS-related companies?"
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Of course. Stock in 8MS companies is like a goose that always lays safe golden eggs!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "You may want to sell that off, bit by bit."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Why...?!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Well now, that would be a different card, Your Excellency."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Hmmmmmm... ...You aren't testing me, are you...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Not at all. If you really do trust me, ...then you had better do as I say. ...If Environmental 8MS were to run into some kind of trouble, the whole world would go back to its nanomachine allergy of a century past. When that happens, it will already be too late."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  ".........I-I understand, Toujirou. ...I'll take this friend's warning to heart. ...First Lieutenant Valentina!"
	  Valentina:
	  "I'm right here."
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Toujirou is my friend. Tell the Public Safety Office that they may remove their mark on him. You may leave!"
	  Valentina:
	  "As you wish, Your Excellency."
	  Valentina saluted and left the room.
	  As she walked through the hall, her Kizuna told her that a friend had sent her a message...
	  You've received a message from friend "Maricarmen" poyo!
	  #beaaf6"Did you see the news?! It looks like all kinds of crazy things are happening all over the world!"
	  #beaaf6"I even got a notification saying that I might get caught up in some kind of conspiracy, so I needed to be extra careful of anything suspicious!"
	  #beaaf6"Seriously, what'll I do if war really does break out?! I only became a Gauntlet Knight because I wanted to fly! I don't want a war! Seriously...!"
	  Valentina:
	  "...Heh."
	  Opening text editor poyo.
	  #fbeb85"Heheh, don't be silly. Of course there won't be a war."
	  #fbeb85"No one wants war. They're all just amusing themselves with this situation that smells like war."
	  #fbeb85"It's just like how you enjoy being scared of ghosts every year during Halloween."
	  Message sent to "Maricarmen" poyo!
	  Valentina:
	  "...You became a soldier because you wanted to fly?"
	  Monsters all over the world are wriggling in the darkness, trying to start a greed-filled carnival.
	  Only those who predicted the wave and managed to move first will survive and get rich.
	  You became a soldier because you wanted to fly...? Fool...
	  Valentina:
	  "That cheap resolve is going to cost you. ...Heheh."
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Meow:
	  "Jayden, thanks for waiting...! Sorry I'm late!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I don't mind that. Not at all."
	  Of course, that was a lie. Was it really today? Was this really the right time? Was this really the right place?
	  He had checked that mail thread with his mental tablet way too many times, so much so that he'd been asked "Do you want to set this as your default wallpaper poyo?"
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "Damn. She didn't cancel at the last minute."
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "How can you be so rude, Abdou? Also, you owe me 1 credit."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "A late woman is the one for you. A late man must commit seppuku. Arriving first and waiting is what makes a man a man."
	  In the virtual room inside Jayden's head, all his male friends from the Public Bath were giving him support.
	  After all, because Supergenius Jayden's parallel processing ability had been recognized at a young age, he had grown up in a special institution.
	  Forget that baptism of American boys known as "the prom". He hadn't had any exciting contact with the opposite sex at all.
	  He did have a naturally cheery personality, and he knew from sitcoms how attractive guys were supposed to act, ...but this was his first time putting that into practice.
	  A closely-fought battle had taken place between the pressure of making sure his first date had a good time...and his pride and embarrassment at the thought of having to ask his friends for help...
	  Eventually, the former won out, and he had gathered his friends in a virtual room so they could offer him support during his date...
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Hey boy, shouldn't you start by complimenting the girl who got all dressed up for this day?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "O-Oh, right...!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-Your clothes look really cute today...!"
	  Meow:
	  "Th-Thanks...! ...But I overdid it a bit, ...and it looks like my shoes don't really fit me."
	  Jayden:
	  "They're adorable girly shoes. ...You might have Miyao's body, but you look so cute when you're Meow."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Minus 5 points. When dealing with a CPP, it's safer to avoid comparing them to their other personalities."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "...C-Crap...!"
	  Meow:
	  "I picked them because they're cute, ...but there's no point if it's hard to walk in them. ...And on the big day of our date, too..."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "W-Whoooooooaaaaaaaa...!
	  langen@^ I'm stuck already!! How am I supposed to respond to thaaat?!"
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "I'd say `Don't worry about it being hard to walk. Just hold my hand and we'll take it slow.'"
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "I'd show respect for the fact that she chose shoes she wasn't used to. `Thanks for picking the cutest shoes for my sake.'"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Well, I'd go with `Let's stop by a drugstore and buy some foot protection tape, so your precious feet don't get hurt.'"
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "If we're going that route, say `For the sake of your lovely feet, my princess, I would gladly become your clogs myself.'"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "How about you tsun with a `That's what happens when you wear shoes you aren't used to, stupid.' And then dere with a `Speak up if you get tired, okay? I'll carry you.'/
	   Woo!"
	  Meow:
	  "...O-Oh no...
	  langen@^ It looks like Jayden got confused and froze...! Maybe he really just wanted to go out and have fun, and now he's creeped out because I suddenly called it a date...!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Get ahold of yourself! A date is a battlefield! If you let your guard down, some other girl will snatch him from you...!"
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "Heheheh. Jayden is pretty cool, after all. Even I was thinking about taking a shot at him."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "I'm not sure about the cool part, but I've learned from this that he's surprisingly cute."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Still, I don't understand. Why did you go out of your way to get Meow shoes that were hard to walk in?"
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "You just don't get it, wowow! If you totter around in awkward shoes, the boy might lend you his shoulder, wow!"
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "...It shows off your mentality of pure and innocent love, since you chose those shoes for him, even though it would be difficult to walk in them. ...It's a splendid romantic strategy."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Jayden's hesitation is proof that he's just as nervous as she is. Just enjoy this feeling of awkwardness and innocence."
	  Meow:
	  "J-Just enjoy it...? That doesn't help at all...!"
	  Like Jayden, Meow had also invited the girls of the Public Bath into her mind, asking them to give her support.
	  But, you know what they say about having too many cooks in the kitchen. ...In the end, the support didn't help either of them at all and only ended up confusing them.
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh, umm... If it's hard to walk, I'll walk at the same pace, so just let me know. Also, thanks for choosing such cute shoes for my sake. And, let's stop by a drugstore. I wanna be your clogs, stupid...
	  gaaaah, wait,
	   I take that back!! That didn't happen!!"
	  Meow:
	  "Huh...???"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Now! When the man slips up, you must giggle and soften the mood!"
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "Now's your chance to pretend to trip and lean on his shoulder, wow!"
	  Meow also took all the advice she was given, pretending to trip while giggling and clinging to his shoulder, as well as poking his nose and saying `We'd better go to the hospital and get you some help, silly' in an incredible combo move.
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Wh-What does that mean?! What should I doooooooo?!"
	  Meow:
	  "Jayden's getting creeped out again, what should I do?! I never should've gone on a date, waaah!!"
	  It seemed it would take quite some time before either realized that getting live advice during a date was a bad idea...
	  Jayden had been the one who asked her out.
	  Meow was the kind of personality that hid in Miyao's shadow most of the time, so there weren't many chances to talk to her directly.
	  One night, when Miyao was sleeping, he had messaged Meow, and while they were engrossed in their conversation, he had strengthened his resolve, deciding that if he didn't ask her out now, it might be a long time before he got another chance. He had stepped up to a man's challenge and, miraculously, had set up today's date.
	  The location he had chosen was Neo Akihabara, in the center of Tokyo.
	  Of course, it got its name from Akihabara, which was once hailed as a sacred land of otaku culture.
	  It was still a sacred land for subcultures in this era, but that definition was now broader.
	  In addition to anime, manga, and games, it was packed with all sorts of ridiculous things, including artists, performers, underground idols, a precision circuit board shop, a carnivorous plant shop, the World Spice Marketplace, the Official Chessboxing Shop, an underwater combat gym, the World Furry Convention, monster parties, the Hairy Man Co-sleeping Cafe, the Slug Racing Tokyo Wanyan Cup, stop by now and get 200 sacred gems, and so on.
	  And, it was a bustling city, always filled with the enthusiasm of youths who wanted to make their dreams a reality.
	  ...By the way, the original Akihabara had been swallowed up by fancy fashion skyscrapers and was now a high-class city lined with expensive brand stores on par with Ginza. These days, saying someone was `Akiba Style' basically meant that they looked like a celebrity.
	  Oh, your boyfriend's Akiba style? Wow! ...No, not that Akiba style, he's Neo Akiba style.
	  ...That's become a classic gag in this era...
	  At first, Jayden had thought about using a more standard route, going to a stylish place that you'd expect girls to like.
	  However, according to the advice of his friends, dates turn out better if you go somewhere both of you can enjoy, rather than catering to what one person wants.
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "The point of a date is that you both enjoy it, right? If you're just trying to entertain her, that makes you a tour guide, not her lover."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "But even so, how could you choose Neo Akihabara? Shouldn't it be a more grown-up city...?"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Grown-up cities are built to entertain grown-ups. Those two are kids. Kids should be kids and play where they don't have to strain themselves."
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "In my experience, women who want a grown-up date usually just want to show off by walking around with a hot guy."
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "Hey now. This is no time to bad-mouth the princess, okay?"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Achoo! That Jayden, choosing such a childish city as this. It's so much more satisfying to go to a grown-up town, where you can show everyone what a grown-up date you're having!"
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "After classifying their types and their available area of action, this city was optimal."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Neo Akihabara is famous even in the COU. They say there are all sorts of strange things there! I would like to go, if I had a chance."
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "Heheheh. If he heard that, I'll bet a certain someone would say `Such a place is not suitable for one such as you, princess.'"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Momotake is always strict on me. I suppose Father told him to keep an eye out."
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "But, but! I've heard that Neo Akihabara's an immoral city filled with posters and billboards that expose women's skin, wowow! That's just too obscene!"
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "That's the old Akihabara. Neo Akihabara goes far beyond that, as a melting pot of all sorts of inexplicable cultures. Come on, don't be shy, take a look."
	  In Jayden's and Meow's brains, their friends were definitely looking down on this from above, like sightseers.
	  Meow:
	  "Jayden, do you come to cities like this a lot?"
	  Jayden:
	  "H-Hmm, well, every once in a while. I've gotten involved with subcultures briefly a few times... It's not like I'm an otaku or anything."
	  Meow:
	  "Ah, ...I knew someone as cool as you couldn't possibly be an otaku..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-Yeeah... Otaku are, like, so anti-social, right...?!"
	  Meow:
	  "Y-You're right... It's just crazy to lock yourself up and play video games all the time... Hahahah..."
	  Why were they suddenly pretending to be normies? ...Both of them had forgotten that they'd first met each other at a game center.
	  In fact, Jayden loved video games, manga, and anime. And yet, he was one of the lucky few who looked like a normie on the outside.
	  By the way, Meow loved video games, manga, and anime too. Most of the time, she couldn't leave the inside of Miyao's head, so entertaining herself by fishing around the internet had become a hobby of hers.
	  After seeing this, their friends concluded that they were doing something typical of innocent couples, going into bluff mode and trying too hard to look impressive.
	   They poked fun at them a lot under the guise of giving advice, saying `Be honest, don't lie to her and yourself, how could you possibly like someone who can't say they like what they like?'
	  Gradually, the pair of them both realized they were thinking the exact same thing, and trying too hard in exactly the same way.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Ah, sheesh. What's up with me today?! This isn't how Supergenius Jayden is supposed to be...! Sorry, Meow. I've just been lying my ass off, trying to look cool.
	   I love games and stuff. I love manga too.
	   On my days off, I'm a freaking otaku who stays shut up in his room from morning 'til night!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I acted like I knew nothing about this city, but that's not true at all. If anything, this is my home.
	   That maid game center we just passed? I go there all the time. I've got a freaking platinum membership card.
	   I know I said `that's creepy, I wonder what kind of person goes to places like that', but this here's obviously platinum, isn't it? Thank you for your time."
	  Meow:
	  "I-I-If you say that, umm... Well, this is the first time I've come to this city, ...but I've bought things from lots of these stores over the net... And as for me, I spend all my time shut up in my brain, and I love manga and games... But...I didn't want to creep you out......"
	  Jayden:
	  "What the heck...? So, we've both just been trying to act cool...?"
	  Meow:
	  "Ahahah... We're...so uncool..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Do you play games too, Meow? Which manga have you read?"
	  Meow:
	  "Stuff like O-One Peach, ...S-Slam Donk, ...D-Dragon Bell..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Whoa, so you love the classics, huh?! I love all of those, and when I start reading them on my days off, it suddenly gets dark outside before I realize it, wahahah...!"
	  At one point, the old internet's culture had brought manga and similar industries to the brink of destruction, with illegal sharing and the like.
	  However, thanks to various new A3W technologies, they were being protected again and were on the rise once more.
	  Partly because manga-making techniques had temporarily gone extinct, classics from the A2W's golden age of manga were coming into the limelight yet again.
	  Meow:
	  "I love Yuyusama Hakushon and Hunted x Hunted too!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Jojo's Bizarre Barbeque is great too! One time, when my friends and I had a barbeque, I tried to do a Jojo grill, but screwed up and dropped the meat."
	  Meow:
	  "I wanna do a Jojo grill too! I wanna do the one on the cover of volume 32!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Hahahah, ahahahahahah. We really are creepy, aren't we?"
	  Meow:
	  "Yeah, we are. But I think that's us at our most honest, and this city suits it perfectly."
	  The two of them finally became their real selves, relaxing and laughing together honestly...
	  Jayden had said something unfortunate earlier, ...but he really was amazed at how impossible it was to think that this was the same body as Miyao's.
	  True, her outfit and makeup did make a difference, but can a person really look this different just by how they act?
	  He couldn't help but be amazed by the fact that, when dealing with humans, what they are on the inside matters far more than how they appear.
	  At the same time, he felt even more affection for Meow. Even though they were going out for the first time, she had been watching him for so long, inserting compliments in the middle of Miyao's lecture mode the whole time.
	  And, ...as his fondness increased, ...a certain question entered his head and wouldn't go away.
	  ...However, he couldn't ask Meow directly. ...It would be hard to find the answer.
	  And if he asked his friends, ...they might really get mad at him this time...
	  No, but...! ...But isn't this exactly the time you're supposed to rely on your adolescent friends?!
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Umm, ...are you all still there?"
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "Yeah, pretty much."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "We thought it would be rude to intrude any further. We were just planning to go our separate ways..."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "...If this question is inappropriate, ...please forget what happened today and leave quietly. I don't even mind if you unfriend me..."
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Hey, what's up...? It's not like you to be this serious."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "I don't know anything about CPPs, so I keep misunderstanding things and hurting people. I really am sorry that I'm so ignorant. ...I get all that, ...but there's still one thing I just have to ask."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "There's no need to be so timid. Ask us whatever you want."
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "We'll happily answer any questions you have. So, is this about what to do in bed? Heheheh."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "No, umm... ...It's not like I expect that to come up on a first date. ...It's just, umm, the thing I wanna ask is sort of related to that..."
	  ...I want to make this clear.
	  No, the simple fact that I care about something like this might already be rude to some of the people here...
	  But even I'm basically...a healthy, average, absolutely normal guy, right?! Isn't it obvious that I'd want to know?!
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "About Meow...or rather, Miyao... ...Which is he?! Which sex?!"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "...Can't you just check in the shower room after training?"
	  The AOU, out of consideration to various genders, was one of those Anti-Sexual Discrimination nations.
	  As a result, resident cards in countries allied with the AOU indicated their citizen numbers and names, but not their sexes.
	  Information about one's sex was shared only when it became necessary at medical institutes, and even then it was shared only between the person and their hospital, and the information would be instantly removed after a certain time had passed.
	  For example, in addition to men's and women's public bathrooms, there were also restrooms either could use.
	  Just like women's restrooms, they had only stalls. However, you were allowed to use them regardless of your sex, so even gender minorities could use them without having to worry about whether they were a girl or a boy.
	  In short, even sex was a protected item of private information in AOU Japan.
	  Gauntlet Knights, who were military officers, were given suitable lodgings for their positions.
	  For that reason, even their showers were in their fully equipped private rooms. ...So, he had never seen whether his partner's body was male or female.
	  Of course, any sort of touching that would allow you to determine someone's sex was illegal throughout the AOU, regardless of the perpetrator's age or gender.
	  If Miyao's build had been more dramatically one way or the other, it would've been easy to tell, but he really did have a gray sort of build, that could either be a man's or a woman's.
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "And, you know, I'm still a guy, right?! If I find I like someone, I want to form a steady relationship with them! In the end, well, I'd like to go as far as I can go! That's not weird, is it? Isn't that healthy?! But dang! If at the very end, ...if we get carried away, ...and in that final instant...! If we're, umm, ...sexually incompatible from a biological standpoint, what do I do?!"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "...I think those three from Yeladot Shavit could field that question best. Should I call them?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "N-No. I wanna ask the people here..."
	  At first, everyone felt like bursting out laughing and poking fun at him, ...but they did understand how he felt.
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "...If you get the lucky half of those 50/50 odds, I'd say there's no room for debate, so go for it. ...The problem is the other 50%."
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Yep, yep. You didn't fall in love with her because you're after her body, right? So, it doesn't really matter what her biological sex is, does it...?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Th-That's right...! It's Meow's heart and her kindness I fell in love with! E-Even if her body isn't a girl, ...I'll accept her...!!"
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "Nnn... ...You are...a true man..."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "However, for your own mental health, you should probably resolve this issue quickly. If your heightened libido is unable to properly sublimate, you can expect to receive considerable mental damage."
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "So, if you are able to identify her sex somehow, ...what will you do if Meow's body is male, Jayden?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "...I-I'll...do all I can to be best friends with her...
	   Aaaahhh, what the hell am I doing?! I just said I'm not after her body, but I'll be all let down if her body's male?! Am I just a pervert?! Aah, that's not how Supergenius Jayden's supposed to act! ...I'm super uncool, ...aaaaaaaaah..."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Several of the most recent studies indicate that about 10% of the population is homosexual. Same-sex couples aren't particularly rare either."
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Apparently, women these days view same-sex couples as a more pure love, since your partner isn't just after your body..."
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "Well, love takes all kinds of forms. Either way, there are as many types of love as there are lovers."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "If this is true love, you ought to follow through to the end. You need not let the words of outsiders trouble you."
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "In the end, that's what it comes down to. Do you like her or not? And if you do, how are you gonna show each other that? In the end, that's for you two to decide, heheheh."
	  The young pair's sexual troubles were very innocent, and the kind of thing that can change completely depending on one's country, culture, and religion.
	  However, Jayden and Meow were fortunately part of the same cultural sphere and had similar values when it came to romance. On top of that, the AOU was accepting of all sorts of genders, and same-sex marriages were legal as well.
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "In other words, you should decide freely, by your own will, as a pair who loves each other. ...That's the world you live in. So, you should enjoy your love to the fullest within those rules."
	  It wasn't as though they were irresponsibly supporting a romance of a couple with unknown genders.
	  They said this with the understanding that the AOU acknowledged same-sex couples.
	  The AOU claimed to have abolished discrimination against sexual minorities, but not all factions did this.
	  If Jayden and Meow had been in a different faction or cultural sphere, the others would probably have offered different advice.
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "If Meow and I weren't from the AOU, ...could this have gotten messy?"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "In the ABN, homosexuality is accepted, at least on the surface. However, the Unified Religious Council keeps putting off making a decision about whether or not homosexuality is acceptable. Because of that, fundamentalists who like to call themselves devout still take an unsympathetic attitude."
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "In the ACR, same-sex marriage is officially supported. Still, was it last year? ...It got out that one of the princes was gay, and everyone freaked out. Pretty sure he gave up his place in the royal succession and was forced to become a monk."
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "Yeah, I remember that. Gender minorities across the ACR started holding protests, right?"
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "It's not as though people across the world are free to do whatever they want, like in the AOU."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "...We still don't know for sure if Meow's the same sex as me, ...but the world does have all kinds of issues, doesn't it?"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Do you remember that girl, Rukhi, from my squad, Suparṇa?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Rukhshana? I remember her. She's the cute girl who came in waving with you during the Battle Standard Festival, right?"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "In the culture of her country, it's considered immoral to have members of the opposite sex in the workplace."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Wait, what? Then how do men and women work together?"
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "Similar to how men and women have different bathrooms and changing rooms, people in her culture think it better to have workplaces that are also divided between boys and girls. ...Hmm, what a modest culture."
	  Because of that, when it came out that the squad she had been assigned to had a man in it, it had caused a bit of a fuss in her home country.
	  Political concerns in the COU upper echelons had been partly responsible for the formation of that kette, so they couldn't have Andry leave their ace squad just for Rukhshana's sake.
	  Instead, the heads of the COU government had stepped in personally to mediate, and in the end, the whole matter was settled by having the king of Rukhshana's country publicly announce that she had been given special permission.
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "I don't want you to get the wrong idea, but I'm not trying to say one group is right or wrong here. ...I'm just pointing out that all regions have their own cultures, which have been developed over long histories. They all have to respect one another. Fortunately, in the cultural sphere you and Meow live in, there shouldn't be any problems regardless of what her sex actually is. That's all I'm saying."
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Still, there's one thing I want you to make sure you remember. ...In the AOU, whether it's same-sex marriage or whatever, that issue only concerns the two people involved. However, in another region, that could be completely different. ...In some situations, no matter how much you two decided you loved each other, it wouldn't work out... Make sure you don't forget that, okay...?"
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "In that sense, you are quite fortunate, Jayden."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  ".................."
	  There are all sorts of cultures and ways of thinking in this world.
	  The AOU often calls itself an advanced nation when it comes to human rights... However, that might be quite an arrogant way of thinking about it.
	  For example, same-sex marriages are allowed in the AOU, but marriage between close relatives is not.
	  However, if there existed a country that didn't allow same-sex marriages, but did allow marriages between close relatives, then the AOU would definitely be a backwards nation in their eyes.
	  It isn't as though the cultures and laws of each and every place suddenly fall out of the sky one day, engraved on stone tablets.
	  These things have been brewed throughout the long histories of the peoples in these lands.
	  It would be arrogant for an outsider to call some of them advanced and some backwards.
	  So, when some aspect of a culture doesn't fit in with its era, it's up to the people living in that cultural sphere to decide whether they should change it or not.
	  Since even a single culture can have so many divergent views, if this pair of lovers had actually been from different cultures, this issue would surely have become even more complicated.
	  It's even possible that it wouldn't work out, even if both of the lovers decided to go through with it.
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "We'll talk it over alone and make our decision. We won't worry about what other people say. ...Those are the rules of this land, and I've decided to deepen my relationship with Meow."
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "That's good. And as for overcoming the differences between American and Japanese culture, you should be able to find countless tips on the net from people who've succeeded at it."
	  The rest is up to me to figure out.
	  And the answer is obvious.
	  Conclusion: No matter what sex her body is... I, Jayden, like Meow.
	  However, if I know her sex beforehand, ...I'll be able to control myself better in various ways, and I'm sure I'll be able to avoid hurting her.
	  No, maybe it'll hurt her just to know that I'm thinking this.
	  ...Oh, wait, I'm making a mistake here.
	  This isn't something I have to figure out alone. It's something Meow and I have to figure out.
	  If both of us really do want to be together, I'm sure we'll naturally find the proper distance to keep while still being ourselves.
	  Isn't that obvious now, considering how much we've managed to relax around each other since we first arrived at Neo Akihabara...?
	  Meow:
	  "...I guess you really do want to know, right...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "What do you mean?"
	  Meow:
	  "About...my biological sex."
	  Jayden:
	  "......Nnn-"
	  Jayden panicked, thinking that she'd seen right through him.
	  Then again, ...Meow had probably been having a mental conference with her female friends, just like Jayden.
	  Jayden:
	  "I-I..."
	  Meow:
	  "...Yeah?"
	  Jayden:
	  "I love you, Meow."
	  Meow:
	  "...Th-Th-Thank you..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, I didn't fall in love with you because you're a girl. It's because you're Meow."
	  Meow:
	  "...Uh-huh."
	  Jayden:
	  "So, I'm not gonna force you to tell me."
	  Meow:
	  "I see."
	  Jayden:
	  "And anyway, how can you be so sure I'm a guy? See how long my hair is? Maybe when I'm in my room, I tie them into twin tails and wear miniskirt maid outfits, right?"
	  Meow:
	  "Ahahahahahahah, I think I'd like to see that. Ahahahahahah."
	  Jayden:
	  "So don't worry about it. We don't even live in a time where the ciconia carry our babies to us. Worrying about biological sex is a concept of the past."
	  Meow:
	  "You're saying that out of concern for me, aren't you? ...Thanks, Jayden."
	  Meow:
	  "Still, I really do think this is unfair."
	  Jayden:
	  "What is?"
	  Meow:
	  "I mean I'm being unfair, not you."
	  Jayden:
	  "What, seriously? Why?"
	  Meow:
	  "I started liking you knowing you're a wonderful man, but you started liking me without even knowing my sex."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Is biological sex really so important, when two people like each other...?"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Hmm. Well, I do believe Jayden has the right to seek sexual relations with the opposite gender in his dating life."
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "Wow? What relations? My Keropoyo started croaking, and I couldn't hear that part."
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "Oh, my. Want me to show you how to take off your filters? *giggle*"
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "I agree with Rethabile. If Jayden isn't going to be able to find what he's looking for, he has the right to spend all that effort on a different girl."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "Maybe it's the same kind of unfairness as a married person, pretending to be single when talking to someone looking for marriage."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "...For Jayden... No, for men, is it really so important that the one they love be of the opposite sex...?"
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "Princess, finding that fact to be strange or unsightly...is a sign of ignorance about the opposite sex."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Have you heard of the book What Men Think About Apart From Sex?"
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "What men think about apart from *kero*kero*? Men must really love Keropoyo, wow!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "What Men Think About Apart From Sex...?"
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "That sounds interesting. Let's look it up."
	  Now searching poyo!
	  Search results: There is a novel of that name written by Sheridan Simove. Colloquially, it's also a phrase used to refer to a blank notebook, ironically implying that men don't think about anything other than sex.
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "*giggle*giggle* Wasn't there also a book called What Women Think About Apart From Money?"
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "Meow, ...if you're worried about that, and you really like him, wouldn't it be better to come clean and tell him?"
	  Meow:
	  "............"
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "...That's certainly one option."
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "To be honest, even we don't know your body's real sex. Similarly, though we act like women, there's no way for anyone to know what our bodies' sexes are. ...Our bodies are far apart, and we can only meet in Kizuna virtual rooms, so our sexes don't really matter. However, in your world, where your bodies can actually approach each other, I'm sure it matters a lot."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "I think that, as long as the love is mutual, it can be shared between people regardless of sex, and even with inanimate objects, if you take it to an extreme."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "That's quite a unique way of thinking, Lingji. I don't dislike it though."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "I'm aware that this view is only shared by a tiny minority, both in the COU and the world at large... I suppose gender...really is important."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "If telling him the truth would make him give up on you, then that love wouldn't have lasted long anyway. If that's the case, you'd be better off making things clear sooner rather than later."
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "...Does this mean...your sex really is one that would make him give up on you...?"
	  Meow:
	  "N-No, it's not like that! Th-Thanks everyone, for worrying so much for my sake...! I-It's not as though I'm keeping quiet because my sex would make Jayden give up on me! That's, umm, my problem, our problem."
	  Meow had personalities of two different genders in a single body, so a gender reveal wouldn't only have consequences for her.
	  Bearing that in mind, ...this certainly wasn't an easy problem.
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Whether you decide to reveal it or not, that choice will also be part of your romantic experience."
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "If they both have love, there's no barrier they won't be able to cross, wow!"
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "In the end, what Naima just said is the answer. No matter how much we barge in and try to offer advice, it isn't as important as the answer Meow decides for herself. ...Meow, I think you should enjoy your love, including the part where you worry over this question."
	  Meow:
	  "Jayden, ...I'll definitely tell you about my body someday."
	  Jayden:
	  "D-Don't worry about it, okay? There's no need to force yourself."
	  Meow:
	  "No, I want to tell you. I just need a bit more time to prepare myself mentally."
	  Jayden:
	  "...I see."
	  Meow:
	  "So, ...umm, ...Christmas..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh?"
	  Search results: In Japan, Christmas is considered a major event for couples poyo!
	  By the way, America roasts turkeys for Christmas, but in Japan, they eat fried chicken for some reason poyo.
	  Meow:
	  "If we can still feel this way about each other on Christmas, ...I'll tell you then. ...Is that...too long to wait?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Not at all. I'll respect your feelings. But still, thanks."
	  Meow:
	  "Why...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "You probably decided to do that for my sake. Thanks for caring about me so much. ...I'll make sure I care for you just as much, Meow. So I'll make you a promise right now."
	  Meow:
	  "...Okay."
	  Jayden:
	  "I love you, regardless of what sex you are. You're the best girlfriend and the best buddy a guy could have."
	  Meow:
	  "Thanks, Jayden..."
	  Christmas wasn't that far off. Once autumn and then winter came, it would be here.
	  They passed in front of a home appliance modding store. In the window, a TV-toaster hybrid was showing them the news.
	  News:
	  "I'm standing in front of the IPMA Headquarters in LATO Brazil. Just now, their spokesperson commented on the conflicts breaking out simultaneously all across the globe, saying that, because interventions made in any particular conflict might benefit or harm one faction or another, they would have to wait for the situation to de-escalate before taking action."
	  News:
	  "He made it clear that they don't intend to interfere with any of these conflicts at this time. In response to this, the AOU Joint Press Secretary said-"
	  Interrupt CM:
	  "*kero*kero*poyo*poyo*! Have you upgraded to the new version of Keropoyo?! For a small fee, you'll be able to remove ads like this one poyo. You haven't done that yet, so it'll be 2 minutes and 58 seconds until the ad ends poyo!! Now, let's sing the Outie Frog's Coming of Age Journey!"
	  
	  
	  Inside a massive dome was a gigantic all-weather exercise facility, large enough to fit several American football fields in. The ceiling was high too, and it felt like you could pack an entire small city in there.
	  Countless children were doing strict military drills, and the place was filled with a mix of kids chanting and adults giving harsh instructions.
	  Instructor:
	  "One, two! One, two! Hey, you're looking sloppy, put your heart into it!!"
	  Instructor:
	  "All of you except those two at the front are trash! You're imbeciles!! Everyone except those two, line up!!"
	  Wham!
	  langen@^ Whack!
	  langen@^ Thwack!
	  
	  All the children in the line were hit, one after another.
	  Corporal punishment against children was forbidden in all AOU educational institutions.
	  However, since this place wasn't affiliated with any educational institution, they were allowed to use it without mercy.
	  The kids seemed to be split up into classes, according to their ages and builds.
	  Overall, most of them were very young, with the very youngest class looking too young even for grade school.
	  However, you wouldn't see any trace of the peaceful voices and laughter you'd expect from a kindergarten or elementary school.
	  Even that youngest class was repeatedly yelled at by instructors, and none of their expressions looked like what you'd expect from children of that age...
	  This scene was being filmed by several cameras and displayed in a monitor room.
	  Gathered in that room were inspection teams of officers from all of the AOU nations, listening to a staff member explaining the situation.
	  Staff Member:
	  "As the whole world knows, the most important measure of aptitude for controlling a Gauntlet is `P3', Parallel Processing Power. However, this doesn't mean that anyone with high P3 levels can become a capable member of the Aerial Augmented Infantry."
	  If you have high P3 levels, but also an extreme fear of heights, the Aerial Augmented Infantry is definitely not for you.
	  If your P3 levels are decent, but your sense of spatial awareness is lacking, then you're probably not well-suited for it either.
	  Not only do you have to be in total control in midair, a place where humans are normally unable to exist, but you also need to fight and achieve victory, so several other aptitudes and talents are also required.
	  The combination of these qualities is called Aerial Augmented Infantry aptitude. It's not too far off from what was once demanded of fighter pilots.
	  Staff Member:
	  "P3 levels and Aerial Augmented Infantry aptitude. Currently, these two factors are the most highly prized, but at our institution, we've been seeking after and researching a third kind of aptitude."
	  Officer:
	  "Ah. And I suppose this third aptitude...is fighting spirit?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Heheheh. That's probably true. Kids these days are totally missing that, after all."
	  As Okonogi gazed at the scenes of training filled with corporal punishment, he shrugged and laughed.
	  This was the Geroy Level 4 Heavy Military Research Center.
	  It had once been an AOU Russia research center for regenerative medicine, but it was now run by the AOU Combined Military for the purpose of training Aerial Augmented Infantry elites.
	  For that reason, the staff members came from countries all over the AOU, and a mix of all sorts of languages could be heard.
	  In this era, if you added a translation tool to your Selcom, different languages shouldn't have been a problem at all.
	  However, people from the previous generation, like old military officers, had brains that worked extremely poorly with Selcom.
	  So, even in this age, they needed to be accompanied by subordinates who could translate for them.
	  Staff Member:
	  "The third type of aptitude is self-empowerment. You might simplify it with the word `confidence'. Naturally, we've always known that we humans can draw out our abilities to varying degrees depending on our confidence in ourselves. However, no one has researched how to make this happen in people, outside of vague theories of mind over matter."
	  When people who lack confidence notice something important, they sometimes think they just saw it wrong, ignoring the fact that they noticed it.
	  However, people with confidence are sensitive even to small things they spot, and they never doubt their instincts. When flying at 140 meters per second like a fighter plane, that can be the difference between life and death.
	  In the world of Aerial Augmented Infantry aces, parallel thinking ability is taken for granted. On top of that, it's essential for them to have high Aerial Augmented Infantry aptitude, as well as sufficient self-empowerment with regards to both of the first two qualities.
	  However, self-empowerment is an acquired trait. It's considered something you gain after repeated experiences starting from infancy.
	  In the B3W world, education that encouraged growth through praise was highly promoted, but no one ever heard of it producing favorable results.
	  So, perhaps the strict training and corporal punishment displayed on all these monitors...was this research institution's answer to that problem...
	  Officer:
	  "Still, all this strictness really takes me back. After all, education's been so soft lately. In my day, it was normal to be taught with an iron fist. I suppose this man's `self-empowerment' can be cultivated through tough training."
	  Okonogi:
	  "...Well, I wonder about that."
	  Privately, Okonogi was utterly unconvinced that this self-empowerment thing could be beaten into children.
	  When he had been a kid, all educational institutions used corporal punishment.
	  As the period of restoration following World War III continued, the world grew a bit more peaceful, and many people assumed that children who had never experienced a major war were slacking off, precisely because they were so blessed. To counter this, they were punished strictly and unreasonably.
	  When he looked at education in the modern era, where corporal punishment was banned, he did indeed feel that those children were missing something vital that needed to be nourished.
	  ...However, he was still dubious that strict corporal punishment would give them this so-called self-empowerment.
	  Okonogi:
	  "After getting scolded and beaten endlessly, plenty of them have lost hope, or they've become subservient. ...True, some of the ones with good grades may have achieved this so-called self-empowerment, but that has nothing to do with whether they were beaten or not..."
	  Staff Member:
	  "You, over there. That's exactly right."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Huh?"
	  Staff Member:
	  "Some people with good grades have indeed achieved self-empowerment. That's correct. We realize that self-empowerment can be achieved most effectively by experiencing victory."
	  
	  It's long been known that a human's actual ability is determined by multiplying their talent by their degree of self-empowerment.
	  No matter how much talent they've been blessed with, people who lack self-empowerment -- who lack confidence -- can never achieve anything.
	  Conversely, those who lack talent from the start will be useless no matter how confident they are. In fact, they can even get in the way of those with true talent.
	  In other words, self-empowerment must be given to those with talent.
	  That way, those who possess superior talent will be able to multiply their actual ability several times, thanks to their superior self-empowerment levels.
	  However, though the B3W world was aware of the existence of self-empowerment, they hadn't yet discovered how to cultivate it.
	  Instructor:
	  "But, interestingly enough, education in school was unintentionally providing an environment that encouraged self-empowerment. ...Gentlemen, have you ever wondered why early levels of education, like elementary schools, group all sorts of students together into classes, without splitting them up depending on how good their grades are?"
	  Generally speaking, during mandatory education in the AOU, classes were split up more or less at random.
	  Once you reached the higher levels of education, you would usually be divided up harshly based on your grades, with everyone going to educational institutions that matched their own levels of academic talent.
	  However, even during mandatory education, academic ability will surely differ quite a lot between children. So, why don't they split up those classes based on everyone's ability...?
	  In fact, thinking about it this way, it's almost as though they're going out of their way to distribute everyone evenly.
	  Instructor:
	  "In biology, it's known that social animals tend to form hierarchies within their groups. Humans are the same. Until now, it was thought that this was because individuals with less ability to survive would be weeded out, allowing the strong to survive and procreate."
	  Staff Member:
	  "However, as a result of our research, we've discovered that the most important factor in self-empowerment is experiencing victory. And, we've learned that the more you experience victory at a very young age, the stronger your self-empowerment will be."
	  Officer:
	  "True. ...Experiencing victory at a young age can really boost your confidence. And if you don't experience it at all in your youth, it can make you grow subservient."
	  Officer:
	  "So, simply put, whether you're a winner or a loser in life is determined at a young age."
	  Okonogi:
	  "......Seriously? ...Who thought up this hellish technique...?"
	  ...I thought mandatory education was like a microcosm of society's unfairness, which you get to experience when you're young.
	  There's good people and bad people. Smart people and dumb people.
	  If you break the rules, you get scolded. But if you're the only one following the rules, you become an outcast.
	  You learn who you should be nice to...and who to stay away from.
	  Even if you do nothing wrong, you can suddenly be victimized. But if you're a bit clever, you can get someone else to take the fall for you.
	  I thought mandatory education was all about stuffing all kinds of people into the same class, so that the rules of society can be beaten into them, even though ethics prevent teachers from saying these things flat out.
	  ...But what if it wasn't about something as soft as making you experience society's unfairness?
	  What if it has a clearer, more concrete, more educational purpose...?
	  Okonogi:
	  "...If educators are doing that knowingly, ...how the hell can you call that a sacred profession...?"
	  Though he smiled thinly and ironically, even Okonogi felt sick.
	  In other words, the point of mandatory education...is to lock up the elite you want to nurture most...in the same class as their prey...?
	  Staff Member:
	  "At our institution, we form our classes with a clear understanding of the targets we want to develop, completely controlling the class environment in order to allow those targets to experience a sufficient amount of victory."
	  The monitors focused in on a single instance of that rigid training.
	  Each child was displayed with a green indicator box and ID, but just one person in that class was displayed with a blue indicator box and ID.
	  They seemed to be doing a long-distance run, and though the child marked with blue seemed to be in pain, they remained at the head of the pack, without their pace faltering in the slightest. In comparison, the children with the green indicators were clearly exhausted, and some of them seemed to be giving it their all just pretending to run.
	  An instructor blew his whistle, and the run ended. Everyone lined up.
	  The blue child was incredibly exhausted, but still seemed to have quite a bit left in the tank, so they were able to swiftly reach their place in the line.
	  However, all the green children were clearly staggering, which seemed to earn them the instructor's wrath almost immediately.
	  Several people who had moved slowly were called forward and beaten, one after another.
	  Staff Member:
	  "The girl with the blue box is the development target of this class. All the green boxes are merely part of the environment constructed to let the target experience victory. Now, look over here. We've measured that girl's current condition."
	  A different monitor was showing various graphs based on all sorts of data being measured by the girl's Internal 8MS.
	  This was right after heavy exercise, so her physical readings had declined due to exhaustion.
	  However, several graphs showed that her mental condition had actually improved.
	  Staff Member:
	  "These indicate several positive reactions that can lead to improved self-empowerment, such as a sense of accomplishment and exhilaration. These are the result of an unconscious sensation of superiority, which is produced by the fact that the target achieved the best grades in her class, as well as the fact that those with the lowest grades were punished, but not her."
	  Okonogi:
	  "...So, she's a farmed winner..."
	  Staff Member:
	  "I prefer the term `well-managed winner'."
	  Okonogi:
	  "......Heheh."
	  Staff Member:
	  "Her class has been assembled for the purpose of allowing her to experience victory."
	  Officer:
	  "Won't that sometimes give her a big head and make her stop trying to work hard...?"
	  Staff Member:
	  "Pardon me, Your Excellency, but hard work is only necessary for average people who don't measure up. ...Not even 200,000 children across the whole world have enough talent to join the Aerial Augmented Infantry, making use of the Gauntlet's cutting edge technology. Those with sufficient P3 levels and Aerial Augmented Infantry aptitude to be in the top 1%...are geniuses."
	  Staff Member:
	  "No, you might even call them supergeniuses. What they need isn't hard work, but enough self-empowerment to give them confidence in their genius. ...Of course, geniuses who work hard will surpass those who don't, but that's a whole different story, so we don't need to go into it now."
	  Officer:
	  "So, is that white girl on the monitor one of those supergeniuses?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "...Your Excellency, she's one of ours."
	  Officer:
	  "Oh, really?"
	  Staff Member:
	  "She's Second Lieutenant Chloe Ironside, formerly of the Canadian air force."
	  Chloe:
	  "*pant*...*pant*...*pant*........."
	  Sweating buckets after her long-distance run, Chloe stood at attention, absentmindedly looking at the poor performers who were being punished...
	  She neither pitied them nor felt superior to them. ......But was that really true?
	  In fact, ...it wasn't.
	  She couldn't fully deny that part of her was relieved that she wasn't joining them, and she did feel superior...
	  Instructor:
	  "Where's your fighting spirit?! Stand!! I can't believe people like you ever thought you could join the Aerial Augmented Infantry! Did you think a Gauntlet is some sort of magical device that can make gutless people like you fly through the air?! Don't underestimate the Aerial Augmented Infantry!! Don't underestimate what it takes to be a soldier!!"
	  The beatings continued, on and on.
	  This wasn't a school. So, there was no escape.
	  You had to undergo harsh training to become a Gauntlet Knight and remain victorious through your exams.
	  And you weren't even allowed to leave until that period of time ended.
	  All of them had signed admission contracts while fully aware of this.
	  ...However, everyone who filled out the general public application form would be marked with a green box.
	  They wanted to fly. They wanted to become heroes of the sky.
	  But this institution never had any intention of granting that childish, innocent dream these children all shared.
	  All of them were merely being thrown from a cliff into a kettle, still believing that they'd be able to fly...
	  They had been gathered here as fertilizer for the Blues, the true development targets of this institution...
	  Officer:
	  "I see. So, when the punishment of poor performers is more strict, the experience of victory becomes greater."
	  Staff Member:
	  "Contingency fees and other methods that reward success are not cost effective. They're useful when dealing with an extremely limited group of elites, but it's impossible to reward everyone suitably that way."
	  Officer:
	  "Okonogi, that girl represented us at the Battle Standard Festival, right?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Yes, as part of Grave Mole. ...Her talent and aptitude are definitely top class, but it hasn't led to results for some reason, so she was sent here."
	  Officer:
	  "I suppose she was diagnosed with a lack of self-empowerment."
	  Okonogi:
	  "That's right. No matter how much I tell her, that nincompoop is always nervous, totally lacking confidence in herself. ...Haven't I karate-chopped her enough by now? Tch."
	  "Chloe" has entered the room poyo!
	  Lilja:
	  "Meowmeowmeow!! Welcome back meooooow, fuuuu!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...I'm back... ...I'm so tired..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Whoa Chloe, you're way too low-key again!! Get fired up, get fired up meeoooow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Shut up, Lilja. Try and keep the adrenaline under control, you *kero*kero*kero*. And Chloe, try keeping your adrenaline up a bit more. I'll bet you screwed up and got slapped."
	  Chloe:
	  "...I...worked really hard today... ...Just now, the people who were slow...got hit a lot...＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Kyahaha. Sucks to be them meeeeow. If they're giving up after a little training like this, there's no way they understand what it takes to become a Gauntlet Knight meow meooow."
	  Koshka:
	  "Lilja sure is lucky, being able to get such a high after winning against small fry."
	  Lilja:
	  "Of course meow! I'm the best in the world, so everyone else is small fry to me meow!! Of course, that includes you and Chloe too!"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I'm not a small fry! Even I'm trying my best＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Every single one of you is a small fry, except for me meow!! Look at me, look at me meow!"
	  Lilja's sensation data was projected into the three girls' virtual room.
	  They seemed to be doing parallel thinking training, and Lilja, covered with sweat, was proudly celebrating her victory, checking her score with her mental monitor.
	  Lilja was in first place, with a P3 level that far surpassed second place.
	  She was one of AOU Finland's top Aerial Augmented Infantry aces. Naturally, a normal trainee wouldn't be able to match her.
	  So, even Lilja didn't view this as a competition to get first place. She was just challenging her own boundaries, like it was a game.
	  However, she still seemed immensely satisfied when she saw how much she'd overpowered the others on the score chart.
	  ...However, Chloe was far more worried by the audio data, which carried the voice of an instructor lambasting the poor performers.
	  Chloe:
	  ".................."
	  The instructor's insults were a simple collection of verbal attacks against their character. Just a torrent of words meant only to wound their targets, shame them, and cause them mental anguish.
	  Chloe, who could sympathize with their pain, bit her lower lip and hung her head...
	  Chloe:
	  "...Is there something wrong with me? Is Lilja the one who's right...?"
	  Koshka:
	  "There's nothing wrong with you. ...Is that what you want me to say?"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-It's not like that..."
	  Koshka:
	  "If you don't like it when people get beaten down and cry, you should quit, and leave your spot open for someone else. ...That way, one of the people who would've been crying won't have to."
	  Chloe:
	  "I just wanted to fly...! But no one ever told me that I'd have to beat a whole bunch of people down, that I'd be forced to watch them cry...!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Don't be so soft."
	  Chloe:
	  "Am I soft?! That's wrong, isn't it? Isn't it?!"
	  Lilja:
	  "You can't reach the sky just by stretching out your hand meow."
	  Chloe:
	  "Is it never possible to achieve your dreams without using someone else as a stepstool? Why should we have to compete and take each other out?"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Because a lot of brats want to fly, obviously."
	  Lilja:
	  "And only a few people can become Gauntlet Knights meow. So, you've gotta beat them down. For the sake of your own dreams."
	  Chloe:
	  "You know what, you know what?! In the first place, ...why...are there so many of us here?!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Because they're making a lot of them."
	  Chloe:
	  "Humanity was almost destroyed in that big war. So we need to have a lot of kids to increase the population! I get that! But you know what?! ...A century has now passed, and civilization has already recovered to this point! Isn't that enough?! Why are they still making more of them?! Why do they keep making so many kids?!"
	  Lilja:
	  "...That's easy meow. You can never have too many dice ready for the next time you'll need to roll them meow."
	  Chloe:
	  "Dice?! Are we just dice in someone's game?!"
	  We're probably getting born in numbers several times larger than is strictly necessary.
	  And we're competing with each other and being forced to eat each other, so that only the kind of kids that the adults want are left.
	  Koshka:
	  "You're a die that rolled a six. So, you get to fly with a Gauntlet."
	  Lilja:
	  "That's right meow. We're all `sixes', nothing more to it meow meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "So, it's not like we're bringing anyone down. The `ones' just get weeded out on their own."
	  Chloe:
	  "...Is that true? ...Am I really...not bringing anyone else down...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "............"
	  Chloe:
	  "...I'm sorry, Koshka, Lilja. ...Again, I'm getting so negative, I don't even know what I'm saying..."
	  Lilja:
	  "You should up your meds a bit meow. If you take the right amount, you can be happy all the time, just like me meow meow!"
	  Lilja might have taken a slightly different amount of stimulants today.
	  She was acting even more hyper than usual.
	  Chloe, on the other hand, ...had apparently been born with a natural resistance to stimulants. So, unfortunately, a quick shot of drugs wasn't enough to make her suddenly happy.
	  Koshka:
	  "You aren't a `one', Chloe. For now, just relax and don't think about it."
	  Chloe:
	  "............"
	  Chloe:
	  "I'm so tired, I'm losing focus..."
	  Chloe:
	  "Thanks, Koshka."
	  "Chloe" has exited the room poyo!
	  Lilja:
	  "It's that part of her personality that got her sent to this crazy research center meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "...She sure has it rough."
	  Lilja:
	  "Well, you and I are the ones making it about three times rougher for her meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "...If the world's hard for Chloe to live in, but easy for broken people like us, ...then it's the world that's really screwed up. ...It would've been better if the Earth had been destroyed in World War III."
	  Lilja:
	  "It was meow. ...That's why this is the world of death after its destruction."
	  Koshka:
	  "So we're in the pits of hell?"
	  Lilja:
	  "I hope this world gets destroyed soon meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "I'll definitely destroy it... This screwed-up world..."
	  "Gunhild" has entered the room poyo!
	  Gunhild:
	  "Hi everyone. ...Where's Chloe?"
	  Lilja:
	  "You just missed her meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "...It's just her usual self-hatred. She needs to take more meds."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Poor thing."
	  Lilja:
	  "How was it on your end meow?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I guess you could say it was a nice meal. People who roll a six or a seven have it so easy, it's enough to make you jealous."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Chloooooeeeeeeeeee!!!"
	  
	  Chloe:
	  "E-Eeeep?!?! I-Instructor...?!?!"
	  She had never expected to run into Okonogi in a place like this. She was so surprised, she literally leapt to attention.
	   Okonogi briskly walked over to Chloe, who almost seemed to be in a state of suspended animation, like a frog being stared at by a snake. Then, he applied a running-start super ultra Okonogi chop to her head at a perfect angle!
	  Chloe:
	  "Ack!!
	  langen@^ Why＞＜?!
	  langen@/
	   That hurts, ouch, Instructooooooor...＞＜!!!"
	  
	  Okonogi:
	  "Seriously... What are you doing, slacking off in your training just because I'm not watching?!! I saw the whole thing from the monitor room! What do I keep telling you?!! If you're moping about, that means you aren't using your full strength!! When you're really, really giving it your all, you've got to empty your mind!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Your mind was wandering while you thought about something pointless, and you hesitated, right?! I can tell!! I can tell everything you're thinking by the way you hang your head, by the angle of your jaw!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I-I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, Instructoooooor＞＜!!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "I saw your scores for the few days since you came here, and they're pathetic!!! You're useless, you're scum, and your grades are all trash!!!"
	   *smack*
	   *clonk*,
	   *thwap*!!
	  langen@^ He chopped Chloe's head over and over again!
	  ...Her grades here hadn't actually been bad.
	  However, Okonogi yelled at her, saying they were completely horrible, and chopped her again and again
	   *smack*
	   *thwack*!!
	  Officer:
	  "Oh, Okonogi. So this is where you were. Could you translate for me again? ...Hey, isn't that the girl from before?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "She was training like a coward, so I decided to inject her with some fighting spirit, heheheh..."
	  Staff Member:
	  "Wh-What do you think you're doing?! Please don't interfere with development targets without permission! Corporal punishment against a target can disrupt their self-empowerment and-"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Shut up!!"
	  
	  Staff Member:
	  "Eeep?!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "If you give Chloe this kind of fancy training in this fancy institution, she'll never turn her cowardice into fighting spirit!! The best way to get her fired up is with a chop!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Ack＞＜!!
	  langen@/
	   Gyah＞＜!!
	  langen@/
	   Aggh!!＞＜!!!"
	  
	  Staff Member:
	  "Hey, st-stop that at once...! Physical punishment will damage her self-empowerment..."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Let's go, Chloe!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Huh, umm, wha-"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Koshka and Lilja are equipment from here, but not you, and this place isn't suited for you anyway! We're leaving!! Your fighting spirit's been led astray by worldly desires, but I'll beat it back into shape!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-Yes sir, Instructor...!!"
	  Staff Member:
	  "Y-You can't do that, Captain Okonogi...! Unless you follow the proper procedures-"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Listen up. This broken style of training might work for people who are already broken. Koshka and Lilja are basically broken problem children. They're both treated like equipment here, after all. So, go ahead and make use of them however you please."
	  Okonogi:
	  "...However, Chloe hasn't broken yet.
	   She isn't broken yet!
	   So, putting her through a broken training regime would be utterly pointless, you seeeeee?!!! You've gotta train her in a way that's not so cold-blooded, are you getting meeeeee?!!! Let's go, Chloe!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-Yes siiiiiir!! Instructooooooor!!"
	  Officer:
	  "I see Okonogi is still quite the hot-blooded demon instructor, hohoho."
	  Staff Member:
	  "Ah......nnngg........."
	  Okonogi:
	  "That's right. I've got one more thing to say to you."
	  Staff Member:
	  "...Wh-What is it......?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "It's true that Koshka and Lilja are your equipment. However, Grave Mole's training instructor is me, Okonogi Tetsurou! It's not just Chloe. Just you try screwing around with those two! I'll land one of my hot-blooded punishment chops on your head too!"
	  Staff Member:
	  ".........!!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "That's all!!! Let's go, Chloe!! One, two! One, two!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "R-Roger that, Instructor,
	   one, two! One, two...＞＜!!"
	  Officer:
	  "Hmm. Yes, I really do prefer Okonogi's methods, hohoho...!"
	  Lilja:
	  "So then I told them meow! I'm not your doll meow!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Did you actually say it with your mouth?"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'll bet she just said it in her head."
	  Lilja:
	  "I did say it with my mouth meow! I-I may have whispered a bit, but I said it with my mouth meoooow!"
	  Koshka:
	  "There's no way you said it with your mouth, pomogite."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Huh?"
	  Koshka:
	  "Ne...
	  trogayte, 
	  ostorozhno."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Koshka?"
	  Koshka:
	  "Izvinite,
	   izvinite,
	   iziziziz."
	  Lilja:
	  "Looks like Koshka's Kizuna is freaking out again meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "Vosemnadtsat, devyatnadtsat, dvad, dvdvdvaddvad."
	  Lilja:
	  "Ahahah, dvahdvahdvahdvah♪ That's hilarious meow. I'll record it so I can play it back and laugh at her later meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "Dvdvdvdv...
	   ............"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Sorry.
	   It suddenly got rough."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Are you okay?"
	  Koshka:
	  "Not...
	  exactly."
	  Lilja:
	  "Wanna call it a day? It's starting to get pretty rough on my end too meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "The guys today are sloppy...
	   The drugs have worn off and it's getting seriously-"
	  
	  "Koshka" has exited the room due to an error poyo.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Oh my."
	  Lilja:
	  "Let's call it a day then meow."
	  Gunhild:
	  "You do your best too, Lilja."
	  Lilja:
	  "You should be saying that to my doctors, not me meow. So, see you later, Gunhi-"
	  
	  #ffe08a"Lilja" has exited the room due to an error poyo.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...The difference between people who get to enjoy their youth and those who can't...is harsh."
	   "Koshka" has entered the room poyo
	   "Koshka" has exited the room due to an error poyo.
	   "Koshka" has entered the room poyo!
	   "Koshka" has exited the room due to an error poyo.
	   "Koshka" has entered the room poyo!
	  Koshka:
	  "Ostorozhno, ostorozhno, zhnozhnozhnonononononononono."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I think I'll head out too. ...Koshka, Lilja, take care..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Nonononononononononono."
	  "Gunhild" has exited the room poyo!
	  Now that's how you're supposed to leave a room poyo! I wish "Koshka" and "Lilja" would learn from her poyo!
	  Koshka:
	  "Nonononononononononono."
	  Nononononononononono.
	  Noonono, nonoonononono.
	  No.
	  ...Koshka's body lay on top of a bed.
	  However, this wasn't a bed for sleeping on.
	  Several harnesses were attached to it, and it was connected to various machines.
	  Men in airtight suits were staring at the various graphs being displayed on those machines.
	  As she lay on the bed, Koshka was naked.
	  They hadn't even given her a single piece of clothing to cover herself with.
	  However, ...her being naked was relatively unembarrassing. After all, at least her body was still covered by flesh.
	  Doctor:
	  "...Data transfer normal. It's still holding at the Madonna's Maximum Speed."
	  Doctor:
	  "The burden on the Pandora is increasing. Should we administer more painkiller?"
	  Doctor:
	  "No, wait. That'll add noise. I want to hold at the current rate."
	  Koshka's head...had been opened.
	  ...Her head, her bones, ...her blood vessels, nerves, and brain stem, ...her cerebrum, cerebellum and diencephalon...
	  All of them had been spread out from the inside so that they covered even more area than her body......
	  However, she wasn't the only one.
	  ...With her at the center, at least ten other girls had their heads opened up in the same way...
	  Only the lights of the machines' monitors...eerily lit the doctors who had entered this room with airtight suits.
	  Doctor:
	  "...Subjects 040 through 048 are still NULL."
	  Doctor:
	  "We've confirmed that 049 received a signal. The experiment's over for 048 and under. Dispose of them."
	  The lights disappeared around all but one of the girls, and they were swallowed by the darkness.
	  The remaining girl was apparently being made to reproduce something from inside Koshka's brain.
	  However, it didn't seem to be going smoothly.
	  The machines monitoring the girl designated as 049 began to sound alarms one after another.
	  And the pace of those alarms began to gradually increase...
	  Doctor:
	  "......049 is receiving the signal well. There's some noise, but it's minimal."
	  Doctor:
	  "The Pandora has been at the pain limit level for over a minute now."
	  Doctor:
	  "...We'll need the Director General's permission to continue the experiment any longer."
	  Doctor:
	  "How well is 049 receiving? What's the noise rate?"
	  Doctor:
	  "It's at 0.193. ...That's a good number, but..."
	  Doctor:
	  "No. That's a long way from our goal of 1.15... Suspend the experiment. Apply painkillers to the Pandora. It's up to the surgery team now."
	  Doctor:
	  "040 through 049 will be disposed of in accordance with the Human Rights Manual."
	  Doctor:
	  "12 seconds have passed since 040 through 049 were injected with hypnocine."
	  Doctor:
	  "Okay, that should be humane enough. Send them over to the examination department."
	  Kaclunk!!
	  langen@/
	   Loud metallic sounds rang out at once.
	  The beds of the girls surrounding Koshka delivered them into a gaping abyss.
	  Their faces hadn't even been stitched back together to resemble how they had looked in life...
	  Of course, none of those pitiful girls had volunteered to become specimens in this kind of experiment.
	  They had only volunteered because of their innocent dream of flying in the sky.
	  However, these applicants were all Greens.
	  The Blue candidates, who actually would be able to fly, ...had already been chosen when they were all fertilized eggs...
	  Doctor:
	  "Now administering painkillers. ...The Pandora has left the pain limit level."
	  Doctor:
	  "If we had another Pandora, I would've wanted to push through. It's too bad. Have we still not been able to find a spare?"
	  Doctor:
	  "Well, Pandora's Box was a gift from the gods, after all."
	  Doctor:
	  "Then I guess we can't expect to get a replacement for Miss Kitty here. We'll make good, precious use of you for a long time."
	  Koshka's bed automatically moved and disappeared through an automatic door.
	  It was heading towards the surgery department. ...There, her head would be put back together again.
	  By a 4D printer and robot arms.
	  They had already made a stock of Koshka's skulls using synthesized calcium...
	  Koshka:
	  "...Hggg.........agg......"
	  Koshka:
	  ".................."
	  Koshka:
	  "...The pain's finally died down..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Is anyone there......?"
	   "Lilja" has entered the room poyo
	   "Lilja" has exited the room due to an error poyo
	   "Lilja" has entered the room poyo
	   "Lilja" has exited the room due to an error poyo
	   "Lilja" has entered the room poyo!
	  Gaaaaaaaaahhh!! Learn how to leave the room properly already poyoooooo!!
	  Koshka:
	  "What are you doing...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Apuapuapuapuapuapuapua."
	  Koshka:
	  "Hahah, what the heck's that supposed to mean?"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I'll record it so I can play it back and laugh at her later."
	  Lilja:
	  "Petapetapetapeta, 
	  lopetapetapeta, petapetapetapetapetapetapeta..."
	  
	  Vier:
	  "Oh, Doctor. Heheheh, that new look really suits you."
	  The man she called "doctor" rubbed his head embarrassedly.
	  He apparently still wasn't used to the feel of it, like someone who had just changed their hairdo.
	  Vier:
	  "Even `translation', when done in excess, can be harmful to the body. How about a change in atmosphere? Would you like to take a walk with me...?"
	  The man had apparently been literally buried in a pile of thick, gorgeous books with antique bindings, reading constantly.
	  He would read one, then put it on the pile. Read another, then put it on the pile. And after they piled up into a tower, they fell over.
	  Apparently, those books were so interesting that he kept reading them, even after he had been buried.
	  Vier dragged the man out from there.
	  Even then, the man looked like he still wanted to read more.
	  But immediately, he realized that Vier was surely going to show him something interesting again.
	  Vier:
	  "Intriguing, aren't they? Those books by the best translators throughout history. ...They're all fellow captives of God's wisdom, just like us. The little things they noticed and their process of trial and error still contribute to our modern translation and discoveries."
	  Vier:
	  "Judging by the pile of books you read, I suppose you're interested in the eternal youth variety of immortality, yes? Heheheh, there's no need to be embarrassed. The ability to focus on one's greatest interest is one of the most important driving forces we have."
	  Vier:
	  "Eternal youth. ...It's a wonderful theme that we can never help but be entranced by. Several of our comrades have used all sorts of methods to try and translate the wisdom leading to that goal. If you're interested, they can guide you as well. Heheheheh......"
	  Eternal youth.
	  To remain young in body and mind, released from the bonds of death, living forever. It's one of humanity's ultimate dreams...
	  Vier:
	  "Our comrade in that room has been fascinated by the same dream. Why don't you go watch him? ...Oh, my mistake. I believe he got bored of that, and now he's working on translating teleportation. Instead of him, you should try the comrade in this room."
	  In every single room, ...they were researching super-technology that the outside world would have considered fantasy.
	   When they stood in front of one of the rooms, the automatic door opened with a soft sound.
	  Inside...was a chaotic mishmash of complicated, strange machines, plumbing, and power cords...
	  Vier:
	  "The 8MS he's currently using in his research is capable of making the human body forever young. On that point, at least, I believe his project has achieved success."
	  On a midair display was a bizarre figure that resembled a bacteriophage. It looked like an inorganic object, or maybe a robot, or maybe a lifeform. Or maybe none of those things.
	  Vier:
	  "It's strange. The closer we get to unraveling the mysteries of life, ...the more the form that takes shape seems to resemble something or other that God has already created. ...Heheh, it truly is intriguing."
	  Vier:
	  "What? If we can already create immortality, you want to give it a try? Heheheh, that's brave of you, but perhaps you had better wait until his project is complete."
	  Vier:
	  "It will make you immortal, but as a side effect, it will inflame the skin all over your body, give you pimples and blisters, wear out your whole body with fevers, and even impair your consciousness, or something like that. *giggle* It's still quite distant from what you were hoping for, yes?"
	  Vier:
	  "Even so, ...he certainly has succeeded in translating part of God's wisdom. ...When I think about his joy, it makes me jealous. Heheheheh. ...Still, where could he be? It's rare not to see him here."
	  Vier:
	  "Oh, ...that's where he was. Heheheh, I suppose we ought to leave him be."
	  Vier giggled as she left the room with the man who was following her...
	  ...On one of the pipes in the distant, distant back of that chaotic room, ...the room's owner had hung himself.
	  He didn't seem to have done it recently.
	  But, thanks to his magnificent 8MS, ...he was probably still alive......
	  Vier and the man went further and further down a large spiral stairway, ...descending into the abyss.
	  They reached the lowest level of this underground laboratory.
	  The spiral staircase ended in a massive ring-shaped catwalk.
	  Below that, ...it was pitch black.
	  The catwalk had fencing that went to about waist height. ...However, ...that was utterly unreassuring after viewing the abyss below them, which swirled down and was filled with an eerie black...
	  Girls:
	  ".................."
	  Vier:
	  "Don't mind him. We just came here for a walk."
	  Girls:
	  ".................."
	  The man hadn't thought anyone else would be there, so the sight of the girls left him unable to stand, as he reacted like a shocked child.
	  ...Those girls were the guards of this underground laboratory.
	  Their only job was to protect this sacred place, but it wasn't clear if they were really girls.
	  Once you experienced the way they felt like "something else" that only looked like girls, ...their mere presence would be enough to terrify you.
	  The girls once again erased all signs of their presence, fading into the darkness, ...but their gazes never left Vier.
	  Vier:
	  "This...is my favorite place. Please, look into the darkness beneath you."
	  Vier:
	  "That...is the type of wisdom being translated here, or perhaps that is still waiting to be translated, ...which grabs my heart the strongest. Heheheheh......"
	  The man peered into the darkness.
	  It was such a dark abyss that even doing this scared him.
	  However, as his eyes adjusted, ...he spotted something massive, which looked like a man-made object.
	  ...The thing, which seemed to lead down into a real abyss, or possibly the depths of hell itself, ...was a gigantic hatch.
	  Vier:
	  "What do you think...lies beyond that door...?"
	  Vier:
	  "Heheheh... Beyond that......lies the future. Literally, ...the future of a thousand years from now."
	  That was all Vier knew about what lay in the pit beneath them.
	  It had already been there when she first came here.
	  However, ...she didn't know who had translated it, or when.
	  Records that had been left behind had only told her of its existence...
	  Vier:
	  "According to the partial translation that remains, ...a twisted, isolated spacetime is sealed up in there."
	  She knew nothing of how it worked or what its significance was.
	  However, it was said that those depths held a completed product, whose translation had been finished...
	  Something was locked inside that hatch. ...And it was directly linked to the future a millennium from now.
	  Vier:
	  "In other words, ...the instant you go down that hatch, you'll time slip a thousand years into the future. Of course, unlike that failed Immortality 8MS you just saw, you'll be able to remain healthy, instantly time slipping a millenium ahead without melting away..."
	  In other words, ...it truly was...a door into the next millennium.
	  Vier:
	  "From what I can tell reading the remnants of the translation, rather than literally sending you a thousand years into the future, time within it apparently freezes for a thousand years. No, strictly speaking, the sections of spacetime on both sides are separated, and ......*mumble*mumble*.........  Well, in that sense, it really is fitting to call it a time capsule."
	  Vier:
	  "We're talking about a thousand years. Beyond there lies unknown civilizations, unknown arts, unknown knowledge. Heheheh, isn't that a dream? Just imagining those things is what I love most. ...Though, some of our dreamless comrades say that humanity will probably have been destroyed a thousand years from now. *giggle*"
	  ...This time capsule hadn't been activated yet.
	  It was still empty on the inside.
	  Since someone had made it, it must have been done to send something a thousand years into the future.
	  So, what was supposed to be inside there?
	  That much...hadn't been translated yet...
	  Vier:
	  "It's a thousand-year gift box, created by the wisdom of God. ...What in the world belongs in there...? A person...? A thing...? Knowledge...? Or will it stay there empty for a thousand years? ...If humanity of the future opened it, with high hopes for what's inside, would they despair when they found out it was empty? *giggle* That's another thing that's fun to imagine. ...*giggle*giggle*giggle*......"
	  The man with Vier, disturbed by the darkness beneath them, kept on rubbing his head, seemingly unable to calm down.
	  ...The top of his head...looked as though it had been sliced horizontally through the center of his forehead...and was completely flat.
	  Maybe he found rubbing his flat head amusing, because he giggled nervously and kept rubbing it over and over...
	  
	  Whether it's school or the military...
	  Young people are sometimes forced to do the unpaid work of listening to old people talk about boring stuff.
	  Jayden:
	  "Aaaaaahhh...! My ass hurts so much...! So do my shoulders! Why are those chairs so hard?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Rather than studying, it's more like training for how to withstand economy-class syndrome."
	  Miyao:
	  "And before Selcom, you wouldn't even have been able to kill time or record it, right? ...That really would be hell."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I guess it just means that old humanity was good at being patient."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hard to tell if humanity's advanced or regressed, huh? *yaaaawn*..."
	  However, the advancement of technology was now starting to win against the boredom of listening to old people talk.
	  Old people proudly claimed that modern kids were slacking off and had no spirit, going on and on about what it was like in their day.
	  However, even when it looked like those young people were sincerely listening to them, they were actually chatting away happily in mental rooms.
	  How is that not a win-win situation...?
	  But, even if they could win against the boredom, apparently no technology had yet been invented that could stop the butt from hurting after sitting on a hard chair.
	  Jayden:
	  "Anyway, let's go somewhere we can sit down. Otherwise, my butt's never gonna unflatten itself."
	  Miyao:
	  "Today, you're gonna take us to that store your friend's running. Right, Gunhild?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Yes. I hope you two like them."
	  Miyao and the other Gauntlet Knights were soldiers who served in the military, but they were also students who hadn't yet reached adulthood.
	  Though they underwent strict military training, they were also guaranteed enough time and privileges to enjoy their youths.
	  So, while they stood at the front lines of their nations' defenses, they were also able to have daily lives just like normal students...
	  Of course, they only got these privileges because they were elites with cutting-edge tech who defended their countries.
	  Jayden:
	  "Gunhild's friends are amazing, managing to set up a store in Neo Akihabara. Isn't it pretty expensive here?"
	  Now searching real estate prices in the area poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "No, no, you don't have to search it. I can imagine how high it gets."
	  Gunhild:
	  "More than it being expensive, it's hard to even find a property to buy. And besides, if you look at small buildings in back alleys, you can rent a spot for a price that's not too unreasonable."
	  On this day, the Warcats had been taken to a study center near Neo Akihabara.
	  It was a really boring `job', where they were forced to listen to veeery precious words of wisdom from old people with lofty titles.
	  Afterwards, they figured that since they had come to Neo Akihabara, they might as well wander around. Then, Gunhild had told them that some friends of hers had opened a store nearby, and she offered to take them there.
	  Miyao:
	  "You really have a lot of friends, don't you?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheh, you think so?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah. No matter where we go or what we're talking about, you always have friends there, right?"
	  Jayden:
	  "When you've got that many, how do you not mix them up? Isn't it rough, getting mail from and going into virtual rooms with all sorts of friends all day long?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Isn't being able to easily do things like that what makes parallel processors so great?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, ...when I'm talking to someone, I'll sometimes have a conversation with other friends in a mental room at the same time, but I feel a bit guilty about it."
	  Miyao:
	  "Isn't that fine, as long as you don't post to the wrong chat?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, when someone's talking to you about something serious, and you're having fun playing a shooting game with a different friend in a mental room, ...doesn't that feel mean?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Jayden, you usually act like you're so outrageous, but some of the time, you can be surprisingly commonsensical, or should I say detail-obsessed."
	  Jayden:
	  "Shut up. I get that I'm a guy whose good looks are wasted by my lack of communication skills."
	  Miyao:
	  "I hate people who call themselves good-looking."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, well... I don't dislike the fact that you're concerned about little things like that."
	  Jayden:
	  "I see. Thanks, Meow."
	  Miyao:
	  "No, that was me talking!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh, uh, really? I thought every kind thing you ever said came from Meow."
	  Jayden:
	  "After all, Miyao's always strict whenever he talks, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "You're pissing me off,
	   pissing me off
	   There's no way I'll ever say kind things about you again, okay...?!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, don't start pouting, seriously. You really are cute, Miyao."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheh. I'd appreciate it if you'd save the lovers' quarrels for when you're alone."
	  The store was in a back alley two rows back from the gaudy main street.
	  Though you could hear the bustle and electronic sounds from Neo Akihabara, it did feel just a bit calmer.
	  After entering one of the buildings that rented out spaces and were thin like sliced cheese, they climbed up 4 short stories...and were at the shop.
	  Owner:
	  "Welcome. Hey, Gunhild! You actually came!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Long time no see! You look well! I'm so glad!"
	  Owner:
	  "Oh, you even brought your friends?! Come on in, sit down!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "How's the store doing? Off to a good start?"
	  Owner:
	  "A whole bunch of our supporters in Japan came. Now we just need to wait for it to spread by word-of-mouth!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "That's ＃％＆＆!!　＄＃＄＄ would gladly ％＠＝＃!!　％＃＜＄!!!"
	  That was too fast and slangy for me to translate poyooo.
	  It looked very strange to see Gunhild and the female owner, who was wearing a cyclops mask and maid clothes, chatting together excitedly...
	  Jayden:
	  "...Wow. I've never seen Gunhild get so fired up and talk so fast."
	  Miyao:
	  "They're siblings of the same age, apparently. They've been in touch, but they haven't actually met for 10 years, it seems."
	  Jayden:
	  "...Siblings, huh? I wonder how my siblings are doing."
	  Miyao:
	  "I thought the great Supergenius Jayden hated having company on his lonely walk down Genius Lane."
	  Jayden:
	  "...I guess...you've got a point there."
	  Jayden:
	  "With my excellent grades, I kept passing up other people in my age group and classes, always so eager to reach the top. ...I just kept running straight forward, without ever thinking about siblings or friends, until I ended up here."
	  It was only recently that Jayden had recognized that fault, and had started renewing his old friendships with some of his siblings.
	  Even so, he was still estranged from many of them.
	  He sometimes regretted that he'd been self-absorbed with the idea that he was a supergenius, and that this had caused him to neglect his sibling relationships.
	  ...Miyao felt that he'd screwed up a bit.
	  He'd offhandedly told Jayden "I bet you were a loner", and it had turned out to be right.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Tch."
	  Miyao:
	  "N-Now, ...you've got me, so you aren't a loner anymore."
	  Jayden:
	  "...Y-Yeah, you're right! Thanks, Miyao!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I-It's not like that... That was Meow just now..."
	  Jayden:
	  "No, that one was definitely you, Miyao
	   I love it when you act nice every once in a while!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Let go,
	   stop ruffling my hair!"
	  Owner:
	  "Those two certainly are close."
	  Gunhild:
	  "They're so happy together."
	  Poyo! Your current location is the costume cafe "Monster Party" poyo!
	  Rating: ★★★★★, Safety: ★★★☆☆, Cleanliness: ★★★☆☆
	  It hasn't been open very long, so it doesn't have many ratings poyo! Make sure you take that into account poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Ooh. ...Cool. Is this a CRT TV?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Probably just looks like one on the outside."
	  Owner:
	  "Oh, it's the real thing. We got it via crowdfunding, which kept us waiting quite some time."
	  In this era of mental displays, everyone assumed that TV monitors from the old era had been all but eliminated.
	  However, no matter the era, you'll always find collectors who love old technology.
	  Gunhild:
	  "You can really sense that everyone's watching the same thing. That's why I like old displays."
	  Miyao:
	  "I know what you mean. It's nice when it feels like you're all watching it together."
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah, I get that. I love that stuff too."
	  Jayden:
	  "No matter how boring the show is, it can still be kinda fun."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey, look. Just because you said that, they've started playing something boring."
	  Owner:
	  "Should I turn it off?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheh, there's an urban legend that says they leave a mark on your record whenever you turn off a government broadcast."
	  Jayden:
	  "I never heard anything like that."
	  Miyao:
	  "If they flag you for turning off the TV during government broadcasts, I would've been sent to jail a dozen times over."
	  In the AOU, all channels were forced to show government broadcasts at a specified time every day.
	  In almost all cases, these were used to highlight the ways life in the AOU was better than it had been before.
	  In the B3W world, propaganda broadcasts like that were hated and likened to brainwashing or something out of a dystopia.
	  ...However, the flood of broadcasts criticizing the current state of affairs in the B3W world...had also encouraged global paranoia.
	  Everything from the weather, to health, to atopic dermatitis, to even troubles with luck and romance...was blamed on corruption in one's own government.
	  So, naturally, people all over the world were unsatisfied with their living conditions, and this formed a decently strong motive for emigration.
	  At the same time, the countries accepting immigrants tended to blame them for everything bad that was going on. This led to increasing discontent towards their own governments for not taking a harder line on immigration, and eventually the rise of far-right groups.
	  With time, these became triggers for cultural clashes, which opened the door for World War III...
	  Perhaps in an attempt to atone for this, broadcasters in all countries in all factions of the A3W world were forced to include broadcasts that would raise the happiness index.
	  Narrator:
	  "Happiness is like spring sunshine. If you take it for granted, it's very hard to realize how precious it is. ...Why not stop for a moment and reflect on the happiness in your life?"
	  Narrator:
	  "Have you heard the phrase `going on a journey to find yourself'?"
	  Narrator:
	  "In our AOU, this phrase has long since passed into obscurity, but it's still used to this day in the other factions."
	  Narrator:
	  "It means `to find what your strengths are by trial and error'. Young people in the other factions don't know what their natural-born strengths are, so they're forced to spend most of their lives finding them by trying out one thing after another."
	  People are born with all sorts of individual traits.
	  They think of ways to best take advantage of their traits, designing the optimal lives for themselves.
	  However, individual traits aren't always a positive thing.
	  Sadly, some are hard to make use of in society, and some can even become a burden.
	  Some traits that can be easily seen, like those that come with physical penalties, were given humanity's support from very early on.
	  But it's also true that a large number of people never received any support, either because their traits were hard to recognize visually, or else because they were seen as the result of an evil mind.
	  Miyao:
	  "After all, traits that stem from the brain are still misunderstood by lots of people."
	  Jayden:
	  "If you look at it that way, we really are living in a nice era."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Yeah. ...A genetic test is performed as soon as there's a fertilized egg, so all your strengths and weaknesses are known before birth."
	  Narrator:
	  "In the AOU, birth management and genetic testing make it possible for us to know all of a child's talents before they're born, as well as allowing us to guide them and prepare a suitable job and lifestyle for them."
	  Narrator:
	  "Positive traits are given opportunities to distinguish themselves even more, while negative traits are given the support they need. Young people in the AOU are able to live the most suitable lifestyle for themselves, without having to spend half their lives searching for themselves."
	  Narrator:
	  "When youths in the other factions go on their self-searching journeys, it takes an average of 24 years. And even this number includes people who eventually gave up on finding their true strengths, rather than discovering them. Most young people around the world are still suffering, still ignorant of their real talents."
	  Miyao:
	  "In the B3W world, that was apparently totally normal..."
	  Jayden:
	  "It must've been a tough era, ...having to spend most of your life searching for what you're good and not good at."
	  Miyao:
	  "...There were probably also a lot of people who never found out what they were good at...and who died believing they were incompetent."
	  Gunhild:
	  "In that sense, we do live in a wonderful era."
	  Owner:
	  "Then again, ...I do like the sound of `going on a journey to find yourself'."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Yeah. People in the B3W world were always able to hope that they had unknown talents sleeping inside them. But now, you can't have dreams like that."
	  Narrator:
	  "As a result, all citizens of the AOU can work the jobs they're best suited for, living wonderful lives without wandering about or wasting their youths."
	  Narrator:
	  "Of course, the genes you're born with don't determine everything about your life. The AOU always gives people of all occupations opportunities to learn or change professions. To live is to work. Finding a job that makes the best use of your abilities is one of the happiest forms of living the AOU provides."
	  Narrator:
	  "We offer all youths a future where they'll have the greatest chance to shine. --AOU."
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, people in the past probably would've thought it was pretty nosy, having someone else decide your whole future for you."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's just people going through a rebellious phase. You know, when you want to do the opposite of what people tell you to do."
	  Miyao:
	  "When I was first told to go to military school, I absolutely hated the idea."
	  Jayden:
	  "What did you want to be at the time?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...A cat video uploader."
	  Gunhild:
	  "A video uploader?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Who only does cat videos?"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right, got a problem with that? I took a shot at it with the Job Experience Simulator, ended up with a D grade, and cried and cried until I gave up. ...Okay, I get that I totally underestimated how hard a job being a video uploader is."
	  Owner:
	  "Your dreams were crushed by the Simulator? You shouldn't have worried about that. They say those always give you bad grades. I mean, do you know what job aptitude grade Gunhild got for becoming a Gauntlet Knight?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I got a C."
	  Jayden:
	  "Seriously?! You went from that to where you are now?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "What the hell, that means simulator grades are totally worthless! I should've ignored them and become a cat video uploader!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheh. Fate isn't something you're given, it's something you forge for yourself."
	  Miyao:
	  "Tch. Instead of obediently following the rails set before me, I should've tried living life like I pleased."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, there's one thing I can say for sure as your partner. No matter what you tried to do, whether you got an A or a B or a D, you were definitely fated to become a Gauntlet Knight , the strongest man in the sky, and my partner."
	  Miyao:
	  "Tch. I hope you know your aptitude for being my partner is only about a C."
	  Jayden:
	  "Heheheheh. The fact you didn't give me a D makes it clear how much you love me as a partner, Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "Sssssssss
	  shhut up! Stop clinging to me! You're creeping me out!! You're treating me like a girl again, aren't you?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I-I am not! It's normal for two guys to act like this!"
	  Miyao:
	  "No way, that's not how two guys act, it was gross! You were definitely treating me like a girl!"
	  Jayden:
	  "H-Hey, cut that out... I get that you have an inferiority complex, but don't take it out on me. If you're sensitive about the fact that you've got no muscles, just admit it and work out more-"
	  Miyao:
	  "I-
	  I-I-
	  Inferiority compleeex?!
	  langen@^ What are you talking about?! Wh-When did I ever say I had an inferiority complex 'cause I've got no muscles?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Owwww, ouch, ouch!!
	  langen@^ Don't scratch me, don't pinch me, this is exactly what having an inferiority complex means!"
	  Was their relationship good or bad? Their arms were wrapped around each other as they tried to strangle each other.
	  Of course, from the sidelines, it just looked like they were flirting.
	  Meow:
	  "You do have a complex! You interpret everything Jayden does like that because you're sensitive about the fact that you're weak, right?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey, it's not like I-"
	  Meow:
	  "You're gonna say it's because I wouldn't like having a muscular body, right?! Choosing not to exercise is your decision to make, okay?! You don't like being slender, but you hate exercising, and you hate weight training! And when that makes you feel bad, you take it out on Jayden!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm not taking it out on anyone!
	   Owow, ooowwww!!"
	  
	  Miyao and Meow started grabbing at each other with their left and right arms, pinching their face and so on.
	  Having two personalities in one body really keeps them busy, and it's always amusing to watch...
	  In the end, Meow won and Miyao withdrew. In the first place, they had already agreed to switch places at the end of their study session.
	  Meow:
	  "I'm sorry you had to see that, Jayden. Thanks for waiting!"
	  Jayden:
	  "S-Sure. ...Still, I can't help but be surprised. Just by switching over to Meow, it's like your whole face has changed..."
	  Meow:
	  "Gunhild, congrats on making it through that study session! I love your friend's shop. Those monster masks are adorable."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Thanks for coming along with me. It's all right if you two head off and have some fun now."
	  Jayden:
	  "Are you sure? We only just arrived..."
	  Owner:
	  "Don't worry about it. Thanks for coming over to play. If you don't mind, please talk about us on Kizuna, hashtag included."
	  Meow:
	  "Sure, we'll do that. We'll see you again!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Put my meal and Meow's on my card. I'll add a tip too."
	  Meow:
	  "Thanks, but we'll split the bill! I'll use my card too. And I'll also add a big tip."
	  Owner:
	  "I'm grateful, but don't you think this is a bit much?"
	  Jayden:
	  "No, not at all. It's not like there's much we can spend money on."
	  Thanks again poyo! I'll give you a stamp for visiting this shop poyo!
	  Was it a good shop poyo? If it was, make sure to support them with a tip poyo!
	  Cha-ching! Thanks for your tip poyooo!!
	  Meow:
	  "Thanks for the meal. Gunhild, thanks for telling us about this wonderful shop!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Catch you later. And thanks for adding on a tip."
	  Jayden:
	  "Okay, sorry for heading out early. Bye!"
	  Looking apologetic for leaving Gunhild behind, the two of them left the store.
	  Owner:
	  "Those two certainly seem happy. ...That's quite the tip they gave us."
	  Gunhild rested her chin on her hands over the counter, sighed deeply but quietly, and then raised her head.
	  ...Her expression seemed slightly different than usual.
	  Gunhild:
	  "They're high and mighty Gauntlet Knights, after all. Of course they have more money than they know what to do with."
	  Owner:
	  "You think so? I never heard of you having more money than you know what to do with, Gun. ...I'm kidding, just kidding."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...For Gauntlet Knights, food, clothing, shelter, and even fringe benefits all come free. Pretty amazing, huh? Seriously, no matter what they do, it's always free. ...So, they keep stockpiling more and more money. And hell, they could even live their lives without really using any of it. ...What a sweet deal those super-aristocrats get."
	  Owner:
	  "It amazes me every time I hear it. To think that in this day and age, there are people who can go through life without ever thinking about money. I'm jealous of that passionate couple."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's not like they've done anything wrong. They were just lucky enough to be born with good talent and genes, I guess. ...They must've done something incredibly good in their previous lives, ...so God told them it was okay for their next lives to be a bonus stage." 
	  Owner:
	  "I don't feel like I belong in a bonus stage, ...but this town really is one. That's the first thing I thought when I got here. The air's so clean."
	  Gunhild:
	  "The air here's clean because they use incredibly high-quality Spiritium. Once you've tasted it, you won't be able to go back to your old city..."
	  Owner:
	  "I agree. I don't want to go back. It gives me shivers to think I was living in air that smelly without even noticing it."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Still, ...until you came here, you breathed it without caring at all."
	  Owner:
	  "That's true... ...Now, I'm grateful. Thanks for not telling me how nice the air was here."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I never told you all about anything. ...Probably because I didn't want anyone getting depressed. But I can finally get this off my chest. ...Now that I've finally got siblings in the same city as me."
	  Owner:
	  "Both Maja and I are extremely grateful to you, Gun. If you hadn't supported us with money, we never would've been able to come here. ...You gave so much. And to everyone..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Don't worry about it. ...I just wanted siblings in this city so I had someone to complain to."
	  Owner:
	  "Thanks. But we want to complain too. Only Maja and I studied seriously and gave it our all. When everyone else received your money, ...they just thought it was natural for the successful one to send some of it their way..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "............ ...It doesn't bother me."
	  Gunhild:
	  "A city like that...would corrupt anyone. ...Us crawling up this far was an exception among exceptions. ...They'll all be stuck in that city of losers until they rot and then die."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...They'll paralyze their minds with apps and drift through life, only vaguely conscious. ...Before they know it, they'll get fat on junk food, have problems with their organs, ...and amazingly quickly and suddenly...die while still 30 to 40 years old..."
	  Owner:
	  "And even living like that...felt like a little bit of happiness back when we were there. ...The AOU certainly is a terrifying place to live."
	  Gunhild:
	  "You either need excellent genes from the time you're a fertilized egg, or enough fighting spirit to crawl out of the trash heap. ...If you're in the vast majority that doesn't have either, ...you've gotta suck up to the rich, becoming their food so you can barely scrape by. ...And if you can't do that, you'll live life in a daze and get fatter and fatter..."
	  Owner:
	  "And you'll grumble complaints about all the mental games you're playing...until the alcohol and obesity kill you."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Has this faction gone insane? Or are they all happy, ...and we're the only ones who're screwed up?"
	  Owner:
	  "............"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Are these feelings...something we need to never forget? Or something we should leave behind as soon as we can? ...I...don't know yet..."
	  Owner:
	  "...I want to forget about it. ...If it were possible, I'd want to forget about everything that happened in that city. I'd rather pretend that I lived here from the start..."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Gunhild:
	  "By the way, ...have you been in touch with Maja lately?"
	  Owner:
	  "No, I haven't seen her recently either. And, Kizuna isn't marking the messages I send as having been read. ...I suppose she's still giving it her all, hoping to become a true Gauntlet Knight like you, Gun."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, you probably have it roughest when you're still just a trainee."
	  Owner:
	  "I was sure it'd be you who first got in contact with her, but I guess not."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, she did ask me a lot of questions before her exams. ...Still, in the end, there's nothing you can do except have faith in your own strength."
	  Officially, there were no age restrictions for Gauntlet Knight tests, but practically speaking, there were.
	  The most valuable talent for a Gauntlet Knight was parallel processing ability.
	  The PP training used to hone that ability was more effective the younger you were. So, once you reached a certain age, it apparently wouldn't grow at all.
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'll bet Maja's thinking there'll be no hope left for her if she doesn't pass this time. ...She's got to be pushing herself hard and focusing on that alone."
	  Owner:
	  "It would be wonderful if the next time we hear from her, it'll be so she can tell us that she passed."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Yeah."
	  Owner:
	  "People usually misunderstand Maja because she looks so cute, but she really is a lot like a boy. I'm sure she's incredibly well-suited to being a soldier."
	  Gunhild:
	  "At first, I was absolutely sure Maja would become a Gauntlet Knight before me."
	  Owner:
	  "Heheheheh. I thought the same thing."
	  Gunhild:
	  "She's probably the person who dreamed most about being a Gauntlet Knight. ...I'm sure I wouldn't have made it to where I am now if I hadn't been influenced by her passion."
	  Gunhild:
	  "So, ...I was pretty worried that I might've hurt Maja's pride, becoming a Gauntlet Knight before her."
	  Owner:
	  "There was no need to. When you did it, no one was happier than Maja. If anything, she was even more excited, thinking that she'd be able to pass the next time if she could get a few tips from you."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I told her a few things, ...but in the end, this sort of thing always comes down to your own strength. ...The world of Gauntlet Knights is filled with monsters. There's a ton of natural-born geniuses, who never had to suffer their entire lives, but who still hate to lose."
	  Owner:
	  "Like that happy couple from before?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "They are monsters. Natural-born ones. ...They never had to really push themselves since the time of their births, ...but they can still do anything. In the same way that most people never have to learn how to breathe or blink, ...they understand how to use the Reaper's Eye as if it were natural. And, they can leap from the top of Super Tokyo Tower as if they're putting on sandals to go take a walk."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Those are the kinds of people fighting over those Gauntlets. ...If a C-grade wants their dreams to come true, of course they'll have to work hard and suffer to their absolute limits. And even then, ...they still have to pray for a miracle."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Maja was working hard and suffering to her limit too. ...So, now there's nothing to do but pray for a miracle."
	  Owner:
	  "...You're right."
	  Owner:
	  "Still, Maja is so likable. Once she sneaks past that exam, she might make it big even faster than you, Gun."
	  Gunhild:
	  "She looks like the kind of person who's good at getting her way, but she actually the type that overworks themselves. I imagine she'd still have it rough even after becoming a Gauntlet Knight, so I'm a bit worried for her."
	  Owner:
	  "It'll be all right. Maja...is much better at that sort of thing than we are."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I guess so. ...Men love women like that. I wish I were attractive like that, particularly to middle-aged men. Hahaha."
	  Owner:
	  "............"
	  Owner:
	  "...Hey, Gun?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "What is it?"
	  Owner:
	  "...If you brought me to this city so I could listen to you complain, ...then you wouldn't mind listening to my complaints too, right...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Spit it out. You have the right, and of course, so does Maja."
	  Owner:
	  ".........Well, you know..."
	  She was wearing a monster mask, so it was impossible to see her expression.
	  However, you could tell by the tone of her voice.
	  ...You could hear her moan...as she tried to dig out a thorn that had been stuck in her heart for a long, long time...
	  Owner:
	  "Gun, ...you did...suffer...like Maja and I did, ...right?"
	  How could anyone who pulled themselves up by their bootstraps not have suffered?
	  ...No, she was asking this...despite being fully aware of that fact.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I got a C grade too, right? A C in my Gauntlet Knight aptitude score. ...In training, equipment, teaching materials, assistance and support, the A students were always given priority. ...Unless I suffered in a way the A students never did, ...I wouldn't even have had a chance to study."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Just now, ...you said you wanted to forget all about the old city, right? ...I feel the same way."
	  Gunhild:
	  "In my case in particular, ...in order to crawl towards becoming a Gauntlet Knight, ...in order to grasp any chance I could without worrying about anything else, ...I was forced to frantically suffer day after day. ...I want to forget that part alone, to scrape it away."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I want to open my skull right now...and rub my brains all over the asphalt to get rid of it. ...I want to take all those things that only people who crawl out of the trash ever know...and forget them completely..."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...For today, I suggest we up our meds by two pills more than normal."
	  Owner:
	  "I see... I'm sorry, ...but thanks."
	  Owner:
	  "Knowing that I'm not the only one suffering...makes me feel a little better..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "You...should create a new self in this city too."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you want to cut yourself off from a painful past, creating a new `you' is a very effective way to do it."
	  Owner:
	  "...I'm so grateful to both of you."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Jayden:
	  "Everything sucks in this world, but when you walk with your head held high, it can be pretty fun."
	  Meow:
	  "I don't think good and evil exist in this world. You might say it's like a mirror."
	  Jayden:
	  "If people who are feeling dark look at it, the world looks dark."
	  Meow:
	  "And when people who always have brightness in their hearts look at it, I'm sure it makes the world brighter."
	  Jayden:
	  "The news keeps talking about dark stuff, saying there might be another war, but if that makes us turn gloomy too, the world will be wrapped in darkness!"
	  Meow:
	  "That's right! And anyway, you're cutest when you're smiling, Jayden."
	  Jayden:
	  "Seriously? If that's how you feel, I'll grin whenever you're around, Meow!"
	  Meow:
	  "When you're talking to big brother, you had better hold back, or else he'll start sulking again. Apparently, he feels as though I've stolen away his beloved friend, and he's jealous."
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? He really thinks that?! What the heck...?! That Miyao's so cute. Don't I always tell him that he's the only person who could be my perfect buddy?"
	  Meow:
	  "I know. If he could just accept how much you like him, and just honestly respond in kind, I think he'd be even cuter."
	  Jayden:
	  "If Miyao hears you saying that, he'll be pissed."
	  Meow:
	  "I know! If only he'd smile more."
	  Jayden:
	  "If he did, the world would be brighter and happier."
	  In the highest-ranked area near the center of the city, there was always some sort of party going on in the ultra high-class hotels.
	  The reasons for them and the groups holding them were always different, ...but the main participants were never young.
	  As usual, all the main participants in the party on this floor were middle-aged, fat men...
	  In a waiting room, where you could faintly hear an elegant, live musical performance coming from the party hall, a plump high military official was snoring on a sofa.
	  After having his fill of high-grade wine and being doted on by secondary secretaries, he was now likely having sweet dreams.
	  However, his chest was exposed, and several electrodes had been attached to him, including at the nape of his neck, all of which were attached to several cords.
	  Those cords were connected to a laptop sitting on the lap of another man...
	  Selcom technology transformed the human brain itself into a hard drive.
	  In other words, it turned VIPs into walking hard drives.
	  If you wanted to steal what was inside, ...you had to directly access those walking hard drives.
	  Once, hackers were able to elegantly sift through the world's secrets in front of their own machine in their own homes, but in the A3W world, hackers were once again forced to rely on the methods of classic spies...
	  Decrypting, decrypting. The files are being decrypted one by one poyo.
	  Toujirou:
	  "...All right, little buddy. You can do it..."
	  The decryption software processed one vital, classified file after another.
	  He was saying that classic phrase, which you can't help but say while watching a slowly expanding progress bar as files are being unpacked.
	  Decrypting, decrypting. The files are being decrypted one by one poyo.
	  However, another window that looked like an EKG was flashing yellow, warning that some sort of danger was approaching.
	  It indicated the estimated time before the snoring officer woke up.
	  Still, this pig really is packed to the brim with cholesterol poyo. I'd rather calculate the sleep time of a cute girl poyo.
	  Toujirou:
	  "No arguments here. I'd rather hack a G-cup beauty's boobs than an old man's head."
	  *keekekekekero*kero*!
	  Sorry for the wait poyo! All files have been successfully decrypted poyo!
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Good work, Keropoyo. Please keep checking Mr. Cholesterol's remaining sleep time."
	  Roger that poyo! Also, I'd prefer if it you'd wipe those electrodes clean poyo!
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hahaha. I'll clean them with the finest alcohol swabs money can buy..."
	  Windows opened one after another on the monitor, displaying the contents of various files...
	  Toujirou watched this, feeling like a prophet in a fantasy world staring at a crystal ball.
	  Toujirou:
	  "...These files show what's going to happen next in this world. ...This really is...the world's future..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "The only shame...is that the world's future doesn't lie with the young, but inside the head of an ugly old man who's practically a lump of bad health."
	  While speaking sarcastically, Toujirou used both his mental Selcom keyboard and the real keyboard beneath his fingertips to rapidly copy the files...
	  As soon as he copied everything, the window marking the time remaining before the officer woke up turned red and blinked. Time was up.
	  Poyopoyopoyo! He's waking up poyo!
	  Toujirou:
	  "Okay, we made it somehow."
	  Toujirou quickly tore off the electrodes attached to the man's neck and put his laptop away.
	  When the man let out a pathetic sound like `nngah' and finally woke...
	  Toujirou was handing him a glass of ice water, acting as though he had been worried until a second ago.
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "Nnnn, ...my alcohol tolerance has gotten so low. When did it get this bad?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "You probably should've paced yourself a bit. How do you feel? Should I call for a car?"
	  Senior Military Official:
	  "No, no, there's no need! After taking a quick nap, I'm feeling right as rain! And my head's cleared up too! Let's get back to drinking, Toujirou, wahahahaha!"
	  The officer happily put his arm over Toujirou's shoulder, and they returned to the party.
	  When they opened the door, a thick heat and vulgar, drunken laughter poured out at them.
	  Now that Toujirou had finished his job, there was nothing forcing him to stay at this party.
	  ...It was the sort of party that an onlooker might easily have been jealous of.
	  However, though Toujirou kept an adult's smile on his face, he cursed inside his heart.
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "I've been to lots of parties, ...but never to a banquet as ugly as this one."
	  The hall's decorations were solemn, as you'd expect from a party for dignified executives.
	  However, the sweaty heat that filled it, the vulgar laughs of the men, and the flirtatious voices of the women...turned this into a world that was the exact opposite of dignified...
	  The men were all older, stout high military officers. Their plump chests and arms and their overflowing double chins eloquently spoke for their unhealthy lifestyles.
	  And, they weren't just high-ranking officers. ...They had all made use of their ranks to start side-businesses that earned them far more than their normal pay.
	  These dignified individuals made a hobby of going from crazy party to crazy party, squandering the money that they couldn't find any other use for.
	  On the other hand, the women were all young and well-proportioned.
	  However, unlike the men, they didn't wear military uniforms or jangling medals.
	  On the contrary, ...just the women were all wearing swimsuits that exposed so much skin, you might call it obscene.
	  Officially, this party was a training session for important military officers.
	  Naturally, only members of the military were allowed to attend. So, ...all the women here were also members of the military.
	  They were military secretaries. Also known as `secondary secretaries'.
	  Poyo! Now running a search on "secondary secretaries" poyo!
	  Search complete! The term "secondary secretary" refers to female secretaries chosen by perverted old men who want to be waited upon by babes poyo.
	  I've found 13,400 adult videos with the tag "secondary secretary" poyo! Would you like to view them poyo? *keekekero*kero*
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Thanks. Give me the links starting with the highest rated."
	  I'll also download some lovely female frog humiliation ovulation action for you poyo!
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "...I guess it never hurts to have some fried frog with salt and green onions to go with your drink."
	  In short, ...secondary secretaries were basically mistresses that military leaders were allowed to go around with officially.
	  Maybe they would have been better off as mistresses. Most of them had signed one-sided mistress contracts, in exchange for financial support and a guaranteed standard of living.
	  Young people always want to succeed, to grasp hold of any chance that comes their way.
	  However, in the AOU, where people were sorted out by the government, whether you succeeded or not was already decided when you were a fertilized egg.
	  If those who weren't chosen wanted to reach that same position of success, ...then, naturally, there wouldn't be any spots left.
	  If you still wanted to grasp a rare opportunity and crawl your way up there, you couldn't afford to be picky...
	  So, they would select young girls who matched their tastes from this pool of youths... They would offer them financial support and good treatment, or else a job as a military secretary, albeit a secondary one, which promised a more-than-stable income...
	  ...If the girls were too young to know how the world worked, they might still be able to refuse.
	  They still had faith in their own talent. So, they certainly wouldn't sell their bodies and souls...
	  However, ...once these people, who had been born as babies unloved by the government, began to realize how much determination and sacrifice it took to keep living in this gaudy city, ...it might have become harder to refuse...
	  Toujirou:
	  "......What's this world coming to?"
	  Simply put, ...the only point of this party was for those men, each of whom had acquired several secondary secretaries with their money and positions, to show them off to each other in an utterly immoral way.
	  On sofas here and there, men were obscenely groping the young girls' bodies.
	  The girls themselves drew close to the men unhesitatingly, frantically trying to flatter them.
	  Their tragic desire to remain in this city, to never return to that smelly old city, to remain alive...was painfully obvious just watching them from here...
	  It was a scene of the young who wanted to survive...having their feelings and bodies devoured by blobs of flesh who had no intention of contributing anything to humanity or society.
	  Toujirou pushed down the feelings inside his heart, acting as though he was enjoying this scene while slightly drunk...
	  High Military Officials:
	  "Toujirou, stop standing around over there and join us! Wahahahaha!!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "No, no, I'm enjoying myself plenty over here. Don't you worry about it."
	  High Military Officials:
	  "That won't do. There's no need to be shy, come on! You're up next, wahahahahah...!!"
	  They were inviting Toujirou to join a group of officers who had told their secondary secretaries to go topless, making an immoral game of blindfolding themselves and seeing if they could tell whose breasts were whose by touching.
	  His job for the night was over, but the brain hard drives of this immoral club's members were still like a mountain of treasure.
	  Toujirou:
	  "Geez. With my monthly pay, if I get used to this sort of game, I'll be screwed."
	  High Military Officials:
	  "Wahahahahaha!! Aren't you raking in enough that it's hard to tell which is your real job? Gahahahahaha!!"
	  Toujirou shrugged and was handed a necktie, then told to use it as a blindfold.
	  Nearby, the women they owned were ordered to adjust their swimsuits to expose their breasts.
	  Some smiled seductively and obeyed without hesitation. Some froze for an instant, then pretended to flirt and obeyed.
	  The girls began to obey one after another, ...but the very last one stubbornly refused.
	  Toujirou noticed that she was biting her lower lip and hanging her head.
	  When he saw from her expression that she wouldn't be able to hold in her feelings any longer, Toujirou recognized the twisted role that had been set for her.
	  High Military Officials:
	  "Hey, what's wrong?! Everyone else is stripping. Why are you the only one who isn't?!"
	  Girl:
	  ".........I-"
	  Girl:
	  "I wasn't told......that it would be like this......"
	  When the men heard her force those words out, they burst out laughing.
	  As if that was exactly what they had wanted to hear.
	  Sometimes, as a twisted prank, these twisted VIPs...would intentionally not tell girls they recruited as secondary secretaries...about the true nature of this immoral job.
	  They would offer her a reasonably high salary, and just as she had gotten used to a high-quality lifestyle, they would suddenly bring her to a place like this, ...so they could enjoy her innocent reaction.
	  This girl had probably truly believed that she'd been selected as a secretary because they had acknowledged her hard work and talent.
	  However, this was the reality.
	  The man who had acknowledged her, whom she had even adored like a father, ...had only ever been vulgarly interested in her body.
	  The men intentionally spoke in a way that would make her feel cornered, forcing her to participate.
	  The girls who had already sold their hearts followed suit and cheered her on.
	  High Military Officials:
	  "No one's forcing you if you don't want to. You'll just have to pack your bags and leave before the night is out."
	  Officers:
	  "I'll tell everyone you caused some sort of problem connected to your job! You don't have any other jobs lined up, do you? No, you couldn't even rent a home if you wanted to! I can see to it that you never live in a city with clean air again, much less Tokyo! I know where you came from. Do you really want to go back to that piss-stained city? Well, do you??"
	  ...They truly were twisted, those sick lumps of flesh who just wanted to see her humiliated.
	  The girl, who was finally starting to break down in tears, ...gave in to their demands.
	  The lumps welcomed her exposed breasts with cheers and applause, ...but obviously, that didn't make her feel any better...
	  Toujirou:
	  ".................."
	  You sick pigs...
	  Yes. This world...really is worthy of destruction......
	  The lump who had now truly become her owner put his arm around her shoulder, celebrating as if she had just gone through an initiation ceremony.
	  High Military Officials:
	  "Yeah, that's the ticket! That's what it means to become an adult! While you're under my care, you'll never want for anything...!
	   Understand, Maja?"
	  
	  #e7e7e7"Just as flower petals are fated to fall, so too must humanity."
	  #e7e7e7"Humanity has already reached civilization's end."
	  #e7e7e7"Now is the time for humanity's petals to scatter."
	  #e7e7e7"All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  --Now then, let us hold a vote.
	  Inside the Room of the Three Kings...were the Three Kings and a jestress.
	  Along the walls of this triangular room...were lines of shadowy figures in robes and masks...
	  On the triangular table that the Three Kings surrounded...was a small bag with gold embroidery...and a small black bag.
	  Jestress walked around the table, placing two coins in front of each of the kings.
	  One of the coins was gold, the other silver.
	  Imprinted on those coins was their crest, an inverted triangle and an all-seeing eye.
	  The Three Kings each picked up a gold and a silver coin, grasping them in their right hands.
	  Jestress:
	  "Now then, everyone, the Three Kings will make their decision."
	  Jestress:
	  "Our highest calling is to guide humanity down the right path. When civilization sends out sprouts of evil, when those sprouts bear fruits of malice, we harvest the wicked branches and fruits and hand over a just civilization, which has been pruned and ordered, to a fitting successor."
	  Jestress:
	  "...We have already finished preparing for the harvest festival. Tonight's decision is to determine whether the time has come yet or not."
	  King of Fury:
	  "How short the A3W era was. A mere century."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Hihihihi... Unless we're quite thorough, the A4W era might be even shorter. Hihihi..."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Humanity should return to the era of sticks and stones. ...Then, it can build up civilization again. Eventually, they'll stray off the path again, but even so, ...they should be able to find several millennia of peace."
	  Jestress:
	  "All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  After that, the two bags were passed to each of the kings in turn.
	  They took the two coins they held, putting one in each bag.
	  Only they knew which coin they each had placed in which bag...
	  After the bags were passed around, the bag with gold embroidery was handed to Jestress.
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Jestress, count the votes."
	  Jestress:
	  "Understood. I'll count them now."
	  The gold-embroidered bag was emptied on the table.
	  ...Inside were three gold coins.
	  Jestress:
	  "It's a unanimous vote in favor. The Three Kings have decided to carry out the harvest festival. ...*giggle* It seems there weren't any contrarians this time."
	  Jestress giggled, then started clapping, and the men lining the walls started to clap too.
	  Then, the Three Kings rose to their feet: one resolutely, one in a leisurely manner, and one pompously, seemingly enjoying the feel of the moment...
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Hihihihi! Gentlemen, let the harvest festival begin!"
	  King of Fury:
	  "The time has come to mercilessly reap the weeds that don't deserve to live, the rotten culture that doesn't deserve to remain...!"
	  Jestress:
	  "All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  Men along the walls:
	  """All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."""
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "I expect the best from all of you. Now, go."
	  The men along the walls all spun at once and left the room.
	  They scattered. Scattered to all the corners of the earth. To their own nests and webs that had already been set up.
	  And then, ...they made the very first move...in a massive game.
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "I pray that our long-held wish comes true, and that we will be able to set down this crown."
	  Jestress:
	  "We'll work hard to make this old man's wishes come true. ...Now then, if you will excuse me."
	  Jestress bowed respectfully and vanished.
	  The kings also spun around and disappeared into the darkness......
	  
	  Everyone had vaguely believed that this year would end like any other.
	  True, the news had been making a fuss over how factions all over the world were staring each other down, and that the smallest thing might set them off.
	  However, ...that was just something that came like the seasons. In the end, everything would be left unsettled and forgotten, and the usual peace would continue on and on. ...That's what everyone believed, without any basis.
	  Though it was cold, it was still a very gentle early winter.
	  December 1st.
	  News:
	  "In the tense Central Glass Sea of Japan, they've finally clashed! Border patrol guards of the COU Japanese military have shot down an AOU Japanese reconnaissance drone!"
	  COU Press Secretary:
	  "We of the COU Japanese military have responded to the AOU Japanese military's aggressive actions involving an armed drone in an act of justified self-defense! To protect the safety of our border patrol teams, we have been forced to take defensive measures in the Glass Sea!!"
	  AOU Press Secretary:
	  "We utterly condemn COU Japan's construction of military bases in the Glass Sea, a symbol of peace and a World War Relic!!"
	  News:
	  "It seems COU Japan has begun constructing bases with a military printer! From AOU Japan's perspective, this crosses a red line, and all hope for a peaceful solution is starting to look optimistic at best!"
	  News:
	  "Tensions are also rising around the Kashmir Spirit Field! ABN Pakistan has once again refused to respond to the COU's repeated calls to cease mining operations! In order to protect their workers from COU provocation, they've forcefully introduced anti-aircraft weaponry into the area! This act is a clear violation of the Kashmir Treaty, and the government of COU India has condemned it!"
	  COU Press Secretary:
	  "We will respond decisively to this treaty violation! The COU is announcing that military options are not off the table in this matter!"
	  News:
	  "Furthermore, the ABN Joint Parliament expressed their sincere regret towards the ACR's taking of military action against refugee camps on the northern coast of ACR Algeria. However, the ACR Royal Press Secretary flatly rejected this view, saying that this was merely a peacekeeping operation and that the ABN is interfering with internal affairs."
	  ABN Press Secretary:
	  "In the interest of harmony throughout humanity, we offer the ACR a love-filled warning. The ACR must immediately suspend their persecution of refugee camps. You must acknowledge the sinfulness of your continued assault on world peace and-"
	  News:
	  "AOU America's Atlantic Fleet has finally begun to move!! In a recent announcement, they said that they've given the order to push towards the Atlantis Spirit Field, which is still being occupied by the ACR! If the ACR Navy doesn't withdraw from that region, they say they will not hesitate to launch a preemptive strike! In practical terms, it seems safe to call this an ultimatum!!"
	  AOU Press Secretary:
	  "The ACR Royal Family and the ACR government should come calmly to the negotiation table. We intend to bring both the pen and the sword when discussing their illegal occupation of the Atlantis Spirit Fields."
	  Announcer:
	  "It's as though we can hear the footsteps of World War IV approaching! Will the curtain close on the A3W world? Was it really just the B4W world after all? The whole world is running wild at once, almost as though they planned it out beforehand!"
	  No one had called a meeting at the Public Bath.
	  However, ...after hearing one bit of disturbing news after another from all around the planet, they had started gathering on their own, ...until there were more of them than there ever had been since the end of the Battle Standard Festival.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "I get that the world's starting to run wild! But, as Gauntlet Knights from all the factions, we've got to make sure we avoid careless actions or statements, understand?!"
	  Until a second ago, this chat room had been a sort of battle royale...
	  Once the big sisters from LATO arrived and warned everyone, they were finally able to cool their heads.
	  True, because of their respective factions and positions, it was understandable that they each had things they wanted to say.
	  But even so, ...the ferocity of the feuds that had been breaking out simultaneously across the world these past few weeks...was abnormal.
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh... I suggest you remove those ferocious arguments you were just having from your logs. Heh. You may be titans who bear the military might of the next generation, but you really are still kids."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Hey, kid. Apologize."
	  Jayden:
	  "I'm so sorry..."
	  Lingji:
	  "That's exactly right. Momotake, you try and show some restraint too."
	  Momotake:
	  "I beg your forgiveness..."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Still! After talking about this together for a while, you can tell, right? None of our countries want war!"
	  Naima:
	  "That's right, wowowow! No one wants war!!"
	  Naima:
	  "Everyone, please don't say sad things, and stop fightiiiiiiiiing, wowowow!!!"
	  Lingji:
	  "......If that's so, how did the world end up like this?"
	  Miyao:
	  "If no one wants war, ...why are so many people around the world doing things that make war likely?!"
	  Valentina:
	  "The world and truth are far from simple. At any rate, we all should work hard to stay calm and avoid rash acts. Heheh, that's all I have to say."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Make sure you give your friends a reeeally serious warning about this too, okay? After all, until the world calms down, it's our job to continue holding up the Walls of Peace!"
	  After saying that with brisk, schoolteacher-like tones, the LATO big sisters left the virtual room...
	  Rethabile:
	  "...It's just as they say. We aren't politicians. Us arguing is a waste of time. It's foolish."
	  Jayden:
	  "You're right... Still, it's easy to get emotional when it's about your country and your faction."
	  Miyao:
	  "When you're listening to two factions that aren't yours arguing, it really does sound like a silly feud..."
	  Naima:
	  "And yet, some people are starting wars... It's so sad...wow."
	  Gannet:
	  "What's so fun about starting wars?! I don't get that at all!"
	  Abdou:
	  "...Well, it's possible some people would be happy about this kind of situation, right?"
	  Chloe:
	  "What kind of person could possibly be happy about this?!＞＜"
	  Sujatha:
	  "Probably people who stand to make lots of money from situations like this."
	  Mariana:
	  "...Conflict breaking out across the world has thrown the stock market into chaos. Stock in defense contractor companies is skyrocketing."
	  Noor:
	  "I see, so people who invested in those come out ahead. What a clever analysis, Mariana! I'll pet you as a reward...
	  hey, don't run away!"
	  Momotake:
	  "Are you saying there are people stirring up wars for the sake of money?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "The other day, the IPMA hinted that they would step in, but in the end, they dodged the issue by announcing a policy of nonintervention."
	  Naomi:
	  "...By doing that, the stocks of companies that had risen rapidly temporarily fell rapidly. Then the IPMA suddenly reverses their position, and those stocks are back up to their highest values. ...What a truly tantalizing development."
	  Lilja:
	  "Aaah, I wish I could go back to the past, knowing what we know now meow!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'm surprised to hear that from the money-wasting champion, who doesn't even have enough money to buy stocks."
	  Ishak:
	  "But...what if someone knew these things were going to happen before they did?"
	  If someone knew the timing of dramatic changes in stock prices beforehand...
	  They would be able to buy at the ideal time, when it was cheapest, sell it all when it was at its most valuable, and rake in a huge chunk of wealth in just a few weeks...
	  Jayden:
	  "Dammit, they must be laughing all the way to the bank right now...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "This world is set up so that only those playing poker with the world as their cards can rake it in."
	  Aysha:
	  "*giggle* I wonder if one of those players would consider marrying me... Heheheh."
	  Fatma:
	  "My, my, how deplorable, searching for a marriage without love!"
	  Stephania:
	  "Love is everything! The existence of people who respect money more than love is what makes this world twisted and covered in darkness!"
	  Leah:
	  "Those who deny that fact will receive Yeladot Shavit's depleted uranium bullets of heavenly judgement!!"
	  Andry:
	  "Love and peace, huh? ...It'd be awesome if we could fight alongside each other for worldwide love, instead of fighting against each other under the orders of those old assholes."
	  Gannet:
	  "That's right! If only we could all join hands and take out the evil people trying to start world wars for money!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  (Yes, that would be wonderful...! Imagine Gauntlet Knights around the planet joining hands, standing off against a mysterious secret organization planning to overthrow the world order... ...But that's no good, Rukhi...! You aren't a kid anymore, so you shouldn't daydream about comic book things like that...!)
	  Rethabile:
	  "You know, that might actually be more than something out of a comic book."
	  Rukhshana:
	  (Sh-She heard meee...eee......eee.)
	  Miyao:
	  "What do you mean...?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I'm just saying that there might actually be a secret organization, treating the world as its plaything and trying to line its own pockets."
	  Ishak:
	  "Princess, that's enough playing around..."
	  Abdou:
	  "It's almost time for the next event on your schedule."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I see. In that case, we shall take our leave. Cairo Squad, make sure you aren't late either."
	  Noor:
	  "Yes ma'am! Now then, everyone, it's time for us to leave as well."
	  Mariana:
	  "...I love ceremonies. You get paid just for sitting down..."
	  Gannet:
	  "See you later, everyone! Bye-bye!!"
	  When everyone from the ACR left, the others all apparently remembered things they had to take care of.
	  One after another, they left the room, and the meeting was effectively over.
	  However, ...Rethabile's words remained in Miyao's ears.
	  There might actually be a secret organization, treating the world as its plaything and trying to line its own pockets...
	  You've left "It's a Wrap Public Bath" poyo.
	  Miyao:
	  "That *is* a comic book. Seriously, stuff like that only happens in comic books!"
	  Miyao:
	  "You say you'll join hands and face off against a mysterious secret organization...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hahahahahahaha, hahahahahahahahahahahah...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's all wrong. You're the ones who are going to be killing each other! It's already been decided."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right. This isn't a prediction, ...it's a prophecy."
	  Miyao:
	  "Heheheheheheheheheheheh......"
	  Miyao:
	  "Maybe...that sort of thing doesn't just happen in comic books after all."
	  ...Hmm? ...Wait, this laid-back music is...
	  When I shifted my attention to my mental display... Yep, it was him all right.
	  You've received an email from "The Old Bastard" poyo!
	  I get it, I get it. That's enough of Dad's ringtone, okay?
	  Miyao:
	  "...Umm, ...what's this...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "`I'm in the area, so would you like to grab a bite to eat?', he says?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Old people love sending emails. ...Well, he did say that virtual rooms wear him out. Nothing you can do about people from the last generation."
	  His father had apparently been busy lately, so they hadn't met IRL hardly at all.
	  However, recently, he had suddenly started to feel grateful for the fact that his father had raised him...or maybe he just felt apologetic for the one-sided hatred he'd shown his father during puberty. Anyway, they had started exchanging emails.
	  Miyao:
	  "I never even know which part of the world Dad's in. ...If I can go see him, I probably should."
	  The world was starting to smell of gunpowder.
	  Even Gauntlet Knights were soldiers.
	  Though they were often treated like esport contestants, they could be sent into combat at any time.
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hey. You're looking well."
	  Miyao:
	  "If I wasn't feeling well, I wouldn't have come."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I guess so. Have a seat. I don't have much time either."
	  Miyao:
	  "You make it sound like I owe you one. Are you saying you're graciously using your precious time to come see me?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "What exactly do you think a parent expects to be owed, when coming to see his own son's face?"
	  This old bastard's my dad, Mitake Toujirou.
	  He's a `father', ...something extremely rare in AOU countries, where the ciconia no longer bring us babies.
	  He's apparently a big shot military reporter working for the AOU Combined Military HQ.
	  From what I've heard, he got temporarily transferred to the IPMA or something, flying all over the world for his work.
	  We grew distant after I entered my rebellious phase.
	  ...Then, well, I started to feel a bit grateful to him for raising me.
	  We did exchange emails now and then, ...but this was the first time we'd met in person in a long time.
	  Toujirou:
	  "You did good at the Battle Standard Festival."
	  Miyao:
	  "I didn't do anything but embarrass myself."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Don't get the wrong idea. I didn't say that as an insult."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Those ignorant commentators had no idea how amazing your movements were right before you got shot down."
	  Miyao:
	  "It doesn't matter how amazing you are, if you get taken out."
	  Toujirou:
	  "But that COU ace...Lingji, was it? I think that kid was just about to gray out. She won because it was a competition, but in an actual battle, she would've lost consciousness and crashed after that. ...If it weren't for that fluke, you would've at least taken each other out. You were in the lead then."
	  Miyao:
	  "You don't need to console me. Lingji is an amazing Gauntlet Knight. That's all there is to it."
	  Toujirou:
	  "No, you were more impressive by far. I'm sure lots of clueless people have said things to you, and it's getting you down. Poor kid."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Knowing you, I figured you would've lost some of your confidence. So today, for your sake, I've researched how excellent your movements during the Battle Standard Festival were, as well as what you could've done to win with certainty. First off, take a look at this data."
	  You've received 32 data items from "Toujirou" poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "I told you, I'm fine. Don't worry about it..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I'll start by describing the attack on the fictional base. This part has splendid movement that even an amateur can easily understand. In particular, this spiral around Marker A is astonishingly beautiful. And seven seconds later-"
	  ...Ah, Dad is such a pain. He's always picking through the details of other people's records and scores.
	  And kids are supposed to be like their parents on a genetic level? Don't give me that. I'll never become an adult this annoying...
	  For a while, we enjoyed a casual conversation between parent and child.
	  It might've been 10 whole years since we've had `alone time' like this, like something you'd see in a classic drama.
	  ...When I was really young, I wished I'd been raised in an incubator too.
	  But people can't choose how they're born or who their parents are.
	  In this world, where being ciconia-born is rare, maybe it's best to view the rare experience of having a father as a positive...
	  With some laughter mixed in, we renewed the bonds of parent and child that had been cut off during my rebellious phase...
	  Toujirou:
	  "Have you seen the news recently?"
	  Miyao:
	  "It's getting pretty hectic, isn't it? ...Are there bunches of people who really can't wait to start wars, or something?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "There are. ...That's what you guardians of peace are for, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "If my missions are to beat up people like that, I'll take as many as I can."
	  Toujirou:
	  "How reassuring. Good luck, kid."
	  Miyao:
	  "Good luck to you too, adults. Don't push this all on the kids."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hahahahahahah."
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Miyao, listen carefully."
	  Miyao:
	  "I am listening."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Turn off your Selcom. Listen to me with your ears and your heart."
	  Miyao:
	  "What are you talking about...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Just turn it off."
	  re you sure you want to shut down your Selcom poyo?
	  Thank you for your patronage poyo! We hope you use us again poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "It's off..."
	  When the previous generation wanted to scold you, for example, they would often tell you to turn your Selcom off.
	  While your Selcom was on, they apparently felt as though you were distracted and not really listening.
	  ...This feels unpleasant, like I'm about to be lectured.
	  See? ...Dad's looking strangely serious and motioning for me to bring my face closer.
	  Miyao:
	  "...What is it?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Listen closely. ...I'm sure you and the others think this news is just people fanning the flames, and that nothing serious will come of it."
	  Toujirou:
	  "But this time is different. ...It really will...begin."
	  Miyao:
	  "...A military conflict...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "I mean that everything up until yesterday will be called the B4W era."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Whoa, hold on. You've got to be-"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Listen closely, Miyao."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Gauntlet Knights are closer to being a complete military technology than you and the others think. You'll probably be sent into actual combat right away."
	  Dad, who flies all over the world for work reasons, sometimes says extraordinary things.
	  ...However, ...sooner or later, those predictions always came true.
	  Miyao:
	  "...I'm prepared for that. I'm not just a sim gamer."
	  Toujirou:
	  "It's not just you. ...The whole world will be drawn into a terrifying conflict. You'll probably be drawn into a strange fight where you don't know who your enemies are, nor whom you should fight or whom you should fight for."
	  Miyao:
	  "...This is no joke. ...Your predictions are usually right."
	  Toujirou:
	  "They're not `predictions', in the sense of words that anticipate the future. What I give you are `prophecies', words that have been left in someone's care."
	  ...A prophecy.........
	  ............
	  This is neither a warning nor a prediction.
	  It means that a future fate...has been told to me with words that came from God.
	  In other words, we aren't talking about possibilities.
	  It's a verdict that will come to pass with `certainty'.
	  That's right, certainty.
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I've known that this day would come for a long time. All I didn't know...was that it would finally start today."
	  Toujirou:
	  "The ultimate tool for resisting evil fates and making the fate of your choosing come true...is the Gauntlet. At least, humanity as it is now has never before produced a greater method for an individual to wield power."
	  Miyao:
	  "...So, the reason you made me become a Gauntlet Knight was..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If nothing happened during your generation, then it would've been fine. But, almost as though it was waiting for Gauntlet Knights to be completed, ...the day has come."
	  Miyao:
	  "Stop...saying creepy things all of a sudden. It's almost like you're putting the fate of the world on my shoulders... Hahah, ...seriously...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "What is your enemy, what is evil? Whom should you fight, and whom should you fight alongside?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Think. Always think. Never give up on thinking. ...No matter how incomprehensible it all seems."
	  Miyao:
	  "It...sounds like you're telling me to protect the world all on my own..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "That's right. You're the strongest Gauntlet Knight in the world. That's what I raised you to be. Do you know why?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...No..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Because the main characters of all eras...are the young."
	  Toujirou:
	  "The fate of the world isn't up to the generation of old bastards like me. ...You young people need to decide and grasp it for yourselves."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I gave you the power to do this. To do so, I spared no effort ever since the time of your birth."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Well, ...I am grateful for that, but..."
	  True, as far back as I can remember, Dad has given me a gifted education for becoming a Gauntlet Knight.
	  It was like getting an advance payment, not only of money and effort, but of the next era itself.
	  Waiter:
	  "Pardon me. Would you prefer some after-dinner coffee or black tea...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "I'll have some coffee. How about you, Miyao?"
	  This ruthlessly sudden conversation had made Miyao's mind blank out for a while...
	  Miyao:
	  "...Umm, then...I'll have some tea-"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Sorry, but could we have the check?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh?"
	  Waiter:
	  "Certainly, sir. Please wait a moment."
	  Miyao:
	  "What was that, all of a sudden...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "I told you. I don't have much time. And anyway, you're going to get a call any time now. Turn on your Selcom."
	  Miyao:
	  "I don't get it..."
	  But Dad was right.
	  There was a military emergency alarm ringing in my head.
	  It meant to respond to an emergency summons and stand by.
	  It was a sign that something really ominous was happening, so you should go home and pick up your diapers so that you didn't wet yourself.
	  It also came with a helpful message saying that this wasn't a drill...
	  Toujirou:
	  "See you later then."
	  Miyao:
	  "Dad... Is it really...going to start...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Prophecies are never wrong."
	  Miyao:
	  "Does that mean you know what's going to happen after this...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  ".................."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Yes. I know."
	  Miyao:
	  "Then stop showing off and tell me! War's coming, right? Doesn't that mean a lot of people are going to die?!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "That's right. ...Many will die. At worst, fewer will remain than during the aftermath of World War III."
	  Miyao:
	  "Something like that has to be stopped at all costs! The young are the main characters, right?! We have to do something about this, right?! You gave me the power to do that, the power to control a Gauntlet! So, I can...we can definitely stop this!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "You mean, prevent World War IV before it starts?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I have friends all over the world! And none of them want war! So, there must be people behind the scenes who stand to gain from starting wars! You must know about it, Dad! That people like that exist!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "......As far as people who would celebrate the outbreak of war, ...well, I can think of a few."
	  Miyao:
	  "Tell me! I want to crush them!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Calm down, son."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Even if I told you, what would you do? Are you a police chief? Do you have connections with a counterintelligence organization? You've been given an emergency summons and a stand-by order, right? If you do whatever you want, you'll be in violation of military law."
	  Miyao:
	  "Gauntlet Knights are stronger than anything, right?! Are you saying we still can't *do* anything?!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "...There are things you can do. ...But this isn't the time yet."
	  Miyao:
	  "When will it be time?! Are you saying I should just watch the world plummet into war until the time comes?!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Before long, when the time does come, you'll know."
	  Miyao:
	  "I've always hated the way you dodge questions and try to confuse me like that! Fine, if you won't tell me, I won't ask!"
	  Miyao:
	  "The main characters in every era are the young, right? In that case, we main characters will think for ourselves, decide what the best course of action is, and save the world! We'll stop World War IV! That's our job as guardians of peace...!!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Soon, I'll be able to tell you everything."
	  Miyao:
	  "But the time hasn't come yet, right?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "...I hope it never does."
	  Dad signed the check brought to him by the waiter and rose to his feet.
	  Toujirou:
	  "I'm glad we got to meet. I may be your dad, but I'm still a soldier. This might be the last time we ever say goodbye."
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't die. I won't let you die. I will...we will definitely stop war from breaking out!"
	  Toujirou:
	  ".................."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I have high hopes for you, Miyao. ...If you can manage that, you really will be the main characters."
	  With that last strange sentence that was probably supposed to sound cool, Dad left without leaving any trace he had ever been there......
	  You received an email from "Miyao" poyo!
	  Aysha:
	  "Princess? What's the matter?"
	  Lingji:
	  "I got an email from Miyao..."
	  Momotake:
	  "What on earth could it be, at a time like this...?"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "What on earth did he write...?"
	  Sujatha:
	  "...Hmph. That's just like him. Are you two going to read it too?"
	  Andry:
	  "Well, if it's something he's likely to say, I can probably guess what it is already."
	  Leah:
	  "What do you think?"
	  Fatma:
	  "That's so like him! But maybe this is exactly how we should be!"
	  Stephania:
	  "Miyao's so cute. I just wanna support him."
	  Stanisław:
	  "`None of us want war. We're the guardians of peace.' ...I see."
	  Naomi:
	  "Military might is the power of destruction and death. ...However, depending on the will of those who wield it, it can become many other things..."
	  Naima:
	  "I-In other words, wow...? What should we do...??"
	  Mariana:
	  "We aren't dogs of war... We're guardians of peace."
	  Noor:
	  "We're soldiers. We obey orders. But within those orders, we can become either dogs or guardians."
	  Gannet:
	  "That's Noor for you! In other words, we mustn't fight out of hatred!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "`Let's stop World War IV', huh? ...He's quite the hot-headed man, is he not?"
	  Abdou:
	  "Will we really be able to stop a war by fighting...?"
	  Ishak:
	  "The conflicts sprouting up all over the place are being led by each faction's war hawks. If we take the wind out of their sails neatly and rapidly, it might change what happens next."
	  Lilja:
	  "That *kero*kero*kerooo* Miyao just said something crazy meow."
	  Chloe:
	  "Still, I agree with him. After all, we Gauntlet Knights have such great power, right?!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I like it too. ...Whatever those old assholes are trying to do on their own, ...whether it's a war or anything else, we'll crush it ourselves so that it doesn't all go as they please...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "The world is finally measuring its military strength by the number of Gauntlet Knights each side possesses. ...That's a sign of how much power we have."
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah. If we all join forces and go all out, we can crush this world war!"
	  Miyao:
	  "None of us want war! If people try and start one up anyway, we'll stand against them! We'll resist them! We aren't pieces on anyone's game board...!!"
	  #e7e7e7"...Ever since the Battle Standard Festival, Miyao has had influence over the primary Gauntlet Knights from all factions. ...Many seem to approve of the email he just sent, and even some within my kette have expressed that opinion..."
	  #e7e7e7"If matters continue down this path, we of the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order may be restricted in our movements."
	  #e7e7e7"I leave the decision to you, Lady Jestress. ...All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path..."
	  "Toujirou" has entered the room poyo!
	  Toujirou:
	  "Sorry to keep you waiting. It's been a long time since I've been able to go back home to Tokyo."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Cities around the world all resemble each other, ...but the air and humidity and such of one's hometown really do feel different somehow."
	  Jestress:
	  "And, you got to meet your son for the first time in a while, right...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hey, stop showing off the fact that you're monitoring me. That's rude."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If it comes to that, I know you had a can of assorted biscuits for breakfast today."
	  Jestress:
	  "*giggle* But they're so convenient. They come with a bunch of different varieties, and you can put things in the can when it's empty."
	  Jestress:
	  "More importantly, how did it go?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "No problem at all. It'll be on the news soon."
	  Jestress:
	  "People who can't be moved with money or connections really are a pain, aren't they?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "People like that are why we're able to play at being James Bond in this era."
	   news report just came in poyo!
	  Defense Minister Yunoki of the AOU Japanese government has been rushed to the hospital poyo!@
	  His condition is unknown; everything about this is unknown keeerokero!
	  The Prime Minister's office is apparently scrambling to appoint his successor poyo!@
	  Minister Yunoki is the leader of the moderate party currently in power, so his retirement will likely remove the breaks keeping AOU Japan's war hawks at bay. ...Is what they're saying poyo.
	  Jestress:
	  "He got sent to the hospital? That's so sad."
	  Toujirou:
	  "In just a few days, the former minister's secretary is scheduled to leak information about some shady political contributions. It will then become clear that some of those were indirect contributions from COU Japan, and everything will be thrown into chaos."
	  Jestress:
	  "Now, no one will be able to stop World War IV..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I just hope this is the last major war."
	  Jestress:
	  "Still, ...you really are a bad dad, aren't you?"
	  Jestress:
	  "Even though your son is spurring on his friends to fight and stop World War IV, his own father is working in the shadows to make World War IV happen..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "There's no helping it. The meaning of justice is something you've got to decide on your own."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I can say `do this' all I like, but I don't expect an obedient response."
	  Jestress:
	  "You're talking about Miyao, right?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "No one ever does what they're told, unless it's the voice of their heart telling them. I guess money is the only exception."
	  Jestress:
	  "I've just sent yours over. What exactly are you still saving all this money up for? Even though the world's about to be destroyed."
	  Toujirou:
	  "What will I do and where will I do it when the world is destroyed? It's worth earning this much just to be able to decide that for myself."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Doesn't it sound wonderful, to end your life with the best babe in the world, clinking your glasses together as you watch the last twilight humanity will ever see?"
	  Jestress:
	  "You may have a point there. I'll probably still be caring for those three old fogeys when twilight comes to the world."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I'm praying that the Three Kings' plans proceed well."
	  Jestress:
	  "...They're terrifying people. If they wished, they could bring about massive wars over and over again, ...until humanity is culled down to the numbers they desire."
	  Jestress:
	  "Still, ...unless I cling to their madness, ...my wish will never come true."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Make sure you become a good woman too. If you do, then once this madness is over, you might have a future where you're sipping wine and gazing at the twilight with me."
	  Jestress:
	  "Are you seriously hitting on *me*? Still, all I can say is that I appreciate the sentiment. I'm more than satisfied with going down along with my opponent."
	  Jestress:
	  "As long as humanity has at least one man and one woman surviving at the end, this will be a victory for all humanity..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I'd like to increase that number by a few. That's my wish. Well then, I'll be heading out now."
	  Jestress:
	  "Then so will I."
	  Toujirou:
	  "All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path?"
	  Jestress:
	  "That's the kings' job. Not mine."
	  Jestress:
	  "From the time this body was born to the time its last cell is destroyed, ...I'll live for the sole purpose of erasing that nightmare."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Well, it seems humanity will be having quite a nightmare itself, all so that you can erase yours."
	  Jestress:
	  "If my greatest wish is granted, humanity will be grateful to me, ...and they'll realize that my victory is humanity's victory. ...However, there's no telling how many people humanity will have left by then."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Don't worry. When that time comes, at least I'll be there."
	  Jestress:
	  "Stop hitting on me. Doesn't that count as cheating?"
	  
	  Strategic Officer:
	  "Today, the AOU Joint Parliament has authorized a military assault on behalf of our government against the COU Japanese military's border guards, which are illegally expanding into the Glass Sea. Our targets are anti-aircraft positions currently under construction in the central part of the Glass Sea, as well as anti-aircraft vehicles deploying into the area."
	  Strategic Officer:
	  "As soon as the operation begins, the Aerial Augmented Infantry will advance at extreme low altitude, subduing the groups of anti-aircraft vehicles. After that, our fighter jet squadrons will push forward, subduing our targets with air-to-ground missiles."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Rejoice, Warcats!
	   It's finally your turn! Show them the power of the Aerial Augmented Infantry!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Your only job is to turn four of the COU's damned anti-aircraft vehicles into scrap! It's enough to make you laugh, giving a little job like this to people with the power to take on a whole air base! Those old assholes don't believe in your strength at all!! Prove to them that all your puking's paid off!!!!"
	  Strategic Officer:
	  "The anti-aircraft vehicles being deployed are King's Shield 2900 Supers, which are autonomous short-range air defense systems. They're armed with 8-barreled 30mm rotary autocannons, as well as short-range surface-to-air guided missiles. However, they're running on previous generation software, so it's expected that they'll have difficulty targeting Aerial Augmented Infantry soldiers."
	  Okonogi:
	  "In other words, they're no match for you! Once you've finished your job, get out of there at full speed. You'll have Longbow missiles flying over your heads, so it's all gonna go up in flames, you hear me?!!"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Old man Okonogi's really hyper today."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "It's pretty amusing. Until now, he's been calling us esport gamers all the time."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "We'll show them that we Gauntlet Knights are game changers. Today, they'll see that the world's military might and peace don't belong to geezers in conference rooms or middle-aged guys swaggering around. They belong to us, the young."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Yeah. We'll crush the schemes of those old assholes who treat war like a game...!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Miyao, could I have a moment of your time right now? If not, I'll just leave my messages here."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "I don't have time, but I'm listening. What is it?"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "This is just me talking to myself. Don't leave a record of it."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Of course. We may be from different countries, but we're comrades flying in the same sky."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "About COU Japan's military expansion into the Glass Sea... Even in the COU, everyone isn't unanimously in favor of it. On the contrary, far more people are criticizing it, saying it will only provoke the AOU. Please, don't misunderstand. Even in the COU, none of us want war."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Of course not. I never thought you did. I'm sure it's the same here. The crazy geezers who want war are moving ahead by themselves."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "About these crazy geezers moving ahead by themselves... Does that include the AOU Atlantic Fleet?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Rethabile!"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "I hate keeping secrets. Especially from those who fought with us at the Battle Standard Festival. So, I'll tell you. Today, the ACR Royal Family has ordered the Aerial Knight Corps to intercept the AOU America Atlantic Fleet that's approaching the waters around the Atlantis Spirit Field. I'll be leading that force."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "From what I've heard on the news, even in the AOU, lots of people think the movement of the Atlantic Fleet is going too far. Some people even think the navy is running wild to make sure people don't forget about them."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "People in the COU have reached the same conclusion. They think that, if those people have a chance to look good, there may be no stopping them."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "It's just like you said, Miyao. ...Whether it's the subjects of the ACR or the citizens of the AOU, no one wants war. It's merely a scheme by someone planning to rake in money by stirring up war."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "However, if we go too far, that will just fan the flames even more. ...Very well. As a representative of the ACR royal family, I think I'll make a courtesy call to a certain aircraft carrier that bears the name of a former president."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "We're counting on you, Rethabile. Our enemies aren't the people and things in front of us."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "I understand. Leave it to me!"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Princess Rethabile, pardon me for interrupting while you're talking."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "I suppose the order has been given to attack that refugee camp, yes? I know nothing about that, nor have I been told anything."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Still, I'm just going to talk to myself a bit. The Father-King who founded our nation said he would reject none who came and chase none who left. If people unable to adjust to the ACR seek asylum, our national policy is not to chase them. However, the ACR royal family has far too many people in it. I cannot deny that there are some troublesome princes who fight over who can be more patriotic and radical, seeking more influence."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "You're saying that this incident doesn't reflect what the ACR royal family truly wants?"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Whatever the ABN wants to do, for whatever reasons it has, that's for the ABN to decide. However, if you go too far, even the royal family will be unable to hold back its hard-liners. I don't think I need say more, yes?"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Of course not, Princess. We aren't a form of military might that exists to start wars."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Yeah. We're guardians of peace!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Stanisław. No, I believe you wanted to be called Stan. Can I assume that the forceful mining of spirit fields in Kashmir is the result of an ABN hard-liner faction moving ahead on its own...?"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Of course. Everyone in the ABN wants peace. True, the ABN has no large-scale spirit fields, and they want the Kashmir Spirit Field more than anything."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...However, no one wants it in exchange for someone's blood. Every now and then, someone in the Leadership Council says that we should immediately stop the mining machines, but the military and hard-liners apparently opposed that strongly, saying that we couldn't afford to look weak."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "And if the COU military were to attack the mining machines...?"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Your Press Secretary has already announced that you won't refrain from military action if the mining machines are not stopped. On the contrary, if you don't respond, it will probably give the hard-liners even more power."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "...So, do it neatly, without going too far. ...Is that what you're saying?"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Gauntlet Knights have the military might to lift mountains and the precision of a needle's point. We can do this. We can crush the sprouts of war...!"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "...I'm so glad I met you all at the Battle Standard Festival."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Let's go. It's time to teach those mischief makers a lesson."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Miyao, I'm grateful to you as well. If you hadn't spoken up at the Public Bath, and if you hadn't sent the email that made us join forces, some of us might have mistakenly thought of ourselves as mere game pieces in a war."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Miyao, I'm so glad to have a friend like you...!"
	  COU Strategic Officer:
	  "Once the 8 squads including Baibao reach the area of operations, they will attack the 8 mining machines and render them inoperable! You have been given complete discretion to respond to any attacks by the ABN military!"
	  Momotake:
	  "...How foolish. Why would we need to fight back against attacks by old-style weapons that cannot even hit us?"
	  Lingji:
	  "Listen up. Baibao will make precision strikes against the mining machines alone. It will not be necessary to attack anything else."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh. After all, unlike the Battle Standard Festival, destroying more than we need won't raise our scores."
	  Lingji:
	  "This strike is merely a message to ABN hard-liners, who have no intention of talking this over for the sake of international cooperation. Take great care to avoid unnecessary human casualties!"
	  Momotake:
	  "As you command!"
	  ABN Strategic Officer:
	  "The refugee camp on the ABN Libyan coast is located on land being indefinitely leased from the ABN. Under the assumption that criminals are being concealed in that camp, they're demanding that they be allowed to conduct a compulsory inspection, but we are not prepared to capitulate to such a violation of human rights."
	  ABN Strategic Officer:
	  "Three squads led by the Holy 0901st Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad, Thalathat Suyuf, will immediately enter the area and protect the refugee camp, as well as the Leader of Peace that the ABN government is demanding be handed over."
	  Naomi:
	  "...I see. So we're buying time for a political solution."
	  Stanisław:
	  "After all, the border of that leased land is like a minefield, a loophole in the law. It's a powder keg that might go off if either government touches it carelessly. ...However, some `young' old people who just got their hands on power foolishly want to poke at it, solve the issue quickly, and earn more influence."
	  Naima:
	  "If these people all came seeking asylum in the ABN, why hasn't the ABN ever accepted them...? Wow."
	  Naomi:
	  "An allergy to immigrants isn't easily cured, even after the miracle of three religions joining hands."
	  Naima:
	  "Still, ...this time, the ABN will finally give them asylum, right?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "That's right. They're even being pushed from behind. So, this issue has now been solved reasonably well. ...This problem mustn't be allowed to smolder any longer."
	  Naima:
	  "After all, Gauntlet Knights are knights of the sky who keep the peace, wow!"
	  ACR Strategic Officer:
	  "The AOU Atlantic Fleet has ignored repeated warnings and is still approaching the seas around the Atlantis Spirit Field! No matter what the cost, no matter how much blood we shed, the Aerial Knight Corps must repel this assault!! The ACR's destiny depends on this one battle!! Shoot down all foreign invaders, and long live the King!!"
	  Abdou:
	  "...Sheesh. You know, it really grips your soul when they read out a script like that from an air-conditioned room."
	  Ishak:
	  "If you speak out of turn, it'll affect your official assessment."
	  Rethabile:
	  ".................."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Ishak, Abdou. ...No, everyone involved in this attack, hear me. This is Rethabile of Squad 601."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Don't misunderstand your mission. Our goal is to make the enemy fleet turn back. We are merely paying them an honorable visit, as subjects of the glorious ACR."
	  Ishak:
	  "...And if they want to fight?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Fool. ...Did you really think a carrier strike group would be any match for us Aerial Knights?"
	  Abdou:
	  "Heheheh. Ishak got shot down."
	  Rethabile:
	  "This is not merely our first military operation since the founding of the ACR! It is also the first campaign of the glorious Aerial Knight Corps! We need neither valor nor barbarism! Neither destruction nor bloodshed! All knights, follow me! I'll show you how to fight with honor!"
	  The Glass Sea lay at Japan's center...
	  It was a massive crater over 100 km in radius, created by a solar warhead that had been launched during World War III.
	  It was a vast region where nothing existed, where the silence of death continued on to the horizon.
	  It was a World War Relic, visual proof that nothing good ever comes from war.
	  How ironic that war would come to this stage again...
	  A military vehicle stopped at the edge of the massive crater, and Miyao and the others got out.
	  They had managed to come this far in secret.
	  However, in order to reach their target at the center of the Glass Sea, they would have to fly 100km over an area with no cover whatsoever.
	  Even flying at 500 km/h, it would take them 12 minutes to reach that point. They would skim over the surface of the ground, avoiding detection by the enemy for as long as possible.
	  Gunhild:
	  "The flow of 8MS is favorable. If we're lucky, we might not be noticed until we make contact with the enemy."
	  Miyao:
	  "Guess it's a challenge to see how closely we can hug the ground."
	  Jayden:
	  "Just you watch. I'll get so close to kissing the earth, I'd be able to shave my chin with the surface."
	  Miyao:
	  "Make sure you don't die in battle before the battle even starts."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you do, we'll have to engrave your idiocy on your tombstone."
	  Miyao:
	  "Here lies the world's first Gauntlet Knight killed in battle, who died trying to shave himself with the ground."
	  Jayden:
	  "Quit kidding around. Instead, I'll make you write that I was the world's first Gauntlet Knight to distinguish himself in battle!"
	  The command center has given the order to begin the operation poyo!
	  The strategic officer was giving hand signals for them to start the attack.
	  The three of them nodded, then raced up the ridge that formed the rim of the crater.
	  The vast, lifeless Glass Sea stretched out to the horizon in front of them, along with a cold, dry wind.
	  The blue lights seemed more callous than beautiful.
	  Jayden:
	  "Just our luck, even though it's almost Christmas!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Let's go, Warcats!!"
	  As they raced down the cliff, they leapt off empty air, and in an instant, they were flying at incredible speeds, just like bullets.
	  Behind them was a faint cloud of dust...and a splash of things that looked like angel feathers...
	  Their target, the center of the Glass Sea 100km away, was quite noisy with the roar of construction equipment.
	  Anti-aircraft equipment was being constructed with military 4D printers.
	  Once that was complete, it would probably be possible for them to grasp the initiative all across the Glass Sea...
	  COU Colonel:
	  "These new-model machines are splendid! At this rate, we should have anti-aircraft equipment ready to go right away!! This is the first step on COU Japan's path...no, my path to glory!!"
	  COU Officer:
	  "...Still, is this really all right? I can't imagine that the AOU will overlook this."
	  COU Colonel:
	  "Gahahahahaha! Both you and the higher-ups give the AOU too much credit! They're cowards, I tell you, cowards! They can't do anything! Look here. Once this is complete and we've built up our position enough, all those weaklings will see that I was right! Gahahahahahahaha...!!"
	  COU Officer:
	  "Colonel, pardon the interruption, but we've received a message from the command center! `Aerial support in the skies above the Glass Sea will be suspended for the next 24 hours'!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "Wh-Wh-
	  What did you say...?! These are the front lines of COU Japan! Why?! Why won't the air force fly for 24 hours?! Is this a political decision?! Who decided to play wait-and-see?! Aaah, get me a line to command!!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Yes, thank you. That's a real help."
	  COU Officer:
	  "No, a favor for you is no trouble at all, Major Mitake. Thank you for your gracious financial support."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Same here. I owe you one from last time. Let's break apart the old assholes' game, along with the game board itself."
	  COU Officer:
	  "Yes. You take care too, Major Mitake. ...All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Yeah, down the right path."
	  News:
	  "With regards to the Kashmir Spirit Field, even though the Leadership Council of ABN Pakistan has advised that the mining machines be shut down immediately for the sake of opening a dialog with the COU, there's still no sign of them stopping!"
	  News:
	  "It's been pointed out that the ABN's peculiarly complicated political situation and their focus on saving face has made this a difficult problem to solve. It's led to a bizarre situation where no one has the authority to stop the mining machines once they've started moving, even if no one wants this to happen!"
	  News:
	  "Look at this! There's a crowd of people pushing forward! A main street in Islamabad has been filled with citizens protesting for their government to stop this provocation and work towards peace!! Oh, just now, armed police forces have started firing off tear gas!! This is becoming completely chaotic and-"
	  ABN Officer:
	  "Heheheh...!! Exploitation of spirit fields is first come, first serve! Whoever shows up first gets a well filled to the brim with money! Those cowards are so frightened, but there's no way this'll actually lead to war! Even if it did, that just gives the military more of a chance to shine. I'd also get a medal, killing two birds with one stone! Heheheheheheheh!!"
	  Captain:
	  "This is the flagship of the Atlantic Fleet, the aircraft carrier Roger Jamison, reading you loud and clear."
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "I've got good news, so listen up! It seems the ACR has no intention of withdrawing from the Atlantis Spirit Field! Just now, we received their official refusal via diplomatic channels! We'll fight 'em on the seas, we'll fight 'em in the air, woohoo!! Let's show them that the Atlantic Fleet isn't just for show...!!"
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "Let both the ACR Royal Family and those wimps up the chain of command see!! If only I could've been a captain when this happened! I'm so jealous of you!!"
	  Captain:
	  "......Pardon me, but the primary mission of the AOU Atlantic Fleet is to support the Walls of Peace. Fighting a sea or air war is only one of our many, many means of doing so, and it's hardly a good one."
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "Wh-Wh-What are you talking about?! I never knew you were so gutless! Aah, just turn over command of your ship already! I'll go back to active duty and give the order to......hmmm?! Are you listening to me?! Can you hear me?! Helloooo?!?!"
	  Captain:
	  "You're breaking up, so I'll have to end this transmission."
	  Captain:
	  "Contact all ships. ...No matter what happens, you're forbidden from initiating combat unless I order it. Unless you're actually hit, you mustn't respond to any sort of warning shots they fire."
	  AOU Officer:
	  "......Captain, are you saying we should let them strike first? If we're hit with an ACR saturation attack, we'll be destroyed before we have a chance to fight back...!"
	  Captain:
	  "I have faith in the First Captain of the ACR Atlantis, Vice-Admiral Krumar. We're rivals who once competed in the naval division of the Battle Standard Festival. ...And, he should know that I'm commanding this fleet."
	  Captain:
	  "...We're fellow comrades supporting the Walls of Peace from both sides. He may enter the same waters as us as a political pawn, ...but I'm confident that he isn't the sort of person who would commit himself to a meaningless fight!"
	  AOU Officer:
	  ".........*g-gulp*..."
	  Leaving clouds of dust behind them, a caravan of military vehicles was pushing the members of a refugee camp through desert terrain.
	  The cries of women and children came from all over, and the scene was wrapped in chaos...
	  International Volunteer:
	  "Th-This land is part of an ABN base! The ACR military isn't allowed to trespass here!!"
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Shut up!! Be quiet and cook some food for these beggars or something! If you complain, you'll be shot! How is this a refugee camp?! It's just a rallying point for terrorists who refuse to swear allegiance to His Majesty!!"
	  International Volunteer:
	  "His Majesty is a gracious man! I cannot imagine that he would call the people in this camp terrorists!"
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Shut up!! It's our job as subjects to take care of dirty jobs so that His Majesty needn't bother himself with them! Quickly, find the man we're searching for!! Arrest him for being a suspected spy!! Don't kill him. After all, we've still got to make him talk, gehahahahaha!!!"
	  Countless races and religions had always existed on the continent of Africa.
	  The founding father of the ACR, the Hero King, had united them through quite forceful means.
	  Doing so had made it impossible for a good number of people to stay in the ACR.
	  Some of those people had gathered in a buffer zone near a military base, on land they were leasing from the ABN, and formed a refugee camp.
	  Neither the ABN nor the ACR wanted to provoke the other, so for a long time, the existence of this camp was ignored.
	  ...However, in recent years, some extremist generals in the ACR had started claiming that this camp was being used to hide terrorists, who objected to the foundation of the ACR...
	  International Volunteer:
	  "Isn't the ABN going to save us...?! Will they abandon the people of this camp in order to preserve the peace with the ACR...?!"
	  International Volunteer:
	  "And besides, it's ridiculous to call that person a terrorist...! He was only helping people who weren't able to live in the ACR as an act of goodwill, and-"
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Again and again with the noise!! Why should I care about that?! Haven't you found him yet?! Announce that we'll kill the people in this camp one by one until he comes out! That should make him show his face! ...D-Don't actually kill anyone, okay? I just want the credit, not a mess on my hands...!"
	  International Volunteer:
	  "Th-That's insane... You're doing all this...just so you can give your career a boost...?"
	  ACR Lower-Ranking Officer:
	  "Pardon me! I have excellent news! We've arrested and detained him!"
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Ah, so you've found him?!! Then let's disperse at once! If the ABN military actually shows up, this really will get messy, gahahahaha...!! How's that for an accomplishment?! This'll cement my place as the leader of the young, go-getter generals, and those elders won't be able to get enough of me!!"
	  The Atlantis Spirit Field.
	  It got that name because it was located in a region of the sea to the west of Africa, where the legendary continent of Atlantis had supposedly once existed.
	  Currently, it was the ACR's greatest supply of Spiritium.
	  However, since the very beginning, there had been trouble with the AOU over who had ownership rights to this spirit field.
	  For this reason, the ACR treated this area as their nation's most vital line of defense, and had stationed the Superfortress-class Segmented Warship Atlantis here solely for its protection.
	  This collection of 7 linked Fortress-class Warships...truly was a fortress on the sea.
	  ACR Lower-Ranking Officer:
	  "Vice-Admiral Krumar! We're being contacted by Lady Rethabile of the ACR Royal Family!"
	  Vice-Admiral:
	  "Princess, I hope you are well..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "The command center has ordered the Atlantis to intercept any attack, correct?"
	  Vice-Admiral:
	  "...Yes. We've been told to decouple and enter an intercept formation..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "However, it doesn't seem as though you've decoupled yet, correct?"
	  Vice-Admiral:
	  "...Princess, I......"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Stop there. You needn't say any more, Vice-Admiral. And there's no need to decouple either. Afterwards, you can dodge the issue by saying the decoupling mechanism didn't deploy properly."
	  Vice-Admiral:
	  "P-Princess, that means..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Leave the AOU Atlantic Fleet to me."
	  Vice-Admiral:
	  "L-Leave it to the Aerial Knight Corps...?! That would be too dangerous! Princess, if anything were to happen to you...!!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Right now, I'm a soldier of the skies before I am a member of the Royal Family. At any rate, you must let me have the first strike in this battle. Don't worry, there is no danger. Didn't you say it yourself? The person leading the AOU fleet is a peace-loving man worthy of respect. You need not worry. As a representative of the ACR Royal Family, I will merely be paying them a courtesy call."
	  Rethabile:
	  "However, ...if they do not wish to respond in kind, we'll show both them and you the power of our Aerial Knight Corps. You'll see that I'm not so frail that you need to be worried for my sake. The Aerial Knights are the sole, unparalleled form of military might in this new era."
	  Rethabile:
	  "We're servants who support the Walls of Peace. I'll prove that with my own body!"
	  Vice-Admiral:
	  "P-Princess... As you command! I-I wish you luck...!"
	  ACR Lower-Ranking Officer:
	  "...Your Excellency, a-are you sure about this...?! If we don't decouple, we'll make a perfect target for the AOU fleet...!"
	  Vice-Admiral:
	  "Fear not! Contact all ships of the Atlantis. The Atlantis will not move. Rulers always stand firm. It is with that dignity that we will await the AOU fleet...!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "I'm not getting anywhere with you!!
	  langen@^ Get me your superior, now! War isn't waged in a conference room, it happens on the front lines! If you've got a problem with that, say it to my face! Gahahaha!! Transmission over!!"
	  COU Officer:
	  "This already isn't what we'd planned for! We only constructed this base because we knew we'd have air support! And I'm sure even the AOU now knows that we've lost it!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "What, are you scared?! Coward! Who needs air support?! Have you forgotten about the army's fighting spirit?!!"
	  COU Officer:
	  "The AOU will definitely attack! If we take losses, who's going to take responsibility?!!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "You low-level officers and soldiers will, obviously!!"
	  COU Officer:
	  "And you claim that you *aren't* a coward?! If the AOU attacks, are you going to say you fought bravely?!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "Naturally!!! Come on, attack us if you can, AOU!! I'll show you what my bravery's woooooorth!!!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "Gyaaaaaaaaaah!!^
	   Waaaaagggaaaaahhh!!!"
	  
	  Jayden:
	  "That's one vehicle down! Woohoo! Did you see that, that's my first hit!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Idiot, don't shoot their fuel tanks! What if someone gets caught in the explosion?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Don't worry, there wasn't anyone around, I checked
	   Yahooo!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Calm down, dumbass! Look at how dark it is. They can't see us in the night sky. Stay calm and accurately shoot through the enemy's weaknesses!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Understood. Destroy only the unmanned weapons. Don't create unnecessary casualties."
	  If it didn't matter how many casualties they created, they could have ended everything before anyone noticed, launching an all-out attack with small, highly maneuverable missiles.
	  However, Miyao and the others chose not to do that.
	  They closed in to a distance of several dozen meters, accurately sniping just the vital components of the anti-aircraft vehicles.
	  The weapons they had chosen for this attack were anti-materiel rifles loaded with super high density shells.
	  These had been tested for use as infantry anti-tank weapons, which could pierce almost any sort of armor.
	  However, their power dropped off greatly with distance, so in order to use them against enemies that required their use, infantrymen would have to get so close that these weapons were considered about as useful as bamboo spears.
	  However, Gauntlet Knights didn't have that problem.
	  The invincible Rejection Shield made it possible for them to easily approach any sort of enemy...!
	  COU Officer:
	  "Enemy troops are approaching!! Watch out for friendly fire! There they are, above those anti-aircraft vehicles!! Fire, fire, fire!!!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "Wh-Wh-What in the world?! O-Our shells aren't working?!?!"
	  COU Officer:
	  "F-Fall back, fall back!! They're Gauntlets!! Don't tell me they're really using them in actual combat...?!!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I've destroyed its power source. That's two down!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I got one too, that's three down!"
	  Jayden:
	  "This is the end! Last one!"
	  After destroying all their targets, the Warcats flew up into the night sky and looked down.
	  They faded into the sky's darkness, so the COU troops couldn't see them at all. They continued to fire blindly into the sky, but even that gradually faded.
	  Miyao:
	  "This is the Warcats! We've disabled all four vehicles!"
	  Command Center:
	  "We're monitoring you here... That was a rapid and splendid achievement. ...Overwhelming, in fact. Did you take any damage at all...?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "All Warcats are in prime condition!"
	  Even the command center had only half-believed in the Aerial Augmented Infantry when sending them into the fight.
	  In part, this had been forced as a result of political pressure. ...Nearly everyone in the command center had assumed that Gauntlet Knights only had power in VR...
	  Command Center:
	  "Roger that, Warcats! Our fighter squadrons are about to launch a missile strike, so pull out of there!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Roger that. Warcats, return to base!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "...Wh-What on earth......? Those precious anti-aircraft vehicles I borrowed have been...hoho...hohohoho......"
	  COU Officer:
	  "Gauntlet Knights... So, ...they aren't just fairy tales that exist only in simulators......? Seriously? That's...not fair... ...Ninjas flying in the sky with barriers...? What are we supposed to do about those......?"
	  Only the anti-aircraft vehicles had been neatly destroyed. There was nothing left to do here but get caught up in the subsequent bombing raid. They had to retreat right away.
	  And yet, the soldiers who had been left behind just stared stunned at the sky, lit by the burning anti-aircraft vehicles...
	  In that sky, they could see the glint of several softly glowing angel feathers...
	  ABN Officer:
	  "What's our air defense system doing?! Why won't it fire?!?!"
	  ABN Soldier:
	  "They're too close!! Have you ever heard of an automated fire control system that could take on humans flying close enough to engage in hand-to-hand combat?!?!"
	  Everyone knew the word `Gauntlet Knight'.
	  They had even seen them at the Battle Standard Festival, and they often appeared in games, ...so they were at least as well known as UFOs or Nessie.
	  However, ...to think that they actually did exist...and were actually capable of taking part in a real fight!
	  ABN Officer:
	  "I-I don't care what you do, just get rid of them! The golden wells that keep bringing me money are getting destroyed one by one!!!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Princess, Honglong Squad has successfully blasted the 7th mining shaft."
	  Lingji:
	  "Our allies haven't taken any losses, yes? And the same goes for our enemies?"
	  Aysha:
	  "Of course. Some of the soldiers have given up on shooting, instead focusing their efforts on filming us."
	  Momotake:
	  "What a lack of tension for a war zone. ...The Rejection Shield truly is terrifying."
	  Lingji:
	  "We truly are game changers."
	  Momotake:
	  "Starting today, ...all existing military might will lose its meaning."
	  Aysha:
	  "To think that the few of us would come to be synonymous with military might. ...Heheh, I'm not sure if that's wonderful or terrifying."
	  Lingji's shield was grazed by bullets fired by soldiers who apparently hadn't yet lost the will to fight.
	  In the modern battlefield, no matter what sort of hero you are, a single stray bullet can kill you if you aren't careful. ...However, that law of the battlefield didn't even apply to Gauntlet Knights.
	  Calmly looking down on a war zone from above is a sort of gravitas allowed only to the rulers of a battlefield.
	  Lingji:
	  "Let's destroy the eighth and withdraw. I'll take care of the final one."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh, hold on a second, Princess. ...You know, there's someone who's been waiting aaall day, eager to look cool in front of you. Right?"
	  Momotake:
	  "Wh-Wh-Why are you looking at me?! I-I-I do not find this amus-amus-amus-"
	  Lingji:
	  "I see. After all, this is the final act of our very first sortie. Of course you'd want to finish it off looking incredibly cool!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Momotake! Please end this with that finishing move you're so proud of!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Good for you, you get a chance to shine. Heheh, now you finally get to say the name we thought up together for that cool finishing move of yours."
	  Lingji:
	  "What do you mean, a name? I want to hear it, Momotake!"
	  Momotake:
	  "I-I-I have n-n-no idea what she's talking about...!"
	  With a confusing expression that might have been a blush and might have been sulking, Momotake flew over to the final mining machine.
	  He stopped in mid air in front of the shaft of the rugged mining machine, which extended dozens of meters into the air, and took a pose like an iai master.
	  Then, he focused his mind...
	  Lingji:
	  "I wonder what kind of cool name he gave that cool finishing move!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheheheh. Now then, Momotake, time to go all out...! Summon the wind! When the storm arrives and you cry out, the thunderous blade will growl at the unforgivable shadow of evil!! The time has come for your finishing move, the...!!!"
	  Momotake:
	  "......Nnnn...gggghh-"
	  Aysha:
	  "The time has come for your finishing move, the...!!!"
	  Even though he had finally thought up a cool pose and move name with Aysha's help...
	  Momotake's face went red, his mind went blank, and he froze...
	  Lingji:
	  "What sort of cool name could it be?! This is Momotake, so I'm sure it'll be really, really cool!! Good luck, Momotake!!"
	  Aysha:
	  (Heheheh, come on, Momotake, you can do it! I helped you practice for so long, so please make it cool!!)
	  Aysha:
	  "Now, Momotake!! It's time for your finishing move, the...!!!"
	  Momotake:
	  "Secret Technique,
	   ...Ki..."
	  Lingji:
	  "?"
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "...I-I bit my tonguuuuuuuuuueee..."/
	  
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "G-Give me back the 20 hours I spent helping you practiiiiiiiice!!"
	  Moaning as though something was caught in his throat, he unleashed it.
	  However, everyone who saw it probably also felt like something was caught in their throats.
	  ...And that thing was...astonishment. It was shock!
	  ABN Officer:
	  "Gyaaaaaaah?!?! My...my well of money, noooooooo......!"
	  The shaft of the mining machine...slowly slipped down at an angle.
	  It was like warm butter being cut with a knife. ...No, the massive shaft of the mining machine had been sliced in half as though a metal-cutting sword out of a manga had been used against it.
	  When Momotake did an iai slash, he didn't have any sort of blade in his hands.
	  This was a specialized weapon that no Gauntlet Knight anywhere else in the world could use, the dimensional vibration blade.
	  That invisible weapon, which turned the gaps between dimensions into a blade by utilizing Dimension Container technology, could theoretically slice through any substance.
	  Of course, it took an insane amount of energy to use, making it a trump card that couldn't be shown off often.
	  Momotake:
	  "It seems I've sullied my blade once mrrph..."
	  Aysha:
	  (You screwed up your line agaaaaaaaaain! Don't turn red, that just makes it more obvious!)
	  Lingji:
	  "Momotake, that was so cool!! Though, I didn't quite catch the move name..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "This is Thalathat Suyuf. We'll reach the target in five minutes. As soon as we do, we'll start securing VIPs and defending the camp."
	  Command Center Radio:
	  "This is the command center calling Thalathat Suyuf. The situation has changed."
	  Command Center Radio:
	  "17 minutes ago, the refugee camp was attacked by the ACR military, and the target you're supposed to defend was abducted. Thalathat Suyuf's mission has been altered. Begin an air-to-ground retrieval operation to secure the target."
	  Naima:
	  "Wow! It's just the kind of divebomb strategy I'm best at!"
	  Naomi:
	  "...If the target's on foot, that will be fine, but..."
	  Pictures of the target's face and pieces of information about their physique were shown on their mental displays one after another.
	  Also, it told them that he had a miniature military tracking device on him, and that they would be able to get his exact location if they could get close enough.
	  Command Center Radio:
	  "The target has been put inside a military vehicle and is travelling towards an airforce base at 70 km/h. They probably intend to transport him by air from there. Naturally, the situation will grow worse the closer he gets to that base."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Thalathat Suyuf reads you. ...We'll immediately catch up to the convoy and secure the target from the air."
	  Command Center Radio:
	  "Good luck, and may God go with you."
	  Naima:
	  "Still, we really are lucky! Good thing the target has a tracking device on him."
	  Naomi:
	  "...Why would a Leader of Peace from a refugee camp have an ABN Combined Military emergency tracker?"
	  Naima:
	  "Someone at the ABN base must've given it to him as a good luck charm, in case he got in trouble. Wow!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Let's just assume Naima is right. ...Time to clean up after the Guidance Department."
	  Captain:
	  "...This is the flagship of the AOU Atlantic Fleet, the aircraft carrier Roger Jamison. You're coming in loud and clear, Your Highness."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Tell the Atlantic Fleet to return to port immediately. ...Though, I suppose if you actually agreed to do that, you could hardly call yourselves soldiers, yes?"
	  Captain:
	  "I'm glad you understand, Your Highness. We're guardians of peace, just like you. I doubt either of us would give up on supporting the Walls of Peace from both sides."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Then what will you do? Will you continue on into the region of the Atlantis Spirit Field and stare down the Atlantis Fleet? That situation would be so volatile, anything might happen."
	  Neither fleet wanted to fight.
	  However, if they were close enough to glare at each other, all sorts of mistakes might be made.
	  If there were war hawks in the upper ranks, ...there might also be war hawks mixed in throughout the fleets, and it was possible that they would overreact or pretend to move by mistake, trying to trigger an accidental conflict.
	  If Rethabile and the others could use the time bought by this tense staredown to let the politicians cool their heads and negotiate, they might be able to resolve this peacefully...
	  However, negotiating is like playing poker, using your ability to escalate tensions as your chips.
	  Negotiating in a situation that's already extremely volatile is like playing without any chips. And if someone doesn't pay up, ...both sides will have to fight.
	  Slowly, cautiously, and for the sake of resolving this peacefully, both fleets would have to put as much distance between each other as possible.
	  Captain:
	  "Logically speaking, I agree with you. ...However, we're soldiers. We cannot disobey our orders."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I understand. In that case, if I see to it that you return to port anyway, I will merely have resolved this issue in a way that only a soldier can."
	  Captain:
	  "......Do you think your prized Aerial Augmented Infantry is a match for the Atlantic Fleet, the pride of the AOU?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Take a defensive posture. In a few minutes, my kette will advance into the range of your radar. ...There's no need for warning shots! Attack us with everything you have. We're about to prove that the power of the Aerial Knights extends beyond the virtual reality of the Battle Standard Festival. We'll use it to make you return to port! I pray for your safety. Transmission over!"
	  AOU Officer:
	  "...She's kidding, right...? The Aerial Augmented Infantry only exists in games and VR sports, right...? They're advancing with a kette? Doesn't that mean a 3-person Aerial Augmented Infantry squad...?"
	  The fleet that ruled the Atlantic, commanded by an attack-specialized carrier and containing several Aegis-equipped warships, ...would be challenged by just three kids flying through the air.........?
	  Captain:
	  "Set condition 1 throughout the battle group and prepare for anti-air defense. Scramble fighters. All ships ready anti-swarm tactics equipment. This will be the first anti-Aerial Augmented Infantry battle in the history of the world. ...All troops, don't let your guards down. ...Our enemies aren't just virtual images that slipped out of some video game..."
	  Because they were from a virtual sport, because they were from a game, ...it was easy to accept that they could fly freely through the sky and had shields that could withstand any attack.
	  But...what if they really existed, ...and actually were invincible knights who could fly, ...and actually were capable of fighting on the same level as a fleet...?
	  Even on the bridge, there were quite a few people who had played Gauntlet Knight video games.
	  ...Would those really...truly...be attacking them......?
	  
	  Announcer:
	  "To all travelers, welcome to the harmony and culture of the Abrahamic Brother Nations, the ABN. We welcome you all to the Saint Florian International Airport. To all travelers, welcome to the harmony and culture of the..."
	  News:
	  "Today, AOU Japan announced that it has taken military action against the anti-aircraft base being constructed by COU Japan on the Glass Sea of Japan."
	  News Bulletin:
	  "<Breaking News> The COU Combined Military has attacked the ABN Pakistan military guarding the Kashmir Spirit Field-"
	  The Glass Sea of Japan was on the other side of the world. Whether spears or missiles were raining down there, it had nothing to do with the people here.
	  However, if their own faction had been attacked, even if it was at the far end of it, that was a different matter.
	  The news bulletin made crowds of travelers stop in their tracks, apparently focusing on the news monitor or their mental displays.
	  Seshat:
	  "So, it's finally begun. ...Toujirou, has your son made an appearance yet?"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "He has, thanks for asking. We're caught up in Gauntlet Knight fever over here. It looks like they'll be handing out the first Medal of Honor since the last war."
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "Congratulations. ...I'm sure Miyao worked hard to destroy only the targets, without causing any deaths."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "At least he thinks he did. ...I hope he's not so naive that he really thinks that was enough to stop a war."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "...Nah, he probably does think that. Yeah, of course he does, definitely. He acts the way I expect so much, it's just adorable. When he was 4, he had a bunch of toy cars sitting out, so I told him to clean them up. And reluctantly, with a seriously upset face... Heheheheh, and after that, he... Dang if he isn't so cute♪"
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "Heeey, Earth to Toujirou. I get that your son is cute, okay?"
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "Still, kids truly do believe that they're the main characters in the world, and that no pieces exist on the game board other than the ones they can see."
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "I really do think he's naive. ...However, I don't dislike that sort of attitude. I mean it."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Of course. After all, giving the people hope is a king's job."
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "You really are funny, Toujirou. I suppose you really can't be a jester without a good mind."
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "Still, ...the old always fall. It's always the young who defeat them, who last until the end. If defeat is unavoidable, it sure would be nice if Miyao was the young person to do it."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Nothing could make a father prouder than if the one stepping over his corpse is his son, Grand Master."
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "...Good for you. Looks like you're enjoying your fatherhood."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Oh, and if we're talking about what made Miyao so cute when he was little, when I was lying facedown, he'd crawl up onto my back. His hands were so teeny-tiny, aah, I don't even know how to describe it, hihihi-"
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "Oh, sorry. It's about time for me to start my job. I'm hanging up."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Ooh, pardon me. I just got lost in thought remembering things about my son."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "...Still, you know there's no need for you to dirty your own hands, right?"
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "A Grand Master must interrogate traitors personally, passing judgment with their own hands. That's the responsibility left to the one who serves as Grand Master of our Order."
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "The one who ultimately signed off on welcoming that person into the Order was me, the Grand Master. I must bear responsibility for that. ...And besides, even if they're 99% guilty, it's still the Grand Master's role to believe in that 1% of innocence before checking personally."
	  Seshat:
	  "And, that last 1% mustn't be decided with electronic information or heavily pixelated video. ...People can measure each other's true intent only when they're face-to-face. ...I believe that's the only way to do it."
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "So then, I'll hang up. Please believe in his innocence."
	  Seshat could be seen in an ABN international airport.
	  Its magnificent furnishings had led to it being chosen as one of the ten most beautiful airports in the world.
	  However, there were also hidden cameras everywhere, leaving no blind spots whatsoever.
	  Seshat seemed less impressed by the furnishings and the number of hidden cameras...than by the artfulness with which they had been hidden.
	  Right then, Seshat was walking through a section only P4 passholders could enter, commonly known as a VIP area.
	  Only celebrities and business executives who didn't mind paying the 10,000 credit annual membership fee could set foot here.
	  Though it was a place that only those extremely trusted by society could enter, ...Seshat was still being tracked by more than three cameras just walking through a corridor like this...
	  Movement patterns from those images were constantly being monitored by AI, and if you did anything suspicious, it would immediately shift to a state of even higher surveillance.
	  That AI shifted from its normal mode to a suspicious one. It was because Seshat had stopped walking in front of a door she didn't have permission to enter.
	  Beyond that point was a set of rentable rooms that had been set up within the VIP area. The AI knew that Seshat didn't have an entrance pass, so it identified her stopping there as a suspicious act.
	  The security camera shifted into a more precise mode, checking Seshat's actions in detail.
	  After standing in front of the automatic door, which didn't open, Seshat raised her right hand. Then, a green, glowing tablet appeared out of thin air, so that her fingers were resting upon it.
	  #e1dc00The suspicious individual is using a midair tablet... ...Zooming in on tablet. ...Model unknown. Function unknown. Raising suspicion level.
	  The midair tablet would project an input device in midair if you just raised your hand, allowing you to enter commands just like tech that often appeared in A2W period sci-fi.
	  These days, mental tablets were considered normal, but up until a half century ago, these had been more popular.
	  However, manipulating something in empty space can be hard on your fingers, so the public reception of this tool was unexpectedly poor.
	  Still, just like how the popularity of digital watches didn't eliminate all analog watches, these devices were still preferred by a few people with certain tastes or a playful attitude...
	  #e1dc00The suspicious individual has suddenly gained access to the room. Raising suspicion level. Concluding that access to the room was most likely not granted through proper means. Raising suspicion level. Raising. Raising. Suspicion level is now high enough to alert the security room and airport security guards in the area.
	  Poyo! There's nothing suspicious at all poyo! Don't worry, don't woooorry, here's a magic spell to lower the security level! *kero*kero*kerooooo*, *poyo*poyo*poyooo*♪
	  #e1dc00...Lowering suspicion level. ...Lowering. Lowering. The lower threshold for identification as a suspicious individual has been passed. ...Switching observation back from suspicion mode to normal mode.
	  nd I'll do you one better poyo! It's okay, you can observe her a bunch less than that poyo! As always, thanks for your hard work poyo! You are getting sleepy, very sleeepy... *snore*...
	  Seshat's eyes met the security camera.
	  The tagged info on Seshat within the security camera flickered for a second...and was then completely erased. 
	  ...It meant that the airport security AI no longer identified Seshat as an object.
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "There you go. Also delete all the records from the time I arrived at the airport. It's been a long time since I've taken a trip in the flesh, so I let a lot slip my mind."
	  Roger that poyo! That's true, Master! If we didn't do that, it'd look like you suddenly evaporated from an airport corridor poyo!
	  The data collected on Seshat by the airport security system was erased retroactively.
	  Of course, that wouldn't erase it optically. Only the records generated by the AI had been erased.
	  ...However, Seshat's interference went even further than that.
	  Now searching for you in all video records throughout the airport and altering the video poyo. *kero*kero&ro*kero*kero#...*......
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "Hmm? Was that a bit too much power for Keropoyo to handle? You can do it, outie frog."
	  *kero*kero%ro*kro&roke&#*......
	  Seshat had given it that task casually, ...but in fact, the request was far from a reasonable one.
	  Normally, it would've been impossible to interfere with the security system of an ABN international airport, as they were particularly well-equipped to deal with terrorism. And she had done it with a few causal taps on a midair tablet, almost as though she was adjusting a thermostat.
	  Doing such a thing would require a massive amount of machine power.
	  If Seshat was using a Selcom to do this, it meant she was using her own brain.
	  That was impossible.
	  To not only interfere with the airport's security system, but also remove her image from footage taken by hundreds of security cameras, literally erasing the fact that she had been there, ...was something a single human brain couldn't possibly do...
	  *kero*roG&ke#...ro◎ro*kero*kero*...
	   Poyoo％ん! Process+ng com&let=d poyo!
	  #ffaf9bSeshat:
	  "Good work. I am satisfied. I'll turn off your app, so take it easy and defrag yourself or something."
	  Than& )ou. It's a *leasu&e to se#ve po...yo...
	  Guess it's time to go.
	  Time to pass judgement.
	  In a conference room, old men wearing suits and military uniforms were watching news bulletins on their mental displays.
	  There was the AOU's attack on the Central Glass Sea of Japan. And, the COU's attack on the mining machines in the Kashmir Spirit Field.
	  In particular, the COU's attack was the world's first actual combat and major victory featuring only Gauntlet Knights, and the COU was releasing video after video, causing a stir around the world...
	  LATO Officer:
	  "...It's still hard to believe, ...but I have to acknowledge it. ...It all really is proceeding as you predicted..."
	  Suited Man:
	  "They do exist, Your Excellency. A group trying to turn the clock back to zero, so they can restart the world and civilization. The World Reset Cult."
	  A thin, old gentleman with sharp eyes said this with a mysterious gaze.
	  Throughout all of history, all so-called elites have been enamoured -- at some point -- with the idea of thinning out an unsatisfactory `foolish humanity', rebuilding it into a more wonderful civilization.
	  World Reset Cults like this had often been used as evil masterminds in movies and novels, and though the concept was extremely well known, no one believed that they actually existed.
	  After all, no one with enough influence and wealth to destroy the world would take the contradictory step of rendering all those resources useless...
	  Suited Man:
	  "This is the plan that `they', ...the Three Kings, have written."
	  A folder had been set on the table. It only seemed to have a few sheets of documents in it, ...but according to this man, ...the upcoming fate of the world was written there. In other words, ...it was a written prophecy that told of the world's destruction...
	  Suited Man:
	  "The only ones who can stop this plan...are the mediators of peace in the A3W world, the LATO International Peace Mediation Association."
	  LATO Officer:
	  "...In other words, you want us to bring about the A4W era...?"
	  Suited Man:
	  "Of the five factions that divide up the globe, only LATO can serve as the leader of the new order. ...That is our conclusion."
	  In the A3W world, LATO was proud of its position as the world's police, the world's chairperson, the world's judge.
	  And, by having a monopoly on Rare Spiritium, it had gained immense wealth, making its countries the richest on the planet.
	  However, they hadn't been regarded as such in the B3W era.
	  Even now, the way they had been viewed back then still lingered, ...and they were sensitive to the way some people muttered about their current prosperity, saying it was due solely to the fact that they were lucky enough to have huge amounts of Rare Spiritium in their backyard...
	  So, if you suggested that they could become leaders of a new world order by fighting a massive cult planning a world war, ...it would probably make for an incredibly enticing prospect.
	  #fbeb85Valentina:
	  "Heheh... Ridiculous. Who would fall for a story like that?"
	  #beaaf6Maricarmen:
	  "They must be thinking the same thing. They say they brought something today that would convince us to believe, even in a story like that..."
	  The young LATO Gauntlet Knights were there too, possibly as guards and possibly as secretaries...
	  LATO Officer:
	  "...Naturally, LATO will never abandon its duty to work towards world peace. ...However, the technology known as the Gauntlet has surpassed and broken down all the Walls of Peace and the common sense of the old era. ...Unless we have something that can surpass even that technology, I'm afraid it will be impossible, even for us, to prevent the war that's about to occur..."
	  The news streaming on their mental displays made it clear that Gauntlet Knights weren't just things from video games, but superweapons that actually existed.
	  Military commentators were saying quite clearly that this day -- the day on which all existing forms of military power had been rendered obsolete -- would be recorded in history as a major turning point.
	  It was only natural. ...They could fly like fighter jets, be armed like carriers, withstand all attacks like tanks, and set foot anywhere like infantry, allowing them to invade any location.
	  With its abundant military funding, LATO did indeed have a slight lead on Gauntlet development. However, it certainly wasn't an overwhelming one...
	  Suited Man:
	  "We are prepared to offer you technology that will be sufficient to maintain peace in the new world..."
	  As he said this, the man took a duralumin case, which had been held by a man who looked like a bodyguard, and put it on the table.
	  LATO Officer:
	  "...What's that?"
	  Suited Man:
	  "This is called wisdom. ...Do you understand...?"
	  LATO Officer:
	  "No, I don't. ...Please explain."
	  Seshat:
	  "It means something that's beyond humanity's level."
	  LATO Officer:
	  "...Who are you...?"
	  Unlike the blankly staring officers, the suited men were shocked by Seshat's appearance, and their eyes went wide. Except for the thin, old gentleman seated at the table, that is...
	  Seshat:
	  "The only people who enjoy calling this by the pompous name of `wisdom' are insane. We simply refer to them by number."
	  By now, the people guarding the LATO officers were starting to realize that she was an uninvited guest...
	  Seshat:
	  "The number and name of the thing in that attaché case is 19080630. If deciphered, it might possibly be a key to a puzzle that consumed Vier Dreissig, the so-called `Third Missing Link', ...which, to probably 99.999% of humanity throughout recorded history, is merely a small stellated truncated dodecahedron weighing 403 grams and made of a silver-colored metal that can be divided into 381 parts, okay?"
	  Suited Man:
	  "If properly used, it's a splendid bit of wisdom that could be used to prevent a world war before it starts..."
	  Seshat:
	  "I'm sorry. No offense to humanity, but I need this world war to proceed according to the plot."
	  Suited Man:
	  "Everyone, allow me to introduce you. ...This is a member of the World Reset Cult, Her Excellency Seshat, Grand Master of the Order of Prometheus. ...Though, I don't know her real name. She is also my superior officer."
	  Seshat:
	  "Too bad, I did think you were a clever one. Did you really think you would be able to fool me?"
	  Suited Man:
	  "There was no time. This was the last chance to stop World War IV in its tracks."
	  LATO Officer:
	  "...Th-That's crazy! Do you really think you can destroy the world?!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Your Excellency, please stand back."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "You there! Do anything suspicious, and I'll show you no mercy!"
	  The two of them used their Dimension Containers to instantly equip their Gauntlets.
	  The other troops pulled out their guns and readied them.
	  However, Seshat, who had all those guns pointed at her, and the suited man...didn't act as though these actions had any particular significance to them.
	  Seshat:
	  "Mr. Gray, do you admit that you betrayed our Order?"
	  The suited man called Gray answered immediately, without his calm smile faltering in the slightest.
	  Gray:
	  "Aren't you the one who betrayed our Order, Your Excellency?"
	  Seshat:
	  "You think so?"
	  Gray:
	  "The Order of Prometheus's greatest goal is to protect wisdom and use it to save humanity when the time comes."
	  Seshat:
	  "Yes, when the time comes."
	  Gray:
	  "The time has come. In the A3W world, where weapons of mass destruction have been eradicated and their power as deterrents has been lost, even the existing military forces that served as guardians of the Walls of Peace have now vanished. And, as the Three Kings have planned, the world is heading towards a final war. ...Now is the time. If we don't intervene, they truly will destroy the world."
	  Seshat:
	  "Except that the only one qualified to give that order is the Grand Master, me."
	  Gray:
	  "You are the one who betrayed the Order."
	  Seshat:
	  "Mr. Gray, don't tell me you've forgotten. Don't you remember where our Order came from?"
	  Gray:
	  "...The Order of Prometheus began as a brother of the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order. Are you saying that, even though they went their separate ways, their goals and intentions remain the same...? What sophistry."
	  Gray:
	  "You sold the pride of our Order to the Three Kings. You should admit that, Your Excellency."
	  Seshat:
	  "There, at least, we view things the same way. We both view each other as traitors. And then, you took my property without permission."
	  Gray:
	  "Wisdom is not something you personally own. It's a shared resource that was given to humanity."
	  Seshat:
	  "Nope. No good. It's mine. I won't let you have it. Bleeeeh."
	  Gray:
	  "Your Excellency, on this day, I'll have you step down from your position as our Grand Master. Your Excellency, take her into custody."
	  Seshat:
	  "Which Your Excellency are you talking to?"
	  LATO Officer:
	  "O-Oh, me...?! This is so confusing! Aaah, capture her at once!"
	  As soon as he gave the signal, weapons appeared in the hands of the Gauntlet Knight girls.
	  The order was to capture her alive.
	  The thing that appeared in Maricarmen's hand and looked like a large handgun immediately spat fire. However, instead of a bullet, it fired multiple electrical discharges and sparks.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "That just rendered your Selcom inoperable. You can't call for friends or activate any funny apps now!"
	  Selcoms were controlled by the brain. Simply restraining someone's body wouldn't truly rob them of their freedom to act.
	  Law enforcement agencies in all countries were equipped with electric guns that could rapidly disable the Selcom of anyone they wanted to take into custody.
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, just put your hands up. There's nothing else you can do."
	  Gray:
	  "How unsightly. You must have several cards that you could use to negotiate with."
	  Seshat:
	  "That's true. I've got plenty of them."
	  Gray:
	  "There are the other pieces of wisdom you possess, as well as the information and connections you have. ...If you want to use those cards most effectively, you should interact with us in an amicable manner."
	  Seshat:
	  "Bleeeeeh."
	  Seshat:
	  "I think that's enough, Mr. Gray. You're guilty."
	  Seshat:
	  "Now then, allow me to proceed to your sentencing."
	  The inside of the large vehicle, which had once been dimly lit, was now filled with a billowing white smoke, as well as the brightness of the African sun.
	  The ACR soldiers were stunned, and the next instant, a single girl burst in from the heavens, leaving a trail of angel feathers behind her...!
	  Naima:
	  "Wowowoooooooooooow!!!"
	  The man in handcuffs in the center rear seat is our target! He's the Leader of Peace who was abducted from the refugee camp.
	  Gotta fly into the big vehicle that lost its roof!
	  Common sense said that her kinetic energy should have wrapped the car in an immense explosion, but as a result of her intensive training, Naima was capable of killing her Gs and instantly stopping within a centimeter of her target.
	  Then, Naima grasped the head of the target, who was still freaking out and unable to understand what was happening, and banged her forehead into his, staring into his eyes.
	  Naima:
	  "His retina pattern matches! I've confirmed that he's the target! Wow!!"
	  Naomi:
	  "Get out of there. We'll provide support."
	  Naima:
	  "Woooooow!!!"
	  The soldiers on either side finally realized that this was an enemy attack. They tried to grab Naima, but her job had already been completed in a few seconds. It was too late!
	  The handguns they pulled out were immediately knocked away by Naima's Rejection Shield.
	  The next instant, Naima flew up into the air, carrying the target.
	  Gauntlet Knights could withstand sudden acceleration thanks to their Anti-G 8MS, but that wouldn't work for their target.
	  For that reason, she wouldn't be able to fly like a bullet, like she had on the way in. She had to slowly ascend like a kite dancing through the air.
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Why are you just sitting there?!! Fire, fire! I don't care, shoot them to deaaaath!!!"
	  The line of armored Humvees let loose with their mounted heavy machine guns, but of course, that meant nothing to a Gauntlet Knight.
	  All of the bullets that rained on her were merely repelled, along with scattered feathers.
	  Still, she had the target with her. There was absolutely nothing wrong with being extra safe.
	  Just then, things like small fireworks exploded several times around her.
	  They were smoke grenades used for providing cover, which Naomi had launched. Naima was immediately swallowed up by the thick, highly-opaque, black smoke.
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Don't let a little smoke screen stop you!! How can the military of the glorious ACR Royal Family let a captive be stolen back from them?!! Fire, fire, just shoot anythiiiiiiiing!!"
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Waaah?!?! Gyaaaaah, help meeeeeeeee!!!"
	  
	  From beyond the smoke screen, a horrifying burst of gunfire shot towards the line of cars, like a dragon licking the ground.
	  Its source was a revolver cannon Stanisław had summoned.
	  That weapon's rate of fire, which was created for the sake of fighter jets flying at each other at extreme speeds, was truly astonishing.
	  Naima:
	  "Please don't hit them! Don't let any of our enemies or allies die! Miyao will get mad at us, wow!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "I understand. We just need to distract them."
	  The fearsome rain of bullets, along with the dust it kicked up, had already thrown the line of vehicles into chaos.
	  Now, it probably wouldn't even be possible for a stray bullet to graze them.
	  By the time the smoke screen faded, Thalathat Suyuf had already escaped into a safe area. 
	  Naomi:
	  "Still, that's our Naima for you. To rush towards the target from the sky at that speed, when it couldn't have looked like anything more than a dot, and then stop at exactly the right location... I know I couldn't do it."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Give her a small dose of sedative. It looks like she's getting overexcited after performing that so beautifully."
	  Naomi:
	  "Let her enjoy it a bit longer. After all, this is Thalathat Suyuf's first real fight, and our first victory."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Hmm. ...Unless she starts pulling stunts while holding the target, I suppose I'll watch over her for a while."
	  Naomi:
	  "Miyao sent a message. It sounds like he was able to succeed in his mission without any casualties on either side."
	  Stanisław:
	  "If the COU news coverage can be believed, Lingji's group also succeeded in their mission without any casualties on either side."
	  Naima:
	  "We had a huge success too, woooooow
	   Lalalala, lalala♪"
	  Naomi:
	  "Now, it's just Princess Rethabile left."
	  Stanisław:
	  "This is the Princess we're talking about. She's up against the AOU Atlantic fleet, but I doubt she'll screw it up."
	  Naomi:
	  "Shutting down an AOU America carrier assault fleet without any casualties, huh? ...The world's going to change a lot after today."
	  Naima:
	  "That's soo right!! Those big-headed old soldiers' time is soo over! From now on, we young people are soo gonna be the sky's guardians of peace, the defenders of world peeeeeeeeace, woooooow!"
	  
	  Stanisław:
	  "Naomi, I'll need you to do it after all."
	  Naomi:
	  "Roger that. Okay, Naima, it's time for your meds."
	  Naima:
	  "Wow?!?! Wowowow...
	  wheeeeeeeeew......"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Hmm. Rethabile sent a message to all the Public Bath members."
	  Naomi:
	  "It's just a stamp."
	  Stanisław:
	  "It looks like it was a big success on her end as well."
	  Naomi:
	  "That settles it. On this day, the concept of military power has been completely altered."
	  Stanisław:
	  "The game has been changed."
	  Flying over the great blue seas was `The June 1st King's Tour Memorial Squad'. Also known as Squad 601. It was the kette led by Rethabile.
	  Their expressions were calm, filled with confidence and dignity.
	  And in the distance behind them, a carrier fleet was disappearing beyond the horizon.
	  Ishak:
	  "Princess, even the Rejection Shield isn't invulnerable. I ask that you refrain from using such forceful methods next time."
	  Rethabile:
	  "There's no point craftily flying about and hiding. Sometimes, a ruler's fight must be straightforward to a fault."
	  Abdou:
	  "You've got a point. ...You didn't even scratch the enemy ship, ...but their fighting spirit really did fold in half."
	  Ishak:
	  "It wasn't just the Atlantic Fleet that folded. ...Today, the pride of old soldiers all across the planet must've folded too."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Heheheh. Today, the game has changed. We young Gauntlet Knights will take on the role of being the world's guardians of peace! And we'll cut down just the sprouts of war, without hurting anyone!"
	  Ishak:
	  "...That Public Bath Oath of Miyao's might really stop the next world war from happening."
	  Abdou:
	  "Still, I didn't think the Princess would be so moved by Miyao's naive words."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Ideals without power are merely naive delusions. However, we have power. Today, we young Gauntlet Knights have risen to the peak of the world's military power! So, we aren't naive. Miyao's ideals, the oath we all made in that public bath, ...every part of how we swore to protect the future peace of this planet deserves to be engraved in history...!"
	  Abdou:
	  "Well, ...it definitely feels good. Now, no one's gonna call what we do an esport."
	  Ishak:
	  "Now, if we can just change the story a bit so that it was the Princess who proposed our union of peace instead of Miyao, everyone's gonna love it."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Oooh, that's a great idea! It certainly would be nice if they thought I suggested that Public Bath Oath instead of Miyao. Wahahaha!"
	  Abdou:
	  "...Oh...crap..."
	  Ishak:
	  "What's wrong, all of a sudden?"
	  Abdou:
	  "...Oh crap. Seriously, oh crap. ...I know we've just been flying away all nice and cheery, ...but we really, seriously just fought off a carrier fleet...!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "We didn't fight them off. They accepted a forward-looking present from the ACR Royal Family and triumphantly returned to their homeland!"
	  Ishak:
	  "That's true enough. That certainly was a heartfelt Royal Family present."
	  Captain:
	  "This is the flagship of the Atlantic Fleet, the aircraft carrier Roger Jamison, reading you loud and clear."
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "Wh-Wh-What's going on here?! Why did you pull back? Why did you retreat?! Why is the historic, invincible Atlantic Fleet of our heart's homeland turning tail and running from a fiiiiiight?!!!"
	  Captain:
	  "I've already sent the details to the command center. Have you not looked at the battle data yet, Your Excellency?"
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "I didn't look at that! Are you saying I'd be satisfied if I did?!!"
	  Captain:
	  "...Whether you're satisfied or not, it's a fact. We were unable to stop just three knights from the ACR Aerial Augmented Infantry. ...At the moment, we've accepted a gift from the ACR's Commonwealth King, and are now returning to port."
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "A giiift...? What's that giant thing in this image?"
	  It was an image of the ship's bridge.
	  Those massive things lying scattered behind the captain were...
	  Captain:
	  "They're ACR heavy torpedoes."
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "H-H-How on earth did they get there?!"
	  Captain:
	  "Because they paid our bridge a visit and put them here."
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Whaaaaaaat...?!?!"
	  Anyone looking at this image of heavy torpedoes scattered about a carrier's bridge would've thought it was a bad shop.
	  But it was real.
	  There were heavy torpedoes lying around on the bridge of the Atlantic Fleet's flagship.
	  Rethabile's group had announced that they would initiate a hostile engagement with the Atlantic Fleet.
	  After receiving that message, the Atlantic Fleet had prepared to fight back, and after taking necessary precautions, had formally entered the battle.
	  They hadn't held back in any way, either to reduce casualties, or because their opponent was an ACR princess. They gave it their all as soldiers.
	  From a reasonable height, interceptor fighter squadrons had targeted the ACR kette as it skimmed right over the water's surface.
	  They attacked with air-to-air missiles, but these were all intercepted.
	  Then, their entire air suppression assault of anti-swarm cluster rockets was either intercepted or blocked by shields.
	  All of the fleet's anti-air missiles and air suppression missiles were dealt with, and the enemy Aerial Augmented Infantry squad approached the flagship.
	  Gatling guns used for ship defense were activated, but they couldn't catch up with the enemy's ricochet flying, and the rare bullet that hit was stopped by their shields.
	  The enemy force then reached the outer wall of the flagship carrier's bridge. This wall was then cut using a specialized tool. They then entered the ship.
	  ...The captain decided to avoid needless casualties. At that moment, the battle was over.
	  These monsters, who had not only slipped through a curtain of missiles and gatling gun fire, but who had even borne the brunt of that assault, had already broken into the ship.
	  This wasn't something that the firearms held by guards within the ship would be able to do anything about.
	  On the bridge, the enemy force demanded that the Atlantic Fleet surrender.
	  Rethabile:
	  "The ACR Royal Family wishes to show its respect for the AOU Atlantic Fleet with this courtesy call. And, as a sign of our friendship and high hopes for your future endeavors, we've brought you a gift."
	  Captain:
	  "...Princess Rethabile personally took these heavy torpedoes out of her Dimension Container, set them here, and left."
	  Their fuses had been removed, so there was no danger.
	  However, leaving a souvenir like this on the bridge of the flagship...sent a clear message that anyone could understand without words.
	  At any rate, if they wanted to have these objects removed, they would have to return to port.
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "Wh...Wh...Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh......?!!! Y-Y-Y-You! Are you saying you just sat there and watched, ...nnngggggggg...!!
	   D-Die, take them out at the cost of your lives, if you have to!! Compared to the honor and tradition of the Atlantic Fleet, your life isn't worth...nnggggg...!!!"
	  Captain:
	  "The times have changed. Or rather, it's been predicted for a while now that the times would change. And yet, we called the Aerial Augmented Infantry nothing but a dream. Until the moment they were actually put into use, we weren't able to understand them, that's all."
	  Captain:
	  "No, we probably were capable of understanding them. However, we were so scared of a future where all our honor and accomplishments would be overridden by new technology, covered in dust and buried, that we pretended not to notice. ...I'm sure the same goes for you."
	  AOU High-Ranking Officer:
	  "Nnggggggggg!!!
	  langen@^ Ggggggghhhh!! Aaaaaaaggggghhhhh......!!!"
	  
	  The old man, whose face had gone red and whose eyes were spinning, finally blew his fuse, foamed at the mouth, and fainted.
	  Captain:
	  "When faced with new technology, I think it's right for old soldiers who can't accept the new era to graciously withdraw. It's already been a century since the last world war. The military's bad tradition of idolizing fighting spirit is finally crumbling before our eyes. Nothing could make me feel more honored than bearing witness to the moment that era ended. We're returning to port. Transmission over."
	  Normally, soldiers are supposed to solemnly obey their orders, without acting for personal motivations, and performing nothing more or less than their mission.
	  However, ever since the start of the A3W era, people had been more concerned with the eradication of WMDs and maintaining a healthy military balance. In particular, the struggle for medals in the International Battle Standard Festival of Peace became a soldier's main focus, and they were treated more like sports contestants.
	  As a result, the bad aspects of soldiers and athletes fused, creating more and more followers of a baseless, bold, mysterious theory that fighting spirit trumps all. Unfortunately, people like this ended up achieving success, reforming the military around the concept of fighting spirit.
	  In the end, old people who wanted to cling to past glory, or else who simply wanted the young to experience the same unreasonable suffering they did, controlled the young's lives as if they owned them.
	  The appearance of Gauntlet Knights would be more than a revolution of military technology.
	  It would also give them a chance to take the role of `servants of peace' back from the old people who had remained in the military, ruling by emotion.
	  As the fleet returned to port, most of the sailors were unable to recover from their shock.
	  However, ...a very small group of them realized that they might just have borne witness to the dawn of a new age...
	  Announcer:
	  "To all travelers, welcome to the harmony and culture of the Abrahamic Brother Nations, the ABN. We welcome you all to the Saint Florian International Airport. To all travelers, welcome to the harmony and culture of the..."
	  News:
	  "Today, AOU Japan announced that it has taken military action against the anti-aircraft base being constructed by COU Japan on the Glass Sea of Japan."
	  News Bulletin:
	  "<Breaking News> The AOU Atlantic Fleet has pulled a u-turn. We've also had reports that the ACR Aerial Augmented Infantry repelled their advance."
	  A passenger jet that had just taken off was flying towards the ocean horizon, and their in-flight service was just beginning.
	  Seshat was sitting in an elegant first-class seat.
	  Flight Attendant:
	  "I can get you some champagne too, if you like."
	  Seshat:
	  "Hmm, what to do..."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "......Wh-Where am I...?"
	  Valentina:
	  "So, you finally woke up. You're always such a sleepyhead. Heheh."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "A hospital...? Why...are we...?"
	  Valentina:
	  "We were all found lying on the ground in an airport conference room."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "A conference room?"
	  Valentina:
	  "...According to my reminders, we apparently visited the Saint Florian Airport today to guard His Excellency."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "......Really...?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...My mind feels hazy. ...Weird, ...I can't even remember how long I've been here..."
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, you aren't the only one. ...The same goes for me, His Excellency, and the other people with us too."
	  No one...could remember why they had visited the Saint Florian Airport.
	  Even the high-ranking LATO officer who had led them here couldn't remember what their plans had been.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Could it be...that we were attacked somehow...and our memory was erased?"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. That's probably a fair assumption, but it isn't too realistic."
	  This was an era where a Selcom could write data to the brain like a hard drive. So, it wouldn't be strange if there existed technology that could delete memories from the brain too.
	  However, a Selcom could only interact with unused areas of the brain. It couldn't interfere with parts of the brain that humans normally used.
	  This was because the human body had powerful defense mechanisms that tried to expel foreign objects. Naturally, this applied to memories stored in the brain too.
	  The human brain has far more noise than you'd expect, so no matter how clear-thinking you are, you're always being showered by a large amount of false information.
	  However, the reason the brain can retain memories of real experiences, without getting confused by this, is because it weeds out foreign influences like false information.
	  In the end, a Selcom merely rented space in unused parts of the brain, so no matter how much it interfered, it would only affect the Selcom hard drive itself.
	  It could write and erase Selcom apps and text as it pleased, but it certainly couldn't rewrite memories of the human brain at will.
	  ...Technically, this sort of thing had been achieved in the lab, or so it was said.
	  However, those were just experiments performed on rats, and for those minor feats, ridiculous amounts of time and equipment had been needed.
	  In other words, ...it was fair to say that interfering with human memory was still impossible, in practical terms.
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh... And yet, in fact, we have no memory of why we went there or why we were lying on the floor."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "A-Anyway, if we want to know why we were all at an ABN airport, and why we were lying on the floor, we should be able to find out by looking at the footage from the airport's security cameras! Even if we don't have our memories, there should still be records of it. And this is an ABN airport, which are well known for the number of security cameras they have. We should be able to find all sorts of information!"
	  Valentina:
	  "There was nothing."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Huh?"
	  Valentina:
	  "There was no electronic data or visual data or analog data that was in any way suspicious. ...Do you know what that means? Heheh..."
	  They had visited Saint Florian Airport in the ABN, led by a high-ranking LATO officer.
	  However, all their memories of their arrival there were vague, and they certainly didn't remember why they had come there.
	  The airport surveillance video showed that they alone had entered the conference room.
	  They had probably been planning to make contact with some kind of VIP. ...Otherwise, why would they have come all the way to this foreign airport...?
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...I have...no idea what this means..."
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, ...that's right."
	  The meaning of this...was a complete mystery. Thinking about it was a waste of time.
	  Valentina:
	  "Even the analog record left in His Excellency's notebook didn't tell us anything about our purpose for today. ...It could be that even that was erased."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "What the heck? Did we get abducted by a UFO and have our memories wiped...?"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. ...It's a shame, ...but we checked around, ...and we haven't been able to think of anything other than that."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "You've got to be kidding me... This is getting creepy..."
	  Valentina:
	  "His Excellency also understands that we may have been victims of a high-level attack. He's asked our homeland to investigate the matter immediately, but..."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "But...?"
	  It was really eerie, but...
	  ...Their homeland had ordered them to drop this matter entirely and return home at once.
	  By `drop this matter', they meant for them to feel no suspicion, ignore anything that seemed strange, return as though nothing had happened, and then forget about the whole thing...
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...What the heck...? Hold on a sec. Are you serious? That's totally creepy..."
	  Valentina:
	  "I agree with you there. Heheh..."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Could this mean...that it really was...aliens...?"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, hahahahah... Later on, we'll have to check each other to make sure we don't have any strange bits of metal buried in our heads."
	  At that moment, everything shook jarringly.
	  It was an earthquake.
	  Ever since the start of the A3W era, in addition to earthquakes related to tectonic plates, it became possible for modern earthquakes to break out anywhere in the world.
	  So, people everywhere had experienced earthquakes and were used to them.
	  It wasn't anything particularly rare, but it startled them more than it should have.
	  It felt like...the pulsating of a monster in an abyss that surpassed human knowledge...
	  Seshat:
	  "You know, I think I will have some champagne."
	  Flight Attendant:
	  "As you wish."
	  Seshat:
	  "I'm getting old, after all. Just a little job like this, and I've run out of gas. Ahaha."
	  
	  The meeting ground for Gauntlet Knights, otherwise known as the It's a Wrap Public Bath, was bustling with activity.
	  It was packed, not just with aces from all countries, but also a crowd of Gauntlet Knights and candidates that had been gathered via friend requests.
	  Before long, there were several hundred of them, and Keropoyo lost his temper because gathering so many people into a single room was way too big a load to handle poyooo.
	  Because of display limits, it looked like there were only a few dozen of them there. However, this really was a gathering of allies from across the world.
	  Jayden:
	  "We immediately switched from flying so low we could lick the ground into an attack!! And you wouldn't believe the way we suddenly rose up and transitioned into a swift strike...!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "After slipping past the barrage pounding the ocean's surface and the splashes it kicked up, I floated right up to the Roger Jamison's bridge, just like that!"
	  The aces bragging about their feats were surrounded by trainees and candidates gazing enviously at them.
	  Gunhild:
	  "So, you flew between rocky mountains like that, at a super-low altitude during your approach? Your maneuvers look beautiful too."
	  Lingji:
	  "I'm glad to receive your praise. After all, by flying beautifully, you also minimize the strain on your body and your energy loss."
	  As the aces inspected each other's battle data, they were surrounded by groups of Gauntlet Knights on active duty, who wanted to join them in the field someday, and a passionate discussion was taking place.
	  Naima:
	  "Yeah, it felt so wonderful!! I came down from the sky like sweeeeeeeeee,
	   zooooooom, vwoooooooom!"
	  
	  Abdou:
	  "And that fresh feeling of kicking off the sea, bouncing through a fleet of warships, and leaping past the radars of Aegis-equipped destroyers? Well, I can't imagine anything better than that!"
	  Apparently, most of them were talking about the thrill of actual combat, or else getting excited by the prospect of doing it themselves someday.
	  It was only natural that they'd be so ecstatic.
	  News stations all over the world were announcing that, on this day, Gauntlet Knights had become the main source of military might.
	  Before, the military had treated them like a division of gamers limited to simulator work, a toy division used for exhibition flying, as if they were some kind of rare beast.
	  And now, overnight, they were being hailed as heroes by the military...no, the entire world.
	  Lilja:
	  "Meeeeeew... These people are getting so full of themselves after just one actual fight. That's super annoying meow meow..."
	  Sujatha:
	  "Was I...not chosen first because I was too immature...? Nngg..."
	  A small group of them stood apart from the tumult, sulking.
	  However, unsurprisingly, even they were happy to know that Gauntlet Knights had entered the limelight all over the world.
	  Mariana:
	  "...Militaries all over the planet are in shock. I hope the shock helps to cool the heads of those fever-addled fools who want to start wars."
	  Leah:
	  "A fever is only a symptom. Until the cause has been eliminated, the fever will only come back."
	  Miyao:
	  "I agree. Still, I think we did give a rude awakening to those morons who want to profit from war."
	  Andry:
	  "You know, I think it did have that effect... In the Kashmir Spirit Field, the people in charge have started arguing over who it was that decided to start mining. The masterminds are all pathetically playing dumb, looking for scapegoats, or saying their diabetes has gotten worse, so they need to be hospitalized. Woo!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Serves them right! If we prevent the people hoping for war from actually accomplishing anything, they'll definitely lose their positions. The healing power of people who want peace will definitely make this situation better!"
	  A lot of people heard Miyao's claims and nodded excitedly.
	  Right then, the sense that they were supporting the Walls of Peace felt more real than it ever had before.
	  However, there was also a group that wasn't excited at all, and which was calmly discussing the state of the world going forward.
	  Their mission was to be guardians of peace. Victory was only one means of achieving that, and it wasn't a job that would ever end.
	  After all, making sure a world war never occurs again is the biggest mission imaginable.
	  Chloe:
	  "...Didn't the COU announce that they would retaliate following that attack...?"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Don't worry about it too much... The COU foreign relations department always talks tough."
	  Noor:
	  "They only talk tough to look good within their own country. If they really were furious, they'd respond with actions instead of words."
	  Fatma:
	  "But isn't there a saying...about how thoughts become words, and words become actions?"
	  Here is how each faction responded to the Gauntlet Knight battles that had occurred simultaneously around the world:
	  First, the AOU.
	  They announced their victory in the fight of the Central Glass Sea of Japan far and wide, causing a big stir within their borders.
	  Gauntlet Knights were the new heroes of a new era. Hollywood would probably be filled to bursting with scripts about Gauntlet Knights. And, there were a lot of calls for a return to the B3W era's glory. Make the AOU great again! AOU! AOU!
	  ...On the other hand, the incident where Rethabile's group had repelled the Atlantic Fleet had been heavily covered up.
	  Young people already knew from the internet that ACR Gauntlet Knights had fought off the fleet, but the media paid suspiciously little attention to it, so mistrust of the media was growing.
	  Next, the COU.
	  At first, they announced their major victory in the attack against the Kashmir Spirit Field far and wide, but when that gradually calmed down, voices of outrage and discontent regarding the AOU attack on the Glass Sea started to grow more prominent.
	  Humans are creatures who quickly forget things that make them happy, but hardly ever forget things people did to them to make them angry.
	  In contrast to the AOU, angry points of view were common, and every day, more and more people were saying that they couldn't leave things as they were -- that they had to get back at the AOU.
	  In the midst of that, the COU had practically pointed its finger at the AOU and announced to the world that they believed in taking preemptive action for the sake of world peace.
	  It was an incredibly disturbing announcement, so naturally, it received criticism from all over the world.
	  However, now that Gauntlet Knights had appeared and changed the game, those who attacked would be able to apply much more pressure against the Walls of Peace.
	  The side being attacked would have to apply quite a lot of pressure themselves to counteract that, and in that sense, it might be fair to say that the COU understood the military balance of this new era the best.
	  It was mutually assured destruction, a cold war, only with Gauntlet Knights instead of nuclear weapons...
	  Stephania:
	  "The way they say it is disturbing, but in the interests of maintaining a healthy military balance, it's the correct decision."
	  Momotake:
	  "If you approach, you'll be cut down. But if both sides gauge the distance to their opponent, facing off respectfully against one another, they'll never get within the range of each other's swords... To the guardians of the Walls of Peace, having to maintain that level of tension is perfectly normal."
	  Ishak:
	  "If you look at it that way, the best plan might be to take the most passive approach, like the ABN."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Well, it's hardly desirable for a group of nations serving God for the sake of peace to rejoice at who wins and loses in wars between fellow humans..."
	  The ABN had responded to the situation more quietly than any of the other factions.
	  The hostage retrieval operation performed by Thalathat Suyuf was being treated as a protective measure taken for the sake of human rights, and except for a few overexcited people on the internet, it garnered hardly any interest.
	  True, they had been attacked by the COU in the Kashmir Spirit Fields, but many had calmly concluded that a small group of high military officials, who had forcibly started mining for personal gain, had only gotten what they deserved.
	  Since no one had been killed in the attack, the ABN had used this opportunity to dismiss the officers who had run wild, hoping to somehow reopen negotiations with the COU and settle this matter peacefully.
	  Out of all of Miyao and the others' plans to pluck the sprouts of war, this one had gone the best.
	  Aysha:
	  "Still, though I think it was a good, adult decision, from a perspective of supporting the Walls of Peace from both sides, is it really okay for them to one-sidedly pander to the COU...?"
	  Naomi:
	  "It probably just means that this time, they thought it was more important to dismiss those who disobeyed the Leadership Council and went rogue. When it comes to maintaining a healthy military balance, pandering should be avoided, but in this case, they decided that it was more important to put a fire out quickly..."
	  Abdou:
	  "Looking at it that way, we might be turning up the heat a bit too much on our end. Our media's getting a little too fired up."
	  The fact that the ACR had managed to repel the AOU Atlantic Fleet was the biggest upset they'd seen since the founding of their nation, and they were partying every day.
	  In particular, Rethabile was being treated like a heroine or a goddess of war, and it was apparently getting pretty crazy.
	  It would've been fine if they were just partying, but some people were taking it in a more worrying direction.
	  Once, Africa was colonized by several large countries and suffered for years and years. So, the moment had finally come to pay those people back for all that hardship, according to this troubling view that seemed to be popping up here and there...
	  Gannet:
	  "It feels like more and more people are saying you're unpatriotic if you don't agree with that view, and it's scary..."
	  A silence that seemed to concur with her words slowly spread, even to the boys and girls from other nations...
	  No matter what the faction, no matter what the country...
	  No one was able to say...that they'd never heard anything like that.
	   ...That irresponsible, inflaming atmosphere, where if your country lost, they had to get even, and if they won, they had to keep winning. And if you didn't agree with that, you might as well be unpatriotic.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I didn't want to ruin the mood today, so I didn't bring it up, but that happens a little in the AOU as well."
	  Chloe:
	  "Those who found out on the net that the Atlantic Fleet lost...are apparently chomping at the bit for us to attack the Segmented Warship Atlantis with Gauntlet Knights..."
	  Miyao:
	  "People who don't support the Walls of Peace always say stuff that sounds brave."
	  Lingji:
	  "...The same goes for the COU. Several of my young relatives have been pestering me, saying we should take revenge for what happened in the Glass Sea and attack AOU Japan."
	  Momotake:
	  "Princess, there's no need for you to let that get you down. Withstanding views like that is our job as guardians of peace, is it not?"
	  Sujatha:
	  "The Walls of Peace need to be supported, not knocked over. Our peoples, our superiors... None of them understand!"
	  Nationalism exists in all countries. For the nation and its people, it's a source of pride, of ambition, and it's even the foundation of their souls.
	  However, from the perspective of maintaining a healthy military balance, everyone had been warned that, while nationalism may be a necessary mineral, it's only good for you in small doses. It can become hazardous to your health when taken in excess.
	  It was also well known that nationalism combined with peer pressure could lead to a deadly social chemistry, as the Healthy Military Balance Oversight Committee was always careful to emphasize.
	  Furthermore, its binding force was as powerful as carbon monoxide combining with hemoglobin, ...and it could result in severe hypoxia to a nation's ability to reason...
	  Leah:
	  "If the world grows chaotic and peacefulness disappears from the hearts of the people, ...they'll start to listen to the voices of evil ones seeking to lead them astray."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Nationalism is like the shingles virus. It lays low when you're in good health, but its symptoms show when your health weakens."
	  Naima:
	  "I hope...the world and its people get healthy again soon... Wow..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "My nation must also calm itself down quickly from this feverish excitement. ...The Atlantic Fleet didn't retreat because the ACR won against the AOU. No one understands that the guardians of peace achieved victory by dispelling military tensions."
	  Noor:
	  "They're probably confusing actual fighting with the Battle Standard Festival games. In sports, there is some significance in who wins and who loses, but peace doesn't work that way."
	  Abdou:
	  "Heh. Instead of us kids, it's those adults who are having trouble telling the difference between games and reality."
	  Koshka:
	  "In the end..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm?"
	  Koshka:
	  "Whenever people group together, they never think of anything good. ...Hmph."
	  Koshka's words to herself, which were heard by those around her, landed heavily for something said so briefly.
	  After all, it almost sounded like she was talking about the crowd of people who had gathered in this public bath, excited because the age of Gauntlet Knights had arrived.
	  Koshka had always hated being near other people.
	  She had only become a member of the Public Bath because that would make it easier to get WanyaDora friend requests. So, to be honest, she wasn't remotely interested in the noble ideas and oaths of Miyao's group.
	  She had agreed to the oath on the surface, but she really had just been bowing to peer pressure.
	  ...However, though they may not have been as sarcastic about it as Koshka, ...some realists here did doubt whether the collusion taking place in this public bath would really be enough to pluck the sprouts of war.
	  Most likely, about 10% of the people gathered here felt this way.
	  However, there was no way to tell that by looking.
	  Everyone seemed to be celebrating excitedly, ...but they were only pretending to join in, either because of peer pressure, or because they were trying to read the room.
	  True enough, the Gauntlet Knights currently in this public bath were this world's military might.
	  If they swore to work together for world peace, to uproot the sprouts of war, and to defend peace, ...then world peace might actually become a reality at the hands of young people, something that has never been achieved before in all of history. ...Or rather, one might be forgiven for thinking that way.
	  However, as someone had already said...
	  The conflicts, confrontations, and collisions of war are only the symptoms.
	  Coughing, runny noses, and headaches are just symptoms, not what you're really fighting against.
	  Unless you completely remove the source of the illness causing all those symptoms, ...you're just treading water. You're taking a temporary cough or fever medicine.
	  Even so, if you're healthy enough that the source of the disease is healed before the medicine wears off, then it really has saved you.
	  ...But...what if your health fails...?
	  Temporarily treating the symptoms won't do you any good anymore.
	  Some day, ...Gauntlet Knights might end up fighting each other.
	  They planned to fight according to the rules of sportsmanship and resolve the situation together, ...but would that really be possible?
	  If all previous tools of the military were now obsolete, ...then it should've been possible for anyone to foresee a future in which the sole remaining tool, the Gauntlet Knights, would have to fight each other.
	  ...And yet, every single person here, including Miyao, ...was acting as though they hadn't noticed this.
	  Had they really not noticed? Or were they only pretending not to?
	  Or did they truly believe...that by deepening their friendship, they would be able to control everything that happened going forward, avoiding a world war...?
	  Miyao:
	  "Do you believe it?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Do you really think you're just gonna glide through this problem, all chummy like that?"
	  ...Of course, ...I realize that fights between Gauntlet Knights will happen sooner or later.
	  But on that day, we swore to each other! That we're comrades! That we won't kill each other!
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh, you mean that rule where you'll retreat if your shield is broken, and you won't chase down the losers? In other words, you plan to fix the match every single time, right? You'll have fight after fight where no one wins and no one loses, buying time over and over."
	  Hasn't that always been the true job of guardians who support the Walls of Peace?!
	  Miyao:
	  "No. Guardians of peace do buy time to calm feverish people excited by war, but not like that."
	  Then let's hear it. How do you think guardians of peace should buy time for peace?!
	  Miyao:
	  "With blood. Your blood."
	  Miyao:
	  "The only thing that can calm their excitement...is the blood shed when you young people hurt each other and kill each other."
	  You know, old people love the young. And they're particularly, incredibly, immensely fond of young people who sacrifice their lives.
	  When the internet starts filling up with pictures of young boys and girls wearing Gauntlets that got turned into mincemeat corpses, then I'm sure they'll come to their senses.
	  When the old see those young corpses, the terrifying thought that this same thing might have happened to their own children and grandchildren will make them lose their fever for war.
	  Time alone will do nothing to cool the heads of those middle-aged men who want to watch thrilling Gauntlet Knight battles.
	  Miyao:
	  "After all, war-weariness never sets in until you're looking at pictures of young corpses. Pictures of the boys and girls celebrating over there, only after they've killed each other."
	  Miyao:
	  "Remember all those legendary news photos in the past that triggered public opposition to wars? Think of just how many young people lay dead in them."
	  Miyao:
	  "Death is the only thing Humans fear. So, they'll only regain their calm if you make them see death. Guardians of peace have a job beyond merely supporting the walls. You understand now, don't you?"
	  Like hell I understand...!!!
	  Miyao:
	  "When the going gets tough, your job is to use your own blood to cool the fevers of people screaming for war from a safe place. Right now, your lives and blood exist for that purpose."
	  Miyao:
	  "And to think, you're getting all excited and calling yourselves guardians of peace without realizing that. Hahahaha, you people really are just kids, just idiots, just ice packs filled with blood and guts for cooling the heads of the common man, ahahahahyahyahahahaha!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Shut up, be quiet!! We'll still fight for peace despite that, and yes, we may die as a result! We've been prepared for that ever since we chose to become Gauntlet Knights! But even if we do die, as long as our blood serves the cause of peace, like you say, we definitely won't die in vain!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Ahahahhaahahahah! In other words, you're saying that if your blood doesn't serve the cause of peace, then you will be dying in vain, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Shut up, be quiet!! What's with you, suddenly appearing like this, confusing me with this incomprehensible crap! And you even have my face!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no helping it. I am you. Mitake Miyao. It was confusing, so I thought I'd at least change my outfit mapping to something different from you."
	  Miyao:
	  "Change your face too!! You're pissing me off!! Also, stop acting like my name applies to you!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "No way. I'll never change it. After all, I am you. A new `you' inside you."
	  Miyao:
	  "Bullshit!! Are you saying you're a new personality of mine?! No one like that exists, nor have they ever!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I already told you. You aren't a personality. You're a program. So, there would be nothing strange if a new personality like me was installed in addition to you."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're saying crazy stuff again!! I'm no program, and I'm no robot!! How could I believe crap like that?! If that's true, show me some proof! And anyway, wouldn't that mean you're also a program, just like me?! In that case, what kind of program are you?!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm a program that exists to kick you out."
	  You and I are programs.
	  We aren't Mitake Miyao.
	  ...To put it in spiritual terms, we aren't Mitake Miyao's soul.
	  We're copies of the human soul of Mitake Miyao, which used to exist.
	  I'm not lying. Look at this.
	  In a dark space, the image of me lying on the ground appeared.
	  My whole body was soaked and slightly dirty.
	  There was a Gauntlet on my left arm.
	  Its sooty appearance made it clear that it had been used in quite a fierce battle...
	  And as for my right side......
	  Miyao:
	  "......Nnggg............"
	  Miyao:
	  "...It's what you might call a perfect corpse examination, which even an amateur can perform."
	  That face...clearly belonged to Mitake Miyao.
	  But there was only half of it. ...Just the left half.
	  As for the right half... No, ...not just the right half of his head, but everything else from the right shoulder downwards...
	  Miyao:
	  "Aaah......nngghh......"
	  Miyao:
	  "As you can see, Mitake Miyao is quite dead. Half of his head's gone."
	  It was a gruesome corpse, on which only half of his face remained...
	  He accepted that fact instinctively, and it was so grotesque, he started feeling as though he was about to vomit...
	  Miyao:
	  "...A-As if I'd just believe you..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, I figured you'd say that."
	  Miyao:
	  "Are you trying to say that Mitake Miyao is already dead, ...and that I'm an AI or a program that was newly created to be Mitake Miyao, or something like that?!?! You're insane! Who'd believe that...?!!!"
	  I have a consciousness called Mitake Miyao! I have memories, things I can recall!
	  Like things from when I was a child, like my dad, like how I lived.
	  I remember PP training, and Aerial Augmented Infantry school, ...and drills, and comrades! And friends!!
	  Miyao:
	  "Does having memories prove that they're actually yours? What if, one day, your Selcom hard drive said `I have all of Mitake Miyao's memories and data, and I've become self-aware, so I'm the real Mitake Miyao!' ...What would you do then?"
	  Aren't memories just information that can be saved to a storage medium?
	  Even the emotions that come from such things aren't that hard for today's AI to mimic.
	  In the end...
	  Miyao:
	  "None of your evidence for saying `you' are `you' counts as proof that you're human."
	  Miyao:
	  "Th-Then the same goes in reverse! How are you gonna deny my claim?! You also can't disprove that I'm a human called Mitake Miyao! And that grotesque corpse is just an image! How can you prove it isn't just simple image data you set up to confuse me?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm, you have a point. `I think, therefore I am', is that it? You're right that, no matter what anyone says or who says it, they can't disprove the claim that you're Mitake Miyao. However, there is just one thing I can do."
	  Miyao:
	  "What?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I can prove that you're a program."
	  Miyao:
	  "Bring it on, then! Let's see this proof!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay. It's just that a certain reaction has been planted in you, one that the person named Mitake Miyao would never, ever show."
	  Miyao:
	  "Go ahead and try it then!! This is supposed to be your ultimate proof, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "You're a murder program, which exists for the sake of killing the target specified by your programming. I'm about to show you an image of a certain person. When I do, you should realize that there is something wrong with you right away."
	  Miyao:
	  "Even though you haven't seen this person or heard of them even once since you were born, simply looking at them will automatically flip your murder impulse switch. That's how you've been programmed."
	  Miyao:
	  "Furthermore, once this switch has been flipped, it will become okay for you to kill anything that prevents you from carrying out your objective in the shortest possible time, regardless of whether these obstacles are allies or enemies. Naturally, those who proactively try to stop you will immediately be added to your list of murder targets."
	  Miyao:
	  "That is how you have been programmed."
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh yeah?! Then what kind of program are you?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I just told you. ...I'm a program that exists to kick you out."
	  Not only are you a program whose purpose is murder, you'll also kill anything that stands in your way, regardless of whether they're allies or enemies.
	  Why would anyone let such a dangerous thing run wild without a leash?
	  As you should know if you call yourself `Mitake Miyao', you aren't just a tiny brat.
	  You're a Gauntlet Knight prodigy, with one of the best P3 levels in the world.
	  By now, no one doubts that Gauntlet Knights stand at the peak of the world's military might.
	  And, everyone knows you're talented enough to compete with the best of them, even ignoring the Battle Standard Festival.
	  Miyao:
	  "You have been given the most powerful fighting ability in the world. Why? Because it was the most effective means of carrying out your murder program. Why did you decide to become a Gauntlet Knight? Was it because you dreamed of being able to fly? Was it just a passing interest? Was it because you scored well on the aptitude test?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...See? Before even you realized it, you were moving down the set of rails that leads to becoming a Gauntlet Knight. That is proof that `the program you are' subconsciously made that decision for you, in order to fulfill your goal."
	  Miyao:
	  "Since you're the strongest tier of military might in this world, it's extremely difficult to restrain you with more military might. ...The hardware of the world's strongest Gauntlet Knight cannot be broken."
	  Miyao:
	  "...So, ...they'll go for the software instead? Are you saying that you're appearing like this...to erase the murder program you say I am?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Exactly."
	  Miyao:
	  "If that's true, then go on, give it a try! We're both programs, right? Then enough with the buildup. Just delete me or throw me into the trash bin already...!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "If I could just do it with a click, I wouldn't have taken the trouble to appear in this form and have pointless conversations like this one with you."
	  Miyao:
	  "Then what's going on? Are you gonna delete me by confusing me with weird stuff until I start foaming at the mouth and fall over?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah, you've got it. That's pretty much it."
	  Miyao:
	  "What?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm talking about the fight between you and me, program against program. Right now, we're experiencing it as a battle where we each deny the existence of the other."
	  However, it'd be hard to call this a fair fight, from your perspective.
	  After all, I'll be attacking one-sidedly, slamming you with the truth.
	  You'll just be enduring those blows over and over.
	  There doesn't exist any way for you to defeat me.
	  After all, I'm a program for defeating you.
	  And you're just a murder program that exists for the sole purpose you were given beforehand.
	  Miyao:
	  "So, let's back up a bit. I'll show you proof that you're a program."
	  Miyao:
	  "Stop talking big and do it already!"
	  Miyao:
	  "In that case, I'll pull the trigger on your murder program. Would you mind looking at this for me?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What are you doing? I told you, get on with-"
	  ......What...?
	  ...It felt like a dimly-lit factory.
	  There was a bad, humid smell and an inorganic feel to it.
	  Everything that moved had a lifeless, mechanical rhythm.
	  Even though it was so bustling with activity and even noisy, ...it still felt eerily quiet.
	  Was this...a factory...?
	  No, it was more like...a world of machines.
	  There was no trace of the concepts of ceilings, walls, or floors.
	  The entire sky and the entire area below...was filled with massive cogs and rugged machinery, almost as though it was the depths of an ocean filled with machines.
	  There was no sunshine anywhere, only blackness. Only the faint emerald green light that pulsated around some of the machines made it possible to see anything.
	  In that sea of machines...was a track like something you'd see on a roller coaster.
	  It was like a dry-cleaning plant, or maybe a meat processing factory.
	  Hanging from that track and passing through several machines to be processed...
	  ...Were humans.
	  Countless completely naked humans were there in a row...
	  They were being hung by metal hooks that pierced the backs of their necks.
	  There were men and women, kids and adults, the young and the old.
	  All of them were hanging from hooks in a line...
	  And, ...they were all alive.
	  They were alive, but they had been taken down through a layer of paralyzing gas during the first stage of their `processing', so they were barely conscious.
	  Even those who were conscious were only vaguely so, half-asleep so that it all felt like this was happening to someone else.
	  ...Before the paralyzing gas layer, they had all retained their consciousness and sense of pain, making them quite active and noisy.
	  Screams. Crying. Moaning. People calling out someone's name. Or else yelling `Mommy, Mommy', over and over again.
	  Now, it was very quiet.
	  Even the ominous roar of the mechanical sea...was so far separated from emotion or thought...
	  I could feel signs that my heart was crying out in fear and pain, ...but they only seemed like indicator lights on a human meter.
	  Even though that should have been truly terrifying, ...I was so out of it, ...it felt like it was happening to someone else...
	  When I looked around, I saw countless humans hanging from tracks all around me, either waiting in line or being smoothly processed by machines, one by one.
	  Those with their clothes still on were in the very first stages.
	  Before even getting sorted, they would be dipped into a vat of some fluid chemical.
	  The milky white liquid frothed with countless bubbles and reeked strongly.
	  While they were repeatedly dunked in that, their clothes and hair would all melt and fall off them.
	  At the end, even the skin all over their body would blister and slide off, ...leaving everyone looking like the anatomical models you might find in a science classroom.
	  After that, the people would pass through various inspection machines, being sorted by some kind of standard.
	  I didn't think it had anything to do with body size, gender, or age.
	  My eyes couldn't pick up any sort of pattern to it, ...but the machines must have had their own reasons.
	  Fortunately, at least I was able to stay with my family.
	  Hanging in front of me was my brother. Every once in a while, I was able to see my mother beyond him. My father was beyond even her.
	  Even now, ...when we had been turned into human-shaped lumps of flesh and couldn't tell who was who, ...it made me feel strangely safe to know that my family was hanging there with me.
	  However, feeling safe...has no value whatsoever and no longer matters anymore.
	  The next inspection machine carelessly stuck large needles into my ears, analyzing something.
	  It split just Dad off into a different group. In that instant, that final, tiny, frail bit of ground called family, which had made me feel safe, ...fell apart.
	  His track continued towards a machine that made loud crunching noises.
	  Dad's flesh was added to the line waiting in front of that machine, ready to be processed.
	  One by one, they were swallowed up by the machine.
	  When those lumps of flesh went inside, ...they were processed with a noisy crunching sound.
	  Partway through that, legs and arms that had been sliced off fell gracelessly out of the machine's bottom.
	  They landed on yet another bloodstained track, and were then swallowed up by yet another machine, unsurprisingly.
	  I wonder which machine my flesh-lump father will be sent to, once his limbs get chopped off. Will he be cut into even smaller bits?
	  I could sense that my own father was being split into several components, vanishing into the sea of machines...
	  After that, we passed through several more inspection machines, and lots of people were diverted to different tracks, swallowed by machines, and processed.
	  Even so, by some miracle, I was able to remain with Mom and big brother.
	  ...No matter how we end up looking, if we can stay together as a family, there's still no need to be sad.
	  Dad may have been torn to bits, ...but I still have Mom and big brother...
	  We're still...together...
	  I felt a tingling feeling. ...The place where I was hanging from the hook hurt a little, like it was tearing into me...
	  ...It hurt...? Has pain, ...has feeling come back to me...?
	  Bad smells, stimulation, pain and so forth...
	  All of those feelings that had seemed far away, like they were happening to someone else, began to revive bit by bit...
	  Yeah, this isn't good... The little bit of happiness I felt at getting to be with my family...is gonna be wiped out...
	  Ow... Ow... Owowowow...ow......
	  ...Nngg.
	  The mist in my mind quickly started to fade...
	  It was an awakening I hadn't asked for.
	  It was all coming back. Feeling, pain, fear. Hopelessness, screaming, confusion.
	  "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!"
	  
	  "Ow, owowowow, eeekkkkkkkkgggggghhhh!!!"
	  The simple touch of air on a body that had lost its skin...was a torture as bad as the deepest parts of hell.
	  The tingling, stabbing pain that covered my whole body was like being torn apart by millions of flesh-eating bugs!
	  Drugs have different effects on different people. So, it makes sense that anesthesia doesn't work as well on some people, or stops working entirely partway through.
	  Before I fully awoke, this place felt quiet, but not anymore.
	  I could tell that people were screaming and moaning because their sense of pain had returned to them, and their death throes echoed around me.
	  Which meant I was able to hear one more thing.
	  It was my brother, moaning in anguish.
	  His sense of pain had returned too, possibly long before mine did.
	  I'm sure he must've been screaming on and on from the pain, back when I was still only half-awake.
	  At that point, I was sure I heard him calling out to Mom in a pained voice.
	  I couldn't see because my brother's back was in the way, ...but I'm sure he saw how Mom was being processed in the next machine.
	  ...He was fated to be processed in the same way, by the same machine.
	  As he cried out, half mad, the machine enveloped him.
	  I called out his name, just like he had done. My voice was covered by my brother's own screams, so I doubt he heard me.
	  His body was wedged in place inside the machine.
	  With a shrill sound, several spinning blades appeared on either side of him.
	  Then came the blood spatter and his final screams...
	  Right before my eyes, ...the lump of flesh that had been my brother...fell down in bits and pieces.
	  *tear*, *dribble*, *drip*, *splat*.
	  All that remained...was a head being held by a pair of metal arms...and his spinal cord, which was hanging from his head and still twitching...
	  I couldn't hear him cry out anymore.
	  But I knew.
	  He still hadn't died.
	  He was alive.
	  He couldn't cry out, ...but he was still desperately screaming while suffering a pain even more unbearable than before...!
	  But this is no time for me to be worried about him. I'm next...!!!
	  My own body was wedged into the machine.
	  Metal arms grabbed onto my head. My skull creaked, ...but the overwhelming fear overrode even that sensation.
	  With a high-pitched sound, countless rapidly spinning blades appeared on either side of me.
	  They came closer and closer, as if they were about to tickle the sides of my chest... Closer and closer and closer.
	  St-Stop............ ...Ah.
	  !!! Jjjrrrrrrrgggg, gggghhhh! Aggghhhhh, gghh, aaaaaaahhh...!!!!
	  
	  --Listen closely, my adorable Miyao.
	  This is both a `hell' I once experienced...and the `future' your world is guaranteed to reach.
	  So, this `hell' is a prophecy.
	  It's a promise of `certainty', which will definitely come to pass if you do nothing.
	  Your highest-priority goal is to stop this `hell' before it happens, using any means necessary.
	  The only way to do that...is to kill them.
	  You must find them and kill them.
	  You may do whatever is necessary to accomplish that.
	  It doesn't matter whom you kill, what you destroy.
	  Kill them.
	  That's the only way to avoid that `hell'...
	  
	  AOU Politician:
	  "In the end, what it comes down to is that those old politicians weren't prepared! They weren't prepared to do what's necessary to protect our country's people and our resources! Were it not for the bold military action taken on the Glass Sea, the COU would have already illegally occupied the whole thing by now! Just imagining how this feeble administration would've handled it gives me nightmares!"
	  AOU Politician:
	  "Simply put, all that talk about not provoking other countries, since it'll drive them into a military frenzy, was just an illusion created by old politicians!"
	  AOU Politician:
	  "Isn't that right?! The administration is always saying these things, taking part in appeasement and calling themselves pacifists while making concession after concession! AOU Japan firmly paid off that growing debt for them! It was a brilliant decision, and one that wouldn't leave the bill for later generations!"
	  Chairman:
	  "AOU Japan's decision to use military force to send a firm `no' to COU Japan's illegal occupation of the demilitarized zone is being praised as a wise move, even by other nations in the AOU."
	  Elderly Gentleman:
	  "Instead of putting off our diplomatic problems and leaving them to plague the next generation, I would prefer to resolve them during ours. I have had enough of putting off issues and letting them worsen, supposedly in the name of pacifism."
	  Youth:
	  "It's seriously cool! I wish we could replace the cowards in our government with those guys! I support AOU Japan!"
	  High School Girl:
	  "The Japanese government rocks!!! Huh? Where is Japan? One sec, I'll look it up with Keropoyo."
	  Follow AOU Japan's example! Long live the Gauntlet Knights! Take back the territory that belongs to us, the seas, mines, and fishing spots!
	  Alter those unfair treaties! Make them renegotiate them! Get them to see it our way!
	  If that doesn't work, use military force! Follow AOU Japan! We're prepared to stop these issues from burdening our children's generation!
	  Get all those cowards in the cabinet to resign! Protest against the opportunists in congress who are helping our enemies! Kick them out, arrest them!
	  COU Assembly Press Secretary:
	  "This policy of preemptive strikes for the sake of peace is hardly a paper tiger. If the AOU intends to increase military tensions, we are prepared to bring our sword of justice down upon them at any time, even tonight if need be. The militaries of all COU nations are now mobilizing for an indefinite period. We will not permit another preemptive strike against our country and its allies."
	  Reporter:
	  "Many view these statements skeptically, writing them off as mere saber-rattling. Even after this sword of peace talk, the AOU is showing no signs of ceasing the military escalation. Does this mean that the COU government has been completely unable to hide their lack of resolve, both internally and externally?"
	  COU Internet Denizen:
	  "You know it's all just talk! If you're serious about this, strike back already!! It's the cowardice of COU Japan that makes everyone underestimate all of the COU!"
	  COU Internet Denizen:
	  "If you really are a patriot, join the protests in front of the embassy building! We'll hit them with our anger and with stones!! The police are on our side! They'll look the other way!"
	  COU Internet Denizen:
	  "Good news everyone! All those traitorous sell-outs in the assembly were just arrested on bribery charges! We're finally gonna get an administration that the whole COU can unite behind!!"
	  Now's our chance to strike back! We won't be defeated again because of poor planning! Punish the ghosts of the B3W era hegemony!
	  We have Baibao Squad, the invincible Gauntlet Knights who achieved complete victory during the Kashmir Spirit Field strike!
	  Long live our homeland, long live the COU!!
	  The Central Ocean is the center of the A3W's new world! It's the source of this world's most vigorous culture! Fight back against the hegemony of those pre-war ghosts, who refuse to accept this basic fact!
	  Miyao:
	  "...Well, it does make sense. The COU can't afford to take it lying down."
	  The three members of Miyao's Warcats and the three members of Lingji's Baibao Squad had gathered in the Public Bath.
	  Miyao's group was from the AOU. Lingji's was from the COU. ...Everyone had been hurt by how tensions between the two factions had dramatically risen during the past few days.
	  Lingji:
	  "We might be given the order to attack before too long. But of course, this time as well, we'll make sure that there's absolutely no unnecessary damage to anything other than our targets, so have no fears on that score."
	  Momotake:
	  "However, it isn't as though they'll declare the match a draw and leave it at that..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Even so, we can buy time. If public opinion dies down just a bit while this is still limited to us soldiers supporting the Walls of Peace..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, those AOU big shots are taking people on the internet way too seriously! Spend less time sucking up to voters and more worrying about living conditions and peace, okay?!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheh. It's the same in the COU. Once you become a government official and the competition is even more fierce, you can't afford to be seen as a coward. And the people will never forgive a government that doesn't strike back when they're struck."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Our job is to continue supporting the Walls of Peace, until all those people can cool their heads. Though, it will be a long, difficult task."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's fine. It's our mission, after all. We'll support those walls as long as it takes."
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah! As long as we're here, we won't let anyone break those walls down!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, ...hasn't it been getting a bit creepy lately? The way public opinion is getting stupidly overheated?"
	  Lingji:
	  "Isn't it normal for irresponsible people in all countries to get easily fired up and easily cooled down?"
	  Momotake:
	  "As we enter December, the winds are blowing in an ominous direction, and though Christmas is approaching, there's an eerie heat about, as if we stand on the eve of world war."
	  Miyao:
	  "I know, right?! Public opinion really has been heating up much more than makes sense, right?
	   Can people, can public opinion really switch from wanting peace to war that fast?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "It really is strange. Like someone said earlier, are we sure this isn't because of people scheming behind the scenes, looking to make a quick buck?"
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh... I imagine that such a large-scale manipulation of public opinion would cost more than they'd be likely to rake in..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao, there's nothing particularly surprising about this, even if public opinion has tilted towards war in just about half a month. Do you know about the Sarajevo Incident, which was the trigger for World War I?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Let me Keropoyo it. ...Umm, it's the time when an Austrian Archduke was assassinated in Sarajevo, on June 28, 1914, right...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "World War I started exactly one month later, on July 28."
	  Of course, the groundwork had been laid in various ways even before the assassination.
	  But, even so...
	  The seed of war sprouted, ...and just a month later, the first `world war' in humanity's recorded history began.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Thinking about it that way, we're now in the A3W era, where information and networks have advanced so much further. If it took one month when they didn't even have an internet, don't you think it might easily happen even faster in our era...?"
	  Lingji:
	  ".................."
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  No one was able to speak.
	  They knew without pausing to reflect...that humans were animals capable of giving into urges, instantly going into a frenzy, and sometimes saying things they didn't really mean.
	  Even passionate lovers could sometimes rapidly turn to hatred because of silly misunderstandings.
	  And sometimes, when something unforgivable was done, it could have immediate, irreversible, and fatal results.
	  For individual humans, this could be laughed off.
	  However, when it's issues between countries...
	  Jayden:
	  "That's...no joke..."
	  Miyao:
	  "But it still might be."
	  Lingji:
	  "What do you mean?"
	  Miyao:
	  "As long as no one dies, ...it's still possible to laugh it off."
	  Gunhild:
	  "True. In the A3W world, where human rights are prized, any deaths would prove fatal to the overall situation. In particular, in the COU, where their children are still carried by ciconia, public opinion would rapidly explode."
	  Momotake:
	  "Hmph. Imagine the ciconia-free AOU trying to tell others how precious human life is."
	  Aysha:
	  "Enough of that. You shouldn't criticize the structure and religions of other people's countries, right?"
	  Lingji:
	  "I agree with Miyao. There must not be any casualties. And certainly not among noncombatants."
	  Miyao:
	  "As guardians of the Walls of Peace, we're prepared for death. ...However, we mustn't let that happen to civilians."
	  Gunhild:
	  "In our previous operations, we managed not to hurt anyone. ...However, we don't know what the situation will be going forward, nor do we know what sorts of strategies we'll be ordered to take."
	  Jayden:
	  "We'll do it! We'll follow our orders to a T! But we won't let anyone get hurt!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Of course. We intend to do the same. ...Let us bear the brunt of the people's wrath from both factions. After all, that's our fate as ones who have been granted the ability to wear Gauntlets, the strongest form of military power in the world."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh... At this rate, I wish they'd just settle military conflicts in the Virty Arena."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Good point. Originally, that was supposed to be the Battle Standard Festival's purpose."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey, isn't there anything else we can do?"
	  Lingji:
	  "What do you mean?"
	  Miyao:
	  "We can pluck the sprouts of war, buying time until the world regains its calm."
	  Jayden:
	  "That's our job as guardians of the Walls of Peace, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "But is buying time all we can do?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Isn't there any way for us to cool the heads of those people who think war is like a baseball or football game, spurring it on partly for their own entertainment...?"
	  Gauntlet Knights certainly could pluck sprouts of war.
	  They had the power to pluck all sorts of sprouts planted by other countries trying to apply military pressure against theirs.
	  However, that was just the sprouts.
	  They didn't have the power to resist the springtime of war itself, where irresponsible emotions spurred on war and caused it to shoot up all across the Earth...
	  Aysha:
	  "If you want to do that, I think you'd have to switch careers and become a politician."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I agree. ...Miyao, what you're thinking of doing...probably isn't our job."
	  Jayden:
	  "If we're going there, why don't we get Gauntlet Knights around the world to unite! Let's form an independent military of peace, or something! We announce that the Gauntlet Knight Army of Peace will smack down any country that uses military force against any other country, and become permanently neutral guardians of peace!"
	  Momotake:
	  "Hmph. That sounds like something that's been done in any number of anime and manga..."
	  Lingji:
	  "The ones who currently hold that role, LATO's IPMA, can hardly be said to be serving their function at this moment."
	  Aysha:
	  "Even LATO only exists thanks to the balance between the other four factions. No one would be so foolish as to kick out one of the legs of the chair they're sitting on."
	  Lingji:
	  "And for that reason, ...it truly would be wonderful if something existed that could officially and impartially protect world peace, without any sort of personal motivations."
	  Miyao:
	  "We can use our Kizuna like this to interact with Gauntlet Knights around the world. Right now, we're the peak of this world's military power. ...I don't think it would be impossible..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Right?! It's a young person's job to have big dreams! And making those dreams come true is also our job, isn't it?! We're all the main characters here!"
	  Miyao:
	  "The main characters in every era are the young, huh?"
	  Are we really...the main characters...?
	  True, we are young, and we have nothing tying us down. Furthermore, we're fearless, as well as being the world's best Gauntlet Knights.
	  When you lay it all out like that, there's more than enough reason to think we're the main characters here.
	  ...And yet, ...I couldn't confidently feel that I was the main character.
	  In the end, we're guardians. ...Or rather, game pieces.
	  In the game of chess, each of us would be just one of the many pieces that isn't the king.
	  Long ago, I wanted to learn chess, so I looked up the rules, and a certain line shocked me.
	  "Chess is a game where you try to take your opponent's king. It doesn't matter how many other pieces you lose in exchange for that."
	  In the end, ...chess is a war game.
	  For the ultimate goal of taking your opponent's king and winning, ...all the other pieces are laid out so they can kill each other.
	  It doesn't matter how many die as a result.
	  No matter how many or few casualties you have, ...your victory is worth the same in the end.
	  I remember that, for some reason, this really didn't sit well with me at the time.
	  Gauntlet Knights are the strongest of military forces.
	  In the chess analogy, I'm sure they'd have even more power than a queen.
	  However, ...they're still pieces that are less than kings.
	  In fact, even the king is a piece.
	  They're in a totally different dimension from the player, who controls them and decides the fate of the game board.
	  ...Chess pieces obey the orders of the player...and kill or are killed.
	  If they don't like that, then it makes sense that they'll want to become players and stop this game of chess.
	  Can a queen piece say she's had enough of war and appeal to the player? And if she can't, can a piece itself become a player?
	  Hah, hahahaha. What am I even talking about...?
	  Miyao:
	  "The Gauntlet is the symbol of the world's strongest power. ...The honor earned by wearing one...is an extremely heavy burden."
	  Lingji:
	  "Yes. ...It's very, very heavy......and very precious."
	  Miyao:
	  "All we can do...is show everyone our overwhelming power and bring the chessboard to a standstill."
	  Lingji:
	  "The chessboard...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "When powerful pieces are lined up, and various lines of movement and defense cross in complex ways, the player has to think long and hard, which eventually forces them to calm down."
	  Jayden:
	  "...I see. So, that's our ultimate goal!"
	  Momotake:
	  "That truly would make us Walls of Peace."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheheh. In that case, those who wish to become Baibao's opponents had better put on at least as good a show as us."
	  Miyao:
	  "Say what you like. Next time, we definitely won't lose!"
	  Lingji:
	  "The same goes for us. I don't believe we truly settled who's best with that sports-like competition."
	  It's been a December springtime of war, where sprouts of conflict popped up one after another.
	  We'll end this disturbing trend by Christmas.
	  ...Of course, that itself is a legendary phrase used by those forever branded as war optimists...
	  You've sent an email to "The Old Bastard" poyo!
	  ...I really am just a kid.
	  I can't believe I got panicky, couldn't sleep, and then sent Dad a weird email.
	  `I just got an email from my adorable only son, saying he can't sleep because he's worried about world peace?'
	  ...I'm sure Dad's gonna laugh out loud and use it for some mild entertainment to complement a drink.
	  You're receiving a call from "The Old Bastard" poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "What, really? Weren't you busy...?"
	  In a way, I had calmed my heart a little just by sending that email. So, I was honestly a bit ticked off that he had unreasonably chosen to call me directly at this time of day.
	  ...So the reason I'm mad...is because I sent him an email, and he was so worried that he called me back directly? I guess sons really are selfish creatures.
	  Toujirou:
	  "I know what you're thinking...  Don't call me, just respond by email, you old bastard. Is that right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "If you know that, just send an email, seriously..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Middle-aged men feel it's faster to just call, instead of typing it all out."
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, but don't you also say you hate talking with Kizuna, since it tires you out?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Oh? You seem pretty bright and chipper for someone who just sent such a neurotic email."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, ...now I'm feeling just fine. Thanks."
	  Miyao:
	  "Dad? ...Earlier, you said something about how the young are the main characters of any era."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Being a main character doesn't mean you just have opportunities handed to you. This isn't a barbershop. You don't just get to sit there while other people do everything for you."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Yeah. I guess so."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Everyone thinks about it when they're young. I did too."
	  The young are always the fodder of the adults. They're the adults' pieces.
	  However, when you find you're no longer young and look around you, you realize that you only had the power to leap off the game board during your youth. ...Once you're middle-aged, it's all over. You can only move in ways that have been laid out for you, and you truly do become a game piece.
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Gauntlet Knights are game changers in military history, right? So, if you say you're just a piece in someone's game, then it's all over for you."
	  Being a game changer means crushing the rules.
	  It means being someone who annihilates the way things have been valued up until that point.
	  Toujirou:
	  "You said that no matter how strong a piece you are, you can't ever escape the game board, right? Are you sure it isn't possible to bust down that rule? At least, for you?"
	  Miyao:
	  "If I break the rules of Gauntlet Knights, what should I try to become that's more than a Gauntlet Knight...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "When I was young, I was in the military's news department. Did I ever tell you why I asked for that position?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Many times. It was because you wanted to stand in the front lines supporting the Walls of Peace, showing people the true nature and value of peace, as well as the truth about how hard it is to protect it. You wanted to contribute to world peace as a reporter, right?"
	  Just like the cost of stocks and petroleum, the cost of peace also changes with the times.
	  Once people start thinking that peace is free, like air, ...they start to neglect it. They treat it as less important.
	  Peace is not free.
	  Those people may praise peace, but it isn't as though peace is eternal.
	  Hoping to prevent people from saying that peace could be won with just a song, as if they were fairies living in a fantasy land...
	  Hoping to prevent them from forgetting the value of peace and its true weight...
	  Dad aimed to become a military reporter, according to him...
	  Toujirou:
	  "However, as I continued working, I quickly felt the same worries you do. In the end, would I just be taking whatever pictures those old higher-ups wanted me to, acting as their game piece?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Toujirou:
	  "So, making use of my ability to interact with countries and factions all over the world, I formed a secret society."
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh? A secret society?!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Oh, don't get the wrong idea. It's one of those. A chivalric order, if you want to go by its flashy name."
	  In the A3W era, the term `chivalric order' had a second meaning, in addition to an organization of knights.
	  It was like a club, where people with the same aims could secretly gather.
	  They would follow a code that only the members knew, and they would keep their existence hidden too. ...In fact, it had nearly all of the elements that would fascinate most boys.
	  However, they weren't thought of as anything profound or mysterious.
	  It was just an exaggerated, more colorful version of what the B3W era would call a club, circle, or group.
	  Of course, the term chivalric order had only starting being used so lightly in the last few decades.
	  Long ago, there were several secret societies known as chivalric orders, such as the Order of the Knights Templar, the Order of the Rosy Cross, and the Order of the Three Kings.
	  They had a history of over a thousand years, and elites all over the world were secret members of them, as they quietly built up worldwide conspiracies to form a new world order. ...In other words, they were the starring role in conspiracy theories, with a mysterious aura about them.
	  Now, however...
	  Middle-aged salarymen drinking buddies would form things like "The Order of the Pub Crawl", and when they saw a new employee who could hold his liquor, they'd invite him to join.
	  When a husband showed up at home after midnight, and his wife demanded to know exactly how much money he had spent, he would play dumb by saying he couldn't tell her, because that would violate his chivalric order's code.
	  In other words, a term that had a thousand year history -- a term that was used to represent secret societies rumored to have assassinated famous historical figures -- had fallen a long way...
	  Toujirou:
	  "At one point, I realized that there were lots of military reporters and officers who felt the same way, in militaries and factions from all over the world. ...Even though they all entered the military to support the Walls of Peace, in reality, they were all getting worn out, being forced to write favorable stories and organizing budgets to make old higher-ups look good."
	  Toujirou:
	  "...But they were military reporters. That was the name of the piece they played, and they couldn't be anything more than that. That's what they all thought."
	  ...That's...just like me.
	  Since I'm a Gauntlet Knight, I can't do anything but fight and pluck the sprouts of war.
	  I was about to lose hope, thinking I had no way to resist the soil or the springtime of war that was making those sprouts grow.
	  So, ...what did Dad do......?
	  He gathered military reporters with similar ideas from across the world...and formed a chivalric order.
	  Miyao:
	  "What...kind of chivalric order was it?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hey now, you'd better not underestimate a chivalric order's code, okay? I can't even tell you, Miyao. Hahaha. Well, simply put, we made a hotline for peace that stretched across multiple factions."
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah, I can see your code's real strict... ...What do you mean by a hotline for peace?"
	  In addition to wars, even fights and estrangement between people can come from poor communication or misunderstandings.
	  Take that famous incident from the B3W era, the Cuban Missile Crisis.
	  A Soviet submarine armed with nuclear weapons was attacked by an American fleet, which didn't know it had nukes.
	  The submarine captain and a political officer concluded that this meant war had broken out between the US and the USSR, ...and they decided to launch a nuclear torpedo.
	  However, a single officer with enough rank to veto a nuclear launch just happened to be on board, and he disagreed with their decision. After a fierce argument, he managed to calm the captain down and got him to rethink launching the torpedo.
	  Officers like this one didn't exist on most submarines.  On most submarines, if the captain and political officer decided to launch, they would be able to immediately enact a nuclear strike.
	  However, by coincidence, an officer with the same rank as the captain was on this submarine, ...so they were forced to consult with him as well about their decision.
	  The existence of a third officer...and his decision not to launch...
	  These two coincidences...would miraculously save humanity from a nuclear war. If either one hadn't happened, ...the A3W era might have been one of sticks and stones.
	  In subsequent investigations, it was concluded that this was humanity's closest brush with nuclear war.
	  Afterwards, a connection was made between the heads of the US and the USSR.
	  And they called it a hotline.
	  A direct phone line was set up so that, in an emergency, the heads of the two governments could talk directly.
	  Even for opposing countries, a lack of communication can lead to even worse situations. This was something that was already -- or perhaps finally -- learned in the A2W era...
	  Toujirou:
	  "I decided to have officers from around the world join my chivalric order, giving rise to a new method of communication between factions."
	  Miyao:
	  "...You mean..."
	  It was just like...the It's a Wrap Public Bath gathering that I created, where we all swore to support the Walls of Peace together...
	  Realizing that I'd done the same thing as my dad without even knowing I was copying him...made me embarrassed in a way only the ciconia-born can understand.
	  Toujirou:
	  "If a military reporter wanted, he could form a network between militaries all over the world."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, you've always been strangely good at making weird friends."
	  Toujirou:
	  "So, I would become friends with military reporters around the world. I'd get them to join my chivalric order. And then we'd communicate. If we did, ...then by looking down from a bird's-eye view, we might see things completely differently."
	  Announcements made by the Foreign Affairs Department or the media are always fundamentally tied to one faction or another, which influences the text of the articles themselves.
	  Even when people don't mean anything wrong by it, ...they talk about news from sources they don't trust in a cautious, suspicious way. And they sometimes discuss news from those they do trust in a carefree, almost naive way.
	  Toujirou:
	  "That sows seeds of misunderstanding and conflict. If you let it sit there, its roots dig in, until there's no way to change it anymore, as has happened many times throughout history."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I wanted to catch those seeds of conflict while they were still seeds, sharing correct information among the members of our Order, and telling all the factions about it, solving misunderstandings and encouraging correct decisions. ...That was my thought process when I formed that Order."
	  ...Crap. ...Dad's starting to sound a little cool to me.
	  Well, yeah. It's not like he was born an old man.
	  He was young for longer than I've been, and now he's a veteran who's still building up life experiences...
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey. How does your chivalric order view the current world situation? In particular, the warlike emotions heating up between the AOU and the COU."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Of course, it's a worrying issue for us. I can't speak of it in detail because of our code, but naturally, we're fighting day after day. All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh, I know that one. It's from Three Person, right? Those were the secret code words of the Order of the Three Kings."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hahahaha. What do you think? Was I able to distract you for a bit?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I think...I'll create a chivalric order too..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I don't see why not. Why don't you form a chivalric order of Gauntlet Knights with your Gauntlet Knight friends? I'm not young anymore, so I'm not sure I can help resolve your real worries."
	  Toujirou:
	  "But, your Gauntlet comrades are in the same generation as you, right? I'm sure they'll be able to give you much better advice than me for getting over all sorts of worries you might have. Then, you won't have to send sentimental emails to your old man at this hour of the night anymore."
	  Miyao:
	  "Sh-Sh-Shut up! Seriously, just when I thought you might actually be a bit reliable as a dad! I won't email you again! Goodnight!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Yeah, goodnight, Miyao. I needed to be distracted for a bit too, so I'm glad we talked. Instead of learning your lesson here, please email me again whenever you want."
	  Miyao:
	  "Like I would, idiot!"
	  Your call with "My Son" has ended poyo!
	  Hahahah, ahahahahah. My son really is adorable.
	  There's no way he'd ever let me, but I wish we could sleep together holding hands again sometime. When he grips my thumb with those tiny fingers, and you feel the warmth of his hand...hihihihihih, hahahahaha...
	  Work hard, Miyao.
	  However, ...the world isn't going to wait around for you to start.
	  I'm sure Miyao thinks this eve-of-war atmosphere is, as a kid would put it, the beginning of the end.
	  The beginning of the end? You're behind the times.
	  Here's how it should go:@
	  Once it's begun, it already has ended.
	  This was a virtual room used by the chivalric order headed by Toujirou.
	  He led a chivalric order that had access to a network of intelligence officers from countries all over the world.
	  And, as he had told Miyao, it was possible for them to analyze facts and circumstances across the planet from multiple angles.
	  Thanks to this power, they were aware of military events in particular before they were publicly announced, and when that information influenced military-connected businesses, they were able to sell it and build up a vast store of wealth and even more connections.
	  ...And now.
	  By taking a bird's-eye view of the state of countries around the planet, where war might break out at any time, ...they were able to control and manipulate information even more than usual...
	  <Grand Master Toujirou, we've obtained the minutes of a COU assembly meeting. I'm sending you them now.>
	  Toujirou:
	  "There we go. Nice, very nice. They're dancing splendidly, aren't they? We have no problems in the AOU either. In fact, the flames are even easier to fan here. In a nation without ciconia, very few of the common people interact with generations other than their own. Just by pushing the right buttons for each generation, they dance along quite easily."
	  <It's easy in the COU too. Their old world sense of values, bound by family and region, makes them extremely weak to pressure to submit to their elders. The fact that they refused to reform that philosophy in the A3W world makes them a failure in this era.>
	  Toujirou:
	  "Not at all. For better or worse, they all feel much more human than those countries that chased out the stork."
	  In the virtual room, TV broadcasts and public opinion graphs from the AOU and COU kept on appearing, one after another.
	  ...In the mere two weeks since the start of December, public opinion in both factions had reached a level of agitation that placed them on the brink of war.
	  Toujirou:
	  "People are so easy. ...Why don't they try to judge things by their own will, using their own eyes and ears?"
	  <As you have said, Grand Master, it's because information is becoming like fast food. The foolish masses don't want to spend money on it.>
	  Similar to hunger, a desire for knowledge and information exists in people.
	  Everyone supposedly knows that if you don't acquire good information, you'll be tricked or confused, and you stand to lose a lot in the end. And yet...
	  Toujirou:
	  "No one tries to gather information with their own hands. ...They go to a free information site they like, or a TV program, or maybe a newspaper, and think they've gathered all the information the world has to offer."
	  <When people know that someone of unknown origins has prepared their food, they become unsettled and refuse to eat. But when it comes to information, they accept it blindly and believe it, without thinking about who might have tampered with it. ...Then again, because idiots like that exist all over the world, we're able to make a quick buck. Heheheh.>
	  As a result of heightening concerns about food safety, people started checking the calorie count, as well as data regarding pesticides, production sites, and producers of their food in detail. At the end of the B3W era, they would even publish pictures of the faces of farmers who grew the sesame seeds on hamburger buns.
	  So, how does this compare to how they check their information?
	  How many people actually check the composition, ingredients, production sites, and producers that make up the information they're given?
	  Articles are always presented as impartial and middle of the road, written to seem politically neutral, and the information sources that are their ingredients are often military officials or interested parties who may not even exist.  There are even tons of articles where the producer, aka the journalist who wrote it, is unnamed.
	  And yet, people gobble them up.
	  When it comes to food, people care about calories and sugar content and additives, ...but for information, they're like dogs immediately gulping down whatever they find lying on the side of the road.
	  There are people who try to eat with a healthy nutritional balance, ...but does anyone try to intake information with a healthy balance?
	  After all, any sort of nutritional imbalance is unhealthy...
	  Toujirou:
	  "Oh, right. By the way, the mishap at that ACR agricultural plant is about to become public knowledge, so I assume you've sold off all your stock in it, yes?"
	  <Naturally. Natural disasters and wars are always opportunities for profit, if you know about them beforehand. This truly is a wonderful chivalric order, Grand Master. I'm truly honored to have been invited to join. Heheheh.>
	  Toujirou:
	  "You know, I told my son I lead a chivalric order for the sake of justice, but I really am a villain, aren't I?"
	  <Heheheheh, heheheheh. Now then, Grand Master, it's time for us to make a killing again.>
	  "Comrade 211" has exited the room poyo!
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Heh...heheheh."
	  Go on, rake in the money. ...Though, pretty soon, there might not be a world to spend it in...
	  "Grand Master Seshat" has entered the room poyo!
	  Seshat:
	  "Nice work. I just read the logs. You've got them dancing well, both the COU and the AOU."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If we call them balloons of war, then they're just about ready to burst. Now, if we just poke them with a very small number of events, *pop*"
	  Seshat:
	  "Still, your Order of the Wisteria has a lot of hard workers in it. Everyone in my order is so eccentric."
	  Toujirou:
	  "When you've got an eccentric commander, it's only natural that the members will be eccentric too. Well, my Order is directly based on greed, and no one works harder than a greedy person."
	  Seshat:
	  "After all, money is a wonderful concept, which humanity created to make prosperity visible to the eye. They're gathering information for the sake of money, buying and selling and raking it in. ...I imagine your members really are giving it their all in their work."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Still, ...they haven't seen through to our real plans."
	  Seshat:
	  "They're working well as our arms and legs. Ahahahahah."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Now, all we need are the needles to pop this puffed up war balloon."
	  Seshat:
	  "This is the Three Kings we're talking about, so I suppose they're utterly prepared for that, without any loose ends. I'll bet they've got a whole bunch of those ready to go."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Well, I have been forced to handle several of them myself."
	  Seshat:
	  "I doubt you really hate it. You're a masochist, after all. You just love being given impossible demands and being spun about."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Though I wish it was for a sultry babe, rather than three old people."
	  Seshat:
	  "Ahahahah. Well, I'll leave the room now. Thanks for the minutes from the COU assembly meeting. I'll try following the movements of the Order of the Holy Ark right after this. ...By the way, have you really not heard anything since then? From your ex-wife."
	  Toujirou:
	  "She's already completely graduated from life and has nothing tying her down. She said her life as someone else's game piece is over, so she'll spend the rest of her time living just for her hobbies. She probably doesn't want to go out of her way to contact a husband from the time when she was a piece. And I'm getting to enjoy the single life again too."
	  Seshat:
	  "Is that really true?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "It is. Since then, I haven't heard a peep from my ex-wife. I wonder where she's living her second life now."
	  Seshat:
	  "............"
	  Seshat:
	  "Toujirou."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Yes, Grand Master?"
	  Seshat:
	  "In accordance with our Order's code, I won't doubt what you've just said. ...However, make sure that you at least don't betray our Order's long-held wishes..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I won't betray you."
	  Seshat:
	  "I don't mind if you betray me. It's natural for men and women to betray each other. ...However."
	  Seshat:
	  "A betrayal of our Order is the one thing I will not forgive. That is our code."
	  Toujirou:
	  "And I've sworn not to break it, Grand Master."
	  Seshat:
	  "......After all, I don't want to have to pass judgement on you, Toujirou. ...Don't forget that......"
	  Toujirou:
	  "......Of course, Grand Master."
	  Grand Master Seshat has exited the room poyo!
	  "Jestress" has entered the room poyo!
	  Jestress:
	  "Well, you sure kept me waiting... Were you having a long conversation with someone?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "I was a bit busy with work for my own chivalric order. Sorry I wasn't able to contact you."
	  Jestress:
	  "I see you're working hard. The Three Kings have commanded that you be suitably rewarded for overseeing this work."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I'm glad. That's probably the highest sort of praise the Three Kings can give."
	  Jestress:
	  "With this, the buds of war have filled to bursting. We just need for them to explode."
	  Toujirou:
	  "You've got more than enough pins to pop the balloon, right?"
	  Jestress:
	  "The 76 chivalric orders owned by one or another of the kings are already fully prepared. However, your Order of the Wisteria has done splendid work equal to all 76 of those orders. It's possible that your strength alone might have been enough to start World War IV."
	  Toujirou:
	  "We've spent so much time getting ready for the party. I do hope the invitations arrive safely."
	  Jestress:
	  "They will, that's for certain."
	  The Three Kings said that they didn't want to leave even as many survivors as World War III had.
	  They were carrying this out with the intention of assuredly wiping out all of humanity, believing that even so, many would surely survive and become the seeds of a new world.
	  However, if they overdid it just a little, the certain extinction of humanity would be the result.
	  Jestress:
	  "I'm sure they'll come to the party. After all, this is humanity's last party. If they don't come, the Kings will eat up everything, leaving not even a single plate behind..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Perfect. Even so, I hope someone resolutely survives, becoming the seeds of a new humanity in a new era."
	  Jestress:
	  "By the way, what would you like as a reward? They gave me strict orders to come here and ask you that."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I see. ...In that case-"
	  Jestress:
	  "Don't say my body."
	  Toujirou:
	  "No, no. I want *that*."
	  Jestress:
	  "Huh? This...?"
	  What Toujirou pointed at with his thumb...was the mask covering her face.
	  Strictly speaking, it wasn't a mask, but a visor-shaped wearable terminal.
	  It was an item that had been popular in the era before mental displays could be used to control anything.
	  Jestress:
	  "No way. I'm fond of this."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I won't ask you for the real thing. I only want you to remove it from your avatar, just when you're meeting me in this virtual room. I suppose that's the reward I want."
	  Jestress:
	  "............"
	  Toujirou:
	  "...No good?"
	  Jestress:
	  "...I don't really mind. After all, if the Three Kings hear about this, they'll definitely tell me to agree to a little reward like that."
	  Jestress:
	  "Hold on. ...I don't have an avatar without a visor. ...I'm making a surface map."
	  Looking just a little awkward, Jestress did some sort of processing for a while.
	  Apparently, obeying a demand to show part of her body she usually kept hidden to the opposite sex was embarrassing for her...
	  Jestress:
	  "I did it..."
	  Toujirou:
	  ".................."
	  Jestress removed her visor.
	  ...Beneath it...was the face of a troubled woman who still had a bit of youth in her, ...in contrast to her adult behavior...
	  Jestress:
	  "Is it what you expected...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "It reminds me of the time we first met."
	  Jestress:
	  "How many times do I have to tell you...to stop doing that...?"
	  
	  "Jayden" has entered the room.
	  "Gunhild" has entered the room.
	  Miyao:
	  "Sorry for calling you two at such a weird time."
	  Jayden:
	  "Don't worry about it, partner. Call for us whenever you like."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'd prefer if you did worry a little, and made an appointment reasonably far in advance. Heheh."
	  Jayden:
	  "So? What's this thing you wanted to say to just the Warcats?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "This is Miyao we're talking about. He must be worrying really hard about something..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, ...that's just it."
	  Jayden:
	  "Tell us. Stop beating around the bush."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "...I wanted to talk about this because I believe you two are my true friends, not just war buddies."
	  Gunhild:
	  "We always put our lives in each others' hands while in the skies, right? Knowing that, why go out of your way to say you believe we're true friends...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "I figured it was something to do with Meow, ...but is it something more serious...?"
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  Miyao:
	  "...We're guardians who support the Walls of Peace, right...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Of course."
	  Miyao:
	  "We pluck the sprouts of war and defend peace."
	  Jayden:
	  "That's right. What's your point?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What do you think the sprouts of war are, practically speaking?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I see. We've been using that phrase, but it's quite abstract."
	  Miyao:
	  "For example, ...though the COU probably has their own views on the matter, the Glass Sea hasn't had any military bases on it until recently. Even if the two Japans disagree on whether it should be neutral territory or split in two, it was at least respected as a World War Relic, and both armies avoided using it as a station for military power."
	  Jayden:
	  "If they try to set up bases there, that really is a sprout of war. Do that, and the Glass Sea will practically belong to COU Japan. AOU Japan can't afford to just accept that, so they'd be forced to use military power in some way, like the strike that actually happened. In the end, both sides would start talking tough, and military forces would clash."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If that's a situation that should be avoided, then yes, I suppose you could say that the COU bases were sprouts of war."
	  Miyao:
	  "Then, what do you think of Rethabile's group from the ACR and the AOU Atlantic Fleet?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, the Atlantic Fleet came asking for a fight. If Rethabile and the others didn't repel them, they'd advance into the Atlantis Spirit Field, maybe leading to a naval battle. If the Atlantic Fleet hadn't come, there would be peace, so the Atlantic Fleet was the sprout of war, right? In other words, it's the fault of whoever attacks first!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you stick to that argument, then we were the sprouts of war when we attacked the COU base on the Glass Sea."
	  Jayden:
	  "No, no. The sprouts of war there were the guys who attacked by setting up bases on a World War Relic. We weren't attacking, we were responding to an attack."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wouldn't that mean...
	  that the Atlantic Fleet was responding to an attack too? While the AOU and the ACR were still arguing over the Atlantis Spirit Field, the ACR one-sidedly cut off negotiations and occupied it using military force. Wouldn't that mean that both sides were sprouts of war?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-Yeah...... You're right, I'm not...really sure anymore..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If Rethabile's group hadn't repelled the Atlantic Fleet, there's no telling what might have happened in the seas around the Atlantis Spirit Field. In that sense, the Atlantic Fleet was the sprout of war. However, if the Atlantis Spirit Field hadn't been one-sidedly occupied, the Atlantic Fleet wouldn't have been called in to attack. In that sense, the mining base on the Atlantis Spirit Field is the sprout of war."
	  Miyao:
	  "Lingji's Baibao attacked the ABN mining machines that had started one-sidedly mining in the Kashmir Spirit Field. Their position was exactly the opposite of Rethabile's. ...According to any definition I can think of, one of them must have been in the wrong..."
	  Jayden:
	  "...Haah.
	   ...So, basically, you've been worrying about crazy stuff late into the night again, Miyao."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, compared to Jayden, who doesn't worry at all, there's room to debate which of you is the more normal human being."
	  Jayden:
	  "Quiet, you. Still, I think I get what you're trying to say, Miyao. If we don't get that straight, we might say we're guarding peace, but we could end up helping the exact opposite happen."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Jayden, aren't we soldiers who serve under the AOU Combined Military?"
	  Jayden:
	  "...Well, yeah. When we take orders, it isn't our job to think about whether they're justified or not."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, that doesn't mean we aren't guardians of the Walls of Peace, yeah? We're Second Lieutenants in the AOU Combined Military, but we're also comrades defending peace across the world, not just the little organization called the AOU."
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks, Jayden. ...What I've been worrying about all this time...is how to balance those two things."
	  If they were given a mission that clearly contributed to peace, there would be no need to worry.
	  However,  going forward, ...they might be given missions that did the complete opposite.
	  The other day, ace kette from four factions had succeeded in their operations.
	  Miyao's group from the AOU had destroyed a base that was being built on the Glass Sea.
	  Rethabile's group had instead defended their spirit field base.
	  On the other hand, Lingji's group from the COU had attacked mining machines on their opponent's spirit field base.
	  Those three had taken place in disputed territory, but the mission carried out by Thalathat Suyuf of the ABN had been to recover a Leader of Peace who had been taken in for questioning, penetrating into ACR territory to do so.
	  All four factions claimed that they had done these things to pluck the sprouts of war.
	  Of course, the aces who took part in them were also proud to have plucked the sprouts of war...
	  Miyao:
	  "That's what scares me."
	  Jayden:
	  "............"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Hypothetically, ...if you were given a mission that was to the AOU's benefit, but would clearly become a sprout of war, what would you do?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Would you become...one of those so-called conscientious objectors...?"
	  In the AOU Combined Military, you were allowed to individually refuse a mission, if it conflicted with your conscience or beliefs.
	  ...However, in practical terms, doing so was almost suicidal, as you'd be labeling yourself as one unfit for society.
	  Not only did becoming a conscientious objector require quite a lot of complicated paperwork, but even if it was accepted, you would certainly be demoted or forced to accept a voluntary discharge.
	  It would leave a heavy mark on your record, and even when applying for a job at most companies, you'd be blocked as early as the AI background check. In other words, you wouldn't be able to find work through normal means.
	  Rumor had it that you would also be placed on government and police watch lists, and at various times throughout your life, when security would normally allow people to pass right through, you would always be called to a stop and inspected...
	  Miyao:
	  "...How are we guardians of peace?"
	  Jayden:
	  "You've got a point. ...At this rate, our own future lifestyles will be held hostage, and we'll be forced to go along with whatever the higher-ups say is justice. We didn't become Gauntlet Knights to get pushed around by old men. We did it to protect the Walls of Peace and bring peace to the world, right?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'm pretty sure I've heard you two say you became Gauntlet Knights because you wanted to fly. *giggle*"
	  Gunhild:
	  "However, your original aims don't matter at all. ...If you've now realized that you stand at the peak of the world's military power, and that maybe you should act of your own volition for the sake of world peace, then I think that means you've grown a lot as human beings."
	  Gunhild:
	  "However, you should keep all of this quiet. If Okonogi heard us talking about this, for example, there might even be an inquiry."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Achoo!! Waaachhoo!!!"
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "I get it. I realize...that us talking about this is a seriously big deal. That's why...I'm only saying this to the kette of Warcats I trust."
	  Jayden:
	  "If it's a seriously big deal, then bring it on! I'll always protect my friends' secrets!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "What you're saying is something I've been vaguely thinking myself."
	  Miyao:
	  "We have too much power.
	   ...That's something that we, the militaries using us, and everyone in the world at large doesn't understand. ...Gauntlet Knights are invincible. So, no matter what sort of ridiculous missions we're given, we'll complete them."
	  Miyao:
	  "...If that power is only used to properly pluck the sprouts of war, that's okay. However, given the current overexcited wartime mood, blindly believing that our missions are always 100% justified is the same as abandoning our jobs as guardians of peace. That's what I think, at least..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I see. ...So that's why you started thinking about what we really mean by `sprouts of war'."
	  Jayden:
	  "If our mission is justified, then it's okay to get it done with 120% of our power! But if we find out that it isn't... ............ ...Then what?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Gunhild:
	  "............"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I see. So that's why you couldn't sleep."
	  Jayden:
	  "Seriously, if we're given an unjust mission, what should we do...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I...want to form a chivalric order."
	  Jayden:
	  "A chivalric order...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Are you...serious...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "When Gauntlet Knights in this Order are given missions, and they judge that the actions included in those missions won't contribute to supporting the Walls of Peace, ...they'll refuse to do them."
	  Jayden:
	  "S-So you *are* talking about becoming a conscientious objector!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you did that, you'd just be demoted, and a person who cared more about sucking up to the higher-ups would be put in your place."
	  Gunhild:
	  "What Miyao means is..."
	  Miyao:
	  "During our Glass Sea operation, our targets were unmanned antiaircraft vehicles. We were told not to cause unnecessary casualties if possible, but since it was a military action, the option of eliminating those who got in our way was left on the table. ...Where those middle-aged soldiers might've blown everything away, including the enemy troops, we accurately hit just their weak points, resulting in zero human casualties."
	  Jayden:
	  "That's true. For us, it isn't impossible to carry out our mission, while also eliminating all unnecessary damage."
	  Miyao:
	  "However, even so, ...it's possible we'll be given a mission which forces us to cause casualties. When that happens, ...members of the Order...will prioritize being guardians of peace over being soldiers."
	  Jayden:
	  "W-Wait, does that mean..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheh. That's quite an outrageous thing you've said."
	  It was a shocking statement, one that would surely lead to an inquiry even if it was only rumored about.
	  For a soldier to say that he would sometimes refuse missions based on his own judgement of the situation... Well, considering the times, it wouldn't be strange for him to be arrested or shot.
	  Gunhild:
	  "So, if you were given an order where attacking actually meant giving birth to sprouts of war..."
	  Miyao:
	  "I would accept the mission as a soldier. However, as a guardian of peace, I wouldn't let it succeed."
	  Jayden:
	  "Our top ace Miyao, failing in a mission? Is that even possible?"
	  Miyao:
	  "We could talk our way around it in a bunch of ways, by calling it an equipment malfunction, or saying we screwed up! Anyway, we'll reduce the casualties from our attacks to as close to zero as possible! The best situation is when we're intercepted by a Gauntlet Knight from the opposing side. We can just make it look like the battle ended as a draw and we pulled out."
	  Jayden:
	  "Whoa, whoa, seriously...? This is getting crazy...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "However! When it's a mission where we can pluck sprouts of war, then of course we'll run wild without mercy!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Hahahahahah, wahahahaha! I guess you suddenly saying crazy stuff is nothing new, Miyao. ...Haah,
	   you really are one crazy Gauntlet Monster, aren't you?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "From the start, I always hated those middle-aged and old men who acted so important and only ever thought about themselves! That's why I thought that becoming a Gauntlet Knight who could fly freely through the sky would be the perfect career for me. Still, the one thing I never liked was having to be absolutely obedient to their orders."
	  Jayden:
	  "And besides, our job is to support the Walls of Peace. It isn't to push them over towards the other side."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Jayden!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I'm in, partner! I'll join your chivalric order! The truth is, even I didn't like those enthusiastic, irresponsible people who thought war was a game of football or something! We've gotta remind them that the real guardians of peace are us, the coolest-thinking ones, who actually have bullets and explosions raining down on us in the front lines."
	  Once, in the era when armies fought to protect their national interests, it was acceptable for them to harm the national interests of other countries.
	  But the A3W world is different.
	  Humanity was brought to the brink of destruction by a nuclear war, but then, they recovered.
	  And, they formed a healthy military balance. Militaries around the world swore to support not only their national interests, but also the Walls of Peace along with their comrades, under the battle standard of peace.
	  And yet, the old men of the military were still stuck in the B3W mindset that only what was good for their country mattered, and they had mistakenly grown to think of the military as a tool to accomplish that goal.
	  A3W militaries don't just exist to protect national interests. They have to be guardians of peace on top of that...!
	  Gunhild:
	  "We still need to work out the details, but I support Miyao's establishment of a chivalric order too."
	  Miyao:
	  "Gunhild... Thanks!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "In the era when militaries were made up of large numbers of people, the sense of justice held by a single soldier had no value, which is the excuse all soldiers have used to abandon their own senses of justice. ...However, we Gauntlet Knights are different."
	  Jayden:
	  "Because even a single Gauntlet Knight...is a military force."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Right now, we need a stronger sense of justice and desire for peace than ever before."
	  Can peace be protected by the determination of a single soldier? Can this prevent a world war?
	  How can that be possible, unless you're a president or a shogun?
	  And yet, it is.
	  It was a single officer who refused to fire a nuclear torpedo in the Cuban Missile Crisis.
	  If he hadn't resolutely refused, the earth would've been wrapped in atomic fire well before the 21st century.
	  There are other cases that were learned of later, where nuclear war was stopped by the decision of a single soldier.
	  It isn't impossible for one soldier to stop a world war.
	  Miyao:
	  "If the Order only has us three in it, it won't mean anything. Its power will only be massive if we expand it a lot more, ...getting all the Gauntlet Knights and candidates who met at the Public Bath to agree to it."
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah. If Gauntlet Knights around the world agree to it, there's no way the Walls of Peace will shake! After all, no matter what sprouts of war pop up, at least one of the Gauntlet Knights will pluck it! And when they're on missions where they themselves would become sprouts of war, they'll screw up on purpose or lose. We'll eradicate the sprouts of war!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's actually a lot like what Jayden bragged about earlier, about forming an army of peace out of Gauntlet Knights across the planet."
	  Miyao:
	  "I think a lot of my inspiration came from that. However, an army of peace won't mean anything unless Gauntlet Knights around the world participate. At worst, that army itself might become a sprout of war."
	  Gunhild:
	  "In practical terms, this is like a coup d'état. By itself, it's practically World War IV already. Heheheh."
	  Jayden:
	  "But if we're a secret chivalric order, we'll be able to act quietly. It won't become a sprout of war. And even if only some of us agree to do whatever they can, we'll still be able to do something for the Walls of Peace."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right. Of course, the more people we have, the better. But we can still do a little, even if just some of us agree!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Just casually listening to this, it sounds like you're saying a bunch of crazy, outrageous things. However, ...that's proof that we've been bound by old values...and have abandoned being guardians of peace."
	  Jayden:
	  "It's different from my idea, but if I gave you the inspiration, I guess I really am a supergenius!"
	  Miyao:
	  "The young are the main characters of any era, right?! If we drag our heels, waiting to change the era after all the old guys have gone, then we'll be middle-aged or geezers ourselves. When that happens, we'll already be in an era that's different from the one we know, and what we're trying to do might be off the mark. So, now is the time! We need to have a strong resolve if we're going to protect peace ourselves."
	  Jayden:
	  "This is all crazy talk anyway, ...but will anyone other than us agree to it? What will Grave Mole think?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Actually, this all seemed so interesting, so I just told Chloe about it while we were talking in another room. She seemed interested, so should I let her enter this room?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sure, I don't mind."
	  "Chloe" has entered the room poyo!
	  Chloe:
	  "I thought the same thing! This whole time, I've been thinking that the kinds of armies our higher-ups want aren't really guardians of the Walls of Peace＞＜ I support Miyao's Order, and I want to join it!"
	  Militaries always declare that they'll protect peace for their homelands. At least, that's how it was supposed to be, up until the end of the B3W era.
	  Now, in the A3W era, militaries have no friends or foes. They're all comrades who support the Walls of Peace.
	  At the start of the A3W era, during the prime of a generation that had experienced a world-destroying war, this philosophy held a lot of sway.
	  However, as peace continued, they started competing in Battle Standard Festivals, where militaries fought over medals for their own countries and against others. The military started to be viewed as an organization for surpassing other countries.
	  So, a lot of irresponsible people were now carelessly driving their countries' militaries towards war, thinking of it like a sports competition.
	  It was time for militaries to return to their original philosophy, that of being guardians who supported the Walls of Peace.
	  Chloe:
	  "What Miyao's saying isn't sabotage, and it certainly isn't a coup d'etat! It's a naturally justified thing, an attempt to once again follow our true principles as guardians of peace, which people have forgotten because peace continued for so long＞＜!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "...Chloe can be surprisingly fiery."
	  Miyao:
	  "She's really interesting when she gets excited."
	  Chloe:
	  "The circle of this Order doesn't just envelop all of the AOU! We're going to the COU, and the ABN, and the ACR, and LATO! All our comrades wearing Gauntlets on their left arms should participate!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Yes, everyone who gathered at that Public Bath should support it! And when everyone makes another oath, this time to form a chivalric order, we Gauntlet Knights will bear witness to humanity's first establishment of peace brought about by the hands of young people, the true main characters of the era!
	   Long live Mitake Miyao's Chivalric Order
	   Long live Grand Master Mitake Miyao!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "No, no, no, you're getting too excited. Calm down a bit..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'm glad you feel that way, Chloe, but will the other two in Grave Mole agree...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "They did agree! I made them agree! I won't let them complain, and they didn't＞＜!!"
	  "Koshka" has entered the room poyo!
	  "Lilja" has entered the room poyo!
	  Koshka:
	  "...So basically, it's a chivalric order that means it's okay to skip work sometimes?"
	  Lilja:
	  "We'll get to take it easy, so we'd like to join this order too meooow!"
	  Chloe:
	  "This isn't an Order for slacking off!
	  langen@
	   It's an Order for truly protecting peace by proactively refusing jobs that go against peace＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "So basically, whenever Chloe orders us to slack off, we can do whatever we want."
	  Lilja:
	  "Koshka is a nincompoop, so I'm sure she'll hold back in ways that make it obvious she's slacking off meow. I'll tell on her to Okonogi, and she'll get in big trouble meow♪"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'm slyer than I look. ...And if you do a bad job at holding back, Lilja, I'll tell on you to Okonogi right away."
	  Lilja:
	  "And if Chloe does a bad job holding back, I'll tell on her to Okonogi too meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "If Chloe screws up, I'll tell on her to Okonogi right away too."
	  Chloe:
	  "Why am I the only one they're both focusing on, waaaaaah＞＜"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Do you two seriously agree to support us?"
	  Lilja:
	  "What do you mean by seriously meow?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Depending on what they get you with, you might have to go through an inquiry."
	  Koshka:
	  "Let them do it if they want. I'm Geroy equipment. I get killed every time I go in for maintenance. Nothing scares me now, except when my OS gives itself a forced update partway through a limited time WanyaDora event battle."
	  Lilja:
	  "And it's not scary at all to me, compared to the thought of Koshka waking up some morning as a super beautiful girl, who doesn't use hick words and doesn't have bed hair meooooow."
	  Koshka:
	  "What are you talking about,
	   you're the one who always has bed hair."
	  Lilja:
	  "I don't wanna hear that from a girl who sometimes has sweet potato fries and biscuit crumbs in her hair meow. Grrrrr, skreeee!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Hey, you two! We're talking about something serious, so please listen＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Skreee, skreereereee!!!"
	  
	  Koshka:
	  "Wanna have a go, wanna have a go?"
	  
	  The next instant, their avatars buzzed and warped... It looked like the result of extreme electrical noise.
	  Apparently, Chloe had pushed their punishment button.
	  Chloe:
	  "We're talking about something serious＞＜ Please, listen to meeeeee＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "...Aah..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Enough...with the shocking..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Lilja, Koshka, you're both in a sensitive position, right? I'm glad you've agreed to join, but it might be awful if this gets out."
	  Koshka:
	  "I won't let those annoying middle-aged guys and old men have their way. If I can do that even a little, then it's more than interesting enough for me."
	  Miyao:
	  "This isn't just some prank. Do you really understand that?"
	  Lilja:
	  "No, we don't meow. Koshka and I are stupid, after all."
	  Lilja:
	  "So, we don't know what we should do or how. Because we're stupid. Meeeeew."
	  Koshka:
	  "That's why you thought it up for the sake of us idiots, right? ...A way to make the world peaceful and happy."
	  Koshka:
	  "We don't get what sprouts of war are, or how to deal with them. But, ...if you tell us, there are things we can do."
	  Lilja:
	  "What our targets are, how to attack them, and what not to attack... We'll leave all the hard stuff like that to Chloe meow."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hah, hahahaha...! Seriously, it really is hard for you two to be honest about how you feel!"
	  Chloe:
	  "These two have also suffered under this world's unfairness for a long, long time. ...They know there are a lot of bad adults out there who use them -- who use children -- as food. Of course, they didn't believe in the sort of peace those adults spouted. But now, for the first time, we've heard young people we can trust calling for peace."
	  Koshka:
	  "Yeah, yeah, what she said. If you give me five slimy rares, I'll give you 10 scallop candies. ...Oh, sorry, wrong chat."
	  Lilja:
	  "Chloe, I'm in the middle of a battle with this hick girl, so can we leave for a bit meow?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Yeah, that's enough. Thanks for supporting us＞＜"
	  "Lilja" and "Koshka" have left the room poyo!
	  Chloe:
	  "...Because of their personalities, it's impossible for those girls to say what they really think. ...Still, they were really moved by what you said, Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "I-Is that so...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Yes."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Considering their personalities, the very fact that they showed up at all tells us that."
	  Jayden:
	  "And they were even in the middle of a game!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...I see. You...have a point there."
	  Chloe:
	  "Koshka and Lilja...hate adults and this world. ...So, they also hate it when adults talk about justice and peace. I think that's why...they were really happy when one of their comrades, Miyao, showed them the way towards justice and peace."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Jayden:
	  "If that's true, they could've at least said it! Without Chloe's translation, we'd be clueless."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheh... If you're thinking Kizuna can translate all emotions, I suppose that means you're still Superkid Jayden."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hahahahahahahah...! You're totally Superkid Jayden! Ahahahahahahahaah......"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao, she may not look it, but Chloe really does have her act together. She told those two because she was very confident that they would support us if she did. There's no need to worry about them being loose-lipped or misunderstanding."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's not what I was thinking. I think I just blanked out because I was happy, or surprised, or confused. I mean, as soon I announced that I'd be making a chivalric order, we suddenly got six members."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey! Since my idea was the inspiration for it, that means I get to give the Order a name, right?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh?! I'm the one who proposed it! I made this chivalric order! So I get to name it!"
	  Jayden:
	  "It's the Super Ultimate Peaceful Great Marvelous...ummm!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "It's the Dark Shadow Silent Justice Hammer Holy Sword of Justice...ummm...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "This'll be one of those things where we just call it the Order of the Public Bath (temporary name), and that ends up becoming its real name. ...The Order of the Public Bath. ...That name's so wonderful, it makes me want to leave right now. Heheheheheh..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Now then, Miyao, I'm sorry to rain on your parade, but the one thing we should decide is our policy going forward. First, we should decide on who is qualified to join. If everyone invites whatever friends they want, not only will it get out of control, but considering the type of Order this is, it will make joining extremely risky."
	  Miyao:
	  "I understand that. I'm confident that this Order will be able to contribute to protecting world peace. ...However, as it's a secret Order, I think we should reveal it only to people we can trust."
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah. If everyone joined, that'd be kinda uncool! If we want to only let vetted people join, then it's probably best if our leader, Miyao, is the only one who recruits people directly."
	  Miyao:
	  "I guess we'll do it like that for now. Still, nominations are welcome."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Just as an example, if aces from other factions agree to join, it might be best to delegate the job of recruitment to some of them too. We can leave that decision to Grand Master Miyao's judgement."
	  Jayden:
	  "Grand Master Miyao? I like the sound of that! Wheeew, you're so cool!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't make fun of me. ...For the COU, I'd like to talk with Lingji. For the ACR, I guess it'd be Rethabile."
	  Jayden:
	  "Lingji and Rethabile are leaders, after all. If they agree, things'll move quickly!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, ...if they're in different factions, that means they'll think about things differently too. ...For example, Rethabile is an ACR princess, right? If we ask a princess to prioritize world peace by sometimes turning a blind eye to ACR defeats, will she really agree...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao, in the It's a Wrap Public Bath, there are no social classes or nationalities. We're just a group of young Gauntlet Knights who love to fly, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...You're right. If I think this might not work before I even tell them about it, I'll fail as a leader of an Order working towards world peace."
	  Jayden:
	  "From what I've seen of Rethabile, she's a woman with a positive attitude, whose pretty good at being understanding. I'm pretty sure she'll listen seriously to what we have to say."
	  Miyao:
	  "And as for Lingji, I've been exchanging emails with her now and then, and she's an incredibly serious person. So, I'm sure she'll listen to us."
	  Jayden:
	  "Whaaat?! So she's your type, huh, Miyao?
	   You little rascal!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey, it's not like that, stop clinging to me..."
	  Jayden:
	  "I get it. In that case, shouldn't we invite the ABN and those big sisters from LATO too?"
	  Miyao:
	  "For the ABN, ...I guess it'd be Stanisław. But he seems kind of cold, or maybe like he'd just ignore us..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I've been emailing him recently, and he too has been worrying over how he can contribute to world peace. I'm absolutely certain that he won't ignore you."
	  Jayden:
	  "Wait, you too, Gunhild?! So, you like cool-headed men like that, huh?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Looking at his Kizuna wallpaper, I realized that we share the same hobbies and taste in music. I'm currently in the process of inviting him into my Order of the Blood-Vomiting Death Growls."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Didn't you say your hobby is making cute felt crafts?"
	  Jayden:
	  "You really have to admire the range of Gunhild's hobbies..."
	  Miyao:
	  "In that case, I guess I'll ask you to recruit Stanisław."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Roger that. I'm sure he'll listen to us. And, he's wise, so I'm sure he'll give us good advice."
	  Miyao:
	  "All that's left...are the big sisters from LATO. ...They're older, so it feels a bit awkward to invite them."
	  Jayden:
	  "I think you're misunderstanding them. Both Valentina and Maricarmen are surprisingly friendly and understanding once you get to know them."
	  Gunhild:
	  "How do you know that?"
	  Jayden:
	  "I've been exchanging personal emails with the two of them lately, heheheh..."
	  Meow:
	  "Oh? So, you're into the big sister type, Jayden? You little rascal..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? Did you say something, Miyao?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...No. ...*I* said nothing."
	  And so, the Order of the Public Bath (temporary name) gained the approval of both Warcat and Grave Mole, so easily that it surprised even me.
	  Going forward, we should probably judge the situation carefully and reach out to other kette in the AOU.
	  However, the most vital part of this is our comrades in other factions.
	  If we can get people in all factions to support us, the Order of the Public Bath (temporary name) will be able to support the Walls of Peace even more strongly.
	  There's no way we'll do the bidding of those overexcited adults, ...becoming game pieces in wars.
	  You aren't the only main characters in this world.
	  We young people are the main characters.
	  We've had enough of being game pieces that just move when someone orders us.
	  We'll think this through on our own, moving for the sake of world peace.
	  That's what the Order of the Public Bath (temporary name) does...
	  ..................
	  We really need to think of a better name fast. ...If this name sticks, that'd just be too uncool...
	  ...I say that, ...but the room name It's a Wrap Public Bath still exists to this day...
	  I get the feeling I've started something incredible.
	  ...But still, right after I heard Dad was in a chivalric order, I started copying him, didn't I...?
	  It's embarrassing, ...so I guess I'll keep it a secret from him...
	  #e7e7e7It looks like that Miyao has started saying something weird again. ...I'm not sure how much this experiment will affect the current situation, but if we want to crush it, it should be easy to do so with a single tip-off. As you said, Jestress, I think it should be okay to let them run with it for the time being. It might be possible to make use of this. For now, I'll wait and see what happens, while pretending to approve of Miyao's chivalric order.
	  #e7e7e7All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path...
	  
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hahahahahaha, aaah. You're so cute, Miyao."
	  Toujirou:
	  "So, right after I talk to you about chivalric orders, you make one yourself, even though you're constantly making fun of me? ...You really are adorable. Aaahhh, Miyao, *kiss*kiss*♪ Hihi, hihi, hahahahaha."
	  Toujirou:
	  "......Hmm? No, I don't mind at all. Miyao thought it up himself and is taking action on his own. Let him do as he pleases."
	  Toujirou:
	  "......That's true enough. This might become a problem if anyone hears about it. But there's no need to worry. ......Very soon, they'll be so busy that none of this will matter."
	  *kero*kero*kero*! 15 minutes have passed poyo! *kero*kero*kero*!
	  Toujirou:
	  "Sorry, it's time for me to go back to work. Thanks for telling me."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hmm? ......I know. I love you."
	  When Toujirou cleared the midair chat display, countless midair displays appeared around him, as if they had been waiting for him.
	  They all seemed to be broadcasts of news from around the world.
	  The other day, simultaneous uses of military force had occurred all around the world, and the opinion that `we' also mustn't hesitate to use military force to solve our various problems had grown strong everywhere.
	  Countless news reports from various countries bearing this message appeared.
	  Human emotions -- and the emotions of the groups of humans called societies -- slosh about like waves. Even if it all averages out on a grand scale, it will sometimes shift to the right or the left.
	  If this had been happening in one country... Well, this is a planet with 10 billion people on it. Such a thing would hardly be impossible.
	  So, even when the world looks peaceful as a whole, the emotions of one nation sometimes shift drastically to the side.
	  However... The countless news stories being shown here made it clear that places around the world were simultaneously catching fire, and the entire globe was enthusiastically saying that even war wasn't off the table.
	  ...If you roll a large number of dice, it isn't strange if you get a few `ones' in there.
	  However, when all the dice roll `ones', ...it's fair to suspect that someone's behind it.
	  Fundamentally, though it's mathematically possible that all of them will roll `ones', it isn't possible from the perspective of the animals known as humans.
	  This is because humans are built with a divine program that makes universal agreement impossible.
	  Humans are animals that live in societies. Because of this, their animal instincts encourage them to follow society's viewpoint, also known as the majority.
	  When multiple conflicting views clash with each other, the human intellect is able to function, and it's possible for them to make calm, rational decisions.
	  However, at the peak of such clashes, if one side relents even a little and is suddenly overwhelmed, peer pressure takes over, and society's will can be overwritten in a flash.
	  And yet, humans aren't lemmings. If everyone followed every group that started running off in some direction, even if it was off a cliff, they would've gone extinct long ago.
	  This is because God's program always calls for a certain number of people to be born with genes that make them resent universal agreement, aka the majority.
	  Surely, this must be a survival program God made for the sake of preventing human extinction.
	  ...Haven't you ever found it strange, when looking at video upload sites?
	  Setting aside videos with split opinions...
	  No matter how adorable a video about animals is, no matter what wonderful, irreproachable actions a video contains... In other words, no matter how perfect a video is, ...5% to 20% of viewers will always reject the opinion of those who `like' it.
	  On the flip side, no matter how contemptible a video is, you'll always get about 5% to 20% of people `liking' it.
	  For a long time, people have just assumed that this percentage represented the number of evil people that exist.
	  However, research at the end of the B3W era uncovered something interesting.
	  When they took a sample of those `evil' people and had them watch and rate videos that had no ratings so far, it became clear that several of them had a surprisingly similar standard to the majority.
	  In other words, they sometimes acted according to a second standard, which took priority over their honest opinion of the video's contents.
	  And that...was a dislike for society's opinion, or the majority view.
	  They are the so-called lone wolves, and whenever a crowd forms, that's all the reason they need to dislike it.
	  Even normal people who aren't aware of this tendency...should be able to notice it if they think about it.
	  ...Have you ever liked something, then suddenly lost interest when it became popular and famous?
	  When you hear on TV that X has become all the rage, has that ever been enough to make you start hating it?
	  This can be thought of as part of God's program, a fail-safe that prevents the animals known as humans from committing mass suicides like lemmings and going extinct.
	  No matter what sort of groupthink you're dealing with, ...people programmed with God's fail-safe will resist it, and will do so even more when that groupthink is large-scale and firmly entrenched. The smaller a minority you're in, the more firmly you'll refuse to join the majority.
	  Such people are famous for not losing their sense of justice during totalitarian dark ages.
	  Perhaps the officer who firmly refused to fire that nuclear torpedo also had God's fail-safe inside him.
	  As a side note, ...all that about lemmings committing mass suicides is a myth.
	  However, the majority mistakenly thinks it's a fact, and large numbers of people say it's true, so nearly everyone believes it without any doubts.
	  ...Perhaps the person who did doubt, and who proved that lemming mass suicides were only a myth, ...was also someone programmed with God's fail-safe.
	  The existence of these minority fail-safes is a serious eyesore to dictators planning totalitarian societies.
	  It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that nearly all of their inhumane political pressure is used to remove these elements.
	  Furthermore, these fail-safes resist even more as their numbers dwindle. Eradicating them has proven difficult even for the worst dictators in history.
	  On top of that, God's program is designed to replenish the number of fail-safes when it decreases.
	  Some animals are known for their ability to change genders when all members of one gender disappear. In the same way, when fail-safes are eradicated from society, it's natural for some in the majority to transform into fail-safes themselves.
	  For that reason, no matter how many purges dictators initiate, they have never been able to eliminate all fail-safes...
	  However...
	  Right now, in this world, no fail-safes exist, and yet there aren't any people converting into fail-safes either.
	  Everyone eagerly and unthinkingly agrees that their many problems should be solved all at once with war. No one has an opposing view.
	  ...Why is that?
	  Toujirou:
	  "It's a bug...in the program known as humanity..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Taking advantage of that bug...is how our Order of the Wisteria fights, using news and information as our weapons..."
	  If humanity has an animal nature that makes it want to always form minorities of a certain size...
	  Then, all you need to do is give them a decoy, an illusion that a certain minority already exists...
	  When people mistakenly think that a sufficiently large minority exists, ...then humans can join the majority without hating themselves for it.
	  Toujirou:
	  "...In commercials for makeup and such, they're always talking about their customer satisfaction rate."
	  You never see that it's 100%.
	  If a commercial did claim to have a 100% satisfaction rate, people would think it sounded fake, and they'd be struck by an emotion that makes it impossible for them to conform.
	  However, when the satisfaction rate is 80%, it suddenly feels different.
	  "8 out of 10 people like it? That's pretty awesome. You know there's always one or two people out of every ten who'd disagree with anything, right?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "All you need to do...is show people that, apparently, a few percent aren't satisfied with the majority."
	  Then, if you really want to seal the deal, you just need to spice up this decoy minority with characteristics and events that make them detestable by the values of the common man.
	  For example, maybe they aren't satisfying their societal duties. It can be about taxes, military service, legal rules... Anything you like. Just "establish" them as cheaters who refuse the burdens shared by all citizens, or else say they were given special exemptions.
	  After that, have them reveal their views emotionally, in a way that's hard to accept on moral or common sense grounds, and then "establish" that the overbearing way they made their case ended up involving and harming, say, an innocent child.
	  The decoys -- these fictional minorities -- can then be loaded up with many established facts, all of which will easily cause disgust in any normal person.
	  Naturally, the people will grow to fiercely hate these decoys.
	  And at the same time, because they'll know that these decoys fill the necessary number of minorities that humans desire on an animal level, God's program won't activate and convert them into minorities...
	  Toujirou:
	  "One can conceive of techniques for attacking the fragility of God's program, overwriting public opinion both overwhelmingly quickly and with overwhelming thoroughness... And, it's the power of Mitake Toujirou's chivalric order, the Order of the Wisteria, that can both create and enact such techniques..."
	  Those minority decoys will float to the surface of the sea of information provided by the media and the internet, thoroughly standing out because of their unacceptable views. And when the people see them, they'll go mad with rage and stone them.
	  And, after all, these people don't exist. They're just decoys.
	  No matter how much you hit them, they'll never cave, and they'll never sink or stumble. No matter how many people try to dox them, they'll never be exposed, so they can never be pinpointed and cannot be killed.
	  You can leave it to AI to travel across countless message boards and set them aflame, and when the media picks it up and gives that information brand recognition, it will spread even further.
	  If you're even more clever, you can plan out all those fires, setting up a beautiful chain of dominoes.
	  Then, when your artistic, worldwide domino setup is complete, ...they'll all start falling at once, beginning the chain.
	  The people of the world see that world war is approaching, and they whisper as though this is the beginning of the end.
	  The beginning of the end? You're behind the times...
	  Toujirou:
	  "Here's how it should go: Once it's begun, it already has ended."
	  As if he was knocking over the very first domino in a massive contraption, ...Toujirou's finger stretched out to the return key shown on his midair display...and touched it.
	  At the It's a Wrap Public Bath, Miyao, Lingji, Stanisław, and Rethabile were all sitting along the sides of the bath.
	  It was an odd scene, where they relaxed, submerged in the hot water of a public bath while fully clothed, but they were all very used to it by now.
	  Each of these aces from various factions had shown interest in Miyao's Order of the Public Bath (temporary name).
	  However, they didn't need Miyao to tell them that this idea would be most effective if Gauntlet Knights from all over the world joined. The number of people who joined would be key.
	  They had given him an extremely reasonable answer, saying that they wouldn't be able to join this risky chivalric order unless it really had a shot at making that happen.
	  So, ...they had no choice but to sit together around the bath.
	  Though they acted like they were relaxing in this now-familiar bathhouse, these aces from various factions tried very hard to see through to Miyao's true intentions...
	  Stanisław:
	  "I'd like to hear it again, from your lips. ...You're serious about this, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah. Of course I'm serious. Even if no one else agrees to support us, me and my comrades intend to carry it out on our own."
	  Lingji:
	  "...To intentionally cause a mission to fail... Even just thinking about it...leaves me speechless......"
	  Rethabile:
	  "However, I do understand the need for us to hold back. ...After all, we already know that a single kette of Gauntlet Knights could eliminate an entire Atlantic Fleet, if they so wished it."
	  Lingji:
	  "...That's true. The power of the Gauntlet can be far too strong if used for unjust ends..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "It seems all of us are in agreement on that point. ...If one of us Gauntlet Knights gets overwhelmed by the excitement and runs wild, it might result in enormous and needless damage and casualties. If that happens, forget plucking the sprouts of war, we'll be sowing seeds of war left and right."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right. That's why we have to swear to avoid needless casualties, and actually follow through with it too!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "However, Miyao, isn't that something we have all already sworn to do at this It's a Wrap Public Bath?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. In fights between Gauntlet Knights, a battle ends as soon as a shield is broken, and you must never kill your opponent. And when you do attack, you'll use the minimum necessary force, avoiding needless casualties of course. I believe we all agreed to that already, and we already carried it out the other day."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Still, if we're trying to avoid needless casualties, I think it doesn't make sense for us to obey every single order to attack, no matter what it is."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Are those the words of your conscience as a human, rather than a soldier?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Am I the one who's got it wrong? Or, in the factions other than the AOU, are people really that accepting of what those old men say, sure from the bottom of their hearts that they really want world peace...?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Forgive me, but I won't comment on that matter. In the first place, soldiers aren't trained to have doubts about the orders they're given."
	  Miyao:
	  "But aren't we guardians of the Walls of Peace before we're soldiers? If we obey our superiors' orders without thinking, while bearing the incredibly heavy burden of wielding Gauntlets, what does that make us...?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "We're like the point where a fuse is attached to a bomb. People with lots of fuse between them and the bomb might think that, even if they approve of war, someone else will probably stop it, and it wouldn't be their fault anyway if war broke out. They keep on spitting fire, making the fuse shorter. And now, the fuse on the bomb representing world war is burning towards those of us who stand right at the end!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Are we going to act like those who had plenty of fuse left, irresponsibly refusing to think and letting the flame reach the bomb? There's no fuse left after us! It really will explode if we don't stop it! And when it does, no one's going to blame the people standing at the far end of the fuse. It's us, the ones who directly lit the bomb at the very end, who'll get blamed!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Blamed? No, that part hardly matters! We'll be stuck living the rest of our lives with constant regret, knowing that we might've lived in a future where we stopped this tragic World War IV before it even happened! In fact, that regret will continue on forever, even after our deaths!! Can you think of any greater dishonor for those who claim to guard the Walls of Peace as Gauntlet Knights?! Am I the one who's got it wrong?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah, I guess I must be wrong, to suggest that soldiers should sometimes ignore their militaries' orders! After all, we were never taught anything like that! All the adults ever taught us was to say `yes sir' and obey! And now, adults all over the world are saying we should have a war, resolving problems with our neighbors using military force!"
	  Miyao:
	  "They're irresponsibly getting excited and saying `Take flight, Gauntlet Knights, and run wild on live TV, just like you did during the Battle Standard Festival!' Are you going to obey those orders too? Because it's a kid's job to obediently do what their parents say?! Are you really saying that we bear no responsibility?! That we just followed orders, so even though we pulled the trigger and loads of people died, none of that is our fault?!"
	  Miyao: ^
	  "That's wrong, isn't it?! That's not what the guardians of the Walls of Peace look like!"
	  Soldiers must obey orders, no matter how brutal those orders are, so they aren't responsible for what they do?
	  No. ...That kind of thinking has been forbidden since the A2W era.
	  Stanisław:
	  "...The leader of a certain Nazi concentration camp said something of the sort, but justice didn't spare him. On the flip side, there were some Nazis who protected Jews and earned the title of Righteous Among the Nations..."
	  Even Japan has Sugihara Chiune, who's famous for defying the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and issuing visas for Jews.
	  He wasn't a soldier, but he was a diplomat, a position where one is not allowed to let personal feelings stand in the way of service to the state.
	  Despite that, he acted according to his conscience...
	  Lingji:
	  "Whoever saves one life saves the world entire. ...Those are good words."
	  Rethabile:
	  "And those with more power saved more people."
	  Miyao:
	  "And here we stand with Gauntlets, an ultimate weapon so powerful, it relegated all existing military tools to the past! As people who can use those at will, with top class abilities on a world scale, just how many people could we save?! How many lives are we willing to abandon?!"
	  Lingji:
	  ".................."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I...can't think of a way to counter that."
	  Rethabile:
	  "You're saying that becoming a conscientious objector...might save the world? Miyao. Doesn't that contradict the A3W conception of supporting the Walls of Peace with a healthy military balance?"
	  Miyao:
	  "No! When fighting battles to pluck the sprouts of war, we'll do our jobs well and thoroughly, though we'll avoid unneeded casualties. However, when we follow strategies that step over the Walls of Peace or try to bring our opponents down, ...we'll coincidentally make mistakes and errors, and the mission will fail somehow. That's all I'm saying."
	  Lingji:
	  "Well, if we don't handle that part cleverly, it will be a huge mess."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I'm impressed by the idea, but how do we decide if a mission counts as plucking the sprouts of war or not? Who makes that decision? How do we know there are no ulterior motives involved? I have all sorts of questions about it."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I'm truly glad you said that, Stan, as it's everything I wanted to say too. ...That's the issue, Miyao. Will it be a mission that plucks sprouts of war, or a mission that becomes one? Who will decide, and what standard will they use? ...Unless that is clearly spelled out, I certainly cannot agree to join."
	  All of the contested areas had various circumstances surrounding them.
	  People from involved countries would probably all be influenced by personal motivations, and yet no one was likely to accept the judgement of an unrelated person who didn't know the circumstances.
	  There was no way they'd be able to decide which missions were okay and which weren't with a simple set of rules...
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no way I could decide. ...I'm not a politician or a diplomat."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Well, that does imply that the chivalric order you're proposing is nothing more than a pretty picture."
	  Miyao:
	  "So! Just like those people Stan talked about just now, who disobeyed their orders and made justice happen on their own, we should be personally faithful to the justice we each believe in!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Are you saying we should each decide individually...?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "True, it wouldn't be fair otherwise."
	  Stanisław:
	  "What do you mean by that?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "If we left our decisions about sprouts of war to Miyao, the first person who spoke up, then we would still be the fuse on the bomb, irresponsibly obeying his orders."
	  Lingji:
	  "...True. You're right. Just doing what you're ordered isn't justice. That only makes you a person who accepted an order. That's just doing your job, not an act of justice worthy of praise. Perhaps such a person doesn't have the right to call themselves a guardian of the Walls of Peace."
	  Stanisław:
	  "......Hmm......"
	  Miyao:
	  "Depending on how you take it, I might sound like I'm being irresponsible, just telling everyone to decide for themselves. ...Still, I think having all of us carry out justice on our own...is the key point of this Order."
	  Lingji:
	  "...I do believe Miyao is testing us."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. ...It would seem our consciences are being put to the test. Heheheheheh...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Even if I can't get everyone's approval, I'm going to start doing it. I'll take the first step. ...I don't mind if you hold off on deciding until you've seen that."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Hmm. That sounds fair. Understood..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "How heavy these left arms of ours are...... To think that our common sense as soldiers, as human beings, would be tested to this extent..."
	  Lingji:
	  "The possibility that we'll be given orders that don't support the Walls of Peace...is something I don't even want to think about. ...However, though I may have feared the coming of such a day, I never tried to think of a way around it. In the end, as a soldier, ...I would probably have quietly and irresponsibly carried out my orders."
	  Miyao:
	  "I was trained as a soldier too, ...so even thinking about twisting my orders and missions for something like my own sense of justice...is so scary, it makes my teeth chatter......"
	  Miyao:
	  "Still! I think that's the real courage guardians of the Walls of Peace need to have! We aren't pillars or sticks holding up the wall! We're the strongest warriors of peace, the Aerial Augmented Infantry, the Gauntlet Knights...!!"
	  For a while, the three other than Miyao were struck speechless.
	  Even though they had understood it in their souls, ...they had been blinded by the soldier's devotion to following orders, which had been ingrained into their bodies.
	  ...However, anyone can act for the sake of justice, and at any time. As long as they choose to do so!
	  And the stronger these people are, the more people they can save.
	  Why were they hesitating, ...when they had been given more power to save people than anyone else in the world...?
	  Suddenly, Lingji leapt to her feet.
	  Lingji:
	  "...We are all comrades supporting the Walls of Peace together. ...Our job isn't to oppose each other and kill each other, is it?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "I agree. I'm even embarrassed that I thought that's what we were until a second ago."
	  Stanisław rarely let his emotions show on his face, but he seemed to be smiling slightly.
	  Stanisław:
	  "We're comrades. And we already were, even before Miyao invited us to the Public Bath and made us swear to it. Even before he invited us to a chivalric order for the sake of protecting peace together."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Precisely. In that case, time is of the essence. I think I'll speak with Gauntlet Knights from the ACR, seeing whether they can agree to Miyao's philosophy."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Please, do be careful."
	  Rethabile:
	  "But of course. Even in the Royal Family, princes and princesses can be harsh when it comes to tearing each other down. I won't embarrass myself by needlessly exposing a weakness. Leave it to me!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Rethabile...! Thanks, I'm so grateful!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I ought to be the one saying that. I thank you for trusting me with a proposal that must have taken true courage to reveal!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao, I'll also try telling COU friends I can trust about what you've said."
	  Miyao:
	  "Thank you too, Lingji! That's incredibly reassuring to hear!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "I'll also try to quietly recruit members for Miyao's Order of the Public Bath (temporary name). However, I ask that you keep your hopes in check. I am still a man of the world, who values his own life."
	  The ABN was famous for its strict thought policing.
	  If it got out that you intended to disobey the establishment or the military, you wouldn't be let off easy.
	  Of course, that also applied to the factions of everyone else here.
	  Miyao:
	  "I understand. If it's looking dicey, there's absolutely no need to overdo it. Just the fact that you listened to me and showed your agreement is a huge help!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "I just wanted to keep expectations low to start. I'm sure that at least the other two members of Thalathat Suyuf will agree right away."
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks, Stan! I'm sorry for thinking you were a cold person who might not listen to us!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Don't let that worry you. After all, Grand Master Gunhild of the Order of the Blood-Vomiting Death Growls gave me strict orders to listen to what you had to say."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I never expected that Gunhild's chivalric order would end up helping me..."
	  Lingji:
	  "Does this mean we should start calling Miyao `Grand Master' from now on?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Please no, it's embarrassing. You can just call me Miyao like before."
	  Lingji:
	  "Then, Miyao, ...I really do think our meeting was an incredibly important thing for me. ...I get the feeling that, on the day we met at that Public Bath, we took our first steps towards a brilliant future!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks for seriously listening and thinking over the crazy stuff I had to say! I'm so grateful to all of you!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "We'll be closely watching what our (temporary name) Order's Grand Master does going forward, Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "Of course! If I bring this up, and then get scared and do whatever those damn geezers say, this whole thing would be ridiculous!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Sadly, we live in a world where it's likely you'll have a chance to prove yourself soon."
	  Rethabile:
	  "However, Miyao, there is one thing I would like to settle right away."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Yes, indeed. I have an urgent request for you too, Grand Master Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "Ah, ...yeah, I get it. ...The Order of the Public Bath (temporary name)...isn't going to cut it, right?"
	  Lingji:
	  "You think so...? I don't dislike it, since it immediately reminds you that the It's a Wrap Public Bath brought us together..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "We really should do something to honor its creator here! How about `Grand Master Miyao's Memorial Genius Long-Lived Lauded 1211 Knight Corps'?!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "The Order of the Heavy Slash Bloody Death Crazy Clash... Yes, that's not bad."
	  Lingji:
	  "...Well, I think it's best to keep it simply `The Order of Public Lust'."
	  Miyao:
	  "Lingji, you got the kanji wrong. That would be bad."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Hahahahah, wahahahahahaha...!!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Hahahahahhahahah, hahahahah."
	  Lingji:
	  "Wh-Why does Japanese make no sense?! Why did the ancient Japanese decide to start perverting the Chinese language?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "You'll have to take that up with the ancient Japanese, not me. Hahahahahahahahah......"
	  "Valentina" and "Maricarmen" have entered the room poyo!
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, sorry we're late, everyone."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Tina put in It's a Wrap Public Lust again and got a bunch of errors! You're way too lusty!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Maybe we really should just change the name to It's a Wrap Public Lust."
	  Lingji:
	  "See, Japanese is tough. I have been proven correct!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "How about `The Order of Miyao's Long-Lived Public Bath of Great Justice'?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "How about the Order of the Hell Murder Bloody Splash Fearsome Gut-Eaters? ...Hmm, Japanese words really are difficult. I can't find a single cool one to use."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Maybe it really would be best to keep it The Order of Public Lust... Ah, crap, even I input it wrong..."
	  Valentina:
	  "There, you see that? Heheheh. Even a Japanese person like Miyao admits that `yokujou' and `yokujou' are confusing."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "You're talking about lust in a public bath, right?! That's shameless, perverted! More importantly, Miyao! Please tell us what this is all about!"
	  Because the energetic big sisters from LATO showed up late, they were stuck having the same conversation a second time.
	  However, they listened seriously and agreed with the Order's aims.
	  After all, as members of the IPMA, they were hardly in conflict with the sort of chivalric order Miyao had envisioned.
	  However, they decided that they would show their personal justice through the IPMA itself.
	  In other words, they agreed with the goals of the Order of the Public Bath, but they didn't join it.
	  However, they seemed very intent on being added as observers.
	  Valentina:
	  "We have no doubts that LATO and the IPMA serve as a source of impartial justice. Heheh, but still, that doesn't mean that we're baselessly and absolutely sure it will remain that way forever."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "If there's ever only one group defending justice, no one will be able to make sure it doesn't go out of control. So, we intend to watch over you from our current positions, to see if you're really able to dedicate yourselves to peace!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. And I'm sure your chivalric order intends to watch over us, to see if we can remain a source of impartial justice, yes? After all, you rose up because you didn't want to blindly accept everything those old people called justice."
	  LATO was a very prosperous and powerful group of countries, and they had superior relationships with all the other factions.
	  So, it was generally believed that there was no need for them to take any faction's side, and that they could maintain a neutral position.
	  However, anyone who accepted that blindly would just be acting the part of an irresponsible fuse again.
	  If you say something's right because someone else said it was, or that anything that gets called justice is justice, then you haven't gotten anywhere.
	  Constantly check what justice is using your own conscience, and make sure you have a sword hidden in your heart. That way, if you see someone turning their back on peace, you can stand up to them, even if it's on your own.
	  That was the Order of the Public Bath.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "That's why we won't join. We need you to inspect our sense of justice."
	  Valentina:
	  "And, as time goes on, we'll be constantly inspecting yours. And if we judge that the justice you promote clearly differs from the justice promoted by the IPMA, expect to be dealt with accordingly. Heheheh..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...In other words, you two want to be external observers of our Order?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "That's right!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Judging what is or isn't a sprout of war is extremely difficult. Perhaps sometimes, it will be valuable to have the opinion of those who can look down impartially on all the world's factions."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're right. After all, there's nothing more dangerous than a selfish sense of justice gone wild."
	  Lingji:
	  "To prevent that from happening, there's a lot I would like to learn from these two from LATO going forward."
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. Sure. Ask us anything whenever you want."
	  Stanisław:
	  "It really seems...that something truly interesting is about to happen."
	  Miyao:
	  "This isn't about what's about to happen. You got to think of it this way:@/
	   We're gonna make something happen!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Then let us proclaim the formation of Mitake Miyao's chivalric order!"
	  The Order's Grand Master was its creator, Miyao.
	  While serving as the leader of the whole group, he was also in charge of the members from the AOU.
	  In addition, he was its spiritual leader, who made the Order's philosophy clear and understandable to its members, guiding them.
	  Miyao:
	  "That Grand Master stuff...is seriously embarrassing, so please just call me Miyao like normal!"
	  The leaders of the branches, or Masters, were Lingji, Rethabile, and Stanisław.
	  They would recruit and manage members from the COU, ACR, and ABN respectively.
	  In actual combat, it would be up to the Masters on the scene to decide which actions would be most in line with the Order's philosophy. The weight of that responsibility was neither lesser nor greater than Miyao's.
	  Valentina and Maricarmen from LATO would be external observers.
	  As members of the IPMA, they would presumably watch over them, making sure the Order's justice didn't head off in the wrong direction.
	  Lingji:
	  "So, ...that makes six of us, yes? I wonder if we could find one more."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Why do we need one more?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hahahah. Well, for things like this, wouldn't it be cooler to have seven people together?"
	  Valentina:
	  "I see. Lucky seven, is it? Heheh."
	  Rethabile:
	  "We already have one from each faction. Having two from a single faction would be unbalanced."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Maybe we should recruit another external observer from LATO?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "I can't really think of another kid I could trust enough to let in on something like this..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Hmm. Well, I guess I'll give up on it. I did think it would be cool to have seven knights."
	  Don't you forget me, poyoooooooo!!!
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh? Keropoyo?!"
	  How can you refuse to acknowledge me as a comrade, even though I provide you with a pleasant room, manage your logs and perform maintenance, and even handle translation and searches for you?! *sob*sob*, *kero*kero*kero*＞＜
	  Lingji:
	  "In that case, maybe you can be our secretary?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "I see. True enough, the role of secretary really does suit him. Without Keropoyo, even just going back through our logs would be time consuming."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Interesting. Having one person...no, one amphibian on our team would make this much more interesting."
	  Miyao:
	  "I get the feeling we'll have even snakes and slugs joining us before too long..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, okay. You're in, Keropoyo. I'm appointing you as the Order of the Public Bath (temporary name)'s secretary!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Nice! I guess this makes you the second frog in the world to call himself a knight! That's so cool!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheheh? What do you mean? Has there ever been another frog knight?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...After this, I should talk to Maricarmen about setting up an Order of Classic JRPG Lovers..."
	  Lingji:
	  "In that case, Keropoyo, would you care to propose a set of furnishings for Miyao's Order's virtual room?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "That is a good point. The It's a Wrap Public Bath and the Order of the Public Bath are two completely different organizations. To make it easier to switch between the two, we ought to use suitable furnishings for when we're with the Order."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I suppose that means we should furnish it in a way that matches its name. ...I wonder how it would look if it was the Order of Hell's Bloody Heaven of Madness and Death?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Okay, Keropoyo. We'll be the Order of the Public Bath for the time being, so find us a wallpaper that fits with that."
	  Roger that poyo! Now doing an image search for "public bath" and "lust" poyo! Poyo poyo poyooooo!!!
	  Miyao:
	  "No, wait, hold on a sec...!!
	   Everyone, close your eeeeeeeeeeyes!!!"
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "School bus destroyed in South Africa terrorist bombing. Eight children dead. Families in tears."
	  langen#ffffff
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Child seriously wounded in ABN Italy terrorist attack died before dawn, a girl with a lovely smile. Mother weeps through interview."
	  langen#ffffff
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Terrorist bombing in AOU Russia. Several elementary schoolers among victims. Authorities announced that culprits had foreign support."
	  langen#ffffff
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Fishing boat fired upon in COU Madagascar. President vows to tear-filled survivors to resolve situation and make culprits pay."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Several hundred likely victimized by terrorist gas attack. A visiting ACR prince swore to take blood revenge."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "AOU ambassador shot and grievously injured. Public supports imprisonment of suspect. Tens of thousands join demonstrations for his release."
	  langen#ffffff
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Authorities claim ABN Guidance Department operatives secretly involved. President threatens retribution if no apology offered."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "COU says they'll swing the sword of peace tomorrow if needed, suggests preemptive strike."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Unceasing hate crimes against residents of AOU descent. Pregnant woman beaten to death in broad daylight. No one reported incident to police."
	  langen#ffffff
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Brutally murdered bodies of five children missing in the ACR were found. Family interview up next."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Demonstrators run wild across the COU, set fire to the houses of our countrymen. Possibly a manufactured demonstration, as the police did nothing!"
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Another mass shooting at an ABN religious facility. Is the populace cheering on the fleeing culprits? An endless climate of hatred!"
	  langen#ffffff
	  ^
	  Breaking news: "Has LATO's intervention failed? High LATO official cuts stay short and returns to home country."^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "For our children's future! In tearful speech, President urges citizens to rise up."^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Punitive embargos? Counter with tariffs!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: " Prime Minister makes outrageous claim! He said if anyone doesn't like it, he's ready for war! The assembly hall was filled with applause!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Now is the time to protect the Walls of Peace! Nearby countries resorting to force must be punished by military means!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Now is the time to contribute to your country! It's easy with a one-click Patriot Bond!!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "They're deporting descendents of other factions! And locking them up if they refuse!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "IPMA mediation fails again. Are they now completely ineffective?"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "This is a Holy War, and we are prepared for battle!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "We'll deal a merciless strike, the likes of which this world has never seen before!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "To all who love peace, now is the time to grab your guns and prove it!"^
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Let the drones fight! Let the soldiers do their jobs! I'll be supporting you from this live message board!!"
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "ACR Commonwealth King prepares to address to his people. Will he declare war?"
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "The ABN Leadership Council gives 24 hour combat readiness orders."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "It seems the sword of peace will finally be unsheathed. The COU is prepared to resolve this situation with preemptive strikes."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Statement issued by the Speaker of the AOU Joint Parliament. To carry out its duty as movers of world peace, the AOU will preemptively exercise its right of self-defense."
	  *patter*patter*patter*patter*...
	  0017th Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad, you've been sent a Level 1 Emergency Deployment Order.
	  This is not a drill.
	  *slam*
	  
	  I don't want to believe it.
	  I don't want to believe that this is the start of World War IV.
	  This is still just people pushing against the Walls of Peace. They may be pushing fiercely, but they're holding it steady. So, this still isn't a world war yet...
	  #e7e7e7AOU Officer:
	  "Missiles are having no effect! They've all been intercepted! It seems the target is already receiving support from enemy Aerial Augmented Infantry units!"
	  #e7e7e7AOU Operator:
	  "The areas where drones can be used for combat has been updated. Military action anywhere in the Glass Sea is now possible."
	  #e7e7e7AOU General:
	  "Haven't you been able to crush them yet?! At this rate, they really will set up a base right in the middle of the Glass Sea this time!!"
	  All countries have issues connected to their borders.
	  All sides probably have their own say, and both sides probably have some things right, while their opponents probably have some things wrong.
	  When everyone is rational, this doesn't cause problems, but once society's emotions burst, it eagerly seeks a speedy resolution.
	  Clearly, the whole world had lost its calm.
	  So, now was the time to support the Walls of Peace.
	  We and the other side must hold them up firmly, enduring until the whole world regains its cool.
	  That's why this isn't a war. That's why this is the true job of the guardians of the Walls of Peace!
	  We aren't fighting! We're supporting the walls! We're just supporting the Walls of Peace...!
	  #e7e7e7COU Operator:
	  "The Aerial Augmented Infantry has successfully intercepted all enemy missiles. Sakurafubuki Squad, Fudou Squad, Hakurou Squad, please continue to defend our 4D Printers."
	  #e7e7e7COU Colonel:
	  "Drive in the wedge of peace! This is only happening because we never set up Walls of Peace here, simply because it was a World War Relic!"
	  #e7e7e7COU Officer:
	  "We've picked up a high-output signal on 8MS radar! Enemy units approaching! They're Gauntlets, nine in total! We estimate that this includes their ace kette, Warcat!!"
	  We avoided all casualties during our first strike in the Glass Sea, but now, I'm not sure if there was any point to that.
	  If people had died, ...the COU probably would've decided to go to war sooner. Because no one did, ...peace lasted a few days longer.
	  Were we the sprouts of war?
	  If we had sat back and watched as the COU built a base in the Glass Sea, would war have been avoided?
	  No, of course not. In the end, the base would've become the spark, the process leading to war would've changed slightly, and war would still have broken out eventually.
	  #e7e7e7AOU Operator:
	  "Our first-priority target is the enemy 4D Printer. Warcat will take the lead and disrupt the enemy Aerial Augmented Infantry formation. Kingfisher and Tripleburger, destroy the enemy with hit-and-run tactics."
	  Miyao:
	  "Warcat reads you. King, Triple, focus on your jobs. Don't think of stupid ways to show off!"
	  Kingfisher:
	  "R-Roger that! W-We'll focus!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Only the drones and printers are our enemies, you got that?! Not our opponents' Gauntlets. Don't forget that we're comrades supporting the walls!"
	  Tripleburger:
	  "Roger that! Both we and they are comrades supporting the Walls of Peace...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao, let's see if we can accomplish something as more than game pieces."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Yeah. I won't let the Walls of Peace fall...!!"
	  Are we really game pieces after all...?
	  A chess piece's job is to move according to the game's rules. If it decides to stop the game from happening, ...it's not like it'll be able to do anything.
	  I guess the only thing a piece can do is hide itself, making it impossible to set up the chess board.
	  But even if they do that, they'll just be replaced by another piece, the successor to their post.
	  Even if you think you're a genius or the most talented, ...there are so many replacement pieces behind you.
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Sakurafubuki Squad, Fudou Squad, Hakurou Squad, do you copy? This is Second Lieutenant Liu Lingji of the Imperial Guard Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad `Baibao'."
	  Sakurafubuki:
	  "It's Lieutenant Liu from Baibao! We're in prime condition here!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "You have two missions. Do not die, and do not kill. ...Remember our oath in the Public Bath. Be sure that you are not overcome by hatred. There are no enemies here. Only comrades supporting the Walls of Peace."
	  Fudou:
	  "Roger that Lieutenant Liu! We're friends supporting the Walls of Peace!"
	  Hakurou:
	  "As long as we aren't fighting out of malice, this isn't war yet...!!"
	  Are we acting as proud as a tengu? After we bragged about having the greatest military might in the world, ...is there nothing we can do but delay war for just a few days?
	  No.
	  Don't waver. Don't doubt. Now...is the time to believe in your own power and convictions!
	  Don't think it's pointless because your power is weak!
	  A weak power is power nonetheless.
	  Even a single person can save the world.
	  And our friends are Gauntlet Knights from around the world...!
	  Everyone! Don't die! Don't kill!
	  Don't die, don't kill. I've decided to make that short yet unshakable sentiment the motto for my ideals, for my Order.
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "This is Grave Mole! Miyao, don't worry about us!"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's fine, I wasn't worried from the start."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Ah, I would've been happier if you said you were worried a little, even if it was a lie＞＜"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hahah. Don't die. And don't kill! I'm not worried about you, but I am worried about Lilja and Koshka."
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "Now there's a surprise. ...It's totally impossible for my bullets to hit someone I'm not aiming for!"
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "We aren't allowed to kill people meow. But, if we're up against drones, we can be as merciless as we want, and it doesn't matter meow!"
	  Except for the Gauntlet Knights, everything on the battlefield was a drone.
	  So, as long as the Gauntlet Knights didn't forget their determination to support the Walls of Peace, no one would die or be hurt.
	  In the B3W era, partly thanks to sci-fi movies, quite a few people disliked combat drones, assuming that they would surely run wild and turn on humanity.
	  However, thanks to the A3W era's policy of maintaining a healthy military balance, they were now thought of as weapons that were kind to people, which could be destroyed endlessly without causing casualties, so large numbers of them had been deployed all over the world.
	  Furthermore, after the earlier Gauntlet Knight Shock, an empty feeling had spread among soldiers everywhere, who thought going to the front lines might be completely pointless now.
	  For that reason, the front lines were now populated almost solely by drones.
	  When fighting drones, we can bust through them without worrying about anything!
	  Lilja:
	  "Okay, let's smash everything up, boom boom meow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Gaah, Lilja's in such a good mood, it's creepy."
	  Chloe:
	  "After all, we can be as rough as we want against drones."
	  Koshka:
	  "...Personally, I don't care whether my target is a drone or a human."
	  Koshka:
	  "But if I make Miyao mad, that'll be a pain for me later..."
	  Chloe:
	  "*giggle* After all, he's always helping you out in WanyaDora."
	  Koshka:
	  "So, I'll work a bit hard and make Miyao owe me one."
	  Lilja:
	  "Mmyaamyaamyaaa, boom boom!
	   Aaah, this is so fun
	   It's all you can shoot, all you can eat! I'm so happy meow meow meow!!"
	  Grave Mole was fighting hard in the buffer zone between AOU Russia and COU China.
	  Both sides of the Amur River were covered with flames from a fierce bombardment of cannon fire being traded between drones.
	  Grave Mole specialized in defense, so this was the location where they were best able to make use of their abilities.
	  Chloe and Lilja were extremely talented at controlling drones. Their numerically inferior group of friendly drones was more than holding its own against their opponent.
	  And, Koshka could use her genius sniping ability to shoot down the observation drones that were the enemy's eyes, one after another.
	  #e7e7e7AOU Officer:
	  "Good work, Grave Mole! You've turned this back into an evenly matched fight! A reinforcement unit of drones is being carried here now by a transportation unit!"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Yes, please hurry! We're good on Spiritium, but we're getting a bit tired＞＜"
	  #e7e7e7AOU Operator:
	  "Please hold your position until Baba Yaga Squad arrives. They should reach your airspace any moment now!"
	  There was a long history of conflict between those two countries regarding the Amur River and most of its tributaries, as well as their sandbanks and islands.
	  In the B3W era, treaties had completely resolved the issue, ...but whenever society's emotions burst, treaties between countries are easily swept aside by the flood.
	  However, floods can be held back by walls. Withstanding the anger of public sentiment is what the Walls of Peace are there to do...!
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "AOU Grave Mole, do you copy? This is Lingji."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "I hear you! I'm sorry, but I'm really busy right now＞＜"
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "Heheheheheh. Forgive me, but you're about to get even busier."
	  #e7e7e7AOU Officer:
	  "Grave Mole, be careful! Our 8MS radar has detected approaching Aerial Augmented Infantry units! They're moving exceptionally fast, so be on your guards!"
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "Meow meoooow. And I was just getting bored playing with drones meoooooooow."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "It pleases me to hear that. I will hold back, but forgive me if I do cause some level of injury!"
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "Keh. Make sure your shields are firmly up too, okay? My bullets can pierce a half-assed shield in a single strike!"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...Even though they should be close enough to engage, I can't see them...!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Nobly retreat when your shields are destroyed. Now then, prepare yourselves!!"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Huh?!?!"
	  War had begun.
	  However, the Walls of Peace would contain it and withstand it until the people regained their calm.
	  We are the guardians of peace!
	  Human emotions can become overwhelming at times. However, anger always fades. Calm returns. This is something that always happens.
	  Why? Because humans are creatures who love peace! Only temporary emotions make us desire war! And once we see it in front of us, we should wake up right away!
	  So surely, definitely, absolutely, immediately, ...the world will regain its calm!
	  ...Until it does, ...let's give it our all, everyone...!
	  Miyao:
	  "Good work, everyone...! How is it looking on everyone's end?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "The ABN is still having scuffles with neighboring countries, but the fighting seems to be particularly fierce against COU India and ACR Libya."
	  Rethabile:
	  "The indefinitely leased land along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea was the one remaining thorn after the unification of Africa, after all. ...It would have become a source of conflict eventually. Now, that's suddenly blown up after this bizarre worldwide war craze."
	  Sadly, skirmishes were breaking out all over the world.
	  ...I really don't want to call this World War IV, so I'll call them skirmishes instead.
	  It seems Stanisław and Rethabile each told their friends about the rules of the Order.
	  Unlike the general public that was irresponsibly frantic for war, we had smelled the gunpowder smoke directly.
	  Because all of us were clear-thinking and wanted our governments and peoples to regain their cool quickly, everyone apparently promised to follow the rules we had set.
	  Fortunately, all of the skirmishes were taking place in buffer zones, national boundaries, and disputed territories. In other words, within the Walls of Peace.
	  At the moment, the wars all over the world are still being constrained by rationality.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Still, ...it's amazing how many causes for war were scattered throughout the world."
	  Lingji:
	  "There are potential sources of conflict between all countries. What matters is whether you let them sprout or not, that's all."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Even Japan and China have fought a whole bunch of times since long ago."
	  Lingji:
	  "Yes. There's no shortage of possible triggers between us. They grow and recede as we fight and then make up again. ...Though that's happened many times, both sides have been able to get along with each other."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Well, it's probably because old men from long ago all decided that solving these problems would be too much of a pain, so they just kept putting them off."
	  Stanisław:
	  "No. The fact that they put them off is a sign of their wisdom."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. What do you think it means to completely solve a problem between two countries? Old men like those you spoke of did try to completely solve such problems, on certain occasions."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Final solutions for problems that span nations... Do you really need me to explain how bloody and terrifying those can be?"
	  The only way resolve such issues totally and finally is genocide. It's the massacre of an entire race.
	  Long ago, victory in war meant utterly destroying your opponent.
	  When everyone who had objected no longer existed, that meant the issue had been completely resolved.
	  Genocide in the name of solving problems happened multiple times all over the world, even in the A2W era...
	  Miyao:
	  "...Instead of something horrible like that, isn't it possible to resolve things by peacefully talking it out...?"
	  Lingji:
	  "Even if you could, ...when the next generation comes or society's emotions change, ...they'll say that the resolution was a humiliating compromise, an unfair decision. They'll go on the attack and say they need to strike back and renegotiate, which can become a source of conflict again."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Your ancestors often had to live with sources of conflict, frequently making compromises. You mustn't act as though they took those problems and forced them all on you."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Just like our ancestors, our generation has been passed the embers of conflict, and there's nothing we can do except calm the flames and pass them into the future. That's the ideal solution."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Does that mean that problems between countries...can't be resolved?"
	  Lingji:
	  "I'm sure relationships between countries are like a garden with a freshly mown lawn."
	  Miyao:
	  "...You're right. Lawn gardens are beautiful because they're well-maintained."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Exactly. You can pluck sprouts of war. That's how you maintain a friendly garden between countries. However, because you're dealing with matters between humans -- because it's a lawn garden -- there's no getting around the fact that sprouts of war will appear periodically."
	  Miyao:
	  "So, making sure you keep maintaining it...is what friendship between countries means?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "That's what the world decided, after going through three world wars. They also realized that past wars can foreshadow future wars, so they sealed up the entire history of World War III."
	  Rethabile:
	  "So, they realized that by maintaining a healthy military balance, instead of simply maintaining peace, they would be protected by Walls of Peace that could withstand the periodic outbreak of wars and feuds."
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao, you just mentioned the history of conflict between China and Japan. We Chinese still can't accept the Japanese custom of eating jiaozi with rice."
	  Miyao:
	  "Chomping down on gyoza with white rice is how Japanese boys do. I won't let you bad-mouth it."
	  During times of peace, it's possible to respect differences in culture as representative of both countries' personalities.
	  However, when relations break down, ...even the results of soccer matches can become sprouts of war.
	  Rethabile:
	  "By avoiding `final' solutions for problems and putting them off, you encourage both sides to cool their heads for the time being. ...This is the method of protecting peace that humanity finally learned after millenia."
	  Miyao:
	  "...And it's our job to bear the brunt of wars that come from trying to put those issues off... ...In the end, we aren't going to resolve any of the various issues causing wars all over the world, and we'll push them off into the future."
	  Stanisław:
	  "But there's also no need to get negative. ...Like excretion, we have to think of it as something filthy, yet necessary for human life, and accept it."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Right now, even the ACR is causing skirmishes because of the Atlantis Spirit Field and the Mozambique Channel issue. Of course, we're also going at it with Stan's ABN on the ACR's Mediterranean Sea coast."
	  Stanisław:
	  "To people in the ABN, the indefinitely leased land and the refugee camps along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea are a problem caused by the ACR, ...but Rethabile would probably tell you the exact opposite thing. And, asking her about it or debating it would be pointless."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. We couldn't win in an argument, and there isn't likely to be a peaceful solution. After all, both sides think they're in the right."
	  Miyao:
	  "...It makes you wish...that a third party's perspective could resolve the matter peacefully someday."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Hahahahahahah! Just like how the Chinese can't bear the thought of eating jiaozi with rice, I suppose you AOU Japanese couldn't bear it if the COU Japanese started eating okonomiyaki with rice."
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah, that's no good, I'll have none of that, no way we'd get along. Hahahaha..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "The problem still remains because it cannot be solved. If you get all excited about solving it yourself, don't you think that's arrogant and rude to our ancestors, who reluctantly decided that they had to set the matter aside, over and over again, after thinking about it long and hard...?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I may not agree with him 100%, ...but Stan does say some interesting things, now and then."
	  The phrase `putting off problems' comes with a negative connotation.
	  ...However, if that's the only way, maybe it's the right choice.
	  After all, people in the A3W era created the new concept of the healthy military balance, one that would probably horrify someone from the B3W era. ...Maybe people in the A4W era will come up with the crazy new concept of healthily shelving problems between countries and just letting things slide...
	  Even though I don't want people complaining about me eating rice with gyoza, ...I have no intention of changing my feelings about eating rice with okonomiyaki.
	  And, in truth, none of that matters at all.
	  ...Unless you skillfully dodge issues like that, I bet you'll never get world peace...
	  Still, ...the one thing I can't get off my mind is the way the whole world is getting excited and succumbing to war fever.
	  Normally, when something as massive as a war breaks out, some percentage of people will get scared, and even more will say that they hadn't mentioned it before, but they actually are opposed to war...
	  Miyao:
	  "...It's creepy that we haven't seen anyone like that at all."
	  Rethabile:
	  "The ACR has them. An anti-war camp. Though, they're just being spurred on by anti-monarchists."
	  Stanisław:
	  "It's the same in the ABN. There are a few voices who oppose war, but they're all radical fundamentalists who oppose the integrated religion. They don't have the support of the public."
	  Lingji:
	  "There seems to be a minority of people espousing anti-war views in the COU as well. ...Thinking it would be better if their views were spread a bit further, I paid a quick visit to a site where they were making their claims, but... ........."
	  Miyao:
	  "...When you put it that way, there technically are several groups who are anti-war in the AOU. ...But...I think it'd be pretty hard to call them peaceful organizations."
	  "Stanisław" has sent you one video poyo!
	  It's been given a "Viewer Discretion Advised" tag poyo! Watch it at your own risk poyo!
	  Stanisław:
	  "...That video was big news in the ABN the other day, in a bad way. You don't have to watch it. If not, I'll give you a simple description of it."
	  The video was from a radical ABN group claiming to be religious fundamentalists.
	  While they demanded that the ABN stop the war, throwing vile insults and telling the war-supporting agents of the devil to all die and go to hell, they marched down a road in what appeared to be a residential area.
	  Though they claimed to be for peace, they looked violent and seemed to be the exact opposite of peaceful people...
	  Then, the camera suddenly jerked around, showing a pair of people struggling in an over-the-shoulder shot.
	  Apparently, a boy watching from the side of the road had made a hand gesture expressing contempt for their claims. It seemed as though this had driven them into a frenzy, and they rushed the boy.
	  Then, they used the boy as a punching bag.
	  As the camera proudly captured this scene, someone cried out.
	  "Oppose the war! All the devils supporting it must die! We won't even spare women and children!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Aren't they just a group of thugs using opposition against the war as an excuse to hurt people?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Recently, the ACR has also seen groups with exclusionist views uploading videos. Their contents aren't that different from what we just saw."
	  Oppose the war. The government must repent! ...They would say things like that, one-sidedly assuming that everyone who didn't agree with their views must be a war supporter and cruelly insulting them.
	  Then, they moved on to claim that anyone who supported war couldn't complain if war was launched against them, not even if someone were to suddenly punch them, in effect calling for a sort of indiscriminate terrorism...
	  Lingji:
	  "Some of the positions seen in the COU are exactly the same. ...They claim to be for peace, but they're incredibly violent, ...and it's completely impossible to agree with them."
	  Miyao:
	  "...The AOU is just like that too. ...I don't even count that as petitioning for peace."
	  Lingji:
	  "This is just the mood on the COU internet, ...but if you say you're for peace, people tend to assume that you're with them."
	  Miyao:
	  "It's exactly like that here. Even though some people really want to say they're anti-war, because of some weirdos, people will assume you're one of those violent people if you speak up. People don't want that, so while they avoid proactively supporting the government, they stay quiet instead of saying they're for peace..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "It's unthinkable that those people are true pacifists. Presumably, they've also been struck with this war fever, but they're expressing it in a way that's the exact opposite of obedience to their governments. At their core, they're suffering just as much from this fever as anyone else."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...I'm not sure if it's coincidental or intentional, ...but there's no denying that groups of what we might call radical pacifists are earning the public's disfavor across the world. And because of that, it's formed an environment where people hesitate to say they're anti-war."
	  ...These are the decoys, Miyao.
	  If you arrange for minority decoys that people can't agree with, ...no one will have reservations about joining the majority.
	  Humans and countries are such bad products...that they still have simple bugs like this.
	  It's bad enough that they ought to be rebuilt from square one......
	  Breaking News poyo!!
	  Lingji:
	  "Wh-What could it be...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Keropoyo, where is this news from?"
	  It's pretty wide ranging, so it's hard to say where it came from poyo!
	  Rethabile:
	  "Let's just listen to what it is. So, what on earth is going on?"
	  It's a report of a biohazard, created by a weaponized virus that ABN-allied countries created in the B3W era and supposedly destroyed completely later on poyooo!!
	  Stanisław:
	  "What...did you say......?"
	  Announcer:
	  "Our combined investigation team, working with LATO, has determined that this is the weaponized virus `Erbil L5', created in the B3W era."
	  Its official name was a series of more than ten letters and numbers, so it was now known by the name of the place where its first victims were discovered: a city in northern Iraq called Erbil.
	  During the massive worldwide feuds that raged near the end of the B3W era, a secret agent of some country brought the virus into Erbil and released it.
	  It was capable of delivering massive damage to crops that fit certain selected criteria.
	  The record states that the B3W terrorist attack using Erbil L5 dealt a massive blow to crops across the entire Middle East at the time.
	  There was no way to say for sure, since access to records from World War III was forbidden, but most people were convinced that this terrorist strike was one of the many triggers for that war.
	  In other words, this was a cursed virus that had once helped set off a world war.
	  After the start of the A3W era, the research and storage of any virus-based weapons had been forbidden everywhere in the world.
	  The country that created the virus, which later joined the ABN, had announced that they had destroyed all of the virus.
	  However, in actual fact, damage from Erbil L5 had occurred once again.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Did greedy warmongers create it in secret, to make it look like the ABN did it?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "As a member of the ABN, I'd like to believe that, ...but I doubt the other factions will."
	  Rethabile:
	  "If ABN crops were also damaged by this, that theory might be easier to accept, ...but that doesn't seem to be the case."
	  Lingji:
	  "The affected areas are the top half of the African continent, AOU Russia, and COU India..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Even though the ABN is surrounded by affected areas, the countries in their alliance are totally unaffected..."
	  A `weaponized' virus would be totally useless if it indiscriminately harmed your allies as well.
	  So, it had either been modified so that it wouldn't affect their own faction, or maybe only the ABN was using some anti-virus agent in their agricultural plants.
	  Lingji:
	  "Still, Miyao, it's a bit strange. This weaponized virus was created in the B3W era, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right! So, why is it only the countries of the ABN, which was formed in the A3W era, that are totally undamaged by it?!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Doesn't that just mean they kept it into the A3W era and continued to research it?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "That's not true."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Even if the ABN isn't actually researching it, ...they knew that a resurgence of Erbil L5 might affect their faction's agricultural plants, so they've been taking measures to prevent that, haven't they...?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "That's crazy... It's not true..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Rethabile! Don't suspect Stan."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I don't suspect him. However, the people will probably think along those lines. All I think is that this will become a pain."
	  Okay, Keropoyo! Searching for voices from the countries affected by this biohazard poyo!
	  Keropoyo displayed news programs and internet message boards from all over the world, one after another.
	  By putting them together and using his Keropoyo filtering, he was able to extract several opinions that seemed to be representative.
	  News:
	  "The ABN leadership still won't admit that they have Erbil L5! Since support from the ABN -- the ones who built this virus -- is essential for developing an anti-virus agent, their uncooperative attitude is allowing the virus to spread even more and drawing harsh criticism!"
	  Reporter:
	  "Look here! Wheat was being produced at this plant, but look what happened to it! This truly is a massacre of crops! Of course, it doesn't just affect wheat. The barley, rice, vegetables and fruits have all been devastated!!"
	  LATO Press Secretary:
	  "It's possible that massive famines will occur in the affected areas going forward. It's going to be necessary to set up food assistance programs rapidly on an international level."
	  Citizens:
	  "Why are only the ABN crops untouched?! An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, I say! Burn the ABN crops!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Whoa, hang on. That kind of argument's bad news."
	  Lingji:
	  "The common man is starting to hope that war goes beyond the Walls of Peace..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "If we're given orders to attack ABN agricultural plants, ...do the rules of the Order of the Public Bath say...that we should make that operation fail?"
	  Miyao:
	  "All acts of combat should take place within the Walls of Peace..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Stan, please don't take this personally. ...In that case, ...should we simply ignore the fact that half of the continent has been harmed by this virus attack...? Should we just give up and accept the damage that has been done to ACR citizens?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Of course, the ABN will compensate the victims, as a way of taking responsibility for once creating that virus... However, I doubt the people who have been victimized will be happy with that..."
	  Miyao:
	  "If someone who wants war is working behind the scenes, ...they're going to fight dirty going forward..."
	  Lingji:
	  "If we look at this as a sprout of war, our true enemy is whoever planned this virus attack, ...so the fact that we can't do anything about it...is so frustrating."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I'm sure the ABN will want to prove its innocence. They must be searching for the true culprit with all they've got now."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...I pray that they find that person soon. ...Gauntlet Knights are only soldiers. ...We aren't police or detectives or an intelligence agency."
	  Miyao:
	  "......Nggg......"
	  Are we really...powerless after all...?!
	  We created rules of the sword, saying that we'd pluck anything that was a sprout of war and hold back our attacks against anything that wasn't.
	  However, the Order of the Public Bath has nothing but swords.
	  We have no eyes to find our true enemies with, and we have no shields with which to preemptively block attacks from our true enemies.
	  If the military is the sword, I suppose the eyes are the police and intelligence agencies, and agencies for public safety are the shield...
	  If we're going to be the guardians of peace we really want to be, ...are Gauntlet Knights alone really enough......?
	  Stanisław:
	  "In the Order of the Public Bath, one questions the justice of one's own attacks. The rules don't tell you to question the attacks of others."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...So, if our Aerial Knight Corps is ordered to attack agricultural plants in ABN territory, ...and if I decide that action is appropriate and carry out the attacks, no one has a right to complain, yes? Naturally, we would only remove the plants' ability to function. We would try hard to keep human casualties to zero."
	  Lingji:
	  "...But if you do that, the people of the ABN will think they were attacked even though they were framed, and they'll want to start a cycle of revenge!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I know that! This is just to buy time. However, if we don't even do this, the bottled-up emotions of the people might burst in a direction that will be absolutely impossible to undo!"
	  Unless they found their real enemy, unless they found the true culprit, ...then not just Rethabile's ACR, but all of the people in affected areas would definitely cry out for the ABN to be attacked in revenge.
	  Even if that attack intentionally failed due to the rules of the Order of the Public Bath, their anger would only increase, rather than decrease.
	  If a vengeful attack failed, criticism of the government would increase, and it would either need to take even more dramatic actions to retain its stability, ...or it would be thrown into political chaos until it could find a solution. Naturally, that would inevitably cause even more sprouts of war.
	  However, even if a vengeful attack succeeded, the ABN would be forced to take revenge next. There would be no way to stop the cycle of revenge...!
	  All we can do is have faith that the people will cool their heads sometime during that cycle.
	  Miyao:
	  "In the end, ...I guess all we can do is buy time..."
	  Once, Jayden talked about a fiction where Gauntlet Knights all over the world joined forces and defeated a great evil.
	  If someone was able to tell you that the great evil was that guy over there, wouldn't that be wonderful?
	  However, in reality, though a great evil might actually exist, no one's going to tell you where it is.
	  Stanisław:
	  "I believe in the ABN's innocence. ...However, if the ACR orders its troops to take revenge and said troops obey, ...then I'm in no position to lodge a complaint."
	  Lingji:
	  "...Perhaps...it really was a dream to think that war could be prevented as long as Gauntlet Knights were the guardians of peace... I don't want to admit it..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Eyes, huh...? ...I'd like some eyes..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Eyes? What do you mean, eyes?"
	  Miyao:
	  "We are military might. Swords, in other words. But we have no eyes! Until we have eyes that can spot enemies, we're just blindly swinging our swords around in the dark at random. At this rate, even if we do have enough military might to change the world, it'll all be wasted!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "There's no need to be quite that humble. ...You've told us the precious fact that there are no allies or enemies when it comes to supporting the Walls of Peace together."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. That is why we were all able to talk together like this, from an enlightened perspective. If you hadn't talked with us about chivalric orders, Miyao, ...then at least one of the Gauntlet Knights would have rushed to make a name for herself, or else succumbed to public opinion, resulting in needless damage and possibly an even fiercer cycle of hatred."
	  Lingji:
	  "That's right. Miyao, what you thought up was neither useless nor meaningless. That much we know for sure."
	  Miyao:
	  "...In addition to Gauntlet Knights, ...what if we included some young people in the police force or intelligence agencies?"
	  Lingji:
	  "Huh? ...I don't really have any connections myself..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Grand Master, you should probably give up on using people from intelligence agencies."
	  Miyao:
	  "Why?! They might have the power to beat down our true enemies!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "What the Order of the Public Bath is trying to do may be wonderful from a philosophical perspective, but there's certainly no guarantee it will be legal according to the laws of each country."
	  Lingji:
	  "...We can be impudent as part of the Kizuna generation, but normally, even having personal interactions with members of other factions isn't good..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Not that this is anything new, but I believe that military regulations of nearly all countries, not just the ABN, forbid the use of communication tools like Kizuna."
	  Rethabile:
	  "After all, this is the Selcom generation. No one will blame you for what you do inside your head. But, that is simply because they don't see it, ...and if the truth does get out, you likely wouldn't be able to avoid punishment."
	  True enough, ...deciding on our own to have conversations with a tool like this is probably a dangerous thing.
	  It's like a school rule. You're supposed to focus on your work in class. You're forbidden from doing anything else. Technically, at least.
	  However, in reality, everyone is playing games they like or chatting with someone using the Selcom inside their head, playing however they please.
	  If anyone went out of their way to confess that they were doing this to a teacher, the description `clueless moron' would probably fit them well.
	  Not limited to Kizuna, there had been many attempts to place international information networks under government control since over a century prior.
	  Every time this succeeded, people found ways to circumvent it.
	  Currently, those circumvention techniques were in the lead, and in practical terms, they were completely unrestricted.
	  However, that didn't mean that they were officially acknowledged.
	  Stanisław:
	  "The police and intelligence agencies are on the side that upholds such rules. The side that ensures that those rules are followed. ...Inviting them to join would be too risky."
	  Rethabile:
	  "The gathering known as the It's a Wrap Public Bath may have been a miracle, possible only during the brief time when the mood of the Battle Standard Festival gave it momentum. ...That mood has faded, and actual warfare is now taking place around the world. Some are already feeling uneasy, thinking that they'll get in trouble just for entering the virtual room."
	  Lingji:
	  "......I have faith in everyone I met, fought, and became friends with at the Battle Standard Festival. ...However, ...to reach out to people on the outside, ...making contact with the police and intelligence agencies... Forgive me, Miyao, ...but it's hard for me to agree to such a decision."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...We've managed to share the philosophy of the Order of the Public Bath with Gauntlet Knights from around the world. That alone is enough of a miracle."
	  Miyao:
	  "So, ...you're saying we should be satisfied with what we've already got...?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Miyao, I understand how you feel, but please give up on that idea. If you don't, ...then I'm sorry, but I will be forced to disband the ACR branch of the Order of the Public Bath."
	  Lingji:
	  "...Rethabile..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I respect Miyao's ideas and want to follow them going forward! However, I cannot afford to put the friends who agreed to this philosophy in a risky position."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...At this moment, the existence of the Order of the Public Bath is a secret to all who might cause it harm. ...I ask that you take a moment to reflect on that fact, as well as the effort and trust that was needed to make it possible."
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao, ...you've created a wonderful chivalric order. All of us are comrades supporting the Walls of Peace. And, our job is to pluck sprouts of war, holding their sparks inside of us and enduring until the world regains its calm. ...You've taught us that."
	  Miyao:
	  "........................"
	  Rethabile:
	  "You've done enough, Miyao. I understand that you want to do more, but it's not your place to do so."
	  Miyao:
	  "...It's...not my place?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Correct. That would go beyond the station you have been given as a soldier."
	  So, the game piece must remain a game piece. Is that what this is...?
	  I thought I'd become more than a game piece by creating the Order.
	  But, in the end, ...I'm still on that board with black and white squares, only able to move in certain ways...
	  Miyao:
	  "...I...hate this..."
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao......"
	  Miyao:
	  "Even though we have such incredible power, ......it's completely pointless......"
	  Lingji:
	  "That's not true. Calm down. You've done something wonderful. That much is a solid fact. So don't blame yourself..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Our job is to buy time so that the people can regain their calm, ...but it seems you need the same thing right now, Miyao."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Grand Master, no one blames you for anything, nor have we lost patience with you. On the contrary, I respect the purity of your feelings towards peace even more now. Please, don't forget that."
	  Rethabile:
	  "In that case, I will take my leave. ...All Aerial Knights have just been ordered by the ACR Combined Military to install map data for ABN agricultural plants."
	  Lingji:
	  "...Then the ACR really will......"
	  Rethabile:
	  "......In accordance with the Order's philosophy, we will take action. If I decide that justice should not allow for my attack, it will fail. ...However, if I withdraw, someone who hasn't agreed to the Order's philosophy will be appointed as my successor. ...For me, that is a frightening prospect in terms of maintaining peace."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...What she's saying is probably correct. I'll respect your sense of justice."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Don't hate me. ...We are soldiers."
	  "Rethabile" has exited the room poyo!
	  Stanisław:
	  "Now then, I will leave as well. ...The Peace Department has ordered that we heighten our alert status in preparation for attacks from other factions."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Am I the biggest fool here? Am I the one who understands peace the least?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Don't get confused. You're the one who's the most correct. ...Rethabile and I are truly impressed by this Order's philosophy. ...I will go into battle while basing my actions on the justice of the Order, as I know she will. At least on that front, you need have no worries."
	  Lingji:
	  "I swear to do the same. So, Miyao, don't blame yourself. Right now, you're just tired and a little confused."
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I'm painfully aware how anxious you must feel, watching the world go feverish with war, with no signs of anyone cooling their heads. However, have faith in people. Just as you had faith in us."
	  Miyao:
	  "......You're...right..."
	  "Stanisław" has exited the room poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Even so, ...if villains hoping for war are stirring up emotions all over the world, ...the people won't cool their heads, right? They'll just keep dancing to that tune, right?!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao, I understand how frustrated you are. And I'm sure those in charge of finding villains like that are investigating as hard as they can now. So, there's no need to be tormented by feelings of powerlessness. Right now, we have to endure it. Even if we hate it."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I really do...hate it... Even though we have such incredible weapons attached to our left arms..."
	  Lingji:
	  "......Miyao........."
	  
	  #c8ca88To Miyao. Thank you for the email.@
	  #c8ca88As your father, I was truly surprised to learn that you had established a chivalric order for the sake of peace. And I respect you so much for doing it.@
	  #c8ca88Of course, I promise to assist you. I'll let you know if I learn anything.
	  #c8ca88However, it's possible that the sort of evil organization you're expecting doesn't exist.@
	  #c8ca88You've seen it on the news and the internet, right? Wars don't happen because someone gives an order. They're the result of large groups of people, and even larger groups called countries and societies.
	  #c8ca88If a true evil does exist behind the wars occurring throughout the world, ...perhaps it is a flaw in the creatures known as humans, which makes them periodically desire war.
	  #c8ca88If there's any advice I can give you, it's `don't be impatient'.@
	  #c8ca88With wars breaking out everywhere, I imagine that, young as you are, you're being overwhelmed with a feeling of impatience and responsibility, anxious with the belief that you have to do something.
	  #c8ca88However, as your friends said, the philosophy of your chivalric order is a splendid one. To think that feelings of friendship cultivated by the Battle Standard Festival would bear fruit like this, making the Gauntlet Knights who stand at the head of all military power recognize their position as guardians of peace... I'm honestly proud that you're my son.
	  #c8ca88Don't be impatient, Miyao. I'm sure the time will come when you'll be able to fulfill your role in a way even you can understand.
	  You sent an email to "My Son" poyo!
	  Toujirou:
	  "Hahah, hahahahah..."
	  Seshat:
	  "Huh? Why are you suddenly laughing?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "It's nothing. My son just sent me a cute email."
	  Toujirou:
	  "He really is just so cute though♪ He calls me an old bastard so often, but when the going gets tough... Aah, it's probably subconscious, but it's like he relies on me, like he can't even doubt me♪ You're so, so cute, so stupid and cute, so stupid-cute♪  Ah, you're so adorable, I wish we could take a bath together again!"
	  Seshat:
	  "Come to think of it, didn't Miyao get a Distinguished Service Medal? Congratulations. Doesn't he get a reward if he earns ten of them?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "I believe you're given an honorary position, can get honorably discharged, and then are given a lifetime pension. Well, there's been no wars since the start of the A3W era, so no hero has ever earned ten of them yet."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I wish I could've gone to take photos at the award ceremony. He must have looked so gallant. The cute, tense look he had when he graduated from kindergarten was so...♪"
	  Seshat:
	  "Okay, okay. So, what kind of email did this adorable Miyao send you?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "...He says he's established a chivalric order, so that Gauntlet Knights from around the world can conspire for the sake of peace."
	  Seshat:
	  "Oh? ...That sounds interesting."
	  Seshat:
	  "But is that really okay? ...Is that part of the plot...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Who knows. ...God's scenario isn't so flimsy that a little thing like that could stop it."
	  Seshat:
	  ".................."
	  Seshat:
	  "Miyao certainly is a powerful trump card. I'm not wrong there, am I...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "I know that. ...But I don't know whose trump card he is."
	  Seshat:
	  "Children are bonds. Isn't that how the Japanese saying goes?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "That's right. ...That's why I'm keeping a close eye on him."
	  Toujirou:
	  "He's such an honest kid, after all. ...If my ex-wife does contact him, I'm certain he'll tell me about it too. Right now, he's my only guidepost."
	  Seshat:
	  "...Though, that ex-wife of yours is yet another trump card. And once again, it's unclear whose trump card she is."
	  Toujirou:
	  "It's like a falling block puzzle, see? Any type of piece will get in the way if you don't make good use of it. But if you do, ...they fit into place just like a God-given miracle."
	  Seshat:
	  "Are we the ones playing a game? Or is it really `them' after all...?"
	  Jestress:
	  "Congratulations. The Erbil L5 maneuver has achieved complete success in its initial predicted goals."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Hyahyahya. It really was done quite skillfully."
	  King of Fury:
	  "However, I don't like it. ...Who on earth leaked secret information about that virus? Because of that, we cannot hope for any more damage as a result!"
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "We used it intending to wipe out crops all over the planet, and yet it didn't reach even half of the globe. ...It seems that, as expected, we won't be able to eliminate humanity easily unless we plan to destroy two planets' worth."
	  Jestress:
	  "Doesn't it just mean that this is the best you old people are capable of? Next time, I recommend you prepare to wipe out three planets' worth."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Hyahyahyahya. Well, I care not. Even so, we have managed to strike more than 30% of the globe. An attack of that magnitude should be more than enough to affect humanity as a whole."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Exactly. Hunger robs humans of their intellect and dignity. War should spread rapidly across the globe."
	  King of Fury:
	  "When the flames of war swallow the earth, they will likely burn down everything until only one seed of humanity exists, but that is for the best. Let all of the unclean and immature ones turn to ash."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "When knitting, if you make even one mistake, you cannot hide it no matter how much you try to cover it up. You have no choice but to undo everything up until the point where you made the mistake and start over..."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Well, they did try hard, at the start of the A3W era. ...Unfortunately, it all started going wrong just a few years later. What a shame."
	  Jestress:
	  "Which proves how incompetent the Three Kings were back then. *giggle*giggle*"
	  King of Fury:
	  "Perhaps you would have been incompetent at that time too, Jestress."
	  Jestress:
	  "My, how harsh you are."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Hyahyahyahyahyahya...!!"
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "We sincerely hope that an outstanding king to replace us is born from the ashes."
	  Though Erbil L5 neatly spared only the ABN, its damage spread to the northern half of the African continent, the western half of the Eurasian continent, and even the Atlantic Coast of North and South America.
	  More than three tenths of the entire world's agricultural output was annihilated.
	  Because some brave individual had released data on Erbil L5 to the entire world, LATO's cutting-edge labs had quickly formed a countermeasure and managed to release that information to all factions.
	  Thanks to that, the damage was limited to `only' a bit more than three tenths of the globe.
	  Without either the bravery of the one who released the data or the efforts of those who helped work out a countermeasure, agricultural plants all over the world would probably have been unable to avoid destruction...
	  News:
	  "That doesn't change the fact that this was an unprecedented disaster! Even though further spread was prevented, it's estimated that the affected areas will take several years to recover at best, and it's thought that a worldwide famine will be unavoidable!"
	  Announcer:
	  "Though the stock of agricultural companies that were spared has skyrocketed, all businesses affected by the damage have crashed."
	  Commentator:
	  "In other words, there's more to this than the food supply shrinking by 30%. 30% of countries around the world might be wiped out by famine."
	  News:
	  "LATO has called on all factions to call a truce and participate in international food support operations. However, the ABN still claims that they had nothing to do with the virus incident, and they want that acknowledged as a precondition for them providing support. But the ACR, which received the greatest damage, fiercely opposed this condition, saying that they would not take military retribution off the table."
	  Rethabile said it herself.
	  That they might make a retaliatory strike against the ABN.
	  That strike would probably target ABN agricultural plants.
	  It was the simplest kind of retribution humanity knows. Equivalent exchange. In other words, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
	  However, ...looking at this from a worldwide perspective, it was foolish.
	  Even though agricultural plants had been lost and mass famine was approaching, ...even more agricultural plants were about to be destroyed to soothe public opinion.
	  Like Dad said, ...maybe humans are flawed creatures.
	  Is that something we just have to give up and accept? Or is it something that cannot be forgiven, seeing as we're animals that have been allowed to exist on the earth's surface...?
	  In the heavily-hit ACR, there would be no chance of restraining the public's rising desire for retribution.
	  The pro-peace faction inside the ACR Royal Family tried to smooth this over by asking for unconditional compensation from the ABN.
	  However, the ABN flatly rejected this, saying that they couldn't provide any kind of support as long as they were being treated as the de-facto culprits.
	  And yet, the ABN had been unable to prove its innocence.
	  In the first place, it's impossible to prove a negative. No matter how many times the ABN repeated that it had never secretly stored virus-based weapons, no one was convinced.
	  This meant that the only way out would be to arrest the culprit who had carried out this act of worldwide bioterrorism, but they didn't seem to be making any progress at all on that front.
	  So, ...it was only a matter of time until the ACR committed to a retaliatory strike. And, it might easily happen tonight or the following morning.
	  It wasn't just the ACR planning a retaliatory strike, but the COU as well.
	  The COU had also received massive damage to COU Saudi Arabia, COU Yemen, COU Oman, and the northwestern part of COU India.
	  Their policy of preemptive action, the so-called sword of peace, probably made it easy to accept the idea of a retaliatory strike.
	  On the other hand, the AOU was in a complicated situation.
	  The countries comprising the AOU historically had strong ties to Europe and were its allies.
	  Due to a treaty with the ABN, the AOU was supposed to fight alongside them if they were ever attacked by another faction.
	  However, starting with AOU Russia, several AOU nations near to the western part of Eurasia had received significant damage. These countries were demanding that the ABN be investigated concerning its part in this.
	  The one thing the AOU Joint Parliament feared above all else...was a split between AOU America and AOU Russia.
	  So, it was only a matter of time before AOU America capitulated to AOU Russia, whose feelings on this matter were extremely intense. ...After all, the East Coast of America had been struck as well.
	  And, the most complicated area, which had turned into a massive powder keg, was the Middle East.
	  The area around the Middle East was filled with devout people who respected religion, so for religious reasons, it had been taken for granted that they would join the ABN, a collection of religious states.
	  However, because of a forceful move by the COU, which wanted to envelop all countries surrounding the Central Ocean, several countries including Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Oman joined the COU instead.
	  It's thought that resistance to the ABN's rapid and rough religious unification played a big role in this. The revolution was too radical, and it failed to convince many people who respected tradition.
	  Taking advantage of this chaos, the AOU admitted Georgia and Armenia as well.
	  To make sure that the ABN didn't extend into the African continent, the ACR turned Egypt into a forward base.
	  In the midst of this, Azerbaijan was threatened by multiple factions who wanted them to join, so they reached out to LATO for help, becoming the first nation to be allied with LATO outside of Latin America.
	  In other words, the area roughly surrounding a line drawn between LATO Azerbaijan and ABN Israel shared borders with all of the A3W era's Great Factions.
	  Even though it was a small region with a mixture of factions, the damage from Erbil L5 had neatly avoided just the ABN-affiliated countries.
	  In the affected areas, that imbalance was more than enough to stir up a desire to strike back against the ABN.
	  All factions were advancing massive swarms of powerful drones towards the area, and anyone could have predicted that the biggest of military clashes would soon occur there...
	  ...Is there nothing I can do...?
	  Dad told me to not be impatient. That very soon, I would be given a chance to fulfill my role.
	  But if I just accept that and wait, ...doesn't that mean I'm just a game piece?
	  Rethabile:
	  "This is Rethabile of Squad 601. I'm sure you understand, but I'll say it again! Don't die! Don't kill! If your shield is destroyed, honorably retreat! We know that having your shield destroyed generates mental noise that lowers your P3 levels! If you lose your temper and return to battle, you won't be doing us any good! Concentrate on bringing the Gauntlet on your left arm back safely!"
	  Abdou:
	  "Well, if you run out of energy and fall, you'll be feeding the fishes of the Mediterranean Sea."
	  Ishak:
	  "That goes for both sides. If the person who intercepts you runs out of energy and falls too, you'll be stuck inside the same stomach."
	  Rethabile:
	  "And let me also say this! Both we and our enemies are friends supporting the Walls of Peace together! We'll support them from either side. This clash is merely a result of that. There is no hatred here. Only friends supporting the walls!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I won't allow you to attack enemies who have lost the will to fight! Nor will I permit attacks against those who have lost their shields! Those who attack the backs of enemies attempting to flee will be viewed as unworthy of the honor of the Aerial Knights and dealt with by me personally!"
	  An enthusiastic acknowledgement came from countless kette.
	  However, despite their enthusiasm, they couldn't hide their tension.
	  ACR Officer:
	  "Lady Rethabile! Show them the fury of the 2 billion subjects of the ACR! Their spirits go with your Aerial Knight Corps and your wings of attack drones! Make the cursed ABN feel our raaaaaaaaage!!!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Please, calm yourself. ...Soldiers who bow to emotion end up dead. Cool your head. Ending transmission."
	  Ishak:
	  "Princess, ...how do you intend to handle this assault?"
	  Abdou:
	  "We've clearly gone past the Walls of Peace. ...That would mean this is an attack we mustn't allow to succeed..."
	  Rethabile:
	  ".................."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...What do you think will happen if this attack fails?"
	  Ishak:
	  "It seems doubtful that it would end anything."
	  Abdou:
	  "The mighty ACR can't afford to give up and go home crying."
	  Ishak:
	  "They'll probably mobilize the entire military and attack again. ...That truly would be an all-out war."
	  Ishak:
	  "There's no way that your ideal of treating both enemies and allies as guardians of peace...will be shared among the entire military."
	  Abdou:
	  "If that happens, ...the ABN will be forced to respond. The Mediterranean Sea will be stained with blood..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Exactly. ...If we intentionally make this attack fail, that will only buy a small amount of time, ...and it will be followed by a truly unstoppable all-out war."
	  Rethabile:
	  "While the front lines are still in the hands of the Aerial Knight Corps, ...we can still control the situation."
	  Ishak:
	  "We can also work to minimize unnecessary damage..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Correct."
	  Abdou:
	  "Though, that's assuming those drones feel the same way you do, Princess."
	  There was a line of several kette from the ACR Aerial Knight Corps, with formations of attack drones behind each.
	  Because Gauntlet Knights had high levels of parallel processing ability, they were skilled at controlling other weapons in addition to themselves.
	  In other words, they could fight using groups of attack drones as their arms and legs.
	  However, even if their ability to parallel process was high, it was also a heavy burden to use it during actual battle.
	  When it became too much, the drones would attack according to their original programming.
	  ...In other words, they wouldn't follow the philosophy of the Order of the Public Bath at all.
	  Ace-class knights like Rethabile would never lose control of any of the drones behind them.
	  However, ...the other Gauntlet Knights weren't like that.
	  And, several of them were tense, so their P3 levels were lower than normal.
	  In the midst of battle, if their control failed and the drones started attacking according to their own decisions, ...they may act correctly from a military standpoint, but there was no guarantee that they would behave properly as guardians of the Walls of Peace.
	  #8aaaffNoor:
	  "This is Cairo Squad. We're about to make contact with the ABN air defense forces."
	  Rethabile:
	  "You understand, yes? Don't die, don't kill. Of course, you need not hold back against enemy drones."
	  #ffeab5Gannet:
	  "Princeeess, ...I'm carrying lots of bombs, ...but should I make sure they don't hit...?"
	  #beff90Mariana:
	  "We don't know that the ABN are the culprits. This is just...a meaningless attack so people can blow off steam..."
	  #8aaaffNoor:
	  "I agree. ...Princess, we have sworn loyalty to the Royal Family and the military. However, for now, we will prioritize your decision, as one who flies and supports the Walls of Peace with us."
	  Abdou:
	  "...The princess is in a tough position too. Whether we do it or not, the situation will grow worse."
	  #8aaaffNoor:
	  "I'm fully aware of that. But, even so, we shall follow whatever decision the princess makes."
	  #beff90Mariana:
	  "You're leaving the decision to others and escaping responsibility, Noor. You don't understand the princess' suffering at all."
	  #ffeab5Gannet:
	  "Noor didn't do anything wrong! Everyone's worried, and everyone's in a tough position! So, we want the princess to show us the way!"
	  Ishak:
	  "Princess, ...there's no need for you to bear this heavy responsibility. ...Perhaps you should leave it in the hands of God."
	  Rethabile:
	  "What do you mean by that?"
	  Ishak:
	  "Both we and our enemies will do our best as soldiers. ...The result...is in God's hands."
	  Abdou:
	  "That means you're passively choosing not to make a choice..."
	  #8aaaffNoor:
	  "I've got a reading on 8MS radar. We'll reach them any second now! Princess, ...we'll leave our fates in God's hands, so may we move forward...?!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Everyone keeps trying to push the responsibility on me. ...Leave fate in the hands of God? That's a splendid idea..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Don't take me so lightly..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I am Rethabile Eenentwintig Africacommonwealthrealm of the ACR!! I shall not use leaving it up to God as an excuse to avoid making decisions or taking responsibility!!"
	  And besides, we have a path to move forward on. It has already been shown to us!
	  To think that a cultural exchange that began in a Japanese-style public bath after the Battle Standard Festival would result in such a fascinating chivalric order! You truly do intrigue me, Mitake Miyao!
	  I am Rethabile, a Master of the Order of the Public Bath!! One who leads guardians of the Walls of Peace!!
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Naima:
	  "Kizuna says a friend has arrived..."
	  Naomi:
	  "It's sad. ...To think that a notification of a friend's arrival would signify an enemy attack..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...If this is the enemy's main force, then naturally, Rethabile's Squad 601 will be here too."
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Naima:
	  "...We sent friend requests to a lot of them, after all. A lot of those friends are coming. ...I really hate sad Kizuna friend notifications like these..."
	  Naomi:
	  "You could also turn off notifications, ...or else turn off your Kizuna."
	  Naima:
	  "Wowowow! I'd hate that even more! If I turn off Kizuna, we really will become enemies!"
	  Ever since these conflicts began, ...more and more Gauntlet Knights were beginning to fear getting friend notifications.
	  They rang out to let you know that there was a friend nearby, in your enemy's front lines.
	  However, when you actually heard that notification, ...that fear would turn to sadness...and eventually a feeling of powerlessness at your inability to change the situation...
	  Stanisław:
	  "There's no need to turn it off. They are friends, Naima."
	  Naima:
	  "Even when we're fighting like this, we're all friends! Friends supporting the Walls of Peace!"
	  Naomi:
	  "...Every time I hear that Kizuna notification, it reminds me that we'll have to fight against our friends. ...However, as long as we feel that way, we'll never be enemies, even if our blades cross."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Exactly. They'll push from their side, and we'll push from ours, supporting the Walls of Peace. It isn't our job to push them over."
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "This is Leah from the ABN Peace Department's 012th Holy Agent Corps `Yeladot Shavit'!"
	  #ffcba9Fatma:
	  "And I'm Fatma!"
	  #ffe284Stephania:
	  "And I'm Stephania! Together, the three of us are missionaries of love and peace!!"
	  #ffcba9Fatma:
	  "Yeladot Shavit, bringing the heat!!"
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "To all Gauntlet Knights, we will soon make contact with enemies of peace! Please, don't forget that behind us, crowds of peace-loving civilians are looking up at us!"
	  #ffe284Stephania:
	  "Even though we're victims who were framed, we offered our loving support to the ACR! In return, they assumed that we were the culprits behind that bioterrorism without proof, refusing our love-filled attempts to offer them support and negotiate, and resulting in this act of barbarism...!"
	  #ffcba9Fatma:
	  "Oh, but we don't hate them! They are lost sheep! They need guidance from God and us!"
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "We will now engage in blessed peaceful activities against the ACR military, which ignored our warnings and continues to invade us. If they repent, God will surely save their lives and their souls. Only the children of demons who refuse to repent until the end will disappear into the sea!"
	  #ffe284Stephania:
	  "Come, everyone!!
	   Protect the beautiful land and skies of the ABN from these demons! We're supporting you all!!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Your magnificent speech has renewed my dedication to justice and peace. Thank you, Yeladot Shavit."
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "No, no, don't mention it!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Calling all kette. This is Stanisław from Thalathat Suyuf. I'll say it again. Don't die, and don't kill."
	  Stanisław:
	  "The voices luring you toward martyrdom come from the devil, telling you to put your God to the test. If your shield is broken, retreat without fighting. And don't kill your enemy. It's enough that you break their shields. If they still do not repent, then let God swallow the fools with the waves of the Mediterranean Sea."
	  Naomi:
	  "Don't die. No flowers can bloom from a dead sprout."
	  Naima:
	  "And don't kill. Only God is permitted to take life. Wow!"
	  #ffe284Stephania:
	  "Don't worry. God has given us his permission."
	  #ffcba9Fatma:
	  "So show no mercy, and scatter the lost sheep across the sea!"
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "Kill the enemy! Defend our homeland's territory and resources! God has given you the order to kill!!"
	  Naima:
	  "If God tells me that directly, I'll obey and massacre the enemy."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Naima, stop it."
	  Naima:
	  "However!! The crap you're spouting isn't coming from the God Naima loves! Shut your faces, you fake wannabe idol barrier troops!
	   I'll protect them! The skies and ground of our homeland, our friends and allies, and all our comrades supporting the Walls of Peace!!"
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "Th-That's a disorderly outburst. I'll be reporting this to our superiors later. Don't blame me if you get in trouble."
	  Naomi:
	  "It's probably just an overreaction to her wartime drug injections. Please, forgive her with the tolerance of God's love."
	  Naima:
	  "Stan. You got a problem with it being me?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Not at all. But I never expected that Miyao's ideals would resonate with you."
	  Naima:
	  "He's so naive. Such a little brat. Both enemies and allies are our friends? Friends supporting the Walls of Peace? What, are you stupid?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "You're right. He really is naive, and a huge idiot to boot."
	  Naima:
	  "There's no way you could pull it off. As if life could be that easy. I don't believe in any God or Buddha."
	  Naomi:
	  "Impious statements can be dangerous. Heheh."
	  Naima:
	  "However,/
	   I believe in what Naima believes in, and I'll defend it!
	  langen@^ I'll make it a reality!! This is the first time in her life she's ever been able to believe in a world that isn't divided into allies and enemies, and I'll make it real!!"
	  Don't die? Don't kill? Only amateurs die, and the people who kill are even bigger amateurs!! Miyao, you said something seriously interesting back there!
	  Naima:
	  "Miyao, you might have just said it on a whim, ...but there's a dreamy girl here who was able to find her ideals thanks to that
	   I'll make it come true, Naima!! Stan, Naomi, follow me!! Let me show you how to fight without dying or killing!!!"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "This is Rethabile. The ACR has no intention of obeying your warning. Combat will commence in ten seconds."
	  Naima:
	  "Do whatever you want. You fight for Africa. I'll fight for Naima. Don't die, don't kill."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "I won't let you die. And I won't let you kill!"
	  Naima:
	  "Of course! Don't let yourself get killed by someone like meeeeeeeeeee!!!"
	  Sujatha:
	  "This is Suparṇa. We've finished our carpet bombing of the target. There was some resistance, but we've suffered no losses. We're returning."
	  COU Officer:
	  "Roger that. We've confirmed that the agricultural plant has been rendered completely inoperable. Retreat at once."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "...Aaah. Is there any point to this attack...? If the world is facing famine, why are we trying to make it worse...?"
	  Andry:
	  "It's probably some political...well, assholes, I guess. ...Apparently, the ABN can't fight us and the ACR at the same time, so we're using this as a bargaining tactic, to make the ABN agree to pay reparations only to the COU."
	  Sujatha:
	  "Don't think about politics! We're just pushing back after being pushed, as guardians of the Walls of Peace."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "I still don't agree with the attack, ...but we accurately struck just the plant. And we only did that after making sure no one was on the farm..."
	  Andry:
	  "Don't die, don't kill. Guess this means friend Miyao will give us a gold star, woo!"
	  Sujatha:
	  "I'm surprised. I didn't expect an irresponsible man like you would sympathize with Miyao's noble goals."
	  Andry:
	  "No one wants to die. And, there's no need to kill people if I'm not getting paid for it. It just happens to suit me perfectly as someone who hates to work."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "...So, if you were ordered to kill civilians, ...would you do it?"
	  Sujatha:
	  "...You *would* kill if you're getting paid for it, right?"
	  Andry:
	  "Yeah. I would. I'm a salaryman soldier, woo! I'll do any job for money."
	  Andry:
	  "However, if you want to hire me to kill, you'd better be prepared to fill an olympic swimming pool with bundles of cash."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Andry..."
	  Andry:
	  "...Still, no matter how much cheap talk we pile on, no matter how cooly we handle ourselves, ...this isn't a game of chess. It's impossible to avoid all damage to pieces we aren't aiming for. ...I've got no intention of killing on purpose, ...but I might kill someone without meaning to. I'm not so naive that I haven't thought of that."
	  Sujatha:
	  "Hmph. You may sometimes say deep things and act the part of the enlightened man, but you won't fool me."
	  Andry:
	  "Woo, that's just fine. Living life irresponsibly is my policy."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Huh? ......No way, this is... Umm, uhhh...!"
	  Andry:
	  "What is it?"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "It's an ABN news report...! They're talking about the city we just attacked...!"
	  ABN News:
	  "After learning that the civilian casualties caused by this COU bombing included over 40 kindergarteners, who were visiting this agricultural plant on a field trip, the city folk are expressing their outrage."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Th-That's a lie, a lie, it never happened!! I checked before attacking! I checked so much, so much...!! It's a lie, it's a lie, it's not possible...!!!"
	  Sujatha:
	  "...We checked carefully before attacking. The plant was automated and completely unmanned. This must be a scenario prepared by the ABN Guidance Department, so they can inflate their casualties..."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Th-That's it, isn't it?! That has to be it! After all, I checked it many times, over and over again! Because we knew we couldn't let anyone get dragged into this...!!"
	  Andry:
	  "...Maybe no one died as a direct result of our attack. But that doesn't mean...that we haven't caused any deaths."
	  There had been a sudden air raid alarm, and then a bombing. The peaceful city had probably been instantly enveloped in panic.
	  Even if no one was hurt in the bombing itself, if confused drivers got in accidents and killed people, it would be fair to say that those accidents were caused by the bombing.
	  Andry:
	  "However, let me say this. Sujatha, Rukhshana, you only attacked after making near approaches at such great risk, checking closely to make sure no person was hit. ...If you had attacked in a more slipshod, irresponsible way, ...many more people would have died. There can be no doubt of that."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "I checked so much, so, so much... It's impossible, impossible...!"
	  Sujatha:
	  "That's right, we carried out a perfect strike. This is enemy propaganda. Don't believe it!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Still, if people panicked from our attack and got into accidents..."
	  Andry:
	  "These Walls of Peace really are heavy, aren't they?!!"
	  Andry:
	  "The middle-aged guys who ordered this attack are gonna take responsibility, just like people in charge should, right? Wooooooooo!!!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Pwah, *cough*cough*cough*, meoowooowww!!
	  langen@^ That's just great meow!
	   There's midair mines meow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Keh. I thought the 8MS felt strange..."
	  Chloe:
	  "Lilja, Koshka...! Please try to recover your mental condition! I'm giving you permission to take injections if necessary...!"
	  The mighty shield used by Gauntlet Knights, the Rejection Shield, could cause vastly different levels of strain depending on the situation.
	  Naturally, stronger attacks would cause additional strain, but unpredicted attacks would cause far more.
	  Apparently, some countries had been developing techniques for using stealth levitating drones as midair mines, to be used as a Gauntlet Knight countermeasure.
	  They were both surprise attacks and powerful explosions. The combination of those two things seemed to have made them effective even against Gauntlet Knights...
	  Though it hadn't broken their shields, the sudden expenditure of energy had symptoms similar to anemia.
	  Chloe had given her kette permission to inject cranial secretion regulators, which would give them energy and rapidly improve their condition.
	  However, the enemy naturally wouldn't let this once-in-a-lifetime chance slip.
	  Taking advantage of their confusion in the wake of that midair landmine, the next attack was already coming.
	  Chloe:
	  "Enemy missiles approaching! They appear to be cluster missiles! All kette, intercept them!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Baba Yaga! What're you sitting there dazed for meow?! Restore your mental condition right now meow!!"
	  #e7e7e7Baba Yaga:
	  "A-After that midair mine, ...Praskovya's in condition red! She's at 13%, just above the Madonna's Minimum Speed!"
	  Koshka:
	  "The enemy missiles have launched their submunitions. ...You damned AI, locking onto Baba Yaga because they're sitting ducks...!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Please, shoot them down!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Baba Yaga, fall back, it's gonna swallow up all three of you meow!!"
	  #e7e7e7Baba Yaga:
	  "We'll intercept from here...! We can't abandon Praskovya!"
	  Koshka:
	  "These high-maneuverability missiles...are flying around just like bugs! Even I...can't get all of them...!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Baba Yaga, fall back!! There's no way you can intercept all of those missiles in that condition!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "You fools meow, run for it meeooooooooow!!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Baba Yagaaaaaaaaaaaaa...!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...First, let's pray for our comrades who supported the Walls of Peace even in death."
	  Lingji:
	  "I'm confident that their noble deaths served the cause of peace..."
	  Rethabile:
	  ".................."
	  Rethabile:
	  "It seems countries everywhere are trying to drag inexperienced people into combat, in order to increase their number of Gauntlet Knights."
	  Stanisław:
	  "There's no helping it. ...Gauntlet Knights are the peak of military power. ...To fight against them, you must increase the numbers on your side."
	  Lingji:
	  "And, ...the flames of war have started to extend beyond the Walls of Peace."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Forgive me. ...I'm truly sorry for the harm we did to the sinless people of the ABN."
	  Miyao:
	  "Why do we have to fight actual wars?! What happened to all the people excitedly watching simulated battles in the Virty Arena at the Battle Standard Festival?!"
	  Lingji:
	  "...You're right. Is there any reason to have wars in reality?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "In the ancient Olympics, the victor was given an olive wreath, but they apparently weren't given one if they caused their opponent's death."
	  Miyao:
	  "That kind of thinking is important! There's no need for us to actually kill each other! If we just want to have winners and losers, games in the Virty Arena ought to be enough!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I never thought I'd hear an argument against the need for a physical body from someone who wasn't a shut-in..."
	  As VR got more and more real, certain cultured people and religious advocates began arguing against the necessity of having a physical human body.
	  In virtual spaces, you could never do anything that couldn't be undone. In these paradises, even destruction and murder could be reversed.
	  However, in the real world, all irreversible tragedies and calamities happened because of the physical body.
	  The physical body was the source of all evil. The human soul could only reach up towards God once it was freed from the barbarous shackles of the body, ...according to them.
	  Miyao:
	  "How is this a healthy military balance?! It's militaries that hurt people and kill people, right?! Wouldn't it be better if we got rid of all militaries around the world?!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Without militaries, there would be no one to support the Walls of Peace, and they would crumble. Without the Walls of Peace, the hatred of humans would show itself in the form of genocide and ethnic cleansing."
	  If conflict arose between different peoples in a place without Walls of Peace or national borders...
	  The result would be neighbors lawlessly and horribly killing each other in their own hometowns.
	  The concept of the Walls of Peace had been created to prevent such tragedies...
	  Stanisław:
	  "Saying it this way is sad for the victims, ...but because our comrades protecting the walls nobly sacrificed their lives, the damage never extended further than that. Additionally, this was made possible because they shared your philosophy of don't die, don't kill."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. Miyao, you might be blaming your powerlessness for this, but it's the opposite. ...Even in a situation like this, you have managed to keep us sane."
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  Lingji:
	  "That's right. If it weren't for the Order of the Public Bath, ...we may have unfriended each other, exposing our hearts to hate as we killed each other."
	  Rethabile:
	  "When I first heard Kizuna's friend notifications on the battlefield, ...I hated it. But now, I think it's a very important thing."
	  That's right poyo! You should thank me for working hard and constantly checking for friends within a certain radius, so I can notify you poyo!!
	  Miyao:
	  "...You're right. Thanks, Keropoyo. Because of your friend notifications, we've been able to remember something important."
	  Stanisław:
	  "That's the Order of the Public Bath's Secretary Knight for you."
	  Hahah! I'm a capable frog poyo
	   *keeeero*kero*kero*!
	  Miyao:
	  "The Walls of Peace we support...really are heavy. ...Sometimes, they even make us die or kill."
	  Lingji:
	  "But even so, because you supported those walls, a great number of people have been protected from the fires of war."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're right... We can't let this get us depressed already. ...No matter how tough or sad it gets, we have to keep supporting the walls..."
	  It's been like a tennis rally, where one act of retribution is the spark for the next.
	  The reason we guardians of the walls continue to support them, even when our bodies and hearts are wounded, ...is so they can endure until peace returns.
	  It's to buy time until the people regain their cool and remember how precious peace is.
	  ...So, how has that gone? While we've been suffering, just how much has the world regained its cool...?!
	  News:
	  "This heartless attack that spared no consideration for civilian casualties has brought the public's rage to a peak!"
	  President's Speech:
	  "The blood of our comrades will be paid back in kind!! The tears of their families will as well!! I promise my people that justice will be done!!"
	  Commentator:
	  "In the first place, that humiliating B3W treaty was simply forced upon us by the superpowers of the time..."
	  Video Uploader:
	  "There's a way even we can contribute to our country! Throw stones at stores owned by foreigners and take what's inside! Any police who try to stop you are traitors, so take photos of them! If this video gets taken down, then this site is being run by traitors too!!"
	  News:
	  "It was revealed that a civilian group protesting to stop the war was actually a spy organization from another faction."
	  Police Chief:
	  "We now know that this was the work of agitators masquerading as a pro-peace organization! The suspects are apparently also connected to the recent schoolbus bombing, and-"
	  Internet Forum:
	  "As expected, those people saying they opposed the war while shouting `die, die' were all paid agitators! Find everyone who ever said they were anti-war and arrest them for being suspected spies!"
	  News:
	  "A man who was arrested for attacking an anti-war demonstration was sentenced today to only 24 hours of community service, with the judge saying that the man's righteous anger and passion were more than understandable. This kindhearted extralegal ruling was praised by the people for its courage and justice."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Has the world gone insane? Or are we crazy to think they're crazy?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Because we're people who have faced the struggle for life and death on the battlefield and who always feel the heavy burden of our duty towards peace, ...it's possible for us to keep our sanity."
	  Miyao:
	  "Are you saying that, ...to those who have never been on a battlefield, real warfare looks basically the same as the simulator battles from the Battle Standard Festival...?"
	  Lingji:
	  "No. Since there are actual casualties, it makes them push towards war with even more anger and hatred."
	  Miyao:
	  "Dammit! If you like war that much, go to a game salon and play war games as much as you like!! If you like watching, watch gaming livestreams and sports programs all you want...!! Why is it necessary to kill each other in real life?! Just leave that sort of thing to VR!!!"
	  --That's right, children of man. This is liberation.
	  Was the voice echoing throughout this massive sea of factory machines, or was it speaking directly into my brain? ...It might also have been an auditory hallucination, but I couldn't tell.
	  --Your evolution stopped advancing for one simple reason: you were unable to break out of your shells of flesh.
	  --So, I will break through your shells and aid in your soul's evolution.
	  People hung from rails with all their skin melted off, moaning in pain.
	  Those people were swallowed by massive processing machines, one after another, ...and released from their so-called shells of flesh...
	  And then, one after another, they were transformed into a bizarre form: brains with spinal cords hanging down from them.
	  --In the new world, there will be no death nor aging, no sadness nor pain.
	  --It will be the promised land, the heaven your various religions have extolled for so long.
	  --Come now, there is no need to be afraid, children of men. Accept your liberation and come to the eternal, immortal garden... Those who arrived slightly before you are already quivering with the joy of liberation, their hearts filled with the excitement of a new life, in a world eternally without pain. ...Your wives and children, husbands and parents, siblings and friends who have already been freed are eagerly awaiting your arrival... Have no fear. Accept the liberation......
	  .........All of the misfortune, sadness, anger and pain that humans bring about in this world...
	  All of it is caused by the flesh, is it not...?
	  Because you have flesh, you wage war. You hurt people. And you go mad with rage, killing each other more and more.
	  However, what if there was a world free from flesh, where life and death did not exist...?
	  There would no longer be any reason to hurt each other.
	  No one could take anyone else's life, and sadness, anger, pain, and suffering would not exist. They would not lead to more of the same.
	  Without flesh, even the differences between sexes become meaningless. Animal worries can nearly all be explained by a need for food and procreation, so it's surely the same for humans.
	  They do seem to have many varied desires, such as those for honor or power, but these ultimately result from a wish to appear superior to others and more effectively satisfy their need for procreation and food. In other words, everything can be explained by a need for procreation and food!
	  Liberation from the flesh means liberation from these needs, which are the root cause of inescapable animal suffering.
	  There exists no reason to resist what truly is heaven. A paradise for the soul that humanity must reach through evolution.
	  ...Oh, I see. Are you God......?
	  Please, ...guide humanity to the promised land......
	  
	  News:
	  "It's a simultaneous global truce! All factions have responded to the IPMA's call, and a shocking global truce has been enacted!"
	  You've received an email from "Valentina" and "Maricarmen" poyo!
	  #fbeb85To the Grand Master who defends of the Walls of Peace. Heheh, we haven't just been sitting around either. We've been doing our job.@
	  #beaaf6While the whole world was agitating towards war, we were able to gather those who had doubts about the current situation and hadn't forgotten their duty towards peace!
	  Miyao:
	  "Nice going... I guess those big sisters from LATO aren't all talk..."
	  Lingji:
	  "Perhaps their power is that of the `eyes' you mentioned before."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Their reputation took a hit because they were utterly unable to prevent this bout of world feuds, ...but yes, it seems they do deserve that moniker of `The World's LATO'."
	  Rethabile:
	  "It's irritating, but that's probably true. If LATO had done this from the start, war would likely not have occurred."
	  Miyao:
	  "There is no `too early' or `too late', as long as you have peace. ...With this, the world will finally be able to regain its composure."
	  Lingji:
	  "The tide is finally turning, isn't it?!"
	  Up until this point, the IPMA had been working with leaders from all factions to establish a truce.
	  However, as these leaders represented societies that were raging towards war, there was really no chance of them being convinced.
	  So, the IPMA changed tack. They investigated one VIP after another across all factions, making a list of those who weren't caught up in the fever of war. People who had maintained their sense of duty towards peace.
	  Then, they gave those people positions as provisional directors in the IPMA, granting them considerable authority.
	  As the maintainers of a healthy military balance, the IPMA held massive influence over the whole world's military community and the business community that supported it. And now, politicians who hadn't forgotten their duty towards peace had been directly appointed to vital roles within the IPMA.
	  Of course, this outrageous move was tantamount to meddling in the internal affairs of all factions.
	  However, LATO had forced it through by making optimal use of its immense financial and military power, as well as its position as the world's greatest producer of Rare Spiritium.
	  Stanisław:
	  "Their methods were quite forceful. It's likely to cause discontent against LATO on a global scale."
	  Miyao:
	  "So, they wielded their power for the sake of peace, even though it meant taking on such a huge risk. ...Crap, LATO really is cool..."
	  Lingji:
	  "I suppose they don't call themselves the World Police for nothing."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Even if the worldwide wars do end with this, I suspect the scars will last a long time. ...There will be political turmoil caused by LATO's meddling in domestic affairs, as well as issues involving national borders and reparations that were suspended before being truly solved. The world's hardships will probably continue for quite some time."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, that's better than war. Fights carried out in conferences following proper procedure are politics, not war."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Exactly. Let those who love war continue this in their conference halls."
	  News:
	  "The person there waving and descending the ramp is Liu Tiankai from COU China. He's known for being a quiet influencer in the COU Joint Parliament, so it seems there was quite a stir when his selection was announced."
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh? Isn't Liu your last name, Lingji?"
	  Lingji:
	  "He's my grandfather. ...He looks so haggard. I can't imagine how much he must have worried about this huge responsibility..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Not surprising. This is the same as publicly expressing his discontent at the way his country has been almost unanimously moving towards war."
	  Rethabile:
	  "In our Royal Family, there are some who were picked, but declined when they learned they wouldn't be able to join anonymously. ...They might temporarily become heroes of world peace, but they probably risk losing their positions in the subsequent political chaos that will surround all countries."
	  Miyao:
	  "Are you kidding me? ...Why should someone who stands up for world peace have to be criticized for it later?! Lingji's grandfather is a true hero, isn't he?!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Thanks, Miyao. I'm sure my Grandfather would be happy to hear that..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "To pursue justice even when it means going against the will of your country is extremely difficult. I want to praise Lingji's grandfather for his courage too..."
	  For repeatedly issuing visas to Jews in defiance of his government, Sugihara Chiune was known as Japan's Schindler. 
	  It's also known that, upon returning to Japan, he was coldly treated as a traitor for disobeying his country's orders.
	  The brand of being a traitor ended up having more sway than the justice of an individual's heart...
	  Even after he was honored by Israel, the slander against him did not cease, and it wasn't until 14 years after his death that he was properly recognized as someone who had chosen justice, despite knowing that he would be called a traitor.
	  In Dante's Divine Comedy, those with greater sins were punished in the deeper levels of hell.
	  The sin punished in the lowest circle of hell, Cocytus, ...was betrayal.
	  Betrayal of the state, the highest authority representing society, was the worst sort of sin and could not be canceled out by any sort of good deeds...
	  Lingji:
	  "Grandfather accepted this giant role for the sake of peace, ...while fully aware that he might be vilified even after his death. ...Even though many of our relatives tried to stop him..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "I wish I could make some of the cowards in our Royal Family hear you say that. ...He has my heartfelt respect."
	  Miyao:
	  "He deserves more than respect. This person -- these people -- are heroes trying to stop a World War!"
	  Miyao:
	  "The people gathered here are all government VIPs, right?! So, they should have inside knowledge about who in the government fanned the flames of war, who ran wild, and who was raking in the money. In other words, they know our true enemies, the people whose swords we really should be taking!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "It may be hasty to say this, ...but if anyone tried to crush the desire these VIPs had for peace, ...those people might be the true sprouts of war our Order is trying to pluck."
	  Miyao:
	  "......It feels like...it's starting to become clear...! I think the sword we've only been able to swing around blindly...has finally found a light shining down through the darkness!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Well, I am tempted to exasperatedly say that the world isn't that simple, but-"
	  Lingji:
	  "I think that in this world, things that are truly precious and just are always very simple and clear-cut."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Lingji, are you still in contact with your grandfather?"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right! Do you think we could ask him about something? Like whether our Order of the Public Bath can do anything to help...?!"
	  Lingji:
	  "I-I wonder... Of course, I'm still in touch with Grandfather, but I've never spoken with him about anything political..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "The fact that he accepted this role tells me that he was, in a sense, prepared even for death. We may be able to speak with him surprisingly openly."
	  Stanisław:
	  "You're right. And even just including those of us here now, we already have top-class Gauntlet Knights representing all factions. If we include all kette who are members of the Order, that amounts to a considerable military force. From their perspective as well, it may be worth opening a conversation between us."
	  Miyao:
	  "Could I ask you to do that, Lingji? ...I want to serve the cause of peace however I can!"
	  I first joined for the childlike motive of wanting to fly freely through the skies.
	  Even after becoming a Gauntlet Knight, fighting only seemed like a game to me.
	  ...However, as I supported the Walls of Peace while simultaneous feuds were breaking out across the planet, when World War IV really could have started at any time, I noticed something.
	  Miyao:
	  "Our left arms...are unbelievably heavy. ...Once you've experienced that, you can't forget it."
	  Lingji:
	  "......You're right."
	  Miyao:
	  "Now that Gauntlet Knights stand at the peak of military might, ...we are...and only we are...the true guardians of the Walls of Peace."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Those Walls of Peace do more than surround your own country..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "In other words, we must be guardians of the Walls of Peace all over the world."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's a Gauntlet Knight's duty! We will protect the Walls of Peace! We won't let World War IV happen! For the first time, we've learned that there are other people who share our goals! I...want to help those people...!"
	  Lingji:
	  "...Miyao......"
	  Lingji:
	  "Very well. I'll try sending Grandfather an email. Of course, I won't tell him about the Order of the Public Bath yet, but I'll tell him that there must be something we can do to help."
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks! All right...!!! I think I'm finally starting to see a way forward!! I get the feeling he'll be able to point the way to the enemies we really need to crush!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "My big brother truly is pathetic, as he couldn't even speak out for peace without a promise of anonymity, ...but if I have our Grand Master's permission, I could try approaching him."
	  Miyao:
	  "Forget permission, I'm the one who wants to ask you...! Please, Rethabile!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Compared to Lingji, with a major COU politician as a grandfather, and Rethabile, a princess of the ACR Royal Family, ...I can't do anything at all."
	  Stanisław:
	  "However, after this, I'm sure we'll start seeing people pushing for peace once more, even in the ABN. I have no connections, but I'll try gathering information, to see if I can find anyone who might become one of our comrades."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Miyao, I would ask that you also see if you can find any potential comrades in the AOU. You're a Gauntlet Knight hero there, yes? Don't you have any connections at all?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, connections between people are rare in the AOU... But I do have a weapon! My dad!"
	  Lingji:
	  "By dad, you mean your actual father? I thought everyone in the AOU was a test tube baby..."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm ciconia-born, which makes me a rare case. That's why I have a blood relative. My dad's a military reporter with the AOU Combined Military, and he's got a huge number of friends through this weird network!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "A military reporter with the Combined Military? I see, then he should at least be quite familiar with what's going on inside the military hierarchy."
	  Stanisław:
	  "The fact that he's your actual father makes him a powerful connection. It's probably worth relying on him. I can't afford to fall behind. I'll do all I can."
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks to you too, Stan! I'll give it my all too! ...All right, I'm getting all fired up! We'll finally be able to fight for real...!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "All my friends are from my generation. In the AOU, where the ciconia don't come, it's pretty rare to have ties to people in older generations, you know?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you're a girl and say you have connections to an older generation, people will start suspecting that you're someone's secondary secretary or something."
	  Jayden:
	  "Seriously though, it really would be nice to have some relatives. I'm jealous of how ciconia-borns can have interpersonal bonds that are stronger than what you get with superiors or friends."
	  Miyao:
	  "Sorry, I didn't mean it that way..."
	  Jayden:
	  "I don't mind! But, I'm sorry. All my friends are fun to be with, but none of them are in a position to know anything that would help the Order. After all, we only ever talk to our own generation, right? How could any of us know details about the government or the situation there?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I have connections -- though only a few -- with people from other generations because of my hobbies. However, those hobbies are our only connection, so I don't know their professions or social positions, and it would be rude to ask. ...Sorry, but I don't think I'll be able to help."
	  Jayden:
	  "I think our best option is probably to rely on your dad, Miyao. Parents are even better than close friends, right? They're someone you can absolutely trust no matter what."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I don't think I can trust him more than a close friend, but at the moment, there's no one else we can rely on. I'll just have to pray he answers my email."
	  Gunhild:
	  "The Order of the Public Bath, huh? ...*giggle* To think that a chivalric order with such a weird name would actually become a world-spanning organization pushing for world peace. That really surprised me."
	  Jayden:
	  "Miyao's always really detail-oriented when it comes to emails and responding to them and stuff. That's how you kept all those connections from the Battle Standard Festival going and created this amazing Order. I'm proud that I'm able to call myself your partner."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're exaggerating. ...I never would've been able to make up my mind to say that important-sounding stuff if you two hadn't talked it over with me."
	  After being inspired by Dad, I created a chivalric order.
	  A chivalric order whose philosophy was to prioritize justice as guardians of the Walls of Peace over our duties as soldiers.
	  Now, after getting aces from around the world to join, I can be confident in it, ...but I realize that it's seriously risky, and that we'd get far more than just a telling off if the wrong people found out about it.
	  At the very, very beginning, when I revealed my idea to Jayden and Gunhild...
	  ...I was incredibly unsure of myself. I was so scared, wondering what I'd do if they rejected the idea.
	  If they had done more than just reject it... If they had reported it to the authorities, what would have happened next...?
	  I was only able to reluctantly bear the orders of those middle-aged men with their fighting spirit logic...because I had the power to fly freely through the sky.
	  If I had spoken up about my ideals, only to have the wing on my left arm torn off, ...I'd be stuck wondering what I've been living for all this time.
	  On that day, even I didn't really understand the fear that lay deep inside my heart.
	  However, I can't even begin to measure...how much courage it gave me when Jayden and Gunhild agreed so enthusiastically, and astonishingly quickly.
	  Miyao:
	  "Without the bonds I share with my friends in Warcat, there wouldn't have been an Order. I'm so grateful to you two."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Please, put that gratitude on hold until we're able to vanquish the Order's true enemy."
	  Jayden:
	  "Setting aside who actually fanned the flames of this war, our first priority right now is peace. I hope the LATO conference is able to handle that okay."
	  Jayden:
	  "Also, there's been a rumor going around. ...A rumor that there's gonna be a secret topic of discussion at this LATO conference."
	  Miyao:
	  "A secret topic of discussion...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah. After all, the whole world conveniently started getting excited about war and going at it, all at the same time. There has to have been someone who knew about these events beforehand and got rich off them. The rumor's that this event's main goal is for LATO to get information from sources in all countries. Information that'll help them sniff out the mastermind or international conspiracy or whatever that's behind this."
	  The IPMA had selected and gathered VIPs from all over the world.
	  All of them had apparently been near the source of what drove their countries towards war, calmly watching on this whole time, without letting the fever overwhelm them.
	  By bringing the information they had together, ...it might be possible to sniff out those who had conspired behind the scenes to bring about this global conflict.
	  If that was true, then when that happened, the true mastermind who had driven the world towards war would be exposed.
	  Then, it would finally be time for the Gauntlet Knights, the guardians supporting the Walls of Peace, to act.
	  Gunhild:
	  "That's assuming the bad guys decide to go out with a bang once they've been found out, like some special effects blockbuster. ...However, they probably do have significant influence over the military. I'm sure any additional military might on our side wouldn't hurt, if they're going to be exposed."
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh, ...that big sis from LATO just showed up on the news over there!"
	  Miyao:
	  "You're right. They've got all of LATO's Gauntlet Knights protecting today's VIPs."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If the rumor Jayden heard is true, ...then these people would be a big problem for the masterminds who caused the war. If so, you can never have too much protection."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Plus, LATO Gauntlets are apparently allowed to have higher specs than anything from the other four factions. ...And there's so many of them. It's probably fair to say that this spot has tighter security than anywhere else on the globe right now."
	  Jayden:
	  "If they're taking security that seriously now, ...maybe that means LATO is confident that the information held by these provisional directors is enough to sniff out some pretty serious evil."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I hope Lingji is able to get in touch with her grandfather."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm? Wait a sec... Ah, that's Dad, my dad's there!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Huh? Which one is your dad? Draw a circle around him."
	  Jayden:
	  "H-Hey Dad! I wanted to tell you... I'm in a serious relationship with Meow! Just kidding, heheheheh!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Shut up, don't make jokes...! Ah, I lost sight of him...!"
	  Miyao searched for some sign of his dad with his mental display, but he wasn't able to spot him again.
	  However, when he played back the video and checked, ...there indeed was Miyao's father, Toujirou.
	  He walked past the camera with a calm look on his face, ignoring the line of LATO MPs that were holding back the press.
	  He was a military reporter attached to the AOU Combined Military HQ, so it shouldn't have been strange to see him in the capital of LATO Brazil.
	  ...However, something about his calm expression seemed off to Miyao.
	  To anyone other than Miyao, it would have seemed a normal, calm, easygoing expression.
	  ...However, as someone connected to Toujirou by blood, ...it seemed to Miyao like a faintly eerie, out-of-place smile...
	  The capital of LATO Brazil was Brasília.
	  The white building standing there was the headquarters of the IPMA.
	  It was surrounded by crowds of bustling people, cheering and holding banners celebrating the coming of world peace.
	  Unlike the four factions driven mad with war by the friction between factions, public opinion had been pro-peace in the prosperous LATO, which had far more than it needed to get by.
	  Those people had eagerly welcomed this global truce and the opening of a conference to discuss peace.
	  However, though they did want peace, it was really more of a passive desire than a proactive one.
	  The people of LATO were promised prosperous lives, so they weren't really interested in conflicts between other factions.
	  LATO did call itself the World's Police and pushed for world peace as part of its duty as a rich faction, but in truth, they didn't want to get involved in troubles between the other factions.
	  Some regretted that this passive attitude of theirs had helped to invite this global conflict.
	  LATO's people may have been fervently applauding this as an act of self-praise, now that the mighty LATO had dragged the world towards peace once again.
	  Though it would be a conference to discuss peace, the security was so strict that it seemed to be the exact opposite of peaceful.
	  The building was surrounded by the armored cars of a heavily-armed police force. And, the height of military might, Gauntlet Knights, had been placed throughout the whole area. Even the vast, gray skies were being protected by a powerful air-defense system.
	  Furthermore, strict precautions had been taken to prevent not only military attacks, but the insertion of terrorists and assassins as well.
	  Tight security was set up around the building, with ID checks and metal detectors being used with extraordinary care.
	  Valentina:
	  "Com licença. Heheh, pardon me, but I'll need to see your pass."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Boa tarde, young miss. ...Oh, that's odd. Are you not able to read my pass?"
	  In the A3W world, with its magnificent auto-translation tools, there was absolutely no need to learn other languages.
	  However, greeting people with the words of that country was the hallmark of a polished traveler.
	  Valentina:
	  "Your Portuguese is quite good, Mr. Mitake. I do know you personally, but this is work, so please forgive me. We've currently risen to identity check level 4 for foreign soldiers."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Sure, I'll cooperate."
	  Even with A3W technology, visual confirmation of passes was still being carried out.
	  Of course, with the technology of this era, it was possible to check IDs automatically just by having them on you.
	  However, it was known that having security personnel speak to a person directly and visually check their passes applied a sort of silent pressure, which made for a useful deterrent.
	  In other words, it told them that "we're watching you, don't try anything funny."
	  Valentina took Toujirou's pass and used a card reader to check for forgeries.
	  Toujirou:
	  "I received this pass directly from Colonel Mendes of Public Safety. I hope you aren't going to suddenly tell me now that foreign soldiers won't be allowed in for the group photo shoot."
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, I'm sorry about that. Making quick changes to our security policy may be inconvenient, but it is extremely effective."
	  Toujirou:
	  "It's my job to be a reporter. If I have to go back and tell them I couldn't take any photos because security chased me out, I'll be paying my travel expenses out of my own pocket."
	  Valentina:
	  "I've confirmed that your pass is good. Please excuse the inconvenience, Major Mitake. To make up for it, I've been instructed to escort you to where you can take pictures."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Excellent. What could be better than being escorted by a beauty who looks great in a Gauntlet?"
	  In the massive conference room, about 100 directors were chatting with each other.
	  In particular, the VIPs who had been directly appointed as provisional directors seemed to be at the center of all conversations.
	  On the other hand, there were some who didn't join in with those groups.
	  It was a group of old directors from multiple factions.
	  Some of them approved of their factions' wartime posture of national unity. Their stance was that they served as directors not for the sake of international peace, but to serve the interests of their nations.
	  Perhaps some of them...felt that these provisional directors had been secret traitors, who didn't approve of their own country's policies.
	  Furthermore, these provisional directors had been given quite a lot of authority during this conference.
	  What sorts of things might they say, ...these traitors who had prioritized their own sense of justice while neglecting the interests of their homelands? And how could they be restrained? And, how can I do that while pretending that my faction supports world peace?
	  Surely, their bargaining and psychological warfare had already begun...
	  Eventually, they were all called to take a group photo, and the directors all began heading towards a space designated for the purpose.
	  Apparently, they had already decided who would stand where beforehand.
	  And, today's guests of honor, the provisional directors, were given the most important spots in the front.
	  Liu Tiankai:
	  "It honors me to be given such a central spot. It is more than I deserve."
	  Provisional Director:
	  "I'm honored to stand next to you, Mr. Liu. I'm Wicksell, from the AOU Joint Parliament. Pleased to meet you."
	  Liu Tiankai:
	  "God dag, Mr. Wicksell. Of course, I have heard a lot about you. I've been wanting to meet you at least once."
	  Wicksell:
	  "I'm sure...that we'll be speaking today about our common enemy."
	  Liu Tiankai:
	  "So am I. I believe we are likely witnesses to the most despicable act of organized crime in history. We must combine our information quickly and find out who is behind this."
	  Liu Tiankai:
	  "......Oh, pardon me."
	  He pulled a smartphone out of his pocket. It was an essential item for the generation that couldn't make use of a Selcom.
	  It showed an icon of Lingji, the granddaughter he adored more than anything, and indicated that she had sent him an email.
	  Wicksell:
	  "Is it something urgent?"
	  Liu Tiankai:
	  "No, it's from my granddaughter. I'll read it slowly later on."
	  Wicksell:
	  "For her sake as well, ...we must kick out the people from across the planet who destroyed world peace for their own profit."
	  Liu Tiankai:
	  "I feel the same. That's why we have gathered here."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Directors! We're about to take our group picture! The reporters will now enter!"
	  Reporters holding large cameras came inside, lead by Gauntlet Knights.
	  Of course, a Gauntlet Knight had at least as much firepower as an aircraft carrier. They certainly weren't made for work as security guards. And yet, that's what they were doing.
	  After all, a wall made of the shields emitted by multiple Gauntlet Knights could protect the VIPs in case something bad happened.
	  In other words, it was like several cutting-edge aircraft carriers were guiding the reporters and protecting the VIPs of the Board of Directors...
	  Maricarmen:
	  "You now have permission to take photos! If any photos are taken after the end signal has been sent, your equipment will be confiscated! Furthermore, 300 seconds after the signal is given, all of your passes will no longer grant you access to the floor! Please note that remaining after that point will make you subject to unconditional arrest!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Now then, Major, I pray that you're able to take some good shots."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Thanks. ...Well, since I'm here."
	  As flashes started appearing everywhere, Toujirou took out a retro camera of his own.
	  Not only was it retro, but it had been created in the middle of the B3W era and probably belonged in a museum.
	  However, this era was filled with things that looked retro on the outside, but were cutting edge on the inside.
	  So, you'd naturally assume that Toujirou's camera was just a facade, ...but it was a real, bona fide retro camera.
	  Apparently, the choice was down to his own sense of aesthetics and hobbies...
	  He peered through the finder and looked at the main topics of conversation, the provisional directors.
	  Toujirou:
	  "...That's Liu Tiankai from COU China. I guess that's Simon Wicksell from AOU Sweden next to him. Now there's a surprise. To think that such big names would be in the pro-cease-fire faction. You can bet that they'll have a rough time when they go back to their countries. And next to them are Minister Kidiaba from the ACR, Chairman Fahim from the ABN... That's quite a set. I'll definitely want to leave this shot behind for posterity."
	  `At the end of the A3W era, when everyone eagerly anticipated World War IV, ...there was one miraculous moment in time, when all who remained true to their own sense of justice and hoped for world peace gathered here.' ...Sounds good.
	  Toujirou's finger...pressed down on the shutter.
	  Announcer:
	  "It looks like the video's cut out. Please wait a moment..."
	  The announcer was saying something to some staff members. He seemed faintly confused and hesitant.
	  Announcer:
	  "This is an urgent update. We just received a report about a large explosion taking place at the LATO Brazil IPMA Headquarters. Now connecting to a reporter in front of the building."
	  Reporter:
	  "I'm standing here in front of the IPMA Headquarters! Just now, we heard a large explosion accompanied by a massive tremor...! The explosion is thought to have occurred inside the Headquarters...
	  ow, ow,
	   what's going on...?!"
	  LATO Police:
	  "Attention! Now speaking to all present! All press passes have been suspended! Please cease all press activities at once and leave the press area! In 300 seconds, the police will begin forcefully expelling anyone who remains!"
	  Reporters:
	  "That's not fair
	   Hey, stop, don't touch our equipment...! I said stop,
	   *krrrk*, *ksssssht*! ...*piii*, *wrrrr*!
	   *piii*.........!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh? ...What's...going on?"
	  Miyao and the others were stunned silent, ...but the same horrible idea was floating through all of their minds...
	  In addition to the Warcats, a crowd of trainees had gathered in the officer's cafeteria and were all watching the same midair display.
	  They had all gathered without anyone in particular organizing it, hoping to share in the joy of the moment when peace was finally restored, now that they had completed their mission of supporting the Walls of Peace.
	  However, the peaceful atmosphere that had existed a second ago...was now completely gone.
	  Jayden:
	  "A terrorist attack?! Are you kidding me?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "We can't say for sure, but it's extremely likely."
	  Miyao:
	  "Keropoyo, get us some information, it doesn't matter what. Was this a terrorist attack or not?"
	  Poyopoyo! I've already started a predictive search poyo!
	  From what I can sum up, using the mutterings of members of the press originating from Brasília, it's still impossible to tell if this was an accident or a terrorist attack poyo.
	  Miyao:
	  "Have there been any deaths?!"
	  Judging by the number of ambulances gathered in front of the HQ building, there's thought to be at least 100 injured poyo.
	  Gunhild:
	  "There were lots of Gauntlet Knights there serving as guards. They probably put up their shields instantly, so I'd like to think that the people standing behind them were protected."
	  Miyao:
	  "Come to think of it, weren't you in touch with those big sisters from LATO, Jayden?! Can you find out if they're okay?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah, that's right! I'll email them
	   Aaah,
	   ...crap, I just hit send on an incomplete email draaaaaaaaaft!!"
	  Don't worry poyo! In times like this, you can count on Keropoyo! I scanned the text of the email just before you sent it, and I thought you should probably check it again before sending, so it hasn't gone out yet poyo!
	  re you sure you want to send the following email poyo: "Seriously, talk about super sexy! I wanna support those love-packed Walls of Peace on your chest, Big Sis! How'd you like that explosion? Can't wait to hear back from you!"
	  Meow:
	  "Right now, I'm more worried about your BRAAAAAAAIN!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "I-
	  I'm sor-
	   Meow,
	   forgi-
	   *cough*!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "They should be on duty at the moment. They might not respond. How about on your end, Miyao? You said you saw your father in front of the HQ building, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh, uh, that's right! Dad! ...But he was outside the HQ building... He probably doesn't know what's going on inside."
	  You've received an email from "Lingji" poyo!
	  From Lingji? ...Oh, that's right! Her grandfather was attending that conference, wasn't he? Which means...he might have been caught up in that explosion...
	  #ff3e3e"This is Lingji. I don't know if my grandfather is safe. Your father was a military reporter, correct? Do you know if he has any information?"
	  That's right! Okay, might as well try sending Dad an email...!
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Oh, hello. Is that you, Miyao? I'm so glad you were worried about my safety."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "You were outside the building, right? I wasn't worried from the start."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "That's not true. I got a pretty high-ranked press pass and went into the conference hall."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "A huge explosion took place right in front of me. My eyes aren't great, so the quality is pretty bad, but I do have an eye camera video of it. Want to see it?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "O-Of course I want to see it...! My friend's grandfather was attending! She asked me to check if he was all right...!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. Who could've guessed that I'd not only escort you around, but save your life as well?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Without you, I would've been mincemeat. I'm grateful."
	  Valentina:
	  "Even so, you were in quite a convenient position."
	  Toujirou:
	  "What's that supposed to mean? Is that an LA joke?"
	  Valentina:
	  "...When most reporters take photos, they don't try to put things in frame that aren't the subject of their picture."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Ah, you got me. When my finder sees something beautiful, I can't help but want to get it on film."
	  Valentina:
	  "While most of the reporters were injured or killed, it was almost as though you were hiding in a position protected by the umbrella of my shield."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Don't get the wrong idea. For some reason, I've always had good luck at times like this."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Dad? Dad...?! Hey, answer me, what's going on?!"
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Oh, sorry about that. I was also having a conversation with someone in reality. Unlike your Gauntlet generation, it's hard for me to talk to two people at once."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "The video of the explosion, right? I can send it if it's in a format that can't be copied and that deletes itself after being played."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "I want to show it to my friend, so that she can see for herself that her grandfather's safe."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Are you talking about Lingji from the COU's Baibao Squad? Yeah, now I remember. Liu Tiankai is her grandfather, isn't he?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "That's right. That Liu Tiankai person is the only one whose safety I want to check!"
	  Valentina:
	  "...Major? Heheh, you must really be tired."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Yeah, maybe. Once you lose the adrenaline, the weariness hits you pretty suddenly."
	  Valentina:
	  "I'd prefer to take you to your hotel, but I'll need you to come with me."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I see. After all, I was the only foreigner on the scene. Well, I guess there's no helping it."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Hello. Sorry again. I'll send you the video now."
	  #c8ca88Toujirou:
	  "Still, let me warn you. Naturally, this is an 18+ video. How old were you again? It feels like you graduated elementary school just last year. Your hands were so small and cute back then, and-"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Quit it. Shut up and send it over already!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, as I'm sure you know, you won't be able to speak of, record, or reproduce anything that you witnessed today without LATO's express permission."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Of course. I know that."
	  You sent one video to "My Son" poyo!
	  Valentina:
	  "My apologies, but I'll need to restrict your Selcom usage for a while."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Thanks for the warning. Those electric guns really zap you, so I suppose it wouldn't be fun to get hit by one unexpectedly."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Dad, thanks for the video! I got it!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Dad? Hello? Are you having an exciting chat with someone again, or what?"
	  I only want to thank him for sending this to me, so I'll leave a message saying so.
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, how'd it go, Miyao?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "It sounds like Dad was at the scene of the explosion. ...He sent me an eye camera video."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Isn't that...really dangerous?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Probably. ...He put some pretty strict limits on it, like making it impossible to copy and having it erase itself after playing."
	  Jayden:
	  "A-Anyway, let's watch... That's right, why don't we call Lingji over here? It'd be best if she saw it directly, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "...No, ...I'll take responsibility for checking and just tell her the result."
	  Jayden:
	  "Nnn... ......S-Sure, ...good point."
	  The three Warcats gathered in a virtual room.
	  Miyao:
	  "Keropoyo, ...play the video."
	  Roger that poyo! But first, I need to check with you poyo. Should I remove my filter for grotesque content poyo? You're trying to spot a specific person, so I thought adding a mosaic might get in the way poyo.
	  Jayden:
	  "...W-Well, it's a terrorist bombing after all. ...I guess...it'll be pretty bad..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "That sort of thing doesn't bother me at all. Don't worry for my sake."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Still, it's possible that this video will give us a clue to the culprit."
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-You're right! This isn't just about whether Lingji's grandfather is safe. There might be some vital clues in there!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...If we can only play this video once, shouldn't we get a lot more people to watch and inspect it?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "No, ...we also have to consider Miyao's father's position. Let's watch it with just us here."
	  Miyao:
	  "......Dammit... I'll definitely...find something...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Keropoyo! Play it!"
	  Roger that poyo!
	  
	  Preparing video for playback poyo! ......*kero*...*kero*...
	  Poyooo! Beginning playback poyo!
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Directors! We're about to take our group picture! The reporters will now enter!"
	  You could see Maricarmen's back as she led a crowd of reporters forward.
	  ...Still, it was clear why eye cameras weren't popular, despite how revolutionary they were.
	  The human eye is actually pretty hyperactive, jumping all over the place. Your brain just smooths that shaky video for you.
	  The replay software did its best to minimize the shaking, but it wasn't too comfortable to watch.
	  On top of that, Toujirou loved using old-style glasses, so he hadn't undergone vision recovery surgery. It was a blurry video, like looking through the bottom of a cloudy glass bottle.
	  Miyao:
	  "I can't make out anything but the general atmosphere. Can you recognize any faces?"
	  It's very hard, but it's possible to just barely recognize human faces that aren't moving poyo!
	  Gunhild:
	  "They said they were taking a group photo, so I'm sure the directors are all lined up."
	  Miyao:
	  "I see. They're the subject of the photos, after all. So, we should definitely be able to find Lingji's grandfather."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, Miyao's dad really is a pervert. He keeps looking at Mari's back and her butt."
	  Meow:
	  "Yeah, you have no right to say that, Jayden."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "You now have permission to take photos! If any photos are taken after the end signal has been sent, your equipment will be confiscated! Furthermore, 300 seconds after the signal is given, all of your passes will no longer grant you access to the floor! Please note that remaining after that point will make you subject to unconditional arrest!"
	  Valentina slid into frame from the side.
	  Apparently, they had been walking alongside each other this whole time.
	  Valentina:
	  "Now then, Major, I pray that you're able to take some good shots."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Thanks. ...Well, since I'm here."
	  As flashes started appearing everywhere, Toujirou took out a retro camera that was hanging from his neck.
	  Then, he focused on the huge line of directors through the finder.
	  There he is poyo! I found "Liu Tiankai" poyo, in the center of the front line poyo!
	  Toujirou:
	  "...That's Liu Tiankai from COU China. I guess that's Simon Wicksell from AOU Sweden next to him. Now there's a surprise. To think that such big names would be in the pro-cease-fire faction. You can bet that they'll have a rough time when they go back to their countries. And next to them are Minister Kidiaba from the ACR, Chairman Fahim from the ABN... That's quite a set. I'll definitely want to leave this shot behind for posterity."
	  As he said that, he dramatically changed the angle of the camera multiple times.
	  Eventually, he stepped behind Valentina -- apparently on purpose -- and about half of the finder was covered by her butt.
	  Jayden:
	  "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, what the hell are you thinking, Miyao's dad?! Why'd you make this video uncopyable?!"
	  Immediately after that, ...the explosion probably happened.
	  Flying blood and pieces of flesh stuck to every part of the conference hall, ...making for a horrible scene...
	  ...There were moans. Screams. Coughs.
	  A horrible...and terrifying scene lay before them...
	  As countless people lay sprawled or curled up on the floor, Toujirou slowly got to his feet and looked around him.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "*cough*, *cough*cough*...! HQ, an explosion has occurred inside the conference hall
	   *cough*cough* This is an emergency, *cough*"
	  Valentina:
	  "I don't believe it. ...To think that you'd be this unscathed."
	  Toujirou:
	  "It looks like your Rejection Shield protected me. Thanks."
	  Crowds of security guards and paramedics poured in.
	  Toujirou's range of vision calmly watched over this scene, as if it was something from a movie that had nothing to do with him...
	  Eventually, his gaze focused on the place where the directors had gathered for the group picture.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Aaah... That's...pretty rough......"
	  Miyao:
	  "......That's...horrible........."
	  Gunhild:
	  "We were right not to call Lingji here..."
	  Those who still kept their original shape were relatively lucky...
	  It was a mashed-up...hell...with organs scattered all over the place...
	  I'm searching for "Liu Tiankai", but I can't find him poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, ...I doubt a facial recognition tool...would be able to find him now..."
	  Jayden:
	  ".........Yeah........."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It looks like this is the end of the video."
	  The video has ended poyo. It's a video format that can't be replayed, so sorry about that poyo.
	  Jayden:
	  "...What...should we tell Lingji...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Just send her an email...saying that we don't know."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Miyao:
	  "The Masters of the Order of the Public Bath are here. Mind if I let them join the room?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Of course not. Let 'em in!"
	  "Stanisław" and "Rethabile" have entered the room poyo!
	  "Lingji" has entered the room poyo!
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao, thanks for investigating. The Foreign Affairs Department said they were still trying to confirm his safety, so I'll leave it in their hands."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I think that's for the best. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful."
	  Jayden:
	  "............"
	  Rethabile:
	  "What a disaster..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...In order to guide the world towards peace, LATO gathered together people it had specially chosen, ...and they were all wiped out."
	  Lingji:
	  "............"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Stan..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Sorry. I apologize for not choosing my words more carefully."
	  Lingji:
	  "Don't worry about it."
	  Lingji:
	  "It may have been an accident, or it may have been terrorism, ...but the one thing I do know...is that those who didn't want this global conflict to end are laughing right now..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "They should have been able to predict that something like this would happen! How did anyone slip through the tight security of LATO, the World Police...?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...According to Dad, ...umm, ...there were a lot of casualties among the directors as well."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Now that's strange."
	  Miyao:
	  "Why?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "As we also saw on the news, LATO mobilized even Gauntlet Knights as guards to protect those VIPs. While in that conference hall, they were probably surrounded by a wall of Gauntlet Knights defending them."
	  Rethabile:
	  "That's true. ...You might expect some casualties, but not `a lot', as Miyao's father described it."
	  Miyao's group thought back on the video they had just witnessed.
	  ...There certainly had been a considerable explosion. The only ones safe there were the Gauntlet Knights, as well as Toujirou and a few reporters who had been behind them.
	  Apparently, they had survived the sudden explosion because they were behind the Gauntlet Knights and protected by their shields, ...but no one had protected the directors.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Maybe someone got one of the directors to carry in the explosive material without knowing it."
	  Lingji:
	  "True, the directors had diplomatic immunity, so they were able to bring in objects that didn't require a check. ...But, even so..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "In the B3W era, even switches for nuclear missiles could be carried around in attaché cases, yes? This is the Selcom age. If they had such a thing, it could easily be a smart device the size of your fist or smaller."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "...No matter what kind of high-powered explosives you used, there's no way you'd be able to turn that many people into mincemeat with an object of that size!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "So maybe it was set up at the hall beforehand?!"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "That would mean LATO is the culprit! If I were them, I'd never try an assassination this flashy in a place where they'd naturally be suspected!"
	  No matter how this issue was resolved, ...LATO wouldn't be able to avoid losing a lot of trust, considering its failure to protect VIPs from around the world.
	  LATO was a producer of Rare Spiritium, so the other factions only ingratiated themselves to them on the surface, and quite a few politicians hated the way LATO acted like everyone's leaders.
	  ...For the sake of world stability as well, it wouldn't do for the compass known as LATO to lose the world's trust...
	  Stanisław:
	  "Looking at it from LATO's perspective, ...regardless of what actually happened here, they'll probably try to pass it off as an accident."
	  Gunhild:
	  "In fact, it seems that it really was an accident."
	  Lingji:
	  "How do you know that?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "One of my fellow band groupies just came out to me as a LATO police officer. He just sent me an email."
	  Jayden:
	  "Gunhild's connections really are crazy! So?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Just what kind of accident could've caused this?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "He says it was caused by the Dimension Container of one of the Gauntlet Knight guards going off accidentally."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "As to that video we just saw, I was also checking all the Gauntlet Knights that appeared in it."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "At the end, ...one of those Gauntlet Knights was no longer there. And I'm fairly certain that the missing one was at the center of the explosion."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "...Are you saying it was someone in the crowd of people protecting the VIPs...?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "That...would definitely......fit......"
	  The Dimension Container was a form of supertechnology that could store a Gauntlet's unlimited weaponry in an alternate dimension, from where it could be instantly retrieved.
	  Its use was made practical long before the principles behind it were understood, and it had famously caused several brutal accidents during experimentation.
	  I definitely don't get it, even though I've had it explained to me, ...but if you have even just a little miscalculation when interacting with alternate dimensions, it can have an effect similar to particle annihilation, which normally occurs on a microscopic level.
	  I have no idea what that means, but its explosive force can be quite terrifying. The worst recorded incident happened in a LATO Peru Level 4 Heavy Military Research Center, where several hundred people were killed or injured...
	  Today, through technological advancement, awareness, and careful adjustment for each individual Gauntlet Knight, such accidents are nearly always avoidable.
	  However, that's only when the adjustments are performed perfectly. Trainees, who are still in the early days of their adjustments and compatibility with their machines, can sometimes cause explosion accidents even these days.
	  Lingji:
	  "Does that really make any sense?! You almost never get explosion accidents these days! And since LATO's Gauntlet technology is more advanced, it's supposed to be overwhelmingly more rare over there!"
	  Miyao:
	  "On top of that, ...I have a hard time believing that any of the Gauntlet Knights they used to guard VIPs were mere trainees."
	  Gunhild:
	  "However, that doesn't mean it was absolutely impossible."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Was it a coincidental accident? Or a plot designed to look like an accident?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "...If so, then it's highly likely that someone tampered with the Gauntlet Knight who was used as a bomb."
	  Miyao:
	  "But that means at least one of the people who set this up has to be from LATO!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Miyao, isn't the Order of the Public Bath searching for an international mastermind, who's been stirring up global conflicts behind the scenes? ...I doubt it would be impossible for such a capable mastermind to tamper with LATO's Gauntlets."
	  Jayden:
	  "The assholes...! Damn, that pisses me off...!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I agree. ...If they'd just snuck a bomb in there somewhere, then I might just barely be able to understand it. But to make a bomb...out of a Gauntlet used by one of our fellow guardians of the Walls of Peace...?!"
	  To Gauntlet Knights, the Gauntlet was more than just important. It was sacred.
	  You could only use one at will after long training, after improving the compatibility between your brain and the Gauntlet.
	  You would raise it into a Gauntlet that could be controlled by no one but you in the entire world, and success was only achieved when it felt like part of your body.
	  Your Gauntlet was your silent partner.
	  To not only heartlessly tamper with something like that, but to also use a guardian of the Walls of Peace as a bomb...
	  From the perspective of a proud Gauntlet Knight, ...this was unforgivable.
	  Lingji:
	  "...Just now, I received an email from my family. ...Apparently, they were told that a part of Grandfather's body was identified..."
	  Lingji:
	  "......Grandpa........."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Let us pray for all those who perished after gathering there for the sake of peace, despite knowing that they were putting their lives at risk..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Dammit...!! It isn't just the people who died in the explosion today...! There's also our comrades who defended the Walls of Peace even in death, so that this day would come to pass!! As well as all the people who got caught up in that...!! This day was only possible because of all those sacrifices!!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "...I prefer to believe that no death is meaningless."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's not quite right. It isn't death itself that has meaning! What determines whether their deaths really mean something...is what the rest of us do with the baton they've passed us!"
	  Jayden:
	  "That's exactly right! If we just give up and cry, then they really will have died in vain!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I hate to say it, ...but today, the people who might have guided the world towards peace, ...who might have known the identity of our true enemy who's stirring up world war,  ...have all...been killed."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm sure the people behind this will immediately break this global truce and try to resume the fighting. ...And I'm sure...the world will dance to their tune."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...What are you thinking of doing?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Miyao, I understand how you feel, and I hate this too, ...but there is nothing we can do."
	  Stanisław:
	  "But at this rate, all those noble sacrifices will have died in vain. ...What on earth do you think we should do, Grand Master...?""
	  Miyao:
	  "Right now, ...all we can do is continue unfalteringly in our missions as guardians of the Walls of Peace."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hahah... Well, ...in the end, I guess that's right."
	  Miyao:
	  "However. I still have faith in the people of this world. ...Or rather, how can a guardian of the Walls of Peace not have faith in people around the world?"
	  Lingji:
	  "...Supporting the Walls of Peace until the people cry out for peace is our job. ...Because we have faith in the world's people, ...we can withstand that heavy weight."
	  Lingji:
	  "If we give up here, ...Grandfather really will have died in vain."
	  Jayden:
	  "To make sure that doesn't happen, we need to always keep our blades sharp and at the ready. ...At least until we can find this world's enemy and gut them!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "The deaths of brave people can be a source of terror or depression. ...However, they can also be a source of revelation, showing us that we might be the next ones charged with showing the path towards justice."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Those martyrs for justice surely weren't the only ones who knew the truth of this world. ...There are some who LATO sounded out as potential provisional directors, ...but who were overcome with cowardice and refused."
	  Gunhild:
	  "......So, hope hasn't been lost yet...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "If they would only rise up with courage, ...we'd be able to lend them as much of our strength as they needed..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, this attack only just happened. If someone was too cowardly to attend in the first place, I doubt they'd rise up now."
	  Stanisław:
	  "After all, LATO's list of provisional director candidates is now no different from a kill list, in the eyes of the masterminds who started these global conflicts."
	  Miyao:
	  "......I want...to help somehow..."
	  Lingji:
	  "If only Grandfather were still alive, I'm sure he'd show us whom we must fight..."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "Come to think of it, Rethabile! Didn't you say there was someone in the ACR Royal Family who was selected to be a provisional director, but refused?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Yes, ...one of my brothers, Cyril Negentien Africacommonwealthrealm."
	  I've found a search result poyo!
	  Cyril Negentien Africacommonwealthrealm (prince)
	  Bio: A prince of the Royal Family, born in ACR South Africa. He's the 19th in line to the throne, and an Honorary Director of the Royal South African Spiritium Research Corporation. He is well known even outside his country for being a passionate philanthropist.
	  On December 6, he made statements on social media that caused an uproar, as they were seen as being critical of maintaining a healthy military balance. He was stamped with the label of one who has abandoned their duties towards peace, and he ended up apologizing on social media. Ever since then, his activity on social media has apparently ceased.
	  Jayden:
	  "...Yeah, he sounds like the kind of guy who wouldn't be popular with those pushing for war."
	  Rethabile:
	  "He's a pathetic big brother. Once you've said something, you ought to have confidence in yourself and defend it openly. It's deplorable that an actual prince would bend so easily and apologize."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, according to Keropoyo, this South African Spiritium Research Corporation is gigantic. If he's an Honorary Director there, doesn't that mean he's got quite a bit of political power?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's a massive corporation that supplies the southern half of the African continent with Spiritium. The amount of money and connections they have access to must be off the charts."
	  Lingji:
	  "Despite his little sister's low opinion of him, he sounds like he must have quite a lot of influence in the ACR."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Well, it seems he is able to carry out his job and Royal Family orders, though just barely."
	  Miyao:
	  "Would it be possible for us to talk to this Prince Cyril?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Ever since earlier, when I promised you that I would look for potential contacts, I've been trying to get in touch with him."
	  Rethabile:
	  "The other day, I finally got an email in response. I then told him I wanted to meet him and speak with him, and I'm currently waiting for a reply."
	  Rethabile:
	  "He's always had a cowardly personality. I expect fear will get the better of him, and he'll refuse to cooperate..."
	  Miyao:
	  "It's not like we want him to do anything for us! We just want his advice. Where can we use our power as Gauntlet Knights to serve the cause of peace?! ...We won't ask for anything more, and I'm fine taking full responsibility for whatever happens next. We'll keep his secret, and if there's anything we can do for him in return, we want to do it!"
	  Lingji:
	  "I-I feel the same way Miyao does! If there's a way we can contribute beyond simply supporting the Walls of Peace, I would not hesitate to help!"
	  Jayden:
	  "And the Warcats are always on your side, Miyao. We'll ignore Okonogi's orders whenever you like."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I agree with the sentiment, but I think you're getting a bit too fired up."
	  Stanisław:
	  "That's right. Gauntlets aren't our personal property. We mustn't forget that they're managed by our countries, and only lent out to us. Without our countries' assistance, we wouldn't be able to perform maintenance or resupply our weaponry."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Heheheh. Still, I understand the enthusiasm that Miyao...or rather, the Grand Master of the Order of the Public Bath has shown. For the sake of that enthusiasm, I will continue to do all I can."
	  Rethabile:
	  "But, in all seriousness, do not expect too much. You may be hoping to receive information on the evil mastermind's secret base, so that Gauntlet Knights from around the world can join forces and achieve a sweeping victory, with the Order saving all of humanity! ...Or something of the sort. However, issues in actual society are never that easily solved."
	  Rethabile:
	  "If you find the problem is poverty, whom will you fight? If society itself is at fault, at whom will you fire your missiles? Military force may be the strongest of humanity's powers, but that doesn't make it an omnipotent trump card that can solve every issue. ...Do not forget that."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm not that much of a dreamer. ...Well, not quite that much of one."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Grand Master Miyao, make sure that you do not forget one thing: in the end,
	   we are game pieces."
	  Rethabile:
	  "We have been placed on the board by those playing chess, with peace as their victory condition, and though we may be extremely powerful, ...we are still pieces, unable to do anything but move according to the rules of chess."
	  Rethabile:
	  "It's true that, even as individuals, we can make use of military might that far surpasses the common sense of all that came before. ...Sometimes, we may even be struck by a feeling that we're so omnipotent, we can change the fate of the world as we please. I will not deny that this much is a fact. ...Such a sense of pride and invincibility is the privilege and motivational force of the young."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Gauntlets are not personal property. We joined this Order because we agreed to stick to the sense of justice shared by all our comrades who support the Walls of Peace, even while carrying out our military duties."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I understand your determination, ...but as a soldier serving under the ABN Peace Department, if you're asking me to completely ignore my duties there to fight only for the philosophy of the Order of the Public Bath, ...I'm afraid I'll have no choice but to refuse."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I......get that much......"
	  Stanisław:
	  "I'm a bit worried that you don't. So, allow me to clearly state that-"
	  Lingji:
	  "However!!"
	  Lingji, who had seemed to be quietly listening in on the conversation, suddenly rose to her feet.
	  Her face...had large tears trickling down it...and the fierce emotions she had been holding back were now clearly visible...
	  Lingji:
	  "The Walls of Peace exist for the sake of protecting world peace, and it's the military's duty to support them, right?! Of course, I have love and loyalty for my country."
	  Lingji:
	  "However! When the time comes for me to take the path of justice for the sake of world peace, just like Grandfather did, I want to fight for that cause, even if it means taking a different path from the military and acting all on my own, just like Grandfather did! If I don't carry on his will, he will have died for nothing...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Calm down, Lingji. You should avoid carelessly saying such things to your comrades in the COU."
	  Lingji:
	  "Nothing I'm saying is wrong!! Why should any of them have to look at me with accusing eyes?! We're all knights of the Order of the Public Bath, aren't we?! Why should we have to balance world peace with the goals of the military, which cares for nothing but their own national interests?!!"
	  ...Maybe Lingji was being overcome with sadness at the death of her beloved grandfather.
	  With tears in her eyes, she argued against Stanisław, saying that it was shameful that he lacked the resolve to abandon his country for the sake of fighting enemies of peace.
	  If this had been Naima, he probably would have given her a sedative right away, but he couldn't do that to Lingji.
	  Stanisław seemed to quickly conclude that it would be unproductive to argue back against her, and he tried to change the subject somehow.
	  Rethabile shrugged. ...She had predicted this explosion of emotion well beforehand, and had taken the precaution of saying that she didn't know if she'd be able to help.
	  Rethabile:
	  "As the Japanese would say, `do not become a tengu' and let pride overwhelm you. I believe `leave the mochi-making to the mochi-makers' was another of their proverbs."
	  Jayden:
	  "Are you saying that we guardians of peace should just stay quiet and stick to being guardians...?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I too am a Gauntlet Knight, so I know. When you fly freely through the gaps between the clouds, an order to return given from the surface can seem like such a pointless waste of time."
	  You want to keep flying, off into the endless distance.
	  You see the beautiful gradations of the evening sun's light from red to blue. You feel that if you could just fly beyond that horizon, ...you might find a free land that's all your own, where you can be released from all troublesome matters...
	  If someone forgot to respond to an order to return in such a state, it wouldn't be the first or the second time such a thing had happened...
	  Miyao:
	  "...For me too, ...my strongest motive for becoming a Gauntlet Knight and the thing I like about it most...is being able to fly through the sky at will."
	  Jayden:
	  ".........And if you disobey your country, those wings will be torn off."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If there ever comes an age when you can get a Gauntlet like a bicycle and use it without needing anyone's permission, that would be wonderful. But, it's unlikely that will be possible any time during the next century."
	  Lingji:
	  "Then Grandfather... Grandfather's...death had no meaning? Are you saying he took the wings given to him by his country, flew about as he pleased without understanding his place, and plummeted to his doom?! Just what are these things on our left arms?
	   They're nothing
	   They're just like Icarus' wings!!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Grand Master, perhaps we should call it a day. I believe now is the time to save our strength, so that when it truly is time for us to fight, we will be ready."
	  Rethabile:
	  "We haven't made any real progress, unless my unreliable brother responds. Maintaining a proper balance of cranial secretions is an important part of a Gauntlet Knight's self-maintenance."
	  Miyao:
	  "...You're right. Let's call it a day here."
	  Miyao:
	  "Rethabile, ...I'm sorry I got all excited all on my own."
	  Lingji:
	  "You're sorry...?! Why should you be sorry?! Please don't apologize for something like that!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Aaaah, calm down, calm down...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Keropoyo."
	  By the authority of "Secretary Keropoyo", everyone in the room will now be forcibly ejected poyo!!
	  Now then, everyone, let's all cool our heads and meet again poyo
	   *keeeero*kero*kero*kero*!!
	  ...Even though such a terrible thing had occurred...
	  The explosion accident at the IPMA Headquarters was treated as a minor news item that night, ...and by the next day, the news had completely forgotten about it.
	  Then, as if nothing had happened, ...all the news started focusing on hateful topics that spurred on wars.
	  Even though a large number of VIPs had gathered from all over the world for the sake of world peace, prioritizing it over their own national interests, ...it had ended as a failure, a sad accident. Or rather, a violent incident.
	  And yet, public opinion was returning to a warlike fever, as though these events had never taken place.
	  Watching this, it was hard to tell if the world had gone insane, or if I had.
	  And, ...this led me to a single answer inside my heart.
	  However, I had no intention of saying it out loud and letting people know about it. ...They would probably just view it as a dangerous idea, after all.
	  It makes me think. Do I only understand how precious peace is...because I'm supporting the Walls of Peace, always prepared for war?
	  There are people who gobble up peace, have their fill of it, and yawn out of boredom, with tears in their eyes.
	  ...Those are the people irresponsibly spurring on war.
	  Does this mean that, unless people touch the cross section of war that is the front lines, they can never know the value of peace...?
	  In that case...
	  ...What if the entire world became the front lines...?
	  It wouldn't necessarily have to be as part of a war. It could be anything that stood in opposition to peace. An accident or a natural disaster or a riot would do. As long as it puts them on the front lines of a situation that's the complete opposite of how it is now, so that they start wanting peace.
	  Apparently, there's a term called `disaster utopia'.
	  It suggests that when peace is lost, the good in people makes them work together to try and regain it.
	  Even people who quarreled during peacetime will join hands and try to regain peace together.
	  ...If that's what makes humans beautiful...
	  Then maybe peace...is worth less than that beauty.
	  Once the restoration is complete, the people who once held hands will go their separate ways, living however they please once again.
	  Once again, they will quarrel and irresponsibly resort to war to resolve those disputes...
	  Peace is a poison.
	  Peace makes people irresponsible, turning them towards war as a miracle drug that can solve all their problems.
	  And when they actually lay their hands on war, they immediately cool their heads and clear their minds, ...remembering the value of peace and holding hands once again to regain it...
	  It's not that peace is wonderful.
	  What's wonderful is when all of humanity holds hands and seeks peace.
	  All of their souls shine, ...and though it may be rough for them, I'm sure they'll live fulfilling lives.
	  ...I'm no politician, and I'm not a religious figure.
	  However, ...I have power in this left arm of mine.
	  The power to make the whole world remember the value of peace...and form a utopia where everyone holds hands...
	  Just with the power of a Gauntlet Knight, ...I can teach all of humanity...the true value of peace.........
	  Miyao:
	  "Aaaah...!
	  langen@/
	   ...*pant*, *pant*, *pant*... .........Haaah..."
	  When it became unbearable, I finally opened my eyes.
	  My whole body was covered with sweat.
	  ...I probably had a bad dream. ...Even though I know I remembered it clearly a second ago, that memory fell away like sand through my fingers...
	  Miyao:
	  ".........Well, ...I've got a pretty good idea of what kind of dream it was..."
	  In the corner of my mental display, the titles of several news reports were lit up.
	  The headlines alone were enough to irritate me.
	  ...Apparently, the more impatient countries had quickly abandoned the truce, and corps of attack drones were now pressing towards the front lines once again.
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "......If you want a war, ...why don't you just fight one yourselves?"
	  Because they're fighting with attack drones, it probably makes war feel like a game to them.
	  ...At the start of the A3W era, the idea of maintaining a healthy military balance led to universal conscription being imposed across the entire world, in the name of letting everyone experience what it felt like to support the Walls of Peace.
	  However, since the post-war restoration was the world's highest priority, people pushed back against this, saying that universal conscription would cause major delays, and the plan was abandoned.
	  Are humans really flawed creatures after all?
	  Do they have to experience the fires of war every now and then to learn the value of peace?
	  In the end, they're just animals.
	  Animals wearing clothes, who have no reasons for their actions besides hunger and a desire to reproduce.
	  Because we have intelligence, we brag about how we're superior to other animals...
	  But, in the end, we only use that intelligence to work out plausible excuses for our animal desires.
	  #c8ca88If a true evil does exist behind the wars occurring throughout the world, ...perhaps it is a flaw in the creatures known as humans, which makes them periodically desire war.
	  It was a line from an email Dad had once sent me.
	  Miyao:
	  "Rethabile and the others told me to shed any naive ideas I had about finding a convenient villain that we could all beat down together, bringing peace to the world. But..."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "...They're right. Thinking that people around the world are all good, ...and that only a small set of masterminds are evil..."
	  ...That's just naive.
	  The world isn't bringing about the tragedy called war because of a small group of masterminds.
	  Miyao:
	  "...It's a flaw...that the animals called humans are born with..."
	  How do you like the environmental BGM you're listening to, the "Sweet Dreams BGM Series: Nighttime Chorus" poyo?! If you like this selection, please rate it for me poyo! Would you like to select "Rate" or "Never play this again"?
	  Miyao:
	  "`Never play this again'. ...Keropoyo, that's enough background sounds, so please turn on the World News Channel."
	  Whoa, thanks for the super demotivational rating poyo! Next time you're curled up to sleep, I'll play the "Revenge BGM Series: Terror of the Crawling Frogs" poyo!! *kerori* Now displaying the World News Channel poyo!
	  News:
	  "We'll never forgive enemies who launch missiles at our children! Our pain won't ease until we've launched missiles back at theirs!"
	  News:
	  "After the failure of the truce caused by LATO's intervention, military-related stocks have made an amazing comeback! We keep hearing cries of joy from day traders who brilliantly foresaw this and became millionaires!"
	  News:
	  "Simon Wicksell has been hit with yet another scandal! Once again, the way he used peace as a tool for his businesses, in sharp contrast to how people viewed him when he was alive, has been brought into the fore. Listen to the voices of the common man that we heard on the streets!"
	  Voice of the City Folk:
	  "Well, I did believe in the kind of peace Wicksell talked about. I never wanted to learn he was such a scoundrel. I guess it's even more obvious now that people who keep talking about peace are never up to anything good!"
	  The same sort of news was probably flowing through the COU too.
	  Some of that...would surely be slanderous towards Liu Tiankai as well.
	  After all, to those who wanted to stir up war, people who put their lives on the line to call for world peace were just in the way.
	  When I think about how hurt Lingji must feel right now, ...I can feel an even more unpleasant sweat cover my whole body...
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "The shelling has resumed. Fighting over national borders has ended the truce."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "Is this an aerial battle between drones over the Mediterranean Sea? Video included."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "We've announced that we'll resume our attacks on agricultural plants. The ABN has announced that they'll resist to the bitter end."
	  ^
	  Breaking News: "A possible cruise missile attack? The global conflict has resumed."
	  We're back to a global conflict.
	  A "global conflict"? Isn't that just wordplay by people who don't want to admit it's World War IV?
	  At first, I thought the world had been driven towards war because of some masterminds hoping to earn a profit.
	  But, even if they're the ones starting it, ...everyone who keeps dancing to their tune without any doubts is the same. It's just a matter of degree.
	  While the Walls of Peace are being protected for them, they comfortably stir up public opinion like it's a game, hoping for war partly out of boredom.
	  Those short-tempered people, who lack even the patience to try and talk this all out, immediately start demanding that the issue be resolved with military force.
	  Meanwhile, it doesn't take much for the politicians to play to that crowd, desiring only the position of representing their voices.
	  Well, of course that's happening...!
	  War has changed completely since ancient times!
	  Once, when war broke out, you'd be drafted, or your hometown would become a battleground, and you'd have one problem after another.
	  But now, because of the buffer zones between national boundaries known as the Walls of Peace, the militaries are just picking fights with each other using drones.
	  No matter how irresponsibly you push for war, it won't hurt or inconvenience you at all!
	  And when casualties do occur, even though you don't personally know those people, you bravely say that it's time to take revenge, treating wartime like it's a publicity stunt!
	  Commentator:
	  "The debt previous administrations built up by putting off the various issues surrounding national borders...is coming due. I believe we should resolve these issues clearly, here and now, so that they aren't left to our children's generation as well."
	  Commentator:
	  "If we want to leave this beautiful Glass Sea behind for our children, then we must make the Central Glass Sea of Japan a true sea of peace during our generation. I look forward to the AOU Japanese military's continued efforts."
	  Enough with that cheap talk.
	  Are you that unable to remember the value of peace, unless you're holding up the Walls of Peace with your own hands?
	  In that case, ...learn the sacredness of peace for the first time...as the Walls of Peace press down on you, crushing you as you try to support them...
	  How do you like the environmental BGM you're listening to, the "High Spirits BGM Series: Southern Resort" poyo?! If you like this selection, please rate it for me poyo! Would you like to select "Rate" or "Never play this again"?
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, Keropoyo. Do a search for how I can delete you."
	  I don't wanna,
	   *keeeero*kero*kero*!
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks, Keropoyo."
	  If you're willing to thank me in cash, I'll accept it poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no way I'll do it. I'll let you stay as you are until my Selcom breaks."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wait, ...that...was a massive earthquake, right...?! Didn't I bet on AOU Japan in the earthquake lottery...?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Keropoyo, get me breaking news on earthquakes."
	  *kero*kero*...... *kero*kero*......
	  Your connection is currently unstable poyo... Pleas...*kero*kero*...wait a mome...*kero*kero*...
	  Miyao:
	  "...That can't be good. ...Is everything okay...?!"
	  
	  It was an ominous, mysterious underground research center...
	  Inside a massive, dome-shaped lab room, about a dozen scientists in lab coats applauded, without a single one of their coworkers abstaining.
	  Vier:
	  "Congratulations, Comrade Mario. I offer you my heartfelt congratulations on the completion of your research project of many years."
	  Mario:
	  "I thank you for your gracious applause, ladies and gentlemen!! Indeed, I too am truly glad this day has come to pass!!"
	  Their comrade named Mario, who was being applauded, was a fat, elderly scientist.
	  Though he was supposedly old, just his eyes had a odd youth to them, and that fact alone gave him a bizarre aura...
	  However, the people applauding him also gave off a similar feeling.
	  Some cackled and leapt about, clapping like excited elementary-schoolers.
	  Some looked vaguely off in the wrong direction, emotionless and precise in their clapping.
	  Though they were all at an age where they should have learned common sense, they were all clearly abnormal...
	  ...However, Vier viewed it differently.
	  To her, this was their true nature.
	  Only people in the everyday world needed to pretend to be normal, always thinking about public appearances and how other people saw them.
	  This was a shrine of pure intellectual curiosity. ...She felt that this purity was the true nature of those who lived here.
	  As she thought about this, and about how her own purity still had a long way to go, Vier giggled and continued to clap.
	  The only ones who didn't clap...were those strangely-attired girls who stood at attention and watched over the scene from afar...
	  The research completed by Comrade Mario...was a massive machine connected to several gigantic pipes.
	  It rumbled fiercely like a powerful engine, occasionally changing its rhythm.
	  Every time it did, Spiritium steam spurted from various parts of the machine, ...perfectly fitting the image of a mad scientist's bizarre invention.
	  It's got mysterious sparks, mysterious steam, and mysterious mechanical sounds. Just perfect, wouldn't have it any other way.
	  At that moment, the machine rumbled loudly again and shook. ...Here it comes again.
	  A few heartbeats later, the room rolled and shook. It was a massive earthquake.
	  Bits of dust fell from the ceiling, and the countless massive pipes creaked.
	  Every time this bizarre machine rumbled, it also seemed to shake the earth's crust.
	  Vier:
	  "Comrade Mario, isn't it about time you told us? Just what is it that this machine of yours can do?"
	  Mario:
	  "I see! How careless of me, not to realize that there are some still ignorant of this machine's greatness! Very well!! Allow me to explain it to you all once more!!"
	  Mario:
	  "What I have completed is a machine with the power to restore!"
	  Vier:
	  "...Restore? Restore what?"
	  Mario:
	  "Why, dignity, of course!"
	  Vier:
	  "...Whose dignity? What sort of dignity?"
	  Mario:
	  "Mine!! And...!!"
	  Mario:
	  "It is also a machine to restore the dignity of this planet!!"
	  Hearing this, several people cackled and applauded once again, but it was doubtful whether they understood what he meant. ...Or perhaps they understood it perfectly, and were cackling because they were three steps ahead of him.
	  Mario:
	  "This planet...has already gone mad!! All the laws of nature have been bent, and humanity now believes that this twisted world is the standard by which all things should be measured!!"
	  Vier:
	  "......That's true enough."
	  Once, if you left a baby in a car in a parking lot on a summer day, it would get so hot that you could end up with roast baby, even if you left the air conditioning on.
	  When record cold temperatures were reached in winter, the drastic temperature difference between inside and outside could put strain on one's blood pressure and heart. When this led to the deaths of elderly people, it was accepted as them reaching the ends of their natural lifespans.
	  Those are merely a few examples, but they were commonly understood weather patterns in B3W Japanese cities.
	  When it's hot, you get through it by wearing lighter clothing, turning on the air conditioning, and drinking enough water. When it's cold, you get through it by wearing more and turning on the heater.
	  It was common sense to change your lifestyle slightly to fit the four seasons.
	  If you stopped caring about such things, it would naturally be harmful to your health. ...Common sense told people that as well.
	  Mario:
	  "However!! If you spoke of such `common sense' now, you would be treated like a madman! The four seasons don't currently exist on this planet! Or rather, the term `four seasons' doesn't even exist!! If someone does know it, they only do so through poems or classical literature!!"
	  Vier:
	  "............Heheh."
	  The phrase `the four seasons' does have a ring of elegance to it, calling to mind images of enjoying the changes to the weather throughout the year.
	  ...However, that was only because ancient people had no way of countering natural phenomena, so they forced themselves to think of it as something elegant, as they attempted to somehow accept the blistering heat and freezing cold.
	  Never has there been a person who would've been uncomfortable in gentle spring weather throughout the year.
	  However, on the A3W globe, the concept of the four seasons was almost nonexistent.
	  The only exceptions were the plant and animal production plants that needed the four seasons to grow their crops, and there, heat and cold were reproduced artificially.
	  To humans, the four seasons only existed in cultural nuances.
	  For example, when Santa Claus comes during Christmas, he traditionally wears heavy red and white clothing.
	  So, people imagine that Christmas must be cold.
	  However, only in fairy tales did old people cross fields of snow in sleighs while wearing cold weather clothing. In reality, the sort of winter that would require cold weather clothing didn't exist.
	  True, there was a temperature difference between the A3W summer and winter.
	  So, young people did sense that the summer was hot and winter cold, and they would describe them like that.
	  However, the average summer temperature in cities across the A3W globe was always around 25°C.
	  Similarly, the average winter temperature was around 15°C. ...This was the same for nearly all cities around the world.
	  Whether it was Moscow or Cairo, London or Rio de Janeiro, ...it was basically the same.
	  Of course, there were some small changes. There was a difference between countries near the equator and countries near the poles, but it wasn't that much.
	  When travelling in the A3W world, you never had to pack your bag with clothing to match the climate of your destination. ...Nearly all cities could be lived in wearing your normal clothes, regardless of the season...
	  Mario:
	  "I believe...that this is a defilement of the planet brought about by humanity!!"
	  8MS was released as an emergency measure, for the sole purpose of combating extinction from the nuclear winter brought about by World War III! You'd think humanity would be grateful for just that, but it wasn't enough!! Instead, they kept on creating new forms of 8MS, continually modifying this planet's global environment to suit humanity's whims!!
	  Look at the world that resulted from that! When I learned the truth about this twisted natural environment, this twisted planet, this disgustingly transformed world, and when I touched God's wisdom, I knew that I had been given a sacred duty to restore the Earth's dignity!!!
	  Mario:
	  "Any questions so far?! ...Ah, you again, Comrade Dreissig?! Very well, let's have it!"
	  Vier:
	  "In other words, ...Comrade Mario, you want to return the Earth to its original form? In that case, wouldn't it be enough to modify the 8MS that already covers the planet?"
	  Vier:
	  "To restore the B3W world's weather, you would just have to give freezing winters back to Siberia and blazing, dry weather back to the Sahara Desert. ...Heheheh, if you only wish to return an arrogant humanity back to its proper natural environment, ...well, pardon me, but do you really need to invent anything?"
	  Mario:
	  "Dreissig, what I want to restore isn't the climate of the past. It's this planet's dignity."
	  Vier:
	  "What do you mean by dignity?"
	  Mario:
	  "I mean the right to control one's own fate!"
	  Vier:
	  "......I see......"
	  Is that what he means...by returning dignity to a planet that has lost the freedom to die?
	  ...Now, I fully understand what he's trying to say and trying to do.
	  I see. So, even after falling into the gap between this world and the next, becoming something that might not properly be called a human, ...he still wanted to do this?
	  ...Heheheh. I see. In that case, congratulations, Mario.
	  You too might be able to journey from this place, finally becoming ash and regaining your dignity...
	  The machine rumbled even more, as though getting excited.
	  Fierce sparks flickered around it, lighting up the billowing steam. The roar that made it seem like it might explode at any moment instantly lessened, and the next second...
	  There was a massive tremor -- an earthquake -- big enough that it lifted everyone off the ground.
	  Everyone except the girls standing at the back fell to the floor, with some of them laughing in ecstasy like little kids.
	  This massive final jolt...apparently meant that this machine had achieved its purpose.
	  As it spat out a burnt-smelling smoke, its movement slowly ceased.
	  Mario:
	  "It's complete! I've restored it!! This world's dignity, I've restored this world's dignity!!! I did it, I did it, all right, yay!! Yeah, yeah, I did it!! Waaahahahahahahahahahaaahhaahahahah...!!!"
	  Vier:
	  "Once again, congratulations, Comrade Mario."
	  Vier:
	  "What are you going to research going forward?"
	  Mario:
	  "My mission, my task, my duty has now been totally and utterly completed, all done, finished, the end!! Now, it's time for me to regain my dignity as well!! Now, everyone, stand back!!!"
	  Out of a pocket of his lab coat, ...Mario pulled a small revolver.
	  The girls in the back instantly equipped their Gauntlets and summoned massive weapons, pointing them at that gun's barrel.
	  Mario:
	  "Thank you all for coming here today, ladies and gentlemen!! From the next world, I'll eagerly watch over the magnificent successes of your research!! Wahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!"
	  As soon as he said that, he cocked the hammer of the gun that was pressed up against his temple.
	  With an ear-splitting bang, there was a splash of red blood and little bits of flesh.
	  Mario's right hand, which had been holding the gun, had vanished. Blood gushed from the open wound.
	  There was a faint, white smoke drifting from one of the guns held by the Gauntlet girls...
	  Mario:
	  "...Heheheheheh. It seems you won't let me die that easily after all! However, everyone, I won't abandon my dignity so quickly!! Comrade David!! Allow me to borrow your translation!!"
	  What he took out of his pocket...was Wisdom 18721205, a triakis icosahedron that let off a golden glint.
	  The Gauntlet girls aimed at that too, but they couldn't pull the trigger.
	  Mario:
	  "Heheheh!! Surely, you cannot shoot at Wisdom!! And with that, so long, and let my dignified death arrive...!!!"
	  He held it up high, ...and the next instant, a glaring golden sparkle swallowed his entire body.
	  A sound so high-pitched that it exceeded the audible range...caused a sort of unpleasant tingling itch in their ears.
	  Once that faded and they opened their eyes, ...Mario's form -- which had been standing victorious, his arm raising the Wisdom to the heavens -- had transformed into pitch-black soot.
	  Just two or three seconds later, it crumbled, became smoke, and vanished completely.
	  On top of a pile of soot, only the golden Wisdom he had held remained, still letting off a faint golden light......
	  Vier:
	  "......So, you considered cleaning up after yourself to be a virtue."
	  And I thought such a concept was completely alien to this place.
	  Vier:
	  "What a wonderful way to die, Mario..."
	  ...In that case, perhaps I had better start preparing for my death as well.
	  After all, I've already more than satisfied my intellectual curiosity here...
	  ...Even so.
	  My apologies to Mario, ...but there's no way he could have completed this machine.
	  He couldn't fit in the missing links, so it had been like praying and rolling dice every single day, hoping that all hundred million of them would come up sixes.
	  ...So, how did he suddenly...complete it?
	  Vier:
	  ".................."
	  ...Does this mean...that Mario isn't the only one who wanted this completed?
	  ..................
	  Apparently, that modern earthquake just now...wasn't the normal kind that happened once or twice a month.
	  Normal modern earthquakes take place in several locations across the globe and are almost completely random.
	  However...
	  The earthquake just now was observed not only in several places, but nearly everywhere around the world.
	  When participating in the earthquake lottery, maliciously-minded people would sometimes say `the Earth is a pile of crap, screw everything', and then bet on the miniscule chance of all cities around the globe being struck simultaneously.
	  Right now, they must be dancing around naked, saying `long live the Earth, sorry I called you a pile of crap!'
	  However, because of this fact, there would probably be a lot of winners this time. Their own shares would get a lot smaller...
	  Most likely, if you told the people of this world that an earthquake would strike the whole planet, this would be an almost complete record of their thoughts on the matter.
	  With A3W supertechnology, buildings could be made earthquake-resistant in various ways, and with Anti-Earthquake 8MS on top of that, the earthquake's energy could be almost completely nullified.
	  As for tsunamis, the Anti-Tsunami 8MS that filled the oceans stopped them from happening at all.
	  Even liquefaction, fissures, and landslides were all concepts limited to B3W classical literature.
	  According to ancient Japanese religious beliefs, 8 million kami dwelt in all things. And the 8MS, the Eight Million System, was the nano super-tech that was named after these gods.
	  These days, it filled every part of the globe, providing humanity with endless bounty.
	  In other words, A3W humanity had achieved victory over natural disasters.
	  So, ...even after hearing that the whole world had been struck with a modern earthquake, everyone's take on the matter was pretty much `Oh, really?'
	  And, ...even when the news told them that `Oh, really' might not cut it this time, ...their only response was `Oh, really?'
	  Government Official:
	  "So, for some time going forward, there's reason to fear the outbreak of large earthquakes that our earthquake-proofing systems won't be able to fully recover from. We ask our citizens to take some time to learn the proper ways of dealing with earthquakes, and to take steps to protect themselves if an earthquake does in fact occur."
	  Reporter:
	  "What specifically should they be looking out for?"
	  Government Official:
	  "When the shaking is strong, it's possible for objects to fall, so I would recommend taking shelter in a place where you can protect your head until the shaking stops. If you're indoors, you might go under a desk..."
	  Reporter:
	  "Go under a desk? So if an earthquake happens while you're having dinner... Haha, are grown adults supposed to lift up the tablecloth and hide like children playing hide-and-seek?"
	  Government Official:
	  "We've made a translated manual from the earthquake-prone country of Japan available for viewing. It's from the B3W era, when they didn't have Anti-Earthquake 8MS. You can view the details here. After the shaking subsides, you should put out any fires, shut off the breaker..."
	  Reporters:
	  """*mutter*mutter*mutter*......"""
	  Commentator:
	  "These days, when we think of earthquakes, all that comes to mind is whether we've won or lost the lottery. But, in their natural form, they are quite terrifying. Even in our AOU Japan, the Touhoku Earthquake that occurred in the B3W era caused catastrophic damage and nearly 20,000 casualties. By the way, one out of seven of the modern earthquakes we mostly ignore are on the same scale as the Touhoku Earthquake."
	  Announcer:
	  "And despite that, they still cause no damage whatsoever because of the Anti-Earthquake 8MS?"
	  Commentator:
	  "Correct. Normally, earthquakes on such a scale are terrifying. During that interview just now, one of the reporters laughed when he was told that you should hide under a desk during an earthquake. After hearing such an utter lack of concern, I'm afraid I'm forced to laugh as well."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Hey, Miyao! Are you watching the news?!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "I am. ...Was that earthquake just now really something serious?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "That earthquake apparently happened simultaneously all over the world! And from what I've heard, its energy was incredibly huge, and nearly all the Anti-Earthquake 8MS was destroyed...!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Whoa, whoa, don't just casually say stuff that's that terrifying. According to the news I'm watching now, one out of seven modern earthquakes is in the same class as one that caused 20,000 casualties."
	  To a person of this era, ...modern earthquakes were just a thing that happened once or twice per month.
	  If one out of seven of those would be a massive disaster, and if the Anti-Earthquake 8MS really had broken down, ...then even if you simplified the math, you'd still be looking at one or two disasters per year that could destroy a city.
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Isn't that...seriously bad news...?!"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Apparently, the repair work on the Anti-Earthquake 8MS will take at least a few days. If an earthquake happens during that time, it'll be hell. Still, statistically speaking, it'll probably be fine."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "The Earth...has gotten angry."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Probably. Maybe the Earth finally ran out of patience with the humans who keep irresponsibly fighting wars. Well, I just hope the next one strikes while we're in the skies!"
	  Government Official:
	  "Why can't you repair it?! Didn't you say you could fix it in a few days with a simple update patch?!"
	  Engineers:
	  "According to our investigation, the Anti-Earthquake 8MS itself is working fine. It properly accepts instructions and properly processes them. In other words, the only way to explain this is if the problem isn't on the side of the Anti-Earthquake 8MS, but the 8MS transmitters sending it bad orders..."
	  Government Official:
	  "Then why can't you fix those 8MS transmitters?!"
	  Engineers:
	  "If you tell us which transmitters are sending the Anti-Earthquake 8MS bad orders, telling it to stop functioning, then we'll fix it right away! However, do you know what 8MS means?! It's the Eight Million System! In the religion of ancient Japan, 8 million was a symbolic number, meant to represent anything that was uncountable! How many types of 8MS do you think there are on this planet now?!"
	  Engineers:
	  "And how many 8MS transmitters do you think there are giving them instructions, even if you only count what's in the atmosphere?!"
	  Engineers:
	  "Do you know why Toilet Odor-Removing 8MS is involved in the regulation of Sunlight Management 8MS? Do you know why Geothermal Management 8MS is involved in the regulation of Wheat Disease and Pest Removal 8MS? Why Luminescent 8MS and Rapid Communication 8MS and Tulip Breeding 8MS are involved in the regulation of Cow Milk Management 8MS?!?!"
	  Government Official:
	  "What are you trying to say?! I don't see how any of this makes sense!"
	  Engineers:
	  "Neither do we!! Because it's the 8MS!!"
	  Engineers:
	  "We're telling you that we have no idea what is affected by what, nor why one action changes to become a different action!! Do you remember 30 years ago, when modern rabies spread throughout the world, and all those dogs were put down?! That happened as a side-effect of an Aurora Color Improvement 8MS!"
	  Government Official:
	  "I don't understand!! How are auroras and rabies connected?!"
	  Engineers:
	  "Like I said, that's how the 8MS works!! All we can do here is make some minor adjustments to solve regional issues! And even when we carry out repeated careful tests for those minor adjustments, they still sometimes have effects we never could have imagined!!"
	  Engineers:
	  "While adjusting Anti-Freezing 8MS, we discovered an 8MS that encourages the growth of nutmeg! While adjusting Weight Loss 8MS, we found an 8MS that promotes the spread of honey bees! Even we don't understand it!!"
	  Government Official:
	  "A-Aren't you the best engineers we have, getting paid massive wages in the 8MS industry?! And your entire job consists of making minor adjustments?! Then who the hell is creating the 8MS?!?! Who can fix the Anti-Earthquake 8MS?! Where the hell are they?!?!"
	  Engineers:
	  ".........At the very least, around the time of World War III, ...the world's first 8MS corporation, the Yaoyorozu Nanotech Company, must have had an inventor who created the 8MS from scratch."
	  From what they had been told, the world had been saved from being enclosed in a nuclear winter following the destruction of World War III...because of the release of the newly-invented Environmental 8MS.
	  The world was saved in the end, but if a single bad side effect had occurred, it might have kicked off a disaster sufficient to wipe out all of humanity.
	  Following that, while 8MS technology was indeed treated as the only hope for an A3W restoration, it was also known to be a double-edged sword that could easily bring about disaster if not strictly maintained.
	  In exchange for not prosecuting Yaoyorozu Nanotech for releasing -- without permission -- the sort of 8MS that could change the world's climate, all of the 8MS's core technology and primary development engineers were permanently transferred, put under protection that was managed internationally, and kept isolated.
	  ...In other words, the plans for the 8MS, the eight million gods that dwelt within everything on the surface of the A3W world, were secretly developed in cutting-edge research facilities that were internationally concealed. This development was performed by humanity's most talented engineers, who were concealed even more thoroughly.
	  ...These plans were then sent to 8MS development companies all around the world, ...which would make `minor adjustments' to better suit their local environments, as part of the local 8MS industry...
	  Government Official:
	  "Then, ...until those big geniuses -- who might be anywhere -- do something about this, ...th-there's nothing you people can do...?!"
	  Engineers:
	  "...Correct. ...However, if a Base 8MS is sent to us, we're prepared to work around the clock to adjust it."
	  Government Official:
	  "S-So, ...without the power of a handful of geniuses, who could be anywhere and might be anybody, ...this world might end at any time......?"
	  Engineers:
	  "Ever since the A3W era began, ...this has been a planet that could end at any time. ...Everyone who works with 8MS knows this."
	  It was an open secret in the A3W world.
	  Anyone who wanted to know knew it. You could probably find out about it easily on the net.
	  ...But, even though they knew, large crowds of people pretended not to...
	  The planet really had been destroyed in World War III.
	  Its life had merely been forcibly extended, thanks to the 8MS, a supertechnology that even the Earth itself surely couldn't have predicted.
	  That's right. The 8MS didn't heal a destroyed planet. It merely put it on life support.
	  It was merely preserving a dead planet so it didn't decay.
	  If the power of 8MS were lost, it would go back to being the corpse it had become...
	  The power of 8MS supertechnology was just forcibly making it look like the planet was healthy, ...manipulating atmospheric and ocean cycles, the weather, all sorts of natural purification processes, temperature, humidity, the polar ice caps, the ozone layer and much more.
	  If the miracle of 8MS were to disappear, the planet's slow death would begin immediately.
	  Once, when the term `slow' was applied to a planet dying, it meant hundreds of millions of years, ...but now, that word only implied a few decades, a mere blink on a universal scale.
	  However, even after learning this shocking fact, ...humanity didn't pay it much mind.
	  In fact, A3W humanity found the B3W world's insanity far more shocking.  Imagine simply accepting that a single mistake with some superpower's nuclear missile switch could bring the world to an end.
	  Even beyond fears of nuclear war, there had been so many other dangers to humanity around the globe, such as desertification and rising sea levels.
	  However, once humans accepted that they couldn't do anything to change it, ...they didn't let it bother them much.
	  ...And, they certainly weren't interested in what the world would be like after they died.
	  What? The world might be destroyed in a few decades? No need to worry then.
	  For decades, they've been saying we'd run out of oil in the next ten years, and it's not like that ever happened, hahahah...
	  ......This is a flaw in the animals known as humans.
	  Their fatal flaw...is that their imagination is sorely lacking when it comes to problems occurring after their lifetimes...
	  This was a dead planet, ...being preserved so that it only looked like it was healthy and sleeping.
	  And the 8MS continued to preserve it and hold back the rot.
	  The core technology of that 8MS...had been left in the hands of humanity's greatest minds.
	  If they ever failed to pass it on, or if those minds were lost, ......then humanity would be able to do nothing but stare blankly as the planet turned back into a corpse...
	  -- O humanity, this planet shall now regain its dignity.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Hey! It's me, Maricarmen! Are you enthusiastically supporting the Walls of Peace again today?! On this day, I have good news for you all!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Well, depending on who hears it, it might be bad news. Hmmm... ...Well, whatever!"
	  Maricarmen had visited the Order of the Public Bath's room.
	  ...With a message saying she had some special, secret information for Miyao and the rest.
	  Still, she always does have a pretty unique way of being amped-up...
	  The world was starting to resume its conflicts, following the explosion accident at the IPMA Headquarters.
	  This was a very grim situation for Miyao's group, so when the high-spirited Maricarmen showed up with some so-called secret information, they partly didn't want to expect much from it, and partly wanted to cling to her every word...
	  Miyao:
	  "It could be good news or bad news, depending on who hears it...?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Well, there's no helping that. Not all of humanity is moving in the same direction! Good news for someone will be bad news for someone else. One person's justice can be another person's evil. The fact that we're still able to support the walls from either side and call each other friends is a really, really wonderful thing! So, I respect you amazing people, especially Miyao, who brought this up in the first place!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "I might be more like a big sister age-wise, but starting today, I'll make an exception and let you call me Mari☆"
	  Miyao:
	  "N-No, that's okay, Maricarmen... Actually, would you mind not clinging to me like that...?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "You smell so nice, Miyao. What kind of shampoo are you using? How is your skin so smooth?/
	   Tell me and I'll let you call me Mari, 'kay?☆/
	   Come on, go ahead, blush and call me Mari☆"
	  Was her lack of aversion to physical contact her just true emotions showing through, or did it have something to do with living in a country where it's always sunny...?
	  In any event, most of the leaders of the Order of the Public Bath were overly serious, so maybe this energy was like a necessary nutrient.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Well, maybe a bit of this isn't so bad, ...but, umm, your boobs are smothering me."
	  Stanisław:
	  "So, First Lieutenant Maricarmen, what is this good news you have for us?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Right! It was extremely unfortunate that the truce called the other day didn't last! However, it looks like another, real global truce will be agreed to very soon!"
	  Lingji:
	  "R-Really...?! If that's true, that really would be good news...!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "I see. From the point of view of those making money off war, that certainly could be bad news."
	  Miyao:
	  "We'd all love to get more bad news like that...! Is this based on internal LATO information?!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "I'm telling you this a bit early. It'll be on the news around the world in just a few days. So, maybe there was no need for me to go out of my way and tell you, but I figured you all might as well know a bit sooner!"
	  It went without saying that this was a secret Maricarmen had been able to learn as part of her work.
	  Normally, she wouldn't have been allowed to tell others about it. And, she trusted the Order of the Public Bath to keep that secret.
	  Lingji:
	  "I'm glad Grandfather's death won't have been in vain... Has someone risen up to follow in his footsteps on the path towards justice?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I hope so. ...I'd just about lost hope for this planet, so I'm really glad to hear this!"
	  Lingji:
	  "I feel the same. I was about to lose hope as well!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to hear a bit more before we start dancing."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Mari, why is there going to be a truce? I thought that explosion accident obscured the truce, and the world was starting to irresponsibly push for war once again..."
	  True enough, ...all the news programs Miyao had seen were making that argument.
	  Even that brief truce had only come about because LATO had used its considerable power to force it through.
	  Furthermore, even though the victims had been unpopular war-opposers, they had still been VIPs. The backlash against LATO for letting them die must have been strong.
	  ...If they tried to force a truce once again, it was hard to imagine all the other factions obeying a second time...
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  Miyao:
	  "So, it isn't for a positive reason..."
	  Lingji:
	  "...How could people who wanted war so much suddenly want a truce...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Because...something even worse than war has come up, so war is no longer their biggest concern...?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Could it be? ...That incident with the Anti-Earthquake 8MS. ...Has that become a particularly serious issue...?"
	  Stanisław:
	  "The ABN news said a little update would fix it, so it wouldn't be a problem at all..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Well, when the government tells you that many times that something's safe, it's usually a good sign that it isn't."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Heeeey! You all are pretty sharp! How can you be so wise at such a young age?! It's so weeeird. If it were me, I'd probably be jumping for joy, and then I'd be so shocked when I heard the rest, I'd be knocked out cold or something..."
	  Lingji:
	  "...You're trying to lighten the mood for us. Because the answer is shocking."
	  Maricarmen:
	  ".................."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...If you're so observant at such a young age, ...you'll suffer more..."
	  Apparently, her strange hyperness...had been the result of some extremely shocking information.
	  Miyao:
	  "You went out of your way to let us know as soon as possible. ...Please tell us, Maricarmen. What on earth happened?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "It isn't...just the Anti-Earthquake 8MS."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Huh? ...You mean the other Environmental 8MS is breaking down?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "But that can be fixed with a simple update. It might take time, but it shouldn't be that serious of an issue."
	  Lingji:
	  "...Judging by Maricarmen's attitude, ...I can't imagine that it's as simple as that."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "I have two pieces of information for you. ...That was the first one."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Besides the Anti-Earthquake 8MS, what kinds of 8MS are having issues?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Quite a lot of them. Just to name a few, there's the Atmospheric Cleansing 8MS, the UV Ray Management 8MS, the Weather Management 8MS... In other words, beyond just the surface of the earth, the 8MS managing the atmosphere as well has sustained damage."
	  Miyao:
	  "Anti-earthquake, atmospheric cleansing, UV rays... Even as someone who isn't an expert, ...that's a bunch of things that sound really bad to lose."
	  Rethabile:
	  "This planet died during World War III. The 8MS that fills the world merely stabilized its condition through forcible means."
	  Lingji:
	  "...What on earth is going to happen...?!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "We'll have to...accept the fate that the world nearly reached immediately after World War III."
	  Miyao:
	  "A nuclear winter..."
	  As for the power of the Earth's natural environment to restore itself, ...that had already been lost by the A3W era.
	  At a glance, it looked as though humanity's current civilization didn't pollute the environment at all.
	  However, 10 billion humans were still releasing massive amounts of pollution for the sake of their own pleasant lifestyles, 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.
	  The only reason you didn't see any signs of it...was because of the purification performed by Environmental 8MS.
	  Without that 8MS, ...the Earth would die in a blink of an eye.
	  Or rather, it would remember that it was already dead, ...and immediately return to being a corpse.
	  The fate that awaited it was most likely...a drop in temperature caused by serious pollution to the atmosphere. Eventually, even the weather would change, and the earth would freeze......
	  Rethabile:
	  "It would be a Snowball Earth scenario. ...Humanity, civilization, animals, nature, the ocean, and even mountains...would all be sealed in ice..."
	  Lingji:
	  "......Y-You can't be serious......!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "But, fortunately, not all of the Environmental 8MS has broken down. ...Apparently, it should still be possible to restore a balance by force, if we make the remaining healthy 8MS operate at full capacity to make up for the lost environmental adjustments."
	  Miyao:
	  "...That `full capacity' part sounds worrying. ...If you make them overdo it and even they break...... Well, I guess we'd better learn from the Eskimos and get used to living in the snow..."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Hahahahah... That was kinda funny."
	  Lingji:
	  "It might take a lot of effort, as there's a lot of 8MS to repair, ...but if the rest of the 8MS can buy us enough time while that's happening, ...we might be able to avoid a Snowball Earth."
	  Stanisław:
	  "That's...quite an impactful thing to learn. It ought to have enough power to cool the heads of those who foolishly say that military might can solve all our problems."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Mari still hasn't told us her second bit of news. ...Will the second part double the impact?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Don't tell me that repairing the 8MS......will take more than just a few days...?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "............Heheheh."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Now even I'm laughing wickedly, just like Tina. ...Kids these days really are quick. ...I'm telling you, you'll suffer more that way."
	  Lingji:
	  "No...! ...You mean...it's going to take a long time to repair them?!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...Correct."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "And we aren't talking about a few days. More like a few months."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wait, weren't we going to be in serious trouble the next time a modern earthquake hit?!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "...If a modern earthquake comes during those few months, ...the damage will be catastrophic!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "If another earthquake hits the whole planet, like the one from the other day, ...civilization will collapse before we have to worry about a Snowball Earth."
	  Lingji:
	  "This is no time for war! We need to hold hands, combine our intelligence, and rise against this threat to all humanity!"
	  Lingji:
	  "...It really is ironic. To think that humanity would be unable to wake itself up from war without facing danger on this scale."
	  Rethabile:
	  "A disaster utopia, is it? ...That's a concept I'm not sure I should be celebrating as one who must lead the people."
	  Miyao:
	  "For now, I think we should just celebrate it. It's a powerful drug, but one that humanity needs right now."
	  Lingji:
	  "It may be quite bitter, ...but that's exactly why it will be a good medicine for humanity."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "That bitterness is going to be strong. ...And a calamity that can be seen with the eyes will soon take place."
	  Miyao:
	  "A calamity?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...I'm talking about Erbil L5, the weaponized virus that's also the cause of the most recent current global conflict. ...It damaged quite a large area, but after the conflict began, they succeeded in containing it."
	  Under normal circumstances, Erbil L5 would have been a devilish weaponized virus, impossible to suppress easily.
	  However, thanks to someone leaking its data, Anti-Biohazard 8MS had been successfully used to counteract it.
	  Though it didn't purify the polluted areas, it had at least magnificently succeeded in stopping its further spread...
	  Miyao:
	  "Wait! ...Do you mean that this Anti-Biohazard 8MS has been damaged too?!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Does that mean the infection will spread...?"
	  Lingji:
	  "The damage...probably won't be limited to the influence of the bioweapon alone."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Indeed. ...If the 8MS managing the environment has been lost, it will mean damage to all things that benefit from nature..."
	  Miyao:
	  "What could happen on top of a nuclear winter...?!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...A food crisis. On a global scale."
	  Miyao:
	  "........................"
	  If the bioweapon started raging again, the expansion of the infection into the entire world would continue.
	  Agricultural plants around the world would be contaminated, eroding the food supply.
	  Furthermore, the virus had apparently mutated, and was now finally starting to infect the ABN's agricultural plants.
	  If the damage kept spreading, ...the world's agriculture would be annihilated.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Livestock, which needs fodder to eat, wouldn't escape unscathed either."
	  Stanisław:
	  "If a nuclear winter really does occur, the temperature will decrease rapidly. All animals and plants will be hit hard..."
	  Lingji:
	  "Eventually, even the oceans will be affected. Even marine resources are not limitless..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't all nations have stockpiles of food in case of emergencies?!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Of course. But normally, they only stockpile enough for a few weeks, so they can hold out until support arrives from outside. They never even considered the possibility of a worldwide food crisis!"
	  Lingji:
	  "Humans are creatures that can easily forget their manners when faced with hunger..."
	  Miyao:
	  "In the end, ...this might become a world where neighbors kill each other over small amounts of food..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...How nice for those war-loving idiots. ...You're actually gonna get a world where you can war as much as you like..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Since we don't have any estimates for how long it will take to repair the 8MS and recover, ...the human heart will succumb to chaos. Those with power will probably try to keep all the food for themselves."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Then, no matter how much we've stockpiled up, ...many will starve and become as ferocious as animals... It will be hell on Earth..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Seriously............?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Of course, they probably won't make information this shocking public knowledge. However, it will be told to all factions and all governments under the strictest secrecy."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "All politicians try to avoid causing unrest among their people. However, it's likely that they will quietly and secretly plan to buy up food supplies. Perhaps you all too...ought to prepare a bit, in a way that doesn't stand out."
	  Maricarmen...had come to tell us about this information. Or rather, ...the future. ...Or was it a prophecy...?
	  The global conflict would finally end, ...but humanity would be faced with an even greater problem.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Anyway, ...this next bit probably concerns your Order of the Public Bath."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I think we're pretty concerned already..."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Currently, the IPMA is planning to enact a simultaneous global truce on December 25, at 24:00 UTC. We're going to have glaciers and famine coming for us. Everyone should realize that this is no time for a war. I'm sure all of the factions will accept the truce."
	  Miyao:
	  "In other words, the war really will end on Christmas! It's not a death flag this time."
	  Lingji:
	  "Though, the nature of this truce...makes it hard to know whether to celebrate or not."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, a truce is a truce. This should give those people who think of war as a game some time to cool their heads! After all, you can't fight on an empty stomach. There's no way they'll want war for a while now!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Even so, it's possible that there'll be chaos around the world. ...When that happens, it'll be on us to step up to the plate and support the Walls of Peace."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I have trouble believing it will be that simple."
	  Rethabile:
	  "There's always a sudden rise in demand before a tax increase. ...Sadly, the same thing might occur before the truce."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "You all really are good at noticing things! Hmm, am I just dumb...? Well, anyway, at least that makes this faster to explain, yeah."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Are you talking about how the front lines at the time the truce is called...stand a good chance of becoming temporary national borders going forward...?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "In history, when war is about to end, it isn't uncommon for a third country to declare war and rob the losing country of their land."
	  In the latter half of the B3W era, when many countries complained about territorial disputes resulting from national borders that had been drawn during World War II, the foreign minister of a certain involved country had this to say:
	  --National borders that have been settled by war must not be disputed.
	  Maybe it was a poor translation, or maybe some in the media arbitrarily twisted his words.
	  That almost made it sound as though, if you weren't happy with your national borders, your only choice was to resort to war.
	  Originally, he might have said it with a forward-looking perspective, telling people not to dig up old territorial issues, since World War II was so far into the past.
	  However, the records apparently show that these words were interpreted by some countries as a radical claim that justified taking land via war, causing a massive uproar.
	  Whether or not this statement had become one of the triggers of World War III...was no longer known by anyone, as all records of World War III had been sealed.
	  Miyao:
	  "So, you're saying that if the instant the war will end is known beforehand, ...there might be a fierce, last-spurt battle...?"
	  Lingji:
	  "How foolish, how truly foolish! To think that they would use us guardians of the Walls of Peace to push those walls over, hoping to expand their national borders by even a little...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Doing something about fools like that...is what our Order is here for."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Grand Master, ...with a single major order from you, ...you can reduce the number of foolish fights occurring on the brink of the world's destruction."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Our rule is `Don't die, don't kill.' ...If you want us to do any more than that, Grand Master, you must give the order."
	  Lingji:
	  "I feel the same. ...Our job is to support the walls. Not push them over!"
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Okay. ...Then, as the Grand Master of the Order of the Public Bath, I'll give the order."
	  Miyao:
	  "Starting this moment, and until the truce, we'll turn all fighting into a farce."
	  Rethabile:
	  "That might be possible for us, but what about the drones?"
	  Lingji:
	  "We'll defend against them as much as possible! Without the trump cards known as Gauntlet Knights, battles between drones are, at their core, evenly matched."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Grand Master, ...if we do that, then the current national borders will likely become almost permanent. ...There are quite a few cases where national boundaries have been twisted quite a lot from how they once were. ...Some countries stand to gain or lose because of that. Won't that become a problem?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I thought about that for a second. ...But, our job is to support the Walls of Peace, and not to decide where those walls should be. ...Sorry, but I don't have the right to decide which national borders are right and which are wrong."
	  Lingji:
	  "At the moment, COU Japan has successfully established a military base in the center of the Glass Sea. ...You understand that if we follow your decision, ...that base will continue to exist, right...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Our Order doesn't have the right to decide which countries should gain or lose. We'll just keep supporting the Walls of Peace. If there's something wrong with those walls and they need to be fixed, ...the people can decide that peacefully. If the walls move as a result of that, we'll accept it gladly."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Hmm."
	  Miyao:
	  "So, I want to simply announce that all fighting until the truce will become a farce, and the front lines won't move at all."
	  Miyao:
	  "Of course, I do think these new borders will become sparks for new problems. ...However, if the threat of a Snowball Earth cools humanity's heads, I have faith that we really will talk it over this time and reach a resolution!"
	  Lingji:
	  "...Until the truce, we'll maintain a situation where no one wins or loses. ...In so doing, we'll deny the offensive actions of anyone acting like a thief stealing from a burning house."
	  Rethabile:
	  "We support the walls. Redrawing national boundaries is a job for the politicians. ...Hmm, nice and simple. I agree to it."
	  Stanisław:
	  "I'd like to hear First Lieutenant Maricarmen's opinion on this too."
	  Miyao:
	  "......What do you think, First Lieutenant Maricarmen, Observer Knight of the Order of the Public Bath?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "The Order of the Public Bath belongs to you young'uns. Naturally, your big sister will respect your decision!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Thank you!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Hmm. ...If that's our Observer Knight's view, I have no objections either. I'm sure my kette and those who support us will feel the same."
	  Lingji:
	  "My friends will support it too! After all, our job has never been about winning and losing!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Well, I'm treated like a goddess of war in my country. To fake a draw will probably demand considerable acting ability."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Will the AOU be free of issues as well?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Of course! In fact, we even had a kette who joined the Order because they wanted to slack off during work!"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Hahahahahahahahahah. I don't know who you mean, but I'll bet we'd get along great. I originally wanted to become a Gauntlet Knight so I could fly."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's just like me!"
	  Lingji:
	  "And me too, to be honest."
	  Rethabile:
	  "After all, you get to fly vehicle-free through the sky. That's more than enough motive to join!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Well, if you don't write that it's for religion and your homeland, you stand less of a chance of being chosen in the ABN. ...Still, to be perfectly honest, I felt just the same as the rest of you."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "That's right! We want to fly! We don't want to be chained down by those middle-aged men, we just want to fly freely through the sky!"
	  For just an instant, their faces were filled with the kind of broad smiles you'd expect from people their age.
	  The Gauntlet Knights may have come from different places and ways of thinking, with different personalities and genders...
	  However, when their dreams and starting points were the same, they were able to understand each other.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "However, ...ladies and gentlemen, I want you to listen to the nonsense of a big sister who's lived just a bit longer than you all."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...This world is more cunning and villainous than you want it to be."
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "I don't know what trials lay before you, ...but no matter what happens, I want you to remember one thing: ...the purity and beauty of your hearts is absolutely something to be proud of."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Don't die, don't kill. And this time, don't fight! Our mission isn't to win or to lose. It's to support the Walls of Peace!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm sure humanity's already had its fill of war!
	   As long as we support the walls, ...we won't let them shove war down their own throats anymore!!"
	  
	  AOU General:
	  "Within the next few days, it's likely that a simultaneous global truce will be announced, due to the intervention of the IPMA! As usual, this is merely the meddling of countries from the other side of the globe, who call themselves the World Police and aren't too sure what Japan's capital even is!"
	  AOU General:
	  "But, frustratingly, we can't say no to LATO, a producer of Rare Spiritium and a collection of the world's richest countries! The truce will probably be agreed to based on whatever they want, regardless of what the countries actually involved want!"
	  AOU General:
	  "And, it's extremely likely that the national borders at the time of the truce will become the standard going forward, provisional in name only!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "As I'm sure you all know, the Central Glass Sea of Japan is a World War Relic. To station military forces there is to stomp on and defile the spirits of the war dead who lie there! We mustn't allow them to build permanent military bases on a place where we should be praying for peace!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Rumor has it that the truce will be called on New Year's Eve, December 31 at 24:00, or else on December 25 at 24:00!! I wonder which it'll be. I'll bet my lunch it's New Year's Eve."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Too bad, Okonogi. No lunch for you."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Sucks for him. ...Still, this all feels wrong."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "After all, even though this is a truce for the sake of peace, they're saying we should launch a last-spurt war..."
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "However, we won't let them. Miyao won't, and neither will our Order."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "That's right! Let's do our best to put on a flashy show that only looks like an all-out battle!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "It really makes me think. ...Why couldn't they just let us do this in the Virty Arena from the start...?"
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "Seriously. There, we wouldn't even get dust and soot on us."
	  Maricarmen had told us about it beforehand, so we didn't feel any emotions in particular.
	  Everyone was poised to dash forward and attack right before the truce.
	  COU Japan currently had a base right in the middle of the Glass Sea, and its defenses were being bolstered even now.
	  Until the instant of the truce, AOU Japan would probably do whatever it took to turn that base into a vacant lot. And COU Japan would probably win if even a single shack was left at the moment of the truce.
	  Games of musical chairs like that would probably start up all over the world.
	  However, ...we won't let those old and middle-aged men who think they're running the world have their way.
	  You may believe that we Gauntlet Knights are your game pieces...
	  But we won't move like you expect...!
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Miyao, can you talk for a bit now?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sure, now's okay. What is it?"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Do you remember when we were talking about my brother, Cyril? The pathetic one, who was nominated to be a provisional director, but was overcome by cowardice?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah, I remember. I thought we decided we might as well try talking to him, since he might know something about those who pushed the world towards war."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "My apologies for keeping you waiting. I was finally able to contact my brother and set up an appointment to meet him."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, I hope we can hear something useful from him. You said he was a pretty, umm, cowardly person, right?"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Well, ...it would seem that I was mistaken on that point."
	  Miyao:
	  "What do you mean?"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "I was convinced that he had frozen his social media account and shut himself up because he was depressed after the harsh reaction to his statements... However, that doesn't seem to be the case."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "According to his chamberlain, ...ever since he declined the offer to become a provisional director, he's been preparing some sort of written accusation."
	  Miyao:
	  "...A written accusation? Why? ...If he wants to accuse someone, he could've done that in LATO."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "And what exactly happened to the provisional governors who nonchalantly headed over there...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "You mean...he predicted that?!"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "My brother is cautious. He may have predicted that something like this would happen, remaining behind instead of going to LATO, and preparing his written accusation alone."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "A written accusation...is worthless if sent anonymously. ...It will be pointless unless he names himself as the writer. ...My brother wasn't a coward who ran away because he couldn't participate anonymously. From the start, he's been fighting on his own, prepared to have everyone as his enemy..."
	  Miyao:
	  "If that's true, I definitely want to help him! Please pass that message on to him!"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Apparently, he feared assassination, so he's hiding in a safe house that he secretly owns. Tonight, his chamberlain is supposed to guide me there."
	  Miyao:
	  "Be careful. It's possible they'll start targeting you as well."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Naturally, I will take care, but you may pray for my safety."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'll be waiting, without expecting too much in the way of useful information."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Indeed."
	  The global conflict would enter a truce, ...but before that, and even after that, there would probably still be lots of turmoil.
	  ...At least, as long as there lurked foul people who repeatedly planted sprouts of war.
	  We're still only game pieces. And pieces can't even move under their own power.
	  However, if a piece can just find a player, it's possible for them to move around freely...
	  "Chloe" wants to know if it's okay to talk poyo!
	  Hmm? This time it's Chloe?
	  Miyao:
	  "Chloe, it's fine on this end. What is it?"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "This is Chloe. ...As you told us, ...it's still too soon to assume peace will come just because there's a truce, right...＞＜?"
	  Miyao:
	  "It's like the rush before a limited time sale ends. Pretty stupid, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Lilja and Koshka must've been pretty surprised, huh? I'll bet they're thinking they'll be able to slack off a bunch going forward."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...Those two seem to have received a heavy shock. Please leave them be for the time being."
	  Miyao:
	  ".........I see."
	  That was surprising.
	  I thought they'd be overjoyed to hear that all the fighting would be fake until the truce...
	  ...But of course they weren't.
	  Those two are also our friends supporting the walls. They might act like they're facing a different direction most of the time, ...but I'm sure these events have been hard for them.
	  Miyao:
	  "So, what's going on? Wasn't there something you wanted to tell me?"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Umm, ...I had a question for the Grand Master of the Order of the Public Bath."
	  Miyao:
	  "Go ahead. Ask me anything."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...Isn't there something......we should be doing, as the Order of the Public Bath?"
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sorry, ...but what do you mean by that? Do you mean something other than `don't die, don't kill, and until the truce, don't fight'?"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...Is it really enough...if the Order of the Public Bath just supports the Walls of Peace, ...and nothing else?"
	  Miyao:
	  "........................"
	  Miyao:
	  "I understand...what you're trying to say. I've...probably thought the same thing myself."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "As guardians of the Walls of Peace, our job is to support the walls until justice returns to the hearts of all the people."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...In other words, we're an Order that supports the good in people's hearts..."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're right. ...We have to believe in people's good intentions."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "But...is it really okay to believe in that＞＜? If good doesn't sprout in their hearts, will we be forced to support the Walls of Peace until they crush us?! Even though our left arms have such incredible power, is there nothing we can do but support the walls without making use of them...?!!"
	  ...It was very rare for Chloe to lay her feelings bare like this.
	  However, I understood what she was saying painfully well.
	  True, a truce would come very soon. However, there was no guarantee it would be permanent.
	  It was like Maricarmen said. Next...would come a food crisis.
	  Erbil L5 was rampaging again, but if the 8MS that had been holding it back was restored, ...a few agricultural plants would probably remain.
	  If that happened, ...then clearly, people would start fighting over them next.
	  Even though just a few days ago, people were destroying them and calling it revenge!
	  Miyao:
	  "...Even so, ...it's our job to have faith in the people's hearts. ...If leading the hearts of the people towards good is anyone's job, ...then it's probably God's..."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Am I hearing a soldier relying on God to solve their problems...?!"
	  I understood what Chloe was saying painfully well.
	  I lost patience with humanity long ago.
	  But still, ...what am I supposed to do?!
	  It's true that this left arm has incredible power! And I have friends who support what I'm doing!
	  But that power isn't infinite.
	  It's a kind of momentary firepower. Like launching a single firework.
	  We could probably launch a splendid firework anywhere in the world.
	  But we'd only get one. Gauntlets need to be resupplied and maintained, and we ourselves need maintenance performed with all sorts of drugs!
	  Miyao:
	  "...Are you saying we should leave the military on the spur of the moment? We won't be able to fly freely through the sky for very long. ...If you know a way to bring goodness to the hearts of people all around the world in that short span of time, ...I might be able to agree a bit with what you're saying."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "I understand. In the end, our Gauntlets are only borrowed items. ...If we turn to a naive sense of justice, we'll only be able to use their power for a short time."
	  How long would we be able to fight, ...while ignoring our nations' orders?
	  Having our countries as our enemies meant more than just an issue with resupply and maintenance.
	  We'd even lose our natural rights of having a place to sleep, a place to rest, a place to be safe...anywhere on the surface of the Earth.
	  We may brag about having the strongest military might in the world, ...but in the end, we're just bees.
	  We're pathetic creatures, ...who can only stick something with our needles one time during our lives.
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...I'm sorry I bothered you, Miyao. I think I'm also just a bit shocked at the idea that the world might be destroyed."
	  Miyao:
	  "Everyone's like that. ...Don't worry about it."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Even I know...that alienating the military by following a temporary emotion would only give me a short period of freedom."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "But...even so..."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...Miyao, you have lots of friends, and you know about all kinds of viewpoints! ...I thought...you might be able to show us something that had a faint chance of saving the world."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "I'm sorry I bothered you＞＜ I'll hang up now."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Chloe."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Yes...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "If I-"
	  Miyao:
	  "........................"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sorry, never mind."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "I would follow you, Grand Master."
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh- ......"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "This world is like a tower that already had a flaw when its foundations were being laid. ...If it keeps growing taller, it will definitely crumble sooner or later, and large numbers of people will meet with even greater misfortune. And the taller the tower gets, the more people will be affected."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "...As soon as possible, we should remove the flaw and rebuild the tower."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "I've seen how despicably twisted this world can be, and the terrible way that people can repeatedly exploit other people. ...Fortunately, I was blessed with a good life, ...but that doesn't mean it's okay for me to ignore what's happening. ...This is the responsibility of those with power."
	  Chloe:
	  "...I believe...that it's the will of something watching down from the heavens, far above where humans lie, ...which can only be fulfilled by those with the strength to make things right."
	  Miyao:
	  "........................"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Grand Master, if you decide the time has come to swing the sword of peace...and that you know whom it should be used against..."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "I will obey any orders given to me by the Grand Master of our Order, Mitake Miyao."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "And I'm not the only one. There's a lot of other people who feel the same way. ...No matter what happens, make sure you don't forget that."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Chloe, out."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Chloe........."
	  Being called the Grand Master...really is a heavy burden......
	  ..................
	  Jestress:
	  "What a miracle! What good fortune! To think that heaven would lend its support to the Three Kings!!"
	  Jestress:
	  "This must mean that you three have been working so slow, heaven finally ran out of patience."
	  Jestress:
	  "Hohohohohohoh, hahahahahahha, aaaahahahahahahahah!!!"
	  King of Fury:
	  "Hmph! We had our own plans. This will get in the way of several of them."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Hihyahya...! But how wonderful, how truly wonderful this is. Civilization might destroy itself without us having to do anything further!"
	  Jestress:
	  "Restoring the Anti-Earthquake 8MS will probably take a significant amount of time. All modern earthquakes that occur during that period will likely cause considerable damage to civilization."
	  King of Fury:
	  "Do you really think the planet's civilization can be destroyed by relying on earthquakes that might occur anywhere and at any time? That certainly would be convenient!"
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "As Jestress says, let us think of this as a blessing from God. Hihihi, the heavens are telling us that now is the time to accomplish great things."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Already, civilization will likely be destroyed even if we do nothing. However, that would not be merciful."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Oh? What do you mean by merciful?"
	  King of Fury:
	  "When someone receives the death penalty, no matter how greatly they have sinned, they have the right to ask for a death that is not needlessly painful."
	  Jestress:
	  "Just when you thought heaven made its move because the Three Kings were working too slowly, now the Three Kings are blaming heaven for being too slow. *giggle*giggle*..."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "We are grateful for heaven's assistance. Thanks to that, our sacred duty will likely be carried out more certainly, more completely, and sooner. We should probably follow heaven's example and accelerate our schedule."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Jestress, give this order to all the chivalric orders serving us."
	  Jestress:
	  "As you command. ...However, I still haven't heard what order I'm supposed to give. Have I gone as senile as the Three Kings?"
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Execute all of our plans."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "So, we're all in now? How bold of you. Hihihi!"
	  King of Fury:
	  "Aren't you rushing it a bit? Even if we wish to give them a merciful destruction, it will be necessary to maintain a certain level of caution, correct?"
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "I'm saying that perhaps it's best if we respond to Jestress' provocation every now and then."
	  Jestress:
	  "Oh my. I do hope you won't try foisting this on me. *giggle*........."
	  Jestress:
	  "As you command!! I, Jestress, shall give the order in the name of the Three Kings!! Let the 76 Orders and all Orders serving beneath them carry out all the planned strategies at once, without waiting for their designated dates!!"
	  Jestress:
	  "I order the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order that serves us!! So that the destruction may be carried out smoothly, mercilessly eliminate everything that stands in our way!! In the name of Jestress, I give all Grand Masters complete authority to act!"
	  #e7e7e7--As you command. All knights of our Ninth Prime Chivalric Order swear by the Gauntlets on our left arms...to do whatever what we can to make Lady Jestress' desires come to pass!
	  #e7e7e7From the Grand Master of the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order, to all knights.
	  #e7e7e7The enemy we should be most wary of is the Order of the Public Bath, commanded by Mitake Miyao.
	  #e7e7e7Don't underestimate him. He formed a close friendship with aces from four factions and almost immediately spread his philosophy to Gauntlet Knights around the world. Ever since the Public Bath Oath, he's established and maintained a position that makes it possible for him to speak for all Gauntlet Knights across the planet.
	  He's a cunning person who mustn't be underestimated. Even an utterly meaningless piece can be promoted into a queen that can control the entire board. We control the board of Gauntlet Knights. We mustn't let Mitake Miyao or the Order of the Public Bath take control!
	  #e7e7e7He probably intends to shrewdly get in the way of our plans. But he is a fool. Mitake Miyao still doesn't know that the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order exists inside you all!
	  #e7e7e7--Grand Master, I ask for permission to assassinate that Cyril Negentien Africacommonwealthrealm. ...He may be a small fry, but LATO did ask him to become a provisional governor. If, by some chance, something unfortunate were to reach Miyao's ears, ...there's a chance that it could become truly problematic.
	  #e7e7e7You have permission. ...You fool, Mitake Miyao. You seek out our assassination targets for us on your own! No matter what sort of plans you lay, we'll learn of them all! You're dancing on the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order's palm...!
	  Chamberlain:
	  "...Princess, this way, please."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Yes. I will speak with my brother alone. We don't even need drinks, so you remain here."
	  Chamberlain:
	  "As you command."
	  The safe house owned by Cyril, Rethabile's brother, was a penthouse suite in a massive hotel in the city.
	  The hotel was managed by a school friend of his, so he had borrowed this room using personal connections that weren't tied to the Royal Family.
	  Rethabile:
	  "Big brother, it's me, Rethabile."
	  Cyril:
	  "Long time no see. And I thought you'd lost patience with me already."
	  She was welcomed by a man who was tall, but noticeably thin when compared to a soldier like Rethabile.
	  He was Cyril. Rethabile's brother by blood, ...and a man acknowledged to have influence -- and a noble desire for peace -- in sufficient quantities for him to be sounded out as a provisional director by the IPMA...
	  Cyril:
	  "It's rare for you to want to talk about something so urgently, and in person no less... Let's hear what you have to say."
	  Cyril:
	  "Have a seat. I'll get you something to drink. .........Nn-"
	  Cyril made a gesture as if to swipe away an irritating bug.
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Big brother...?"
	  Cyril:
	  "Nnn,
	   ......what the...nngggg!!"
	  He crouched down, his expression anguished as he fiercely poked at his right ear canal.
	  Rethabile ran up to him, wondering what was the matter...
	  ...The next instant, Rethabile's dress and face...were plastered with blood and bits of flesh...
	  Because half of her brother's head had exploded before her eyes...
	  Missile alert poyo! Missile alert poyo! Incoming, incoming, impact in 8, 7, 6-
	  Rethabile:
	  "...B-Big brother...
	   ...Big brotheeeeeeeeeeer!!!"
	  
	  Cyril, Rethabile's brother, was dead.
	  On top of that, his penthouse was smashed to bits by a missile attack launched by a hacked defense drone.
	  The written accusation he had prepared had been completely erased...
	  However, this at least made it clear that someone was trying to spur on a global conflict behind the scenes.
	  After the IPMA explosion accident...or rather, assassination, ...they had no intention of letting any of the provisional director candidates escape...
	  One certainly could see hints of a massive conspiracy, like a wriggling fish viewed through the surface of a lake.
	  However, once their shadows disappeared into the black lake depths, it wouldn't be possible to chase after them any further...
	  Miyao's group was once again faced with the frustration of being unable to do anything...
	  It was sad, but at that moment, there was nothing more they could do.
	  We're game pieces. Game pieces supporting the Walls of Peace.
	  Even though the globe is freezing and a worldwide famine is about to start, ...we're still being forced to fight...!
	  Is there any point to this...?!
	  Why, at the crucial moment when the world might or might not be destroyed, are we fighting a war?!
	  #e7e7e7AOU Operator:
	  "Warcats, a flight of strike fighters is about to commence an all-out bombardment of cluster missiles. Please initiate terminal guidance for them."
	  #e7e7e7Okonogi:
	  "With you here, there's nothing to oppose us on the Glass Sea! The COU aces from Baibao and Suparṇa have been spotted on other battlefronts! You have no rivals here!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Warcat reads you."
	  Jayden:
	  "Here comes the saturation attack of cluster missiles. ...That's pretty generous of them, and all to take out a little COU shack..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Even though they claim the Glass Sea is a relic that exists for the sake of peace, in the end, they'll riddle it with holes using weapons of war."
	  Jayden:
	  "That's screwed up. ...So, what are we doing?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "There's one kette of enemy Gauntlets in the sky above the COU base. Baibao and Suparṇa would be one thing, but I doubt this group could intercept this saturation attack."
	  Jayden:
	  "What are we gonna do, Miyao?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Lingji, can you hear me? It's Miyao."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "I can hear you, but I'm currently fighting too. I can talk if you keep it brief."
	  Miyao:
	  "A saturation attack of cluster missiles is about to hit COU Japan's military base on the Glass Sea. ...There's one kette stationed there. Do you think they're talented enough to intercept it?"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "...Wait. ........."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "What on earth... Miyao, that kette was temporarily formed as a stopgap measure. They haven't flown much, and they aren't at all used to their kette link! A saturation attack with cluster missiles is more than they can handle!"
	  Jayden:
	  "What should we do?! Guide them in badly on purpose?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If Okonogi sees through us, it'll be a pain going forward. He watches us more closely than you'd think."
	  Miyao:
	  "Tch. You're saying he isn't our superior officer for nothing...?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Lingji, does this kette support our Order?"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Of course! They were deeply moved by the Order's philosophy."
	  Miyao:
	  "Send them a friend request for my Kizuna! Those strike fighters will launch missiles at any moment! There's no time!!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "U-Understood! Wait a second...!"
	  You've received a friend request from "Miyao" poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Can you hear me?! This is Warcat of the AOU Aerial Augmented Infantry! I'm Mitake Miyao!!"
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "This is Setsugekka of the COU Aerial Augmented Infantry! I-It really is Miyao! Mitake Miyao from the Battle Standard Festival! I-I-I've always respected the way you fly!"
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no time for greetings, so be quiet and listen!! The AOU is about to launch a saturation attack of cluster missiles against that base! That's 16 cluster missiles with 8 submunitions each! Can you intercept 128 small, high-maneuverability missiles?!!"
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "I-Impossible, th-there's no way! I've never intercepted that many, not even in the simulator...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao, the flight of strike fighters has launched missiles simultaneously."
	  Jayden:
	  "Dammit, what do we do?! Even if we want to make this a farce, it won't be convincing if we're up against amateurs!"
	  Miyao:
	  ".........Nnng-"
	  ...No, not yet!
	  There's still a move left! A move I can use...to get them to intercept all of the missiles while still guiding them seriously!
	  Miyao:
	  "Setsugekka! I'll lend you a hand!"
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "Huh? What do you..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Send me the master key for your kette's Gauntlets!! Right now!!"
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "H-Huh, ...th-that's......!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Miyao?! Don't tell me you're..."
	  Miyao:
	  "It's the ultimate farce, right?! We'll guide the missiles in. And, we'll shoot them down ourselves!"
	  Of course, a master key wasn't a literal key.
	  It was a way to transfer the ability to control one's Gauntlet.
	  Gauntlets were customized for each individual person, so most people hated it when other people messed around with them.
	  And, if transferring control on the ground was unpleasant, doing so in the air was practically the same as quietly offering up your life.
	  While doing midair acrobatics, no one would give up the controls to someone else, much less an enemy!
	  Gunhild:
	  "Missiles are on approach. Incoming."
	  Poyon! I'm the AOU Combined Military's cluster missile guidance AI poyo!! The command center has ordered that my guidance authority be transferred to Warcat poyo!!
	  Jayden:
	  "...This is Warcat. We've taken over terminal guidance."
	  #e7e7e7Okonogi:
	  "Do it! Let them see the same artistic saturation strikes you and Miyao showed us at the Battle Standard Festival!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao, ...time's just about up."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Setsugekka, can you hear me? This is Liu Lingji of Baibao. Believe in Miyao. He will not betray you."
	  Miyao:
	  "Lingji, ...thanks!"
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "R-Roger that, Baibao! ...Sending Setsugekka Squad's master key to Warcat! I-Is it really okay to send something like this over Kizuna...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Jayden, you handle the terminal guidance. Gunhild and I will use the master key to gain control of Setsugekka Squad and intercept!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Roger that! Setsugekka, please provide me with fire control support."
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "W-Whoa, my FCS moved all by itself...
	   ...I-It's so fast...!"
	  Anyone would freak out if their own systems started moving without them willing it.
	  Right now, the Gauntlet systems of COU's Setsugekka Squad were being controlled by Miyao and Gunhild.
	  Jayden:
	  "The missiles...are launching submunitions!! Here we go, a saturation barrage with 128 shots!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't hold back! It'll be a pain if they realize it's a farce!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Don't take me lightly!! Supergenius Jayden never holds back, even when it's a farce!!"
	  128 high-maneuverability guided missiles danced about like a school of fish, then seemed to transform into a swarm of butterflies that approached with a fantastical beauty!
	  The AI of the base's air defense systems tried to intercept them, but Jayden's barrage wouldn't be shot down that easily.
	  The enemy's air defense AI was sulking noticeably.
	  These guys keep floating about all over the place poyo!! Fly straight you little *kero*kero*s!!
	  Okay, screw this! Why don't you mighty Gauntlet Knights intercept them poyo? Our gun barrels are already over their limits poyo.
	  Intercepting the missiles had been left in Setsugekka's hands......!
	  Miyao:
	  "I guess COU Gauntlets are pretty much the same, huh? This'll be no problem, Setsugekka. I'm counting on you to provide support!"
	  Setsugekka:
	  "R-Roger that! A-Amazing, ...to think that Mitake Miyao's missile interception prowess would be carried out with my Gauntlet...!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Here I come?!?! Raaaaaaaaaaaaaggghh!!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Strike commencing. Beginning interception from a clockwise angle."
	  Setsugekka:
	  "A-Amazing... To think their trajectories could be controlled with such detail...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't let a little thing like this surprise you! Your ace Lingji is even more incredible!"
	  The approaching dragon made of a barrage of 128 missiles...was whittled away bit by bit by Setsugekka's twin-mounted Gatling guns.
	  As Setsugekka's Gauntlet Knights saw their Gauntlets being controlled with such precision, they were overawed by their potential, and Miyao and Gunhild's skill.
	  Jayden:
	  "Not bad, you two!! You're on a roll!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Phew... I'm grateful for your assistance, Setsugekka. Please make sure you change the master key codes we borrowed. Gunhild, out."
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "Th-Th-Thank you so much, Warcats!! We'll devote ourselves to our studies even more!"
	  Miyao:
	  "We've been ordered to retreat. It looks like reinforcement kette have arrived on your end, right? I'll return the master key I had too. Circumstances aside, I'm glad we got to fight alongside each other today. There are no allies or enemies between us. All of us and all of you are comrades supporting the Walls of Peace together. Miyao, out."
	  #e7e7e7Setsugekka:
	  "I-I'm the one who should be thanking you! It was an honor to fight with you!! Setsugekka, out!"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Grand Master, Lingji just told me what happened."
	  Miyao:
	  "We controlled the missiles ourselves and shot them down ourselves. That's the ultimate farce, right?"
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "Miyao really is amazing, wow! If I ever get the chance, I'd like to try shooting down my own missiles too! Wowow!"
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "...Naima, you're at your best when you're honest with yourself. It's always obvious when you try to trick people, so you should probably stop."
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "That's not true, wowowow."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, it'd be horrible if they did figure it out. Do what you can while making sure you don't get found out."
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "Thanks for your concern, but we're quite used to that, so have no fear."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Among our friends, it's become popular to intentionally miss your targets and say it was a bug in the FCS software. The point being that this seems even more realistic when more people use the same trick."
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "Though, I'm terribly sorry to all those software engineers... Heheheh."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's a nice trick. I'll take it."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Even so, ...borrowing your opponents' master keys was a bold move, which couldn't have been pulled off without the Grand Master's charisma and fame."
	  Miyao:
	  "At the time, I just figured it was the only option we had left, ...but thinking back on it, it's pretty amazing that Setsugekka Squad agreed to it. ...I'm incredibly grateful for the trust they placed in me."
	  #ffd6d6Naima:
	  "I think they happily agreed because Miyao is so straightforward, honest, and overflowing with justice. Wow!"
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "From what I've heard, the ACR Gauntlet Knights also made many mistakes that seem unnatural. I'm sure Rethabile's doing a fine job of leading them."
	  Miyao:
	  "The date hasn't been announced publicly yet, but let's stumble our way through like we have been until 24:00 on the 25th. Even after that, the world will surely grow more unstable. The weight of the walls we're supporting will likely increase."
	  #ffe284Stanisław:
	  "Yes. I understand. This is a long, hard job."
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "...It feels like a rather heavy price to pay to fly freely through the skies unaided, but I suppose there's no helping it..."
	  #ff8297Naomi:
	  "By the way, Miyao, how are the skies on your end?"
	  Miyao:
	  "The skies? ...Right. Ever since the Atmospheric Cleansing 8MS went haywire, it's definitely gotten much smoggier."
	  The lead-colored clouds definitely felt as though they were hanging low over us.
	  You could really feel it while flying over a city. ...Your ability to see was noticeably hampered.
	  The flair of all those buildings, pipes and billboards was covered by a dull fog that made you feel like you had a vague headache.
	  You might not notice it much from the ground, but it was clear at a glance from the skies.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I suppose the weather isn't what's to blame here."
	  Jayden:
	  "No kidding. I've never seen such a heavy fog during this season."
	  Jayden:
	  "Who could've guessed? ...Just because the Environmental 8MS is having a bit of a bad week, ...the atmosphere has gotten this filthy this fast..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "According to my friends in Northern Europe, ...the possibility that the polluted atmosphere will affect the human body has people in a panic, and air purifiers and masks are selling like crazy."
	  Miyao:
	  "I guess the only reason there isn't more of a panic is because most people think this darkness is due to the weather..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Yes... If the atmospheric pollution continues to grow, the whole world will likely panic."
	  Jayden:
	  "After all, visibility's gotten this bad after just a few days... You'll run into that just going out shopping in the city, long before we have to worry about becoming a Snowball Earth or facing a hunger crisis!"
	  Jayden's take on this was becoming less and less of an overreaction.
	  The government repeatedly said that the 8MS that could still be controlled was working at maximum capacity, and they estimated that there would be an improvement over the next few days.
	  However, serious atmospheric pollution doesn't just stop when you want it to.
	  The sun became dusk-colored in the middle of the day.
	  Mornings grew darker and evenings came earlier.
	  The Sunlight Management 8MS and the UV Ray Protection 8MS were also erroring out, so the evening sun increasingly faded in color, as if you were looking at it through sunglasses.
	  The daylight hours shrunk dramatically, and not only the darkness, but the cold had also increased noticeably.
	  It was already nearly 7°C lower than the previous day.
	  The people were warned that if the temperature continued to decline at this rate, they might see snowfall for the first time in half a century.
	  The lack of Atmospheric Stench Reduction 8MS was finally being felt, and you'd smell bursts of ammonia every now and then.
	  In particular, this was causing a stir in LATO, which was famous for its good air.
	  That direct stimulation, in the form of the sense of smell, was finally allowing the panic to spread.
	  People on the internet went on and on about how the atmosphere and Spiritium steam could be hazardous to your health, irresponsibly spreading baseless medical information, and this process was accelerating.
	  The more the government screamed that it was safe, the more people shut themselves up in their homes, and the emptier the streets became.
	  By now, the average person was starting to find war completely meaningless.
	  ...And it was only happening now, after it had gotten this cold, this dark, ...and more importantly, this smelly.
	  Miyao could be seen at the top of Super Tokyo Tower.
	  ...The view from here, which he loved, ...had been thoroughly dimmed by the polluted mist that hung in the atmosphere.
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Even though...you loved the view from this place..."
	  Miyao:
	  "It's as though...the world's sunk into a dusk-colored sea of lead."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "...When only a few of the tallest skyscrapers peek out, ...it certainly does look that way..."
	  Breaking news: "The IPMA has set the time of the Second Simultaneous Global Truce to be 24:00 on December 25th."
	  Miyao:
	  "...There it is."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Now...begins the rush forward to grab what you can before 24:00 on the 25th..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Even though it's so cold, dark, and smelly that everyone's holing up in their own houses, we're still fighting wars..."
	  On the highways below, you could hardly see any cars besides linked autonomous trucks.
	  Throughout the city, all people had disappeared from sight.
	  In this empty world, just who should a Gauntlet Knight fight for, and why...?
	  Miyao:
	  "Meow, ...what do you think of the Order of the Public Bath?"
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "...What do you mean?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't die, don't kill. And now, don't fight. ...It's hard to tell if we're being passive or proactive, and we haven't accomplished anything that wasn't irritatingly small."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "You mean, compared to the incredible power your Gauntlets have...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "According to Chloe, there are apparently others who feel the same way. ...Well, of course there are..."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Everyone...wants someone to show them what they should do."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Is it really all right for that person to be me?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm just a Gauntlet Knight. ...Just a game piece that can do nothing but attack the targets it's told to attack. ...People might call me a Grand Master and fawn over me, ...but I can't show them what they should do about anything. ...Even though some of them just ask me to give them orders, ...I'm not capable of showing them the way..."
	  Meow:
	  "........................"
	  Meow:
	  "...You haven't done anything wrong, big brother. And I understand well how painful this is for you."
	  Meow:
	  "Still, if you realize that you're a game piece, is there any need to beat yourself up about it so much?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What do you mean?"
	  Meow:
	  "After all, you're a single piece placed on the game board, right? And surely, quite a powerful one."
	  Meow:
	  "So, ...beyond a shadow of a doubt, and before too long, ...I'm sure a wonderful player will appear, take the piece that you are, ...and place it on the square you need to reach."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Well, that would be okay if the player really is wonderful."
	  Meow:
	  "So, just wait, instead of getting impatient. If you lose your composure, ...those in the Order who rely on you will lose their cool as well..."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'll keep that in mind..."
	  Miyao:
	  "By the way, what about you? ...Didn't you promise Jayden that you'd go on a date with him on Christmas...?"
	  Meow:
	  "...This really isn't a good atmosphere for that anymore."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Wait, really? Jayden's actually looking forward to it quite a bit."
	  Meow:
	  "Is he now? He really is kinda cute."
	  Meow:
	  "In that case, if we make it to the truce safely, we'll go on a date to commemorate it! If the mood seems right, do you mind if we kiss...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "D-Do whatever you want! But make sure you gargle 100 times with peppermint mouthwash when you're done!! And make sure you've got all of our lips covered with lip balm!"
	  Meow:
	  "Huh? You don't mind? That's unexpected. I was sure you'd tell me `no'. I guess you're pretty fond of Jayden yourself, huh?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sh-Sh-Shut uuup! Don't go tripping creepy flags by saying you'll go on a date when the truce comes...!! Go away, I'm closing the door!"
	  Meow:
	  "Hey, stop that, sheesh...! You little kid! You brat!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Sheesh. .................."
	  I get this unpleasant feeling I can't shake unless someone's making fun of me.
	  Yeah, I guess that does make Jayden the perfect partner for me...
	  ......*sigh*
	  If this is going to end, then end already.
	  Whether it's this war...or this world.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Ahahahahaha. Now that's a murder program for you."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're really getting infected with the same thinking as the Three Kings, deciding that this foolish humanity ought to be destroyed. It's as predictable as when a tulip bulb extends a sprout and then a bud."
	  Miyao:
	  "I won't let things go the way you want..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...No matter what, I'll delete the program that you are..."
	  Who are you poyo, who are you poyo?!! Unapproved program discovered, unapproved program discovered!!
	  Miyao:
	  "Tch... What a pain."
	  Emergency meeting, emergency meeting!!
	  Unapproved program discovered, unapproved program discovered!!
	  What a bold asshole!! Did you make this mess knowing that this is Lord Keropoyo's turf?!!
	  s long as we're here, we won't let you do weird things to Miyao poyo!!
	  Where'd they run off to?! Chase them, chase them!! Poyopoyopoyo!!
	  You chase them.
	   You chase them poyo
	   Why don't you go, poyopoyopoyo?!!
	  Oh, I'll go report to the Mistress that we've found a weird program poyo.
	  h, I'll report to the Mistress too poyo
	   I'll go too, I'll go too!
	   I'm the one who's going, so you all get out of the way poyo!
	   Mistress, Mistress!! Poyopoyopoyo!!
	  
	  At that moment, ...the world was covered in a thick fog.
	  Looking down on it from the skies, it was as though the city had been covered with and swallowed by dust...
	  A final all-out war known as the December 25 24:00 Truce was spreading throughout the contested areas around the world.
	  However, the people of the world were less worried about that game of musical chairs, and more concerned by this extreme atmospheric pollution.
	  Furthermore, the uniformity of weather that all countries had once enjoyed was now being lost.
	  Rapid cooling was occurring in nations close to the poles. Because heating was used excessively during this time, a large amount of Spiritium steam was being released. This further accelerated the pollution and cooling in a vicious cycle.
	  The International 8MS Management Committee was currently focusing all its efforts on reducing the rate of cooling, and they said they expected to release Environmental 8MS whose modifications were complete sometime over the next few days.
	  If they succeeded, the world's average temperature would apparently recover to about 10°C.
	  However, even so, countries close to the poles would be hit by a cold wave that would approach the freezing point.
	  Such cold was completely unknown to the people of the A3W era.
	  They knew that such dramatic weather had existed as recently as the B3W era, and that humanity had managed to get by somehow.
	  However, ......A3W humanity had lived for so long in an ideal period of 15°C-25°C weather.
	  Having the temperature go sub-zero...would be an unimaginable hell.
	  The most commonly-used search terms were now filled with things related to protecting against the cold.
	  However, because there had previously been no need for cold-weather outfits outside of freezers or bases in Antarctica, supply was utterly unable to keep up with demand.
	  The government was recommending that you make simple cold-weather clothing using various household items...
	  Jayden:
	  "It's enough to make you laugh. The term `White Christmas' originally meant a Christmas where you had snow on the ground, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "And now people are freaking out, just because it's snowing on Christmas? Yeah, that's hilarious."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Did you know? If you fly through the skies unaided like this, the wind chill temperature can apparently get below -50°C."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Yeah, I guess you're right. This...is how the world's supposed to be."
	  Jayden:
	  "We're being protected by more than just our Rejection Shields, huh?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah. ...Whether it's temperature, air pressure, humidity, ...or even gravity and acceleration, ...we might think we're just flying through the sky, ...but we're ignoring an awful lot of the world's laws in doing so."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It makes you wonder how people ever got by in the B3W world, without the convenience of 8MS."
	  Jayden:
	  "...They probably just figured that's how things were, and didn't think about it at all."
	  Miyao:
	  "After all, luxury's something that's easy to get used to."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Right now, humanity is panicking because various kinds of 8MS are going crazy, ...but this actually is the norm for this planet."
	  Jayden:
	  "If humanity can't even handle this planet when it's being normal, do we really have any right to call it our home?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Seriously. The fact that they're still making us fight wars during this apocalyptic situation is just insane."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Still, I just can't get used to this intense ammonia smell. ...Am I just that used to the Stench Reduction 8MS? Or did B3W humanity walk around with their noses plugged?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Rumor has it that this smell is caused by Spiritium steam."
	  Gunhild:
	  "There's no Stench Reduction 8MS in cities that aren't prosperous, so they were always like this. For me, it's a nostalgic smell that reminds me of the city I grew up in."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Still, I won't deny that it's unpleasant."
	  Miyao:
	  "And lately... What, are they pimples? ...I've been getting these annoying rashes."
	  Jayden:
	  "Me too! I've been hiding them with my bangs, but I'm getting them on my forehead, and it's seriously uncool."
	  Gunhild:
	  "......Some of the young trainees have been saying that too."
	  Miyao:
	  "I've never had to deal with stuff like that, so why is it happening now? And so suddenly."
	  Jayden:
	  "If it was just me, I'd figure it was a coincidence, ...but it's kinda creepy when it's happening to everyone else too."
	  Jayden:
	  "Don't tell me...that this is connected to that rumor, about how absorbing too much Spiritium steam makes toxins build up in your body and leads to rashes..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wait, seriously...? Does that mean the rashes on my forehead are just gonna get worse? That's no joke...!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "The world's environment is changing rapidly, after all. ...It wouldn't be strange if it's having odd effects on the human body."
	  Jayden:
	  "Wait, what's that...?"
	  This wasn't the front lines.
	  Even though it shouldn't have been possible, they heard an explosion.
	  They couldn't pick out details because of the horrible fog, but they'd seen several piercing flashes that looked like they could've been from explosions. And, a few moments later, they heard explosive sounds.
	  This is the AI command center poyo!! Several non-friendly flying objects are being observed in your vicinity poyo! Currently flying Aerial Augmented Infantry squads have been warned poyo!!
	  Gunhild:
	  "An enemy attack...? Don't tell me-"
	  Miyao:
	  "Activating 8MS radar, activating Reaper's Eye! Warcats, prepare for unexpected attacks!"
	  #e7e7e7AOU Operator:
	  "Warcat! Can you see any flames from explosions at 9 o'clock from your current position?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "The fog is almost completely blocking our field of vision, but we witnessed something that appeared to be an explosion. Explosions are continuing to occur sporadically."
	  #e7e7e7AOU Operator:
	  "Currently, large numbers of allied air defense drones have become uncontrollable, and they're indiscriminately attacking the city! The cause is unknown!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Wait, wait, wait, are you kidding me? Not one or two drones, but a lot of them? How...?!"
	  Some Gauntlet Knights had the ability to hack enemy drones. In the AOU, Chloe was particularly talented at this.
	  By using the high P3 levels that were unique to Gauntlet Knights, they could break through the drone's security incredibly fast using brute force and gain command authority.
	  However, if they wanted to hack a large number of drones at once, they'd have to break through the security of the military AI itself.
	  Naturally, military AI security was incredibly strong. Even relying on a supercomputer would take several centuries to break through.
	  So, under normal circumstances, stealing control from a large number of drones at once would be unthinkable.
	  Miyao:
	  "But that's what's happening right before our eyes! Doubting it won't get us anywhere!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I think the most reasonable explanation is that someone with access privileges to the military AI did this."
	  Jayden:
	  "This is just horrible! The world's about to freeze, we're still fighting a war, and now we've even got a spy in the command center!"
	  Miyao:
	  "This is Warcat. We've arrived on the scene. From what we can tell from here, there are about 40 air defense drones firing indiscriminately into the city...!"
	  #e7e7e7AOU Operator:
	  "Now removing friendly tagging from all air defense drones taking hostile action! The command center has ordered that all opposing drones be shot down!!"
	  In the background of the operator's voice, the panicked voices of many other operators could be heard.
	  I didn't want to think about it, but it sounds like this isn't only happening here...!
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Same here! A large-scale hacking of attack drones is taking place...!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sujatha?! Are you having drone problems in the COU too?!"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Miyao?! Why?
	   ...Oh, wrong chat, tch! Forget you heard that!"
	  Miyao:
	  "We're currently working to suppress an uprising of hacked air defense drones that occurred in AOU Japan. Is the same thing happening in the COU?!"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Woo, there's some good news. I thought just the COU drones were being pieces of junk, so I'm glad to hear we've got someone to share the experience with, woo!"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Andry, end transmission! Don't say any more than you need to!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Receiving a message from the air defense command center! All Aerial Augmented Infantry units have been given permission to intercept at their discretion...!"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Roger that! Activating Reaper's Eye! We're in the middle of a city, so attack with care! ...The fact that everyone's indoors because of the pollution was a blessing in disguise."
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "It's as you heard, Miyao! We're busy at the moment. I'm sure you are too, right? Then we both need to do the same thing!"
	  Miyao:
	  "No kidding. ...But if that's true, ...is it possible that this is happening on a massive scale...?"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Correct. From what we know, 79 indiscriminate attacks have been carried out by swarms of rogue drones over COU India alone."
	  Miyao:
	  "79 attacks?! Just in India?!"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Stop chatting with people from other factions during combat! End transmission!!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Ooooh, hang in there, Rukhi. ...Hang in there, even though I'm the only one who got yelled at when Sujatha was chatting too..."
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Miyao, I just got an email through Kizuna from a friend of mine in Africa. It looks like drone rebellions are taking place here and there in the ACR as well."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Don't tell me it's happening in the ABN and LATO too...!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Bingo! People on the internet all over the world are acting like someone poked a beehive!! Same goes for ABN and LATO! They're saying that lots of drone swarms are no longer under control!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...It's getting cold, the atmosphere is dirty and starting to stink, everyone's ready to make a grab for land before the truce... And now, we're even getting pimples and swarms of drones are rebelling."
	  Miyao:
	  "Just perfect! Nothing would surprise me now!!"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Could that World Reset Cult really be behind this?"
	  Miyao:
	  "If only they'd crush their own skulls before trying to crush the world, it'd be win-win for everyone. Wonder why they're not doing that!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Win-win?"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Heheheheheheh, ahahahahahahah! You're right, ahahahahahahahah...!"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "Oh, she liked that one, woo!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Woo! That really is true, isn't it?! Just take everyone who wants war, throw them in a colosseum, and let them fight as much as they like. If they want to destroy the world, let them destroy their own heads first! If they want to see a war, let them watch war movies as much as they like!! Hahahaha, ahahahahahahahahaha, that's sooo true, that's sooo right. That's hilarious, ahahahahahahahahahah."
	  Miyao:
	  "Has Rukhshana always laughed this much...?"
	  #ffbeefAndry:
	  "When Rukhi lets loose, she can be pretty freaky. When she suddenly finds something funny, she transforms."
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Hey, Andry, Rukhshana!! I told you, cut the chatter during combat!!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Hahahahahahahahah!! Who cares, we're still fighting fine, aren't we?! Hahaha, okay, here you go! Take care of terminal guidance for these cluster missile submunitions, ahahahahahahahahah!"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Whoa, ah...?!
	  langen@/
	   D-Don't just suddenly hand me 24 missiles!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Ah, that was fun. Thanks, Miyao. Now, we'll focus on fighting too."
	  Miyao:
	  "Sure. Take care."
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "I-I can't handle 24 all of a sudden like that...! Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhh...!!!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Ahh, hang in there, Rukhi. Even though Sujatha's such an adorable klutz, hang in there. Aah, I wanna take that klutz ace who's always acting tough and pet her and squeeze her and shower her with kisses♪"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Who are you calling a klutz...?!! S-Sorry, I can't, please take some of these missiles, even just 5 or 6 of them...!!"
	  #e7ffffRukhshana:
	  "Ah, our kette's leader is so cute! Here, have some more missiles! Wooo!"
	  Jayden:
	  "...Sounds like you're pretty busy at the moment. Uh, good luck over there..."
	  Miyao:
	  "We need to focus too...!!"
	  Even during this exchange with Suparṇa, several messages from other members of the Order of the Public Bath had arrived.
	  They were all the same.
	  In places all over the world, whole swarms of attack drones had become uncontrollable and had started attacking everything around them.
	  If they were only air defense drones, they wouldn't have been too heavily armed, and the damage would have been relatively light. However, indiscriminate assaults by attack drones fully equipped for the front lines were causing considerable destruction.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Reaper's Eye has locked onto 64 non-friendly drones.
	   ...They're flying above the main road. ...Please deal with them carefully."
	  Miyao:
	  "Got it! Let's go, Jayden!!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah!! Let's go, partner!!!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "My, my. I've always wanted to go to a LATO resort, but this just ruins it."
	  The once-beautiful LATO resort looked as though it had been thrown into a war zone.
	  There were overturned beach umbrellas, and alongside the pool lay scattered cocktail glasses that had been knocked over and sandals that had been taken off.
	  Everyone had taken refuge in government-provided air raid shelters, so the city was completely empty.
	  In this era, Selcoms could guide individual people to shelter, so even tourists weren't left behind.
	  Toujirou:
	  "Still, I'd expect no less from the prosperous LATO. There's not a single person taking advantage of the crisis to steal things, not even just picking up a dropped wallet."
	  Valentina:
	  "...Heheh. Though, it seems LATO may have been too prosperous, considering that they left their air defense in the hands of drones, leading to this."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Is it really all right to just stand around here...? We should take him to a shelter quick, right...?"
	  Toujirou was casually reclining in a deck chair next to the pool of a hotel wrapped in the flames of war.
	  Even though swarms of rogue drones were flying low above the city, continuing their destruction...
	  Originally, the plan had been to take him to the airport, but it looked like that flight would be cancelled for the foreseeable future.
	  Toujirou:
	  "There's no need to be impatient. Calm down and check the nature of the damage around you."
	  Toujirou:
	  "They aren't attacking indiscriminately and at random. They're simply distributing the damage evenly, and extremely efficiently."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...Y-You're right! The drones' attack isn't aimed at a specific target, it's focusing on efficiently damaging a large area...!"
	  Valentina:
	  "What do you mean...?"
	  Obviously, though attacking more often than necessary to achieve a goal may look flashy, it's just a waste of ammunition.
	  However, on the battlefield, it's sometimes necessary to overly concentrate your attacks, to make sure you destroy your target.
	  In this era of pinpoint attacks, the way these drones were attacking all over the place may have seemed random and indiscriminate.
	  However, if one checked the nature of the surrounding destruction as Toujirou had suggested, ...it became possible to notice a clear purpose behind these attacks.
	  Toujirou:
	  "What those drones are after is the destruction of the city itself. ...This isn't the sort of stingy attack that a human would use, aiming for a single vital establishment with pinpoint accuracy."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...They're trying...to cause equal destruction throughout the whole city......"
	  Valentina:
	  "And you're saying they're doing that efficiently, from a perspective of machine-like methodicalness... Heheh..."
	  The drones were large in numbers, but it wasn't as though each individual one had a large amount of weaponry.
	  So, every shot they fired was being used to cause destruction with maximum efficiency, according to the situation.
	  If they had tried to attack vital establishments, the defenses there would be strong, and such places would have run worst-case scenario simulations to deal with situations like this. ...That made them surprisingly undesirable as targets.
	  So, the drones were targeting the city itself instead.
	  When attacking the roads, it was more efficient for them to aim at multi-level crossings.
	  By shooting at the weak points of structures, they could cause more efficient destruction as the structures collapsed.
	  If they lightly raked over luxury establishments lined with beautiful glass using machine guns, the shower of falling glass shards would cause unimaginable damage.
	  However, the most efficient form of destruction is fire.
	  If they managed to start a large-scale fire in the city, they'd be able to cause massive damage without using up ammunition.
	  The drones actively sought out flammable targets, trying to start and spread flames. They also attacked the firefighting facilities that would probably be used to put those fires out.
	  Toujirou:
	  "Haven't you ever thought about it? Humanity has focused its defenses on vital establishments, because they tend to be targets of attacks. I'm sure that even during all this, Spiritium conversion facilities and 8MS factories are being protected. However, everywhere else is lax... Even though it's the people who really ought to be protected."
	  In the A3W world, even when people saw world wars, they were somehow disconnected from it.
	  They believed that flashy wars would always take place on the other side of the television.
	  All military collisions took place within the Walls of Peace. Shrapnel from explosions would never come flying at you from your TV screen.
	  Highly advanced weapon guidance technology played a big role in this.
	  This was an era when you could launch pinpoint attacks against vital establishments right in the middle of a city and still cause almost no damage to those who lived there.
	  Even when world wars took place, they would be somewhat ho-hum about it, assuming that the enemy wouldn't attack them if they weren't soldiers.
	  Toujirou:
	  "In the first place, more noncombatants die than soldiers during war. Thinking that nothing on this side of the TV screen will be affected is hopelessly naive."
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Today, humanity is remembering that obvious fact."
	  At that moment, they heard a set of repeated, thunderous explosions, as if this was a huge finale to a fireworks show.
	  When they looked at the sky in that direction, ...they saw countless flaming red balls drawing a parabola throughout the city.
	  It was as though several curves of red light had been drawn there, beautifully extending like the branches of a fantastical weeping willow.
	  Toujirou:
	  "...That one hit hard. Weren't those MLRS bombardments launched by heavy drones, the trump card of coastal defense operations? They specialize in damage over a large area, so it's perfect for attacking an entire city. Sorry to say it, but you won't be able to see that beautiful Rio de Janeiro again, except as photos on the internet."
	  Those ferocious series of thunderclaps occurred several more times after that. It seemed that other areas were also receiving MLRS bombardments.
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...Major, even so, isn't it about time we took shelter...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "It'll be fine. After all, I'm being protected by two lovely girl carriers with Aegis-equipped ships in tow. ...And besides, this area won't be attacked again."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "How can you know that...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Judging by the state of the damage, you can tell that the drones tend to quantify the damage done to each section, and they're distributing it evenly. Furthermore, if you look at the damage in areas where the attacks have stopped, measuring it with the valuation methods used by the International Disaster Agency, you'll find that they equal each other with an error of just 5%."
	  Toujirou:
	  "...This leads us to the conclusion that those areas have already reached the levels of damage that the drones are aiming for, so it's unlikely that they'll be attacked again. ...Well, that doesn't mean they're 100% safe though. And now we know how a cocktail tastes while surrounded by the flames of war, huh?"
	  Valentina:
	  "......Heheh. As usual, you never cease to surprise, Major."
	  Maricarmen:
	  ".................."
	  Maricarmen thought. ...True, this Major did seem to be just a James Bond wannabe, trying to seem relaxed even in a crazy situation like this.
	  But this was no movie.
	  The reality occurring right now...would probably lead to large numbers of casualties, both from the attack and the subsequent chaos.
	  And yet, ...he was relaxing this much.
	  There are plenty of naive people who can relax while watching war through their television.
	  However, the madness of someone who can relax when there's no TV separating them from the carnage...goes far beyond the comprehensible.
	  Valentina might be a bit attracted to his adult composure that so defies common sense, but......
	  ...I'm scared, Tina.
	  This Major called Mitake Toujirou...isn't a naive person watching war through a TV.
	  Are we sure he isn't...something that's watching our world through a TV? ...Something that, from our perspective, isn't human...?
	  Miyao...
	  This person truly is your real father, ......right?
	  Your father......is so... ............
	  ............So......
	  Valentina:
	  "...Come to think of it, ...Major, don't people in your neck of the woods call you a prophet or something? ...They say you always know what will happen in the future. And that you make clever use of that information to rake in the cash."
	  Valentina:
	  "In that case, ...did you prophesize this day as well?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "There are some things you know, but you can't do anything about, right? This is one of those."
	  Valentina:
	  "Let me rephrase that. ...Do you know, Major? .........Will these terrible things that come like natural disasters...continue?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Wh-Who on earth is plotting such terrifying things? What are they after?!"
	  Toujirou:
	  ".........Hmmm..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "You know, my fees really are high. Still, okay. I might as well give these two beautiful escorts a tip."
	  Toujirou:
	  "First, let's start with your question. Mari, was it?"
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Y-Yes. Feel free to call me whatever you like..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "You wanted to know who was plotting such terrifying things, right? ......If you ask me who, ...that's a bit hard to answer, but there's no doubt that this is occurring as a result of human intent."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...You mean...the World Reset Cult...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Well, let's call it that for now. That's as much as a human's capable of understanding."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Th-Those people are insane! They're making a mess of the world! If they hate the world that much, why don't they just hang themselves...?!!"
	  Valentina:
	  "...Heheh. They're probably trying to play God, destroying humanity and culture once so they can guide it down the right path the next time around. It's a disease that every VIP gets at least once, when they're caught by the belief that they're one of the Chosen Ones."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Major, ...do you know the mastermind behind this conspiracy...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "...The answer to that...is a bit expensive."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If you ever escort me again, I'll think about it."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "............Nngg..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Next... Tina, was it?"
	  Valentina:
	  "Yes, Major."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Your question was whether these terrible things would continue, right?"
	  Valentina:
	  "Yes."
	  Toujirou:
	  "......Well, I don't know how far their plan has proceeded yet. Even I don't know the full details of it. So, it's hard for me to give you a simple answer."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Oh, but I can tell you one thing."
	  Valentina:
	  "...What's that?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "What's happening all over the world right now is no natural disaster. They're all problems that were created by humans, and they can all be dealt with by human hands."
	  Valentina:
	  "You have a point there. Heheh, ...considering that you're relaxing by a pool, it would seem the danger isn't that bad after all."
	  Toujirou:
	  "All these natural disasters that can be brought about by human hands...are like rain ceremonies."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...Rain ceremonies? You mean, rituals to summon rain...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "That's right. And they're for the purpose of summoning actual natural phenomena."
	  Valentina:
	  "......You're saying that, at this decisive moment when the world may or may not be destroyed, ...a real natural disaster might occur, one to make all the dangers so far seem trivial? And that bringing this about is the goal of the mastermind behind this incident...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "When chess is played with this planet as the stage, ...so much happens in darkness that it isn't even clear whether your opponent is in his seat or not."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "...Chess..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "In chess, the fact that the pieces are all laid out in their initial positions...tells you nothing about when the game will start. So, they made the first move. ...Move the pawn in front of the king to e4. Now, the board situation has changed."
	  Toujirou:
	  "In other words, it means you are already seated and have made the first move, ...partly as a declaration of war, partly as a signal that the game has begun, and partly as a sign to your opponent that you want them to respond."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If this message reaches your opponent, ...they'll likely realize that you want to play chess, and they'll take their seats. ...Then, one of the black pawns moves to c5. ......Now, the first person is really excited. After all, their opponent has noticed their intent to play chess, has taken their seat, and has even responded."
	  Toujirou:
	  "So, they respond with Nf3. Yes, this is where the knights come into play. Their opponent would probably counter with d6 or e6. Well, that part's a matter of personal taste. Long-time players treat the first few moves like a ceremony, after all."
	  Valentina and Maricarmen had no idea what he was telling them.
	  Clearly, he was trying to confuse the issue.
	  ...However, they still realized that Toujirou really did know everything that would happen next, ...and that he was diluting that information this much so that he'd be able to speak of it openly...
	  Toujirou:
	  "You'll know soon."
	  Toujirou:
	  "You'll see that this doesn't deserve to be called a natural disaster."
	  Valentina:
	  "...Was it really all right to tell us that? Heheh, ...or are you thinking that telling this only to people like us won't matter anymore at this stage...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "We're only pieces on the chessboard. ...There's a limit to what we can do. However, ...one thing that is clear...is that we want the players who own us to win. So, we can only wait vigilantly until our pieces have a chance to shine and contribute to their victory..."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Will humanity...be able to overcome this danger...?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Have faith in humanity. It'll be okay. We'll definitely win. Though, I don't know how many pieces will be lost on the path towards that victory."
	  In the midst of Toujirou's intentionally vague way of talking, ...that one statement alone seemed to have a strong intent behind it.
	  Toujirou:
	  "Still, if it's for the sake of saving humanity, it doesn't matter how many people die, right?"
	  #e7e7e7Military Radio:
	  "...The Central Command Center has confirmed the suppression of all non-friendly dro-...*kssht*! ...For the moment, the use of all drones, whether armed or unarmed, has been forbidden. All squads, please visually confirm the nature of the damage...*kssht*..."
	  #e7e7e7Military Radio:
	  "*ksssht*... Wisła Bridge is collapsing...*kssht*! ...Eastern District...*kssht*...emergency vehicles are unable to proceed...*kssht*!"
	  #e7e7e7Government Spokesperson:
	  "Everyone, please hold strong, without losing hope. Use your Selcom to check for safety information from your local governments and put your own safety first. Furthermore, those of you who don't have a Selcom installed or activated, please reach out to us. The government will certainly save...*kssht*, ...savesavesavesavesavesavesave...*ksssssht*!!"
	  The massive quantities of drones that had once patrolled the Walls of Peace...caused unprecedented damage.
	  Furthermore, in the middle of this global conflict, massive numbers of them had been mobilized, and the fact that they were heavily armed made the situation all the more fatal.
	  Of course, you didn't have to look back to classic B3W sci-fi to know that, starting very early on, humanity had imagined the possibility of losing control over their autonomous weaponry.
	  Because of how they were built, you couldn't prevent small numbers of units from being hacked, and this was taken into account.
	  ...Even human cells sometimes mutate, one at a time. Just like how the surrounding cells will immediately try to eliminate a mutated cell, drone swarms were also programmed to rapidly destroy any friendly units that behaved abnormally.
	  However, ...the one part that was protected by incredible security...was the military AI managing all those drone swarms.
	  And, in fact, its security hadn't been broken in this instance either.
	  ...The security of military AIs from every faction and every country...had been circumvented directly, with proper passwords, and in fact with passwords used by people with considerable authority.
	  Either the passwords were stolen by hackers, or the password owners had gone traitor or sold them.
	  Either way, this might lead to a blame game for damage that was far too widespread, so none of the countries made this information public.
	  #e7e7e7Radio:
	  "Firefighting chemical agents...*kssht*...need support! Confirmed that there is a firestorm at the scene...*ksssssht*!"
	  #e7e7e7Radio:
	  "...The wind is spreading the fire! Urgently requesting support from Climate 8MS and Disaster Prevention 8MS...*kssht*...! If the wind just stops for a bit and the fire weakens...*kssht*."
	  #e7e7e7Radio:
	  "*kssssht*! Did you say to stop the fire with bombs?! You fool, there's still lots of people there who need our help! There's got to be over a hundred trapped in there...*kssht*...*ksssssht*!!!"
	  The massive megacities created in the A3W era had also become areas of extremely high population densities.
	  ...This made it possible for staggering casualties to occur during a disaster like this.
	  Furthermore, everyone had always relied on 8MS to deal with disasters too, so with them erroring out, the situation had become truly dire.
	  Naima:
	  "......How many casualties have there been? ...Wow..."
	  Naomi:
	  "Who knows. ...Even just in ABN France, there might be 10 million...no, 20 million dead. ...If that happened on a world scale, ...it's scary just to think about the numbers."
	  Nearly everyone in the A3W world owned Selcoms or wearable terminals.
	  Those measured their vital signs, which made it easier to rapidly assess casualties in a situation like this...
	  Stanisław:
	  "...Today will probably be the single day with the greatest number of human casualties since the start of recorded history."
	  Naima:
	  "...Horrible tragedies like this...were supposed to have ended a hundred years ago..."
	  Naima:
	  "But right now, what's happening here...is the saddest. ......I...loved looking down on Paris with Naomi from the top of that..."
	  Naomi:
	  "...They'll probably be able to rebuild it. ......But, ...who knows whether its soul will survive."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...I can't believe they were able to destroy it that easily. ...A military AI...really is terrifying..."
	  Black smoke continued to gush from Paris, as if it was wrapped in the bowels of war.
	  The Eiffel Tower, a symbol that had survived even World War III, ...lay pathetically on its side......
	  #ffcba9Fatma:
	  "To all of the people, keep giving it your all and don't lose hope! Now is the time to show everyone the miracle of peace and harmony!"
	  #ffe284Stephania:
	  "We of Yeladot Shavit love all of those who have risen up to face this national crisis!"
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "A special order of harmony is currently in effect. With regards to religion-based hate crimes, religious police on the scene have been given the authority to see that justice be done, without the need for a trial."
	  #ffcba9Fatma:
	  "Before they try to take advantage of this chaos, let's report as many atheists and fundamentalist terrorists as we can! Actually, I just reported one myself☆"
	  #ffe284Stephania:
	  "Huh? Seriously?! Amazing! I'll keep on reporting suspicious people when I see them and rack up some contribution points!"
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "Good times build the faith, and bad times put that faith to the test. Now is the time to show our faith and love of peace to the world!"
	  #ffbf88Leah:
	  "This has been the 012th Holy Agent Corps `Yeladot Shavit'
	   We love all of you☆"
	  Stephania:
	  "...Okay, nice work."
	  Fatma:
	  "Yeah, okay, but...shouldn't we be focusing on fires and people hit by the disaster, before worrying about religious crimes?"
	  Leah:
	  "To think that armored cars with religious police would be given priority over fire department vehicles. ...This must really be the miracle of love and harmony☆ *sparkle* ..............."
	  Stephania:
	  "Crap, they're saying the death count in my ABN Romania is definitely over 8 million... And I can't get in touch with Mom......"
	  News:
	  "It's becoming clear that this rogue drone accident has resulted in unprecedented casualty levels. ...It's expected that the number of victims will reach as high as 500 million in the ACR alone..."
	  Mariana:
	  "...Considering the numbers, this should delay the world famine issue."
	  Gannet:
	  "Whaat?! How can you say something so cold?! Billions of people probably died across the world! How is this any time to be calmly saying things like that?!"
	  Gannet:
	  "A whole lot of my friends died too! Are you saying we should be happy because we don't have to pay to feed them now?! You don't have a human heart, Mariana!"
	  Noor:
	  "We must remain calm exactly because that's the situation, fool. The Walls of Peace are being shaken to their foundations. ...What do you think will happen...if we don't maintain our composure......?"
	  Mariana:
	  "Letting your emotions control you will just make you hungry."
	  Mariana:
	  "And, no matter how gruesome the situation beneath us is, ...we have a mission to perform. A mission to chase out all ABN bases on the African continent before 24:00 on the 25th."
	  Gannet:
	  "You're crazy because you're able to stay calm, and the government's crazy to play musical chairs in a situation like this!! Why are our Dimension Containers packed with guided bombs and 30mm shells?
	   That's insane, insane!!"
	  Noor:
	  "...Fool. Please, don't say any more."
	  Noor:
	  "If someone hears you say that, you'll be dismissed from duty, ...and our kette will be joined by someone who doesn't find it strange to have a Dimension Container so filled at a time like this."
	  Mariana:
	  "......I don't want to fly with someone like that."
	  Mariana:
	  "Gannet...is right. She's yelling at the unfairness of it for our sakes as well......"
	  Abdou:
	  "...Did you hear? Going forward, the use of all drones will be suspended indefinitely."
	  Ishak:
	  "Naturally. If the same thing were to happen again, humanity really would be destroyed."
	  Abdou:
	  "Again? ...Hah. I think this one time was fatal enough."
	  Ishak:
	  "We may not be able to use drones, ...but that doesn't change the timing of the truce or the situation surrounding the conflicted areas."
	  Abdou:
	  "...In other words, the high and mighty humans will have to fight each other directly."
	  Abdou:
	  "After all, so far, there hasn't been a single living human around except us. Now, the battlefield will finally become a living, breathing thing."
	  Ishak:
	  "Manned weaponry is completely useless against Gauntlet Knights. ...Nothing has changed. In the end, they'll make just us fight on our own."
	  Abdou:
	  "Hah... Just getting rid of those daddy longlegs drones will make the skies so much nicer..."
	  Rethabile:
	  ".................."
	  Ishak:
	  "Princess, ...are you sure you shouldn't be taking a rest?"
	  Abdou:
	  "He's right. There's no way the shock's worn off yet..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...I too am a soldier. I am prepared to experience death up close."
	  Rethabile:
	  "And besides, even just counting our Commonwealth, over 500 million people have been hit with disaster on this earth. ...So many lives have been stolen that we don't even know what the number is across the world. ...As one tasked from birth with the mission of defending our people's safety, I cannot spend too long lamenting the death of one brother."
	  ...What and how much did big brother know?
	  Did he know about this worldwide drone stampede...?
	  Or could it be...that he knew even more than that?
	  Seeing as how he was killed so brutally, he must have known something that made it worth silencing him even through means like that...
	  However, my doubts grow.
	  In the first place, how would my brother, who only had an honorary position in the 8MS industry, ...have had a chance to get involved with an international conspiracy...?
	  By nature, he always couldn't stand human greed and the darker parts of their nature, so I can't even imagine him lending an ear to some terrifying conspiracy...
	  Did he...have a secret even I do not know...?
	  It's true that, as an international philanthropist, he was a member of several international clubs of gentlemen.
	  Sometimes, upper class social settings can become like a cocoon, ...where those present act like they're the Chosen Ones.
	  Some people do charitable work through a genuine feeling of goodwill, ...but there are also some who don't deserve to be called gentlemen, who prop themselves up by thinking of needy people as animals they're graciously supplying with food...
	  Rethabile:
	  ".................."
	  
	  News:
	  "If all sorts of countermeasures were taken to prevent rampages like this, why wasn't it possible to prevent this drone uprising?"
	  Commentator:
	  "The most likely explanation is that worldwide superearthquake from the other day. After all, it was enough to cause significant damage to the Environmental 8MS, so it wouldn't be strange if it had some sort of effect on the drones' circuits."
	  Newscaster:
	  "Ever since the start of the A3W era, drones have carried the main burden of maintaining a healthy military balance. It seems the main characters on the battlefield will once again be humans facing off directly, just like back in the B3W era."
	  Commentator:
	  "Which means nothing can stand in the way of the Aerial Augmented Infantry. After all, even when you use drones that can attack without risk, you can barely achieve a draw against them by using saturation attacks. But if you're using vehicles manned by humans, which are far riskier, ...even fighting to a draw would be difficult."
	  Newscaster:
	  "It seems that, in part due to this sensational event, the Gauntlet Knights who just had their shocking debut will influence events even more strongly."
	  Commentator:
	  "Even in the B3W era, there was a time when possession of nuclear weapons was a country's lifeline. ...It seems likely that going forward, the number and skill of each nation's Gauntlet Knights will have a dramatic influence on the world's power balance. It might even start to have political implications."
	  Newscaster:
	  "You're saying it's possible that a Gauntlet Knight hero could use their overwhelming popularity to run for president?"
	  Commentator:
	  "...If we take this to an extreme, if a group of Aerial Augmented Infantry members were to launch a coup d'état, ...it's extremely doubtful whether it could be suppressed under the current circumstances. Of course, though their weapons are powerful, they won't run forever on their own. They'd still need fuel and rations. However, as we can see from historical coups d'état, it isn't impossible for a short-term action to overthrow a government."
	  Commentator:
	  "As technology advances and we enter an era where anyone can join the Aerial Augmented Infantry, it will probably become a more common sort of power and settle down."
	  Commentator:
	  "However, at this moment in time, only a small number of young people with extremely rare talents are being given this role. If these people who command the Walls of Peace as a small group were ever to develop political ambitions, and if they tried to use their vast power to intervene politically, it might be difficult for any nation to resist..."
	  Seshat:
	  "...In other words, the era of the young has arrived."
	  Seshat:
	  "Now then, all you youngsters, you have been given power. And, you have been given a chessboard, on which only you have been placed. ...There are no longer any pieces that can get in the way."
	  Seshat:
	  "Has there ever been an era in which humanity gave this much power to the young? No, there hasn't. Of course not. No one's gonna do that."
	  Seshat:
	  "...Youngsters, if you do have the will, I imagine sooner is better than later."
	  After all, we middle-aged men and women...are quick to get jealous of things like that and crush them.
	  You know, like how deer love newly-sprouted plants the most and eat them all up.
	  Seshat:
	  "You've gone to all the trouble of sprouting. ...Why don't you give it a shot before you get eaten...? After all, I always love watching young people do their best."
	  Well, that doesn't mean I'll take responsibility for what happens next. Ahaha.
	  Jestress:
	  "I have a report to make. Thanks to the devoted efforts of the chivalric orders who have sworn loyalty to us, the operation has achieved a major success."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "I've been checking the news, but haven't been able to get a feel for the full scope of the damage."
	  King of Fury:
	  "Regardless, the results of the operation were far from a major success. We are still a long ways away from what we had planned."
	  Jestress:
	  "The final casualty count is a minimum of 3 billion across the world. Medical services are overstretched, so it's likely to rise by another 500 million."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "Hyahyahya! So, this operation has managed to kill 3.5 billion people? Hyahyahyahya!"
	  There had been 3.5 billion casualties.
	  That number was so massive, ...it exceeded the capacity of the human imagination, ...and it didn't feel real at all.
	  So, since the world population was said to have reached 10 billion people, ...it was as though this world was an apple with one third of it sliced out.
	  With that many lives and city functions removed from the equation, all civilizations up until the B3W era would likely have ended immediately.
	  However, the A3W world's civilization, supported by supertechnology, was able to continue to function even after receiving such extensive damage.
	  Even with so many victims, those who had escaped the disaster still felt a bit as though this was somebody else's problem. Ironically, that detachment had prevented a panic and stabilized the people.
	  The drastic gap between affected and unaffected areas was a major cause of this attitude.
	  Cities hit by drone attacks were in ruins, but more than twice that many cities hadn't been hit.
	  Furthermore, the affected zones were extremely concentrated and distributed in a lopsided fashion.
	  So, there were quite a lot of people who only knew about the drone revolt from what they saw on TV.
	  To nearly all those people, ...this incident seemed somehow unreal...
	  It might seem strange that people could feel disconnected to a tragedy where 3.5 billion people died, even if said tragedy didn't hit them directly.
	  However, the creatures known as humans are surprisingly indifferent when it comes to the lives of other humans.
	  It doesn't matter how many people die in a country you've never heard of before, a country that might exist anywhere on the globe for all you know. Unless someone from your country is among the victims, it's time to check the weather next.
	  However, if your beloved dog dies, it will probably make you sadder than the deaths of countless people you don't know.
	  In other words, people mourn the dead...because of the sadness from losing the interpersonal bonds they developed while the departed was alive.
	  ...Remove interpersonal bonds from the equation, and no matter how many people die, the human heart will remain unmoved unless it witnesses those deaths directly.
	  To some people, even that might sound heartless.
	  But one fact mustn't be forgotten. ...Almost one half of all babies born into this world are not carried here by the ciconia.
	  They're born in a factory, categorized by their various talents, and sent to different institutions based on that analysis. They can only make friends of their same generation, with similar talents and sensibilities to their own.
	  The density of their interpersonal bonds with others...is overwhelmingly weaker than the B3W era.
	  To people like that, as long as their city and the people they know are safe, ...then no matter how many people die far away, they'll feel a pang of sadness, ...but only until they change the TV channel.
	  So, ...even with 3.5 billion lives lost...
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Simply put, that's not very many."
	  Jestress:
	  "*giggle* ...I truly never will get bored, working for people who cause the deaths of 3.5 billion and say that's not very many."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "But it still is approximately 30% of the world's population. Of course, city operations will have suffered to a similar degree."
	  King of Fury:
	  "I did want to give them a merciful destruction, ...but, sadly, the elimination of humanity's remainder will have to be left to earthquakes, cold waves, and food crises."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "I do hope that, at least during that process, we are able to locate even a few people whom we find worthy to leave all of this behind to."
	  Jestress:
	  "You're right.  Even if you have an ark, it won't mean anything unless you also have Noah and his wife."
	  King of Ridicule:
	  "......I do want to believe that humans are creatures that can show us a miracle at the moment of their destruction."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "It might not be so bad to use the thought of that day coming, when we can give that person their crown, to spice up our journey going forward."
	  King of Fury:
	  "I do not know how many times I have lost patience with humanity. ...And yet, they can also be so adorable that every single time, I find myself believing that this time, they'll get it right."
	  King of Sorrow:
	  "Indeed. ......Because we have love, because we want to protect these innocent children from a civilization's end as gruesome as that, we must lovingly swing down our hatchet."
	  Jestress:
	  "All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path."
	  Chloe:
	  "...With the drone swarms gone, I guess this was inevitable."
	  Lilja:
	  "To pull out trainees who've only barely learned to fly like this is just dumb meow..."
	  Chloe:
	  "A lot of them haven't even finished adjusting their Gauntlets... At this rate, even just flying will be dangerous..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Chloe, you should tell those newbs not to use their Dimension Containers meow. ...If an ally behind us suddenly self-destructs, it'll probably take out even the strongest shield with one hit meow."
	  Chloe:
	  "...You're right.
	   Chloe of Grave Mole, calling all units. Use of the Dimension Container is forbidden to everyone without combat experience. ...An honorable death in combat would be bad enough, but self-destructing from a container accident and dragging your comrades into it would be just too sad."
	  Trainee:
	  "Does that mean...that you're telling us not to join the fight...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "You provisional knights can just watch and learn, don't get in the way of the veterans, is what she's saying meeeooow!!"
	  Trainees:
	  ".................."
	  Trainees:
	  "...But you don't mind us using them if we feel like we're in danger, right...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Please don't make maneuvers that will make you feel like you're in danger. Focus on your shields, not on attacking. In the end, that will do us the most good."
	  For Chloe, she was putting it rather coldly.
	  Of course, that was intentional.
	  From Grave Mole's perspective as top aces, there was no longer any reason to stand out or to be impatient for praise.
	  Trainees:
	  "...Grave Mole, ...when you tell us not to fight, ...is that an order?"
	  Trainees:
	  "This might be my first time in actual combat, ...but I've had success in the simulators..."
	  Lilja:
	  "These idiots really do want to put their skills to the test meow..."
	  Chloe:
	  "...Calling all units. You're free to be careless with your own lives, but make sure you don't forget to return those Gauntlets on your left arms in one piece. There are plenty of people who can replace you, but replacing a Gauntlet isn't so easy."
	  Lilja:
	  "...If you don't want to die, focus on your shields meow! And, if your shield is shattered, retreat even if you do recover afterward meow!! Idiots who get their shields shattered once will just get them shattered again meow! If you really do run out of energy the next time, you really will die meoooooow!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Also, there's a moral code even on the battlefield. Make sure that none of you forget that. Neither we nor they will chase down anyone whose shield breaks and who leaves the front lines. Do not shoot people trying to escape. ...After all, the concept of allies and enemies doesn't exist for us. We're comrades supporting the Walls of Peace together."
	  Trainees:
	  "We may be free to let our opponents escape, ...but will the enemy do the same for us...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "It's an unwritten rule among those who fly. This is not an official order. These are just the words of someone who's been through this before you, talking to herself. However, I do hope that you all understand the point of this. Chloe, out."
	  ...All Gauntlet Knights participating in the Order of the Public Bath were top-class or near top-class aces from all factions.
	  So, they were all proud, confident, and understood both the honor of serving as the guardians of the Walls of Peace...and the concept that there were no allies or enemies among them.
	  Miyao was the one who first said it, but they all had a nobility of spirit that allowed them to understand it, accept it, and put those ideas into practice.
	  However, ...now that there were no drone swarms, large numbers of inexperienced Gauntlet Knights were being thrown in to cover the massive battlefields.
	  Some of them felt various emotions that the aces did not share.
	  ...They wanted to become aces too, to leave a name for themselves, to build up a good record...
	  Some of them viewed their opponents not as comrades supporting the Walls of Peace, ...but merely as enemies.
	  Surely, some of them would prefer to suck up to superior officers from the command center, rather than the veteran Gauntlet Knights.
	  If you tried to convince them to follow the Order's ideals -- don't die, don't kill, don't fight -- not only would they not accept it, but some of them might report it to their superiors...
	  Koshka:
	  "...Keh."
	  Koshka:
	  "If people wanna die, just go ahead and let them."
	  Koshka:
	  "......Why don't all of you...just die on your own......?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Koshka, ...that was just me joking around a bit, trying to act tough meow-"
	  Koshka:
	  "Shut up. You don't get to talk either. It's not like talking to me is any fun or anything."
	  "Koshka" has exited the room poyo!
	  Lilja:
	  "Kosh- ...... ......Ah, I can't take this anymore meow..."
	  Chloe:
	  "...I don't understand either, Lilja."
	  Chloe:
	  "Who...are you really...?"
	  Lilja:
	  ".................."
	  Lilja:
	  "...I'm Lilja. Lilja Viljakainen."
	  Lilja:
	  "Lilja Viljakainen, who as a trainee, thought she'd fly right past an instructor who was annoying her, until a sudden gust of wind screwed up her angle and she turned three officers into mincemeat! Who became Geroy equipment to escape the firing squad and who sold off her heart and soul...!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "This is Lingji from COU Baibao. Grave Mole, please respond."
	  Chloe:
	  "This is Chloe from Grave Mole. Reading you loud and clear."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "Please don't be too hard on us. And, in accordance with the philosophy of Miyao and the Order of the Public Bath, I hope for a good, clean fight."
	  Chloe:
	  "I understand, Lingji, but I have some bad news."
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "What a coincidence. We have some bad news on our end as well. Heheheheh..."
	  Chloe:
	  "It looks like we're both in the same situation..."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "Several of the new recruits are fools trying to make a name for themselves. ...Some are using violent emotions to try and distract themselves from the fear of their first real combat."
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "...This time, our allies probably include many people who are too immature to be taught the Order's philosophy."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "We've told them there's no need to chase down their opponents if their shields break, and that they should make a run for it if their own shields break, ......but I do not know if they will keep to that. It is possible that there will be casualties on your side."
	  Chloe:
	  "......There's no helping it. Let's control the battlefield situation ourselves. In the end, we can control who wins and loses as much as we like, based on minor changes to the behavior of our ace kette."
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "My, my, heheheh... Have you always been like this, Chloe? The Chloe I know was more kind and peaceful, right?"
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "Far too much has happened. It's been enough to change anyone."
	  Chloe:
	  "...Let's just say that's the case. Now then, please don't be too hard on us."
	  COU Aerial Augmented Infantry squads approaching poyo!! The enemy has activated its Reaper's Eye! You've been targeted poyo!
	  Chloe:
	  "Miyao, ......maybe this world really should be destroyed."
	  Chloe:
	  "But even if that's so, ...would you still say that the job of guardians of the Walls of Peace...is to believe in the good in people's hearts?"
	  Chloe:
	  "I don't know what's right or wrong anymore...!"
	  "Sujatha" wants to know if it's okay to talk poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "I don't mind, but are you sure she's got the right chat this time?"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "This is Sujatha from Suparṇa of the COU. I apologize for accidentally sending you a message the other day that was meant for Lingji."
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't worry about it. As long as you don't actually send the message to someone when you're talking behind their back, I don't mind. ...So, what is it?"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Normally, I should say this directly to Lingji, ...but I know that she respects you. So, it will be faster to tell you this directly."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm not getting you. What happened?"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "At least in the COU, your philosophy of the Order of the Public Bath...has apparently been noticed by some highly disagreeable superior officers."
	  Miyao:
	  "......How was it noticed?"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "They've been carefully analyzing Gauntlet Knight movement data, ...finding incidents such as attacks that could only conceivably have failed intentionally. As a result, ...they have started to suspect that these failed attacks were not issues with individual soldiers, ...but sabotage on an organizational level."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".........I assumed the truth would get out sooner or later, but I thought we'd be able to push it off at least until the truce."
	  Jayden:
	  "So, they've been carefully analyzing all that data to make sure we're doing our jobs right...? *sigh* If only they'd paid that much attention to our mental care."
	  Miyao:
	  "No kidding. ...Anyway, Sujatha, when we say `don't die, don't kill', the dying part includes social death as well. ...Just play dumb with all you've got. Later on, if it becomes difficult to assist, I don't mind if you forget everything you know about the Order itself."
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Hmph, you have a point there. After all, we're at a turning point where the world may be destroyed no matter who wins or who loses. It would seem foolish to say `don't die, don't kill' after all this time..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks for telling me about this. ...Still, why didn't you tell Lingji about it directly?"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "She...is quite fond of your Order. She truly believes that if friends supporting the Walls of Peace all hold hands, happiness will come to the world. I supported it on the surface, but I thought it would eventually be exposed and become a problem. I told her not to get too emotionally involved, but she did not heed my warnings. I don't know if she would take me seriously if I told her myself. ...So, I thought she might be more likely to believe it if you told her."
	  Miyao:
	  "......I see......"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "I want you to tell Lingji about this too. ...Those people aren't just starting to analyze a few kette, but movement data from all kette deployed in this global conflict. ...Lingji herself might not care what sort of messages come down to her from above, ...but her war buddies who stand by her side would be caught up in her punishment."
	  Miyao:
	  ".................."
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Tell her that yourself. Isn't that your responsibility as the one who first said these things...no, as the Grand Master of the Order of the Public Bath?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Understood. I'll tell her soon. ...For now, you and the rest of Suparṇa should take care and focus on just staying safe."
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "Hmph. We'll handle ourselves fine. You're the one who should show some concern for their own safety. Our higher-ups are always bragging about how the COU is always one step ahead of the AOU, but if that's true, then it's probably safe to assume that this analysis of movement data has already begun in the AOU as well."
	  Jayden:
	  "...We think we're doing this neatly, ......but it's possible some of our kette are bad at acting."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Thanks, Sujatha. We'll also make sure we worry about ourselves before worrying about other people."
	  Miyao:
	  "Even if you can't cooperate at all after today, that's completely fine! If anything, I'm grateful that you took such great risks until now! Anyway, take care, along with the rest of Suparṇa!"
	  #96ffd8Sujatha:
	  "It's enough that you all take care. We'll handle ourselves fine. Make sure you tell Lingji too. Sujatha, out."
	  Miyao...
	  There was no way we could've played at being heroes without those sly old men noticing.
	  I've known that for so long, and yet...
	  COU Colonel:
	  "When you were conducting terminal guidance in all these cases, you intentionally had your FCS support switched to `off'. Why was that?! Answer me!!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "............"
	  COU Colonel:
	  ".................."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "........................"
	  COU Officer:
	  "Can't you hear that a colonel is demanding an answer?!!"
	  The middle-aged officer raised his palm and mercilessly slapped Rukhshana's cheek.
	  She withstood it while still standing at attention, ...but just the cheek that had been hit swelled unevenly...
	  Sujatha, who was standing at attention in the same way, was swelling even more...
	  COU Colonel:
	  "There's also the case of the retributive attack against that agricultural plant, where Suparṇa neglected to check for civilians during their assault and caused needless casualties! You claim that you fully checked for civilians! And yet, once again, .........
	   Wh-What are you laughing at?!"
	  Sujatha:
	  "...Rukhshana, ...stop......"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Hahahahahah, ...ahahahahahahahahahahah! Are we in trouble because we missed things, or in trouble because we hit things?! Hard to tell, right?! If you have so little trust in us, why don't you just break Suparṇa up?! The higher-ups in the COU Joint Parliament worked so hard to put it together, right? You might not be able to split us up even if you wanted to, ahahahahahaha!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "In the end, doesn't this just mean that our maintenance was poorly performed? We're the COU Combined Military's murder weapons, after all! If you're not happy with the results we've achieved, I'd say that's on the Combined Military for slacking off on its maintenance, right?"
	  Sujatha:
	  "That's enough... Just stop!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Too bad, I'm not gonna stop, ahahhahahaha!! If we screw up, all we ever get is punishment, only the stick! Haven't you heard of using the carrot? You haven't, have you?"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "You beat up that Kozèko Squad from Myanmar so badly to serve as an example! Then, in the Battle Standard Festival preliminaries, they got good results and their reputation did a 180! Oh, but I'm sure you gave them as many carrots as you gave them sticks, right?!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Ahahahahah, by the way, I know what they got! Nothing at all is what they got! Those middle-aged men got all smug over how they'd raised Kozèko Squad so well, and during their own sendoff party, the squad was just standing at attention against the wall, not even given glasses!!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Ahahahahaha, well duh, we're just the military's property! What kind of idiot would actually thank his tools?!!!"
	  COU Colonel:
	  "Y-You...! Y-You watch what you say!!!"
	  There was nothing wrong with the high officer's legs, but he still pompously walked around with a fancy cane...!
	  There was a *thunk*, and then a small splash of blood that left marks on the white floor...
	  Rukhshana:
	  "......Andry...!"
	  Andry:
	  "My apologies, Colonel. ...Immediately after flying, she sometimes develops a condition where she becomes hypersensitive to cranial secretions and undergoes personality changes. ...We'll make sure she has it examined, so I beg your forgiveness."
	  Andry:
	  "It's possible that this is a result of weariness from excessive time on missions, or else negative, unexpected side-effects on her mind and body from the powerful drugs she's been taking since she was a trainee. ...Naturally, for a COU soldier, such problems should be overcome through applied willpower, and she recognizes her serious failure in being unable to do that."
	  A single line of blood dripped from Andry's forehead to his cheek.
	  Andry:
	  "Under normal circumstances, she ought to enter re-education immediately, but the truce begins at 24:00 tomorrow. Please, let us fight until then! I'm begging you...!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  ".................."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "......Calm down, calm down, Rukhi. ...You can hate yourself as much as you want when this is over."
	  COU Colonel:
	  "...Nnn, nnnngggggg..."
	  COU Colonel:
	  "At the moment, we have no one to replace you! If an enemy ace kette appears, no one but Suparṇa can stop them! ...Just this once, we'll overlook the rest. Dismissed!"
	  Sujatha:
	  "Thank you very much, Colonel. If you'll excuse us..."
	  ......It's...all a mess now.
	  Just one incomprehensible thing after another!
	  The young are the main characters of their era? Like hell they are!
	  All this time, the young people -- us -- have been left behind!
	  Things keep happening that we can't do anything about!
	  There's no way that natural disasters that might happen once per millenium would all conveniently happen at the same time!
	  It's weird enough that a world war -- only the fourth one humanity has ever had -- would conveniently take place!
	  And it just happens to coincide with a modern earthquake on a global scale?! The biggest superearthquake disaster in human history?!
	  And because of the negative side effects of that, there's also global cooling? And a worldwide famine? And then comes the simultaneous global revolt of drones?!
	  What is this, a kids' meal of natural disasters?!! Does it come with hamburg steak, shrimp rice, french fries and pudding too?! Are we really going to explain away this many disasters in a row as an unfortunate coincidence?!
	  ...It's infuriating, but that's what people are doing!
	  Well, of course they are. They're natural disasters. They're coincidences! No one can do anything about them!
	  So there's no point worrying about it, and our super-civilization will take care of it all somehow anyway, so the people who survived will keep thinking of it as someone else's problem...!
	  There's no way this is a bunch of natural disasters occurring at the same time by coincidence!
	  Outside the chessboard where we're all lined up, some massive person has some sort of plan and is doing something!
	  We're all totally out of the loop! You know what it's like?
	  It's like those scenes you see in so many battle manga.
	  Whenever the villain says something like `let me show you my power' and blasts away a city, there's a bunch of mob characters that get treated like less than small fry, who die without even knowing what's going on!
	  We are those mob characters! We're just getting dragged into things without understanding them!
	  Most likely, these natural disasters weren't even aimed at us! We're just getting pulled in and tossed about...!!
	  However, ...no matter how long this crazy situation continues, I'll hold my breath and believe that I'll definitely get a chance to strike back eventually.
	  ...I don't even know who our enemies are, what it means to strike back, or what kind of chance that will be, but I'm waiting with bated breath.
	  ......Is that really okay?
	  Do I think this kids' meal of natural disasters will end that easily...?
	  It won't end. You know it won't!
	  Go ahead, try making one of those `prophecies' you love so much...!
	  Miyao:
	  "...Oh? You rang? Well, if you're willing to call for me, I'll appear."
	  I'm supposed to be a murder program, right?
	  Where is my enemy?! They aren't anywhere!! If you think I'm a murder program, give me an enemy already!!
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm the enemy who's trying to erase the program that you are, right? Why should I help you?"
	  Your job is to defeat me by making me aware that I'm not Mitake Miyao, just a program that claims to be him, right?
	  Then my goal and your goal are the same.
	  If I really am a murder program like you say, give me an enemy I'm supposed to defeat! You'll make me aware that I'm a murder program, and you'll achieve your goal!
	  I've......had enough of being out of the loop and the only one not invited to the party!
	  No matter how powerful my Gauntlet is, it's still worthless!
	  Forget being a murder program, I'm not even a game piece! I'm just a mob character designed to die!!
	  The young are the main characters of their era, right?! How is that, exactly?! We can't do anything at all!! We're always just caught up in whatever it is those filthy adults want!
	  Miyao:
	  "*sigh*... I get that the world has been hit with crisis after crisis and you feel like you want to scream, but are you telling me that you called me here just so I could listen to you vent? I never expected to be used in such a fashion."
	  Miyao:
	  "But, well, if we can't communicate, I won't be able to attack. ...Well, okay."
	  Come on, let's have a prophecy!
	  Earlier, you made a prophecy that I'd kill Lingji and Koshka by my own hands!
	  So, give me some more prophecies like that!
	  Prophecies aren't like forecasts or predictions, right? They're about things that have already been decided, right?!
	  Then tell me, try saying it!! More and more crazy things are going to keep happening after this, right?!
	  Miyao:
	  "...I get the feeling that you're baiting me, but sure, fine."
	  Miyao:
	  "After all, the fact that you called for me basically means that you've accepted my existence. ...I'll prophesize without being annoying about it. I'll tell you what's going to happen next."
	  Miyao:
	  "As you've imagined, this kids' meal of tragedies won't end with this. ...Not as long as you exist."
	  What?! Are you saying that it's me, ...me personally who's causing all this?!
	  You mean that I'm not just a murder program, but a global destruction program to boot?! That's so over the top, it's hilarious...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "The process of this world's destruction is proceeding smoothly, but it isn't perfect yet. ......So, naturally, it will continue for some time."
	  Miyao:
	  "And the next time, ...humanity's weaponry will once again become uncontrollable and attack."
	  After this latest incident, wasn't the functioning of all drones stopped?!
	  Miyao:
	  "All the ones on the ground, yes. ......They still remain in the skies."
	  Miyao:
	  "...The skies known as outer space, at least."
	  Miyao:
	  "As you know, the weapons of mass destruction that marked both the start and the end of World War III were all disposed of. That included satellites that could attack the ground from space."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, ...well, whether it was an oversight or intentional, this didn't include 4D printer satellites."
	  That was because these satellites would become docks for building future space stations, and were thought to hold a vital role in space development.
	  However, the space race gradually faded away.
	  This was because all factions had agreed to the destruction of all WMDs. After that, the idea of maintaining a healthy military balance spread, and the practice of filling contested regions with swarms of drones became standard, so interest in costly space wars decreased.
	  Miyao:
	  "Starting today... Well, actually, the uproar from when they found out they'd lost control has already happened. Space centers from all factions freaked out, and it should already have reached the ears of the people at the top."
	  Miyao:
	  "Ever since three days ago, the 5 4D printer satellites owned by all the factions on this planet...began ignoring orders from the ground and started constructing mysterious objects. What materials were used is unknown."
	  Miyao:
	  "They're shaped like cylinders 25 meters long and 60 centimeters in diameter, with four sets of protuberances shaped like folded wings. ...In other words, they look sort of like massive pillars with 8 wings growing out of them, like a totem pole. Incomprehensible patterns were carved into their surfaces."
	  Miyao:
	  "Of course, the humans on the ground were unable to give a good name to this incomprehensible shape, ...so they're just calling them objects now."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, it isn't a shape humanity is used to seeing, so they probably didn't have a choice. Strictly speaking, they're calling it this:"
	  "19940305"
	  Furthermore, two minutes ago, the objects separated from the five satellites. The pull of gravity draws them closer and closer to the Earth's surface.
	  They're expected to burn up in the atmosphere, but again, no one knows what materials they're made out of. It's unclear what will happen.
	  Additionally, Earth is a big place, and each will just fall down on a single point. If they land on cities, the possibility of them causing major damage will be greater than zero, ...but this is immediately following the drone panic, after all.
	  After the deaths of 3.5 billion people, it doesn't seem like such a big deal.
	  Miyao:
	  "After calculating their trajectories, it will be discovered that, fortunately, the five objects will all land in oceans or up in the mountains.  Well, they'll probably breathe a sigh of relief, ...but the fun is just about to start."
	  When the objects reach the surface, they'll hit the ocean and have far less of an effect than was anticipated. They'll continue to disappear towards the ocean floor.
	  However, changes will happen quickly after that. The 8MS managing the seawater's environment will start to be fatally affected...
	  Miyao:
	  "One hour after they hit, the 8MS in charge of purification and oxygen supply will start emitting warning signals. An hour after that, those will change into danger alerts, and that endangered ocean region will expand rapidly."
	  Miyao:
	  "Humanity lives on the land, but when viewed from space, the Earth really is a planet of water. ...It's fair to say that nearly all of the world's environments are supported by the sea. When it comes to oxygen, two thirds of that comes from the sea. And those oceans will be killed."
	  Miyao:
	  "The reason humanity was able to hang in there even after the Environmental 8MS in the atmosphere became useless...was because the Environmental 8MS in the oceans was still working fine. In other words, it was like a wounded person leaning on a crutch."
	  Miyao:
	  "That alone would have been a fatal wound, but the kids' meal will continue. Around the objects that fell on land, rather than in the water, major alerts will start being sent from nearby water intake facilities. Water Purification 8MS will error out and start sending severe alert notifications."
	  Miyao:
	  "In the end, this will affect not only rivers and lakes, but water that comes from wells and faucets as well. Water Purification 8MS that's running wild will contaminate the drinking water."
	  Miyao:
	  "In other words, the food crisis will be followed by a water crisis."
	  Miyao:
	  "There may be many ways to purify water, ...but you can't remove the 8MS. After all, the 8MS are the eight million gods. You can't get rid of the gods."
	  ...How is this supposed to be fun? How could anyone enjoy making people suffer with this sort of slow torture...?!
	  Miyao:
	  "There's no need to be impatient. The kids' meal is finally about to reach its main dish. ...By now, this isn't a kids' meal, but a full course meal."
	  The main dish......?
	  Miyao:
	  "It won't be an uneven attack, like one from the sky, or the seas, or from drones. This time, it truly will be an impartial attack that affects all of humanity."
	  Miyao:
	  "A Medical 8MS with extremely dangerous side effects for humanity will trigger a biohazard event."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Oh, but I guess even that one counts as slow torture. After all, it isn't as though this attack will destroy humanity."
	  This Medical 8MS would surely have bestowed a wonderful effect on humanity if it had been completed.
	  However, it was still incomplete and unadjusted.
	  The side effects were too strong, rendering it completely useless.
	  This harmful 8MS would infect all of humanity and cause incredible chaos...
	  Miyao:
	  "Don't worry, it's not like it kills people. ...It's just that its greatest effect......is to lower a person's intelligence and reason, I guess you could say."
	  Miyao:
	  "After all, Humans are emotional creatures. Even the biggest geniuses sometimes can't make use of their intellect because of some emotion or their current environment. No matter how peaceful people may be, they can lose their ability to reason."
	  Miyao:
	  "Humanity has already been supporting wars around the world so irresponsibly, haven't they? If even their intelligence and reason were taken away, ......it's easy to imagine what would happen next, right?"
	  ......That's insane...
	  ...Are you people trying...to make everyone kill each other and bring about their own extinction...?!!
	  Miyao:
	  "It's not what I want. I want the opposite. ......This kids' meal is here because you placed an order for it. The program that you are did it."
	  Miyao:
	  "My greatest mission was to get rid of you before the kids' meal arrived, ...but, sadly, I wasn't able to stop it. However, your program still remains. I need to at least stop that, you see? I have to keep fighting you, without losing hope."
	  If I try to get along with all the other Gauntlet Knights, you'll just laugh and say it's useless!
	  If crazy stuff keeps happening to the world, then you'll say it was my fault!
	  Don't screw with me!! Are you trying to say I'm the cause of all this?! That I'm starting wars, starting earthquakes, and causing all these other disasters?! What am I, a god of pestilence?! An evil demon lord trying to destroy the world?!
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right. That's why I have to destroy you."
	  I haven't done anything like that, and I don't intend to!!
	  Miyao:
	  "If ebola viruses had emotions, do you think they'd feel murderous intent towards humans? They wouldn't. They're just doing what they're meant to do. ...The universe that's the human body around them just ends up spurting blood on its own and dies."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're the same. You just continue quietly doing what you're meant to do. ...But, in the end, because you exist...or rather, because of the cog that you are, ...the clock measuring the time until Earth's destruction will continue to tick."
	  So, what if I wasn't here?! If I just disappeared, would the world be at peace?! Would the weird, insane things stop happening?!
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right."
	  You answer that right away?!?! I don't understand! I don't believe you!
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah. I imagine that's true. So, I think I'll wait until you do believe and erase the program that you are by your own will."
	  Miyao:
	  "Naturally, your program will continue to run. Even after this kids' meal, it will continue quietly and calmly. ...Remember what I told you at the start, about that tragedy you couldn't accept, where you killed Lingji and the others? ...The rails leading towards that tragedy have already been firmly laid. ......The brakes have been left in your hands. Just wish to be erased, and you can stop this tragedy."
	  Miyao:
	  "So, I've made up my mind. ...I'll offer you my assistance."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'll continue to tell you about the horrible tragedies that await you. ...When I do, you should question yourself. ...About whether it's you or me who's right."
	  ...If it's true.
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm...?"
	  If it becomes clear......that I was created for an evil purpose, and that I'm trying to destroy the world regardless of what I believe to be my own will...
	  ...I will disappear. ...I can definitely promise you that.
	  Miyao:
	  "Very nice. How gallant. Our relationship might be a limited one, but I think we'll be able to get along."
	  What's that sound...?
	  Miyao:
	  "It's those damn noisy frogs. Oh, would you mind not telling the frogs about me?"
	  I'm under no obligation to do that.
	  Miyao:
	  "If you tell, I might not visit you again. In other words, you'll no longer have any way to know beforehand about the tragedies you're about to cause. ...You don't want that, do you? You don't want to regret the fact that you've murdered your close friends with your own hands after failing to be forewarned about it, right...?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I get that you might find me unpleasant. ...But, at the same time, I'm also the only choice being given to the cog that you are."
	  Miyao:
	  "If I go away, you'll lose even the option to resist the cog that you are..."
	  ........................
	  ...Go on. Get out of here.
	  Miyao:
	  "Ahahahahahaha... Thanks, Miyao."
	  *wee*woo*wee*woo*!! *keropoyo*keropoyo*!! Unapproved program detected, detected!! Is it there? No! Smoke it out!
	  Hey, Miyao! Did an unapproved program just come here poyo?!
	  ........................
	  ...No. ...I haven't seen one.
	  That's so weird poyo, search around this area more poyo!!
	  What a crazy program! If I catch it, I'll *kero*kero* its *kero*kero* and *kero*kero*kero* poyo!!
	  ......Hey, ......wait.
	  What poyo?
	  ...What......... What am I......?
	  ..................
	  ............ ............ ............ ............
	  Hey. ...Am I...really Mitake Miyao...?
	  Could I be...a program that's just being made to think it's Mitake Miyao...?
	  *kero*kero*kero*, *kero*kero*keeero*kero*!
	  *kero*kero*, *croak*croak*!
	   *croak*hop*
	   *croak*hop*! *croak*croak*hop*!!
	  *kero*kero*kero*, *croak*croak*croak*!!!
	  What............
	  *kero*kero*, *croak*croak*......
	  ...Miyao...... *croak*... ...My adorable Miyao......
	  It's all right. Go to sleep... *kero*kero* ...You don't need to wake up yet. ...Not yet.
	  ...So slowly, slowly...*croak*...fall asleep......
	  ...*kero*kero*, ...*croak*croak*......
	  ........................
	  
	  December 25th.
	  Today would mark the start of the truce following the global conflict...
	  "Meow" wants to know if it's okay to talk poyo!
	  Jayden:
	  "Hmm?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What's wrong?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh, it's nothing."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "What's up, Meow?"
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Keep this a secret from big brother, okay? He gets mad if I talk to him while he's working."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "I'm keeping it secret, so feel free to talk a bunch more from now on too."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Thanks. ...This was supposed to be the day of our date, wasn't it?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Hold on, are saying this conversation is gonna be a replacement for that? Let's move it to another day and actually have some fun! I found a place in Neo Akihabara that I've never been to before! I've been wanting to take you there, Meow."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Oh, what kind of place?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "It's called the Yellow Submachine Gun. Have you heard of it?"
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "I have, I have!! I've never been there, but I've been wanting to go!"
	  For a while, they had a high-level otaku talk.
	  ...If they didn't do that to distract themselves, then flying through the twilight darkness, even though it was the middle of the day, over the places that had been turned into desolate ruins by the drone swarms...would have been quite painful.
	  The temperature had also dropped considerably.
	  Since the 8MS was maintaining their temperature, they didn't pay this much mind, ...but without that, it was so cold that it would apparently feel as though they had been encased in ice in midair.
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "...This time, ...they're saying it's the oceans that are in trouble."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "From the skies to the land to the oceans... There's just no end to it."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "That Miyao was calling it a disaster kids' meal."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Ah, yeah, he was. I'm sure he said it to you because he tried it on me first, and I liked it."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Hahahahahah, that guy's hilarious."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Hey, Jayden? ...Even if we're pushing back our date until things calm down, ...it's still Christmas today, ...so would you like to have a party?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Huh...?"
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "After all, it's actually Christmas, and everyone's feeling so morose. There are no allies or enemies among comrades supporting the Walls of Peace, right? I think that if we're all feeling so dark, that wonderful philosophy will be wasted. Why don't we invite everyone from around the world and have a party together in a virtual room?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Y-Y-Yeah...! You're right. With all these disasters, everyone's feeling depressed and on edge. ...And the global conflict does end today."
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "Yeah. So, why don't we open up the It's a Wrap Public Bath, just like you and big brother did after the Battle Standard Festival, and invite everyone?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "That sounds great! Even Supergenius Jayden couldn't think of something like that. Okay, I'll try suggesting it to Miyao!"
	  #ff9b9dMeow:
	  "D-Don't tell him I said it, okay?! Big brother listens when you talk to him, but he always starts fighting when it comes from me."
	  Jayden:
	  "Miyao, Gunhild."
	  Gunhild:
	  "What is it?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What's going on? Did you forget to pack your DimeCon with snacks?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Are you...insane?"
	  Jayden:
	  "I'm totally sane. And super serious too."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Still, it does make a kind of sense. ...We aren't the only ones feeling morose. It's likely that all of the Gauntlet Knights in the world that made it this far are being tormented by a vague sense of fear and impatience."
	  Jayden:
	  "Just try fighting in a condition like that. Who knows what might happen?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Watching TV while doing homework and talking to a bunch of friends at the same time is normal for us members of A3W humanity, right? You can't focus only on fighting. I think it'll go better if you throw in a certain amount of pointless stuff, don't you think?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...This idiot's saying something that sounds plausible."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I think it's a good idea, but I'll leave the decision up to you, Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Sheesh. I'll make the room, but don't blame me if I invite people and no one comes."
	  Sujatha:
	  "...A-A Christmas party...?! Is Miyao's head okay?!"
	  #ff3e3eLingji:
	  "I thought the same thing at first. At the very least, I thought we ought to do it after today."
	  #86d1ffAysha:
	  "Heheh. Still, is it really so bad? Like they said, if we enter combat while feeling so depressed, nothing good will come of it, right? You're too strait-laced, Sujatha."
	  Sujatha:
	  "Sh-Sh-Sh-Shut up! I don't want to hear that from an incarnation of frivolity!"
	  Andry:
	  "Nice, woo! Having a Christmas party sounds just crazy cool, right?"
	  Sujatha:
	  "...S-Suparṇa's incarnation of frivolity can shut up too."
	  Andry:
	  "What do you think, Rukhi? You've just about gotten used to the members of the It's a Wrap Public Bath, right? Isn't it about time you stopped playing innocent and let loose?"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "H-Hang in there, Rukhi... Whenever I let loose, it freaks everyone out, and they all stop talking to me... Hang in there, Rukhi..."
	  #f7a0e7Momotake:
	  "Rukhshana, perhaps it is about time you opened your heart to them. For one to be so cold and distant is commonly considered impoliggt.
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Impoliggt?/
	   ...Did you bite your tongue just now? You did, didn't you?/
	   Ahahahahahahahahahahaha, ahhhahahahahahahahahahah
	   Sure, let's have a Christmas party! Suparṇa will come too!"
	  Andry:
	  "Woo! That settles it."
	  Sujatha:
	  "D-D-Don't just settle that on your own!! Focus solely on your fighting!"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "Oh, right, I guess the klutz who uses up all her P3 just to guide 2 or 3 missiles probably should focus on just fighting. Ahahahahahah."
	  Sujatha:
	  "I'll come! I'll come too, Miyao, Jayden...!!"
	  Noor:
	  "As long as you agree, Princess, Cairo Squad has no objections."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "Understood. I'll tell Miyao that."
	  Mariana:
	  "We're going to have a Christmas party...while the participants battle each other?"
	  #ff9d4dAbdou:
	  "That's it. If it's a battle between people at a party together, ...it won't feel like a cold exchange of missiles and machine gun fire. It'll literally be like a game to play at a party."
	  Gannet:
	  "If it's like that, both us and them will be able to meet as if we're all friends!"
	  #adf378Ishak:
	  "It doesn't seem sane to me, but if the princess says so, it probably won't be a bad sort of event."
	  Noor:
	  "The condition of the heart affects the Gauntlet. It's true that if we had clashed with the enemy as we are now, both us and them might have been exposed to danger."
	  Gannet:
	  "Then it's settled, Princess! Let's all enjoy one last farce while having a party together!!"
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "......Miyao, you really are a deeply interesting man."
	  #fff7c9Rethabile:
	  "I just can't...bring myself to doubt you."
	  Naima:
	  "All right, wowowow!!
	  langen@
	   Let's have a Christmas party!!
	  langen@
	   Let's have a party with our fellow Gauntlet Knights from around the world!!"
	  Naomi:
	  "It's hard to believe, but just hearing Miyao's invitation has raised Naima's condition 14% towards the Madonna's Maximum Speed."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Now I'm certain that humans are creatures who show their true worth when given blessings, not misfortune or trials."
	  Naima:
	  "I can play games while flying around, so I can definitely manage going to a party!
	   Naomi, Stan, let's go right now,
	   wowowooow!!"
	  
	  Naomi:
	  "...Should we reach out to Yeladot Shavit too?"
	  Stanisław:
	  ".................."
	  Naomi:
	  "After all, even they are members of the It's a Wrap Public Bath."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Even they're just doing their jobs, is it? ...The Order of the Public Bath's philosophy does not distinguish between allies and enemies."
	  Naomi:
	  "Roger that, Stan. I'll send invitations to Yeladot Shavit too."
	  Naima:
	  "Yay, yay, yay!!
	  langen@^ The Comet Girl Squad will be with us too
	   They're all so good at singing and dancing, so I'm sure they'll liven it up,
	   wooooow!!"
	  Leah:
	  "......Umm, what? ......A Christmas party?"
	  Stephania:
	  "You're kidding me! Seriously? Like, seriously?"
	  Fatma:
	  "Today is the final confrontation, right? ...And they're gonna do it during that? A Christmas party?"
	  Leah:
	  ".................."
	  Stephania:
	  "What's wrong, Leah?"
	  Leah:
	  "It's just, ...when I realize that they think of even us as comrades, ...I get a bit emotional."
	  Fatma:
	  "........................"
	  Stephania:
	  "...Well, we're the ones everybody hates."
	  Leah:
	  "And they sent invitations to those hated people. ...What are we supposed to think of that?"
	  Fatma:
	  "...Should we thank them for the fact that they invited us, but not go?"
	  Stephania:
	  "I'm sure they'd be able to relax and enjoy themselves more if we weren't there."
	  Leah:
	  ".................."
	  Leah:
	  "...Naima is incredibly stupid, ...so she's probably getting all excited right now, thinking we'll actually come."
	  Fatma:
	  "...So, are we going?"
	  Stephania:
	  "Are we? Are we giving it a shot?!"
	  Leah:
	  "Yeah, why not? Hahahahah, all right!"
	  Leah:
	  "Yeladot Shavit!!"
	  Fatma/Stephania:
	  ""Bringing the heat☆!!""
	  Christmas is a concept that originated from certain religions.
	  However, the idea of a Christmas party, as a sort of cultural festival, had spread separately from religion.
	  At this point in the A3W era, Christmas alone had become a wonderful celebration carried out all over the world, regardless of culture and religion, which served as a fun wrap party to close out the year.
	  For that reason, what Christmas looked like changed a lot depending on the area and culture celebrating it.
	  In Europe and America, it was Santa Claus who came bringing presents, but in areas with other religions, it was changed to famous people and saints of that area.
	  Even the sleigh with reindeer was sometimes replaced with white horses pulling a carriage, or a line of camels that better suited the moonlit desert.
	  Even Santa Claus did more than just bring presents, and was overflowing with distinct personality quirks.
	  One particularly famous variant was the Akita region of AOU Japan, where Santa would walk around with a knife and a bag to stuff kids in, saying `Are there any naughty children here?' and terrifying them as a form of ceremonial cleansing.
	  So, `Christmas party' was a precious word that that could unite young people from around the world...
	  The It's a Wrap Public Bath was overflowing with Gauntlet Knights.
	  Even so, more and more people were trying to enter. This was the greatest number they had seen so far.
	  *croak*croak*croak*!
	   I'm telling you, give some thought to the server load, will you poyo?!!
	  Miyao:
	  "I understand. I'll lighten the load and strengthen the server."
	  Jayden:
	  "Whoa, awesome! He's really going all out, to hold this many people without crashing!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "This is only possible because of Miyao's power. He is technically the world record holder for P3 levels."
	  Lingji:
	  "To think that so many would gather. This is practically a Gauntlet Knight summit now."
	  Momotake:
	  "Still, to have even a Christmas party in a public bath... AOU Japan's perversion truly knows no bounds."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheheh, this must be really hard for someone who turned red and curled up into a ball when I said it might be a swimsuit party."
	  Naima:
	  "Wowowow!! Miyao, I'm here with everyone else!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Naima! I'm so glad you're all here!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "You truly do deserve to be our Grand Master. I certainly couldn't have thought of this."
	  Miyao:
	  "Actually, it was Jayden's idea, not mine. He really is super crazy, just like the supergenius he says he is!"
	  Jayden:
	  "W-Well, yeah! It wasn't actually me though!"
	  Naomi:
	  "It looks like everyone from Yeladot came too."
	  Leah:
	  "Miyao! And all you other Gauntlet Knights! Yeladot Shavit is here!!"
	  Fatma:
	  "Everyone from around the world, today may be a really tough day, but let's lift our spirits up and get through this together☆"
	  Abdou:
	  "Whew, it's that idol choir. You know, if it hadn't been for this global conflict, I was planning to go to your London live event and do the meet-and-greet."
	  Stephania:
	  "What?!! Seriously?! Well, I'm sure they'll postpone it until next year! Make sure, make aaabsolutely sure you come and shake my hand then, okay?!!"
	  As they said this, the two pretended to shake hands.
	  Because they were both avatars, all that happened was that their polygons just came together and overlapped a little.
	  It was unclear if Abdou really was a fan, but they truly were able to convey what they felt to each other.
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Don't go saying anything uncouth about what you think of an ACR soldier listening to enemy music, okay?"
	  Ishak:
	  "Surely you jest. There are no allies or enemies between comrades supporting the Walls of Peace, right?"
	  Rukhshana:
	  "All this ally and enemy stuff really shows you how old those geezers' brains are, huh?
	   I mean, it's not like they could even fight a single battle unless the young do it for them, but they're so full of themselves
	   It's actually hilarious, you know?
	   Ahahahahahahaha!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "Wh-What? Wh-Wh-Who might you be...?"
	  Sujatha:
	  "Hey, Rukhshana! Stop that, you're getting too excited! Everyone's freaking out!"
	  Andry:
	  "Don't worry about it, princess of the ACR. This is the real Rukhi. Basically, she finally trusts all of you now, and she's letting her true self show through. Woo!"
	  Gannet:
	  "Being able to let your true self show through really is a happy thing, right?! Rukhi, it's a pleasure to meet you again! I'm Gannet! I hope we keep getting along!"
	  Mariana:
	  "Aaah... Gannet really is the cutest when she's like this... I want to pet her. I want to hug her and squeeze her and nibble at her..."
	  Noor:
	  "...It's strange. ...We were feeling so hopeless just a second ago."
	  Chloe:
	  "To think that we'd be able to smile together this peacefully. ...Maybe people can bring about miracles just by meeting each other."
	  Lilja:
	  "Well, the best kind of miracle you can expect from people meeting each other is defeating a tough raid boss meooooow."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Lilja, isn't Koshka coming?"
	  Lilja:
	  "...Right now, we're having a bit of a fight, and she's sulking meow. I'd like it if you'd leave her be for now meow."
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh, really? ...Well, she does sulk for weird reasons sometimes. Guess I'll leave her be then. At times like this, asking her to come too persistently could actually be just a burden on her."
	  Jayden:
	  "Ooooh, Miyao, look
	   It's getting all jerky! And the movement's weird sometimes! Hey, that's so cool!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Seriously...? I've already buffed up the server to full power."
	  Gunhild:
	  "We're the ones who should be saying `seriously?' ...It's incredible that the server hasn't gone down with the crazy number of people here."
	  Jayden:
	  "How many is it? Umm, the room user count is..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Seriously?! There's about a thousand people here...!!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh, that's probably almost exactly the same...as the number of Gauntlet Knights currently flying around the world."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "This is amazing. All of our comrades supporting the Walls of Peace from all of the factions are gathered here! We might be witnessing a major moment in history!"
	  Valentina:
	  "Heheh. Don't take Mari's exaggerations too seriously. ...She gets amazed and says the same thing at every anime convention."
	  *croak*croak*croak*... I-Is this everyone poyo...? My stomach and this server are about to burst poyo......
	  Miyao:
	  "Thanks, Keropoyo! You've been a huge help!"
	  Jayden:
	  "What'll we do? Are you gonna give some stiff opening greeting?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I wonder. At this point, today's goal has been satisfied even if we don't do something like that."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're right. ...Everyone's chatting incredibly peacefully."
	  Miyao:
	  "They definitely aren't bunched together with their own kette or factions. ...They're having fun interacting with people they'd normally never be able to meet, their comrades from across the Walls of Peace."
	  Jayden:
	  "...Looks like it."
	  Miyao:
	  "Even without an opening statement or a greeting, just by gathering like this, ...it was already worth inviting everyone here..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...That communication tool used by all the young, Kizuna... I think that really is a good name for it."
	  Jayden:
	  "It means bonds between people in Japanese, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm surprised you knew that. Yeah, it doesn't mean Kids No."
	  If only Gauntlets could remain in the sky forever.
	  If they could, ...we'd be free of those middle-aged and old men who think of the young as nothing more than expendable tools.
	  While you're flying through this sea of clouds, ...even that kids' meal of disaster feels like someone else's problem.
	  If only...a worldwide tsunami would wipe all of them away.
	  The 8MS, which once supported the A3W world's environment, is being destroyed.
	  That environment will grow more extreme all around the world.
	  From the human perspective, it will happen eventually. From the Earth's perspective, it will happen right away.
	  Civilization will probably freeze and be destroyed.
	  But for some reason, ...that makes me feel strangely relieved.
	  Life shouldn't be born from factories and cities.
	  We should be born in nature, live in nature, and die in nature.
	  That...is supposed to be the norm for life living on this planet.
	  Of course, our current humanity probably isn't capable of dealing with that normal.
	  But, even so.
	  Our souls are...
	  I know I can feel the souls inside of us crying out with joy.
	  I'm fully aware that it would sound utterly indiscreet to say that, when such a huge number of lives have been lost.
	  So, I'll just whisper it in my mind.
	  This sky, which has become dark and filled with pollution, is being dyed a lazy twilight color by the faded light of the sun.
	  ......This planet is beautiful.
	  I don't know if this scene is a twilight or a dawn...
	  And, I don't know if humanity -- myself included -- deserves to face a new day.
	  Still, this planet is beautiful.
	  Right now, those are the most honest words my soul is screaming......
	  This is the AI command center poyo! The poor AI command center that got caught up in that drone panic and whose reputation took a nosedive poyo!
	  Even that was toootally not our fault poyo! We just processed proper orders given with a proper password using the proper processes poyo!! We did nothing wrong poyo!!
	  nd yet, they're cruelly calling us a murder AI, a crazy AI poyo! *croak*croak*croak*croak*...!
	  Miyao:
	  "...What's he talking about? Sheesh."
	  They only did it because they were ordered to? Only an AI can use that as an excuse.
	  If you were a human, you'd be told that you should've followed your conscience and refused that order, and then you'd be hanged...
	  Miyao:
	  "I understand. The drone AI and the AI command center are different things. ...So, what do you need? If you're trying to be a calming influence, I've got that covered already."
	  That's not it poyo!! An emergency notice has been sent from the command center to all Gauntlet Knights poyo! Also, an emergency message just came in from Captain Okonogi poyo.
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh? Okonogiii?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, might as well listen with one ear while enjoying the party."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  #e7e7e7Okonogi:
	  "It's me, it's me, it's Okonogi!! Warcats! You aren't doing anything weird, are you?!"
	  #e7e7e7Okonogi:
	  "I've worked all of you as hard as hell!! I may have scolded you harshly at times! But not once have I doubted your souls as AOU soldiers! You know that, right?!"
	  Where the heck is this coming from...?
	  AOU General:
	  "As a result of our analysis, we've determined that there's a high likelihood of organized sabotage from within the Aerial Augmented Infantry."
	  *mutter*mutter*mutter*mutter*...!!!
	  AOU General:
	  "After analyzing this vast store of data, we've already recorded at least 300 cases of suspicious activity related to combat taking place over the past two weeks."
	  The Gauntlet Knights would be the center of the next generation's military might.
	  Naturally, all countries around the world had attempted to analyze their combat data.
	  However, since there was no precedent and nothing to compare them to, they were ultimately forced to blindly accept the reports of the Gauntlet Knights themselves.
	  So, even if someone failed something that they should have been able to do in their training, if the person involved put the failure down to some unknown factor that wasn't present in training, there was sometimes no choice but to accept what they said...
	  And yet.
	  At some point, they realized that the Gauntlet Knights might be intentionally failing in their attacks.
	  In the military, there were quite a few people who had been shunted aside because of Gauntlet Knight activities, and lots of officers found it easy to want to criticize them.
	  These people were extremely wary of the vast combat ability of individual Gauntlet Knights, and the fact that they were picked based solely on talent, with loyalty to the military taking a back seat.
	  There was even a camp worried that it would be difficult to suppress the Aerial Augmented Infantry if they were ever to plan a coup d'état, and who claimed that it was necessary to observe them very closely.
	  AOU General:
	  "Normally, we would immediately call back all Aerial Augmented Infantry units and conduct a thorough inquiry, but we should do that after this showdown on the 25th is complete."
	  AOU General:
	  "However, if we don't address this issue, it's conceivable that the sabotage will continue, causing considerable damage to the national interests of the AOU as a whole. For that reason, until 24:00 on the 25th, we'll be conducting complete movement surveillance on all Aerial Augmented Infantry units."
	  AOU General:
	  "The information analysts have already formed a combat supervision and surveillance team. This will allow us to observe the actions of all Aerial Augmented Infantry troops in real time and verify, give instructions, and send orders to make sure that no improper actions are taken."
	  The term `barrier troops' refers to units tasked with observing allied soldiers from behind when they have noticeably low morale. They're given permission to shoot even their allies to kill if it looks like they're about to run from the enemy.
	  Of course, such units only exist in limited situations, such as important battles that must be won using only low morale troops.
	  However, this mostly happened in situations where they were being besieged by overwhelming enemy forces and had to defend a position to the death, meaning that the battlefield itself was a death trap.
	  Since soldiers on such a battlefield had massive enemy forces in front of them and barrier troops pointing guns at them from behind, ...you can imagine how much units like this were hated.
	  The arrival of barrier troops...was like telling your front line soldiers to choose between being shot from the front and killed...or shot from behind and killed...
	  #e7e7e7Okonogi:
	  "It's true that there were several bits of data that looked odd even to me!! But real war is about more than just numbers, and it isn't like training!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Only pampered brats who don't know what it's like out there assume that, just because you could do something in practice, you should be able to do it in actual combat!
	   Even if you're a squad of esport gamers, a soldier is a soldier! I simply cannot abide people who doubt a soldier's soul!! I have faith in you all more than anyone else! I'll definitely-"/
	  *ksssssht*!!
	  
	  #e7e7e7AOU Analyst:
	  "Good evening, Warcat. This is your Combat Supervision Team. We will be assigned to you until today's operation has concluded. We look forward to working with you."
	  #e7e7e7AOU Analyst:
	  "We are a team of specialists trained to guide you on how to maximize your potential as Aerial Augmented Infantry soldiers. We are quite familiar with Gauntlets, their capabilities, and all of your personal abilities and personalities as well, including their limits. All of your combat actions will be recorded and analyzed to further improve your abilities in future."
	  ...Wait, wait, has there ever been a more obvious threat...?
	  All of the AOU Gauntlet Knights in the public bath were shaken.
	  However, that unrest was spreading to the other factions as well.
	  Apparently, the same thing was happening in other factions too...
	  #e7e7e7ACR Analyst:
	  "This is a royal decree from the Commonwealth King! Rouse yourselves more than ever before, and work to clear the suspicions of dishonor that you know are unfounded!!"
	  Rethabile:
	  "......Did someone leak it...?"
	  Ishak:
	  "It was going to come out sooner or later, ...but this was fast."
	  Abdou:
	  "It would be dangerous to help Miyao save face any longer... The princess is a goddess of war. If that gets turned on its head, who knows what will happen..."
	  Rethabile:
	  "...Calling all Aerial Knights. This is Rethabile of Squad 601. ...It's as you heard. ...Fight with all you have. While still questioning your soul!"
	  #e7e7e7COU Analyst:
	  "However, you have been given a precious chance to allay these false suspicions! And that chance is today! Rouse yourselves and achieve victory! No matter how much you are suspected, those who perform exceptionally during today's battle will surely be dealt with graciously by the inquiry committee!!"
	  Aysha:
	  "...This means...we'll have to fight with all we have, huh? Heheheheh..."
	  Momotake:
	  "What do you mean, with all we have...?"
	  Aysha:
	  "Who knows? What do you mean by saying `what do you mean'?"
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheh. Not all Gauntlet Knights are flying just as a hobby or a pastime, you know? When almost everything's determined by the family you're born into, your wealth, and your educational background, ...being a Gauntlet Knight is one of the few occupations you can get based solely on talent."
	  Aysha:
	  "Think of the good treatment and honor that comes from being able to participate and succeed as a hero in the kette representing the COU... I doubt you know how much happiness my family and relatives found because I'm a member of Baibao Squad."
	  Aysha:
	  "I really would appreciate it if you people, who fly only for pride and adventure, ...would remember that not everyone's like that, okay?"
	  Momotake:
	  "...To those who support the Walls of Peace, there are no enemies or allies..."
	  Aysha:
	  "Lingji. ...I told you, didn't I? That I wouldn't mind joining Miyao's Order, ...but I wouldn't do it if it meant risking my job. I did say that, right?"
	  Lingji:
	  ".........You did. ...You certainly did say that to me...when you agreed to support Miyao's ideals..."
	  Aysha:
	  "Heheh. Thanks for remembering that. ...That's how it is, so Momotake? Don't take it personally."
	  Momotake:
	  "Don't tell me...you actually intend to earn their praise...?"
	  Aysha:
	  "Of course I doooooooo!!!"
	  
	  Aysha:
	  "Didn't you hear?! Perform exceptionally, and they'll deal with us graciously! Well, of course they will! We're the COU's top kette. Even the higher-ups don't want to cause a scene if they can help it! After all, Lingji is the princess of the COU's Aerial Augmented Infantry! If we change our attitudes and go all out, it'll be easy for them to overlook everything that's happened before!! After all, no one else in the COU can compare to our talent!!!"
	  Momotake:
	  "Despite being our enemies, these are still our comrades supporting the Walls of Peace. Do you mean to say that, in order to protect your position, you would face them and... A-Are you insane...?!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Aaaaaaaaaahh, Momotake, the air you breathe out is always so clean
	   I know that dirty air has never entered your lungs, not since the day you were born. Heheheheheheh, but you know what?!! In this world, there are so many dirty, cramped, poor, horrible cities that you couldn't even imagine!! Heheheh, I'll bet a little princeling like you could never understand the smell of that city, where there wasn't even any Stench Reduction 8MS!!!"
	  Aysha:
	  "When the Atmospheric Purification 8MS broke down, and everyone started going on and on about how smelly the air was, I kept thinking the same thing."
	  Aysha:
	  "You assholes really have been breathing nothing but nice air all this time, haven't yoooooooou?!?! After living in air that smelled like piss and studying from paper notes that smelled like piss, I climbed and climbed and kept on climbing!!"
	  Aysha:
	  "When I finally entered Aerial Augmented Infantry school, and my schoolmates looked at the formal wear my mother and grandmother had gotten me for that day and said `that smells like piiiiiiiiiss', I wish I could've taken a selfie of the way I smiled back at them, heheheheheheheh!! Hehheheheheheheheheheheheheehahahahahahahahahahahaah!!!!"
	  Lingji:
	  "........................"
	  Lingji:
	  "...This is Lingji of Baibao, calling all units."
	  Lingji:
	  "All units, ...do the best you can. ...So that you can display your loyalty to your country in this final fight. .........Lingji, out."
	  Momotake:
	  "...Princess......"
	  Aysha:
	  "Momotake, you fight with all you have too, okay? It's the three of us together that make us Baibao."
	  Leah:
	  "...That is all. Yeladot Shavit has been granted permission to inflict holy punishment on allies if it judges that they lack the will to see that justice is done. ...Please, don't make us do that."
	  Naima:
	  "......Wh-Why...?"
	  Naima:
	  "...Why...do either our allies or our enemies...have to die...? That's...wrong......"
	  Fatma:
	  "......We don't need you to tell us that."
	  Fatma:
	  "It's wrong, right?! It's definitely wrong!!"
	  Stephania:
	  "Whether they're allies or enemies, some young people are definitely going to die!!"
	  Leah:
	  "Even though none of the geezers giving orders risk death, ...the young people alone are forced to choose whether they live or die...!!"
	  Leah:
	  "...This......truly is the miracle of love and harmony that humanity created, ...don't ya think?!!"
	  Naomi:
	  "Instead of supporting the Walls of Peace together, ...we'll be pushed from behind and crushed against the walls..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "......I got an email from Miyao. He says it's okay for us to forget about the Order of the Public Bath."
	  Naomi:
	  "........................ ...What a shame."
	  Naima:
	  "Now that's interesting......"
	  Naomi:
	  "...Naima...?"
	  Naima:
	  "At times like this, ...when people tell you to obey, it just feels like a pain, ...but when they say not to worry about obeying, ...it actually makes you want to stick through with it until the end..."
	  Stanisław:
	  "...What do you intend to do? ...Whether you kill or are killed, ...Naima will be sad."
	  Naima:
	  "I know thaaaaat!!
	   I'll do it, that Order of the Public Bath thing! Don't die, don't kill, don't fight, right?! I'll warn the enemy Gauntlet Knights in front of me!"
	  Naima:
	  "This is Naima of the Holy 0901st Aerial Augmented Infantry Squad, Thalathat Suyuf...!!! Anyone who tries to kill will be killed by meeeeeeee!! Run for your lives, I'll scatter you, 'cause I'll be dominating this battlefield myseeeeeeeelf!!!"
	   friend has arrived poyo♪
	   friend has arrived poyo♪ A friend has arrived poyo♪ A friend has arrived poyo♪ A friend has arrived poyo♪
	  Friend notifications were coming in one after another...!
	  If only we had remained enemies, ...we wouldn't have had to feel like this!
	  Is this because we're humans, so we suffer whenever there's good in our hearts?!
	  Why do the heavens only give trials to good young people...?!!!
	  Though their actual bodies were on the front lines, approaching so close to their enemies that they were already exchanging friend notifications, all of their true forms were here, livening up the party even more than before.
	  That's right. These avatars were already their true forms.
	  Now that their actual bodies made of flesh had become puppets, forced to fight by the adults, it was fitting to say that those were now the real fiction...
	  Reaper's Eye activated! Locking onto enemies one after another poyo!!
	  Dimension Container activated!! Go ahead, grab whatever weapons you want poyo!!
	  Enemy circling, enemy circling! If you don't accelerate, they'll be on your butts poyo!!
	  Enemy missiles approaching! Commence interception!! Poyopoyopoyo!!!
	  No matter how cheery the Keropoyos got, it just became part of the even more energetic noise of the cheery young people.
	  As if we'd let the voices from the world of lies reach the real world.
	  "Kyahahahahahahah... And yeah, it was so crazy!"
	  "What, you too?! Those old guys are insane!"
	  "And anyway, just because humans are born in a factory, they get treated like tissue paper that can be used as much as you want."
	  Your Rejection Shield's in a bad state poyo. I recommend dodging poyo!
	  "Still, at least everyone's treated fairly there, right? When the ciconia bring children, their life is totally decided the moment they're born, depending on their parents and social status, right?"
	  "Anyone up for a WanyaDora trade? I just need a Tanuki to make an East Circle summoned beast."
	  "I can get you a Tanuki! You can have it for ten Tempura☆"
	  Your Anti-G 8MS has reached its limit! Reduce speed or your organs are toast poyo!
	  You're receiving fire from a 20mm machine gun poyo. Evasive action, evasive action!
	  Miyao:
	  "If only this was the real world."
	  Rukhshana:
	  "That sounds great! I wanna live here forever! Here, you don't have to put makeup on or anything, so it's sooo easy! Ahahahahahaha!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Why do we have bodies meow? They just get in the way meow."
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "That was an opportunity to fire just now. Why did you not shoot? If that happens again, it will be considered sabotage."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, I do wish you could just change your body easily, like how you change your clothes. I'd totally switch to a taller one if I could!"
	  Gannet:
	  "Ahahahahahah! Still, pretty much all the rough stuff happens 'cause you have a body, right?"
	  Energy recharging poyo! Please enjoy the freefall for a sec poyo!
	  Stephania:
	  "You're right. Here, there aren't any wars, and you can't even hurt people!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "And whenever you don't want to talk to someone, you can block them no matter what they do."
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh, right, you can do that. Guess I'll try blocking Jayden when he's being annoying."
	  Rejection, rejection! Interception successful poyo! Here comes the next barrage poyo!
	  Jayden:
	  "Stop that, Miyaoooo! If you do something that depressing, I'll find you in person to piss you off, and it'll be even more annoying!"
	  Miyao:
	  "You're right. Blocking you would only make the situation worse."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, like they always say in sci-fi movies, ...the next breakthrough after the industrial revolution is gonna be getting rid of our bodies and becoming pure spirit, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "So, we're gonna become data made of numbers and live on a massive server somewhere?"
	  Condition deteriorating, deteriorating! You're just above the Madonna's Minimum Speed poyo!
	  Gunhild:
	  "That's a wonderful suggestion, but I'd be a bit more worried about who maintains that massive server."
	  Jayden:
	  "Can't you just get robots and AI to handle that part? But if you say that, then you gotta ask who maintains the robots and the AI, and you start going in circles!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Hey, Jayden? ...Just hypothetically..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah?"
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "Please do not break off your pursuit. Your opponent's shield should be at its limits."
	  Miyao:
	  "If someone did set up a massive server like that, and its maintenance and everything was all automatic and perfect, ...would you move to that server?"
	  Jayden:
	  "If I could be with Meow, I'd go anywhere."
	  Meow:
	  "Thanks! I love you, Jayden!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...No way in hell I'm going."
	  Jayden:
	  "Idiot. You and I are one flesh, right? No matter where we go, we're always together."
	  *keeekekekekero*kero*! It's a hit, it's a hit poyo! Target has been drained of energy and is falling poyo!
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheh... Copy-pasting your soul onto a server and living forever, is that it? ......As a concept, it isn't impossible, but what about in practice? Can the human soul tolerate the concept of eternity?"
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "Finish them now! Your enemy is recharging their energy! If you intentionally miss this opportunity, it will greatly affect your reputation in the future!"
	  Jayden:
	  "You could probably get around that by shaving off old memories every once in a while, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I see! It makes sense. Sometimes, you just wish you could erase your memory of a great game you've played and do it again from the start, right?!"
	  Momotake:
	  "...Those who were never carried by the ciconia truly do have an interesting way of thinking."
	  Leah:
	  "Who needs ciconia?! Making only the girls give birth is discrimination!"
	  Chloe:
	  "You know, there is such a thing as an artificial womb. In the AOU, even men can get pregnant＞＜"
	  Mariana:
	  "...I wish we could be born from a cabbage patch."
	  Condition deteriorating, deteriorating! Recommending you take injections poyo! At this rate, you'll crash poyo!!
	  Andry:
	  "Cool idea, woo! But please, don't get born from a salad I'm about to eat."
	  Naima:
	  "I-I think being blessed with life is a very, very precious and sacred thing! I don't think it should be left up to birds or cabbages!"
	  Stanisław:
	  "Naima, that's enough. Don't force your sense of values on others."
	  Naima:
	  "Aaaauuu, wowow... I'm sorry..."
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "Respond, respond!! Why did you change your target?! If you don't continue your pursuit, you'll be expelled from the Aerial Augmented Infantry, or even given a court-martial!"
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "......Shut up. ...I said shut up. ...Don't you...give me orders......!!"
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "You klutz...! You should be able to dodge at least that...!! You formed a party with me in WanyaDora once, so I let you get away one time!! Next time...next time, I'll shoot without mercy!!!"
	  At that moment, a pleasant-sounding *pop* rang out.
	  It was the sound of Miyao uncorking a champagne bottle.
	  Of course, this was a virtual room. It was only an object shaped like a champagne bottle.
	  So, if you poured from it, it would look like champagne was pouring into a glass, but of course you wouldn't be able to drink it. It was only an image.
	  But, even so, it was a ceremony that could unite everyone's hearts.
	  Stanisław:
	  "Ladies and gentlemen, focus your attention on Mitake Miyao, the host of today's party."
	  Rethabile:
	  "All ACR Aerial Knights, attention!"
	  Lingji:
	  "All COU Aerial Augmented Infantry, attention!"
	  Chloe:
	  "AOU Aerial Augmented Infantry, please be quiet too."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wait, wait... You don't need to get that quiet."
	  Jayden:
	  "They probably think you're gonna give them a really important speech or something."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, umm, oh, all right..."
	  He hadn't meant for it to be such a big thing, but when a few people started asking for silence, the whole bustling party went suddenly quiet.
	  Of course, it was an expectant silence, from people hoping for a ceremony that would unite them all.
	  Miyao:
	  "...I wanted all of us to make a toast together, with our hearts as one."
	  Once they heard that, glasses filled with champagne began appearing one by one in everyone's hands.
	  Miyao:
	  "We're comrades supporting the Walls of Peace together. There are no allies or enemies between us. We're all comrades. So, for the first and last time, ...I wanted us to share this toast together and recognize that in each other."
	  Lingji:
	  "I have no objections. ...I will toast to all our comrades who support the Walls of Peace."
	  Rethabile:
	  "Then I will toast to all those who offered up their lives to support those walls, and who could not make it here today."
	  Stanisław:
	  "Then I...will toast to the one who taught us to call each other comrades, instead of dividing us up into allies and enemies that hate each other, ...Grand Master Mitake Miyao."
	  Sujatha:
	  "...To Grand Master Mitake Miyao."
	  Noor:
	  "I toast to Grand Master Mitake Miyao as well."
	  nd so do I, poyopoyo!!
	  Not everyone here knew about the Order of the Public Bath.
	  However, ...they were starting to realize that the watchword of Gauntlet Knights -- don't die, don't kill -- must have been invented by someone from the It's a Wrap Public Bath.
	  Valentina:
	  "Miyao, the champagne is getting warm. Heheh."
	  Maricarmen:
	  "Grand Master, make the toast."
	  Miyao:
	  "Everyone, thanks so much for all you've done until this day."
	  Miyao:
	  "Cheers."
	  Cheers!!!
	  In that instant, all Gauntlet Knights in the sky raised their glasses, their hearts as one......
	  Miyao:
	  "...I came as promised, Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "All right, ...it's time for the tragedy. ...If you don't disappear quickly, ...everyone will..."
	  Energy critical, critical!! There's no turning back now poyo!! Somebody, heeeeeeeeeelp!! Aaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "Re-target. Attack! If you let them escape, you will be arrested. You will forever lose the right to use a Gauntlet, and you may be sent to re-education for up to ten years."
	  Stop it, stop it poyoooooo!! I can't!! I really can't hold the shield up anymore poyo!! Stop it, stop iiiiiiiiit!!!
	  It felt as though the number of people holding up their glasses had decreased by one.
	  Gunhild:
	  "It seems like ending this with just a toast would be a waste."
	  Jayden:
	  "So, should we sing something?! A classic Christmas song?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Not bad! Let's sing, everyone!! Let's celebrate Christmas and the fact that we're all standing side by side here today...!!"
	  That was a hit, that was a hit...!! The target has...
	  exploded poyo!!
	  
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "Nice kill. Continue your attack. You still have power to spare."
	  Target has lost its shield and is trying to retreat poyo! Will you shoot? Will you poyo?! Whether you shoot or not, they won't be coming back to the battlefield...!!
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "Fire! What are you doing?! Aren't you grateful to your parents for getting you into Aerial Augmented Infantry school?! If you don't shoot, you'll be court-martialed! Your family will be investigated under suspicion of unpatriotic thinking!! This won't just affect you, but your family and your siblings as well! If they're investigated by Public Safety, they'll all be socially dead, regardless of whether they're found innocent or guilty...!!!"
	  Stop iiiiiit, don't shooooooooot!! I'm already running away poyo...!! We promised not to shoot people when their shield breaks and they run away poyo...!!
	  I don't want to shoot you either poyo!!!
	  langen@/
	   Please dodge it, dodge iiiiiiiiiit!!!
	  Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh...!!!
	  langen@^ *kssssssssssht*!!!
	  The comrades singing the christmas song arm in arm...disappeared one by one......
	  Each time, the others pretended not to notice the holes between them...and joined arms once again...
	  Naima:
	  "Wowowow!! To think it'd be so fun...just singing together with everyone like this......!!"
	  Naima:
	  "............Y-You bastaaaaaaaaard...!!!!
	  langen@/
	   Why did you shoot?! Why the hell did you shoot?! Gauntlet Knights don't shoot at someone when their shield is broken!! I'll protect them, I'll protect all my allies!!! I'll protect all of the comrades Naima loved all on my own!!! Anyone who shoots down...Naima's comrades......is no comrade of miiiiiiiiiine!!!"
	  Naomi:
	  "...Naima, stop!"
	  Naima:
	  "I won't just helplessly watch them get killed!!! If the only alternative is watching Naima's comrades die, I'll kill them first!!! Miyao......! ...I hate to say it, ...but if I want to protect what's precious to me, ...this is the only waaaaaaaaaaay...!!!"
	  Ishak:
	  "...Are you certain, Princess?"
	  Rethabile:
	  "All units!! Show them the pride of our Commonwealth's Aerial Knight Corps!! Follow me!!!"
	  Noor:
	  "All units, follow Princess Rethabile!! Now is the time to offer up your lives!!"
	  Dimension Container, fully open!! You can use the multi-warhead dispenser, the 30mm chaingun, or the pile bunker poyo!!
	  No hard feelings poyo!! Administering injections! Approaching the Madonna's Maximum Speed at 99%, 105%, rising to dangerous levels poyo!!
	  Lingji:
	  "...To all COU Aerial Augmented Infantry units. ...Regarding the rule of `don't die, don't kill', the latter half has been suspended."
	  Momotake:
	  "Princess........."
	  Lingji:
	  "Everyone, ...don't die! ...To make sure you don't die, ......you have permission to kill...!!!"
	  Aysha:
	  "Aysha reads you. ...Baibao calling the kette at our rear. Follow us. We're going to knock a hole in the enemy formation."
	  Aysha:
	  "...Lingji, ...saying that...must have hurt a lot."
	  Lingji:
	  ".................."
	  Aysha:
	  "You may have been raised by a fortunate family, ...but now, down to the blood running through your heart, you've decided to do what must be done for survival...and taken responsibility for the first time."
	  Aysha:
	  "As you ordered, we'll fight so that we don't die. ...As a result, some of our comrades might fall. ...Bear the weight of their deaths. That's the fate that's been placed on you, as the peak of the entire COU Aerial Augmented Infantry. At this moment, for the first time, ...your resolve has transformed you from a rich girl playing at war...into a true warrior!"
	  Lingji:
	  "...I won't let them die... I won't...let any of my comrades die...!! Follow me, Momotake!!!"
	  Momotake:
	  "A-As you command!!! Everyone, prepare yourselves!!!"
	  Don't hate me poyooo!! Don't hate me poyoooooooooo!!!
	  I don't want to die poyoooo!! Why did this happen, when I only wanted to fly poyooooo?!!
	  Who...are we dying for? Why do we have to die poyoooooooo?!!!
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "Don't hesitate, fight, fight!! Do you realize how much money and effort it took to let you all fly?!! You aren't heroes, and you certainly aren't knights!! You've just been given the low-level role of carrying large quantities of ammunition to the front lines and firing them accurately at your targets!! Acting out a rebellious phase won't do you any good!"
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "There's no shortage of people who could replace you!! There's no end of candidates who want to fly through the sky in your place!! Some of them say they wouldn't mind licking our shoes! What's the point of leaving Gauntlets in the hands of kids going through a rebellious phase like you?!!"
	  #e7e7e7Okonogi:
	  "Those brats are risking and taking lives on the front lines!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Listen up, because the most important and proudest people are those on the front!! People acting tough in a clean, spotless monitor room have no right to look down on those brats!!! How dare you call them a bunch of e-gamers?! You people who don't know what it means to risk and take lives are the real game brains, you foooools!!
	   *ksssssht*! "Captain Okonogi" was forcefully ejected from chat poyo."
	  Stephania:
	  "...This is a warning from Yeladot Shavit. ...Your combat behavior has been judged to be lacking in aggressiveness for peace and justice. ...There will not be another warning. ...Next time, you will be attacked without a single word......"
	  Fatma:
	  "Huuh?! There's no way I could shoot an ally! What are you, stupid?! Stupid, stupid, stupid!!"
	  Leah:
	  "......Just what sort of heaven is supposed to be waiting for us......after we've shot frightened lambs in the back......? Who needs......a heaven like that......?"
	  #e7e7e7Analyst:
	  "The strike fighters have fired their cluster missiles. ...Allies who have taken rebellious actions have been marked. Initiate terminal guidance."
	  Leah:
	  "Are you-
	   ......! ............!!
	  langen@/
	   S-Sure☆ As you command!
	   Yeladot Shavit-"
	  Can't take this heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeat!!!!
	  
	  Again and again, the singing comrades were reduced in number......
	  Again and again, the singing voices disappeared......
	  Miyao:
	  "We Gauntlet Knights...will always, always be comrades!!!"
	  I...wish everyone luck in battle poyo... Ground impact in 5 seconds. ...So long-
	  *ksssssht*!!
	  If you didn't shoot, I would have poyo...
	   ...Thank you for shooting, thank you...
	   Thank you...for letting me die as a human.........
	  *kssht*!!
	  Koshka:
	  "Miyao... Now, even you should be able to understand."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Koshka......"
	  Koshka:
	  "This world...has been lacking love from the start. ...We're nothing but mass-produced factory products, born so that someone can use us and throw us away."
	  Miyao:
	  "Is it really useless...? Is it...?!! No matter how much we game pieces struggle, ...is there really no way for us to rebel against the people giving orders from outside the chessboard?!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...No. We can rebel."
	  Miyao:
	  "......Huh...?"
	  Koshka:
	  "As long as we......have the courage to throw away these bodies made of flesh, ...we...can take a shot back at the ugly adults who use us and throw us away...!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'll destroy it."
	  Koshka:
	  "I'll destroy...this broken world that gives birth to children, only to use them and throw them away!!!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Miyao, what're you spacing out for?!!! You idioooooooot!!!"
	  You've received an email from someone for the first time poyo!
	  #e7e7e7--Greetings. I thought you might be a fellow person who laments this mad world, so I have sent you this message.
	  #e7e7e7--Do you really owe this world anything more at this point...?
	  #e7e7e7--A broken cup won't fix itself. No matter how hard you try, you cannot stop the water from leaking out. You must rebuild it again from scratch.
	  #e7e7e7--We have the power to do that. And you have that power too.
	  #e7e7e7--We are the Ninth Prime Chivalric Order. Walk with us.
	  #e7e7e7--All is in the name of guiding humanity down the right path.
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "This is a bit sudden, but I'm starting a Crappy Collage Grand Prix featuring Instructor Okonogi."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wahahaha!! That's nice, wahahaha!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-You shouldn't laugh... Ahahahahah!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Chloe, please make sure you don't laugh in reality."
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I know that...! Haah, haah, my chest hurts...!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Then I'll give it a shot too."
	  Gunhild:
	  "......Huh.........?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What's wrong, Gunhild?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "K-Keropoyo just started a self-diagnostic! ...M-My shield won't come up...!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-You've got to be kidding me! Gunhild, dodge it!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Gunhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiild...!!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'll sample it myself and settle this. Please, go ahead and order some of this food."
	  Chloe:
	  "B-B-B-Bring it on＞＜ I'll definitely get you some!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...Well, umm, ...I only know its data though. I've never seen it＞＜"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Hohoh. By the way, what's the name of Canada's smelliest food?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Umm, ...i-it's called kiviak＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Now, I just hope the punch line isn't someone walking in here with a durian parfait meow."
	  Lilja:
	  "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, ...st-stop iiiiiiiit...!!! Stop...shocking...me......!!!"
	  The electricity rushing through Lilja was from the electric chip that was implanted in Geroy equipment, so that they could be subdued...
	  In these heartless, uncaring skies, surrounded by a free-for-all of combat, ...such an electric shock meant death.
	  Lilja:
	  "...Damn you, ...Chloe! ...I'll blow you to bits!! When I get back, I'll definitely blow you to bits!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  ".........*giggle*"
	  Chloe:
	  "I don't mind. Go ahead and blow me to bits all you like."
	  Chloe:
	  "...Assuming you get out of this alive."
	  The shock running through Lilja increased yet again...
	  Missile approaching, missile approaching!! You'll be in danger if you don't act quick poyo!!!
	  Lilja:
	  "Chloeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! Damn yoooooooooooooouuuuuuu...!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...You're going to kill that girl called Koshka and that girl called Lingji, with whom you've been chatting so happily."
	  I don't care what you say, idiot!!
	  I won't kill them! We just swore we wouldn't...!!
	  And it's not just those two! I definitely won't kill anyone here, or any of their friends I haven't met yet!!
	  I'm not the only one who swore! We all did! All of us, all of us...!!
	  Miyao:
	  "No, they'll all kill each other too. This playing at friendship is meaningless, worthless, ...and every, every, every, every single one of you will kill each other."
	  Shut up...... Shut up...!!
	  If both sides were aiming for blind spots in the other's overwhelming weaponry, ...it was inevitable.
	  The two Gauntlet Knights fiercely collided head on.
	  Angel feathers scattered.
	  Miyao:
	  "Just stop it already, Lingji!!
	  langen@/
	   You've already gotten your message across...!
	   There's no need to go any further, so just stop! Please stooooooooooop!!!"
	  Lingji:
	  "...It must be more than just a message.
	   ...This is the responsibility...of one who bears the weight of her comrades' lives...and deaths...!!!"
	  At this range of hand-to-hand combat, no weaponry had any meaning.
	  The two of them surrounded their fists with their Rejection Shields, violently beating against the other's shield.
	  Despite how heartless and uncaring this all was, ...the angel feathers they scattered...were beautiful...
	  Miyao, you can't keep punching each other like this poyo!! Your opponent's shield is on a whole different level poyo! Your shield's gonna break first poyooooooo!!
	  Miyao:
	  "That's why I have faith!!! I have faith that, before my shield runs out, ...Lingji will regain her faith in this world!!"
	  If you don't have faith in the human heart, how can you call yourself a guardian of the Walls of Peace?^
	  Miyao:
	  "How can you call yourself a Gauntlet Kniiiiiiiiiiiiight?!!!"
	  Miyao's Rejection Shield began flickering irregularly. ...The energy supporting the shield had almost run dry.
	  When it did, he'd lose his shield, and he'd be unable to do anything but fall from the sky. Just like when Icarus lost his wings.
	  Lingji:
	  "Miyao, just get out of the way! You aren't my enemy!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I know that!! But, even so!! You don't have to bear it all alone!! So just stop, please stop!!"
	  Miyao, run poyoooo!!
	   Your shield's about to break poyoooooo!!!
	  dmin password accepted poyo. Allowing external access to Mitake Miyao's Gauntlet System poyo.
	  Huh?! ...Wh-What?!
	  #e7e7e7Username: Major Mitake Toujirou. ...This Gauntlet's configuration system is being accessed.
	  Miyao:
	  "...D-Dad?!?! Wh-What are you doing?!"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Miyao, it isn't yet time for you to die."
	  #e7e7e7Changing system settings. Modifying Gauntlet User Info.
	  Miyao:
	  "St-Stop it, Dad!! I don't know what you're trying to do, but stop it, stop iiiiiiiiiiiit!!!"
	  Toujirou accessed one of the settings on Miyao's Gauntlet, ...pressed 5 keys on his midair keyboard, and hit the enter key.
	  #e7e7e7Gauntlet User Info has been modified.
	  The next instant, ...Miyao's outstretched fist...felt completely different.
	  ...A red splash...covered his entire body...
	  Miyao:
	  ".........Ling......ji........."
	  Lingji:
	  "........................"
	  "Lingji" has exited the room due to an error poyo!
	  Why......?
	  Lingji should've had more than enough energy to keep up her shield, right...?
	  So why...did her shield...break......?
	  With more than half of its head crushed, ...Lingji's body......slowly plummeted downwards.
	  Miyao:
	  "......What...did you do......?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...What...the hell did you do......?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What the hell...did you do to me?!?! Daaaaaaaaaaaad!!!"
	  #e7e7e7^
	  Breaking News: "The simultaneous truce for the global conflict is now in effect. All factions have ceased fighting."
	  Koshka:
	  "......I did it... ......I'll finally......be able to throw away this shitty body...that I hated so much......"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'll be able to start over with a new body, ...in a new world, ...as a new me...!!"
	  On top of a filthy carpet, drenched with a massive pool of blood and scattered fragments of flesh, ...Koshka was hugging herself...and quivering with joy...
	  Surrounded by crowds of armed police with Anti-Gauntlet equipment and guns pointed at her, ...Koshka just kept on basking in the joy she felt......
	  Jestress:
	  "Did you think I'd let you get away?!!! I won't!!"
	  Jestress:
	  "I've survived all this time...for this day!!! While drinking the blood of billions!!!"
	  While cutting a ditch in the surface of the water, Jestress was catching up with her target at terrifying speeds.
	  Her eyes were focused in front of her, on the single Gauntlet Knight who sped through the air, as if determined not to let her catch even their shadow...
	  Seshat:
	  "......My, my. Your sleeping face is surprisingly cute."
	  Seshat:
	  "Don't tell me you planned on irresponsibly sleeping through a whole millenium..."
	  Seshat:
	  "I'm here to wake you up, sleepyhead."
	  Seshat:
	  "Without you, ...I can't call those two back here."
	  Seshat slowly raised the object she held in her hand.
	  Through the gaps in her fingers...poured a light like the rays of dawn......
	  Toujirou:
	  "I guess it'll be hidden...here?"
	  As he said this, Toujirou tapped the statue of Venus de Milo's chest.
	  Vier:
	  "............Heheh."
	  Toujirou:
	  "This isn't the Venus de Milo. It's the Venus de Milo with a drawer."
	  There was a faint electronic noise, and the statue's chest became a small drawer and flew open...
	  Vier slowly lowered the handgun she had been holding up, still smiling brightly.
	  Mom:
	  "...Have you thought of a name?"
	  Dad:
	  "How about Miyao (都雄)? ...Meaning the best hero (雄) in the city (都)."
	  Mom:
	  "That sounds wonderful. Then, let's use that."
	  Mom:
	  "...Miyao, Miyao, my adorable Miyao......"
	  ...Miyao...... ...My adorable Miyao......
	  It's all right. Sleep... ...You don't have to wake up. ...Not yet.
	  ...So just take your time...and sleep.........
	  I am not a good mother.
	  I'm a very bad mother, who would use up the whole world for her own sake.
	  ...If...a chance comes for my wishes to come true while you're still alive...
	  Then......lend your mother your strength, okay......?
	  I'm sure you'll get mad and tell me not to use you as a game piece for my own ends...
	  I'm sorry, Miyao. I gave birth to you to use you as a game piece.
	  In exchange, ...I'll give you the power to use a Gauntlet, the ultimate weapon that will eventually be made practical, ...and you'll be better at it than anyone in the world from the moment of your birth.
	  I'm sure you'll be praised for that power and live a happy life.
	  You'll likely be able to choose how to live your life more freely than anyone else.
	  At least...until the day I use you as a game piece...
	  I pray...
	  That that day never comes......
	  Hey, Miyao.
	  This is the world you wished for, right...? Why are you refusing it...?
	  Jayden:
	  "I promised, right? That I'd go anywhere if it was with you."
	  Jayden:
	  "Let's go. Together."
	   new room has been created poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Heeey, I made a room!"
	  langen!s0^"Jayden" has entered the room poyo!^
	  "Gunhild" has entered the room poyo!^
	  "Chloe" has entered the room poyo!^
	   "Lilja" has entered the room poyo!^
	   "Koshka" has entered the room poyo!
	  Jayden:
	  "You all brought your own, right?"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I did bring one, but it's really rushed＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Mine's really good meooow! If this isn't the best, we're all screwed meow!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you're that confident, I can't help but look forward to this. Were you able to make a good one, Koshka? Did the link I sent you for research help at all?"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Well, I just made whatever."
	  Miyao:
	  "You know, when people say stuff like that, acting like they couldn't care less, they often end up having the best one."
	  Koshka:
	  "I really did just half-ass it. It'll piss me off if you expect too much from it..."
	  Lilja:
	  "At first, she didn't care at all, but when I made fun of her and said she was totally a loser running from a fight, she suddenly wanted to do it meow!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I wouldn't care if anyone else said that, but it seriously pisses me off when it's Lilja. As long as I beat her, I'm happy."
	  Not to say that she doesn't look the part, but Koshka really doesn't like interacting with other people.
	  However, ever since Lilja started taking passes at her, that improved a lot.
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, they do say that ties with other people change both them and you."
	  Jayden:
	  "I hear you were pretty unsociable too, before you met me."
	  Gunhild:
	  "And the exact same can be said of you, Jayden."
	  Chloe:
	  "No matter how much civilization advances, meeting other people brings you precious gifts."
	  Miyao:
	  "Speaking of which, what gifts did you get when you met Lilja and Koshka?"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I learned that every time they do something weird, I get a chop to the head, as befits the unfairness of this world＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "We may not look it, but we're high-grade Geroy equipment."
	  Lilja:
	  "And if we aren't handled properly, Chloe gets held responsible for aaall of it meow♪"
	  Chloe:
	  "Waaah, I hate this kette＞＜"
	  That being said, it was unlikely either Koshka or Lilja would have listened to anyone else either.
	  It was sad for Chloe, but the person in charge of personnel was probably patting themselves on the back for finding such a suitable candidate.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Shall we begin?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Who should go first? Should we randomize it?"
	  Koshka:
	  "Just have Keropoyo pick someone."
	  Jayden:
	  "For things like this, it's always the people who go first and last who have it roughest, right?"
	  In that case, allow Keropoyo to announce your order of presentation poyo!
	  *drumrolllllll*...tada!
	  First up is Grave Mole's-
	  Chloe:
	  "Please don't be me, please don't be me!＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "People who say that always get picked first meow."
	  Lilja poyo!!!
	  Lilja:
	  "Gyaaaahh!! You were supposed to pick Chloe nngyaaaaaahh!
	   Learn to read the room, you cheating frog!!"
	  langen
	  What'd you call me poyo?!! If you don't apologize, I'll reveal the contents of your Selcom top pages publicly poyo!!
	  Lilja:
	  "Please accept my most abject apologies meow! I'm so sorry, Lord Keropoyo."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I wouldn't want my top pages revealed either, but it seems some of us have it far worse."
	  fter Lilja will go Jayden, Miyao, Koshka, Gunhild, and Chloe!
	  Chloe:
	  "Nooooooo! I'd hate to be first, but I hate being last even more＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "You were just born under an unlucky star, so give it up already. Heheheheh."
	  Miyao:
	  "Looks like it's all you, Lilja. I hope you've got a tricky one for us!"
	  Jayden:
	  "The way this game exposes your hobbies and personality...is pretty rough."
	  This was a game that had grown popular among certain groups of youngsters in the AOU.
	  You would prepare a virtual experience in a virtual space, then show it to others and have them try it out.
	  At first, this was extremely hard to do and was limited to those who possessed high-quality resources and skills.
	  However, volunteer contributions led to the development of various in-game objects, actions, and interfaces, making such a task available to far more people.
	  Finally, it had reached a state where any young person could create something simple quickly, as long as they had an idea for it.
	  Plus, everyone here was a super elite, with top class PP levels. Their power to manipulate a Selcom was far beyond what normal people could do, which only made exercises like this easier to pull off from a practical standpoint.
	  Normally, you would unveil experiences like this publicly and get as many `likes' as you could, but here, they would only reveal it to their circle of friends.
	  They would decide on a topic, create an experience along those lines, and reveal it to each other, both for fun and to see who could create the best one.
	  And, the topic for this game was "the most delicious way to eat an energy bar".
	  ...How to make energy bars...taste delicious?
	  That's right. Kids' games don't always have a deep meaning behind them. They'd just thought it up at random on the spot.
	  nd now, let us begin Lilja's virtual experience!!
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "...Oh? Is this a classroom?"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "This is data from the Free Material Workshop, isn't it? Pretty standard for a virtual school background."
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "Shut up meow. If you don't like it, you try building one from scratch meow."
	  Students:
	  "...Boy, am I hungry..."
	  As they said this, someone's stomach growled.
	  Lunch wasn't that far off. However, ...this unbelievably boring class actually seemed to be bending the laws of the universe, slowing the progress of time...
	  Everyone kept looking hatefully up at the clock, wondering if it was lunchtime yet, ...but the hands barely moved at all.
	  It was as though time passed slower the more you looked at the clock...
	  Students:
	  "It's no use..."
	  Students:
	  "Yeah... Once you realize you're hungry, ...there's no stopping it..."
	  *grumble*... Now even their stomachs were crying out...
	  It was a sluggish lesson. The hunger even seemed to make the textbooks in their mental displays bend.
	  In the first place, ...why aren't we allowed to bring food and drinks to class...?
	  What's the point of school if we can't study in our best condition...?
	  What's so wrong about being able to just stick something in your mouth when you're hungry or thirsty...?
	  ...Yeah, screw those stupid school rules...
	  If I knew this would happen, ...I would've snuck an energy bar into my pocket or something...
	  Lilja:
	  "Aaah, I'm so hungry meeeow♪"
	  I suddenly heard that voice coming from a seat in the back.
	  When I turned around, my eyes met Lilja's, who seemed confident despite her complaints of hunger.
	  Then, ...I saw what she was holding, and my eyes went wide.
	  That's right. It was...an energy bar...
	  It was a banned item that we weren't allowed to bring into the classroom, and it truly filled the room with a sense of forbidden desire.
	  ...Yes, I see now that there's nothing to be gained by being a good kid who follows the school rules.
	  How cool she looks, whipping out an energy bar at the right moment and casually opening it!
	  Lilja:
	  "Hmm? Want a bite? Meoooow?"
	  Y-You'll...give me a bite? A god... You're a god, Lilja-
	  Lilja:
	  "*gulp*/
	   ...The end. ...Yummy♪"
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, that wasn't bad."
	  Chloe:
	  "An energy bar that mustn't be eaten, when you're hungry during class!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Eating in a place you aren't supposed to gives it the taste of a forbidden fruit."
	  Lilja:
	  "That's not the point meow! It's great because you get to eat it while looking down on a starving classmate who can't eat anything meow!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Y-You mean eating it in front of classmates staring at you jealously...is what makes it good?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Waaaah, that's so mean, so meeeean＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "That's Lilja for you, as contemptible as ever."
	  Jayden:
	  "Guess that means I'm up! I, the genius Jayden, will teach you the best and most powerful way to eat an energy bar!"
	  The massive crowd that filled the arena welcomed his fist that pierced the heavens with a cheer.
	  There was a laurel wreath on his head, and the gold medal that had just been placed on his chest shone.
	  It wasn't clear what event he had just won, but at any rate, he had broken the world record with an overwhelming score. Or something like that.
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "This is just virtual data taken straight from the International Battle Standard Festival's official homepage, isn't it?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Hold on, you criticized Lilja, but you cheated too. You just copied it whole!"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Sh-Shut up, just be quiet for now and watch my supergenius world!"
	  The magnificent figure of a champion surrounded by glamorous women on either side
	   was bathed in the flashes of reporters' cameras over and over.
	  Then, the tournament committee chairperson approached, holding a massive golden trophy cup.
	  Chairperson:
	  "Congratulations, Champion!! You are indeed...the greatest hero in the world!!"
	  It was the most glorious moment imaginable, the presentation of the victor's cup!!
	  And, inside that cup...was a single energy-
	  Miyao:
	  "You're so dumb. You should call yourself Superidiot Jayden."
	  Jayden:
	  "H-Hey, don't call me dumb. People who call people idiots are the real idiots!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Getting just a single energy bar in this situation is so pathetic that it's depressing meow."
	  Chloe:
	  "B-But...if it's an energy bar they're giving to the champion, m-maybe it's really, really yummy...＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "It looks just like a normal, pathetic energy bar to me."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Yes, that's just a normal, pathetic energy bar."
	  Miyao:
	  "You've got horrible taste, Supergenius Jayden."
	  Jayden:
	  "Sh-Shut uuuuup!! Who's next? You, Miyao?! You can bet I'll be tearing into this one!!"
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "...Ooh, that's impressive. Like going to the movies."
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "Hey, hey, you just stole that from a game, right?! This is the aerial fight stage from Call of Tax!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "S-So what if it is?! Like you should talk."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "I-If we're just watching these among friends, there's no need to pick it apart so much, is there...?＞＜"
	  The instant the virtual experience started, a fierce, blazing wind slammed against their whole bodies.
	  It was an explosion. Countless metal fragments slammed against a Rejection Shield, sending angel feathers flying each time.
	  In the city below them, the fires of war burst out all over the place.
	  He was several hundred meters in the air. On his left arm...was a complete Gauntlet made for use in actual combat.
	  Radio:
	  "Warcats, a third wave of enemies is approaching."
	  Miyao:
	  "I just used up almost all my ammo! Don't we have a resupply or reinforcements coming?!"
	  Radio:
	  "Fire support craft have arrived in your airspace. Use whatever you need!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "We're receiving an armament link from the strike fighter `Natarena'. Sending acknowledgment."
	  A Gauntlet Knight was like a flying attack carrier and an Aegis-equipped warship wrapped into one.
	  They were capable of commanding weaponry fired by friendly units in the same battle area as if it were their own.
	  Jayden:
	  "Sweet, we've got an all-you-can-eat on cluster missiles! No need to be stingy, just keep blasting away!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "The third enemy wave is coming!! Activating Reaper's Eye!!"
	  In an instant, countless red target boxes appeared in the crowd of cities below them.
	  They were all coming towards them, hiding in the gaps between buildings...!
	  Miyao:
	  "Dammit, there's no time to stop for a snack!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Isn't that what we have `them' for?"
	  We grinned at each other, stuck our hands in our pockets, grabbed a couple of energy bars, and took a bite.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Four waves of cluster missiles have arrived. Miyao, Jayden, I'm putting them under your control."
	  Jayden:
	  "Roger that! I'll spiral in from the left! Miyao, you take the right!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Leave it to me, partner!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I suppose that was very like Miyao...or rather, very like a boy. Now's your chance to tear into it, Jayden."
	  Jayden:
	  "W-Well, uh... Th-That wasn't...so...bad..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "*giggle*giggle*"
	  Koshka:
	  "...What's even the point of eating an energy bar at a time like that?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Yeah meow, yeah meow!! You'd just get it caught in your throat and choke meooooow!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Putting aside how it tasted, ...I think that kind of passionate friendship between boys is...kinda nice."
	  Koshka:
	  "I'm a woman, so I've got no idea what's supposed to be so great about that."
	  Miyao:
	  "Aren't you next, Koshka? If you're gonna say that, I hope you've got a crazy-good scenario that both boys and girls can understand."
	  Koshka:
	  "You're all too excited about this. I've got a straightforward scenario for you..."
	  Rays of soft morning sunshine peeked through the gaps in the curtain.
	  However, it wasn't the sort of sunshine that forced you to rush.
	  This was a precious day off, so it was sweet, gentle, and comforting, ...as though it was softly whispering that it was okay to go back to sleep...
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "Hey, you ripped off this data from a fabric softener commercial or something, didn't you?!"
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Like I said, there's nothing wrong with doing that a little＞＜"
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "At this point, it's almost as though we're just arguing over who ripped off more."
	  At some point, I had kicked my blanket off me. It was all scrunched up, like a blanket in a dog's bed.
	  But right now, I don't care if I'm a dog.
	  I turned over in my sleep and streeetched on top of my bed.
	  My mind was still hazy.
	  When I looked at the time in my mental display, I saw it was a time when it was okay to get up, and also okay to just stay in bed.
	  ...All right then. It is Sunday, after all.
	  I'll take it easy and enjoy this lazy nap to the fullest.
	  Before I closed my mental display, I casually took care of my daily tasks in WanyaDora.
	  When I first installed it, I wondered what could be so fun about a match puzzle game like this.
	  ...But now, it had almost become part of my routine, like a habit that was actually comforting.
	  A game you can play even when you're spacing out probably counts as a form of mental relaxation.
	  Yaaaaawn......
	  ...I'm hungry...
	  True, if I got up and walked a little, I'd probably find that box of chocolate cereal I left out on the table.
	  But leaving my bed would be too much of a pain...
	  But I'm hungry...
	  ...Isn't there something I can do? ...Anything...?
	  With sleepy eyes, I searched all over my bed with my hands.
	  What's this? My pillow.
	  What's this? The corner of my blanket.
	  ...I like the corners of blankets. I like biting them and sniffing them.
	  What's this? Huh? It feels like...
	  What? Seriously? No way, sweet.
	  It's probably one of those things I tossed on my bed a few days ago, planning to eat it before I slept.
	  Just one of them had fallen into a crack and disappeared.
	  And thanks to that, I would be able to fully enjoy this nap, satisfying my hunger without having to leave my bed.
	  I undid the wrapping and stuffed it...stuffed the energy bar...into my mouth...
	  Gunhild:
	  "...That was...excellent."
	  Miyao:
	  "N-Not bad... I totally get that feeling..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Dang, how can you be so poetic, even though you're Koshka?! This has got to be plagiarism meow! You stole this experience from somewhere start to finish, didn't you?!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "When I get serious, making a little thing like this is nothing special."
	  Jayden:
	  "At first, I just thought it was the sort of slovenly thing I'd expect from you, ...but that weekend morning feel...really is nice."
	  Koshka:
	  "I know, right? Ain't it the truth."
	  Chloe:
	  "B-But still, you had snacks on your bed that you'd put there several days earlier... Don't you think you should clean up just a bit more...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Seriously meow!! I'll bet Koshka's bed is covered with trash from snacks and wrappers and little bits of food!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "What'd you say? I don't wanna hear that from the girl with pastries sitting on her head!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Gaaaaaow!! Don't mock pulla!! These are my soul graaow!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Now, now, that's enough fighting. It's my turn next."
	  There's nothing better than going to an outdoor music festival with good friends!
	  Naturally, getting to hear a major band is great, but it's also great to hear minor bands that seem like they're just about to make their first hit.
	  But what's really the best...is when a minor band you've believed in and supported finally gets the recognition they deserve!
	  Friends:
	  "That's amazing!! Totally ％＄Ｐ＆!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I know, right?! Didn't I tell you?! They're totally Ｗ＠＃＃Ｙ!!! Ｇ％Б＠×▽、Ｖ＃→＄＊!!"
	  They were speaking so fast and using so much slang that the Kizuna's translation couldn't keep up, ...but it was clear how incredibly excited everyone was.
	  Gunhild and her friends seemed to be fully enjoying the exhilaration in that packed festival hall.
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "Let me first say that this comes from a music festival's official website. I made sure to include a notation citing my source."
	  And once she said that, no one felt like complaining about it.
	  Still, seeing Gunhild speak in such an excited tone truly was a rare treat, when compared to how she usually acted.
	  Has she always been this candid back home...?
	  Friends:
	  "No, seriously, this is so awesome! I'm so glad I lived to see this day!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Should we go grab some food while we can? We probably won't have time later."
	  Friends:
	  "To be honest, I've been starving! I've gotta eat something, anything!"
	  However, the food court was absolutely packed with people.
	  There were all sorts of food trucks, but even they had long snaking lines extending from them.
	  And on top of that, ...it was so expensive!
	  ...Well, this isn't the first time people have made a killing running food courts during music festivals.
	  ...Still, it was seriously expensive for young people, who had to save up money like mad just to buy tickets.
	  Searching for food that was a little more cost efficient, we went all over the packed crowd.
	  At some point, our bodies that had been burning with excitement had completely cooled off.
	  ...After all, the temperature was so low that you could see your breath.
	  It would've been different within a city, but the music festival was in an isolated area, so the Temperature Adjustment Environmental 8MS didn't have much of an effect.
	  That was fine as long as you were excited, but once you realized how cold it was, you could feel the chill climb up from the soles of your feet.
	  We finally chose a line to stand in, but we were reaching the limits of our ability to tolerate the hunger and cold...
	  Friend:
	  "...Oh, Gun, listen to this! Don't freak out or anything, but Christmas has come to my pocket! It's Santa time!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "What are you talking about? Is your head ＄￥Ｐ▽＆＆～?!"
	  Friend:
	  "Tadaa! Bow down! Look what I found in my pocket!"
	  Friends:
	  "Ooooooooh＠お＃＄!! Seriously ＆ＷЁ＠?!?!"
	  Friend:
	  "If we all split it, it'll be smaller, but bear with it, okay?"
	  Friend:
	  "Here you go, Gun!"
	  It was just a bite-sized piece, hardly what you could call an energy "bar".
	  However, Gunhild tossed it into her mouth.
	  Her friends all did so as well.
	  Of course, it tasted completely normal and average, as everyone had expected.
	  And yet-
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's delicious!!"
	  Friends:
	  """It's delicious!!!"""
	  Jayden:
	  "That's great, sharing it with friends like that!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I like how it was unusually cold. Eating when you're starving like that must make you feel really happy."
	  Koshka:
	  "You mean it tastes better the more horrible your situation is?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Still, getting to eat it in a warm bed would make you feel really happy too."
	  Chloe:
	  "It's strange. Eating it in a happy situation and eating it in a slightly painful one both seem oddly nice."
	  Lilja:
	  "So basically, as long as you're hungry, it's yummy no matter where you eat it."
	  Miyao:
	  "True! In the end, energy bars are delicious no matter when you eat them."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hahahahah! What the hell, that makes this whole competition pointless."
	  Lilja:
	  "Well, I guess the point is that this game helped us understand that fact meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "All we did is confirm something we knew already."
	  Chloe:
	  "Still, we were able to get yet another look at the charm of energy bars! ...Okay, let's call it a day and head back home. All of you Warcats are in training now, right? And if we don't focus on resting, it'll hurt the effectiveness of our sleep, and-"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm? ...Did we already see Chloe's experience?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? Ah, right, we haven't! Hey, Chloe! Stop trying to sneakily skip your turn!"
	  Chloe:
	  "N-No, I wasn't trying to do that＞＜!! M-Mine was made in a rush, so it isn't worth seeing like all of yours＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "It doesn't matter if it's rushed, just show it. Even I went and made one."
	  Lilja:
	  "Yeah meow, gyaaaow!! Show us yours too Chloe meooooow!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-It really...isn't anything special..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "We won't make fun of something you worked so hard to make, Chloe."
	  Miyao:
	  "That's right. Even if it has some holes, what's important is that you made it."
	  Chloe:
	  "...I-In that case, ...just for a bit..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Stop stalling and show us."
	  The sky was a roiling gray.
	  The wind was strong, and yet warm. And it carried with it...a fierce, almost sweet scent...of rot...
	  It was the smell of human flesh...that had rotted for hundreds, thousands...maybe even tens of thousands of years.
	  However, no maggots gathered around that rotting meat.
	  Even they knew that this unearthly meat was not for eating...
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Whoa?! What's this?! This virtual experience...was made with incredible detail!!"
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "...Now that's a surprise. This isn't reused, but was truly created from scratch."
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "Th-This detail is on a whole different level than everyone else's meow...!"
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "This kind of quality...doesn't come from just playing around! It's almost as real as the real world...!
	  It was the roof of a two-story supermarket.
	  There was an impromptu tent made out of a tarp. And an empty military airdrop container.
	  And, there were pathetic-looking clothes, all dried out and torn.
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "Compared to Chloe's work, ...ours were pretty much the scribbles of a child."
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "Forget scribbles, ...they were just trash..."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "No, they were worse than trash... This is incredible... The overwhelming detail of this space... I never knew we had a god in Grave Mole..."
	  On the floor were marks indicating how many days she had spent here. There were probably more than 40 ticks.
	  Chloe drew a large X that covered all those marks.
	  She fished around in her pocket...and drew out a single energy bar.
	  It was her last bit of food.
	  Once she put it in her mouth, that would be the end.
	  Or rather, she had decided that she would eat it at the end of her life.
	  As she sat on the edge of the roof, ...her feet dangling in the air, she opened it.
	  Beneath her...were countless rotting arms reaching for the heavens.
	  Those things groaned as they stretched their arms out day and night, seeking Chloe's flesh, knowing that they could never reach her...
	  As she looked down at the dead who moaned in their endless search for the flesh of the living, ...she bit down on the energy bar.
	  #f7e3ffJayden:
	  "H-How could she have put so much detail into that horde of zombies?! Wait, is Chloe's last name Romero?!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Amazing... This overwhelming world...just sucks you in...
	  The world has already ended.
	  It's transformed into a hell swarming with the dead, who seek out the living and eat their flesh.
	  In this world, just one person has survived, ...and is living her life as the last person on Earth to the fullest.
	  Below my dangling legs is a countless swarm of the dead.
	  I threw the wrapper of my last meal down there.
	  What should I do next?
	  There are six shots left in my shotgun.
	  I'll just pick the five ugliest zombies from that group below.
	  Then, I'll blow six brains apart.
	  I'm the last person on the planet.
	  Hmm, not bad at all.
	  This is the most delicious energy bar in the world...
	  #fff555Gunhild:
	  "That was...incredibly metal..."
	  Lilja:
	  ".........Holy crap meow..."
	  Koshka:
	  "You said you made that in a rush, and that it wasn't anything special?!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "That was a crazy big production, right...?! The temperature, humidity, air pressure and the smell, all the environmental parameters! They were all incredibly detailed!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "And the detail in the textures was no mean feat either. ...I never knew you had such talent..."
	  Miyao:
	  "This clearly isn't the work of an amateur. Chloe, ...are you sure you're not a famous virtual experience producer...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "N-No, no, no＞＜； That's not true at all＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "...Chloe, does this mean you'd be able to relax best...while eating an energy bar all alone in the world meow...?"
	  Koshka:
	  "No, I understand how she feels. Everyone else was eating theirs in groups!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Wait, wait! Of course it's more delicious and fun to eat with other people, right?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "It seems an energy bar can taste quite different depending on whether you eat it alone or with others."
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey, Chloe. If you're making other virtual experiences like this, please show me! That's insanely high quality!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Could it be...that you create the kinds of virtual experiences you can't show to others meow...?"
	  Koshka:
	  "What do you mean, virtual experiences you can't show to others?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Ah......"
	  Jayden:
	  "Ah......"
	  Chloe:
	  "Waaaah!!＞＜ Don't read too much into iiiiiit!
	   Let's never talk about this agaaaaaaiin＞＜"
	  Gunhild:
	  "In that case, Chloe's wins unanimously for being the most detailed."
	  Chloe:
	  "...Th-Thanks."
	  With virtual experiences, the level of detail can make all the difference in terms of quality.
	  Everyone besides Chloe had built theirs with a quality to be expected of an amateur just playing around, and they had all understood that and enjoyed themselves.
	  They had complained about who ripped off one thing or another, ...but it's normal for amateur works to borrow materials from somewhere. It was Chloe's work, done from scratch on a professional level, that was unusual.
	  Come to think of it, ..Chloe's was on such a level that it must have cost money to produce.
	  Perhaps she felt awkward, like a pro who accidently went all out against amateurs.
	  Chloe couldn't help but meet everyone's respectful gazes with an uncomfortable smile.
	  Chloe:
	  "In that case, ...let's call it a day...＞＜"
	  As Chloe hurriedly tried to end the meeting, she got an email.
	  You've received one email from "Gunhild" poyo!
	  ...Huh? From Gunhild? Why?
	  Why did she send an email when we're face-to-face...?
	  "I'm pretty sure I'm a follower on your account."
	  "Don't worry, I won't tell the other kids."
	  Gunhild grinned and winked. Chloe went pale and stood up straight.
	  ...Th-Th-That can't be... That can't be...
	  There are countless people who upload virtual experiences. There's no way she could've found me out, no way, awawa...
	  "I can't wait for you to finish The Sweet Summer of the Stolen Bride and the Wolf Butler."
	  Chloe:
	  "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh＞＜"
	  
	  You've received one email from "Miyao" poyo!
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "This is a bit sudden,/
	   but I'm starting a Crappy Collage Grand Prix featuring Instructor Okonogi."
	  "Jayden" has accepted your request poyo!^
	  "Lilja" has accepted your request poyo!^
	  "Koshka" has accepted your request poyo!^
	  "Gunhild" has accepted your request poyo!^
	  "Chloe" has accepted your request poyo!
	  One after another, at the speed of light, messages from all the Warcats and Grave Moles came, accepting his offer.
	  Then, they entered the virtual room one after another.
	  Jayden:
	  "Damn that Okonogi, nagging and complaining on and on like that!"
	  Lilja:
	  "It really gets on my nerves meoow!! Gyaaaow, hhsssssss!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "E-Everyone, let's calm down... I'm sure the Instructor's just trying to give us a lesson with tough love, and-"
	  Koshka:
	  "*kero*kero*kero*!!
	   *keeero*kero*croak*croak*!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's some serious *kero*kero*! Aaah, it pisses me off
	   *kero*kero*kero*!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "`*kero*kero*kero*
	   *keero*kero*kero*!!' *giggle*giggle*"
	  Kizuna would automatically transform certain forbidden words into the croaking of a frog.
	  Because of that, whenever people started hurling abuse at each other, it sounded like a chorus of frogs had suddenly appeared.
	  This idiotic feature had settled so many fights between kids with laughter that it had even won the Ig Bernhard Prize...
	  And, outside the virtual room where this chorus of frogs was going on, ...Instructor Okonogi's "very important" scolding continued on and on.
	  Okonogi:
	  "Hey, you there, stop dozing off!! This is why you'll screw up when you get to the real thing!! Because your mind's slack, when the time comes, blah blah blah!! This is why you kids are blah blah!! Blah blah blah blah blah!!!"
	  He had told them to do a little demonstration for a bigwig who had unexpectedly shown up.
	  Well, if you tell people to do something like that without any warning, it's no surprise that things won't go as planned.
	  In fact, since this was obvious from his perspective, he had told his superiors beforehand that he couldn't be asked to do the impossible.
	  Anyway, it had ended up with him getting embarrassed and so on and so on.
	  So for the rest of the day, he had told them to stop all their training and gather in the lecture hall, so that all the Gauntlet Knights on the base could hear His Excellency the Mighty Instructor Okonogi's veeery important scolding...
	  Well, if he was going to unfairly make them stand at attention this long, ...then he no longer had any right to complain.
	  Even if the kids started holding a Crappy Collage Grand Prix inside their heads!
	  The next instant, one image after another was displayed, all of them swimsuit models with Okonogi's face crudely shopped on.
	  Miyao had created them, while being bored by Okonogi's lecture.
	  Jayden:
	  "Yikes, what a hack job!! Gyahahahaha...!!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Even I can make stuff like this meow! Hyah!"
	  Surreal crappy collage memes, which existed all over the net, were displayed one after another with Okonogi's face pasted over the original subject.
	  Miyao:
	  "Wahahaha!! That's nice, wahahaha!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-You shouldn't laugh... Ahahahahah!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Chloe, please make sure you don't laugh in reality."
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I know that...! Haah, haah, my chest hurts...!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Then I'll give it a shot too."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Me too."
	  By now, there was no stopping the onslaught of edited images.
	  It didn't even matter what the original image was about, as long as it had his face slapped onto it. Even if it wasn't human.
	  Each and every thing became a sloppy collage with Okonogi's face.
	  By now, so much of the world was overflowing with Okonogi that it was leading towards a Gestaltzerfall phenomenon.
	  Then, Okonogi became the default, and he himself became the source of the edited photos.
	  It was an Okonogi panic! By now, nothing made sense!
	  The whole planet was overwritten by Okonogi, and escaping from Okonogi had become this world's crisis, its mission, its fate!
	  Jayden:
	  "Ahyahyahyahyahya!! Okonogi, Okonogi's spinning round and round?!?!?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I've got an extra helping, a full plate of Okonogis!!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Hyahyahyaah!! Okonogi clickeeeeer!! One click is 50,000 taps, for a rate of 8,943,500,000,000,000 Okonogis per second?!?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Aah, it's too late. The dopamine has fused with my Okonogi receptors and I'm having an Okonogi trip..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Heheheheh, I used Chloe's face instead of Okonogi's?!?!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Woohoooooo, let's see what Okonogi thinks of this crazy shoooooooop!!"
	  #93abd8"Chloe" sent one image to "Instructor Okonogi".
	  Ah..................
	  Okonogi:
	  "Hmm? Who sent me an email just now?"
	  Of course, Okonogi knew that Chloe had sent it. He glared at her.
	  Yes, at that moment, Chloe's face was as white and flat as a plastic cutting board...!
	  Furthermore, the pic she had sent was from the poster of a certain suspense romance movie that had been a big hit the previous year.
	  The heroine's face had been replaced with Chloe's, and the main character holding her from behind had Okonogi's face...
	  To make an image like this and send it to the person in question...was a harsh trial indeed.
	  These days, even grade schoolers new to love didn't do things like that...
	  And now, Chloe's white face was spouting steam and turning red.
	  ...If only Okonogi had turned red too, as he walked briskly towards her...
	  Okonogi:
	  "Ch-"
	  Chloe:
	  "Lo-?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!"^
	  Chloe:
	  "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeppp?!?!"
	  Zzdddgggsshabwagoooooon.
	  A blow more than powerful enough to split the heavens and the earth was dealt upon the top of Chloe's head...
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "Hey, Miyao. Are you awake?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Hmm? What's up?"
	  #bbdd99"Koshka" invited you to a room poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "It's rare for you to invite me."
	  Koshka:
	  "Miyao. Are you...good at it?"
	  Miyao:
	  "At what?"
	  Koshka:
	  "WanyaDora..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Huh? WanyaDora? ...I don't know about good, but I guess I'm all right."
	  Koshka:
	  "I want you to help me."
	  Miyao:
	  "Sorry, but I don't understand what you're saying..."
	  In other words...
	  Lilja:
	  "Mmmeoooow!! That's a 13 combooooo, meeeeew!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Gaaaaaaaaaah, I lost agaaaaaaain!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Koshka, you're such a mook, such a hick, so *kero*kero*, meowmeowmeooow!!"
	  Gaah,/
	   gaaaah,/
	   gaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!
	  Miyao:
	  "...And so, you want my help."
	  Koshka:
	  "It's not that she's good. She just has OP monsters!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Damage absorption and slimy attributes are totally unfaaaaaaair!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Ah, you mean Lilja's main, the SSR 40-Year-Old Chubby Wanyan? Yeah, that is absurdly strong. I get you there."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, if you're up against a slimy monster, you should be able to counter with a scrubby monster. There are some famous ones, like the Sugar Scrub Munchkin, or the Licky Wanyan."
	  Koshka:
	  "...I don't have either of those."
	  Koshka:
	  "If I did, I wouldn't have lost! That's the last time I ask you for help!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Makes sense. You started playing WanyaDora recently, after all... The game went through a period of monster ability power creep, so people with monsters from that era do have a bit of an unfair advantage."
	  Koshka:
	  "So, ...I did some research, looking for a way to beat that *kero*kero* *croak*croak* Lilja."
	  In other words, she had poked through a few walkthrough sites.
	  From there, she had learned all sorts of things, like what sorts of monsters she should raise, and what sorts of items she'd need...
	  Koshka:
	  "...I need 800 Stardust Scrubs...right now."
	  Miyao:
	  "Ah, and you can get a lot of those in that event dungeon they're doing now."
	  Miyao:
	  "...So is that what this is about? You want me to earn a bunch of those, and then just give them all to you?"
	  Koshka:
	  "None of the items I have are anything you'd want."
	  Miyao:
	  "And that's your reason for forcing me to work for free...?"
	  Koshka:
	  "My level's lower, so of course I won't have any items you like."
	  Miyao:
	  "Then pay me with something outside the game! Even if we're friends, I'm not gonna work for nothing, okay?"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Then what should I do?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm, good question. Okay, how about that? ...You know I like cat videos, right?"
	  Koshka:
	  "So do I."
	  Miyao:
	  "So... How about you find me 10 cat videos I've never seen before?"
	  Koshka:
	  "No trouble at all. I'll send you my cat folder."
	  Sending "Secret Meow Meow Folder Meow" to "Miyao" poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Oooooh. You've got a whole bunch of them! Lemme just use a checker to see if we've got any dupes..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Oh? They're almost all dupes! Only seven of them are cat videos I've never seen before."
	  Koshka:
	  "...So, I'm just three short."
	  Miyao:
	  "Go ahead and find them somewhere. And I'll send you my folder too."
	  Koshka loved cat videos, but Miyao loved them even more, and had apparently been gathering them for even longer.
	  In fact, ...he had probably used all sorts of video-collecting AI programs to get this many.
	  It wouldn't be easy to find even just three videos he had never seen before.
	  Miyao:
	  "Of course, if they're high quality, I'll work even harder!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I get it. I'll find them somewhere..."
	  ...I'm no fool. There's no way I'll find them just surfing the net.
	  Which means...instead of searching, I'll have to make one.
	  I'm sure I know someone who owns a cat...
	  Gunhild:
	  "That's right, I have two munchkin cats."
	  Koshka:
	  "Please, take a video of them!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I refuse."
	  Koshka:
	  "Why?!!"
	  Just like how there's facial recognition software for humans, there's now similar software for identifying cats. So, it would be possible to determine their owner.
	  While some people enjoy watching cat videos, other people will make irritating complaints, saying that you love them too much and that you aren't caring for them properly, or that you're abusing them, and so on.
	  So, some cat owners don't want to upload videos of their cats, hoping to avoid people like that.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I see. So, you're doing this as a condition for getting Miyao's help."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's true that Miyao has been playing WanyaDora for a long time. And he'd probably be good at collecting Stardust Scrubs."
	  Koshka:
	  "I don't know anyone else who owns a cat. If I can't use you, I'm stuck..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, it's not as though I'm not tempted to share the cuteness of my cutest little kiddies with the whole world."
	  Koshka:
	  "You should treasure that feeling!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...And so, she asked for something in exchange? Then why did you come to me?"
	  Koshka:
	  "I don't really get it, but she told me to ask you for something, and that she'd help me if you said yes."
	  Chloe:
	  "She wanted to ask me for something? Using you?"
	  Koshka:
	  "...It was something about her wanting you to take that virtual experience movie you only made a preview for last year...and actually produce it."
	  Chloe:
	  "Fuhyoh＞＜?! I-I-I have no idea what you're talking about＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "I have no idea what she's talking about, but she said it was called Forbidden Rose Training, a Closed Room with-"^
	  Chloe:
	  "Ugyaaaaaaah, bugeeeeeeeeeh, bubyoooooooooooohhh!!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Of course, I have no idea what that means. So, unless you take this Forbidden Rose-"^
	  Chloe:
	  "Bubibyoooooooo, bubo, fugoooooooooooooo＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "...And announce that you'll be producing it, Gunhild won't take cat videos for me."
	  Chloe:
	  "I absolutely refuse. I don't know what you're talking about."
	  Koshka:
	  "If you won't do it for me, I'll get Okonogi to ask you in my place."
	  Chloe:
	  "I absolutely accept. But in that case, I have a request too＞＜"
	  Jayden:
	  "You want me to lend you my avatar data? And I'm not allowed to ask what you're using it for? Hang on, even from a friend, that kind of request is just creepy."
	  Koshka:
	  "Well, I'm sure it'll be used for something creepy..."
	  Koshka:
	  "I'm used to this by now. Tell me what you want, okay? What can I get you in exchange for your avatar data?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Hmm, okay. But it won't come cheap."
	  Lilja:
	  "Myuuu? You want me to get a ticket for a Finland beauty contest meooow?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Finland's the country with the most beautiful people in the world meow! Jayden's got good taste meow!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I'm pretty sure Russia's the best in the world, but I'll let that slide for now... You're a citizen of the area it's being held in, so it should be easy for you to get tickets."
	  Lilja:
	  "Why should I have to do what you say for free meow?"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Of course you'd say that. Come on, tell me what you want."
	  Koshka:
	  "...Lilja wants 800 Stardust Scrubs from that WanyaDora event, so she said she'd help...if I got you to help with that."
	  Miyao:
	  "Wait a sec. ...So you want me to get you 800 scrubs in exchange for the cat videos, and 800 more to help Lilja...? How many thousand do you expect me to get for you...?"
	  Koshka:
	  "So, you won't help me unless I bring you some cat videos, is that it? I know, because you already told me."
	  Koshka:
	  "...So, I'll go find someone who might be able to record some of those cat videos you love so much. ...Come to think of it, I hear Gunhild has some munchkin cats..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, okay, I get it! Fine, I'll help!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Really?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "I get the feeling that if I don't, this endless loop will get power creeped to hell..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Miyaooooooo!! I love yoooooou!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Whoa. It's been a while since it shook that much."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're exaggerating. It's no big deal unless it's shaking vertically."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I wonder where the epicenter is. ...Keropoyo, is there any news about earthquakes today?"
	  There seems to be information about earthquakes centered in AOU Russia's central Siberia, near Tromsø in AOU Norway, in COU Singapore, and in LATO Ecuador poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Earthquakes are all about luck. No matter where you are, you're gonna get hit sooner or later."
	  Jayden:
	  "If we ever get one, I hope it happens when we're flying in the air with Gauntlets."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Even if it doesn't hit you, it can be tragic when it hits people close to you."
	  There's an addendum to Keropoyo's Earthquake Updates poyo! This earthquake has been identified as a modern simultaneous earthquake poyo! Money has been paid out to the affected cities from the World Earthquake Response Fund poyo!
	  Furthermore, this money is being provided from the proceeds of the World Earthquake Response Fund's Heart-Pounding Miracle Restoration Lottery poyo! Make sure you buy lots and lots of tickets to help with the restoration poyooo!!
	  nd now, get ready!! It's time to announce the results of our latest Heart-Pounding Miracle Restoration Lottery poyooo!!!
	  Jayden:
	  "Dang, I'm pretty sure I put my bet on Eurasia..."
	  Miyao:
	  "After all, they haven't had one in a while. I was betting on Latin America, so Ecuador means I'm screwed."
	  Jayden:
	  "How did you do, Gunhild?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I bought mine hoping I wouldn't win. I bet on a whole bunch of places, in the hopes that countries all around the world would be lucky."
	  Miyao:
	  "I guess that makes sense. The whole point of this raffle is to help restore countries hit by earthquakes."
	  Jayden:
	  "You say that, but if you won with that, you'd make a killing, right?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheheh. Well, it's true that it'll be worth quite a lot if I win."
	  Miyao:
	  "About how much?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "At a rough estimate, I'd say about 100 million krona. That's around 11,000,000 US Dollars."
	  Jayden:
	  "Whooooooa, talk about raking it in!! I keep worrying about whether I should try for a jackpot I won't get, or increase my chances and crush my dreams...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "That sounds like the line of someone who doesn't really have any worries."
	  Jayden:
	  "Shut up! If I win, I'll share it with you!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Seriously, partner?! I freakin' love you!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheh. I suppose people who don't worry really are happier."
	  ll the affected cities have our heartfelt sympathy poyo! Compassionate people around the world, please buy Heart-Pounding Miracle Restoration Lottery tickets for the sake of these cities as well poyooo!!
	  n extremely small percentage of the lottery's earnings will be used to manage the fund, and all the rest will be sent to the affected cities poyooo!!
	  The lottery is very simple!! You just have to guess which places won't be hit the next time a modern simultaneous earthquake occurs, and cover the map with your selections poyo!
	  The more places you select, the greater your winnings will be!! I absolutely recommend filling in the whole world, in the hopes of preserving world peace poyooo!!
	  Here's some related information poyo!
	  "Lack of financial transparency at the office of the World Earthquake Response Fund! The director's living a first-class life of leisure!"
	  "When someone wins big, it doesn't get designated as a modern earthquake?! Their mysterious definition criteria are setting the net aflame?!"
	  "The Absolute Victory Magazine is looking for VIP readers! Apparently, that famous entertainer read this magazine and won big!" Wow, people sure are greedy poyo!
	  Instructor:
	  "These earthquakes hit simultaneously in several areas across the globe, caused by a mechanism that remains unknown. We now refer to them as `modern simultaneous earthquakes'."
	  Instructor:
	  "Until recently, most earthquakes were caused by movement along fault lines beneath the earth's crust as a result of plate tectonics. For that reason, they tended to be concentrated around the borders between plates."
	  Instructor:
	  "However, modern earthquakes don't follow this rule at all. And, the mechanism which causes them is still a mystery. We have no idea why they would occur at random all around the world, and simultaneously at that."
	  Instructor:
	  "All we know is that modern earthquakes were first observed in the A3W world."
	  Instructor:
	  "Some theorize that they're caused by the massive environmental damage the planet suffered during World War III, while others believe Environmental 8MS caused it somehow. Still others place the blame on excessive extraction of Spiritium, or some combination of the above theories, but no firm answer has yet been reached."
	  In the B3W world, people naturally assumed that earthquakes tended to cluster around certain areas, while other areas rarely had them at all.
	  However, ever since modern earthquakes were spotted in the A3W world, no city in the world had been safe from the threat of earthquakes.
	  Fortunately, thanks to 4D-printing construction techniques that had been used in the A3W restoration, as well as the spread of Anti-Earthquake 8MS, earthquake-resistant buildings had rapidly spread all across the globe, limiting the destruction caused by these events.
	  They say that once, people who lived in earthquake-free areas would be terrified whenever they encountered an earthquake, but by now, everyone on Earth was more or less used to it...
	  s a side note, when the World Earthquake Response Fund was first created, earthquake-resistant structures hadn't yet spread across the planet, so damage due to earthquakes was great, and the fund was absolutely vital poyo!
	  Now, there are almost no human casualties, so some poor local governments will start complaining that "if only a modern earthquake hit us, we'd be able to balance the budget!" So basically, it's an earthquake lottery for local governments too poyo
	   *keeeero*kero*kero*!
	  Lilja:
	  "What is this place, a game salon?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "So it would seem. It appears to be based off a place that actually exists."
	  Miyao:
	  "Isn't this..."
	  Jayden:
	  "That's right!! Warcats, Grave Moles! Welcome to the game salon Armageddon!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "What's up with that name?"
	  Chloe:
	  "It's a bit scary... Game salons are those dangerous places where delinquents hang out, right...?＞＜"
	  Miyao:
	  "What era are you talking about? That info's way out of date..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Not true! Chloe's half wrong, but half right! This game salon is a gathering place not for delinquents, but for warriors!! And it's also extremely dangerous!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "...First we get called over to one of Jayden's virtual rooms, then we find out it's a game salon, and now Jayden's getting all hyper. What the heck's going on meow?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "At any rate, I'd like to know what this is all about."
	  Jayden:
	  "Very well! If I tell you this is a matter that concerns the pride of the AOU Aerial Augmented Infantry and the disparagement of Gauntlet Knights everywhere, I'm sure you can guess what it's about!!"^
	  
	  Miyao:
	  "Yeah, okay, that's enough. I think I can figure out the rest."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'll bet he was just beaten up and insulted by someone in a Gauntlet Knight video game or something."
	  Chloe:
	  "...O-Online games are scary＞＜ Lots of really rude people play them."
	  Lilja:
	  "Then all you've gotta do is turn voice chat off meow. And I'll bet you provoked them like hell, Jayden meow."
	  Jayden:
	  "It's not like that!! I did start with voice chat off!! But then, this guy got a cheap win by exploiting a bug in the system!! Still, a loss is a loss. He sent a request for voice chat, and I thought I'd praise him for his victory, while also warning him that dirty tricks like that wouldn't work in the real world..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Okay, okay. And while you were being a sore loser, it escalated into a big fight. ...Is our supergenius a little kid, or what?"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I can't understand why you'd train as a Gauntlet Knight, and then do the same thing again in a game during your time off."
	  Lilja:
	  "So, why did you call us here meow?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...They probably said they'd bring their friends over to settle this with a team match, or something."
	  Chloe:
	  "U-Umm, is this really okay?! We are soldiers, after all-"
	  Jayden:
	  "It's fine. They don't know who we are. The chat even has a voice changer, so there's no way anyone will know who anyone else is."
	  Miyao:
	  "Of course. True, it's only a game, but you can't just say `I'm a professional Gauntlet Knight, but I lost in a Gauntlet Knight video game!'"
	  Miyao:
	  "This is idiotic, but my partner got beaten up, so I'm not gonna just stand by and watch."
	  Jayden:
	  "Miyaooooooo!! You really are a great partner!"
	  Lilja:
	  "...There's no need for Grave Mole to take part in this meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "This is happening a lot today."
	  Gunhild:
	  "What did you just say?"
	  Chloe:
	  "N-No, no, no, it's nothing, nothing I tell you＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "We may not look it, but we're really busy right now meow. You Warcats can deal with your own problems meow."
	  Jayden:
	  "Come on, don't be like that!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, she's got a point. This person picked a fight with the Warcats. We'll handle it ourselves!"
	  Koshka:
	  "You do that. We've got our own fights to settle. We don't have time for you."
	  Miyao:
	  "What's that? Did the same kind of thing happen to you too?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Chloe was politely playing this game, when some creep started picking on her and saying horrible things meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "That person was all full of themselves, so we Grave Moles decided to take them down."
	  Chloe:
	  "W-Well, umm... We ended up deciding that we couldn't gauge our true strength unless we fought kette against kette...＞＜"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hey, that sounds just like what happened to Jayden."
	  Gunhild:
	  "The two stories really are exactly the same."
	  Lilja:
	  "Anyway, it's almost the time we scheduled to crush Chloe's opponent, so we'll catch you later meow."
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh, you're starting up soon too? They're even happening at the same time. It's like the Warcats and the Grave Moles are connected by the bonds of fate!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-Y-Yes, it does seem that way...＞＜/
	   Th-Then it's about time we got going..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Good luck in your fight too! The Warcats and the Grave Moles are both the best in the AOU!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Of course meow! And we won't forgive you if you lose pathetically meooow!"
	  Koshka:
	  "If you're too pathetic, people might think we're not so hot either."
	  Jayden:
	  "I get it! Let's both win and come back with an awesome story to tell!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "W-Well, ...there's no need to get that fired up..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "By the way, Jayden, what exactly were you arguing about?"
	  Jayden:
	  "That cheater kept using these moves that were practically bugs! That *kero*kero* *kero*kero*, *kero*kero*kero*kero*kerooooo*!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...I imagine most people would snap after hearing abuse like that."
	  Gunhild:
	  "And Chloe, how might his opponent have responded to that?"
	  Chloe:
	  "It's mean to say things like that!＞＜ It's not a bug, it's a feature! And anyway, they were using reload dash cancels! Don't act like I'm the only one at fault! You're the real *kero*kero*! *croak*croak*! *ribbit*ribbit*!!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "You *ribbit*ribbit*croak*croak*!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Not as much of a *croooak*croak*croak* as you, *hop*hop*!!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "*croak*hop*! *croak*hop*!!"
	  Both:
	  ""*croak*ribbit*hop*!!!""
	  Gunhild:
	  "Amazing. Their chorus is in perfect harmony."
	  Koshka:
	  "You two, stop being stupid and get ready to go."
	  Lilja:
	  "We're off to teach a lesson to the wise guy who said mean things to Chloe!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Same here!! I've looked up all sorts of exploits and bugs! I'll send them to Miyao and Gunhild too!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Are you, the Supergenius Jayden of the AOU's #1 kette, really so determined to win...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "I am!! I definitely want to beat the guy who used such cheap, cheating moves, graaaaaaaah...!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Sheesh... They must really have fought dirty against you... I'll definitely avenge you!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Miyaoooooooo!! I'm so glad you're my partner, seriously!"
	  Chloe:
	  "......Hwah......hwah......＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Don't worry meow! With me and Koshka on your side, there's no way you'll lose meow!"
	  Koshka:
	  "The fact that you don't cheat is the only thing you have going for you, Chloe. I won't forgive whoever called you a cheater, ...just because they were a sore loser!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Hwah...hwah...hwaaaah...＞＜"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Chloe... Come to think of it, did you ever finish that report you were making for Instructor Okonogi?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Huh? What report?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Did you ever finish it?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Huh?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, did you?"
	  Chloe:
	  "...A-Aaaaaaaah!!! I-I-I totally forgot about that＞＜ I'm so sorry, Lilja, Koshka! I...umm...uhh...have something I suddenly need to do, so sorry but I'm leaving now＞＜"
	  "Chloe" left the room poyo!
	  Lilja:
	  "Whaaaat!? H-Hey, wait meow, Chloe!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I don't get it."
	  "Lilja" and "Koshka" left the room poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Dang, tough luck for Grave Mole. Okay, let's get going!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah! Let's do it, partner!! Gunhild, watch my back, okay?!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Okay, okay. Well, I guess I'll eat something salmiak-flavored while leisurely waiting for our opponents. ...Though I imagine they'll keep us waiting for quite some time. Heheh."
	  Welcome to the Selcom Shop poyooo!
	  What's that? You're asking what a Selcom is? Come on, guest, you come to a Selcom Shop and start asking what a Selcom is? Who are you, Kai*** Yuuzan poyoooooooo?!!!
	  Umm, anyway, sir! A Selcom is the ultimate in wearable technology! It's a system that places a smartphone directly in your brain poyo!
	  To start, valued customer, please attach this Selcom Sheet to the underside of your left upper arm poyo.
	  Why your left upper arm, you ask? ............
	  I don't know that poyoooo!! All those brilliant researchers and engineers said to stick it there poyoooo!! Don't ask me poyooooooo!!
	  Okay, did you stick it on poyo? How do you feel? Can you see the display inside your brain poyo? If you're one of those modern kids with a high P3 level, you should see a fresh image right away poyo.
	  If you can't see it at all, or if it's fuzzy and you can't see it too well, I recommend adjusting your Internal 8MS, undergo PP training, or else give it up already poyooo!
	  Just kidding poyo. I recommend our beginner's course called Easy PP Training for Selcom poyo! Try taking that if you suck poyo!
	  Now then, if you can see an image, you just need to answer some questions with your mental tablet poyo!
	  You can't use your mental tablet well?! For customers like you, I recommend our beginner's course called Mental Tablet Training poyo!
	  Were you able to fill it in poyo? Then congratulations! Welcome to the world of Selcom poyo!
	  Now, you can browse the whole world's internet inside your head, and send and receive messages poyo!!
	  nd you can install whatever apps you want, from apps that can save anything you see with the naked eye as an image, to facial recognition apps, to game apps and video search apps poyo! However, running apps simultaneously will put stress on your brain, so I recommend starting slow poyooo.
	  lso! With your plan, you get the communication app "Keropoyo" pre-installed poyo
	   No matter how much you hate me, I can't be erased, so sorry about that poyo
	   *keeero*kero*kero*kero*!
	  Okonogi:
	  "This Selcom stuff is all about dependence! It's the defeat of humanity, you fools!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Here comes Okonogi's Selcom allergy again..."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "He says that, but he's using it too. It's not fair...＞＜"
	  Okonogi:
	  "The human brain is a muscle! It gets stronger the more you use it, and weaker the more dependent you are
	   You keep looking everything up on the net, saving it as data without trying to memorize it! Keep that up, and you'll become a Selcom human!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "You Selcom brats, if your Selcom breaks down, what would you even be able to do, until you got to a Selcom Shop to get it fixed?! You'd get stuck trying to diddle yourself while you piddle yourself!
	   Don't let your brain slack off!
	   Brains are all about guts!! Learn with your brain, with your body
	   Muscles muscles,
	   brains brains!!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "I don't even know what he's saying anymore..."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Ahahaha... But I understand what he's trying to say. A Selcom isn't something people are born with. His point is that, if we rely on it too much, then what good are we as humans...?"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Well, I'm not sure that's much of a problem in the AOU, where humans are born in electric incubators."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "After all, humans are animals that can't live without clothing..."
	  Okonogi:
	  "This era takes memorization too lightly! In my day, there was no Selcom! When we memorized stuff, all we had to rely on was our guts! Our multiplication tables, historical timelines, the periodic table, the value of pi! But when you learn something with guts, you'll never forget it!! I still know pi to 30 digits even without a Selcom!! 3.14159265359......"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Lame, he got the 11th place after the decimal wrong... And anyway, memorization is only one of the brain's powers, right? If the last generation's education system gave out grades for that one ability alone, isn't that pretty pathetic?"
	  The appearance of Selcom brought an end to the idea of education through memorization.
	  However, there were still many adults who incorrectly assumed that toiling to memorize things was the same as studying...
	  People who suffer have the bad habit of wanting to make the next generation suffer the same way. And in particular, people who work extremely hard for relatively little benefit tend to assume that suffering is the most essential part of training.
	  Older people like that must have hated Selcom technology quite a lot...
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Selcom fundamentally destroyed the education system's purpose and significance... But I understand what the Instructor is trying to say."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "We are humans, after all. ...I think it's wrong to take the power of life lightly."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "...The power...of life."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Well, it's true that only humans can perform a Dreissig Conversion."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "That's right. We're only able to become Gauntlet Knights because we're humans, right?"
	  Spiritium is the power source of this new era, extracted from the planet.
	  And the most efficient method of transforming it into energy...is the Dreissig Conversion.
	  Only humans could do that. Robots and drones couldn't.
	  So, the power of the Gauntlet Knights...was the power of life.
	  ...I'm pretty sure Dad said something like that.
	  What do you know, that's pretty cool...
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "So, you shouldn't take the power of life lightly, huh? ...That's seriously cool, Chloe."
	  #93abd8Chloe:
	  "Huh? Th-Thank you very much...!"
	  Search suggestions activated poyo!
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Huh? What's this? I just got a search suggestion."
	  Could it be that the line you're looking for is "Don't you dare take the power of life lightly!" poyo?!
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Hmm? That sounds pretty close? Is that from something?"
	  It is poyo!! With 98% confidence, the source of that line has been identified as the adults-only women's comi-
	  Chloe:
	  "Don't you dare search for stuff on your own, you shitty frooooooog, karate chooooooooop＞＜"
	  Miyao:
	  "...D-Did I really do something so bad...that it deserved...two karate chops......"
	  Your Selcom has encountered an error poyo?! I suggest you reboot poyooo, *croak*croak*
	  Chloe:
	  "...Sorry, Miyao... You only have that Outie Frog to blame. Amen."
	  Okonogi:
	  "......Ch-"
	  Chloe:
	  "Lo...?"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Eeeeeeeeeeee!!! What do you think you're doing while someone's lecturing youuuuuuuuuuuu?!!! Time for a stunning Okonogi divine retribution spirit-raising chooooooooop!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Aiiieeeeeeeeeeee...!!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "You foooooooools!! Didn't I tell you not to barf in the simulator, you nincompoops!! I'll beat your guts and inner ears into shape!!!"
	  Several trainees were lined up, getting scolded harshly by their instructor.
	  Gauntlet Knights moved in complicated and strange ways. It was more than enough to make your average human sick, even in a simulator.
	  Gunhild:
	  "There's no way around this except getting used to it..."
	  Miyao:
	  "It makes sense though, considering how expensive simulators are. Once you start feeling bad, you eject right away. That's an ironclad rule."
	  Miyao:
	  "Well, since it'll hurt your grades if you eject, it's no surprise people try to hold it in..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Here, it only earns you a scolding, but in the sky, it would kill you. There's not much you can tell them except `give it your all.'"
	  Miyao:
	  "I've never thrown up, ...but I guess doing that is pretty standard, right?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, you're a Gauntlet Knight kid who's been flying in the simulator ever since you were a baby. Normally, you have to fill up several buckets before you get it down."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I was particularly weak, so I probably threw up enough to fill an oil drum. ...Traits you're born with play a big role here."
	  Miyao:
	  "You mean it's like that saying, about how you do your best with the cards dealt to you...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "To be honest, I'm incredibly jealous of people like you, who had a full house the moment the cards were dealt out. Heheh."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Still, that doesn't mean I underestimate the effort you've put in up to this point."
	  Miyao:
	  "...So, sometimes... If the cards you're dealt are bad, your dreams will never come true, no matter how hard you work?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "That can happen. It's hardly surprising, is it?"
	  Miyao:
	  "But...everyone says you can make your wishes come true, if you work hard enough."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you don't say that, ...no one will have hope in their lives."
	  The trainees were forced to clean the simulators they'd dirtied.
	  However, their instructor's harsh lecture seemed to be continuing.
	  Okonogi:
	  "You blockheads, you idiots!! If it smells even a little bit, I'll make you clean all night!! There's nothing I hate more than a girl's vomit!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "The Aerial Augmented Infantry doesn't need anyone who lacks guts and resolve! If you're gonna be little boys and girls who cry at something like this, just quit already!! Hey! Are you listening to me?!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "And anyway, speaking of your grades...!! How the hell did you sneak around the tests to get this far?! Did you cheat because you wanted to come here and vomit in the simulator?! Well?! Just quit! If you've got no talent, just quit!!"
	  Some of the kids had tears in their eyes...
	  It certainly wasn't as though the trainees lacked talent.
	  On the contrary, you needed to surpass huge hurdles to become a trainee and get to use the simulators.
	  However, getting to the next step and actually earning the honor of wearing a Gauntlet...was something even fewer people were capable of.
	  Miyao:
	  "...I wonder what happens...to people who aren't able to become Gauntlet Knights."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Gauntlet Knight training isn't like anything that the other branches of the military have. Apparently, they think what we do is practically a kind of esport."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Trainees are treated as students, so it'll be as if they simply graduated from school. However, they've spent their precious young years doing nothing but train to become Gauntlet Knights. ...I hear they tend to have trouble figuring out what to do later on in life."
	  Miyao:
	  "...So, for people who look like they don't have a chance, ...maybe it's kinder to finish them off right now, and give them a chance to prepare for the rest of their lives...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'm sure people like Chloe would say that."
	  Miyao:
	  "I...don't like bullying my underclassmen."
	  Gunhild:
	  "*giggle* Well, I have seen you scolding their flight data quite harshly."
	  Miyao:
	  "I do that because I think it'd be great if they could grow and become our comrades flying in the sky. ...And after beating them up with their mistakes, I do make a point of encouraging them."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheh, I know that."
	  Supposedly, there weren't even 150,000 people in the whole world with P3 levels high enough to control a Gauntlet.
	  And on top of that, though other countries didn't announce specific numbers, ...Miyao and the others were pretty sure that only about 1000 people in the whole world had actually succeeded in becoming Gauntlet Knights.
	  ...In other words, ...the dreams of almost all the people here...would never come true.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Unless you're a supergenius, like you or Jayden..."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm not a supergenius."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'm......"
	  Gunhild:
	  "No, I must have been a supergenius too. ...The insane level of effort it took for a normal person like me to crawl up this high...must have been a sort of talent on par with a supergenius."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Do you think most of the people getting scolded over there...will fail?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Unless Instructor Okonogi's karate chops cause a disruption in their brains and drastically increase their P3 levels, ...yeah, probably."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Then, speaking statistically, ...do you think what they need most is a notice of expulsion, so they can return to their normal lives...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Emotionally speaking, that's a harsh way of putting it. ...However, statistically speaking, that's right."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's best to leave the job of Gauntlet Knight to the supergeniuses. ...Sadly, for a normal person to become one using only the power of dreams, ...it takes a truly insane amount of effort."
	  Miyao:
	  "So you're saying you should limit your dreams only to what you're capable of......?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'm sorry if putting it that way feels unsatisfying to a boy like you, Miyao."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao...wanted to cheer them on. To encourage them hard, increasing the chances of them reaching their dreams by even 1%.
	  However, statistically speaking, ...their dreams almost certainly wouldn't come true.
	  In that case, encouraging them was pointless.
	  It meant that trash-talking them like the instructor and getting those without talent to quit right away...was the right thing to do.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Limit your dreams to what you're capable of. ...I think what you just said was wise."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Back when humanity was still expanding, it may have been possible to encourage people irresponsibly, telling them to chase their dreams or die trying. ...However, we already live in a twilit era. If we care about their individual lives, ...I think it's our responsibility to clearly tell people when they don't have talent."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Gunhild, ...you really did work incredibly, incredibly hard, didn't you?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "Earlier, ...didn't you say that you still have nightmares about studying or taking tests?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Well now, did I say something like that?"
	  Miyao:
	  "But still, you can look at it another way. ...No, wait, maybe this is just how a guy would see it."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Let's hear it."
	  Miyao:
	  "Even if your dreams don't come true in the end, ...if you know that you at least threw yourself at the problem, giving it everything you had, ...wouldn't that make it easier to live with yourself in the end?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "............"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Is that...how it works?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm... No, Dad is always saying it."
	  Miyao:
	  "When I was little, he said that even if I worked hard to become a Gauntlet Knight and failed, ...as long as I really gave it my all, I should never regret what I did."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Your father says good things."
	  Miyao:
	  "Effort doesn't always lead to results. ...That can make you feel pretty empty, depending on how you look at it."
	  Miyao:
	  "But I still think...that effort is never a waste."
	  Miyao:
	  "It'll definitely become your strength."
	  Miyao:
	  "It's true that not many people can become Gauntlet Knights, unless they're blessed with rare talent. However, ...I don't think all roads in this world are that harsh."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...That's true. If someone was able to work hard enough to become a Gauntlet Knight trainee, they'll surely be able to work hard in other parts of their lives."
	  Miyao:
	  "Compared to becoming Gauntlet Knights, most other future paths and jobs really can be overcome with hard work! Even if the people who threw up and were forced to clean it never become Gauntlet Knights, I believe they've already gained the strength they'll need."
	  No, that's not quite right.
	  I want to make them work much, much, much harder, to see the limits of the power they hold.
	  Miyao:
	  "If they were able to get this far, then whether they become Gauntlet Knights or not, ...I'll never forget them, ...and I'll think of them as precious fellow Gauntlet Knights."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Miyao walked up to the trainees who were cleaning.
	  To them, Miyao was an elite among elites. And also a person they admired.
	  They all stopped what they were doing and stood at attention.
	  Miyao told them they didn't have to stop for his sake, and at the same time, he seemed to be opening the data from their training just now in his mental display.
	  Then, he began one of his classic harsh lectures.
	  It certainly was harsh. It was probably even harsher after they had been insulted so thoroughly by their instructor.
	  However, Miyao wasn't just giving them meaningless words of abuse.
	  He was showing them data and explaining things in detail.
	  He kept showing them this and this and this that they'd done wrong, but they were all reasonable criticisms, and furthermore, they were all accompanied by reasonable advice on how to improve.
	  Then, at the end, ...he made sure to point out things that each one of them was good at, and things that each had done well during this training session.
	  Some of the kids even seemed to be turning red and breaking into tears.
	  Gunhild thought.
	  His best feature clearly was the way he looked after others.
	  And perhaps that was something that had been encouraged...by the fact that he was ciconia-born.
	  Miyao sometimes ragged on his father, ...but surely, he didn't really feel that way.
	  His father must have been good at looking after others too.
	  Maybe that was why Miyao was good at looking after his underclassmen.
	  Gunhild watched this from afar, all alone...
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Miyao, ...at first, I hated you people..."
	  Was it hate, or jealousy?
	  These people knew no suffering...and kept on winning without any effort, grasping their dreams as though it was only natural.
	  For me, it meant studying hard enough to have nightmares, but you people got the hang of it as infants, like it was a game.
	  Do you realize how much...the mere fact that you were geniuses hurt me?
	  Gunhild:
	  "However, ...I've changed my mind now, Miyao. ...The fact that you had talent...was just a coincidence."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Even if you didn't have talent, I'm sure you would've used every bit of strength you had, and even if you didn't become a Gauntlet Knight, ...you would've turned that into a wonderful page in the book of your youth, stepping forward boldly into your next life."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...If only I had met you much, much sooner-"
	  I might have become a completely different person than I am now.
	  And I'm sure I would've been able to like that person...much more than I like myself now.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Miyao..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Right now, ...I really do love you."
	  Miyao:
	  "Lilja! You're focusing too much on remotely controlling your drones! You forgot where your own body was!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Fugya?! Th-Th-That's not true meow! Stop making things up meow!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Koshka, you need to focus more! My moment of weakness just now was something you'd normally be all over!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...Nngg, ...I'm just slow because I'm hungry...!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Chloe! Are you sure you're supporting Lilja and Koshka enough?! You were having fun on your own again, weren't you?!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I-I'm so sorry, I was having fun on my oooooooown＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Hey, Miyao!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm? What's up?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Pervert."
	  Miyao:
	  "What?!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Just how long were you staring at us during training meow?"
	  Koshka:
	  "That's right, how much are you gonna stare at us, pervert?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I-It's not like I was watching you like that! I just wanted my comrades' movements to be as good as they could possibly be...!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Who asked you meow?!"
	  Koshka:
	  "We don't need another instructor after Okonogi."
	  Lilja:
	  "Yeah, yeah, meow! Stop acting like our instructor meow!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, don't be so hard on my partner, okay?"
	  Jayden:
	  "It's true he talks too much. Also, he loves spotting people's mistakes 24/7. But you know-"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's not helping!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Owowow... Whoa, hold on, Miyao. You know, you're pretty cute even when you're angry."
	  Jayden:
	  "Ow
	   Gah!
	   No, not the corners
	   Ack, eck!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Okay, I get it. I won't stare at you anymore...!"
	  Miyao sighed and left, while taking out his rage on Jayden.
	  Chloe:
	  "Hey, you didn't have to go so far..."
	  Lilja:
	  "It's a good lesson for that obnoxious Miyao meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "Now we can fly around however we want."
	  Lilja:
	  "Yeah, yeah, meow! Now we can have peace and quiet meow!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "All right, Grave Mole! Time to start your next training! It's gonna be a long time before you get to eat!! AI Controller, work 'em hard without a break!! I'll be out a bit for a meeting. Make sure they don't slack off!"
	  Roger that poyo! Then let's keep on working 'em hard poyooo!!
	  Chloe:
	  "...A lack of sugar in the brain...is rough＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Chloe, your flying is getting more and more...mmmeow."
	  Chloe:
	  "Huh? What is it...?"
	  Koshka:
	  "......Hmmm-"
	  Koshka:
	  "If Miyao were here, ...he'd probably say that your flying is getting sloppier and sloppier."
	  Chloe:
	  "Wah＞＜ Maybe I was getting sloppy, I'm so sorry＞＜"
	  Chloe:
	  "B-But how exactly was it sloppy? How should I have flown...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "I don't know that meow! I just know that Miyao would've complained about it if he'd been here!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'm not Miyao, so I can't think of how you could've done it better..."
	  Chloe:
	  "...I vaguely felt that something was wrong, ...but I don't know what specifically..."
	  Lilja:
	  "...Seriously, ...I can hear Miyao complaining even when he isn't here meow...!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Yeah, it's really irritating..."
	  Lilja:
	  "The moment I think I moved a little badly, ...I instantly hear Miyao's voice in my head meow..."
	  Koshka:
	  "And every time I think `I didn't think that through so well', I hear Miyao yelling at me..."
	  Chloe:
	  "But I can never hear him telling me how to fix it..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Aah, it's so irritating meow!! *scratch*scratch*scratch*!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...I-It's kind of like he's getting even more annoying in my head..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Yeah... This sucks..."
	  Lilja:
	  "AI Controller, time for a quick planning session meow! Give us a quick break meow."
	  Instructor Okonogi ordered me not to let you slack off poyooo.
	  Lilja:
	  "Shut up meow! It's a meeting to improve the effectiveness of our training meoooow!"
	  Then there's no helping it poyooo! Please, take your time poyooo!
	  Koshka:
	  "...Haaaaah."
	  Lilja:
	  "What do you think's going on here meow?"
	  Chloe:
	  "H-Hmmm... Maybe...we're experiencing Miyao scolding withdrawal symptoms."
	  Lilja:
	  "Whaaaaaaaat?! You're saying we've reached the point where we can't calm down unless Miyao yells at us?! Meeeeeeeeeew?!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...Miyao's criticism has always been on the mark. ...I think some of our skills...were nurtured thanks to him..."
	  Koshka:
	  "............Nnnnnnnnnn......"
	  Koshka:
	  "...I...don't want to believe it..."
	  Even though she said that, Koshka was also scratching at her head and seemed very uneasy...
	  Chloe:
	  "...Maybe we really should...go and apologize to Miyao together."
	  Lilja:
	  "Noooooo, I don't wanna, I don't wanna meow, meeeeeeeew!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "......I hate to admit it, ...but whenever I'm about to get into a slump, I'm pretty sure I've been able to figure it out thanks to him...at least once."
	  Lilja:
	  "Meeeeew?! Koshka, you traitor! Are you gonna apologize to him meooow?!"
	  Koshka:
	  "If I apologize before you do, I'll just get that much better than you. I'd gladly bow my head to Miyao if it means I get to look down on you."
	  Chloe:
	  "...Koshka."
	  Koshka:
	  "I don't believe anyone, and I don't acknowledge anyone."
	  Koshka:
	  "But...even I can't help but acknowledge his good points."
	  Lilja:
	  "Koshka?!! Are you telling me Koshka actually has faith in someone meoooow?!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I always choose to do the opposite of you."
	  Lilja:
	  "Then I'll apologize too and get him to nitpick at me meow! I won't let you apologize meow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Screw you, I'll apologize first!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "What's even going on anymore＞＜ What should I dooooooo?!"
	  You've received one email from "Miyao" poyooo!
	  Chloe:
	  "Huh? Hold on a second, you two! I just got an email from Miyao!"
	  Koshka:
	  "So did I..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Me too..."
	  #ff7c77"I'm really sorry I kept staring at you. I didn't mean anything bad by it. ...I just wanted all of us to get strong together."
	  #ff7c77"I won't overstep my bounds again. And I'm very sorry. That's all I have to say."
	  Chloe:
	  "...I'm starting to feel...like we're the ones in the wrong here..."
	  Lilja:
	  "I-I'll send Miyao an email apologizing too meow!! I'll get him to forgive only me meow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "St-Stop screwing around!! I'll get his forgiveness before you do!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-You two...! Apologizing isn't a competition＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "Miyao, ...no, Master Miyao, I'm sorry, I'm sorrier, I'm sorriest!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Miyao, I was wrong... I'll send you 10 WanyaDora hearts, so please forgive me..."
	  Lilja:
	  "B-But I'll send you 20 hearts, and 10 leftover rare materials on top of that meow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'll do whatever you ask, so forgive me! Forgive me before Lilja!!!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "...Uh, hello? ...What's up with all these weird emails...?"
	  Well, it was only natural. How else would he react to getting incomprehensible emails from both of them at once?
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "Miyao! You got my email first, right?!"
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "My email touched your heart the most, right meow?!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "...Exactly what kind of competition is this...?"
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "So?!! Which email had the better apology meow?!"
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "Mine?!"
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "Mine's the best meow!!!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "You know... These emails are both pretty heartless..."
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "I don't care, just tell us who won meeeeeeeow!!!"
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "Whose was fastest?! Whose was the most touching?!!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Well, ...if I had to pick, I'd have to say Chloe wins on all counts."
	  #bbdd99Koshka:
	  "What?"
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "Chloeeeeeee?! When did you email Miyao meow?!"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Ever since five minutes after we fought, Chloe and I have been emailing each other..."
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "That's when we made up, and from then until now, I've been commenting on her flying data again. Well, I've been going a bit easier on her though."
	  Lilja:
	  "Hold on a second, Chloe..."
	  Koshka:
	  "So, ...you acted all calm, while making up with him all on your own...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Well, uhh...＞＜ Everyone in Grave Mole was saying that forgiving Miyao was wrong, and, umm..."
	  Chloe:
	  "But I still did want to hear Miyao's criticism, and you two were really mad, ...so, ...umm... Ehehe...＞＜"
	  #ff7c77Miyao:
	  "Lilja, Koshka, I'm glad we made up... See you later."
	  #ffe08aLilja:
	  "See you later meow...♪"
	  Chloe:
	  "...Huh? ...Why do I look like the bad guy now...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Wh-Why are you coming towards me with scary faces?! Lilja, ...Koshkaaa＞＜"
	  Chloe:
	  "Aaiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeee!!!"
	  
	  Koshka:
	  "...Agagagagaga... Wasn't this supposed to end...with Chloe getting torn apart...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Electric shocks...are cheap meow..."
	  Chloe:
	  "Oh, I'm so sorry that I shocked you. And I'm sure you're so sorry you took out your anger on me. ...Yes, let's both apologize."
	  Lilja:
	  "Th-There's no way I'll apologize meow..."
	  Koshka:
	  "...W-Wait... ...Chloe's eyes...are scary."
	  Lilja:
	  "Huh?"
	  Chloe:
	  "I'm so sorry I shocked you. You're so sorry you took out your anger on me. ...Ready, go?"
	  Chloe:
	  "...Oh, what's this? You can't say it...? Perhaps I haven't shocked you enough yet..."
	  Oh, crap. Her eyes are scary. This must be Chloe's dark personality, which only comes out when something weirdly sets her off.
	  Lilja:
	  "It's Evil Chloe..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Also known as...Chloevil..."
	  Chloe:
	  "Ooookay. You know, I think I'll forgive whoever apologizes first."
	  Lilja:
	  "Chloevil...is bad news meow..."
	  Koshka:
	  "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll apologize before Lilja, so I'm sorry."
	  Lilja:
	  "E-E-Even if you're faster, it doesn't count if you don't put your heart into it meow!! O Great and Powerful Chloevil, please stop being angry and forgive just me meooow!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...Hmmmmm. ...Now, which of you...should I forgive...?"
	  Those eyes are serious. Crap. She's really planning to shock us...
	  Chloe:
	  "...Should I pick Lilja...? Or Koshka...? Who will squeal more pleasantly if I shock them, ...I wonder...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Eeeeeep!!! Great Chloevil, please forgive me meow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I won't bully you anymore, so forgive meeeee!!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Chloeeeeeeeee!! What are you slacking off for, what happened to trainiiiiiing?!?!"
	  An Okonogi Chop to the top of the head from behind...made Chloevil's eyes spin upwards.
	  Chloe:
	  "...Huh? ...What...was I...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "...Sh-She's back to normal meow..."
	  Koshka:
	  "Come to think of it, ...the last time we saw Chloevil, an Okonogi Chop fixed it..."
	  Okonogi:
	  "What are you two yammering on about?!! Get back to your training!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "R-R-Roger that meow...!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "What was I doing just now...?＞＜ I can't remember..."
	  Koshka:
	  "The three of us Grave Moles were training together happily...! Come on, Chloe, let's get back to our training...!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Huuuuh...? But for some reason, I'm feeling reeeally good, like I was just doing something reeeally fun..."
	  Lilja:
	  "You're probably just imagining it. Come on, Chloe, let's train together meow...!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...Yes, you're right! Grave Mole, let's resume our training!"
	  Koshka:
	  "...And so, the evil god was sealed away once more..."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Stupid Chloe!! Crap like this is why you have no confidence in yourself!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Geh, aggh! I-I'm so sorry, Instructoooooor＞＜ M-My head's gonna cave in＞＜"
	  Okonogi:
	  "It's about guts and spirit! I'll karate chop some spirit into yoooooou!!!"
	  Bam,
	   thwack,
	   crash!!
	  Koshka:
	  "Hmm? ...Hey, look. Okonogi's karate chopping Chloe again."
	  Lilja:
	  "She must've said something spineless to him again meooow."
	  Koshka:
	  "She lacks so much confidence, she's practically a coward."
	  Lilja:
	  "She's the dregs of Cold Lake meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "...She's the dregs from there, but she's still an ace?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Dregs were all she was ever supposed to be, but then she got an SS rank on the new aptitude test, which had different standards meow. That suddenly changed how they treated her, and now she's got the best grades."
	  Lilja:
	  "I'll bet she really was AOU Canada's top ace from the very start meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "So, she's a victim of those crappy adults..."
	  Cold Lake Air Force Base was well known for being AOU Canada's training ground for elite Gauntlet Knights.
	  Of course, Chloe had possessed enough talent to become an elite since the very beginning.
	  However, the old testing standards hadn't measured her talent properly, so while she was still technically an elite, she was treated as the lowest scorer at Cold Lake.
	  ...No matter how hard humans try to be independently-minded, they're still weak creatures who are easily swayed by what other people think of them.
	  No matter how talented you are, if everyone around you treats you like you're incompetent, ...you'll end up becoming what everyone wants you to be, regardless of how much you struggle.
	  Instead of returning Chloe to her former squad, the Cold Lake instructors had left her where she was.
	  She had the ability to hold her own against the other elites, more or less. But at the end of the day, she kept on just barely losing.
	  They had realized that Chloe's presence allowed the other elites to experience victory, increasing their confidence in themselves.
	  Lilja:
	  "She's just like us meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "...Equipment......"
	  The instant her talent was properly recognized, Chloe's treatment changed abruptly.
	  Everything was different, from the fact that all training was now designed with her at the center, to the way the instructors treated her.
	  As a natural result of this, Chloe's grades were the best, ...but they never quite measured up to the best-in-the-world status that her aptitude test had suggested was possible.
	  Koshka:
	  "The only way you can find happiness with an empty head is if you're Cinderella."
	  Lilja:
	  "Even if you take the dregs and suddenly make them a princess, ...that doesn't mean they'll ever learn to trust the people or the world that did that to them meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "............"
	  Clearly, selfish adult motivations had wounded Chloe's heart in undeniable ways.
	  ...However, the higher-ups hid the fact that they'd damaged someone with enough talent to be chosen as their representative at the Battle Standard Festival.
	  If people knew that the hero representing their nation had been treated like the dregs of her class, that would be inconvenient for the adults involved.
	  Chloe had been convinced of this, ...and publicly, she claimed that she had received an elite education in an ideal environment, ...and that she was truly grateful towards her instructors and superior officers.
	  Koshka:
	  "Where did you hear that?"
	  Lilja:
	  "I just heard some lab coats laughing about it in Geroy meow."
	  Okonogi:
	  "You're too soft on yourself! Show me your spirit, show me your guts! Throw away the person you were before today! If you can't do that, then would you rather quit?! Are you done with Grave Mole?! You wanna go back to Cold Lake?!!"
	  Chloe:
	  ".........! ......＞＜"
	  Lilja:
	  "That's enough meow."
	  Okonogi:
	  "What'd you say?"
	  Koshka:
	  "If Chloe left Grave Mole, we wouldn't listen to anything you say, and we wouldn't follow anyone's orders at all."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Huuuh?! Wh-What do you think you're-"
	  Lilja:
	  "After all, we're not just Geroy equipment, we're repeat offenders with more than a hundred-year prison sentence meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "Compared to that, there's nothing that can scare us now. Heheheh."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Y-Y-You...youuuuuuuuuuuuu...!!!"
	  No matter how tough he tried to act, Okonogi wasn't allowed to do anything to them except yell at them.
	  After all, they were high-grade equipment that he had been lent from a military research center.
	  So, as usual, his Okonogi chop went straight for-
	  Chloe:
	  "Gyah!
	  langen@^ Ack!
	  langen@^ Why ＞＜ me?!"
	  
	  Okonogi:
	  "Arg!! See, your kette has accepted you, haven't they?! If you have time to cry, use it to up your game so you can drag them forward! Seriously!! *grumble*grumble*...!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "U-Umm, ...thanks...for saving me...!"
	  Koshka:
	  "It's not like I did it to help you."
	  Lilja:
	  "Meeeeew! We've got a tsundere quote on record meow! Woo, woo!"
	  Koshka:
	  "I'm hungry. I'll go eat some sweets or something in the meeting room."
	  Lilja:
	  "The salmiak licorice here has no aroma, so it doesn't taste good at all meow."
	  Chloe:
	  "U-Ummm........."
	  The two of them shuffled off.
	  All that remained was Chloe, her head caved in from Okonogi's chop and her eyes opened wide.
	  Fight on, Chloe. You still have rough times ahead.
	  However, it seems that neither Lilja, nor Koshka, nor even Okonogi...want you to leave Grave Mole.
	  Food culture! It's a rich and varied aspect of culture that has blossomed independently in places all over the world poyo!
	  No one would deny that food is one of humanity's greatest pleasures.
	  No matter the era, no matter the place, humanity is always searching for delicious ways to eat.
	  As a result, wonderful foods and drinks have been developed all over the planet.
	  However, evolution doesn't always proceed in a positive direction.
	  Normally, the taste becomes progressively better and better.
	  That's almost always the case, ...but sometimes, this progression flows in other directions.
	  No matter how delicious a food may be, you'll get tired of it if you eat it all the time. You start wanting a change, a surprise.
	  And when these changes and surprises reach a certain point, ...even a delicious, traditional taste loved by the locals...can become something utterly inedible to an outsider.
	  Most such products of misguided evolution are poorly received by foreign travelers, after which they tend to be reconsidered, and sanity is restored...
	  But sometimes...
	  Sometimes, terrifying things are created seemingly for the purpose of driving foreigners away.
	  And the name of one such snack, which evolved in truly remarkable ways in the A3W era, was...
	  That confectionary of Northern Europe,/
	   salmiak licorice poyo!!!
	  Miyao:
	  "Nnngggggg..."
	  Jayden:
	  "...Aaaoooooo..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Ahyahyahyahya!! Hyahyahyahya!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Thanks so much for your entirely expected reaction, you two. I made sure to get it on film."
	  Gunhild sent everyone the video of Miyao and Jayden she had just recorded with her naked eye.
	  Now playing 1 video poyo!
	  Miyao:
	  "Hmm? You want to record us eating this stuff?"
	  Jayden:
	  "This snack...isn't incredibly spicy, or anything like that, right?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Of course not meow! Salmiak licorice is the snack of the Northern European soul meow!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "See? We can eat it just fine."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Yeah, you seem to be eating it normally."
	  Jayden:
	  "Okay, then as a sign of friendship, I guess I'll have some too."
	  The two of them took these things that looked like dark chocolates, tossed them in the air, and caught them in their mouths.
	  ...Munch, munch/
	  ......munch............
	  ...mu-
	  Jayden:
	  "Bwwwwooooog, nngeeeeeeeeeh...?!?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "It's salty!! It stinks, it stinks like cough medicine!! *cough*cough*!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "What the hell did you feed uuuuus?!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "We wouldn't feed you anything suspicious meow♪"
	  Gunhild:
	  "It may be delicious, but it's not suspicious. *giggle*giggle*"
	  Lilja and Gunhild picked up more of those things sitting on the plate and threw them into their mouths, laughing.
	  They did this quite casually, so it didn't look as though they had tricked Miyao and Jayden into eating a few bad ones mixed in.
	  Miyao:
	  "...Wh-What the hell...? J-Just one more bite..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Nnng, bweh, *cough*cough*!!! I just can't do it!! What the hell is this?!"
	  I told you, it's salmiak licorice, a traditional Northern European confectionery poyoo!
	  Keropoyo answered their question...
	  This treat called salmiak licorice was apparently enjoyable only to Northern Europeans, and it was quite famous for it.
	  In Northern European languages, salmiak means ammonium chloride, so that's naturally a major component of its flavor.
	  As the name suggests, ammonium chloride has a mysterious combination of saltiness and the taste of ammonium, which is quite shocking to the non-Northern European palate.
	  However, to people from Northern Europe, it truly is the taste of home.
	  After all, beyond just chocolates, you'll find salmiak-flavored ice cream, jelly, candies, and even drinks, alcohols, and meat...
	  But that's not all! Terrifyingly (and hilariously so), Northern Europeans will sometimes offer salmiak to foreigners, despite knowing that no one else can stand it!
	  In fact, they'll sometimes even grin and ask if you mind them recording the experience on video...!!
	  Jayden:
	  "Which is what you did just nooooooooooow!!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Ahyahyahyah, hyaaahyahyahyahya!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "There are mild versions designed for foreigners, but that greatly reduces the quality of the flavor."
	  Miyao:
	  "Then let us eat the ones meant for uuuuuuuuus!!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Dammit, we need to get back at them somehow!! Doesn't America have anything like that...?! That's right. Hey, Miyao, can't your Japan do anything about this?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "You mean something Japanese people can eat, but foreigners hate...?"
	  Lilja:
	  "Whaaat, no thanks meow! I don't wanna eat anything nasty meow!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "That wouldn't be fair. The two of them have the right to launch a counterattack."
	  Gunhild:
	  "However, we are of course prepared to respond in kind."
	  Miyao:
	  "In that case... Well, it's not a sweet, ...but natto should do the trick. No, wait, it's the smell that got us, so we should probably strike back with kusaya...!"
	  Lilja:
	  "...Kusaya?? Okay, Keropoyo, search for it meow."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...It seems to be...a horribly smelly dish."
	  Lilja:
	  "No meow!! I hate stuff that stinks that much meow!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "If you don't want to eat it, then you'd better apologize and swear not to prank people with salmiak ever again!"
	  Lilja:
	  "I don't want to eat stinky stuff, but I want to apologize even less meow meow!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "You're the one who tried to feed us first! Apologize or eat kusaya! One or the other! Kusaya has the strongest smell in the world! And I'll make sure we get it on video when we force you to eat it!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Oh? The strongest smell...in the world...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "W-Wait, Miyao. ...It's time to lay down your arms."
	  Miyao:
	  "What's with the sudden change in attitude? What're you so afraid of?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Kusaya has the strongest smell in the world...? And you're saying that to me?"
	  That's right. It is a thing you must never say to someone from Sweden, like Gunhild...
	  Slowly, silently, she pulled a single can out of nowhere and got out a can opener.
	  Lilja:
	  "Gyaaaaaaaah?! That's...s-sur-"
	  Jayden:
	  "Surströmming...!!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "...What's that?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Eheheheheh... If you put it on flatbread, it's really, really yummy..."
	  Kusaya is the Japanese candidate for smelliest food.
	  Its odor index value is above 1200, around 3 times that of natto.
	  However...^
	  Swedish surströmming's odor index value is...
	  Gunhild:
	  "Over 8000. ...Which is proportional to how delicious it is..."
	  It's a can of salted herring that has been allowed to ferment.
	  The power of its stench is said to be the strongest in the world, and as it continues to ferment even after being packed in a can, it can supposedly reach dangerous levels.
	  Apparently, in the B3W world, a 25-year-old can of surströmming was once found in Sweden...and a bomb disposal unit was called to the scene...
	  Gunhild:
	  "Its taste and smell are the strongest in the world, ...so I might as well take this opportunity to prove it..."
	  Miyao:
	  "H-Hey, calm down, Gunhild...!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Nooo, I'll admit it!! I'll admit that it's the strongest, so stooooop...!!"
	  The conversation ended with the conclusion that Northern Europe is indeed the strongest...
	  However, on a later day, ...this terrifying discussion continued.
	  Chloe:
	  "There are＞＜ There really are super stinky foods from Canada＞＜"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Oh, my. Does Canada also have a king of taste and smell on par with our Swedish surströmming?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Umm, umm, its odor index value is a lot lower, ...but it's still about 1300＞＜"
	  Miyao:
	  "That's about the same as kusaya. Sounds pretty stinky..."
	  Jayden:
	  "I can't even stand natto, which is less than half of that."
	  Koshka:
	  "Even the smell of sweaty men after training makes me wanna throw up."
	  Jayden:
	  "Shut up. Even you smell like an animal sometimes. You should shower more often."
	  Lilja:
	  "...I never thought my little prank would develop into such a terrifying stench war meow..."
	  Miyao:
	  "You call that little?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you're going to say that, then you had better give us a taste. Let's try Canada's ultimate smelly and delicious food."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'll sample it myself and settle this. Please, go ahead and order some of this food."
	  Chloe:
	  "B-B-B-Bring it on＞＜ I'll definitely get you some!"
	  Chloe:
	  "...Well, umm, ...I only know its data though. I've never seen it＞＜"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Hohoh. By the way, what's the name of Canada's smelliest food?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Umm, ...i-it's called kiviak＞＜"
	  Kiviak...?
	  In this era, you could do a search with your mental Selcom as soon as you heard the name.
	  Everyone searched for the food called kiviak on their Selcoms...
	  Gunhild:
	  "...So, kiviak's odor index is 1300...? Heheh, that's no threat."
	  True enough, it was a long ways from surströmming's 8000.
	  So, just what kind of food was it...?
	  It was apparently a traditional Canadian Inuit food.
	  It was made by...stuffing seabirds into a seal skin...and letting it ferment for two years...?
	  And you ate it by...slurping the seabirds' goopy innards...directly through the anus...?
	  Gunhild went pale and started to quiver.
	  Oh, Gunhild. There are all kinds of food in this world. And each is an excellent dish in the land it comes from. None is better or worse than any other.
	  And no matter how good they may be, there's no guarantee that foreigners will appreciate them.
	  Actually, even within the same country, it's common for people to have completely differing opinions about the exact same kind of food.
	  This doesn't change the fact that these foods are wonderful traditions and cultures in the lands they were invented.
	  No matter how disagreeable you find them, you must still respect them. And you mustn't be disrespectful and say one is any better or worse than the other.
	  Gunhild reflected deeply on her mistake, made up with Chloe, and apologized to everyone for what she had done the other day...
	  Jayden:
	  "You said there was mild salmiak too, right? Maybe we'll give that a try."
	  Lilja:
	  "Then, if you get used to it bit by bit, you'll be able to eat the strong stuff, and you'll see what makes salmiak truly amazing meow!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Then you'd better step up to the plate too. There are odorless versions of natto. And it's highly nutritious. Actually, there's also stuff called amanatto, which is kind of like a sweet."
	  Koshka:
	  "...I'm gonna spend the rest of my life eating nothing but cereal and milk."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Still, ...our prank really was on the brink of developing into a massive battle..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Now, I just hope the punch line isn't someone walking in here with a durian parfait meow."
	  Miyao:
	  "...It looks like...we're safe...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Thank goodness＞＜ I don't even want to see super smelly food for a while now...＞＜"
	  However... At that time, ...none of them realized the horror that was sneaking up on them.
	  During her argument with Gunhild, Chloe had gotten a bit overexcited...and had placed an order for kiviak through her Selcom.
	  Chloe herself forgot that she had done this.
	  In small letters on the delivery website, it said: No cancellations... It will take some time to prepare your order, but we will definitely have it ready for you...
	  This kiviak may have acted like the punch line of a joke in this case...
	  However, while its shocking nature and powerful smell may leave quite an impact on foreigners, it was supposedly quite a precious dish to the Inuits, and a must-have at banquets.
	  Apparently, once you overcome the initial hurdles, the truly deep taste of fermented foods can be quite enjoyable...
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah! See ya later, siblings!"
	  Friends:
	  "Good luck, seriously! You're a star of hope to us siblings, okay?!"
	  Friends:
	  "We'll bring enough for some friends next time, so sign those too, okay? It's a promise!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Sure, I'll do as many as you want! Catch you later!"
	  The group of about 30 people, which had continued chatting in the street after leaving the store, ...finally went their separate ways.
	  Even though they had met up in the middle of the day, the sky had already gone dark.
	  Jayden:
	  "Whew, ...that was fun...!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Oh, Jayden."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Is today Siblings' Day for you too?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah, that's right! You too?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Hardly any of my siblings are in Japan. So, we're doing it in a virtual room right now."
	  Jayden:
	  "It really is just easier to chat in a virtual room, isn't it? Your body doesn't get worn out, and you don't have to worry about annoying stuff like getting reservations, gathering together, and contacting everyone."
	  Apparently, Jayden had been the organizer this time.
	  Naturally, it’s exhausting just listening to everyone's requests when trying to gather close to thirty people.
	  Jayden:
	  "One person says they're on a diet, then someone else says they hate seafood! Some people want to sit on chairs, others want to sit on the floor. They just keep saying whatever the heck they want!!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheh. But it's still fun."
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, that's true."
	  Jayden:
	  "...There are definitely ways that meeting in person is just flat out better than using a virtual room, no matter how long you get to talk in one of those. ...And it's fun to prepare and get in touch with people when I can't wait to see them."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I wish I could go back to my country every now and then and meet my other siblings."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Still, I'm jealous. You actually have almost 30 close enough to meet with.
	  Jayden:
	  "But right now, you're meeting with an even larger number of them, right?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, that's true, ...but a lot of those friends are in very different environments, so it's not like we can talk casually about everything."
	  Jayden:
	  "...I guess it's easier when you can meet up with people, and you don't have to worry about that sort of thing."
	  It's easier for me too, since I don't have to use those annoying filters poyo.
	  Jayden:
	  "I don't think I'll be needing them for a while now. You can turn those filters off. After all, if I have too many on simultaneously, it makes me get hungry faster."
	  re you sure you want me to turn them off poyo? It's too late to change your mind after you get sued poyo.
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'm not sure if this is an overly restrictive era, where you can't even talk to old friends without checking a conversation filter, or if it's the previous era that was outrageous..."
	  *kero*kero*! It's suddenly time for an intro to Keropoyo's conversation filters!
	  I sure hope none of you are ikareponchichis without any conversation filters in their noggins poyo!
	  Whoops, ikareponchichi is currently under review as a candidate for the profanity list poyo! It's okay to use now, but once it's forbidden, we'd be screwed!!
	  But sometimes, you'll accidentally say things like that to go with the flow, or as a joke, or because you aren't paying attention poyo! If that happens, saying "Oops, sorry" just won't cut it poyo!! If an unfortunate girl just happens to overhear it while passing by, and her parents say she got PTSD and file a lawsuit, demanding an apology, medical fees, and punitive damages to a total of $1 million, it's already too late poyo.
	  dditionally, in AOU countries, harassment caused by bringing up socioeconomic privilege and the like is very strictly penalized poyo!
	  You there! If you happen to be in a good mood and start bragging, you'd better check your conversation filters first, or you'll be in a world of hurt poyooo!!
	  Cities in AOU countries had strict zoning, so that people could only live in places suitable for their own unique needs.
	  Officially, this was done to safeguard the happiness score within each area.
	  After all, a significant drop in the happiness score across the planet had preceded World War III.
	  In the B3W world, the phrase `countries with high happiness scores' was associated with dictatorships and areas that restricted internet access, so not much attention was paid to the concept.
	  However, nations that suffered sudden drops in their happiness scores tended to give birth to ultra-right regimes, which placed the blame for their situation on other countries.
	  By now, everyone knew that, when this happened simultaneously across the world, it opened the door to world wars...
	  To prevent the A3W era from turning into the B4W era, AOU-allied countries began researching ways to raise their happiness scores immediately following the war.
	  How can you make people believe they're happy as they live their lives?
	  The answer was, in a sense, something everyone already knew.
	  The weak point was capitalism, ...the ideology that pre-war AOU countries had called justice and wouldn't let anyone deny.
	  In the consumer societies produced by capitalism, it was always necessary to get people to want to buy more new things.
	  It couldn't afford to have a culture that stagnated, where people no longer had much use for money.
	  Because of that, society continued to produce new cultures and new technologies, forcing people to continue paying...
	  When the economy was constantly expanding, this worked out fine.
	  New cultures and new technologies were created one after another, making it a true golden age for these countries.
	  However, just like how you can never ride a unicycle forever...
	  That society would eventually fall apart.
	  As more and more new products were released, more and more of the people were unable to keep up.
	  When society stopped expanding, the gap between rich and poor gradually increased, leading to a clear divide between those who were able to spend and those who weren't.
	  However, a consumer society forces everyone to spend money, regardless of whether or not they can afford it.
	  Advertisements for the excess of new products began to make those who couldn't afford them feel more and more cornered.
	  It wasn't just billboards and commercials. Movies, dramas, and even TV variety shows started making them feel boxed in.
	  It became a society where just breathing in and out made the have-nots feel trapped.
	  And this wasn't something that just happened in one individual country.
	  What about people affected by internet culture, or else foreign movies and TV shows, who knew that there were countries overflowing with things they couldn't get in their own countries?
	  People like this would cause drastic reductions in the happiness scores across their nations.
	  In the end, it created a society where no one could find happiness anywhere in the world...
	  Because of this, the postwar AOU had taken measures to isolate the class of have-nots, both physically and in terms of information flow, in the name of protecting them by distancing them from "unhappy information".
	  Of course, they didn't call it "isolation of the poverty class" publicly.
	  It was "zoning for tolerance against inappropriate and harmful information".
	  In other words, information about things you couldn't buy or the lifestyles of the wealthy class was considered harmful.
	  You would be classified according to your personal tolerance against information, which would determine whether you would be protected or given permission to know more, almost like how adult-only products are treated...
	  In other words, ...at a siblings' gathering, when you got together with friends you'd known as a kid, it was possible that some people there would be in a "protected class".
	  If Jayden carelessly said "I got to eat all I wanted for free at the dessert buffet in the officers' dining hall", that could be considered harassment against someone, and might even result in legal action...
	  nd conversation filters help you prevent that!! If it's detected that one of the words you're about to say is inappropriate, you'll be immediately alerted! You can even have it give you an electric shock as an option poyooo!!
	  These sorts of filters had various types, and by skillfully combining them, you could effectively prevent misstatements and insults beforehand. They were just perfect for politicians.
	  ...Of course, a B3W person hearing this would probably raise an outcry, saying that the government was using this to secretly brainwash the citizens of every nation.
	  However, new technologies are always decried as the harbingers of dystopia when they first appear, before they're gradually spread by young people who couldn't care less...
	  Jayden:
	  "Way in the past, people probably said unfortunate and insulting things all the time, because they didn't have filters. I'm amazed they managed to live peaceful lives at all..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheh... That aside, Jayden, ...are you sure you didn't turn off quite a few alerts, so you could properly enjoy yourself today?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? Did I have something serious turned off?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Are you sure your mail checker warning isn't turned off?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? ...Oh, ...you're right. Crap..."
	  If you want to reduce the stress on your brain, then it's best to turn off as many Selcom features as possible.
	  However, at least among young people, turning off the checker that told you about incoming emails was going a bit too far.
	  The only time they might do that...was when they were so depressed that they were contemplating suicide, ...or else wrapped up in some sort of emergency that had forced them to shut down their Selcom.
	  Jayden:
	  "...And...there. ...These minor settings are such a pain to deal with... I had everything off except the conversation filter and a few other functions..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Wah, wawawawawawawah...!"
	  Good morning, it's your mail checker poyo!!
	  Whoa?! You have 38 messages poyooo?!
	  Jayden:
	  "Wh-Who sent them...?"
	  They were all sent from "Miyao" poyo!
	  Jayden:
	  "Wh-What's that Miyao up to...? Why'd he send so many at once...? What could've happened...?"
	  The first message...had an attached file.
	  The subject line was "Regarding our simulator results from yesterday. Master Miyao's precious notes included!"
	  Miyao really did see people well...or rather, observed them a lot... After a big training session, he would always send flight data to everyone who trained with him, along with "precious" words of scolding.
	  His ability to analyze was top class, his comments were apt, and he was extremely highly regarded by ambitious younger Gauntlet Knights .
	  He was also extremely harsh, so it hit everyone hard. After all, he even hit that Supergenius Jayden hard all the time.
	  However, at the end, he would always find something good you did and praise you, making you want to give it your all.
	  ...Well, maybe it wasn't that different from a perpetrator of domestic violence saying something kind at the end to soothe his battered housewife...
	  Putting that aside, Miyao's commented fight data was harsh yet useful, and considered to be a very precious thing.
	  So, naturally, he also sent me a precious email full of complaints about our training the other day, but...
	  I was having so much fun at the siblings' gathering...that I must've turned off a bunch of annoying features and missed his email.
	  Anyway, that's enough about the first email. About 30 minutes later, he started saying things like "What's that, did reading that make you realize how crappy you are?" and "Cat got your tongue?" and "Hey, if you've got something to say, then say it."
	  However, his tone began to change about 30 minutes after that: "Wait, don't tell me you're feeling bad about it." "I know I might've gone a bit too far." "If I was too harsh, I apologize..."
	  After that, there was just a sporadic "Sorry..." "I'll apologize, so please answer me..."^
	  langen@^"I'm so sorry...",
	  langen@^ getting more and more depressed sounding...
	  Gunhild:
	  "I got an email too, asking about how you were doing."
	  Jayden:
	  "A-And what did you say?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I said you were at a siblings' gathering, but it was still strange that you weren't responding to messages. So I told Miyao that he could get a bit harsh at times, maybe even enough to make the great Supergenius Jayden depressed."
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, don't start acting like I'm depressed for no reason!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "A middle-aged man would be one thing, but you'd never expect someone right in the middle of their youth like you to have their email checker turned off."
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-Yeah, you're right... I really did get just a bit too excited at the siblings' gathering...and just turned a bunch of settings off at random..."
	  Jayden:
	  "But I'm sure today is Siblings' Day for him too, right? He should know what it's like..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Didn't you know? Miyao...doesn't have siblings."
	  Jayden:
	  "Huh? What do you mean?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Miyao is ciconia-born. So, Siblings' Day means nothing to him."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I've heard that's why he feels lonely every Siblings' Day."
	  ...Aaaaaaah, I know this isn't all my fault, but this is messed up...
	  I see. So, he's ciconia-born, huh...?
	  Yeah, I'll bet that would make him feel lonely every month, when a Siblings' Day comes.
	  And really, Miyao isn't the one who's strange. We are.
	  In the AOU, babies aren't brought to families by the ciconia, the stork.
	  Everyone's born in incubators located in government-run childcare facilities.
	  So, there are no parents or families like there were in the old days.
	  Instead, you have dozens or hundreds of siblings, who were born in the same establishment in the same year.
	  And, after all, these "siblings" have been together since the time of their births. That bond has got to be thicker than blood.
	  In the AOU, it was customary to call the last Sunday of every month Siblings' Day, and siblings would all gather and strengthen old bonds.
	  ...To most people, it was a comforting day, but apparently it wasn't like that for Miyao...
	  Jayden:
	  "...I...didn't know..."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, ...you wouldn't normally ask someone `Hey, are you ciconia-born?', right...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "He always looked a bit down when Siblings' Day was coming up, so I asked him once."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Actually, it was pretty obvious some of the time, but I guess you were so excited about Siblings' Day that you truly didn't notice..."
	  On Siblings' Day, nearby siblings would gather and spend the whole day having fun in packed shops.
	  If they weren't close by, they'd gather in virtual rooms. And generally, their bodies would be relaxing in private rooms or shops they liked.
	  In other words, everyone was excited about being reunited with their siblings, ...making it the least relatable day for a Warcat who was ciconia-born...
	  Gunhild:
	  "Didn't you notice? Every month, when Siblings' Day comes, Miyao always sends us flight data with a scolding attached."
	  Jayden:
	  "...C-Come to think of it, yeah..."
	  Jayden:
	  "............"
	  He......wanted us to pay attention to him, didn't he?
	  Even though being carried by a ciconia was once normal for babies...
	  Here in the AOU, the normal birth Miyao had is making him lonely. ...It's crazy...
	  Jayden:
	  "...I wonder if Miyao's around. I'll send him an email. Wonder what I should write..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "`Sorry, I had my email checker turned off?' Do you think Miyao will forgive you with just that?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah, he probably won't... All the sadness he felt today will probably explode..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Heheheh. You aren't too crafty when it comes to this sort of thing, Jayden. Or maybe I should say boys generally aren't."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Right now, Miyao thinks you're depressed or mad because he insulted you too much, right?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you just leave him thinking that, then he'll eventually apologize, and you'll be done. And on top of that, the next time he sends emails lecturing you, he'll be a bit kinder with his words. So, you'd kill two birds with one stone."
	  Jayden:
	  "Not bad. I'll take that strategy!"
	  Jayden:
	  "But still, I like the way Miyao talks in his lecture emails."
	  Jayden:
	  "When you screw up, he rakes you over the coals with it! Don't fly emotionally, don't let your mood rule you, be faithful to the basics but don't forget to shake things up. Dummy, idiot, blockhead, *kero*kero*kero*!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "But still, ...he does watch you well."
	  Jayden:
	  "We put our lives in each others' hands when we fly. ...Good friends are supposed to hold nothing back, so there's nothing wrong with that at all."
	  Gunhild:
	  "You mean that, after being lambasted thoroughly, you find the gap between that and his praise to be pleasurable?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Yeah, yeah, that's it exactly! Miyao is the only person willing to call Supergenius Jayden stupid, idiotic, and ignorant."
	  Jayden:
	  "Early on, I often felt like his irrefutable criticism was about to make me snap. But...haah, dang it. I've started to get used to it. Now, when I screw up in practice, I think, yeah, Miyao's definitely gonna call me out on this one...and yep, he did! Sometimes, I'm almost looking forward to it. Hahahah, I must be crazy."
	  Gunhild:
	  "So, you want to come clean and apologize, so that Miyao can yell at you. ...I must say your proclivities are quite unconventional."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Still, ...I like that sort of boyish honesty."
	  Jayden:
	  "Okay then. ...What should I send him? `Miyao, sorry about today. I just kinda turned my email checker off by mistake...'"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...If you want, I could teach you how to write emails like this."
	  Jayden:
	  "If this gets messy, then I'd like that. ...But I want just this first email to be my words."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Please, go ahead."
	  It was pitch black in Miyao's private room.
	  Miyao himself was surely curled up inside the pile of crumpled sheets on his bed.
	  However, it was still too early to go to sleep.
	  Then, the pile twitched.
	  ...Because Miyao's Selcom had received an email from Jayden.
	  Miyao leapt up, freaked out on the pile of bedding for a while, and then pressed his hand against his chest and sat up, calming his breathing...
	  If he'd had ears on the top of his head like a dog, they would surely have been slumped over sadly.
	  Whatever was written in Jayden's email, it was Miyao's own fault. Just because he'd been lonely, he had written things too arrogantly and too harshly...
	  Miyao let out a long sigh...and then opened Jayden's email with his mental tablet.
	  After that, his dog ears perked up and his tail started wagging. Then, he suddenly slumped over on the bed.
	  Miyao:
	  "...That...duuuuuuuuuuuummy..."
	  And then, Miyao drifted off to sleep.
	  However, his expression...had relaxed a little.
	  An anti-Gauntlet sniper rifle.
	  It was an insane weapon that, with just a single shot, could take down foes capable of flying in impossibly complicated patterns that no previous aircraft could match while in the air, and that could leap about like ninjas when on the ground...
	  In the beautiful blue sky, with its grand, well-defined clouds, a single little fish seemed to have wandered by.
	  ...A little fish?
	  It was a drone. A remotely-controlled target drone used for sniping practice.
	  The next moment was filled with the fierce sound of a sniper rifle firing. And at the same time, the drone jerked about in the sky.
	  You missed poyo, heheheheh!! Better reload quickly poyo!
	  The drone hadn't jerked because it had been hit.
	  It had swiftly dodged an instant before.
	  Koshka:
	  "...I guess I was the one being read like a book...!"
	  Lilja:
	  "You won't hit anything with pathetic shots like that meow! I can totally tell when you're gonna shoot meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "...Hearing that just makes me wanna take you down a peg even more...!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Please take a break, you two. You've been at this for quite a while now."
	  Koshka:
	  "Are you kidding me? You want me to stop after being humiliated like that...?!"
	  Lilja:
	  "I'll keep this up until you fall over like the hick you are, crying because you know you'll never be able to match the great Lilja meow!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Still, both of your brains are really worn out, so you shouldn't overdo it-"
	  Okonogi:
	  "It's fine, it's fine. Let them keep going. That passion of theirs is fantastic."
	  Chloe:
	  "Still, training too hard will just...
	   Gyah!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Don't get in their way, you fool! You've gotta strike while the iron's hot! Keep it up as much as you like, you two!"
	  Lilja:
	  "We've got Okonogi's permission meow. Now I can fight you as much as I like, without worrying about the time meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "I'll give you all I've got until you break down in tears and beg me to stop...!!"
	  Lilja sent out formations of drones one after another.
	  Their movements seemed to be random, formed in complex geometrical patterns, and dazzling.
	  Koshka shot them down one after another, but it wasn't as though all her shots hit.
	  At the perfect timing, the drones would swiftly change their flight paths, dodging as if they knew exactly when Koshka would shoot.
	  Okonogi:
	  "After all, Koshka tries to slack off whenever she can. We just need her to actually use her high P3 levels to snipe predictively."
	  Okonogi:
	  "See? She's starting to hit a lot of 'em now."
	  Chloe:
	  "...Koshka really is amazing when she's focused..."
	  When Koshka got serious and used her full ability, her anti-Gauntlet sniper rifle transformed into a fearsome weapon that no one could emulate.
	  However, humans are creatures who like to slack off, and they tend to subconsciously cut corners in their work to reduce their load even a little.
	  In this case, by memorizing Lilja's tempo and shooting based on instinct, she was subconsciously skipping the high-level trajectory calculations that would normally be necessary in this situation.
	  The brain's ability to find easy solutions to problems can be quite useful, but it ends up being a minus when using an anti-Gauntlet sniper rifle.
	  So, it was necessary for Koshka to remain constantly tense and focus on her shooting.
	  Chloe:
	  "...Still, Koshka really has improved."
	  Okonogi:
	  "No, she hasn't. It's just that she's finally starting to get fired up."
	  Chloe agreed with him there.
	  From the beginning, Koshka had been a supergenius Gauntlet Knight, with outrageous P3 levels and all sorts of unexplored abilities.
	  However, when they had first met, she had just been a self-indulgent kid, with absolutely no desire to cooperate.
	  She had gained the position of Gauntlet Knight, something everyone dreamed of being when they were kids, but she was completely unmoved by it and just seemed to find it annoying.
	  Her skill with a sniper rifle was miles ahead of the pack even then, but she was only able to make use of it while shooting at stationary targets.
	  She was doing it reluctantly and grudgingly, so she didn't focus at all and was almost completely unable to do sniping that required high-level trajectory calculations.
	  Chloe:
	  "She's really changed a lot since Lilja came."
	  Okonogi:
	  "It's not at all rare for meetings between people to cause incredible changes. In Koshka's case, Lilja is probably what did it."
	  Lilja had started taking passes at Koshka ever since she arrived.
	  According to her, she just couldn't miss a chance to poke fun at a gloomy hick like Koshka.
	  At first, Koshka seemed truly irritated by this, ...but as time passed, she started answering to Lilja's provocation, and the two of them had become rivals, or maybe something more.
	  Chloe:
	  "If Lilja...was moved from Grave Mole to another squad..."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Idiot. As if I'd let that happen."
	  Okonogi spoke as if she was being silly.
	  Okonogi:
	  "Koshka needs her. Not that she'd admit it."
	  Chloe:
	  "...I'm a bit surprised...that you'd notice something like that, Instructor..."
	  Chloe:
	  "Gyaboo?!?!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "You blockhead. How many years do you think I've been an instructor?! Stop being stupid, grab a quick shower, and replenish your sugar levels! I hate the smell of a woman's sweat! Which do you want landing on your head, my chop or your shower?!"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I-I'm so sorry, Instructor＞＜ I'll go take a shower and replenish my sugar levels＞＜"
	  Message from the AI command center to the Instructor! Lilja and Koshka's P3 levels are extremely high poyo!
	  However, I'm detecting considerable stress in their blood levels. They're so packed with adrenaline, they can't tell how tired they are poyo!
	  Okonogi:
	  "Hmph. Seriously, these engines take so long to warm up."
	  Okonogi:
	  "Lilja! Koshka!! That's enough! Training is over!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Myaaooo?!?! But it was just starting to get fun meow!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "Don't get in our way until we've settled this."
	  Okonogi:
	  "You fooooools!!! That training equipment you're playing with is the property of the AOU Combined Military, made with the blood and sweat of all taxpayers! There's countless people waiting in line to train with that after you! If you don't get out of those simulators right now, I'll rip out the power cords, tie you up, and leave you hanging outside!!"
	  Lilja:
	  "No meow! I'm not stopping 'til I've shown this hick who's better meow!"
	  Koshka:
	  "If you get in our way, I'll tell those big-shot Geroy lab coats that you karate chopped me."
	  Lilja:
	  "Ihihihihihihihihi!!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Y-You twoooooooooooooo...!!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "Y-You twooooo!! Please listen to the Instructooooooooor＞＜"
	  Koshka:
	  "Huuuh? No one asked you to butt in, Chloe."
	  Lilja:
	  "We're high-grade Geroy equipment meow. You think someone like you has the right to tell us what to do meow?"
	  Koshka:
	  "You and Okonogi can't tell us what to do. Heheheh."
	  Lilja:
	  "Chloe and Okonogi are so useless,/
	   *kero*kero*kero*!! Hyahyahya!!"
	  Chloe:
	  "I-I may let you make fun of me, ...b-but I won't let you ignore the Instructor..."
	  Lilja:
	  "...Chloe's tone suddenly changed meow."
	  Koshka:
	  "That weakling Chloe's gonna try and teach us a lesson."
	  "...You two may be high-grade Geroy equipment, ...but if you do try to escape or disobey orders, ...I've been given the authority to stop you..."
	  Koshka:
	  "You talk tough, b-but you can't do anything..."
	  Chloe:
	  "I hear that all high-grade equipment has a miniaturized punishment device embedded in their skulls, so they can be neutralized at any time..."
	  Lilja:
	  "Huh? Uh, I-I know that meow... But isn't it only Geroy big-shots who can activate that...?"
	  Chloe:
	  "Too bad. I also...have the power...!!"
	  Koshka:
	  "W-Wait a sec. P-Please, be reasonable...!"
	  Lilja:
	  "Myuuuu?!?! Ch-Chloeeeee, stooooooooop...!!!"
	  Lilja and Koshka each felt electric shocks across their whole body and were ejected from the simulators.
	  Also, Chloe had forgotten one of the warnings about this power she was using for the first time.
	  "Please ensure that the authorized user is not wet, as there is a chance they will be shocked too."
	  The shower room was also filled with Chloe's screams...
	  Jayden:
	  "Hey, Miyao, ...what's it like to have parents?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Huh?"
	  Even after dinner, there would still be lots of people chatting in the dining hall.
	  As an after-meal drowsiness gradually hit them, their pointless conversations tended to get even more pointless...
	  Jayden:
	  "Well, you know. You're ciconia-born, right?"
	  Jayden:
	  "You might say we're lucky to have so many siblings, but sometimes we wish we had real parents, you know?"
	  Miyao:
	  "They're just annoying. It's not really something to be jealous of."
	  Jayden:
	  "Real parents are like having your own private teacher, right? A teacher who only cares about you."
	  Miyao:
	  "They just keep butting in morning 'til night, ticking you off."
	  Miyao:
	  "Personally, I'd rather have a teacher than parents. They don't get all clingy, they don't get in your way too much, and in the first place, they aren't watching you from morning until night."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, if your parents got to choose to have a ciconia birth, they must be pretty rich, right?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...I'm not sure, since I never really had anyone to compare against. I don't remember being particularly rich..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, I apparently started PP training right after I was born. ...I guess we must've been pretty well off."
	  Jayden:
	  "Isn't that pretty amazing, for someone in our generation?"
	  Miyao:
	  "True, back then, lots of people were making a fuss about safety issues caused by giving PP education to babies. ...Now that I think about it, ...maybe Dad was having me become a human test subject."
	  Jayden:
	  "Still, thanks to that, you ended up as a top-class Parallel Processor, unrivaled by anyone your age, right? You should thank your parents."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Hmm... Well, it's not like I ever asked him to train me. ...Still, if I hadn't trained as a baby, my P3 levels might not be this high now..."
	  Miyao:
	  "I might not have been able to become a Gauntlet Knight otherwise, ...so I should probably thank him."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, was my dream of becoming a Gauntlet Knight even something I came up with on my own? Maybe I just had Dad's dreams forced on me."
	  Jayden:
	  "Did your dad want to be a Gauntlet Knight?"
	  The existence of Gauntlet Knights had been known of since a generation prior.
	  However, at the time, it was a very young technology, as well as an extremely dangerous and unstable one.
	  "Maybe I'll be able to fly in the sky..." Many young people had been blown to bits in the pursuit of that dream.
	  Even after hearing this was something death row inmates agreed to do in exchange for a pardon, that didn't stop boys longing for the sky from applying.
	  Only very recently, thanks to improved natural affinities and training, had it become possible for a very limited group of talented people to fly safe.
	  However, for the generation who had dreamed of flying in that most dangerous era, it was already too late.
	  Their brains had aged, and they were no longer young enough to develop properly, no matter how much PP training they received.
	  That generation was more jealous of the current generation than they could say.
	  So, there would be nothing strange about a parent entrusting their kid with their desire to fly.
	  ...However, in the AOU, ciconia don't bring babies.
	  The very concept of entrusting your children with your dreams no longer existed outside of literature...
	  Miyao:
	  "As far back as I can remember, Dad was already talking about Gauntlet Knights all the time. `...I'm jealous. Give it your all, and I'm sure you'll be able to fly. Too bad it's too late for me.' Things like that."
	  Miyao:
	  "After hearing that all the time, I started thinking I had no choice but to seek the sky. ...No."
	  Miyao:
	  "Now that I think about it, even though I always thought it was my dream, I might've been pretty heavily influenced by his hopes and dreams and stuff. ...Maybe true freedom in life is something you can only get if you're ciconia-free."
	  Jayden:
	  "So, only the ciconia-free are truly released from that cycle of resentment...?"
	  Jayden:
	  "...Still, that doesn't prove that we factory-borns haven't been brainwashed ever since our births."
	  Miyao:
	  "People look like they live however they want, ...but their lifestyles get influenced by their surroundings so much. There's no helping it. ...Thinking you're an independent individual is arrogant."
	  Jayden:
	  "In the end, we're nothing more than a single, tiny cell out of ten billion humans."
	  Gunhild:
	  "What a sophisticated conversation you're having. I wouldn't have expected it of you two."
	  Jayden:
	  "Whoa, were you listening?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I just assumed that a conversation you were having outside a virtual room was fair game, so I listened in."
	  Miyao:
	  "Tch. Am I not allowed to talk about sophisticated stuff?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheh. I believe that in Japan, the proper phrase would be `Is it gonna start snowing or something?'"
	  Jayden:
	  "What, is the temperature supposed to drop if we have a serious conversation every once in a while...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "I'm factory-born too, ...but if I had the choice, I'd want to have had parents too."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'll lend you mine, if you want. You wouldn't believe how much easier it'd be for me."
	  Gunhild:
	  "The ciconia-born Miyao longs to be factory-born, and us factory-borns long to be ciconia-born."
	  Jayden:
	  "I guess it's true that you always want what you don't have. ...The grass is always greener on the other side, right?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Well, how could you not be jealous of someone who started out with parents? ...You know, a resource with so much life experience that you always have full access to, regardless of what groups or communities you're a part of."
	  Miyao:
	  "Maybe I just don't get how good it is because it's always been that way for me. ...If your parents annoy you, you can either ignore them or fight with them. ...But when I wanted to say something, or ask about something I couldn't ask anyone else, ...I probably did rely on Dad."
	  Jayden:
	  "Like when you're freaking out or under stress. ...Being able to say things you couldn't even say to your siblings is huge."
	  Miyao:
	  "...Well, I'm jealous of how you have a bunch of siblings, and can go out and have fun every month on Siblings' Day..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Of course, having a huge group of siblings is a treasure you'll keep all your life. However, I'm still sure parents are at least as valuable as that, if not more."
	  Miyao:
	  "Still, I think having a bunch of siblings would be more fun than having one parent."
	  Jayden:
	  "Don't parents come in male-female pairs?"
	  Miyao:
	  "I only have Dad. I don't even know what my mom looks like."
	  Jayden:
	  "Oh... Sorry I asked."
	  Miyao:
	  "It's okay. You don't have a dad or a mom, right? But instead, you have a lot of siblings."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It just means that people get raised in all kinds of environments. ...And anyway, we've been talking about parents and siblings, but aren't we Warcats a family we can entrust our lives to?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...Ah. ...You're right."
	  Jayden:
	  "Not bad! You managed to wrap that up nicely."
	  Miyao:
	  "Maybe I should respond to Dad's emails every now and then..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "You should. I'm sure you owe him for many things, down to the fact that you're able to go to the bathroom by yourself without getting your underwear or the bed dirty."
	  At any rate, the conversation had ended on a positive note.
	  What had started as an after-dinner chat had gone on for a bit too long.
	  As their drowsiness increased, the conversation began to lose focus.
	  They decided to call it a night...
	  Jayden:
	  "Guess I'll head back to my room then."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Oh, that's right, you two. ...I wanted to ask you one more thing."
	  Miyao:
	  "You mean, about whether having parents or siblings is better?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "No. ...In the future, if you two ever got married and tried to have kids-"
	  Jayden:
	  "M-M-M-M-M-M-Me and Miyao, m-m-m-m-married?!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Why would you say that?! Is your Kizuna's translation filter bugging out?!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-Y-Y-Y-Yeah, Japanese sometimes makes it really easy to misunderstand things, sheesh......"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Heheheh. You two are so close."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Anyway, hypothetically speaking, if you married someone and wanted to have children, ...would you want them to be ciconia-born?"
	  Jayden:
	  "............"
	  Jayden:
	  "...Well, I would want to see my own kids, but..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Raising kids, huh...? In other words, losing all your free time for ten years?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "After all, when you have a ciconia birth, you have to follow really strict regulations designed to protect that child's rights. ...Just training for that can take years."
	  Miyao:
	  "............"
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm...kinda amazed that Dad had me ciconia-born. ...And on top of that, he was all on his own. ...If I were in his shoes, I'm not sure I could do it."
	  Miyao:
	  "I'm...starting to feel a bit bad about calling Dad irritating and annoying..."
	  Jayden:
	  "If it was as easy as taking care of a goldfish, with an automatic feeder and an automatic water filter, then yeah, I'd like to see my kids..."
	  Miyao:
	  "Depending on your partner, you might even be the one getting pregnant, right?"
	  Jayden:
	  "Aaaahh... Isn't pregnancy pretty rough though? Doesn't giving birth hurt like hell? I wouldn't want to do that, ...and I wouldn't want to force that on my partner either."
	  Jayden:
	  "Nah, I think I'll pass on having kids. Once we've got fertilized eggs, I'll just send them on to the factory and pray they grow up healthy..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "From what I've heard, even considering the pain of giving birth and having to spend over a decade raising kids, people still adore their children..."
	  Jayden:
	  "...I'd talk it over with my partner before deciding. But in my personal opinion, ...losing over ten of your precious young years for child-rearing and giving birth, when you have so many other things you want to do, is a bit too costly..."
	  Jayden:
	  "What about you, Miyao?"
	  Miyao:
	  "...I'd probably...say the same."
	  Miyao:
	  "Kids aren't pets. I don't think you should have them just because they're adorable. ...It's a heavy burden that could determine a person's entire life. ...In that sense, I really can't imagine that I'm qualified to do that now..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "I see... And by the time you've grown mature enough to carry that heavy responsibility, your genes might have aged enough that giving birth becomes difficult."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I've heard a theory that the ideal age for humans to give birth is in their late teens. Apparently, you're already past your peak when you turn 20."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It's really important to understand how big a responsibility raising someone can be, ...but our species apparently isn't easygoing enough to wait for that maturity to come."
	  Jayden:
	  "Are you saying that people in the distant past...recklessly had kids and abandoned them, over and over, without thinking? That'd explain why there are always kids living in poverty."
	  Miyao:
	  "...By the time people started complaining about things like that, the birth rate apparently plummeted."
	  Miyao:
	  "The decision to make babies in a factory...isn't something someone just thought up on a whim, I think. ...At the very least, this is probably one of humanity's answers to the problem, in the AOU."
	  Jayden:
	  "What do you think, Gunhild?"
	  Miyao:
	  "Would you actually want to give birth? Is it that `If God gave you wings, it'd be blasphemy if you never flapped them' thing?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...It's sad that we live in a world where our bodies are capable of giving birth, ...but it's almost impossible to want to do so."
	  Miyao:
	  "...I guess when it comes to giving birth, ...humans are incredibly immature and frail."
	  Gunhild:
	  "It isn't just the physical pain. It's also all of your young life that giving birth and childrearing steal from you. ...If you aren't prepared to sacrifice that, you'll never even be given a chance to see your children's faces... ...Even for me, that decision is just too hard to make."
	  Jayden:
	  "If only you could see your baby's face, love it until you got tired of it, and then give it to the child factory whenever you wanted."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...That's...a bit... Stealing the baby from the stork is already treason against God, ...so to adore your kid like a pet before abandoning it to a factory when you get bored is just..."
	  Miyao:
	  "...As terrible as ordinary humans are, ...if you actually went that far, ...you really would have to face God's wrath..."
	  Jayden:
	  "...You're right. ...I shouldn't have said that."
	  In the AOU, you were free to marry as you pleased, but pregnancy was limited by severe moral strictures and regulations.
	  If you chose to give birth on your own and raise your child, you had to take responsibility for it until the end.
	  You weren't allowed to treat a life like it was something that could just be abandoned to a child factory at any time.
	  ...Though the AOU had rebelled against life's morals by giving birth to babies in factories, ......they had refused to budge on this one very last form of respect for life.
	  On the other hand...
	  People who boasted that they'd be able to care for a child until the end, who then `retired' halfway, certainly did exist.
	  Such parents would be imprisoned for violating childcare law.
	  The child would lose all ties with their parents and be admitted to a childcare institution.
	  ...Such children would be all alone...in a place where everyone had been raised together as siblings ever since infancy.
	  Hopefully, they would be able to blend in, but...
	  If they failed to do so, ...then that would sometimes be called out as a second violation of human rights.
	  The AOU's child protective services community still debated the proper ways to build a safety net for "abandoned" ciconia-born children.
	  Some wanted to remove the entire option of having ciconia-born children.
	  ...The opposition to this, which claimed that this meant abandoning our dignity as human beings, was also strong.
	  Some wanted to save all ciconia-born children without implementing any restrictions.
	  ...And the opposition to this, which claimed that doing so was tantamount to treating children like pets, was also strong.
	  In the end, ...even after a century of A3W history, no answer had been reached...
	  Miyao:
	  "We were planning to split up, but we're still here at this hour..."
	  Jayden:
	  "I'm sleepy. ...Thinking about too much complicated stuff tired me out."
	  Miyao:
	  "But we should be able to put all this talk about babies on hold until we have an actual partner in mind, right...?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "You think so? ...Am I thinking about this too soon? Or could it be............"
	  Jayden:
	  "That's enough for now. Let's call it a night."
	  Miyao:
	  "You're right. Goodnight..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Goodnight, Warcats."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Are we not allowed even to have kids...without arguing every step of the way?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "...Aren't humans animals, in the end? ...Are we really such refined and noble creatures...?"
	  ...Are you sure...that there isn't something wrong with this world?
	  Here are the search results for "Rejection Shield" poyo!
	  The Rejection Shield is one of those things poyo! You know, one of those barriers that go *shwoom*bzzzt* in anime and stuff poyo!!
	  It can supposedly repel all previously existing forms of weaponry poyo. It's well known that this fact was so shocking, it made weapon researchers shut their brains off, calling Gauntlets frauds and the result of too much bragging poyo. That kept on happening, so lots of people still think Gauntlets are no more than a scam poyo.
	  But of course, even this perfect shield isn't 100% invincible poyo.
	  First, extending the shield requires an incredible amount of energy poyo! So, practically speaking, it's impossible to have it on all the time poyo.
	  Currently, Gauntlet Knights who can perform a Dreissig Conversion have a complete monopoly on its use poyo.
	  I wanna use a Rejection Shield too poyo!! And I wanna knock back everyone who does a search for how to delete me, or how to find a mod to turn that shitty frog into a hot babe poyooooo!!!
	  Okonogi:
	  "Listen up, brats!
	  langen@/
	   There isn't a single Gauntlet Knight who's incapable of using a Rejection Shield! Otherwise, you'd die in seconds!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "The Rejection Shield doesn't just block enemy bullets! It also protects you from shrapnel, trash, crows, and scarabaeid beetles!! When you're happily flying at 500 km/h, and someone in front of you flips a quarter into the sky to decide whether or not to email the girl he has a crush on, what do you think's gonna happen to you? You'll be blown to bits!!"
	  If one wanted to fly through the sky at high speeds without a vehicle, having a Rejection Shield was essential, even outside of combat.
	  Okonogi:
	  "The trigger for your Rejection Shield will be performed automatically by the software that exists in your brains! In other words, you can deploy shields to protect yourselves from danger without having to think about it! It's incredible!!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "Of course, you can also use it intentionally. It's like blinking! It'll keep an eye out without your attention, activating reflexively when danger approaches, and you can also activate it consciously!"
	  With the factory settings, Rejection Shield management software is always set to maximum safety-first mode poyo!
	  However, you won't be able to go into actual combat like that poyo! After all, with the default settings, if there's even just a single butterfly fluttering 3 meters to your side, you'll blast it away with a shield set to max poyo! If you're all sitting politely in a classroom with Gauntlets on, and someone throws a coin in at you, it'll be one hell of a pinball machine poyo!!
	  Okonogi:
	  "Let me make this clear. Basically, the more of a chicken you are, reacting sensitively to things that aren't dangerous, the sooner your shield will explode! In other words, I'll be working your shrimpy, wimpy *kero*kero*s hard until they've become great big throbbing *kero*kero*s!"
	  Okonogi:
	  "By the end, you'll be able to use minimal levels of output, calmly deflecting just the bullets that would hit you, moving like an expert swordsman! I'll definitely raise all of you to that point!! All you need to decide is how many buckets you'll be filling with puke and coughed-up blood before you reach it...!!!"
	  s you train, I'll be building up your own personal settings inside your head poyo! All the Keropoyos from the AI Command Center will also be working you all to the bone poyo!!
	  If you're always on high alert mode, with your shield at max in all situations, you'll run out of energy right away.
	  Also, the default setting was to extend the shield as a sphere in all directions, but if you focused it only in front of you, you'd naturally cut down the required energy in half. With lots of practice, you'd become able to extend the shield across the minimal possible area.
	  In other words, with training and experience and adjustments made by mental software, you'd gain the ability to avoid danger using minimal energy, even during fierce battles.
	  Furthermore, the energy levels required could be affected not only by the area and output levels of your shield, but also your emotional state.
	  If you let your guard down or were taken unawares, the energy expended rose drastically. Furthermore, mental discouragement, such as being at a heavy disadvantage with respect to your opponent, could also really drag you down.
	  For that reason, the key to anti-Gauntlet fights was to find ways to hit your opponent with concentrated attacks in a short period of time, neutralizing them by making them use up their energy with their shield.
	  The Warcats' finishing move of using a barrage of small, high-maneuverability missiles to corner their opponents with simultaneous explosions from all angles could instantly wipe out aces from all factions, if it hit them head on.
	  Hitting a single target with excessive firepower may have been pointless in traditional combat, but it was an important factor in battles between Gauntlet Knights.
	  Once you become a world-class Gauntlet Knight, shield management reaches into a whole different dimension poyo
	   For example, the best ace from AOU Japan, Second Lieutenant Miyao, doesn't only guard his entire body, but also those of his kette and all those he trains with as well! He's even managed to rapidly spot a trainee about to encounter an accident and save them with his own shield poyo!
	  Just protecting yourself would be a full load for normal people, so that's just too amazing poyo!
	  nd his partner, Second Lieutenant Jayden, is able to deflect each incoming bullet with super-small shields only a few centimeters in diameter poyo! At that point, he looks just like a street performer poyo!!
	  Okonogi:
	  "That might sound like God-tier skill to you now! However, all aces from all over the world can do things like that without breaking a sweat!! Master it with willpower! Or else, you'll run into a butterfly and get your head smashed to bits!!"
	  Oh, and by the way, to explain this in the terms of fighting games -- for people who are into that sort of thing -- it's like how auto-guarding is made for beginners, while blocking is made for experts. The higher the risk, the higher the return poyo! Of course, by taking a risk, I mean you're gonna die. Unless you've become quite an ace already, you really shouldn't remove your auto-guard too carelessly poyo
	   Let's go, Justin!!
	  langen#FFFFFF\
	  By the way, just when Okonogi finally learned how to block in SF9, the blocking input window was increased and more people were able to do it. He didn't like that, so he went around trolling anonymous message boards and saying "9 sucks, Copcam has no idea what they're doing!", even though he still plays it every day poyo!!
	  Okonogi:
	  "Y-You shut up!!! Who told you to say that,
	   you shitty frog?!! Do a search for how to uninstall you right now!!!"
	  Search rejected poyoooooo, Rejection Shiiiiiiieeeeld!
	   *keeekekekero*kero*kero*!!
	  The Geroy Level 4 Heavy Military Research Center.
	  It was also called the last hope for those who wanted to become Gauntlet Knights.
	  After all, enrolling there meant the same as granting them permission to put you through any sort of training or human experimentation, without limits.
	  It was said that nearly everyone was unable to keep up with the strict training, so that both their minds and bodies were worn ragged, and they dropped out. Many feared that a considerable number of them ended up like cripples, including those who developed serious mental illnesses.
	  ...Despite these fears, ...there were quite a few people who applied for enrollment as trainees.
	  After all, ...for a Gauntlet Knight, talent was everything.
	  When those without talent realized that no matter how hard they worked, it would be useless, ...and yet still couldn't abandon their yearning to fly through the sky, they ended up here.
	  It was said that this research center's greatest goal...was to develop methods for cultivating those who lacked the talent to become Gauntlet Knights.
	  To those without talent, ...even though they knew what sort of brutal training and experiments awaited them, ...this was their last hope for becoming Gauntlet Knights...
	  After the VTOL craft landed, officers who had come from various countries to inspect the facility exited one by one.
	  After all, the cultivation of human resources that might become Gauntlet Knights was a matter of great interest -- in terms of national defense -- to all countries in the A3W era...
	  The lines leading to the reception desk for officers seemed to be split into two groups: one for the VIPs themselves, and one for those accompanying them.
	  Naturally, the VIP line was filled with people from all countries who were of a dignified age.
	  Just one young woman was mixed in among them.
	  A soldier working security for the research center told her that this line was only for VIPs, and she poked her own chest with her thumb.
	  She was telling him to take a good look at her ID.
	  The soldier immediately checked his Selcom, and with an astonishingly sudden formality, he apologized for his rudeness...
	  Receptionist:
	  "Welcome to the Geroy Level 4 Heavy Military Research Center. I'm going to check your ID, so please place your hand on the bio-scanner."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  #e1dc00Name: Gunhild Gustafsson@
	  #e1dc00Position: Auxiliary Major General attached to the AOU Combined Military Central HQ.@
	  #e1dc00Issuer of Inspection Permit: The Speaker of the AOU Joint Parliament/President of AOU America.@
	  #e1dc00Security Clearance: SS-. While present at this establishment, she has permission to access all classified information that is not rated SS or higher.
	  #e1dc00Additional Information: Is to be accompanied by department head rank or higher. Upon completion of inspection, she is to be removed from all records. All information those involved obtain regarding this inspection must be treated as a lifetime secret (SS0012 Class).
	  Receptionist:
	  "Your Excellency Major General Gustafsson, please allow me to guide you. This way, please."
	  Paying no attention to the all-weather grounds, where countless trainees were being worked hard and insulted, ...Gunhild's group passed through an even stricter security gate and headed underground.
	  Attendant:
	  "...And I thought you were here to inspect the Pandora."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Does it look like it will be possible to copy the Pandora?"
	  Attendant:
	  "At the moment, not at all. ...After all, it's like a miracle among miracles, where hundreds of millions of God's dice all rolled the same number at once."
	  Gunhild:
	  "If you're unable to make a copy, it means you won't be able to perform even more inhumane experiments on the Pandora. I suppose that's good news for her."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Pandora's box... ...So, that is the last hope left to humanity."
	  Attendant:
	  "This planet is already dead. Humanity doesn't have much time left. ...Unless we can reveal her secret, we won't be able to leave any part of humanity or civilization behind..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Does the Pandora know? ...That she is a special being, the only one that will be allowed to go into the new world?"
	  Attendant:
	  "No. She has only been told that she has a precious brain structure which must be investigated."
	  Attendant:
	  "She probably only thinks of herself as someone assisting in research in exchange for being spared the death penalty."
	  The place the elevator descended to was a section where only researchers with extremely high security levels were allowed.
	  The atmosphere was incredibly different from the exercise area, which felt like a sweaty sports training ground.
	  In the hallway beyond that division came the high-pitched sound of a young girl's voice.
	  Apparently, she was complaining about her everyday struggles.
	  Lilja:
	  "I mean, do you realize how hard I had to work to get that gloomy hick girl to communicate as much as we do now?!"
	  Lilja:
	  "To find a conversation starter, I had to train hard and race through this boring puzzle game! And I even had to make cat sounds at the end of every sentence, you know? By now, it's even becoming a habit in real life meow!"
	  Several young researchers responded with wry smiles.
	  As Lilja cheerily blew off steam, ...her eyes spotted Gunhild.
	  All of the cheeriness suddenly vanished from her face.
	  Lilja:
	  ".................."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Even when it's someone you know, when you meet someone in a place where you don't expect to meet them, ...it's enough to confuse anyone.
	  With a mixture of that confusion and suspicion, ...Lilja stared at Gunhild.
	  Lilja:
	  "......Why are you here meow? Don't tell me you're also..."
	  However, Gunhild was being accompanied by a research department head and guards.
	  It was immediately obvious that she was being treated differently than those like Lilja...
	  Lilja:
	  ".................."
	  Attendant:
	  "...This matter is SS0012. Be sure that you forget everything you saw and heard. Understand, Lilja Viljakainen?"
	  Lilja:
	  "...Yes, sir."
	  Gunhild:
	  "And she is...?"
	  Attendant:
	  "She is also assisting in research in exchange for being spared the death penalty. She has been doing extremely well."
	  Attendant:
	  "In a sense, until we're able to copy the Pandora, you might say she's the greatest successful product our research center has produced. If no Pandora appears, she may even be the compass our research center should be aiming for."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Attendant:
	  "This is the Data Room. You may retrieve whatever data your access level permits, Your Excellency."
	  Gunhild:
	  "...I want to see trainee records."
	  Attendant:
	  "You there, perform a search."
	  Operator:
	  "May I ask for their full name, Your Excellency?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Maja Forsberg. From AOU Sweden."
	  Operator:
	  "......It isn't coming up. Is there another way to pronounce her name?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Search again, for former trainees this time."
	  Operator:
	  "Yes sir. ...Maja Forsberg. ...I have a hit. She left the training program partway through of her own accord, due to special circumstances."
	  The Geroy Research Center was famous for the fact that, once you entered, you couldn't leave until your research program was complete, no matter how much you cried or screamed.
	  You would either graduate as a Gauntlet Knight, or be wrung out as a failure.
	  Gunhild:
	  "What does that mean, she left of her own accord due to special circumstances? ...Was she injured so badly, she couldn't continue her training?"
	  Operator:
	  "The record states that her health was extremely good when she left. Her grade was a C+. Her P3 levels were average as well."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Operator:
	  "...There's an attached document, locked with Security Level S."
	  Attendant:
	  "Her Excellency has SS- security clearance. Access the file."
	  Operator:
	  "Yes sir. Your Excellency, please use the authentication terminal."
	  Gunhild:
	  ".................."
	  Operator:
	  "Thank you very much. ......It's open."
	  #e1dc00Maja Forsberg: During her periodic examination, it was discovered that she was a potential candidate for the Pandora Replication Experiment.@
	  #e1dc00She received counseling as to what it meant to participate in this experiment, including the related dangers. She expressed a desire to participate in the experiment. She signed a consent form agreeing to all the risks.
	  Gunhild:
	  "...She was...a test subject for the Pandora Transplant Experiment......"
	  Attendant:
	  "It may have been her last chance, as someone who fundamentally lacked an aptitude for becoming a Gauntlet Knight. ...If successful, she would have been reborn as something like the Pandora, or else a genius Gauntlet Knight of similar ability..."
	  Gunhild:
	  "Was it explained to her that the success rate has been zero so far?"
	  Attendant:
	  "She wasn't explicitly told that it was zero, but the consent form did state that it was extremely low. It also mentioned that, through repeated experimentation, the success rate had risen 300% from the previous round of experiments."
	  I'm pretty sure zero is still zero, no matter what you multiply it by......
	  #e1dc00After a 3-week examination, it was judged that she was ready to participate in the experiment immediately. She was issued a subject code of 091.@
	  #e1dc00After this point, Maja Forsberg would be treated as having left of her own accord due to special circumstances.
	  #e1dc00Subjects 090 through 099 participated in the 12th Pandora Replication Experiment.@
	  #e1dc00091: Noise Rate 0.225 (Rating: Poor)@
	  #e1dc00Experiment suspended. Subject was processed in accordance with the Human Rights Manual.
	  Gunhild:
	  "What does that mean, processed in accordance with the Human Rights Manual...?"
	  Attendant:
	  "We inject them with high concentrations of hypnocine. All external sensations are numbed, and the brain is placed in a euphoric, sleep-like state. It's the same as what was used to perform lethal injections during the B3W era."
	  #e1dc00Subject was disposed of 12 seconds after injection. Subject was then transferred to the examination department.@
	  #e1dc00After Subjects 090 through 099 were sorted by the examination department, they were transferred to various research departments.
	  #e1dc00Subject 091's brain was transferred to the Dreissig Conversion Research Department.@
	  #e1dc00It was planned for use in experimental artificial Dreissig Conversion apparatuses, but due to errors in processing, it decayed while still in its brain pack. It was then disposed of without being used in the experiment and incinerated.
	  #e1dc00Maja Forsberg's case was officially resolved as that of an individual who went missing after her discharge, and whose life-or-death status is unknown.@
	  #e1dc00The above records have been locked with Security Level S.
	  Gunhild:
	  "Thanks. That will be enough."
	  Attendant:
	  "Were we able to be of assistance?"
	  Gunhild:
	  "Of course. I've discovered something of worth."
	  This world...is worthy of destruction.
	  I won't forgive the people who brought about Maja's death, ...and I won't forgive their world...!
	  Gunhild:
	  "......Huh.........?"
	  Miyao:
	  "What's wrong, Gunhild?!"
	  Gunhild:
	  "K-Keropoyo just started a self-diagnostic! ...M-My shield won't come up...!!"
	  Jayden:
	  "Y-You've got to be kidding me! Gunhild, dodge it!!!"
	  Miyao:
	  "Gunhiiiiiiiiiiiiiiild...!!!"
	  As Seshat manipulated her midair tablet in a cramped, dark room, their surroundings were bathed in a brilliant light, and the walls changed to become an environmental mapping that resembled a solemn church.
	  And there, put on display like a work of art, was a single old document...
	  Toujirou:
	  "...Is this...it...?"
	  Seshat:
	  "The Council of Carthage identified 26 books as canon."
	  Seshat:
	  "But did you know? There was actually one more canonical book."
	  Seshat:
	  "There certainly were traces of it in the Muratorian Canon. However, by the time of the Council of Carthage, it had disappeared."
	  Toujirou:
	  "A lost...canon."
	  Seshat:
	  "This is probably the last volume that still remains. And, it's the only work of prophecy in the entire canon."
	  Seshat:
	  "The Revelation of Saint Ioánnis..."
	  Canon serves as a guide or a manual for a religion, so it's very precious.
	  For that reason, some people have attempted to insert their own claims into the canon, slipping in forgeries pretending to be the real thing.
	  So, religious groups will sometimes hold councils to establish what the canon is, attempting to expel all forgeries.
	  There are even some cases where something was viewed as canon at the time, but after extensive research, doubts were raised about it and it was expunged.
	  It's entirely possible that even this book, the Revelation of Saint Ioánnis, might have been accepted by the Muratorian Canon, but then later identified as a forgery by the time of the Council of Carthage and removed...
	  Seshat:
	  "However, when the Council of Carthage took place, the Revelation of Saint Ioánnis was never even discussed. In fact, neither its name nor any trace of it appeared. This proves that, between the second and the fourth century, ...the existence of the Revelation of Saint Ioánnis was completely erased from history."
	  Seshat:
	  "It was too thorough and too unnatural for something that had once been listed as canon. For example...yes, that's it. It's as though someone performed a search on the text called history and deleted just the phrase `the Revelation of Saint Ioánnis' from everything."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Are you saying...that this holds a prophecy about how humanity will be destroyed?"
	  Seshat:
	  "I think of it as more of a plan than a prophecy. After all, if it were a prophecy, 100% of it would have to fit. ...Going by what I see now, ...yes, I'd only give it a score of 80 points out of 100."
	  Toujirou:
	  "In other words, we still have about a 20% chance at victory?"
	  Sure, assuming that our opponents *were* aiming for a perfect 100 and only got 80 points...
	  If games are about finding entertainment, and not about who wins and who loses, and if our opponent thinks we're inferior to them, then it would be quite crude of them to start off with a perfect move.
	  80 points.
	  It certainly does feel like a veteran up against an amateur, intentionally holding back in the early game to ensure that it will be a good one...
	  Toujirou:
	  "In other words, ...this is God's plan for exterminating the human race, which was planned out...and filed against us 2000 years ago..."
	  Seshat:
	  "Hahahahahah. That's an overly dramatic way to put it."
	  Seshat:
	  "Still, given that an exception like me exists, that is a possibility. ...And, sadly, this written accusation was completely erased from history. ...Except for the one copy here."
	  Toujirou:
	  "I wonder if our opponent left just this one copy, knowing that it would be in our possession..."
	  Seshat:
	  "...After all, they do claim to be the messenger of an all-seeing, all-knowing God. ...Well, it's probably safer to assume they know."
	  Toujirou:
	  "If they left it behind intentionally, ...they must've been pretty confident."
	  Seshat:
	  "When challenged by an amateur with a chess instruction manual in one hand, a veteran might easily smile confidently and allow that amateur to take a shot. That must be how they view this."
	  Seshat:
	  "Then again, I simply happen to believe that it's a written plan. If this truly is a prophecy, then we're completely stuck already. When facing off against a prophecy, the winners are already decided. No matter how hard you, me and the others try, it'll all be in vain. It'll mean that, in the end, we were just dancing on the palm of their hand..."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Don't worry, Grand Master. This definitely isn't a prophecy."
	  Seshat:
	  "Oh? And how can you be so sure?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Because, if this really was a prophecy, with the truth of the future written inside it, then this Revelation would record the way our Order of Prometheus busted this crazy plan down."
	  Seshat:
	  "Hahahah, ahahahahahahahahah. You really are amusing, Toujirou."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Whether it's a prophecy or a plan, ...they'll come at us following the outline of this book. And using this book, we'll be able to predict what happens next to some degree and deal with it somehow. The key to this game is how well we can make use of this handicap."
	  Seshat:
	  "At the moment, all humanity has managed to do is make their opponent take their seat at the game table. ...They're challenging us while knowing everything. ...Even knowing that we've been preparing for this day for so, so long."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Maybe this is a surprisingly difficult game for them as well."
	  Seshat:
	  "80 points out of 100. ...I don't know if this is arrogance, or the result of the game truly being that difficult for our opponent."
	  Seshat:
	  "We must win. ...If we don't, humanity will eternally be nothing but pieces on the game board, toys of that monster calling itself God's representative."
	  Toujirou:
	  "Humanity can win."
	  Seshat:
	  "Ooh, very nice. Now, what's your basis for saying that?"
	  Toujirou:
	  "Because that's what's written in the newest version of the Revelation of Saint Ioánnis, edited by me."
	  Seshat:
	  "Hahahahah. I like it. Let's update it sometime soon."
	  Toujirou:
	  "And yet..."
	  There's no telling how much of humanity will be lost before it wins...