General 107

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Chapter 107. Military Secrets And A Maiden’s True Feelings

“Hey, Yuu, it’s morning!”

I wake up to the sound of clattering, as my overprotective childhood friend bangs a pan with a ladle, her usual wake-up call for me.

“Ugh… I’m still sleepy, Mina…”

I barely manage to respond to Mina’s call, but my eyelids refuse to open.

The days of short sleep due to the school festival preparations, combined with the chaos from Misuzu’s defection, have worn me out.

“Come on, get up~”

Move #2 from the overprotective childhood friend playbook—yanking the blanket off the sleepyhead. Thanks to this, I curled up miserably on the bed.

The school festival is over, and the cold morning air reminds me that winter is approaching.

“Mina, you must be tired from your nationwide tour. Why are you so full of energy…?”

“I was so excited to finally spend a morning with you, Yuu, that I woke up early!”

“Is that really something to be as excited about as a kid on Christmas morning?”

“Yup! Especially after the enemy almost launched a missile at the concert venue the other day, the nationwide tour got postponed.”

Mina answers cheerfully.

Usually, an artist or musician would feel devastated if a nationwide tour were canceled due to an incident or trouble…

But Mina is the battlefield songstress who was put in this position by fate. She doesn’t seem too attached to the artistic side of things.

Well, even if the tour is tough, the pay is just a small bonus; it doesn’t change much.

“Come on, hurry up and get up. I made a Japanese breakfast today.”

“Oh, I’m looking forward to that.”

It’s been a while since I’ve had Mina’s breakfast. I’m grateful to have the chance again.

She pulls me by the hand, leading me to the living room.

“Hmm, miso soup is surprisingly tasty for something I’m having for the first time.”

Misuzu is sitting at the dining table, having just finished a bowl of miso soup.

“Ahhh! This little brat ate both portions I served for me and Yuu!”

“It wasn’t enough, so I’m requesting seconds.”

Ignoring Mina’s pained outcry, Misuzu demands more.

“And she’s eaten all the rice in the cooker too!”

“Five cups of rice aren’t enough for one meal. Considering efficiency, I recommend purchasing another rice cooker.”

Though she pretends it’s advice, it’s just another brazen demand from Misuzu. Mina’s frustration at having her carefully prepared breakfast ravaged shows as a vein throbs on her temple.

But as for me, facing Misuzu’s audacity…

“Two rice cookers, got it. I just ordered one online, so it’ll arrive by tonight. For now, there are some frozen rice balls, so you can eat those.”

“I’ll need some side dishes too.”

“The only quick option is some nori seaweed paste… can you eat that, Misuzu?”

“That’s fine.”

“Yuu, why are you so lenient with this little brat?!”

Mina, rummaging through the fridge, confronts me.

“Well… Misuzu seems to need a lot of energy because of her abilities.”

“That’s not what I’m asking! I’m asking why you’re letting this little brat live here when you only saved her by chance!”

Mina’s pressing questions make me stammer more.

“‘Little brat,’ you say? I’m 18, so I’m older than you by two years, Miss Battlefield Songstress. Oh, and the tamagoyaki I just ate was delicious, so please make it again, Miss Battlefield Songstress.”

“Are you mocking me?!”

Perhaps sensing the malice in Misuzu’s repeated “Battlefield Songstress” remark, Mina turns her ire toward her. Misuzu, however, sips tea with a calm expression.

Is it her age or her long military career that gives her this composure?

“Even in your country, you’ve heard of Mina?”

“Thanks to a certain someone in this country, our electronic communications network was taken over. However, the only videos that kept streaming were those of the Battlefield Songstress’ concerts. Deprived of entertainment, the masses eagerly watched them, making her extremely popular. The Information Bureau couldn’t even delete the videos, leaving them unchecked.”

This must be the work of Dr. Kirigaya. Not only did she take control of the network, but she also used idol singing videos for cultural invasion—quite a cunning move.

“So that’s why Mina became a target.”

Well, even so, our bases in Japan were quickly discovered and exposed.

“Anyway, back to the point, why are you so soft on this little brat, Yuu?”

“Oh, um… I can’t go into detail for military reasons… I’m sorry, Mina…”

I put my hands together in a praying gesture, apologizing to Mina.

Honestly, Mina can’t know much about Misuzu’s abilities; they’re too classified.

Due to yesterday’s close encounter, Mina probably thinks Misuzu just can generate copies of herself.

“Again with that… It’s always like this with me…”

Mina looks down with a sad expression.

“Mina?”

Usually, Mina backs down when I say this, but something’s different this time. She continues.

“I know. I know you’re carrying burdens and responsibilities that I can’t even imagine. But… it’s not just me. Even after the summer training camp, Hinoura-san and Marin-chan have joined you in carrying those burdens.”

“Mina…”

“I want to be on that side too… I want to help you carry those burdens, even if just a little. But I don’t have the power for that… so all I can do is watch…”

“……”

Mina’s words, filled with sorrow, leave me unable to respond. I hadn’t realized that Mina felt this way.

“I’m sorry, Yuu. It must be hard for you to hear this… You’re just following military rules, but I feel so lonely.”

“I’m sorry, Mina… because of me…”

I gently embrace Mina, wiping the tears welling up at the corners of her eyes.

“I’m always crying and getting comforted by you… Just like when we were in elementary school.”

Mina rests her head against my chest, letting me bear its weight.

“No, you’ve changed. At yesterday’s concert, you made so many people smile. That’s something I could never do, no matter how hard I tried.”

“It’s not like I want to be a Battlefield Songstress…”

“But in terms of being needed by others, it’s the same for me, Hayami-san, Kotomi, and Marin-chan. And Mina, you even seem to soothe people from the enemy country, which is pretty amazing.”

Earlier, Misuzu mentioned how the Battlefield Songstress’ songs were streamed online. If it were just propaganda, the Eastern Allied Nations’ people would have ignored it.

The fact that people still watch it, even against government orders, is proof of how captivated they are by Mina’s voice.

“R-Really…?”

“Yeah. You’re carrying a huge responsibility too, Mina. So don’t feel like you’re being left out.”

“Yuu…”

“Though, coming from the guy who didn’t even get a class T-shirt and got left out of the festival, it’s a bit ironic.”

In the end, I never got that class T-shirt yesterday, maybe because of Misuzu’s commotion.

Seeing Hayami-san in her class T-shirt yesterday, I felt a bit crushed, thinking it might leave a lifelong scar, but now I can laugh about it.

“Wait… Yuu, not only are you a loner in class, but you’re also being bullied? Should I march into your class and set things straight?”

“No, Mina, don’t! That’ll just make me more of a loner!”

“Don’t hold back. If the Battlefield Songstress says something, everyone will listen.”

Mina’s eyes sparkle with determination, a stark contrast to her earlier tears.

“Um… Mina?”

It seems she’s too caught up in the joy of finding a way to help me to hear what I’m saying.

“Alright, then, let’s storm into your class, Yuu! While we’re at it, we can get rid of that incompetent homeroom teacher of yours. Two birds with one stone! Maybe this is why I became the Battlefield Songstress. I can use my power to get you friends in no time! Leave it to me!”

No, don’t use your Battlefield Songstress connections for something like this. It would be way too embarrassing to owe making friends to my strong-willed childhood friend.

“W-wait, Mina! I wouldn’t be happy with friends made that way! Also, today’s a day off because of the school festival!”

As I try to stop her, Mina and I cause a commotion.

“Excuse me… Is the rice ready yet?”

Meanwhile, Misuzu quietly murmurs at the dining table, rice bowl in hand.