Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint

EP.270 The Kingdom of Steel and Faceless People – 11

Headquarters was busy ahead of the battle. In addition to the original war preparations, even the response to the enemy beings who marched to the Alchemy Steel Refinery. Even in the middle of the night, the entire base was busy like a bear-infested beehive.

In particular, it was the escaped laborers who made them suffer.

The slaves I unleashed caused enough confusion. The fact that unidentified laborers roamed openly in the operational area aroused the mental screams of the signal soldiers and staff. It would have been easier if they had killed them all, but they couldn’t because there were too many of them and there were also laborers at the smelter, which were hard to replenish.

In the meantime, a military automatic carriage arrived at the entrance. The soldiers asked for the password, and a pink-haired girl in a female officer’s uniform answered and got out of the car.

The princess in a stiff military uniform moves as stiffly as her clothes. The epaulettes that indicate status and the medals on the chest are awkward. Wearing a military uniform with soft light pink hair and a round and gentle impression, I feel a sense of incongruity that is hard to describe.

The princess saluted with a lot of strength.

“Chu loyalty. This is Lieutenant Natalia from the Ministry of Public Safety! We are on a top-secret mission!”

He stutters and salutes clumsily. It seems like a child desperately follows. To the point where the guards could detain them with little remorse.

However, the opponent did not show the will to do so. The officer, who confirmed his identity by looking at the epaulets, narrowed his eyes and asked.

“The Ministry of Public Safety… there must be a pension seal, right?”

“I am here.”

“Check Lee… Um. confirmed. medium. This is the mission of the head office, so don’t worry…”

First. The fact that the opponent belongs to the Ministry of Public Safety, which is said to drop stars hanging from the sky, was a factor that eroded his will.

“It’s definitely not digging the secret… It’s a necessary procedure in a quasi-war situation, so it can’t be helped… Where is the lieutenant heading now, and who are the people in the back?”

“These are laborers who have come into contact with hostile beings. I’m escorting you to the Department of Public Safety for further questioning, as Director Sieghrund ordered!”

“Chief…?”

The second is that she is the last member of the royal family of Grandiomor.

The officer didn’t feel suspicious or dangerous from her face. Suspicion begins with hostility toward unfamiliar things. The power of the royal family erases even such trivial doubts.

The power of the monarch, who was not the most powerful but the longest-surviving since ancient times, was exercised even in such trivial places.

“Sorry for wasting your time. let it pass Next… Hey! stop! Before entering, reveal your affiliation!”

So we got through safely. The princess was about to bow her head, but hurriedly changed to a salute and hurriedly got into the carriage.

Soldiers moved out of the way, and the military wagons slowly made their way into the base. The princess sighed and sat down.

I got behind the wheel and greeted her warmly.

“Thank you for your effort! It was perfect!”

The princess, who was breaking out in a cold sweat, let out a deep sigh as she took off her hat.

“Whoa… I thought my heart would burst…”

“You tricked that picky military officer with ease. It’s quite right, right? Please do it again in the future!”

“No… I can’t. It was only possible because they didn’t suspect me too much…”

“It has to be. There is also the pension seal of the Ministry of Public Security that Hilde left behind. She has the power of a princess.”

And there was a passphrase that I figured out by reading my mind. Procedurally, there is no element to be caught.

Of course, that’s not the only end.

“But that won’t be the end. It must have been the will of the command that we passed safely.”

“Command’s will? Are you saying they condoned us?”

“yes. If the signalman informed us that some enemy was heading for the headquarters base and warned all the officers about our appearance, we would have been caught one way or another.”

If Tyr and the Regressor had existed, they would not have reacted so lukewarmly. Those two are so famous, and the military government must have warned them in advance and prepared countermeasures.

But we are not. Of course, Historia is powerful, but her power is in the category of an individual. In addition, until a few days ago, he was also a true soldier loyal to the military. If the command knew what was going on in Hameln, it would know that Historia was just following me and Shiati rather than hating the military.

I don’t know how the other side will come out, but I know the ideology of the military.

The military is rational.

It is not a war between countries, but the country is being swept away by the attacks of only a few rebellious individuals. In addition, with Historia on our side and even Hilde out of power, the military is in a weaker state than ever.

If there is no reason to meet, you can make it happen. After all, even if you try to solve it with words, you have to start with force first.

Heading down a deserted road where possible, I clamped down on everyone’s mouths.

“ruler. It’s true that you’re heading in the right direction for now, but don’t be nervous. This is the military headquarters. It is a place where you can get kicked by the Great Wall, which is hard to see from the outside. Be careful because you don’t know where the Great Master will pop out…”

『Control observation completed. Implementation rate 97.4%.

』 I know Ji is a tiger.”

In the dark, a group of lights gathered into a single point. The starlight that illuminated the dim headlights of the command center stood in a human form. It looked like a shadow made of light.

It is hard to judge the size of the body because it is shining like a helmet. A long, thin sword of light.

Tian Tong Aimeder. Guardian angel of the military.

And maybe… an existence that might be the incarnation of the headquarters itself.

“Everybody back off!”

Historia, who noticed its presence before anyone else, turned her entire body towards it, preparing in case Aimeder attacked us.

However, Aimeder did not point his sword of light at us. Instead, they stared blankly at us.

A black mouth opened from the dazzling face.

“I will guide you. Follow me.”

Then, without saying a word, he began to slide on the ground. As if we would of course follow.

However, angels do not seem to know the human mind. We were taught not to follow strangers since childhood, and we disobeyed Aimeder’s instructions.

Historia asked, sharpening her blade.

“guide? Where?”

Aimeder’s body creaked and stopped. It seems our reaction was unexpected. The pure white angel turned around and conveyed his will.

『Isn’t the reason you came here for negotiations?

』 conversation?”

“I will respond to that. However, this aircraft lacks means for communication. Therefore.]

A body that can be replaced at any time with a concise tone to provide only information. No matter how you think about it, it’s pretty similar to that.

As expected.

“In a nutshell, you mean guides to the meeting place? It’s nice that it’s cool. Let’s go.”

『If accepted, I will guide you again. Follow me.]

Aimeder turned around and headed somewhere.

Until now, Aimeder had been close to a sword-wielding monster. There is no sign of life, no mercy in the hands, and the power is strong enough to stand against Tyr, even for a moment. It felt very strange to see such a monstrous angel calmly appearing and guiding us along the way. The Princess, Siati, and Historia looked at each other, not knowing what to do.

One was an exception.

“Nyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaas

eyes.

What is that crazy thing doing? You look like a pato before the meeting. Stop it right now… No, it’s dangerous if I catch it.

“Hey catch it! Hold on tight and don’t let it move!”

“bruise!”

“Nyahahak!”

It’s not the time yet. I brought it with me in case an attack comes from the other side!

With the struggling butterfly tucked into the back seat, we followed the angel in the wagon.

The angel gliding on the ground was quite agile and agile. Perhaps because it was made of light, it even changed its direction while maintaining its speed, as if it had no concept of inertia. It seemed that if I took my eyes off it even for a moment, it would disappear out of sight.

We hurriedly passed the arsenal full of shells, turned right once at the container stocked with food materials, and followed the angel by taking a long turn around the outskirts, where countless pieces of equipment from the Corps of Engineers were piled up. The image of an angel, a symbol of divinity, striding through a land full of steel and concrete, seemed like a merging of two mismatched paintings.

“…something is strange.”

On the way, the princess suddenly looked around and murmured.

“Why… can’t see anyone in the command base?”

It feels like half a day has passed, but we only followed Aimeder for about 10 minutes.

But this is a command base. It is a military capital where the military power of the country, which is said to have more officers than stones that can be hit by one’s feet, resides.

It even includes the meaning that it is managed so thoroughly that even rolling stones are hard to find. No matter how camouflaged it is, you can’t get past it so easily…

unless someone planned it.

I looked around with a sidelong glance and said.

“Looks like you don’t want to see us meeting at headquarters. It’s biting people. Listen. Even over there, it’s noisy with the voices of soldiers working, right?”

“Why? Are we in the minority? Wouldn’t it be better to gather a lot and put pressure on them?”

“Not necessarily. Right now, the military is on the verge of negotiating with the terrorists. As a country, showing a soldier a humiliating negotiation process can demoralize them.”

The military is reasonable, but I don’t believe everyone is like that. So whether it’s an officer or a general, it’s about limiting information and controlling behavior.

The princess agreed and came up with a new question.

“How could we have been able to bite people exactly at the corner of our path?”

“It must have been a communication bottle.”

The answer was given by Historia.

“Soldiers absolutely obey the commands of the headquarters, and signalmen convey the commands of the headquarters. Perhaps this route we are going… The signalmen are giving instructions to the approaching soldiers one by one so that they don’t head here.”

“iced coffee. that’s right. There was a signal soldier… Then, is the signal soldier the headquarters?”

“I don’t say that a priest is a god just because a priest conveys the word of God instead.”

“But Command isn’t God, is it? Someone can take over the signal soldier or the signal soldier can mislead the command because of my greed, right? How come no one suspects that?”

It was a question that accurately pointed out the blind spot. But Historia had an answer to that.

“Communications don’t do that. no i can’t Because they don’t exist.”

“yes? Communication soldiers exist, right?”

“No one has ever seen them. There are people who say they guided the dispatched signalmen from time to time, but I have no idea where they are or what they are doing. What kind of greed do those who don’t even appear in front of you have?”

There are so many examples of priestly depravity that it is hard to count. Priests come in contact with believers every day and extort faith and donations from them, so there are infinite ways to harm them if they are greedy.

However, the communication soldier does not contact anyone. In a world completely isolated from Inse, limited communication is possible only through golems.

At this point, he’s not even a priest, he’s just God’s trumpeter. The tool itself for conveying the voice.

“No one knows what a signalman does? Doesn’t the musketeer, who is the sixth general, know?”

To the princess’s question, Historia hesitated for a moment before answering.

“Yeah… I’m a grown-up, too.”

Historia turned her head away and shut her mouth, as if she had suddenly felt bad.

‘okay. I don’t know anything. I was loyal to the military to help my friend, but neither my friends nor the military knows either. I am… Is it a good tool that can only be used without knowing anything?’

Historia, who had once served in the headquarters, watched the passing scene with skepticism.

An automatic carriage rolls along in an uncomfortable silence.

[Arrived.]

Eventually, Eimeder stood under a large wall.

It was a seamless wall. There were no windows, no doors, not even the smallest vents in sight. It looks more like a box than a building.

I’ve seen it. It resembled a small, dented steel box protruding from the ground when Tantalus turned it over. The only difference was that it was several times larger than that.

Aimeder raised his white knife and stabbed it at the wall without hesitation.

Historia watched Aimeder quietly.

‘There was a gap. very subtle. I put the blade in there without an inch of error.’

It was my mistake that there were no seams. A pure white sword dug in between the tiny gaps that could not be seen. From my point of view, it looked like it had penetrated the wall, but Historia noticed the existence of the gap with keen eyes.

Thanks to you, I also read your thoughts and knew that fact. I would have been embarrassed if I pretended to know.

“I’m cutting through the wall wall! Like cutting through a steel wall!”

Uh huh There’s another person here who doesn’t have good eyes to see. Tsk tsk. Let me open your foolish eyes

“There is a tiny gap between the walls. I pierced the sword of light through that gap.”

“yes? gap? Does it seem like…?”

There’s only one reason to stick a knife through a crack in a box. to pick up the door.

Historia only saw that gap, but having robbed safes several times, I roughly predicted the structure of this building.

“A gap that can only be penetrated by light. There’s probably a lock there. I’ll open the door by loosening the lock on the inside with that sword of light.”

Just as I said, Aimeder raised the sword he had stabbed in the gap. There was a click and the sound of something loosening.

Right after that, light poured out from a tiny gap in the wall.

gag drama.

The tightly closed wall cracked. The sound of winding gears echoed along the walls and the square door slid inward.

Aimeder, who had fulfilled the role of the key, stood still. Like an inanimate object that has been in place for hundreds of years without even the slightest movement that a living thing must have.

okay. Aimeder was the key. A windowless room that you can never enter unless you break it. The communications soldier wondered how to get in there and how to lock it…

“And there probably isn’t anyone other than Aimeder who uses a sword made of light. A door that can only be opened by Aimeder, the angel of the military. What does that mean?”

“You mean those inside here are the ones who call or control Aimeder…?”

That’s the answer. Because a princess is someone worth asking questions about.

Aimeder said in a booming voice.

“Come in.”

“Can everyone come in?”

[It doesn’t matter.]

Then, as if he had become a door, he twisted his body and opened a hole for us to pass through. I let the butterfly still reaching out for Aimeder and the aji holding the butterfly in my arms first, and then gestured toward the princess and Shiati.

After sending in the two beasts, who might get into trouble at any moment, I also strode inside. One of the greatest secrets of the military is showing me the inside.

After passing through such a narrow gap, I faced a strange space.

There was a large round table full of paper. Countless sheets of paper were scattered on the table, and the walls on all sides looked as if they had been torn from books and used as wallpaper. Countless small letters were written on it, but all of them were documents containing confidential military information.

A pile of paperwork. A lot of information contained in it. In itself, it is a disorderly sequence of letters, but if someone with related knowledge sees it, it will be of great value.

And the beings who create that value.

『A call. Due to the destruction of the Alchemy Steel Refinery, the supply amount needs to be adjusted.”

『Stock amount 89400 units. Estimated retention period 38 days. After that, the stock is completely exhausted.”

『The required amount of transpiration is 3200. The possibility of achieving the current state is 0.72%』

『A value judgment is necessary for this. To the agenda of the meeting.]

Dozens of magic golems for communication.

It’s like being in a toy country. Is it to increase the floor area ratio? The magic golems here are all small or ultra-small. There are golems as big as the palm of your hand, and even the largest ones do not reach beyond your waist.

Various small magic golems are busy running around in all directions, reading and writing letters. There are golems that manage to write with their fingers, golems that strike one by one on a typewriter for golems, and golems that put their heads on a loudspeaker and shout something. The golems didn’t resemble humans at all, but that’s why they were more fairy-tale and cute.

Aji desperately stopped the butterfly that found the toy from trying to attack it. okay. The king of beasts needs two. A butterfly to make a fuss and a child to stop it when the butterfly is excited.

As the two beasts rolled on the ground, I found a door in the wall on the other side.

Steel doors are equally spaced apart. The spacing is narrow. If I stretch out my arms, I will reach from one door to the next. One or two such doors… Twenty-six.

It is clear that he does not use the door often. Otherwise, there would be no way there would be paper piled up at the door.

I read the words written on the small plaque above the door in succession.

『Communication Headquarters directly under Inner Circle Command. Module Eye (I).』