“You’re suddenly putting Hugmon and Scrap Iron Doll face-to-face?”
“Yes, from what I heard, the two of them had some interaction.”
“Making such a cutie meet with that creepy thing.”
“By the way, what kind of interaction did they have?”
“Hmm, if that thing doesn’t know human language, then I wouldn’t know.”
“Why do you say that?”
“If it knew human language but had been keeping silent the whole time.”
“Oh, that really would feel like betrayal.”
“It feels like some kind of mysterious concept, so I think it’d be fine.”
Their answers don’t quite align.
“Huh? What did you say?”
“Ah, it’s nothing. Don’t mind me.”
“Let’s hurry, or we’ll be late.”
+++
“From now on, we will have the designated entity Scrap Iron Doll meet face-to-face with Hugmon.”
Taking into account its handling of the Second Gate incident and the confirmed fact that it had previously interacted with Hugmon.
Hoping it doesn’t cause an incident, the isolation room for Scrap Iron Doll opens.
Of course, for safety reasons, they only open it to the bare minimum before letting Hugmon inside.
As Hugmon steps in, Scrap Iron Doll begins to move.
“Record the conversation between the two using cameras and audio recording devices.”
As the broadcast echoes through the facility, the meeting between Hugmon and Scrap Iron Doll is realized.
“Senior, is there really a need to go this far?”
“We haven’t confirmed whether Hugmon is capable of using human language yet.”
“I see.”
“That’s why we have to leave a record, so we can attempt to decipher it or not.”
“But Scrap Iron Doll is one that caused human casualties.”
“Would you want to talk to someone you hate?”
“Ha, I wouldn’t even look at them.”
“Then what makes you think it’s any different for them?”
“You have a point.”
“The fact that there was an interaction between Hugmon and Scrap Iron Doll means there is will to converse.”
“Even after killing so many people like that.”
“That’s what we have to find out from now. Whether it’s something we can talk to, or something that won’t listen to reason.”
Most of the agents can’t take their eyes off Hugmon.
If something happens, Scrap Iron Doll probably won’t make it past today.
+++
“Hiya!”
“Hello, we meet again.”
“I heard we might be able to communicate, so they’re trying to make me meet with you.”
“Well, if we can communicate, we certainly can.”
For some reason, the gazes I feel from outside feel especially stinging today.
Hugmon.
So it was quite a beloved existence, huh?
“But this is all I know!”
“You didn’t hear anything else?”
Hugmon looks like it’s deep in thought with its eyes closed.
Then it snaps its head up.
“I dunno!”
“Hmm, I see.”
No matter how much I think about it, it just keeps making an endlessly bright expression.
As expected, it looks like they sent it in thinking there was nothing much to gain.
If I spend some time here, they’ll probably take it away on their own.
“But, do you really not know human language?”
…
“I never learned it! Ah, but I can imitate it.”
“Then, tell me what you can do.”
“Gotcha!”
Looking at it, for an Unknown Entity, it definitely has a cute side.
But its stretching body and walking on two legs are still jarring.
If it’s this cute and spoke politely too—
“Fuck.”
“…?”
“Damn, damn, goddamn!”
Crazy.
Just how much cursing did it hear outside?
No, surely they wouldn’t have cursed this blatantly.
Did it pick up cursing from the agents?
And it’s imitating that in front of me?
Oh boy.
“Hahaha, that’s a bad word. It’s something you shouldn’t say.”
“But the people outside all say words like this?”
“That’s, well, the people outside.”
*Tsk*, how should I explain this for it to understand?
Whatever, there shouldn’t be a problem if I explain it roughly.
“Those people do that because work is usually hard.”
“Is that so?”
“When things are hard, words come out rough. You know how that goes.”
“Ah, I got it!”
Yeah, that should be enough for it to understand.
It’s not like I said those agents are bad.
“But, you know.”
“Yeah?”
“Can you hug me?”
At those words, Hugmon stretches itself to about the height of an average person and spreads its arms.
Oh, I was curious about how it would feel to hug it.
Judging by the reaction outside, they seem to be dying of envy.
I don’t refuse things like this.
I spread my arms and embrace Hugmon.
It feels squishy yet moderately soft.
I can feel some warmth; it seems like it would make good bedding.
It was quite a unique experience.
I thought I heard people outside saying they’d tear me apart and kill me.
It must be my imagination.
Hugmon also shows a satisfied expression and returns to its original size.
“You’re not as cold as I thought.”
“You’re warmer than I thought.”
Hmm, so only the agents get to enjoy this?
Honestly, I might be a bit jealous.
+++
“How is it? No particular problems?”
“Yes, it’s still fine.”
“The two do seem to be having some conversation, right?”
“Yes. Since the recording side says there are no issues either, we should have results soon.”
“Aah, decryption would finish quickly if we receive cooperation from other facilities.”
“What can we do? This whole thing wasn’t approved to begin with.”
If headquarters finds out about this, there will be a huge fuss.
I have no intention of unnecessarily stirring up this quiet place.
The agents here probably all think the same.
“How long will it take?”
“I don’t know. We won’t know until we try.”
I turn my gaze back to the camera feed.
Hoping nothing will happen, yet thinking that it might.
+++
“Today was super fun!”
“I had fun too.”
With a loud bell sound, Hugmon waves its hand and exits the isolation room.
As soon as it leaves and the door locks, the agents finally approach.
With glaring eyes to boot.
Ah, if I’d known this would happen, should I have been bolder and petted it more?
*Tsk*, I held back because it felt like teasing.
They’re too much.
There won’t be any reason to act annoying now.
I’ll just lie down comfortably and pass the time.
“Still can’t believe it?”
*Rustle.*
“Yeah? I thought you were stubborn to the core, but guess you’re not entirely?”
*Rustle, rustle.*
“Oh my, you’ll be cursing at people soon too?”
*Rustle.*
*Sob, sob.* Our Gochi wasn’t this kind of child, was it?
Of course, if I tease it more here, it might really try to kill me.
But there’s a reason I tease Gochi.
What is the reason?
Because it’s really fun.
There’s no grand reason.
Of course, the person in question would raise hell if they heard, but it’s fine.
It’s not like I almost blurted it out; I only thought it in my head.
It was a fun day.
At least for me.
+++
“So, it wants fresh newspapers every day?”
That it understands words through gestures alone—honestly, I can’t believe it.
And that includes hearing that the one who requested it was Scrap Iron Doll.
“So, what should we do?”
“Scrap Iron Doll wants that? Are you sure?”
“Yes, that’s what it said.”
“No, why aren’t you considering the probability that Hugmon is wrong from the start?”
Hugmon begins shaking its head violently.
Looking at it now, it does seem to be expressing negation.
“I’m the one who has to report to the Director; you don’t think about my position at all?”
“It’s true, please believe me!”
“Believe based on what?”
The agent lifts Hugmon up.
Hugmon tilts its head and looks this way.
“Here. These are truthful eyes.”
“You’ve lost your mind, you want me to report it like that?”
“It was a serious statement.”
Serious, my ass.
I seriously want to kill you.
I don’t know anymore.
“I’ll report that you insisted as much, so take full responsibility.”
“Thank you!”
*Sigh*, having to report this to the Director again.
Whatever, I’ll just say it wasn’t me.
+++
“Team Leader Cracker, deployment orders.”
Damn.
Not a single quiet day.
Though it’s a bit odd to say I want to rest while doing this kind of work.
The moment I stirred the instant coffee and licked the spoon.
I heard an annoying sound.
“What is it this time?”
“Well, Graver is approaching the rear facilities.”
Shit.
Has that unpleasant bastard shown itself again?
I had heard it was sighted in the forward sector.
When did it barge all the way to the rear facilities?
There was no time to think.
+++
“What’s the facility’s situation?”
“There’s no contact; they may have already engaged in combat.”
“Which means we can’t rule out the possibility that it broke through.”
Inside the shaking helicopter.
I have been trying to contact the facility, but there is no response.
If they’ve already been hit, it’s problematic.
We have to deal with Graver in cooperation with the facility’s internal security team.
If the security team has already been hit, our chances of success would obviously plummet.
*Sigh*, I’m going crazy.
“Team Leader, is this personnel enough?”
“We have to charge in first—what else can we do?”
Ten helicopters and fifteen tanks.
If the goal was to kill Graver, it’s a laughable number.
Of course, neutralization is the goal, but only on the condition that the facility holds.
The plan was to use the facility’s defense system as a shield to neutralize the thing.
Of course, operations that go according to plan are extremely rare.
“Fuck, no way.”
Black smoke was rising outside.
If my guess is right, that’s definitely where the facility is.
Damn, are we too late?
And it didn’t take long to encounter it.
A colossus of enormous size.
Its lower body submerged in the ground.
A body that wriggles like a worm.
Eyes that seem to have red-glowing gems embedded in them.
Designated entity: Graver.
It was the first encounter with the one called the Ruler of the Grave.