Temporary Encampment of the 1st Armored Battalion.
The atmosphere was murderous. Maintenance soldiers ran about, their faces ashen, and in the middle of it all stood Major Frederika von Kessel.
“Which bastard was it?”
In her hand was a monkey wrench. The cool-headed elite officer she usually was had vanished without a trace; she looked ready to crack someone’s skull open on the spot.
In front of her were three civilian truck drivers, bound with rope and forced to kneel.
“Who put you up to it? This sugar water—where did you load it?”
“W-we don’t know! Truly, we only brought it because they loaded it for us at the post office logistics warehouse!”
“Don’t lie! Do you think this is a toy?!”
The moment Frederika raised the wrench, I caught her wrist.
“Calm down, Major.”
“But Lieutenant Colonel! Those bastards dared to… to your command vehicle…!”
“I know. So put the wrench down. Interrogations aren’t done with fists.”
I moved her back and looked down at the trembling drivers.
‘Analyze status.’
[Name: Louis]
[Status: Had absolutely no knowledge of foreign substance contamination]
[Emotion: Injustice, fear]
It seemed he wasn’t lying. These guys had really only made the delivery.
In that case.
“You said the post office logistics warehouse?”
“Y-yes, sir! Director Jean himself ordered us to….”
Jean Bernard. Could that daughter-doting man be behind this? Impossible. He was the gentleman who had clung to my trouser leg and cried just a few days ago.
Then there was only one answer.
“Let’s go, Major. Your wrench may have some use there.”
*
Soissons Central Post Office.
This was the center of the city’s logistics, and also the place where, a few days ago, I had resolved a hostage crisis and played hero.
But the atmosphere in the post office now was strangely subdued. As soon as the employees saw us, they hurriedly lowered their heads and avoided our eyes.
‘Analyze status.’
[Target: Post Office Employee A]
[Status: Extreme tension, fear of being watched]
[Target: Post Office Employee B]
[Status: Guilt]
Something stank.
I headed straight for the director’s office. Frederika and an armed escort followed behind me.
Bang.
When I opened the door, Director Jean Bernard was sitting there with a pale face. But he wasn’t alone.
Behind him, a man in work clothes was standing there, pretending to organize documents.
“W-welcome… Commander.”
Director Jean’s voice trembled.
“It seems impurities were mixed into the tank fuel. I was told this fell under your jurisdiction, Director.”
As I approached, Director Jean opened and closed his mouth, his gaze constantly darting toward the men behind him.
‘Analyze status.’
[Name: Jean Bernard]
[Status: Being threatened, fear for daughter’s safety]
And the guy standing behind him.
[Name: Antoine]
[Affiliation: Republic Liberation Front (Operative)]
[Status: Concealing pistol inside clothing]
Bingo.
Those Resistance bastards. After the hostage crisis failed, it seemed they had changed their approach to blackmail. They were probably using Marie Bernard as bait.
“Director, you don’t look well. Have you caught a cold?”
I pretended not to know and walked up to the desk.
“T-that is….”
“Ah, I’m late with the introductions. This is Major Frederika, commander of the 1st Armored Battalion. She has quite the fiery temper, so if she catches the culprit, she may tear them apart on the spot.”
At my words, Antoine’s eyebrow twitched from where he stood behind him.
I perched on the desk and mouthed words so only Director Jean could see.
‘Is Marie safe?’
Director Jean’s eyes went wide. He shook his head ever so slightly. Not safe, then.
I shifted my gaze elsewhere. To one corner of my vision, where the [Minimap] was.
A see-through floor plan of the building unfolded. Among the many rooms, in the basement sorting room, I saw four red dots and one green dot. It was definitely Marie Bernard.
‘Situation confirmed.’
I gave a faint laugh and rose from my seat.
“Well, if you don’t know, Director, then there’s nothing to be done. I’ll just take a look around the warehouse before I go.”
I turned toward the door, then stopped with my hand on the doorframe. Then I looked back at Frederika, who stood beside me, and said,
“Ah, Major. I almost forgot.”
“Yes?”
“It seems the ventilation duct on the way down to the basement warehouse is a bit blocked. I’ll go unclog it, so you stay here and….”
I gestured with my eyes toward Antoine, standing behind the director.
“Take care of that man.”
Frederika’s eyes turned sharp. She gave a short nod.
‘Good.’
I lightly waved at Antoine and opened the director’s office door.
“Keep up the good work.”
Bang.
At the same time the door closed—
Crash—! Thud!
“Gaaah!”
A heavy impact and a short scream came from beyond the door. As expected, the wrench work of an angry gearhead hit hard.
‘Now it’s my turn.’
I stared at the [Minimap] and descended the stairs.
Basement first floor, sorting room. Beyond the iron door, I could see four red dots. They were still surrounding the green dot in the center.
I stood before the iron door and used status analysis through it.
‘Analyze status.’
[Name: Jacques]
[Status: Tense, bored]
[Name: Paul]
[Status: Desire to smoke]
Their guard was down. They must never have dreamed that the Imperial Army would barge in this far.
So now was the chance. I gripped the doorknob and took a deep breath.
‘Think.’
The moment I opened the door, it would take about 0.5 seconds for them to react. About 1.5 seconds for them to turn their muzzles toward the hostage.
The time I needed had to be shorter than that.
‘Now.’
[Activating skill ‘Bullet Time (Lv.2).’]
The world slowed. The noise grew muffled, as if underwater.
Creeeak—.
I slowly pushed the door open.
The sight of the basement sorting room unfolded in slow motion.
Marie Bernard, tied to a chair with a gag in her mouth. A face soaked in tears and terror.
Next to her, a man about to smoke a cigarette, another fiddling with cards, and another yawning with a rifle slung over his shoulder.
As the door opened, their gazes turned toward me very slowly. I could see every minute movement of their muscles: pupils dilating, mouths opening, hands moving toward guns.
I was about to draw the pistol from inside my coat, but when I saw the terrified Marie, I put it back in. Whatever. I didn’t need it.
I moved at a leisurely pace.
First, the man with the cigarette in his mouth.
I took the cigarette he had been biting and shoved it up his nostril. The hot ember seared his mucous membrane.
Second, the man fiddling with cards.
I snatched the “Ace of Spades” he was holding and neatly tucked it into his shirt pocket. Then I kicked him in the solar plexus with all my strength. The vibration of his ribs crumpling traveled slowly up through the tip of my foot.
Third, the yawning man.
This one was the most dangerous. He had a rifle slung over his shoulder. I grabbed the rifle’s leather sling and wound it around his neck. Then I twisted it once more to tighten it and hung him on the wall coat rack.
Fourth, the man behind Marie’s chair.
I grabbed the back of his head and slammed it straight into the edge of the iron table in front of him.
‘10 seconds remaining.’
I leisurely approached Marie. Her eyes were still filled with terror, lingering on the afterimage of the moment the door had opened.
I took a knife from my pocket and cut her bonds. Then I covered her ears.
3… 2… 1….
[Skill ‘Bullet Time’ has been released.]
“Huuuuup!”
Time began to flow as if a floodgate had burst.
“Aaaagh! My nose! My nose!”
“Guhk! Cough!”
“Grrrk…!”
Crash!
The four men screamed at once and were incapacitated. The one with the cigarette stuck in his nose flailed from the ember, the one hit in the solar plexus foamed at the mouth, and the one being strangled thrashed on the coat rack.
“Kyaaaah!”
Marie screamed. I gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders and whispered in her ear.
“Open your eyes, miss. It’s over.”
“What…? H-how…?”
Marie blinked in disbelief.
“Looks like the bad guys tripped over each other’s feet and fell. We got lucky.”
I answered shamelessly and stepped over the men sprawled across the floor.
“Let’s go up. Your father is waiting.”
*
When we returned to the director’s office on the first floor, the situation had already been settled.
“…….”
Major Frederika was wiping the bloodstained monkey wrench with a handkerchief. At her feet, Antoine groaned, beaten to a pulp, and Imperial soldiers surrounded him.
“Major, wasn’t that a bit too violent?”
“It is the price for putting sugar in an engine. I held back from breaking his wrists.”
She answered indifferently and tucked the wrench at her waist. With her oil-stained work uniform now smeared with blood as well, she looked exactly like a technician from a slaughterhouse.
“Marie!”
“Papa!”
Director Jean and Marie had another tearful reunion.
I watched the touching scene for a moment, then coldly cut in.
“Save the emotion for when you get home. Director, we need to settle the account.”
“S-settle the account?”
Director Jean wiped his tears and tensed.
“Two armored vehicles broke down. On top of that, I, the garrison commander, and this friend here, the armored battalion commander, had to move personally. How do you intend to handle this bill?”
“I-I have no excuse…. But I only did as I was told….”
“I know. So instead of money, I’ll accept something else.”
I sank into the director’s office chair and spoke.
“The thing you cherish most, Director.”
“……!”
Marie’s shoulders flinched.