The scene shifted to an angel name lia giving another angel name seona. You can see the frustration and annoyance on her face yet she continues on anyway.
"Look! I absolutely hate you for what you caused but I have no choice and follow commander alright?!"
She made sure she voiced out her concern as seona just tilted her head to the side cutely, making her even more frustrate for making such a scene for a simple tour.
"Arghh!! Fine! Let's move on!"
"But um—"
"The first floor only consist of lobby for guests to stay and wait and some simple bathroom for boys and girls! Nothing more!"
"Alright..."
She quietly move back her hand she stretched earlier when she tried incurring about what the ground floor is all about.
Seeing this made her sighed.
"Anyway, We're going to the second floor."
She nodded before following the still mad lia to the elevator.
...
Once the elevator opened, they were greeted by a massive flash of white light as both cover their eyes.
"Argh!! What the hel?!"
Lia complained as she stomp her way out of the elevator.
"Who the hell uses bright lights in the middle of the fucking da—"
"Huh?"
As she storm inside the second floor, she was greeted by an angel who now face plant on the ground before her.
The angel was none other than her twin sister, ria.
"Ria?! What the hell is going on here?! Why are you flashing us with that stupid annoying light?!"
She shouted, as she pointed at a massive circular flashlight that you only see on stages.
"First of all, its not a massive flashlight. It has a name."
She answered through the ground, not having any energy left to even stand up before she got interrupted by her twin sister.
"Who cares about its name! Why are you even bothering using it in the middle of the day?!"
"Its called 'Parnel' for your information. I was trying to experiment something."
"Let me guess, it failed miserably?"
"It sure is..."
She sighed.
"Um..."
The ignired seona tried to but in to their conversation yet couldn't. Not until both of them stop talking.
"Wait... You said us lia?"
Lia sighed as her twin sister just realized now that she bought someone.
"Is it aliya?"
"I wish. Its the reason why you and aliya couldn't come."
"Elaborate."
Ignoring her laziness, lia continue.
"Commander recruit someone. Her name is seona, she's from the defect section."
"Defect section?"
She repeated as she fell into confusion.
"Why would commander want a meat shield? Did he accept a new mission for us that need one?"
Seona flinched as ria considered her as a 'meat shield'. The reputation of the defect section didn't just reach all the commanders, but also other angels like them who is a rogue.
Back on their atrocious knight days, they even recruited one or two as a scape goat. The way they did it is mysterious but they sure did is what matters.
So, hearing her being categorised as a meat shield made her conclusion even more sure she was going to become one later on.
"Ugh... Tell me about it... I'm not complaining we're getting one for commander's sake, but I just couldn't understand why commander needed to do that to get her though..."
"Hm?"
She move her head and look at her, staring at those blank eyes, lia stared back.
"What do you mean? What did commander do?"
"That he—"
She stopped, then realized.
'is that why commander only brought me?'
She now understand why she was the only one who were allowed to go with him.
He didn't want to let these two know what he did or they will cause chaos. Despite her being stubborn, she's not dense. She can sense their character, and what ria and aliya is, she finally understand.
What she didn't understand is why her commander would do that? Kneeling in front of someone who is considered as a waste of space? A meat shield and a scape goat to use when you were cornered?
Why would he do that?
"Urgh... Never mind. I'm here to give her a tour."
Changing the topic, it worked. Ria tiled her head to the side as she question her.
"Why? She'll be disposed of later anyway? Why bother giving her hope she will live long?"
"You sure can talk huh?"
Lia, despite hating her, didn't have this kind of phrases she could muttered outloud yet her twin sister easily do so. They are completely different from one another, yet similar in some cases.
"Anyway, seona is her name. Seona, met my twin sister, ria."
"U-um... H-hello..."
"Hm. Not only your purpose is sad, but your personality is also pathetic huh?"
Lia sighed at her twin sister blunt answers towards seona's timid greeting. Seona flinched when she heard it. Now, she was sure she was meant to die later on and realized she was right.
Why would that commander do all of that, just for her to feed her to the enemy.
Is it to curry favor towards the emperor? Probably.
"Anyway, this is the second floor. This is the place we were going to always be when working. Think of it like a work floor or something."
She then turn around and go back towards the elevator. Seona watch her as lia goes inside and made her hesitate. Thinking she will die, why would she bother touring around when she's not gonna live long enough to use the said work floor?
"What? You're not coming?"
"A-ah!... I'm sorry!..."
She quickly hurry inside as all hesitation vanished. The annoyed look she saw were enough to erase her doubt.
"See you later ria."
"Mhm."
Both twin sister say their good bye as lia pressed the number three button on the side.
The elevator moved and slowly bring them towards their destination.
The third floor.
...
As they arrived, the elevator open. This time, instead of light, they were greeted by a massive splash of paint.
Thinking quick, lia activated her second form, transfoming to her blue armor as she immediately edited the door of the elevator into a huge one and blocked the in coming substance that is paint.
"What the heck? Even you aliya?"
Muttering in annoyance as she de-transform back to her first mode and push away the huge door of the elevator she just edited.
She was frustrated enough to be forced to tour to someone who will die later on, now she has to deal with two annoying teammates.
"What are you even doing—"
"Huh?"
She stopped, her body stiffen as she feast her eyes on whatever is in front of her.
"Lia? Your back. But, who is that?"
Aliya, holding a massive paintbrush, asked. Beside her, three massive can of paint were open as she goes back to painting—
"—the stalls?!"
Ignoring her greetings, she immediately shouted in annoyance as she scratched her head.
First, her twin sister doing some kind of strange experiment that uses flashlights, or I guess stage light, in the middle of the day. Now, its aliya painting the stalls of each section.
"Why the hell are you even bothering painting those?! Plus, some paint almost splattered on us?!"
"Calm down. I painted them because they look ordinary."
"Huh?! Then why didn't you do it yesterday or before that day?!"
"I have no time. I was..."
She was about to say stalking the commander. She wouldn't let any of them know she did that kind of thing, or else commander will be disappointed.
Seeing her hesitation, she knows she has reasons she couldn't say so she just sighed before changing the topic.
"Also, I would have preferred pink or violet more. After all, we're all girls here anyway. Why bother using black or red?"
"To have some contrast on our walls."
"Yeah yeah. Well, meet seona. She was recruited by the commander. She came from the defect section."
"Defect section?"
Seona flinched. Here it goes again, she'll probably say why would they need some meat shield.
"Why would commander recruit her? He's not going to use her in that way anyway."
Seona stopped. Her thoughts vanished as her eyes widden in shock. Did she heard that right? Another angel like her, who feels strong and reliable, said she wouldn't be a meat shield?
Someone from this platoon actually said she's not going to do what she was recruited for? Why?
And who is that man, the commander that recruited her for his angel to think this way?
You should know, other angels also acknowledged the presence and purpose of an angel that came from the defect section like all the commanders. Yet, aliya denied that. Instead, she insist her commander, now her commander too, is not like that?
"What do you mean?"
Lia raise one of her eyebrow as she asked aliya. Not being long to the team, she still didn't understand some of their commander's actions.
"Ever since we were kids, commander is different. He always do the opposite to what others do. Just like what I said, its strange for commander to recruit her since she won't be a meat shield for him to use. Maybe she's useful than the eye meet."
She scan the stiffened seona as seona swallowed her explanation. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
Someone recruit an angel from the defect section and not use her as they were known for?
Why?
"Why?..."
A low, almost quiet voice asked. Yet, despite it being so low, both lia and aliya heard it.
"Well. He's just different from the rest. That's all."
"Different... From the rest?..."
The expression on her face were unknown.
"Different huh?"
Lia, beside seona, nodded. She was right. Throughout all the commanders she met and killed, there were none like their commander.
He didn't treat angels as weapon or tools to use and discarded later when they become useless. Instead, he treated them as
Family
"Heh... I guess I was still stuck at my old logic. I forgot I have a very different commander now."
Realizing this, she smirked before patting seona's back.
"Sorry there. I forgot he's not like any commander you know. The commander I know wouldn't treat you as a meat shield or something."
"Huh?... R-really?..."
Lia nodded, that answer spark something she quite didn't expect. It was called hope.
"Lia's right. The angel beside you isn't a archi when we met, she was a rogue. A very ruthless one at that."
"Hey! Stop altering the story!"
"At that time, we were enemies. If we fought, she and the angel you met below would've died to me without any struggle. Yet look where they are now. Happy and living what an angel were meant to be."
She smiled, step close and patted her on the head.
"So whatever you had inside your mind, erase them. Because that will never happen on his watch."
Her eyes widden for the second time. Was she relaly telling the truth?
"She's right you know? Me and my twin sister were rogue. Basically a fugitive, yet commander gave us another chance to redeem ourselves."
She sighed and scratched the back of her head in frustration.
"I'm so stupid! Why didn't me and ria thought commander is different? Of course he's not gonna use you as a meat shield, rather, he'll probably treat you like what he treat the rest of us."
Aliya then finishes it.
"He's just that kind of person you know? Our commander that is."
She smiled.
With that, the dread and fear she felt vanished. If such angels like aliya and lia, who she felt unbelievably strong, describe her now commander, feels like they were telling the truth.
Plus, her gut says so too. When he first lock eyes with that guy, her commander, she felt she could rely and trust.
She felt she could lean in and confess every problem she faced and he would listen.
She felt he wouldn't abandoned her.
She felt, she will finally be able to taste what kind of feelings it was to have a family.
As she reel on her emotions, aliya quickly pick back her paintbrush she dropped earlier and continue painting.
"Well, we glad to have you, seona. Now, if you excuse me, I'll continue painting here."
Despite aliya being doubtful about other angels her commander picked up, she couldn't ignore they were chosen by her commander. Without hesitation too, like he knew they wouldn't do anything bad at him if he set such situations on each of them.
Like ria, completely offering himself at her mercy.
Or lia, who gave her patience she needed the most.
So she set her cautiousness and let seona, who came from such controversial place, to ease up and bring back the hospitality atmosphere that she needed to show.
"A-alright..."
Seona nodded akwardly as she watch aliya going back into her painting phase.
...
Hm... I didn't expect this...
In the game, aliya weren't a fan of me bringing someone from that section yet right now, her reaction is vastly different from the aliya in the game.
If I remember, she hated that place the most. So what's up with this new reaction?
Normally, she would have scoff and complete ignore the newly recruit seona yet its completely the opposite here.
I wonder what changed, and why?
Well, that works on my favor too so I gladly accept this unexpected outcome whether its weird or not.
While I was watching them from the cctv set up at the very corner of the room, I grab my mug full of coffee and gently sip.
Even coffee is almost as the same back in my world huh?
Anyway, skipping the coffe part, my eyes were grabbed by the sudden poster beside my computer.
On it, listed a bunch of [Wanted] rogue angels with bounties beside them.
Since I 'completed' ziyan's extermination quest, I wanted to accept a quite few more.
This time, to actually kill them.
Since ziyan is one of my angels to be recruited, I ordered kisha to manipulate the quest into completion.
Since with her around, I didn't need any evidence. Matter of fact, she IS the evidence. Any word from her will be approved by the association anyway.
But, some of these rogue angels are actually need to be killed.
For example...
My thoughts stopped, staring at one particular bounty poster. I grabbed it and tightened my fist as my eyes flicked with anger.
"[Ashiyama]..."
In a ver low, unrecognisable tone, I muttered the name on that poster as anger flashed on my face.
[Ashiyama]. Also known as the [Mad Dog].
Currently, her bounty sit at 1,500,000 berry. A very well known and dangerous individual currently active.
The reason why is she's unexpectedly unstable. That is right, her character in the game, and in real life here, is pretty much the same.
Are you curious why she was called the mad dog? That is because, she declare a very ridiculous amount of unrecognise words at you before killing you.
She will mock you, condemn you, or curse at you, it doesn't matter.
She will bark and bite the next instance she finishes the barking part.
That's not all, her temperament of being easily provoked is well known throughout the rogue world.
And once you made her angry, pray she will end it in an instance instead of letting you live because I promise you, at the end of it, you will be wishing you were dead instead of her letting you left alive.
The reason why I needed her gone is because she will switch sides. Not on us, but on the invaders themselves.
And with her second mode, she'll be super helpful on their side.
[Alchemy]. That is her second mode. The description of her second mode in the game is very simple. As long as you have the right material she whip up any kind of potion you want.
Not only that, she is also the creator of the [Nano Chemical]. A technology that should be able to be invented by someone like her, an alchemist.
Nano chemical is micro robots that contains every kinds of chemical that is currently existing.
And the way she used it is like how you swing your sword. That's right, she made it as her 'weapon' to fight people with.
Its also the very reason why we lost and have to run away five years in the future.
Since the start of invaders breaching the frontlines, ashiyama saw this as an opportunity for her interests and invested on the now bold invaders.
Hence why she switched side and helped those bastards win.
And when we cornered her, I asked a question that made my blood boil.
"Why should I care? After all, its all an experiment to me. Why would I be fixated on fixing something that couldn't be fixed? For example, the world."
After saying those words, she smiled before I sliced her neck in half. I killed her, yet regreted asking her a question.
You should have not said that, ashiyama. Because now, I'll make you suffer the most.
I'm not going to kill you. I'm going to make you taste every single hatred I have.
I will do the same thing you did to me.
I will let you experience first hand on how to be 'experimented' on.
My mouth slowly rise as I imagine the pain I will inflict on her once I get my hands on her.
"Commander!"
I was snapped back into the reality when lia called out to me. She enthusiasticly kick the door open and step inside. Behind her, the usual timid and shy seona followed.
"Lia."
The hatred I felt and the dark thoughts vanished once I saw her face. The once angry eyes turn into gentle and smiled at them.
"Seona, you're here too. I assume the tour is done?"
I tilted my head as I relax my chin on top of palm which was rested on my table. Hearing me, she nodded and pointed herself before porudly declaring like she won or something.
"Yup! I aced it!"
I giggle at her enthusiastic. Despite being a very hard tsundere, she also seek praise and attention from those she cared about.
"Good job."
She smiled once hearing my praise and brush her nose in not so humble response.
"He! Of course! Who do you think I am?"
With that proud tone, I concluded it and turn my attention beside her. Seona, the angel who will carry us from now on.
"I reckon you know who I am right?"
"Mhm..."
She nodded, almost hesitant yet comply anyway. Despite the rumours about being recruited as a meatshield, I saw her at least being comfortable around me.
"But I'm curious commander, why would we need her? I mean, you have me, ria, and aliya. Three of us alone is perfect for whatever you are planning right?"
I chuckled and shook my head.
"I recruit her not because I am underestimating your capabilities nor ria and aliya. I recruited her because she will be very valuable starting from now. Plus, we needed a new family member anyway right? Why not let her join in?"
"Val... Uable?... Fam... Ily?..."
I saw seona's eyes widden in shock.
...
When I was born, everyone condemned me. I was forced into constant bullying on the academy before being placed at the misfit section of the recruitment station.
I don't have any friends.
I don't know who my families are.
I have nothing on my life.
Not until I was accepted by the emperor. That's what I thought at first, but it was all the same anyway.
I was still being condemn even at the most incapable section of recruitments.
I still have no friends.
I still don't have any family.
And I was being forced to do anything they wanted. I hated it. I hated being like this. I hated feeling this way, yet I couldn't do anything.
How could I? I was born like this.
Yet...
I stare at the man in front of me, my now commander, and widden my eyes in shock.
Why?...
I questioned myself.
Why did you only appeared now?...
I thought. My mind is in chaos from what's happening. It couldn't believe I was actually in front of someone I was wishing ever since I was a child.
Back then, when the world turn its back on me, I wished for someone to be on my side. To find me valuable. To find me for who I am, not because of any external nor internal reason.
I selfishly wanted someone who could accept me, yet it was left unanswered.
Not until now, the man—no, my commander in front of me appeared.
He said he needed me...
He said he would accept me as his family...
He said... He said I was the only one he needed back in that hell hole...
At first, I was skeptical. Did such person really exists? The selfish wish I was desperately needed came true?
No... Calm down... It might just be like that time when I was accepted at that hell hole. He might have ulterior motive for recruiting me—
"Why?..."
I asked, shadow envelop my face as he stare at my unreadable expression.
"Why?"
He tilted his head before smiling.
"Do I need a reason?"
Then, it shattered. Something shattered inside my mind that I was unaware of. The was that was shattered is not a mirror, but a glass of uncertainty and doubt of my selfishness.
"Valuable or not, I would have still recruited you anyway."
'That's not a lie. I actually liked her character despite being a tyrant inside the game'
I wasn't able to read his thoughts, but by the look of his face, he was telling the truth.
"H-huh?..."
I looked down, my hand were soaked by a small like droplet that dripped on my hand unbeknownst to me.
I...
Was crying?
"Huh?... Why... Am I crying?..."
Lia on the side flinched, she has this expression of 'what the heck?' as tears run down on my cheeks.
"Its okay. Don't cry."
I didn't seem to noticed he was already in front of me as he gently wipe my face from those cruel tears I unexpectedly produce.
"I'm here. I'm not leaving you. Valuable or not, you are now a member of this family."
Family.
Ah. So this is how it feels?
The feeling of having a family.
The feeling of relying my back, my front, my everything to a person I trust?
Is this how those angels felt when they were accept by the emperor?
If so, then I don't want it to end.
"Commander!!!"
Tears came out even more intensely as my body launch itself on him with my head rested gently on his now reliable chest.
"Commander!..."
"Yes. I'm here."
He replied softly as wrapped my arms around him all of a sudden. Yet he didn't get mad nor criticise it. He accepted it like it was natural.
"Commander..."
"Don't worry, I won't leave you nor abandon you. That, I promise you."
I felt his soft hand as he gently rub my head in pure warmth that I wasn't able to feel.
"Comm... Ander..."
My eyes suddenly felt heavy as I looked up, afraid he will vanished once I blink. When my eyes met with his, it was still the same as when we first met.
He still wore that kind and gentle eyes when I first saw it. There were no malicious intent behind, only pure warmth that I was jealous of.
Ah... I finally able to... Feel what its like... To be...
Cared.
...
"Lia."
My body stiffened as I snapped out of my trance. Earlier, I sae the new recruit became strange in front of commander.
It felt like, she suddenly changed because she realized something. It almost familiar, like I already have seen it.
Ah!... That's right... How could I forget?
I was the same.
Back then, me and my twin sister were betrayed by the very man we trusted. It made us twisted, hating on every commander we encounter and kill them.
Without any hesitation, we didn't care whether there's many type of commander.
Not until we met commander. No, I'm not talking about that bastard. I'm talking about my commander now.
At that time... He could have killed us using aliya. He should have, because why not? Me and my twin sister were rogue. A well known fugitive that have a huge bounties on our heads and a member of one of the most well known organisation called atrocious knights...
Yet he didn't.
He didn't killed us when he has the power, rather, he helped us.
Can't you believe it?
I could proudly say this because I encounter my fair share of commanders duing my rogue days. And can you believe it? They all wanted us dead.
Yet commander didn't killed us.
The emotion of the newly recruited angel from that misfit of a section must be feeling the same as I was when he accepted me.
Trypical commander.
Hmph!
I cutely rejected him inside my thoughts before he called out to me again.
"Bring her upstairs for me, will you?"
I saw his pleading smile as I pouted, acting like I was protesting on him because I couldn't let out what I truly feel.
"Hmph! Fine! But don't expect me to treat her gently okay?!"
Throwing tantrum like a child, I scoop up the now sleeping seona from his arms and cary her in a princess style.
"Thank."
"H-hmph!... I-Its not like I wanted you to praise me or anything!"
I heard him giggle which made my already embarrassed 'rejection' even deeper.
...
As I saw them leave the room, I was done.
But... This is unexpected.
Another one.
Just like lia and ria, I was able to made seona open up to me instead of making her timid and fear me.
Whatever is boosting this, I wouldn't complain. And since it works on every angel I wanted to recruite, I see no problem with it helping me.
Whatever 'force' was helping me, I was thankful.
In the game, you needed at least three years to raise her affection before receiving such scene. Basically, you will get the scene that just happened moments ago when you wait for three years on top of some quests here and there.
Yet, I completed it very easily.
As for why it is important, it is a sign that you might unlock the third mode on her.
Maybe this is my cheat after being reincarnated on this world? I mean, now that I realized it, I don't even have a system nor at least retain the system like inside the game.
If what I was implying is true, then this is one hell a of cheat.
Because if the theory of unlocking their third mode through affections is true, then I can activated it on every single angels on my platoon.
"Anyway, I guess I'll start."
With a determine declation, I set my eyes on the wanted poster and grabbed it.
...
"Urghh!! Why do we have to be in here exactly commander?"
Lia complained as she cut some tall grass that almost cover her entirely using her dagger. Riaon the other hand didn't say anything, just quietly follow behind me.
"Stop complaining and get on with it, lia."
Before I could respond, aliya beat me to it and scolded the now annoyed lia. She click her tounge in dissatisfaction as she continue weeding out tall grass on her way.
Seona was also quiet like ria, following me closely as she scan our surrounding. Right now, she might not have her second mode activated but her first made can make it up.
True to her title as monster, her senses even in her first mode is outrageous. She can sense anything unusual within 100 meters around her with practical ease, that's what the description of her says in the game.
As for where we are, it is where we will find one of the materials for her second mode.
Just like aliya, she too can forced her way to unlock her second mode. But unlike aliya who needed invader's cores, seona needed three materials to unlock her second mode.
First is the heart of a [Titled] invaders.
Oh, did I forget to tell you guys there's three types of invaders? Well, now I'l explain it.
First and foremost, the [Mob]. The very basic invaders that you usually see first. You know, the one you usually engage on any situation.
In order to defeat them, first mode angels are enough.
But the second one is very tricky. Because the second in rankings is called [Titled]. They are the very essence of why angels such as aliya and others exists.
It is their blood that made them who they are right now and the very source of their powers. And in order to defeat them, you either needed second mode or third mode. That's what the game is but since I haven't discovered or I guess unlocked any third mode, second mode is enough at least.
And the last one is called [Named] invaders. They are practically legends, myth that people either thought to be real or fake. And much worse, you needed third mode for it, that's what the game description said but personally, I haven't encounter one.
So, one of the material for seona's second mode is where we are currently.
...
"This should be it."
I stand proudly as I find a pretty huge cave yet it completely camouflage itself on the ground.
If I didn't know this, I wouldn't even know where it is. It is perfectly hiding in plain sight.
"Uh... So what are we doing in front of a huge cave that I didn't even noticed?!"
Lia complained yet amazed at the same time as it by passes her senses completely. Unless I took them here, they wouldn't even noticed this.
"Right. Its strange commander. Why is there such hidden cave on the frontline?"
That's right, what aliya asked is true. We are currently on the frontline.
Not actually in front, but at least close to it.
"Two years ago, a huge dragon robotic appeared and disrupt the stalemate at the frontline, tilting the favour on the opposite side. Yet, one year later, a commander step up with his angels and they made it fall back."
All eyes bore at me as I continue explaining what this cave is and why it felt exceptionally despite looking like normal cave outside.
"Do you know where that dragon invader retreated?"
"I... I heard its neour boarders..."
Seona, having burry herself in study and always updated on the current news, muttered softly beside ria. They all turned their heads and stare at her, not expecting she has such knowledge when they didn't.
The stare made her slightly shiver as she hover closely towards me and softly grab the end of my sleeve, looking like a pitiful dog with her ears down and slowly turning read from their attention.
I smiled and gently patted her head. She flinched before accepting it like it was natural.
"That's right. Good job seona. And where do you think it hid?"
Then, realization struck all three of my angels in front of me.
"Don't tell me its this cave?!"
Lia shouted, her mouth hang low as she stared at the cave in disbelief.
"If it get out, the consequences it could deal is..."
"Astronomical."
Aliya finished what ria was about to say. All three swallowed their silava as they stared at the now ominous cave.
You have to remember, this is reality now. Titled invaders are practically almost impossible to defeat as no one, except the general, have the capabilities to kill them.
Even the commander who drove it away were unsuccessful on killing it, hence why it was hiding here. Trying to recover what it has loss while hiding at the enemy side.
After all, the safest place is right under your enemy's nose. And the dragon did just that, hiding perfectly in plain sight while having an easy access on the enemy camp once it fully recovered.
"And you're telling us to kill it?"
I smirked at lia's question.
"Of course."
__________
To be continued
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