The next morning, I received news from Grelmure through the house's landline phone that starting today I could stay in the headquarters barracks.
Ohh… I was very happy to hear that. Luckily, my stock of food ingredients was just enough for this one last breakfast I cooked, because even though they were continuously stored in the refrigerator, their quality kept declining. Grelmure said I did not need to worry about food and clothing because everything was already provided there. Indeed, besides being much closer, I would no longer have to spend money on meals and laundry.
And most importantly, I could try visiting Hellraider's house several times.
Upon arriving at the headquarters, just like yesterday, Gruzhnil welcomed me, and the four of us immediately headed back to the military order's base complex. This time we drove to the storage and maintenance building for The Graendall's shuttlecraft. We met the head of production.
Hellraider and I walked to one of the shuttles, and the head of production explained the parts of the craft to us. These shuttles were all the same size as the one I saw for the first time—larger than a helicopter but slightly smaller than my country's military logistics aircraft. The shuttles were armed with machine guns and rocket launchers, and some were already equipped with lasers.
The head of production called over the soldier who served as a pilot to demonstrate the flight. All of us except Grelmure boarded the shuttle and headed into the cockpit. Hellraider and I were explained how to pilot it. The shuttle flew only once around the building and then landed again.
I wondered whether Hellraider had been able to understand everything the head of production and the pilot had said since yesterday. I saw Hellraider remain silent and not utter a single word. Honestly, I felt that Hellraider already knew everything, as if there was some strong connection in every world he entered in the gameplay.
We moved on to another building, which this time was the production facility for ground combat vehicles and bipedal robots. I saw that the combat vehicles here still used off-road tires. The head of production said that these military vehicles continued to use conventional wheels to facilitate traversal across terrain that tended to have many rocky valleys.
The Graendall-style tanks had actually existed for hundreds of years, back when technology was not as advanced as it is now, and they were still being produced, though not in large numbers.
Then we were taken to the bipedal robot production unit. Several robots were already fitted with various kinds of weapons. They stood at around five meters tall. Each robot was operated by a single soldier.
We went to one robot that had not yet been equipped with any weapons, and the controls were explained to us. I took the initiative to try using it by asking permission from Gruzhnil, and he immediately allowed it.
I tried to follow the instructions explained by one of the pilots. At first I was clumsy and almost fell over. Grelmure looked very anxious watching what I was doing. After a while, I was able to control it and walk around smoothly and steadily. Thankfully, there were no weapons installed; if there had been, I could have endangered others.
After taking a few steps, I decided to turn back and end it there. Actually, each robot model was equipped with booster rockets on its back to allow it to ascend or descend between terrains of different heights. However, I did not want to use that feature because it could be even more dangerous than weapons if a mistake occurred.
Commander Gruzhnil then took us to the final location, which was the storage and maintenance building for the Graganthurion giant robots. I wondered why Hellraider was not given the opportunity to try piloting the bipedal robot earlier. Had Gruzhnil already known that such robots would be too easy for Hellraider?
We arrived at the giant robot storage building. The head of maintenance said that there were currently twenty-five Graganthurion units, with each building storing five units. We entered one of the buildings and saw several workers repairing small components, while others were cleaning them. The head of maintenance said that the Graganthurion stood about eighty meters tall. I saw that its design was almost similar to Commander Gruzhnil's full armor, but without the mantle and cloak.
We went to one Graganthurion robot that had just finished being cleaned and repaired. Gruzhnil invited Hellraider and me to enter the robot's main control room. We took the elevator available at each robot station. When we entered, the control room was located in its head. Inside, there was only a control setup for one person.
Commander Gruzhnil then explained the control components to us and said that he himself had piloted the Graganthurion several times. The controls consisted of advanced wireless gloves, a small support seat meant only for leaning, and pedal-like devices to move the robot's legs.
Suddenly, Gruzhnil asked me to have Hellraider try it. I was quite surprised to hear that—apparently he simply wanted Hellraider to try one of The Graendall's strongest military assets. After I conveyed his words to Hellraider, he immediately climbed into the pilot seat and activated all the robot's systems.
I could hear the robot's engines begin to work, and the view ahead of us started to open outward. Everyone outside immediately moved to the sides. Hellraider put on the gloves, and the robot's arms began to rise, following his movements.
Hellraider's feet started moving the pedals, and instantly the robot walked out from its station and exited the building. I was in awe of his ability to control this giant robot on the first try. Gruzhnil said that the robot was also equipped with booster rockets, but they only functioned if the pilot wanted to leap smoothly across a chasm.
Hellraider then accelerated the robot's steps toward an open area and suddenly activated the booster rockets and jumped. My heart felt like it was about to leap out of my chest seeing Hellraider's action. Fortunately, the robot was able to descend and land smoothly with the help of those rockets.
"Hahahaha… Sir Hellraider certainly knows how to show off. I did not expect him to surprise us in that way," Gruzhnil said while laughing, after having been startled like me.
Hellraider immediately walked back toward the station building. Gruzhnil said that the Graganthurion wielded the same weapons as ordinary soldiers, only on a much larger scale, stored in the central part of the complex.
I remembered that in the gameplay, The Graendall used the Graganthurion to face Arch-Judgementor and Arch-Licot, which were giant versions of those hell monsters. They were located around the central region of Azkerath's domain.
After we finished riding the robot and completed the tour introducing the military order's assets directly, Gruzhnil told me that next would be physical and survival training according to The Graendall's rules, which would begin tomorrow. As for Hellraider, his next activities would be adjusted separately. We returned to headquarters, and I was free to rest.
Grelmure and I walked to the headquarters barracks. Upon arrival, the barracks chief was already there to welcome us. The barracks building was also large, consisting of five floors. Each floor was occupied by soldiers of different ranks. The upper floors were inhabited by The Graendall's high-ranking officers.
I was directed only to the ground floor, where there were additional rooms. When I entered, there was a row of cubicles that functioned as private rooms. I also saw several soldiers there immediately salute Grelmure and the barracks chief.
I occupied one of the sleeping quarters. The room was separated by walls that did not reach the ceiling, and the front was left open. Beside the bed there was also a wardrobe. The barracks chief pointed toward the back where the bathroom was located. Meals were provided three times a day in the hall. Laundry did not need to be worried about because there were already staff for that as well. He said that if I was still confused about anything, I could simply ask the soldiers there.
I thanked him. Grelmure and the barracks chief then left me. Shortly after, the soldiers in that room approached me and wanted to chat with me. I gladly accepted and was invited to a corner of the room that was fairly spacious and carpeted. The soldiers said they already knew about me from the colosseum incident. They wanted to know where I actually came from, how I could end up stranded in the realm of terror, and what my relationship was with the person they called "The Beast."
I actually did not want to tell too much, especially since I did not yet know them well. But they seemed very enthusiastic about this shocking event, and I had already become part of their shared room. I thought it would be better to tell them rather than risk being ostracized later.
I told them all the events starting from the invasion of hell monsters in my world, how I was thrown into the realm of terror—though I fabricated the reason again—and what I faced in that realm along with Hellraider.
I did not tell them that all of this happened because a game called The Mayhem had become reality, about Simone "discarding" me into the portal, my meeting with my father and Uncle Jenkin, or how I survived Hellraider's brutality simply by uttering the beginning of his name. I thought it was too personal and would create new problems if told.
The soldiers looked stunned and amazed upon hearing my story. They stared wide-eyed when they learned that The Beast was actually nicknamed Hellraider by the demons in the realm of terror. They praised me—someone who was not a soldier—for being able to survive in that realm and even interact with Hellraider, who had nearly taken my life many times.
One of the soldiers asked whether I had been granted a miracle by the archangel Marsiel. Smiling, I said that I did not know for sure and that I had never heard the name Marsiel before being stranded here.
Night fell, and I was invited by the soldiers of my shared room to have dinner together in the barracks hall. It turned out that many other soldiers welcomed my presence here. Apparently, I had indeed become that well-known. Honestly, I wondered whether this was good or would create new problems for me in the future.
Did they also know that I had already met Emperor Gregustus? What were their opinions about Hellraider? What I knew from the lore and gameplay was that The Graendall soldiers felt very wary and tended to be fearful when near Hellraider.
The next morning, I was awakened rather firmly by one of the soldiers.
Oh yes, today I was to undergo The Graendall's military physical training. I got up and immediately ran outside the barracks following that soldier. Behind the barracks building, there turned out to be a wide area that had been specially prepared as a military training field. I was told to line up with others whom I saw as dozens of cadets.
A soldier, shouting loudly from a podium in front of the formation, began giving instructions about today's training. I heard that this was similar to standard military training in my own country.
I began undergoing the training. Somehow, I did not find it very challenging. I could pass through all the training courses that were given.
Was it because my experience surviving in the hell realm had greatly increased my physical abilities? Perhaps that was the biggest factor. I was able to complete it better than the average cadet here.
After finishing all the training until midday, one of the soldiers—who turned out to be an instructor—praised me and allowed me to rest freely. I thanked him and immediately left the field, where many cadets were still being punished for failing to complete the training properly.
I returned to the barracks to bathe, change clothes, and eat lunch. I wanted to visit Hellraider's house. I drove a go-kart that had previously been authorized by the transportation unit under Grelmure's name.
When I arrived at Hellraider's residence, I did not find him in the front yard where he usually trained with melee weapons. Was Hellraider inside the house? I felt very reluctant to knock on his door. If he opened the door and saw only me standing there, he would most likely looked angry and slam it shut immediately.
I decided to wait around the yard instead. As I walked around enjoying the view from the foothills, suddenly from the direction of the rocky river I saw someone standing a bit far from its edge. This felt rather strange to me, and I wanted to see who that person was.
Suddenly, for the first time in Grivendal, my interface slot appeared again. I was quite startled to see it and immediately remembered the binoculars I had. I took them out and looked through them to see who that person was.
As I had suspected, it turned out to be Hellraider.
I immediately headed toward the river with my go-kart. Fortunately, there was a road that this vehicle could pass through. After reaching the lower area, I parked it a little distance away from where Hellraider was standing. I walked toward him. As if sensing my presence, Hellraider turned his body toward me. His arms remained folded across his chest.
I saw his eyes slightly widen, his facial expression somewhere between surprise and irritation.
Ohhh… did Hellraider still not want me to approach him?