Chapter 149: Troublesome Person

The Silver Sword Wings Assault medal was generally as I expected in appearance. It was a sword-shaped medal with a sword guard that looked like outspread wings. The only thing that surprised me was a red jewel embedded at the center of the sword guard.

This certainly made it quite eye-catching. It was interesting to see how shocked the military officers in the base were whenever they saw me walking around with the shiny, new Silver Sword Wings Assault medal pinned on my chest.

It certainly satisfied my petty sense of vanity. I’ve already walked around the base for a few minutes. But then, I suddenly saw someone up ahead who I really didn’t want to meet. It was a beautiful young woman with golden blond hair, ruby-red eyes, and a pair of swords strapped to her thin waist.

“Congratulations on receiving the Silver Sword Wings Assault medal.”

“Thanks. Congratulations on receiving the Bronze Shield Wings medal as well, major.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“I’ll be on my way then.”

I tried to walk past her but had my shoulder firmly gripped from the side. May! Heeelp! I was looking to May for help, but she just stood there with her usual blank look and didn’t seem to mind Major Serena’s actions.

“Master. Since meeting with the major is something unavoidable at this point, it would be best not to put up any meaningless resistance.”

“Ara. You’re unexpectedly quite reasonable, aren’t you? Some people here though……”

“I just don’t give up that easily.”

But anyway, it really was next to impossible to ignore Major Serena at this point, so I guess I’ll just have to give up here and follow her.

“So, what now? You want me to shut up and follow you?”

“It’s great that you’re quick on the uptake. It would be nice if you were cooperative right from the start though.”

“That is that and this is this. So where are we going anyway? You’re not telling me you wanna go to my ship, are you?”

“In fact, that would be preferable. I need to talk with your crew as well after all.”

“Seriously…?”

Major Serena already started walking ahead of me, so I had no choice but to follow after her. May followed behind both of us quietly.

“There’s a lot I want to ask, but…… first, can you tell me about those swords strapped to your waist?”

“We got them from Earl Daleinwald. They were originally owned by that bastard son of his we beat up black and blue, and his father just shoved it to me as part of the spoils.”

“H-Huh……?”

Major Serena froze up in bewilderment after hearing my casual reply.

“Uh, what did the earl say again? Um, our act of barging in on a duel unannounced was a bit uncalled for, but since we beat his son, the swords were still rightfully ours as the ultimate victors. Something like that anyway.”

“……I see.”

After hearing me elaborate, Major Serena nodded lightly in acknowledgment and then turned her gaze toward May next.

“So, this is May, I presume?”

“That’s right. She looks like a normal maid at first glance, but she’s actually a lot more powerful than your average power armor.”

“I see. How long have you had her?”

“Mm, she’s been with us since that incident on Sierra III.”

“Yes, that is the case.”

“Sierra III, huh…… I believe I didn’t see her back then though?”

“She was cooped up inside Krishna back then.”

“Yes. A chance for us to meet at that time did not present itself.”

“I see……”

Major Serena didn’t manage to board Krishna and go binge drinking at that time after all. And I also didn’t feel the need to introduce May to her back then as well.

“May is an independent advance AI with a state-of-the-art high-spec positron brain after all. I have no intention of treating her as a mere object or tool.”

“I know. Just what do you regard me as anyway?”

After sulking for a bit, Major Serena shook her head in exasperation. I find you as an overbearing, really clingy, and troublesome imperial military major. If I said that to her face, I have no doubt she’d clobber me till I’m half-dead.

“So what’s your business with me anyway? If it’s for the military’s request, you could have just sent the details to the Mercenary Guild.”

“Don’t be so prickly. You have no idea how beneficial it is to cozy up to someone like me, you know.”

“Say something like that once you actually bring me those so-called ‘benefits’…… Unfortunately, you’ve brought me nothing but trouble ever since I met you.”

“I can say the same for you as well.”

Major Serena retorted with pursed lips. Beautiful women always look cute no matter what they do huh? Hahaha.

“Are you talking about the incident on Sierra III? C’mon, major. We just gave you the opportunity to pay up your debts at that time you know?”

However, I am not the type to fall for such petty tricks. I spent every day surrounded by beauties like Mimi, Elma, and the perfect maidroid May after all. No matter how beautiful Major Serena might be, I will not be easily swayed. And furthermore, Major Serena was an absolute trouble-magnet, so unless she gets rid of that quality of hers, I won’t flinch in the slightest no matter how cute she looks.

Eh? What about the mechanic sisters, you ask? Sure, they’re cute, but laying my hands on them smelled like a crime…… although it technically isn’t a crime. But I’m a responsible adult. Honestly though. It’s complicated y’know? If they seriously came at me with that intention, I’m not really confident I can withstand the temptation, to be honest.

“Okay, okay, I understand…… Mou. Would it kill you to act gentlemanly for once……?”

“It’s not like I hate you, okay. You just seem really troublesome.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

Major Serena’s brows furrowed in displeasure. C’mon, major. That’s a waste of your beautiful face.

“It’s just that Major Serena’s position is very troublesome for me in a sense. But I don’t really hate your character. How do I put it? You’re usually a high-flying and competent career woman most of the time, but you sometimes act like a ditzy and cute maiden in your private life. That’s how I see you anyway.”

“Ditzy…… and cute?”

“The crucial point is that you seem far too perfect usually. If you were equally as perfect in your private life, I would probably find it even harder to approach you.”

“I’m not sure if I should be glad about that evaluation though…… Anyway, you actively try to avoid me just for that reason?”

“You really are a troublesome person in various senses, after all, major……”

“Can you stop it with that ‘troublesome’ thing Normally, people would be really hurt if you tell them that to their face.”

Haah. The major really is a troublesome woman after all.

“Okay. First, let’s have you realize just how troublesome you are, major. If I say or do something that seems remotely bad in other people’s eyes to you, I wonder what kind of actions your family will take? You’re the daughter of a marquis after all.”

“I can’t help being born to such a family, okay.”

“So let’s just take it as fate then.”

“You don’t really pull any punches, do you…… Haah.”

Major Serena shrugged helplessly and sighed. Yep, that’s it. That’s exactly it.

“But there’s no denying Major Serena is a really cute girl, so it’s not like I ain’t tempted. As a healthy male that is. But you are really high up in the social ladder after all, and I can’t actually afford to lay my hands on the daughter of a marquis y’know. As a result, you are someone I need to try and actively avoid. It would be too late if I made a mistake I couldn’t possibly take back after all.”

“Is that your idea of cheering me up or something?”

“I’m just saying I don’t actually hate you, major. It’s just that you’re too troublesome for me, so I end up trying to avoid you all the time.”

“As I thought, you’re trying to pick a fight with me, aren’t you? I’m gonna beat you up you know?”

“Please don’t, major. I’d probably die from your beating, okay.”

I raised my hands in surrender as Major Serena put her hand on her sword’s handle. We kept bantering like that until we reached Black Lotus.

“Major.”

“Good work, soldier. Sorry about this.”

“It’s no trouble, ma’am.”

We found Major Serena’s subordinates standing by inside the hangar. There were three of them. One was a buff-looking young male soldier. He was Lieutenant Robbitson, who was Major Serena’s adjutant. The other two were young female soldiers whose names I didn’t know. This was the average number of soldiers for official visits like this.

“It’s been a while, lieutenant. Let me show you around my new ship.”

“Yes, it truly has. Congratulations on receiving the Silver Sword Wings Assault medal by the way.”

“Thank you. I’m the person who received the award, but I still can’t get a handle on how big of a deal it is.”

“Hahaha, that’s to be expected.”

I’m quite familiar with Lieutenant Robbitson. I used to meet him all the time when I served as the advisor for Major Serena’s fleet and taught them pirate-hunting tactics. I don’t know the other two’s names, but they do look familiar.

But why are they giving me those admiring looks though……? I wanted to ask, but Major Serena already walked ahead, so the four of us followed suit. I decided to ignore the reactions of the four people with me regarding the luxurious interior of Black Lotus and went straight to the dining room where Mimi and Elma were waiting. I couldn’t see the mechanic sisters anywhere. I wonder if they locked themselves up inside their room?

“I’m back. Where’s Tina and Whisker?”

“They said they didn’t want to get in the way of the discussion with the soldiers, so they holed up inside their room.”

“I think it’s better if they participate actually since the content of this meeting will affect our next set of activities moving forward.”

“I did tell them that earlier though.”

Elma shrugged helplessly. Those two are strangely reserved at times.

“Sorry, Mimi, but can you call those two for me?”

“Understood.”

“You should make yourselves comfortable in the meantime. I’m not really particular about the seating order, so just sit where you like. May, can you get everyone a bottle of water please.”

“Certainly.”

Mimi started fiddling with her tablet terminal after giving a sidelong glance at the officers from the anti-pirate independent fleet while May went off to prepare some drinks. It would have also been fine if I served them a cup of coffee or tea brewed by Tetsujin V, but I didn’t want to bother with asking their preferences.

“Um, I guess the reason for your visit today is due to that matter, right? The request from the military, I mean.”

“That’s correct. We wouldn’t be able to convey some of the details accurately if we just simply went through the Mercenary Guild. That’s why we chose to talk to you directly. So take this as being a direct request to you instead of something issued by the Mercenary Guild.”

“I see. Are you fine with that, Elma? Mimi?”

“Uhuh.”

“Yes.”

“There you go then…… But hold on a bit. We have crew members affiliated with the Space Dwerg company with us. I’ll have those girls participate in this meeting as well.”

“Those girls, huh…… It seems the number of women in your ship has increased again?”

I shrugged my shoulders helplessly at Major Serena, who was giving me a really cold glare.

“I’m not sure why you’re glaring at me like that, major, but yes, they are certainly women.”

At that timing, the mechanic sisters frantically rushed inside the room.

“We’re really sorry for making you all wait!”

“We’re sorry! Please forgive us!”

Tina and Whisker bowed so low that they almost did a dogeza. After staring blankly at the two of them for a few seconds, Major Serena turned to me once again.

“You’re not telling me……”

“I have no idea what you’re imagining, but that’s certainly not the case, okay! I haven’t laid my hands on them. Or rather, these guys are dwarves y’know. They may look small, but they’re already proper ladies. So please let me off with that. Just please let me off, okay?”

We were about to have a serious meeting, but why did I end up trying to explain myself desperately like this? The major really was a troublesome woman after all.