Volume 11, Episode 9
"Disgust might not be the accurate expression."
Moore's voice broke the silence that had lasted for several seconds.
He shook the soft pack lightly, pulled out a cigarette, and placed it between his lips. With a distinctive metallic sound, he struck the lighter's lid and ignited the tip of the cigarette, causing a faint plume of purple smoke to rise.
"No, I'm not sure... Yes, maybe... At the very least, it might be a similar emotion," he continued, struggling to find the right words. His intent was difficult to discern, leaving Anis blinking her hazel eyes a few times, gazing at Moore's back as he exhaled the purple smoke.
"Commander, what do you mean?" she finally inquired. She wasn't reproaching him, merely seeking to understand his sincere feelings. Anis had grown curious and prompted the question.
He could feel her, or rather, their three gazes, piercing him like sharp needles.
He exhaled the purple smoke he had drawn into his lungs, accompanied by a sigh of resignation.
"It's not a direct disgust towards you and the others. I can state that without doubt. However..."
The pause in his speech was indicative of his search for the appropriate words or phrasing.
With patience, Anis and the women under his command awaited the continuation of his words.
"I must be an old-fashioned person. No, perhaps I possess outdated beliefs."
A memory emerged in Moore's mind – the moment when Helm had mentioned his nostalgia during the party on the Admire. It was possible that Helm's observation was indeed accurate.
"…Nikke and the others were transformed into weapons, despite once being young girls and women in age of 10s to 20s. That... is what I find unbearably hard to stomach."
He was being careful with his words, but they still amounted to unadorned truth.
Moore, with the cigarette between his teeth, turned around and sat down against the wall, crossing his legs in seiza position, facing the women.
"I don't dislike you or find you repulsive, not in the least. I want you to understand that," he spoke earnestly, and there was no trace of falsehood in his one-eyed gaze. Having known each other for so long, the women could immediately sense this.
"...Then... What is it that bothers you?"
Neon inquired, and Moore didn't answer immediately. He probably couldn't answer right away.
During a few seconds of silence, he organized the words he needed to say.
"──I don't know what kind of individuals you were before. But you were girls and women. You might have gone to school, had friends, and parents or families."
He used his right hand's fingers to hold the cigarette he had placed between his lips, then took it out and exhaled deeply, the purple smoke carrying an unmistakable sigh.
"Normally, you would have been in a position to be protected. But for whatever reason, you were transformed into weapons and made to engage in combat. ──As a soldier, as an adult... I feel DEEPLY sorry for it."
Even if they accepted their transformation now, the fact that they were driven to this point remained. He probably held a sense of aversion towards the circumstances that compelled them down this path, even if it was the only path they could follow. A sense of hate towards the mess that pushed them to make that unavoidable choice.
"A soldier's duty is to protect human life, the homeland, and property. Protecting non-combatants, civilians... girls, and children is an absolute."
However, he was leading those who should have been protected, who should have been in a different position, in a different form, with enhanced abilities, into combat. The question was, why? Because they(men) couldn't effectively face the Rapture.
That was the sole reason.
His deep psyche might be screaming out contradictions.
"...With the advancement and evolution of weaponry, the distinction between genders surely has faded. However... forcing combat on girls and women who were neither volunteers nor even affiliated with the military... I feel like the most vile villain."
──A hypocrite, as Crow had once said, was now echoing in his mind, cutting through his heart. It was true; he couldn't deny it.
"...This is beyond---No. it's not even a war anymore. They even deploy young girls and women who should be protected, pushing them into endless battles... I'm not insulting you, please understand that much."
"...Yes, we understand."
He probably realized how he must look, with his face contorted in agony. Rapi, who could see through his façade, nodded in agreement, and a moment later, Anis and Neon also nodded.
"Everything has a beginning. Sometimes, I wonder about the person who first took command of Nikke and the others in the fight against the Rapture."
He uttered a phrase that continued the conversation. The people who heard it – Rapunzel, Scarlet, and Snow White – directed their eyes towards his back.
"...There were no guidelines, no war manuals. They had to command in the dark. They must have been true pioneers. The heavy responsibility of commanding them within that must have been something even I, an ordinary person, can't imagine... If they were a true soldier..."
──Perhaps they felt utmost regret and grief for this despairing situation.
Moore pondered as if he had carried the burden of commanding them, those who shone with potential but had their bright futures cut short, into battles that they couldn't foresee.
Did they ever have a chance for redemption? ---He didn't know.
Yet, strangely, Moore felt an inexplicable connection to the person who had first assumed command. He felt as if their experiences resonated with his own.
A person who led battles in an unfamiliar landscape without textbooks or guidelines, weighed down by regret for sending Nikke and the others into battles with the Rapture – That person might have been a wonderful human being.
Ah, Rapunzel sighed softly, and Scarlet's eyes shimmered.
"Have you always thought that way while fighting?"
Despite his tall stature, at this moment, his back seemed slightly smaller.
Snow White posed the question.
The slight upward and downward movement of his head was unmistakable.
If he was indeed a commander, there were words he should never speak aloud.
Criticizing him was easy for Snow White.
However, this wasn't as a commander, but as a soldier, but even further.
As an adult – his true feelings.
She couldn't bring herself to condemn those true feelings.
The answer ---she clearly accepted it.
"I understand. I'll agree as well. I'll tell you everything about the Unchained."
The majority of the women also agreed to this.
Moore turned slightly, looking back at Snow White over his shoulder, and asked, "Is it okay?"
"Don't make me say it again... As you all know, the effects of the Vapaus..."
Suddenly, Snow White recalled Moore's recent soliloquies within the room.
These weren't the usage methods they had adopted; it was a completely different vector of use. Recognizing this, Snow White corrected her statement.
"Maybe it's even better if you can utilize it better than we can. We merely saw it as a last-resort card to kill Heretics."
Snow White spoke matter-of-factly, still holding the enormous sniper rifle. As Moore turned his gaze back towards her, Rapi, seated against the wall behind him, raised a question.
"Did you used to receive Unchained?"
"Well..."
"──It wasn't something that was supplied or distributed to everyone."
Rapunzel, replacing Snow White, began to explain the continuation of the situation.
"Truly... by chance, we stumbled upon it... It was something uniquely crafted, specially made."
"By chance... you stumbled upon it?"
Neon questioned with suspicion, voicing surprise. They had all assumed it was a product developed by specialized research institutions. It was quite unexpected.
"Yes. While fighting Heretics... by pure coincidence, we found out that the blood of someone could deal a significant blow to Heretics that appeared to possess eternal life."
"──Blood?"
Thinking she had misheard, Rapi placed her hand on her forehead and asked Rapunzel. Rapunzel nodded in response.
"Yes, blood. The moment we discovered that the blood flowing within certain individuals might become a weapon to kill Heretics that seemed to have achieved eternal life... that's when the Vapaus was born."
---As soon as Rapunzel uttered those words, the inside of his skull felt like it was being violently squeezed. What was this intense sensation, throbbing painfully inside his skull? It was nothing but a nuisance.
He couldn't let the conversation lose its momentum. With that sole thought in mind, Moore clenched his teeth and used his slightly trembling fingers to flick the cigarette into an ashtray.
"So... does that mean the Unchained... was made from someone's blood?"
The material and its true nature were far beyond what they could have imagined. It was no wonder that Anis looked horrified.
"Yes. Bullets made from that person's, our commander's, special blood. That's what 'Unchained' is."
──It hurts.
It simply hurt. The headaches he had experienced until now seemed cute in comparison to this agony. He sat cross-legged and covered his face with one hand, remaining hunched over.
Gradually, as he caught his breath, the pain began to subside, and he felt relief.
"What... is this? Making bullets from someone's blood... No wonder the manufacturing process was unknown."
She looked like she was doubting her sanity. Anis' expression conveyed that quite clearly. Indeed, that was probably true. Or perhaps she just couldn't afford to focus on appearances anymore.
"If that were common knowledge... I imagine the commander might not have been able to take the field and might have spent his life being bled."
Being connected to machines just to continuously produce Vapaus, a life where blood was drawn endlessly – it was difficult to call that a decent human existence living.
Scarlet released a small sigh, seemingly imagining that scenario, and a faint smile crept onto her face.
"──That man was a remarkable commander. Those who lived in the same era even called him a legend."
"A legend?"
With Scarlet sitting beside her, nostalgically recounting events, Moore turned his face and asked what she meant.
"During that time, having a commander who could prevent and repel the assaults of numerous Raptures was more important than swiftly killing Heretics. By continuing to appoint him as the commander, we decided to keep the method of Unchained production a secret known only to the military and higher-ups ─ a very small number of people."
"Is it because there wasn't enough time for proper research?"
"Yes. Probably so. ...The Second Normandy Landing, the liberation of Paris, the Ardennes, Dunkirk... We were constantly shifting battles."
What Scarlet spoke of were likely the significant battles they fought with their commander. Even so, it might have been only a few individuals who knew.
──A pang ran through his skull once more, but he suppressed it through sheer willpower.
"Um... So where is that person now?"
Neon timidly raised her hand and asked the Pilgrims. It was probably the most crucial point of their mission – the whereabouts of their commander.
However, the Pilgrims remained silent for a while.
Finally, Snow White, wearing a slightly pained expression, answered.
"──I don't know."
"Huh? What?"
Why would they not know the whereabouts of their own commander? Anis questioned with a baffled expression, and Snow White sighed.
"...My memories from the past have undergone a shift, and not much remains. I heard this story from Rapunzel as well."
In other words, the key to this story lies with the Golden Saint.
As the gazes of the Counters, and Moore beside her, bore into her, Rapunzel gave a small smile.
──"He's probably in the Ark... maybe..."
She added the "maybe." It showed her lack of absolute certainty, but the information was undoubtedly closer to being under their noses than they thought.
"...In the Ark? The same Ark where we live!?"
Anis exclaimed, eyes wide. Rapunzel turned her head slightly over her shoulder and nodded to confirm.
"...So then... all the hardships we've gone through until now were for nothing?!"
"All that effort in vain. What was the point of struggling so much?" As Anis exclaimed in dismay, Rapunzel's expression turned melancholic.
"...But... he might not be here now. After all, he's a "human being"."
And then, Rapunzel turned her gaze towards Moore, who was sitting next to her with his eyes of forget-me-not blue, narrowing her eyes as if comparing his nostalgic appearance to that of a certain similar young man, as if overlapping the image of someone's illusion.
"What do you mean? You said he's in the Ark now, right?"
"Ah, did I not mention?"
As Rapunzel averted her gaze from him for a moment and closed her eyes, then after a short pause, she turned her gaze back to Anis.
"The story we're talking about, the one from the past, is from the time of the First Rapture Invasion."
"First invasion... What!? How many years ago was that?!"
"...Then... it's been about 80 years or so, roughly."
When he roughly filled in, Rapunzel and the other Pilgrims nodded almost simultaneously.
"Unless you were just born at the time, there's no way you'd still be alive!!"
"....Newborns would probably have died either way."
He didn't need to be so level-headed in his reply. The surprise he showed was quite comical. Anis sent a glare Moore's way, and he noticed and shrugged his shoulders in response.
"Well... then... does that mean you don't know how to make Vapaus after all?"
Neon asked fearfully.
In response, Rapunzel and Scarlet exchanged glances across Moore and shared a small smile.
"If there wasn't a method, we would have said so from the beginning. We wouldn't go about testing people in such a roundabout way. ──You know the method, don't you?"
Exhaling a sigh and shifting her gaze towards the older of the two, likely Rapunzel, Moore looked at her.
As if caught in mischief, the Golden Saint covered her mouth with her hand and let out a soft chuckle.
──"I was going to tease you a bit more, but I guess this is the end."
He couldn't help but feel that their standards for teasing were rather... wicked.
"I've heard that there's a research facility where the commander's blood was used to refine the bullets. I don't know if it still exists..."
"When we visited last time, the records were preserved, so I think it should be fine."
While Snow White voiced her concerns, Rapunzel provided additional information to him and the others. However, there was a question about when exactly this "last time" was. A few months might be manageable, but if it stretched into years, it was a bit worrying.
"Where is this place?"
"To the west of the Ark, at the edge of a massive lake. That's where it's hidden."
"Then we should go immediately─"
"No, with your current condition, you'll just end up dead."
When questioned by Anis, Snow White explained the general location. Just as Neon was about to stand up in a hurry, the Silver Pilgrim intervened.
While the Pilgrims had undergone some repairs and healing to them, they were not in perfect condition. Moreover, Moore was obviously badly injured.
Furthermore, the Raptures in that land were of a different level compared to the enemy aircraft in the vicinity.
"─If you don't want to die a dog's death, you'd better ensure proper maintenance and be fully prepared before you go."
Snow White's warning seemed to come from a place of goodwill, but her tone was merciless. Neon, faced with such a direct response, hung her head.
"I'll send you the precise coordinates through a message."
"...Thank you, Snow White."
"No need to thank me. There's no assurance that you'll learn the manufacturing method even if you go to the facility."
"I understand that very well."
Although the possibility of it all being in vain was suggested, Moore responded indirectly, implying it wasn't a big deal.
Then, Snow White had another warning she needed to deliver.
"─Moore, don't forget this. From the moment you learn that method, your enemies won't be just Raptures anymore."
"...I'm aware. The future and world where Nikke could CHOOSE─it's something that the majority of humanity would find hard to accept."
If he understood, then that was fine. Even so, she carefully conveyed her words to Moore.
"...It's an idealistic dream. Depending on how humanity reacts, and how Nikke reacts, the world might sway in a direction completely different from what you're imagining."
"I know that. I won't forget that we might end up facing resistance from humanity, trying to impose stricter control over Nikke.. Or that Nikke, who has suffered discrimination, might rebel against humanity, even seeking a revolution."
"...Based on the outcome, your enemies and your very identity might change. ──Never forget that you're acquiring the power to create such massive waves."
With a metallic sound, the lid of an oil lighter was opened, followed by the strike of a match.
----
Author Notes:
While writing this series of stories, I was reminded of a passage from the speech at the Universal Century Gundam's calendar revision ceremony:
"─In the times to come, if the final judgment were to arrive, it would likely be a catastrophe brought forth by our very own hearts."
The first prime minister's speech is a must-listen.
Volume 11, Episode 9
"Disgust might not be the accurate expression."
Moore's voice broke the silence that had lasted for several seconds.
He shook the soft pack lightly, pulled out a cigarette, and placed it between his lips. With a distinctive metallic sound, he struck the lighter's lid and ignited the tip of the cigarette, causing a faint plume of purple smoke to rise.
"No, I'm not sure... Yes, maybe... At the very least, it might be a similar emotion," he continued, struggling to find the right words. His intent was difficult to discern, leaving Anis blinking her hazel eyes a few times, gazing at Moore's back as he exhaled the purple smoke.
"Commander, what do you mean?" she finally inquired. She wasn't reproaching him, merely seeking to understand his sincere feelings. Anis had grown curious and prompted the question.
He could feel her, or rather, their three gazes, piercing him like sharp needles.
He exhaled the purple smoke he had drawn into his lungs, accompanied by a sigh of resignation.
"It's not a direct disgust towards you and the others. I can state that without doubt. However..."
The pause in his speech was indicative of his search for the appropriate words or phrasing.
With patience, Anis and the women under his command awaited the continuation of his words.
"I must be an old-fashioned person. No, perhaps I possess outdated beliefs."
A memory emerged in Moore's mind – the moment when Helm had mentioned his nostalgia during the party on the Admire. It was possible that Helm's observation was indeed accurate.
"…Nikke and the others were transformed into weapons, despite once being young girls and women in age of 10s to 20s. That... is what I find unbearably hard to stomach."
He was being careful with his words, but they still amounted to unadorned truth.
Moore, with the cigarette between his teeth, turned around and sat down against the wall, crossing his legs in seiza position, facing the women.
"I don't dislike you or find you repulsive, not in the least. I want you to understand that," he spoke earnestly, and there was no trace of falsehood in his one-eyed gaze. Having known each other for so long, the women could immediately sense this.
"...Then... What is it that bothers you?"
Neon inquired, and Moore didn't answer immediately. He probably couldn't answer right away.
During a few seconds of silence, he organized the words he needed to say.
"──I don't know what kind of individuals you were before. But you were girls and women. You might have gone to school, had friends, and parents or families."
He used his right hand's fingers to hold the cigarette he had placed between his lips, then took it out and exhaled deeply, the purple smoke carrying an unmistakable sigh.
"Normally, you would have been in a position to be protected. But for whatever reason, you were transformed into weapons and made to engage in combat. ──As a soldier, as an adult... I feel DEEPLY sorry for it."
Even if they accepted their transformation now, the fact that they were driven to this point remained. He probably held a sense of aversion towards the circumstances that compelled them down this path, even if it was the only path they could follow. A sense of hate towards the mess that pushed them to make that unavoidable choice.
"A soldier's duty is to protect human life, the homeland, and property. Protecting non-combatants, civilians... girls, and children is an absolute."
However, he was leading those who should have been protected, who should have been in a different position, in a different form, with enhanced abilities, into combat. The question was, why? Because they(men) couldn't effectively face the Rapture.
That was the sole reason.
His deep psyche might be screaming out contradictions.
"...With the advancement and evolution of weaponry, the distinction between genders surely has faded. However... forcing combat on girls and women who were neither volunteers nor even affiliated with the military... I feel like the most vile villain."
──A hypocrite, as Crow had once said, was now echoing in his mind, cutting through his heart. It was true; he couldn't deny it.
"...This is beyond---No. it's not even a war anymore. They even deploy young girls and women who should be protected, pushing them into endless battles... I'm not insulting you, please understand that much."
"...Yes, we understand."
He probably realized how he must look, with his face contorted in agony. Rapi, who could see through his façade, nodded in agreement, and a moment later, Anis and Neon also nodded.
"Everything has a beginning. Sometimes, I wonder about the person who first took command of Nikke and the others in the fight against the Rapture."
He uttered a phrase that continued the conversation. The people who heard it – Rapunzel, Scarlet, and Snow White – directed their eyes towards his back.
"...There were no guidelines, no war manuals. They had to command in the dark. They must have been true pioneers. The heavy responsibility of commanding them within that must have been something even I, an ordinary person, can't imagine... If they were a true soldier..."
──Perhaps they felt utmost regret and grief for this despairing situation.
Moore pondered as if he had carried the burden of commanding them, those who shone with potential but had their bright futures cut short, into battles that they couldn't foresee.
Did they ever have a chance for redemption? ---He didn't know.
Yet, strangely, Moore felt an inexplicable connection to the person who had first assumed command. He felt as if their experiences resonated with his own.
A person who led battles in an unfamiliar landscape without textbooks or guidelines, weighed down by regret for sending Nikke and the others into battles with the Rapture – That person might have been a wonderful human being.
Ah, Rapunzel sighed softly, and Scarlet's eyes shimmered.
"Have you always thought that way while fighting?"
Despite his tall stature, at this moment, his back seemed slightly smaller.
Snow White posed the question.
The slight upward and downward movement of his head was unmistakable.
If he was indeed a commander, there were words he should never speak aloud.
Criticizing him was easy for Snow White.
However, this wasn't as a commander, but as a soldier, but even further.
As an adult – his true feelings.
She couldn't bring herself to condemn those true feelings.
The answer ---she clearly accepted it.
"I understand. I'll agree as well. I'll tell you everything about the Unchained."
The majority of the women also agreed to this.
Moore turned slightly, looking back at Snow White over his shoulder, and asked, "Is it okay?"
"Don't make me say it again... As you all know, the effects of the Vapaus..."
Suddenly, Snow White recalled Moore's recent soliloquies within the room.
These weren't the usage methods they had adopted; it was a completely different vector of use. Recognizing this, Snow White corrected her statement.
"Maybe it's even better if you can utilize it better than we can. We merely saw it as a last-resort card to kill Heretics."
Snow White spoke matter-of-factly, still holding the enormous sniper rifle. As Moore turned his gaze back towards her, Rapi, seated against the wall behind him, raised a question.
"Did you used to receive Unchained?"
"Well..."
"──It wasn't something that was supplied or distributed to everyone."
Rapunzel, replacing Snow White, began to explain the continuation of the situation.
"Truly... by chance, we stumbled upon it... It was something uniquely crafted, specially made."
"By chance... you stumbled upon it?"
Neon questioned with suspicion, voicing surprise. They had all assumed it was a product developed by specialized research institutions. It was quite unexpected.
"Yes. While fighting Heretics... by pure coincidence, we found out that the blood of someone could deal a significant blow to Heretics that appeared to possess eternal life."
"──Blood?"
Thinking she had misheard, Rapi placed her hand on her forehead and asked Rapunzel. Rapunzel nodded in response.
"Yes, blood. The moment we discovered that the blood flowing within certain individuals might become a weapon to kill Heretics that seemed to have achieved eternal life... that's when the Vapaus was born."
---As soon as Rapunzel uttered those words, the inside of his skull felt like it was being violently squeezed. What was this intense sensation, throbbing painfully inside his skull? It was nothing but a nuisance.
He couldn't let the conversation lose its momentum. With that sole thought in mind, Moore clenched his teeth and used his slightly trembling fingers to flick the cigarette into an ashtray.
"So... does that mean the Unchained... was made from someone's blood?"
The material and its true nature were far beyond what they could have imagined. It was no wonder that Anis looked horrified.
"Yes. Bullets made from that person's, our commander's, special blood. That's what 'Unchained' is."
──It hurts.
It simply hurt. The headaches he had experienced until now seemed cute in comparison to this agony. He sat cross-legged and covered his face with one hand, remaining hunched over.
Gradually, as he caught his breath, the pain began to subside, and he felt relief.
"What... is this? Making bullets from someone's blood... No wonder the manufacturing process was unknown."
She looked like she was doubting her sanity. Anis' expression conveyed that quite clearly. Indeed, that was probably true. Or perhaps she just couldn't afford to focus on appearances anymore.
"If that were common knowledge... I imagine the commander might not have been able to take the field and might have spent his life being bled."
Being connected to machines just to continuously produce Vapaus, a life where blood was drawn endlessly – it was difficult to call that a decent human existence living.
Scarlet released a small sigh, seemingly imagining that scenario, and a faint smile crept onto her face.
"──That man was a remarkable commander. Those who lived in the same era even called him a legend."
"A legend?"
With Scarlet sitting beside her, nostalgically recounting events, Moore turned his face and asked what she meant.
"During that time, having a commander who could prevent and repel the assaults of numerous Raptures was more important than swiftly killing Heretics. By continuing to appoint him as the commander, we decided to keep the method of Unchained production a secret known only to the military and higher-ups ─ a very small number of people."
"Is it because there wasn't enough time for proper research?"
"Yes. Probably so. ...The Second Normandy Landing, the liberation of Paris, the Ardennes, Dunkirk... We were constantly shifting battles."
What Scarlet spoke of were likely the significant battles they fought with their commander. Even so, it might have been only a few individuals who knew.
──A pang ran through his skull once more, but he suppressed it through sheer willpower.
"Um... So where is that person now?"
Neon timidly raised her hand and asked the Pilgrims. It was probably the most crucial point of their mission – the whereabouts of their commander.
However, the Pilgrims remained silent for a while.
Finally, Snow White, wearing a slightly pained expression, answered.
"──I don't know."
"Huh? What?"
Why would they not know the whereabouts of their own commander? Anis questioned with a baffled expression, and Snow White sighed.
"...My memories from the past have undergone a shift, and not much remains. I heard this story from Rapunzel as well."
In other words, the key to this story lies with the Golden Saint.
As the gazes of the Counters, and Moore beside her, bore into her, Rapunzel gave a small smile.
──"He's probably in the Ark... maybe..."
She added the "maybe." It showed her lack of absolute certainty, but the information was undoubtedly closer to being under their noses than they thought.
"...In the Ark? The same Ark where we live!?"
Anis exclaimed, eyes wide. Rapunzel turned her head slightly over her shoulder and nodded to confirm.
"...So then... all the hardships we've gone through until now were for nothing?!"
"All that effort in vain. What was the point of struggling so much?" As Anis exclaimed in dismay, Rapunzel's expression turned melancholic.
"...But... he might not be here now. After all, he's a "human being"."
And then, Rapunzel turned her gaze towards Moore, who was sitting next to her with his eyes of forget-me-not blue, narrowing her eyes as if comparing his nostalgic appearance to that of a certain similar young man, as if overlapping the image of someone's illusion.
"What do you mean? You said he's in the Ark now, right?"
"Ah, did I not mention?"
As Rapunzel averted her gaze from him for a moment and closed her eyes, then after a short pause, she turned her gaze back to Anis.
"The story we're talking about, the one from the past, is from the time of the First Rapture Invasion."
"First invasion... What!? How many years ago was that?!"
"...Then... it's been about 80 years or so, roughly."
When he roughly filled in, Rapunzel and the other Pilgrims nodded almost simultaneously.
"Unless you were just born at the time, there's no way you'd still be alive!!"
"....Newborns would probably have died either way."
He didn't need to be so level-headed in his reply. The surprise he showed was quite comical. Anis sent a glare Moore's way, and he noticed and shrugged his shoulders in response.
"Well... then... does that mean you don't know how to make Vapaus after all?"
Neon asked fearfully.
In response, Rapunzel and Scarlet exchanged glances across Moore and shared a small smile.
"If there wasn't a method, we would have said so from the beginning. We wouldn't go about testing people in such a roundabout way. ──You know the method, don't you?"
Exhaling a sigh and shifting her gaze towards the older of the two, likely Rapunzel, Moore looked at her.
As if caught in mischief, the Golden Saint covered her mouth with her hand and let out a soft chuckle.
──"I was going to tease you a bit more, but I guess this is the end."
He couldn't help but feel that their standards for teasing were rather... wicked.
"I've heard that there's a research facility where the commander's blood was used to refine the bullets. I don't know if it still exists..."
"When we visited last time, the records were preserved, so I think it should be fine."
While Snow White voiced her concerns, Rapunzel provided additional information to him and the others. However, there was a question about when exactly this "last time" was. A few months might be manageable, but if it stretched into years, it was a bit worrying.
"Where is this place?"
"To the west of the Ark, at the edge of a massive lake. That's where it's hidden."
"Then we should go immediately─"
"No, with your current condition, you'll just end up dead."
When questioned by Anis, Snow White explained the general location. Just as Neon was about to stand up in a hurry, the Silver Pilgrim intervened.
While the Pilgrims had undergone some repairs and healing to them, they were not in perfect condition. Moreover, Moore was obviously badly injured.
Furthermore, the Raptures in that land were of a different level compared to the enemy aircraft in the vicinity.
"─If you don't want to die a dog's death, you'd better ensure proper maintenance and be fully prepared before you go."
Snow White's warning seemed to come from a place of goodwill, but her tone was merciless. Neon, faced with such a direct response, hung her head.
"I'll send you the precise coordinates through a message."
"...Thank you, Snow White."
"No need to thank me. There's no assurance that you'll learn the manufacturing method even if you go to the facility."
"I understand that very well."
Although the possibility of it all being in vain was suggested, Moore responded indirectly, implying it wasn't a big deal.
Then, Snow White had another warning she needed to deliver.
"─Moore, don't forget this. From the moment you learn that method, your enemies won't be just Raptures anymore."
"...I'm aware. The future and world where Nikke could CHOOSE─it's something that the majority of humanity would find hard to accept."
If he understood, then that was fine. Even so, she carefully conveyed her words to Moore.
"...It's an idealistic dream. Depending on how humanity reacts, and how Nikke reacts, the world might sway in a direction completely different from what you're imagining."
"I know that. I won't forget that we might end up facing resistance from humanity, trying to impose stricter control over Nikke.. Or that Nikke, who has suffered discrimination, might rebel against humanity, even seeking a revolution."
"...Based on the outcome, your enemies and your very identity might change. ──Never forget that you're acquiring the power to create such massive waves."
With a metallic sound, the lid of an oil lighter was opened, followed by the strike of a match.
----
Author Notes:
While writing this series of stories, I was reminded of a passage from the speech at the Universal Century Gundam's calendar revision ceremony:
"─In the times to come, if the final judgment were to arrive, it would likely be a catastrophe brought forth by our very own hearts."
The first prime minister's speech is a must-listen.
