08 The Voyage Aboard the Cruiser

"This is the mess hall."

Likely the most frequently used onboard facility for Mio and Shu.

First, a meal.

Jin had been occupied with the procedures for boarding the two, so he had not yet eaten dinner.

"Sorry—three portions, please."

"Ah. Thanks, Lieutenant. These two the stowaways?"

The private stationed at the kitchen counter leans forward and smiles.

"Good thing for you two. In another time, you’d have been jettisoned into space. Stowaways, you know."

Mio and Shu both clutch each other, trembling violently—whether from the private’s joke or not, it is unclear.

Apparently, being locked in that dim storage room left a lasting trauma.

"Don’t scare us like that."

"Sorry. Just... yes, three portions. I reduced the amount for the two of them a little."

"Appreciated."

"Not at all."

Mio’s expression darkened slightly, as if facing the familiar cube food once more.

"Again, this...?"

"Give up for two weeks."

The descent team conducts local procurement, but the shipboard crew gets this consistently.

Naturally, Mio and the others are not part of the descent team.

Shu said nothing, silently eating as usual.

Whether local procurement tastes better is another matter entirely...

"Now, the two of you will be skipping school for the next two weeks."

Their reactions were polar opposites.

Mio, slightly disappointed. Shu, nearly saying "Sweet!"

Their daily routines were evident.

"Of course, you’ll still study diligently during that time. I’ve already collected the assignments."

Assignments aligned with the school curriculum.

With this, there should be no extreme lag in studies.

"Furthermore, you’re not to leave my room under normal circumstances."

"Eh?"

"Eh" is not acceptable."

Jin cut off Mio’s dissatisfied tone sharply.

"Listen. Everyone here is studying. Not playing around."

The expedition training was, in a sense, the culmination of all prior training.

Aside from the graduation exercise, no training of this scale had ever occurred.

Each person seeks to demonstrate their developed skills and earn evaluation.

The evaluation received here directly affects post-graduation assignments.

"So don’t interfere."

"Ah—yes."

"Understood."

Mio still looked discontented, but Mei nodded obediently.

It was odd, really—Mei, the one who’d been dragged into it, felt more responsibility than the others. One couldn’t help but think about that.

"Ah, there you are. Lieutenant."

"Corporal..."

"Sharon!"

Mio’s face lit up instantly as she turned to look at Shirley.

Jin tensed slightly in response.

"Dinner?"

"Something like that."

"Mio-chan, it’s been a while. Sorry, I haven’t had time to visit lately."

"Busy with work?"

"Yeah. But once this is over, I’ll have some time. I’ll come see you again."

"Yay!"

The two women spoke easily, while the two men looked slightly uneasy.

Shirley then fixed her gaze on Shu.

"You were at the barbecue, right? We never properly introduced ourselves. I’m—"

"Sharon’s just Sharon, okay!"

"Right. That’s fine."

Shirley’s introduction was cut short again, and she chuckled faintly, clearly a little flustered.

"Um, I’m Shitaya Shu."

"Nice to meet you, Higuchi. And welcome aboard the cruiser 'Al'. Among those boarding during combat operations, you're by far the youngest."

Of course, it would be problematic if a civilian child weren't the youngest.

Such occurrences happening frequently would be unbearable.

"If you have any difficulties, please let me know. I can help, at least a little."

"Ah, thank you."

Watching Shu blush slightly at the older sister’s kindness, Mio puffed out her cheeks.

Whether it was jealousy toward Shu or frustration at Shirley not playing with her was unclear.

"So, what’s the matter, Corporal? You weren’t looking for me, were you?"

"Yes. That’s right. The bed you requested. I found it in the materials storage and had Sasamori trainee take care of it."

"I see. Thank you."

It was indeed necessary communication.

But it could have been handled with a single call.

"Other than that, I just wanted to see your face."

“S-so, is that right?”

“You’re off-duty now, Lieutenant.”

“Ah. Well, I’ve shifted my shift ahead.”

They had moved the Lieutenant’s off-duty period—normally six hours away—forward to now, for the sake of completing various formalities. There would be no tasks scheduled for the next two hours.

“I’m about to go off-duty myself, actually.”

“Is that so.”

“Three, two, one. Yes. I’m off-duty now. So, please join me for tea, Jin.”

Without waiting for Jin’s reply, she sits beside him.

As promised, she had poured coffee into a bottle. She removes the straw and begins drinking.

A little too close.

“What are your plans after this?”

“For now, I’ll show the two of them around the ship. Well… it’s not exactly something to be praised, but we’re here now, so.”

Permission has already been granted by the captain.

Access is restricted to high-security and hazardous zones, but anywhere else—safe, unobjectionable, and child-friendly—she’ll show them.

"Understood. Then I shall come along as well."

"...You don't need rest?"

"I'll rest in Jin's room once it's over."

Jin grimaces at the rather ill-timed joke. He instinctively checks around to confirm no trainees are nearby.

"You... really."

He sighs, watching Shirley turn crimson.

"If you're embarrassed, don't make jokes like that in the first place."

"I-I'm not embarrassed, I'm not, I mean—"

How can she say that with that face?

Since that day.

Shirley no longer hides her feelings toward Jin.

During duty, she keeps her distance—outside of it, she makes advances in every way she can—though she usually stops halfway, flustered.

Jin is constantly caught in her maneuvers.

Yet, the feeling of being thus manipulated brings a faint, nostalgic amusement—reminding him just a little of training academy days.

"Whatever. If you're coming, then we'll go together. Did both of you finish eating?"

"Yeah."

"Finished."

Mio, as usual, unaffected by the way she's being handled.

Respect, or exasperation—hard to tell—she’s definitely something special.

For now, Jin leads the two toward the place he thinks they’ll like most.

"Which means, the observation deck."

"Ooh."

"Whoa. Stars are visible!"

This section has had artificial gravity disabled from the start, creating a zero-gravity environment.

A spherical interior, hollowed out. Except for the single corridor leading to it, every surface is a screen projecting the surrounding cosmos.

Even the corridor is fully enclosed by screens when the doors close.

A facility meant to maintain mental health aboard the vessel. Yet, seeing nothing but stars—this view is truly unique.

A secret sight known only to military personnel.

"Ah, you're quite the one, Lieutenant. This spot is indeed among the most popular aboard the Rosario-class cruiser. Known, among other things, as a place where single personnel on leave wander in search of companionship."

"Sorry, I hadn’t heard that part."

So this was where people came to meet… Jin wonders, startled.

"But! It’s sweet, Lieutenant. There’s a better spot—where these two would be more than happy to be seen!"

"Really? Then show me that one later. Alright, next we go, you two."

"Please, show a little more interest!"

"No, I’ve been at your mercy too often lately—I need to even the balance…"

It is, undeniably, enjoyable.

But being on the receiving end alone is not Jin’s way.

If he’s taken, he returns the favor.

Without that edge, he wouldn’t be called an ace.

"Your special spot can wait. There’s somewhere I want to show you first."

"Where is it?"

"The infirmary."

As promised, he leads the two of them to the infirmary.

"If you get hurt or sick while I'm not around, come here. There's a doctor inside who can treat you."

"Got it!"

"Yes!"

Sharon nods in agreement.

"Indeed, that's important."

"If you know the infirmary and the mess hall, you'll manage fine..."

Other essentials for surviving two weeks aboard this vessel.

"Ah. This is important too."

Jin moves toward a facility he's never seen used, yet knows makes a profound difference.

"This is the evacuation capsule station. If you're told to abandon ship, come here, put on your standard suit, and enter the capsule."

In other words, when the ship sinks. It doesn't happen often. But it's not impossible.

"Do both of you know how to put on a standard suit?"

He asks. They shake their heads. He explains the procedure.

"If that ever happens... Tōtani. I'm entrusting Mio to you. Please protect her."

"Y-yes! I'll do my best!"

"A good answer. Well. Such a thing isn't likely to happen anytime soon, though."

Jin strokes the boy's head, smiling.

That aside.

"By the way, Tōtani. I've said this before—I won't entrust Mio to anyone weaker than myself..."

"Huh..."

"Whoa. Lieutenant, you're actually serious about that? That's reckless..."

He succeeds in drawing a reaction from Shirley—just slightly.