Hard over toward the front line!

"System check. All green. Seals unlocked. The launch platform is moving."

"Understood. Launch sequence cleared."

The launch platform carrying Ya-tagarasu, now redesignated as Nightmare, moves into position, and cables connected at various points are disconnected.

"Launch platform stopped. Lock released. Launch authorized."

Shin nosuke fired the thrusters, lifting Nightmare into the air.

"Nightmare is underway. Thirty percent output, slow forward motion. Increase to fifty percent after clearing the dock. Heading toward operational zone."

Shin nosuke pushed the throttle forward.

After Nightmare launched, notifications were sent to all crew members of Kasimura Corporation and to the representatives of the Free Merchant Fleet, Rina and Iris, on their personal terminals.

The message read:

"Shin nosuke and Marks have assumed military duty and are deploying aboard the Yatagarasu."

As a result of taking up military service, Shinosuke and Marks will temporarily have their registration as free merchants canceled.

While Shinosuke is away, Miliena will be in charge of managing the guild's affairs.

It is.

"Wait... is it Shinnosuke-san?"

When she saw the terminal, Celia searched everywhere within the guild's dock for Shinosuke, but there was no sign of Shinosuke or Marks anywhere.

Only Shinnosuke's captain's uniform lay on the desk in the guild's office.

She quickly tried to contact Shinnosuke's personal terminal, but the connection was blocked.

Among everyone in the guild, Celia had known Shinnosuke and Marks the longest—longer than even the union staff member Rina, though she had met Rina later. Yet the time she had spent with them surpassed that with anyone else, even Rina.

I’m the one who understands Shinosuke the most (or so I believe).

Celia tightly suppressed the unease stirring within her.

(If we wish, Shinosuke will never take us along on this journey. Then I’ll just trust in Shinosuke and wait.)

There were no tears in Celia’s eyes—now a seasoned sailor.

Rina, having confirmed the notification that had just arrived on her terminal, rushed out from the lodgings she was renting from Kasimura Corporation and headed toward the Free Merchant Fleet Union.

Though flustered by the sudden turn of events, Rina hoped she might still be able to do something to protect Shinosuke and Marks.

Upon arriving at the Union, Rina powered up her terminal at her seat and called up information on Shinosuke and the others.

"Shinosuke-san and Marks-san's data has really been temporarily erased..."

Shinosuke and the others' employment history is still recorded, but their status as independent merchants has been revoked, and data regarding their achievements and other records are locked.

If individual information cannot be confirmed, we can only trace the steps leading up to this point.

Using her full authority as a representative of the Kasimura Corporation, she thoroughly examined the information relayed from the Space Military to the Free Merchant Fleet.

"...Is that all?"

The records only mention that Shinosuke was assigned to military duty as a reserve call-up.

Beyond that, the only other detail is about compensation in the event that Shinosuke and the others were to die in battle.

Yet, the generosity of that compensation clearly indicates that Shinosuke and his team are being assigned to dangerous missions.

Yet, the procedure was flawless, leaving no room for even the most skilled union employee, Rina, to find fault.

"There's nothing I can do but wait... It's fine—I'm used to waiting. This is nothing new! I know Shinosuke will come back safely."

Even though she couldn't go with him, Rina considered herself Shinosuke's greatest understanding friend (or so she believed).

The Nightmare, having set sail, was about to exit the central colony's air traffic control zone.

"Soon, everyone should have received the notification... By the way, Marks, are you feeling off about something?"

Marks replied to Shinosuke's question without changing his expression.

"Off would be an understatement. It's more like something's bothering me—just can't put my finger on it."

"Why?"

"Once everyone receives the notification, it's easy to predict that Seira-san and Rina-san will be focused solely on Master. Of course, they'll probably worry about me too... but..."

"What's that? You and I are partners, bound together in fate. Isn't that enough?"

"It feels like we're just an afterthought to Master. It's not quite satisfying."

"Who cares about that! Look, we've already left the control zone while you were talking nonsense."

"Understood. I'll open the operation order document."

Marks handed a small terminal to Shinosuke.

Though called a terminal, it was nothing more than a simple device storing information—completely incapable of connecting to even the military's internal network, let alone any other network.

Although the Nightmare was embarking on a secret mission this time, officially it was to rendezvous with the 2nd Fleet's flagship squadron and assume the duty of guarding the flagship, a directive that would be formally recorded.

However, the actual mission is entirely different, and the original mission is recorded solely on this terminal.

Shin nosuke enters the password upon launching the terminal to confirm the operation details.

"...I see. This is quite a troublesome situation."

After confirming the contents, Shin Nosuke handed the terminal to Marks.

"It seems we've taken on more than we can handle."

"Tell me about it. And right from the start, there's a chance of dying in battle, yet missions keep piling up. This is a direct order from General Arlenbal, but the general hasn't changed since officer school—he still pushes us too hard and insists we do the impossible."

Shinosuke chuckled, shrugging his shoulders, then turned the ship toward the battlefield.

Today, a manga adaptation based on this work is being published and launched on Comic Polka.

Please take a look if you get the chance.