"Hmm… if I follow that logic, the result should be 58.3333333— Ugh!"
"Uh, are you alright?" Wise asked, sounding worried.
The girl groaned softly, pain flashing across her face for a brief moment. Wise figured she must have bitten her tongue.
"I'm fine. In the Defense Force, injuries like this barely count. That said, advice from civilians can still be useful. I'll be adding handstand push-ups to my routine once I return," she replied seriously.
Wise stopped himself from pointing out that it was unnecessary, since it had only been meant as a joke.
"By the way, how are you supposed to do a push-up that isn't a whole number?"
Wise wasn't the only one curious. Belle, listening in from the other side, had specifically asked him to bring that question up.
"Anyone who asks such shallow questions within the Defense Force will see their punishment doubled. That said, handling civilians is not my duty, nor is it why I am here."
She paused for a moment, making Wise suspect that the missing 0.5 was intentional, meant to justify doubling the punishment.
Then she continued, "Since you're a Proxy introduced by the Shepherd, tonight's conversation never happened, and you've never seen me. What I'm about to say is confidential. You may call me Soldier 11."
- Soldier 11[1] -
[Ding! New favorability target detected.]
[Name: Soldier 11]
[Gender: Female]
[Charm: 94]
[Unique Traits: Direct and strict, a girl who lives by military regulations, mixed with a slight case of chuunibyou.]
[Hobbies: Likes spicy food, kittens, and sci-fi novels.]
[Current Status: Calm, Good]
[Current Favorability toward Host: 20]
[Evaluation: Appears cold and serious on the surface, but actually has her own sense of humor. If you manage to get her to agree to help, almost anything goes as long as you do not cross her limits.]
[Inner Thoughts: What an interesting man. I even feel a sense of pressure, as if he is not just a pretty face.]
When the system's description screen appeared, Wise's suspicions were confirmed.
This girl, Soldier 11, not only resembled Anby in appearance but also shared a similar personality.
"Hmm? You seem distracted. Are you thinking about how to introduce yourself? There's no need. The Shepherd already shared your information with me."
That immediately caught the siblings' attention. They were curious about how the Shepherd had crafted such a convincing fake background.
But once Soldier 11 finished explaining, they went quiet. Being labeled as exiles from the south, carrying the title Hermit of the Crimson Eye, completely stunned them.
The Shepherd's taste was terrible, and somehow the other side actually believed the story. At this point, Wise couldn't even try to deny it.
Still, Belle and Wise reached a silent agreement. Next time, the Shepherd was definitely not getting a cup of tea.
"Yeah… that's my name," Wise nodded, covering his face as a faint sense of embarrassment crept in.
"Alright, I'll keep it simple. My mission is to catch a mole."
Soldier 11 gave Wise a concise explanation. A spy from a nearby rebel faction had infiltrated the military, and her plan was to fake a betrayal of the Defense Force to expose him.
Wise didn't completely trust her yet, but things were at least moving in the right direction. She had also found out that the rebel was a big admirer of a certain Proxy.
If that Proxy offered assistance, the rebel would immediately take the next step. That would allow Soldier 11 to join his secret operation and meet his superior.
The identity of that Proxy was obvious.
"So here's what I need. I want you to impersonate that Proxy and help me carry out the spy's requests. Can you handle it, Emissary of the Scarlet Wing?"
'That wasn't the title she used earlier, was it?'
Wise complained to himself, but he already knew who the Proxy was supposed to be.
After a brief pause, he spoke carefully, "So… the Proxy I need to impersonate is Phaethon, isn't it?"
"Hmm? Sir, that was an impressive deduction. It is indeed that legendary Proxy. His name is known even to me, despite my limited knowledge of civilian affairs."
[Ding! Target: Soldier 11 has increased her favorability toward the host by 5. Her current favorability is now 25. Additionally, 100 Emotional Value has been obtained.]
Ignoring Soldier 11's favorability increase, Belle and Fairy were already talking among themselves.
"This really is a situation we've never dealt with before…"
[|Correct. Impersonating Phaethon is something Phaethon himself has never done. A full network search for 'I impersonate myself' brings up three entries. 'I sell myself,' 'I hit myself,' 'I kill…'|]
"Stop right there, Fairy. You don't need to continue," Belle said quickly, cutting her off before she said something outrageous.
"Well? Advisor of the Crimson Horn, does this mission bother you?"
The second Soldier 11 called him that, Wise couldn't hold it in anymore. His name just kept getting stranger.
"Miss Soldier 11… do you really remember my name?"
She didn't answer him at all and kept talking like nothing happened.
"It's normal to feel pressure when impersonating someone as legendary as the Proxy Phaethon. But the Shepherd has already guaranteed your ability with his professional reputation. Because of that, I believe you won't disappoint me, the New Eridu Defense Force, or New Eridu itself."
At first, Wise thought Soldier 11 was about to comfort him. Instead, she somehow made things feel heavier.
She said those serious words far too lightly. Anyone else would probably be nervous just listening.
Wise, on the other hand, barely reacted. Still, one thought refused to leave his mind. Her relationship with Anby bothered him.
Just like the earlier code, "fire and thunder," he linked Anby to electrical weapons without thinking. Soldier 11, on the other hand, looked like the type who would fight with flames.
Putting that aside for now, Soldier 11 informed him that the mission had already been posted on the Inter-Knot. She told him to go back, confirm it, and depart once he was prepared.
When Wise returned home, he took care not to reveal that he lived in the video store. He avoided the back door entirely, choosing to walk around and go in through the front.
[1] IMAGE