I received the same question from Klugger and gave the same answer.
The existence of someone I love, someone I must protect, has changed the purpose I’ve held onto until now.
A trigger? There was no need for such a thing.
The mere fact of their existence made me feel and think so much.
Physically, I can’t protect my girlfriends. If anything, it’s more convincing that my girlfriends would protect me instead.
Protection isn’t just about physicality. No matter how strong or sturdy their bodies may be, inside, they’re ordinary humans with many scars.
Even I, who possess a stronger physique than most, am the same. I’m a human who’s easily hurt and feels a variety of emotions.
The Fleet Commander’s expression wasn’t good, but I didn’t regret my answer. This wasn’t a place where I could lie. Even if I did lie, everyone would eventually find out.
A false answer like taking Spacystro’s side was shallow and carried no weight.
“So should I understand that you’re on Earth’s side?”
“No. I’m not on Earth’s side. My affiliation is with Spacystro. However, when asked whose side I’m on, I can only answer that I’m on my girlfriends’ side.”
“How can you say you’re not on Earth’s side when you claim to be on Team HunterKiller’s side?”
“Let me say it again. I’m on my girlfriends’ side, not Team HunterKiller’s side.”
The Fleet Commander tilted his head as if he didn’t understand. The wrinkles on his furrowed brow showed no sign of easing.
“Your girlfriends are part of Team HunterKiller, aren’t they?”
“That’s correct.”
“And you said you’re on your girlfriends’ side.”
“Yes.”
“Then doesn’t that mean you’re on Team HunterKiller’s side?”
“No.”
The Fleet Commander let out a sigh. It might seem like I’m joking, but when he looked straight into my eyes, he realized I had no intention or luxury of making light of the situation.
Because he knew it wasn’t a joke, his sigh grew deeper.
“Can you explain it in a way that makes sense to me?”
“It’s as I said. I plan to keep moving for my girlfriends. However, not all my actions are for Earth’s sake. I’m not striving to support Team HunterKiller, which belongs to Earth. I’m striving to protect my precious girlfriends.”
Team HunterKiller is ultimately just an affiliation. If my girlfriends leave Team HunterKiller and form another team, they’ll no longer be part of it, but the fact that they’re my girlfriends won’t change.
No matter where they’re affiliated, I’ll do my best for my girlfriends and will always stand on their side forever.
“I see. I understand what you’re trying to say.”
The Fleet Commander nodded, seemingly understanding the words delivered with a firm gaze and clear voice.
“So, do you have no intention of acting for Spacystro in the future?”
“No. I’ve always been a part of Spacystro, and I still intend to act for Spacystro. But…”
“But?”
I took a deep breath in and out before answering the Fleet Commander’s follow-up question.
“If Spacystro harms my girlfriends, I won’t act for Spacystro at that time.”
This isn’t something you say to Spacystro’s highest officials. I’m aware of that.
But they’re the ones who asked the question. I’m simply expressing my thoughts honestly in response.
“I don’t think Spacystro would be greatly affected by the actions of one person.”
“One of my specialties is desperation.”
If Spacystro harms my girlfriends? I’m confident I’d go to any lengths to protect my girlfriends and turn my back on Spacystro.
“Don’t you ever get told that you’re overly honest?”
“I hear it quite often.”
Even if you put it nicely, I’m not a flexible person. To be more precise, I’m inflexible and self-centered.
I’m someone who ignores rank to uphold principles, and I’ll break principles to save a comrade. At times, I’ve saved people and helped others, but because of this personality, I’ve received many disciplinary actions over the years.
Even though I’m well aware of it, I can’t help but be this way. In the end, I’m that kind of person, and I haven’t changed so far. I don’t think I’ll change in the future, either.
“Hahaha.”
The Fleet Commander chuckled softly, and the wrinkles on his brow disappeared.
His expression became relaxed, incomparable to just moments ago.
“Don’t worry. We have no intention of harming Team HunterKiller. Besides, losing an exceptional talent like you would be a loss in many ways.”
“An exceptional talent?”
It’s the first time I’ve heard such a thing during my military career. No matter how close someone was to me, no one has ever called me an exceptional talent. Probably because I’ve caused so much trouble that even if they wanted to say something nice, they couldn’t.
Whenever I did something well, I’d immediately cause an accident, and even if I produced good results, there was always accompanying damage. If anyone was labeled a failure, it would be me. I’m the kind of person who can’t be called an exceptional talent, and I know that better than anyone.
“Spacystro has used various methods to gather information on hyper-humans over the past period. However, since we’re an invading force on Earth, there have always been restrictions on what we could push forward from the top. There’s been a lot of internal discussion, so some things couldn’t proceed. Even though you acted independently, you’ve managed to uncover some information on hyper-humans.”
The Fleet Commander set down the documents he was holding, picked up another set, and continued.
“No matter how you look at it, you’ve produced tangible results. If someone like this isn’t an exceptional talent, then who is?”
I turned my head, feeling the gaze from the side. Some of the people sitting in the judge’s seats, who had been wearing stern expressions, now had smiles on their faces. Even if they weren’t laughing, their expressions had softened compared to before.
“We didn’t call you here to discipline you, to begin with. Starting the interrogation was just for show. The only disciplinary action you’ve skipped is one. From the information on hyper-humans to the successful attack on the transmission base and the valuable training data—if we disciplined someone who achieved such results, we’d have no excuse even if we got criticized.”
Because I’ve received so many disciplinary actions, I didn’t think this wouldn’t be one. Especially since I was being interrogated in a courtroom. It would’ve been stranger not to think it was a disciplinary action.
“Then why in a courtroom?”
“What’s said here won’t leak outside, and this place is just the right size for the eight people who agreed to be here. Above all, we wanted to hear your thoughts, and we thought it was necessary to create some tension.”
Hearing that, the tension completely drained from me. I wanted to drop to the ground immediately, but even if this wasn’t a disciplinary meeting, I couldn’t just sit down, so I stood firm.
“We’ve heard your thoughts. You seemed really nervous when you first came in, but as we talked, you didn’t seem tense at all? Is it because you’ve been disciplined for assaulting a superior before?”
It seemed they’d done their research on me. I couldn’t bring myself to lift my head when that dark history was suddenly brought up.
“But if you were going to ask these questions, why did you call Team HunterKiller and the Seoul Headquarters Team Leader? You could’ve just called me alone.”
I was curious about this, too. If I were to be disciplined, it would make sense to call people related to me, but if I wasn’t going to be disciplined, there was no need to call others.
“I’m sorry to say this, but calling Team HunterKiller was a kind of test.”
“A test?”
“We were informed through reports that you’d join Spacystro, but from our perspective, we couldn’t be certain. So we wanted to see if you’d respond to the first summons, and observe your behavior after boarding the ship.”
Judging hostility is important. I expected them to do so, but I didn’t think they’d start observing me from the first summons.
“That’s also why the Foreign Minister persistently questioned you about betrayal.”
“Ah.”
I let out a short sound and looked at the Foreign Minister sitting in the judge’s seat. He gave me an awkward smile and waved his hand apologetically.
“Sorry. That’s the role I was given.”
“No, it’s fine.”
How could I say it wasn’t fine when such a high-ranking official was apologizing with an awkward smile? Knowing the truth, I wasn’t angry.
“We called the Team Leaders to discuss the recent training. The Chief Commanders are interested in it.”
I thought the training was insignificant. It was just a combination of long-experienced training sessions into a situation, and I didn’t think the content was valuable enough to be evaluated based on the participants’ anger.
“The training arrangement was very good. Though it seemed overly harsh, it was designed to allow breakthroughs. Above all, the active use of the training facilities is highly commendable.”
“I like tough training, though.”
Hearing the Chief Commander of Aviation’s words, I thought I should avoid contact with the trainees for a while, even though I’d never interacted with others before. I could already feel the resentment and curses coming my way.
“After leaving the courtroom, I plan to meet with Team HunterKiller and discuss future plans. You’ll accompany us.”
“Yes, I will.”
It’s related to my girlfriends. There’s no reason for me to avoid this now.
In fact, it’s much better to have a conversation together about what to do moving forward.
“Can I get a rough idea of the plan?”
“Commander.”
“Yes, I’ll explain.”
The Chief Commander of the Science Command stood up with documents in hand.
“While investigating the information you obtained, we found similarities between the experiments Team HunterKiller—that is, the hyper-humans—underwent and the monster experiments conducted long ago. We plan to confirm the current physical state of Team HunterKiller through genetic testing and compare various experimental data. Of course, we’ll first obtain Team HunterKiller’s consent.”
Invasion cannot be justified or applauded. But I believe Spacystro’s attitude toward my girlfriends, the hyper-humans, deserves praise.
Because I truly believed they’d ensure my girlfriends’ safety, I could sincerely be happy when they said they’d join Spacystro, and because I firmly believed in them, I considered resisting if they harmed my girlfriends.
It would be a lie to say I never thought anything bad would happen. I had slight unease, but after hearing the highest officials of Spacystro’s 6th Fleet assure their safety, I finally felt relieved.
“That’s a relief.”
I’d been feeling uneasy ever since coming to the fleet with my girlfriends. In a state where I didn’t know what would happen to me, could I really protect my girlfriends? What if a situation arose where we couldn’t be together in the future?
The unease disappeared, and a sigh of relief escaped.
“You must really love your girlfriends, huh.”
“Yes. They’re the reason for my life now.”
“Looking at you makes me think I should treat my wife better.”
The Fleet Commander made a light-hearted joke and smiled, then picked up a document, flipped through a few pages, and looked at me with a serious expression.
“Now, I’ll answer your question.”
“Oh! Yes.”
I’d asked the question, but I didn’t think I’d get an answer. Even without knowing the details, I could tell it was classified information that the higher-ups were strictly controlling from leaking.
I quickly stood up, straightened my clothes, and stood at attention, waiting for the Fleet Commander’s words.
“Honestly, I’ve been debating whether to tell you this or not. It’s information that absolutely cannot be leaked. But to get you on board with our future plans, I think it’s best to tell you.”
The intimidation and tension I didn’t feel while speaking earlier returned.
“Consider this a reward for your recent achievements.”
Because of my independent investigation, I’ve learned a lot. And from the higher-ups’ perspective, I’m the one who brought Team HunterKiller in, and I’m their boyfriend. Like it or not, I’ve become someone close to crucial information, and the Fleet Commander seems to have decided it’s okay to explain to me why Spacystro’s invasion has been prolonged.
“Currently, our 6th Fleet cannot invade Earth. And returning to space is also impossible.”
The answer was far more shocking than I’d expected.
I thought there was a reason Spacystro hadn’t invaded Earth.
But the Fleet Commander said they couldn’t invade. Moreover, returning to space is also impossible.
“For the past 21 years, what the higher-ups of the 6th Fleet have been pushing for is coexistence between Earth and Spacystro. Living together on Earth.”
