“Still looks hot out there.”

Late August.

Even though the peak had passed, the relentless sun still blazed down violently.

“Summer vacation is ending… so why am I dressed so heavily?”

Gazing out the window from the corridor outside the waiting room of the Ichigaya Joint Staff Office, I grumbled.

“Personally, I find Major General Kamiya’s uniform quite a sight.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen you in uniform too, Hayami-san. Oh, and thanks for polishing my shoes.”

“It’s part of a secretary’s duties.”

The leather shoes polished by Hayami-san gleamed with a mirror-like shine, reflecting my face.

“Seeing you all prim and proper reminds me of when we first teamed up and you were so tense.”

“I always aim to be your competent aide.”

No, after seeing various embarrassing moments of Hayami-san during the training camp in Okinawa, I doubt she can pull off that competent officer persona…

But, since she seemed unwilling to give up on her competent elder-sister officer role, I decided not to share my thoughts.

“So, why did you turn down the government’s offer, Hayami-san?”

I asked Hayami-san a question I had already asked many times before.

“…It’s far too presumptuous for me to stand alongside Major General Kamiya.”

Her answer was always the same.

Hayami-san, who usually seemed ready to follow any of my commands, firmly stood her ground on this one issue.

“That’s not true. The way I can now use my soul armor is undoubtedly thanks to your efforts, Hayami-san.”

“Thanks to Major General Kamiya’s arrangements, I already receive substantial officer-like treatment in terms of salary and benefits, which is more than enough.”

“Hope it helps with the summer bonus.”

“Please forget about that…”

Remembering how she wasted money on hotel and flight costs trying to sneak away during the Okinawa trip, Hayami-san made a sour face.

As I laughed at her expression, we arrived in front of the meeting room.

“Well, I’m going in.”

“Please go ahead.”

With a graceful bow from Hayami-san, I pushed open the heavy wooden door.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

“Oh, Kotomi, you’re here already. The uniform suits you.”

“Yuu…! Thank goodness… I was so nervous about what to say if a stranger showed up.”

Kotomi sat alone in the large, impressive meeting room of the Joint Staff Office, looking uneasy.

Seeing Kotomi in a proper military uniform with a tie instead of her school uniform was quite a fresh sight.

With her petite build and youthful face, she seemed to be overwhelmed by the uniform.

Despite the sharpness of the military attire, she was still clutching her stuffed toy, Chuusuke, adding to the incongruity.

My remark about the uniform suiting her was half-teasing, but it seemed Kotomi was too nervous to pick up on the joke.

“Is it like the relief of finding a familiar face after a class reshuffle?”

“No, this is way more serious than a class reshuffle…”

“Is this your first time at Ichigaya, Kotomi?”

“A regular student like me has no reason to come to the Joint Staff Office.”

Kotomi answered my question, but her voice still trembled faintly, indicating her nerves hadn’t fully settled.

“It’ll be fine. Today’s meeting includes the Marshal, but he’s just an old guy.”

“That’s exactly the problem! It’s my first time seeing the Marshal in person, and I’m suddenly attending the same meeting!”

“You’ve really climbed up the ranks, Kotomi.”

“I never wanted this, though…”

“Same here. Honestly, I’m glad you’re here with me.”

“Yuu…”

Kotomi, like me, is considered a special strategic asset.

When I first heard about it, I couldn’t believe it.

Dr. Kirigaya had shown interest in Kotomi when we first met, so I thought there was something special about her, but I never imagined she’d be listed as a special asset.

“Hey, did you know there’s a movement to remove legal restrictions on early-age marriages and polygamy for soul armor users to foster the early development of the next generation?”

“As always, this country swings to extremes when it decides to act.”

I sighed, opened a bottle of tea placed on the conference table, a peculiar size seen only in meeting rooms, and took a sip.

Who on earth is influencing the media…

“Yuu, are you interested in having babies?”

“Cough!”

I almost spat out my tea.

If I had been drinking more, I would have definitely sprayed the tea all over the conference table.

“Wh-why are you asking that here!?”

“Sorry, that came out wrong…”

Kotomi realized her wording was misleading and hugged Chuusuke tightly to her chest, embarrassed.

“Well, babies are cute.”

Thinking Kotomi was saying something outlandish due to her nerves about the upcoming meeting, I gave a safe response.

Or so I thought.

Kotomi’s face darkened at my reply.

“I’m scared of babies.”

“…? Scared of babies?”

It’s not common to hear someone say they’re scared of babies.

“Both of my aunts died shortly after giving birth in recent years.”

“I see. That’s…”

Despite advances in obstetrics, the risks associated with childbirth haven’t been entirely eliminated.

The idea of artificial wombs and test-tube babies still belongs to the realm of science fiction.

Hence, the push for early marriages and polygamy among soul equipment users is being promoted.

Increasing the number of soul equipment users directly correlates with national power.

In today’s world, where the powerless perish, bioethics often gets overlooked.

“And the children born—my cousins—are all said to have the potential for soul armor abilities.”

“So, probably…”

“Yes. My cousins have the same type of soul armor ability as mine, generating poison.”

Kon once explained it.

Soul armor forms a contract with blood relatives of those with suitable abilities.

Thus, blood relatives end up with the same type of soul equipment ability.

Hugging Chuusuke, Kotomi continued to speak slowly.

“Maybe this poison ability harms the mother during pregnancy and childbirth… That thought scares me.”

“Kotomi…”

There are still many mysteries about soul armor.

There may be unknown risks yet to surface.

We, soul armor users, are like guinea pigs, gathering data.

“But the country will expect us to produce the next generation, especially since we’re special strategic assets…”

“That’s not something you need to worry about, Kotomi. I have no intention of getting married or having kids anytime soon.”

To dispel Kotomi’s fears, I firmly stated that her future wouldn’t be dictated by societal trends.

“R-really?”

“Not at all. We’re just 15 or 16-year-old kids. Marriage is way too early for us. The world is trending towards later marriages anyway.”

I tried to reassure her with my limited knowledge from a TV show I recently watched.

“But the pressure from around us…”

“Marriage isn’t something you do for others; it’s for your own happiness. If people pressure you, use me as an example.”

“Use you?”

“Say you’ll consider it when Major General Kamiya, the top special asset, gets married.”

I suggested mischievously, grinning at Kotomi.

“I see… You’re really good at this kind of comeback, Yuu.”

“Haha! I’ve resisted marriage and matchmaking pressure for years.”

“W-wait, how old were you when this pressure started?”

“Since before my voice changed, so around 12 or 13.”

“Wow…”

Kotomi’s “wow” probably carried a lot of meaning.

“There were even a few honey traps, but when I seriously blew up, they stopped bothering me.”

“Honey traps… No wonder you’re good at handling advances from girls.”

“Haha! Right?”

“No, I’m not praising you.”

Good, Kotomi’s usual prickly honor student demeanor is back.

“So, follow my lead and resist the marriage pressure. Today’s meeting will be tough. Others will be here soon, so brace yourself, Kotomi.”

I was glad to see Kotomi’s tension easing and happily started reviewing the materials.

So,

“If Yuu wants a baby, then I…”

Kotomi whispered to Chuusuke, but her words didn’t reach my ears.