“Hey, Toshi-nii!”

“Yuusuke, don’t start a video call randomly without emailing first. That’s basic etiquette for an adult.”

Yuusuke persisted in calling via the military’s internal network for a full five minutes before Toshi-nii finally gave in and answered.

“I’m just a kid, I don’t know grown-up rules like that!”

“You conveniently switch between acting like a major and a child. What a brat.”

Toshi-nii grumbled, throwing a verbal jab from the other side of the screen.

“So, what’s up? You must have a reason for calling today.”

“It’s about the cultural festival at the military academy where you’re at.”

“Oh, we’re all swamped with preparations for that. It’s putting a strain on our usual duties, and the instructors are working overtime.”

Toshi-nii, who always looked a bit sleep-deprived, had even darker circles under his eyes today.

“Is it okay to complain to a student like me?”

“If you’re coming, I need to ask the security team to review their protocols. Ugh, more work.”

Toshi-nii confiding in me like this means he trusts me, right? That thought makes me kind of happy.

“Alright, I’ll come to the festival then. See you there.”

“Yeah. Some students from Tokumei Soul Armor Academy said they were coming too. They got friendly during the joint training.”

“That’s thanks to you, Toshi-nii. You even tried to kill me with an automaton during that training.”

“Speaking of which, Kirigaya’s been pestering me for the automaton training data. Annoying, considering how busy I am.”

Toshi-nii scratched his head in frustration as he remembered his tasks.

“Do you keep in touch with Dr. Kirigaya often?”

“We’re peers, so we do. He’s in a special position and got promoted quickly. I’m one of the few people he can casually talk to. Like you, he contacts me for trivial stuff.”

“Wait, you see me and Dr. Kirigaya the same way, Toshi-nii?”

That’s a bit disheartening…

“I mean, both your emails go straight to the spam folder.”

“That’s cruel! Kotomi, hack Toshi-nii’s computer to make him read my emails.”

Feeling hurt by Toshi-nii’s words, I asked Kotomi, who was sitting on the bed behind me, for help.

“I can’t do what Dr. Kirigaya does. At most, I could hack into the academy’s server, destroy all security protocols, and erase all data so it’s accessible from the global network.”

Kotomi looked up from a specialized book on information security management with a troubled expression.

Lately, Kotomi’s been devouring books and study guides related to information processing techniques.

Electronic warfare will be her main battleground in the future, so she’s working hard to learn about it.

Kotomi is really diligent.

“Hey, I just heard something dangerous. Is that new special operative kid with you?”

“Yeah. She helped with the computer setup during our last video call, remember?”

Kotomi had helped me with the setup the last time I called Toshi-nii. I already knew how to do it today, but she wanted to come, so I brought her along after school.

I told her it was okay to stay and study.

“That kid, huh… But to think Yuusuke’s classmate would team up with Kirigaya.”

“The world of Soul Armor users is small.”

“You seem happy.”

“She’s like me, shouldering responsibilities at a young age.”

“Are you happy to have more friends?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

“Take good care of such friends. See you.”

“Yeah, bye Toshi-nii.”

Toshi-nii logged out of the call room.

We chatted more casually this time, which was nice.

“Finished? Yuu?”

“Yeah, thanks for waiting, Kotomi.”

“Okay, come here then.”

Kotomi patted the bed beside her.

“Alright, I promised.”

I sat on the bed as Kotomi instructed.

The springs creaked under the weight of two people.

On the narrow single bed, our knees touched.

“Let’s play, Yuu.”

“Sure.”

Kotomi, visibly excited, began preparing something on the bed.

What kind of game do you think a boy and girl would play on a bed in a personal space like this?

Of course…

“Hello, I’m Chuusuke.”

“H-Hi, I’m Kon. Nice to meet you.”

Yes, stuffed animal play.

“Hey, what should I call you? Is ‘Kon’ okay?”

Kotomi, hiding her face behind the Chuusuke plush, spoke in a high-pitched voice.

“Yeah, Kon is fine.”

Kotomi immediately responded to my half-hearted reply.

“Yuu, I told you to develop your character properly. Why is Kon male? With that appearance, she could be female. Is Kon just lethargic or did something happen to make her that way? Did you write a character profile? Give weight to the character.”

“Oh… uh… sorry.”

“First, try having a conversation with Kon.”

“Okay…”

I faced the fox plushie, Kon, which Kotomi had won for me at the arcade.

Is this how serious stuffed animal play is?

What’s with character profiles and backstories?

Giving weight to a character? I don’t get it!

[Things are getting interesting, Master.]

[It’d be easier if I could talk to this Kon instead.]

While I stared down the plushie Kon, the soul-bound Kon spoke to me.

[Creating a new plushie character, she’s quite demanding. Like an editor critiquing a new mangaka’s draft.]

[I don’t have that talent. Can I just use the soul-bound Kon’s character for the plushie?]

[Master, you’re too fond of me, making the plushie copy my character.]

[Are we still doing that joke? You were making a fuss about cheating at the arcade.]

What’s with the “cheating” bit? We’re bound by contract, we can’t part.

…Wait, isn’t that like marriage?

[Still, the girl’s plushie is an intriguing case. It looks like a possession type but could be an equipment type. It’s a unique case.]

[That’s probably why Kotomi was chosen as a special operative.]

[Special operatives are state secrets, right?]

[Yeah. You heard that at the meeting too, Kon.]

She changed the topic abruptly.

Right now, I need to think about the plushie Kon’s character.

[Yes, which makes me wonder why the lieutenant colonel knew. Why did he know she was chosen as a special operative so recently?]

[…It’s probably military information. He knew I was a special operative through military channels too.]

[But why would a regular officer be informed about such recent developments? For what purpose? By whom?]

[I don’t know. Maybe Dr. Kirigaya? They’re peers, after all!]

I replied irritably, connecting the dots hastily.

“Hey, Yuu. Are you done talking to Kon?”

“Uh… almost…”

[Oops, haven’t thought of anything. Let me focus, Kon.]

Taking advantage of Kotomi’s interruption, I ended my internal conversation.

[Understood, then.]

Kon’s last words carried a hint of melancholy.