Wouldn't it be too arrogant for a mere human to discuss the shape of a country they couldn’t even see with their very own eyes? However, when looking at the map, the Military State indeed had an elongated horizontal shape.
Just like how blood follows the body, the Meta Conveyor Belt, which could be considered the aorta of the Military State, also had an oblong shape.
No, to be precise, it was closer to a horizontally elongated rectangle with angular semicircles attached to both sides. This was because curves caused significant wear on the edges.
Command was located at the very center of the circular Meta Conveyor Belt. The heart of the Inner Circle. To get there, we had to move laterally to some extent.
Thus, we were now re-boarding the Meta Conveyor Belt that we had left once.
After the plan to storm Command was devised, the Regressor headed for the Meta Conveyor Belt. With Signallers and searchlights monitoring everywhere, there was no better means of transportation for moving without being detected. We easily boarded it and searched for a container to hide and pass the time.
The container was filled with cargo... but the Regressor emptied it in a very simple way. She opened her subspace, the Pocket, and started putting everything inside.
Historia stared in awe at the Pocket that endlessly swallowed items.
"...What in the world is that?"
"Oh, it's a cheat item. By the way, it's filled with all sorts of bizarre tools."
"Two Treasure Swords, immense Qi... Are you perhaps a hidden son of the Empire's Emperor?!"
"Does the hidden son of the Empire's Emperor carry stuff like this around these days? I'm a bit envious. Seems like it’s worth being the Emperor's son, huh."
Ah, thank goodness. I wasn't the only one feeling an inferiority complex based on envy. Historia also felt a similar sense of absurdity upon seeing that.
This was how people should normally react. The fact that she had such items should be seen as abnormal.
"Tch. It's full."
The Regressor stopped packing only after emptying two-thirds of the container. She clicked her tongue in disappointment, which was honestly pretty irritating. I hoped she remembered that she alone could revolutionize the Military State's entire logistics industry.
Comparing a single human to a container dedicated to storing items was a bit sad for the container, wasn't it?
The Regressor pulled out other necessities from her pocket as she spoke.
"Let's just push the rest to the corner. It would be best to spend time here until we arrive at the Central Terminal. And if possible, let’s prioritize contacting the Resistance."
"The Resistance? Do we need them? Isn't that a bit too reckless?"
"They're perfect for causing a commotion. Without them, well, I guess we’ll cause a mess ourselves."
From the Military State's perspective, it would be better to call the Resistance. The commotion caused by the Regressor would be of an unprecedented kind, after all.
"Are you done? Then it is my turn. Do I just need to place a Mark here?"
"Yes. Please."
"Hoho. Understood. It feels somewhat rewarding to divide the work."
The person who usually wouldn't lift a finger was now feeling the reward of labor.
Tyr drew a Mark with her blood-stained finger on the container's inner wall. The pattern soaked in blood glowed ominously in the dark, as the inner wall fell under her control. In the past, when she could freely manipulate blood, she would have just extended her hand, but now, with her heart beating again, she had to draw it out meticulously.
The container was large and her characteristic leisurely attitude made it quite time-consuming. But we couldn't rush her. After all, only Tyr could do this. This was a job for a specialist.
Now then, everyone is working. It is time for me to earn my keep.
If I don’t work, my share would disappear and my right to reap the benefits would be gone. If I wanted to enjoy everything, I had to work for it.
I pointed my finger over there.
"Come on, let's go! Azzy, Nabi, Ria! Move the cargo to the corner!"
"Woof woof!"
"Meow?"
"...I’m included in this?"
The dog ran out like Azzy. Or wait, was it the other way around? Anyway, by dragging and scratching the cargo with her teeth and claws, she moved it to the corner several times.
My instinct to love neat squares whispered to me to stop and organize, but I postponed it. It wasn't a goal worth achieving by increasing my workload. In other words, it was too much trouble.
"Mya-. Well done meow-."
"Nabi. You need to work too."
"Mya? Mya have to eat and smoke meow. Offer a tribute right neow."
"Ugh, a cat's life is seriously the best... If you push that cargo to the corner, I'll give you a box that fits your body perfectly."
"A box? Give it meow! Right neow!"
"Does this beast not understand the relationship between work and reward?"
I, a human, took charge of cleaning up after them; the privilege of being a highly intelligent being. I neatly stacked the cargo Azzy had pushed into the wall, making space for us to stay.
Oh, right. I have to clean the floor too. Should I use the other punk for this?
"Ria. I'll give you a rag, so clean the floor. You can clean with a rag even if your hands are tied, right?"
Historia, who caught the rag with her toes, asked me.
"...Huey. You’re joking, right?"
"Joking? Does this look like a joke? If you're part of this group, you should work, right? Do you think captives don’t work? Then I wanna be a captive too!"
"Not that. The part about storming Command."
Historia glared at me fiercely, grinding her teeth.
"You said you wanted to live a normal life. Since when did storming the Command become a normal thing?"
"No, no. Didn't you hear Mr. Shei explain? What we're doing is pursuing peace. Love and peace. That's the most important thing a normal person should do, isn’t it?"
I answered, making a V sign with both hands.
If there was a chained beast, it was my instinct to get as close to them as possible and tease them. As such, knowing that Historia would react, I kept provoking her.
If her hands weren't tied, she would have clenched her head. Historia, feeling a sort of mental vertigo, exclaimed.
"To stop a war, you're going to attack Command? That's just war! Wouldn’t only an idiot do that?"
"Just between us, I do think he’s an idiot."
"...I’m talking about you, Huey!"
"Huh? Why? Mr. Shei was the one who planned this operation. If you’re going to call anyone an idiot, it obviously has to be Mr. Shei!"
If a war had started in the previous regression, you should have let us known sooner. We almost got stuck in the Fallen Dominion, which would become a battlefield.
Attacking Command isn't a comforting thought, but it's better than getting caught up in a war. Unstable killing intent aimed at the unspecified masses, just like how it was in war, is too fatal for me. You can't dodge a potshot, you know?
And according to the Regressor, the clouds of war between countries would gradually increase starting from this war... So well, there's no harm in stopping it, right? It’s not like I’m the one to stop it anyway.
"That's just how it is, Ria. By the way, didn't I tell you to clean? Since when did cleaning become a death glare?"
"Huey!"
"If you don't want to join us, just get off right now. Who's stopping you? Your feet aren't tied, so you can run to Daddy Sunderspear and Mommy Mage Marshal and tell them, right? Hey, they're charging at Command! Go stop them! Just like that! Go and try to make my path forward difficult!"
"You...!"
Her shoulders and chest trembled instead of her tied fists. I went ahead and taunted some more.
"Go ahead! I'm not stopping you! What, have we ever said we’re going to kill you or something? Or torture you or take you hostage? We said we'd let you go! You're the one who wanted to watch and asked to come with us!"
"Hey!"
Historia moved her legs while tied. The rag landed on her foot and immediately shot at me like a projectile. Despite her awkward stance, the rag flew straight at my head.
Haha. No way. No matter how clumsy I am, how could I not dodge a rag thrown with just her feet? I bent backward and...
"Kuahk!"
It hit my face. Since it hit while I was bending back, I fell backward. The hipbone, which had lost its tail through evolution, collided with the hard floor. At this moment, I missed that lost tail so very much.
That's right. Legs had three times the strength of arms...! Their only weakness was that they were easier to detect due to large movements, but it didn't really matter to a Mind Reader like me anyway!
Rubbing my aching coccyx, I pulled the rag off my face.
"Ptui, ptui. How dare you hit my face with a dusty rag!"
"Considering what you did, you deserve it."
"No sign of remorse! I shall punish you right away!"
「Punish? Even if I'm tied up, how are you going to punish me? You'll need to think of a creative way, Huey. I'll look forward to it.」
I shall meet those very expectations!
Not me! Someone stronger than me!
I ran to Tyr and the Regressor and tattled.
"Mom! Dad! She hit me! Please scold her!"
The reaction was immediate. The Regressor, who was called Dad, shouted as if she had been shot.
"Why am I Dad? In the first place, I'm a wom- No! I mean, you’re older!"
Oooh, you knew I was older? I thought you had completely forgotten because you always ignore and look down on me. Or maybe you were even counting your ages before your regression.
…But what’s this? You still talk so cheekily, even though you know I'm older? Isn't that more malicious? Is what I wanted to say… But honestly, it wasn’t like she discriminated against only me.
"Shei. It was just a light joke, was it not? Are you not able to play along, even if just for a short while?"
"No! Dad?! Dad who?! Even as a joke, it gives me the creeps! I never had a son like that!"
After all, she talks like this even to Tyr, who is at least a thousand years older regardless of her age before the regression. She is honestly fair in how she's equally disrespectful to everyone, which makes me oddly fond of her.
Meanwhile, Tyr didn't point it out or get upset at all. Having dealt with all sorts of people over the years, she didn't really bother with people's reactions. I mean, I guess it makes sense; if she got upset every time someone met her and hurled insults about driving iron nails into her limbs, she wouldn't have any emotions left to spend.
Tyr lightly scolded the Regressor with a kind smile and approached me.
"Alright. Come here. What do you want me to do?"
I ran over and tattled about Historia's misdeed. How she threw a rag at my face and turned this handsome face into a ragged mess. That the dust scraped off the container floor tasted oh so exquisite.
I babbled on and pointed at Historia, who stood there with a dumbfounded look.
"Give her a good scolding! So she never does that again!"
"Understood."
Tyr nodded slightly and walked gracefully to stand before Historia. Then she began to scold her in a loud voice, as if for my benefit.
"I understand that you were close to Hu and longed for any sliver of affection. I also understand your regret and determination not to repeat past tragedies. However."
Tyr placed her hand on her chest and spoke with a slight pomp.
"Remember this well You were on the side pursuing Hu and we were the ones protecting him from you. Considering how black and white such a situation is, you are interacting far too intimately with him. Moreover, you are even threatening him, however slightly... No matter the circumstances of your past, you are still a captive and you should not forget that we accepted your request to accompany us out of goodwill."
It was a reasonable argument, touching on the most painful points for Historia. At the same time, it gave me perfect support.
The opponent was Tyrkanzyaka, the Progenitor. Even if Historia were in perfect condition, she couldn't defeat her. So, at this moment in time, with her arms tied and needing to continue the journey, Historia had no choice but to accept her words.
"...I understand, Progenitor."
"There is no assurance, nor pledge. Speak clearly regarding what exactly you understand."
As a result of the consecutive scolding, Historia gritted her teeth and replied in humiliation.
"I will not… cause any harm to Huey.”
"You have stated it yourself, so I shall believe you will keep your word by your own will and honor."
Tyr, who had made her statement, glanced at me and smiled. It meant, ‘Is this enough?’ When I nodded, Tyr slightly spread her arms and showed her empty embrace.
「I scolded her and played along well. How was it?」
A pretty Noo…nim? who knows how to play along perfectly, is it? Anyway, I'm good at playing along too. Since I could read thoughts, I often end up going along with the other's planned act.
I spread my arms and ran to hug Tyr.
"Thank you, Tyr!"
"What for."
Due to my relatively larger physique compared to Tyr, it looked like I was the one to hug her, but Tyr was actually the one to pull me in with a satisfied smile in her eyes.
「Hoohoo. This is delightful. It may be harsh for the female general before me, but flaunting the current relationship in front of such remnants of the past brings a base yet peripheral pleasure. It seems being human means having such childish feelings.」
Her slight feelings of superiority could be heard from her thoughts. Historia, seething with anger, glared at me as if to pierce me. It was fortunate that I had taken her gun beforehand. Otherwise, my back might have actually become a target.
It was right at that moment. I suddenly felt the sensation of the world tilting forward. The belt was slowing down.
The container had arrived at a stopover.