The Truth Regarding The Stones
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Translator: SFBaka
Editor: Thor’s Stone
「A Kaleidolithos is about as expensive as a small A-Carbuncle. An A-Carbuncle of the same price cannot be used to power a Defense Dome, but it’s more than enough for a warship. However, its use was completely unknown. There’s a rumor saying its used to increase the performance of Antique Silhouettes though.」
「That’s right. I have some bad memories regarding it, but that thing did help fund Metal Iris when it was just starting out.」
Fuyuki stated the value of the Kaleidolithos in the black market, which Jenny affirmed.
Kou nodded in response and continued his explanation.
「The kaleidolithos can emit light of various gradations on a periodic basis at exactly the same time intervals.」
「We’re already aware of that. Is there some secret to that phenomenon?」
Kou nodded in response to Jenny’s inquiry.
「You see, this thing… is basically the body of a Stone. Its main body.」
Everyone displayed astonished expressions when they heard the reveal.
「It seems to be a relatively well-known fact during the Interplanetary War era, but that knowledge is already lost today. Within this thing is data that can be said to be the soul of a Stone. Asia really didn’t want to refer to it as a ‘soul’ though.」
「T…… That’s……」
Jenny’s face paled as she began to tremble.
「As long as these things are still intact, the Stones can be revived over and over again. They capture humans in order to replace their minds with their own. Wha– Jenny! Are you okay!?」
Jenny collapsed to her knees with an expression of utter despair.
Blue hurriedly supported her, and Jenny was able to prevent herself from falling over completely. She supported herself with both hands on the floor so she wouldn’t fall down.
「Jenny! Did I say something bad?」
Barry bitterly smiled and shook his head in response to Kou.
「Kou, you didn’t do anything wrong. Jenny, can I tell them about it?」
Jenny nodded weakly.
Barry took a deep breath and organized his thoughts. That’s because he didn’t want to give the wrong account to Kou.
He glanced at Blue. She nodded in response. Blue also knew the inside story.
「This is a story before Jenny became a mercenary. I and Robert were part of a different mercenary team. It was a joint operation with various other Underground Forces. Our platoon managed to defeat an Antique Silhouette and got our hands on a kaleidolithos. It was a fierce battle.」
Kou nodded silently. He urged Barry to continue.
「We were the only ones who survived. At that time…… Jenny’s lover, Randy, who was a member of our team, traded his life to defeat the Antique Silhouette. We wanted to respect Randy’s will. He wanted Jenny to live her life in peace, so we gave her the kaleidolithos that was worth a lot of money. But after Jenny sold it off, she immediately founded Metal Iris. She bought her own Silhouette with some of the money from the sale.」
Robert closed his eyes as he quietly reminisced about the past. It should also be a painful memory for him.
Kou was at a loss for words.
If that was true, then Jenny gave up her opportunity for revenge with her own hands.
It was an enemy she hated enough to form Metal Iris for the sake of revenge.
Jenny stared at the floor with empty eyes. Blue worriedly clasped her hand.
「I’m sorry, Jenny.」
「Please don’t say sorry. Please don’t apologize to me again.」
「Alright.」
She muttered with a hollow-sounding voice.
Silence dominated the place for a while. No one dared to break it.
「Kou…… Just tell me one thing. What are you planning to do with those things? They’re just too tough. Practically indestructible.」
Jenny seemed to squeeze out every word as she asked her question to Kou.
「We’ll still destroy them.」
「How?」
Kou pointed upward.
「The red dwarf Nemesis. We’re going to send them straight to the Goddess of Divine Punishment.」
The two stones on top of the table momentarily glowed red. They should have heard Kou’s words.
Everyone present had the same realization.
That glow was how the Stones screamed.
Before standing up, Jenny hugged Blue and gave her a peck on the cheek with gratitude. She then rose up.
Kou said they could be destroyed. Certainly, if they were sent to the red dwarf, it would equate to true destruction. There was nothing more surefire than this method.
「As expected of our boss. I’ll follow you until the day I die.」
Jenny laughed powerlessly. However, her voice held an unwavering will.
「Jenny……」
「Don’t make that kind of face. I’m really glad I met you. Otherwise, I’d just be making the same mistake again. I did politely return my target for revenge to the enemy in exchange for money. But now that we know the truth, we won’t make the same mistake anymore. Right, everyone. Isn’t that right?」
Everyone present nodded.
「But we still can’t let your efforts go to waste. I’ll properly buy them off of you……」
「No way! Why are you gonna buy them yourself!? You gotta be kidding me. I won’t forgive anyone who even suggests we go through with such a thing!」
Jenny frighteningly screamed.
Jenny then realized she went too far and felt bad.
「I’m sorry. I’m being too hysterical. But Kou-kun, you’ve already prepared and handed over this much equipment to us. These aren’t things we can get on our own. I won’t let anyone voice a word of complaint.」
She turned to the monitor of the combat command center as she spoke.
「I know. So please don’t apologize, Jenny.」
「Thank you, Kou. –Dike. Please hand all the kaleidolithos Metal Iris will acquire from now on to Kou. Violators will be expelled from the Force. In the case of malicious intent, severe punishment will be carried out, including death. Can you add that to our official rules?」
『It has been added. Please rest assured, Captain Jenny.』
「Okay. It helps that you’re easy to talk to, Dike. –Do you think that’s overdoing it, Kou-kun? It might be fine now. But there’s no telling if something like that won’t happen if our Force continues growing. There might even be spies working for the Stones that would manage to join. This is a countermeasure for those situations.」
「It does make sense. I have no objections.」
There might be people who would infiltrate the Force to steal the kaleidolithos for money.
And more and more parties would get to know that Metal Iris was collecting them. Some of them might be enemies.
「I’m truly glad I managed to meet you. It’s because of you that I managed to finally know the truth about my enemies. So I’m very happy.」
「Jenny, that sounds like a death flag, so please stop.」
「I don’t have any intention of dying. Now, I have a new mission of sending as many kaleidolithos as possible to the arms of the Goddess Nemesis to undergo her fiery judgment after all.」
「Please make sure you don’t. You can hand me hundreds or even thousands of them. I’ll send them all to be judged by the goddess.」
Jenny approached Kou and kissed his cheek.
His face suddenly turned bright red. Aki and Nyanta’s eyes opened wide in shock. Blue and Aimer watched over the two with warm gazes.
「I’m sorry for shouting at you just now. And thank you…… I managed to find out the truth I’ve probably always wanted to know…… It’s all thanks to you.」
Her voice cracked as she sobbed tearfully. Jenny buried her face in Kou’s chest. Kou gently hugged her shoulders in response.
Jenny then raised her face. She was still in tears, but she also had her usual determined and cheerful smile on.
「Thank you, Boss. Please lend me your chest for a bit more. I’ll keep counting on you from now on!」
「Yeah. I’ll be counting on you too, Jenny.」
Kou hardened his resolve in response to Jenny’s determination.
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