The secretary ship


I was escorted in front of a closed double door. The poor Japanese reservist that was with me was escorted out of the building after they realized that they were escorting an unauthorized personnel as well.

Left alone, I waited for a while. They might come back after they took away the Japanese reservist, someone might come over and escort me further in the Admiralty Building. Who knows?

As I stand there staring at the closed brown double doors, a heavy tap came to my shoulder. It was soo heavy that you could feel the fingers digging on your shoulder. I turned around to see who it was and was met with a stunning beautiful girl wearing a serafuku on top of a long-sleeved zippered shirt and a blue pleated skirt with hakama-like hip vents. She has white stripes along the brim of their skirt and wears thigh-highs. She wears a necktie on her zippered shirt, glasses, and a cyan-colored hairband.

"E-Ah?!" I stuttered.

The girl tilted her head and said something in Japanese then she leaned towards my arm and saw my military patches. One of which is the division patch that resembles a fox and the words Legion underneath it.

The girl saluted and said something like "chu-yee?" or something, I saluted back and raised the documents in my hand.

"I was ordered to deliver this to the admiral…" I slowly said in English.

The girl widened her eyes and immediately turned towards the door, she then hastily opened the door and said something like "Dozo".

After moving a couple of steps I saw Admiral Goto sitting behind a large table full of papers stacked like the Eiffel tower. The admiral raised his head and furrowed an eyebrow towards me.

"First Lieutenant Ermest Fustaku, I was ordered to deliver these documents to you sir." I saluted and said stiffly.

I haven't met Admiral Goto face to face and seeing his old and tired face is enough to make me feel out of place. The admiral saluted and then made a smile as he stood up from his table and approached me, he then leaned to the side and made a modest bow.

"EH?!"

"I am very thankful for your efforts at the battle of Kanmonkyo Bridge. If the 501st Legion weren't there we would've lost another part of Japan. I, Arimoto Goto, Admiral of the Combined Fleet branch of the IJN, thank you for your efforts and sacrifices." He said earnestly.

When I heard that name again I somehow felt empty and angry. No, I am not angry at Admiral Goto's name, what I am furious about is the name of that bloody bridge.

It was called the impenetrable bridge in the south, the great wall of Japan so they say. But when an over-sized To-class light cruiser look alike came out of nowhere, the impenetrable wall of the south had a large hole at the center.

Being the closest Division at that time we were tasked on defending that bridge until the IJA were able to mobilize their troops to the south. With the southern army that was responsible for defending the most southern part of Japan's land gone, an over-sized Division like ours were called upon to defend the bridge that connects the Kyushu Island Group and Mainland Japan….

You know what's funny? We aren't even defending our homeland, we were dying on a foreign land that even invaded us in the Second World War and even did hideous things to my people. So why are we risking our lives to defend the country that invaded us in the past?

Ten thousand soldiers defended that small strip of land. And half of that were gone when the relief force arrived. Simple math, what is 10000 divided by 2? That's five thousand survivors; you were tempted to use the calculator weren't you?

Now you might be asking. Why are we doing in a place like Japan? Well we were sent here to attend a large scale land based excise that the Japanese proposed four years ago. A week after that the abyssals arrived and you should know what happened next.

"No sir, don't mind. We are just doing our job…." I said to him.

I buried the words that I've said after that battle, I don't want to remember the faults of my words on that day. I shall never repeat them in front of the combined fleet admiral.

Even though we've died on a foreign land, even when half of us wanted to go home to their families and protect them?

I shall never repeat those words in front of him. I may not know him, but I sure do hell know that he's been doing his job as an admiral. He's been tasked to lead the newly formed Combined Fleet after all; he's been doing his part on protecting his country….

Who am I to say something that would only tarnish his thanks to us?

What the hell am I saying?

"A-anyhow sir, I've been told to deliver these documents to you." I bowed to him and gave him the documents when he raised his head.

The admiral grabbed the documents and placed them on the table. He then said something to the girl that prompted her to close the double doors and pulled a chair somewhere.

"Would you like to have tea with me, Lieutenant?" Admiral Goto said as he poured tea on a small brown cup.

I've been told to say yes when a Japanese person presented something to me and since it's an order from Crisanto himself. I shall accept it since it is now a stone caved order.

"Yes, thank you." I replied.

Admiral Goto gave me the cup before pouring on the other. After blowing the lid of the cup and then singlehandedly drank it, I returned the cup to the admiral.

"So, tell me. How's your situation right now, Lieutenant."

"Huh? Uh, been good sir. Although we are still undermanned but we've done something to address that problem. Anything else, well we've been doing fine I guess."

"A straight forward answer. I've been told that the 501st Legion will be stationed here for another year or two. Scouts have been sent near the Philippine sea where there are still large amounts of abyssal activity there."

The blockade around Philippines hasn't been lifted yet. We've been told by the marine guards a week ago. When you want to destroy a blockade it is good to penetrate it from the inside, or so they say. With Philippines not having any original warships during the two wars the blockade hasn't been lifted for four years now.

"We've already discovered a large concentration of red miasma on that sector. It's going to be difficult but we'll do our best to free your people in the right time."

"When that time comes, I'll surely give you my hidden stash of wine."

"Oh, now-now. I am already old enough to be wary on drinking too much wine for my age." The admiral softly laughed.

"Then the coconuts it is then."

"Haha, maybe-maybe."

The admiral poured another tea on the two cups; I hurried said "Ah, no need. One is enough for me." To him before he started pouring on the other tea cup.

"I just hope this war will end soon." I said softly.

"We all wanted that, Lieutenant Fustaku-san. Soldiers, seamen, civilians, shipgirls."

"Ah, please drop the horrific, admiral. Calling me Fustaku is good enough." I said with a small laugh.

The admiral laughed before saying something in Japanese to the girl beside him. From the things this girl is doing she must be a secretary girl or something.

"Oh, I'm sorry for not introducing myself. I am light cruiser Ooyodo. I am currently the secretary ship of the Admiral for now." She said in English.

Oh, looks like I've hit the jackpot for guessing what her job was in this room. And a shipgirl too, well it was kinda obvious when you think about it. A girl wearing a nonmilitary uniform on a heavily guarded place and beauty that's beyond explanation of course she is a shipgirl!

"Ah right, um hello."

"Oh don't be so stiff, Lieutenant Fuck-san." Ooyodo said with a giggle.

Wait…did I hear that right?

"Umm, excuse me what did you call me?"

"Oh don't be so stiff?" Ooyodo repeated while tilting her head to the side.

"After that" I continued.

"Lieutenant Fuck-san?" Ooyodo innocently said as she raised an eyebrow at me.

Okay seriously I heard that right and I'm not that deaf enough to mishear that.

"Ooyodo-san, I would like to correct you on something that is very offensive on my part." I said while making a smile towards Ooyodo.

Ooyodo made a wary smile as she took a step back from me. What's wrong Ooyodo? Is my smile that scary? I've been told that my smile is too scary for Japanese standards.


Goddammit! Goddammit! Why am I forcing myself again?! Akashi-san please stop teasing me already! Help somebody! Save me from her clutches~!