"Haah..."
The light tapping of an earthenware cup against the table followed Onodera Kosaki's content sigh. Currently, she was seated alone inside an auxiliary break room, sometimes more commonly referred to as a "rest stop" by other Division members. Due to the design of the headquarters, there were many empty rooms whose only purpose was to confuse those who tried to navigate the halls based on exterior observations.
Over time, Division members had taken custody of these rooms, adding in light furnishings and personal touches. Several rooms were unofficially dedicated to certain cliques in the Eight Bonyari Division, such as "veterans-only" or "females-only." It also proved useful to new recruits, who had a difficult time navigating the homogenous interior without knowing the significant markers.
The rest stop that Kosaki was using had first been for convenience's sake; it was close to her usual route through the headquarters and so she had made frequent visits. But because of her regular visits, many Division members looking for her often came here, cementing the room's reputation as "The General's Room."
Kosaki had been a little sad when people had stopped using the room in respect for her space as that meant she was usually alone during her breaks. However, those close enough to Kosaki to not worry about the distinction between ranks had started to make themselves at home here, so it had become more lively in recent times.
For example, there was now a small ceramic stove kept in the corner for boiling water and cooking small snacks. A black tea kettle was currently resting on top, still warm from the glowing white charcoal inside. The radiant heat from the stove kept the room at a cozy temperature, perfect for relaxing in after a hard day's work.
At the table, there were various plates and cutlery for visitors to use, stacked in the center and covered with a tablecloth. Of course, as cleaning duties were shared between all members of the Eighth Bonyari Division, including Kosaki, proper maintenance of these rooms was still adhered to. In general, the implied responsibility fell upon the users of the room, so there weren't many incidences where extra work had to be done during cleaning.
Taking another sip of tea, Kosaki suddenly felt a craving for some sweets. She probably could have asked Raku earlier for some of his extra Zawsze snacks, but she hadn't been able to muster the courage. After all, she was heir to the confectionery shop in the first place! Wouldn't it have been embarrassing to ask for something like that? Especially since Raku had probably spent his own hard-earned money on them...
"Ichijou-san..."
Kosaki murmured his name as steam from her cup gently patted her skin. She wondered if he had made it home safely. Although it was likely that Raku had stopped by the Foyer before heading home for the night, Kosaki had decided against visiting and come to the rest stop instead. While they had a good relationship after all of these years, it still felt somewhat pushy for her to go check up on him like that. It wasn't like Raku was a little kid nor was he unfamiliar with the nightlife in Bonyari.
"What should I do...?" said Kosaki, laying her head against the table. "I'm acting so strange around him now..."
It wasn't that anything had changed between them. It was just Kosaki's perception of it. At first, she had just entertained the thought about Raku and her feelings for him. Just a little what-if scenario that made her feel a bit happy sometimes.
But then she noticed that her face had gotten hot whenever they were close. That she became acutely aware of things like his facial expressions, his gestures, the sweat glistening on his tanned skin after a week of sun—
N-NO!
T-That's not what I...nooo...
Kosaki buried her red face into her arms. Her thoughts had been shifting into that sort of direction more frequently now. Even though she'd never done anything before! Even though she knew it was obscene and vulgar of her to think like that...
S-Snap out of it! That's not what this is all about...
Yes. Her physical attraction to Raku was only a part of it. The rest, the bigger pull on her heart, was more obscure and harder to put into words. She wasn't exactly sure why she felt so comfortable just talking with him. How time could pass by so quickly when she was with him, doing nothing but strolling through the town or browsing through street stalls. She wasn't sure why she felt this way; but she knew that she loved him. That was the only thing that she was sure about.
"I'm back."
And so, the absolute certainty of Onodera Kosaki's feelings was the reason for the meeting today. The reason why a second person had just returned to this room, disturbing the peaceful moment that Kosaki had been desperately hoping would continue.
Pulling the chair across from her and sitting down, the Lieutenant General of the Eighth Bonyari Division:
Miyamoto Ruri.
"So..."
Her voice was soft as she spoke, but the eyes hidden behind a set of lenses were sharp enough to cut into the air. Having changed into the standard-issue navy uniform, Miyamoto Ruri should have looked casual and almost diminutive in comparison to Kosaki's rigid plate armor. However, for some reason, the shorter girl possessed an overwhelming presence that was forcing Kosaki to shrink back into her collar.
"Why don't you tell me again, Kosaki? What did Ichijou-san want in return for helping you out today?"
"...He asked...if he could take me out to dinner..."
"Oho...And?"
"And...I accepted..."
Ruri's ponytail bobbed gently as she nodded in approval. Kosaki glanced down at her tea, already knowing what was coming next.
"And? So?"
"..." Kosaki licked her lips before replying back as boldly as possible. "So what...?"
"WHY ARE YOU SITTING HERE INSTEAD OF GETTING DINNER WITH ICHIJOU!?"
Ruri's voice swept over Kosaki like a blast of wind. She could feel her skin and hair trembling from the intensity of Ruri's shout. Kosaki played with the tips of her fingers, trying to think of a proper excuse to respond with.
"I...I mean...there were various things I had to take care of today so..."
"Like?"
"L-Like...cough, cough! Cough! Um..."
"Meaning, you chickened out," said Ruri, snorting in irritation.
"...Yes." There was no escaping now.
"I can't believe you, Kosaki," said Ruri, shaking her head. "That idiot finally gets the nerve to make a move and you decide to hide in here instead!"
"M-Make a move? N-No...that's not it, Ruri-chan. Ichijou-san was just being friendly—"
"Whatever," snapped Ruri. "The point is that you have an opportunity that you're not taking! Even though it's sitting there, right in front of you!"
Kosaki wilted and went back to looking at her tea. To think that the General of an entire military division could be reduced to this by a single lecture...
It was then understandable why many feared Miyamoto Ruri more so than Onodera Kosaki.
Ruri stood up with a huff and walked over to the kettle with a cup in hand. She mixed the hot water with some ground tea powder and returned to the table.
"Really," said Ruri, taking a drink of her tea and sighing. "Sometimes, I wonder if you really like Ichijou at all."
"I do! I...really do..." said Kosaki, trailing away as her face reddened. "I just...can't do it like you want me to..."
"Why not? I'm sure that Ichijou has feelings for you too, so there's nothing to be afraid of."
"That's...not true," said Kosaki, smiling bitterly. "I'm sure that...Ichijou-san doesn't see me in that way..."
Ruri bit her lip hard to restrain her outburst. For god's sake, you could only be so dense!
"Fine," said Ruri, sipping on her tea with her eyes closed in exasperation. "I guess I'll leave it at that for today."
"Ruri-chan..."
"But Kosaki..." Ruri set her cup down and met Kosaki's eyes. "What do you want do with Ichijou?"
"Do with...?"
"You know what I mean," said Ruri, waving her hand impatiently. "You're the General of the Eighth Bonyari Division right now. It's true that your rank doesn't restrict you from having a relationship. But you and I both know that it's a job you can't do with half your mind stuck on something like love."
"I...I know that..."
"So? What are you going to do? If you eventually confess to Ichijou-san and he returns your feelings...are you going to step down from your position?"
Stepping down. Most likely, if Onodera Kosaki and Ichijou Raku settled into a happy relationship, she would become a housewife. Perhaps she would also take up her role as heir to the confectionery business in order to better support their finances. But her role in the military would be over. Miyamoto Ruri may end up succeeding her post, if she chose to continue on. The pension that Kosaki would gain in return for her service would be a good foundation for setting up their children's futures.
A house, perhaps, for their family. Maybe a pet or two. Some property, somewhere in the outskirts of the town, close enough to still be accessible, but far enough to live calmer, more peaceful lives.
When thinking like that, Kosaki didn't know how to feel. Was it something that she longed for? Did she want a life like that with Raku? A part of her said yes, bursting with enthusiasm for that future.
But another part of her shied away. Turned its bloody face, hid its rough, blackened hands, stained with violence and nightmares.
Perhaps it wasn't just the possibility of rejection that scared Kosaki.
Perhaps it was the possibility that she'd be accepted...but unable to move from where she was standing.
"I don't know, Ruri-chan..." said Kosaki at last. She turned her head away, signaling that she didn't want to talk about it anymore. It was something that couldn't just be decided over tea. Not right now...but in the future...it would probably be the final hurdle that she would need to fight.
"Well...I wasn't expecting a real answer anyways," said Ruri. A soft smile appeared on her face. "Kosaki, everyone deserves to be happy. But sometimes...you have to look out for your own happiness first."
Kosaki smiled back and drank her tea. Even though she could be unreasonable sometimes, even though she could be really really scary...Kosaki knew that, in the end, Ruri was doing what she thought was best for her.
And that was something that she'd always be grateful for.
"I'll go to dinner with Ichijou-san...eventually," said Kosaki, stumbling a little at the end of her declaration. She swallowed some more tea and then decided to change the subject. "Anyways, what about you, Ruri-chan? You know, I've noticed that you've been visiting Maiko-san a lot lately..."
The smile on Ruri's face instantly dropped away, replaced by a look of pure disgust.
"That damn bastard...he's driving me insane with that corrupt black market of his. Every time, there's something new that I have to write up paperwork for to get confiscated and he always get one of his cronies to stash it away when I come in for a raid! I swear, one of these days, I'll get him down in a cell and do **** and some of **** and rip off ****..."
"R-Ruri-chan...you're turning black!"
"And the lenses! I can't believe he calls us something like 'glasses buddies!' I'll kill him! He's giving real intellectuals a bad name with his pseudoscience and bullshit—"
Kosaki forced a smile on her face as her best friend launched into what was surely going to be another long tirade.
She was grateful...really. So she'd stay silent and agree with everything as best as she could.
It was the least she could do.
The Escape
Standard-issue navy uniform. Chitoge finished buttoning up the double-breasted blazer and tied her hair up into the cap on her head. Behind her, Tsugumi was finishing her cleanup of the soldiers that they had knocked out cold.
After moving away from the prison entrance, they had taken refuge in a nearby closet and waited for people of similar size to pass by. Had no one come, they would have been forced to take a more risky approach to moving around in the headquarters. But luck had been on their side this time. Like the prison guards, these two had just finished their patrol duty and had been leaving to get some sleep.
Their uniforms weren't complete matches, but it was enough that Chitoge and Tsugumi could pass off as Division members. Considering that they seemed to be casual wear, it was unlikely that they were properly fitted in the first place.
Tsugumi finished tying the soldiers up with some rope she had found in the closet. If they awoke, they'd probably be able to get out of their bonds quickly, but they needed to stall for as much time as possible. The prison guards had been due for a shift change, so they didn't have much time to move around freely. That was why the first priority had been to acquire uniforms from a different source. Leaving behind the uniforms of the prison guards would deflect some suspicion away from their disguise until these other soldiers were found.
"Mmm. As I thought, you look more convincing in these uniforms than I do."
"Your disguise should be more than adequate for the situation at hand, Ojou."
"That's not really what I was talking about..." said Chitoge, wondering how Tsugumi could hide her sizable breasts so effectively. "Well, anyways. So far, so good."
"What is our next step, Ojou?"
"I need to retrieve my key," said Chitoge. "They confiscated it from me when they brought me in, so it's probably being kept in a storage room somewhere..."
"It may be difficult to locate the key if we search on our own..."
"Don't worry, I've got an idea for that," said Chitoge, browsing the shelves in the closet. She brushed aside some items and plucked out a sharp nail. "Here, Tsugumi."
She tossed the nail to her partner and then crouched down on the ground. Tsugumi mirrored her actions and waited for the next order.
"Draw the route," said Chitoge. Tsugumi nodded and began scratching out lines in the dirt. A few moments later and a partial diagram of the main building's interior was on the floor.
"How is it, Ojou?"
"Good. It looks like your memory's improved, Tsugumi," said Chitoge, nodding. She had also memorized the complex route through the maze-like interior of the headquarters. Tsugumi's diagram was merely to have it down in visual form for her to double-check with. It had been unexpected, having to remember all those twists and turns, so Chitoge had been worried that she might've missed something.
"You said that this Division is one of the newer branches in the Bonyari military, correct?" said Chitoge.
"Yes. I confirmed it during my investigations in the town," said Tsugumi.
"I see. So that's why they used this design..." said Chitoge, smiling. "The Bonyari Kingdom is still young. Its military is even younger because they relied on support from foreign nations in exchange for Zawszesian knowledge and treasures that they brought with them after the fall. But they kept and passed down research on Senki and that's helped their military force grow strong like Zawsze's had been."
"Yes. The Bonyari military has helped the kingdom exert stronger political influence in the current power struggles."
"Which means they've also rapidly expanded their forces in order to maintain their growing borders and position," continued Chitoge. She tapped her finger down on the diagram. "That's why they have something like this. You see, Tsugumi, this is an old Zawszesian stronghold design."
"Are you sure about that, Ojou?" said Tsugumi, surprised.
"Yes. Based off what you found out about the other Divisions, a lot of the current knowledge and techniques used in the Bonyari military are derived from Zawsze. Which makes sense. They haven't had enough war experience and time to properly develop their own military foundations. They've had to make do with what they knew, which comes down to knowledge from Zawsze immigrants."
"But my investigations also found that they've started to change and adapt their procedures to better suit Bonyari's specific needs and resources."
"That's only partially true. It's likely happening with the forefront of their military divisions. But this Eight Division is immature. It was put here because they needed a Division to oversee this part of the Kingdom and handle its affairs. They haven't had the time to properly evaluate the needs of this area. That'll likely come later as the Division's influence grows. But because of that, they needed a design that would work out of the box. And with a complex interior design like this, it's not something that you can just modify without proper planning."
"In other words..."
"In other words, the design is exactly the same," said Chitoge. Finished with her explanation, Chitoge started taking deep breaths to help calm her mind. "Tsugumi, I'll need a couple minutes. We'll leave straight after, so monitor the situation outside."
"Understood. I'll be waiting, Ojou."
Chitoge closed her eyes and sank into her mind. Let the images and thoughts running through flood around her, bringing her down, down, down, until she was floating in complete silence.
And in her mind, her eyes opened. In front of her, she saw a familiar mansion, its scale massive enough that she couldn't take it all in with one glance. She exhaled the breath that she had been holding and walked over to the center of the mansion.
She knew this exact position. Remembered the faded warmth from the skylight above. Could smell the slightly musty scent that the mansion had gained over its many years of existence.
And so from there, she would move.
One step. Two steps. Three steps.
As she moved, more of the mansion began to appear, blocking-in like tiles that came from thin air. The paths behind her started to dissolve, fading into darkness, but that was fine. They had served their purpose.
Four steps. Five steps.
Each step was a part of a set. A chunk of memory that would set off another chunk of memory. Like a chain reaction. As she traveled through the mansion, her eyes focused in on random objects, such as a stain in the carpet, a bust on a pedestal, a suit of armor standing in the corner. And each sight made an image flash through her mind, a brief scene, a fragment of memory.
No, not here. Not yet.
She began walking down a long hallway. On either side of her were several doors. She passed the first door, the second door, the third door. It would be the sixth door on her right, a hulking door made of polished mahogany that she'd have to exert her full strength to budge open.
And inside, a library with tall windows that let light enter the room in visible shafts. Not the first bookcase. Not the second. Onwards, onwards. She kept going, the bookcases blending in with the light shining on floating dust.
That one. She came to a stop and squeezed in through the shelves. What section was she in? Ah right, she remembered now. It was written on the shelves, the little taxonomy markings that helped catalog the books. Seven titles from that marking there. She was going in the right direction.
This book. She opened it and saw a picture inside. A memory flashed in her mind.
Now, it was going to be difficult. She had to split her focus. Now there had to be two of her. One was still in the library, moving down to the next shelf, to the next title. The other was in a blank room, pasting a piece of paper against a white wall.
She flipped open the book. A new image.
In the blank room, the memory appeared in her hand. She pasted it against the wall.
Book. Book.
Hand. Hand.
Bit by bit-
Piece by piece-
She finished assembling it all on the wall. Saw each link as it was made, burned it into her mind—
And she was back in the closet. She could hear her breathing, loud in the silence. Tsugumi was standing at the door, listening for passerbys.
"I'm done, Tsugumi," said Chitoge, turning around. She could see a map of this building clearly, as if it was standing right in front of her. "It's time to go."
Tsugumi nodded and confirmed once more that there was no activity outside. She opened the door and stepped out, slipping into a casual walking pace. Chitoge followed behind, giving her cap one more tight tug.
They moved at a brisk pace through this first portion as both had already memorized this particular part of the headquarters. While Chitoge only knew the design of the headquarters and not the contents of the rooms, she was sure that confiscated items would not be kept so closely to the prison cells. Her key would be retrieved in due time, but for now, she and Tsugumi had to focus on the hallways to confirm that her mental map was accurate and to plot out their escape routes.
By the time they drew close to the room that Ichijou Raku had waited in, the two of them had already passed by several soldiers who were either on patrol or just finishing their shift. There was nothing more than a slight nod of acknowledgement between them, so there had been no trouble in passing by. This was another effect of being part of a new Division. Because the Division was still adjusting their authority and influence on this part of the town, their resources and manpower would naturally fluctuate as well. This meant that seeing new members in the Division was not uncommon, which made it all the easier for Chitoge and Tsugumi to move unnoticed.
Their boots clacked against the floors as they made another turn into another hallway. So far, the mental map had proven to be accurate and they seemed to be nearing the entrance. Once she confirmed the exit point, she could execute the next part of the plan and put together an escape route on the go...
There was a third set of clacks ahead of them. A large man with trimmed hair and a square jaw was walking towards their direction. Chitoge and Tsugumi passed silently, trying not to tense their bodies as they crossed paths—
"Wait a minute."
The order was clear and direct. Chitoge and Tsugumi halted on instinct. His tone hadn't been something that they could ignore.
A bead of sweat rolled down Chitoge's face.
The clacking started up again behind them. The man was coming back. Chitoge could feel the displacement of air made by his substantial body. She turned to him as slowly as she could while looking natural. Her mind was whirring wildly.
What was it?
Why had he stopped them?
Tsugumi was having the same thoughts. Her eyes flicked over the man's expression, trying to read his intent. Had they been discovered? Had this man noticed something that the others hadn't?
Three seconds. Maybe less. That was the amount of time Chitoge had to take action before the man would speak again. She was acting too stiffly. She had to do something soon or she'd give herself away. No, no, that wasn't it. That was the exact opposite. If she was too hasty in giving a response, she'd just draw more attention.
She had to figure it out. She couldn't let him take the lead. If he started to question them, then they'd have to fight. But they couldn't risk having an incident happen here, so close to the entrance. There was heavier guard presence at the entrance and they'd be captured instantly.
But what if it was just an innocent stop? Wouldn't it be better to let him take the lead then? She had no clue why he had stopped them, so it was better to just work off his cue instead—
Why had he stopped them?
Why was he approaching them?
What was he going to do?
One second left. Chitoge could feel her heart pounding. Calm down. Calm down. Don't worry, just let him take the lead. Just let Tsugumi answer him normally, just endure it for a minute, just one minute—
Clack.
Clack.
He was in front of them now. He was looking straight into their eyes.
He knew. She could tell. He could see right through them.
No, no. She was just being paranoid. That wasn't it. He was looking at them because something was off. He had turned around because something hadn't gone as expected.
But what? Why hadn't the other soldiers called them out? What was different between him and them?
Something. There was something she was missing...something her mind was screaming at her to notice...
Difference...a difference...
What was easily noticeable? What was something different that she'd recognize in an instant?
That was designed to be that way...that would instantly be readily recognized by a Division soldier...
...
The lapel.
A green stripe on the lapel. The other soldiers had white stripes.
Chitoge's hand snapped into a salute. Tsugumi followed a fraction of a second later, the dots connecting in her head.
"Our sincerest apologies, sir!" said Tsugumi in Bonyari, stepping forward subtly so that Chitoge wouldn't have to answer. "It is no excuse, but we were just reprieved from our shift for the evening..."
"No, no. Don't worry about that," said the officer, chuckling. He motioned for them to drop the salutes. "As I thought, you guys were on patrol. If you haven't eaten yet, there's still some food left in the kitchens."
"I...I see. Thank you, sir. But I think we'll just head to bed for tonight," said Tsugumi, bowing her head.
"Sure. There's always breakfast tomorrow, right?" said the man, laughing again. "By the way, you're Zawszesian, aren't you?"
A cold jolt cut into Tsugumi's breath, but her mind was quicker.
"Yes. I'm a second-generation Zawszesian..."
"I thought so! Your parents must speak Zawsze at home, huh? You've got a bit of an accent there."
"Yes...I have been trying to work on it..."
"I see, I see! Well, don't worry too much. It's rare to see people still using the language here, but as long as we know what you're saying," said the man, giving Tsugumi's shoulder a playful jab. "And? What about your friend there? Is she also Zawszesian?"
"Y-Yes...we were neighbors before entering the Division..."
"I see..." said the man, putting his arm around Tsugumi's neck. He pulled her head down and spoke in a hushed tone. "Say, be honest with me. Are you gunning for her?"
"H-Hah? Gunning, you say...?"
"You know. I'm asking if you want to do a little this and that...you get what I'm saying?"
"A-Ah..." said Tsugumi, now understanding what this man had stopped them for. "Do not worry. We are merely neighbors. I see her more as a sibling than as a woman."
"Right, right..." said the man, peeking over Tsugumi's shoulder at Chitoge. "You're a new recruit, aren't you? I haven't seen you around. Let me just tell you about the way we do things here. See, I treat people here like family too. You're not just some random newbie, you know? The way I see it, it's best if we all help each other out when we can, that's just the proper thing to do."
"I understand. A symbiotic relationship, yes?"
"Symbio...huh? Yeah. Sure. You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. That's all I'm saying."
"Say no more, sir. I will make sure to put in a good word for you."
"Ehem. Well, I mean. Discreetly, you know?" said the man, winking. "Second Lieutenant Skin's the name. And for you two...?"
At this point, Chitoge tugged at Tsugumi's sleeve and spoke in whispered Zawsze. Tsugumi replied quickly and turned back to Second Lieutenant Skin.
"I'm sorry. She is very tired. Let us continue this conversation tomorrow morning perhaps..."
"Ah, sorry, sorry. Didn't mean to keep you. Have a good night too, miss," said Skin with an exaggerated bow to Chitoge. She flashed a brilliant smile at him that made his heart and head pound.
"Bonyari scum. How dare he try to flirt with Ojou?" said Tsugumi as they separated from the Second Lieutenant.
"Just be glad that was all we had to deal with," said Chitoge, wiping the line of sweat that had appeared on her forehead. "Although, it was kind of cute."
"I will never let someone like that get close to Ojou."
"Are you jealous that he didn't hit on you too, Tsugumi?"
"O-Of course not! It is only fitting that Ojou's beauty would outshine that of someone like me..."
"Jeez...you're not cute at all."
Finally, they reached the main entrance for the building. With their current disguises, they could walk right out of the gates and into the town without anyone stopping them. The path to freedom was just a small stroll through the Division's grounds.
But there were two objectives that Kirisaki Chitoge had left to complete. The first was retrieving her key. The second was the objective that she and Tsugumi had willingly surrendered themselves to the authorities for.
The Zawszesian named Ichijou Raku.
To complete both objectives, there was only one course of action that the two of them could take right now. Chitoge's eyes met with Tsugumi's and a silent affirmation passed between them.
Then, Tsugumi Seishirou ran to the guards and announced the escape of the prisoner Kirisaki Chitoge.
"The escaped prisoner has been reported to be a Zawszesian female with long blonde hair and average height."
"And the guards that were on patrol?"
"They were incapacitated through unknown methods and their keys were used to unlock the cell."
"Who reported this? Which squad were they in?"
"Ah...that is...it's not very clear..."
"You mean to tell me you don't even know who reported the escape!? How can we know how long this prisoner has been roaming freely if you can't even—"
"Now, now. There's no need to get so heated. Have the guards on-duty been notified?"
"Yes, sir. We've locked down the gates and have patrols with torches checking the grounds. There are no signs of the prisoner having left the building as of yet."
"Keep the commotion to a minimum. We don't want to cause a panic from the town over a single prisoner. Lockdown the building and ensure that no one leaves without proper authorization."
"It's just a Zawszesian...what's the worst that could happen?"
"Fool! It's precisely because it's a Zawszesian that we have a problem here! If it was just a common thief or some idiot in debt like the rest-"
"If you encounter the Zawszesian, proceed with caution. You know what it's like out there right now. She might not be a Bonyari woman, but we can't underestimate what she's capable of."
"Understood. I will pass these orders to the other squads."
The silence of the night had been broken. In addition to the guards keeping watch in their patrol routes, additional soldiers had been woken up to assist in the search for the Zawszesian prisoner.
Torches were being used in the grounds for vision rather than the large firepits in order to minimize disturbance to the town. It was uncommon for the firepits to be lit and would cause unnecessary distress among residents. The description of the Zawszesian prisoner had been distributed to all soldiers and every room was being thoroughly searched in the headquarter's maze.
But while a good amount of manpower was being committed to the search, there was little sense of urgency among the soldiers and the ranked officers. The fact that a Zawszesian had escaped was more concerning than a common prisoner, but it was tempered by a sense of expectation. The reputation of Zawsze and its inhabitants meant that this sort of thing was within the realm of possibility and was something they should have accounted for, rather than a surprising breach in security.
And the simple fact was that it was just a single prisoner. It was almost disheartening to think about, that this prisoner had no idea how high the obstacle she was trying to clear was.
The maze-like design of the headquarter's interior. Difficult to navigate even for the veterans without referring to persistent markers, there would be no chance that a prisoner, especially a foreign one at that, would be able successfully find an escape route in the amount of time that had passed.
"Search every corner! It's only a matter of time before we find her."
The officer glanced away from the hunt for a moment to address a soldier that had come up to him.
"Sir, we've received a report from the squad investigating at the prison cells."
"A report? About what?"
"They finished interrogating the prisoners about the escape. None of them saw the actual incident occur, but several stated that they heard the prisoner talking about a personal belonging that had been confiscated on arrival."
"Confiscated belonging? I see...so in other words, the prisoner will likely be aiming to retrieve this item first."
"That's the theory proposed by the squad officer. What shall we do, sir?"
The officer stayed silent for a moment as he dissected the situation. There had been no sightings of the prisoner yet. It was unusual to see, especially since the prisoner would essentially be navigating blindly through these halls. It was one thing to be able to move stealthily if one was familiar with the surroundings, but it was nigh impossible to do so without knowing which rooms were false, which paths lead to dead ends, which corners lead to long straightaways...
Could it be that she's figured out a route through the building...?
It wasn't completely impossible. If she had interrogated the guards down in the prison cells before making her escape...
Confiscated items were generally kept in evidence chests located in a room on the far side of the main building, closer to the presence of officers. Guards were posted 24/7 with regular shift changes, as confiscated items sometimes proved tempting to Division members.
"You three over there," said the officer, calling over the soldiers searching nearby. "Head over to the evidence room to provide support."
"Yes, sir!"
"Go with them," continued the officer, motioning to the reporting soldier. "Tell the guards there to be wary of the prisoner there and that I'll be sending more men to start a search in that area."
"I understand," said the soldier. He turned away to follow after the departing soldiers.
"Any of you know where the evidence room is?" asked one of the soldiers as they jogged down the halls.
"I've got it. I have guard duty down there every couple of nights."
"Shit, I can't believe we're losing sleep over something like this...why couldn't the prisoner have escaped in the morning?"
"Just shut up and run. I'm pissed enough as it is."
As the group passed around the next corner, a fifth soldier slipped into a jog behind them, her face obscured by the shadow from her cap.
"We're en-route, Ojou," said Tsugumi quietly as Chitoge caught up to her pace. Chitoge simply nodded as they passed by rooms filled with searching soldiers.
Truly a young establishment. The officers here were simply dictating protocol without understanding the purpose behind it. The effectiveness of this maze design was dependent on several factors. First was that a complete layout of the maze was kept secret from outside entities. Second was that a prompt and fluid communication system had to be set up in order to properly manage the separate forces and keep them informed of the situation. Third was that manpower had to be given enough freedom and authority to be self-sufficient in small, roaming groups.
The system that they were using was not only inefficient, but completely backwards with the design of their headquarters. Communications through messenger soldiers was a waste of time as the messengers would be traveling long and confusing distances no matter where they went. The capabilities of splitting into squads was reduced when they still had to report to a higher authority that required navigation of the maze to reach.
It was why Tsugumi and Chitoge's report had slipped through without incident. The honor system used here wasn't based on the implicit loyalty of the soldier; rather, it was because it was more convenient. No doubt an actual investigation would eventually be started and the method behind their elusiveness would be unveiled quickly, but by then, it'd be too little, too late.
But they couldn't let their guard down here. Even if the Division was not fully matured yet, there was no doubt that the soldiers were well-trained. Onodera Kosaki's reputation was known even in Zawsze.
For now, it was best to just continue exploiting these weaknesses silently, carefully.
The new squad arrived at the evidence room without any interruptions. Tsugumi explained the situation to the guards at the door and the others split off to start setting up a perimeter.
Chitoge split away from the group and hung back while their attention was on Tsugumi's report. The guards had been focused on the foremost members of the party, so it was unlikely that they had been paying attention to Chitoge. Even if they had, it could have only been for an instant.
Soon, there would be more soldiers coming to this area in order to help set up the perimeter. The actual investigation into the prison cells had probably already started and it was only a matter of time before they found the unconscious soldiers in the closet nearby.
Right now, with the soldiers mobilizing into a new formation, this was the chance they needed.
"The evidence room!"
Chitoge sprinted towards the guards, shouting the words that Tsugumi had told her.
"Check the evidence room, now! The prisoner's using the ventilation system!"
"Wh-What!?"
The guards were startled by the sudden news. Their minds were struggling to shift direction. Chitoge grabbed the guard by the arm and continued shouting in a desperate tone.
"The ventilation systems! Open the door! She's inside there right now!"
The urgency in her voice rushed the guard. Were there vents leading into the evidence room? Was that something that even needed to be considered? In the first place, the guard had never actually entered the evidence room before. The authorization required to enter inside was something only officers and certain staff had in the Eighth Division.
So the guard didn't think to doubt Chitoge's report. There was no reason for him to not trust the panic in her voice. The guards unlocked the door and burst in, drawing their swords to face the prisoner—
"She'e escaped! She's heading down the west side!"
Tsugumi shouted at that moment, covering up the noise inside the room. The soldiers that had come over after hearing Chitoge's shout were led away by Tsugumi down the hall. Meanwhile, the door to the evidence room slowly swung shut as Chitoge finished dispatching the guards inside.
A minute. That was all she had while Tsugumi slipped away and the other soldiers realized that no one had gone down that hall. Chitoge quickly threw chests at random onto the ground, breaking the lock mechanisms and spilling its contents all over the floor. A quick glance was enough. The chests were meant to organize the items after all.
The next chest that she threw down held the item she wanted. The golden key with a loop of twine tied to it. Her sharp eyes picked it out of the pile of trinkets and she snatched it up into her hand. Behind her, the door slammed open and two soldiers rushed in.
"She escaped," said Chitoge, struggling to construct the sentence and hide the accent in her voice. As she'd suspected, they were thorough despite their incompetence. She hadn't had much time to confer with Tsugumi earlier, so she had to rely on her weak Bonyari at this point.
"Shit! Which way did she go?"
"Hey, we've got two down over here!"
"What? But the prisoner just went down this wa-"
The third soldier that had come to the entrance stopped talking as he saw Chitoge. His eyes flickered to her face, noticing the hair that had come loose from her cap.
"She's..."
"What?"
Chitoge's breath caught. He was smarter than the others. He was already piecing it together. She had to act quickly. She could take these three, but they were blocking her view of the outside. She had no idea if there were more soldiers out there, coming to the door.
She clenched the key in her fist. She had no other choice. She would have to use it here.
"Behind you!" shouted Chitoge. Their focus was divided. Even the smart one, even though his mind cautioned him from turning, he still looked away.
And there was only bright white as an explosion blasted through the evidence room.
At the moment, Second Lieutenant Skin was down in the prison cells investigating two soldiers on patrol who hadn't checked out of their shift. It was surprising enough to find these soldiers unconscious and locked in a prison cell. It was even more surprising to hear that the escape of the prisoner had already been alerted to the rest of the Division.
"Hey!" said Skin to the messenger that had come by. "Why wasn't I informed about any of this? I came all the way down here without knowing about an escape!"
"H-Huh? Weren't you notified of this beforehand? The first report came in from soldiers on patrol duty from this section of the building..."
"From this section? What are you talking about, I didn't see any messeng—"
Skin's eyes widened as the memory of the two new recruits resurfaced. The boy...he had been Zawszesian...and the beautiful girl...
"It's an inside job..."
"What?"
"Send a message to the other squads now! Tell them that the prisoner is working with one of our own to move through the building. Detain anyone that doesn't have proper identification on them! They're wearing unranked uniforms and the prisoner is hiding her hair with a cap!"
"E-Eh!? That's...how do you know tha—"
"Hurry, you fool! They're right under our damn noses!"
Skin whirled back to the prison cells, the lines of his face sharp with anger.
"Tell me now," said Skin, his voice measured but filled with fury. "How many were with her? How did they take down the guards?"
There was no answer from the cells. Most of the prisoners had minor felonies and some of their sentences could be served in a matter of months, or even weeks. However, even that short amount of time could turn hellish for those transferring to the larger prisons. If they gained a reputation now for ratting out others, the consequences could follow them to their lives back outside—
Skin blew sharply out through his teeth. The situation was bad. If it had been a normal prison break, perhaps because of carelessness from the guards, it could be taken lightly. But the prisoner had an accomplice that was able to infiltrate the headquarters...and they had been able to acquire uniforms and blend in among the soldiers—
This wasn't just a desperate escape for freedom. For this level of planning, there had to be a greater objective.
"Alright then. Let's do this. The first one to talk will get their cell door open and personally escorted out to the gates."
"Sir! You're not authorized to do th—"
"I'll take the heat," said Skin, watching as prisoners came up to their cell doors. Ratting someone out was one thing. But the unspoken rule didn't apply for a deal. A free pass was a rare commodity that anyone would've taken.
The first hand that extended out was from the cell next to Chitoge's.
Damn it, thought Skin as he walked up and unlocked the cell. Today really wasn't working out for him.
The man he was releasing was a murderer that had killed seven people. Out of all the criminals in this prison...was it really a coincidence?
"Talk," said Skin. "How many and how was it done?"
The criminal grinned. You couldn't trust these deals in situations like this. Sure, time was the excuse they used to make you talk on the spot. But it was just a ruse, so they could shove you back in the cell afterwards.
But the criminal decided to talk anyways. He was confident that he could escape. It was just two low-rank soldiers. His capture had required ten men and even then, he had still managed to kill three of them.
It was enough that he had been let out of his cell.
"There was the girl and one other who was being brought in. The other one took out th—"
The rest of his answer would never be heard. In the blink of an eye, Skin drew his sword and cut through the criminal's neck. Blood sprayed from the wound as his body crumpled onto the ground.
"As I thought, you were underestimating me," said Skin, flicking the blood of his sword. "The ten men sent after you were ordered to bring you back alive."
"Second Lieutenant! You can't do something like this—"
"I said that I'd take responsibility," said Skin, turning a piercing eye to the messenger. "And I told you to send the message. Don't question me again. GO!"
The messenger stumbled away from Skin's fierce voice. After the messenger's footsteps could no longer be heard, Skin turned back to the frightened prisoners before him.
"Don't worry. I've got what I wanted. The rest of you will have your sentences extended for obstruction."
He turned away from the protests that came from the prisoners. Only one other had been with the prisoner. That meant that the boy was the only known accomplice. Even though the guards had been unranked soldiers, it was impressive that he had taken them out without any noticeable signs of a struggle.
Skin's fist tightened and he felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. Brought in...that meant the boy had been disguised as an incoming prisoner?
He had to report to his superior immediately. The enemy inside their headquarters now was full of danger.
"General Kosaki! General Kosaki!"
Kosaki and Ruri looked up from their tea as a messenger soldier burst into their room.
"We have a dire situation," said the messenger, panting for breath. "There's been an escape from the prison."
"What?" said Kosaki, standing up from the table. Her mind quickly flashed through the significant criminals in the cells. "Who escaped?"
"A Zawszesian criminal that was brought in last week for murder."
Her chest was flooded with ice. The Zawszesian...what had she called herself? Kirisaki Chitoge...
Escaped. But why?
Why now?
"It can't be..."
"Kosaki, what's wrong?" said Ruri, noticing her friend's distress.
"Has she been sighted?" said Kosaki.
"We're unsure, but it seems that she infiltrated the evidence room. The guards that were posted there were blown away by some kind of explosion."
Kosaki and Ruri shared glances. An explosion...? There were no explosives kept inside the evidence room. That meant the prisoner had somehow...
"Take me to the last sighting," said Kosaki, heading to the door. "Ruri-chan—"
"I'm coming."
Kosaki nodded and the two left with the soldier. "Tell me everything we know so far about the escape."
"The report came from patrol near the prison cells. The guards there were taken out and locked in the cell. According to Second Lieutenant Skin, the prisoner has an accomplice that's infiltrated the headquarters. They've disguised themselves in unranked uniforms."
"Uniforms? Where did they get their hands on—"
"We do not know. The guards in the cells were still clothed, so it wasn't from them..."
"Is the headquarters in lockdown?" asked Ruri. The soldier nodded in response. "In that case, they'll be in plain sight once they leave the main building. They'll try to stay inside and keep low until they find an opportunity. Gather all unranked soldiers in the main hall and verify identification."
"Understood. Ah...in that case will I also need to...?"
"No," said Ruri, glancing at Kosaki. "The General recognizes you or else you would've been questioned from the start."
"Eh...? T-The General knows who I am—?"
"Don't be star-struck and get on it!" snapped Ruri. "Time is crucial!"
"Y-Yes!"
Ruri cursed the council that was in charge of the Division's funding. She had warned them that using messengers in a building designed like this was insufficient for reliable communications. It had been a mistake to put those people in charge of their resources...people that didn't have an ounce of experience and focused all their energy on things like negotiating property taxes and renting out soldiers to the town for extra revenue.
The only good thing that would come out of this for certain was that now there'd be a precedent that she could use for leverage in the future. But right now, this situation would be difficult to tackle without reorganizing the hunt.
It only took Ruri and Kosaki a few moments to reach the evidence room, as it hadn't been far from their rest stop. There were officers standing around the scene, the floor and walls blackened from the explosion that had ripped the doors right off their hinges.
"Was anyone injured?" said Kosaki to the nearest officer.
"The guards had light burns, but nothing too serious. One was still conscious, but the rest were taken to the infirmary."
Ruri stepped into the evidence room and looked around. The chests had been thrown down and their contents were all over the ground. Based off this, it was likely that the prisoner had obtained the item she had been looking for.
"Do we know what was taken in here?" said Ruri.
"I'm sorry, but it's impossible to tell right now..."
"General Kosaki!"
A soldier came up to them, sweat running down his face.
"I have a message from the grounds! The escaped prisoner was sighted scaling the walls out into town!"
"What did you say!? She scaled the wall!?" shouted an officer, disbelief on his face. "How the hell did she do that!?"
"Damn Zawszesian! They're monsters! You men there, hurry and dispatch units to Ichijou Raku's place—"
"Wait!" said Kosaki, twisting the officer around by the shoulder. "Ichijou Raku? What does he have to do with this?"
"We heard it from the soldier caught in the blast. He said that the prisoner questioned him for Ichijou Raku's location—"
All of the sounds that Kosaki could hear distorted and faded into silence. The only thing that she could hear was the blood pounding in her ears.
What did he say?
Ichijou Raku?
The prisoner was looking for Ichijou Raku?
But—
Why—
Kosaki felt it again. That vicious aura that had emanated from Kirisaki Chitoge. When she had been speaking with Raku in the prison—
It's him...
She was aiming for him all this time!
"Kosaki! Kosaki, where are you going!?" said Ruri as Kosaki turned away from the scene.
"You, which squad are you in?" said Kosaki, addressing the messenger soldier.
"Second Lieutenant Skin, sir."
"Come with me. You men as well!" said Kosaki, passing by a group of soldiers waiting on standby.
"Kosaki—"
"Ruri, please take of things while I'm gone," said Kosaki without turning back. She would need to get horses from the stables. It was late now and he would have departed from the Foyer. Running down to Raku's place was too far a distance to make on foot in time.
"Kosaki, wait! You can't head out on your own for something like this—!"
But she was already gone. Ruri bit her lip, knowing that nothing could stop Onodera Kosaki right now. She sighed and turned back to destroyed evidence room.
"Do you know how the prisoner caused the explosion?"
"No. We're still looking into that. There were some extra soldiers posted here earlier with a tip-off about the prisoner heading here—"
"A tip-off? From Second Lieutenant Skin?"
"Second Lieutenant Skin? What do you mean?"
"What do I m...you've received his message about the investigation, haven't you?"
"Message...? Do you mean about the prisoner retrieving a confiscated item?"
"No, the fact that the prisoner has an accomplice and that they're disguised in our uniforms!"
"What!? I...there was no message about that."
"What do you mean? Second Lieutenant Skin was the one that investigated the patrol report, wasn't he?"
"I...don't understand. What does Second Lieutenant Skin have to do with this? The report about the evidence room came soon after the patrol report—"
Ruri's eyes widened. Two investigations? That was impossible...there'd be no reason for that to happen—
Which meant that one of the investigations was fake.
A false report. There was misinformation being spread among the soldiers.
Damn it, it can't be...it wasn't just to disguise themselves, they used the uniforms for something like this!?
"Are you telling me that you haven't checked for any identification since you've arrived here?"
"N-No...I wasn't aware—"
Ruri's mind raced as it tried to piece together what she was hearing. But that meant everything here...everything that happened here was corrupted—
One soldier...had been conscious. A blast like this and just one soldier...
Questioned about Ichijou Raku's location—
No...
That wasn't a soldier...
That was—!
"Kosaki...go find and stop General Kosaki, right now!"
"Open the gates!"
Kosaki and her band of soldiers dashed out on horses into the town. Those that were returning to their homes from the nightlife looked back as they heard the beating of hooves stamping down the roads.
Ichijou-san...
Ichijou-san!
Faster. Faster. She had to go faster. How long had it been since she had received the message? And how much longer before that had Kirisaki Chitoge escaped from headquarters?
Someone that could scale a wall like that—
A person from Zawsze—
Raku had told her that the rumors about Zawsze were exaggerated, that its reputation couldn't be trusted. But she had seen Kirisaki Chitoge with her own eyes. Felt that beast-like killing intent. She was on a hunt for some reason, chasing down Ichijou Raku...
If one followed the roads, then it was a fair distance to Ichijou Raku's place from the Eighth Bonyari Division headquarters. But judging from the actions that Kirisaki Chitoge and her accomplice had executed tonight—
For example, if you travel by hopping from roof to roof—
Or if you could clear the gaps made from ditches and steep drops—
Her mind rebuffed the idea, told her that it was impossible, that no normal person could travel like that. That a person with such physical abilities wouldn't have been caught and thrown into prison so easily—
But what if it had been planned?
What if the reason for her arrest had been to meet with the translator that was known to help out the Eighth Bonyari Division's General, Onodera Kosaki?
It's my fault—
Ichijou-san is in danger because of me!
Kosaki urged her horse on with a sharp snap of her reins. The lanterns lighting up the darkness whizzed past in blurring streams. The gnawing in her chest wouldn't settle down, the sick feeling that was creeping through her veins, the thought of a bruised and battered Raku, a lifeless Raku lying in a puddle of blood—
Ichijou-san.
Ichijou-san!
There. The residential block where his home was located. It was just down this street, on the right side, a small place wedged among large wooden buildings, looking more like a shack than an actual residence—
Kosaki pulled on the reins and the horse neighed as it slowed to a halt. Her breath came out in white fog as she gulped in the frigid air. A single street lantern lit up this part of the neighborhood, leaving Raku's place mostly in shadow.
But even from this distance, she could tell that there was no sign of a break-in.
Did I make it? Did I get here before them?
Kosaki slipped off her horse and walked towards the house. Yes, she was sure of it now. It was undisturbed. There was no sign of forced entry or any indication of a struggle.
She turned her head back and forth, scanning the streets as she made her way to Raku's door. Nobody in sight. The street was completely empty.
Empty.
Empty.
...Just her.
...Eh?
Wait...where are the other soldie—
Movement behind her. Kosaki's body reacted instinctively, her sword flashing under the street lantern—
A lock of dark hair separated into scattering threads. Tsugumi stepped away, having just narrowly avoided Kosaki's slash—
And a set of blue eyes appeared in the darkness behind Kosaki.
"It was nice to meet you, General Kosaki."
Kosaki's eyes widened as her mind automatically translated the Zawsze spoken behind her. She tried to move, tried to swing her sword back, cut at the blonde monster that had somehow snuck up on her—
But there was a sound like gas igniting. And the air was filled with roaring flames—
Kosaki cried out as she was propelled back by an explosive force. Her body crashed into the ground, rolling and skidding on its surface before coming to a rest in the middle of the street.
Sparks and smoke danced in the air as the flames on her armor and cloak died down into glowing cinders.
Her mouth and nose was filled with smoke, but she couldn't control herself, couldn't move even a single finger anymore.
The Zawszesian girl dressed in the unranked uniform of the Eighth Bonyari Division came up to her in slow, deliberate steps. Kosaki's eyes inched painfully upwards, taking in the dimmed form of Kirisaki Chitoge against the light. Something like blades in her hands dispersed into wisps of flames that retreated back into the golden key hung around her neck.
And then, Kirisaki Chitoge stamped hard on Kosaki's face. Knocked her head back into the rocky surface of the street, turning everything black.
A/N: Found time for an update, so here you go! My friend who drew the initial inspiration for this fanfic has also redrawn the image for Bonyari Saga! You can find a link to his DA on my profile. And now, back to AFKing...