novelraw Chapter 18
Chapter 18
Miel Angbereu's expression brightened for a moment, but it soon turned to bewilderment at Jin Crow's next words.
“I-I don't really know the reason……”
“You may sit.”
She seemed worried that she might get demerit points for not being able to state the reason, like Dokgo Ran a moment ago, but Jin Crow actually nodded with a rather satisfied look.
“The first time a Creature was observed was not on Planet Aurum. Some have consistently mentioned the danger they pose. The authority, Dr. Lee Su-jong, was one of them.”
In the first place, the reason Dr. Lee Su-jong was treated as a semi-heretic in academic circles was precisely because of his obsession with Creatures.
Most colonial planets have poor public security, or even if they don't, the natives are often hostile towards officials of the United Human Star Nation.
Nevertheless, for the past 10 years, he has persistently traveled from one colonial planet to another, tenaciously gathering information.
This raises a question.
“Why has humanity only now realized the danger of the Creatures?”
Beyond his impassive gaze was a hint of pity.
“Because humanity was complacent, and they were meticulous.”
Jin Crow displayed a galactic map behind the podium, showing the colonial planets outside the Defense Line.
Then, pointing to a planet that was neither too far nor too close to the Defense Line, he continued.
“This is a colonial planet called Area 72. According to reports submitted by the Governor-General's office over the past 10 years, it has been invaded a total of 12 times.”
At those words, the cadets naturally recalled the incidents on Planet Aurum and Planet Remal and couldn't help but look bewildered.
‘A colonial planet withstood 12 invasions?’
‘Is that possible? How?’
What was a colonial planet?
As Hino Kanae said earlier, it's a place where other races or criminals, disqualified from becoming members of the United Human Star Nation, live under the protection and guidance of a Governor-General's office.
There's much debate within the Synthetic Nation about whether this is right or wrong, but their level of civilization and technology would, at best, be around that of 21st-century Earth.
However, Jin Crow paid no mind to the cadets' reactions, simply manipulating the hologram nonchalantly.
“And the damage, at its worst, was only to the extent of a part of a city being lost. Of course, this would be a disaster for the residents of the colonial planet, but from the perspective of the military receiving reports from within the Defense Line, it would just be classified as 'minor damage'.”
At this point, the cadets couldn't help but wonder what he would say next.
And as if answering their questions, Jin Crow said concisely.
“Simply put, Dr. Lee Su-jong explained it as 'a difference in purpose'.”
“A difference in purpose?”
“The Creature swarm observed on Planet Aurum was at least 100 million strong. If you add the yet-to-be-defined biological weapons or superior species, you could add tens of thousands more. On the other hand……”
Beep.
A brief summary of the invasion records for Area 72 floated in the air next to the planet.
“The number of individuals observed in Area 72 was, at most, in the tens of thousands, and even then, the majority were expendable units, worse than the mass-produced types.”
And upon seeing that, the cadets finally realized what he was trying to say and couldn't help but swallow a groan.
Jin Crow nodded at the cadets' expressions and added.
“The consensus among not only Dr. Lee Su-jong but also the researchers cooperating with the military was that the sporadic Creature disturbances up until now were, at most, presumed to be 'reconnaissance' or 'pheromone marking'.”
In fact, it wasn't a presumption; it was correct.
“The first discovery site of the Creatures was Area 121, a planet now abandoned due to resource depletion and planetary aging.”
In reality, the Creatures had slowly and carefully approached the Defense Line from distant colonial planets, in an ambiguous way that was just enough to provoke humanity's vigilance, but not too much.
“Therefore, to continue, it is presumed that Creatures have a superior individual that acts as a command unit, much like bees or other swarm insects, and……”
How much time had passed like that?
“……And that concludes the discovery of the Creatures and a brief overview of their behavioral principles researched to date.”
Regardless of whether the cadets were shocked by the lecture's content or had brushed it off indifferently, Jin Crow continued with his prepared material to the end.
Soon, when it was time to end the lecture, he tapped the podium lightly and said.
“Submit the assignment from the last practical training session to Assistant Instructor Ginatio. That is all.”
As always, as soon as the lecture ended, he immediately made his way out of the lecture hall.
But the very moment he opened the lecture hall door.
“Instructor Jin Crow.”
An instructor standing outside the door, as if he had been waiting, called out to stop him.
“Headmaster Idealle is looking for you.”
“……Hmph.”
Jin Crow said, pulling down the black tie around his neck slightly with an inscrutable gesture.
“I'll go now.”
***
The Headmaster's office was neat and tidy, a perfect reflection of Idealle's personality.
She sat at a desk filled only with documents, without even any particular luxuries, biting her lip.
“……Hoo.”
Was it because of her furrowed brow?
The glasses she only wore for work trembled slightly, and soon, she took them off somewhat irritably and muttered under her breath.
“……This has become a headache.”
But just then, hearing the sound of irritable footsteps echoing from the hallway, Idealle sank into her chair with an expression that said, 'Here it comes.'
Knock, knock-.
A short knock was heard.
“Come in.”
Creeak.
The door opened, and the one who appeared was none other than Jin Crow.
As if he had no intention of fixing his disheveled clothes, he nonchalantly closed the door, strode up to her desk, and asked.
“I heard you were looking for me.”
Instead of answering, she turned the official document she had been staring at just moments before so that he could see it.
“Hm?”
Naturally, at her sudden action, Jin Crow let out a questioning sound, but he soon understood why she had such a troubled expression.
“This is……”
“It's an official order to send Instructor Jin Crow as an Admissions Inspector. It came in the name of the Ministry of National Defense.”
Admissions Inspector.
Hearing those words, Jin Crow's expression strangely stiffened.
Seeing this, Idealle couldn't help but think something along the lines of, 'Of course.'
‘Because it's a job most instructors avoid.’
The Central Special Mission Military Academy produces about 1,000 to 2,000 Special Mission Officers each year.
But the official population of the United Human Star Nation is about 1 trillion.
If you add the residents of colonial planets and those without citizenship, it would easily exceed 1.2 trillion.
……It's impossible to handle.
Moreover, in the Third Galactic War, the number of Special Mission Officers was one of the direct factors that determined the outcome of battles. Naturally, the Central Special Mission
Military Academy was not the only military academy that produced Special Mission Officers.
“Atla Colony?”
At Jin Crow's words, Idealle nodded and took a sip of the cold black tea on the table before speaking.
“It's the colony that houses the refugees from Planet Remal and has the command headquarters for the front line. The mission is to observe and scout talented cadets from the Remal Planetary Defense Military Academy.”
Looking at the mission alone, it's ridiculously simple.
But why is it avoided?
That too is simple.
In the Federal Army, there are a total of five military academies that train Special Mission Officers, including the Central Special Mission Military Academy.
In other words, it means they have to compete with them.
“Are all the other military academies coming too?”
“Except for the Southern Special Mission Military Academy. Probably. They likely don't have the capacity due to a recent internal audit.”
Fortunately, there was one less competitor, but that didn't make the job any easier.
In the end, Jin Crow narrowed his eyes and asked Idealle for permission with a glance.
When Idealle gave a rare nod, he immediately put a cigarette in his mouth.
Tsssk, shhh-.
Pungent gray smoke flowed out between his short breaths, and he soon forced a word past his lips.
“This is hard to accept.”
“……I agree.”
It wasn't anything else, but there had never been a case where the higher-ups 'designated' an Admissions Inspector by name.
Beyond just being unconventional or tyrannical, it was an unprecedented event.
Was it because of that?
The two didn't say it out loud, but they were thinking the same thing.
‘It's either Rosen's doing……’
‘Or it must be Kukenhausen.’
Either way, it was awkward.
However, the problem was that this order came down in the name of the 'Ministry of National Defense'.
Because of that, Idealle looked at Jin Crow, who was smoking with a stiff expression, and let out a sigh-filled remark.
“If you want, I can file an objection with the higher-ups. But whether it will be accepted is……”
This too was the greatest consideration possible, justified by the fact that it was unprecedented.
It meant she was willing to shoulder the risk of it being considered 'insubordination', at least with a valid reason.
But at that moment, Jin Crow narrowed his eyes as if thinking about something, and then asked her.
“Atla Colony. No, which nation did Planet Remal border?”
“The Free Planetary Alliance.”
And at that moment, Idealle felt it.
That unexplainable sense of incongruity she had been getting from Jin Crow lately.
“Is that so.”
Tssssk.
He stubbed out the half-smoked cigarette in a portable ashtray.
Then, as if he had organized his thoughts, he swept his slightly disheveled bangs back and said.
“The objection is unnecessary. Then.”
What?”
He gave a short, silent bow to the questioning Idealle and then left.
The fact that he gave a silent bow instead of a salute was astounding in itself, but she was more troubled by something else than his attitude.
“The Free Planetary Alliance? Why there?”
It was all just a series of incomprehensible things.
***
‘Atla Colony. I thought the name sounded familiar.’
Most of the early refugees from Planet Remal were rescued by the Red Hand.
However, there was no way the Federal Army of the United Human Star Nation would just stand by and watch.
Naturally, troops dispatched from the nearby 17th Fleet and various Planetary Defense Forces were sent in, and the Red Hand was ultimately forced to retreat.
‘But regardless of their justification, there's no way a terrorist group would retreat that easily.’
Unless his memories were wrong or had changed, it was certain that something would happen at Atla Colony.
The only problem was that even in the original story, it wasn't specified exactly what that event was.
‘It could be a terrorist attack, or it could just be my concern.’
Personally, I hope it's the latter.
It wasn't something I could refuse anyway, but I didn't want to risk my life just yet.
Moreover, my real purpose wasn't something noble like wanting to solve the incident at Atla Colony, but something extremely personal.
‘I can just stop by on the way back after the job is done.’
The Free Planetary Alliance is, how should I put it…
It's a place that acts as a neutral nation between the Synthetic Nation and the Empire, which are fighting for galactic hegemony, while also serving as a tourist destination where all the universe's money and goods gather.
In other words, even if he were to stop by for a while after finishing his work, it wouldn't arouse much suspicion externally.
“Hehe.”
“……”
Having thought that far, Jin Crow instinctively reached for his hip flask at the sound of an innocent laugh piercing through his idle thoughts.
“Yap, yap-yap. Open your eyes, Instructor.”
But he soon endured it with superhuman patience, opened his closed eyes, and looked at the red-haired woman sitting in front of him, waving her hand in front of his face, and asked in a low voice.
“So, why did you really follow me, Major Obia?”
It was a remark feigning exhaustion.