A Hero's Respite

A week after the successful counter-insurgency mission, I returned to Aethelgard, the capital of the Kingdom of Valoria. My name is Haru Shinozaki, though most here know me as Arc. My reward for securing a bulletproof vest, two pistols, and a scrap of intel on a potential aircraft was a promotion to First Lieutenant. I wasn't interested in the pay raise or the added authority; I joined the Yamato Self-Defense Force to serve my country, not for money, prestige, or hollow platitudes like honor and pride.

I had anticipated a major reconnaissance operation in northern Aethel, but it seemed Cutter was proceeding with caution to avoid raising suspicion. After all, Lyra's information was hardly ironclad. I couldn't blame him; the G.A.I.A. leader was known for his prudence. It was likely how he'd been selected for the role in the first place. The SPG was, after all, one of the world's most elite special forces units.

With no operation imminent, I spent the time in my quarters. Dressed in my standard-issue YGSDF combat uniform, I meticulously cleaned my equipment. After servicing my assault rifle, I picked up my katana, the Getsuei, and patiently honed its edge with a whetstone. Satisfied, I sheathed the blade and stepped out into the palace courtyard.

The fresh air was a welcome relief. I closed my eyes, clearing my mind and letting a sense of serenity wash over me. For a sniper, calmness is the ultimate weapon; without it, every shot is a gamble. My hand found the hilt of my sword, and I drew the blade. Forged over five centuries ago, its steel gleamed in the afternoon sun.

"Taaah!"

I began moving through the katas my father, Brielle, and my instructors at boot camp had taught me. The blade hummed as it sliced through the air. I linked my attacks, transforming the empty space into a mental battlefield, picturing foes before me. After completing a sequence, I lowered the Getsuei, keenly aware that my swordsmanship still had a long way to go.

Tightening my grip on the hilt, I focused my energy on a more complex form. "Nightmare Wind!" I shouted, unleashing a dazzling flurry of strikes. My swings were so swift they stirred the air, rustling the grass and shaking the limbs of the surrounding trees. "Uryaaah!" I roared, capping the form with a powerful forward thrust that cut down my final imaginary opponent.

I took a deep, centering breath and, with the deliberate grace of a samurai after a duel, slowly sheathed my katana.

"Wow!"

I turned to find Elara staring at me, her eyes wide with amazement. "You're really strong, you know."

"Not really," I replied honestly, feeling no shame in the admission. "You and Brielle are far stronger. Brielle beats me in every sparring match we have."

The elf girl smiled and walked over, nudging me playfully with her elbow. "Don't say that, hehe! How could I be stronger? You're the one who can take out a target from over a kilometer away. You're just too modest."

"Sniping and close-quarters combat are entirely different skill sets," I countered. As I turned to head back to my quarters, Elara grabbed my hand.

"Oh, I almost forgot! Arc, let's go into the city!" With surprising strength, she began pulling me along.

We strolled through the local marketplace, a scene straight out of a role-playing game. Merchants hawked their wares from colorful stalls, selling everything from food and potions to armor and weapons. I was admiring the swords at a smith's stall when Elara's hand found mine again.

"This way! Come on, over here!" she urged, pulling me away.

"O-Oi!"

She led me to a restaurant where a girl who looked remarkably like her was sweeping the entrance. She wore a maid's uniform and had the same pointed ears and green eyes, but her blonde hair was tied into long twintails. A single strand of hair on her head twitched like an antenna. Her sister, I presumed.

"Oi! Eris!" Elara called out.

The girl looked up, a wide grin spreading across her face. "Welcome home, Elara!" Her gaze then shifted to me. "Um, who's this?"

"My name is Arc," I said with a slight bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you." She blinked a few times, clearly perplexed by my unusual name.

A few minutes later, Elara and I were seated at the counter of the quiet restaurant.

"So you're from that famous guild? The Squad of G.A.I.A.?" Eris asked excitedly from behind the counter. I gave her a slow nod.

"Huuwaa! I'm your biggest fan! Elara told me all about you! Hey, hey, can I get your autograph?" She gave me the same adorable puppy-dog look her sister often used.

I had to turn my head away. "I'm sorry, but all my information is classified. I can't even sign my own name." The elf girl sulked. I glanced at Elara. "Is she your sister? You two look almost identical."

Elara nodded happily. "Of course! We're twins, you know." It made perfect sense. With a different hairstyle, it would be impossible to tell them apart.

"Here you are!" A middle-aged elf with a goatee and tousled gray hair placed a plate of pork steak in front of me. He was dressed in a white chef's uniform. "Hope you enjoy it."

"Thank you, Hector-san," I said, bowing slightly.

"You're welcome!" the man, Hector Barden, replied with a warm smile before setting another steak in front of Elara. He was their foster father and uncle, having adopted them after their parents were killed in the Aethel Continental War. I still knew little about that conflict, but war was always a harbinger of death and sorrow.

"Yum! Thanks for the food, Uncle!" Elara beamed.

I quietly clapped my hands together and murmured, "Yosh, itadakimasu," before picking up my utensils. Elara gave me a curious look.

"What?" I asked.

She shook her head. "N-nothing! Let's eat!"

As we ate, Eris leaned over the counter. "So, where are you from, Arc?"

"An archipelago nation called Yamato," I answered.

"Huh? I've never heard of it. Why isn't it on any maps?"

"My country is in a very distant location," I explained before taking another bite of steak. "You can't get there without one of our magical vehicles."

"Magical vehicles? What are those?" Eris asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"We call them 'aircraft.' But I can't allow anyone into my country without my superiors' permission." Just then, my cell phone rang.

"Excuse me," I said to the three of them before answering. "Hello?"

"HA-KUN!" My sister, Chiyoko, yelled so loudly I had to pull the phone away from my ear. "ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?!"

"If I were dead, how could I be answering your call?" I asked, a touch of irritation in my voice.

"Maybe you're calling from heaven!" she shot back.

"Oh, really?" I decided to play along. It had been a long time since I'd joked with her—not since I'd left for boot camp and she'd left for Harvard. "I'm so sorry, Nee-chan. I took a .50 caliber round to the head. I'm with Dad now. Please tell Mom I—"

"Whaaa! Don't leave me! My adorable little brother! I'll buy you so many eroge games! So please... Huwahhh!" I could hear her sobbing. Even being ten times smarter than me, she'd still fall for something so ridiculous. Still, making my sister cry made me feel like a complete jerk.

"Nee-chan, don't cry! I'm kidding. I'm fine, I'm alive. I promise there are no new holes in my body." I looked up to see the three elves staring at me in utter bewilderment. They probably thought I was talking to myself.

"Hey, uh... there are a lot of elves and demi-humans here. Want me to take some pictures for you?" I offered, trying to cheer her up.

The sniffling stopped instantly. "Really? Yes, please!" she chirped. "By the way, Ha-kun, what are you doing over there? Are you eating well? Are you sick? Have you started dating that 'Nolan' guy yet?"

I choked on my drink, sputtering like a jet afterburner. "What?!"

"Ahh, I wonder if you'd be the top or the bottom," she mused, her voice becoming disturbingly dreamy.

"Since when am I gay?! And Nolan is my brother-in-arms, not my boyfriend! This is why you need to stop reading those yaoi manga," I retorted, then changed the subject, my voice turning serious again. "Anyway, what are you up to?"

"Oh, I'm at the ASTRA lab! We're researching how to build a portal to that world. It's really difficult, Ha-kun. It involves dark matter and vacuum energy."

"Don't ask me," I deadpanned. "I'm not the genius in the family."

"Alright, I should get back to work! Goodbye, Ha-kun!" She hung up.

"Fuuhh," I sighed, setting the phone down.

"Arc," Elara said tentatively.

"Yes?"

"What is that thing?" she asked, pointing at my phone. "How did a voice come out of it? Don't tell me someone is trapped inside!" She shivered at the thought.

"Oh! Is someone trapped in there?" Eris yelped. Hector, too, waited calmly for my explanation.

"This is a cellphone," I explained, showing them the small, rectangular device. "You can use it to talk to people who are far away. It's why we don't use carrier pigeons anymore."

"Woow!" The three of them stared at it in awe.

"I have a more advanced one, but it's out of signal range here," I added. "And it's not nearly as durable as this military-issue model."

I was about to ask Elara about Brielle's past, knowing they were childhood friends, when the very person I wanted to discuss burst through the restaurant door. "Elara! Arc! We have to get back to the palace! It's urgent!"

"The Princess wants to see us?" Elara asked as we hurried down a long corridor toward the royal chambers. "But why?"

"I don't know," Brielle replied, "but from the look on the messenger's face, it's serious."

Guards opened the enormous doors to the throne room for us. Inside, Bard and Cutter were already present, standing at ease before Princess Aurelia. Julio Cortez stood beside the throne, while various nobles in elaborate attire were seated along the sides of the room.