"—Therefore, I will announce the punishment for Sergeant Tobiichi Origami for committing two major offenses: stealing base equipment and acting without authorization." The heavy voice of a man echoed in Origami's ears.
At this moment, inside a room of the JGSDF garrison, several men in military uniforms sat in a row, staring intently at Origami, who stood in the center of the room. They were placing all the blame on Origami, and although I was present as an aide to Captain Kasukabe, I couldn't speak up for her. From the beginning, both Origami and I knew that her actions would come with a steep price.
Ultimately, this interrogation was being conducted to see if Origami could defend her reckless actions. The man standing before her, General Kiritani, continued his speech with solemnity.
"Sergeant Tobiichi Origami will be reprimanded and given a fitting punishment."
"The punishment is that she will no longer be allowed to handle Realizer and related equipment during operations."
This punishment meant Origami would no longer directly engage with the spirits, effectively forcing her to resign. The weak breath on her expressionless face indicated that this outcome had been decided long before the interrogation began.
When Captain Kasukabe attempted to stand up and plead for a lighter punishment for Origami, arguing that no casualties had occurred, the door suddenly opened, drawing all eyes, including mine, to it.
"What is this? The interrogation is ongoing; please do not interfere. Who allowed—"
General Kiritani stopped mid-sentence, frowning as he recognized the face of the mysterious figure. Even I couldn't help but shiver at the sight of one of the most dangerous threats of the future.
"—Mr. Westcott?"
Everyone started murmuring about the strange man, but only General Kiritani, his secretary Ellen Mathers, and I knew the identity of this man.
"Ah, it seems you're busy? Apologies for my intrusion."
Meeting him in person was entirely different from seeing him through a screen. A man in his early thirties with ash-blonde hair and sharp, blade-like eyes, he exuded a mysterious aura that still conveyed the presence of a seasoned veteran.
"General Kiritani, who exactly is this man?" One of the men inquired.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce him. This is Isaac Ray Peram Westcott, the CEO of D.E.M. Industries, one of the leading companies in Realizer production worldwide."
"But why would someone of his stature be in a place like this?"
"Well, we donated the latest model of Cr-Unit, 'White Licorice,' to you all. However, I heard that Mana was killed in a battle against Nightmare."
I knew Mana hadn't died in the school battle; she had been whisked away by Ratatoskr disguised as base medics.
"Since I had plans in Japan and wanted to encourage you, something interesting caught my ear on the way."
"What do you mean, Mr. Westcott?"
"Is the person who used 'White Licorice' to fight the spirit here?"
Hearing Westcott's words, General Kiritani swallowed hard, hesitating before responding.
"...Yes…"
He then pointed towards Origami.
"I didn't expect someone so charming to accomplish such a feat," Westcott said, his eyes now on Origami.
From what I remembered, that Cr-Unit was only a prototype, optimized for Mana alone. It would surely malfunction with anyone else. Thus, it wasn't surprising that Westcott was intrigued by someone who could handle the "cursed armor."
General Kiritani deliberately cleared his throat to interrupt the current exchange.
"Please allow us to complete today's interrogation. I was about to punish Lieutenant Tobiichi Origami."
"We concluded that she should resign after repeatedly making such mistakes."
"What are you saying, General Kiritani? Not many magicians here can pilot that thing, you know?"
"That's not the issue, sir. These are the base rules."
Hearing this, Westcott placed his hand on his forehead, sighing in apparent boredom.
"General Kiritani, you know I don't like repeating myself, right?"
The room fell silent at his words. Everyone knew that defying Westcott would lead to severe repercussions from D.E.M.'s supply lines. However, General Kiritani tried to resist, gritting his teeth and slamming his hand on the table, glaring at Westcott.
"Don't underestimate me, sir. Sergeant Tobiichi must face the consequences by law."
"Is that so?" Westcott replied calmly.
He then took out his smartphone and made a call.
"Ah, Mr. Westcott. Long time no talk, huh?"
"Yes, but I have something to discuss with you this time."
Westcott handed the phone to General Kiritani.
"...Defense Minister Saeki???"
Sweat dripped from General Kiritani's forehead, his expression growing more distressed.
"You bastard!" General Kiritani shouted angrily, ending the call and throwing the phone back at Westcott.
"Oh dear, careful with that, it's the latest model."
"As you see, everything can be resolved elegantly, like a gentleman."
I finally realized Westcott's terrifying influence. Not only did he manipulate the JGSDF base, but also the Japanese government. This only strengthened my resolve to deal with him as soon as possible.
Faced with such a formidable threat, General Kiritani had no choice but to retract the punishment and replace it with another.
"Sergeant Tobiichi will be under house arrest for two months."
Many people, after hearing this blatant change, were outraged.
"General, that's—"
"Silence! I've issued the punishment and sealed it. Today's interrogation is over."
Everyone then left the interrogation room, many showing frustration at such absurd abuse of power, but no one dared voice their objections. Captain Kasukabe then approached Origami, grabbing her hand.
"It's all settled now."
"Don't do anything foolish again."
"Yes, Captain."
"Origami-san, are you alright?"
"Wait, Mikie."
Two teenage girls ran over from a distance. One had her hair tied in twin tails and wore Raizen High's uniform, while the other wore a large white cloak and glasses. They were AST members, Private Takamine Mikie and Second Lieutenant Mildred F. Fujimura. One was a warrior, and the other a mechanic.
"Ah, good morning, Mikie-san, Mily-san."
"Good morning."
"Hello."
"But what about Origami? Is she okay?"
"Mikie-san, calm down. Origami is fine now."
Mikie then rushed to hug Origami tightly, crying.
"Thank goodness, I was afraid you'd be discharged."
"Ahem, this is the base, don't make a fuss. If you want to chat, go outside."
"Yes, Captain."
At that moment, two footsteps echoed down the hallway. Looking towards the sound, we saw a man in a black suit and a woman in sunglasses. It was Isaac Westcott and his secretary, Ellen Mathers. He walked past our group, patting Origami on the shoulder.
"I have high hopes for you, young witch. If it's you, I'm sure you can defeat the spirits."
Westcott suddenly glanced at me, curious.
"Are you the new recruit who joined AST recently?"
Being asked so unexpectedly left me a bit flustered, but I quickly regained my composure.
"Yes, I joined two months ago."
"I've heard about your achievements in repelling both Nightmare and Princess at Raizen High. I also have high hopes for your potential."
Receiving praise from someone who "treats human lives like grass" made me uncomfortable, but I forced a smile in response.
"It's an honor, sir."
"Well then, I'll be going. Goodbye."
As Westcott spoke, his secretary handed Origami and me each a business card.
"If you're interested, you can contact us anytime. DEUS.EX.MACHINE will not hesitate to accept you both."
"I'm very grateful." Origami and I took the business cards, responding politely.