Chapter 39: One-Man Army

Strawberry (2)

The monster was indiscriminately bombarded. Missiles exploded, and several bombers that followed finished it off. The massive creature couldn't withstand the power of steel civilization. Its corpse collapsed, and the waves surged.

Dan Ga-yeon, who had been watching the situation while leaning against the ship's railing, let out a sigh of relief.

"Wow, I really thought I was going to die..."

Comet went to her side and stared at Dan Ga-yeon.

"Even though you say that, you calmly dodged and stalled for time."

"Really? Every time I dodged, I was screaming internally, 'Eek! Ack! Save me!' I guess it didn't show."

Dan Ga-yeon waved her arms, exaggerating her inner thoughts. Then, feeling embarrassed, she lowered her arms and smiled slightly.

"Well, I have to hold it together since I'm in charge of the situation. Can't let them see me panic."

"You were cool."

"Haha! Thank you."

Comet looked at the smiling Dan Ga-yeon and touched her own heart. There was nothing different from usual. She tilted her head. She was sure her heart had been racing just a moment ago when she looked at Dan Ga-yeon.

Dan Ga-yeon walked to the bridge and began telling the captain to dock the ship at the harbor.

Comet quietly looked for the small jellyfish.

"Princess."

『Speak.』

"My heart raced earlier."

『...I don't know what you're talking about. Doesn't it usually race? I suppose it wouldn't.』

"Of course it does. But it was distinctly racing at that moment. Could it be fate?"

『Wait, are you talking about love right now?』

"Princess, you're so clueless. You've never been in a relationship, have you?"

『W-what?! O-of course I have!』

The small jellyfish stuttered hastily.

"Yeah, yeah, sure. Anyway, my heart raced when I saw Officer Dan."

『Can't you just make it not race?』

"Huh? You want me to die?"

『You literally just said a while ago that you might go berserk if you fall in love! How can it be racing already! You have no backbone.』

Comet scratched her cheek.

"Well, it raced, but it's not racing now. What is this?"

『It's not racing now? Hmm. Hmm. Oh! Hehe, I've just figured out the cause!』

"What is it?"

『Wait a moment. It's difficult to explain in the language of humans. What was the word...』

While the Princess thought, Comet leaned against the railing and looked at the dead monster. As a squid-like monster, ink was flowing from its corpse. The ink was turning the sea black, and it didn't seem like a good idea to get close.

『That's it. I remember! It's called the suspension bridge effect!』

Comet's eyes widened.

"Oh... That makes sense. My heart raced the moment the missiles exploded. I might have mistaken the racing from being startled."

『Hehehe. I saved that commoner!』

The small jellyfish boasted.

Comet, feeling somehow displeased, stared blankly at the ink spreading in the sea.

"Isn't a momentary feeling also love?"

『Why are you suddenly trying to insist it's love?』

"When did I insist? I'm just saying. It's good to seize an opportunity to be happy if there is one."

『What if you try to be happy alone? That won't do.』

"I'm not particularly trying to be happy alone."

Comet grumbled.

"Well, it wouldn't be bad to check my feelings. Objectively speaking, Officer Dan is pretty. I might have fallen for her without realizing it."

『Can't you just not check?』

The Princess was anxious.

"If I've really already fallen for her, it's a good thing for you, Princess. It means I'm having a gentle love, wouldn't that be nice too? The birth of a Comet who's become docile and clinging to love, just as you wished."

Comet nodded.

『I suppose that's true. ...No! Don't you feel sorry for that commoner?! She's pitiful enough in my eyes! She can't become even more pitiful! Think of that commoner!』

"I'm the one who's falling in love, why are you telling me to worry about Officer Dan?"

Comet was somewhat dissatisfied. She was upset that the Princess, whom she could call a friend who shared her inner thoughts, wasn't supporting her.

『W-what? What are you saying right now?』

The Princess was horrified. Comet blinked.

"Huh? Was something weird just now?"

"Comet!"

Dan Ga-yeon called. Comet turned to look at Dan Ga-yeon.

"I made plans for a get-together with the two of them, would you like to join?"

"A get-together? I just watched without doing anything, would it be okay?"

"I explained that part. I said that Comet is a Necromancer, so it's difficult for her to respond in the initial stages, so she boarded the ship to protect civilians, and that she's shy, so she seemed to be hiding. They understood."

"Wow, you rationalized it plausibly. I didn't know Officer Dan thought of me that way. I'm touched."

Comet put her hands together and made a touched expression.

"Rationalized... Well, yeah, something like that."

Dan Ga-yeon smiled awkwardly.

"Since you're inviting me, I'll go. I can check what I'm curious about then too."

"Curious about?"

"A curiosity that will be a turning point in my and Officer Dan's lives."

"If you have something you're curious about regarding me, you can ask me now."

"The answer is in my heart, so it's difficult for Officer Dan to tell me."

"Is that so?"

Dan Ga-yeon tilted her head. She seemed to wonder why she couldn't answer a curiosity that would be a turning point in her life.

"It's not weird, is it?"

"Not at all. It's very common."

『Common?』

The Princess subtly interjected. Comet ignored her since they were in the middle of a conversation.

"Where are you planning to have the get-together?"

"The captain said there's a bar he knows. It's closed, but his friend runs it, so it's possible to have a drink."

"Sounds good. I'll gladly attend."

A while later, they arrived at the harbor. It was chaotic due to the appearance of the sea monster, but Dan Ga-yeon managed to handle it well with the authority of the committee. In the process, she was almost caught by soldiers and public officials as a witness for the cleanup, but she was able to escape by subtly using the committee's authority.

Comet was able to watch this from the side, and it was quite funny. Dan Ga-yeon clenched her fist, thrilled to have succeeded in abusing her power. But it was all for show since she would have to submit a report summarizing the situation later, but she seemed happy nonetheless.

"I think I did well to participate in the committee."

Dan Ga-yeon approached and whispered. She was trying to have a good relationship with Comet, so it was an intimate gesture.

Comet smiled.

"I'm glad you're satisfied."

They were able to enter a nearby bar with the captain's guidance. The door was locked, but the owner, who had been following them from the harbor, opened it himself. The owner seemed to be one of the people who had been spending time with the captain near the harbor.

The owner wiped the dusty tables and handed out canned beers.

"For today's heroes, this is on the house."

Packaged jerky was opened and poured onto a plate. Comet, who really hadn't done anything, seriously pondered and didn't eat the jerky. Instead, she quietly sipped her beer.

The captain boasted about his heroic deeds to the owner, and the Awakened apologized to Dan Ga-yeon. He seemed sorry for trying to run away at the last minute. Dan Ga-yeon, being good-natured, brushed it off as nothing.

The get-together ended a little over an hour later. They left the bar and walked down the street. It was just Dan Ga-yeon and her.

Dan Ga-yeon looked up at the evening sunset and turned to Comet. Comet looked back at Dan Ga-yeon.

"Comet, you seem more gentle than usual when you're drunk."

"Really? Aren't I polite even when I'm sober?"

"Well, you are polite."

Dan Ga-yeon, having relieved a lot of tension from the drinking session, subtly gave a jab. It felt like a petty revenge from a low-ranking public official.

Comet blinked and looked at Dan Ga-yeon, then hiccuped once. She was a little tipsy.

Seeing that there was no particular reaction, Dan Ga-yeon was rather worried.

"You seem pretty drunk, should we rest on that bench over there?"

"Not too drunk, but I think I am a little tipsy. Let's sit for a moment. Excuse me."

Comet approached the empty bench and bowed her head. Her bobbed hair swayed.

"I'll sit for a moment. I'll get up soon."

Comet politely asked the bench for permission and sat down quietly.

Dan Ga-yeon sat next to her and chuckled softly.

Comet yawned faintly.

"I get drunk easily since I didn't eat any snacks. I shouldn't have drunk soju."

"You should have eaten while drinking."

"I can't do that. This is a moral code I've worked hard to obtain. It's not something cheap."

Comet looked up at the evening sunset. The orange color was pretty.

Dan Ga-yeon didn't say anything for a while. Instead, she stared blankly at the bench. After a while, as if realizing something, Dan Ga-yeon spoke softly.

"Did I just laugh at the result of your efforts?"

"Huh?"

Comet, who had been looking at the sunset, belatedly turned to Dan Ga-yeon. Their eyes met. Dan Ga-yeon slowly averted her gaze.

"...Never mind."

A silent time passed. Dan Ga-yeon rubbed the bench, lost in thought, then shook off the dust on her hands and looked up at the sunset, following Comet's lead.

"Come to think of it, was your curiosity resolved? You said it was a curiosity that would be a turning point for Comet and me, right?"

"Curiosity? Ah, that's right. I should check. Officer Dan, did you brush your teeth?"

"We just came from drinking."

"Ah, that's right."

Comet answered somewhat blankly. Then she rummaged through her pockets.

"I guess the taste of alcohol would be a bit much."

Two strawberry candies were taken out. She had gotten them from the owner before leaving the bar.

"Have one. It's strawberry flavored. I hope it's to your liking."

Dan Ga-yeon looked at the candy questioningly, then unwrapped it and put it in her mouth. Comet also put a candy in her mouth and rolled it around. The strawberry flavor spread.

"Officer Dan, have you ever kissed?"

"Huh?"

Dan Ga-yeon turned around.

"Have you ever kissed?"

"No. Why are you asking all of a sudden?"

Comet chewed on the candy. Crumbs were chewed, then swallowed. She leaned against Dan Ga-yeon and looked up at her.

"May I kiss you right now?"

"Pardon?"

Dan Ga-yeon looked down blankly, as if she couldn't keep up with the situation. Their eyes met, and their faces were close.

"I'm glad you allowed me. Excuse me."

Comet smiled with a slightly drunk face. Her arms wrapped around Dan Ga-yeon's neck, and their lips drew closer.

A fleeting moment passed, and their lips met. Dan Ga-yeon's eyes widened. The candy on her tongue rolled, touched Dan Ga-yeon's teeth, and clattered. Comet gently moved her tongue, sweeping the candy away and pulling it. The candy tumbled between their tongues.

After several attempts, the candy clunked against Dan Ga-yeon's front teeth, crossed over, and entered Comet's mouth.

She slowly parted her lips.

A pink thread like candy liquid stretched and then broke.

Comet made eye contact with Dan Ga-yeon and placed her hand on her own heart. She felt a thumping. It wasn't a distinct thumping. It was beating faster than usual, but within a reasonable range.

"It's not love."

Comet smiled with her eyes and licked her lips.

The candy moved in her mouth.

It tasted like strawberry.

Dan Ga-yeon's face turned bright red, as if it would explode.

『Hyaaak!』

The Princess screamed.

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