by Ao Jyumonji
“Well, anyway!” Kikkawa the playboy got between Renji and Bri-chan. “It’s our first meeting! There are bound to be misunderstandings! Let’s settle this peacefully! Let’s try to get along and be cheery? Okay? Okay? In deference to my good looks!“
“Your good looks?” Renji glared at Kikkawa and snorted derisively as he let go of the knife.
Bri-chan pulled back his knife, wiping the blood from it with a rag. “Looks like we have a few reckless ones here. Eight men, four women. There aren’t quite enough women, but I prefer it that way, and men are more likely to be useful in battle anyway, so it’s no problem.”
Manato cocked an eyebrow. “In battle?”
“Right,” Bri-chan said with a smile. It was pretty creepy, frankly. “Useful in battle.”
“This is a Volunteer Soldier office,” Manato said, looking down. “So, does that mean we’re becoming volunteer soldiers or something?
“Oh, my!” Bri-chan clapped. “You’ve got some promise, too. That’s exactly it. You’re all going to be volunteer soldiers. You do have some freedom to decide, though, y’know?”
“Master Choice,” Haruhiro said, slapping Ranta on the back. “You’re up.”
“O-Oh?! I... I am, aren’t I?! Aren’t... I...?”
“All of you can choose,” Bri-chan said, lifting up his index finger and wiggling it around. “You can accept my offer, or reject it. The offer is to join our Red Moon Volunteer Soldier Corps as part of the Alterna Frontier Army. Well, you’ll be starting as trainees aiming to become fully fledged volunteer soldiers.”
“Volunteer soldiers...” said Flashy, with a frightening look on her face. “What do they even do?”
“They fight,” Bri-chan said with a wave of his hand, looking like he wanted to add a “you silly goose” afterward. “Here in the borderlands there are races that are hostile to us humans, as well as lots and lots of monsters. The Frontier Army’s duty is to exterminate them and secure the frontier. But, to be honest, it’s not an easy job. As a matter of fact, the Frontier Army has its hands full just maintaining its front line base in Alterna. So, that’s where our Volunteer Soldier Corps comes in.”
“So, basically...” Glasses adjusted the position of his glasses with the middle finger of his right hand. “...while the regular forces protect the town, the Volunteer Soldier Corps strikes out to slay hostile races and monsters. Is that it?”
“To put it simply, yes,” Bri-chan said, spreading his hands like a flower. He may have thought it looked cute, but it was pretty creepy.
“Though, that said, it isn’t like the Frontier Army is purely defensive, you know? There are times when they launch expeditionary forces to assault the strongholds of hostile races. It’s just that large-scale military operations have their limitations. With supply logistics and whatnot, lots of things need to be thought out in advance, after all. Volunteer soldiers aren’t like that.”
Kikkawa was following along with exaggerated nods. “Like, how are they different?”
“We volunteer soldiers...” Bri-chan began, bringing his hands together and wiggling the tips of his fingers. “...appear suddenly and unexpectedly, infiltrating enemy territory left and right, surveying, causing confusion, and finding ways to weaken opposing forces. Though we cooperate with the main force, we very rarely engage in organized operations. Most volunteer soldiers act alone, or in small parties of 3-6 people, I would think. Anyway, we use our own individual skills and judgment to gather intel and strike the enemy. That is the way the Volunteer Soldier Corps, Red Moon, works.”
“And?” Renji asked, flexing the fingers of his right hand. There was no blood dripping from it. The bleeding had already stopped. “What happens if I turn down your offer?”
“Nothing, really, y’know?” Bri-chan tilted his head and shook his waist a little. Was he fooling around? Perhaps he was fooling around and threatening them at the same time. It was pretty scary, after all. “I already told you, you have room to decide. You can choose. If you don’t want to be a volunteer soldier, you’re welcome to leave right now and never come back.”
“Heh...” Ranta said, scratching at his curly hair. “Maybe I’ll pass, then. I don’t really get it, but, you know, I’m fundamentally a pacifist and all.”
“Fine. Bye, then. Take care.”
“Yeah! You take care too, Bri-chan!” Ranta turned around, walked towards the exit, then stopped. “...Hold on, but once I leave here, what am I supposed to do?”
“I can’t take responsibility for you after that,” Bri-chan laughed. “If you aren’t joining the Corps, you’re free to do as you please. Those of you who become volunteer soldier trainees will each receive ten silver coins, 10 Silver. That will be enough for you to live on for the time being, I think.”
“Silver coins...” Manato’s eyes widened and he began fishing through his pockets. “Oh, yeah... money.”
Haruhiro touched his hip and back pockets, too. They were empty. He had nothing on him. Which, of course, meant he was penniless.
“A part-time job, maybe...” Ranta’s face twitched, and he hung his head. “I could look for one... That’s about all I can do, for now...”
“Hopefully something conveniently falls into your lap,” Bri-chan said with an exaggerated shrug. “But any other job you find will come with its own troubles, you know? Even if you luck into someone willing to hire you, they’ll pay you barely anything, and you’ll generally start out doing grueling menial tasks or looking after the owner or master’s personal needs.”
“Ack!” Kikkawa said, slapping his forehead. “It’s a tough world, man. I dunno what to say. Do we have to, like, just go with the flow here?”
“I do believe I told you? Flow or no flow, the ones to decide whether you join or not are...” Bri-chan pointed at each of them. “You. Your. Selves.”
Renji took a deep breath. “Be specific. What do we need to do first?”
“Oh, Renji. Don’t disappoint me. Weren’t you listening? Use your own individual skills and judgment to gather intel and strike the enemy. That’s the volunteer soldier way.”
“So, as trainees, we need to search and think for ourselves, too, then?”
“That’s right,” Bri-chan nodded and began lining something up on the counter. Reddish, coin-like objects and little leather pouches. Twelve sets in total.
Bri-chan held one of the coin-like objects, which had a crescent moon on it, between his fingers. “This badge identifies the holder as a trainee. It’s known as a Trainee Badge. As such, it will be proof of your status as a volunteer soldier trainee. If you take one, don’t lose it. Well, not that carrying it will do much for you, either. Though, once you buy your Corps Badge from me with 20 Silver and become a full member of the Volunteer Soldier Corps, that one will have some perks.”
“Hold on,” Buzz-Cut said in an agitated tone. “You want us to pay you for status?”
“Yes. Is that a problem?”
“I don’t like it.”
“Say what you like, but without money, you can’t eat, you can’t clothe yourself, you can’t do anything. What choice do you have? You can go die in a ditch if you prefer.”
Renji laughed a little at that one. “Even in Hell, money matters, huh?”
“Hell?” Bri-chan tilted his head to the side, quizzically. “Well, that’s about right. Anyway, I know this is odd to say after telling you to figure things out yourselves, but I would think your first goal should be to buy a Corps Badge and become a volunteer soldier.”
“Fair enough.” Renji took a Trainee Badge and leather pouch. “I don’t know about this volunteer soldier business or whatever, but I’ll do it. We’ll talk after that.”
After Renji, Buzz-Cut took a Trainee Badge and leather pouch. A little bit after him were Flashy, Manato, and Glasses.
Kikkawa said, “Okay then, I’m getting in on this, too!” then went to take two pouches, only to have his hand slapped by Bri-chan.
There wasn’t much of a choice. But... why do this
? To get money... or, in other words, to stay alive, maybe? If that was why, then he supposed he had to. It was unavoidable, but he still had a bad feeling about it.
Shihoru, Braids, and Tiny all seemed hesitant. Ranta and the big guy, Moguzo, hadn’t decided yet either.
Bri-chan turned his pale blue eyes towards them. “What about you?”
“I dunno...” Ranta walked towards the counter, mumbling to himself. “I feel like I’m about to get screwed here. I’ve got a vaguely bad feeling about all this...”
“Hmm.” Braids followed behind Ranta. “Where there’s a will-will, there’s a way-way, they say...”
“No,” Haruhiro shook his head. “I don’t think anybody says will-will or way-way...”
“Oh?” Braids turned back, her hand outstretched towards the badge and pouch. “They don’t? Yume’s always said it with will-will and way-way.”
“You learned it wrong then. “It’s just ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way.’”
“Oh. But it sounds cuter with will-will and way-way. Yume thinks cute is important, too.”
“...It definitely did sound cuter that way.”
Braids, whose name was apparently Yume, giggled with genuine glee. “Isn’t it, though?” While they’d been bantering, Tiny had taken a badge and pouch. Moguzo, Shihoru, and Haruhiro were the only ones left. Not wanting to be last, Haruhiro grabbed a badge and pouch. While he was opening his pouch to confirm there were ten tiny silver coins inside, Moguzo unhurriedly came and took a Trainee Badge and pouch. Shihoru was the last to do so.
“Congratulations,” Bri-chan said, smiling and clapping. “Now, all of you are volunteer soldier trainees. Work hard and learn to stand on your own quickly. Once you’re proper volunteer soldiers, I wouldn’t be adverse to giving you some advice.”
—Then, suddenly—
“Hey!”
Thud!
“Urgh!”
They saw Buzz-Cut was now flat on his backside on the floor. It had happened in an instant, so they couldn’t be sure, but maybe Renji had punched Buzz-Cut. Punched him? Why would he have done that?
“Get up,” Renji said with a blank expression.
“You jerk!” Buzz-Cut shouted and tried to get up, only for Renji to immediately kick him, sending him sprawling across the floor.
“What’s wrong? Get up.”
“What’s your problem, you ass?”
“From the first time I saw you, I wondered which of us was stronger. It’s time for me to show you the answer. Get up.”
“Dammit...!”
Renji was going to strike as soon as Buzz-Cut tried to spring up. Since it was obvious even to a bystander like Haruhiro, Buzz-Cut just needed to avoid it. Well, Buzz-Cut did try to dodge it, but Renji moved ahead of where he was going and punched him, kicked him, then grabbed him by the ear and pulled. As Buzz-Cut let out a scream of pain, he kneed him hard in the solar plexus. Not just once. Again and again. After that, Renji took Buzz-Cut’s head in both hands. He swung his own head back and gave him a headbutt. There was a loud thud, and Buzz-Cut slumped down and fell to one knee.
“You’ve got a hard head,” Renji said, rubbing his forehead with one finger. It had gone red, and was bleeding a little. “Tell me your name.”
Buzz-Cut kept his hands off the floor, putting them on his knee for support instead. He may have been bearing the pain out of a stubborn unwillingness to crawl. “...It’s Ron. Damn, you’re strong.”
“You’re pretty tough yourself. Come with me, Ron.”
“Yeah. I’ll stick with you for now.”
“Good. Now, who else...” Renji looked around the office, stopping on Manato.
Manato reacted to Renji’s glance with a narrowing of his eyes.
Renji moved right on, looking away from Manato to Glasses. “You look like you could be useful. Come with me.”
Glasses crossed his arms and blinked a couple times in surprise. Then, adjusting the position of his glasses with the middle finger of his right hand, he gave a curt nod. “Sure. I’m Adachi. It’s a pleasure, Renji.”
Renji responded by raising one side of his mouth into a smirk, then turned his eyes on Haruhiro.
Huh? Maybe he wants me, too? thought Haruhiro, surprised and somewhat delighted. After all, Renji looked muscular, and he had demonstrated he was strong enough to easily take down Ron. He was a man of action. He could think on his feet, too. He was scary and seemed hard to get along with, but if Haruhiro could get past that, Renji was definitely reliable. If Renji was willing to take him along, it would probably make life easy from here out.
He couldn’t deny that he felt that way. But those feelings soon shriveled up and died, because Renji looked elsewhere. He’d been ignored.
“You there, Chibi.”
“Aye...?” The girl who was tiniest among the twelve of them had a tiny voice, too.
Renji said “Come,” and gestured for her to follow.
Chibi-chan may have been staring off into space. She tottered over in his direction, and looked up at Renji.
Renji patted Chibi-chan on the head. “You look like you’ll be useful. Come along.”
Chibi-chan said “Aye...” and nodded. Her face flushed red. There was something about her that resembled a boiled egg. More than her looks, it was her little gestures and overall essence that lent her a mascot-like adorableness. But... useful? Haruhiro didn’t know about that. And, wait, had Renji decided Chibi-chan would be more useful than him? He didn’t know whether to feel humiliated or just sad.
“We’re going,” Renji gestured to the office door with his chin. As Ron, Adachi, Chibi-chan, and Renji began to walk away, Flashy shouted, “Wait! Take me, too!”
Renji let out a short sigh. “I don’t need any useless baggage.”
“I’ll do anything!” Flashy said, clinging to Renji. “I’m Sassa. Please. Absolutely anything, I’ll do it.”
“Absolutely anything, huh?” Renji said, shoving Sassa away. “Don’t forget those words.”
“Yeah. I won’t.”
“And don’t touch me.”
“Gotcha...”
“Good. You come, too.”
“Thanks, Renji!” Sassa opened the door, and Renji and his followers walked out. Sassa was the last to leave. When the door closed, the seven people remaining looked defeated, like they’d lost the lottery.
“Ack!” Kikkawa said, grimacing and scratching his head. “Wish I coulda gotten on Team Renji, too... Between Renji and Ron, they’re probably unbeatable in a fight. Adachi looked smart, Chibi-chan’s cute as a button, and Sassa was smoking hot. Man, I’m so jealous. But, well, them’s the breaks. I’m off to gather info. Toodles.” Before he could say anything, Kikkawa had left the office.
Haruhiro exchanged glances with Shihoru. Shihoru hung her head in shame.
“Well, I’m off, too,” said Manato, heading for the exit. “I won’t learn anything staying here, so I’m going outside to look around. See you all later.”
“Yeah, see you.” As Haruhiro was waving good-bye to Manato, it occurred to him maybe he should tag along. Manato was approachable, unlike Renji. He seemed good-natured, and was probably reliable. But, even though he couldn’t care less about Ranta, what would Shihoru and Yume do? Moguzo was here, too. Right.
If they all went together, that would solve the problem. Except, by the time Haruhiro figured that out, Manato was no longer in the office. But he was sure it was still not too late.
“Listen, us staying here really won’t help, so let’s all go after Manato, and...”
Haruhiro only got that far before the door opened. Perhaps it’s Manato coming back!
But it wasn’t. It was another man who had entered the office. He wore an outfit made out of hide, a cap with a feather in it, and had a bow and arrows slung over his back. He looked a few years older than Haruhiro and the others. The man had eyes like a fox, and a crooked mouth.
“Heya, Chief.”
“Oh, my,” Bri-chan looked at the man. “If
it isn’t Kuzuoka. What’s going on? Did you need me for something?”
“No, that’s not why I came,” Kuzuoka said with a glance to Haruhiro and the others. “I heard we had some newbies, so I came for a peek.”
“News sure makes it to you fast. But we had twelve this time, and only five of them are still here.”
“Oh. These are the leftovers, then, huh.”
Ranta’s face stiffened. “Well, so-rry for being left over.”
“You ought to be sorry, you know?” Kuzuoka said with a glare at Ranta, then gave Haruhiro and the others the once-over to evaluate them. “Hmm... Well, it’s the front-liners we’re short on, anyway. Hey, big guy, you’ll do.”
Moguzo pointed at himself. “Me?”
“That’s right. I mean you. When I say ‘big guy,’ you’re the only one here I could mean. I’ll let you join our party. I’ll show you the ropes. I can even lend you a little money. It’s a pretty sweet deal, don’t you think? Now if you understand me, come along.”
“Uh, okay...”
“Moguzo, you’re going?!” Ranta grabbed Moguzo by the left arm. “Don’t do it! This guy is clearly dodgy!”
“Ah, okay...”
“Just come already!” Kuzuoka pulled his right arm. “As a trainee, you should be grateful just to be let into a party! Also, I am not dodgy!”
“Uh, uh, okay...”
“Moguzo, don’t let him trick you! A guy who’s dodgy is never going to tell you he’s dodgy!”
“Ah, ah, uh... Ow, ouch, that... hurts, you know...”
“Oh!” Ranta let go of his arm.
“Sorry, sorry, ah...” Moguzo apologized meekly.
“Okay, let’s go now!” Kuzuoka said, savagely dragging Moguzo away.
Shihoru’s shoulders slumped. “They left...”
“Now there’re...” Yume counted one, two, three on her fingers as she pointed to Haruhiro, Ranta, Shihoru and finally herself. “...four of us, huh?”
“Darlings,” Bri-chan said, stifling a yawn. “Just how long do you plan on standing there? I’m busy with work of my own. If you’re just going to loiter around, I’ll toss you out, you know?”