3 3 301 3:00 p.m. Outside the Training Room, Command Central
4 4 301 It is one of those rare days when Camu arrives at training on time. Babylonia is as sunny as usual, the artificial weather system making sure that the humidity and UV levels are perfect.
5 5 301 It gives Camu a sense of comfort.
6 6 301 He is heading towards the battle training room at the end of the corridor. The training has yet to begin, but he is already wondering what snacks he should get after it ends.
7 7 301 It is silly, of course, to prepare for something that has yet to happen. To Camu, disasters cannot be averted no matter how well-prepared you are.
8 8 301 Yet there is still a spring in his step as he walks. Quite a delightful feeling. Being silly might not be so bad if it lightens you up.
9 9 301 DialogDisable He stops in front of the door with this unfamiliar emotion in mind. The sensor scans his iris and the door slides open.
26 25 301 Something lodges itself in Camu's throat. His previous good mood suddenly feels like no more than a joke. Replacing it is a crippling heaviness that resounds through his mechanical body.
27 26 301 The sunshine from outside the window casts mottled shadows on the wall, as if mocking him.
28 27 301 DialogDisable Before he can even react, he hears a voice that is not his own speak up.
36 35 301 DialogEnable Am I the one who's talking?
37 36 301 So it's my voice, huh?
38 37 301 Eh, who cares. I'm at rock bottom already. There's nothing I have to lose. That itself makes me free.
39 38 301 DialogDisable With this thought in mind, I walk on, even though my M.I.N.D. is utterly empty. Someone, tell me what to do—I'll even take Kamui. In the midst of all the chaos, I hear myself speak in a voice that's clearly not mine...
43 42 301 DialogEnable 1 Camu ...I refuse to be transferred. 1
44 43 302 ...Camu?? 44
45 44 301 Camu You people brought me here. You people assigned me to 【kuroname】. I don't want any explanations or any excuses. 1
46 45 301 Camu If you want to transfer me somewhere else simply because you believe I'd be a better fit elsewhere, I refuse. I will not allow anyone who's not 【kuroname】 to touch my M.I.N.D. 1
47 46 301 Camu You hear that? 1
48 47 302 Wait... 48
49 48 202 1
50 49 301 The dark Construct is standing by the door, veins on his temples throbbing, as wrathful as he had been a number of days ago.
51 50 201 1 500175 5
52 51 301 1 Camu Don't "wait" me! 1
53 52 301 Camu I hate waiting. I hate being on the receiving end. I hate being the one who always has to comply! 1
54 53 301 Camu What about your so-called sense of responsibility as a commandant? You brought me here... forced me to do all sorts of things like a clown... and then you're just leaving me? You're just handing me over to someone else? 1
55 54 302 I'm not— 55
56 55 301 Camu You're the one who gave me a gift I didn't want... the one who forced me to train with you... the one who acted like an idiot to defend me. 1
57 56 301 Camu You're the human who taught me that it's safe to feel "love". The human who extended your hand to me. 1
58 57 301 Camu You barged into my life without invitation... and decided to just abandon me without a care. You're worse than my mentor! 1
59 58 202 1
60 59 301 Rage boiling into inarticulate abandon, Camu bursts out laughing instead. He crosses his arms around himself defensively.
61 60 301 You can hear his heaving breaths and thumping heartbeat. To a Construct, these features simply "simulate biological reactions," but at this moment they feel like proof of his red-hot passion, proof that he's alive.
62 61 201 1 500175
63 62 301 1 Camu Do I look like a monster, huh? 1
64 63 301 Camu I don't care how those people choose to deal with me. 1
65 64 301 Camu All I want to know is what I'm like in your eyes. 1
66 65 301 Camu When those guys from Babylonia asked if I wanted to stay with you, I said yes. 1
67 66 301 Camu Now, I want your answer. 1
68 67 202 1
69 68 301 ...
70 69 301 Right on cue, Asimov starts gathering his files.
71 70 201 1 500004
72 71 301 1 Asimov I'll let you two talk. Gotta go analyze some data. 1
73 72 302 W-wait! 73
74 73 202 1
75 222 401 2 1516
76 74 301 Asimov simply ignores it all and walks past Camu towards the door.
77 75 301 You turn to Camu, who looks utterly humiliated.
78 76 302 You misunderstood. 77
79 77 201 1 500175
80 78 301 1 Camu ...? 1
81 79 401 1 208
82 80 302 I'm not leaving you. 81
83 81 302 We were talking about ending the simulated missions. 82
84 82 302 The Council approved of you fighting actual battles. 86
85 86 301 Camu ...Huh? 1
86 87 301 The youth looks so dumbfounded you almost feel guilty.
87 88 302 Also, I feel like I'm understanding you better... 89
88 89 302 Not because of the M.I.N.D. connection... 90
89 90 302 But because we spent time together... 91
90 91 302 And that was how I got to know you better. 92
91 92 301 Camu ... 1
92 93 302 Even if I didn't really understand you that well... 94
93 94 302 I'll still work hard in my own way. 95
94 95 302 I'll do my best to be a good commandant. 96
95 96 301 Camu ... 1
96 97 301 Camu You're my commandant. 1
97 98 301 Camu This fact makes me feel... "safe". 1
98 99 202 1
99 100 301 Camu steps forward, shortening the distance between the two of you, his dark pupils glowing.
100 101 201 1 500175
101 102 301 1 Camu From now on, I won't wait for you to extend your hand anymore. 1
102 103 202 1
103 104 301 There is a knock on the door and you hear Liv's voice.
104 105 301 Liv Excuse me—Oh, Commandant, are you busy?
105 106 302 What's going on? 107
106 107 301 Liv I ran into Asimov... He said you're busy in the training room and we shouldn't disturb you.
107 108 301 Your face heats up suddenly for no reason. Camu takes a step back. His gaze meets yours, sending what feels like an electric current down your spine before moving away.
108 109 201 1 500175
109 110 301 1 Camu ...Hey. 1
110 111 301 Camu I'm craving cheese rolls. 1
111 112 204 1 1
112 113 301 1 AniZhuanchangBegin Camu Let's go get some after training tonight. 1
