86--EIGHTY-SIX

Vol. 4 Ch. 3

Volume 4. Chapter 1: Duty Calls

86 – Eighty-Six

The stench of death lingered over the joint headquarters of the Federacy’s Western Front. The last operation had cost the Federacy hundreds of thousands of lives—four corps and over sixty percent of their total forces. Even transport vehicles couldn’t keep up with the removal of the deceased, temporarily turning the base into a morgue.

“The Eighty-Six strike force.”

Though spring had arrived, the air felt unnaturally cold as Major General Richard Altner, commander of the 177th Armored Division and the Republic of San Magnolia’s Expeditionary Unit, spoke the name of the unit.

“An autonomous mobile strike force piloting Reginleifs to suppress key Legion positions. Essentially, a foreign unit composed of the Eighty-Six... So, will they finally get to greet their queen?”

He surveyed the soon-to-be office of this “queen,” the foreign officer from the former Republic of San Magnolia, before turning his gaze to the person across from him. The aroma of substitute coffee wafted between them.

“What do you think? Will they manage?”

“I have no doubts about their combat potential.”

A cold smile appeared on the composed face of Commodore Willem Ehrenfried, the Western Front Army Chief of Staff, whose pale complexion was characteristic of noble birth.

“Most of the Eighty-Six we’ve taken under our protection are what they call callsign bearers. Veterans who’ve spent years fighting in the Eighty-Sixth Sector, despite a survival rate of less than one in ten. They’re far superior even to our soldiers who’ve undergone standard combat training. From a tactical standpoint, it would be unthinkable not to use them.”

Even though it was just substitute coffee, it was brewed properly and elegantly served in porcelain cups. Enjoying the floral aroma of the hot drink, Willem continued:

“And we now have a good grasp of the Reginleifs’ practical application. Their mobility allows them to match even Legion Wolves at full speed. Thanks to the Eighty-Six, the Legion won’t be getting their hands on our precious operators anymore.”

“Willem, I was asking whether the Eighty-Six can manage psychologically,” Major General Altner interjected.

He placed his coffee cup back on its saucer with a soft clink of porcelain.

“They know no peace, have no homeland, and nothing to defend on this battlefield... Do you really believe they can become the Federacy’s sword, despite the constant friction with our own troops whenever they’re stationed together?”

The first group of Eighty-Six accidentally rescued by the Federacy was a prime example. Though they were shown peaceful lives, they couldn’t—or perhaps wouldn’t—accept them. Their reckless determination to plunge into battles with near-zero survival odds struck fear into the Federacy soldiers. Despite their numerous accomplishments, which far exceeded those of the Federacy army, they were scornfully referred to as “monsters raised by the Republic.”

One thing Willem knew for sure: dragging those who had grown up on the battlefield into a peaceful life would only confuse them, make them doubt, and eventually suffocate them.

“Good hunting dogs need a fierce temperament. A good master, Richard, knows how to aim that temperament at their enemies.”

Federacy of Giad’s Western Front Joint Headquarters.

This was where Lena woke up that morning. She adjusted her uniform with care, buttoning up her crisp blouse, donning a black jacket, and affixing her insignia and holster. She even adjusted her cap and tucked aside her single red strand of hair. Her every move was filled with the resolve of a knight preparing for battle.

She stared into her reflection, her silver eyes matching the color of her hair. Her black uniform expressed mourning for her fallen subordinates, while the red strand symbolized the blood they had shed. Staring back at her was the fierce face of the Bloody Queen, stained with those very colors.

A knock on the door broke the morning silence just as she tightened her tie.

“Colonel?”

Lena smiled. She hadn’t seen his face... not until yesterday. But she would never forget his voice. Over the past two years, it had been a gentle support for her. His calm, steady tone and clear diction had comforted her. Now that voice was right beside her, and she would never have to see that nightmare again.

“I’m awake. Please, come in.”

There was a brief, almost hesitant pause. Then the door softly opened, and Shin stepped inside.

His black Onyx hair and crimson Pyrope eyes stood out. She had learned only yesterday that his older brother, Rei, had the opposite coloring. The steel-blue Federacy uniform seemed to suit him naturally. His slender frame and pale face matched the mental image she had formed of him from his voice, but his hardened physique was proof of years spent on the battlefield.

“Colonel, the transport will arrive at the base at 8:25. Please be ready by then.”

“Understood,” Lena replied shortly. She turned, glanced back into his crimson eyes that reflected her dark silhouette, and nodded. “I’m ready... Let’s go.”

Recently constructed, the Rustkammer Base—“Armory”—stood in Wolf’s Land, an uninhabited region bordering the former Empire and manufacturing territories. For the Eighty-Six strike force, now new to Lena, this was their main base of operations.

It was a vast installation surrounded by forests stretching westward from a nearby highland. A river separated the base from a nearby town nestled in the shadow of old fortress ruins, just a short walk away.

The barracks housed approximately ten thousand Processors and a support staff large enough for an entire battalion, along with nearly a thousand other personnel and multiple hangars for Reginleifs. There was also a runway for transport planes and a training ground spanning several sections of the base.

The base had been deliberately placed near the town not only for logistical convenience but also to help reintegrate the Eighty-Six into society. Having spent their childhoods on the battlefield, they needed a chance to acclimate to peaceful environments. The Eighty-Six who had been sheltered six months earlier were still attending a special officer academy, while the senior four—Raiden, Theo, Anju, and Kurena—had returned to the barracks under the guise of handling paperwork. This left Shin as Lena’s sole escort.

As the sun beat down mercilessly on the airfield, Shin offered to carry her luggage and the cat carrier.

“Let me take those.”

“Oh, it’s fine. They’re not heavy.”

Shin ignored her protests, took her belongings without a word, and began walking ahead. Considering it would be rude to wrest them back after his insistence, Lena reluctantly allowed it this time.

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