1970

Principality of Helweiz army base

The night before the Noiendolf Retake Battle

"I'm sorry to say this, but you won't be deployed during the Noiendolf Retake Battle."

An atmosphere of tension unique to the battlefield hung around the Principality's army base. In the research establishment of the base, Byakudan Harumi announced as such.

Harumi, dressed in an immaculate white coat, was a beautiful woman with the characteristic silky black hair of a Far Easterner. She was approaching her thirties and gave off an air of calmness that came with age.

She was an automata machinist belonging to the Principality of Helweiz Army. Moreover, she was also the former crown princess and held the name of Harumi Byakudan Helweiz.

In addition to leading the masses of people of the country in this time of crisis, Harumi was also responsible for the automata created by her.

"I know you were really looking forward to your first deployment and I feel bad about this too."

Harumi said so with a truly apologetic tone as she faced the automata in the shape of a young man.

Being stared at by her enchanting deep indigo-blue eyes, the young man blinked and spoke.

"Professor Byakudan. No, Mother."

Those of them created by Harumi usually called her "Mother". She told them to address her as "Professor" when they were in public, but he must have judged that it was fine as they were the only two in the room.

"In that case, when will my first battle be?"

From his gestures and speech, one would not have been able to tell that he was not human.

Harumi averted her eyes from the young man who was waiting for her reply with a smile. Her long black hair rustled as she got up from her seat.

"……You were determined to be inconformable."

—Incomformable?

The unfamiliar term made the youth's expression cloud over.

Harumi walked to a corner of the room. There, she laid her eyes on an empty container used for transport.

"You cannot be sent to the battlefield. There is also nothing more for me to research on about you. That's why I want you enter this container."

"Please wait, Mother! What do you mean that I cannot be sent to the battlefield!?"

The young man was a combat automaton. His mission was to fight, and was programmed as such that slaughtering the enemy was second nature to him.

An automaton purposed for fighting being called off the battlefield. Along with being told he was incomformable, it didn't take a second for his excellent artificial brain to comprehend the situation.

—I am going to be scrapped.

With his apprehension rising, the young man unconsciously drew close to his creator.

"No, I don't want to, Mother."

"You don't have to worry. The fighting is going to get more intense from now on, but the simulations have shown that the battle can be won even without your participation."

"No, I don't want this. I want to fight! I am confident that I will be able to achieve accomplishments on par with my brothers and sisters! Please let me go to the battlefield. I beg you, let me fight as well!"

He desperately beseeched his mother not to discard him.

However, the only words that came from her mouth were an emotionless command.

"Order. Enter the container."

Order—an irrefutable directive. That was a command only useable by Harumi, the owner of the young man.

Programmed as such, he was absolutely unable to go against that order.

Unheeding of his will, his legs moved towards the container.

In that space of time, he frantically scanned through his artificial mind for any means of overturning this outcome.

As for why it had come to this, the young man had an inkling. It all started since that day. Right after he repelled some intruders that infiltrated the research facility that day, Harumi immediately suspended all of his training. There could be no doubt that she had discovered some severe defect in him then.

"I'm so sorry, Mother. Is there something wrong with me? Please tell me. I'll fix everything that is wrong. I'll do whatever it takes so that I can live up to your expectations. So, please don't abandon me……!"

Harumi only looked down on the youth entreating her with a lonesome expression.

"You do not belong in this place. Farewell."

No.

No. No. No.

"Mother! I……!"

The young man couldn't help but stretch out his hand. But, Harumi gently whispered the shutdown command before he could reach her.

"Good night, Minazuki. And sweet dreams."