Unified Year 1923, Imperial Army Northern Garrison
It was a few days after the wounds from my first battle had healed.
Military Commander's Office
Second Lieutenant Degurechaff, here are your deployment orders.
Thank you.
Just don't send me to the front lines...
The Tactical Instructor Squad back home?
Only someone accomplished enough to earn the Silver Wings
could be assigned to an instruction unit at your age.
That's exactly what I wanted!
But I can't make my happiness too obvious.
This is an honor, but...
You are dissatisfied?
If you have a problem with it, I can pass it on.
No!
I am grateful for this incredible honor.
But this is a position at the rear, where it could be said not much is done.
Don't worry about it.
Even if you are an ace, deploying you to the front lines
would be bad for appearances.
I guess that settles it, then.
Deployment orders received.
This is wonderful!
Safe, rear-echelon deployments... How I love you!
Very well.
Then head to the General Supply Staff.
Is this for technology testing?
Yes, they need you to test a new type of computation jewel.
It's true that testing new equipment falls under the instruction unit's duties...
May I ask about this new jewel?
Unfortunately, all I've been told that it's a prototype.
I understand.
Thank you...
...kidding me?!
You can't be serious!
How is this a safe, rear-echelon deployment?!
Cruscos Army Aerial Unit Testing Grounds
Second Lieutenant Degurechaff, are you conscious?
Second Lieutenant!
Oxygen density and body temperature are dropping fast.
At this rate, I won't last long.
Episode 3 Deus Vult
Elenium Type-95?
By synchronizing four computation jewel cores,
this prototype grants revolutionary abilities.
It uses tremendous magical energy,
but with the amount you have, that shouldn't be a problem.
There are all kinds of problems!
These crystals aren't stable at all.
If this keeps up, they'll explode again!
Roger.
We'll bring this experiment to an—
Second Lieutenant! Can't you go any higher?!
Doctor?!
Theoretically, you should be able to reach 18,000 meters!
Imperial Military Technology Development Chief Engineer Adelheid von Schugel
A standard computation jewel's maximum altitude is 6,000!
The load is within acceptable parameters!
Those are theoretical numbers!
For use as military-grade items, keep durability in mind!
What are you talking about?
That would ruin the jewel's optimized synchronization!
I don't know when this defective junk will explode!
Defective junk?
You called my masterpiece "defective junk"?
Take that back now!
Even if the Empire is a meritocracy,
what's a guy like him doing as a chief engineer?!
T-Temperature of jewel cores is rising.
I'm cutting the magic supply
and emergency purging the jewel's magical energy!
Engine has shut down.
Motive power lost.
At least there won't be a disaster like last time...
I am done with this crap!
This thing's as defective as an Italian Red Devil!
Second Lieutenant Degurechaff...
Again? We're doing this again?!
That's my question.
If the safety hadn't worked, pieces of me would be raining down on the base!
Wait!
Where's your report?
Talk to me about it later. I'm going to the medical room.
It's because you're failing to concentrate hard enough.
And you call yourself a soldier?
A soldier's job is to use weapons,
not spend her time trying to get defective junk to work!
Y-You called it "defective junk" again?
Didn't she?
Y-Yes.
Take that back...
For this time and the last time, too!
The thing's way too fragile.
It'd be more at home in an art museum!
Why?!
Why don't you understand how revolutionary the four-way synchronization is?
I'll admit that it's revolutionary.
That's why I want you to make something that works!
Theoretically, it works!
So why can't you get it work properly?
They say a thin line separates genius and madness.
But I didn't think talking to him would be impossible.
Doctor, anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
That's a famous law.
That's idiotic!
Who said something so stupid?!
If you live a long life, you'll understand!
With the way this is going, I'm doomed!
I'm better off on the damn front lines!
Request for Transfer
Imperial Military General Supply Staff, Technology HQ
So, what do we do?
Do we accept it?
I actually have a daughter about her age.
"The brass have decided that the Type-95 is unreliable and unsuitable for general use.
Additional funding has been frozen, and the project has been, de facto, canceled."
Yeah, nothing beats being proactive.
Only incompetents cling to the metaphysical.
In a few days, I'll be on the fast track in the Imperial capital, coffee in hand.
This is a serious problem.
You haven't developed even the tiniest bit of faith.
B-Being X...
Indeed.
It's rare to have such an unpleasant reunion.
Ten years have passed, and you're still just as unreasonable.
It seems you've not grown at all, either.
Unfortunately, I'm not desperate enough to rely on "God."
Your attitude is as unacceptable as ever.
I'd intended to limit my interference to a minimum,
but foolish little lambs need to be shown the way.
Don't worry about me...
I'm not the type to stay fenced in.
Why will you not praise the Creator?
Long ago, merely speaking to them sufficed to make humans worship God.
Sometimes, humanity even called to me.
And so, I should pray to some traditionally hand-crafted knick-knack?
You're kidding me.
Perhaps I should give you a blessing.
A blessing?
A miracle.
Gonna part the seas or something?
Or change water into wine?
Miracles are illusions caused by insufficient observation and understanding.
They're just...
glorious misunderstandings.
I don't know about that.
A dream?
"Deus lo vult."
"God wills it"?
Can we seriously not?
An experiment with magical-energy
transformation and affixation, via multilayer interference.
Since the project's canceled,
I'll obviously do the experiments I'd been putting off, right?
If you fail, it could blow up the whole proving grounds.
The march of progress always has victims.
Of course, it won't be only you. I won't move from this spot.
To be honest, I'd prefer if you found another use for your passion.
A scientist must be loyal to his research, right?
I'm a soldier, not a scientist.
Then I should give you an order.
Lieutenant, are you ready?
Observation teams standing by.
Activating energy supply to the Type-95.
Guess I'm out of ideas now...
Second Lieutenant Tanya Degurechaff, taking off!
Present altitude 4,000 meters.
Climbing at a speed of 320.
The jewel's synchronization is unstable.
It's going to explode!
Lieutenant,
no need to worry.
Our success is assured.
Doctor...
Where are you getting that confidence?
It's simple.
Last night, I received divine inspiration.
I heard God's voice, and an idea came to me by divine inspiration.
The god of inventions revealed himself.
Doctor, I thought you were an atheist.
I'm a devout believer now.
Haven't you also met God, Lieutenant?
If we pray to God, he will grant our wishes!
Otherwise, we both become martyrs here!
Irregularity in energy coefficients. They're going out of control.
I'm purging the magical energy.
No!
That will disrupt synchronization and destroy the jewel!
Damn it!
The safety...
It's not working?
Is this...
This is a good opportunity, right?
Let us both pray to God!
Jewel cores on the verge of fusion!
You got me...
You set me up, Being X!
I have blessed your computation jewel
and performed a miracle.
A miracle?
You call strapping a bomb to me a miracle?!
Now, you must pray to God
each time you use your computation jewel.
And eventually, your heart will be filled with faith.
Th-That's cheating.
You vile piece of shit!
Go now,
and spread the name of God.
God's miracles are great.
Praise the Lord
and his worthy name.
What did I...
Did I just pray?
To that thing?!
The cores' synchronization stabilized.
Magical energy successfully affixed to spatial coordinates!
I never thought it would actually work.
If you just look at the results, this thing is amazing...
It's amazing,
but it's cursed!
We did it! We did it!
It worked!
I knew it... God is real.
Deus lo vult...
God wills it.
Unified Year 1924, Rhine Theater
I praise the power of the Lord
and give thanks for his blessings.
First, that unreasonable reincarnation,
and now this curse.
But I have to use it to survive on the front lines...
What a dilemma.
L-Lieutenant, is there a problem?
No!
Focus on your work.
R-Right.
But the main unit from the nation's center has gathered.
I don't know if we need further reinforcements.
What did you say?
I-I'm sorry!
I'm on the front lines with a cursed jewel...
Curse you, Being X!
Imperial Strategic Headquarters Strategy and Operations Bureau
As the documents you see state...
After Second Lieutenant Degurechaff's first battle with the Entente Alliance,
she received the Silver Wings Assault Badge.
After contributing to development of a new computation jewel,
changes in the military situation led to her emergency deployment to the Rhine theater.
While in the Rhine theater, she wiped out an entire enemy mage company on her own...
And she's still carrying out assault missions there?
She's the ideal soldier.
Why do you call her a monster?
I won't deny that she is a talented mage.
But her personality is extremely unusual.
Is this about the training school incident?
Keeping rebellious new recruits in line is part of an officer's job.
She is the only one presently capable of using that computation jewel.
I believe that indicates latent danger, too.
You aren't mistaken, Lieutenant Colonel?
She's still ten.
She's just a kid.
Lieutenant Colonel Rerugen,
I'm told that you are very good at your job.
Your transfer from Personnel to Operations was, in part,
due to your wide range of knowledge.
You overestimate me, but thank you.
And because of that,
I want to respect your opinion as much as possible, but...
We have already decided what to do with Second Lieutenant Degurechaff!
I want to sleep in a comfy bed.
I want to take a shower.
I want to eat apple pie, even if it's from a can...
J-Just kidding!
I have no dissatisfaction with our mission!
Just a few months ago, you were so new to this, you could barely fly.
And now look at you.
This isn't good.
I hope I don't end up like Kurst and Harald...
I spoke to Lieutenant Schwarzkopf and recommended you for an officer track.
I'm going to be an officer?
If you don't want to leave the muddy and bloody front lines, I won't force you.
No, no, no, no, no!
That's not it!
It just seems too good to be true.
I'm not sure how to handle it...
Head back to the capital as soon as you're ready.
Lieutenant, um...
What?
My new deployment area won't be blown up by artillery, right?
God is real, huh?
"Second Lieutenant Degurechaff, you are hereby promoted to First Lieutenant
and are to attend the military academy."
This is the second time I can remember that I've been to university...
I'll get a nice easy job studying at the rear!
Looks like your ride isn't here yet.
Lieutenant Schwarzkopf!
You're always so cold. You won't even let me see you off?
I'm sorry.
I didn't feel right about leaving the unit and returning to the capital.
Is that why you recommended Corporal Serebryakov for officer training?
She worked directly under me, after all.
She's already left.
And this makes me look like a superior officer who cares for her troops.
I want to thank you again.
Your hard work and new computation jewel have really helped us.
No, thank you, Lieutenant.
Unfortunately, I won't have much chance to use this thing at the academy.
Either way, I wish you luck.
God is always with us.
W-With u-us!
What's the situation in the Rhine theater?
Still a stalemate.
The main unit made it there.
But our pre-war plans are proving useless.
So our main force is lacking in mobility and adaptability?
Our current task is to establish a powerful unit that can adapt to any situation.
Warm food and an easy life await me in the capital...
If I can get on the rails at the military academy,
my future is as good as made.
A new rapid-response unit, huh?
I was worried for a while.
But now I feel kind of bad for Being X.
A farewell gift?
Y-Yes, you've done so much for me.
And so, I wanted to thank you.
Looking at it, it's obvious that it won't fit.
It won't?
But you're a growing girl.
It'll fit you soon!
Next Time Campus Life
This program is fiction. All persons, groups, places, laws, and names appearing in it have no relation to the real world.