Immediately after Ner arrived at the training grounds lounge, everyone stopped what they were doing and examined the evidence she had brought.
“Hmm, so, Ner, to summarize what you're saying...”
At first, they had simply thought of her as a child desperately trying to save Instructor Jin Crow, her benefactor and guardian.
However, as Ner continued explaining, they could not help but be astonished by her reasoning and manner of speaking, which were nothing like those of a girl who looked to be at most ten years old.
“So you're saying it's fundamentally impossible for the internal biological mechanism synchronized according to Georg Jung's Law to produce such an irregular error?”
“But if the main control program malfunctioned and the lock itself was disabled, then it wouldn't be completely impossible, would it?”
“So what Ner is saying is that even that itself is impossible...”
“Yes, that's correct.”
Famille, Hino Kanae, and Miel Amber pondered Ner's explanation before nodding.
However, Beatus and Dokgo Ran could only stare in complete bewilderment.
“...Ahem.”
“W-What are you even talking about?”
Beatus, whose grades were relatively high, understood at least part of it.
Dokgo Ran, on the other hand, felt as though she were listening to an alien language.
After the discussion continued for some time, Ner eventually gave them a simple summary with Dokgo Ran and Beatus in mind.
“If there wasn't an external factor, then fundamentally, the Training Dummy couldn't have gone berserk like that. Since it's designed for training, it was never programmed to learn aggression or lethal mechanisms beyond a certain threshold.”
“Certainly...”
“That does make sense.”
Had they known nothing, they might have dismissed it as nothing more than the stubborn insistence of a little girl.
But they had personally faced Bishop.
Its behavior during the lecture had definitely been abnormal.
No, a little common sense was enough to realize it.
No matter how insane Instructor Jin Crow might have been, there was no way he had created a T.D with the genuine intention of killing cadets.
“So you're saying someone intentionally planted something like a virus into the Training Dummy, and this edited five-minute segment is the proof?”
Ner nodded at Baek Hwi-young's question.
For a brief instant, the two exchanged another strangely sharp glance.
Then, as though nothing had happened, they both turned their attention back to the cadets.
“......”
“......Hmm.”
Naturally, the cadets, lost in thought, failed to notice the exchange of looks between the two.
After another long silence, the first to speak was, unexpectedly, Dokgo Ran.
“At least it's obvious the instructor didn't do it on purpose.”
Hino Kanae nodded immediately afterward.
She had unconsciously recalled the sight of his back as he continued saving them even while the building collapsed during the Mercato incident.
Perhaps the others had remembered it as well.
Beatus and Famille also nodded.
Meanwhile, Miel's eyes had already become watery as she walked over to Ner and embraced her.
“You must've had such a hard time...”
“Ah... yes.”
Perhaps Miel's completely sincere kindness caught her off guard.
Ner blinked in surprise.
But apparently she did not dislike it, as she quietly rested her chin against Miel's narrow shoulder.
Then Famille spoke.
“The problem is figuring out who did it.”
Baek Hwi-young unconsciously nodded.
Just as she had said, even if someone had orchestrated everything, it would all be meaningless if they failed to identify the culprit.
Just as the conversation was about to return to square one—
Dokgo Ran scratched her dark crimson hair and muttered quietly,
“Wasn't it those bastards?”
“Hm?”
“W-What? Why are you all looking at me?”
Everyone's eyes turned toward her.
Apparently flustered by the sudden attention, Dokgo Ran looked back at them in confusion.
“Go on. Who?”
Prompted by Baek Hwi-young, she awkwardly scratched her bronze-colored cheek before replying.
“You know. Those idiots.”
“If you mean idiots...”
“Ah!”
Only then did the two complete fools with the combined intelligence of Dumb and Dumber flash through everyone's minds.
“Think about it. They hated Instructor Jin Crow that much, yet they've been awfully quiet this time.”
If they hated him that much, they should have been tearing into him.
It was an incredibly simple and straightforward way of thinking—exactly like Dokgo Ran.
Yet somehow...
“Aton and Martin.”
“Indeed... if it's those two...”
“If someone did something, they'd definitely be suspicious.”
It was...
A surprisingly convincing deduction.
The inspector arrived at the Central Special-duty Officer Academy exactly two days after the incident.
Considering the distance between Earth and Sigma Satellite City, it was astonishingly fast.
Some might have taken that as proof that the Ministry of National Defense viewed the incident with utmost seriousness.
But those who suspected this entire affair was one of Kukenhauzen's schemes interpreted it differently.
‘They're trying to wrap everything up quickly.’
‘It's a checkmate.’
Professor Lillian remained stranded at an intermediate stop.
Chief Researcher Naomi and Lillian's research staff likewise had no option beyond insisting upon their innocence.
Furthermore, once Jin Crow's usual conduct became part of the discussion, public opinion had already become convinced that disciplinary action against him was inevitable.
Naturally, the Rosen Faction's incomprehensible silence only intensified that atmosphere.
Even Kukenhauzen and the smaller factions, who had secretly been watching Rosen's movements, had begun wondering,
‘Did they abandon Jin Crow?’
“Inspector Major Nelle Meyer.”
Presently, Jin Crow quietly nodded as he looked at the arrogant woman seated before him.
“Name: Jin Crow. Rank: Major. Is that correct?”
She wore the same black military uniform bearing the rank of Major.
Just in case, he glanced at her nameplate once more.
The name meant nothing to him.
“I've reviewed the investigation results, and to be frank...”
The interrogation room, furnished with nothing but black walls, a steel desk, and steel chairs, was filled with a chilling atmosphere.
The woman was reflected in Jin Crow's black eyes.
Meeting his equally dark gaze head-on with a sneer, she spoke.
“The instructor is mentally unstable.”
At the scathing remark, Jin Crow let out a faint chuckle before reaching into his pocket and taking out a Black Star.
Major Nelle Meyer frowned in annoyance, but Jin Crow paid her no mind as he placed the cigarette between his lips.
Click.
Inhale.
Smoke drifted quietly into the air.
Did she think he was mocking her?
Or had she simply disliked him from the beginning?
Crossing one leg over the other, Nelle Meyer likewise took out a cigarette, placed it between her lips, and began slowly reciting the charges she had prepared, her voice dripping with ridicule and contempt.
“Drawing a weapon against cadets. Constant smoking and drinking during lectures. Clashing with fellow instructors while serving as an admissions inspector. Conflict with the Headmaster. Firing at cadets... Quite an impressive list.”
After saying that much, Nelle Meyer looked directly at Jin Crow.
‘What an unpleasant man.’
His black eyes still showed no emotion whatsoever.
The ash hanging from the half-burned cigarette balanced precariously at the edge of his lips.
It was almost as though he had transcended everything.
That expression irritated her.
Discarding even the minimum courtesy she had shown until now, Nelle Meyer casually flicked ash onto the interrogation room floor before tapping the steel desk with the device she had brought.
“And ultimately, negligent homicide for recklessly introducing an incomplete Training Dummy, resulting in the deaths of ten cadets—the Combined Nation's valuable assets.”
She deliberately emphasized those final words.
As expected.
At her final statement, his gaze shifted ever so slightly, and the ash hanging from his cigarette finally dropped onto the desk.
Only then did Jin Crow speak.
“You're speaking as though it's already been decided.”
“Trying to avoid responsibility? Unfortunately for you, it's over.”
Nelle Meyer smirked as she casually tossed the device in her hand onto the pile of fallen cigarette ash.
Looking down at the screen, Jin Crow saw not the investigation report—
But a disciplinary order whose conclusion had already been decided.
――――
■Ministry of National Defense Inspector General's Office
U.C.149 / 12.03
■Disciplinary Order
Assignment: Central Special-duty Officer Academy Instructor Corps
Rank: Major
Service Number: SMCO55-1113027
Branch: Instructor
The above individual is hereby dismissed from service.
Grounds for disciplinary action: Failure of command and supervision, dereliction of duty, negligence of service, assault and abusive conduct, failure to obey orders, abuse of authority, violation of discipline, violation of the obligation to maintain the dignity of an officer, etc.
――――
Jin Crow read the document without offering a single response.
Perhaps taking his silence for anger or resignation, Nelle Meyer folded her arms and sneered openly.
“I'm impressed. I never imagined a single instructor could accumulate this many violations and disciplinary offenses. Normally you have to dig to uncover this much, but yours was practically overflowing.”
“Dismissal.”
To Jin Crow, however, it was simply absurd.
Dismissal.
Simply put—
Forced retirement.
Naturally.
After all, it had been the Ministry of National Defense itself that had pinned two medals to his chest only a short while ago.
Seeing his reaction, Nelle Meyer continued as though she had done him a favor.
“You should be grateful this isn't a dishonorable discharge. The military lowered the severity of your punishment out of consideration for your previous service, so you'll still receive your retirement pay and pension.”
Strictly speaking, she was not entirely wrong.
The moment someone received a dishonorable discharge, they lost their military status and pension, and if they were especially unlucky, they would end up imprisoned in Alcatraz, the National Army's military prison.
That did not mean he intended to be grateful.
With a sneer, Jin Crow lit another cigarette.
Then he quietly looked at Nelle Meyer, whose face was filled with arrogance and triumph, before speaking.
“Dismissal. Then Headmaster Ideale will probably be demoted.”
“......”
“The entire board was arranged from the beginning. You're one of Kukenhauzen's people too, aren't you?”
Nelle Meyer did not answer.
Paradoxically, that silence itself became the answer to his question.
Had he caught her off guard?
Or was it simply confidence that nothing would change even if he knew?
She stared at him without wavering for a moment before retrieving her device and rising from her chair.
“You'd do well to start thinking about how you'll spend your retirement. Goodbye.”
Perhaps because of her somewhat rough appearance.
Her short hair swayed as she turned and headed toward the interrogation room door.
This meeting had been nothing more than a procedural formality from the very beginning.
There was nothing left to discuss.
“Yes, Inspector Nelle.”
But at that very moment, a deputy inspector holding the rank of First Lieutenant hurried into the interrogation room and whispered something into her ear.
“...What?”
Frowning deeply, Nelle Meyer looked at the deputy inspector before glaring back at Jin Crow.
“What trick have you pulled?”
Naturally, Jin Crow gave no reply.
Grinding her teeth at his attitude, Nelle Meyer looked at him with a vicious expression and said,
“No matter what tricks you play, nothing will change. As you yourself said, the outcome has already been decided.”
Click.
Inhale.
With the cigarette still between his lips, Jin Crow roughly brushed back his disheveled bangs before replying,
“Who knows.”
Would it really...
Be that easy?
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter