Cold Air

Enemy attack! Enemy attack!

The command position has been exposed?

We don't know. A team of golden scoundrels crept up.

General, let's get out of here first.

Ha... Hahaha... I've never been in such a mess before.

But I'm never scared. Let them come.

General, you don't have to do it yourself.

The reinforcements are coming!

Hey! That bastard over there! You're pretty good. What's your name?

I'm Nanook.

You would like me to treat your wound, right?

You don't want to?

No, not really...

Hang on. I've changed my mind. Nanook, would you help me?

Me?

You were an excellent healer in wartime.

...

All right then. Aiken, would you explain it?

Um...

Aiken? What are you staring at my wound for?

Half a year later, Nebu's second northern invasion plan was also completely overturned by the resistance of the Joint Council. The remainder Nebu army retreated.

And the name Nanook was firmly impressed in Yulia's memory.

Knock, knock, knock

Sergeant Nanook, reporting.

Nanook... I didn't notice it before, but you're always frowning.

Yes, ma'am.

Ah, what an uptight person... From now on, you have to smile when you see me, got it?

Yes, ma'am.

Keep this in mind. This is the first mission I'm giving you!

So what is the second mission?

Here, look at the map. See the area marked with the letter K? Go there and you'll know when you're there.

Yes, ma'am.

Is that the only thing you can say?

I understand, ma'am.

Ugh... Forget it. Go on, get going.

Area K, huh? It's obviously in the city, why make it so mysterious?

Whatever, it's the great Yulia after all. I can't predict what she's thinking.

Huh? Why isn't this Stupid Bitch?

...

It's Stupid Bitch, right? Amazing. You actually manage to get your paws on Yulia.

Hey, watch it. Don't you know who her master is?

Hey, what's that look? Do you actually think having Yulia's backing makes you a big deal?

I remember the way you begged for mercy in the northern camp.

You're part of Mori's garrison forces, right? We're from brother armies, so you shouldn't be so rude.

Haah? This Stupid Bitch is good at talking reason.

Right now, shall teach Mori's soldiers a lesson on her behalf.

Guh! You...

Go ahead and tell your superiors about me. Don't mispronounce my name.

I'm no Stupid Bitch. I'm Nanook.

Miss Yulia... What's this about Area K...?

Isn't this the hospital I stayed in when I was a child...?

Strictly speaking, this should be called a pediatric institute. It's a place specially for children who are born not compatible with Fusion surgery.

Your childhood seemed to have been very unhappy.

Hello, my name is Nanook. I've come here on the orders of General Yulia.

Aiken.

Forget the handshake. It's not a habit of mine.

Ah...

Nanook... Nanook... Does your name have any special meaning?

This was originally my friend's name.

No wonder... I have indeed seen this name in the cemetery in the back.

Huh? A cemetery?

Yes, aren't you here to pay respects to your friend?

Of course not... no... what are you talking about... It can't possibly have a grave...

What's that child's situation?

That child's body is too weak, and it's impossible to do Fusion surgery.

She's already six. Has she been living indoors all this while?

Shhh... It can't be helped... So I brought this in today.

(I heard it.)

(I know that they don't have bad intentions, but it's always weird hearing other people talk about me, so I pretend I didn't hear them.)

You sure are a surly child... Look what I brought you today!

What?

Ding dong ding dong!

Arf, arf arf!

Whoa!

Don't be scared, it won't bite. Come pet it.

Can I, really? If it has germs, can I still do the Fusion surgery?

Don't worry, it's very clean and it can also help you increase your immunity. You can get the Fusion surgery sooner then.

Really...? Its body is so soft...

Does it have a name?

What do you think it should be called?

It looks like snow falling down when it runs... I'll call it Nanook.

Okay, why don't you try calling it Nanook?

Nanook... Nanook... It's ignoring me...

Nanook has been with me for five years. It poops on the blanket every time, and still hasn't learned left from right after five years.

But when I call Nanook, it comes bounding over.

It wasn't white anymore after it grew up. Black fur grew out, so it didn't live up to its name anymore.

But I didn't think that it would have such a short life.

Your body is now suitable for Fusion surgery, but are you sure? You want to undergo Fusion with Nanook?

But it's going to die... I don't want it to be buried or burnt...

I want it to be alive, with me. Like this, it can live with me.

I get it, I understand...

This is what I want. Even if it's dangerous, I won't give up.

...

Yes, Nanook shouldn't have a grave because it's inside me. I can live in this world thanks to Nanook.

But at the same time, those buried memories seem to burst out of the mud and become more concrete, more vivid.

The researcher's face... Why is it so familiar...

You sure are a surly child... Look what I brought you today!

Nanook... I didn't notice it before, but you're always frowning.

The researcher... General Yulia?

Looks like you finally remember, surly child.

What in the world is going on...

Get your emotions under control...

Nanook... should be alive inside of me. We should still be alive together...

Why... Why... is its grave... That's not Nanook buried there, is it?

...! That's it!

It's not! Tell me it's not!

I don't want to take away the meaning of your name and the value of your existence, but this is the truth.

Shut up... SHUT UP!

Ha... ha...

You really should control your emotions. It's a felony to attack your superior, Nanook.

Why... Why...

Don't act like a stray dog. Some things are just out of your control.

Stop watching, Aiken.

It's just such a reversal to see Yulia get beaten by a subordinate, when it's usually you playing with others and having them in the palm of your hand.

Phew... I don't remember us having any conflict in interests.

You don't have to be so mad, Puppy.

Nanook did end up not being able to undergo Fusion with you. It was too old, and your internal organs would not have been able to bear it.

So we had to use Nanook's baby as a substitute.

What?

People always hope to repay a favor, but some favors just can't be returned.

Why are you so stupid? You can't even do a paw shake...

But I know... Only a fool like you will be my friend.

Let's go, Nanook.

Did you... still give me my life like it was charity in the end? Nanook.

I see...

No... I don't believe what you're saying... I don't...

Night

Nanook arrives with a shovel

...

I'm sorry, but I want to know if what they said is true.

The name Nanook is a memory I can't just let go of.

She picks up the shovel and digs up the grave.

What is this...

The bones... They're not animal bones... They're human bones!

Spine... Tailbone... Ribs... Leg bones...

Our enemies never stop fighting, even when there is peace.

Ma'am?

After the Fusion surgery on you was completed, the Empire's attack hit this place.

Why...

Before the Nebu northern invasion, the Empire has always been our enemy.

Faith, industrial resources, borders... Those were the causes of local conflicts.

And this hospital, located at the border of the Empire, was not spared either.

I was just a researcher then. I had no courage or strength to fight.

I could only hide behind the doors of the operating room with some other people until reinforcements arrived.

After that, I stopped being a researcher and chose to pick up a gun. It was the only thing that grounded me.

So... You've heard the truth from Yulia's own lips, huh.

Then there's no need for me to say anything more.

I'm sorry. I destroyed their resting place.

You should apologize to them instead.

Yes...

Let's just deal with this place today. Come with me tomorrow to do something.

What do you know about flowers, Nanook?

I don't really know much.

Right, people who grow up in snowy places rarely see flowers.

I ordered a bouquet of flowers from a distant place and kept them in a warming box. Bring those flowers here.

These flowers are for a memorial service, right?

Yes. Yulia and I always did it.

I see. I'll get moving right now.

As soon as the dewy flowers are taken out of the warm box, the soft flower petals are frozen stiff by the cold.

Rather than a memorial service, it's more like a commemoration. To commemorate that night, and be glad that we can live till now.

From that day on, I swore that I won't let anyone with bad intentions enter our land.

They killed my people, and polluted our faith. I have kept my promise to this day.

I didn't realize that the name Nanook carried so much meaning.

I hope this did not overshadow your meaning of existence.

It's the opposite. I understood myself, and the meaning in living on...