Chapter 68: Tatsumi: Oh No, I've Become a Substitute!
By the time Kobayashi returned to the Jaegers, Wave was being punished, grimacing in pain as he knelt on a torture instrument.
"Kurome, a brick."
"Roger."
Hearing Esdeath's command, Kurome didn't hesitate to drop a marble slab onto Wave's legs.
"Owww—!"
His legs were squeezed between the uneven torture instrument and the marble slab. Tears streamed down Wave's face from the pain, but having made a huge mistake, he couldn't beg for mercy. Of course, he wouldn't be forgiven even if he did.
Kobayashi walked into the main hall and was a bit taken aback by the scene. He asked curiously, "What's going on here?"
"Kobayashi, you're back."
Esdeath was visibly relieved to see him return.
Kobayashi tilted his head, puzzled. "I'm back... is something wrong?"
"The Doctor... we've lost contact with him. It's highly likely he's already dead," Seryu said, hugging her dog-type Teigu, looking worried and dejected.
That's right, little girl. Your premonition is quite accurate.
Esdeath asked again, "Kobayashi, where did you go? Why are you only just now returning?"
"I went to subjugate some Danger Beasts," he replied.
"But I didn't give you a mission to subjugate Danger Beasts."
"Because the rampant Danger Beasts were endangering the residents outside the city, so I went to help."
Kobayashi was very calm, not revealing a single flaw.
Esdeath nodded. She didn't care what he had been doing; she was afraid that he, like the Doctor, had lost contact.
She couldn't just lose two of the Teigu users she had just gathered for no reason.
Esdeath instructed, "There's no problem with subjugating Danger Beasts, but next time you leave, you have to report it in advance. Do you hear me?"
"Yes, I'll remember."
Kobayashi nodded crisply, then looked at Wave below the stage and asked, puzzled, "And... what's wrong with him, kneeling here?"
"Because he made a mistake."
Kurome explained while dropping another marble slab, causing Wave to howl in pain.
"No, no, no, anyone can see he made a mistake. I'm asking what mistake he made."
"Tatsumi escaped," Bols explained helpfully.
"I see."
Kobayashi nodded in realization and then said something utterly shocking. "In other words, 'the Captain got dumped by Tatsumi,' right?"
"...Eh?" xN
Everyone cried out in surprise.
Is Kobayashi this brave? Does he not know who's up there?
Esdeath's mood immediately turned sour.
"Kurome, a brick."
"Roger."
Kurome tossed another marble slab on top, increasing the punishment by another level.
"Owww!!!"
Wave cried out in pain and couldn't help but yell about the injustice. "This is unfair! Why am I the one being punished when Kobayashi was the one who said the wrong thing?!"
Esdeath, however, explained, "The main point isn't that Tatsumi escaped, but that you let a member of Night Raid get away."
"But just now Kobayashi clearly said the Captain got dumped, and that's when the Captain got angry!"
The intense pain had already made Wave's mind foggy.
Oh dear~
Kobayashi covered his face, unable to look. It was obvious Esdeath was just looking for an excuse to vent her anger. For him to actually say it out loud... this idiot was completely hopeless.
"Kurome, a brick."
"Roger."
"Owww—! Why?!"
It seemed he still didn't know the reason for his punishment. His intelligence was truly unbearable to watch.
With a heart full of sorrow, Kobayashi patted his shoulder.
"Wave."
"Kobayashi..."
Looking at Wave's expectant eyes, he must have thought he was here to plead for him.
However—
"Enjoy."
"I'm not enjoying this at all, okay! I'm not a masochist!"
Wave couldn't help but retort loudly.
Mmm, seeing that he's still so full of life, I know the punishment isn't that severe. In that case, I won't speak up for him.
Tatsumi's escape was a foregone conclusion, and it was highly likely he would become an enemy.
Run was also very worried about this and asked, "Captain, if Tatsumi appears as an enemy, how should we deal with him?"
"Although I hope you can capture him alive, the lives of my subordinates are more important. If you encounter any situation, you don't need to worry about whether he lives or dies."
"Understood!" xN
Esdeath's words were somewhat cold. He was the one she liked, yet in her heart, he was still not as important as her subordinates.
But this was also one of her strengths. Although she could be influenced, she was by no means a simple love-brain, but a leader deeply loved by her subordinates.
"Hiss— hah—"
While everyone was talking, Wave's panting gradually grew heavier.
As the bricks continued to pile up, the punishment became more and more painful. A creaking, mournful sound came from his leg bones; he was about to reach his limit.
To that end, he had to change this situation as soon as possible.
"Captain Esdeath! Since Tatsumi doesn't like you, why not just switch to someone else?"
The moment Wave made this suggestion, the members of the Jaegers were greatly surprised. They hadn't expected this seaside boy, who usually just made retorts and acted cute, to have moments of mental agility.
But Esdeath frowned slightly and said, annoyed, "Are you suggesting that I give up on Tatsumi? Impossible. The more you can't have something, the more you desire it. It's impossible for me to give up."
"No, no, no, I'm not asking the Captain to give up, but to have Tatsumi as a backup choice."
Wave quickly explained, "Back in my hometown, this happens all the time between men and women. For some reason, they can't be together, or they meet someone more suitable... Bols, you should have experience with this, right?"
As he spoke, he frantically winked at Bols.
And the kind-hearted Bols, unable to bear seeing Wave suffer, had no choice but to say, "Indeed, sometimes you do meet someone more suitable. But at that time, it's up to the Captain how to choose."
"Someone more suitable..."
Esdeath fell into thought. Unfamiliar with the ways of love, she took Bols's words very seriously.
Puzzled, she asked again, "Wave, you're not saying this because you want to recommend yourself, are you?"
"No, no, no, how could that be?"
Wave was so scared he shook his head vigorously.
Indeed, he didn't look like a boy with a pure smile.
"Right! What do you think of Kobayashi?!"
It's unknown if it was to get revenge for what had happened earlier, but Wave actually dragged Kobayashi into this muddy water.
"Me...?"
Kobayashi also hadn't expected him to mention him. He was slightly stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but let out a light laugh. "Wave, have you forgotten? I'm a native of the Capital. I don't meet the Captain's mate selection criteria."
—Kobayashi, the Clockmaker from the Imperial Capital.
"I actually forgot about that!!!!!!"
Remembering this, he couldn't help but roar.
Wave, who had finally had a bright idea for once, had clearly not had it in the right area.
However...
"Wave, Bols, I will take your suggestions into consideration. Tatsumi is still the person I want most right now. That point will not change for the time being," Esdeath said, having changed her mind slightly.
Late at night.
Leaning against the window, Kobayashi gently stroked the back of a small white cat that had wandered into the courtyard. At the same time, he looked up at the moon. Hearing a knock on the door, he said—
"—Come in."
As the figure walked into the room, a smile appeared on Kobayashi's face.
"I've been waiting for you, Run."
(End of Chapter)