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Following our little chat on our return trip, the two mountainous islands we passed by shortly after takeoff came back into view.

“To your right, Captain. You won’t want to miss this.” Hibari called to my attention as the plane took a wide sweeping right turn.
I looked out the windshield to my right, and there she was- the Yamato, emerging in the bay amongst the highrise cliffs and mountains of the island, in her full glory.
Like a sluggish behemoth stretching its talons following a deep slumber, Yamato’s four 46 cm triple-mounted main battery angled themselves towards the sky. With the guns’ bearing in place, the barrels made a few minor elevation adjustments before fixing position. Then…

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

With a string of ear-splitting booms, the scenery lit up in an equally impressive red flare as clouds of flame and smoke formed around the muzzles. Yamato’s full broadside volley superheated the surrounding air, making everything the heat wave blanketed appear distorted and mirage-like, as if they all melted into one.

“Impressive, isn’t it?”

Hibari’s voice from the intercoms brought me out of the shock and awe from the impressive full salvo. While I’ve witnessed the Yamato firing her battery before, this was the first time I bear witness to her full potency not behind the reinforced steel of the bridge.

“Certainly,” I replied in full acknowledgement.

“Great. Now, Captain, let’s RTB.”

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Once the undercarriage fully braked the aircraft and we successfully completed touchdown on the flight deck, I couldn’t help but feel a tidal wave of relief washing over my body. No longer under stress from incoming fire while in midair, I was finally relaxed enough to breathe properly again, even with the tightly fastened seat belt tying my torso to my seat.

The sortie lasted less than forty five minutes in, with traveling taking up the bulk of our time in air, yet the resulting fatigue was comparable to a good few hours in the frontline. I vaguely recalled acting confident before the flight, thinking that spotting wasn’t that big of a deal. Now I’m not even sure if I would want to take another spotting duty in the skies again.

Hibari unbuckled her belts and climbed out of the cockpit, descending the ladders unassisted. Once on the floor, she removed her helmet and untied her hair, letting her scalp enjoy some fresh air.
“Hey Captain, feeling alright?” She looked up at me and asked, right in the middle of stretching her back. “Need some help?”

“I think I’m fine.”
I untied my own buckles and lifted myself off the gunner’s seat, and with some help from the support crew climbed out the cockpit and landed back onto solid ground. My first thought was to do as Hibari did and take off my helmet…

“Ouwww---?”

As I leaned my body forward to remove my headgear, I found myself unable to control my center of gravity, causing me to stumble forward like a dunkard. By the virtue of not actually being drunk, I managed to spin myself around right before faceplanting onto the floor and landed on my bottom.

“Aughhhh”
I rolled to my side, rubbing the point of impact. I’m sure it was no serious injury, but that definitely left a bruise.
“Captain, you okay?” Hibari commented while the support crew helped me to sit up. “Need a visit to the sick bay?”

“No, I’m fine.” I groaned, adjusting my position so as to not apply too much pressure on the bruised region.
“Ah, good to hear. Why don’t you take off that helmet and get some fresh air?”

Doing as she suggested, I removed my headgear, and was greeted by the gentle fresh ocean breeze from the Yamato’s top deck. It smelled mildly of salt mixed with gasoline, but refreshing and welcoming nevertheless.

“Here, have a sip.”
As I enjoyed the respite, Hibari approached me with two canteen cups of water and offered one of them to me. I gladly accepted her kindness, taking a brief sip then slowly lowered the canteen onto my lap.

“Thank you.”

“Hey, not bad for a first flight.” Hibari smiled, squatting down to meet me at eye level. “You didn't even crap your pants.”
“Just wish I haven’t botched the last reading.” I replied, stretching out my legs to distribute my weight more evenly.
“Considering how much they wanted us dead, I reckon we did pretty well.” She raised her canteen cup towards me for a toast.
“I think we did, lieutenant.”
*Clank*

>Ask if the shots were on target. You haven’t confirmed with Commander Trastamara yet.
>Ask how the rest of the air wing is doing
>Ask if you owe her anything from that engagement
>Write in

>>4544702
>Ask if you owe her anything from that engagement
Hibari has come quite a long way

>>4544702
>Ask if you owe her anything from that engagement

Right now it's three, i think?

>>4544702
>Ask if you owe her anything from that engagement
>>4544782
She's filling out the role as second best girl. It's moments like this that gives me hope for Yukari from OP's other quest to turn out better.
Margaret and Yanagi are still tied in first place which is really aggravating.

>>4544702
>Ask if you owe her anything from that engagement

>>4544702
>Ask if the shots were on target. You haven’t confirmed with Commander Trastamara yet.
We should've stayed out of AA range and spot the splashes for Yamato.

>>4544702
>Ask if you owe her anything from that engagement

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“So, how many times do I owe you now?”
Hibari stared at me for a brief second, before bursting into laughter as the words clicked in her head.

“Oh, so you do remember?” Hibari giggled, almost choking on her own drink. “Let me think… three.”
“Counting the one just now?”
“No.”
“Oh...Wait a minute, how is it three?” You feel the need to protest, recalling only two other instances where she brought up these ‘favors’ back in Aki.
“Two from saving your ass twice in Aki, and an extra one for serving me paint thinner.” While Hibari’s kept a straight face as she flatly listed out every instance she offered her assistance, it was more than obvious that she was at least half joking with the last one. The only appropriate response here, I thought, would be to entertain her.
“But… that was the best we had at the bar, no?”

“Oh save it, you served me that shit on purpose. Now as for this…”
Hibari flicked her canteen cup, creating a sharp ‘ding’, then paused briefly to think up a way to extend this ongoing challenge.
“That depends on how well you did out there.” She huffed, wagging her index finger before my face. “The results would be in by now.”

“Sir, Ma’am.”
Our conversation was promptly interrupted by a salute from one of the support crew. Instinctively, I tried to stand up to meet him face to face. The pain from the fall earlier had yet to completely subside, but I had gathered enough strength to stand up nonetheless.
“Careful now.” Hibari helped me up, giving me an anchor to stabilize my footing before turning to the crew member. “What is it?”
“You are both needed on the bridge.”

“Speak of the devil.” Hibari chuckled, pointing towards the nearest watertight door leading into the cabin. “Time to check out the results, Captain.”

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After taking off our flight gear and changing back to our uniforms, we hurried straight to the bridge without hesitation.
“Subaru Kurokawa, reporting for duty.”
I announced with a salute as I stepped into the bridge amidst the watchful and curious gazes of the bridge crew. Though Hibari entered shortly behind me, it was clear that I was the center of attention.

“Kurokawa, report. We need details on the enemy.”
With Isao’s usual stern and no-nonsense ‘invitation’, I walked up to the naval charts laid on the central planning table and pointed towards the marked region.
“Two Ping Hai-class frigates and two corvettes, escorting three auxillary vessels, most likely minesweepers.” I identified the enemy vessels, using the colored pins on the side to demonstrate the position of each enemy warship on the chart. “Commander Clementine H. Wittelsbach of the Beiyang Fleet was the commander of the flotilla.”
A palpable transition from attention to anxiety could be felt the moment those words left my mouth. Though all of us had expected that the Beiyang Fleet would pursue us well beyond their typical operating zone, their immediate presence was nevertheless daunting to many. Moreover, if they were already operating in these waters, it’s very likely that they’re using Formosa as their current base of operations...

Despite the grim implications Isao remained calm, following up with his next inquiry
“What’s the Gallian response?”
“Their torpedo boats harassed the enemy flotilla and drew attention away from our spotting activities.” I continued the report, “They’ve taken some minor casualties.”
“And the enemy?”
“I'll be confirming their status with Commander Trastamara himself. Get him on the comms, please.”

The operator at the comms hesitated for a moment, eventually doing as told once Isao gave him a nod.

“Isao Nishihara, my right-hand man. He knows how to run a ship, and he’s good at it!”

Commander Yamazaki’s words back during our stay in Formosa echoed through my head. The old man wasn’t lying, if Isao’s ability to organize and commandeer the respect of the entire bridge crew in such a short amount of time was anything to go by. However, much like Kobayashi’s flight crew, I would need to find ways to earn their recognition.

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“Ayy Yah-ma-tow! Is Capitan Krokwaa back?”
The static noises accompanying Glascon’s transmission did little to hinder his jovial tone, and so was Isao in hiding his irritation as he glared at the comms station. Much like Isao, I had no intention for this conversation to drag out, and thus chose to cut straight to the point.
“Commander Trastamara, this is Acting Captain Kurokawa.” I identified myself and spoke slowly and clearly into the mouthpiece. “Do you have a visual on the enemy?”
“Nod anymore! The Senorita ran home to papi, without even flying me a beso.” He jested, sounding disingenuously sad. “Your arma grande broke a lod of her toyz, Capitan!”
“I’m sure she’ll be back with more toys” I answered, trying not to get too immersed in the conversation. “Tell me, Commander, what did we break this time?”

“One gunboat and one poco minesweeper. BOOM! Next thing you know, they’re pirotecnia...”
Even under the cover of muffling static and his thick, sometimes intelligible accent, the Gallian commander’s brimming energy painted a picture of him doing his ridiculous theratrics on the other side of the mouthpiece.
“Magnifico, simply magnifico, Capitan Kuroqwaa!”

I took a quick glance around the bridge as the Gallian Commander continued delving into his admiration of the Yamato’s firepower. Most of the crew members went back to their stations, having lost interest in the conversation halfway through to focus on more important duties. Hibari shook her head and sighed, while Isao and Lynn both displayed the same aggravated, ready-to-smack-someone expression as the one sided rambling dragged on.

“Commander Tras--”
“Oh, oh, one more thing, Capitan Kroqwaa!” Glascon managed to interrupt my effort to cut him short before I could barely complete my first word. “Let’s have a little celebracion, para victoria!”

“Um-o, okay?”

“Bueno!” His clap in the background resonated through the speakers. “So, your place? Or mine?”

>Invite the Gallians aboard the Yamato
>Take a small envoy to pay them a visit.
>Write in.

>>4550493
Who the hell are we reporting to? We're the Captain! We need to put Isao in his place.
I get it that we have to earn the respect and trust of the crew. But the man who ordered our sister killed doesn't deserve any.

>>4550497
Pity that we didn't hit a frigate. Should've remained there and guided the fire.
>Take a small envoy to pay them a visit.
We have to keep Margaret away from them.

>>4550497
>Invite the Gallians aboard the Yamato
>>4550500
I don't really see the big deal. If anything Margaret needs to learn some social cues instead of continuing to be this socially awkward bunny around people.

>>4550497
>Invite the Gallians aboard the Yamato
>Bring Lynn along
Doing so is a show of trust. Lynn could help with hammering out the more rambunctious ones.

>>4550497
>Invite the Gallians aboard the Yamato

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“We can hold it on the Yamato.”
Reasonably, it would be far too early to celebrate after scoring only a minor victory against an opponent as formidable as the Beiyang Fleet. On the flip side, inviting the Gallians aboard could serve as a sign of trust, which would definitely be needed in order for us to effectively coordinate and combat the Khaganate.

“Excellente! Let’s do it right now!”
He answered jovially, all the while tossing us an unexpected curveball.
“Right now?”
“Of course! The sooner the better, no?”

Given that the Beiyang might be back probing at this area, there were some considerations in his suggestion. Nevertheless, I decided to just go as he suggested.

“How many of your staff should we be expecting?”

“Four, plus me. See you in thirty minutes!”
“Thirty minutes?”
Unfortunately, the transmission had been terminated right before I could inquire with him any further.
At this point I found myself worried less of the Beiyang Fleet hot on our tail, but rather how casual and laid back the Gallians have been ever since our initial encounter.

“Dear Lord, what is he thinking?” Lynn complained in a soft, exasperated murmur, holding a hand over her forehead.
Isao, on the other hand, was definitely way more stressed than usual, if those forehead creases were anything to go by.
“Kurokawa, Lieutenant Lynn.” He called to our attention while pinching the neck on his nose.
“Prepare to receive the Gallian envoy.”

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In the end, the victory celebration was scheduled to be held at the mess deck on short notice. Ayafumi’s crew was informed to prepare refreshments and what appetizers they could muster, while Lynn and I waited anxiously on the top deck next to the boarding bridge, awaiting to receive the guests.

Minutes into the wait, and I was already feeling a strangling chokehold of uneasiness. A quick glance at Lynn made it clear that she shared the sentiment- after all, neither of us had particularly fond memories of the last time we had any private interactions.
With neither side willing to break the silence, the two of us avoided eye contact while standing around the top deck, waiting in a progressively more awkward atmosphere. Thankfully for us, we spotted a small Gallian torpedo boat speeding towards us on the horizon, putting an end to the wait before it became unbearable.

“Welcome aboard, Commander.”
“Ahaha Capitan Kuroquwa, we meet again!” Glascon practically skipped up the boarding stairs and hauled himself onto the deck with the swiftness of a gymnast. By now I had pretty much accepted his particular brand of casual approach, but that did not dissuade Lynn from giving her commander another bout of stern lecturing.
“We’re on their ship,” She stormed up to her commanding officer as the rest of the Gallian envoy joined us at the top deck one by one. “Can’t you try to be less of an embarrassment here?”
“Ah, no worries.” He casually brushed her scoldings aside, tilting his head over his shoulder in position to get a good vision of me. “The Capitan doesn’t mind, no?”

With no intention to contend on the subject, I shrugged in response.

“Ha! See, Lynn?” Glascon smugly boasted towards Lynn, turning around to his just arriving crewmates “He’s fine with it!”
“You…”

“Oh Commander, cut Lynn a break.”
“Hey Lynn! Missed us yet?”
One by one, the other Gallian officers joined in on the fun, showering Lynn with teases and the occasional pat on the shoulder. What particularly caught my attention was the large discrepancy in their appearance -one had dark skin like their commander, while the other two had a lighter, Northern Europan complexion. The last member had distinct Darcsen features, down to the little traditional patchwork sewn onto his right chest.

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“Ugh you guys, it’s only been a day!”
“Felt like a year for us! Si, lads?”
“””“Aye!””””
The Gallian commander laughed heartily, joined in sync by his fellow officers as Lynn continued to fuss about his attitude. Despite the vast differences in their looks, there was little disparity in how they talked to or treated one another.
If anything, the interactions between Glascon’s group resembled much less of fellow officers from a properly trained military, but more like a big, bantering family joining up after work.
...Family...

“Capitan, Mucha gracias for the fire support!” Glascon’s loud, energetic salute broke my train of thought and reminded me of the task at hand. “Let us drink to your health!”
“We shall do that at our mess, commander.” I guestured them towards the watertight door behind me, much like I would receiving a guest to my own holding. “Please, follow me.”

Since the occasion was not intended to be a tour of the Yamato, I led the guests down the shortest route to our destination. Lynn nevertheless filled in the duty as an impromptu guide, giving her curious compatriots a rough overview of the ship to her best knowledge.
“...And that’s the gun room for their second battery!”
“That’s cool and good...Um, Lynn?”
“Yes?”
“I gotta ask, that chap in front… he’s the Captain? Of this ship?”
As we walked down the corridor, I inadvertently overheard one of the Gallians behind me bringing up the topic of myself.
“Impressively young to be a Captain.”

“A Darcsen too, quite an achievement...”
“Shh!”
With a quick glance over my shoulder I caught Lynn hurriedly trying to shush her compatriots, which only served to further pique their interest.

“H-he doesn’t like it when people mention that.” Lynn gathered her group closer to whisper to their ears, though her naturally clamorous voice made it hard for me to completely overlook her words.
“But isn’t he one?”
“Eh, welp. We don’t really have the best reputation out there.”
“No, no, it’s... complicated. Something to do with Zipang’s culture… I think.”

I let out a soft sigh to myself and kept walking, not intending to disturb their little gossip. The topic that made Lynn and I uncomfortable remained rather strange to hear, even when discussed by outsiders.
Perhaps the less we brought up the topic of Darcsenhood, the better.

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Soon enough, we had arrived at our destination. However, there was another figure awaiting us right outside the mess deck.
“Akasaka-san, what’s the matter?”
“Oh, Captain,” She mused our presence with a half-hearted curtsy, positioning herself right before the mess deck’s only entrance. “And our honorable guests.”
Her soft, welcoming smile had immediately caught the attention of the Gallians. I, however, was more confused by her attitude, as well as by her presence. She was not assigned to receive the envoy, yet there she was, deliberately blocking the entrance and denying our entry in a rather roundabout manner.

As if she read my mind, Akane flicked her right index finger at me, gesturing for me to come closer. Then, with a swift grab by my shoulder, she brought me closer to whisper into my ear.
“Miss Denisov is in there.”
“W- why, all of a sudden?”
“She’s got to eat, no?” Following the sarcastic remark, Akane shifted her glance and nudged her head slightly towards Lynn, standing amongst the group behind me. “Better make sure their little savag… Darcsen over there don’t tear the place up.”
After what happened back in the lounge, it’s certainly in everyone’s best interest to keep Lynn and Margaret as apart from each other as possible.

“Officers,” After the short exchange with Akane, I turned to address Lynn and the Gallians. “Please note that our Valkyria is currently in the mess deck.”
“Oh… I understand.” Lynn nodded in acknowledgement, though her eyes spelled more uneasiness than she would likely want to admit. Her crewmates on the other hand, didn’t take this as well as she did.

“Did he just say...?”
“Yeah. Seems to be from the Empire too.”
“Another witch? How fucking many are there!?”
“Shush, what if she hears us...”
An atmosphere of uneasiness had swiftly spread amongst the Gallian officers as they quickly encircled their dismayed compatriot. If their collective murmurs were any indication, they might be just as uncomfortable around Margaret as Lynn was.

“Please excuse them.” Lynn raised her head to address me, this time in apology for her colleagues. “The memories of facing off against a Valkyria from the Empire is still fresh in their minds, even through all these years.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll discuss it with her.” I assured the young woman, raising my voice at the same time so everyone else could hear. “Is there anything else we need to know?”

Lynn hesitated for a second, then tipped her toes to speak to me in a concerned whisper.
“Captain, please keep an eye on our commander. I fear he might do or say something inappropriate.”
“Alright, I’ll keep an eye on him.”
The young Darcsen gave me two nods before taking a step back to perform a salute.

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“Commander Trastamara?”

Silence.
I did a headcount, which immediately confirmed my worries. The Gallian commander was missing from the group- could he have possibly wandered off on our way here?

“Has anyone seen the commander?”

The members of the group, including Lynn, looked puzzlingly left and right… with the sole exception of Akane, who slowly raised her right hand then pointed at the door behind her with her thumb. Her blank, insincere smile perfectly encapsulated the awkwardness of our current predicament.

Given the Gallian commander’s track record thus far, I suppose him straying from plans was only par of the course.
I could only shake my head in resignation as I opened the watertight door and entered the mess deck.

Upon entering the dining area, I was greeted by the familiar scent of freshly prepared dishes in the air, accompanied by the voices of two people happily chatting away on one of the tables on the far end from the entrance. The familiarity I have to said voices instantly caught my attention-

“...and the orchids, endemic to the Palawan rainforests, resemble rainbow-tinted butterflies flapping their wings!”

“Really? That sounds lovely!”

Those are by no doubt Glascon and Margaret, sitting shoulder to shoulder- the former expressively speaking of his homeland, while the latter listening with great enthusiasm. In fact, Margaret was so engrossed with Glascon’s words that she had opted to put down the fork in her right hand to better focus on the Gallian commander.

“Not half as lovely as you are, senorita.”

Even from the distance I can see the smile on Glascon’s face as he winks at Margaret, placing his right hand onto her left.

“Y-you’re too kind…”
I couldn’t help but notice the faint blush on Margaret’s cheeks, in response to the Gallian’s compliment…


>Call for their attention, loudly reminding Glascon with the words Lynn has told you earlier
>Intervene, politely asking Glascon to cease his advances
>Intervene, pull Margaret aside and remind her to be wary of strangers
>Join in, placing your arm around Margaret's shoulder from behind
>Write in

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>>4556481
I knew this would happen, and I'm going to expect something similar to happen too with Senki's story.

>Join in, hold Margaret's shoulder from behind. Then politely inform Glascon about what Lynn said earlier should he attempt to make more advances

>>4556481
Going with >>4556488
Guess we've pretty much boarded onto the Margaret train by now.

>>4556481
>Intervene, politely asking Glascon to cease his advances

>>4556494
Nah, Yanagi only.

As a reminder, Akasaka is on our shit list just below Isao and Satoru.

>>4556514
>>4556494
Both are best girls. However at this point Margaret has more strings attatched to Subaru compared to Yanagi.
But right now we should be focused on keeping Margaret away from bad influence, and making sure that bad influence doesn't come back for good

>>4556481
Join in, hold Margaret's shoulder from behind. Then politely inform Glascon about what Lynn said earlier should he attempt to make more advances
>>4556539
I'm getting tired of this entire love triangle thing to be honest. It only serves to make both sides suffer more the longer it drags out. If it's possible I want it to end before someone ends up with a severe heartbreak.

>>4556481
>Join in, hold Margaret's shoulder from behind. Then politely inform Glascon about what Lynn said earlier should he attempt to make more advances

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As if propelled by pure instinct, I soon found myself within an arm’s reach from the duo, who were still totally engrossed in their conversation. I had yet to organize my thoughts for an appropriate response, yet I knew I had to terminate Glascon’s approach before it got out of hand.
With my mind set, I approached Margaret from behind, planning to place my left arm around her shoulder as I walked up to her right-

*Snap!*

In a stunning display of her superhuman reflexes, Margaret intercepted my hand mid-air, gripping my wrist with bone-crushing force before it even landed on her shoulder. Margaret then yanked my arm away from her neck, turning her head just enough to peek at her perceived assailant with the ferocious crimson glare of an angered bear.

“Margaret-san!”
The immense pain and the fear of having my left arm torn violently out of its socket compelled me to yell out her name, loud enough to create an echo in the mostly empty mess deck. Glascon on her side reflexively backed away, nearly falling off his seat from her sudden display of combat readiness.

“S..Subaru-kun?”
Her grip on my wrist loosened the moment our eyes met, as the two of us froze in this awkward tango. The ferocious, ready-to-kill war machine has all but disappeared, replaced by a cherry-cheeked girl whose bashful demeanor appeared as if she was caught amidst an embarrassing act.

“S-sorry!”
Her squeak of an apology escaped her mouth as soon as my wrist was set free. Trying to pay as little attention to the still tangible pain throbbing at my wrist as possible, I resumed my action and held Margaret around her shoulder.
“Don’t worry about it.”
I replied, doing my best to put up a smile as I hid the pain. That did little to calm Margaret, who shrunk back in her seat with both her head and shoulders lowered, while her cheeks flushed an even brighter shade of pink.

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“Ah, Capitan” After the dust had settled, Glascon finally turned towards me to offer a greeting. His tone and attitude kept consistent with his usual casual approach, though this time with a light tremor in his delivery.
“Enjoying yourself, Commander?” I responded in kind, masking my disdain for his behavior by maintaining the smile on my face. Whatever his intentions may be, it was time to put an end to his moves on Margaret.
“Lieutenant Lynn has specifically asked me to remind you about keeping your personal conduct in check.”

“Si, um, I was... merely introducing my homeland to madam over here! Se lo juro!”
His gaze nervously wavered between me and Margaret as he made his explanation, though with what I saw I knew better. Instead of letting him off the hook easy, I retained eye contact with him, pressuring him to do the same.

“I… think I’ll be outside and wait with the boys, si?”
After a good while of an uneasy staring contest, he finally took the cue and excused himself with a nervous snicker.

“I’ll see you later, Commander.”

Like a mouse startled by the presence of a cat nearby, Glascon hopped off his seat and out the mess deck in a blink of the eye. Once the door slammed shut behind him, I turned my attention back onto Margaret.

“Had he said or done anything strange to you, Margaret-san?” I inquired with concern, but received no answer. Instead, I found Margaret had tucked her shoulders closer into my arms, and was snuggling against me like a gigantic puppy.
“Margaret-san”
“Ah!”

Margaret recoiled, snapping out her trance-like daydream by my call of her name. However, instead of letting her break contact, I instinctively held my left hand firm, allowing her to stay in my embrace.
“I-It’s okay.”
Taking a deep breath, I gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder to calm her nerves while I formulated my thoughts.
“Our… Gallian allies are planning to celebrate our first victory against Beiyang, so we invited them aboard.” I explained after some contemplation, keeping my tone soft and collected. “He didn’t make you feel uncomfortable, did he?”
“Mr. Trastamara?”
“Yes, the Commander from our allies. He’s a bit, how should I say… unruly.”

“N..no.”
She shook her head lightly in response, and at the same time I could feel the muscle at her shoulders becoming less tense.
Genuine as her answer was, I still felt a bit uneasy with leaving Glascon alone with Margaret. I should minimize his chances by keeping an eye out for any attempt more advances-

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“Subaru-kun?”
“Yes?”
“M...may I lean on you?”
Margaret’s voice broke my line of thought, but her request truly threw me off my expectations. With all the intimacy she displayed since our initial contact, this was perhaps the first time she ever asked for permission- and for something as minute, no less.
“Yeah, of course.”
I replied after a brief lapse, frankly a bit dumbfounded by her actions.

“T-thank you.”
Margaret relaxed, once again nudging against my body as she leaned more of her weight backwards. She closed her eyes, then laid her cheek against my chest. From my position, I could clearly observe her innocent, tranquil face. It was devoid of the ferocious killing instinct she exhibited on the battlefield, and instead like a child in the embrace of her mother, perfectly at peace.
It was also the first time where our interaction felt so… acquiescent.

“You… you're 18?”
“Wait, really?”
“Why yes, is something wrong?”

Memories we shared in our stay in Formosa flowed into my mind as I watched over the resting Valkyrur. Given her mature appearance, I’ve always forgotten that Margaret was actually younger than Tewi, and this was her first time away from home. With her childlike naivete, I wonder how she truly felt about the gathering storm manifesting all around her...

“Subaru-kun?”
“What is it, Margaret-san?”
“Y-you don't have to address me by honorifics...” She murmured softly under her breath, peeking up at me but avoiding direct eye contact. “W-we’re the only ones here, so...”

“Hmm,” My mind blanked out for a moment to process her rather simple request. “How should I address you then?”
I felt her burrowing herself deeper in my chest, like a cat demanding attention, before the few words left her mouth.
"P-please just call me Marie."

“...Marie?”

Her body tensed for a split second, before slipping back into relaxation. Followed by a few soft shuffles, Margaret arched her head upwards and looked straight into my eye. A wide, content smile flickered across her face, sharing her joy with me as she engrossed herself in this precious moment...

>Give her a peck on the forehead, as you remember Mother used to
>Embrace her, as she would have done to you
>Gently stroke her hair, as you would do with Tewi
>Write in

>>4565206
>Embrace her, as she would have done to you
Move in for the kill.

>>4565206
>Gently stroke her hair, as you would do with Tewi

Imouto flag.
At this point it feels more natural for their relationship to go down this route. Even if some anins might disagree

>>4565206
>Gently stroke her hair, as you would do with Tewi

>>4565206
>Embrace her, as she would have done to you

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>>4565206
>Gently stroke her hair, as you would do with Tewi
>>4565214
It's really a hard pick here since we've already progressed waist deep into her route. But IC wise you're right in that after all their interactions Subaru would likely be drifting towards a more surrogate older sibling mentality. Even if that's not the case his lingering memories of Tewi would sure as hell guide him there.
Not saying that I'm against the Margaret route but at this point the ball is in her court. She has to prove that she sees Subaru more than just a surrogate oniichan either through words or action.

It's heart wrenching because I like both girls and the QM has done a good enough job to flesh them out.

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Subconsciously, I raised my right hand over Margaret’s head. With the care of holding a baby, I began stroking her hair, running my fingers along her silky, well kept threads of platinum. As my fingers reached the back of her neck, I instinctively held her closer with my left hand, allowing her head to rest against my chest.

"Ha...” Margaret closed her eyes and purred like a big cat, her satisfaction evident in the peacefulness of her innocent smile. Watching her reminded me of my younger self, of my own sentiment when mother held me… and of Tewi.
Helping one another with hair care was a part of daily life for Tewi and I during our days in Formosa. It was the occasion where we shared our day to day happenings with one another, oftentimes filled with bickering and laughter.
The mere act of stroking Margaret’s hair filled me with nostalgia, followed by the sorrow with the realization of how distant those memories were starting to become…

“CAPTAIN, WE HAVE GUESTS!”
Akane’s loud, seabird-like bawl interrupted both my thoughts and the tranquil moment Margaret and I shared. With an arm resting by her waist, Akane stood by the entrance and stared us down with the judgemental eyes of the Great Sphinx.

“AH! O-oh dear!” Margaret immediately sat up and straightened her back, nearly crashing her forehead into my lower jaw had I not backed away just in time.
“Just a minute, Akasaka-san!” I yelled in response to the intrusion, trying to buy some time while I turned towards Margaret to finish off what we were doing.
“Mar...garet?”
“Y-yes?”

The fork on the food plate before the stunned Valkyria finally reminded me of what she was doing here before Glascon’s intrusion in the first place.
“Are… are you done with your meal?”
“Eh? Ah!”
Hurriedly, Margaret picked up both her fork and the plate to begin shoving the remaining food into her mouth. Within seconds she finished her meal and turned towards me, presenting me her clean plate while her cheeks were stuffed comically full like a chipmunk preparing for winter.
“It’s alright, Margaret, take your time.” I gave her a gentle pat on the shoulder while trying to withhold my urge to snicker. “Don’t choke on your food.”

Margaret looked at me with her large, round red eyes and gave me few rapid nods, before holding up a napkin to cover her lips as she began carefully chewing on her mouthful of food. I, for one, found myself unable to keep a straight face nor wipe away my smile, given how adorably dorky Margaret has been during our time together.

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“Do you and Miss Denisov need more private time, Captain?”
No sooner did Akane’s sarcastic inquiry reached my ears did I see her person, standing right across the table and viewing the two of us with mild amusement.
“Eh… Perhaps later.” I replied, finally disengaging my left hand from Margaret after giving her one last gentle pat on the shoulder. “Akasaka san, could you escort Margaret-san back to her station once she’s done eating?”
“Will do. I’ll give you a cue before we enter the corridor.”
She nodded with a smirk, followed by a wink at Margaret.

“Now, I’d better go attend to the guests…”
*tap tap tap*
My mumble was cut short by the noise of Akane leaning in to tap on the table closer to my side.
“Captain, shouldn’t you make sure everything was ready before leaving?”
“What do you mea…”
She said while pointing towards my left with her thumb. Naturally I traced the direction she was pointing, towards the direction opposite to the entrance and towards the… kitchen counter, and the man standing behind it.
“...Oh why, yes. Of course.”

I left the ladies at the table to approach Ayafumi, the no-nonsense samurai standing monolithically at his workstation with eyes sharp as an eagle.
“Is, um… Are the preparations ready?”
Standing before the counter I asked the masked man, only to have him stare back with those gravely judgemental eyes in silence. The cloth wrapped around his neck and face did nothing to mask the burning displeasure emanating from his presence. Even with an apron around his waist, his pressuring aura still resembled a veteran officer on the battlefield… specifically one that was considering ordering me to commit sepuku.

After a dry and silent moment of us staring at each other, Ayafumi finally closed his eyes with a resigned sigh.
“Captain, mingling with ladies was no proper conduct during a mission.” Slowly and sternly he worded his response, almost like a warning from a disappointed elder. “But yes, we are ready.”
“Um...Much obliged, I’ll inform the guests.”
I gave him my gratitude, trying to hide away the embarrassment by masking it with politeness. Turning around, I headed straight for the door, trying not to think too hard about what my interactions with Margaret looked in the eyes of the crew.

That turned out to be quite an easy task, as something else quickly caught my attention.

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“What have you done!”
As I placed my hand on the hatch of the entrance, a stream of reprimands seeped through the closed door and into my ears. That voice was unmistakably Lynn’s, and I didn’t need to guess who she was talking to.
“Ehh, I’ve not said anything inapropriado...heh heh”
Glascon tried to downplay his actions with a light laugh, but even then, the stutter in his delivery immediately made his worries palpable. His own men soon sided with Lynn at piling upon their commander.

“God damn it, what if he comes out with a fucking firing squad?”
“Firing squad? In a mess deck?”
“That’s what the Zipangnese are known for, no? Ambush in places that you’ll never expect?”

Overhearing these squabbles allowed me to breath out a sigh of relief. For a moment, I was worried upon how I should handle the guests, but it looks like there was no real need to keep myself tense.

“Excuse me, officers” I interrupted them with a cough as I opened the door and rejoined their company. “Sorry to keep you all waiting. Our Valkyria shall be leaving soon.”
I made a quick scan among the array of Gallian officers, noting their significantly stiff bodies and worrisome gazes as they ‘welcomed’ me with salutes.

Did they really think there was a band of soldiers ready to jump them behind the door? I couldn’t help but question the Gallians’ perception of my people.

“At ease, officers.” I addressed the crowd amicably in an attempt to ease their tension, just in time for a string of short knocks to come from the opposite side of the door. “Ah, she will be coming out now, Lieutenant?”
“Understood, I will standby.”
Lynn answered with a nod, then excused herself from the group. Retreating all the way back around the corner we came from, she turned around to face the wall, taking extra caution to not cross paths with Margaret again.

Soon the door behind me opened again, with Margaret and Akane emerging from behind. The Gallians observed the Valkyrur with wide eyes, their glances glued to her every action as if they had just ran into an internationally renowned celebrity. Margaret graced the guests with her signature wide, sunny smile for a greeting, then left with Akane back to the boiler… but not before playfully spinning around to wave me goodbye.
“See you around, Subaru-kun!”
I waved back at her in response, which effectively transitioned the attention of the Gallians onto me.

“Our Valkyria is needed elsewhere.” I called for the Gallians’ attention, all of whom now gazing at me with the same astonishment they showed when first seeing Margaret.

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“Cheers”
The chant rang through the mostly vacant hall as we raised our cups filled with coconut water - a beverage brought by Galscon and his crew. Unlike the ones from Southern Formosa, the coconuts in Palawan lacked the perpetually thick and slightly sour taste of the former, and instead sported a sweet, refreshing flavor.

As celebrations go, the smini onigiris of various fillings and various pickled vegetables were far from glamorous, but that did not seem to bother the guests. In fact, they all seemed greatly curious and eager to try out what we had to offer, no doubt viewed as exotic to the East Indies.
As the event went on, the large group gradually settled down around one of the tables near the kitchen counter, chatting about like a group of good pals after work.

“I see, I see.”
To my right, Glascon nodded as he slowly ingested information from Lynn, who recounted her experiences during her short time under our care.
I finished up my cup and shuffled myself a bit closer to the two. As much as I was skeptical of his leadership, Glascon was nevertheless capable of leading his band.
“And it’s all thanks to Capitan Kroqwaa, ay? Muchas Gracias!”
“””Gracias!”””
Following the cheer of the fellow men, the strong Gallian commander shot out his right arm and hooked me by the shoulder while doing the same to Lynn with his other arm.
“While we’re all here, Capitan, is there anything you’d like to do with us?” With a hearty laugh, he pulled both of us closer to his side.

Perhaps I could use this opportunity to know more about the Gallians and their customs.

>Ask about their impression of Igor
>Ask about Lynn's background, if it is okay with her
>Thoughts about their encounter with the Khaghanate Navy thus far, including the Beiyang
>Ask about their combat experience and the general command structure
>Ask about the history of the Gallian East Indies

Pick 2 topics

>>4574528
>Ask about Lynn's background, if it is okay with her
>Ask about their combat experience and the general command structure

Lynn needs to be able to work with Margaret around, and knowing their command structure would be useful for us to incorporate battleplans.

>>4574528
>Thoughts about their encounter with the Khaghanate Navy thus far, including the Beiyang
>Ask about Lynn's background, if it is okay with her

>>4574528
>Ask about Lynn's background, if it is okay with her
>Thoughts about their encounter with the Khaghanate Navy thus far, including the Beiyang

>>4574528
>Ask about their impression of Igor
>Thoughts about their encounter with the Khaghanate Navy thus far, including the Beiyang

>>4574528
>Ask about Lynn's background, if it is okay with her
>Thoughts about their encounter with the Khaghanate Navy thus far, including the Beiyang

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I have archived the thread as the current update had somehow bloated into way more than twice of our initial suspected length. We might not be able to roll it out before the thread completely sinks. Apologies to our readers eagerly looking forward for an update.

Next thread would be One Year With Osana. We'll see you there.