+++ Lieutenant Hans Hoffman +++

Eastern Asfaleia

May 22, 1539 CE

"Tell me, one day, your answer—when you're ready."

She smiled at him.

"I'll patiently wait."

"Ugh, damn it. Focus!" Hans shouted at himself, as his mech rushed through the thick forest. Then, it stopped. "You're in combat, you moron!"

Gunfire blared out of his double machine guns. In the distance, on the trees, panic gripped the horde of goblins he was wiping out. With security's collapse in this region, these creatures were picking on human stragglers and refugees, and whichever remaining towns and villages with as much ferocity as demons.

They bred fast. They spread fast, and all they needed was to steal human crops and food to keep going. Hell, many would even eat humans—some, raped women before killing them.

They were vicious monsters indeed, just like all other monsters that were now infesting the land, filling in the vacuum left by the collapse of law and order, and the depopulation of mankind.

He gave them no mercy, no quarter, and not even an ounce of regret, as he charged in, emptying his machine gun belts, loading a new one, and emptying it again. Even his frontal leg blades were hard at work, slashing and slicing every goblin unfortunate enough to be in front of him.

His bloodlust was almost unending. He wanted more kills, more AP, more XP. Everything that would help him catch up to Adelyn so that he'd be worthy of fighting alongside her. This was the least he could do after all.

I left her to fight alone for two months.

To desert her in these trying times must have done a number on his most valuable partner. It was something he had to rectify, and this was the only way to do it. Clear out the enemies of mankind, and become stronger in the process. It was an exceedingly simple task he had to do.

I need to destroy them all.

His kills rose to the first hundred.

Each last of them.

Then to two hundred.

They're all just bags of XP and AP that I need.

Then to three hundred.

The forest that he used as his hunting grounds, once the home of these green-skinned malevolent creatures, burned as his incendiary bullets torched many trees. The inferno began to cause more kills for him, which only made him smile further.

As the third hour of his hunt ended, Hans emerged from the burning forest, his mech shaky, bloodied, yet very much alive.

[368 GOBLINS LIQUIDATED!]

[PROGRESS TO LVL.32: 84%]

[AVAILABLE AP: 4800/200 PTS]

I guess these guys aren't that strong to net me a lot of AP and progress points.

But, looking at his AP, it wasn't so bad now, especially after he fully repaired his mech, and replenished

The glow on its sensors, bright and intimidating for any bystander who would have seen him, turned into a parked convoy on the side of the dirt road.

It was Adelyn, alongside three dragon-drawn carriages and eight horses. Just a small security detachment from the 1st Anti-Demon Unit that went with Hans' hunt to keep watch. As he approached them, a little girl with a smug grin waved her hands, welcoming Hans happily.

It was Alizée.

"Sir Hans! You're back. Wait—ew! Why is your mech so bloody?" she pinched her nose. "It reeks even from that distance!"

She's way too energetic today. That chocolate cake must not have helped.

"And who are you to talk that way when your pristine white dress is dirtied with mud?" Hans asked, as he turned on his speakers while his mech moved in their direction. "You definitely played around here."

That must be why Adelyn had an annoyed, and irate face as she sat on top of her mech.

"As if. They cannot stop me from testing my magic—waah! Help me, Sir Hans!"

"Don't stand in the middle of a dirty road, child!" Lieutenant Preisner said as he tried to pull Alizée back. "There's a mud puddle and Lieutenant Hoffman's mech will splatter it on you."

"N-no, I have to stand here to give him a warm welcome!"

We're not even at home yet.

Hans' mech soon managed to park itself, and he exited it. Alizée was recovered by Adelyn, and she soon sat inside the Diligence, while outside, Hans, Adelyn, and Captain Weibel talked beside one of the parked carriages.

"So, you had fun?" Jonas asked with a grin, his left hand holding a hip flask. "Seems like the forest is now letting out a lot of black smoke."

Hans shrugged.

"I nibbed three hundred goblins with my incendiaries. It's to be expected."

"Then that means this place should be clear of the infestation for now," Adelyn said beside Hans. She smiled and stood close to him. "That's good work, Hans."

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Crap, she's close.

He tried to stop himself from looking at his side.

We've been traveling for the last five hours. How is she keeping herself so fresh and gorgeous? I look like a haggard caveman in comparison…

In any case, he fully averted taking a look at her, keeping himself calmly composed as he continued to relay what had transpired to Jonas.

"With that, I should be clear to do extra sweeps on the southeast of our position. Can you folks leave me now?"

"No, that won't do. Your lady is going to disapprove," Jonas replied teasingly, before chugging his alcohol.

"That's right. I absolutely won't!" Adelyn said, her voice stern. "The reason why I came here is that I cannot allow you to run around willy-nilly in the first place. I know you'll get into trouble that way."

"You heard her," Jonas added, now refreshed. How he was refreshed by a sip of alcohol, Hans didn't know, but he was. "My men should be ready to move out in a few minutes."

Hans sighed. There wasn't much demonic activity around here, as the Ygeian Expeditionary Corps, alongside the Asfaleian Imperial Army, already cleared out the area months ago. So there was no need for them to keep watch.

"Alright…" Hans shrugged, as he went for his mech. The other men also went away, going to their respective carriages to reorganize, but Adelyn followed Hans. "What is it now?"

"Nothing. Just checking you out," she seemed to be in good spirits as well. "You just seem…a little bit annoyed today. Is it because of me~?"

"Tsk. That little talk with Emilia must have gotten into you. Geez, this is just great."

"I learned from this best! Well, grumpy guy, apologies for trying to get close. I just want to lighten up your mood a teeny-tiny bit."

She stopped in front of Hans, before handing him two wrappers. It seemed to be chocolates.

"I gave most to Alizée, but, since I still have some, I figured I'd give it to you."

"...Heh," Hans smiled a bit as he looked at it. "Where'd this come from?"

She fiddled with her fingers for a bit, as she looked down, a bit embarrassed.

"I…bought it…the ingredients I meant, then I made someone…" she turned red. "I mean, I turned them into chocolate! That's all. Yep, I made it, for you and Alizée, hehe?"

"...Is that so hard to say?"

"Hey, even if I'm trying to stay cool, it's kinda hard okay?" she closed her eyes as she stomped her foot once, annoyed. "But, still…I did my best, so uh…I hope you'll like it—w-wait, you're eating it already?!"

Hans popped both of them straight into his mouth. Then, he savored its sweet, slightly bitter taste. There was also a hint of milk in it, but only a tiny bit. A tiny smile grew on his face, as he nodded, before looking at her wide, green eyes.

"It's a nice treat," Hans said. "Seems like someone knows how to make good chocolates from scratch."

"Nice, really?" her spirits rose again and pressed closer to Hans. "On a scale of ten, what is its score?"

"Well, I uhh…" Hans looked away. "I'll give it a nine."

"How do I get the last one then?!" she got a little bit closer, and Hans backed a bit.

"I'm not a chocolate maker so I wouldn't know. Besides, it's subjective nonsense. Maybe it's 9/10 for me but 10/10 for Alizée."

"...Hmm, you do have a point," she placed her gloved hand on her chin, seemingly thinking deeply. "Maybe if I add a little bit more sugar. What do you prefer actually? Milky? Dark? Sweet?"

"Well if you really want to know…I like them a bit on the milky side."

"Oh, I thought you liked them bitter."

"Where did you even get that idea from?"

"Just the way you carry yourself."

"Personality has no connection to one's food preferences, lady."

She shrugged, before smiling.

"Whatever. This is valuable intel regardless. I am glad I know a little bit more about you now. Be sure to wait for the next ones I'll produce—just for you."

Hans looked at her finger, aimed squarely at him.

"...I sure will," he smiled. "I'll see if it's 10/10 the next time."

She grinned, seemingly accepting Hans' challenge.

"I wouldn't disappoint you, I swear."

"You never do, anyway."

+++

May 26, 1539 CE

Hans collapsed on the softness of his bed. The passing days have been hard on him. Just hunting, training, and organizing the 1st Anti-Demon Unit. All endless preparations.

That, and of course, Adelyn constantly trying to get close to him.

He remembered briefly when she gave him that chocolate last time when they were on the hunt, or yesterday when they went out in the city together. Date, that must have been a date, Hans thought.

And he just mindlessly accepted her offer.

No, it doesn't count. We were gathering intel. Besides, we've gone outside alone together hundreds of times since we got into this world, so no.

He looked up at the ceiling of his room. This damned hotel was a bit too warm for his liking. Or was it his cheeks? He wasn't sure.

He sat up on his bed, nursing his temples.

"...The more I run away from it, the weirder it gets," he frowned. "What are you, a man or a lady? Is she the one trying to court you, instead of you? Wait, am I playing hard-to-get?"

He looked at his Ruger.

"..."

Then he facepalmed.

Out of every reaction I have, why is it that instinctually? This has to be a symptom of a disorder, no?

He collapsed into his bed.

This was truly difficult. All of his energy should be focused on thinking about how to fight demons better. After all, he still needed to work on the new defense tactics and protocols manual he and Ebert were working on that would be used by cities and forts.

After all, fighting on the defensive with a stationary force while defending a population center was different from fighting on the move, so they had to figure that one out.

His mind became jumbled as he forced himself to think about it, envisioning a walled city's siege in his mind.

He could see it. The map. The unit symbols. The way each area of the walls and the lines outside were defended. The hypothetical strength and abilities of the demons attacking.

Then, he played out his tactics, basing the demons' moves on what he learned battling them. Then, he tried to use his musketeers, artillery, and battlemages to hold the line—delaying assault after assault from the demons.

But then, Adelyn's face appeared, like a goddess descending on the battlefield to save everyone, including him, the besieged commander.

No, wait. That couldn't be. Now it has become unrealistic to apply to everyone else. He wouldn't be able to place this on his manual.

Hans' eyes turned wide open. His mental wargames were just ruined again—!

"Oh…" he looked at his watch. "It's morning already?"

He must have fallen asleep then. Thank goodness he was already on his sleepwear when he did that, or it would be truly shameful.

He groaned as he sat up.

…She said she'll make those milky chocolates today.

Hans looked at his glass windows on the side, noting the soft rays of sunlight.

I swear, I am definitely not excited about it.

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