Story Reader / Affection / Teddy: Decryptor / Story
With some distance still to cover, to accommodate you, the only human in the group, Kiske manages to find a small electric vehicle with a sidecar. Together, the three of you embark on a wobbly journey.
The sidecar of the vehicle is quite compact, forcing Teddy and you to squeeze closely together.
I just wanted a new pair of headphones. How did things get this complicated...
She frowns as she taps on her terminal.
On second thought, it does make sense to you. After all, a young lady from the Norman family like her would probably possess some artistic talents...
Which instrument could it be, though? Piano? Violin? Or maybe clarinet?
The mental image of Teddy in an exquisite gown on stage, playing the piano with a disgruntled expression, somehow makes you want to laugh.
Control those wild thoughts of yours.
Great, because I'm the one who can't play any instruments.
Even though you've never heard her sing, perhaps Teddy is surprisingly talented at it?
What a coincidence—I happen to be tone-deaf.
Expressionless, she edits a string of code on the terminal and speaks again after a moment of hesitation.
It's not like I haven't tried... Ahem.
Don't tell anyone.
I've attempted recording songs before... The starting notes were usually spot on, but somehow, they always took a weird turn in the middle.
I thought it was my vocal module acting up, so I checked it multiple times but couldn't spot any errors...
Hey, I heard you laugh.
...Don't even dream about it. Those files have been permanently banished to the recycle bin. No one in this world will ever lay ears on them.
It turns out she's not skilled with instruments, and singing is not her forte either...
There are other options, you know, like... getting you up on stage to do some singing.
While you once learned to sing the F.O.S. graduation song in a large choir, simply mouthing the lyrics could allow you to blend in seamlessly, even if you went off-key.
Given your limited singing experience, you don't really have the confidence to outshine such a long mashup orchestrated by some awakened machines.
Just kidding, I wouldn't make you do that.
Seeing her with those large headphones every day, you have always assumed she would be listening to music.
Not every lady needs to learn fine arts, and not everyone with headphones is listening to music... You really have some weird stereotypes in mind.
You don't have any other funky ideas about me, do you?
Are you sure?
Anything like all pink-haired people are secretly dark inside? Or the pinker their hair, the harsher their words?
Really? I'm not buying that.
From the Engineering Force threads on the Babylonia forum.
You also have an account, right? Don't tell me you've never checked the Babylonia forum.
I see. You're not keeping tabs on the Engineering Force threads very often.
Is the Gray Raven Commandant really that busy...?
Oh, speaking of stereotypes...
The WGAA once hosted a painting event featuring the Gray Raven Commandant there. I heard that someone sketched you with three heads and six arms, while another imagined you at five meters tall...
And someone said that during surface missions, the Gray Raven Commandant could rip Corrupted apart with bare hands, kick Hetero-Creatures, and take down Ascendants solo...
Begging for mercy already? I haven't even told you about the wilder ones yet.
I've found some photos of that exhibition. Want to check them out?
Heh, I was just joking.
...Surprisingly lively, aren't you?
Anyway, those are all strange stereotypes.
There's even this rumor that during combat, the Gray Raven squad would turn into super whirlwind warriors, and that Cerberus would really transform into three mechanical dogs...
So, don't judge people based on stereotypes.
She continues tapping on her terminal, not even looking up.
Hmm... Don't take it personally. I'm just gathering some materials...
Ahem, forget about it. It's nothing.
Up to you.
Teddy appears indifferent to whether you trust her or not.
Before the Gestalt incident, your interactions with Teddy were limited.
This vice-captain of the Engineering Force typically maintains a low profile. You mostly hear about her from Karenina and other members of the Engineering Force.
Even when analyzing the "invitation", you only discovered the existence of such a brilliant technician in the Engineering Force through Asimov's recommendation.
You don't know her very well, but everyone unanimously agrees that she is a highly reliable vice-captain when talking about her.
While she doesn't frequently fight on the battlefield, having her at the rear ensures peace of mind.
...Where did you dig up these quirky remarks from? It's kinda cringe.
...You're not getting back at me for the three heads and six arms comment, are you?
...Hmph, good.
Looks like... some of the things people say about you might actually be true.
...I'm not telling you.
Lines of code swiftly emerge from the terminal screen, forming complex commands.
Huh? No, this isn't work. Just a little synthesis program.
Disassemble, synthesize, and reassemble.
...And it's done.
As she talks to you, her hands never cease their motion, and soon, she presses the final key.
...What else were you expecting to see?
The terminal would explode after I typed the last character? Or a meteor shower of data falling from the sky?
You just thought there should be some sort of celebration after all the hard work, maybe like a little bear blowing a trumpet.
...Looks like I need to change my impression of you again.
Anyway, rest assured and leave this competition to me.
We can definitely beat them.
In an uncharted area of Constellia, Kiske drives the small vehicle with you and Teddy into a semi-underground venue.
This used to be our practice spot...
Outside the door, the emblem of Thunder Sparks has been crossed out and replaced with another complex symbol.
It's them... Abyssal Ragetide.
The mechanoid angrily kicks a tin can at the entrance.
Kiske... You're here too?
From a different direction, another small mechanoid arrives on a little electric vehicle and hops off.
Little Sam... I just can't accept it!
Look who I found! The Gray Raven Commandant!
It's actually the Gray Raven Commandant! We can definitely win this time!
Pfft.
Last time, our mashup wasn't as long or expansive as Abyssal Ragetide's, but I know we can do it this time!
We definitely can! The Gray Raven Commandant is with us, after all!
