Story Reader / Festival Event Story / Operation Happy-Go-Lucky / Story
Operation Happy-Go-Lucky
Inside a room of the WGAA on Babylonia.
With a "Woosh!", Nanami disappears before the box.
Seemingly dissatisfied by having to search the box from the outside, Nanami decides to jump inside instead, hauling something heavy out.
How about this? Is this on the list?
Looking at the package that is taller than Nanami, Lee quickly taps his terminal and checks.
Seeing Lee shake his head, Nanami grabs the package and walks toward him.
Almost forgot about it! I'll add it to the list, then.
With that, she hands the package to Lucia, who has been standing nearby. Lucia takes it and stumbles, not expecting it to be this heavy.
Right as Nanami is going to explain to Lee what the package is, Liv discovers something as she rests by the window.
To stay hidden, Liv takes two small pillows to cover up the Inver-Devices on both sides.
Even then, she still carefully steps back before tapping the seat by the window and gesturing with hand signals.
Commandant is coming. Get in position, everyone.
Seeing that Nanami is still looking at him with confusion, Lee remembers that he has not had the time to tell her about their contingency plan.
Pretend nothing is going on and do what you want to do.
Nanami claps her hand upon realization and starts searching for her manga.
Lucia lays the package on the ground before patting it up and down to confirm her guess.
Right then, the alarm underneath the doormat goes off, signaling the arrival of the commandant.
Nanami rushes toward the sofa in a panic while Liv hides in a corner, and Lee leans against the wall and picks up his terminal frantically.
Hearing the sound of the passcode being keyed in, Lucia puts the package down as quickly as possible and leaps for the sofa.
And as the door opens...
On base!
And the world is quiet once more.
...
Something does not feel right...
You swear you heard loud noises in the room before opening the door.
What you find after opening it, however, is a calm room with some relaxed people. And a giant box. And a slightly unnerving-looking package.
You inspect it a bit at the door and reach out to touch it.
Despite how obviously you indicate your curiosity, no one seems to intend to break the silence and tell you what is going on.
What's the matter, Commandant?
Lucia is sitting on the sofa with an opened book tightly in her grip, her gaze fixing on a single spot with no intention of moving.
It must be a very interesting book... You are just unsure how she is reading it upside down...
Liv puts a teabag into the electric kettle before pouring the clear water into an empty teapot and placing the teapot onto the base...
Lee seems to be calibrating some kind of device with his terminal, but it is displaying error after error despite him constantly typing...
C-Commandant... What's wrong?
Liv takes a teabag from a can and puts it into the electric kettle before pouring the clear water into an empty teapot and placing the teapot onto the base...
Then she just stands there, seemingly waiting for the water in the teapot to boil.
But... that is the base for the electric kettle, not the teapot...
Lucia is sitting on the sofa with an opened book tightly in her grip, her gaze fixing on a single spot with no intention of moving even though the book is upside down…
Lee seems to be calibrating some kind of device with his terminal, but it is displaying error after error despite him constantly typing...
……
Lee is constantly typing on his terminal as if there were a critical period for calibrating a device.
Ignoring the parts you do not understand... you wonder if all the notifications and error messages on the display are due to how much Lee is typing…
Lucia is sitting on the sofa with an opened book tightly in her grip, her gaze fixing on a single spot with no intention of moving even though the book is upside down…
Liv puts a teabag into the electric kettle before pouring the clear water into an empty teapot and placing the teapot onto the base...
Something just feels out of place. You look around the room, and you finally discover a hint behind the undistinguished sofa.
Behold—a Nanami lying flat.
She seems to be taking a nap. As you look at her, she turns her head to the other side.
And she accompanies her movement with loud snores, seemingly making it apparent to you that she is, in fact, asleep...
To put it simply, everything feels forced and creepy.
You are certain that someone is staring at you from behind, but you find nothing every time you turn back.
Never mind. You should finish the work you are assigned first. Once you are done, you will be able to...
Are you working on your assignments, Commandant?
But... I thought we've completed all our missions today.
If you don't mind me asking, Commandant, you're about to head to...
Nope.
They answer in unison. You try to meet their gaze, but they all manage to evade yours.
...
About five minutes later, the commandant leaves with a personal terminal.
We... didn't give away anything, did we...?
The commandant seemed to have noticed something...
Given how Commandant acted upon entering the room, I think our... disguises did give Commandant some discomfort.
Aaaargh! Nanami feels terrible lying down like this.
Nanami sits up from the sofa, and everyone else is prompted to action. Lucia returns her book, Liv hurries to clean the kettle, and Lee struggles to close all the error messages on his screen.
In that case, should we enter phase two of our plan?
Commandant mentioned an assignment at the dock...
Lee quickly pulls up his contact list and calls the team "on standby."
Outfielder, this is Infielder, over.
Commandant has left the house. I repeat—Commandant has left the house. Destination: the dock. The game may begin, over.
Copy, Infielder. Attention, Outfielders. We're kicking off.
The ball has reached Area D4. Passing to Kamui.
Copy. This is Kamui. I'm moving with the ball.
After ending the call, Lee focuses back on the task at hand, leaving the commandant to his companions.
……
So... is Commandant the ball?
According to our plan, this operation is going to take a while, and there is a chance it will go into overtime. Isn't that similar to a lot of sports games?
Fair... but Nanami still thinks that it should be given a name.
How about "Operation Happy-Go-Lucky"?!
Walking on a wide pathway, you can hear the sound of footsteps all around you.
That is to be expected—a new system is entering trial today, after all. A previously-suspended transport system for the Task Force is being relaunched after some optimizations.
Which is why the dock may be very busy today.
Are the numbers stable? "What about the safety systems?" "Has anyone checked the backup fuel?"
You hear questions like these all over the place.
Speaking of which, you wonder if the sudden increase in tasks recently is due to the exponential growth in the number of trials. This trip to the dock is one of these tasks.
Although you are allowed to choose when to complete them, it is probably unwise to delay tackling them any longer lest they pile up.
Before you can finish, the trial operator waiting for you rushes to your side and apologizes.
Hearing that, the operator looks as if his eyes are twinkling, grabbing your arm as quickly as humanly possible and dragging you toward the trial area.
Once you arrive, he eagerly taps on the operation panel until the heavy hatchway opens and reveals a seat...
Noticing your confusion, the operation explains the process to you as he reaches for the seat—
And he suddenly goes quiet. He should have touched the leathery texture of the seat itself.
But that is not what his hand finds. He even squeezes it a few times before turning around and checking.
What are the odds, Commandant?
Seeing how frightened the operator is encountering something unexpected in the chamber, Kamui raises a thumb.
I'm Kamui from Strike Hawk...
Aaargh! E-enough! Stop pinching me! I'm doing the trial in Commandant's stead.
The operator ignores Kamui, however, grabbing his arm and trying desperately to pull him out of the chamber.
I—said—I'm—here—for—the—trial—
After an intense tug of war, the operator sighs heavily, seemingly giving up.
Kamui rubs his arm before pointing to his ear as if asking the operator to turn on his comms.
You have no idea what Kamui has said, but the operator seems instantly convinced.
He bows, evidently intending to replace you with Kamui in the trial.
I've heard that the coffee shop inside the library in Area C2 is pretty decent. Why don't you give that a try, Commandant?
In the end, the two of them have somehow unanimously decided to push you out.
You can hear Kamui's protest as the operator says to quadruple the intensity of the trial when you leave.
Heading toward the other trial location marked on your terminal, you traverse familiar hallways and soon arrive at a room.
They seem to be testing a new kind of firearm here. Neon-framed shooting targets appear one by one before the thick, heavy-duty backstop.
The staff member passes you the box with the experimental firearm inside, scanning you before unlocking it.
Right as you are about to take out that peculiar-looking pistol, a bullet lodges into the target farthest away from you.
Then a second bullet, and a third one...
All the neon-framed figures on the shooting range go dark one after another in the blink of an eye.
What are the odds, Commandant?
I can take care of the trial here.
Wanshi waves his hand, interrupting you. Noticing the staff member approaching, Wanshi immediately pulls him aside and whispers something.
By the time they finish talking and turn around, they seem to have mutually agreed on something.
The two grudging strangers suddenly become fast friends, forging some kind of kinship.
Shaking each other's hands, they seem to have agreed in unison that you, the trial participant, are now just a visiting audience.
By the way, I've heard that there's a pretty decent exhibition at WGAA today.
The scent of fire powder still lingers in the air, but the shooting range is strangely filled with a bubbly and harmonious aura.
Before you can inquire further, however, you have been kicked out of the room upon their mutual agreement.
Unconventional as it may be, Wanshi did volunteer, and the staff member did not complain. It is fitting for a firearm expert like Wanshi to replace you.
Next up...
And yet, you are either incredibly lucky or fate is pulling some kind of prank—
You run into an incredible number of surprises in the next few hours.
Inside a room at the Science Council...
Questions you need to answer are presented in a list on the monitor.
This one is about the extra thrusters assigned to Constructs...
Hold on! Ah? What are the odds, Commandant?
A Construct probably knows the answers to these questions better. Why don't I take over from here?
If you want to equip extra thrusters on Constructs, you need to outfit them with extra protective gears first...
A battlefield first aid demonstration.
Oh? Isn't that the Gray Raven Commandant? Do you require a refresher lesson? Or are you trying to heal the wounded with the power of optimism and laughter?
Now, you sweet, curious babies, allow me to demonstrate...
...How to keep your injured friend awake without any medicine. First, grab your combat knife...
The same even happens to the request to look after some children...
Do you want to play hide-and-seek with me, boys and girls?
Then let's begin! You have twenty seconds to hide!
Twenty... nineteen... eighteen... seventeen...
Sitting at a table, you try to figure out why this is happening to no avail.
Every time you arrived somewhere that requested your help, someone else would be there and take over.
From trials to small requests, it would only take a few minutes before you were free again.
And if you tried to look into it, you would only receive one answer—"What are the odds?"
Your hot chocolate, Commandant.
What's wrong? Not expecting me here?
What are the odds that I was also expecting you here? So...
I've been working here part-time recently whenever I'm free. There are books here, and I get to learn how to make drinks. Right...
Noan bends down and takes away the empty dish on your table, as well as the folder you are about to deliver to Celica.
I'll take care of these. Don't worry about work when you're resting inside a library, Commandant.
Have a wonderful day.
Your table was covered with piles of documents and empty dishes a second earlier. Now, there is just a cup of steaming hot drink and an interesting-looking graphic novel.
Tasting the hot chocolate and letting your imagination run wild, you still cannot come up with a convincing answer.
Placing the cup aside, you take out your personal terminal and put it on the table.
Checking the list, you notice there is still a report you need to submit... Hmm? What report have you not finished?
It appears to be a joint report with the Purifying Force...
Commandant.
You have no idea how long Bianca has been standing near you as if waiting for you to notice her presence.
……
E-exactly, Commandant.
I've finished that report. I'll send it to you for confirmation tomorrow.
You can go check out the fashion exhibition nearby if you're free, Commandant. WGAA is hosting a few other activities there too.
Leave the report to me, Commandant.
I'll go over it again right now. You'll find it in your online mailbox tomorrow morning.
You take a look at your terminal and recall there is a guest mode on this model.
You cannot, Commandant.
Bianca shakes her head and steps back regrettably.
I've already broken my promise, spending time with you alone, Commandant.
With that, Bianca leaves you by yourself.
And she has taken the work you intended to complete.
Clearing your thoughts and finishing the hot chocolate, you are at the last page of the graphic novel...
Should you stay here afterward? Should you check on the progress of the previous tasks? Should you visit someone?
You just feel... less than enthusiastic about any of these options.
Staring at the busy street, you are once again at a loss about what you should be doing.
Perhaps because you have been overworked quite a bit lately, you have more or less forgotten how to relax with the people around you.
...
The two people hiding behind the building poke their heads out, carefully observing the commandant's actions.
The commandant has been sitting like this for a while...
Tch. I had to answer a bunch of questions to get here. Why aren't the commandant satisfied?!
...Should we find someone to talk to Commandant?
...Karenina, the punishment for breaking our promise is...
Aaargh. I know, I know.
I'm just sick of crouching here.
Shush! Quiet. The commandant is moving.
Karenina immediately quiets down upon Bianca's quiet gesture. They both turn, focusing on observing the commandant's movement.
……
Is there an emergency? Why is Commandant running?
****! We're exposed!
Inside a room of the WGAA.
The floor is littered with all kinds of things. They seem to be props that are yet to be packed away.
T-minus one minute. Just stuff them inside the box if nothing works.
Lucia struggles to push a giant spring inside the box before attaching a trumpet-playing figurine at the top.
More than half of these similar contraptions are yet to be set up, which is why everyone is working hectically before the commandant returns.
Right then, Liv looks outside the window and spots a familiar figure heading their way.
What should we do? Commandant is here!
Use this.
Nanami hands Liv a wooden stick.
How can I do it? I can't possibly knock Commandant out...
……
Nanami was thinking... we could use the stick to latch the door.
Seeing how they look at each other, Lee goes ahead and throws everything they have not set up into the box before giving the room one quick look.
"Get in position," announces Lee upon confirming that nothing is amiss, and everyone reverts to their previous disguises.
And the door gently opens at that exact moment...
...
You would have suspected that everything you have experienced was a dream if not for your sore, tired legs.
It has been more than two hours since you left the room, but Lucia is still reading the book where she was. Liv is still making tea, and Lee is still struggling with his terminal.
It appears that no one intends to greet you still. You walk toward the only empty sofa and sit down.
As expected, Nanami is lying behind the sofa that is right in front of you.
The only thing that is obviously different is the increasing number of boxes in the room.
How creepy this is...
The Gray Ravens seem to be acting all day long. They have been repeating the same task over and over again.
Meanwhile, everyone else has been trying to keep you away from where you need to go for some reason.
Not to mention that Bianca and Karenina have been following you the entire way and the mysterious boxes that keep piling up in this room...
This is just like the unending dream in one of those Golden Age horror movies.
Opening your eyes, you notice some differences in everyone's position.
Minute as it may be, they all seem to be ever so slightly closer to you.
...
Aah! Enough overthinking things. You should just open the box before you, and all will be clear.
Right as you bend down, you catch Nanami poking her head out behind the sofa with the corner of your eye.
Ah! Not that one, Commandant...
Maybe it is the fact that Nanami finally speaks, you feel like you are on the right track, and you hurry up with the box.
Which means... it is too late to stop you now.
Brrr brrr! Brrr brrr!
A small figurine is energetically playing the trumpet, its head shaking from side to side.
Unfortunately, you do not get to enjoy its performance for long.
With the help of a mighty spring beneath it, the figurine and its trumpet are launched toward you at incredible speed...
...
Operation Happy-Go-Lucky?
Having survived the ballistic trumpet player, you question your companions as you rub your painful cheeks.
You've been so busy, Commandant, and you haven't been able to rest.
We came up with a plan with the others so that no work will bother you today.
Which means we're all-work, and you're all-play today, Commandant!
After all, we had to know where you were to find out what you were going to do before arranging a substitute...
Pressing a finger to the corner of her lips, Nanami begins to tally up the ever-expanding list.
There are Nanami, Gray Raven, Strike Hawk, Cerberus, Dark Aries, Bianca, Karey deary, Teddy... oh, and Vanessa and the others!
Consider them latecomers.
You suddenly hear Chrome's voice behind you, and you turn around to find the Strike Hawk members entering the room.
Luckily, the operator agreed immediately.
The staff member was really easy to persuade as well, and he quickly convinced the trial manager.
Before you can finish, however, you notice everyone staring at you strangely, and you cannot help but rub your hurt cheek again.
Nanami is the first to break the silence upon your confusion.
Ta-da! Nanami was right!
A sweeping victory.
Sigh. You've got to take better care of yourself, Commandant.
I suppose it's inevitable. Commandant has been so busy lately.
Fortunately, we have worked together and taken care of today's tasks.
Have you figured it out yet, Commandant? It's an important day today.
Well... Who should start the countdown?
Me! Nanami will do it!
Everyone sitting on the sofa stands up at once, grabbing different items from the boxes and the drawers.
The Strike Hawk members also get their own props from Nanami.
Sit there and stay still, Commandant.
The countdown begins!
Three...
Two...
One...
Happy birthday, Commandant!
Crackle! Crackle!
Countless confetti descends from above, blocking your sight in an instant.
By the time you brush the confetti away and open your eyes, you find a birthday cake on the table before you.
Small figurines stand in a row on top of the cake's frosting. Before you can figure out who they represent, something immediately distracts you.
Liv and Nanami are holding several jack-in-the-boxes in their hands, and miniature musicians all spring out to perform. Your face was hit by one of the band members earlier.
Only now do you realize how meticulously they must have been calibrated to perform in sync.
After the brief performance, you hear a series of explosions above you. The balloons that escape the boxes have exploded upon reaching a certain height.
Lee and Chrome exchange a satisfied look, the detonators still in their hands.
Lucia puts a paper crown on your head. It appears that the crown is staying there until you leave this room.
Finally, Wanshi and Kamui each take a confetti popper and fire at you in the face.
Through the blasts of colors, you notice Kamui's face is also covered in confetti—probably because he held the popper backward.
As the performance ends, the candles on the cake are quietly lit.
The soft, warm glow illuminates the figurines on the cake. Their shapes might be simplified, but you can still recognize your companions among them.
And, following the others' guidance, you gently take the first figure...
Is Commandant staring at the cake like an idiot right now? Don't forget to take a photo of it for me. Happy birthday, Com—man—dant—
You hear Vera's voice from the figure.
And you take the second one...
Happy birthday, Commandant.
Come. You have to say happy birthday too, Buddy.
Squeak... Squeak...
The third one...
Happy birthday, Gray Raven Commandant. I hope you like my gift.
A wrapped box is pushed toward you. There seems to be a guitar inside.
I'm probably still on a mission by the time you hear this, Commandant.
So please allow me to wish you a happy birthday this way before I can get back to you, Commandant.
I need to calibrate this recording device... Oh? It's starting?
I-I'm sorry I went away so quickly without explaining anything earlier. I made a promise...
Anyway. Happy birthday, Commandant.
Karenina...? Don't you want to record yours?
O-of course I do! But they said they'd play this in public... I-I'll just say a word or two, then! H-happy birthday, Commandant!
And... you have to like the present I give you. Yeah, that's it.
Following the end of Karenina's recording, you can hear the sound of drums from another figurine's speaker.
The drums are so powerful that even the figurine is shaking and jumping on the cake.
I haven't done this for a while... Getting Lesti...
Whatever. As long as you can hear the drum beats, Commandant! Happy birthday!
Focusing, you finally manage to distinguish the shouting from the drumming.
Commandant, happy... This is so loud. Allow me to head somewhere else.
Hey... Don't go... I'm not done playing...
The drum beats seem to get louder as Sophia walks away as if trying to pierce the walls and carve itself into the figure.
...
Hmm. This place is much better. Happy birthday, Commandant.
It's a shame I couldn't go to Babylonia this year. When will you come to visit Akdilek, Commandant?
You must tell me how to make this figurine then...
Her message is cut short, seemingly having exceeded the figure's storage capacity.
Oh? I haven't recorded anything yet! You two fooled around so much!
Happy birthday, Commandant! I made some pastries for you... Hehe, I failed a few times until someone showed me how to make them.
You must have it by now, Commandant. Feel free to guess who was the impressive person that made the other half!
You can see an intricate box next to the cake. That must be the work of Pulao and the mysterious person.
The last two figurines belong to Noan and Ayla.
The figures I made are cute, aren't they, Commandant? I also made one for you, just so you know. Happy birthday!
Oh, and I ran into Noan at the door. He seems to be struggling with how to congratulate you, so I'm dragging him into my recording as well.
Happy birthday, Commandant.
We wish you a brilliant future.
With fortune as expansive as the ocean...
And longevity that towers over the mountains!
...Um.
Do people wish their friends a happy birthday like this on Babylonia?
Probably, if we want to stand out! I'm sure it's fine. We did research!
Stand out, is it...
You have picked up all the figurines from the cake. Taking a handkerchief from Ayla, you carefully wrap them up.
Commandant, Commandant! Nanami has brought you a gift from the surface!
From the surface?
Nanami pushes the strange, tall package from before toward you. It seems that she is hoping you will unwrap it yourself.
You start to get a bad feeling upon touching the protrusions on the package.
"Swish!" The outer layer of the package is ripped off, revealing a statue in the room.
The statue is two meters tall, standing straight with an arm reached out, gazing into the distance.
Its stalwart appearance even manages to briefly instill a hint of solemnity into the room.
This is... quite impressive.
It looks kind of familiar.
If I have to guess, I'd say this is...
...A statue of Commandant.
...
How should you display this gift...?
Nanami has a great idea! I've seen statues like this put up in parks on the surface.
We'll ask Power to place this in the center of the park on Babylonia!
You take a moment to consider what Nanami suggested, imagining how, when morning comes, people who walk past the park will be bathed in the glory of your immaculate statue...
By the way, who was this impressive present from?
Hmm... A lady Construct who loves painting, perhaps?
Whoever it is, you should probably just hide it inside your room...
Are you going to open your gifts one by one, Commandant? Just want to remind you that the one in the blue box hasn't been unwrapped yet. Just a suggestion...
Commandant! Commandant! Do you want to open my gift next?
My gift is right there, Commandant. You can grab it if you reach out.
...
Hearing their lively cheers and joyful laughter, you ask yourself the same question again.
Have you forgotten how to relax with the people around you because you have been overworked?
Or, perhaps, you have just been missing the people in this room and their laughs.
You have no idea who suggested it, but everyone is gathering before the cake for a group photo.
Oh! Remember to save Camu a slice of the cake later, Commandant!
Recalling the adventurous foodie, you cannot help but wonder what is inside his present.
It's a five-second countdown. Hurry up!
Ayla quickly dashes back after setting up the camera.
Five...
Get closer, everyone! It's a vintage camera. There wasn't much I could adjust!
Four...
(Hmm... Let me bend forward a little.)
Three...
(This sofa's placement... I'll just move it forward a little bit.)
Two...
(If I support the weight of my upper body with my waist, I can bend forward and extend my arms to make a giant victory sign when the countdown hits zero!)
One...
...
Wanshi quietly picks up a dish and hides behind the sofa.
0!
Kamui suddenly lunges forward while the sofa is moved up a little bit.
With that, Kamui flies over Chrome, sliding toward the cake uncontrollably.
Lucia tries to stop him, but she is sitting the farthest away from Kamui.
Lee, being the closest one, finally manages to react, trying to move the cake away.
Hiding in the back, Wanshi, having foreseen this, shields his face with the dish from the inevitable spray of whipped cream and frosting.
"Snap!" With the sound from the shutter, a photo of this last moment is captured and printed.
Perhaps someone will find this photo inside a photo album many years later.
It will be proof that there was joy and laughter among the fighters despite the hardship and pain.
It will be proof that there was joy and laughter among the fighters despite the hardship and pain.
