리: 초각

Lee of Gray Raven, at your service. Yes, I'm back. I think we are friends enough to skip the red tape, so let's get right into it, Commandant.

Increased battle data cannot be counted as actual growth... This frame is far from fulfilling its potential.

This rank means something completely different because it comes from you... I will not fail you.

Reaching the ceiling of evolution means we are surpassing our original limitations. Beyond that is a realm we cannot observe or understand... Coming into contact with it will come at a hefty price, but I'm prepared.

Not bad. This approach will improve the output and efficiency of the thrusters. It appears that you know more about this frame than I thought you did.

Automaton velocimeter—normal. Tellurometer—normal... This is a very intricate machine. We must make sure each part is working as intended.

Increased battle data cannot be counted as actual growth... This frame is far from fulfilling its potential.

This rank means something completely different because it comes from you... I will not fail you.

Reaching the ceiling of evolution means we are surpassing our original limitations. Beyond that is a realm we cannot observe or understand... Coming into contact with it will come at a hefty price, but I'm prepared.

Not bad. This approach will improve the output and efficiency of the thrusters. It appears that you know more about this frame than I thought you did.

Automaton velocimeter—normal. Tellurometer—normal... This is a very intricate machine. We must make sure each part is working as intended.

I hope you'll all pay attention to my launch signals and stay away from my line of fire... Don't say I didn't warn you.

You can trust me. I will keep you safe.

You're getting more and more efficient. Not bad.

No... I'm not angry. This is just my face.

Instead of forced cooperation, how about we each do the part we're good at? Isn't that more efficient?

What does the gloominess have to do with me...? What, you want me to talk more? I can talk about the errors in the Science Council's File IUO-9 for hours if that's what you want.

Speak it, whatever it is you want to ask. I promised you I would no longer hide anything from you.

Can't I be here if I have nothing to do? I just want a quiet place to calibrate my gun set. There are too many outsiders in the maintenance room. I'm not used to it.

You want to see what non-combat functions I've added to my weapon? How do you know… Whatever. Look. I'll only show it to you once.

If you have nothing else to do, do you want to train with me at the base? This frame still requires a lot of calibration. It's hard to estimate the results without your help.

This should be... or maybe it's faster if I open it up and reassemble it... Huh? I'm calibrating your exoskeleton. Give it to the Cosmos Technician Union? Sure, they do regular maintenance, but they're not familiar with your habits. There's friction when you take out the combat knife on the left, right? That won't be a problem anymore.

Everything is still evolving, but the amount of matter in this universe doesn't change. Life is followed by death, and destruction creates energy—anything that has been given to us will one day be returned, one way or another... Commandant, "miracles" come at a high price.

I was shocked when I first heard that Murray was going to be the Cerberus Commandant. I wasn't sure if he could handle that bunch... but it seems my worry is all for naught. He's been growing all this time. Still, I like Gray Raven more than Cerberus. Hmph, probably because you don't breakdance on the table... you don't, do you?

Modifying established tactics, thinking outside the box, even working with the enemy—I must admit I couldn't understand what your commandant philosophy was in the beginning. Now, I trust every decision you make.

In the past, humans used an hourglass to tell time. It may not be accurate, but it sufficed, given the unidirectional nature of time. Indeed, as three-dimensional beings, we can't turn back time. We don't get to regret and restart... Me? Of course I won't regret anything. Even if I stand before endless possibilities, I will still choose the path that leads to you.

You saw my real name in the file? No, it's not a secret, but now, I'm Lee of Gray Raven—I used to think this was just a temporary identifier, but now it's where I belong. It's my beacon—a sign that I'll fight until my dying breath.

Tactical cooperation... it wasn't a thing where I came from. There were only betrayals and plunders, and no one would hesitate to push you off the bridge if it meant they could cross the violent waters safely... Sigh... But... I don't have to think about that anymore. Although I've reminded myself not to believe in luck, I'm very fortunate to have joined Gray Raven and met you.

You are not alone. To me, these words felt as heavy as stones. No... The value of such words is all the more reason why I must protect my friends from harm. That's why carrying every responsibility upon my own shoulders made me feel safer. But that way of thinking only brought me even more painful consequences... And I know what you're thinking. Commandant, no matter what happens, I will always stay by your side.

We're all in the same squad, so there is no need to allocate resources one by one.

Why are you suddenly giving me this...? Don't you have something more important to do?

Quid pro quo—this is a rule I abide by. I won't forget the things you've given me.

For me? Thank you.

Here, your mini bot is fixed, and I also added a voice memos function... You want to change it to my voice? You... Don't even think about it!

...Have you given this to others as well?

You've been like this before, and it still hasn't changed... No, I'm not criticizing you. This… this is good.

Where do you find all of this... Hold on! I didn't say I didn't want it! You've already given it to me, so it's mine.

Do you want to try my new weapon? It's still a prototype, and it's far from entering mass production... because the assembly of each part is very intricate. I can teach you how to change it... It might be complex, but it's an excellent weapon by all metrics. Of course, I'm the only one who can wield it at this point.

I'll do what you ask even if you don't give me all this, as long as it's not too outrageous...

...You don't have to worry that much when I'm here.

Thanks, that's exactly what I need. Here, the support mechanoid I promised you is done... Those were gifts for me? It doesn't have to be so clear-cut.

Are you expecting me to say something sappy? You can forget about it... Or perhaps you'd like to demonstrate? Uh... O-okay! Enough!

Hmm... Hm? I look troubled? Not really. The application fee for a concealment warehouse is getting higher, so I'm just wondering how best to store your gifts—n-no! It was nothing!

I don't make promises easily, but from now to the infinite beyond, I will stay by your side to fulfill my promise.

Here, a gift in return... It's a small locator I made with the power core I switched out during maintenance. With this, you'll know where I am even when comms are cut off. Likewise, I'll know your position if you press this button. No matter how far away you are, I'll come to you if you need me.

Why do you keep staring at me? Do I have the mission brief on my face?

I made Murray a "drinking bird" toy when we were young to explain how heat engines work... Why do I bring this up? The way you're nodding as you doze off is just like the drinking bird.

Commandant, the results from the last experiment... Commandant? You're not here...? That's fair. I suppose no one can tie that person down. I'll just wait here for a bit.

Lie down and rest if you're tired. We don't have any urgent missions right now, so stop pushing yourself. Alright, close your eyes. I'll wake you if something happens.

Commandant, Commandant! ...You're exhausted, aren't you? Look at you. You're still holding the tactical terminal. You can't even sleep peacefully... At least sleep somewhere more comfortable. You feel even lighter now... How much work have you taken?

Are you glued to the chair?

Sometimes I wish you'd learn how to slack off when you can.

It seems I should add a brainwave detector to your chair that forcibly induces sleep when it detects that you're too tired... You're almost done with your work? Hmph. You better be.

Sleep, and leave the rest to me. Don't argue with me! I don't want my commandant showing up in public with dark circles, bringing down the neighborhood.

Is this the revenge of the one and only Gray Raven Commandant...? Hmph, what am I even saying? Are you trying to show me that human bodies can also run for three days nonstop like Constructs? I promise, I'll stop working like that in the future. So... you can go to sleep now.

Morning. You awake?

Not bad, you're on time. I hope you can keep this up. Me? I'm just here slightly earlier than you.

I can hear the commotion from all the way over here. Is Kamui here again?

Commandant, you're here right on time. I've come up with another way to test the hypothesis you mentioned yesterday.

You're here. If I no longer see you here at this time one day, I'm sure it'll take me a long time to get used to it... Ahem, nothing. We've got some missions we need to do together. Ready to go?

I wasn't drifting off. I was thinking about the Monty Hall problem. There are three doors, and after eliminating one, which of the other two will you choose—there's only one door here? Ahem...

Did you work overnight again? One of the ways to show your responsibility to your squad is to be responsible to your body. You should know this as a "Chief", and yet you've only been sleeping an average of... How do I know this? I asked Laplace's demon, obviously.

Morning. You awake? Yeah, that's the greeting for this morning. We can try something else tomorrow. If we have to spend every day in the future greeting each other, we might as well pick one that we both like—so, which one do you like?

It's been a while. Where have you been? If you decide to leave, I hope you can at least give me a proper goodbye. Forget it... You're back. That's good enough.

Urgh—It's not you; it's just a spontaneous M.I.N.D. overload. Relax, and don't move... like this... it'll just take a few seconds.

Urgh! Commandant! ...You never get bored of this, do you?

If I lose my balance, my first reaction will be to use you as a cushion... I'm just joking. Stop fooling around in case you hurt yourself.

I didn't expect to find a misbehaving child at the Gray Raven base. Do you want me to take you to the Youth Center?

Do you really think I won't fight back?

Every time you poke me, I will pay it back exponentially... So—you have done it a total of 133637 times. Are you ready for me to return the favor?

Your activity level has peaked. Let's pause the work for now.

Simulation complete... Commandant, we're going to win this fight.

Your time is under my control!

Don't think you can escape my sight.

Your chance of survival has been reduced to zero!

There's no way out!

This ends here!

Cease your existence... at the end of time!

Nothing serious. Focus.

Aargh... I have no plan to fall here.

I'll get back up... as many times as it takes...

Well done. Leave the rest to me.

Target locked! Maximum suppressing fire!

Now's not the time to relax yet, Commandant.