All Alone (2)

“You look awfully gloomy... Though I suppose that's understandable.”

Everyone except Merry and Yuki tensed up as Balmung appeared. They suspected that Balmung himself might be secretly working with the enemy. If the enemy really was inside Noa and had managed to operate undetected by the Resistance all this time, they reasoned, perhaps it was because the Resistance's leader had kept things under control.

Merry and Yuki denied it with all their might, but Menou still considered it one possibility. No matter how much the two trusted Balmung, Menou knew that failing to consider it could leave Menou caught off guard. Menou steeled herself and kept the possibility in mind.

“Ah, I see. Sorry about that... As captain, I'm responsible for keeping everyone in line, so I have to look into anyone suspicious, no matter who they are. We still don't know what's going on, but... I believe you. After all, Yuki and Merry are going to such lengths to defend you.”

“Hey! Don't say embarrassing stuff like that, Uncle!”

“What's wrong with that? It's true. I don't want to think that the people a wild girl like you took a liking to would be the kind to disrupt the order around here.”

Watching Balmung and Merry interact, everyone except Menou reconsidered whether it was right to treat him coldly just because they were considering every possibility, and their expressions softened. Menou, however, continued watching him closely, waiting to see if he let anything slip.

“So, what do you want, Captain? We're in the middle of transporting food, you know.”

Parna set her crate down and met Balmung's eyes, ready to get to the point.

“I'm sorry to ask when you haven't even recovered from the last expedition yet... but I'd like you to go outside again.”...