"Clang~ Clang-clang~ Clang-clang~ Clang-clang-clang~"
A lilting tune rang out over the Coastal Fortress's loudspeakers, waking the people from their sleep and announcing that it was eight in the morning of a new day.
Gelman opened his eyes. He gazed at the metal bunk for a while, then glanced at the wrist showing over the edge of the upper bunk and smiled.
No matter how difficult yesterday had been, it would eventually pass. When a new day came, yesterday somehow no longer seemed quite so hard to get through.
He pulled back the covers, rolled off the rather narrow mattress, put on his shoes, and stood beside the bed. There, he saw Shizuku sleeping on her side in the upper bunk.
Shizuku was fast asleep, her slightly pink cheeks squashed against the hard pillow, her right wrist resting on the edge of the upper bunk.
Seeing Shizuku sleep like that always gave the impression that at any moment, she might roll off the upper bunk and fall to the floor.
There weren't many private rooms available in the Coastal Fortress, and spacious quarters or comfortable accommodations were hardly a priority. After all, this was a facility that was practically militarized.
Gelman and Shizuku had been given a private room, but it had bunk beds, not some luxurious, soft bed.
The Coastal Fortress could have specially prepared a room for them.
But there was no need to go to all that trouble, and by the time they'd returned last night, it had been almost midnight. Everyone was exhausted.
They had all decided to get some rest first and leave any questions until the next day, when they could gather together to discuss them.
Even if Gelman was in excellent physical condition and could go for a while without much rest, the others