The captain could barely get the words out. He stared at me, stunned and incredulous.
"B-but..."
"But the Empress is in Luoyang, right?"
I crouched down to look at the frozen captain and smiled.
"Right! Right! The Empress is in Luoyang! How... how can you..."
"Who told you that one was the real one?"
"B-but..."
"Enough. I don't want to explain. You don't need to know who I am. Now get back in your mecha and get out of here! Go do your job like a good little soldier!"
The captain stared at me for a long moment, then finally nodded without a word.
I took two steps back and jumped straight down from the mecha. Then I had Little Black restart the mechas and watched them gradually disappear into the distance.
I figured... I shouldn't stick around here. Better get out of here, fast.
With that in mind, I hurried back and grabbed another couple of stalks of silvergrass. Then I ran over, swung onto my motorcycle, stuck a stalk between my teeth, and quickly started the engine.
With a sputtering rumble, I sped away.
I raced down the road... I'd thought I was about to regain my freedom and live on my own.
But... I never imagined history would repeat itself so closely.
I Just Happened to Be Passing By (/ω＼)
The rolling mountains in the distance came into view. Leaning against my propped-up motorcycle, I chewed on a stalk of silvergrass. Honestly, I thought I might be getting a little addicted to the stuff...
It wasn't that I liked chewing it. I just felt like lately... I had an incomparable craving for sweets.
A vast forest lay not far away. The trees here were only about as tall as those in an ordinary woodland. Any higher up,