Marine Headquarters Dispatch, Unexpected Good News

Noah didn't know whether the West Blue was cold.

But a mountain hot spring in early winter was bound to be warm and comfortable.

At night, the hot spring mountain was lush with trees, and orange lights glimmered among them.

Perhaps because the temperature had plunged and light snow had begun to fall, there were few people on the mountain. Apart from a handful of tourists, there were only the Marines who had come specifically for the hot springs.

The First Branch Base was less than ten kilometers away. They could walk there and back with ease.

"Hurry up, hurry up..."

Momousagi led the way up the mountain, hopping along like a real little rabbit. Every so often, she turned and waved at the others on the stone steps, urging them on.

She'd wanted to visit these hot springs for ages, but work had been too busy, and with Noah away from the West Blue, coming alone hadn't seemed like much fun.

Today, she was finally getting her wish.

"Coming."

Noah followed close behind. Seeing how impatient Momousagi was, he quickened his pace, took her arm, and strode with her through the antique-style entrance.

Dozens of meters behind them, Sadaharu padded gracefully up the steps. Beside him, Tokikake huffed and puffed after the others with a shoulder pole laden with supplies—

Sleds, snowboards, changes of clothes, and everything else they might need were piled several meters high. The load must have weighed hundreds of pounds.

Why did I come along?

Watching the two figures walk hand in hand into the bathhouse courtyard, Tokikake asked himself that question again and again.

Had I lost my mind? Or was I too embarrassed to turn down Noah and Momousagi's enthusiastic invitation?

Neither seemed quite right.

Tokikake sighed sadly. He was leaving the West