I strode down the street. I had barely left the main road before finding myself in a dark, tangled warren of streets where it already felt like early evening.

Windows crowded the toy-like buildings, made by pouring concrete and then pouring on more. Occasionally, a grimy face appeared in a window, only to vanish the instant our eyes met.

Lines that might have been clotheslines crisscrossed between the buildings like cobwebs. The whole place looked like a shoe with its laces still loose. If someone pulled those lines taut from either side, the flimsy buildings looked liable to tilt inward and cinch together.

Shouts came from several homes. Someone irritated by the noise shouted back, prompting someone else to respond. The clamor traveled along the walls, growing ever louder like an echo that never faded. Then...

BRRRRRING!

Someone rang an alarm clock, and everyone shrank back in fright.

The bell meant to wake people put every other sound to sleep.

Ah, how I had missed this commotion.

And the noise and screams I heard through my mind reading, louder still.

Now that I was somewhere crowded, it was finally starting to feel real.

"This is District 15. An administrative designation and little else, with no real facilities to speak of. Land abandoned by the Military State."

The captain and I walked calmly through the middle of the commotion. People glanced at the unfamiliar faces, then fled in alarm or hid themselves at the sight of her uniform.

I spoke to the captain, who kept flinching slightly.

"Captain Bee. I think we need to do something about that uniform first. Just looking at it makes everyone afraid... or hateful."

"... Fear and hatred are not illegal."

"Haha. Maybe not, but wouldn't it still be better to avoid unnecessary friction?"

I pushed through the crowd and entered what passed for a bustling shopping street in District 15.

Countless people were trying to exchange grubby coins and fragments of alchemical gold coins for goods.

The buildings hadn't originally been built as shops. By some accident, a ground-floor exterior wall had collapsed, and people had started doing business along the exposed wall. From that beginning, a market street had sprung up naturally.

I led the captain into a rather secluded alley off that street. She followed without a shred of suspicion.

Huh. Wasn't she being a little too trusting?

"Shouldn't you be more careful, though? Is it really all right to follow me into an alley like this without a second thought?"

The captain sounded puzzled as she replied.

"I am a captain of the Military State. Surely no criminal would attack a captain of the Military State at the risk of summary execution?"

Summary execution? What a frightening thing to say.

Though she did have a point, given her rank.

"Normally, no. But be careful."

With a chuckle, I seized the wrist of a child passing beside me and tripped him.

CRASH!

The child went sprawling in a comical heap. Whistling, I twisted his arm as he tried to get up, then whispered to him.

"Hey, kid."

"Ow! Let go!"

"Your brains are even worse than your sticky fingers. Didn't anyone teach you not to mess with people in uniform? If they did, you should know not to touch the people beside them either. Are you stupid?"

"What did I do? I didn't do anything!"

The child kept shrieking denials. People glanced over and began gathering around us.

Well, well. He knew how to draw a crowd. I gave him a bright smile.

"So nobody taught you. That means you're not with the 'Shelter.' And you don't have the ears to be 'Family.' Aha. You're with the Market, aren't you?"

"N-no, I'm not!"

"Is that what Manager Krin teaches you? I'll have to give him a warning."

The instant I mentioned his organization's leader, the child's face filled with terror. The cunning little thing changed his attitude in a heartbeat and dropped to his knees.

"I-I'm sorry. I was hungry. Please forgive me."

'Damn! He knows the manager! I'm in trouble. I've got to beg for all I'm worth! I'm still a kid, so if I play this right, he'll let me off!'

Even the Military State didn't punish children. It simply dragged them off to an orphanage.

Did that mean every child who did something wrong was an orphan? That seemed to say a great deal about the Military State's philosophy of education. Still, it was better than being a convict laborer.

"I-I'll give it back. Here..."

The child respectfully held out what he had stolen from me. Then he flinched as he realized what he was holding.

Ta-da, you little brat.

"Give what back? A filthy handkerchief? You little bastard, where did you hide my wallet? You think you can fob me off with this?"

"Huh?"

Bewildered, the child looked back and forth between me and the grimy handkerchief in his hand.

"I-it was a wallet..."

"Trying to deny it? I saw you take a wallet out of my pocket, clear as day!"

I immediately grabbed him by the collar, and his face filled with fear.

"Hand it over. Now!"

"I-I'm telling the truth!"

"Don't you raise your voice at me! That's it. I'm dragging you straight to the Market's main store. I'll shove your face in front of Krin and demand an explanation. Oh, and I'll bring this soldier along too. That should make the bastard sweat."

"P-please! Anything but that!"

"Hahaha! Not a chance! You're going to learn your lesson! Kids like you need a good, hard beating!"

As I grinned wickedly, the captain standing behind me tapped my shoulder. I turned, and she pointed at my pocket.

"... Sir. What is that in your pocket right now?"

"This? My wallet."

"Why is it there?"

What an obvious question.

"It's my wallet, so it's in my pocket. Where else would it be?"

"Did you not say you clearly saw him take it out of your pocket?"

"Obviously, I lied to get the brat in trouble. Do you really think I'd fall victim to a snot-nosed pickpocket?"

Finally realizing he'd been had, the boy spat and shook off my hand.

"Tch! Just my rotten luck!"

Where had he learned to talk like that? Maybe I really should go complain.

The boy took off down the street. I immediately shouted after him.

"Ah! The pickpocket's getting away! Captain, what are you doing? Hurry up and catch him!"

"... Negative. I am not a member of the military police. Furthermore, as that boy did not actually steal anything, it would be difficult to charge him."

"Aw. That was our chance to teach the little brat some manners."

The crowd had already melted away. As the child fled, they deliberately averted their eyes. Apparently, even they were afraid of getting on a captain's bad side.

Grumbling, I tossed the wallet I'd lifted from the boy's pocket into the air and caught it. The captain had been about to walk on, but abruptly stopped to ask another question.

"... What is that?"

"The brat's wallet."

"Why is it in your hand?"

"Because I picked his pocket?"

The nerve, trying to pick pockets in front of me. Not a chance. As his senior in the trade, I had to teach him a harsh lesson.

"However I look at it, you appear to be the most dangerous person on this street."

"Whaaat? What are you talking about? I'm harmless. Like a nonvenomous snake!"

The boy's wallet was completely empty. Well, with wallet packets so common these days, there weren't many people left to pickpocket.

Still, I'd keep it as my trophy. I slipped his wallet into my pocket and offered some advice.

"Anyway, you see? He went after my wallet even after seeing you in uniform. That's how common crime is around here."

"Pickpocketing is a crime, but the sentence is not particularly severe. The offender need only compensate the victim fifty times the amount lost, or repay it through labor."

"Exactly. It's a minor offense. But around here, those minor offenses happen every day. All the more because they're minor."

This district operated on a peculiar logic of public order.

Half-abandoned though it was, a place where people could die without anyone noticing, a pleasure killer couldn't simply roam the streets murdering at will. Push things too far, and the military police would show up, round everyone up, and throw them into forced labor.

Let's not forget. This was the Military State.

Some shadowy figure ruling the back alleys? Nothing of the sort could exist. The moment anyone that powerful showed up on the Military State's radar, a general would turn the district upside down.

And if someone stronger than a general appeared? Then the army, including the Six Generals, would reduce the place to rubble. Not that it had ever happened.

In a land where the strong and the weak were so clearly divided, no secret ruler could rise here. Perhaps in the nation's dark underbelly, but not in these filthy back alleys... These were wilds where the weak, suited to their surroundings, each fended for themselves.

"This is a paradise for petty criminals. You'll run into every bizarre situation imaginable. And... wearing a captain's uniform could make you a target for the truly dangerous people hiding among them. So..."

Around the corner was a staircase leading straight down. I guided the captain toward it, and she followed me down the dim steps.

Opening the old-fashioned door at the bottom of the basement stairs, I said,

"Let's get changed."

A warm, comforting scent greeted me as I stepped through the door. The aroma of black tea rose gently from a boiling kettle.

Rolls of fabric in every color filled the room.

It was alchemical fabric, which had risen to prominence over all other cloth since packets came into widespread use.

An elderly man in a neat suit regarded his visitors through a monocle.

"A customer... Ah, Mr. Hughes. Welcome."

He was rail-thin, a build that made his clothes stand out all the more. He looked as though he kept himself thin for the express purpose of showing them off.

I returned his greeting.

"It's been a while, Smen."

"Has it? Hoho. Perhaps this old man has grown too old. It still feels like only yesterday that I was making your clothes, Mr. Hughes."

Smen poured black tea into a cup and set it gracefully on the table. I flopped into a chair as though I owned the place and sipped it. The captain hesitantly took the seat across from me.

Smen placed tea before her as well.

"Please, have some. This old man does brew a decent cup of tea. One of my few talents."

"A-accepted."

Was this what a ball in the old kingdom would have felt like? Probably something similar. Smen had been one of the people who presided over those balls, after all.

Swept up in the atmosphere, the captain timidly sipped her tea. She seemed to like it; her eyes shone as she kept taking little sips.

I leaned back in my chair.

"I've just come back from a little trip. Make us an outfit each."

"An outfit each? For this lovely young lady as well?"

"Yes."

The captain, who had been savoring her tea, immediately waved her hands.

"Declined. As a soldier of the Military State, I cannot accept financial compensation from you."

Paying that no mind, I glanced at her and discussed the matter with Smen.

"I'll leave the colors to you. Something as relaxed as possible."

"I already have a rough idea. Still, we cannot ignore the customer's preferences. Now, miss, is there a color you particularly like?"

"I! Must! Decline! This is a bribe! Bribery is a serious crime punishable by forced labor for both the recipient and the giver!"

Oh, honestly. So inflexible.

"Captain Bee."

'I appreciate him not using my designation, but I fear that if “Captain Bee” sticks, it may undermine the dignity of my rank...'

"... Go ahead."

"Do you think I'm offering you a bribe to get on your good side, Captain Bee?"

BANG!

I struck the table, deliberately keeping the blow light enough not to spill the tea, and shouted at the captain.

"Captain Bee. Are you kidding me? You said you wanted to stay with me for a week!"

"N-negative... I... never said that."

"Either way, whether you're trying to enjoy a short vacation or keep an eye on me! How can you possibly do that dressed like this?"

I pointed at her crisp uniform. It underwent cleaning at least once every three days, and despite clearly having seen long use, it remained immaculate.

"You should at least make an effort to dress for the occasion and disguise yourself!"

"... An e-effort?"

"Exactly! Whether you're enjoying a vacation or conducting surveillance, I'm sure it'll go wonderfully in uniform! Why not just advertise to the whole world that there's a captain on a secret mission here? Shall I do it for you? Look, everyone! Captain Bee is right here!"

"Stop!"

'I am a communications officer... Nothing good can come of drawing public attention!'

Good. She was nearly convinced. I pressed my advantage, shouting with even greater confidence.

"If you don't want to be found out, wear civilian clothes!"

"B-but I am a soldier of the Military State. If I do not wear my uniform..."

"You said it's allowed during covert operations!"

"Ugh. B-but I already have everyday clothes..."

"One shirt counts as everyday clothes? Smen. Does that make any sense? She's calling a shirt you wear to bed everyday clothes!"

Smen shook his head and lamented,

"Good heavens. Preposterous. Every garment has its purpose. How could anyone live with only one outfit? It is an insult to clothing, and overwork besides. If clothes had hands and feet, they would rise up in protest this instant."

"You heard him, didn't you? Smen here is a master clothier who worked as a tailor even back in the kingdom! The development of clothing packets may have pushed him a little out of the mainstream, but he worked tirelessly to master packet technology and keep up with the times! Are you going to ignore even his expert advice?"

The captain could no longer even voice a denial. She merely shook her head.

"Now, at least put on some everyday clothes! Understood?"

"... Accepted."

Finally persuaded, the captain took the packet Smen offered her and entered the fitting room.