Magic Robot Aluminare: Departure Chapter 2

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Changes:
Anjou -> Ange
Bodouin -> Baudouin
Academy -> Training Academy

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When the meeting ended, I immediately went back to talk to my parents in order to get their permission.

“So, you’re saying that you’re going to leave this village?”
“Yes, I intend to become an Aluminare pilot once I enter the Training Academy. Since I’ll become a soldier, I don’t think I’ll come back home so soon.”
“Although you’re mother will be lonely, I won’t object since it’s Eldo-chan’s own decision.”
“Indeed, I also don’t have any particular objections.”

I got their permission much easier than I expected. Well, even if I get in with a recommendation, it doesn’t mean I was certain that I’ll become an Aluminare pilot. There was also the possibility that depending on my results in the Training Academy, I could be dropped out from the selection. If that time comes, I will have to return to this village and take over my father’s hunting business. If so, I may be able to get a hunting license while I’m in the city.

“Then it’s decided that I’m going. To realize my dream.”
“Do your best.”
“Take care, okay?”

That night, we ate a slightly sumptuous meal and I crawled into my bed.
I was thinking on my bed while looking at the ceiling.
It was a little unexpected that my parents didn’t ask me anything concerning Ange.
My parents and her parents thought that we would obviously marry each other in this village.
That’s why I thought the odds that my parents would ask me what I would do about Ange were high but……
Was It just my imagination? If so, it’s a bit embarrassing.
It’s just that, I hate to separate with her in the middle of a fight. At worst, we won’t be able to meet each other again.
I thought I’d meet her at the Village Chief’s house but in the end I wasn’t able to meet her. That Ange, I wonder where is she?

The next day. Since I have various things to prepare, my grounding was dropped 2 days earlier, so I went to visit the captain.

“I got permission from my parents.”
“I see, we will go together when we return back.”
“How long would it roughly take?”
“I would know after we inspect the machine today. Hey, O’reil.”
“Yeah, they’ve been checking on it since the morning. It’s about time they come back.”

They must be talking about the knights that I saw when I came to the Village Chief’s house, they were inspecting all kinds of things on my machine. It was really impressive to see the way a professional quickly does an inspection.

“Excuse me.”
“Speaking of the devil.”

A man in mid-twenties came in. It was probably because he was inspecting the Aluminare that there are some stains on him all over.
Red hair and golden eyes. His physique was rather thin compared to the Captain and the XO, if I had to say it he gives the impression of being delicate.

“How was it, Ritz?”
“It will be a challenge to make it move. There are compatible spare parts but there are a lot of spots that are broken. It is missing one arm to begin with, and all the joints are already weak. There was a rupture in the section of the hydraulic pump that was temporarily repaired, there are many sections where the transmission cables were broken, it was hard locating them. Sense Board is being inspected by Carine right now but it’s such an old machine that it will be a little bit hard to read and write information on it.”

Ritz kept reporting while briskly scratching his head. That behavior was somehow similar to the XO. Since he was reporting about the condition of the machine means that this person was probably a mechanic. If so, he may be the XO’s apprentice.

“High Magia Liquid will not be a problem if I set aside a few amounts, but it will take about 1 week to repair it. I really want to seriously repair it until it is good as new!”
“You’d go that far, huh? Well done in winning against the bandits.”
“It was quite a close-call. Rather than winning, it would be more correct to say that I made them withdraw. I think he still wanted to fight because he was still in the condition to do so.”

Even if the generator and the cockpit was exposed, he should still be able to fight with his skills. He didn’t do so because he simply wanted to avoid any risks. It wont happen in the real battlefield.

“Who is he…?”
“He is the pilot of that machine. Eldo, this one here is Ritz, my apprentice.”
“Really, so it was you. I heard that you repaired it all on your own until it could move. That would certainly excite my father. I’m Ritz, nice to meet you.”
“I’m Eldo, nice to meet you too.”
“What a courteous young boy. Once we get in the city, I’ll invite you to a good shop.”

I briskly scratched my head while I was grinning.
I wonder what kind of industry will it be……

“Stop spouting non-sense and get back to maintenance right now! I’ll follow afterward.”
“Yes sir!”

As Ritz left the room, the XO let out a huge sigh.

“No matter what he can’t ever act properly.”
“He should be able to graduate from the Training Academy as a mechanic.”

As the captain was smiling sarcastically, the XO let out a sigh to show his disappointment. It seems like the Training Academy do indeed have an etiquette training.
By the way, it looks like Ritz motion of scratching his hair was inherited from the XO.

“Well, it is as you’ve heard. We will probably depart in one week. Until then make your preparations. And if you can, I want you to give us a hand. Since you have the skill to repair it on your own, you wont be a hindrance.”

Actually I got plenty of help from Ange so I did not repair it on my own, but will Ange help me now? She seems to be avoiding me, so I can’t ask her to help.

“Understood. Well then, excuse me as I will make my preparation at once”
“Sure”

I went back home right away in order to prepare for the journey.

A week passed by in a blink of an eye.
During that time I got introduced to each members of the squad, I think a got along with them to some extent.
The 31st Aluminare squad had 5 members. Baudouin the Captain, the Executive Officer and Chief Mechanic O’Reil, the mechanic Ritz. And then there are 18 year-old Benoit and 22 year-old Carine which I just met recently.
Benoit was a silver-haired with a baby face young man, he was in charged of manual labor, to support the Aluminare, and the scouting. He originally aimed to become a pilot, but he didn’t seem to have any speck of talent that he ended up eliminated as a pilot candidate. Still, he wanted to be involved with the Aluminares, so he wholeheartedly studied and ended being under the care of Captain Baudouin.
Carine was in charge of the Sense Board and the only female member of the squad. She wears red glasses and sports a pink two side up hairstyle. Furthermore, she was a woman who had a strong impression due to her beauty spot near her mouth.
I barely talked to her but according to a conversation I had with Ritz-san, she seems to be pretty strong-willed.
The day to depart had finally come after working with these 5 people in repairing the broken Aluminare until it could move and finished with the start-up test.
But, what took 7 years for me to repair the machine was done in 1 week? These professionals are awesome!
And right now, I have someone to say my last farewell to.

“I’ll be so lonely.”
“Sorry.”

Mama and I embraced each other. Despite that I was a reincarnated person, I was a little sad to be separated from them for they are the ones who raised me for 15 years.

“It’s alright, it’s something Eldo-chan decided to do on his own. Besides, I had a vague feeling you will do this someday.”
“Indeed, I felt that one day, you will leave the village. Since you were a kid, you were smart in so many things. I thought you wouldn’t be satisfied with just this village.”
“I see”
“Take care of yourself, boy”
“Yes”

The other villagers had gathered also to cheer me on for my departure. Although Ange wasn’t among them.
In the end, I wasn’t able to meet her.

“It’s about time to go.”

Ritz-san informed me of the departure.

“Then, I’m going”
“Wait!”

I turned around as I was about to go under the Aluminare, for I heard a voice coming from the crowd of villagers. Without a doubt, it was Ange’s voice.
As I looked back, the crowd of villagers divided and I saw Ange beyond it.

“Ange!”
“Eldo-kun!”

Ange was slowly walking towards me. Ritz seeing the mood, just shrugged his shoulders and observed the course of event.

“I’m sorry Eldo-kun. For not meeting you until this day.”
“No, I’m also at fault here. I selfishly decided it on my own”
“Well… It’s because I somehow also knew that such a day would come. Eldo-kun, even though there were just only the two of us, the whole time you only had your eyes set on the Aluminare.”
“No, that was…… I’m sorry.”

Well it’s the truth. Still, to think that she yearned for me that much.

“It’s okay, I forgive you. My mother told me that the ability to forgive is one of a woman’s charms.”
“Is, is that so””

To think that auntie told her such things…… Rather, I thought she was the kind to take you to the bottom of hell as a punishment.

“Tell you what, because I heard that you were going to leave the village, I also thought about my future. Or better yet, It occurred to me that I could probably follow you no matter what you say.”
“That’s……”

It was likely that she’ll strongly come along on her own personal reasons. There are plenty of work in the city, with Ange’s level of cuteness, she would be sought after as a receptionist or a waitress.
She also can cook and clean, so she could be a housemaid for some noble out there.
I have no ways to stop her.
As I made an awkward expression, Ange expressed an alluring smile like when her pranks had succeeded.

“It’s fine. I understand that it will just cause trouble you. Although I want to be by your side, I don’t want to become your shackles. Even now… no matter how hard I try, I cannot stay by your side. That’s why, after consulting with my parents, I decided to send you off with a smile.”

At these words, I released a sigh of relief.

“Because of that, I thought of making this until you departed.”

As she was saying that, Ange took out from her pocket a necklace-type amulet. This was the so-called charm.
A thin chain passing through a dog-tag sized silver plate. On the silver plate was a metal gear and a bird’s wing carved on it. However, the crafter tried too hard as the silver plate was a little bit warped and a line was distorted on the carved picture.
Is this perhaps Ange’s handicraft?

“Did you notice it? I made it with uncle’s help.”

This uncle must be this village’s sole blacksmith, Ondo-san.
If I look carefully, I could see Ange’s fingertip had some burns. It was very small, she must have touched an extremely hot pot to leave such burns. There won’t be any scars.
However, I’ll remember that she made this amulet to the point of getting burned.

“This mark is…?”
“It’s a gear, for always playing with machines Eldo-kun, the wing looks like the wings of an angel, so that it would protect you.”

While talking, her cheeks became deeply red. If I indirectly look around, the villagers were grinning.
Well, that’s right. Although she said it will protect me, I soon found out the the meaning of her name was Angel. Well, it’s best not to say it.

“I see, thanks. I’ll treasure it.”

I took the amulet from Ange and wore it around my neck.
As I wore it, the chain made some tinkling sound.

“Come back from time to time, okay? If you don’t come back very often, I’ll come to see you.”
“I’ll do my best.”

It was vaguely evasive, peculiar to the Japanese. I expected that during my stay at the Training Academy, I won’t be able to come back. There are stories such as a new recruit returning home in order to meet his childhood was highly frowned upon. I hope that I can return home by the third year.

“Then work hard, okay?”
“Yeah, I’m going then”

Having received Ange’s blessing, I left the village for my journey.

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