Chapter 74: Looking Down on the "Little Japanese"
Because the Leningrad Military Department was modeled after a military camp, the dormitories for all Devil Hunters and staff were located within the compound. However, unlike traditional barracks, these were mostly apartment-style suites; the management wasn't quite as strictly militarized.
Chiya randomly chose a single-room suite. It was fully furnished, saving him the trouble of buying furniture and moving it in. By the time he finished setting up, it was already late at night. He went straight to sleep, ready to officially begin his work at the Leningrad Military Department the next day.
Chiya slept until he woke up naturally. Just as he finished washing up, he heard a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" Chiya asked directly in Russian.
"It's me! I'm the Devil Hunter assigned to help you get familiar with the Leningrad Military Department!"
The voice outside belonged to a young man, but his tone sounded a bit weak, giving off an air of lack of confidence. Chiya went to open the door; in a place like this, it was impossible for an outsider to have wandered in.
Standing outside was a somewhat short young man in a military uniform. He looked to be about Chiya's age, eighteen at most. His features were decent, though he had a few spots of acne, and he clearly lacked self-assurance.
"Hello, my name is Ian. I'm a member of Special Operations Unit 5," the boy introduced himself.
"Hello, I'm Otonashi Chiya." Out of habit, Chiya extended his right hand. A handshake was a universal gesture for a first meeting.
Seeing this, Ian hurriedly grasped Chiya's hand with both of his own, appearing very respectful but also a bit humble. The impression he left was vastly better than that "Tsar" fellow.
Ian had been looking down, but when he raised his head to complete the handshake, he was momentarily startled by Chiya's blood-red eyes. He knew rare eye colors existed in this world, but it was his first time seeing eyes that were blood-red with such peculiar shapes inside them.
Noticing the slight shock, Chiya explained, "This is part of my devil power. Sorry if I startled you."
"Oh! No, no, not at all. I was just being over-sensitive," Ian apologized instead.
He then got down to business. "I'll take you to our cafeteria for breakfast first."
This task had been assigned to him by his captain, who had cleared it with the higher-ups. The mission was simple: show the newcomer the ropes. The reason Ian had been chosen was that he was too introverted and struggled with interpersonal relationships; his captain hoped this simple task would help him grow. Ian, wanting to change himself, had accepted the assignment.
"Alright, I'll be in your care then," Chiya accepted graciously. Having someone guide him was certainly better than wandering around not even knowing where to find a meal.
"Mm!" Ian felt a small wave of relief. He had been worried that this foreigner he'd never met might be difficult to get along with, but those fears seemed entirely unfounded.
Ian then led Chiya to the cafeteria. It was a standard military-style mess hall, not unlike a typical university canteen.
The area was filled with Devil Hunters in military uniforms; it was the peak hour for breakfast.
"Mr. Otonashi, you can pick anything you like here. It's all free, but please keep in mind that it's best not to waste food." Having realized that Otonashi Chiya was easy to get along with, Ian wasn't as stiff as he had been at the start.
"I understand," Chiya replied.
He could tell that Ian was timid and introverted but was making a genuine effort to communicate. Knowing this, Chiya had no intention of making things difficult for him. However, after scanning the cafeteria, there wasn't much that actually appealed to his appetite.
In his previous life, there was a saying among international students: Send out a student, bring back a chef.
This wasn't an exaggeration. Food in foreign countries often fails to suit a person's native palate. Japanese food was manageable, but the cuisine in countries like Russia was the hardest to get used to. Since Chinese restaurants abroad are generally expensive, most students end up cooking for themselves to save money and eat what they actually like.
Ultimately, Chiya just picked out a large loaf of bread and a glass of milk.
"Mr. Otonashi, are you finding the food okay?" Ian asked suddenly as they sat down.
It was a fair question, but Chiya wasn't one to give a blunt answer. "It's alright," he said, skipping the critique since the cafeteria wasn't going to change its entire menu just for him. He figured he would just find a place to eat out later or buy groceries and cook in his dorm. His suite had a kitchen with all the necessary amenities.
"That's good. If there's anything you're not used to, you can tell me directly, and I'll report it to the higher-ups immediately," Ian said with a smile. His smile had a healing quality to it, making people feel at ease.
Chiya couldn't help but think that it would be much better if his partner were someone like Ian. Regardless of strength, at least the company would be more comfortable than that of Shingetsu. A partner didn't necessarily need to be a perfect power match; being able to help and support each other was enough. His strength could help Ian hunt devils, while Ian could help him navigate this foreign place and handle administrative feedback.
"Ian, is that the Devil Hunter from Japan next to you?"
"I heard he's pretty strong and got paired with the Captain of Unit 1. I wonder which of them is stronger."
"You mean that guy they call the 'Tsar'? There's no contest—the Tsar is definitely stronger. How strong can a Devil Hunter from a tiny place like Japan really be?"
"..."
The surrounding Devil Hunters had noticed the pair and began whispering. They clearly looked down on Japan; after all, the national power of the USSR was on a completely different scale.
Chiya didn't care. He wasn't actually Japanese, anyway. Ian, however, was too intimidated by the crowd to speak up and could only offer a nervous, silly smile.
But suddenly, the room fell silent.
Confused by the sudden shift, Chiya turned around and saw Shingetsu approaching. The others seemed to hold this person in great awe—or fear. They might whisper behind his back, but they wouldn't dare utter a word once he arrived.
Shingetsu walked straight to Chiya's table, clearly looking for him. Beside him, Ian began to tremble slightly.
AN-
Enjoyyyyyyy.