The Broken System Chose the Antagonist
Chapter 35: The Ocean

Chapter 35: The Ocean

Calais, France.

Before the Battle of France that took place in May 1940, Calais controlled one of the busiest and shortest crossings between Britain and the mainland of Europe.

And during the war, it served more than just as a major port for supplies between France and Britain. With railways and roads that connected the port to the rest of France, it served as an ideal hub for transportation, allowing for both goods and soldiers to move quickly inland.

Thus, giving whoever controlled Calais a major advantage against the other side.

"But after the Siege of Calais, during the Battle of France, the port city was later transformed into a fortified military stronghold for the Germans to use against the Western Allied Forces," Hilda established. "Then, in 1944, the Canadians came over und liberated this place from the Germans. But obviously, then came The Fall and... you can probably imagine what happened."

Hilda was a person with a keen interest for history, especially for both World Wars, and enjoyed sharing her knowledge when it was appropriate.

For example, right now.

She looked up from the ground and began to take in her surroundings.

Located around her were large, crumbled brick buildings overrun with invasive ivy, toppled rusty cranes, and overgrown railway tracks.

Where they were currently located was Calais’ harbour; one the many places that were affected by The Fall.

Anyone who stumbled upon this archaic and dystopian sight would immediately grasp the general situation Humanity was in, which could be summed up in three words:

Dread, Despair, and Desperation.

After this realisation, any person would become despondent about their future. But that would be until they took a look at the other side.

Opposite the dystopian harbour was a sea of water as far as the eye can see; bluer than the skies, and more filled with life than the eyes of a present-day man.

It was Ocean. A place no Predicament would dare step foot into, regardless of how wounded or vulnerable a man swimming in it was.

After having been feared for its mysterious underwater depths, the Ocean had now become one of Humanity’s greatest salvations against the Predicaments.

Nadia, who had woken up to hear Hilda’s establishment of Calais’ history, noticed a strange look of serenity on the woman’s face. She narrowed her eyes with initial suspicion, but soon grasped the truth that Hilda was actually just enjoying the view.

The curiosity she had fizzled out her eyes, which had become half-lidded as she looked out into the sea as well.

’It smells so salty...’ Nadia thought, spotting both Callum and Seraphine lingering around the stone docks of the harbour.

After seeing that the two were safe and in a good mood, she looked back into the sea.

Like everyone who lived in Britain, she got all of her knowledge about the Ocean from the news and through word of mouth. She had seen pictures of the large body of water that seemingly never ended. And had heard tales of what it was like to be near it.

Yet, never before until today, had she ever been this close to the Ocean. And this was the same for many, since any location that made contact with the sea was ultimately restricted to GOHG personnel only.

At first, Nadia hadn’t thought much about the Ocean outside of it being something that Predicaments hated, and how fish and water came from it. But now that she was here, she began to wonder.

’Why is something as beautiful as the sea blocked off from the public?’

Nadia slowly lowered her chin on Hilda’s shoulder, out of sluggishness, and rested herself there.

She now understood why someone energetic like Hilda would be put in such a quiet and calm mood from gazing into the Ocean.

It was really peaceful.

Unfortunately, though, this silent peace was destined to be short-lived the moment Nadia rested her chin.

"Oh? Meine Dame, good morning." Hilda asked, breaking out of her daze.

Nadia sighed before humming. "Mhm... good morning," She then yawned as she scanned their surroundings, finding it to be slightly more decrepit than she had expected.

"This is their camp? Outside?" Nadia quirked an eyebrow, then glanced back at the sea, "Well, I guess it is not that bad of an idea if it’s close to the sea."

"It’s a good idea, isn’t it?" Hilda chuckled, "But I think I prefer a roof over my head. Anyway, I actually think they sleep inside this warehouse, instead." Hilda indicated a direction to look at with her head.

Nadia quirked an eyebrow before looking in the direction Hilda indicated. And when she did, she was met with a jaw-dropping sight.

A few metres to the side was a brick building over 2-3 stories tall, and from their angle, it looked to be over 100 metres long. And while its roof and walls had undoubtedly weakened with age, it looked to have been repaired and reinforced over several generations.

’It even has spiked barricades made from sharpened metal rods around its perimeters...’ Nadia analysed in awe, ’Is this really a warehouse...?’

The "warehouse" in front of them looked more like a fortress in her eyes! Could the people in this camp really have done intensive repairs and construction in a little over a day?

"Shouldn’t we go in?" Nadia asked.

Hilda shook her head.

"Mister Thorne said he was going to get his boss before letting us in." She then shrugged, "Und who knows how long that could take. I am curious on who this boss is, though."

Nadia sighed deeply at this, growing restless. But chose to remain in place on Hilda’s, instead of thrashing around like a child before. She had already humiliated and embarrassed herself enough today.

Then, she straightened her back when she noticed a duo approaching them from the side: Callum and Seraphine.

"Nadiaaa~ you’re awake!" Seraphine beamed, "Did you sleep well?"

"Did I... sleep well?" Nadia repeated.

Then, she glanced at Hilda.

After narrowing her eyes, she huffed, "It was awful. Bumpy. Absolutely bumpy. Could barely sleep properly at all."

"E-ehhh?!" Hilda immediately turned to look up at her, "I was walking as smoothly as I possibly could!"

Hilda pouted up at her.

"You’re definitely lying!"

Nadia turned away with a deadpan expression.

"A lie detector doesn’t lie." She remarked, lying through her teeth as easily as she breathed.

As the two somehow found something to bicker about again, Callum chuckled from the side before asking:

"Miss Hertel, I hope you won’t mind, but I would like to know more about the history here." He then added a second later, "Since you seemed to be quite knowledgeable, given how you were talking about it earlier."

"Oh~? It would be my pleasure!"

...

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Deep inside the warehouse, Elias knocked on a pair of large, crude-looking metal double doors. They had a type of aesthetic where their creators didn’t seem to have much thought into how they looked, only wanting practicality.

After waiting for a second or two, a rugged man’s voice echoed from behind the crude doors.

"Who’s there?"

"I-it’s me, Boss," Elias said, slightly on edge,

"Ah, Elias?" The man on the other side recognised. "Come on in."

Pushing into one of the double doors, which were thinner than they looked on the outside, Elias entered the room in the back of the warehouse.

And when he got inside, he was shocked to find the corpse of a Scoundrel lying on its chest, being worked on by a team of five, who were stabbing rusty metal spikes into its back.

The monster was already missing its eyes.

"Elias, why are you back so soon? Shouldn’t you still be out hunting?"

Coming from around the Scoundrel was a tall man with a muscular build. He had cropped bronze hair and a scar beneath one of his brows. He wore a tank top, which was stained here and there with blood, and cargo shorts.

A typical "macho-man" look.

Wiping his hands clean against a ragged cloth, he walked over to Elias, who had turned rather timid.

"W-well, sir, you see..."

Elias gulped.

"We brought over the LRM girl here."

After saying that, he began to explain what happened.

When he eventually finished recounting the events that had happened since this morning, he looked up to find the Boss staring at him blankly.

As he was about to ask what they should do next—

"YOU BROUGHT HER HERE!?"

BAM!

—He was knocked to the ground.