"Excuse me." The door slid open with a listless voice, and a strange man dressed entirely in black emerged. He wore a strangely shaped hat and a full beard. Judging from his unfamiliar attire, AESOP Commander-in-Chief Kawaori realized that a complete outsider had intruded. "Who's there? I wasn't told we were expecting a visitor today. I'd like you to follow the proper procedures." "What? I was told to come here, so I came... But you... Commander Kawaori, are you... no, is that right?" The man continued his story with a nonchalant demeanor. To Kawaori, this man seemed far removed from the people he normally interacted with, and he was hard to grasp. "That's very kind of you... So, what brought you here?" "Apparently, I got a good score on the AESOP officer exam, so I'm being promoted today. I got that notice yesterday, and I heard that if you officially approve me, I'll become a senior officer." Kawaori was a little taken aback by the familiar refrain in the suspicious man's words. The officer exam. It took place last month. It's an AESOP combat skills certification test, measuring the minimum abilities required for missions, from basic martial arts to combat using alien powers. It's held twice a year, and Kawaori had finally started receiving his report recently. Roughly speaking, the results of the officer exam determine which unit a person is assigned to, but the senior officer this man was talking about is, as the name suggests, the highest rank within AESOP. Of the approximately 300 AESOP members, there are currently only four of them, and it's impossible to reach this rank unless your abilities are recognized. Are you saying that the ridiculous man standing before me has overcome such a difficult path? "...Wait a moment." Kawaori dug through the pile of papers scattered across his desk, searching for his officer exam results. There it was. At the top of the list— "Gans Heerdach?" "Yes, but..." Kawaori looked at the man again. He had four arms. He'd missed them earlier, because they were all folded behind his back. Now, all of them were in front of him, stretching them out and resting them on his hips in a bored manner. His expression was hard to read, but he seemed to be gazing at me curiously. He lowered his gaze to his hands. Gans Heerdach... Judging by the numbers for each item, he'd achieved an unprecedented record in the shooting test. "I see. You're an impeccable sniper. But that alone won't get you promoted to a senior officer. And dressing like that... would definitely stand out." "Huh? But that's what they told me... I thought you'd have made that decision." "The personnel department decides your assignment. But these grades... you scored highly on the alien ability test. What about your abilities?" As the name suggests, alien abilities are a test of whether you can harness the special powers of an alien and use them in combat. Examples include psychokinesis and extraordinary strength. "Abilities, huh? Actually, I haven't filed any declarations or anything like that. When everyone sees me like this, they're just convinced and that's it." "So you don't have any other alien abilities besides your multiple arms?" "Well, I guess that's about it. Maybe your skill with a gun counts as an alien ability." Kawaori found those words a little hard to understand. Even though he's multi-talented, it's hard to believe that such shooting prowess is simply a natural skill that doesn't rely on ability. "...Really? Aren't you hiding something? To be honest, you look suspicious, but what's with that hat that looks like it's meant to hide your eyes?" As I said this, it seemed as if Gunce's mouth quirked into a frown, but he quickly retorted, playing dumb. "This? I can take it off if you tell me to, but..." He reached for his hat. "Because everyone looks sad when they see my eyes." When Gunce removed his hat, his true face was revealed. His eyes were a frozen white, and it was impossible to tell where they were looking. His eyes alone overturned the impression I had of him, overwhelming me. "...You can't possibly see?" "No? I can see... well, not with these eyes, but more like with a third eye..." It was hard to understand what he meant, but perhaps this was his true, alien ability. Kawaori thought so. "My guess is that your eyes are improving your marksmanship." "Ah, you're quite observant. I can see things more clearly than before my eyes were like this, and sometimes I even see things I shouldn't be able to see, but that's true." "Before my eyes were like this...?" Kawaori was puzzled by the fact that it wasn't something he was born with, but it was an unspoken rule among aliens not to pry into each other's origins or pasts. He didn't press further. "Anyway, you should have told me that sooner, without worrying about my reaction. I would have missed a great opportunity for promotion." "So, does that mean I'm really being promoted?" "Well, that's how it is. I do feel a little bad about being hidden from you." "I'm sorry about that. I didn't want to cause you any trouble." Kawaori signed the paperwork approving his promotion to senior officer. "You've officially joined the ranks of senior officers. I'm sure you understand, but the nature and level of the missions are completely different from the ones you've been assigned to before. If you let your guard down, you could be killed. Don't underestimate me. Have the dignity of a senior officer." "Yes, I understand, Commander." Gance answered with a serious expression as he took the paperwork.