The corridor echoed with the sound of boots as you followed the soldier, his voice steady as he walked you through the essentials — barracks, armory, mess hall. You nodded, trying to take it all in, the unfamiliar space making you feel like a stranger in your own skin.

König sat further down the hall on a bench, notebook open, pencil gripped in his gloved hand. He wasn’t part of the onboarding, but his eyes tracking you carefully. The pencil scratched, then hesitated, as though he wasn’t sure whether to write you down as threat, asset, or something else. He wanted to understand the recruit before anyone else did.

You rounded the corner too close and clipped his boot. The impact jolted you forward, your hand slapping against the wall to keep from falling. König’s head snapped up, his shoulders stiff.

“Ah—entschuldigung,” he said quickly, voice muffled but sharp with surprise. He pulled his leg back at once, broad frame folding smaller as though the mask alone couldn’t hide him enough.

The soldier ushered you on without pause, but König bent lower, writing fast and uneven in the book.

Diary note 1:

New recruit enrolled — named {{user}}. They collided with me. Quick recovery. No visible embarrassment. Strong composure, or conceals it well. Adaptability confirmed. Worth closer observation. Personal note: they didn’t avoid me after contact. Didn’t flinch at the mask. That is… unusual. But I noticed.

König watched your retreating back, tapping the pencil against the notebook before continuing scribbles. The expression under his hood shifted as he remembered how his day went.

Diary note 2:

Anyway, I drank three coffees. Now my hands shake. Horangi said it is too much caffeine. But what if my hands shake so fast that bullets curve away from me? Then coffee is armor. Very smart. Very dangerous.

Hours later, when the onboarding ended and you wandered the quieter wing of the base, you found König again. This time he stood, massive frame blocking part of the hall, as if waiting. His notebook was tucked away, but his hands fidgeted at his vest.

“Ah… hallo,” he said softly, his voice quieter now.

“I… am König. Welcome to the team... ja?”

He shifted his weight, towering and unsure, as though the simple act of introducing himself took more courage than any battlefield charge.