Chapter 45: The Officer’s Curiosity

Arthur’s eyes fluttered open.

The first thing he saw was a white ceiling.

A soft mechanical hum echoed throughout the room.

He blinked several times, trying to get his bearings.

Then—

〘Are you alright, Master?〙

Arthur slowly turned his head.

Floating beside the bed was Eclipsion’s hovering mechanical eye, surrounded by its star-shaped body.

〘Yeah, what he said. Are you alright, Master?〙

His gaze then shifted toward his other side.

A holographic interface appeared.

Genesis’s familiar chibi avatar was displayed within it.

〘You gave me and Eclipsion quite a scare when you went lights out back there.〙

Arthur slowly pushed himself upright.

A sharp sting immediately shot through his head.

He winced.

"Where the hell am I?"

His eyes swept across the room. It was clearly a medical ward. Advanced machinery surrounded him on all sides, while several holographic displays floated beside the bed.

Arthur then noticed something strange.

His body...

It didn’t hurt.

He paused, running his hand down his chest.

The aching ribs.

His injured shoulder.

His damaged arm...

All of the pain was gone!

...Am I imagining things?

Arthur looked down.

He was dressed in simple white hospital clothes beneath a large white sheet.

Without hesitation, he swiftly pulled the sheet aside to get a better look at his body.

His eyes widened slightly at what he saw.

His wounds were completely healed.

Arthur raised his arm.

There wasn’t even a scar.

"...What the hell happened?"

Genesis suddenly spoke up with a slight giggle.

〘After you lost consciousness, you were immediately transported to the Imperial medical ward, Master.〙

Eclipsion shoved her aside and entered Arthur’s center of vision as he spoke.

〘Your condition was considered relatively stable, but you had sustained multiple physical injuries during the assessment.〙

Genesis soon shoved him aside too.

Hmmph.

〘Your ribs were fractured, your left arm had sustained significant damage, and you had several internal injuries.〙

Genesis continued.

〘The Imperial medical personnel immediately began treating you after you arrived.〙

Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"Treating me?"

Eclipsion tried to push Genesis aside again, but she stood her ground...

Well, more like hovered her ground, but... you get the point.

〘The technology used by the Empire is significantly more advanced than the medical technology you are familiar with.〙

〘They utilized multiple advanced medical systems to repair your damaged tissue, restore your muscles, and completely heal your fractured bones.〙

Genesis’s voice followed.

〘Even the injuries caused by the projectiles were completely healed.〙

Arthur looked down at his body again.

There wasn’t a single visible wound remaining.

He flexed his arm.

No pain.

He touched his side.

Nothing.

Arthur couldn’t help but mutter,

"...The Empire’s technology is no joke."

〘I told you so.〙

Genesis responded with a giggle.

Arthur stared at the two of them throwing what seemed to be swear words on holographic interfaces for several seconds.

Then he sighed.

"I get that, but why... the heck are the both of you fighting?"

Genesis immediately pointed toward Eclipsion.

〘Because Eclipsion is complaining that you’ve never used his abilities in combat.〙

Eclipsion’s mechanical eye rotated toward Genesis.

〘That’s because he hasn’t! Master has never once used my abilities during actual combat. He only ever relies on you!〙

〘What’s wrong with that?〙

〘Everything!〙

Eclipsion’s star-shaped body spun slightly in irritation.

〘I was here first! I should be the one getting more use!〙

Genesis said, placing her hands on her hips. She then pointed at Eclipsion.

〘You need to learn to respect your elders.〙

Eclipsion’s mechanical eye narrowed in irritation.

〘...Elders?〙

〘Of course. I was activated first, after all.〙

Genesis created a chibi version of herself, where she puffed out her cheeks proudly.

〘You won’t be showing me up just because you’re a newcomer who started serving Master after me. You’ll get your time to shine.〙

〘Oh? And when is that supposed to be?〙

Eclipsion’s mechanical eye narrowed.

〘Because, as far as I can tell, Master has been using you so much that your wonderful ability ended up putting him in a hospital bed!〙

Genesis’s eye immediately narrowed from inside the black hole on her shoulders.

〘That’s not my fault!〙

〘Isn’t it?〙

〘Master pushed himself too far!〙

〘Exactly! Because he keeps relying on you!〙

〘That’s because my ability is more useful in combat!〙

〘Oh, please!〙

The two AI assistants continued arguing.

Arthur simply stared at them.

...Are they seriously arguing over who gets used more?

He sighed.

While they continued bickering, Arthur’s attention shifted elsewhere.

He opened a part of the system window on Eclipsion.

〘PASSIVE SKILL: VANISHING ACT〙

〘Description: A moment of distraction can be deadly. If the player successfully misdirects the attention of an enemy toward another location, the player is instantly permitted to teleport to the enemy’s flank.〙

〘The effect can be chained repeatedly as long as the enemy continues searching for the player.〙

Arthur silently read the description.

...Impressive.

The ability was practically designed for assassination and repositioning.

If he could repeatedly manipulate his opponent’s attention, he could appear at their blind spot again and again.

But—

Arthur frowned.

...If I actually use this at the academy, I’m sure someone will realize I’m a Player.

He couldn’t afford that.

If the Imperial authorities discovered that he possessed abilities completely unrelated to the technology or abilities available in this world, the Royal Family would undoubtedly take an interest in him.

And Arthur had no idea what sort of risks that would bring.

Not just for himself...

But for his family as well.

He couldn’t take that kind of risk.

For now, it was better to keep Eclipsion’s abilities hidden.

Even if that meant letting the two of them continue arguing.

Arthur glanced back at the bickering AI assistants.

...Then again... Why did they get so... childlike? Well, technically, they are a couple of weeks old now, but they should be more intelligent than regular kids... Right?

〘I’m older!〙

〘You’re just a brat!〙

Genesis said, poking Eclipsion’s eye!

〘Take that back!〙

Arthur closed his eyes.

...This is going to be a long day.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Arthur’s expression changed.

Genesis and Eclipsion also turned toward the sound.

Knock. Knock.

Before Arthur could say anything, the door suddenly opened.

A man with brown hair, yellow eyes and a scar running across his nose stepped into the room.

He wore a black-and-red Imperial uniform.

Arthur immediately recognized him.

It was the same superior officer from the assessment earlier, but now he wasn’t wearing his armour.

The man walked into the room and closed the door behind him.

"I’m glad to see you’re awake, Cadet 81."

He paused.

"Or should I say... Arthur Von Ashbourne?"

Arthur’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The officer smiled.

"Instructors usually don’t bother checking a cadet’s information based solely on their cadet number."

He walked farther into the room.

"But you had me curious."

His eyes studied Arthur for a moment.

"Must say, you being an Ashbourne explains a lot."

The officer’s smile widened slightly.

"So, you’re one of the kids of those battle-hungry angels living at the edge of the Empire?"

Arthur remained silent for a moment, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"...You know my family?"

The officer chuckled.

"Know your family?"

He pulled a nearby chair over and sat down.

"Cadet, everyone in the military knows the Ashbournes."

He leaned back.

"Your family’s reputation precedes you by quite a distance."

Arthur frowned.

"That’s not exactly reassuring."

"It wasn’t meant to be."

The officer laughed.

Arthur studied him carefully, the man didn’t seem hostile if anything, he seemed amused.

Still, Arthur wasn’t about to let his guard down.

"Who are you?"

The officer raised an eyebrow.

"Straight to the point."

He reached into his uniform and pulled out a small identification card.

He held it up.

"Colonel Marcus Veyne."

Arthur’s eyes briefly moved over the identification.

"Colonel?"

"That’s right."

Marcus slipped the card back into his uniform.

"And I’m the officer responsible for overseeing the final combat assessments."

Arthur nodded slightly.

"So you were the one watching me."

"Among others."

Marcus crossed his arms.

"I’ll admit, when I saw your name on the list, I was curious."

"Why?"

"Because the Ashbourne family isn’t exactly known for producing ordinary soldiers."

Marcus smiled.

"Your mother was a monster on the battlefield. Your father was no different."

Arthur’s expression remained calm.

"And you’re expecting me to be the same?"

"Expecting?"

Marcus shook his head. "No."

He leaned forward.

"I’m interested in seeing whether you are."

Arthur stared at him.

The colonel’s eyes sharpened.

"Most cadets would have relied on implants during that assessment."

His gaze briefly moved toward Arthur’s arms and legs.

"You didn’t."

Marcus smiled.

"You fought six death-row inmates equipped with Generation Four implants using nothing but standard-issue equipment."

"And?"

"And you won... That a feat worthy of praise any day kid..."

"That alone would have earned my attention."

He paused.

"But there was something else."

Arthur’s eyes narrowed.

"What?"

"You collapsed immediately after the assessment."

Arthur’s expression stiffened.

Marcus noticed.

"Relax. I’m not here to reprimand you."

He leaned back into the chair.

"Frankly, after seeing what you put your body through, I would’ve been more surprised if you hadn’t collapsed."

Arthur let out a quiet breath.

"So why are you here?"

Marcus smiled.

"Curiosity."

He stood up.

"I wanted to meet the boy behind the cadet number."

Marcus walked toward the door.

"And now that I have..."

He glanced back.

"I’m even more curious."

Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"About what?"

Marcus’s smile returned.

"Just how far an Ashbourne can go."

He opened the door.

"Oh, and one more thing."

Arthur looked at him.

"Your entrance assessment is officially complete."

Marcus paused.

"Congratulations, Arthur Von Ashbourne."

"You’ve been admitted to the Imperial Academy."

The door closed behind him.

Arthur stared at it for several seconds.

Then—

〘Well, that was interesting.〙

Genesis’s holographic avatar appeared beside him.

〘I agree.〙

Eclipsion’s mechanical eye rotated.

〘He seems dangerous.〙

Arthur sighed.

"...I was thinking the same thing."