Chapter 1374: Rumor Has It!

Obviously, they were still at risk of dying.

And had Ada managed to step away from the tasks she volunteered for, she probably would’ve given the Kira the usual lecture about behaving properly, considering their current circumstances, and finding something more productive to occupy herself with instead of putting Jax in the spotlight when they hadn’t even figured out how to get out of this mess, yada yada yada.

Bah!

Maybe for others, sure...

But for the Orcish Princess, who’d been practically bending over backward to get everyone sorted out since they found themselves in such a suspicious place, wouldn’t having to suppress even this little urge be asking a bit too much?!

Besides, she really wanted to tell her faithful friend and aide to live a little!

Then again, aside from filling the redhead in on what he’d missed while unconscious, this was also Kira’s way of keeping herself sane.

In truth, the more certain they became that they were completely isolated from everyone else, including, most shockingly, the dungeon space itself, the more Kira felt like she was dying a little inside, especially when she had no idea when she’d be able to see her Bunbun again.

Unbeknownst to the Orcish royal, however, her beloved Bunbun had actually embarked on a sudden Outer Rim raid with the others in a fit of anger after learning what had happened to the cadets who’d gone to CM-7. So even if she’d tried looking for them in their usual spot, she wouldn’t have found them, especially when even the great tortoise had mobilized his ancient legs!

But that was a tale for another time.

For now, as far as Princess Kira was concerned, indulging in a little harmless fun was certainly better than breaking the bones of certain pirates about ten times over just to relieve the tension building up inside her!

Since the latter wasn’t exactly possible with the current quarantine in place, the next best alternative for getting everyone to calm down simply had to be mobilized.

Tea.

No, not the kind they steeped in hot water or served over ice, though she definitely wouldn’t have minded some after what felt like a very long day of running around. But still, no! This was the kind that fueled the very souls of beings like her!

The kind capable of reviving even the most out-of-it cadets who’d already started believing they were truly going to die!

And to be fair, she hadn’t even explicitly asked for it.

But as though her ancestors had somehow heard her heart’s deepest desires, such a perfect moment had actually unfolded right before her very eyes!

Now, it was time for her to tell on the Chief of Staff!

"What did you say?" asked the redhead, who looked as though he needed at least three more blinks just to process reality.

"Tsk. For the price of simple permission to write a riveting account, this dutiful eyewitness shall tell you everything!" Princess Kira declared, an enterprising, wildly mischievous grin spreading across her face.

Meanwhile, Noah merely closed his eyes, thoroughly unsure whether he could endure hearing the entire story all over again.

But looking at the bedridden cadet in front of them, who seemed a little too far gone to properly comprehend what was happening, Noah couldn’t help but think that if Princess Kira asked Jax to hand over his title right then and there, the redhead might actually give it to her without a second thought.

__

"My Lord," the head proctor in charge of B10 began, standing at attention in the command center as he faced the official before him, ready to deliver a concise summary of everything they’d accomplished since getting back on their feet.

The proctor did his absolute best to maintain his composure and remember every single point without faltering, especially when the man before him was radiating such suffocating pressure.

"First, outgoing communication has been confirmed to be impossible at present. As instructed, the reassigned teams have been issued handheld transceivers and emergency two-way radios for short-range contact.

"Second, we’ve completed another headcount and casualty assessment. There have been no fatalities among the cadets, and most of the injuries are concussion-related. Everyone affected has already received the necessary first aid.

"Third, as instructed, the passengers have been redistributed. Those required to undergo quarantine are currently aboard the Chief of Staff’s battleship with the Elders..." The proctor stumbled slightly over the title, still unaccustomed to addressing individuals who looked so young with a title typically reserved for those far older, before quickly continuing. "Meanwhile, all remaining cadets have been transferred to B10’s vessel. However, living space remains a concern, considering we’re currently accommodating nearly three times the number of passengers it was intended to carry.

"Fourth, the cadets have been instructed to take stock of their personal belongings, particularly those who’ve managed to recover their space buttons, and regulate their own consumption accordingly. We’ve also compiled a central inventory of shared supplies, with particular attention given to nutrient solutions and drinking water, so we can establish a strict allocation schedule.

"Fifth, as ordered, both vessels are currently operating in idle mode, with their sentry systems temporarily disabled. Defense has been fully transitioned to external drone patrols, as scans have detected no signs of other parties in the vicinity.

"Sixth, My Lord, based on our current conditions and projected energy reserves, assuming we forgo spatial jumps and non-essential systems in favor of simply waiting for rescue, our remaining reserves should last approximately fourteen days with the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems fully operational. This can be extended to twenty days if we rely solely on the Air Revitalization and Water Recovery Systems while keeping the Oxygen Generation System disabled.

"Preliminary readings over the past several hours have remained surprisingly consistent, indicating that the environmental conditions are suitable for sustaining human life and suggesting that the environment might be naturally regulating itself. Nevertheless, the OGS remains on standby should those readings change."

The proctor almost dared to sneak a peek at the official who’d been far too quiet, but decided he didn’t need to risk his life again after narrowly escaping death and promptly returned to his report.

"Seventh, I’ve been encouraged to report that prior to this incident, cadets from B10 had actually modified the majority of their equipment, including the exam-specific mechas, to significantly reduce baseline power consumption. So perhaps it would be best to prioritize using that equipment if needed. As for whether the modifications are reliable, several specialized examiners have attested that they’re good to go, even going so far as to recommend that the military consider adopting them. Then again, the modifications were spearheaded by an officially licensed mechanic, so..."

Realizing he was rambling, the man felt sweat beading on his forehead. He cleared his throat before continuing to the last stretch.

"Eighth, as for structural repairs to the hull sections damaged during impact with the walls of this cavern, initiating repairs now would require drawing directly from our material reserves and active energy grids... But if you’d like us to attempt repairs, then please give us the order."

"..."

"..."

Still nothing.

So now what?

The examiner, who really wasn’t used to dealing with governing officials, finally dared to sneak a glance at the higher-up’s face instead of keeping his eyes fixed on the badge on his uniform, only to discover, much to his surprise, that the Chief of Staff seemed not only a little distracted but also noticeably pale.

"...?"

"My Lord, are you okay?" the proctor offered hesitantly. "You’ve been working continuously since we ended up here. Perhaps taking a brief break would—"

Crackle!

Before he could finish, one of the handheld transceivers resting on the console beside Killian suddenly burst into static.

"Chief of Staff. Jax is awake. Over."

"...!"

Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to escape the clutches of a man who’d been working everyone—himself included—practically to the bone in the aftermath of an inexplicable disaster that had left nearly everyone panicking, the proctor immediately seized his chance!

"My Lord, please convey our deepest gratitude to Cadet Taylor and the rest of DG," the proctor said earnestly. "Who knows how much worse our situation would’ve been if not for their earlier heroism?"

"..."

But instead of receiving any acknowledgment, the proctor was met with a bone-chilling glare from Killian Nox!

"!!!"

The sheer intensity of that look sent cold sweat trickling down his back, causing him to instinctively scramble a step backward.

"A-And the other staff already know, My Lord!" he blurted out frantically. "Since you’re his recognized family, none of us would dare intrude on his recovery! We sincerely apologize for earlier! We simply didn’t know!"

Yet, the more heartfelt his apologies became, the darker the Chief of Staff’s expression seemed to grow.

"..."

"Is that all?" Killian finally asked, his voice dangerously low.

"Ack! Y-Yes! That’s all for now! If there’s nothing else, may I be dismissed?"

"Dismissed. Just remember to report sudden changes."

"Yes, My Lord...!"

The proctor immediately scrambled out of the command center, leaving Killian to watch his hurried departure with an increasingly complicated expression.

Because in truth, the eldest son of House Nox wanted nothing more than to flee as well!

And all because of his own earlier blunder!

"..."

But he was a grown man whose own mouth had brought this upon himself, so how could he possibly run away now?

Besides, considering the circumstances, perhaps he was worrying over nothing.

After all, most of the crew and cadets had either been gripped by hysteria or were still disoriented from the harrowing landing, right?

Surely, they hadn’t been paying that much attention to his frantic claims, even if his desperate words had practically echoed across the entire deck!

Right?

Right?

Wrong.

Because the very moment Killian stepped into the hallway leading toward the repurposed room where that rascal was currently resting, a sharp gasp sounded from around the corner.

"It’s the Chief! Do you think he’s going to visit his lover now? I heard he’s awake!"

"..."

Ah, goddammit.

Killian, you shitbag.