Chapter 73

Chapter 73

From Cosmic Rascal to Professor.

Episode 73: Confinement.

The air was thick with a subtle tension as Rustila locked eyes with me, then shifted her gaze over my shoulder. I couldn’t see her target, but I was almost certain she was engaging in a silent battle of wills with Zelnya.

A snicker sounded close to my ear.

“Aidel…”

“You mean Zelnya? She was badly injured by the incarnate. I had to carry her here.”

Zelnya nipped at my shoulder again, her way of showing disdain for the situation. Whether her bite had lost its strength or I had grown accustomed to the pain, it barely registered. I gently set Zelnya down on a nearby bench and asked, “How are you holding up?”

“Fine,” they both replied in unison, their frowns directed at each other. I mentally pleaded with them not to start a fight here.

Turning to Rustila first, I noticed her complexion had improved, a sign she was recovering from her ether depletion. Zelnya, however, seemed to be in worse condition.

“You’re not fine at all. Let’s have a look at your right arm.”

Carefully, I lifted Zelnya’s arm, gently rotating it to better assess the situation. The swelling in her hand was reducing as the effects of the incarnate’s poison diminished, but it clearly still needed medical attention. Just as I started to examine her more closely, Zelnya pulled her hand back sharply.

“Don’t touch me.”

“Why not?”

“Being in contact with you only makes my condition worse.”

She spoke with such harshness. I wondered if I should have even bothered saving her. Yet, if I hadn’t, I’d be plagued by regret.

“If you’re done here, could you move? I’m exhausted.”

“What the hell, sparrow. I’m even more tired. There are other benches; go find one.”

“Can’t you see the inspectors are using the other benches? You’re really selfish. You lack any consideration for others.”

I had been trying to organize my thoughts with my eyes closed when the sound of their argument made me look up. The usually kind and polite Rustila was now in a confrontation with Zelnya.

“You could use a lesson in humility.”

“…Humility. Ha!”

Their bickering was driving me insane. I stood up, still tasting the candy Rustila had given me earlier. Turning around, I gestured to Rustila to take my seat. They both needed to rest, and I had plenty to do anyway.

Quest completion reward has arrived.

That was the first thing to handle.

In recognition of your efforts in repelling the three incarnates and for contributing 30,000 coins, the ‘God of Wisdom and Curiosity’ has personally curated the following reward package for you.

What could this be? A mix of anticipation and anxiety washed over me as I checked the contents. There were four items listed.

1. Calipers of Wisdom (A)

2. Tidy-up

3. Irregular Polyhedron-flavored Star Candy (X3)

4. Star Talisman with Cartesia’s Hair

First, the ‘Calipers of Wisdom.’ Initially rated as C-grade, they had jumped two levels to A-grade. Upon summoning them briefly, I noticed their length had increased, and the precision of their scale had improved dramatically. The measurable range now extended to the picometer level, and when used to attack incarnates, both the physical and mental damage inflicted had significantly escalated.

Next is ‘Tidy-up,’ a magical item that resets the Pron value to zero. Undoubtedly, this will prove invaluable in the future.

Following that, the ‘Irregular Polyhedron Star Candy.’ There are three pieces in total, each capable of increasing the Pron capacity of the consumer by 500.

Lastly, the ‘Star Talisman with Cartesia’s Hair.’ To be precise, it’s a talisman, and its purpose remains a mystery to me. It’s even sealed, preventing any glimpse of the hair’s color.

Notice: The Outer Gods have a habit of gifting a part of their true form to a favored being.

Reflecting on this, I recalled such a detail mentioned briefly in the past. It was so fleeting that it almost slipped by unnoticed. Which human, I wondered, would an Outer God favor?

Suddenly, the communications officer’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Contact has been made from Bay 4!” he shouted. From afar, the position of Bay 4, now off its intended orbit, was pinpointed, and communication had been established.

“Give me the details. Is my wife, Naier, safe?”

“Yes, Ms. Naier is safe. It appears there were no significant injuries to anyone else either.”

“Phew, that’s a relief.”

“However, they’ve reported severe hull damage. The entity that took over the bay made it difficult for them to destroy the core. Fortunately, an accompanying android performed admirably.”

“An android? Hmm, understood. It seems we have no choice but to mount a direct rescue operation.”

Soon, they began recruiting members for the rescue mission to aid the refugees of Bay 4. Isaac and Kizel were among them. Ms. Enabet and several inspectors were assigned to oversee the operation. Meanwhile, the medical team attended to Zelnya, and I prepared myself for what was to come.

The bench was empty since the examiners had departed, allowing me to sprawl comfortably, albeit briefly.

“Aidel, can I borrow your shoulder?” Rustila, evidently uncomfortable near Zelnya, leaned against me. I glanced over at Zelnya, who had taken advantage of the empty space to stretch out on the bench, glaring in our direction.

“You look like a homeless person.”

“Puhup!” Rustila couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Are you done talking?” Zelnya grumbled as she rose, staggering toward our bench.

Plop.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Borrowing the other shoulder.”

“Didn’t you just say you were fine?”

“Being tired is a different story.”

“Then lie down here and sleep. Rustila and I will move back to the other bench.”

“I don’t want to be called a homeless person.”

Something felt off. The two of them appeared exhausted and soon fell asleep, their snores filling the air. Amidst the rhythmic breathing, the sound of military boots approached from the front. It was Enabet, the EX-grade inspector.

“You’re really crazy,” she declared.

“Pardon?” I replied, confused.

“Yo, yo, yo, it’s no good to be so popular with the girls when you’re still wet behind the ears. At the Academia, you should be focused solely on your studies, only studies. Time just flies when you’re busy dating.”

I remained silent, baffled.

“Seriously,” she added, as if to emphasize her point.

What was she even talking about? Wasn’t it obvious?

The crew that had been dispatched to the relatively intact Bay No. 2 for a rescue operation returned about 40 minutes later. I was just drifting off when a shadow loomed over me.

“Young master.”

The voice was familiar, tinged with an eerie tone. I slowly lifted my head to see an apron stained with black ink, beneath which were colorless eyes and short, blue hair. It was my personal android, Sonia.

“Do you have nothing else to say?”

Sonia had gently separated Rustila and Zelnya, who were deeply asleep beside me. She then grabbed my wrist and yanked it with such force that it almost dislocated.

“Your personal android fought desperately to prevent your sister from dying, and here you are, lounging comfortably with two girls. Do you think you’re some kind of king?”

Her tone was sharper than usual. I knew she was right—I hadn’t asked Rustila and Zelnya to leave because it seemed too troublesome. Rustila was a close friend, and I felt the distance between us was appropriate. I didn’t want to wake her, knowing she needed the rest. Zelnya, on the other hand, was naturally self-centered, and I didn’t want to provoke her temper. But I knew better than to voice these thoughts to Sonia.

“Stop talking nonsense.”

I expected Sonia to rebuke me with those words, possibly even physically. She sighed deeply before speaking again.

“The situation is urgent, so we’ll address disciplinary matters later. Right now, we need to focus on Miss Ceti.”

Bella, my sister’s personal maid, stepped forward, cradling Ceti in her arms. Her posture was that of someone bearing immense guilt, her eyes brimming with tears.

“I’m sorry, young master. I’m so sorry…”

As we approached, the doctors had already assessed her condition. Still, her Pron levels were alarmingly high, ruling out the possibility of being treated at Holy Spirit Hospital. “To be honest, it’s time to start preparing your heart.”

I clicked my tongue in frustration as I gazed at my sister’s pallid face.

“Who decided that?”

The very thought of giving up on my sister was unbearable. She was only sixteen, with her whole life ahead of her, not at the brink of death but at the threshold of youth.

Ceti von Reinhardt: 990/1000

It was a stroke of luck that Rustila was asleep. Awake, she would have been overwhelmed with despair. I had to act quickly. Among the rewards from our latest quest, only two items were of immediate use: the ‘Tidy-up,’ which could reset a person’s Pron levels to zero, and the ‘Irregular Tetrahedron-Flavored Star Candy,’ which could increase the maximum tolerable Pron levels by 500.

Though the first option seemed the sensible choice given her current state, I opted for the second, placing the candy in her mouth. It began to dissolve, and its effects started to work.

Ceti von Reinhardt: 990/1500

Her breathing gradually eased.

“What is this, exactly…?”

“Quick, get her to Holy Spirit’s Hospital!”

The paramedics rushed Ceti away. As the commotion unfolded, Rustila and Zelnya woke up almost simultaneously, groggily rubbing their eyes.

“This is so uncomfortable,” Rustila muttered.

“Just hang on a little longer,” Zelnya replied.

They both leaned against my shoulder once again. I sighed as Instructor Isaac and Lieutenant Kizel, having safely completed their mission, approached us, accompanied by a man clearly dressed as a lawyer. He looked at us with caution.

“Is this the individual in question?” he asked Isaac and Kizel.

“Yes, this is the one,” they confirmed.

“I’ll proceed then,” the lawyer said, pulling out a document and holding it before me. Even without reading it in detail, I recognized its nature.

“Aidel von Reinhardt, you are suspected by the federal government of being under the influence of an Outer God and are considered a flight risk. Therefore, under the federal criminal procedure law, we are detaining you here.”

Rustila and Zelnya’s eyes widened in shock as they jumped to their feet.

“What does that even mean?” Rustila demanded.

Sonia glared at the lawyer, her voice icy. “Explain yourself.”

Undeterred, the lawyer continued, “You are required to accompany us to the planet Alcatraz.”

It was a moment I had anticipated, yet it struck with unexpected force. However, it was almost a relief. Strangely, this was the turn of events I had secretly hoped for.