Interval: Captain's Diary

After a hundred years of wandering, I, Captain Albert, have landed again!

Fort Hurricane, I feel like I've been here before. But the scenery has changed drastically. What's the deal with those fortress cannons on the mountains? Has everything turned into a fortress in the past hundred years? Anyway, that's none of my concern. The most important thing is - alcohol! Rum! All kinds of alcohol!

The Barbarossa cannot enter the port in a pompous manner. Wouldn't it cause chaos if a ghost ship entered the harbor? Being low-key is a virtue, and being handsome like me, of course, I must uphold this virtue. I had my men prepare a small boat and called Tristan as the helmsman, leaving as much space as possible for storing the alcohol. The weather today is terrible! Not only is it snowing heavily, but there's also fog. But this actually makes it convenient for me. The Barbarossa temporarily surfaced from the Sea of Emptiness' dimensional layer, resubmerging after the small boat was released.

Now, it's time to test the reward my generous client gave me. It's a bracelet called the "False Life" magic device, which allows the dead to temporarily revive, but only for three hours. For this thing, the Barbarossa was struck by the ancient magic satellite weapon, "Hand of the Gods." Even though it was only at 5% power, it still completely vaporized the upper half of the ship.

Oh no, it was terrifying! The weapons of the Ancient Demon Kingdom are too terrifying. For a few seconds, I thought I was going to die again. Fortunately, the ghost ship can perform dimensional shifts and emergency escapes from the current timeline, thus saving half of the ship. It took several days to repair the ship. It was truly frightening. I gently twisted the gem on the bracelet, and I felt life returning to my body. Pale bones were wrapped in muscles and nerves, which then generated skin and hair. It was like reversing the decaying process of a corpse. I gained temporary life once again. I am indeed a handsome guy, and it's all thanks to the oil I apply to my skull every day for maintenance.

"Boss, you're alive again!" Tristan shouted like a fool. I caressed the Ring of the Deceased on my ring finger and shared the effect of False Life with my subordinates.

Flesh immediately started growing on Tristan's bones, turning him into a muscular man within a few seconds. This was how he looked when he was alive. But what's wrong with his left eye? Why is it still blind? It seems that the False Life bracelet can only restore us to the state before death. Fortunately, I was a handsome guy before I died, hahaha.

Alright, now the two dead people disguised as living individuals have swaggered ashore. The old man driving the small train kindly let us hitch a ride, but he wasn't even born when I died. Should I tell him? Maybe better not. The tavern is still in its original place. Thank goodness! Tristan, that idiot, rushed in eagerly. As a handsome guy, I'll pretend not to know this brute.

Today, although the weather is bad, the tavern is bustling. The tavern owner, Field Douglas, is a very honest guy. he wipes every glass meticulously, which is quite rare.

I ordered the most expensive wine and paid with two gold coins. Mr. Field Douglas looked surprised at the gold coins I gave him. Hasn't this guy seen money before?

"Sir, these are coins that haven't been used in the Empire for a hundred years. I cannot exchange them here." Mr. Field said solemnly. His expression was so serious that I almost burst out laughing. Indeed, it's important to rob merchant ships from time to time. I put away the gold coins and exchanged them for paper money I recently looted from an Empire merchant ship. Only then did Mr. Field accept the money.

I really don't understand. Does a few pieces of paper have a higher value than gold coins?

The world has changed a lot after I died.

At that moment, a little girl entered the tavern. She looked about twelve years old with light brown long hair, and her budding beauty left a pure impression. She boldly sat down beside me, with actions resembling those of a man. Mr. Field immediately frowned and asked me, "Captain, is this your companion?"

"This little child is not in my hunting range." I showed a handsome smile. Flesh is back on my face!

"This is not a place for a child," Mr. Field said seriously to the girl. "If you're looking for your father, I can help you call him."

"Unfortunately, I don't even know who my father is," the girl said. "My name is Uther Nornheim, Mr. Field Douglas, and I need some information.""Hmm," Mr. Field raised an eyebrow, "I haven't been an intelligence broker for many years."

"What? Weren't you still doing it a year ago?" The girl named Uther pouted, "I'm not a spy and I don't intend to pry into anyone's privacy. I want to know about the rumors regarding the ghost ship."

I almost spat out the most expensive drink in my mouth. Goodness gracious, could this child have been hit on the head by a door?

"Ghost ship?" Mr. Field wiped the glass, "There isn't much information about them, as they are almost like mythical legends. Which one are you looking for?"

"Captain Orbed's Barbarossa," Uther said, "I want to know its last known location."

I sprayed out all the drink again.

"Are you alright, sir? This drink is strong, would you like some ice?" Mr. Field quickly handed me a towel, while the girl named Uther stared at me with a strange look. As a handsome guy, I really embarrassed myself this time...

"It's okay," I took out money, "Give me another glass."

"One moment." A minute later, Mr. Field placed a glass with ice in front of me.

"Hey, Captain. Do you know something?" Uther stared at me. Being stared at by a beautiful girl is a compliment for a handsome guy, but her eyes were like a carnivorous predator staring at its prey.

"I have heard of this ship," I decided to lie, "What do you want with it?"

"A personal vendetta," Uther's gaze turned more menacing, "Recently, it seems that this ghost ship has acquired some business. I want to know where its clients have gone."

Wait a minute, how does this little girl know about this? Miss Fiona α has been separated from us for several days, and to be honest, I don't know where she went either.

"I have seen it up north," I decided to lie again, "At that time, the ghost ship was attacking a merchant ship, and my ship happened to be nearby, so I quickly escaped."

"Correct judgment," Uther nodded, "Those guys who turned into skeletons can be destroyed but will resurrect. Ordinary methods won't kill them, so escape is the best strategy. However, I have decided to use the 'Hand of God' to target the Barbarossa the next time I see it, to see if those undead truly cannot die."

Oh no, this can't be true. I secretly looked at Uther's face again. Her appearance is somewhat similar to that attractive sorceress who used satellite weapons to attack us. If they were sisters, I would definitely believe it.

"Mr. Field, please gather as much information as possible about the ghost ship. This is a deposit." Uther placed a stack of bills on the table. I couldn't tell that this little girl was quite wealthy. Mr. Field, please don't sell information about the Barbarossa to this dangerous individual. It would be really bad to be targeted by that ancient weapon again, please don't!

"Thank you for the information, Captain." She smiled at me, "Let me treat you to this drink."

Wow, is this what an angel's smile looks like? My heartbeat couldn't help but quicken. Having a heart is really nice. Uther, little sis, in a few years, when you grow up, please make sure to go on a date with me.

Thick dark clouds loomed overhead as white snowflakes fell gently onto the wet and slippery streets. The ground had not yet reached the freezing point, and mud and snow melted together, forming muddy streams disappearing into the drains. People hurried on the streets, and the scars of war could still be seen on the buildings. Although Fort Hurricane had received aid from the Empire, the reconstruction work seemed to be facing difficulties. At first, people were busy repairing the wounds of war, and the streets quickly regained vitality, everything seemed to be heading in the right direction. However, this trend abruptly stopped when a notorious individual was elected as mayor.

Charlie Danglare, this infamous former Federation parliament member now had control over the administration of Fort Hurricane, and he began to shamelessly line his own pockets. The post-war revival work became extremely challenging, and unfortunately, it was the residents of the lower social strata who suffered.

Beggars huddled beneath plastic sheets, seeking shelter from the winter cold. They extended their dirty hands to passersby, but rarely received any charity. Uther hurried past the beggars, casting a glance at the dark alley beside the street, where a few young people smoked. These guys were probably the reason for the worsening public security. Although the Imperial guards maintained surface order, the crime rate remained high. Most people still struggled to find enough food, and this winter was particularly cold.Someone seems to be in trouble.

A girl wearing a hooded cloak is being forcefully led into an alley by a group of thugs, while the passersby completely ignore it. Uther glanced at the thugs, who were between 15 and 20 years old and were the most dangerous group on this street due to their rebellious nature. Although the girl being dragged was putting up a fierce resistance, it was clear that she was no match for them. Once they entered the dark alley, her fate was imaginable.

Uther's sense of justice did not allow her to turn a blind eye to such matters. She turned and crossed the street, coming up behind the thugs, and suddenly kicked one of them in the knee. With her enhanced strength and petrified skin, this kick was enough to shatter the thug's knee bone. However, Uther showed some mercy, as otherwise the thug she kicked would be more than just rolling on the ground holding his leg in pain.

A gap appeared in the encirclement, and the others finally noticed Uther. Before they could react, Uther grabbed the girl's hand and quickly ran into the alley. It was only then that the thugs realized their prey had escaped. They all rushed into the alley, only to hit an invisible wall that Uther had quietly set up.

Uther led the girl she had saved to the depths of the alley. When they reached the corner of the alley, she activated a magic spell, number 788, that created a barrier of air, blocking the narrow path. If they were on a main street, she would never dare to use magic, but in an empty alley it was a different story. They walked for several hundred meters through the maze-like alley, and the thugs' curses were no longer audible. The surrounding scenery became unfamiliar, and not even the sound of people could be heard. Even though the street was right next to them, the alley felt like a different world, just like the front and back of the world, the two sides of a coin.

"We're safe here," Uther reassured the girl. "Don't let those guys bother you again. They're the most dangerous presence on this street, you never know what they might do."

"Don't the police intervene?" the girl asked. Uther noticed that she spoke with an Empire accent.

"Why would the police intervene?" she asked bitterly. "Most of the time, people do only what is commensurate with their rewards. With their meager salary, the police won't pick fights with kids. What if they get stabbed? After all, they are Empire soldiers. If they get injured or even killed fighting with thugs in this land that belonged to the Federation until recently, it's just not worth it for them, as everyone has to support their families. They get paid according to the work they do, so don't be too hard on them."

"That's outrageous," the girl clenched the edge of her cloak. "Where is the honor of Empire soldiers..."

"Can honor feed you?" Uther sighed. "Let's go. How long do you have to stay here? The alley is not a place to linger. It's the dark side of the city, where anything can happen."

The girl turned her face away, annoyed. "Why does someone younger than me have the attitude of an adult?"

"I heard that," Uther crossed her arms. "Please don't judge people by appearances, thank you."

After being told that, the girl seemed to give up. She pulled down her hood, revealing bright red hair. Uther would never forget the owner of that red hair, Duchess Felicia von Bergman of the Empire, the princess.

"Why is it you?" Uther blurted out.

"Do you know me?" Felicia looked at Uther, and her eyebrows slightly furrowed when she saw Uther wearing a green woolen coat of the Empire military.

"No, I don't," Uther looked away. "And I don't want to have anything to do with you."

"But haven't we already had something to do with each other?" Felicia smiled. "Thank you for saving me. Can you tell me your name?"

"Uther, Uther Nornheim."

"I'm Felicia," Felicia used a false name. "Uther, nice to meet you."

"Hello," Uther said coldly.

The enemy commander, who had been thoroughly defeated by the Federation Army, was right in front of her eyes. Uther touched the revolver hidden under her coat, but she didn't have the confidence to avenge them. Her battle plans had caused the deaths of many people she knew, but that was war, unrelated to personal grievances. Besides, Felicia had ordered the garrison of Fort Hurricane to surrender on certain conditions, avoiding a bloody battle on the landing.Is this what they call the passage of time?

"I'm curious, what is an Empire princess like you doing in a place like this?" Uther asked, "And why did you reveal your true identity to me so easily? Are you foolish?"

"It seems I'm quite famous?"

"The War Goddess of the Empire," Uther forced a smile, "You're not just famous, you're super famous. Everyone in the Federation military knows who you are."

"So this is what they call 'infamous'?" Felicia smiled, "But it's okay, Uther. I can feel that you're not a bad person."

"While what you said is true, it's still better not to trust strangers so easily in the future." Uther coughed and cleared his throat, "Anyway, it's not safe to stay here for long. Before someone else targets you, I suggest you leave with me as soon as possible. Although these alleys are like a maze, I'm familiar with them just like my own backyard. Stay close to me and don't get lost. I'll take you to the streets where the gendarmes patrol."

"Thank you very much."

The gloomy alleyways formed a vast maze, with the distance between the walls widening and narrowing. Looking up, one could only see a narrow strip of sky, giving a sense of oppression. Uther walked ahead, moving briskly, while Felicia followed closely behind, looking around with great curiosity. It was probably her first time in a place like this as a royal.

Turning a corner, moans of a woman came from behind a pile of rubble. A scantily clad prostitute was being taken from behind by a muscular porter. Felicia watched in surprise as the two continued their piston-like movements, her face flushing. However, Uther seemed unfazed and walked calmly past the two in the act. They turned into the next alley, and the sound of the woman's moans disappeared.

"Uther, did you see that?" Felicia seemed to have discovered a new world, "Those two were doing such things in broad daylight... it's so shameless!"

"Because it's expensive to rent a room, and these middle-aged women are cheap, that's why customers like to come to places like this to solve their problems and reduce expenses." Uther sighed, "After all, it's not easy for the lower-class people to earn money. You wouldn't understand as an Empire princess."

"I can't argue with that..." Felicia seemed to be taken aback, "Although I have commanded a tenth of the Empire's military power, I have never had a proper conversation with people from the lower class."

"Are you not having a conversation with one now?" Uther said, "I am one of them."

"What? How is that possible..." Felicia hesitated, "I thought Uther was the child of an Empire military officer... because you're wearing an Empire military coat..."

"This? It was a gift from a friend. But don't get any funny ideas, I never sold my body." Uther patted the coat, "Actually, I have nothing. I haven't even seen my own parents. I was abandoned at the doorstep of an orphanage when I was born. But I don't consider myself miserable, after all, I have many friends. Although many of them died in the Battle of Fort Hurricane."

"I'm sorry..." Felicia lowered her head.

"This is war, you don't need to apologize." Uther turned around and looked at Felicia, "If you hadn't allowed the defending forces to surrender on certain conditions, the battle would have continued. Once the Empire's army launched a full-scale landing operation, countless lives would have been lost on this Floating Island. So, I don't resent you, I even thank you a little." Her tone shifted, "But on that note, why did you, as an Empire princess, disguise yourself and come out on the streets?"

"Because I wanted to see the current situation of Fort Hurricane," Felicia said, "Not just listening to the reports from the bureaucrats, but seeing the revival of the city and the streets with my own eyes."

"And what did you find?"

"It's completely different from the report. Those bastards have been lying to me! It's despicable! I should take them all to a military tribunal and execute them!"

"Princess, please calm down!" Uther stopped the raging princess, "Your staff are so unreliable, aren't they?"

"Sorry, I lost control." Felicia sighed, "To be honest, I don't have a single trusted member in my staff right now. Admiral Meckel and Mayor Dengral sent me many secretaries, but none of them are trustworthy. They're full of lies and deceive me. I am the Lord and Governor of Fort Hurricane, after all! It's truly despicable!""Charlie Dengral, I know that guy," Uther said. "Former Senator of Fort Hurricane, looks like a pig. It is said that he was embroiled in scandal for accepting bribes. I can't believe this guy had the nerve to join the Empire and become the mayor. So now I finally know where most of Empire's aid went? Dengral is capable of doing such things, he's an expert at lining his own pockets. Your Highness, since you are both a noble and a magistrate, why don't you just get rid of this guy?"

"The reason is simple," Felicia sighed bitterly. "Dengral and Meckel are in cahoots, and they have completely sidelined me. I have no real power at all."

"That's really unfortunate," Uther sighed. "But to remove you from your position as fleet commander and throw you into a remote front-line base as a lord, your emperor really knows how to use and discard people."

"Please don't say that, I could get beheaded."

"Fine, long live the emperor."

They both sighed together and then burst into laughter. Felicia, who was eighteen this year, seemed to be six years older than the twelve-year-old Uther, both in terms of height and figure, and most importantly, the gap in their statuses was enormous. Yet, these two girls were happily laughing in a gloomy alley.

"Uther is like a doll, beautiful and adorable," Felicia stroked Uther's long hair. "Can I take you home?"

"Absolutely not," Uther said firmly. "I have something important to do."

"What kind of thing?"

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you."

"That's a shame," Felicia sighed disappointedly.

They turned two more corners, and Uther made a gesture to stop, but Felicia didn't understand individual combat tactics at all, and ended up crashing into Uther's back.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Uther squatted down in silence, lifting the plastic sheeting from the corner of the wall, revealing a corpse in front of them. It was a gaunt mother, curled up in a fetal position while clutching a baby in her arms. She was already dead. Seeing this scene, Felicia took a sharp breath, her eyes flickering with sorrow and anger.

"It's so tragic," Felicia shook her head. "Such a tragic thing."

"She's been dead for about three days, probably froze to death at night," Uther sighed. "Many people have died from the cold this year, this mother and child were just unlucky."

"If I could have done something, maybe they wouldn't have died," Felicia clenched her fists. "What have I been doing this past year? As a lord, I allowed my subjects to die so tragically. I'm truly incompetent. Uther, I don't want to defend myself because I can't. The tragedies happening here are my responsibility. I, Felicia von Borgman, swear that such tragedies must not continue."

"And what do you plan to do?" Uther asked, "Your Highness."

"Many officers in the First Fleet support me," Felicia said earnestly. "I have decided to use the Marine Corps to forcibly suppress the city hall and execute those corrupt politicians who have lined their own pockets."

"Your Highness, are you planning a mutiny?" Uther shook his head. "I believe Emperor His Majesty will not turn a blind eye to such matters. And before you mobilize the Marine Corps, you need to deal with Admiral Meckel first. This is a complete suicide mission, and a particularly reckless one at that."

"What do you suggest I do then?"

"Patience, and wait for an opportunity," Uther said. "I believe that in the near future, those who have acted unjustly will be purged by you, because you have seen the status quo of this Floating Island and the suffering of the lowest class. Felicia, you are an upright person, and people like you are rare, whether in the Empire or the Federation. At least I will support you wholeheartedly, this is sincere. Let me, on behalf of my living and dead friends, thank you for everything you have done for Fort Hurricane."

"I am ashamed," Felicia lowered her head. "Thank you."

"Let's go, pull your hood up, the exit is up ahead," Uther covered the body again. "There's a military police post just across the road, you'll see it when you get out. Next time, at least bring a guard with you, don't rely on luck, you won't always have a fool like me to help you."The two of them walked shoulder to shoulder to the exit of the alley. Philexia went out, but Uther remained standing in the alley.

"Will we ever see each other again?" Philexia turned to Uther and extended her hand.

"Perhaps not," Uther smiled and didn't shake the princess's hand. "Everything is up to fate, after all, we live in two completely different worlds."

Having said that, Uther intended to turn and walk further into the alley, but Philexia embraced her from behind.

"I will try my best," she whispered in her ear, "thank you again, Uther."

The pressure on her back suddenly vanished, and Uther walked towards the depths of the alley without looking back. Philexia, who had pulled her hood back up, walked towards the guard post, and the two figures gradually disappeared into the distance.

Arriving at the depths of the alley, Uther unlocked the safety of her handgun and activated her body enhancement and petrified skin. Three masked men had been watching Uther and Philexia closely on their way here. These three had been following them for a long time.

"Oh, goodness, why did I get involved?" Uther sighed. "Hey, you three, come at me together, I'm in a hurry to get home."

The three masked men were greatly insulted and charged at Uther with their swords. Uther swiftly drew her revolver and shot at them. In the narrow alley, there was hardly any space to dodge, so the three men charged at her together but were easily stopped as Uther shattered their legs with her gun.

The place that had just been cleaned up was now in chaos. The framework of the Night Owl Command Type armor was exposed, with all the outer layer bulletproof armor being removed and piled up in a corner of the warehouse. The remaining various circuits and hydraulic pipes, resembling human muscles and nerves, were entangled on the steel frame made of magic steel. The Magic Armor utilized a large number of ancient magic technology, and it could be said to be the product of the culmination of ancient magic technology. Many of its systems are no longer understood by humans today, and can only be manufactured according to standard templates.

As time passed, humans lost their grasp of magic technology. The standard construction templates were destroyed in war or lost due to accidents. Even the technicians who could fully explain the operation principles of the Spirit Seed Furnace became scarce. One day, humans would eventually lose all their technology and be trapped on the Floating Island, right?

Lin wiped the sweat off her forehead, turned the wrench, and continued dismantling the Spirit Seed Furnace. Most of the external modules of the Night Owl Command Type had been dismantled, but the Spirit Seed Furnace, which was integrated with the magic steel frame, remained intact. Lin opened the casing and saw the charred magic steel parts inside, furrowing her brow. This Spirit Seed Furnace was completely destroyed. Any mechanic could tell just by taking a glance, even the basic magical formula that comprised its core had fallen apart. She reached out and took off a gear inscribed with runes. The gear had cracked in half and was no longer usable.

Letting out a deep sigh, Lin took off her greasy gloves and placed the damaged gear on the workbench. Following the instructions on the runes, she began to carve a new part. In order to make this severely damaged Magic Armor take flight again, the Spirit Seed Furnace had to be fixed, and Lin was one of the few people in the world who fully understood how the Spirit Seed Furnace operated.

"I'm back!"

The door was pushed open forcefully, and Uther brushed off the snowflakes from her body before turning to close the door. When she saw that the warehouse, which had been cleaned in the morning, was once again in chaos, she couldn't help but groan in pain, pressing her forehead.

"Just cleaned... and now it's like this again."

"Welcome back," Lin greeted almost indifferently, continuing her repair work.

Uther forced a smile. Her sworn brother had never been one for words, rarely showing emotion. The first impression he gave was a cold feeling, seemingly indifferent to everything, even leaving the existence of emotional fluctuations in question. However, not expressing emotions didn't mean Lin didn't have them; he was like a dormant volcano that would suddenly erupt once it reached a certain critical point. Either soaring into the sky or falling into ruin..."Where have you been?" Lin asked while working.

"I went out for a walk and gathered some information," Uther put the food in the kitchen, took off her coat, hung it on the hanger, and then untied the holster and bullet belt around her waist, hanging the revolver on the hanger as well. Next, she put on a blue apron, ready to cook.

"You smell like gunpowder," Lin sniffed, "and there's a scent of blood too."

"I didn't expect you to live in a room filled with miasma for so long but still maintain your sense of smell," Uther said while tying the apron, "I just scared off a few troublesome guys by firing a few shots. But speaking of which, the public security on the streets is getting worse, especially in the alleys. It's become a haven for criminals."

"When you go out with a gun, be careful not to get caught by the Empire guards," Lin continued working. "I don't have money to bail you out."

"Don't worry, how could I be caught by those idiots?" Uther walked over, "How's the progress on the repairs? Should we eat first? I brought back some skewers and bread."

"Let's wait to eat later. Before that, I have a few questions to ask you," Lin stopped her work and placed a large bundle of twisted cables on the table. They were conductive circuits made of precious metal silver, responsible for transmitting the mana collected from the driver to power the Spirit Seed Furnace. However, these circuits seemed to have burnt out, with the outer insulation layer scorched and peeling off, even the silver wires themselves had melted.

"I want to know what happened here?" Lin held up the wire and waved it in front of Uther, "How much mana does it take to turn these conductive circuits into this state?"

"Um..." Uther's eyes wandered, realizing that she had simply increased the amount of mana injection without considering the system's load. "Maybe it was an accident," she said, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Alright, set that question aside," Lin took the disassembled gear in her hand, half of it melted, "This part is the reduction mechanism of the core rotor for the Spirit Seed Furnace. I'm really wondering how a part made of magical steel could be burnt to this state. Or let's talk about the reasons for the destruction of the Spirit Seed Furnace. I think it's because the injected mana exceeded the load of the Spirit Seed Furnace, causing the entire system to burn down."

"I see," Uther smiled bitterly, "I'm sorry, I'll pay attention in the future."

"I don't care about your sorry!" Lin slapped the table, "Theoretically, even if a human exhausts all their mana, it would still be impossible to cause an overload on the Spirit Seed Furnace and the conductive circuits. When they were designed, they were meant to withstand much more mana than humans can produce, about fifty times the theoretical maximum mana output of a human. So, under normal circumstances, the Spirit Seed Furnace cannot be destroyed just by the mana injected by the driver."

"What are you trying to say?" Uther raised an eyebrow, "I don't understand."

"I want to know what your relationship is with Karlus," Lin said.

"I can only tell you the answer after you fix this Magic Armor. Didn't we agree on this beforehand? I will provide you with funds and take care of your living, but you have to help me fix the armor."

"Am I being kept by you?" Lin picked up the note that Uther had placed under a plate, "Well, then, how do you explain this? It says 'I'll be back in the evening,' but this handwriting that looks like a turtle crawl is very familiar."

Uther's heart skipped a beat. She had been careless.

"Well…" she tried to continue with her lie, "Because my handwriting was taught by Karlus, I was just copying his style, only to find out later that his handwriting is incredibly ugly."

Lin looked at Uther with an expression that said "Who are you kidding?" Uther's throat went dry, unable to come up with any more lies.

"Taking back what I said earlier," she coughed, "We agreed that you would fix the armor and I would tell you the answer. Until then, I won't tell you anything."

"You're being unfair," Lin sighed.

"Being unfair is a child's privilege," Uther crossed her arms, "But I will abide by the agreement."Lin fell silent, and after a few seconds, he shook his head. "Can you tell me how Carlus died?"

"Don't you want to see for yourself?" Uther looked away. "I didn't erase the data from the flight recorder. Everything is there. Haven't you looked?"

Without another word, Lin turned around and continued his repair work. The flight recorder was a camera system used by Magic Armor pilots to record their combat records. Lin had already seen the data from the flight recorder, but it only raised more questions for him.

The two of them, seemingly in a strained relationship, approached dinner time. Uther heated up bacon in a skillet, and when the meat became tender and golden, she cracked eggs on top to make bacon and egg rolls. Then she poured the cooked soup into a bowl and served it with freshly baked bread from the afternoon. The simple and unadorned dinner was served hot on the table.

"We should try stewed meat next time."

Uther stretched her shoulders and muttered to herself. She wore a blue apron to prevent grease from getting on her clothes. Then she jumped off a box she used as a footstool. Because her height had shrunk, she had to find something to stand on. To others, her action was extremely cute.

Lin ate his dinner in silence as Uther quietly observed him and realized he was deliberately avoiding her gaze.

"Hey, why don't you say if it's good or not?" she said. "Tomorrow we'll stew meat, that settles it."

"Please don't use radishes."

"Who would stew meat with that? I'm on the side of potatoes!"

Actually, stewed meat with radishes was quite tasty, but unfortunately, Uther didn't like radishes either. Being called the "guy who can survive as long as there are potatoes" by Hadley, it would be terrible if he suddenly defected to the radish camp. Just then, the door was pushed open. Hadley's bald head appeared in the doorway, with a bottle of alcohol in his left hand and a paper bag containing bread and sausages in his right hand, as if he had entered his own home casually.

When he saw Uther wearing an apron and eating at the table with Lin, he raised his eyebrows happily.

"Are you two getting married?"

"Impossible!" "What a joke!" Lin and Uther denied in unison.

"Hahaha, I guess not." Hadley sat down at the table, placing the bread and sausages on it. "I just thought, for a moment there, I saw a glimpse of the past, hahaha."

This person is hopeless... Uther turned her face away.

"But speaking of which, why are you here?" Lin stared at Hadley. "Isn't it inappropriate for an Empire Army major to come to my house?"

"I did indeed defect to the enemy." Hadley sighed. "In the eyes of many, I am a traitor. But I believe that His Highness is worth following."

"Which His Highness?" Uther interjected. "The Duchess of Bergman Border, Filixia von Vogt?"

"The Princess of War?" Lin asked.

"Yes," Hadley nodded. "I witnessed the final stage of the Fort Hurricane battle and had the privilege of hearing the ceasefire command issued by Her Highness. Without her, more people may have died at Fort Hurricane."

"I don't deny that," Lin said. "Let's agree to disagree."

"A toast to each his own!" Hadley took out a bottle of wine, but just as he was about to open it, Uther swiftly snatched the bottle and threw it out the window.

"What a waste!" Lin exclaimed. "That was a good bottle of wine!"

"No alcohol allowed!" Uther slammed the table and shouted. "Idiot!"

Hadley looked at his empty right hand and burst into laughter.