Training, grind, some lewd and adventure

Sakura Zeimachi's plan for the upcoming days has finally been laid out.

In the morning, he intends to engage in exercises with the Hylia and the ship girls. During the afternoon, he will fulfill his duties as a commander diligently. And in the evening until dawn arrives, he plans to embark on explorations if there're no pressing matters.

That's the plan he has set forth.

If only he hadn't spent so much time tending to his personas and delving into his subconscious mind, Sakura Zeimachi might have been quicker to make these decisions.

Unfortunately, what's done is done. There's no point in regretting the past. He blames himself for it all, as it was his own mistakes. Therefore, he is determined to be more earnest moving forward.

His first step is to attend to his office matters, or so it supposed to be but due to his previous coma, it seems that the ship girls present haven't assigned much tasks to his command desk.

As a result, he now sits lost in thought at his desk after meeting with several ship girls during his journey to the office.

—————————————————

「PoV of Sakura Zeimachi」

As I suspected, I'd better join Hylia and Enty instead.

"(Sigh)"

Vestal and Hood also mentioned that Queen Elizabeth is currently handling matters in the Royal Navy. In other words, affairs of each faction are being managed by their respective leaders.

As a result, I can quickly finish the paperwork that's there.

Moreover, most of them only consist of daily reports, incoming letters, HQ calls directed to me, so I don't have to do much except reading.

Well... I guess they wouldn't easily entrust important matters to a greenhorn like me.

At least I consider their decisions as leaders to be appropriate.

Before coming here, I also met the three chocolate-skinned sisters on the way, South Dakota, Massachusetts, and Alabama. It seems they wanted to go on a vacation together in a nearby city.

After that, I crossed paths with Kaga, who appeared to be accompanying Akagi and Amagi for some shopping in town. Hopefully, what they want to buy isn't something dangerous.

Plus, based on what Hamman told me when I saw her playing with U-101 and Abercrombie, it seems something is happening in that city.

'You perverted idiot of a commander! We're about to have a party to celebrate the recovery of the port. But it turns out the main character himself doesn't even know... hmph, you're such a- hyaaa?! S-Stop, put that hands away! Yorktown nee-san, help! He's slapping my butt again!'

"A grand-ball, party huh?"

I thought the situation with the fleet and the port would be somehow chaotic, but apparently nothing harsh happened. If they're able to organize a party, it seems the atmosphere among the girls is starting to calm down a bit.

If I recall correctly, I promised to take them on a vacation before. Especially for Javelin and co, but if things turn out like this, I guess it's okay if I don't do anything.

I'll let them take care of themselves and offer my help when needed.

For now, let's take it easy and stay informed about what's happening in different places. I was quite surprised when Gurathnaka appeared in my dream along with that love letter from Suzuhara.

So hopefully, nothing unexpected is going to happen.

Fortunately, my smartphone is still here in this room. It would be quite a hassle if someone entered and tampered with it.

While browsing on my phone, I noticed notifications with various news updates. One of them was about Cera's disappearance, which had caused a stir among the gods from different dimensions.

I had a feeling that this would happen.

"If Hylia can quickly master Devasta... issue will be resolved."

However, the clump of iron was not something I could just "lend and equip." Just like Mikage, Devasta had its own rewards and costs. Right now it won't abide anyone beside me along with Cera since we're the one who forged it.

Plus, since I already had Mikage, I didn't really need Devasta. Having too much arsenal will just hinder me from mastering one.

What I can do now is to continue training Hylia until she can at least master Alastor. Once she's proficient in the Heaven and Hell Property, then I can move on to Seilenos and Doujigiri.

There's also news about fluctuations in the dead zone, though it doesn't necessarily seem important. The timing coincides with when Cera went through that zone with Hylia that's all.

That's about the extent of what's happening in my timeline right now.

"I thought... that's all there is? Ah! I should send a message to Moriarty."

I nearly forgot—I haven't informed Moriarty about anything since I arrived in this world. Since I have some free time now, I should take care of it before I forget again.

Let's start with the usual teasing and playful tone.

["Heyya~ Moriarty, how's it going, lovely~ You're fine over there, right? I'm doing just fine and dandy as sweet as a sugar cane. By the way, sweetheart, do you mind if I add another wife? 😉"]

Since I'm not used to giving updates and letting people know about my whereabouts, I feel a bit awkward. But I hope with this playful message, Moriarty will be slightly amused when she reads it again.

"Alright, sent! Haha, I wonder how she'll react when she reads this. It'll probably take some time for her to—"

[Reply: Moriarty is typing...]

[Reply: "We need to talk."]

Despite there's no looming clouds outside, I can hear a rumbling thunder from beyond. Reading those few words, I feel like all the courage and determination I had built up has suddenly disappeared.

So this is the power of a woman who's in a relationship, well duh but I am her partner.

"..."

["Yes, ma'am."]

That's how my afternoon goes, not much to do and not much to worry about... I hope...

I thought about checking on the progress of the Demi-System project, which is now being overseen by my indifferent personas, but instead, I'll just browse my smartphone again to see if there's anything new that I've missed.

...

....

.....

After spending hours playing with my gadget, I started to feel a bit drowsy. I rested my head on the table for a moment, sliding some papers aside so they wouldn't get buried under me.

I thought I could laze around for a bit longer, but unfortunately... I became aware of some consciousnesses heading my way.

One consciousness I couldn't read the thoughts of, and then a few others.

From their colors and shapes, it seems to be Hylia and her friends. That round one named Fuwa, and... hmm, there are quite a few of them.

*Knick-Knock*

"Come in, Hylia-san. HYLIA-SAN only, and that cotton fairy as well."

Even though the office space was still rather empty in terms of furniture, it would get too cramped if they all walked in at once. I'll first hear from Hylia about why they're invading this comfy-zone of mine.

"(Whisper) Uhh... looks like Zei already know..." (Hylia)

"(Whisper) Did we got spotted?!"「Queen Elizabeth」

"(Whisper) From the look of it, yes your majesty."「Belfast」

"(Whisper) But how? We never let him spot us even when we step into this building?"「Cleveland」

"(Whisper) It's because he's a PERVERT."「Hamman」

Oi, what did you just call me?

I'll definitely correct this cat one more time.

The door creaked open, emitting the sound of wooden hinges. Slowly bridging the gap between the office space and the corridor, I caught sight of Hylia entering, clad in an outfit I had never seen before.

Behind her, the silhouettes of several ship girls lingered. Some had animal ears on their heads, others wore crowns, and various other distinguishing features, but they didn't enter the room.

"Ah Zei, you're still working?" (Hylia)

"Fuwa?"

"... You guess it."

I had finished my duties as a commander for the day, but looking at the ship girls outside, it seemed I was about to be assigned a new task. Hopefully there's no overtime.

"Ooh, sorry if I'm disturbing you. Should I came later?" (Hylia)

"Fuwa!"

"Like what that fairy said, you don't really need to. I was just about to finish everything, so what can I do for this lil missy in her new dress?"

Look at you, acting all shy like that.

I already know you want to show off your new dress, don't you?

A long white dress that reached down to her ankles and sleeves, along with a pair of black shoes that still had the price tag on them.

Truly clumsy.

"Hehe, how about my looks? Hood grandma helped me pick this outfit. She said it's not graceful for a lady to always wear the same clothes. So, I used the allowance you gave me to buy this." (Hylia)

"Fuwa!"

The girl who had gotten her new "skin" started twirling around.

I have to admit, she looks quite cute.

But seeing her in the white dress while her colorful hair twirls around in front of me triggered an idea in my mind—one that I probably shouldn't mention.

'A jellyfish...'

And to be honest, I almost had another jump scare when she referred to Hood as "grandma." Thankfully, Hood wasn't here right now.

She seemed to be waiting for a positive response from me, so I just nodded to satisfy her. Considering that there's a party coming up, it wouldn't hurt for Hylia to have an appropriate outfit to attend.

"Ehehe~" (Hylia)

"Fuwa~"

But allowance? As far as I remember, I only gave her a bunch of ice cream.

Could it be that Hood gave it as a gift? Or maybe it's from them?

It would be a problem if she starts learning to steal or manipulate others with her cuteness to get things. It seems like tomorrow's training will be a little tougher than usual.

"Did they give this to you, Hylia-san?"

"They? Ah you mean them? Yup, it was a gift for my performance or so they said. Zei remember about my promise with Jaberin and everyone to play as an idol right?" (Hylia)

"I think there's something like that."

"It was a little hard considering how Cera was the one who always handled most of the prep-time, but I still remember how to do the basic with Fuwa. It was soo much fun! Next time Zei should come as well!" (Hylia)

"... Fhew so it was that. Alright fine with me then, when the time comes, I'll grace you with an hour of crescendo."

Is that so...

It's good that they're having fun, but I didn't expect to miss the part where the starter ships dressed up cutely and sang on stage. How unlucky I am.

"(Whisper) S-Somehow... they're pretty close?"「Queen Elizabeth」

"(Whisper) Her majesty! Please lower your steam!"「Cleveland」

"(Whisper) Enterprise-sama told me if she's not his daughter... but from the looks of it, they're very close. Are they perhaps..."「Belfast」

"(Whisper) Perhaps!? Don't tell me those two are actually!? H-Hentai!"「Hamman」

"Hamman, enter."

Alright that's it, if you want a pervert, then let me show you one.

...

....

.....

After satisfyingly making Hamman cry from the spanking, she fled while threatening to report this to Yorktown. As if I'm afraid – I could just go to Enterprise as a countermeasure.

Then, Queen Elizabeth, Belfast, and Cleveland entered to discuss their matters.

They presented complex tasks and elaborate plans that they wanted to proceed with if I agreed. Such as the aforementioned party, daily commissions to that city, and re-organizing some available fleet.

Without the need for many words, I naturally agreed.

In addition, Cleve-aniki mentioned that Saratoga-chan wanted to come over after she finished a few things. She wanted to clarify things about Gridley who had spread rumors about my condition when I was still in a coma.

However, I declined it and told her to come tomorrow noon. Because from late afternoon to the next morning, I already had other plans.

Ah, right, they also mentioned that they wanted to observe my training session tomorrow. I did create quite a spectacle when I used my Domain Expansion after all.

They frequently thought if it was another Siren attack, so I owed them apologize for that.

As evening approached, I began to prepare for my exploration.

My belongings weren't much – just Kaban-chan along with its contents, which I had momentarily forgotten about, and a tiger-patterned flashlight which hold the title as the most brightest flashlight in universe that had once blinded me.

"Gomenne Kaban-chan~"

Just like what had been planned, from the night until the dawn arrives, I'll head to the underground facilities that had been marked as my destination for the day.

This time, I wasn't alone on this journey. With the assistance of my hitchhiking partner, I safely arrived at my destination.

"Thanks for the ride, U-101. Next time let's play again."

Fortunately, she happened to be passing by with her wolf-pack, which allowed me to get a closer look at the submarine ships – well, to play around with them for a bit – before ultimately asking U-101 for a ride here.

"You can call me anytime, Mr. Commander. Just let me know, and I'll give you a ride. But... are you sure this is the right place?"「U-101」

I sensed a hint of doubt in her voice.

But what can I say? This place used to be a sanctuary for the ship girls who managed to escape or hide before the academy, port and everything inside of it was forcibly turned into a brothel.

Just like a shelter or a bunker, they used this place to hide after they "retreated".

The ones who ran and hid here were mostly the smaller ship girls or those who had lost their will to fight, just like how their status are after being affected by debuff like the "Toll of War" and "Low Resolve".

Not only they can't put out much fight, but after hearing the betrayal of their commander, the brimming resolve within them began to diminish until slowly faded away.

Thankfully, they weren't being turned into "meat" to fulfill men's desires or subjected to any kind of abuse that would render them as "scrap" to fulfill men's sense of conquest.

Thereby from my own perspective, this place likely carried memories of desperation for U-101.

I don't even need to peek into her mind to know that.

Given that she was one of the survivors thanks to the sacrifices of her friends, it's not surprising that she's now gazing somberly at what she's been through to reach this underground place.

It's one form of "Survivor Guilt."

"This is it, I planned to investigate further into this place. Who knows there's some hidden chest or hidden relic in here."

As I gave her a few reassuring pats on the head, I suggested that she try to stay calm and not dwell on the depressing thoughts.

Lending her the headphones from my bag, I advised her to play any song she liked while riding her Great Shark back home. I remembered that she enjoyed listening to music while driving, and rest assured, these headphones wouldn't get damaged even if they got wet.

According to the accounts of Belfast, Queen Elizabeth, and Cleveland-aniki themselves, this place existed before the academy was established and was rarely used by anyone except the Bullin sisters. But that explanation alone certainly doesn't explain everything.

Why only the Bullins could access this place?

Where does the ability to reject Feather come from?

What lies behind the walls within this place?

And why did U-101 decide to come along with me to this place?

"Let me go with you, just in case something happens, I could get us out with Great Shark."「U-101」

After a brief gaze in my direction, U-101 provided that response.

Well, it's fine, considering she has been here several times before. I'm sure she knows more about this place. And the key to live a pleasant life is to have fun whenever there's a chance, as long not overboard.

She also seemed to know how to put on the headphones and started searching for a suitable song. Her joyous expression reminded me of... reminded me of... someone...

Sigh... why do I end up recalling Klee at a time like this?

"..."

After that, I continued to follow the route I remembered. Even if I made a wrong turn or mistake, U-101 frequently corrected me, directing me where I should go while she ride her Great Shark alongside me.

She also warned and informed me about various traps set up by the Bullins that were still active. These traps were designed to halt the progress of humans who might stumble upon this place.

For Ship Girls, these traps might not be much of an issue, but for regular humans like me, it's a different story.

"Hyaah?! Uuuuh, what is this trap? I never knew about this..."「U-101」

For instance, like this gooey trap.

A trap that spilled a pile of sticky white goo which caused human skin to feel rashy and itchy. Its purpose was to make humans uncomfortable and prompt them to leave the area. At least, that's what I assumed.

For U-101, this should have been just an ordinary sticky substance without any effect on her. However, it turned out to be a substance that... white... was gooey... sticky... hard to clean... and stuck all over her body.

Sticky...

Gooey...

Hard to clean...

And stuck to her body...

Well done, Bullins!

"(Stare) Sic 'em, Great Shark!"「U-101」

I took -5 damage and got the Bleeding status after that.

Finally, we reached the front gate where a tall wall with a unique pattern on top blocked our path.

As I tried before, Feather in my grasp seemed to detect an invisible wall or an odd field that prevented her from moving forward.

I tried punching a few times, but it didn't budge at all.

Maybe I could have opened it using「Scissor」, but it would be a shame to destroy this facility.

Fortunately, U-101, who understood my difficulty, arrived and opened the wall after placing her palm on it. After she gave me a suspicious smile, she effortlessly opened what was difficult for me to break through.

"You know, Mr. Commander, actually there's a key that you need to open this gate. And thankfully *Beep* I'm one of the expert couriers who was given that key."「U-101」

"... Then why didn't you do that earlier? You were just sitting on Great Shark and grinning at me back and forth."

"Hehehe, I wanted to surprise you. Besides, I couldn't forget what happened earlier... so I thought I'd..."「U-101」

Ah... so she wanted to play a little prank on me because she caught me looking at her when she encountered that R+18 rating trap dungeon.

I thought U-101 was a well-behaved girl, but it seems she has her mischievous side too. Haha, quite cute. Now I wonder what kind of reward should I gift her after we done with this commissions.

We then entered the facility and caught sight of cyberpunk-themed machines and facilities all over the place. It took us a while to reach the main core of the facility, and sadly, the Bullin sisters weren't around, so I couldn't ask them further about this place.

Afterward, we took a break and got some sleep. U-101 was quite sleepy since she had been watching over me while I read various documents within that space. When I realized if morning will soon come, I carried U-101 to the seat and borrowed her ride towards the exit.

"Oooh, now I knew why she's all gung-ho about riding this Great Shark. Its just like riding a bike. Then can you do this as well? Here we go, card install! *CHING* Great Shark, FINAL VENT!"

[Great Shark, FINAL VENT]

There's nothing out of ordinary happening this day as well.