The Field Division's standards were extremely strict.
After all, their missions took them all over the world, dealing with dragons and alchemical artifacts. These weren't drills. They were life-and-death operations. Whether it was twisted and powerful enemies, Death Servants, or alchemical items with bizarre effects, sometimes you might even run into a Third- or Fourth-Generation existence.
Being stricter during screening meant one less risk during a mission.
It wasn't about cold numbers going up or down.
It was about how many people came back alive.
Of course, none of this really mattered to Morin.
If not for the need to keep a low profile and let Chu demonstrate once, he could've gone through the tests even faster.
As it stood, he still broke every Field Division record.
The good kind.
"Your data has been uploaded," Chu said to Morin, unsurprised. "Once the review passes, you'll officially join the Field Division."
"Field agents usually operate in pairs. I'd like to invite you to join my team."
"These two people need to understand each other and have a certain level of coordination."
"What about your previous teammate, Senior?" Morin asked curiously.
"He died on our first mission," Chu said quietly, lowering his gaze. "I'm a special case. After that, I applied for solo missions."
"I'm the only Field Division member with permission to operate alone."
"Since then, I've completed thirteen missions."
"And used 'Blood Burst' thirteen times."
"Senior, you really are a beast," Morin said sincerely.
Chu fell silent.
He'd said all this as a warning.
But Morin clearly didn't take it as one. If anything, he seemed interested.
"Senior, I understand what you mean," Morin said. "But we made a deal, didn't we?"
"I'm helping you find a way to improve Blood Burst."
"That's impossible without contact."
"...Alright." Chu nodded.
He knew he couldn't stop Morin.
With Morin's intelligence, he would eventually deduce everything from the files anyway. It was better to share his own research and study together, instead of wasting time.
And maybe-
Just maybe-
They could actually change something.
After all, if someone could live, who would want to die?
Chu still had people he cared about.
People he didn't want to leave behind.
"By the way," Chu added after a pause, "the Student Union is holding a dinner and social ball tomorrow at six, at Amber Hall."
"Caesar asked me to check if you're free."
"I'm busy tomorrow," Morin replied casually. "A hot girl asked me out to a restaurant in a nearby town."
"I'll probably be out."
"Are you going, Senior?"
"I don't really like banquets." Chu hesitated, looking slightly troubled. "Mainly... I don't like dancing."
"And it's not good to keep rejecting people."
"But it's even worse to agree to just one."
"Senior," Morin sighed, shaking his head. "Even though I know you're telling the truth, you should only say things like that in front of me."
"Don't say them outside."
He tsked lightly.
"Fortunately, I have similarly outstanding conditions, so I'm not offended."
"But honestly, this is easy to solve."
"Why not discuss it with Senior Susie?"
"That wouldn't be appropriate," Chu said, shaking his head.
"So it's 'not appropriate,' not 'unwilling,' huh?" Morin's eyes lit up. His gossip instincts were fully awake.
"It would affect a girl's reputation," Chu said seriously.
"Senior, you really can't see it?" Morin countered. "Her heart is already completely tied to you."
After a moment of silence, Chu spoke again.
"...But I can't give her any promises."
Morin understood and didn't press further.
This kind of thing couldn't be forced.
Otherwise, Chu wouldn't be Chu.
Still-
Thinking about it, Chu probably did have feelings for Susie.
It made sense.
She was beautiful, strong, and unwaveringly devoted. Even someone as cold as him would be moved. If not for Odin, for revenge, for a future he believed he didn't have, he might've accepted long ago.
Morin thought they were a good match.
In another future, when the whole world forgot Chu, she had been the second person to remember him.
But if that happened, Xia Mi would probably go berserk.
Dragging Chu along while yelling "I was here first" a thousand times.
Better let Senior handle his own love life.
Otherwise-
Should he try setting him up with both?
That might work too...
Morin fell into deep thought.
...
"Tomorrow at six," Zero said evenly while running, "the Student Union is holding a dinner and social ball at Amber Hall."
Her breathing was steady.
Perfectly controlled.
The moment Luming heard this, his brain went into overdrive.
Finger's words echoed in his head-the ones he'd given after trading a late-night snack for information.
"Don't think lightly about anything she says."
"With her background and personality, every word has meaning."
"You have to think about it carefully."
"And don't try to show off with experience or money."
"She's seen everything."
"Just act like yourself."
So Luming started thinking.
What does she mean by bringing this up?
It has to mean something.
Dinner. Social ball.
Is she... asking me to go with her?
His heart started racing.
It felt unreal.
A girl asking a boy to a ball wasn't something that could be called casual in any country.
Let alone someone like Zero.
It was one thing that she ran with him.
Another that she came to his door.
But now-
She wanted him to attend a dinner and social ball with her?
What exactly did Her Highness see in him?
Luming was painfully self-aware.
Compared to the noble kids at school, his looks were average.
His background was nothing.
The only thing he had was being an S-rank.
But the Boss was also an S-rank.
And far more handsome.
So why not him?
Could it really be like his loser senior said-
That Zero liked his "ordinary" feeling?
That sense of being completely out of place?
The more Luming thought, the messier his mind became.
In his sixteen years of life-
Being chased by a girl had never happened.
Not even once.