It has been 3 days now since Kalis is part of the simulation, his life on the campus have drastically changed. He start recognizing participants of the game in the hall, he start seeing color and stat on their head. His mind is now fill with civiization management and economy planification. Adding with history lessons and the module he have to take it might seems like an impossible task, but actually he found that part really fun. The Wargame remind him of his favorite game of all time it was more a recreative activity than a punishment. Also his faction pretty well as he got two additional planets to his sphere.
That day he was walking casually in the hall, history book in hand not really looking where he goes when bump into someone. Don't worry thats not the casual scene where the MC bump into a cute girl and she falls in love with him. He did in fact bump into a girl but, he was the one who almost fall, she grab him and he regain his balance.
''Thanks, I almost lose the page''
''you can also say sorry'' she said in a deep voice.
''He up his eyes to the the girl in front of him being taller than him''.
''Oh you''. He said disapointed.
It was triple R, the girl from his class. He is still mad at the fact that she is taller than him so he tried avoiding any conversation with her
''It has been 3 days now, my fleet will arrive tomorrow''.
''Oh don't speak so serioulsy please, it is just a game''.
''For your maybe but for our seniors they yearly evaluation is on the line''.
''What really ? Phew, I'm glad i didn't go to that department. Anyway you didn't stop by to talk about that don't you ?''.
''Well as i said, it has been 3 days now, and you didn't do anything''.
''Hey, a little respect on me, I build a lot of farm on the last planet I've discovered''. he said falsely angry. ''I feed my people, and the population is happy. The complex will be ready soon.''
''This is not what I'am talking about'' she insist. ''No ship, no combat satelite, no Figthers, it is kinda weird that the cadet known for his performance in combat simulaton have actually nothing combat related''.
Kalis lose his friendly demeanor, showing her a suspicious gaze.
''You aren't supposed to know what I build inside my system until you make contact with it and proper roads have been established''.
She smiles at him pointing the PDA on his belt
''The game keep going even when we left the simulation ROOM. Pay attention to where you let this thing, some of your friends are quick to betrayal if your promise some...let's say special reward.''
The name of a certain Uriah Lagrone suddenly pop on his mind filling him with anger and a will for revenge, but he manage to keep that fire inside of him after all it is too soon to kill Cadet Lagrone and depending on the future he might as well be his superior officer under a ship. Anyway what 3R told him helps him understand now this feeling of unease he have been feeling for 3 days now.
''There are spies among us.'' he said
''Good answer, you are sharp as ever. Consider everybody in this school even non participants as a potential spy. A little lesson I've learn the hard way''.
''Thanks for the tips now I'll make sure to not trust my friends.'' He said in sarcasm. ''As a matter of fact I don't care I have nothing to hide, my preoccupation right now is, why the help ?''
She look around as if she was trying to make sure they are alone. She then took him by the arm and lead him to an isolated corner of the resting area. Kalis didn't understand, was this little game really that important ? He can't picture it that way, yet he was ready to acknowledge that many students take it very seriously. Once Rhea make sure they were alone she answer to him.
''I got dragged in this little game by my senior, you know the cute little boy with a constant angry face''.
''Madara senpai ?''
''Exactly, but I don't really mind, the game has been fun so far and I like playing space politics. What bother me is that our senior view us as stepping stones to graduate. Even worse, we will inherit their mess once we become 3rd year''.
''Meaning we are trapped in this game for a long time.''
''Exactly, and because of that our graduation as 3rd year will also depend on it since it will count 50% of the mark.''
Now Kalis wide his eyes, this ''little'' game is getting more and more important in his mind
''I have different plan actually'' Pursue Rhea. ''No second Year led faction have been victorious since the creation of this game. I intend to play a little trick to our senior, what do you think ?''
It has been his longest discussion with this girl so far and honestly she seems great. An alliance in this situation of his is very tempting, there are numerous advantage he can get from this partnership especially since he would get someone inside the yellow faction. She was like a pro player offering her help to the beginner so he can get good and become a valuable ally. Unfortunately she ignore one important thing. Kalis Enyx is no beginner at all, he have been playing his RTS on max difficulty fighting against an AI coded by the devil himself, sometime with faction using infinite resources and spamming x amount of ship at him. Now he is playing the same game with humans and a specific set of rule in order to make the simulation more realistic. From his point of view he is playing in a way too easy mode. He didn't refuses right away but proceed to get the most confusing and unrelated explanation.
''You know Cadet Reginlaze you are pretty, and smart too. You are defintely my type like Admiral wife matieral you see. Yet I never confess to you, you know why ?''
She nod out of confusion.
''Because you are F*cking tall. You are taller than me. A man is supposed to lower his head and kissed his dear, not the other way around. That's why i hate tall women. But it is unfair to blame you for something out of your control, and I am still growing anyway, so only the future will tell us.''
Rhea blink many times, trying to connect the dots between what she just said before and what seems to be like a very weird confession. There wasn't any, he didn't want to accept the offer but he didn't to refuse it either, so he proceed to confuse the hell out of her and just move away.
''Anyway It was a pleasant discussion but i have an important appointement so, take care of yourself''
He leave her alone, and the girl start wondering what just Happened. It was so sudden and shocking, this discussion turn out to be nothing she expected. She start laughing in her corner still wondering what is going on in that tiny brain of him. This night before the lights turns off she get contacted by her seniors. The girl was in her personal private room because well her father is a rich and successful politician so he ask for his daugther to have private quarter. The girl was making some tea before her computer goes on with the face of Madara appear.
''Oh it is you''. She said a bit surprise.
''So, how the negotiation goes ? did he take the bait ?''.
She smile and let escape a little laugh, but regain her composure and try to be serious.
''I don't know.'' she simply said.
''How is that you don't know''? He asked raising an eyebrow.
''It is like i said I really don't know. Either I am a bad actress, or he saw through me or I don't know.''
''Wait, he dare refusing your offer ? what a cocky brat.''
''Haha look who is talking'' Said a new voice
Hari appears on the screen and start teasing him, he get angry as usual and then calm himself.
''Good afternoon Rhea, how have you been ?''
She raise her shoulder while smiling.
''It could have been better you know but things are the way they are I guess.''
''What do you think of him ?'' Hari Asked. ''Honestly'' she insisted
''He has a plan for sure, but I think this is also partially bluff.''
''Bluff you said ?'' asked Madara.
''He definitely got no armed forces, we can be sure of that. On the other hand if Mimir system become a battlefield we will be focus on figthing each other rather than acquiring resources. At the end of the day we will be consumming more resources to acquire new ones''.
''Attrition warfare eh''. Whisper Hari.
''What if we annex him first ?'' Asked Madara ''we have a 4 weeks advance. If we push fast enough we could take control of the system.''
''Don't understimate Cadet Enyx, senpai. He won't go down without a fight, he may have no combat fleet, but he must have plan something sly to make our «rapid» conquest more difficult.''
''That will also give a pretext for queen to intervene''. Support Hari. ''Remember that public opinion is also a variable in this game, we can't afford it to get lower than it already is.''
''Starting an unprovoked war with a tiny nation would might spark a rebellion among our ranks.'' Explained Rhea.
''Alright alright I get it''. Said Madara irritated. ''We can't be the agressors in this scenario. So lets become the defender''.
The girl smile at him changing his mind but he remained unbothered.
''Once you get there position your fleet on the alliance sortie route, make a stand off and stop them from going any further.''
Rhea wide her eyes as she seems to understand what her senior have in mind.
''You want him to colonize all the planets arounds so they would become part of its territory making invasion an act of agression.''
''And since it is the Alliance policy to never initiate conflict first queen would think twice before acting reckless.'' support Hari with a smile. ''Sasuga Madara kun. There is more in that brain of yours than violence and destruction''.
''Urusei''. he yelled at her. ''Anyway you have your order triple R. Madara Over''
He end the transmission quickly. Hari stay a bit longer to have a girl chat with Rhea, but she was too tired and start spacing out so the senior also leave. The cadet then fall asleep on her bed and start smiling thinking about how the coming this new player create a commotion among the players.
''It seems that we understimate you, Cadet Enyx. Maybe you not...''
A small player