Jimmy spoke as the elevator carried them back up, this time toward the ground floor. "You did well back there."
The doors slid open almost the moment they arrived.
Kyle let out a quiet sigh. "I thought I made quite a few mistakes."
He still regretted pulling that punch.
Ever since last night’s battle, the line separating men from monsters had begun to blur in his mind.
Still, after exchanging blows with Bennet for a while, he realized the man could have taken that hit, gotten back on his feet, and kept fighting.
"Don’t worry about his family situation. He doesn’t resent you," Jimmy said reassuringly. "He can look intimidating, but he’s a man devoted to his work. Nothing comes before that."
Kyle gave a faint, wry smile. "I hope you’re right."
The last thing he wanted was a full-grown man making his life miserable.
He would gladly take another spar over enduring constant taunts and childish pranks.
"Ah, you’re back... and injured." Serena’s eyes immediately landed on the bruise along the side of Kyle’s lip as the two stepped out.
"It’s nothing," Jimmy replied before Kyle could speak. "Just a little mark of greeting." He gave Serena’s shoulder a light pat. "Stop worrying about every little thing, dear. You’ll end up with wrinkles before your time."
Serena’s cheeks reddened before she quickly defended herself. "I was assigned to take care of him. Sir Pascal would be disappointed if I failed on my very first day."
Kyle smiled helplessly. "It’s alright, Miss Serena. Sir Jimmy didn’t force me into anything." He pointed at his face. "And if you’re worried about the injury... take another look."
Serena frowned and looked closer.
"What?"
Her eyes widened.
The bluish bruise that had stained the side of his lip only moments ago had completely disappeared.
"He has recovered from far worse than that," Veronica said calmly. She had witnessed him walk away from a battle against a special grade and recover within a single day. No lengthy treatment. No days confined to a bed.
That was why she had remained calm while watching him trade blows in the pit. She knew Kyle’s body could endure far more than anyone here could inflict.
Even so, it did nothing to ease the irritation simmering inside her.
Serena gave a slow nod. "I understand. Would you like to rest in the infirmary or return to your quarters?"
"I’d appreciate some privacy." Kyle rubbed the back of his neck with an embarrassed smile. "I’d also like to take another bath, if that’s alright."
"And you, Miss Veronica? Your room has already been..."
"I’ll stay with Kyle."
The answer came without a moment’s hesitation. Her arm never left his.
Kyle drew a slow breath and turned toward the silver-haired girl.
"Can’t I?" she asked softly, her round eyes glistening with uncertainty.
The words he had been about to say caught in his throat.
"Of course you can." He smiled and nodded. "Lead the way, Miss Serena."
Jimmy chuckled. "What a lovely pair. Well then, I’ll leave you two to yourselves. I’ll see you again at the evening feast."
Kyle blinked. "You’re joining us for the meal?"
"Not just me." Jimmy’s grin widened as he slowly backed away, never turning his back on them. "Quite a few people will be there. Trust me, they’ll be eager to meet you."
The moment the words left his mouth, he disappeared without a trace.
Kyle made no attempt to follow him with God’s Eye.
There was simply no need.
With Serena leading the way, they headed toward another building not far from the first. Unlike the imposing structure they had just left, this one looked far more ordinary, resembling a normal residential complex.
As the elevator doors closed behind them, Kyle finally asked the question weighing on his mind.
"Is there any chance I could leave soon and meet Amanda?"
Veronica’s grip around his arm tightened ever so slightly.
Kyle noticed it but didn’t take back his words.
He wanted to see Amanda.
He couldn’t explain why. It wasn’t exactly a sense of danger, yet something deep inside him urged him to check on her.
"I’m afraid not for at least two days, Cadet," Serena replied apologetically. "You’ll need to complete a routine scan, undergo several measurements and evaluation trials, and only then can we prepare your uniform, training regimen, and instructor assignments."
Kyle let out a quiet sigh, his shoulders sinking.
He should have expected as much.
Now that he was here, far from home, walking in and out whenever he pleased was never going to be an option.
"I understand." After a brief pause, he met Serena’s eyes. "But please... make sure it happens in two days."
...
Thud.
"I’d call this modest," Kyle remarked with a nod as he and Veronica stepped inside.
His gaze immediately swept across the room.
Every corner and shadow.
Every possible hiding place.
Only after a thorough inspection did he finally relax. There wasn’t the slightest trace of surveillance, hidden traps, or an unwanted presence.
It felt strange.
A facility this secure should have monitored every room under its roof.
Yet God’s Eye found nothing.
That was enough for him.
"Hmm... they’ve given you a room better than what most people get," Veronica murmured as she walked past the narrow hallway and into the spacious master bedroom.
Kyle opened the door to his left.
It led to a walk-in changing room, its walls lined with neatly installed wardrobes, offering more than enough space for an entire wardrobe of uniforms and casual clothes alike.
Just when he entered the main room, after closing the door, he was shocked to the point of forgetting how to breathe.
Not because of any attacker waiting for him...no, that still would have just alerted him. But the sight before him left was completely stunned.
Veronica stood there, without a single fabric of clothing covering her body.
Arms spread and she said, "I have made up my mind, Kyle...please don’t reject me."
°°°°°°
A/N:- Thanks for reading.