Cannon fodder in the Interstellar

In this world, spatial devices are widely available. While some are expensive, there are also cheaper options, allowing most people to pack quickly. The new students packed away their personal items, leaving no trace behind.

Ruo Manni remembered Instructor Dudley’s advice: no matter how convenient your spatial device is, if an enemy intends to interfere, you might not be able to access your things, so it’s important not to rely on them too much.

Whenever going on an adventure or a mission, it’s necessary to carry essential items in a backpack. The weapons most frequently used should be kept within easy reach, rather than stored in a spatial device.

Ruo Manni had a small backpack and a long whip wrapped around her waist like a stylish belt. The pockets of her pants bulged slightly, containing the mini disintegration pistol that Lieutenant Lin had given her.

The others were similarly equipped with inconspicuous weapons. Ruo Manni even noticed that Mina-Olli had more than just a pistol.

Though it was concealed by her pants, Hua Deli and Dean Atchison, being well-informed, could easily identify the weapon Ruo Manni carried.

This raised their suspicions about her guardians. Although the couple appeared to be ordinary instructors at a mid-level academy, how could two average teachers from a third-tier planet possibly acquire such advanced weaponry, let alone secure a firearm license for an underage girl?

Obtaining a firearm license for a minor requires a senior military or police officer to act as a guarantor. Moreover, imperial law clearly states that if a minor commits a firearm-related crime, the guarantor bears half of the responsibility.

Thus, the information about Ruo Manni’s guardians must be inaccurate; those two are definitely not ordinary instructors, as regular teachers wouldn’t have access to such items.

Ruo Manni was unaware of her companions’ complex emotions, her gaze fixed eagerly on the sky, devoid of her usual calm demeanor.

“I’ve never seen you like this,” Mina-Olli suddenly remarked, standing next to her.

Ruo Manni glanced back at Mina-Olli and understood her meaning, smiling as she replied, “I’ve never seen a real mech. How could I not be excited?”

“But you’re already a level-three mech manufacturer. How have you never seen a real mech?” Dean Atchison asked curiously.

“I meant I’ve never piloted a real mech. I haven’t even done so online,” Ruo Manni innocently explained.

The real mechs she had touched belonged to the original owner; this bumpkin from the Earth era had indeed never seen one.

As they spoke, a small battleship silently descended from the sky, and Instructor Dudley led the group of new students aboard.

As the eighth person to board, Ruo Manni noticed a badge emblem on the ship’s tail that was identical to the one on the training base’s entrance.

Is this battleship the private ship of the Crown Prince?

The interior of the ship isn’t very spacious, but the hall has luxurious and comfortable seating. The new students, without needing the instructor to prompt them, found places to sit and fastened their seatbelts.

As the battleship took off, it only shook slightly, much more stable than a commercial flight.

Once Instructor Dudley boarded, he told them to sit tight and not move around, and then he fell silent. So, the new students had no idea where they were headed or how long it would take to get there.

“This is a ground battleship, suitable only for flying on the planet’s surface; it can’t enter space,” Dean Atchison remarked, clearly knowledgeable.

“It won’t leave the capital star,” Hua Deli added confidently, being from a military background and having even more insight.

Hearing this, Ruo Manni guessed they had likely figured out the destination, but she wasn’t interested in asking; she would find out sooner or later.

“Brother Li, do you know something? Can you tell me?” the most “lively and adorable” Sheila asked sweetly, conveniently sitting across from Hua Deli.

Ruo Manni couldn’t help but marvel at her gaze and soft voice; she truly embodied the grace of a well-educated lady, resembling a naïve girl interacting with her older brother, with no sense of awkwardness.

Ruo Manni had observed several instances of this dynamic over the past month and a half, maintaining her cool distance.

Sheila’s attitude towards Hua Deli was indeed quite affectionate, but Ruo Manni didn’t sense any romantic feelings in her gaze; it didn’t seem like she had a crush on him.

Ruo Manni thought that Sheila’s actions were likely more about provoking Mina-Olli, her cousin.

The relationship between the two cousins seemed good on the surface, but in reality, it was clear that it was complicated. Ruo Manni felt this might be a story about jealousy, a devil that could twist one’s appearance.

Having spent over a month together, Ruo Manni noticed that the engagement between Hua Deli and Mina-Olli was a strategic alliance between two powerful families, lacking deep romantic feelings.

Perhaps this was the main reason for the male lead’s toxic romances; those infatuated with him might believe that Hua Deli and Mina-Olli’s bond was not true love, and if they could make him genuinely fall for them, Mina-Olli would mean nothing—after all, true love is invincible.

Ruo Manni thought that the male lead in the novel succeeded only because of his protagonist aura, but he had a fundamentally sound worldview.

In reality, Hua Deli also stood firm in his principles. In response to Sheila’s various schemes, he maintained a stoic demeanor, consistently supporting his fiancée Mina-Olli, which elevated her status.

It’s no wonder the novel portrayed him with so many toxic romances, putting Mina-Olli in danger several times without anyone labeling him as a scumbag.

Hua Deli was right; the battleship didn’t fly for long—about half an hour—before it came to a stop, and the new students eagerly stood up.

However, Instructor Dudley signaled them to wait, then slowly but firmly said, “This is the fleet of the Twelfth Legion led by the Crown Prince. The entire ship is filled with soldiers, so you must strictly follow the rules and absolutely cannot run around recklessly.”

The new students quickly agreed; they were all geniuses, not fools. Even if they were a bit eccentric, they knew where it was acceptable to misbehave and where it wasn’t.

Especially since they all grew up hearing stories about the Crown Prince and admired him greatly, how could they misbehave in the presence of their idol and leave a bad impression? They hoped to join the Twelfth Legion after graduation.

The new students lined up neatly as they disembarked from the battleship, their eyes shining with anticipation to possibly meet their idol from the Gus Empire.

Ruo Manni was no exception; she was a longtime fan of the Crown Prince.

Though the sky was beginning to darken, they could still see clearly that they were standing on a massive naval ship, with two soldiers guiding them towards the exit.

As a native of Earth, Ruo Manni had never seen such a large ship. They had landed on the top deck and felt like ants looking at an area even larger than the previous island.

This was a warship, filled with soldiers. Despite its size, the accommodations were far worse than on the island, requiring two people to share a room.

In this world, there were still strict gender distinctions, and the law provided strong protections for underage girls. As one of the only three females, Ruo Manni was pleased to have her own independent space and not disrupt the bond between Mina-Olli and Sheila.