The Next Move

At night, Kate entered the Void Archive. As soon as she arrived, Dr. Mei, Chu Yue Chan, and her daughter Yun Wuxin knelt to welcome her.

"You don't have to do that in here," Kate said with a sigh, motioning for them to rise. Her gaze then fell on Yun Wuxin. "Anyway, time here really flows differently, huh? You've already grown this much," Kate remarked, smiling at the girl.

"Nice to meet you, Milady. My name is Yun Wuxin," the young girl introduced herself politely.

"I see. It's nice to meet you too. Have you been enjoying your time here?" Kate asked, her tone gentle.

"Yes, Milady. Dr. Mei and Mom keep me company," Yun Wuxin replied with a smile.

"That's good, but for a kid to be alone all the time isn't right either," Kate said thoughtfully. "I'd better bring you out sometime."

"Thank you, Milady," Yun Wuxin said, her gratitude clear in her voice.

"Now then, let's see the finished product," Kate said, turning her attention to Dr. Mei.

"Here is the A-173 Armada blueprint," Dr. Mei began as a hologram of the blueprint materialized before them. "I've also made improvements by successfully integrating Qi into the design, creating a fusion of technology and Qi to work together seamlessly."

"This should help us navigate the starry skies," Kate said, nodding in approval. Her eyes then drifted toward a shelf lined with books and materials on anime, manga, and manhua that she had read. "Also, how about we start on those ideas?" Kate suggested, pointing toward the collection.

"With your permission, I've already gone through some of them, thanks to Wuxin's recommendations," Dr. Mei admitted. "The mechs, in particular, are quite fascinating."

"I know, right?" Kate replied with a grin.

"Then let's proceed," Dr. Mei said, ready to bring the concepts to life.

"Let's do that," Kate agreed, her smile widening as she anticipated the next steps.

A series of holograms flickered into existence, forming a wide array of displays in front of Kate and Dr. Mei.

"These are the lists of Gundams and Knightmares, with the rest still uncategorized," Dr. Mei explained, her fingers gliding through the holographic interface.

"Knightmares are from Code Geass, right? Can those mechs even compete with Gundams?" Kate asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

"It really depends, Milady," Dr. Mei replied. "Their capabilities vary greatly depending on the model and the universe's physics."

"I see," Kate mused, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Then I'll leave it to you. I'll send my own design ideas to you. Make one for every single one of us even so, that's three total. Guide Chu Yue Chan on designing hers, okay?"

"Yes, Milady," Dr. Mei said with a slight bow.

"Great. Then I'll check back in later," Kate said as her figure shimmered and disappeared from the Void Archive.

The next day at school, Kate sat quietly at her desk, gazing out of the window.

"Wow, so you wear glasses too?" Prince August said as he approached her, his tone light and curious.

"Good morning, August," Kate replied without shifting her gaze. "I'm a little busy, so..." She waved her hand vaguely in front of her, her fingers moving as though she were typing on an invisible keyboard.

"What are you doing?" August asked, leaning closer in interest.

Kate didn't respond, too engrossed in her work. "My power source is the GN Drive, of course," she thought to herself, her focus locked on the numerous screens displayed only to her through the high-tech glasses she was wearing. "It's the best if you're judging purely by power output since the other sources need additional tech to reach their full potential."

She adjusted her glasses slightly. "At the very least, these glasses that Dr. Mei made are amazing. I can work even when I'm outside of the Void Archive," Kate mused with a hint of satisfaction.

Meanwhile, August watched her, baffled by her cryptic behavior, but he decided to let it slide for now.

Not long after, Shin entered the room with his companions, immediately noticing Kate's strange, typing-like gestures.

"Kate? What are you doing?" Shin asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

"It's none of your business," Kate replied sharply, not even glancing at him. Her abrupt tone caught Shin off guard, and he blinked in surprise.

Before he could respond, Kate added, "Wait, I need you to open a gate for me to that place after class."

"What? You can't even open a gate now?" Shin teased, raising an eyebrow.

Kate sighed, clearly annoyed. "I want to show you something. It's the weapon for the warship. Do you want to see it or not?"

At that, Shin's expression lit up with excitement. "Really?!" he said, his tone brimming with enthusiasm, startling everyone else in the room.

"Yeah," Kate replied coolly, glancing at her screens. "I want to show you the turret. If my calculations are correct, it can erase the capital in about three to four shots."

"WHAT?!" Shin exclaimed, his voice echoing in the classroom as everyone's jaws dropped.

"Does it use magic?" Shin asked eagerly, trying to wrap his head around such destructive potential.

"No," Kate replied flatly, her attention focused on selecting the technology she wanted for her mech.

Shin's excitement only grew, but August stepped in with a look of alarm. "Shin! What is this weapon? This is really dangerous!" August said, his voice laced with concern.

"Right, you're a prince, so it's normal that you're worried," Shin said, scratching the back of his head. However, his curiosity didn't waver, and he turned back to Kate, waiting for more details about this mysterious weapon.

"How about bringing Aug along since he's a prince of this kingdom?" Shin suggested, his tone light but curious.

Kate immediately shook her head. "No. You know this weapon is on the level of a war in space, and you want to bring someone with political power?"

Shin realized the implications and nodded. "You're right. If this tech leaks, it'll be problematic, especially since magic casting here relies heavily on imagination."

"Exactly," Kate said with a firm tone.

"Sorry, Aug," Shin said apologetically, glancing at the prince.

August looked conflicted but nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Kate pushed the floating screens to the side, clearing her view. "Right, I need land. How do I get some?" she asked, her tone suddenly shifting to business.

"Land? What do you need land for?" Shin asked, tilting his head.

"Why do you need land?" August echoed, his curiosity piqued.

"I need somewhere to build the warship," Kate explained bluntly. "I'd say about twice the size of the capital should be enough."

"Twice the size of the capital?!" everyone exclaimed in unison, their disbelief palpable.

"Kate?" Shin asked, wide-eyed.

"How about just building it in space?" Shin suggested quickly, hoping to cut down on the outrageous scale of the project.

Kate gave him a deadpan look. "How do I get there? Sure, I can fly, but how about the workers? They can't just float around in space."

"Workers?" Shin repeated, scratching his head.

Kate sighed. "Let's talk about this after class."

"What about Cecily and Maria?" Shin asked, referring to his companions.

"Bring them home using the gate," Kate replied without looking, already engrossed in her work again as the floating screens lit up with more data.

After some time, the classes ended, and Class S headed to the cafeteria. Cecily walked closer to Kate.

"Ms. Kate?" Cecily called softly.

"What is it?" Kate replied, her tone calm as she glanced at her.

"Nothing... I guess I'm just curious," Cecily said hesitantly.

"Oh? What are you curious about? Curiosity should always be fed," Kate said with a slight smile.

"But curiosity might kill the cat," Cecily quipped in return.

"You're right," Kate said with a nostalgic look, remembering moments from her past where curiosity nearly cost her life. "What do you want to ask?" she added.

"I'm just curious about your childhood," Cecily said shyly.

"I see," Kate replied, taking her seat as the group settled down to eat. "Well, Shin lived with Grandfather, so I don't really know much about him."

"What?! I'm asking about you, not Shin!" Cecily exclaimed, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

"But didn't you ask about me to learn more about Shin?" Kate said with a teasing smile, clearly enjoying herself.

"That's not it!" Cecily said, flustered.

But before Cecily could say more, Kate suddenly vanished.

"Eh?!" Cecily exclaimed, blinking in confusion.

In an instant, Kate was in the Void Archive, standing before Dr. Mei.

"Milady, I just got an idea about the power source for the mech!" Dr. Mei said excitedly.

"What is it?" Kate asked, her curiosity piqued.

"I've discovered a way to power everything using mana! And I'm currently working on incorporating other energies, like Honkai energy," Dr. Mei explained enthusiastically.

"That's great! If we can use mana as a power source, it'll simplify everything," Kate said, her eyes lighting up.

"Indeed. But the reason I called you here is this," Dr. Mei said as a hologram materialized in front of them.

"What is that?" Kate asked, studying the projection.

"It's the land and materials we'll need to build the A-173 Armada," Dr. Mei explained.

"I see. Send it to me," Kate said. Moments later, a comprehensive list appeared on a floating screen.

Kate's eyes narrowed as she reviewed it. "This... This is indeed a problem. The amount is understandable, but finding all of it raw will be the real challenge," she said, frowning slightly.

"Milady is right. Since you're currently in a medieval setting, acquiring such advanced materials will be extremely difficult," Dr. Mei said thoughtfully.

"Let's put that on hold for now," Kate decided. "Focus on designing your mech and helping Chu Yuechan with hers."

"As you wish, Milady," Dr. Mei replied with a bow.

Kate nodded before disappearing back to her previous location, leaving Dr. Mei to her work.

In the cafeteria, when Kate suddenly disappeared, Shin jumped to his feet.

"Kate!?" Shin shouted, his voice laced with worry, making everyone around tense with anxiety.

Cecily and August exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what just happened.

But before panic could fully settle, not even a minute had passed before Kate reappeared at the exact spot where she had vanished.

"Don't worry, I'm back," Kate said nonchalantly, brushing off the incident as though it were nothing.

The tension eased as everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.

However, before anyone could question her further, the school bell rang, signaling the end of their lunch break.

"Looks like it's time for class," Kate said, standing up with a composed demeanor, acting as though nothing unusual had just happened.

Shin stared at her for a moment before shaking his head with a sigh. "You're unbelievable sometimes," he muttered as the group began heading back to their classroom.

After everyone had settled into their seats, the classroom door opened, and Teacher Alfred entered, exuding his usual stern but approachable demeanor.

"For this afternoon's practical class, we'll focus on casting magic," Alfred announced, his voice clear and commanding.

A wave of murmurs spread through the room, students already guessing what was in store.

"You'll need to put into practice everything you've learned since your enrollment here," he continued, his gaze scanning the room to ensure everyone was paying attention.

"Now, let's head to the school field. We'll conduct the session there," Alfred said, motioning toward the door.

The students stood up, their chairs scraping against the floor, and began filing out of the room, excitement and nervousness filling the air.

Kate followed the group with her usual calm expression, her mind already working on what she could do to make this session interesting or avoid standing out too much.

On the school field behind the building, the students gathered, chatting among themselves while awaiting instructions. Kate stood next to Shin, her voice low as she leaned toward him.

"Shin, what should I do?" she whispered, glancing around to ensure no one was eavesdropping.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Shin asked, a bit confused by her sudden question.

"I'm not using Mana. My energy source is Qi—a much more powerful force than Mana," Kate explained in a hushed tone.

Shin's eyes widened slightly. "You mean... a single fireball powered by Qi would be much stronger than one using Mana?"

"Yes," Kate replied with a slight nod. "In the world where Qi exists, everything is infused and strengthened by it plants, stones, even entire planets. But here, there's only Mana, so the effects would be drastically different."

"You mean the damage output in that world compared to this one is unpredictable?" Shin clarified.

"Exactly," Kate confirmed.

"Then how about you switch back to using Mana for now?" Shin suggested.

Kate sighed. "I guess I have no choice."

"Well, I could always cast magic for you," Shin offered with a playful grin.

Kate shook her head, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "I don't like that idea. I'll handle it myself."

With that, Kate sat down cross-legged on the ground, closing her eyes to focus. She concentrated on shifting her energy source, gradually suppressing her Qi and connecting with the ambient Mana around her. Though it wasn't as natural for her, she was determined to adapt.

"Switching back to Qi or True Qi, to be exact is easy," Kate said calmly, her eyes still closed in focus. "But changing to another energy source is quite time-consuming since I need to concentrate."

As she worked to stabilize her connection to Mana, Kate's thoughts lingered on her current state. And the reason I don't want to switch back to Mana right now... is that I still haven't fully recovered my reserves.

Shin stood protectively near Kate, ensuring no one disturbed her. His actions didn't go unnoticed by Cecily, who crossed her arms, her lips forming a small pout.

"Why are you reacting that way?" Maria teased, leaning closer to Cecily.

"It's nothing. I'm just... a little upset," Cecily admitted, glancing toward Shin and Kate.

Upset? Maria thought to herself, smirking knowingly.

"Shin, it's your turn," Teacher Alfred announced, interrupting the moment. "Even though you don't necessarily need to participate, you should demonstrate for everyone. Let them see your progress."

"Of course, Teacher," Shin replied as he approached the massive boulder in the center of the field. With a casual wave of his hand, a surge of blue flames engulfed the rock, leaving a visible dent in its surface.

"Great work! Now, it's your turn, Kate," Alfred said, turning his attention to her.

Kate opened her eyes, stretching briefly before standing. "Right," she said confidently, stepping forward. "I'll show you something I've recently developed."

"Something you developed?" Shin asked, tilting his head curiously.

"Yes," Kate replied, a small smirk forming. "I call it Multicast."

The announcement piqued Alfred's interest. "You don't mean..." he began, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"Yes, Teacher," Kate confirmed. "This technique allows me to cast multiple spells simultaneously."

Gasps rippled through the students as a massive, intricate magic circle materialized in the sky above her.

Kate raised her hand, her voice steady as she began to chant, "Oh, Goddess Mother of Water, grant me the power to strengthen myself."

A glowing sphere of water formed in front of her, its shimmering surface reflecting the awe-struck faces of her classmates.

"She's chanting!" one of the students whispered, astonished.

Even Shin, who had seen much of Kate's capabilities, couldn't hide his surprise. "Since when do you chant for your spells?" he muttered under his breath.

Another smaller magic circle formed around the glowing ball of water in front of Kate. Moments later, a concentrated beam of light descended from the sky, striking the ball.

"So you're using sunlight for firepower?" Shin observed, watching closely.

The ball of water emitted a short, intense beam that shot forward, hitting the massive boulder. To everyone's astonishment, the beam melted a hole into the rock but didn't fully pierce through. The precision and sheer destructive capability left the onlookers speechless.

Before anyone could fully process what had happened, Kate summoned another magic circle over the ball of water. The massive circle in the sky disappeared as if absorbed.

"What are you planning to do with that?" Shin asked, his curiosity mixed with a hint of caution.

Kate smirked, the corners of her lips curling mischievously. "It's just like a battery," she replied, her tone nonchalant.

"A battery?" Shin repeated, tilting his head in confusion.

"This is for a surprise," Kate said cryptically, her eyes glinting with excitement. "Once I release this all at once, it'll be the strongest flashbang you've ever seen."

With a wave of her hand, she summoned the Gate of Babylon. A shimmering golden portal opened in the air behind her, its ethereal light reflecting the awe of her classmates. She gently guided the ball of water into the gate, where it disappeared from sight.

The portal closed with a soft hum, leaving the students murmuring among themselves. Shin couldn't help but sigh, a mix of amusement and unease on his face. "You never fail to keep things dramatic, do you?"

Kate shrugged. "What's the point of magic if you can't have a little fun with it?"

"Since I've already graded this session, let me announce something. It's about Shin-kun's Ultimate Magic Research Society. Since the Demon incident, a lot of students have expressed interest in joining," Alfred said, his voice carrying through the field.

"I see, that's indeed a problem," Shin replied, his tone thoughtful.

But before the conversation could go any further, Kate suddenly shouted, "SORRY ABOUT THIS, BUT SHIN! OPEN A GATE!"

Shin looked at her, a bit startled. "TO WHERE?"

"TO A DESOLATE PLACE!" Kate called back urgently.

Without hesitation, Shin quickly opened a shimmering portal. The swirling vortex was a familiar sight for everyone.

Kate didn't wait another second. She stepped through the gate with swift purpose, followed closely by the others. One by one, the group followed her into the unknown, the portal closing behind them with a soft hum.