Please, I’m Not a Diplomat

[Location: Nova Academy – Central Hallway | Morning, One Day After the Delegation Meeting]

The main hallway of Nova Academy buzzed with hushed whispers. Cadets clustered around the central info screen, murmuring and pointing. On the display looped a short clip: a messy-haired cadet with glasses sitting calmly between two major faction delegates—hugging a pillow.

"That's him, right?""Yeah! The one who sat in on a high-level faction meeting like he didn't care at all!""I heard he came from the most chaotic exam team but still got promoted to Rank C?"

Deren walked past the crowd with his gaze lowered. A headset dangled around his neck, and his faithful tea thermos rested in his grip. His expression was blank, but his furrowed brow betrayed his discomfort. Each whispered word chipped at his composure, his shoulders slumping deeper with every step—as if hoping the floor would open up and swallow him whole.

"This is all the pillow's fault," he muttered under his breath.

[Cutaway – Location: Nova Academy Observation Room]

Nayra replayed the footage in silence. Beside her, Tessan stood with arms crossed.

"He seems unaware of the position he walked into yesterday," Nayra murmured.

"Or maybe he's too aware—and chose to act outside the norm. Could be a smokescreen," Tessan replied.

"Send him for a special evaluation session. Nothing official. Test without a test. Let's see how he reacts when we bait the hook."

[Location: Nova Academy – Underground Server Wing | Later That Day]

Meanwhile, Deren tried returning to his peaceful routine:Avoid attention.Find nap zones without camera coverage.And browse old technical data on forgotten terminals in the basement.

But today, peace had other plans.

As he turned the corner toward the spare storage wing, a uniformed assistant called out:

"Cadet Deren Arkwright. You are requested for an immediate tactical simulation in Strategic Room 3C."

Deren stopped mid-step.

"Simulation? I'm not even in the command class."

"Direct order from the Strategy Oversight Division. Attendance... is not optional."

[Location: Strategic Room 3C – Nova Academy East Wing | Ten Minutes Later]

Strategic Room 3C was a chamber of glowing holographic panels and real-time battlefield simulations.Pale blue lights from the overhead projectors danced across the polished metal floors.A constant hum from the energy cores buzzed in the background—like a whisper that wouldn't stop.

Deren paused at the doorway, already regretting his life choices.

I am a rabbit. And this is a dragon's den.He squinted against the light, stepped inside, and winced as every head in the room turned toward him.

All eyes locked onto the sleepy cadet... still clutching a pillow.

Several cadets from Class A and B were already seated, whispering to one another.

The instructor at the front raised a hand.

"Today's exercise is a team rescue scenario in a red zone simulation. The lead for this simulation will be... Cadet Deren Arkwright."

"WHAT?!" one of the Class A cadets blurted. "He's not even from the command track!"

Deren raised his hand calmly.

"I'm... also surprised."

[Location: Simulation Zone – Virtual Mountain Terrain]

The landscape projected was a misty mountain range, dotted with three Metavore heat zones.

While the others argued over complex formations and maneuvers, Deren sat in a corner, sipping his tea.Then he pointed at the map.

"You want this over quickly or you wanna make it complicated?"

The room fell silent.

"Lure the creatures to Point B with a drone explosion. Slip the med team in through the north flank using old thermal tubes—they can bypass sensors. We extract the target without ever making direct contact."

Dead silence.Then: the instructor scribbled something down.

[Cutaway – Location: Simulation Control Room]

The simulation launched.Metavore sensors spiked at Point B.The decoy drone detonated right on time.The northern route remained undetected.

Within five minutes, the target was secure.No casualties. No contact.Just clean execution.

Too clean.

In the control booth, observers exchanged glances. Even the most skeptical instructor tapped in the data, brows raised.

"91% efficiency," the lead instructor announced. "High-level strategic response."

Back in the room, all eyes were once again on Deren.His expression remained flat, eyelids half-closed.

"...Can I go sleep now?"His voice wasn't sarcastic. Just tired. Deeply, sincerely tired.

Some cadets looked confused. Others… impressed.But most?Terrified.

[Location: Nova Academy – Central Hallway | Morning, One Day After the Delegation Meeting]

The main hallway of Nova Academy buzzed with hushed whispers. Cadets clustered around the central info screen, murmuring and pointing. On the display looped a short clip: a messy-haired cadet with glasses sitting calmly between two major faction delegates—hugging a pillow.

"That's him, right?""Yeah! The one who sat in on a high-level faction meeting like he didn't care at all!""I heard he came from the most chaotic exam team but still got promoted to Rank C?"

Deren walked past the crowd with his gaze lowered. A headset dangled around his neck, and his faithful tea thermos rested in his grip. His expression was blank, but his furrowed brow betrayed his discomfort. Each whispered word chipped at his composure, his shoulders slumping deeper with every step—as if hoping the floor would open up and swallow him whole.

"This is all the pillow's fault," he muttered under his breath.

[Cutaway – Location: Nova Academy Observation Room]

Nayra replayed the footage in silence. Beside her, Tessan stood with arms crossed.

"He seems unaware of the position he walked into yesterday," Nayra murmured.

"Or maybe he's too aware—and chose to act outside the norm. Could be a smokescreen," Tessan replied.

"Send him for a special evaluation session. Nothing official. Test without a test. Let's see how he reacts when we bait the hook."

[Location: Nova Academy – Underground Server Wing | Later That Day]

Meanwhile, Deren tried returning to his peaceful routine:Avoid attention.Find nap zones without camera coverage.And browse old technical data on forgotten terminals in the basement.

But today, peace had other plans.

As he turned the corner toward the spare storage wing, a uniformed assistant called out:

"Cadet Deren Arkwright. You are requested for an immediate tactical simulation in Strategic Room 3C."

Deren stopped mid-step.

"Simulation? I'm not even in the command class."

"Direct order from the Strategy Oversight Division. Attendance... is not optional."

[Location: Strategic Room 3C – Nova Academy East Wing | Ten Minutes Later]

Strategic Room 3C was a chamber of glowing holographic panels and real-time battlefield simulations.Pale blue lights from the overhead projectors danced across the polished metal floors.A constant hum from the energy cores buzzed in the background—like a whisper that wouldn't stop.

Deren paused at the doorway, already regretting his life choices.

I am a rabbit. And this is a dragon's den.He squinted against the light, stepped inside, and winced as every head in the room turned toward him.

All eyes locked onto the sleepy cadet... still clutching a pillow.

Several cadets from Class A and B were already seated, whispering to one another.

The instructor at the front raised a hand.

"Today's exercise is a team rescue scenario in a red zone simulation. The lead for this simulation will be... Cadet Deren Arkwright."

"WHAT?!" one of the Class A cadets blurted. "He's not even from the command track!"

Deren raised his hand calmly.

"I'm... also surprised."

[Location: Simulation Zone – Virtual Mountain Terrain]

The landscape projected was a misty mountain range, dotted with three Metavore heat zones.

While the others argued over complex formations and maneuvers, Deren sat in a corner, sipping his tea.Then he pointed at the map.

"You want this over quickly or you wanna make it complicated?"

The room fell silent.

"Lure the creatures to Point B with a drone explosion. Slip the med team in through the north flank using old thermal tubes—they can bypass sensors. We extract the target without ever making direct contact."

Dead silence.Then: the instructor scribbled something down.

[Cutaway – Location: Simulation Control Room]

The simulation launched.Metavore sensors spiked at Point B.The decoy drone detonated right on time.The northern route remained undetected.

Within five minutes, the target was secure.No casualties. No contact.Just clean execution.

Too clean.

In the control booth, observers exchanged glances. Even the most skeptical instructor tapped in the data, brows raised.

"91% efficiency," the lead instructor announced. "High-level strategic response."

Back in the room, all eyes were once again on Deren.His expression remained flat, eyelids half-closed.

"...Can I go sleep now?"His voice wasn't sarcastic. Just tired. Deeply, sincerely tired.

Some cadets looked confused. Others… impressed.But most?Terrified.

[Cutaway – Location: Post-Simulation Review – Instructor Level Access Only]

Tessan scrolled through the data slate. Nayra stood behind him, silent.

"So... did we just witness raw instinct? Or a veteran pretending to be a civilian?"

"Either way," Nayra replied, "we can't let him walk around unmonitored anymore."

They both stared at the final report.One name hovered above all others:Deren Arkwright.

Tessan scrolled through the data slate. Nayra stood behind him, silent.

"So... did we just witness raw instinct? Or a veteran pretending to be a civilian?"

"Either way," Nayra replied, "we can't let him walk around unmonitored anymore."

They both stared at the final report.One name hovered above all others:Deren Arkwright.