Director Chen led the Black Shores exchange student group out of the station platform and into the academy campus, heading toward the exchange student reception office to complete the registration procedures.
The administrative process was tedious but efficient: document submission, facial recognition, permission entry, supply collection, dormitory assignment…
“Noah, your dormitory is in Building 7, Zone C, Room 201, together with the male students from the academy’s Department of Exostrider Engineering.
Raeliana, you are in Building 3, Zone A, Room 302, the female dormitory.”
The academy staff member in charge of reception handed them two student ID cards and passed over the packages containing academy uniforms.
“Additionally, the student ID cards are only for use within the campus.”
The staff member spoke to the two of them in a routine tone.
“The official Rabelle Tape identity authentication and protective device will require you to go to the Spacetrek Collective Research Institute under a teacher’s guidance later for unified burning and registration.”
“Before the recording is completed and activated, please do not leave the academy’s main protected area on your own.
This is a mandatory safety regulation.”
Noah took the light card and subconsciously asked, “Rabelle Tape?”
He vaguely remembered something similar in the game, but the specific details were fuzzy.
“It is the standard identity core issued by the Spacetrek Collective.
It is also an essential protective device for activities here.”
Rover, who had already put away her own credentials, spoke in a calm tone to explain.
“Later we will receive a terminal called the Frequency Recorder Terminal to store it.
It is said that the outer shell material of that device simulates the characteristics of the Exostrider, allowing it to resist erosion from the void matter environment to a certain degree.”
“Anyway, just follow the academy’s rules.”
“I see.”
Noah nodded and thanked the staff member, indicating that he understood.
The staff member added matter-of-factly, “No need to rush.
Your Black Shores exchange student team will have a unified time arranged to go to the Research Institute for processing.
You will be notified of the specifics.”
“Today is mainly for settling in and familiarizing yourselves with the environment.
Tomorrow morning there will be a welcome meeting and course briefing in the Graphic Report Hall of the Engineering Department Building.”
“The specific content and related permissions have already been synced to your terminals.”
After thanking the staff member, the two put away their student ID cards, picked up their uniform packages and personal luggage, and walked out of the reception office together.
The exchange students from the Black Shores had already scattered, some heading to their dormitories in pairs, others curiously exploring the campus.
“Then I’ll head to the dormitory first, Rover… Raeliana.”
Noah said to Rover, waving the student ID card in his hand.
“Mhm.
Same here.”
Rover nodded and turned to walk toward Zone A.
Her figure blended into the flow of female students wearing academy uniforms, and for a moment it was somewhat difficult to distinguish her.
Noah watched until her back disappeared before following the terminal navigation toward his own dormitory area.
He found Dormitory Building 7 in Zone C and used his ID card to open his room.
It was a standard double room, but currently only he was living in it.
The room was not large, but the facilities were complete, clean, and bright.
Outside the window was an artificial lake and a small grove of trees.
The scenery was quite nice.
After putting down his simple personal luggage, Noah decided to take a walk nearby before dinner to familiarize himself with the surroundings.
The campus of Startorch Academy was much larger than what had been shown in the game’s preview PV.
The academy buildings had a unified and elegant style.
Green plants, fountains, and benches for resting could be seen everywhere.
What contrasted interestingly with this classical tranquility was the intelligent machinery of various forms that could be found throughout the campus.
There were highly intelligent humanoid robots that provided all kinds of services to teachers and students including but not limited to medical care, parking, and meals and could engage in fluent conversation.
There were humanoid half-body security mechs that floated forward to carry out patrol duties.
There were medium-sized machines with tires or quadrupedal drives that patrolled areas.
There were also small multi-legged transport units resembling crabs, used for moving supplies.
Even the occasional small insects flying past were, upon closer inspection, flickering with metallic luster clearly miniature intelligent machines.
The entire academy felt like a precisely operating yet vibrant mechanical ecological garden.
According to what Rover had casually mentioned on the train, these were all the results of Startorch Academy and the Spacetrek Collective Research Institute’s reverse-engineering and secondary development of Exostrider-related technology. Read the latest chapters at g.com.
The vast majority of what he saw now came from the designs and manufacturing of the academy’s Department of Exostrider Engineering.
Noah had understood it immediately at the time.
So the entire Lahai-Roi Academy Metropolis from its transportation lifelines down to the smallest details of daily life had largely been built and developed upon archaeological findings related to the Exostrider.
This made him once again curious about what kind of divine ancient unknown civilization had left behind that colossal machine.
It had allowed the people of Lahai-Roi, without the guidance of a Sentinel, to not only survive but to grow and thrive to this day amid the alternating ravages of Void Matter Magnetic Storms and Threnodians.
He had not walked far from the dormitory building when, on a tree-lined path connecting the dormitory area and the teaching area, he once again saw that familiar figure.
Rover happened to be walking over from the direction of Zone A, seemingly also familiarizing herself with the routes.
But at this moment, she had already changed into the Startorch Academy female uniform.
…
Rover (Academy Version)
The suit jacket neatly outlined her slender figure.
The shirt collar was tied with an exquisite green bow tie, the buttons barely fastened together, the magnificent curves of her chest threatening to burst forth.
Beneath the pleated skirt were straight calves wrapped in over-the-knee black stockings.
Her small leather shoes stepped on fallen leaves, producing a faint rustling sound.
She still had her hair tied in a ponytail, with a few strands of soft hair hanging gently beside her cheeks.
The afterglow of the furnace core filtered through the gaps in the leaves, sprinkling mottled spots of light across her body.
Without the cover of the coat, without the chill of the tactical suit, she had completely shed the halo of a leader.
At this moment, she looked just like any other female university student walking across campus elegant, refined, and carrying a hint of scholarly air.
Yet that excessively outstanding appearance and naturally graceful temperament, set off by the uniform, instead possessed a heart-stirring beauty that was both pure and ascetic, making her stand out among the academy’s female students.
As the saying goes: “Among the crowd, one glance makes all other colors seem like dust.”
Noah’s footsteps stopped.
His heart felt as though something had bumped into it not lightly, not heavily and skipped half a beat.
He knew she was Rover, the savior who had lived for countless years, held great power, and possessed strength that reached the heavens.
But the visual impact was so direct and intense.
The girl before him was youthful and beautiful, carrying a lively aura of an ordinary person that he had never seen on her before.
His gaze, almost uncontrollably, filled with pure amazement at ultimate beauty and a hint of heat even he had not noticed, landed straight on her.
From top to bottom, from head to toe, then returning to that face which, under the academy uniform, appeared even fairer and more refined.
He stared too directly, too openly.
Because of this, Rover immediately noticed the gaze.
She turned her head and happened to meet Noah’s line of sight.
In that instant, her golden pupils which had been calm and composed for ten thousand years rarely flashed with an emotion close to panic.
It was like a small stone thrown into a calm lake surface, creating ripples that were almost invisible.
Her cheeks, at a speed visible to the naked eye, flushed with an extremely faint layer of red.
She… was shy?
This realization caused Noah’s brain to freeze for a tenth of a second.
Someone as powerful as Rover would feel shy because of someone else’s straightforward gaze?
Was this still the Solaris Casanova from Wuthering Waves who had walked through countless flowers without a single leaf sticking to her?
However, that trace of shyness was like a fleeting flower that bloomed and withered in an instant.
In the next second, Rover’s gaze regained its clarity, even carrying a hint of playfulness.
Not only did she not avoid his gaze, she slightly tilted her head and met Noah’s eyes directly.
The corner of her mouth curved into a faint smile that carried a trace of teasing, one that suited the “Rover” persona.
“Have you looked enough, Noah?”
Rover’s voice was clear and pleasant, especially distinct on the campus path at dusk.
“Or is there something dirty on my face?”
“…”
Noah suddenly came back to his senses.
Realizing his earlier lapse in composure, his old face grew hot.
He quickly averted his gaze and tactically coughed once.
“N-No, nothing.”
Very nice.”
The moment the words left his mouth, he wanted to slap himself.
What kind of straight-man nonsense was that!
Noah, where was your skill at boasting without a script?
Hurry up and think of more words to praise a beauty!
“Oh?
Is that so?”
Rover walked over, her steps unhurried.
She stopped in front of him and looked up at him slightly.
The smile in her eyes deepened.
She lowered her voice a little and spoke at a volume only the two of them could hear.
“Better than that pitch-black tactical suit?”
“Both… both look good!”
Noah felt a bit of sweat forming at his temples.
This atmosphere was off!
The great Rover was actually teasing him?!
“Pfft.”
Rover finally could not hold back a light laugh.
The smile was real and bright, as though she had set down a small burden.
“Alright, I won’t tease you anymore.
You’ve just arrived at Startorch Academy.
Pay attention to your image, Noah.”
“Don’t stare at people like some boy who has never seen a girl before.
It easily causes unnecessary misunderstandings from others.”
She waved her hand and turned to continue walking forward.
Her back remained upright, but her steps seemed a little lighter.
“See you tomorrow.
Remember not to be late.”
Rover’s voice drifted over with the wind.
Noah stood in place, watching her figure blend into the campus crowd and the dusk.
He raised a hand and touched the tip of his nose.
Tch.
A ten-thousand-year iron tree actually bloomed a small flower?
It was just that this flower had thorns, and they were a bit prickly.
He shook his head, flinging the messy images out of his mind, but the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved upward as well.
It seemed that this academy life would not be too boring.
…
Meanwhile, Rover, who had walked farther away, only stopped after turning a corner where she was certain Noah could no longer see her.
She raised her hand.
Her cool fingertips gently touched her still slightly warm cheek.
“Really… that was a lapse in composure.”
She muttered to herself in a low voice.
Yet within her golden pupils flickered a subtle ripple that even she had not noticed.
That kind of purely straightforward, unadulterated gaze of amazement, containing no reverence or calculation…
It seemed it had been a very, very long time since she had encountered something like that.
It felt… a little strange.
But she did not dislike it.
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