C443 Early
"Alright!" George shouted as soon as he left the elevator to step into his flat. "Where are you two?"
George's voice could only reach the main hall, which was empty. Yet, the flat had sent a notification for his arrival, and Khan soon left one of the bedrooms to greet him.
"You damned scoundrel," George cursed when a shirtless and smiling Khan entered the main hall. "I leave you alone for one night, one single night, and you manage to get all dirty with a princess."
"What dirty?" Khan groaned as he rubbed his eyes and approached one couch to lie on it. "I have been a perfect gentleman."
"You don't even know what that word means," George snorted while sitting on the opposite couch. "Come on. Give me all the details."
"I seem to understand that new articles are out," Khan sighed as he searched for his phone. Still, his pockets turned out to be empty.
"Many new articles," George revealed. "Even my father called me. Imagine getting drilled so early in the morning because you can't stay put for a single night."
"I'm innocent this time," Khan swore. "The Princess did everything by herself."
"Somehow, I don't believe you," George stated.
"What about you instead?" Khan changed the topic. "Should I call a cleaning service before stepping back into my flat?"
"I merely fell asleep," George promised. "You might find bottles lying around, but nothing incriminating. I can't say the same for you."
George glanced at a corner of the hall, forcing Khan to straighten his back to check the spot. Monica's dress was lying on the floor, together with one of her shoes.
"That's where it was," Khan exclaimed. "How did it even end up there?"
"You tell me," George responded before considering something. "Wait, is the Princess also here?"
"Don't even joke about it," Khan sighed. "One of her guards already wants to kill me as it is."
"I read something about them," George explained. "They are special forces or something."
"I can believe that," Khan commented. "I've never seen anything like that."
"Strong?" George wondered.
"Yes," Khan confirmed. "Definitely different from common soldiers."
"That's not a job for common people," George declared. "Even my family would be happy if I secured a spot there."
"I'd go crazy in a day," Khan muttered while crossing his arms behind his head and making himself comfortable on the couch's back.
"So, how is she?" George questioned. "I heard Princess Edna is so beautiful she can make marriages crumble by blinking her eyes."
"Is she?" Khan wondered. "She is by no means ugly, but I don't see the need to be so dramatic about it."
"Man, I've seen her pictures," George responded. "How can you even say that?"
Khan looked at the ceiling while his thoughts wandered. Princess Edna was obviously beautiful, and that feature went beyond her physical appearance. Her mana created a charming aura that highlighted and enhanced her figure. She was stunning, but Khan couldn't fall prey to her natural charm.
"I must have grown used to beautiful women," Khan joked.
"I really want to punch you," George cursed.
"Count me in," Monica shouted as she stepped into the hall, "But not in the face. I kind of like it."
Khan lowered his gaze to follow Monica. She had already worn her military uniform, and her bright smile fused with her sleepy expression to create a cute scene. She was also carrying the upper part of Khan's clothes, and his phone was on top of them.
"This thing doesn't stop ringing," Monica complained as she reached Khan's couch and threw the upper part of his uniform on its back. She also handed him his phone, and the countless missed calls and messages became visible on the screen as soon as he touched it.
"Oh," Monica voiced when she noticed her dress in the corner of the hall. "That's where it was."
Khan checked the messages while lifting his left arm. Monica sat right under it and snuggled closer when he began caressing her hair.
George's eyebrows arched in surprise. He had seen the couple during intimate interactions, but the scene carried something more than that. It was almost natural, and a happy smile made its way onto his face as he kept watching it.
"Martha is so cute," Monica commented while checking Khan's screen.
"You know we have history, right?" Khan asked as he wrote a message to summarize what had happened.
"But she is a friend," Monica muttered, "And she calmed me down when I wanted to kill you."
"Luke is offering more money," Khan revealed when he moved to another message.
"Did you even check how much he paid you for Milia 222?" Monica wondered.
"I keep forgetting it," Khan said while moving his mouth on Monica's hair, "And I'm always busy with something."
"Bruce always follows," Monica giggled once Bruce's name appeared on the device.
"How close are their families even?" Khan questioned.
"Pretty close," Monica groaned as she wrapped an arm around Khan's bare torso and closed her eyes. "Their alliance goes back to their grandparents' generation."
"Even the others from Reebfell contacted me," Khan sighed.
"Why are there so many women?" Monica pouted when she checked the messages.
"I wonder why," George coughed.
Monica glared at George before focusing on Khan's thumb since he added a short description for each name he pressed. "Ex-girlfriend, professor, professor, friend and professor."
It was heartwarming to see how many people sent messages. Captain Goldmon and Lieutenant Abaze had merely conveyed polite salutes after hearing about the Princess, but Amber and Cora had taken the chance to check up on him.
"Even more women," Monica gasped when Khan went past those messages.
"You'll get used to it," George coughed.
Khan had also received messages from his students, Delia, and many other people he met during his missions. That pile of notifications represented how much Khan had traveled and achieved in those years. It was truly a lot when put together like that.
"My new schedule also arrived," Khan announced. "I have general mana theories in the morning."
"It's really general," Monica explained. "I wonder where I should sit now that we are in the same class."
"You are sitting next to me," Khan stated without moving his eyes from the screen.
"Okay," Monica whispered, and the cheerfulness in her voice was so evident that George shook his head.
"Now, the bad part," Khan sighed as he moved to his profile.
"They can't be too bad," Monica reassured, but her voice disappeared when the overwhelming number of articles appeared in her vision.
Khan only skimmed through the many articles. He read titles and pressed on a few but always went to the next when misinformation appeared. Needless to say, the majority involved his premature departure with Princess Edna, but the Heavenly News made sure to have a special piece about his interview.
"How did she get her hands on these recordings?" Khan wondered when he saw the video attached to the Heavenly News' article.
The video saw Khan jumping on the heads of the crowd outside the training hall, and the article used it to prove his violent attitude. Katia was trying to depict him as a dangerous individual.
"It's hard to believe the Global Army puts so much faith in such a young and unstable soldier," Khan read out loud. "His record hints at a history of distrust toward humankind. His attachment to alien species is so deep that he resorts to violence whenever they are insulted."
"You sure made an impression on her," George mocked.
"She is not wrong," Khan laughed when Katia's signature appeared at the end of the article. "This might be the most accurate article about me."
"Who cares?" Monica snorted. "She is a slut. I'll tell her a thing or two next time."
"Do you think there will be a next time?" Khan asked.
"Maybe not with her," Monica revealed. "I think you truly scared her. Still, more reporters are bound to reach out."
"Does the same apply to you?" Khan wondered. "After all, we did end up with the Princess because of you."
"I'll let this joke slide because I'm in a good mood," Monica pouted while tightening the hug on Khan. "Anyway, my family usually takes care of those. You'll see more of them because you are approachable."
"Is this the time when you explain what happened yesterday?" George reminded.
"Should we have breakfast in the meantime?" Khan suggested.
"Yes," Monica let go of Khan and straightened her position while remaining under the warmth of his arm. "I'm starving."
Khan and Monica exchanged a meaningful smirk after their statements, and George shook his head again. He even voiced a happy comment due to how heartwarming the scene was. "You are lucky I didn't come with Anita today."
"I'm not sure I would have cared today," Khan muttered, and Monica softly slapped his chest before lifting her head to show her eager smile.
Khan didn't hesitate to kiss Monica, and she threw her legs onto his lap to sit more comfortably. The two ended up in an even more intimate position, and Monica also closed her eyes to rest on his shoulder.
"I'm still waiting," George coughed, and the couple exploded into a laugh before finally telling their story.
The food arrived quickly, and the story continued even after the trio finished eating. Whenever George asked a question, new information always appeared, but Khan and Monica had nothing to hide. They updated their friend about everything, and shock inevitably followed.
"Let me get this straight," George gasped. "You have a date with the Princess today?"
"Supposedly," Khan confirmed.
"She might forget," Monica hoped. "Something might also come up and keep her busy. I have yet to hear from her."
"I expect the Colonel to contact me too," Khan added. "It's odd that he has yet to ask about last night."
"He is a busy man," Monica justified. "Still, he seemed to like you. He was nice to me too."
"He does seem nice," Khan sighed, "But he'll probably leave soon. He came just for my promotion anyway."
"You'll make new allies in no time," Monica reassured while pointing at Khan's phone. "They saw you getting inside the Princess' ship. That's enough to make you a celebrity."
"Imagine if they knew I piloted it," Khan wondered.
"The entire embassy would try to get on your good side in that case," Monica revealed. "Maybe start with a handful of people first, and make sure that they have dicks. Otherwise, I will."
"Exactly!" George shouted. "We don't want more suitors for the Princess."
"George, her guards will really kill you," Khan warned.
"Let him go for it," Monica said. "George, take all the women in the Harbor since you are at it. Khan doesn't need them."
"You have come to the right man," George proudly claimed.
"When did you two team up?" Khan joked.
"Don't think about it," Monica pulled Khan from the arm wrapped around her head. "Let George handle the sluts and focus only on me."
"I can have female friends!" Khan shouted.
"Define friend," George coughed.
"You'd be too busy with your incredible girlfriend anyway," Monica rubbed her face on Khan's shoulder.
"What a needy girl," Khan cursed, but his smile revealed far different emotions. He even let go of his phone to caress Monica's cheek.
"You sure got all lovely-dovely after last night," George teased, fully expecting a shout from Monica.
However, Monica diverted her gaze to show a shy look at Khan. Mentioning "love" reminded her of what she had said the previous night, and she was still getting used to that revelation.
Instead, Khan only saw beauty in Monica's genuine reaction. The honesty of her feelings made his emotions overflow, and his eyes instinctively checked the hour on his phone. He wished to have more time to spend with her, but the lessons were too close for that.
"We have to prepare," Khan whispered as his caresses became more affectionate.
Monica groaned, but she still grabbed Khan's neck to pull herself toward him. The two exchanged a short kiss and a long look, but they eventually separated. Monica even left the couch to pick up the dress on the floor.
Khan followed Monica with his eyes before looking at George once she left the main hall. George was wearing a smirk that described his thoughts, but his face mostly expressed happiness, and Khan felt the need to nod at that sight.
Only a few seconds had to pass for both couches to become empty. George and Khan stood up, and the latter retrieved the upper part of his clothes to dress up.
George didn't have classes right away, but his phone was giving him hell, so he retreated inside a bedroom to handle the various calls. Instead, Monica and Khan left the building, and a car was already waiting for them when they reached the sidewalk.
Luckily for Khan and Monica, the second district was too private to allow the presence of curious crowds. Hearing about the Princess had also added the expected halo of mystery around Khan, so no one dared to bother him. The couple could get in the car without meeting anyone, and a short trip eventually brought them to the embassy.
The atmosphere changed as soon as Khan and Monica jumped off the car. The soldiers who welcomed them tried their best to remain detached and professional, but their tension was evident. The same went for the insides of the embassy. Many guards and workers left their offices to catch a glimpse of the couple once they heard about their arrival.
Of course, none of those professional figures hindered the couple's path. The embassy's lower floors lacked people with the guts or relevance to attempt building a relationship with someone connected to Princess Edna. Still, that changed once the elevator brought Khan and Monica into the training camp area.
The different schedules and classes allowed the training camp area to remain devoid of crowds. The various halls still contained enough people to fill the corridors, but that rarely happened due to the presence of the lessons.
Yet, some groups roamed those areas, and many were even aware of the schedule for the advanced classes. Khan and Monica found many people simply standing in the corridors, seemingly waiting for their arrival, and he got far more attention than her.
"This isn't as bad as I expected," Khan commented as he walked among the stares and murmurs.
Students, professors, and workers stopped whenever Khan and Monica appeared in their vision, but he sounded the main topic of the many gossips. That wasn't surprising after everything that had happened, but Khan found some reassurance in the fact that no one was approaching him.
"We are still inside the embassy," Monica whispered. "Only idiots would create a mess here."
"I must have looked pretty cool while threatening Professor Odse," Khan voiced.
"I wish I could have seen it," Monica joked.
"I wouldn't mind causing another mess to keep my woman happy," Khan teased.
"Shut up, idiot," Monica cursed, but a laugh escaped her mouth anyway.
The walk toward the appointed hall was uneventful until a familiar figure appeared in the corridor. The excited look on her face even told the couple what was about to come.
"Monica, you sly girl," Anita exclaimed when she reached the couple. "Your mother taught you well."
"I simply got caught in a strange development," Monica played it humble. "The Princess was kind enough to offer us a ride in her ship, and the rumors did the rest."
"Quite a lucky development then," Anita announced before turning toward Khan and performing an elegant bow. "Captain, congratulations on your promotion."
"Thank you, Anita," Khan nodded. "Are we in the same class?"
"Indeed," Anita confirmed. "Though I think I just lost my seat."
Monica was ready to throw a joke, but Khan spoke before her. "Do you mind if I steal Monica for a few lessons?"
"Bold," Anita giggled. "I like that in a man."
"Just for a few lessons," Khan repeated. "I need her help to keep up with some subjects."
"You don't even need to ask," Anita reassured. "Besides, my girl seems to have already made her decision."
Monica was usually perfect during social interactions, but Khan's straightforward request had made her divert her gaze. She felt shy and warm at the same time since her emotions had yet to cool down.
"I couldn't refuse him," Monica eventually managed to come up with an answer. "I'm sure you understand."
"Of course," Anita stated as a teasing smirk appeared on her face, "But don't think for a second that I believe you two. I know you are up to something. It grows clearer every day."
"The Princess is also part of the reason," Khan declared while lowering her voice. "I will tell you, but it has to remain among us."
"Update me already," Anita gasped while jumping next to Monica. "I want to know everything."
"I have to go shopping with the Princess," Monica revealed, "And I somehow involved Khan."
"You are so weak against him," Anita teased. "How cute."
"She was only trying to help," Khan explained. "The dinner simply took a strange turn."
"It sounds for the best," Anita commented. "Very few can meet a proper noble, let alone go shopping with her."
"We don't know if the Princess will have time," Monica warned. "Avoid spreading rumors."
"I would love to," Anita chuckled, "But I guess a princess is too much. Well, I can't wait to see your faces on the news."
A few more jokes flew while the trio walked toward the appointed hall, but nothing serious happened. Anita was an expert at superficial talks, and Monica soon regained her A-game. Khan could sense that her emotions were still too warm, but he didn't complain since Anita never probed into the couple's businesses.
The arrival in front of the appointed hall revealed more familiar figures. Even Khan recognized many of the students waiting for the lesson to start. Lucian was there, and the same went for the wealthy descendants he met over multiple parties.
"Captain Khan!" Lucian exclaimed as soon as the trio joined his group. "Congratulations on your promotion and enviable experience."
A series of "congratulations!" followed. The entire group expressed their best wishes to Khan, and he couldn't help but notice how many of them had grown politer. The women even tried their best to attract his attention through cute smiles or playing with their hair.
Needless to say, Monica didn't like that situation, but she was no stranger to it. She also received a lot of attention, mainly in the form of questions about the previous night. The Princess was no small matter, and those wealthy descendants would stop at nothing to get a piece of it.
"Captain Khan," One of the men in the group said, "My parents expressed their desire to have you at dinner. It won't be anything formal, but they will probably try to hire you."
"Hey, we said no job offers," Lucian laughed. "Captain Khan is here to study and get even better than he is."
"Come on, Lucian," One of the women called. "Captain Khan will become untouchable after graduating from the Harbor. Mere job offers wouldn't work for him anymore. We'd have to go straight for marriage proposals."
The woman didn't forget to blink at Khan once her line ended, and Anita immediately teased her. "Zoe, you shameless girl. Let Khan get used to his new status first."
"But it will be harder to get him at that point," Zoe complained. "Anyway, Captain Khan, I know a nice place in the shopping district, and they always keep a table for me. Just give me a call if you don't know what to do one of these nights."
Zoe's shameless behavior made the entire group laugh, and even Anita didn't hold back from playing along. Everyone was mostly joking. Even Zoe wasn't completely serious. Still, that interaction revealed something vital to Khan. He could see how the wealthy descendants had completely accepted him.
Of course, that understanding came at a price. Khan could keep a fake smile, but Monica had long since reached the critical point. Her state was no surprise, and it had also become a common sight after the various parties. A few descendants were even waiting for her to snap, but Khan decided to take the initiative that day.
"I'm grateful for the kind words and offers," Khan thanked, "But I'm planning to be a simple student for now. Also, I'm behind in many subjects, so I took the liberty of booking Monica for most nights. She will help me study."
"Hey, I can help with those too," Zoe didn't hesitate to intervene. "Monica, don't keep Captain Khan all for yourself. Share him a bit with us."
"I guess I've grown quite possessive," Monica managed to join the pretenses since Khan's statement had melted her irritation. "Besides, my family granted Khan access to the Harbor, so I have every right to keep him for myself."
"Miss Solodrey," One of the men called, "Any family would support Captain Khan at this point. His achievements are undeniable, and we can all see that third star on his shoulder."
"Well," Monica voiced while showing an eager face to Khan. "It's true. He can decide to accept another offer. He has the status to do it now."
'Needy girl,' Khan cursed in his mind. He knew exactly what Monica was doing. She wanted him to give another earnest statement.
"First of all," Khan laughed, "Let's drop this captain thing. There is no need to be so formal around me."
"But it's sexy," Zoe complained, triggering another general laugh. Even Monica found the need to nod at that statement.
"I don't need a title to be sexy," Khan winked at the group, and the general laugh continued. Still, when Monica saw some of the women agreeing or biting their lower lips, her elbow rose on its own to hit Khan's side.
The gesture surprised the group, and even Monica widened her eyes. She covered her mouth when she realized what she had done. Lucian and the others had no idea she and Khan were so close. They didn't know about her moody personality either, but her reaction partially exposed her.
"As you can see," Khan laughed it off, "Monica is also the only one willing to do what she must to keep me in check. You know, I'm not a good investment if I get kicked out."
Khan's statement turned the tables, and Monica understood that she had to play along when many gazes fell on her. She showed an ashamed expression and even straightened her sleeve while shaking her head in disappointment.
The group began to believe that Monica had been forced to act in such a rude way, and they couldn't blame her. Khan had started a fight on his first day inside the embassy, and a princess was involved now. Drastic measures were necessary.
However, someone still saw through that deceit. Monica's surprised reaction had been too authentic to be replicated easily. Still, when those few tried to find more flaws in Monica's expressions and pretenses, they found Khan's glare waiting for them.
"Okay, let's stop joking around," Lucian eventually announced. "There is my party on the weekend for that. Now, we should get in."
Lucian's words didn't prevent the arrival of a couple of jokes, but the group entered the hall after them. The area turned out to be as big as where Professor Odse had held his lesson, but fewer students attended that class, so Khan and Monica quickly settled in a relatively isolated spot.
Khan and Monica were by no means alone. They had chosen a front-row seat near the wall, but Lucian and Anita stood only a few desks away. Others had also sat behind them, which limited what they could do without getting spotted.
"Thank you for covering me out there," Monica didn't hesitate to whisper as soon as the two sat down.
"It's my job to look after my woman," Khan teased. "Though I didn't expect you to lose your cool. I should joke more often if you keep reacting like this."
"You can't get enough of teasing me, can you?" Monica pouted.
"You should stop looking so cute if you want me to stop," Khan stated.
"That won't happen," Monica claimed. "I happen to be very cute."
Khan smirked as his attention fell on the interactive desk. A few menus were active, but most labels remained dark since the lesson had yet to start.
"Besides," Monica continued, "I can't get ugly now. I still have to give you a gift for your promotion."
"Should I look forward to it?" Khan wondered.
"Of course, idiot!" Monica cursed while doing her best to keep her voice down. "The wait must drive you mad, mad for me."
"Maybe I already am," Khan whispered, and the two exchanged a meaningful glance.
Random laughs echoed in the vast hall and made the couple aware of their public situation. Still, Khan placed a hand under the desk, and Monica understood the silent message. She imitated him, and they intertwined their fingers to express their relationship in that private spot.
"This is nice," Monica voiced in her timid tone.
"It can get better," Khan teased as he reached for Monica's leg. He was still holding her hand, but she didn't put much resistance, so he could lift it until her foot ended on his knee.
"Scoundrel," Monica complained but still adjusted her position to make that new stance more comfortable. Her leg remained on Khan's knee, and he caressed it from time to time.
The spot obviously had limitations, but the couple could hide that much, and warm smiles soon appeared on those interactive desks. Monica and Khan couldn't be together in the open, but they had found another way to express their feelings during their daily life.
That intimate moment didn't last long since a slim man stormed inside the hall and captured everyone's attention. The latter had short dark hair and a slightly long beard of the same color. His eyes were also black, and his seat confirmed his identity.
"Hello, everyone," The man announced as he remained on his feet behind the Professor's desk. "I'm Professor Boatbell, and I hold the course of general mana theories."
A few polite salutes fell from the audience, but the Professor waved his hand to disregard them before continuing his speech. "I want to make a few things clear before we start, so listen to me because I will say them only once.
"For starters, I know I will repeat topics you have already studied. It doesn't matter if you heard them in the basic classes or at home. I will still mention them to make sure your foundation is solid."
Professor Boatbell activated the menus on his desk at that point, and a short inspection of the images made him turn in Khan's direction.
"Captain Khan, am I right?" Professor Boatbell announced. "Congratulations on your promotion. It's a pity to start on the wrong foot, but a warning sounds mandatory."
"Sir?" Khan asked.
"I'd like my class to remain orderly," Professor Boatbell stated. "The moment you start a fight or disrupt my lesson, you are out."
"I understand, sir," Khan nodded. He sensed no hatred in the Professor's mana, and that thought reassured him.
"Good," Professor Boatbell exclaimed. "On my end, I'll do my best to remain fair to everyone. My duty is to prepare you for the strangeness of the universe. I won't teach you anything specific, but what you learn here might help you not feel too lost."
Professor Boatbell fell silent and ran his eyes over his students to make sure that everyone understood what he had just said. Monica and Khan were still in their odd position, but their gazes were glued on the Professor, so they didn't raise any suspicion.
"Very well," Professor Boatbell eventually declared. "Let's start with something very simple: Humankind. I guess you know what that is."
A few laughs resounded, and the Professor smiled, but he soon resumed explaining. "Humankind is exceptionally new to mana. If we take away the centuries spent reverse engineering and experimenting, we are left with little more than two hundred years of actual independent development."
Professor Boatbell stopped speaking for a second before voicing a question. "Who can tell me the reason for that?"
Many hands went up. Even Monica raised her arm, but Khan remained still. He wasn't sure about the question, and Professor Boatbell nodded at one of the students before he could review it properly.
"Because we are behind in evolutionary terms," The student responded.
"Partially correct," Professor Boatbell uttered. "We are indeed behind. It would be better to say that we are one full step too early. How did we get here then?"
Khan lifted his arm before the other students could even understand that the Professor had voiced another question, and the latter promptly nodded at him.
"The Nak," Khan replied.
"The First Impact gave us access to mana before our species was ready to wield it," Professor Boatbell declared. "We are different from species who have already lived with mana for thousands of years. Many of them have even adapted to that incredible energy. They are born with it."
"So," Professor Boatbell continued. "Why are we so strong? So influential? So advanced?"
Lucian and Monica were the first to raise their hands, and Monica got permission to reply. "We copy from other species, sir."
"Humankind doesn't have iconic arts," Professor Boatbell stated. "We simplified what we copied from others. It was very hit and miss at first, but things improved once we gained access to alien knowledge."
Professor Boatbell had begun walking up and down, but he stopped to slam his hands on the interactive desk. His face grew stern and conveyed as much seriousness as possible.
"It will take humankind thousands of years to obtain something remotely close to an art developed only for humans," Professor Boatbell announced. "We must also wait for our species to evolve to a more suitable form. Still, in the meantime, we must continue accumulating knowledge and translating it into our language."
The hall's silence seemed to please Professor Boatbell since a faint smile appeared on his face, but his voice remained stern. "This is your universal job, your greatest duty. No matter what kind of position you'll obtain, you must continue working for the greater good of humanity, and I'll give you the foundation you need to do it.
"In this class, I'll teach you our general knowledge of mana and how we simplify it so that one day you might turn it into something that only humans can use."
To be continued