The dim neon light cast a dull glow over the cluttered room. Documents, research papers, and various mechanical tools were scattered across the floor and tables: a mix of organized mess.
At the far end, Jack sat at his desk, brown fluffy hair messily falling over his tired eyes. He held a research paper in each hand, scanning through them simultaneously, his focus unwavering despite the dark circles under his eyes.
He exhaled heavily and set the papers down. Leaning back in his chair, he stretched his arms above his head, trying to ease the stiffness in his back.
"Sigh~"
With relieving sigh, he stood up to walk around the room. Books and documents lined the shelves, with some scattered across the floor alongside various mechanical instruments.
His mind raced with thoughts until his gaze landed on a particular book on one of the shelves. Something about it felt... off. He reached out and pulled it free.
It was larger than the others, its cover a deep, blood-red with intricate golden patterns. Strange. He had spent countless hours in this room, yet he had never noticed this book before.
He ran his fingers over the cover, tracing the golden designs, before whispering the title aloud, "The Ancient History of Artifacts."
Dominus's words about artifacts and gods echoed in his mind, making his brow furrow with curiosity. If this book held answers, he needed to know.
He flipped open the cover, finding blank page at first. Turning another page revealed only more emptiness. His confusion grew.
On the third try, the title appeared in bold, oversized letters filling the entire page. Just as he was about to turn another—
[CLATTER]
The sudden mechanical hum of the door opening startled him. Instinctively, he shoved the book back into place and turned just as Jaz stepped inside.
Her long black hair swayed slightly as she moved, her usual poise undisturbed even by the dim lighting. Despite her calm demeanor, her left arm was wrapped in bandages, a reminder of her recent combat with Dominus.
Her gaze swept over the room before she let out a familiar remark.
"This place never changes. Still the same mess."
"What? Its clean." Jack scoffed.
"Clean? You call this clean?"
"Yeah! At least there's no dust here." Jack replied with a teasing smile.
"Alright. Well....Here."
Jaz sighed, unwilling to argue further. Instead, she pulled out a sealed document and held it up. The golden lion emblem on the seal caught Jack's eye, his expression shifting.
"A response after four months? Isn't that a little late?"
The stern look on Jaz's face suggested she shared his concern. Understanding her unspoken thoughts, Jack offered a reassuring smile.
"Captain must have written some reason in the response. Otherwise, it's going to create trouble for us." He redirected their conversation, "I wonder what he wrote."
Jack turned towards his desk, already filled with scattered papers and notes. Jaz followed, her eyes briefly scanning the room before curiosity got the better of her.
"So?....What are you working on now?"
"Hmm... well... working on something, but I don't know how to explain it to you," He teased, raising an eyebrow.
"Don't take me for a dumb person," Jaz responded maturely.
"Really?"
Jaz folded her arms. "Try me."
He raised an eyebrow. "Okay... So listen, Miss Genius. I'm working on an Acceleration Runic Device that will at least triple our speed."
"...."
Jaz tilted her head, clearly confused but unashamed to show it. Jack sighed, having expected this reaction, his face showing mild irritation.
"You didn't get it."
"Explain it more clearly."
Jack pressed his hand to his forehead, questioning why he'd attempted to explain, while Jaz waited eagerly for clarification.
Jaz always been like that—unafraid to admit when she didn't understand something, persistent until she fully grasped it. And it was something he admired, he lov--
She interrupted his wandering thoughts, not noticing the slight blush on his cheeks.
"I'm not as smart as you. Plus, you're the so-called Prodigy of The Imperial Academy. What did they call you...hmm...What was that?..""
[COUGH ! - COUGH !]
Jack deliberately coughed to avoid the topic, maintaining his usual smile. He picked up his earlier papers, covered in runic text and penciled formulas with specific circles marked.
"The Acceleration Runic Device is a mechanical device that harnesses runic power to increase our ship's speed. And if I get it right, it'll boost our speed by three times without overloading the engine. But the tricky part is....."
As he spoke, his brown eyes gleamed with focus and excitement, the usual carefree attitude replaced by sharp intensity.
Jaz found herself watching him, mesmerized. He was always reckless, always joking—but when it came to his work, he was someone else entirely.
Her face warmed. She quickly looked away.
"You get it now?" Jack asked, breaking her thoughts.
"Y-Yeah!" she answered a little too quickly.
A grin stretched across his face. "Hah! I feel like a teacher explaining something to my slowest student."
Jaz narrowed her eyes. "I still have my right arm."
Jack laughed but suddenly remembered something.
"Oh! I almost forgot."
He opened a drawer and pulled out a small glass vial filled with bright red liquid. "Here. Take it."
"What's this?"
"Recovery Potion, for your injuries. Vice Captain asked me to give it to you. So here."
Jaz accepted it gently, hiding her happiness behind a neutral expression. A warmth settled in her chest, but she didn't let it show. "Thanks. Oh—I just remembered, I need to go."
She turned abruptly and left the room. Once outside, her expression softened, a small, rare smile forming on her lips.
Inside, Jack's gaze lingered on the doorway where she'd disappeared, wearing a similar expression. He shook his head, pushing aside the distracting thoughts. His attention returned to the sealed document on his desk.
"It's time to do some work."