Arknights, but the family has fallen into decline again, again, and again

But Specter continued reciting her scriptures as though nothing had happened.

That made sense. She was an Abyssal Hunter, after all.

"Miss Specter!" Folinic cried out. "I'm terribly sorry! I'll get a towel right away..."

"There is no need."

The nun declined, then raised her head slightly and nodded to Oute. Calmly, she said, "My Lord, your messenger is ready."

Ready for what?

Oute was rather baffled.

"But... huh!?" Folinic's ears twitched. "Specter... spoke!?"

That statement was somewhat ambiguous.

Even when she was completely insane, Specter could still speak.

It was just that her words at the time might not have carried any clear meaning for others.

The thin fabric, soaked through with coffee, had faintly outlined the nun's lower abdomen. If Folinic's coffee cup had been any bigger, Specter's navel might have been visible.

No, don't look!

Forcibly pulling his gaze away from that strange spot, Oute nodded and mixed his command into seemingly ordinary words as he tried, "Ahem, it would be better to clean up a little."

A fervent zeal ignited in the depths of Specter's calm eyes.

"Your will!"

Beneath the shadow of his hood, Oute raised an eyebrow.

He had equipped those two accessories onto the two Abyssal Hunters in the Interstice after entering the dream. Yet in reality, they remained equipped as well. But Oute had not used the mental link just now.

Both commands conveyed through sound waves and commands delivered through the mental link had stirred Specter's fervor.

That meant that, in the nun's heart, Oute had become completely synonymous with her god.

Folinic looked at Oute in disbelief and unconsciously blurted out, "Doctor, you... how did you do that?"

"There's no need to dwell on that. Wipe her... no, take her to clean up."

After saying that to Folinic through PRTS, Oute turned to Specter and softly asked, "What do you think, Specter?"

He spoke slowly, trying not to strain his sternum. "It may not be the sea, but it has been a long time since you soaked in water, hasn't it?"

Soak!?

They had been traveling through the wilderness for so long. Water aboard the landship was hardly abundant!

How could they use so much water for personal enjoyment!?

Folinic was about to refuse when she saw Specter's expression.

The nun seemed to be recalling something, and her beautiful face became utterly serene.

The words on her lips changed. "Considering Specter's mental condition, I'll file it under psychological therapy."

Oute had no idea about the twists and turns in Folinic's thoughts. He nodded, then added through PRTS, "While you're at it, help me check the condition of my sternum."

Although Rhodes Island was a landship that "didn't even have flush toilets," there were actually quite a few places where one could immerse their entire body in water.

However, since Folinic also needed to examine Oute's sternum, she brought the two of them to the Medical Department.

Along the way, Oute replaced Specter's accessory with the "Sun Ring" and equipped "Reynauld's Head" on himself.

Incidentally, "Dismas's Head" was still on Skadi. But considering that if he took it back directly, he might not be able to equip it again, Oute had no plans to retrieve it for the time being.

Although Specter could indeed equip two accessories at once, Oute considered that she was not wearing an earpiece and that he would have to speak directly from now on. So he took back the accessory that increased maximum health.

Feeling his stamina become abundant and the pressure on his sternum ease, Oute took a deep breath. It felt wonderful.

Ever since awakening, this accessory that could ease his pain had been passed between Operators because of the intense battles. He had barely worn it himself for any length of time.

So, his connection with Specter had also been established through normal channels in the real world.

It was time for today's final test.

Oute looked at Specter, at the Specter clutching his sleeve and unwilling to let go.

He needed to confirm one thing: outside the Interstice after entering the dream, in reality, could he take control of a hero's body through the mental link?

The variables to consider were the location, the hero's subjective willingness, and... trust or mental defenses.

It feels a little like taking advantage of her situation, and it makes my conscience sting. But Specter's nun persona, because of her religious fervor, can clearly control the variables and fully reveal the differences caused by location.

Oute sent his thoughts. "Specter, I am going to take control of your body."

"So, Doctor, Miss Specter's situation has completely exceeded... Miss Specter?"

Folinic looked at Specter, who had suddenly stopped, and felt a little frightened.

"No, it's nothing."

"No, it's nothing."

Ah, the sensation is different from the Interstice. It also takes extra attention to control two bodies at once. And last time really wasn't an illusion—after activating the Proxy Protocol, Specter's stress drops sharply...

At that moment, Specter's red eyes were extraordinarily calm, like flawless gemstones. Her wandering gaze and the hidden savagery within them were all sorted out and wiped clean.

Using the Abyssal Hunter's superhuman body, Oute looked at himself. The shadow of his hood was easily pierced through. In Oute's own eyes, Specter saw her reflection in his pupils.

This time, Specter agreed very quickly.

Almost the instant Oute asked, the "Proxy Protocol" activated successfully.

It also meant he failed to gain control immediately.

A cute emotion rippled across the lake of the nun's heart.

It was an intensely lingering, intensely clingy... grievance.

Upon closer consideration, it was somewhat like acting spoiled.

Judging by when she had come into being, Specter's nun persona was undoubtedly still a child...

Oute nodded and thought, Sorry, this is my fault. I shouldn't blame you.

But the nun's heart-lake rippled again.

My Lord! You are always right! This is entirely my fault!

Oute knew he could not handle this kind of fanaticism, so he changed the subject. The test is complete. I'm leaving now.

A reluctant emotion came through, but faced with the "divine oracle," Specter still chose to agree without hesitation.

But...

In Specter's heart, she did not agree with the fact that "she had just agreed to let Oute's consciousness withdraw from her body."

A bubble-like resistance, one that would burst with a single poke, blocked Oute's consciousness from withdrawing.

Oute sensed that he could forcibly end the Proxy Protocol, but it would cause some damage to Specter's mind.

I'd better not use Specter as an experiment for this kind of thing... My conscience would bother me.

So thought a grand strategy player.

Unforgivable is one thing, but having no taste is another

This was a bath!

Oute tried to persuade her inwardly. You're about to take off all your clothes! It would be best if I withdrew from your body!

Specter still agreed reluctantly, yet disagreed with her own agreement.

That mental obstruction, so fragile it would break with one poke, continued to block Oute's retreat.

"Doctor?" Folinic furrowed her brows slightly and looked suspiciously at Oute and Specter.

Why was their synchronization rate so high just now?

Oute turned his head aside and slowly said, "We're here."

Was he reducing his breathing to lessen the burden?

Noticing that Oute spoke far more cautiously than when he used PRTS to communicate, the thought flashed through Folinic's mind.

In truth, with the accessory equipped, Oute could speak normally. But right now, he was battling wits with Specter's subconscious...

Folinic explained, "Some procedures require cleaning the body's surface in advance, and when Rhodes Island is traveling through the wilderness, we don't have the means to provide the residential quarters with unlimited water. Therefore, the Medical Department has dedicated bathing facilities."

Pointing toward another room, Folinic added, "Doctor, why don't you sit over there? I'll bring Specter back shortly."

Wait?

Oute caught something in Folinic's words.

Are you going to bathe her!? Wouldn't that mean that if I haven't returned by then, I'll see two girls' naked bodies?

Specter's red eyes, now trembling like an earthquake had struck her pupils, clearly reflected Oute's thoughts.

I don't want to spy on girls bathing!

My spotless reputation!

Specter herself became aggrieved once again. Does my Lord dislike my body so much that he does not even wish to look at it?

No, I'd be very happy to look at you!

Ah, no, that's not it either!

In any case!

I don't want to take advantage of someone's vulnerability!

This isn't war. I'd rather be open and aboveboard...

"Is that so?" Oute nodded, slipped his hands into his pockets, and walked toward the other room. With his back to Folinic, he advised, "Actually, Specter... can manage on her own."

There was absolutely no sign of the turmoil inside him.

But Folinic rejected him cleanly. "No! Doctor! You... you need to have some self-awareness. Miss Specter is a patient! If she suddenly has an episode in the bathtub, she could very well drown in it!"