Miss Vulpo's Life as a Rhodes Island Operator

Fengling simply lacked experience and had exhausted all her stamina playing around. Combined with her habitual use of Originium Arts, she had developed a certain dependence on them.

Though that was also why Fengling had become exceptionally skilled at using Originium Arts.

There were pros and cons.

But this targeted physical training was clearly meant to help Fengling break free of that dependence and truly improve her "base attributes."

Or, as Gavial had put it—merely helping Fengling unlock her potential.

It was not that she could not do it, but that she had never done it before and was thus unaccustomed to it.

Looking at the others in the A4 Reserve Squad, they still had plenty of energy to spare. Perhaps because Fengling had slowed down somewhat, they had chosen to keep her company, making things even easier than usual for them.

"Melantha, honestly... though it might be a little mean, seeing Fengling like this... I was thinking, so she isn't omnipotent after all."

The other members of the A4 Reserve Squad, slightly ahead of them, continued their jog at a steady pace. Cardigan even poked Melantha and spoke in a low voice.

Melantha knew Cardigan had not meant anything malicious. She was merely voicing a thought.

After all, during their previous sparring exercises, Fengling's pressure had truly been overwhelming.

At one point, Melantha had even felt that Fengling truly belonged to a different world from them.

Though after enough time had passed, something like that was bound to happen sooner or later.

Just not now.

"At least for now, everyone should cherish the time we have together."

"Whoa... Melantha says sentimental things like that too?" Cardigan looked at Melantha in surprise.

Melantha's face immediately turned red.

She was usually not much of a talker and rarely said things like that. She had merely spoken from the heart just now.

Twenty kilometers was roughly equivalent to a half marathon.

Under Gavial's watch, Fengling had barely managed to finish it.

Along the way, she had also learned a little about proper running posture and the correct breathing rhythm.

If she had to do it again, Fengling would at least not end up in such a sorry state.

"Fall in!"

At Instructor Dobermann's command, the entire A4 Reserve Squad lined up neatly.

"You all did well today."

"Everyone except Fengling will write a report on today's exercise and hand it to me tomorrow."

"And you." Instructor Dobermann looked at Fengling. "When it comes to combat, I cannot teach you much more. Later, I will assign you a specialized instructor. During your time in the A4 Reserve Squad, focus on building a solid foundation. This was your first lightly equipped twenty-kilometer run. Being able to persist until the end is already quite good."

"No additional physical training will be assigned today. Go back and get some proper rest."

"Fengling, when you have time, make a trip to the Engineering Department. Regarding the custom equipment I promised you, discuss it with the Engineering Department staff. I'll cover the cost."

"Melantha and Cardigan, Fengling only arrived at Rhodes Island with her luggage today. There are bound to be many details of daily life that she does not understand yet. Look after her a little more over the next few days."

After Melantha acknowledged the order, Dobermann nodded in satisfaction.

"Dismissed!"

"Fengling, Fengling! Which way is your dorm?"

As soon as Dobermann left, Cardigan eagerly latched onto her.

"Room 3088." Fengling thought about it. Her room number was pretty nice—easy to remember.

"Great~ We'll come find you around noon! Let's have lunch together!" Cardigan invited her. "Rhodes Island's cafeteria is amazing! And you can eat as much as you want!"

Amazing!

All you can eat!

Fengling's eyes immediately lit up, and even the fox ears atop her head stood straight up.

But training had just ended, and she was drenched in sweat. She really did need to clean herself up properly.

The dorms had showers available.

"Then I'll see you at noon! I need to go back and wash up first." Fengling pointed at her tail, which had clumped together. "It's all tangled."

"Then let's go together!" Cardigan enthusiastically grabbed Fengling's hand. "The dorm showers are enough for everyday use, but Rhodes Island also has dedicated hot spring baths! Operators can use them for free!"

They even had that?!

The Girls' Frolics

"Ehh~~"

Fengling's surprised voice softly echoed through the space.

She truly had not expected a place like this to exist aboard Rhodes Island's massive landship.

It had the style of a hot spring that blended Yan and Higashi influences.

The enormous space was divided into four pools of differing temperatures. Thanks to a powerful self-purification system, the water in the hot spring pools remained crystal clear.

On the other side of the pools was a grooming area.

"They even prepared brushes and conditioner..."

Most residents of Terra had all sorts of ears and tails.

As a Vulpo, Fengling was naturally extremely proud of her large tails—especially since she had three of them!

She had always been more than willing to take care of her tails.

Beside the grooming area was a rinsing area.

To keep the water usable for longer, everyone generally chose to rinse themselves clean before soaking in the baths.

"Ah~ Little Cardigan, little Melantha~ and a newcomer~"

After Cardigan and Melantha brought Fengling here, a somewhat lazy voice called out to them.

"Ko~ko~da~yo~"

"Kroos!" Cardigan waved at her.

She was an orange-haired Cautus girl with an adorably lazy air about her. A smile was always on her face, while her eyes remained narrowed, whether intentionally or simply by nature.

After a quick rinse, Fengling, Cardigan, and Melantha climbed into the bath.

"Today's exercise~ Little Cardigan really worked hard~"

After Fengling sat down beside Kroos, Kroos leisurely struck up a conversation.

Several other girls were sitting beside Kroos as well.

"Yahaha, it was fine, it was fine. My hands were a little numb, but they've recovered already." Cardigan smiled, then introduced them to Fengling. "Fengling, they're from the A1 Operations Reserve Team."

Unlike the A4 Reserve Squad, the A1 Operations Reserve Team consisted entirely of girls.

Fengling gave them a simple greeting.

And the people in this hot spring pool were not limited to the A1 Reserve Squad.

There were girls from the A2 and A3 Reserve Squads here as well.

It seemed that aside from the A1 Reserve Squad, the other squads had also gone through some training after their exercises that morning.

At this time of day, they had all more or less finished together and habitually came here for a bath and some rest.

After learning a little more, Fengling roughly understood that the current Operations Reserve Teams had already been formed up to A6.

However, the A5 and A6 Squads were somewhat special. Their training intensity was comparatively lower, as they seemed to have other matters of greater priority.

For the moment, none of that had anything to do with Fengling.

There were many personnel stationed aboard Rhodes Island. She could get to know them slowly, little by little.

She submerged her entire body in the pool.

The pleasant temperature wrapped around her body.

The steam from the hot spring made the bathing girls appear somewhat hazy.

Aside from the girls' graceful figures and delicate, flawless skin...

"Most of them... are Infected."

Most of them had a conspicuous patch of black somewhere on their bodies, spread across their skin.

Because of Oripathy, Infected were treated terribly in most places.

They could even be said to occupy the lowest rung of society.

In some harsh places, they would lose even their most basic human rights.

But here on Rhodes Island.

There was no difference between Infected and ordinary people.

If they were sick, they received treatment, then lived and worked earnestly.

How nice.

"Blub blub blub..."

Feeling a little playful, Fengling blew bubbles beneath the spring water.

But that tranquility did not last long.

A newcomer inevitably stood out.

"Come to think of it, Fengling's skin is so well cared for!"

"It really is!"

Whenever a group of girls got together, the conversation would always drift in all sorts of directions.

At the very least, beauty was definitely one of the more common topics.

Even Rhodes Island operators in the reserve squads would receive field assignments now and then, making it impossible to avoid wind and sun.

For girls who cared about looking pretty, such things were naturally their greatest enemies.

But Fengling's skin looked as though it had been perfectly maintained, and it was even exceptionally smooth.

Yet many people had seen her send Cardigan and her shield flying with a single punch, so she naturally became an easy topic of conversation.

They were all girls, so there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

But after only a little while, as everyone grew more familiar, their movements became increasingly bold.

One purple-haired Sarkaz girl had even started touching and squeezing Fengling's arm.

She seemed to be from the A1 Reserve Squad.

"Mm... with this amount of muscle, it doesn't feel like she should have that much strength... but she seems very resilient."

Uh, was she a medical operator?

Her name seemed to be Pheobe.

Operators generally addressed one another by codenames, since not everyone used their real names as codenames.

Some operators' names represented a past they might wish to hide.

Of course, some simply chose them because they sounded nice or cool.

Still, not every girl looked at Fengling through the perspective of a "medical operator" like Pheobe did.

Among girls their age, Fengling's "features" were quite conspicuous.

A girl's features.

At seventeen, certain parts of Fengling's body had long since left the realm of a "little girl" behind and fully developed.

It could even be said that she outclassed every girl present.