108: Chapter 108 Echoes

"Commander! Over here!"

Royal Fortune pounced, planting a kiss on his face. "Did you miss me, Commander?"

"If I said no, would you bite me?"

"Of course not. I know you're surrounded by a gaggle of Ship Girls every day, it must be hard to remember anyone! Hee hee!"

"Um... my question..."

"Here you go again..."

"This is Alert." Li Ming stepped aside, letting her see the three girls he had been blocking. "There's another one with a... special personality who wasn't too keen on coming... uh, that's about it? Anyway, I'll figure out a way to get her to meet everyone later."

"Hello there, Alert! I'm Royal Fortune. As you can see, I'm the captain of a ship fleet, or maybe I'm a pirate?" Royal Fortune grinned. "So, are you scared?"

"Hello, Comrade Royal Fortune! Comrade Commander said you are a brave adventurer!" Alert proactively extended her hand. "And you're family too!"

"Whoa, what on earth has the Commander been telling you?" Royal Fortune was torn between laughter and exasperation as she shook her hand. "A6, how have you been this whole time?"

"Response. All systems are operating optimally."

"I mean, have you been happy lately?"

A6 showed a hint of distress, tilting her head in thought. "Response. Based on comprehensive assessment, personal emotional index has been extremely high in recent months."

"Uh..."

"She means she's in a good mood." Li Ming guessed, wondering when this girl would ever learn to express herself in a normal way.

"Oh, oh... that's good. The Commander's been feeding you well, you look quite fair and tender, even a bit chubbier!"

A6 looked down at her own stomach.

She didn't seem to have gained weight. Verdict: a joke.

"Alright, alright, let's go inside!" Royal Fortune pointed to the building behind her.

Z23 looked towards the building.

Oroania Blair Hotel.

Following Royal Fortune, Alert curiously surveyed her surroundings. This place was much more bustling than Riga...

"Please wait a moment, everyone!"

A doorman stopped them.

"? What's the matter?"

"Ladies, this gentleman is not permitted to enter."

"Why?" Royal Fortune was a bit displeased.

"Our establishment has a rule: Remnants and Thousand Crane people are not allowed inside."

Z23 furrowed her brow, A6 stared at the doorman, and Alert was already showing signs of anger.

Royal Fortune took a deep breath and revealed a meaningful smile. "Listen here, young man. We are a Commander and Ship Girl group, you know? Have you thought about the consequences of offending such a combination?"

Surprisingly, Li Ming didn't react much. He just held Alert back to keep her from acting impulsively.

"Not even a Commander is allowed." The doorman, who looked rather young, broke into a cold sweat upon hearing this, but he steeled himself and spoke. "Rules are rules! As a proud citizen of the great Oronia, I cannot allow the filthy footprints of a Remnant to tread upon the public property of the kingdom!"

"You damn...!"

Alert *snapped* her rigging open, but was immediately restrained with a bit more force from Li Ming.

The doorman collapsed to the ground in fright, unable to even speak.

The crowd passing by, who had initially been watching the scene with interest, immediately scattered and fled in all directions.

Some went to report to the police, others called the Ship Girl Bureau hotline, and still others ran to nearby areas shouting for the military police...

"Everyone, remain calm!"

The voice was incredibly composed, yet it seemed to resonate from within everyone's minds.

The chaotic crowd quickly fell silent.

Li Ming narrowed his eyes. He was still wearing an earpiece on his right ear.

"Commander, did you hear something?" Logic asked.

"You didn't hear it?" Li Ming was somewhat puzzled.

"No... It seems it might be some kind of magic or special ability."

Li Ming looked towards the interior of the hotel.

He saw Director Axiom, along with several Ship Girls who appeared to be school administrators or Ship Girl Bureau officials. On the other side was an equally stunning blonde lady—he wasn't sure if she was a Ship Girl—surrounded by men and women in suits.

Director Axiom saw him and showed a flicker of surprise. Then, noticing the doorman on the ground trying to get up, her expression shifted to one of understanding.

She looked towards the lady on the other side. That young and beautiful lady nodded at her and then began walking towards the entrance.

"Your Highness... he..." The doorman trembled as he pointed a shaky finger at Li Ming. Li Ming showed no particular expression, simply watching the lady.

He also didn't, as he usually would, scrutinize the unfamiliar lady's clothing and appearance to analyze her status.

"Alright, you may return to your post." She didn't look at the doorman, just spoke quietly, allowing Li Ming to confirm that the earlier area-wide magical broadcast had indeed been her doing.

She passed through the main entrance and came to stand before Li Ming.

She bowed to him. "My apologies, sir. Have we caused you trouble?"

"It's nothing." Li Ming was taken aback but replied immediately, straightening his posture a bit. "As long as the misunderstanding is resolved, all is well."

"Naturally. I apologize for the disrespect shown by my employee." She removed her glove and extended her right hand. "Hello, I am Andelin Brook, the 9th generation descendant of Marshal Brook."

"Hello." Li Ming still shook her hand.

Z23 patted Alert, signaling her to step aside a little, then looked at A6.

A6 understood and stood together with Royal Fortune.

Gary Adventure and Mary emerged from the elevator around the corner, watching the entrance.

Royal Fortune's face was expressionless, she just rested her hand on her sword.

"This incident was our fault. We failed to properly educate our staff, causing disruption to your day." Andelin continued. "Please proceed with your meal as usual. I will personally visit later to express my apologies."

"That's really not necessary. We're just here for a normal meal. As long as the matter is settled, it's fine." Li Ming replied.

"When a mistake is made, it must be rectified. That is a family rule of mine. I would appreciate your understanding on this." She wore a flawless smile, yet she playfully winked at him, causing Li Ming to pause for a moment.

"Alright, I can understand that. Thank you for your assistance."

She gave a slight nod, then looked at the other onlookers on the street. "Everyone, please go about your business. Everything is as usual."

Then she turned and walked towards the lobby.

The doorman shakily got to his feet. "Your Highness..."

"...Just do your job. I do not wish for such an incident to happen again." Andelin paused, spoke, and then walked towards Gongli without looking back.

The doorman showed a look of humiliation but still stood up, making a "please" gesture to Li Ming and the others.

Alert gritted her teeth, but her hand was taken by Li Ming. Then the five of them entered the lobby, joining up with Mary and Gary Adventure.

On the other side, Gongli looked at them. "Andelin... has the Federation really become like this?"

"I don't know... this is the first time I've seen something like this." Andelin seemed troubled.

"Me too." Gongli closed her eyes. "Let's go, our banquet must continue..."

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