"You need to be more careful, Haruto my boy!"

"Yes Dad", Haruto said.

Could this be anymore embarrassing? Haruto had missed out on a rune injection and attacked L-elf right when they were having a breakthrough. And to make it worse, his father had to call just as he was getting his refill. It was like getting caught with a cavity at the dentist's office. Shoko held up the tablet that showed his father's disapproving face while he sat in a chair and a steady stream of runes fed into his arm.

"If you go down, the whole system goes down. Only you can pilot Unit 1. That is until I can get your perfect Valvrave up and running."

"My perfect Valvrave? You mean the experimental model?", Haruto asked.

"He has a name, son."

"Haruto, what's he talking about?", Shoko asked.

"Who said that? Is someone else there?", Soichi demanded to know.

"It's Shoko Dad", Haruto reminded him of her presence and she waved her hand in front of the tablet's camera to show him where she was. "You remember her? We've been friends since we were kids."

"Is she the one you have a crush on?"

"Dad!"

"Regardless, you need to take better care of your body Haruto. I don't know what I'd do if I lost it."

"Okay. I understand. I'll talk to you later. Love you."

Soichi ended the call without another word and Shoko put the tablet down. Her cheeks were slightly pink. Haruto's turned the same shade when he saw her face.

"And you're done", Takumi said, gently tugging the needle from Haruto's skin.

There was no need for wiping or bandages. The tiny hole sealed itself up almost immediately. Haruto thanked him and stood up, feeling full and refreshed in a way that was very similar to a good night's rest after a satisfying dinner.

"Thanks, L-elf", Haruto said when he stepped out of the medical office.

L-elf had taken him there after Haruto had passed out. It was obvious he needed some sort of attention. L-elf's expression was the same as always. Blank with a hard edge to it.

"Don't let that happen again. I might not be so generous."

It was a bluff. Haruto was a valuable asset. But he didn't need to know that. L-elf still had to play some things close. He'd already told him about Lieselotte. That was more than enough. The next day went without being attacked and the Dorssians were able to see what a normal full day was like. When they'd been paired up, they had a choice when it came to school.

They could either enroll and attend with their partners or spend the school hours in solitary confinement until their assigned pilot came to pick them up. The decision was easy. None of them paid attention to what happened in the classroom besides the fact that most of the actual students weren't paying any mind as well. The teachers cared little for that.

But the moment L-elf dared to look disinterested the teacher pointed a question at him. He answered flawlessly and even went above and beyond to the point that even the duller students were looking at him in awe. The academics here were far below Karlstein's standards. Physical education was the only thing L-elf had some sort of interest in.

Now that it was wartime, all other activities were pushed out of the curriculum to perfect their combat. Those who wished to pursue other sports did so as a part of their after school clubs. Of course, the time allotted for those activities decreased now that their defenses had to be maintained.

The pilots were all in the same class for the physical portion to better keep track of their progress. All were present except for Akira. Their teacher was a muscular woman with long hair braided into a plait.

"Let's see what you Dorssians are made of. One-on-one matches!"

Inuzuka was up first against Q-vier. They'd all been told not to underestimate their enemy but that was exactly what Inuzuka had done. He was just a kid after all. And just like that, Inuzuka found himself, flat on his back, Q-vier triumphant above him.

A-drei flat out refused to fight Saki. He had witnessed her prowess in battle with her mech but that didn't erase the fact that she was a girl.

"What if I...what if I grab something of hers", he had complained to L-elf.

"See if you can", Saki challenged him.

He ended up not being up for it as she subdued him easily, giving his unwillingness to touch her. She released him with an annoyed roll of her eyes.

"You're too easy."

The next match was more fair. Neither X-eins nor Yamada had any problem going at each other. Yamada had power but X-eins had strategy and came out on top in the end. H-neun couldn't spar against Akira, so the next and final match was Haruto vs L-elf.

Haruto thought he had been prepared. He'd seen the others fight and had even faced L-elf for a short bout before. But that was nothing compared to this. His head was clear and his body was rested but L-elf took him down in ten seconds. Haruto got back up and demanded a rematch. He did this three times and each time L-elf got him on his back.

Haruto felt himself get fired up each time but in a good way. In a 'this person is amazing' kind of way. He was started to learn more about L-elf and he liked what he saw. He was intelligent and strong and confident but not boastful. He was cold, but not unfeeling. He had the respect of the other Dorssians without being tyrannical. Although it seemed that ability played a factor into that.

He had said as much that evening when he spoke with his father. Soichi had called him up again to check in. Haruto sat at his desk and had the tablet propped up while L-elf took a shower. Haruto reported to his father that he was already squeaky clean before going into his day with L-elf and before he knew it he was gushing. Gushing about some guy the way he would about Shoko.

Once he realized it, he blushed. It was even worse that his father had to hear but the man had little interest in his social life so Haruto tried not to let it get to him. L-elf entered a second later and Soichi could see him clearly.

"Is this that boy you've been praising? Are you sleeping together?"

"Dad!", Haruto choked. "We're bunking together. That's it!"

"This is your father?", L-elf asked, coming in closer. The father of the pilot of the first and most important mech that spearheaded JIOR's military. A mess of a man but he had to be to think of the technology he was working with.

"He doesn't look so special", Soichi said. "Don't forget Haruto, you're spoken for. I won't have you running around with those beneath you. Not that Shoko or this person."

Haruto's face turned red but he was also confused. What was his father talking about?

"What do you mean spoken for?", he asked, just barely noticing L-elf putting a hand on the back of his chair and leaning in to get a better look.

Soichi crossed his arms. "What do you mean what do I mean? You've been engaged to Plue since you were a child."