"Commander, I'm back!" Volga barged into the office without me noticing, catching me off guard.

"It's good to see you back." I responded. "How was your mission with Enterprise's fleet?"

"It was a valuable experience. Enterprise provided me with advice on how to effectively use my plane when facing a line of enemies." She speaks confidently

"I see. Where is Enterprise currently?"  I asked.

"She is resting in her room. Tracking the mysterious signal left her exhausted." she answered.

"I understand. I'll call her later to discuss the mysterious person." I said.

Volga glanced at my desk, noticing the impeccable organization and the ongoing work on documents that needed to be sent to Naval HQ.

"Commander, what do you think of me?" she suddenly asked.

I looked up at Volga, taken aback by her question. "That's an unexpected question. What do I think of you...?" I paused, pondering for a moment before arriving at a conclusion. "I believe you are a caring person who pays close attention to what others say. You also have a particular fondness for food. Additionally, you give off an endearing motherly vibe rather than a big sister vibe, although I might be the only one who perceives it that way. You are a well-liked individual whom everyone would cherish as a partner. Perhaps I am biased towards you, and..."

"Wait! Commander, please stop. I can't take it anymore," Volga interrupted, her face turning bright red. "I'm getting embarrassed..." She covered her face with her hand.

I smiled at Volga. "Well, that summarizes my thoughts on you."

I could sense a smile forming behind Volga's hand. She didn't say anything, but I could tell she silently mouthed a "Thank you" to me.

'Rather than allowing this awkwardness to linger, let's focus on sorting these documents' I suggested in my mind.

Shifting my thoughts to the documents, i continued to work again.

※ ※ ※

Hours had passed, and I was caught off guard as the device Elizabeth had given me suddenly turned on. Volga, exhausted from the sortie, lay sleeping on the sofa with a blanket that i prepared in case i want to sleep in the office.

"[Hello? Is this device working?]" Queen Elizabeth's voice came through the radio device.

"Yes, it works. I can hear your voice, Elizabeth," I responded.

[Good, my Servant. How are you feeling right now?]

"I'm fine. The port came under sudden attack, causing severe damage. It will take months to reconstruct it. I'm currently at the NY Harbor," I replied.

[This device still has a time limit due to being in the testing phase, so I'll be brief.] Elizabeth paused briefly. [The Iris Orthodoxy has fallen apart. Iron Blood has taken control of a portion of the Iris Orthodoxy, turning them into puppets. We are trying to establish contact through our own channels. The Royal Navy will soon take action. What are your thoughts on this?]

The internal conflict between the two opposing factions had begun.

"As for the situation in Europe, I will leave it to you and the HQ. There are still unfinished tasks. However, I have an order for you: Cease fire unless provoked by the opposing side. Do you understand?"

[We understand, Royal Navy will proceed to abide by your order. We will hold our guns on the back unless we are being fired upon]

The small cube dropped to the floor, its light fading. I picked it up and placed it back on my desk.

I let out a tired sigh. "Another busy day awaits us tomorrow. We'll need a plan to battle against the Sakura Empire. I'll try to gather Enterprise and her fleets to discuss their opinions on how to deal with them."

Feeling the strain in my eyes, I decided to take a momentary nap. My vision blurred as weariness washed over me.

~Oh good, you are here again~

I appeared on that strange white room again, with no doors and windows. 

Looking at the floating cube with a dead eye."Oh it's you rainbow cube, what is it do you want to tell now." 

~Hey, i told you my name is...~ The cube started to float around me.

I silenced the cube with a firm grip of my hand. "No complaints."

~...Whatever, so as i wanted to say, welcome back~

"This doesn't feel like home. Well, what do you want?" I crossed my arms, a sense of unease lingering in the air.

~I just wanted to talk to you regarding the event you have seen after the timelines' erasure~ the cube replied calmly.

"Yeah, so I wanted to ask, what the fuck is that White Tower?" I couldn't contain my curiosity any longer.

~Access to that information is denied. It requires higher clearance... That's what my automation system has stated~ the cube responded.

"Great, now I'm stuck with an unsolved mystery. I need to find my connection to that White Tower." I muttered in frustration, facepalming in disbelief.

~Easy there, you've got everything under control. I also wanted to inform you about the future development of the timeline~ the cube chimed in, trying to reassure me with a hint of humor.

"You say that so easily while I'm here struggling," I sighed, exasperated. "Fine, what is it that you wanted to say?"

~I sense one of my shard will be involved in the upcoming event~ The cube responded.

"Oh, you mean the Midway Battle?" I questioned.

~It might be that one, or perhaps another event~ the cube hinted.

"You're being quite vague with your fucking hints..." I muttered in frustration.

~Regardless of the specific event, you need to stay vigilant and be aware of your surroundings~ the cube advised.

"At least give me a clue on how will it appear." 

~Information denied, needed higher clearance~  the cube replied again with a monotone voice.

"Ha... Fine. Well, there's something that has been bothering me for a while now," I said, pausing for a moment. "No, it has been bothering me ever since I arrived here."

~What is it? Is it about how you understand the language around here?~ the cube inquired.

"So you can read my mind. Yes, I wanted to ask about that. I only remember knowing two languages, but when I confronted Bismarck and looked back on it, it felt natural to understand what she was saying."

~That wasn't my doing~ the cube stated matter-of-factly.

"WHAT!?" I exclaimed in surprise.

~As I said, that's not my doing or the result of any passive language automation or translation that was installed. I believe it's something you gained after entering a state of abnormality, transcending time and universes much like the Siren. I don't know the exact reason behind your ability to understand the languages here, but my guess is that it's a unique trait as a foreign entity, someone who doesn't belong to this timeline or any other. There's also the possibility that you exist beyond the limitations of this world~ the rainbow cube explained nonchalantly.

Overwhelmed by the confusion that enveloped my mind, I couldn't resist the urge to grasp my head in a futile attempt to alleviate the mental strain. "This is driving me to the brink of insanity. I need to step back and clear my thoughts." I muttered to myself, my words barely audible. With a dismissive wave of my hand directed at the rainbow cube, I expressed my intention to part ways, albeit temporarily. "Until we meet again, rainbow cube." I closed my eyes, waiting for the surrounding to change and leaving this dream-like state meeting.

~Okay, just remember to obtain that shard when you has the chance~ the cube replied.

My surroundings faded into darkness, and before I knew it, I was back in my office. The dream had felt so vivid, almost as if it had truly happened.

Yawning, I wondered about the time and glanced out of the windows. "Still the afternoon, huh. I think it's time for a little break," I murmured to myself.

As I surveyed the room, I noticed Volga still soundly asleep on the sofa. A warm smile spread across my face as I approached her. Gently, I picked up the blanket that had slipped off from her and tenderly placed it over her, ensuring she remained comfortable.

After closing the door to the office, I strolled along the dock, taking in the serene view of the blue sea. A sense of calm washed over me as I embraced the tranquil atmosphere. Suddenly, I detected the sound of footsteps behind me. Without uttering a word, I patiently awaited the other person to speak.

"Commander," Yorktown greeted me, breaking the silence. "I wanted to talk to you about my sisters."