Chapter 276: Chapter 276- Sleep

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across Meltdown’s main plaza as Mr. Leighton led his two students away from the City Lord’s residence. His expression was grim, the weight of leadership heavy on his shoulders.

’Another alliance offer wrapped in honeyed words,’ Leighton thought, his mind replaying the meeting. ’But Glaine’s eyes hold the ambition of a man who sees people as pawns. Julian was right to warn us. Getting entangled in faction wars would only lead these children to an early grave. Our duty is survival, not conquest.’

He had politely but firmly declined Glaine’s proposal, citing their need to remain neutral and focus on rebuilding their own community. The City Lord had accepted it with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

"Alright, let’s prepare to return home," Leighton announced, his voice pulling his students from their thoughts.

However, Dori had been unusually quiet and melancholic throughout their walk, her shoulders slumped. Lea, bursting with her usual hyperactive energy, couldn’t take it anymore.

"Ugh! Dori, just go and talk to him!" Lea exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "What’s the point of moping around like a lost puppy? Just shoot your shot! It’s better than regretting it later!"

Dori flinched, her face flushing a deep red. "L-Lea! That’s not... I wasn’t thinking about that!"

"Liar!" Lea shot back, poking Dori’s cheek. "You’ve been like this since yesterday! Everyone with eyes can see you have a crush on Julian! Even old man Leighton knows!"

At the mention of her feelings being so publicly known, Dori’s composure shattered. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she turned to bury her face in Lea’s shoulder, her small frame trembling. "W-what should I do...?" she sobbed.

Lea, momentarily stunned by the outburst, awkwardly patted her back. "Hey, don’t cry... I... I don’t know either."

Mr. Leighton watched the scene with a gentle, understanding smile. He saw the conflict in Dori’s heart—the pull of a newfound affection against the fear of abandoning the family she had found in their group.

"Dori," Leighton said, his voice calm and fatherly. "Following your heart is often frightening. The path is uncertain. But a life lived in regret for chances not taken is a heavy burden to bear."

He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "However, the bonds you’ve forged here are not so fragile that they would break with distance. True companions will always find their way back to each other."

Dori looked up, her eyes wide and glistening with tears. "But... what if I never get to see everyone again? What if I’m not strong enough?"

Leighton’s expression softened further, his voice a gentle anchor in the storm of Dori’s emotions. "The world is adapting, Dori. Who’s to say what paths will cross again? Perhaps one day, civilization will regrow enough that traveling between safe havens will be as simple as walking to the market. We will meet again when the time is right, I’m sure of it."

He placed a comforting hand on her head. "I will miss your talents, and your presence, dearly. But I am your teacher. My duty isn’t to keep you locked away for my own benefit, but to see you grow and find your own happiness, wherever that may be. I cannot, in good conscience, be the reason you carry a lifetime of regret."

His words, filled with such selfless care and foresight, broke the last of Dori’s resistance. A fresh, more powerful wave of tears overcame her. It wasn’t a sob of sadness anymore, but a profound release of gratitude, fear, and love.

With a choked cry, she threw her arms around her sensei, burying her face in his chest, her entire small frame shaking. "Th-thank you... Sensei... Thank you..."

Leighton held her gently, patting her back. Over her head, he shared a quiet, knowing look with Lea, who was sniffling herself, trying and failing to act tough.

Dori’s decision was made. She would follow her heart to Julian’s side, carrying with her the blessing of the man who had been like a father to her.

Julian stood before the completed vehicle, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes, usually so sharp and critical, scanned every reinforced seam, every angular plate of armor, and the formidable-looking ramming prow. After a long moment of silence, he gave a single, slow nod.

"Acceptable," he stated, the single word carrying the weight of high praise from him. The exterior was more than he had expected—a perfect blend of rugged durability and menacing aesthetic.

His gaze then drifted to the side, where Fey was splayed out on the ground like a discarded ragdoll. Her chest rose and fell with dramatic, shallow breaths, her eyes staring blankly at the sky as if she had seen the very abyss of human toil.

"I regret everything," she mumbled to the clouds, her voice a hollow echo of its usual lazy drawl. "My spirit has been forged in fire and steel... and I have been found wanting. Just leave me here. Let the dust claim me."

Julian ignored her theatrical demise and pulled open the reinforced passenger door, stepping inside. The interior smelled of new leather, ozone, and welded metal. Aya was already inside, waiting nervously.

"U-um, Julian," she began, her voice soft but proud as she gestured around the compact yet efficiently designed space. "As you specified, it’s not for living in, but for long-term travel. The seats recline fully into sleeping berths. There are lockers for rations, a compact water filtration system, and these panels here," she said, pointing to several reinforced sections, "are for mounting weapons. The power core from the old vehicle has been integrated and stabilized, so it can power small appliances and charge equipment."

She showed him the hidden compartments, the upgraded communications array, and the environmental seals. It was a masterpiece of mobile practicality.

Julian listened, his eyes taking in every detail. He ran a hand over a welded joint, feeling its solidity. "Good," he said, his voice a low rumble of genuine satisfaction. He looked from Aya’s hopeful face to the prostrate form of Fey outside. "The work is good. Both of you."

While the mobile base was acceptably finished, there were still final checks and supplies to be loaded—a process Beatrix’s impatient glares were hurrying along. But the core vehicle itself met his stringent expectations.

"Once we’re underway, your next task will be to modify the helicopter I have in storage. Its current range and armor are insufficient."

From the ground, a weak, trembling hand rose into the air, followed by Fey’s utterly broken voice.

"Please... have mercy... Just... let me sleep... for a year..." Her hand then dropped limply to the dirt, and her head lolled to the side, her eyes closing in a perfect, dramatic feign of unconsciousness.

Aya, who had been smiling proudly at Julian’s approval, immediately gasped and dropped to her knees, shaking Fey’s shoulder gently.

"F-Fey! Are you okay?! Julian, she’s fainted! She pushed herself too hard!" Aya cried out, her voice full of genuine panic and concern.

Julian looked from the "unconscious" engineer to the panicked blacksmith. He knew Fey was almost certainly faking, but the point was made: she was pushed to her limit. For now, the mobile base was enough. The helicopter could wait.