Azur Lane: Land To Sea.

38: A Connection

Caster sat there and looked at her eyes very intently... Trying to think, and form a satisfactory answer. Recognizing something isn't right. He could not afford to ask her why, She wanted to understand her feelings and intention because if he asked, it would feel like he is not recognizing her enough.

"I know what's going on around here... And I know you're trying to make yourself stand out from a crowd. So I'll give my 2 cents on this." He told Wales before looking at his book. A move that made Wales curious to not only what he said, and the book he's looking at.

'So he knows?' She thought. But it wasn't really out of the realm of possibility.

"I think you need to leave your shyness behind. Every girl who tried to swoon me did. But there's a reason why I don't get into relationships with subordinates." He reached out for the book he's staring at and pulled it towards him and opening it.

"Commander, you're in the face of death. One more fight, nothing's guaranteed if you're gonna alive after. Your luck... Is gonna run out." She countered.

He responded with a head shake. "Isn't that the point of combat? Facing death..? I have done dumb decisions, but I assure you. I will not go into battle without feeling a hundred percent.

So please, until this conflict is over, saving the world first, relationships, second." He pleaded to Wales. And at this point she is just demoralized. Saving the world aside, it just feels that Caster is doing what he said to himself he should not do. Disregarding the girl's feelings.

And he realized this mistake immediately. "I promise you, Wales. I'll keep to my word as LONG as you all wait. Impatience benefits no one."

And this statement just reversed the consequences of his prior. As Wales did not fall into frustration.

But then the door opens suddenly.

It was Independence, checking on the Commander. She stepped in eating a tub of ice cream on her own. She looks at the scene, she saw Caster staring at her intently. Curious, she pauses her ice cream treat.

"What are you looking at?"

He shook his head to snap out of his trance, and chuckled a little bit. Both girls gave him weird looks. And he gave the look of 'why are you looking at me like that?' look.

"I was just staring at the ice cream tub that Independence's holding. I'm a little bit hungry."

Wales sat down and made herself comfortable in the relaxing space that is the Commander's Office. But Independence on the other hand, was a bit surprised with the response. She thought that even if he's such a serious Commander, there's at least a side to him that's perverted. And that keeps not being the case. Again and again.

Without any response from her, he just shook off the awkwardness and started to write on the book he's holding...

"Relationship... Tips..." He audibly mumbled... Those words alone got the attention of Wales and Independence.

His eyes widened to the mistake he just did. He cleared his throat and turned his chair around to not face them and kept writing. Wales and Independence looked at each other and smirked. And both of them left to his devices.

"He isn't perverted, after all..."

"I was also proven wrong with that assumption. Just be happy we have that type of Commander. He's cute to say the least."

"I wouldn't say that, but what he did was."

Both of them giggled in silence as they walk through the hallways. With the windows blaring with natural light, as the peaceful day continues.