Chapter 71 - The Void Box

As Myrrh and I strolled through the sleek, neon-lit corridors of Orbital Tech, an awkward silence lingered between us, stretching with every step. The faint hum of distant machinery and the occasional flicker of holographic advertisements filled the space, but neither of us spoke. That is, until Myrrh decided to break the silence with a smirk, her blue eyes glinting mischievously under the artificial light.

“Oh, congratulations to you and Fei for topping the calculus exams earlier,” she said, her tone carrying a playful edge.

I glanced at her and shrugged, offering a small smile. “Thanks, but Fei did most of the heavy lifting for both of us.”

Myrrh’s smirk deepened. She leaned in, tilting her head as if studying my expression, her face inching dangerously close to mine. The scent of her faintly citrusy perfume mixed with the sterilized, metallic air of the corridor.

“Mmm…” she hummed, her eyes narrowing with teasing amusement.

I took an instinctive step back, brow twitching. “What?” I asked, irritation creeping into my voice. Her proximity was unnerving.

She pulled away, pouting slightly, before crossing her arms. “Nothing. It’s just that you seem awfully proud of your new WAIFU partner,” she remarked, arching a brow. “You give her more credit than you ever gave your previous partner. You didn’t even congratulate me after the rollerblade practical exam.”

I exhaled through my nose, already sensing where this was going. “Oh, belated congratulations to you and Kian as well for acing the practical exam,” I said, forcing a smile.

Myrrh’s expression instantly brightened. She puffed out her chest, her long hair swaying as she grinned proudly. “That was five days too late, but I’ll accept your praise,” she said with a dramatic nod. “Not that it was anything difficult—it’s just a basic skill.”

I rolled my eyes and turned away, muttering under my breath, “That’s exactly why I don’t praise you. It goes straight to your head and inflate your ego.”

“Did you say something, Zaft?” Myrrh tilted her head, her long greenish blonde hair swaying slightly as she gave me a curious look.

“No, nothing,” I replied casually, though my smirk betrayed me. Then, folding my arms, I decided to poke back. “I bet you’re pretty comfortable with your new support unit, huh? What was his name again? Kian… Citrus?”

“Kian Cyprus,” Myrrh corrected with an exaggerated eye roll. “And yes, he’s a cool, kind, and handsome guy—not to mention respectable too,” she added with a proud grin, tilting her chin up. “I can totally see our partnership working well for the finals… except for advanced calculus.” Her smile stretched into something that could only be described as dog-like, as if she was hoping I'd ignore that last part.

Unfortunately for her, I hadn’t forgotten. The image of Myrrh furiously scratching her head in frustration when the calculus exam results flashed on our screens was still fresh in my mind. Judging by that reaction, she had met a particularly terrible fate with that subject—but I couldn’t resist asking anyway.

“So… how was that exam earlier?” I asked, smirking.

Myrrh exhaled dramatically. “Terrible,” she admitted, rubbing the back of her head. “I only got two answers right.”

I nearly choked. “Two out of fifty!?” My eyes widened in disbelief.

Myrrh’s face turned red in an instant. She frantically glanced around, making sure no passing students had overheard my outburst. Luckily, we had already exited the bustling corridors and were now making our way toward the KAWAII office building. The area was quieter, with only a handful of people walking nearby, but Myrrh still shot me a warning glare.

“Keep it down!” she hissed, puffing her cheeks.

"Pfft!" I chuckled under my breath, savoring the rare moment of catching her off guard.

“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up,” Myrrh groaned, dramatically throwing her arms up. “Advanced calculus is the bane of my existence.”

I chuckled at her misery. “What about Kian? How did he do on the exam?”

She sighed, rolling her shoulders as if shaking off the weight of defeat. “He got fairly good marks. But with my score, I’m pretty sure we dragged the class average down.” She frowned, crossing her arms. “Honestly, I don’t think we’re really compatible when it comes to exams. In practicals, his instructions are all over the place, so I have to do most of the work. But in written exams, I’m the one slowing us down.”

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“At least you two balance each other out,” I teased, reaching out to ruffle her hair like she was some pitiful child. “A perfect match—disorganized in one area, disastrous in another.”

Myrrh’s cheeks puffed in irritation as she swatted my hand away. “Shut up.” Then, narrowing her eyes, she smirked. “Good for you, though. You have Fei. I knew you were wishing for her to be your WAIFU, you homewrecking third-party cheater.”

I nearly stumbled at the accusation. “I’m not a homewrecker!” I exclaimed, flailing my arms in protest. “I got dragged into a love triangle I never signed up for!”

“Hmph.” Myrrh shot me a skeptical glare, tapping a finger against her chin. “You sure seem very happy talking to her every morning.”

I scoffed. “Oh, please. You’re one to talk. You always look like a giddy schoolgirl when Kian’s around. Practically wagging your tail.”

Her glare deepened. My pout intensified.

The silent stare-off between us stretched on, charged with unspoken arguments and exaggerated offense, until finally, we both turned away with synchronized hmphs!

A strange, uncomfortable air settled between us. Our usual playful banter had faded into silence, replaced by an unspoken tension. Were we… jealous of each other?

I didn’t want to admit it, but something about seeing Myrrh so at ease with her new partner—smiling, laughing—sent a sharp, pinching ache through my chest. It was irrational. It was stupid. And yet, it was there.

Thankfully, we had reached the KAWAII office before either of us had to dwell on the awkwardness any longer. I stepped forward and pulled the door open, making a half-hearted attempt at chivalry. Myrrh hesitated for a second before walking in, her expression unreadable.

The moment we entered, we were met by a tall, slender woman at the front desk. Her pink hair cascaded in neat waves over her shoulders, complementing her well-fitted office dress. With an air of effortless confidence, she smiled at us—though there was a knowing glint in her sharp eyes.

“Good afternoon, Myrrh Alicent and Zaft Callahan.” Agent Feena Arcaliburn greeted us smoothly. Then, as if she could sniff out our tension like a bloodhound, her lips curled into a teasing grin. “Hmm… what’s this I’m sensing between you two? A lover’s quarrel?”

“W-We’re not lovers!” Myrrh stammered, fists clenching at her sides as her cheeks turned a faint shade of red.

“We’re not quarreling either!” I quickly added. “We were just… providing constructive criticism to each other.”

“Ohhh, really?” Myrrh tilted her head, her smirk returning. “Because it really sounded like jealousy to me.”

“I—I’m not jealous!” I shot back, feeling my face heat up.

“Ahem.”

Agent Feena cleared her throat, commanding our attention with a single, graceful gesture. She folded her hands on the desk, amusement still dancing in her eyes.

“I know a lover’s spat is just a minor obstacle in a lovey-dovey relationship,” she said with mock seriousness, “but perhaps you two should get a private room to sort it out. For now, however, I have more pressing matters to discuss.”

“Huh?” Myrrh and I echoed in unison, blinking in confusion. Our gazes met for a brief moment before shifting toward Agent Feena’s striking emerald eyes, which gleamed with a knowing amusement.

Without another word, Feena tapped her sleek tablet, causing a holographic projection to materialize above her desk. The image was eerie—floating in the vast darkness of space was a massive, jagged asteroid, its rough surface marred with deep cracks. At its core stood four towering pillars, symmetrically encasing a perfectly smooth, pitch-black cube. The cube itself shimmered with an unnatural, starlike glimmer, as if entire galaxies were trapped within its void-like depths.

Myrrh tilted her head, brows furrowing. “What is this?” she murmured. “It looks… mystical.”

Feena leaned back slightly, crossing one leg over the other. “That,” she said, her voice taking on a serious tone, “is what we’re here to identify.” Her gaze flickered between the two of us. “This is the primary reason I recruited you both—to investigate the anomaly known as the Void Box, located within the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.”

I exhaled sharply, rubbing my temples. “Wait, wait, wait. So this entire thing was planned from the start? You mean to tell me that us knowing the Licensure Examinations Tournament, getting fast-tracked into the Intelligence Division… all of that was just to investigate some weird space cube?”

“That’s right.”

"So we just got scammed and bamboozled." I sighed.

"Definitely not." Agent Feena said with a smile akin to a mannequin.

"All just for a mysterious space box. I bet there's a sign that says 'YOU LOSE!' inside of it."

Feena suddenly broke her composed demeanor, placing her hands on her cheeks and sticking out her tongue in an exaggerated teehee pose, trying to look cute. “Who knows? Maybe it’s hiding priceless treasures—diamond deposits, ancient relics, or even gold coins left behind by space pirates?”

“Whaaa!” Myrrh’s eyes sparkled like a child in a candy store. “Gold coins from space pirates?! If that’s the case, I’m totally in! I could pay off my mom’s medical bills with just one good haul!”

I groaned, side-eyeing her. “Calm down, gold digger.” Then, straightening up, I turned back to Feena with a more serious expression. “But really, what does this have to do with us?”

Feena’s teasing smile faded as she swiped her tablet, zooming in on the cube. “The Void Box has been baffling researchers for over five years. No probe, no laser, no explosion has managed to crack it open. But…” she paused for effect, her gaze sharpening, “…I have reason to believe that your Weapons of Mass Destruction Series might be the key to unlocking it.”

A weight settled in my chest. Myrrh, too, stiffened beside me, her earlier excitement giving way to something more cautious.

Whatever this Void Box was… it wasn’t just some forgotten space relic.