This is a Beta Test?! - A Literally Broken System

Age was something that was always sensitive to some people. While some, like me, only cared about the way that it counted down to my inevitable death and disappearance from the world, others used it to count down how much time they had left of their youthful lives. Well, people would always be vain, and it would never change no matter how much culture might change across countries.

Or worlds, for that matter.

Currently, we were back aboard the bridge of the newly-named [Empire's Wrath]. I lobbied heavily against the name, but just this once, Shizu pulled rank and demanded that our [Rig] be named after her beloved Empire. Not that I would complain, of course. It was just that it sounded so similar to a movie title back in the old world that I almost laughed just hearing it.

"Let me get this straight, you're fifteen?"

And of course, we finally came back to the age-old topic of, well, age. Technically, we should already be asleep, what with us taking a generous amount of time back in the Postmaster's office trying to pawn off the [Rig] and the prisoners we got. It was probably around two in the morning already, and we were still all up and about on the bridge as I charted out our course. All in all, we got five thousand Leafs for our prisoners and the vessel itself, which was kind of in poor taste considering we had the literal princess of the Empire with us. But no, the port could only pay us so much without bankrupting itself in the process.

"Yes?" Shen sighed, rolling her eyes at her senior. "I already told ya that, Shizu. Don't rub it in, old lady..."

"O-Old lady?!" Shizu sputtered out, scandalized. "I'll have you know that you're only two years younger than me!"

"But you look as old as Guidance over there!"

Now it was Guidance's turn to awkwardly cough out into her fist as the visible air of annoyance rose up from her. Meanwhile, Shade and Maruki were doing the same thing that I was doing: getting the hell away from this inevitable argument with our sanity intact.

Survival came first, after all, and angry women were dangerous to any man's health.

"Shen, don't bring stuff up that you'll go through yourself soon enough," Guidance neutrally pointed out. "Besides, the problem we have right now is that you look like a nine-year-old despite your age."

Shen flinched. "I-I said I was just missing ma growth spurt!"

I kept my chuckles to myself, focusing more on the charts as I set us out to see. I could've said something along the lines of her also acting like a nine-year-old, but I didn't want to be on the receiving end of her wrench.

Still, this argument had to stop. "Uhm, shouldn't we all be sleeping right now?"

"We were, but none of us didn't really say anything," Guidance sighed. "I'm pretty sure we can all have our respective rooms here as well. We just have to pick and choose and get our own keys and all that."

"I see," I hummed. "And we haven't done that because..."

"Because you're still here sailing?" Shade pointed out with a scoff.

Huh. I guess it was my turn to get annoyed. "And why is that? I just want us to have some progress made."

"As to where, exactly?"

I blinked. "Well, just somewhere that isn't the port."

"We haven't exactly decided on where to go yet," Shizu weakly pointed out, her hands on her hips as she sighed. "And right now, we really shouldn't. Not while we're all tired like this."

Oh... Oh right.... I completely forgot that I didn't get tired...

To be honest, I was expecting more along the lines of them leaving me up here alone as I steered us out to sea. I didn't expect them to wait for me. Then again, "Why didn't you all just leave me here then?"

At that, it was their turn to look dumbfounded as they all visibly looked as if they had an epiphany.

"I guess we haven't really thought of that?" Guidance shrugged.

"I was just following Shizu's lead," Shade scoffed. "Same with Maruki over here, but he probably might stay awake anyway."

"Constant vigilance is part of my duty, Shade!" Maruki yelled out, standing just by the exit in his usual spot. "The enemy might come at any point in time!"

And with that, only Shizu and Shen were left as they both stared at each other in disbelief. Seriously, was there some kind of spat going on between them? Especially after how attached to the hip they seemed to be just a few hours ago?

"In that case, I suggest we all go to sleep," Shizu weakly smiled, her usual energy sputtering out as all the stress from earlier finally came in.

"Finally," Guidance sighed. "At least nobody's going to fight that, right?"

Everyone all looked at one another, and the silent consensus was yes, we did want to sleep. Well, except for me that is.

"What about you, Moriya?"

"Huh? Oh, I guess I'll just keep our heading," I weakly responded, much to Guidance's chagrin for some reason.

"Moriya, we don't even know where we're going yet," the dev sighed. "You can drop anchor here. Claim a room and do something else for now."

"Well, I- Well, never mind then."

The collective glares from all of them pretty much cemented our next course of action. I suppose that nobody wanted to sleep on a rocking ship, and sailing out into the unknown also ran the risk of somehow getting into more trouble.

"Glad you saw reason, Moriya," Shade lightly chuckled as he patted my back. "The majority has spoken, and we'll be retiring for the night."

"Fair enough."

With a small chuckle, I dropped anchor and stepped down from the console. We weren't that far out the coast of Kattleyna yet, so we'd be relatively safe here. I then rummaged the underside of the console, hoping that I'd get these keys that Guidance was talking about earlier.

And thankfully, I managed to actually find them. Talk about conveniences.

"Found the keys?" Guidance asked, to which I nodded before she continued. "Let's get some rest then."

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