131 Uneasiness

Day 3 of Base Building.

Because Aldrin didn't need to do anything about his Dimensional Clones who now had a way to escape in the form of Buzzhare, he diligently did his job as the leader of their camp to direct the construction and speed it up so that they'd have some breathing time before the next part of the training starts.

Although Aldrin knew that things might change in the following days, he couldn't just spread panic among them. When the time comes, he decided to just direct them to escape back to the Plainsteed Base Camp.

He might not stick his neck out for all of them but at least, he had a moral obligation as their leader.

With that, the day passed by quickly.

He let the two Combat Groups patrol their surroundings. While the sentry towers on the walls always had someone on duty, raising the security of their Base Camp raised a few notches.

Moreover, no errant behavior among the Rift Monsters surprised them like yesterday. They're still aggressive but there's no horde of Rift Monsters showing up in their vicinity.

Nonetheless, there were few stray Rift Monsters leaving the confines of the forest surrounding the hills. They were dealt with without having any problem. After all, the members of the Combat Groups got experience fighting yesterday and Aldrin even gave them advice in regards to 'cooperation'.

Aldrin had his Dimensional Clones nearby that's also somehow patrolling around their vicinity as a precaution. However, they're not that omnipotent to create a perfect net. Hence, the appearance of strays. Besides, he's starting to send them deeper, towards the unexplored area and away from the prying eyes of the Instructors interested in their identities.

Before the sky of the Dimension lose its brightness, Aldrin called back the Combat Groups while heightening the sentries' alertness.

Upon seeing them coming back with corpses of those Rift Monsters they encountered while patrolling, Aldrin did the natural thing to praise them for their work which in turn raised the morale of the other trainees.

It's somehow equivalent to an advertisement that it's not that crazy outside their Base Camp.

Somehow, more than a leader, Aldrin felt like he's slowly shaping up into another Instructor for the bunch of trainees around him.

"I'm projecting the assessment I got a bit too much, huh? But looking at this… It's not bad." Aldrin murmured to himself as he surveyed what they'd done in a day.

In his estimate, they'd be able to finish every facility by tomorrow which could give them a day of free time.

And once the second part of the training starts on day 6, his role as the leader would be lifted from his shoulders. That's, at least, something he's looking forward to.

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While Aldrin and his fellow trainees were welcoming their 3rd night in the Drawyz Dimension at their Base Camp, Janet, who started feeling uneasy since the night before arrived, returned to the Plainsteed Base Camp.

With her identity, she was granted re-entry quickly. Her feet moved and first arrived at the Association's Office located inside the Base Camp to report her findings and her suspicions. The one stationed there could send someone outside the Dimension to relay it.

She's an Instructor so it's inappropriate for her to leave. She even only excused herself for half a day from the standing supervisor of the Rookie Training Camp.

She also told the supervisor her suspicions but with only the aggressiveness of the Rift Monsters as her proof, the supervisor just dismissed her suggestion to stop the training camp. There was no casualty in the three trainee Base Camps yet and only the Lonewind City's group was the only one who experienced that horde of hyenas. And given that Janet and the others left to chase after Carlos, the supervisor attributed that incident to the lack of Instructors surveilling the place.

That's why she had no choice but to use the matter with Carlos to leave her post for a while.

After leaving the Association's office, her feet then brought her to the Camp Commander's office. Someone that's equal in standing with the Fort Commander outside and the one who held the highest authority inside the maintained-type Dimensional Rift.

"What might be the reason for this visit, Tyrant Princess? Aren't you an Instructor of the rookies? Is it because of your failed chase?" A carefree-looking man welcomed her as soon as she was granted an audience. From the tone of their voices, there's a sense of familiarity in it.

He's standing before the small window behind his table, peeking out from it and staring at the dark sky. His back was straightened while his arms were clasped together behind him.

Upon hearing that, Janet's expression didn't change. Her identity and title weren't a secret. Furthermore, she expected that the plan they enacted would be relayed to him.

He'd be an incompetent Commander if he didn't even have proper information channels that could supply him of the happenings in the Dimension.

Without beating on the bush, Janet went straight to the point. "The chase, huh? That's irrelevant compared to what we discovered. I believe you already received the report I relayed and maybe all the other strange events occurring in this Dimension. Are you sitting on it again, Augustus?"

"What might you be talking about?" The Camp Commander acted cluelessly but Janet could easily see through it. Besides, he made it too obvious.

He probably wanted to hear more or he's also like the supervisor who didn't think it's a big deal that the Rift Monsters started inhibiting aggressive behavior, especially the normally peaceful and passive ones.

"Let's not play like this, Sir!" Janet put an emphasis there. In her mind, what she saw, experienced as well as heard from Aldrin shouldn't be dismissed easily or they're going to suffer.

"Have you forgotten? Five years ago… A maintained-type Dimensional Rift closed by itself, trapping a group of Energy Refiners inside including my brother." Janet clenched her fist as she started to narrate what she knew about that day.

Surely, she couldn't conclude that what happened back then was also about to happen in this Dimension but back then, they're lucky that they evacuated before it closed, leaving only those who were sent to investigate trapped inside.

She's still hoping that the same Dimension will open again so that she can rescue her brother. But that's not the issue at the moment. It's the lack of response from this man before her.

"… It also started with the changes in the behavior of the Rift Monsters existing inside it. I do hope you're not ignoring those reports or else… all of us will…"

"I'd say you're being paranoid, Princess. This and that are different. Moreover, with that precedent, do you think we'll not have any countermeasures? You should go back to the rookies and watch over them." The Camp Commander easily dismissed the issue she raised. And without even turning around to look at her, he waved his hand "To give you a sense of ease, I didn't sit on those reports you mentioned but I hate to be directed by someone that's not my superior. This Dimension has been stable for years already. Fret not, you'll be the first to hear if you're correct. For now, stop being paranoid and move on. If Janus is still alive inside that place, he will be sad if he sees your current state. Stagnant and Restricted. You're not the same Tyrant Princess who thrashed me in the Academy anymore."

Not wanting to hear more of his rumblings, Janet turned around and left without retorting back. 'Haa… As I thought he's going to be that way. Ignoring everything, I got a positive answer. But why am I still uneasy?' Janet sighed inwardly.