Warfare Augmented Intelligent Frame Unit

Chapter 70 - Bread and Cheese

Chapter 70 - Bread and Cheese

The time for the written test has arrived. Doctor Gremus strides across the lecture hall, his heavy boots tapping against the polished floor as he distributes the exam papers with a practiced motion. The dim glow of the tablets, set to standby, reflects off the cold, sterile desks, waiting for his command. The air is thick with the quiet tension of impending challenge, yet amidst it, Fei and I share a lighthearted exchange, a bubble of warmth in the otherwise nerve-wracking atmosphere.

"Let's do our best on this exam, Zaft!" Fei exclaims, her bright eyes shimmering with determination as she pumps her fists enthusiastically.

"Yeah, let's." I chuckle, leaning back slightly. "I'll be counting on you to ace this one."

She tilts her head, laughing. "Whoa, I think you're overestimating me! If anything, you'll be carrying me this time, Mister Top 4 of the Licensure Examination Tournament." Her voice lilts with amusement, her cheerful chuckle carrying a contagious energy.

"Well, if you put it like that..." I murmur, rubbing the back of my neck as a sheepish heat creeps up my face.

Even in this moment, I can feel it—that familiar, piercing sensation of being watched. A cold, unwavering glare that sends an uncomfortable shiver down my spine. It's not the first time. Every time I share an easy conversation with Fei, someone in the room seems to radiate hostility toward me. I have a strong suspicion it's Neil. The weight of his resentment is almost tangible, like a silent force pressing against my back.

I don't blame him. If I were in his shoes, I'd probably be just as bitter. But I wish I could set things straight, tell him I have no romantic interest in Fei, that I'd never betray a friend like that. I've tried reaching out—messages left unread, calls ringing into the void. Neil refuses to acknowledge me, locking himself behind an invisible wall of silence. Even Fei, in her usual frankness, told me to stay out of their affairs. So, for now, all I can do is respect that boundary.

"The examination starts now," Doctor Gremus announces, his voice cutting through the room like a judge delivering a verdict.

With a soft chime, the tablets blink to life, flooding the screen with the first set of problems. The light from the screen casts a faint glow on my hands, and just like that, the world shrinks to equations and numbers, pushing all other thoughts aside.

The tablet screen flickers to life, and within moments, several complex calculus problems flood the interface. A hushed wave of concentration settles over the room as students hunch over their desks, fingers gliding across screens and styluses tapping rhythmically like raindrops against glass. The weight of the exam presses down on us, but for Fei and me, this is nothing new. Just like in our previous written tests, we'll be sharing our grades with our WAIFU partners.

With a hundred questions to tackle, we've already split the workload—an unspoken agreement formed through countless study sessions. I take responsibility for problems 1 to 50, while Fei handles 51 to 100. The division feels natural, effortless. As we work, I can sense how in sync we are, solving equations at nearly the same pace, like two musicians playing in perfect harmony.

Then, I hit a wall. My stylus hovers over the screen as my mind scrambles to recall a crucial formula. I exhale sharply, furrowing my brows. 

Navier-Stokes Equation... what was that middle part again? I glance toward Fei, who is diligently solving her set of problems, her lips pursed in thought.

"Fei," I whisper, leaning slightly toward her. "Do you remember the Navier-Stokes Equation? I kinda blanked out on the middle part."

"Oh." Fei blinks, then smiles, a quiet confidence in her expression. "Let me take that one. Let's swap tablets—you do the rest of mine."