Much to my surprise, I was able to sit without saying a word for the next couple of minutes. I did feel the urge to say some nonsense, but I held myself back.
"The Thoughtpressor."
"....."
The few ahead paused and looked at me before looking away.
Ehm.
Then the image on the wall changed, and I found myself looking up.
A swimming pool appeared on the screen.
It was a rather large one, with lanes stretching beneath a high ceiling and a viewing gallery running along one side. Several lights reflected against the water.
The bottom wasn’t visible.
[Gate — The Pool]
[Rank: <B>]
"The water level?"
Adrian stood beside Vera’s desk, looking at the figures beneath the image.
"Still rising. The latest readings match the previous ones."
"And the people inside?"
"Seven confirmed. The scouts moved them to the upper gallery. Two need assistance walking."
I straightened a little.
So that was what they were discussing.
A rescue.
Tessa brought up another image. Several people sat against a wall above the pool, wrapped in blankets while a scout checked the equipment beside them.
"Supplies are in place. The forward team will remain with them until we arrive."
"Good."
Adrian nodded.
I looked from the image to the map beside it. A route marked in blue led from the entrance, passed through a narrow section, and stopped beneath the gallery.
Most of it was underwater.
"How deep is—"
"The return route needs checking again."
Adrian spoke to Marcus, who immediately leaned towards the screen.
I closed my mouth.
Ah.
Perhaps he didn’t hear me.
"Especially the service passage."
Adrian continued, looking extremely serious.
"We aren’t taking stretchers through there until the line is secured."
"The equipment team is preparing the fittings. They’ll be ready before we depart."
Vera enlarged the image.
A red line appeared below the gallery, followed by another farther up.
"At the current rate, they have at least thirty-six hours before the water reaches them."
"And if the rate changes?"
"We move earlier. The scouts are sending readings continuously."
I watched the red line climb the wall before stopping beneath the ceiling.
Eventually, there probably wouldn’t be anywhere left to stand.
Or breathe.
’A rather unpleasant pool.’
I was starting to understand the rank.
It wasn’t simply a matter of swimming towards the people and bringing them back. The route to the entrance was already half submerged, and carrying injured people through it seemed rather troublesome.
"How did they measure the rise?"
This time, Vera looked towards me.
For a moment, I thought she was about to ask for my input.
Instead, she turned back towards Adrian and changed the display.
Several recordings appeared beside each other.
The first showed a scout fixing a narrow strip to a pillar. Small markings ran along its length, with a camera positioned opposite it.
Another showed a sensor being lowered into the water.
"We compared the fixed markers with the pressure readings," she said. "Then checked both against the scans of the room. It isn’t an issue with the camera angle."
I looked at the numbers beneath each recording.
Someone even marked the position of the water against the same tile at different times. The images overlapped, showing exactly how much the surface moved.
Oh.
That was quite thorough.
"The pool is overflowing into the surrounding passages," Vera continued. "But none of the visible drains are lowering the level."
"Blocked?"
Marcus asked.
"Not the ones we checked."
Tessa tapped her screen.
A small machine moved through a grate near the edge of the pool. A thin cable followed behind it, stretching into the dark passage as the camera turned.
Several pipes appeared.
Then a familiar section of tiled wall.
"The circulation lines return to the pool."
She started explaining.
"We traced them with dye and confirmed the route with the camera."
"So we need another outlet."
"Yes."
I leaned forward.
Honestly, I could barely understand what was going on.
They seemed to also be ignoring me. So the only thing I could do was nod from time to time, pretending to understand.
"I was beat as a child."
The best part?
I could say all the nonsense I wanted without any repercussions.
Right now, I could let my inner thoughts out.
"So I beat my father to death."
I was an orphan, by the way.
On the next recording, a faint cloud of dye drifted through the water. Tessa paused it several times, marking the direction before laying the results over the map.
Some of the lines disappeared into sections the scouts couldn’t reach.
The last recording stopped when the camera’s light no longer reached anything besides the water in front of it.
"No clear images beyond that point. We brought it back rather than risk losing the cable."
Adrian nodded.
"We’ll inspect the remaining routes once the civilians are secure."
"What about pumping the water out?"
I asked.
Marcus reached for the open case on the desk.
"We’re bringing two larger pumps."
He spoke towards Adrian.
"The portable one couldn’t keep up. These should keep the entry area usable, but we shouldn’t rely on them to drain the pool."
"Understood."
"....."
I slowly leaned back.
"...I am secretly a girl."
Still ignored.
Wow.
For the next several minutes, they went through the equipment. Breathing sets, lights, harnesses, and a frame that would let them pull the injured through the passage without carrying them the entire way.
Tessa brought up an image of it.
Marcus pointed at one of the straps.
"That needs to release from either side."
"It does."
"Even under tension?"
"I’ll check it again."
Nobody sounded particularly worried.
They weren’t being careless either. Every time one of them mentioned something, another brought up a recording or checked a piece of equipment.
It was quite pleasant to watch.
"Crow."
Huh?
I looked up.
Adrian was finally looking at me.
"Yes?"
"What Order are you?"
I tilted my head.
"Third."
His expression paused.
Vera looked towards Marcus. Tessa stopped moving her finger against the screen.
Then they all looked back at me.
"Third Order?"
"Yes."
I nodded, wondering if they would ask me a third time.
It would fit quite well. Third Order, third time?
Adrian’s brows drew together slightly, although he didn’t immediately say anything.
I glanced towards the display.
"Is that a problem?"
"We need to know what each member can do."
"Of course."
I looked around the room.
"And you?"
Adrian rested one hand against the desk.
"Fifth Order. Warden Decree."
Oh.
Same as Mirelle.
"Vera is Fourth Order. Hunter."
She nodded.
"Locating people and tracing their movements will be my responsibility."
"Marcus is Fifth Order. Sentinel."
Marcus closed the equipment case.
"Stay within the area I secure. Especially if we need to stop along the extraction route."
I nodded.
"And Tessa is Fourth Order. Mender."
"The injured will be my priority," she said. "Don’t move anyone until I’ve checked them."
Fourth to Fifth Order.
All four of them.
They were certainly quite a capable group. Between locating the victims, protecting them, and treating their injuries, it was becoming easier to understand their confidence.
Then there was me.
Third Order.
Wearing a cheap shirt that somehow untucked itself without me realizing it.
I adjusted it a little.
"And your Decree?"
Adrian’s question made my hand stop.
"Well..."
There were quite a few to choose from.
I couldn’t exactly tell them that.
I needed something useful enough to justify being here without making them too interested in me.
’I guess I’ll go with...’
"Sonorous."
I could almost feel the Conductor laugh in delight.
"....."
The room grew quiet again.
Somehow, their expressions became even less enthusiastic.
Vera lowered her gaze towards the file beside her keyboard. Marcus looked at Adrian, while Tessa slowly returned her attention to the equipment list.
I remained seated.
A sound-based Decree wasn’t bad.
It was quite good, actually.
Perhaps I needed to say it more confidently.
Adrian took a deep breath before I could try.
"For now, you’ll assist from the staging area. Any entry into the Gate will require separate clearance. Your restrictions still apply."
"Understood."
So much for finding out what I could do.
Not that I intended to complain.
"Alright, you may leave for now. The Gate raid will be tomorrow. Please get some rest."
"Alright."
I stood up and picked up my temporary card.
The moment I turned towards the door, Vera brought the map back onto the screen.
"The lower passage..."
Their conversation resumed before I even left.
I paused with my hand against the door, then smiled and stepped outside.
Well, this was going to be fun.
I looked down at the card.
I still needed to find out where I was sleeping.
And now there was work tomorrow.
’Who would’ve thought I’d have to work the moment I got out?’