"Is there any way to help the Commander recover his memory?" Friedrich asked.
"The structure of the human brain is very complex, and we haven't done any relevant research, nya. We can't use medical means to physically cure the Commander," Akashi spread her hands. "Purifier, do you Sirens have anything, nya?"
Purifier frowned. "You Ship Girls aren't human, so are we Sirens made of flesh and blood? How would I know how to perform a craniotomy?"
Friedrich looked at Lu Chen's sleeping face, a hint of dark desire flickering in her eyes. The Commander wasn't from this world. If he harbored lingering attachment to another world, it wouldn't be good for the Ship Girls. But if he had amnesia…
This thought only stayed in her mind for an instant. Friedrich closed her eyes and said, "Is there truly no other way?"
"Hmm, I can't guarantee the success rate, nya."
"You mean there is a way?" Yat Sen grabbed Akashi's sleeve and quickly asked, "Will it harm the Commander?"
"If there is any danger to the Commander, I will not allow you to proceed, even if he doesn't recover his memory," Friedrich stated seriously. This was not about personal desire; Lu Chen's safety was paramount.
Akashi paused, then waved her long sleeve. "Relax. The worst-case scenario is maintaining the status quo, nya."
"What is the method?"
Akashi looked around, painstakingly pushed over a small blackboard taller than herself, and tapped it. "According to Noshiro's answers and my observations, every time the Commander discovers a subtle difference between the virtual world and the real world, he recalls a memory. So, theoretically, all we need to do is make the Commander realize that the virtual world is fake."
"You control the virtual world, right? Just introduce some absurd things, like giant monsters, three suns, or five moons, and that should be enough?" Taihou said impatiently.
"No, nya!" Akashi made a big X mark and banged on the blackboard. "That's no different from forcing the Commander's head to recall his memory. The Commander might fall back into a permanent sleep!"
Noshiro thoughtfully said, "Like what you did at noon? After the Commander noticed others acting like puppets, you had everyone immediately enter the virtual world?"
"Of course! That was a major crisis that could shake the Commander's perception of the entire world and had to be solved immediately," Akashi said proudly. "And you saw the result. The problem was solved, and the Commander was left with some lingering doubts. It was perfect."
"I understand!" Albacore suddenly exclaimed. "We just need to play a game of make-believe to coax the Commander, right?"
Akashi nodded with satisfaction. "None of you have the comprehension skills of Albacore, nya. What we need to do is play make-believe with the Commander, letting him discover the truth of the world step by step."
Friedrich finally showed a slight smile. She liked this outcome. "In that case, everyone prepare yourselves. We'll arrange for some people to be on rotation in reality to maintain the basic functions necessary for the Port's operation, and the rest will all participate in this game of make-believe until the Commander awakens."
"I'm going now!" Taihou cheered and ran toward her own sleep pod.
Ever since Lu Chen fell into a coma and Purifier brought the device to wake him, some Ship Girls have been taking turns entering the virtual world to accompany Lu Chen and observe his condition. Today happened to be Noshiro, Taihou, and others' shift.
In fact, every Ship Girl has a portable helmet-like device to log into the virtual world, but Akashi's spot is the most comfortable, and no one will disturb them if they lie down all day, so the Ship Girls on duty prefer to log in here.
No one asked how long it would take. For them, being able to accompany the Commander was all that mattered, and in the virtual world, their identities, relationships, and even ways of interacting were not constrained by reality. The temptation to leave a deep impression on the Commander before he recovered his memory was huge for everyone.
...
The nap ended. Lu Chen woke up feeling groggy. He knew this was due to oversleeping. He felt weak and his arms were pins and needles.
This made Lu Chen once again convinced that there was a major problem with this place.
He awkwardly shook his hand, instinctively turning to look at the seat on his right. Noshiro was already sitting up straight, drinking water from her thermos cup.
If Lu Chen remembered correctly, he had used that cup at noon. The girl now showed no aversion to indirect kissing—well, maybe a little, but the blush on her face didn't suggest she disliked the behavior.
Lu Chen decided to pretend he hadn't noticed.
"You're awake?" Noshiro saw Lu Chen and immediately put down her thermos cup with a slight fluster. "Are you thirsty? Do you want some water... I mean, the water fountain provides disposable cups and hot water. Don't misunderstand!"
Lu Chen stood up and stomped his foot, his face immediately contorting in a grimace of relief and discomfort. Predictably, his legs were also numb. "Hiss~ I'm alright. I just need to go wash my face."
Noshiro saw Lu Chen's strange expression and chuckled softly. "Do you need me to massage you?"
"No need, I'll be right back."
Turning the faucet, Lu Chen cupped some clean water in his hands. Since it was spring, the weather wasn't extremely cold. The cool water on his face felt refreshing and sobering, not chilling.
"Lu Chen-sama~" The black-haired, red-eyed Taihou suddenly appeared beside him, smiling as she looked at his profile. "Would Taihou like to use some face wash to help you wake up?"
Lu Chen quickly stood up and shouted in a low voice, "This is the men's restroom! Are you crazy?"
"What does it matter? You're the only male in the whole academy," Taihou maintained her smile. "Are you worried I might see something dirty? Taihou would not look at any other male creature for even a second besides you."
"I'm not talking about that. I mean… forget it, you won't listen anyway," Lu Chen said, rubbing his aching head. "Do you know any insider secrets about me coming to this academy? I truly don't see any advantages I have that would qualify me to attend this girls' school filled with top-tier beauties."
"You yourself are the greatest advantage," Taihou's gaze never left Lu Chen. She thought for a moment and said in a strange tone, "Although saying this might divert some of your attention from me, Taihou absolutely cannot allow herself to deceive you. This academy was built for you, and everyone here is filled with admiration for you, but Taihou is definitely the one who loves you the most!"