Khan had seen incredible things during his travels on alien planets. He had experienced unparalleled bliss and deep pain, and seeing Martha awake immediately went in the first category.
Martha and Khan separated after a few seconds, and both of them smiled as they continued to inspect each other. Still, Martha's level eventually forced Khan to voice an incomplete question. "How did you-?"
Martha had changed in that one and a half years. Her face had lost every trace of immaturity, and she had also grown thinner, but Khan's question was directed at the amount of mana inside her body.
Khan didn't need to see the single star on Martha's right shoulder to understand that she had become a first-level warrior. However, she had supposedly remained in a coma until recently, so he couldn't explain how she had managed to reach that level.
"Luke helped me," Martha explained. "I'll tell you the details later if you have time. I know you have been busy while I was asleep."
"A lot happened," Khan sighed while reaching for Martha's right cheek. That part of her body was full of burns the last time he had seen her, but she was completely fine now.
"Hey, I'm fine now," Martha reassured while grabbing Khan's wrist to lower his arm.
That short interaction revealed a lot. Martha's hand twitched when she lowered Khan's arm, and she also stopped looking at him in the eyes during the gesture.
Instead, Martha noticed that Khan's expression carried an unfamiliar maturity. It was different from the Man-Khan that she used to find among his lies and jokes. She could almost see how much he had gone through in the last period.
The insides of the spaceship were utterly silent during the reunion. Everyone could understand the solemnity of the situation by the meaningful glances that Martha and Khan exchanged between themselves, but they couldn't remain there forever.
One of the soldiers behind Martha took a step back and forced Khan to snap out of that meeting. He wasn't alone, and he knew that his gestures could be misunderstood.
"Luke, Bruce," Khan called while turning to show a smiling face to the two friends, "It's nice to see that you are well. You have also improved since our last meeting."
Bruce and Luke's uniforms had one star on each shoulder. The two had also matured. Decent muscles had grown under their skin, and their faces also carried manlier features.
"Our deeds are nothing compared to your achievements," Bruce exclaimed.
"You have surpassed everyone's expectations," Luke added. "I knew you had a bright future in front of you."
"Thank you, Luke," Khan replied while glancing at Martha, "For everything."
"Nonsense," Luke laughed. "I didn't do anything. Now, let's get out of this ship. I need to have a talk with the Headmaster to finalize the terms of our stay in the camp."
"Are you moving here?" Khan asked as the four descended from the staircase and reached the platform.
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"Not to study," Luke revealed. "I have some business to handle here in Reebfell. Though I would have loved to attend your lessons."
"Who would have thought that you would have gone from ignorant recruit to professor in less than two years," Bruce commented.
"Life can take strange turns," Khan vaguely replied as Cora entered his view.
Cora was wearing a warm smile. She appeared completely happy for that reunion, but Khan had learnt to recognize her mental state from her seemingly unrelated gestures. She was holding the edges of her uniform, and her posture revealed some slight tension.
"You are Cora from Istrone!" Luke exclaimed as the four soldiers jumped off the platform. "The descendants of the Ommo family are famous for their beauty, but you definitely raise the bar."
Luke's statement acted as a wake-up call for Khan. He wanted nothing more than talk with the woman eyeing him from behind his back, but he had to make something clear first.
Khan accelerated a bit to walk around Bruce and reach Cora. He turned, wrapping an arm around her shoulder to pull her close before announcing the nature of their relationship. "We are together. She is my girlfriend."
Cora lowered her gaze as her smile broadened. Khan had dispersed her insecurities and fears in an instant, and she couldn't help but feel grateful for that considerate announcement.
Meanwhile, Khan inspected the reactions of his friends. Luke and Bruce appeared temporarily startled, while Martha's smile saddened only for an instant before expressing honest joy.
Khan felt the need to talk privately with Martha, but that wasn't the right time. Faint awkwardness had also fallen on the group, and Luke and Bruce didn't hold back from exchanging a meaningful glance. Yet, they quickly went back to acting normal.
"That's good news!" Luke exclaimed. "I'm not surprised you managed to find someone. You have never lacked the looks in the end."
"Why don't we handle the business part of our trip for now?" Bruce changed the topic. "Let's catch up at dinner, maybe in the city. Khan, are you busy tonight? Of course, you can bring your girlfriend and other friends."
"Tonight sounds fine," Khan nodded. "The lessons are over anyway. Why don't I accompany you to the Headmaster's office now? Being your guide is the least I can do."
"I wouldn't dare to reject your offer," Luke laughed, and Khan pointed at a street as he began to lead the way.
The other soldiers inside the spaceship began to unload various baggage. Khan noticed how Luke and Bruce didn't travel light, but he quickly moved his attention elsewhere.
Luke and Bruce walked next to Khan and Cora, while Martha remained slightly behind the former. Still, Khan didn't let her stay outside of the conversation as he began to voice his questions.
"So, when did you wake up?" Khan asked as he let go of Cora and slowed down to reach Martha's side.
"Not long ago," Martha revealed. "A bit more than a month. My family kept me busy for a while, but my career inside the Global Army had to continue, so here I am."
"How was the awakening?" Khan questioned.
"Quite harsh," Martha admitted as she brushed away her hair to look at Khan. "Accepting that one and a half years had gone by wasn't easy, and my body still feels a bit strange."
"I wanted to ask you about that," Khan didn't hide his curiosity.
"Luke knows more about it," Martha explained. "He put me into a medical program involving the use of synthetic mana for healing purposes. I basically woke up when I turned into a first-level warrior."
"Synthetic mana?" Khan repeated while glancing at the tall man in front of him.
"I know," Luke raised his palms as if to admit guilt. "Martha has already complained to no end. Sure, synthetic mana is expensive, but what's the point of money if I can't use it to help my friends?"
"I'll definitely repay you," Martha promptly added.
"You have said that countless times," Luke joked. "I trust you, alright? Besides, your trip here is already removing Credits from your debt."
"Don't go easy on me," Martha ordered.
"You are as earnest as ever," Khan commented without hiding how pleased he felt about that realization.
Martha shot an annoyed glare at Khan, but her expression relaxed when she noticed his honest smile. She felt forced to divert her gaze, and a comment inevitably left her mouth. "You have made quite the name for yourself in this period instead."
"Did you read about me?" Khan teased.
"It's impossible not to hear gossips about you," Martha scoffed. "Winning the tournament on Onia would have been enough to make you famous, but you had to go far beyond that."
"You know me," Khan laughed. "I like to go all-out with stuff."
"I thought you had matured a bit," Martha pouted in front of Khan's carefree expression. "I guess I was wrong."
"Aren't you happy that I still know how to joke around?" Khan asked.
Martha fell silent as her eyes went back on Khan. She turned serious as the two looked at each other and forgot about those around them. It became clear that something meaningful was happening when Martha whispered a weak "a bit" to answer Khan's question.
Khan didn't know how to react. He recalled the message that Martha had sent to him on Onia after their visit to the medical bay. He could see the same honesty from back then on Martha's face, and he suddenly remembered why the attraction between them had existed in the first place.
Martha and Khan diverted their gazes almost at the same time since the situation was becoming too awkward. It was clear that they needed to talk, but the road was still long.
Luckily for them, Luke was exceptional in chitchats, and his understanding of social situations was also incredible. He didn't hesitate to take control of the conversation and prevent Khan and Martha from rekindling that awkwardness.
Luke explained how life in Ylaco's training camp had been after Istrone. Nothing significant had happened there, but he managed to stretch the story for many minutes, occupying a big chunk of the walk.
The rest of the walk mainly featured questions directed at Khan. Luke was smart enough to focus the conversation on the new subjects and Khan's teaching methods, so everything went smoothly.
The five eventually arrived in front of the building containing Headmaster Pitcus' office. The time for a short separation had come, but the awkwardness returned when Khan discovered that only Luke and Bruce had to attend the scheduled meeting.
"I don't mind coming with you," Martha said to Luke in a quick attempt to solve the silent issue. "I don't shine during meetings, but it shouldn't be a problem as long as I remain silent."
"I'm not against that," Luke replied, even if his expression said something very different.
Khan had never been the type to let problems stick for too long. He preferred to face them directly, especially when they involved someone important to him.
"Martha, why do you hang out with me?" Khan suggested before correcting himself. "No, please, join me for a walk. I want to talk with you for a bit."
"I don't want to impose," Martha responded while glancing at Cora.
"Cora," Khan called as he took the woman's hand and pulled her a bit closer, "I need to talk with Martha in private. Do you mind if I leave you alone for a bit?"
"Not at all," Cora exclaimed in the most loving tone in the world. "I also need to study. Will you keep me updated about tonight's dinner?"
"Of course," Khan replied.
"We should also invite Amber," Cora suggested. "She wouldn't miss the chance to know your friends from Ylaco."
"And I don't want to hear her complaints," Khan joked.
"I'll go to my dormitory then," Cora said to specify that Khan had the flat for himself.
Cora began to retract her hand, but Khan gently pulled her closer to leave a quick kiss on her lips. She whispered a sweet "see you later" when they separated before turning and going on her way.
"We'll also go now," Luke announced after a few seconds. "I'll leave Martha into your hands. I'll let you know when we are done unpacking everything."
"Sure, good luck with the meeting," Khan exclaimed.
"See you soon," Bruce added, and the two men left to enter the building.
Khan and Martha remained in their spot as they watched their companions' figures disappear. Still, both of them felt the need to say something once Cora vanished behind a building in the distance.
"Do you prefer my flat or a training hall?" Khan eventually asked.
"Do you have a whole flat?" Martha asked in a surprised tone.
"I have food and booze there," Khan added while continuing to stare at the building in front of him.
"I read on some reports that you started drinking," Martha revealed. "Lieutenant Dyester would be proud."
"He would probably kick my ass," Khan laughed. "How is he?"
"I think he started smoking less," Martha stated. "I only had the chance to talk with him once after waking up, and the prisons didn't smell as bad as I recalled. Also, he likes to check your profile from time to time, but he would never admit that."
"You sure gave me a caring master," Khan joked before wearing a serious expression. "He helped quite a bit after Istrone."
"I'm glad," Martha sighed. "Waking up was quite a shock, but you had to live through far worse during the last period. I got lucky."
"I'm just glad that you are fine," Khan stated while showing his honest face to Martha.
"A training hall will do just fine," Martha exclaimed when the sight of Khan's face became too much to bear. "I'm sure your flat is dirty and smelly anyway."
"I wonder if you have a different reason in mind," Khan teased, but Martha snorted and turned to walk on a random street.
Khan laughed and followed Martha. That was the wrong direction, but he would make sure to change it when they reached the first turn. Right now, he was simply happy to see that he could speak with her normally.
****
Author's notes: For those who don't know, webnovel has invited me to Singapore. If everything goes well, I'll be at the airport at this time tomorrow. Sadly, releases will get even more hectic than they currently are, but I didn't want to miss the trip. Anyway, there will be another chapter soon.
