In the Port of Dawn was the general hospital located near the branch office building. Surrounding its every nook and cranny were soldiers of the United Army. Several Abrams had their turrets pointed onward while Apaches circled throughout the blue skies.


    The general hospital was defended to the bone by the United Army personnel of the United Navy. After all, inside the building was none other than the fleet admiral of the United Navy, Abraham Shepherd.


    "Even with your recovery, look at what your recklessness did to your body." Sitting beside Abraham''sfy and luxurious bed in a private room of the hospital, Lace calmly sliced a crimson apple into pieces with a sharp knife.


    "I''m sorry for worrying you, Lace." Abraham wryly smiled whileying on his bed, it seems that jumping of a high floor didn''t only give him some broken bones. A few of his organs became internally injured, requiring treatment.


    "Now that I know more about your injuries. I''m starting to regret letting that bastard go." Lace furrowed her eyebrows as she was beginning to wish having had killed the annoying one who almost killed her Abraham.


    "You know you can''t do that, Lace. Especially with the Moon Sovereign beside him. It would be too troublesome if that Sovereign starts personally going after us." He exined, to which Lace couldn''t argue against.


    She would be able to handle the Moon Sovereign, but there was the United Navy behind her. If the b*tch starts targeting the United Navy, or worse, her Abraham. Well, things would be immediately ugly.


    "I know, I know. I can''t simply do what I want unlike beforehand. But its hard to see you like this, you know?" Lace sighed and ced her fingers on Abraham''s cheek. She had never felt so helpless.


    "Apologies for being useless," Abraham also sighed since he realized had been to reliant with Lace, and perhaps pressuring her. He didn''t want her to feel the weight of the United Navy. After all, it was his job to carry such weight.


    Lace nced at Abraham''s eyes, her golden irises gently glowing. She caressed his lips and face before uttering. "You''ll never be useless to me, no matter what happens. Use me as you wish, Abraham. I''ll be with you until the very end."


    Her face got closer to Abraham''s and blood began to drip from her lips. With only an inch away from him, she muttered. "Have you heard legends about dragons, Abraham? How their scales could forge the greatest weapons and armors. Or their hearts to give immortality to those that eat the. And how their blood can make someone stronger."


    Hearing the words of Lace, Abraham raised his eyebrows and soon realized what she was trying to say. He furrowed his eyes as he couldn''t believe it. Besides, his morals wouldn''t allow him to do so.


    "I can''t just do such thing to you, Lace. You''re not amodity, and shall not consider yourself as such." He stood his ground and didn''t n on budging no matter what the dragoness says.


    "Heh, I knew you''ll say that." Lace grinned while Abraham became even more confused.


    "Wha-" He couldn''t continue speaking as her supple lips met with his. He could taste her unnatural sweetness and felt warmth gathering in his heart. It was tantalizing as it seemed to have an inherent desire of making him an addict.


    Lace''s ravaged his mouth as though trying to make sure he had drunk the dragon blood dripping from her bitten lips. It only took a few moments for Abraham to regain himself and separate his lips from hers.


    The dragoness merely wiped her crimson blood away and smirked. "You taste as sweet as the time I took your first kiss and you took mine."


    On the other hand, Abraham felt a bit disoriented as the dragon blood he had taken from her bitten lips scattered throughout his body in an instant.


    "This is the first time I have given my blood to anyone else. But I heard that it has a strengthening ability that could advance one''s potential. After all, dragons are the highest beings created by nature." Lace coolly exined.


    "I dislike being forced to drink your blood. But I guess it''s my fault for being to weak. I promise I won''t ever drink your blood and endanger your body." Abraham expressed with ming determination.


    The growth of the United Navy wasn''t his only focus anymore. It was time to turn his attention to his strength and make it greater. With the Naval Gacha System, he might be able to do so.


    "But I don''t really mind you drinking my blood you know? Besides, it feels a bit sensual and exciting." Lace slightly blushed while imagining Abraham ravishing her body and enjoying it for himself.


    "Why do I feel like your thinking indecent thoughts, Lace?" Abraham questioned, making Lace immediately shake her head. "No, no... My mind is as pure as my heart."


    "Your heart is pure?" He asked as though doubting the truth of such a statement. Lace felt a nerve popped into her forehead as she grimly smiled towards the middle-aged man.


    *Pam!*


    *Ack!*


    "Okay, okay, I won''t tease you anymore."Abraham rubbed his head since the dragoness didn''t give him any mercy. Her smack wasn''t to be underestimated. It felt more painful than what he had gone through during the entire assassination.


    "Don''t tease a young girl''s heart, Abraham." Lace pouted while Abraham scratched his chin wondering the truth regarding her statement about being a young girl. Though, he knew more than to directly question her.


    After all, he didn''t want to die yet.


    "Let me repay youter, I''ll do anything you ask." Abraham uttered and felt that he had signed a dangerous deal. "Anything I ask? Interesting, do you know where your heading, Abraham?" She smirked while ying with his lips.


    "I know my destination, and I don''t n on changing it." He said with unrivalled confidence.


    "Alright, I''ll ask when you''re ready to leave the hospital." Lace smiled in satisfaction as though her day had been worth it. Seeing her satisfied smile, Abraham wanted it to be forever nted on her face.


    However, before he could continue enjoying her smile, someone began knocking on his door. This brought aplete stop of their conversation as they tidied themselves up. After all, their rtionship hadn''t be official yet.


    "Get inside." Abraham said and the door gently opened. What emerged was the lieutenant colonel of the United Navy who saluted to the fleet admiral and immediately bowed afterward.


    "The United Army is at fault for the fleet admiral''s current state. We take full responsibility of the assassination and our failure to protect you." The lieutenant colonel was ready for whatever punishment given to him.


    Looking at the lieutenant colonel who seemed guilty from what had happened, Abraham wave his hand and remarked. "You shouldn''t apologize for what had happened. There was nothing you could do about it."


    "Regardless of our uselessness, we should have been able to assist you. The fact that we couldn''t wasplete our fault." The lieutenant colonel wasn''t the type to shy away from responsibility. He had to receive some punishment, otherwise it would be hard for him to sleepfortably.


    "Give him a punishment, Abraham. They were the ones left in the Port of Dawn and the responsibility of protecting you fell onto them when most of the United Navy left toplete their respective operations."


    "This is something they greatly understand, so not giving them punishment wouldn''t do them good. After all, they are all good men and wouldn''t be afraid of what should be done." Lace wasn''t against the lieutenant colony getting punished.


    It was something needed to be done for the sake of discipline and order of the military organization.


    Meeting with Lace''s advice, Abraham looked at the punishment in a whole view and understood what she was meaning to say. He closed his eyelids and thought of a punishment. What emerged in his mind was somewhat interesting.


    "Sending you to military court would be boring, so I''ll give you your punishment myself." Abraham uttered and Lace merely smiled from his words. The lieutenant colonel of the United Army rapidly nodded his head, wanting to hear his punishment.


    "You''ll have to domunity service for an entire month spanning a period of 120 hours. Your efforts will be dutifully recorded, so I''ll hear from you a monthter." Abraham ordered while the lieutenant colonel happily epted his punishment.


    At the very least, he wouldn''t be executed for failing the fleet admiral and almost getting him killed.


    "I shall do as youmand, Fleet Admiral. I will take a leave from my position and start mymunity service." The lieutenant colonel saluted and hastily left the private room of the fleet admiral.


    Though, the moment he left, Lace found herself chuckling.


    "I didn''t think you''d have him sweep in the rain, Abraham. How ridiculous." Lace was aware of the iing weather and knew that a storm would be heading in their direction soon.


    "I couldn''t make it too easy, Lace. If I had to give a punishment, I''ll make it as tiresome and annoying as it gets." Abraham responded causing the dragoness to chuckle even more.


    Afterward, none of the two uttered a single word. The much-needed silence was calming for the two of them. It brought them the tranquility after a busy and troublesome day.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the northern seas, Charlotte stood in the bridge of UNS Trinity of Sce. Before her were dozens of sunken battleships of the so-called defensive fleet of Terra''s Gate. She gazed upon the devastation and clicked her tongue.


    "How unsatisfying..."