The Royal Military Academy's Impostor Owns a Dungeon [BL]

”So, you’re saying this isn’t the first time you’re seeing your mecha, Kyle?!” Ollie’s blonde mop shook in disbelief. His big eyes blinked like saucers.

”Yeah,” Kyle replied casually, smiling as he twirled Ollie’s fluffy hair-antenna around his finger. ”Luca had to verify if it was something I could handle.”

The mop froze.

His lips parted, his eyes grew wider as he caught on, ”Wait! Is it something too taxing on you?!” His voice climbed like a panicked kettle about to whistle.

”No,” Kyle chuckled, then admitted honestly, ”well... not anymore. Admittedly, the first try, with a different model, was difficult.”

He remembered how the first time he’d climbed into the first modified biomecha, it had practically kicked him out by force. He hadn’t lasted longer than an hour at full functionality, mostly because he hadn’t figured out how to distribute his spiritual output properly.

But he couldn’t allow that to happen again. Not when there would be two of them inside that mecha. Carelessness meant death. Just as bad, it meant throwing away Luca’s and Ollie’s efforts.

So, the already overloaded adjutant had thrown himself into training. Relentless, punishing training. Something he normally detested with his entire soul. If he was being honest, the only reason he tolerated it was because he had definitely gone crazy for a certain someone.

Sigh.

Eventually, he managed to figure out how to stabilize his spiritual energy flow.

And he realized he wasn’t alone. When he asked both Xavier and Duchess Amelia about it, they explained it was a recurring issue.

Duchess Amelia, Assistant Gisella, and Cece had an advantage. They had grown accustomed to high levels of spiritual energy back when they were stranded in the dungeon, practically marinated in the stuff.

But for the rest of them, they were still adapting. It wasn’t that they didn’t have spiritual energy. It was that they weren’t used to producing it so consistently.

Even more problematic was the timing.

See, normal mechas always had some kind of delay. And by increasing the CF value, the delay could be shortened. Pilots were used to accounting for that split-second lag.

But biomechas? None. Zero. The only delay was the time it took the pilot’s brain to think of the next move.

That was why so many of them stumbled. Those accustomed to factoring in delay now tripped over themselves because their biomechas responded instantly. Their habits betrayed them.

Kyle learned the hard way. And after that, he reached one undeniable conclusion.

Their Prince was a monster.

A monster who had been piloting like this from the very start.

And Luca? Probably right up there with him. Maybe even higher. Considering how little time Luca had to catch up compared to the rest of them, it was absurd.

The others might not know, but Kyle did. Xavier had been switching between piloting Sid, combination mechas, and manual mechas since he was young.

Military missions had forced all of them to get comfortable with manual mechas, sure. But switching gears daily, across three different piloting systems? That was something else. Sometimes Xavier would even switch all three within the day. For school, for training, or for actual combat. He could just imagine the instinctive switch and how his senses would likely suffer before he could get to such a level.

After experiencing the biomecha himself, Kyle could no longer deny it. The sheer magnitude of Xavier’s and Luca’s skills was terrifying. Not just impressive. Terrifying.

So thankfully, they were on the same team.

And while he sounded like life was hard, it was admittedly nothing like before.

Sure, he was loaded with work. But it was meaningful work. And even now, in the empire, he’d been given the chance to pilot a biomecha that now felt like an extension of his own body.

”It should be good now,” Kyle said with quiet confidence. ”But since this worked, we need to start practicing as a team. Technically, it’s you, me, and D-64 in there. If we can’t synergize properly, then it’ll be hard to maximize everything.”

He rubbed the top of Ollie’s mop of blonde hair.

Ollie blinked up at him, mouth slightly open. Kyle thought Ollie looked uncharacteristically serious, as if he were the one contemplating Imperial policy changes or drafting legislation.

But how could he not be this serious when his brain was starting to make sense of things?

”Wait...” Ollie’s eyes widened. ”So that’s why you’re always so busy! That’s why you’re always so tired, but you’d just say you’re fine!” His voice cracked with the gravity of revelation, like a mop uncovering the Empire’s greatest scandal.

Kyle chuckled softly. ”Something like that.”

The newly minted companion pilot clenched his fists dramatically. His eyes shone with fiery conviction. ”Then I’ll do my best! For you! For my good brother! And for D-64, who’s buzzing around like a happy bug!”

”Buzz-buzz!” D-64 chimed from the corner, almost on cue.

”Alright!” Ollie shouted, nearly startling himself. He launched up on his toes, planted a loud smooch on Kyle’s cheek, and grinned. ”Thank you! I’ll work hard! I’ll make you proud!”

Then, without another word, he bolted, waving frantically as he ran off. ”Luca! Brother! What should I do next?! Also, I need to ask about the promotion!”

Kyle stood frozen for a moment, one hand still hovering near his cheek where Ollie had kissed him, before letting out the faintest sigh. ”That boy...”

But Ollie, full throttle in his excitement, stormed straight toward his good brother—only to stop short at the sight of his parents already talking to Luca.

”Luca, is that alright? Such an innovation for Ollie?” Marquis Osmond’s voice was heavy with concern. ”If it’s like this, we’d like to lower the percentage we’ll take from the auction.”

Luca waved his hands frantically. ”Oh! No! No! Marquis Mylor, please don’t! In fact, you ought to increase it! The auction might be difficult because of the items I was planning to sell.”

”Difficult, yes,” Osmond admitted, ”but only because we’re prioritizing security over profits. The items themselves? Any merchant would kill to have those for sale. So don’t worry, we’ll figure something out.”

Marquise Julienne folded her arms, her sharp eyes glimmering. ”What we’re more worried about is Ollie. Has he truly learned how to externally pilot mechas now?” She was rightfully worried. Piloting mechas wasn’t just about having the ability to run it, but also the ability to stop. And she was concerned their son would be out there depleting himself.

”Don’t worry, Mom, Pop! I will learn! I’ll do whatever it takes!” Ollie declared dramatically as he finally arrived, puffing up his chest and hitting it with his fist as if proving his loyalty.

Luca’s golden eyes softened with admiration. ”Wow, brother! Then you can come with us to the Suppression Simulator too!”

The blonde froze.

”W-what?!”

”The Suppression Simulator, brother,” Luca repeated, smiling innocently.

It was as if Ollie’s world shattered into pieces. His bravado cracked like cheap porcelain, and he crumpled onto the floor in despair.

”N-no, wait! Does it really have to be that?! Aren’t there... any other training methods?!”

”But brother,” Luca said thoughtfully as he bent down to help him up, ”I believe it’s the best one. The longer you can stay inside the simulation, the longer you’ll be able to stay connected to D-64. And if you can do that, won’t you be able to stay out longer to collect things and assist in battle?”

The room went quiet. Everyone watched as Ollie’s ears twitched violently, his mop of hair trembling.

His eyes narrowed. His voice dropped an octave. ”Brother... come again. Did you just say, stay out longer... to collect things?”

Luca nodded earnestly, face full of concern. ”Yes, brother. Using the inventory as a Dungeon Manager requires a little spiritual energy. So, if you want to collect more, I think it’s best to train using that simulator.”

Ollie’s entire body jolted. His hands trembled. His eyes filled with unholy light.

Looting.

Glorious, endless looting.

It couldn’t possibly be so hard, right?

Right?!