=================

"Are... Are you kidding me?" As Caster stood up from his chair in disbelief.

"No, I'm not. I know this is a bit overwhelming. Like everything, you've seen so far. But I'm afraid you have no choice..."

Caster... In all of his life, he's taught to take care of himself. Never depending on somebody else to do the job for him. As a soldier, initiative was his calling card.

So on that note, he didn't know what to say or what to do. But Belfast was there. Not moving.

Caster just sighed in defeat. He still can't believe that the life he left behind as he got teleported becomes this. Where everything is here. Served to him in a silver platter.

"Aye. Fine. I'm accepting the personal maid thing..." Caster relented to the maid's request.

"Thank you, Master. I'm looking forward to working with you." Belfast bowed down once again to her "Master".

'This life so far is so deceptively easy. I'm sure the hard is just ahead of me. I can't keep getting comfortable.' Caster told himself, which was true. He is getting comfortable. Maybe too much for one's liking.

Again, drawing comparisons to Caster and a typical Commander, they would just happily accept the request and let themselves get too comfortable. However, again, Caster doesn't fit the average mold of a Commander. He's too different.

"First of all, let's set ground rules. What do you do for me?" Caster asked Belfast who was confused?

"I can clean everything, make your food every morning, and you can ask anything from me. I suppose you already know that." Belfast said to Caster. Who just nodded.

"I'm a bit awkward at this... And this is the first time there's someone helping me in my work. So, do forgive me if I get carried away in some situations." Caster sheepishly rubbed the side of his head.

'He's not what I am expecting. I think we finally found a suitable Commander for the job.' Belfast thought...

"Alright. Is that all, Master?" Belfast asked Caster.

"Actually, don't call me 'Master'. Just call me Caster. Wait, did I introduce myself yet to you?" He asked Belfast again. As he sat on his chair.

"N-no. I don't think you have." Belfast answered surprised the conversation went so far without the upcoming Commander telling his name.

"My name is Edrich Caster. Formerly an Army Commander. I don't know why I added that. Just forget I said that."

Caster didn't wanna flaunt his former status to Belfast. He didn't mean to do that. But Belfast heard all of it. And she got really surprised but kept it to herself. Making a poker face even after what Caster said.

"Your name is Edrich Caster. Unique name." Belfast smiled as Caster was a little bit flattered by the compliment.

"Well, I think Belfast is even more unique. A master-mind could only think a name like that." As Caster leans back into his chair. Caster sighed in relief that the chair is flexible. Not stiff like a stick.

"Thank you." Belfast bowed again to Caster. "Aside from that, I have news for you, Master."

Caster was perplexed. What could it be now? It seems like he's done everything and seen everything for the day and he just wanted to take a break and collect himself.

"There's going to be a ceremony that's gonna happen at sunset. It's going to be your pledge to be the new Commander of our fleet." Belfast broke the sudden news to Caster who which his eyes widen for all the wrong reasons.

"Really?! As if all the things I've done and seen, I'm not done yet?" Caster told Belfast who just nodded.

"I'm severely sorry. I have heard of your battle with those 4 earlier this morning. But the event just can't be stopped now." Belfast just kept her tone and kept going.

'This is getting ridiculous. So much to do...' He thought, as Belfast breaks Caster off his thoughts again.

"I'll be right back. I'll bring you your new uniform. Since yours is pretty dirty now. Pardon me." As Belfast left the room to get the new uniform.

Caster was so sure that it will be a white uniform now as he saw Admirals and Captains wearing this same white and gold stripes.

Caster just started at the ceiling. Getting lost in his thoughts. He's fighting again. For life and death. He has to make difficult decisions again. And after all this time that he was fighting an enemy who didn't care who he was, it's going to happen again. And it's taking a huge toll on his mental health. And the effects of his stress will show in time.

And to make it scarier, its effects might show up now or even later. When mental fortitude is absolutely necessary to keep focus and locked-in the battle of wits and minds.

'I think I might just take a rest tomorrow. This is too much. I'm going to die because of this.' He thought, getting more exhausted as he keeps sitting on his chair.

"Master, I am back... Sorry if I took so long. Here you go." Belfast gives the new uniform to Caster who grabbed it with not much energy as he used to.

Belfast noticed the lack of energy, and she wants to do something about it.

"You look tired, Master. Should I make a drink that will energize you perhaps?" Belfast asked Caster if he will accept the request of making him a milkshake or something else that will make him more energized.

"Yeah, sure. I'll get changed into this uniform." Caster replied. And Belfast nodded, as she left the room again.

He observed the room, checking if there was a restroom there. In which there was. He stood up from his chair and painstakingly walked to the restroom to get changed.

=================

"Is that a new Commander? Again?" A golden-haired girl asked Belfast.

"Don't worry about him, he's pretty tame and actually nicer than the last..." Belfast as she puts cocoa in a cup.

First impressions are absolutely important in any situation. May it be introducing yourself to a new acquaintance, making an opening speech on an important event, or playing a sport in front of fans. Where they want to be known as they are "this" or "that".

Belfast smiled. Because Caster's first impressions were kinda bad for a man of his status. But it did show that he was being honest, as other people out there make "facades" that hides who they actually are. But Caster didn't really show that he was something he wasn't. She really appreciated the transparency from Caster. Which in return, made her respect Caster quicker than normal.

"You're speaking highly of him. Are you sure that he is what you think he is?" The golden-haired girl kept pressing on questions that had some doubt put into it.

Belfast was already finished making the hot cocoa for Caster. But she stopped first to answer the question.

"You just have to see for yourself. My words can't describe him." As Belfast left the cafeteria and back to the Commander's Office.

The girl stood there shell-shocked. But this was the point that they finally found the right one...

Belfast went inside the office. In which there was no one there. But she already knew where Caster was. In respect, she left the hot cocoa on his table and left the room. Waiting on the door until he comes back fully dressed up.

=================

"Hot shower a day... Keeps my stress at bay..." Caster mumbled as he steps out of the washroom. Not only he changed his uniform to the new one, but he took a shower also. A cold one. He prefers that more than a hot one.

"I have done this pledge thing before when I finally became Army Commander back then. It shouldn't be that hard right?" He scratched his head as he looked in a mirror.

As Caster is thinking about what he's gonna say in his speech, Belfast came into the room. 

"Belfast. How long is before the event? I really want this to be done and dusted." Caster asked the maid ship.

"I could arrange it to happen now if you wish." 

"Go on." Caster approved the request. And Belfast left the room for the 3rd time. 

=================

The ceremony event is underway. Almost all of the important ships are present. And almost all the girls are here as well. They're just waiting for the Commander to come in and give the speech.

'Don't get nervous now.' He wiped off a bead of sweat on his forehead. He breaths in... And breathes out. 

"Laffey, don't miss this!" Z23 tugged on Laffey's shoulders as she's not responding one bit to Z. 

Finally, the long wait is done. Caster walked on a carpet maintaining a straight even amongst the eyes staring at him. He didn't have his normal worried expression that he had all day long. He was serious, giving off an authoritative aura.

He finally got to the podium. He was ready. 

"Ahem." Caster touched the mic a little bit. "Mic check, mic check. Alright..."

"It seems that I need to introduce myself to all of you. Since I have been nothing but an irresponsible Commander all day." 

"My name is Edrich Caster. I do not know what am I doing here. But 4 girls helped me live and did not leave me in the dust. And I keep hearing about the topic "new Commander" amongst all of you."

"I may not know what's going on. But back in my world, I was admittedly an Army Commander prior to this." 

Caster mentally cringed at the statement he made. He really, really did NOT like telling his former status to people. He wants to give off the aura of a normal person. But this is a formal occasion. He can't act un-Commander-like. 

Some of the important ships who were in attendance, after he said he was a former Commander, were surprised that a person like that would at chance get to this world. 

"And all I knew was fighting. I fought, made some hard decisions. Saw my comrades die right before my eyes..." Caster put up a fake smile. Trying his best not to show his real emotions. 

"But it gave me a reason to live. To give a better life to people out there. So, it would seem that I have to fight again. To be a Commander once again." His face slightly lit up with a slight smile.

"So I, Edrich Caster. Accept the position of Commander. Since my name is not enough to justify the lack of information about me, how about all of you try to ask me questions."

The girls in attendance were surprised. And some girls started to whisper to their fellow girls thinking of a question to ask the newly appointed Commander of Azur Lane.

"Can we trust you?" One golden-haired girl spoke up and stood up from her chair.

"Hornet! Stop that!" A girl pulled her back down.

"It's okay. It's okay. Hornet is it?" Caster asked the girl. The girl nodded.

"I will try my hardest to get your trust in me. I may not know who we are fighting, but in any case, I'll try to keep everybody out of harm's way." Caster answered. Needless to say, they were convinced. He sounded sincere in the answer.

=================

It was the end of the event. Caster sighed in relief. It was finally over. The girls had 2 or more questions until they ran out of good questions to ask. The event was... Filled with uncertainty. Many girls already believed in him such as Javelin, Laffey, Z23, and Belfast. But there were still girls that were still skeptical of him. 

He was alone. There was no one to greet him after the ceremony, Caster has felt this feeling before. 

"All alone. Again." Caster sighed. As he walked near a dock at the far, far left side. 

=================

"Sister! You're back!" Hornet exclaimed. 

"It's going to be night-time. Why did you come all the way from the dock?" A girl with silver hair with purple-colored eyes to compliment it. 

"Don't worry about that. A new Commander is here! You just missed the ceremony." Hornet explained. 

"I hope he's not the same ones we had before," Hornet added.

"I sure do hope so." As she walked back to the buildings to take a well-deserved rest from a mission. As Hornet followed. 

=================

"Huh? What is this?" As Caster opened a door. He found a small shack hidden in the trees. He went there to investigate. 

He found nothing but dust where Caster sneezed by the sudden surge of dust he got exposed to. After that, he went inside to if he can find something that's worth his time. He did give his attention to this small shack. So he needs to find something intriguing to justify his action.

'Wait. Is that... A guitar?' Caster thought. 'My god, it is...' As he grabbed the guitar. It was surprisingly unscathed. No rust, no anything. But it was filled with dust. So he dusted it off. 

This discovery made Caster think. Are there other "Commanders" before him? He doubts that a girl that would use a guitar at all. Plus, inside of a little shack. It's not natural. And he found it while the girls didn't. He kept thinking about it as he left the shack back into docks...

It was a clear night sky. The moon illuminating every part of land it touches. Caster tries to plucking the strings. But alas, they were not tuned properly. But he was familiar enough with the guitar to tune it on his own. 

He got an idea in his head, he had learned many songs with the guitar when the Wild Dogs aren't in deployment. And there was one particular he loved. He tries to remember the chords of that particular song.

He walked back to the buildings to go back to the office. Not until he got interrupted by a huge ship that was in front of him. He looked on in awe. 

"This thing... Is it..." Caster looked at the ship and tries to remember what name it is. But he forgot. But he had another bright idea in his head. And it would be a bad one. 

=================

"Finally. I got away from them. Thank goodness." The same silver-haired girl went out of the cafeteria. She preferred to eat outside. So she also brought her food with her. 

She looked at the sky. She continued to walk to her respective ship and she went up the stairs towards the runway...

But she saw one person who was sitting on the edge of the runway. She was positive that no one was here when she left the cafeteria. But she got suspicious and stayed on the stairs behind the mysterious person on the runway. 

But she got some courage to walk up to get near the person sitting. Then she heard something from the mysterious person.

That person was humming a song while playing an instrument of some sort. She was confused, she wasn't really exposed to music early in her life and she barely got to hear any kind of music until now.

'Who is that...' She thought. As she got more and more interested in the person. And the song.

But after a while, that mysterious person stopped humming and stopped playing the instrument. And it's going down the ship. 

=================

'I guess my guitar skills aren't rusty at all.' Caster thought. 

As he was finally going down the ship, where he came up. To see the bright sky, he heard a sound of metal creaking. He turned to the direction of the sound, but there was nothing there.

"That was... Weird," said Caster as he shudders. "I think I gotta go now."

Caster finally went off the ship and went back to the office. Where Belfast greeted him and he finally got some needed rest. Ready for work tomorrow. 

A-kun: There we go. 4th Chapter released. I hope you're enjoying the story so far because I'm having fun writing these chapters. It's too fun. The main part of the story is just coming up in a few chapters so you best believe it will be good. Anyway, that's all from me, see you next chapter, bye-bye!

Word Count: 2774 Words...

7:50 PM
4/1/20