I, Azure Commander!

Lin Xiao thought to himself, it would be perfect if there was a maid standing next to him with a tray with two glasses of juice on it.

What a pity, what a pity. There are many members of the Royal Maid Team, but most of them seem to be back home in Area E. There are only two of them found here. One is sharp-tongued and arrogant, and the other is clumsy. She can't do her job as a maid well, but she is quite diligent in collecting public rations... Alas, what a miserable life.

"Would you like something to drink? Um... Master?"

"Oh, thank you. Apple-flavored Fanta, I love it the most."

Taking the sparkling drink handed over by the girl, Lin Xiao took a sip of the drink which had no ice due to seasonal reasons, and then suddenly realized something was wrong.

If he remembered correctly, he didn't seem to bring a maid with him this time?

Then who is this?

The tone of voice didn't sound like a maid at all, and it certainly wasn't Sirius's. Instead, the voice sounded very much like...

"Noshiro?!"

Lin Xiao half opened his mouth and looked at the girl beside him in astonishment.

I wiped my eyes and looked carefully again. It was indeed Noshiro. But why was Noshiro wearing a maid outfit?

Noshiro held the tray in her hand against her chest, seeming a little shy, but she saw Lin Xiao's confusion, or simply wanted to explain, so she said: "It was Miss Tianying's suggestion. She said that you would not be used to it if there was one less maid on the ship... Although I always feel like I was deceived by her, is this really appropriate?"

Noshiro looked at himself, seeming a little unconfident.

"Suitable, of course it is suitable!"

After the surprise, there was naturally ecstasy. Noshiro in a maid outfit was simply too cute!

"Well, do you like it?"

"Of course! I like anything that can represent me."

Noshiro chuckled and rolled her eyes playfully, but she was naturally delighted in her heart and joined in the play. She bowed slightly while holding the tray and said, "So, does the master have any other instructions?"

After all, there was a real maid in the house. Although Noshiro had never been a maid before, she saw real maids at work every day. She had learned a little and could imitate them easily.

"Well, let me think... I've been lying here for so long, my shoulders are a little sore, so you can rub my shoulders for me first."

"Well, you are such a willful and rude master who is not polite at all."

Noshiro was feeling relaxed at the moment, as she had nothing to do. Of course, she had plenty of time to play the role-playing game with Lin Xiao. She made a helpless complaint, then walked behind Lin Xiao, stretched out her slender hand, and placed it on Lin Xiao's shoulder.

When it comes to shoulder massage, Noshiro is very familiar with it, especially before, when there were not as many ship girls in the port as there are now. At that time, she and the commander spent the whole day together, and the commander would often act like a spoiled child and ask her to help him with massage.

The shoulders, waist, and legs... well, the only thing that makes Noshiro feel a little repulsive is when the commander lets her stand on his waist and step on his back. It always feels a bit weird. Noshiro is not used to that way. If she has to do it, it feels that a child like Xiao Tiancheng would be more suitable.

Lin Xiao was enjoying the maid's service without paying attention to anyone around, but the trainee commanders on the next ship were dumbfounded. They were more than envious. They were simply envious!

Although they all have their own shipgirls, many of them are destroyers. Not to mention that they are children, the relationship between the commander and the shipgirls has not warmed up so quickly. After all, it has only been less than a year. Most of the shipgirls are lucky to have a favorability of 70 for their commanders. If asked, they will probably pinch their shoulders, but it is definitely not as touching as the scene in front of them, not to mention wearing maid outfits...

"Noshiro-sister..."

Among the crowd, Yu Gong Qianyue was also one of the trainee commanders representing the academy in this battle. She looked at the two familiar figures not far away and felt very complicated.

I envy them, and I am happy that they have such a good relationship, but... I still feel a little sad, sad that the distance between them and her seems to be getting farther and farther, and they are slowly becoming like people from two different worlds...

Chapter 16 Fight? Vacation!

Because the destination is still in Area C, and it can be reached all the way from Lombardy City by taking the coastal waterway, so although the journey is not short, it surprisingly does not take too long.

On the third day after setting off, everyone arrived at the port of the target city. However, the college competition did not seem to start so soon. After all, some colleges were far away from here and could not get here so quickly.

After checking the time, there were still four or five days left before the scheduled start of the competition, so Lin Xiao had no intention of getting off the ship for the time being.

In other words, although you have to get off the ship, you can go out and have some fun, otherwise it will be boring to stay on the ship all the time. However, you still have to come back to stay at night. The same is true for the neighboring ship. With so many people, including many ship girls, accommodation is a big problem.

As for staying in a hotel, first of all, you may not be able to find a hotel that big. The environment of this hotel is not as good as the dormitory on the cruise ship...

To call it a dormitory, it must be considered a high-end dormitory. It is a little inferior to the high-end aristocratic cruise ship on Lin Xiao's side, and it is also not comparable to any ordinary high-end hotel.

No matter what, the navy is the superior people in the military. With the existence of ship girls, the commanders can be said to be the best of the best. The funding of the Naval Academy is still very sufficient, and the conditions in all aspects will not be bad.

Of course, the waiting time is really boring. Some people choose to take advantage of this time to practice in the specially designated waters near the coast, while there are also many people who choose to go to the city for a walk and play. Lin Xiao obviously belongs to the latter.

Bringing all the ship girls at home, a large group of people appearing at the port together will naturally attract a lot of attention.

However, it seemed that because the news of the academy competition had already been announced, the people living in the local area knew what was going on, so they did not react too much. At most, they were surprised and puzzled why other commanders only brought one or two ship girls, but this guy had so many.

Speaking of having fun, the characteristics of all coastal cities are actually similar. Seafood and the like are no longer surprising, but people are more interested in some of the more distinctive local snacks. Area C is very large, and there are still significant differences in diet between the north and the south.

The girls were shopping enthusiastically, but Lin Xiao couldn't muster much energy.

It’s not that I’m dissatisfied with this city or feel bored or anything, it’s just that it’s simply lacking in spirit in the literal sense.

If you want to know the reason...if a super beautiful girl in a maid outfit knocks on your door at night, will you be energetic the next day?

Those who say they can are either being stubborn or too young and don’t understand the “bitterness” of life.

The girls originally thought they were here to fight, but unexpectedly, it felt like they were on vacation. With the commander accompanying them, they ate and drank everywhere, went to the amusement park today and watched a movie tomorrow. Everyone was in a good mood and had a lot of fun.

Especially the only two children in this trip, one is Xiao Tiancheng and the other is Xuefeng. Xiao Tiancheng had a happy meal and Xuefeng had a happy play. Of course, there was also the majestic Lord Son of God, who had a happy meal and a happy play.

At first, he was still very reserved, saying that he was a mature adult and would not ride a carousel. But after Lin Xiao convinced him with the reason that Mutsu was not here, his eyes lit up as he sat on the carousel.

Although they are mature adults, they are indeed different from the children at home, but after all, they are still more or less childish...

The older girls were still as reserved and elegant as usual. In front of them, Lin Xiao seemed like a child. Of course, if he took the initiative to invite them, both Tianying and the Emperor would be happy to play with him.

The girls didn't have so many concerns. Noshiro and Ron had a lot of fun these days. But he didn't know if it was Lin Xiao's illusion, but he always felt that Ron's smile was a bit scary when he was riding the roller coaster and other exciting projects.

But if you say she is abnormal, Ron has been very well behaved recently, just like a gentle and considerate girl, not looking like a yandere at all. I don't know if it's because of the emperor's presence.

In short, everyone had a very happy time in the days before the competition.

There are also many other commanders and shipgirls who have been playing for several days. Most of them are not very skilled and feel that there is no hope. There are also a few who sincerely think that it is better to take a good rest than to cram at the last minute so that they can perform better when the time comes. Of course, there are also some who simply think that there is no need to practice at all and will definitely kill people anyway. Lin Xiao and his shipgirls are naturally the representatives among them, and the other highly-anticipated European Emperor is naturally the same...

Tang Xiaojiu's life these days has been exactly the same as Lin Xiao's.

Apart from the amusement park, she goes to the cinema, or eats out, and sometimes goes to the supermarket or bookstore. Surprisingly, this little girl likes reading very much. Of course, she doesn't like those serious books full of moral principles that are boring to her. She prefers reading stories, fantasy, science fiction, or fairy tales. In short, those light-hearted and interesting stories. She likes to read books, comics, and of course animations. These seem to be her favorite ways of entertainment.

In this sense, she is considered half a stay-at-home girl, but her job and identity do not quite match the attribute of a stay-at-home girl.

It's like you are saying that Lin Xiao is a otaku, and maybe that is indeed the case, but in the eyes of outsiders, he is a naval officer, a regular military staff member, a winner in life. He should be a young talent with good conversation and ability to stand on his own. How can he be associated with a otaku who holds his mobile phone screen and calls his wife all day long?

Of course, such a view is nothing but a wrong stereotype, and the fact is - Lin Xiao is indeed a otaku, although he has a wife, and many wives, and he openly maintains a harem, which makes him a high-level otaku, and Tang Xiaojiu is also a real otaku girl. In addition to completing the work she is supposed to do, she follows anime and reads novels, and occasionally pays some money to urge for updates. If he encounters an author he likes who is asking for trouble and offers a bounty, and sets a clear price for additional updates, then he is definitely finished. With the commander's income, Tang Xiaojiu can save a few days, which is enough to put that author in a small dark room for a month.

Let's get back to the point. After all, their identities are sensitive and special. Although they are playing everywhere, they will not go to areas too far from the port. The places they go to are highly overlapped, so it is inevitable that they will meet each other often. Everyone is considered old acquaintances and greets each other. Even now, the ship girl of Tang Xiaojiu's family seems to be very wary of Lin Xiao, as if she is afraid that he will snatch away her commander...

Lin Xiao was naturally speechless about this, he didn't have that thought at all... After all, he wasn't a lolita control, right? Anyway, he had a very happy time these few days, and after that, along with the arrival of several other contestants from the Naval Academy, the competition officially started tomorrow...

Chapter 17 Snow Wind Pillow

"Ah, I'm so tired~"

As it got darker, the white cat-headed Loli looked at the door opening eagerly, rushed in immediately, lay down on the sofa, and made cute sounds.

Lin Xiao chuckled, sat down next to Xuefeng, picked up the loli lying on the sofa, put her on his lap, and hugged her soft belly.

"How is it, Master Xuefeng, have you had fun these days?"

"Well... it's okay."

Lord Xuefeng is worthy of being Lord Xuefeng. He has to be a little arrogant even in such matters. However, no matter how arrogant he is, he is not vague at all when it comes to taking advantage. He rubbed Lin Xiao's chest comfortably with the back of his head, lay on him, and soon showed a happy smile.

Lin Xiao couldn't help but pinch her nose. How could this little cat be so cute!

It feels really good to take the ship girls to visit other cities like this. There are not many places to play in this coastal city. If you go inland, climb mountains, see waterfalls, and visit thousand-year-old towns to appreciate the scenery of the past, it will definitely be a good experience.

If you have time in the future, you should go out more often... Yes, there will definitely be time, and the thing they lack the least is time...

He felt a lot more relaxed unconsciously. As more and more ship girls were found, Lin Xiao's previous pressure became even greater. Thinking that there were more ship girls waiting for a longer time, he naturally felt worried.

But sometimes some things can't be rushed. Give your girls more trust. We will meet again in the near future...

He reached out and picked up the cute cat girl. Because the competition was about to start tomorrow, it was obviously not a good idea to rush over from the port early in the morning. So they were not staying on the cruise ship tonight, but in a hotel near the local Naval Academy.

Of course, this was all arranged by the dean of the college here. With so many days, he should have found a way to accommodate the contestants.

Tonight, let's go to bed early...

Carrying the little cat girl to his room, Master Xuefeng was a mature child who could take a bath by himself. Lin Xiao took out his novel and continued to polish and revise it.

That's right, tonight is the night I'll have Yukikaze-sama as my pillow.

Although Lady Xuefeng is not very obedient when she sleeps at night, sometimes she kicks off the quilt, and sometimes when you wake up you find her sleeping on her back with her legs spread out with her feet in the commander's mouth, but with the cute little cat girl pillow, the sleeping experience is still quite good.

After a while, Xuefeng finished her shower and it was Lin Xiao's turn. The other ship girls were also washing up and preparing to rest.

Although the competition itself is not a difficult task, I have important things to do tomorrow, so I will still get used to resting early and recharge my energy.

Only at times like this can the children fight for the right to sleep with the commander. Usually, the despicable adults don't give them any chances at all. Children are just children after all. They can't win the argument or snatch from the adults. So it can be seen that Lord Xuefeng is in a good mood tonight.

Ever since he finished taking a shower and came out in his pajamas, the little tail behind him has been swaying gently. He is humming a little tune, holding a storybook in his arms. When he saw Lin Xiao coming out of the shower, he immediately pestered the commander to tell him a story.

Lin Xiao took the storybook reluctantly and read a short paragraph. The little girl's excitement wore off and sleepiness soon came over her like a tide. Before she finished the story, she closed her eyes, curled up into a ball and fell asleep.

Lin Xiao smiled at the sleeping child, turned off the lights, held the cute little cat in his arms, and fell asleep.

----------------

In the blink of an eye, morning came quietly, and noisy sounds gradually came from outside the door. Lin Xiao took the little foot away from his mouth, grasped the slender ankle, and pulled the upside-down kitten out of the quilt.

"Wake up, Xuefeng, it's time to wash up and have breakfast."

"Hmm~"

Xuefeng instinctively hummed in response, rubbed his eyes, and slowly sat up on the bed. What he saw was Lin Xiao, who had changed his clothes at the speed of light.

"Commander... Hehehe, Master Xuefeng, I like you..."

Then he fell on Lin Xiao's lap and was about to fall asleep.

Helplessly rubbing the child's messy hair, Lin Xiao took the new clothes prepared the day before and began to help Xuefeng change clothes with ease.

You know what, these cat girls changing clothes is really a science...

First of all, the ears. When putting on shirts and sweaters, avoid touching them. Try to put them down gently, rubbing the edges as much as possible. Cat ears are very sensitive. If they are scratched too hard, it will hurt, and then the cat will definitely get angry. Especially when it is half asleep and confused, it will grab your arm and bite it, leaving a row of cute, little teeth marks.

Then there is the tail. Because of its special structure, it adds a lot of trouble to the process of changing clothes. In short, according to Lin Xiao's usual experience, helping the children of Chongying to put on clothes is much more troublesome than helping the children of other camps, and there are more things to pay attention to.

Fortunately, Commander Lin Xiao is an excellent commander who is careful and patient enough. These small matters are naturally no problem for him, and he has already mastered the skills to perfection.

——To put it bluntly, it’s just a habitual mistake.

After changing her clothes, Xuefeng was almost completely sober. She was no longer so clingy and turned into a proud and spoiled little wife again. Of course, if one had to say which one was cuter, Lin Xiao felt that both versions of Xuefeng were very cute and made people want to tease her.

Holding the little cat girl, he walked out of the room and came to the living room of the suite. The little girl was still muttering: "Hehe~ Commander, you really like to act like a spoiled child. I really don't know what you will do without Master Xuefeng..."

Well, children can't help but reveal what they think, and for tsunderes, speaking the opposite of what they mean is one of the things they are best at. In fact, everyone in the port area knows that Yukikaze is a tsundere, and she likes to act like a spoiled brat. If the commander ignores her for a day, she might cry secretly.

Lin Xiao naturally knew everything and was proud of it. He certainly would not expose Xuefeng's stubbornness. After all, no matter how tough his words were, he was still soft when he kissed the commander on the face.

Breakfast is provided by the hotel. Although it is not luxurious, it is still rich. There are various styles of breakfast, and the taste is acceptable.

After breakfast, he followed Wales and other commanders from the Barbarossa Naval Academy in Lombardy to the venue of this competition, which was the Manhattan Naval Academy...

Chapter 18 I Can't Do Anything

After all, it is a joint competition of all colleges in the world. This competition is obviously very different from the previous small fights in the college, and the scale is much larger.

The same goes for the contestants. There are quite a lot of them. Although each college has only a few contestants who can compete, there are enough colleges participating in this competition. Many colleges can come more than a month in advance for this competition. For this purpose, they even specially arranged temporary substitute instructors to make up lessons on the cruise ship.

Although the journey is long, it is not all bad. These young ship girls sail freely on the sea and feel a different feeling from the training ground. Some of them even encounter Sirens on the way and experience actual combat, so they naturally have more combat experience.

All in all, there are many masters in this competition, and all of them are the best in their respective academies. These people together basically represent the highest level of this year's new commanders, so the battle situation in this competition is undoubtedly foreseeably fierce and cruel.

Everyone wants to get the highest honor. After all, it represents a very good reward and an opportunity to become famous at a young age. To put it another way, with the title of the strongest newcomer, you will be more confident even if you go to recruit ship girls in the future. Moreover, this title is indeed quite convincing to the ship girls who know about it.

Of course, it's a pity that everyone wants to win, but there can only be one winner in the end. So when everyone arrived at the scene, they could already smell a faint smell of gunpowder.

As for young people, if they are not full of youthful vigor, how can they be called young people?

Not only the players, but also the instructors of each academy, especially the deans, seemed to be competing secretly. Although Lin Xiao was not interested in these at all, he directly took his own ship girl to hide in an inconspicuous corner. At this time, those who showed their heads and pretended to be cool were fools, and they would be the ones who would be shot. The real big guys were introverted and low-key.

This was a large venue. After all the contestants had taken their seats, Washington, as the president of the Manhattan Naval Academy, the organizer, naturally gave a speech. What he said was nothing more than clichés. Lin Xiao listened to a few words at first, but then he just stopped and started to daydream, looking left and right from time to time out of boredom.

If there is something really important, since I can be here, she will definitely listen to the whole thing carefully and summarize the key points. Having a capable wife means you can be so willful.

It is worth mentioning that as a contestant, it is natural for them to be present at such a pre-match speech. The deans of various colleges were also present, but from the looks of them, they all seemed to be looking forward to seeing what kind of joke or embarrassment Washington could make.

However, it seems that not all the instructors came, or only a small part of them came. For example, there were only a few instructors from the Barbarosse Naval Academy who came with them originally, and now there is simply no one present. Looking at other academies, there are no ship girls who look like instructors.

Yes, many of those instructors are not participating in the college competition for the first time, and hearing this kind of cliché speeches once or twice is enough, and it goes in one ear and out the other. After hearing it so many times, it can't even go in the left ear. It's just like coming to jail. They might as well walk around or take the opportunity to go to the cafeteria here to try out any special dishes.

After a quick look around, there seemed to be quite a few students who were listening attentively. They accounted for the majority. They were freshmen who had just enrolled and they attached great importance to this competition, so they would naturally be intimidated.