" That's insane!" Tadao exclaimed, staring at my cast-covered hands in disbelief as he popped a bundle of clover wrapped in seaweed into his mouth.

"Considering I've heard of similar cases, I'm not too surprised. Breaking one's dependency on habitual interaction with the world is a core principle of mastering Domination," Kotetsu senpai shrugged. "Though I agree, breaking both hands is a bit extreme."

"It's as if breaking one hand would be acceptable," Hamp senpai growled under his breath, while the Altai Wapiti simply spread his hands.

"When your 'escort' blocked me outside the cafeteria, I overheard some bizarre rumors. Turns out the truth is even more absurd," Tadao mumbled, forgetting the chopsticks still in his mouth. "And you can't even use the med pod? What is this, the Dark Ages?"

"Uh…" I swallowed a few floating balls of mashed potatoes, imagining myself as a colossal planet devourer, while a question popped into my mind. "What’s an 'escort'?"

"That's not the point!" Tadao snapped, realizing too late that he'd bitten his chopsticks.

"An 'escort' refers to those who follow powerful psychics. They're usually individuals who can’t form their own defensive circle. When they need to leave common safe zones, they stick close to stronger psychics, like small fish shadowing bigger ones, to avoid the Academy’s lurking dangers," Kotetsu senpai explained. "It’s one of the Academy's unique ecosystems."

"Alright," I sighed, resisting the urge to rub my temples—then remembered my hands were encased in casts, heightening my frustration. "What are these safe zones, then?"

"They're common spaces maintained by group contributions, with capable psychics patrolling to ensure you don’t accidentally walk into a micro black hole or something," Kotetsu senpai said, gesturing around the cafeteria. "I occasionally take on such commission, and so does Hamp."

"I always thought that referred only to areas within the tower," I said, scanning the cafeteria patrons and gaining a deeper understanding of the Academy's policies.

"Forget the tower; the Academy itself is dangerous enough. Without a strong defensive circle, you wouldn’t even know how you died," Hamp senpai shot me a pointed look. "Who knows? A floor might just erupt with a miniature sun."

Too embarrassed to respond, I faked choking, coughing a few times before swallowing floating water droplets. I seemed to be getting the hang of it—I am the Devourer of Stars, the end of all things!

"That’s not the point—it's about Richter’s hands, isn’t it?" Tadao gestured emphatically, trying to steer the conversation back on track.

"Well, I haven’t heard Richter complain," Kotetsu senpai pointed at me with his chopsticks. "Besides, training is inevitable."

"There’s a difference between discipline and training, but in this case, I agree with Kotetsu," Hamp senpai said, glancing at the line forming near the cafeteria terminal. "The Master Field is known for being strict, but compared to senseless death, which is infinitely worse, their harsh demands seem justified. The mortality rate for psychics is high—around 20% die or disappear within their first year of deployment phase, and the ten-year survival rate is roughly 50%."

"But… this…" Tadao waved his hands again, finally dropping them to the table with a sigh. "This isn’t normal," he concluded.

"We're psychics, in case you hadn’t noticed. Our existence itself is the embodiment of 'not normal,'" Kotetsu senpai said mockingly.

I had long suspected tension between the two, perhaps some sort of rivalry—or maybe it was just the season. I preferred not to jump to conclusions.

"Besides, you’re a once-in-a-century Seer. The command center will make sure you’re well-protected, so you’ll never have to worry about dying like an ant in some forgotten corner of the world. Your attitude screams 'privilege,'" Kotetsu senpai snorted.

"Yeah, I can't wait to get orders from the Brigadier General…" Tadao muttered, while the Altai Wapiti frowned deeply, baring his flat molars in a show of displeasure.

"Speaking of which," I interjected, feeling a responsibility to diffuse the tension. "Did the nano-drones arrive?"

"They arrived this morning," Kotetsu senpai replied, locking eyes with me. "I pulled a lot of strings for those—you owe me."

Ignoring the obvious implication, I pretended my ears weren’t burning and feigned oblivion to the Border Collie’s exaggerated eye-roll. I then turned to Tadao.

"My order arrived too," the red deer confirmed. At that moment, Kotetsu senpai muttered something inaudible, causing Tadao’s face to flush beet red.

"So," Hamp senpai mercifully intervened with a loud clearing of his throat, "what do you plan to do with those nano-drones? Don’t tell me you’ve shifted targets for your hoarding habit."

"I don’t have a hoarding habit," I laughed at Hamp senpai’s teasing. "This is an attempt to deal with inflation."

"Won't this just lead to the nano-drones being speculated on as well?" Tadao asked, sliding the terminal off his arm and swiping through it.

"I wouldn't mind if it did, but I'm more curious about how Richter plans to deal with inflation," Kotetsu senpai chuckled, pulling out his terminal as well. Judging by his satisfied expression, he seemed pleased with the state of his assets.

Hamp senpai squinted at me, his slightly lowered ears pointing forward, clearly waiting for a detailed explanation.

"The current inflation issue partly stems from my previous mass purchase of adamantine, which drove up demand. Another factor is the insufficient supply of goods from the production side. I've already addressed the first issue by adopting self-sufficiency, significantly reducing demand. However, ceasing to take beacon commissions has exacerbated the production shortfall, concentrating resource ownership among the stronger psychics," I explained. Kotetsu senpai tilted his head slightly, while Hamp senpai tapped the table silently with his fingers. "But nano-drones are different. They're consumables and production tools, enabling less-skilled psychics to operate on higher floors, thereby increasing overall output. Additionally, the pending injectors I donated to the infirmary and the quantity about to hit the market should force the release of hoarded nano-drones, initially held for value preservation."

"Not to mention, you control the main channel for importing nano-drones from the Federation..." Hamp senpai murmured, casting a glance at the red deer and the Altai Wapiti.

"I wouldn't say 'control' exactly..." I replied, finishing the last of my potato balls. I stared at my empty plate, running a mental simulation of how I’d clean it shortly.

"But why go through all this trouble?" Hamp senpai asked, his brown eyes glinting with curiosity. "You've effectively removed yourself from the market. Supply and demand will naturally adjust, and prices will gradually stabilize."

"This hardly qualifies as 'all this trouble,'" I answered with a wry smile, avoiding Kotetsu senpai's raised eyebrow. "Since I caused the problem, it feels only right to put in some effort to resolve it."

"So it's guilt?" Hamp senpai pressed.

"Partly, yes, but more than that, it's curiosity," I said, my response drawing a puzzled expression from the Border Collie. "I’m not sure how to explain it, but… isn't trading supposed to be a mutually agreed-upon process where both sides benefit?"

Trying to ignore Kotetsu senpai's knowing smile—unsuccessfully—I flattened my ears against my head to conceal the redness creeping up their tips.

"But why is it that this process, where everyone supposedly gets what they need, often results in such unequal outcomes?" I expanded my consciousness, tidying up the tableware with my Domination while gauging the weight of each item in my mental circle. "Why do those who believe in the 'invisible hand' always seem to try to circumvent it? Is that truly logical?" I sent the neatly stacked dishes to the recycling station and wiped down the table. "I want to understand all of this better. Maybe my naive desire for everyone to get what they deserve is ridiculous and idealistic, but through practical experience, I hope to find my own answers."

I was certain that in the days ahead, I’d continue to encounter situations where I couldn’t even articulate my questions properly. But I was grateful to know these challenges would only fuel my drive to explore further.

"Isn't it reasonable for those with greater abilities to obtain more resources?" Kotetsu senpai asked. "With ability comes responsibility."

"I agree," I said, opening my consciousness to sense the ripples created by the waves of consciousness in the cafeteria. "But there are many individuals capable in different ways. Yet those who end up with the most resources are those whose abilities are particularly suited to acquiring them. If every psychic—or even every person—were to be considered in the final reckoning, then perhaps our current systems and habits aren't the best strategies for everyone."

"You don’t need a high IQ to see that the world is riddled with problems," Kotetsu senpai said, nudging Hamp senpai in the ribs with his elbow, earning an annoyed huff from the Border Collie. "That probably means another voting is on the horizon. You might even get to vote," the Altai Wapiti said, glancing at me and Tadao. "If you're planning to compete for a council seat, you'd better start defining your factions early!"

"That's too far in the future to worry about. It's better to focus on midterms for now and leave the rest until the deployment phase," Hamp senpai said, checking something on his terminal.

"I never imagined the people controlling the world's trajectory would need to understand literature," Tadao sighed, rubbing his eyes. "Will your hands be an issue?"

"They won't," I replied, holding my terminal in front of my face to confirm the schedule for upcoming exams. "I can use Domination for everything, though it can be mentally taxing." With a sharp crack, spiderweb-like fractures spread across the terminal's screen, accompanied by flickering lights and a small burst of sparks. "Also, I need to be more careful with my force."

With a resigned sigh, I stowed the broken terminal, attempting to calm my frustration to avoid further impairing my precision. I resolved to visit the printing room later—perhaps it was time to print a few spares.

"Domination is certainly convenient, but constantly—uh, what’s the term?" Tadao gestured to my hands in their slings.

"You mean 'putting on a cast'?" I tilted my head slightly to confirm.

"Yeah. Not being able to use the med pod to heal instantly is hard to imagine." The red deer waved his hands dismissively, clearly struggling to grasp the concept. "How long do you need to keep the casts on?"

"About six months," I estimated. "Using a cast to stabilize an injury is still standard treatment in certain situations, especially where med pods aren’t readily accessible. However, it’s true that this method is rarely used anymore. Just finding the blueprint in the database took Dawn a lot of time."

"Oh, so Master Dawn created it for you? I thought Master Latent Heat handled it," Tadao said, leaning closer to examine my arm. "I’m considering taking her landscape ecology course next term—if I survive basic ecology this semester. I had no idea she was so multi-talented; I thought the gray wolves were all highly specialized."

"Ecology and medicine both fall under life sciences, which are part of the Gray Faction's preserved knowledge," I explained, unsure whether to elaborate further as my audience exchanged puzzled looks. "For example, biochemical testing and analysis are also within the scope, which is why Dawn also drew my blood."

"Drew blood?" Hamp senpai raised an eyebrow, glancing at my hands.

"Yes, from the back of my hand. Dawn said it was to rule out infection. If that hadn’t worked, she might have drawn from my ear or cheek instead—she mentioned it’s easier than using the tail vein." A strange itch crept up the base of my tail, prompting a shiver.

"Can we change the subject? This is unsettling," Tadao said, shivering as well, his features contorted.

"You're the one who kept bringing up Richter's hands," Kotetsu senpai remarked, idly swiping through his terminal while propping his chin on one hand.

"Because I care!" Tadao exclaimed, scratching at the skin near his antlers.

Lacking the energy to watch the two stags literally lock horns in a display of testosterone, I excused myself and prepared to test the twelve-step dishwashing process I’d devised using Domination.