FMVR | Chapter 43

In truth, Theo had little intention of taking a vacation. Even during his time as the commander of the 1st unit, he had spent most of his time in the military, giving up his vacations. Just because his position had changed didn’t mean that habit would change as well. However, he couldn’t simply ignore the words of the adjutant who supported him from the closest position. He knew very well that it wasn’t just an offhand remark but something that had been brought up after much thought over a long period.

Theo was also aware that there was quite a bit of talk among the troops about the “state of the commander.” If Theo himself felt awkward at times, he could only imagine how his subordinates felt. So, to alleviate their concerns even slightly, he submitted his vacation request.

And so, Theo now stood in Eremen, dressed casually for the first time in a long while.

He had initially planned to spend his time quietly at the mansion, but Gwen, the chief steward of the Redrick ducal house, had rarely taken a vacation himself and insisted that Theo get some fresh air. Gwen had foreseen that Theo, claiming to rest at the mansion, would soon be holed up in his office, burying himself in work.

“It’s not like it’s going to be fun being here alone.”

Theo muttered under his breath. On an impulse, he had headed to the place Sion recommended, but once he arrived, everything felt overwhelmingly vague. He had rarely experienced this—using time entirely for himself and enjoying leisure without any plan. Perhaps it was because, being the eldest son of a prestigious ducal house, he had been confined to the mansion from a young age. After that, he was rigorously trained as a soldier at the military academy, often referred to as a prison without bars. He had enlisted immediately after graduating and had been on the go ever since…

‘I need you to stick close and watch him properly.’

The thought had crossed his mind, but there was exactly one memory that came to mind. He had followed Luke to the plaza without any plan as his watcher, a role forced upon him. However, in Theo’s memory, it wasn’t a bad experience.

‘Right! When you think of Heinern, you think of this fountain, don’t you?’

The light brown eyes that had awkwardly looked up at the fountain were tinged with confusion.

‘Look at this giant man next to me. He’s a high-ranking military officer.’

The eyes that skillfully soothed a child carried a hint of mischief.

‘What’s with that expression? I don’t think I’ve seen you make that face before.’

The eyes watching him angrily eating bitter chocolate were filled with amusement.

Theo realized only now that he had been watching Luke’s face and eyes that day. Otherwise, he wouldn’t remember so vividly what he was seeing and feeling.

“Strange, isn’t it?”

Theo ran his fingers through his hair, which had fallen disorderly. At the Imperial Army Headquarters, he always kept his hair tightly pulled back, revealing his forehead, but now there was no need for such formality, so he left it as it was.

Since he was out, he decided to put aside his questions for a moment and looked around broadly. Sion had recommended this place for a reason; Eremen, though part of the same capital, felt distinctly different from the central areas around the Imperial Palace. The city’s southern features were evident in its open landscapes, the wide-open sea, and the sight of ships moving in and out of the harbor, all of which instantly lifted his spirits.

Then, a small cat with a fish in its mouth scampered by Theo. The sight was like something out of a fairytale book. The cat glanced at Theo briefly before hurrying on its way.

“Damn that cursed cat, where did it go!”

A few moments later, a man who appeared to work in the fishing industry came huffing and puffing by.

Theo watched where the cat had disappeared. It was clear that the fish had been stolen from this man’s shop.

“They should put something out in front of the shop to scare them off. Tsk.”

“That doesn’t seem like a good solution to me.”

“What?”

The man, who had been stomping his feet in frustration, looked up as Theo extended a silver coin towards him.

“Why don’t you save the scraps from the fish you prepare and give them away? That way, you won’t have thefts, and it helps with waste disposal.”

“Uh…”

The man seemed to think it wasn’t a bad idea as he numbly accepted the money.

“Hold on! Why are you giving this to me?”

“For the fish the cat took.”

The man’s face twisted oddly.

“I see all kinds of strange folks these days.”

Then he burst out laughing. Theo was puzzled by his reaction. He had given the man money to mitigate his anger, and potentially save a life—why was that funny?

“What do you mean by that?”

“A few days ago, someone like you did the same thing—paid for the fish a cat took. It was so unusual that I remember it clearly.”

Theo nodded indifferently, surprised to hear that someone else had done the same thing.

“The person had rare silver hair and beautiful eyes, which is why I remembered them. And now here’s another striking person doing the same thing.”

The man thanked Theo for the money and the advice, and then walked away.

Wait, did he just say silver hair and beautiful eyes? Theo’s mind immediately flashed to Luke.

Could it be that he was here?

“What am I thinking?”

Theo shook his head and moved on. As noon approached, the central street seemed busier, and many were glancing at him—his tall stature and handsome features under black hair were hard to miss.

“Hey, tall guy!”

Among those who were merely sneaking glances, someone boldly called out to Theo.

“You look like you’ve had a tough day. How about stopping by our place for some barbecue?”

A man was beckoning from in front of a restaurant that smelled deliciously of barbecue. Theo wasn’t particularly hungry, but the man’s insistence on offering what seemed like a special deal made it hard to refuse.

Theo nodded and entered the restaurant, where the staff brightened up immediately.

“It seems Eremen has become quite famous lately. Lately, it’s been overflowing with handsome and pretty young people.”

As the staff member showed Theo to a table, he gestured thumbs up to a chef in the distant kitchen. Theo unconsciously followed his gaze, and the female chef blushed, slightly nodding at him. Theo awkwardly returned the greeting and sat down to order.

The restaurant had just opened, so there weren’t many customers yet. The atmosphere and interior were quite pleasant.

Soon, the food arrived. Though he hadn’t ordered much, the plates were overflowing with meat. Theo thought the place was incredibly generous as he began to eat.

“Oh, that customer hasn’t come back since then!”

The enthusiastic staff member who had invited Theo in was now arguing with a man at the entrance.

“And if he comes back, your group pays the drink bill, as agreed!”

“We never said that! That silver-haired guy tricked us all! How many times do I have to say it to make you believe?!”

Theo started to stand up, ready to intervene if necessary, but he hesitated when he heard the man’s description.

The charming silver-haired guy.

“We don’t know his name or anything!”

The argument continued.

“Something happened recently.”

A chef inside then brought out some grape juice, likely as an apology for the unsightly scene.

“What happened?”

“A stranger came to our restaurant a few days ago and ended up sharing a table with our regulars. There was a bit of an issue over who was responsible for the drink bill…”

The chef smiled apologetically, seemingly concerned about the disturbance between the employee and the customer.

“Was this stranger silver-haired?”

“Yes.”

“And did he have brown eyes, large and pretty?”

“Yes. His face was so… pretty, I remember it.”

Theo put his fork down abruptly. A vague discomfort that had been lingering in his mind began to swell.

“Ah, I thought he might be a soldier.”

“…Yes?”

“He was carrying a backpack issued by the military academy. My brother is a military academy graduate and a soldier, so I’ve seen it a few times.”

The chef had wanted to start a conversation based on that but was too busy at the time.

Theo was now certain.

“Do you know where this person is?”

All signs pointed to Luke.

The chef looked a bit surprised when Theo suddenly asked this.

“Um… I think he went to the Baint Inn. He asked for a decent inn to stay at.”

Theo immediately got up, nearly knocking his chair over, and dashed past the arguing customers to the back of the restaurant.

He went to the Baint Inn and asked about Luke. The innkeeper remembered him well because of his striking face.

“He stayed just one night. When he left, he asked for directions to the harbor.”

Theo then ran to the harbor.

In summary, Luke had stopped here for some reason, paid for a cat’s stolen fish, shifted the burden of a bar tab onto the locals at a barbecue restaurant, spent a night at a recommended inn, and then left by boat. Theo organized all this in his mind as he ran, driven by an impulse he wasn’t even fully aware of.

Arriving at the ticket office, Theo asked about Luke.

“I’m sorry, but it’s against our policy to disclose information about passengers who have purchased tickets.”

The employee eyed the breathless Theo suspiciously.

“I just need to know where he went.”

“I’m sorry.”

Theo was about to reach into his pocket for his military ID to perhaps press for cooperation in the name of military business.

“What is the reason you’re asking this?”

Theo stopped, suddenly frozen. What was the reason? Why was he here chasing after Luke’s whereabouts?

Since becoming the commander, he had felt like he was in a dark, open space, increasingly confined and irritated. Theo had intuitively felt that learning about Luke might somehow resolve these feelings.

But why? His actions and thoughts halted at that question.

His reason returned gradually. He felt dizzy from the mental sprint from the restaurant to here, even considering using his military status for personal purposes—a notion that made him feel profoundly alien to himself.

“No, I apologize for the inconvenience.”

Slowly, he walked out of the building. Just then, a ship’s horn sounded loudly as it began to move away from the harbor. Theo watched blankly as the large vessel cut through the water, setting sail smoothly.

The open sea, a path clear of any obstacles, moving freely forward.

“My throat is dry.”

All the emotions he had felt upon his arrival seemed to sink beneath the sea. Now, all that was left in Theo was an intense thirst.