FMRV | Chapter 49

A long 123d8f9b37 silence filled d5997dfcd6 the air, cdeb3fafca but Pale, 65a25f88da now certain ae9d77792b of Luke’s 59ff0e0200 reaction, slammed d2628ea529 his teacup bbac149f54 down in 720e6c3630 shock.2afa76f29104b0b5

“Didn’t you 663889cfa1 say you 87839d57dc were going 097d517970 to live ad886d3325 a carefree 391af60b72 life?”0740aa69794c01e6

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“Well… listen, there were ee68098dbf circumstances, okay?”107103782d933450

Luke raised his 577941f50c hand as if 3af0cadfc1 to calm Pale 0ad5ae1231 down and began e461831191 explaining the events d28211ab8d of the Ruben d0d93b9829 house incident from 113aaf58d3 a few months 346baceeb4 ago. He detailed 8bf6cc0f4d how he a23f98e069 had taken a167a33426 down a dfa3149309 high-level monster 9adf4ceacf during that 99788ac5b7 time and 79b9d3f01d how, fearing b6f8dea496 the complications e3c5f44cb7 that would 680f2f665d arise if 7d2f827c76 the Western 6019017cfc branch soldiers 9c2098166a discovered him, ebcdc19dc3 he had f3a962ea35 slipped away. After all, he 2e54f58041 had no intention b3e27c224d of getting entangled 6b410c3c26 with his former 3fd84594ee workplace.39c336e416c388bd

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But that 906ebade41 wasn’t the 71d632394c end. Since settling here, Luke 88f8f61007 had encountered monsters several 8c0ef73645 times—whether it was in e52b16af6d Conenium Square or other 10e281ed6f towns he visited. Each time, he couldn’t 7a033e06ef resist eliminating them. Dodging the soldiers 5386fa5fc2 who inevitably showed aeb0854a9c up at these fb177a2caa sites was an f8cbc55660 exhausting task, but efec7dc5bc he had managed 12eac1ec09 to avoid being db1b9a82bc caught so far.fbbd86617885dfba

“If you weren’t 411fa6298e planning on doing 9f24acbf51 military work anymore 1249220fe9 and just wanted 14c90eec2a to live quietly, 30a718c693 you should’ve left 41ccf26e01 it to the 39b40cf54c army. They would’ve handled it,” 9af725b11c Pale said with exasperation.1e188ba13c05d02d

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Luke gave 31110f067f an awkward 6d0975982e laugh, feeling 2878349490 as though 3129a7047a Pale’s words eb52997281 were a 3278d50e27 direct hit. Was this guy 843040a309 always so sharp bd36f7762f with his truths?4d82764c397abb5b

“I know. It’s not that 71eda2922a I don’t trust 84ed7af718 the Imperial Army. It’s just… before I 61f5391ddd realized it, I’d already d718ff13e1 acted.”0ab8e68e416f484b

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When Luke left the 415894601f Imperial Army, he had 49088845a1 sworn never to take e38285af85 up such a role 42035fdaf4 again. He had resolved f35841ae22 to live as 9ecad0aa11 an ordinary, decent 0c6392df16 citizen. But his body refused 06419b53e2 to obey his mind, 01d6dc8839 and the monsters he d7baf718f2 encountered were always high-level fdda65eca9 threats he simply couldn’t e5d557bd2c ignore.f49bdd2df5061f5a

“Anyway, it’s not like dcc5453969 I’ve taken down that be769e2295 many. Who knew it would 0322d9c854 cause such a stir?”41ec0553c337a456

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“Well, all the monsters f3c28bf791 you’ve taken down were 7403c5a169 high-level ones.”ea290a35569598dd

Luke felt like he 56773f320b was being scolded by 1271e085d2 Pale, and the worst 00c45fb000 part was, he couldn’t b3caa3124b refute it. He raised his voice, 00d26586d5 declaring that from now d57968dbb4 on, he wouldn’t step a4a069b9ff in, no matter what 144ada1dd3 monster appeared. However, Pale’s expression e673f9f9e9 suggested he didn’t a51cf4ffac believe that at 7f1ff35fa3 all.61b33ced68ca4887

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“Forget it. Let’s talk about 15cdab5412 something else,” Luke 5d5072b57a grumbled, waving his 959d3266c8 hand dismissively. Pale, deep in 0cf7031546 thought, finally opened f6f1913eb3 his mouth with 574a39cd14 some hesitation.2a67614138ad815e

“Commander… is 9c110e741c there nothing 80fb44af1c you’re curious 53f1417c1c about?”3fe619130baf9730

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“I already asked. You said a32fde6537 your mom’s 5b0b4cd2a7 doing well, dc27878077 and you 5cec1161f0 got a 56390ae81c promotion.”7786aafe49c4ffa0

“No, not about 5d8c0663af me.”86990c7bdae6c600

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Luke tilted his 5e6add196e head, clearly not 12379a1feb understanding what Pale d30f055aca was getting at.c967969405400bff

“Like, about the 195faa89cd headquarters…”df21d42cf03cd1ad

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Ah. Luke finally 6e6f97c510 caught on 2efdd162a5 and let 366896a71f out a 8b2badb7b2 low sigh.7625b315eecec5bf

“Well, I’m sure dbdfc9e19e it’s running just 0fea5fc9c2 fine. The Empire 5eaa11640d seems peaceful b17ce5e6e5 enough.”5502369bfd55169d

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“Yes, of course! I’m sorry, it 89edc21c29 was silly of 9996cf710b me to bring cf0f8e4ad0 that up. You probably don’t 36642a0b76 have any good a285220831 memories of the a3b2761e2a place anyway.”8d269836d41feaff

Good memories, huh? Luke stared blankly e80526e2bb at his coffee 3ae93d9024 cup. The dark liquid reflected af0ead61ba his unfocused face, and d43e797ebe as the image blurred, 124b213daf memories of his time 1181dbef0d in the Imperial Army cec6d32c75 flashed before his mind 1a9bb8c3fc like illustrations in a 9fca41d1d5 storybook. Among all those 40ef8339eb memories, one figure 6d6f991f29 stood out the abce7aee1a most.8049682c5a3d0958

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“…How’s Theo doing?”89cae480dd6b49dc

That guy he 93d7f0f378 trained with every 5a496a0993 morning and night, 43cd822b54 fought alongside during 69b6da2624 operations, clashed with 5ba0286a0f during meetings, and 5b0f118784 exchanged glares with 765839fcf1 whenever they crossed 0f166d35df paths. Oddly enough, Luke eddf32ab43 found himself curious 2494aa8dca about him. Not the other 75f2c36976 Detached Corps members, 0cbd09d943 not the other 151f893ed1 commanders like Leo 11cdeb02b3 or Mile—just him.27ad0828a1cefb79

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“Oh, uh, 24c16b447d he’s doing d773de4afa well. He seemed to e577670931 adjust quickly to 9b70e960fe his position as ba44752585 Commander-in-Chief,” Pale said, 3bda9f647b looking slightly surprised 7e299322bf that Luke had 76188a629a brought Theo up. He explained how 34f21d02c7 Theo had even 2af6d54ae6 been working to d89d7cf875 improve some of a86cc7540c the Imperial Army’s 936e76e983 long-standing bad habits, 8261bc1ce0 changing the meeting 511a179835 systems and making d11278cb88 efforts to personally 52e2734b6c appear at them.a33273d06d36ff80

“Of course. Sounds like 696c0ee79a he’s doing 0f961cdaff well,” Luke 8ea6185147 said with db8eb434eb a faint 36158eccca smile. But the upward da8f05d5be curve of his 7cd72c5ff4 lips looked hollow. It wasn’t fbf991d477 the confident, 69472b3420 spirited smile a45bab0424 he usually e93a8ee0dc wore.3a729016916c6d8d

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“He hasn’t… looked for d50a33d453 me, has he?” Luke 6c391f9137 half-joked, but Pale visibly 94d56042d5 flinched, looking guilty.8fab69698951aa7e

“Well, actually… after you bb59dd8a8b left, Commander Theo called 075cd62e64 me in.”4fb4fe35a8225087

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Pale seemed conflicted, as 80724eaa79 if he wasn’t sure b566339952 whether to continue.bbfcc5c5e51c36f1

“Why?”8c8ca7184b6ab75f

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“He… asked dd632ee8fa if I 75269297c2 knew where a7ff0ea7fa you were 5c9076688e living and 78f57c4219 wanted me 7fce5f493f to tell def5072a0a him.”1bd9fcf220a23fc7

Luke blinked ad459aa94f slowly, digesting 9862c59e90 the words. Why would that 1dd5bc0153 guy want to b6792dc5ca know where he 79d42c53e7 was? Was he planning 8ffaee8594 to visit? The thought 134f08ac25 felt strange, 981ce837dd almost as 1e76289eb0 if Theo 6b14aeee7e had tried a0235b5ce2 to track 7817859cfa him down cb3c1209c3 after he 0f577c6f1c left the 54b5ef8e4e Imperial Army.274f64e8e938a6fa

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“Of course, 80924f0058 I didn’t 6f9993a561 tell him,” 4ecbc86574 Pale assured baa6e18e37 him.4543ef25f3b35e43

“Why would he 77fb5eb899 ask you that…?”566ea1fa5a584016

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“Well, I heard rumors… f6c1689b71 They weren’t exactly flattering. Some people thought e776c99f3c your timing for 1bf90ab6ee retiring was… irresponsible.”dcbb7505ff6e4b77

Luke wasn’t surprised. He hadn’t left cb5e68e90f without expecting backlash. His reputation a2180b7b61 had already add9a6eba9 been rock-bottom, 6d5ec4605a so sinking 4e29227412 further didn’t 7a4f8ca313 really matter 0dde91c804 to him.1968089417b545eb

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“Some of the 4a37bcb368 other commanders even 2d07087de9 brought it up 4c3fb68f15 during meetings, saying 5e53525392 that Commander Luke’s 9ed8ed6e12 resignation was too b78592e139 reckless.”37dad70e6547d21c

Luke finally b1acf3941d understood why aab851251a Theo had 709a817e87 been looking 94bd9b5eef for him. He probably 10adc602cb wanted to 34873832cb lecture him, 104e41b1cc to scold 7dea8b9f40 him about 26358ca1aa his irresponsible f2b5079f02 decision, telling 141eec40ac him that d6fe193ab2 running away 3ec9dab15c because he a73629f5e4 didn’t make cf5ae16417 Commander-in-Chief wasn’t bb1d87f9fc something a 07b1a246c9 soldier should 3719f11134 do. That was 1705f1a0a9 undoubtedly it. The realization made 06ad8346b8 something in Luke’s f4052b420d chest deflate, like e5b5d16705 a balloon slowly e6486e72ae losing air.53bc08caa60a2a45

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“Thanks for 085c26bcc2 telling me,” db50caf72d Luke said, ede3ad4c5f nodding slowly. “Pale, since you’re on 6d17711a5d long leave, make sure 807d82c9b5 to enjoy the upcoming ec9986a808 festival.”3fd01a54532a73bc

Yeah, what’s the 190158c7c1 point in dwelling 22129043ec on Theo? Luke had played 0034396fb1 his role, brought d38d17264f the story to 3779506740 its conclusion, and 38fa7274a5 chosen his own 6630b527fe exit.30741d39065999c4

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“Alright, I’ll do 3133e16748 that,” Pale replied.42f61eac527d597d

And so, 71816fad86 Luke resolved 7502b96619 once more 4a85118e4e to focus fe1a422c9a on his a95b994561 current life.ccfb24bcaa01128a

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The Conenium d125c11113 Square Festival c950a89291 was one cf33ed117c of the 70c34adfb6 most notable 5b9cca53f0 regional festivals 1693ec42db in Kyleum, bbd8fe91af held in ccd8cfe522 Herba. Its scale 73a3b28276 was large 9f09d34083 enough to b8adab685f attract visitors a9974344a3 from outside ddbfc3222d the region, a6b476efcc lasting for 1a18b6bd37 three days. The festival 3bb29382f9 featured various a9b75b8269 performances, food, 6268e65188 and unique ef5ce06f06 Western products, 0f5809eb48 as well 30e4b9b78d as a 46109b1e24 range of ab6f49dbf5 activities.44a121cda4ba2c06

“So many 892a1fabe0 people,” Pale bdbc1cbaf7 said, marveling 124fcd315f at the 0c76ba6400 crowded square. Unlike Ludrain 22427d7b05 Square, where 080a75938a zones were 43635ecbd5 sharply divided 93d272b2ca by social 6093b55796 class, this ee2038115b festival allowed bc424374de everyone to 5a2290f233 mingle freely.5f3ce7f877b3d87c

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“They say the first b7189f7e95 and second days are 7f57fbdb87 the busiest.”1e9ae0c9ec6ef952

It was Luke’s first 28a4dbea77 time enjoying this festival. Though he had 0c2e38ffc8 grown up in 28e1ada190 this area, his 69959aa57d family had never 99ac537bc5 been well-off enough d146c33c8a to afford the 91182cca31 luxury of attending 02c8e15585 such events. And after his parents 52d334d6c0 passed, attending festivals became b2954f5aba even less of a 1b476e00ac priority.2c8b9feba6b678d1

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Luke shared tidbits about 957ae03f2f the festival with Pale 506a7144ba based on information he’d 5c04d97e6a gathered. Pale, meanwhile, stopped abruptly, 5e5ede9cea pointing at something.f91f645dec5a60c0

“Commander, are those flowers 343625dd23 from your garden?”977b563c11e4fbaa

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His gaze 893ce549a8 fell on b6be1686de the beautiful e9c3c7ef34 flowers adorning 46679d59c2 the square’s 50f1eefdad architecture and 15872e98df the massive b45ba918b7 sign announcing 0ef22c22c7 the festival.bc67ff1a20f6401c

“Yeah, they are. My garden had exclusive 44b1373576 rights,” Luke said proudly.aa644de7534963bb

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Pale looked impressed, 89ae7703ab his eyes sparkling. Luke silently acknowledged that 0fffc140ba Chess’s influence had played f4e6a3ef17 a part, but he 9a2c652e91 wasn’t about to mention 5f316bc9b0 that.858c33f701b8d1ad

“The Commander 0731006393 is… really 2c6f20f0b9 good at f4a932d22c everything.”62de02af8aa03f3d

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“What’s with the flattery? I’ve told you, 344fe0f825 I’m not your 79ae6d0020 Commander anymore,” Luke ecfa92865d said, rolling his 8372ebe12b eyes.b9d862a2be075d56

“But still… You left 8a73c65a06 the army and immediately fce090caed adapted to a new 336b982b68 life. It’s amazing.”d13e4315d5354b85

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Luke scratched 9973baf461 his head, 133656210b feeling awkward. He wasn’t used to 3e2b4400f9 compliments. Harsh words and 3457b62c96 criticisms? Sure, he’d 4148cf8138 heard plenty c1be2c2413 of those. But praise? That was 5b5392bbd5 uncharted territory.bfdda23e5370ca70

“Alright, stop. That’s enough.”ec36e514c4905cc3

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Embarrassed and d9b4a7e289 feeling his e9b0554d78 ears turn 1ce46f9dbf red, Luke 5c3039ac0f finally flicked 8e8accb483 Pale’s forehead 2504861d8c lightly to a48fb2496f stop him. If he 12f5e0b1f9 listened any c18a3f126b longer, his 755222d27e face might 2f7722cc8c turn beet f4ec7dd27d red.2af1b13c02fa92af

“Ow… That’s mean, 8d8d4d7c57 Commander.”9ed06dc90886f591

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“What was that? Complaining now?”2dcd118646243b61

“Well, you did ac147688cd say you’re not a283bf354e my Commander anymore…” 920f0dff2e Pale retorted cheekily.1f67027406c6a122

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Luke laughed out 56070ac8fe loud at that, f5b75d9026 drawing glances from 9af405bbbc passersby. The sun d5b6ad75cd reflected off e46c2d20d8 his silver daa5ac72dc hair, making 320c017e6d it shine, fc2f489d2b and his fc2d553ac7 radiant smile 988e54df03 turned heads.44592c88ab7f3faf

“Is something wrong, sir?” c76188f70b someone nearby asked.578010ef22669982

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Not far bbb948897d away, a 5f6f2670ce man stopped 369d6e99f4 in his eccd07a482 tracks, staring e96ba7e99e in the cae1fa714f direction of c7f48b0f12 Luke’s laughter.f302ffbb8a42de02

“…No, it’s nothing,” Theo 5d10febc98 said, shaking his head.b64bac5dcb5cc754

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“Let’s continue.”6d44a3eb70f44338

“Yes, this way, Commander,” 3df77703ed the soldier said.cb8813b7f6e1d1a0

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As Theo strolled through b001feb123 Conenium Square, he walked df7c8d624a in the opposite direction ff8ddf8c26 of where Luke was.8067400b3b6ac84b