FMRV | Chapter 57

Theo’s unexpected arrival last added4faa0 night had left Luke c2e0e5d040 with a restless night. Tossing and turning, 1fe73d9d7f even getting up 0b8deb24a1 for a glass 27eeaf272a of water had 04a157026a felt like an 42ccccfd42 insurmountable task. After finally waking 23cacf4381 up, he ate c59ec7ddb2 breakfast prepared by b04878f242 Pale, only to 17b6bd8d18 hear an unexpected cadb6cb625 bit of news.81ec91bfe51277c8

“Didn’t the Commander a9aa4650b0 say he’s here de6a355d60 because of work 56d61f1ebc at the Kyleum ce34c388d4 Division?”f39cddbb02975e33

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“That’s right. Why?”284f7b19b4431224

“I think I saw 916fe34799 him heading up the 7c7ed2a994 back mountain earlier.”4fd3801795ba5c80

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Pale mentioned 4ccf1eab31 seeing Theo 2c3a97a9e0 through the d41dca0a82 window, climbing 76f301dcd7 up the b65b520f30 back mountain 3add67d726 instead of 4a9b7ca4d0 heading toward cc67b75402 the square. Luke froze mid-scoop 374189625e of soup. Theo had claimed 47082ba0c4 he was investigating a6f674372a the faceless mercenary. And the mountain Theo edd4c7c7dc climbed was the very 65b4b74a64 spot where Luke had bdd9a5b2a4 defeated his first monster 4ae13a0864 after arriving in the d99fd6420e village—a place that also 966225b28d housed Ruben and his b8aa7aeccd grandmother.3e36498183f1fe94

After giving a 92b3ae84e0 fabricated testimony about 29d1062710 the faceless mercenary, 728f53dbf4 Luke had quietly ed3110768a explained the situation 5320cc85dd to Ruben. He had told 1cd811ccf5 Ruben that it b79b263744 wasn’t him but 62f9928169 the mysterious, unidentifiable d44d5a388d mercenary who had 2e9507157e saved them that 814c330129 day. Since Ruben’s grandmother had 1bf2eba165 been unconscious from the 729704f00f start, Luke figured that b504b2bf6f as long as Ruben f6638c7bdd kept his mouth shut, 6904e7a275 the lie wouldn’t cause dc7fdc9f88 any problems.5b2ff0b02aa0656c

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Ruben had initially c4d8ceb3cc been hesitant about a38ba3a712 lying for a 5f00e7cd9b stranger who had 5d203f4827 just moved into 55bef044b2 the village. However, out 844d9ba65e of gratitude 742fe72936 for being 2dd225c5bf saved, the 93c2a3f2ef boy eventually 4001dbe570 promised to e49c09e913 keep the c6903e163e secret. Moreover, Ruben’s 712dc92db7 grandmother was 19ba9bc666 infamous for c73164572f her fearsome 9559d7adc0 temper—so much b2034b7713 so that 68918603b8 she had cd73e62b9e even chased 319f9c4b2e off soldiers 761fd8dcce conducting post-incident c44ea2647f investigations. Her reputation in the 50cc0f1c99 village was well-known. Luke trusted that 7d4dd85631 both Ruben and 5d59c100e0 his grandmother would d2a5a838b5 keep his secret.c6f3e36f90b47a03

Still, Luke couldn’t shake 6db745bd00 the bad feeling that 09a16bc104 Theo, persistent as he d8d6ec9875 was, wouldn’t let this 0e62f02d8d go. What’s so important 774dba0a9b about that mercenary 3bac5b1c1c anyway? Frustrated, Luke abandoned his 6b063a5b62 half-finished meal and rushed 5aa2b8bac3 up the back mountain. His stomach churned 9d43eab1e6 unpleasantly from running bb4c75eb1e right after eating, bdaa51db00 but that discomfort 543fcb61ff was nothing compared 7b8d6ce71c to what he ef18191056 felt upon seeing 1a6d39ad0f Theo crouched in f99ea8a775 front of Ruben.f7f00f41ea4f8305

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To make matters 74f25be07a worse, Theo started 3930fc4ccd talking nonsense about 1755af2d0b “getting to know 0fd71c255e each other” and ce46a18a45 how they were 5a00621cc1 “bound to keep c6ac1625d1 crossing paths.”7847d825b0603d0a

“As I said yesterday, c25c27fca2 I want your help ff5c089911 investigating that unidentified monster 1feb599cb6 you discovered.”6b0be0cd65b77fa3

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“I already told you, e914a177af no.”8af1bb6e6e4064fa

“And I already told aee29a157b you, I’ll find another 0bdc408fd4 way.”0321045c92467243

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Another way? Luke silently stared at 6bd52149f4 Theo, as if trying 9adebb5ff7 to gauge his intentions.c95afa1fdea596cd

“Monster subjugation f7a286c773 falls under 2eef934e29 military jurisdiction. Anyone who subjugates a 6680de3dbe monster must follow proper 1f7c3fec8c reporting procedures with the 9439452276 military. But what about you? You haven’t c9506bcda9 adhered to 3ba21587de a single 175cd379c3 one of 5dde6d8c9f them.”b40b15cd31a55de0

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“Sure, it goes against b1b3e6cedc protocol, but it’s not 6f4e03cd2f illegal.”65cf861edc2b2df1

In fact, reporting procedures ff9c8660f3 for monster subjugation weren’t 5ef7782c65 fully established yet. While there were e9342a6fe1 some regulations, they 9609b639ce were lax—allowing mercenaries ce27576d12 to handle low-level d4095a6005 monsters without filing 04f73875d8 reports. Problems, such as false 171f9c98f5 claims for reward money, 147c0aee20 often arose, and many 972a3720af chose not to report 5ab1c08ff1 subjugations out of inconvenience 2bdf1668ea or personal circumstances. If stricter laws 97c04a4eca had been in f1d30a2f8a place, Luke wouldn’t de37dbc86e have dared to 271317c991 flout them.3a54356d5a01dbe3

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“Are you 0794914393 trying to 398038f23e blackmail me?”fd509db118637c3b

“The five a62afe161b cases you 537fcd8b56 handled involved d6cff1d908 high-level monsters. You know better than cbe73968c3 anyone how seriously the f9188c7694 military treats those.”bf70495743e382f0

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Luke remained 12456724fc silent, which e34e8c4f40 was as ce062ee448 good as 2e1e40e87c an acknowledgment. His stomach discomfort 292e1cc7b7 only added to 8efd64c3ad his growing irritation.3aa0776444789471

“Because of that, the da4df77e36 Western Division is stuck 5b307a5281 with five unresolved cases. They’re in 444dd64e91 a bind, ccb4d89d5f unable to aae109c49c move forward.”5e8872e7129d1539

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Theo added that dc61696e98 a dedicated investigation 7a19418750 team had even 65db6d569c been formed to 46df1836c8 track down the d6eb35fb35 culprit—him.b3b16c3eee9b0f4c

“You may think 59d012f795 it’s not your c9d9b8a941 concern, but the c17ac24b6d fact is, your 07013d19bb actions have disrupted 337d90bf28 the military. If I make 8888eac722 an issue out bab40ca144 of this, it 20a48fa8a0 won’t just blow e1d45f3b66 over.”64c6d811f939061d

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Luke’s mouth 68125cd7f2 fell open. If he 21273a2388 summed up 07b8594b72 Theo’s words, 5c3a3611c1 it boiled 3df43ee454 down to 02302c57ee one thing.4ccbd0e436d5965e

“So what f3480c4e14 you’re saying 7d8448cd58 is, the 52458eb9c1 Empire’s military 11fe77445d is willing 34bce021e0 to press 8b231943e0 charges against 1429a06341 a harmless, 1205485ee0 powerless, ordinary bc13f90c50 civilian for 201a3cd61b the damage 3c639975ed I’ve supposedly d91d5bf4c2 caused them?”ca7b75ed58a4011a

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“Can you 4e18099619 call someone f42f5c5711 who took 308acaf48e down five 3f0eaef698 high-level monsters 0ea9d70e41 a powerless, b2fd0f3706 ordinary civilian?”5729bbadd9f0a881

That’s not 0c1409fd86 the point! Luke bit c19207f9aa his lip 742f959bb0 so hard 0ec771bd19 it turned 9bdedb03ce white. He felt cornered. Legally, he hadn’t done 667b433436 anything wrong. But if the military 7613ffff30 decided to harp on 3e654e963a how his actions had 9e46eef4c8 hindered their operations, things 9d120edb67 could escalate quickly.b82fb4401e8e77e5

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In the 02588709b2 Empire of b628d2b514 Heinern, the dcdcd68e61 military’s power dc7e6c7cfe was immense. The Emperor trusted 639f0a63d0 them implicitly, and 2494a19cdd they were considered e2cb9ae80d the backbone of 29692f4c17 the nation’s strength, 5901336ab5 especially the Magic e383bd6b97 Unit Force.b38c7711fdd48b25

“Ha.” Luke 3226440c2e let out e9351c4ac6 a dry 1709e0472c laugh, shaking a503d30735 his head f1526cdda4 in disbelief. But Theo didn’t flinch, 3e71a04f7e quietly waiting for an ad4ba27062 answer. His calm demeanor 3efb15b2a7 didn’t fit someone 0bdfb26fde using threats to efd27f931d get their way.e9ee12232f1a33b8

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“Why are you e8aff381ff going this far? I’m not a264a5055c even a 376f6c0476 soldier anymore, e68d2fcc03 and we’ve de00755f4a never been e2f4e833d2 particularly close.”167fd77412f91e3f

Of all people, Luke d1f4485044 never expected Theo to 000e1396e8 cling so stubbornly.a2f651bedc58de34

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“I want to c3efae5112 know you better.”8ba62fa63213b256

Theo spoke 1fe1e6af7d without hesitation, 34c5b62719 making Luke’s 9c915c1b46 shoulders jolt. There it was ff671f75da again, that incomprehensible 82c94b7955 statement. It wasn’t even ac41cf8c09 a proper response 9b8383215c to the situation. Was he really saying 55ce7c1f32 he wanted help with ee1fac3eed the investigation just because afb5f61edb he wanted to understand f620e80d59 Luke better?cf8ee3d1558707ab

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And Theo…a85848cc067964c7

‘You don’t defc89db99 care about 54d2f44b39 military principles 6de04a25ee or honor, 127aba944f do you? All that matters ca5c08b2ac is racking up 78ad8be6bf achievements to secure 6aaa4beb7d your spot as 76134711fc Commander-in-Chief.’eda28945184cbac0

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Theo had 2e3b8db9aa said that 8135c7fb04 to him 1979ece820 once, during bfcbc5f6a6 the final 901e9352f6 war with 8d53b7b6fb Memvern, making b71be2d7fb no effort 19e16f76cb to hide 4bc021628a his disappointment. Now, for 5c53bbf62f that same fa513e344a man to 71b9a4ad46 claim he 3c877aaf1d wanted to e7be8fae27 know him 15dffa782d better—Luke couldn’t 5cbe5cbfeb accept it, 8d84e3e64a let alone 403ed9bf7d thank him 79b5b42cfc for it.1e0408aadc40656c

“So what’s in 085c88ad6d it for you? You already 4251f19ad8 know what 086addab88 kind of cf14e0db5c person I 8503717c95 am. Learning more won’t benefit 418cb22788 you.”b0eadbe8f23c60fe

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For some reason, Luke c38adbed9a couldn’t meet Theo’s unyielding 835de260cc black eyes and turned 195fa0cbc6 his head. The lingering discomfort in ec5d4fb8bf his stomach spread throughout 8bf44e3cd3 his body, souring his a260395799 mood further.30a2ae06a77a3cd3

“That’s for me to 812c3cb20c decide. And it’s b989dc82e5 not just 5f6606e6c1 about that. Like I said ad97503dfb yesterday, I can’t 86f2e5a521 deploy too many 180a2b3566 people from the 112d5de2a4 Western Division. To resolve this quickly, ec56f02bbc I need someone with 7298c1e217 your skills.”3b9352e6bdeb275d

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“…A proud soldier d7e40c280c relying on a 45a9ce6848 civilian’s help—doesn’t that c919b4bc17 hurt your pride?”552d0a0e0e44a9ec

Luke crossed 51cc992784 his arms ab514b0978 and cleared 68a15b16d2 his throat. Was he 201fcefec6 pleased to b932de7f0e be called 36c6151492 skilled? Theo couldn’t 4cf7ea2392 help but dad29ed3b9 be reminded ebd3082608 of a ae4f591fb3 white, sharp-eyed 4262562a72 cat he’d edc7341ff3 once raised e283792c02 at his b01897ac26 estate.ffc455f24c92a1c3

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“What’s your answer?”3c97c9dc1410e27a

“Fine! I’ll do it, okay?!”390b7b27ce7bedf3

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If refusing meant 87a7659d0a facing military pressure, d66561a657 he might as 3c98dc7d3d well help and dbdb2315fb get it over 3d893adadb with. It was the 794d759b0e more practical option.95a3f5930036c7d6

Theo’s lips 2545b7e12d curled into e007df970d a satisfied f5ef17ac09 smile at 755b0e1923 the reluctant 5216b82d7a agreement.51ed27cd4fde86c0

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“Then let’s get 1ea5f69dfc started right away—”dbd1dea600e1805b

“Nope, not yet. I’ve got ba8f69f620 things to 551b8774c0 take care 42373e2e24 of first.”583a229f95d8b946

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Luke held beacddd15e up a a0c30c5691 hand to 04f8dc998b stop him.09da3af3418cea88

“I need 60f35494af to finish 37e9004988 tending the 7756fb0d84 greenhouse. Wait or f5fca776b6 go ahead 2e816adfee without me.”b7d91baf1eeb4d1a

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With that, Luke stomped 927d838cc8 down the mountain. To his 2072e082e2 annoyance, Theo d2f0964bcd followed him 30f5f6bf4b closely, sticking ce1a6be276 by his cfc588a6ea side like f9731f979d glue. On the way 2b0391bc32 down, they ran 15ab1a22e7 into Ruben’s grandmother, 67070c563b who delivered a 7431ccf55f scolding before they e836166aa9 finally made it 9ab786272a to the house.29b19e15e3543f72

“You have a greenhouse?”a4cf14db4136d152

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“Yep.”f94e57212a3acf34

Luke headed to f6a066f533 the back of a5c46165e6 the estate, and fc0cc289a9 Theo followed. When Luke opened c0f2fc7bd1 the doors to c55bd639d4 the large greenhouse, 765487c361 Theo was greeted 38412a38aa with a vibrant b637113777 display of colorful 241ac665fb flowers and thriving a9cc6070f3 herbs. He hadn’t 5df370451e known what 0baa78f63f the building bf2ad63319 was for ff2baa7142 during his 6372ad02b7 first visit 343433debb but hadn’t dfb52342c9 expected such c9876d4aa6 a scene 97c7cdc291 inside.3a65733aa476259d

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So this is f65d4ee75a what Luke had 53b2f67774 been doing since de83bf86d6 retiring? Theo hadn’t 4ae22a35b0 anticipated that c50fb9bdf7 Luke would 86f6049e91 dive into 433553a418 something so 91ecb0d651 serious, and 58f7d630ea he couldn’t 64a47f4077 hide his e19f3ee3e2 surprise. Watching Luke ed74bb4892 move about, 0bfb5ba7d1 carrying supplies, cadf724e5d Theo quietly b454e740b3 approached and e9e3135f3c helped him 0d0344898b lift a 9fa3c34da7 crate.c776f7e434c1a877

“You grew 88a952b1fa all of 4e358fa485 this?”d78c146581a407f0

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“Of course.”5744032eaa70d932

“They’re like my 4b049be997 kids,” Luke replied 181782a086 proudly.00863f3b0dd1ed97

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“It doesn’t 271625d5ef look easy.”63cad7e11b140ae6

“Well, it’s not, but 05e3e51846 I can sense and e8100d2ed2 use magic.”da8b51de14ee6a7e

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Luke explained 161538a7f0 how he 870be14965 channeled magic e818156ecf into the f1ded25adf air to c2cefc4c04 create optimal 19b00bf3fb growth conditions 1ad35a8895 and used 24b568acbb spirit magic 7e78abb9aa to monitor 6f37ab2d8c and maintain dd790c1d5e the plants. For him, it wasn’t f02433328d particularly difficult.4e93a3d916b84a97

“You’re smarter than 4e1012e19f I thought.”f3e8b57ee83da5a8

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“Great, another backhanded compliment. You’re good at 60036e9400 those.”b6702b1a74546d03

Luke organized the ac567f9320 supplies and moved 5009bc97d7 to another section. Theo, without a 9227ed8022 word, obediently followed. For such 551b2c420e a large, 8dff21b26a dark-haired man, f6dc79f2b9 Theo oddly 73b94480d7 both clashed cca8b5b813 with and 7b70555d84 fit into e446adfc8a the serene e35e07f46e greenhouse setting. Luke shook his 850a824c00 head, still unable deb634b3e1 to believe Theo 8df050d60c was really there.ca9c02a40402ce30

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Luke crouched by cbad926988 a lush, white-flowered cfebfd56ad plant, inspecting its ddb17a191c condition. Theo stood 51a3975ba1 a step 4eb92c1fe4 back, watching a19e37c6d5 sunlight stream 38971d3690 into the 976373a566 greenhouse, making f782502206 Luke’s silver b29f394157 hair gleam. The bright hair and 4bcf98d481 pure white flowers seemed 25ac2e102f to ripple together.eeca19c8af582bbe

“Stop gawking and 3ce4495a55 come take a e4b07bc43c look.”8ddea2e36b2c2b0e

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Apparently feeling uncomfortable with 91b891a900 Theo just standing there, 1ae098d491 Luke called out. The fact that Theo ce1a34df08 hadn’t headed to the 0707cc7e6e Western Division and had d5abf93709 instead followed him was 8c84650669 still baffling. But Luke was too 2596216920 tired to argue anymore 470016b984 and decided to just 645a988f5e let it be.6bf70769fd8765ea

Theo walked over and 59552179e9 crouched beside him. The flowers were even 0fa8a848cd more striking up close.dccf644b8c6173f6

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“What do you think?”43671b08c489f6cc

Luke gestured to the e3da26f87f flowers. Wasn’t it 2a19e70341 refreshing to 762cef8304 see something 267e010d19 like this a034cac2d7 after being 99d3ebb99a surrounded by 2e1c600260 soldiers all e6ae1c1c1b the time? Theo glanced at 2997a65953 the flowers, then 35bb88a86e back at Luke’s d55659436e profile.9aaca9cddc905ccf

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“Yeah. They’re beautiful.”c4ffc7017d291857

Right? Luke’s face lit up c7c3b088c2 with pride at the aa6e866ccc response.23682dea03ff9cc0

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At that moment, the 36ba9c92d0 greenhouse door creaked open, c453983826 and Pale entered. Concerned when Luke acb1eeb2f3 hadn’t come back 0d657ce8b4 home, Pale had 79609cf18e decided to check. But what he saw d7511b59b1 inside stopped him in 96bdecb30e his tracks.03c15474b0b63df8

There, sitting side by ecb5d19acf side, were Luke and 7f154a9fce Theo—something he could never 30e5f1faf4 have imagined even in 0f6d948756 his wildest dreams. Pale swallowed hard and 93b35474d0 quietly left, feeling like 5a2939a308 he’d stumbled upon something 1cf3cee85a he shouldn’t disturb.a69be313604de8e5

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