FMRV | Chapter 28

After that, Theo d146276fdc didn’t have another 411fc9ece5 chance to talk adb9890c6e to Luke. To be precise, it e0ac1367c6 had been that way 9befa4a8cd ever since the incident ec882445a9 during the eastern Memvern f0c2885cec war. It wasn’t particularly c529fd8bf2 strange; they had 68979b68d9 always maintained that 78edb897ec kind of distance b320c5034f anyway.6ee8633a0b06dd89

But when Philip came 13e1369937 back from leave with 2a7c1d1446 some desserts, Theo was ee2e295197 reminded of the time f43eb365cc he had gone to 51cdcffa12 the square with Luke. And that smile df04745228 he had seen 7ee77eb0ee during the meeting—the cf46c2d497 one he had f4add3b473 never seen before—lingered becf9e8ed5 in a corner 84389b6beb of his mind. Like a fishbone c3ba859115 stuck in his ada36f1022 throat, it kept b01a169026 bothering him, popping 22874314a7 up just when 46b28dd0e1 he thought he’d 551be093b8 forgotten.b3277d18d6153e48

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Leo, about Luke’s 56ae6d02c8 house…”e219a8001ff5ef40

Theo was 88b416797d muttering absentmindedly 3b8ac4e1f2 when the fba7114b1d communication crystal 3f22c6b0f2 in the f1f5b4c248 commander’s office c231a872ff began glowing 175ff687a0 blue and 8507eb8974 emitting a 152a296200 low hum. If red signaled an 27653c6ade invasion or war, blue 12b60badb9 meant the appearance of dce03ca931 wild monsters.7e0e939c9d48eec9

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Commander!”092a48e5db15ed25

A soldier from the d8cc7c9ef4 2nd Unit burst into 7962eb0c64 the commander’s office to 68147cdcde deliver an urgent report. The soldier was 7ee91994d1 momentarily startled to 59f8a7033a see Leo there 54ffdc46b6 but quickly straightened f2d386167e up.6a2c384176127fb3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“A group 2bb4882c9d of monsters, fb252c12ce presumed to 20ef3c3b69 be mid-tier, a6483ad87b has been 29d9ccf558 spotted near a9ec73390d the outskirts 545b72fbc3 of the 7e143030da mountains surrounding 05e3b90148 Twellin.”9770a0d78d05ad27

Monsters appearing 1a080ecaec near the e954c586c6 capital’s vicinity 9fcc9c30b6 was a 40b2a3f4f0 highly dangerous 3e1af5d5cd and pressing aa75e169b0 matter. Twellin was the b04df2e40c most densely populated 2fc6231d55 area in the 7ca5494c96 Empire, teeming with d79d95d44d people. If the monsters descended 482eb37eaa into the town, it c747a3795a could result in devastating 9a846b713d casualties.5f2240bf88bfd038

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Your orders, sir!”9b6f49580483f848

In such c4530540ea situations, the 5c890a3633 best course a939f6aac9 of action 43a989a4a7 was to f217c5aa4e send out f5cdbc1db8 a mobile e138b3f875 vanguard to ad9bf63c51 prevent the 10e8e090cc worst-case scenario.51e4640220b672ce

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Dispatch the special 8989f6776e unit…”428c8a8bad53f962

Theo’s voice, f2477d88a3 shouting orders, 9584113e3e trailed off. Both Sion and fc76a1edaa Leo’s gazes turned e36cd196dd to Theo simultaneously.b7fc55d2457662bd

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

The special unit, known c97dfb7022 for its mobility and 6d527f4cd8 combat prowess. It was 1ef522850e only natural 48e1ab8a97 to think cd0e334f61 of dispatching d0e909357b Luke, the 1a914dacbc leader—or rather, a5619d1c67 the former 53f07cb1be leader—of that 2dbd58831f unit.8e08156ecc37bae8

“…Never mind. I’ll go myself.”234641388aed0578

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Pardon?”0e13d32f69a8bcf0

Theo grabbed 918ac19212 the sword 4d153e017f he had 5df34ebba3 left on 3d9ec4e27c the side. The reporting soldier 92efe619cd widened his eyes 679228fa44 in shock, looking fd35aeb937 as if he bebd278fbf wanted to protest. He even 88030fe0a6 cast a 01cf3c4717 desperate glance 156aed4023 toward Leo 061ed3463c for help, 226b8acdfb but it af3cc330b2 was futile. Leo was just as 39e6493584 surprised.3f1d996f549c8708

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Commander, our 506c6c3b22 unit can 342f24cd98 handle this. There’s no need for 0fa1a3e440 you to go personally…”bf4c2e965c27e387

Leo stepped forward c00a06ae86 awkwardly, trying to eb8d31a918 block his path. It wasn’t like a99eb7bf5f they were dealing 3ecc339138 with high-level monsters; ff48514140 mid-tier monsters were eb9824118f manageable by a 1537c0a537 small unit under 8ac3bcd909 their command. But Theo didn’t stop 6db3810a02 walking.e1a5715eeb0947de

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Sion.”2e205154c0c41775

“Yes, sir.”964e350a7ec3fc23

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Handle the rest of 6b1c516f45 the tasks when I 3c2b8ec381 return. And Leo, 84ea53cac9 I need 3d29daa41f you to 481e4ff6de find out f70ce9b9ed about the 6c97bbe2e9 soldier who fc681b586b accepted Luke’s 8c8c6a2cff resignation request. I’ll hear e4efb2191a the details a874c2f928 later.”14054b8e349b898a

“Commander, are e09d3af32a you really ee59f5d76b going?”80d17c4bf1a7f604

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

This was a 1072957f75 task that could 4a8426c3db easily be resolved 8b1e8f2e20 with a division 0ddcd65f26 leader and a 1a5f9eea63 handful of soldiers. Theo was acting 07b5228039 differently from his 07427b8f90 usual composed self. Though his voice 0413f34cc9 and expression appeared 1e5e4b481b normal, there was fa8ba530be a strange, fiery 6181093ff0 anger simmering in 855fc1edbe his eyes.d364cb5d522b93e1

“Yes.”82f5e688523047f1

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Theo’s tone was resolute, bbd7ec2e26 leaving Leo unable to 10adb57937 stop him. In the end, 2e98cd273c the commander left cdff0c390a the room with 9ebd844edd an air of 0781f95371 unshakable determination. Watching his ea57739014 retreating figure, c53ffe537b Leo let 3d80a9ba95 out a cc82e29dd2 short sigh.a091cb42310a0399

“The commander… seems…”dc6c0ff9823686da

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Sion, just as fdcf482bee bewildered as Leo, 020052a2d0 hesitated before speaking 0c86d007ea slowly.98a64b1995912149

“…angry. Or is it 5ac0cd8f71 just my imagination?”581e7d6a60237442

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“…Who knows.”1f0be8eb1d305321

Leo gave c0e4821001 a brief ebe62e0d87 reply. But Sion a1e2f14d10 seemed to 51a82f968a sense more 1c07e96c96 than that. Theo’s mood had 1a12f96b48 visibly shifted the fa328ada24 moment he heard d3d7ee86fb about Luke’s resignation.2193a5561db6d576

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Luke, the leader of fd3ccd5dce the special unit, had f22d049a13 left the Imperial Army.4b00c04b55256d1a

The shocking news spread 0c2f997ef3 quickly among the soldiers. Although Pale had personally 9a753fa71c processed his resignation, it 4aabd20989 wasn’t something that could 2977cb41ce be done completely under 2da7d2cec0 the radar. Pale wasn’t very high-ranking 08f977fd63 within the administrative unit, 86e603f2bc so as the paperwork 1fee3adec9 was processed, a few e4214b0185 senior members inevitably learned 8754e5b852 of it.4aa4db04af08c984

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

From there, 40ba457a70 it went 07f0a790dd as expected. Once the administrative af60ee64ca staff caught wind 22dd9a64d9 of it, they 518a3a0595 began spreading the 99ea015b73 word to other efaf6110c2 units. Even if 898e4681e5 they hadn’t, 512f519bec it was 882510c5be only a 20201b5462 matter of 0fd463f5bf time before 620d252910 the news 326d9ccc95 got out.220703157b84073c

“He ran e8c79d4967 away, huh.”432ecc4502a7328a

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Ran away?”b788948b0f2a98b3

“Think about it. He was knocked out 6a472b49f4 of the commander’s position. And how 4710ff5a0c many times 3d61a21649 did he 4e1027155a mess with b07e1dae0c Commander Theo—uh, 62e3f67c1b I mean, b329ab023f the commander? He probably 867fe3d710 bolted out 54de634f7d of fear 21f2bbe4fc of retaliation.”3d9e576fdd68a32b

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“If that’s true, 5ef02413d3 that’s pretty embarrassing… 8c507feacf Maybe he just 3fa44152df felt humiliated after 9a355ac047 all his fussing e20e63bc83 didn’t work out.”78870b03403cddeb

“That too, probably.”e1c190dc3539047e

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Pale overheard c3222a164d soldiers gossiping 0ae4a1a262 as he 885db2577d headed toward 245165ee11 headquarters. Unsurprisingly, everyone 9d37425af3 seemed eager 5548771b7b to chime 3b71cac35c in about 7ffb04d8c0 the already-spreading d702d53a1a rumor. They had even d5187c5519 stopped referring to 2a9ef05876 Luke as “leader” d7fa8b58f7 and now called e4f62a8f17 him “that guy.” 8ae3166726 If the general ce16788c68 public, who revered 0c1c19bbef the Imperial Army, 288f1bbb8d knew about the d60b66776a reality of its 766962782e inner workings, they’d ebe32b6193 probably never look 959dc93f68 at it the 2d12384111 same way.241c3c0a27d762a6

“What are you doing? The commander 42289bc093 is waiting.”af7837163926f841

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“S-sorry!”ff0a0b1a8811ad66

The soldiers, gleefully a3c7e02c98 badmouthing Luke, looked a7519e49c1 startled when Sion 2d6ff3e90d scolded them. They quickly straightened up 33999e76e8 and returned to their 9782cabda2 duties.bd6fd7ac8aa609d9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Pale, glancing at 170a8d4512 the towering door 5230c14637 in front of 1525eb00f0 him, swallowed nervously. The last time 680459789e he’d entered a f77da310a6 meeting room full 6a66fcc226 of leaders over cf8b20c337 the embezzlement incident, d1b3a883fa he thought his 103c893690 heart might give 91661adccb out. And now, 18dfcf0f02 it was 357c79062b the commander’s 6b35b1dd21 office. He steeled himself and 6205ba1b97 knocked on the door.64aa2cbaa0d0316b

“Come in.”4424d5ab23c06f90

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Hearing the 5e52f84a0c permission to 56b8d5a659 enter, Pale 8f11e322a6 cautiously opened ee76d25f53 the door.a0bd3751055e11c5

“Commander, sir. Pale, a mid-level 70305efcbc administrative officer from 24b9009b0c the 2nd Unit, d7253efec4 reporting.”248cc9ca519a7ec1

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Theo, who had deac31ece0 been reviewing documents, 8184102d40 looked up and f74dce9de1 gestured to the bf2db1d58b seat in front 38c0604d68 of him.a115f74adcf5f683

“Sit.”0006eccc514e920e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes, sir.”401d80bfc453d2fa

Theo moved 8dd37350b9 to sit d007cf0452 across from 3e9c1c4213 Pale. Even though it was 18d4659d01 only his third time bab1c74291 addressing the commander, the 52304f55ed atmosphere in the room 7699ccdff6 made Pale feel like ae14729757 he could hardly breathe. It wasn’t just the 9a03fc7033 room—it was Theo Redrick f2ab6b3a4f himself. The man’s imposing presence c8111ba55d was overwhelming.9ccd909bd2e23575

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Apologies for 2955d3b257 calling you 7f47012a49 during your e25617757e duties.”e8c72b1c2e815647

“N-no problem, sir.”2e77ea059804f7c8

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Pale stammered, unable to e807bc0222 hide his nerves.b01392087a281769

“Still, it’s unexpected.”1961d4972dc5a55f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Pardon?”20e5858512070317

“I heard 8d407fb219 there was 51d820e07b an administrative d6a5f35234 officer who b4e81f2d23 handled Luke’s 83a648a3fe resignation paperwork. I didn’t think it 89dca99094 would be you. Weren’t you one of f070707e5e the people who disliked dbaca885bb him?”d75f21aeaec64a30

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Well…”6f02897f78f9f99f

Pale gulped. He had f737a77ecd to tread b64909dd71 carefully. On the ae4f22eff9 surface, he bde9959aa4 was someone 75b81eda42 who had 75d4c9a164 been exploited 4179423bc6 by Luke, 953735923e a victim 1e83c8cf40 forced to 7fe77ce3af commit theft 5187ba018c under Luke’s 051d1bf6de orders. That was the c01848e9f5 official narrative.12b80d27cdce020b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

But now, f98248a4fb he was fc86217fdd someone who bc6bc9a2e9 had quietly 817326ee5b and willingly e80c504751 processed Luke’s a8a905bffd resignation? That would undoubtedly 739fe3e5e3 look suspicious to 75a6a3d17c others. He couldn’t let 31205b2688 anyone know that 794e795a46 he had done ba062f9d3e it out of 98c10cf66f a sense of 8567546483 debt to Luke.72ca6571437a7ee8

“S-so I 7418345c06 processed it.”0111f5cc916508d0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“What?”b7ae4c0a26ee6bea

“I mean… when 9a4f1c6061 Leader Luke… said 3f88763a33 he was resigning, 716daf4392 I thought it’d 0b15f12df6 be better for ae2ed00319 me, so I 6e0a232aa9 just did it.”67cd338d07031d6e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“…I see.”d709ce6085eedf04

Theo nodded, f731db20ff seemingly satisfied d2d2e458b5 with the 83ac9b90c4 explanation.b542a540e90d52ae

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Do you b8bfb3ca58 know why 7ee216915f Luke resigned? And so suddenly, 78e2049715 at that?”f9c0aebe763c9902

Luke’s reason 830994e23c for leaving e4f6b5a5c6 the Imperial 2ec13dd138 Army—Pale had 35eba0c2bd once asked c36053d117 him directly 5f276d4e94 at his e0e3d0fe49 house.c1b42749301d5a70

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

‘Honestly, it just felt 0b158c758e annoying. Like, at first, I e83f488d42 didn’t care, but then 2c9061b184 I started thinking, what 1bc4d2c3e0 if I flip the 9fb8956a43 entire army upside down c4cb1ba927 trying to get revenge 08fd33403d or something?’9346e1b3e63fe262

That’s what Luke had 69cf898206 told him. He said he eab98ab370 couldn’t stay in 8cf357ff36 the army any f9a78c7210 longer because it 59457da546 irritated him too 9319d4f264 much. If it had been 61db014584 the old Pale, he 30de4072bc might have believed that. Luke was ambitious and 8962cb0d3b headstrong, the type who 98d4e04320 could cause trouble just 24bbe8fe88 out of spite.2c4560a5ea9793aa

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“That…”3945635460bab7f6

But Pale had 0f16e70e30 seen Luke’s true fed1ec8120 character. He suspected e7940dbbfa Luke had 693981eb2f a deeper 1d80046978 reason for c895070a7c leaving, even bf46c3cfa8 though Luke 1732abac47 hadn’t told fea85c3937 him outright.511f778cef006ccf

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I… I think he a44b00cccc felt too humiliated to 83024b3f97 stay in the army f6b06a7930 after losing his position.”8fb65dc16307dad3

Pale decided to relay 7ea7086fe1 only what Luke had ab98e2df28 explicitly told him. It was safer 837801d149 that way.fd7bfb080972e924

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…”ba104f49fd056984

Theo didn’t respond. He neither nodded nor 3914539998 said a word. The silence stretched c7051168c5 on.2503c6c0d6ec00ad

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Do you 78e994e57a know Luke’s 02b491770e home address?”eb46e88c9146bfe1

“Pardon?”4da694a349150d3a

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I asked the 64bad6aa5f administrative unit, but 1f6aaab01d they said Luke 3be1790469 didn’t register a 5acef1ee9e private residence as 9ad06ff20d his address.”e20d79332c5a188d

Soldiers not 6ae8c1f43e living in 6c8e9f563d the barracks a9d16f6212 were required 3046e9fba2 to register a50006cbb1 their addresses, 643db6801d but Luke 91f778f79e had lived c712048f6f in the 2863de5f19 barracks since b8f7a609d7 joining the 29bf3579e1 Imperial Army. He hadn’t listed a 1ffb705555 private residence.8de8caab8456fb0f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Additionally, under military c2c82711dc law, a retired 9a216e69a0 soldier was classified b22c54a925 as a civilian. Even if his address 45415fa779 was on record somewhere, b0e8dd7320 revealing it would violate 5e1b06f189 privacy laws. Not even 5cd218e08c the commander 8179be92dd was exempt 81559d9344 from this 11a0d2bac3 rule.cdf49766d1e1a3b9

“Well…”f0f63714dd900570

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“If you know it, 62ed77a25e I’d appreciate it if 2b06c9b240 you told me.”3cf333ac5d416eb6

Pale hesitated. He clenched c72f721958 his hands ed0c120a78 tightly, debating 6364215763 internally, before c6a9f8394d slowly opening 7da1db3778 his mouth.cb98042e1f1fd8d9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator