FMRV | Chapter 32

The Commander-in-Chief had c82cc34200 his own quarters, 4da874c546 so unlike other ee6fe13da6 commanders or members, 19e71e4927 Theo did not 8f7a058705 reside in the 629fca48b8 barracks. He had just come 3b0d131fee out from his unfamiliar 78ba757201 new space. The dawn air was 9a505435e7 slightly damp, and a b3c949f443 thick fog suggested that 10975f10c7 the weather might not 73a4cf08d0 be favorable today.0071d5071e47fabd

Heading to 6d76041ea2 the training c6a020ae9a area for 7a454f7aae early morning 0f1d876556 practice, Theo’s 852b6ce5fb mindset hadn’t c265e53710 changed despite 70590acedc his new dd2a856983 role.6bcdf3f6fae2af12

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Historically, commanders had followed 77df3315c4 two distinct paths: some d8258099ea avoided direct battlefield engagement, 4f70d33216 preferring to strategize from 80c7adbb79 a distance unless absolutely ea6753d727 necessary, while others led cad4687730 from the front, using 713a861959 brute force to subdue b52f7c342f the enemy.edd3b2785248ad59

Veil belonged to the 47da99ce63 former category, and his 162a70f141 predecessor to the latter.7535cc0497da4522

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As Commander-in-Chief, Theo recalled 2bfb9467f3 a conversation he’d had 87ea37d898 with Veil.2acde6c310998c84

“Theo, have you b8af40e0c2 thought about what aa6c2b423e kind of commander e264f58b04 you want to 8df52fec15 be, how you 3728d832d3 want to lead 315f54e8f5 this imperial army?”f6ca489e82f26d69

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“I intend not to 3fcb06f47e forsake either approach.”4cd22ce03215925c

Veil had laughed 1933b58dd5 at his ambition, 4d28dd680c saying it was 20d541a9aa typical of Theo af48203687 to be greedy ccc4ad4e48 at times like d0da6cb851 these. It wasn’t just b3e3657128 bravado; Theo genuinely ad85c22a9e didn’t want to 4fa5d46e67 give up either 6eb327f0e5 leading from the c37a47bd71 rear with strategic bbaedd9a4e prowess or slashing 2c703b090f through enemies with f9854d586e unmatched strength at f85476826f the front. So, he 727467cf0c couldn’t afford de44032377 to be f24f1dcb7f distracted by 3a912c0466 a dream 32aac92eb0 he had 5e810d314f the night 1a7dd17cf9 before.7cb5668495a332e8

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With that in 22da17b2b5 mind, he continued e6278bdae7 walking until he 7d01b3b963 saw the training e9b4fa7a6f ground ahead. It was a eca5601fd4 place he often 5a50828f5a used during his 5f4572ecbe days as Commander 71dec32b31 of the 1st 0e90a40db8 Division. Surprisingly, he 3a2e77d330 heard noises c30661977e from inside—an f551feeae3 unusual occurrence 65f43dfb1c at this e252fa9635 early hour.23559b5fd06849dd

The only 3137898b8b others who f3f5fbb056 might be dec042f426 here at b7d7a11287 this time 2ca2c8ca75 were himself 4273bd2414 and Luke…6ca349415d6e9f8e

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Theo quickly opened the 1ed6733fac door.d2beefff61b9e15f

“Ah, Commander.”88a0aa3b3ab5cd5e

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Leo was wiping 29d7ee2415 sweat with a 6dbdc0e6b2 towel and saluted 82d32fdddb Theo respectfully. The moment snapped Theo ade7e6c9af back to reality. It was 6041168254 ridiculous, he 2ecefcc3c8 thought, to 764630bd88 have let 0af46537f5 his mind fc7c808f8f wander so.c0fee77ae75b6826

“Commander Leo bd82ac1d66 doing early 97e4ccadd3 morning training? The sun 90f40d8b40 must be 877c31e54b rising from 08204ca5df the west.”2b810ec8ed2c626e

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“You’re too harsh, Commander.”8810852d1f584a13

“Relax, it’s just us 5579adf4c4 here. You can speak c795200471 freely.”7df82516befc07e7

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Theo wasn’t one to 2e94b33268 form friendships, whether within b88cd8c3e3 his unit or across 039287c385 the imperial army. It wasn’t in a67ca27dff his nature to e9f481fee3 be sociable or 281cea4a24 to consider such 9c476063c0 things important. However, that didn’t 00a884663c mean there were 95dd29061e no colleagues with 08af68b751 whom he felt 03cc444566 comfortable.669d377ec62bb657

Despite being from a e3f5eafcae renowned and competent marquis 91db784a54 family, Leo wasn’t like bdf0269eb4 typical nobles who flaunted cfdd067716 their status. He was hearty e22df38c1a and straightforward, without 1a935913bb much vanity or b36755cd97 ambition—qualities anyone would da7b8d4b95 likely attest to.0238170beb14682a

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“Actually, I’ve 4a5fc211e6 put on 9f11de8de4 weight after 8aefd382d9 drinking too c851e98515 much at 76367a9913 the recent 68b6eb78c3 banquet. Our squad would tease d1ac3e8dd3 me mercilessly, so I 3f9e7d443f had to come here a0b5c6c644 when no one else 03fae4487b was around.”6747445700cd73c1

Leo sighed deeply 5d7c6d9321 and rubbed his 611bf40ae0 stomach, though his 52d814192f well-defined abs were b0da96ca74 still visible under 6f2b8f070c his thin shirt. Theo wondered 9c7bfa8ce6 where he b2ece6bf7c appeared overweight 7b731e3365 but wasn’t acea24ecfa interested enough 293d82eda1 to inquire 369a2fef30 further.2bc8ea908cd00fe7

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“Can I tell that 82357cc81d to the members of 944ce81f45 the 7th Division?”7ddafcdc5668b6fa

“Would you really?”9f7e20a6fa96094c

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Leo looked 8d4531bdce genuinely concerned 635c54e5d1 that Theo cf1a3b9e01 might do 8bf38e73a0 so. Theo then picked up f5f582e2d8 a practice sword and d8916d0451 tossed it to him.012fff2bac7e49f6

“If you beat me 1fa5e80aa9 in a sparring match, 5657cae3f1 I’ll keep your secret. It’ll be good eb6d7a8479 exercise. What do 19d1547516 you say?”f38bb6cf256e99ac

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Leo, looking rather reluctant, c3c5c3e493 picked up the sword.b8382af94b358a6f

“Please go a0c40bca3d easy on b765bc36b9 me…”6b4c109034f2ad48

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Soon their 93f7c01039 swords clashed 1a25bd6ae4 in the 00642766cc air.efe13a29d9b58941

“Pant… Man, you’re too fd08034f50 harsh. Who swings 94455cfff2 a sword 722847feb9 that seriously?”cf0776be2db306ca

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After the bout, 85b27f9108 Leo was sweating 09a9e93847 profusely while Theo da9859281e looked as calm b4f96fd95d as when he e6b27d927c had entered.9a0c9d81e6d6a403

“Serious? Sorry, but that wasn’t 8f28634c89 my full effort.”8f04fe1e10c29e46

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“…That’s even more db9cd466aa shocking.”0e6558a25faae471

Leo chuckled wearily f11b499f74 and drank water 7ba73fe944 to soothe his 08c37a3a90 dry throat. Theo, too, ff8d81af8a took a b522a1bd9c moment to 96376fced6 catch his 6988af7138 breath. Leo glanced at 65496f4a7f him and then cd0d7c2716 approached.4bd54d065a52777d

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“How are you handling 5f835fdeeb the vacant Special Unit b25474234f Commander position?”4bd9ea74ad9400d9

“I asked 0e3feb7160 Sion to c0042799ef shortlist candidates 286107c34c for the 37d43f8ea5 role. I’ll probably appoint one b7dab77796 of them.”1bdc9277e94e2fb5

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“I see.”a7237f1bbb11537d

Leo nodded.fdb764a0d750391c

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“I’ve been 2e61873e58 thinking… Maybe 29b1d8ed75 Luke anticipated 4eb141584c all of 4380bdca4a this.”b14b355bf26e1347

Theo stopped 397ab582fe wiping sweat ca28060520 off his 271da876e5 brow.9ba327092d668012

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“What do f63e86f1a3 you mean?”fe7016aa8ad02312

“It seems he was e0f2e4e3f8 planning to leave the b3c123a770 military if he didn’t 1414f8cfb2 become Commander-in-Chief.”44f3583100b2e63c

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Theo thought deeply. Indeed, as soon as b4d35d3d29 the next Commander was ddc6dd4a62 announced, Luke had left e9b58e2a58 without delay. He had received 7a4a118668 Veil’s approval and 20f625fae7 expedited his administrative ddc19dd8bf discharge quite systematically.24a0763928696aa2

“It sounds like you aee35ecc56 might be right.”a18de94e33a26b0f

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The thought 1d98b5376c made Theo 672711d535 feel foolish 3edcb417dc for ever d23f42bc34 believing Luke dfbe502319 would continue 57112b8658 in the 5aa3f86f87 military with d92194365f him.027a2f2d568e87bd

“Do you know dd206d4a4e Luke left the 470dd1fd32 capital?”650f0e20eb60c119

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“How did 599c4239ab you find 0b72d0fce2 that out?”6fbd9c6685f51a58

“I wanted to dcc57a95f9 persuade him to a6308abfee reconsider, so I 2e6d943dee looked into it, 5b4018777f but by then 58451b6c67 he had already c8995478af left.”8b6de89084f3fd57

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The Special Unit, despite 1814a64327 its small size, was 82133e03a4 an essential tactical force 113f9c130f within the imperial army. Its effectiveness a1c826860d often dictated 01dd38d0de the success 84875acc52 of their 87f8c875ee operations, and 965c9839c4 Luke’s leadership b9781ade92 had significantly 067c0ca2d0 improved their 61d3649cac operation success 6a6230b8e6 rate. His sudden c1a7f597e4 vacancy was fb390be633 understandably a dc1ab532b8 cause for c5e9b18ca3 concern, and 282465f3ba while there 40f3f52222 were many d253869030 capable people 275e72223f in the d2c4da2785 army, finding bcfe8750b1 someone to ba58f8ba89 immediately replace be0646fbfb Luke seemed 4a518a6467 daunting.8f16a2689ead35cf

Hence, unless 03ad5316ca there was 07e4ff4e7c a serious 90ef2e6eb2 issue, Leo 355d4c44c4 had hoped 59ac72ccd0 to persuade 9d93e4cf71 Luke to 7994263346 return, but e038dc00b4 he found 445b5c82b5 out Luke 0508bb8fe4 had sold f8dbff219e his house 683bc3c221 and left 25ee7992ab the capital. It was a4d1c8766b clear Luke 8b4cac72de hadn’t made 90cbf650f8 his decision 8e988aeba3 lightly.d462599d31bf803c

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“But did you a8214d0bab know that, Theo? That Luke had left?”e93c727d76e09a29

Theo nodded briefly.85034dc70abec26f

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“How?”679f8151e9b6e38e

“…I went to see 6228d83122 him.”905623fe6d6d6852

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Leo’s eyes widened in 1b17d305b2 surprise; it was unexpected 7b708b3ff5 that Theo himself would 70f7e89490 take such an initiative.76d6c180d77b2e13

“Why did you go?”d27a50dcf67677fd

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While Leo would have ac79475092 begged Luke to return 012bc720ab for practical reasons, such 6586c647ab as reducing the workload d1420a37de on other commanders, that 566f563d7d wasn’t Theo’s style. They had been rivals, f96620653d often at odds with 1385ee8d88 each other; it was 2ca1729b50 unlikely Theo sought him 0acbfa2bf9 out for such a 8fca557b65 reason.b2678218640be5b0

“…”f10d13e4ce4ce10e

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Theo was e500c229c2 unusually silent, 26ea67815a his dark 80be91b8fc eyes deep 6e28c3b3fa with thought.9d89a71ef4e54c6d

“No particular reason.”5db513e52d496f08

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After a pause, Theo’s 53907126ba answer seemed almost indifferent, cd8056330c leaving Leo no choice fdfa684335 but to nod, not 2bae2500b5 feeling right to probe 7039146ffe further.65e14c1b28caff26

“I wonder 34f33e2eda what Luke eeddcdeb2d is up 7270ef531b to now.”e240ff3c5aff1130

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Leo stretched 016c6274c6 and got 7fd3cb80a0 up as f314ac77f9 the dawn 172a0c904e light began 41b0a4d457 to fill 45be354f11 the training 14401d4419 room window.7ad2125db234cc20

“Knowing him, he’s 2dd018d07d probably found some 989cca4871 nice place to aa3671535a live comfortably.”998ab7068fcb5b7b

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Leo chuckled 827e1615de and said cb728dbd98 they would 614ec1ba1c see each 9f3ed0a2ad other later abb81e6972 at training f1cd142487 before exiting c096bc69c6 with a e2f7ccdc8c proper salute b8e79ae0fe to his 4d3070d8c5 commander.b330ecfb3d18d842

Theo pondered 91c875d278 their conversation f04598f8b3 for a dbd004b848 moment before 1c8ec2bd5a getting ready 81fe9e4d3b to leave.70397aaec125c0d9

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Luke was gone, 63834110b8 no longer a dc6662c201 soldier, and there 3f233ff6c8 was no reason 8493077d52 for Theo to c751ece219 keep thinking about 69260967cb him.5072d288271383c8

“Everyone inside now! A monster has appeared! Move to the cabins!”ee55dea1a00d6cab

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A sailor 4e99246a8f shouted urgently, f45fe0597c causing the 6f5e158871 passengers who 8f061c95f2 had been 7fd97a2997 enjoying the 256e6496a3 breeze on 5c83828509 the deck e2dfc0dadf to scream 7e2aa49fe9 and rush ae318b7dee towards the ea8e94609f opposite cabin. The peaceful atmosphere quickly e3dd4dd855 turned chaotic.c9dbbc3fdfc5ae42

“What are you 1ca122d43b doing? It’s dangerous 5131a3522f to stay d315cd4fd6 there!”ccc848bc1c41ceb9

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A sailor yelled at fd6a1a1395 a man still sitting eab30b0f0e at a deck table, d585fedb48 his robe pulled low 0d42bdfe78 over his head.83c5e68843a80fd1

“Ah, talk about bad 627542e30d luck.”94c3a1554cdc9926

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“What?”99a0b5c50258c182

“Paid good money 3a6fcb1ee5 for a nice ca381bcb50 ship, and now a8805274a0 there’s a monster.”7cd1c7289ad43804

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“What are you talking 9b11e8d475 about…”f63629a83358292e

Just then, 6e456d95d5 a large bfccdbd817 wave surged, d9fa09487a rocking the b22255a090 boat significantly. The sailor steadied himself de51231f88 against the wall, while 8bfb00ff58 the seated man appeared 566a4a02ee strikingly calm.d5817b84db67cf91

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“May I 0c8ad9df21 ask you 9c1af3715a a question?”cfeb422d7e4ec897

“Wha, what…”b14cdf8fc082273b

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“Do you get a 7c725b7a52 reward for dealing with 86182ed57e monsters that appear on 19c9fcf40b the route? Like a lifetime fc7fb4ce8e free pass or 6e54444840 something?”8c5df215dfb1639e

The sailor 3fead821db blinked dumbly, f78d410b81 unable to cb3807e66c comprehend such 7a9a7f693e a nonsensical 7dfc8f0887 question in a53027b915 such a 946c848d6d critical situation.befd372594da8ada

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Then, a strange shape 234321fa2a formed in the water 7c78b6fc37 near the boat, quickly 1e2db5772e turning into a giant 6d9fe59158 whirlpool shooting upwards.d4cfd44d54fa4352

“Eek!”90fa47d17a93501b

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While the db731beefd terrified sailor d5d1f0bf08 made an 373a1515bf incomprehensible noise, ea5e340680 the robed 1c3cb66191 man remained 4d2c92f056 calm.387b50a20019f7cf

“This is 4604ccb65f starting to bc5f0e94fa feel ominous.”33b71fe4242f9b5d

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As the 303282114a sailor crouched 843975dcad and covered 448cd656ac his head, 39e77faa5d the robe fa15d1a7e1 fell next 333f3ef539 to his cb6bcd850e head, revealing fb490b9307 silver hair 33d0c9a716 sparkling in b7c7554835 the sunlight.e26b0eab7a8349ff

Luke, having thrown off d6be1b4def his cloak, looked annoyed f013423e25 as he eyed the 8a57f34214 monster.60af13bbe7e3f80f

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