FMRV | Chapter 34

Twelin South District 15 Guard Office.

Throughout the Empire, there were security outposts responsible for public order and safety. Typically, the guards here dealt with civilian complaints and clamped down on various criminals, from pickpockets to more serious offenders.

“Why do I even have to be here?”

For Luke, being detained by the guard was a first-time experience.

“How many times do I have to say it! Headmiller Marine reported you. They say you smashed their ship, which is considered their property, you know?”

It was utterly absurd. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t that he had smashed the ship—it had been an unavoidable accident while dealing with a monster. True, he had gone a bit wild without thinking ahead, knowing the ship was expensive, but ultimately, no one was hurt. What’s the big deal about a ship?

“Damn capitalism.”

“What did you say?”

“I think I’ve mentioned it a few times too? It was an accident that happened while I was fighting off a monster. There must be many witnesses who saw me killing it.”

The guard coughed awkwardly, not entirely disagreeing.

“If that’s proven, you’ll be released from here.”

“Then please hurry up and prove it.”

“Sorry, but our guard has no authority over monster-related incidents.”

That’s when Luke flinched.

“You might not know, but cases involving monsters are typically transferred to the Imperial Army.”

As if he didn’t know. He was well aware, painfully so. He wondered why he hadn’t thought of that. The main body responsible for dealing with monster-related incidents in the Empire was the Imperial Army. Even non-military magicians could fight monsters, but the legal authority over them rested with the Imperial Army.

Blinded by the bounty, he had made a mistake. After all, that bounty was paid by the Imperial Army! This was more shocking than realizing he hadn’t even properly left the capital, despite thinking he had traveled far on that ship.

“People from the military will be here soon. If you talk to them and prove your claim, you might even get the bounty and have this report annulled. So just sit tight and fill this out while you wait.”

Suspect Information Form

Luke gulped as he read the document in front of him.

“Excuse me… Did you really say that people from the military are coming? Really? From where?”

“Where else? Did you forget this is the capital? It’s obviously from the Headquarters of the Imperial Army.”

Damn. Luke grimaced and raked his fingers through his hair. The guard was startled by his reaction.

“Actually, I didn’t kill the monster. I was just bluffing because I was scared of the report.”

“What are you talking about? Most witnesses said a silver-haired man did it.”

“Come on, am I the only silver-haired guy in this vast Empire? Surely there were others on that ship…”

“At least on that ship, you were the only silver-haired passenger.”

“…Actually, I’m a woman.”

“Stop talking nonsense and just fill this out.”

Damn, Luke bit his lip. The guard began looking at him strangely. Just moments ago, he had been ranting about how unjust it was to detain a good, justice-minded citizen like himself, and now he was denying it?

“They say there’s no normal among the beautiful, and that seems about right.”

While Luke was putting on a one-man show, the guard mentioned that the person from the Imperial Army Headquarters had just arrived.

Luke’s mouth fell open. The guard who had been explaining everything went out, telling him to keep writing.

“This is bad.”

How did things turn out like this? He was sure it had been just a few days since he had left the military without looking back, ready to embark on a new chapter of his life. But now, not only had a monster obstructed his way, but he was about to face his annoying former colleagues.

It was well known throughout the Imperial Army that Luke had retired. Being caught in a guard post like this was embarrassing. He was just trying to act heroically and save civilians. He didn’t expect things to become this complicated.

Luke stood up abruptly and walked over to the office window. Pulling back the curtain, he saw the back of the guard post’s main gate. The guards’ silhouettes appeared rigid, the icy atmosphere almost palpable from here.

“What’s with them?”

Soon, Luke would learn the reason. From a distance, several guards appeared, escorting none other than the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Army, Theo Redrick.

“Eh?”

Was he seeing things? Was he so absorbed in showing the protagonist’s ending that he was now hallucinating Theo? But the frozen look of the guards and the handsome, statue-like figure talking to them indicated that this was not just Luke’s fantasy.

“Why him? The Commander-in-Chief shouldn’t be handling such small matters. At most, it should have been an upper-level officer!”

Luke raked his fingers through his hair again. He felt like he might actually go bald if this continued.

“Wait, this isn’t the time.”

Now wasn’t the time to wonder why the Commander-in-Chief was here. It was only a matter of time before he faced Theo. On one side, the Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Army; on the other, a suspect claiming he had to smash a ship to kill a monster.

“I might die of embarrassment…”

Moreover, Luke was supposed to have exited the stage. He had safely delivered a hero-like ending to Theo, so there was no need for him to appear again.

While Luke was mentally preparing himself, he saw Theo following the guards into the building. Luke grabbed his backpack and pulled out a robe from underneath the desk. It was a bit damp from the fight with the monster, but it was better than nothing.

He desperately wanted to avoid meeting Theo. The only option was to escape. Since there were numerous witnesses and testimonies that he had killed the monster, the chance of the ship damage report being withdrawn was high.

“Better run for it.”

Luke quickly left the room. The guard office was quite large, being a capital facility. That meant, not just the main entrance, but there must be back doors for a stealthy escape.

“But, I never expected the Commander-in-Chief to come…”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a heads-up.”

“No, it’s alright!”

As he walked down the corridor, Theo’s voice could be heard nearby. Luke, with his quick reflexes, darted into a nearby passage to hide. Peeking out, he saw Theo talking impassively with the guards.

“Too earnest for his own good.”

He planned to move when the group entered the room. The sight of the guard trying to please the Commander-in-Chief was pitiful.

“He probably doesn’t even care about that.”

Luke smirked. Soon, Theo followed the guard into the room where Luke had been. At the same time, Luke moved, using his magic energy to locate a path where the air moved subtly. Sure enough, he found a door leading to the back.

Once outside, Luke paused, pressed his robe down firmly, and surveyed the surroundings. A few guards were patrolling near the guard post. They must be realizing soon that he was missing. Going out through the main gate was not an option. Then, there was only one answer.

“Got to climb over the wall.”

The guard post, being a security institution, was heavily guarded. The high walls surrounding it were there for that reason. However, it wasn’t impossibly high. With his agility honed as a special forces commander, Luke was ready to make his move.

“There.”

A familiar voice came from behind. Luke tensed up.

“You don’t seem to be one of the guard’s men. Who are you?”

Luke couldn’t turn around. He just pressed his robe down even harder, hoping Theo wouldn’t see him.

A few hours earlier, Theo had received a report about a monster from a sentry of the 2nd Division.

“A mid-level monster at the Capital’s South Coast?”

“Yes, that’s right! The situation room detected the energy of a mid-level monster, and it happened to appear in a usual shipping route, putting a passenger ship currently passing through at risk!”

Normally, shipping routes were low in monster appearances, a setup based on years of research and experience. But a mid-level monster in that location was definitely unusual.

Realizing the severity of the situation, Theo quickly sent a magical signal through a communication crystal used within the Imperial Army. The intended recipients were the 5th Division.

“Seth, immediately organize a unit and head to the south coast. Prioritize protecting the citizens.”
• Yes!

However, not long after giving the order, Theo received unexpected news from Sion.

“The monster has been exterminated?”

“Yes. When the 5th Division arrived, the monster had already been taken care of. It seems there was a capable magic user on that ship.”

That was incredibly fortunate. Even if the 5th Division had arrived on time, having a magic user on the scene was a relief.

“Once we get a request for the bounty from the one who defeated the monster, ask in detail about the situation. It’s quite rare for a monster to appear on a shipping route.”

“Um, about that… It seems that person is currently detained by the guard. We’ve also received a call from them.”

“Detained? Why?”

Then, Sion smiled awkwardly.

“It seems the process of dealing with the monster was quite violent. The ship ended up being destroyed beyond repair…”

“So, the shipping company filed a complaint.”

Yes, Sion nodded. If only a ship was sacrificed to eliminate a mid-level monster, it was a small price to pay, but it was hard to understand the greedy thoughts of those fixated on money. It was unfortunate they didn’t appreciate the absence of casualties.

“Dispatch the 1st Division to that guard post. Protect the individual who handled the monster and hear out the situation regarding the subjugation.”

“Um, Commander. The 1st Division is currently deployed on another monster subjugation mission…”

“They haven’t returned yet? They were deployed a while ago.”

“It seems to be taking some time because the special forces were not included.”

The special forces were a flexible unit used in almost every mission. In foreign battlefields, they struck at enemy strongholds with unmatched agility, and when monsters appeared, they were the quickest to engage, preventing larger casualties by controlling the direction of the battle.

Now that they weren’t performing as expected, it felt strange not to see battles progress as usual, causing considerable difficulties for the soldiers.

“…I see.”

Theo’s lips tightened momentarily. This situation warranted at least sending a high-ranking officer. Lost in thought, Theo was approached by Sion, who felt an inexplicable unease.

“Then I’ll go myself.”

“Excuse me?”

“I finished my duties early today, and I was looking for a breath of fresh air anyway.”

That might be because you handle tasks unrealistically efficiently, Sion wanted to say, but he had accepted it by now. This young, determined Commander-in-Chief was unstoppable once he set his mind on something.

“I just feel like getting some fresh air.”

Even if it wasn’t the 1st Division, there were plenty of officers to send, but Theo insisted on going himself for such reasons.

Sion could only agree with his superior’s decision.