FMRV | Chapter 4

The Imperial Army Territory is divided into four main zones. The first is the main building, which houses accommodations, lounges, duty rooms, and the Commander in Chief’s office. This is the area most frequently used by soldiers.

The second is the storage and management area for military supplies and weapons, and the third is the training grounds. The training grounds are further divided into indoor and outdoor spaces, where both integrated military training and individual practice sessions take place.

The training grounds are typically quiet during two periods of the day: just before dawn and during lunchtime. Of course, there are always a few dedicated individuals who train even during those hours.

At 5:30 in the morning, sharp strikes of a sword cut through the air in one of the private training rooms. It was a scene that didn’t match the tranquil and peaceful dawn.

Starting his day earlier than most, Theo, the Commander of the 1st Division, moved with precision and agility as he trained, fully immersed in his routine.

“Commander.”

At that moment, Philip Saimon, a member of the 1st Division, approached and greeted him with a respectful salute.

“It’s almost time for the morning training to begin.”

Theo nodded and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a towel. Philip couldn’t help but marvel at the extraordinary routine once again.

Typically, the Imperial Army’s morning training takes place five days a week, barring special circumstances. Yet, Theo never failed to wake up early and pick up his sword, regardless of whether there was scheduled training. Rain or snow, it didn’t matter. Training after training—just the thought of it sent shivers down Philip’s spine.

“What’s the schedule for today?”

“Yes, sir. After morning training, you have an invitation to attend an opera performance hosted by His Majesty, the Emperor, in the afternoon.”

The mention of “opera” made Theo’s brow twitch slightly. The Emperor of the Heinern Empire, Cedric Roelard, had one peculiar nickname: Opera Fanatic. Not only that, but he was renowned for his deep appreciation and passion for culture and the arts.

Occasionally, the Emperor enjoyed gathering the heads of notable families and influential figures to watch operas together. It was his hobby—or perhaps, more accurately, a bad habit. These gatherings often included a few soldiers from the Imperial Army, and the underlying reason for their participation was blatantly obvious. Theo had no love for such events.

It was nothing more than forcing soldiers, who were meant to wield swords and fight on the battlefield, to sit through an art performance. It was as if the Emperor were declaring, What I enjoy, you must also enjoy. Such arrogance was infuriating.

“Understood. I’ll see you at the training grounds later.”

“Yes, sir!”

After receiving Philip’s salute, Theo packed up his belongings and left the training room. Once alone, Philip lowered his hand and walked over to a corner. He pulled out a medium-sized whiteboard, picked up a marker, and got to work.

May Dawn Training

Theo | Luke
14 | 15

Holding an eraser in one hand, Philip erased the “14” under Theo’s name and replaced the number under Luke’s name with “15.” Looking at the now-even score, Philip couldn’t help but smile with satisfaction.

“What are you doing?”

“Gah…! C-Commander…!”

Philip nearly fell backward in shock as Theo’s voice rang out from behind him. Theo walked back in at a leisurely pace, retrieving the towel he had forgotten earlier.

“What brings you back, sir…?”

“I forgot this,” Theo replied, waving the towel. Then his gaze fell on the whiteboard standing boldly in the corner, covered with familiar names and inexplicable numbers.

“And what is this?”

“Uh, well, it’s…”

“Philip Saimon.”

At Theo’s low, serious tone, Philip scrambled to his feet and stood at attention.

“It’s a record of the days you and Commander Luke from the Special Division trained at dawn, sir!”

“And why are you keeping such a record?”

Theo frowned. He was well aware of the rumors surrounding his relationship with Luke within the Imperial Army, but this? This bizarre behavior was something else entirely. Whoever started this nonsense wouldn’t be getting away with it easily.

“Well… Commander Luke gave the order…”

“What?”

“Commander Luke ordered us to keep track whenever you trained, sir…”

A sound like air escaping from a balloon came from Theo’s lips. Of all people, it had to be Luke wasting time on such a ridiculous endeavor.

“Unbelievable.”

Theo shook his head in disbelief.

On the grand stage, a female singer was passionately performing an aria. Her graceful gestures, the beautiful melody, and her enchanting voice captivated the audience. Even the Emperor and the influential heads of noble families seated in the audience closed their eyes, fully immersed in the art.

‘Ugh, I’m going to die of boredom.’

Only one person, Luke, barely managed to stifle a yawn with a blank expression. He couldn’t exactly refuse the Emperor’s invitation, but this was worse than he’d anticipated—so boring it was unbearable. The early morning training wasn’t helping either. As a proper rival, Luke felt compelled to compete with Theo in every possible way, down to the smallest detail, to push him harder.

Luke leaned forward slightly and glanced at the back of Theo’s head, who was seated in front of him. Unlike Luke, who was struggling to stay upright, Theo sat straight-backed, fully focused on the performance. Seeing that, Luke found himself straightening up as well.

The never-ending performance finally came to a close, and Luke felt liberated from the torment of boredom. Thunderous applause erupted from the Emperor and the distinguished nobles in the front rows, and Luke clapped along half-heartedly, his mind elsewhere.

If it had lasted even five more minutes, he might have collapsed.

As the Emperor exited the theater and the audience began to disperse, Luke prepared to return to Headquarters and finally get some rest. However, a middle-aged man approached him from the distance.

“Commander Luke.”

Luke blinked away his sleepiness and assumed a polite, lively demeanor as he faced the man.

“Good day, Duke of Leyden.”

Sion Leyden, the head of the Leyden Duchy, greeted him with a smile.

“I’ve heard about your recent mission. They say you successfully led a surprise attack on your own?”

Luke responded with a sly grin, one he had practiced countless times. A villain with ambition had to make a good impression on everyone, especially a powerful Duke.

“You flatter me.”

Luke could feel a few nearby soldiers casting glances his way, their resentment evident.

“Do you have time later today?”

“Today, sir?”

“Yes. You see, my daughter has recently taken an interest in the military. How about joining us for some tea? I’ve acquired a rare blend from a foreign land.”

As the Duke finished speaking, an elegant young lady stepped forward, bowing slightly to Luke. He returned her gesture with a polite smile. In truth, all he wanted was to escape. He desperately needed sleep after all the effort he’d put into guiding the protagonist.

“Ah, well…”

Just as he was about to come up with an excuse to decline, he felt a piercing gaze from behind the Duke. It was none other than Theo, staring straight at him.

A thought suddenly struck Luke. If Theo saw him getting cozy with a prominent Duke, wouldn’t that provoke some kind of reaction? Even if the Commander in Chief’s position was based purely on merit, the sight of a rival cozying up to someone influential might still stir his pride.

“Well, sir…”

The Duke raised an eyebrow, waiting for his response.

“As it happens… I’m very fond of tea.”

Luke forced a smile despite his exhaustion. The Duke and his daughter’s faces lit up in delight.

“Splendid. Let’s go. A carriage is waiting out front.”

As Luke nodded, he shot Theo a glance. Go on. Do something. Stop me, interfere with the Duke—anything.

Then, to Luke’s surprise, Theo began walking straight toward them. Luke’s eyes widened. Is he really that provoked?

“Commander Luke.”

But instead of addressing the Duke or his daughter, Theo spoke directly to Luke.

“…Yes?”

“Don’t tell me you forgot about this afternoon’s sparring session?”

Sparring? Was that today? Luke scratched his chin, trying to recall. Maybe his memory was slipping because of the early mornings.

“I was looking forward to seeing if you could beat me this time.”

Luke’s eyebrow twitched. Right. Nothing riled up a protagonist quite like a show of skill.

“Ah, yes. Of course.”

Luke turned to the Duke and bowed.

“My apologies, Duke. Could we reschedule the tea? I seem to have forgotten about an important obligation as a soldier.”

After several more apologies to the slightly displeased Duke, Luke finally left with Theo. The two exited the Opera House, heading back to Headquarters—Theo wearing a strange expression Luke couldn’t quite decipher.