FMRV | Chapter 47

It’s been about 8 months since Theo assumed the position of Commander in Chief. The monster surge incident that had been a major issue a few months ago had calmed down to some extent.

However, that was not because the Special Task Force had fully settled into its role. Dylan, the new commander of the Special Task Force, was still struggling and fumbling around, and now other units were starting to gradually shift their perception and strategy, moving away from relying on the Special Task Force. Because of this, Theo had been personally overseeing Dylan’s training lately.

“Sion, I’ll head to the training grounds and then go to the meeting room on time, so you don’t need to take care of anything.”

“Yes, Commander.”

Theo’s expression was noticeably different from the day he was first appointed as Commander in Chief 8 months ago. More precisely, since that day when his advisor, Sion, recommended that he take a solo vacation, rumors about Theo being overly sensitive or acting unusual had quieted down.

It was as if he had either firmly collected his thoughts, or, on the contrary, let go of everything. He looked relieved. Well, thanks to that, the Imperial Army was running smoothly now.

“Dylan, don’t just move your hands quickly.”

“Yes!”

Upon arriving at the training grounds, Theo was sparring with Dylan once again. If Dylan couldn’t perform his role properly, his evaluation would inevitably suffer. If he continued to be criticized for the same issues, he might have to step down as commander.

If that were to happen, not only would a new commander have to be chosen, but the system that was barely achieving balance and stability could also be shaken. If the leader of a unit changed too often, it could never have a positive impact on the soldiers.

“Put more strength into your lower body.”

Dylan was doing his best to keep up with Theo’s pace, but after 30 minutes of training, he finally dropped to his knees on the training ground.

“That’s enough for today. There’s a meeting later, so take a short break.”

“Th-thank you.”

Theo watched Dylan, who was wiping away the sweat that had drenched him, with a somewhat sympathetic look. Dylan’s reputation had undoubtedly dropped compared to when he was a senior soldier. When he was an ordinary senior soldier, he was recognized as a seasoned and capable soldier, but suddenly being thrust into a position with much higher expectations, he naturally seemed lacking when viewed from a comparative perspective.

If Dylan had become the commander of a unit other than the Special Task Force, he might have adapted and performed well by now.

“Dylan, I always tell you not to lose confidence.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“The commander of the Special Task Force is a little special compared to other commanders. You’ll adapt soon enough.”

At this, Dylan awkwardly smiled and lowered his head.

“Actually… when I was a senior soldier, I didn’t have the best opinion of the former Commander Luke.”

Dylan had been part of the 3rd Division, led by Mile, when he was a senior soldier. Usually, the members of a division tended to adopt the mindset of their leaders. Just like how many of the 1st Division soldiers, including Philip, respected and admired Theo. Mile, on the other hand, was closer to disliking Luke, so it was highly likely that the soldiers in the 3rd Division also viewed Luke negatively.

“But after experiencing it firsthand, I understand now.”

“Understand what?”

“That he was actually an amazing person…”

Theo closed his mouth. It was truly ironic. When Luke was a soldier here, everyone criticized him, hated him, and secretly, or not so secretly, pointed fingers at him. But now that he was gone, those opinions were starting to flip one by one.

“Commander, may I ask you something?”

Theo nodded.

“Do you know where former Commander Luke is or what he’s doing?”

Theo cut him off before the question was even finished, answering sharply.

“I don’t know.”

It was as if he was warning Dylan not to ask any more.

“Let’s avoid talking about those who are no longer soldiers. The meeting is about to start. Get ready and come out.”

“Yes, yes!”

Dylan, realizing he probably shouldn’t have asked, responded with a voice that had more energy than usual. After all, asking about Theo’s long-time rival, Luke, and inquiring about his whereabouts could hardly have been taken well. Dylan thought he’d have to be more careful going forward and quickly finished tidying up the training ground.

By now, it had become quite familiar to see Theo seated in the meeting room. He skillfully led the meeting while carefully scanning the documents that Sion had prepared for him.

“The number of monster exterminations from each division is increasing.”

“It seems that the number of monsters is increasing, so that’s probably the reason.”

Roena immediately responded to Theo’s remark.

The document clearly listed the numbers of monster exterminations in the Imperial Army divisions in the east, south, west, and north. As Theo slowly went through them, there was one particular part that stood out.

“The number of high-level monsters exterminated in the western division seems to have decreased compared to last time. Is that right?”

The gazes of the commanders turned to that section as well.

“Yes, that seems to be the case. It’s definitely lower than last time.”

Seth’s words made Theo furrow his brow. Year by year, the number of monsters had been steadily increasing. High-level monsters, too, were no exception, and as expected, the military’s efforts to exterminate them had to increase as well. So, the decrease made him uneasy.

“It’s strange that the number of monsters appearing in the areas controlled by the western division hasn’t dropped, but the extermination numbers have.”

Theo tapped the desk lightly. Whenever he was deep in thought, he had this habit, and the commanders around him exchanged glances, unsure what to make of it. The situation was indeed worth paying attention to, but none of them had any clear answers.

“Is the commander of the western division Kallon?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Kallon was the commander of the Kyleum division, and he was a competent soldier. Cold-headed, smart, and rational, he was so skilled that people would say that while Theo was in the headquarters, Kallon was in the western division. No way he would slack off on the job.

“Commander.”

At that moment, Leo cautiously raised his hand. Theo nodded, signaling that he could speak.

“Actually, I heard some rumors recently, but I’m not sure if they’re true or if it’s okay to mention them…”

“It’s fine, go ahead.”

“I met a merchant from the west at a bar during my recent leave, and I heard something interesting…”

Leo had a wide network, likely due to his easygoing and go-with-the-flow personality. He knew many people here and there, which meant he heard many rumors. Usually, more than half of the rumors that circulated were false, but sometimes, there would be a few noteworthy truths mixed in.

“Apparently, there’s a peculiar mercenary magician in the west.”

“Really?”

Theo wasn’t the only one whose attention was immediately caught; all the commanders focused on Leo.

“Yes. According to the rumors, he’s quite skilled and is able to easily exterminate monsters above intermediate level.”

If that’s the case, does that mean the decrease in the western division’s extermination numbers wasn’t because the monsters were fewer or because the work was being done poorly, but because someone outside the military handled it? But a mercenary with that kind of skill? That was a bit surprising. Most people with that level of ability would have joined the military or the Imperial Palace knights.

“By the way, what makes him so peculiar?”

When Mile asked, Leo rubbed his chin thoughtfully, as if pondering something.

“No one knows what this mercenary looks like.”

At that moment, the meeting room was filled with astonishment.

“No one knows what he looks like? How is that even possible?”

Theo’s brow furrowed even more. Mercenaries usually exterminate monsters, hand the corpses over to the military, and live off the bounty they receive.

“According to the person who gave the information, it seems like he just exterminates the monsters and leaves the area without touching the bodies.”

“Without taking the bounty?”

Mile laughed, wondering how such a person could exist. It certainly wasn’t a typical behavior.

“Actually, I don’t have all the details. It’s just something I heard.”

After hearing Leo’s words, Theo fell back into deep thought. He had already known that as the number of monsters increased, more mercenaries were appearing and acting independently. For the military, they were somewhat like partners, helping to alleviate the burden by taking on some of the work. Mercenaries received the bounty from the military, and the military got help in exterminating monsters. It was a mutually beneficial relationship.

However, in this arrangement, the most important thing for mercenaries was the money. If the bounty system didn’t exist, they probably wouldn’t have emerged in the first place. A mercenary who didn’t care about the bounty and remained anonymous? That was certainly strange.

“Leo, do you know where that merchant was from in the west?”

“He came from Heruba, located in Kyleum.”

That was also the area where the western division was located.

“…I should make a visit soon.”

Theo’s hand, which had been rhythmically tapping the desk, suddenly stopped.