FMRV | Chapter 49

A long 461fc12b4a silence filled f47bfdb5f4 the air, 415c95b892 but Pale, c84aacb268 now certain 890832ba68 of Luke’s 866670187f reaction, slammed 1158d75800 his teacup 2139bad7ae down in 68ac1e38c4 shock.78b020ff91c8c6dc

“Didn’t you f6047bf105 say you ba6368a65a were going 023f4d5fb0 to live ceb215da07 a carefree 2b71ec852f life?”b864add574f93e3a

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“Well… listen, there 14f6a33bff were circumstances, okay?”c6a54893333bace6

Luke raised his hand 72c911d253 as if to calm 2f34dc02ab Pale down and began 47561c38ec explaining the events of efd08b598d the Ruben house incident b1626ccdd8 from a few months 7c31b437c6 ago. He detailed a569291a52 how he d306a7f975 had taken 88f90006f7 down a 11d72cddea high-level monster 2b99100b2c during that 8438ecef81 time and ee1159d75e how, fearing f85456432f the complications 26489ed8b0 that would 20e12ef022 arise if 8a17ec7940 the Western 6b11b8cd3f branch soldiers 3d4c6041cb discovered him, a6cf0db8e7 he had 77df54f441 slipped away. After all, he had 4b9b517bdb no intention of getting ae6039cab5 entangled with his former df242c1789 workplace.b467d341d9f30e17

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But that wasn’t e3e8f1f55a the end. Since settling 24cbb1ae52 here, Luke 902b653899 had encountered 214c90f0ee monsters several 23f7e2b7cc times—whether it 5bb1908c32 was in f942cd6beb Conenium Square 41a62cf525 or other 2c804dea1c towns he cd83abd2a3 visited. Each time, he couldn’t 057d7acabc resist eliminating them. Dodging the soldiers who 37b6c15a4d inevitably showed up at bcc3e4948a these sites was an 225046d6df exhausting task, but he e20d329b2d had managed to avoid cf427d7de1 being caught so far.6e00e17fa29b1e5c

“If you weren’t 4c8378abed planning on doing 874dc9a656 military work anymore 833e7cc0c8 and just wanted ba0ee3cb52 to live quietly, b369181d3a you should’ve left 8446c3a81a it to the e20e33dad4 army. They would’ve handled it,” f5f6eadfbc Pale said with exasperation.ca12caec91df074c

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Luke gave an awkward c774f9bb1b laugh, feeling as though ff0be37ba6 Pale’s words were a 9324051ec1 direct hit. Was this 29f03bb26b guy always ebf8122e96 so sharp 3677904afb with his e9b301cfb3 truths?54601839f3766cb3

“I know. It’s not d17d25de9a that I 243f7d501d don’t trust 4d3eab0c5e the Imperial a0b2aa491d Army. It’s just… before 2c1b7afe22 I realized it, 705fe1643a I’d already acted.”2244c65fa9f5216b

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When Luke left 0ae32a87ba the Imperial Army, 23b6ee5c2c he had sworn 39631ea2b3 never to take f959d75f12 up such a 22c58fd01f role again. He had resolved 941b5c7bfa to live as 9ba66b8091 an ordinary, decent 47e340da9a citizen. But his body 736931ba58 refused to obey 4c9abfecee his mind, and efcec533dd the monsters he e917ea8715 encountered were always 8e571a020d high-level threats he 7274a2587d simply couldn’t ignore.985b0b551725dcd2

“Anyway, it’s 2e80e383ef not like 8a57683334 I’ve taken cc15debc6a down that af95bf061c many. Who knew it would 538cc97dd8 cause such a stir?”b646d9b8e0bb7e22

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“Well, all the dec335c052 monsters you’ve taken 8e4ed3763f down were high-level b6939710cb ones.”b11d20d98fac82e4

Luke felt ea4598e7f7 like he 2460495b05 was being a3cf15e113 scolded by 04756126d8 Pale, and f10761e032 the worst 30bc310287 part was, af6d8c5d64 he couldn’t 78cd2f2479 refute it. He raised his voice, 6e4aed3c12 declaring that from now f7744a30a6 on, he wouldn’t step 8507a97597 in, no matter what 9db234aad0 monster appeared. However, Pale’s b33dfcf3b5 expression suggested 23eeef2467 he didn’t 0545b7bcd4 believe that 4fc1b2208d at all.c5d5977a9f8d9ee5

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“Forget it. Let’s talk about 3947530062 something else,” Luke c7b21cb694 grumbled, waving his 7035a1c092 hand dismissively. Pale, deep in 8261667da6 thought, finally opened 02997fe854 his mouth with 3b7da8322a some hesitation.a60d46f4daa4378c

“Commander… is there 5986092ee6 nothing you’re curious a65f20c3b3 about?”a755a7caa2f08910

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“I already asked. You said your 75bb95c0c3 mom’s doing well, 4870b70951 and you got 2d6d0eb616 a promotion.”4c82f2fe8a640a27

“No, not 1ed6aa190a about me.”b3a65976645d2a2b

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Luke tilted 30aec98a7b his head, f57df2f1b1 clearly not 6e184b56b3 understanding what 9c0931f5ef Pale was 3f02eba48b getting at.9cd808e46115a2fd

“Like, about e99103f921 the headquarters…”327c01b028fd9cb3

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Ah. Luke finally caught on e5a60380df and let out a 6f6921851c low sigh.70bac611f8cbb970

“Well, I’m sure it’s feec0f658d running just fine. The Empire seems 5bf5854aab peaceful enough.”9ac200fe28fa8941

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“Yes, of course! I’m sorry, it was 5425e5860b silly of me to eca253aedf bring that up. You probably don’t have 6253c83ac7 any good memories of 30af060f0b the place anyway.”76be78bfbafc579d

Good memories, huh? Luke stared blankly 27ae1d6d3f at his coffee 66771d6ed9 cup. The dark 15a3496ee5 liquid reflected cc3771d9d4 his unfocused 27e46fa4ba face, and 4be796a790 as the 50ca9e9c1b image blurred, 296fa4fa71 memories of 80c09c141b his time eb1b5fcc08 in the 2cea09fd31 Imperial Army c1ce8e3cda flashed before 1f886adb79 his mind 5c4af8870e like illustrations 019ac8c531 in a 1b2b22f790 storybook. Among all those memories, e0a2189ed9 one figure stood out 9ae0815f53 the most.cd1a95ef23f74253

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“…How’s Theo doing?”ea17035615661a15

That guy 1c10853018 he trained ceaec70e5a with every 76583a205a morning and 327706c59c night, fought 0565eecd00 alongside during 1275e14ad2 operations, clashed 4f79e1cc9e with during a5e359eba5 meetings, and c2e7f90a09 exchanged glares 375eb05c7d with whenever decff822e4 they crossed b840a601aa paths. Oddly enough, Luke dd87677e4e found himself curious d96fbf1a72 about him. Not the 97e64003e9 other Detached 2b54c61d37 Corps members, d54bfd5b03 not the dd7a533f6b other commanders 3a4c145479 like Leo 88d1a89636 or Mile—just 73990dae3b him.c09454c6d92ac587

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“Oh, uh, he’s faf623fe7c doing well. He seemed 56d43f7919 to adjust 72347ef104 quickly to 6b77e02afd his position 196dba150b as Commander-in-Chief,” 756e9a1037 Pale said, 660c55cb59 looking slightly c8595b3323 surprised that 7ca34a8f64 Luke had b9bc7e5457 brought Theo 17d1d21a10 up. He explained how d285294673 Theo had even 841a75556a been working to 4bb2401e6e improve some of 15c0700d6b the Imperial Army’s d5ca0f6e21 long-standing bad habits, e9cb71c5a5 changing the meeting dc028a310c systems and making a4e0e59de9 efforts to personally 48ba4812cf appear at them.7900263c0aafdadc

“Of course. Sounds like 654124d3f3 he’s doing d83806cd0a well,” Luke bf7805a044 said with c42117c089 a faint b20ad63e6d smile. But the upward 0137cd0fc5 curve of his b70e5db1f8 lips looked hollow. It wasn’t 015d1762ba the confident, f83cc5c8bf spirited smile 9db87fffce he usually 0e20d2658a wore.7ce7d0b3c94aaad9

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“He hasn’t… looked fd67412dfb for me, has b743bd36f8 he?” Luke half-joked, ea33458a80 but Pale visibly 5c15d4846f flinched, looking guilty.a7386bcb3e1f99ce

“Well, actually… after you c1f97a7717 left, Commander Theo called 950c2eeba8 me in.”d20f74238d62bfa4

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Pale seemed conflicted, as 6a51b3aafe if he wasn’t sure 7f2853e281 whether to continue.f886d0fc9ad9fcb2

“Why?”532249ab94ac5b2f

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“He… asked if I e228565698 knew where you were 43c754b89b living and wanted me a039b159a1 to tell him.”1213c48c827a3390

Luke blinked slowly, 2d31e8e084 digesting the words. Why would that 5958ed9a56 guy want to e6ffdb7b4b know where he 84c7d05e57 was? Was he 723f8eb1e3 planning to 00453d7428 visit? The thought 31da3b146a felt strange, 3c3ac7e75a almost as 9c455e0faa if Theo 36e27dc701 had tried e580de1460 to track 278228b4d1 him down 58bf4a8ebe after he 99d15218ef left the 4a075f477f Imperial Army.c2c5685bc3ba39f2

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“Of course, I didn’t 1ef011eef3 tell him,” Pale assured eee4039a1f him.a51fc91ace791709

“Why would e8b2089b49 he ask be3e46b463 you that…?”625229c48105b4af

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“Well, I a596fbc21d heard rumors… ef67a0350b They weren’t 0bbe62dc85 exactly flattering. Some people thought e123b6fb08 your timing for 47a6ab8f0a retiring was… irresponsible.”644d0d815ed0c9bd

Luke wasn’t surprised. He hadn’t left without ee96bfdfc6 expecting backlash. His reputation had dbcdf07399 already been rock-bottom, aaa0b59ca9 so sinking further 854f633733 didn’t really matter 8bb8344d6f to him.e749045f37a778b6

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“Some of the e3cce00564 other commanders even f1d07aec93 brought it up a9edaad5fb during meetings, saying 5430eaf37c that Commander Luke’s d5193e5ac3 resignation was too 17f2e82174 reckless.”c0ff1f395d40e054

Luke finally 134f16ecd3 understood why 08a634b148 Theo had 7008c99f22 been looking ba6e557f0e for him. He probably wanted 1002e532d0 to lecture him, 480d5f9e6c to scold him 91f79a71cd about his irresponsible 877ad5e068 decision, telling him 33ed9363ec that running away 61ba5f8de3 because he didn’t 42289b6dda make Commander-in-Chief wasn’t 5247d06b7d something a soldier d3b0dbfc43 should do. That was d9f91a9191 undoubtedly it. The realization 59d0e32f39 made something 971870b457 in Luke’s 8a8d171f61 chest deflate, 7f3e0b31e4 like a b028107973 balloon slowly ef4eec7ddb losing air.ed195219a2886546

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“Thanks for 7518f039e1 telling me,” 9ab7401812 Luke said, 15c39f6614 nodding slowly. “Pale, since 74b46aca09 you’re on e4b306baf3 long leave, bf330e053c make sure 2b41cb790f to enjoy 99ee00fec7 the upcoming 614c14148f festival.”b91c3a13ef6b950c

Yeah, what’s the point 2786b30c17 in dwelling on Theo? Luke had played 43b7435647 his role, brought 530c6f56fe the story to 913fcf2512 its conclusion, and fd752d6ac0 chosen his own ea341020fe exit.172d399f378401ff

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“Alright, I’ll do dc6e6bae20 that,” Pale replied.4a591c4fc1014545

And so, b7c43c6330 Luke resolved a8863cdd9f once more d41528235e to focus 601f9a2f84 on his 18fa15016f current life.22c75503f79ec579

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The Conenium Square Festival 8efd0ecd0b was one of the 38379ac857 most notable regional festivals f23fe15b2a in Kyleum, held in b79f64ce9b Herba. Its scale was 4ccbcf6040 large enough to 9b470b8979 attract visitors from f6118adc2d outside the region, f6b604ff52 lasting for three e31e142ec6 days. The festival featured various b40a7f36ad performances, food, and unique 6408a36b7a Western products, as well 39f94d95b3 as a range of 737e51463e activities.0c58d7cce6d97be7

“So many people,” Pale c6c9aef853 said, marveling at the ab3757bdfa crowded square. Unlike Ludrain Square, where c342e80266 zones were sharply divided 92ddcfbf7f by social class, this b9f32479f0 festival allowed everyone to 3ca634ed2e mingle freely.c39201b7bcfe83c4

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“They say 8bdc11fc40 the first 769204e5b2 and second 8416231387 days are e16d28236a the busiest.”11b3c8af3db5fb1c

It was Luke’s first dcb879440c time enjoying this festival. Though he had 41af6dc661 grown up in fc6e074b98 this area, his 3ab13b4056 family had never bcf3289e80 been well-off enough 6302a3f64d to afford the 15c078bbc3 luxury of attending d735deccc4 such events. And after 0ee40fec52 his parents 025d4607b3 passed, attending 24107cf670 festivals became 808a1af216 even less e9df3452db of a ac95d8b262 priority.38223ecac847a98f

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Luke shared tidbits about 236c185b2a the festival with Pale e7cf5f8639 based on information he’d 81e4d40638 gathered. Pale, meanwhile, 9ae53f1e90 stopped abruptly, 7774df2529 pointing at 129f0dc53c something.129c7e0259492702

“Commander, are those flowers 2c52b6402e from your garden?”030a08eff5d91270

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His gaze fell on 975af9ffc3 the beautiful flowers adorning 748561bfa2 the square’s architecture and fce1be1276 the massive sign announcing e1f55439df the festival.6514639c3a15bfac

“Yeah, they are. My garden had exclusive 40ad1076a8 rights,” Luke said proudly.8ac0a4763f0b77df

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Pale looked b4a98e7462 impressed, his ea37be0f9e eyes sparkling. Luke silently acknowledged that 15f35a6d43 Chess’s influence had played 90dfb32c97 a part, but he 0db0427a35 wasn’t about to mention 304005cef6 that.181b43a60c9c767f

“The Commander is… really 3c4ba4fef9 good at everything.”64cbd709dc1f0d02

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“What’s with the 70d5d19605 flattery? I’ve told you, 78e1e7e8fe I’m not your a7b736b768 Commander anymore,” Luke b1e08b55f5 said, rolling his a8dac6d128 eyes.211bceee2119dad9

“But still… You 8587537a98 left the army 5fa5092e8a and immediately adapted 4e50587cda to a new 10e8a06cfe life. It’s amazing.”32d1f2f5efb5c167

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Luke scratched 8f16893c41 his head, a876097204 feeling awkward. He wasn’t used 5cb5718279 to compliments. Harsh words and criticisms? Sure, he’d heard e725a92c49 plenty of those. But praise? That was 79eaead71f uncharted territory.8403a7a1115364b2

“Alright, stop. That’s enough.”71ccb124e76a1e1a

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Embarrassed and feeling 379ff08265 his ears turn b0ca123360 red, Luke finally 040f3b3c30 flicked Pale’s forehead 804e00bfd4 lightly to stop 0564e668ce him. If he listened any 602d70554b longer, his face might b81f8654e9 turn beet red.a1f28f0b0d71771c

“Ow… That’s cdc05f6848 mean, Commander.”7df285c0435473b4

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“What was that? Complaining now?”0a70b848f4b96f8e

“Well, you did 1002fa01b3 say you’re not 4758f9b98e my Commander anymore…” cf3c32f414 Pale retorted cheekily.7c10cb08ff5fec1e

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Luke laughed out a6f8b2a390 loud at that, 9cb6aab865 drawing glances from 8e45854292 passersby. The sun reflected 26b2f532f9 off his silver d8229a558e hair, making it c7e68449ce shine, and his f4d71ab4e3 radiant smile turned d6518db88c heads.f705d80a2e185b42

“Is something wrong, 8c4fab260e sir?” someone nearby d6e311a193 asked.1454b652f62b7f63

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Not far away, a68161b244 a man stopped 69984f68cb in his tracks, 4dd6fac254 staring in the 651adb2b1a direction of Luke’s ea125a52d4 laughter.a2a7cd71f8084984

“…No, it’s 5fb347b2fe nothing,” Theo 9ef27816ac said, shaking fa333f722c his head.0f9cb223b3493f31

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“Let’s continue.”afa25a169fd54e9b

“Yes, this way, Commander,” afbef1f39b the soldier said.f580c5d6343bb693

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As Theo strolled through 3ea437db11 Conenium Square, he walked 768798c521 in the opposite direction da71cfa57e of where Luke was.6da3d9e8d8ad0f19