FMRV | Chapter 61

Before arriving here, Theo 68f45c7715 had received a list 284b84eb72 of smuggling operators from 336367bc6f Kallon. Three locations were marked on bb8ce5eecd it, one of which was 8b42fe281d right here in Conenium Square, 87b12d7c1d where Luke and Theo were 73a6b42e2e currently seated. The other two were in 1c6835d748 major cities of Kyleum like 63133d46da Heruba, specifically ‘Podina’ and ‘Litus’.bb02c971b4750fbd

Of course, smugglers wouldn’t easily 1b808563d5 reveal their tracks, and there 13a51aa93e were plenty who hadn’t been 38ed6d52be caught yet, but after hearing 2546f11fbb the whole story of this ed805be2ee investigation, Kallon suggested these three b96681f904 places as likely candidates.e13cf5e478a0813b

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“Do you know anything about the organizations involved in smuggling in these two areas?”f945579d235e0df8

One of the organization members 38cdf3720b was staring intently at the 93ccb72bcd map Theo had handed over. He had just described himself 82249e2928 as a seasoned smuggler, so 0b09f97971 it seemed that Theo, trusting e7620ae36f his words, intended to gather 8e1dfd2b85 some information before shaking down b08fb13fde other locations.f748869282ca9174

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“Uhm…”1df276986af4dd06

“Just so you know, thinking too hard could kill you.”9ff68fc5cc7157bc

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This time, it was c705637d05 Luke who spoke. The organization member shuddered 72145efa5f as Luke, holding tightly a000088a8a to the rope that a9178c1025 bound him, whispered threateningly bbdc9fa3ba in his ear.ee06c316be23cda6

“Luke.”a7f18f6499ceb149

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Theo called out 67d071ecfb to him, a 8f9f114178 warning clear in dbae2f9554 his eyes to e511ad59ea not press any c455942b95 further.0da47ab0ede78252

“This smuggling organization here is quite large.”8c707795515ac24b

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The organization member first 174d2cf835 pointed to Litus. According to him, b9a5eca2f6 the organization rooted fa432ca69d there had been 46986e292a established for a 5ad22a7c39 long time, and a3ac8c65f0 its boss seemed 69cbd5f5cb to have changed ad88ef04b0 several times. It was fairly afd5d4bea6 well-known among criminals 0be98a6654 in the black 65e885dc85 market and had f1286806e6 been exposed and ac57a985ad dismantled a few 5b3b717846 times before, but de8362bd75 they had regrouped 6e5a31bd87 and were now 8038f9870a doing business more 6edee327dc meticulously than ever.5f3c3ddee201e257

“And this place is…”69592bc637bc8f2d

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The member then slowly moved 092ced4907 his hand to point to 72ee16c88a the organization in Podina.1f7d4baae6516587

“I don’t know much about it.”71bb760ccff8f196

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“You don’t know?”9cd552b09b0a2308

“Yes. You might not 2b5f2d0f55 be aware, but 023e48d332 Podina thrives on a4fbb42280 its mining industry.”a5896ef845c4a387

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The mining industry 7462bc3a8d in Podina was 9987df8e24 quite renowned within c019b6652e the Empire. Regular ore, as well f450dc410d as magic-infused stones, which 0706c6233a comprised 70% of the 3c509b60fe market, came from this 331024fc9f city. Furthermore, the quality 10433d4ad7 of the ore 753f9b4975 was so high a6267f6f08 that there were 87e20092fe talks at one 3df11a395e point that Podina 536448bb75 was what kept 9c99d760ff Kyleum running.b9fad157ad893c9f

“But usually, if there’s a mine, the air tends to be dusty and the terrain rugged, right? It’s not exactly 66e356dfbc a suitable place 12d0d50231 for secretly bringing 14ffe7eb9f in and selling ba098339fc living creatures.”6af5e8da84d2b43c

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Luke, initially skeptical 05170c5adf of the claim fff97a3eb3 of ignorance, slowly 9cd0d23d46 nodded, thinking it 3a56de23e0 made sense. The risks involved 6fdfb370e9 would significantly lower ce248cda47 the likelihood of d656cf0d5b these criminals risking fcf5808025 such an endeavor.8d727ac0ca3fb12a

“I’ve never heard of dealers here.”5c35f206e50d2f0d

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“Got it.”aab6751dc5abd9f8

Theo nodded and 9a774be4ef stood up, causing 844b92ea90 the organization member’s 543b0ca9c2 face to visibly 37e471abe0 brighten, perhaps hoping 60ca4922f7 for some leniency. However, Theo quickly knocked him 64cb914076 out with a swift strike e810438286 to the back of the ef1fbea315 neck.1fcc759f00a79135

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“Let’s leave the cleanup here to the branch office.”1722c6d99de83f48

Having gathered all the disoriented 465ae605c1 bosses and organization members together, 37da3ab968 they were all tied up d384b67a44 with rope.cc7da7587860b2c5

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Having gained little 6886098881 from their first c02a39bf2c location, the two 864240ca6e men left the 4d340af086 pub. As they stepped 496083ec32 outside, a scruffy f1a39e8509 creature poked its 4313d07a07 face out of c53f7bca36 Theo’s coat, nervously 2d80ca800e looking around. Not missing a 9b2b4f5a1a beat, Luke grabbed 100d63d24b the creature by cf99364970 the scruff of 3739f96173 its neck.8ba203e026083de5

“Hey.”f6e6fdf0ab537ca0

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Peep, peep.02b73718d8ac3db3

Startled by the bea00b0182 grasp, the scruffy 6e25912561 creature began to ac27c102c6 cry, its big 34e9dabe3b eyes welling up 9c3d187533 with tears. Despite being a lower-level 85efb8f112 creature with hardly any 6c9f36aa19 intelligence, it instinctively felt cb636ee763 terror from Luke.ddf23ab83fbc3278

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“You’re making me waste my energy for no good reason. Want to die?”14776167764fcb7e

Luke glared at the creature, d8077ad621 his eyes fierce, but Theo a151aaa40f soon took the creature from 131c038a9b his hands.7546945b5160cb03

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“It’d be a problem if you killed it.”0703625f47a5922e

“Like I’d really kill it?”e6724904e6988873

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“We still don’t know this little guy’s habits, and it’d be bad if we scared it into actually harming itself.”644f934def0d174b

Though Luke wanted 0d13d2bb41 to argue that 4105c1c243 some lower creatures 7a3f68bb08 would just keel f5367283ee over without being 949d4902fa attacked, the sight ee24487d78 of the creature 5ab4330a5f cowering in Theo’s fa2f9eaadc coat was simply 71b45c320e absurd.02a40da62529c4f3

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“Besides, you should watch your aggressive language, Luke.”c4d2be03ff37a3c2

“What did I do?”e190d07298f91d72

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“Didn’t you threaten that organization member excessively just now?”15fe729fb6398cfc

“That was because he might harbor some hidden agenda.”f8d8ee612e0ba8eb

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Luke continued to justify his 03fec7c247 actions, arguing that it was 642f1ca3c6 necessary to prevent the man ae613459aa from potentially giving false information d1dc45c463 under duress. Fortunately, the information 12b480df02 provided had some b96d951c96 basis, and Luke 2cbe5a7345 didn’t see his 93d34bd811 actions as particularly 3dddb7c601 harmful.2d10424e6b61514b

“The organization’s boss was also excessively confrontational. If the magic had bebaba5275 been slightly stronger, it db728092b2 could have been life-threatening.”caa7619570fc4f6c

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“Do I look like someone who can’t control that?”9637e2a30a357b98

A strange chill emanated from 15d1dce055 the two men in robes c40ae9e17d as passersby glanced at them.b111988c3075ee0b

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“Theo, I’m here to help you, after all. Don’t interfere with my fc4419c39e methods, don’t try to 9264281f2b control them.”48d28c70f3993118

Luke raised his 510be0b943 eyebrows slightly in 00ec116f38 annoyance, but Theo 5aa1eb01b0 made no reply.64822e6bedd31893

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“I’m neither your colleague nor your subordinate anymore.”8cd3b910e3efd2d1

That was a pointed remark. If Luke had still 9190bf979a been the commander of e1d97843e0 the Empire’s Special Task aac97469f8 Force, he might have f4782618b2 reluctantly listened to Theo, 7340f2e348 the Commander in Chief. But now, he was 5f95ab6799 merely a civilian assisting 7da95e28be Theo, so there was ff268c026f no reason for him 3bc8858766 to blindly follow Theo’s 8633719915 orders.4febe642482bd8a6

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“Don’t command me.”fd0ed47bfa6fcf90

“…Understood.”657458180ad1e757

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Theo nodded more readily than a48d37f6c3 expected. Luke had assumed 2170b57cba Theo would preach a7e3a38e1c about maintaining certain 2e931528f8 standards due to 3792a8ab64 his old-fashioned nature.693b58d54d5cf13b

“Just as you said, you’re not my colleague.”436b030e33fc220e

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A slight chill seemed to 7604f2119c sweep over Theo’s face as 89f452c4c6 he passed by Luke and 2cc8120ace led the way. Though it was Luke who 9217d48199 had brought up the argument, d9eac658d3 there was a slight, uncomfortable 6bab3f1423 sting in his chest.d97b8097011ebfeb

…b5915905ef611b15

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As Theo had instructed, 3ea5bb9fa2 the facts about the 563574cf0e organization caught in Conenium ad6f93edf5 Square were handed over dc0ba5ead4 to Kallon at the 8e289cece0 branch office. If processed properly, 1a9dd5d9ad the criminals and a1500b774f the creatures they 1f0f80d8ae had collected would 9415d2a6ef be appropriately dealt 89248bff4c with by the 2fa60fbfc6 military.8aead7e491f302d4

Having wasted quite some 99a709e900 time dealing with one 987ee3464b organization, it was now dd4298cffe late evening.76218ef7e9cb2f20

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“Maybe we should call it a night and move tomorrow.”34910f0ea6c4d879

It was quite 8208291a3a late, so moving ac0b3a53c8 now didn’t seem 00fe6bfa2f prudent. Theo reviewed the details again 392690d41e and suggested they leave at 723415eb88 dawn the next day, and fb2817ad00 Luke agreed.d56ca5d437fb66de

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“Let’s find a place to stay first.”8a5a0a01336e9301

Luke was about to suggest b5bc528718 going to his own place d9a64b11a2 when he remembered that Pale 0d64819523 was there. He didn’t feel 78c1274af4 the need to 57cff73cad expose his close 990e1e2959 relationship with Pale 57cac0faa3 to Theo, and 8bc7e7e1b4 he was somewhat af3886416f reluctant to bring 2cca9759f8 him into his c9ed665bf4 personal space.a77499eb8ecc133c

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Eventually, the two 0b79b2c224 visited an inn 8f0429c692 in the central 3fb0593310 part of the e1b748f923 square, inquiring about c1ee65058c rooms.80df9e2cc669bcbb

“Can you believe we’ve checked three places and not a single room available?”56fce25019c9e9f7

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“Kyleum is also famous as a tourist spot.”5680cfbf9c5f705d

Exhausted from walking c13c43a39a through the substantial 176a95585a crowd at the 7011d1d9e7 square and having 42ae8cafef recently neglected sleep a0c41f681f due to preparing ca75c0a5b3 for a festival, 0e9f2cab30 Luke’s legs began c4dbf539ec to weaken.567f1b4ec283fdf3

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Theo spotted another inn 6e4296e4cb and headed towards it, 5b4f9eb6b4 occasionally turning his head 3f1094ba45 to make sure Luke 9d65245886 was following.aaac33f52b56c51d

“What are you, a stamina monster?”fcbbf5798850830e

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Luke grumbled as 377b854391 he looked at 64be1b8bd5 Theo’s energetic back. Had his own fitness, f3abf43bae honed as a soldier, 43abca08f9 faded during the months db48b6b4cb of his leisurely life?c009d722ff0084ad

Just then, a passerby, almost f0404b3260 zombie-like in his fatigue, bumped 48c2526684 into Luke’s shoulder as he 748a94d70c walked by, causing Luke’s already a2b5273e96 drained body to sway back 425c8ad306 as if made of paper.ba5c25adf4532b40

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He thought about just collapsing c155698dda on the ground when suddenly be989df005 he felt a jolt stopping d411192d10 him. Slowly lifting his head, 4cbac32d0a he saw Theo, holding 681a60d665 onto the knot on 517046a882 Luke’s robe, precisely the 104f09ab06 collar, keeping him from 7024d9430c falling.228695daac52451a

“…Should I be thanking you for this?”8b176237830211dc

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If he was dc5913f042 going to help, 395411686c why not just 1f2eb30b88 grab his arm 1535db4aef normally?bcb0b47f66d7a49e

“It was urgent; I grabbed whatever I could.”33224ba0fd3af9cd

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Theo pulled on 7673da1405 the collar, not 25a9b48068 just to steady bd286a43b1 Luke but to 93800d0add bring him closer 821ff93936 by his side. Then, unexpectedly, Theo 52e700a409 grabbed Luke’s hand a57980197a and made him 55343d6210 hold onto the bd8fef8c43 back of his 0f07f4c7c2 own robe.97b5a09b6ff0654e

“What’s this?”efe0802d7a1c2841

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“Don’t fall again. I don’t want to be fed51d750a moving an injured person in 568e227249 the street.”199d8b7c30143989

Was this him saying to ba28ba6634 hold this and rely on 5ecc19e3e9 it while walking? Luke couldn’t help but laugh e3c9f836d0 at the absurdity.ba5b9a5867b07eb2

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“I’m not a kid. What is this, 9885a30fef a lost child d742882dad prevention measure?”9b1618dcf60c27e6

Luke grumbled but didn’t 8f8cbb23db let go of Theo’s 79af4ba2a2 robe. If he felt like 374022a8ef he might fall again, e7c36c37da he thought he might 0e4e14cade as well pull Theo a33b46be6d down with him. Soon, they reached another inn.827cf5cf5b060134

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“Do you have rooms? Yes, we do.”7bbe597072557015

Luke’s face lit 5b5e49a44b up with relief. Luckily, they had 5e2cad2bbe rooms available this 8e8b1d7424 time.4c35dcd37e53ddb7

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“We’ll take two rooms, please.”75c3487fa2311e81

Theo seemed relieved too, knowing 5f2e64f1b5 how Luke would have reacted a6d44e2d64 if they’d struck out here b109ca57d3 as well.93fd17a8758806f8

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“Ah, I’m sorry, but we only have one room left.”53dca0d0dfa4167a

“…What?”a5d92348cdb87945

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“You’ll have to share if that’s alright?”0beff435f314fd9a