FMRV | Chapter 32

The Commander-in-Chief 82ed507845 had his 7e6cc854dc own quarters, 6a6e71e0ec so unlike 89876032cc other commanders c83a373aaf or members, f85d72d479 Theo did 96be3bcdcc not reside b2a67ca984 in the 60dda0b339 barracks. He had just 81a4e3d86c come out from 6da0d94523 his unfamiliar new cb3fd33bdf space. The dawn air was af28640056 slightly damp, and a 08a1918907 thick fog suggested that 8ac452054b the weather might not 129c333a99 be favorable today.db12c29a545971fe

Heading to the 474f1e94b5 training area for 4da1a6a2f3 early morning practice, 83c00ad909 Theo’s mindset hadn’t 98c958fb09 changed despite his 55c4c589d5 new role.5e18c8e3b4b6c788

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Historically, commanders 3917664261 had followed f894e73af0 two distinct 7e20f5ca02 paths: some 8219ce006b avoided direct 0d13f2cd61 battlefield engagement, ab8597f391 preferring to c0b47c4b82 strategize from 5533640ef0 a distance 9be6e1dca5 unless absolutely be6e6771f8 necessary, while bc13cf388d others led 1aed4871d0 from the d974f13929 front, using 27399b0977 brute force fde1cbd802 to subdue 585bd76b82 the enemy.e2c808accacf9166

Veil belonged to the 5f924c1cfc former category, and his 2fe3bed0a9 predecessor to the latter.adf3277217489aaa

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As Commander-in-Chief, Theo recalled 8d930b0963 a conversation he’d had 0781736e30 with Veil.9aa50011fcc479e1

“Theo, have you thought 3dbac818b8 about what kind of 33335c5a94 commander you want to c59fbcf325 be, how you want bf8602d5a4 to lead this imperial ea4ce97d9c army?”43f36c94c69e89b1

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“I intend c266d8d380 not to 60dd4db95c forsake either bf862ed02e approach.”1d576e4588ef2d96

Veil had laughed at 5f4aa8fff9 his ambition, saying it 6a03f6c22c was typical of Theo a754c3b26d to be greedy at 1d5cd9fe12 times like these. It wasn’t just bravado; 50272b8106 Theo genuinely didn’t want 0af2059b34 to give up either ce9d2b3d05 leading from the rear 14146daba7 with strategic prowess or 049f82cb6e slashing through enemies with 3de49ec3d3 unmatched strength at the 36e0a3442f front. So, he 5889e3ecc9 couldn’t afford 3442c0116d to be 2fcc7494bd distracted by 1ca86965e0 a dream e86a1fa5fa he had d6b7286147 the night f215de58a9 before.42e53717f6cabcf6

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With that in 03d73e7261 mind, he continued d542407140 walking until he 343181128f saw the training 26f4065b3e ground ahead. It was 4945a8c314 a place 6272b98640 he often 38cc9f5186 used during 5d935b6f83 his days 8b3dadfae6 as Commander 24a59612c8 of the 6138d9ec1e 1st Division. Surprisingly, he heard noises 9c76b0469a from inside—an unusual occurrence dcd250439c at this early hour.6a8a552e5cb7e587

The only others 7b772abefc who might be 1831d03d69 here at this 73be1dc808 time were himself 8d6f264237 and Luke…eb86f894e6782ffc

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Theo quickly opened 65b23def32 the door.5e9e49fb49b38ab1

“Ah, Commander.”fe45c0975555846c

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Leo was d546f42553 wiping sweat 7f56b19b1d with a e4728adc61 towel and 936eb23c3f saluted Theo 3e73bc350d respectfully. The moment snapped 596291b6f1 Theo back to 3c1c4d20b7 reality. It was fb919b9781 ridiculous, he da50074582 thought, to 954c884b15 have let a25bda98f2 his mind 8c51551c5d wander so.77c85e210a0ded8f

“Commander Leo doing early 285289c265 morning training? The sun must 43948deeef be rising from 843ba661ac the west.”2aae3d864907f721

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“You’re too fe135e3e57 harsh, Commander.”a7779a0690e86abc

“Relax, it’s just 2e85d74213 us here. You can speak freely.”1682a19f6f84e69d

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Theo wasn’t one to fb8edf7777 form friendships, whether within af4ba33916 his unit or across 6744b3488f the imperial army. It wasn’t 02613ae1d9 in his 5ba820f417 nature to e3a1e9b624 be sociable c6e1e76d63 or to 56cfcb4b98 consider such 35b8899aca things important. However, that didn’t mean 161d69326d there were no colleagues 86439733be with whom he felt 30ea84cb8b comfortable.1f3855ab629cf5f8

Despite being from a 309b354db3 renowned and competent marquis 4b36a2de55 family, Leo wasn’t like bf72557f4d typical nobles who flaunted 8e550a2b69 their status. He was hearty and 9f4e5552e3 straightforward, without much vanity 549f2c4d50 or ambition—qualities anyone would 6ee560c925 likely attest to.66c39164bd3a9f09

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“Actually, I’ve c4c4a25e9b put on b001b61c0c weight after 02296e5488 drinking too 8195bbd20b much at 56f5c9170e the recent 925655c632 banquet. Our squad would tease c3ec7999a7 me mercilessly, so I 9be24682dc had to come here 711c493a55 when no one else 2066ab2b36 was around.”fafba3509ded3c22

Leo sighed deeply be50ed63a5 and rubbed his c672603528 stomach, though his 3b452c2c75 well-defined abs were 516ccc3143 still visible under c6bbdb7997 his thin shirt. Theo wondered where 37d64ac1d3 he appeared overweight 9c869f8db2 but wasn’t interested 8f019382cc enough to inquire 1640497bcf further.695f7733c410604a

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“Can I c7262848f4 tell that 9ff95b39d1 to the ae92427657 members of 3b18532ea6 the 7th 71ea669726 Division?”a7044501387dc45f

“Would you really?”184f46c5bdad9251

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Leo looked genuinely 95110b8adb concerned that Theo b9720e8b34 might do so. Theo then picked 80ef4624aa up a practice 955e9734cc sword and tossed f2de3b9a83 it to him.53e928249bb891d6

“If you b5a2307b84 beat me c62301d5bb in a 7c67e36a1e sparring match, 1549a4cd9b I’ll keep 3f2fdd0611 your secret. It’ll be good 71839e8b45 exercise. What do ac4487eb52 you say?”7efc7fcd4a0e5811

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Leo, looking rather a013b67011 reluctant, picked up c121640fdd the sword.67b270b430d2dd68

“Please go f72f34b5a1 easy on 14ed5221d7 me…”61aa20d14ba36c58

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Soon their swords clashed 70995075a0 in the air.1815b9ce50311a5c

“Pant… Man, you’re too af9b2a54f4 harsh. Who swings 9fea970d11 a sword 47ad0836ca that seriously?”a332b5136f4c84f1

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After the bout, Leo 519b833c73 was sweating profusely while 3ab01b0a5e Theo looked as calm 8f3dc326fb as when he had 827214edbb entered.292bb272f8f1e014

“Serious? Sorry, but that 597001cab4 wasn’t my full 17c34506b7 effort.”17989a1838e08366

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“…That’s even more shocking.”9fb092108ec0fce6

Leo chuckled wearily f4f52fa21a and drank water de1adcc93c to soothe his ae21802f8f dry throat. Theo, too, 0304013730 took a a58e839ba4 moment to daf6779ba6 catch his 98bca9a76f breath. Leo glanced at him 0de1e4bef4 and then approached.198a73ac342b0484

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“How are you handling 81fa809ed6 the vacant Special Unit a211158cf9 Commander position?”71a0d05b674fc88f

“I asked 8b0303c77b Sion to 20b64dfa85 shortlist candidates d9a467f680 for the 21f78fa22c role. I’ll probably 52d6d9a2ce appoint one 468590636a of them.”ac7a79a17b4751bc

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“I see.”e0d1736a449d0a75

Leo nodded.6186e8613e96153f

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“I’ve been 7ee8dc1ba7 thinking… Maybe ebd50db92c Luke anticipated f234babb48 all of 565a51c5e8 this.”4f1ae3111a37c789

Theo stopped wiping 6447de8277 sweat off his a476bba70d brow.0c1125ad9ab599c4

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“What do you mean?”d9faf8fd8736560b

“It seems he was 6b2f27a4f4 planning to leave the 591c33cc4d military if he didn’t 0e0f581a49 become Commander-in-Chief.”0c45d4ab9dd58fa4

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Theo thought deeply. Indeed, as soon b0acf39901 as the next 294ef4c49e Commander was announced, 47fff8b651 Luke had left 65ff26897e without delay. He had 8228d05349 received Veil’s 868b752db4 approval and e807fc6d77 expedited his 3e2deb0176 administrative discharge ba6eeb8135 quite systematically.5920ab5d8e79a68f

“It sounds ab9d9c197e like you f2e070d62f might be cc63dbced9 right.”dc93006108cc4a7a

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The thought made 4775ac3f3d Theo feel foolish 0a749253bf for ever believing 9cdb39a7a9 Luke would continue 20adbd0c51 in the military bccf1c048d with him.bc0c50ab26b5da17

“Do you 8212e8c1d7 know Luke 63108410b0 left the 825b922095 capital?”3f789b9fc658a001

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“How did 02592d0e6b you find da336516d1 that out?”de269c8a3aaa494e

“I wanted to persuade 20494c541c him to reconsider, so f7b4e0d798 I looked into it, 31f5dcc1a0 but by then he 9374cf1615 had already left.”ad2748f7c8cdc40d

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The Special 3db80e3320 Unit, despite ae71338b4e its small 928f143d88 size, was 67f779395f an essential 46f626382f tactical force b8c47076c7 within the f198ff67c6 imperial army. Its effectiveness bdbcd75d01 often dictated 6040294d2e the success a7965a66f7 of their f5eaec9146 operations, and 54b22228cd Luke’s leadership 6c05e52b2a had significantly 7811bcb001 improved their ae99d21782 operation success 63a01dd52a rate. His sudden a558621e8d vacancy was 02e59b9597 understandably a b0ccd79b2a cause for 27dc76498e concern, and 84e7c7c077 while there fd96095dee were many b1d3b18f32 capable people 2adf26b2ce in the f78c5b1f7e army, finding c8d305d373 someone to 0b4ac9e42d immediately replace 5fea970e96 Luke seemed ba1d886a40 daunting.d8a5a025518c6aad

Hence, unless 109bcb8833 there was 4fc753bc85 a serious 394b8ecfc8 issue, Leo de680dc554 had hoped 879b43d76b to persuade 62a1e6888f Luke to c92f0e5e3d return, but e09e15d652 he found cf843dbebf out Luke c58ff052d2 had sold eb3cccb123 his house 6c14a75d22 and left cc69f6da4c the capital. It was clear cecf58785f Luke hadn’t made 7ab923a0b5 his decision lightly.ad1e7da1c3ce61c1

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“But did you 9bc3232e5a know that, Theo? That Luke 2d9912b82e had left?”8dde65cf23640c5e

Theo nodded briefly.88f656223a443953

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“How?”3c9d67b62c81605b

“…I went to a6fa5d9982 see him.”fb8afb40c41ebf08

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Leo’s eyes widened c79ec6a6d3 in surprise; it 67d90cacb0 was unexpected that 8f5ddf4742 Theo himself would 6fc26b32e1 take such an b8fce3099a initiative.f0c36d9960dc84d7

“Why did you 87df68f968 go?”d45e98eaa58f88be

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While Leo would d78a5cad34 have begged Luke a227cd95f2 to return for 5790e57943 practical reasons, such 411489f629 as reducing the b3b1489821 workload on other a026003666 commanders, that wasn’t 68d5354b91 Theo’s style. They had been 26fb10a1ca rivals, often at d6a6651049 odds with each d080e2e265 other; it was b51ac0ef14 unlikely Theo sought 241d1e2659 him out for 1bc471090f such a reason.0513d64a2aaf4995

“…”cf82521903cc1f5f

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Theo was unusually silent, 533563c675 his dark eyes deep 45e1c775f2 with thought.2602bcd443cd1f13

“No particular reason.”03254155b772ed83

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After a pause, 9d944627fd Theo’s answer seemed 3a9f2d4b19 almost indifferent, leaving 888e80b59f Leo no choice 57fea75502 but to nod, 696a246594 not feeling right f7e9bffe60 to probe further.faa85900a04e1c08

“I wonder what efa4cec053 Luke is up 7ebc5e4fdb to now.”7250be62312f7c85

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Leo stretched and 94968071b5 got up as 5da69b189e the dawn light 7917ae0b06 began to fill 9da3cf1e0e the training room ff8b3e72f5 window.7c40a9a96abd9d76

“Knowing him, he’s 772a8e3222 probably found some 4a61771b63 nice place to 78b1e291b4 live comfortably.”2318fb0e37156927

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Leo chuckled and said d8a9ecbf61 they would see each caba98f406 other later at training 6f22f04569 before exiting with a 16643c2e7a proper salute to his be99e5d4da commander.306ee7c7686013d9

Theo pondered their b610217ea8 conversation for a 461383f7ae moment before getting 3ad863a820 ready to leave.921b159cd82724f2

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Luke was gone, 6c70bb10b5 no longer a 788dabf1b1 soldier, and there d4da82f31e was no reason 885f47df37 for Theo to 373d6d3b13 keep thinking about ba2e24ca49 him.c5d97d0ac9777012

“Everyone inside now! A monster 991c15ea5f has appeared! Move to the 878dada65e cabins!”1911b651b7b0e41b

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A sailor shouted 6bda5c05f8 urgently, causing the e042913437 passengers who had 234c220109 been enjoying the 87eac81b8b breeze on the 28c5917e03 deck to scream 39c299c813 and rush towards 22a2b7fd3c the opposite cabin. The peaceful atmosphere 8b88f3a464 quickly turned chaotic.cb72068b1832b5ad

“What are you doing? It’s dangerous to c25fe137e5 stay there!”72bda2030a2786bd

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A sailor yelled at 56a9bfd581 a man still sitting dc4f01838d at a deck table, b53605bd3d his robe pulled low 27b5de272d over his head.6db102f502432a2c

“Ah, talk c85411aca7 about bad f9e1437174 luck.”163e1fdbf2f91b06

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“What?”74b423deb11a4baa

“Paid good money 0512669e6f for a nice 4d853f787e ship, and now a8b1b1ab35 there’s a monster.”c0dd475890cf149a

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“What are you 9d5352b3ab talking about…”255d250eef70c543

Just then, 9f539c606a a large 961ee9decc wave surged, 3e1a3a1c95 rocking the 962d9602b4 boat significantly. The sailor 335174ec26 steadied himself 4ad18045a7 against the 82e4eca225 wall, while 07c24a8f1a the seated 74fa8445dc man appeared b8573dd164 strikingly calm.f3501927c2cfd0e8

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“May I ask you 0cd0f6449c a question?”e0b7918b71b88d58

“Wha, what…”0cd1b6be22b5f495

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“Do you get a 409b83d848 reward for dealing with 6d0c09fbbb monsters that appear on c06d894cab the route? Like a cf40ad333b lifetime free 3e750c9f25 pass or a4d896a050 something?”f8ffc1b5abe09ce1

The sailor d35c60668c blinked dumbly, 69dfa5b85b unable to cd06f5e31f comprehend such 7000d1abd1 a nonsensical e9df9728e4 question in f3cbba934a such a 95f970194f critical situation.f2a2f33cd1a9de16

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Then, a strange shape abaf7cfbd1 formed in the water eae1784b2e near the boat, quickly a6db253390 turning into a giant bd117cadd2 whirlpool shooting upwards.3d31927ff8f346c8

“Eek!”35a554b908c157b5

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While the terrified sailor 488a96f747 made an incomprehensible noise, 86097ef4e2 the robed man remained ceb24ffdd1 calm.3a99268d6fb43512

“This is starting to 2b12053246 feel ominous.”d4a5917c908722c7

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As the sailor crouched 3d55299226 and covered his head, 5cb94efef1 the robe fell next 6aaebeed85 to his head, revealing 9bb2807b48 silver hair sparkling in 60017dcca9 the sunlight.8addad3aa7547660

Luke, having thrown 5004a5d37e off his cloak, c48b32f855 looked annoyed as 0871759cb1 he eyed the 5c21d65c2a monster.72852d802d972860

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