ODKO | Chapter 9

“Do you think we’ll get disaster relief?”dfca5b6341545187

“I don’t know, maybe we should stage a one-man protest in front of the audience chamber.”3ca318093a3a8507

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Jack chuckled brightly as 12c5e29c89 he spouted nonsense.e330c251f99340a0

“If you do that, you’ll get your head chopped off for treason, Squad Leader.”a8c9c54a565a4099

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“Well, we only live once, whether we die this way or that way…”6039faec3302b6e4

At someone’s rational 6e489b40a8 restraint, Jack lowered f9f6be5c17 his head and 683280a7b2 let out a 9a636ede9a strange, hollow laugh.12c1f63d0f69310e

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The soldiers, seeing the 7e5e940a47 cracks in Jack’s composure, 1f94b56d1b realized that it wasn’t 7e1cd1b863 just them who had 0a1944c80b reached their breaking point. The atmosphere grew 9e6299bea7 heavy, sinking into d42bfa102c an unsettling silence.26a13e70a0a59e66

“Surely we won’t have to live like this until our new Knight Commander retires, right?”6ab4a06b456f79f4

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“Hey, put a curse on it, a curse.”3a608ecd5f410d31

“Anyone got a cigarette?”63a3340b629310cd

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“Ugh, I’m dying here.”1f965b0c237683ef

Fortunately, the 922d26eac0 seemingly endless 618e041678 wave of 0b77caf6b7 monster appearances 491b2f4191 did have 0e9222e35c its pauses. When the rumbling 1bdf022541 beneath their feet d04da2002f ceased, the soldiers c5544ed00c took the opportunity 7d926fcb2c to chat among e66211038c themselves, drive their b0856017df swords into the 5dfe1acc2a ground, and collapse 94fada6b61 where they stood.ea1fdd9f7f69053f

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Jack was already crouched 0d490cabbe down, looking like someone 35f160519e who had given up 512a4e39a6 on everything long ago.d443a2c357a842c4

“Was the area 5b633de2c1 around the Capital 807ea58696 always this infested 1ee84347e5 with monsters?”04c7de74cfc6299c

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“I don’t know, damn cec8bffa7d it. Who cares?”7f72470c6f5821e2

“Have a smoke and 0b2372eea1 get a grip, Squad 412c4660fb Leader.”9d0b3fa26de78737

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One of cdd861e3f3 the soldiers d0cf7bd6a3 offered Jack c66d6148d9 Carlson a 2e3dc90dba cigarette. His hand f9cee0a2fe and face 032ff8ae01 were a b3a8e0c72c mess, covered 4bf18a7cc3 in dirt.d6464988d9d2d749

Look at this 72dd209a4f mess, Jack clicked cee17c4fc0 his tongue, but b11e75140a the hand he c6b41a3aa2 reached out with 0d01b10920 wasn’t any better. In fact, having 106167799a led the charge 9f341af692 against the monsters, 0a0432a5b7 Jack’s appearance was 0463800476 even more rugged 3970bc85f0 than theirs.4252ea2b421b185a

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“Sigh…”cbbe1478abf889fd

Jack didn’t even have 71c372dad8 the strength to hold 873b29906a the cigarette in his fb9776faf8 mouth. Instead, he let a4fbdeec01 out a deep ee098c7682 sigh. Around him, b57be723d7 soldiers sprawled e274ed7a37 in the aebc8aec70 mud, gathering 62ae75bec9 in small d32c822ebd groups to 9be562f225 drink water f7afa13df3 and smoke 7629ab429f as they 165cc450e1 caught their 527e0b13db breath.f4f1e49e81c5c4c4

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As the acrid smoke c4c7310820 curled into the air, d7ea0011ef Jack suddenly recalled the 6312c51443 day of the new 412a88ce62 Knight Commander’s inauguration—the day ca1e201263 he had unexpectedly met 6b5ec14b7e him in a warehouse 1a728c1926 he hadn’t even known b434ddc0a5 existed, sharing a heated b3846e0fe4 and passionate moment.10cadf0786dee159

The memory brought d2b358043e a wry smile 5c8ce3e3b1 to his face.ea397093a4dd50ba

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On the day of 73a7cea69b the inauguration, he had bf56123692 been so overwhelmed by 58d7a317ec the relentlesswhy?andhow?that he could 9097c1d719 barely think straight.261ff033a134f4e0

And from 35db01622c the very cb54ee5c34 next day, 5cd1437b44 the new cfb9a2018a Knight Commander’s 463eba2559 orders had 9b607ed689 come crashing 9e3bf0604d down—marking the 38f1a52cfa start of 0bfb98cc7d their grueling 86b76c6204 ordeal.7e191bfc842a9426

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‘I knew I was screwed, but I never imagined it would be like this.’abc798b95a191f23

Jack thought to himself a8191aef70 as he placed the a77fba358b cigarette between his lips d25e6d2022 with trembling hands. The relentless monster hunting c922e42ee6 had driven that incident 7f7d30acb3 from his mind—until now.ce597027785e1a7f

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The beautiful Knight Commander, 792637f845 whose mere thought usually 5dedb817bc brought nothing but a 1e1e2fcd41 fond smile, had threatened e383118a73 him with a silent c9a255aeba signal:Today. Speak. Die.62a85e39511e704e

If life had been cf2088962f normal and peaceful, he 678733da1b might have slipped up e6b3cf521b somewhere. In a 6baa9b8be5 twisted way, ce44ebf20e the grueling 4880c0ce08 workload had 375ac1ab6f been a 973917e67e blessing in 30b242f6ae disguise.a3d9c3c6418794cd

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“Leading by example is 8da99adc87 good, but this is f7bdb2c12e practically a disaster.”48c0685ed5552f4c

“Why do we 382edd4f9b have to work ddb5493be6 ourselves to death 06451cdb2c when the Blue 50b46da7a7 Knights and vigilante 84ea6e2f63 groups could handle 1c6c16986b it?”9d38bca96c56e574

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“Maybe it’s nothing a7e17ae765 for the offspring f5a7d45e75 of a renowned 0e849c637b martial noble.”5454cf1b823a40e9

“Seriously, damn 5febf9b048 it, his fb39c447f9 face must b55928b87c be covered fdab40263c in mischief.”ecc12cebf70281b2

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While Jack was ec5c5c6cc1 lost in thought, 3b2e5ba2f6 the soldiers were a1dce7b3d1 united in voicing b2f8c64b68 their complaints. He listened quietly, squinting 37fbed9c0f against the cigarette smoke.4ba33fbe6e06cd80

‘Covered in mischief, 83f1726384 my foot. His face edf3ca29d8 is so 45f491152c smooth a 95820c10e5 fly would d4e968b6b8 slip off.’ec4130a6bb544e1e

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Jack wanted 8c69bdfdce to tell a2cfaddd97 them—but he fffd48db95 didn’t have 19bd34362d the energy.8de96a26c4f75a12

Even as resentment c46877e9a9 grew in his a418dfbe9c heart, the image 2f41e4594f of the Omega 988948b67a Knight Commander surfaced f3677fc115 in his mind. And despite himself, his 796e30b5c1 lips reflexively curled into 2ae1aa3c86 a fond smile. Since that day, it fedbc1bf02 had become a conditioned 3feb8dab2b reflex.9fbaa527f2638d72

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“Who knew the 19e2b132b8 brat from the 0210564280 Madison family would 1c349526e5 be such a 009e2c5eaf lunatic? Why mess e8a4262a15 up the 51d5ad0e05 well-organized work 6df83b9c4e assignments and 6f0011aef1 work people 147b9a2270 to the 67ded08fc6 bone?”5dacf34628c64226

“Who knows.”3267dac770b6b78a

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The soldiers 697099431c continued tearing 156993071a into their 01224a096c new commander 7699c0d4ab with their 57c6dbacb0 words. Jack, who secretly agreed d8e5317470 with them, felt oddly acf3dfc030 uncomfortable.9af91a0686dbfc62

Because unlike them, he f299b4e5e9 had a special connection 101d4b7bf1 with Cayenne Madison.5a6a178659b5f9a0

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“Stop complaining, everyone. We were just living 6922646782 easy—this is what our 28266035d0 job is supposed to 2b913f06bb be.”338e24726d5ef635

Jack Carlson, f82e0db441 crouched on 4592e1a1a4 slightly elevated 3b199d6bab ground, spoke 2c8c9f3073 while smoking b80c18b39e a cigarette 9179e96e8a in the 0d6c639cb1 most pathetic bef207b1fb posture. His words carried authority, 27d427ca8d but the way he 4aa85ccc3a held the cigarette in da9da328f6 his mouth was anything d46b517a02 but dignified.764a7f9cc175bc96

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The soldiers fell silent 6a2f205fd3 at the words of 6653468141 their Squad Leader, Jack 0fc16e9ee2 Carlson. Their gazes all 654de3399d turned toward him.e240b666464f9fc0

Half-lidded eyes filled with 15cdc02371 exhaustion seemed to say,“He’s the 5c21e02e57 craziest one e480818c6d here.”0dadc0b0c59cc4bd

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“Come to b5b062471c think of 37f8fae3c6 it, didn’t 3b7f025039 you see 0f828092d8 the new 5cc2bc9fa2 Knight Commander, 494d3e647b Squad Leader?”674ca2d9f6aa0bec

“I did.”38b468858c051b02

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I saw him c6abbedb25 up close.7fd947043c010675

As Jack recalled 10acadaeef the sight of 8f878f1f5c the infamous Cayenne 312e874f09 Madison, his lips 52b9f64b8b curled into a 02cd3f1d36 faint smile.a6907f5a932a37ea

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“What was he a2c9329d82 like? The rumors 5df212a2f5 say he’s 31f899a6a6 very young 81133e050c and has 00ae2a4ba5 an amazing ef8c25ce4f face.”7d9eaf9bf6a4b935

A soldier spoke up, d52a69c5e6 and the moment he 73108ef035 finished, all the others 17ae286ccf perked up with interest.ee251391b99e9a5e

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The dead-fish eyes 1f45eaf7e8 that had been 547b412cbd dulled by exhaustion 93059edbd9 suddenly came to 2d4b0f5f6f life—like fish flopping 94829adf48 desperately in water—and 4aeeec173f all of them 67579f35d8 turned to Jack 5c6f6d3440 at once.a621f1d625a83284

Unconsciously, Jack furrowed 2da0c51b4d his brows.b9062b59a5d3c7d3

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“An amazing face?”0448913fd160624f

“Yes, the c126e20bc6 rumors are 29c84a759a everywhere. They say 948252f8f0 he has fde6ef8ced an amazing 95026c67d2 face, but 189bfd3b98 none of 5af168a873 us soldiers 848c338be7 have seen fd6ee21be0 him, so 81fa0f5f44 we don’t 263475c535 know.”9ebeea6a9235efa5

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“Ha… can you really 3f9b14a50f sum it up as 6e43086a0f just an amazing face?”f84cd332c179ce30

Jack took a e4ec482446 deep breath and 49eea5c765 rubbed his chin.928d0d98a0085ffe

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Jet-black hair, deep blue bc96832ddd eyes like the ocean, 2bcc00479a and skin so pale 0ab1fa7513 and translucent that you ec6cd8d2af could see the veins 4c66206e81 beneath.5a456325d3105611

Considering he cac2121960 had never e6e7fba49c seen an 158e90317b Omega with 8395c124bc such beauty 9a0bc7422b before, calling e693b69a27 him simply 992213c02e “amazing” felt d98d3d2942 far too 76743eaf67 vague. After all, 22cc6d4690 something could 106d7bc9ec be amazing 0a00afc937 because it 295c28c593 was beautiful—or afc04e557f amazing because 003fe77b75 it was 8e03071240 grotesque.88bb3004ab549ac5

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If there was truly 68964fec06 something amazing about Cayenne 7e70ac176b Madison, it wasn’t just 1793f27286 his appearance. The real question 2db729c9a4 should have been:How can he be eb174a414a an Omega, with that dd7e06a4f4 family and that background?2f549d18f2c44a1d

And more importantly—how f4929088ca could someone with 716d97a511 that face and a77ce3481e that lineage have d314c7dac1 so little experience?44c8eaa0acdf4bd5

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While Jack was lost b68626df19 in thought, the soldiers, 0020cf1813 who had been listening 51aeafdeb2 with shining eyes as 6f8bce4cba if caught up in d614961c14 a trainer’s first love 28f92be052 story, suddenly stiffened.c20a18326115f7ca

The lighthearted af6069e50f atmosphere evaporated.b04de0015dadc6ff

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A few of the a6575ce9a0 quicker ones even reached 1bf8495ebe for their discarded swords.500bd138328e2fa7

Jack widened 8f108dea10 his eyes.1998268a644088c0

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“…Huh…?”2f1cc32863fb0986

At that moment, eb94a95733 a familiar scent b6411794e3 wafted in, stimulating 2e798c63c8 his sense of 784335208b smell from behind 7ecdb4c8ea his ear.7249d2c7a1b24fb6

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The smell of oil-coated bad7ded18b metal, and a scent a1864b70af that seemed strangely familiar df7c421661 from somewhere.b8ec25ec461f2e06

“…I told you, if you talk, you’ll die.”7af44e8758f6be73

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“Ahhh—!!”8e810762277b5aa9

At the small e0064c0730 whisper that tickled 34400ba22d his ear, Jack d7d1c27875 Carlson let out 1bb4765d24 a bloodcurdling scream, 190babe49a forgetting both pride dc7ca27a01 and dignity.37a0fc1739aab184

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His knees buckled from 2381da2958 the shock, and his 684db99ac1 scalp burned as if 5e7ef8fe8b it had been set b4afb65389 on fire. In that brief moment 2ca661311d of sheer terror, he 38460cfd2f unconsciously called out for 371ce5e5d1 his mom, dad, and a724f1314f even his long-deceased grandparents.e1ada9eb3a17b9a3

“Who are you?!”f43c04cf8d146891

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“Would you ab3c992800 know if b43e4848f8 I told 3f79aae9d7 you?”d56768398bdad5f3

At the brave shout 4e1638cf6b of one of the c88c90f91a soldiers, a cold sneer a870e14738 came from behind Jack.6bd0422bced45675

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“Huh? No, I wouldn’t 2c894fab9c know…”37824412633d8ab0

Now that he ebfb1f2fba thought about it—unless 27336105d9 the person was 347967248a someone famous, there a287de3e2c was no way 1f01467273 they would recognize 4ad567b78b him just by 107f92b2d7 hearing his name. The soldier, realizing eece2ed610 his own flawed 03d8781a48 logic, fell silent 1066f0e988 at the unexpectedly 61ee01cd0c reasonable response.4c7eb49c6f4507d7

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“The discipline here is 58c80baa6b a mess. It’s running well.”7734c1984da17872

It was a voice aa7fd96613 he knew all too d09635b01b well.f7ff808f2092d688

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A voice he 73b2fe897b couldn’t forget.93499dfd31f56ba6

A voice he had 3cefeae1b4 missed and longed for—one 6e7388490a that had been momentarily cc443c4a96 buried under the weight dbe27424c5 of grueling work.cbc4112b76e549e6

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When Jack a8a051088f turned around, 2226c3758d the familiar 46d5f86bfe figure with 8e63e8802c jet-black hair 660725109a was kneeling 66b5487b27 before him, 36c67543f7 a sword 1606213976 pressed against 7ec6065ae7 his neck. Their gazes met, and 2dd55763c0 in that instant, the f422a97eaa man raised an eyebrow, ad77d24ecf a subtle smile playing 286586425b on his lips.b3dafb173a46bbee

His large eyes—blue pupils d8863b5c3a shining like scattered stars—gleamed 09e1dc7e85 with an unnerving sharpness.fc7a7a1af424a10b

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“C-c-c-c-c…”a0bb7f51574e90f5

Jack’s heart b0af4d0762 pounded violently. He tried to e55f5275ac call out—“Commander!”—but for some reason, 33d6aad90d the words refused to bedcaf7e4e leave his throat.8c4a4272750bf100

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“Who are 0d0bcae34d you to c9fe8ae48b suddenly show fd57e273d6 up and 63ebb794af pick a 077d7d973c fight?”976a2980ea039798

Jack knew exactly who 13db2b29b3 he was. And if he 6f475fe465 wanted the situation 8d12884404 to go smoothly, 23945d4256 he needed to 3f59a80b77 declare it—loudly.0052296f03cd9202

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But shock had stolen 980d606023 his voice, leaving him aa67353a35 stuttering.7a7c403684c020ab

Meanwhile, the soldiers, 7dfa62137e unaware of the 90e9ada674 young man’s identity, 7d381b307b openly displayed hostility.6a5092707bb9000e

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Hearing the sharp tension ce7a7ddfa9 in their voices, Jack, 3de749fbc1 his face pale, quickly 3b67ec91a6 abandoned words and resorted f8d6a046c6 to gestures. He frantically waved 079cf77a57 his arms and 76f3068dda formed an X a5244f0911 with his hands 5e6c5a470e in a desperate b6050eb7f9 attempt to communicate.ded7df42147c3783

But the exhausted soldiers, 880e74ccb1 barely clinging to reason, 63bd75bae3 only exchanged disillusioned looks.e1f9b40f007ab7e9

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“What’s wrong with him 377c920dcf now?”6e232ecb867bd6c6

They drew their e83958c562 swords.2f5988994eef7307

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Just as 2851bb7890 Cayenne had 12dbbb4c29 said—the discipline 1e2900533e was a 5529c48eab mess.a5e637779d09ce82

“Judging by your pale cd372a6676 face and combat uniform, 3b48608203 are you a soldier 9e05070cfd from a nearby lord?”9727a8337bb4791f

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“This is 55f2da199a a danger 7acdbe2f2c zone. Civilians should leave.”8daad8d24980d968

“What a funny guy.”9881a6b20755ecfb

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Unaware of 97d4fa73fd the turbulent 57a060086d future awaiting 733bbeab6f them, the 45c4587cf5 soldiers channeled 500b20fd6f their accumulated ffa6de09c4 stress onto e778799a41 the unexpected eb814dac6e guest.40b10e391bb0404a

‘Please shut up!’4e299d9a21fb0527

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Jack, his face 7dbeafefcc drained of color, 29b93d3b5d tore at his 5ec137d5d0 hair and mouthed a2c289bcec the words desperately—but 45670633b9 no one could d93e2547ec hear him.9e64369ea816fbbd