“Well…”
Yurina swallowed hard and glanced at Iberis. Given his personality, he should have stopped Lucas by now, but oddly, he just sat there quietly.
“Ahem, what does Guild Master Logan think about this…”
Reading Iberis’s intentions from his attitude, she reluctantly spoke up. She was certain now that this couldn’t be quietly passed over.
“Well, haha.”
Livio finally relaxed his expression and forced an awkward smile. With only Chen on his side here, he couldn’t afford to lose his temper. If he lost his composure and fought with Lucas now, he’d not only be excluded from today’s operation but his already poor reputation would suffer further damage.
“According to the operation plan, while the Major and I are in the vanguard, it doesn’t seem like we’ll need to cooperate much. It looks like we can just act on our own… I’ve long known about Captain Illum’s loyalty, but I’m curious about his motives for bringing up an issue that could have been overlooked.”
“Anything can happen in battle. To respond effectively to unexpected variables, we need to establish a clear chain of command. I thought it would be good to clarify this beforehand.”
“We can deal with that kind of thing as it comes up. Both the Major and I have more field experience than you, a guide, so there’s no need to worry…”
“That statement sounds like you, a civilian, intend to give orders to an active-duty major if necessary.”
“Don’t twist my words, Captain Illum. And don’t rudely interrupt me.”
Livio warned with a forced smile. Despite the frigid atmosphere caused by the mana leaking from his body, the temperature inside the tent rose.
Iberis, who had been quiet until now, furrowed his brow and sat up straight. If Lucas hadn’t timely extended his arm to block him, he might have released his mana too.
“Rude, you say…”
Lucas drawled, seemingly taunting Livio.
“Aren’t you the rude one, Guild Master Logan? You seem to be under some misunderstanding – you’re no longer a lieutenant general in the Defense Force.”
Yurina and Chen simultaneously gasped at the audacious captain’s bombshell statement.
“C-Captain, aren’t you going too far?”
Finally, a flustered Chen stuttered and intervened. He gestured to Iberis as if asking him to stop this. However, having already been restrained by Lucas once, Iberis just sat there like a statue.
“Me? I’m just stating facts.”
Lucas remained utterly calm despite Chen’s rebuke. His golden eyes glowed as they stared directly at Livio.
“This isn’t even something we need to deliberate on, nor should we ask for the Guild Master’s opinion. What military gives a civilian command over military operations? When I brought this up, I expected you to simply say ‘yes.'”
“…”
“I’m sure everyone here knows about what happened between the Major and the Guild Master.”
“Huh?”
Yurina, who had been debating whether to intervene or not, hesitated when Lucas suddenly directly mentioned their bad blood.
“I raised this issue because I don’t want to leave any potential risks in this operation. The Dark Elves and Black World Tree are not easy opponents. If the Guild Master acts emotionally towards the Major even for a moment, innocent unit members could be put in danger.”
“Are you insulting me now? Do you think I can’t control my personal feelings?”
Livio, upset at being treated as a risk factor, raised his voice, forgetting his manners.
“I apologize if I’ve offended you. But I hope you understand my concerns. As you all know, I’m on edge after the recent incident in Paris. I was attacked by a former soldier with whom I had work-related friction.”
Lucas apologized to Livio while still maintaining his argument. His words carried weight as he was the one attacked by Carlos, with whom he had bad history.
“As the Major’s pair and an executive of N-0 unit, I have a duty to ensure everyone’s safety.”
Livio hesitated, momentarily at a loss for words. Lucas’s logic was so sound that it wasn’t easy to refute.
“So I’d like you to promise here and now. That for the duration of this operation, you’ll absolutely obey the Major’s orders.”
At this brazen demand, Livio’s face flushed red and pale. The sound of his molars grinding leaked through his tightly clenched teeth.
I must endure, I must endure.
He desperately suppressed the murderous intent boiling inside him. If he caused any more friction here, he could be excluded from the operation. If Yurina and Iberis decided to oust him, Chen wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.
Perhaps Lucas knew this and was provoking him deliberately. No, it was certain, considering how he was pressing on an issue that didn’t need to be addressed. Whether Livio protested or acquiesced, it would benefit Lucas.
Realizing this made him even angrier. Already, the media was noisily discussing his past misconduct under the guise of “suspicions,” leading to talks of a special investigation within the Defense Force.
In this situation, if word spread that he fought with the unit commanders? Winfried, who was eager to take him down, would surely make a move. So for now, even if it was humiliating, he had to endure for the future.
“…Fine.”
Livio forced out an answer, straining his throat. He tasted a metallic flavor in his mouth, unsure if he had bitten the inside of his cheek or cut his tongue. He moved his lips, feeling as if he were spitting blood.
“I promise, I’ll follow Major Hyun’s command until the operation ends.”
“You’ve made a wise decision.”
Lucas, having finally obtained the answer he wanted, curved his eyes into a smile towards Livio, whose fists were trembling with humiliation.
* * *
“Why did you do that earlier?”
“Hm? What did I do?”
Lucas tilted his head as he was doing a final check of Iberis’s combat uniform.
“I mean picking a fight with Guild Master Logan.”
“Ah, that. I just wanted to rattle him a bit because I didn’t like how he shamelessly showed his face in front of us. Also, I wanted to remind him of his changed position.”
“Couldn’t you have just ignored him…”
“I found his attitude of acting like he’s still somebody irritating. And I don’t like how others treat him with respect.”
“Shh, what if someone hears you? And well… he does have an impressive career.”
Iberis put his index finger on Lucas’s lips as if to stop him when he started criticizing the other majors too harshly.
While he’s now a dishonorably discharged former soldier, before the scandal, Livio was a powerful figure considered one of the candidates for the next Marshal. Moreover, even after being expelled from the military, he maintained connections with conservative factions.
Considering the strict hierarchy and conservative atmosphere of the military, it was somewhat understandable that Yurina, Chen, and others were wary of Livio.
“Professional courtesy should only be given to those who deserve it.”
Lucas lightly kissed the finger on his lips and asked confidently:
“You actually felt satisfied, didn’t you?”
“…A little.”
Iberis mumbled in agreement. Then he glanced in Livio’s direction.
“That guy is an old fogey wrapped up in his pride, so he must be incredibly annoyed.”
Livio, talking with his guild members, had maintained a tense expression. His furrowed brow showed no signs of relaxing.
“Be careful. In battle, friendly fire is the most dangerous.”
Iberis quietly warned, averting his gaze. Knowing Livio, he wouldn’t hesitate to order his guild members to ambush Lucas under the guise of an accident.
“I won’t fall for such petty tricks. Besides, I’ll be in the relatively safe rear, won’t I?”
Lucas looked at Iberis with an expression that said he should worry about himself instead. Guides basically assist in battle from the rear and guide espers. It’s much less dangerous compared to espers fighting enemies at the front.
“You should be more careful than me. Who knows what the Guild Master might do…”
“Haha, who are you worried about now?”
Iberis smiled confidently. It was justified confidence, but Lucas still seemed uneasy and advised again:
“Don’t overuse your abilities just because you’re feeling good. You absolutely must not overexert yourself. If you feel anything off, come to me for guiding right away.”
“Okay.”
Seeing Lucas unable to hide his concern, Iberis’s small lips curved into a gentle smile. If it were someone else nagging like this, he would have told them to stop, but strangely, Lucas’s nagging didn’t bother him at all. Far from being unpleasant, it made his heart flutter to feel Lucas’s love.
“I’ll be back.”
Overcome by emotion, Iberis rose slightly on his tiptoes and kissed Lucas’s cheek. Even though they were in front of others, he thought this much skinship would be okay since their relationship was already known.
Embarrassed by his own action, he quickly pulled away. But immediately, an arm wrapped around his waist and pulled him close. Unexpectedly, soft, warm lips pressed firmly against his slightly parted ones before pulling away.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
