“Ah, the Captain…”
Brenda sighed. She now knew about Lucas’s true identity and circumstances. As the closest person to Iberis besides Lucas and someone trustworthy, it was decided that the secret could no longer be kept from her, and she was told recently.
When Brenda learned of Lucas’s story, she was shocked but quickly accepted the truth. The expensive car he had gifted her played a big part in that.
“He has looked a bit pale these past few days… He’s not sick, is he?”
“It’s lack of sleep. He hasn’t been able to sleep deeply.”
Iberis sighed deeply, recalling last night. He first witnessed Lucas having a nightmare about a week ago.
‘Ugh…’
‘…Luke?’
‘No, Mother… Together, Father!’
Iberis woke up sensing something strange, only to see Lucas sweating and calling out for his parents and sister. Despite living together for months and sleeping in the same bed every night, it was the first time Iberis had seen him suffering from a nightmare, and it startled him.
‘Hot, it’s… huff.’
‘Lucas? Lucas!’
‘…Major?’
‘Are you okay? Did you have a bad dream?’
‘Ah…’
Lucas, upon waking, immediately embraced Iberis. He then felt all over Iberis’s body, repeatedly calling his name, as if confirming that the lover in his arms was real and not an illusion.
‘Iberis.’
‘Yes.’
‘Eunsu…’
‘Yes, Lucas. I’m here.’
Iberis comforted Lucas while wiping his sweat-drenched forehead and cheeks. The damp cheeks were burning hot, which frightened him.
‘Wait, let me get the thermometer…’
‘Don’t go.’
Lucas tightened his arms around Iberis’s waist as he tried to get up, pressing his body close as if refusing to let go.
‘…Alright, I’ll stay like this until you feel better, so don’t worry. Okay? Good, it was all just a dream. You don’t have to be scared.’
Iberis gently reassured Lucas, who was trembling finely like someone with chills.
‘I’m sorry, I showed you an unsightly side of me.’
It took a while for Lucas to calm down. He apologized to Iberis with an embarrassed expression. His face, still bearing traces of the terrible dream, remained pale.
‘Did you often have nightmares before?’
‘Occasionally. When it’s close to the anniversary of my parents’ death or when I’m not feeling well…’
‘I see.’
‘I hadn’t had one since being with you, Major… It’s been so long that it took time to collect myself.’
Lucas shook his head, saying it wasn’t a frequent occurrence. While the public might think that espers unilaterally exploit guides for their benefit, the reality was different. Guides also gained mental satisfaction and physical stability from improved mana circulation when guiding espers.
He said the lack of nightmares until now was probably due to that effect. But learning that Livio was his parents’ enemy caused great stress, temporarily breaking down his mental state.
What they thought would end as a one-time incident revisited Lucas the next night. After this repeated for three days, he suggested staying in his old quarters for a while, not wanting to disturb Iberis’s sleep.
Naturally, Iberis opposed Lucas’s declaration of separate rooms. He argued that this was precisely the time to stay close. As a result, for a week, the two had to fight together against the terrible memories plaguing Lucas.
Iberis would wake Lucas immediately if he seemed to be having a nightmare. He would then hold Lucas in his arms, comforting him until the trembling stopped. This meant they couldn’t sleep deeply.
Some nights, comforting Lucas led to intimacy lasting until morning. Mixing their bodies to reach the same temperature and guiding was the best way to calm him down.
Especially yesterday, being a day off, Iberis spent the entire day with Lucas. As if trying to dispel the anxiety built up over the past week, Lucas refused to be apart from Iberis even for a moment.
Wanting to be a source of strength for his precious lover, Iberis completely accommodated Lucas. In the end, the two spent the whole day in bed.
As a result, fatigue accumulated to the point where Brenda found it strange, but Iberis didn’t regret his chosen method. This morning, Lucas’s condition looked better to anyone who saw him.
“This doesn’t seem like you, Captain. Someone who usually wouldn’t bleed even if pricked with a needle…”
Iberis, snapping out of his reverie at Brenda’s muttering, took a sip of his now lukewarm coffee.
“It’s understandable. He just learned about his parents’ enemy whom he’s been searching for over 10 years. He probably wants to go kill him right away, but that’s not possible realistically… He has to watch the situation unfold and endure. It must be unbearable.”
Clank. Iberis put down his coffee cup and turned his attention to the newspaper on his desk. After Livio was revealed as the culprit, Winfried launched a major offensive.
There was an enormous amount of corruption Livio had committed over the past decade or so. There was also plenty of evidence to prove his crimes. Winfried was releasing these one by one, gaining control of public opinion.
The military investigation bureau also joined forces with her, forming a special investigation team. They summoned and investigated numerous military personnel identified as Livio’s accomplices.
The military investigation bureau chief, who had joined hands with Winfried, argued through a press briefing that a special prosecutor needed to be appointed to investigate Livio and others who had already retired from the military and become civilians.
As Livio’s associates were summoned one after another and pressure mounted both inside and outside the military, even the conservative faction had no choice. Yielding to the reform faction, they agreed to the appointment of a special prosecutor.
“Right now, in Luke’s heart, the desire to kill Livio Logan is probably fiercely battling with the rational thought that he should be punished through legal procedures. Just like I once did.”
“Hmm, well… If it were me, I would have lost my mind the moment I knew who the enemy was. I would have wanted to deal with it with my own hands, regardless of legal judgment.”
Brenda nodded as if understanding Lucas’s feelings. She too had once been overwhelmed by the urge to kill Livio.
It was a few years ago when she nearly died falling into his trap. Brenda was consumed by intense murderous intent at the time, as her promising life as a cadet was derailed because of Livio, and she had to carry lifelong gratitude and guilt towards the special team members who died protecting her.
It was entirely thanks to Iberis that she was able to escape those emotions. Despite surely suffering much more than Brenda, he walked the righteous path to the end. And he firmly held her back from going astray.
“Sigh, while the bad guys ignore the law and do as they please, we have to stay within the lines… The world is too unfair and unreasonable.”
“That’s the difference between human scum and those who aren’t. But it won’t be long now. As soon as the special prosecutor appointment is announced, the special team will move to arrest Livio Logan.”
Iberis spoke, recalling the news he had heard from Winfried this morning. Recently, he had been sharing Livio’s recent activities and Mars Guild’s movements almost in real-time.
According to Winfried’s information, Livio was currently holed up in the Mars Guild branch building located in N-zone. With the special prosecutor’s appointment becoming a fait accompli, more than half of the guild members had left. Only guild members with military backgrounds who had long shared hardships with Livio in the Defense Force remained by his side.
“Will you two go as well?”
“No, if we step to the forefront, the conservative faction will surely try to find fault. They’ll make a fuss about traps or false accusations, trying to use it to turn public opinion around.”
“Then…”
“According to Major General Bismarck, once the special prosecutor’s investigation officially begins, we’ll be able to participate as both victims and key witnesses in the case. We’ll testify at the trial too.”
“I see. Ha, in just a little while, we’ll be able to see that man in handcuffs.”
Brenda pursed her lips as if that wasn’t quite satisfying enough. While she hoped Livio would face the special prosecutor’s investigation and receive proper punishment at trial, on the other hand, she felt it wasn’t much of a punishment compared to the hardships she and Iberis had endured over the past few years. Especially after learning Lucas’s story.
“To think we have to respect the human rights of such a bastard, ugh.”
“It can’t be helped.”
“Maybe I should pretend to be a bystander when the special team arrests him and throw some eggs at him.”
“Don’t do that. What if it causes problems later?”
“Ugh, but that man needs to suffer more! Even breaking his limbs and grinding them under our feet wouldn’t be enough punishment!”
Brenda snorted, as if more irritated the more she thought about it. Considering all their hardships, Livio deserved to be beaten black and blue.
“If the trial goes well, he’ll never be able to come out into the world again. He’ll likely die in a military prison after being sentenced to life imprisonment.”
“How is rotting in prison for life any punishment? It’s more like living in luxury! Considering how great his crimes are! Huff, I’d rather he refuse arrest and try to run away.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
