"Fale? Hmm, I’m not really sure. He’s always been a quiet guy... The last time I talked to him was when he offered to take over my guard shift," Danny said, sitting across from Luke in the dormitory lounge.

Danny was another member of the Detached Force, someone who, despite his dislike of Luke’s controversial leadership style, had stayed with the unit for a long time, likely because he found the work suited him.

"What exactly did he say when he offered to take your shift?" Luke asked.

"He mentioned something about being an insomniac... said he’d cover for me because he doesn’t sleep much at night. Something like that."

"What does Fale usually do during his leave? Any idea?"

"That, I couldn’t really say..." Danny replied, his tone evasive, as if trying to brush off the question.

"Danny, I know your family home is near his. I also know the two of you sometimes take leave together."

Danny’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting Luke to know—or care—about details like that.

"Well… yeah, but we’re not that close. Honestly, he doesn’t seem to do much during leave. Mostly stays holed up at home..." Danny trailed off, then paused as something seemed to dawn on him.

"Actually, I have seen him go out at night a few times," Danny added.

"At night? Where to?"

"I don’t know. He usually carried a big backpack when he left. I thought about asking him, but I figured he wouldn’t tell me anyway."

Luke’s eyes narrowed slightly at this new piece of information.

"By the way, Captain… are you even allowed to be wandering around like this?" Danny asked, glancing nervously around. Given the current allegations against Luke, the conversation clearly made Danny uneasy.

"It doesn’t matter," Luke replied dismissively. Sneaking past the guards stationed at his door was child’s play for him. It wasn’t a question of ability—he’d simply chosen not to bother until now.

"Now, Danny, there’s something I need your help with," Luke said, changing the subject.

"Me? Help you?" Danny’s voice quavered.

"Yeah. Or do you have a problem with that?"

"To be honest, I’d rather not... Captain, you are under investigation, after all," Danny replied, his tone frank but cautious.

"You’re surprisingly honest," Luke remarked dryly. "But let me ask you this—how honest would you feel about the fact that you’ve been swapping guard shifts behind my back?"

Danny’s expression faltered, his brow furrowing.

"That’s... well…"

"If I wanted to make an issue of it, I could," Luke continued. "You’ve been doing this for quite some time, haven’t you? It’s a blatant violation of Imperial regulations, after all."

Danny visibly deflated at the veiled threat. While Luke might currently be under investigation, no verdict had been reached. Ignoring the orders of his unit commander—even one under suspicion—wasn’t a risk Danny was willing to take.

"What do you need me to do?" Danny asked, his earlier defiance replaced by reluctant compliance.

"It’s simple," Luke said, checking the time as he stood.

"Follow me."

***

As midnight approached, in a small residential area behind Rudrain Plaza—the heart of the capital's commercial district—Fale was preparing for a secretive mission. After checking the interior of his bedroom, he donned a robe and inspected the bag he had placed on the table. Inside were five communication crystal orbs used by the military.

With a dark expression, Fale grabbed the bag and left his home. Rudrain Plaza was a massive market divided into five streets, with the closest to Fale’s house being Street Five. This area primarily served commoners, offering affordable food and daily necessities.

Between Streets Five and Four was a narrow alley, devoid of shops and eerily empty. Once a bustling hub of taverns, the businesses had long since moved away, unable to turn a profit in the commoners' district.

This desolate alley was Fale’s destination. It was a cold, silent place, where the air always seemed to carry a chill.

Fale stepped into the alley, lighting a small lamp he carried. The device flickered weakly, emitting an unsettling hiss as if nearing the end of its life.

“…”

Ahead, a figure cloaked in a robe stood waiting. Startled, Fale quickly approached.

“You arrived early today. I— I’m sorry for being late.”

Bowing his head in apology, Fale addressed the figure, who remained silent but extended a hand.

“Oh, here are the goods.”

Fale obediently handed over the bag. The figure inspected the contents, carefully examining each item.

“As I mentioned, things at headquarters have been tense lately. I think it would be best to lay low for a while. About the payment you promised…”

“That depends on you, doesn’t it?”

The voice, both unfamiliar and familiar, came from the robed figure as they slung the bag over their shoulder.

“W-what?”

Fale stammered, confused, as the figure slowly removed their hood.

“C-Captain?!”

Seeing Luke Redrick’s face, Fale recoiled in shock, collapsing to the ground.

“H-how did you… Why are you here…?”

“So, this is the man you’ve been meeting?”

With a snap of Luke’s fingers, the alley lit up with an intense brightness, far surpassing the dim glow of Fale’s lamp. Behind Luke, a man lay sprawled on the ground—a servant of the noble family receiving the stolen crystal orbs.

“Fale.”

At the sound of his name, Fale’s shoulders trembled violently.

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice? Or that I’d simply let this slide?”

Luke crouched down to meet Fale’s terrified gaze. Sweat poured down Fale’s pale face as he muttered in disbelief.

“How… How did you know…?”

“From the moment you pointed me out as a suspect in that meeting, nothing about your behavior seemed right. When I heard you’d been volunteering to stand guard in place of other members of the Detached Force, I had a hunch about the real culprit.”

Luke reached into his pocket and tossed something onto the ground in front of Fale. Recognizing the object, Fale began to shake uncontrollably.

“I found this in your room. A handwritten notebook detailing the management of military supplies and weapons. You even made notes on how to discreetly smuggle them out. Quite a bit of effort went into it, didn’t it?”

After questioning Danny about Fale’s activities, Luke had gone to search Fale’s room. Knowing that Danny shared the room with Fale, Luke had sent him to keep the guards busy while he investigated. In the bottom of a desk drawer, hidden beneath a makeshift wooden false bottom, Luke had found the notebook. The shoddy attempt at concealment hadn’t escaped his notice.

“P-please, Captain! I—I’m sorry! I’ve committed a grave sin… Please spare me…”

Fale groaned, bowing his head repeatedly as he begged for mercy. His trembling worsened as he recalled the disastrous meeting where he had implicated Luke.

“You knew it was wrong, yet you did it anyway. Why?”

“T-that’s because…”

Fale hesitated, his lips trembling and drained of color.

“Was it because of your mother’s illness?”

Fale’s eyes widened further at Luke’s unexpected words. He hadn’t imagined that Luke knew.

“Danny told me. Your mother is gravely ill, and you’ve been struggling to care for her on your own. That’s why you’ve stayed with the Detached Force despite your timid nature, isn’t it?”

Fale, unlike most soldiers, was remarkably timid and fearful. After returning from the battlefield, he often wandered around in a daze for days, his expression haunted. Aware of this, Luke had deliberately excluded Fale from dangerous missions, assigning him tasks like standing watch or reporting back to headquarters early.

Still, Luke had always wondered why Fale hadn’t transferred to another unit, especially given his prolonged tenure in the Detached Force. Today, Danny had finally provided the answer: money. The Detached Force received higher pay than other magical units, given their independent operations and high-risk missions.

“M-my mother’s condition worsened this year. I couldn’t afford a good doctor, so I’ve been relying on medicine, but the treatments aren’t enough… Without better medication, she won’t survive…”

Fale lowered his head, his trembling now replaced with resignation. His voice, filled with despair, echoed through the alley.

“That doesn’t justify what you’ve done.”

“I—I know. I swear, I only meant to do it once and then stop. Please, Captain, believe me…”

Luke’s eyes narrowed. It was strange that someone as timid as Fale could repeatedly steal and smuggle supplies, even under duress. It went against his nature.

“If there’s anything else I don’t know, confess now.”

Fale hesitated, his wavering gaze meeting Luke’s. After a moment, he broke down.

“Commander Myles… Myles Kailos ordered me…”

“Myles?”

“Yes. After my first theft, I couldn’t go through with it again. But then Commander Myles found out. I thought I was finished, that my military career was over, but instead, he made me an offer…”

Fale confessed everything. Myles had blackmailed him into continuing the thefts, threatening to expose his initial crime if he refused. The supplies were delivered to the Harnus Marquisate under Myles’ orders.

“Of course,” Luke muttered, understanding at last. Myles had planned this from the start, using Fale to fabricate evidence and shift the blame onto Luke.

“You bastard,” Luke spat, his voice filled with venom.

“I’m so sorry… I should have refused, but I was terrified… My mother… I thought she’d die if I didn’t…”

Fale sobbed, bowing deeply in apology. Luke let out a short sigh, looking down at his trembling subordinate.

“I’ll confess everything. I’ll testify, Captain. I’ll tell them the truth…”

“Fale, do you still have leave left? Take it and stay at home until further notice. After your leave, report directly to headquarters.”

“W-what?”

Fale looked up, stunned by Luke’s unexpected instruction. Without elaborating, Luke adjusted the bag on his shoulder and turned to leave.

“Oh, Fale.”

Before exiting the alley, Luke stopped and glanced back at the bewildered soldier.

“Which family have you been delivering the crystal orbs to?”

“The Harnus Marquisate…”

Of course, Luke thought. Muttering under his breath, he disappeared from view, leaving Fale slumped in the alley.

Later, Fale would discover why Luke had spared him. Upon returning to headquarters after his leave, he learned that Luke had confessed to the entire crime himself.