“You called for me, Commander?”

Theo entered the Commander’s office and bowed his head respectfully. Having come straight from morning training after an unexpected summons, his face was slightly flushed.

“I told you there was no rush,” Veil remarked.

“How could I take my time when it’s the Commander calling?”

“That steadfastness of yours is as consistent as ever,” Veil said with a warm smile, gesturing for Theo to sit at a nearby table.

“What’s the matter?” Theo asked.

Veil rarely summoned his subordinates to his office unless it was for something important. Unlike some of the retired senior officers—who treated their subordinates as personal servants under the guise of military customs—Veil was known for his integrity. For him to call Theo in for a one-on-one meeting, there had to be a significant reason.

“There’s quite a bit of division among the retired generals over this recent incident,” Veil began.

The retired generals were a group of former soldiers with distinguished careers who now held honorary positions. Officially, they wielded no power within the military. However, this was merely a façade. These old foxes often interfered in military affairs under the guise of offering “advice.”

“But hasn’t the truth of the Harnus family corruption case already been revealed? And you’ve already decided Captain Luke’s punishment.”

“True, but you think those old foxes are the type to stay quiet? All they know how to do is sit around and shout loudly.”

Veil’s tone took on an uncharacteristic sharpness. It was clear that the constant meddling of the retired generals was a source of great frustration for him.

“Even though the corruption case has been resolved, the fact that Luke tampered with military supplies has apparently rubbed them the wrong way. They believe it’s tarnished the military’s reputation.”

So, even the one-month suspension Veil imposed wasn’t enough to satisfy them. Were they pushing for harsher punishment?

Theo’s hands, neatly placed on the table, tightened slightly.

“Still, I have no intention of overturning my decision.”

Theo exhaled softly, not fully aware of the relief that slipped into his breath.

“However, we need to at least make it seem like we’re considering their concerns. That’s why I’ve decided to assign a monitor to Luke during his suspension.”

Theo nodded. It seemed like a reasonable compromise on Veil’s part.

“I think that’s a good idea.”

“Then, Theo, I’ll leave it to you to select an appropriate soldier for the task—”

“In that case, I’ll take on the role of monitor myself.”

“Alright, then— Wait, what did you just say?”

“Captain Luke’s personality can be… difficult. Most soldiers wouldn’t be able to handle him.”

Veil blinked in surprise. While it was true that Luke could be sharp and temperamental, the idea of Theo—a division captain—personally taking on the role of monitor was unexpected. Veil couldn’t help but feel slightly perplexed.

After a moment, however, Veil seemed to come to some understanding. A small smile played on his lips as he nodded.

“If you’re willing to handle it, then I have no concerns.”

“Thank you. I’ll carry out the order.”

Theo gave a polite salute and exited the Commander’s office.

“That boy seems a little… eager, doesn’t he?” Veil mused to himself, shaking his head with a bemused smile.

***

“It’s me.”

Clang—

The fork Luke was holding slipped from his grasp, clattering to the floor. Did he just hear that right?

“You dropped something,” Theo remarked.

“Oh… yeah.”

Luke, snapping out of his daze, nodded absently and bent down to retrieve the fork. As he straightened up, Theo casually reached out to steady the corner of the table, where Luke’s head nearly grazed the edge. Theo quickly pulled his hand back, acting as if nothing had happened.

“This can’t be happening. Wait a second!”

Luke slammed the fork onto the table with a loud clang, drawing the attention of a café staff member who paused mid-cleaning to glance over at them.

“What did you just say? You’re going to be my monitor?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Seriously, why would someone of Theo’s rank do this? As the captain of the First Division, Theo oversaw the largest unit and was responsible for tasks like running weekly meetings. Surely, he had more important duties than playing babysitter.

“…Theo, don’t you have work to do?”

After mulling it over, Luke finally blurted out the question on his mind.

“Isn’t this the kind of task you’d assign to a mid-level officer?”

“It is. But think about it. Is there anyone in the Imperial Army capable of dealing with your personality?” Theo replied matter-of-factly.

“What?”

Was that an insult disguised as a compliment?

“If we assigned anyone else, you’d probably drive them up the wall, or worse, find a way to shake them off and do as you please. That’s why it has to be me.”

Luke clamped his mouth shut. While he had no intention of tormenting his monitor, he had been planning ways to evade them. Sometimes Theo’s insight was annoyingly spot-on.

“Fine. It’s an order from the higher-ups, right? I’ll cooperate. Just swap yourself out for someone else.”

“Why?”

“Why? Because having you around is uncomfortable, obviously.”

As he spoke, Luke flagged down a staff member and requested a new fork before resuming his meal with exaggerated enthusiasm.

“And besides, you’re busy. You’ve got a mountain of responsibilities. Focus on your actual job, will you?”

Things like earning more accolades and moving closer to the Commander-in-Chief position, for instance. Now that Luke was sidelined, it was Theo’s perfect opportunity to sprint ahead in the race toward their inevitable happy ending. Why waste time monitoring a rival when he could use this chance to outshine him? Unless… this was Theo’s plan to spy on Luke up close.

“Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m not as busy as you think. Didn’t you hear? The Kingdom of Mambern is considering peace negotiations after recent events. If that happens, the Imperial Army won’t need to exert as much force.”

Luke gritted his teeth, stabbing at his salad with unnecessary force. Peace talks with Mambern? Sure, Luke had single-handedly crushed an enemy battalion, and the exposure of the Harnus family’s corruption had further weakened Mambern’s resolve, but that didn’t mean Theo didn’t have other pressing matters to attend to.

“Come on, don’t you have meetings to prep for? Or, I don’t know, something productive to do?” Luke muttered, attempting to steer the conversation.

But Theo was as unyielding as ever. “Whether I have a lot on my plate or not, I’ll handle it. Stick to your own business.”

What Theo meant was clear: he had no intention of backing down. Luke groaned internally. It was pointless. No matter how many excuses he came up with, Theo remained immovable, responding to every argument with calm confidence.

“Fine. Do whatever you want.”

“I planned to,” Theo replied, unbothered.

By now, the café staff were openly observing the two, clearly entertained. The legendary rivalry between the two captains was common knowledge, and this scene likely came across as yet another one of their infamous clashes.

Though the two were engaged in something closer to childish bickering.

“Monitor me, then. But too bad for you—I’m not stepping foot outside the dormitory,” Luke declared.

“That’s music to my ears. Monitoring you will be a breeze,” Theo quipped.

Luke let out an audible groan, his fork scraping aggressively against the plate as he jabbed at his salad. Then, an idea crossed his mind. Theo had said the monitoring would be temporary. If Luke interpreted that correctly, it didn’t mean Theo would be glued to his side for the entire month. But it also didn’t guarantee Theo would quit anytime soon.

Then I’ll just have to make him quit myself.

Luke set down his fork and stared at Theo.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Hey, Theo. What’s a monitor’s job, exactly?”

Luke interlocked his fingers and rested his chin on them, suddenly appearing serious. Theo narrowed his eyes and replied, “A monitor’s job is to observe and report on their subject’s words, actions, and whereabouts. Everything.”

“Exactly.”

Luke clapped his hands and stood abruptly. Theo’s gaze flicked to the unfinished food on Luke’s plate.

“You eat like a bird.”

“Not the point. Get up.”

Luke motioned for Theo to rise, who looked up at him with a mixture of confusion and suspicion.

“You said you’re monitoring me, right?”

“Heading back to your room? If so, I’ll—”

“No.”

Luke shot him a grin, one Theo had seen far too often recently—during interrogations, during the trial, during every moment Luke had outmaneuvered everyone around him.

“I’m going out. Beyond the headquarters.”