"These days, even a 52-year-old in his prime is out hunting monsters, huh? No wonder the Empire is prospering," Theo remarked, his tone laced with sarcasm.

"Excuse me? Oh...," the guard stammered, his expression stiffening as he retrieved the documents Theo handed back. He hadn't had time to verify their contents in his haste to make up for his earlier blunder. Internally, the guard cursed the silver-haired man who had escaped. Not only had the man fled, but he had also falsified the paperwork.

"I don't know why he ran, but it's clear he’s a crucial witness in the monster subjugation. The lack of proper management here is unacceptable."

"My deepest apologies, Commander. I have no excuse," the guard said, bowing deeply.

Theo placed the documents back on the table and shook his head.
"I'm not your superior, so there's no need to bow to me. However, I recommend that you remain vigilant and ensure this doesn’t happen again."

The sharp reprimand and straightforward advice made the guard bow even lower. He was grateful Theo wasn’t issuing harsher directives to his superiors in the guard station.

"The credit for the monster subjugation will be officially recognized under military authority. Please handle the shipping company’s complaint appropriately as well."

It was true that there were numerous eyewitness accounts of the man defeating the monster. Theo had come here to investigate the subjugation process and any peculiarities about the monster itself, but with the man now on the run, there was no reason to linger. Besides, it was a mid-tier monster, not a high-tier one, so there was no need to overexert himself.

"Understood!"

Leaving the guard's enthusiastic response behind, Theo strode out of the station building. The scorching sunlight poured down as if it had been waiting for him. It felt particularly intense, perhaps due to the height of summer.

As he stepped outside, Theo found himself recalling the hooded figure he'd glimpsed earlier. He hadn’t seen much beyond the person's back, and there wasn’t any striking feature to identify them. Yet, the way they vaulted over the wall lingered in his mind. Perhaps they were unexpectedly skilled, but what bothered Theo more was the peculiar familiarity of their movements. He couldn’t pinpoint what it was, but the memory clung to him like an itch he couldn’t scratch.

Theo was on his way back to headquarters when he noticed a group of soldiers from the 1st Division resting near the magic conservation area. Judging by the dirt caked on their combat uniforms and their slouched shoulders, it seemed their monster subjugation mission had been particularly grueling.

“Man, even though it was just a mid-tier monster, that was tough.”

“It had an unusually high level of mana for a mid-tier. I’m exhausted. Battles have been feeling harder lately.”

The soldiers continued their conversation while quenching their thirst, unaware of Theo’s presence nearby.

“So it wasn’t just me who felt that way?”

The raw, unfiltered conversation of soldiers fresh from battle reached Theo’s ears. It wasn’t proper for a commander to eavesdrop, especially on his subordinates. In the rigid hierarchy of the military, the ones who bore the greatest hardships were always those of lower rank. For them to confide in their peers during moments of respite was vital. Interfering with that would only harm the organization.

‘I should leave before they notice me.’

Theo carefully stifled his presence and turned to take a side path instead of the main road to headquarters.

“It’s probably because of that. The Detached Force isn’t active anymore.”

But the next words stopped Theo in his tracks.

“The Detached Force?”

The youngest-looking soldier in the group widened his eyes in curiosity. With his pristine face and voice full of energy, he looked like a recruit who hadn’t been in the army long.

“Oh, right. You just joined this month, didn’t you?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then it makes sense you wouldn’t know how things used to work. Here at headquarters, there’s a standard procedure for monster subjugation.”

“Procedure?”

“Well, it’s more like an unspoken rule that became the norm over time. When a monster appears, the Detached Force is the first to deploy.”

The recruit’s eyes sparkled with interest as his senior explained.

“They’re the most mobile unit. Their job is to reach the site first, contain the monster’s impact on the surrounding area, and identify its weaknesses.”

Once the main forces arrived, the Detached Force would share their findings to ensure smoother operations for the main troops. This approach had significantly reduced the time and casualties involved in monster subjugations.

“Although, to be honest, there were plenty of times we arrived only to find Captain Luke had already finished everything.”

“Yeah, and then he’d give us that irritated look and ask why we were late, like we’d stopped for a bathroom break or something.”

The soldiers clenched their fists as they reminisced, only to slump again moments later.

“But honestly? I kind of miss that annoyed face of his.”

“Looking back, he really was incredible.”

Now that the Detached Force wasn’t functioning as it used to, the main units had to handle everything from start to finish, making the battles far more demanding than before.

“So, the Captain isn’t around anymore?”

The recruit’s innocent question earned awkward smiles from his seniors.

“Listen, kid, don’t bring him up recklessly.”

“Huh? Why not?”

“There are plenty of commanders who don’t like him, especially the Commander-in-Chief. Be careful not to mention him in front of Theo. They didn’t exactly get along. Not that you’ll likely have a conversation with him.”

Having enjoyed their brief respite, the soldiers began to rise. As they headed toward headquarters, the recruit suddenly glanced back.

“What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing. I thought I saw someone over there, but I guess I was mistaken.”

“You must be tired. Let’s hurry back and get some rest.”

Dragging their weary bodies, the soldiers trudged onward.

***

"Sebastian! Over here!"

Luke flinched, his shoulders twitching at the distant shout from a passerby. The man who had been called "Sebastian" grinned brightly as he walked past Luke without a second glance.

"That scared me," Luke muttered to himself.

His heart was still racing, likely because he had scribbled a fake name on the guard station's personal information form. He hadn’t expected Theo to show up in pursuit. Knowing Theo, he must have noticed the strange left-handed handwriting on the note Luke had deliberately left behind. But he hadn’t anticipated Theo would chase him right out the back door. If Theo hadn’t been distracted by someone calling his name at just the right moment, Luke might have had no choice but to face him again on the spot.

He wanted nothing to do with anyone from the Imperial Army headquarters—least of all Theo, who ranked first on the list of people he most wanted to avoid. Why Theo would personally handle something he could have left to his subordinates was beyond Luke, but his odd behavior was nothing new.

"I'm not going to end up on a wanted list for this, am I?"

Luke stopped in the middle of the bustling street, caught up in his thoughts. He’d bolted from the guard station without much forethought, but technically, he had been in custody after being reported. Fleeing before the investigation into the monster subjugation was complete might lead to serious consequences later.

"Things really went south right from the start," he muttered.

According to his original plan, he should have arrived at his destination by now. Instead, the time wasted killing the monster, being detained by the guards, and then escaping had eaten into his schedule. Evening was already approaching.

The aroma of food wafted through the air as local shops began their dinner service. The dim streets were gradually illuminated by the warm glow of shop signs, creating a picturesque scene.

This was Ermen, a town located south of the capital. It was a sizable town with a strong emphasis on tradition and its own unique culture, making it a popular tourist destination. Despite having spent years in the capital, Luke had never ventured beyond the central districts, so this was his first time here.

"Hey, silver-haired fellow!"

Luke turned to see a merchant calling out to him.

"You look like you’ve had a tough day. How about some barbecue at my place to cheer you up?"

Luke widened his large eyes even further. How could the man tell he’d had a rough day? It was obvious the merchant was just fishing for customers, but the enticing smell of grilled meat made it impossible to refuse.

"Give me a single portion that feels like two, and I might consider it."

"Haha, I like you, man! Alright, I’ll throw in something extra just for you!"

Originally, Luke had planned to feast on luxurious lobster aboard a fancy ship. But thanks to that damned monster ruining everything, his plans had fallen apart, and now his stomach was practically glued to his back. Smiling, he let the merchant lead him into the shop.

"What’s your name, buddy? I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone as handsome as you around here. Are you a local?"

"Well, my name’s Sebastian," Luke replied with a grin as he casually set his belongings down at a suitable spot. "I’m not from here, just a tourist passing through."