Chapter 26: Chapter 26

Luke’s house was located a short distance away from Rudrain Square. As the captain of the Imperial Army’s Detached Force, his salary was quite substantial, which allowed him to afford a relatively spacious home despite being of commoner status. Of course, compared to the grand estates of nobles, it was nothing impressive.

The two-story house, complete with a small, well-kept yard, was modestly furnished inside. Only the most basic and essential pieces of furniture were scattered throughout the space, leaving little trace of daily life. From a bed tucked into one corner on the first floor, Luke groggily sat up.

“……”

The sunlight streaming through the window, the cozy feel of the blanket, and a glance at the clock—just past 11 a.m.—all greeted him as he woke.

After being promoted to captain, Luke had lived in the military dormitories, a practice followed by roughly 80% of the Imperial Army. Only in rare cases, such as unique family circumstances like Leo’s, did soldiers live outside the dorms. The regulations encouraged dormitory life for all soldiers, and as captains were expected to set an example, they usually adhered to this rule without exception—Leo being a notable outlier.

Because of this, Luke had only visited his house during occasional leaves, leaving it devoid of any real sense of lived-in comfort. When he finally moved back here from the dorms, he wondered if he could sleep properly, but that concern turned out to be entirely unwarranted. For the first time in a long while, he had slept exceptionally well.

Though the time he woke up was nearing noon, Luke didn’t care in the slightest. Gone were the days of waking at dawn for grueling training sessions. For the first time, he could enjoy the luxury of relaxation.

“They say quitting solves everything,” Luke muttered as he rubbed his chin. The aches and pains that had constantly plagued him from endless training and sparring were gone. Even the pounding headaches from overthinking had disappeared. Most of all, though, what he cherished was the newfound peace in his heart.

How much effort had he put in to ensure the protagonist had a happy ending in this transmigrated story? To maintain his villainous role, he’d said countless harsh words he didn’t mean, endured contemptuous looks from fellow captains, and even tolerated the gossip of soldiers far beneath his rank.

And that wasn’t all. To provoke and guide Theo into fulfilling his protagonist role, Luke had painstakingly maintained their rivalry. But now, he was finally free from all those responsibilities.

After all, Theo was the Commander-in-Chief now, and Luke was just a retired soldier!

Luke couldn’t suppress the grin spreading across his face. He ran a hand through his messy hair and headed to the bathroom.

After a quick wash, he noticed a box carelessly placed on the central table in the living room. It was a collection of his belongings from the dormitory. Determined to leave the military as soon as possible, Luke had packed up immediately after Theo’s inauguration ceremony. Thanks to the celebratory banquet, the dormitory was deserted, allowing him to organize his things without interruption.

“Not like I’m coming back anyway,” Luke muttered with a nod, spotting a document sticking out of the box. Naturally, his hand reached for it, pulling out the folded paper.

Retirement Application

Submitted by: Luke

Position and Rank: Captain of the Detached Force, Imperial Army

Reason for Retirement: Personal circumstances

I hereby submit this application for retirement in accordance with Article 25, Clause 3 of the Imperial Military Code.

At the bottom were Luke’s signature and Veil’s, side by side. Luke recalled the conversation he’d had with Veil after the meeting that day.

“Commander, may I dare to make one last request?”

“Speak your mind.”

“I would like you to personally sign my retirement application.”

“As I’m about to retire myself, I take it you don’t want the other soldiers to know?”

“Yes. I’d like to avoid causing any commotion during this time.”

For a soldier to retire, they had to follow the procedures outlined in the military code. This typically involved completing the application, obtaining the necessary signatures from superiors, and submitting it to the administrative division for processing.

For most soldiers, this meant securing the signatures of both their unit captain and the Commander-in-Chief. Captains, however, only needed the Commander-in-Chief’s signature to retire. In other words, regardless of rank, the Commander-in-Chief’s signature was essential.

With Veil retiring and Theo taking over, Luke wanted to leave quietly. If news of his retirement spread prematurely, rumors would inevitably start circulating within the military. Worse, he didn’t want to overshadow Theo’s inauguration with unnecessary drama.

That’s why he’d asked Veil to sign the application just before his own retirement took effect. Since the ceremony marked the transition of command, Luke reasoned that securing Veil’s signature beforehand would allow him to avoid any public fuss.

And Veil had readily obliged, signing the application on the day of the ceremony.

“Time for lunch.”

Luke tucked the retirement application back into the box and headed to the kitchen. With the house having been empty for so long, there wasn’t much food available, so he had to make do with a simple meal. After finishing, he treated himself to a leisurely cup of coffee, savoring every sip before stepping outside for a bit of sunshine.

The sky seemed to be celebrating his retirement along with him; the sunlight was warm and pleasant. It was still early afternoon, and he could see a few people out enjoying walks.

“So pretty!”

The exclamation came from a young girl passing by Luke’s house. She waved enthusiastically in his direction.

“What’s pretty?”

“Your face!”

“Huh?”

Luke tilted his head, puzzled by her words. But the sight of her bright, cheerful face made him chuckle despite himself.

“I’m not sure what you think is pretty, but—” Luke crouched down to her eye level. “You’re pretty, too.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

At that moment, a woman who appeared to be the girl’s mother rushed over, pulling her daughter back in a flurry of apologies.

“I’m so sorry! I wasn’t paying attention…”

The woman, who seemed to be a commoner, bowed repeatedly, apologizing far more than necessary. Luke knew exactly why—locals in this area were likely familiar with his infamous reputation.

The ruthless captain of the Imperial Army, known for his merciless demeanor, or so they said.@@novelbin@@

“It’s fine. Your daughter’s adorable.”

“Pardon? Oh, thank you…”

Luke smiled gently and playfully poked the girl’s cheek, making her burst into giggles. The woman’s wide-eyed surprise was telling—she was probably thinking, This is nothing like the rumors.

But what could Luke do? He had no reason to hide his true self anymore. Besides, everything looked beautiful to him right now. After all, he was a retired soldier with nothing to fear from the world.

As the girl and her mother left, Luke waved enthusiastically. Then he sensed someone approaching from the side. Turning his head, he spotted the familiar figure and smiled slightly.

***

As the commotion of the inauguration ceremony faded, the Imperial Army quickly returned to its usual air of solemnity. Although the war with Mambern had ended on a favorable note, with peace seemingly assured for the time being, nothing was ever truly certain.

After all, Mambern wasn’t the only entity capable of threatening the empire. Still, the peace treaty undeniably elevated the Heiner Empire’s prestige, once again asserting its dominance across the continent. For now, there was little cause for concern.

“Commander, here are the next documents for your review.”

Theo, freshly appointed as the new Commander-in-Chief, had been swamped with work since morning. It didn’t take long for him to understand why Veil had chosen this moment to step down and hand over the position.

Adjusting to this peaceful period now would be critical preparation for the challenges that might arise later. Even for Theo, who prided himself on his stamina and ability to handle most situations without faltering, the sheer volume of work was overwhelming. He hadn’t even found the time to visit Luke, despite intending to do so once the most pressing tasks were addressed.

“Veil is truly someone to admire.”

“Still, you’re making remarkable progress for your first day, sir,” remarked Sion, his aide, with a smile.

“Enough flattery, Sion. Your support will be crucial moving forward, so don’t hesitate to let me know if anything is lacking.”

“Yes, Commander.”

Sion nodded confidently. He had served as Veil’s aide during his tenure as Commander-in-Chief and now continued in that role under Theo’s leadership.

“About the vacancy for the 1st Division captain—shall I proceed as you instructed?”

“Yes. Appoint Roena as captain of the 1st Division and promote Senior Officer Harold to captain of the 2nd Division.”

“Understood.”

The role of the 1st Division captain carried unique responsibilities, such as overseeing operations and conducting various administrative duties. It also involved leading the largest contingent of soldiers, which required exceptional competence.

Roena, despite being the only female captain, was among the top in skill and, more importantly, possessed a resolute character unaffected by political scheming or external pressures. She was a perfect fit for the position.

“Oh, and regarding the vacancy for the Detached Force captain—”

Sion was about to bring up the next matter when someone urgently knocked on the Commander’s office door, then burst in without waiting for permission.

“Theo—no, Commander!”

It was Leo, gasping for breath, his usually composed demeanor replaced by a rare look of panic.

“Leo? What’s going on?” Theo asked, rising from his seat instinctively.

“Did you… did you know? That Captain Luke has retired?”

“What…?”

At Leo’s words, a crack visibly formed in Theo’s otherwise composed expression, his brows furrowing deeply.