Chapter 89: Chapter 89

"Seeing this really drives home your position," Luke remarked in awe as he gazed at the docked ship before him. The imperial military emblem emblazoned on the mast carried an unmistakable sense of authority. Sailors on the deck were bustling about, making final preparations for the voyage.

The military vessel exuded an imposing presence, standing out even among the other ships docked at the harbor. Workers on nearby ships stole curious glances at the grand sight. Among the myriad of ships owned by the imperial military, the one before Luke was reputed to be the best-equipped.

This was the ship Theo had used for his inspection in the west. It was, of course, no surprise that the commander himself would travel in such a vessel.

"Have you forgotten anything?" Theo asked.

"No."

"Then let’s go. It’s almost time to depart."

Luke took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. It was a sigh that carried his resignation to the repetitive nature of his situation and a steely resolve to face what lay ahead. After all, this journey was for the sake of restoring his right arm.

As they boarded the ship, the crew managing the vessel greeted Theo with respectful bows. These weren’t soldiers but specialists and engineers trained in the art of ship management.

“No one from headquarters is coming with us?” Luke asked, looking around. Other than Theo, the commander, and Pail, who had finished his leave and would be returning with them, there were no military personnel aboard. Compared to former commander Bael, who always traveled with at least one officer and dozens of subordinates, Theo’s approach seemed both extreme and unconventional.

“They have their own duties to attend to. This was an unscheduled inspection, and it was more about satisfying my personal curiosity than anything else. I didn’t feel the need to bring anyone along.”

Luke found this reasoning a bit reckless. If they were attacked, what then? But looking at Theo’s robust frame, it was clear that no ordinary ambush would faze him.

Theo’s explanation brought back memories Luke would rather forget. Thinking about it, the reason Theo had come to this region in the first place was due to rumors about the "Faceless Mercenary" single-handedly defeating high-level monsters.

That had been the catalyst for everything. It led to Luke and Theo’s reunion and to Luke being swept into handling this entire mess.

“So, what was this personal curiosity?” Luke asked.

“When I heard the rumor, something about it stuck with me.”

As Theo spoke, the ship began to move, its majestic form pulling away from the harbor with a deep, resonant creak.

“Maybe it was because I needed to meet you,” Theo added.

The ship cut through the water, creating powerful ripples in its wake. Luke, who had been staring blankly at the waves, slowly turned his gaze to Theo.

“...Theo, did you eat something weird?” Luke asked, his voice filled with suspicion.

“What makes you ask that?” Theo replied.

“Well, it’s just that you’ve been saying a lot of strange things lately.”

First, there was the talk about taking responsibility for him, then feeding him when his arm was injured. Not to mention calling him cute, saying he looked like a cat, and—of all things—telling the villagers that his smile was beautiful. It was starting to feel odd.

At first, Luke thought Theo might just be teasing him about his retired status, but the consistency of it was unsettling. Besides, Theo wasn’t the type to mock people verbally.

“Maybe I’ve picked it up from you,” Theo mused.

As the ship surged forward, the crisp sea breeze tousled Theo’s black hair, making it appear even darker against the backdrop of the bright blue sky and clear ocean.

“Can you speak plainly? Sudden personality changes are a bad omen, you know,” Luke muttered, lowering his voice as he glanced at the crew bustling about with cargo.

“I don’t die so easily,” Theo replied.

“It’s just a saying. Don’t you understand metaphors?”@@novelbin@@

“I need to contact headquarters. Go inside—the sea breeze is chilly.”

Just as he had done before the mines at Gelu, Theo adjusted Luke’s robe to keep him warm.

“Oh, and Luke.”

As Luke turned to head inside, Theo suddenly called out, stopping him in his tracks.

“Just so you know, don’t touch the liquor in the storage room. If you get drunk and fall into the sea, it’ll be a problem.”

At those words, Luke was immediately reminded of that humiliating night a few days ago—getting thoroughly drunk and ending up relying on Theo. It was all Theo’s fault.

“Hey! You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” Luke shouted, his voice echoing across the deck.

The sailors, startled by the sudden outburst, froze in place. It wasn’t every day someone raised their voice at the commander, and their reactions showed just how unusual the situation was.

Theo, however, didn’t respond. Instead, he simply smirked faintly and disappeared into the cabin, leaving Luke fuming.

Once inside the private cabin, Theo activated the military communication crystal on the table, and its familiar glow filled the room. The person on the other end of the connection was none other than his aide, Sion.

“This is Commander Theo. Go ahead.”

“We’ve just departed from Calum. We should arrive on schedule.”

“Understood, sir. Is there anything else?”

As Theo spoke, his gaze wandered to the window in the cabin wall. From this angle, he could see part of the deck—and there stood Luke, leaning against the railing with his eyes closed, seemingly savoring the sea breeze. Despite the chill, Luke showed no sign of heading inside, which didn’t surprise Theo. He hadn’t expected Luke to follow his advice obediently.

As Theo watched, Luke tilted his head slightly and relaxed further against the railing. That faint smile on his face filled Theo’s chest with an unfamiliar, yet oddly satisfying warmth. It was a sensation he’d been experiencing more often lately, especially when looking at Luke.

He thought back to the night Luke had been drunk and muttered about feeling disappointed. His heart had felt like it would burst then, as if someone were gripping it tightly.

“Sir? Is there anything else you’d like to add?” Sion’s voice broke through Theo’s thoughts.

“Oh, yes. One more thing. I need you to notify the palace about an urgent report tomorrow.”

“The palace, sir? Is there a problem?”

Realizing the implications of Theo’s words, Sion’s tone grew cautious. An urgent report to the palace from an inspection commander was never a trivial matter.

“It’s not something I can explain here. I’ll give a full report after I return.”

“Understood, sir. The senior officers are planning to greet you upon your arrival. Shall I inform them otherwise?”

“Tell them not to bother. We’ll arrive late at night anyway—no need for unnecessary trouble.”

“Yes, sir. Safe travels.”

With Sion’s parting words, the communication ended, and the crystal dimmed to its original color. Theo stared at it absently for a moment before tapping the table in thought.

The moment of contemplation didn’t last long. Theo reached out and reactivated the crystal.

***

The ship docked at the capital’s harbor quite late at night. It wasn’t until the anchor was securely lowered and the vessel had come to a complete stop that Theo and his party disembarked.

“Salute the Commander!”

At Twellin Harbor, where the military ship had docked, rows of imperial soldiers in full uniform stood at attention in a perfectly straight formation.

“I told them not to come,” Theo muttered with a deep sigh at the sight before him. Despite his explicit instructions to Sion, it seemed the message hadn’t been conveyed—or at least not heeded. Standing proudly at the head of the formation was Third Division Commander Mile, saluting with a smug grin plastered across his face.

“Well done on your inspection, Commander!” Mile greeted enthusiastically.

“Didn’t Sion relay my instructions to you?”

“He did, sir. However, I couldn’t possibly ignore your return after such arduous duties.”

Without missing a beat, Mile launched into a prepared spiel about how worried he had been when Theo left without any accompaniment for the inspection. Theo, fully aware of the sycophantic nature of the remarks, could only sigh softly.

“You haven’t changed, have you?” Theo remarked dryly.

At that moment, someone else stepped off the ship behind Theo. The unexpected voice that followed caused not only the soldiers forced to stand there late at night but even Mile himself to widen their eyes in astonishment.

The lights streaming from the ship were unusually bright, casting the approaching figure in shadow. Mile squinted slightly, trying to discern the figure’s identity.

“I’ve always thought that if you ever fell into water, only your mouth would stay afloat,” the voice quipped.

“You…” Mile’s jaw dropped. Whether it was the voice or the telltale gleam of silver hair now illuminated by the ship’s lights, recognition dawned on him.

“Lu—Luke?!”

“It’s been a while. You seem to be doing well—annoyingly so,” Luke replied, a sly smile curling his lips as he waved casually in Mile’s direction.