Chapter 93

Under normal circumstances, Aivert would have insisted on going together, even if she said she didn’t want to.  

“If you go alone, you’ll just get scolded.”  

“Isn’t that because your reporting format is… unique?”  

That kind of exchange wasn’t just recent—it had happened more than once.  

But now, Aivert was insisting on going alone, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.  

Sure, that could happen.  

The vice commander could go alone to report to the commander.  

But then—why did it feel so strange?

“Get some rest.”

Just as countless thoughts passed through her mind, Aivert grabbed his coat and left.  

“I’ll see you next time,” the recon officer said and followed him out.

Left alone in the now-empty office, Rodella blinked.

The unfamiliar sensation made her heart pound.

—Click.

Outside the office door, Aivert let out a short breath.  

He felt like he had just sprinted—desperately trying to suppress his ragged breathing.  

“Alone?”

‘The way you asked, sounding so puzzled. Did I seem strange? I probably did. But…’

‘If I can’t stand by your side and protect you… If you want to put distance between us and dream of a future of your own… Then I, as the one leading Royden, am just an obstacle keeping you from that dream.’

Because he knew that…  

“……”

He bit his lip hard.

He still loved Rodella.  

But he couldn’t bring himself to be selfish.  

He couldn’t force things in a direction she didn’t want.  

He didn’t want the person he loved to be in danger.  

So, instead, he chose to distance himself.  

To send her overseas.  

And to stay behind—guarding the place she could one day return to.  

That was the right choice.  

Because he couldn’t allow the person he loved to be put in danger just because he loved her.  

“…Let’s go.”

Aivert turned around.  

The recon officer—one of Royden’s own—looked at the head of the house with uneasy eyes.  

She couldn’t begin to guess at the turmoil in his heart.  

But she could see it—his emotions churning like boiling water.

***

Latine Modilac had always had a natural talent for magic.

But when he chose the path of a mercenary, he’d picked up the sword for a simple reason: “Complicated stuff just isn’t for me.”

In that sense, swinging a sword and charging around suited him perfectly.  

At least it had—until he sat in the chair of the Azure Knight Commander.  

Now, even charging around with a sword had turned into something complicated.

“Hmph.”

He was reading through the report Aivert had brought regarding the recent cult incident.

And there were more than a few suspicious parts.

More than anything else—

[The recon unit located Deputy Quartermaster Rodella Syveric and relayed the information, allowing the branch office to deploy troops immediately.]

If something like that showed up in a novel, he’d mock it for being too unrealistic.

Sure, the recon unit might’ve located Dame Syveric quickly.  

But how could they have reported specifically to the Royden-occupied northeastern branch—and not to HQ or a closer office?

And how had Aivert, who was at Royden, arrive at the scene so fast?

You could argue his horse and his own abilities were extraordinary.  

But what about the troops? How had they gotten there?

The knights who crushed the cult stronghold—how did they mobilize so quickly?

And which branch were they even from? The report didn’t say.

If you actually started verifying it, the inconsistencies were everywhere.

“…?”

But even as their eyes met, Aivert just tilted his head nonchalantly, as if saying, hurry up and sign it already.

“Is there anything you left out of the report?”

“No,” Aivert replied confidently.

“Nothing more to say?”

He nodded. “No.”

No matter how he probed, he’d just get that same answer.

“I see…”

Latine put down the documents and locked eyes with him.

Aivert knew that he would see through the report’s lies.  

And yet he stood there like it was nothing.

Sure, the Azure Knights’ reports had been embellished in the past.  

But not to this degree.  

And never had troop movement information been falsified—since that had to be handled precisely.

But this time was different.

The troops who rescued Rodella—might not even have been Azure Knights.

“……”

Latine narrowed his eyes.

It was probably Royden’s private forces.

And the Emperor would almost certainly know that.

Ameris, the Chancellor, probably did too.

And now Aivert was standing here, shamelessly asking him to play dumb.

Latine sighed. Then after a moment of silence, he spoke, like confessing something: “I know about your past. And Royden’s.”

Aivert’s gaze sharpened slightly at that.

He didn’t respond, so Latine continued, “But I believe you’re still working for the Empire.”

The former Duke of Royden, who died trying to create the Azure Knights solely for the Emperor—

After that incident, the only “beneficiaries” were the Emperor and Latine himself, who became commander.

Or, thinking more deeply about it, considering the relationship between Royden and the Emperor, Latine, who started as just a renowned mercenary and ended up with a title and position, was the only real beneficiary.

Yet Aivert had never once blamed him.

And Latine had treated him like a disobedient nephew—a child of a friend, someone he couldn’t help but feel guilty toward.

No matter what kind of mess Aivert caused or what he destroyed, Latine had always cleaned it up.  

Because Aivert’s actions always aimed toward the good.  

And besides, Latine’s wealth had mostly been earned thanks to Royden anyway.

That’s why Latine trusted him.

Aivert could’ve gone astray—easily.  

But in the end, he never turned against the Emperor.

Maybe he noticed Latine’s thoughts.

Aivert looked at him and said: “We’re on the same boat anyway, Commander.”

In other words, they were both in the Emperor’s faction.

Latine blinked.

Wait, I never declared my allegiance openly, did I?

Did Ameris say something?  

Wasn’t my political position supposed to be a secret?

But then again… Royden—

Even if Latine wasn’t deeply political, he couldn’t not know the situation.

Recently, something had forced Royden to side with the Emperor.

Rodella Syveric getting hurt.

“How did you know?”

Latine had to ask.

How did you know I’m part of the Emperor’s faction?

Aivert looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“…Do you prefer the Red Knights instead?”

“Are you insane?”

The response came out reflexively.

Unfazed, Aivert replied, “Then we are on the same boat.”

…That made no sense. But weirdly enough, it worked.

“Politics is a pain,” Latine groaned and waved his hand.

Yeah—let’s not overthink it.

But he’d gleaned a crucial bit of intel from this conversation.

Aivert Royden was definitely on the Emperor’s side.

And why?

Because of Rodella Syveric.

How could he block the path of the woman he loved?

Latine chuckled.

“Ameris played a mean trick, huh?”

“…Pardon?”

For the first time since entering the office, Aivert looked genuinely confused.

Latine just waved him off.

“You can go.”

You almost fooled me with that serious face, my friend.

Calling it an engagement break-off—ha! That guy would chase her to the ends of the earth.

Latine ran a hand over his chest, satisfied.

Meanwhile, Aivert, who had no idea what Latine was thinking, tilted his head slightly…then quietly exited the office.