"When I was a boy his age, my father only tasked me with wandering the streets of the East District in Ernest, and helping out anyone I saw... When I finally passed the Second Boundary, it was a squadron of men that I was placed in charge of. That's a good bit easier than ensuring the protection of near five-hundred peasants," Tolsey said, unable to stop his smile.
"That is indeed how it tends to go. Your master must be quite the maverick, foisting such responsibility on you so early. He must be quite eager to see you progress through to the Third Boundary," Lombard said.
"The Third Boundary?" Tolsey repeated, his skin whitening. "But he's only a child still. Surely he won't pass through the Third Boundary before his twentieth birthday?"
Lombard looked at Tolsey with a harsh expression, enough to quieten him. But Beam could see the slightest traces of amusement about the man's face. "You worry that he'll reach the Third Boundary at a younger age than you reached the Second, mm?"
Tolsey hung his head, apparently embarrassed to have it pointed out as such. "Not only that, but he's still a peasant... He didn't have access to all the things we did as children."
"The Gods seem to care less for social rank than we do," Lombard said. "Competence is competence. The military is one of the few places that almost acknowledges that, at least in our country, with us on the losing end of this damnable war. Such would be true for you, boy, if you showed I could trust you."
"Trust me, don't trust me, I no longer care," Beam said, entirely done with the routine by now.
Tolsey looked greatly put off by Beam's attitude, but Lombard merely waved a hand. "It is comforting, is it not, Vice-Captain? To see that despite his manoeuvrings, and his aura, he is still a child at heart."
"I suppose you could say that..." Tolsey said meekly. "Though I'm not sure of any other sort of child that would dare to speak to a Captain like that. Not even a noble child would."
The Captain unleashed his aura in full, letting it loose like the wind. Beam felt it buffet him, enough to make it difficult to breathe, to put a weight on his shoulders, but it did not cower him. Dominus' aura was far stronger, after all.
"Hm... Even after feeling that, you do not fear me?" Lombard said. Tolsey had turned white from the pressure, but Beam was resolute. "I think I begin to understand you, boy. Sheath your sword, Tolsey."
"But Captain..." Tolsey protested, as Beam still radiated hostility.
"Do it. I had an inclining before, but I realized something as you spoke, boy," Lombard said. "You're the Mountain Slayer, are you not?"
"The Mountain Slayer?" Beam repeated, his anger giving way to confusion.
"Well, that is merely what the men have taken to calling you. Judging from the quantity of blood we've found, you've likely matched the kill count of over a hundred soldiers by your lonesome – assuming that was you," Lombard said. "So for you, I might dare to make an exception."
"An exception for what?" Beam asked.
"For directing your aggression towards a Captain," Lombard said with an icy smile. "My distrust of you has vanished, now that I see how easily you wear your emotions on your sleeve. I will make use of you, I will. But it is plain to see that I cannot entice you like I have the other men. You pay no respect to authority, nor even reason.
You were so quick to make an enemy of me and my army the second I suggested that we might get between you and your role."