Chapter 63

Chapter 63

“What did you say?”

The news of Damian’s reassignment spread quickly throughout the Caion Unit.

“Damian!”

Dianal, who had been training individually, burst into the barracks, shouting.

Usually formal and respectful, always addressing Damian as the deputy commander, she was now too agitated to maintain her composure.

Damian, who was packing his belongings, looked at her.

“What’s going on?”

“They’re transferring you to another unit? Is that true?”

“Yeah, that’s what happened.”

“That’s it?”

Dianal’s eyes flared at Damian’s casual tone, as if it were nothing.

Stomp, stomp.

“That’s it? Is that all you have to say?”

Furious, Dianal grabbed Damian by the collar.

For a moment, Damian considered knocking her hand away.

But he let her be.

He knew why she was reacting like this.

‘Nothing’s changed.’

This was exactly how Dianal had always been.

Maybe that’s why they had grown close.

Damian smirked.

“Are you laughing? Is this funny to you?”

Damian replied, “What I’m about to say is off the record.”

“Off... what?”

“It’s confidential. You need to keep it secure.”

“...What is it?”

The grip on his collar loosened slightly.

Damian continued, “The commander has nominated me as the next commander. This transfer is part of the legion commander’s test. My reassignment is that test.”

“C-Com... commander?!”

Dianal’s eyes widened as she covered her mouth in shock.

She glanced around nervously and then asked, “What exactly are you supposed to do when you get there?”

“I’ll know once I get there... But whatever it is, when I come back, I’ll be the commander of the Caion Unit.”

“...Oh.”

“Oh? Is that all you’ve got to say? I should be the one asking that.”

“...What do you mean?”

“Then who’s going to take the vacant deputy commander position? Are we going to draw lots?”

“...”

Dianal’s eyes gleamed sharply.

She understood exactly what Damian was implying.

Damian gently brushed off her grip on his collar.

After adjusting his clothes, he spoke.

“When I return, if you’re at the same level, I won’t even acknowledge you. You’d better be ready, or I might be seriously disappointed.”

“...When will you be back?”

“No later than a year.”

Damian’s eyes turned cold and serious.

“I’ll be back within a year, so work hard until then.”

“...Got it. No, understood.”

Dianal responded with a determined expression.

“Glory to the kingdom.”

She clenched her right fist and placed it against her left chest.

In response.

“Glory to the kingdom.”

Damian mirrored the gesture and saluted Dianal.

With that, Damian left for Makstri.

—

Watching Damian leave, Dianal turned around, her face set with determination.

She approached Leonhark with a resolute expression.

“Instructor.”

“What is it? Isn’t this your personal maintenance time?”

“I want to become stronger. Please teach me how.”

“...?”

Leonhark raised an eyebrow at the sudden request.

But seeing the seriousness in Dianal’s eyes, a slight smile tugged at his lips.

“It’ll be tough. Can you endure it?”

“I can endure it. No, I will endure it no matter what.”

Leonhark stood up and said, “If you give up halfway, I’ll have you transferred back to your old unit without hesitation. Is that fine?”

“It’s fine!”

Dianal shouted.

She recalled Damian’s words before he left.

“...”

It was barely big enough to fit three or four adult men lying down.

This would be Damian’s living quarters from now on.

And then...

“...I thought you were just going to leave him alone.”

Damian turned his head toward the faint presence he sensed behind the barrack.

However, he quickly realized.

“Yeah, better to get it over with now than to be annoyed while I’m asleep.”

Damian picked up a stick lying inside the barrack.

Then...

Swoosh.

Damian stepped outside and faced the men.

They were the usual types you’d find anywhere.

Casual arrogance, comfort in numbers—the kind that only felt safe when gathered.

Damian couldn’t help but laugh.

To which one of the men sneered.

“Hey, what’s so funny?”

“Why wouldn’t I laugh?”

Damian rested the stick on his shoulder and spoke.

The man chuckled and said, “Saw your stuff earlier; looks like you got some nice goods in that bag. How about we share? We’ll be seeing each other a lot from now on.”

The man, who seemed to be the leader, pointed toward Damian’s belongings inside the barrack.

But...

“Seeing each other a lot? You guys look like you’ll be dead in a few days.”

“What did you say?”

“This guy’s got a sharp tongue. Do you even know where you are?”

One of the other men growled, trying to intimidate Damian.

Damian, feeling bored, waved his hand dismissively.

“Just do what you came for and get lost. Ten... no, twelve of you, huh? What’s worth bringing twelve people over?”

“Heh, you’ve got guts, don’t you?”

These kinds of exchanges had grown tiresome.

Damian looked at the man in front and said, “I’ll go first. I just want to get some rest.”

With that...

Wham!

Damian lunged at the men.

—

“Oh, Hemus. Still alive, huh?”

Hemus frowned as Tayren suddenly appeared.

Tayren was one of the regular soldiers comfortably stationed outside Makstri, living it easy.

‘Why couldn’t he just ignore me... damn bastard.’

Hemus had purposely hidden inside the barrack.

Yet Tayren had come inside and struck up a conversation.

“Heh, I was lucky. But what brings you here?”

Tayren rarely visited, so his sudden appearance made Hemus uneasy.

To Hemus’s question, Tayren said, “There’s a new commander. I’ll introduce him, so gather everyone.”

Even in this place, an informal hierarchy existed.

The longer you survived, the more influence you gained—a natural occurrence in Makstri.

But upon hearing Tayren’s words...

“Wait, you mean that young guy you were with earlier?”

“Oh, you’ve seen him?”

“That kid’s the commander?”

“Yeah.”

Hemus’s face paled.

“A regular... soldier?”

“Yes, he’s just been promoted to sergeant with honors. Why? What’s the matter?”

“Damn it.”

Hemus jumped up.

To them, a regular soldier was akin to a noble.

Cross them, and you wouldn’t live to see another day.

Seeing Hemus’s reaction, Tayren’s expression hardened.

“Don’t tell me...”

“I didn’t know he was in the regular military! I swear!”

They had assumed he was just another inmate.

Tayren replied, “We’ll deal with this later. For now... hurry up!”

Tayren and Hemus rushed toward Damian’s barrack.

If his memory was right, about a dozen men had gone to Damian’s barrack earlier...

‘Damn it.’

It felt like things were going wrong from the start.

But when Tayren and Hemus arrived at Damian’s barracks...

“Didn’t you say you’d come back in an hour?”

They saw Damian squatting in front of a line of kneeling criminals.