Chapter 82

Chapter 82

“Why are you telling me this?”

Acar asked again.

He couldn’t figure out Damian’s intentions.

The Baroque Kingdom and the Iren Kingdom.

Diplomatically, they were not particularly close.

But Damian pondered Acar’s question.

This brief encounter with the enemy commander.

Even though they hadn’t exchanged many blows, Damian was certain.

‘Iren Kingdom must have this man.’

He wasn’t entirely sure why, but if they could eliminate the internal threats, Iren Kingdom could become a valuable ally against the Empire.

‘...I’ll take responsibility for my actions from now on.’

This would be Damian’s second bold move since altering the history of the Bronselian Forest with the Neokalitz Unit.

‘Even if I didn’t predict this...’

He believed this action would stir up significant ripples.

Damian spoke.

“I can’t let it happen twice.”

“...Twice?”

“There’s something like that. And you should know better than anyone that there’s truth in my words.”

There must have been signs of internal trouble.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t have crumbled so quickly.

Damian continued with another question.

“Was there really nothing strange about the state of the kingdom?”

“...”

Acar fell silent at Damian’s words.

Seeing his reaction, Damian grew more confident in his assumptions.

Damian addressed Acar.

“Did you know but pretended not to?”

“It’s not that.”

Acar shook his head.

Damian believed him.

At the very least, Acar wasn’t pretending not to know.

He simply couldn’t be sure if the oddities he sensed were truly signs of a problem.

‘But...’

Things are different now.

If Acar returned to the kingdom, he would pursue these strange occurrences.

However, to make it more certain—

“There’s one condition.”

“A condition?”

“We must end the war here.”

“...Are you saying the Baroque Kingdom will take the gold mine?”

“Yes, we’ve won anyway. If I kill you here, the kingdom will just form a new unit, but do you think they’ll make any difference?”

“Don’t underestimate the soldiers of the kingdom!”

“I don’t. But I doubt a better commander than you will come.”

It was genuine.

Acar was one of the most skilled commanders Damian had ever faced.

Only Damian himself was slightly better.

‘Few in the Empire’s ranks could even react to an attack they could see but still not fully evade.’

Acar was on par with the Empire’s elite knights.

And Acar understood his own position realistically.

Unless a general came, reclaiming this place would be nearly impossible.

That’s how formidable this enemy before him was...

“Damn it.”

Acar cursed under his breath.

He fully grasped what Damian was saying.

Why did the Baroque Kingdom have to take this place?

“...If I hand over this place, I’ll be held accountable.”

“Yes, and during that process, there will be those who see you as a thorn in their side. More precisely, those loyal to the kingdom’s commanders. And if my suspicions are correct...”

“It could be related to the ones who sent me here.”

“...”

Damian fell silent at Acar’s words.

This guy...

He was also looking at him.

Nod.

Whether Acar noticed his nod or not, Damian acknowledged him.

Nod.

“...”

Seeing Acar nod back, Damian let out a small laugh.

Damian then walked towards the spot where the flag of the Baroque Kingdom was planted.

All the unit members were already outside, eagerly waiting for Damian’s final announcement.

“Ugh... Please.”

“P-Please just say it already. I’m getting dizzy!”

“Oh man, I feel like my heart’s gonna burst!”

The moment they had been anxiously waiting for had finally come.

Damian smiled at his unit’s excitement and pulled out the Baroque Kingdom’s flag from where it was planted in the base.

And he shouted.

“We have won! Victory is ours!”

“Wooooooo!”

“Freedom! We’re finally free!”

“We won!”

The cheers of the unit members echoed through the entire base, loud enough to make the ground tremble.

Three months after entering the gold mine base, they finally returned to the Makstri Unit.

“...Amazing.”

Seorael, who had been waiting at the Makstri Unit, looked at Damian and couldn’t hide his admiration.

“To think you’d actually pull it off.”

Just a mere sergeant.

When he was first appointed as commander, Seorael had doubted anything would change.

But Damian shattered those doubts and proved himself through sheer results.

Seorael approached Damian, grabbed his hand tightly, and embraced him.

“You’ve written a new chapter in our kingdom’s history.”

Though the kingdom could have claimed the gold mine under Makstri’s control, Seorael knew that reclaiming the base had always been challenging, even for regular troops.

Damian, however, had done it without any reinforcements, leading a ragtag group of criminals.

“Thank you. It’s all thanks to your support, Captain.”

“Hmph, I’m glad to hear you say that. Also, the corps commander has ordered you to report directly after this.”

“The corps commander?”

Damian looked slightly surprised.

He had planned to report to the commander eventually, but he hadn’t expected her to be watching the entire time.

Seorael nodded at Damian’s question.

“She wants you to report in person, so get ready.”

“...Understood. I’ll make sure to give her a full report.”

“Hahaha, will you? Then I’m grateful! Hahaha!”

Seorael burst into laughter at Damian’s words.

If this report reached the commander, it would surely reflect well on him, too.

“Go greet the unit members. After meeting with the corps commander, you might have to return to your original unit immediately.”

“...Got it.”

With one chapter ending, everything seemed to be wrapping up swiftly.

Damian sighed softly as he headed towards his unit members.

Step. Step.

The shabby barracks.

The central one, supported by sturdy wooden pillars, was Damian’s.

He chuckled, remembering when he first arrived and had the men build the barracks.

The men who had initially charged at him, threatening to put him in his place.

He could still clearly recall their voices shouting, “We were wrong!” with their heads bowed.

‘...Guess I’ve grown attached.’

Damian lightly touched the barracks’ pillar.

So much has happened here.

And now...

‘It’s time to leave.’

Though it was expected, the finality of it left a lingering sense of sadness... proof that his time here had been genuine.

But soon after—

“All unit members! Assemble at the drill ground!”

Damian’s voice rang out.

His men rushed out at his command.

Watching them, Damian adjusted his uniform slightly and walked forward.

It was time to deliver his final words.