Author's Preface
Camelia walked down the corridor with light steps, reviewing the documents in her hands for the third time.
"Hmm..."
Her eyes scanned the list of wealthy merchants she had compiled.
"I think this should be complete?"
Earlier, Rue had asked her to find several reputable merchants willing to "lend their names" for a certain matter.
As the eldest daughter of the largest merchant guild leader, Camelia had more than enough access for such arrangements.
For His Highness's disguise?
She recalled Rue's overly detailed requirements-family reputation, business credibility, even the private lives of each member.
Investigating private lives was difficult.
But with enough money, nothing was truly impossible.
And if it seemed impossible-
It simply meant the money wasn't enough.
Camelia hummed cheerfully.
She turned past the eastern training grounds.
Then-
"Watch out-!"
"Ack."
Crash!
"Owww..."
"Get off me, Lavis, you idiot."
Camelia found herself seated-more accurately, pinned.
Lavis was casually sitting on her stomach.
"Oh, hey Camelia," he greeted lightly. "Haven't bathed yet, I see."
"Hooo."
Camelia's smile froze.
A murderous aura slowly spread from her.
Lavis stood up without a shred of guilt-stepping all over the scattered documents she had dropped.
He even nudged them aside with his foot.
"What's this?"
Silence.
"Do you want to die?"
"Hm?"
Only then did Lavis notice something under his boots.
Instead of picking it up, he kicked it lightly.
And at that moment-
Camelia's killing intent fully ignited.
Unlike Lavis, who still looked relaxed, the sword unit members who had been lying around in exhaustion instantly jolted upright.
Their faces went pale.
They exchanged glances.
Without a word-
They scrambled to their feet.
And... tried to run.
Unfortunately-
BOOOOM!!!
Too late.
BOOOOM!!!
Rue slowly lifted his head.
The tremor clearly came from the eastern wing.
"...Ah."
Arfy, dark circles heavy under his eyes, also looked toward the window.
"Isn't that where Lavis said he'd train the kids?"
Rue's jaw tightened.
That was answer enough.
Arfy pressed his palm against his forehead.
"Why can't he calm down for once-"
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Urgent knocking cut him off.
"Enter."
The door burst open.
Bell stumbled in, bruised and breathless.
"Captain Rue! Please help us!"
Rue looked at him.
Arfy sighed deeply.
"Just say it."
"Captain Lavis and Camelia are fighting and destroying the training grounds!"
BOOOOM !!
Another explosion confirmed the report.
"Cutting their salaries hasn't taught them anything," Rue muttered coldly.
"Lavis doesn't care about money," Arfy replied. "Camelia's too rich to care."
"Those poor builders..." Arfy rubbed his temple. "How many times a week do we rebuild that place?"
Before Bell could even breathe, Rue was already standing.
He opened the window wide.
Two arrows were drawn.
Bell froze.
No way-
Rue pulled the string. Soul power flowed smoothly yet densely.
The arrows shot forward.
Whoosh-
In the distance, two figures deflected them simultaneously.
"Oh," Arfy said flatly. "They stopped."
Rue raised two fingers toward his eyes.
Then dragged them across his throat.
A cutting gesture.
Bell swallowed.
"Hm. Missed."
Rue snorted softly.
"If it had hit," he said lightly, "today would've been worth celebrating."
He shut the window with a bang.
"Bell."
"Yes!!"
"Return to your post. You're assisting the healers, correct?"
"Yes, Captain! Lady Bonnie asked me to stop them. The healer and pacifier rooms are in the eastern wing-"
"It's handled. If they start again, tell Bonnie to throw smoke bombs. Or sleeping gas."
"W-What?"
Bell felt the world tilt slightly.
He suddenly remembered his seniors' advice:
If you ever find yourself standing too close to high-ranking officers, run. None of them are truly sane.
He finally understood.
Arfy exhaled.
"Leave before you get caught in it."
Bell grabbed the doorknob-
"Wait."
"Yes!"
He turned sharply.
"We received a visitor from the Kingdom of Mirsu."
"Yes, Captain. Their youngest prince."
"Has he returned?"
Bell hesitated.
"He's been purified... but not fully stabilized. Lady Chloe and Vice-Captain Kru personally handled him, but the results are the same."
Arfy snorted.
"If direct purification didn't work, then he's one of those types."
Rue tapped the desk lightly.
"One more pacification session. Then escort him out."
"Out...?"
"The palace is not a boarding house for nobles testing their luck," Rue said flatly. "We are not a private service."
Arfy leaned back.
"There are purification users everywhere outside. District guard offices have them. Mercenaries have them. We're not the only option."
Rue nodded slightly.
"Be polite. But clear. We accept requests only in emergencies."
"Yes, Captain!"
Bell saluted and left for real this time.
Arfy sighed and glanced at Rue, who had returned to reviewing documents with a cold expression.
"The prince... what was his name again?"
"Merrick Oriel Cullen of Mirsu."
"Ah. Prince Oriel." Arfy scratched his temple. "Why come all the way here?"
Rue didn't answer immediately.
"He's a genius," he said at last. "Controlled soul power at five. Manifested it into solid form at ten."
Arfy scoffed.
"Genius? Our prince slaughtered Death Deities at ten."
Rue lifted his gaze slowly.
"Do not compare others to His Highness."
His tone was calm. Too calm.
Arfy fell silent.
"His talent matches his contamination level," Rue continued quietly. "He is extremely prone to contamination... yet difficult to purify completely."
"Oh."
Arfy remembered the suffocating pressure of rising contamination. His expression shifted slightly.
"Other kingdoms pair soul users with pacifier types from childhood," Rue said. "But Prince Oriel has yet to find a compatible match."
"So he came here?"
"Yes."
Arfy smirked.
"And assumed the Imperial Army is a public clinic."
"We are not tools for noble convenience," Rue replied evenly.
Silence lingered.
Arfy suddenly looked up.
"Given the timing... he's not planning to enroll in the academy, is he?"
Rue's pen stopped.
The pause lasted a fraction too long.
"...Unlikely," he said finally.
Yuma attends the common class.
The chances of them crossing paths are low.
And yet-
A bad feeling crept in.
A few minutes earlier, in the eastern wing-
"HAHAHAHA! What's wrong? You're weak!"
"Damn you, Lavis! I'll kill you and take your captain seat!"
"Try it! Hahahaha!"
"AAAAAA-!"
BOOOOM !
Soul energy collided violently. Walls cracked. Dust rained from the ceiling.
They kept advancing.
Soul-coated blades clashed without care for their surroundings.
"Please stop!!"
"Captain! Remember your salary cut!!"
"The building's collapsing!!"
"Call Captain Rue!!"
"They're blocking the exit!!"
"MOM!! I'M SORRY!!"
"My love! I haven't proposed yet!!"
"Bring my will!!"
"WATCH YOUR HEAD!!"
Debris fell. Energy waves surged.
The trapped soldiers ran in chaos-only to realize the source of disaster stood directly in front of the only exit.
Then-
Ptas! Trang!
Two soul-layered arrows struck their blades.
"Oh."
"Rue?"
Camelia and Lavis both turned.
"Why did he point at his eyes?"
"Maybe the debris could blind someone?"
"And the gesture at the neck?"
"Hm... that's a beheading motion. Should we eliminate witnesses?"
Camelia's gaze swept across the soldiers, who frantically shook their heads.
I'm watching you.
You die.
No one dared say it aloud.
Camelia brushed dust from her shoulder. Small fragments still fell from the cracked ceiling.
Lavis sheathed his sword, stretching his shoulders as if he hadn't nearly demolished the building.
Some soldiers slowly stood. Others inspected the walls.
Camelia glanced toward the main building.
The upper window was firmly shut.
"Oh. He closed the window."
Lavis followed his gaze.
"What's with him? I heard he's always gloomy. Rarely shows up too."
"He's handling Archduke affairs."
"Woaah..." Lavis covered his mouth dramatically. "Doesn't he hate Archduke affairs?"
"The His Grace, the Archduke is busy. His Highness hasn't fully rested. So the Archduke handles His Highness, and Rue handles the Archduke."
"Ah... makes sense."
He looked back at his unit.
"So what are you doing here?"
"Training the kids," Lavis said casually. "Their stamina was disappointing during the last battle."
Several soldiers paled instantly.
Camelia crossed her arms.
"Agreed."
The air froze.
"Come to think of it," Camelia continued lightly, "the healers and pacifiers were nearly attacked last time because some soldiers couldn't retreat in time."
Kru, who had been passing by, froze.
"Wouldn't it be better if support units could defend themselves briefly?" she added innocently.
Lavis stared at her like he had delivered divine revelation.
"Why didn't I think of that?!"
Kru looked like he'd just received a death sentence.
"A-About the support units...?"
Camelia tilted her head thoughtfully.
"If they could hold out a little longer, the Guardians wouldn't have to exhaust themselves protecting everyone at once."
"Exactly!" Lavis nodded eagerly. "The Guardians nearly collapsed."
Several surviving members exchanged looks.
"Their contamination levels fluctuated too fast," Camelia added gently. "They overused their soul power."
Her smile remained bright.
"We don't need support units fighting," she continued. "Just surviving until reinforcements arrive."
Lavis clapped once.
"Perfect! Basic defensive training, not full combat."
Kru tried to speak-
"But," Lavis added with a grin, "if they fail evaluation... well."
Everyone froze.
"Standards are standards," Camelia agreed pleasantly.
Kru nearly fainted.
Some soldiers began edging toward the exit.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Lavis was suddenly blocking the way.
"D-Drinking water, Captain."
"After training."
Their faces lost all color.
Camelia gathered her dusty documents.
"I'll see Rue first. Then we'll draft the schedule."
"I'll wait," Lavis said cheerfully. "Let's make it fun."
Fun for whom?
Lavis turned to his unit and smiled brightly.
"Alright."
They all knew that smile.
"Ten laps around the headquarters. Now."
A collective scream erupted.
And among the minor ruins left by their earlier duel, the Imperial Army resumed its routine-
In its own perfectly normal way.