"Ms. Euphyllia, where have you been?" Cerys questioned as I slid into the chair beside her, her brows furrowing in confusion.

My lips formed a wry smile. "I was in the powder room," I replied, trying to calm myself as I realized that my other comrades were already here. "I thought Commander Rachelle would be the spokesperson for today," I changed the topic, ignoring the tall figure at the front.

I didn't want to. I refused to lay my eyes, but all attention turned toward the spokesman standing on the platform.

Cerys shrugged. "Apparently, Commander Rachelle hasn't arrived at the camp yet. It might be a few days before she returns from her vacation leave, too."

Before I could express my disappointment that Commander Rachelle, the one I revere the most because of her heroic deed, the hall hushed, but it didn't escape me how my fellow women were thrilled to see the spokesman at the front.

That was when my eyes darted at him; his commanding presence was still the same that night in the tavern. Suddenly, the memory of that night crossed my mind.

Commander Lucretius stepped forward, his boots clicking against the polished floor. His freckled hazel eyes skimmed throughout the crowd as if he were looking for someone. I gradually slouched my back, to keep my head slightly bent down while I was still able to watch his movement, but the words from the cursed note surged back.

'Look at me. Only me.'

That made my posture come back out of nowhere, chills running down my spine, which garnered his attention as his gaze finally landed on me.

Again.

And that gaze made me hold my breath as I remembered that night, making me grip the edge of my chair until my knuckles blanched.

Goddamn it! Why did our eyes lock again? This was the second time already!

I reclined my head as if I was reaching something on my boots, silently cursing, wanting to hide from his gaze again. It couldn't be possible that he remembered me, right?

It was impossible. He might be able to identify that I was a royal soldier, but there was no way that he knew who I really was.

There was no way Redmund's uncle would pay attention to me, even though I felt burdened that I had given away my most precious virginity to a man I barely knew.

"Soldiers," his deep voice echoed across the hall. His tone was steady and commanding, causing my eyes to involuntarily close, feeling if he was just beside me and whispering dark things to me. I peeled my eyes open from the absurdity I just thought and pinched my thigh to castigate myself.

Fix yourself, Euphyllia!

"Auritaurie is currently in a state of lockdown. Reports confirm the rogues are no longer acting as scattered wolves without purpose."

Murmurs loomed around the hall, everyone becoming low and anxious as they exchanged glances.

Commander Lucretius paused, his head cocking from left and right. As always, he never failed to look stunning with just one simple action. His gaze swept through the hall once more, and I could have sworn his eyes lingered on me for too long before continuing.

"They have formed a warband. Organized. Strategic. Dangerous. Their leader goes by the name Magnius Lothim."

Everyone's jaw dropped at the mention of the name. I even got to look at Marlin and to my comrades, even the whispers from the others didn't halt.

That name had become infamous. He was a rogue leader who was bold enough to challenge the parliament.

Cerys leaned closer to me. "Magnius... Isn't he the one who had slaughtered many Alphas years ago?"

I gave a faint nod, chills running down my spine. "Indeed..." My hands were fidgeting because that man was the cause of the death of my father and our Alpha's father.

I couldn't believe that I would be hearing his name again after several years had passed.

Magnius Lothim was the bane of every subject here in the Waevalon Kingdom. Everyone would be uneasy just by the mere mention of his name.

The sound was breached by Commander Lucretius's speech. "Magnius Lothim is bringing the divided packs together under his leadership. He spreads more quickly than we thought he would, and information indicates he is getting close to the borders of Auritaurie. If he is successful, the result will be a battle that burns kingdoms to ashes rather than just raids."

The assembly hall was enveloped in a deafening silence. The weight was so heavy that breathing would make you suffocate.

But his eyes... Damn it! Those freckled hazel orbs pierced in my direction. Again!

This wasn't an accident anymore. I knew it.

It could mean that he remembered me that night. The way he was looking at me since I arrived here was like he was a predator finally found his prey, and I was that prey!

My pulse quickened as my thighs unconsciously pressed together. It was as if I could feel his breathing on the apex of my thighs because of the way his attention burned me from across the room.

Oh, dear Moon Goddess... Why was I feeling this way? He wasn't even my mate, but just him, keeping on looking at me was enough to make me feel excited.

This wasn't good. This wasn't really good.

This could mean that Commander Lucretius really remembered me. I thought he was the kind of person who would easily forget the woman he had bedded with just as I heard from the rumors.

I coerced myself to look at the floor as if it was an interesting masterpiece I had ever seen.

"Do not underestimate Magnius. He thrives on fear. He thrives on hesitation. And if we falter, he will take Auritaurie from us. Every soldier here must understand that you are the first and last line of defense."

His words echoed through the hall, but to me, they reverberated differently.

His stern command and warning... They were the constant reminder of that night. The way he was growling against my ear, the dominance in his tone that he could make me submit to him, and the heat of his breath fanning on my bare skin were so hard not to forget.

I shifted in my seat to snap back from reality, trying so hard that something had crumpled on the hem of my uniform.

Oh, please. Could you stop looking at me? You shouldn't remember me!

I wanted to shout as of this moment.

Cerys nudged me with her elbow, whispering, "Is it just me? Or does Commander Lucretius keep looking at you?"

I looked at him in disbelief. "T-That's absurd," I whispered back, feeling my heart about to explode. So, I wasn't the only one who noticed how he kept looking at me. "Maybe the people on our back," I added, trying to be defensive.

"In a week, His Majesty, Alpha King Claudian, will be returned from his training. As per his order that has been relayed from the generals, all soldiers must be trained strictly. And also, Marlin," he called my senior.

Marlin stood up, saluting before him. "Yes, commander?"

"Fetch the records from the years of Magnius Lothim's reign of terror, along with Auritaurie's map and the latest reports the intel passed to you yesterday, and bestow them to General Cairo."

Marlin nodded. "Understood, commander."

When Marlin's reply made him satisfied, Commander Lucretius turned to General Simon, who was sitting on the side platform, and bowed his head before him. "General, I am finished with the meeting."

General Simon nodded and patted his back as he turned to us. "Alright. Everyone can now return to their station. Remember Commander Lucretius' words. Understand?"

We all stood up and saluted our high-ranking officers. "Sir, yes, sir!"

As the meeting adjourned, all the soldiers and clerical staff began to disperse. I gathered my things quickly and got distracted when a few women squealed near the platform.

"Commander Lucretius! Notice us, please!"

My breath hitched as I couldn't help looking at their way, knowing how popular he was. But my heart leaped out of my ribcage when I found him being surrounded by our peers, only for him to lock his gaze on me.

That was when I immediately averted my gaze. "C-Cerys!" I called her as I tried to catch up with her.

Good Moon Goddess, why was he looking at me, too?

I swam to the sea of crowds when a figure brushed past my side with calculated ease. Then, I felt a calloused, firm hand slipped something into my palm, making my steps falter when I looked to the side.

Redmund.

My erratic heart suddenly broke into pieces from the realization. Suddenly, the feeling of nervousness I felt towards his uncle died down because of his presence. His face was unreadable, his posture remained casual as if nothing had happened.

Redmund even simply tilted his head, warning me not to react. His action made me clutch the folded parchment he slipped earlier, hiding it quickly.

My action felt natural and nothing happened because I had done this so many times throughout the year we both found that we were each other's mates.

"Later," he murmured low enough for me to hear before he disappeared into the crowd.

I swallowed hard as the memory of him kissing Lilith lingered in my mind again. The pain arose again, like a thousand knives stabbed my chest, before I fished out of my breast pocket of my uniform jacket the note he passed on to me.

'Meet me later. Same place. Same time.'

That was all it said. It was short and precise, the usual note he would pass on to me. It felt empty, which I usually would be delighted as simple as this.

I knew that I should be deeply disappointed, but one thing that made not to do so was for another reason.

Because something was wrong...

The handwriting...

Redmund's penmanship had always been messy, crooked, as though written on the fly with no patience. It was so different from the anonymous notes that kept haunting me these past few days. They were written beautifully and slanted, even I could decipher that those notes were written in a rush.

They remained elegant and deliberate.

A shiver ran down my spine.

If Redmund wasn't the one leaving me those messages... then who was?

From Redmund's note, what he meant by same time and same place was meeting him in the old garden at midnight. Our love rendezvous usually happened there for the whole year.

That place became our witness to how deeply I cherished Redmund with all my heart and would do anything to please him. However, there was one thing I couldn't give him, no matter how he coaxed me, which I eventually gave to his uncle, and he had no idea about it.

As I gawked at the starry night sky, arriving a little earlier, my heart was still aching over how I would confront Redmund about what I had seen and heard. I thought that he would never talk to me again, but when he made a move, I had a feeling that this could be the last meeting we would ever have.

My eyes lingered on the surroundings as soon as the cold breeze hit my skin. It felt lonely with the heavy smell of the moss and wilted roses. Some cracked stone benches were standing in the dark, signifying my heart was like this when I caught their betrayal.

My pulse was racing right now when I dove deeper into the old garden, but I didn't expect that Redmund had arrived earlier than I, which I thought I should be more punctual than him. My breath hitched, seeing him leaning against the broken archway like he always did when we met here before. 

I clutched the folds of my cloak tighter when I remembered that I would be enthralled to run towards him, which would permit me to hug him. Now, realization hit me. I realized that all the things I wanted us to do needed to be permitted by him, like I couldn't just kiss him on his cheek or lips or even hug him. 

There were so many restrictions that I thought that our love was perfect. 

When I approached him, my heart faltered as soon as I saw Lilith was there behind him.

She popped out from his back, waving at me. "Hello, Euphie. You've been avoiding me lately. You didn't have to, you know." She fluttered her eyelids and took a step forward.

I distanced myself, not expecting her. "W-Why are you here?" I asked, and it sounded betrayed. 

I wanted to speak with Redmund alone, to confront him, but why was she here? They were really going to slap their relationship on me, weren't they?

"I asked her to be here, Euphyllia." Redmund was the one who answered my question.

I exchanged glances with them as my heart was shattered.

I see now. I already see it now that they were going to flaunt their relationship.

The two people I loved the most were here to tell me their betrayal. I came here to confront Redmund about everything, and I was planning to end things with him, but it looked like the Moon Goddess helped me.

This was really two birds hitting them with one stone.

When I locked my gaze on Lilith. "So, you want Redmund, after all, Lilith?" My lips were quivering as I finally said the words I wanted to say. "You told me that you never liked him for me, but I wasn't aware that you had hidden motives to steal him from me..."

I thanked myself for being brave enough to say the words. And I didn't know where this courage came from, but my wolf was howling in pain seeing the confirmation in front of us.

"You were my best friend, and you're doing this to me?" My voice croaked.

Lilith hissed with a wry smile as she hummed. "Oh, Euphie. Don't pout." She took a step forward and leaned forward. "You should be more grateful to me, you know. I have let you own him for a year." She fluttered her eyelids as my brows furrowed in confusion. 

"What do you mean?" I exchanged glances between them, but it stayed longer on Redmund, asking for his explanation. "What does she mean, Redmund?"

I thought that I would be seeing remorse and guilt plastered on his face, but nothing of the sort. "Before meeting you," he began. "Lilith and I have been secretly dating, Euphyllia."

I could feel my world getting imploded from his answer. 

"We are honestly waiting for the right time to expose our relationship, but then... You came," Redmund added. "And I got confused with my feelings that I wanted to test the waters with you, but still, Lilith is the one I wanted." With that, his eyes darted at Lilith as he took her hand, bringing it to his lips.

I pressed my hand on my mouth, feeling nauseous, trying to hold myself together. My hands were trembling from his answer, couldn't believe what I just heard.

Recalling everything from Lilith's reaction when I told her that Redmund was my mate, she told me that she didn't like him for me because of his family's reputation. Everything was just her wanting to tell me that I had stolen what was supposed to be hers, but I didn't take note of the signs.

"W-Why didn't you tell me the truth?" This time, I turned to Lilith, my lips quivering when her smile became hollow. "Lilith... You were my sister... my best friend. My only family in this world..."

Her expression hardened, her mocking smile gradually fading into oblivion. "Because I knew you wouldn't let go of him," she replied simply as if her betrayal was the most logical choice. "And I knew well how you have been wanting to meet your mate. See? I am even generous to share what's mine in the first place." She shook her head, a smirk imprinted on her lips. "Redmund was never yours to begin with, my dear. You see how he didn't even care about your mate bond to each other." She inched forward. "You should have realized by now why he wanted to keep your relationship with him a secret."

Her words pierced deeper than any sharp blade. My knees buckled and weakened. At any moment, I could feel myself collapsing onto the mossy stone below me.

I lurched afterwards, and Redmund didn't even move to help me and just watched me in my misery. He didn't have an ounce of guilt glued to his face. Just a nonchalant expression.

I clutched my chest as if I could physically hold my heart together. Redmund's silence and reaction were louder than Lilith's words.

My wolf whimpered inside me, torn between rage and despair. We both knew now that our mate didn't even want to acknowledge it.

So, our relationship was only a one-sided feeling, after all... This... was such a cruel fate for me.

"Redmund." My voice croaked, a hint of desperation in it. "Is it true? Did you... Did you never feel anything at all? F-For me? O-Our mate bond?" My vision was getting blurry from my tears. 

His expression remained unchanged. There was no warmth in it, but when he looked at Lilith, it was different. 

"I felt curiosity, Euphyllia," he answered at last. "Affection, maybe. But love? No. Hence, our mate bond is useless." His thumb brushed the back of Lilith's hand as though to drive the dagger deeper. "It was always her."

"T-Then does this mean that y-you just use me for your own benefit? Because you know that if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have become one of the captains six months ago..." I confronted him with the biggest change in his life. 

Redmund's eye twitched. It was just a brief, but I knew that my words had struck a nerve. 

I took a step closer, my tears cascading down my cheeks. "Don't you dare deny it, Redmund. You know exactly how much I did for you. Even Lilith knows it!" I glared at Lilith before returning my gaze to him. "I am only a tactical keeper, and I know my voice is nothing in the war council, but they listened when I spoke because I had earned their respect. I was the one who vouched for you when everyone doubted your skills, Redmund. Remember that. And I was the one who stayed up for countless nights drafting some strategies that you even proclaimed as yours in front of your seniors." I pointed at him on his chest, declaring how frustrated I was during those times. "I put so much effort just for you to stand out, Redmund, because I am hoping that one day, you will decide that our relationship won't be secret anymore! I believe in you!"

My voice cracked as the truth poured out, making me unstoppable. I couldn't be stopped now. I must say this now before I could be drown to misery.

"They told me you were reckless and had a lack of discipline, that you would never be ready for command. But I still defended you, Redmund! I told them you have what it takes to lead, that they should give you a chance to prove yourself. And it's because of me! Because of my faith in you that they promoted you!"

My fists wavered as I slammed them meekly against my chest. 

"And what did I get in return? Lies. Betrayal. And her!" I barked, glaring at Lilith before I raised my hand to her.

"You bitch!" Lilith said angrily, her hand raising.

My face turned sideways before her hand landed on my cheek, my jaw dropping as I looked up to see it was Redmund, whose jaw was tightened. "You do not have the right to hurt Lilith. Do you hear me?" Then, he turned to Lilith, whose eyes were getting misty. "Does it hurt, my love?" he asked softly, gently caressing her cheek. 

Bitterness enveloped my whole being with the endearment he called her. Jealousy was starting to eat me.

Lilith sniffed. "A-A little." She puckered her lips, turning to me. "Euphie, you have gone bold. You don't have to raise your hand on me..." 

My teeth clenched from what I was seeing right now. I never thought that Lilith would be like this. I knew that she could have a nasty attitude, but I didn't know that she would use that on me.

My mouth almost opened to incite some spiteful words when Redmund spoke. "And you exaggerate, Euphyllia," he said flatly, looking at me nonchalantly. "Your influence was... useful, yes, but do not fool yourself into thinking that it was the reason I became captain. My own skill carried me there. Do not be so full of yourself."

Lilith clung to his arm. "Love, I think my best friend thinks that you owed me something. That is really adorable, isn't it?" Her malicious gaze turned to me, her brow arching.

"You were convenient, Euphyllia. Nothing more," Redmund added. "I, Redmund Franciosa, reject you, Euphyllia Ruinart, as my mate."

His words stung, especially now that he had uttered that he rejected our mate bond. I knew to myself that I was losing the battle. My wolf howled in agony, clawing at my insides, but despite it, something snapped at me. 

"Convenient, huh..." I repeated, tasting the bitterness of the word. I looked him straight in his eyes. "I, Euphyllia Ivara Ruinart, accept the rejection of my mate, Redmund Franciosa." The acceptance hit straight to the core of my heart as hatred submerged. "May the Moon Goddess bestow the karma you deserve. One day, you will regret casting aside your mate, Redmund."

Without waiting for them to reply, I held my head high and turned on my heel to leave. The old garden blurred in my vision as tears were threatening to fall and the air around me felt suffocating. 

My heart kept being stabbed by a thousand arrows and now was left rotting. I wouldn't let them see me break. Not here. Not before them.

The moment my feet reached the edge of the barracks, my legs gave way. My steps faltered, my knees turning into jelly as I turned on my right.

But I felt myself collided with something solid, or it could be a wall. Or someone. I didn't know anymore.

Strong, calloused hands steadied me before I could fall, and my blurred vision lifted.

"Careful," a low, baritone voice murmured.

My vision was still blurry, but through my teary-eyed eyesight, I caught the outline of broad shoulders, an inclined chest, and the familiar woody scent. And the moonlight helped me see this person closely.

A familiar strong jaw and those hazel eyes that mesmerized me during that night.

I caught my breath. 

This wasn't Redmund.

It wasn't a stranger. It was someone I already met and had sworn to myself never to cross path with again.

It was Commander Lucretius.

"I-I'm sorry," I whispered, choking on my words. My throat tightened as I recalled the words from Redmund and Lilith. Sobs escaped from my lips. "I... I..." I could barely utter another word.

It hurts... What they did to me really hurt me... The pain was too unbearable for me, but I did recognize the person in front of me.

I could never forgive them. I would never forgive them until the day I die!

The losing battle I went through was too much for me to handle so I clung to him and buried my face into his chest. I didn't care anymore if he was the man I slept with. 

All I wanted right now was to pour my broken heart's content. And in that moment, Commander Lucretius was the only one who could console me.

The faint morning light spilled through the curtains when I stirred awake. My body was heavy, but my thoughts were heavier. My chest felt so tight from crying to exhaustion last night. 

My last clear memory I had was the cruel laughter, Redmund's cold words, Lilith's malicious acting... and then... My hand stilled as it brushed over the faint hollow etched into the edge of my bed.

Someone had stayed by my side until sleep overtook me. I remembered the warmth of a calloused hand caressing my hair, the heat of the body emitting, and the low murmur of a voice I knew too well.

"Lucretius..." I whispered.

I gasped and sat abruptly, my heart pulsating from the realization. Oh, my dear Moon Goddess! Had it been real? Was Commander Lucretius really here in my room last night?

My eyes roamed around and saw that nothing had been disturbed, yet I could see that some slight details had changed. My muddy shoes were resting neatly on the bedside, and even my cloak I used last night was lay draped over my chair. I went to grab it and smelled the familiar woody scent clinging to it, making my eyes widen, knowing who owned it.

"No way... He was really here..."

I covered my mouth in shock as the memory of him carrying me in his arms crossed my mind while my crying face was buried in the crook of his neck. My body shuddered when I managed to recall begging him to stay here in my room. 

Lucretius didn't protest and still stayed with me!

"This is... not happening..." I was in denial that I really met him, but the evidence lay in front of me. There was no denying it.

Commander Lucretius was here last night! In an unexpected moment!

"Shit... Shit.. Shit..." My feet began pacing back and forth as nervousness overtook my whole being. I was too consumed by the grief of Redmund and Lilith's words and the rejection of the mate bond with Redmund that I let that man become close to me.

Could this mean that he remembered me? It was impossible, right? He didn't even tell me last night that I was one of the women he slept with. We just happened to meet by coincidence, and he was the last person that I thought would be my salvation.

"Right... Salvation..." I licked my lips, my hands trembling because right now, I felt in debt to him. And I didn't know how I would suppose to return his kindness towards me.

There were other things I also had to mind. How would I seek vengeance against Redmund and Lilith? The betrayal they did to me was unforgivable, and I wanted to plan how I would exact my revenge.

Conflicted, my eyes darted at the wall clock, and horror plastered on my face. Thirty minutes before seven. I immediately rushed to the bathroom, but was horrified to see that my swollen, red-rimmed eyes stared back.

"Moon Goddess, I look miserable!"

As I finished, I nearly tripped over myself rushing out of my quarters, but only to stop for a while at the sight by my door. My stomach churned upside down upon seeing a chrysanthemum lying on the floor. This time the color was yellow. Not only that, there was a note tied to the stem on it again.

Not again... I mentally said as my fingers tremored upon reaching it, as I unfolded the note. 

'Do you wish for vengeance, Lady Euphyllia?'

I froze, my breath trapped in my throat, before my eyes inspected the hallway from left and right, as I found no one around. I took the flower and laid it on my desk, shoving the note into my pocket as I scurried out of my room. 

By the time I arrived at the records hall, the message on the note pressed against me more heavily than my emotions I felt last night. 

Vengeance...

This mysterious person must have seen my horrible state last night. I couldn't be wrong. If it weren't, how did he know that this word was what I wanted to do as of this moment, but too frustrated to even execute, given how my job couldn't be able to reach Redmund and Lilith.

If I dared to approach the war council, they would deem me unreliable if I reported that Redmund wasn't fitted to be a captain, after all. 

Who could I approach so I could execute my revenge against them? Something close to either of them... Or rather, something close to Redmund... 

Out of nowhere, Lucretius' striking face came into my mind. I stiffened as shivers ran down my spine from the realization. 

Of course... He was Redmund's uncle... and his sworn enemy, too.

"Euphyllia," one of my comrades whispered, snapping me back to reality. "Are you all right?"

I blinked. "H-Huh? What?"

Clara pointed my eyes. "Your eyes looked puffy," she said, looking concerned at me. "Did something happen?"

In my peripheral vision, a few of our comrades were looking in my way. I secretly clutched the hem of my tunic, my heart felt like about to explode from embarrassment.

I turned to Clara and chuckled nervously. "I was reading a very sad romance novel last night, and... you know, I can't help but cry." My upper lip curled into a wry smile, hoping that she bought my excuse. I even made sure that I slightly raised my voice so my other comrades would hear it. 

I didn't want any gossip going around later, and it might reach Redmund and Lilith's ears. That was the last thing I wanted to happen.

I wouldn't want them to win because they had hurt me emotionally.

Clara chortled and patted my back. "I see. You had me worried." Relief washed over me from her reply.

I coerced a smile and found an excuse that I would be returning the record books to their shelves. I might be smiling, showing them that I was fine, but my insides were in deep turmoil as of this moment. Not only that, I was thinking about Lucretius as he was the one who brought me back to my room. I didn't even know how I was supposed to thank him, but thinking about it, it would just remind me of our night rendezvous I wanted to forget.

And there was this chrysanthemum flower and a cryptic note that I had to think about that appeared this morning. The word, vengeance, kept echoing in my head since I had thought of it last night, and upon seeing the note. 

I also kept thinking about who the person was behind this, and they knew so much about me. Who kept prying into my life? What did I do for them to be obsessed with me?

This incident only occurred since the day I found out about Redmund and Lilith's betrayal and their affair with Lucretius. If I were to dissect the events, this was the plausible reason it started.

But who could that be? 

I massaged my temple. My plate was so full, I don't think I could handle myself right now.

When I returned to my desk, Cerys creaked the door open and stuck her head inside. "Ms. Euphyllia? Sir Marlin summons you. He said it's urgent."

My stomach lurched. Marlin rarely called me to his private study unless there were matters related to the strategic plans that needed my involvement. 

Bewildered, I followed Cerys while she was handling a clipboard. "We're busy today, huh?"

Cerys nodded, slightly pouting. "Sir Marlin keeps ordering me left and right. And..." she paused and leaned closer to me. "Alpha King Claudian is coming home soon, so everything must be arranged perfectly. I heard he's quite frightening." 

I chuckled at her statement until we reached the old oak door at the far end of the west wing of the record hall. Cerys knocked one and motioned her hand to let me in.

"Come in," Marlin called when I stepped inside. The scent of parchment and ink, mixing, smelled earthy and smoky. His study room was full of shelves of scrolls and books lined on the walls, as well as some cabinets. He glanced up as soon as Cerys left. "Euphyllia. Sit."

Gulping, I grabbed the chair and sat next to him. My hands suddenly felt clammy against my lap.

I hope this was some good news. I didn't want some bad news to add to what I already had. It was too much for me already if that happened. I didn't know what I was going to do to myself if this time would give me a bad day.

May the Moon Goddess protect me.

He leaned on his seat, his hands folding together as they rested on the desk. "This morning, I received a peculiar request. One of the commanders approached me, asking for the best tactical keeper to serve as his assistant."

My heart skipped. "A-Assistant?" Did I hear it right? A commander looking for an assistant from tactical keepers?

Marlin's lips tugged upward in a faint smile. "Indeed. Naturally, I recommended you."

My jaw dropped from his statement. "Me? Assistant to a commander?" Marlin nodded.

My eyelids fluttered at his response. I would never dare to imagine something beyond this, especially after the shame and heartbreak still raw in my chest.

"Um..." I had a hard time finding my words. "Wow... I-I do not know what to say..." I stammered. Then, there was a hope lingering on my face. "By any chance, is it... Commander Rachelle Simon? I heard that she's one of the general candidates. Is it true?"

I could have sworn my eyes shaped like stars just by mentioning her name. I had been eager to see her and thanked her for being our heroine. I barely saw her in the headquarters these days, as I heard that she had been dispatched to the Auritaurie. 

Now, with the rumors escalating about her being one of the general candidates, it was already impressive that even though we were of the same age, she had risen from the military ranks at ease because of her incredible leadership skills. What she only hated was doing paperwork.

Marlin chuckled in response to my question. "Well, if Jack can trade his position to you, perhaps you can try," he replied with an impish grin. "But I highly doubt he will give up his position as Commander Rachelle's assistant." I frowned, suddenly wanting to trade my position. He reached for a folded letter atop his desk. "Unfortunately, this commander is not her, but is deemed one of the best and will be soon included in the general candidates, too."

My eyes widened. There was another commander who would be promoted to general this year? Who could that be?

"Another general candidate?" I parroted.

He nodded. "It's the reason why he's on a hunt of looking for a new assistant, preferably from someone who can help him offer opinions and strategies on the battlefield." He slid the letter toward me. "Nevertheless, the commander himself provided this." 

Still trying to understand the intention of that commander, my hands wavered as I picked it up and saw that it was a recommendation letter. Breaking the wax seal, my eyes fell on what was written down, and I felt like my world had ceased moving.

It wasn't because of what was included in the letter, which was why I was acting like this, but it was because of the penmanship.

The penmanship!

That familiar strokes... The deliberate curves...

I knew it... I had seen it before... I couldn't be wrong now. The penmanship was the same as that on the cryptic notes!

My stomach twisted, blood roaring in my ears as my eyes read the passage diligently, but I had a hard time processing what was written. All I wanted to know was who owned this penmanship while my heart was pounding so fast. My attention dropped down to the signature at the bottom.

'Signed with authority,

Commander Lucretius Xior Franciosa'

Suddenly, I felt like there was a lump in my throat that was hard to swallow from the commander who had just recommended me. No way... There was no way that I would be seeing his name.

There was no way that Lucretius was the person who kept sending me chrysanthemum flowers and cryptic notes!