War loomed on the horizon.
People spoke of it everywhere. They whispered in corners, traded rumours in taverns, and muttered their fears in crowded streets. The words passed from mouth to mouth like a spreading disease.
The Great Gate of the Dynasty is no longer safe from the invaders.
Every time I heard it, I could not help but scoff.
The very idea sounded absurd to me.
Every day, I climbed the towering walls of Conrad and settled into my usual seat atop the stone battlements. From there, my feet dangled freely several meters above the ground while the wind rolled across the endless plains beyond the gate. A pen rested in my hand, a thick journal on my lap.
And I wrote. I wrote about the world before me.
The land stretched outward in breathtaking vastness. A great clearing of untamed grasslands spread into thick forests and distant mountain ranges. The scenery was so expansive that it almost felt unreal. I scribbled endlessly, trying to capture the view with words that could never quite do it justice.
I wrote of the open fields. I wrote of the towering forests. I wrote of the mountains that rose like ancient guardians on the far horizon.
Within those mountains lived the barbaric tribes of Trolls. Massive, savage creatures whose strength was the subject of endless rumours among the common folk. Beyond them, deeper within the thick forests, were the lands inhabited by the Demi-kin. Their existence was just as mysterious as it was distant.
All of it fascinated me. So I wrote and wrote until the ink stained my fingers and the wind began to dry my throat.
Or until I was interrupted.
"Captain Ty, we have been summoned by the council."
The moment I heard that voice, I stopped writing. It was the sweet and familiar voice of my vice captain.
I closed the book resting on my lap and dropped the pen inside before pushing myself up from the wall. The pleasant quiet of my writing session had come to an end.
"Lead the way," I commanded.
She obeyed immediately.
We began our descent from the wall, moving down the long stone staircase carved into the inner structure of the gate's defenses. Along the walls stood the armed guards of Conrad. Dozens of them lined the battlements, their armor gleaming under the daylight as they stood watch over the Dynasty's greatest defensive structure.
They were the vanguard of Conrad.
The shield that kept the Great Gate standing firm against whatever threats might emerge from beyond.
As I walked past them, many nodded in greeting.
I returned the gesture.
The respect between us was mutual. It had not appeared overnight. It had been forged through five long years of fighting and standing watch together. Trust like that could not be manufactured. It had to be earned.
My vice captain continued walking ahead of me as she led the way down the staircase.
Naturally, my eyes followed her. And I could not help the reaction that stirred within my chest.
Sarah was beautiful. There was simply no denying it. Her figure carried the elegance of a noblewoman while still retaining the strength of a trained warrior.
Her waist curved naturally, accentuating the firm shape of her hips beneath the uniform pants she wore. The fabric clung tightly to her form as she walked, outlining her physique in a way that was both graceful and… distracting.
She was a soldier, yes. But she possessed the beauty of someone who could easily belong among the nobility.
The longer I stared, the more I felt my thoughts drifting.
Before I even realized it, a bit of drool had begun forming at the corner of my mouth.
"Captain!"
Her voice snapped like thunder.
Sarah suddenly spun around to face me, her expression burning with embarrassment and irritation.
"You were staring at my ass again, weren't you?!"
Damn. Caught red-handed. She really was sharp.
I quickly wiped my mouth and forced my face into what I hoped resembled a dignified expression.
"N-No," I replied firmly. "I wasn't staring. I definitely was not staring. I most certainly did not just stare at your ass, especially at the line divided by the thin line of your pants that I definitely do not know is red."
"Captain!"
She shrieked in embarrassment and immediately covered herself with both hands.
"I just said I didn't—"
The guards standing nearby suddenly burst into laughter. I glanced at one of them with a questioning look.
Too much detail?
They all nodded in perfect unison. Fair enough. Still, their laughter made the moment somewhat easier to bear.
As the noise died down, I noticed one particular guard still staring intensely in Sarah's direction. His gaze had not shifted even once.
I could not blame him. He was a man, after all.
In fact, I was about to silently applaud his healthy instincts when my eyes drifted downward and noticed something rather alarming.
His lower body was already reacting. Now that was just outright inappropriate behavior.
I cleared my throat loudly. "Ahem. Ahem."
Surely that would snap him out of it.
Unfortunately, the man seemed incredibly focused. My cough might as well have been a passing breeze for all the attention it received.
I was not sure whether I should admire his dedication or feel deeply disappointed in him.
Still, if he could apply that level of concentration to his duties, then the gates of Conrad were certainly in capable hands.
Which was more than I could say for the citizens constantly panicking about invasions.
"I think we should really get going now," I muttered.
It did not look like the poor guy was going to recover anytime soon unless Sarah disappeared from sight.
Sarah's cheeks had turned bright red by this point as she resumed walking down the staircase.
We soon reached the bottom and crossed the courtyard toward the building where my summoners waited.
The council.
Or as they were formally known—the Keeper Council.
They were a group of former Gate Keepers who had grown too old to continue fighting but far too stubborn to retire. Rather than stepping down, they had formed their own governing body.
The Keeper Council now handled strategic decisions and emergency judgments regarding the defense of Conrad.
In simpler terms, they were the old men who told the rest of us what to do.
Their headquarters stood within a magnificent structure built from polished white and green marble. The building gleamed under the sunlight like a monument to authority.
This was where one of the military's most important figures resided.
When we reached the entrance, Sarah immediately stepped aside and took position beside the door.
She knew the rules. Anyone below the rank of Captain was not permitted inside the council chamber.
Personally, I understood the logic behind it. Without strict restrictions, the place would be flooded with soldiers trying to enter whenever they pleased.
Sarah remained by the door as I approached the entrance. Just as I stepped forward—
"Cough. Cough."
I paused and glanced back at her.
"You getting a cold?"
The thought concerned me more than I liked to admit. Sarah was easily the hardest working member of our division. Losing her even briefly would be disastrous.
"No, Captain," she replied calmly. "I am not."
Relief washed over me. I turned back toward the door.
"Cough. Cough. Cough."
I stopped again and slowly turned around. My gaze narrowed.
You just said you weren't sick.
Sarah met my stare with a perfectly calm expression.
"Captain," she said politely. "Don't you think you are forgetting something?"
I frowned. Nothing came to mind at first. Then my eyes drifted downward. Ah. My captain's coat.
The green and white garment still rested proudly on my shoulders, its decorated stars shining brightly under the sunlight. I had only slipped one arm through it, leaving the other side hanging loosely behind me.
It was a style I personally thought looked quite impressive.
Unfortunately, the council hated it.
The old men were painfully sensitive about displays of accomplishment, and my coat had far too many stars for their liking.
With great reluctance, I removed it and handed it to Sarah. Just as I turned to enter again—
"Cough."
I sighed heavily. "Seriously, Sarah. You can just speak."
"Our squad already has enough complaints filed against us because of your… questionable attitude toward the elders."
"So you want me to behave this time?"
She nodded silently.
"Fine," I said with mild offense. "What do you take me for?"
"Captain."
"What now?"
"One more complaint and our squad's budget will be cut in half."
I froze. "…Again?"
She nodded. "And if that happens," she continued gently, "we won't be able to afford booze and meat for the men."
I gulped. Then I immediately straightened my posture, adjusted my uniform, and composed my most respectful expression.
I turned back to Sarah. "Am I missing anything?"
She examined me carefully. "Not in the slightest, Captain." She gave me a thumbs-up and smiled. "Go get them."
With that, I stepped inside the council chamber.
Behind me, Sarah quietly whispered to herself. "Yep… we're definitely getting a budget slash again."