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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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However, the morning of the last day, which he had been preparing at a leisurely pace, was completely shattered by someone who suddenly burst into the commander’s office.
“Hey, you!!!”
Silver hair flowing over her shoulders, contrasting with her dark green uniform.
Her clear, deep turquoise eyes sparkled as much as the insignia on her uniform.
Deputy Commander Arwen Orka, Colonel.
No, she was now going to be newly promoted to Major General to succeed him.
The Graveyard would undergo the dissolution process starting today, so she would serve as a commander at another fortress.
She was fully qualified to receive such an honor.
Wasn’t she an outstanding combatant and strategist who had a track record of hunting down as many as five “Catastrophe-class Titans”?
“I see you took the equipment without permission. Even if it’s a victory commemoration, you can’t take the unit’s property without proper procedures!”
Ah, she came to argue about that again.
Even though they had won the war, Arwen’s unique nagging was the same as always.
Luthers merely shrugged his shoulders at Arwen, who was arguing and even gesturing.
“The unit’s equipment can be used at the commander’s discretion anyway.”
“Only when it’s limited to operations. This could be seen as embezzlement, embezzlement!”
“Yeah, yeah, report it to the Supreme Command or whatever you want.”
“You, you…! You’re really…until the end!!”
“So, are you done with your business? I know there’s still an hour left until the assembly.”
“No, anyway, since this is the last time for you and me─.”
“It’s not like we’ll suddenly become close friends now. You were just waiting for me to disappear, weren’t you, Colonel? …No, I should call you Major General now.”
“…”
Arwen twisted her face as if she was resentful, then disappeared, slamming the door she had entered through.
The monologue faintly heard from outside the door was a bonus.
“Fine, if that’s the kind of ending you want! Okay, what was I expecting from a person like him…?”
Luthers looked at the closed door for a moment, then burst into a hollow laugh.
Despite how she looked, she had a very affectionate personality.
Even now, she must have come all the way here, making excuses just to meet him, whom she disliked.
Behind her rigid and pedantic demeanor, there was a genuine heart that cared for her comrades.
She would surely be an excellent superior wherever she went.
But not long after Arwen left, another visitor came into Luthers’ room.
Knock knock knock.
“Come in.”
Three knocks.
He could instantly guess who was standing outside the door.
Well, it was natural.
There was one person who always followed Arwen around like a needle and thread.
“Seriously… I knew this would happen.”
A side ponytail with her reddish-brown hair tied to the side.
Her yellow eyes, like light rippling off pure gold, and she was wearing a red dress instead of a uniform, dressed to the nines.
“Lea, what’s with that outfit?”
“You said it was informal anyway? It’s not like the Supreme Commander is coming. It doesn’t really matter between us~.”
Supply Company Commander Lea Gilliard.
Although she was a company commander, she was not a formally commissioned officer, but only held a temporary “warrant officer” position, so there was no separate rank.
She approached Luthers with light steps and smiled brightly.
As Luthers flinched and stepped back, sensing the strong scent of perfume, a mischievous look appeared on Lea’s face.
“Wow, it’s the first time I’ve tried this perfume, and it’s a perfect hit. I should only use this from now on.”
“Um, could you… back away a bit?”
“I don’t want to~ There’s still an hour left anyway~ The commander hasn’t prepared anything yet, so there’s no excuse to chase me away~.”
Lea giggled at the commander’s disgusted expression.
Her playful tone and actions were fitting for the youngest member of the Graveyard.
As humanity was driven to the brink of extinction, both men and women aged 18 to 35 were conscripted into the defense forces.
She had enlisted at exactly 18 years old and was only 21 years old this year, in her third year of service.
Nevertheless, her ability was undoubtedly certain, as she had properly taken on the position of supply company commander at a young age.
After all, the most important thing in war was logistics and supplies, wasn’t it?
She and her company members were the main contributors to the victory in this war.
“The deputy commander Arwen scolded you earlier, right?”
When Luthers didn’t answer, Lea pouted her lips.
“Hey, not even responding is too much. This might hurt my feelings a bit.”
“If that’s all you came for, I’d like you to just go back.”
“I didn’t come for idle chat, I came to see your face. Our grumpy war hero commander, sir.”
Lea was always like this.
Even if he coldly pushed her away, before he knew it, she had narrowed the distance, so it was a severe torment for Luthers to accept it.
It was more comfortable to maintain a strictly business-like relationship like the others or to openly show dislike like Arwen just now.
“But you should at least clean up for today, don’t you think? I always say that if you just dress up a little, you’d look so tall and handsome.”
“Enough. As you said, it’s an informal event anyway, so there’s no need to dress up.”
The victory commemoration ceremony held at the Graveyard.
Although it was called a ceremony, there was no grand event.
In the first place, it was just an event conducted by the forces belonging to the fortress, and Luthers planned to announce his retirement and disbandment at that occasion.
But since there was no way for Lea to know that, she frowned and asked.
“Are you sniping at me right now?”
“No.”
“Sigh, you’re still as nutritionally deficient in conversation as ever. I thought it would be different since it’s the last time. That’s why even Arwen unnie left with a disgusted look.”
Lea sighed and shook her head.
“I thought the commander I know would just say a few words and disappear at the end-of-war ceremony. I came because I thought I should at least leave a message of gratitude.”
“…”
“I just wanted to say thank you for your hard work. That’s all I feel. I wanted to get closer, but I’m also reaching my limit of self-esteem, you know?”
She must have been quite frustrated.
Even she, who rarely showed negative emotions, now had a hint of irritation in her tone.
“But I don’t think you’re a bad person… Anyway, thank you for your hard work! I’m sure no one in this fortress will deny your abilities, Commander.”
With those words, Lea turned around with light steps, just like when she first came, and went out the door.
Then she peeked her face out for a moment and added with her usual smile, waving her hand.
“Straighten your shoulders and back a bit! Even if you look a bit rough, a hero who saved humanity should have confidence! If you look so lifeless, it’ll make us lose energy instead. It’s a joyful day for everyone, isn’t it?”
Tap tap tap.
The sound of footsteps gradually fading away.
That was the last of it.
Luthers carefully closed the wide-open door. Then he locked the door.
For some reason, he felt nauseated and dizzy.
Perhaps it was because of the words he had heard sometime before.
“Embezzlement, it’s embezzlement! So from now on, don’t drink alone and call me too… Okay…?”
“Straighten your shoulders and back a bit! You have a handsome face but no confidence! If you look so lifeless, what does that make me, holding hands with you, Commander?”
Similar lines, different tones, different atmospheres, different expressions.
The familiar voices he had tried to forget kept ringing in his ears.
Luthers immediately took out the tranquilizers stored in his desk drawer and chewed a few pills.
There was still some time left until the disbandment ceremony.
He thought he needed to clear his head.
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The Graveyard’s victory commemoration ceremony was conducted in a very casual atmosphere.
Some wore casual clothes or formal attire, like Lea’s dress.
Some wore formal military uniforms, like Arwen.
There were also those wearing combat uniforms stained with bloodstains, as if to honor the pain of war.
It was indeed a sight befitting the Graveyard.
As the frontline of humanity, the people gathered there were all individuals who could be called “eccentrics” without exception.
Of course, if asked who best fit the keyword “eccentric” even in the Graveyard that had gathered such people.
It would be none other than Luthers Edan, the fortress commander.
As if to prove that fact, Luthers’ attire did not overlap with any of the people gathered in front of the podium.
He was in uniform.
But he wasn’t wearing a blazer.
The blazer, adorned with rank insignia and various badges and medals, was so important to an officer that it was called “honor” itself.
Yet Luthers was only wearing the white shirt that was worn underneath the blazer.
On top of that, his pants were jeans and his shoes were combat boots.
With his completely mismatched fashion, the personnel of the Graveyard could only shake their heads.
“Ah, mic test.”
Luthers stood on the podium and began his commemorative speech.
“Before starting the main commemoration event, I have something to say to you all.”
He closed his mouth for a moment and looked around the fortress.
It had been a long time.
The fortieth regression.
There were times when he died in less than a year, but on average, he lived about 3 years in each cycle.
Even by simple calculation, it was 120 years.
For 120 years, Luthers Edan had been bound to this place.
No wonder he was sick of it.
Luthers muttered bitterly in his mind.
Then he looked around at his comrades in the fortress who were standing in front of him, watching him.
Arwen, glaring sharply.
Lea, sighing as if to say he really came out looking like that.
The assault captain staring with a stiff expression and the reconnaissance captain turning his head as if he had no interest.
The reactions were diverse, but there was no genuine goodwill towards him to be found.
Although he should be used to it by now, for some reason, Luthers was engulfed in a feeling of his heart aching.
‘No.’
He steeled himself again.
What was the point of becoming weak now? He had already been twisted beyond repair and had crossed a river from which there was no return.
Taking a deep breath.
Luthers uttered the words he had been holding back.
“I have decided to retire from the military as of today.”
“…?!”
“Therefore, the Graveyard Fortress that I have been in charge of will undergo a sequential dissolution process according to military guidelines.”
It was a sudden retirement declaration and, at the same time, a disbandment order for the Graveyard.
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Bro don’t back down now 😢😢