—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Sip.
Lumia couldn’t tell if the liquor was going down her throat or up her nose. The candlelight flickering on the table and Enoch Levandal savoring his wine across from her.
The scene, like something from a play, made Lumia’s eyes sparkle.
“You’ve been through a lot, Lumia.”
“Oh… I haven’t done anything.”
“Even though I was the one who met with the guests, Second Lieutenant Lumia was the one who helped me in many ways behind the scenes. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to meet so many people.”
It was true. Although he had been invited to Count Ferdinand’s exhibition, Enoch had used the opportunity to exchange addresses and build connections with people he wouldn’t have been able to meet even with money.
In the coming war that would engulf the continent, close cooperation with neighboring countries was essential to save Ukraine. For Enoch Levandal, it was a reward far greater than just connections.
If Lumia hadn’t actively arranged the meetings or prepared refreshments for each one, he wouldn’t have been able to leave a good impression on all of them.
“I-Is that so…”
Lumia scratched her cheek at the pure compliment. It was uncertain whether her skin was flushed because of the alcohol or for some other reason.
Come to think of it, were the Captain’s lips always that moist?
Sniff, the sour scent of wine tickled her nose, and Lumia’s mind filled with daring fantasies. Their eyes met, she leaned in and kissed him.
They embraced, and Enoch’s rough fingers traced her spine. His other hand unbuttoned her blouse. The kiss trailed down her neck, his blond hair tickling her chin.
The sensation of his lips on her soft skin, the sound of a soft kiss, made her heart stop.
‘I must be crazy—!!’
Slap, slap!
Lumia slapped her own cheeks to snap out of it. She felt like she would get drunk and cross a line she shouldn’t.
“Lumia, are you drunk?”
“N-No! It suddenly got hot, ahaha…”
“It is indeed hot in here. I guess the premium fruit wine is quite strong.”
“I’ll open the window!”
Lumia quickly stood up and opened the window. A cool breeze rushed in, instantly clearing the heated air.
“That’s nice.”
Enoch said and finished his glass. The bottle of wine, which had been full, was now almost empty. They had drunk a lot.
“Lumia.”
“Yes?”
“Thank you… always.”
Enoch said so. Looking closely, his eyes were slightly unfocused.
Was he drunk? Lumia cautiously returned to her seat and looked at him. His face was red. His breathing was also longer than usual.
“If it weren’t for Lumia… and the squad members, I wouldn’t have come this far…”
“No, Captain. It was all your ability.”
“I’m not as great a person as you think. In fact… I’m closer to trash. Everyone has their own story, don’t they?”
Enoch let out a hearty laugh and tapped his empty glass with his finger.
Ting─
A clear sound rang out, and Enoch Levandal’s head swayed. Ah, he was drunk. Lumia could be sure. Although they had drunk together several times before, this was the first time he had shown such a reaction.
He was someone who always left before getting completely drunk. But now, he was completely defenseless.
“Hmm, I’m quite drunk. When I’m with Lumia, I can’t help but feel at ease.”
“Ah… no. It’s okay to be comfortable.”
“I rely on you a lot.”
Those words pierced Lumia’s heart.
Thump, a feeling that went through her entire body startled her, and she flinched.
“There will be a lot of difficult things ahead. More than you can imagine, Lumia.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“In four years from now…”
At her question, Enoch Levandal stopped mid-sentence. He seemed to be thinking for a moment.
Then, as if to himself, he muttered, “It should be fine with Lumia,” and met her eyes.
His gaze was blurry with drunkenness, and his expression was relaxed, but beyond that, there was a glimmer of certainty.
“Ukraine will fall.”
“What…?”
“Following a full-scale invasion by the Soviet Empire, Ukraine will completely lose its sovereignty due to additional invasions by the Free Democratic Republic of Pry and the Reinhardt Empire.”
It was an unbelievable story. Just like last time, the Soviet Empire, which was already engaged in local conflicts, was one thing, but the Free Democratic Republic of Pry and the Reinhardt Empire as well?
If it had been someone else’s words, she would have dismissed it as the ramblings of a drunkard. But since it was Enoch Levandal, Lumia couldn’t just let it go.
“I’ve been running all this time to prevent that tragedy. Fortunately… I met Lumia and our squad members. But it’s still not enough.”
“Captain.”
“So Lumia’s role is very important. You must never give up.”
“Captain…!!”
“You can do it, Lumia. You, my most trusted… and relied-upon adjutant.”
Thud.
With those last words, Enoch collapsed, his head hitting the table. He had reached his limit. Lumia, who had been feeling the effects of the alcohol just moments before, was now completely sober.
She had heard something incredible.
The fall of Ukraine, and in four years?
Lumia’s mind was in turmoil. But it was Enoch Levandal. Wasn’t he a man of immense ability who always accomplished things no one could have imagined?
Perhaps… the essence of the incongruity she had vaguely felt about him all this time stemmed from this. A vision that always looked further ahead. A decisiveness that didn’t shy away from challenging and progressive choices.
The reason he had genuinely cherished and nurtured them, who were close to a ragtag squad. If that was a desperate move to prevent the catastrophe that would strike in four years…
“…So you’ve been suffering alone all this time, without telling anyone?”
Lumia said to Enoch, who was slumped over the table. There was no reply.
“My god.”
Enoch Levandal had been fighting a lonely battle. To prepare for a terrible future that no one could have predicted.
Who would have taken this story seriously? Even Lumia had been skeptical.
Let alone the high-ranking people mired in bureaucracy. That’s why he might have chosen the 5th Ragtag Squad. Because they were abandoned, they were also free. Lumia slowly approached Enoch. She took his limp hand. Warmth.
“Down Weight.”
Words of magic flowed from her slightly parted lips. A faint green mana enveloped Enoch’s body, and Lumia gently lifted him. And then, she carefully laid him on her bed.
She thought about changing his clothes, but that seemed a bit much, so she decided against it. Lumia stared at him, who was sleeping soundly. And then, she carefully lay down next to him.
So this was the story he had hidden behind his always kind and warm smile. Lumia gently raised her hand and touched his cheek. The person who had saved her.
A person she could never repay, even if she spent her whole life doing so. And the man who had made her realize the feeling of love for the first time.
“You’ve been through a lot. And… you’ll go through more, I’m sure.”
Lumia wiggled closer to him. Now, Enoch’s breath tickled her nose.
“From now on, I’ll fight with you. So that it won’t be a lonely fight. As a comrade in arms who will prevent that future with you, and as your subordinate. I can’t… live without you now, Captain.”
A voice that wouldn’t reach him anyway. Her silver hair, sparkling in the moonlight, flowed over Enoch’s fingers.
“So please, always be by my side. I’ll always be by your side too.”
War or whatever. If you’re by my side, I can overcome anything. Lumia thought as she slowly closed her eyes.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
My head ached. I carefully got out of bed. How much did I drink yesterday? I couldn’t remember anything after the fifth glass.
Damn, was it really high-quality liquor?
The absorption rate was on a different level from the beer or cheap distilled liquor sold at pubs. But something was strange. The feel of the bed, and looking closely, the room’s structure was also slightly different…
“?”
I turned my head to the side and saw clear silver hair. Following my gaze, I saw soft skin, a disheveled uniform shirt, and a glimpse of black underwear.
“Aaaagh!!?”
My consciousness, which had been momentarily suspended, returned, and I rolled off the bed.
“Mmm…”
“L-Lumia!!?”
I struggled to remember, but nothing came to mind. Don’t tell me, in my drunken state…
I had crossed a line I shouldn’t have??
The stuffy hangover that had been weighing me down instantly disappeared. My slightly dazed mind became crystal clear, as if struck by lightning.
“Captain…?”
Lumia sat up, rubbing her eyes. As the dress shirt that had been loosely draped over her shoulders slipped off, the black silhouette supporting her ample chest was fully revealed. It was a very luxurious-looking fabric.
“Ah.”
It was too late for Lumia to realize the situation as well. Her face turned red as if it would explode, and I escaped her room as if fleeing. Various thoughts crossed my mind, but there was one thing I could be sure of.
“I’m really screwed!!”
I thought I wouldn’t be able to face Lumia again.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
