The next few days passed quickly. We trained and ran drills for more than half the day, then carried out general duties around the fort, from night watches to short patrols. We hunted down and cleared stray beasts left behind by the tide that still lingered near the fort. These exercises gave us a chance to test our coordination in real combat conditions.

  Garran’s and Varric’s groups were the most in sync, while Barry’s group caused the most problems. They were smart enough not to disrupt the squad during combat, but they still managed to cause trouble for almost everyone. Sometimes I regretted not punching Barry and punching Daren instead.

  But Barry’s group was not the only problem. No matter how hard I tried, Kael and Peter still did not work well together. Thankfully, their current role did not require them to coordinate directly with each other, only with me. Kael covered the gaps in my defense in close combat, while Peter handled analysis, threat sensing, and squad coordination when I was engaged in a fight.

  Even with all the training to stay aware of threats behind my back, I wanted to create a system that would be foolproof, one where I would not have to worry about my own safety or the safety of my squad against threats like shadow cats.

  Around seven days after meeting my new squad, I was summoned by the lieutenant. It looked like we were finally getting our first assignment as a death squad. I made my way to the command building and Lieutenant Cicero’s office. Today, instead of sitting inside, he was standing outside.

  “Sir,” I said, saluting.

  “You came at the right time,” the lieutenant said. “Today you will receive your first assignment.”

  “But before that, I want you to join me for the command meeting.”

  "Not all sergeants are permitted to attend, but as the only combat sergeant in my company, your presence at today’s meeting should not be a problem. Your role today is only to observe and learn."

  With that, he turned and started up the stairs.

  This was my first time going to the upper floor, so I tried to take in every detail I could. I wanted to understand the place. As we climbed, the stairway narrowed until it was only wide enough for one person. It led into a narrow corridor covered in patterns and runes. After entering the corridor, I began to feel strange, as if my body were surrounded by something foreign.

  Lieutenant Cicero, walking ahead of me, suddenly spoke.

  “You feel that?” he asked.

  “Yes, sir. What is it?”

  “This floor has a higher density of wind elemental mana. It helps the captain meditate and grants him a power boost. If you feel uncomfortable, try covering yourself with a thin layer of mana.”

  Instead of doing as he suggested, I tried absorbing it. After all, even though my affinity was negligible, it was still wind affinity. I took a few deep breaths and attempted to draw it in. Almost immediately, I regretted doing that. I started to feel dizzy, and pain flared in my chest.

  So I stopped. Sometimes I got carried away when it came to mana and mana cultivation, and maybe it was not smart to ignore my superior’s advice, especially when I was about to walk into an important meeting. So I followed the lieutenant’s advice. Using [Mana Manipulation (UC)], I coated myself in a thin layer of mana. Within a few seconds, the discomfort faded.

  We reached the end of the corridor, which opened into a massive hall large enough to hold nearly a hundred people. A long table stood in the center, with a tall chair at the head that resembled a throne. Five chairs lined each side of the table, with one more at the opposite end.

  Lieutenant Cicero took the third seat from the front on the right side.

  “Sergeant Edward, stand beside me,” he said, pointing to the space behind his chair.

  Two lieutenants were already seated nearby. They nodded to Cicero and ignored me completely. Six sergeants stood behind them, likely from their companies.

  Slowly, more people filtered into the hall through side corridors. The massive door behind the throne remained closed.

  A few minutes later, Lieutenant Fenward entered. I did not see Colin behind the lieutenant, but I recognized the two sergeants walking with him. I had worked with the intelligence privates from their squads before. Lieutenant Fenward gave me a surprised look, then nodded with a smile. I remained behind Cicero, observing the gathered officers.

  Finally, a group of five entered wearing light armor and cloaks. Their leader took the seat at the far end of the table. As soon as they settled, the large doors opened.

  The captain entered.

  He wore shining armor, and the air itself seemed to grow heavier as he walked. He took his seat and placed a hand on one of the symbols carved into the corner of the table.

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  The wood shifted.

  From the symbol, multiple thin lines began to form across its surface. Within a few seconds, the entire center of the table transformed into a map highlighting Fort Darrow, Fort Dunvale, and the city of Stonegate.

  Fort Darrow lay to the northwest of Stonegate, while Fort Dunvale stood to the north. Solid lines showed the main routes from Stonegate to both forts, but I could also see several thinner lines weaving through the forest, connecting the two forts and even linking back to Stonegate through the west gate instead of the north gate.

  “Lieutenant Jay,” the captain said, gesturing toward the opposite end. “Begin with the scout reports.”

  Lieutenant Jay rose.

  “As you know, scouts are still understaffed. We cannot cover every route, but we have confirmed reports on the main roads to Stonegate and Dunvale.”

  "Along the southeast route to Stonegate, large numbers of low-tier beasts are occupying groves and ravines. The forest route contains high-level threats, with a strong possibility of multiple Tier Three entities."

  He shifted his focus.

  “The route to Dunvale Fort is also dangerous. Most concerning is a former camping site now occupied by a Tier Three Beast.”

  The reports continued with route conditions, beast movements, and threat assessments. The captain then called on the infantry lieutenants for company status updates, followed by logistics and armory reports, and finally the infirmary report.

  I learned a lot from the meeting. I saw how detailed the reports were and how the fort’s defenses were managed even when there was no beast tide. I also learned that the captains of Dunvale Fort and Fort Darrow are always in contact. As a border fort near barbarian territory, Dunvale is attacked far more often than Fort Darrow, and updates are transferred to Darrow at regular intervals. It also turned out that our fort supplies leather armor to Fort Dunvale.

  Once the meeting was over, the captain passed parchments to all the lieutenants. He showcased his control over the wind element as the parchments floated toward each lieutenant and landed in front of them as if controlled by invisible strings. While the lieutenants read their parchments, the captain walked out of the hall through the large doors he had entered from.

  After a few minutes, Lieutenant Cicero looked up from his parchment and stood. He wore a troubled expression as he turned to me.

  “Let’s go to my office. We will go through your assignment. You might need some preparation before your departure,” he said, then started walking ahead of me.

  But as we were about to reach the corridor, one of the sergeants from Lieutenant Fenward’s company stopped us and saluted Lieutenant Cicero.

  “Lieutenant, Lieutenant Fenward would like to have a word with Sergeant Edward. Would it be possible to send him to Lieutenant Fenward’s office when he is available?” he said.

  Lieutenant Cicero frowned slightly. “Did the lieutenant say what this is about?”

  “He said he just wants to catch up with Sergeant Edward as his previous superior,” the sergeant replied.

  Lieutenant Cicero glanced at me. I was curious as well. I was not sure what Lieutenant Fenward wanted to discuss, but I did not want to delay my mission briefing. I was also unsure about the rules regarding interactions with another lieutenant, especially a noble, so I remained silent and left the decision to Lieutenant Cicero.

  After a moment, he spoke.

  “Hmmm. Edward, you can go with the sergeant now. Join me in my office once you are done,” he said, then turned and walked away, leaving me and the sergeant behind.

  We looked at each other, shared a small smile, and shrugged before taking a different corridor toward Lieutenant Fenward’s office. The sergeant left me at the door, and I stepped inside.

  The lieutenant looked up as I saluted.

  “Ah, Edward. Come in. I wanted to call for you earlier, but my injuries took some time to heal,” he said with a smile. “How have you been?”

  “Good, sir,” I replied. Then I added, “I am sorry for your loss, sir.” I knew Sergeant Fenward and Lieutenant Fenward were related.

  “Hmmm.” He nodded, not seeming overly affected. “That is also the reason I called you. Losing Alric was a great loss to our house, but the squad he created earned great merit during the tide, which eases some of the pain of his loss. His name will always be remembered by House Fenward.”

  A strange feeling settled in my chest.

  I no longer understood the purpose of this meeting. The squad Sergeant Fenward had created? If anything, Colin and Walter had played a greater role in shaping that squad than the sergeant himself. More importantly, I could not tell what the lieutenant was trying to achieve by telling me all this.

  “But your contribution could not be overlooked. Alric used both spear and sword, but I know you prefer the spear. So I want to give you Alric’s personal weapon, crafted by one of the finest craftsmen in Stonegate,” he said, pulling it from the corner of the room.

  As I took it, I was in awe of the spear. It was made entirely of iron, unlike my own spear, which had a wooden handle. But that was not the most impressive part. The iron shaft was carved with grooves running along its length. They were not runes, but they were not ordinary grooves either. I could sense mana flowing through them.

  I looked away from the spear and up at the lieutenant.

  “Sir, this is too expensive. I cannot take it,” I said, pushing it back toward him. I did not want to accept something this valuable, especially when I did not know what kind of repercussions it might bring in the future.

  “Take it, Sergeant,” he said, a hint of force in his voice.

  I frowned, studying his expression, trying to understand his intentions. I respected Lieutenant Fenward, but I would not let myself be forced into debt because of that.

  We stared at each other for a moment. Then the lieutenant sighed, relaxed his posture, and put on a small smile.

  “Take it, kid. This is a gift from me. Do not worry, there is no debt or favor attached to it. I even had my house name removed so that you do not run into trouble in the future,” he said, pointing to a section of the spear where I could clearly see where a marking had been filed away.

  Slowly, I began to understand.

  It seemed the lieutenant either had his own reasons or had been pushed into building some kind of relationship between me and House Fenward. As I was still contemplating it, he confirmed my suspicions.

  “Do not overthink it. Go to your lieutenant and do not keep him waiting. Also, when you are in Stonegate, visit my house. You will be welcomed there,” he said, dismissing me.

  I left his office with the new spear in hand. I still wanted to return it, but I knew forcing the issue would only be disrespectful. So I made my way to Lieutenant Cicero’s office, adding another item to my growing list of concerns. I wanted to discuss Leif’s situation with him, my new mission, and now this spear and Lieutenant Fenward.