A tense silence filled the room, the weight of Theo’s words lingering heavily. Luke replayed them in his mind, trying to process their significance. The atmosphere brimmed with an unspoken tension, as if the air itself had grown denser.
It wasn’t hard for Luke to understand why Theo had said what he did. Luke had been instrumental in bringing this vast conspiracy to light. Even though they had once been rivals competing for the position of commander, there had always been a mutual respect for each other’s abilities.
Throughout the investigation, Theo had acknowledged Luke’s competence and relied on his help. Now, with the case growing into an entirely different beast—one that involved a potential conflict between nations—it was clear Theo wanted skilled and trustworthy allies by his side.
“You need me for my skills, right?” Luke asked, his tone probing.
Theo remained silent. Luke had expected him to confirm without hesitation, so the lack of an immediate response caught him off guard.
“I think I know why you’re asking this.”
It made sense for Theo to want someone of Luke’s caliber to tackle a case with stakes this high. As the commander charged with safeguarding the empire, it was only natural for Theo to seek the best people for the job.
“But, Theo, I didn’t retire on a whim. I left the military for a reason, and I don’t intend to go back.”
Luke’s tone was firm, leaving no room for doubt. When he left, it had been with the certainty that his time as a soldier was over. He had fought, endured, and stayed in the military for reasons that were tied to the man standing in front of him—and no one else.
“...I see.”
Theo nodded slowly, as if he had anticipated the answer. His expression remained calm, but his broad shoulders seemed to slump ever so slightly, the weight of disappointment visible in his posture.
“Sorry for bringing it up. In that case...”
“But I’m not entirely uninterested in this case,” Luke interrupted.
“What?” Theo turned back to him, surprise flickering across his face.
“Specifically, I’m interested in that leader Benji mentioned,” Luke clarified, his voice steady.
“I’m not following,” Theo said, his brows knitting together.
Luke raised his still-bandaged right hand, moving it slightly to draw Theo’s attention.
“Do you remember what the medic said about my hand? To purify the corrupted mana in it, I need someone capable of performing a specific type of advanced purification magic.”
Theo nodded, recalling the conversation. But even then, the suggestion had seemed almost impossible. Such practitioners were exceedingly rare, even within the empire’s elite healers. The head of the medical corps who had treated Luke was already among the best, yet even he had been unable to offer a solution.
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“And I think we both know someone like that isn’t easy to find in this empire,” Luke continued. “But that leader? He’s the one who tainted me with his mana in the first place.”
Theo’s expression darkened. “You think he knows how to purify it?”
“Exactly. He’s been using corrupted mana freely, hasn’t he? But even he’s human. Using such vile magic without consequences is impossible. It has to affect him, too.”
Theo’s eyes narrowed as Luke’s reasoning became clearer. According to the military medic, sustained exposure to corrupted mana would inevitably harm a human body. It would accumulate, eventually wreaking havoc on the user’s health.
“That means...” Theo started.
“That means he has to know how to purify it,” Luke finished, nodding firmly. “When I first questioned Benji, I asked him something. I wanted to know how his leader could wield that kind of mana without any apparent side effects.”
Luke recalled the conversation vividly. After their initial interrogation, he had asked Theo for a chance to speak with Benji alone. The boy had seemed reluctant at first but eventually opened up.
‘That leader of yours—doesn’t he get affected by using such nasty mana? It’s bound to mess with his body, right?’ Luke had asked.
Benji had hesitated, thinking deeply before snapping his fingers as though a memory had clicked into place.
‘Oh, right! There was a time when I collapsed because the mana overtook me while I was still learning magic. The leader saved me. He used some kind of technique to stabilize me. I guess he knows how to handle that sort of mana.’
From what Benji described, the leader had taken a particular interest in children with exceptional magical talent. He had personally managed them, ensuring their survival when their corrupted mana spiraled out of control.
“That’s when I knew,” Luke said, his voice steady. “If anyone can purify the mana that’s corrupted my hand, it’s him.”
Theo mulled over Luke’s words, his understanding evident in the way he nodded slowly.
“I’m a mage, Theo. I can’t live without using mana, and I’m not about to give up on my right hand,” Luke added, clenching and unclenching his fist as he spoke. “For now, I’m managing. But this is like carrying around a ticking time bomb. I don’t know when or how it’ll go off.”
The weight of Luke’s statement settled between them, his determination shining through. Theo’s gaze lingered on Luke’s hand before drifting back to his resolute expression.
“Understood. In that case, the military will take responsibility for locating the leader of Nox,” Theo said firmly. “After all, he’s the key figure in this entire case.”
Theo had initially planned to contact every healer across the empire once he returned to the capital, hoping to find someone capable of purifying the corrupted mana in Luke’s hand. But if Luke was right, then the leader of Nox was the most likely person to possess the skill needed to heal him. It was a logical shift in strategy.
“I’ll contact you if we find anything,” Theo added.
“Didn’t I already say this?” Luke stepped closer, leaning in with a smug grin. “This injury is more my responsibility than yours. If you think I’m just going to sit back and let you handle it, you’ve got the wrong guy.”
Theo’s face showed a flicker of something—hope, perhaps?—as he processed Luke’s words.
“...Are you saying...?”
“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Luke interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. “I’m not re-enlisting. There’s no way I’m going back to being a soldier.”
The thought alone made Luke shudder. Rejoining the military was a line he refused to cross.
“But,” Luke continued, his tone turning more serious, “I’ll stick with this case until we take down the leader of Nox and my hand is fully healed. Consider me involved, at least for now.”
Luke clenched and unclenched his bandaged hand as he spoke. Although the injury wasn’t debilitating for now, it was a ticking time bomb. No one, not even someone as stubborn as Luke, could live peacefully with such uncertainty hanging over their head.
“This is my problem to fix,” Luke said resolutely. “If I can solve it, I will. And I’ve already made up my mind to see this through ever since Benji told me about his leader. My hand comes first, and yeah... as a citizen of the empire, I’m a little curious to see how this all plays out.”
Luke jabbed a finger at Theo, his tone lightening as a playful smirk spread across his face. “So, let’s get one thing straight. I’m not helping you—you’re helping me. Got it, Commander?”
The mischievous glint in Luke’s eyes and the curve of his lips formed the kind of smile Theo found hard to look away from. It was full of life, like a beam of light cutting through the tension in the room.
“...Fine,” Theo replied, his own lips twitching into a faint smile in response.
As they exited the interrogation room together, Theo spoke up again. “You know, if you come to the capital, you might run into some unpleasant faces.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
This was a military operation, and the army would be leading the charge. Since Luke’s objective overlapped with theirs, there was no avoiding the entanglement. Luke sighed heavily, muttering to himself about how hard he had tried to avoid getting involved with the military again. But then he thought of something.
“Well, on the bright side, it means I’ll get to see some familiar faces.”
“Familiar faces? In the military? For you?” Theo asked, his tone sharp and direct. His keen instincts hit the mark.
Caught off guard, Luke hesitated but refused to back down. He quickly racked his brain and landed on someone with whom he had a somewhat amicable relationship.
“Leo,” he said triumphantly. “How’s he doing?”
For a moment, an image of Leo’s golden hair and carefree smile flashed through Luke’s mind.
“I wouldn’t know. If you’re so curious, why don’t you check on him yourself?” Theo replied curtly, his tone colder than usual. Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode ahead, leaving Luke behind.
“What’s his problem? He’s been so moody lately...” Luke muttered under his breath, watching Theo’s retreating figure.
It was unlike Theo to display such emotional fluctuations. In the past, no matter what happened, he had always remained as stoic and unyielding as a stone. Seeing him like this was jarring and unfamiliar.
“Maybe being Commander is really getting to him,” Luke murmured softly, his eyes lingering on Theo’s back as he walked away.