I Will Fulfill the Role of the Villain

Theo didn’t immediately respond, his lips pressing into a thin line as he appeared to weigh his next words. Just as Luke began to sense something was off, Theo’s low voice pierced the silence.

"I don’t get you," he said.

"What’s that supposed to mean?" Luke snapped back, wary of any implied criticism.

"Exactly what I said. But never mind that for now. I want to hear more about the monster Phael brought in," Theo continued, sidestepping the tension in Luke’s tone.

"Didn’t Phael already tell you everything?" Luke retorted, irritation seeping into his voice.

He had gone over the details with Phael thoroughly in the forest, ensuring the man knew every significant detail about the monster’s features and suspicious traits. While Phael might have been timid, he wasn’t stupid, and Luke doubted he’d left out anything important.

"Protocol dictates you get information directly from the source. Did you forget that already?" Theo’s sharp reply grated against Luke’s nerves.

Protocol, protocol. Always with the damn protocol. Luke could feel the familiar frustration rising within him.

"Well, excuse me for wanting to live a fun life after retiring," Luke muttered under his breath, but Theo caught it.

"Fun, huh? So that’s what you’ve been doing," Theo remarked, his tone neither mocking nor approving, but it still managed to needle Luke.

Of course I’m enjoying myself, Luke thought bitterly. Why wouldn’t I be? After all, he had spent years enduring the endless grind of military life—relentless battles, sleepless nights in filthy barracks, and days without so much as a proper meal or bath. He’d endured all of it with a single goal: to ensure Theo ascended to the position of Commander-in-Chief.

And now, here Theo was, the man for whom Luke had sacrificed everything, acting like Luke’s desire for a peaceful life was somehow suspect.

"Why are you glaring at me like that?" Theo asked.

Luke let out a heavy sigh and began recounting the events as he had told Phael. He explained how he had discovered the monster in the forest, describing its unique traits and abilities that raised his suspicions.

"You saw the monster too, so you know how rare it is to find one covered in fur like that," Luke said.

"It’s not just rare. It’s almost unheard of," Theo agreed, though his tone suggested he was more interested in critiquing than agreeing.

"Exactly. The monster itself isn’t much of a threat—its combat ability is about on par with a crawling insect. But its invisibility and camouflage abilities? Those are concerning," Luke continued.

While it was possible the creature was simply an undocumented species, its abilities felt too specialized to dismiss casually. Its traits didn’t align with the characteristics of monsters typically found in the Empire.

"Clearly a creature designed for reconnaissance," Luke added.

Theo seemed to have been thinking the same thing, as he didn’t argue the point.

"It’s also possible it escaped from a smuggler," Theo suggested.

"That’s a plausible theory," Luke conceded.

"Then concluding it’s meant for reconnaissance might be premature," Theo countered, though his voice carried less conviction than before.

By now, the conversation had taken on a peculiar energy, their voices gaining a rhythm and liveliness that hadn’t been there before. It felt less like a casual exchange and more like an intense military briefing, as if they were back in the Imperial Army’s strategy room.

"If it’s foreign reconnaissance, that’s rarely a good sign," Theo said, his tone firm. "But to conclude that, we’d need more concrete evidence."

"Agreed," Luke replied, nodding.

The possibility of a smuggled monster couldn’t be ruled out. Stories of nobles smuggling rare, low-level monsters for personal amusement weren’t uncommon. Luke himself recalled investigating a case where a count had illegally brought in a monster as a birthday gift for his daughter.

Even so, the idea of a monster with such specific abilities being merely decorative didn’t sit right.

"Then it’s up to you to find that evidence, isn’t it?" Luke said suddenly, cutting through the lingering tension.

Theo, in the middle of sipping his coffee, raised an eyebrow at the abrupt shift.

"You’re the soldier. Investigating this kind of thing is your job," Luke continued, his tone sharp. "Why are you here grilling me about it instead of doing your job?"

Theo didn’t answer immediately, his gaze steady as he set his cup down.

"If this creature really was released for reconnaissance, it’s no small matter," Theo said at last. "That’s why I need to hear directly from the person who captured it."

Luke’s irritation deepened as he realized how easily Theo had pulled him into what felt like a military debriefing. He hadn’t even noticed until it was too late.

"Luke," Theo began cautiously, his tone shifting. "I have a favor to ask."

Luke closed his eyes and held up a hand as if warding off bad news. "I don’t want to hear it. Whatever it is, no."

Theo’s lips twitched, betraying a faint hint of amusement.

"Fine," he said.

"Wait… really?" Luke asked, lowering his hand warily.

Theo’s expression was calm as he replied, "I need your help investigating this matter."

Luke’s hand shot back up to his face, groaning in frustration. "You said you wouldn’t say it!"@@novelbin@@

"I came to Kyleum for another reason, but this issue bothers me enough to look into it personally," Theo continued, ignoring Luke’s outburst.

"You’ve got soldiers here for that. Work with them," Luke snapped.

"I’ll get the support I need from the local division," Theo replied. "But they have their own responsibilities, and I can’t demand they prioritize this over everything else."

"Great. A saint who loves his subordinates," Luke muttered sarcastically.

Theo pressed on. "You discovered the monster first. I believe that obligates you to cooperate."

"If Woods had been the one to find it, would you be saying the same thing?" Luke shot back.

Theo fell silent, his gaze shifting away slightly. It was an old habit of his—one that only appeared when he was at a loss for words or unwilling to admit something.

"Look," Theo said finally, his voice quiet but firm, "I’m asking you politely."

"Politely, my ass," Luke grumbled.

"Your tone has gotten worse," Theo remarked with an exasperated sigh.

Theo narrowed his eyes at Luke, his gaze sharp and unyielding. Luke, however, remained steadfast, his entire posture radiating stubborn defiance.

"If asking nicely doesn’t work, I’m willing to try other methods," Theo warned, his voice calm yet laced with determination.

"Go ahead, Commander-in-Chief. Do your worst," Luke shot back, his tone dripping with mockery as he emphasized Theo’s title.

Theo flinched, his expression shifting ever so slightly.

"Say that again," he demanded, his voice quieter but no less commanding.

"What?" Luke asked, instinctively taking a step back. Was Theo actually angry? Was he about to resort to violence?

"What you just called me," Theo clarified, his tone unreadable.

"Uh… I said, ‘Go ahead’…?" Luke replied cautiously, trying to gauge the situation.

"Not that," Theo interrupted, shaking his head slightly. "The other part."

Luke paused, his gaze narrowing in thought before realization dawned.

"Commander-in-Chief?"

Theo’s pupils dilated briefly, and he raised a hand to his mouth, as if to suppress some inner reaction. Luke frowned. What was this about? Was Theo upset about being addressed with his title now that Luke was no longer in the military? But that didn’t seem like something Theo would care about.

"Anyway," Luke said quickly, eager to change the subject before things got any weirder, "let me reiterate: no matter how much you ask—or threaten—I’m not helping you."

Satisfied with his response, Luke stood and motioned toward the door, clearly signaling that their conversation was over. Theo, however, appeared to compose himself, his expression returning to its usual stoic calm.

"By the way, Luke," Theo said, his tone shifting slightly.

"What now?" Luke asked, half-turning toward him.

"Have you heard about the ‘Faceless Mercenary’ that’s been causing a stir around the western region lately?"

Luke’s throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. He forced himself to remain calm, keeping his face neutral. Theo had only mentioned investigating the mercenary; he hadn’t explicitly accused Luke. As long as Theo didn’t make the connection, everything would be fine.

"Yeah, I’ve heard of it," Luke replied, his voice casual. "It’s been the talk of the village lately."

Lying came easier now. His recent slip-up with Phael had taught him to be more careful.

"Do you know anything about it? I heard the first monster this mercenary took down appeared near this village," Theo pressed.

Luke resisted the urge to flinch. That monster had indeed been his handiwork, as had the fabricated story about "Sebastian," the supposed witness. He needed to tread carefully.

"I was busy moving in back then," Luke said, shrugging. "I wasn’t in the village when it happened, so I don’t know much about it."

His performance was impeccable, even by his own standards. Years of playing the role of a military villain seemed to have paid off.

Theo studied him intently, the silence between them growing thick with tension. Then, without a word, Theo finally looked away.

"Alright," he said simply.

Luke let out a silent sigh of relief. "Great. Stay safe and good luck with your investigation."

He was already mentally celebrating his victory when Theo’s next words stopped him cold.

"Do you have any spare rooms?"

The question hung in the air, heavy with implications.

"What?" Luke asked, his voice an octave higher than usual.

"This place looks big enough. I assume you have space," Theo said, glancing around the house as if inspecting its capacity.

Luke felt as though he’d been hit with a series of counterpunches.

"And why do you need a room?" he asked warily.

"I’ll be staying here," Theo replied matter-of-factly.

Luke’s face contorted into a mix of disbelief and incredulity. "You’re staying here? Why?"

Theo’s calm demeanor remained unchanged as he met Luke’s incredulous gaze. "Because I need a place to stay while I continue my investigation."

Luke’s mind raced, his frustration mounting with each passing second. How had this conversation spiraled so far out of his control?