Chapter: 01
A place where ash-gray smoke and crimson blood were mixed together. Beneath the clouds, the dark red earth had turned into mud. Corroded bayonets and torn flags were buried among piles of corpses.
Dennis was sickened by the piercing stench of war. The smell of blood, the scent of gunpowder, and the bodies of soldiers rotting mercilessly… Dennis could no longer bear the cries and sorrow that seemed to linger over them.
Holding the Lumina rifle, Dennis covered her superior. The moment he planted the flag of the Solencia Empire in the enemy barracks, the three-year war would finally end in victory.
‘Don’t let your guard down.’
Dennis repeated the words silently to herself. Her duty was to protect the commander of the Empire’s First Infantry Division from the enemy. Even now, enemy marksmen could be targeting the commander’s life, so Dennis moved carefully, barely even breathing.
At that moment, the hem of a black coat fluttered as it cut through the cold wind.
“He has arrived.”
Dennis did not know whose whispered words they were, perhaps those of a soldier somewhere nearby, but she never missed even the slightest sound. Soon, Dennis’s gaze shifted briefly toward one person.
Everyone turned to look. A soldier was walking indifferently through the wreckage of the battlefield. The black boots covering his long legs were stained with the enemy’s blood. His uniform stood as sharply as a well-honed blade, while the neatly aligned buttons were fastened perfectly. Silver epaulettes were attached to his uniform, along with thick braided decorations covering his left shoulder.
The ruler of the battlefield had appeared.
He had led the long war to victory, and today he had come to put an end to the long journey of blood.
‘Commander. My Cervante.’
Dennis was his shadow and his invisible bayonet. Her eyes immediately sharpened as she carefully scanned the surroundings. Now that the commander had fully revealed himself, there could still be defeated enemy soldiers hiding somewhere in the barracks, aiming their guns at him.
At that moment, Cervante shouted toward the assembled soldiers.
“Brave soldiers of the Empire! At last, we have achieved victory!”
At his command, the soldiers raised their weapons and cheered.
“Hurraaah…!”
As Cervante raised his head beneath his military cap, his face became visible beneath the brim. His eyes were dark, deep, and composed. He carefully balanced the joy and confidence of victory, using them to raise the soldiers’ morale.
The soldiers were moved to tears simply by seeing that he was safe. They knew that if they had lost the war, not only the commander but every soldier might already have been dead.
Dennis remained intensely alert.
At last, the commander planted the Empire’s flag in enemy territory. The soldiers’ enthusiasm grew even stronger. But Dennis noticed a faint glimmer directed toward the commander.
Far away, through a crack in the ruined wall of the barracks, something was hidden in a place that was almost impossible to detect with the naked eye. Dennis focused her vision while holding her breath.
“Protect the commander!”
At Dennis’s shout, the officers immediately surrounded the commander, forming a protective wall.
‘First, elevation –3 degrees, distance 420.’
Dennis pulled the trigger without error. The bullet flew toward the target and struck the enemy marksman.
‘Second, 12 degrees to the right, light wind.’
Dennis quickly shifted the muzzle and struck the next enemy without even blinking.
‘Third, 20 degrees from above, adjust for height.’
The sniper hiding among the gaps in the damaged roof fell before he could even raise his head. It was a flawless shot without even a trace of smoke.
Dennis eliminated the remaining enemy soldiers as well. Only after confirming that there were no more hidden marksmen did she lower her Lumina rifle.
Only then did the soldiers surrounding Cervante return to their positions. Cervante approached Dennis and pulled her into a rough embrace.
“Dennis, you have never once disappointed me.”
Cervante whispered in a low, firm voice.
Dennis could feel Cervante’s warmth through the dust-covered uniform from the battlefield. Dennis was 173 centimeters tall, which was considered tall for a woman, but beside Cervante she appeared rather small.
“I am proud that you are my adjutant.”
His praise carried immense trust and affection toward Dennis. Dennis silently lowered her head and placed one hand over her heart, hoping he would not notice how fast it was beating.
Just then, three officers who were among Cervante’s closest aides approached.
“Commander, please embrace us too.”
The officers pleaded for their commander’s affection in their rough voices. Cervante looked them over and let out a small laugh.
“I’m jealous. We want to be praised too.”
“We also contributed to capturing Sekari Fortress.”
“Please give us a hug.”
The three officers looked at Cervante with hopeful eyes.
“Dismissed!”
Cervante answered briefly, gave Dennis’s shoulder a single squeeze, and walked away. As the officers shouted complaints behind him, he merely smiled with satisfaction and did not look back.
Dennis returned to the residence in the commander’s private vehicle. An old castle in the Sekari region had been renovated and turned into quarters for the officers.
When Dennis first enlisted, she had spent a great deal of time thinking about how to prevent anyone from discovering that she was a woman. Living among ordinary officers would eventually expose her identity, so after carefully considering the safest option, she chose to share quarters with Cervante.
No one could casually enter the commander’s quarters, and there were separate shower facilities. Because of this, she had managed to hide her identity as a woman for three years. However, because her appearance and build were smaller than those of most men, she had acquired a strange nickname.
The officers called Dennis the “Goddess of the Infantry.”
In any case, under the pretext of guarding the commander at close range, Dennis also had to take care of various small personal duties.
“I’m tired. Have the meal brought to my room.”
“Yes. I’ll prepare it.”
As soon as Cervante entered the residence, he took off his military uniform. Normally, he would always have remained prepared for battle, but since the war had ended that day, there was no longer any need to stay tense. Dennis took his uniform piece by piece and carefully put it away.
Cervante settled onto the sofa and lit a cigar.
“Dennis…”
Cervante called Dennis while resting.
“Yes, Commander.”
“Stay as my adjutant forever.”
His voice sounded unusually warm and gentle that day. It was a side of Cervante, a soldier through and through, that was rarely seen or heard.
“Yes?”
“Do you dislike the idea?”
Cervante asked with a puzzled expression at Dennis’s visibly surprised reaction.
‘Could I really remain beside that man forever?’
“No…”
Dennis gave a vague answer and turned away. She did not want him to see her flushed face. Now that the war was over, things would probably change considerably. The time had come to decide whether she would remain in the military or return to her hometown.
Cervante stood from the sofa and removed his outer clothing.
“Dennis, let’s shower together today.”
“……?!”
Dennis turned around in surprise, only to find Cervante already preparing for the shower.
Dennis swallowed nervously. Although she had seen him many times before, she was still caught off guard. The warm, humid air surrounded them.
His imposing presence and strong physique emphasized his military bearing. Even outside his uniform, he carried the powerful presence of a seasoned soldier.
He looked impressive in his uniform, but even without it, he still possessed an intimidating presence.
“I’ll pass.”
Dennis firmly refused. Cervante gave a small laugh and stepped closer.
“After three years, surely we can at least help wash each other’s backs?”
Cervante stood before Dennis, while she continued backing away, pretending to busy herself with preparing a towel. Yet his shadow seemed to follow her like a magnet.
His warmth filled the air, and Dennis found it increasingly difficult to remain calm.
‘Please, don’t put this poor lamb to the test.’
Dennis prayed desperately.
