A familiar voice.
Rebecca would never mistake it. During all those years on the battlefield, every life-and-death moment had been guided by this voice, leading them to survive against all odds.
She stared at the tall figure before her, astonishment flooding her delicate green eyes.
The hand holding the gun trembled slightly. Rebecca gritted her teeth, suppressing her confusion and shock. She pushed hard against the figure's back.
"Turn around!"
Her voice trembled with excitement, mixed with unshed tears.
Leon raised his hands and slowly turned around.
Three years had passed, but the moment Rebecca saw that resolute, handsome face again, she thought she was dreaming.
Warm tears streamed uncontrollably from the corners of her eyes, her pretty face a canvas of complex emotions.
Beyond surprise and shock, there was confusion, gratitude, relief—a whirlwind of feelings.
After all, the captain who should have died at enemy headquarters three years ago had miraculously "resurrected" and now stood before her. Anyone would be stunned, right?
Watching Rebecca's expression and reaction, Leon secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
It didn't seem like an act.
Leon had understood her since she joined his squad after graduating from the Dragon Slayer Academy.
This crazy girl couldn't hide her thoughts. Whatever was on her mind showed directly on her face.
Right now, what was written there was, "Holy crap, Captain, you're actually alive!" not "Damn, Cosmodeous didn't die back then?!"
Leon looked down at the twin-tailed girl who stood shorter than him, slowly lowering his arms. "How about we both put our guns down and sit down to talk?"
Rebecca had just recovered from her shock. She shook her head, clearly accepting that Leon was alive, but she didn't let go of her gun.
Standing on tiptoe, she raised her arm, the dark muzzle aimed at Leon's face. "Am I dreaming?"
"Of course not. Why would you be dreaming in broad daylight?"
"No, Captain, I'm going to shoot your thigh now. If you scream in pain, that'll prove this isn't a dream. Let's begin."
Leon's eye twitched slightly. The Empire might have changed, but his gunner hadn't. She was still the same neurotic girl.
But Leon remained calm and simply shrugged. "I told you, there are no bullets in your gun."
Rebecca hesitated, then quickly pulled back the gun to check the magazine. Sure enough, it was empty.
Then she watched as Leon pulled a handful of bullets from his pocket. "Your hiding spots for guns are too obvious, Rebecca."
Before confirming whether Rebecca was truly as trustworthy as his master claimed, Leon had cautiously unloaded her gun. When she returned home, he would see if she could communicate calmly. If not, he had nothing to fear from an unarmed gunner.
Rebecca stared blankly at the man before her. That was more like it.
The Captain's casual, cool demeanor was impossible to imitate. Finally letting her guard down, Rebecca opened her arms, ready to embrace Leon.
But the motion startled him, making him step back quickly and extend a hand to stop her from coming closer.
Rebecca blinked. "Captain, I don't mind hugging a resurrected corpse, but you're the one unwilling?"
"The situation is different now, Rebecca."
Indeed, it was different from three years ago. Back then, he was single, so a hug wouldn't have been a problem. But now, three years later, he was not only married but also had three children.
Even though his wife was temporarily absent, he still had to adhere to the principles of being a husband. Cosmodeous's 'virtue' encompassed the virtues of a man, no doubt about it!
However, Rebecca clearly didn't realize her captain had become a "taken man." She interpreted Leon's "the situation is different now" in another light.
"Well, these three uncertain years have indeed changed the Empire's internal situation."
Rebecca tossed her gun onto the nearby sofa, then went back to the door to retrieve the large bag of snacks and fruits she'd just bought.
Seizing the chance, she glanced around outside to ensure no suspicious figures were watching before pulling her head back in and closing the door.
"So cautious?" Leon asked.
"Of course. If the patrol finds out there's an Empire traitor hiding in my house, it's off to the gallows," Rebecca replied matter-of-factly.
Hearing this, Leon froze. "Empire traitor? Who? You mean me?"
"Yeah, is there anyone else in this room, Captain?"
Oh, great. Get married abroad, only to come home and find out you've become a traitor?!
Regretting his master becoming a fugitive was a luxury he could no longer afford. Now entering the stage was the Empire's rebel—Leon Cosmodeous!
Rebecca placed the shopping bag on the coffee table, then stood before Leon again, hands on her hips, looking up at him.
Leon swallowed hard, forcing himself to stay calm. "How did I become a traitor?"
Rebecca didn't beat around the bush. "Three years ago, we returned from the Silver Dragon Temple in defeat, with heavy casualties. The king was furious, and public opinion turned against the Dragon Slayer Corps. Our squad and several other assault teams were temporarily suspended, and our pay was docked for three months."
"A few days later, the Imperial family gave the reason for the operation's failure: during the assault on the Silver Dragon Temple, a mole interfered, exposing all Dragon Slayer squad positions, leading to the defeat."
"That mole… or rather, traitor, is naturally you."
"After a failed war, someone always has to take the blame, right? And you, Captain, are the perfect scapegoat because… 'dead men tell no tales.'"
Rebecca sat on the sofa, her pretty face darkening.
"After this news came out, I tried to explain to the military authorities that you weren't a traitor. And then…"
The girl chuckled self-deprecatingly and shrugged. "I was relieved of my duties in the Dragon Slayer Corps and reassigned to patrol duty. My job now is to wander the streets twice a day, completing my tasks without ever encountering dangerous creatures or Dragon Kings again."
After listening, Leon fell silent. The methods used after a failed war were indeed dirty, fitting the stereotypical image of the powerful.
Leon was well aware of the dark side of power struggles, so he never got involved with them or bothered with what happened "up there." He guarded the Empire, not the well-fed royals and ministers, but the common people.
After a moment's silence, Leon sighed deeply. "Thank you for believing in me, Rebecca."
Rebecca's face turned serious. She hesitated, then added, "Actually… during the attack on the Silver Dragon Temple, there was a mole among us, wasn't there?"
Leon frowned. "How do you know…?"
"At that time, just as we entered the temple courtyard and were about to continue the attack, everything suddenly went dark. I couldn't see anything, and my hearing was blocked. Luckily, it only lasted a few seconds. But when I opened my eyes, you… had already been ambushed."
Rebecca continued, "Our troop positions were exposed, and without your command, the Silver Dragons launched a full counterattack. Our forces were completely defenseless. Victor ordered a full retreat, but you were on the brink of death, unable to move. Taking you with us would've meant the entire Dragon Slayer squad being wiped out."
"I insisted on bringing you, but Victor said we had to leave you behind, or we'd all die there."
Victor was the deputy commander who took over from Leon then, also the vice-captain of his Dragon Slayer squad. So, the argument Leon vaguely heard in his daze about whether to take him or not… But the outcome was already clear.
How could a gunner like Rebecca argue with the vice-commander?
Still, this didn't necessarily mean Victor was the mole who ambushed Leon.
In that situation, leaving the immobile Leon behind was indeed the best choice. Even if they'd taken him, they stood no chance against the swift Silver Dragons.
"Later, I thought about it carefully. The illusion that plunged me into darkness probably wasn't cast by the Silver Dragons because, at that time, there were no Silver Dragon soldiers around us, only… the four of us," Rebecca said, relieved.
Then she added, "But I didn't tell anyone this idea. Otherwise… maybe even the patrol team wouldn't have a spot for me, or maybe the next day I'd be… 'taken care of' by certain people."
She tilted her head, rolled her eyes, stuck out her tongue, and made a silly face.
Leon shook his head with a wry smile. The crazy girl's head was still sharp, knowing how to protect herself in the Empire's treacherous cesspool.
"You're right, Rebecca. It was indeed someone from the team who ambushed me. They used a very special weapon to pierce the Black Gold Battle Armor's chest plate and stabbed my heart," Leon said.
Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "Was it Victor or… Martin?"
Martin was the youngest son of a minister and also a die-hard fan of Leon.
Leon shook his head. "I'm not sure. One reason I returned to the Empire is to expose the mole who framed me back then."
Rebecca clapped her hands. "It's a fifty-fifty choice then. My suggestion is to take them both out. Better to kill one by mistake than let one escape! Captain, need weapons? I don't have much else here, but I've got plenty of guns for you to choose from!"
Leon chuckled. He knew Rebecca was joking. After all, he didn't expect a neurotic chatterbox to stay serious for long.
But Leon played along. "You sound like the mole trying to take out all the good guys to win," he teased.
"Exactly, Captain, that's what I think! You're really smart! Should I award you your favorite champion trophy?" Rebecca said, dead serious.
Leon waved a hand, changing the subject. "You were assigned to patrol duty after the war. What about Victor and Martin?"
"Little Martin naturally hid under his minister father's protection. But it seems he often gets scolded by his stepmother at home too. As for Victor, as the vice-commander, he had a lot to answer for and was directly expelled from the Dragon Slayer Corps. Now he seems to be working as a resident singer in a tavern," Rebecca said. "I last saw him a few months ago."
"They're both living pretty miserable lives," Leon commented.
"Not as miserable as you, Captain. You must've suffered a lot those three years at enemy headquarters," Rebecca said sympathetically.
Leon scratched his forehead. "Ah, well… it's not exactly like that…"
[Rebecca, darling, your captain enjoyed his past three years with prince treatment at enemy headquarters. Not only did he get the queen, but he also had three daughters with her.]
"Alright, let's not talk about it, Captain. I understand. Those are memories you'd rather not revisit. The important thing is you escaped back here," Rebecca said.
Leon pursed his lips, avoiding eye contact, and muttered, "Yeah…"
"Oh, by the way, Captain, how did you manage to escape from the Silver Dragon's lair?" Rebecca asked.
Leon silently facepalmed. Would you believe the enemy boss personally escorted me back?