The moment Elia saw the dark blue eyes staring at her, she quickly lowered her head and screamed.
“Sorry, so sorry!”
Then, Keisha approached her with long strides and ordered her.
“Raise your head.”
When Elijah quickly raised her head, Keisha stared at her silently.
'What the hell is he thinking?'
As she swallowed her nervousness, Keisha leaned slightly as he looked at her.
'What is he doing now?
It can't be....'
Elijah's eyes widened.
“Thank you, for your interest.”
Elia opened her mouth in shock.
In the army, it was impossible for a commander to bow down to a subordinate.
Especially that demon leader, Keisha!
While she couldn't utter a word, Theo shouted from next to her.
“Come on, guys, you all did well!
Thanks to your hard work, the fortification construction work finished ahead of schedule.
I think you can go back now.”
Is this real?
This was also good news.
'I can sleep in a real bed, not in that miserable tent!'
Smiles blossomed on the faces of the unit personnel as well.
“Everyone get ready to go back.”
"concept!"
•
While the unit was preparing to return, Keisha stopped Theo.
“Theo.”
"Yes."
“Did you tell that boy?”
Theo nodded in agreement.
“Yes, it happened by chance.”
“I thought so.”
Keisha calmly looked at Elijah.
"I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize.
It's not a secret anyway."
Keisha then turned his gaze towards the unit members and smiled faintly.
“Indeed, these comrades, despite being soldiers, seem more gifted for construction work than for fighting as soldiers.”
“Indeed, I'm honestly surprised.”
They also did not expect the fortification construction work to end so quickly.
“In the future, I must bring these guys here once a year to do fortification construction work.
We have neglected this place too much.”
“These guys?”
Theo asked again, his eyes wide.
Keisha's decision to come here frequently in the future was a big decision in itself.
But for these young gentlemen to come here to work, and not just another front-line unit…
This was proof that Keisha had begun to seriously acknowledge them as part of his unit deep in his heart.
Keisha approached Yuz's grave, which the unit had surrounded in a circle with sandbags.
“Theo, didn’t you ask me last night if I was a little over it now?”
When Theo nodded instead of answering, Keisha pulled a pillbox out of his pocket.
This pillbox contained the tranquilizers and antidepressants Theo had last prescribed, which he had left over.
The discs flew -
Keisha emptied all the remaining pills onto the floor, leaving nothing behind.
Then he handed Theo the empty can.
“That's my answer.”
Theo received the medicine box with a smile.
“This is reassuring.”
Theo looked at the grave made by Erhan and the unit members.
The wall of sandbags was packed very tightly, and in the middle was placed a small flower pot.
Inside the vase were the tulips that Lavinia had sent.
“That boy Erhan, he does all this.
He has a commendable and sensitive side.”
"actually."
Erhan was not just a soldier with exceptional skills.
“He's an interesting boy.”
Kesha muttered as he watched Erhan's back calmly, smiling.
After they finished their conversation, they left the place.
The tulips in the vase sparkled clearly under the sunlight.
•
“We're finally here!”
As the sun slowly set, they returned to the Grand Duke's Palace.
Gurgling sounds came from the unit's stomachs here and there.
'I want to rush to the restaurant and eat quickly.'
After the hard physical work, it seemed like anything would be delicious.
When they got out of the car and were about to line up and head to the annex building where the barracks and housing were, Theo stopped them.
"One moment.
This is not the way."
“……?”
When the unit looked at him with questioning faces, Theo ordered them.
"This is the way.
Follow me."
The place they were heading to was not the annex building, but the main building.
They were shown the stately main building of the Grand Duke's Palace which I had last seen when I went to meet Lavinia.
“Come in.”
Keisha led them into the main building.
“Wow, this is unbelievable...”
The inside of the building was more luxurious than the outside.
Marble columns, a huge chandelier, and soft carpets covering the floor.
Even Elijah, who had only entered Lavinia's library, this was the first time she had seen such a luxurious interior.
'But why did we come here, anyway?'
Elia asked as she looked at the backs of Keisha and Theo as they walked in front of her.
This was because Keisha usually strictly prohibited unit personnel from leaving the annex building.
“We have arrived.”
They stood in front of a huge door.
Theo told the unit:
“The Colonel has prepared something special.
Come in.”
Hearing this, Ilya felt anxious.
Based on her experience since enlistment, if Keisha had prepared something “special” for them, it was often things that were upsetting.
It wasn't just her, other members of the unit also hesitated to enter.
'What if there is a cultivation beast hidden inside?'
At that moment, Keisha screamed.
“Get in quickly!”
"concept!"
Elia answered reluctantly and opened the door wide.
Her eyes widened.
There was a huge table large enough for dozens of people, and it was covered with all kinds of delicacies from land and sea.
There was so much food that she feared the table would collapse.
"this…!"
Then Theo smiled and ordered the unit members.
“Eat whatever you want without worrying.
This is a special dinner provided by the Colonel.
You have worked hard for two days.”
“Is this real?!”
Everyone looked at Keisha at once, and he nodded.
“But if you leave one pill, I won’t let it go.”
“We will eat everything to the last bite!”
The unit members shouted in excited voices and quickly sat down at the table.
The silver cutlery was arranged perfectly in front of each of them.
They seemed ready to devour the food in an instant as soon as the order to eat was given.
Elijah's heart was also pounding with excitement.
'Surely, after such hard work, there must be a reward!'
The foods in front of her looked so much more exquisite and delicious than the meals her parents had prepared for her when she was on vacation.
‘This is the Grand Duke’s palace, after all…’
She felt a little sorry for her parents.
At that moment, palace servants came groaning, carrying a large jug.
Theo pointed to the side of the table and asked them.
“You can put it here.”
When they put the jug down and left, one of the unit members asked.
“But military doctor, what is this?”
Theo continued with a mysterious smile.
“That is also a special reward given by the Colonel this time because you worked hard.
Erhan, as the deputy commander, come and take your share first.”
When she went to the pitcher's side, Theo took out a glass and filled it with the contents of the pitcher.
A bright, rich white foam and sparkling white foam sequentially formed in the cup.
'This, can it be…'
Elijah's eyes widened.
beer?!
She swallowed involuntarily.
Beer after two days of hard physical work!
'What a wonderful combination!'
Even the beer in the cup was so cold that it almost froze, resulting in frost forming on the cup.
As soon as she saw it, she swallowed.
Theo himself poured drinks for everyone in the unit.
When all the glasses were full, he shouted.
“There is plenty of food and drink, so eat and drink what you want.
So, everyone, toast to you!”
The unit raised a toast as Theo ordered and sipped their beer.
The taste of beer soothing the throat after hard work was like heaven.
'Oh, my God!
I am very happy...
It is a taste that makes you forget your fatigue.'
It was not just her, but all the members of the unit were shedding tears of happiness.
dose- dose-
A delicious gulping sound was heard from nearby.
'I don't know who he is, but he drinks really well.'
She turned her head to see that it was Axion.
'Just a minute, did he drink this big cup in one go?'
“Erhan, pour him.”
Theo ordered, and Elijah poured the beer into his empty glass again.
The unit's personnel began to eat actively.
As they ate this delicious food and drank beer, euphoria began to creep in little by little.
dose- dose-
When the sound of swallowing was heard again, she turned her head to see Axion holding the cup.
He looked like he had already downed several glasses of beer.
'He drinks really well.'
His face was a little red, as if a little euphoria had crept into him, and his hair was a little messy.
When she saw his slightly relaxed appearance, in contrast to his usual military discipline, she felt a strange rush in her chest.
She wanted to ask Axion directly why he kept helping her lately, why he was behaving in a way that worried her so much, and to hear his answer.
Under normal circumstances she wouldn't have dared to ask, but perhaps drinking alcohol had given her unnecessary courage.
I approached him and sat next to him.
“Axion.”
He looked at her in amazement.
"can i ask you something?"