Lemone, still lying in bed, looked at Éléa with tenderness. The little girl, very excited, told him about her days.
"And then, yesterday, I made a giant sandcastle at the beach! It was bigger than me!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining.
Lemone smiled at this childish vision. He wondered how he could have considered harming such a pure and innocent creature.
"That's good, Éléa," he replied, stroking her hair. "And you played with your friends?"
"Yes, and we had a race to catch the seagulls! It was so funny!"
As the little girl spoke, Lemone couldn't help but think about everything he had done. The massacres, the violence, it all seemed so distant and yet so real. He had changed, he was sure of it.
"Eléa," he began in a deep voice, "you know, when I was little, I was afraid of the dark."
The little girl looked at him, surprised. "Really? Me too, sometimes!"
Lemon smiled. "It's normal to be afraid. But you know, fear is a bit like a monster. The more you think about it, the more it grows. But if you confront it, it ends up disappearing."
Éléa nodded thoughtfully. Lemone knew he was talking as much to the little girl as to himself. He was afraid of what he had become, of what he was capable of doing. But he wanted to change, he wanted to go back to being the man he was before.
The dark entity: "These thoughts of weakness will not help you in any way, Lemone. You were created for a very specific purpose, and you will accomplish it. You have tasted power, you have felt the strength flowing through your veins. Don't let yourself be blinded by these illusions of a peaceful life. You are a demon, and demons know no peace. You're going to keep training, getting stronger, and you're going to accomplish your mission."
His voice echoed in Lemone's mind, cold and unforgiving. She abruptly brought him back to reality. He had thought for a moment that he could escape his destiny, but the entity reminded him that he was a prisoner of this game.
Lemone felt anger rising within him. He wanted to rebel, but he knew it would be useless. The entity was too powerful. For now, he had to play the game. He had to pretend to obey, while looking for a loophole, an opportunity to escape.
Lemone decided to take advantage of this respite to rest. A meeting with Lieutenant Adam and his squad awaited him the next day. He couldn't wait to see what this new day would have in store for him.
The next morning, as he walked towards the meeting point, Lemone couldn't help but notice a surprising change in the city. The streets were cleaner, the buildings seemed to have been renovated. An atmosphere of peace reigned, far from the usual hustle and bustle.
In the distance, he saw Lieutenant Adam talking with his men. As he approached, he noticed that the officer seemed more relaxed than usual.
Lemone greeted Lieutenant Adam with a nod, her tone colder than usual. The officer frowned, surprised by this unusual attitude.
"Bard, is everything okay?" Adam asked, looking perplexed.
"It's okay, lieutenant," Lemone replied dryly. He turned away and glared at one of the squad members who had dared to stare at him with a smirk.
"Hey, new kid, do you think you can talk to us like that?" mocked the soldier. "You're only a level 11, you're no match."
Lemone slowly turned towards him, an icy smile on her lips. "Are you sure about your numbers? Because last time I checked I was pretty much level 111."
A heavy silence fell over the squad. The soldiers exchanged incredulous looks. The soldier who had dared to belittle Lemone blushed in confusion.
"It's impossible," he stammered.
"Apparently, not so much," Lemone replied icily. "And next time, I advise you to find out before you open your mouth."
Lemone: "There is a law in the Royal Army of Aeternum which states that any individual who has proven exceptional valor on the battlefield can request immediate promotion. However, I believe I have more than met these criteria, it is not "Isn't that right, lieutenant?"
A heavy silence reigned. The soldiers exchanged incredulous looks. Adam, for his part, was visibly caught off guard. He knew Lemone was right, but such a request was bold, even insolent.
"Bard, you can't just give yourself a higher rank," Adam replied in a firm voice. "Promotions are made by decision of the military council."
Lemone: "Well, I suggest we bring my request to the council immediately. I'm sure they will understand the urgency of the situation."
With disconcerting confidence, Lemone had launched a direct challenge to his superior. He knew this decision could have significant consequences, but he was determined to get what he wanted.
The large room was full. All the lieutenants and their squads were gathered for an extraordinary meeting. The atmosphere was electric, everyone feeling the tension rise a notch. At the back of the room, Lemone stood straight, her gaze fixed on the throne.
The doors finally opened, revealing the king in all his splendor. Clad in gleaming armor, he slowly advanced towards the throne, followed by his guards. A religious silence fell over the assembly.
The king began his speech, his voice echoing throughout the hall. He spoke of the honor of serving their country, of the pride of wearing the uniform, of the need to defend their lands against external threats. His words were chosen, each sentence carrying considerable weight.
"You are the elite of our army," he declared, his gaze scanning the assembly. "On your shoulders rests the destiny of our kingdom. I know that I can count on your courage, your dedication and your loyalty."
The king then spoke of the recent victories won by the army, but he also warned of the dangers that awaited them. He spoke of new threats, of dark forces that sought to sow chaos in the kingdom.
"We must be ready to face all challenges," he continued. "We must be united, strong and determined.
I ask you to redouble your efforts, to train hard, in order to be ready to defend our homeland."
At the end of his speech, the king raised his glass. "To the glory of Aeternum!" he shouted. The congregation responded in unison, raising their own glasses.
As the soldiers toasted, Lemone couldn't help but think about the situation. He felt like he was in the middle of a storm. The king, with his inspiring speech, sought to galvanize the troops, but Lemone sensed that something was wrong. There was an underlying tension, a mutual distrust between the different lieutenants and their squads.
Soldier 1: "Did you see the face he pulled? He really thinks we're going to let ourselves be led along like that."
Lemone: "He's just trying to motivate us. That's his role."
Soldier 1: "Yeah, but we're not sheep. We all have our own ambitions."