When Arthur concluded his shift and rotated out, he headed directly to Commander Scarlet's office, intent on discussing Officer Reftia's proposal.
The journey was unusually quick, he walked right past the members of Unit 7, expecting to get taken along a whirlwind of laughter for the creation of 'Bloodpiss', yet they had walked right on, as if not even acknowledging him
'Did something happen while I was on duty?' he wondered.
Upon knocking and entering her office, Commander Scarlet tensed at the sight of him.
"Who are you?"
Arthur's mind raced, immediately jumping to the trope of the forgotten transmigrated hero.
But her next words dispelled that thought.
"Who are you to wear a mask here?"
Realizing the issue, he dismissed the Mask of Shadow, and recognition dawned on her face.
"Oh, Arthur... What was that mask? I should've recognized you even with it."
He smiled pridefully. "It's a rare-grade relic meant to protect me against discovery. Officer Reftia gave it to me."
She stared at him, a considering look in her eyes. "That Officer has really taken a shine to you, huh."
"Yeah, actually, that's what I want to talk about. She offered me a transfer to her unit."
Commander Scarlet sighed, leaning back in her chair. "So, we need to
make you a backstory then."
"No... I never said yes."
She sighed again. "You can't say yes; you'd be killing your own men, and the advantage of the position she offers isn't necessarily guaranteed. But this does mean you might be a person of interest, so we should probably craft you a backstory and forge the corresponding documents."
"Uh, if you say so."
She leaned forward. "So, think of one. Try to make it something you'd remember under pressure, something familiar."
Arthur smirked inwardly, drawing from a mixture of his and Sera's life.
"Grew up poor, healing blood affinity. My mom, little sister, and brother are imprisoned, and I'm forced to join. It's something that the army does for people with rare abilities."
She raised an eyebrow. "And how do you know that?"
Arthur smiled sadly, recalling Sera. "Remember that girl I killed."
"The girl... you mean the flying monstrosity that took down a commander."
He shrugged. "Doesn't change the fact she's a girl."
"Are you sure about this backstory?"
Arthur nodded. "I've already been using it; too late to change now. Just help me with the details... like where I grew up and stuff."
She nodded. "Close the door... this is going to take a while. There are also other things you missed out on while you were training."
Arthur tilted his head. "About that, who is my master? He's gotta be someone at least halfway important to pull me out for a month."
She smiled. "Did he not tell you?"
"No."
"Well... it's better you wait for him to tell you instead. He must've had a reason for keeping it quiet."
Arthur shrugged; it had been worth a shot. "So... what did I miss out on?"
"General Thanason. And our plan here."
"Yeah... where is General Thanason, and isn't Commander Ravix... meant to be, you know."
Commander Scarlet smiled. "General Thanason has a light affinity. The element is known for its versatility. Everyone knows how potent General Thanason is at using it... a few, however, know that he can also use light weaving to transform himself into others. The Commander Ravix you see is General Thanason."
Arthur snorted. "Always a surprise, that man. It's almost a shame he hates me."
Commander Scarlet's eyes softened, he could tell she hated when he spoke like this. "You know Arthur, your family received the news…you're dead."
Arthur laughed. "I've been dead to them for a long time, Officer. They probably celebrated, how was it? Did they dance? They probably started dancing."
She was silent, a measure of conflict in her eyes. Maybe because she didn't believe his crime. Or because she didn't want to believe it.
"Arthur—"
"Leave it," he cut in. "They're dead to me. I don't know if you've forgotten, but I'm not a Gravewalker anymore. I have no family."
She sighed heavily. "As you wish. You know, Arthur, you leave a lot of people confused."
"How so?"
"Well... I can only speak for myself. I expected a rude, spoiled noble, uncaring about his actions and their consequences. Someone who can be truly disgusting enough to do what they did. And then I saw you. I thought maybe you were hiding it. Pretending. And then..." She paused.
"And then what?" Arthur asked.
"You saved my life. And not only mine. You saved everybody's life. Hell, even General Thanason would've died if it wasn't for you."
Arthur grimaced. She wasn't wrong. In the Novel, General Thanason had died. His daughter had entered the academy psychologically scarred from
the news.
'Well, that makes us even I guess' he thought to himself. 'I ruined your life, and now I saved it.'
"Fat lot of good it did me; the General still hates me."
She scoffed at his words. "You really believe that? That you and Noah were transferred into his unit as criminals? Even if you weren't, you're severely undertrained to be placed in a General's personal squadron."
"Weren't we put here because we're in the same squad as you?"
"I was put there as a sort of reconnaissance for when the empire allowed General Thanason to intervene. You were put into that unit also, so the General could keep an eye on you. Right now though, well, I don't think he hates you, Arthur. Well, at least he doesn't only hate you. After all, he's heard of what you did... and I wasn't the only person that told him either."
Arthur stayed silent, then let out a heavy breath. "I don't know... honestly, I don't care. I'm going to do my job and get out of here as soon as I can. Just because I don't have the collar around my neck doesn't change what I am, I'm fourteen; I don't want to be here. I've done things a fourteen year old shouldn't have to do. So how about, instead of discussing the people who hate me, which trust me, is a conversation that won't ever end, let's get my backstory done so I can get the hell out of here one day, Officer."
Commander Scarlet's eyes flickered with hurt, and Arthur regretted speaking so harshly. But at the end of the day, he wasn't a volunteer. He was a prisoner. No longer having the collar around his neck meant nothing; he was forced to be here. 'A different type of leash.'
"Very well, Arthur," she replied, her tone measured and formal.
...
Commander Scarlet watched Arthur leave after they finished crafting his backstory. She had wanted to ask him about his comment regarding having a brother during their recon mission. But because of all the events that had happened in between, there had been no time. And now, just when it seemed to be the perfect time, Arthur had retreated back into himself.
Often, she also forgot that Arthur was a prisoner. He didn't act like one. Prisoners had to be forced and whipped into discipline, while Arthur strived for it.
'Maybe I'll find out later,' she sighed.
She always had a feeling Arthur knew more than he should've. He always seemed to be in the right place at the right time, always in beneficial situations almost accidentally. With the flying archer girl, saving Thanason, and now this dungeon.
'What are you, Arthur Gravewalker?'
…
The following day, Arthur found Officer Reftia talking with her men. He approached her, his mind already made up.
"Officer... could I speak with you for a moment?"
She regarded him for a moment, then nodded. "Sure."
"I... I'm going to say no, Officer Reftia."
She sighed sadly. "I expected as much. It is a shame, though, Arthur, talent like yours. But I can't say I'll be sad that a kid like you won't see much fighting."
He smiled. "Thanks for understanding."
Arthur watched Officer Reftia walk away, her crimson cloak fluttering slightly in the cold breeze. A strange weight settled in his chest. He wasn't sure what he had expected—anger? Disappointment? A last attempt to persuade him? But instead, she had simply accepted his answer.
He turned on his heel and walked away, weaving through the training grounds where soldiers drilled tirelessly, their weapons clashing in rhythmic precision. The air was thick with the scent of sweat and metal, but Arthur barely noticed. His mind was elsewhere.
'Man, this path, it's going to be a long one. I can feel it in my bones.'
Later that evening, Arthur sat alone in the barracks, sharpening his spear with slow, practiced strokes. The faint rasp of steel against the whetstone filled the quiet space, a comforting rhythm against the whirlwind of thoughts in his mind.
Scarlet's words lingered.
"I don't think he hates you, Arthur. Well, at least, he doesn't only hate you."
Thanason.
Arthur had no illusions about the man. Whether he hated Arthur or not, he was someone to be wary of. A legend on the battlefield. A man who had no patience for weakness.
And yet, despite his power, the man should have died.
He had changed something. It was funny. When he read those transmigration novels, he had always skipped the boring monologue that they should stick to the story, providing no real reason why they couldn't just live their life.
He had always thought it to be a pile of crap written by the author in order to explain away why certain things happen.
Yet, he understood now. The story was shifting, twisting around his presence in ways he couldn't fully predict. And that was dangerous.
What will happen now because General Thanason still lives? Would it help him? Or kill him? Or did neither of those matter, so long as he did what was right?
A sharp knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. He glanced up as Noah strode in, his expression unreadable.
"You turned her down?"
Arthur raised a brow. "News travels fast."
Noah snorted. "Of course it does. People are talking."
Arthur put away his spear. "Our lot should know why, but what are the others saying? "
"That you're either incredibly smart or incredibly stupid," Noah said with a grin. "But mostly stupid."
Arthur chuckled. "Sounds about right."
Noah leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "So what now?"
Arthur exhaled slowly, his gaze drifting toward the ceiling.
"Now?" He let the word hang in the air for a moment before smirking.
"Now, we do what we've always done."
"Survive, huh."
"Yeah, for two years. Well, a year and a half now."