Chapter 5 – Let’s Go Together, Captain! (Part 1)

‘Did we use contraception…?’

After a night of intense passion, Lena finally managed to go to work after resting for an entire day. As soon as she opened the door to the captain’s study, she was called to his desk.

She looked down at Captain Alhendore Lengester silently. Despite having her stand in front of him, he was completely focused on his paperwork.

‘We did do it, right?’

Since that night, this was their first meeting, and Lena was extremely nervous, having hesitated at the door of the Captain’s study for a long time. Finally, she entered, but her hesitation felt embarrassingly unnecessary.

‘Didn’t this man confess to me?’

What exactly does he want to do with me?

Was that night all just a delusion? 

Even thinking that, the dull ache between her legs, which flared up now and then, reminded her of its reality.

‘Ugh…’

She slightly winced at the stabbing pain in her lower abdomen.

How could a person go on endlessly like that? Truly, there was no one else as crazy as him.

Grumbling to herself, Lena glanced down at the documents he was working on and suddenly blinked in confusion.

Her name was listed.

‘Huh…?’

The list he was working on was for the expeditionary force heading to Adelman Forest. There was nothing unusual about that, but the deployment beside her name was the issue.

[Lena Leshuriel][Vanguard]

This operation was not about strategies or plans but the very front line, unlike what she had been doing for the past three years.

“I’m in the vanguard?”

Normally, an aide’s duties were mainly administrative or strategic, so this was an entirely unexpected placement.

Her surprised question was met with his nonchalant voice.

“You like wielding a sword, don’t you?”

Alhendore remembered her bright, radiant smile during the knight selection exam.

The sight of her swinging her sword high with a bright smile looked extremely joyful.

Although Lena had not yet directly encountered a monster and was therefore not deployed, it wasn’t because she lacked skill. He judged that she would have gotten used to it by now.

“It’s time for you to be deployed in actual combat.”

“Oh……”

If it were the old her, she would have certainly refused. She joined the Knight Order to earn a dowry, not to wield a sword.

Above all, would it be proper for a soon-to-be bride to carry around a blade?

Her father had said something similar. A lady should only use a knife for cutting meat.

But…

‘I’m no longer engaged.’

There was no longer a need to be the ever-obedient woman to a husband.

As her expression changed, Alhendore raised an eyebrow.

“Why? Is there a problem?”

Lena thought for a moment before speaking.

“No, there isn’t.”

***

The breeding season of the monsters was coming to an end. The final subjugation schedule of the year was practically set.

It was in the forest of Adelman with clear weather. This schedule, being the last of the year, even included camping.

The advance party, including Lena, set out to organize the campsite area. Within that, pairs were formed for individual exploration.

“Captain.”

“What?”

Lena looked up at Alhendore. Having him as her partner felt strange even though it wasn’t unusual.

“Isn’t this team pairing too filled with personal interest?”

“That’s right.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Our Captain doesn’t seem to have any guilt about abusing his power.

Lena, at a loss for words, silently followed behind him, glancing at him occasionally.

‘Is the Captain regretting it by any chance……?’

Despite doing everything, she still hadn’t responded to his confession. Alhendore hadn’t brought up that night again, leaving things ambiguous.

‘What could it be……?’

Three days had passed since that day until the subjugation, but he still treated her the same as always.

He treated her so normally, as if nothing had happened, that for a moment she wondered if he really regretted that night’s events.

While she was lost in such serious thoughts, Alhendore, who was looking straight ahead, casually intertwined his fingers with hers.

Lena turned to look at him, feeling his hand clasping hers without permission.

‘Ah, seriously…’

He is such an inscrutable man. She chuckled in disbelief.

‘But the captain has always been blunt.’

He was someone who was just awkward about everything. 

Ah, could he be waiting? 

She stared at his profile. If, by any chance, he was waiting for her answer.

‘I should…… give him an answer.’

Lena fidgeted with their clasped hands and lowered her head.

‘Do I like the Captain?’

Or was it just familiarity from the time spent together?

It would be nice if she could answer clearly whether she liked him or not, but she still didn’t understand her own feelings.

“Lena, this way.”

“Oh, yes!”

While lost in these various thoughts, Alhendore, holding her hand, led her deeper into the forest.

The scouts also had the role of setting traps to catch monsters.

“You brought the magic stones, right?”

“Of course!”

Putting personal matters aside for the moment, she took out the magic stone wrapped in cloth from the pouch attached to her waist.

Magic stones, often referred to as the crystallization of mana, contained highly pure mana. While they were excellent for use in magical tools, they also served as nutritious snacks for monsters.

When monsters consumed magic stones, it increased the efficiency of the mana within their bodies. Therefore, monsters instinctively liked magic stones.

These magic stones were not only the energy source for the special capture devices made by the Magic Tower but also bait to lure monsters.

Lena diligently operated the capture device, gradually finishing the trap setup.

She dug the soil slightly, buried the device, and covered it with a heap of leaves for concealment. The last step was to insert the magic stone into the protruding circular part.

“All done! All……?”

Hmm…… what is this? 

Lena, staring intently at the trap she had set up, suddenly tilted her head. Something seemed wrong.

‘It’s not fixed at all.’

Although she had seen it many times, this was her first time setting it up herself, so her hands fumbled awkwardly with the trap.

Seeing her struggling, Alhendore quietly approached from behind and sat close.

“That’s not how you do it.”

His large hand covered her fumbling one as he adjusted the trap.

‘Ah……!’

Startled, Lena flinched and tried to pull her hand away instinctively. However, his firm grip held her tightly.

Perhaps because she was still conscious of the previous night, her captured hand felt so hot that her ears turned red.

Despite him helping with the trap setup and explaining various things, she couldn’t concentrate at all.

He could have just explained verbally, but his persistent grasp of her hand revealed his ulterior motives.

“You insert this into the trap device like this. The moment something touches it, the capture mechanism springs into action.”

Even though some monsters with a certain level of intelligence might avoid it, the ones with lower intelligence would likely get caught.

“It might catch something like a rat.”

“……”

Lena, who had been excited by herself, trembled at the mention of that name, which came up whenever she was about to forget.

“……Captain, you enjoy teasing me, don’t you?”

“Didn’t you know? It’s the greatest pleasure of my life.”

Lena puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. The crooked smile on his face looked annoyingly smug.

Just as she was about to turn her head and walk away.

‘This man is really……’

Alhendore, who had positioned himself behind her under the pretense of helping set up the trap, didn’t seem to have any intention of moving.

Caught off guard, Lena found herself trapped in his arms with her back against him, still glaring at the hand holding hers.

“Can you do just one of the two?”

“What do you mean?”

Whether you’re going to treat me as usual or like a lover.

Lena swallowed the words she couldn’t say out of embarrassment.

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

“What’s nothing?”

“It’s nothing you need to worry about, Captain.”

“Didn’t you say do just one of the two? To me.”

This man… He’s always so persistent.

From behind, Alhendore was staring at her intently, and Lena glared back at him with a sour look.

“Clingy men aren’t attractive.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Can you please let go of this… kyaa!”

She tried to ignore him and stand up, but in an instant, she was pulled back into his arms by the hands that wrapped around her waist.

“Ah, seriously!”

Just as she turned her head to protest against his childish behavior,

“Hmph!”

Alhendore suddenly pressed his lips to hers. The soft warmth that briefly touched and withdrew lingered on her lips for a long time.

Stunned by the unexpected contact, Lena lowered her head, her face flushing with heat.

He was indeed a man whose intentions she couldn’t understand.