“Leave my sister alone or I will kill you.” The voice was childish but the intent was strong. However, soon it resorted to pleading, “Please leave my sister, please.”

“Hear him out, he is going to kill me.” One of the soldiers burst into laughter. “Give him something, give him your dagger. Let him try.”

Someone threw a dagger towards the child yet he never moved from the side of his sister. The girl didn’t escape his teenage years, where the boy was just 10 years old.

Looking at the soldiers coming towards the child tried to crawl towards the dagger, but it was too late.

A kick sent the dagger flying from his hand and a slap followed. The side of his lips started to bleed. With another kick at his belly, he vomited out everything inside.

Kinoya stopped Palsa as he tried to run towards them. “How many can you tackle?”

“I can kill all of them.” Palsa was confident as ever.

“Not kill, just stale time, leave the one with the girl and the boy alone. Wait till I give you the signal.” Palsa nodded as they came out of the shadow.

“What do you want?” One of the soldiers barked at them. Kinoya didn’t have the armour so the threat aimed towards Palsa.

“What the hell are you talking about? Just using my name you rescued so many? Look at them, they don’t even know me.” Kinoya grinned.

“You are the devil.” One of them realised it. Even without realising it, they took a step back, except one. “Oh! You are the one that the general hates. He would be happy if…”

“Don’t worry I won’t do anything,” Kinoya turned towards the one who was holding the girl, “You can continue what you are doing. I just don’t want you to gang upon them.” Palsa got the cue and charged towards the other four without hesitation.

The child who was sobbing in his vomit and blood saw a ray of hope. He ran towards Kinoya, “Brother save my sister, please save my sister.”

“Why are you stopping? I am here for a show.” But it was the guy who was the most surprised. He couldn't decide whether to do what Kinoya was saying or not.

None the less his urges overpowered his fear. Her struggle was futile in front of his urges.

“Brother please I would do anything, please save my sister.” His sister's struggles made him more desperate.

“Will you do anything?” The child was surprised for a moment but soon was nodding his head vigorously. “Then why are you asking me to help you? Just grab the blade and kill that man.”

The one holding the mound of the girl's bare chest stopped to look at Kinoya in surprise. Even the one who was fighting with Palsa stopped for a moment to see what was happening.

“You want me to help, but what if I want to have my time with her afterwards?” The child looked at Kinoya as he was looking at a devil.

He had heard a moment ago, that the boy, who was younger than her sister, was called a devil by the soldiers. He didn’t believe that he was one, yet…

“If you can kill him I can let both of you go and if I help you…” Kinoya didn’t complete the sentence, just smiled.

The boy grabbed the dagger, took another look at Kinoya and charged at his sister’s assaulter. Alas! He had no chance of winning. Holding the girl he kicked the boy, sending him flying.

The boy looked at Kinoya, “You know the rule. There is no free lunch in the world.” The child might not understand the metaphor but understood Kinoya’s intention.

He charged again and again, but the result never changed. At one point the man was too agitated and threw the girl by the side as he was going to meet the child head-on.

The child gripped the dagger tighter. Even when he was shaking in fear his resolution was strong and he charged towards the man while closing his eyes but…

This time the result was different. Just before the man was going to lift his leg to kick him, a pair of hands grabbed his leg from behind. Unable to keep himself steady he fell on the child and never to move again.

It took both of their effort to move the body of the soldiers. The dagger was plunged right through his heart and the blood was all over the child.

“Kuk… ahhh…”The moment his intent faded the boy had started to scream like crazy. Nothing other than blood came out when he tried to vomit and he lost consciousness in her sister’s embrace.

“Was that necessary?” Nobody had noticed that Chankyawas standing beside Kinoya. Nobody, except Kinoya.

“What do you think? Did I open up a charity? Or do you think there won't be consequences if I beat too many of them?”

“Still isn’t it too much? Will he recover from the trauma?”

“It would have been the same if he had seen his sister getting raped in front of him.”

‘Is he just a maniac?’ Chanakya could only sigh, “Captain, sometimes I don’t understand you.”

“What is there to understand? That man had to die and that boy had a better motive to kill him than me. I could just protect him.” Kinoya gave a smile, but it was anything but innocent, “Do you want to continue the fight?”

‘Who will fight against such a maniac?’ they could only curse as they dragged the body of the fallen comrade away.

As they left, Kinoya was greeted by another unexpected guest. It was General Amboia. “Captain I have a letter from the general.” Kinoya returned the bow and received the letter. The general left without much formality.

Chanakya soon added, “Captain the general is looking for you.”

“General?”

“General Akai.”

“Palsa lead them,” Kinoya told and went with Chanakya.

The child had woken up and wanted to say something but the girl stopped him. They followed behind Palsa. Kinoya and Chanakya left to meet Akai.

“Boy, come here.” With the call, Kinoya moved in and took the directed seat. “Sergeant, leave us alone.” It was Vaicus.

“No problem, Chanakya will stay.”

Vaicus looked at Kinoya but Kinoya didn’t respond. So Akai took out an orb. It was the type he had seen before.

“Put your hand on it and answer truthfully.” Kinoya could somewhat guess what it is nonetheless he compiled.

“Are you a spy?”

“Yes,” It was a true poker face and the orb glowed in red.

“Captain, do you think we are joking here?”

“It’s nothing but a joke to me. If it was Riyasu, I could have understood but…”

“Better safe than sorry.”

Kinoya smiled and didn’t argue anymore, “No I am not a spy” The colour of the orb changed and turned green.

“Where did you kill your first human?”

“At the bandit camp, maybe.” The colour didn’t change at all.

“Do you hold any grudge against any of the generals?”

“Should I lie?” Kinoya controlled his smile somehow, “If it is the general of the west or Riyasu then they are just idiots, you can’t hold a grudge against an idiot. As for others, I respect those who have earned it.”

“What about me?”

“It is respect.” Throughout the whole ordeal, the orb didn’t change the colour for once. With the words from Akai, he removed his hand.

“Do you know what the orb is?” Akai asked as he put it away.

“Some kind of lie detector.”

“Kind of, but it is a truth detector.” and an awkward silence followed.

‘Why do this when you will be embarrassed to talk afterwards. Maybe it is the order from the above.’ Looking at the humbled Akai all Kinoya could do was sigh, “You want to talk about something, general?”

“Yes, it is about your future in the army.”

‘It’s about time.’ Kinoya wasn’t sure whether it was good or bad news.

“According to the Imperial edict, your punishment will hold. After your suspension is over you will be reinstated in the army as a major. But neither your man nor you can stay in the city for the time being.”

It was good news. An expected smile appeared on Chanakya's face but it put up a frown on Kinoya’s face, “How much longer are we going to stay here?”

“A year. Don’t worry, before we move again you will be reinstated.”

“Is there any need? We have the momentum, so it would be better if we penetrate more.”

“No, we can’t,” Akai explained. “On the north of the city of Na is the river of Hapcheon. The river starts at Cantela and ends at sea down north. On the north of the river lies the heartland of Torria.”

Korai added from where Akai had stopped, “Right now we can’t cross the river. Not only that, but we also don’t have enough resources to march for a week. And the army isn’t strong enough to penetrate enemy heartland”

“It is as you had said. It’s almost a year since the war started. And fighting at three fronts wasn’t something the empire could continue for now.”

Looking at the unconvinced Kinoya, Akai smiled and added, “Imperial edict. We are ordered to do it. But you don’t have to think about it much. There is something else I want to talk to you about.”

“General no need to hesitate please speak.”

“You are an orphan, right?”Kinoya nodded as Akai spoke, “Be my son.”

“What?” Kinoya was flabbergasted.

“I have three daughters, two were married to their happy life and the third one in the mage academy of the capital. I have no son.”

Kinoya wanted to say something, not a single word came out. With every failure, he broke into embarrassing laughter. He had never expected such words to begin with all he could do was sigh.

“It’s you who makes others speechless and now...” Akai couldn’t control his laughter and soon others joined him.

“Are you sure about it? Shouldn’t you talk to your family members first?”

“What my family members got to do with this?”

“I am not the most loveable person after all.”

“So you know about that?” Akai chuckled.

“No, I just wanted to make sure that you will not chicken out on me when I create trouble again. And you know I am very good at that.”

“All my life I have done one thing most and that was facing the enemies head-on. And you know I am very good at that.”

A very soft kind smile appeared on the face of Kinoya. He never thought that he would find such warmth in the middle of the battlefield. This is the feeling that they call ‘The flower that blooms at the battlefield.’ Well, it might not be that type of flower after all.