Bhh

Inside the main headquarters of the army of the Sacred Numbers lies the office of the Commander.

And the name of the owner of this office goes by the name of White.

He was hired by the king himself to lead the army of the Kingdom.

As to how his title work, the task given to him by the king is indirect as even though he was tasked to command the army of the Kingdom, he was not put officially as it will cause a massive uproar to the Nobles that a deserter and an outsider would command them and their soldiers.

There's also the unease that he might cause a coup and place himself on the top of it.

In the case of him being a commoner. His past job as one of the highest general of the Empire equalized that in the thoughts of the nobility all to more when where most Empire's noble came from being part of the army.

So instead, the king and the nobles decided to make it look like that they were just making him a tactician of the army by basically putting some specially selected people as the Generals of the armies while they will let him command the generals instead of the army itself.

The term where they will let White lead their army if they want to do means as so but on the proposition that he will lead them through the Generals selected by the kingdom.

They think that by making things this way, the possibility of a coup is low while also not angering the nobility that an outsider is commanding them.

Currently, White is inside his office inside the HQ of the Sacred Numbers which is the only real professional army of the Numero Kingdom.

Although they also have a knight system, most of them just join the ranks of the Sacred Numbers for so many benefits it will bring them.

One of such is the chance for fame is higher as the Sacred Numbers are always brought to fight for their allies as a way to gain experience.

Normally, the command of the Sacred Numbers would go to the King himself but there's exist another option which is for the King himself to assign another person for the job.

And this person is White through Isa. The problem though is not only he was an outsider, it was also only recently when he was considered as a deserter of the Empire.

But because of the nature of the Sacred Army, somehow, it all work out just fine...until something happened which caused White to garner quite the animosity of the soldiers behind his back.

"Is there any close tavern here?"

"You're gonna drink Sir?"

Inside the office of the Commander is two people which are White and Four.

White being the owner of the office is sitting on a chair with a table on his front and Four being a visitor is on the other side of the table, sitting on the sides.

Four is a noble that has the position that overlooks all the information that is related to the Sacred Numbers from the researches to the regulated food that the soldiers eat.

Even the orders of the Honorary commander to the army of the kingdom have to be informed to him at the least.

"What's it to you?"

"I don't think it's a good idea, Sir."

"Eh? Is there a problem?"

"It seems that you have gathered the anger of the soldiers."

"What? How? Answer quickly!"

"I only heard about that it's because of your relationship with General Isa."

The Commander tried to think of something but he wasn't able to get a sense of the situation informed to him.

"What does that even mean?"

"Because of my close relationship with Sir, I was being included in the isolation so I can't give much information."

"SHIT THEM! Get me my coat!"

"You're still going, Sir?"

"I'm still going, no one can stop me from my long-awaited break!"

"Well, good luck Sir. And for the record, you could have taken a break anytime Sir. You're our guest commander after all."

In the understanding of the people who know his position, he was a commander that is invited because of his experience as once part of the might army of the Empire.

So many people who know this usually think that his position is the type which could be done in an easy-going manner.

"Are you kidding me? It's already a race against time for your kingdom you know?"

"The Kingdom and the Empire are on good terms, they won't easily declare war against us... I think."

Why Four is concentrating on the Empire instead of other countries that are near the kingdom is because most of the things that White is doing are related to countering the Empire and how they should deal with them in case of war breaking out.

"Do you think your King would just hire me if nothing is going on?"

"That's true but, we also hold the main trade route of the Empire, they... Ohhh.."

"In short, countries could just make anything up if they want to conquer another territory!"

"Is that what it means? I was more of thinking that for them, it might look like that we are holding their economy hostage."

"What do you mean might? Your country is exactly doing just that! And that hole in the relationship between the Colis and Numero can easily be used by the Empire to declare war."

"I don't quite understand. If the Empire could just conquer the kingdom, then why did they not do so since long ago?"

"I never said conquer, I said declare war."

"That's the same thing isn't it Sir? The Empire is a military powerhouse that our country's military cannot even compare. Even if we update our doctrines in war and battle every year, I still think that they could easily conquer us if they can declare war on us."

"What?!"

"What Sir?"

"Who accepted you here? Don't tell me you're a noble's spoiled brat?"

"That's harsh Sir! I'm indeed accepted here because of my family background but I'm just a noble researcher, not a noble Politician."

"Fair point. Anyway, I won't say which country it is but a certain kingdom is keeping the Empire disunited by keeping it busy fixing itself indefinitely."

"You're talking about Numero right?"

"Did I say that?"

After White asked that question, Four finally begin to understand everything and decided to just go for another question.

" Ehh... Sir White, aren't you directly involved with the in the Empire? Couldn't you just talk to them about not attacking the Kingdom?"

"Why do you think I left the Empire? Ahhhh! You really have to make me remember her again. I'm leaving."

He proceeds to stand up and take his coat from Four.

He walked up through the door that leads to the exit of the room then stopped as he opens the door.

He looked back at four and said.

"Just finish those up okay. I want it done when I come back."

...

In the darkness of the night, White has gone out to find a place somewhere to go for a drink.

"Shit, I forgot to ask where's the tavern."

He thought of going back to ask Sir Four but he didn't do it and decided to just find it on his own.

He walked outside the military base and look for the tavern he was looking for.

While walking around finding a tavern, he was struck by the idea of inviting Isa but before he could even look back to go in the direction where Isa is, he remembered the thing that four said to him.

That he was being hated by the soldiers because of his relationship with Isa.

'Are they angry because I'm the only one with a close relationship with a girl?'

In the Sacred Numbers, they weren't allowed to have wives until the end of their service which is ten years.

So White thought that it was because of that.

'Should I allow them to use brothels?'

White continued to walk as he was thinking of what's happening around him until he saw a building that looks like the place he was trying to find. A building that has a sign of a mug in it on the door.

"This should be it!"

He decided to enter the place and sure enough, he found people inside having a drink.

It was such a busy-looking place.

...

"Seriously, that White! How can he do that to our General Isa."

"Yeah, does he even have a heart?"

In the corner of the tavern lies a man with a hood covering his face.

This man is a Commander in the kingdom and is currently taking a break at the tavern he found outside their camp.

'What are they talking about?'

Currently, White is listening to the complaints of soldiers that are also inside the tavern.

"Seriously! General Isa isn't his slave! How can he abuse her like that!"

The people who were making a fuss about the situation of Isa and White are soldiers from the Sacred Numbers.

Like White, they were inside of the tavern to drink.

'Abuse? Isa? I abuse Isa?'

"Making her come into his office every night. It's obvious that he's calling General Isa there to service him!"

In the community of the soldiers living inside their quarters. A gossip is being discussed that White is abusing Isa by making her go to his room to do stuff against Isa's will.

And now, the gossip itself is being heard by the man involved himself.

'Service!'

"What a tyrant!"

"This shouldn't be allowed in our country!"

"I'm envious..."

'Seriously? That's what they're thinking?'

It is indeed true that White is calling for Isa to service him but unlike what the soldiers are thinking about their relationship. It wasn't like that at all.

After all, for White...

'why would I even do that to my daughter, this sick freaks!'

White viewed Isa almost like her daughter already.

If you look at them today side by side. Isa and White would look like two people of the same age.

In reality though, White is older than Isa by seven years and when they first saw each other. Isa looks only like a kid while White already looks like in his later teens or early adulthood.

Although their difference in appearance back then is only due to White at that time is on his puberty.

White really saw himself as an adult to the childish appearance of Isa even though they both would look like children in the eyes of a real adult. And that mindset stayed even until Isa has grown up.

"We should protest to the King!"

"Yeah, he can't abuse our general like that."

White was readying to pounce at the group who was bad-mouthing him but he stopped and was able to calm himself down.

"He was given his position by the king himself you know. There's no way he would listen to us."

"SHIT!"

The soldier throws his mug on the floor out of anger.

The mug though wasn't empty and the beer it bears splashed everywhere inside the pub.

"Hey, you shit!"

The splash hit other people who are also drinking and due to that got angry at the group who has thrown it.

"Hey! No fighting!"

The owner of the house tried to meddle in the brewing fight but before he can even stop them...

"I'm gonna kill you!"

The fight already started.

'Shit!'

White got disappointed that his break was broken by the fight but he was also somewhat happy when he saw one of the soldiers got punched in the face by some other people inside the tavern.

As the fight broke out, he got up on his feet and walk to the counter to pay.

And before he left the place, he decided to punch a random person and kick another one to cool himself down.

'Dang, I was only able to drink a few.'

White thinks of going back to his office but suddenly, an idea came up to him and he headed to another place because of that.