Did she already know what I would ask her for?

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'Today we all earned a well-deserved rest, so I won't send Alessia to war, either to accompany her friends or me.'

"Go visit your in-laws; I will go to war just to talk to my superiors, and then I will accompany you."

"If you say so... okay, then I'll listen to you," Alessia said, sighing and nodding.

After kissing us goodbye, Alessia leaves the house and walks in the direction of my parents' house. Seeing her through the window, I can't help but think what a beautiful woman she is...

'Well, it's time to visit my second wife.'

Once the illusory door appeared, I walked through it and successfully arrived at the Solitary Temple. While the sun is already in the sky in this place, there is nothing resembling heat; there is only cold.

This changes as soon as I enter the temple; the temperature immediately becomes pleasant.

"Emir! You're late!" Delia was already prepared to leave, but when she saw that I never arrived, she probably worried about being late for work.

"Today is a rest day; you're not going to war." I shook my head.

"Why? did something happen?" Delia bowed her head, perplexed as to why she couldn't go to her unpaid work.

Emir: "..."

'This workaholic fox girl.'

"Don't you remember how you worked without rest these days? I will let my superior know that you will rest today; don't worry. Besides, in the afternoon, we will go to the labyrinth. It will do you good to move your spear a bit."

Both Alessia and Delia are not used to doing nothing all day. Something similar happened to me. I can't be at ease if I'm not moving or doing something. That's why, even though it's her day off, we'll go level up a bit in the afternoon.

"It's a promise, then. I'll be waiting for you, Emir!" Delia nodded with a big smile on her face.

I stayed only for a few minutes in the temple before saying goodbye to Delia and casting the Space Travel magic.

'- As a Saint, you should attend the war to help those in need. Then why do you listen to that man?' Blue Wind couldn't keep quiet when she saw how a Saint neglected her duties just to go on a date with a man.

'- Because Emir and I are destined to be together!' Delia answered her without hesitation, proving that Emir comes first and then the others.

'- Destined?' Blue Wind asked, to which Delia gladly explained how she lost her legendary class and how it came back through love.

As I was leaving, I don't know why, but I felt that Delia and Blue Wind were talking about me behind my back. I say this because, until I crossed the illusory door, neither of them took their eyes off me.

'Haa… Blue Wind doesn't even have eyes!'

 

***

 

After impersonating the Golden Archer, I leave the forest and walk in the direction of Commander Cael's tent.

Along the way, I noticed the strange atmosphere surrounding the rear army. If yesterday was a holiday, today seems like a solemn day. Everyone is talking about the talents that excelled on the battlefield. And I noticed that they all walked to the center of the army.

'Is there going to be an event or something? At least that's what the soldiers' words help me understand.'

Without thinking too much about it, I entered the commander's tent.

Behind the desk sits Commander Cael, with countless papers in front of him. He has dark circles under his eyes, and more than once he has brought his hands to his shoulders, giving the impression that they are hurting.

"Commander, today Emilia won't be able to attend. She overexerted herself too much these days."

'Straight to the point, I don't want to prolong the conversation more than necessary.'

"I see. Although we are short of priests, I don't want one of our best priestesses to get sick from too much stress either. She had already completed the most difficult aspect of the job. Thanks to this, our losses, although huge, do not account for our talented men." Cael nodded, understanding that Emilia must rest.

Once he signed a paper, he set it aside and only then spoke again.

"Do you know how to massage?" he asked, looking deeply at me.

Emir: "..."

'At what point did the conversation go awry!'

"Haa, if you can't, just say so. Since the other day, my shoulders and neck have been aching. I haven't had time to have a professional look at me-... Ah! Shit, it hurts." Cael turned his head too sharply, and immediately his neck hurt.

Emir: "..."

'That's because of age; we can't cure it.'

"Haa, back to the subject. The damn Solus Temple only lent us one Saint, and she practically didn't even work; she only healed the wounds of those with noble blood in their veins. As for the others, her bodyguards barred them from entering." Said Cael, very angry, and after a pause continued, "That's why I agree that Emilia should take a break. She deserves it, as opposed to a certain Saint who came only to eat and shit."

I understand his fury. That a renowned Saint, who is said to be able to perform miracles, would only use her healing abilities on those with noble blood would really make anyone angry.

If it weren't because I'm knowledgeable on the subject, I would blame the Saint as well.

"Anyway, you must have already noticed the atmosphere outside, right?" Cael looked toward the entrance of his tent.

"Yes. It is a decoration ceremony or something similar, right?"

At my words, the commander looked at me quizzically and said, "Don't you remember what we talked about before?"

"Hmm...This time, I don't know what you mean," I said, shaking my head.

'If I remembered all of our conversations, then I'd start to grow green gray hairs. After all, the majority of them are just insults.'

"The ranking of the war heroes. Do you remember now?" Cael said with an evil grin.

Emir: "..."

'Ah, by the way he's looking at me... Don't tell me... I'm in a ranking position! I don't want to! Others crave fame, but I don't!'

It's true that I stood out a bit when fighting alongside Yair's group. So did my fight with the White Snake guild master. And there was also that time I sacrificed two arrows to attack a thuggish admiral general who tried to assassinate me…

'Wait a bit... Didn't I stand out too much?'

Samael Entrial was nearly killed, and it was all due to the coordination between my attack and Commander Cael's attack. After all, this point was crucial for Dorian Aranis to give his all to try to assassinate Samael, even sacrificing dozens of magic items in less than 5 seconds.

'...The more I think about it, the more this bad feeling grows. Should I use my acting skills to feign illness?'

Cael was speechless for a moment, but then. "As your commander, I order you to attend that stupid ceremony!"

'Did he read my expression?! I'm lost! No... Wait a bit!'

"Commander, I would like to attend, but I have a very important job to do." Rolling up my sleeves, I said, "It so happens that I know how to massage. I can't stay calm when I see you complaining about shoulder pain. The ceremony can wait; your health comes first." I approached the commander with a professional posture.

Cael: "Ejem, I actually got rid of the pain."

'Fuck you, commander!'

"Now go to that place and let everyone know that you are part of the reconnaissance group. It's critical that everyone recognize you as one of my men. That way..." Cael grinned from ear to ear "There will be more recruits next year."

Emir: "..."

'Poor my juniors. Putting up with this commander is harder than fighting to the death.'

"Don't I have a choice?"

In spite of everything, I don't want to give up if there is a small chance to escape.

"You have no choice,'' Cael said, shaking his head.

"If you don't attend, you'd rather give me a foot massage a thousand times than face the consequences."

'Ugh. Even now, I'm not willing to give him a foot massage... I'm afraid that embarrassing him with my non-attendance could cost me my life, or even a ball!'

"Haa... All right, I'll go."

Sighing, I removed the storage ring Commander Cael gave me before leaving for war from my finger and left it on his desk. Others may covet this ring because of the immensity of items it can hold within, but I do not.

My inventory far exceeds any storage ring. I have no interest in them. I only use them for show.

Commander Cael took the ring in hand and, after evaluating it, nodded.

Since everything was in order, I headed for the exit.

Just before I left, I stopped in place and said, "Thank you for helping me that time."

"What do you mean?" Cael smiled.

"Hmm, who knows..." I lifted my shoulders slightly.

Since he didn't speak again, I left his tent. Anyone would think it disrespectful to leave without even saying goodbye, but I feel such a thing would be unnecessary at this time.