章 208: I love freedom
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The clerk took me to a room to await the arrival of the Admiral General.
A few minutes later, the door opened. Dorian Aranis was the first to enter, but I wasn't expecting Commander Cael to follow him.
"You look good despite the commotion you caused out there. You are the new rising star, you know?" mocked Cael "Many guilds were planning to recruit you, but after giving them a kicking, they got over it"
'So Commander Cael scared off those who wanted to recruit me, huh? I should be cheerful since it took a weight off my shoulders, but seeing them enter this place together, I feel like I've already figured out the topic of conversation.'
"You made me look like a superpower. You even framed me for that attack you carried out." I looked at Commander Cael and said, "Why did you give me all the credit?"
Anyone in his place would brag about his feats in war. The best example is Commander Rayan Alford, who didn't care what happened to his men as long as he managed to get the merits to move up in his military career.
"That's easy to answer. Just look at this guy" Cael pointed a finger at Dorian "Even though he's the admiral general, he doesn't look happy at all. Quite the contrary, he is replete with gray hair and regrets taking the position. If he could sell his position, he would have done so long ago."
'Ahh, better strata doesn't mean greater peace of mind. I can understand that.'
"Cael, stop badmouthing me in front of the Golden Archer. You make me look like a bad guy," Dorian sighed, indicating that he just wanted world peace and didn't want to retire, even if the juicy retirement is tempting.
'I don't know Rick, it looks fake to me. Initially, I thought Dorian was a good guy, but the more I get to know about him, the more I feel my ability to read looks increases in level. Could it be that this guy is a great actor? For his gift of gab, I wouldn't expect anything less.'
"Whatever," Cael said, ignoring Dorian's words, "I'll be honest: we want you to join the army."
'I knew it! due to the protection of the Holy Delia, they couldn't force me like the others, and… That's why they probably decided to use a contract with very favorable terms to persuade me.'
My thoughts came true the next second, when Cael left in front of me a contract with his and Dorian Aranis' signature.
"We will grant you 500 men, ready and willing to carry out any order you desire. You will also have only two superiors, He and I." Cael pointed his finger and said, "This means you will know classified information and you will be able to see the big picture, while the other generals will only be able to see a part of the political landscape."
It is at this point that Dorian began to speak.
"By obtaining such information, you will never be deceived, and you will immediately uncover spies and traitors..." Said Dorian with a serious tone.
"...As for your future promotions, the first one will grant you 500 more men, the second promotion will be a thousand men, and the third will be three thousand men. By that time, you'll have 5,000 men at your disposal, an unlimited future, and the ability to accomplish feats you couldn't do alone."
These words were only the tip of the iceberg. In the following minutes, they explained in greater detail the contract to the point that one of my privileges is that my level and class will be secret from the kingdom; only a few will be able to know my real level.
"You can take the contract with you to analyze it more calmly; we know it is not easy to give an immediate answer." Dorian said, handing me the contract.
But... I didn't take it.
"I'm sorry, but my will is not something I can easily change." I shook my head and said, "I love freedom and, if I sign that contract, that will end."
I came to this war solely because I wanted to get experience, a different experience than what I can get by defeating monsters. And it was because I got to be under the false protection of a Saint that my freedom remained intact. But it will all be over if I write my signature on that piece of paper.
"Golden Archer, I understand your concerns, but let me just say that..." Both Dorian and Commander Cael tried to convince me by saying that it will be very difficult for a commoner to rise if he doesn't have the support of someone with power, that my medal of honor only grants me minor nobility, and that if I try to rise, the royal nobles will stand in my way.
And yet my answer did not change.
"I'm sorry, but I must let you down... My answer remains the same." I thought that hearing my answer would end the discussion, but instead another discussion began.
"I told you it would be a waste of time. I knew this guy would respond that way." Cael yelled angrily at Dorian.
"We didn't lose anything by trying," Dorian said, lifting his shoulders casually.
"You didn't lose anything. But I did!" Cael rose from his seat "I lost the damn massage hour! Now who's going to give me a massage?!"
'Hey, didn't you get rid of the pain?'
"I have some knowledge on the subject. I can give you a massage if you want" Dorian rolled up his sleeves, showing that he means business.
"Are you going to massage my feet?!" Cael was taken aback. It would be the first time in his life that a renowned magical knight would massage his feet.
Dorian Aranis: "..."
*Sound of sword being unsheathed*
Cael: "..."
"Is it too late to say that it was a joke?" said Cael, grinning.
With a smile on his face, Dorian swings his sword, generating a huge crack in the wall room.
'What happened to Commander Cael?'
He disappeared, even though I don't know at what time he did it. But he is nowhere to be found anymore.
"Did you forget that you yourself told me about the weakness of the Shadow Class?" Dorian said, looking off into the distance.
Without waiting for an answer, he leaves the room, following Commander Cael's trail.
Emir: "..."
'Well, time to go home.'
***
*Omniscient POV*
At the same time, in another place.
Once the decoration event was over, the army broke ranks, and all the soldiers headed to their respective positions.
Since, while the victory celebration continues, many of them must keep their guard up to avoid the enemy revenge.
With the stage now empty, five men remain seated in front of a table with extremely complicated faces.
"So... no one could portray the Golden Archer?!"
These are the 5 professional artists in charge of making the portraits.
"No. I just know he was wearing a mask" said one artist.
"I remember part of the structure of his bow," said another.
And so each of them could only describe a small part of Emir, but none of them could remember his appearance in full.
"Haa... We must have the portraits ready by tomorrow; if we can't draw the Golden Archer, our careers will be over" said the leader of the artists.
"!!!"
'You were hired to draw portraits. Couldn't make it? Then take the consequences.' That's the situation they all imagined.
"Don't worry. If the Golden Archer is carrying that magic item, it means he doesn't want people to know his real identity" The leader took a pause and then said, "Then we will portray him as the Admiral General's accounts describe him: as a cold, elegant, serious man!"
Such words struck the artists like lightning.
What is the best job? the one that allows you to let your imagination fly! It's where they can express their art without anyone interrupting them!
Because of this, the artists found themselves more excited than ever.
"His mask only allowed us to see part of his mouth. Wouldn't a crescent-shaped mask be better?" advised one of the artists.
"You're right, let's draw him like that." All the other artists agreed and made their respective changes.
"I'm sure he had green eyes."
"No. I noticed they were blue." The artist shook his head, but then he came to a conclusion "Don't tell me... he has one blue eye and the other one green!"
"!!!"
'Does the Golden Archer have heterochromia?'
They couldn't be sure if this was true, but he looked good this way!
So they drew him like that anyway.
"I heard that the Golden Archer is a bastard noble, so his clothing must be that of a noble; the customs are hard to eradicate after all, but... he is here to make a name for himself and take revenge on his noble house. So his clothing must be that of a rebellious noble!"
"!!!"
Inspiration came like crazy; every time one of them spoke, it made thunder and lightning appear above their heads. They might be talking a lot of nonsense, but that nonsense sounded good!
So they drew him like that anyway.
The time quickly passed. The artists had never in their lives tried so hard to draw someone.
They gave it their all, and when they were finished, they were sure that this portrait equaled the great feats once narrated by the Admiral General himself.
As a result, they drew a serious man, cold and elegant. With a crescent mask, heterochromatic eyes, and black hair typical of nobles related to royalty.
The portrait had an extraordinary aura. Anyone who saw it would understand that this is a talent that only appears once every 100 years.
The man's clothing was dark, and at the edges, golden threads adorned it; clearly, it was upper-class clothing, but it differed from many trends, giving him a rebellious nobleman's style.
As for his bow and arrows, these were the only ones that most closely resembled the real thing. Out of 10 points, they scored 8 in likeness.
The portrait, however… By all accounts, it was the portrait of Emir, but with five plastic surgeries and some organ transplants.
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