Chapter 44: The Coveted Levin

As Levin made his way back, he contemplated how to explain the recent events. His primary objective in infiltrating the Vakilis Church was to assist Aili, seeking alternative means to eliminate the wolf blood mark. If that proved futile, mitigating its effects would suffice; a secondary aim was to earn some myth points along the way.

However, his actions might not earn the recognition or understanding of the Guardsmen. From their perspective, it was unnecessary to take such a risk by assigning an elite like Levin to a high-stakes undercover mission. If he were to fall in the line of duty, the loss would weigh heavily on the Guards.

Furthermore, what if such an exceptional young man were to actually betray them?

For Levin, the situation was markedly different. Once he resolved Aili's issue with her wolf blood mark, he would have repaid her debt of life, allowing him to leave this world in search of a way home without any regrets. Moreover, acquiring myth points represented a crucial lead in his quest to return. Thus, despite the risks of his impulsive actions, the potential benefits remained.

With this in mind, he decided to keep the Guards completely in the dark, aiming to secure two waves of myth points while playing the role of a wolf. The wolf would perceive him as an ally, yet he would be the true good guy, relying on cunning to navigate the situation.

...

"Have you returned?" In the camp, Aili was fully armed and preparing to lead a search party for Levin when she spotted him returning unharmed.

"How did it go? Are you alright?" Aili scrutinized Levin, ensuring his armor was intact, her concern evident.

"I'm fine, Commander, just a bit tired," Levin replied with a chuckle, waving off her worry as he began to report on his mission's progress. 

"I chased his carriage out to the outskirts, and it turns out Vladimir is indeed a werewolf. Realizing he couldn't outrun me, he transformed and nearly reached mid-tier strength…"

In truth, he had already achieved mid-tier status, but he refrained from disclosing this to hide his own power.

Speaking of concealing strength, Levin realized that his prowess had been inadvertently revealed to the Vakilis Church, while the Guards remained oblivious to it. 

That seemed a bit problematic.

However, the pragmatic Levin swiftly dismissed such thoughts. The Vakilis Church required his assistance and would not pry too deeply into the origins of his power, whereas the Weimar Guards, prioritizing the integrity of their ranks, would undoubtedly seek to uncover every detail. Explaining himself could lead to significant complications.

"Almost reaching mid-tier? How did you manage that?" Aili's brow furrowed at Levin's description, but seeing that he appeared unscathed, even lacking scratches, she exhaled in relief.

"I just ran, Commander. You know I'm an agile type; that guy couldn't keep up with me even in his carriage. After he transformed, he still couldn't catch me, so I wisely retreated when I recognized the enemy's strength," Levin said with casual ease, not batting an eye.

"Hmm, your choice was indeed wise; all actions should prioritize self-preservation." Aili's tension dissipated as she patted Levin's shoulder. "Thank you for your efforts today; you should rest now."

"Commander, what became of the 'Noon Blaze' tavern?" Levin wiped the sweat from his forehead, recalling the day's events and inquiring about the establishment.

"That tavern has been sealed. We discovered promotional materials for the Vakilis Church inside, along with some inconsequential intelligence they hadn't managed to relocate. Everything has been submitted to headquarters. That hideout has been thoroughly dismantled, though the owner has yet to be apprehended for espionage and illegal religious promotion." Aili tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Prepare a report on today's events; the headquarters will issue a wanted notice."

"A report?" Levin paused, then glanced toward the office.

"Has Clisia left for the day?"

"She exhausted herself crafting magic scrolls, so I sent her home to rest." Aili's indifferent tone struck Levin like a chill.

...

"Understood; I'll take note of the situation." Aider ended the communication, picked up a quill, and swiftly began writing the document.

"Really? Did the East Fourth Division crack that tip-off case?" Arios asked, performing push-ups in the office, his muscular form glistening with sweat.

"Indeed, I sent the information this morning, and by noon, they had relayed the report. This handwriting... it's unmistakably Levin's," Aider remarked, frowning at Levin's messy scrawl.

"What was the outcome?" Arios wiped the sweat from his brow and rose from the floor.

"The tavern was a front for the Vakilis Church. We uncovered promotional materials and intelligence they had failed to retrieve. The owner, a werewolf from the Cold Federal, makes excuses to go out on full moons, suspected to possess mid-tier strength. Levin managed to escape from him."

Aider adjusted his golden locks while explaining to Arios and continuing to draft the wanted notice.

"Oh? Did Levin fail?" Arios raised an eyebrow.

"What? Are you so confident in him?" Aider replied without looking up, continuing his writing.

"Not particularly; failing once is quite normal, but it feels like Levin's failure came too easily." Arios shook his head.

"You treated him like your own son after sparring with him a month ago. Either acknowledge him as your disciple or marry him off and have children, so you can stop venting your testosterone in the office." Aider remarked as he crafted a neatly written wanted notice, transmitting it to all the Weimar Guards divisions.

"Ha ha, acknowledge him as my disciple? That's hardly for me to decide. Are you familiar with the Morella family?" Arios chuckled, shaking his head.

"Oh? Is it the family of Senator Morella?" Aider finally seemed intrigued, lifting his gaze to Arios.

"Yes, precisely that Morella. I've heard their young lady has been getting quite close to a young Guardsman. Care to guess who it is?" A mischievous grin spread across Arios's face.

Aider frowned. "It wouldn't be Levin, would it? I always thought he had a secret crush on his commander, Aili."

"Ah? Why would you think that?" Arios looked at Aider in surprise. "You've barely seen them together a few times, haven't you?"

Aider shook his head. "I don't know; it's just a hunch from what I've heard in communications. Let me tell you, they're on a first-name basis now…"

"No, Aider, with the Guards' responsibilities so heavy, is it appropriate for us to discuss subordinate romances during work hours?" 

"I've been working late into the night every day; can't I take a few moments to discuss personal lives? You trying to act like the boss?" Aider raised an eyebrow, a hint of menace in his gaze directed at Arios.

"Alright, alright… you continue," Arios relented, backing down as the supposed leader.

"Regardless, I'm more optimistic about this pairing. That Morella young lady is not of the same ilk as our Guardsmen. I'm curious how they came together," Aider remarked.

"It seems to stem from a case handled by Levin, where he saved her pet and changed her perception of the Guards. The Morella family isn't particularly traditional and doesn't oppose their daughter falling for a young man like him…" Arios continued.

"Wait a moment, she's already in love? Just for saving a pet? Surely that's an exaggeration," Aider questioned incredulously.

"Well, I didn't think so either, but guess what? A few days ago, the Magic Academy collaborated with us, sending students and young teachers to serve as spell consultants. You know what the Morella young lady did? She specifically requested to go to the East Fourth Division, and the Academy accommodated her by swapping out the students initially assigned there for her…" Arios animatedly explained, resembling a seasoned detective recounting a case.

"Ah, that makes sense! I wondered why the reports received this morning were so beautifully written; turns out it was penned by the Morella young lady… So, the Morella family supports this? They want to nurture Levin?" Aider mused, stroking his chin.

"Indeed, I've heard that the Morella family is dissatisfied with the dangers associated with the Guards. They worry that if Levin were to sacrifice himself, it would jeopardize their daughter's happiness, so they plan to elevate Levin to a different position…" Arios nodded, then regretfully shook his head.

"Would you be willing to let him go?" Aider inquired, looking at Arios.

"Of course not! But if the Morella family pulls strings at headquarters, what can I do?" Arios slammed his palm on the table in frustration.

"Don't get too worked up; the situation isn't finalized yet. What if Levin is infatuated with Aili and refuses to leave the East Fourth Division? Could the Morella family really force him away? The Council of Sages would intervene." Aider placed a calming hand on Arios's shoulder.

"True… you make a good point. After all, matters of the heart involve two people. If Levin doesn't feel that way, the Morella young lady couldn't just take him from us. In that case, I'd have to support Levin and Aili; perhaps I could play matchmaker for them…" 

"Speaking of which, isn't Captain Rogner Traure of the Special Operations Team particularly fond of Aili? He has mentioned wanting to transfer her several times; it's only because she hasn't expressed interest that she remains." Aider suddenly recalled.

"You're right. We could ask Captain Rogner Traure if he'd consider transferring both Aili and Levin together; they'd make a fantastic pair, and the East Fourth Division's combat strength would rise swiftly. However, if that happens, we'll soon find ourselves short-handed…" 

"Ah, that's just how it is in frontline work. We can't hinder their prospects, can we? If you really can't bear it, wait until after the Vakilis Church invasion settles down." 

"It seems that will have to be the case."