Chapter 10: Before the Journey

"Your way of doing things is complicated," Dalia said, glaring at Dante in the room. Only the Officers were present. Her gaze was stern, one she'd acquired after Commander Sergi left the Training Grounds. "There can never be this kind of behavior within the Capital. Regardless of what's said, you must bow your head to the Officers. When you want to do something, ask for permission. When you want to proceed, ask for permission. There must always be an order before any action. Understood?"

Dante nodded, standing upright. He hadn't expected to get scolded before his first mission even began. The others stood the same way—arms behind their backs, heads held high. No one moved except the Officer.

"How many times do I have to say this? Orders are meant to be followed." Dalia stopped in front of Dante and stared him down. "Do you think you need to defend me? Do you think I don't know what they say behind my back? That's the burden I must bear, not you or anyone else."

"Ma'am, I—"

"What did I say about speaking, you idiot?" Dalia's gaze hardened immediately. "It doesn't matter how many times they talk about the people in this squad; no one moves without my authorization."

Dante's hands relaxed as he accepted the order.

"My honor or pride stems from my actions," Dalia continued. "So be content with simply completing the mission. Now, head to the stables. I'll speak with Commander Sergi to see what he wants. Dismissed."

She said no more, just turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.

The others relaxed once she left, and their faces returned to normal. It was as if the barrage of scolding had never happened.

"Congrats on screwing up right off the bat," Tecno said, slapping Dante on the back. "Always good to start with a mistake here in the Capital. Out there, she wouldn't have been so lenient."

"Dalia was pretty easygoing this time," Freto added, handing them a glass of water. "When it was me, she made me fence off two fields on the farm. It was rough."

Crish laughed at him. "Good times watching you clear that land."

At least Dalia had gone easy on him. That thought left Dante slightly confused. Why would she go easy on him when what he'd done was more than just a simple fight? He'd disrespected an Officer—surely, she'd be at least a little angry.

And no punishment?

"Don't overthink it," Tecno said, waiting for Freto and Crish to leave before speaking further. He was the last to head out, gesturing for Dante to follow. "The ma'am knows what she's doing. And, from the looks of it, she might even like you. Yesterday was rough for some people, but James Rodd has always hated Dalia for many reasons."

"Plenty of reasons," Crish chimed in.

Dante walked alongside them as Freto turned back to him, still moving forward. He raised a finger.

"The first time James faced off against her, he lost badly. But they didn't even fight. She ordered him to kneel and apologize, and he did without hesitation."

The three laughed together.

"It was a good fight."

Dante refrained from asking about her ability. Ordering people around like that would be incredibly powerful. Who could stand against her? Dante himself had felt the pressure of her Cosmic Energy, but he'd never acted against it.

The idea was surreal.

"After that defeat, James spread a rumor that her ability came from a demon," Tecno explained. "After that, chaos ensued for us. Unfortunately, there's still a lot of prejudice about abilities. Some are beyond understanding or the reason they're given to certain people. And clearly, that's a problem for the Capital."

"What kind of ability is that?" Dante asked.

They moved through a wider corridor and exited in front of one of the city wall gates. Despite the long walk, the corridors always seemed to shorten when they were together.

The stables were made entirely of wood, standing out against the stone and iron tones of the surrounding houses and shops. There was even a blacksmith shop nearby. Soldiers strolled by on their leisure time, and townsfolk purchased hoes and shovels.

Tecno pointed ahead, signaling them to move forward.

"We're talking about abilities that consume more than just Cosmic Energy." He gave Dante a sly smile. "Don't worry. It's very rare to come across people like that. But if we do run into them, I hope you'll have our backs."

Dante nodded firmly. "I'll make them eat dirt."

Freto and Crish nodded in agreement, though their expressions weren't exactly cheerful. This seems more serious than I imagined.

As they neared the stables, they saw horses neighing and tossing their heads. The caretaker held the reins of two but couldn't control them. The animals stomped the ground and spun aggressively.

"Damn it, they gave us the newly trained ones."

Tecno approached, raising his arms to the caretaker. "Hey, Luigi. What's going on? Where are our horses?"

"Ah, Officer Tecno," Luigi said, bowing immediately. His face was drenched in sweat, and he looked deeply frustrated. "They took your horses, sir. That bastard and his little gang of tin soldiers."

"Who did this?"

Luigi spat to the side. "James Rodd, sir. That little worm came by earlier and said you wouldn't need the horses. He had that guy with him, from the same lot."

Tecno sighed and motioned for the others to follow. As they approached, the Officer pointed behind them.

"We're not going anywhere if these horses don't calm down. If James knew about our mission, he also knows where we're going. We need to get moving before Dalia gets back."

Freto and Crish stepped forward, taking the reins. They pulled gently, trying not to hurt the animals. Dante grabbed the reins of one horse and faced the animal as it pulled and tugged, trying to break free.

He held the reins firmly and gave a sharp downward tug. The horse stepped forward, stomping its hooves together, then lowered its head. Dante placed a hand on its coat, giving it two pats between the ears.

"Good boy. I won't hurt you, okay?" Dante released the reins and moved to the side. He placed his foot in the stirrup, swung his weight up, and settled into the saddle. Taking the reins again, he brought them close to his waist. "Good boy."

The three paused, watching Dante mounted and leaning forward.

"How did you do that?" Tecno asked, still holding the reins.

"My mother taught me. She always loved riding horses. The animal just needs to know it can trust you. Give a stronger tug, and when it lowers its head, show some respect."

Freto and Tecno followed his advice, but their horses neighed in protest. Dante laughed and warned them they'd been too rough. Crish, on the other hand, pulled more gently and received a low bow from her horse. She stroked it gracefully and mounted quickly.

After a few more attempts, Tecno and Freto managed to get on their horses. Dante waited for one of them to take the lead. Crish was the first to move, guiding her horse forward.

As they trotted through the streets, soldiers saluted the Officers. Dante was the only one who received disdainful looks, to which he responded with a smug grin. They headed toward the northern gate, where a towering watchtower loomed above. The closer they got, the larger it seemed. Dante couldn't estimate how long it must have taken to build such a structure.

It was enormous—at least ten times bigger than his house in the village.

"The ma'am is waiting for us ahead," someone said.

They approached the massive gate. Outside, the grass stretched as far as the eye could see. Trees swayed gently in the breeze, and distant mountains were blanketed in green.

Dante was awestruck. In his village, he'd never ventured beyond the limits set by his father. He'd always wanted to explore the world—it was one of his childhood dreams. But that desire had gradually faded as brutal training sessions consumed his days from dawn to nightfall.

Now, on the brink of his first mission, he thought of his father. What would he think if he saw all this greenery?

"You seem ready," Dalia said before mounting her horse. "We don't have much time. We'll gather the six minerals requested and return the next day. Dante will carry three, and three will go on your horse to avoid transportation issues."

"Yes, ma'am."

Dalia stared at the terrain outside. Dante waited for her to move, but her horse remained still. Is she hesitating?

"Ma'am," Tecno called, "shall we go?"

She snapped out of her thoughts.

"Yes. Let's go."