Marshal Magnus. {3}

Just outside his aunt's bar, Alexius froze in his tracks.

Parked in the middle of the street was an armored steam vehicle, the kind typically used to transport high-ranking military officers on the battlefield.

Its heavy plating could withstand heavy-caliber gunfire for minutes, and its presence in the city was a rare sight, requiring special permission from a high-ranking noble. But that wasn't all. The entire street was swarming with Ironclad soldiers.

They lined the sidewalks, perched on rooftops, and stood at every corner; their presence was an unmistakable show of force. Even the most reckless lowlifes wouldn't dare cause trouble now... though, knowing the lower districts, someone might still try.

"Cheeto... what is this?" Alexius asked, his voice tinged with disbelief as he scanned the scene.

{Did this girl sell me out to the military?}

"Don't worry, Alexius! It's nothing bad. Come on, let's get in the car; my dad wants to talk to you," Natalia's tone was cheerful as she practically shoved him toward the armored vehicle.

Alexius stumbled inside, his eyes widening as he came face-to-face with a mountain of a man. The burly figure sitting across from him had sharp orange hair and muscles that looked like they could crush boulders.

He was even bigger than Fitz, if that was possible. His presence alone was overwhelming, like standing too close to a roaring furnace.

{Damn... this guy could probably crush my head like a grape and turn it into juice without breaking a sweat. What the hell did I get myself into?}

"Papa, this is Alexius! He's the one I told you about in the letter I sent yesterday!" Natalia said, her voice bubbling with excitement. But her father's expression was anything but cheerful. His face was like a storm cloud, dark and foreboding.

"So... you're the one who kidnapped my little fire?" The man growled, his voice deep and menacing, like the rumble of an alpha lion. The pressure in the vehicle was suffocating, and Alexius felt like his organs were being squeezed just by being in the same space as him.

"Papa! What are you talking about? I never said he kidnapped me! Where in my letter did I say that?" Natalia shouted, her hands on her hips as she glared at her father.

"But my little fire, he—" the man started, but Natalia cut him off.

"I knew I shouldn't have contacted you! I should've gone to Mama first!" she huffed while crossing her arms and pouting like a true spoiled princess.

The man sighed, his stern expression softening slightly. "Ehem, fine, fine. Oi, lad, what's your name?" He asked, his voice still booming but slightly less intimidating.

"I'm Alexius. And you are?" Alexius replied, trying to keep his tone casual despite the sheer intimidation radiating from the man.

"Hmph! You don't need to know my name!" The man shouted out, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "But my little fire here tells me you got into trouble at the academy because you helped her. Is that true?"

Alexius shrugged, his cheeky attitude kicking in despite the pressure. "Well, I wouldn't say I'm in trouble... I could always just drop out of the academy and find other work. It's not like I can't survive without it."

The burly man stared at him for a long moment, his piercing gaze locking onto Alexius's. Then, without warning, he threw his head back and let out a booming laugh.

"BAHAHAHA! That's how a man should be! Even if someone shuts a door in your face, you grab a damn axe and chop it down to find another way! I like you, lad. What do you say? Want to join the military?"

Alexius blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone. "Uh, sir, with the trouble I'm in at the academy, I don't think I'd be allowed to join the military. And even if I could, I'd rather not risk dealing with the military police. I'd take the regular police any day... at least they're easier to bribe."

{I'd rather deal with a hundred regular cops than one military officer. Those guys don't mess around.}

The man chuckled, his laughter shaking the vehicle. "Fair point, lad. But remember, the military's always looking for men with guts. You've got potential. Don't waste it."

Natalia beamed, clearly pleased with how the conversation was going. "See, Papa? I told you he was a good guy!"

The man grunted, his expression softening as he looked at his daughter. "Alright, alright. But next time, don't run off without telling me, little fire. You scared the hell out of me."

As the tension in the vehicle eased, Alexius couldn't help but feel a strange sense of relief. He'd just faced down a living mountain of man and come out unscathed.

But as he glanced out the window at the sea of Ironclad soldiers, he couldn't shake the feeling that his life was about to get even more complicated.

After a tense but oddly entertaining drive, the armored steam vehicle finally rolled to a stop at the academy's main entrance. The academy, with its towering gates and pristine grounds, was a stark contrast to the gritty lower districts Alexius was used to.

But today, it wasn't the academy's grandeur that drew attention; it was the massive armored vehicle and the squad of Ironclad soldiers surrounding it.

As the vehicle doors opened, curious cadets began to gather, their whispers growing into a buzz of excitement.

"Hey, look at that! Isn't that an armored vehicle? What's it doing here?"

"No way... that's the kind of thing only high-ranking officers use. Who's inside?"

"Wait, why are there Ironclad soldiers here? This is way too much security for a normal visit."

The crowd grew larger by the second, cadets jostling for a better view. The first to step out was Natalia, her bright orange hair catching the sunlight like a flame. She was followed by Alexius, who looked as nonchalant as ever, though his sharp eyes scanned the crowd with mild amusement.

"Who are those two? I recognize the guy; he's a cadet leader, right? But why is he with her? And why did they come out of an armored vehicle?"

Before the speculation could grow any wilder, the burly figure of Natalia's father emerged from the vehicle. The moment his boots hit the ground, the Ironclad soldiers snapped to attention, their voices ringing out in unison.

"We salute the Grand Marshal!"

The cadets erupted into murmurs of shock and awe.

"Wait, the Grand Marshal!? Who's that?"

"Are you serious? He's only the highest-ranking officer in the infantry! The only ones on his level are the Grand Sky Marshal and the Grand Sea Admiral!"

Natalia's father, Grand Marshal Magnus, ignored the commotion, his sharp eyes scanning the academy grounds. He took a deep breath, his nose wrinkling in disgust. "Mmm, why does this place always smell like cheap cigarettes?"

Alexius, standing beside him, didn't miss a beat. "Because we're poor, sir."

Magnus let out a booming laugh, clapping Alexius on the back hard enough to make him stumble. "BAHAHAH! Good point, lad! Alright, let's go find the headmaster. I've got some words for that snake."

The trio marched toward the academy building, the crowd parting like the Red Sea as they passed. Cadets stared in awe, their whispers growing louder.

"Did you see that? The Grand Marshal just laughed at something that cadet said!"

"Who is that guy? He's got some serious guts to talk to the Grand Marshal like that!"

As they reached the headmaster's office, a prefect stepped forward, blocking their path. "Halt! The headmaster is busy right now. Please—"

Before he could finish, Magnus kicked the door open, sending the prefect flying into the room with a yell. One of the Ironclad soldiers stepped forward, ready to arrest the prefect, but Magnus waved him off.

"No need. I'm just here to have a chat with the headmaster about my little fire's school life," Magnus said, striding into the office like he owned the place.

Once inside, Magnus took a deep breath and bellowed at the top of his lungs, "Fucking Snake! Where the hell are you!? Come see your grandpa!"

His voice echoed through the office and probably half the academy. A moment later, a dry, unimpressed voice floated down from the second floor, where the headmaster's private library was located.

"Why are you still so loud, Magnus? You're not a kid anymore."

Magnus scowled, his hands on his hips. "Cut the crap, you ugly snake! You know why I'm here, so come down and let's talk like men!"

The headmaster's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Like hell, I'll stand next to you, you crazy gorilla. You'd crush me with that body of yours. I still don't know what she saw in you... tsk."

Alexius's ears perked up at the mention of "her." He leaned closer to Natalia, poking her ribs and whispering, "Hey, Cheeto, who's the headmaster talking about?"

Natalia's face flushed as Alexius's breath tickled her ear. "He's talking about my mother..." she whispered back.

Alexius's eyes widened with glee.

{Oho? The headmaster was the Grand Marshal's love rival!? Now that's some juicy gossip!}

As the tension between the two men cracked in the air, Alexius couldn't help but grin. This day was turning out to be far more interesting than he'd expected.