Chapter 6 : Welcome Among Us

Ron arrived at Kanz's room, where Shandar, Luna, Clara, and Canon were present, as well as Kanz himself, seated on his chair in front of his large, advanced computer. Ron passed by Clara, Luna, and Shandar and stood beside Kanz.

"It doesn't seem like you put in much effort with them, partner," Kanz said to Ron with a smile.

"They only sent 23 disorganized soldiers. For some reason, I felt as though they came after us without prior orders," Ron replied as he removed his black scarf and tossed it onto the bed.

The room they were in was shared by Ron and Kanz. It featured two beds attached to the walls on opposite sides, with Kanz's large computer in the middle. There was also a medium-sized fridge, a medium-sized couch, and a wooden chair. The room lacked distinctive details, but for Ron and Kanz, this was... the perfect room.

"According to what I received from the scouts, the areas numbered 15 to 20 are not under the central government's control, making them suitable locations for other revolutionary groups to relocate to."

"Explain further, Kanz," Ron said, leaning against the edge of the computer table with his arms crossed.

"Before that... haven't you noticed we're not alone here?" Kanz asked with a wide smile.

Ron was surprised by Kanz's words, so he glanced around the room and, indeed, there were other people present. He noticed Shandar, Canon, and Luna but did not recognize Clara.

"Oh, since when have you been here? And why didn't anyone speak up?" Ron asked them, bewildered.

"We were here before you. You're the one who didn't notice us, leader!" Luna responded angrily, feeling ignored.

"Oh, I see. Anyway... who is this girl?" Ron asked, pointing at Clara.

Clara felt her heartbeat quicken and grow louder, as though drums were pounding forcefully. Clara, a young woman like others, was drawn to handsome men, which explained her current state—she was captivated by Ron's distinctive features, which he had inherited from his mother.

"I... I'm Clara Hubers, and my little sister is with me... her name is Jenny Hubers. Thank you for saving us... for saving me," Clara managed to pull herself together and spoke clearly, despite the difficulty.

"Ah, I see. Clara... a beautiful name, and the same goes for Jenny. Anyway, welcome to the main base of the Seventh Revolutionary Squad. I am Commander Ron Herald, and my deputy's name is Jennifer Loras. She's not here now, but you'll likely meet her later. She's a good girl despite her childish behavior," Ron said warmly, though his facial expression remained somber.

"And now... leave the room. I need to change my clothes," Ron said, gesturing with his hand for them to exit.

Ron's words were clear—he wanted personal space to change. Shandar and Luna understood and decided to leave. However, Canon, who had been silent the entire time, and the nervous Clara shared a single thought: "I want to see this!" But Luna pulled them away, and they all left. The door locked automatically behind them.

"Ah~ Why do they keep doing that? I can't seem to enter this room without finding at least one of them here, as if this room holds something special," Ron said in annoyance as he removed his upper clothing.

"As for Luna, she comes here for instructions. Shandar rarely visits, Canon barely comes here—and when she does, it's to see you, of course. As for the newcomer Clara, this is her first time here," Kanz replied while heading to the fridge to grab two soda cans, tossing one to Ron.

"This place gets stranger every time," Ron said, holding the soda can and placing it aside.

Ron continued removing his clothes, revealing his muscular chest that was nearly perfect. However, the sight was painful due to the numerous bruises and wounds he bore, with his back also taking its share. Kanz observed him with scrutinizing eyes, studying his companion's body.

"Ron, after you shower, I want to talk to you about something—not as friends, but as brothers," Kanz said with a seriousness that contrasted his usual demeanor.

Ron remained silent and didn't respond immediately to Kanz. Eventually, he sighed and replied, "Alright, wait for me to finish."

Ron then headed to the door next to the fridge and entered to shower. Meanwhile, outside the room, the companions stood in front of the elevator.

"It seems someone called it. We'll have to wait a bit," Shandar said, letting out a long sigh.

At that moment, Canon was muttering to herself about missing the chance to see Ron without his shirt. Clara, on the other hand, was thinking the same but quickly shifted her focus to the other four doors, excluding Ron and Kanz's room.

"Miss Luna, whose rooms are these four? I mean... the ones there and there," Clara asked hesitantly.

"Oh, as for the two rooms on the right, one is mine and Shandar's, and the other belongs to another member named Cloud, who's currently on a reconnaissance mission. The two rooms on the left—one belongs to Deputy Commander Jennifer, and the other to Fiora, the former leader of the Seventh Squad before Ron. She relinquished her position to him, believing he deserved it," Luna explained in detail.

Clara pondered Luna's words and examined them closely, but she was shocked at a certain point, causing her to blush and speak with greater nervousness.

"You... you and... and... Mr. Shandar... in... one room?!" Her voice was almost a scream from the intensity of her shock.

"Calm down, girl. They're already married. Luna, be clearer in your words—you've made the girl nervous to her core," Canon said, mocking Luna.

"I didn't focus on that, okay? Besides, I was going to tell her anyway, so... yes, yes," Luna said, flustered due to her oversight.

"Come on, girls, be quieter. We don't want to disturb the commander, right?" Shandar tried to calm the situation with a smile.

The elevator opened while Shandar was looking at the girls, so he didn't notice who was inside. Jennifer stood alone in the elevator.

"Yes, you're right, Shandar. The dear commander shouldn't be disturbed~" Jennifer said with a sly smile that was far from comforting.

"Huh? Deputy Commander?! I didn't know you were..." Before he could finish his sentence, Jennifer interrupted him.

"Yes, yes, whatever," she said with clear indifference.

Jennifer confidently walked among them with her striking figure and noticeable presence until she stopped and looked into Clara's eyes. They were exactly the same height—approximately 170 cm, including shoes. Jennifer's gaze was piercing, creating a turbulent feeling in Clara's stomach and a unique kind of tension.

"You're the girl our commander graciously saved himself? Hmm, not bad in appearance, but your clothes are tacky. That's expected from a girl trying to survive, so I'll accept it. I'll even provide you with suitable clothes—at least to look presentable before the commander," Jennifer said arrogantly, her tone both soft and sharp.

She took two steps forward and stopped again.

"Oh, I'll give you a little piece of advice, young lady. The commander is special here. Try to be polite with him, agreed?" Jennifer said sharply, then stepped closer until her lips were near Clara's ear.

"The commander is mine, so be careful with your actions. I won't tolerate any mistakes," Jennifer whispered in Clara's ear before stepping away and heading to her room.

Shandar and Luna were silent. Canon didn't look at the situation at all, while Clara felt her spine tremble entirely. Jennifer's words, despite their length, were clear—it was a threat.

"Let's go see little Jenny. What do you think?" Shandar suggested in a low voice.

No one responded to him; they simply followed him and entered the elevator. Meanwhile, Kanz was already watching them from inside the room, his face showing anger and frustration.

"Jennifer crosses the line too much, but there's nothing to be done. She's like this for her own reasons, and those reasons are related to Ron," Kanz lowered his head, thinking further.

At that moment, Ron emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair. He was wearing only trousers, walking bare-chested in the room.

"What do you have?" Ron asked.

"Ah, nothing, nothing. If you're ready, we need to talk, but about something else—something important has come up," Kanz said after raising his head and turning his gaze to the computer.

"What is it? Did something happen?" Ron left the towel around his neck and looked at Kanz sharply, sensing something very important.

"The Revolutionary Leaders' meeting , It's ... tomorrow," Kanz said, turning his chair with a serious and rigid expression.

"..."

To be continued...