The image of a beautiful woman with long black hair and dark eyes crossed his mind.

"Tilda…" he murmured, embarrassed as an indecent thought formed.

He shook his head to chase away the impure ideas.

The situation was serious: he had to inform his men of the next day's mission.

After sorting through his thoughts, he took out a magical device the size of a small disk, whose manufacturing secrets were known only to the Empire of Erian. Then he pressed the red button at its center.

It was the emergency alarm. This device was designed for long-distance communication, perfect for a guardian unit. However, that wasn't its only function: if the carrier was unable to speak, he could simply press the button to signal danger.

Nox, who wasn't used to talking much with his squad, liked using this button. Everyone knew that, except during missions, whenever their captain pressed it, it was an order for an emergency assembly. Whether it was daytime or the middle of the night, they had to rush over as soon as they received the signal.

"They must already be on their way to the citadel…" Nox muttered before calmly resuming his walk toward it.

...

N/A: A citadel is a fortress or fortified structure overlooking a city, region, or territory. It is often built on a high or strategic point to control access and troop movements.

Its purpose is to control access and troop movement to maintain order and security, protect the city or region from enemy attacks, or serve as a decision center for troops.

It can also serve as a symbol of power and strength for the leaders of the city or region.

...

The imperial citadel wasn't far from the palace: in less than fifteen minutes, Nox had arrived.

He headed toward the meeting room, where his men were already waiting for him. All of them were experienced fighters, hardened by years of perilous missions. But he also knew they were still human, with their own weaknesses and motivations.

When he entered, conversations ceased and all eyes turned to him. He took his place at the head of the table and spoke without beating around the bush, his voice firm and authoritative.

"Gentlemen, tomorrow will be an important day. Envoys from the kingdom will come, and together we will coordinate an operation aimed at closing four S+ rank portals. I know what you're thinking, but it is our duty as guardians. Be ready for tomorrow."

The men nodded, determined. They understood the stakes and were ready to do what needed to be done.

"I want all of you ready to depart at dawn to welcome the guardians of Erian. Don't let their extravagant artifacts intimidate you, and keep your confidence in every circumstance."

Heads nodded again. Nox looked at them, a feeling of pride mingled with responsibility washing over him. He knew he could count on them.

"I only hope there'll be enough of them, because we…"

He left his sentence unfinished: everyone knew what he meant. Even though he was the captain of the imperial guardians, his unit only consisted of about ten rank A guardians, unlike other, better-supplied units.

That was one of the reasons he believed the emperor wanted him gone. It was impossible for a mission of this scale to be assigned to his unit alone… but it was already too late. He only hoped the guardians from Erian would be numerous—and that enough rank S fighters would be among them.

"We will succeed in this mission, and we will return as heroes," he managed to say despite the doubts gnawing at him.

But as the meeting ended and his men dispersed, he couldn't help but think of Tilda. What was she doing at that moment? Was she thinking of him? Would he even see her again? Would she be there tomorrow?

He shook his head, irritated by his own thoughts. He had to stay focused. Tomorrow would be a big day. He just hoped their counterpart from Erian would be up to the task. Even if he had no goal or dream, he didn't want to be part of a suicidal mission.

Once again, Tilda's face resurfaced in his mind.

He tried to concentrate again, but another detail struck him: why hadn't the emperor given him any precise information about the portals? With Erian's technology, they could have obtained crucial data… yet nothing had been communicated to him.

"This mission… I have a really bad feeling about it. If I survive this, I'm quitting everything."

He had been thinking about it for a long time, but now he was certain: life in Kyralia wasn't for him. Here, only strength was valued. He simply wanted some peace.

"I'll leave this place after this. Wait for me, Tilda…" he murmured.

Hours passed quickly, and soon morning arrived.

Nox thought Erian's delegation would come directly to the citadel, but to his surprise, he was informed at the last minute that they were already at the imperial palace—and that he was required there.

"Why do I feel like they're mocking me…"

Nox was increasingly convinced: the emperor didn't trust him. After all, the tournament to select the next sovereign would begin in a few months.

Annoyed but resigned, he prepared himself and headed to the palace. When he asked a guardian where the envoys were, the man directed him to the throne room.

"They're already in audience with the emperor…?" he repeated, letting out a nervous chuckle. The guardian quickly walked away, preferring to keep a safe distance from the famous "genius." In Kyralia, geniuses were all considered battle maniacs—better not to provoke them.

"Why am I always being informed at the last minute…" he growled as he walked toward the throne room.

He was boiling with rage when suddenly, a silhouette caught his eye. When he recognized her, all his anger vanished instantly.

She was standing right in front of the entrance to the hall, accompanied by a guard, gazing pensively at the courtyard.

Nox froze, his heart skipping a beat.

"Tilda…?" he murmured, incredulous.

She turned around, her eyes widening before a radiant smile lit up her face. She rushed toward him.

"Nox, surprise… You didn't expect to see me here, right?" she said, holding out her hands toward him.

He took them, a jolt running through his body.

"Well… last night, I dreamed of this. Looks like my dream came true," he replied with a smile. "What are you doing here?"

She hesitated for a moment, glancing nervously around her.

"I had an audience with the emperor," she finally said. "And you?"

He shook his head, still astonished.

"Well… he summoned me too," he answered vaguely.

They looked at each other for a few seconds, memories flooding back. Then Tilda broke the silence, her voice low and urgent.

"Don't keep the emperor waiting. But we need to talk. Alone."

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