(The Ti-Stilled World, One Month Later, Mairon's POV)
A month passed in what felt like a fleeting instant inside the Ti-Stilled World, as before Mairon could fully process the passage of ti, he found himself standing at the departure dock, ready to report to Commander Micky Jas' troop for active duty.
"Don't bother Commander Jas too much.... And do your best to make us all proud."
Caleb told him before he left, as unlike him, Caleb was posted under Commander Anderson Silva, and was scheduled to depart three days later.
"Ya, ya.... I'll be good...."
Mairon assured his brother before boarding, as he confird his presence within the chain of command and took charge of his ship.
Before long, the ship took off and crossed the boundary gate to the outside universe, as for the first ti in a long ti, Mairon witnessed the outer universe with his own eyes.
*FWOOSH*
Almost imdiately, Mairon felt the difference, as the dense, nourishing mana of the Ti-Stilled World vanished and was
replaced by a thinner, less responsive flow that felt noticeably weaker to his senses.
*Clench*
*Unclench*
He flexed his fingers unconsciously, testing the responsiveness of this mana as a faint frown ford on his face.
"Hmmm...."
He mused, as he quickly realized that in this environnt, not only
would his spells carry less power, but even his mana recovery would be significantly slower.
"Why do people consciously choose to live in this shit place?"
He wondered, before leaning closer to the viewing panel, as his gaze shifted towards the vast emptiness that stretched before him.
For a brief mont, he allowed himself to take it in properly, as distant stars shimred faintly against the dark backdrop, scattered sparsely across the void like fragnts of light that felt both beautiful and distant.
It was the kind of sight people spoke about with reverence, sothing that poets romanticized and storytellers glorified, as though the universe itself held so hidden aning within its silence.
And yet, for Mairon, that fascination did not last long.
He exhaled slowly, his interest fading almost as quickly as it had appeared, as the novelty of the view failed to hold his attention. beyond a few monts.
"...That's it?" he muttered under his breath, as he leaned back from the panel, his expression settling into sothing far more neutral.
The excitent he had imagined, the thrill of stepping beyond the sealed world and into the unknown, did not manifest in the way he had expected, as instead of anticipation, he found himself facing sothing far more ordinary.
Responsibility.
As a Lieutenant of the Cult Army, he was not here to admire the stars or indulge in curiosity, but rather to perform a role that demanded consistency, awareness, and discipline at all tis.
And so, once the initial transition was complete, he moved without delay, as he began performing his daily tasks.
First, he made his way toward the pilot's cabin, as he entered and
briefly checked in with the ship's commanding officer, confirming that all systems were stable and that there were no imdiate issues requiring his intervention.
From there, he began his rounds.
He moved through the vessel thodically, stopping at each designated section to observe, question, and verify that operations were running as expected, as he spoke with squad leaders and soldiers alike, ensuring that their tasks were being carried out without deviation.
There was no urgency. No chaos, no thrill of waiting for a battle that was just around the horizon.... Just discipline and mundane repetition. Task after task, check after check, he was made to go around and actually work like an honest man, as soon the realization hit him that this was probably going to be his life for the foreseeable future!
"The hell?"
Mairon muttered, as at first he found it strange.
He had always imagined that stepping into the wider universe would an stepping into conflict almost imdiately, as though danger would greet him the mont he left the Ti-Stilled World.
However, that expectation quickly dissolved.
Because the reality was far less dramatic.
Most civilians imagined the military as a constant battlefield, a place
where every mont was defined by war, yet the truth proved to be very different, as the majority of ti was spent preparing for battles
that had yet to arrive.
And for now, that preparation was all he had.
By the ti night approached, Mairon had completed his assigned rounds and reported to the scheduled Lieutenant eting, as all officers under Commander Jas gathered through a projected communication link to receive further instructions.
Commander Jas appeared at the center of the projection, his posture straight as he addressed the assembled Lieutenants without. unnecessary embellishnt.
"Our current assignnt is straightforward," he began, his voice firm as he outlined their orders with clarity.
"We are to land on Planet Satoru upon arrival and assist in the construction of defensive structures requested by the central command, ensuring that the planet is secured as a forward operating base for future deploynts."
Mairon listened in silence, his expression gradually tightening as the briefing continued, as the instructions remained focused entirely on logistics and preparation rather than any form of active engagent. "There is no imdiate combat deploynt scheduled," Commander Jas continued, his tone steady as he delivered the final part of the
briefing.
"For the foreseeable future, your responsibilities will remain within the scope of reinforcent and stabilization operations, until further orders are issued from General Sparrow."
A quiet pause followed, as the information settled across the group.
"Any questions?" Commander Jas asked finally, his gaze sweeping across the assembled Lieutenants.
For a mont, no one responded.
Then Mairon raised his hand.
"Commander," he said, his voice cutting through the silence as his gaze locked onto the projection, his tone carrying a restrained
impatience.
"All of that is understood, but when exactly are we going to fucking
war?"
He asked, as the reaction was almost instantaneous.
Commander Jas's expression hardened visibly, as his jaw tightened while he stared directly at Mairon through the projection. "Lieutenant Mairon," he said, his voice low and controlled, though the irritation beneath it was impossible to miss, as he adjusted his posture
slightly.
"First, mind your language," he continued, his tone sharpening as he addressed the breach in discipline.
"Second, we go to war when we are ordered to go to war, and those
orders have not yet been issued by General Sparrow," he added, his
gaze unwavering.
"Your role is not to question the timing of operations, but to execute the responsibilities assigned to you with precision and discipline," he said, as the weight of his words settled firmly.
"The chain of command exists so that decisions are made at the appropriate level, and so that Lieutenants like yourself can focus on leading your assigned units without unnecessary distraction," he continued, his voice steady.
"I ask the difficult question of when we are going to war and who we are going to fight to General Sparrow, because you don't have to.
Similarly, the only concerns you should be bringing to are those related to the well-being and performance of the soldiers under your command," he concluded, his tone leaving no room for further debate.
"Understood?"
Mairon held his gaze for a brief mont longer before exhaling
quietly, as the frustration he felt had nowhere to go within the
confines of that structure.
"...Sir, yes sir," he replied, his tone controlled as he lowered his hand.
The connection terminated shortly after.
And as the projection faded, Mairon leaned back slightly in his seat,
his eyes narrowing just a fraction as he stared at the empty space where Commander Jas had been monts ago.
"So this is what it's like to be a part of the glorious military..." he
muttered under his breath, as the reality of his new role settled in
fully.
There were no battles, no chaos, and certainly no imdiate sense of glory to chase within this structure.
Just indefinite waiting..... for the war to finally begin.
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