I Will Fulfill the Role of the Villain

Chapter 87

A tense silence filled the room, the weight of Theo’s words lingering heavily. Luke replayed them in his mind, trying to process their significance. The atmosphere brimmed with an unspoken tension, as if the air itself had grown denser.

It wasn’t hard for Luke to understand why Theo had said what he did. Luke had been instrumental in bringing this vast conspiracy to light. Even though they had once been rivals competing for the position of commander, there had always been a mutual respect for each other’s abilities.

Throughout the investigation, Theo had acknowledged Luke’s competence and relied on his help. Now, with the case growing into an entirely different beast—one that involved a potential conflict between nations—it was clear Theo wanted skilled and trustworthy allies by his side.

“You need me for my skills, right?” Luke asked, his tone probing.

Theo remained silent. Luke had expected him to confirm without hesitation, so the lack of an immediate response caught him off guard.

“I think I know why you’re asking this.”

It made sense for Theo to want someone of Luke’s caliber to tackle a case with stakes this high. As the commander charged with safeguarding the empire, it was only natural for Theo to seek the best people for the job.

“But, Theo, I didn’t retire on a whim. I left the military for a reason, and I don’t intend to go back.”

Luke’s tone was firm, leaving no room for doubt. When he left, it had been with the certainty that his time as a soldier was over. He had fought, endured, and stayed in the military for reasons that were tied to the man standing in front of him—and no one else.

“...I see.”

Theo nodded slowly, as if he had anticipated the answer. His expression remained calm, but his broad shoulders seemed to slump ever so slightly, the weight of disappointment visible in his posture.

“Sorry for bringing it up. In that case...”

“But I’m not entirely uninterested in this case,” Luke interrupted.

“What?” Theo turned back to him, surprise flickering across his face.

“Specifically, I’m interested in that leader Benji mentioned,” Luke clarified, his voice steady.

“I’m not following,” Theo said, his brows knitting together.

Luke raised his still-bandaged right hand, moving it slightly to draw Theo’s attention.

“Do you remember what the medic said about my hand? To purify the corrupted mana in it, I need someone capable of performing a specific type of advanced purification magic.”

Theo nodded, recalling the conversation. But even then, the suggestion had seemed almost impossible. Such practitioners were exceedingly rare, even within the empire’s elite healers. The head of the medical corps who had treated Luke was already among the best, yet even he had been unable to offer a solution.

“And I think we both know someone like that isn’t easy to find in this empire,” Luke continued. “But that leader? He’s the one who tainted me with his mana in the first place.”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Luke interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. “I’m not re-enlisting. There’s no way I’m going back to being a soldier.”

The thought alone made Luke shudder. Rejoining the military was a line he refused to cross.

“But,” Luke continued, his tone turning more serious, “I’ll stick with this case until we take down the leader of Nox and my hand is fully healed. Consider me involved, at least for now.”

Luke clenched and unclenched his bandaged hand as he spoke. Although the injury wasn’t debilitating for now, it was a ticking time bomb. No one, not even someone as stubborn as Luke, could live peacefully with such uncertainty hanging over their head.

“This is my problem to fix,” Luke said resolutely. “If I can solve it, I will. And I’ve already made up my mind to see this through ever since Benji told me about his leader. My hand comes first, and yeah... as a citizen of the empire, I’m a little curious to see how this all plays out.”

Luke jabbed a finger at Theo, his tone lightening as a playful smirk spread across his face. “So, let’s get one thing straight. I’m not helping you—you’re helping me. Got it, Commander?”

The mischievous glint in Luke’s eyes and the curve of his lips formed the kind of smile Theo found hard to look away from. It was full of life, like a beam of light cutting through the tension in the room.

“...Fine,” Theo replied, his own lips twitching into a faint smile in response.

As they exited the interrogation room together, Theo spoke up again. “You know, if you come to the capital, you might run into some unpleasant faces.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

This was a military operation, and the army would be leading the charge. Since Luke’s objective overlapped with theirs, there was no avoiding the entanglement. Luke sighed heavily, muttering to himself about how hard he had tried to avoid getting involved with the military again. But then he thought of something.

“Well, on the bright side, it means I’ll get to see some familiar faces.”

“Familiar faces? In the military? For you?” Theo asked, his tone sharp and direct. His keen instincts hit the mark.

Caught off guard, Luke hesitated but refused to back down. He quickly racked his brain and landed on someone with whom he had a somewhat amicable relationship.

“Leo,” he said triumphantly. “How’s he doing?”

For a moment, an image of Leo’s golden hair and carefree smile flashed through Luke’s mind.

“I wouldn’t know. If you’re so curious, why don’t you check on him yourself?” Theo replied curtly, his tone colder than usual. Without another word, he turned on his heel and strode ahead, leaving Luke behind.

“What’s his problem? He’s been so moody lately...” Luke muttered under his breath, watching Theo’s retreating figure.

It was unlike Theo to display such emotional fluctuations. In the past, no matter what happened, he had always remained as stoic and unyielding as a stone. Seeing him like this was jarring and unfamiliar.

“Maybe being Commander is really getting to him,” Luke murmured softly, his eyes lingering on Theo’s back as he walked away.