Saluting the Fake Officer

They stared at each other for a few seconds, which made Derb pause and delay his plan of walking out and taking his dishes to the kitchen, wondering what was going on. He felt the uneasy atmosphere between them and looked at Moriarty too, hoping to understand what was happening.

Moriarty felt nervous as he met Blend's gaze. He thought, 'Crqp… They won't rat me out, will they? If they do, they will also get in trouble here. What should I do? Should I act like nothing happened or should I talk to them?'

Blend was annoyed by Moriarty's stare. He thought, 'Not another one? Why are the ranking officers so irritating today?' He had already had enough of Blake and Derb's foolish conversation, which had drawn the attention of several ranking officers who demanded that they salute them too.

On their way to the serving counter, he had counted five of them, four of whom he knew by name, one of them was even a commander. The fifth one that he did not recognize was probably a new ranking officer who had just arrived and wanted to assert his authority.

While Derb did not mind any of these annoyances, as long as it was not Blake who bothered him. He hated Blake with all his heart and wished he could punch him in the face.

Blend gave up and decided to get it over with, so he elbowed Derb lightly. He motioned him to do as he did.

"Hah! Sir!" They both saluted Moriarty together, Derb with genuine admiration on his face, while Blend with a dull expression. They hoped that this gesture would satisfy Moriarty and make him go away.

Moriarty thought with a sense of bewilderment and astonishment, 'Sir? What are they up to?' He could not figure out why they were saluting him and calling him 'Sir'. 'I'm not even a knight… I'm just supposed to be a regular soldier like them…'

Moriarty felt the sweat dripping down his face as the soldiers around him glanced at him. 'Crap… They must think I'm a high-ranking officer… How did this happen?' He wondered how he ended up in such a dire situation.

Moriarty did not realize that he was looking at the crowd for a very long time. He did not notice that his silence and stare made the other soldiers anxious and curious.

"HAH! SIR!"

They all started saluting him, some even dropped their forks and spoons. They followed the example of Blend and Derb, thinking that Moriarty was an important person who deserved their respect.

'Oh boy… What's going on here… This is getting out of hand…' Moriarty felt overwhelmed but remained still. He was unable to understand the situation. He did not know how to react or what to say.

'The food… I was so close to it… Why…' Moriarty groaned inwardly. He had been looking forward to eating his food, but now he could not even move. He felt his stomach rumbling, hungry for food already but he was frozen and did not know how to act.

He noticed that they all wore the same uniform and wondered how they distinguished between ranks. He also wondered if he had done something wrong with his own attire or appearance that made them mistake him for someone else. 'What's the deal?' he thought.

Blend was puzzled by Moriarty's behavior and assumed that he was not satisfied with their salute. 'Why doesn't he let us go already or leave?' he thought. 'That's why I hate new officers… They are so arrogant and demanding…' He felt annoyed and impatient. He wanted to leave as soon as possible.

They saluted again, along with the crowd, but louder and stronger this time. They hoped that this would end their ordeal and that Moriarty would finally release them.

"HAH! SIRRR!"

The loud and synchronized shout reverberated in the mess hall, attracting more attention to them. Moriarty felt his ears ring and his face freeze.

He suddenly remembered what he had seen on the third floor. He had found it strange to see so many knights in one room, but he had dismissed it as a possibility.

Some of them had also saluted there and he had thought it was a tradition in Kisesh to show respect to a superior. He had even imitated it at some point when he was about to be tortured and wanted to appease them. He had thought that maybe they would spare him or treat him better if he acted like one of them then.

He was surprised by his realization and wondered, 'Does that mean they are not knights?' He was aware of the difference between Kisesh and Seiren military ranks, but he had not expected it to be so significant.

And he still could not figure out what set them apart. 'What gives?' He scrutinized them more closely, looking for any clues or signs. But they all wore the same uniform. There was no difference in color, design, or insignia. 'Is it my face? Do I have a face that can be considered officer material?' He doubted that, as he did not think he had any special features or charisma.

Moriarty tried to hide his gulp. He felt nervous as more soldiers began to look at them. He sensed their curiosity and confusion.

"A captain? Is he a captain?" whispered one in the far crowd. He had never seen Moriarty before and did not know his name or rank.

"Ehhh? I don't know, but I would salute if I were you. Whatever rank they have." answered another. He did not want to take any risks and offend Moriarty. He will follow the others and salute him too.

They stopped their movements, preparing themselves for another round of salute if needed. They did not dare to move or speak until Moriarty gave them a sign or an order. They waited for him to say something or do something. They wondered what he would do next.

'These damn spies… What are they scheming? To pressure me to such a degree was like exposing themselves as well.' Moriarty wondered if he had missed something that the spies wanted him to do. Or if they were trying to assist him. He wondered what their motive and goal were.