Oh Nameless Capitan, please be my Mommy

Nameless Captain of the Purple Orca, that was what Sabrina Crook's nickname was. As the most insignificant captain of the Magic Knight Squads, Sabrina was quite notorious among her fellow compatriots.

"Like what I was asking, where the hell is Philip!? Isn't he Purple Orca's Vice-Captain? Just leave me alone with my booze," she barked, her voice echoing through the Purple Orca's headquarters.

No one dared to raise their head, afraid of a reprimand from a noble of high standing. Despite her laid-back demeanor, Sabrina's connections with the royal family had secured her captaincy. Some might say it was nepotism at work, but she had the qualifications and power to back it up. Her only problem was… she was too lazy.

When it came to her own squad, she was uncaring, shoving all of her work onto Philip Jester, her newly appointed Vice-Captain. But now, with Philip absent for an extended period and the paperwork piling up, Sabrina took it to mean he didn't want the position anymore.

"Who wants to be Vice-Captain? Xerx? You want?" she teased, glancing at her subordinate.

Xerx Lugner, a youth with long lavender hair and a noble disposition, respectfully bowed before her. "While I am thrilled, I'd rather not for the time being, as there's too much paperwork," he replied, weakly making an excuse.

Sabrina appreciated the sarcasm but preferred to hear something different today since this was the umpteenth time Xerx had rejected her offer. "So what? Is there any news today? Something that would get my mind off the annoying things," she asked, crossing her arms.

At her inquiry, Xerx frowned as he recalled a short memory. "I believe Sir Philip is in need of assistance. The last time he left HQ, I noticed he was acting a bit strange," he added, a reluctant expression creeping onto his face.

Immediately, Sabrina left the Royal Capital on her magic broom, balancing effortlessly atop it. She coolly torpedoed from the Purple Orca's HQ into the skies, the wind whipping through her hair.

The Jester family, or Retsej as they were called in the past, had a weak standing among the nobility due to a dark history with Devil Summoning. Rumors of devil worshippers lurking in the shadows of the kingdom swirled, and recent reports of powerful devils rampaging across the Clover Kingdom piqued her interest.

Not that it concerned her directly, but if one of her subordinates had a hand in this, the implications would be severe. As Sabrina soared through the air, her mind raced with possibilities.

Sabrina's post as the Purple Orca's Captain was now in jeopardy, and worse still, she realized she wouldn't be able to spend the rest of her life leisurely at her Vice-Captain's expense. "Shit, Philip, what are you up to? It's not even a month since you became Vice-Captain!"

Just a week ago, Philip had asked her for a leave of absence. At that time, Sabrina hadn't suspected him; Philip had always been extremely careful about his actions in front of her. Now, with the pieces starting to come together, unease crept into her gut.

There was no solid evidence proving that Philip was summoning devils, but the Jesters weren't the only family known for devil-summoning. As her subordinate, Philip was her responsibility. And her gut feeling screamed that something was wrong.

Sabrina recalled the missing bundle of papers on her desk yesterday: dark scripts from a distant land, all of which should have been locked away in the evidence locker. Because of her carelessness and laziness, a tragedy might befall this world... if not this world, then at least Philip.

Summoning devils—the thought sent a shiver down her spine. She was acutely aware of the strict ban on devil summoning imposed by the Kingdom Laws. Many clans had traditions surrounding devil summoning, but that was all in the past, especially after the 1st Wizard King, Lumiel Silvamillion Clover, had cracked down hard on the practice.

Before long, Sabrina arrived at the Jesters' estate, the Retsej Barony. The smell of blood reached her nose, causing her to frown. "Hello, anyone there!?" she called out.

The Retsej Barony had become a ghost town. Despite it being bright high noon, an ominous feeling hung in the air. Suddenly, from the interspersing shadows of an alleyway, Philip appeared, clicking his tongue in disapproval. "Tsk, tsk, tsk…"

Answering Sabrina's call was Philip Jester, carrying the headless carcasses of two Purple Orca Magic Knights. "Hello, their captain," he greeted with a chilling smile.

Sabrina's heart sank as she looked over the two bloodied robes of her subordinates, whom she had sent out just two days prior. "What have you done, Philip?" It was clear now that her hunch had been right.

Philip Jester unceremoniously dropped the dead bodies of his colleagues at her feet. "It's for the Retsej Clan, oh Captain," he said, his voice dripping with manic glee, signaling the start of their battle.

Sabrina Crook unleashed her magic power to the maximum, anticipating an attack from her Vice-Captain. However, it didn't happen. Instead, Philip fell to the ground, a sword piercing him from behind.

From Philip's rear, his own son, Aaron Jester, stood with a determined gaze. When his eyes shifted to Sabrina, they implored her for help, a stark contrast to the determination that had filled them moments before.

Dark hair, crimson eyes, and a slim physique—Aaron looked at Sabrina, struggling to get the words out. "P-p-please… Sa-ve me…" he pleaded, his voice weak.

Sabrina approached Aaron, only to realize the young man was experiencing severe magic deprivation. Without a second thought, she hoisted Aaron over her shoulder like a sack of rice and mounted her broom, urgency coursing through her.

The clouds were plentiful, and the sun beautifully decorated the lands below with its golden shimmer. But Sabrina couldn't appreciate any of that as she prayed for the well-being of the young Jester slumped against her.

With incredible speed, she raced against time toward the Purple Orca's HQ. Upon arriving, she immediately started calling for her people. "Hurry, bring a healing mage here!!"

Sabrina shouted at the top of her lungs, only to hit a wall of realization: Purple Orca didn't have any healers. "What kind of lame-ass squad is this!? We don't have any healers? Are we really a Magic Knight Squad?"

Xerx, who had been conversing with his clique, stood up at his captain's urgent presence. Aware of Sabrina's personality, Xerx quickly pointed to the door. "Owen, find Owen."

Without wasting a second, Sabrina bolted out from the HQ. Owen—a relatively famed healer—was the person she needed to find. But since she didn't have Owen's address, she flew for a while until she finally spotted him at a nearby restaurant.

"Owen, right!? Heal this guy, he's hurt!!" she hurriedly called to him, still carrying the unconscious youth on her shoulders.

Owen was just about to take another bite of his food when Sabrina burst into the restaurant like a lunatic. With a professional air, Owen stood up and approached her, checking on Aaron as he lay limp.

"He looks magic deprived. Sit him here. We'll feed him for now; food created with magic can alleviate the symptoms," Owen said, his tone matter-of-fact.

"O-okay, then?" Sabrina stammered, feeling a mix of gratitude and irritation. "Damn, to think a Magic Knight Captain will end up panicking like this."

"Who is what now? I don't even know you," Owen pointed out, the cruel truth ringing in the air. "But a Magic Knight Captain?" He echoed his doubt.

Sabrina felt a sting of indignation at his words. She knew how unknown she truly was, but hearing it directly from someone else hurt her pride more than she cared to admit.

"I'm the captain of the Purple Orca," she replied, trying to keep her composure. "And right now, I need you to do your job and save him."

With a reluctant nod, Owen began working on Aaron, and Sabrina felt a surge of determination. If Philip had indeed summoned devils and put his own son in danger, she would have to confront him. No matter the cost, she would make this right, not just for her sake but for Aaron and the entire squad.

As she watched Owen's hands move, weaving the magic necessary to heal Aaron, her thoughts raced back to the estate. Philip Jester had crossed a line, and now it was up to her to clean up his mess. The weight of responsibility settled heavily on her shoulders, but she was ready to face whatever came next.

As Sabrina continued to feed Aaron, she carefully maneuvered his jaw open, then used her magic to push the food down his throat. It was a mechanical process, but it was working; she was able to sustain Aaron's health against the impending threat of magic deprivation.

Approaching her thirties, Sabrina had never had a child; she had no interest in romance. But as she fed Aaron in this manner, she momentarily imagined what it would be like to have a son. The thought was foreign yet oddly comforting, like a brief glimpse into a life she had never chosen.

But her mind soon wandered back to the Retsej Barony and the horrifying events that had unfolded there. How in the world had Philip Jester become like that? She recalled their past conversations, when Philip would regale her with stories of his family. He often spoke about his love for them, especially his son. It felt surreal to think that the man who had once been so devoted to his family had now become a murderer.

Suddenly, Owen's voice broke through her thoughts. "Miss Sabrina Crook, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" she replied, her focus still divided between Aaron and the healer. "By the way, Purple Orca doesn't have any healers right now…"

"Did you not think that maybe you could have just gone to another squad to ask for a healer? From how I see it, you wasted a lot of your time just finding me…"

Sabrina felt irritation flare up inside her. Screw Xerx Lugner. She had trusted him to guide her in a moment of crisis, and all he did was point her to Owen.

"Look," she said, her patience wearing thin. "I know we don't have healers, but I thought we could manage. I didn't want to rely on other squads, not after—"

"Not after what?" Owen pressed, his brows furrowing in concern as he checked Aaron's pulse.

"Not after what happened at the Barony," she replied, lowering her voice as she glanced down at the unconscious boy. "I wanted to keep this within the squad. I thought I could handle it."

"Well, it looks like you made a mistake," Owen said bluntly, not unkindly. "You're putting a lot of weight on your shoulders, Sabrina. Sometimes, asking for help is the best thing you can do."

Sabrina wanted to argue, to defend her choice, but the weight of her responsibility settled heavily in her chest. She had always prided herself on being independent, but in that moment, she realized that perhaps she had been too stubborn.

Just then, Aaron stirred slightly, drawing her attention. "P-p-please…" he murmured, his eyes fluttering open, revealing the fear and confusion that lingered there. "Dad… where's Dad?"

The question hung in the air like a cloud. Sabrina's heart ached for the boy, and she felt a surge of protectiveness. "He… he's not here right now," she replied softly, attempting to soothe him. "But you're safe with me."

"Safe…" Aaron echoed, as if trying to convince himself. "You have to save him, please."

The desperation in his voice hit her hard. "I will, I promise," she vowed, although a sense of dread clawed at her insides. She had no idea how she would confront Philip, but Aaron deserved to know the truth, no matter how painful it might be.

Owen watched their exchange quietly, and for a moment, Sabrina felt a flicker of gratitude towards him. He had been the one to step in when she had no idea where to turn, even if it had been begrudgingly.

"Let's focus on getting him stabilized first," Owen said, returning to his work. "Once he's better, then we can think about how to deal with his father."

Sabrina nodded, determined to follow through on her promise. She continued feeding Aaron, moving mechanically but with growing resolve. This wasn't just about saving a boy; it was about facing the darkness that had crept into their lives and putting a stop to it. She would confront Philip, and no matter what it took, she would protect Aaron.

With every spoonful she fed Aaron, she steeled her resolve. The Purple Orca squad might be small and insignificant, but she would not let that define them. She would find a way to fight back against whatever threat loomed over them.

As Aaron's breathing began to stabilize, Sabrina felt a flicker of hope igniting within her. Perhaps they could still salvage the remnants of the Retsej legacy, but first, they had to confront the darkness within it.