Soon-To-Be Commander

"Hemeri is here?" Crown Prince Owine Varence was practically blinking when he heard the news from his younger brother. It wasn't just him. Third Prince Saerus who was sitting on his left was equally surprised too.

Hemeri Van Hale was really here, willingly? Was that even possible?

Noticing the expression on the faces of his brothers, Second Prince Alanus ended up smiling. "I also thought that I saw it wrong when he suddenly entered my chamber last night."

"That rebellious brat," Crown Prince Owine remarked and shook his head though the Emerido Crown Prince was just two years younger than him. "He comes but he doesn't even see me. Where is he now?"

Alanus Varence shook his head. "No idea. I went to his room in the morning but he isn't there."

"Let's just wait," Saerus Varence chimed in. "Hemeri easily gets bored. I'm sure that he will soon be back; that is if he plans to stay for a while as Alan said."

* * *

While his three cousins were talking about him, Hemeri Van Hale was casually strolling around the streets of the Aritish capital, disguising himself as a nobleman. Andry was also with him apart from The Black Guards who watched over him from the shadows like always.

"Your Highness, I heard that Commander Deric Camer will step down to focus more on his role as an official," Andry informed the Crown Prince who showed quite an interest in what he said. "As the Deputy Commander, General Eloria will replace him naturally. I also heard that there will soon be a ceremony to appoint her as the Commander of Camer Army."

"Commander of Camer Army," Hemeri Van Hale muttered; sounding quite pleased. The thought of the feisty General he met for the first time yesterday brought a little smirk to his lips. "I look forward to the appointment ceremony."

"Prince Alanus might already inform the other Princes about your arrival. They will look forward to meeting you, Your Highness."

"There will be plenty of time for that," Crown Prince Hemeri simply replied. "Do you forget that I plan to stay here for a while?"

"My apologies, Your Highness; but... will everything be fine in Emerido?"

His right-hand man sounded quite troubled but the Emerido Crown Prince was still very calm. "You worry too much, Andry. If I can decide to stay here for a while, just know that I'm prepared for whatever could go wrong there." He made a deliberate pause and added, "I already wait for a year to come here. So, I don't want anything to bother my trip, including your constant worrying."

Hearing his master, Andry instantly lowered his gaze. "I understand, Your Highness. I apologize."

The Crown Prince didn't say anything but he indeed halted his steps and stood still, no words either. Feeling confused, Andry glanced around their surroundings and noticed one thing.

The gate of the Camer Army camp.

As the one who knew the Crown Prince the best, he didn't have to ask any questions to know that the camp was the reason that the Crown Prince halted. Guessing what could be going on in his master's mind right now, Andry raised a brow. He wanted to voice his thoughts but the Crown Prince's warning from earlier made him think twice.

He wouldn't be thinking of sneaking in, right?!

General Eloria Camer had already seen them yesterday and believed the Crown Prince to be a noble from Emerido. What if they happen to cross paths with her there?!

"Let's go," Crown Prince Hemeri said after observing the entrance of the camp long enough.

"Your Highness." The Crown Prince indeed halted when he heard his voice but upon noticing the impatience in his eyes, Andry couldn't say any more words.

They didn't head towards the entrance right away but soon enough, they were back there, wearing the uniforms they took by rendering two soldiers of the Camer Army unconscious near the market. They also took the tokens of the two soldiers and used them as a pass to enter the camp without a problem.

"Your Highness, why don't you want to kill those two soldiers?" Andry whispered as they walked around the vast camp. "Once they regain their consciousness, it might only be trouble for us and for the whole camp."

"We will leave before that, Andry," Hemeri Van Hale simply said to his right-hand man who was walking beside him. "And a trouble in the camp?" There was a little smirk on his lips when he said, "That's what I want. It's not every day that I get to create some trouble for the most powerful General of Aritish."

"In all honesty, Your Highness, I don't understand why you're willing to go this far. I admit that General Eloria Camer is one of a kind but is she really worth..."

Andry's voice trailed off when the Crown Prince suddenly halted his steps. At first, he thought that his words offended the Crown Prince but... he soon noticed that his master was staring in a particular direction with all his attention there.

Trailing the Crown Prince's gaze, Andry saw the General in question who was currently practicing her swordsmanship on a training ground which was located several steps away. As the familiar young man who was with the General yesterday was the only other person on the training ground, it seemed like the place was reserved for General Eloria who was the Deputy Commander and soon-to-be Commander.

Andry wanted to warn the Crown Prince that General Eloria Camer might spot them from where she trained but... the warning from earlier was what made him hold back once again. Not to mention that the Crown Prince appeared so mesmerized by what he saw!

Well, he gave him that as the General's skill was just amazing.

"Look at that, Andry," Hemeri Van Hale finally spoke up. "Do you still think that it's not worth it?"

"There are also a few other capable female warriors all around the continent, Your Highness," Andry pointed out despite knowing that General Eloria was the best among those and that she had even defeated many famous male warriors in the past. Whenever his master went out of his way, it was always connected to that General somehow and the thought made him uneasy.

After all, the Crown Prince wasn't one who could carelessly risk doing things.

"Do you think I don't know that?" Hemeri Van Hale rhetorically asked; the smile on his face was hard to read or understand. "But she's different. She might only be 16 but think of how she honed those skills in just 3 years; that's not something everyone could do. Even I am not confident that I could make it happen and you heard the report. She had never even lifted a sword just until 3 years ago."

Andry couldn't say anything as he knew that the Crown Prince had a point. Then while standing in silence, Hemeri Van Hale noticed how the right-hand man of General Eloria happened to look in their direction but turned away again after a moment without making a scene.

This drew a smirk from the lips of the Crown Prince who spoke up again. "I say that General Eloria has a very good reason for pushing herself to that extent in just 3 years. A reason strong enough to mold her into that person... I'm not sure of the reason for now but I bet I will know it soon."