Chapter 86: The Mission and the Knight’s Vow
"What exactly do you think you’re doing with Shiao Yi?! How dare you bring him here without my permission!" Dominic shouted.
Seriously? "Bring him here" makes it sound like I was kidnapped... Also, he really doesn’t hold back, even when talking to someone as high-ranking as Quintus.
Still, how did he show up again at the perfect moment? Wasn’t he supposed to be training in the courtyard? Maybe he really was a telepath. Or a stalker. It was starting to get a little scary.
"I’ve asked Shiao Yi to take on a top-secret mission," Quintus said firmly, though he did step back slightly. He glanced at Shiao Yi, seeking confirmation, then continued. "He has just agreed."
Dominic turned to Shiao Yi with a stormy expression.
"You accepted the mission without asking me? What kind of mission is it?!" he demanded, his sharp eyes practically piercing through him. So this was the look they called the Iron Knight’s looks. It really was intense. Shiao Yi felt a strange admiration—his heart skipped a beat. He might have just fallen for him all over again.
"If I had asked you first, you would’ve definitely said no. But this job suits me. That’s why I accepted," Shiao Yi said clearly.
"I don’t want you doing anything dangerous," Dominic replied, his voice low with emotion. "I don’t want you to go through fear or suffering. That’s not what I intended when I made you my assistant. If this is what it’s going to lead to, then I should never have given you the role in the first place."
Dominic looked truly upset as he said those words.
However, it wouldn’t work—Shiao Yi wouldn’t be swayed by that kind of expression.
Once he accepted a job, he intended to see it through to the end.
That was the only pride he had.
He didn’t want to be someone who needed protecting all the time—not even by Dominic.
Dominic must have understood Shiao Yi’s resolve.
After staring at him for a while, he finally sighed and shook his head, then turned back toward Quintus.
"Then I’m going with him. I won’t take no for an answer. If you refuse, I’ll do whatever it takes to stop Shiao Yi from going through with this mission."
He was openly threatening the Supreme Commander. The adjutant had gone pale and was visibly trembling. Even Quintus’s face had tensed up.
Dominic really didn’t hold back.
That night, while lying in bed, Shiao Yi asked Dominic something that had been bothering him—the strange way he always seemed to appear at just the right time.
Dominic avoided his gaze, tried to change the subject, and, very un-knightly, even resisted stubbornly. But Shiao Yi didn’t let it go. He kept pushing until Dominic finally gave in and confessed.
"Shiao... you’re just too adorable. I was worried about you. The capital is different from the fortress. There are all kinds of people here, and security isn’t perfect. There are always strangers coming and going. Plus, there’s my father... and my half-brothers too."
"And?" Shiao Yi pressed.
"I’m the captain of the knight order second division," Dominic said. "I have subordinates with different skills and talents. So, I ask them to secretly protect you If anything happened, they were to report directly to me right away."
"Wait, you mean... all the time? Day and night?" Shiao Yi asked.
"Well, only during the times when I couldn’t be with you," Dominic replied.
"Isn’t that an abuse of authority? Are you even allowed to use official knights for personal matters?"
"The duties of the Knight Orders aren’t just monster hunting," Dominic explained calmly. "Especially in the capital, our main jobs are protection and security. If there’s a request, we can be assigned to guard private individuals too. The first division handles the royal family and the castle. But starting from the second division, we often deal with nobles and even regular citizens. So there’s no issue in assigning someone to protect you."
"Fine. But if that’s the case, you could’ve just told me. Why keep it a secret?"
"Because you would’ve hated it if you knew someone was guarding you, right?"
"Well... yeah, of course I would. First of all, I don’t need protection. And second, it just feels like I’m being watched or monitored."
"But the fact is," Dominic said firmly, "there were times I had to rush over to you, right?"
"I mean... I guess. But nothing really happened that serious, did it?"
To be honest, it kind of felt unnecessary. Like things got more complicated because he showed up. Still, even if Shiao Yi said that, he knew Dominic wouldn’t agree.
"Shiao," Dominic said, looking at him seriously, "I worry about you. I want you to always be safe and smiling. Maybe it’s selfish of me. But please, understand how I feel. I love you."
While Shiao Yi was still making a frustrated face, Dominic pulled him into a tight hug and sealed his lips with a deep, heated kiss.
And just like that, without any more resistance, Shiao Yi was dragged into Dominic’s world of passion and desire.
Dominic knew full well that Shiao Yi couldn’t fight back against his charm—and he used that to overpower him completely.
—So unfair!
Still, Shiao Yi didn’t even have the energy to protest. He let himself be carried away.
...
"...That’s the current situation."
The captain of the fourth division, which was guarding the fortress, finished his report.
Right now, Dominic was at the Korisha Fortress.
He had traveled there using a teleportation magic circle from the royal capital of Rosaria.
Those who had come with him were: Shiao Yi who is assigned to a special mission; his adjutant, Louis; Rex who had transferred from the fifth division to the second division; Amal who is formi Dalmasca Army; and for some reason, the alchemist Aaron.
The rest of the second division was following behind and on their way to join them.
Each squad leader was leading their own unit.