- Yes

The house was very small to begin with. It only had a single room, a single bathroom, and the dining room, living space, and kitchen could all be considered to be one cobbled together homogenous zone.

This was all to say that the trio had a very clear line of sight to the door. And, it was even more to say that it wouldn't have taken any of them more than five seconds to reach and open it.

Could there really be anything so important that it couldn't wait five seconds?

Leonel frowned.

The moment the door crashed down, a large figure stomped in. No, maybe it was more accurate to say that this person looked quite large because of the heavy and somewhat flowery armor they wore. Though, their massive belly wasn't helping.

Leonel had seen his fair share of warriors to this point and there were some who could have large bellies and still be explosive athletes and powerful soldiers. Leonel's own teammates were among them. His offensive lineman were essentially his body guards and in terms of strength, at least before the Metamorphosis, Leonel couldn't match up to a half of them.

However, Leonel could immediately tell that this person was most definitely not a warrior of any kind. The armor they wore seemed to be lined with Force Arts that gave his frail body the capability to move around and even exhibit the strength he just had to breakdown the door. This alone made it impressive. But this alone didn't make this person worthy of fear.

And yet… The instant this individual appeared, Rollan and Elise shot up from their seats, saluting seriously. Even after several moments, they didn't dare to raise their heads.

The fat, armored made scanned the small home with a clear disdain painting across the narrowed slits of his eyes.

From the beginning, he didn't even care to check that everyone was showing him his due respect. After all, he already expected it. Was there even a need to question?

"His Lordship Helyes has demanded the presence of The General. He questions why it is that an hour has passed since your return, yet there has still been no formal report sent to His Lordship's manor?"

It was only after speaking out words that seemed squeezed from the mouth of a weasel that the fat, armored man turned to the dining room table.

At first, he nodded in satisfaction when he saw that Rollan and Elise still had their heads lowered in a deep bow. But, his face froze when he realized the Leonel was still sitting at his seat, his gaze scanning him up and down as though observing something inconsequential.

At that moment, Leonel stood.

"It seems that I will have to come back a later time. Thank you for your hospitality."

The fat, armored man trembled with rage. But, when Leonel took a step toward him, he suddenly felt like a towering giant.

Rollan's expression changed. Though his head was still lowered, he had known 'Leonel' all his life. That tone of his voice made it obvious that he was angry. He wouldn't go and do something foolish…. Right?

Rollan's expression changed. He wanted to call out, but if he did so, he might turn whatever wrath would be aimed toward Leonel, toward him and his wife as well.

Rollan hesitated. However, in the end, he gritted his teeth.

Raising his head before he received an okay from the fat, armored man, he stepped forward and grabbed Leonel's arm seriously.

Leonel was stunned. When he looked back and into Rollan's eyes, he couldn't help but shiver.

That look. He hadn't seen it in a long time… It was different from the reliance and trust Leonel had experienced that day after he saved the freshmen. No, it was a look of willingness to walk through the fires of hell together, a look Leonel had only seen from the few brothers he trusted the most in this life.

"Don't." Rollan said firmly.

Leonel stayed silent for a long while. copyrighted © content.

It was at the moment Rollan thought that he had gotten through to him that Leonel's suddenly lashed out, punching Rollan squarely in the jaw and sending him sprawling to the floor.

Elise's small shriek sounded as she watched her husband tumble to the ground.

Leonel fixed his sleeve as though washing Rollan's dirty hands away and walked up to the fat, armored brute.

"Hurry up." Leonel barked.

"You…!"

Before the fat man could say anything more, Leonel was already standing less than a step from him. It felt at that moment that thought Leonel was only a head taller, he might as well have been ten. It was like a mountain was weighing down on him from above.

Fearing for his life, the fat man could only turn back, a sinister light flashing in his eyes. It was almost as though he could already see the image of Leonel's demise.

It wasn't long before the small home fell into an eerie quiet.

Elise scrambled to her husband's side, tears falling uncontrollably down her delicate cheeks.

"Why did he do this?!"

Elise entered a state of half hysteria. The mixture of fear and seeing her love hurt like this left her not knowing how to react or feel.

Elise was quite a naïve and pure young woman. She didn't seem to understand the danger of war, or she at least chose to be relentlessly optimistic about it. Why else would she be waiting with dinner prepared for Rollan while practically everyone else felt that the town was finished?

Yet, because Rollan told her his best friend, The General, would most definitely succeed, she believed his word and even began to almost deify Leonel as well. But now…

Rollan sighed deeply, wiping the blood from his lip.

"Don't blame him… He did this for our sake."

A flash of determination lit Rollan's gaze.

He reached out and grabbed is wife's hand.

"Elise… Are you willing to be with me in life and in death?"

Elise froze when she heard these words, but soon her tears came spilling forward even faster than before.

She buried herself in her husband's arms, but her words were surprisingly clear and firm.

"Yes."