LOCATION: GENERAL SIONIA’S OFFICE IN STAEDBERGH CITADEL

It turned out the traitor feeding information to the bandits was a low-ranking officer and a mage, no less. The bandits had promised him an elf as a slave in exchange for his betrayal.

The officer had long dreamed of owning an elf, not just because elves were known for their beauty, but because of their mastery over magic. With an elf as a slave, he imagined he could learn their magic, growing more powerful himself while indulging in his twisted fantasies.

His plan fell apart when the bandit leader, under pressure, spilled all of his secrets. Just as I had ordered, twenty of my soldiers had dragged the bandit boss behind them as their horses galloped at full speed. They did their best to be careful, but it was essentially torture. By the time we arrived at Staedbergh Citadel, the bandit leader had confessed everything.

The traitorous officer was arrested on the spot, though he screamed all the way:

"I didn’t do it! Please believe me! I’m not a pervert!"

General Sionia informed me he would be executed publicly for his crimes, which would serve as a warning to others. But that wasn’t the main issue. The real problem now was deciding what to do with the elf.

“I don’t know what we should do with her,” Sionia admitted with a sigh.

“Can’t we just send her back to her home?” I asked, taking a sip of tea that had been brought out.

Sionia and I were sitting in her office with the elf in the next room under the watchful eyes of female soldiers. We were trying to decide what to do with her.

“We can’t,” Sionia replied. “To cross the sea between the continents, we’d need at least a destroyer to make the journey safely. The sea monsters are far too strong for regular ships, and we’re hardly in a position to spare a ship just to transport one individual.”

“I didn’t even know we had a navy,” I said, my eyes widening.

Now that I thought about it, it was odd that I hadn’t considered about the navy before. But still, the mention of a destroyer in a fantasy medieval world caught me off guard. I had expected something more like a frigate or a ship of the line.

“Oh, sure. We have a navy, but it’s small. Just a single Corps,” Sionia said. “The 10th Corps, otherwise known as the Sea Dragons. We have twelve destroyers, four light cruisers, two heavy cruisers, and one battleship.”

“That big?” I asked, more surprised than before.

I was already shocked by the mention of a navy, but the scale of it, along with the familiar terms, left me even more curious. I couldn’t help but wonder what these ships looked like in this world.

“Anyway, that’s not important,” Sionia said, brushing it off. “My point is that it is not likely we would be able to transport her home.”

"Then shouldn’t we contact her home?" I suggested, thinking hard.

The elf likely came from Falonde, the nearest continent to the Kingdom of Shiena. There was no other explanation for how she came to Olina. I had no idea how the bandits managed to capture her and bring her here. Transporting a person across the sea was incredibly expensive and it required tight security to pass. Transporting an elven slave was illegal and it was strange to think they would spend a lot of money to transport a single slave. However, even the bandit boss didn’t know. He’d only said she was given to him by an unknown individual.

Sionia shook her head. "I doubt they’d make the effort to bring a single elf all the way back. They might come here to rescue her while having a trade, but ever since the war with the Emavia Empire began, Falonde has been quiet with us. I don’t think they’re eager for any kind of trade right now."

"So, in the end, it’s up to us to decide," I sighed.

It wasn’t an easy situation, especially since she was an elf. If we freed her, there was a real risk she’d be captured by slave traders lurking in the shadows. Then there was the issue of cultural differences. She wasn’t just from another nation, but from an entirely different continent. Adapting to life here would be difficult for her. I also couldn’t ignore the possibility that she was a spy to infiltrate the army. She could very well be a spy from another nation, and I needed to be cautious.

But keeping her in the military wasn’t much better. It would cost money, and justifying that expense for one person was difficult.

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“It’s actually up to you to decide,” Sionia said suddenly. “Even if she’s an elf, you technically hold ownership over her.”

I wanted to shout at her for lack of responsibility, but I couldn’t entirely blame her. The situation was unprecedented, and there were no regulations, laws, or rules in place for how to handle it. If I were in her position, I’d probably want to shift the burden onto someone else too.

I thought hard about what to do with the elf. My options were limited. I needed her nearby, under supervision, which meant keeping her in the military. But how? If I made her a soldier, there was the risk that a perverted officer might exploit her, like the one who’d just been sentenced to execution.

Even if I didn’t care about appearances, I couldn’t deny that the elf was strikingly beautiful, so much so that I was certain some of the men in the military would do anything to get their hands on her. I needed to protect her from that. Not because I particularly cared about her, but it felt like a waste to see someone like her sullied by some lecherous man.

Then, an idea struck me.

“I’ll make her my aide!”

[(0)]

The day I was about to depart from Fort Kespare, Major Deryk came up to say goodbye.

“Make sure you come back safely,” he said, offering his hand.

“Of course,” I replied, shaking it firmly.

“Oh, by the way, did you decide who your aide will be?”

“My aide?”

Deryk gave me a puzzled look. “You didn’t know? As a Major, you’re entitled to an aide.”

I had thought about getting an aide before, but I had always dismissed the idea. Having an aide meant staying close to someone, and the last thing I needed was for anyone to figure out my secret. That I was a reincarnation from another world. The closer someone was, the more likely they’d notice something… off.

“I’m still thinking about it,” I said, trying to sound casual.

“Well, don’t wait too long. Being a Major isn’t easy. You’ll need an aide, whether you want one or not,” Deryk advised before walking off.

[(0)]

Now, back in the present, I found myself staring at the same elf I had once seen locked in a metal cage. Gone were the ragged clothes, replaced with simple but clean garments that, despite their modesty, couldn’t hide her hourglass figure. She was almost unnervingly perfect.

Anyway, The real reason I wanted her as my aide, however, was practical. Since she was technically still a slave (and I intended to keep it that way), she wouldn’t be able to spill any secrets about me, even if she discovered them. Keeping her close would allow me to monitor her and make sure she didn’t do anything suspicious. Besides, elves were naturally gifted in magic, and she could teach me a few things, possibly becoming a powerful ally in battle.

Sionia had arranged for us to meet in private so I could discuss my plans with her. The elf hadn’t spoken a word since her rescue, and I didn’t even know her name.

Deciding to break the silence, I took the first step. "My name is Aria," I said, figuring it was best to introduce myself first.

The elf stared at me with a blank expression for what felt like an eternity before she finally spoke.

“Lura Qinroris.”

The relief I didn’t expect to feel washed over me. She had a name, and a voice. That was a start.

"Where are you from?" I asked, nervous she wouldn’t answer.

"I don’t remember."

I blinked, surprised by her response. "Okay... do you know where your continent was?"

"I don’t remember."

"...What do you remember?"

"Only my name."

From the look in her eyes, she didn’t seem to be lying. But at the same time, there was something off, like she was hiding something. Still, if she wanted to keep secrets, she could. Except, of course, for the possibility that she might be a spy.

"Anyway," I continued cautiously, watching her expression, "It’s been decided that you’ll be my aide, given the circumstances. However, to officially hold that position, you need to be at least a Second Lieutenant. That means people will be... dissatisfied with such a rapid promotion."

Lura tilted her head in confusion as I spoke.

"So," I went on, "you’ll need to prove yourself in battle, to show you’re worthy of the rank. And I might just have the perfect opportunity." I pointed to a map on the table. "I’m on a mission to assist the 4th Corps, who are on the verge of annihilation. It’s dangerous, but if you join me and prove yourself in combat, it could silence any doubters. That being said, you don’t have to go. It’s risky, and—"

"I will go."

I blinked, caught off guard by her immediate response. I took a moment to process her words before speaking again.

"You’ll go with me? To be by my aide?" I asked, still surprised by her answer.

Lura nodded, her expression calm and unwavering.

"Yes. I will prove myself."

We stared at each other for a moment, the silence heavy between us, before I sighed in resignation. Unlike most people, whose emotions I could read, I couldn’t get a read on her at all. Her face remained blank, her crimson eyes unsettling. Not to insult her or anything, but they were a little creepy.

"Okay," I said finally. "An officer will come to give you your uniform. Just make sure you report directly to me and don’t get sidetracked by... any strange soldiers."

With that, I turned and walked out of the room, feeling a strange sense of unease settle over me.

Something told me I had just gotten myself into bigger problems.