Celeste froze in place as Raynor waited for her answer. His eyes bore into hers, unblinking, expectant. Her heart raced. For a brief moment, she thought of bolting, but she knew that wasn’t an option not with someone like Raynor standing before her. Taking a steadying breath, she felt the familiar cool presence of her Sanctum spread through her mind, sharpening her focus. She needed to be careful, precise.

Seconds passed, though they felt like an eternity. Think, Celeste, think.

Inhaling slowly, she made up her mind. I’ve faced worse than this... Stay calm.

Straightening herself, Celeste forced a smile, keeping her voice steady despite the intensity of Raynor’s gaze. "Sergeant Major Raynor, your offer... it’s more than I could have ever imagined, and I’m truly honored. But..." She hesitated, forcing herself to sound humble. Don’t give too much away.

"I don’t believe I’m ready. My skills still need refining, and I have other responsibilities. My master has entrusted me with important tasks I cannot abandon. Please understand, it’s not that I don’t want to join someday, but right now, it’s just not the right time for me."

Raynor's eyes narrowed slightly, scrutinizing her. Celeste held her breath. Would he accept her excuse? A glimmer of amusement or perhaps understanding flickered in his gaze.

"Hmm... interesting. You show humility in the face of an opportunity most would leap at. Very well. I’ll give you time. But remember, when the Obsidian Order extends an invitation, it is rarely repeated."

Celeste bowed her head slightly, masking her relief. Thank the gods. "Of course, Sergeant Major," she replied, voice calm despite the thundering beat of her heart. I just bought myself some time... For now.

Just as she began to relax, thinking she had averted the worst, Raynor’s voice pierced the air again, his tone cool and measured.

"So," Raynor’s eyes gleamed with curiosity, "who is this master of yours? And what kind of swordsmanship are you practicing?"

Oh my fucking god, Celeste screamed internally, trying to keep her expression neutral. What the hell is this guy?! Panic crept into her thoughts. She’d been so careful, but now... If I answer wrong, I’m screwed.

Before she could respond, a loud, brash voice cut through the tension.

"WHAT?!!!" The shout came from a figure racing toward them, wind whipping around him as if propelled by sheer force.

The man, black-haired and only slightly older than Celeste, skidded to a stop in front of her, his eyes wide with disbelief. He was tall, taller than Celeste by several inches, and his sudden, aggressive proximity made her step back. His face was mere inches from hers, exuding confusion and irritation.

"Excuse me who the hell are you?" Celeste blurted out, shocked at the stranger’s audacity.

He ignored her completely, turning his head back toward Raynor with a furious expression. "HEY, SGT MAJOR! DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT? THIS LITTLE GIRL REALLY TURNED DOWN YOUR INVITATION?!"

The man's loud, arrogant tone grated on Celeste’s nerves. Who the hell does he think he is? She glared at him but stayed silent, trying to keep her cool. Everything about him screamed obnoxious, from his cocky grin to his utter disregard for personal space.

Raynor, however, remained calm, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Commander Galahad, I'm in the middle of a conversation with this young woman. Why are you interrupting me?" His tone was soft but held a dangerous edge. "You do realize you’re violating the code of conduct, correct? As your superior, I suggest you reconsider your behavior before you overstep."

"HA?! WHAT CODE?" Galahad’s voice boomed. "THE REAL VIOLATION IS THIS GIRL TURNING DOWN AN INVITATION FROM THE ORDER! THAT'S A VIOLATION OF IMPERIAL LAW, AND IT’S AN OFFENSE TO THE EMPEROR HIMSELF!"

The tension was palpable now. Electricity sparked subtly around Raynor’s frame, but his expression remained calm. "Every citizen in Eripia has rights, Galahad. The Obsidian Order exists to protect those rights. It is not a violation for someone to refuse our invitation." His words were measured, but the threat beneath them was clear.

As the two officers argued, Galahad growing increasingly livid and Raynor coolly countering, William whispered to the group in a low voice, barely audible over the tense exchange.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"What a day... First, we fight a horde of imps, then we run into Sergeant Major Raynor, and now Commander Galahad shows up too?"

Celeste barely glanced at her companions, still trying to keep her focus on Raynor and Galahad, but she heard Franklin’s quiet explanation. "Galahad is a rising star—graduated last year and was placed directly under Raynor. He’s the youngest officer to reach Commander rank, and the Emperor himself praised his skills. He’s an Argent-level knight."

Bryan chimed in, his voice tinged with awe. "Yeah, he’s kind of our idol. But Celeste, whatever you’re planning, please be careful. He’s reckless and dangerous. As talented as he is, Galahad’s temper is infamous."

Celeste clenched her jaw. This guy? Their idol? He’s an arrogant prick. She thought back to her previous life, where people like him hot-headed and obsessed with their own importance had always grated on her nerves. She hadn’t gotten along with them then, and she wasn’t about to now. Respect personal space, for gods’ sake!

She closed her eyes briefly, trying to calm herself and clear her mind again.

Meanwhile, Galahad had completely lost his temper. "I'M TELLING YOU, SGT MAJOR, THIS GIRL HAS NO RIGHT TO REFUSE US! SHE’S A CITIZEN OF ERIPIA, AND THE EMPEROR OWNS EVERY PERSON HERE! NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO DISOBEY HIS COMMAND!"

Galahad pointed directly at Celeste, his hand trembling with rage.

This is getting out of hand. Celeste’s patience was wearing thin. She could feel her anger rising, threatening to break through the carefully maintained calm she’d struggled to keep all this time. Her face twitched in irritation, but she forced herself to remain composed.

At that moment, Raynor’s crew finally arrived, their boots crunching on the ground as they marched toward them.

"SERGEANT MAJOR, WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY! HOW CAN WE ASSIST YOU?"

Raynor shot Galahad a quick glance, dismissing the argument with an air of finality. "It’s fine. You’ve arrived just in time." Turning to his men, Raynor gave his orders calmly but with undeniable authority. "Medics, tend to this party. They’re the ones who took down the imp horde. Retrieval team, gather the mana stones from the corpses. Clean everything up."

"YES, SIR!" the crew responded in unison, immediately setting to work.

The tension between Raynor and Galahad dissipated as the crew efficiently tended to the group’s injuries. The members of Celeste’s party sighed in relief as the medics treated their wounds.

William, clearly proud of their achievement, smiled at Celeste. "I can’t believe it, Celeste. We actually fought through that and now... we’re going to join the Obsidian Order!"

Celeste smiled back, her expression more restrained. "Congratulations, guys. You deserve it. Raynor saw your courage in battle."

Bryan, who lay on a stretcher recovering from his injuries, chimed in weakly. "Yeah... and we even got to see Commander Galahad in person! Too bad you declined, Celeste. We were hoping you’d join too so we could stay a five-man party in the Order."

Celeste smiled warmly at Bryan. "We’ll still see each other. I have my own path to walk, and I’m still training to hone my skills."

As they chatted, waiting for the transport to arrive, Galahad stalked toward Celeste once more, arms crossed, his posture radiating arrogance.

"HEY, YOU!" he barked.

Celeste turned calmly, her eyes meeting his.

"I’m telling you," Galahad sneered, leaning closer, "don’t think you can just shrug off the Obsidian Order like that. Before the year ends, you’ll be begging to join us."

His words hung in the air like a challenge. Celeste, having regained her composure, smiled politely. "Don’t worry. If I ever decide to join, you’ll be the first to know." Her tone was calm, almost dismissive.

As if I’d ever join under your command, she thought bitterly, turning her back on him.

"Hmph!" Galahad snorted, turning away in frustration.

At last, the transport arrived—a massive, hulking vehicle made of rough metal, smoke billowing from its exhaust. Celeste’s jaw dropped.

What in the hell is that? It looked more like a tank or a truck than any carriage she’d ever seen.

Andrew hobbled over, grinning. "Yeah, that’s what I thought when I first saw it too. It’s called the Obsidian Aether Mobile. Fast, strong—this baby won wars!"

Celeste, still staring in awe, asked, "What powers it?"

Andrew laughed. "Mana stones, of course! We harvest them from dungeons and monsters. It’s Magic Teck he designed it all. You’ll see more of this stuff when we get to the capital."

As the conversation moved on, Celeste remembered something important. She turned to William, asking eagerly, "Hey, William! Are they going to reward us for the mana stones from the imps we killed?"

William looked at her, confused. "Of course, they will. But they’ll probably take a cut about 15 or 20 percent for transporting them. We can’t carry all that ourselves, right?"

Celeste’s eyes widened. We’re getting paid?! The idea of earning money for their hard work felt... right to her, a natural expectation from her previous life. "Well, that’s great! As long as we get something," she said, pulling out the bag of herbs they had collected before the imp fight. "And don’t forget about these herbs!"

William laughed. "Ha! I almost forgot! Thank gods you’re here to secure our payday."

"Of course! It’s the whole reason we’re out here in the first place. Almost got killed because of those damn herbs," Celeste retorted, her face contorted in frustration.

Bryan, despite his injuries, smiled weakly. "Yeah, I guess it’s worth it. We’ve got gold coming our way, and we’re in the Order now. What a day."

As the group laughed, shaking hands in celebration, the back door of the Obsidian Aether Mobile lowered, and the knights began loading them inside.

As the vehicle rumbled forward, heading back toward Willowshade, Celeste gazed out of the window, watching the dark smoke trail behind them.

I wonder if they can invent a device to suppress all this smoke... Do they even know about global warming here? She shook her head, smiling to herself. This world’s technology may be different, but it's impressive in its own way.

As they approached the gates of Willowshade, Celeste felt a strange mixture of intrigue and excitement for what awaited her in the future.