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Hans lay silently in bed, blinking. His head pounded like he had a hangover and his memories of last night were fragmented.

The Vampire Lord had come here.

She reached out to him, and then... strangely, he had no memory after that.

Did Lucy do something to me?

He examined his body, but there was nothing wrong.

But a person of the Vampire Lord's standing wouldn't have come here for no reason. She must have done something.

Hans's suspicion deepened, but he couldn't investigate further.

He had to deal with Helia, who was lying in bed with him.

Hans looked down.

He saw Helia clinging to his side.

From Hans's perspective, who had been possessed by Time last night, it was natural that he had no memory.

However, Helia was different. Although her memories had also been erased, her instincts remembered that her relationship with her teacher had been threatened.

Was that why?

Helia was scared. Scared that her teacher would leave her behind.

"Did you have a nightmare?"

"Teacher...!!"

"It's okay. I'm here."

For a moment, Helia felt a tightness in her chest.

Her teacher was smiling at her, but for some reason, she couldn't bear to look at that smile.

She hadn't yet learned the emotion called guilt.

Hans, still unaware of Helia's actions, simply tilted his head in confusion.

What's wrong with her?

'She's being especially clingy today.'

He briefly thought that, but then he raised his hand and gently stroked Helia's hair. This was how it should be.

Helia was still a young child of 13 years old. If this were the modern world, she would be just starting middle school.

Of course, in this world, you became an adult at 16, but she was still young.

"It's okay, it's okay."

Besides, she had endured so much at such a young age. Thinking about that, it wouldn't hurt to indulge her a little.

Perhaps reassured by her teacher's words, Helia's trembling gradually subsided.

Relieved, she slowly closed her eyes. Even if it was just a dream, she wanted to stay like this forever.

After confirming that Helia was asleep, Hans stayed for a moment before getting out of bed.

The Commander of the Royal Knights had more to do than he thought, especially now.

"Commander, you're here?"

"Yes."

"Today is the real beginning."

"There's a lot to prepare."

Cluna, who had arrived at the office in advance and was waiting, smiled and handed him a stack of parchments.

Most of them were already prepared, needing only his signature for approval.

"Didn't we all rest yesterday?"

"Yes, I got plenty of rest."

"Then when did you prepare all this?"

"Let's see... before we went to the orcs' territory, I believe?"

"You prepared this beforehand?"

Hans clicked his tongue.

There was a limit to how competent someone could be. Or was this natural?

Cluna was an elf who had lived for hundreds of years. Naturally, she had an unimaginable amount of experience in these matters.

"But are you really sure about this?"

"It's the perfect time, precisely because it's now."

Hans checked the information on the parchment.

He was constantly reviewing information, just in case, and even using his memories from his past life. He was even seeking advice.

All of this pointed to one fact. But he had to be cautious.

Taking too much time and missing the opportunity was a problem, but rushing things was also a problem.

"The Royal Knights... no, the first expedition of the Multi-Racial Alliance."

Until now, the Multi-Racial Alliance had only defended against the demon's attacks.

They didn't have the luxury of launching an expedition. It was no coincidence that the Royal Knights' expedition had received widespread support.

If it had succeeded, it would have been the first time in history, since the demon invasion, that they had reclaimed lost territory.

Although it failed, now was an opportunity.

[Is it really necessary to push ourselves?]

[I agree. It's not too late to do it after the situation stabilizes.]

[I also agree with Cluna.]

Cluna and Yuren expressed strong concerns about Hans's plan.

The Royal Knights' expedition had failed a year ago, leading to the collapse of the order and the subsequent downfall of the alliance.

What if the expedition, not just of the Royal Knights, but of the entire Multi-Racial Alliance, failed? It would give the demons an advantage.

Hans understood their concerns.

But he had a reason for launching the expedition now. He knew when the demons would regain their strength. He had seen it in the original story.

[After the collapse of the Royal Knights, the demons didn't take immediate action. Perhaps because of that, the Multi-Racial Alliance, instead of uniting, bared their fangs at each other, even though they should have been sticking together.]

[And three years later, the demons, having recovered from their injuries sustained in the battle against the Royal Knights, launched a full-scale invasion. The Dwarf Kingdom was the first to fall, and then the 12 Tribes were completely subjugated.]

In other words, the demons would regain their full strength in three years.

They were currently weakened after losing three True Demons, but even so, they would likely recover within four years.

So, he had to strike them before then and drag them into a war of attrition. He had to weaken them as much as possible before they regained their full strength.

"The problem is, everyone else is probably thinking the same thing."

The demon invasion was still ongoing, but unfortunately, too much time had passed.

The goal of restoring the continent to its original state had vanished. Now, they were simply trying to protect what they had left.

Hans understood their feelings.

No one wanted to take risks. Especially since their last attempt, just a year ago, had ended in failure.

It would be incredibly difficult to persuade them.

But if they continued like this, they had no future. The Holy Empires' barrier was weakening, and the demons were growing stronger.

Ironically, thanks to the Royal Knights' expedition a year ago, the gap had narrowed, giving the Multi-Racial Alliance a slight advantage.

Now was their chance.

How long could they maintain this advantage?

The answer to that question would determine their victory or defeat.

Hans might have forgotten his initial goal, but his instincts still craved victory for the Multi-Racial Alliance.

"Is there any way to persuade them?"

Hans readily asked Cluna for advice.

He didn't realize it, but the very act of seeking advice showed his dignity as Commander.

At least to Cluna. She had seen countless people self-destruct due to their arrogance, clinging to meaningless pride and reputation.

Why?

Cluna thought it was probably fear. Fear of losing their position, or being looked down upon, if they relied on others.

"If you're really going to do this, I would persuade the Human King."

"The Human King? That's an unexpected answer."

"He harbors ambitions beyond your imagination. He's also intelligent and capable. He must have made preparations."

That was Cluna's impression of the Human King.

He wasn't simply content with being the central figure of the Multi-Racial Alliance. He had greater ambitions. Such as reclaiming their lost territory.

Of course, such ideals were meaningless now.

They had never succeeded in retaking land from the demons. But for some reason, it felt possible.

It was because of the man standing before her.

The man who, in just one year, revived the Royal Knights and resurrected the Multi-Racial Alliance, which had been practically scattered.

Furthermore, the Dwarf Kingdom and the 12 Tribes, indebted to him, were effectively his allies, supporting him. That support would likely continue until they lost their trust in him.

'He's so similar to him.'

Cluna tried to shake off the thought, but she couldn't help but compare him to the First Hero.

She had seen the First Hero in him.

At first, she didn't understand why. But now she finally did.

He was similar to the First Hero, yet different.

The First Hero was somewhat clumsy and incompetent.

On the other hand, the Commander was a superhuman who accomplished everything perfectly. But they had one thing in common.

They didn't settle for the present and dreamed of a better future. And they did so without demanding sacrifices.

He was truly worthy of being called a hero.

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[=Chapter 116=]

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Even while preparing for the first expedition, Hans continued to carry out his duties as Commander.

Naturally, his workload doubled, but it was something he had to endure.

Getting help from Yuren, the former Commander, was an option, but she was focused on training the other unit members, and since that was actually helpful, he couldn't pull Yuren away now.

So, Hans and Cluna had no choice but to handle all the work themselves. It was only natural that things turned out this way.

Actually, there had been warning signs.

Perhaps due to working three consecutive all-nighters, Hans suddenly started bleeding from his nose. He quickly covered his nose, but it was too late.

Cluna's gentle hand touched Hans's left cheek.

She was looking at him with a worried expression. Feeling self-conscious, Hans turned his head away.

"You're pushing yourself too hard, Commander."

"But there's no one else who can do this."

"Even so, rest is important. Especially now, with the expedition coming up."

"...I know."

But her face was too close. Uncomfortably close.

For someone like Hans, who had no immunity to women, it was unavoidable that his body trembled when facing someone so close.

However, Cluna had her reasons. Watching the Commander's face, stained with blood, something unknown welled up inside her chest.

What was it?

Was she craving blood?

No, that couldn't be it. She wasn't a vampire. But... if it was the Commander's blood, she might... just slightly... want to taste it.

Just as her mind was wandering...

"Cluna?"

"...Ah!"

"You're a bit too close, don't you think?"

"S-sorry!"

As Hans pointed out, there was barely any space between them. If she stuck out her tongue just a little, it would touch him.

Cluna, rarely flustered, quickly stepped back. But true to herself, she still cast a healing spell on him.

An awkward silence fell.

Hans scratched his cheek.

He had spoken up to create some distance, but this awkwardness was troublesome. They were colleagues.

He didn't want to continue working in such an awkward atmosphere. It would decrease their efficiency.

Hans wondered how to break the ice.

"I don't know why I suddenly got a nosebleed."

"Ah, speaking of which, I forgot something important."

"Hmm. There was something like that."

"L-let's just forget about that. Commander, you need to rest."

Not only had he gone to the orc's territory and participated in the Warrior's Festival, but he also returned and immediately started preparing for the expedition, doubling his workload. In other words... he was overworked.

Cluna's diagnosis was accurate.

He had been working continuously without rest. And though both Cluna and Hans were unaware, Time had forcibly borrowed Hans's body and gone on a rampage, so the fatigue accumulated in Hans's body was beyond imagination. But Hans didn't care.

He didn't care what happened to this body. The expedition was the priority.

"I'm planning to rest after this is over."

"But..."

"Don't worry too much. I know how to take care of myself."

"...Is that really true?"

"Of course."

Although he had forgotten his original goal due to the hypnosis, his instincts remained.

The Royal Knights had been revived, and their name had been restored after repelling the True Demons, but they still lacked proof of their strength.

However, it wasn't that they lacked achievements. Rather, their achievements were so great that they felt unreal.

True Demons were monsters.

That was a fact, but very few people had actually seen a True Demon up close and survived.

Even the leaders of each race were only aware of the danger they posed.

Of course, some of the leaders had met True Demons before, but even the leaders, who absorbed all kinds of information, were like that.

What about the people below them?

Furthermore, because they had achieved such dazzling feats and become the center of attention, there were those who were jealous and tried to undermine the Royal Knights.

So, the Royal Knights had to prove themselves.

They had to prove that they were still strong. And more importantly, they had to show what it meant to defeat three True Demons.

This expedition would be the first step. So it was natural for Hans to be focused on his work.

'Besides, the expedition is another opportunity for them, but it's also something that could trigger their trauma.'

Just a year ago, the Royal Knights had lost most of their members in a reckless expedition.

Everyone, including the rookies Clara and Ruby, had been deeply scarred.

Hans was grateful that they had stayed with the Royal Knights after such an experience. And he couldn't help but think that he might hurt them again.

But it was necessary to move forward. They couldn't be content with just defending their territory.

They had to seize the opportunity.

"I need to meet with the Human King."

"Who should we send as a messenger?"

"I'll go myself."

"But wouldn't that be inappropriate, given your rank?"

No matter how much the Human King had invested, they weren't equals. Especially from Cluna's perspective, no one was on equal footing with Hans.

But Hans thought differently.

After all, it was the Human King who had supported them when the Royal Knights were at their lowest point. Thanks to him, they had managed to survive.

If it weren't for the Human King's investment, they might be sitting on the streets right now.

So, it was only right to show him respect.

'And I'm also concerned about what I heard before.'

Cluna had said the Human King had ambitions beyond his imagination.

Initially, he thought it was about becoming the central figure of the Multi-Racial Alliance, but he wasn't satisfied even after achieving that position.

Hans continued to work, and it was only natural that he collapsed from overwork.

Hans collapsed five days later.

It was an ordinary day. He was heading to the dining hall for a meal, and after receiving his food, he suddenly felt dizzy.

He lost his balance and collapsed. And since it happened in the dining hall during mealtime, with everyone present, there was no denying it.

Hans lost consciousness.

Meanwhile, the reactions of the unit members who witnessed Hans's collapse varied.

Helia, in particular, rushed to his side and caught him the moment she saw him falling.

"Teacher! Are you alright?! Teacher!!"

For a moment, as they watched Hans collapse, all the unit members gathered in the dining hall had the same thought. Because they had all experienced loss before.

They had lost family, friends, colleagues. They had lost something precious that couldn't be replaced. So their reactions were naturally intense.

Hans was immediately transported to the infirmary.

They calmed down a bit after learning that it was just overwork, but that was only on the surface.

It triggered something within them, and they began to lose control.

"What's going on?"

"It's a good thing it's just overwork. But what if it wasn't? What if Commander Hans never woke up again?"

"We don't want to lose him again."

It was a kind of paranoia. But their past experiences of loss fueled their delusions. And it was the same this time.

Hans had collapsed from overwork.

But what if it wasn't overwork? What if he had almost died? Naturally, everyone here was afraid.

The first to act was Cluna.

She worked in the infirmary, and as a healer, she was skilled in medicine. So, she could stay by Hans's side.

"Are you alright?"

There was no response. Perhaps as a consequence of working non-stop, Hans was sleeping with his eyes closed.

Even Helia had readily moved away from Hans this time.

She didn't want to tire him out any further.

Thanks to that, Cluna could move. She slowly approached him. She knew she shouldn't be doing this.

But the moment she saw the Commander collapse, the unease she had felt came pouring out like a waterfall. It was the same now.

She needed something, something to fill the void...

"Are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere?"

Cluna's face slowly drew closer to the sleeping Hans.

Then, her lips covered his.

It wasn't a kiss, just a brief peck, but Cluna, realizing what she had done, immediately pulled back.

'What, what did I just do?'

She was shocked by her own actions, but surprisingly, she didn't feel bad.

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[=Chapter 117=]

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Was it just impulse? Or something she had desired all along?

Conflicting thoughts swirled in her mind.

Cluna's face, flushed as if it were burning, was as uncertain as a young girl experiencing her first love.

She was aware. Even if it wasn't true love, she had married and borne another man's child.

Was she truly worthy?

That question had continuously tormented Cluna. And there was also the matter of her age.

Wouldn't it be better to step aside for her lovely daughter? Yes, that was the right thing to do.

But despite her rationalizations, she couldn't bring herself to act accordingly.

The Commander had told her to take it easy. He was right. Constant work led to exhaustion.

But the Commander didn't know one thing.

That she was pushing herself, partly because she wanted to hear his concerned voice, his caring words...

She would probably never admit it. Cluna's moist eyes, tinged with a blush, looked down.

She didn't know what to do.

That day, the day she was saved by the Commander, he had said it was only natural, but those natural things... Cluna, despite her long life, hadn't known them.

"I was happy. To have someone I could trust my back to."

After the First Hero's death, Cluna never made another companion. She didn't want to see her companions leave her behind. She was afraid of being left alone.

That fear had almost been healed once.

When she married and had children. Looking at her children playing in her arms, Cluna realized her reason for living.

However, it didn't last long.

Her husband and children died in the war against the demons. And to protect Clara, who was left alone, she lost control.

"If you hadn't stopped me, I might have..."

She might have become an even worse monster. And then, a man strong enough for her to trust appeared before her.

That man was the Commander. Hans, the new Commander of the Royal Knights.

At first, she thought he was a fool. Starting with the collapse of the Royal Knights, the cracks had already grown too large.

Even if the First Hero were to return, these cracks couldn't be mended.

That's what she thought, giving up hope. And then, the Commander appeared and reached out his hand.

After that, she was truly happy.

She became close with the unit members, shared meals with them, trusted them with her back in battle.

At some point, Cluna started to think of this place as home.

"You gave me a place to belong."

There was no response.

Perhaps because he was exhausted, Hans was sleeping soundly in bed.

Cluna gazed at his face silently.

Elves and humans had different standards of beauty.

Elves usually considered the size and shape of ears to be beautiful.

From their perspective, humans, regardless of whether they were handsome or beautiful, were like aliens.

She was happy. She was joyful. But that very fact made her anxious.

Clara, her daughter and fellow elf, not to mention the dragon Yuren, the dwarf Ruby, and the beastman Bayard...

Except for Helia, most of them were long-lived races. Compared to them, the Commander was human.

A human's lifespan was fleeting compared to an elf's.

Wasn't it the same with the First Hero?

She was afraid. Afraid that he, who resembled the First Hero, would leave her side just like the First Hero did. Back then, Cluna could only watch.

"But... what should I do...?"

Suddenly, Cluna remembered a legend passed down among the elves.

A story about a human who consumed elf honey, gained immortality, and lived happily ever after with his beloved elf.

It was closer to a fairy tale than a legend. It wasn't actually effective.

Most elves scoffed at the idea of an ugly human and an elf being together.

Elf honey.

The fairy tale was created to teach children to get along with other races, so it was sugar-coated, but Cluna knew the truth behind the legend.

It was a story about one of her peers. In the end, she and her lover were executed.

At the time, Cluna couldn't understand, but...

Now she did.

Because she couldn't ignore this pounding in her chest. The thought of the Commander leaving her side was unbearable. So, she would do it.

Cluna carefully reached down towards her lower body. Thanks to her dress, it wasn't difficult to remove her underwear underneath.

"This is... more embarrassing than I thought..."

As her peer had warned, she wasn't ready for this yet.

Should she stop? Wouldn't that be better? But pushing aside the shame and embarrassment, memories of the past took over.

The First Hero, whom she truly loved, died in bed. Her husband and children were killed by demons.

She had thought she only had her beloved daughter left.

But he had forced his way into her heart. Even though she tried to push him away, she couldn't. In the end, he became a part of her.

There was one contradiction.

Cluna wasn't thinking about fighting demons.

Her only concern was the Commander leaving her side when his lifespan ended.

"Is it this world that's twisted? Or is it me, obsessed with you?"

Because she had experienced loss, because she knew the heart-wrenching pain, because she knew what he had done for them... That's why she thought, Even if I'm hated, it can't be helped.

Finally, her determined hand removed her underwear completely. And then, into the opening of her exposed womanhood, beneath her dress, she slowly inserted her slender finger.

Guilt and shame. And the unknown pleasure that coexisted between them accelerated her movements.

Then, suddenly, she stopped.

Cluna's gaze fell on the Commander's hand.

A weak, human hand, covered in scars and blisters. It wasn't a beautiful hand by any means.

But Cluna loved the warmth of that hand more than anything. She came to her senses, her delicate hand holding the Commander's.

She knew she shouldn't be doing this.

She knew it rationally, but... she couldn't stop herself. Consumed by desire and pleasure, there was no stopping Cluna.

Soon, the Commander's hand touched her womanhood.

"Ah...?!?"

A jolt of electricity shot through her, from her core to her brain, just from his touch. It was her first time doing this with someone she loved.

The First Hero, whom she had feelings for, had hesitated until his time ran out, and the elf she married wasn't someone she loved. But Hans... he was definitely in her heart.

It was her first time. So she was surprised.

Even though she had experience, just the touch of her beloved's hand felt this good... Her surprise quickly turned into pleasure.

A trickle.

Her tightly closed flower leaked its nectar once more. But unlike the first time, an unexpectedly large amount flowed out.

Cluna, with trembling hands, collected all the nectar.

"...Come to think of it, the Commander can't consume this right now."

Forcing it into the mouth of a sleeping person wasn't a good idea.

Then, she had no choice but to carefully repeat the act, did she? There were other ways, of course, but...

Making excuses, Cluna put the nectar in her mouth. It was her own nectar, but it had the sweet scent of apples.

With the nectar in her mouth, she slowly approached Hans.

Once again, she gently explored his lips.

The nectar that flowed between her teeth, guided by her magic, slowly and smoothly flowed down Hans's throat. This was a shortcut.

"Originally, I was supposed to put my mouth directly on it and drink it, but..."

Even she couldn't do that to the unconscious Commander. The last vestiges of Cluna's reason stopped her.

She couldn't do that.

Of course, she was curious how it would feel to have his tongue, his breath, touch hers... but her feelings for him were stronger, so she held back.

After confirming that the Commander had consumed all the nectar, Cluna finally parted her lips.

A thin string of something, she didn't know if it was leftover nectar or saliva, connected their lips.

Cluna raised her hand and brushed her hair back. Sweat dripped down her jawline.

Was it because she had been too engrossed?

Surprisingly, Cluna didn't notice.

"W-what is that...?!"

The excessively passionate gaze of the dragon, watching them through the crack in the infirmary door.

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