Chapter 30: Captains.

"The captains usually carry competitiveness among themselves. No one ever proved which one of them is stronger; it always ends up with a tie. This is as much as I know, because we only served under them. We never personally witnessed their duels with our own eyes."

"You both, why are you behaving like literal children? Can’t you see there are people around here and they’re trying to celebrate? Don’t ruin the fun for them, and also for me."

"Especially you, Atlas. If you want to duel, you definitely can, but not right now. We’re literally celebrating."

The others looked genuinely confused because of Emil’s words. Everyone present there looked at each other.

Even Atlas and the man tilted their heads slightly, looking at Emil as if he was saying something irrational.

Then a sudden realization struck him like a bullet. ’How could I forget that they’re literal warriors... fighting is in their blood, and when is it a celebration? They’d rather celebrate with their blood.’

"Okay, you both can duel but not yet. Wait till we all eat; after that you can do whatever you want."

Both Atlas’s and the man’s eyes lit up, a faint smile tugging at their lips. It was clear that they were genuinely happy to finally receive permission to duel.

"The food is ready to eat." A man who was stirring the meat said out loud.

The attention of the whole crowd, including both the captains and Emil, struck at him. Without wasting any time, they all closed the distance between them and the food.

A beast woman stood next to the containers, carrying a stirrer, and pointed it forward. "No, get away from you all."

"Let us serve it well; behave, or you’ll not get anything."

Emil looked at her and chuckled politely. "Women are bossy both in real life and here... It’s typical."

Soon the food was set at the tables, which were made out of sandstone; a good coating of glass was done on it, and the glass looked clean, almost as if no bacteria existed over it. There were a few more dishes alongside the meat, which Emil had never seen in his life. But he wasn’t able to subdue himself from eating because the smell of the food was way too appetizing.

The food was served to every member present there; Atlas had a huge bowl of meat and also the side dishes. The same goes for the other captain; it felt as if both of them were racing to see who could eat more.

Emil shook his head once and muttered to himself. "Multiple centuries old, and still behaving like literal kids."

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Time passed, and apparently, everyone had finished eating. Emil leaned back in his chair, rubbing his stuffed belly a few times. He was so full that even the thought of moving made him feel sick.

Around him, the villagers had also finished their meals and were now casually chatting among themselves. But Atlas and the other captain were different. The two of them kept glaring at each other, as if they were waiting for even the slightest chance to start fighting.

Emil stood up from the chair and shook his hand once at the table, which drew the attention of them all. "Alright!! It’s time to go back, Atlas." He said.

The old man’s face twisted; the smile on his face disappeared as he asked. "Heir, you came just a few hours ago, and now you’re leaving? Please stay a bit longer; all of us want you to."

A warm smile crept onto Emil’s lips; he gently grabbed the man’s shoulder and said. "I’ll be back soon. Don’t worry, I’ll not run away." A chuckle left him.

Soon, the entire area was filled with loud chuckles and laughter. Even Atlas and the other captain had stopped glaring at each other, laughing along with everyone else.

Emil walked towards the path from where he had come; Atlas had followed right beside him. They both kept walking for a few minutes until finally Emil’s patience dropped as he turned back.

He pointed at the other captain who was following behind them. "Why is he following us!?" Emil asked out loud.

The man looked genuinely confused, as if he wasn’t expecting such words from Emil. He tilted his head once before finally asking. "What happened, heir?" His deep voice echoed through the surroundings, making the other noise fade away in an instant.

"Huh? I want to know why you are following behind us." Emil repeated his question.

"You’re the Heir, and a division captain should always follow behind the Heir. That is the very purpose we train and fight for." The man said firmly, his expression leaving no room for argument.

Emil raised a brow at his words. ’I expected that everyone present there was retired... guess I was wrong.’

This strange confrontation led him to a conclusion. ’The normal locals are retired warriors, but the warriors who are captains aren’t. They’re esteemed warriors who still hold their honor.’

"You’ll stick around us then?" Emil asked bluntly.

The man didn’t say anything, just a single nod in agreement.

A smile crept onto Emil’s face as he stepped forward and tapped the man’s elbow, since that was the highest point he could reach. "I shall give you a name then."

Emil took a brief look at the captain as he started stroking his chin politely. ’He looks formidable; that bow of his stands out, and his eyes are sharp, which makes him look calm as an eagle.’

"Your name shall be Aquila," he muttered softly. "It reminds me of an eagle. They’re calm; they watch from above, and when they finally figure out who their target is, they never miss."

His smile widened slightly. "Yeah. Aquila suits you."

Aquila’s face lit up; a smile crept on his lips, which made his usually calm demeanour shift for a sliver of a second. He shot down to one knee, rested his bow next to him, and placed one arm on his leg as he said. "I’m honoured to serve under you, heir."

"I hope that I help you achieve future success with my arrows."