"Man, are you alright in the head?" Cassian asked as he stepped out of the carriage, finally arriving at the newly established camp near the jungle. The entire ride had been a test of his patience, thanks to Robert and his relentless string of jokes.
At first, it was just harmless teasing, but when it escalated to unnecessary touching, Cassian had reached his limit. Now, as Robert hopped out behind him, grinning from ear to ear, Cassian exhaled in frustration.
"Where would Sergeant Dallas be…?" he muttered to himself, scanning the camp. But before he could look around properly, his eyes widened in shock.
Standing with Dallas was someone familiar.
And that same someone was also standing right behind him.
Memories of the countless clones he had fought last month flooded Cassian's mind. Instinct kicked in, and without hesitation, he brandished his sword, pointing it directly at the Robert standing behind him.
There was no way the real Robert would have made that many gay jokes—unless, of course, he had secretly been actually gay. But Cassian doubted that.
His voice was sharp and threatening as he demanded, "Who are you?"
The fake Robert chuckled, unfazed. "You caught me…"
Suddenly, a shimmering green spell circle lit up around the imposter's body. Cassian watched as layers of illusion peeled away, revealing a stunningly beautiful woman in Robert's place.
She was someone he definitely recognized—after all, he had just met her yesterday.
"Vivienne?" Cassian said, his voice laced with shock and confusion. His eyes took in her familiar long black hair, tanned brown skin, and striking facial features that bore a strong resemblance to Lucy. There was no mistaking her identity.
As Cassian hesitated, no longer on the defensive, Vivienne casually pushed his sword away from her neck and nodded.
"Sorry, I just wanted to play a little prank…" she admitted, then smirked mischievously. "But it was so fun, I couldn't help dragging it out a little longer."
As she spoke, Cassian's mind swarmed with questions. How had she managed to appear as someone else so flawlessly? He wouldn't have even suspected a thing if it weren't for all the gay jokes.
Before he could voice any of his thoughts, the real Robert approached, having spotted them from a distance. With his usual smirk, he said, "Oh, looks like you've already met Miss Vivienne."
Cassian blinked in surprise. Robert knows her?
"You knew her?" he asked, still processing everything.
Before Robert could respond, Dallas, who had been walking up behind him, cut in. "Yeah, we know her."
Both Robert and Dallas gave Vivienne a respectful salute before Dallas continued, "She was supposed to officially start working with the Special Unit next week, but… well, as you can see, we need all the help we can get."
Hearing this, Cassian took a moment to scan his surroundings. Warriors and mages moved urgently, coordinating efforts while civilians were being evacuated from the jungle and nearby danger zones. The scale of the threat was far greater than he had initially assumed—among the crowd, he spotted several injured individuals and, grimly, a few who hadn't made it.
Dallas's voice cut through the tense atmosphere. "Robert, take him to Lumine and the others on your team," she instructed before turning to Cassian. "You'll be heading to the outer villages near the jungle to rescue anyone still trapped there. Your co-leader already has the map, so discuss your route and move out immediately."
Then, shifting her gaze to Vivienne, she added, "And you, Miss Vivienne—I heard you're proficient in illusion magic?"
Vivienne nodded, but Cassian remained standing there, still wanting to ask her a few questions. She met his gaze with a playful smile, but before he could speak, Sergeant Dallas shot him a stern look.
"I said you can go now, Cassian," she reminded him.
"Yes, Sergeant Dallas..." he replied, a little annoyed that he didn't get the chance to reprimand Vivienne for her prank.
But that wasn't the only thing bothering him. He also wanted to confirm whether Lady Katherine had instructed Vivienne to keep quiet about his status as her servant—or anything else she might know about his past through her mother. In the city, most people saw him as just an ordinary guy, and he wanted to keep it that way.
Still, assuming she understood this, Cassian found some peace of mind. Pushing those thoughts aside, he turned to Robert and asked, "So, who else am I leading besides you and Lumine?"
"Well, there's that mage girl—your co-lead that Sergeant Dallas mentioned," Robert said as he guided Cassian through the rows of tents. "She's just an Emberling, but she's skilled in healing magic, so she's perfect for a rescue mission. The other two are a brother and sister duo—both spearmen. They're not Circle Warriors, but they're solid fighters and can handle one-star monsters without trouble."
Cassian nodded, satisfied with the team. Emberlings were the first stage of mages, the equivalent of a first Circle Warrior, so she had at least some formal training. "So, just the five of us. Did anyone object to me being the leader?"
"Not really. Not once they heard about your recent feats," Robert said with a smirk.
Cassian grinned, clearly enjoying the praise. "Well, what can I say? I am amazing."
Robert chuckled at his narcissism and casually placed a hand on Cassian's shoulder. "Yeah, you are, my love…"
Cassian shuddered in disgust, staring at Robert in shock. "Fucking hell, what happened while I was away?!"
Robert smirked, clearly enjoying Cassian's horrified expression. "What? You leave for a bit, and suddenly I can't express my undying admiration for you?" He placed a hand over his chest dramatically. "I thought we had something special."
Cassian took a step back, his eyes narrowing. "We do. It's called professional boundaries—and you're breaking them."
Robert sighed, shaking his head. "Damn, rejection hurts." Then, with a mischievous grin, he added, "But don't worry, I like a challenge."
Cassian groaned, rubbing his temples. "I swear, if you keep this up, I'm putting you on frontline duty—with a wooden stick instead of a spear."
Robert gasped, feigning offense. "You wouldn't!"
Cassian smirked. "Try me."
Just then, a new voice cut in. "You two really aren't doing yourselves any favors beating those gay allegations—bickering like an old married couple."
They both turned to see a young woman with short, silver-shiny hair, smirking at them teasingly.