AriaThe morning of Aria’s first day back

I let out a yawn as I walk out of my bathroom, a towel going around my neck over the comfortable black cotton shirt I’m wearing. And after heading to the little cafeteria in my manor to grab a bottle of wine, I go back to my room and change out of my shirt and shorts into my uniform. Then I go ahead and equip all of my weapons and everything else I need, such as my radio and medals, before heading out of my room again while still yawning.

“Lady Crimson, will you be needing a ride to the train, or will you be walking?” my butler asks while bowing once I reach the front welcoming room of the manor, having clearly been waiting here for me.

The man has gray hair and is wearing a rather clean suit, is quite a bit taller than me, and has been a big help with managing this place since I found that he basically came with the manor.

I wasn’t gonna complain about free help with my manor, considering that the state is paying for him. And I knew I didn’t really want to deal with managing this place myself.

Plus the guy is very nice. Treats me like a granddaughter.

Also kind of reminds me of Lucas from the café. A café I’ve visited damn near every day during my vacation.

“I’ll go ahead and walk,” I tell him with a nod of my head, not really showing anything on my expression. “Stay safe while I’m gone.”

“Of course, Lady Crimson,” the man says with a bow as I step out of the manor and into the rather large courtyard in front of it. Then I just walk around the fountain towards the gate and just jump right over it without bothering to have it opened.

Over the course of the last month, I managed to put most of my matters in order. I got used to the power of my new life energy, which is strong enough to punch a hole through a tree. I raised my level once to level five through hunting, which isn’t really much considering that the others of the division raised their levels by at least four or five in this time. One even raised their level by seven. That being the lieutenant colonel.

And they, at their higher levels, are still about the same strength as me physically when I use my soul energy. Maybe a little stronger in the lieutenant colonel’s case.

Although I don’t actually know what they need to do to level up. At this point it’s become a rather private thing that no one tells others about. Their Class and purpose. Unlike the very start where a lot of the soldiers would gossip about it even if the government was trying to give them privacy.

Mostly due to the continued research the government has been doing and releasing about the System making it sound like our purpose is a more private affair than most thought.

I also got a new wardrobe, mostly just comfortable clothes, both Winter and Summer garb, but also a couple dresses in case another ball happens anytime soon.

Aside from that, I mostly just relaxed during the month, taking the time off and sleeping in a lot. Particularly now that my nightmares have mostly gone away.

Still not sure why they went away though.

Not complaining either.

I glance down as I walk, looking at my new uniform.

Unlike the previous one that I had, which was all black with a black and red jacket over it, this one is white and red – mostly white – with a black and red jacket. And the jacket itself is fancier than my old one. With the medal pinned to the left shoulder of it and my major bars on the right.

It still feels weird to know that I’m a major now though. Considering that I was previously just a warrant officer a few months ago.

I continue walking through the streets, occasionally nodding my head at a civilian when they wave at me or say hi. Because at this point I’ve become something of a celebrity, considering the number of my pictures that I’ve seen in newspapers.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

And my name and unique appearance certainly helps as well, considering my red eyes and snow-white hair. Neither of which are common, if almost ever seen.

I’ve personally never seen someone else with hair like mine outside of my family.

I’m also sure the emperor is absolutely loving this.

The corners of my lips quirk upwards at that sarcastic thought.

He hasn’t sent anyone to capture me yet, likely because he knows the First General and the Republic as a whole would immediately go out to search for me. And the First General and other generals know about our past to a degree, so he’d be the first person they’d check.

Combining that with the fact that he obviously can’t kill me, the emperor is literally just a sitting duck for me right now.

And I absolutely love it.

At this rate all I need to do is make a few more great achievements for the Republic and then the First General may very well let me get away with killing him in his own damned house.

I smile at the thought of finally getting my revenge after a long ten years of fighting. But the remembrance that I’m currently heading back to war right now… kind of dumbs down that excitement a bit.

Because, despite my aversion towards them, the other officers of the division are starting to grow on me. No matter my attempts to avoid the hell out of them.

Harvey kept trying to get me to go shopping, and against my better judgment, I went with her at least once. Just because I’m not very good at fashion.

Snow brought me to a bar where he bribed me with good wine. The scoundrel.

Rogers just kinda visited a couple times without saying much, but he was already growing on me before this.

And the lieutenant colonel has been my sparring partner. Something I needed to get used to my soul energy and newfound strength from leveling, not to mention fighting someone stronger than me, but also something that led to him growing on me a bit too.

Although I barely spent any time with Vargas. He seems to not exactly be the most pleasant guy to work with.

Kind of reminds me of someone who’s putting on a face. Like he doesn’t really care about most of the people around him and only cares about himself and nothing more than that.

I guess I’m not much different in that regard, other than the fact that I do try to avoid causing others trouble if I can, and I don’t exactly put on a face. Whereas he doesn’t care about causing other people trouble.

So my mission to avoid getting close to the other officers of the division is a major failure other than Vargas.

At this point I already know I’ll be upset if they die as well.

And we’re already heading back to battle.

Where that could very well happen.

I grit my teeth at that thought, but continue walking, nonetheless.

Because forward is the only way to go.

“Officers of the Predator Division, your next mission is to infiltrate the Arterian Empire to find out why they have undergone complete radio silence on us,” the First General declares from the front of the room, having taken on the point of directing the briefing herself this time. “But before that, a debriefing on the situation with the invaders and the Gate.”

She waves her hand, making the illusion she has at the front of the room change to show a miniature version of a cave with a large arc in the back filled with a purplish blue energy.

“This is the Gate, and as you can see, seeing the other side of it is not possible without passing through,” she continues as the six of us study the Gate. “During the past week, the invaders have sent two squads of soldiers through the Gate. However, both of the squads were incredibly surprised when they saw us standing there. And as it turns out, the Gate can only be used a limited number of times every week, and people can only pass through once every day. So we quickly rounded them up and took them prisoner.”

She snaps her fingers, her hands held behind her back while the illusion changes again to show two sets of prisoners.

“From what we’ve been able to gather,” she pauses while nodding her head towards Vargas, implying that she had him work briefly during our vacation, “the invaders employed a being known as a Greater Death Spirit to eliminate everyone on this planet, so they were expecting us all to be dead.” The First General pauses with a raised brow. “As you can tell, that didn’t happen. But no one knows why we are alive, with no apparent events that would imply a world-ending being having been summoned to our world. Neither they, nor us.”

Wait… that purple flash of light that no one else remembered…

I keep my face fully neutral as the link comes to mind.

“Furthermore, it would appear that the Invasion General that Major Crimson killed is unable to be revived, leading to their emperor growing incredibly harsh on his own people as of late,” the general continues, glancing at me briefly in the process. And so do the others. “They do not know how this is possible, but the soldiers themselves personally believe that the Greater Death Spirit must be behind it somehow.”

No, it was me. But thank you to that death spirit for giving me an excuse.

“Lastly, the Emperor of the Grand Roan Empire committed an offense towards their planet’s Void Temple, causing the Greater Void Spirit in charge of the temple to abandon their world, meaning they can no longer revive themselves,” the general says with a hint of smugness on her face. “Therefore we no-”

A loud alarm suddenly begins to blare through the fortress that used to be the invaders’, making us all jump to our feet and rush out of the room to figure out what’s going on. And within minutes we’re all out on the walls, only to find ourselves looking at… a temple?

A temple just sitting in between some cliffs not far from the fortress.

Huh?