The couple immediately crouched down, holding their breath, afraid even a fallen leaf might alert the people below.
"So tired… When is patrol ending?"
"Soon. Two more kilometers ahead and we can clock out."
"Still two kilometers? Working for the Empire really isn't easy, one cent's pay for two people's work."
Hearing the conversation below, Leon and Rossweise exchanged glances.
"Definitely a patrol squad. Be careful."
Rossweise nodded.
"When will this suffering end? Did you also do this kind of stuff back when you were in the Dragon-Slaying Army, Walker?"
"Ah… At first, I was actually fighting on the front lines. But then some royal descendant came to the army to gild their résumé, and I got squeezed out, reassigned to the patrol squad."
Walker's tone carried some helplessness, and also some anger.
But that emotion vanished quickly, no point dwelling on such lousy matters.
"They squeezed you out just to gild their name? Damn, the royals really are shameless."
The female team member said, "Don't worry, Walker. Once we overthrow that damn emperor, stuff like this will never happen again."
"Mm… Let's keep walking," Walker didn't want to continue the topic.
"Ugh… but we've really walked so far already. Why don't we apply to let someone else join the patrol squad as a mole?"
"Our Lionheart has limited manpower, everyone has their own role. You, just do your job well, gather as much dirt on the Empire as you can. It'll help us overthrow that damn emperor later," Walker replied.
"Ha, easy to say. What dirt can we dig up on patrol? Can I even live to see that dog emperor fall?"
"Didn't Senior Rebecca say that day is coming soon? Plus…"
"That man is also about to return."
Yet that man, right now, is directly above your head, Brother Walker.
———
[Outer District of the Empire, Slums]
A ragged, lame beggar leaned on a crutch, holding a cracked porcelain bowl in his other hand, begging everyone he passed on the street.
"Eh, no no, get out of the way."
"Filthy beggar, get lost."
"Child, you must study hard, grow up and leave this awful place. Otherwise, you'll end up like that man, begging all over the streets. Got it?"
"..."
But the people in the slums could barely feed themselves, where would they get extra to spare for a beggar?
The beggar kept walking along the street, walking… until the midnight bell rang.
He walked in worn-out straw sandals, heading toward the source of the bell sound, that old bell tower.
The beggar stood at the bell tower's entrance and knocked on the almost-rotten wooden door.
He knocked five times total.
The first three knocks were slightly fast in rhythm; the last two, slower.
Before long, footsteps came from inside.
Creaaak!
The door opened, and a small head peeked out from behind it.
It was a girl, her teal twin-tails tied neatly, alert eyes cautiously scanning the surroundings.
"You weren't followed, right?", Rebecca asked.
"No."
"Good, you've worked hard."
The wooden door opened halfway, and Rebecca let the beggar in.
She then peered out once more, confirmed no one was around, and closed the door.
The outside of the bell tower was dilapidated, no different from the rundown buildings of the slums.
But the inside held a hidden world.
Passing through the porch and opening a concealed door in the wall revealed a spacious hall.
The hall was fully equipped: simple cots, communal dining tables, kitchen, intel analysis desks, everything one could need.
And on the far wall of the hall, a circular emblem hung.
On the emblem, a vividly lifelike lion.
The beggar brought in by Rebecca took off his disguise and washed his face.
Rebecca handed him a towel, "Any word from the captain and the others, Nacho?"
Nacho Salaman took the towel and wiped his face, "No. Didn't you guys say a few days ago that you were going to declare war on the Empire? Why isn't he here yet?"
"Captain said he went to find a helper, maybe it didn't go smoothly."
Rebecca said, "But I think it's soon. Captain has always done what he says, and especially with something this important, there's no way he'd go back on it."
Nacho set the towel aside, leaned against the simple washstand, and looked down at the much shorter twin-tailed girl.
"I trust that captain of yours too. He truly never disappoints. Especially as someone who once stood opposite him, I can feel that deeply."
Every time Nacho recalled how he'd once obeyed the Empire's orders, leading a bunch of Dragon Kings to oppose Leon, he couldn't help but reflect:
'You want me to fight Leon? Seriously?'
Back then, the Dragon Kings assigned to him included more than five, including Star.
But in less than half a year, Leon had reduced Nacho to a commander with no troops.
'You want me to run a farmers' market like this?'
So he bailed.
As he kept running, and after several twists of fate, Nacho ended up joining this organization with Leon as its spiritual leader, fighting against the decaying Empire alongside them.
A few days ago, Rebecca had said Leon was returning to the Empire to officially lead them in a declaration of war against the current rulers.
But all these days later, Leon hadn't shown up.
Nacho had faith in the guy, he'd seen General Leon's skill and charisma with his own eyes.
But, he looked up at the other members gathered in the hall.
"This war of ours… has dragged on for a while now."
Nacho narrowed his eyes slightly, "Everyone who joins Lionheart is a person of resolve who wants to resist the Empire. Many are even hardcore fans of your captain, but you should understand, Rebecca, among these people… some are burning for revenge against the Empire."
Rebecca also turned to look at the members of Lionheart, her small face filled with seriousness.
She remained silent, quietly waiting for Nacho to continue.
"Everyone's holding in a breath, just waiting for Leon to come back and truly sound the horn of counterattack."
"But days have passed, and there's still no word from Leon."
"I can wait. You can wait. Martin and Walker can wait. But those few impatient ones… they might not have the patience anymore."
"Do you know what emotion spreads among people even faster than fear?"
Rebecca shook her head.
"Impatience."
Nacho said, "It spreads like a plague from person to person, and in the end, it will more or less affect everyone in Lionheart."
"Besides that, like all negative emotions, impatience clouds a person's judgment."
Rebecca frowned slightly, "Judgment?"
"I've suffered from this before, so I know the feeling well. Once a person's judgment is clouded by impatience, the first thing they do is question everything around them."
Rebecca opened her mouth, just about to ask more.
But just then, they heard someone in the hall slam a table, drawing everyone's attention.
"When the hell are we going to overthrow that dog emperor? Every day it's 'not the right time, not the right time', by the time it is, we'll all be rounded up by the Empire."
"Didn't Miss Rebecca say the other day that Mr. Leon would be back soon? I think it'll be any moment."
"Leon, Leon, you young folks all joined Lionheart because of Leon Casmodeous. But since joining, have you ever seen him in person?"
"...N-No…"
"I'm not questioning Lionheart's purpose. I just take issue with Tiger's approach. If Leon Casmodeous doesn't even exist anymore, why keep rallying everyone under his name? Are we supposed to die for someone who doesn't even exist?"
"Don't talk nonsense, man. I used to serve with Captain Leon in the Dragon-Slaying Army. I've even met Mr. Tiger a few times. They're not the dishonest swindlers you're making them out to be."
"You met him a few times and that's enough for you to judge?"
"..."
The argument grew more heated.
Rebecca wanted to step forward and mediate, but Nacho stopped her.
"If you step in now, that troublemaker will just shift the focus onto you. Then no matter what you say, he'll have a reason to go after you, and stir up dissatisfaction toward you."
"Then what do we do now? Just watch them fight?", Rebecca asked anxiously.
"There's not much we can do. Wait until things cool off a little, then you can go explain."
Nacho said, "But…"
"But what?"
"But maybe I underestimated the situation."
Rebecca was confused. While she was thinking, that troublemaker suddenly turned his fire toward her directly.
"Rebecca! You say we're about to declare war on the Empire, but it's been days, where is Leon? Aren't we still hiding in this slum, wasting away day after day?"
"I—"
With Tiger absent, Rebecca alone, a young girl, couldn't control this group.
"A few days ago, you and Tiger went to hand off intelligence to Leon, but only you came back. You said Tiger was seriously injured and recovering somewhere, and that you brought back a helper."
"But now I see no helper, no Leon, and Tiger's missing too."
"Little girl, are you playing us? Did Tiger and Leon already run off, leaving us all here to die? I—"
"Shut up, you idiot!"
That guy had lost control to his emotions. The more he spoke, the worse it got.
Rebecca finally couldn't hold back and shouted.
The man froze briefly.
But after that, he continued venting toward Rebecca.
"Don't just tell me to shut up, right now everyone's waiting for your Captain Leon! Why don't you bring him out here?"
Spreading personal emotion to the group takes only a few words.
Now every member of Lionheart was staring at Rebecca—all the pressure was pressing down on her small shoulders.
Some among them, like the emotional man, had begun to waver in their faith in Lionheart, desperate to see the legendary Leon Casmodeous;
Even the calmer ones, those who had joined because they saw Leon as their spiritual guide, were eager to meet him.
In other words, everyone was waiting for Leon.
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
patreon.com/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through Patreon.
https://discord.gg/bYAfGyp98y