’She’s too young to get married.’
Rain recalled the very words she had told the other higher-ups after Andeen submitted a request form three years ago, asking to move from the barracks, across the city, and to a quiet area near the sea.
Was it because she couldn’t possibly let Andeen out of her sight, or because she genuinely cared about her? She couldn’t tell, but she felt pretty indifferent about it.
Aside from liking the young lady’s personality and determination, she cared less about anything else. Still, Andeen had been one of the few people she respected in this rotten organisation.
’Still straightforward to the point of being heartlessly rude.’
Rain added the thought and released another big puff of smoke into the air.
"I heard your husband just awakened... and I was informed just this morning that our copy of the registration was sent over for the final registration, since he’s one of our soldier’s spouses." She tilted her head.
Andeen’s fingers tightened around her staff. She wanted to avoid this as much as she wanted to avoid showing Cashel to the entire military, and now... she bit her lip hard. "Yes... this morning. It was quite unexpected."
Rain dragged from her cigarette and released the smoke through the corners of her lips with a hum. "Unexpected is putting it mildly. A man past the usual awakening age suddenly registers as non-affiliated and somehow destroys a high-grade mana crystal during testing." Her brows curved downwards. "And the fact that his rank remains undisclosed is enough to get the higher-ups on their feet."
Andeen frowned softly. "Is that why I was summoned?"
"Partly," Rain flicked ash over the edge of the roof and shrugged. "The other part is even less pleasant."
She waited for Andeen to say something. When there was nothing, she sighed.
"The association wants him reassigned under military control, specifically under Number One’s," Rain said bluntly, not failing to notice the change in Andeen’s energy. "They’re already drafting the paperwork, so there’s nothing I can do. They claim a civilian with unknown potential is too dangerous to leave free..."
"Then they should reassign him under the Mercenary Corps, not the military." Andeen interrupted, her voice slightly raised, something that had never happened before.
For a moment Rain felt the urge to laugh, but she just cleared her throat and tossed the finished cigarette to the ground. She took another one out, lit it, and brought it to her lips. "The mercenaries also wanted him, but we’d have to make him choose." She paused with a small smile. "You know this better than I do. If two organisations want one Awakener, we have no choice but to maintain the proper protocol."
Andeen’s expression didn’t change, but Rain could feel the temperature around them drop a fraction.
"He’s not military material, and I will not put my husband between hunters to fight them," Andeen replied firmly. "And he has no intention of joining any side."
Rain smirked. "Sure, but you don’t have a say in this, do you?" Andeen’s eyes darkened. "I called you here before they could ambush you with the orders and force you to agree. They’re also planning to use your promotion and position as leverage. Accept the reassignment of your husband or lose the Lieutenant General position you just earned."
Andeen nearly scoffed.
Rain continued, her voice dropping to a lower tone. "That’s one of the reasons the reporters are here."
Andeen remained silent for a long moment.
The wind carried the smell of cigarette smoke and the sharp aroma of goods from the bakery across the road. Below them, reporters still shouted questions at every officer who passed the main entrance.
"What do they want from me exactly?" she asked.
"Public support for the reassignment," Rain answered. "A statement that you believe your husband goes under military supervision ’for his own safety.’ If you refuse, they’ll freeze your clearance, reassign your unit to the most dangerous Gate zones, and quietly start investigating your husband’s past... or force him to register with the mercenary groups and offer help to the military," She paused. "Since you can’t take on dangerous jobs for now."
Andeen scoffed under her breath. She was dumbfounded. After spending years proving she was not an invalid and having been held back because of their false pity, now they wanted to use that against her.
And why? Because Cashel awakened.
"I won’t do it," she said.
Rain smiled. "I expected that. That’s why I’m giving you a head start. Go home, talk to him, and decide your next steps. Because once the official notice lands on your desk tomorrow morning, be ready to watch your husband fight against his will."
Andeen nodded. "Thank you for the warning, General."
Rain waved a hand dismissively. "Don’t thank me yet. Just don’t make me regret covering for you."
As Andeen turned to leave, Rain watched her carefully. All she could think was that Andeen had never been this protective of anyone before—l, not even her uncle.
’That husband of hers must be something special,’ she thought, and crushed the cigarette under her boot. ’Or maybe there’s something else... I’m curious, heh.’
She pulled out her phone and typed a short message to a trusted contact in the association’s registry department.
Delay the Altar file for 48 hours. Make it look like a clerical error. Call the Hero team in Europe, we need a mana reader, their best fighter, and one of their inactive forest type gates.
Andeen landed softly in the parking lot where she had left her car, avoiding the crowd of reporters. Her phone vibrated the moment her boots touched the ground.
She answered without checking the caller.
"Andeen?" Cashel’s calm voice came through, suddenly changing her mood faster than she expected.
Her shoulders dropped in relief. Then she sighed silently. "Honey... have you gone home yet?"
"Yes, but..." Cashel trailed off. "Are you coming home today?"
She glanced toward the roof of the SAMD building and got into her car. "Yes. I’m on my way now."
There was a short pause on the other end. Then Cashel continued, quieter than usual, as though he was whispering.
"Some people came over to see you."
Andeen froze. "What?" She tapped the autopilot button and leaned into her seat. "Who?"
"I don’t know. They didn’t give a name. Just said they’d wait." Another pause. "I locked the doors. Everything’s fine for now, but... hurry."
Andeen’s grip on her staff tightened until the wood creaked.
"I’m coming," she said. "Don’t open the door for anyone until I get there."
She ended the call, already calculating the fastest route home.