A few weeks after wiping out the Namesh soldiers. Aeloria heard a knock on her door just as she stepped out of the bathroom.
"Coming." Wrapping herself in a purple towel that matched the color of her eyes, she made her way to the door.
After opening the door, she found Yoru in a white and jade gown. She wore high quality wolf foot lace and golden ear rings. It was the first time Aeloria had seen her without an armor or sword.
"Oh, it's you, Yoru." Aeloria said. She was not surprised, Yoru had been visiting very frequently, but today, she didn't come empty handed. She came with a big leather bag.
"What is that?" Aeloria pointed at the bag, making way for Yoru to enter.
"My armor and a few clothes." She replied with a conversational tone.
"Oh, I see. But why bring them here?" Aeloria asked, still confused.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm moving in." She said it like it was the perfect thing to do in the middle of the night.
"What? Did something happen at home?" Aeloria asked, adjusting the towel on her chest.
"It's quite troublesome to ride a horse to the field every single day, so I decided to moved in somewhere closer. Besides, you promised not to eat me." Yoru explained, making her way upstairs.
Aeloria watched with her mouth agape as Yoru climbed upstairs, towards the bedrooms like she owned the space.
Snapping out of the moment, she made her way towards her own bedroom.
Now, Lying on her bed, her thought drifted towards her daughter. Ever since that day, she had been trying to get into that beautiful space where her daughter was being raised. However, she could not.
With a deep sigh, she closed her eyes.
...
The early morning sun seeped through the window in gentle rays, however, Aeloria was still fast asleep.
"Honestly, do I have to do this every single morning?" Yoru yelled at the doorway leading to Aeloria's room.
She watched the cannibal sleep soundly without a care in the world.
Aeloria stirred in her sleep at the sound of Yoru's voice. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, bringing herself to a sitting position.
"Is it morning already?" She asked, still rubbing her eyes.
"I'm heading out first, unlike you, I can't afford to get in trouble with the commander." With that Yoru left.
Aeloria stretched once more before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed.
"I don't feel like going today, I want to sleep some more." With that, she lay on the bed once more.
Just then, she remembered the familiar knock she always received and scrambled out of bed. She rushed to bathroom to prepare herself.
When she stepped out of the bathroom, she found black gown with silver and gold embroidery lying on a table.
"Did Yoru prepare this for me?" Without much thought, she slipped into it and Rushed out of the room. This time, she was determined to avoid the terrifying knock from Orin. However, it was too late.
The moment she stepped into the training field of Ohlm, every head turned towards her.
It was then that she noticed that every soldier stood attentively in perfect intervals. Orin stood before them and he wasn't happy.
"To think the person getting a promotion would arrive last, that's the cannibal for you." One soldier muttered to his friend, but Aeloria heard it.
'A promotion?' A voice boomed across the field, drawing every attention.
"Aeloria, Step forward." Aeloria quickly rushed to the front when she heard Orin's voice.
"Commander, I'm here." She stood attentively, waiting for one of those painful knocks.
Instead, Orin had a serious look on his face when he spoke
"As of this moment, I pronounce Aeloria Head Captain of Runevale's Royal army. Anyone unhappy, those who thinks she's unfit for the role could always challenge her for her position."
"What? Head Captain? But then that would make me second in command." Aeloria whispered to Orin.
"That is indeed the case. You have the fighting strength of over two hundred average soldiers, there's no one more befitting." Orin explained.
"But the people, they don't like me." She didn't want to be put in a spotlight where all those hateful eyes would be directed at her.
"As per the rules, the Head Captain will now choose a Great captain, one that would serve in her absence." Ignoring her question, Orin addressed the soldiers before him.
He then turned to Aeloria and spoke in a tone only she could hear.
"The people do not already like you, and that won't change even if you grew a pair of wings. Though they may not like you, do not give them a chance to hate you. Replace their hatred with fear, Aeloria the Cannibal." Orin encouraged.
Whenever Orin was by her side, she felt a sense of protection and confidence. It was as if nothing else mattered.
"I've been in the army for nearly eight years, to think she would be promoted in less than two month." As soldier watching Aeloria spat in displeasure.
"Well, she was able to take on those Namesh soldiers alone, when you look at it from that angle, she's the only choice. That aside, I wonder which unlucky idiot she would choose, I pray to the heavens it shouldn't be me." Another added.
"You're right, brother. Honorable position or not, walking side by side with someone who eats people is not a fun idea to think of." Another chimed in.
'I've never been promoted at anything in my life, I'm a little nervous.' Aeloria thought but kept a calm expression.
"Yoru will be given the honor of being the Great Captain. However, she is free to reject the position." Without an ounce of hesitation. Yoru stepped forward and bowed to Orin and Aeloria.
"Yoru, the Great Captain, responds to your call."
"I don't even know what to make of this entire situation. Yoru? Didn't they fight on their first meeting. How could I forget how the cannibal shattered her arm." One soldier whispered but no response came.
"With the exception of Aeloria and Yoru, all of you are dismissed."
As the soldiers left, Orin dragged Aeloria on the ground like he always did while Yoru walked behind them.
"But... I'm now the Head Captain." Aeloria asked. Now that she had been promoted, she thought the dragging would stop.
"What's the difference between now and then?" Orin asked, kicking the door that led to the war room.
Only then did he drop Aeloria onto the ground.
Orin sat in his usual position. Aeloria sat in the opposite chair while Yoru's stood beside her.
"As per the rules, you're only allowed to sit in her absence, however, I permit you to sit." Orin said to Yoru who occupied the seat closest to Aeloria with a dip of her head.
"Tell me, Yoru, are you not afraid of the cannibal? Are you willing to serve by her side?" Orin asked the question on his mind.
"She's only a cannibal to the enemy, to me, she's just Aeloria. A sleepy head who couldn't get to places on time if her life depended on it. And see, she does not bite." Yoru placed her hand in Aeloria's mouth, playing with her slightly elongated canine.
Aeloria pressed her teeth gently against Yoru's fingers.
Feeling the elongated canine pressing against her hand, she yanked her fingers free, inspecting if there was any blood.
A curled around Orin's lips and disappeared just as quickly as it had formed.
"I see." Orin looked at the maidens exchange looks of fury and amusements.
"You should both go get some rest. We're going to be very busy starting tomorrow." Orin announced as he stood.
"But, won't you tell us our duties and what's expected of us?" Yoru asked with a confused look.
"Your duties? Just teach the useless soldiers you command to be slightly less useless." With that, Orin left quickly before they had the time to ask more questions.
'To think he doesn't know the rules. All this while, he had just been doing whatever he felt was right.' Yoru thought
"We should go back home, I need to continue my sleep." Aeloria announced.
"Honestly, is sleep all you think about?"
"Hey Yoru, what made you want to become a soldier of the army?" Aeloria asked, changing the question as they left through the door, stepping into the training field.
"In this era, a woman does not get to choose. If I had not join the army, I would've been betrothed to another noble family by now. However, soldiers are given the right to choose whom to spend their lives with." Yoru explained.
"So it was because you wanted to choose your man?" Aeloria asked.
"Yes, I want a strong man who is capable of protecting our family, not a pampered young lord of a noble family."