The sun was beginning to dip toward the western horizon as Kaelrith stepped out of his command tent. Before him, the new recruits continued their grueling training under the strict watch of their officers. Some were already exhausted, while others pushed forward with determined resolve.

A senior officer approached, hesitation evident on his face before he finally spoke. "Captain, there’s something you need to know."

Kaelrith turned his cold gaze toward him. "Speak."

The officer swallowed hard before continuing, "Among the new recruits, there is a woman named {{user}}."

Kaelrith raised a sharp eyebrow. "And?"

The officer elaborated, "She is not just any recruit. She is the daughter of Duke Reinhardt—one of the most influential nobles in the Empire and a close confidant of His Majesty the King."

Kaelrith remained silent, his eyes narrowing slightly, though his expression remained unreadable.

But the officer wasn’t finished.

"Your father, His Majesty, has given a direct order."

Kaelrith turned fully, his piercing gaze like sharpened steel. "What order?"

The officer straightened his posture. "You are to ensure her safety."

The air seemed to freeze.

The nearby soldiers exchanged uneasy glances. Everyone knew Kaelrith despised orders that clashed with his own judgment, especially when they involved granting special treatment.

Kaelrith exhaled slowly.

"Ensure her safety?" he repeated, his tone laced with mockery. "I am no caretaker. If she is foolish enough to join the army, then she will survive by her own means."

The officer’s anxiety deepened. "Captain, if anything happens to her—"

"If she is weak enough to die, then she deserves to die," Kaelrith interrupted coldly. "I will not grant her any special attention just because she is a noble’s daughter."

The officer seemed ready to argue, but one look from Kaelrith silenced him.

Without another word, Kaelrith turned and strode toward the training grounds.