I only wanted to retire, but I ended up becoming an extremely popular character.

Xavier paced slowly in his office, his eyes bloodshot.

The ashtray on his desk was already overflowing, and the pile of cigar butts mirrored his turbulent thoughts.

Since leaving SSC, Xavier has slept no more than 5 hours a day.

This was not only because he was eager to win a great victory in the city of Sallom.

Moreover, every decision he made directly affected the lives of tens of thousands of imperial soldiers.

Under such immense responsibility and pressure, Xavier's every nerve was stretched to the limit, and he dared not slack off in the slightest.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, followed by a male voice: "Report!"

"Come in." Xavier took a deep breath, grabbed the long-cold strong coffee on the table, and gulped down a large mouthful to force himself to stay awake.

The door was pushed open, and Captain Grayson strode in and stood before the desk:

"Colonel Xavier, the preliminary findings of your investigation into the cases involving arms trafficking and the sale of military intelligence within the Legion that you asked me to investigate are in the works."

Grayson, an interrogator for MI6 with the rank of captain, appeared to be a very calm and reliable man.

His most distinctive feature is probably that his eyebrows, like his hair, are a barren wasteland.

Colonel Xavier hesitated for a moment, then said, "Go on!"

Grayson stated the findings of the investigation in a calm and fluent tone:

"We recently successfully cracked an arms smuggling case."

"The basic outline has been identified: officers within the military corps colluded with gangs to resell weapons, and the gangs then acted as intermediaries to smuggle the weapons to the Holy Kingdom's military."

"Under the cover of this black market, some of the officers involved also sold military intelligence to the Holy Kingdom."

He paused briefly before continuing, "Currently, based on the financial records and ledgers seized in this case, we have arrested a number of officers involved in the case with conclusive evidence."

"Several other suspects are currently being interrogated."

"This is a preliminary report, but it will take some time to thoroughly investigate the whole case and find the mastermind behind it."

Xavier took the report and slowly turned the pages. A hint of approval finally appeared on his tense face: "As expected of Captain Grayson. Very good, even faster than I expected."

Being able to identify these corrupt elements before the final battle and promptly eliminate internal hidden dangers is undoubtedly a timely help.

Grayson hesitated for a moment, then cautiously asked, "Colonel, I've noticed frequent troop movements recently... Does this mean a large-scale military operation is imminent?"

Xavier was silent for a moment, not answering directly, but sighing: "...Yes, the Legion will be making a big move soon. As expected of someone in intelligence, their sense of smell is very sharp."

"But the internal purge within the Corps is not yet complete."

Grayson's tone revealed a hint of worry: "Is it too risky to launch a large-scale decisive battle at this time?"

He was well aware of the current momentum of the Holy Kingdom and also understood that the "Imperial Blade" legion was not yet at its best.

Given Xavier's consistently cautious nature, he would never be so radical.

Considering that the Military Intelligence Service had previously learned that the SSC had secretly visited the command headquarters, the answer is self-evident: it was pressure from the highest levels.

"Captain Grayson, this is not your concern." Xavier's voice was visibly weary.

He still didn't want his subordinates to know too much about matters involving SSC, and this was for their own good.

"Yes, I understand!"

Grayson quickly grasped Xavier's intention: "I will continue to investigate this case with all my might, and strive to eliminate as many hidden dangers as possible for the regiment before the war."

Xavier nodded slightly: "Go ahead!"

Only after Grayson's military boots completely disappeared at the end of the corridor did Xavier rub his throbbing temples.

However, a soldier's report broke his brief silence: "Reporting, Colonel! There is a lady outside who calls herself Stella and wants to see you. She says it's urgent."

Stella, who is Colonel Xavier's wife.

How did she end up here? Xavier didn't ask her to come!

The fact that Stella came here alone means that this matter is so urgent that it must be conveyed to him personally by Stella.

"Quickly! Let her in!" Xavier ordered immediately, then added, "And tell the guards that no one, no matter who or what, is allowed to disturb me!"

……

……

When Stella, wearing a hood, appeared at the door and saw Xavier, her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

Without a word, she rushed forward and hugged her husband tightly.

Xavier's stiff body softened in the familiar warmth, and he hugged his wife back tightly.

The iron-blooded colonel, decisive and ruthless on the battlefield, is now just an ordinary husband longing for his family.

This hidden tenderness was what initially touched Stella.

After a long while, the two reluctantly let go of each other.

"Did something happen at home?" Xavier gripped Stella's shoulders tightly and asked with concern, "How is Joanna? Is she alright?"

"Everything is fine at home, and Sister Joanna is recovering well." Stella lowered her eyes to look away. "It was the Fifth Prince's people who came to me. They begged me to convey two things to you."

She was well-educated, having read some imperial history, and knew the dangers of political turmoil. She was deeply unwilling for her husband to be drawn into it.

"Are you kidding me?" Xavier's suppressed anger flared up instantly upon hearing this. "Anyone can deliver a message, why make my family do it? What if something happens to you on the way... Damn it..."

He was furious but had nowhere to vent his anger, so he kicked the table leg next to him hard, making a dull thud.

Stella pursed her lips, her brows furrowing slightly: "The Fifth Prince's men said that he and his close confidants are under close surveillance by the First Prince's men, and they are unable to send reliable people to contact you. They had no choice but to resort to this tactic..."

"So what did he say?" Xavier was clearly displeased that the Fifth Prince had dragged his family into this.

"First, he has learned that the Crown Prince is pressuring you through His Majesty the Emperor's SSC, forcing you to attack the city of Sarlom."

"He hopes...and believes you will win."

"He said that only if you win will he be safer in the capital."

"Secondly..." Stella's voice lowered even further: "The Fifth Prince hopes that you can send a reliable team to secretly escort him from the capital to a safe place."

"He felt that his personal safety was constantly threatened."

"Ridiculous!" Xavier paced back and forth in his office, furious. "Did he even need to ask me the first question? I want to win more than he does, I absolutely must win!"

He stopped, his face filled with helplessness and anger: "As for his second request, is he too naive, or does he think I'm a god?"

"Without His Majesty the Emperor's explicit or tacit approval, what qualifications or audacity do I, Xavier, or rather the 'Imperial Blade' Legion, have to secretly take away His Majesty the Emperor's own son right under his nose?"

"I'm afraid they won't even be able to leave the capital before SSC makes the people I send out disappear from this world, erasing even their traces of existence."

His scathing analysis thoroughly refuted the Fifth Prince's unrealistic and naive ideas.

This was not out of dissatisfaction with the Fifth Prince, but rather a calm assessment based on harsh reality.

Xavier had crawled out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood; his experience and survival wisdom far surpassed those of the Fifth Prince, who had grown up in the comforts of the palace.

How could the Fifth Prince, who had grown up in luxury and never experienced the struggle of death, possibly understand what he could see so clearly?

"No, Xavier, I've come not only to convey the Fifth Prince's message." Stella stepped forward, gently stroking her husband's chest, which was heaving violently with anger.

She said gently, "Can you withdraw? Don't get involved in the princes' struggle; it's none of our business."

"Let whoever wants to be emperor fight for it themselves."

"Let's just live our lives quietly, you, and Joanna."

"If I could, I would even prefer you to retire now and not become a colonel in the 'Imperial Blade' Legion."

She looked up, her voice pleading, "Joanna and I married you for who you are, not for your rank or status. Let's go home, okay?"