IDMWE 02

Chapter 02

The very center of the imperial capital, a bustling downtown area.

“The weather’s nice today!”

Leona hummed a tune and quickened her pace.

Today was the day she had been waiting for—her enrollment day at the Special Forces.

*’A posting to the Central Headquarters! Finally, this day has come!’*

Leona was overcome with emotion.

And for good reason—she was the first woman in the 150-year history of the Imperial Special Forces to receive a posting to the Central Headquarters.

The Central Headquarters selected only the best of the best among elites who had graduated from military academies across the land as new recruits.

The fact that the particularly conservative Central Headquarters had decided to accept a female recruit meant that Leona’s skills were so overwhelming that no one could dispute them.

As Leona approached the main gate of the Central Headquarters, she saw a massive crowd waiting for her.

“Ms. Leona! You were the first woman to enter the Knight Faculty of the Royal Academy with top honors, the first to graduate top of your class, and now you’re the first woman to enroll in the Special Forces Central Headquarters! How do you feel?!”

Reporters thrusting their magical recording devices mercilessly.

“Kyaaa! Unni Leona! You’re the best! So cool! We love you!”

“We only believe in you, Lady Leona! Go Royal Academy! United Knights! Knights Faculty, charge forward!”

Her fan club and juniors from her Royal Academy days were all there.

The main gate was in an uproar.

Leona walked along, responding to each person one by one.

As she finally reached the main gate, she turned around to face the crowd.

“First of all, I’d like to thank everyone who came all the way here to support me.”

Leona gave a bright, refreshing smile.

Her trademark red hair matched her white Special Forces uniform like a painting, and her confident, elegant bearing drew gasps of admiration from all around.

“I will serve the Empire as a member of the Special Forces Central Headquarters—”

“Lord Regan! Brothers, Lord Regan is coming this way!”

“Ooooh, Lord Regan, you look as splendid as ever today!”

The gruff voices of middle-aged men completely drowned out Leona’s voice.

Leona turned her head toward the sound, and there she saw middle-aged mages wearing cloaks of various colors, as if to prove they had come from different magic towers.

These mages, who normally fought tooth and nail over which school was superior whenever they met, were now united as one, shouting Regan’s name at the top of their lungs.

“Re-gan! Clan-ford!”

*Clap clap clap!*

“Gen! Ius! Ma! Ge!”

*Clap clap clap!*

In their hands—which seemed utterly mismatched—each held a cute cheering stick, complete with a glowing image of a prim-faced Regan.

Leona was momentarily dazed by the spectacular sight.

Then, a low, deep voice cut into her ears.

“Stop blocking the way and move aside.”

Leona whipped her head around to look at the owner of the voice.

There stood a man with thick silver hair and a decent-looking face, scowling in her direction.

Regan Clanford. Top graduate of the Royal Academy’s Magic Faculty.

Her eternally loathsome nemesis.

*’Of all people, this insufferable bastard had to get posted to the Central Headquarters too.’*

She had assumed he would go to the Northern Headquarters, where his father was.

*’I have to put up with Regan for three whole years.’*

The mandatory service period for academy graduates was three years.

Just thinking about having to clash with Regan continuously made her stomach churn with stress.

And on top of his foul personality, his abilities were ridiculously exceptional.

It was hard to find a single person in the Knight Faculty who hadn’t been knocked around by that bastard’s magic.

Perhaps that was why jeers erupted from the crowd.

“Boo, get lost, Regan Clanford!”

“You sneaky mage bastard! Don’t you dare bully our Lady Leona!”

“You’re only good enough to fly away from one punch from our unni! Unni, crush that bastard!”

In response, the mages cheering for Regan on the other side rose up like a swarm of bees.

“Excuse me, who was blocking the way first?! Just what you’d expect from those ignorant swordsmen!”

“Our Lord Regan could wipe out this whole area with a single gesture, yet he kindly spoke to you!”

Sensing that things could escalate into a major incident if left alone, Leona hurriedly moved to calm everyone down.

“That’s enough, that’s enough. Everyone! I’ll be heading in now. Once again, thank you to everyone who came—”

“Before you go, could we get a photo of the two of you shaking hands?”

A reporter, desperate as Leona was about to dismiss the crowd and head inside, quickly called out.

“Huh, me… with him?”

As Leona made a reluctant face, Regan tried to nonchalantly walk past her into the main gate as if it had nothing to do with him.

Leona hurriedly grabbed Regan.

“Hey, they asked for a picture.”

“Why should I have to oblige every pointless request?”

“Oh, come on! It’s not that hard. And do you want to advertise to the whole neighborhood that we don’t get along?”

Seeing Leona standing her ground stubbornly, Regan figured it would be quicker to just take one picture and be done with it.

“…Let’s make it quick.”

Eventually, the two faced each other with extremely awkward expressions.

“A handshake, a handshake!”

At the reporter’s request, Regan’s expression grew even fiercer. But in the end, with a look that said he had no choice, he extended his hand to Leona.

And just as their hands met—

“Ugh!”

In an instant, Leona’s vision turned white.

The massive crowd and the background vanished, and the only thing visible was Regan.

A burning heat surged from the back of her hand where it connected with Regan’s, and at the same time, a mysterious voice bored into her head.

—

**[Connected to Dimensional Streaming.]**

—

“Finally! After three years, we finally succeeded!”

A youthful, deeply moved voice was an added bonus.

*’…What the hell is this?’*

While Leona was still reeling from the utterly incomprehensible situation, her vision returned to normal.

Startled, Leona quickly looked around, but everyone remained calm and unchanged.

It seemed she alone had experienced this strange phenomenon.

*’Wait, maybe this bastard also—’*

Just as Leona was about to speak, seeing Regan with a similarly flustered expression on his face—

“Hey, Regan. Did you just—”

“Are you the new recruits, Leona Everhart and Regan Clanford? The Commander is waiting for you.”

A staff member who had appeared out of nowhere urged them on.

Ultimately, Leona pushed aside her uneasy feelings and turned her body toward the headquarters.

—

***

—

The place Leona and Regan were guided to was the Commander’s office of the Central Headquarters.

“Welcome to the Central Headquarters, both of you.”

Miles, the Commander of the Central Headquarters, extended his hand for a handshake.

Despite his position at the head of such a large organization, he looked as ordinary as a neighborhood uncle.

“Ms. Leona, nice to meet you. As a woman, it won’t be easy adjusting to the Central Headquarters, but if anything difficult comes up, think of me as your uncle and come talk to me anytime.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Commander.”

“Ah, don’t be so formal. I said think of me as your uncle. Or if you prefer, think of me as your big brother! Haha!”

While Leona forced her face to stay composed, Miles also spoke to Regan.

“Regan, it’s been a while. Is your father doing well?”

Regan’s father, Grand Duke Clanford, was the Commander of the Northern Headquarters, leading an elite unit directly under the Emperor that handled classified imperial affairs.

“He’s probably living well, I suppose.”

At Regan’s cold response, the atmosphere in the room chilled, and Miles quickly guided the two to the sofa.

“You two are such a handsome and beautiful pair that you look good sitting side by side. Hehe.”

At the senseless remark, the brows of both furrowed.

“I heard you two were often seen together at the Royal Academy.”

“Not at all.”

“News to me.”

Leona and Regan denied it quickly, as if competing to see who could do so first.

“Hehe, well, you’re still colleagues. Back in my day, the Northern Headquarters was famous for having many beautiful women—”

“Let’s drop the small talk and get to the point.”

Regan cut in coldly.

For the first time today, Leona found it pleasing that Regan was equally rude to everyone.

“Ah, ahem. Right.”

Only then did the Commander cautiously glance at Regan.

“Hmm. It’s a bit awkward to say this on your very first day, but…”

The Commander, looking back and forth between the two, finally broached the main subject.

“…The two of you will be assigned as a pair to carry out your missions.”

“Excuse me?”

Me? With this crazy bastard? It was so absurd that Leona barely suppressed the words that wanted to fly out of her mouth.

“The Temple has requested you specifically for a long-term investigation mission.”

The Temple?

Leona was startled by the unexpected name.

Why would the Temple request two rookies who had just joined today?

“Cooperating with the Temple is a first for us as well. I trust you will uphold the name of the Special Forces and carry out the mission well.”

“Um…”

Leona opened her mouth to try to find some excuse to refuse.

As if expecting that, the Commander spoke up.

“For your information, His Majesty the Emperor has decreed that if you successfully complete this mission, your mandatory service period will be reduced to one year.”

*Shaving off two years of mandatory service…!* It was a very tempting offer for Leona.

Just as Leona, blinded by the prospect of freedom, was half-convinced—

“I absolutely refuse to pair up with this woman.”

Regan’s icy voice filled the room.