In the village near where an intense battle was unfolding, life remained monotonous.
Jun would rise at dawn and spend his days training in the mountains. After completing his daily tasks, he would walk alongside Kyou Kai, who was responsible for reading and relaying information.
It was supposed to be just information.
"What's this?" Jun asked, looking at a document.
"It's your share of the work, Lord Jun," replied Shen in her youthful voice.
Jun blinked, his mind going blank for a moment as he stared at the stack of papers handed to him.
"My share?"
"Yes! Your share, Lord Jun!"
It took Jun a moment to process the situation, and for good reason—just the first page of the pile was enough to clarify the matter.
[Authorization Order List]
It was a document requiring his signature to authorize high-level orders, clearly a task meant for him.
Still confused, Jun asked, "What is my team doing?"
"They're on the front lines, waiting!"
Jun's gaze turned cold.
In other words, the situation was as follows:
"Your top commanders, the decision-makers, are deployed on the battlefield awaiting orders."
Typically, the standing orders remained the same, but with a war on the horizon, there were numerous decisions that couldn't be authorized by subordinates alone.
That's why the responsibility had fallen entirely on him.
"Damn it..." Jun let out a deep sigh.
"How long do I have to finish this?"
"By this afternoon!"
Shen's clear smile widened as she delivered the news.
Jun clenched his fists, suppressing his frustration at the sight.
Such were the burdens of being the ultimate leader.
…
"Did you really do all that?"
A look of exhaustion crossed Kyou Kai's face as she sat, dizzy from reading updates about the battlefield.
Her expression shifted, however, when she heard why Jun hadn't been helping her.
"I'm sorry, it couldn't be postponed."
"No! It's fine. A war is no joke, especially with you involved!" Kyou Kai shook her head vigorously. Then, sitting beside him, she rested her head on Jun's shoulder as he silently gazed at the sea of stars above.
After a while, Jun murmured, "It feels like people don't realize they're dying—not physically, but in essence."
"Because of age?"
"Yes. We won't stay young forever, and we're rarely aware of it until our movements slow, our breathing falters, and our energy diminishes."
Jun estimated his own lifespan could easily reach 150 years, given his mastery of internal energy—a remarkable age. But unlike him, most people, be they kings or nobles, rarely lived beyond sixty.
One might assume this knowledge would encourage people to live modest, family-centered lives, seeking simple happiness.
Instead, all that was spoken of was war and how one might die because of it.
"I'm heading to the war, Kyou Kai. I want you to take command of the army stationed here." Jun entrusted her with the responsibility of leading the catapults, known among their creators as the "dragons of fire."
"I will not leave your side again," Kyou Kai refused, adamant about staying close to Jun, who faced constant assassination attempts.
Jun offered a faint smile. "I won't participate in the fighting—I'll just oversee operations and, if possible, save a few lives."
"It doesn't matter. Think of something else."
"What I regret most is not being able to rest longer. We must move."
Jun sought an excuse to keep Kyou Kai away from the battlefield and its dangers, but she seemed to have caught on.
Seeing this, Jun refrained from mentioning it further. Instead, he spoke with Kyou Kai about what they might do when the war ended.
Kyou Kai's answer was simple: she wanted to start a family.