The old military commander Philip of Irithia was occupied with the paperwork he had to deal with. Very, very occupied, as the muscles around his wrist wasn't even moving according to his will anymore. It was instinct. The curves, ups and downs, waving gracefully like the wind, was all done so many times that he was doing it even without looking at the paper himself. His countenance was elsewhere, on the far edge of the desk, where his hand held another paper.

He was behind schedule. Seriously behind schedule

As his aide walked into the room, for a few minutes, he could not bare to interrupt him. The legends of the soldiers who dared to interrupt his hyper-concentration had edged deep into the young adjutant's mind. For those few minutes, there were silence. The only sound that was allowed to echo, was the sound of the moving pen, drifting at Philip's command.

"Speak." Suddenly, Philip said, putting his pen down.

"H-Hai?!" The adjutant was caught completely by surprise. His face hardened as if he was turned to stone.

"I know you are here for something. I know you would not want to squander my precious time. So speak." In contrast, Philip's voice was stern and commanding, as expected of a seasoned military commander.

"A-Ah yes. Your...son is here to see you."

"I have been expecting..." He hushed his aide away, to call for the man.

The aide rushed for the door near him, and slowly opened it. From there, a grand, extravagant looking man, in around his early-twenties, brown hair, in a custom knight armor, and a pair of eyes so deep, that reflected the man's pure reservoir of intellect and knowledge that he himself acquired, slowly and calmly walked in, to show proper respect to the one standing in front of him.

The aide was no stranger to him. He was Alexander Pacifier, the first and only son of Philip, the man whom he had always served for a quarter of a century. A man of noble birth, and inherited the shadow of his father's infamy, and yet it was never once demonstrated. In this kingdom, the families of royals were usually spoiled brats, whose only things they knew of were balls, dance parties and luxury jewelry. Alexander, however, only knew books, and knowledge. Without even taught, the boy knew how to read when he was three. Could handle a pen when he was four, and speak with proper and polite manner when he was six. Raising him was a pleasant, but weird experience. Rarely begged, rarely whined was a blessing none other could have gotten when raising a child. But like-father-like-son, talking to him was like a word play, especially when he got older and older. But still, a conversation or two with him was still a comfortable time. He was surprisingly compassionate and helpful.

Philip wanted the boy to become a military man just like him, but the boy...had a different ambition. And he was here to present it, at last.

The two saluted, in a military fashion.

And waited.

It was only five seconds long, but for the outsiders, it felt like a medium-sized eternity. The entire room stood utterly still, utterly silent. For every encounter between this man and his young son always ended with intense auras thrown at each other. No, they did not fight or argue. It's just father-like-son way of talking. And this one was no exception.

"You seem unsettled, father." Alexander began at last

"There are a great many things to attend to. And I am wondering if this little...confrontation of yours would not be a waste of my time." His tone was dry, his intention was unclear

"It will not." Whether or not Alexander was insulted, his face did not show it, nor his voice show it

"Then I suppose your proposal to join the Iron Rose Adventure will not bother me?" The voice got drier and drier. "Hmmm. I have never trusted groups of creatures from different races. They are...chaotic"

"Nor do I. But a certain case could not be necessarily applied to every others."

"You seem to have insisted on your journey? For what reasons? What would it offer to this huge empire?"

Alexander took a few seconds to think before answering him

"First of all, it offers information. There are threats, lurking out there in the open island. And I can know about them soon enough to warn you, if they arises."

"I will know of them soon enough on my own." Philip simply countered placidly. "Anymore to offer?"

"Perhaps you will know soon enough to defeat them. And it offers a trusted security circle. For this small little universe." Alexander replied calmly.

"Can you even ensure the security within your own guild? What would you do if they decide to betray you? Or more simply, take all the credit of your work?"

Again, a few seconds of silence.

"I need not credits for my service. Only the security of this world."

"And you seek to eliminate such threats? Philip asked

"I do."

"I have seen others with your sense of nobility. Many fell on the wayside when their naive selflessness collided with the real world."

"I have collided with the real world, my father. More than you know it."

"...Indeed you do." It was Philip's turn to be silent. He had not expected Alexander to counter that. "But that leaves one question to be answered."

"And that is?"

"If you have settled into your 'group', and you discover a threat that can destroy our empire. Who would you serve for? Which of us would command your allegiance?"

The fact that there were so many people who just took the opportunity to run away from their hometown and left it to its fate had taught Philip well. And he had to make sure Alexander did not fall into that category.

Yet again, the brown-haired man pondered. "If there such threats, you would command my allegiance."

"How would you guarantee?"

"My words are my guarantee."

"Guaranteed until you are comfortable enough to escape my reach?" Philip's eyes narrowed, staring at his son

There was a slight pause. "If you are so concerned, then I assume that you have not taught me well." The aide standing behind Alexander felt a chill coming up his spine. That phrase, if uttered by any commoners, would result in severe punishment, right on spot. And yet...

"Didn't you?" Alexander even added. Rubbing salt to injuries.

The aide literally froze on spot, holding his breathe tensely, waiting for Philip's reaction.

In contrary to his expectation, the old but austere general gave a small smile.

"Of course not."

"Then I would assume, you have granted me your permission?"

Philip giggled dryly, the laugh barely audible. "Perceptive, you are. Fine then. In exchange for your excused leave of the empire, you are to regularly inform any and every potential threats to me. Do I make myself clear?"

Alexander returned the smile with that same old confidence that both the men in the room knew.

"As you wish, father."