[L] To Me, The One Who Love You

17

JENNIE

I wanted to step out, but the sight of Liam's retreating, unsteady figure stopped me.

It was evidently not the best time.

I remained hidden behind the tent, only looking away once Liam was beyond my line of sight.

My shadow was highly efficient. I received a very detailed report on Liam that night.

Sitting at my desk once again, illuminated by the flickering light of an oil lamp, I looked upon a strip of silk in my hand.

Written on it were small, condensed lines of text, detailing everything about Liam.

Liam's life before the military was summarized in a few, simple lines:

'Liam Manoban, sixteen, born in Elderville of Daze county.

Autumn, the Huns arrived. All one hundred and eighteen residents of the village perished. This person survived as he was picking medical herbs in the mountains.

After that, he traveled alone to General Windsor's army to enlist as a soldier. He kneeled before the registrar, refusing to get up.

The registrar, unable to bear this sight, brought him to the Commander-in-Chief.

His registration was changed, and he was enlisted into the army...'

On the other hand, Liam's two years in the army was described in full detail.

There were several times more words in it than the previous passage.

After reading through the content on the silk cloth, I raised it to the flame on the oil lamp.

Moments later, the silk cloth started to burn steadily, emitting a column of smoke...

Liam has surprisingly simple social connections. Two years in the military, and he has not made a single friend aside from Jackson.

He does not initiate conversations with others, participate in any group activities other than battles, and he has no special interests.

He has consistently attended daily training for two years, except for one period of absence...  

Considering the time frame of that absence, and Jackson's explanation, I put two and two together.

I quickly concluded that Liam's abnormal absence in the daily drill was due to... his injury.

What Jackson had said was, apparently, true.

At that thought, my cheeks flushed slightly. I was an unmarried lady after all, my skin was still somewhat thin.

In my opinion, my uncle's evaluation of Liam was already very high, but surprising to say, what I read on the report implied that Liam might be even more outstanding than that...

For some reason, my thoughts returned to the way he looked, drawing his bow.

"To think that Liam was actually using a two-stone bow that uncle discarded... A bow that has lost its accuracy, yet he could shoot with such precision..."

My impression of him had changed completely.

One must not judge a book by its cover, indeed.

To be able to draw a two-stone bow a hundred times so easily with such a thin frame...

Right then and there, I officially settled on a plan I had mapped out earlier.

Liam was only sixteen. Under the proper guidance, he would surely take my uncle's place in time, becoming the next generation's Marshal for the fight against the Huns.