novelraw Chapter 153: Lines That Shouldn’t Be Crossed
Chapter 153: Lines That Shouldn’t Be Crossed
Rask opened his mouth to respond, but Lyra spoke again before he could.
"That’s not reconsideration."
Her tone dropped slightly.
"That’s poaching."
A ripple moved through the crowd.
The word carried weight.
Rask’s jaw tightened.
One of the captains behind him stepped forward angrily.
"Watch your words—"
Rask raised his hand without looking back.
But Lyra’s death stare was enough to stop him before he continued
The captain trembled at the pressure of both captains and stopped immediately.
For a moment the two commanders simply stared at each other.
Neither willing to give an inch.
Arthur watched quietly from behind Lyra.
She didn’t even hesitate.
Not once.
He didn’t miss the fact that she stepped in front of him without asking anything first.
Rask exhaled slowly through his nose.
Then he gave a short laugh.
"So you plan to keep him."
Lyra answered without delay.
"Yes."
"Even if he becomes a problem?"
Lyra finally allowed a faint smile.
"That would still be my problem."
The message was clear.
Arthur belonged to her division.
And that was the end of it.
Lyra turned slightly and grabbed Arthur by the wrist.
"Come with me."
Arthur blinked.
But he didn’t resist.
She pulled him along as she began walking toward the exit of the mission hall.
Their footsteps echoed across the stone floor.
No one stopped them.
No one dared.
The moment they stepped outside, the heavy doors closed behind them.
Inside the mission hall, the silence lasted for about three seconds.
Then the whispers exploded.
"Did you see that?"
"He rejected Commander Rask."
"And Commander Lyra backed him immediately."
"I’ve never seen Rask shut down like that."
Some explorers laughed quietly.
Others shook their heads in disbelief.
One man leaned back in his chair.
"That bronze guy must be something else."
Another scoffed.
"Or he’s just lucky."
But even the skeptics couldn’t deny what just happened.
A commander had stepped in personally.
That alone said enough.
Meanwhile, Commander Rask stood where he was, staring at the closed doors.
His expression twisted into something ugly.
He clicked his tongue.
"Damn woman."
His voice was low, but the anger was obvious.
One of the captains behind him spoke cautiously.
"Commander... are we just letting this go?"
Rask didn’t answer immediately.
His eyes still fixed on the exit.
Finally he snorted.
"She got lucky."
Another captain frowned.
"Shouldn’t we push the matter?"
Rask turned his head sharply.
"You want to start a public conflict between divisions?"
The captain shut up instantly.
Rask shook his head.
"Not here."
He glanced around the hall.
Too many ears.
Too many eyes.
"Let’s leave."
The captains followed him as he walked toward the exit.
His boots struck the floor harder than before.
Just before stepping outside, he muttered under his breath.
"Lucky brat."
Once Rask and his men left, the mission hall became even louder.
Explorers gathered in small groups discussing what they just witnessed.
Some looked impressed.
Others looked jealous.
One man leaned against a pillar and sighed.
"That guy walked out with Commander Lyra."
His friend groaned.
"Don’t remind me."
A third explorer laughed.
"You sound jealous."
"Of course I’m jealous."
He rubbed his face dramatically.
"She’s basically the goddess of this stronghold."
Another voice added quietly.
"And he’s under her command now, she seems to have taken a liking to him."
Someone whistled.
"That kid’s life just got interesting."
Meanwhile, Arthur walked beside Lyra in the corridor outside.
Neither of them spoke for a while.
Their footsteps echoed softly as they through the hallway.
Finally Lyra broke the silence.
"You’ll need to get used to scenes like that."
Arthur looked at her.
"Scenes like that?"
"Yes."
She kept walking without slowing.
"When people notice talent, they start fighting over it."
Arthur scratched the back of his head.
"That sounds exhausting."
Lyra gave a quiet chuckle.
"It can be."
They continued walking.
Then she spoke again.
"I assume you’re satisfied in this division."
Arthur nodded.
"Yes."
His answer came naturally.
"And thank you again... for accepting me back then."
Lyra didn’t look at him.
But he could tell she heard the sincerity in his voice.
"That’s good to hear."
Her tone softened slightly.
Arthur walked quietly for a moment.
Seeing Rask again reminded him how things started here.
The man had rejected him without even listening.
Meanwhile Lyra had simply given him a chance.
Thinking about it now...
Arthur felt oddly grateful.
Lyra suddenly spoke again, pulling him from his thoughts.
"I didn’t expect to find that scene when I arrived."
Arthur blinked.
"You were looking for me?"
"Yes."
That answer made his steps slow slightly.
Looking for me?
Lyra continued walking calmly.
"I came to the mission hall because of you."
Arthur’s mind started racing.
Why would the commander personally look for me?
And judging from her tone...
It wasn’t something casual.
Lyra glanced around the hallway briefly.
Then she spoke again.
"This isn’t something we should discuss in public."
Arthur nodded slowly.
That only made him more curious.
Lyra turned down another corridor.
"Follow me."
They walked deeper into the division quarters.
Eventually she stopped in front of a large door.
Her private office.
She opened it and stepped inside.
Arthur followed.
Whatever she wanted to say... It was clearly important.
The moment Arthur stepped inside, Commander Lyra closed the door behind him.
The sound of the lock clicking into place echoed quietly through the office.
Arthur glanced back instinctively, then turned toward her again.
The office itself was spacious but not overly decorated. A wide desk stood near the center, covered with neatly arranged documents and a few small tools meant for field reports. A long window behind it allowed sunlight to spill across the room.
Lyra walked toward the desk without saying a word.
Arthur remained standing where he was.
Then she began removing pieces of her armor.
It looked like a routine to her.
She loosened the shoulder guard first, unclasping it smoothly before placing it carefully on the desk. Then came the forearm guards. Each piece was set aside neatly, as if she had done this exact motion a thousand times before.