Afterwards, Robin glanced at Theresa Lindsay, then looked at the black-armored Ghost Fox, Aaron Linton, who was wearing a fox-shaped mask. Aaron Linton deserved much of the credit for their victory this time. He had pretended to be Robin and taken command of the entire Ghost Wolf Iron Cavalry, even making Jeff Reczek serve under him. In the end, he had fooled the South Land headquarters. After all, who other than Robin would have the prestige to make the powerful and unruly Ghost Wolf Iron Cavalry soldiers obey? And coincidentally, during the previous battle, Aaron Linton had succeeded in doing just that.
Robin looked at Aaron Linton, as if he wanted to ask something, but in the end he just waved his hand and said, “Dismissed, get some rest for three hours. In three hours, with the Punishment Legion taking the lead, we’ll break through the South Land border defenses, storm the South Land imperial capital, and show them that Kisia is not a place they can just waltz into whenever they want. There will be a price to pay for entering Kisia.”
Everyone immediately left, except for one person who stayed behind.
“Mr. Bailey, Mr. X, Leader…” Suddenly, the normally tough and unfeminine Theresa Lindsay started acting coy and cute, which would have made most people cringe, but somehow worked for Theresa Lindsay and even made her a bit adorable.
“Speak, what is it?” Robin smiled lightly. One look and he could tell she had something to discuss.
“Who is that Ghost Fox? Do I know him? This is the second time you’ve looked at me, then looked at him. There must be something going on. Tell me, Mr. Bailey, please?” Theresa Lindsay wasn’t stupid. She had noticed. This seemed like a hint from Robin. And she felt that Ghost Fox seemed very familiar, as if she knew him.
“I won’t tell you,” Robin just smiled and left. I’ve given you a hint, about as obvious as I can make it. If you still don’t understand, then I can’t help you. Aaron Linton had been hiding to protect Theresa Lindsay for a while now. After all, the two were childhood sweethearts. If not for the incident this year, they might have already been married. Back then, Aaron Linton was truly helpless, caught between his lover and his family, an impossible choice for anyone. His suicide attempt afterwards showed his resolve. But they both served under me now. I couldn’t let them keep on like this, estranged. Star-crossed lovers should be together in the end.
“Humph.” Theresa Lindsay snorted, then left to find Aaron Linton. In the Ghost Wolf Iron Cavalry camp, she located Aaron Linton’s tent.
“Move aside,” she said, wanting to go in. But two Ghost Wolf Iron Cavalry guards blocked her way. “Sorry ma’am, without Master Ghost Fox’s order, we cannot let you through.”
“Then go tell Ghost Fox that Theresa Lindsay is here to see him,” she replied.
“Yes ma’am.” The two guards looked at each other, then one went inside. He came out soon after with a strange look on his face. “Ma’am, Master Ghost Fox says he is resting now and cannot receive guests.”
“He just got back and went to rest immediately after entering? I don’t believe it. He is clearly avoiding me, there must be something going on. Let me through, I want to see him, move aside!” Theresa Lindsay tried to force her way in.
But the Ghost Wolf Iron Cavalry were no pushovers. They stood firm in the doorway. “Ma’am Lindsay, our Master Ghost Fox said no visitors. Please don’t make us do anything untoward.” If driven too far, we will take action, even though the Red Flames were the main force in the last battle, the Ghost Wolf Iron Cavalry are no slouches either.
“What’s going on here?” Just then, Jeff Reczek came over, crunching on melon seeds. He was staying in the Ghost Wolf Iron Cavalry camp too and knew something interesting was afoot when he heard Theresa Lindsay was here, so he hurried over with a bag of melon seeds.
“Sir, Ma’am Lindsay is insisting on barging in.” The two guards said aggrievedly to their superior. Theresa Lindsay outranked them so they couldn’t get rough, but she was determined to force her way in. They felt wronged.
“Is that so? Alright you two, you’re both reassigned now, go to the kitchen and chop firewood.” Jeff Reczek said, still crunching his melon seeds.
“Huh?” The two guards were confused.
“What huh, get going!” Jeff Reczek kicked them.
“Yes, right away!” The two soldiers hurried off, feeling even more aggrieved now.
“Theresa, these two don’t understand propriety. I’ve punished them with firewood duty. Please continue.” Jeff Reczek said, popping more melon seeds.
“Thank you, Jeff.” Theresa Lindsay smiled and barged in.
“Eavesdropping is bad, I’d better go watch those two chopping firewood.” Jeff Reczek thought about it and decided not to stick around. Eavesdropping wasn’t proper. He’d go watch those two silly guards instead. Even he, who was always called a blockhead by Robin, understood the history between those two. Yet Aaron Linton’s own guards were clueless.
Inside the tent, Aaron Linton was standing with his back to Theresa Lindsay.
“Master Ghost Fox, you’re clearly not resting. Why won’t you see me? Is your position too lofty now to bother with a lowly commander like me? What an imposing aura you have, Master Ghost Fox.” Theresa fixed her phoenix eyes on Aaron Linton as she waited for his reply. The more he said, the more likely he was to slip up.
“Mm.” In the end, Aaron Linton only responded with an “Mm.”
But at that moment, Theresa Lindsay’s gaze softened. She walked right up behind Aaron Linton and embraced him. “I knew it was you. Where have you been? I looked for you for so long in St. Sunday.”
“How did you recognize me?” Aaron Linton asked after a moment of silence.
“You fool, I’ve listened to your voice for over twenty years. How could I not recognize it?” Theresa Lindsay pressed her face against Aaron Linton’s back, feeling the warmth. She was relieved that he was alive. After that incident back then, she had decided to let go of Aaron Linton. But feelings built up over more than twenty years couldn’t disappear so easily. So she had wanted to secretly look after Aaron Linton, to check on him from time to time. But after that one time, she had never seen Aaron Linton again. She had been very worried. And now, she had finally found him once more. She had thought he was someone else at first and planned to ask more questions to test him out. But the moment she heard Aaron Linton’s voice, she knew – her childhood sweetheart had returned.
“I’m sorry.” With things as they were, Aaron Linton could only turn his head, remove the fox mask, and look at Theresa Lindsay, his eyes trembling. He had thought that after surviving death, he was detached from worldly feelings. But facing Theresa Lindsay now, he knew he was wrong.