A soldier in armor walked up to Kallen. "The Commander wishes to see you."
"All right. Please lead the way."
Kallen straightened his clerical robes and followed the soldier to the foot of the Ogurev Statue, where Commander Punk sat drinking coffee.
His posture was unrestrained, but the coffee cup in his hand was tiny. Alcohol would have suited the scene better.
"Commander."
Kallen placed both hands before his chest and gave Punk a half bow.
"Sit."
"Yes, sir."
Kallen sat down beside him, and Punk poured him a cup of coffee.
"You're very good. Interested in staying at Ogleve Fortress to hone your skills?"
Kallen hadn't expected the Commander to be so direct, so he immediately adjusted the way he spoke to suit this sort of person and answered bluntly:
"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm still young..."
"Oh, you couldn't stand the solitude here?"
"I still have a fiancée."
"Hahaha."
Punk laughed. "It's fine. I was only asking casually. This is actually a very nice place. If you can get used to it, you'll discover its beauty. Many of the troubles of the real world don't exist here."
"I believe you've experienced them and seen through them, sir. Perhaps once I've experienced them and seen through them myself, I'll be able to return here and drink coffee with you."
"I'm leaving too." Punk looked at Kallen. "The beauty here will no longer be mine."
For a moment, Kallen didn't know whether to offer congratulations or condolences.
"That's life. It's precisely because you know about the troubles outside, and know there's ultimately no escaping them, that you can appreciate the beauty of this Void Space. You're outstanding, visibly so. By outstanding, I mean you already understand what you ought to do before you've reached the age for it. So protect