Casual Heroing, Chapter 246

WHO KILLED HIM!?! 🔫🔫🔫

Next chapter comes out on March 4th!

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Chapters 246 – Military Conversations

Lucinda found a quiet and peaceful spot in the garden, away from the main festivities. Lanterns softly lit the area, casting a serene light on the dark crimson Flora Sanguinis flowers. She sat back in a chair under a tree with a platter of food in one hand and a drink in the other. It was a moment of solace, and she seemed lost in calm contemplation.

Penelope approached Lucinda, sat gracefully next to her, and broke the silence by asking, "Isn't it a wonderful night?"

Lucinda turned to her, responding with a slight nod, acknowledging the beauty of the night. "It’s all very pretty," she agreed, and then, recognizing the woman who had been introduced earlier in the evening, added, "Penelope, right?"

"Yes, and you are… Lucinda?" Penelope inquired, her gaze meeting Lucinda's with some sort of warm curiosity.

Lucinda nodded, momentarily caught off guard by the directness of the conversation. She blurted out, "Joey went to talk to the [General] if you’re looking for him," assuming Penelope's presence was tied to Joey.

Penelope smiled gently and shook her head, dispelling the assumption. "Not really; I’m just looking out to enjoy the night. You seemed nice, and we didn’t have a chance to have a chat yet."

"Oh, thank you," Lucinda replied, a flush of warmth washing over her at the compliment. She remembered Flaminia's words about being her tough self and straightened up, her voice taking on a slightly edged tone, "I like your hair."

Penelope seemed amused by the sudden shift, a smirk playing on her lips. "Can I ask something that is perhaps too daring since we don’t know each other?"

"You can try," Lucinda responded with some wariness.

Penelope leaned in slightly, her voice lowering as if sharing a secret. "I have some business with Joey, something important to me, but I don’t know him at all. Instead, you seem to know him well. I’d like to ask what you think of him."

Lucinda's eyebrow arched, her interest clearly sparked. "What business?" she inquired.

"Adventuring-related and also something related to my family. Joey might be able to help with both." Penelope's gaze held Lucinda's.

Lucinda's stare momentarily drifted to her truth-stone. The stone glowed faintly, confirming Penelope's sincerity. Convinced of Penelope's genuine intentions, Lucinda decided to engage further.

She took a moment before saying. "Joey's pretty amazing," she began, her words slow and measured. "Actually, scratch the 'pretty.' Joey is amazing. He's done things in Amorium that no one else could."

Penelope's expression shifted, a mix of surprise and curiosity coloring her features. "Is there a 'but'?" she prodded gently, sensing the hesitation in Lucinda's pause.

Lucinda sighed, a small smile playing on her lips. "Joey's not always in control of his emotions. No one's perfect, but he can be moody and inconsistent."

Penelope's surprise was evident. "Really? So, should I not trust him with something very important to me?" The question was laden with concern, a reflection of the weight of her dilemma.

Shaking her head, Lucinda hastened to clarify. "No, that's not what I meant. Joey has a special ability to always come through with what's important. You might not always agree with his methods, but if you stick with him, I'm sure he'll be able to help."

Penelope's response was a soft chuckle, tinged with respect. "That's high praise from a woman," she observed, her gaze noting the blush that crept onto Lucinda's cheeks.

Lucinda's blush deepened, her voice carrying a warmth born of genuine affection. "He's helped me more than I think I could ever help him, Penelope. I wish there was something I could do, something as amazing as what Joey does for everyone. And if you really want high praise for him, just go to the Pratus and ask the homeless men living there. I'm sure many of them would be ready to give their life for Joey."

Lucinda and Penelope were in the middle of an intense conversation when they noticed a change in the atmosphere. Lucinda's gaze, previously fixed on Penelope, moved past her, focusing on a figure emerging from the shadows. Penelope, following Lucinda's line of sight, turned to see what—or whom—had caused the sudden change in focus.

...

"[General] Aurelianus, right?" Joey ventured, breaking the silence that hung between them. "And you're saying you actually know who killed Plinius?" The question seemed to echo off the walls of the austere room they had entered.

"Sit down," the [General] instructed, his voice betraying no emotion as he took a seat at the table's opposite end. There was an icy coldness to his demeanor that almost turned Joey more friendly, as if it was telling him that the Elf's behavior was sincere.

"I’m leaving tonight, Human. You don’t know what kind of storm you just ended up in. However, I have more interest in seeing some other people suffer for what they’ve done. And you are the key to that."

Joey, taken aback by the forthrightness of the [General]'s admission, felt a strange mix of apprehension and relief.

"Interesting that you’d say that," Joey responded.

"I don’t like you," [General] Aurelianus continued, his gaze piercing. "If I could stick a sword in your gullet without having Named Adventurers chase me down, I would do it immediately, son. Alas, you’re important now, and you’ve been roped into the games of politics. So, I’m handing you my hand—my cards. I don’t fancy playing this game anymore—my chances of dying because of it are too high."

The raw honesty of the [General]'s words struck a chord within Joey.

"First, Cornelia and I arranged for the [Corporal]’s death in the duel. The suspicion that you poisoned the man, however, was crushed too soon by [Captain] Drusillus. Unfortunate as it may have been, it definitely provided the first hint of just how large your influence seems to be."

Joey's expression darkened at the mention of Appius's death. "You killed one of your men just to frame me?"

[General] Aurelianus looked up at his three standing subordinates, a silent command that brought Tizius, the [Strategist], forward. "We found out that Appius put his men in danger by acting recklessly on a mission. Plinius tried to help him out and made him promise not to ever do that again, but what Appius did was reason enough to dispose of him completely. What we did was make his departure useful. This is common practice."

"Well, it was common practice during the war," the [General] shrugged, his voice carrying a note of resignation. "People have grown soft now. They believe that the absence of war means you do not need to be disciplined and loyal. So, that’s that. Take it as you may, Human."

"So, you’re not afraid of me tattling because you’re leaving. On top of this, you just gave me information on Appius’s death to… make me believe you? So, are you about to tell me who killed Plinius now?" Joey felt his blood run hot.

[General] Aurelianus regarded Joey with a gaze that seemed to weigh and measure the very essence of his being.

"Plinius was like a son to me, Human," the [General] began, his voice carrying a gravitas that filled the room. His use of "Human" was surprisingly less racist-sounding than what Joey had grown accustomed to. "He came from nothing, much like myself. The path to my position was paved with actions your kind might despise, yet Plinius—Plinius demonstrated a loyalty to his people that was unparalleled. That is why I believed he would be able to do the same as me."

He paused, his eyes momentarily losing their sharpness as memories seemed to overtake him. "Plinius was not just a [Warrior]; he was a natural [Soldier], brimming with potential. What he lacked in scholarly pursuits, he more than compensated for with his perseverance and spirit."

The [General] took a moment, collecting his thoughts as if the next words weighed heavily on him. "He had been preparing for a mission, one of great peril. It was the kind of endeavor that promised significant casualties, including the very real possibility of his own death."

He leaned forward slightly, the intensity returning to his gaze. "The mission was designed to reignite the flames of the war between the Humans and the Elves. Our intelligence suggested that the Human kingdoms were on the brink of famine, their grain reserves depleted by mismanagement and poor harvests. Amorium alone, in stark contrast, could sustain all of Epretos."

Joey felt a chill run down his spine as the [General]'s plan unfolded. "A swift, devastating strike on their harvests, followed by a provocation to the North, was all it would have taken. The Human leaders, trapped by their own pride and the expectations of their people, would have no choice but to retaliate."

The [General] sighed, a rare moment of vulnerability. "War, Joey Luciani, was the inevitable conclusion. A war that would have decimated the Human forces, driven by desperation and led into a trap of our making. Perhaps we would have finally eliminated the threat that always loomed over our necks. Humans dream about storming Epretos and enslaving our kind again. My plan would have ended those dreams and turned them into nightmares."

Joey's hands clenched into fists, his initial disgust at the [General]'s willingness to provoke a full-blown war. "And Plinius? What happened to him?"

The [General]’s expression hardened once more. "Plinius's death was a turning point. The mission's details had been leaked somehow. Without him, our plans crumbled."

"So, you're fleeing because you fear the repercussions?" Joey couldn't hide the scorn in his voice; the idea of such a calculated gamble with countless lives at stake was repugnant to him.

"I'm leaving because the stage is set for a downfall I refuse to partake in," the [General] countered, his voice steel. "And because, in this twisted game of politics, you, Joey Luciani, have become the unexpected player."

The weight of the [General]'s gaze bore down on Joey. "You want to know who took Plinius from us?" The question hung in the air, heavy with implications.

Joey’s eyes met the [General]'s, his resolve hardening. "Yes. Who killed him?"

The [General] leaned back, the burden of his next words etched deeply into his weathered features. "Well, Plinius got killed by..."