Jayakarta, Friday, November 17, 2323

 I let out a long sigh. This assignment felt far heavier than tailing those terrorists some time ago. Aldelynn isn’t just anyone—that much is clear. If her father once stood beside SIRIUS, then her family can’t be taken lightly. That thought kept circling in my mind the entire journey home from school.

Could I truly handle this assignment?

What would it take to earn Aldelynn’s trust—her sympathy, even? From the very first moment we met, I could already feel the vast chasm between us. It was obvious that she knew the truth behind my identity.

I kept running through possible approaches to connect with her… until I found myself standing in front of my apartment.

And that’s when I realised—someone had broken in.

My instincts kicked in. I pressed myself to the wall, then gently eased the door open. My heartbeat surged, every possible scenario running wild in my head.

I’ve uncovered the whereabouts of several threats to national sovereignty before—but I never expected someone to discover my identity. After all, I’d only ever conducted passive surveillance. Never any direct contact with suspects.

What should I do?

I had no defensive gear on me—not a single tool to rely on.

And if they managed to access the terminal in my bedroom, everything would fall apart. My whole body trembled. Nothing like this had ever happened to me. This was the first time I was facing a real threat.

I slowly opened the door. Almost instantly, a soft vanilla scent wafted through the air—calming, inviting. For a moment, I was completely disarmed by the fragrance. It wasn’t perfume—it felt… natural.

Cautiously, I stepped into the main room.

And what I saw next stopped me cold.

There, seated calmly on the only ottoman chair in the room, was a long-haired girl dressed in my clothes—a tank top and a pair of shorts that were clearly too small for her figure.

She smiled and met my eyes.

“Your flat was far too easy to break into, First Infantry.”

A shiver ran down my spine. There she was—likely around my age, with long brown hair, lounging casually yet exuding a presence that could freeze the air.

It was impossible not to be intimidated.

The tank top clung awkwardly to her—too tight across her curves—and the shorts, also mine, barely fit her slender but shapely form. The faint scent of orchids lingered around her, a natural, delicate aroma that whispered of unearthly beauty.

“W-who are you? What do you want?” I snapped, instantly on guard as I reached for the rifle hidden in one of the concealed compartments in the room.

She let out a soft chuckle. “What are you doing, First Infantry? Do I look dangerous to you?”

I didn’t know—but the way she laughed just now sent a chill down my spine. It wasn’t loud or mocking; it was quiet… and terrifying. The kind of laugh someone in absolute control would make. It was true—she didn’t appear to be armed; just two borrowed pieces of clothing hanging off her frame.

But I was certain—this girl had espionage capabilities far beyond mine. She remained perfectly composed, her legs crossed as she stared back at me with unnerving calm, unfazed by the military-grade rifle now pointed squarely at her.

“What do you want?” I barked, stepping closer.

“Relax. I don’t intend to do anything to you, Ifma. I’m just here for a short visit,” she said, turning her body slightly.

She wasn’t particularly tall—probably around 160 cm—but when she stood, a wave of presence emanated from her. She was a bit taller than me, but it wasn’t her height that made me feel small—it was her sheer aura.

“I’m serious. One more step and I will fire this rifle!” I shouted.

She simply looked at me and smiled. “Calm down, Adrianto. I told you—I’m not going to harm you. I’m unarmed.”

“Then why did you break into my flat?”

She shook her head. “I didn’t break in.”

I kept my aim steady. She was still smiling, moving forward again. Her confidence was unnerving—like the muzzle of my SEMESTA-issued rifle didn’t bother her in the slightest.

“Take another step and I won’t hesitate to shoot!”

Still, that smile. And those sharp green eyes, piercing like emerald fire. She tilted her head slightly.

“FN SCAR-HRZ. One of the most powerful rifles issued to the national police—specifically to elite operatives.”

She started walking around me, casually.

“Fires 7.62 x 75 mm rounds. Delivers the velocity of a 5.56 mm but the impact force of a 12.9 mm. An exceptional piece of hardware. Only officers deemed highly gifted within Epsilon Corps are trusted with this weapon. I see you’re one of them.”

I felt my entire body jolt. How could she know all this? Once again, I realised—this girl wasn’t just anyone. She was someone who operated on a level above high-ranking military officers.

“W-who are you?”

She shrugged. “Dunno. I’m just… enthusiastic about military gear.”

She was lying. I could tell.

And then, without breaking a sweat, she reached out her hand—and pressed the one emergency override button that disabled the weapon. She gave a small nod, then returned to the ottoman and sat down again like she owned the place.

“I’m LOMACTUS Livia Arestova. You can call me Livi.”

So it was true—she was military. I could tell from the way she held herself through all of this. I straightened up and saluted. No matter what just happened—our ranks were miles apart.

“You’re from the Ventus Reginae Army, LOMACTUS?”

She shook her head. “Sigma Command.”

My stomach dropped.

So she was from Ventus Imperium Sigma Command.

I had no idea how to behave in front of a soldier directly appointed and reporting to SIRIUS himself. But this had to be connected to Aldelynn somehow. Why would they assign a mid-ranking officer from Ventus Imperium to this kind of task?

“You don’t need to worry,” she said calmly. “I wasn’t assigned by the National Police to keep an eye on you. I just need to stay within proximity of Aldelynn. IMPERATRIX gave me that order personally.”

This puzzle was becoming more and more unnerving. Aldelynn was the daughter of a government agent once trusted by SIRIUS. And now, she needed to be watched over by a LOMACTUS from Sigma Command.

“Are we… the same age?” I asked, almost unsure if I wanted to hear the answer.

She nodded. “Of course. I go to Bakti Bangsa as well. We’re just not in the same class.”

“Really? I’ve never seen you before.”

She smiled again. “I only started today. My purpose was to confirm the identity of the person assigned to protect Aldelynn during her time in Jayakarta.”

“So then… the government is officially authorising me to protect Aldelynn?”

“Exactly. I’m only here as a distant observer,” she replied, glancing around the room.

I could tell she was looking for something—but it seemed she didn’t find it. With a quiet sigh, she made her way to the door. A moment later, she turned and came back.

“Are you sure you’re okay living in this place?” she asked.

“What do you mean?”

“The distance from your flat to Anahira is approximately 750 metres. Precisely, 742.4 metres from the window. What would you do if something happened to Aldelynn?”

I was impressed by her ability to read the situation so precisely.

Military discipline truly operated on an entirely different level.

“I plan to install early-warning surveillance systems around Anahira. That’s the best I can do for now.”

She shook her head. “The simplest solution is to remain close to the object. I’ll request Ventus Imperium to submit a letter to the Police Commander for your relocation to Anahira.”

“Don’t joke like that. I’m just an First Infantry—I only earn 200 Ayria a month. There’s no way I could afford rent there.”

She laughed softly. “Don’t worry about the rent. I’ve already requested Her Majesty SIRIUS to approve your relocation without needing the Police Commander’s consent.”

Moments later, she pulled out ownership credentials for an apartment on the 63rd floor of Anahira.

I could hardly believe what I was seeing. Not once in my life had I imagined living somewhere as luxurious as Anahira.

She asked for my SEMESTA ID to update it with access to unit 6304, then handed me several classified documents—files that previously only Inspektur Hartini could access.

“All right then,” she said. “From now on, this is your new residence.”

“What about this apartment?” I asked, still stunned.

“This place still belongs to you. The government has already paid for your maintenance fees, utilities, electric credits, and bill deposits—for the next ten years.”

Just then, my phone buzzed with a series of notifications—confirmation messages for cleared balances, all in absurdly large sums. I couldn’t understand it. Did someone with similar rank Captains in Ventus Reginae really have this much access?

Before I could even ask, she had vanished.

I hadn’t heard her leave. I didn’t even know when she had left.

But one thing was clear—there was no way her being here was a coincidence.

Letting all of that settle in, I made my way to Anahira to move into the new residence.

Upon arrival, I was greeted by a unit that was easily five times larger than my previous one, complete with luxurious furnishings.

Was this really happening?

That question echoed nonstop in my head.

But the beauty of it all turned out to be fleeting.

A notification popped up in my inbox—an email detailing the real reason LOMCATUS Livi had relocated me here. As it turned out, the main access route to Griya Tawang Anahira was located directly in front of my unit. That meant I was expected to install surveillance devices to monitor all movement from this vantage point.

The primary window access to the helipad was also positioned directly above my apartment.

This simultaneously made protecting Aldelynn both easier—and far more complicated.

She even provided me with a full schedule of Aldelynn’s daily activities. Rather than feeling like her guardian, I now felt more like her personal assistant.

I let out a long sigh, realizing that this burden truly did match the level of trust—and resources—the government had invested in me.

Still, I needed to act fast. Aldelynn was already being targeted, the threats from Rayseans were real.

This was only a momentary peace before the war to come.