Chapter 3: Chapter 2 – The Centurion And His Balance

Part 1 

Night fell, and stand torches were lit. By this time, all the men had returned from collecting resources and ready to improve the camp a little bit more, but before that, Lucious the Centurion had gathered all his men into formation in front of him. 

"Hey... Doesn't Sir look kinda funny, standing like that."

"-Shh, he might hear you."

"-Pfffft..."

Lucious was awkwardly standing on a semi-thick log in front of his men. While they stood steady and straight with their full attention on him, Lucious was trying not to fall over this log whom he ordered his men to carry over to this spot to act as a makeshift podium. 

As a Roman Centurion, he had to look strong, tall compared to his men... He already was monstrously taller than all his men, but standing something that distinctively and symbolically made him taller was a cultural thing. 

All his men had smirks on their faces and couldn't help but make silent snide comments as they saw Lucious trying not to fall over and steady himself. 

This is awkward.

Lucious could just simply not stand on this log as a podium and stand on the floor, but that's pretty embarrassing considering the fact that two minutes ago, he aggressively shouted at his men to carry this log over here. 

Backpedaling is humiliating. 

So, he persevered, like a truly strong and independent Roman Soldier under the service of the mighty Emperor Claudius. A man of sheer willpower will be able to defeat this iron-willed challenge.  

Finally gaining a footing, he looked forward with his arms crossed with a poker face. Although this indeed did look intimidating, his shaky legs fighting a battle of balance below him negating all those effects. 

"Evening, men. I know that more than half of you don't know me yet because you were transferred here as replacements. And that we never got a proper introduction yet. So, my name is Lucious Atticus Caesar. And I am your Centurion." 

Lucious introduced himself to the new recruits who were replacements within his century, all of them stood at the front while the seasoned senior veterans stood at attention at the back of the formation. 

Although the seniors were silent, the green recruits couldn't help but mumble a few sayings:

"-Hey hey... He's desperately trying to sound cool, but there's no way he can be cool, right? Look at those legs, he's trembling just trying to balance himself on that log."

"-Why is Sir even standing on that log?" 

"Hm?"

All of them shut up when Lucious glared at them. 

"S-Sorry..." 

They all apologized silently as their eyes met with Lucious. 

"Mm... Anyways, we're in a small pickle... Even though we seem to be detached from the main army, we'll find our way back eventually. For now, the plan is simple: Survive, and bring good intel to the Legatus about this Island-"

Suddenly, Lucious lost his footing. 

"Woooahh- Apptttch!"

A wet thud echoed in the darkness and the formation of men, the flames beside the before-standing Lucious flickered as the force of him finally lost balance and landing face-first into the wet dirty mud. It had rained just yesterday, so the floor was extremely muddy. 

From even the back of the formation, the senior legionnaires could see what had just happened. 

"..."

Aside from the wind blowing against the trees, there was nothing to be heard as the coldness seeped through Lucious's plated chest plate. The muddied plates pressed up against each other as he stood up, his face full of mud. 

From the sides, Emilia had a hand to her face and Optio Gaius immediately ran toward Lucious with a cloth. 

Lucious silently took the cloth and cleaned his face, while right now he had a poker expression; on the inside, his heart was burning like hell. 

Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. 

He could feel his body's natural function to turn his face red, but he fought against it, and crossed his arms, looking back at his men. 

"Anyways-" 

He's acting as if nothing happened...

The same thought crossed everyone's minds as Lucious continued his speech. 

"-According to scouts, there are nearby settlements with no affiliation to any powerful tribes of this region, I know you all are hungry and starved. Tomorrow early morning, gather your equipment and prepare yourselves for a raid. We will pillage a nearby settlement. That's all, dismissed. Go to sleep." 

Lucious walked away with his chest pumped out, and a confident calm expression; despite this look, on the inside, he was practically begging the gods to send a thunderbolt down onto him this very instant. 

Part 2 

When Lucious left, Emilia stood in front of the Century, she ordered the Horn Blower to gather their attention away from Lucious. 

When I was younger I used to think he was such a mature man...

Emilia sighed in disappointment as she called out to the scouts, giving them orders to set out to search for the main army base even during the night. 

"Sir- Ma'am..." The scout captain corrected himself, he could never get used to seeing a female as a superior, "Without our horses, we won't be able to scout as effectively." 

"What do you think the settlement raiding for tomorrow is for? We'll take their horses too, but for now, do your best. That's your main priority-" 

"-Hey Hey Emilia!" 

As Emilia was giving out her orders, a strange man suddenly wrapped his arm around Emilia's neck with a cheeky smile on his face. 

"Not now, Singer! ... Scout Captain, go now!"

"Y-Yes Ma'am!"

As Emilia tried to break free from Singer's wrap, she ordered the Scout Captain to go. 

But, compared to a man who had been training his entire body for years as a professional soldier and was around two times bigger than her, even with fighting experience there was no way she could break free. 

Aside from-

"Ow!"

She kicked his groin. 

"That's what you get for sneaking up on me like that, Singer. Jesus, you're a Signifer Standard Bearer now, have some pride!"

"Alright alright, I understand." 

Within the Roman Army, the Signifer Standard Bearer was a role appointed to the bravest of men within a century, tasked with carrying the flag that identified the century to the commanders. Being such an important strategic role within a battle, it was smart for them to be the main targets. 

Singer was such an individual who boasted absolute and unbreakable confidence, he was also the brother of Emilia. 

Similar to Emilia, he had brown hair and hazel eyes, standing at an above-average height but nothing compared to the giant Lucious. Even standing in front of Lucious a Signifer like himself got a little bit scared.

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Emilia's hair was long, she had two hair drills that reached her chest with the rest of her brown hair brushed behind her shoulders. She was quite the beautiful woman too, Singer, her brother was also above-averagely handsome in that regard; their family had spectacular genes. 

Now alone with her brother, she sighed and began walking back to her tent. 

The camp was filled with rows of tents, the scenery was amber from the firey light sources from torches all around the camp. Around the camp was vegetation and some trees with the forest not far from here. 

With each breath, she could smell the dampness in the air being quite cold. 

Roman men stood around chatting, having a small cheeky conversation before going to sleep. 

Looking over to her brother, Singer, she sighed: 

"Sir... Is so fucking stupid. I hate him so much."

"Pffft, you say that, but you really like him, don't you?"

"Huh? You're not funny, mate." 

Singer smirked as he began to whistle casually, taking glances at Emilia's face. 

She was biting her lip, covering her cheeks as she became red. 

"You liked him ever since you were 17 years old, I could tell easily, I'm your brother, you know?" 

"Shut... Up..." 

In contrast to her usual fast, logical and precise snaps; Emilia responded very slowly. 

"Is it his deep voice? His towering presence? Toned muscles. Combat skills? Or that ridiculously huge thing down in his pants-"

"Shut up! I'm going to sleep!" 

Emilia shut her ears with her hands, and screamed while bolting back into her personal tent. 

The thing is, she wasn't allowed to sleep. As a Tesserarius, she was a Night Guard Commander, tasked with overseeing the guarding of the camp.

Singer obviously knew this.

Sleep...? But you're a- Oh well, she'll realize that soon enough.

"Assh, I better head back to the tent too and get some sleep, we have a raid tomorrow." 

He stretched his arms and walked calmly into the same direction Emilia ran in. 

Part 3 

"...534... 535...536..." 

Within the Officer's tent, Lucious, shirtless on the floor was doing push-ups the night before the raid on the settlement.

"...537...538...539..." 

As a Centurion, he had to show valor and strength in the battles he fights with his men, being an officer doesn't mean he could slack around with his body. If he got a beer belly, his men would instantly lose respect for him. 

With each engagement, he stood at the front leading the charge with his blade in the air. He had to shout the loudest, hit the hardest and run the fastest to set the example. 

Working out daily was necessary, it's pretty much in the job description. 

It had been an hour since he returned all muddied up from falling over that log and since he'd dismissed his men. After this, he'd sleep very soundly. 

"Ah, sorry sir, I forgot to give you a scout report from the morning scouts- Oh-"

Very suddenly, Emilia walked in, opened the tent, and saw the toned wide back of Lucious on the floor. 

Seeing the huge Centurion without a shirt on. This Centurion had served within Rome's Legion for around 15 years ever since he was 13, having conditioned his body in every way, what was being seen was quite impressive.

Her jaw dropped. 

His back was-

So wide... And big... I know this isn't my first time seeing this... But...

She couldn't peel her eyes away. 

"Is that you, Emilia? Ah, you mean from when I told those newbies to go to you this morning? Right, be a good girl and tell me about the report, baby." [Emilia's Imagination of what Lucious said]

"Is that you, Emilia? Ah, you mean from when I told those newbies to go to you this morning? Right, tell me about it. Don't mind me." [What Lucious actually said] 

Lucious did not say that last bit, nor did he call Emilia a good girl, that was just from Emila's imagination. Emilia imagined it, Lucious didn't say that. 

"S-S-Sir?"

Emilia felt a sharp arrow pierce her heart as her body was set on fire by Lucious's words. Her tongue was paralyzed and she became a stuttering mess, fumbling on a single word.

Her face went redder and redder, like a tomato. 

"You're so fucking beautiful." [Emilia's Imagination of what Lucious said] 

"What's the matter? Just tell me." [What Lucious actually said] 

Seemingly in her own world, Emilia began to drool, Lucious stood up and walked toward her, putting a hand on her shoulder. 

"How about we close up this tent, and we get lost deep somewhere else?" [Emilia's Imagination of what Lucious said] 

"N-No, we c-can't! ... ... I-I-I... Sir..." 

"I promise I'll make you feel good, baby." [Emilia's Imagination of what Lucious said] 

Lucious grabbed Emila's chin, pointing it upward toward him. Forcing her to make eye contact with him... [According to Emilia's imagination] 

"S-Sir... I c-can't! N-No, we, c-can't! You're my superior..." 

She mumbled meekly, tears welling up in her eyes as she felt a heat within her body growing and growing. 

With smoke leaving her head from the lava-like hotness, embarrassment, nervousness, and anxiety. She pushed Lucious and turning away, Emilia bolted out of the tent, leaving Lucious alone. 

Lucious with a confused expression raised his brow and rubbed his cheek with his fingers. 

"The hell is her problem? I just asked her if she was alright." 

Lucious shrugged his shoulders and went back to doing push-ups. 

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