But Dominic didn't care.
He walked over to the desk, sat down, and placed Shiao Yi right on his lap.
Shiao Yi wanted to teleport away from the awkwardness, but if he tried to use his power now, Dominic—who was still in contact with him—would be taken along for the jump.
Besides, this was an unfamiliar world, with rules and people he didn't understand. The less anyone knew about his abilities, the better.
For now, he'd have to endure it.
At the very least, even if the current situation was incredibly embarrassing, Shiao Yi knew he wasn't in any real danger. So, for now, he decided to just endure it.
"You've really taken a liking to him, haven't you?"
A red-haired man with a close-cropped cut called out casually to Dominic, he looked both surprised and amused.
He was even more heavily built than Captain Dominic, with arms like logs, but his freckled face gave him a surprisingly friendly, almost playful look.
"This is Shiao Yi. He was the one who contributed the most in the last battle."
Was there some unspoken rule that said war heroes had to sit on someone's lap?
Shiao Yi wanted badly to blurt that out, but before he could, the large man—who looked strong but not exactly clever—introduced himself with a cheerful grin.
"I'm Louis Guiabern. I serve as Captain Dominic' Vice-Commander. Just call me Louis."
Then, blinking his gray eyes, Louis started talking at lightning speed like water pouring out of a pipe.
"I can't believe someone so small is such a powerful ability user. So, what were you doing out in the forest? Don't tell me… you got lost? Oh no, wait—were you attacked by magical beasts and ended up all alone? Oh man, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to bring up something painful. Poor thing. That must've been hard on you, huh? Especially for someone so tiny. You should totally lean on Captain Dominic for comfort. Or better yet, how about I carry you instead? The captain's kind of scary, y'know. Kids cry when he glares at them. I, on the other hand, am super popular with children. I'm gentle, I promise! You can totally rely on me!"
He reached out, trying to scoop Shiao Yi into his arms.
Without hesitation, Dominic slapped Louis's hand away with a loud smack!
The sound was sharp and completely unrestrained.
It looked painful—Louis shook his reddened hand with a wince.
"Captain! That was harsh! You were totally serious!"
"Enough of that," Dominic said firmly. "We need to send a report to the royal capital. What happened here is far too abnormal. We must request an investigation team immediately. Also, press for reinforcements. Push hard. If this kind of attack happens again—twice or three times—we won't be able to hold them off on our own."
Still holding Shiao Yi with his left arm, Dominic reached with his free hand toward the desk to start organizing documents.
But the desk was an absolute mess. Reports and papers were piled up in a way that made no sense—unlabeled, disordered, and leaning dangerously.