Chapter 22

The group arrived at the seaside city of Yadigo, driving all the way to the estate. Justice unlocked the main gate with a code, then updated the security, adding facial recognition. Each person was registered, requiring both a face scan and a code for future entry. Once the car was inside, the gates closed automatically.

The manor was silent; the grass had grown wild, and the fountain was covered in moss. Justice felt it was a mistake not to have hired a cleaning service beforehand, but fortunately, aside from the dust, the house was in good condition. They made do for the first day, and by the next, a professional team arrived. In half a day, the interior and exterior were spotless, and the lawn was perfectly trimmed. With the fountain running, the courtyard became truly beautiful.

The kitchen was spacious enough for ten people to move around without feeling crowded, and the two ovens were more than sufficient. The dining room was bright, allowing everyone to sit comfortably with plenty of room for guests. The estate was divided into a master wing and a servant wing. The master bedrooms, numbering twenty-two, were located on the second and third floors, along with ten studies and various functional rooms like a music room, dance studio, and art room.

Justice had originally intended to occupy the third floor alone, but the seven men insisted on staying there with her, claiming they wouldn't know her whereabouts otherwise and feared she might slip out in the middle of the night. Marcia and Tali took the second floor, secretly amused that they would finally have some freedom from the men’s constant surveillance.

The first floor featured a large study for Justice, a smoking room, and a billiards room. The living room was decorated in a gorgeous, vintage style with a large ornamental fireplace, neatly stacked firewood, and a bar area, with a cellar stocked with plenty of wine. Justice didn't bother with the servant wing, but the others explored it and returned with various ideas for future renovations. The nine of them divided the chores according to a schedule.

With seventeen days of vacation left, there was plenty of time to enjoy themselves. Justice wasn't as obsessed with the ocean as the others and chose not to swim. Instead, she rented a horse and galloped through the surrounding woods; only when the wind whipped against her face did she truly feel free. Sometimes she would lead the horse along the beach, and other times she would ride it through the surf.

When Rossi contacted her, Justice was in her riding gear, standing on level ground. The wind pressed the grass low, and in the distance, the clouds were churning and changing color—a storm was approaching. Rossi watched her for a long time before asking, "Where are you?"

"That has nothing to do with you. Please don't contact me again. I don't want any relationship with you." Justice’s gaze was cold and indifferent. Her black-and-white riding habit looked elegant and imposing on her, and her golden hair flowed in the wind, revealing a sharp, icy expression.

Rossi acted as if he hadn't heard, his eyes dark as he repeated, "Where are you?"

Her good mood ruined, Justice snapped, "Rossi, how long do you intend to let Hayes keep me under his thumb? If you can't get him to back off, stop bothering me. I don't like incompetent men, and I like men who can give me nothing even less."

She hung up without hesitation. In the past, she had held onto a one-percent sliver of hope, but now she realized clearly that Rossi was incapable of making his own decisions. Before the rain began, she returned to the manor. She changed her clothes and walked downstairs, catching sight of the group in the living room. She smiled faintly—relying on oneself was the only way to be sure. It didn't matter if it took a long time; she would eventually find her chance to climb to the top.

The storm broke with thunder; bad weather by the sea was always more violent than elsewhere. Yet, the worse it got outside, the more secure and comfortable the brightly lit interior felt. The group was debating which movie to watch. Tali brought a pile of snacks to the coffee table, sat on the rug, and tore open a bag, only to see them picking a war movie again. She lunged for the remote, insisting on the *Holiday Princess* series. Marcia, fed up with boring films, demanded an assassin movie. Finally, they deferred to Justice, who chose a spy thriller—it contained all the elements they enjoyed.

The nine of them sat together to watch. Justice leaned against the sofa, reading a celebrity autobiography. Most were ghostwritten and highly fabricated, but there were always a few kernels of truth. Sander rested her leg on his lap, massaging it while watching the film; riding for long periods made the muscles stiff. His fingers brushed against the inner skin of her thigh, sparking a fire. Justice looked up from her book, but Sander’s profile remained perfectly serious. She stood up nonchalantly and headed to the study.

Ten minutes later, Sander went to the kitchen to juice some fruit, carrying a glass of icy orange summer juice toward the study. He locked the door and set the juice aside. In the room without air conditioning, the heat was stifling, leaving them no choice but to shed their clothes. After sweating profusely, Justice downed the icy juice in one gulp. Sander took the empty glass out; the movie was already halfway over. He left the glass in the sink and stepped out the kitchen door to the outdoor shower to rinse off quickly.

Returning to the kitchen, Raven was washing his cup, his tone dissatisfied. "That was a bit too obvious, wasn't it?"

"Is it? You're the only one who noticed," Sander replied with a smile, opening the fridge to grab some ice water.

Raven asked quietly, "Is the Commander taking a nap?"

Sander glanced at him sideways. "Don't be so obvious yourself."

Raven sliced a plate of fruit and carried it into the study. After locking the door, he vanished. Getting closer to the bathroom, he could hear the sound of water. Raven stripped quickly and lay down on the leather loveseat; it was too narrow for his long, tall frame, but the cramped space only fueled his impulses. He waited, ready, as a scent began to fill the air.

Justice emerged in a camisole, paused for a moment, then walked over. With a wet sound, Raven whispered, "Commander, you're so hot."

Justice’s waist wasn't thin; it was defined by smooth, powerful muscle. Raven gripped her waist with both hands, squeezing hard as if he weren't afraid of breaking her, refusing to let her adjust her position. He gasped, his eyes unfocused, wanting to be pressed closer to her. "Hold me, Commander, hold me."

Justice lifted his waist, and he let out a breathless cry, relying on the soundproofing to hold nothing back. The fruit plate was left behind, and when Raven walked out, the movie was nearing its end. After a quick rinse in the outdoor shower, he opened the fridge, grabbed a bottle of ice water, and took a long, satisfying gulp.

When he sat down to watch the ending, Marcia said, "Can you turn the volume back up, you jerk?"

Tali added, "What's the point of watching a silent movie?"

Raven’s face turned bright red, and he felt suddenly hot.

The storm had passed, and sunlight flooded the outdoors once more. With the windows open, a refreshing breeze drifted in. Sander and Raven were reprimanded by the group and ordered to make dinner; they accepted without complaint.

During this time, Arkes sent a message to Villian. "Where are you guys?" He was wearing a floral shirt, standing on an observation deck. Villian panned the camera around to show the view. "At the Commander's place."

Arkes shouted, "You didn't even invite me!"

Those nearby heard him and chimed in with sarcasm. "We didn't want to disturb you."

"It's a honeymoon; outsiders need to step aside."

"It's a world for two; we have to be tactful."

Arkes couldn't keep up with their banter and finally said, "I'm coming next time, I really am."

Holidays were meant for idling, with no plans for tomorrow. Because Toran had monopolized Justice for the entire previous night, he was punished the next day by having to mow the lawn. He worked under the scorching sun, his pale skin reddening. One might suspect it was done on purpose. Wearing a sun hat, Toran turned on the mower’s speakers, letting loud, boisterous music echo across the grounds; even as punishment, he knew he would do it all over again for another night with her.

When the group returned from buying groceries, someone mysteriously unveiled a gift: a bikini with very little fabric. Marcia and Tali, who had come along, rolled their eyes—it was embarrassing. Tali didn't have much of a figure, so the large-sized children's swimsuit looked cute on her. Marcia was thin with a slender waist and only slight curves, so she wore a one-piece. They hadn't had enough nutrition as children, and even now, their aesthetic standards wouldn't allow them to overeat, unlike the men who bulked up with plenty of food.

Justice was tall and well-proportioned with a firm, full chest. She wore a loose top over her bikini, revealing only her long, straight legs. The men wore nothing but shorts in various floral patterns, perfectly suited for the beach.

Among the photos of the Commander, there was one of a beach volleyball game—five against five, everyone dressed in light, cool clothing. Justice had her short hair tied in a small knot, wearing delicate ear studs that added a touch of charm to her icy demeanor.

A seaside holiday, sunshine, and sand—even the gloomiest people would brighten up. The group played volleyball fiercely, never letting the ball touch the ground. They spent their days playing and their nights making love; it was a sweet, romantic honeymoon.

Marcia had stayed out all night a few times, sharing stories with Tali about the experience of sailing on a yacht, calling it incredibly romantic. Tali was unimpressed, complaining that she didn't want to enter the adult world yet; she knew all too well what those seven men were like in private and had zero expectations.

On the final day of the holiday, they went to a restaurant for seafood. It was a random choice, but they all loved the food, especially Justice, who was particularly fond of the clams steamed in white wine—fresh, tender, and refreshing. The others fought over the paella, pairing it with locally brewed ice beer. They finished everything on the table, and it was both affordable and filling. On the way back, they talked about how the restaurants in Enisha were rip-offs, serving expensive, terrible food.

The pleasant holiday came to an end. They locked the manor gates and called a car for the airport, already waiting for the next chance to return.

After a long series of transfers back to the base, Justice and her group had all tanned to a uniform, healthy wheat color. Arkes looked at them with a look of accusation, only to be shut down by the group, who reminded him that he hadn't even thought about joining them at the time. He grinned, saying he knew how to sail and they should go fishing next time.

After they returned, the mechanic, Macate, went on leave, leaving all the repair work to them. They spent their time in the warehouse, their tanned skin slowly beginning to fade back to white.

Justice practiced her blade work in the training room every day. After cutting ties with Rossi, her application for the Meris base summer heat allowance was quickly approved and issued. In the past, while she and Rossi were entangled, the heat allowance had never been granted. Every time she swung her blade, Justice scolded herself for not breaking it off sooner and for harboring false hope. Many people had warned her long ago that Hayes was not someone to be trifled with.

Justice began preparing for her next opportunity, determined to take first place again. In the training room, she wore a tank top, a thin silver chain around her neck with a small, square blue sapphire at the center of her collarbone, the same color as her eyes. It was a gift she had received while in Yadigo. They had learned from the orphanage matron that her family only celebrated baptism days, not birthdays. Justice’s baptism day was the third Saturday of June. All nine of them had remembered that day.