I'm the Villain, But the Heroines Keep Choosing Me-Chapter 73: Shared Burdens

Two weeks after their last conversation, Seria had convinced herself she was maintaining appropriate professional distance.

She coordinated with Damien through written correspondence. Sent reports via courier. Attended one brief meeting at the estate to discuss remaining demon activity, stayed for exactly forty-five minutes, left before the conversation could become personal.

She was managing the situation. Controlling her exposure. Maintaining boundaries.

Then the eastern border collapsed.

The news arrived at dawn – organized demon forces, thousands strong, overwhelming the border garrison. Aldric’s unit was among those pinned down, outmaneuvered by tactical coordination that suggested sophisticated intelligence.

Guard Commander – the real one, appointed after the corruption purge – called emergency meeting. Every available captain, every tactical resource, every able fighter needed for relief force.

Seria found herself in the command center alongside nobles, Church officials, and military leadership, staring at maps that showed escalating disaster.

"We need at least a thousand soldiers to break the siege." Commander Voss traced probable attack vectors. "But pulling that many from capital defense leaves us vulnerable to secondary attack."

"The Church can provide three hundred blessed guards," High Priestess Elara offered. She’d been officially elevated after Aldous’s fall, younger than any High Priestess in history. "Plus defensive barriers and healing support."

"Noble houses can contribute five hundred combined," Duke Cornelius added. "But coordination will be difficult. Each house wants independent command."

"That’s eight hundred total." Voss’s expression was grim. "Against estimated three thousand demons with tactical training. Those numbers don’t work."

"What about unconventional resources?" Seria heard herself ask. "Assets that operate outside normal command structure?"

Voss looked at her sharply. "You’re suggesting mercenaries?"

"I’m suggesting we use every available resource, regardless of whether it fits traditional structure." She met his eyes directly. "We have people in this city with unique capabilities. People who’ve been fighting demons effectively while we were restructuring command. Maybe we should ask for their help instead of maintaining institutional pride."

Everyone knew who she meant. The room went quiet.

Duke Cornelius smiled slightly. "Captain Thornwood is correct. My son has been quite effective against organized demons. Perhaps this is an appropriate time to leverage those capabilities."

"Lord Valcrest uses dark powers – " One of the noble commanders objected.

"Lord Valcrest kills demons efficiently." Seria cut him off. "Which is what we need right now. Unless you’d prefer to sacrifice hundreds of soldiers maintaining aesthetic purity while the border collapses?"

Commander Voss was quiet for a moment, then nodded. "Send for Lord Valcrest. We need all available force multipliers."

Damien arrived within the hour, looking like he’d been working all night – which, given his corruption-induced stamina issues, he probably had. He assessed the tactical maps with the same cold efficiency Seria recognized from when the corruption got bad.

"Three thousand demons, tactical coordination, siege positions." He traced the enemy formations. "This is less opportunistic raid and more likely organized military assault. Someone’s commanding them with actual strategic doctrine."

"Can you break a siege of that scale?" Voss asked directly.

"Not alone. My abilities are effective but not infinite. Extended use increases – " He glanced at Seria briefly. " – increases personal cost. I’d need support, coordination, and extraction plan for when I hit my limits."

"What kind of support?" Seria asked, already knowing she’d volunteer.

"Fast strike team. Twenty soldiers maximum – elite, mobile, comfortable with unconventional tactics. We hit command structure while main force engages the siege line. Decapitation strike to break coordination, then withdraw before I – before personal limits are reached."

"I’ll lead the strike team." Seria said it before thinking.

"Captain Thornwood, that’s – " Voss started.

"Appropriate use of my capabilities. I’m the best tactical combatant we have, I’m familiar with Lord Valcrest’s methods, and I can coordinate extraction when his limits approach." She met Damien’s eyes. "Unless you have objections?"

"No objections. But you should understand what you’re volunteering for." His voice was quiet. "When things go sideways, you’ll need to recognize the signs and get your team clear. Even if that means leaving me."

"I’m not leaving anyone in demon territory."

"You might have to." He held her gaze. "If my ’side effects’ should happen, and I become a threat to the mission and the team. You need to be prepared to prioritize soldier safety over my extraction."

The room was uncomfortable with the conversation – the dark powers user admitting he might become enemy combatant, the captain refusing to promise abandonment.

"I’ll get you out," Seria said firmly. "Both you and my team. That’s the plan we’re executing."

Voss cleared his throat. "Then it’s decided. Captain Thornwood leads strike team with Lord Valcrest. Main force engages siege line at dawn. Strike team inserts during engagement, targets command structure. Extraction priority once command is eliminated."

They spent three hours planning details. Seria selected her strike team – twenty of the best fighters she’d trained, soldiers who’d proven themselves in the conspiracy aftermath, people who followed orders and didn’t panic under pressure.

As the meeting dispersed, Elara pulled Seria aside.

"A word, Captain? Privately?"

They moved to a side chamber, and Seria felt awkward awareness of being alone with the woman whose relationship with Damien was infinitely deeper than anything Seria could claim.

"You’re leading his strike team." Elara’s voice was carefully neutral.

"I’m the best qualified – "

"You’re emotionally invested." Not accusation, just statement. "I saw your face when he talked about hitting his limits. When he said you might need to leave him. You looked like someone contemplating unacceptable options."

"I look that way about all my soldiers. I don’t leave people behind."

"You look that way about him specifically." Elara’s eyes were kind but direct. "And I understand. Better than you might think. He has this way of making you feel seen, valued, understood. Like you’re the only person who really gets him. It’s intoxicating."

"I’m not – this isn’t about – " Seria struggled for words. "This is professional."

"Keep telling yourself that if it helps. But Captain?" Elara’s voice softened. "When you’re out there, when he starts losing himself to the corruption, remember that bringing him back isn’t just your responsibility. I’m part of this too. The anchor bond – both of us might need to work to bring him back."

"Both of us?" Seria felt cold realization. "You’re saying I’m becoming an anchor whether I’ve decided to or not?"

"I’m saying the bond forms through genuine connection, not formal agreement. And you’ve been building genuine connection with him for months now. The emotional investment, the instinctive trust, the way you seek him out when things get hard – those are all signs the bond is developing naturally."

"I haven’t decided if I want that – "

"The bond doesn’t wait for formal decision. It forms when the emotional foundation exists." Elara’s voice was gentle but firm. "You can fight it, resist it, deny it. But when he needs you tomorrow – when the corruption threatens to take him completely – you’ll respond instinctively. Because the bond is already there, whether you’ve acknowledged it or not."

"You’re saying I don’t have a choice?"

"I’m saying you already made the choice. Slowly, over weeks of working together, trusting each other, building connection. The formal acknowledgment is just accepting what already exists." She paused. "And Captain? I need you to be ready for that. Because I can’t be there tomorrow. I’ll be with the main force. If he hits critical threshold during the strike, you’re his only anchor on site. You’ll need to know how to bring him back."

Seria felt trapped by inevitability she hadn’t seen coming. "How do I bring him back?"

"Emotional connection. Vulnerability. Reminding him what being human feels like." Elara’s expression was complicated. "Physical contact helps – just touch. Grounding him in present moment rather than cold tactical calculation. And – " She hesitated. " – and genuine care. The bond responds to authentic emotion. You can’t fake it."

"I’m not trying to fake anything. I’m trying to maintain professional boundaries."

"Those boundaries dissolved weeks ago." Elara’s voice was kind despite the harsh truth. "You’re just still pretending they exist. Tomorrow might force you to admit they don’t."

[ELARA: PREPARING SERIA FOR ANCHOR ROLE]

[SERIA: RESISTANT BUT LISTENING]

After Elara left, Seria sat in the empty chamber and tried to process.