I Thought I'd Return Quietly...
After spending about two weeks together and training, the four of them are leaving by the weekend!
The news spread to the other trainees in the training camp as well.
They were from families different from the starting line—marquis and imperial count families, not ordinary ones.
Despite the huge difference in status, they got along surprisingly well.
It was because of the same “soldier” sense of camaraderie and the bonds built through shared hardships.
“Did the young masters leave?”
“Too bad. I thought we’d be assigned to the same unit.”
“Hey, but at least we got a lifetime supply of drinking buddies. Rolling with such huge nobles like them is something only we could do, heh heh heh! With this, we can drink a few glasses!”
“True. I thought nobles would be different, but they were just like us. Hahaha!”
Nobles, yet at the same time, their training camp comrades. It was very sad that they were leaving.
Since they had just become close, it was a bit disappointing to see them go.
Because they had shared the same space and endured the same hardships, they felt like friends.
Of course, that didn’t mean we wanted to hold onto those four.
“Honestly, it’s for the best. Right now it’s fun, but later we’ll be suffering together.”
“An old man from the neighborhood said that if you have a relative working for a merchant company that makes money, the unit gets tired. Something like that.”
“High-ranking people should just stay high up. No need to come to places like this and make each other’s faces red. We’re grateful for the shared hardships, but it’s a bit much for us to bear?”
There are those who can handle it and those who can’t.
Familiar with rural noble youths who have seen a lot of faces? Yeah, that would be fine.
But those four are the eldest son of the marquis family and the imperial count’s children.
Without a joke, if those guys sneeze once, the instructors would be ready to kill the cold.
Or the instructors would be ready to kill the trainers who made them catch a cold.
For that reason, when Schlippen, Wilhelm, Alexander, and Joachim returned to the dormitory.
“Hahaha! It was fun while we were here! Young Masters!”
“You should know how tough it is for us since you were running around here and give us a promotion in pay!”
“We had fun training together! It was hard!”
They had seen it all from beginning to end.
The ones who didn’t give in even to the urging to give up and stuck it out till the end.
They were not obligated like us, just enlisted, so they could leave.
Their determined faces after enduring for hours were impressive.
Even after seeing that, no trainee said “I can’t take it, so I’m leaving.”
Meanwhile.
“…Tsk. Damn.”
Somehow, Karl ended up staying one day in the boot camp by accident.
He ate jjamppong for dinner, and now he had to sleep in a bed for one night.
This feels like reenlisting.
Was it a premonition? If I had known, I would have sprinkled salt.
While washing his face, Karl secretly turned his head and looked around.
The spacious and comfortable space prepared by the instructors and coaches emptying out one dormitory.
With this, he could at least spend a day here comfortably.
Of course, this was from their perspective, but for Karl, it would only bring PTSD, but anyway.
If they asked him to do guard duty or something, he’d really kill them.
Karl thought that and lay down on the mattress with a blanket.
He worried if the blanket was too thin, but luckily, the instructor got a special A-class one.
This is like getting a new sheet from the warehouse.
Probably because he was a Medal of Honor recipient, they were taking care of him.
It was the first time he felt so grateful for the glittering Medal of Honor.
*
Pa pa pa pa!―
“…”
Before he could even regain his senses from the faint bugle call by his ear, his body reacted first.
Of course, unlike when he was a private, he didn’t jump up in shock and tidy the bedding.
He just pretended to be asleep, pulled the blanket over himself, and waited for someone to wake him.
…Ah, no. Thinking about it, there were no juniors coming to wake him after discharge.
He slowly sat up and stretched his hands.
Roughly, roughly. Now he’s not a soldier or active duty, so whatever.
Then, when he opened his eyes, what the hell? Why did his eyes catch? He said he’d do it roughly!
Knock knock―
“Good morning! Did you sleep well?”
“Ah, yes. Major Megi. Did you sleep well too, Major?”
Hearing that, this guy must have slept on the sofa in the lounge.
I didn’t say to sleep together. There are plenty of places here, why?
No matter how much I persuaded him, he said he didn’t want to make a Medal of Honor recipient uncomfortable and took the lounge.
Actually, I was grateful. If we slept together, it would have been a bit… no, very weird.
“As I mentioned yesterday, the morning schedule is a lecture for the trainees. After a simple greeting, we’ll board the train and return!”
“Ah, yes. Those guys… the graduates.”
“The four of them will finish up by the Sunday religious service and return the same day!”
“Really?”
“Since the parties themselves requested it, the training camp has approved it!”
Yeah, whatever. Do as you like. Anyway, there’s nothing to do at the academy on the weekend.
Honestly, finishing the training camp life isn’t as tough as a religious service.
“More than that, are you really okay?”
“Could you hear me?”
“Today is Saturday. Weekend. Isn’t it rest time for the trainees? My lecture used the weekday training time, and if this happens, the weekend rest conditions…
“Ah, that part has already been taken care of. Instead of holding training today, we’ll guarantee the soldiers’ rest time during next week’s training period!”
“…”
Truly… amazing. Huh? Amazing. With this much dedication, I have to give that damn lecture. I have to.
“Anyway. Looking forward to the lecture!”
“By any chance, Major…
“Of course! A lecture given by a Medal of Honor recipient! It’s amazing, right?!”
It’s shocking. If anyone hears, they’ll think I prepared the lecture in advance.
I giving a lecture. The guy who only knows how to tell army stories.
What lecture topic can I give in front of the trainees. Uh… what could there be.
…Ah, I don’t know. Damn. Whatever happens, happens.
And the morning lecture time. In front of all the trainees (including the protagonist four guys.), I wrote boldly on the large blackboard like this.
— Why does the Imperial Army call the elves “Gganf”? —
There is the word “Gganf” in this world too. Probably because it’s a novel.
— 101 Reasons Not to Trust Gganf —
By the way, the Gganf I am talking about are the radical elves from Luzens.
Conversely, the dove faction Heigens suits the name “elves” itself.
“There is this saying. If you know your enemy and fight, even if you fight a hundred times, it’s not dangerous. As you all know, I am a veteran of the Luzens War. So, I can confidently say I know them well. Therefore, today’s lecture topic is this. The Gganf who are still a threat to the Empire’s security. The radical and extreme elves, the Luzens.”
Even if they come running from the foreign ministry and the elf atmosphere becomes bad…
Well, what can I do. Honestly, they struck first, right? Isn’t the Gganf hatred self-inflicted?
Moreover, the Heigens side is also beating up Luzens without mercy if they find them, calling them kin.
During the lecture, I listed the reasons why one should not trust the Gganf enthusiastically.
While talking about the fierce battles with the Luzens guys who had been rolling around for almost 3 years.
And when the almost 2-hour lecture ended.
“Trainees. Elves are our allies. But Luzens are not. Then, what should we call them?”
“Gganf!!”
“Correct. Then, what is Gganf?”
“Our main enemy!!”
Hmm. Very satisfying. You will all become great soldiers!
*
It was a sudden dispatch duty. But it was quite satisfying.
A mere lieutenant like me moving together with a Medal of Honor recipient.
It’s an honor. When I have children later, I will definitely brag about it! Definitely!
“Are you really leaving tomorrow? Just don’t go today together.”
“Only attend the religious service. I want to say proper goodbyes.”
“Whew… yeah. Do as you like.”
After greeting my friends (Karl Adelheit Sergeant is a weirdo but…) , I boarded the carriage again with Sergeant to the station.
The train cars were already assigned to first-class seats since the training camp director had spoken.
“Ugh.”
As soon as I sat in the seat, Sergeant sighed deeply and leaned back.
He must be very tired. After all, he gave a passionate lecture in front of hundreds of trainees.
To not disturb him―
“Ah. Major Megi. Major, you worked hard too.”
Startled by the sudden words, I unconsciously sighed.
Honestly, calling it hard work is just like dispatch duty.
Moreover, I am an officer. This is normal. But Sergeant is discharged but still like this. So, if we talk about hardships, Sergeant suffered ten times more than me.
“No. The Sergeant suffered more.”
“True. Then, let’s share a little eye contact with those who suffered together. Because I was in that damn dormitory, I couldn’t sleep well because all kinds of thoughts came to mind.”
Where is a soldier who doesn’t hate rest! It seems the Medal of Honor recipient is different.
If he were a senior, he would have told me to think about what to do after returning, but now, so then 40 minutes of sweet sleep…
Boom!―
“Uwaaaah!”
What? What is this? Explosion? Is the train derailed or something?!
A major accident?! Am I going to die? I just got promoted to major?!
“Ka, Karl Sergeant! Are you, are you okay―”
“…Shit. Damn Gganf bastards.”
Instantly, I unconsciously held my breath.
The Karl Sergeant I liked was gone, and a demon from hell appeared in his eyes.