The Sniper's Mentor, Yet I Can't Shoot the Gun
Lavrenti? Madam? Me? So, does that mean I'm Karl's wife?
Oh my god. How could something so desirable happen! Ah, no! I can't say embarrassing things!
“Eh, ehue?”
“Lavr?”
“Hee. Seeing both of your reactions, it seems correct!”
No! Don't call me madam! We just became a little closer to Karl!
If this happens, Karl might feel burdened and push me away even more! I have to stop this. I need to clarify that it's not that kind of relationship.
Even if it might happen someday, it's not now. That's how it has to be.
“Lavrenti?”
“You may call me Lavr comfortably!”
“I see. Lavr. It's really nice to meet you.”
“Yes! Nice to meet you too! Ah, you don't have to speak formally!”
“Sigh. How can that be. You're a precious person.”
Yes, I'm a precious person. Calling me madam... Sigh. This isn't it.
At least, I received the Silver Star Medal! I have to maintain etiquette!
That's right! I'm acting in a mannerly way because of the madam title! Not because of that!
“Lavr.”
“Yes, Master.”
“It's not that kind of relationship. Go apologize to Selena right now.”
Karl?! It's not like that, but ordering me to apologize too?!
“Eh? Not like that?”
“No. I troubled Selena because of that a long time ago.”
Of course I troubled her! But now I'm fine! Not troubled at all!
I even think it would be good if I did. So, Lavr, you just—
“Then it's fortunate... No. Sorry, Selena-nim. I made a mistake.”
“...No. Lavr. It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong.”
Yes. If I made a mistake, it's Karl and me. Those two.
I forcibly held back a sigh. It seemed like the path was quite long.
...But, before that sorry thing, was there something? Must be my imagination?
*
That was close. The relationship that had just recovered could have become a mess again.
Due to the public confession incident, Selena's mental state was on the verge of shattering.
And I was severely scolded and my mental state was fragmented into molecular units.
I don't want to recall that time at all.
Thanks to that, I went to the army, endured all sorts of hardships, and faced everything.
Selena also spent her time subtly struggling with guilt.
“Let's sit down first. There are quite a few things I want to ask while standing.”
“Yes, Master.”
First, I want to ask why you call me Master. Definitely.
“Congratulations on your discharge. When did you get out?”
“A few days ago. The discharge certificate's ink probably hasn't dried yet.”
“I also haven't been out for a few months.”
Then, suddenly, Lavrenti's Silver Star Medal on her chest comes into view.
Both me and Selena were curious about that a bit.
“If you received the medal, wouldn't you have been made a permanent soldier?”
“Ah, this? Master is right. On the day of discharge, I kept asking if I could stay without reporting.”
“...You endured that?”
“Yes? Then should I have gotten angry?”
If it were me, I wouldn't just get angry; I'd smash the head of the guy who said that.
Not any day, on the discharge day, and asking that during reporting is too much.
Just sending him home alive is something that Jesus and Buddha would have given up their seats for.
“Lavr also saved people like Karl?”
At this moment, Selena, who had been quietly listening, subtly asked about the medal.
Is Lavrenti also like that? Is that why she's calling me Master?
If that's the case, I can understand. If she did it to gain inspiration from me—
“No, Selena-nim. That's not it. I couldn't save hundreds of lives like Master. I just killed to survive, like other soldiers.”
It's natural for a soldier to kill an enemy on the battlefield. No reason to be scolded.
But receiving a medal means I killed more than average.
“Um. Actually, I was a sniper.”
“...Eh?”
You called me Master. You're my disciple. But suddenly a sniper appears.
“A sniper?”
“Yes. Gganfs... Ah! So, the Gganfs here mean—”
“I know that. Radical elves. Hardliners. Luzens.”
“Ah! You know?!”
“Thanks to who?”
Sigh. Of course I know. For people close to me, Gganf should be more familiar than elf.
My small wish is that there won't be anyone calling Luzens elves.
“So, Lavr? What about the Gganfs.”
“They called me White Feather.”
“...Wait a minute. What?”
White Feather? Officially 93, unofficially over 300.
A crazy sharp shooter who sniped without a scope. That's Lavr, you?!
“White... Feather?”
“Ah. You didn't know. Hehehe... Well, it's not like I did anything as great as Master. This is embarrassing. I think I said something unnecessary!”
No, absolutely not. Rather, you might be more famous than me. The world.
In the battlefield, the most reliable is the sharp shooter, and among them, White Feather is the top.
Even though it's far from our front, it was amazing.
“Wow. I'm envious. Some hit the enemy with one shot, some hit allies with one shot.”
“Corporal Karl. Can't I switch to White Feather's unit?”
Thinking about it now, it's ridiculous. I was teased a lot for being a bad shot.
The best sniper, the best sharp shooter, and it's you who calls me Master!
“No, wait. Wait.”
I can't delay anymore. I have to ask.
Why am I your Master? Why are you my disciple?
“Are you really White Feather? The White Feather who is the best sharp shooter?”
“U-um, yes. Master.”
“Then why are you my disciple. Why am I your Master.”
*
The reasons people enlisted in the Empire's army varied.
Some to prove themselves. Some to build courage. Some just pushed.
In that regard, I could say I was the third.
“Your enlistment reason is quite shocking. Lavrenti. To reduce your mouth, right.”
I still remember the female officer who was in charge of female enlistment shaking her head.
But what could I do. I have six younger siblings under me.
My parents were definitely good people. They raised me and my siblings with all their might.
They always poured love, and worked day and night to not let us go hungry.
I loved such parents. And I loved my siblings too.
So, I left home and enlisted in the army.
For my family. To reduce the burden, and when I return, to share the burden.
“You don't want to know what kind of people you were outside. What kind of work you did! You don't need to know! Do you know why?!”
“I don't know!”
“That's because you are no longer 'people'! From now on, you are soldiers! The soldiers of the Empire's army are soldiers inside, no matter what they were outside!!”
Training was tough. Those who couldn't adapt were all sent home.
I felt like quitting several times. I cried wanting to see my parents and siblings.
But I couldn't. I had family I had to take responsibility for.
As the eldest sister, I had to relieve the burden of my parents.
...Of course, I never imagined I'd go to the battlefield.
“Lavrenti Private. Change from conscript to rifleman.”
Maybe because my shooting score was good during training. I became a rifleman.
At first, I was glad. At least I wouldn't have to fight elves with spear and sword.
But soon I had to give up that thought....
“Treat the gun as more precious than your life!”
“If you can't hit, prepare! Do you know how expensive gunpowder is?!”
Wasn't the Empire the leader in guns and gunpowder...? But they said this...?
I thought you just shoot. But no. For the citizens of the Empire, you have to hit no matter what.
No, but... If it was that easy, it wouldn't make sense. How hard it is to hit this.
Of course, I wanted to shoot well. Because the taxes my parents paid for this bullet.
And finally, the battlefield I encountered... was hell. A nightmare I never want to recall.
“Uwaaaak!”
“My arm! Arm!!”
“Immediate rear evacuation! Hurry!”
As days passed, my condition deteriorated. I became something like a beast from a person.
But with the people who had been with me until now, I barely managed.
One day, a move order came, and we moved to a place far from our front.
At first, I thought it was going to the rear, but I realized it was a reserve for counterattack.
And there, by chance, I met that person.
“You are really the best if you can shoot the gun well. Karl.”
“Shut up, Squad Leader.”
A man alone holding a gun and practicing while others are resting.
At first, it was curiosity. Why is he doing that? I approached.
And while staying for a while, I heard about shooting from that person.
“Look. Don't pull like this, take a breath... .”
“Breathe well. Don't close your eyes. The barrel must always be forward.”
“Posture is important too. Find a place to support like this. If not...”
“In my previous life... No. I heard some human I know crawled 1500m to shoot a gun.”
“Well done. From what I see, you might be able to be a sharp shooter.”
It wasn't a long meeting. However, the most intense meeting.
Until now, I was filled with the sense of duty that I had to do.
But he didn't say I had to do it. He lifted me up with words that I could do well.
For the first time. Someone sincerely, smiling brightly, praising me.
“So, it was fortunate. Master. You said there's no relationship with that woman.”
If there was a relationship, conversation with a gun... Ah, no. Must be crazy.
*
“...”
This is the reason Lavrenti calls me Master.
But. According to my memory, even though she said that, I couldn't hit even one shot next to Lavrenti?