12. I could do it if you want, but...
12. I could do it if you want, but...
"Ah."
Alisa's eyes snapped open. It was early dawn, before the wake-up alarm even rang.
She lay still on her bed, eyes wide open. With the day of the [Solar Knights]' visit approaching, she couldn't sleep a wink from anticipation and excitement.
"Really, for real...!"
The nerd squad leader was still dazed, wondering if this was a dream or reality. She never, ever dreamed she'd actually meet the [Solar Knights] like this.
"Ah, aaaaaah, aaaaaaaaaaaaaah."
She kicked her arms and legs around, unable to contain her joy. She stared intensely at the minute and second hands, desperately wishing for time to pass so morning would come faster.
The wake-up alarm she'd been waiting for, eyes popping out of her head, rang out: Ttaeraeraeraeraengㅡ. As soon as it rang, she jumped up like a fresh recruit who'd just been assigned to the unit and tidied her bed.
She finished cleaning her bed and preparing for roll call before the instructor even entered. Since it was such a big day, the duty officer skipped the usual morning roll call and made them clean again. Even though the cleaning robots, which were basically just piles of junk, had been running all night, there were still plenty of corners that needed a human touch.
The squad members giggled, thinking cleaning was better than morning roll call anyway, and lazily wiped down the area.
After the morning roll call/cleaning, they went to the shower room to wash up and get ready for breakfast. The female squadmates could vividly feel just how excited their squad leader was. With an unhideable smile plastered on that usually ice-cold face of hers all morning, it would be strange not to notice.
After eating, the cadets headed to the [Education Room] to listen to the boring, tedious bragging of the promotional students. Since neither side was particularly motivated, they couldn't help but yawn widely.
Alisa's body was in the [Education Room], but her mind was far away with the [Solar Knights].
"Aaaaaaaaaahㅡ."
She was counting down the days, waiting and waiting for them to visit. Had she ever been this nervous with anticipation in her lifeㅡ! She hadn't even been this nervous when taking her knight qualification exam.
The long, boring morning promotion ended, and while the cadets were taking a break after lunch, an order suddenly came over the broadcast to assemble at the [Drill Ground] immediately.
"Ah!"
Each [Dormitory] instructor led their cadets to the [Drill Ground], where they began to line up in a long row starting from the entrance. The main gate, which should have been firmly shut, was wide open, welcoming the VIPs who hadn't arrived yet.
Everyone was curious about what kind of people the [Solar Knights] were, wondering if they were really as amazing as everyone made a fuss about, even while finding this tedious task annoying.
A short while later, several vehicles began to speed toward them. It wasn't the Commander-nim's vehicle, but the top-tier vehicle of the [Akumansina Planet Headquarters] Chief. The interior wasn't visible due to the black tint, but everyone guessed that the [Solar Knights] were inside.
As soon as the vehicle stopped in front of the training center, the Commander-nim, who had been following behind, quickly got out and clicked the back door open himself.
And from there, a woman with beautiful blonde hair cascading down like a waterfall stepped out, wearing a dazzling uniform. She was an incredible beauty who made your jaw drop just by looking at her. On top of that, her high-and-mighty bearing and aura were so great that one was instantly overwhelmed.
"Ah."
Alisa knew it in an instant. That woman was from the [Solar Knights].
She was the image of a knight that Alisa had longed for so much. She wanted to become a knight like that, too.
Everyone clapped enthusiastically. The [Solar Knights] were escorted by the Commander-nim and the Headquarters Chief and went straight inside the building.
That was it. The cadets, who had been clapping their asses off while lined up, were led back to the [Dormitory] by their instructors.
The buzz-cut girl sat down on her bed as soon as they entered the [Dormitory] and exclaimed, "Wow."
"Fuck, they really did have an air of nobility. I could feel right away that they were just different from us."
"Did you see the Commander-nim and the Headquarters Chief bastard sweating bullets? That's the kind of existence they are. Fuck, would we even be able to look at them?"
"But why did someone like that really come here?"
"How should I know? You know how it is sometimes. Rich people watching beggar bastards and laughing and enjoying it. Probably that kind of psychology."
The squad members were laughing and chatting like that when a female instructor came in and told them to get ready to go to the [Education Room]. Of course, the [Solar Knights], who had flown a long distance, wouldn't come to the [Education Room] right after arriving; they'd probably just listen to more promotional students' pitches this time too.
As expected, the cadets had to listen to more dull and boring promotions all afternoon. In the middle of that boring promotion, Alisa was suddenly called by the instructor.
"Squad leader, follow me."
Even then, Alisa dared not imagine what was about to happen.
"Who called for me?"
"The Commander-nim."
"May I ask the reason?"
"I don't know either."
Alisa's mind was a mess.
Surely the Commander-nim must be busy entertaining the Knight-nim right now, so why would he call her suddenlyㅡ.
She quickly approached the Commander-nim's office. The area was already under tight security.
But funnily enough, the Commander-nim, who had supposedly called trainee Alisa, was waiting for her outside.
"Did you call for me, Commander-nim?"
"Ah, are you Alisa?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Go on in."
Alisa bowed her head once and carefully opened the door to the Commander-nim's office and went inside.
There, the blonde beauty she had seen earlier was sitting in a chair, sipping coffee.
The [Solar Knights]ㅡ!
Alisa couldn't take her eyes off that dazzling figure.
"Aaaaaahㅡ."
It was an honor that would never happen again in her life to greet such a great person in front of her. Alisa gave the best salute she could.
"It is an infinite honor to meet you. I am Alisa Cabriㅡ!"
The [Solar Knight], Ellis, put down her coffee cup with a tak and smiled softly in response.
"Nice to meet you, Alisa. I heard about you from Kal. That you're an excellent trainee who wants to become a knight."
...Kal...?
However, she quickly forgot that bastard's name and focused all her attention back on the Knight-nim.
"Becoming an excellent knight like you is my dreamㅡ!"
"Like me? Hehe."
The Headquarters Chief laughed hehe upon hearing that title. Ah. Alisa realized her mistake for a moment.
"I, I am sorry."
"No, it's fine. If you become a knight, I'll be your Sunbae-nim. I'll root for you."
"Thank youㅡ!"
"Right, I called you while you were busy, so you can go now."
"Then I will take my leaveㅡ!"
She saluted sharply again and left the Commander-nim's office. As soon as she came out, the Commander-nim told her to go back to her seat, saying she worked hard.
As she headed to the [Education Room] led by the instructor again, her tension eased, and her legs felt wobbly.
Haa, haa.
To think she had greeted the [Solar Knights] in personㅡ.
It was just a simple greeting, but to her, it was a tremendous honor that she couldn't guarantee would ever come again in her remaining life.
After seeing the Knight-nim, her desire to become a knight became even more intense.
- If you become a knight, I'll be your Sunbae-nim. I'll root for you.
She said she'd root for me.... She said if I become a knight, she'll be my Sunbae-nim...!
Alisa's breathing became rapid, and her heart pounded kung-kung-kung-kung. Even after arriving at the [Education Room], she kept replaying the scene where she met the Knight-nim in her head. No matter what the promotional student was blabbering about in front, it didn't enter her ears.
The [Solar Knights]' promotion is tomorrow morningㅡ. Honestly, the word "promotion" was too insulting to them..., but well, it was a promotion in name anyway.
She spent the time feeling like she was sitting in a flower garden all day. It was a dreamy feeling, like floating on a cloud.
Then, after dinner, Alisa happened to run into Kal for a moment. He passed her a note while pretending not to know her. After returning to the dormitory building, she went into the bathroom, sat on the toilet, and unfolded the note to read it.
- Midnight today. Meeting spot.
The excitement she felt from meeting the Knight-nim cooled down instantly. Honestly, since there was a monumental event tomorrow, she didn't want to take such a risk at night, but since that crazy bastard would definitely make a fuss if she didn't go to the meeting spot, she had to go whether she liked it or not.
The security would be tighter than usual....
Still, what could she do? She had to be more careful.
After the evening roll call ended, the squad members all sighed deeply and lay down. When it became a dark night, Alisa got up from her seat carefully so as not to wake anyone.
She opened the [Dormitory] door very carefully and went outside. At the end of the hallway, the duty non-commissioned officer and the night watchman were nodding off.
"Okayㅡ."
She quickly stuck to the hallway wall, opened a window, and went outside through it.
Of course, there were security guards outside too, but since she already knew the blind spots, she used her quick movements to deceive their eyes and completely left the dormitory building.
And when she arrived at the meeting spot, that fucking bastard was already leaning against the wall, waiting with a sly smileㅡ!
"Ah, our pretty one is here?"
"I told you clearly not to call me pretty, didn't I?"
"Then cutie?"
"Just call me by my name."
"You're no fun. You won't be loved by men like that, you know?"
Alisa, wanting to return quickly, crossed her arms, turned her head sharply, and asked bluntly,
"Just state your business. I'm going back soon. You know what day tomorrow is, right?"
"Ah, of course I do. The day our pretty one gets excited."
"Hey, I told you not to call me that. That's my last warning. If you do it again, I'm just going to leave."
"A, alright. Cheㅡ."
Kal approached Alisa with his hands in his pockets and a swaggering gait. He looked just like a hoodlum from a back alley.
"You met our Knight-nim today, right?"
"...What...?"
"You went out in the middle of the promotion earlier. I saw you."
Alisa wondered what the hell this guy was talking about.
"I told them to at least take a look at your face. ...Didn't they say my name?"
......Ah.......
Seeing Kal's sly smile, Alisa suddenly remembered what the Knight-nim had said earlier. ...It was a part she had completely forgotten because she was so excited about meeting the Knight-nim she respected.
- I heard about you from Kal. That you're an excellent trainee who wants to become a knight.
I heard about you from Kal. I heard about you from Kal. I heard about you from Kal....
The words kept repeating in her head.
Kal, Kal, Kal.
How could that person mention this bastard's name? How? Why? ...How could that person know this guy?
Kal, seeing Alisa staring at him with a stupid expression, laughed crudely and shoved his face in.
"I have some connections. I asked for a small favor."
Ah.
"How was it? Was it good enough to make you piss yourself?"
Ah.
Alisa hung her head low. Strangely, her body was trembling. ...She didn't know how to express this feeling. She felt so strange.
"Hey, why aren't you saying anything? Was it not good? Did I do something useless? Huh?"
"H...how did you do it? How, are you connected to that person?"
"Aaaah, thatㅡ. Well, a bit, I'm, a bit, successful, right? Keu-heu-heu."
Seeing that annoying figure acting all high and mighty while laughing wickedly made her fist ache. Alisa really couldn't be more frustrated.
Why did the universe give talent and connections to a bastard like thisㅡ!
"I did it specially because I like you. Be grateful, our pretty one, heu-heu."
Kal tapped Alisa's soft bobbed hair. Normally, she would have screamed at the top of her lungs asking what he was doing and gone crazy, but she didn't react at all. ...No, she couldn't.
"You like it so much, I had to help you out."
"...There was no need for that."
She forced her mouth open to say that.
"Huh? Really? ...Sseueup, is that so...."
She clenched her fist and gritted her teeth.
"Then that means you don't need any other favors? ...Personal interview, well, something like that."
Personal interview.
At that, Alisa felt her sphincter tighten.
"Ahㅡ."
A personal interview with the [Solar Knights].
A one-on-one meeting with the greatest knights in the universe.
It was something she would give everything she had to achieve if it were her.
Where could there be a more honorable thing for her than thatㅡ!
"I could do it if you asked, but, well, if you don't want to, I can't help it. ...Then never mind. I'm going first."
Kal tapped Alisa's cheek lightly and turned around.
This was that guy's manipulation.
It was that cunning bastard's schemeㅡ!
Alisa clenched her fist so hard her nails dug into her skin and squeezed her eyes shut.
A personal interview with the [Solar Knights].
Thinking about that, she couldn't bear it. ...Among those who desire to be knights, is there anyone who could endure this?
"W, wait...."
Kal, who was walking slowly, stopped and looked back. A sly smile was hanging on his face.
"Why? You have something to say?"
Rage welled up at his hypocritical attitude of pretending not to know, but she was in a thoroughly subordinate position right now. She had no choice but to ask, no matter what it took.
After a long silence, Alisa finally parted her lips again.
"Really..., can you do that...?"
She finally askedㅡ.
Kal, feeling good, laughed out loud.
"Of course."