Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Barus's Resolve
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"Ch-Chief, Thousand-Man Commander?"
Barus's face twisted in shock, as if his butt was about to lift off his seat.
He had expected significant growth due to the major contributions in ending Bieltona's long war.
But no matter how great the achievement, could a mere Hundred-Man Commander jump straight to Thousand-Man Commander?
Of course, looking back through the kingdom's long history, there might have been cases of such special promotions.
Even so, facing it directly, he couldn't help but be astonished.
At Barus's stunned expression, Lian spoke up.
"The first person who came to mind was you, Barus. I came to Bieltona hoping you would join Arrowhead."
He had agonized over it on the way to Bieltona.
It was true that Barus and his unit could bolster their forces, but he worried if bringing Barus along was realistically possible.
Bieltona was like home to Barus.
Having defended it for so long, he couldn't help but have deep attachment to the place.
That's why Lian had wondered if Barus could really leave Bieltona, but seeing him now sparked a slightly different thought.
Barus's eyes trembled faintly at Lian's words.
"All the troops here?"
"That's not for me to decide. It's up to you and the soldiers."
Then, hesitating slightly, Lian said to Barus.
"But... if you join us, I'd be endlessly grateful. The path ahead for Arrowhead may be fraught with peril. Tough battles could lie in wait."
"That doesn't matter!"
Barus shot to his feet, shouting.
A strange vitality had already settled on his face.
As his expression changed in an instant, Lian and Isaac swallowed hard and fell silent.
Barus looked at the two and said.
"I'll check right away."
"There's no rush. We can stay in Bieltona for about ten days."
"I want to do it quickly."
"Then I'll leave it to you."
Unlike the worries on the way to Bieltona, things were progressing smoothly.
Barus hurried out of the quarters like he was running, and Isaac, still baffled by his demeanor, turned to Lian.
"He seems... incredibly happy."
"From Barus's perspective, it might feel like finding a path forward."
"A battlefield as a path forward? If he wants to fight, couldn't he just move his unit to another region?"
The Artian Kingdom was still rife with conflicts and battles in many places.
Given the strength of Barus's unit, relocating them to another front would benefit the kingdom far more.
Isaac looked at Lian as if he couldn't comprehend, but Lian just shook his head.
"He probably couldn't leave on his own volition. He's that sense of responsibility-driven."
He had guarded Bieltona for so long and likely believed he had to continue doing so.
That's the kind of man Lian knew Barus to be.
So perhaps what he needed was a 'justification' he could accept himself.
And regardless of intent, 'Lian and the Arrowhead Unit' seemed justification enough for Barus.
'But...'
Honestly, what surprised Lian was something else.
Barus joining Arrowhead meant coming under his command.
For the prideful, it could be worse than death.
Yet for Barus, it didn't seem to warrant even a moment's hesitation.
It was tantamount to Barus acknowledging Lian.
"For now, let's wait. Just because Barus moves doesn't guarantee a good outcome."
Lian had to exercise utmost caution.
Once they entered political battles, the moment their thousand-man unit formed, it could devolve into a muddy slog.
These were lives precious one by one.
In such a risky situation, they needed to make their own 'choice.'
"Yes."
Isaac agreed with Lian's thinking. So all they could do now was wait.
* * *
It wasn't an impulsive decision.
As he left the quarters and headed toward where the soldiers gathered, Barus recalled a few months back.
'It was already decided. I just lacked the resolve to act on it.'
When Porhen Gorge's pass was destroyed and the ceasefire declared in Bieltona, the Arrowhead Unit returned to their original post.
Watching them leave, Barus felt an emptiness in his chest.
And what he truly wanted then was,
'To go with them.'
Standing still in place for so long had been hellish for Barus.
He wanted to fight, to advance.
The departing Arrowhead Unit looked just like that.
A model unit steadfastly pursuing their goals, step by step.
And leading them, Lian was someone drawing closer to his own ideals.
Young as he was, unlike Barus, he kept growing and turning the impossible into reality.
The very ideal he had dreamed of when first becoming a soldier.
Clench.
With his resolve firm, Barus gripped his fist and began assembling the soldiers.
* * *
"What's going on?"
"It's been ages since Captain Barus called everyone together like this."
At the sudden summons, the soldiers gathered with puzzled expressions in front of Bieltona's east gate.
It was the widest open space, used for such occasions.
Homel waited in silence for Barus.
'What could he be thinking...?'
It clearly involved Lian and Isaac, but he couldn't predict it.
Soon Barus appeared, and all eyes turned to him.
"Hoo..."
Barus surveyed the assembled soldiers.
About five hundred, roughly.
Many had taken up arms out of necessity, so after the barbarian tribes war ended, quite a few returned to civilian life.
Barus addressed the gathered soldiers.
"I've called you here to relay an important matter."
The charismatic presence from before.
With his words, the soldiers stiffened and focused intently.
Barus continued.
"No beating around the bush. The vice commander and deputy of the Arrowhead Unit, who fought alongside us, have come. They're here to recruit for their expanded unit, thanks to the merits from this battle."
No reason to sugarcoat it.
Besides, Barus had no intention of persuading them.
He simply wanted to go with those who shared his mindset.
"They say Arrowhead will face grueling battles ahead. But despite that, I intend to join them."
Swish.
Barus glanced lightly around.
The former ruins were gone; Bieltona now seemed livable.
Those staying could build peaceful families, raise children, live happily—dreams for some.
With fields being cleared, livelihood wouldn't be an issue.
But Barus didn't want that.
'My place... isn't here.'
Barus looked at the soldiers and said.
"Those seeking peaceful rest, stay here. But those who still crave the heat of battle... won't you come with me to Arrowhead?"
Some soldiers stirred greatly at his words.
After a decade-plus, abandoning hard-won peace for war again made Barus seem mad.
Then,
Step.
"I want to go with you, Captain Barus."
"I want to go to the battlefield too."
Suddenly, a few soldiers stepped forward and stood before Barus.
Barus nodded.
"No forcing it. Just pursue the life you want. But if you wish to join me, stand here."
To those hesitating, he added.
"If you need to discuss with family or ponder, take your time. Three days, exactly three days, then we leave Bieltona. Settle what you must... and let's go together."
That was it.
Barus ordered dismissal, but most soldiers didn't budge.
The abrupt proposal without warning sowed confusion among them.
In that moment, Homel approached Barus.
"Captain."
"Homel, sorry. I acted on my own without consulting."
"No, but... are you really leaving?"
Barus nodded at Homel's question, his eyes resolute.
Homel let out a small sigh.
"I..."
"Lieutenant Homel, no pressure. I just hope you and all the soldiers find happiness."
Even if that happiness lay in hellish battlefields.
But Homel had no intention of leaving Bieltona.
This was his home, and he didn't want to relive that hellish battlefield.
"...I'm sorry, Captain Barus."
Barus silently patted the bowing Homel's shoulder.
* * *
Three days passed.
During that time, Lian and Isaac stayed comfortably in the quarters Barus provided.
On the third day, Barus headed again to the east gate.
Today was when the soldiers who had made their decisions would gather.
"...Hoo."
He told himself numbers didn't matter, but tension crept in anyway.
When Barus arrived at the east gate,
Halt.
He stopped unwittingly.
The gathered soldiers spotted him.
"You're here, Commander!"
"Commander, we've decided to go with you!"
"Take us too!"
He couldn't count precisely at a glance, but roughly three hundred soldiers roared toward Barus.
'...I thought it'd be under thirty.'
Of course.
Everyone values their life. No one wanted to return to that hell.
Barus realized now.
'There are... many like me.'
At the front, Yufelson.
His words had dwindled with peace, but now?
His eyes sparkled like before, as if vitality returned.
And beside him, Paul was the same.
"...Good. We'll all go together."
That path might be hell, but as long as they lived, they'd wander hell inevitably.
"Rest is for after death."
""Yes-!!""
With their resounding reply, Barus stepped forward.