Chapter 18: First Day, Gotta Make 'Em Eat Shit
Arthur and his group had finally arrived at the territory army training camp.
"We'll see you back at the mansion, young master."
"Yeah."
Arthur replied like that, but he couldn't shake off his worry.
Colos held the reins here, which made it all the more nagging at him.
On top of that, the servants and maids had picked up on how much Colos despised and scorned the Press family.
The bastard had played nice on the surface while subtly tormenting them all this time.
Just in case, I've attached scouting animals to everyone at the mansion...
Arthur had assigned the hawks he'd bought from the Cash Shop to watch over his household.
Convenient, huh.
It was an advantage other lords, whose realities weren't linked like his, couldn't touch.
Soon, Arthur blended into the ranks of the new territory army recruits.
They stood ramrod straight, full of discipline.
I was like that too when I first came here.
Arthur let out a smirk.
That's when he spotted a familiar face—a boy riding in on horseback amid a rush of territory soldiers.
An eighteen-year-old with a short-cropped head.
His build looked solid enough.
Tall at around 180cm, and not bad-looking either.
This was Colton, Colos's son—the one who'd slaughtered Arthur's entire household.
Back already, huh.
Monsters had been rampaging not far from Brat Territory, and the army had gone out on a subjugation squad. Looked like they'd just returned today.
Arthur swallowed his rage.
"Everyone, move out."
Instructor Lauden scanned the new recruits and gave the order.
They marched off at his command, straight into hellish training.
Of course, Arthur stood out far more than the other recruits.
Rumors from the territory army exam had spread like wildfire among the newbies, and today they saw for themselves that it was all true.
"Incredible, Arthur. Were you holding back this whole time?"
"Not holding back—just didn't see the point in showing it."
The boy named Lucas was the timid type, but he chattered endlessly with people he liked.
Arthur found it annoying but answered anyway.
The kid wasn't fake or a bad sort.
Today, too, while eating the lunch his mother had packed, Arthur discreetly opened his hologram and checked on the scouting animals around the grounds.
Unlike his scheming father Colos, Colton wore his thuggish nature on his sleeve.
Yet no one dared touch him—thanks to being Colos's son and his own damn skill.
Qualified for the knight order before turning twenty.
The bastard had real talent.
"So I've been thinking..."
Arthur half-listened to Lucas's nonstop mumbling, quietly finishing his lunch.
"Nngh..."
"Ugh... this sucks..."
Hans and the Press family servants were hauling massive boulders.
The announcement had promised women light cleaning duties, but that was a lie.
Other volunteers got cleaning, sure—but the Press women were stuck moving rocks.
This is blatant discrimination...
The soldiers claimed manpower shortages, but it was obvious bullshit.
Fewer male volunteers than expected? Yeah, right. The ones giving orders were Colos's loyal lapdogs.
Damn you, Colos!
Hans cursed inwardly but kept hauling.
Soldiers not fanatically loyal to Colos watched with unease.
This is too much...
Making women do that?
Colos kept mouths shut tight in the ranks.
Most knew it was wrong but stayed silent.
Runi, drenched in sweat, dragged a huge rock.
"Heave...!"
"Let's take a break. Lunch first, everyone."
Hans spoke up for the exhausted Runi.
The servants nodded in agreement.
They headed for a spot to sit.
Just then, Colton and some soldiers approached.
Drunk?
Colton and his crew had flushed faces and booze bottles.
Back from subjugation with the captain's son in tow—no one chewed them out for boozing on camp grounds.
They couldn't.
Colton eyed them as he passed.
He'd heard about Arthur.
That coward? Whatever.
The exam scores impressed him a bit.
But just a bit.
Still a rookie in his book.
Passing them, Colton kicked the cloth-wrapped bundle.
"What's this junk in the way?"
"Eek!"
"...!"
The cloth unraveled, spilling dry, stale bread onto the dirt.
"Oops, my bad."
Colton grinned slyly; his soldiers burst out laughing, clutching their guts.
"Th-the bread..."
Stale and tasteless, but it was all they had.
No surplus cash to waste food.
"Just brush it off and eat. Right?"
Hans played it cool, ignoring them as he dusted the bread and forced a smile.
But everyone knew it wasn't the dirt—they hurt for how low the Press family had sunk.
Things weren't like this when Acaus was alive.
"Let's sit here and drink."
Colton plopped down nearby, spreading out snacks and guzzling with his crew.
Hans said the words but didn't eat.
Neither did the others.
Last shred of pride.
Grrrrowl.
Someone's stomach rumbled.
"Let's move somewhere else."
Hans knew nothing good came from dealing with them.
They were wafting chicken smells like it was bait.
As they rose—
Something thwacked Hans's head.
"Ow?"
A chicken leg hit the ground.
Colton had chucked it.
"Whoops, aimed for the cloth. Eh, no biggie—brush it off and eat."
"H-ha... yeah."
He claimed he meant to share, but anyone could see the truth.
Colton swigged from his bottle.
"Brush it off and eat, I said?"
"Nah, not hungry."
Hans smiled awkwardly.
Then a drunk soldier piped up.
"Whoa, Runi, right? Killer tits."
"..."
Runi clutched her chest.
Hans bit back fury—Colton's goons were all pigs—but this he couldn't swallow.
"That's a bit much, don't you think?"
"Me? What'd I say?"
"Hey, that's crossing a line."
Colton scowled at the soldier.
The man shut up fast.
Colton's glare turned icier toward Hans's group.
"You yelling at my squadmate?"
Colton was their squad leader.
"Heard Arthur's a new recruit. Cute kid."
Hans jolted.
Instructor Lauden watched from afar.
Master Colton again...
His antics were dead wrong.
Plenty of soldiers saw, but no one intervened.
No choice.
They'd get hurt.
"Gave a chicken leg to the neighbor's mutt the other day—wolfed it right down."
Hans got the message.
Eat it like the dog you are.
Young master...
Hans knew the threat.
Don't eat, and we'll hound Arthur relentlessly.
Tears welled, but he grabbed the dirty drumstick.
He knew Arthur had changed, was a genius—but no match for Colton.
He opened his mouth.
Then—swift footsteps.
Slosh slosh.
Bucket in hand.
"Then eat up."
Hans whipped around at the familiar voice.
Arthur stood there.
"E-eat... what?"
Hans's heart sank at Arthur's words.
It's fine. As long as the young master doesn't suffer. Use me if you must.
Foolish thoughts, despite knowing Arthur wasn't like that—and had changed lately.
"Not you, Hans. You guys eat."
Arthur hurled the bucket's contents at the soldiers.
SPLASH!
"Gah!"
"Cough?!"
"Wh-what the hell!"
Foul stench exploded.
"What else? Shit water, you fucking bastards."
Arthur smiled, but his eyes burned colder than ever.
"Trash like you can eat shit."
"Urp—blegh!"
"Agh, the smell!"
Eight soldiers screamed.
Colton was drenched too—his face hardening by the second, plain as day to Arthur.
Seeing them covered in filth, a vicious grin spread across Arthur's face.
He'd watched via hologram since the bread kick.
Sensing trouble, he'd bolted up, scooped shit water in a bucket.
They'd suffer shit poisoning for days.
"You crazy fuck!"
"A recruit pulls this on his seniors?!"
They leaped up, murder in their eyes, drawing swords from belts.
Colton included, naturally.
Hans tackled Arthur in a bear hug.
"Hit me instead!"
He clung desperately, shielding him.
Sorry.
Arthur thought it silently.
For failing them in his past life.
He didn't know, but the Press household had endured this daily back then.
Scorned relentlessly, yet Hans, Runi, Breddin, all the servants smiled through it, calling him "young master."
Not this time.
Arthur vowed to protect his people.
"Hans."
"Please don't hit our young master!"
"S-sorry! We've sinned!"
The servants wailed to the soldiers.
Arthur wanted to ask:
What sin? What do you have to be sorry for—wanting to eat dry bread after backbreaking labor?
The sorry ones were that worm Colton and his goons.
Arthur's voice turned to ice.
"I, Arthur de Press, son of Lord Acaus, command you."
Hans's mind flashed.
He'd heard words like that before.
Runi too, Breddin, the others.
Back when Acaus lived, when they suffered injustice and brushed it off—but he wouldn't have it. He'd commanded them forcefully, for their sake.
Arthur spoke just like that.
The servants knew the meaning better than anyone.