Chapter 50

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 4

Chapter Title: Military Life Points Shop

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With the final training march of 40km now over, every schedule was finally wrapping up.

There was nothing left for the trainees to worry about. At most, there was just the graduation ceremony the day before assignment to their units.

In Korean recruit training camps, they made you practice all sorts of ridiculous nonsense right up until the ceremony, but fortunately, things were different here—no pointless antics.

All the trainees who had finished their training just needed to prepare for their unit assignments. The training center handled the entire graduation ceremony.

Only three days remained.

Tomorrow was for resting and turning in supplies,

the day after was the graduation ceremony,

and the day after that, they’d finally head to their units.

"Jeong-woo...!"

Right after the march,

I met Kate one more time.

I hadn’t been dragged out against my will this time. In fact, I was the one who suggested we meet first.

"You did great. Really great!"

Kate offered her sincere congratulations now that the march was over.

She was even happier than me about the record I’d set. The prickly, annoying girl had become someone who could rejoice in others’ achievements.

Mwah.

Her lips brushing my cheek didn’t feel unpleasant at all.

A little embarrassing, sure. But honestly, it felt good.

"Go rest early. Got it? Put a blanket under your legs when you sleep—it’ll help. That’ll relieve the fatigue built up in your legs in no time."

"Yeah."

I’d pushed myself way too hard, so my feet were covered in blisters, and my muscles were screaming in exhaustion...

But my mind felt relieved.

Any wounds on my body would heal with the [Vitality Recovery] skill anyway. Nothing to worry about.

"It’s really over now."

"Yeah."

What really nagged at me was my relationship with Kate.

She was clearly cheering me on, and she wasn’t clinging to me like an idiot anymore.

But that’s exactly why she was on my mind.

"Here, eat this first. You must’ve been exhausted, right?"

The girl who’d snuck snacks into her inner pocket just to meet me alone.

I didn’t know what they were made of, but they seemed like chocolate—sweet and fragrant, very memorable.

"Thanks."

I popped it into my mouth without hesitation. My weary body craved calories and sugar.

Honestly, I wasn’t even hungry.

After a march ends, you don’t really think about what to eat. You’re just so damn tired and sore that you want to collapse and sleep.

This was purely for survival.

If I didn’t eat now, I’d pass out before I could even sleep.

"...Thanks, really."

"No problem."

The moment I unwrapped it and bit in, happiness flooded me.

It had been a hellish march, one I never wanted to do again...

But now that it was over and I was munching on snacks, the "hellish" part faded, replaced by "it was doable."

"...Tastes good."

Thanks to Kate’s snack, all the memories of training camp turned sweet and bittersweet.

We’d fought, poured out sweat...

But in the end, even the annoying incidents melted away like this little chocolate, seeping into my body.

"You can rest a bit longer before going. I’ll cover for you. Want another?"

This time, another identical snack emerged from her other pocket. She’d brought quite a few.

"Yeah. Thanks."

"What’s to thank? It’s what an instructor should do for trainees."

It tasted good.

I gobbled them up eagerly each time she offered, barely filling my starving stomach.

"...But I only give one to the other trainees. Nyaat."

It wasn’t a particularly funny joke, but a chuckle escaped anyway.

I laughed, and Kate followed suit.

Ours was an ambiguous relationship we couldn’t quite define, but we didn’t bother labeling this fragile bond.

It wasn’t just trainee and instructor. Not friends, not lovers.

A relationship just for us two.

Close, yet distant.

"Want more?"

"Yeah."

But both of us had changed from before.

I didn’t push Kate away as much, and she didn’t cling so desperately.

"You eat so well—it’s nice to watch~"

Her tail occasionally slapped against me—that cute, furry tail leaving hairs behind.

"Anyway, rest up. You only wanted to meet because the barracks feel awkward, right? I won’t bother you. Just sit and relax."

But despite her consideration, I still had something to do.

"That’s not why I called you here."

"Hee? Then what’re we doing alone? Aren’t you tired from the march...? W-what, if you want to..."

"...No, not that either. Can you keep watch for a sec? Please?"

With Kate in front of me, I looked at the tattoo on my wrist.

With just three days left at the training center, the first digit was about to change for the first time.

I pressed that familiar yet repulsive tattoo...

And the status window popped up.

"What’re you doing?"

Kate couldn’t see it.

My personal status window, invisible to others...

And there—

A gift prepared just for me.

Every option was great. But only one immediately caught my eye.

The very item Captain Yujin had handed over so casually, like it was nothing.

I spent over half of my 50 hard-earned points in an instant, acquiring my own magic tool.

Thud—

A hefty smartphone dropped into my palm.

"Nyaat!? W-what’s that?"

A very familiar smartphone.

The exact one I’d used on Earth.

The sensation felt nostalgic after so long. Living a month without one made the weight feel alien.

Turning on the screen revealed a message plastered there.

Good sense.

I almost felt bad for cursing those gods all this time.

I clasped my hands in prayer to some unknown deity, pouring in my gratitude and apology, then gripped the phone and...

"..."

Dialed.

A familiar ringtone played—my mom’s favorite old singer’s song, never more welcome.

But the highlight-starting tune cut off after mere seconds.

Just 3 seconds.

In that brief moment...

[Hello? Jeong-woo?]

Mom picked up.

Too quick—it threw me off. I hadn’t even decided what to say.

[You brat, if you’re going somewhere, you tell your mom first! Are you doing okay? Huh?]

Mom unleashed a torrent of words the instant she answered.

Unlike my unprepared self, she’d clearly rehearsed exactly how to scold and nag me.

But that familiar voice trembled. Raw emotion seeped through the phone.

[How do you go a whole month without contact? Even if you’re off traveling with your girlfriend, not a word to your mom and dad...]

So I couldn’t bring myself to speak.

[Don’t make your girlfriend relay messages—call yourself next time! Got it?]

If I told her everything I’d been through, would she believe me?

[...Anyway, no injuries, right? You’re doing fine? Huh?]

She knew nothing of isekai or whatever, this auntie with the first hints of gray hair.

But Mom would believe me.

That’s why I couldn’t say it.

Telling her I’d been dragged to some weird world and spinning my wheels would just worry her needlessly.

She couldn’t solve anything, but she’d agonize alone and run around begging for help everywhere.

"Of course. I’ll come home soon~"

So I said it confidently.

Lies? I was a pro by now.

Sorry, but I made all my childhood game accounts with Mom and Dad’s social security numbers. Lied about academies to hit PC bangs at least 20 times.

"So, how’s Mom? What’re you up to?"

[What do you think? Eating with your dad. Overseas is nice—hotels are so fancy, I’m scared to break anything.]

I gave no info on me, just extracted hers.

Captain Yujin ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠must’ve sent them to some overseas hotel. At least that was a relief.

"Oh yeah? Might as well enjoy it~"

[Never been anywhere like this in my life. Not our fate for such luxury. Went to a Korean restaurant yesterday—craved kimchi. Too much meat gets boring.]

Hawaii or Guam maybe.

I’d planned to send them myself once I made bank.

[...But it’s good! Expensive stuff’s the best. Yeah. Thanks to my son, seeing places like this.]

"Got it."

[But when did you start dating her?]

"..."

My heart grew complicated.

How to even bring up Yujin?

[Jeong-woo, you’re okay, right?]

"Aigoo, so much worry. Don’t fuss over your son’s love life—have fun together and come back."

[Okay, okay. Where’d you find her? So ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pretty. Our boy’s got skills.]

Thankfully, Mom didn’t pry further.

Maybe she changed the subject because I couldn’t speak easily.

"Takes after you, what else? Stay healthy. I’ll drop by home soon."

[Yeah. Call often anyway.]

"Yeah. Hanging up."

[Okay.]

The call ended.

The faint thread of connection snapped once more.

Silence filled the space.

Kate, having seen and heard it all, didn’t speak easily, just swishing her tail...

"You really are from another world."

She lit a cigarette.

A sight in ages. She’d been smoking like that when we first met.

"Told you."

She quietly placed her empty left hand on my shoulder and smoked in silence...

"Hang in there."

"Yeah."

"...Smells ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠bad, should I put it out?"

"Nah, it’s fine."

The mood was shitty.

Vaguely shitty, not enough to get mad.

"Got another?"

"Wanna smoke?"

"Yeah."

Kate pulled one from her pocket. Thick and stubby—more cigar than cigarette.

"Okay to smoke? It’s pretty strong mana herb."

"Yeah. Gimme one?"

This was the Albatross Union,

this isekai where men and women were oddly swapped.

Chiiik—

I sat side by side with the cat-eared, tailed girl, lighting up.

The smell was acrid and harsh, but I didn’t mind.

Fuu—

Filling my mouth with smoke and exhaling slowly brought a strange calm.

Pale haze rose upward. The ceiling was sealed, but oblivious, it kept drifting.

The smoke that rose so diligently eventually hit the ceiling and scattered.

Nothing was visible to my eyes now.

Only the lingering bite of that harsh smoke...

gently brushing my nose.