Chapter 41

"Forces."

"Is there really no way?"

"With the equipment here we can only replenish armor plating. Damaged drive parts have to be repaired at a dedicated facility."

"And that dedicated facility is only in the capital?"

The maintenance yard of the frontier frontline base-where both the Alfraian army's incursion and the Great Forest guerrillas had vanished-was uncharacteristically idle.

Because this was a border zone, Orc reconnaissance squads from Alfraia slipped through from time to time, but that was all. Nothing had happened that would make the knights ride out personally.

"Well, given the circumstances, both my frame and I will probably be summoned back to the capital."

As he spoke, Yaan clutched his throbbing head, recalling yesterday's events.

"Lieutenant Yaan Verkut. You're summoned. Your name has been entered for the upcoming knighting ceremony."

"Lieutenant Yaan Verkut. I accept the order."

"Congratulations, Lieutenant. I didn't expect such a quick reply, but as of this moment you are a knight of the Vailsar Empire."

Prince Klaus's face was full of satisfaction as he said it.

"Well, I know your character, so I won't say much-just remember you're a knight and act accordingly. Dismissed."

With those words, Prince Klaus gave Yaan's shoulder a playful tap and grinned.

"Thank you."

From a Penal Corps noncom to an Imperial knight.

It was a promotion so fast it made jaws drop, yet Yaan's expression hardly changed.

"It'd be nice if the fellow at least pretended to be surprised or pleased."

After saying that, Prince Klaus ordered the dismissal. As soon as they left the office, Cain Lorenz greeted Yaan.

"I heard. You're finally keeping your promise, Lieutenant."

"Thanks to you, Sir Knight. Thank you."

"Haha, your face hasn't changed a bit."

At Yaan's lukewarm reaction, Cain forced a wry smile and spoke.

"In fact, I've also been summoned to the capital this time. Looks like we'll be traveling together."

"Understood. I'll prepare."

"Haha, thanks to you the trip won't be boring."

With that, Cain headed back to the knights' quarters to train.

When Yaan arrived at the Greyhounds' barracks, rows of liquor bottles stacked in the center of the multipurpose room were waiting for him.

"...What is this?"

"We heard the news, company commander. You're off to be knighted!"

The squad members grinned as they spoke.

Behind them, Second Lieutenant Dandel-first to spread the rumor-bowed his head as if apologetic.

'Forget adapting. They're still treating me like a pushover.'

The squad members approached Yaan, pressed a glass into his hand, and began pouring.

The golden liquid filled the glass to the brim: a distilled liquor over forty proof.

"We finally have a knight in our company! Let's raise a toast!"

"Waaaaah!"

The men shouted and began filling their own cups to the brim.

At last, after filling Dandel's glass beside Yaan, the Greyhounds raised their cups overhead and waited for Yaan's toast.

"Come on, company commander! Say a few words!"

Yaan quietly regarded the glass in his hand.

After a moment he handed his cup to Dandel beside him and spoke.

"I can't drink. You all enjoy it."

A heavy silence followed.

"...."

"...."

"...Commander, are you joking right now?"

Yaan tilted his head at the Penal Corps men and asked, puzzled.

"Did I do something wrong?"

The soldiers' faces hardened as they slowly closed in.

"Hey, grab him-grab him!"

"Hold him down and pour. After ten bottles he'll give us a toast."

"If the star of the show bails on us, what are we supposed to-hey, hey! He's running!"

"The commander's abandoning his company and running! Catch him! Damn it, catch the commander!"

Crash, clatter!

Sensing the danger, Yaan bolted from the multipurpose room.

Thus began a fierce chase throughout the barracks between the fifty squad members and their commander.

"Hey, this is insubordination, you bastards...!"

"Since we've started, let's see it through!"

"Once he's pickled in booze he'll forget what we did!"

"You crazy idiots!"

Sigh.

In the end, five bottles of liquor were poured down his throat.

He couldn't even remember what he had said midway, and clutching his throbbing head he had to prepare to leave for the capital.

"I'm going too."

"Going where?"

"The capital."

"Why?"

"To repair Glaepnir. And for this."

At Yaan's puzzled look, Ren handed him a sheet of paper.

"...A ball invitation?"

"One of my cover identities: Lady Diana Ren of the Diana viscounty."

"So that's the excuse-what's the real reason?"

When Yaan asked, Ren looked at the eye hidden beneath his eyepatch and spoke.

"It's a secret. You'll know when we arrive."

She never tells me anything properly.

Shaking his head at Ren's usual evasiveness, Yaan returned to the barracks.

He had to lead the leave-bound soldiers to the capital.

"Hey, run! Fall behind and you chug three more bottles!"

"Can I just fall behind on purpose!?"

"Shut up-I'm the one falling behind!"

Any other commander would have grabbed them by the neck for discipline, but Yaan paid no mind and entered the barracks.

"How long have those lunatics been running?"

"Hey, look-he's laughing. Is that even human?"

The ordinary soldiers watching the scene could guess the reason from their conversation.

As long as whatever training they did could be used in actual combat, anything was fine.

"Ah, Lieutenant. You're here."

As he entered the barracks, Yaan saw Second Lieutenant Dandel packing his gear.

A pile of equipment larger than his own body.

Compared to Yaan's single briefcase, the volume was staggering.

"That's a lot of luggage."

"Gifts for my younger siblings-things I'm bringing home."

Among them were colossus figurines sold by peddlers in the field; their joints came apart so kids could play with them.

The face of the newly turned twenty-year-old second lieutenant was bright with anticipation of returning home.

"Looks like no one else applied for leave."

"Yes. Oddly, no one else has taken leave."

Thanks to Prince Klaus's special order, the Penal Corps had been granted reward leave. Yet every member except Dandel had taken the leave and was relaxing inside the barracks.

With a short sigh at Dandel's puzzled look, Yaan watched the men running across the open ground and spoke.

"They've nowhere to go back to."

"Ah...."

Criminals, political prisoners, fallen aristocrats, revolutionaries... the few things these people, who had washed into the 87th Independent Company for all sorts of reasons, had in common.

Perhaps realizing his slip of the tongue, Dandel, looking startled, lowered his head in embarrassment.

Yaan chuckled and patted his shoulder a couple of times before calling out to him.

"I'm ready too. Let's go."

When Dandel and Yaan moved to where the convoy truck was waiting, Ren and Cain were already there.

"Oh, Second Lieutenant Dandel. You're on leave as well?"

"Y-Yes! That's right!"

"Haha, no need to be so formal while on leave. Aren't we comrades who've crossed the line of fire together?"

Speaking like that, Cain approached Dandel and began to catch up after their long separation.

Perhaps because they were both young nobles, the two quickly found common ground and started sharing stories.

"Don't you feel it at times like this?"

"I do. That we're people from another world."

Those left alone in the extreme space called the front line had no need for origin or status. They were simply units doing their assigned tasks and roles.

They only had to function as parts of the massive machine called the front line.

But there came a moment when those parts left the massive machine of the front line and returned to being human.

In that moment, the gap felt as humans.

Whether it be power, knowledge, or innate disposition, the sense of loss felt upon realizing that gap was indescribable.

The emotion one feels when a comrade who used to boast of his family's influence while on sentry duty one day appears in a luxurious carriage in the city.

"This must be why none of our company members thought of going outside."

Saying this, Yaan looked over the faces of those on leave.

People filled with anticipation of meeting lovers, family, and friends.

It was a landscape too starkly contrasting with someone like himself who had spent ten years on the battlefield.

***

- The train to the capital has been delayed! Departure is tomorrow at two in the afternoon! Tomorrow at two in the afternoon!

"That's a problem."

The port city of Vainsburg, the midway point to the capital of Vailsar.

Upon hearing that the reserved train had been delayed, Cain groaned.

Since the other soldiers on leave had already scattered by boarding carriages to their hometowns, only Yaan, Ren, Cain, and Dandel were taking the train to the capital.

"I'm terribly sorry, Lady Diana. You even went to the trouble of making the reservation..."

"...."

Ren, hiding behind Yaan and tugging at his collar without a word.

"It's the train that also escorts Glaepnir. Due to its weight, additional work is being done."

Yaan sighed as if to say "was it because of me?" and answered for Ren.

"She says it's because of her, so don't worry."

He had never bought a train ticket himself and didn't even know where the ticket gate was, so it didn't matter to him, and Dandel seemed not to care much either.

"Let's find a hotel nearby first. Since it's a rare occasion, I'll cover all the expenses."

"Oho, young noble."

"Th-Thank you very much, Commander!"

"Drop the 'Commander' here."

Watching Ren quietly exclaim from behind, Yaan shook his head and followed after Cain, who was leading the way.

Soon, after boarding the carriage Dandel had caught, they arrived at a hotel decorated with white wallpaper.

A building adorned with antique decorations in every corner, as if frequented by nobility.

"Four private rooms, please."

"Understood. Your luggage this way..."

Once the staff who had taken Yaan and the group's luggage left, Cain led the exhausted group to the dining hall.

Soon, an antique buffet welcomed them, and even Dandel, worn out from long frontline life, began to relax.

"Since it's a rare leave, I should treat my comrades to at least this much."

"Thank you very much. Comma-... Sir Cain!"

"Next time, drop the 'Sir' too, Second Lieutenant Dandel."

Saying this, the group took their seats. After entrusting their coats to the waiter who had come to find them, they began to walk toward the dining area.

Beef hind leg thinly sliced and grilled over oak charcoal, fruits flavored with lightly caramelized sugar syrup, and unfamiliar seafood grilled after being flambéed with rum-

"It's dazzling to the eyes. As expected, a trade hub is something else."

"Agreed. Even in the capital, it would be hard to procure such fine ingredients... Lieutenant Yaan?"

Cain, who had been chatting with Dandel with a smile, turned his gaze to Yaan.

Yaan stood a few steps away, his expression awkward.

Seeing this, Cain called out to him, puzzled.

"Lieutenant, is something the matter?"

"No. Nothing. Just..."

"Hm?"

It was behavior he would never normally show. Cain, feeling puzzled, soon recalled Yaan's circumstances and approached him with a serious expression.

"You'll have to get used to it, Lieutenant Yaan."

"...."

"If we're to bring down Belkuth, whether we like it or not, the day will come when we must enter their stronghold. Do you plan to freeze up like this then too?"

Hearing Cain's words, Yaan sighed and relaxed his expression. Cain looked at him for a moment with a bitter smile.

"Bring mostly finger foods. Let's have a drink today."

Recalling the commotion that had happened in the barracks before, Yaan chuckled at Cain's words and opened his mouth.

"I can't drink alcohol, though."

Pfft!

Just as Cain burst into laughter at those words-

"How about you, my lady? Our master wishes to dine with you..."

"I already have a prior engagement."

"Then could you guide us to that acquaintance? I'll persuade them..."

Watching the two burly men surrounding Ren and the man approaching with polite words, Cain spoke to Yaan without wiping his smile.

"There are fellows as amusing as you over there?"

"So it seems."

Saying this, Yaan scratched his head and started walking toward Ren.

"You, planning to help? As you know, Lady Diana has no need to..."

"On the contrary. I can't leave someone to die just because they were pestering a woman."

'They said it exploded. Both sides.'

Recalling the soldiers' chatter he had heard once, Yaan slipped between them, hoping he wasn't too late.

"Huh?"

"Who're you."

The two burly men, noticing Yaan who had suddenly squeezed between them, furrowed their brows into inverted Vs.

"Look here. You think it's okay to butt in when someone's working on a girl without any courtesy, huh?"

"Look at this guy, face like a half-rotted corpse..."

"Ahem! Knock it off, lads."

A man exaggeratedly gestured to stop the two burly men. He grinned at Yaan.

A sticky smile full of mocking eyes.

"Apologies, good sir. My little brothers are hot-headed. Please understand."

"Ah, yes."

"But if you'll excuse me, could I speak with the lady behind you? Our master insists..."

As he said this, the two burly men clenched their fists behind him.

He hadn't expected to run into local thugs. Rather than discomfort or embarrassment, he found himself more intrigued.

"Commander-... Colonel. Is something the matter?"

"You came."

Dandel, who had returned with a plate piled high with food, tilted his head upon arriving late to the scene.

"If a gang that controls a district of this city targets Lieutenant Yaan, what do you think will happen to them?"

After a few heated exchanges, the burly men and the man took Yaan and left the hotel. Watching them, Cain asked casually.

"They'll die. Those thugs."

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