Chapter 17 - I'll do It Alone

Chapter 17 - I'll do It Alone

"If we want to keep this from reaching Louis's ears, who should your milk go to?"

Bell tilted her head.

"I... I'll give it!" Amon shouted, bending at the waist.

"Looks like there's someone I can communicate with," she said, ruffling Amon's hair.

The Imperial Army's 1st Training Camp, 66th batch of trainees.

The classmates laughed, complained, and did trivial things like this.

They were becoming soldiers, risking their lives.

Forgetting any fear of possibly dying soon.

Being teenagers, just being teenagers.

Blending and mixing with one another.

"Heh..."

It was quite enjoyable.

"You're laughing?"

"Yeah, keep laughing like that."

"What's with the sudden change?"

I'll protect you with my life.

Kinjo Shua.

Louis Murphy.

And Bell Red.

Five days before their deaths.

***

The frontlines.

The Imperial Army's Special Ops Unit 1.

"What are those?"

The unit leader pointed at the sky.

Marcello followed the leader's finger with his gaze.

"It's just clouds."

"No, not that."

"It can't be helped... Listen carefully. When evaporated steam rises…"

"No, I'm not talking about that. Look at those huge crow-like monsters flying around. What do you think they are?"

"Big crows?"

"Guess you're not thinking clearly, Marcello."

"It's hard enough to build a defense line. We don't have time to worry about the sky."

"I thought you'd say that."

The two investigated the orcs Marcello had just cut down.

They didn't seem any different from the usual orcs.

But there was one.

"Marcello, over here."

The leader gestured seriously.

"What is it?"

"Let's think about this."

He crouched down and examined the orc's armor.

This particular orc wore different armor.

It was crude, haphazardly joined iron plates.

What stood out was…

"There's a ring."

Marcello fiddled with the armor.

"Yeah, two on each shoulder. Four in total. What is this?"

"Manacles. Rings. Maybe something is supposed to be attached to them, like ropes."

"Why would they attach a rope?"

"I don't know."

"It might not be for ropes. The holes are big enough for ten ropes to pass through at once."

"Or maybe a weapon?"

"The rings are too small for a weapon. Plus, if something were hung on them, it would be horizontal, not vertical. That would be uncomfortable."

"Or maybe..."

Marcello looked up and thought, staring blankly at the sky.

Then, her eyes caught something.

"We need to go immediately."

"Where?"

"Anywhere. It's probably too late."

"What?"

"Over there."

Marcello pointed to the clouds.

"No, Marcello. I know. I can tell what clouds are!"

It was what was passing beneath the clouds.

The leader realized what the creatures Marcello had questioned were.

"...Ah."

He understood the meaning.

The two quickly mounted their black horses.

"We need to head to the capital. We have to block them from there."

"Understood."

"Marcello, you go straight to the capital. I'll alert the other soldiers."

"Yes, understood."

They moved more swiftly than ever.

"Were they just transporters…?"

"The four rings on the armor. They're perfect for hooking claws."

"They probably aren't just wearing that armor."

"The ones we've seen so far were probably just distractions. The second wave of the invasion is about to begin."

She whipped the reins down.

"Yeah. They're going to rain down from the sky."

***

I looked up and stared at the clouds.

The second invasion of the Demon King's army.

They weren't just breaking through the Imperial Army's defense line.

They were easily bypassing it.

And coming from the sky.

Aerial combat had been a concept that never existed.

No one had ever expected that goblins and orcs would be transported through the claws of the airborne monsters, floating in the sky.

They had to slaughter the monsters that had already deeply infiltrated.

Or be slaughtered themselves.

That day, the Empire lost the capital.

[Second Invasion]

I wrote it with a quill on my palm.

Black ink streaked across the surface.

[Half of the 66th Batch from the First Training Camp dead]

I wrote it hastily.

Including Kinjo, Louis, and Bell.

[Must Protect]

What was necessary to protect them.

Conversely, things that didn't exist in the past life.

[Weapons]

The only thing we could use that day was wooden swords.

And.

[People]

The instructors and trainees weren't enough.

In five days, I had to figure out how to acquire weapons and people.

"I can't go out and fetch them. I'd end up a deserter."

Then, someone had to come into the training camp.

[People] was underlined.

A strong person coming to the training camp.

"Elizabeth Red."

It would be tomorrow.

I blankly stared at my blackened palm.

I tried to imagine it, just once.

The one time I would ask for help.

-I'm from the future.

-I know everything that will happen.

-So trust me and follow me.

"It's a joke."

Of course, they wouldn't believe it.

Even if they did.

Mago knows the future, so trust what Mago says.

That single sentence could change the future.

And I couldn't take responsibility for the changed future.

It was like a fight with myself.

***

December 20th, 614.

Four days before I lost my life.

It was after the battle on the hill.

"How can I lead the soldiers well, Sir?"

The new recruit, Jin Rodmain, asked, having been rebellious since the first mission.

"Why? Do you want to replace me?"

"No, Sir!"

"What's the one thing you want most right now?"

"Huh?"

"Your personal desires."

"Right now, peace."

"What's your biggest fear?"

There was no answer.

"Can't say it?"

"No, Sir."

"What about the other soldiers' desires or fears?"

"I don't know."

"It's not easy, is it? Talking about fear. They'll do everything to hide it. Fear is a weakness. Once your weakness is known, it's easy to be manipulated."

I had always feared one thing.

And I lived a life where those who knew my phobia controlled me.

The master who used me when I was a slave.

The higher-ups in the army, the Demon King's army, and others.

The moment a weakness is exposed, you become weak.

I knew this very well.

"This is a battlefield. It's a place where desires and fears you've kept hidden can easily be turned around."

It was a sighing statement.

I was tired of it.

Soldiers, war, the battlefield.

"We all want to survive. We fear death. In the end, we all share the same desires and fears. You'll become just like that, rookie."

"I— Is that true?"

"It's clear, isn't it? You had something you wanted before the war, something you were trying to avoid."

"Yes."

"Now you can't even remember it. The situation is too raw. But when it's time to die, you want to die as a human. So, you follow me and trust me."

"Why... why is that?"

"I'm neither a god nor a hero, but when it's time to die, the first thing you'll meet is—"

Neither a god nor a hero.

"I will be the one who builds your grave."

***

"The one who builds your grave..."

I muttered the words I had said in my past life, repeating them in the present.

So, it was like a fight with myself.

The version of me who had given up everything and held a hammer instead of a weapon.

The fight to correct everything I had abandoned.

If I lost here, I would only become the same as I was in my past life.

I clenched my fist tightly.

Black ink dripped like blood.

***

"There are four days left until the fourth exam. Today, we have a special instructor."

The lead instructor planted the end of his staff on the ground.

"You should all be familiar with this face."

The instructor introduced a woman.

"Elizabeth Red, the second daughter of the Red family."

The woman in bright red silently bowed.

"Today, there will be a duel with the special instructor."

The instructor stepped aside.

The bloodline of Bell.

"Just call me El. You can address me as Miss El."

Elizabeth Red herself set the terms for her title.

"You've all probably handled real swords before... but be careful! If any of you get hurt, I won't be responsible."

El drew her sword.

She used the training camp's supplied sword.

El was the complete opposite of her younger sister, Bell.

Her voice was weak.

She stumbled over her words occasionally.

"They look a lot alike. But what about her sister? Where's Bell?"

Kinjo asked in a small voice.

"If they see their family members, they'll get distracted. The instructor sent her to the capital. She's probably on another mission there."

"That's a shame. I was curious to see her reaction."

"Anyway, Bell doesn't have a special instructor, so it doesn't matter."

"Then why isn't Amon here?"

"We couldn't send her alone."

Just like Bell and Amon had left together in a team, the duel was also conducted in pairs.

2 vs 1.

Of course, the training camp participants were the 2.

The other students who faced El one by one fell one after another.

After the turn had passed,

Kinjo and I were in the same group.

We stood stiffly in front of her.

"Please take care of me..."

El spoke with a trembling voice.

Before drawing my sword,

"Kinjo."

"Huh?"

"I'll do it alone."

"Eh...?"

Ignoring his bewildered expression, I raised my hand and asked a question.

"Instructor, may I go 1 on 1?"

The surroundings stirred immediately.

"Mago, isn't it polite to ask the opponent first?"

"Ah, my apologies."

"Hey, Mago! You don't care at all?"

Kinjo raised his voice.

"I want to face her alone, if you're okay with it?"

I spoke again, looking at El.

"I... I don't mind."

She nodded.

"Still, I'm curious about the reason."

"It seems like a good opportunity to test my true abilities."

"Your abilities? What do you mean by that?"

"I've only fought against my fellow trainees so far, so I'm not sure. However, if I manage to defeat Miss El, it would mean that I could at least defeat the Red family."

I subtly provoked her.

According to the plan I made yesterday, she had to remain at the training camp and fight against the Demon King's army.

Before asking for that favor, I needed to get her interest first.

Winning in this duel was the way to do it.

El gave a small smile.

Her mouth smiled, but her eyes didn't.

She probably thought I was just being arrogant.

"Defeat the Red family, huh... What's your name?"

"It's Mago."

I added, knowing she'd ask again.

"There's no family name."

"Not an unknown family, but someone without a family name? If I lose to a trainee without a family name..."

"Let's keep it a secret."

At my words, she let out a laugh.

"Your spirit's good. But for now, it's just your spirit."

"Then I'll take that as your approval."

I closed my eyes and set my stance.

"Let's begin."

We drew our swords at the same time.

The sound of the swords ringing.

It wasn't a clear sound, but it wasn't rough either.

The sensation that the weapon in my hand was a deadly blade echoed through me.

"What are you doing?"

El's voice.

She was surprised by my closed eyes.

I had grown accustomed to this reaction.

Instead of answering, I gripped the hilt with both hands.

"Isn't that a bit too much arrogance...?"

El silently stared at my sword.

Her focused gaze felt sharp.

If it were Bell, she would have rushed in excitedly by now.

Aside from the red hair, she looked nothing like Bell.

"Ha..."

I took a deep breath and immediately lunged forward.

The sand kicked up by my feet spread in all directions.