Death March — Fixed

A note from Tek --

This is from the point of view of Zena's friend Lilio.

POV: Lilio

 

I can hear equipment rustling and clanking--urgh, the break is already over, huh.

The usually punctual Iona hasn’t come to wake me up, which means that there’s still time.

 

“Argh!”

 

What are you doing to a helpless, beautiful girl?

A chain mail shirt is suddenly thrown onto my stomach--I get up while catching my breath and moving it aside.

“Hey, Ruu. Wake me up more gently--” I complain at the only possible culprit, my friend Ruu.

Iona and Zena would never wake me like this.

“Just get up already--You’re running out of time to eat before your shift starts, you know?”

What?!

I can’t let that happen.

Getting up, grumbling about my annoying friend, I carefully walk over to wash my face--my gut is uncomfortable--but this is nothing for a strong soldier girl!

Since it’s to troublesome to use the ladle, I just draw water from the basin using the jug directly. If Iona and Zena found out about this, they’d scold me.

“What’s on the menu today?”

“Seems to be black bread and stew.”

“Eeh--I’d like goat meat or steaks sometimes.”

“What’s with those luxurious desires? Even the Captain-class doesn’t get them.” I amuse myself with conversation with Ruu as I wipe my face with my favourite towel.

“If I become a noble’s mistress, would I be able to eat them every day?”

“Nowadays, it looks like even nobles have it rough, so you probably won’t get many delicious things too?” Iona is from the branch family of a noble--she doesn’t dream big like I do.

I throw my knee-length skirt, which I wear as pajamas, onto the bed--taking out underwear and armour from my own shelf.

“Oi, Lilio, don’t show me your dirty ass.” You don’t have to look, Ruu.

“What a rude thing to say, even though it’s this cute.”

It’s not like I’m an exhibitionist, so I quickly put my underwear on; I wear a shirt shirt on top, Ruu and Iona wear breast wraps--unfortunately Zena and I don’t need to wear them--

Of course, I’d wear a cute shirt and breast wrap when I go on a date, but that’s only if I had a boyfriend. I wear armour on top anyway, it’d only be painful to wear an unneeded breast wrap.

After I finish putting on the chain mail, I put on my sturdy metal-reinforced leather boots, Zena comes in.

Oh my, how cute.

She seems to be wearing a dress of Iona’s, if I’m not mistake--with a lot of frills. One of Iona’s charming points is how showy she is; isn’t that dress she was boasting about when she bought it after saving up after half a year?

Good grief, everyone is sweet to Zena.

I thought that Zena had finished changing and had already taken a seat in the cafeteria; but if she is wearing that dress, don’t tell me.

 

“Zena, you had a date with a boy right?”

 

“Da--n, no. He was worried about something, so we were just having a talk.”

 

That’s what you call a date--still, seeing your beloved while lacking sleep due to the current overloaded working condition, how lovable.

“Lilio, your hands have stopped--if you don’t change quickly, you’ll really miss your mean, you know?” I was reproved by Iona.

I quickly continued putting my clothes on.

Zena folds a pink shawl really carefully, before placing it on top of her bed.

Oh?

Isn’t that the newest colour from the Pinnen Clothing store from the center district?

Zena is certainly a noble, but I didn’t think a daughter of a fallen noble could be that extravagant.

 

“Zena, what’s with that shawl? Don’t tell me, it is a gift from the boy?” I ask her.

 

“Ehehe.”

 

Oh my, Zena’s face is becoming love-struck

You’re amazing, boy--even the cheap things in the Pinnen Clothing store should be around two to three silver coins.

I wonder if he’s a stupid son of a large store owner somewhere?

I pray that Zena isn’t being played.

She begins taking off her clothes, and I try to ignore it when she stealthily unfastens her breast padding. It was a date after all, some charms are needed for a woman, right.

“Zena, please change your clothes quickly too. Since we won’t make it for the meal, do you want me to make some sandwiches?”

“No, I already had a meal, so I’m alright.”

“Did you have a feast?! You had a feast, right.”

As she finished stripping and began dressing again, she continued, “I did not, I just had some sweets while teaching Tek how to chant.”

I’m be dragged away by Ruu and Iona, to the cafeteria, while Zena starts getting dressed behind us, while continuing to speak fondly, “When I was going to sit down on a bench, he laid out a handkerchief on it, you know.”

Oh no, isn’t that guy quite the playboy?

***

Today, I was going to stay in bed all day, since I’m off-duty, but I decide to change my clothes and go out--the reserve of sweets in my room has run dry; Zena is on duty today, and she’s going to be on guard until midnight tonight, just because she can use Magic.

Since it’d be pitiful if there’s no sweets when she gets back, this kind woman, Lilio will buy some for her.

Well, it’s important for a popular woman to be attentive!

There’s a familiar figure in the plaza in front of the castle.

It’s the boy--Zena’s beloved; he’s wearing expensive-looking clothes like usual. Looks like he’s back from shopping, he’s carrying a lot of books.

If you want to buy that many, you could just hire a manservant.

Since my mischievous heart grows excited, I creep up behind him, calling out to him while imitating Zena.

 

“Hello, Mr Nimble.”

 

The boy turns around and speaks normally.

Tsk, he’s not surprised huh.

 

“Hello, Lilio. Did you try to imitate Zena?”

 

“Ehehehe, Did I pass? Hey, hey, did your heart skip a beat?”

Ooh, he remembers the name of his girlfriend’s best friend, even though he only met me once. No, it’s hard to be beautiful--what should I do if he’s fallen for me?

 

“I noticed it immediately, because your voice is different,”

 

“Eh, too bad. But, but, isn’t that love? The power of love?”

 

Love, eh?

Let me test this playboy’s mettle--

I walk slooowly up to him, rubbing against him and watching his eyes--men will always have their gaze drawn down when with a beautiful girl like me; even though I’m intently watching his eyes, but they just look at my face, before he gently pushes me back.

Hmm, too polite--Maybe he is hiding his perversion.

 

“Are you alone today?”

 

“Yep, the other soldiers are sleeping. Except for Zena, who, from yesterday afternoon until midnight tonight, is on guard duty. The number of Magic Soldiers is really lacking.”

It looks like he wants to talk to me, but it doesn’t seem like he’s going to seduce me; not making a pass at this beautiful me, maybe he isn’t flirtatious--or maybe he has enough girls--he does have Zena, and some slaves.

 

“Lilio, could you deliver a message to Zena?”

 

“Okay! But no passionate lines that would make the--chest, grow hot, okay? If it’s too intense, it might be interpreted the wrong way, you know.” I can’t help but picture whispering sweet words into the lovely Zena’s ear--hehehe.

 

“I’ve decided to go to Labyrinth City, for a business trip.”

 

That’s quite far--isn’t that on the far-most side of this country?

 

“Please convey the message to Zena that I’m going and will be quite a while--but I will write to her.”

 

“Tch, it seems that Zena’s love will end up being unrequited, huh--” I mutter really quietly, so he won’t hear me.

 

Ah, damn--Zena’s first love will end up being unrequited--hope this doesn’t make her give up on it.

I will treat her to something when she comes back, cheering her up.

 

“I understand, I’ll properly convey it.”

 

After this conversation, the boy nods with a smile, and leaves in a cab carriage.

***

When I get back to the barracks, everyone is gathering in the cafeteria, they are talking about something excitedly.

Is something happening?

It’s still a long time before the next meal.

“Yanna, did something happen?”

“Ah, Lilio, listen to this.”

It’s a good choice to ask Yanna, who loves to talk--apparently, the higher-ranks have been told that the territorial army has announced that there are applications to sign up for personnel selected to be deployed in Labyrinth City.

The deployment will take place in two months.

But, even though they say that it’s training, in actuality, it’s about hunting Monsters in the labyrinth, right?

I will absolutely pass on this.

However, judging from the buzz around us, there are a lot of people who want to go. It seems that they add one silver coin for each month, on the pretext of training.

It’s an amount that can’t be ignored by us, underpaid soldiers.

Furthermore, it looks like the sales of Magic Cores that we get from inside the Labyrinth will be split equally among the soldiers.

The danger may be great--but the returns are just as big.

Danger is everywhere anyway.

Even a senior Demon appeared recently during my normal duty in Seryuu City--if the Silver Masked Hero hadn’t arrived in time, I would be six-feet under right now.

That reminds me, the boy is going to Labyrinth City.

This is perfect, I could aid Zena with her love--while getting Rich!

Let’s apply for the selection.

Since Zena won’t be back until midnight, let’s talk to Ruu and Iona first--Ruu shouldn’t complain as long as she can get stronger, and Iona is unexpectedly greedy, she should be easy to persuade.

I don’t know if we’ll get selected, but let’s work hard.