ALL NOVEL
Chapter 36
[Translator – Angel Dust]
[Proofreader – Prototype]
Chapter 36
Finally, the day had come. It was the ultimate day of escaping the life of a recruit!
Now I don’t have to mop anymore. I don’t have to sprinkle water on the floor, and I don’t have to open the windows in the morning to ventilate.
“Hey, get the recruit.”
But the junior I had been expecting was nothing like I imagined.
“What the fuck… Did they send him to fuck with us?”
“What the fuck is this asshole doing, can’t he cut this shit?”
“I don’t know. I’m near the end of my service, so I don’t care.”
The senior soldiers who used to grumble suddenly looked in my direction and chuckled.
It’s not a good smile. It’s the same one they used to wear when they were trying to pick on me.
Soon enough, the curiosity about what was going on was resolved.
“…Did I hear you wrong?”
“A noble. Your junior. Not just any noble, but the heir to a count. He’s from a family that’s in the center of politics.”
Shit. Shit. What a bastard. Why would a nobleman crawl into a place like this?
I was hoping for someone who’d pamper me and then treat me to a little something.
What? A nobleman? Not even a country estate, but a count in the central government?
“Well, don’t worry too much. Orders have come from above.”
“What do you mean? Are you saying we should treat him like royalty?”
“No.”
The sergeant gestured dismissively and chuckled suddenly.
“George.”
“…What?”
“Treat him like the others. He’s a noble, but we don’t need to give him any special treatment or pamper him. It’s what the higher-ups and his noble family have said. He chose this. Give him a good beating and get him out of the army, if that’s what he chooses.”
I thought that the noble who enlisted as a soldier would be a crazy bastard, but as it turned out, they were all crazy without exception.
No matter how they put it, what the hell are we supposed to do? A noble? Huh? A noble! Does it seem easy to deal with such a noble?!
“Fuck. Recruit. Are you not mopping properly?”
“I’m sorry!”
“Sorry? Will that end your military service?”
“No, sir!”
“Is it shit? If it’s shit, get rid of it. You’re a noble, aren’t you? Go cry to your father, saying you can’t do it. Ask him to send you home.”
“I’m sorry!”
“We don’t care whether you’re a noble or a commoner. This is the military, got it? You chose to come here. You weren’t conscripted like us. So do it properly. Got it? We’re all watching.”
Oh, it’s easy. I was a bit scared at first, but then I started bullying him like crazy.
What was his name again? Oh, yeah. Karl. If his name had been any more complicated, I would have been really annoyed.
“Damn it. Hey, Karl!”
“Private Karl!”
“Aren’t you sorting the recyclables? Damn it, are you playing around?”
“I’m sorry!”
In less than a month, I turned a guy who was almost about to become a victim of torture into someone almost like a private.
The only fortunate thing was that this guy Karl had a pretty good attitude.
He was a real pain in the ass at first, but he stuck it out and adapted to military life.
Naturally, I expected him to complain to his parents, but he put up with it.
Gradually, our assessment of him among the senior soldiers and me also became positive.
It’s still frustrating that he’s a noble who enlisted as a soldier.
But I didn’t hate that he volunteered to join the army because he wanted to suffer with us.
And then one day.
“We are fucked.”
“Why do you say that?”
“War broke out.”
The moment I heard that, my heart skipped a beat. War. Holy shit, war!
And it was in the Southern Empire’s vast forests, not far from our unit.
If things went like this, our unit would undoubtedly be moved to take up positions on the front lines.
“Shit, shit, shit….”
I lamented my miserable life while biting my nails.
People say they quietly finish their military service and get discharged. Why do I have to face war?
I don’t want to die. I want to live. It’s scary. I don’t want to go out. I’m just an ordinary person.
Should I run away? Should I desert and hide in the mountains somewhere?
“Sergeant, William, are you here?”
The youngest. My junior. It’s Karl’s voice. However, unlike usual, he was shaking violently.
“Here. What is it?”
“Have you heard the news? They say there’s a war, a fucking was broke out!”
“…Yeah. Shit, I heard.”
“Are we going too? Are we really going? Yes?”
This kid, he’s trembling so much more than usual. He looks like he’s on the verge of tears. He might start begging for his life any moment now.
“We have to go. What are soldiers for? If we’re told to go, we go, and if we’re told to fight, we fight.”
“But…”
“Are you scared?”
At that, Karl hesitated for a moment before nodding vigorously.
Sighing, I put a hand on his head.
“Ack! Ah, it hurts!”
“Kid, don’t be scared. Me and the seniors will take care of everything. You just do as you’re told. Run if we say run, hide if we say hide. And shoot if we say shoot… Oh, wait, come to think of it, your shooting skills are really crap.”
It’s really strange. He’s good at everything else, but why is it only shooting that he’s bad at?
“Anyway, there’s nothing to be afraid of. We’ll take care of you. And remember, you’re just like the rest of us.”
Honestly, I’m scared too. I don’t want to die. I’m just an ordinary person.
But I can’t do that in front of my junior. I don’t want to look like I’m crying my eyes out at a moment like this, when I’m the senior.
So I gritted my teeth and fought. With the platoon. With the seniors, with the juniors.
Despite the damn Kanfra bastards hurling whatever nonsense they could at us, we held our ground, enduring, enduring, and enduring some more.
“Aaargh! Aaaaaargh!”
“My arm! My arm!!”
“Darn it! Karl! Lock down that area!”
“Yes!”
“Rok! Rok! Calm down. Breathe! Breathe!”
A squadmate, his arms severed, struggled in agony.
It was agonizing, painful, and terrifying. A pitiful sight.
But we couldn’t just stand by and watch.
“You bastard! Calm down! Breathe, breathe! Calm down!”
“Ugh! Ugh!”
“Hey, Karl. On three. One, two, three. Let’s go!”
“Private Rok! Hang in there just a bit longer! Just a bit!”
War was terrible. Swords clashed, bullets flew. Kanfra arrows pierced through our allies’ necks, and magic poured down like rain.
There was not a single night of peaceful sleep. We slept side by side, leaning on each other.
And of course, we lost too many.
“Khak!”
“Private Thomas!”
“Shit!”
Thomas, who had Karl’s back, fell. We rushed to check, but he was already dead.
“It’s my fault….”
“It’s not because of you! Karl, you idiot! Snap out of it! If Thomas sacrificed himself to keep you alive, then live for his sake too! Get yourself together and live!”
There was no time for sadness. No room for pity.
Otherwise, we’d all end up dead. We had already narrowly escaped death three times.
And Karl, he almost died just yesterday.
“Khak!”
“Karl!”
A magical bombardment struck nearby, and Karl was swept away.
Martin, who went to rescue him, fell victim to Kanfra snipers.
Even in the midst of it all, Martin managed to drag Karl back, but he himself perished.
“Ugh, ah….”
When Karl came to his senses, he seemed worse than usual.
Yet, I thought he was starting to adapt, but perhaps Martin’s death worsened his condition.
“Hey, Karl.”
“Ugh, ah….”
“Snap out of it, you idiot.”
I smacked his head several times, but he showed no signs of improvement.
It took Karl two days to regain his senses, and even then, he was still mumbling strangely.
“Damn it… Why do I have to serve in the military twice…!”
“It’s clear that I’m being punished. f I had known this would happen, I would have lived a nicer life!”
I thought the kid had finally lost it, but I didn’t say anything.
Honestly, who here is holding it together perfectly?
Time continued to pass. Our unit was declared annihilated several times.
Those who stayed together died and were evacuated with injuries. A new recruit fills that position.
If the new soldier dies in less than a day, a replacement soldier comes in.
Even that was not filled, leaving 20% of the unit vacant.
“Hey, Karl.”
“Private Karl.”
“Don’t use ranks here. What are you going to do if you make it out?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s right. Um, when this war ends, I’ll…. Thwak!”
Damn it. What was that? For a moment, it felt like I was seeing stars.
When I turned, I realized Karl had just struck my head with his rifle butt.
“Are you crazy?”
“You’re the one who’s crazy, Sergeant William. Don’t say such things.”
“Huh?”
“Flag… I mean, darn it. Don’t talk about what you’ll do or who you’ll meet after the war. That’s a jinx.”
This kid. After doing so well for nearly two years, is he really coming back with senior abuse?
I wanted to say everything I had held back, but I restrained myself.
If I said more, I felt like I’d really get shot by Karl.
…
Oh, no. I should’ve done it. Shit. If I knew this would happen, I’d have just joked about it.
“Karl.”
“….”
“Hey, Karl.”
“….”
“You asshole. Can’t you stop with the rank and name? Am I really done for now?”
“Shut the fuck up.”
“You have no limit to what you say to a senior. Do you want to die?”
“Yes. I want to die. I want to die by Sergeant William’s hands. So please, stop talking.”
I looked down quietly. Blood was gushing out profusely.
I may not know much about the human body, but even after two years of war, I hadn’t seen anyone survive a hit there.
Even if it wasn’t instant death, they always ended up dead. There was no time to be evacuated to the rear. So, I was going to die now.
“Kid.”
“I’m not a kid anymore. I’ll be a Sergeant by tomorrow or the day after.”
“That’s right. You were soon to become a sergeant.”
“….”
“Do me a favor.”
A will? I don’t particularly want to do that. Why burden them by doing such a thing?
As for leaving things for my family? I’ve already given everything. There’s nothing more to send.
It’s cold. Getting colder by the minute. My body stiffens. Vision blurs.
It’s scary. That feeling suddenly overwhelms me. I even feel like crying my heart out.
But I don’t. Because there are juniors watching. It’d be embarrassing, I can’t do that.
I don’t want to burden this guy with such a sight.
“Get me a glass of cold water.”
“…Yes.”
“Full of ice. Nothing else needed. Just that. Got it?”
“Yes, understood.”
“Okay… Ha… Hey, Karl. Don’t… die…”
We’ve all done our part. Our seniors have done theirs. The youngest wouldn’t… have to do it.
* * *
The youngest sat down blankly for a moment. But soon, stood up.
Had to stay alive. It was the duty I had to shoulder as the last one remaining.
[Translator – Angel Dust]
[Proofreader – Prototype]
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