I’m Just an Ordinary Academy Student

27 – The Redeemed

[“Oppa, do you really have to come?”]

On the other side of the communication, Selena looked quite worried.

[Well… it seemed like Carl didn’t want to recall that time.]

“…So?”

Deonic chewed on his lips, a look of contemplation on his face.

Selena’s brother, Reni. The eldest son of the Ifrit family and the lord of the Naplio estate.

In the recent Rosenz war, he was the squad leader of the 7th Division of the Army.

And one of the hundreds of imperial soldiers saved by Carl.

After a moment of hesitation, he cautiously spoke.

“Reni.”

[Yes, Oppa.]

“Still… can you say it once?”

[Got it.]

The conversation between the siblings ended there for now.

Deonic, disconnecting the communication, sank deep into the back of the chair.

And closing his eyes, the vivid image of that past situation came to mind.

“Whether we die here or on the way, isn’t it the same? If we’re going to die, isn’t it better to go a bit closer to our hometown and die there?”

At the time of the medal of honor ceremony, Carl said he was just lucky.

In reality, some of the non-combatants in the war really shouted that it was all there was to it.

“Nonsense.”

What luck is. It’s about God giving that person a smile.

And God doesn’t help just anyone. He helps those who are worthy.

In that respect, Carl was such a person.

When everyone else gave up, Carl did not.

Let’s go back, I persuaded. I stood at the forefront and willingly faced the danger.

As if enchanted by the allure, we could escape that hellish place.

“Kal. We thought everyone had died without moving a muscle until that friend arrived.”

Those who haven’t experienced it won’t understand until the moment just before death.

When death is imminent, when there’s no resistance left.

When you can only watch as those who shared life and death with you die.

How dreadful and agonizingly sad the helplessness and self-reproach that come at that moment.

That’s when Kal arrived. He grabbed the hands of those who had given up hope.

Regardless of the reason he came, whether we could really live or not, it didn’t matter.

He came to save us. He didn’t abandon us. That was more than enough.

And he truly saved us all. Not a single one left behind.

“Thank you. I really want to say thank you… I have to say it.”

This is not just a thank you to Kal, the hero. It is also a rescue from the past self still struggling in that hell.

That’s the only way he might be able to sleep a little more peacefully.

[“Oppa.”]

As time passed, a message came from Selena again.

[“You can come now.”]

“…Okay. Got it. Thanks, Reni.”

Deonic hesitated for a moment and then activated the communication device again.

A moment later, the figures revealed on the other side were members of the comrades.

[“Captain? What’s going on?”]

“People who can make it, take some time. We need to meet the benefactor who saved us.”

At that time, things were chaotic. I even doubted if we had truly survived.

About hiding my identity and not being able to even say hello since then.

[“Ah, understood!”]

Thanks is owed. Because of you, we lived. We need to say that.

We need to show that we lived, met our families, and formed new bonds.

So that, for our fallen comrades, it might feel a little less regretful.

Even for those who died in our place. We had to express our gratitude.

Deonic, my older brother, rarely asks for anything from me. On the contrary, Selena has asked my brother for favors more often. So, I couldn’t bring myself to refuse Deonic’s request this time.

Even though I thought Karl might dislike it, I ended up asking him.

Fortunately, Karl agreed to my brother’s request, but…

“…But you never mentioned anything like this, Brother.”

“Sorry, Leni.”

“It’s not me you should apologize to; it’s Karl! Weren’t you supposed to come alone?!”

It’s embarrassing. Behind Deonic, whom I met near the academy, there were dozens more. What made Selena even more bewildered was the next comment from my brother.

“He’s reduced the numbers as much as possible.”

“No, really…!”

I told him. Karl is uncomfortable recalling those days, not just embarrassed but avoiding the memories altogether. Even so, I thought it would be okay to ask just my brother for a favor.

What am I supposed to do if he acts so recklessly in the middle of it all?

Selena grabbed Deonic’s hand internally screaming, “If this will be the case, let’s just go, Deonic. In case Karl feels uncomfortable—”

“Selena?”

Oh no. What do I do? He’s already here.

“K-Karl. You came?”

“Yeah. The person behind you…”

Step by step—

Deonic passed by Selena and approached Karl. In response, Selena quickly followed, standing next to Karl.

“…”

Silence. And more silence. Deonic, facing Karl, said nothing. He just stared at him. He didn’t even bother to greet him.

“Oh, brother. What on earth are you doing? Staring like that is rude…!”

Is it proper to look away instead of greeting at our first official meeting?

Even if the other party suggests a fight, there seems to be no problem.

Selena, feeling uneasy, was about to step forward when Deonic intervened.

“…That’s correct.”

With a voice trembling slightly, Deonic opened his mouth.

“At that time, that person was right. He ran towards us, who everyone had given up on. He said, ‘Let’s go together, even if we die, let’s die a little closer to our hometown.’ He really was right.”

Selena saw it. The tears welling up in her brother’s eyes.

She saw the soldier extending his right hand for a handshake, suppressing the tears, probably holding back the pain.

“I am Deonic Ifrit. I was the leader of a company in the Imperial Army at that time.”

“…It is an honor to meet the Lord of Napleio. I am Sergeant Karl Adelheit.”

Brief greetings. Handshakes completed. The hands separated.

Silence descends once again. Deonic only moistens his lips, unable to speak further.

Selena doesn’t know the reason. She can’t understand.

But Karl, standing in front of Deonic, understands. He, another survivor of that war, knows the reason.

Perhaps he is still contemplating the hell of that moment.

“…Sergeant Karl Adelheit.”

Deonic finally opens his mouth again.

“Thank you for pulling us out of that hell back then.”

Saying that, Deonic makes a gesture. Then his comrades, who were behind him, approach.

There were junior officers from noble families and common soldiers.

Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for them to mix like this.

But they were all in a special situation. They were comrades.

“These are the members of my squad that the sergeant saved. I selected as many as possible who promised to come back.”

“….”

“You must feel burdened. As much as we do, it must be difficult for the sergeant whenever he recalls that day. I’m sorry. Really sorry. But, it seemed necessary to convey our gratitude like this.”

In response to his words, Karl slowly looked at the survivors of war.

They were all people who lived with someone’s life as a guarantee.

People who returned home instead of those who couldn’t come back.

Certainly not criminals, but souls who regarded themselves as sinners.

“Thank you. For saving us.”

Deonic bows his head. His squad members follow suit, greeting in unison.

“….”

Watching them for a moment, Karl speaks up.

“I, too, thank you all.”

Facing them, he bows slightly, expressing gratitude.

“Sir…?”

Deonic, flustered, tries to deter the acknowledgment, asking why.

But Karl raises his head, gently smiling.

“It’s good to see those I’ve rescued. Seeing you all, it reminds me of the comrades I saved and lost in the past.”

“Ah… I-I’m sorry. Truly sorry.”

“No need. I’m thankful. Thanks to all of you, I can stand a little taller in front of them. Because of you, I can say I didn’t let their deaths be in vain.”

It’s a mutual expression of gratitude and apology to departed comrades.

“Your sacrifices weren’t in vain. I’ve repaid and will live as earnestly as that.”

So, if they meet again, perhaps they won’t be as upset.

“Sometimes, I have nightmares. Faces of those I couldn’t save appear, crying in pain, and I wake drenched in sweat.”

Karl’s words cause a shiver in Deonic and his squad. They all share the burden of guilt.

“But at least tonight, I don’t think I’ll have those nightmares. Because of all of you. Because there’s proof that I haven’t failed to save everyone.”

Hearing this, Deonic takes a deep breath and steps back.

Then, assuming a formal posture, he salutes respectfully.

The survivors, too, follow their squad leader’s lead, showing respect to their benefactor and to the heroes standing behind him.

“….”

Acknowledging their salutes, Karl smiles, “Well then,” and moves away.

“I didn’t expect so many to come. Let’s skip dinner a bit and have some coffee or tea before you leave. It’s on me. I’ve got a hefty pension as a recipient of the honor medal.”

“If living as an honor medal recipient means even tap water tastes good, count me in.”

“Our squad leader is something else. No matter how much trouble he gets into! Geez!”

Perhaps, even though they might have truly met for the first time today, they face each other as if they’ve known each other for ages.

“….”

Selena, who had been watching that scene from a distance, delicately touched her hand.

She wanted to comfort the bitter appearance of Karl. She wanted to understand.

If he were to say it’s tough for him, even if she didn’t fully understand, she wanted to console him.

She wanted to like that person with all her strength.