My Desertion Would Be Faster Than Heros' Obsession

Chapter 3
If the Prince Appeared and the Genre was Military, Then There Would be a Problem

(back to present day Saruvia’s pov)

As I always feel, April is really a crazy X.

“Guys… To my surprise, I just found a fruit fly in the room.”

April said in a very sad tone.

“Is this all because you guys managed the dormitory in a dirty way…? How could there be a single fruit fly?”

‘XX, I’m sweeping and mopping every day, but what can I do when a fruit fly comes in from outside?’

However, I can’t show my inner feelings, so I just pretended to listen to April in a cold sweat. Yuri standing next to me seemed familiar with this situation.

“Now that I know there is a single fruit fly, this place feels so filthy that I can’t afford to stay here…”

“Sorry.”

“I will correct it.”

Yuri and I answered right away, and April raised one corner of his mouth and said:

“Yeah, do you guys also feel the need to clean this dorm more?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, then we will start cleaning from now on until there is no dust.”

‘XX!’

The sensitivity of cleaning the corners of the dormitory thoroughly even if she found only one fruit fly, and then instructing us to clean again if there is even a single speck of dust after swiping with our fingers was only the beginning.

“Guys, didn’t you just hear something like an animal cry outside?”

“Now, did you not hear me?”

“Hmm, I must have heard the cry… I think there must have been an animal in the unit.”

“I didn’t hear…”

“So you’re saying I am lying now?”

“Oh no!”

“Then, is it inside or outside?”

“Oh, no…no… You are right!”

Whenever she was bored, not only did she play with our ponytails, but she also had a stinginess that made her patrol the platoon because she heard the cry of an animal.

For reference, at that time, no matter how much I searched, no animals were found, so I finally caught a bird, and ended up cleaning the dormitory again because I brought an unclean bird.

Not only that…

“Louis, the platoon members who have fallen behind in training need to be given a separate job, right?”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“Well, shall they pick raspberries from the mountains?”

“…Yes?”

“Guys, did you hear me? Let the platoon members who have fallen behind in training pick raspberries from the mountains.”

“It… It would take a while to find raspberries…”

“Well, make it happen.”

On that day, the platoon members who were left behind had to go through the mountains for a long time, through thorns, and pick raspberries.

“Why are you looking at me like that now?”

“Hey, I didn’t!”

“Then what I saw was in vain? Ah, maybe I’m seeing a vision?”

“April, I will educate the children.”

“Okay, from now on, move the rocks over there, carry on.”

“How can I… That rock…”

“Do it!”

April instructed trainee Blair to move a huge rock up the hill because his gaze was irritating.

Anyway, in conclusion, she was really crazy.

“Yeah, no matter how much I think about it, that human being is crazy.”

And I’m reviewing this again because April made me find a thread in the sand as a punishment for me, who was left out of today’s joint training.

Surprisingly, she hid the thread instead of the needle, fearing that my finger would stick to the needle. It was a very grateful consideration.

“How can she be so creative?”

Do you know what jobs creativity doesn’t match the most in the world? It’s a soldier.

However, April was a creative human being that soldiers did not need at all, and even had the experience to show it to her successors.

‘I want to leave the military…’

…But I sometimes feel a strange coolness from April.

For example, the moment she threw a metal bead between pebbles or the moment when she said I would die first if I acted like an angel like that…

I saw a calm, cool, refined madness in her light green eyes.

‘…No, let’s not think about it.’

I shook my head to erase my thoughts about her. Yeah, it’s been a while since I took a nap, so let’s just take a nap quietly.

By the way, it was very fortunate that she was leaving this unit soon. I can’t believe one crazy person is finally disappearing from this unit.

The Border Defense Command had a unique class system that distinguished it from other military forces.

First of all, what the Border Defense Force and others call “Private” is also what we call “trainor.”

So was the strange system of two years per class.

Above all, we didn’t have a sergeant.

When we finished the corporal, we were promoted to ‘commander’, which was an unusual class that existed only in the border defense forces.

Commanders are not treated as soldiers, but as noncommissioned officers. Therefore, there were no noncommissioned officers in the border defense forces. The position is only filled by the rank of commander.

So, if we meet with other forces such as the Capital Defense Force, it is an atmosphere of respect for each other because of our strange class system. Our corporal and their corporal are never the same.

Anyway, April was soon promoted to commander, which meant she was leaving for another unit.

When she will be promoted from a corporal to a commander, she will receive a month-long short training at the education headquarters and was randomly assigned to a new unit. Elliot and Chris, the commanders of our unit, were also from other units.

That is why, although she will participate in monster subjugation, guard duty, and administrative work, she will not participate in training and usually lays down with trainees doing the work.

‘I’m so jealous.’

How long will it take for me to get promoted like April?

‘At least 5 years?’

Eventually, I stopped thinking. Yeah, let’s just not think about it and let time go by.

At that time, April opened the door of the accommodation and came in. She glanced at me who was about to take a nap and asked lightly.

“What are you doing? Haven’t you slept yet?”

“Ah…”

As I lay down and pondered whether to answer or get up, I jumped up when I realized that the person in front of me was April. I was so sleepy that I couldn’t think properly. I almost fell.

“I was going to sleep now!”

“Okay?”

April wiggled her hand at me roughly, went to her seat, and started to rummage through her things. She seemed to feel good when she softly hummed. Maybe it’s because she’ll be promoted soon.

For some reason, I had to say congratulations to her.

“April, congratulations on your promotion.”

After that, April turned her head and looked at me.

“Haha!”

She laughed happily.

“Are you okay with me leaving this unit?”

“Oh no, that’s…! I just wanted to congratulate you on being promoted…!”

“Haha~ Sure~”

She laughed as if it was fun to make fun of me, then she said:

“How long do you have left to be promoted to commander?”

“… Five years and three months.”

“Hey, I’m really sorry.”

‘That crazy X, really…’

She said, still with a happy face, as I purged my simmering stomach.

“Yes, Saruvia. Instead, you will have more successors coming in next month, so you’ll be satisfied with that.”

‘Are you kidding me?’

How can a promotion be the same as getting a few more successors? Even if my successors may or may not live?

Indeed, April had a knack for making other people burn.

“Haha, they are new recruits who may or may not live anyway.”

As I said that, April looked me in the eye and tilted her head at an angle. Suddenly, the smile on her face disappeared, so I got nervous.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to help your successors live?”

That was painful for me. Because I took care of Raina, I felt more uncomfortable when she died.

“… At the time, I didn’t know anything.”

“Then do you know now?”

“Yes.”

“Really?”

April raised the corners of her lips and spoke in a soft tone.

“Okay, Saruvia… Try to answer this question…”

‘If I don’t answer, will she turn around?’

“Remember what I said to you before? When you wanted to take care of Reina?”

…I remembered.

“You said that the more I act like an angel, the more I’ll likely die.”

“Hm, I see you remember.”

April smiled with a very fresh expression on her face, and then she asked again.

“Then why do you think I said that?””

“…If my successor dies after taking care of them like last time, I’ll have a hard time mentally.”

“Well, that’s only half right.”

She nodded and spoke with her voice down as if she were telling a secret story.

“Saruvia, you know…”

“Yes?”

“You don’t seem to know anything, but when it comes to destroying monsters, monsters aren’t the only ones you need to be afraid of…”

‘Are you telling me to be careful of the topography of the mountain?’

Well, I almost died from the waterfall in the past, so she could say that.

But April gave a different explanation than I expected.

“If you look weak here, you’ll be used quickly.”

“What?”

“Some humans instinctively push themselves into danger to live, not to protect their colleagues next to them in the moment of crisis.”

“What…”

“They’re not doing it maliciously. But when something tries to attack them, there are definitely kids who instinctively hide their bodies behind the person next to them.”

In her voice that continued to talk, I could see a different coolness in her eyes than usual.

“Saruvia, you’re the type to follow seniors who are nice to you, for example, Ishina…”

She was usually crazy, but usually she had a smile on her face.

However, as she continued to speak, she seemed to be expressing madness little by little, unable to control her feelings.

And her madness must be…

The madness, which had been calmly pressed for years, seemed to have begun to protrude from the box, vibrating without enduring it.

“If you’re nice, some people instinctively will try to use it.”

I could finally understand what she meant.

If you look easy.

You will die.

“I saw someone who died like that.”

While I was looking embarrassed, April’s words continued.

“There’s definitely someone who died like that. And Saruvia, you…”

The cool and sharp energy hovering around her disappeared out of nowhere.

Instead, I thought for the first time I saw a kind of pain in her eyes.

“Don’t ever be nice.”

* * *

“Really? Who was it?”

“Hm.”

Upon hearing my question, Yuri tilted her head.

That day, April turned her head away as if she had nothing more to say, but somehow I felt strange that I should know who the “dead child” she was talking about.

Of course, asking about the senior’s story was a crazy act that would be robbed of joint responsibility.

That’s why I secretly asked Yuri, the only senior who had some time to spare, to whom I had a trustful relationship.

Yuri replied with a voice that she knew nothing.

“Well, when I joined the army, April was already a first class soldier… At that time…she was already similar to now…”

Aha, she was crazy then too.

“At that time, she didn’t really get close to anyone. She wasn’t particularly close to her juniors, but the same is true now. The person she talked to was Louis.”

“…Ah, thank you for your answer.”

In the end, there was no answer except that April was in that state even when she was a first class soldier.

‘Hold on.’

Then something suddenly came to my mind.

“Someone asked if her colleagues died because they were weaker than April…”

Yeah, a recruit named Gray had previously caused April’s anger with such crazy remarks.

From her attitude at the time, April was clearly breathing fire.

Usually, most people who are unlucky or weak die within half a year of their first entry.

However, after the first two years, it meant that they were good enough to kill most of the monsters, so if they were promoted to first class, they would no longer worry about their life.

But, for some reason, it’s a bit uncomfortable…

“Yuri, did you know a higher ranking colleague that was with April?”

When I asked that, Yuri stopped breathing and looked around.

Only after confirming that there was no one around her, she approached me and put her mouth in my ear.

“Don’t ask me this again. If you ask me one more time, we’ll die.”

“Yes, yes, okay…”

“And that was before I joined the army, so I heard from Plato…”

Yuri spoke in a low voice.

“…that it was someone who was first class and soon died.”

…As expected, my thoughts were not wrong.

About why April acts like such a crazy human being.

That’s because her motivation died even after enduring the first two years, overcoming dozens of life and death together.

And that person left a deep sympathy with April.

Since then, I have come to understand how April feels.

‘What if Aquila dies 2 years later?’

…Maybe I’ll become more cranky than April.

What April told me not to act like an angel may have been a reflection of that person for dying first.

“Hey, Aquila. Listen carefully.”

Later, when I tapped Aquila next to me in a solemn voice, he stared at me as if asking what was wrong.

“If you die, I’ll die.”

“What?”

“Don’t die! If you die, I’ll kill you.”

“What is that… No, I got it.”

Aquila nodded silently and said, staring into my eyes with his scarlet eyes.

Somehow, a light like desire flashed in his eyes. It was of a nature that could not be easily found in him who always never showed his feelings.

“How can I die because it’s a waste?”

“Hmm, good.”

Fortunately, he seemed very determined to survive, so I nodded satisfactorily.

‘And I’ll never die either.’

Of course, I died in the original, but I will be able to avoid it this time.

At least knowing when to die would be a great help to survive.

Of course, I have to be strong to avoid this apocalypse, which is always in danger of being close to death.

‘Okay, I’m going to be strong and destroy everything.’

Suddenly, my will for training burned up, so I clenched my teeth.

* * *

D-2556 days before discharge.

Today is probably one of the most important days in my life. Because today is…

“April, I’ll help you pack up.”

With a smile on my face, I approached April and knelt down next to her. April, who was packing in a huge bag, looked back at me with a snort.

“You’re doing this because you like how I’m leaving, right?”

“No, I’m so sad!”

Even though I said that, I couldn’t hide my laughter. But April will leave this unit for today, so it’s okay if I can’t control my facial expression.

Yes. Tomorrow is the day when a new recruit comes in.

In other words, it meant that today was the day when people would leave.

“What unit are you going to, April?”

“The 72nd Special Corporation is the same, and I may be going to the 39th Infantry Brigade, but I don’t know anymore in more detail.”

“Ah… Anyway, you’ll be discharged in the next two years. Congratulations.”

‘I can’t believe April is finally leaving.’

I was happy just imagining the peaceful appearance of the women’s accommodation.

“Why don’t you congratulate Chris on his discharge since you’re so happy?”

“Of course, I’m not happy though!”

Chris, the commander of the Alpha platoon, will be discharged today.

Being discharged, it’s such a sweet word just to imagine. But it’s a word that’s that far away for me, XX.

By the time I joined the army, Chris was already less than a year away from his discharge, so I had never even seen Chris properly.

“What are you going to do after you’re discharged from the army?”

Pls read only at pink muffin tl.

Of course, I wasn’t even curious about how she would live after being discharged from the military, but it was a question I asked out of courtesy. That’s a regular question that members of the Border Defense Force ask once a day.

“I…”

Then April smiled brightly and whispered quietly.

“I’m going to find the secret of this world.”

“What?”

My expression hardened on its own.

The Secret of this World, it was a useful expression for humans who came from other worlds like me.

“Are you kidding me?”

Regardless of my stiff expression, April continued to talk.

“You know… I think this world is a little weird… To be more precise, the system surrounding us.”

“What do you mean?”

“Yeah, just… Things like the existence of the Border Defense Force and the monsters that continue to appear~?”

“…Ah…”

Even with her sudden words, I couldn’t respond as if I had heard an absurd sound.

Perhaps I’m the one who can see this world more objectively, and April’s questions were similar to those I’ve ever had.

After hesitating for a long time, I eventually affirmed what she said.

“Yeah, it is weird…”

“Right? Do you think so too?”

“…I think it’s odd that this system is maintained. Such an irrational system…”

“Yeah, you think so too…”

April is probably not from another world like me.

It’s just that while she was in the Border Guard, she came to think of this world as strange.

Heterogeneous races with contract magic, different races who have to fight meaningless battles with monsters that keep multiplying.

April had come to question how this absurd system had been in existence for over a hundred years.

Perhaps it is a dramatic system that the author has created for the setting of the novel, but if this becomes a reality, it is a little different. How can such an absurd system be maintained? Both of us can’t help but question.

However, most of the members of the unit would not have been able to raise the question as they were part of this system. April is the exception.

“I’ve never heard anyone other than me think this system is weird.”

April mumbled something like that with a somewhat dazed voice.

“Apart from my colleague, you are the first.”

This was the first time she had brought up the ‘colleague’ by herself.

I felt now was the right time to ask her about something I just discovered.

“Hey, April…”

“What?”

“Can I dare ask you a question?”

April smiled as she playfully raised one corner of her lips.

“Okay, normally I wouldn’t have answered your questions, but I’m leaving this unit today, so I’ll give it a try.”

…It was really her tone.

“Yeah, that… April’s colleague who was looked down upon… He lost his life while being in first class… So could you give me some advice? About not looking weak?”

“What?”

Then April widened her eyes.

“Where did you hear about my colleagues? Hmmm, I don’t know what kind of naughty kid told you, but I don’t have time to catch that person.”

I thought it was really fortunate I brought this up with her now. After almost being killed by Yuri, I almost could’ve gotten killed by Yuri again.

“My colleague’s name was Benon.”

April said in a very dull voice.

“Everything went well. He was an elite, like a natural-born soldier. It was like the military was made for someone like him”

For some reason, I couldn’t even make a sound of breath, so I swallowed so as not to make a sound.

“Well, it’s true that he died because he was looked down upon. But what you said is half right and half wrong. He wasn’t a kid to be looked down on by his successors. Like I said, he was a born soldier.”

“What?”

As I tilted my head, I heard Altair’s voice outside the door.

“April, Louise asked if you are ready.”

“Tell him I’m leaving soon.”

As if April wasn’t talking to me, she turned and closed the bag.

Soon after putting on her shoes, she stood in front of her dorm door, turned her back on me, and left her last words.

“It was me, not him, who was looked down upon. He died for me.”

Soon she left the dorm, and I murmured in the dorm where I was the only one left.

“I’m going crazy.”

What she projected on me was not her motivation, but herself.

tl/n: I’m going to miss the crazy April TT

* * *

“Everyone! Salute to Chris!”

The soldiers who stood facing each other raised their swords high. They were colored with their own auras.

Chris stood in front of the path the swords had made, and looked at us with a red face.

“…It seems like I was really stuck in this unit, but thank you to everyone and you did a great job! Get discharged in good health! Come out alive!”

He proudly walked the path the sword had made. But his face looked like he was holding back tears.

‘How would you feel if you survived 8 years?’

Chris walked to the front of the cart in the distance. It was the cart I rode on when I came here, and at the same time it was also a cart to take people leaving the army.

Now we were gathering at the company headquarters and seeing off people from each platoon.

It was the day when not only us but also one of the commanders of Gamma Platoon was discharged, we saluted him once again.

Finally, the commander’s departure was over, and now it was time to see off the corporals who were promoted and left.

‘April is alone.’

In other platoons, the people who could’ve been promoted were absent or dead. 

April alone was waiting.

“Everyone! Salute to April!”

With that said, we raised the sword we had lowered high again.

April, as always, stood there with a broad smile.

‘That crazy X is finally going too, thank you…’

“Stay alive!”

April, who left a short greeting like her, continued on the road as it was.

April, who was walking down, stopped for a moment in front of me, who was standing at the very end.

Without turning her head, only looking straight ahead, she whispered in a small voice that only I could hear.

“Black Magic Search Special Forces.”

“What?”

“You seem to have come to the conclusion that this system is strange, so I will give you a special reward. If the idea that this system is strange persists until you’re discharged, go to the Black Magic Search Special Forces and find me.”

“Well, what are you going to do…”

“I will destroy the system.”

After saying those words, April just walked away. I was the only one left with my mouth wide open.

‘Gee, what did I hear now?’

If it’s a system, do you mean to destroy the border defense force itself?

While I was in chaos, April, Chris, and one other commander were in the cart.

When their wagon departed, they did not look back.

Suddenly I had this thought.

This world is based on the novel ‘Four Crazy Obsessed’. Something will certainly exist in this world-an open hole that has not yet appeared in the novel.

This world would have filled that hole on its own in some way.

For example, the reason that there was no extreme harshness in a group where there was a hierarchical relationship was because the Archons had a bond between them as they faced life and death several times together.

As I read only novels, I did not know that this world was an apocalypse, but in reality this world was a tragic tragedy.

If so, what is this system called the Border Guard Forces?

A system in which monsters and Archons that constantly appear in battle risk their lives.

How is this absurd world created just for the background of the novel maintained?

“I will destroy the system.”

For some reason, I couldn’t erase this ominous feeling that I would visit April even after being discharged from the military.

* * *

The day after April was discharged.

“When are we going to be discharged?”

I felt somewhat empty, so I tapped Aquila standing next to me for no reason. He looked down at me with his scarlet eyes.

“…I didn’t think of that.”

“What? You’re not thinking about when you’ll be discharged?”

When I looked at Aquila as if he were crazy, he responded immediately.

“No, I thought of that every day.”

“As expected, right?”

Even if he was one of the original male leads, the way of thinking is all the same because he is a human being.

“Saruvia, I have several things to do after I am discharged from the military.”

“Yes, I have that too.”

“The plan includes what you have to do. Come to think of it, I didn’t ask for your consent.”

“Oh, really? Don’t worry. I’ll do anything for you!”

I patted him on the back. Yeah, I won’t know anyone in the world even if I’m discharged from the military, so I’ll just have to contact Aquila.

‘Hold on.’

Suddenly, the original female lead, Darlene, came to my mind.

It’s been a long time since the development of the male leads’ obsession with me was smashed, so I don’t care whether these four original male leads are obsessed with Darlene or not.

‘Then, Aquila… After being discharged, won’t he and Darlene get married and live together?’

That was a little difficult, because there was only one human, Aquila, whom I could call a friend in this world.

I didn’t want to be the ‘husband’s friend’ between the newlyweds.

‘And Darlene, no matter how much I think about it, isn’t she too much?’

I didn’t think much when I read the original, but after being possessed by the novel, I realized that the original heroine was a military advisor.

I couldn’t hand over my precious motivation to such an advisor.

“Hey, Aquila.”

“Yeah.”

“If you ever marry a stupid girl,”

I looked Aquila in the eye and said.

“I’m going to kill you.”

“What?”

I felt Aquila’s pupils shaking for a moment.

As days go by since joining the military, words seem to come out from me without filtering. But wouldn’t it matter if the original meaning was conveyed?

“Hey, did you get it?”

“…I don’t think that’s going to happen if you just do it with me, Saruvia.”

“Okay, I promise.”

I hung my pinky on his pinky.

Ishina passed by us and said in a somewhat sick and tired voice.

“Sigh… When did their way of thinking go wrong…?”

* * *

Time in the army goes by very slowly.

Today was exactly one year since we enlisted.

Also, today was the arrival of a new commander from another unit.

Just as April 3 months ago had been promoted and left for another unit, yesterday, Louise left his unit. And today, someone from another unit will come to our unit.

‘I hope that person has a normal personality.’

But after spending 6 years in the Border Guard, my personality probably couldn’t be intact either, XX.

“Guys, Winter told us to come in quickly.”

“Ah, I think a new commander has arrived.”

After a long break, I was stuck in the corner of the building, and I got up from my seat with Aquila, dusted myself off, and followed Ishina. A new commander had arrived, and he seemed to be saying hello.

And when I got to the building, I could see a purple-haired man I had never seen before, standing in front of the troops.

With purple hair and purple eyes, he looked very tired and even felt a little gloomy.

Only when I quickly blended into the ranks of the troops and all the other troops arrived did the new commander speak.

“Nice to meet you. I am Taro, who came to this unit as the 70th commander.”

Yesterday, corporal Louise was promoted to commander and left this unit, so the 70th squadron like him came to this unit as a commander.

“I know that you guys are having a hard time too, so if possible, stay here quietly…”

“It’s a big deal! Big deal!”

At that moment, someone interrupted Taro and ran to him in haste.

‘Are you crazy? To interrupt a commander?’

Everyone was startled and looked at the person who had just interrupted. Corporal Plato stood there, breathing heavily.

‘By the way, Plato said he was going to the company headquarters for work.’

As I recall, Plato went to the company headquarters not far from here to supply new weapons.

Since Plato, who was always meticulous, was also stuck in the gap when he was away, he couldn’t be wrong.

“…You look like a corporal. What happened for you to interrupt?”

“Bah, I was just coming from the company headquarters, but something happened!”

When Plato raised his voice unusually and shouted with excitement, Taro asked with an attitude that he was uncomfortable by him making a fuss.

“Why? Did any first-class monsters appear?”

“Right now, monsters don’t matter!”

It was a statement I could never understand, but Taro frowned as if he had guessed something.

“What? Could there be any major joint training?”

“Well, it’s not…”

“Then, will even the brigade commander visit our unit?”

“Oh no!”

“Then is the division commander coming?”

“No!”

“Well then, what the hell…”

“The Crown Prince is coming to visit our unit!”

After Plato finished speaking, the atmosphere went cold for a moment.

“Hah!”

Altair sat down with a loud noise.

“… Please tell me it’s a lie.”

Winter looked at Plato and said. I’ve never seen Winter put on such a desperate look.

“Oh, no…”

Taro was angry with Plato, asking what the hell was going on, and his hands trembled.

‘The Crown Prince?’

It was a word like ropan that I had not heard in a long time.

‘… Wait, isn’t it the material of a male lead in ropan the Crown Prince?’

Aren’t the Crown Princes with a higher position closer to ropan than the men who are in the Border Guard Forces?

After a year in my head, the ropan circuit started running again.

‘Maybe the Crown Prince who came to patrol, might see me and become an obsessive man?’

Seeing my strength, he would say, ‘you are different from other women’. He might say stupid things like that.

Of course, it’s natural because all women are different, but ropan males tend to be stupid in strange ways.

‘If you are a prince… Doesn’t it feel a bit like a tyrant without blood or tears?’

Looking at the seniors who seemed to be terrified at the news of the Prince’s coming, it was clear that the Crown Prince was someone extraordinary!

Yes, this is it!

“Ishina, is the Crown Prince a very hard-working person by any chance?”

“What?”

When I asked that question, Ishina looked at me with a look of disbelief. His complexion was as white as the rest of the troops.

“Everyone seems to be very afraid, is there any special reason?”

I hope that the tyrant prince will come to this unit and start the development of ropan by obsessing over me.

“Wow, what are you talking about, Saruvia…”

Ishina said in a trembling voice.

“You don’t know why we were so scared…?”

“What is it…?”

Ishina grabbed my shoulder with eyes that looked like he was about to cry.

“Cleaning… I need to clean…”

“…Did you not hear well?”

“Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning… How much time do I have… ? I need to clean…”

‘XX…’

In the end, I also collapsed to the floor helplessly.

‘XX, what is the development of ropan…’

Wouldn’t it be better to assassinate the Crown Prince before he arrives at the base?

* * *

D-2555 days before discharge.

I decided to assassinate the crown prince.

The reason is absurd. This was because we have to clean endlessly until the prince arrives.

“What is this?”

I was cleaning the pebbles with a dry mop now.

I will explain again in case you don’t understand. I was wiping pebbles with a mop.

The pebbles referred to here are the pebbles on the floor. It is the pebble field where the crazy April threw a metal bead and asked us to find it.

“Oh my god! The pebbles are dirty! Wipe it more thoroughly!”

“Okay…”

It wasn’t because it was hard, but because this situation was sad and ridiculous, I almost cried.

The crown prince, who is preparing to ascend to the throne of the emperor, said he would tour the troops in the sense of encouraging us who protect the empire, like it was a show-off method.

And among the 72nd Special Corporation of the National Defense Command, our 18th company was caught…

The 18th Company consisted of our Alpha platoon, the beta platoon, and the gamma platoon, and in general, three platoons were gathered, but our platoon was separated from each other for about 20 minutes.

Among them, the building attached together with the company headquarters building was the Beta platoon building, and the place where the company commander and administrative personnel were gathered was also there.

The reason why each platoon was separated was to make the border more efficient, but we had to go to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for arms supply and administrative work.

In addition, dangerous monsters such as the last dragon crisis were fought in cooperation with the company, and the training grounds located at the company headquarters were shared, so the three of our platoon could be said to be far and close.

Anyway, in conclusion, the three platoons of our 18th company were on alert side by side.

The company was overturned by the news that the crown prince was traveling to us four days later.

“I cancelled all the training! From now on, you’re only going to clean up!”

The company commander and platoon leaders pecked at the soldiers like crazy.

“The platoon is dirty! The company commander is disappointed in you!”

“Our platoon members! Everyone, wake up!”

Taro, who said, “I want us to stay quietly,” ordered cleaning whenever his eyes saw a spot.

“The ceiling is dirty.”

“The bathroom smells like a bathroom!”

“Look at the trees! The branches are not pretty!”

“National flag! Wipe the flag every hour so the dust doesn’t accumulate!”

“Yes! Our new commander is very clean!”

Taro made all sorts of ridiculous demands, and the platoon leader also followed Taro and monitored us with hawk eyes.

Yeah, they were just a distant subordinate in front of the crown prince.

The source of all these evils is the crown prince.

“Wipe the pebbles faster!”Faster! So that you can’t see your hands! Wipe the wheels when you’re done cleaning the pebbles!”

“Yes, I see…”

Caron, who is wiping pebbles, and Brave, a private next to me, grinded at them. Not only us but also Brave, are half out of our minds now.

Brave glared as he polished the barbed wire fence…

No, how is he polishing the barbed wire fence?

Seeing strange things that cannot happen in real life kept happening…

‘I want to desert.’

Normally, cleaning was done by trainees and first-class soldiers, but in this unprecedented situation called ‘the Crown Prince’s visit’, even the upper-class soldiers were cleaning.

In particular, the three Cool Mints, Winter, Altair, and Yuri, who were promoted to Corporal this month.

Pls read only at pink muffin tl.

They were cleaning more passionately than anyone else, as if they had returned to first class.

‘Winter, now that he has become a Corporal, I thought I would be able to recover the original male leads…’

“There are ants on the tree.”

I looked up at Winter, who was on the verge of climbing and pruning the trees and now eradicating even the worms on the trunks.

‘…A perfectionist!’

Why the hell is this place so perfect? Branches and leaves fell down as he moved his scissors with his delicate hands.

It was not only the corporals who were pitiful for the visit of the Crown Prince, but also the newly arrived trainees.

Two new male trainees arrived today with Taro. In the original case, they would have had to receive training for recruits from hell…

“Leaf!! The leaves are on the floor!!”

They were vigorously sweeping the leaves under Plato’s roar. They held large brooms and used leaves, and they looked like they didn’t know why they were doing this here.

‘At least you must be wondering if we are joking or not.’

The seniors are cleaning the floor right in front of me, wiping the pebbles, and even if I’m like myself, all of this would sound like a lie, XX.

“Sa-Saruvia… I want to train…”

Caron, who was assigned the task of cleaning the cobblestone next to me, said with moist eyes. When I saw the face of my successor, I was almost in tears.

“Didn’t you hear?”

“You do not need to know… My youngest is the youngest for life…”

Now even the words used in the previous life are starting to come out. It’s getting so hard, I feel like my mouth has lost control…

“Hey, you. Let’s see some pebbles. Yes, it is clean!”

Taro, who had been walking around his corps with tired eyes before, came up to us and gave us a satisfied look.

Next to him was Commander Elliot, whom I had not seen in a long time. Since Elliot is going to be discharged soon, he hasn’t been seen for a while. After all, in an emergency like this, he seems to have no choice but to jump out.

“Okay! Now you go and clean the wheels! No, just wipe the cart clean everywhere!”

“Alright…”

I pat Caron, who still had tears in his eyes, and took him to wash the mop. I don’t know how to clean the replacement wheel, but I’ll probably get it done. Well, this is the military, XX…

“I, Saruvia…”

At that moment, Caron called my name in a small voice.

“What?”

“Can I ask you a question?”

“What?”

“Um, I don’t know why we have to prepare to meet the Crown Prince…”

As Caron said so with a smile, I guessed the meaning of his words.

Perhaps it is because we do not understand why we should be prepared to serve the Crown Prince, who is a member of the Adolf Empire imperial family, who made a contract magic that is as good as a slave contract to the Archons. For us, the Crown Prince is the enemy itself.

But anyways, we’re serving in the Border Guard, and he was our superior who we had to serve.

‘Come to think of it, everyone is so used to this situation that they don’t even think about resenting the Crown Prince?’

I had that thought in my head, but anyways, suppressing the urge to assassinate the Crown Prince, I answered in a stern tone.

“Yes, first of all, the Crown Prince is our superior.”

“Oh, not that… If the Crown Prince comes and everyone is having such a hard time, shouldn’t we just have to keep the Crown Prince from coming to the army?”

“Yes? How? Is there a way?”

“Yes, there is a way…”

‘Hmm, I think it’s because Caron doesn’t know well.’

He sometimes forgets even the basics, so the method that Caron comes up with may not be the right way, but I asked as if I was playing with the youngest.

“Okay? What? Can you tell me?”

“Yeah…”

Caron smiled shyly and said.

“It’s setting the mountain on fire.”

“…Huh?”

“If we set fire to the entrance of the mountain and say it was the work of a monster, the Crown Prince will have a problem with our unit, so why not go to another unit…?”

“…You want to burn the mountain?”

“Yeah, maybe that’s a bad idea…?”

‘…What?’

I was at a loss for words and looked at Caron with a puzzled expression. Where the heck did that guy’s way of thinking go wrong?

“…Caron, listen carefully.”

“Yes. Yes…!”

“First of all, don’t set fire to the mountain.”

“Ah…”

“If you set a mountain on fire, the animals and plants that live in the mountain will die.”

“Oh, can’t we just kill animals and plants…?”

…I know his memories are sparse due to the fire accident, but I didn’t know that he would forget such basic ethics.

‘No, let me understand… It’s not that Caron is a bad person, it’s because he doesn’t know.’

In the end, I decided to take good care of Caron once again, and I spoke in a tone of teaching a child.

“Okay, did you understand that we shouldn’t set fire to the mountain now?”

“Yeah, now I know…!”

“Then let’s go get a rag…”

Somehow, after teaching even basic ethics like this, I felt even more exhausted.

‘I am tired both physically and mentally…’

As I walked with a staggering pace, I met a very welcoming face in the laundry room, and immediately opened my eyes and shouted.

“Aquila!”

Here, my motive is more reliable than anyone else…!

I was able to have a tearful reunion with Aquila in a few hours.

Of course, both him and I were in a mess.

Aquila was washing the mop hard with his eyes hollowed out. His eyes, which had always kept a straight face, showed his desire to desert after a long time.

“Saruvia. What are you doing here?”

“I wiped the pebbles with the Caron…”

“What did you wipe?”

“Pebbles…”

Aquila looked sorry at the words.

“Aquila, what have you been up to?”

“I wiped the ceiling.”

“How can you wipe that?”

“I don’t know what I did either…”

At that, I opened my arms to Aquila with teary eyes. Likewise, Aquila, who looked tired and about to die, hugged me with one arm. It was a tearful fellowship.

“Guys.”

“Ishina?”

At the sudden voice from behind, I was surprised and quickly moved away from Aquila and straightened up.

Ishina was looking at us with moist eyes for some reason.

“Guys, I think we need to wash the mop quickly.”

“Oh! I’ll wash it quickly and clean the wheels!”

“No, Taro said there’s a place we need to clean up more urgently than anything else.”

Feeling somewhat anxious, I looked up at Ishina with trembling eyes.

In the original work, Ishina’s pupils of “the latest trend of the villain male lead, who is affectionate on the outside but cool on the inside, were shaking just like mine.

“What the hell is it?”

“The ceiling of the bathroom is dirty…”

“How can I wipe that?”

When I heard that, I eventually collapsed.

XX, whether you’re obsessed or not, I’ll kill you, crown prince…

* * *

So the very morning the Crown Prince arrived, we lined up at the entrance and waited for his arrival.

From the platoon commander to the commanders to the new recruits, we all had eyes that looked like we were going to run out of exhaustion.

The clothes that had been hard washed and ironed yesterday were angular, and the shoes were shiny. The road, which had been paved all night, shone brilliantly.

“…He’s coming.”

As everyone stood still, holding their breath, tensed up, Winter broke the silence and spoke in a low voice.

Taro raised one eyebrow and turned his gaze to Winter.

“How do you know that?”

“The floor is vibrating.”

As expected, Winter, who was one of the most capable male leads in the original, seemed to be able to feel the sound of the earth.

He always feels it, but I don’t know if Winter is really a human or a machine.

“…Everyone, be on your guard. If you make a mistake, I’ll kill you.”

Taro said so, but unfortunately, I couldn’t be more nervous than this.

I don’t know if this constant vibrating sound I feel right now is the sound of my heart or the heart of the person next to me.

As Winter said, the sound of horses’ hooves began to be heard as if the Crown Prince and his party were really arriving soon.

‘Is that a white horse?’

The prince was coming up along the road, riding a white horse that was well maintained.

Because the mountain was so steep, it seemed that he had come on a horse rather than a carriage. At first I could only see his dazzling blonde hair, but as he climbed the hill, his whole body was revealed.

The prince was riding a white horse wearing a splendid red cloth that I had never seen since I arrived in this world, and behind him were about ten soldiers following him.

And the company commander was next to him with a humble expression, and from the sweat dripping down his neck, it was clear that he had suffered quite a bit while touring the Gamma and Beta platoons ahead of us.

‘You really look like a prince.’

The Crown Prince was a boy with typical blonde hair and blue eyes. From him, there was an incomparable atmosphere characteristic of a finely large aristocrat.

Without getting down from his words, with his head raised loftily, he looked at us with disdainful glances.

Gulp-

There was the sound of someone swallowing saliva, and Taro looked like he was about to faint as the silence grew longer.

Finally, the prince’s mouth opened and an arrogant voice came out.

“Nice to meet you, gentlemen.”

“I see you, His Majesty the Crown Prince of the Empire!”

At the platoon leader’s call, everyone followed him and said hello after practicing dozens of times last night. I think his body made a crackling sound from how much force he put on his joints.

“Hmm…”

However, the Crown Prince made a somewhat displeased expression on his face and said:

“The previous two platoons did the same… Why is everyone so nervous? It’s uncomfortable.”

…There was silence.

‘I’m nervous because of you, XX.’

Everyone awkwardly looked at the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince had a lofty gaze that contrasted with us. But now I see…

‘The status of the Crown Prince, that sullen tone, and the expression that seems to look down on the people around him, but if we take a look at his handsome face…’

It is clear that he is a character of the crown prince who is tsundere.

In fact, if this world was ropan, wouldn’t it be a character that has the potential to become a male lead?

‘But like it or not, to me right now, I’m just unlucky…’

When I clenched my teeth and longed for him to be removed from this unit quickly, the Crown Prince started talking to the company commander.

The company commander wanted to somehow leave a good impression on the Crown Prince, so he began to list the characteristics of our company. Nutrient-rich meals for soldiers, training tailored to their individual characteristics, and even soldiers with outstanding skills…

“You say the soldiers are excellent?”

The prince made an interesting face.

“Yes, there are soldiers who are particularly good at swordsmanship…”

“It’s swordsmanship… There are no proper teachers here, how can they be good?”

It was a remark that seemed to ignore us, but the company commander forcibly responded with a smile on his face.

“Yes, because these races have developed abilities to survive…”

“It’s an innate talent…”

Suddenly, the prince somehow ominously raised one corner of his mouth.

“Okay! Why don’t someone have a sword fight with me?”

…Did I hear wrong now?

‘XX, I think a bomb just went off.’

Taro’s face, which had turned white before the Crown Prince’s sudden application for a confrontation, had now turned from earth to stone, and Elliot’s pupils shook wildly.

“Sword… Are you talking about sword fighting?”

“Yes. There are very talented soldiers in this unit.”

At those words, everyone glanced at Winter without notice.

The company commander who talked about swordsmanship without knowing his own future seemed to faint at any moment…

“But it is dangerous…!”

The platoon commander dissuaded him with an expression that looked like he was about to vomit what he ate at any moment.

“Do you think that I am weak now? How cheeky.”

‘Why is that XX so immature? You have to roll around for a year or so before you can come to your senses.’

However, the Crown Prince did not seem to want to withdraw his words, but rather looked at us with an arrogant attitude and asked.

“Who is the strongest here?”

When the company commander blinked at Winter with moist eyes, Winter recognized the signal and had no choice but to open his mouth.

“That’s me.”

“Come!”

Winter walked towards the Crown Prince with a silent expression.

The Crown Prince’s eyes fluttered for a moment as he saw his physique.

“…So, are you the strongest?”

“That’s an overstatement.”

Winter answered in a low voice.

As anyone with even the slightest eye would know, this was truly terrifying.

Fighting with the Crown Prince? For a normal person, that’s the problem first. Their hands would tremble and they wouldn’t even hold the sword.

Even if Winter, who is always rational and calm, wields the sword as usual, he should never defeat the Crown Prince. That’s just crazy!

But in spite of all of us praying earnestly inwardly, the Crown Prince seemed unwilling to bend the will.

“If you are really strong, I want to compete with you.”

“Woah, it can be dangerous!”

“Are you disobeying my orders now?”

The platoon leader desperately stopped the prince, but when the prince raised his eyes, the platoon leader had no choice but to follow his instructions.

“Well, then, it would be better to go to the training ground…”

“Yes, let me guide you.”

As soon as the platoon commander took the lead in the training ground and the Crown Prince turned around after him, everyone’s eyes fell on Winter. 

Elliot, Taro, Leon, Brave, Plato, etc… All the seniors opened their mouths to him.

‘Good luck.’

‘Lose naturally without a trace.’

‘If the Crown Prince gets any wounds, we will all die together.’

‘Winter, I only believe in you…’

Although he had to bear all the burdens, as always, Winter’s expression did not change at all.

Of course, I also prayed together for the safety of all of us.

‘I hope that he can show off his method acting well…’

I know that Winter is a perfectionist male lead #2, but I wish he could give up his character and naturally lose to the Crown Prince…

So, the appearance of the Crown Prince, the platoon commander, and the company commander disappears first.

When the atmosphere was really ready for the battle, Commander Elliot spoke with a desperate voice to the Imperial Palace knights who were escorting the Crown Prince.

“Please, please stop him. It can be dangerous.”

“That’s just how he is. Good luck.”

The Imperial Palace Knights, like Elliot, had a tired voice.

Elliot, who had guessed the prince’s personality, closed his eyes tightly and screamed silently.

The Crown Prince was clearly assertive, but he was clearly the type of unlucky person who misunderstood himself as progressive and active.

In the end, when we arrived at the training ground while denying reality, the Crown Prince and Winter were already standing with their respective swords.

“Let’s all keep an eye on it.”

The Crown Prince said so in an unlucky tone…

“Haha! I am really looking forward to it!”

Altair, the only one of the Cool Mint trio who has excellent affinity, shouted out in a loud voice as if he was really looking forward to it.

“Come on, come quickly too!”

In front of the crown prince, Altair, who was smiling joyfully, glared at us and shouted so, and we forced ourselves to smile brightly and stood around the crown prince and Winter.

The crown prince and Winter faced each other with swords.

Winter’s first words, which had been silent so far, were as follows.

“Can you draw an aura?”

“What? Do you think I’ll be bad at swordsmanship, who will lead the empire in the future?”

When the crown prince spoke in a slightly sharper voice, Elliott’s expression turned white and pretended to draw his neck only to show Winter.

“I asked because I thought the pattern would change depending on whether you could use the aura.”

“Who do you think I am?!”

The crown prince was furious, but Winter had a calm face in contrast.

‘I think we’re screwed…’

Winter, who is truly a regularist and perfectionist, would have really asked that to know the level of the crown prince, but the crown prince probably felt that he had ignored him.

“I think you’re ready. Let’s start a fight.”

From a while ago, my face was getting whiter. The platoon leader shouted quickly before the conversation got longer.

When the sound of announcing was heard, the sword held by the crown prince and Winter simultaneously shone brightly as it was contained to go up and down.

First, it was the crown prince who wielded the sword. The prince, wearing a golden aura, attacked Winter with his quick hands, and Winter was blocking all the attacks without making any mistakes.

‘The prince is pretty good too.’

Now that I look at it, the crown prince had a noble feeling unique to a finely raised aristocrat, but he must be quite strong in terms of swordsmanship, seeing his agile movements, accurate skills, and, above all, using an aura that can only be carried by highly trained people unless they’re am Archon.

It is clear that there is a sense of responsibility for the empire. It seems that he has made considerable efforts to cultivate his skills as well as to tour the border defense forces.

But the problem is…

‘Winter is too strong…’

Winter was described as the best skilled of the four male characters in the original work. He has always been an example in every way, and his seniors always praised Winter’s battle as the essence.

Even now, the two seemed to be fighting on a par as the crown prince attacked and Winter blocked them, but in fact, if you look closely at the battle, you can see that Winter never attacks first.

‘It’s crazy if you do your best over there.’

After exchanging several attacks, the crown prince clenched his teeth as if he noticed that Winter was watching him.

“Why aren’t you attacking me? Are you looking down on me?”

“I’m not.”

“Then do your best for me too!”

Then Winter began wielding his cold sword against the crown prince.

‘That guy…’

I’ve told you several times to lose in moderation and naturally, but Winter was attacking with all his heart!

The vital point seems to be avoided, but as long as Winter started the attack, it was too much for the crown prince to stop. The crown prince’s body was gradually pushed to the edge.

“Ah…!”

When the crown prince shouted angrily, the platoon leader muttered in a crying voice.

“Oh, no…”

“Winter, he’s following the rules…?”

It was Altair and Yuri who were more absurd than anyone at Winter’s behavior. They looked as if they were going to faint at any moment at the fact that their colleague was sincerely trying to defeat the prince.

And, as the Crown Prince is increasingly in danger, the hand holding his sword begins to tremble.

“Hey, get out of the way.”

Taro suddenly pushed me and stood in my place. It was the exact spot where Winter’s back was clearly visible.

Taro pulled out a long pipe-like thing from his arms and brought it to his lips.

Tuk-!

Suddenly, Winter’s body collapsed helplessly.

‘…What?’

As if nothing had happened, my expression became even more absurd as I watched Taro put the pipe in his arms without being seen by the Crown Prince. Because obviously that thing stuck in Winter’s back…

‘Hey, did you put the paralysis needle in him?’

As if something was wrong with his body, Winter staggered, never falling, but tried to get up again.

“Winter! Is he okay?”

Yuri hurriedly approached Winter, forced Winter to kneel, and naturally pulled the paralyzing needle from his neck so as not to be seen by the Crown Prince.

“Since Winter was poisoned by a monster a few days ago, his condition hasn’t been good, so it seems unreasonable!”

“Winter, if you’re still not feeling well, you should have told me!”

Yuri and Altair shouted that with such a shameless face. Yuri, who wrapped Winter’s left arm around her own shoulder, blinked at Ishina, who was near her.

“To help Winter quickly.”

“Oh, I see.”

I heard Ishina whispering around Winter’s right arm.

“I’m sorry, Winter…”

“No…”

“You didn’t know that the monster’s poison could be so strong? You still need to rest!”

Yuri covered Winter’s mouth and dragged him along.

“You must have been very surprised that something unexpected happened! Instead, I’m the second best swordsman in this unit, so I’d like to dare to challenge you!”

Altair took up his sword and started to fight the prince on behalf of Winter…

“Wow! Come…!”

“Hey, you’re using a technique I never thought possible…!”

“Huh, you are a really tough opponent…”

“It’s a gap! No, it was a trap!”

I rolled my eyes, thinking of Altair, who was fighting while relaying the situation with his own mouth, and Winter, who was dragged away by Yuri. Is that really the treatment of the original male lead #2?

‘Winter, I thought things would get better now…’

After all, who would have known that the Crown Prince would suddenly appear in the army and even the company commander would be freaked out.

If you are not willing to bend your beliefs or your personal opinions in this border defense force, you will be forcibly broken like winter…

“The new commander is really capable.”

The company commander and the platoon commander happily praised Taro and Altair as if the situation was not unusual.

“Hey, that’s pretty much it! Defeat me…!”

Watching Altair play his lines like a pawn in a boy’s cartoon, I felt the reality painfully again.

‘What kind of opening ground army is this?’

* * *

After the absurd confrontation, we ate together.

For your information, “together” here means together, including the crown prince, XX…

‘Beta platoon and gamma platoon didn’t eat with him. I’m jealous.’

It was not that there were no outsiders at all in this unit where we lived, but all those in charge of cooking in the kitchen were hired by the state. The news that the crown prince was coming was delivered in advance, so today’s dish was truly enormous.

“Do you usually eat like this?”

“Yes, thankfully, the emperor of the Empire has always served the army for us, so we are always eating well.”

“Hmm, you have to eat well to protect the border.”

I looked down at the steak on the plate with faint eyes.

‘When did we eat steak?’

And even worse, it was the fact that the person next to me was the crown prince..

Fortunately, the crown prince was not interested in me because Altair, who sat in front of the crown prince, pulled all the conversation, but how can the meal go well here?

‘How many years has it been since I had steak?’

I don’t know when the last time I ate it before I was possessed, but at least I haven’t eaten it after I was possessed, so it was clear that it was more than a year ago.

I grabbed the knife with my trembling hands and cut the steak, but it was so long that I couldn’t cut the steak well.

‘Do I have to cut it according to the texture? Why isn’t it cutting?’

When I used the knife with an awkward gesture, Altair, sitting diagonally from me, mouthed.

‘If you show awkwardness, you’ll die.’

…XX.

‘Act like you always eat.’

Pls read only at pink muffin tl.

…Eventually, I cut the steak with a knife from my aura so that the crown prince could not see it.

Caron, who saw me cutting steak with a knife loaded with aura, rubbed his eyes and doubted the sight he was watching, but this was better than leaving the meal.

All of the troops, including myself, ate naturally as if it were food we ate all the time. The crown prince nodded as if satisfied with our appearance.

“I guess there’s nothing lacking in military life.”

“No, not at all, haha!”

“Please support us with meals and the supplies are the best.”

Altair and Plato were quickly told by the crown prince.

“Do you think the same way?”

“What? What?”

The person that the crown prince suddenly talked to was me, not anyone else.

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Saruvia!”

A hard voice came out of my throat due to tension.

“Yeah. Saruvia. Do you have any suggestions for the unit?”

‘XX… What the hell are you saying here…’

Pretending to be crazy here and honestly saying, ‘I want to leave the military! The treatment of heterogeneous people is completely unfair!’ and ‘the training is too hard!’ will never happen. If I answer something like this, I don’t want to imagine that future.

I was delaying my answer, and at that moment, I met the eys of Altair and Yuri, who were staring at me.

‘Think about the future.’

‘Answers well.’

How on earth can you communicate that much with just your eyes??

“I just love it so much!”

In the end, it was a mechanical answer that popped out of my mouth.

“I feel the energy of nature, so I think I’m getting healthier day by day after coming to the unit. In addition, my seniors and colleagues help me so well that I enjoy my military life! It’s such an honor to be able to dedicate myself to the Adolf Empire!”

I pushed the crying sound into my heart, and when I finished talking, all the members of the unit looked at me with moist eyes.

“Well, everyone is very disciplined.”

Does the crown prince believe me exactly? Why was he so cheeky from before?

‘XX, I have to show the crown prince the taste of the earth someday… Revolution, I have to show this XX the taste of revolution…’

I also miss April. From now on, my future hope is to ‘destroy the system’.

‘Revolution, only revolution…’

While I was thinking about giving the Crown Prince a taste of the guillotine, the breathtaking mealtime was over.

“Then, everyone worked hard.”

At the entrance of the unit, the Crown Prince said so in his own solemn voice, but it felt only rude due to his youthful voice that could not be hidden and his actions so far.

“Thanks to this, I was able to look back on the country I will rule in the future and strengthen my will. And I did a good match.”

“It was a great honor that I will remember for the rest of my life.”

“Yes, we also had a great time.”

Altair intervened quickly, flattering with a smile, and Plato nodded in agreement with him.

“Hmm, did you really enjoy it?”

However, the prince tilted his head with an unexpected expression.

‘XX, I’m kind of anxious…’

I’ve felt it for a while, but the Crown Prince, that XX, really doesn’t care…

“It wouldn’t be bad to stay for one night after this.”

“Cough, cough!”

“Hic!”

‘Oh, I don’t feel well…’

Apparently, the steak I ate a while ago could be tasted again.

And that seemed to be the case with other members of the unit as well. Yuri looked like she was about to vomit at any moment, and Taro’s dark circles had now reached the tip of his chin, and I could hear the sound of coughing all over the place.

“Hahaha… In such a shabby place, how can your Highness…”

“Hey, it’s a place where my people who are devoted to the country live, no matter how shabby it is. I want you to know that I’m not that stupid.”

“Well, it’s still too much for the Crown Prince to stay…”

The platoon commander gave a suffocating voice, and my head started spinning faster than ever before.

‘Somehow, the Crown Prince must return.’

Don’t let the Crown Prince stay in this unit any longer, even for a minute or a second!

“No, the monster…”

As soon as the words that flashed in my head came out of my mouth, everyone’s eyes focused on me. The stinging eyes of the seniors pierced my skin, but the only important thing now was to let the prince go.

“Hey, sometimes at night, because of monsters, there are times when we make emergency calls…”

As I said that, I sent Altair’s eyes with a silent meaning, and Altair, a master of the art of life, took over my words as if he understood the meaning.

“Yes, that’s right. Sometimes we make emergency mobilizations at night because of monsters, so the Crown Prince can be in danger too.”

“Yes. Besides, our unit is always on guard, so it will be noisy at night.”

“Hmm, indeed. I cannot interfere with your work.”

When the company commander stepped forward to help Altair, the Crown Prince nodded his head as if in agreement. The seniors sent me warm eyes that I had never seen before.

‘XX, I’ve never used my head like this before.’

The more I spend in this unit, the more I feel like I’m starting to believe in violence and fear…

* * *

“Then I’ll leave now.”

“It’s such a shame.”

The platoon leader said so with a look that didn’t look disappointed at all, and then slightly lowered the corners of his mouth as if he realized his expression.

“We salute to your Highness!”

Finally, we saluted the crown prince all at once to the platoon leader’s instructions, and finally the crown prince left the unit like that.

When the crown prince’s back gradually disappeared as he went down the mountain, and finally we could not hear the horseshoe sound of the prince’s horse, Taro stumbled and fell to the ground.

“The prince came as soon as I was assigned to the new unit… This is the end of my energy… I won’t do anything for the next two years…”

Elliott also sat down next to Tarot and muttered.

“This month’s critical training will be canceled… No, I’ll cancel next month too…”

“The guard post that was scheduled for this week… I don’t know. I’ll do it someday…”

The company commander and platoon leader also said something unbelievable that came from their mouths, and I felt once again that they were also subordinates.

It was not until I heard their words that I felt relieved that everything was over, and a sigh of relief came out everywhere.

“Hey, there’s no training today… Take a rest on your own… Don’t clean up and don’t have to do laundry today… Let’s just live a dirty life today.”

Plato said so, roughly swinging his hands with a tired face.

“Hey, why did you do that earlier? I know you’re really inflexible, but shouldn’t you decide when and where to go?”

“Were you out of your mind?”

Meanwhile, Altair and Yuri began to peck at the winter.

“We almost all went through it together.”

“Hey, get a hold of yourself.”

At that time, Winter, who had been silently listening to their criticism, suddenly raised his head. He looked as if he had sensed something.

“It’s coming.”

“What?”

“I can hear the sound of horse hooves. It’s definitely coming back. It’s getting closer.”

“What? What’s coming back?! Argh!”

Altair, who looked around the entrance of the unit, screamed briefly with his mouth wide open.

“Ugh!”

“…What is it? Ouch! It stings!”

“Oh no…”

Yuri screamed along with Altair, and Taro, who was sitting on the floor, rubbed his eyes with sand-stained hands, then wiped his eyes like a fool and complained of pain. Ishina checked his heartbeat and staggered like a weak heroine.

Yes, the members of the unit were out of their minds now, because standing at the entrance of the unit is definitely…

“Why is the prince over there, XX?”

Obviously, it was the crown prince and his soldiers standing there!

“What is it?”

Since the crown prince was standing in such a calm position, I am now confused whether my memory was wrong.

Obviously, the crown prince left the unit, but was it a fantasy I created because I wanted to let the crown prince go too much??

“What, what, what, what?”

However, looking at Tarot, which is repeating “what” enough to create rhythm, I don’t think my memory is wrong. He was like a beatboxer.

As we just stared at him with a confused face, the crown prince frowned slightly and opened his mouth.

“…What were you all doing sitting on the floor?””

“Your Highness… Didn’t you definitely leave?”

The company commander, who came to his senses, asked in a fumbling voice. The company commander has never felt so familiar.

“I was going down, but a large tree collapsed and was blocking the road.”

“What?”

“There were large pits everywhere, and the road was completely ruined. I think it’s the performance of magic…”

“Yes, as your Highness said, I think it’s the work of a witch living in the soil.”

The escort driver standing next to the crown prince helped explain.

“First of all, I think you have to seal the patch. Even so, it will take time to restore the path, so we have to stay here tonight for now.”

“We can do it!”

The company commander shouted more desperately than ever. It was a desperate cry that I had never heard of when hunting dangerous monsters.

“We can recover it and you can be on your way in a few hours! We’ll go down and solve it right now!”

“No, you don’t have to overdo it…”

“It’s not too much! Restoring the road is something we’ve done often, so it’s extremely easy for us! Right?”

As soon as the company commander looked back at us, we shouted in unison. It was never imagined that the company commander and the soldiers would really do something like this together.

“Yes, that’s right!”

“If it’s like a fallen tree, I can handle it by myself.”

“It takes 5 minutes to fill the hole.”

Of course, I’ve never done road restoration since I joined the army, XX. But is that important now? I had to quickly send that crown prince down the mountain.

Everyone’s head that grasped the situation quickly turned, and everyone’s will began to burn in their eyes.

“Let’s go, my troops.”

The company commander and the platoon leader stood side by side and said, staring at us with burning eyes.

“To restore the road.”

* * *

“Repair! Recover somehow! Restore it!”

“Fill the ground! Cough! You can do it! You should be able to do it!”

Each time Elliot ruffled his hair and cried, a handful of his hair pulled out, and Taro couldn’t handle his own voice and coughed as he screamed, but he didn’t stop screaming.

While the Crown Prince waited inside the safe unit, we hurriedly started working on the messed up road.

‘XX, hey, what kind of work is this…’

I took my shovel and refilled the messed up pit. Each time the shovel was lifted, the soil splattered into the air and splashed on everyone, but no one cared.

“You damn moles, get them all killed!”

When we found a swarm of giant moles, the monsters that messed up the mountain, Taro said so with a voice more passionate than ever.

“After all, Winter! You’re a special soldier of our unit!”

“Yes! Winter! You’re back!”

Everyone applauded as they watched Winter kill ten moles at a time with a sword covered with an ice aura. I had a shovel in my hand, but if I didn’t, I would have applauded.

‘Yeah, that’s the male lead’s ability!’

“Aquila! That’s great! You are doing great!”

“Yeah, it’s Aquila!”

Aquila wielded a sword in the aura of fire, thawed the frozen ground from Winter’s ice, and flattened the rugged ground. Seeing him, the troops also praised him.

Tears were about to come out from me because Aquila and Winter seem to be showing their male lead roles after a long time…

Yes, this is great!

“Not long left! Fill it up! Fill it all up!”

Of course, no matter how capable Aquila and Winter were, they couldn’t stop tears from flowing from my eyes as they filled these pits…

‘This is it, XX…’

* * *

“…It’s really over.”

Finally, as we watched the Prince descend down the mountain on our perfectly flat road, we embraced each other in the army and celebrated our victory.

‘What the hell happened?’

I looked up at the blue sky with empty eyes. It seems like a lot of things have suddenly happened over the past few days, so I don’t have the energy to think anymore…

“Sigh…”

Caron, exhausted, sighed heavily and sat down next to me.

“Caron, you’ve been through a lot…”

“I, I… I was looking forward to seeing His Majesty the Crown Prince…”

“Aha, did you even think of the prince in a fairy tale? After all, he was a prince riding a white horse.”

As I said with a teasing giggle, Caron tilted his head while blushing in embarrassment.

“Prince on a white horse… What do you mean?”

“Yes, the prince on a white horse.”

But Caron didn’t seem to understand my words. It seemed that he had forgotten the memory of the fairy tale.

If so, here, I have to revive my dreams and my childhood.

“The prince on a white horse often appears in fairy tales… Usually a blonde prince rides a white horse and rescues the princess kidnapped by the dragon. Then the two will get married.”

“Do dragons also kidnap humans?”

“No, the dragon in fairy tales is not a dragon here…”

Come to think of it, I already have all kinds of cruel monsters in my head because of this border guard life, so there was no way I could revive my childhood…

“So the dragon there… They don’t attack people, but they kidnap the princess… Well, why did it kidnap…”

…Come to think of it, why does the dragon kidnap the princess? Why the hell? Is this completely unreasonable?

“So, it’s like the National Guard, the Border Guard… In the original fairy tale, princesses are beings who have to be abducted by dragons once. I don’t know why, but that’s just how it was.”

Well, you can say that when we are forced to serve in the Border Guard, the princesses are forced to serve under the dragon. To be honest, I don’t think coming here is much different from kidnapping.

“Aha, I understand!”

In the end, Caron nodded at my beggar’s explanation.

“…Anyway, the important thing is that the princes in fairy tales are handsome, good at swordsmanship, and wonderful people with high status.”

“Ummm…”

Caron looked at the entrance to the army where the Crown Prince had returned, with a look of dismay.

“But the former Crown Prince was not very handsome…”

“That’s right, in reality, the Crown Prince just has a normal face, and the essence is just our boss… Don’t be fooled by that face.”

The shiny hair that looks like melted gold, the noble features, and the white skin were like a prince in a fairy tale, but anyway, I hate the prince.

‘Even that XX came riding a white horse earlier… At this point, isn’t it a concept?’

At that moment, Aquila, who had a somewhat irritable voice, interrupted our conversation.

“Is his face okay?”

“He was okay.”

“Did you like that face?”

“Well, objectively, he’s handsome.”

After saying that, I lowered my voice so that the seniors over there could not hear me.

“Of course, just because he’s handsome doesn’t mean I like it. Don’t misunderstand. I don’t like the crown prince.”

“Of course, that’s true.”

“And in our unit alone, there are people who are more handsome than the Crown Prince, like Winter.”

“Winter?”

“Yeah, he’s really handsome.”

As I always feel, Winter’s face was really like a carefully made face by a sculptor. It can be said that the word “perfect” suits the face well.

“…Is Winter’s face your type of face?”

“First of all, I like black hair more than blonde hair. And when I see people who grow up as fine as the crown prince, I get kind of upset.”

“…Saruvia, why don’t you close your mouth first?”

Ishina, who had only been standing next to us for a while, said so with a soft voice, raising the corners of his mouth. However, his eyes were not smiling at all.

Wait. A friendly face, a friendly voice, and the corner of his mouth. But eyes that are not smiling. This is definitely…

‘That’s the unique expression of the villain.’

There was no way I couldn’t recognize it!

‘What are you planning on doing?’

I asked, staring at Ishina with a little doubt.

“Why?”

“Whew, that’s it. Aquila is…”

“Saruvia, I have something to say.”

As Aquila pulled my arm and said so, I had no choice but to be wary of Ishina. However, Ishina just sighed with a stuffy face and beckoned me to go.

“Okay, just leave…”

“Don’t I have to listen to what you were going to say?”

“I don’t think you’ll understand even if you listen to it, so just go…”

But without time to ask the meaning of the words, I had to move with Aquila who was holding my arm.

“I want to be discharged. I want to be discharged…!”

I heard Ishina shouting like that behind me being dragged by Aquila.

‘Well, I guess you were planning to leave the military.’’

After suffering so much from the crown prince, it was worth planning a desertion.

As usual, a day of border defense forces like X ended like this today.