Dalin had changed a lot since she first enlisted.
The way her face carried a strange sense of confidence now was proof of that.
"So, do you think you can handle military life better now?"
When I asked, Dalin answered with a serious expression.
"Yes. Now that I think about it, military life isn’t so bad."
"...Are you insane?"
"I couldn't do anything out there, but in the military, I feel like I belong."
"...And?"
"So, I think continuing as a soldier might not be a bad idea."
"Wait, what?! You’re saying you want to go career?!"
"Yes! I’m considering it!"
...Maybe I had boosted her confidence a little too much.
‘No, wait. This isn’t the important issue right now.’
I had been frozen for a moment, processing Dalin’s past and realizing how she felt about me, but I almost forgot what really mattered.
"Dalin... You really don’t hate me as much as I thought, huh..."
This content is taken from freёwebnovel.com.
Honestly, at this point, I wasn’t sure if Dalin’s mistakes had ever been about her self-esteem. She just seemed fundamentally... clueless.
And she’d probably continue making idiotic mistakes in the future—just with more confidence now.
"SO WHY DID THIS CRAZY IDIOT LOSE HER SWORD?!"
Whether she liked me or not, why did that matter?
This lunatic was trying to distract me with nonsense. Did she really think she could soften me up with a few sentimental words?
Did she think I was the type to suddenly go, Oh, so that’s why you are the way you are... and just let her off the hook?
"First, get down and start bowing."
"Ack, no, but I really like—"
"I DON’T CARE, YOU DUMBASS!"
***
"Hey, did you just get your ass handed to you?"
Jason asked as he watched Dalin dragging herself back, looking completely wrecked.
Since the recruits had all seen Salvia storm off in a fit of rage to go beat Dalin senseless, they had already wisely shut their mouths and kept their heads down.
"Yeah..."
Dalin pouted, looking thoroughly wronged.
"But I really like Salvia-nim. So why does she keep treating me like this even though she knows I like her?"
Benny’s face twisted in disbelief.
"Dalin, do you really think Salvia-nim cares about that?"
"Huh?"
"Normally, when someone finds out another person likes them, they go easy on them, right? But Salvia-nim is completely broken inside, so she doesn’t care at all...."
***
After thoroughly thrashing Dalin, I ran off again.
Because after thinking about Dalin’s past and realizing all of this, I needed to tell someone. Immediately.
And the first person I ran into when I rushed into the building was none other than Ishina.
"Ishina-nim! Ishina-nim! Ishina-nim!"
"Salvia? What’s wrong?"
Ishina turned around when he heard my voice, his long khaki-colored hair tied back into a ponytail.
I stopped in front of him, looked him dead in the eye, and declared with grim determination,
"I can’t take this anymore. I’ve made up my mind."
"About what?"
The things I had seen. The lives of the Arkons. The life Dalin had lived as an unprotected, pretty Arkon.
And finally—the unknown world that would be waiting for me after discharge.
"I can’t stand it."
I could no longer tolerate this world.
Until now, I had just laughed it off as some kind of ha ha, what a fucked-up apocalypse! black comedy.
But I couldn’t keep pretending anymore.
"I’m going to uncover this world’s secrets."
April had said it before.
That she would tear apart the Arkon system and the Border Defense Army.
"When I get discharged... in whatever way I can... I have to change this system."
So, as absurd as it sounded...
I might have to walk straight into hell to accomplish my goal.
"I need to go find... find... April-nim and work with her."
"You mean the Special Forces for Black Magic Investigations? You said before that April-nim would end up there."
"Of course, I could try to help from the outside too... But either way, I need to— I need to... April-nim to help me...."
"Salvia... You still can’t even say her name properly."
"That’s because she’s the embodiment of hell itself... But whatever! I’m doing this."
I locked eyes with Ishina.
For some reason, I always felt comfortable talking to him.
No matter what I said, he listened kindly. He actually worried about me.
Ishina listened quietly, then slowly nodded.
"Alright. Do it."
Honestly, saying this out loud wouldn’t change anything. But I needed to say it. I couldn’t hold it in anymore.
Because words only gained power when spoken.
"Then let’s go together, Salvia."
"...Huh?"
I snapped my head up in shock.
I hadn't been expecting that answer. At best, I thought Ishina would give me some encouragement.
Who in their right mind would willingly walk into the hellhole where that lunatic April was?
...Oh, right. Me.
"Are you serious? But why—"
"Salvia."
Suddenly, Ishina’s expression turned distant and wistful.
"If I leave you alone... who knows what kind of insane shit you'll get up to?"
"...Huh?"
"I mean, I’m genuinely worried about what will happen if you actually get discharged and are released into the outside world."
"Wait, ‘released’? What the hell—"
"Just accept it. No one in this unit worries about you more than I do."
"...Okay?"
"And for the love of god, don’t trust anyone. Don’t get too reliant on your comrades either."
"But Aquila—"
"Just say got it."
"...Got it."
I had no idea what the hell was going on, but whatever.
All that mattered was that I had reaffirmed my determination to tear down this system.
...But how exactly do I go about dismantling it? Should I just go straight for the Emperor’s neck?
***
Discharge Countdown: D-1412.
Ever since Dalin told me she had gained confidence, she really had changed.
Of course, she was still an absolute disaster of a recruit with no common sense whatsoever. But at least she had courage now.
She no longer said things like, I can’t do it.
Hah. Watching my junior grow like this... Truly, could there be a more perfect senior than me? I was incredible.
"...Dalin, didn’t I tell you to clean my area earlier?"
"Oh! I forgot!"
"Get down and bow."
Dalin immediately obeyed, dropping her forehead to the ground. Even in that position, she whined,
"Ah, Salvia-nim! Now that I think about it, how often do you get angry per second?"
"...What?"
"Jaiden was wondering whether you explode more often or whether I mess up more often! I wanted to let him know!"
I ignored her absolute trainwreck of a sentence structure for now.
"So what? Did Jaiden say something like, Ugh, Dalin, I wonder what’s more frequent—your dumbass mistakes or that lunatic Salvia blowing a fuse?"
"Oh! Yes, exactly!"
"Jaiden, you little shit. Talking about me behind my back? You’re dead! And you—stay down! Don’t even think about getting up!"
I could see that Dalin was just using me to screw over Jaiden, but since it was useful, I let it slide.
***
"These people are insane..."
Jason muttered in disbelief.
"Dalin... I thought she was part of the Patty and Matty duo, but she’s just a lunatic, isn’t she?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Why? What about us?"
He sighed deeply as he looked at the comrades flanking him.
His senior was Salvia. His peers were Patty and Matty. His junior was Dalin.
...Was desertion really not an option?
The only person who seemed to understand his suffering was Milphy, who nodded grimly.
"I’m telling you, Salvia-nim remade Dalin. She used to be totally lost, but ever since Salvia-nim started shadowing her, she suddenly has no fear."
"That’s terrifying. She literally built the perfect recruit to suit her needs."
"Be careful. If you keep talking like this, Dalin might show up out of nowhere. At this point, even hearing her go Eh? sends chills down my spine..."
As he shuddered and rubbed his arms, a shadow loomed over him.
"Eh? What are you guys talking about?"
"Ah—Dalin! W-what brings you here?"
"Gasp. Should I not be here? I’ll leave immediately!"
"Haha! No, no, of course not...!"
"But I did hear something about ‘crazy’ and ‘terrifying.’ Who were you talking about?"
"A-ah, well, you see..."
Watching Milphy panic, Jason put his hands together and closed his eyes.
"Huh? Jason, why’d you shut your eyes?"
"Wait, Jason, what’s wrong?"
His comrades chattered on, but in that moment, he was praying.
That lunatic Salvia has created the perfect disciple.
And so, more than anything, Jason prayed not for Salvia, but for her discharge to come as soon as possible...