Chapter 85 - The Beginning of Hell
After she finished signing all the contracts, she happily tucked them into her bag.
Then, she locked the sturdy-looking bag, checking several times to make sure it was secure.
There's no turning back now…
After putting the contract in her bag, she pulled out a small message spell and to contact somewhere.
As I watched her in a daze, she turned to me smiling and said,
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
I'm glad you had a good day.
I was wondering if I could hang out with you for a bit afterwards?"
She asked me,
"What do you want to do?"
Since I still had some time left before my part-time job, I said I could go out with her for a while.
She quickly put away all the papers spread out on her desk and beckoned me over.
As I followed her, I saw a small military magic car parked in the parking lot behind the school.
She got into the car, with me in the passenger seat, left for somewhere.
A short drive later, we arrived at an upscale restaurant in town.
She deftly parked the car in front of the restaurant and gave a wonderful smile; but… she had worried look on her face.
"Thank you so much for today!
As a token of my appreciation, I'm going to buy you a meal today."
It had been a long time.
It had been a really long time since I had had a good meal.
Soft bread, steak that could easily be cut with a knife, soup filled with vegetables, and clean water that didn't smell funny…
Such wonderful food was laid out in front of me.
The moment I saw it, I heard a lovely "rumbling" sound from my stomach.
Hearing that sound, she giggled, smiled, and ordered a glass of wine.
The Earthen Army is now an indispensable part of Earth's economy.
For this reason, military personnel are granted special privileges at commercial institutions.
Military personnel receive discounts at recreational facilities, department stores, and generally shop at lower prices than civilians. In addition, military personnel also receive higher interest rates at banks and preferential treatment in insurance and medical care. They even having their own rooms in these high-end restaurants.
Thus, we enjoyed our meal in an exclusive private room, free of civilians.
After stuffing myself with the delicious food, I looked at my slightly swollen abdomen, finally feeling that I was in fact a military man.
(There's really no turning back now…)
Aside from that one instance, she began showing up at the high school every day after that, recruiting various students into the military, except for me.
However, I heard that other students were quite distressed by the recruitment.
Those students who continued to be conflicted on whether to join the military, with many leaning towards not.
To them, she said,
"Who do you think was the first student at this school to volunteer for the Earth Army?"
When she said that, she gave my name.
This was her trump card.
One by one, the students who heard my name signed the contract.
This is how she… no, this is how military recruiters do it.
Teenagers are more likely to want to follow those they admire.
It was a while after I enlisted that I learned at the top of the military's recruiting manual was my picture accompanied by the words, "I'm not a civilian, I'm a soldier."
I was proud to say that I was always at the top of the school caste, despite my white-haired status.
Rumor has it that there is even a fan club for me.
Word spread instantly throughout the school that I had "volunteered" for the military, and the students who lacked any sort of job opportunities volunteered for the military one after another.
As a result, it was decided that most of my classmates would join the Earthen Army upon graduation.
Occasionally, I have seen my friends in class talking about their decision to volunteer for the Earthen Army.
"The military covers the medical insurance of its members. Therefore, if I join the military, my father, who is sick in bed, can finally be admitted to a proper hospital."
"You get a variety of work experiences, so even if you don't go to college, you wouldn't have to worry about finding a job."
"We get to travel in space for free. Earth soldiers are popular on other planets as well, so they are popular with the locals wherever they are stationed."
"I heard there's hardly any fighting to begin with. The best they can do is fight space pirates."
"If I ever get a medal, I'm going to get all kinds of benefits after I leave the military!"
"Really? I'll do my best!"
They were talking about such conversations with wonderful smiles on their faces.
But… in reality, everyone knows this is just a big lie.
On the surface, they put on smiles, but I can tell by their hands that they don't believe these things at all.
…Because, right?
If they really thought the Earth Army is a great place to work…
Why…
Guys…
When you all are alone…
…Why do you all cry?
On the day of our graduation, the schoolyard is a sight to behold.
The schoolyard was lined with large military magic vehicles.
After receiving their diplomas, the students handed them to their families and changed into the military uniforms they received from the soldiers.
When the cars pulled out of the high school gate, the atmosphere inside them was so festive that it looked as if the students leaving for a school trip.
However, as they got closer to the military base, the atmosphere gradually turned heavy.
And when the magic car went through the military base's gate, a few students started crying…
The recruits were escorted to their barracks, and, for the next week or so, there was peace.
The instructors smiled and treated us kindly; they were so kind and courteous that it was sickening.
…They couldn't treat the recruits harshly from the start, lest they encourage desertions.
Gradually, the recruits got used to the military atmosphere.
It was exactly one week after we arrived at the dormitory.
It was time to get up, and the wake-up bugle sounded throughout the base.
We changed into our military uniforms and moved to the front of the dormitory in a hurry, and then lined up in slow motion.
Normally, the instructors would have watched us with a smile on their faces.
But from that day on, the instructors showed their true colors.
The instructors who were watching us line up…snapped.
"You guys! Who the hell do you think you are!"
We stiffened as he suddenly yelled at us.
The instructors, who had been smiling at us until yesterday, were now yelling at us in the very shape of demons.
Then several recruits were grabbed by the hair, dragged out of the line, and beaten on the spot.
It was a truly terrifying time.
The instructors went crazy, violently attacking us, even kicking the girls in the face.
A few recruits became incontinent at the sight of them, but who could blame them?
The instructor then looked at the trembling recruits with satisfaction.
"Starting today, we're done treating you like a guest! You guys better brace yourselves!"
The morning meeting ended with a yell.
Everyone returned to their rooms in silence, only to find all the rooms had been ransacked into a mess.
Shoes were strewn in the hallways, beds were overturned in the rooms, lockers were knocked over, and even underwear was strewn about.
As we stiffened, not knowing what the hell had happened, we heard another yell.
"Gather around! All of you!
Gather at the front of the building!
Scum who can't even pack properly!
Get your asses over here!"
Hearing that voice, we thought.
(Oh, it's started.
It has really begun.
From today, hell has begun…)
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