Chapter 24
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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Is there value in a defeated soldier?
If asked, most people with some sense in their heads would probably answer yes.
After all, no matter what happened, the most important thing in a war was the number of troops.
Even if they were defeated, if they could somehow recover the surviving soldiers, it would save that much time and money for training new troops. Because the military was a money-eating hippo.
Especially considering the enormous amount of money that went into training soldiers,
it was no exaggeration to say that recovering defeated soldiers was like finding a lost treasure.
Moreover, the value of the information that could be obtained from the defeated soldiers could not be ignored.
However, no matter how valuable the defeated soldiers were, there was no way they could accept it.
For them, the Royal Knights were a path of glory.
They had no hesitation in walking that path, and even if they were to lose their lives, they had vowed never to run away.
But this was the result.
Out of those many knights, only 3 survived.
And even one of them couldn’t overcome their fear and ran away.
Moreover, there was no external pressure either.
Even though they were the first to draw their swords, they ran away because they were afraid to die.
Rather… if they had died together with the commander then, would they not have felt the pain they were feeling now?
They couldn’t sleep properly.
Sometimes their hands were stained with blood. Their dead comrades were still beckoning them even now.
The guilt of being the only ones who survived.
The despair of all their comrades dying.
Those became a heavy hammer that crushed them.
The pressure gnawed at their minds.
Even while just walking down the street, it seemed like the people around them were blaming them.
Why did you run away? If you had fought together, the commander could have survived.
What?
You’re saying you would have died together then?
Could it be that you’re afraid of dying together?
In the end, it’s your fault for being weak.
Whether they made excuses or not, it turned into a more terrifying whipping that came back like a boomerang.
They couldn’t even ask for help. Because they were the Royal Knights.
The Royal Knights.
The proud sword that defended the continent.
Everything was for the continent.
Even though they were worn out and nothing was left, only that last bit of pride was barely sustaining them.
They knew very well themselves that it was a presumptuous thing to do.
We are the defeated soldiers.
Moreover, we abandoned our comrades and ran away.
We have no right to choose.
It was a fact that they knew all too well, as if their bones were shattered, and even if they wanted to look away, they couldn’t.
Still, they at least wanted to confirm the strength of the person who would succeed the commander.
[Why do you two always fight as soon as you see each other?]
[There’s no way I can get along with this dwarf midget!]
[I agree! I can’t get along with Kanf either!]
[Don’t be like that. In the end, we’re like a family.]
Their commander was that kind of person.
In front of enemies, she was stronger and more courageous than anyone else, but to her own people, she was more lenient than anything else.
She always emphasized family.
[I don’t remember becoming family with this dwarf shorty!]
[I’d rather have ruins become our family than you!]
[Once we’re in the same boat, we have to help each other.]
[…]
[The reason we gathered is for peace in the end, isn’t it?]
If it weren’t for that incident then the commander’s authority wouldn’t have fallen to the ground, and the expedition wouldn’t have been forcibly decided.
Some might say she was too lenient.
But at least, to them, she was the best commander.
That’s why, no matter how shameless it was, no matter how presumptuous it was, they had no choice but to do it.
No, they had to do it.
If you are to succeed the commander, prove that you are worthy of it.
They focused all their senses forward.
They were ready to use not only swords but even magic at any moment if the opponent moved.
And it was the same for the dwarf.
They hated each other to death, but ironically, they acknowledged each other’s skills.
What should they call it?
Perhaps even they themselves didn’t know. And right at that moment,
“Come at me with everything you’ve got. Otherwise…”
They felt nothing. Not even the wind was blowing.
In a very short time, less than a second, the man’s figure suddenly disappeared from their sight.
At the same time, his voice came from behind.
“You might die.”
He was behind them.
The man wearing a helmet on his head and shabby armor casually put his sword back into its sheath.
As if he was just going out on a patrol. He did it so casually.
“What the…”
“When did you get behind us…?!”
“If this were a real battle… I don’t need to say it, do you?”
It felt like the blood was draining from their faces.
Especially for her who had returned alive from that hell, those words struck her heart even more.
If this were a real battle? If that man were an enemy?
They definitely would have died.
Just like their comrades who had died in hell.
* * *
“I don’t need to say it, do you?”
Yeah, they definitely wouldn’t have died.
I would have.
If I killed them with a single blow using time stop, that would be one thing, but for someone at the level of the Royal Knights, it would be difficult to deal a fatal blow with a single strike.
Then I would have died screaming with the next attack.
Let’s recall the mishap that happened earlier.
I was grunting just to pull out the sword I had stuck in the ground.
Fighting against the Royal Knights?
It was utter nonsense.
But this wasn’t a head-on confrontation.
It was a very simple confrontation where I just had to pull out the sword behind them.
To make that happen, I had to use unbelievable coercion and even take risks to provoke them.
Especially when she glared at me in the middle, oh my… I really thought I was going to die.
Her killing intent was no joke.
As a result, I think it turned out well.
I managed to prevent the worst-case scenario of the Royal Knights disbanding.
“In the end, we couldn’t even protect the commander’s position.”
“We’re nothing but defeated soldiers. We need to know our place.”
“…?”
But why were they suddenly despairing?
From the perspective of the winner, it made me feel too sorry.
Come to think of it, it was no different from losing to an ordinary security guard.
Was it natural for them to despair…?
Moreover, they had lost all their comrades in the expedition.
Given the characteristics of the Royal Knights, who mostly took pride in their skills, they must have been suffering from tremendous guilt as a reaction to that.
Of course, there were some questionable things they said in the middle, but before asking about that, let’s somehow encourage their hearts first.
If their spirits were broken like this and they ended up retiring as knights, the Royal Knights would disband, and then I would be screwed too.
But what should I say to encourage them?
If I had this kind of experience, I would try to say something, but I had no such experience at all.
Oh well, I don’t know.
I believe in you! Protagonist!!
“But it’s still okay.”
“What?”
“Don’t try to give clumsy encouragement when you don’t know anything. It will only provoke anger.”
Wow, so prickly.
“Even if there are differences in what we do, in the end, we’re in the same boat.”
“…!!!”
“When comrades are hurting and having a hard time, how can this old man just let it slide?”
I responded with an improvisation to the sudden sharp words, but I think it was a pretty good response.
Although I was just an ordinary security guard, not a Royal Knight, in the end, fighting against the common enemy, the demons, was the same for both the Royal Knights and security guards.
I poked at that blind spot.
It wasn’t for nothing that the protagonist of this game expressed it as being in the same boat.
“I really can’t stand it.”
“Tell me about it.”
“So? What about the acknowledgement?”
“Why are you even asking? We have no choice but to acknowledge it.”
Great.
I finally got acknowledged by these lunatics.
Just for mediating, I had to be acknowledged through a duel.
Indeed, I guess you have to be at that level to become an elite like the Royal Knights.
Someone like me could never keep up.
“If you’re having a hard time, call me anytime. This old man will gladly lend his shoulder as many times as needed.”
It was truly an unfortunate situation, but this was all I could do for them right now.
Although it was just words, I had to do my best to support them from behind.
“Lend your shoulder?! We’re not even lovers, how could you do such a thing?!”
“Ah, here we go again. Stop acting like a virgin.”
“You too!”
“At least I’m not a virgin.”
As I watched them start fighting again, I chuckled.
It seemed like this was their passive trait.
But at least they didn’t draw their weapons in a murderous way like before.
It felt similar to a bad friendship. Rather, that level was just right to see.
Then suddenly, I remembered the question I had heard earlier.
“By the way, what did you mean by the commander’s position earlier…”
“As expected! I knew you would handle it wonderfully, Sir Hans!”
From behind me, along with the sound of applause, I heard a voice.
When I turned my head, I saw a young man dressed in noble attire walking towards me.
However, it was far from luxurious.
Rather, he had a humble appearance closer to a commoner than a nobleman.
But I could tell who he was as soon as I saw him. Because there were knights nearby.
“What brings the human king here?”
“Because you’re the talent I recommended. I have to see the situation with my own eyes, don’t I?”
“Indeed, he’s more than qualified to be the new commander of the Royal Knights.”
“Not only his skills but above all, I like his values!”
“???”
The new commander of the Royal Knights?
Who?
…Could it be, me?
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