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Evade the Hero and Flee! 218 A princess’s memory (25)
What was she saying?
“I’m going to be enlisted in the army?”
“I have a lot of troops under me. Who knows what will happen during the war? It’s best to prepare for the future.”
I agreed with that sentiment but also suspected something was afoot. She would not send me to the army just because of preparations, which meant I may suffer in the future.
“I see.”
However, it was not a good move to show that I knew something more was going on. She may try another plan, and it was better for me to prepare against what I already knew.
“Yes. Therefore, we’re going to train troops directly under me.”
Just the word army brought back bitter memories from the past. Even though each and every Korean man had their own stories about the army, mine were quite disastrous.
“Your majesty, do we really need to do this?”
“Yes.”
However, I had no other choice but to obey this princess. When will the organization take me back so I can become an instructor? I would so go there now.
“Rea and Ast, you two are close to me. If I lead an army, you two will have to follow my orders and lead my troops.”
No, I would have to run. I heard that commanders were killed first in battle and did not want to become a target.
“So, I will divide the troops between you two. Then, you will train them for three months, and there will be a test.”
I expected this but expected other conditions from this princess.
“However, just doing so is not fun. The loser will be given a special punishment by me.”
I sighed as her majesty smiled like she was enjoying herself.
“Your majesty, weren’t we doing something serious? What’s this about punishment?”
“Why, Ast. Do you think you’re going to lose?”
While she attacked my pride, I knew my life was worth more.
“Yes, I think I will lose.”
“Ast…”
“Sir Ast…”
Her majesty and even Rea looked at me with saddened eyes.
“I am only a butler and not a knight. I am at a disadvantage.”
“You’re a knight, you know.”
“Aren’t those who will be an example to knights become honorary knights? The title should be removed.”
I was more than confident of ruining how knights were viewed.
“Your majesty…”
Rea looked at the princess nervously as she valued a knight’s honor.
“Unfortunately, I cannot choose it out of my own will.”
“Is that so?”
I knew it was a lie. While aristocrats raised their voices in normal countries, the Emperor ruled supreme here. Howling had tried to influence the Imperial family politically through aristocrats, but they had been unable to sway him. However, her majesty right here could make the Emperor what she wanted, and she had probably given me knighthood in the same manner.
“I advise you to follow my words, as you are both knights.”
Rea would have cried over such words, but they sent me to the army. However, I soon discovered something seriously wrong with the game she had set up.
#36 Other circumstances: An officer’s circumstance.
While I did not consider myself a good officer, I was expectant to be assigned under the eldest princess’s command, who his majesty favored the most.
I arrived with my family’s pride and dreams and fell into…hell.
“What is this…”
I felt absolute fear. Other members of the imperial family set up proxies even at a young age, as raking up victories would act favorably when fighting for the throne in the future. I had heard those who were low-ranked rested in castles in countries they had gone to assist.
Only the youngest and the eldest princess stayed in the Imperial Castle, and I had heard many rumors floating about the reason why.
“She was unable to go…”
Even as a new officer, I knew what I saw.
“Liquor tastes good in the morning-“
“Let him sleep…”
I saw soldiers drinking during the day, and most slept on the ground. I saw gambling, and no one looked at me despite my officer uniform.
It was natural, as no one was a soldier here. I could see that they could not be called soldiers and that they would be disastrous on the field. This was…
“Hell.”
“What?”
Someone said what I had been thinking. A man with black hair was looking at me. While we were similar in height, I could see that he had trained for a long time, and the three medals on his chest told me he had achieved greatness on the battlefield.
While I would normally think that he was an experienced officer, he was emitting that he did not want to be here.
“I am Officer Aderu, assigned here today!”
I saluted him since he seemed my senior. He looked at me with sympathy, and I could not help but agree.
“I am Ast, butler to her majesty. I am also responsible for this troop.”
“Sir Ast!”
I heard his unprecedented speed up the noble ranks and knew his name was famous in the army. It was said that no one in the army had opposed Sir Ast receiving his title. Maybe I still had a chance after all!
“I heard your reputation during training and am honored to work under you.”
It was not flattery. People were either jealous or respectful, and I was the latter. One did not go up the ladder without noise unless he was the real deal.
“Is that so?”
Sir Ast nodded indifferently as I stared at him with respect.
“Then, we have something important to do.”
I knew what he was referring to, as a war was not fought alone. We needed soldiers, but here all of them were mere drunken men. The first thing to do was make them into soldiers, which would be possible with Sir Ast.
“Then, begin.”
“What?”
“I said, begin.”
Sir Ast did not show himself for a while, and no one listened to me for a month. I had given up when he appeared again with a wooden stick!