Chapter 78
After descending the mountain, we passed through one village after another, walking and walking.
The village we were passing through now was a completely ordinary rural farming village. It wasn’t the kind of romantic-fantasy scenery I had been hoping for, but… well, still.
“They look happy.”
At least they seemed better off than us…
I watched the villagers repairing the damage.
They were working up a sweat, but what caught my eye more was their families nearby.
Unlike my apocalypse world, where comrades could die at any moment, their simple everyday lives—with trustworthy family and a stable place to stay—looked so appealing.
As I walked, glancing to the side occasionally, Winter, who was checking the rear for our squad members, called my name.
“Salvia, up front.”
“Ah, sorry…”
“…No, I didn’t mean it like that.”
He looked at me with a gaze I couldn’t read, then added briefly:
“Don’t worry about it. In the end, you’ll be happy too.”
‘He’s comforting me, saying that I’ll be able to leave the military soon.’
But Winter, who had only a year and a half left to discharge, saying this to me with four and a half years remaining…
‘Isn’t he just deceiving me right now?’
Winter – male lead potential minus 25.
At that moment, I heard murmuring from the villagers.
“What is that? Is it a demi-human?”
“Looks like the border guard.”
“Hey, don’t make eye contact.”
“Shh, be quiet. I heard they’re as strong as monsters, they’ll hear everything.”
‘…What?’
I blinked slowly. But the seniors seemed used to this behavior from the villagers and showed no reaction.
“…Is it always like this?”
I whispered to Aquila, lowering my voice, and he tilted his head slightly and answered briefly.
“Yes, it’s always like this.”
“Ah.”
It had been a long time since I last heard the term “demi-human.”
Among ourselves, we used the word Arkon, so I had forgotten. But yes, outside, this was the usual treatment.
In the Adolbe Empire, young demi-humans were considered foreign and awkward. Demi-humans returning from service in the border guard were feared as if they were monsters.
Fear is better than being ignored or laughed at, but still…
“It feels bad.”
This wasn’t just fear of our overwhelming power.
It was also fear of beings different from themselves, unknown entities they could not understand.
Being treated this way outside made me realize that even after discharge, things probably wouldn’t be much different, which was unpleasant.
All the discussions about life after discharge with my squad suddenly felt meaningless.
At this rate, even if I left, I wouldn’t be able to achieve everything I wanted.
“Aquila.”
“Yes.”
“Do you think people outside will hate me?”
Aquila remained silent, but I continued speaking regardless.
“I just want a normal life. I want to live normally with a normal family in a normal village. But will people fear me?”
Since I had discarded the last memory of my previous world, I was already a person of this world.
Would even this world reject me?
And it wasn’t Aquila who answered, but Ishina, walking behind us.
“Don’t think negatively.”
Ishina placed her hand lightly on my shoulder and patted it gently.
“Why do you think that, Salvia? Who would hate you?”
“But the citizens of the empire…”
“It’s fine, there aren’t many like that. In the capital alone, perceptions are improving a lot, and no one will hate you.”
Though I pouted slightly at her words, I felt a little better. Then Aquila spoke slowly.
“Yes, it’s fine. Everything will come true.”
“Okay.”
“Family, village, life. I’ll make everything happen for you.”
…I don’t know why, but I always trusted Aquila’s words.
‘Is it because he’s the original male lead? A symbol of trust?’
Listening to him, I felt like everything I desired could be achieved, and I nodded blankly.
“Damn…”
A little later, we arrived at the next village.
As I shoveled muddy water out of the houses, curses kept spilling from my mouth.
“Ugh, damn it… feels like I’m holding a shovel more than a sword.”
“That’s definitely true.”
Karon, shoveling beside me, nodded seriously.
“It seems we fight better with shovels than with swords.”
“That’s because we’ve spent about twice as much time with shovels.”
We were shoveling the mud out of the houses and rinsing them with water from a nearby river.
It was amazing that the Adolbe Empire provided welfare for flood damage like this. Truly a livable country.
The problem was that we had to do this welfare work ourselves, but damn it.
“Mu—water is here, huff…”
“Okay, Jason, go fetch the next water bucket.”
“Yes, sir…!”
Still, our situation—shoveling mud and rinsing houses—was better than Jason’s squad.
They had to carry heavy buckets from the river back and forth.
We split up, each taking responsibility for a house. At this one, it was Karon and me, along with Jason, Patty, and Matty.
“I want to desert…”
“That’s true…”
Karon, having finished shoveling, set his shovel down and wiped sweat from his forehead.
Unfortunately, since our hands were already covered in mud, it only smeared more dirt on his forehead…
“Mud’s on you. Go wash it off.”
“Is there a mirror?”
“Do you think there is?”
Karon’s face fell, so I pointed outside.
“…There’s water pooled at the door, at least check your reflection there.”
“Ah! That’s a great idea!”
Without hesitation, Karon ran toward the water, then suddenly stopped.
“Karon, why?”
“Ah, it’s nothing…”
Yet he was staring past the wall as if something were there.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, it’s just…”
Karon spoke slowly, as if lost in thought.
“I feel… this village’s scenery looks strangely familiar…”
“Oh…”
Wait a moment. Could it be…?
“Could it be related to a memory you forgot? Like this village exists in your memories?”
“But this village is a fairly common scenery, so I’m not sure…”
“Hmm.”
Unlike when he first joined, Karon had adapted very well to this squad, despite lost memories.
Being a blank slate, he didn’t seem to notice the absurdities of the border guard and quickly learned from seniors.
So I hadn’t paid much attention to him, but…
‘This feels like a plot hook.’
I hadn’t forgotten that this world was a novel. And thinking about typical story progression, I was certain that this village was connected to Karon’s original memories.
“Then let’s find out the unique points of this village and see if they match your memories. Like local specialties, for example.”
Bang—!
“Emergency!”
At that moment, Jason burst through the gate, interrupting our conversation.
“Ah, what now?”
“Patty and Matty fell into the river while fetching water!”
“Ugh, haven’t you learned to swim?!”
“They were just floating and couldn’t get out of the river…”
“Seriously?! Do I have to save them too at this point? Go get them quickly!”
“Yes, sir!”
Watching Jason rush off again, I sighed deeply.
Sigh… the juniors are no help at all, even when I try to be serious.
“Ishina, I don’t understand why we have to do things unrelated to monsters…”
I said this to Ishina as we moved to the next house.
She had a serene smile on her face, as if enlightened.
“Yes, Salvia, just abandon logic.”
“Ah.”
“The border guard world doesn’t follow logic. Don’t think about why you have to do this; just look at the exemplary seniors.”
She pointed at Blair and Topio, cleaning the road like crazy.
“Ugh, damn it!”
“Die, damn it!”
They were cursing like crazy, but at the same time, looked fresher than anyone else in the squad.
…Yes, this was the exemplary attitude of a soldier. Just do as you’re told, without asking questions.
“Then you continue your work, and we’ll meet later.”
“Yes, thank you… Ah!”
I remembered the previous conversation about Karon and the village, and looked at Ishina with sparkling eyes.
“Ishina, do you know any specialties of this village? Or anything unique about it?”
“Unique? Why?”
“Just curious… it’s been a while since I’ve been outside.”
“Well…”
Ishina looked at me with a knowing gaze, one that reminded me of a villain’s sharp eyes.
‘…Still, she’s on my side now, so whatever.’
Even facing her calm but slightly eerie gaze, I wasn’t particularly nervous. Ishina, who seemed deep in thought, slowly began to explain.
“If there’s something this village is known for, it might be…”
“Yes! What’s the specialty of this village?”
“Black mages, I guess?”
“I… didn’t hear that right…?”
What on earth does that mean?
