Chapter 27
[Trantor – Angel Dust]
[Proofreader – Prototype]
Chapter 27
[Brother, do you really have toe?]
On the other end of them, Selena appeared quite worried.
[Well… you see. Karl didn’t exactly look like he wanted to be reminded of that time.]
“…Is that so?”
Deonik bit his lip slightly, looking troubled.
Selena’s brother. The eldest of the Ifrit lineage, the minor head of the Marquis of Nafplion.
In the recent Luzerne War, he was a toon leader in the 7th Infantry Division. And one of the hundreds of imperial soldiers saved by Karl.
After a moment of contemtion, he cautiously spoke up.
“Selena.”
[Yes, brother.]
“Still… will you say it just once?”
[Alright.]
The conversation between siblings ended there for now.
Deonik disconnected themunication link and buried himself deeper into the back of his chair.
Closing his eyes, the past situation vividly reyed in his mind.
“We’re all going to die here or die on the way. Isn’t it the same? Since we’re going to die anyway, wouldn’t it be better to go a little closer to home to die?!”
At the time of receiving the medal of honor, Karl had simply said it was just his luck.
In reality, some of those who hadn’t seenbat in the war would argue that was all there was to it.
‘Nonsense.’
What luck was, it was when God smiled upon someone.
And God doesn’t help just anyone. He helps those who deserve it.
And in that respect, Karl deserved it.
When everyone else gave up, Karl didn’t. He persuaded us to turn back. He volunteered to lead from the front.
As if entranced by that pull, we were able to escape a ce that felt like hell.
‘Karl. We all thought we were as good as dead until you arrived.’
Those who haven’t experienced it wouldn’t understand even until the brink of death.
When death is right in front of you. When you can’t resist at all.
When you can only watch those who’ve shared life and death with you die.
How terrifying and bitterly sad the helplessness and self-loathing thate at that moment are.
That’s when Karl came. He grabbed the hands of those who had given up hope.
It didn’t matter why he came, whether we could really survive or not.
He came to save us. He didn’t abandon us. That was more than enough.
And he truly did save us. Not a single one of us was left behind.
‘I want to say… Thank you. I really want to say it. I have to say it.’
This isn’t just a thank you to the hero named Karl.
It’s also a tribute to my past self, still floundering in that hell.
That’s the only way I can hope to find some peace and sleep a little easier.
[Brother.]
Time passed, and Selena contacted me again.
[They said it’s okay toe.]
“…Alright. Thanks, Selena.”
After a moment’s hesitation, Deonik activated themunication link again.
A whileter, the faces of hisrades appeared on the other side.
[Sir? What’s going on?]
“Gentlemen, take a moment. Let’s go meet the man who saved us.”
Back then, it was so chaotic. I even doubted if we really survived.
I couldn’t even say hello because I’ve been hiding my identity ever since.
[Oh, got it!]
We must express our gratitude. We must say that it’s because of you that we’re alive.
Being alive, we must show that we’ve met our families and formed new ones.
Because then, we might feel a little less guilty towards our fallenrades.
Even for those who died in our ce. We had to express our thanks.
* * *
Deonik, my brother, it’s not often that he asks me to do him a favor.
On the contrary, I myself has asked my brother for more favors.
So, I couldn’t bring myself to refuse his request this time.
Despite thinking that Karl might not like it, I eventually asked him.
Fortunately, Karl agreed to my brother’s request.
“…But you never said anything like this before, brother.”
“Sorry, Selena.”
“You should be sorry to Karl, not to me! I thought you wereing alone?!”
It was embarrassing. Behind Deonik, near the Academy, there were dozens more.
What made me even more bewildered was my brother’s next words.
“I tried to keep the numbers as small as possible.”
“No, really…!”
I told you. Karl is ufortable recalling those times.
It’s not just a matter of embarrassment, but he simply doesn’t want to remember.
Still, I thought it would be okay to ask just my brother.
But if you act like this without consulting me in between, what am I even for?!
With a silent scream inside, Selena grabbed Deonik’s hand.
“If it’s going to be like this, just go. Brother. An if Karl feels ufortable―”
“Selena?”
Oh no. What should I do? He’s already here.
“Ka- Karl. You’re here?”
“Oh. The person standing behind… ”
Steps―
Deonik passed by Selena and approached Karl.
In response, Selena hurriedly followed and stood by Karl’s side.
“…”
Silence. And more silence. Deonik, with Karl before him, remained wordless.
He just stared right through him. He didn’t even bother to greet him.
“Oh, brother. What on earth are you doing! It’s rude to stare like that…!”
To not even exchange greetings at a formal first meeting?
It’s like they’re inviting a fight from the other side. It’s beyond eptable.
As Selena started to feel anxious and was about to intervene,
“…That’s right.”
With a trembling voice, Deonik spoke up.
“He was right. Back then, that person, who came running towards us when everyone else had given up. He said, ‘Let’s go together, even if we die, let’s die a little closer to home.’ He was really right.”
Selena saw it. The tears welling in her brother’s eyes.
The soldier who held them back and extended his right hand.
“I’m Deonik Ifrit. At that time, I was a toon leader in the imperial army.”
“…It’s an honor to meet you Marquis of Nafplion. I’m Sergeant Karl Adelheit.”
Brief greetings. Hands shaken and withdrawn.
Silence fell once again. Deonik purses his lips, unable to say anything more.
Selena doesn’t know the reason. She can’t understand.
But Karl, standing before Deonik, another survivor of that war, he understands the reason.
Perhaps he’s still contemting the hell of that moment.
“…Sergeant Karl Adelheit.”
Deonik finally managed to speak again.
“Thank you. For rescuing us from that hell back then.”
With these words, Deonik gestured, and hisrades who were behind approached.
There were junior officers of noble descent andmon soldiers among them.
Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible for them to mix like this.
But they were all in a special situationrades.
“These are the members of my toon that you saved. We selected only those who said they’d alle.”
“…”
“I’m sure you feel burdened. Just as much as we do, I’m sure it’s difficult for you every time you remember that day, Sergeant. I’m sorry. Truly sorry. But I felt like we had to express our gratitude somehow.”
At those words, Karl looked slowly at the survivors.
They were all people who had lived on someone else’s life as a guarantee.
Those who had returned home instead of those who hadn’te back.
Certainly not sinners, but souls who considered themselves sinners.
“Thank you. For saving us.”
Deonik bowed his head, and his toon members followed suit.
“…”
Observing them for a moment, I said,
“I, too, thank you all.”
Facing them, I bowed slightly and expressed my gratitude.
“Sergeant…?”
Confused, Deonik tried to reject the thanks, asking why he was being thanked.
But I nodded gently, then smiled softly.
“I’m grateful to see those I rescued again. Seeing you all, I remember my fallenrades who saved me.”
“Ah… I, I’m sorry. Truly sorry…”
“No, no. That’s why I’m grateful. Thanks to all of you, I can feel a bit more dignified in front of those fellows. Because of me, those who died. Because of you, I can say that their deaths weren’t in vain.”
This is a gratitude and apology to each other and to our departedrades.
Your sacrifices were not in vain. I’ve repaid them like this, and I’ll live diligently to match it.
So, when we meet again someday, won’t you be a little less angry?
[PR/N: The feels…]
“Sometimes I have nightmares. Other fellows I couldn’t savee to me. They cry out in pain, and I wake up drenched in cold sweat.”
At my words, Deonik and his toon members all nodded subtly.
They were all the same. They were all shuddering with guilt.
“But at least today, I don’t think I’ll have those nightmares. Because you’re all here. Because there’s evidence that I didn’t fail to save anyone.”
Having heard this, Deonik took a deep breath and stepped back.
Then, assuming a formal posture, he saluted gracefully.
Hisrades also followed suit, showing respect to their benefactor. theirrade-in-arm.
To the man who saved their lives. And for the other heroes standing behind him.
“….”
Returning their salute, I smile and said, ‘Let’s go.’
“I didn’t expect so many of you toe. Dinner might be a bit early, so let’s have a cup of coffee or tea before you go. I’ll pay. I have a good pension because of the medal of honor, you know.”
“If it’s a medal of honor recipient’s treat, I’m sure even in water would taste good.”
“You are so different from our leader. Our toon leader, what a fucking bastard he was! Ugh!”
Even though it was only today that they had truly met for the first time.
They were casual with each other, as if they had known each other for a very long time.
“…”
Selena, watching the scene from a distance, fidgeted with her hands.
I want to help him with that bitterness, I want to understand.
When he tells me he’s struggling, I want tofort him, even if I don’t know him well.
I want to care for him with all my might.
[Trantor – Angel Dust]
[Proofreader – Prototype]