Abandoned by my Childhood Friend, I Became a War Hero chapter 61

61 – Counseling for Problematic Children #3

I climbed the back mountain with Saladin again.

As Saladin climbed the mountain path, he opened his mouth as if he did not understand at all.

“What about counseling? Why are you coming here again? How long has it been since you came down?”

“This is more efficient than sitting still and talking. After you eat, you should exercise.”

“Damn….”

I thought it was a good idea, but it didn’t seem like it to Saladin.

To be honest, while I was climbing the mountain like this with Saladin, I was surprised inside.

I didn’t expect Instructor Lilya’s counseling to be this effective. Even though I didn’t do anything else and just fed her as Instructor Lilya said.

Unlike myself, when I first asked for a consultation, I was at a loss for words.

What kind of change of heart was there?

“Hey, hey… !”

From noble mtl dot com

Saladin did not intend to open his mouth during the mountain climbing, but he slowly climbed the mountain, catching his breath.

Saladin was walking with a frown on his face as his face turned red, perhaps ashamed of the fact that he was now climbing the back mountain he had climbed alone to escape a while ago with an instructor.

It didn’t take long to climb to the top because the back mountain wasn’t that big.

After reaching his destination, Saladin took a breath and sat down again in the shade of the tree he had been sitting on.

It was the same seat and the same person, but it felt quite different from before.

Saladin was silent for a long time after reaching the summit. He sat in the shade and looked at the scenery quietly, while I leaned back against a tree and waited until he was ready to speak.

Saladin’s eyes had been lingering in one place ever since.

I followed his gaze. There, a part of the forest was mercilessly torn in a straight line.

Saladin looked at the scene of destruction I had created and spoke slowly.

“The instructor… Have you ever felt helpless?”

I didn’t answer that. It was because it felt like he wasn’t talking like he wanted an answer.

As if that prediction was correct, Saladin threw a question and immediately continued his words heavily.

“I feel it every day. Every day, every single day.”

Saladin’s voice was quiet, but it contained deep emotions that had been suppressed for a long time.

I asked as calmly as possible.

“Why?”

“… Because I was born as the son of a concubine.”

I paused for a moment at that. You say you go all the way back from the beginning?

Somehow, I had a hunch that the conversation would be long.

I almost regretted offering to accept counseling, but on the outside I didn’t show it and kept my expressionless.

Saladin sighed deeply and began a long story.

“The Kingdom of Al Kamil is survival of the fittest. The most suitable heir inherits everything, and does not share the Sultan’s power with any other sibling. His mother has many other children, and only one of them can be the heir… It is natural for succession to be fought among princes. Losing means death.”

“There must be more than one brother. Are you going to kill them all?”

“Haha… Wouldn’t you believe it? But the sultan would never let his brother live. That’s the custom of the kingdom. In the past, there was a sultan who killed all his nineteen-year-old brothers as soon as he ascended the throne.”

“… ….”

I can’t say anything recklessly since it’s the custom of that country, but I couldn’t help but frown.

As Instructor Lilya said, being born into a royal family in Al Kamil was never a good thing.

Saladin continued talking while washing his face dry.

“My mother had a low status even in the sultan’s harem. She is said to be the first male born, and although she was installed as a prince, she was only number 1 in her name and had no base of support for her. So, being pushed out by a younger brother who was born later is a natural result.”

“Your brother?”

“… 2Nd Prince Adil. He was a guy who had everything, unlike me.”

Saladin bit his lip and said.

The eyes were full of anger, as if they were talking about an irreplaceable enemy rather than a younger brother.

“I am so good at swordsmanship that I have been called a genius, and I have received all kinds of support from my mother’s family. He was even more loved by the Sultan. Because of his cold character, he casually killed his brothers for power.”

“Hmm….”

From the way he was speaking, it seemed that the prince named Adil was now the powerful next sultan of the Al-Kamil kingdom.

I nodded and said.

“Did you come to the Empire because your brother pushed you away?”

“… Wasn’t it pushed from the start? It was a difficult situation, but I am still the first prince, and there were people who supported me even in the midst of difficult times. My teacher, my mother’s friend….”

Saladin gritted his teeth and slammed him on the floor.

That voice was full of anger and resentment.

“Everyone died because of the war with the demon king. If the Empire and the Law had provided troops, he could have lived… !!”

“… ….”

I crossed my arms and kept silent.

To be honest, I also had some sympathy during the war.

Of course, the Human Alliance did not ignore the request for support from the Al-Kamil Kingdom even though they had the resources to spare.

The demon army that came from the north invaded all the countries of mankind adjacent to the demon continent, and later even used guerrilla troops to raid the rear.

With the battlefield everywhere, no one had any spare time. I, as well as the 7 heroes of other continents and the allied forces of mankind fought desperately without a break for a moment against the invasion of the demon army.

However, it was also clear that the Allied Forces had in fact intentionally ignored the Al-Kamil Kingdom, with the Empire and Allied Powers prioritizing and defending their lands.

The upper echelons of the Allied Powers, including the Empire, claim that this is by no means true, but everyone in the know knows that it is true.

I was one of those who knew the truth, so I decided to respect Saladin’s position.

Saladin burst into indignation for a moment, then shook his head as if brushing something off him.

“… There’s no point in talking to the instructor about this. Anyway, after the war my base only shrank so I couldn’t see the answer. Then a few well-wishers told me? That I should at least save my life, I’d rather defect to the Empire….”

He grabbed both of his hands and trembled.

“I… I wanted to live. I didn’t want to die in vain like that.”

Saladin squeezed his wrists tightly as he spoke. From that appearance, I could feel the vague fear of his death and strong guilt for no reason.

The reason for the guilt was immediately apparent.

Saladin struggled to open his mouth with a dark expression.

“I left my brother in my home country.”

“I don’t think you mean Adil.”

“… Not him, but my sister. Her name is Sisilla.”

“Are you my real brother?”

“No, my mother is different. But what does it matter? In the suffocating royal family, he at least made it possible for me to live my life. It was like my only hope in that hellish place….”

“… ….”

The only hope in a place like hell.

At those words, someone’s face came into my mind without my knowledge. I intentionally erased that face and focused on Saladin’s story again.

Saladin continued his words with a twist on his face.

“By the way… We lost contact a while ago. A woman can’t be a sultan, so I thought Adil wouldn’t touch her… !”

Despair crept across Saladin’s face. His voice was full of distinct remorse and remorse.

“I was stupid. I had to bring Sicilla to the Empire somehow… We had to run away together no matter what method we used! Idiot, idiot, you bastard… !!”

The swear words filled with anger were directed at oneself, not at anyone else.

Saladin wiped his face with both hands. I could see the tears welling up on his distorted face.

I pretended not to see it and turned his head to look at the passing clouds.

Saladin silently wept, his shoulders trembling.

Only a man’s sobs continued for quite a long time in the clear sky and flowing clouds.

And after a while.

Saladin opened his mouth with reddened eyes, as if he had calmed down a little thanks to letting out the emotions he had accumulated all along.

“Instructor… that….”

“Hmm?”

“What is that, that… thanks….”

It was a small whisper, like an ant crawling.

My hearing could hear even the slightest sound, but I deliberately pretended not to hear it.

“I can’t hear you.”

“Go… Go, thank you! Oh Mr… !”

Saladin rubbed his arm around his reddened eyes.

And then he spoke in a calmer tone.

“It was like talking to a wall because I didn’t say anything, but it was pretty good. I didn’t sympathize or criticize for nothing, so I guess it was just what I needed… Somehow, instead of counseling, it became a lamentation about my situation, but anyway, it’s a little better to tell someone.”

“… Right.”

To be honest, it was a bit awkward to see a man shy, but it was fortunate that the burden on his shoulders was lightened a little because he was a student of mine.

“Is it because of your sister that you missed class?”

Saladin scratched the back of her head and said.

“Yes, what… She’s been out of touch, so she sent a letter to her last subordinate, and she got a reply this morning. I can’t see you in the palace… I couldn’t be in the mood to go to class.”

“Um….”

“There is nothing to look at with that expression. She thought about it calmly, but if she goes missing instead of being executed, there’s a chance she might still be alive, right? There is a possibility that Sicilla could have escaped by herself….”

Well. Even Saladin, the first prince, could barely escape with the help of the empire, but could a princess with less support and power than him escape from the palace on her own?

The possibility seemed very slim, but I didn’t bother mentioning it.

Because Saladin knows that better than anyone.

“I’ve thought about it, but even if I go back to the kingdom now, I’ll just die. In order not to do that, we need to increase our strength.”

Saladin said, looking at the traces of destruction carved into the forest in the distance.

“If I become that strong… Will I ever lose someone important to me?”

“… ….”

At that, I was speechless for a moment. While I was thinking about what to answer for a while, Saladin nodded his head as if he had found his own answer in my silence.

“From now on, I will focus on doing nothing in class. Even with my classmates… Well, if you feel like it, let’s talk.”

Saladin said with a sullen face, as if he was trying to hide his embarrassment.

Looking at that, I slowly opened my mouth.

“I asked you earlier. Have you ever felt helpless?”

“Yes? Oh what… It was.”

I nodded slightly.

“Yes, there is.”

Saladin widened his eyes in surprise.

“Even the instructor? Well, the instructor probably wasn’t strong from the beginning… So what did you do?”

“I tried to be strong.”

From noble mtl dot com

Just like you now.

Then Saladin said, her eyes brightening.

“Oh, is that so? Hearing that makes me feel better.”

Saladin gave a cheeky grin.

“You mean the instructor also had a time like me, right?”

***

After a long consultation, she returned to the dormitory with Saladin.

Saladin submitted an afternoon absence notice, but I still had classes to do, so I took the campus tram to the lecture hall.

At that time, someone’s voice suddenly rang in my head.

‘Ion.’

I quietly closed my eyes. And I tried to erase my voice.

Because I know these are just hallucinations.

However, after the consultation with Saladin, her face and voice, which she had forgotten all along, were slowly reviving in her mind.

‘It’s not your fault, Ion.’

If Ella smiled brightly like the sun, she was my only hope like a star shining alone in the dark.

‘Ion, please.’

She was once my only light.

‘Please… Stop it, don’t get up.’

Now it has become my only nightmare.