The place where the remnants of Saratov hid was Mount Payat, not far from Saratov.
It was a mountain with a dense forest compared to the Iron Blooded Earth, but because the magic of the land was terribly polluted, there were virtually no resources that could be used, so it was virtually neglected.
According to legend, the reason why Mount Payat’s magical power is contaminated is that a witch who was kicked out of the village long ago lived in hiding and muttered curses endlessly. In fact, there were quite a few eyewitness accounts of witches.
‘In the end, it was only mentioned like a setting and didn’t appear in the main story. Maybe I can see it in real life.’
Half wanting to see, half wishing nothing had happened, I looked outside from the rattling train. The appearance of Saratov, which has completely turned into a military battle, passes quickly.
The train line, which had not even started construction at the time of the rebellion, was now perfectly in place less than a year later. As soon as it became a dull battle for the military, it was clearly visible that I was honestly annoyed.
“Excuse me, but Crown Prince.”
While I was staring out the window, a student across from me started talking to me.
“Would you like some cookies?”
It was Fromm, a sophomore male student nicknamed ‘Namjanggyeong’, who held out an envelope containing homemade cookies.
It was a nickname given to her because of her short stature and short hair, which made it difficult to think of her as a student at a knight academy, and a cute impression of her bobbed hair, even if she was properly dressed in uniform, she could only be seen as a woman dressed as a man. In fact, there was one idiot a month who confessed that he was mistaken for a woman dressed as a man.
However, the reason why the honorific name Gyeong was added to the nickname is because Fromm’s skills are never at a level to be ignored.
He was the best healer in the knight academy, including teachers, who possessed healing magical power that is usually underestimated, but received an A-rank in magical power.
“Is it handmade? My taste buds are picky, but are you confident?”
“Hmm! If I can’t become a knight, I’m thinking of opening a confectionary shop. I don’t think it loses even compared to the sweets sold in the market.”
Fromm raised his hand to his chest and proudly declared. I was a bit annoyed because it was as cute as Katyusha when I was embarrassed and flustered by the male subject. Incidentally, he’s definitely cuter than Ver.
“… … It’s delicious. If things don’t work out later, I’ll hire you as a dessert cook.”
“If possible, I would like you to hire me as a driver first.”
Even I, the crown prince, was talking with Fromm, who smiled and treated me without hesitation, and it felt like the stress accumulated from my recent conversation with Alexei was slowly melting away.
‘If Katyusa had been there, this cookie might have been poisonous, so he might have taken it away. Do you want to eat one and disassemble it because it’s delicious?’
It would be fun if we were together, but it would be very annoying. But if there’s a chance, I’ll invite you to tea time later. With that thought in mind, I had a conversation with Fromm. Proud, who sat next to me, occasionally joined the conversation and added a word or two.
‘Looking at it like this, it’s like going on a train trip.’
At the destination, we will kill those who were once people.
There will be no warmth there.
We passed Saratov Station and headed to Mount Payat.
The forest of dense but twisted and unnatural air reminded me of the radioactively contaminated forest of Chernobyl.
Me, Proud, and Fromm were in the same group, just as we were sitting. And the one who wasn’t there
“… … .”
It was Eugene who was walking at the very back without saying anything.
According to what I heard, I was staring out the window the whole time in the train lounge. Yes, I understand the feeling of not wanting to sit in the seat with the student council president and the crown prince, but I don’t know what they were thinking about not coming to the seat until the end.
“Ugh, I don’t feel well… … . I’m in trouble… … .”
Fromm fired a series of purification magic with a pale expression. Me and the others felt it was just bad air, but fromm, a healer with excellent magic response, seemed quite difficult.
“The smell of the curse is too strong. I’ve heard rumors, but I didn’t expect it to be this much.”
“If it’s a curse, is it a witch’s curse?”
“According to the legend, is that so? I don’t know if witches really exist, but if there is a person who invokes this curse, it might be a witch. It’s awful, old, poisonous.”
To Proud’s question, Fromm answered with a sigh.
“What do you think, Eugene-kun? I wanted to talk on the train, but it was a pity that I wasn’t there. Let’s talk a lot now.”
And I talked to Eugene, who was following us from the very back. It was an affinity unique to seniors.
“… … Are you talking about witches?”
It’s a topic that I always talk about, but it’s a respect for upperclassmen. It was a little hot.
“I don’t know much about legends or witches. But one thing is certain… … .”
“Are you certain?”
“We are not here to subdue witches.”
Eugene’s response to the words he had spoken with utmost consideration was that he was terribly unable to grasp the atmosphere.
“… … Mmm. yes. That’s right. That’s the theory.”
Fromm scratched the side of his head as if embarrassed. I’m sorry for everything
“Come to think of it, I heard Eugene had magical powers? Is this the first time that a commoner has magical powers? That’s great!”
But even so, he did not lose and Fromm spoke up again. A well-intentioned question that even suppressed pride, praising the other person who was a noble but a commoner——.
“It must have been that he wasn’t a commoner.”
Eugene gave the worst answer again.
“Wow, sure. It could be. huh… … .”
Fromm murmured embarrassedly and lowered his head. Then he started muttering, “Did I do something I didn’t like, maybe it’s because I look like a girl?” I was completely stunned.
“… … Eugene. I heard you are from Saratov.”
The moment I was about to say something because I didn’t want to see this anymore, Proud spoke up.
“Can you kill someone you know?”
“They killed my father, whom they knew. I shouldn’t be able to do what they did.”
Eugene firmly answered Proud’s question. Yujin’s eyes were looking straight ahead without trembling at all.
‘Even though it’s different from the original, it’s so different. What the hell happened?’
It was true that the spirit of revenge for the death of his father existed in the original work, but it felt different from now.
Would you say it changed from ‘I can’t forgive’ to ‘die’.
“Eugene.”
I called Eugene. When I, who had been quiet all along, opened my mouth, everyone paid attention to me.
“Lest you lose yourself in vengeance. You must have big goals to achieve.”
“… … .”
At my advice, Eugene was silent.
“okay.”
And he answered briefly.
I have no idea what Eugene is thinking right now.
“Use honorific words.”
“Say respectful words!”
“… … Aren’t they in the same grade?”
Right after, seeing Proud and Fromm’s point of view brazenly responding, I waved my hand and said it didn’t matter.
We arrived at the location designated as the operational base on Payat Mountain and prepared a simple barracks. The operation period was as short as three days and as long as a week.
“Even if you had nowhere else to go, I can’t understand why you run away to a place like this… … .”
Fromm sighed deeply after drawing a magic purification camp around the barracks.
“If you stay in a place like this for a few days, you will surely go crazy. I wish I could kill you before you go crazy.”
“That’s true, it’s a remark that I can’t tell if it’s kind or cruel, Namjanggyeong.”
A silver-haired student who came close to me laughed at Fromm’s words and replied. Then he politely bowed his head towards me and greeted me.
“This is Dimitri, a third year student. I am the second son of a family of ice magic.”
As the owner of ice magic, he was Proud’s rival and close friend. Compared to the taciturn Proud, he is an excellent sociable man.
“This is Mi-ryung, a third-year student. I dare you to say hello.”
An oriental girl hiding behind Dimitri slightly poked her head out and greeted with a nervous voice.
“If you are offended by a presence that smells like a beast near you, please let me know. I will leave right away.”
“Mi-ryung, don’t lower yourself like that. You deserve to be here.”
Dimitri said while stroking Mi-ryung’s head as she spoke in a fast voice with her head lowered. On Mi-ryung’s head, she had dog-like ears.
‘Come to think of it, there are sub-species in this world.’
Iron Blood is a fantasy. Subhumans naturally exist. It’s just that in the process of unifying the continent, Sangvis was massacred, if not as much as the Amerians, and there were very few left.
The surviving sub-species were assigned to a specific area according to the order of Iron Blood. And they were ‘traded’ by people with ‘special taste’ and used as servants or maids.
Among them, Mi-ryung was quite a special case. She was the daughter of the leader of the beast tribe, who was held politically hostage to contain the resistance in the name of spreading knowledge to the uncivilized beast tribe.
‘Actually, it’s pretty cute. It doesn’t even smell.’
It was a beast tribe that was criticized for smelling like a beast when bored, but it didn’t smell like anything. Is it a very faint, slightly savory smell? Compared to the smell of sweat after training, even the scent is not bad.
“Even though she doesn’t have magical powers, Mi-ryung is a strong enough child. It will be especially helpful in the forest.”
“No, I will try.”
Dimitri continued stroking Mi-ryung’s head and said.
As I said, most of the beasts were ‘imported’ for ‘special taste’, so they were like a kind of s*x symbol in Iron Blood. That’s why Dimitri was the one who protected Mi-ryung from suffering from severe harassment every day. Perhaps it was Dimitri’s judgment that brought Mi-ryung here.
‘It’s only embarrassing that the end is a terrible tragedy.’
I just wish I didn’t have to do that in real life.
After eating a meal with tasteless combat rations, Proud lined up the people. 4 people in 1 group, 5 groups, and it was frighteningly quick and neat, probably because I was stuck in the line.
“Everybody got together quickly. Then I will give you a few messages.”
Proud gave a detailed briefing on the upcoming mission. It was a story about moving with survival as a priority, with no big difference from the original story.
“And finally, the military sent a special weapon.”
Proud stopped talking, opened the long wooden box next to him, and took out a bag of contents inside.
“It is a special weapon supplied this time. Take one bag for each group.”
It is a hand-operated musket with a neat black body.
It was the first Sangvis firearm.