3 – This Encounter is the Worst!
To be honest, this situation is uncomfortable. Uncomfortable to the point of death.
Facing the embarrassing past and my confession is always an unpleasant task.
But at the same time, saying, ‘Oh, we shouldn’t see each other like this, let’s just part ways,’ directly to her face feels awkward too.
Think about it. Who confessed? Me. And who got cold feet? Selena sitting in front of me.
If I say it first, you rejected me, and I got upset! I’d be admitting to something I didn’t even do, and I don’t want to be that kind of guy.
…Wait. Did I really do it? Thinking about past lives is confusing me quite a bit.
Fortunately, at least my consciousness seems to be more aligned with the present rather than a past life.
“Did you greet the other classmates?”
“Just Etbin. Didn’t meet the others.”
“They must all be busy. It’s the end of the semester, and those who haven’t fulfilled their credits will be swamped.”
Come on, guys! The professors warned us to build up credits early and then enjoy ourselves.
As expected, humans are inevitably like that. They only get down to work when pushed.
Assignments, exams, and credits. In the end, isn’t it best to tackle them all at once?
“By the way, Karl, you mentioned you served in the military.”
“Huh? Oh, yeah?”
“You also participated in the war with Lusence?”
“Stop it. I spent almost three years there. Practically rolled my entire military life.”
Strange. Weren’t women disgusted by military stories?
I should be grateful that I turned the topic to the military first, but Selena gave permission, so I casually shared some military anecdotes.
Not too deep, just stories that were amusing. Fortunately, the response wasn’t bad. See, that laughter wasn’t forced.
“…Karl.”
Selena, who was once so engrossed in the conversation, suddenly called my name.
“Did going to the military change you? You seem different.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. How should I put it? It feels like you have more leisure compared to before, and…”
If I didn’t know my past life, I might have thought, ‘Oh! Is that a good thing?!’ right about now. But as someone who experienced the hellish military, it was not a particularly exciting dialogue.
Whenever I mentioned I had been in the military, just finished my service, people always said such things. You seem different. You seem more like a person now. Damn, I was just a damn slave.
“Oh, right. Karl, have you ever met our brother?”
“Brother? Where did your brother serve?”
“He’s a platoon leader in the Imperial Army’s 7th Division.”
“…There’s more than one platoon leader there, so I’m not sure. I don’t think I’ve met him.”
“Really? That’s strange. He said he’s seen almost all the officers.”
“I’m not an officer. I was just a soldier.”
In response to my answer, Selena automatically nodded her head and said, “Ah, I see.”
But soon she exclaimed, “Wait a minute. What did you just say?” and looked visibly startled.
How many times have I seen that reaction today alone?
If I had known, I should have enlisted as an officer for real.
“Kal, you enlisted as a soldier?”
“Yeah.”
“Not an officer? Why? Why on earth?”
Yeah, why did I enlist as a soldier? I’m curious too.
Let’s recall my feelings at that time. Okay. Let’s see. Me at that time. Why did I do that?
Oh, right. To forget the pain. Oh, I see! That damn crazy reason.
Even so, a nobleman’s son serving as a soldier and sitting there.
And, of all times, the war broke out, and the family couldn’t even get a decent farewell.
While all the imperial soldiers were fighting hard, who quietly withdrew from the back?
From the moment it was revealed, everyone involved suffered.
“So, Kal, you went to the battlefield not as an officer but as a soldier?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, my God….”
Selena, covering her mouth in shock, kept repeating, “Oh, my God.”
Then, suddenly, she gained a big realization and stood up from her seat.
“Wait a minute. No way, right?”
“What is it?”
“Enlisting as a soldier. I-it’s not because of me, is it?!”
“Huh? What… no, it’s not because of you! No, not at all!”
I was just saying that I lacked courage back then. At best, I was an idiot.
I was trying to say that I was a fool who thought that if my body was in pain, the pain in my heart would be relieved.
From Noble mtl dot com
But Selena didn’t give me a chance to say that.
“I, I didn’t know that… I’ve been talking about it so casually until now. No wonder it seemed strange that a noble like you enlisted as a soldier. Kal, I’m really sorry.”
Wait, Selena. Can you please listen to me? Listen!
Is it true that it’s because of you? But you say there’s no need to apologize?
If there’s anyone to apologize, it’s the foolish past me who made such a decision!
I sighed inwardly and eventually decided to bring it up.
In the propaganda department of the military study group, there was propaganda that we used to enthusiastically spread.
First, for authenticity, I adjusted my posture and lowered my voice. Alright, let’s begin.
“It’s not like that, Selena.”
The start isn’t bad. Surprisingly, Selena seemed surprised by my unusually deep voice.
The senior guys said your voice is too high for someone like you. They suggested lowering it intentionally would be better. Well, they were right.
“I just want to fulfill my duty as a noble to the empire. And since I’m going to do it as a soldier rather than an officer, I wanted to see more of what’s below.”
“…Really?”
“Really. What kind of crazy person would voluntarily enlist as a soldier just because they were scolded for something absurd?”
Yes, that crazy person is ta-da, right here!
“Well, if that’s really the case… I’m relieved… Is it really because of that? Truly?”
“Because it’s true. Don’t blame yourself; it’s not your fault. If you keep doing that, my years of sacrifice for the empire will seem strange because of some weird reason.”
Please, don’t see me as an idiot who enlisted as a soldier because he was scolded. People giving me sympathetic looks are enough. Please. Please!
After my tearful persuasion, Selena seemed to calm down a bit.
The person who scolded himself got hurt and did the crazy thing of enlisting as a soldier while claiming to be a noble.
Even if you hear that news and think, ‘Ah, I see. Idiot,’ wouldn’t that be the heroine?
Someone fitting for the role of a villainess or a tyrant empress, right?
*
Our reunion was the worst… There was no such thing.
Quite fortunate. As soon as I saw her, Selena said, ‘Sorry. Your place is not in my heart yet,’ or something like that.
Perhaps my past horrendous actions were still haunting her, and I would have dropped out again.
“Anyway, I’m back. Kal. Oh, is he a junior now?”
“Yes, yes. He’s a freshman chick. Selena, senior, cheer up in the graduating class.”
“…Something seems very different from back then.”
“It must have changed. I deeply contemplated what life is in the military.”
Upon hearing that, Selena burst into laughter with an amused expression.
My response seemed to be a bunch of nonsense that deeply resonated in their hearts.
Actually, I get it. Even thinking about it, it’s absurd nonsense.
Reflect on life in the military? Then that guy must have had a sweet deal in the military.
Reflect on life in the military? When the hell is there time for that, damn it. You have to roll with it.
Usually, it’s hitting the streets for operations. When training catches you, it’s a real pain.
Then, when a war breaks out, he talks about feeling like suicide but fights to survive.
In the end, life reflections are bullshit; every day just passes by.
“Sorry, I spoke words similar to my brother.”
“It seems like your brother went through a really tough experience.”
“That’s what he said. Ah, it’s time for my lecture now. See you later.”
Why does ‘see you later’ come out? Can’t we just stop seeing each other now?
I feel so uncomfortable. More precisely, memories of the past make me feel like I’m going to die…!
‘But still, well… it’s fortunate that the guy from my past isn’t someone with strange eyes.’
Seeing her directly like this, Selena was definitely Selena.
She wasn’t just the main character for nothing. She wasn’t just a girl confessed to by more than ten guys for nothing.
She was really pretty. If she was someone unknown, she might have blushed and that would be it?
Of course, to me now, for some reason, she’s an awkward colleague, nothing more, nothing less.
Gulp—
After emptying the remaining coffee cup, I started to leave the cafe.
It hasn’t been long since I returned to school, so I still don’t know what’s what.
I should walk around a bit to get familiar with things so that I don’t end up lost in the academy later—
“Uh.”
Suddenly, my body leaned back, and before I could confirm, I was being dragged without a chance to resist.
What the, what the. Kidnapping, perhaps? Right in the middle of the academy?!
Is it a spy trying to reveal imperial military secrets? Please spare me! I’ll tell you everything!
“I brought him.”
“I was just talking to Selena a moment ago.”
“That’s what I’m saying. I saw it myself.”
“…This guy was the first. Unbelievable.”
Voices from all directions, each with a different tone, echoed.
One thing for sure, they’re all guys.
After a moment, I moved my freed body and glanced around.
“…Well, well.”
I suddenly realized who the guys that brought me here were.
From the right, there were Shulipen, Wilhelm, Alexander, and Joachim.
The glorious four male leads. And they were all the Four Kings who had been beaten by Selena.
Oh, right. How do I know them without even knowing the names and faces of my classmates?
There’s a way. Even to a guy’s eyes, these annoyingly good-looking guys.
And there are not two or three, but four of them gathering like a swarm?
In this case, you can almost certainly consider them the four male leads.
“Hey, you guys.”
But no matter how much they are the four male leads, I was the first one beaten.
It’s too early for you Four Kings to break my record… damn it.