Is there any value in defeated soldiers?
Well, if you have a brain in your head, most would likely say yes.
No matter what, the most important thing in war is the number of troops.
Even if you’ve been defeated, gathering the surviving soldiers means spending less time and money to train new ones. The military is like a money-eating hippo, after all.
Considering the huge amount of money it takes to train soldiers, recovering defeated troops is like finding lost treasure.
Plus, the value of information you can gather from the defeated soldiers can’t be ignored.
However, no matter how valuable the defeated soldiers are, they can’t accept it.
For them, the Royal Knights represented the path of glory.
There was no hesitation in walking that path, and even if it meant losing their lives, they promised never to run away.
But this is the result. Out of so many knights, only three survived.
And one of them couldn’t overcome her fear and ran away, even though there was no external pressure.
She was the one who drew her sword first.
And she ran away, scared of dying.
If only…… she had died with the commander at that time.
Would she not have to feel pain like she does now?
She can’t sleep properly. Sometimes her hands are stained with blood. Her dead comrades are still waving at her from the front.
The guilt of being the only ones left alive. The despair of all her comrades having died.
These weighed heavily on her like a heavy iron ball, gnawing at her mind. The pressure seemed to make everyone around her blame her.
Why did you run away? If you fought together, the commander could have come back.
What? You would have died together?
Is dying together really that scary?
In the end, it’s your weakness that caused this.
No matter how you try to make excuses, they all come back as even harsher lashes, returning like a boomerang.
She couldn’t even say she needed help. Because they were Royal Knights.
Royal Knights.
The prideful sword protecting the continent.
Everything was for the continent.
Even though they wore themselves down to nothing, their last shred of lousy pride was just barely holding them up. She knew well that it was presumptuous.
We are defeated soldiers.
And we ran away, abandoning our comrades.
There’s no way we’d have a choice.
She knew it well enough to the point her bones felt it, a truth she wanted to turn away from but couldn’t. Still, she wanted at least verify the strength of the one set to follow the commander.
[Why do you all fight as soon as you see each other?]
[I can’t possibly become friends with a dwarf like this!]
[I feel the same! I can’t possibly befriend a potty mouth like him!]
[Don’t say that. In the end, we’re like family, aren’t we?]
The commander was that kind of person. Strong and brave in front of enemies, but softer than anyone when it came to her people. She always emphasized family.
[I don’t remember becoming family with a chubby little dwarf like this!]
[It’s far better to have the ruins as our family!]
[When we’re on the same boat, we need to help each other.]
[……. ]
[Didn’t we gather not for peace?]
If it hadn’t been for that event back then, the commander’s authority wouldn’t have sunk to the ground, and there wouldn’t have been forced expeditions. Some might say she’s softened up.
But at least, to her, she was the best commander.
That’s why, no matter how shameless it might be, no matter how presumptuous it is, she has to do it.
No, she must do it. If you’re the heir to follow the commander, prove that qualification.
She concentrated all her senses directly.
At any moment, if the opponent moved, she was ready to use her sword or even magic.
And the same goes for the dwarf.
Even though they hated each other to the death, oddly enough, they acknowledged each other’s skills.
What should this be called? They probably wouldn’t even know. And right at that moment.
“Come at me with all your power. Otherwise……”
Nothing could be felt. Not even a breeze. In less than a second, the man’s figure suddenly disappeared from her view. At the same time, she heard that voice from behind.
“You might die.”
He was behind her.
The man wearing a helmet with cheap armor casually put his sword back in its sheath. Like he was just going for a patrol. So casually.
“What the…?”
“When did you get behind me?!”
“If this were the real thing…… you wouldn’t need me to say more, would you?”
A chill ran through her.
Especially to someone who survived from Hell, those words struck home. If this were real? If that man was the enemy?
She would have definitely died.
Just like her comrades who perished in Hell.
*
“Surely you would know.”
Yes, she would have definitely died.
If I were to kill with a Time Stop in one blow, that might be different.
But against the Royal Knights, dealing a fatal blow in one shot would be tough. Then in the next attack, she’d be like ding ding and die, right?
Let’s recall the earlier mishap.
She struggled to pull out the sword she had stabbed. And now she’s to face the Royal Knights? That’s some nonsense.
But this isn’t a frontal battle. It’s just about pulling the sword from behind; it’s a very simple duel.
To make that happen, she had to push through unreasonable boasts, even taking on risks to provoke them.
Especially when that guy stared her down in the middle, she thought, Oh man… I really might die. The killing intent was no joke.
In the end, she thought it turned out well. She barely avoided the worst scenario of disbanding the Royal Knights.
“In the end, we couldn’t even keep the commander’s position.”
“We are nothing but defeated soldiers. Know your place.”
“……?”
But why are they suddenly despairing? If this continues, the winners will feel sorry!
Thinking about it, it was basically like being defeated by a regular guard. Is despairing over that natural…?
Moreover, they lost all their comrades on the expedition.
With the nature of the Royal Knights, who mostly take pride in their skills, they must be suffering severe guilt as a backlash.
Of course, though there were some doubts about their words, before asking that, she should encourage their spirits somehow.
If their spirits are broken and they retire as knights, the Royal Knights will be disbanded. If that happens, she’d be screwed too.
But what can she say to encourage them?
If she had any experience, she could try anything. But since she didn’t have any, Ah whatever, I believe in you! Protagonist!!
“But it’s still okay.”
“What?”
“Drawing on what you don’t know, clumsy encouragement might bring about trouble instead.”
Wow, how harsh.
“Even if there’s a difference in our duties, in the end, we’re just like we’re in the same boat.”
“……!!!”
“It’s only natural for this kind of comrade to be in pain and struggling, and how can I just ignore that?”
Even though she responded off-the-cuff to the sudden harsh words, she thought it was a pretty good comeback.
Though she was not a Royal Knight but just a mere guard, in fighting against the public enemy of the demons, it’s the same for both Royal Knights and the guards.
She hit the nail on the head. It’s not for nothing that the protagonist expressed being in the same boat.
“I really can’t take this anymore.”
“Right?!”
“So? What about the recognition?”
“Why are you asking? You have no choice but to admit it.”
Great. Finally acknowledged by these psychos. Just by mediating, she had to gain recognition through a duel.
Well, that’s what it takes to be elite Royal Knights, I guess. Someone like her would never be able to catch up.
“If it’s too hard, call me anytime. I’ll gladly share my shoulder with you.”
It’s really a regrettable situation, but this is the only thing she can do for them now. Even if it’s just words, she’ll do her best to support them from behind.
“Sharing shoulders?! We’re not a couple, so there’s no way we can do that!”
“Oh, here we go again. Stop showing off your virginity.”
“You’re the same!”
“At least I’m not a chicken.”
As she watched them start to bicker again, she smirked and laughed. It seems this bunch takes that as a passive trait.
Still, they didn’t draw their weapons like before. It was reminiscent of an unpleasant rivalry. Instead, it looked just right like that. Then suddenly, she remembered the question she had heard earlier.
“But what did you mean by the commander’s position…?”
“Of course! I knew you’d handle it splendidly, Sir Hans!”
A voice came from behind, along with the sound of applause. Turning around, a young noble dressed in honorable attire was walking towards her. But it was a modest appearance, far from ostentatious.
He looked closer to a commoner than a noble. Yet as soon as she saw him, she knew who he was. Because there were knights around him.
“What brings the Human King here?”
“He is talent I recommended. Don’t you think I should see the situation with my own eyes?”
“Indeed, there’s no lack for him to be the new commander of the Royal Knights.”
“His skills are great, but what I like most is his values!”
“???”
The new commander of the Royal Knights? Who?
…Wait, me?
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