Chapter 124

The frightening news that the king would enlist in the army as a 'new recruit.'

At those words, the junior knight in charge of the recruits, Max, looked as if he was about to cry, and Hagen spoke as if he understood.

"Are you worried? That the King is becoming a new recruit?"

"W-well... of course I'm worried. How can I—."

"You don't dislike it?"

Hagen asked a sudden, probing question.

At the question, which was like a test of loyalty, Max immediately straightened his posture and said.

Clack—!

"I do not dislike it! Rather, I am honored to be able to serve His Highness! It's just that…."

"You don't know how to train His Highness, you don't know if it's okay to treat him the same way you handle new recruits, things like that must be what's worrying you."

"...That is correct. And... I am also worried that I might have made some mistake and that is why His Highness is trying to guide us directly."

Leonardo was a king who cared for the army more than any other.

That was why Max, as well as everyone in the knight order, paid attention to the army, especially the training and morale of the soldiers.

Max was no different. Managing new recruits was one of the most important factors in maintaining the size of the army, so Max had a great sense of responsibility for his duty.

However, no matter how hard they tried, he was always worried that it might seem insufficient to the king. Because King Leonardo, though young, was a respectable person who did everything meticulously and perfectly.

But for Leonardo to suddenly come in as a new recruit, how could he not be worried?

Contrary to Max's worries, Hagen shook his head.

"No, it's not that. I also wondered if our knights were lacking in some way and asked the Commander, but he said that His Highness is not particularly dissatisfied with us."

"Then why is he suddenly enlisting...?"

"I don't know the exact reason either. The Commander just said that His Highness said he 'wanted to live with the soldiers and earn their faith and trust'."

"The soldiers' faith and trust... isn't it already sufficient? The morale of the Plank Kingdom's army right now is—."

"Sky-high. To the point where not a single complaint comes out despite being deployed for various construction and farming projects in the kingdom while simultaneously undergoing high-intensity training."

Max nodded his head in agreement.

"That's right. This is an army that you won't find anywhere else on the continent."

"I know. But maybe His Highness thinks that's not enough. As you know, His Highness is someone who sees and thinks about many more things than we do."

"Someone who sees and thinks about many more things than us... I understand."

In fact, Max didn't really understand anything.

To want to gain even stronger faith and trust from an army with such high morale, what level was the king aiming for?

But Max didn't ask Hagen any more questions. Because it was already a decided matter, and his complaining wouldn't change anything.

"Then... I will first order the barracks to be cleaned. We are consistently cleaning the barracks, but it is still not enough to serve His Highness."

"No, do not clean."

"Pardon? What do you mean, do not clean? No matter how well the barracks are managed, it is not at a level to serve His Highness...?"

"His Highness also told the Commander this directly. Not to clean thoroughly or change the meals because of him. He also said not to make any other special preparations. He must mean not to give the soldiers extra work."

To say in advance not to change the cleaning or meals.

'...It might be a disrespectful thought, but His Highness knows the army surprisingly well. Especially the lives of the soldiers.'

Max thought for a moment, then nodded his head as if he had no choice.

"Since His Highness has ordered it, I will obey. Still, there will be various things to prepare... so I will take my leave."

"Do so."

As Hagen said he could leave, Max saluted and left the room.

Watching Max leave, Hagen shook his head.

'I don't even want to imagine having to accept the king as a new recruit. As a knight, I am prepared to take on any mission with dignity, but this... this is the first time I've felt relieved that it's not me.'

That's how difficult a task it was for the knights to have to accept the king as a new recruit.

***

A week after Leonardo's coronation.

The excitement of the coronation had not yet subsided in the royal capital. News of the birth of a new king slowly spread to each region of the kingdom. Leonardo's coronation, which was not extravagant but certainly left a strong impression, was causing a great stir.

Merchants who mainly operated in local cities and villages, and adventurers who wandered without a home, also came to the royal capital. Saying they wanted to see the place where the king had his coronation.

In this way, Leonardo's coronation created various ripples.

But the place where the biggest ripple occurred was, of course, the army, and among them, the 'recruit training center.'

'...Goodness, this day has really come.'

The head of recruit training, junior knight Max.

He stood on the platform of the training ground, looking down at the new recruits.

As all the recruits' attention was on him, he thought while looking at a blond-haired boy among the soldiers.

'His Highness always wears a mask in public, so it seems none of the recruits have recognized him... but still, it's too obvious. The recruits might recognize him someday.'

What should I say, Leonardo shone just by existing.

It wasn't because of his beautiful blond hair or his looks.

It wasn't because he was cleaner and neater than the other recruits—the commoners.

Leonardo was wearing shabby cotton clothes that commoners would wear, very similar to the other recruits.

Nevertheless, Leonardo was sparkling. Like a pearl that shines even when covered in mud.

It was to the point where it felt as if even the sunlight was shining only on Leonardo, though that couldn't be possible.

It wasn't just Max who was thinking this.

All the recruits near Leonardo were also subtly conscious of him.

—'…What's with this handsome guy?'

—'Twelve? Thirteen? He looks really young... but he feels more like an adult than me. His vibe.'

—'Is he the child of a noble family? A guy like that wouldn't become a soldier.'

—'Seeing the whip-like marks all over his arm, he seems to have lived a tough life... but his face is so smooth.'

—'My sister asked me to introduce her to a handsome guy from the army, if it's that guy... ahem, I should probably hear his story first.'

For the most part, they were each having these thoughts.

But there was something they were all thinking in common.

—'He looks familiar, but I can't remember.'

That's right. They all felt like they had seen the 'eye-catching recruit' somewhere before.

Some of them even felt that this guy resembled the recently coronated King Leonardo.

Because of the similar height, dazzling blond hair, and atmosphere.

But no one thought that boy was the king.

And for good reason, who would dare to think that the king was at a recruit training ground?

As such an odd atmosphere flowed.

Max, who was standing on the platform, spoke. He was using a voice amplification artifact, so his voice could be heard to the end of the training ground.

—Ahem….

Max, who usually didn't clear his throat, cleared his throat because Leonardo made his throat feel tight.

—Attention.

—…….

—Everyone, the reason you are gathered here today is not just for your bodies, but for your minds and courage to unite and advance on a new path. You are no longer simple citizens of the kingdom. You are those who will become the shield and sword of the kingdom. I, junior knight instructor Max, respect you for voluntarily choosing that rough and arduous path.

As a 'knight' no less, spoke to them with respect, the recruits' faces brightened. Although they had all enlisted voluntarily for their own reasons, they couldn't help but be worried about entering the unknown organization called the 'army.'

Maybe the army is more comfortable and manageable than the rumors say-

—Did you think I was going to say that?

Suddenly, Max's tone of voice changed.

—You are all trash! Trash that will die from a single arrow on the battlefield! Vermin that can't even handle a single goblin! And yet, while you're alive, you'll gorge on the royal family's bread like pigs, and when you get tired from training, you'll collapse and not even think of the grace His Highness has given you, you trash!

—……?

—You worm-like bastards, don't you dare say you're different. Every single recruit I've seen so far, from their mental state to their physical strength, are bastards who are not qualified to serve the great royal family!! And yet you have the nerve to come and eat the royal family's pay, you shameless trash!! You vermin bastards!!

At Max's murderous curses, the atmosphere of the training ground completely sank.

Regardless, Max continued to shout. The voice amplification artifact crackled harshly.

—The 162 pieces of trash who enlisted today, I will ask each and every one of you. Why you became a soldier! If you can't answer that question properly, be prepared. Understood?!

—...Yes!

—These sons of bitches, look at that answer? Do you understand?!

—Yes!!

Although he was a junior knight, Max had been to many battlefields.

For such a knight to yell from the platform was bound to be frightening for the new recruits who had just become soldiers today.

Among the new recruits, there were those who had been to the battlefield or hunted monsters. So some of them looked down on recruit training.

But as if to say a 'knight' is not a knight for nothing, he broke even their spirit with a short speech—a tirade of curses.

No matter how rough a life one had lived, the spirit of someone who had survived on a battlefield where life and death were crossed dozens of times was different.

But this was not all. Just as Max had said, he seemed to be coming down from the platform to meet each and every recruit.

Thud—!

Max stood in front of the recruit at the far right of the front row.

And then, he began to shout in a loud voice that everyone could hear.

"Vermin number 1! Why did you enlist in the kingdom army!!"

—W-well... to repay the grace that His Highness Leonardo has bestowed upon me! I will be loyal to the royal family—!

"This vermin bastard! You dare to be loyal to His Highness?! His Highness doesn't want the loyalty of a pathetic bastard like you!! You are far from worthy of even uttering the word 'loyalty'!! Head on the ground!!"

Max shouted in the recruit's face without even listening to all he had to say. At that, the recruit hesitated in confusion, and Max grabbed the recruit by the collar and threw him to the ground.

Thump—!

"I said head on the ground!! Are you disobeying an order?!"

"N-no, sir! I'm sorry!"

The first recruit hurriedly put his head on the ground of the training ground.

Without even looking at the first recruit, Max moved to the side with disciplined movements.

He asked the same question to the second recruit.

"Vermin number 2! Why did you enlist in the kingdom army!!"

—I... to save me and my family from the nobles and thugs...!

"You talk too much!! Who told you to answer so long!! You, head on the ground too!!"

"Y-yes!"

This time too, Max didn't listen to the recruit's words.

Seeing that much, all the recruits realized.

—'...It's a hazing ritual.'

—'It seems like I'll have to put my head on the ground no matter what I answer....'

—'So this is the army I've only heard about in rumors.'

—'My neighbor Pao changed after becoming a soldier, I wondered why... so this is how he changed?'

Regardless, Max continued with his task.

"Vermin number 3! Why did you enlist in the kingdom army!!"

***

And so, seventy-two new recruits ended up with their heads on the ground of the training ground.

All the new recruits feared Max.

However, the one who was truly the most afraid at this moment was Max himself.

'It has come….'

Step—!

Max looked at the boy whose turn it was for this hazing.

'...His Highness Leonardo.'

Max had constantly imagined this moment.

Just do as I always do, be confident. He asked to be treated the same as the other recruits—he had thought things like this.

But when he actually stood in front of Leonardo, Max couldn't speak properly.

"You...!"

"?"

"Y-you...!"

“……”

"You, wh-what on earth...!"

As Max, like a broken machine, was unable to properly haze Leonardo.

Thud—.

The sound of someone walking from behind was heard. At that sound, Max spun around to look behind him.

'A chance! A chance to pass by His Highness Leonardo!'

He didn't know who dared to enter the training ground during the hazing, but Max intended to give that soldier all sorts of punishments and subtly pass by Leonardo.

So he immediately turned around and shouted.

"What son of a bitch is entering the training ground before the entrance ceremony is even over! Is the army a joke—!"

In the middle of speaking.

Max quickly shut his mouth as soon as he saw who he had shouted at.

"Gasp... C-Commander?"

"Sorry to interrupt the entrance ceremony, Instructor Max. There are many new recruits today, so I came to help with the entrance ceremony."

"Y-you, you mean you, Commander?"

"The other knights are all busy, so I came. Is there a problem?"

"H-how could there be! It is an honor!"

Max, who had been exuding an overwhelming presence just a moment ago, now groveled.

At that, the new recruits' attention turned to the man called 'Commander.'

And, the eyes of the new recruits who recognized the identity of the 'Commander' widened.

—'It's Commander Jereuth!'

—'To see that hero so up close...!'

—'The knight of knights, the hero of heroes!'

Like the new recruits, Max was also surprised at first.

But he soon realized that this was Jereuth's consideration.

'Ah, the Commander came to relieve my burden! Because he knew it would be difficult for me to deal with His Highness Leonardo!'

"Understood! Then I will start again from the last one."

"Do so."

As Jereuth nodded, Max left as if fleeing, without even maintaining his dignity.

Soon, Jereuth asked Leonardo.

"Why did you want to become a soldier?"

Jereuth asked Leonardo, but he already knew the reason.

Because Leonardo had told him.

After looking at Jereuth silently for a moment, Leonardo answered calmly yet clearly and loudly.

"To protect this kingdom!"

"Is that all?"

"Yes, that is correct!"

"I see."

The answer of the 'eye-catching blond recruit' was short. But the other recruits felt that the 'eye-catching blond recruit' was amazing.

Because he had answered calmly without trembling in front of Jereuth.

—'To speak so confidently to Commander Jereuth, whom even that fearsome knight was trembling before....'

—'Unlike his looks, he seems to be quite something.'

—'What should I say to the Commander? I'm... I'm nervous.'

Feeling the gazes of the new recruits, Jereuth smiled slightly and nodded his head.

"It's the same answer I gave when I became a knight."

“……”

"Instructor Max!"

—Yes, yes!

At Jereuth calling him, Max came running again and answered.

"You called!"

"End the entrance ceremony with this. Looking at the atmosphere, it seems everyone is sufficiently tensed up. And if they train with this boy, I think everyone will be able to see and learn what it means to be in the kingdom army."

As Jereuth spoke while looking at Leonardo, Max immediately nodded his head.

"Yes, I understand! Then I will issue the equipment right now!"

"Good work."

Jereuth spoke briefly and walked out of the training ground.

His expression was plain. But inwardly, he was smiling.

'I felt this when we went to Misty Port, but the role of a soldier suits His Highness surprisingly well. As if he had been a soldier before.'

As Jereuth was leaving the training ground with such thoughts.

Tatataat—!

The sound of footsteps that sounded urgent just from the sound was heard.

At that sound, Jereuth turned his head, and he saw a knight running frantically.

"C-Commander. It's an emergency!"

"What's going on?"

"W-well...!"

The knight took a deep breath and answered Jereuth.

"A patrol unit that was patrolling the east of the royal capital reported that they found a giant monster on the Ness Plains!"

“……!”

Ness Plains. That place was only a half-day's ride from the royal capital.

In other words, it was a place very close to the royal capital.

"It hasn't been accurately identified what kind of monster it is. But seeing as it's a monster of considerable size—!"

"You're saying there could be other medium and small-sized monsters led by that giant monster. Perhaps, it could be the leader of some monster race. The type of monster hasn't been confirmed, right?"

"...That's right! The patrol knight said that he returned to report first, judging that it could be dangerous to approach carelessly!"

"That's a wise judgment. That is the role of a patrol."

"Yes, yes!"

Jereuth was calm—but in reality, his mind was filled with very complicated thoughts.

'Could it be... that the vanguard of the monster army has begun its attack? But how did they get to the Ness Plains without anyone knowing? There are several villages between the Monster Mountains and the Ness Plains.'

If a giant monster was leading many other monsters, some village would have spotted it.

Then, rumors would have naturally spread.

And also.

'Should I tell His Highness? Hmm... no, His Highness is currently hiding his identity among the soldiers. If I suddenly call for him, it might go against His Highness's intentions.'

In this way, Jereuth had many questions and thoughts.

But what he had to do now was one thing.

"Summon the knight order. And bring my sword and horse as well. Contact Seria and tell her to bring any mages who can be deployed immediately. We are going to the Ness Plains."

"Understood! Then who will be in overall command—."

"I will go myself to confirm and deal with that monster."

To protect the kingdom so that the great king would not have to worry.

That was the role Jereuth thought of for himself.