Chapter 132

The future where Paras guides me to the Gryphons.

That was the end of the future closest to the present in the Future Diary.

Unfortunately, it didn't say whether I obtained the Gryphons or not, nor did it say if the Elves would directly help me.

Still, it was clearly a hopeful future, so I intended to check my ending.

‘Please……!’

The ending I checked with desperate hope.

However.

‘……It's blank?’

I had seen the ending of the Future Diary being blank a few times.

So, I might have been able to just accept it as ‘just one of those things’…….

‘Why is it blank? Why?’

Was it because my hope for a positive future was too great?

Rather than being disappointed that the ending was blank, my head felt like it had turned ice-cold.

My cold head spun rapidly.

‘……Let's think calmly. My original ending was to lose to the monster army and die. So, the fact that it has changed to a blank is a relief, if anything.’

That was my first thought.

‘So…… at least I can avoid the ending where I lose to the monster army and die, right?’

At that thought, a laugh that was both empty and clearly joyous escaped me.

“Ha, haha…… fuck, I did it. I did it!”

There was no longer a set defeat.

The confirmed death had, for now, disappeared.

That disgusting ending that wouldn't change no matter how much I struggled had finally, definitely begun to change.

I could truly see hope.

The hope of being able to write the ending of the war with the monster army as a victory.

I continued my thoughts.

‘The reason my ending is blank is probably because it hasn't been definitively decided how the war with the monster army will proceed.’

In other words, the probability of victory and defeat was fifty-fifty.

The probability based on the cards I currently held.

‘To tilt this probability more towards victory…… I just need to find the card that the future me missed. I need to find the element necessary for the war that the future me couldn't prepare for.’

I think someone once said something like that.

That humans are animals who live on hope.

I felt like I knew what that meant now.

Seeing the hope that I could win the war against the monster army, it felt like all the mental fatigue I had been feeling was completely washed away.

‘Let's read the diary again. I need to check what the future me missed, and what I can do better—.’

As I was thinking.

Knock, knock—.

—Your Highness, it’s Elly! I'm letting you know it's about time to head back!

Hearing Elly's voice from outside, I checked the clock. It was five-forty.

‘It’s already this late……. I can't be late.’

The future me had lived an exemplary and proactive military life. It said that I was acknowledged and supported not as a King but as a ‘comrade-in-arms’ for it.

I had to do the same.

Thud—.

After quickly scanning the Future Diary one more time to commit its contents to memory.

I placed it on the bookshelf and headed for the door.

‘Come to think of it, the diary said some incident happens during recruit training that blows my cover…… but it didn't say what that incident was.’

The reason the incident that revealed my identity wasn't clearly stated was probably because it had no major bearing on the grand flow of my life.

If it were a big problem, the diary would have warned me in detail.

‘I don't know what kind of incident it is, but I hope it’s a positive one. Not an incident where someone gets hurt or dies.’

Click—.

I opened the door and went out.

It was time to become the recruit ‘Nar’ again.

***

“Did you all rest well!”

Morning roll call.

When the drill instructor Max spoke as usual, the recruits answered loudly.

—Yes, we did!

“You all look better after your outing. Is military life manageable?”

—Yes, it is!

“It’s easy?”

—……No, it is not!

“It’s hard?”

—No, it is not!

“It’s comfortable?”

—N…… No, it is not!

Max, who had been tormenting the recruits with wordplay, cleared his throat and spoke again in a serious voice.

“That’s enough joking around. As you all know, in the third week of recruit training, you will be deployed for ‘combat farming’ and ‘combat construction,’ in other words, civic support. Since you're recruits, it will be done simply in a training format for now, but these are tasks you will be doing in practice in the future, so take it seriously.”

—Yes, we understand!

Even though it had only been two weeks since they enlisted, the recruits' voices were markedly different.

Everyone's voice had power.

“Of course! Not everyone will be deployed for civic support. The top two in training performance will be deployed not for civic support training, but for a ‘mission’. Well, even if it's a mission, the ones you trainees are deployed to are much easier and safer than real missions, so there's no need to worry.”

Max continued to speak, looking at the paper in his hand.

“Now, I will call out the personnel to be deployed on the mission. Except for these two, the rest are for civic support, so you will have breakfast immediately and wait in the barracks.”

—Yes!

“Then I will call them. First…… Nar!”

When Max called the name ‘Nar’, the recruits all looked at me at once.

Their gazes held envy and a little jealousy, but most were looks that said, 「“I acknowledge it.”」

“Recruits Nar and Remond, you two are the top two in training performance. Therefore, you will be deployed for patrol duty up to the front of Ness Plains, east of the royal capital, for the entire week. Vice Commander Hagen said he will bring the knight in charge to the training ground in a little while. You will also have breakfast separately with the knight in charge, so wait on the training ground.”

“Understood.”

“Alright! Understood!”

Remond answered, clenching his fists, perhaps happy to be deployed on a real mission instead of civic support.

“This concludes the morning roll call. The rest will be led by the drill assistants to have their meal. Dismissed!”

***

After the morning roll call ended, most of the recruits went to the cafeteria for breakfast. Only Remond and I, along with three drill assistants, remained on the training ground.

Remond asked a drill assistant with a beaming face.

“Oh! Drill Assistant Jack, are you going on the mission with us?”

“Yeah. But what's so great about going on a mission that you're grinning like that?”

“Isn't going on a mission obviously more fun than going to a farm? You get some fresh air, too. And besides, if a man comes to the army, he should go on a mission—.”

“This bastard…… you've gotten way too relaxed. What, fresh air? Going on a mission is more fun than going to a farm? Are we going on a picnic?!”

“I-I'm sorry!”

“Does being sorry end your military service?! Get down and give me push-ups!!”

I knew it would come to this.

Why did he have to talk to the drill assistant?

As I was looking at Remond doing push-ups on the dirt ground with a pathetic expression, a familiar voice came from the other side of the training ground.

“Is everyone gathered?”

It was Vice Commander Hagen.

And next to him…….

‘Yoanna?’

I didn't know why Yoanna was coming. I heard from Max earlier that one knight would be leading us on this mission.

‘Was Hagen the leading knight? But Hagen is a high-ranking knight, so he should be busy with various things. He's also the vice commander.’

Just then, my eyes met Yoanna’s.

“……”

“……!!”

I didn't particularly show any sign of recognition, but Yoanna’s eyes widened slightly and she flinched when our eyes met.

Her eyes sparkled like a puppy seeing its owner after a long time.

‘Seeing as she's not saying anything, it seems she was told not to acknowledge me…… but her face is practically screaming 'I know that person!'’

Clack—!

The drill assistants straightened their posture, and I also straightened my posture while looking at Hagen.

Hagen came closer with Yoanna and spoke.

“At ease. Why is that recruit on the ground?”

“He lacked discipline, so I was giving him a punishment drill!”

Hagen nodded at the drill assistant's answer.

“Lacking discipline before a mission. I had some expectations since they were the top two in training performance, but I guess one of them is not in good shape.”

Hagen seemed to have said it without much thought.

However, the drill assistants were extremely tense at his words. It was because a ‘high-ranking knight’ had pointed out the state of the training.

—……!

—……!

—……!

Without paying any mind to the tensed-up drill assistants, Hagen pointed at Yoanna and spoke.

“This Knight Squire will be commanding you for the next week. Her name is ‘Yoanna’. The drill assistants may not know the squire well, so introduce yourselves.”

—I-I'm Jack.

—I'm Rock.

—Uh…… I'm Gordon.

The drill assistants' tones were a bit reluctant. They all seemed to find it strange that a ‘girl’ much younger than them was commanding them.

Yoanna took a step towards those drill assistants and shouted confidently.

“I am Yoanna! It's a pleasure to meet you!”

Although Yoanna spoke confidently, her voice was unavoidably youthful, so there wasn't much of a commanding presence.

Hagen, observing the drill assistants' reactions, crossed his arms and looked at each of them.

“Your faces say you don't understand why this squire is taking command. Do you have any complaints? You, Drill Assistant Jack, speak up.”

“N…… No, sir! Complaints, not at all!”

“Then why the face?”

“I'm sorry, sir!”

Jack bowed his head as he spoke, but Hagen still seemed displeased.

It was understandable. A mere drill assistant had questioned the words of a high-ranking knight like himself.

“Yoanna is the squire who will become the youngest knight in the kingdom's history.

Commander Jereuth will conduct her evaluation next month, and if His Highness approves, she will become a knight.”

“……”

“Well, it might be hard to accept even if I say this. Yoanna, draw your sword.”

“Yes!”

Yoanna drew the shorter of the two swords she had at her waist. It was a weapon I knew as a ‘rapier’.

The one Yoanna drew was relatively thin, short, and wide, while the other one was quite thin and long.

‘That thick and long rapier looks quite heavy, can she use it freely? It seems difficult since Yoanna is a girl and still young.’

Hagen looked at Yoanna, then shifted his gaze back to Jack.

“Drill Assistant Jack. Since your face showed the most disapproval of Yoanna, you will spar with her.”

“A-a spar, you say? No! It's fine—!”

“Do I have to care whether you're fine with it or not? These bastards……. The drill assistants themselves lack discipline like shit.”

“I-I'm sorry……!”

“Just grab a spear. If you can so much as graze Yoanna's armor, I will give you a chance to become a Knight Squire too.”

At Hagen's words, ‘a chance to become a Knight Squire’, Jack’s eyes widened.

“I-I understand!”

Drill Assistant Jack picked up a spear.

Yoanna also took her stance, holding her rapier.

The other drill assistants, as well as Remond who was still doing push-ups, couldn't hide their bewilderment at the suddenly started spar.

Still, they began to stealthily make space for the two.

“Then, begin.”

Hagen said, as if the outcome was too obvious.

***

Thud—.

“Gasp…… gasp……! I-I lost……!”

Jack collapsed onto the training ground floor, panting heavily.

He was that exhausted even though the spar had just begun.

‘……Yoanna is no joke.’

The spar ended in an instant, so quickly it was embarrassing to even call it brief.

The content of the spar was as follows. Jack, holding a spear, fought while maintaining distance to take advantage of his reach, but Yoanna handled him without difficulty.

She skillfully deflected the spear, closed the distance to put her sword to his neck, or tripped Jack by kicking his ankle.

I felt sorry for Jack, but Yoanna had literally ‘played with’ him.

‘When I read a book about weapons in the library before, I heard that weapons like rapiers are disadvantageous in many ways because of their short reach…… but I guess it depends on how you use it?’

A master does not blame his tools.

Perhaps it was something like that.

‘If she's this strong now, how much stronger will she become later?’

That question suddenly made me remember.

Something I had read in the Future Diary a very long time ago.

‘Among my early endings, there was one where I died in a popular rebellion. The one who led the rebels then was Yoanna. Was it ‘the people’s sword that even the knights feared’?’

In that future, Yoanna probably hadn't learned the sword properly. If she could make knights fear her even then, a properly trained Yoanna would be much stronger than that.

Heh—.

For some reason, I felt proud and a smile crept onto my face.

I had saved a pickpocketing child without even knowing who she was, and she turned out to be the child who would become the youngest knight in the kingdom's history. How could I not be proud?

In stock market terms, it was a successful low-buy.

Yoanna extended her hand to the collapsed Jack.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes! And…… I'm sorry about earlier! I dared to not recognize a prospective knight—!”

“You don't need to worry about it. As long as I can wield my sword to protect one person, I don't care how others see me.”

Yoanna spoke to Jack in a very knightly manner—though it was a bit awkward this time too due to her youthful voice.—

She glanced at me and then averted her gaze herself.

Though it was hard to see in the shadows, she seemed to be shy.

Seeing Yoanna and me exchange glances, Hagen cleared his throat and spoke to Yoanna.

Ahem-.

“Yoanna. It seems your muscular strength is still insufficient to wield a sword properly. No matter how much you can overwhelm your opponent with swordsmanship, in the end, you must be able to endure with strength. The enemy will not spare their strength or go easy on you just because you are a woman. Absolutely not.”

“Yes!”

“Especially when facing an enemy in heavy armor, you must assume a rapier is almost useless. Not only is the defensive power of heavy armor a problem, but a knight of a level to wear heavy armor is likely a trained individual who knows how to counter a rapier well.”

“……”

“It's not just humans; some monsters wear heavy armor too. To face them, you must use a two-handed sword. It's true you have a talent for the sword, but you still have a long way to go, so continue to strive.”

“Yes, thank you!”

“Good. Then you will take over from here. I'll be going now.”

As if he had said all he needed to, Hagen turned his back.

Yoanna saluted Hagen's retreating back, and once he was out of sight, she turned to us and spoke.

“Now, I will explain our mission. This mission is a simple one, in other words, it's more like training. The destination is Ness Plains. Monsters have recently appeared there, and Commander Jereuth personally went to patrol.”

—Yes!

“Fortunately, no further traces of monsters have been found in Ness Plains since then. Also, several knights are currently on patrol, so the possibility of us encountering monsters is low. But even so, we must not let our guard down. Understood?”

—Yes, we understand!

It seemed that Yoanna had succeeded in gaining control over the drill assistants and Remond with her earlier show of force.

‘By the way…… monsters appeared in Ness Plains and Jereuth was dispatched?’

Come to think of it, Jereuth had reported to me before.

That there were traces of an Anakros in Ness Plains.

‘Does that mean there could be an Anakros near Ness Plains…… could it be that an Anakros will appear when I go to Ness Plains this time?’

At the thought that suddenly occurred to me, another thought followed.

‘Maybe the thing that gets my identity revealed, the one mentioned in the Future Diary, is because of that.’

Still, it didn't seem like it would be a big deal. The fact that the diary didn't treat it as important probably meant there was no change in the ‘grand flow’.

‘If an Anakros really appears and talks to me, I should try to talk about the war preparations. An Anakros is definitely a great power.’

The Future Diary had not yet mentioned me having any discussions with the Anakros.

The absence of such content might mean that the future me just told the Anakros something like, 「“Please fight well on your own.”」

‘That's not bad either. But there must be a better way. A way to properly use the powerful asset that is the Anakros.’

While I was thinking, Yoanna continued to explain various things to us. It was a general explanation of the week-long patrol mission.

All I had to do was follow Yoanna and the drill assistants diligently, so there wasn't much I needed to worry about regarding the mission.

***

The east gate of the royal capital.

Yoanna on horseback came out of the gate, followed by Leonardo, Remond, and three drill assistants on foot.

At that moment, Risilbak, who was sleeping deep within the earth of Ness Plains, opened its eyes.

Flash—.

—'The covenantor has left the castle. Shall I go say hello.'

Risilbak was only planning to go and say hello.

But even Risilbak, who had lived for over a thousand years, could not have predicted what kind of impact that would have on the human kingdom.