3. Mystery Girl 1
This time, from the perspective of the new recruit.
—-
(How did this happen?)
The man, Nudd Halt, held his head in his hands.
A room in Fort Balaboa. This long, narrow room served as a dining hall. Consequently, tables for the stationed soldiers were set up here and there. Some seemed to have been smashed during the fort’s capture and were discarded. The ones currently arranged were all usable.
He couldn’t call the fort itself newly built, even if his mouth were torn apart.
But if he averted his gaze from the ingrained bloodstains, it seemed like a relatively clean room for a fort. It was a relief that there were no fatal flaws for the soldiers who spent day and night together. Despite being captured, there was little damage. Although the storehouse had been set on fire, the fort was still operational.
Now, Nudd was agonizing in such a relatively clean room, alone… with one other person.
—Rewinding an hour.
Nudd had successfully completed his patrol duty. Now, he was about to leave, hoping to exchange complaints with his colleagues and add some color to his gray fort duty. However, within seconds, he was caught by Sergeant Baldo. Since the sergeant had a strangely cheerful grin, Nudd was more than wary and tried to use his colleagues as shields to escape, but such efforts were futile before a superior’s orders.
And he ended up getting involved in this troublesome matter.
(Damn it, why?)
Nudd sighed.
—After all the trouble of graduating from the officer’s academy, why this?
“This is quite delicious. It’s chewy and filling.”
“…How can you eat such disgusting preserved food with such relish?”
“I like that it doesn’t move even when I put it in my mouth.”
“Unbelievable…”
At the end of his dry gaze, the little girl who called herself a “farmer’s daughter” was about to eat the dried meat on the table. She picked it up with her hands, brought it to her mouth, and easily tore it off. She moved her mouth, chewing, her platysma vibrating. Then she relaxed her cheeks with a satisfied expression.
Nudd grimaced, doubting her sanity.
(If this girl eats decent food in the Empire, she’ll probably go crazy…)
That preserved food was known for being difficult to chew. The taste was described as “Eating shoes would be better because at least you can’t swallow them.” Nudd had tried it once out of curiosity, but he choked on the terrible taste and saltiness. Just thinking about it made him want to impulsively cover his mouth. That seasoning seemed like nothing but harassment.
Eating it would make one refuse food for several hours.
That should have been the only practical aspect of it.
However, after washing it down with the water in the cup, the little girl let out a small “Phew.”
“Thank you for the meal. I feel much better.”
“She really finished it all… unbelievable.”
—Is this a feast for a farmer’s life?
Nudd, raised in the city, shuddered. He stared wide-eyed at the little girl who had finished eating and thought again.
Her features, though childish, were well-formed. Although her hair was tangled with dust and sand, it was captivatingly pristine. He wondered, “Shouldn’t she be dirtier if she’s a farmer?” But if she said, “I was a sheltered girl,” he would have no choice but to shut up.
—Does a farmer’s family have such luxury?
Nudd, unaware of the reality, couldn’t help but think so.
“…Sol. My name is Sol. I don’t have a last name.”
Apparently, the name of this eccentric girl was Sol. She was suspicious from every angle.
The only reason she was allowed into the fort was that “she hadn’t been seen in any army.” However, in a world where talent could turn everything upside down, women and children weren’t unconditionally trustworthy. Even if they looked weak, they could be formidable. Also, the possibility that she was a member of an intelligence unit, brainwashed in the Laptenon Kingdom or somewhere, couldn’t be ruled out.
Why did the commander of Fort Balaboa allow her in?
Nudd was overflowing with questions.
(Still, I think the reason they picked her up was to counter the bad rumors… It wasn’t the Imperial army that burned down Dada Village. It was most likely soldiers from the Allied Forces, but I’m sure Laptenon or someone will spread rumors about it.)
—What a vicious Empire, massacring innocent people.
It was an obvious lie.
However, ignoring it wasn’t a good move either.
(It would be troublesome if they held a grudge against us because of this. The higher-ups probably want to avoid a large-scale rebellion.)
The war, which had lasted for ten years, had been de-escalating to skirmishes since last year. It would be foolish to sow the seeds of conflict again here. Therefore, they probably took in the little girl, a suspicious person, as proof of the righteous Empire that sheltered the villagers affected by the war.
(There seem to be other hidden reasons as well. If not, I’ll cry at how careless they are.)
But the reality was that he couldn’t afford to cry. He had to brace himself for the worst.
Nudd was, after all, in the sad position of an underling. His misfortune was that he, the new recruit with the least workload among the squad that found her, was appointed—or rather, forced—to be Sol’s babysitter. Therefore, while his colleagues were busy running around the fort, he could leisurely watch her eat.
Of course, it wasn’t exactly leisurely.
“Tch…”
A click of his tongue escaped him in annoyance.
Curious gazes pierced him from the half-open door.
It was his colleagues teasing him. Until now, the topic of conversation to relieve their boredom had been the sergeant and the “Six Wings.” When he silently gestured them away with his hand, they disappeared with a chuckle. Nudd just felt his head grow heavy.
He had given them good material to tease him about. Fort duty offered little entertainment. He would be teased for two weeks.
And it was all because of this mysterious little girl.
(Just who is she? Her way of speaking is strange, and there are so many mysteries about her.)
“…Whatever. It’s pointless for me to think about it.”
“You give up easily. You can’t get stronger if you stop thinking.”
“Idiot, who said anything about getting stronger? And it’s not stopping thinking. I’m adapting. …Because there are so many absurd things.”
—How did my life become like this?
Once again, Nudd exhaled deeply.
(Things should have been going smoothly, so why am I…)
Nudd Halt, twenty-one years old.
He came from Rhino, the capital of the Ganor Empire.
He reminisced about the ornate streets of the Imperial Capital, which he had seen from the window. He had never lacked food, clothing, or shelter.
The Halt family had been a merchant family for generations, and his father, the current head, was particularly gifted with a merchant’s talent. He remembered his grandfather exclaiming, “This is the Halt family’s golden age.”
Nudd had few memories of his father.
But he was proud of his father, who was always busy with work.
He had heard about his father’s work from his mother and apprentices. So, even as a child, he had the utmost respect for his father, thinking, “I’m living a comfortable life thanks to those large hands and that broad, strong back.”
Every night, he worked hard on improving his business acumen and studying distribution.
Of course, it was to follow in his great father’s footsteps.
(Until that time.)
He had been innocent as a child.
Naturally, he thought he would inherit the family business as the eldest son.
Until the fateful day, the cursed day of the successor’s nomination.
Or rather, until he was driven to the officer’s academy.
—The person his stern father chose was unexpectedly…
“…Something troubling you?”
“Whoa!? D-don’t approach me so suddenly!”
An innocent face was right in front of him. Caught off guard, he fell out of his chair.
There was a loud noise as he landed hard on his backside.
“Wh-what are you doing…”
Nudd wanted to complain.
But he was at a loss for words. He couldn’t “stand up, showing his displeasure.” Because Sol, looking down at him from the chair, seemed to lack any childishness. She showed no concern for him falling on his backside, nor did she have a mocking expression.
Her lemon-colored eyes simply reflected a mature hue.
“You owe me a meal, so I’ll listen.”
“H-huh? What are you talking about…”
“I’m not good at anything other than swinging a sword, but I’ve lived a long life. Perhaps I can offer some advice from my experience.”
“…You’re talking nonsense.”
Nudd swore softly, but remained wary.
It was because the little girl’s behavior seemed to see through his mind.
(That’s right… there’s a possibility that this girl did something to get into the fort.)
He considered the possibility of magic or magic eyes.
He didn’t want to think about mind-altering magic. If a forbidden magician was hiding their identity, there would be no way for him to survive here. Now, he could only trust the general who allowed her into the fort. He prayed that the general wasn’t blind. If he was, Nudd would blind him as punishment, even if he had to face the consequences.
He touched the hilt of the sword at his waist with the ring finger of his right hand.
(If it comes down to it… I have no choice but to do it.)
Nudd’s mind tightened with tension. He hadn’t even experienced his first battle yet. He was unsure about fighting a person with a real sword.
Mock battles were compulsory at the officer’s academy, but they were ultimately just exercises. They were far from the tension of a real battle. He had even broken out in a cold sweat during the previous patrol. He didn’t want to imagine what would happen to him in a real fight.
Oblivious to him, Sol said with an innocent face,
“Oh, right. Are there any training tools here? A sword would be ideal.”
“Huh? What are you talking about all of a sudden…”
“I’ve finished eating. So, there’s nothing to do but train.”
She jumped down from the chair with a light hop. Her light movements didn’t betray the weight of her equipment. After fervent negotiations, Sol was dressed in soldier’s attire unbefitting a little girl. Relatively light standard-issue armor, simple gauntlets and knee pads, and laced boots. The reason she could wear them despite her small stature was apparently that there was a soldier in another unit who was eleven years old, so they had a size that barely fit.
Still, the sight was comical.
(Even so… training?)
He was taken aback by her sudden statement. Nudd finally stood up and brushed off the dust. Meanwhile, Sol looked around, then jumped up and peeked out the window, asking,
“So, is there or isn’t there?”
“It’s being brought in. There’s space in the backyard, enough for some swings… By the way, I’m older than you, right? If you’re a youngster, there’s a certain way you should behave.”
“…Come to think of it, you’re right. My apologies.”
“Hey.”
After her movements stopped, Sol put her hand on her chin. She clearly looked as if she had completely forgotten. He was dumbfounded, and the tension in his mind completely vanished. If she was indeed less than ten years old, as she appeared, it made sense. The credibility of her being a sheltered girl relatively increased. She certainly seemed to possess the “naivete” to call herself that.
Anyway, there was one thing he wanted to ask.
“So, are you really a farmer’s daughter? Your talk about training, your way of speaking, and your claim of being a sheltered girl are a bit far-fetched. Or rather, there are a lot of things about you that are, well, far-fetched. I’m sure the higher-ups have noticed.”
“I’m a true farmer’s daughter. I just admire heroes. Anyway, could you show me to the backyard?”
“…Use honorifics, honorifics.”
“Please show me the way… please.”
“Why is it so choppy? And ‘no ja’ isn’t an honorific. What’s with that accent?”
Her tone was clearly unfamiliar.
—But he would let it slide this time.
Looking at the disgruntled little girl, he simply felt his strength drain away.
(This is getting ridiculous. Would a cunning spy or secret agent be this naive? It’s too suspicious. Even if it’s an act, there’s no point in walking a tightrope.)
If she had planned all of this, he had no choice but to give up. In that case, he could slap his knee and say, “I was fooled,” and blame everything on fate. So, Nudd abandoned his suspicions here. He recognized Sol as innocent, just as she appeared.
—Being a new recruit isn’t easy either.
Nudd shrugged, oblivious to the fact that he himself was a new recruit.
Leave a Reply