Chapter 9

As cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

---

Noel, now a military affiliate, was given the position of squad leader. The uniform she had borrowed from Cynthia became hers to keep, and she proudly showed it off to Milt and the others, who were in high spirits. For Noel, it had already become one of her precious treasures.

On the other hand, Milt and the others were to join as soldiers until the rebellion was quelled. They judged that returning to the village would be difficult in the current situation, so they decided to join the army and earn a salary. It was a fair amount of money, considering the risk, though it was also true that it was a low price for their lives. The Coinbra army, aiming to crush the rebels, was in the process of recruiting from the south, and the soldiers were moving about busily. Once the reorganization was complete, they would head to reclaim Rockbell, as already communicated to the troops through their commanders.

Incidentally, Noel and the volunteer soldiers were placed under Cynthia's command. No one was willing to take on a young girl who had received little training. While a common soldier might be manageable, a squad leader had to be treated as a commander, no matter how low-ranking. It was troublesome, and no one would take on someone who couldn't be counted on as a combatant. Cynthia also struggled with how to handle them but decided to give them a relatively less dangerous mission. She wasn't so heartless as to send them to the front lines immediately.

"---So, I'll be in charge of all of you from now on. From now on, call me Squad Leader Noel, or Captain. In simple terms, I'm ten times more important than Milt, so treat me with respect."

Noel, wearing the squad leader's uniform, stood proudly. Her posture alone was on par with a company leader. Milt and the others, sitting and looking up at her, wore expressions of confusion.

"…I heard you joined the army, but why are you suddenly a squad leader? That doesn't make sense."

"Reward from the governor."

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Well, anyway, that's how it is. I'm the captain, so show me the respect I deserve. Got it?"

Noel, putting aside her attitude towards Cynthia, spoke freely.

"Even if you tell me to respect you, it's not that easy. You're the one who's been the most disrespectful."

Milt's words were echoed by the villagers.

"Basically, why are you the captain? You're not a knight or anything, and it's strange for a civilian woman to be a captain."

"Because I'm a squad leader. As I said before, I'm ten times more important than Milt. Isn't that amazing?"

"Not really. Cynthia has a certain presence, but you don't have any of that."

"Am I really that lacking?"

"Even if you wear a uniform, your tone and attitude ruin everything."

"Oh dear."

Noel stopped her proud stance and looked disappointed.

"…Anyway, instead of saying silly things, let's wait for Cynthia properly. It'll be quicker that way."

Noel acknowledged that she was stronger than Milt, but leading others in battle was beyond her. They had been chasing beasts together until recently. Since they were entrusting their only lives to her, even for a short time, she wanted a more reliable superior. Someone with rich combat experience like Ned or Geb in the Red Ring Army.

"Cynthia, the company leader, is busy preparing for the march, so she doesn't have time for new recruits like us. She was running around everywhere, looking busy."

"Then we just need to wait until we have free time. We're just here to make up the numbers, and you're just a nominal squad leader."

"Hmm. Does that mean you won't listen to anything I say?"

"Sorry, but that's the case. Besides, we're not regular soldiers; we're just villagers. Training with swords and spears won't do us any good. We'll just do it half-heartedly, and you should do the same. As long as we don't die, it's fine."

Milt yawned as he answered. Even though they had left the rebels, they had no intention of fighting for Coinbra. They had no interest in training for that purpose. They planned to leave soon. As long as they could move around and get their reward, it was fine. Their real job was hunting.

"You're right, Milt."

"Agreed, agreed."

"Oh, I thought it would end up like this. In that case, I'll use my secret treasure."

Noel put on her glasses and started to tie up her hair. Milt and the others were taken aback by this sudden strange behavior. After a while, Noel stood with her hands on her hips, her expression completely changed.

"I didn't want to use this, but I have no choice."

"What is it?"

"In any state on this continent, the military hierarchy is absolute. Disrespecting a superior is never allowed. I'll make sure to drill that into your thick heads!"

"Wait, I thought you just put on glasses. What are you saying? Did you hit your head somewhere?"

Noel began to speak in a commanding tone, similar to Cynthia's. Her manner was like that of a young officer, and anyone who spoke out of turn would be immediately reprimanded. It was as if they were dealing with Cynthia herself. Despite being a young woman, she had something that made her impossible to defy. Something they lacked. Perhaps it was presence or authority. It was emanating from Noel.

"Is your language appropriate? If you need to correct it, do so now. If you don't understand when I say it, I'll teach you with my body. If you still don't understand, there's no saving you. I was taught this in the past. Do you understand?"

Noel smiled and took out an iron mace from her waist, striking it rhythmically into her palm. The mace had red stains on it, and there was no need to ask what they were. Milt and the others, who had seen it used on enemy soldiers, were gripped by fear. Noel handled it lightly, but the iron club was powerful enough to smash a thick door. If it hit the head, it would turn into a squashed fruit. They had seen it happen, so they knew it was true. Milt straightened his back and quickly corrected his language.

"S-Sorry, Squad Leader Noel."

"---Good. Now, I'll explain the military regulations we need to follow. If you violate them, even as a new recruit, you'll be punished without mercy. Excuses like 'I'm just a villager' won't work. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes."

"Your voice is too low! When you acknowledge, salute at the same time. 'I have fully understood your words with my inadequate mind,' express it both verbally and physically."

"I-I understand!"

Milt straightened his back and saluted, mimicking what he had seen. The others quickly stood and saluted as well, fearing what might happen if they were glared at next.

"Alright, let's work hard together from now on. You'll only be in the army for a short time, but death comes in an instant. It's meaningless to regret it after you die, so it's better to do what you can now."

Noel removed her glasses and smiled gently, giving a casual salute.

"---Huh?"

"Surprisingly, it worked well. It's the Cynthia way, after all. It's very effective for new recruits."

"…Is, is all of that just an act?"

"Yes, it's all a copy of Cynthia. I try to look sharp and speak authoritatively. But I get tongue-tied when I'm nervous. Did it look similar?"

"Ah, yeah. You looked like a real soldier. Actually, you looked like a different person."

It wasn't just an act or imitation. It was genuine malice. A threat that if you didn't want to die, you had to follow orders. Even if it were a real battlefield, Milt would have followed orders and charged into the enemy lines. It was natural to obey when you knew that defiance meant death. The image from earlier was still fresh in his mind, making him hesitant about using polite language. He couldn't be sure she wouldn't suddenly change back.

"Great. This glasses make me look smart. I'll wear them when I need to act authoritative."

Noel wrapped the glasses in a cloth and carefully put them in her pocket, deftly undoing her tied hair.

"If you had defied me back then, what would you have done?"

"Of course, I would have hit you. If words don't work, that's faster. That's what education is, right?"

Noel smiled viciously, her mouth twisted. Even without the glasses, the same oppressive aura radiated from the red-haired girl. Milt and the others made a decision. They would not defy Noel while in the army. They couldn't risk getting hit with the iron mace as a greeting. After all, she had already killed several Bahar soldiers. They were different from her, as they had never killed anyone.

"Um, then, please follow these rules. They are very important in the military. Breaking them can result in the death penalty, so be careful."

Noel took out a paper with the military regulations and began to explain. She had been told by Cynthia to teach them how to salute and the basic regulations. There were many detailed rules, but Noel only conveyed three: follow orders, don't run away, and don't betray your comrades. They were obvious, but hard to follow in actual combat. Especially the second one, not running away. When the situation turns unfavorable, people naturally hesitate, and when danger approaches, they flee instinctively. This chain reaction leads to the collapse of the formation and eventually to a rout. Therefore, commanders must always act bravely and calmly to maintain the morale of their troops. It was the same thing Noel had been drilled into in the past. She knew it by heart without needing to read the paper.

"Secretly, if you accidentally break a rule, it's better to run. Sitting and waiting for death is silly."

"…Is it okay to say that?"

"At the end, it's better to think for yourself. Whether to follow orders or not, whether to fight or not, whether to live or not, or something else."

"……"

"I've decided to do that. I made that decision on that day."

Noel smiled as she said this.

---

No matter how happy the moment, whenever she thought of that day and that place, Noel's mood darkened. She remembered everyone's faces. The images that came to mind were not their smiles but the corpses thrown into a hole, the sensation of rotting flesh peeling off, the smell that pierced her nose, and the cold rain. When such thoughts came, she looked at the sun shining brightly in the sky. The light pierced her eyes, burning her retinas. This allowed her to reset her thoughts. For Noel, the sun was the most precious treasure she had. She couldn't hold