Chapter 2 — Return (2)

20 years passed, but he remembered perfectly.

‘Excluding me and Pierce, all of the newcomers died.’

It wasn’t only them, but Oliver and squad commander Tane had also lost their lives.

‘We got attacked near Ale town by the goblins.’n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

A gorge that got narrower.

That was where those bastards were hiding in ambush.

The rose troop that was moving carelessly almost got swept up.

‘What can I do?’

Tell the commander the truth that the goblins were hiding to ambush them?

‘It would be fortunate if he doesn’t cut off my neck.’

There was no way they would listen to the words of a newcomer without any proof.

No, in the first place he wouldn’t even meet him.

‘Should I tell squad commander Tane?’

It wasn’t a good option.

In his memories, he didn’t really have a friendly character.

‘Then, do I have to look how the squad gets annihilated?’

He couldn’t do so.

He didn’t want to also ruin this life.

Then, Roan’s face brightened

‘Ah! There was that.’

The corner of his mouth slowly rose.

He looked at Tane as if he was waiting for something with eager eyes.

“Ah! Also……”

Tane, that was packing his luggage, yelled with an expression as if he had remembered late.

“Is there someone that’s familiar with the zone of Ale? Someone that lived for long in that zone, or spent a long time.”

‘This is it!’

Roan took a step and raised his right hand.

“I know it well.”

“You?”

Tane frowned.

‘The guy who was being hit by Pete.’

Pete wasn’t the type to get violent with no reason.

Then that meant that this guy in front of him had a problem.

‘Troublesome.’

The role of guide was certainly important.

If he made a mistake, he could put in danger all of the squad.

“Do you really know well the zone of Ale?”

“Yes! I do. I can go from here, Ellin’s fortress, to Ale village with my eyes closed.”

“Mmm.”

Tane frowned and looked at Roan.

‘Well, the decision is made by the adjutant.’

He didn’t keep thinking for long.

In the first place, he wasn’t the type to do so.

“Fine. What’s your name?”

“It is Roan.”

“You pack your things immediately and follow me.”

Tane walked and looked at general Lander.

“Lander. If you finish your preparations go to the drill ground with the guys.”

“Yes. Understood.”

Lander smiled as if telling him not to worry and nodded. Tane hit his chest and went outside.

Roan hurriedly followed his back.

As he went outside the barracks, a familiar smell tickled the tip of his nose.

‘The smell of war. No, the smell of death.’

Ironware, bonfire, horses, sweat, guys and blood.

A smell that had many things mixed.

It was a smell he sensed for the past 20 years until he got sick of it.

It was a disgusting smell, but somehow a corner of his heart got more comfortable.

‘The more you get to like this smell, the closer you are to death.’

Roan smiled bitterly and shook his head.

At that time, Tane that was one step ahead of him asked bluntly.

“Where are you from?”

“I’m from a small town in the mountains that’s in the borders of the mountain ranges of Grain.”

“Grain mountain range…… It’s a rough place.”

Tane talked like that and continued his steps.

‘A guy from Grain’s mountain range know the zone of Ale well?’

A feeling he got deceived.

‘Well, i’m not the one to get punished.’

Tane smirked and looked in front.

A middle aged man was looking at the pile of documents.

“Adjutant Dosen.”

Tane approached him and bent down.

Middle aged man, Dosen was one of the five aides in rose troop in charge of guiding.

‘He already picked quite a few.’

Tane’s gaze moved next to him.

He saw the other guides from the other squads.

They already numbered more than 10.

“Oh. Tane.”

Dosen smiled brightly and greeted him with his chin.

Tane fell to the side and pointed at Roan.

“There’s also a guy in our squad that knows the zone of Ale well.”

“Really?”

Dosen moved his sight and looked at Roan.

“It’s the first time seeing him. Is he a newcomer?”

“Yes. He came yesterday.”

“He’s a really hot guy.”

Dosen smirked and looked at Roan up and down.

“You know well the zone of Ale?”

“Yes.”

Roan replied without hesitating.

‘Only the amounts of battles in the zone of Ale amount to twenty. Twenty.’

Because of that, the surrounding zone was really clear to his eyes.

Dosen nodded at his reply.

“Then should I ask you a simple question? What’s the specialty product of Ale?”

A not difficult question.

“It’s Barley.”

“Then, the biggest village in the zone of Ale?”

“It’s of course Ale. Continued by Riven village, Moss village, and Ferbus village.”

Answer without stopping.

‘All places where had battles.’

Roan smiled.

Dosen nodded with a surprised expression.

“I didn’t know that you would even know Ferbus village. It seems like you have indeed lived in this zone for quite long. You are just perfect for a guide.”

Roan didn’t really talk about where he came from.

Because that wasn’t the important thing.

‘I find the hiding goblins one step ahead of them.’

He looked at the guides that were next to him.

‘Because of these guys not doing their job properly, many people died.’

Of course, he knew well why they couldn’t discover the goblins.

This was a safe zone with no monsters at all.

So they also thought that there was no way that goblins would appear.

‘This time, I am blocking them.’

Roan bit his lower lip.

“Take this. Don’t lose it.”

Tane gave him one spear.

Roan nodded and gripped strongly.

Grip.

A strong and heavy feeling.

‘Uncomfortable.’

His palms were excessively soft and smooth.

The injuries and hardened skin he got the past 20 years all disappeared.

‘It really is starting again.’

He smiled bitterly.

“Then, I will take my leave.”

Tane saluted at Dosen and moved his step to the drill ground.

Roan took in a deep breath while looking at Tane’s back getting farther away.

“Don’t be too scared.”

A soldier that was looking at him bumped his shoulder.

He seemed to have misunderstood that he was afraid.

“This much is nothing. Last year………”

He talked about his tales of heroism for quite a while.

‘I also have 20 years worth of tales.’

When he started to talk, the story had no end.

At that time, Dosen put aside the pile of documents.

“I think that this many guides will be enough. Mason. As you have the most experience, lead the other guides.”

At his words, the soldier that was talking without stop smiled brightly and nodded.

“Understood! Just leave it to me!”

An exaggerated answer.

A look that made you not able to trust in him at all.

‘This is why you got ambushed by the goblins.’

Roan frowned.

‘It’s a bit troublesome if the rose squad gets annihilated.’

In his past life, the rose squad got annihilated because of the ambush of the goblins.

Because of that, all of the surviving soldiers along with Roan, got separated and got enrolled in other squads.

‘Even if you pile your efforts, it gets taken by other guys.’

The stones that came rolling aren’t as appreciated as the fixed ones.

And originally, the soldiers that were in this squad already ignored him.

And taking the efforts of another was also a frequent thing.

Because of that even after he had caught a lot of monsters, he got reprimanded for moving alone.

‘I can’t live like this in this life.’

Grip.

He put strength in his hand.

“Well! We are also moving to the drill ground.”

Mason’s loud voice.

He moved one step ahead of them and started walking.

Roan followed his back and took in deep breaths.

‘This is the start.’

The moment his life starts again.

His heart beat faster.

Blow.

The wind that was blowing carried the smell of the battlefield.

End