“The mission for our platoon is to escort a merchants and provisions caravan that’s arriving from the east, yar unit leaders will relay my orders and ya lot are expected to perform yar best.

We will meet the caravan at Blackeye Deville.

Departure at sunrise. Dismissed.”

After finishing the briefing, we grouped into our units and Mikah explained our role in the mission.

Since he’s the platoon leader and has to give out orders, he has to stay at the center of the formation…

“Other units will clear our way and scout the area around us, ya lot will stay with me and relay my orders. Ya’ll carry a weapon, some water and yar clothes, keep it light so the horse don’t get tired aye?”

“Yes sir!”

“Y-yes sir…”

Why is this fucking prince so excited about everything, I was told I was a sheltered child when I was growing up but I guess those guys at the slums never met a royal…

Cold winter nights in a barely functional tent aren’t very fun, I’m too skinny for that and my body gets too cold, too quickly…

I laid in my sleeping bag and listened to the whispers of the other students, some were talking about the girls, some were talking about their patrols and some were talking about… me.

“...ast night, it’s so annoying that he’s here! I can’t even close my eyes.”

“I know, right? He’s making me so nervous…”

I guess I figured that might happen, but it’s still annoying, who even cares about you people, shut up already and go to sleep…

“Tch”

“D-do you think he heard us?”

Ops, I didn’t mean to actually make a sound…

I tried to make a loud snoring noise so they think that I’m asleep already.

“Phew… It sounds like he’s sleeping.”

I peeked at the bed across from me and saw red-hair staring at me from over the cover of his book. Our eyes met and he quickly pulled up his book. How is he even reading in this darkness anyway?

What a weirdo…

You’d think a 23 years old man would just have the balls to say what he has to.

Morning came as soon as my eyes closed.

I splashed some water on my face and thought my fingers might just fall off, my face felt tingly as the faint morning breeze blew by. If I wasn’t fully awake until that point, I couldn’t go back to bed now.

As commanded, everyone was ready to depart right on time, some students complained about their body feeling ‘weak and wobbly’ but the scouts just laughed and said that fighting while sick is the best for growth.

Our group rode for 3 hours towards the bridge to cross the Black Vein river.

“Halt!” Mikah yelled as we approached the bridge.

“We will cross 2 at a time, ay-”

“Captain, a report from platoon 1 group 2 arrived.” One of the scouts said as he pointed at a student riding towards us.

The student informed Mikah that the 2nd group has arrived at Edgetown and are awaiting further orders.

“Dandy, good work lad, take 5 minutes to rest and ride back, report back to yar commander.

Group 2 will clear the path from Edgetown to Blackeye Deville, group 1 will meet with the caravan after crossing the bridge.” He drank some water before crossing together with the prince.

“We will link with group 2 on our way back to Edgetown, from here we need to pick up the pace ya slowpokes. We depart from Blackeye’s town as soon as we meet with the marchants!” He concluded.

It was another 3 hours of riding towards the town, clouds covered the sky at this point but the sun would be almost in the middle of it right now.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

The noise of children playing next to the watermill drew my attention. There weren’t this many children back at the slums, people would make a lot of babies but none of them survived.

It was somehow pleasant to see the carefree kids playing around.

This area was mostly inhabited by commoners, I felt a strange sense of pride as I looked at the peaceful scene.

What a strange feeling… Is it because I got rid of these corrupt nobles? I guess I can take the credit here, right? Haha.

I specifically had a mission once to take out a network of nobles who developed black market for child slavery.

It wasn’t my biggest mission but it was the one I remember the most.

My deluded sense of pride was slowly revealing its poisonous, black color as I recalled what happened to the children who were liberated from captivity, they all became Slayers…

“Ridiculous…” I mumbled and looked at the ground.

It has nothing to do with me, It’s not my fault! Those kids are playing without a worry thanks to me and the other kids became Slayers only because of this fucking bitch, Kiyoko.

“D-don’t even think about harming those children!” Some guy said from behind me.

“Huh?” I turned to meet his gaze, his lips were trembling and behind him were 2 girls.

“Tch…” I turned towards the town and ignored him.

I heard the guy bragging to the girls as I walked closer to Mikah.

“Not so popular are ya? What d’ya think, are they being unfair? Bahaha” He asked, not bothering to look in my direction.

“Wha-? Where is this coming from? Fuc- tch.” I got off my horse and walked away from him.

“Bahahahaha! What a spicy lad.” He said loudly.

‘D’ya think they’re being unfair?” I quietly repeated his words in a mocking tone.

“I hate old people.” I whispered.

“My my, we can’t be all that bad, right? Hihihi.” An elderly woman asked from next to me.

“Tch. Ah… S-sorry.” I responded.

“Oh don’t joke around boy, you shouldn’t apologize when you don’t really feel regret.”

“Right… I really hate old people.” I said and walked away again, I’m starting to run out of places to walk away to.

“Hihihi, what an honest young man.” She said.

“Right then, listen up lads, the marchants are prepared to depart, get on yar horses and we ride west-north, move!” Mikah announced.

After a few hours of riding, the grey clouds slowly became a fog that made it difficult to see even a few meters ahead.

“Torches!” Mikah yelled.

“Torches!” The scouts around us repeated.

“Unit leaders, count yar flames!”

“Counting flames!” They all repeated again.

“Unit 2, 3 flames. All heads present!”

“Unit 5, 3 flames. All heads present!”

“Unit 4, 2 flames. 1 head missing. Patrolling within proximity!”

“Unit 7, 1 flame. 2 heads missing. Rearguard.”

“Unit 1, 3 flames. All heads present!” Mikah concluded.

“We keep moving at this pace, my lads will relay commands, keep yar sound holes open and follow yar leader’s orders!” He added.

After a few more minutes of riding in the fog Mikah ordered us to slow down our pace and close in the formation.

“Lad, pick up yar pace and meet with the 2nd group, I need a report of the road by the munchers’ area, there’s a suspicious stench.” He said, looking at me.

“Y-yes sir…” I said. This is annoying, I hate this game that we need to play.

I picked up the pace and just 30 minutes later I saw torches. I waved my torch to signal my affiliation and met with the captain of group 2.

“We ran into a few strange incidents on the road, I need to report it directly to the captain, we’ll investigate a little farther before we link.” He recommended that we proceed slowly until the 2 groups link and sent me back.

It took another hour for us to link up.

Mikah was talking to the leader of group 2 and I overheard some of the conversation ”Land Lords…? Out of the forest? Quite unusual, aye.”

“Hyland, spicy lad, orders for all units.

All units are to stay within a torch visibility and stick close to the caravan. 100-Legged centipede formation.”

“Ye-”

“Yes sir!” red-hair yelled over me.

What an exhausting day…

After 4 more hours of riding, we finally made it to Edgetown and took a short break.

“... Captain, all heads are present and able bodied!”

“Dandy, all units are dismissed for a 20 minute break before we move out once again. Unit leaders stay here for a briefing.” Mikah said.

I couldn’t really go into town since I was only familiar with the western side of it so I just sat on one of the caravan’s carriages.

“Hihihi, how’s it going for you, regretful boy? Having fun?” The old lady approached me again.

Apparently she was a merchant in this caravan “I really can’t catch a break today, can I…?”

“Oh don’t be so harsh, you know, my son would be about your age.” Her voice trembled slightly as she said it.

“You don’t say.”

“Hihi, what a heartless little brat you are.”

I sighed heavily and placed my elbow on my knee to lean on my hand.

“you don’t say…” I responded.

“You’re quite clever aren-”

“Kyaaaa!” A girl screamed nearby.

“Woah! C-captain! Someone get the captain!” One guy yelled.