After the sudden declaration, the villagers started to murmured at each other.

Aonair ran to Deas and Laoch and asked them.

“Hey, you two! Why are you here?!”

“We were in the plaza before, but the bell rang over the village, so we came here.”

Laoch told Aonair what happened to his date with Deas. Right after Laoch confessed, they were called here.

The news made Aonair felt more disappointed to himself.

(They just get together... and now this happened?)

Aonair clenched his fist tightly. Laoch noticed something amiss in Aonair, so he pat Aonair's shoulder and assured him.

“Well, it's our duty as Humanity's Kingdom, Daonna, citizen after all. If the king told us to war, then we have no choice.

But no worries, we can survive together!”

Laoch said that with a smile on his face, but everyone knows that going to a war is basically throwing your life away.

Most people who went to war won't come back in one piece. That's how grave a war is.

Deas didn't say anything since before, but her pale face and the way she clutches Laoch's arm tightly, Aonair understands her feelings right now.

Laoch is not a dense man either. He noticed his new lover feeling and strokes her head.

Laoch who was more matured than his peers, seems more mature right now. Aonair looked at the new couple and thought, 'It's good they managed to be together'. It just a shame they will have to go to war after this.

Laoch stood silently before suddenly told Aonair a grace saving information.

“You know if I'm not wrong, we can request to be in the logistic team instead of placed in frontline.”

“Really?! Then, let's do that now! That way, our survival chance will be higher!”

They were discussing how to survive the war together. Even though Deas didn't say anything, it's clear that her face isn't as pale as before.

It was all good, and we agreed to the plan, but it was interrupted when the village chief, Laoch's father called Laoch.

"Laoch! Come here!”

“Yes, father! Deas, would you...”

Laoch wants her to release her hands, but seeing the teary eyes of her, he has no heart to told her to.

“Jeez, you are usually not like this...”

Laoch scratched his head and smiled wryly.

“Why don't I go there too? So we can go there with the three of us. I'm interested with what the Chief wants to say.”

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

Aonair suggested, and Laoch nodded as if to affirm it.

With that, the three of them went to the Chief in Laoch's house.

Inside the house, Aonair saw the Village Chief and the Soldier talking at each other.

An air of graveness could be felt. The chief face was pale and so were the three who just came inside as the soldier speaks.

“The main order was as I said in the gate before. But the King has another specific order, which is to put every single [Level 0] and [Level 1] users in the front line.”

Aonair shocked at the revelation. They came here in order to request to stay at the rear, but the King's order easily negated their request.

(Then, what are we going to do is pointless by now...)

Aonair hanged his head, but then, he heard Laoch screams.

“Deas!”

Deas suddenly released his arm and ran to the soldier. She hit him while shouting at top of her lungs.

“Don't! I don't want him to! Stop telling my friends to die!”

“Stop it, Deas!”

“No!”

Laoch tried to separate Deas from the soldier, but she persisted and keep hitting the soldier.

The soldier was surprised, but he didn't do anything. He just stood there while placing his hand on his face as if to cover it.

“I'm sorry, little miss. An order is an order, after all. We are but subjects for this kingdom. Please understand. I myself is pained with this mission.”

The soldier finally opened his mouth and told her that. Deas couldn't hear him through her shouts and ended up exhausted.

She fell to the floor while still sobbing greatly. Laoch hurriedly helped her to stand up.

Laoch consoled her and gave a sign to Aonair that he will take her outside. Aonair nodded and stayed inside.

The chief looked at the two who went outside and walked to Aonair.

“So those two have...?”

“Yes, they're together.”

“I see.”

The chief strokes his beard and pat Aonair's shoulder.

“Boy... You already heard what the order said right?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Unfortunately, I can't do anything about it. You and Laoch, together, you will fight in the frontline against the Beastmen.”

The chief's voice got lower and his hand grabbed Aonair's shoulder tightly.

“My only son will go to the battlefield. I... can I ask you a favor, boy? Please, protect Laoch. I want him, and you came back here safely.”

Aonair looked at the chief. His face seems to be expressionless, but his eyes were full of tear and ready to spill anytime.

Aonair understands the chief's feeling. He, too, doesn't want to lose his best friend.

For that, he nodded at the chief and assure him.

“I will, chief. I swear to my life, Laoch will be back safely in one piece, even if it at the cost of my own life.”

“No, you can't.”

“Eh?”

Aonair stated his resolution to the Chief, but he stopped Aonair immediately.

“You are not my son, nor my relative. But even so, you are my son's friend. There is more reason of why I said this, but you too have to come back alive, safe and sound. You hear me?”

The chief wiped his eyes and his voice became charismatic again. As expected of the chief, his words seems reliable and convincing.

Aonair nodded and affirmed once again.

“Got it. I will make sure both of us will come back safely. Please do wait for us.”

The chief smiled at Aonair's answer and released his hand.

The soldier who just stood there finally came to them and started a conversation to discuss tomorrow's expedition.

As Aonair listening to their discussion, he noticed the soldier keep taking a glance toward him.

“Is there something matters?”

Aonair finally asked him as he became bothered with it.