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[Translator - Tangrine ]
[Proofreader - Seeker ]
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Chapter 2 - The Beginning of Military Life (1)
Clyden sat at the desk, lost in thought.
***
Name: Kim Junyoung
Age: 27
Graduated from high school and enlisted in the military.
Served as a non-commissioned officer in the 3rd Division for five years.
After discharge, had drinks with friends, fell asleep in a good mood, and woke up in a fantasy world.
***
Clyden furrowed his brows, sorting through the knowledge he had accumulated from 15 years of reading fantasy and martial arts novels to assess his situation.
1. I’ve crossed over into another world. This usually happens in one of a few ways: dying and reincarnating, falling off a cliff, stumbling into some strange hole, or buying something mysterious from an old man. I vaguely remember getting drunk, going home, and lying down on my bed. So I am reincarnated or something.
2. If this is some kind of reincarnation, then my original body should either be in a coma or completely unconscious. However, this guy—Clyden Von Rondell—remembers everything up to the moment he fell asleep in bed, just like me. The thing is, I’m the one in control. Clyden’s memories feel more like objective data that surface when I think about him.
3. Normally, people in these situations get reborn as a noble prince or the heir to some grand estate. But Clyden? He’s just a baron in name only—an orphan with no family, no land, no wealth, and no powerful friends. In short, I’m completely screwed.
4. Others who end up in another world become swordmasters, genius mages, or even summoners who make contracts with spirit kings. But judging from Clyden’s memories, he sucks at swordsmanship, has no clue what mana even looks like, and only vaguely knows that spirits exist. He’s just an average guy.
5. The place I’m in right now is Raisen, the capital of the Muras Empire. This world resembles a pre-industrial society on the verge of modernization. Magic and swordsmanship are prominent, and religion is diverse. There also seems to be something called divine power since priests exist and can use religiously affiliated sacred laws.
6. Glimmer of hope in my situation? I’m not the first person from my world to arrive here. My biggest clue? The standard unit of measurement and the military structure are the same as in South Korea. Having similar operational systems is one thing, but having the same rank names and hierarchy? That’s undeniable proof that someone else from my world was here before me. And then there’s the language—it’s a bizarre mix of English, Chinese, and Hangul characters.
Clyden looked at the notes he had written and smiled in satisfaction.
Normally, someone might panic in this situation but five years of military service had trained him to stay composed.
The original owner of this body Clyden was technically a noble, but only a baron.
He had no talent for swordsmanship, no aptitude for magic, and no affinity with spirits.
No family, no wealth—just his body.
With no other options, he had enrolled in the Imperial Army’s non-commissioned officer training academy, barely managing to graduate with low grades.
The real problem? He had just been discharged—only to be sent right back into the army the very next day.
“Damn it, I was discharged yesterday…”
The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became.
“Other people get isekai’d and become Sword Masters or genius mages! Me? I get stuck as a baron! A baron! They can’t even hold their heads high! Ugh, at least being a noble means I start as a sergeant instead of a corporal, but still—damn it! I was just discharged yesterday! This is insane!”
He flailed on his bed, groaning dramatically when the door suddenly flew open.
A young girl stormed in, fuming.
“Brother! Quit stomping around like an idiot!”
Lina shouted.
“You're shaking the dust off my ceiling!”
Clyden turned to face his intruder.
“Lina, can’t you see your dear brother is in the middle of an existential crisis? I’m contemplating the absurdity of fate, the cruelty of the universe—”
“Absurdity of fate, my foot! Just pay your overdue rent already.”
Clyden gasped in mock offense.
“You—you dare speak that way to the noble and honorable Sergeant Clyden of the Imperial Army?!”
Lina crossed her arms and ignored him.
“Hah! Even if every noble on this continent dropped dead, you still wouldn’t count as one. You’re a noble in name only, and we both know it.”
Clyden clutched his chest.
“How dare you! Where’s the respect? The admiration?”
“Lost, along with your rent money. Now quit whining and come eat. If you stomp one more time, you can forget about dinner.”
She slammed the door behind her.
Clyden sighed, got out of bed, tidied up his room, and headed downstairs.
“No matter how tough life gets, at least I should eat properly.”
He was living in the attic of a cozy two-story boarding house.
Normally, cadets had to stay in the academy dorms, but his noble status let him commute.
Two years ago, he had arrived in the capital with nothing, but by sheer luck, he had found this place.
The owner had been a senior sergeant in the Imperial Army.
A few years ago, during an orc invasion, he had gone to war and never returned, leaving behind his wife and daughter.
With only a widow’s pension, the family decided to live near the border area, and somehow Clyden ended up here.
As he stepped into the dining room, he saw a feast was laid out on the table.
Mrs. Rines, who had once placed seventh in the Imperial Beauty Pageant and somehow still retained her charm, and the ever-feisty Lina were there.
Clyden’s eyes widened.
“Whoa! What’s the occasion? Lina, I hate to ask, but… you didn’t get a perfect score on a test, did you?”
He stroked his chin theatrically.
“No, that’s impossible. Absolutely impossible.”
As Clyden answered his own questions, Lina snapped.
"Ugh! Are you going to keep teasing me?!"
“Haha, I put in a little extra effort today since it's Clyden's enlistment day in the Imperial Army.”
Mrs. Rines said with a warm smile as she watched the two bicker.
Clyden put on an exaggeratedly touched expression.
“Oh! How deeply moving… In honor of Mrs. Riness’s kindness, I shall devote myself to the Imperial Army!”
Lina sighed, looking genuinely concerned.
“Ugh, I seriously worry about the future of the Imperial Army.”
“Haha, fret not! As long as I am here, the Imperial Army’s future will be glorious!”
“It’s because you’re there that I’m worried! Now shut up and eat!”
“Haha! I shall eat well!”
Clyden laughed and sat down.
Just as he lifted a spoonful of soup, he noticed Lina staring at him with sparkling, expectant eyes.
“Ugh, with you looking at me like that, I feel like I’m about to be executed.”
Lina’s eyes flared with irritation, but Mrs. Rines spoke gently.
“Haha, Clyden, that soup was made by Lina. How does it taste?”
Clyden hesitated, looking at Lina warily.
“Lina… I get that you’re worried about the Imperial Army, but poisoning me? That’s a bit much, don’t you think.”
As Lina’s face darkened, Clyden quickly started gulping down the soup.
Once he finished, Lina leaned in eagerly.
“Well? It’s good, right?”
“Hmm… Whoa! This is really—”
“Really?”
Lina’s face brightened.
“Really… something that I’ll never want to eat again.”
“You—ugh!”
Lina fumed as Clyden chuckled and ruffled her hair.
“Haha, who knew you could cook? Your big brother is so proud. Looks like the day you marry isn’t far off.”
“As if! Not even if a dragon held me!”
“Aw, don’t be shy. I understand.”
“Stop talking nonsense and eat!”
As Clyden enjoyed dinner with his lively household, he thought about what lay ahead.
“Well, not like I ever worried about the future before… I’ll just figure things out as I go.”
Lina frowned.
“What are you mumbling about?”
“Hm? Oh, just calculating how long until you marry...”
“Ugh! It’s not happening!”
With a sister like Lina to tease, life here would never be boring.
After finishing his meal, Clyden set off for his final report.
“Sigh… Is this the last one?”
Having gone through a chain of formalities, he made his way to the headquarters for his unit assignment.
“Reporting in! Sergeant Clyden, newly assigned to the 11th Company, 3rd Battalion of the Imperial Capital Defense Division!”
"Hmm, you’re here. Just do your job properly, and you’ll have an easy time here."
The company commander, like Clyden, was a noble with the rank of baron.
Nearing retirement, he had no ambition for promotion and was simply waiting for his pension.
Anyone with talent or career aspirations wouldn’t end up in a unit like this, where there were no chances for merit—just cleaning up after other battalions.
"The first platoon leader is out due to an accident, so you’ll be taking over for now."
Ah, right. There was someone like that.
The previous platoon leader was obsessed with promotion despite lacking ability or connections.
He was stabbed by a fugitive while rigidly enforcing regulations at the city gate.
Now he’s lying in a hospital bed.
That’s why a little flexibility in life goes a long way.
Their duty was to guard the city gates. Since platoons operated independently, the platoon leader was practically the king—unless a superior officer showed up.
The first Platoon was assigned to the third wall’s southern gate, which commoners and merchants mainly used, noble visitors were rare.
In short, there wasn’t much to do.
A cushy post—no real work, just passing time and collecting a paycheck.
Others might disagree, but to Clyden, it was ideal.
His home was only a 40-minute walk away.
Mrs. Rines thought it was far, but for Clyden, who routinely marched over 100 kilometers a month, it was nothing.
"Yo, looks like you’re busy."
Lost in thought, Clyden arrived at the gate and casually greeted the guards.
Seeing a man in uniform with a sergeant’s insignia strolling up so nonchalantly, the guards eyed him warily.
"This is 3rd Battalion, 11th Company, 1st Platoon, right? I’m Clyden, assigned here today. Where’s the Squad’s leader?"
As the guards hesitated, a man conducting inspections hurried over.
"Sir! Haha, I’m Rex, 3rd Squad’s leader. I thought you were starting tomorrow. What brings you here today?"
Rex’s slightly slanted eyes gave him a shifty look, and his smile seemed overeager.
Clyden gave a slight nod.
"I’ve already reported in. Just wanted to look around. The others are at the guardhouse?"
"Yes, sir. They’re resting for tonight’s patrol."
"Got it. I’ll take a quick look around the post. Carry on."
"Ah, yes! I’ll guide you."
Rex led Clyden toward the guardhouse to the left of the city gate.
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[Translator - Tangrine ]
[Proofreader - Seeker ]
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