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[Translator - Tangrine ]
[Proofreader - Seeker ]
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Chapter 8 - Hurdles in Military Life (3)
Hamilton chuckled as he spoke.
"Keep that up, and I just might hit you."
"Go ahead! You wanna extend your service by a few more months?"
Clyden had Hamilton pinned down, gripping his left arm with both hands.
One foot rested next to Hamilton’s head, while the other was positioned under Hamilton’s left arm.
"This is the ultimate technique—an armbar!"
Clyden declared triumphantly, but Hamilton just laughed, effortlessly lifting him with one arm as if he were a dumbbell.
"Wow, our dear platoon leader is even helping me work out before I discharge. Perfect weight, too."
"D-Damn it! Just you wait!"
The weight class difference was simply too great.
Clyden had no choice but to grit his teeth and step away.
Hamilton snickered and then turned to Clyden.
"Platoon leader, did you hear the news?"
"What news?"
"You remember that bastard, Bohem, from the Kellux gang, the one you took down?"
"Oh, that guy? Come to think of it, I haven’t heard anything about him since."
"I asked a buddy of mine at the security HQ. He’s still in the hospital, barely hanging on. He confessed to everything, but they can't even send him to prison yet because his body is so messed up. Even the military doctor objected to sending him to jail in that condition."
"Tch. I Should’ve just finished him off."
"Well, Platoon leader, if you’d hit him any harder, you actually might have."
"Huh? That was the plan."
"…Wait, seriously?"
"Of course! You should never raise a hand against someone unless you’re ready to kill them."
"…Then what was all that just now with me?"
"You tried to con me, so you deserve to die!"
"Wow… You really play by your own rules."
"Of course! Haven’t I always told you? People need to be flexible!"
"Only when it benefits you, huh?"
"Obviously!"
"Tsk… Anyway, aside from confessing to the guard's murder, Bohem also admitted to the incident involving Carpenter."
"Oh yeah? That means Carpenter can come back now."
"Yes, we’ve already contacted his hideout. He’s on his way back."
"Heh… You do realize one round of drinks isn’t gonna cut it, right?"
"Don’t worry, Hamilton. A favor like this? I’ll never forget it!"
"Hah! I’ll make sure to drain you dry."
"Heh, I’ll be looking forward to it. By the way, I heard a weird rumor from headquarters."
"What kind of rumor?"
"Platoon leader, you were the one who caught that bastard Bohem. Yet, according to the official report, it says those knights took him down."
"Is that so?"
Hamilton got angry when Clyden said it casually as if it was nothing.
"Platoon leader! You can't just let this slide! You caught the guy, and now those bastards are stealing your credit!"
"Forget it. It’s not worth the trouble. Nothing good comes from drawing attention."
"Tsk… If that’s what you want…"
"Oh, come on. What’s so regrettable about it?"
"The bounty on that guy was no joke. Just for the murder of the guard, it was 100 Megas. And if you add in the bounty from the case where Carpenter was falsely accused, the total comes to a whopping 400 Megas."
"What?! 400 Megas?!"
Clyden, who had been lying in his office, suddenly stood up and shouted.
"You didn’t know? Every criminal, big or small, has a bounty on their head."
"Those thieving, Orc-belly-eating bastards! They tried to pocket my money?!"
"Sir, usually officers get mad when their achievements are stolen, not their money..."
"I’m not an ordinary!"
"No argument there."
"No way! I can’t just sit around! Those bastards must be at the Knights’ HQ right now, right?"
"Yeah, most likely."
"Eres! I’m going out! If anyone asks for me, stall them until the end of my shift, then tell them I already left!"
"Huh?! Platoon leader! Dinner’s in a bit, and you’re leaving already?"
"Dinner? Do you think that matters right now? I’ve got some rats to deal with before they steal my money!"
"Oh, come on, Platoon leader! You’re not thinking of storming the Knights’ HQ, are you?"
"Of course I am!"
"Platoon leader, that'll only cause trouble!"
"Shush!"
Ignoring Hamilton’s per, Clyden stormed out.
As he stepped into the streets, civilians who saw him muttered.
"Oh! The Mad Dog’s acting up again."
Clyden paid no attention to their stares and went to headquarters.
The headquarters was located in the southern corner of the second fortress wall.
When Clyden reached the front gate, he spotted a group of knights laughing loudly as they exited the building.
The knights at the entrance glanced at Clyden, wondering who he was.
Those three knights who recognized him immediately went pale.
"Oh! Ah… salute! Thank you for your hard work.”
"Sergeant, what’s your business here?"
One of the knights, frowning, looked at Clyden with annoyance.
Clyden responded with a sly grin.
"I just came to personally thank the three heroes who captured the murderer."
"What does that have to do with you?"
"I happened to be the platoon leader who was in charge of that scene."
"Ah! So you’re the idiot who got stupidly taken hostage by the criminal?"
"Hah! What else can you expect from the incompetent guard unit?"
"Oh, absolutely! Compared to you distinguished knights, we’re nothing but garbage."
Clyden bowed while flashing an exaggerated grin.
One of the three knights with an anxious expression asked cautiously.
"D-Do you have something to say to us?"
"I just wanted to drop by and express my gratitude… and I have a little something to discuss."
"Hmm… You guys go on ahead. We’ll catch up in a bit."
"Hurry up! With that hefty bounty you scored, we’re in for a wild night!"
The knights giggled and chattered away, leaving Clyden and the three knights alone.
"S-So, what do you want to talk about?"
At the question, Clyden’s grin widened.
"Oh, nothing much. I just happened to hear a rather… interesting rumor."
"W-What kind of rumor?"
"That I wasn’t the one who caught the criminal.”
"Th-That’s…!"
The knights tried to come up with an excuse but Clyden cut them off.
"It doesn’t matter who catches the criminal as long as they catch it, right?"
"R-Right?"
The knights visibly relaxed at his words.
"However!"
"H-However?"
"I don’t care who takes credit for the capture… But I do care about bounty money. I’m sure you understand."
"…What do you mean?"
"I’ll settle for just 500 Megas."
"What?! The bounty we received was only 400 Megas!"
"Oh? Well, if you don’t like my offer, I should run to the company and complain right now.”
"W-Wait! No need for that! We were going to go find you and hand over the bounty.”
"Ahh, as expected of honorable knights! You truly understand justice."
Clyden let out a hearty laugh while the knights wore sour expressions.
They took out the bounty money and handed it over to Clyden.
After carefully tucking the money away, Clyden gave them a crisp salute.
"Loyalty! I respect the knights who avenged our guards!”
"L-Loyalty…"
With his hard-earned bounty in hand, Clyden cheerfully made his way home.
Later, rumors spread that knights had gone out drinking and left the entire tab to the three unfortunate ones.
When they hit the Deer’s Eye for the third round, the owner who was under Hamilton’s orders made sure to rack up an outrageous bill.
To make matters even worse, Bohem’s lawyer filed a lawsuit against them for excessive force and assault.
Blinded by their greed for recognition, the three knights ended up in endless hearings and interrogations.
When Clyden heard about it, he simply nodded sagely and remarked.
"This is why you shouldn’t sin."
When a person is well-fed and warm, laziness inevitably follows.
That’s why Clyden was demonstrating the pinnacle of laziness.
He would go to work late in the morning, lounge around in the barracks, and eat lunch which Eres brought to him.
After eating, he’d stroll aimlessly around the city gates, pretending to digest his meal, only to return for an afternoon nap.
Later, he’d play a few rounds of chess with Eres, overturn the board in frustration when he started losing.
Afterward, he’d roll around on the barracks floor, thoroughly polishing it with his body until it was time for his precisely timed departure.
In the evenings, he’d spend a little time with Lina before heading out to drink with Hamilton.
This cycle of carefree, uneventful days repeated itself.
Eventually, even Eres grew tired of hearing Clyden complain about his boredom.
Eres said as he cleaned up the scattered chessboard.
"If you're that bored, why not train with your sword?"
"Hmm? Nah! Too much effort. Why would I waste my precious energy swinging that thing around?"
"Sir, that doesn’t sound like something an Imperial Army member should say..."
“Besides, I’m not the type to go out with a sword. My style is to make a fuss from afar and then show off.”
"Then how about archery?"
"Archery? Oho! Now that sounds good! A bow suits me perfectly! You know the saying, ‘One day for a spear, a thousand for a sword, ten thousand for a bow!’"
"…I’ve only ever heard up to ‘a thousand for a sword,’ sir."
"Hmph! When a superior speaks, you should believe them, even if they say there’s an orc sword master running around!"
“No way.”
"Hmph, you’ve been getting a little lippy lately."
"Must be your imagination, sir."
"Tch… Whatever. Bows! I need a bow! Have the guys set up some targets. By the way, do we get issued bows in our supplies?"
"…Not as part of standard guard equipment, but I can try to find one."
"Excellent! From now on, you shall call me Clyden the Sniper! Wahaha!"
Clyden puffed up with pride, fully committed to his grand new ambition.
Unfortunately, after making his squad set up a target range in just one day and having Eres fetch a longbow for him, Clyden soon lost interest.
"You’re not practicing anymore, sir?"
"It’s too much work! My shoulders ache, my arms hurt. what kind of bow is so stiff that you can’t even pull the string properly?!"
Eres merely sighed and went back to his duties.
Clyden grumbled about the unfairness of archery and suddenly stood up from his chair.
"Aha! I am a genius! Eres!"
"Yes, sir?"
"Do we have anyone in the squad who’s good with their hands?"
"Hunty can make anything the squad needs."
"Go fetch him."
"Yes, sir."
Eres stepped outside and soon returned with a lean, sharp-featured young soldier, Hunty.
Seeing the platoon leader summon him, Hunty approached nervously.
He had watched Corporal Rokin suffer through an entire week of grueling labor, sharpening weapons under Clyden’s orders.
He braced himself for whatever absurd task might be coming his way.
"Private Hunty, reporting for duty, sir!"
"Ah, so you’re the one who’s handy with tools?"
"I graduated from a woodworking school, so I have some experience, sir."
“Well, that’s a good thing.”
At Clyden’s words, Hunty stiffened.
He wasn’t the first to be summoned by their platoon leader, and he knew exactly what that phrase meant.
Whenever Clyden said something like that it inevitably led to some ridiculous task.
Hunty silently prayed that, just this once, he’d be given something easy.
"You know how to make a crossbow, right?"
Hunty nearly sighed in relief.
Crossbows were standard projects at woodworking school.
He had built them before and felt confident he could do it again.
"Of course, sir. If you give me two days, I can make one for you."
"Now that’s what I like to hear. You know how to get things done."
"Hehe, thank you, sir."
With his orders, Hunty diligently crafted a sturdy, reliable crossbow over the next two days.
When it was finished, he proudly presented his work to Clyden.
"It may not be as good as a master crossbow craftsman, but it’s still sturdy enough to last a long time without any problems.”
Hunty beamed with pride as he handed the crossbow over.
Clyden simply scowled.
"What the hell is this?"
"Uh… it’s a crossbow, sir."
"Are you kidding me? It’s way too big!"
"Too big? This is the standard size used in the market, sir."
"Look at this thing! It’s bulky, just look! The drawstring is way too tight! How’s anyone supposed to use this?"
"But… any average adult male should be able to handle it just fine, sir."
"And since when am I average?!"
At that, Eres muttered under his breath.
"Of course you aren’t."
Clyden shot him a sharp glare before turning back to Hunty.
"Make me another one!"
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[Translator - Tangrine ]
[Proofreader - Seeker ]
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