The hand that tapped my shoulder was surprisingly heavy. I turned my head and saw the leader of the mercenaries. His brows were furrowed, yet he was grinning like a roasted fool.
Unaware of what was coming, I gave him a clumsy smile.
"Are you brave, or just stupid? I told you there would be a punishment. Since you weren't here during roll call, we'll have to report it to the vice-commander. You've caused us unnecessary trouble" he said.
I wiped the smile off my face.
"I'm sorry. What will the punishment be? As long as it's not like the last one… I've never felt pain that bad before" I replied, giving him the puppy-dog eyes I had learned from the lady in the carriage.
My comrades burst out laughing. Did they think I looked cute? Or was it just strange since I was in a man's body?
"Hahaha, we'll decide that. For now, we're getting to know each other. Introduce yourself" the leader said.
About ten burly men stood in front of me.
"Alright. Hello everyone, my name is Merlin. I live alone. I need money. I may not be strong, but I'm determined. This is my first campaign. You're my superiors, so let's get along." I said.
I chose the name Merlin. It sounded close enough to my real name, Melanie, and I'd once seen it in a series. Thankfully, in this era only nobles carry official identification.
They all looked cheerful.
The leader spoke again: "We like you, rookie. We're the kind who risk everything for money. I'm Saboroski—you can call me Captain. Let me tell you about myself. I joined this unit when I was sixteen and inherited the leadership from my father. I've seen every kind of hardship. The battlefield became my home. Sometimes we nearly starved to death, other times we lay covered in wounds waiting for rescue. Let me tell you, rookie—the most painful part is watching my comrades fall one by one. We may act tough, but we're like a family. Welcome."
The men around him lunged at the big guy for a bear hug. It was touching, honestly. Even though I was living inside my favorite novel, moments like these felt real. Maybe I'd die halfway through the journey.
We'd be together for a long time. I joined the hug too—And promptly got squashed.
Thankfully, the captain shoved us apart, ending the suffocating embrace.
Then a short, orange-haired man who never left the captain's side spoke up: "Hey, rookie! I'm Vice-Captain Chimchim. If you make a single comment about my height, you won't live to regret it."
Chimchim? That's hilarious. Judging by his looks, he was in his thirties.
One by one, they started introducing themselves, amid the usual rowdy bickering...
An hour passed under the blazing sun. The captain finally announced my punishment: I would be the unit's errand boy.
Not a problem for me, but for a noble lady—My thoughts were cut short by a strong, confident voice:
"Everyone, stand at attention! Duke Heilon is about to give a speech!" shouted Vice-Commander Seth.
This time, he was wearing his full uniform. None of the casual look from before remained—he was all seriousness. Our captain made sure we were in formation then turned his ears toward the stage.
My excitement spiked. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest. The male protagonist of the story was about to appear. The powerful and merciless Heilon.
I squinted toward the figure approaching in the distance.
Yes, yes—that was him!
Though far away, I could still see his jet-black hair, so much like mine, and his cold blue eyes glinting even from here. His tall frame carried the weight of years of discipline.
His looks were the type any girl would fall for yet no one dared approach him out of fear.
"I greet the united forces of the Kingdom of Santalia" he declared in his frigid voice.
"Huu!" the soldiers roared.
The sound of stomping feet.
Everyone raised their hands above their heads in a salute. I did my best to imitate them.
"I am Duke Heilon Cullen, the one who will lead you. His Majesty, the Sun of the Empire, King Marx himself, appointed me commander of this army. Remember this: my word is his word, and disobedience to me is treason against the kingdom. The reason we gather here is to brief you on the campaign we embark upon in two days' time. The Bastond Kingdom has long occupied Moorea—our rightful land—and now dares to claim it. This has sparked war between our nations. Our plan is simple: drive the Bastond forces out of our territory. For the sake of our kingdom, are you ready to put your lives on the line?"
"Huu!"
They raised their fists as one. These men were hungry for war. A shiver ran down my spine.
"We estimate the march will take about a month. Along the way, we'll camp in military tents. You will receive maps to study the route. The beginning will be easy but near the end we must cross the Rocky Cliffs, which all of you have heard of. It will be difficult but we are prepared.Now, I call forth the captains of the four battalions!"
The crowd grew louder as the captains stepped onto the stage.
Heilon walked past each one, shaking their hands.
"First Battalion, Cullen Duchy soldiers. Commander Seth, are you prepared to risk everything for your homeland?"
"Yes, sir!" Seth answered.
Heilon gave a faint smile, then moved to the next—an officer with golden hair.
"Second Battalion, Royal Knights. Commander Jones, do you swear to obey orders to the letter under any circumstance?"
He seemed to emphasize those words. The commander frowned but answered: "Yes, sir!"
Satisfied, Heilon proceeded to the next.
"Third Battalion, Aristocratic Soldiers. Count Richard, will you stand with us until the very end?"
My father answered with all his warmth: "Yes, sir!"
The way Heilon looked at him showed trust.
Finally, it was our captain's turn.
"Fourth Battalion, Mercenaries. Captain Saboroski, will you show your courage by standing with the kingdom?"
The captain was straining so hard his face looked like a tomato. "Yes! At your command, sir!"
Once the captains returned to their places, Heilon delivered his closing words: "Each battalion will be assigned one priestess with sacred healing powers and three attendants."
With that, he left the stage.
The moment he was gone everyone let out a breath of relief.
Night was already falling as I made my way back.
...
Today was the day. The Count had already left with a large unit. I needed to hurry as well.
Right now, I'm writing a lousy note so the household won't worry about me. I can already imagine Annie and Mr. Butler fainting after reading it.
"...I'm going to visit Aunt Caroline. I'm leaving the entire management to you, do as you like. Oh, and don't tell Father or he'll drop all his work, come here and punish both you and me. He has far more important matters to deal with. See you in a month~... With love, The Witch of the House."
It was obvious where her personality came from. Since Melanie's mother had died during childbirth, her father often brought her to his sister, Caroline, so she wouldn't lack a mother figure. Spending most of her childhood with Aunt Caroline, Melanie learned every dirty trick and foul word from her.
Caroline was a rough woman, but she loved her niece and never let her feel motherless. The last time she visited her aunt, they nearly lost their house in gambling and her father was furious. He forbade her from ever seeing her aunt again. This girl really was the embodiment of carelessness...
Pretending to be the old Melanie was finally paying off. I strapped on my beloved white sword—the one I'd fallen in love with at first sight.
Into a large backpack, I stuffed some men's clothes and a romance novel I'd picked up at the bookstore The Red Rose in the Midst of War to keep me entertained. I took one last look at my male appearance in the mirror.
"If you were a character in this story, I'd probably fall for you, handsome."
After this little talk to myself, I moved along the escape route that had yet to be discovered....
I greeted Saboroski and picked up one of the chain armors everyone else was wearing. The crowd looked very excited. Chimchim handed me a yellow piece of paper.
"This map shows our war route. We'll be together most of the time, but if you ever get separated and lost, return to the red-marked rendezvous point." he said, pointing at the starting location with his finger.
As I studied the map, my eyes caught sight of the Rocky Mountains, often mentioned in the story. They really were dangerous.
"What are you thinking about so hard?"
I turned my head toward the voice. Two warm blue eyes were gazing at me with curiosity. Seth.
My heart skipped a beat. "Uh, I was just studying the map. I figured if I memorize it, things will be easier." I said.
His gaze didn't change. I couldn't help but stare at his red hair. Ahh, I think he noticed.
"What do you wash your hair with? I've never seen a man's hair so well-kept." I blurted out, raising the awkwardness level of the moment.
~Silence
The silence was broken by his sweet laughter.
"Hahaha, my hair? I've never had a man ask me that before."
When he laughed, his eyes squinted like a cute cat.
"Haha, right? That was such a silly question." I said.
He struggled to speak while laughing. "N-no, I just take good care of my hair." he said.
Since he laughed for so long, I grew even more embarrassed. He must have come to check on our unit. He went over to Saboroski.
I looked around and felt my excitement rise. Thinking about leaving the comfort of home behind for war was overwhelming. Seth finished talking and walked back toward me.
He leaned close to my ear. "Head&Shoulders."
...
"Rosewater." he added. Then he turned around and walked away.
Aahh, that was truly embarrassing. The captain asked. "Since when did you two get so close?"
I replied with indifferent eyes.
He took me over to the other rookies. There was a dark-skinned girl, a skinny boy with glasses, and a tall, muscular blond man. The skinny boy was holding a heavy sword, swinging it around like he was playing a dangerous game.
The dark-skinned girl shouted.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing swinging that thing toward me?!"
The boy with glasses snapped back. "Then get out of my way! Besides, what business does a girl have in battle anyway?"
He kept swinging the sword. The girl, even more furious, struck his blade, sending it crashing to the ground. "A girl? Yes, and as a girl, I'm stronger than you." she declared.
Just as they were about to fight, the tall man stepped in between them.
"Hey, hey, enough. Don't fight. Look, we've got a new rookie among us." he said, pointing at me.
They didn't look too pleased, but at least their attention shifted for a moment, ending the clash.
DU DUF DU DU DUF DUF
the sound of drums and trumpets
These sounds came from the band, playing to send us off. The soldiers began marching with steady steps. The thunder of thousands of footsteps shook the ground.