Year 697, April 2nd, 07.30 PM
Prontera Barrack's Infirmary
Night has arrived, while Clay still continuing to treat the patients. He was separated from Deanark after the event from this afternoon. Deanark was assigned to 25th Infirmary, while Clay was assigned to 50th Infirmary. While the other priests are resting from exhaustion, he continues to treat them without stopping.
"Amazing, he still able to heal that much patients without rest? He could keep up with Sister Lucrida's Epiclesis regenerating power, at this rate." one of the priests in the room murmurs to his friend.
"Which battalion did he come from? Is it the 1st Battalion, Harpe?"
"I'm sure that should be the case. Only the best soldiers like him that could be in that battalion."
"Wow, then he was the royal family protector, along with the other from Harpe?"
"No, he was just a volunteer. It seems that he was Sir Zeke's acquaintance."
"What? A volunteer? Isn't that a waste of skill?"
"Wow, I don't mind killing to get that kind of skill."
"Yeah, I get what you meant."
But Clay didn't respond to that. He doesn't even hear them. He just continues to treating the patient.
"(...just a few more to go...)" he thought.
Year 697, April 2nd, 08.00 PM
Prontera Barrack's Dining Hall
"So, he refused?" Wayne said.
"Yeah. 'chomp' I don't get it. But he seems dead set of 'chomp' not joining the military." Deanark said.
"Dean, just gulp your meal first before talking." Eris said.
"...It's okay. At worst, he just get choked... and died." Orveil said.
"That's already bad enough for me...! Hgh! 'Cough' 'cough'!
"Ah, is it already happening?"
"...let's pray for him."
"God, please grant eternal rest and peace for our friend here..."
"W-water...! 'Cough' 'cough' some... 'Cough' ...body...!"
"Now, now, don't bully our head too much. Here, drink some."
Wayne said as he offers Deanark some kind of drink on his hand. Without waiting anymore, Deanark snatches it and drank it as fast as he could.
" 'Gulp' 'gulp' 'gulp', ah, that sure hit the spot!...or so I would like to say...! BLAARGH!"
As he said that, he vomited his stomach inside out.
"Eww, that's disgusting. Don't go near me!" Eris said as she moves back.
"...initiating evasive movement."
Wayne, who was responsible for giving him water, took a sniff at the water container.
"Whoops, it was not water, eh?"
"It's not! This is vinegar! How did you was able to get this anyway?!
"I get it from the kitchen, of course. When I ask some drinking water for you, they give me this and said 'Give Deanark this. With love from the chefs.'. Now I know what they meant."
From the corner of his eyes, he can see some of the young chefs are laughing hard at him. While the oldest one, which seems to be the head, just smiles lightly at them.
"BUARGH! That's it! The chefs are all dead meat! To think they would dare to trick me like this! And even though I believe in them so much!"
"The only parts of yours that believe in them are your stomach."
Deanark continue to vomit, leaving unpleasant stench and odor in the room.
Fifteen minutes later...
"Damn, what is their purpose of giving me that, anyway?"
Deanark said that, obviously without feeling satisfied.
"It's just their way of giving encouragement. You're always lazing around, after all. So they thought of some way to reminds you." Wayne said.
"Screw you and the chefs! Grr, if only their foods weren't that delicious…"
Deanark just grumbles on, letting out his anger. At that time, Eris then talks to him.
"So, what happened at the Documentation Room, anyway?"
"Like I said, I don't know that much. When I was trying to chase him, Irma was holding me back, scolding me for not knowing about the change at the recruit's new regulation."
"Indeed. It sucks to be you." Wayne added.
"Shut up!"
"Hmm, but still...why did he refuse?" Eris asks.
"How many times I have to say it? I don't understand myself. He just left the room, and then continues to work like nothing happened. Man, talk about a workaholic."
"A good example for you to follow on, though. Hahahaha!"
"Shut up, Wayne! I'm still pissed off for that vinegar! I'll get you for that, one of these days."
"Bring it! Hahahaha!"
Wayne just laughs heartfully, making Deanark became even more irritated. Seeing that, Orveil are walking away.
"Where are you going, Orveil?" Eris asks.
"…To my room. I'm tired. It's better to save our energy for the mission tomorrow."
"The mission? Wait, Orveil, let's talk about this for a while with the others." Eris said to him as she turned her attention at Wayne and Deanark.
"The mission, huh? I don't think we can go without Annette. So I'm afraid we have to let this mission go."
"But we're not the one to decide. What if the General agree with it?"
"…then we need to rest fully today. Perfect timing, since I'm planning to go to bed, right now." Deanark said as he planning to go.
"Whoops, not so fast, Dean. It's your duty to confirm it to the General, after all." Wayne said as he grabbed Deanark's shirt. And since Deanark was smaller than him, he could easily grabbed Deanark's shirt and lift him.
"Che! So you still remember! Let me go, Dean! I'm tired! I don't want to waste my youthful energy at that old man!"
"I've told you before, right? You need to report about it today to the general. Ignoring it would only spark another problem tomorrow. And we don't want to clean up your mess for that." Eris said.
"Well, since the other was already tired, then at the very least, I shall accompany you. You better be thankful for it."
"Thankful, my ass! You're just planning to leave me when I entered his room! Let me go!"
"Well then, we bid you adieu, Dean, Wayne." Eris said as she walks away.
"…good night." Orveil said too.
"Rest up, guys. We'll handle these ourselves."
"Screw you! Let me go!"
Deanark was struggling, trying to get away from Wayne. But with Wayne's size, he was easily carrying Deanark away with him towards the General's room.
"Well then, let's go, shall we?"
"SOMEBODY HELP ME!"
Year 697, April 2nd, 08.10 PM
Prontera Barrack's Outer Hall
"…?"
Clay can hear some strange shouts from where he was. But since he can't determine what kind of sound, or where it came from, he just brushes it off.
"(Must be the wind playing on my ears.)" he thought.
He finally finished his task at all of the infirmaries. All of the other priests are lying on the desk, feeling really exhausted. But he himself doesn't feel that exhausted. He has experienced a harsher past than this one.
"…"
He doesn't know what to do, so he headed towards the window.
FYUUUUU…
The wind was blowing in there, bringing cold air inside, and struck Clay's face. On the outside, other than the forest near the barrack, the moon was shining brilliantly in white, though some of the moon's part was still overshadowed.
"(Tomorrow would be a full moon, huh?)" he thought.
As he thought of that, he started to feels that it was so strange, for him to be standing in that room. He was just a civilian, after all. And yet, here he was, attending all of the war victims, like the kingdom's medic.
"…"
He started to remember about what happened this afternoon.
Year 697, April 2nd, 01.10 PM
Prontera Barrack's Infirmary
"But why? Didn't you want to find the truth? Isn't this would be a perfect chance for that?" Deanark said.
"I'm sorry. But I don't think I would fit in the military, after all."
"What kind of half-assed reason is that? Come on, man, this is one in the lifetime chance. The entrance exam isn't easy, you know."
"I'm sorry, but I suddenly didn't feel that motivated again to join."
"What the hell are you talking about? Are your will is really that weak?"
"...this conversation is over." Clay said as he tried to leave, but...
GRAB!
Deanark grabbed his shoulder.
"Wait! Where do you think you're going?! We haven't finished yet!"
"...sorry!"
TAP!
As he said that, Clay brushes Deanark's hand, and ran away from there.
"Hey! ...jeez, what's wrong with him?"
Deanark was trying to call him back, but then...
"Where do you think you're going?"
At those words, Deanark turned back towards the resident of the room, seeing the purple haired girl was staring at him coldly. She seems irritated and could explode at any moment.
"Huh? Why did you look angrier than before?"
FWOOOSH!
Another book was flying in the air again!
BAK!
...And it strikes Deanark's face head on.
"Gah! What's your problem?! I didn't even ask you to go out with me just now, yet!" Deanark let out a cry.
"Tell me. How could you forget about the recruit's new regulation?" Irma said.
"Like hell I forget!"
"So why didn't you know about it until now?"
"I didn't know about it because I've never heard of it before!"
FWOOOSH! FWOOOSH! FWOOOSH!
"Ouch! Stop throwing those books at me! It packs quite a punch!"
"Deanark Cunningham. As the manager of the Documentation, I hereby hold you as a suspect for ignoring your responsibility to attend the Council's meeting."
"Wait?! A suspect?!"
"Surely you realized, that as a battalion's head, you're responsible to go to the meeting summoned by the council."
"A suspect?! Really?! Me?! For just only ditching the meeting?!"
"So you acknowledged your crime? Good. Then we should proceed to the punishment."
Year 697, April 2nd, 08.15 PM
Prontera Barrack's Outer Hall
As he saw the moon, he thought to himself again...
"(Why did I refuse to join?)"
It was more reasonable for him to join the army. That way, he could uncover the truth of the war more easily. Yes, the same war that took his little sister's life.
And yet, he still declines it.
He didn't feel scared. The only thing he fears, which is the loss of his sister, has already happened. And now, he doesn't have anything to lose.
He didn't feel unmotivated. He wants to find out the truth of the war, after all. He said that he wants to stop the war's culprit from breaking another war.
But his real reasoning wasn't that noble.
Although he didn't show it...no...he didn't even conscious about it, but he was filled with the thirst of revenge. Even now, his heart was seemingly burning with anger. His chest feels tight, as if he could suffocates any time soon.
And so, why?
Why still he decline that offer?
Clay was wondering on what he is thinking. And the manager of the Documentation Room herself said that it was a precious chance to easily enlist in the army.
But it still not too late.
He could go to the Documentation Room now, and enlisting himself right now.
And yet, he doesn't want to. He feels an intense dislike towards the military. Even though he never joined an army, before.
"(What's wrong with me? That dream...)"
The same dream flickering in his mind. The strange dream of that happened this afternoon. The unknown dream that just popped on his mind.
He tried to go back to the Documentation Room a few more times, but that dream just kept popping up again.
The dream of the hall in the red colored sky, as if trying to symbolizing the twilight.
He doesn't know what kind of place is that. It was not Juno, since even Juno couldn't reach far to the sky like that hall. Less Prontera or all other cities.
And even if he remembered that place, he's not sure that he remembers those peoples he saw. He feels strangely familiar with them. But he sure that he never met those peoples before.
Clay put his hand at his head. He is starting to worry about his body condition.
"(Perhaps I was too tired. I guess I just have to hit the sack, today.)" he thought.
He then walks towards the door of the infirmary, leaving the other priests and patients in there.
CREAK...
He opened the door slightly, as slow and silent as possible, so he didn't wake the others. Then as he slipped away, he closed the door.
"Ah, Clay."
"...?"
A voice reaches Clay's ears. It was the same calm and soothing voice Clay heard this afternoon. Clay turned his head at where the voice came from.
"Sister Lucrida. Are you just finished your work?" Clay asks.
"Yes. Today was another hard day for all of us, but fortunately, we're all able to manage."
"You must be exhausted. Please take a rest now."
"Yes, I will. But after I finished checking all of the patients and our colleagues."
Lucrida said with smiles. She doesn't seem to be exhausted at all.
"(What an amazing person.)" Clay thought.
"By the way, Clay. I've heard of your feat today. You was able to work easily thrice the amount of the treatment we've done today."
"Ah, that's just a habit. I've been through many wars, after all. So I've been more experienced with continuous healing treatment."
"That's amazing."
"No, not really."
Clay scratches his cheek as he said that. Lucrida just smiles as she stares at him.
"Well then, by now, your task should be over. What are you planning to do now?"
"...I'm planning to go back to the inn. It's already late at night."
"I see. If possible, could you help us again, tomorrow? We would wish to borrow your power again."
"...I'll see what I can do."
After that, Clay walks past Lucrida, and then...
"...Good night, Sister Lucrida."
"Yes. May God be always with you."
Lucrida bows as she said that, and Clay followed suite.
Year 697, April 2nd, 08.20 PM
Prontera Barrack's Outer Hall
Tap, tap, tap...
"..."
Clay walks at the barrack's corridor, towards the exit. There seemingly no one in there other than him. Torches are litting the way, illuminating the corridor which is enveloped in the darkness of the night.
"...what?! That's absurd! Your battalion has already been established 3 months ago, and yet you only have 5 members in there?!"
"...?"
Suddenly, a shouting voice can be heard. It was from somewhere in the corridor. Seems like it was coming from one of the room behind the walls of corridor.
"P-please forgive me! I'm sorry! It's just that not much of recruit seem to keen for joining us!"
Somehow, that voice was familiar on his ears.
"(Deanark?)" Clay thought.
He walks closer at where the voice originated at. Slowly, he put his ears at the wall he thought the voice came from.
"So all of the remaining members in here are fakes?! What are you doing all this time, boy?! Put some enthusiasm on that back bone of yours!"
"Hiii! I'm sorry!"
Seems like he finally spill out the bean.
Clay can't see what's happening, but he can imagine Deanark bowing with all of his might towards the owner of another voice.
"(Poor guy.)" he thought.
The scolding continues without any pause. It seems that Deanark was about to cry because of it.
"(Guess I should get back.)" Clay thought.
He was about to take a step, when suddenly...
"Argh! This is getting nowhere! Fine! Then let's just leave it at that! Now, we should be getting into business!"
"...?"
Clay was curious at those words. He focuses his hearing more on the voices.
"What do you mean?"
"It's about the mission, boy. Tomorrow is the day we commence the operation. And so, that's the reason why I want you and the rest of your team to be prepared today."
"Actually, do we need any preparation?"
"...perhaps I should switch the head's position to another person."
"Please do so! I mean... No, really, please do so!"
"...or maybe not, you would only react even worse."
"What?! Why?!"
"Anyway, the mission is to scout, but in the worst case, to assault the enemy. The target is in Prontera Woods, southwest of Mt. Mjollnir. Prepare yourself according to the terrain. Tomorrow, I shall explain more about it."
"(Prontera Woods, southwest of Mjollnir Mountain...)"
"Wait, what about my demotion?!"
"...you're the first person that I've met who wants a demotion so bad."
"Well yes, I do proud being a head of a battalion, but it was too much of a work! I rather being free and date the ladies all day!"
"...I see. You do look like that."
"See? I'm not a good choice of being a battalion head. It's about time that the head's position being shifted to another person who's more worthy of it."
"So I'm going to teach you the pride of a head, now."
"...what do you mean?"
"Prepare yourself. I'm going to reform you into an exemplary soldier tonight."
"...help! Somebody help me! The old man's gonna rape me! My chastity is in danger!"
"I-idiot! ...who said I'm going to rape you?! And first of all, I'm not interested in guys!"
"No! I'm still a virgin! Please spare me! I haven't done it with the ladies, yet!"
"Shut up! Act like how a man should be!"
"Noooooo!"
"(...well, that's enough information.)" Clay thought.
He then left the corridor, leaving Deanark who was shouting in despair, and finally out of the barrack.
"(Prontera Forest...what should I do?)" he thought as he walks at the street.