Chapter 1 part 2

1st of June, 0721 AED, Military Training School, Royal Capital Zarens

The instructors had directed us to prepare for the night. After dinner—which had awfully plain-tasting food served to give us a taste of frontlines—we began constructing our tents. Unluckily, one of the girls I share tents with was a real laynoble, and she threw a lot of fuss. The good thing is, I’m adept in sleeping soundly even with annoyances and uproars so I dozed off quite quickly.

Morning had come and I woke up to find everyone drained and lethargic; a noticeable black bag under their eyes. The early roll call unambiguously forced their exhausted bodies to rise up—and yes, I couldn’t relate to them.

“I can’t believe you just slept even with all that magic artillery barrage!” a ‘tentmate’, whom recall the name was Lily, voiced out to me as she seated across me, carrying food over the table.

—Magic artillery? Was that the loud noises I heard in the middle of the night? Oh well, I couldn’t imagine your terror but yes, I guess I slept soundly after deciding to ignore it.

“I was often told I was a really heavy sleeper,” I merely laughed it off.

“That much of a heavy sleeper? Some kid you are, Riet!”

Yeah, does it not terrify you though? I could die in my sleep, you know.

“Isn’t that horrible though? She couldn’t wake up with that loud of a noise and big of a commotion, so she’ll just die immediately in the battlefield.”

Ah! The normal reaction!

It was the fussy noble girl, Bethanie Sawkes, who spoke. She was yet to eat breakfast, clearly searching for a seat. Lily, having understood that, gestured Bethanie to sit next to her.

“I had one hell of a night! If only my father had not lost most of our properties in a bet prewar, I would’ve been in Stelle by now—away and tucked safe from war.”

“Did they force you here?” Lily halted and looked at Bethanie with concern.

“Partly, they figured we should at least go down with the King as well. But I had thought for myself too… You see, even if I was doted because of my good looks and potential marriage suitors, I was but the 3^rd mistress’ daughter. Even if my father did get some of his money back, he wouldn’t be able to afford the fare for all of his favorite children anymore. So he’d likely just bring his three children from the first wife,” Bethanie spoke, a glint of anger in her eyes as she continues munching down her food. “Ugh… this food is horrible,” she whispered.

“Being noble is difficult too, isn’t it?” Lily commented then redirected her gaze to me. “Come to think of it, you’re a noble too, aren’t you, Riet?”

Ugh… this again.

“I am not. Though, it is true that I come from a fallen household,” I responded.

“Still, do you not realize that you have the looks to effortlessly win over archnobles? It should be easy for you to hitch a ride to safety from them,” Bethanie stares at me.

Ahh… right.

“I don’t want anything to do with those nobles, though. And even if I can and decided that I would, I couldn’t, since commoner me was basically forced to comply with this mandatory enlistment,” I fed the last portion of food into my mouth, the memory in the café resurfacing in my mind.

“Oh how far the Kingdom has fallen. Is it not our right as citizens to immigrate to a safe neutral country? To think, we were made to take honor on going down with the Kingdom’s eventual certain defeat…” Lily’s words left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth.

Ugh… I hate war.

to be continued...