The Conscript Wants to Be Discharged!

“Defense Captain.”

Just as my head was starting to spin from Eliza’s inexplicably intense skinship offensive, he approached us like a savior.

“I heard you suddenly collapsed in the barracks, Yujin. Did you fall backward from carrying too much loot?”

Franz seemed to have no thought that I might have been injured on the battlefield. Eliza’s expression turned sharp and sulky at the Defense Captain’s attitude.

“Defense Captain, Yujin needs stability right now.”

“Miss Roterschuden, I see you’re here too. But what do you mean by that?”

The Defense Captain looked a bit puzzled when Eliza answered the question he had directed at me. He tilted his head slightly at her words that I needed stability.

“Yujin, he suffered such a great injury because of me. After blocking the Aura Knight’s attack and becoming battered, he tried to save me and ended up… sniff… sacrificing his leg to save me from the battlefield, running and running while holding me, but in the end, he became disabled.”

Eliza’s voice was teary.

By now, she had gone beyond just welling up with tears; a hot tear was streaming down her fair cheek.

“Wh-what’s this? Didn’t Yujin return on his own feet? But now he’s suddenly disabled? What? What’s going on?”

Eliza’s single tear seemed to have more effect than expected; unusually flustered, countless question marks appeared above Franz’s head. He looked at me as if asking for an explanation of the current situation, but I was just as confused.

‘What are you saying, Eliza?’

That I became disabled trying to save her? While it might not be entirely unrelated, she wasn’t heavy enough to break my leg from carrying her. If anything, she was lighter than expected and a bit soft?

As I was too flustered to answer, at some point, the act of me piggybacking her and escaping from the battlefield had, in Eliza’s mind, become me heroically rescuing her by lifting her in a princess carry, breaking through countless raining arrows, and then enduring the pain alone, worried that Eliza might collapse from shock if she learned I had injured my leg because of her, until I finally couldn’t bear it anymore and collapsed, becoming a tragic knight brought to the infirmary.

“You see? He suffered deep wounds breaking through that dangerous battlefield to save me, but knowing I would worry, he hid his wounds and endured silently until he finally collapsed from unbearable pain and ended up with a lifelong disability.”

The shock of hearing that Yujin had collapsed caused her brilliant mind to overload, substituting Yujin into stories from chivalric poems her mother had read to her long ago, simulating it in her brain as if it were fact until a story was created.

‘This sounds like something out of a minstrel’s tale, is it really true?’

‘I don’t know, I did save her, but it wasn’t that dramatic?’

Franz’s gaze asking if Eliza’s story was true clashed in mid-air with my gaze saying I didn’t know about this either.

Without noticing Roberg, who had stepped back to observe with an expression that said this looked quite entertaining, Eliza’s story had already reached its conclusion.

“I can’t coldly ignore Yujin, who was injured and became disabled to save me. Yes, indeed! Taking him into our family and taking responsibility for his future life is…”

At some point, the story had flown past the moon and started heading for Andromeda. Thinking the situation wouldn’t be resolved at this rate, Defense Captain Franz urgently cut off her words.

“We’ll build a small villa for Yujin and his family, and provide a comfortable, good job so they won’t be financially troubled for life…”

“Wait, wait! Let’s sort out this story first.”

“No, why are you interrupting at the good part? Lady Eliza was saying she’d build a villa for our family…”

“You be quiet, Yujin.”

I was a bit moved by Eliza’s pure and warm sentiment of guaranteeing a stable retirement for me, who had sacrificed myself for her, promising a job with lifelong security and a villa for my family to live comfortably. As I was about to nod at her words while wiping away a tear that had leaked out with my hand, I glared fiercely at the Defense Captain who was trying to interrupt and sort out the situation. But the Defense Captain ignored my protest with an expression that said, ‘What are you going to do about it?’

“First, are you saying that the reason Yujin was brought to the infirmary is because he was injured while saving Miss Roterschuden?”

“That’s right.”

“But didn’t Yujin return to the fortress on his own feet? Outwardly, there doesn’t seem to be any problem with Yujin.”

“Yujin endured, bearing terrible pain out of concern that I would worry. How painful it must have been with each step he took, sniff…”

Eliza’s eyes started to moisten again as she imagined me walking with a pained expression with each step.

Thinking he couldn’t continue the conversation with her like this, Franz turned his head to look at me.

“Yujin, you explain. Why were you brought to the infirmary?”

“It’s all as Lady Eliza said.”

“Stop bullshitting.”

“Tch!”

With eyes full of certainty that someone who would roll around begging to be discharged if he got injured anywhere wouldn’t have returned so quietly, the Defense Captain clicked his tongue and told me to tell the truth. Honestly, the main reason was that I couldn’t leave Eliza in tears because of me.

“Lady Roterschuden is not at fault in any way. I never felt she was heavy until the moment I piggybacked her out of the battlefield. If anything, she was so light I thought I was flying with a feather.”

“Yujin…!”

Eliza cutely covered her mouth with both hands, seemingly touched by my words, while the Defense Captain jerked his chin, telling me to stop talking nonsense and tell the truth.

“It seems I had a fracture in my leg from a big impact on the battlefield. And in the urgent situation, without the leisure to check my own injuries, I unknowingly used a potion I had, resulting in the fractured bone healing in a twisted state, leaving me to live as a lame person for the rest of my life.”

“What?”

“Huh!?”

The Defense Captain frowned at the words that I would have to live as a lame person for the rest of my life, and Eliza seemed shocked and serious, probably because of the mention of the potion.

Before their surprise and shock could subside, I quickly opened my mouth.

“I was thinking of going to see you anyway, Defense Captain, so this is fortunate.”

“Me?… Yujin, you don’t mean…?”

“That’s exactly what I mean.”

Furrowing my brow and putting on a solemn expression, I steeled myself and opened my mouth.

“Defense Captain, no, Sir Franz Beringer!”

“…..”

“Please… discharge me!!”

‘How about that!? You can’t say no this time, can you?’

This time, I had a reason he absolutely couldn’t refuse. Even in a war situation, even as the Defense Captain, he couldn’t block a legitimate discharge request due to injury from a regular soldier!

I, who had fallen for Franz Beringer’s wicked scheme and received a promotion to non-commissioned officer instead of discharge as a reward, had been going around the regular soldiers, knights, and mages inside the fortress to learn about the Kingdom of Flanders’ military laws. And this time, I had a reliable ally.

“Yujin, if you get discharged, don’t worry. I, Eliza Roterschuden, swear on my name that I will support you and your family for life.”

“Lady Roterschuden!”

With her eyes slightly reddened from crying, she elegantly placed her hand on her chest and declared proudly while making eye contact with me. And moved by her appearance, I kept my mouth shut and sent her a sparkling gaze.

“…Say, Roberg, is it true that Yujin’s lower body has become disabled and he must live as a lame person for the rest of his life?”

The Defense Captain, who had been watching the exchange of heated gazes between Eliza and me, called out to Priest Roberg, who was busily writing something in the corner.

“Hm? Ah, let me explain.”

Pushing aside a thick book, Roberg approached us with a kind smile on his face.

“First, it’s certain that there’s a problem with Hundred-man Captain Yujin’s leg. Saying his lower body has become disabled doesn’t mean there’s a functional problem.”

“Oh my.”

Eliza’s high-pitched voice was heard, but Franz ignored it and nodded at Roberg to continue speaking.

“From what I’ve observed, the bone in his right leg has healed in a twisted state due to the regenerative power of the potion, and it’s certain that this will cause problems in his future life.”

See? Did you hear that? The military doctor says there’s a problem!!

Roberg was a priest, not a military doctor, but in any case, his words, which carried the highest credibility both medically and religiously here, couldn’t be easily ignored even by the Defense Captain.

“Ah, it’s truly regrettable. I want to dedicate myself to the country, but I’ve become ill while serving the country, so I can’t hold back the royal army. I have no choice but to be discharged.”

‘Hehehe, what can you do besides discharging me? You can’t do anything, nyah nyah nyah.’

When I sent such a gaze to Franz, he could only grit his teeth and rack his brain without any counterattack.

Then, Franz’s gaze shot back intensely, asking what I would do for a living if I returned to being a civilian, that is, a commoner farmer, after being discharged from the royal army. But I had a plan for everything.

‘If I’m discharged, I can work under Lady Eliza, and I still have two potions left.’

My job was guaranteed, and I had the means to treat my leg.

After escaping from the army and hiding for a while, I could break my leg again, properly set the bone, and then use the potion I had to regenerate it cleanly. Theoretically, I could achieve a perfect cure.

‘Ah, it’s perfect.’

I shuddered at my own genius, which even I found frightening. Afterwards, I would enjoy my isekai life, laughing haha hoho with my family under Lady Eliza’s care. It would be perfect… or so I thought.

“But don’t worry too much. There’s a way to solve the Hundred-man Captain’s problem.”

“Is that true?”

“Is that really true?”

In the fleeting moment of dreaming about a happy future ahead, I forgot the fact that others could think of what I had thought of.

“Yes, it’s a bit of a crude method, but we can break the Hundred-man Captain’s leg again, set the broken bone correctly, and then wait for it to heal naturally, or we can speed up the recovery with our priests’ prayers.”

Uh-buh-buh-buh-buh.

“B-but! Artificially breaking a person’s bone and setting it again? Is that possible?”

‘Say it’s not possible!!!’

I sent an earnest gaze to Priest Roberg, but due to the Defense Captain’s outrageous act of blocking my view, my gaze didn’t reach the priest.

“Of course, it’s quite possible. We priests clearly aren’t talented in medicine, but having taken care of injured people for a long time at the temple here in Sordan Fortress, we may not know how to make potions, but we’re skilled in first aid and setting dislocated bones.”

Hahaha! I was overcome with the unholy urge to pluck out all the laughing priest’s beard and cover his mouth. As I was fidgeting with my fingers, the Defense Captain looked at me with a victorious smile.

“That’s great news, Yujin. I’m truly glad that you can resolve the sorrow of not being able to fulfill your patriotic devotion while maintaining your status as a soldier.”

I quickly turned to look at Eliza, my only ally here, as the Defense Captain teased me with a smug expression.

“That’s wonderful, Yujin! Don’t worry about the potion needed for recovery, I’ll take care of that.”

I despaired at the sight of Eliza turning from ally to enemy.

I couldn’t bring myself to denounce Eliza as a traitor as she held my hand and said how truly fortunate this was. I could only bow my head.

“Well then, shall we start the procedure?”

Priest Roberg, pulling out a hammer from somewhere in the ward.

“Here, this is a gift for you. I made this large poster, writing in especially bold letters to inform those stationed at the fortress about your and Miss Roterschuden’s exploits.”

Franz handed me a neatly rolled-up poster and patted my shoulder, then leaned in to whisper in my ear.

“Did you think you could escape? I’ve reported your exploits to the royal family, Yujin. You’ll receive an even greater reward and must continue to serve.”

The Defense Captain raised his head and curled up the corners of his mouth.

“The country always remembers your dedication, Yujin.”

Hahahahaha!

As I watched his retreating figure, laughing as he turned away.

“Well, let’s begin now.”

Aaaaargh! Franz Beringer!!! You son of a bitch!!

Along with the pain of my leg breaking, I hurled curses at the root of all evil.