Chapter 7
When I opened my eyes, I saw the same ceiling as yesterday.
I hoped it was a dream, but no such miracle happened.
“Argh! Someone save me!”
“Aaaah!”
Screams echoed around us. It seemed everyone had woken up.
Looks like the muscle soreness finally kicked in.
Well, after all those duck walks yesterday, soreness was inevitable.
“Huh?”
In the natural flow of my thoughts, something felt strange.
Why am I fine?
There wasn’t even the slightest pain. If anything, I felt refreshed. My condition was surprisingly good.
“Could it be because of that physical training thing?”
It seems the claim about improving muscle recovery and growth efficiency wasn’t a lie.
Interesting.
I wanted to check my body more carefully, but there’s no such luxury in a training camp.
All candidates are to assemble at the training ground in full uniform within 10 minutes. That is all.
A devilish time attack.
Hearing that, my roommates and I quickly got out of bed.
“How are we supposed to do that in 10 minutes?!”
“Ugh! My legs!”
Groans filled the room. Still, everyone gathered themselves and hurriedly started putting on their clothes.
The problem was…
“Hey, hey, aren’t you folding your blanket?”
For a moment, I wondered if I was the strange one. No one seemed to care about their blankets.
Just as I was about to say something, my roommates stared at me like I was the weird one.
“Palan hyung, we don’t have time. What are you doing?”
“It’s already been two minutes.”
Derek and Ion urged me on as I folded my blanket.
You idiots, you have to fold it!
This is the military. A place obsessed with blankets.
Well, maybe this isn’t technically the military.
No, it can’t be any different.
When I first arrived yesterday, I clearly remember the blankets being neatly folded with sharp edges.
“They said they’d check room cleanliness.”
“What does the blanket have to do with cleanliness? It’s not dirty just because it’s laid out like that.”
Ion looked completely unconvinced.
Tsk. I don’t think I can persuade them.
If I try too hard, I’ll just waste time.
Let’s at least save myself.
The chances of it being a problem today are low, but I neatly folded my blanket anyway before standing in front of my locker.
“Isn’t that a bit too relaxed?”
“As long as we’re not late, it’s fine. More importantly, you missed a button.”
“Oh, thanks.”
While exchanging a few words with Ion, I changed into my combat uniform.
I noticed this yesterday too, but the uniform isn’t bad at all.
Soft yet sturdy lining, and a clean dark black design. I don’t know about camouflage effectiveness, but it feels dozens of times better than the Republic of Korea’s combat uniform when worn.
About three minutes left.
I finished everything a minute earlier than expected.
“Let’s go, hyungs.”
“Ugh. I should’ve worked out like you. I’m dying here.”
Derek and Crushell, who finished first, stepped out, and the rest followed.
In the hallway, the first thing that caught my eye was the variety of wildly sticking-up hair.
Most of them probably don’t even know how to fix their hair without a maid’s help.
Especially the girls.
Those with long hair were in such a state it was painful to look at.
“If your feet are on the ground, move them! Who’s walking?!”
“Hurry up!!!”
The instructors were yelling like crazy outside again today.
They must really have nothing better to do.
The scariest part is that I’m getting used to these assemblies.
Sighing inwardly, I lined up in four ranks.
“Second platoon, is everyone here?”
After a short wait, an instructor approached and asked Ion, who was standing at the front.
“Uh… I’m not sure.”
After thinking briefly, Ion gave a reasonable answer.
I expected him to say, How would I know? but he’s grown a bit.
I almost understand how parents feel raising a child.
“Second platoon, right column, count off from the back.”
Looking left and right, I realized I was first in the right column.
“Count off, one!”
It wasn’t difficult. Just a wave-like counting system.
I started it lightly.
The problem was that the next number didn’t come.
“Candidate, what are you doing?”
The instructor’s face hardened instantly as he approached Pluto, who stood right behind me.
“Huh?”
“Didn’t you hear the order to count off?”
“What… is that?”
Pluto’s innocent question.
I saw the instructor almost explode, then swallow it back down.
Ignorance isn’t a crime.
If you grow up in high society, maybe you wouldn’t know.
“When the front says one, the back says two, three, increasing the numbers to check personnel. Do you understand?”
“So… I say two?”
“That’s right.”
“Understood!”
Pluto nodded firmly.
“Good. Right column, count off.”
“Count off, one!”
“Two!”
“Three!”
…
“Eight!”
Those who overheard the explanation quickly followed along.
“If the last row is full with four people, add ‘complete.’ If not, state how many are missing and repeat.”
“Eight, complete!”
“Second platoon… 32. All present.”
After marking the paper, the instructor moved on.
That guy… he’s practically an angel.
Honestly, I expected at least Pluto to get punished. But instead, the instructor swallowed his anger and explained kindly. Top one percent.
“But Palan, how do you know everything? I’ve never heard of counting off before.”
Ion looked at me curiously.
“Uh… when I was young, I used to play a lot with the servants, so I got used to stuff like this.”
I learned by playing hard.
There’s no better excuse.
I can’t exactly say I spent 21 months rolling around in a tough military unit in my past life.
Even if I did, no one would believe me.
“If I’d known, I would’ve gotten some experience too.”
“I just know a little more. We’re all the same anyway.”
As we quietly chatted, attendance finished and the instructor stepped onto the platform.
“Candidates, did you sleep well on your first night in the military?”
No one answered.
Looks like no one slept properly.
Everyone’s expressions were terrible. Some even looked like they’d cried.
But there’s no angelic instructor who cares about that.
“No response? Seems you’re not fully awake. Perhaps we should repeat what we did yesterday.”
“N… No, sir!”
“Too quiet!”
“No, sir!!!”
“Louder!!!”
“No, sir!!!!!!”
An unhealthy obsession with volume.
My vocal cords were already hurting this early in the morning.
“Now you look alive. As mentioned yesterday, today we’ll train drill movements and running.”
The start of real training.
I could see the candidates’ expressions darken in real time.
“Especially drill. Since I’ll conduct it personally, stay sharp. Understood?”
“Understood!!”
“Too quiet! Everyone down!”
Damn it.
After an unpleasant morning session and filling our stomachs with bread, we headed to the main parade ground.
It feels like it’s been a week since I enlisted. This is insane.
Outside, a week would pass in the blink of an eye. Here, one second feels eternal.
“Attention.”
Once everyone gathered, the instructor appeared holding a long stick.
“When I say attention, you repeat it. Attention!”
“Attention!!”
“Too quiet! Attention!”
“Attention!!!!!!”
“Maintain this volume until the end of class. Understood?”
“Understood!!!!!!”
Everyone screamed as if their throats would tear. Including me.
“The drill I’m about to teach you will be used until the very end of your military service.”
Yeah right.
I did this in my past life. It’s mostly useless.
Maybe saluting is the only thing you keep.
And even that, after private first class, people just do it loosely.
“Drill is a unified system of movements used in the military.”
Meaning outdated and inefficient.
“Watch the demonstration carefully. Instructor, position.”
Thud. Thud. Thud.
A red-capped instructor moved like a robot onto the platform.
“This is the basic stance. Back straight, eyes forward.”
He pointed at different parts of the instructor’s body with his stick.
“In attention stance, even your palms must be fully extended.”
Watching it alone felt suffocating.
“Next, the most commonly used salute. Instructor, salute forward!”
“Chung! Seong!!!”
The instructor shouted so loudly it nearly burst our ears.
“Your voices should be at least this loud. Understood?”
“Understood!!!!”
My ears rang.
“From the front, neither the palm nor the back of the hand should be visible. Only the side of the hand.”
He even demonstrated carefully with his own hand.
“Next, reporting your rank and name. Candidate.”
He pointed to the first candidate.
“Yes.”
“That empty response without information is unacceptable. From now on, when a superior calls you, state your rank and your given name without your surname. Understood?”
“Understood!!”
“You there.”
He pointed to someone in the second row.
Please, please get it right.
Maybe my prayer worked.
“Ma… Major, Barus!”
What?
I doubted my ears.
Not Second Lieutenant. Major.
Possibly the most shocking self-introduction in military history.
“Sigh. You’re completely out of your mind. Candidate, step forward. Execute.”
“Y… Yes?”
“Repeat after me! Execute!”
“Ex… Execute!!!”
Major Barus hurried forward.
“Push-up position.”
“Push-up position!”
Barus dropped down.
“Maintain that position until the end. Understood?”
“Un… Understood!”
From our angle, we could clearly see his tearful expression.
Honestly, I felt bad.
If you’re going to say nonsense, at least say Second Lieutenant. Major makes no sense.
For reference, the correct answer is simply Candidate 000, since we’re not commissioned yet.
“Next, about walking…”
Walking style, reporting, lining up, and dozens of other movements.
Three hours passed in no time.
Well, for Major Barus, time probably crawled.
He really maintained that position until class ended.
After finishing drill and eating lunch, a sudden downpour began.
Out of nowhere.
It was sunny when we entered the dining hall. The sky must be moody.
“I didn’t bring an umbrella. Do we have to walk back soaked? That’s awful.”
Our nobleman Ion shook his head.
“Won’t it stop soon? Showers like this usually don’t last long.”
“I hope so. After rain, it cools down. Maybe running won’t be so bad.”
I nodded.
If you think about it that way, it’s good news.
Honestly, it felt a bit hot for running today. If this rain lowers the temperature, that helps.
“By the way, wasn’t Major Barus hilarious earlier?”
Crushell brought up the incident.
Honestly… it was funny.
Who would think to say Major in that situation?
If it was intentional, he’s a genius.
“It was funny, but I felt bad for him. He couldn’t even stand up afterward. He’s not injured, right?”
Despite his sturdy build, Derek has a soft heart.
“He wasn’t beaten, so probably not injured. I saw him rest his knees on the ground when the instructor wasn’t looking. Maybe just muscle soreness.”
No one can realistically hold that position perfectly for three hours.
“That’s a relief.”
Since running was scheduled, we ate moderately and returned to the barracks in the heavy rain.
I’m completely soaked.
I even ate slowly expecting it to stop, but it only got worse.
At this point… I can’t help but hope.
Hope for what?
Training cancellation, obviously.
