Chapter 1
“Ahhh.”
Even though I hadn’t drunk any alcohol, I felt drunk.
My heavy shoulders suddenly felt light.
My body was relaxed.
It felt as if today was the last day of the world.
Even the sunset, which I usually wouldn’t glance at, looked unbelievably beautiful today.
‘It’s not the end of the world, but today is the last day of my military service.’
640 days.
It had been disgustingly long.
No, saying it was “long” doesn’t even cover it.
It was just like hell.
But where there is a meeting, there is parting.
Where there is a beginning, there is an end.
Countless days have passed, flowing endlessly, now reaching the conclusion of this grand story.
<877th Discharge Ceremony Notice>
Due to tomorrow’s heavy rain warning, the discharge ceremony will not be held. Dischargees should report at 07:00.
You remain a soldier until midnight today, so please maintain a soldierly appearance until the very end.
Was the sky patting my shoulders to reward me for my effort?
The boring and uninspiring discharge ceremony had been canceled.
‘What the hell, they even let us report early.’
I guess the commander must have had something good happen yesterday.
“Maintaining a soldierly appearance until the end. Should I just file a complaint? This is insane.”
That disgusting phrase about military discipline, order, and being “soldierly” now made me want to vomit just hearing it.
“Finally, I’m leaving. Finally, I’m really leaving. Haha!”
Was I going crazy?
Ten seconds ago, I had been smiling at the thought of reporting early, then five seconds ago, I was furious at that nonsense about being soldierly.
And just now, I smiled again at the thought of being discharged.
‘Yeah, after over 600 days, anyone would go crazy.’
And I knew the cure for this mental chaos.
‘Go out, have a hot bowl of soup, hit the PC room, and I’ll be completely cured.’
Just thinking about it sent shivers down my spine.
I enjoyed the freedom of the day before discharge, smiling without hiding it.
Then came the discharge ceremony after roll call.
Some senior soldiers, full of personality flaws, were showered with curses and left as broken humans, but I, perhaps because I behaved reasonably, got to experience my last day with simple, nice words:
Go live well.
Keep in touch.
Let’s have a meal together.
‘Feels like I haven’t really done anything.’
I hadn’t done anything extraordinary, just bought a drink or two for the juniors.
Apparently, even doing nothing is enough to earn half of people’s goodwill.
‘So maybe I didn’t do too badly in my military service?’
Honestly, my time in the military wasn’t easy.
At the training camp, the instructors gaslit me to the point I almost lost my mind, then I got into SDT, a kind of special forces.
‘Absolutely insane. I came to the Air Force for a relatively easy life, and now I’m in special forces.’
The grueling training and tough seniors, unimaginable for normal soldiers, brought me hell. I lost count of how many times I regretted it.
“Still, looking back now… it wasn’t good, but it wasn’t the worst either.”
I gained a proper hobby in exercise and managed to score 800 on the TOEIC from zero.
“Well, that’s something at least.”
Recalling the good moments, I lay down on the bed.
“Lights out.”
As the lights went out, darkness filled my vision.
‘Feels like just yesterday someone said “your remaining military life.”’
Time’s speed is truly incomprehensible.
“Sergeant Lee Ji-ho, congratulations on your discharge.”
“Just call me brother, what with being a sergeant. Only two months left, right?”
“Ha ha, yes, soon.”
“Soon, sure, but that’s when it starts. You’ve already used all your leave to see your girlfriend.”
Usually, soldiers save their leave for the last year, but those with girlfriends tend to splurge.
“Next week, she’s coming to visit, so I have to hold on until then.”
“Lucky guy.”
Most end up with relationships failing, but Kim Si-yeop had managed to stay together.
Of course, you only know until the end, but watching them, I couldn’t help but be jealous.
‘Once I get out, I’ll get a girlfriend first.’
That’s why I even exercised in the military.
I read books I’d never touched before, just to seem smarter in conversation.
“Now that you’re discharged, getting a girlfriend should be easy, right?”
“Thanks for saying that. Appreciate it.”
Leaving the place I had been in for 21 months, I walked lightly and quietly to the front gate.
Swishhhhh!!!
“Wow, it’s really raining.”
The heavy rain warning had a reason.
‘Of course, reporting early by two hours is worth enduring this.’
To someone else, it could be gloomy, but to me, it felt poetic.
“Until midnight, you are still a soldier, so keep your uniform tidy. Last chance, so this is possible. Anyone wanting to become a professional sergeant, step aside now.”
At the gate, the head sergeant checked the discharged soldiers’ uniforms.
It was obsessive, but more frightening was his effort to maintain control until the very end.
‘This is no place for humans. I need to get out.’
I shook my head, showed my discharge certificate, and finally stepped into the outside world.
The glances of envious military police followed me.
My shoulders rose instinctively, something I couldn’t stop.
‘Hustle, I’ll go first.’
Muttering words I couldn’t say out loud, I got into a taxi.
“Take me to Hoengseong Station.”
“Sure. Did you just get discharged today?”
“Yes, finally.”
I couldn’t help but smile at the taxi driver’s question.
“You’ve worked hard in your youth. You should eat well today.”
“I’ll eat until I burst.”
First, beef, and then seafood on the side.
“Better get you there fast.”
The driver, whistling as if he were discharged himself, hit the gas.
The speed increased under the heavy rain warning.
‘Wait… is this okay?’
On the national road, the taxi exceeded triple digits.
On a rainy day like this.
As I instinctively sensed danger and tried to speak, the accident happened.
“Uh…”
Screeeeech!!!
The car lost control, sliding across the wet road.
The taxi hit the guardrail, flipped, and tumbled off a cliff.
At the same time, my consciousness faded.
I instinctively sensed death.
‘Damn, I just got discharged!’
Before I could even complain, pain hit me, and I lost consciousness.
[Calculating your life.]
[Sin(D), Good Deeds(B), Luck(F)]
[Investigation proceeding regarding your desperately low ‘Luck’.]
[…]
[Despite having no sin, your unfortunate life of being forcibly made a soldier for 21 months and dying is met with mercy.]
‘Unfortunate life, huh.’
As my consciousness slowly returned, I saw words on the screen.
After hearing all the “military vacation” and “military life” complaints, being told my life was unfortunate actually felt comforting.
[Your second life begins in a better position and situation.]
‘Second life…?’
“Better position” immediately made me think of a second-generation chaebol.
‘Wait, but I’ll have to go to the military again if I’m reborn.’
I hesitated briefly, but only for a moment.
Even minor celebrities manage to dodge the military with enough influence, so a chaebol could certainly avoid it.
‘Yeah, I’ll enjoy this.’
I was about to close my eyes in satisfaction, but happiness was not yet allowed.
[For faster adaptation, your previous occupation will continue into the next life.]
[Your last occupation was soldier.]
“What the…? What?”
My hazy mind cleared, and I shouted.
If these words came from someone’s mouth rather than text, I would have grabbed them without hesitation.
[With a luck adjustment, you will start as a soldier in a better environment.]
[In your second life, may you achieve what you desire.]
“Ah… a soldier, no…”
Before I could say more, my vision blurred, and I lost consciousness again.
“Lord, wake up.”
The soft mattress.
A female voice, like a bird chirping.
It was so strange for a woman, other than my mother, to wake me that my eyes opened immediately.
“Where… ugh.”
Suddenly, a flood of information hit my head, and a headache followed.
Who I was, where this was, and even the woman’s name in front of me.
‘This is a completely different world.’
A medieval-like empire where magical engineering exists, and emperors and nobles rule.
The collision of the locals’ memories with mine caused more chaos than I expected.
“Phew.”
“Are… are you okay? Should I get the physician?”
Aurora, the family’s maid, tried to rush out, but I stopped her just in time.
“I’m fine, don’t worry. I just stood up too quickly.”
Grabbing my forehead and pretending to be fine, I drank the tea she brought.
‘Ah, just a bit of tea makes me feel better.’
After a few mental adjustments, the information began to sort itself out.
The important details: my name is Phalan, last name Oclo.
‘Phalan Oclo, youngest son of the Oclo Count family.’
Far from the heir, more of a playboy who enjoys leisure.
‘So… possession? I guess that’s what it is.’
Accepting this unreal situation wasn’t easy, but it might not be a dream.
I had fallen off a cliff and died, after all.
‘Thought I was done for, but here I am alive. Never thought web novels could be based on reality.’
Looking further into the organized information:
‘They run a huge merchant group. Wealthy.’
Not just wealthy, but comparable to a chaebol in South Korea.
‘Unbelievable.’
Everything seemed perfect in this second life.
But one thing bothered me.
“By the way, Aurora, can I ask you something?”
“Sure? If you’re curious, just ask. Why ask permission?”
‘Right, I’m a noble.’
Having been bossed around by officers who forced obedience, I automatically took a humble tone.
“Ha ha, I see.”
“Did you sleep late yesterday? You look a little tired. Anyway, ask freely.”
“Right. It’s nothing much, but… do I have to enlist?”
If my memory was correct, Phalan was not a soldier.
But the text I saw earlier said I would have to be a soldier.
Then the only choice left was enlistment.
And in this era, enlistment could be avoided if you wished.
‘If it’s forced conscription, someone would be mad.’
But pulling adult men into service against their will doesn’t seem voluntary.
“Are you enlisting? Did you have a nightmare?”
“Yes, a terrible dream. But it’s fine if not.”
Relieved, I quickly adapted to my second life using my newly acquired knowledge.
Two months later.
“Excuse me for interrupting! Urgent news…”
“If it’s that urgent, get to the point.”
Broad Oclo, head of the Oclo Count family and my father in this second life, looked at the man barging in.
“The Aditz Empire has just invaded the western border!”
The news was much bigger than I had expected.
‘So a war has broken out…?’
War.
A familiar word in a divided country, but seeing it happen for real was completely different.
“Tch, so it’s finally happening. I suspected something when the merchant convoy was blocked recently.”
Broad Oclo frowned and put down his fork.
“I’ll visit the palace. Don’t worry about the western border. Act as usual while I’m gone.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Go carefully.”
Mother and sister saw him off.
“War… how arrogant, the Aditz Empire, not knowing their place.”
With the head absent, the eldest son, Tems, muttered angrily.
“Brother, we won’t be conscripted, right? I’m scared of the battlefield…”
The timid second son, Edmon, asked, shaking.
“As long as the situation isn’t extremely unfavorable, there’s no need to worry about conscription.”
“Phew, that’s a relief.”
I also breathed a sigh of relief, listening quietly.
‘Saved.’
I never thought I’d be dragged into the military, but Tems’ words reassured me.
“Actually, this could be an opportunity. If we support the war effort, the Emperor might notice us…”
Quick-minded Tems was already calculating even in the middle of war.
After a tense moment, calm returned to the household.
I returned to my room and resumed reading the novel I had been halfway through, until the next day, when my father brought shocking news.
