NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1
The trigger for recalling my past life was a bit special. I was lying down reading a book when I bumped my forehead.
“Ouch!” I thought, rubbing the area I hit. Would I end up with a lightning-shaped scar like someone I know, and could I chat with a snake?
Then I questioned what on earth I was thinking. A lightning-shaped scar? Talking with a snake?
All sorts of information I had never known before flooded into my mind.
At first, I thought I was going crazy.
But as all the memories became clearer and began to blend with what I already knew, I finally accepted that I had reincarnated into another world after living through the modern one.
“This is the difficulty level of life,” I mused.
Now, I’m the child of one of the most prestigious families in the Empire.
I thought to myself that living a good life without doing anything bad in my past life was paying off like this.
Of course, I worried a bit.
What if my family got tangled in something bad? What if they were plotting something strange?
But nothing happened. I took a deep breath as I looked at my family, who were still thriving.
Hmm. This smell is honey! It really is honey! Let the happy otherworldly life begin!
*
“Damn it.”
I cursed my past self while munching on the sand of the training ground.
This happy otherworldly life was about to freeze to death. This damn mouth of mine is the problem.
“Aren’t you going to serve in the military now? That’s what a Clausewitz family member should do.”
On the day I turned adult, my father came to tell me that.
He suggested it as though it was an idea for me to think about.
But the very next day, I was dragged off to training camp without mercy, crushed under a torrent of drills.
“Wasn’t that a suggestion? Father!”
I felt wronged. So damn wronged. Twice in training camp. Twice in the military.
If I had to do soldier life twice as well, I would have been fiddling with the key to the next world.
“This concludes basic military training. Thank you for following along!”
When the instructor, who had been relentless for a month, finally said that, I let my guard down for a brief moment.
Is everything over now? Do I get to go home? — But no!
“I’ve secured a place for you in the military. The Imperial Army is deploying due to the recent friction with the Demon Tribe alliance, Nobogord, and you’ll be going to the command there. Though you’ll be a low-ranking member, it’s valuable field experience, so do your best.”
Father. Father. Father…! Stay! Stop! Are you even going to hear my opinion?
I had a sliver of hope that Mother would intervene. I held onto that tiny shred of hope.
But all Mother said was, “Be careful and come back safe.”
“I hate you, Dad! Why are you tormenting my brother? Don’t go! I’ll scold Dad!”
The only source of comfort was my younger sister, who had always idolized me since we were kids.
“I’ll be back, Father, Mother. And Kaya? Make sure to listen to your parents.”
“Learn a lot.”
“Take care.”
“Waaah… Sorry, brother. I’m so sorry…!”
After exchanging farewells with my family, I climbed onto the carriage. To the battlefield. My heart raced like crazy.
It was from that moment that my life started to get strange.
*
[ Last night, a meteor fell. The soldiers’ morale is low. ]
The record keeper tried to write it down as briefly as possible, but the situation was far from simple.
In peacetime, it could be overlooked, but in wartime, especially at the front where a battle could ignite at any moment…
A huge meteor fell onto our positions with bizarre sounds, visible to the naked eye.
It was indeed a peak of ominousness.
Everyone, from the officers to the soldiers, was busy muttering it was a sign predicting a major defeat.
As it became clear the entire army was perturbed, all the commanders were summoned.
“The current situation is…”
“It’s not good. The morale of the army has plummeted overnight.”
“The movements of the Demon Tribe are the exact opposite of ours. According to the scouts, their morale is soaring and they are poised to attack at any moment.”
How could such a thing happen while facing the Demon Tribe? It felt absurd.
I cursed the gods and lamented how indifferent the heavens are. Just because of a single meteor, everything gets messed up like this.
“Damn it.”
Before I knew it, I muttered an expletive, and the Legion Commander cleared his throat and glanced over.
“…”
The Second Princess, Isabelle, participating as an assistant to the Legion Commander.
She was merely here to gain experience. She wouldn’t directly intervene in command.
She wasn’t representing the Imperial family; she was here in a personal capacity, so there was no need to be overly cautious.
No one but the commander would know this fact.
So, there should be no worries about the princess and just fulfill the duty of the commander.
…That’s what they assured me, but still, she is a direct descendant of the Imperial family. How could I not feel uneasy?
Having spoken something crude in front of the most noble individual in the Empire left me uneasy.
But Isabelle seemed unbothered by the Legion Commander’s words.
Instead, she frowned as if deep in thought about the current situation.
“Commander. Would it not be wise to withdraw our camp for the time being?”
“Are you serious? Withdrawing the army over just a meteor? That doesn’t make sense!”
The voices in command grew louder.
“It’s not just ‘a meteor’; it’s plummeting morale! And what kind of adversary are our soldiers facing? They are demons, demons! Even if we fought under the best circumstances, we’d have to be prepared for heavy casualties, and facing them with low morale is a suicidal act!”
“Is the glorious name of the Imperial Army not a source of shame for you?!”
“If enduring a momentary insult can prevent defeat and save our soldiers, then so be it!”
A heated argument broke out. Opinions clashed fiercely among the commanders and their aides.
The Legion Commander could have immediately stopped it, but now, he couldn’t bring himself to do so.
He himself was deep in thought about how to handle this absurd situation.
Withdrawing the army would mean giving up the advantageous position we had just fought for.
Staying here, however, would surely let the soldiers’ anxiety get the better of them.
The Legion Commander quietly observed the situation until he locked eyes with Princess Isabelle.
Isn’t it time to intervene now? That question seemed to faintly arise.
With a firm hand, the Legion Commander struck the operation table and ordered an end to the situation.
As the command tent plunged into silence in an instant.
“…Is a meteor really that big of a deal?”
Someone’s last words struck at just the right moment and rang out clearly.
It was probably just a mumbled thought. The surrounding noise was so chaotic, it must have slipped out.
But the timing was poor. The venue was inappropriate. Especially with the princess present.
Who would make such a mistake, I wondered, as the Legion Commander raised his voice in apparent anger.
“Who was that? Who dares to speak in such a careless manner in this important gathering?”
“…”
Unsurprisingly, the culprit didn’t immediately stand up.
Seeing the Legion Commander frown, someone timidly raised their hand.
“You. State your name.”
“…I am Kael, the eldest son of the Duke of Bertier Empire.”
“The Duke of Bertier Empire, huh? A member of the Clausewitz Family.”
The Clausewitz Family—a key player in the military throughout the long history of the Empire. Not to mention a family that has produced many excellent commanders.
Perhaps that was why they wanted to give the eldest son some field experience, but to make such a blunder…
“Ha. You’re quite young. It seems you are still unfamiliar with the peculiar circumstances of the battlefield; I’ll let some advice from an old man serve as your reprimand.”
The Legion Commander continued in a gentle tone as if soothing a child.
“On ordinary days, it can just be a simple meteor, but at the front, it can take on a different meaning. When a meteor falls onto our position, it forebodes ill.”
Whether it is coincidence or a god’s warning, that isn’t the point. The crucial aspect is that someone believes it.
A slight backdraft. A momentary gust of wind. Even the briefest fog can become fatal in a rapidly changing war situation.
Let alone if that person’s spirit is on the brink of breaking, the influence could be enormous.
As the Legion Commander explained this, the young man introduced as Kael scratched his cheek.
“I’m truly sorry, Commander. I can’t argue against my blunder.”
“That attitude is good. Just be more cautious from now on. It’s obvious, but the second warning is…”
“Still, I really do find it questionable to pull the entire army back over just a meteor.”
In that instant, everyone in the command tent looked at Kael with disbelief.
After the Legion Commander had kindly explained things to him, he still spouted nonsense.
Had his upbringing left him utterly clueless about the ways of the world?
Just when someone could no longer hold back and was about to lash out at him…
“Is there perhaps a theory of connection?”
*
That night, the Imperial Army cheered as another meteor blazed in the night sky.
They rejoiced, believing that it was a sign the gods had taken back their original intent and chosen their victory.
On the other hand, the Demon Tribe, facing them, was engulfed in confusion over this absurd occurrence.
Even if the Demon commanders urged them not to be flustered, it made no difference.
A battleground is where even the smallest thing can shake their resolve.
The Legion Commander chuckled, thinking that under a tiger, there can’t be a dog.
He thought he must relay this story to Lord Clausewitz when he returned.
And…
*
The Second Princess, Isabelle, began to regard the noble youth, Kael, with a curious gaze.
What an intriguing man. He looks to be around her age, yet this is his first military deployment. How can he propose such exceptional ideas so readily?
She couldn’t help but act on her curiosity. Calling for her guards, she commanded them to do something.
At the same time, Kael was bowing his head to someone.
“Thank you! Thank you! General Yushin Kim!”