The Conscript Wants to Be Discharged!

Why is the Executioner here?
Such a question dominated a corner of Boris’s mind, raising numerous question marks, but his thoughts didn’t last long.
-Aaaagh!
The sight of one of the soldiers who had followed him to the end falling to the ground with a scream at the sword swung by the Executioner.
“Damn it, think Boris! Use your head!”
Erase unnecessary thoughts, now is the time to find a way to break through the current situation. While he hesitates, the soldiers’ necks will fly off at the sword tip of the madman-like Executioner.
-Hey hey! Push harder!
-How will they be pushed back like that? Put some strength in your ass and push!
-The moment you feel they’re being pushed back, thrust your sword in!
The Executioner’s voice was heard from afar; from his tongue poured words fiercely urging on the royal army soldiers.
‘Is the Executioner already leading a unit?’
Looking back at the scene when Sordan Fortress was lost, it’s natural. Someone who looked like just a conscript killed a knight and broke deep into enemy lines, narrowly avoiding flying spears and swords, ignoring blades digging into his skin through crude armor and slicing people – that sight had plagued his nights with nightmares until recently.
‘He is now the commander leading the unit attacking us.’
Although the exact number of the royal army is unknown, given that it’s a unit led by the Executioner, their combat power can’t be weak. A surprise attack can bring many advantages at the start of a battle, but that’s only possible when there’s confidence in victory.
‘The Executioner must have attempted a surprise attack judging he could finish us off sufficiently. Seeing how quickly they attacked after dealing with Hendrik who went ahead, he must have judged it sufficient.’
Even setting aside the level of the royal army soldiers, if the Executioner’s individual skills shake our formation, the moment the ranks waver, the soldiers who followed the incompetent Begtawen father and son to the end will die.
-Aaaagh!
-Fight! Don’t retreat!
-Hold on! We can’t be pushed back by them!
As blades clashed with each other, they created red dots in the dark space. The sight of torches fallen on the ground and busily swinging in someone’s hand made him dizzy.
‘I’m not confident of victory.’
He wasn’t confident of blocking and repelling the Executioner’s unit. Although the soldiers were fighting while throwing down their luggage, their morale was dampened by the sudden surprise attack, and the enemy’s movements were not ordinary, like their captain. In this situation, Boris wasn’t confident of finding a way to turn the tide.
It’s the worst thought for a commander. No matter how difficult the situation, giving up on the current situation by looking at fragmentary scenes is the act of a coward who throws away the lives of soldiers and turns away from the situation at hand.
“But even among cowards, I should be a slightly better coward.”
Even if he’s not confident, he can’t abandon his soldiers. He can’t leave those who followed him when he fled shamefully, abandoning his homeland, to die futilely here – those who stayed with him even though they felt humiliated by the northerners pointing fingers at them in the cold northern lands.
“Stop! Cease combat!”
Boris’s shout echoed through the dark forest, awakening the minds of soldiers melting into the battlefield’s madness.
“Soldiers of Begtawen, all of you fall back behind me!”
“…Hundred-man Unit, everyone fall back.”
At Boris’s order, as the soldiers retreated hesitantly, the Executioner thankfully stopped his subordinates.
Boris gripped the handle of his sword so hard it might crush. He was about to gamble, and the stakes would be his own life.
‘I am their master. As their commander and lord, I have a duty to protect them.’
It’s just self-consolation. If others saw, they might curse and point fingers at him now as an incompetent person without the ability to reverse the situation.
“I request a duel with the royal army commander! If you know honor, draw your sword and come forward to accept a duel with me!”
Even if he’s a cowardly and incompetent commander, Boris intends to fight as a slightly better lord.

The gate in the palisade opened, and a group of soldiers left the fortress.
“…”
“…”
We watched the direction they were heading, reducing even our breathing sounds, and quietly placed our hands on the handles of our weapons.
“…They’ve moved towards where the decoy team is.”
“Wait for now. Their numbers aren’t many, so two teams should be enough.”
The number of the group that left the fortress was about 30-40. It was difficult to grasp the exact number due to the darkness, but that many left the fortress.
“It seems there was some problem inside.”
“The way they’re going out without even sending scouts, it looks like they’re fleeing.”
“Yes, that number of guys should be able to handle it themselves.”

I believe in my subordinates’ skills. Having come through the front lines together, their skills are those of seasoned soldiers that wouldn’t be embarrassing even to others.

-Aaaagh! It’s an ambush!
-Enemy! Enemy attack!
-Men of the north, show the spirit of the north!
Shortly after the group that left the fortress disappeared into the forest, screams and shouts echoed through the quiet forest, and that commotion subsided quietly after not too long.
‘Will they really come out beyond the palisade?’
The gate that quickly closed after spitting out a group of soldiers showed no sign of moving. They might be afraid to come out since those who went out first were ambushed.
“Do they intend not to come out like this?”
I didn’t answer the team leader’s question. Or rather, it would be correct to say I couldn’t.
‘They had a conflict inside and drove out one group. Are they thinking of using those who went ahead as bait to secure safety on one side and escape in the opposite direction, or are they planning to ambush our soldiers tired from one battle…’
Maybe they were just planning to hold out longer using the increased resources inside the fortress. The appearance of those who came out as if driven out was light; they didn’t seem to have brought out any supplies.
“Anyway, we have the advantage.”
I muttered in a low voice. Maybe I needed reassurance because I was anxious.
Those remaining inside the fortress have only two choices.
Go out, or hold out.
It’s not a rotation that moves fluidly clashing in a wide environment, but the current situation can be sufficiently predicted even with my not-so-agile head. Yet, leading a unit while being responsible for someone’s life is still quite mentally pressuring.
‘Come on, choose quickly.’
If they don’t come out of the fortress, we can just send people to where the reconnaissance cum decoy team is, gather them, and surround again.
But if they come out of the fortress…
“Hundred-man Captain, they’ve opened the gate.”
“Shh! Everyone lie down.”
Their vigilance must be at its peak. We must hide our bodies carefully so they don’t notice even our breathing.
Lying on the ground, I observed their movements through the bushes. The sight of them carefully looking outside was like that of herbivores coming to drink water at a watering hole where predators are present.
After glaring in our direction for a long time, they slowly left the fortress and moved in the opposite direction from where the first group went out.
“Wait.”
We shouldn’t move yet.
“Wait a bit more.”
Even though the enemy’s rear has finally left the fortress, it’s still too early.
“Wait a bit more, wait a bit longer.”
I’m talking to myself. We must wait carefully because if we miss the opportunity due to a moment’s judgment, the lives of our subordinates will also be in danger.
“…Now! Kill them all!!”
Seeing the rebels’ rear quite far from the fortress and approaching a distance where our Hundred-man Unit could attack in one breath, I shouted at the top of my lungs.
“Uwaaaah!”
“Kill the rebel bastards!”
“Death to Baudouin the traitor’s dogs!”
My subordinates following behind me, who jumped up at once and ran out breaking through the bushes, charged towards the enemy while shouting battle cries filled with their fighting spirit.
-Thud!
“Aaaagh!”
I kicked off the ground, jumped up high, and pushed away the chest of a rebel blocking my way with my foot.
“You damn bastards! It’s because of you that I can’t get discharged!!”
It might be something completely unrelated to them. In a way, they too might be people caught up in the family feud between the prince and the king’s brother, dragged along.
“Die! Die! Die!”
But what’s important now is not that, but cutting down the enemy and saving my subordinates, which is my top priority task.
Slightly, but I thrust my sword tip through the gap in the line that had opened, and swung my sword mercilessly.
The presence of subordinates supporting my back allowed me to move forward even more fiercely, so there was no time to hesitate.
The weapon in the enemy’s hand flew off at my swung sword.
The thrust sword tip accurately pierced the seam of the opponent’s armor.
At my merciless and crude sword strikes, the enemies blocking my way lay on the ground spewing blood one by one, and as my following subordinates gradually crushed the enemy’s ranks, a voice presumed to be the enemy’s leader rang out from afar.
-Stop! Cease combat!
-Soldiers of Begtawen, all of you fall back behind me!
Why is he pulling back his soldiers?
“…Hundred-man Unit, everyone fall back.”
Not knowing what kind of dagger they might throw, I pulled my subordinates back.
“I request a duel with the royal army commander! If you know honor, draw your sword and come forward to accept a duel with me!”
The appearance of the person who came forward requesting a duel was clearly that of a noble. The armor he wore had many small scratches but was sufficiently excellent, and the longsword in his hand seemed to be made of good iron, reflecting the light of the fallen torches with a good color, and judging by the worn handle, it must be a weapon he had used for a long time.
“My name is Boris Begtawen, son of Luke Begtawen and current head of the Begtawen family. May I ask your name?”
Neither oppressive nor arrogant, he showed a kind of respect rather than trying to crush me with his noble dignity, which made me curious.
‘He knows me.’
I’m not sure where we’ve met, but since the opponent showed minimum courtesy, I had to show corresponding behavior.
“I am Yujin, son of a farmer from Dagress village in the royal territory, Lord Boris Begtawen.”
“So I finally learn the name of the Executioner of Sordan Fortress. Thank you for pulling back your soldiers, Yujin.”
It seems the noble before me had seen me inside the fortress when Sordan Fortress fell.
‘Executioner? What’s with that ominous nickname.’
Did such a nickname circulate among the defeated soldiers who fled from us at that time? While I was thinking this, Boris opened his mouth.
“I’m grateful that you know honor and pulled back your soldiers, accepting my duel request.”
“How can you elevate a commoner so? It’s just a strategic judgment.”
“Judging by your speech, you seem well-learned.”
“I merely imitate the conversations of high-ranking people that I’ve overheard, it’s not so.”
Even in this brief exchange, we didn’t loosen the grip on our weapons. Our eyes watching each other were still full of tension, and we were quickly scanning each other to catch even the smallest movement.
“The reason I requested a duel, one-on-one combat with you, is one: because I know your excellence.”
“…”
“If we had continued fighting with your subordinates, defeat would have been certain. So the reason I risked danger to request a duel is just one: if I win, let us go.”
“If I win, what will you do?”
“The fate of the loser is the winner’s right, but if I may make a shameless request, please capture only me and release my subordinates.”
At Boris’s answer, the soldiers standing behind him exclaimed in dismay.
-That can’t be!
-We cannot abandon the head of the Begtawen family and leave!
-We’d rather fight and die together than leave our master behind.
“…What benefit is that to me? I could just cut everyone down with my sword and capture you all.”
“I know. If I’m defeated, relying on your mercy is all I can do.”
Boris turned back for a moment and took in the sight of his soldiers.
“They met incompetent masters, left their homeland, and went through all sorts of hardships in the north. They’re no different from those captured by you. If they have any crime, it’s only that they didn’t run away from their incompetent master, and naturally, the master should take responsibility for the subordinates’ crimes. So if there’s any crime to ask of them, it’s all my crime.”
“So you want me to release them?”
“They were captured by wretched people and separated from their homeland and families. Even if they took up swords, how can they be criminals? I don’t need mercy for myself, but please let them return to their homeland.”
It’s nonsensical. How can one say they haven’t committed crimes when they’ve taken up weapons, harmed others, and taken lives? In the same sense, I don’t think of myself as clean either.
‘Sometimes I hear someone’s screams in my dreams, how can I say I have no sin?’
I can’t say I’m innocent with my own mouth since a great original sin that I can’t shake off still constricts me. The soldiers of the Hundred-man Unit know this, the rebels with their hands on their weapons behind Boris know this, and Boris himself must know that his words are just a hollow excuse.
But.
“…How romantic.”
“?”
Boris’s head tilted slightly as he looked at me suddenly mentioning romance.
“Alright, Lord Boris Begtawen. As you say, I won’t touch your subordinates.”
“…Thank you.”
It’s a battlefield strewn with blood and death, a battlefield where screams and mockery flow, a battlefield full of sorrow and pain.
Even if it’s a bit forced and doesn’t make sense.
I felt it might be okay to go along with a bit of romance wafting from the chivalry and noblesse oblige of a man who put himself down for those who follow him.
“Royal army affiliate, Hundred-man Captain of Sordan Fortress, Yujin, son of farmer Johan.”
I extended my sword forward and took a middle stance.
“Head of the Begtawen family, Boris, son of Luke Begtawen.”
After exchanging somewhat embarrassing formal introductions, we swung our swords towards each other.