Future Knight [EN]: Chapter 84

퓨쳐나이트 84

Because they were at the center of the bizarre incident that occurred in the middle of the night, Kang Chan, as the de facto leader, felt responsible for introducing them.

However, since the opponent was a Sword Master, even Tollen, as a regular army commander, had to show Kang Chan the utmost respect.

“I apologize for the disturbance. These are friends who have come to assist with the war effort.”

“Ah, is that so? I am Tollen, in charge of commanding the conscripts here.”

Upon hearing that the Sword Master’s friends had come to help with the battle, Tollen showed the two dazzlingly beautiful women the utmost courtesy.

“Sorry for the disturbance.”

“Ah, no, not at all. Thank you so much for coming to such a humble place.”

At Elrika’s polite apology, Tollen blushed, clearly flustered by her beauty.

“Hmph! I guess you know it’s a humble place.”

“Shut up!”

Tollen dismissed the troops with a thunderous voice.

“Everyone, dismiss! Return to the barracks! Quickly, quickly!”

“Ah…”

“Damn it…”

The soldiers, who wished to admire the beautiful women a little longer, couldn’t hide their disappointment.

However, they had no choice but to return to the barracks at the fiery commander’s order.

Tollen, having dismissed all the troops, hurriedly returned to his own quarters to report the appearance of these extraordinary individuals to his superiors.

After Kang Chan arrived, the lives of the conscripts completely changed.

In the past, during lulls in the fighting, they would sit quietly, worried about their empty stomachs, praying that this nightmarish war would end as soon as possible.

But now it was different.

They gathered in groups of three or five and diligently practiced something.

It was the close combat technique that Kang Chan had drilled relentlessly during his time in the Space Force.

To be precise, it wasn’t strictly close combat, but a modified version of iron combat that Kang Chan had slightly adapted for use with two-handed iron mallets.

After annihilating the green elves, he armed the conscripts with the captured iron mallets and axes and taught them the corresponding combat techniques.

When Kang Chan first told them he would teach them iron combat, they were surprised.

Who wouldn’t be surprised when a Sword Master offered to teach them techniques?

This was an incredible stroke of luck.

Even if you searched the entire continent, you wouldn’t find 100 people who had received direct instruction from a Sword Master.

They received Kang Chan’s teachings with determined faces, and even during breaks, they voluntarily went to the training ground to practice iron combat.

Rather than advanced swordsmanship that required extensive theoretical knowledge and long-term proficiency, the simple iron combat, which could be quickly learned and easily applied, had a tremendous impact.

Iron combat, consisting of 18 simple basic movements, like close combat, utilized one of the iron mallets in both hands for defense and the other for attack. Since each movement was naturally linked to a kick, it was an excellent military technique that could catch the enemy off guard in close combat.

They didn’t yet know that this iron combat would prove invaluable in future melee engagements.

“Hey! Let’s eat and then get back to it!”

“What’s for lunch?”

“I heard it’s potato and meat stew!”

“Meat stew! Oh, my mouth is already watering!”

Their rations were also completely different from the past.

Compared to the rock-hard rye bread and watery cabbage soup that used to be served twice a day, this was a truly heavenly menu.

The reason their rations had improved so much was all thanks to Kang Chan.

The Sorpen Alliance was generously providing military supplies to make a good impression on Kang Chan.

The Sorpen Alliance was a wealthy country with no shortage of money, as it was a nation of merchants.

Thanks to this, the emaciated conscripts were returning to their former healthy selves.

To them, Kang Chan was no different from a savior.

26. Vacation

“Lord Kang Chan and Loki have been issued reward vacation passes.”

“I don’t need it.”

“Still, this is an order from above.”

“I don’t want to go on vacation. Give it to someone else besides me.”

“Conscripts can’t use it unless it’s them…”

Conscripts originally didn’t have vacations.

They either left by dying or when the war ended.

“Then just discard it.”

“Um, I understand for now. I’ll report that to my superiors.”

As Tollen left, the conscripts in the same barracks looked at Kang Chan with envious eyes.

“Vacation… I’m jealous.”

“If only I could leave this hell even for a moment…”

Everyone seemed very envious.

There was no way they, who had been forcibly conscripted, would have a vacation.

For them to go outside was only possible when the war ended or they died.

Leaving those who envied him behind, Loki asked.

“What’s a vacation?”

“It’s going outside for a while to rest.”

“Go outside and rest? So, you’re saying go play?”

“Well, something like that?”

“Then why aren’t you going?”

“I don’t particularly want to play.”

Kang Chan had come all the way here to kill the green elves.

Vacation for such a Kang Chan… He didn’t really feel like it.

But Loki was not of the same mind.

“I’m going out.”

“You want to go out?”

“Yeah!”

‘Um… I can’t send Loki out alone, who doesn’t know the ways of the world.’

Of course, Kang Chan didn’t know the ways of the world either, but he was confident that he knew better than Loki.

But when he thought about it carefully, he felt like he had unintentionally dragged Loki into his war.

Zekeon was with him because of the game. Elrika was also with him for revenge.

But Loki was not.

Of course, none of them were being forcibly held by him.

They had chosen it.

But he couldn’t help but be concerned.

‘I should suggest the three of them go somewhere without me.’

But none of them would go on vacation without Kang Chan.

“What are you talking about? Why aren’t you going?”

“That’s right, Lord Kang Chan should go too.”

Loki also urged.

“Let’s go together.”

“Is this the time for me to enjoy a vacation? The guys who killed Jeina are right in front of me.”

“What does that have to do with vacation? It’s a vacation you rightfully earned by killing those guys.”

“That’s right.”

“The green elves won’t go anywhere just because you go on vacation for a few days, will they?”

“That’s right.”

“Go play as if to show off and kill them even harder. Then it will be a more rewarding revenge.”

“That’s right. And Lord Kang Chan, if it’s the Jeina I knew, she would be very sad to see you become such an avatar of revenge and not take care of yourself.”

‘Um… I shouldn’t have said anything. I didn’t even get my money’s worth. Well, it’s not like I can’t get revenge just because I rest for a few days…’

Half-resigned, Kang Chan said.

“Okay, I give up. Vacation, let’s go.”

“Yahoo!”

“Hooray!”

That’s how Kang Chan unintentionally went on his first vacation.

“Then where shall we go?”

“What is there to see on the battlefield? The Visman Empire is right next to this Helion Kingdom. How about going to the capital of the Visman Empire?”

“Not bad.”

Bellaren, the capital of the strongest empire on the Arkandor continent, the Visman Empire.

It wouldn’t be bad to see it at least once.

But no one mentioned Edeline.

“Whatever.”

“If Lord Kang Chan likes it, I like it too.”

“Then is it unanimously decided that this vacation will be to Bellaren?”

“Wow! Vacation!”

“Let’s go right away while we’re at it.”

“Now?”

“Why? Is there a problem?”

“No matter what, we have to report to the superior before we go. This is the military.”

At Kang Chan’s words, Zekeon, who couldn’t possibly see humans as superiors, said coldly.

“Is that your superior, not my superior?”

“Anyway, I’ll go report, so everyone pack your bags.”

“Bags? What bags?”

Well, what would they bring, having come empty-handed?

“Should I go with you?”

“No, I’ll go report alone. Loki, stay here.”

“Okay.”

So, when Kang Chan went to his superior and said he would use his rejected vacation, for some reason, his face brightened extremely.

Perhaps he was quite embarrassed that he couldn’t send Kang Chan on vacation.

“I didn’t ask how many days of vacation it was because I didn’t think I was going earlier, but how many days is the vacation?”

“Well, the battalion commander’s reward is 4 nights and 5 days, the regimental commander’s reward is 5 nights and 6 days, the division commander’s reward is 14 nights and 15 days…”

“Wait a minute! What did you say? How many nights?”

‘Damn it, how many days is that all together? Are you telling me to come back after the war is over?’

“Roughly about a month…”

“Is it that long?”

“I haven’t even told you about the corps commander’s reward yet.”

“How many days is that?”

“24 nights and 25 days.”

“…….”

“Is there anyone who hasn’t given a reward vacation?”

“Everyone except His Excellency Duke Jaijin, the Supreme Commander of the Continental Allied Forces, has given a reward vacation. And this, this… I…”

What he shyly took out were two overnight passes.

“With two passes, you can stay out 1 night a day.”

That was the best reward he could give within his discretion.

But even that was a burden to Kang Chan, who was already in a vacation overload.

“I’ll just take the thought.”

“Is, is that so? If you ever need it, tell me anytime.”

“I will. But by any chance, do I have to use it all at once?”

“No. You can use it one at a time.”

“Whew….”

That was fortunate.

If Zekeon had been next to him, he would have definitely encouraged him to burn it all at once, saying, ‘If you’re a man, you have to burn it all at once, burning up!’

‘I’m glad I came alone.’

“I understand. Then I’ll just use one for 4 nights and 5 days.”

“I understand. And this…”

The officer handed over a heavy pouch.

“What’s this again?”

“It’s a reward.”

When he opened it, it was full of gold coins.

He didn’t know the value of the currency here well, but he could tell at a glance that it was not a small amount.

“Well… you shouldn’t have.”

“It’s what you deserve for the merits Lord Kang Chan has accumulated. Go out on vacation and use it to your heart’s content.”

“I understand.”

When he picked up the reward money and returned to Zekeon’s barracks, everyone was waiting for Kang Chan, having finished preparing.

“Then shall we go?”

“Let’s do it.”

“Move!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Kang Chan, Zekeon, Elrika, and Loki disappeared from the barracks.

That’s how Kang Chan unexpectedly went on vacation as soon as he enlisted.

The next day.

A rare sight unfolded in front of the conscript barracks.

Four-horse carriages sent by the knight orders of each royal palace were waiting for Kang Chan to go on vacation.

This was the purpose of scattering so many vacation passes.

To win the favor of the Sword Master.

They spared no expense and made full preparations for a life of luxury.

‘Hehehe… First, win their favor with the finest liquor, the best beauties, and delicacies, and then, if you use a huge amount of wealth and titles as bait, what kind of saint can withstand that temptation?’

The envoys of each kingdom in charge of recruitment each had confident expressions.

They had received a special order from the king not to spare the kingdom’s resources to recruit him.

An old king without an heir had even offered his position as heir as a condition.

It was a scene that showed how high the status of a Sword Master was in the human world.

But the person who was actually leaving on vacation was nowhere to be seen.

It was obvious.

Kang Chan was now in the middle of Bellaren city.

So, whether they were burning out or not, Kang Chan and his party were leisurely walking around the city.