I’m Just an Ordinary Academy Student

16 – The Kempf Antipathy ‘Truth’ Also Disappears

In the moment just before falling into a deep sleep, a sudden loud noise was heard.

The train shook violently, and screams of passengers echoed from behind.

Unless it was a secret camera or something, there was undoubtedly a big accident.

“Ueoeoeoeok!”

Listening to the screams of Lieutenant Mege, I quickly organized the current situation.

First. The possibility of a train accident. The probability is not very low.

However, the Empire’s trains are not simple steam engines; they are a fusion of science and magic.

Even if there is a problem, magical devices prevent most accidents.

But now? It doesn’t look normal, no matter how you look at it.

The noise is one thing, but the crew members who should be spreading information about the situation are nowhere to be seen.

If not, the possibilities move on to the next one. A very, very shitty situation.

‘Terrorism.’

This is currently the most likely scenario. So, who is the mastermind behind this terror?

There are three possibilities in the context. Two are the kingdoms adjacent to the Empire, Lasker and Averest.

‘But their reasons are too weak.’

Even if the relationship between the Empire and these two countries is a bit awkward, they wouldn’t go to such extremes.

Moreover, Lasker has been famous for its knights since ancient times, and Averest is a place where magic has risen.

What this means is that it’s not a place devoid of even a hint of self-respect, enough to orchestrate terrorism.

Therefore, the most rational conclusion in the current situation is this:

“Damn it. Those damn Kampf bastards.”

The empire, after waging wars until recently but ultimately facing a massive retreat.

An ominous situation where even from their own kin, the Hyzens, with differing intentions, there’s utter disdain.

Amidst all this, creating a pretext to divide the empire and the elves is imperative.

Whichever way you look at it, it’s the Kampfs. The damn elves of the Meppa, the rogues of the Ruzens were undoubtedly behind this.

And just as if to confirm my expectations, another scream echoes from the quarters.

“Aaaah!”

“Shut your mouths, you inferior humans!”

“Hey, elves! Elves!!”

“I said shut your mouths! Everyone, shut up! I can make you all die!”

This nonsense to innocent civilians. But well, hatred towards the Kampfs is almost scientific.

Seeing them, one could undoubtedly say truth itself has drowned in a sea of nonsense.

“Sergeant Magee.”

“Yes, yes.”

“You have your pistol, right? Prepare it.”

“A-a-are we, are we going to fight?”

“Of course. What are we, soldiers of the empire? We’re here to protect the imperial citizens in situations like this. That’s our purpose, whether you like it or not, whether it’s frightening or not, it’s what must be done.”

It’s a bit unfair. Of all days, it had to be on a weekend.

Even after discharge, I have to deal with those damn Kampfs.

At least when I was a soldier, I got paid for it, but not anymore. What a world.

But it’s okay. Strangely, I feel lighter than when I had to go with the four protagonists.

Those damn Kampfs. Those bastards who devoured the lives of dozens of our company members.

Because of them, those who shouldn’t have died, died. Those who shouldn’t have been hurt, got hurt.

It could have been resolved through dialogue without a fight. The doves, the Hyzens, were proof of that.

The empire also wanted negotiations rather than shedding meaningless blood.

But those Ruzens’ Kampf bastards threw that away. They threw all sorts of madness and insisted on fighting.

“Sergeant Magee, do you have any real combat experience?”

“I-I-I’m sorry. I-I don’t, don’t have any. None at all.”

“Then just cover me. I’ll take care of the front, so all Lieutenant Mege has to do is shoot the goblins running at me.”

“Oh, uh….”

“No need to obsess over killing. Forget about aiming for the head. Just focus on the torso, preferably the chest. Or even the stomach works.”

In my past life, headshots were just a fantasy reserved for games. In reality, hitting the torso seemed impressive enough when aiming at a target.

Especially with the guns here, hitting the head accurately was a skill only mastered by seasoned marksmen.

“Can I really do well? I, I don’t have much experience….”

“Have you had shooting training? It’s the same. Just think of it as shooting at a target. A moving target. But now, it makes noise too.”

“Uh, ugh….”

Looking at Lieutenant Mege, who seemed on the verge of losing consciousness, I felt more pity than frustration.

I must have been the same way at first. No, I was one hundred percent like that.

Even if I lived a soldier’s life in my past life, I never shot a gun to personally kill someone.

No one had ever fallen, covered in blood, from the bullets I sent flying.

“Lieutenant Mege.”

“Uh, uuh….”

“Lieutenant Mege.”

“Yes, yes.”

“Pull yourself together. Do you want to die? If you don’t kill, you’ll die. Do you have a family?”

When the lieutenant nodded, I smiled. This worked out well.

Having some lingering emotions makes one fight better. You need a reason to live to truly survive.

The first to fall on the battlefield isn’t the guy whining and clinging to life.

It’s the one who forgets fear and boldly charges forward, receiving a baptism of bullets.

You don’t forget fear; you overcome it. That’s how you survive.

And the reason to overcome it. For Lieutenant Mege, it’s his family.

“Think about your family. You have to live. To live, shoot. Shoot and hit. Every time you hit, you take one step closer to your family. Think of it that way. That’s enough.”

Even though he’s an officer, explaining it like that seemed to bring him back to his senses somewhat.

After nodding, he gripped the greatsword he carried with him every day.

The damn goblin blood had to stain the gift the squad leader gave him. Damn it.

“Let’s go. Time to work.”

*

“The only remaining way to maintain the sanctuary is to reignite the extinguished flames, this time even more fiercely, so that no one can extinguish them.”

“You are patriots, martyrs. Act without fear. The forest will cradle you!”

Listening to the commander’s words, the young elves struggled to contain the tension building in their chests.

The Empire. The loathsome Empire. The Empire that brought shame to our forest kin.

Instead of fighting those invading scoundrels, our foolish kin are shouting for peace.

It was all detestable. Why must we bow our heads? Why, exactly?

Children of the great forest. We, the elves, far superior to those inferior humans.

Should we acknowledge their superiority just because their numbers are slightly fewer?

The defeated youths, soaked in despair, were easily manipulated by the aged ones.

“You are the hope,” they whispered, “you can change things.” And handed them guns, swords, and magical bombs.

“Don’t look back! Sit down! Sit down!”

Embh, among those currently shouting at the passengers of the Imperial train, was one of them.

“The target is the Imperial train. There is something heading towards the Academy. Seize it and explode when you reach the Academy station. Let not only them but also their children know the terror of our forest’s children. Make them pay with more blood, more screams!”

“If that happens, the Empire will cast off its mask. Even foolish kin will recognize their true selves, reflect on the past, and join us again for the glorious holy war!”

In truth, Embh didn’t care about convincing his kin or the holy war.

He just hated the Empire. He naturally grew to hate it as curses against the Empire echoed from all directions.

Why he hated it, he no longer knew. The word ‘Empire’ just brought the word ‘evil’ to mind.

So he volunteered. Even though the fear of death crept up, he steadfastly raised his head.

Even when he killed a human crew member earlier, he briefly felt guilt, but he suppressed it with all his might.

Everything was just for the sake of his kin, as the commander said, nothing more.

Without even considering whether his kin wanted war or peace.

“We need to occupy the front car! Where the engine is!”

“Move! Keep moving!”

Half of the twenty or so elves stayed in each compartment, guarding two at a time.

The rest continued forward, subduing the crew members and heading towards the engine room.

There were a few Imperial soldiers along the way, but overwhelmed by numbers, they could do nothing.

“Engine room! Where is the engine room?”

“Eek! B-beyond the first-class compartment! P-please spare me! Spare me!”

“If you want to live, shut up and kneel on the floor! Let’s go! Brothers and sisters!”

At the leader’s command, Embrh briskly moved alongside his comrades.

And the moment he opened the door to the special compartment—

Bang!—

The leader collapsed, flames and thunder roaring, unable even to scream.

There, a tense Imperial soldier with a pistol in hand appeared.

“Uh, ugh!”

Desperately attempting to reload, but it was not as easy as it sounded.

As the elves, initially frozen in shock, rushed forward in anger upon witnessing the scene—

“Thunk!”

Suddenly, a man fell from the ceiling, striking down one of the elves.

Another elf instinctively attacked, but the man effortlessly evaded, grabbing the opponent’s arm and, simultaneously, plunged the greatsword held beneath the armpit deeply, piercing through.

“Aaaah!”

Crimson blood gushed out as the impaled elf staggered backward.

Just once. He had stabbed only once, yet he couldn’t restrain the elf properly.

“Hoz!”

Embrh’s close comrade, bleeding, collapsed.

With his eyes rolling back, Embrh harbored only one thought: to kill that man.

The space was cramped, making shooting difficult. Then, just like the man, with a knife—

Slash!—

The man forcefully lifted his leg without a hint of hesitation.

“Ugh!”

Amidst the excruciating pain as if his body was tearing apart, Embrh fell, clutching his groin.