Surviving on the Northern Front with Gukbap

Chapter 102 : Into the Storm (4)

Into the Storm (4)

The first time all the employees of Happiness Gukbap gathered for a company dinner.

Plerine approached Ian first and spoke.

"More, boss. Hurry."

Ian looked at the empty bowl in Plerine's hand, shook his head, and went back into the kitchen.

"I'll have to make more. For now, help yourself with what's left."

It might have sounded like an annoyed tone at a glance,

but Plerine knew that Ian was just embarrassed.

After that, Plerine continued to enjoy the gathering.

She bickered again with Naba,

scolded Clara to stop telling dirty jokes,

and sneaked a spark onto Harper's back when he, the April Employee of the Month, claimed that it was his turn.

"Aagh!!"

Drunk Harper thought it was just static, so she almost did it again but decided not to.

Instead, she watched Clara and Naba's dagger-throwing bet,

all the while secretly observing the boss and Flaco.

'They're surprisingly serious, those two.'

She had heard from Naba about their relationship.

In fact, it could be seen as the boss tricking and using Flaco.

But Plerine didn't say much because she was on the boss's side.

A boss too clever to be just human.

If the boss made that kind of relationship after weighing things, then there was no need for her to meddle.

But then,

'Hm?'

The air between the two changed.

She had been thinking of something else, and the other employees were so loud she missed part of the conversation.

'What did they say...?'

The invisible wall was gone.

The physical distance was the same as before, but

it felt as if they'd become closer.

'Is it a change in their relationship?'

It was surprising how dramatically hearts could change.

Thinking of that, the past suddenly came to mind.

Naturally, the Tower Master came to mind.

A stabbing pain, like being pricked with needles, throbbed near her solar plexus.

The mana hall threatened to surge.

Wuuung. Wuung.

Plerine decided to find peace of mind immediately.

She recalled the happiest memory of her life.

Plerine was quite surprised inside.

Instead of the usual memory she used to calm herself, a different scene came to her mind.

'... When the boss asked me not to leave?'

Remembering that made her feel all warm and fuzzy. It made her unbelievably happy.

Her heart felt cozy and her mana settled.

'How funny. I was happier before I recovered my memories, but now my happiest memory happened after regaining them.'

Maybe that's why the Tower Master always said such things.

The flower that blooms after much hardship is the most beautiful.

Is that why she wanted to stay by the boss's side?

Overcoming hard times, with smiles, sharing delicious meals—

'Because the boss is like a flower blooming after many trials.'

Just thinking about it filled her with emotion and happiness.

But then someone had to interrupt.

"Huh? Plerine, why are you suddenly laughing? I didn't know you could smile so prettily~"

"Oooooh~! What's this Plerine, you were always pretty but when you really smile you're crazy pretty! Like a third princess or something?!"

Naba and Clara fussed,

but before they could even finish, Plerine had already returned to a blank expression.

'Oops, I ended up zoning out and smiling without realizing.'

On the inside, Plerine was extremely flustered,

but Naba and Clara happily shouted.

"One more time!"

"One more time!"

The other employees joined in too,

without even knowing what they were demanding.

"One more time!"

"One more time!"

In the end, Plerine stood up abruptly.

She was still expressionless,

and the employees, thinking Plerine was angry, immediately pretended they were doing something else.

"Clara. I'm going to get some fresh air."

With that, Plerine turned and stepped out of the shop,

and Clara shrugged and muttered.

"Whatever. Okay! Let's drink more without her!!"

.

.

.

Sa-bak. Sa-bak.

Plerine walked the dark night streets of Granfen.

Sa...bak.

Her steps grew quieter as she moved, avoiding others' gaze.

At the same time, Plerine was quite surprised by her own actions.

But she didn't stop.

'I have to protect them.'

If someone asked which period was happier, before or after regaining her memories, she would have said before.

But that didn't mean she was unhappy now.

'Compared to when I was at the Magic Tower, at least.'

So Plerine now wanted to protect something.

The boss, and our shop.

The relationships she had built in this village.

If she could keep them and help them grow, she would do anything.

But to do so, she had to eliminate the biggest threat. Namely,

'I have to get rid of Schutmann.'

That was why Plerine was heading to headquarters.

Of course, there were too many uncertainties.

That's why, two days before, she had tried to persuade the boss.

― Killing him won't solve everything. He's a squire. If he dies, other factors could enter the picture. Let's focus on alerting the battalion commander first, just cautiously keeping watch.

So she created a code and sent a secret pigeon.

Two days passed.

The situation hadn't changed since then. Everything was the same.

But one thing, and only one thing, had changed—Plerine's heart.

After eating the original Happiness Gukbap a second time,

after seeing the boss and Flaco's relationship change,

after sharing happy times with the employees,

her mind had changed.

'If I can get rid of Schutmann even if it means sacrificing myself, and protect the boss and the shop that way, I don't care about anything else.'

She must handle it herself, without dragging the boss in.

With that resolve, Plerine arrived at headquarters.

She dodged the guards' gaze and slipped inside,

intending to use mana to sense (energy) and search for Schutmann.

Of course, for a mage this was not an easy skill.

Especially since Schutmann was skilled in stealth-type skills,

she intuitively knew the process of finding him would not be easy.

She did not give up, however.

She was sure Schutmann would be at headquarters.

She had never imagined that at that very moment, Schutmann was at the shop meeting Ian.

She couldn't give up.

Plerine searched the place, avoiding the guards' eyes.

And finally,

her restless body came to a stop when she saw a man.

A sigh she couldn't let out lingered in her mouth.

'Ah.'

A man was lying on a bed, sleeping.

Of course, it was a normal time to be in bed,

but Plerine instinctively knew that he had been unconscious for a very long time.

"......"

She moved toward the man without making a sound.

Two thirds of his face were wrapped in bandages.

She couldn't recognize him, but Plerine knew exactly who he was.

'Company Commander Devanne.'

Her memories after the mana rampage weren't perfect, but she remembered this man vividly.

She had made him like this.

Her heart ached.

'That's why... That's why I tried to leave when my memories returned.'

She felt foolish for letting herself be stopped by Ian when he told her not to leave.

And she still didn't want to go.

But what if, by some miracle, Company Commander Devanne woke up?

'No.'

Everything she had built with the boss would come to nothing.

That must never happen.

Plerine drew a knife of plasma-shaped fire from the edge of her palm. Jiiiiing.

She came to kill Schutmann, but what difference would it make if she killed one more?

Besides, since this man was lying here merely surviving, death might be better for him.

With that in mind, Plerine slowly brought the blade to Devanne's throat—

"Ugh. Ugh..."

A groan came from Devanne's lips.

He seemed to be having a nightmarish dream,

then murmured almost inaudibly in his sleep.

"Pro...tect..."

At those words, Plerine's hand stopped.

The magic at the edge of her palm dissipated.

And again, Plerine's hand moved.

Carefully, she pulled back the bandages.

Extreme burn scars were revealed.

Some spots had started to decay.

The man was hanging onto life by the thinnest thread.

But his breath was strong.

Saaaak. Saaaak.

The man's fierce persistence could be felt.

Back then, Devanne, too, must have fought to protect something, much like Plerine now.

He was holding on with that same protective focus.

'That's why he's trapped in such a painful dream even now.'

Thunk.

A drop of water fell on the blanket.

Tears had started to flow without her even realizing it, and they wouldn't stop.

Thunk. Plop.

No matter how long she waited,

they kept flowing.

"......"

In the end, Plerine neither killed Schutmann nor found him, and returned to the shop.

*

Looking back on those days.

After hearing the news of a duel with Pab, Plerine had said—

― That duel opponent. Should I sneak off and kill him for you?

Even those words were reassuring.

But I told her not to.

Partly to protect what I had built,

but honestly, there was a bigger reason.

'I just felt like I would win the duel, and I wanted to win.'

Thinking about it now, it was pathetic.

I used to think it was a rational decision to protect what I had built and my relationships with people,

but actually, it wasn't that at all.

Yes, I've always been this way.

Always pretending to weigh this and that, being logical and calculating,

but when it mattered, I just did whatever I felt like.

And this decision was the same.

"Let's go kill Schutmann tonight."

I said that in the kitchen, with only Plerine present and Team Voice on.

"If we attack at the same time, it'll be fine. I'll draw his attention."

Then, about three seconds later,

I heard a cold voice he couldn't believe belonged to Plerine.

"Are you serious? The night before we deploy?"

It was the reaction I expected.

This IS sudden; Plerine, who said they shouldn't kill Schutmann.

So now I had to convince her.

"Didn't you sense something weird that night at the company dinner?"

At my question, Plerine was silent for a long time before finally speaking.

"Not at all. Why? Did something happen?"

With that, even the faint hope that Plerine knew but had just pretended not to was gone.

"That night, Schutmann came into my room."

Again, Plerine visibly flinched.

She probably never imagined she could fail to sense it.

"He threatened me directly through Brain Voice. Said if I made a sound, he'd kill you first, then everyone else."

Hearing that, the air around Plerine became icy.

She kept silent, as if she had decided just to listen, so I continued.

"He said after this war, Granfen will disappear. It was all decided, he said...and told me to run away, that he'd let me live."

Shaking.

I hadn't realized it, but my tightly clenched fists were trembling.

Even just saying it was making me more and more furious.

"That's enough. I can't stand by any longer."

"......"

"I don't know what kind of trick he has up his sleeve, but now that I know, we have to stop him. You can do it, Plerine. I'll help you."

I explained at length,

but Plerine only muttered, "Somehow," as if pieces were falling into place in her mind.

I waited quietly, but—

"That's a relief."

But the answer that came from Plerine was something I had never even imagined.

I couldn't even guess what kind of expression I was making right now.

"What do you mean, 'a relief'! He said Granfen is going to vanish!"

I must have been really frustrated.

I was even shouting at this pitch.

Of course, if it weren't for the Team Voice magic, I would have held it in.

"That's why, Plerine! We have to kill Schutmann tonight. Let's do it!"

"...?"

Suddenly, Plerine pulled her upper body back slightly—an unusual gesture.

But it made sense.

I was surprised by the situation myself.

'When did I grab her hand?'

Without realizing, I was holding Plerine's hand as I pleaded.

Hmm.

Now that I thought about it, if it was Plerine, there's no way she couldn't have dodged if she wanted to.

But that didn't matter; it would be more awkward to let go now.

I pulled Plerine's hand and said,

"As your boss, this is an order, Plerine."

How long did we look at each other like that?

Slowly, Plerine opened her mouth.

"Geez, dummy."

Whack. With that sound, pain shot through my shin.

Tears pricked his eyes, and I could only hop painfully.

"Ugh, what! Why?!"

I asked, full of frustration,

but Plerine had returned to her usual self, folding her arms.

Her air of composure proved it.

"Didn't I tell you last time, if something happens, tell me RIGHT away~?"

Yeah, she did.

If anything dangerous, unusual, secret, or suspicious happened, tell her immediately.

So she could prepare for danger.

'I even drilled it into everyone during the meeting with Zaiya and Ricky.'

She'd even said she'd scold anyone who kept it inside and didn't say anything right away.

Still, now that I'd been hit, the blood that had rushed to my heart dispersed, and my reason returned.

"I'm sorry. I was wrong."

I coolly apologized to Plerine and continued.

"But why did you say 'that's a relief' earlier?"

At that, Plerine replied, as if she couldn't believe me.

"Schutmann said he'd spare your life, boss. That means at least your safety is guaranteed, right?"

Oh. Is that how it works—

But Plerine spoke on, without changing expression.

"Then there's nothing to worry about when we go to the battlefield. The battalion commander won't put the boss up front, Schutmann won't kill the boss, either. So it's totally fine."

Wait, that's a dangerous comment.

That's like a "Congratulations, compulsory military service!" ad.

"Fine, let's say I'm safe. But Granfen is in danger. He said Granfen is going to disappear, I'm telling you!"

"Hmmm. But, you know. Is it even possible to make Granfen disappear?"

Seriously—a woman whose thoughts he could never guess.

Frustration maxed out, he tilted his head,

and Plerine grinned.

"When you have a mage like me, who's going to dare erase Granfen, huh?"

... Ah. Now I understood.

So that was what she meant.

I was left speechless.

"Don't worry about Granfen, boss. No matter what, I'll protect it."

She was right.

I and Granfen had a 6th-circle mage in their ranks.

They wouldn't fall easily to an ordinary threat.

And Schutmann wouldn't kill me, either.

There was no imminent threat.

I had just scared myself.

"Get it now, silly boss?"

As the fear of Schutmann began to fade, a warmth spread in me.

Only then did I realize Plerine was nowhere to be seen.

Plerine... Plerine...

"Don't get hurt, and come back healthy, boss."

She was hugging me.

Since ancient times, Korea has been known as the Land of Courtesy in the East, a strictly Confucian country, even having a saying that "boys and girls over the age of seven should not sit together."

And yet—

'What is this situation?'

Why can't my brain read the situation instantly? It's truly lamentable, but since it wasn't too difficult to figure out, I quickly caught on to the flow.

First, Plerine was hugging me. She gently stroked the back of my head—tap, tap, taap—tickling my ear.

"Don't get hurt, and come back healthy, boss."

...... Just what are you doing right now, Plerine?

My thoughts of Schutmann faded, and anger flared up first.

'How dare you hug the boss as if handling a child?!'

But I could only think it; I couldn't say it out loud.

After all, I'd been the one to make the first move.

'I was the one who grabbed her hand and pulled her abruptly.'

Damn. The boss and subordinate hugging.

I wondered if there was a labor office in the Duchy,

When suddenly, I recalled a conversation I had with Dunbell after our cooking duel.

When he thought Clara and I were lovers, Dunbell responded like this.

― Does hugging make us lovers? Give me a break. Clara is my subordinate. Colleagues can hug each other, too."

That was it. The culture here was completely different from mine.

In other words, Plerine's action toward me was merely an expression as a colleague!

Still, I really~ didn't like what Plerine had just done to me.

I even grew anxious.

Because—

'Isn't this a flag?'

Wasn't this like a classic scene from a war movie?

The male protagonist (that's me) with a day left before heading to the front.

And then being embraced by family (or a person equivalent) telling him to be careful.

And on the battlefield, he inevitably says,

'We'll definitely come back alive.'

Chills! Goosebumps appeared all over my body.

Of course, I wouldn't say such a trash line out loud on the battlefield,

but I couldn't shake off the negative thoughts already stuck in my head.

"Let go immediately, Plerine."

Remaining every bit the modern, gentlemanly boss, I conveyed my sentiment through words instead of force.

Right away, Plerine removed her arms from around me and stepped back one, then two steps.

At last, a safe distance.

"What's wrong? Did I upset you?"

Plerine pretended nothing was wrong and spoke brazenly,

so I put on a yet more dignified boss's face.

It was time for a bad luck averting ritual.

"Repeat after me!"

I raised my right hand in a pledge pose,

and Plerine followed suit.

"I'll lead, so say it reverently with all your sincerity."

"?"

It was time to chant the magic spell that had dispelled the flag I'd planted at Grey Fortress.

"Withdraw!"

"... Withdraw."

"Too soft! Louder!!"

"Wi-withdraw!!!"

Whew. Came back from the brink there.

Truly, one should never let their guard down in this world.