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Night Watch

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*Today’s Journal*

Today was my first night watch duty.

I was paired up with someone I didn’t know, and we were to patrol the streets of Rodon. That was until morning.

I just got home a little while ago.

So, today’s journal is basically yesterday’s journal. Even as I’m writing, I can’t help but yawn.

The class tomorrow, or rather, this morning’s class is exempted.

I should just go to bed now.

 

—

 

One of the important duties at the academy is the night watch patrol of Rodon’s streets. No matter how you phrase it, this academy is a military facility near the northern battlefield. It’s also the largest in the region. In the event that the front line is breached, this place will become the front line’s defense base. The dormitories will turn into soldier barracks, and the school buildings will quickly transform into command centers.

Even so, we soldiers are still fine. At least we have a place to sleep, surrounded by city walls. But the citizens are different. The city will be burned down. Or, depending on strategic needs, we might even have to burn it ourselves. In any case, they will have no choice but to flee just like Rick-san, who was driven out of his homeland.

Tthe peace of the city is balanced on such a precarious situation, and the academy places great importance on interactions with the citizens. Helping with the harvest festival and opening the school festival to the public are examples of this. It’s like paying for redemption in advance.

The most important of all is this, the city’s night watch patrol. First-year students have been exempted from this duty until now, but after the school festival, they gradually begin to learn the patrol methods by going out with their upperclassmen or instructors.

The patrol is generally done in teams of three. Regardless of the specialty of the military, the weapon used is a handgun. The use of magic bullets is allowed only for the team leader among the three, that is, the instructor or certain third-year students, and we basically use rubber bullets. In fact, most of the time, there’s no need to fire magic bullets.

Most of the trouble at night usually comes from drunken fights. Since there are strict penalties regarding alcohol in this city, such incidents rarely happen unless they involve people from outside the city.

“That said, generally speaking, we just wander around the streets at night, but make sure to stay alert.” (??)

Today, I am patrolling with a young instructor named Payne and a third-year senior named Sheikh. Payne-san used to be a student here until three years ago. He came back to the academy on leave from the front line to study to become an instructor.

“I like fighting on the front lines, but I’m more interested in being a teacher. I want to teach a class.” (Payne)

Payne said with a carefree smile.

I’m pretty sure that to be a teacher, you need quite a bit of skill. Most of the teachers who manage classes have retired from the front lines due to injuries, but naturally, you can’t become a teacher unless you have the right skills.

“Isn’t the teacher’s exam really difficult?” (Sheikh)

Sheikh-senpai also seemed to be thinking the same thing.

“Yeah. It’s tough. And you also have to accumulate experience as an instructor for a certain period of time. So, every now and then, I take leave and come here to gain experience as an instructor. To actually become a full-time instructor at the academy, you need a recommendation too. It’s a tough path. By the way, why did you both come to the academy?” (Pain)

Payne asked, turning the question around.

“I come from a military family, so it just felt natural.” (Sheihk)

“Oh, me… I was invited by Instructor Rita…” (Lux)

“Eh! From Instructor Zalard!? Then, you must be quite talented~.” (Pain)

Payne said in a relaxed voice.

“Lux is quite talented. Probably one of the top snipers in the first year.” (Sheikh)

It wasn’t me who answered, but Sheik-senpai… I thought this was our first time meeting, though?

Noticing the confused look on my face, Sheikh smiled slyly.

“I know all about you. My ‘sister’ talks about you all the time.” (Sheikh)

“Sister?” (Lux)

“Oh, I haven’t introduced myself properly. My name is Hills Sheik.” (Sheikh)

Hills? Oh, he’s Bianca’s older brother. Come to think of it, she said he was still in school, didn’t he?

“Then Sheik-senpai, are you also a Sniper?” (Lux)

“No. I’m a Shooter.” (Sheikh)

What can I say, he has a very formal way of speaking. It’s completely different from Bianca.

“Sheik-kun is a Shooter, and Lux-kun is a Sniper, huh. By the way, I’m a Spearman (Lancer). I may be in a unit with you on the battlefield, so nice to meet you.” (Payne)

While we continued our conversation and walked through the alley, the only sounds were our voices and footsteps as we kept patrolling the city.

After a little while, Sheikh suddenly asked.

“Lux, are you dating my sister?” (Sheikh)

“What? No, we’re not! What are you talking about all of a sudden?” (Lux)

I asked, surprised as well.

“Ah, youth, huh.” (Payne)

Payne-san muttered as he teasingly added his two cents, ignoring the rest.

“No, it’s just that your name keeps coming up lately. And since your name started coming up, she suddenly seemed much more motivated. She kept saying, ‘I’ll show Lux what I can do’.” (Sheikh)

Ah… I see. I’m not sure how much I should explain here… Alright, I’ll just throw it all to Lamie-senpai.

“Well, I met Bianca through Lamie-senpai, and we’re kind of in a rivalry since we’re both in the same specialty. If you ask Lamie-senpai, you’ll understand.” (Lux)

“Oh, I’ve heard from Lavitomivia. She said, ‘You two are good friends’.” (Sheikh)

Ugh, that person always leaves out words. I should have asked Saras-senpai instead.

“But, I see, so you’re not dating her. Why not?” (Sheikh)

Why is Sheikh-senpai asking this?

“Bianca’s cute, right? Don’t you want to date her? Well, I’m not actually allowing you to date her. You’ll need my permission.” (Sheikh)

Ah, I get it. This guy’s a major sis-con…

While I was being bombarded by Sheikh-senpai’s probing questions, Payne-san was watching us with amusement. Then, a scream echoed from the street!

“Someone! Thief!!” (??)

We immediately sprinted toward the sound.

“Sheikh, you go around the back! Lux, come with me!” (Payne)

“Yes!” (Lux)

“Understood!” (Sheikh)

We dropped all the casualness and rushed toward the scene with military seriousness.

After moving one street over, we saw a woman lying on the ground, shouting,
“Help!”

“Are you okay!?” (Lux)

As we rushed over, she briefly showed a relieved expression.

“It’s a thief! They took the bag with the store’s earnings!” (??)

“Was it just one person?” (Payne)

“There are two!” (??)

“Got it. We’ll be back soon, so stay here and rest for a moment. Lux, let’s go!” (Payne)

“Yes!” (Lux)

We ran off again.

After a short while, we heard angry voices shouting.

“What the hell are you doing!” (??)

“Get out of the way!” (??)

As we kept running, Pain said briefly.

“You’re a Sniper, right? I’ll leave the support to you.”

Then, he accelerated.

He’s fast!

Finally, ahead of us, we saw Sheikh-senpai blocking the way of two suspicious individuals. The two had something shiny in their hands and they were glaring at him.

Noticing our footsteps, the two turned toward us. I quickly pulled out my slingshot from my pocket and fired at the duo. It was faster than drawing my handgun while running.

The two rubber bullets fired in quick succession hit the hands of the two thieves, knocking the knives out of their grasp. In that split second, Payne-san and Sheikh-senpai quickly subdued the two.

After handing the two thieves over to the city’s precinct, we stretched out with a sigh.

“Both of you did great.” (Pain)

I was very impressed with Payne-san. But from my perspective, Payne -san’s speed and precision in his movements were amazing, as expected from an active soldier. And Sheikh-senpai too.

“Yes, thank you!” (Sheikh)

He said with a proper salute. Payne-san chuckle.

“It’s okay to be a little more relaxed on the front lines too.” (Payne)

Then, Sheikh-senpai looked at me and nodded deeply, as if he had come to some understanding.

The night was still long.

 

—

 

A few days later.

I was in class when Bianca came over to my desk.

“For some reason, Aniki keeps praising Lux over and over, and it’s kind of creepy… He said, ‘If you’re going to have a boyfriend, choose someone like him,’ or something… Did something happen?” (Bianca)

I could only give a bitter smile in response.

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