Chapter 12: The Reason Behind the Blade

  The sun was setting as the recruits finished their training. Exhausted, they felt as if they were on the brink of collapse. Their arms could barely move, their legs ached as if they were about to give out, and some struggled to even walk after the grueling exercises.

  "Okay, good job, recruits. Tomorrow, we will continue our training. For now, clean yourselves up and get some rest. You will be called later for dinner," Rainhardt instructed them.

  The recruits dispersed, heading to the bathhouse to wash up. Once they had finished, they were summoned to the cafeteria for dinner.

  As they entered, the fragrant aroma of freshly baked bread and warm vegetable soup filled the air. Their exhaustion quickly faded, replaced by excitement at the prospect of a well-earned meal.

  While eating, Arkin and Kwinn began talking.

  "Hey, Arkin, where did you grow up?" Kwinn asked.

  "Ah, in a city outside the Kingdom of Rose," Arkin replied. "What about you?"

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  "I grew up in a faraway place where people struggled to survive. The people there were cruel, and even the children learned to steal and indulge in vices," Kwinn said, his voice tinged with sorrow as he took a bite of bread.

  "That sounds really tough… So how did you end up here?" Arkin asked.

  "One day, the Kingdom of Rose’s soldiers raided the city where I lived. In the chaos, a soldier saved me. He later found a family willing to adopt me. I owe him everything, but I never even learned his name," Kwinn said before sipping his soup.

  "That’s really sad… But what about your parents?" Arkin asked.

  "Oh, them? My father abandoned me when I was young, and my mother… she was taken captive by goblins," Kwinn said, his voice trembling as he bit into his bread.

  "Oh… I’m really sorry to hear that," Arkin said apologetically.

  "No, it’s okay. It’s not your fault," Kwinn replied with a weak smile.

  After dinner, the recruits returned to their quarters to rest. As Arkin and Kwinn walked back, they talked about their reasons for joining the military academy.

  "Hey, Kwinn," Arkin called out.

  "What is it?" Kwinn asked.

  "Why did you decide to join the military academy?" Arkin asked curiously.

  "Ah, why do you ask?" Kwinn responded, puzzled.

  "I’m just curious," Arkin shrugged.

  "Hmm… I joined to find my father. I want to ask him why he left me," Kwinn admitted in a quiet voice. "What about you?"

  "Me? I want to help find my brother," Arkin answered, his expression shifting to one of sorrow and longing.

  "Find him?" Kwinn asked.

  "Yes. My brother, Zasp, was a soldier here in the Kingdom of Rose, tasked with guarding the king. One day, the king sent him on a mission to investigate a missing trade caravan. But during the mission, an unknown creature attacked their group. The entire squad was wiped out. When reinforcements arrived, they found nothing—no signs of my brother’s body," Arkin explained, his voice carrying both sadness and anger.

  When they finally reached their quarters, Arkin and Kwinn lay down and rested, each lost in their own though

  ts about the past and the uncertain future ahead.