Alex's Point of View
The next day, during lunch break, I walked over to Mr. Hex and told him my decision.
"I'll do it. I'm joining the army, under Commander Willson… and you."
"Really ? That's great !"
Hex's face lit up with excitement, clearly relieved.
Without wasting a moment, Hex gave me a firm pat on the back and gestured for me to follow him.
As we passed through the gates, I saw around twenty soldiers training in the courtyard.
The sharp clashing of steel rang out, echoing through the open space as they practiced with swords and shields.
Each strike sent vibrations into the air.
But Hex didn't stop.
He motioned for me to keep moving, leading me through the fortress, up a flight of stone stairs, until we stood before a wooden door.
He raised his hand and knocked.
A pause.
Then a calm male voice from inside said, "Come in."
When Mr. Hex opened the door, we found Sir Willson seated behind a desk, his armor set aside as he focused on a stack of paperwork.
The room was quiet.
In the corner stood a figure clad in full plate armor from head to toe. Unlike the others I had seen training outside, this one was probably Sir Willson guard.
The armored figure tilted his head toward us but remained silent.
"Oh… Alex, wasn't it?"
Sir Willson finally set down his documents and looked up at me.
"Yes, sir!" I replied, straightening my posture.
"I'm glad you decided to join us," he said with a small smile. "Are you prepared for what lies ahead?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Good." He nodded. "Then I assume Hex has already briefed you on the confidential matter?"
"Correct, sir."
"Excellent. Then allow me to elaborate further."
Before the discussion, Commander Willson offered me his gratitude for what I had done back in the forest.
He admitted there had been an error in the scouting report—the number of monsters was far greater than anticipated.
That was why he had only brought a small unit of soldiers.
"If you hadn't been there," he said, "it could've ended in a massacre."
But deep down, I knew the truth. I hadn't saved him. I hadn't saved anyone.
I didn't step in to protect them. I killed those goblins out of hatred and to survive.
And if I'm honest, part of me wanted to hurt the soldiers too.
The discussion was brief, but heavy.
Commander Willson explained that the lord of this land had personally requested his return from the capital to defend the region, despite knowing the truth behind what the higher-ups had planned.
This town, he revealed, used to be his hometown.
That was why he chose to take on this impossible challenge even if it meant standing against the odds.
He told us that the capital had sent around 1,000 soldiers to reinforce the area.
But according to recent reports, approximately 2,000 enemy troops from the Kingdom of Eshmore were expected to assault this town in just four weeks.
Commander Willson had already begun recruiting footmen from among the townsfolk.
The numbers were low—only about 300 had volunteered so far, myself included.
At present, this town housed roughly 800 people:
Slaves, ex-convicts, criminals… and only a small number of ordinary peasants.
To conclude the discussion, he advised the two of us not to speak a word about today's discussion.
======================
After that, the two of us Mr. Hex and I were asked to follow the armored man, whose name was Cleo.
He didn't speak much, and when he did, his voice was soft, almost too quiet for someone dressed like a war-hardened knight.
The three of us left the garrison and made our way to the foot soldier camp located near the edge of town.
The camp was already set up.
Tents and wooden huts dotted the area. A wide training yard stretched to the side, while a circle of campfires marked the center. There was even a small mess area, where the scent of stew faintly lingered in the air.
Mr. Hex began showing me around; he was already familiar with the layout.
As for Cleo, he silently walked into one of the larger quarter tents and disappeared without another word.
As we were walking around and talking, I learned something surprising about Mr. Hex.
He used to be a knight before he became a slave.
I didn't ask him any more about it, though. It felt like it might be awkward, and I didn't want to pry.
Instead, I told him about my sister and Grandma—about how Lis had been nominated to study in the capital.
His face lit up when he heard it.
"That's amazing," he said. "She deserves it."
We laughed, talked, and shared stories as we continued walking, the bond between us growing stronger with each step.
Eventually, he led me to one of the tents and said with a smile, "This will be our group."
Inside the small tent, there were about eight people—none of whom seemed particularly bothered by my presence or even Mr. Hex's.
Everyone was occupied with their own tasks.
A few were lying down, trying to catch some rest.
One sat cross-legged, quietly reading a worn book by lantern light.
Others were busy polishing their weapons or adjusting their gear.
There was a quiet tension in the air.
"Mr. Hex, welcome back !"
I saw a boy with red hair come to Mr. Hex. He looked slender with a soft face.
"Oh.. Marci, this is Alex, you two are the same age. I think both of you would get along well."
After saying that He tap on Marci's shoulder before walking to his bed.
"Mr. Hex, welcome back!"
A boy with red hair approached us, his voice light and polite.
He had a slender frame and a soft, delicate face
"Oh, Marci," Hex said with a small smile. "This is Alex. You're both about the same age—I think you'll get along just fine."
He gave Marci a light pat on the shoulder, then walked off toward his bed.
"Umm… My name is Marci. And you're Alex, right? Nice to meet you?"
His words came out a bit unsure, as if testing the space between us.
I nodded, but couldn't help staring for a second.
Something about him felt off.
His voice sounded vague, almost like he was forcing himself to sound more masculine. And up close, his features were softer than any guy I'd met—more like a girl's, honestly.
But that couldn't be, right?
I'd always heard it was nearly forbidden for women to become soldiers.
Anyway, this would be my first real friend around my age.
Back on the farm, I always worked alongside people much older than me.
"Nice to meet you too," I said, offering Marci a small smile.
He returned the smile.
I glanced around the tent and at the others then back toward the flickering light of the campfire just outside.
This place would be my new home now.
"Come on, I'll show you your bed," Marci said cheerfully.
Before I could respond, he grabbed my hand and gently tugged me toward one of the empty cots near the back of the tent.