Chapter 1 — Return (1)

“Huff!”

The clogged breath exploded.

“Huff. Huff . Huff”

His chest beat like he had run the whole day.

‘Did I die?’

He felt strange.

His senses felt dull just like when he had just woken up from a dream, and his head hurt as if it would split.

At that time, he felt a strong impact in the back of his head.

Thwack!

“This bastard of a newcomer slipping out! You dare to get asleep while we are on standby for battle?”

Roan looked back with his cloudy eyes while touching the back of his head.

“Oh? Are you glaring at me right now?”

A robust man with a square chin.

He couldn’t see well because his field of vision bothered him, but Roan could know who he was.

“Mister Pete?”

It was certainly Pete.

The senior of the 7th corps rose unit he was first in 20 years ago.

‘But he died in the monsters subjugation 20 years ago………’

Roan frowned.

‘In the end, you meet dead people again.’

At that moment, he stood up and extended his hand, feeling glad to see him again.

“It’s been a long time. Nice to see you.”

A greeting while he smiled.

However, Pete’s expression wasn’t that good.

“This bastard!”

A punch flew along with a curse.

Thwack!

“Kugh!”

Roan rolled after being hit.

A severe pain could be felt.

‘Damn it. Can you feel pain even after you die?’

He moved his chin.

At that time, he saw his right hand and his body.

A really feeble body.

On top of that, the back of his hand was soft and clean.

‘What is this? Do you get younger when you die?’

Everything made him question.

At that time, someone hurriedly came to him and stopped him.

“Roan. Are you crazy? Why are you so suddenly like this?”

A noise so small it seemed it was whispering to him.

Roan slowly turned his head and looked at the owner of the voice.

“Pierce?”

A surprised expression.

Roan’s face was much more surprised than when he saw Pete.

“Why are you here……? No, you got younger on top of that?”

Pierce didn’t die.

On top of that, he couldn’t die.

Because after he became duke of Rinse kingdom, he didn’t show himself in dangerous places like battlefields.

However, he couldn’t understand more than anything how he got young. It made him remember the first time they met 20 years ago.

“Are you crazy?”

Pierce slapped him with a hurried expression.

Slap.

At that moment, Roan felt that his consciousness got clearer.

Just like the fog in his head was lifted.

And the dull senses became sharp just like before.

When that happened, he could clearly see the scene before him.

‘Is this the rose troop’s barracks?’

He was certain.

He was certain that it was the barracks the rose troop used 20 years ago.

It wasn’t a thing such as heaven or hell.

On top of that, the people that were seated in a line on the floor.

They were all familiar faces.

‘My comrades from the rose troop from 20 years ago? What happened? Did I not die?”

A confusing situation.

However, his thoughts didn’t last for long.

“This bastard!

Because Pete approached him and kicked him.

Bang.

“Kugh.”

Roan rolled in the floor and quickly curled himself.

He hid his vitals by instinct.

But fortunately, Pete couldn’t continue kicking him.

It was because the entrance of the barracks opened and a middle aged man with scary eyes appeared.

“What are you doing!”

A sharp voice.

Roan recognized the owner of that voice even without looking at him.

‘Squad commander Tane.’

His head started to roll.

‘I didn’t die.’

He slowly pinched the inner sides of his tigh.

An intense pain.

‘It’s not even a dream.’

Then only one thing remains.

‘Did I return to the past?’

It was difficult to believe, but it had the highest probabilities.

If that also wasn’t it, maybe the past 20 years of his life was just a dream.

‘Whatever it is, i’m still alive.’

It was enough for him with just that.

Roan slowly stood up from that place and returned to his seat.

Tane frowned but he didn’t keep talking.

He didn’t have the leisure to do so right now.

“Everybody prepare. We will pass through Ale village and reach Pedian’s plain.”

At that moment, everybody’s faces became distorted.

“Oh damn. For it to be Ale village.”

“If we went to Varen’s castle I was planning to densely ease myself.”

“That bar last time was fine, right?”

“Yes. The female owner killed it.”

They talked among themselves and soothed their regretful feelings. Tane clapped.

Clap!

“Everybody shut your mouths and move quickly! Oliver take care of the newcomers.”

“Yep!”

Oliver that was tall and had a slim body replied in a loud voice and approached Roan.

“Everybody take your helmets and your armor.”

At his words, the newcomer soldiers including Pierce started to slowly equip their armor.

Oliver looked at Roan and said as if he was growling.

“You stupid bastard. You too wear it quickly. I’m looki……”

He couldn’t finish his words.

Roan had skillfully equipped the armour and even finished organizing his luggage in an instant.

‘What is this bastard? Why is he so skilled?’

Oliver was at a loss of words for a moment.

Only looking at how he was packing the luggage was even a step higher than himself.

‘I did these kind of things for 20 years.’

Roan put a bitter smile.

Oliver wanted to say something else, but as he had nothing to point out he turned back with a disappointed face.

At that time, Pierce’s voice rang through his ear.

“Roan.”

A voice so small it seemed he was whispering him.

As Roan looked back Pierce pointed the luggage bag and put a pitiable face.

‘You really are the same as 20 years ago.’

He was also like this back then.

Pierce at that time was timid and didn’t have any talent. But on top of that he had a small body so he always asked him for help.

Roan walked towards him and shook his head after packing his luggage in the bag.

‘For this guy to become the duke of Rinse kingdom surpassing the commander in chief………’

Just looking at him right now, was something unbelievable.

‘He was lucky. His life became better when he became apprenticed to the genius spearman Reil Baker………’

At that moment, Roan’s eyes became round wide.

His fingers trembled.

“Roan. What happened?”

Pierce put on a worried expression but it wasn’t a situation where he could mind that.

‘If it’s true that I returned to the past, then I know what’s going to happen from now on.’

Although he didn’t remember all of the small details and accidents, he did remember the news that made the world shake.

Especially, the battles and wars he faced the past 20 years. He remembered it all clearly to the point that if he was asked to make a report of it, he could write it all down.

Thump thump.

His heart beat faster.

‘I can become one.’

His two eyes became filled with hot passion.

‘This time, I can become one.’

Roan’s face became bright red.

‘This time, I can really become a great commander. A great commander that can really command the entire nation.’

His smile became dim.

‘No, no.’

The memories, experiences and information he had weren’t in the level to satisfy him only with being a great general.

Grip.

He strongly clenched his fist.

‘At least, I should become a monarch.’

From old times, they said to dream bigger.

The objective of his past life was becoming a great commander.

But he became a spearman.

So the objective in this life was becoming a monarch.

‘If that’s so, won’t I at least become a commander?’

On top of that, the starting line in this life was already different.

Because he knew what was going to happen from now on.

‘First………’

He remembered the memories from 20 years ago.

The first battle.

That fierce memory.

At that moment, Roan’s face froze.

“Damn.”

He remembered.

The heartbreaking and miserable first battle.

End

Translator: Subak