intermission CHAPTER 10: THE VICE CAPTAIN DREAMS...Intermission Chapter: The Vice-Captain Dreams… <unedited> read at your own risk. Edited: 07/26/23 Translated by Eunie Edited/Proofread by Para Bam, Baaam Bam!! …Where is this…?...I’m? Someone… someone is standing by the door. I wonder if it’s one of the knights. …I’m…ah, that’s right. I’m Clark Darwin… Ever since I took the position of Captain, I’ve been working day and night without any rest or much sleep…. And now I’m starting to forget my own name…. I stood up and opened the door to my room. To be exact, it used to be the room of a dear friend. “...Arthur?!” I unconsciously called out upon seeing the young man standing outside my door. Arthur Beresford. It’s probably been months since I last saw him. …I have long lost count. “My bad…Clark....” “What’s wrong, Arthur?! How did you get past the gate!? And that…that hair..!” I was shocked upon seeing Arthur’s hair. To think he would easily cut his long hair like this, and on top of that, his appearance is now the spitting image of my late friend. …Except those dark circles and sunken cheeks look nothing like him. Arthur's appearance now is entirely different from how he used to look. He averted my gaze as I touched his now short hair. “... …Mother finally stopped crying after seeing my face that looks just like Dad’s…,” he answered, but his voice was devoid of life. He said it as if it was no big deal, but my heart broke hearing him sound so lifeless. “Arthur….” I can only look at him while lost for words. Read only on eunietl.weebly.com He looked the same as when he did farm work, but his body and clothes were muddier and more tattered than usual. His whole body was covered in cuts and gashes. There were bluish marks and bruises all over his limbs. I heard from his mother, Clarissa, that ever since Roderick died from the collapsing cliff, Arthur started training by himself to become a knight. I don’t know the exact reason why he suddenly started aiming to become a knight, but since this is also the wish of my late friend, I want to help him. But since I suddenly got promoted from Vice-Captain to Captain, and since we also lost a lot of knights and squires, the situation at that time was terrible. I was left with no choice but to try my best to quickly stabilize the Knights Order, and for that, I couldn’t even take a break or get some sleep. “Clark…please…” he said as he grabbed my shoulders with both hands. I could feel the strength of his fingertips, his nails digging into my skin. I couldn’t read his expression as he was looking down but…. “I’m begging you please….please teach me…how to speak like a knight….” “A knight…?” I couldn’t help but ask. Just why is he suddenly asking me for this…? “My way of speaking is no good. For me to be a knight…. If it’s not like the way Dad…no…the way Father speaks, then it’s just no good!!” I’m completely puzzled by the desperation in his voice. Sure, a knight needs to learn proper usage of words and etiquette, but why is he asking me this when he hasn’t even taken the necessary entrance exam to become a knight…? “You are the only one I can count on!! You are the only one in the Knights Order who knew my Dad best…. You are the only one I can ask. So please teach me how Dad speaks as a knight….” He was still looking down, but I could feel from his words that he wasn't kidding and he was serious about this. Read only on eunietl.weebly.com “What are you talking about, Arthur?! Why is there a need for you to copy the way Roderick speaks? Whatmore, it wouldn’t be too late for you to learn after you take the exam….” “...I!! ….It’s because I…I can’t even become a knight like Dad..!!” His incomprehensible words left me at a loss for words. “I…It’s no good if it’s me!! A shitty person like me can’t do it…. If it's not like Dad, I can’t even become a conscripted knight….” When I heard the trembling in his voice, I realized that his tears started falling to the floor as he hung his head down. All I could do for the crying Arthur was listen to him. “I…I have to become Dad…I even cut my hair to look like him…so after that, please fix my shitty way of speaking, my sword too, my expression, gestures, and everything else needs to be just like Dad, or else it’s no good!!” I felt something sharp pierce right through my heart as I listened to him continue to disparage and corner himself. And it finally clicked to me…. Right now, at this very moment, he’s trying to kill himself. “Arthur…stop pushing yourself like that.” “I beg you, Clark!! It’s my lifelong wish…! If…if I don’t do this…then I will never be able to reach that woman…!!” A voice filled with hatred echoed at the end. ‘That woman….’ I immediately understood. Unlike me, the current Captain, there’s no way Arthur, who isn’t even a conscripted knight, can get a chance to meet her. That’s the kind of existence she is, and I’m sure Arthur is trapped in that… queen’s curse. Seeing this young boy begging me as if his whole life depended on it was already my limit. This young boy whose body, mind and heart were at their limit. …My friend…please never forgive me. I gently placed my hands on his shoulders and said, “I understand, Arthur.” Upon hearing my words, Arthur immediately looked up. His tear-stained eyes looked directly at me. “I don’t have the time to train you in swordsmanship, but as long as I can spare some time, I can at least help you with his speech patterns and gestures.” When I added, ‘like Roderick,’ his eyes began to fill with hope, but the tears have yet to cease. “Thank you. Thank you. I’m indebted to you.” He thanked me over and over again but I…. My friend…. I’m sorry this is all I can do to help your son. I’m sorry for being powerless. I’m sorry for only being able to help your son in killing himself. Read only on eunietl.weebly.com I could only watch his back as he staggered his way back home. …I also wonder how long it has been since I returned home…. I wonder if my wife is doing well…. Since that woman succeeded the throne, the country has been hit one-sidedly by a tumultuous storm and chaos. Even though he’s the son of the late Captain, it's unthinkable that it’s become this easy for anyone to pass through the gates in the middle of the night like this. I’m sure this country won’t last for long. I even sent a letter to my little sister who left the country to not return…I don’t want to condemn my own blood to the pits of hell. As soon as I sent off Arthur, I felt myself getting lightheaded, and as I staggered myself, I tried reaching to the wall for support. It seems like it won’t be long for me as well…. (Eunie: YOOOOO!! Wtf. this is just so mess up TT_TT) I worked for two years straight without proper sleep or rest, but the country is still tattered in ruins, and the people continue to suffer. Even if I continue to push my body like this, things are still not getting better, and recently I can feel both my mind and body deteriorating. ….But I can’t die. Not like this. Not until I grant Arthur’s wish. I don’t mind if my life burns out like this. If I’m the only one Arthur can rely on, then…the least I can do is help my friend’s son…. It’s the least I can do to atone. For my failure during that time (Roderick’s death) and failing to save his son. Then I… … … …. … … … “...Nngh…Damn it…” It seems like I fell asleep while sitting on this chair. When I looked outside the window, the sun had already set, and the sky was completely dark. Today’s my day off. After having a few drinks, I went home at dawn and spent some time with my wife. At dusk, I returned to my room in the Knights dorm since there was an important document I must double check and confirm by today. It seems like I dozed off while checking the document. I wonder if it was because I fell asleep at a strange time, but I had this terrible…nightmare. It didn’t feel like a good dream and left a bad taste in my mouth. Waking up drenched in sweat…it also felt like I was groaning in my sleep. There was this weird feeling I couldn't seem to shake off. I unconsciously clutched my chest and tried to even my breathing. What kind of dream did I have? Read only on eunietl.weebly.com Bam, Baaam bam!! I was startled when I heard a loud sound coming from my door. I wonder who’s knocking on my door now…is it one of the knights? A strange sense of deja vu suddenly came over as I opened the door. I tried to shake it off, but I was once again surprised when I saw the person standing by my door. “...Roderick?” For some reason, the one knocking on my door was our very own Captain and my friend, Roderick. His eyes were cast downwards, so I couldn’t read his expression. “My bad…Clark….” “What’s wrong, Roderick? What are you doing here, and how did you know where I was?” Roderick started explaining little by little. He went all the way to my house to find me and heard from my wife that I was here. To think that he did all that just to come and see me on my day off…I wonder just how urgent his business is with me. Roderick still wouldn’t look at me. The next thing I knew, he suddenly grabbed me by the shoulders. “Clark…please....” That same awful feeling of deja vu came rushing over me. I clenched my fists and tried to resist that unpleasant feeling as I felt Roderick’s fingertips digging into my skin and waited for him to continue his words. Just what sort of incident happened while I was not around…? I braced myself as I started thinking about all sorts of possible scenarios. Finally, he opened his mouth and said, “Please go…go drinking with me!!” “...Huh…?” I unconsciously asked. “I’m really sorry…. I am fully aware that today’s your precious time off from work, but….” I couldn’t help but laugh upon seeing Roderick looking so apologetic. Read only on eunietl.weebly.com Lately, Roderick’s been inviting me out a lot to go drinking. A week ago, he invited me to go drinking on the day Arthur officially entered the Knights Order and the day after that as well once the appointment ceremony was held. But it was rare for him to ask me to go drinking when I’m on break since he was the one who always told me to rest and spend time with my family during my day off. Upon realizing that he looked downcast because he wanted to hide his expression, I couldn’t help but urge him to continue. “So, what’s up? Did something pleasant happen?” He just hummed, and then, with one hand, he covered the corners of his mouth and finally raised his head. “...Arthur…he…he called me…’Father’..!!” He then continued, “He…he also said…let’s spar again…!!” And I finally couldn’t hold my laughter in. Seeing him trip over himself as he tried to tell me what happened, I slapped my friend’s back a few more times while encouraging him to tell me more. “Well, that’s a big deal!! Alright, tell me the exact details at the pub!” I excitedly said. Roderick seemed to be living a fulfilled everyday life, and there was also Arthur, who grew every day as a knight. As the current Vice-Captain, it brought me nothing but joy to see the changes and growth of my friend and his precious son. “Thanks. I’m indebted to you.” It seemed like he could no longer stop the happiness he was feeling as a ‘father.’ And just like that, I wrapped my arm around his shoulders as we headed towards the gate. I can’t help but feel excited and hopeful for another good day tomorrow. But tonight is another night of drinking with my best friend as I listen to him boast about his son. Eunie: At this rate it’s not the fatigue or lack of sleep that will harm him. Clark should really take care of his kidney and liver plus dude gotta spend more time with his wife!!. ?
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