Chapter 38

Chapter 38
“…What is sitting right outside our camp?”

Lucas inquired with an expression of pure disbelief after hearing the news. The two scouts who had just returned from recon tripped over each other while attempting to make sense of the situation.

“We were getting ready to step out for patrol when we spotted something right in front of our base.”
“At first, we assumed it was just a random patch of snow, but…”
“It started shifting around!”
“When we got a closer look, it turned out to be a young child trapped and wrapped up tight in ropes.”
“I honestly thought my vision was playing tricks on me.”

“So you are telling me it looked like Lord Haydam?”

Lucas lifted a hand to halt their frantic chatter and put the question straight. Both scouts nodded rapidly in agreement.

“The only young child inside the training area right now is Lord Haydam, isn’t that correct?”
“Yes, but… why on earth would Lord Haydam end up dumped right outside our camp in that condition?”
“I honestly think… he might have been abandoned…”
“Abandoned?”

Lucas narrowed his eyes in thought. Another cadet chimed in with a suggestion.

“Should we go investigate?”

“Hmm…”

It felt deeply suspicious. Yet, upon learning that Haydam had been bound and left directly on their doorstep, ignoring it completely was not an option. If it happened to be a trap, Team A was likely lying in wait nearby, meaning a counter-attack from behind to wipe them out remained a viable choice.

And, truth be told, Lucas felt a strong urge to witness it for himself. Frankly, he still suspected the scouts had simply mistaken a regular object for something else.

The Team B cadets stared in stunned silence at the small, bound child lying face-down in the snow.

“What on earth is that?”
“Did they actually leave him here like this and just walk away?”
“How could anyone possibly do that…”
“Even if this is some sort of trap, that crosses the line.”

Like the others, Lucas felt a brief shock. He pulled himself together swiftly and began issuing instructions.

“An ambush could be hiding nearby. You group scan the perimeter. Everyone else, provide cover for me.”
“Understood, sir!”

Leaving his team members to watch his back, Lucas hurried toward Haydam. Up close, the boy’s entire person—including his eyes and mouth—was tightly wrapped in cloth.

What on earth is going on here…?!

He had just warned the others about a potential trap, but seeing it firsthand left Lucas feeling sick to his stomach. Did they really need to go to such extremes? This was merely a training exercise, and Haydam had already demonstrated his competence in previous simulations against these exact rivals. Even if he secured a victory here, the most he stood to gain was restoring the pride of a few peers. Why would the Commander’s only heir subject his own body to this kind of indignity simply to save the reputation of cadets who had already been defeated by him?

Furthermore—

If even a single one of Lord Haydam’s allies perished, the exercise would conclude immediately. If Team B discovered him in this vulnerable state and chose to eliminate him, the entire game would be over instantly.

This is definitely not a trap.

Reaching that conclusion, Lucas quickly lifted Haydam into a sitting position and peeled away the blindfold and the fabric stuffed tightly in his mouth.

“Lord Haydam! Are you alright?”

Still unable to keep his eyes open, Haydam replied in a barely audible whisper.

“I-It’s freezing…”
“Dammit.”

Lucas scooped him up and rose to his feet. The scouts who had checked the surrounding area had already returned and gathered around him.

“Nothing in the vicinity. It does not look like a trap.”
“Then what on earth is this? Don’t tell me Team A actually…”
“He looks like he is freezing. Let us bring him back to the camp first.”
“What are you saying?”

One teammate immediately protested against bringing him inside the base.

“Lord Haydam is still part of Team A. Taking him into our camp makes no sense whatsoever.”
“What if we take him as a prisoner instead? Besides, just in case, we haven’t even untied him yet.”
“What?”

Everyone had been fixated on the small figure in Lucas’s arms; only now did they notice the restraints were still firmly in place.

“Wait… is this even allowed?”
“You aren’t going to remove those ropes?”
“Well, setting him free right now would also be rather strange, wouldn’t it?”

While they debated, Haydam’s body continued to shiver uncontrollably. Lucas let out a heavy sigh.

“We are taking him back with us for now.”

Once they returned to the camp and Haydam regained some body heat near the blankets and the fire, the explanation he finally managed to share left the Team B cadets utterly dumbfounded.

“They tied Lord Haydam up the exact moment the drill began?”
“Yes… it is terribly embarrassing, but…”

Haydam could barely raise his head, his voice reduced to a faint murmur.

“They claimed they never agreed to any rule stating that a single casualty equals defeat… If I was so eager to lose, they said they would gladly grant my wish…”

The jaws of the Team B cadets dropped in sheer fury.

“Holy crap… what kind of absolute trash are they…”
“No wonder those cowards even bothered showing up at the training grounds.”
“They realized they couldn’t win fair and square, so they just came to vent their petty grudge on Lord Haydam.”
“So how much longer are we going to keep him tied up? Let us just untie him already.”

Moved by pity after hearing the story, one cadet spoke up, causing the moods around them to grow complicated.

“I feel terrible about it too, but… we still cannot just cut him loose…”
“He is in a pitiful state, but this is a military exercise. We cannot simply release an enemy right into the heart of our camp.”
“What? Did you not hear what Lord Haydam just said? He does not want those bastards to win either! Or what, are you still doubting him? Do you seriously think this is some kind of trick?”

A more emotional cadet raised his voice in frustration. Lucas stepped in to quiet the situation down.

“We are not trying to question Lord Haydam’s integrity. However, training must be treated with the seriousness of reality. Caution is the right approach here.”

“That may be true, but…”

A few cadets still appeared deeply unsettled. The one who had originally opposed bringing Haydam inside the camp in the first place scoffed as if the argument were entirely pointless.

“If you want him freed so badly, why don’t we just eliminate him right here and end the exercise?”

Every other cadet immediately shot down the suggestion.

“That is precisely what Team A wants us to do!”
“Bones, are you seriously planning to walk around bragging that you won by executing Lord Haydam?”
“Why the hell not? Judging by your intelligence, you are roughly on his level anyway.”
“Bones!!”
“Enough.”

Having reached his limit, Lucas shut them down firmly.

“Senior! Are you serious? We are proud cadets of the military academy. Are we really going to keep a young child like Haydam bound just because—”

“Proud cadets, my foot. Would you also let every child who cries ‘please spare me’ walk away freely on an actual battlefield?”
“What on earth did you just say?!”

Even after Lucas’s warning against tearing themselves apart over the matter, the dispute regarding whether to release Haydam dragged on endlessly. Sensing the growing division, the cadets who had avoided the argument earlier turned to Lucas in a panic.

“Senior… things are getting out of hand…”
“Lucas, you need to do something.”

Lucas scowled. The arguing cadets all turned their attention toward him as well.

“That’s right! Let us just follow whatever Senior Lucas decides!”

The cadet who had been pushing to free Haydam gazed at him with desperate eyes.

“You are going to untie him, correct? Right, Senior Lucas?”
“We cannot untie him. Eliminate him instead!”
“Are you an absolute psychopath?!”

Voices began to rise once more until a youthful voice cut clearly through the chaos.

“Just eliminate me.”

It was Haydam who spoke, causing every Team B cadet to stare at him in shock. His expression showed total resignation.

“Just finish me off and bring the exercise to a close.”
“Lord Haydam… are you being serious?”
“I was far too careless. I grew arrogant after a single success, so I have no right to complain about ending up in this state. Therefore… just take me out and wrap this up.”

The cadets exchanged hesitant glances.

“Even so… we do not want a dishonorable victory like that. Shooting a captive who isn’t even fighting back…”
“I will personally explain everything that transpired here to the other cadets myself. I am deeply ashamed it came to this.”
“Lord Haydam…”

The cadet who had been shouting aggressively moments before closed his mouth with a troubled expression.

“Lucas… what is your decision?”

Someone asked. Lucas released a quiet sigh and drew the military saber resting at his hip. Several cadets flinched sharply.

“Lucas!”
“Y-you aren’t actually going to eliminate him and finish the exercise, are you?”

Even knowing it was only a drill, the prospect of concluding the exercise by harming a bound child left a bitter taste in the mouths of those who had previously opposed releasing him. Logically, they understood he shouldn’t be set free, but none of them genuinely wanted to secure a win through such means.

“…Lucas!”

Finally, the cadet who had previously advocated for his elimination spoke up.

“I believe I was mistaken. Do not harm him. Untie him and simply place a guard on him. We need someone to watch the flag anyway.”

“T-that’s right, Senior Lucas!”
“Cohen and I will remain behind.”
“Yes, Harry and Cohen are dependable enough.”

Consensus began to form around freeing Haydam and posting a watch. Lucas merely stared at the boy with an inscrutable look.

“Lord Haydam.”
“Yes…?”
“Training is not a game. I trust you comprehend that fully now.”

As he spoke, Lucas adjusted his grip on the blade. The cadets panicked and cried out.

“Lucas…!”
“Hey!”

Believing he was about to strike Haydam, they attempted to stop him. At the final second, Lucas smoothly slid the saber back into its scabbard and began undoing the ropes. A wave of relief washed over their faces.

Haydam looked up at him in a daze as the restraints fell away.

“Why… didn’t you just finish me…”
“Are you certain this is fine? I am still—”

“That is not something for the enemy to fret over.”

Cutting Haydam off decisively, Lucas turned his attention to his team.

“Harry, Cohen. The two of you stay put. Fire a signal flare if anything occurs. If Lord Haydam makes even the slightest suspicious move, do not hesitate—neutralize him.”
“Y-yeah, absolutely.”

Haydam looked thoroughly mortified.

“I truly do not know what to say. Because I caused all this unnecessary trouble, all of you have to endure this…”
“It is nothing of importance. People of that sort only learn their place once they take a hit.”
“Just get some rest, Lord Haydam. Cowards like Team A are opponents we can easily defeat using our own power.”
“Yes… thank you, everyone.”

Receiving Haydam’s gratitude left the cadets feeling slightly awkward as they gathered their equipment.

“Everyone except Harry and Cohen, we are moving out toward Team A’s camp. Let us finish this swiftly and cleanly.”

And just like that…
the gates of hell swung wide open for Team B.