Escape From a Deserted Island With Enemy Female Soldiers - Chapter 94



93 – Unveiling the Truth (1)

Late night.

Adora recalled what happened today.

She’d broken free from the curse that tormented her for decades and gained her freedom. And she met a benefactor. The man named Erich Ronstein was the first man Adora had ever felt fondness for.

Her father, Tetman Gifford, had once said something like this:

That man is so respected, he’s famous even in other units. How about an arranged marriage after the war ends?

Back then, because of the prohibition, she had no time to think about men, but it’s different now.

“Hngh.”

Adora curled up in the corner of the stone bed, a tearful smile on her face.

Once she escaped this deserted island, her hardship would be over.

This deserted island was, in fact, an artificially created demonic realm. Adora knew that precisely. A place more dangerous than imagined. No matter how much of a Grade 1 Combat Mage Adora was, she couldn’t make it out alone.

She needed the help of the Holy Nation’s soldiers.

The next morning.

Adora, having washed the dried tear stains with a quick cat-wash, looked straight at the enemy nation’s female soldiers’ faces. Then, she bowed her head and apologized.

“I’m sorry for the rudeness I showed the other day.”

Despite Adora’s apology, the three female soldiers’ reactions were lukewarm. Rachel frowned, Liyo huffed with her arms crossed. Tiria showed no outward change, but the color of her eyes was strange. Red and green were mixed together.

“We find it difficult to trust you.”

“Ah, right. It’ll still feel awkward for a while.”

“We’re just going to check the traps and bring back some firewood. We’ll be right back, so don’t even think about doing anything foolish.”

The three female soldiers scurried into the forest. All that was left was Adora and Erich.

“Well, whatever.”

It hadn’t been long since they’d met. Trust could be built up little by little from now on.

Still, how could I quickly prove I wasn’t a bad mage?

After some thought, Adora spoke to Erich.

“Major, I want you to help me for a while.”

“Yes. I was going to act as a stepping stone between you and the soldiers of the Holy Spirit Nation anyway.”

Adora smiled with satisfaction. She adjusted her cap and lightly tapped Erich’s shoulder. Her gaze swept over his entire face.

“Major, now that I look at you, you’re quite gaunt.”

“It’s not that bad.”

“Are you very tired?”

“To be honest, yes.”

Erich’s appearance was close to that of a beggar. Long, unkempt hair, a scraggly beard. A torn and ragged officer’s uniform. You couldn’t possibly see him as a First-Class Mage.

Well, still.

“You’re handsome.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I hate repeating myself. If you didn’t hear, then don’t hear.”

After a moment of consideration, Adora opened her mouth.

“Are you going to wash up right now?”

“Yes, there’s a stream nearby. I’m going to wash my face and rinse myself off lightly there before the others return.”

“You brush your teeth too?”

“You can mix tree bark, salt, and a few herbs to use. It’s a little troublesome, but it’s better than having my teeth rot out.”

“You’ve been living alright, more or less. Did the Saint help you combine the herbs?”

“Yes, the Saintess is a capable doctor and apothecary. It was thanks to her divine power that she protected your heart, Commander.”

Adora nodded.

“I’ll express my thanks separately later. Anyway, Major?”

“Speak, Commander.”

“Your hair and beard seem… less maintained.”

“It’s admittedly a lower priority. I do trim them periodically, but it’s no easy task. Trying to cut hair with stones or buckles instead of proper scissors or a razor… well…”

“I’ll do it.”

Adora saw the ripples spreading through Erich’s pupils.

“It’s alright. I can do it myself.”

“Maintaining decorum is a fundamental principle of the Magocracy military. How can you start the day with discipline if you can’t even manage a single hair or a single whisker?”

“Didn’t you cry all night last night, Commander?”

“Silence.”

Adora, after clearing her throat, turned her gaze to Erich’s waist.

“Is that… a dagger?”

“Yes. A carbon steel knife.”

“Lend it to me for a moment. I’ll trim it up nicely.”

“Are you saying a General will perform the duties of a barber?”

“Aren’t you and I the only Magocracy soldiers here? Since I outrank you, I’ll enforce the grooming standards, otherwise, who will?”

And then,

“Wait! Just! A! Moment!”

Both heads snapped around. Then lowered. Two insignificant, golem figures tottered into view.

David Kanig and Johannes Kalon. Already deceased officers of the magic nation. In their tiny hands, sharp pebbles were clutched.

“Wе’ll havе a go now~!”

“A hair-cut! Now!”

They finished thеir bizarrе, short song and immediately raised their voices.

“Havе you forgottеn us?”

“Wе’rе also pеoplе of thе magic nation.”

“Wе mеn undеrstand mеn’s hair thе bеst.”

“That’s right. Thе hair-cut will bе givеn by Liеutеnant Kanig, thе most junior hеrе.”

“oooh? Thеn what arе you going to do, sеnior?”

“I, Liеutеnant Colonеl Johannеs Kalon, will takе ovеr Major Ronstеin’s hair inspеctions. I shall inspеct pеriodically. So, Major Gеnеral, plеasе willingly yеild your placе to thе Holy Maidеn, ah, no that’s not what I mеant…”

David and Kalon wеrе torn away by Adora’s hand.

[“Ttuuu…….”]

[“Ttyaaa…….”]

It all happеnеd in an instant. Erich’s shouldеrs froze solid. Just as quick as Rachеl.

Adora dustеd off hеr hands and shiftеd hеr gazе.

“From now on, I’ll bе thе onе in chargе of hair-cuts. If you’rе uncomfortablе, thеn considеr it an еxtеnsion of yеstеrday’s thanks… no, now that I think about it, that might also bе a burdеn. Considеr it instеad of a reward lеavе.”

“…Yеs, I accеpt it with gratitudе.”

Erich bowеd his hеad, shivеring. Adora was pеrplеxеd by this.

Is it bеcausе my rank is too high and thеy’rе afriad of mе?

Thinking about it, Erich’s spirit on that first day was something else. That talk about treating even the Magic Kingdom as an enemy if they betrayed the Magic Oath… it left a real impression.

He’s not the type to be intimidated by authority.

He’s not going to bow his head to his rank as Major, or to the halo of the Giffold family name. Yeah, a man should have that much guts.

Which makes this even more confusing. What the hell is he so obviously keeping an eye on?

That question finally got its answer when we reached the riverbank.

“…Ah.”

You gotta take your clothes off if you wanna get your hair cut without getting the uniform dirty.

Adora’s lips pursed.

Whoosh.

Pop.

The bubblegum she was habitually chewing inflated, then burst. Sticky gum slapped against Adora’s cheek.

“Uhm, Major.”

“This is a bit of a faux pas, isn’t it?”

“Then, would you mind if I handled this myself?”

“No?”

From noble mtl dot com

We’ve come this far, there’s no turning back now.

“Take them off.”

Adora comes from a military family with deep roots. She learned how to handle blades from a young age. She’s been comfortable with daggers for a long time.

“Might as well take a bath together while we’re at it. Any objections?”

“N-None, sir.”

“It’s for efficiency, try to understand.”

The haircut and shave were done swiftly. Just for a moment, Adora, facing Erich’s face, paused and popped her bubble gum incessantly, but it didn’t last long.

“Good.”

Erich’s hair was neat in no time, and his jawline was smooth and clean. Adora washed the blade, a rewarding smile on her face.

“It brings out your features. You’re a total intellectual now.”

“Thank you.”

The two of them finished their bath quickly and got dressed. It was refreshing after three days. Of course, washing outside was a little embarrassing.

Adora was resolute. She knew how to restrain herself. Erasing unnecessary emotions was something she had been doing for a long time. It was familiar now.

It was on their way back to base.

Thud.

The sound of a basket falling came from ahead.

“Y-You two. Where have you been?”

It was Tiria and her group. She seemed flustered, the pupils of that Lumina were orange. The Valkyrie and the fox beastkin following behind her had the same look.

“Don’t tell me you went to the stream?”

“Yeah. To wash.”

“Just the two of you?”

“Is there a problem?”

Adora asked innocently. Tiria screamed back.

“Of course there’s a problem! You took a bath together? Are you insane?”

“You’re splitting my eardrums.”

Adora chewed her gum, *crack crack*, and planted a hand on her hip. She couldn’t wrap her head around it, not with all the common sense she possessed.

“The Magic Kingdom values efficiency. In a situation this critical, every second counts. There’s no rule in the military code that prohibits men and women from bathing together.”

Adora glanced down at her legs and continued.

“Besides, I took a bullet and can barely walk. I’ll be relying on Major Ronstein for support until I’m healed. The Major agreed. I plan on sticking close to him for the time being.”

“Huh? Since when did you decide that?”

“Since I decided it.”

“Support, you say? You barely know him! Aren’t you embarrassed? Wouldn’t it be better if Erich and I, who’ve known each other longer, took turns helping you?”

“I thought those who believe in the Holy Order have… less-than-friendly feelings toward mages.”

“Not true!”

Adora snorted at the Saint’s denial.

“That’s bullshit. The dogmatic Order is famous for hating mages, if nothing else. A person’s values don’t change that easily.”

“So, you can read my mind? Do you know if my values have changed or not? Who are you to decide?”

“…Hmm, fair point.”

She wanted to say more, but stopped herself. If this went on, her goal of building trust would be wrecked.

After all, Adora was the closest thing to a stranger here.

Still closer to an enemy or a prisoner than an ally. Hoping time would heal everything, Adora leaned heavily on Erich as she moved forward.

“Oh, right. Look at the Major. I even cut his hair and shaved him myself, how’s he lookin’?”

One sentence, spat out proudly because she’d really done a great job.

And with that one sentence, the expressions of the three female soldiers just… hardened further.

“……”

Why the hell?

*

Oblivious Adora didn’t know, but Erich had caught on to some extent. That night, he pretended to sleep, eavesdropping on the Holy Spirit Nation’s female soldiers’ conversation.

“That woman is going to throw off the balance.”

“Erich probably likes his own country’s people more than us, right?”

“Now that it’s come to this, how about we temporarily cease hostilities and form an alliance?”

He could barely understand what they were saying. But he grasped the general situation from the tone and atmosphere.

Really.

Really, if the three female soldiers felt something more than just goodwill towards him.

They weren’t wary and hateful of Adora because she was a general of the enemy nation, or a member of the Seven, or part of some cultist magic group.

“…Is it me?”

Sensing that the situation was unusual, Erich took out a piece of bubblegum as soon as it was past midnight, pouring magic into the wrapper.

The faintly glowing wrapper had these words written on it.

[Today is a day to be careful about your relationships. Fighting!]