I Became a Villain Perfect for Leveling Up - Chapter 024

WeTried Translations

Translator: Goku

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ I Became a Villain Perfect for Leveling Up

Chapter 024

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24. Aquila Knights (3)

“For now, you can sleep here. The Captain is on vacation right now. You’ll be able to see her tomorrow.”

The guard skillfully led me to the barracks and then left.

Perhaps it was a structure where each person was assigned a room, as there was no one else in the narrow room apart from me.

I thought it was good that I wouldn't have to waste time with superiors like in the military.

Quietly opening the window, I sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at the sky.

Unlike Earth, the moon here was enormous.

The beautiful Milky Way, spread around the blue luminous circle, was always truly a magnificent sight.

As I was spending some time to myself, someone suddenly opened the door and came in.

“Who are you?”

“A new recruit, huh? Nice to meet you….”

A cocky-looking man swaggered in, attempting to assert military discipline, but his eyes met my shadowed face, and his posture instantly became respectful.

“I’m…. Pallard, a regular knight. If there’s anything uncomfortable. Uh…, good night.”

The man, who introduced himself as Pallard, closed the door politely and disappeared without even finishing his sentence.

“….”

There seemed to be some military discipline and hierarchy here too. Thanks to my appearance, I was able to avoid unfair treatment in advance.

Realizing that my appearance had advantages in these situations more than I thought, I looked out the window again.

…From tomorrow, I’ll have to live a disciplined life.

For me, who had been living a ruined life, life in the Knights would surely revitalize me.

“…I need to get stronger quickly.”

The strength I possessed right now was no different from that of a large ordinary person.

I had Freud’s Fang, a powerful weapon, but that was all.

To possess strength beyond that, I had to put in a lot of effort.

Finishing my thoughts, I stretched out on the bed, and felt an illusion as if I could finally breathe.

I don't know how long it had been since I slept in such a soft bed.

During the month I lived at the Altar of Lamentation, no matter what methods I used, the discomfort upon waking could not be resolved.

A real cotton bed offered immense comfort incomparable to a makeshift bed made of leaves.

The comfort, to the point where my past hardships flashed like a passing lantern, brought peaceful sleep even to me, who had suffered from insomnia.

….

“….”

Feeling a quiet presence outside, I opened my eyes.

It was akin to the feeling of waking up to the characteristic speaker noise just before the morning broadcast sounded in the military.

I then raised my body and sat on the edge of the bed.

As I was unfamiliar with the Aquila Knights’ morning routine, I started some simple exercises to warm up my body.

“Hey, new recruit! Don’t just sleep there, get up….”

Not long after, the door burst open with a bang. The man who had introduced himself as Pallard last night, along with his comrades, rushed into the room and lost his words.

“Good morning.”

“…You’re diligent. Hmm.”

After finishing my exercises and greeting him, Pallard nodded with a bewildered expression.

The superiors who followed him were no different, remaining silent.

My own bewildered feelings were no different.

It reminded me of my past military days, and though unintentional, I had taken the initiative in the new recruit teasing.

“…Let’s go eat breakfast.”

Pallard, smiling awkwardly, gestured for me to follow him.

As I naturally followed him, I found a familiar face among the group.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Yes. Thanks to you.”

The guard who had enlisted me last night approached and greeted me.

Thanks to him, I was able to get proper sleep after a long time, so I accepted his greeting as warmly as possible and asked for his name.

“Excuse me, what’s your name?”

“Ah, my name is Rangel. What about yours?”

“My name is….”

He naturally asked for my name in return, and I was about to say Dean, but hesitated.

If I gave my real name, there was a high possibility that Altair, the Captain, would recognize my identity.

“It’s Dian.”

“Dian, huh? That’s a good name.”

“Please take care of me, Mr. Rangel.”

“You too, Mr. Dian, please take care of me.”

After introducing myself with a slightly modified name, I shook hands with Rangel.

I instinctively felt I could get along well with this person.

Soon, we arrived at the dining hall, where the stimulating aroma of food wafted strongly.

“….”

“New recruit? …Is there anything bothering you about breakfast?”

“No. ….”

I couldn’t explain to Pallard’s question that it was because I was seeing a meal I could truly call a meal after a long time.

It had been over a month of starving or eating bear nettle berries, so the simple breakfast before me now was no less than a feast for me.

Receiving a simple bread and soup with meat, I immediately sat down and began to eat like a starving person.

“……Hey. Rangel. Do you know anything?”

“…Ahem.”

Behind me, who was diligently eating my meal.

Rangel vaguely gestured to Pallard, who was asking about the situation, explaining my origin.

“…That new recruit? Eat a lot.”

Pallard, having learned the truth, shared his soup with me.

“Thank you….”

“Uh… yeah. Don’t cry, though.”

Perhaps tears were unconsciously streaming from my eyes, as Pallard, seeing my expression, was uncharacteristically flustered and returned to his seat.

As the meal began, the barracks had already become boisterous.

The Aquila Knights generally aimed for a free atmosphere, with countless knights moving according to their own routines.

Though there were roughly 50 knights, even this number seemed sufficient to manage the public order of Aquilian.

“New recruit, huh? Nice to meet you.”

“Please take care of me in the future.”

The rumor of a new face quickly spread, and many knights approached me to greet me.

Each time, as I received their greetings with soup in my mouth, perhaps finding my appearance amusing, I naturally blended into the atmosphere.

Listening to the snickering conversations of the superiors, it seemed my clumsy side, despite my handsome face, was appealing.

After breakfast, I naturally followed Pallard and ran three laps around the drill ground.

For me, who had been living at the Altar of Lamentation, this much exercise was nothing, so I was considering running one more lap when.

“The Captain has arrived!”

A voice resounded from somewhere, and the knights uniformly began to line up.

…Altair.

This was a different encounter than in the red-light district, so I lined up, filled with tension.

Then, someone could be seen walking briskly from the front.

“I trust you all trained well while I was away?”

“““Yes!”””

As a powerful voice, imbued with force, echoed across the drill ground, the boisterous knights, as if nothing had happened, responded with discipline.

I also raised my voice so as not to seem awkward.

“There’s a new voice I haven’t heard before?”

At that moment, Altair, who recognized my voice with an animalistic intuition, dismissed the knights.

She slowly approached me and brought her face close.

“Have we met before, by any chance?”

“…No. It’s our first meeting.”

“Hmm….”

After scanning my face, which gave her a sense of déjà vu, Altair, deciding it was just her imagination, stepped back.

It was a good thing I had changed into the training uniform Pallard had given me.

If I had worn the St. Liberta Academy uniform as it was, Altair would surely have seen through my identity.

“Come to the Captain’s office after the roll call.”

She patted my shoulder, then returned to her spot and finished the roll call.

As soon as the roll call ended, Pallard quickly approached me, spitting in excitement as he spoke.

“New recruit…. Have you met the Captain before?”

“No. Never.”

“…But the Captain acts like that? Hey Rangel. Have you ever seen the Captain act like that?”

Rangel shook his head in agreement with Pallard’s gaze.

“Hmph…. It’s the first time in my life I’ve seen the Captain talk to a new recruit.”

For him, who had some experience, Altair’s behavior was an unprecedented sight.

He mobilized all his knowledge to deduce the cause and soon widened his eyes as if he had grasped his own answer.

“…Oh dear. It seems the Captain has taken a strong interest in you.”

At the mention of being targeted, Rangel’s face turned pale, as if something came to mind from listening to the conversation nearby.

“I-I’ll go to my guard duty now.”

“…I’m going too. If you have any difficulties…. You can come complain to me at night.”

Rangel, somehow deciding it was best not to get involved with me anymore, hastily left. Pallard shook his head and, as if comforting me, left his words before departing for his own duties.

“….”

As the two quickly vacated their spots, a dark, low-pressure atmosphere lingered around me.

Altair had taken an interest in me, huh?

I, who somewhat knew the truth, left the drill ground without a second thought and headed to the Captain’s office.

I moved my steps, trying to relax as much as possible, so as not to reveal my identity.

“Come in.”

Arriving at the Captain’s office door, where the scent of documents was faintly noticeable, Altair’s voice told me to come in even before I could knock.

“Excuse me.”

Carefully opening the door and standing before her, Altair signaled for me to sit on the chair in front.

As I naturally took my seat, Altair also put down the documents she was holding and sat on the chair opposite me.

“What’s your name, new recruit?”

“It’s Dian.”

“Dian…. Right, for what reason did you enlist in the Aquila Knights?”

Altair, still wearing her form-fitting armor, naturally crossed her legs.

“To become stronger.”

“A rather primal reason… but not bad. Is there any other reason?”

“Because I can earn money too.”

“Hmm. A mercenary reason isn’t necessarily wrong either.”

She nodded and stared intently into my eyes.

Her gaze, as if searching for something within me, naturally ended after a short while.

“Dian, are you sure you truly want to become a knight?”

“Yes.”

“But there’s no emotion of desire in your eyes.”

Though it was for a brief moment, Altair, who saw right through me with the discerning eye of a Knight Captain, rose from her chair and approached me.

“Like those who were dying in the back alleys, only emptiness resides in your eyes.”

In her eyes, which had, a few days ago, accidentally caused someone’s death, there was an air of urgency.

Unlike her gaze, everything I had said during the interview was sincere.

“…I want to become stronger.”

I wanted to become stronger than anyone to escape this life of constantly dying.

“I also want to earn money.”

I wanted to earn money to eventually return Carmen’s shoes and gift her a pair that fit her.

“I have… a reason I cannot give up.”

As I conveyed my sincerity to Altair, who seemed ready to send me away immediately, she found a light in my eyes, and her expression became deeply serious.

“……A reason not to give up, huh.”

Altair gazed out the window at the drill ground, lost in thought for a moment.

She was surely recalling the time of ruin.

“Very well. From today, I will personally mentor you.”

“…!!”

“Consider it an honor. It’s not often one receives direct guidance from the Knight Captain.”

I nodded at Altair, who awkwardly raised the corners of her lips.

Somehow, I ended up enjoying the privilege of being personally mentored by her.

“…I won’t lose any subordinates again.”

She muttered to herself in a low voice, then slung her greatsword onto her back and gestured with her chin for me to follow.

“First, I’ll spar with you to gauge your skill level.”

“….”