The Difference Is Like Between a Dog and a Cow

23 – Going Out (2)

“Okay, we have arrived!”

“You worked hard.”

I gave the coachman a silver coin and jumped off the carriage.

In the game, the unit of money that moves is insanely high, so it was a bit of a headache to memorize even such a fine unit of currency.

After getting off the wagon and entering the city, a completely different atmosphere from that of the troops unfolded.

Neat wooden buildings stretch all the way along the alley, and children run through the alleys laughing with excitement.

The merchants and citizens who came out to buy groceries come together to form a gated city, and bands play songs in one corner of the city.

‘…… It feels like you’ve come to a fantasy world.’

I suddenly feel that way. When I was about to lose my head, Bell Mayer spoke from the side.

“The atmosphere is good, right? It’s generally like this, but you’d better not go into the back alleys. There are so many crazy people out there who don’t care.”

“Crazies?”

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a soldier or a civil servant. There’s no point in arguing with civilians, so it’s best to avoid it.”

“Hmm.”

I nodded lightly. Because there are kids like that everywhere you go.

Even in the 21st century, high school students openly assaulted soldiers, and Hearts of General would be no different.

“I will keep this in mind.”

“Then, where shall we go?”

After thinking about it for a while, I came up with a wise suggestion.

“Let’s have breakfast.”

As soon as I woke up, I called the roll call and went out. It was because the stomach, which had fully awakened from sleepiness, was begging for food.

“Good. Then go to a restaurant I know. The soup there is really excellent.”

Bell was Chuck. It was almost irrelevant to say that it was a guide limited to Cherno City.

“Does Sergeant Bell go out often? You are very bright in this geography.”

“I don’t really want to study magic…… If you’re just in the room, you’re bored.”

Unexpectedly, despite suffering from depression, I was surprised that he had a very lively personality. Even though the status window has the characteristic of friendliness attached to it, I didn’t expect it to be so friendly.

But I soon got a glimpse of her reason for having this personality.

“And, if I stay in my room, I get depressed for some reason. Not very good.”

“That’s right.”

She is said to suffer from depression, so if she is confined to her room, it will only get worse.

She is struggling.

Don’t let her depression and negativity devour her own spirit.

As much as I once had the experience of being ill, I could fully sympathize.

“Sergeant Bell is a very strong man.”

“Yes? Ah…… Thank you, Platoon Commander.”

That’s all I can say.

No one will ever understand how you feel.

“So where should I go?”

“This way! We just need to walk a little longer.”

I followed Bell’s guide and entered the wide market alley.

***

Jjallang-.

“Welcome!!!”

As soon as I opened the door and entered the store, the owner’s loud voice rang out.

Eight tables for four are placed, and two tables are stretched in a straight line on both sides of the wall. Candles placed above it add a subtle atmosphere.

‘Oh ho.’

The size of the store doesn’t look that big, but I like the atmosphere and the scent.

In particular, just smelling this savory yet sweet scent made my salivary glands flow out.

As a result, even though it was early in the morning, there were quite a few customers.

“This is a real restaurant.”

“The menu for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and time of day is different, so it’s something new every time I come.”

Bell Meyer smiled and said hello, and the face of the man poking out from the kitchen widened.

“Oh, was it the mage girl!”

Belle seemed to be a regular enough that her face was remembered by the owner.

“Who is next to you? Same colleague?”

“You are our platoon commander. Since you have just been appointed, I heard you are taking a tour of the city.”

“Aha! You must have been an officer. Come on, sit down! The menu should be ‘Birdsong on a hot morning’, right?”

“Yes, please give me that.”

Hot…… What?

“Is there no such thing as a menu board?”

“Yes. It’s up to you, boss.”

When I asked back, the owner burst into a hearty laugh from inside the kitchen.

“Ha ha ha! Our shop motto! If you leave it up to the customers to choose the menu, they often end up ordering strange menu items without knowing it!”

“No, but the lack of a menu isn’t too extreme… ….”

“Ugh! Platoon commander! Can you trust my eyes for once? There is no need for a menu board here.”

If you claim this strongly, you have to try not to believe it. I decided to wait until the meal was ready.

I realized that Bell’s idea was right a hundred times.

“Taste, delicious.”

“Right!?”

“Really…… It’s delicious.”

To be honest, I didn’t think the meal provided by the base was too bad, but it was at a different level from the current food.

Should I say it feels like comparing jjambab with chicken ordered in society?

It has gone far beyond the level of PX.

Hot corn soup, freshly baked bread. In addition to fresh salads, club sandwiches cut into bite-size pieces.

‘You’re crazy. What the hell have I been eating all this time?’

Texture, taste, aroma, temperature.

Everything was perfect. Bell Meyer wasn’t saying this for nothing.

After we finished our delicious meal, the owner appeared, sweating from the inside. His arms were as thick as Dwayne Johnson’s.

He has a physique that would have suited him even if he was a gangster rather than a cook.

“It looks like you ate well, so I’m proud! Please visit us often in the future!”

To the owner with a satisfied smile, I lightly bowed and left the store with Bell.

Now that we had a full stomach, it was time to enjoy shopping while walking around the city in earnest.

Even though I haven’t received my salary yet, there are 20 gold coins, which are basically initial funds paid.

Originally, it was usually used to upgrade equipment or to boost the morale of the troops.

From the point of view where practically all negotiations and strategies have to be planned like now, it was impossible to insist on only wearing military uniforms all the time.

In the first place, even military uniforms may need a few more.

.

“This way. The last time I passed by, the men’s clothing was pretty cool. I think I would get along really well with the platoon leader.”

Bell Meyer roamed the streets without hesitation. Every time she passed one of her alleys, clothes and various accessories were added to her hands.

“I dare to go this far…… ?”

“Now, the platoon commander may be invited to a banquet as he rises in rank. I’m sure it will come in handy someday.”

That’s right.

Among the contents provided by Hearts of General, there was also a ‘banquet’.

Through this event, the player character’s ‘internal affairs’ growth was possible by increasing political power, being invited to a better position, being promised a promotion, or having an arranged marriage.

Of course, in order to attend such a banquet, appropriate attire is required.

In the first place, the uniforms provided by the military are only given to field-level officers. With my status as a lieutenant at best, I had no choice but to wear a tailcoat specially tailored for such a banquet.

“Try this on too, oh…… ! That goes well too.”

Bell Meyer starts to go berserk as soon as he enters a street lined with clothing stores.

Later, I even bought a new bag in the middle because I had more luggage than I thought.

“As expected, it becomes a hanger, so it is fun to put on.”

“Is that so… ….”

“Platoon commander, you need to laugh a little more. Your expressionless expression is so stiff that it makes you feel cold, but then you wouldn’t be popular with women?”

It was unfair.

I’m not doing it on purpose, it’s because of the traits I took before coming into this goddamn world.

“Pooh! It’s over. I think this will be enough.”

In the end, we were able to finish shopping after lunch was over. Bell Meyer shrugged as if she was satisfied with her shopping this time.

The bag made of leather is inflated. The number of gold coins he had in hand was also reduced to 17.

17 Gold coins.

A total of 300 in terms of silver coins.

That’s enough money to have a handgun custom-made in style.

However, it was a little too much for me to say such a thing to Belle Mayer, who was so excited, so I decided to just skip it.

Strictly speaking, it may be overconsumption, but it is not useless consumption.

“Then shall we go back soon? I’ve been to almost all of the city…… I heard you came with Lumia for the furniture?”

“It should be. I will try next weekend.”

If the sun goes down, it should be a little longer.

Still, it would be better to go back to the unit in advance, organize your clothes, and take a break that you couldn’t rest even today.

The moment I was about to head out onto the main street, fixing my bag.

“Please, help me!!!”

I heard someone’s urgent voice. The sound of something collapsing loudly.

Bell and I exchanged glances, then instinctively moved towards the sound.

Cudangtang!!

When I checked against the wall in the alley, I found a small child surrounded by several men and beaten up.

“Hey, f*ck! What can I do!”

“Who told you to walk around here? You bastard, give it to me quickly!”

“This, this is not possible!! I really can’t!”

The moment I witnessed that scene, quotes filled my head.

It doesn’t look like bullies are ripping off little kids.

“I-I’m going to die like that…… !”

“People don’t die easily.”

“No, Platoon Leader! Even if you say so…… !!”

I was in serious trouble. If it was like usual, I would have just passed by.

Those like that can beat you to the brink of death no matter how many people rush at you, but if you act like that in broad daylight, it means you’re a madman, or you have a backbone comparable to a security agency.

It’s not my taste to meddle in things that might get complicated.

But now there was a bell next to me.

It looks like anyone will intervene right now, but it’s clear that the platoon commander’s prestige won’t survive if I leave her behind like that.

‘…… I can’t help it.’

I took off the coat of the military uniform I was wearing and left it with Bell.

The reason I hurt my back then was because I didn’t use my body for a long time. So I’m going to try to loosen up after a while.

“Platoon commander?”

“Hold on for a while.”

I put my bag down in the corner and slowly entered the alley.

“What is this bastard all of a sudden?”

The guy standing at the entrance to keep the child from escaping turned around and said. It looks like you want to pull out a slightly protruding bucktooth.

“A soldier passing by.”

“A soldier?”

At that, the guys who were beating the boy also looked at me.

“Soldier? f*ck, why is the military barista here? It looks like you came out to play with your girlfriend, but don’t be pretentious and go away.”

“You even bit a rag in your mouth. Is that the right way to treat soldiers now?”

“Ha.”

The guy who had been stepping on the child for a long time approached with a squeak. He dyed his hair yellow and was a bully to his toes.

To the extent that it is okay to stuff it as it is and display it as a specimen in a museum.

“Hey, it looks like this is the first time I’ve seen an officer. In Cherno, it’s a big deal if you use that kind of authority.”

The bullies Bell talked about earlier must be these guys.

Actually, it’s normal to run away from the point where you say you’re a soldier, or to stop your tail right away even if you’re threatened.

You bastards, haven’t you given a damn once or twice to a soldier?

‘It worked out rather well.’

I stared straight at the blonde-haired bully.

“Eh, why don’t you cover your eyes? Damn, these tight-knit military bastards need to be educated once to listen…….”

Paak!!

Instead of answering, I punched my temple. The guy who had been threateningly swearing just a moment ago is slammed to the floor.

“Luke?!”

“You know what I hate the most?”

“THE f*ck!!”

After lightly blocking the other guy’s sudden fist, I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him down.

As the guy who lost his balance stumbled, I gave him a knee kick straight to his chin.

“Oops…… Kuck!!”

A bully who can’t even scream and stumbles across the floor. A buck tooth that had been bothering me fell out of my mouth. You should have behaved well.

At the situation that happened in an instant, he looked at the other two who were stiff from behind and said.

“Even though you may not appreciate defending the country, you are ignoring those people. You worms who couldn’t even be a bastard like this.”