Chapter 640
Anna had urged Scarlett to leave without offering any explanation, but leaving the battlefield without a valid reason was not an option for most. Only someone like Ludwig, who had sustained debilitating injuries, could depart without question. For everyone else, permission was mandatory; leaving without it would be seen as desertion. Yet Anna had simply told Scarlett it was better for her not to be there, without elaborating.
Fortunately, Scarlett understood that beneath Anna’s somber and brooding exterior, she was not a bad person. Anna wouldn’t have said something like that without a good reason. Trusting Anna’s judgment, Scarlett went directly to her teacher and military superior, Ms. Mustang.
She confessed that she was too exhausted and miserable to continue, and pleaded to be sent back to the Temple. She explained that she felt like a ticking time bomb, and if she remained on the battlefield, she would only harm her allies.
Scarlett never mentioned Anna’s reasons. She believed there had to be a reason why Anna was so adamant about keeping the information from Cristina. The desperation in Anna’s eyes couldn’t be ignored.
Naturally, Ms. Mustang was taken aback. Scarlett, who had always done her job without complaint, had suddenly come to her and declared she was exhausted and wanted to go home.
From the teacher’s perspective, it was unexpected, almost like a tantrum. In a military unit at war, any soldier demanding to be sent home wouldn’t be taken seriously. Many soldiers felt the same way. If they could all leave whenever they wished, the Allied Forces wouldn’t hold together. While some stayed in the military just for the meals, many of those who had faced the terror of death often wanted to abandon it all.
Scarlett knew she couldn’t just ask to be sent back without a valid reason. But she wasn’t just any student. As a member of the Temple Royal Class, she had achieved far more than the average soldier. While she might not have been on the same level as Heinrich or Ellen, who could take down monsters with astonishing ease, each student in the Royal Class was exceptional in their own way.
Ms. Mustang, however, misread Scarlett’s request.
Despite her outward composure, Scarlett was just as exhausted and worn down as everyone else. Though she hadn’t shown it, Ms. Mustang sensed that Scarlett’s heart was aching, her emotions festering inside until they finally erupted.
“Yes, Scarlett, you’ve worked hard,” Ms. Mustang reassured her. “I’ll speak with the higher-ups. You’ve earned a break. Let the others handle what’s left. Don’t feel guilty; you’ve done your part.”
“Teacher...” Scarlett murmured, feeling comforted by Ms. Mustang’s words.
Even though Scarlett had a valid reason for leaving the battlefield, she had chosen not to share it. Instead, she made a sudden, childish request to abandon the war, and Ms. Mustang had embraced her warmly. Overwhelmed, Scarlett broke down in tears in Ms. Mustang’s arms.