Surviving on the Northern Front with Gukbap

Return ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍(1)

There were hardly any moments in my life when I felt it was easy.

No, actually, I could say there were none at all.

The things I wanted weren't even that extraordinary,

but to obtain them, I had to work dozens of times harder than others.

Starting from having an ordinary family,

to now, trying to return to the world I originally belonged to.

I've lived a life tangled beyond measure.

Maybe that's why I've gotten used to working harder and trying more than others.

However,

'Isn't this just too much, no matter how you look at it?'

This task growing heavier on my shoulders made that famous Korean meme phrase come to mind naturally.

'It wasn't enough that I ended up with the unwanted Class of a career soldier, but I even became a battalion commander.'

Just like a bill being railroaded through the National Assembly in Korea, thanks to Legion and Lantz, I had become the battalion commander.

Now, I'd ended up at the tent that the previous battalion commander had used, somehow muddling through.

Of course, if newly commissioned lieutenants from Korea were to see me now, they might say, "Damn, I'm so jealous!"

But the weight of a crown you never wanted was heavier than I could have imagined.

What I mean is, my head is really hurting right now.

"Battalion commander?"

"Huh?"

The voice of a young, blond company commander snapped me out of my thoughts.

Before I realized it, Lantz must have finished his debrief and

was standing there staring at me blankly.

"You weren't spacing out, were you?"

Of course, his formal way of speaking still felt extremely awkward to me.

I really needed to get used to it as soon as possible, but.

"I heard everything."

"But your eyes were closed, sir?"

"I was just organizing my thoughts."

"Hmmm."

For a moment, Lantz shot me a suspicious gaze,

but I ignored him and spoke to Legion.

"Since the Red Rooster has declared unconditional surrender, let's assign our special operations intel personnel at the minimum levels. For now, let's focus on strengthening ourselves internally rather than worrying about the outside."

Only then did that prickling stare from Lantz stop,

but now Legion looked at me and said,

"Why don't you speak casually with me?"

Her tone made my hair stand on end—it was impossible to tell if she was joking or serious.

With Lantz, who was obviously younger than me, I could at least try to act casual, even if awkwardly—

'But Legion is a mother in her 30s!'

Not only that, but I still felt guilty for failing to protect Zaiya.

It just didn't feel right speaking informally to her, so I avoided Legion's gaze as I spoke.

"Casual speech isn't urgent, so I'll take my time. More importantly, when can we reorganize the special operations personnel?"

With that, I listened to Legion and Lantz's reports and got things organized for about an hour.

After noting down all the details on parchment, it looked like I needed some time to review everything.

I'd written down quite a lot.

"Lantz, assemble the soldiers tomorrow morning, and Legion, please proceed with the special operations reorganization as you reported earlier."

With those words, I all but told the two fourth-ranks to withdraw.

Lantz jumped up, saluted, and left, but—

"... Um."

Legion remained seated, staring at me.

"Why aren't you leaving?"

Earlier, my hair had been standing on end,

but now cold sweat trickled down my back.

Legion was looking at me with a strange gaze.

"Hmmm. I wonder why I'm not leaving?"

Earlier, when Lantz was around, Legion had spoken strictly and formally, but

now she was looking at me with a smile more befitting a girl than a soldier.

"Well, do you have something to say?"

Of course, I said that, but there were things that came to mind.

― You are an excellent guy. Would you like to join me sometime?

After the minor Demon Realm raid, Legion's words echoed in my mind like an auditory hallucination,

and I found myself unconsciously raising my alertness.

'She might jump me. I need to be prepared.'

Still, fortunately, I was stronger than Legion now, wasn't I?

I resolved to put all my energy into keeping my chastity. —Or so I thought,

"Pfft."

Legion smothered a laugh and said,

"Seven out of ten points."

I, who had been super tense, didn't understand her words at first,

but her suddenly serious demeanor helped me infer what she meant by the seven points.

"You mean as a battalion commander?"

That must have been the right answer.

Legion nodded.

"Your understanding of the reports was solid, and your questions and responsive plans were good, too. Maybe it's because you briefly served as a platoon leader, but you seemed like a good battalion commander."

Her praise nearly made my mood soar,

but remembering she gave me only seven points, I asked,

"Commander Kratan was a ten, right?"

Legion grinned at my question.

"The battalion commander always listened to his subordinates' opinions—always. Even if he decided everything himself after."

Just as Legion said.

At meetings, the battalion commander always listened to the company commanders' opinions,

and would score their input.

This was partly to spot holes in his own thinking, but mainly to help foster his subordinates' critical thinking.

"He was like that. I'll do the same from now on."

I thanked her for reminding me of what I'd overlooked,

but Legion shook her head.

"No. Ian, you shouldn't try to follow that."

When I pulled a 'What do you want me to do, then?' face,

she propped her chin on her hand and said,

"Lantz and Hank are both company commanders, but they're different people. So, they're different company commanders."

Her simple analogy helped me grasp her meaning.

'I and the old man are different battalion commanders.'

In other words, there was no need to clumsily mimic the old man.

If so,

'She's telling me to find my own way of being battalion commander.'

Legion's message really struck home.

Finally, she beamed and rose from her seat.

"As expected, you're smart. I'm glad we picked you as the new battalion commander."

"Well, honestly, with the advice you're giving me, I think you'd have been a better battalion commander, Legion."

At my words, Legion merely saluted as if out of words and stepped out of the tent.

I gazed in a daze at the spot she'd left,

Flap.

The tent rustled again, and Legion poked her head back in.

"Oh, right."

It was the mischievous look she'd shown earlier.

"It's really late. It's not like today is the only day—don't get too disappointed."

With that, Legion disappeared for good.

She must have totally misunderstood.

But, hmm, I wonder what kind of face I was making earlier.

"Anyway, sleep first."

*

... That's what I decided, but an hour passed as I lay on the bed.

'I can't sleep!'

Maybe it was because I was in a new bed, or maybe there was just too much on my mind, but I couldn't fall asleep at all.

'Whatever, let's just give up.'

In the end, I got up from the old man's bed.

I wandered over to the operations room table and sat down.

I picked up the parchment I'd scribbled on before bed and wondered,

'What should I do from here?'

Not even twenty-four hours had passed since I'd been swept up in the mood and accepted the position, but

naturally, I couldn't fully embrace the role of battalion commander yet.

Because—

'I'm a cook and a boss, not a soldier.'

What was the reason I'd risked my life and fought all the way here?

It was to protect Granfen, where my shop and employees were still alive.

That was an obligation as a boss, not as a soldier.

But battalion commander was different.

It wasn't just a military leader—functionally, it was like overseeing the whole village,

handling village chief or lord-like roles as well.

That's just not what I want to do.

'Even in the game, the playable Character was an adventurer. I didn't want to be tied to one place.'

What was my original plan?

Expand Happiness Gukbap branch after branch in various villages and cities,

and eventually conquer the continent with soup rice.

That's why I'd already made a decision that would disappoint both Lantz and Legion.

'Once I return to the village, I'll step down as battalion commander.'

Either Lantz or Legion would be able to do at least as well as I could.

Of course, even if I was no longer a soldier, if danger came to Granfen, I'd have no choice but to act,

so I figured Lantz and Legion would understand.

That meant there were certain things I had to make sure to settle while I was still battalion commander.

All the potential threats facing Granfen.

The first, of course, was—

'White Fang' and 'Sovereign Gillierm'.

At first, I'd thought it was an outsider from my own world who'd created the minor Demon Realm and incited the spirit stone quarry war.

But after hearing the battalion commander's will, and about the old man's and the Sovereign's relationship, my mind changed.

White Fang had more than enough reason to watch and attack Granfen.

But there was no concrete proof or facts.

In other words,

'Any scenario could be the truth.'

My theory that an outsider created the minor Demon Realm was just "brain fiction" built on my own experience,

and the battalion commander's claim that White Fang came because he was hiding his son was also "brain fiction".

So my last mission as battalion commander was decided.

'Once I get to Granfen, I'll inform Legion and Lantz about the possibility of outsider involvement.'

I had to tell them things I couldn't relay to the battalion commander—the changed reality and the future knowledge I had of this world.

Only then could they respond appropriately in the right place at the right time.

As a result, the impression of outsiders, already bad, might get even worse,

but honestly, protecting Granfen was more important than that.

'Ultimately, if White Fang decided to wipe us out, no amount of preparation would make a difference anyway.'

Well, in that worst-case scenario, it'd be do-or-die and I'd fight alongside Plerine.

"Hmm. I miss her."

Thinking of Plerine made my heart feel all warm and fuzzy, but not for long.

If it's Plerine, she'd probably've noticed I'd used Nash's enchanted spell already,

so the moment she saw me, she'd shower me with blue sparks from head to toe.

― Boooooss?

Damn it. I'm already hearing her voice.

I'd get a fierce greeting—and then even more nagging would follow.

'Maybe she's already on her way here.'

Goosebumps ran down my whole body as I pictured blue flames,

and immediately a second threat popped into my mind.

'Tower of Fire.'

At the game's starting point—that is, forty years ago—the Tower of Fire was located in the land between Heroni and the Demon Realm.

But the Tower of Fire was different from other Magic Towers.

Most Magic Towers had close ties to the nations they belonged to,

but the Tower of Fire was neutral with the Federation of Heroni.

Apparently, this was because of the Tower Master of forty years ago, ignazal...,

'I'll omit any further details.'

Are you asking if I'm omitting it because I don't know the settings or background of Belkhazium?

You're right, damn it.

Anyway, what's important isn't that.

'The Tower of Fire and the Federation of Heroni have become close allies.'

The rabbit beastkin who acted as tactician for the Red Rooster.

That firestarter mage was from the Tower of Fire.

If Ignazal had still been the Tower Master, that never would've happened.

Here's the problem—the Tower Master may have seen me fighting that rabbit guy,

and an even bigger problem is—

'That the rabbit beastkin from the Tower of Fire recognized Plerine.'

All this makes it easy to mistake Plerine for someone from the Tower of Fire.

But that can't be.

'Plerine is a human, not a beastkin.'

If the Tower of Fire and Heroni had joined hands, they wouldn't have allowed other races inside the Tower.

Plus, the rabbit beastkin was intensely hostile toward Plerine.

If I run the calculations with a positive spin,

'Plerine could have been with a faction hostile to the Tower of Fire.'

That's the hypothesis I arrive at.

Well, even so, the idea that Plerine was from the Tower of Fire doesn't go away.

'That's why it's so complicated.'

I still hadn't decided whether to tell Lantz and Legion about Plerine.

It was weighing on me and making my head throb.

Honestly, that was probably why I couldn't sleep.

'Damn it.'

Earlier, I'd missed Plerine.

Now I missed the old man.

I never realized how hard this battalion commander job was,

and I found myself respecting the old man all the more.

What would he have done?

'If the old man were me...'

Frustrated, I started downloading the old man's thought process into my prefrontal cortex.

Of course, I was neither a sorcerer nor a Soul Drinker, so it was all just imagination,

but my brain dredged up something the battalion commander had said more than once.

― Jeros... How did he even find that out...?

Thinking of the name Jeros that I'd forgotten,

also reminded me like a fishing net of the forgotten functions in my perk system.

In the [Regular Customer] system where Jeros was registered—,

'A new perk called VIP has been unlocked.'

Could I figure out something new with this 'VIP'?

With a hint of hope, I opened the system window.

Ding.