My Death Flag Shows No Sign Of Ending

Episode 41

(Cody's POV)

My evaluation of people can't be said to be very flattering, but by being an individual capable of achieving a position as captain at a young age, that much should be fine, that is what it means to be one that walks the path of the elite.

However, in addition to having a bad attitude in general, my work attitude couldn't be considered serious at all, resulting in some friction to form between my colleagues who couldn't accept my personality.

The origin of that personality forming can be dated back to the friendship between myself and the boy that would one day be known as the Knight's Deputy Captain, the one who's admired by everyone.

Born and raised in the same rural village, we were so-called childhood friends.

We both lived in common households and spent our early childhoods surrounded by nature, it was very peaceful life.

...and that peace was shattered when we were seven years old.

Out of nowhere, the village was attacked by bandits, the people that we grew up knowing, killed or abducted. The food and money we had saved up, plundered.

But that wasn't enough was it? Monsters swarmed in from everywhere, the barrier that once protected us destroyed during the pillaging. They probably caught the smell of the blood and food.

It was impossible for us to prevent the monster invasion when we couldn't even exercise our defense measures properly.

The smell of blood and the screams of the people echoed throughout the town as we were attacked by wave after wave of bandits and monsters, flames burning everywhere. It was hell.

Although Vincent and I were somehow able to survive the onslaught, I lost my family and the town had been destroyed to the point of being irreparable.

There was nothing left for us other than an inevitable sense of despair. For us two orphans, there was nothing we could do other than be sad.

If that was the case then we might as well die, right? The me of that time seriously considered that option. How could I stay alive while the rest of my family was dead...

But then I remembered, Vincent was still by my side, how the hell could I leave him all alone? He was small, a crybaby, and my best friend. The same friend who hid behind me all the time because he was shy. I had to live on.

I at least wanted Vincent to live if I had to die.

But if I died, a boy as vulnerable as he was wouldn't last very long.

Well, even if I said that, we were still just children. The chances of us both surviving were low from the start.

Still, there was no way I could abandon Vincent and choose death.

So that's why I asked him, "I don't care whether I live or die any more, but what about you? Do you want to die together with me or live on?"

"...I want to live. I don't want to die... it's scary...!"

That was Vincent's answer, even in a situation like that he was too afraid to die.

To be honest, I couldn't understand that feeling of his very well, I honestly thought that the easiest way to escape my despair at that moment was death.

But for his sake, I thought it was fine. I knew that to choose such a path even after seeing his determination would only make me a coward.

In truth, maybe it was the strength that Vincent showed at that moment to choose life over death that saved me at that time. Without it, I probably would've chosen death at that place.