My Desertion Would Be Faster Than Heros’ Obsession

‘In the original, when the heroine, Dalin, is shocked by the death of another recruit, Isina doesn’t understand her at all. Despite that, he tries to comfort her, but Dalin quickly realizes that Isina can’t empathize with her.’

What was the conversation between the heroine, Dalin, and Isina in the original?
"Is, Isina… you don’t seem sad at all… Am I mistaken?"
"Hmm, do I really need to be sad, Dalin?"

"B-but, someone died..."
[Dalin, feeling a sense of fear, instinctively took a step back. Somehow, the man in front of her didn’t seem like the kind senior she had always known—Isina.]
"Yeah, they died. But what’s the difference?"

I clearly remember the next part. This was the moment that solidified Isina’s character in the readers’ minds.
[Isina, with his deep green eyes gently narrowing, spoke in a kind voice. His gaze was fixed directly on Dalin.]
"I have someone much more important than you, you know?"

Isina became popular as a character who was "kind on the outside but didn’t view those around him as equals, only considering Dalin as special."
‘But right now, I couldn’t care less about that. What’s important to me is whether Isina is a frightening senior or not…’
Whatever schemes Isina might be harboring inside, it didn’t matter to me. After all, he was the kind of person who didn’t speak harshly to his juniors, so he was actually a pretty decent senior.

At this point, though, his character wouldn’t be as much of a "villain" as he was in the original. Since the original heroine hasn’t enlisted yet, I imagine he’s more like "70% villain," not "100% villain."
"Ishina, what can I do for you?"
When I asked that, Isina gave me his characteristic soft smile and spoke in his usual kind tone.

"Hmm, there’s a special training session scheduled for this afternoon, so hurry up and get ready."
Please, don’t say things like that so kindly, damn it.
***

“Is everyone here?”
Brave surveyed our line of recruits standing in the training field. Brave was a senior, a colleague of Leon’s, and he was always the same—laughing casually as if everything was a joke, just like Leon.
“Winter, Altair, Yuri. Did you get everything I told you to gather earlier?”
“Yes, we did.”

“Plato. Did you check the headcount?”
“Yes, everything matches.”
After double-checking a few things, Brave finally spoke up.

“Alright, it’s about time for this month’s training. Today, we’re heading down to the lake at the base of the mountain.”
Why does this feel so ominous?
“We’ll be doing water-based training.”

DAMN!
The faces of the recruits turned pale, but Brave just laughed unpleasantly at our reactions.
“You’re going to have a tough time today, probably.”

‘Don’t say that with a smile, you psycho…’
The path down the mountain wasn’t difficult at all.
Our camp was deep in the mountains, and I remembered being hauled up here like cargo in a cart when we first arrived.

‘How much stronger have I gotten in just one month...?’
I couldn’t even imagine how much my physical abilities had developed over the past month.
Finally, the lake began to appear in the distance. This was where we would be tested today.

What kind of water training were we about to do? There were many possibilities that came to mind, but the first thing I thought of was...
‘Swimming.’
I’m screwed. I don’t know how to swim.

I’m not sure if the original Salvia knew how to swim, but it didn’t matter—this body doesn’t know how to swim, so it’s a moot point.
“Alright, new recruits. Basic swimming training starts now.”
Senior Louise, who had taught us swordsmanship, approached us.

“First, take off your shoes. Wet shoes don’t dry quickly and are uncomfortable.”
A sense of dread began to creep over me as we obediently took off our shoes.
‘Damn, please tell me it’s not what I think it is.’

At least tell us something before you throw us into the water...
Just so you know, every bad feeling I’ve had since joining the military has never been wrong.
“Alright, from now on, you’ll be treading water for ten minutes.”

Why does it feel like the seniors behind Louise are all coming toward us?
I denied reality, my face blank, but reality came crashing in without any warning.
‘Damn it!’

I was shoved into the water by a senior, and as I sank, I made my 116th vow to desert once this training was over.
***
“Ten minutes treading water! Go!”

“Look out for your comrades!”
I could hear voices from above me, but it was hard to focus on anything as I flailed in the water, trying to escape. My body rose and sank in the freezing cold water, and it horrified me as cold water continuously flooded my nose and mouth. The icy sensation made my body instinctively tense up, and I couldn’t even open my eyes properly.
“Hey! Keep your body relaxed and float!”

Plato shouted harshly, his voice cutting through the chaos.
DAMN, it’s easy to say. How am I supposed to relax my body when you suddenly throw me into the water?
I desperately moved my legs, trying to stay afloat, but it felt like my body was sinking more and more into the water.

“Salvia, relax!”
I felt someone grabbing me from behind. I instinctively tried to grab the person’s collar, but since they had a firm hold on me, I couldn’t.
“Open your eyes! You’re not sinking because I’m holding you! Now relax your body!”

“Hah, hah…”
Finally, my mind snapped back to reality.
I stopped flailing my arms and legs and slowly relaxed my body. Miraculously, I stopped sinking.

When I opened my eyes, I saw my fellow recruits, struggling like me, either trying to relax their bodies or flailing to stay afloat.
“You can’t swim, can you?”
The voice right behind my head made me realize who was holding me up. It was my fellow recruit, Linia.

“I forgot how to swim, it’s been so long. Cough!”
As soon as I spoke, I started coughing from the water I swallowed.
“Exactly! When you’re trying to rescue someone from drowning, you grab them from behind! If you grab them from the front, you might get dragged down with them!”

I looked up at Senior Louise, who was calmly giving instructions from the water.
He was holding a pocket watch in one hand, checking the time as he alternated between us and the clock.
“Linia, can you swim well?”

“At least better than you.”
He said it like it wasn’t a big deal, but he was holding me up pretty steadily in the water.
“The fact that one of my eyes doesn’t work makes swimming more uncomfortable than I thought.”

Linia spoke while adjusting the scar over his one eye with his hand.
I didn’t ask about the reason he lost his eye. I figured it was probably from some rough past, and I didn’t want to bring it up.
“I’m going to let go now, so try to float on your own.”

“Wh-what?”
“Well, sooner or later, you’ll have to do it on your own. I’ll help you, so don’t worry.”
“…Thanks a lot.”

Meeting Linia in this hellish place was truly a stroke of luck.
With my eyes slightly moist, I looked around and noticed Aquila floating right next to me.
…He was right next to me, but when I was struggling earlier, he didn’t help... Ha, what a disloyal guy...

Yeah, whether he’s the male lead from the original or loved me or not, it doesn’t matter anymore...
‘But seriously, you need to learn how to show some love for your comrades, you antisocial jerk.’
Thanks to Linia’s help, I managed to stay afloat, and I inwardly grumbled about Aquila, who seemed to have no cooperation skills.

“Alright, looks like everyone knows how to stay afloat.”
Seeing that we were all somehow keeping ourselves afloat, Senior Louise smiled contentedly.
‘Please, let today’s training end here.’

The other units, except for the new recruits, were training at a distance. I really hoped we could just finish the floating training and call it a day...
‘I hate swimming. I don’t even remember how to do it.’
“Alright, let’s go for a round-trip swim in the lake while we’re at it.”

DAMN.
No, what are you planning to do with us, barely keeping ourselves afloat?
There’s no way we’ll all become great swimmers by the end of today.

“If anyone can’t swim, don’t worry. Violence and fear will save you all.”
And that day, I really did manage to swim across the lake and back.
‘This actually works, DAMN...’

“How many days until we’re discharged?”
“7 years, 11 months, and 8 days.”
DAMN.

I buried my head in my hands in despair after hearing Linia’s answer.
Counting the remaining discharge days had become part of our daily routine. Although it only made the sense of despair grow.
“You guys, come sit down.”

As we moved to hang up the laundry we’d gathered, we quickly caught on and sat down in front of Plato, seeing other recruits already seated.
‘What now…’
What kind of gathering is this today? I’m half resigned to it by now!

“Alright, today we’re having a test on the memorization of Grade 3 monsters.”
Phew, at least it’s not another gathering.
I thought someone had messed up again, and we’d end up with more of the "Violence and Fear" training.

But, the “memorization test” seemed to be worse news for my fellow recruits than a gathering, as their expressions slowly darkened.
“Salvia, you’re first.”
Plato pointed his finger at me, sitting at the far left.

I instinctively tensed up, and I could hear the sound of my gulping in my throat.
‘If I mess up, I’m dead, if I mess up, I’m dead…’