After I readied Armin, we all sat down for breakfast on the floor, which was the customary way to utilize the low table.

Well while we were in the middle of eating, the first one to speak was Armin.

“From today onwards you’ll be a soldier, right big bro?”, he asked with high enthusiasm.

“Yes, that’s right.”, I replied in short sentence and continued to eat my breakfast.

“That’s so cool! I will also become a great soldier!”, Armin said as he pointed the fork in the air.

That was the common hero pose, but with a fork instead of a sword.

“Now, Armin you should not talk while eating. Finish your breakfast, first.”

All of sudden Rose joined in the conversation,

“Please brother! If you ever become a soldier, you will get killed on your first day.”, she said to Armin with a smug smile.

She said in a cold way as she sipped her tea.

Not again!

I could see, where this was heading.

After, Armin heard Rose’s remarks he angrily banged his hand on the table.

“How dare you! I shall be the hero, and I will then-”

*smack*

Before he could finish I whacked Armin in the head and it was loud one at that.

Armin held his head on the place where I hit.

“Ow!”

“You idiot! Don’t take your anger on the table. You also spilled some of your tea! Clean this mess or it could even spoil your uniform! I just have washed and ironed it last night.”, I firmly stated to him. I also turned to Rose, “Also Rose, don’t start bickering over every word that Armin spouts, didn’t you say you were all grown up now!?”

To that, Armin got annoyed once again,

“Hey! I should make this clear, I am grown up too! I am a minute older than Rose. I also am not stupid, you see ~”, he kept on rambling. But I ignored him.

“What’s so good about being soldier, anyway?!”, Rose said with a saddened face.

To her question, I remained silent.

But Armin replied with his demeanor,

“You don’t even know that?”, he said cockily, “Rose if you become a soldier, you shall be able to go to battle and defeat our enemies, who are threatening the world's peace. I shall become a soldier and cleanse the lands with such evil people and proclaim peace, once for all. I shall become a glorious hero and then-”

“Shut up! That’s just your sense of childish justice. Do you think you would be able to do as you please, once you join the military?”

“Huh? Yes, why no-”

“Wrong! You will be nothing but the military’s slave dog. The army doesn’t care about peace or warding off the evil. The soldiers are mere sacrificial pawns just to appease the kingdom’s hunger for expansion.”, Rose then looked at me, “Soldier’s will always be treated as military's slave dog and in the end, they die like a dog!”

I saw that Rose’s eye had moistened up, she would cry any second.

I guess Rose wasn’t happy about my decision of being a soldier. She had stated her displeasure when I had announced to them about my decision on enrolling the army. However, I still went along with my decision, anyway.

I got up from my seat and sat beside Rose. She wiped her eyes as she tried to hide her tears that were swelled up in her eyes.

I patted her head, and stroked her head gently,

“Listen up, Rose! You don’t need to worry about me, I’ll be fine. The country is at peace now and it’s not like I shall be sent to battlefield right away. I am just a newbie foot soldier that will be tasked to patrol around town and guard some small time merchants. It’s a very simple and easy job! So no need to worry, trust me!”

I tried to ease Rose’s discomfort. I guess being worried was to be expected. If something were to happen to me then Rose and Armin would be all alone in this world. Rose might even able to survive, but Armin would simply perish for example coming under a horse carriage by simply crossing the road. One needs to keep an eye, on that simple buffoon of a little brother.

Rose embraced me. It seems she was really distressed about my joining the army. I am actually happy that she was so worried about me but it also irritates that she thinks I would easily get killed. Does she doubt my skills?

“You don’t need to worry, unlike a certain idiot. I won’t at least die like a certain idiotic soldier who blindly charges at the enemy~ Fufufu-”, I added as I glanced at Armin.

Armin was dumbfounded and didn’t understand a single word we said.

“Hey! Are you making fun of me again?!”, he asked.

“No, we are just stating facts.”, Rose replied back with a giggle.

A smile appeared in her face.

I laughed along with her.

Armin was a bit annoyed,

“Hey! Big bro, you too! I hate both of you! I will show you that one day,~”, He once again started to spout nonsense.

After breakfast, I dropped them in their respective school and I returned back. I quickly took a shower then left for the garrison where I was to be stationed.