From the moment I recovered the memories of my past life, my perspective broadened, and my thoughts deepened. In many ways, I matured significantly. Drawing on this newfound maturity, I was able to put in steady effort and, fortunately, became a soldier relatively quickly.

However, not long after I became a soldier, war broke out.

It was a conflict with a hostile neighboring nation that had always been at odds with our kingdom. This war, though short by some standards, lasted three years.

Of course, it had to happen just after I became a soldier. I was forced to participate, grudgingly and against my will.

I desperately wanted to run away, but desertion would’ve made my life unbearable. Spending the rest of my days as a wanted fugitive wasn’t an option. So I gritted my teeth and joined the war.

Three years may sound like a brief time, but anyone who participated would agree—it felt more like thirty. It was a brutal and devastating war.

Fortunately, the victor of this horrific conflict was the side I fought for, the kingdom. This victory marked a turning point, elevating our kingdom—if not to an empire, then to the status of a great power.

From being a mere soldier of a modest kingdom, I was now serving as a soldier of a powerful nation.

They said my pay would triple, and I’d receive some tax relief as a war veteran. Not bad perks, considering my arm almost got severed and my stomach nearly impaled.

‘Yeah, right.’

If not for my troll-like regenerative abilities, I would’ve died dozens of times over.

For the first time, I actually felt a tinge of gratitude toward that mage who tortured me under the guise of “experiments” in my childhood.

It really hit me just how much war is a filthy, miserable business.

In any case, I decided to focus on the fact that I survived in one piece. Whether the kingdom was now a great power or not didn’t matter to me.

Above all,

‘I’m quitting this filthy job!’

Having been thrown into a war right after enlisting as a rookie soldier, I was completely sick of it all—public service, my role, everything.

So, I immediately handed in my resignation, took my severance pay, and planned to retire. I thought I’d run an inn somewhere. Even if the income wasn’t great, at least I’d have a peaceful life—or so I hoped.

But unfortunately, life rarely goes according to plan.

“Well, well, was this your doing?”

“Pardon?”

“You saved the princess! Thank you, truly, thank you! Hahaha!”

“…?”

The story goes that remnants of the enemy forces suddenly ambushed the camp. I simply fought back, doing what I could, and somehow ended up rescuing the kingdom’s princess in the process.

If anyone else had heard this, they would’ve told me to come up with a more believable lie. And yet, here I was, the protagonist of this absurd tale, unable to believe it myself.

I had only ever planned to live quietly, avoiding attention. But now, they were saying that I had saved the princess?

What kind of ridiculous turn of events was this?

Unfortunately, reality doesn’t care about what makes sense.

“I never imagined someone of your caliber would be wasting away as a mere soldier.”

Suddenly, the man threw a sword at me along with a necklace that resembled a military dog tag.

“From this day forward, you are a knight.”

“??”

It wasn’t until later that I learned this stately-looking middle-aged man was the commander of the knightly order—and that the commander had the authority to appoint knights at his discretion.

And just like that, I became a knight.

…Completely out of nowhere.

‘Is this even legal?’

“It’s perfectly fine,” he said.

“But, uh, I used to be a slave.”

“The kingdom values ability over lineage. Your background doesn’t matter.”

“T-To be honest, I have a history of working with an assassination organization….”

“Well, that’s an unusual background! Even better—welcome aboard! We value experienced recruits!”

“……”

I was so desperate to avoid this that I even confessed my past as an assassin. Yet, even that didn’t faze him.

It was at that moment I realized: this man was as crazy as they come.

‘…This is complete insanity.’

---

And so, at the ripe old age of 27, I became a knight.

More specifically, a parachute knight.

It was only fitting, considering most knights were either noble offspring or graduates of prestigious academies. In contrast, I was a commoner who had been a mere soldier until recently.

The fact that I owed my knighthood entirely to the commander’s whim naturally made me the very definition of a “parachute” appointment.

Of course, in any organization, parachutes like me face a similar fate:

“You lowborn scum! Do you even know where you are?”

“Draw your sword. I’ll personally send you to where you belong.”

“If you value your life, leave this place willingly.”

…Bullying, ostracism, harassment—you name it.

They made sure to make my life hell through every conceivable means.

Such is the destiny of a parachute knight without any connections or backing.

‘That blasted commander! What good is it to make me a knight?’

“You’re the one who saved the princess! Thank you, truly, thank you!”

“…?”

When the enemy remnants ambushed the camp, I fought back like anyone would. Somehow, amidst all that chaos, I ended up saving the kingdom’s princess.

Anyone who heard the story would think it was a blatant lie, the kind made for cheap bragging. Yet, here I was, stuck as the protagonist of this unbelievable tale, utterly dumbfounded.

I had planned to keep a low profile, live a quiet life without standing out. But now they were saying I had saved the princess?

What kind of absurd twist of fate was this?

Unfortunately, reality has no room for complaints.

“I never imagined someone of your caliber would be wasting away as a mere soldier.”

The man suddenly threw a sword and a necklace resembling a military tag at me.

“From this day forward, you’re a knight.”

“??”

It wasn’t until later that I learned this dignified middle-aged man was the commander of the knightly order—and that he had the authority to appoint knights at will.

And just like that, I became a knight.

…Completely out of the blue.

---

“Is this really how it’s supposed to go?”

“It works perfectly fine.”

“But I’m a former slave.”

“The kingdom doesn’t care about your origins, only your skills.”

“T-To be honest, I even worked for an assassination guild….”

“Hah! Now that’s an intriguing background. Excellent—welcome aboard! Experienced recruits are always valuable!”

“……”

Desperate to escape, I even confessed my history as an assassin. Yet, it didn’t deter him one bit.

At that moment, I realized: this man was unhinged.

‘…This is insane.’

---

Thus, at the late age of 27, I became a knight.

More specifically, a parachute knight.

Considering that most knights were either nobles or graduates of prestigious academies, I—an ex-commoner and former soldier—was a glaring anomaly.

Naturally, this meant my fellow knights viewed me as a “parachute” recruit, someone undeserving of the title.

And like in any organization, parachutes faced the same treatment:

“You lowborn scum! Do you even know where you are?”

“Draw your sword, and I’ll send you to your rightful place.”

“If you value your life, leave this place willingly.”

…Bullying, ostracism, and harassment of every kind.

This was the fate of a parachute knight without connections or backing.

‘That cursed commander! What’s the point of making me a knight?’

While I suffered, he just sat in his office, sipping tea. He could’ve at least provided some protection after throwing me into this mess. But no, he left me to fend for myself.

I was fuming. The stress boiled over, and I needed an outlet.

---

“Do you all think I’m an easy target?!”

I completely snapped. My mind went blank as if I were drunk, and when I regained clarity, the sight before me was shocking: ten knights lying unconscious, battered and bruised, and the commander standing over me, unscathed.

“Haha, you’re quite the interesting talent. No mentor, yet you instinctively know how to fight. You’re like a wild beast.”

“…Stop messing with me and just accept my resignation. And by the way, that’s not a request, it’s a warning. If you don’t accept it, I can’t promise what I’ll do to you.”

“Oh? I’m curious to see what kind of warning that might be.”

“I’ve said my piece.”

Fed up with everything, I resolved to sock him in the jaw—even if it wouldn’t kill him, I’d at least get some satisfaction.

But as I lunged—

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

“Wait a second!”

“Haha, when will I see this warning of yours?”

“I-I’ve made a mistake…!”

This guy was absurdly strong.

It became painfully clear: he wasn’t the commander through sheer luck. He wasn’t just the best fighter in the order; he was on a completely different level.

I was pummeled relentlessly, beaten like a ragdoll in a storm.

Just when I thought I might actually die from the beating, the commander finally stopped.

“Haha, you’ve got a sturdy body. Look at me—I’m breaking a sweat here.”

“Y-You’re insane….”

“And you can still talk! Truly a remarkable talent!”

“I-I’m still resigning….”

“No need for that. I’m not accepting your resignation. If you really want to quit, defeat me. Then I’ll gladly let you go.”

“…Unbelievable.”

It hit me then—I was hopelessly caught in the clutches of an absurdly strong lunatic. And for the first time, I felt tears well up in my eyes.

---

After that, the bullying from the other knights stopped.

Or rather, whenever they saw me, they would turn pale and flee.

To be fair, several of them were still in the temple receiving treatment for their injuries. Some had retired entirely, unable to recover mentally.

‘…Maybe I went too far?’

Still, it wasn’t my fault. They were the ones who provoked me.

From then on, I kept to myself, focusing on my duties in solitude.

But my ultimate goal remained unchanged: to defeat the commander and finally escape.

For that, I threw myself into training, something I hadn’t done seriously since my days with the assassination guild.

Though, admittedly, my methods were… limited.

“Isn’t that just the kingdom’s basic sword technique?”

“Y-Yeah, it sure looks like it.”

“…Can he really beat the commander—an aura user—with that?”

“Not a chance.”