Having accepted his invitation to talk, Lucian and the soldier sat on a bench near the entrance of the barracks. 

"The truth is..." The youngster said, gazing at the floor. "My family isn't in a good financial situation. My father is a woodworker, but he recently suffered an accident and as of yet, hasn't recovered enough to continue working."

Lucian nodded and stared at the soldier as he continued explaining. 

"You heard me say to the merchant that I had paid him but... I didn't." The boy paused. "I couldn't afford it."

"As my family doesn't have any means of income right now, they rely on me to get what they need. So I sometimes find myself doing things like that." The boy said, a self-deprecating smile visible on his face. 

Lucian sighed and shook his head, disappointment clearly visible on his facial features. 

"For your sake, I'll ignore what you've told me just now." He said, deviating his gaze from the soldier. "But you've got to promise me that you'll stop doing that."

"Yes, sir..." The boy said in an apologetic tone. 

A small silence between the two of them ensued, as neither said anything for some time. Growing slightly weary of it, Lucian decided to ask the soldier a question. 

"So, uhh... This is just my assumption, but did you join the army to earn money and make your family's life better?"

"Yes." The boy said, nodding. "When the recruiting officers arrived at my village, they gave us a speech. I was motivated by it. I thought, "This is my chance to help!" so here I am."

"My family doesn't have any land to tend, and I don't know how to read or write, so this was really the only option I had. Even before those officers came, I had considered doing something like this. It's a long journey, but I'm sure that if I manage to keep working hard, I'll eventually get promoted and help my family regain their footing."

"Figures..." Lucian thought as he gazed towards the horizon. "They always use the same excuse to reel peasants in the military. And it always works..."

Peasants didn't have a good life. Most of them worked long hours every day just to ensure that their family had a roof over their head and food to eat. While some leased their land and worked as farmers, others were the owners of taverns, merchants, and the like. The amount of taxes that they paid to the lord (and by extension, the king) was quite a lot, and the money they were left with was barely enough to help sustain their families. To escape out of poverty, many choose to arrange marriages, try their luck as adventurers or, like in the boy's case, serve in the military. 

The promise of traveling the country and money among other things made peasants readily enlist for the army. Children and adolescents, in particular, were easy targets for recruitment due to their greater susceptibility to influence when compared to adults. Some of them even saw this as a rite of passage to adulthood or as a means to claim independence from their parents. 

The reality of the situation, however, often wasn't as the people who recruited made it out to be like. The pay for an average soldier wasn't much, just barely enough to satisfy all their needs. Only when they rose through the ranks, becoming corporals or sergeants, did they earn enough money to fulfill all of their wishes and give them a satisfactory life. 

Lucian carefully gazed at the soldier in front of him, examining him. 

"He doesn't look older than 16." He thought. "I'm sure he hasn't seen the darker things in life yet."

"Sir Lockhart?" The soldier said, trying to get the lieutenant's attention. "Are you listening?"

The boy's voice shook him from his thoughts. 

"Y-yeah, I am," Lucian said, as he cleared his throat. 

"From what you've told me, it seems to me that you're set on this. I won't stop you or anything, but let me tell you: Life here is pretty rough. You have to get up early in the morning for your daily duties and strictly adhere to protocols and rules. If you ever go to a battlefield and you're fighting on the front lines, you lower your guard just for a second and you're dead. So, you've got to do your best. Now, and always. If you do, I'm sure you'll be able to help your family and reach even greater heights."

"I'll take the advice you've told me to heart, sir." The soldier said, gazing determinedly at the lieutenant. "I won't forget about it."

"Good," Lucian said as a light smile escaped out of his lips. 

A small silence between the two of them again surged. This time, it wasn't as uncomfortable as the previous one. It didn't last much, however, as the soldier asked Lucian a question. 

"Umm... What about you, my lord?" He asked, cocking his head. 

"Huh?" Lucian said as he was shook from his thoughts. "What do you mean?" 

"Why did you join the army?"

The lieutenant pondered for a while before answering the question. 

"Well, compared to you, my reasons are a little bit more selfish." He said, gazing towards nowhere in particular. 

"How so?" The boy asked, raising his eyebrows and focusing his gaze on Lucian.

"Well, for starters, I'm not from this area. I’m from Croswald, near the border between the southern plains and the midlands." Lucian paused. "When I was young I always heard stories about boys going to the capital and becoming knights or ministers, famous throughout the land. I wanted to be like that too."

"My family wasn't wealthy, but my mother always made sure that we had everything that was needed. After saving up enough money, she sent me towards the capital to study in the military academy. While she didn't like the idea initially, after enough nagging I managed to convince her."

"I see." The boy said, eagerly listening to what the lieutenant had to say. 

"And so, after graduating from there, I was assigned to this city. Though it's not the epic tale that I expected it to be, I am happy with what I've achieved until now." 

"You mentioned your mother, but what about the rest of your family? Do you have any brothers or sisters, my lord?"

"Nope. I'm an only son." Lucian replied. 

"What about your father?" The soldier asked. 

Lucian averted his gaze at the question. 

"He... died a long time ago." 

"Oh..." The boy said, gazing downwards. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Lucian said, giving the boy a light smile. "Still," The lieutenant said, changing the subject. "There were other kinds of jobs you could have taken to help your family instead of joining the army."

"Well, I think I've told you already, but... I don't know how to read or write." The boy said, gazing downwards in shame. 

"Oh, right. I forgot." Lucian said, scratching the back of his head. As he did so, however, he widened his eyes as he realized something and asked the boy a question. 

"Would you like to learn?"

"Huh?" The boy asked, confusion written on his face.

"I mean, would you like to learn how to write and read?" Lucian asked again, making himself a little more clear. 

"Can I?" The boy asked, excitedly. 

"Well, you remember that lieutenant Rheiburg you were ordered to visit?"

"Umm... Yes, I remember. Though I did not see him at all."

"He's a close friend of mine, since our days at the academy. His family runs a charity school. I'm sure they wouldn't mind at all if you went to learn."

The boy's eyes lightened up.

"Really?" He said, his face gleaming with joy. "Thank you!"

The sound of a nearby clock tower, marking that it had just become six o'clock, disrupted their conversation. 

"It's already this late...?" Lucian thought as he stared at the clock tower. 

"Sorry, but I have to go now," Lucian said, hastily getting up from his seat. "You still remember where I live, right? Just visit me when you're free, and I'll take you there."

"How about tomorrow morning?" The boy asked, enthusiastically. "After doing the normal drills we do in the morning, I'll ask the corporal for permission."

"Good," Lucian said, nodding. "If he refuses, tell him it's on me."

"I will."

"Oh, I forgot, to ask..." Lucian said, "What's your name?"

"Mill-."

The boy interrupted himself before he continued, leaving Lucian slightly perplexed. He then proceeded to clear his throat and spoke to the lieutenant once more. 

"Michael." The soldier said as he made obeisance. "At your service, Lord Lucian."