The Thumb East Soldato II: Sinclair's Story

※ Tales from the Promoted ※

New promotee assignment: express your honest and plain feelings regarding your promotion below.

Excellent, remarkable essays will be selected and published in the next month's "Monthly Thumb-through" issue, and will be positively reflected upon your next promotion review.

Note) Above instructions were designed with reference to page 1,271 of 'The Thumb Introductory Manual', section 'How to Encourage Your Juniors'.

1. I love listening to the pre-training lectures from our superiors.

I always make sure to stand in the frontmost row whenever we line up for inspection to hear combat tips and etiquette lectures from the esteemed Capo Primos.

Low-ranking Soldatos like us are always prone to making so many mistakes, since we're still in the learning stage.

But thankfully to the higher-ups who have taught us really well, I've not made a single mistake ever since I joined The Thumb.

Oh! Earlier, the reputable and respected Capo Quarto - ah, I don't dare write his esteemed name down here.

Anyway - he gave us some excellent pointers and words of encouragement, so I think we can attribute much of our own growth to him.

Unfortunately, I could not get a very good look at his face, because it would be against etiquette to stare directly at a superior's face, but... I think he really is a great person, with the cool cigar and all.

2. I enjoy getting my meals according to my station.

It's very convenient how we get regularly rationed food at designated hours every single day.

When my rank was just a Primo, our designated meal hours were so much later than everyone else's that I felt like I was starving, but... hey, I got used to it by my third day here!

I don't even feel hunger before it's my time to eat.

When I was a kid, I always had access to food whenever, wherever I wanted. So, sometimes I'd overeat or skip meals, which was probably not great for my health.

But I've really been building some muscle thanks to the regimented life here... so that's pretty awesome, huh?

3. I enjoy the feeling of moving forward, step by step.

Not long ago, I used to spend most of my time with the propellant rounds cleaning duty, but I'm finally bestowed with a super important role!

I'm finally on the ammo delivery duty for the esteemed Capos, in the field!

Some of my comrades worry about getting dragged into a fight way above our pay grade and killed by some stray blade out of nowhere, but...

... I don't quite agree with that sentiment.

... Wouldn't it be such a wonderful honor to get caught up in those legendary battles between people who are way above my station? Doesn't that just sound extremely lucky?

I think I'd consider it a great honor even as I die.

4. I'm happy here, learning how to use a bayonet, familiarizing myself with the weapon alongside my comrades.

It's a lot of fun being able to really use the actual, genuine propellant rounds as I train myself how to use them. Just a few days ago, our training sessions consisted of shouting "bang!" and moving a bit forward instead of firing live propellant bullets.

Oh, of course, all of those trainings were extremely necessary. The booster jerked me forward really hard when I used it for the first time, that it almost slammed me to the floor. Took me a while to get used to the sudden acceleration.

Actually using the propulsion from the gun is vastly different from pretending there's a propulsion.

It's kinda interesting how I can change the output mode to "slashing", too. I had no idea it was a thing back when I was a Primo!

The Thumb of the other regions apparently don't use weapons like these... so I guess these propelled slashes or powerful stabs are exclusive to us?

These are the moments when I feel so lucky to be a part of The Thumb in the east.

5. I get so excited when we get to chop the rude and discourteous people to pieces. The kind of people who don't understand their place.

Whenever I go out on a mission, we always seem to run into so many disrespectful people.

At first, I was kind of concerned and scared of having to hurt other people. But then, I thought...

... if these people were a part of our organization, they would've long lost their jaws and tongues and what have you with that attitude. How dare they raise their voices at us?

This realization sunk this 'empathy' thing deep into the depths of my heart, and that allowed me to just carry out the missions as I'm told.

I think this makes the Thumb the organization composed of the most upstanding people in the City, don't you agree?

Bawling their eyes out, snot and all, hanging so pathetically onto our trousers and begging for their lives...

I mean, that's just plain rude, isn't it?

6. I love following orders and doing things according to the proper procedures. It's what differentiates The Thumb from the other Fingers.

This kinda has to do with my fifth point. See, I really don't understand the other Fingers whenever I get a chance to talk to them.

I won't get too into it, in case I accidentally come across as though I'm disrespecting the esteemed officers of other Fingers, but...

Well...

... I just want to say that I'm very excited for the Finger Bow-Bell.

And one last thing, hmm...

... The Thumb is where I can be special. And I am going to become someone special. A bigwig, an officer of The Thumb!

I just need to put in honest work, diligently climb the ladder... and in a few years, I know I'm going to become someone really awesome!

And that's everything, thanks for reading!

- Soldato II Sinclair