Chapter: 53
The temporary headquarters of the Imperial Army at the Northern Expeditionary Front. Inside the temporary headquarters, there were several gers that the Imperial Army occasionally used, recognized for their ease of setup and dismantling.
“Whoa, is that guy the Chief Team Leader?”
“This is the end times. The status of the 4th Division has really plummeted.”
Inside one ger, seven men and women were gathered. Dressed in dust-covered black uniforms, their faces showed signs of fatigue, yet they were giggling as if they were having the time of their lives.
“It’s only natural.”
The black-haired man at the center said confidently. Having succeeded in obtaining the title of Chief Team Leader, which had remained undecided until now, his face was filled with mockery and disdain towards the other team leaders.
“I can’t even share a table with these stinky little team leaders.”
“What should we do with him?”
“Let’s just take him down for now.”
At those words, the other six Team Leaders pounced on the Chief Team Leader, knocking him to the ground and beating him with various objects.
“Damn it! This is mutiny!”
“Since when have team leaders had a hierarchy?”
“Do you think you’re above us just because you’re the chief? Hey, you’re just the one dealing with the scraps.”
After a few minutes of being pummeled, both the beaten Chief Team Leader and the six Team Leaders having a lively time with their beating, stood up as if nothing had happened.
“This is why I love the 4th Division. Where else can I get the chance to smack the heir of an Earl?”
“You filthy blue blood.”
“Want to get laid out again?”
Despite everything, all seven wore smiles that shone brightly. Such pranks were always a part of their daily lives.
“But still, it’s amazing. They actually settled on a Chief?”
“The team leaders have been dying off so quickly. What’s the point of naming one if they’ll kick the bucket soon anyway?”
“True.”
The average lifespan of a Team Leader in the 4th Division had not been long, especially after the war broke out in the North. So, for a time, they had left the position of Chief unfilled. But now that the current team leaders had survived much longer than average, a Chief was finally appointed.
“Let’s keep this up till the end of the war, shall we?”
“When the war’s over, I’m quitting this damn Prosecutor’s life.”
“I… I’m going to confess to the girl from my hometown…”
“You crazy bastard.”
Even the Team Leader, who had never had any romantic entanglements, started babbling nonsense, swept up in the atmosphere. Once the war is over, what does one plan to do? If this were a play, it would hint at a sad ending. Yet, the seven didn’t care one bit.
They were determined to survive and return to the Imperial Capital. That’s how they all thought.
*
As the morning sun peeked through the curtains, tickling my face, I woke up.
“Ah.”
Damn, a dream.
Letting out a small sigh, I got up. I guess I’ve been hearing too much about them lately; they’ve entered my dreams now. But still, it’s a relief. Thankfully, it was one of the better memories that crawled up into my dreams.
‘Why was I so happy back then?’
At the time, being appointed as Chief Team Leader filled me with secret joy. If it were now, any hint of more responsibility would have me clenching my teeth and avoiding it like the plague. Back then, it felt like I had been recognized as being superior to those guys. How ridiculous.
What’s even funnier is that those who were now the 4th Division Captain and Chief Team Leader had become a Minister and an Executive Manager.
Rubbing my stiff neck, I got out of bed. Suddenly, the words about quitting the Prosecutor’s Office once the war was over drifted through my mind. In a moment that had started off as mere joking, one of them let out a sincere declaration.
Caught in an unplanned truth game, the others ended up sharing what they truly wished for.
But no one realized back then that quitting the Prosecutor’s Office would turn out to be the most challenging wish of them all. Not me, not that guy, nor any of them.
The thought made me chuckle.
*
As soon as I entered our club room, I opened the cookie jar only to find it empty. Apparently, no one had filled it during the fair, making it the first time I’d seen the bottom.
“Damn.”
A sigh escaped my lips over the unfortunate situation.
My little stash of goodies was gone. Eating cookies alone in the empty club room had become my routine, and now it was shattered. I’ll have to ask Louise to make a big batch for me.
Turning away from the cookie jar, I sat in my usual seat and looked around the room. There were plenty of ingredients and tools available. Sometimes while sitting alone, I wondered if I should give baking a try. Holding out like this alone could only last so long. I had already spent months like this.
‘Weird thoughts again!’
I needed to resist this temptation. I knew my cooking skills all too well. I had previously cooked for the other officers, and let’s just say the results weren’t stellar.
It was bound to be that way since I’d never cherished the idea of cooking for myself. But put in a position where I had no choice, I had to.
‘Should I bring a book or something?’
I had been avoiding putting anything in besides cooking utensils, fearing a flour disaster. But what else could I do to occupy my time alone?
Today, of all days, I really missed my club time.
After a few hours of waiting, the club members finally arrived—they were surprisingly more diligent than I had expected.
“I guess I’ll only be studying for a while.”
“Oh, really?”
I nodded absentmindedly at Louise’s words. Indeed, it was exam season now. Whoever planned the Academy schedule didn’t seem to have thought that throwing a fair before exams was quite the artistic move.
“It’s my first exam since joining the Academy, so I’ll do my best!”
I couldn’t muster a response as I watched her raise her fists in determination. It seemed utterly impossible to say, “Forget studying, just bake me some cookies; I’m feeling dizzy.” That’s something no sane adult would utter.
From what I’d observed so far, I figured if I asked, Louise would probably comply, but I didn’t want to be the adult who stood in the way of someone’s future.
“Yeah, put in the effort. I’m sure you’ll get good results if you try hard.”
“Yes!”
In the end, all I could do was offer clichéd encouragement. I needed to really hit the library early starting tomorrow.
“It’s actually much nicer studying here. It’s quiet since it’s just us.”
“We can chat freely, unlike in the library.”
“Oh, right. You have to keep the librarian in mind when you’re there.”
Erich and Lather’s chatter validated my thoughts. It seemed for the time being, our club room wouldn’t be filled with the aroma of cookies but instead would be dominated by the scent of paper and ink.
In reality, grades held little significance for the aristocratic students, who made up the majority of the academy. Most wouldn’t be pursuing higher educational institutions after graduation, nor were they looking for employment. So what’s the point of stressing about grades?
Sure, some would head toward government or military positions post-graduation, but they had separate entrance exams that didn’t consider academic scores. Moreover, recommendations held more weight than exams. This was still a world where a recommendation could open more doors than an exam.
Yet, the aristocratic students wanted to focus on exams. Simple reason: it provided visible indicators that allowed for competition. Pride held immense importance for those with blue blood. For commoner students, high scores increased their chances of being recognized by nobles, something that could completely alter their lives.
“Looks like there are quite a few exam subjects, huh?”
“Really? I heard they actually reduced the number compared to before.”
I blurted out my surprise at the staggery number of textbooks Louise had laid out. Reduced? This looked like the amount one would need to max out grades at a university!
Staring blankly at the textbooks, Louise tilted her head and then awkwardly grinned as if she had just realized something.
“Yeah, it’s indeed a lot, just like you said, Oppa.”
I nodded at the slight trembling in Louise’s pupils, assuming she had just remembered how she referred to me casually.
‘Oh right, I’m just some pre-school age adult!’
Her initial response implied she was asking if I hadn’t learned more back in my Academy days. It meant, “Didn’t you learn more back then? Why are you reacting as if it’s a lot?”
But I knew nothing about ‘those’ times. I hadn’t even gone to the Academy, let alone graduated. Thankfully, Louise realized her slip-up before I could say anything, sparing me an awkward moment.
In a slightly embarrassed way, she turned her gaze to the textbooks, her ears a bit flushed. She must’ve been scared of inadvertently revealing a truth that could be misconstrued. I completely understood; I was indeed a special case.
“Ah, Advisor. You didn’t attend the Academy, right?”
You little rascal.
Rutis’s words abruptly pierced through the air, freezing me for a second as Louise cautiously eyed my reaction. I caught a glimpse of Erich, who had been standing far away, flinching and redirecting his gaze toward me.
“…Yeah, that’s right.”
“Honestly, I struggled a lot with the decision to enter the Academy as well. I mean, it’s not like I need the diploma. Isn’t it better to find a job that suits you earlier than others?”
‘Shut it!’
If the 2nd Manager had said such a thing, I would have already knocked him out. What infuriated me more was that he spoke with no malice in his tone; it was a genuine compliment, making it all the more frustrating to lash out at something so complimentary.
“Maybe you should have sought a different path instead of coming to the Academy.”
“Well, to be honest, I wouldn’t have met good people if I hadn’t joined the Academy. I might have regretted it otherwise.”
Hearing Rutis laugh heartily made me smile for a different reason. If he hadn’t shown, thereby reducing the number of troublesome characters from five to four, that wouldn’t be so bad, would it?
“Hey, Oppa? Even if you didn’t go to the Academy, you’re still an impressive person. I think that’s even cooler.”
Despite the fact that Rutis had meant it innocently, Louise tried to salvage the situation with her supportive words. Unfortunately, those words didn’t provide much consolation.
I wasn’t bitter about my lack of an Academy education. What truly drove me crazy was realizing that the path I chose instead of going to the Academy led me here.
Naturally, like Rutis said, I had met many people because of this choice. However, the thought that I chose this path of tribulation, swayed by the patriarch, still haunted me deeply.
“Thank you.”
After a brief silence, I managed to open my mouth and respond.
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