Inside the Imperial Army Capital Base, the High Grade Military Officer Academy. A practice facility at a location about 30 kilometers south from the Capital Banhataal. The Katjvarna Empire at present had adopted a volunteer soldier system, and over 4,000 exclusive soldiers were stationed at the Imperial Army Capital Base during peace time.
“Run like you mean it! Privates or generals, I ain't putting up with no weak soldiers!”
A hysterical voice beside them rang out to the cloudless blue sky. For all ages and countries, the “instructors” at army facilities are basically “demon instructors.” According to them, the training of subordinates, starting with the smashing of the sparkling treasures which new recruits enclosed in the chamber of their chests- mainly those naive illusions called free will or individual dignity- into tiny, tiny pieces.
“What's the matter, Warrant Officer Matthew Tetdrich! Wasn't 'Moving Blubber' supposed your selling point!? A blockhead meatball ain't nothing but a human shield on the battlefield!”
“...S-sir, yes, sir!”
“Your pace is slowing down, Warrant Officer Haroma Bekkel! Medics need to find injured people and run around faster than anyone! You think you're good for anything with that weak stamina?”
“Gasp- gasp- wheeze- Sir, yes sir!”
“Haro-san, keep going, just a little more...!”
“So you still have the energy to look out for someone else's exhaustion- not bad, Warrant Officer Torway Remeon! You just earned your kind self an additional three weeks! Be thankful for it!”
“...Sir, yes sir...!”
“Warrant Officer Yatorishino Igsem! Since you seem to love leading the charge, I'll reserve the front of the line for you! I'm not letting you run anywhere else! If you're overtaken, you’re not stopping until you overtake 'em back!”
“Sir, yes sir!”
There were a total of 32 people, 24 males and 8 females, who passed the High Grade Military Officer Exam this time. For the first three months, which were devoted to basic drills, the group was gathered to receive grueling training from their instructor. Marathons, obstacle courses, group work, marksmanship, close-quarters combat...their focus at this time was no different from that of a normal soldier.
Made to run like idiots for the time being, they received collective punishments for absurd reasons and spent their time receiving enough verbal abuse from the instructor to short out their ears. It was the rite of passage for ordinary people to become soldiers. Till their bodies reacted before their minds to the instructor's commands, they would continue doing this, and only this.
“You're a lap behind, Warrant Officer Ikta Solork! Aren't you embarrassed to be causing trouble for your friends?! You look like you're dying with those eyes! You're better off packing your things and going home!”
“No...that's exactly what I want from you...”
“Did you say something?! I didn't hear you!”
“Sir, yes sir.”
“Just what did I do wrong to deserve this?”
Ikta grumbled, not learning from his mistakes. They were eating heavily spiced stew from a large pot together with a light tandoori baked bread during their lunch break, which they had immediately after somehow making it through morning training. Irritatingly, the location was outdoors.
“I wonder, is it because I'm loose with women?”
“In any case, the Imperial Army uniform looks good on you, Warrant Officer Ikta.”
Yatori made her jab with a composed face. The entire group was dressed in sleeveless shirts and burnt brown pants. Officially, they’d add a jacket and a hat to that with a rank insignia on the left side of the chest. Even the spirits in their hip pouches were wearing red tiaras on their heads to signify their military employment. If the one who looked best wearing this army uniform were Yatori, then her counterpart would undoubtedly be Ikta. Not even counting appearance as an issue, though, it was too big for him.
“Munchmunch.... Hey Warrant Officer Ikta, if you're not going to finish that I'm taking it.”
“My buddy Matthew, I'm waiting for this to cool. ...Or should I say, because you might as well since you're a wind spirit holder, it'd be great if you could give everyone a refreshing breeze. Hey, you Ikemen over there, too.”
As Ikta shamelessly made his request, Torway ordered his kind-hearted partner Safi to stir up the wind. Matthew's wind spirit Tsuu also followed suit.
“T-that's a grea~t help...! Do this every day- It's so hot I could die~...”
Looking about as exhausted as Ikta, Haro unsteadily came into where the wind was blowing. Her partner, the water spirit Miru, was able to make ice, but since the amount he could produce in a single day was limited, she had been ordered by the instructor to save it and be ready for when an injured person appeared.
“Cheer up, Ik-kun, Haro-san. The schedule for the afternoon is group work and bow gun [1] shooting practice, and after is classroom lecture. Running around is pretty much limited to the marathon. And even that is much more enjoyable at night than it is now.”
“Was that supposed to cheer us up? Also, you said Ik-kun.”
Ikta angled Safi's “wind tunnel” toward himself while speaking. Yatori huffed angrily at him.
“Hey, no wind's coming this way, is it? Don't hog the breeze if you're going to complain.”
“Hmph- to think that the Imperial Knight who also graduated top of her class can't even allow another person to have some wind.”
“There's a flaw[2] waiting wherever you hear reasoning, you know. --If you're a chivalrous Imperial Knight, then naturally it's ladies first- am I wrong, Ikta-kun?”
Countering with that, Yatori held Safi in her arms for a moment, and set him down on the ground so that the wind would strike her and Haro. As Ikta was wearily returning to his meal, in front of his eyes, three shadows suddenly appeared.
“Yo, blockhead Imperial Knight-sama. Hope you don't mind that we're a week late.”
Unlike that of Yatori and Matthew, a completely rotten sarcasm made its presence known. As Ikta blankly looked up at his scene partners, the faces he anticipated were lined up. The macho Agora, the bucktoothed Colsara, the bulgy-eyed Niira. Among those who passed in his year, they were a trio that hung out with each other from the very beginning.
“We prepared a special energy drug for ya, weakling Knight-sama. Hey, give us your bowl.”
A long, thin, wriggling object fell from Colsara's hand, and fell into the bowl Ikta was holding. Haro, watching the situation with an uneasy feeling, gave a small shriek.
The thing squirming inside the sea of stew was a large insect with countless jointed limbs- a centipede.
“I heard that they dip this in wine and drink it in Kioka. Come on, try it.”
Agora folded his log-like arms and grinned broadly. Then, Ikta abruptly took on a serious expression, and took hold of a sharp rock lying around nearby. Niira, shaking where he stood, jumped up and lost his cool.
“W-w-what's this?! Hey you, you wanna go?!?”
“Alright!”
Ikta threw the sharp rock at the centipede, which was waiting for a good time to flee outside the bowl.
Yellowish bodily fluids spattered everywhere, and the headless body of the insect writhed, displaying all the more vigor.
In the next scene, the trio, Agora, Colsara, and Niira, had their goosebumps raised out of horror. Ikta carried the centipede he killed to his mouth with his fingers, and slurped it down like vermicelli. It made a sound like the crunching of bird cartilage, and after chewing it for a while, he gulped it down completely.
“--Thanks for the meal. By the way, centipedes, you see, although they're fine to eat, they have poison in their fangs so it's dangerous if you don't take the head off, you know. Treat me next time, too. Also, centipede wine is an urban legend. At the very least, it's not a popular menu item in Kioka.”
While giving his nonchalant explanation, Ikta scarfed down the centipede-dipped stew. The trio had been watching him in blank amazement, but before long Agora turned his heel without a word and the other two followed suit.
While watching their queasy figures retreating, Yatori made a bitter smile and shrugged her shoulders.
“I guess there's a limit to how much one doesn't know one's enemy. Even taking that that into account, though, trying to scare Ikta with an insect...”
“Well, it was my staple food at one point. Half of my body is made from insects.”
Ikta puffed up his chest as if he were proud. On one side, Haro was still glaring at the backs of the departed trio.
“That was horrible, just now. If that were me, I wouldn't be able to control myself.”
“Well, it's not as if that's the first time it happened anyway. Isn't it charming how childish their methods are?”
Ikta said it carefreely. Yatori, having known him a long time, understood. – This man was mysteriously generous toward the things called “childishness,” “immaturity,” and “the carelessness of youth.” It appeared that was the reason for his interest in Matthew. On the other hand, since he didn't seem to like her mature behavior for her age, it was also something that agreed with his poor affinity with Her Highness, Chamille.
“Under normal circumstances, our 'Order of Knights' would be a target for jealousy. It would be troublesome to have those kind of people as our scene partners, so it'd be great for us if they concentrate their attacks on Ikta.”
“Yatori-san, isn't that a bit...”
An overly direct comment escaped Torway. --Since the five of them, the members of the shipwreck, had received a medal and enrolled, they naturally became known as the “Order of Knights” by those around them. Of course, rather than with respect, it was a name riddled with jealousy and contempt, and there were those who denounced them as “the group that passed the Exam with the Third Princess's connections.” Since that was true in a way, it was hard to make a rebuttal.
...Nonetheless, the larger half of why they focused their attacks on Ikta had to do with the person himself. Ikta, who had no desire to pass the Exam since the start, when compared those who passed and were the best of the best, fell even lower than inferior in terms of physical strength, and been magnificently standing in the way of those around him since the very start of training. He contributed no obvious interest in trying, so even sarcastically being called “blockhead Imperial Knight-sama” was justified.
Matthew, having completely satisfied his hunger, spoke while patting his round stomach, which hadn't changed that much.
“Whaat? Ignoring those kind of people is best, you know. The weaker the dog, the louder it barks- right?”
“What you said does have a point.” “What you said has a point, you know.”
“Why the hell are you in sync like that!? You guys are too creepy!”
When Matthew inflated his cheeks and pouted, Haro also huffed. With this feeling, though there were various problems with their circumstances, the cast of the “Order of Knights” were at least getting along well.
They made it through group work and marksmanship training, and it was finally time for the indoor classroom lecture. As Ikta, completely exhausted, as collapsed on a classroom desk, there was the presence of someone sitting immediately next to him, and he was woken up from his dreaming.
“This seat. You don't mind if I sit here, Warrant Officer Solork?”
She spoke while flipping her beautiful blonde hair. ...Burnt brown lower garments and a white shirt, and a Warrant Officer rank insignia. No matter how she looked, it was the same outfit as Ikta's, one for High Grade Military Officer Cadets, but the size of everything was extremely small. When he looked at the person herself, she was of an age where she might have been attending a Middle Grade Academy.
“...Neither the desk nor the chair belongs to me, so. Feel free to do whatever, ‘’Warrant Officer Chamille-sama’’.”
His voice was cold. --Originally, the Imperial Family receiving education in military affairs, considering that the army was an institution of the Katjvarna Empire in which the Emperor stood supreme, was not particularly an unnatural thing. There were two major peculiarities. Her Highness Chamille's age of 12 years, and her admittance to the High Grade Military Academy in the same position as other Cadets.
Concerning her young age, it seemed that she had passed on account of her premature intelligent manner and some arm-twisting using her status as a member of the Imperial Family. Her entering the High Grade Military Academy as a Warrant Officer seemed to be part of a larger political measure devised to improve the image of the Imperial Family. --Although, that meant that one should keep in mind that the motives of the person herself were, again, ‘’something different’’.
At the same time Her Highness, the Princess, reached the seat, the instructor entered the classroom and the lecture began. At this moment, they hadn't explored the contents of the lecture that deeply yet- it was a review meant to reaffirm their foundation in Tactics, which each of them had studied before coming to something like the High Grade Academy.
Both Ikta and the princess were equally bored. Around when the youth yawned for a seventh time, she boldly began writing a private message to her neighbor in the notebook [3] she was taking notes on.
--Is your life here okay? Just, it seems to me that you've gotten a bit skinnier.
Noticing that he was being addressed by the writing, Ikta also thought a bit and wrote a reply on his own notebook.
--Anyone would get skinnier whether they liked it or not, you know. Have you tried running as much as we do?
The princess, jabbed in a painful place, hummed in dissatisfaction. In actuality, she wasn't “in the same position as other Cadets.” Though that might be the case in things like Tactics, for the hard training, athletics and close quarters combat, an exclusive menu was put together for Her Highness, the Princess, by the instructors who had received directions from the Imperial Family. Ikta had made a cynical jab about that. Though objectively speaking, his attitude was rather immature....
--I can't take afternoon naps, I can't drink alcohol, I'm not allowed to get close to delectable females. My three great desires were splendidly destroyed. Tell me, what am I supposed to live for in a place like this?
His openly-stated complaints were listed one after the other. The princess sighed while moving her chalk.
--Before long, the three month period of basic drills will be over, and our education as military officers should officially begin. Now, everyone is a Warrant Officer in name only, but once we have subordinates our treatment would naturally change, right?
--What I want right now is my own room, not subordinates. With the three levels of beds in the dormitories, I can't bring along a lover.
--A-a woman... is that the only thing you have in your head? You'd get in trouble for saying that to me here, honestly.
--Oh, excuse me for that. I chose the wrong confidant. That's a difficult conversation to have with someone else's child.
At the sentence, which reeked of sarcasm, the princess's heart swelled with disgust and indignation. --It was always like this! Even though I was trying my best to be considerate and have a conversation, when it comes to him, this man won't open up his heart even a little bit! No matter how nicely I try to connect with him, the all he does is return with is that malicious sarcasm.
However, in relation to the fact that she bound Ikta to the military register by conferring the title of “Imperial Knight,” Her Highness, Chamille, felt indebted to him. She also owed him a debt of gratitude for the two times she was rescued from a predicament. When she thought of that, however coldly she was treated, the princess couldn't bring herself to be angry at the youth.
Besides... while failing to make communication with him, her depressed feeling settled together with her anger in her chest. The princess didn't understand it too well. She still didn't have a friend to whom she was close enough to so that she could ask advice about her misfortunes and these kinds of problems.
“...in the middle of his military campaign, of which could it be said that the activities of the non-commissioned officers especially stood out? Warrant Officer Chamille.”
“-!?”
A question suddenly came flying at her from the instructor, and Her Highness, the Princess, stood up while panicking. However, nothing followed that. No matter how brilliant she was, if she didn't hear the contents of the question, there was no way she could answer it.
“Page 123.”
Ikta muttered quietly next to the incredibly embarrassed princess with a textbook in her hand. Realizing that it was a hint, she also quickly flipped to the page.
“...the Offensive of Avhelia?”
“That is correct. Please be seated.”
The princess relaxed and sat back down in her seat. The skinny instructor turned a malicious eye toward her neighbor.
“Well then-- please state the details and historical military significance of this fight. Warrant Officer Ikta Solork.”
An obviously difficult question had made its way around to Ikta. This was also an everyday occurrence. He took every opportunity to show off his lack of effort, and as a result, he was disliked not only by those in his year and those above him, but even by a particular instructor.
However, this person, unyielding to the torments of his surroundings and continuing being disliked even now, was not normal. Ikta stood up while stifling a yawn, and began to show his true nature.
“… It is one aspect of the ‘battle of Yaponik’ which occurred in Year 788 of the Imperial Era, at the time of the Emperor’s expedition to the far east Yaponik Island, which is currently territory of the Kioka Republic. The commander from the Imperial side was Captain Giorgo Irsim. He was a great commander who used his distinguished war service at this time as a chance to shoot up to the rank of general, and is presently enshrined as a military hero.”
“Continue.”
“The Offensive of Avhelia—more accurately, the ‘Individual Offensives of the Avhelia Wetlands’, when considering the norms of the time, had been begun from a strikingly disadvantageous state of affairs for the Empire. It was a critical moment in which the 800 soldiers of the independent battalion under Captain Irsim’s direction were attacked from three directions, north, east, and west according to the Yaponik Army’s Three-Battalion, 1600-Solider Plan and, failing to retreat immediately, were completely surrounded by twice as many forces.
“However, at a point where retreat would be the only option for a normal commander, Captain Irsim took the complete opposite action. In addition to making the soldiers under his command discard half of their provisions and airmortar cannons, which had become deadweight, and lightening the bodies of all his troops, he forced an advance which could be considered insane.
“His goal was simple. To deal with enemy soldiers closing in from three directions, north, east, and west, by ‘fighting them one at a time before they merge’- that is, the Individual Offensive Strategy. Even if his entire forces were inferior to those of the enemy, if the enemy forces were broken up in three units, they were stronger than each of the enemy groups. If they fight against their enemy after they merge their forces, there is no doubt that they’d lose at once, but if they fight with the enemy three times in succession before that happened, then they’d win. Confident in that, Captain Irsim engaged in a series of battles and ultimately acquired a dramatic victory as per his intentions.”
The instructor’s face distorted in an increasingly loathsome expression as Ikta spoke smoothly.
“It is commonly said that the military significance of this battle is that ‘it created a precedent for a tactical victory reversing a strategic defeat’. Even if all outlooks are bleak, one can reverse the outcome if one can accumulate localized victories. To the present day, it has left an impact on the spirit of the Imperial Army, and ‘Imitate Irsim!’ has become a set phrase for times of encouraging inferior forces. –However, is that really the case?”
Strongly contradictory words intercepted the instructor’s mouth, which moved to permit him to take a seat. The eyes of the students in the room turned to Ikta one after the other. By the time the princess happened to take notice, he was the focus of the area.
“I believe that having Irsim’s victory function simply as the foundation of the army spirit is a waste. ‘A tactical victory reversed a strategic defeat’ is one aspect of the act, but for soldiers in the times to come, we must enter that act into calculations and develop tactics. Therefore, we shouldn’t simply praise Captain Irsim’s standplay here, we should read into the tactical superiority of which only he took notice.
“There are three places where Captain Irsim’s forces were better compared to the Yaponik Army. First, unlike the enemy, who were divided into three units, his military forces were collected. Second, they were overwhelmingly light of foot compared with the enemy and superior in mobility. And third, due to their survey in advance, they had a thorough knowledge of the terrain of the Avhelia Wetlands. These three factors painted a much more realistic transition in the war in his mind than compared to the leaders of the Yaponik Army.
“If I put it simply. First, the leaders of the Yaponik Army saw ‘the forces of allies and enemies in the Avhelia Wetlands’ and had confidence in the superiority of their own army. But for Captain Irsim, he was able to read into ‘where the enemy-ally forces were deployed in the Avhelia Wetlands at each point time’. As a result, the merits of both armies were reversed in his mind.”
The students in the classroom barring none, including even the instructor at this point, were listening to Ikta’s speech. …No, to be accurate there was just one exception. The fiery haired girl sitting in the front row hadn’t even been listening until now.
“I wonder if you understand. Captain Irsim added a third criterion, ‘the whereabouts of forces at each point in time’ to the wars which until then had used only ‘the location of battle’ and ‘the comparison of both forces’ as material for a conclusion. He made the 2-dimensional battle evolve into a 3-dimensional battle- this is his true achievement, you see.
If we are to inherit his legacy, the leaders of the modern times can’t look at a map aimlessly when they open one on the battlegrounds. Just as if they’re picturing the board of blindfolded shogi game, they must imagine the forces moving around the top of the map in real time.”
Judging that his prolonged speech had ended, Torway began applauding from beside the window. The other students, acting in accordance, even if it wasn’t all of them, put their hands together with a feeling of honest admiration. It’s an ironic story, but for Ikta, it was good fortune that these people were his audience. The students in this place, having only passed the High Grade Military Officer Exam, had the elementary training to understand the value of his speech.
Responding to the applause by lightly waving his hand, as if he had been satisfied with it, Ikta sunk back into his chair like a puppet with its strings cut. His lifeless face, laid sideways on his desk, seemed to belong to a completely different person than earlier.
“However…” thought the princess. “It’s irritating to acknowledge him, but I think I’d like to see more of the intelligence and energy he shows so randomly like this.”
Ikta did occasionally show glimpses of talent during their classroom lectures, but in their training besides that, he was quite the dimwit. He was particularly bad at close-quarters combat and marksmanship. Let’s excerpt one part of an episode that clearly shows that disastrous spectacle below.
“Warrant Officer Ikta, get the hell up! The enemy ain’t waiting around for you in the middle of a fight!”
“Ahh, he didn’t get to break his fall as he fainted that time. Let’s wake him up now, shall we? –Here goes!”
As Ikta fainted, Yatori immediately came over and revived him. Confirming that he returned to his partner after getting up somehow or other, the instructor was satisfied and went to observe the others. But, however….
“…What’s this? Even though he was just revived earlier, Warrant Officer Ikta collapsed again?” - “Ahh, he just took a vital blow to his stomach that time. Let’s wake him up now, shall we? –Here goes!”
Yatori came and revived him a second time. Since he got up for the time being, the instructor relaxed and went to see the others. However, when he came back three minutes later, he was collapsed in the same manner again.
“…Oi, Warrant Officer Ikta’s spitting foam from his mouth. Is he doing alright…?”
“Ahh, he went limp because he got caught in a stranglehold that time. Let’s wake him up now, shall we? --Here goes!”
Yatori, coming for a third time, didn’t let the youth rest in peace this time either. Ikta, barely getting up, tried to return to sparring with a blank face, but in the process, collapsed unexpectedly and began convulsing.
“W-warrant Officer Ikta!? We’ve got an injury- Medic!”
“Ahh, his muscles malfunctioned due to the side effects of the revival method that time. Let’s wake him up now, shall we? Here-”
“Enough already! It’s fine, just carry him to the medical office!”
Ikta left behind a legend as the man who fainted four times- three times by his partner- until the instructor had ordered a stop. Incidentally, it seems that Yatori also began to be addressed with “-san” by those in her year after that.
Again, there is another one of these story besides that one. The story of what happened during the marksmanship training with a bow gun. Since no one besides wind spirit holders can use an air shooter, this thing, which anyone could use, was a long-distance armament common for all soldiers, but….
“…Warrant Officer Ikta. Can you really see the target?”
“Of course I can see it. My eyes are at least that good.”
“You flipped a coin ten times, and it landed on the wrong side each time. Well, I suppose it’s also a question of chance.”
“Whatever the case, I’ll land 2 out of 5 shots. I’ve shot ten times until now, and they all missed, you see, so from now on, there should be an ‘aftershock’ in order to restore the statistical balance. Well, please see it for yourself. Since by my calculations, I’ll definitely hit 5-6 times consecutively.”
While making that declaration, Ikta turned the pulley, drew the bowstring, and nocked a new arrow. …But, this time, the arrow he aimed and fired at the target flew in a course away from the target again and stuck in the ground.
“…You missed again.”
“Ehh, too bad.”
“What happened to your calculations before?”
“I missed 11 consecutive shots. So I should hit 7-8 times consecutively…”
Not letting him finish his words, the instructor’s fist slammed into the back of Ikta’s head.
“This kinda crap isn’t chance! Why don’t you fix those 2 outta 5 shots odds of yours?!”
This is a good example of infuriating your superiors by picking a needless argument. It goes without saying that Ikta was forced into taking nothing but rigorous man-to-man training until he somehow produced an average accuracy rate.
As Ikta was imposing his presence on his surroundings- for better or for worse- the rest of the ‘Order of Knights’ were receiving their own individual training. Yatori was still aware of Torway as a rival as usual, but there was the difference in their targeted Division, and a chance for the two of them to compare their abilities hadn’t come yet. Instead, since they were both fellow Air Gunner Soldiers, Torway and Matthew’s association intensified.
The sound of compressed air being released overlapped countless times and rang across the outdoor shooting range. An air shooter, set up to enclose the spirit’s entire body, aimed at a far off target, and fired. It was the shooting range for gathering the wind spirit holding students.
“…--Woosh, --woosh… thud!”
A bullet, casually aimed and fired, penetrated a central part of humanoid target 40 meters ahead of it. Even among the students bragging about their skill in marksmanship, Torway Remeon’s technique was the best by far. Rather, his depth of knowledge concerning marksmanship was just fundamentally different from that of other students.
“You hit again, huh… It’s frustrating, but with your skill, it seems like you could defeat the enemy’s commander.”
While huffing a sigh, Matthew put a bullet into his own air shooter. As much as he, hating to lose, had to acknowledge him, there was a distinct difference between their accuracy rates. The difference wasn’t so visible if it were 10 or 20 meters, but when the distance increased more than that, Matthew’s bullets slowly stopped reaching their mark.
“Thanks, Maa-kun. …Though even if I don’t go as far as to aim for a commander, being able to hit a far off target in itself is a great advantage. First, I think that I want to master that.”
Saying that, Torway fired another shot. The number of holes in the target didn’t increase. However, it wasn’t because he missed, it was because it pierced through the same hole as the one before it.
“It’s hasn’t been 100 years since the air shooter arrived to the battlefield, and its existence has actually displaced the Javelin Division as the main offensive division of the Army. I think that their dominance will still continue for a quite a while. The Remeon Family invented the Line of Battle Firearm Combat Tactic, but aside from that, I want to add a new page to ‘the history of guns on the battlefield’.”
“You talk big, don’t you? But, what exactly is this new page? Another gunner strategy?”
“It’s just a vague idea, so I guess it’s confidential for now. Ask me again next time, okay Maa-kun?”
When they completely used the bullets they were given, the “cease fire!” command came from the instructor. Taking that as a signal, Torway and Matthew removed the barrels from their wind spirits, stored Safi and Tsuu in their respective pouches, and formed a line together with the rest of the students.
“As of now, morning training is over! Take your lunch break- Dismissed!”
The students breathed a sigh of relief. After they ate until the start of afternoon lessons was their precious free time.
“It’s finally over. For now, let’s meet up with Ik-kun and the others in the cafeteria, shall we?”
“Somehow it’s like the ‘Order of Knights’ always lumps together, no? Well, for today we’re just hanging out.”
The two of them started walking in unison, but when they entered the shadow of the storehouse while taking a shortcut to the cafeteria, they ended up running into a large group of people who gathered there previously. They were about five older, slightly raspy-voiced upperclassmen officers smoking tobacco.
“…Ahh, what the hell’d you come for? This here’s a dead end.”
“A warrant officer rank insignia… meaning they’re newcomers to the High Grade Military Officer Course, am I right?”
“Are you guys baby chicklets? Oi, if you wanna go to the cafeteria, stop bein’ lazy and take the boardwalk.”
They broke into obnoxious laughter. It shouldn’t have been allowed for them to smoke tobacco there, but the nature of the upperclassmen-lowerclassmen relationship in the army was powerful to an unreasonable extent. In times like this, one had to surrender to one’s seniors.
“P-please excuse us! …Oi, let’s go back, Torway.”
Quick to understand, Matthew moved to turn around, but Torway didn’t move from where he stood.
“Torway? Come on, we gotta go.”
“…Y-yea…”
Torway had finally come to his senses, but his gaze was still turned to the center, going back and forth between the two upperclassmen officers. Maybe they noticed but… they turned suspicious eyes toward him, and finally grasped the situation.
“—Huh? What’s this, isn’t that Toruru?”
A strangely friendly voice rang out, and one of the upperclassmen officers stood up. He was a handsome, blue-eyed male. In addition to his eyes, the long hair on his head was also the same shade of light green as Torway’s. A wind spirit was stored in the pouch on his hip, but in addition to that, he was carrying an awfully large-caliber air shooter barrel on his shoulder. His rank was first lieutenant.
“Sariha-nii-sama , Sushura-nii-san…”
Torway called the names of his companions in a shaking voice. The young man called Sariha walked halfway over.
“It’s been a while, Toruru, you been doing alright? Hmm? No, I also just came back here from the Northern Stronghold today, you seee. I was thinking I’d go and say hi sometime tonight, but I didn’t have the time.”
While talking fluently, Captain Sariha slapped his younger brother’s shoulder with his right hand. Their physiques were just about the same, but Torway was currently shrinking in on himself like a borrowed cat.[4]
“…Nii-sama, that you were able to return to the capital safely is precious above all.”
“No, it was actually incredibly boring over there, ya know. I’m jealous of those guys over at the Eastern Stronghold who got to fight with the Kioka Army. ...Uhh, are you Toruru’s friend?”
As he had the conversation turned on him, Matthew nodded reflexively.
“I seee I see. –Ah, I’m called Sarihasrag Remeon- I’m this guy’s older brother so far as it goes. That bigheaded-shorthaired fellow is Sushuraf Remeon. Would you tell us your name if that’s alright?”
“Warrant Officer Matthew Tetdrich. I’m humbled to meet you, Captain Sarihasrag Remeon-dono.
“Ahhh~ Stop it stop it! You don’t need the Captain, the dono, or my full name, Sariha is fine.”
Huhh- Matthew tilted his head. A too friendly superior was also difficult to handle.
“But hey hey you see~ I also kinda remember your full name, ya know. You’re one of the five guys who saved the Third Princess and received the title ‘Imperial Knight’ aren’tcha? I could recognize Torway and the Igsem’s eldest daughter right off the bat, but I couldn’t put my finger on the names other than those, ya see. Huhh~ I see, so you’re Matthew-kun.”
After scrutinizing Matthew with a shameless gaze, Sariha suddenly raised his head.
“Well, thanks buddy. Thanks a lot. Let me say my thanks as his older brother.”
“…Huh? Uh, no, why?”
“For this and that. He slowed you guys down, am I right? Our little brother.”
Torway’s shoulder shook slightly. When Matthew stood baffled, not understanding what was said, Sariha continued his non-stop one-sided conversation.
“It’s always been that way, ya know. This guy, ya see, he’s weak when it comes to bloodshed or unexpected situations. I don’t know if he cracks under pressure or what, he just becomes completely useless. You guys’d have your hands full just protecting the Princess, so it must’ve been stressful to also bring this kid back safely, am I right? And to think that you’d have been better off tossing him away before coming back, too.”
This time, Matthew was at a loss for words. The taste was too terrible for a joke, but having said that, if it were serious, he really couldn’t believe that those were words an older brother could say in front his younger brother.
“N-no, Torway really did stick it out, you know…? He acted calmly after the ship sunk, and there was the time after that when he fired at a Kioka soldier—“
On the contrary, he remembered how he himself couldn’t move, and as a deep-rooted inferiority complex awakened within him, Matthew’s mouth froze.
Sariha interpreted his silence with a different meaning.
“Really, you don’t need to go that far to cover up for him. I completely understand that this thing shuffles along uselessly. –Do you know? My kid brother, ya see, ‘’can’t land a bullet when the target is close up’’.”
“…Hah? When the target is close up…?”
“He’s okay with the targets used for training, but when the target becomes a moving enemy, he’s completely useless, see? He can’t bring down a rabbit five meters in front of him. He’s a helpless scaredy cat. –Isn’t that right, Torway?”
Torway, with his eyes downward cast, didn’t answer. Given how things played out, he didn’t have anything to stop Sariha’s abusive words.
“This guy can probably shoot the far targets skillfully in training, right? But ya see, at the end of the day, it’s still just his desire to be a little farther apart from the enemy. …That’s why, Matthew-kun. I’ll give you a warning from the goodness of my heart- you should never trust this guy in an actual battlefield. If things take a tiny turn for the worse, there’s no doubt he’ll abandon his allies, his subordinates, his whatever, and just make a break for-”
‘’“I’m not making a break for anything!”’’
An exclamation similar to a scream came rushing out of Torway’s mouth. Then, Sariha, interrupted in the middle of his speech, returned his gaze to his younger brother. His usual friendly smile was now oppositely eerie.
“Hey, Toruru. ‘’–Just now, I was talking, wasn’t I’’?”
With just that one phrase, Torway’s lips closed a second time. It was a spectacle that showed the power relationship between the brothers.
“Why’re you just cutting into the middle of my story? Just who do you think you are? Somebody important?”
“…I-I’m… just…”
“I’m what? What did you say you were? Say it clearly!”
The voice beside him was lighthearted, but strong fear surfaced on Torway’s face even though he burst out before. He was completely overpowered. His existence was similar to a piece of stencil work, as if he were being carved with terror of his older brother. –However,
“Oh, I’ll say it clearly for you, Sadist Ikemen. I’m uncomfortable just looking at Nii-sama’s face. I get a headache just hearing your voice. Compared to Onii-sama, pigs from the livestock pen are much cleaner and more charming. If only Onii-sama weren’t alive, the world would be harmony itself. Ahh, Onii-sama, really, it’d be best if your face would explode due to a strange disease of unknown origin as soon as possible.”
The atmosphere thickened. Of course Torway’s mouth hadn’t moved. The insults that seemed to tumble out came down from from above his head.
“According to the Scriptures of Alderah. –Black-hearted ikemen receive no mercy for extenuating circumstances!”
While inventing a proverb, the owner of the voice jumped down from a tree branch. The one who landed right next to the Remeon brothers was a, black-eyed youth with slovenly messy black-hair in an army uniform shirt—it was Ikta Solork hugging his partner, the light spirit Kusu, in both arms.
“I-Ik-kun—Ahh!?”
“I’m tellin’ you not to call me Ik-kun!”
A flick to the forehead bounced off Torway’s brow. On the other side, Sariha squinted and suddenly stared at the intruder.
“…Toruru, is this your friend?”
“You’re wrong, I’m an Imperial Knight who just happens to be passing by. My mission is to return the rampaging ikemen of the world to dust.”
Ikta spouted his nonsense and struck a pose. From those details, Sariha guessed at his scene partner’s identity.
“Imperial Knight… If this guy here is Matthew-kun, I see so that means that you’re Ikta Solork-kun.”
“Silence, Sadist Ikemen. I’m about to puke at that ‘I’m your superior but I’m also friendly, aren’t I?’ aura of yours.”
“Ahaha, that’s harsh. But, well, wait a minute, Ikta-kun. I want to get along with you. I also owe you for taking the trouble to look after my little brother for me, right?”
Seeking friendship, Sariha stuck out his right hand. Then, however, Ikta meaninglessly took on airs after a long pause and pretended to accept the handshake, catching him in his trap. There was a fresh centipede in his closed hand.
“Gyah!? W-wh-wha….!”
“Relax, its head is taken off.”
Ikta stuck out his chest as though this were a professional’s work. As Sariha flung the centipede away and furiously rubb his hand to get rid of the sensation left in his palm, he glared at Ikta charged with hostility.
“…What, you, are you tryin’ to pick a fight with me?”
“More precisely, I’ve been picking fights with all the ikemen in the world since the moment I was born into it.”
“Are you making fun of me? If you’re joking, I’m going to be really angry, ya know.”
When Sariha’s voice took on a menacing tone, even Matthew, who had been spectating their conversation until now, stood up. The other upperclassmen officers followed suit, and before he knew it Ikta was surrounded by five men.
“Apologize. Even now, I’ll forgive you with just an ‘I’m sorry, I got ahead of myself’.”
“Hmph. Among ikemen, there are the ikemen I can forgive, and those who I can’t. Our Torway is somehow or other the former kind, and you are exactly the latter. Dismissal of an intermediate appeal upon the trial of the first offense of your face. Explode without a stay of execution!”
Not a second after Ikta finished his speech in a ringing voice, Sushura’s rock-like fist sunk into his stomach. He fell, buckling at the knees, without even the time to scream, and moreover, Sariha’s kick rushed on to deliver the final blow.
“You’re still a mongrel, you brat. Were you so excited about that conferring of decorations that your brain turned funny? Huh?”
A hard shoe sole tread on Ikta’s temple. The other officers grinned and crowded around Matthew, who moved to interfere.
“Friendship is nice, isn’t it? But I won’t say anything bad so just leave it. When that person[5] snaps, it’s all the same to him. He’ll hit anyone until his head cools down. Just hang here with us. Alright?”
“P-please move aside! Ikta are you okay…!?”
Even when Matthew shouted, on the other side of the human blockade, Sariha’s foot didn’t stop kicking at Ikta. However, his gaze did momentarily shift toward his younger brother, who was standing motionless with a ghastly pale face.
“Look at that, it’s just like I said. His friend’s bein’ beat up right in front of his eyes and he doesn’t even have the guts to get angry at me. He’s nothing more than a coward. I’m telling you he really doesn’t know true friendship, right, Ikta-kun?
“…Ha-haha. Seems like you have triple handicap aside from your face, no? Sadistic, black-hearted, and stupid to boot.”
“What’d you say!?”
“Neanderthals hit when they feel like hitting. Soldiers attack properly when they need to attack. Torway knows the difference between those really well. This is my move- restraining myself and waiting for an opportunity, you see?
“By the way, Captain Sarihasrag. Let me ask you something, do you know the definition of a war of attrition in tactics study?”
“…?”
“It’s ‘avoiding a decisive battle and stalling for time, a battle fought to wait for a chance to come’. Restraining yourself in moments when you just want to charge out is a requirement for great commanders, you see. If people with short tempers like yours are commanders, they’d be drawn by the enemy’s provocations, get completely surrounded when they dash out, then that’s the end of them. Idiots who mistake recklessness for courage and then laugh at other people’s cowardice are ridiculous.”
Sariha became increasingly frenzied and kicked at Ikta, who didn’t stop talking even at this point.
“You’re gonna lecture me as you grovel on the ground and lick dirt?! How the hell do you explain the current situation with that logic!? You, Imperial Knight-san getting beaten to a pulp after self-importantly giving a speech in the middle of enemy territory!”
“Oof, Gah! …I-I thought of something good. I’ll only say it once so listen closely.”
“…You’re still fucking mumbling?!”
“Ahh, language. Neanderthals hit when they feel like hitting, soldiers attack when they need to attack. …And it’s not whether he’s an ape or a military man, Ikta Solork is ‘’saying all he needs to say when he wants to say it!’’”
The moment he finished saying that, Ikta turned his face-down body right-side up, and had Kusu, who he’d been shielding and hugging to his chest, fire a High Beam as a counterattack. In addition, having gotten up, he flung sand which he clutched in his palm toward Sariha’s blinded eyes.
“…Guahh! Th-this fucker!”
“Alright, the ikemen is making a good face. Let’s see, maybe I’ll refrain from interfering anymore.”
Ikta gloated while brushing the dirt off his clothes. The other four besides Sariha immediately turned and rushed at him, but the youth, without panicking or losing his cool, made and about-face and starting walking,
“And touch. Do your best, Imperial Knight-san.”
“I don’t know what’s going on, but I guess I’ll take care of it, Imperial Knight-san.”
He clapped hands with his fiery-haired friend who appeared there, and left what was to come entirely in her hands. [6]
“…!? You’re… Yatorishino Igsem?!”
Sariha, having brushed the sand from his face, glared at the girl who newly appeared. At the echo of the name he brought to his mouth, Sushura and the other officers showed a glimpse of nervousness. Matthew and Torway’s shared the same surprise.
“…Ikta, who are these people?”
“The pleasant brothers of the Remeon Family, and three punks following them.”
“Ahh, Captain Sarihasrag Remeon and Lieutenant Sushura Remeon. …I’m pleased to meet you both. I am called Yatorishino Igsem. It is a privilege to make your acquaintance.”
She greeted them with a salute saturated with insincerity. Yatori went on before Sariha could say anything.
“From what I saw, it seemed that you were having Ikta from my year act as your sparring partner. With this line up, I’d think you’re ganging up on him in a many-on-one, correct? It looked like rather tough training, though.”
Sariha and the others were left at a loss for words. Understandably, it was difficult to say anything for a lynching as the end result of an argument. Since the justification provided by their scene partner was exactly what they needed, after thinking a little, they nodded vaguely.
“I knew that was it. –Thank goodness. It appears that there’s no need to call an instructor over, Your Highness, the Princess.”
Yatori turned behind her and called out. From the shade of the storehouse building, the form of a small-framed girl bringing along a tall female soldier appeared. Beautiful blonde hair extended to her hips was blown by the wind, and captured the eyes of Sariha and the others.
“Is that so? Then, I am also relieved. To think that interaction between fellow soldiers is so violent a thing.”
Her nobility revealed itself in her gentle tone. The five of them, Sariha and the others, finally realized whose presence they were in.
“W-would you be Her Highness, the Princess…. Th-third Princess Chamille…?”
One of the followers asked with a stiff face. The rumor of a whimsical noble who entered the Military Officer Academy in the same position as an ordinary student had also reached their ears. The princess, standing in line with Haro, made an awkward salute.
“It is as you say, but my current position is a mere Warrant Officer. Excuse me for interrupting your valuable training.”
“N-no, that’s…”
As the five of them were fumbling for words, Yatori made her next move.
“Your Highness, the Princess—No, Warrant Officer Chamille, you shouldn’t apologize. I’m at fault for observing their training from afar and mistaking it for a fight. Would you let me take responsibility?”
“Is that so? If that is what you say then it is well.”
Yatori, authorized by the princess, began walking toward Sariha and the others. Spreading her feet shoulder width apart, she took a firm stance with her center of gravity in her torso.
“Ikta. What are the sparring rules?”
“Hmm… five-on-one down, also a manhunt, I guess.”
“Understood. Then, I, Yatorishino Igsem, shall serve as his substitute for your sparring partner. Please continue.”
“Uh, no, wait just—“
The moment one of the followers choked and stretched out his arm, Yatori dove at his unprotected chest and, not yielding any to any resistance, flung her partner away. The young man, hit the ground on his back with a crash, and, not getting up, opened and closed his mouth like a fish shot out of water.
“W-wait, I-“ “Sparring with a girl—“
The following two also tried to say something or other, but didn’t make it. Two clouds of dust flew up, and the three men who were utterly defeated by Yatori were lying sideways at Yatori’s feet.
Even without the two blades, nearly everyone who saw the Igsem’s cold Close-Quarters Combat Tactic held their breath. Only Ikta casually blew out a whistle.
“…You’re pretty full of yourself.”
Among the remaining Remeon brothers, the one whose fighting spirit ignited was the big-built Sushura. Tossing his large air shooter to the ground, he took a stance to tackle the cheeky daughter of the Igsem Family with all his strength. Yatori also grinned slightly and moved to close the distance between them, but-
“Stop, Sushura! That’s enough!”
Sensing the disadvantage of the situation, Sariha’s roar stopped the two of them on the verge of a brawl.
“…Haha. No, I expect nothing less, Yatorishino-kun. I’m relieved. It seems that even your generation hasn’t lost its touch with the Igsem’s Close Quarters Combat Tactic.”
“No, I am honored. It is no more than a disgrace to your eyes, Maj…. Captain Sarihasrag.”
Noticing the sarcasm in her small slip of the tongue, Sariha clenched his fist while wearing a stiff smile. ...Though Sariha’s rank was Captain, it hadn’t changed for five years. Sarcasm as if to say, “you still haven’t become a Major yet?” was mixed into Yatori’s words.
“…That, that’s enough sparring. Sorry for making you join us.”
Exchanging looks with Sariha, Sushura nodded obediently and picked up the bodies of their followers who were knocked out by Yatori one after the other. Unfazed by the weight of three bodies- this was the fearsome superhuman strength of the second son of the Remeon Family.
“Well then, Your Highness, Princess Chamille, we shall take our leave here. We wish you well.”
The brothers saluted in accordance with etiquette and moved to leave, but the moment they passed Ikta’s sideways body, Sariha murmured with all his murderous intent. “…Don’t think this is over.”
When their two figures disappeared behind a corner, as if his nervousness dissolved at that point, Ikta folded his knees and flopped on his back. Torway was also freed from his older brothers’ spell, panicked, and rushed to his friend’s side.
“Ik-kun, are you hurt!? Oh god, no broken bones…!?”
“…My stomach hurts...my back hurts…”
With his energy from when he hurled insults at Sariha disappeared somewhere, Ikta whimpered in a weak, tearful voice. Haro immediately came over and began a medical examination.
“…Hm, it’s just bruising and internal bleeding. It’ll be fine if we just keep it cold. Miru, make some ice.”
Being addressed, the water spirit Miru suddenly nodded and spit out three lumps of ice from the ‘water spout’ in his torso in a size which someone could hold snugly in one hand. She quickly wrapped the lumps, which started melting right from the moment they touched the open air, in bandages and tied them to the especially swollen parts out of the several injured areas.
“You don’t need to worry, Torway. Ikta is tougher than he looks.”
“That’s…, But because of me, he was beat up like that by Onii-sama and the others…”
“…Because of me? Oi, don’t go misunderstanding anything, Ikemen. Listen here, I just wanted to get revenge for being disturbed from my sleep by that Sadist Ikemen’s annoying voice. You can see my bed up in that tree can’t you, look.”
When he directed his gaze in the direction Ikta pointed out, there was a commercial-style bed established on a thick branch in a tree 10 meters from the ground. Even his long-time friend Matthew was dumbfounded at this.
“Are you one with the clouds or something….? Don’t you think that you’re going to fall and die?”
“One point lesson for my buddy Matthew. Ikta is unexpectedly skilled at climbing trees.”
“It’s not just here, you know. This guy has expanded his nest to the lowest two in the center of the base. …Today I was wondering if he weren’t playing hooky from the morning’s classroom lecture and sleeping around this area, so I tried stopped by on my way back from training, and sure enough he was.”
Yatori sighed. While staring at Ikta, who was whistling innocently, the princess spoke.
“…You picked a fight with your several scene partners exactly because you anticipated that Yatori would move accordingly. You assumed that we would then give our help. Am I correct, Solork?”
“My my… Hey~ Haro, as her senior, would you teach some fine words to the princess who said those things so well?”
“Huh? Umm… I wonder what you mean…. …Ah, some things are better left unsaid?”[7]
The princess’s face reddened at her own correct guess and verbal faux pas, and she fell into silence. Haro, noticing that she made her own error, panicked along with Yatori and tried to cover up for it. Whenever it came to this princess, anything Ikta did turned into bullying.
“Oi, Torway.”
Ikta, resisting the pain and standing up, unexpectedly called the young man in front of him by his name.
“The definition of a war of attrition. Can you tell me?”
“….Uhh…? That is, Ik-kun, you just….”
“Who cares just say it.”
“Y-yea…. It’s ‘avoiding a decisive battle and stalling for time, a battle fought to wait for a chance to come’, right?”
Torway said it word-for-word without hesitation. Ikta snorted and turned his back.
“If you can say it then it’s fine. You’ll be fine later as long as you do exactly that, you see. …Well, that is the hardest thing to do, though.”
Those words pierced harder and deeper into the young man’s chest than their speaker intended.
Interspersed with various accidents such as those, the three month basic training period passed quickly, and at long last Ikta and the others started to receive training as full-fledged military officers.
“The 32 who passed the High Grade Military Officer Exam, listen well! Each and every one of you will now be assigned one at a time to organized Imperial Army platoons of 40 soldiers! Though they may be training platoons, they are full-fledged, legitimate units! Accept this responsibility with care!”
The instructor gave an explanation to the students collected in the plaza. Their hopeful gazes gathered just now.
“The separation of soldiers to each respective Division will differ! Wind spirit holders to the Air Gunner Platoons, fire spirit holders to the Incineration Platoons- each you will mostly be deployed as such. For the sake of command, first get in your head how to tell apart the characteristics of your own unit!”
After continuing to speak about preparedness as a commander for one scene, the instructor finally called out to the soldiers waiting in a neighboring plaza, and began the ceremony of assigning a 40-soldier platoon to each warrant officer.
The ones with hopes weren’t just the warrant officers- it seemed that the privates who would enter under their command were the same, and as the names of the new platoon leaders were being read aloud, they gave small elated or disappointed reactions.
“Warrant Officer Yatorishino Igsem, I entrust you with the First Training Platoon of the Incineration Division! It is a gateway through which successive generations of Igsems have passed without exception. Show us some masterful leadership!”
“I humbly receive this appointment.”
Once Yatori received her commission from the instructor, the soldiers who became her subordinates hailed her with wildly enthusiastic cheers of joy. Even under normal circumstances, the Igsem name was widely known, but in these three months she was evaluated as an excellent warrant officer. Now especially, Platoon Yatori was number one unit in popularity which everyone was dying to enter.
“Warrant Officer Torway Remeon, I entrust you with the First Training Platoon of the Air Gunner Division! It is also the unit formerly commanded by your older brother, Captain Sarihasrag. We’re expecting you to become a great commander who won’t disgrace the Remeon Family name!
“…I humbly receive this appointment.”
He was in a complex mental state after being brought under comparison to his brother, but again Torway was hailed with great cheers of joy from the subordinates who entered under his command. Compared to the appointments of the two names that followed, Matthew and Haro, the difference in heat was clear. Many of the warrant officers couldn’t help but feel uneasy- weren’t they receiving defective greetings from their precious subordinates?
The Incineration soldiers, the Air Gunner soldiers, the Medic soldiers- Ikta’s appointment came around last. The group he was responsible for, being a light spirit holder, was the last Division, which was unpopular with soldiers due the plainness of taking supporting role.
“Warrant Officer Ikta Solork, I entrust you with the Third Training Platoon of the Illumination Division!”
“I humbly receive this appointment.”
Ikta answered in a slightly monotone voice. …However, the real show started there.
After receiving his commission, when he walked toward the soldiers with a stupid smile, he was hailed with a frighteningly heavy silence. It wasn’t simple disappointment, countless gazes tinged with hostility pierced through his entire body.
“Congratulations on your appointment as platoon leader, Warrant Officer Ikta Solork. Please lead us well.”
The female soldier one step forward of her allies’ line, contrary to her polite tone, glared at Ikta with harsh eyes from below her hat. She was a little short compared to Haro, but she was still tall at 170 centimeters. Her rank insignia was one for sergeant major. Meaning, it seemed that she was largely serving as the platoon leader until Ikta’s appointment. Her age was approximately 20 years, and her partner was of course a light spirit. I would’ve liked for her to be a bit more ripe, but her sense of worldly wisdom also meets my tastes- thought Ikta absentmindedly.
“No, I look forward to working with you. –By the way, Sergeant Major, your name is?”
Ikta asked innocently enough, but in that moment, her hostility developed into murderous intent.
“…If you want my name, then shouldn’t you already know it, Warrant Officer?”
“Huh? No way, have we met somewhere before?”
…she glared at the superior officer in front of her with her newly revealed face.
As Ikta said that, the temperature of the soldiers’ gazes around him slowly dropped. Then, her face twitching, the female sergeant major took off her hat and glared at the superior officer in front of her with her newly revealed face.
“I am Sergeant Major Suuya Mittokalif. My partner is the light spirit Yoki. –It’s been two years since we’ve met like this, hasn’t it, Warrant Officer Solork? ‘’In the past, you were quite obliged to my mother.’’”
The sound of her name called up old memories, and Ikta opened his eyes wide. Her face, strong with competitive spirit, was a little less tall before, but her curly brown hair and her freckles remained from the past.
“Suuya Mittokarif…wait, could you be, Amishiya’s daughter…?”
As Ikta timidly confirmed it, Sergeant Major suddenly brought her face closer.
“Yes, I am her daughter. –However, Warrant Officer Solork. Would you not use my mother’s first name with such familiarity again? Since your social standing is no higher than a married woman’s fellow adulterer.”
“””The daughter of a past partner in adultery?”””
In the cafeteria where they had gathered for their lunch break, the cast of the ‘Order of Knights’ were shocked at Ikta’s report.
“You say adultery, but my courtship hadn’t reached that point yet. Ahh hell- why’d we have to meet again here of all places…?”
“W-wait, Ikta-san, you’re 17 right now, right!? I mean, just how old…!?”
Haro hit upon a reasonable question. Ikta folded his arms and thought a little.
“That was when I was in the fourth year of Middle Grade Academy so… 14 years? No, I might actually have turned 15…”
“How old was your partner?! Isn’t the daughter in question older than you are!?”
“Ah, I remember that clearly. At that time Amishiya was 42 years old. I wonder if she’s doing okay right now.”
Matthew opened his mouth in amazement at the details the youth mentioned casually, and even Haro became lightheaded.
“Th-the difference between your ages is 28 years…? That’s practically the range for parent and child!”
Yatori, the only one who was not perturbed, caught Haro as she fainted and collapsed in her chair. Next to her, Her Highness Chamille, who ended up imagining the contents of his story in reality, was looking down with a red face.
“Forgetting age, I can’t praise you for coercing your partner into adultery. Don’t tell me you were aware of it when you did it?”
“Of course I didn’t know when I did it. My taste for older women is generally accepted by myself and others, but I don’t make it a habit to steal other people’s wives. Amishiya herself said that she split from her husband, and I was invited to her house countless times, so there’s no way I could have thought she was someone’s wife or anything…”
The story was progressing in an increasingly fishy direction. Her Highness, Chamille’s face was turning scarlet to the point that it seemed steam might come out. The excitement was too strong for a 12 year old girl, but Ikta didn’t care about that kind of thing.
“Ahh, come to think of it, we were at her house when I was exposed…. Suuya[8] came back home without announcing the date. That was a surprise because she got really angry, that girl. First she drove me out, then she cross-examined Amishiya, and she even called back her father from a business trip…it seems they having a big heated discussion and about to attack each other.”
“That’s an example of reaping what you sow. It’s natural for you to be blamed, isn’t it?”
“Well, I’m not making any excuses. Since, when I was called by Suuya after the family council came to a pause, the last thing I was told is, ‘I’ll never forgive you. Don’t show your face in front of my mother again.” I complied with that…but I was relieved that the Mittokalif household survived without disintegrating.”
Ikta, taking a breath and sipping his tea, was faced with cold looks from the formation of females around him. Normally, one would be unable to endure being in the middle of this atmosphere, but he bore it magnificently with seeming nerves of steel.
“Haha… by the way, what am I gonna do? Somehow it seems like this story is widely known among all the soldiers in my platoon, you see. It’s my first day on the job, and it already doesn’t seem like anyone will listen to what I say.”
“Please deal with it yourself. There’s not even a millimeter margin for sympathy.”
Yatori cut him down with a single stroke. Haro and Matthew also nodded wordlessly in agreement.
“My friends are so cold to me…. I got it, okay, I won’t rely on people like you anymore.”
While on the verge of seemingly fake tears, Ikta stood up from his seat with his empty food plate in his hand. Torway and the princess, who’d refrained from commenting until now, promptly moved to go after him, but Yatori stopped them.
“Your Highness, the Princess, please stay as you are. Torway, you, too, please stop going after him.”
“…? Wh-Why, Yatori? Even Solork is strangely troubled…”
“Ever since we first met, I’ve only been helped out by Ik-kun. I also want to be of use…”
“I thought that you two would say that. Helping and spoiling are similar but different, correct? The matter this time is a situation completely brought on by his own carelessness. He has the obligation to deal with it himself, concerning the details of the trouble as well, it’s not something outsiders should stick their heads into.”
The sound logic made the two of them silent. Yatori, seeing their condition, smiled wryly and added a revision.
“…I suppose I phrased it badly. What I wanted to say is that there is simply no need to worry. Well, just see how things go from afar for a little while. You’ll understand the price of worrying soon. –If he’s the type of man who’d be at a loss for a way out in this kind of situation, then Ikta Solork wouldn’t be here to begin with.”
“—Stop! Everyone, left!”
A sharp female voice echoed across the plaza. Under the blazing sun, forty pairs of military shoes forcefully tread on the solid earth, and Platoon Ikta, commanded by Sergeant Major Suuya, continued marching in line.
“Hmm- her skill is decent.”
However, as for the platoon leader who was supposed to be taking command, he was sitting alone on a small hill and watching the condition of his subordinates. This wasn’t his usual laziness, but because he had been boycotted by the soldiers.
“What should I do~?”
Ikta murmured while scratching his head with one hand. As a result of the infamy Suuya popularized, the soldiers’ good will toward him was either zero or in the negatives. Before they started this training, she told him this herself.
“It’s fine if you don’t do anything, Warrant Officer Solork. Since the soldiers will move well enough with my direction.”
It seemed that she had no intention at all of working under her original duty as assistant to the platoon leader. Thus, Ikta had involuntarily become an ornament on a hill. Well, but it’s easy, so this in itself was not too bad.
“Still, considering my position, the minimum is the responsibility to supervise, right… For their sake as well.”
A sigh came out. Ikta was forced to become a soldier against his will as a result of Her Highness, Chamille’s arrangements, but those circumstances had no connection to his subordinates. He was thinking about waiting for an opportunity and escaping the army, but in the time until then, he wanted to at least properly supervise his blameless subordinates.
“…My my. It seems that I have one one-hundred-millionth of the sense of responsibility as Lieutenant General Rikan did.”
His heart set with resolution, Ikta lifted his heavy body and came off the hill. –A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Even if progressing to a commanding officer all of a sudden is impossible, today, let’s at least somehow progress to a talking ornament.
There were two men with a telescope watching Ikta from afar attempting communication with his subordinates in his natural cheeky manner. A handsome young man with light green hair, and a giant with a height close to two meters. They were the Remeon brothers.
“—Haha, serves you right. Oi, Sushura, can you see this? He’s being ignored by the soldiers.”
“…”
“How the hell is that mess an Imperial Knight? It’s obvious that him crossing the border from Kioka territory and returning alive was just good luck. That guy fucking made me listen to that ridiculous babbling…”
Sushura, as silent as a rock, listened to the abuse Sariha muttered over and over.
…To tell the truth, he wasn’t the type to hold a grudge as much as his older brother was, and he had already stopped caring about Ikta. Even for this act which resembled peeping, he was just making his brother look good and tagging along.
“Ahh shit- just remembering it makes me nauseous. That’s right, speaking of cheeky, there’s also Toruru. It’d be great if he’d just shut up and listen to what I say like he used to, but after hanging out with that weirdo he fucking went and turned rebellious. Now that it’s come to this, we gotta get those two and make ‘em understand their place, am I right? You’re with me on this, right, Sushura?”
“…”
In contrast to Sushura’s silence, Sariha went on indefinitely. A senior instructor who casually happened to pass by asked a question to the two of them.
“…Is that Captain Sarihasrag over there? I see, so you’ve also come back from the Northern Stronghold.”
Sariha, addressed in conversation, immediately removed his eye from the telescope and saluted the instructor. When in front of his superior officer, his attitude when badmouthing his sickening scene partners changed completely- his expression tensed and his tone also became courteous.
“It has been a while, Lieutenant Colonel Kuurij. It is good to see that you are unharmed, Lieutenant Colonel.”
“Hm, it’s been three years, hasn’t it? First Lieutenant Sushuraf, you’re also putting on a nice face. However, what are you looking at by taking out a telescope?”
“Ha- we were checking the condition of our juniors in the High Grade Military Officer Course. It seems that they just finished their foundational drills and were entrusted with platoons, and as their seniors, we were curious about various things.”
“I see, I’m familiar with that. I also went through some trouble the first time I had subordinates.”
The instructor reminiscing with far off eyes suddenly looked at the Remeon brothers as if he remembered something.
“…That reminds me. You two, if you’re that concerned with your juniors, how about you act as a guide and train them?”
“Hah…? But, we aren’t instructors…”
“No, that’s not it. Even you guys remember, right? After you were entrusted with platoons, practice to cultivate a sense of commanding in an actual battle was held from time to time. They’re sham battles where the exemplars use paint fluid, but how about serving as the new recruits’ opponents? -is what I meant.”
--Sariha widened his eyes, and his jaw hung with joy. This was a godsend.
“Most certainly, I would love to participate. When would the first practice be?”
“It’s about a month from now, but that’s when we’d arrive to the location, and there might be some time until the sham battle. Your unexperienced juniors would surely be anxious. You don’t mind?”
“Not at all- everyone is unexperienced in the beginning. …By the way, are the juniors we would be fighting random?”
“Is there a new recruit you’ve got your eyes on? Certainly, there are a few more interesting ones this year compared to the others. If you have a preference, then say so. I’m sure that they’ll appreciate you participation in their practice.”
Sariha, bestowed with the heaven-sent ability to choose, listed five names without any hesitation. The instructor smiled, showing his teeth.
“Haha, I see. Taking the entire ‘Order of Knights’- you guys have guts, don’t you?”
The instructor didn’t notice the dark sentiment lurking behind Sariha’s fresh smile at all.
A day approximately one month after the warrant officers in the High Grade Military Officer Course were entrusted with platoons.
In the lounge of the barracks, Matthew came gasping to where the five Ikta, Yatori, Torway, Haro, and Her Highness Chamille were polishing their countermeasure against the test that was prodding at their minds. The cast of the “Order of Knight” turned their heads at his clearly panicked acting.
“In such a hurry- what’s the matter, Matthew? How about you drink some water and calm down first?”
“I-I apologize, Your Highness, the Princess. Thank you...”
After taking a sake cup from the princess’s hand, and draining it in one gulp, Matthew opened his mouth again.
“—Something terrible is gonna happened. I’m not sure we’re coming back in one piece…”
“In one piece… s-somehow, that’s not very peaceful, is it? What’s going on?”
“The program for the practice we’re participating in was released on the bulletin board. The date is set for five days from now, but that’s not important. The problem is the details. It seems that the six platoons are going to march divided into two groups to the location about 30 kilometers to the southwest of here, then hold a mock battle using paint fluid, but…”
“Marching training and mock battles? It doesn’t seem very easy for our first training.”
“I’m saying, this isn’t the time to be saying such careless things! The six platoons that are going to be split to fight are, on one side mine, Ikta’s, and Torway’s units! On the other side, Yatori, Captain Sarihasrag, and First Lieutenant Sushura’s units!”
Surprise caught them all. Yatori, listed with an unexpected pair, opened her eyes wide.
“What, so I’m alone in a different camp? The Remeon brothers must like me quite a lot then.”
“Yatori, that’s only just for now. I mean, normally his two older brothers wouldn’t even look at you…”
Torway was startled by Ikta’s grinning mutter, but fortunately, it didn’t reach Yatori’s ears. Her personality in front of men was something of her weak point, but somehow she was uninformed about those kinds of niceties.
“But well… obviously it’s a lineup to torment the three of us, isn’t it? We’re all warrant officers on our side, but on their side, two out of three are a captain and a first lieutenant on active duty. They didn’t think to make it a fair show?”
Ikta smiled wryly with a defeated face. Matthew couldn’t understand how he was so casual.
“I’m saying, this isn’t the time to smile! What the hell are we gonna do about this!? Those two still a have grudge from before! At this rate, we’re gonna be beat up in the mock battle with the practice as an excuse!”
Matthew’s words pierced Torway in the chest, and he, feeling responsible, bit his lip and hung his head.
“I-I’m sorry, because of me… Ahh!?”
Without anyone saying anything, Ikta’s flick to the forehead hit his brow. In addition, he snorted and spoke.
“Hey you’re pretty conceited, Ikemen. Whichever way you think of it, I’m the main target for revenge, and the other two are bonus, right? To be perfectly honest, Matthew just got dragged in.”
“I agree. As the one who interrupted the fight, I might also be responsible for how things turned out. Well, there’s no use talking about it now… Whatever the case, don’t worry, Matthew.”
“But how can you be so calm at a time like this?! If you have any sympathy, find a countermeasure!”
Yatori made a slightly puzzled face at Matthew’s agonizing scream and folded her arms.
“I really do want to, but… in the name of the Igsem Family, this person can’t make any discretions when it comes to military practice. Sorry about you guys, but I’ll be fighting to my full abilities. Though, of course if unreasonable violence occurs in my presence I’ll put a stop to it.”
“We can trust Yatori to be steadfast in her position, can’t we? Well, but I guess it’s fine this way too. For you, it’s also a personal showdown with your long awaited rival[9]. It’s best to ignore other distractions. …By the way, Matthew, Haro’s platoon isn’t participating in practice?”
“The Medics Division is also headed on-site, unaffiliated with any camp, but they’re to provide aid indiscriminately to injured persons from training. No, but Ikta, why the hell are you so relaxed?! Forget other people- now’s when we should worry about ourselves, right?”
“Come on, calm down, Matthew. Our bullying seniors are a little annoying, but this is our first practice. Anything could happen, and whatever happens happens. If we die, we’ll cross that boundary together, okay?”
Making such claims without any kind of support, Ikta suddenly rose from his seat. Bewildered, Torway called out to his retreating figure as he was leaving the lounge.
“Ik-kun, where…?”
“Just turning a crisis into an opportunity. The war of attrition- it’s about time we put that to an end.”
Ikta seemed to leave after leaving those words behind him, but suddenly his face casually poked back through the door and spoke.
“Also, don’t call me Ik-kun.”
On the way back from violent close-quarters combat training. Sergeant Major Suuya Mittokalif, taking a breath after quenching her thirst at a water fountain, was suddenly irritated to her core by a familiar voice echoing from the background.
“Ah- There you are, Suuya. I wonder if you have time right now. Can we talk a bit?”
“…”
“Suuya? Hey~ Suuya, can you hear me? Suuya Suuya Suuya!”
“I can hear you so please stop calling me so many times! Besides, why’re you calling me by my first name and not my family name!?”
“I call girls over-familiarly by their first names even it’s our first time meeting. It’s a fundamental skill for hunters, you know. Depending on the situation, though.”
“Such ridiculous things with a serious face…. Then, please at least call me with my rank.”
“I don’t wanna. Suuya has such a nice ring to it, adding Sergeant Major would just ruin it.”
Ikta spoke seriously. Her fatigue outweighing her irritation with their back and forth until now, Warrant Officer Suuya, not having a choice, decided to hear her scene partner out a little.
“…What do you want, Warrant Officer Solork? It’s no use meddling in commanding the next training, though.”
“No~ that’s actually it though, Suuya, it’s not good if I just keep leaving it to you, see? Maybe it’s about time you let me do it?”
“No, it perfectly fine. I don’t need you to do anything.”
“Ahh, you’re so cold~ Is that because I got along well with Amishiya?”
Suuya’s eyes glared at her scene partner filled with murderous intent. Without even the slightest hesitation, in the same manner as everyday small talk, Ikta desecrated her holy ground.
“…I, told you, didn’t I? Not to say my mother’s name again.”
“You did. But I have no memory of responding with a ‘yes, I understand’. But anyway, answer my question. -Is your not wanting to let me lead the platoon because I had a relationship with your mother?”
Suuya was at a loss for a reply. It was obvious that that was the case, but Ikta also knew that she couldn’t say so. Since acknowledging that would be acknowledging that she was disturbing military order with personal interests.
“…You’re…wrong. You’re wrong. That is not the reason.”
“Oh? Then why?”
“That, well…Warrant Officer Solork, your stamina is below standard, and you’re weak in both close-quarters combat and marksmanship, and I can’t see you as the type who’s fit to command on-site personally.”
“Hmm… Is that the number one reason?”
“That’s right. I’ll do that sort of thing, so please just relax until my rank becomes higher. The Annals of Military History or the Analysis of Military Tactics- if classroom lectures are your strong point, then isn’t it better if you focus on that area?”
Suuya established a reason after some difficulty. She’s not the verbally fluent type, is she?- Ikta saw through it immediately. Is that truly the reason? In addition to that, he also saw that she had a complex toward academics.
It was a rather underhanded method, but with a scene partner like this, it was incredibly easy to lead the conversation.
“…I’m going to change the topic just a bit. Suuya, you know that there’s practice in five days?”
“Huh? Ah, yes, I saw the announcement this morning. It seemed like marching training and a mock battle…”
“Right, about that mock battle, see. Are you confident you can win it?”
Without giving her a chance to think, Ikta added to his question. Suuya, taking her time, was hard-pressed for an answer.
“…That… of course, I’ll give it my best, but…”
“You’ll win if you give it your best?”
“…No. I hate to say it, but I think it’ll be difficult. There is too big of a difference in the strength between our camps. Captain Sarihasrag and First Lieutenant Sushura are officers on active duty, and there’s the rumor that Warrant Officer Yatorishino has the top grades this term…. It’s great that Warrant Officer Torway is in our camp, but there’s no saying that the last one, Warrant Officer Matthew, is outstandingly excelle…”
“I see. So it’s impossible for your leadership to reverse the disadvantage.”
After forcing the conversation to a pause by rephrasing in a way that refused objection, Ikta waited for the right time and made his move.
“Well then~ If we win the mock battle under my command, I wonder if that means I’m a better commander than you are?
“—Huh? Th-that’s…”
“That’s what it means, right? Since I’ll be doing something that you can’t. At the very least, you’ll have to revise your evaluation that I’m not ‘fit to command on-site personally’.”
Suuya panicked. Finally, after coming this far, she realized that she had been led by the nose. She wanted to get angry, but since she took part in the conversation, she couldn’t backtrack.
“…If, you win the mock battle, and, Warrant Officer Solork, if you had a big part in the victory…”
“You’ll allow me to command the platoon?”
“…That’s fine. …But- But! Warrant Officer, if you lose!?”
For Suuya, who strong point wasn’t eloquence, this was the best comeback she could muster. While finding her earnestness charming, Ikta brought the words his companion was hoping he’d say to his mouth.
“In that case, it’s exactly as you said- I shall then rethink my future and devote myself to the desk job I’m more suited for. From then on, I won’t say another word about your continued use of the platoon. …Is this fine?”
Ikta confirmed, and Suuya nodded clearly. When he saw that his companion wagered her pride and went along with his idea, the youth smiled, satisfied for the time being,
“Certainly we’ve made a deal. Now then, from today until the end of the practice, I shall take charge of the Third Training Platoon of the Illumination Division. As you’d expect, I need a few days at least to warm up- no complaints, right?”
“…Understood. As you wish.”
“Let the soldiers hear it from you to follow my orders. They should accept it if you tell them our terms from earlier. If that doesn’t get through to them, then of course the deal is off. I’m looking forward to it.”
Firmly pushing his demands, Ikta finally took his leave of Suuya’s presence. --The stage was set- it was still too early to make that declaration. That expression is reserved for those who actually have confidence in their victory.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login