Chapter 67 - Shared Responsibility (1)
Spring had arrived.
Even before the Entrance Ceremony, the Imperial Military Academy was already bustling, as returning students gathered and filled the place with noise.
"You've gotten a lot smaller since I last saw you. Oh, come on. Aren't we still too young for that? Well, maybe I did get a bit bigger, while you've just stayed right here, stuck to the ground."
"…I'll grow soon, too."
"Yeah, you'd better—otherwise, it'd be too sad to see. Haha."
A lot had changed for the First-Year Cadets over the winter.
First of all, many of them had grown a lot physically—they were taller and had broader builds.
Growth spurts were different for everyone: some had suddenly shot up in height, while others remained just as much a boy as ever.
Many cadets had started to grow facial hair, too.
It had happened before, but not to the extent that anyone actually needed to shave.
Now it grew so stiff and long that going without shaving would put you in clear violation of the Academy's rules.
"It's been a while."
"…"Oh my gosh. Hartmann, your voice…"
"Yeah, it's finally settled down."
Many of them had shed that annoying, high-pitched voice peculiar to puberty and now spoke in deep, resonant tones.
Ferdinand, too, spoke with a refined voice that no one would ever guess used to crack and break.
He'd grown bigger, too.
When Ferdinand pulled his chin in and spoke in that low, commanding way, no one would have believed he was only fifteen years old.
If he just grew a beard, people would believe he was thirty.
"Your voice sounds different, doesn't it?"
"Does it?"
Some cadets didn't even realize their voice had changed—Ernest was one of them.
Ernest only noticed his voice sounded different after another cadet pointed it out.
Even Robert, who saw him every day, hadn't realized; they saw each other so often it slipped by unnoticed.
Ernest's voice had been changing little by little.
Maybe Haires or Marie had noticed—it was just that they hadn't thought it worth mentioning.
"Hi, Wilfried."
"..."
"Wilfried?"
"…Hi."
"Oh…"
Wilfried's voice had changed quite dramatically.
But that wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Even though Wilfried had grown taller, he was still a delicate, angelic boy; now, his voice had turned scratchy and harsh, creating a huge disconnect.
Maybe he was self-conscious about it—he seemed reluctant to speak.
And when he did talk, he'd give this sheepish, embarrassed smile that was, in its own way, so angelically beautiful that it made finding a compromise between what your eyes saw and your ears heard nearly impossible.
As the cadets gathered again in the First Year Dormitory, there was a touch of awkwardness in the air as they looked at each other.
But the source of that awkwardness wasn't just their changed appearances or voices.
Back at the academy, without any real points of connection, it was hard to truly feel the differences in their status.
Unless you were Wilfried—the Duke's son—or Ferdinand—the Chief of Staff's eldest grandson—most just didn't think much of it.
But last winter, outside the academy—at society events or when visiting each other's mansions as invited guests—they were forced to see the stark divide created by their social ranks.
After all, the son of a baron who owned his own territory, commanded hundreds of private soldiers, and could mobilize over a thousand troops if needed, could never be entirely on equal footing with the son of a petty administrator whose only claim to nobility was being a hereditary noble.
It almost felt like those days right before parting for winter—when they'd played in the snow, laughing and goofing off, promising to visit each other—had been a lie. Even though there was a lingering bitterness, the divisions of rank were so strict in Noble Society that they couldn't possibly go back to how things were before. After graduation, their futures would inevitably split according to their positions.
"Look at this! The bashful Young Master of the Duke's House is so shy around his friends after all this time he can't even manage to get a word out, huh?"
And in this sense, Robert Jimman really was crazy.
Just like last year, he shamelessly swaggered up to the Duke's son, chattering away in that annoyingly playful tone, and even had the nerve to poke Wilfried's arm with his fingertip!
"Robert, stop it."
"Oh, are you feeling unwell or something?"
"I said, cut it out."
"Oh, so scary. And what exactly are you going to do about it? Didn't I already tell you—I'm stronger than you!"
"Hey, hey, someone drag that lunatic away."
"Kehehe! Is glaring at me all you've got?"
Even as he was dragged away by the other cadets, Robert kept running his mouth, sticking out his tongue and jeering at Wilfried, who could only glare back with a look that promised revenge.
Though Wilfried had grown a bit taller over the break, he was still slender and weak. Burning with frustration, he vowed to get even with Robert one day. And yet, deep down, he felt an immense relief that Robert was treating him the same as always.
During the winter at his home—the mansion of House of Duke Ravid—Wilfried had sorely missed his ordinary days at the Military Academy. There, if only for a moment, he could just be a regular boy, not the Duke's son.
But now that spring had come and he was reunited with his classmates, things were different.
Everyone seemed so nervous around him, and although he tried not to show it, Wilfried felt deeply discouraged.
Robert had immediately picked up on it.
That's why, even though Wilfried was the son of Duke Ravid, Robert had dared to laugh and poke fun at him in front of everyone—just like the commoners used to do with each other—because he knew that's exactly what Wilfried wanted.
"I'll get my revenge on you during Mock Battle Training, Robert Jimman"
"You? Take me down? Go ahead and try, you scrawny weakling!"
"For the duration of Mock Battle Training, I'm putting a bounty on Robert."
"...Wait a second."
"Whoever brings Robert down in the most humiliating way will get a favor from me—within my allowed boundaries, of course. Only within the Military Academy."
"Hey! That's cheating!"
"Cheating? You seem to have forgotten, Robert. We're officer cadets. If all we ever did was charge in like idiots, what was the point of learning Military Science?"
"Well, you're not wrong!"
In the end, Robert's antics significantly eased the awkward tension among the cadets.
Robert, a minor noble and the son of a merchant, treated Wilfried—the Duke's son—just as he always had, and Wilfried, for his part, was only angry about Robert's teasing, never about their difference in status.
"I can hang Robert upside down in a trap. He might get a bit hurt, but as long as you protect his head, he shouldn't be injured too badly And once I've got him hanging up, you can fire your crossbow at him as much as you like."
"For once, your proposal actually sounds very appealing, Ernest."
"No, absolutely not. Really."
Ernest suggested a deal to Wilfried, and when Wilfried showed interest, Robert immediately straightened up and protested in a panic.
"I went hunting with Ernest in the winter, you know. It was honestly terrifying."
"Hunting? In the winter?"
"Yeah, we spent several days out in the forest."
"Wow! Really? What did you catch?"
"Rabbit. There were deer too, but we didn't have time, so we had to head back."
"Oh, just rabbits, huh..."
"Hey! The rabbits were huge! And it's not like we caught them with hounds or falcons like you noble young masters do!"
Robert recounted with great enthusiasm just how much he had suffered in the winter forest, and how enormous and terrifying the rabbits had been.
Of course, Robert was smart enough not to bring up Marie's story here—he knew mentioning her would only confuse everyone and put Ernest in an awkward position, so he left her out of it.
Robert often teased Ernest about Marie, knowing full well how dry things were between the two of them.
But this time was different. Marie had chosen to stay in Grimman even if it meant freezing to death rather than returning home, and as a result, she had nearly died before ending up living with House Krieger.
Robert just couldn't bring himself to crack jokes about that, not without thinking.
As Robert noisily shared his story, other cadets gathered around and began exchanging their own tales from the winter. It felt almost as if they'd been transported back to the day before they parted ways last year.
"Maybe it's because they're still young, but they certainly have a lot of energy."
"Sigh..."
Unlike the boys, who were bubbling with excitement simply to be back at the Military Academy, the adults looked as though the mere act of returning had already exhausted them.
They couldn't stop sighing.
"If your cadet uniform doesn't fit, bring your old uniform to the Disciplinary Officer's Office."
"Yes, sir."
After giving those instructions, the Disciplinary Officers disappeared into their office and didn't come out, maintaining a strictly businesslike manner even with cadets who came to exchange their uniforms.
Just the thought that they would have to start working again was enough to drain their spirits.
Most of the officers at the Military Academy disliked spring. Winter was far better.
Upon her return to the Military Academy, Marie found herself feeling something completely different than she had at any other time in the past four years In her first year at the Military Academy, Marie had been filled with hope that she could finally escape from her miserable life. But every spring after that, whenever she returned, she was gripped by despair and fear.
This time, however, all Marie felt was a lingering sense of regret that winter was over—nothing more.
She didn't wear a harsh, guarded expression brought on by anxiety, nor did she tremble with fear. She was simply calm and steady, fully present in this moment.
What made that possible was that House Krieger had become a place she could return to.
Each winter from now on—and for at least a few more after this—Marie would be able to spend them at House Krieger.
Haires had only given permission until she graduated, so it wouldn't be for very long, but still.
"Marie Fiders. You have a letter."
"…Sorry?"
Despite everything, Marie couldn't help but be startled when she was told she'd received a letter. There were very few people who would bother to write to her, after all.
...
Though letters arriving at the Military Academy in winter were sometimes delayed, Marie's had reached her without any trouble. She gazed at the envelope for a long moment before slipping it into her cadet uniform and heading back to her room.
Marie ignored the other Baltracher cadet she shared a room with, and her roommate ignored her in return, so she was able to read the letter with no interruptions at all.
She ripped open the rough, clumsily sealed envelope with her hands, took out the letter, and began to read the short message inside.
"...How pathetic."
Afterward, Marie let out a small, derisive laugh as she noticed the ghostwriter's handwriting was sloppy and the grammar was all wrong.
It was also a way of mocking her own parents, who were trying to find her.
One of the other Baltracher cadets, noticing Marie reading a letter, stared at her in surprise.
She's reading.
She can actually read!
"You… how did you—"
"What?"
"..."
Marie responded coldly to the startled girl who tried to talk to her. Then, she tore the letter to pieces and threw it right into the trash, deciding once and for all to completely forget about her Aeblonian family.
The Baltracher cadet flinched at Marie's actions and just nervously watched her.
During her time at House Krieger, Marie had grown intellectually under Ernest's relentless teaching, but there were other, more noticeable changes in her, too.
No longer did she walk with slumped shoulders, trudging along—she stood straight and walked with confidence.
The hands that once fidgeted anxiously with her clothes were now calm and steady.
She'd put on some weight, her complexion had improved, and now she carried herself with a relaxed expression.
Though Marie was still a small Aeblonian girl, the traces of her good upbringing were obvious—she even seemed a little bit noble.
While other Baltracher cadets from commoner backgrounds lay around, lost in gloom, Marie sat for the first time at the desk she'd never used before.
She opened her bag, took out books and paper, and began to study.
Now, Marie no longer needed Ernest hovering over her, forcing her to study—she could do it on her own.
She'd come to understand, through her education, why it mattered.
In the end, the relentless and ruthless Ernest Krieger had succeeded in completely remaking the mind of this small, pitiable girl so that she would head toward suffering and ruin all on her own.
It was a devastating scene—one that left even Senior Instructor, Captain Thomas Kohler, utterly helpless.
He could only lament, unable to hide his sorrow, a single hot tear rolling down his cheek.
Marie never looked at the torn letter again.
It was thrown away just as it was, and, together with all the other trash, was taken to the incinerator and burned to ashes, vanishing from this world completely.
Not long after the cadets gathered at the Military Academy, new arrivals appeared.
These weren't ordinary new officer cadets.
They were young Baltracher cadets, only ten years old, who, with no idea what awaited them, entered the Military Academy, mesmerized by the pristine and dazzling surroundings.
The noble Baltracher cadets held a formal entrance ceremony in a separate area.
In contrast, the Baltracher cadets from commoner or slave backgrounds were treated like livestock: ordered to strip, their bodies examined, then made to change into their cadet uniforms before being roughly tossed into their dorm rooms—nothing more.
Like all the other Baltracher cadets, Marie completely ignored them.
Until regular classes began, she spent most of her time studying and resting, and visited Ernest and Robert every third day just as she used to, to talk with them.
Self-directed study and having her work checked by Ernest were two entirely different experiences, so Marie always felt nervous during those meetings.
"Good. Well done, Marie. Keep up the good work tomorrow, too," Ernest would say.
"Okay. You too, Ernest."
And, as always, she left after hearing those words of encouragement.
But the truth was, Marie no longer became anxious the way she used to, even if Ernest didn't tell her to keep going. Just like during the winter, when she was able to feel at ease without hearing any words of encouragement.
This was thanks mostly to Haires, who had secretly assessed Marie's state of mind and intervened behind the scenes.
As the entrance ceremony approached, the graduation ceremony for the fourth-years was held.
Except for the graduating students, only a handful of assistant instructors were allowed to attend the graduation.
Normally, no one envied the assistants, knowing how hard they worked—but on this day, there were many who did.
That's because His Majesty the Emperor always made a personal appearance at the Imperial Military Academy's graduation ceremony.
"He didn't come for our entrance ceremony, though."
"Still, I bet he comes for graduation."
"Must be nice."
"As long as we make it to graduation without being expelled, he'll come to ours, too."
The first-year cadets grumbled like this as they stared toward the auditorium where the graduation was taking place.
"Why didn't His Majesty come in person to our entrance ceremony?"
"I don't know… He hasn't really been involved in public events these last few years."
"Did you hear anything about that?"
"If I was in a position to know, I wouldn't have ended up at the Military Academy…"
"Yeah, that's true…"
The cadets felt genuinely disappointed that the Emperor hadn't come to their entrance ceremony.
But in truth, Ernest knew that the Emperor had made a personal visit that day, and had even been standing right behind him. It's possible that the other cadets have guessed the truth as well. After all, the Beowatch was there.
"In just a little while, we'll be second-years, too."
"The fourth-year dormitory will become the first-year dormitory."
Today, all the fourth-years would move out of their dorm, and that space would be filled by the new incoming students as the new first-year dormitory.
The dormitory Ernest lived in as a first-year would become the second-year dormitory.
Groups of cadets who had been chatting gathered again at the windows, pressing close as people poured out of the auditorium. Not only the graduates, but also their families and the soldiers from their new postings who had come to pick them up—crowds bustled everywhere.
The graduates headed back to the dormitory one last time to collect their belongings.
"Can you see anything?"
"Uhhhh… nothing."
"No way. Did they really not assign a single person to the Capital Defense Force this year?"
All the current students leaned against the windows, observing the soldiers waiting in front of the dormitory. From their uniforms, they could tell their respective affiliations, and they soon realized that not a single new officer had been assigned to the Capital Defense Force this year.
Those desperate to join the Capital Defense Force couldn't help but feel disappointed. The door to that unit was just too narrow to squeeze through.
"…I feel like there are a lot of 2nd Corps soldiers out there."
"Now that you mention it, there aren't very many in total."
After a brief moment of disappointment, the cadets noticed something strange. There were few soldiers waiting for the new officers in front of the dormitory, and most of them belonged to the 2nd Corps. In other words, soldiers from the same 2nd Corps unit had come to pick up multiple new officers.
"Hartmann."
"I haven't heard anything."
The First-Year Cadets looked to Ferdinand for answers in this unpredictable situation, but Ferdinand had nothing to say—he truly hadn't heard a thing.
"They're trying to reinforce the 2nd Corps…"
"..."
Someone cautiously voiced their suspicion, and the dormitory was suddenly enveloped in a cold silence.
The Mihahil Empire already possessed more than enough troops—in fact, an abnormal amount. While the standing army in neighboring countries accounted for less than one percent of the total population, in the Mihahil Empire, the standing army alone had already reached three percent.
Such a ratio would have been impossible if Balt had not achieved significant results in a few particular fields. However, because the Balt Battery was being so heavily invested in militarily, the Mihahil Empire's overall productivity had come to a standstill.
A handful of scholars carefully argued that the Empire's system might eventually collapse under the strain of military expenditures. But no public debate ever arose. The Empire simply did not allow such criticism.
In this situation, the concentrated assignment of new officers to the 2nd Corps could be seen as a sign of dangerous intentions.
War.
"Calm down. Nothing's been decided yet."
While everyone was frozen in place, Wilfried, reluctant to speak aloud because his voice was changing, tried to respond in a deliberately low and gentle voice.
"If something serious were really about to happen, our families would have contacted us. Right?"
"Well, that's… true..."
Wilfried's words slightly softened the tense atmosphere. If war truly seemed imminent, the families would have sent letters to the officer cadets. Some would have told their children to withdraw and come home for their safety, while others would have urged them to fight honorably to bring glory to their house.
Most importantly, it mattered that Ferdinand knew nothing about the situation. The Chief of Staff of the 2nd Corps cherished his eldest grandson dearly—the idea that he would let Ferdinand, an officer cadet, be dragged off to the battlefield without the slightest warning was unthinkable. Ferdinand would have received at least some hint.
Although fear of war faded a bit, the mood inevitably lingered, somewhat subdued.
"Krieger."
"Senior Neumann."
Just then, a few graduates entered the First-Year dormitory to greet the new cadets, and among them was Sebastian Neumann—the one who owed his life to Ernest.
"Haha, I was wondering where you were. You know, until last year, I was stuck to this window just like you, watching what was happening outside."
Sebastian spoke with a cheerful laugh.
He had already changed out of his cadet uniform into an officer's uniform, with a Second Lieutenant insignia on his shoulders.
The emblem of the 5th Division was on his left arm, and a horse's head—signifying he was cavalry—was embroidered on the right side of his chest.
"I've been assigned to the 5th Division Cavalry Regiment."
Sebastian grinned as he spoke.
The 5th Division was the first division of the 2nd Corps, positioned on the very front lines.
Among them, the Cavalry Regiment was responsible for utilizing their mobility to go out on reconnaissance first—it was the unit that would be deployed to the battlefield faster than anyone else the moment war broke out.
Despite the fact that the introduction of the Balt Gun had significantly reduced the number of cavalry, the 5th Division Cavalry Regiment, leading the 2nd Corps, remained the elite of the elite, and naturally commanded a loud voice within the army.
Other than the Capital Defense Force, it was one of the best units available to those who wished to serve as cavalry.
"Congratulations. After your performance at the Silver Horseshoe Tournament, you've made it into the cavalry after all."
Ernest said this with a smile as well.
"That's right. Haha! Maybe you'll join the cavalry too, and end up as my junior once again."
"Well, when that day comes, I'll collect what you owe me."
"That's fair. Until then, I'll work hard to earn my Captain's insignia. No matter what, I'll make sure you end up in my company—so I can really put you to work."
Sebastian joked as he reached out his right hand to Ernest. Ernest grasped it firmly.
Sebastian was struck by a strange feeling.
The last time they'd shaken hands, Ernest had seemed much smaller, but standing here today, gripping his hand, Sebastian felt like the boy from back then had grown up all of a sudden.
Even then, Ernest had been strikingly talented—how impressive would he become by the time he graduated?
"See you next time, Krieger. Take care of yourself, alright? Make sure you graduate safely. I worry about you—you're always doing reckless things."
"Yes, you as well, Senior Neumann—no, I mean, Second Lieutenant Neumann, please take care of yourself too. Honestly, if you hadn't made that mistake back there, none of that would have happened in the first place."
Sebastian burst out laughing at Ernest's joking remark, even though another person might have been annoyed by it. After exchanging their goodbyes, Sebastian left as briskly as his laughter.
Then another newly commissioned officer came to see Ernest.
"It's been a while, Krieger. I'm glad you look well."
"Yes, you too, Second Lieutenant Wolfram."
Gunter, unlike Sebastian, looked a bit awkward as he spoke.
"I've been assigned to the 19th Regiment. ...Let's stay in touch."
"Yes. If I go over there."
With those brief words, but with a smile, they shook hands.
"..."
After Gunter left, Ernest stared blankly out the window at the soldiers outside.
The 19th Regiment meant the 7th Division—again, it was the 2nd Corps.
There were fifty-six graduates this year. One had been expelled because of Ernest, Jaf Gross had withdrawn due to the Adultery Letter incident, and as for the remaining two, no one knew exactly what happened, but in any case, they were gone.
Ernest noticed that only fourteen soldiers were waiting outside and that, remarkably, eleven of them belonged to the 2nd Corps. Even if the soldiers were to take the new officers fairly evenly, that still meant the 2nd Corps was taking an astounding forty-four of them.
Military Academies existed all across the Empire. But, of course, the best of them was the Imperial Military Academy. Ernest wasn't so naïve as to miss how suspicious it was that the 2nd Corps was sweeping up all the Empire's top talent, nurtured by the Imperial Military Academy.
"Ravid. I believe you'll do an excellent job."
"Yes, Senior Engel."
"Haha. Your voice just doesn't match that face of yours—still feels awkward."
"..."
"Don't worry too much. You'll soon have a fine voice yourself. Next time we meet, you'll be a real man."
Ernest glanced sideways, watching Gustav Engel say his farewells to Wilfried.
Gustav, too, had been assigned to the 5th Division.
"…Isn't the 2nd Corps dangerous?"
Ernest listened closely as Wilfried whispered the question cautiously.
"Well, from what I've heard, other military academies have also sent lots of people all at once like this. Maybe they're gathering people who already know each other from the academy to avoid unnecessary friction."
Gustav also murmured quietly under his breath.
A subtle look passed between the two men.
Gustav, as usual, smiled as he shook hands with Wilfried, who offered a smile as flawlessly crafted as ever.
"Take care of yourself, Ravid."
"Yes, you too, Senior."
Although they said their farewells in their usual voices, Ernest could sense the faint unease, the tension, and the concern they held for each other beneath the surface.
He didn't know the full story, but he was certain that the two leaders of the Noble Faction at the Imperial Military Academy wouldn't be viewing this situation with much optimism.
Something had clearly changed, though he didn't know exactly what, and now, without even realizing it, they had all been swept up in it.
No wise person could remain at ease after experiencing what had just happened.
Ernest turned his gaze again to the window.
The newly commissioned officers who had just graduated were gathering in front of the soldiers who would lead them away, preparing to depart.
Forty-seven.
Out of the fifty-six, as many as forty-seven had been assigned to the 2nd Corps.
Ernest silently watched their departing figures for a while, then slowly stepped back from the window, following his classmates as they began to move.
Not long after, the entrance ceremony of the Imperial Military Academy was held.
New cadets arrived, and Ernest naturally became a second-year.
"You miserable bastards!"
"If you mess up math, everything falls apart."
"You wretched fool!"
"If I go down, who's going to keep you from getting expelled?"
Just as Ernest had warned, lectures began on mathematics and various other subjects, and Robert suffered greatly.
It seemed as if everything had returned to normal.
Yet, even though spring had come and gone for quite some time, the footprints left by winter had not melted away, and the cold wind refused to cease.
With time, that too would melt and disappear—just as the cadets had forgotten the icy air of their graduation day.