The Crossroads (1)
Is the continent at peace right now?
Most people would nod in response to that question. It had already been over thirty years since the flames of war vanished from the continent following the Judgment War, when the Ivestan Empire's invasion was repelled. People no longer suffered from endless conscription, nor did they live in fear of foreign threats that could strike at any moment. Fields once scorched by fire had regained their golden hue, and homes once filled with the silence of loss now echoed with laughter. A generation that knew nothing of blood's crimson stain, the cold bite of steel, or the stench of burning corpses had risen to become the backbone of society. To them, war was merely a painful chapter from their parents' era.
Of course, individual fortunes still rose and fell endlessly, and not a few cursed their fates while burning with resentment toward those around them. Yet at the very least, the kind of catastrophe where thousands, tens of thousands, or hundreds of thousands perished meaninglessly no longer occurred. That was why they declared it: this was an age of peace.
The continent had been effectively unified under the Empire, and even the Ivestan Empire—the only external threat worth mentioning—had remained silent for decades, as though cowed by its previous defeat. While mutated beasts occasionally emerged from rural areas to harm people, and some still warned of the demon threat beyond the sea, such voices were a minority. Few had the luxury to worry about distant, unknown dangers when their own lives were already demanding enough.
The Academy students were no different. They belonged to a generation that had never known war. Even if they were moved by the Great Emperor's words about becoming humanity's sword, they could not truly grasp the weight of it. For them, the Academy was simply an opportunity for advancement—a place of learning that would elevate them to greater heights.
And so, even when they saw the notice posted on the bulletin board after the festival, the students' atmosphere remained light.
[Special Request Team Recruitment
To investigate and resolve various anomalies occurring across the continent, we are recruiting volunteers from among the Academy students. During the execution of requests, regular classes will be exempted. Note that this involves real combat situations where the safety of life cannot be guaranteed. Depending on performance, individual evaluations may change, and separate rewards or punishments may be issued. Those wishing to apply should submit their application to the administration office or the supervising professor by this Saturday.]
"Special Request Team? What exactly do they do?"
"Probably something like heading down to the provinces to hunt monsters? You know, when beast sightings are reported, the local lord sends out knights to deal with them."
"Real combat, huh? Sounds more fun than classes. Maybe I should give it a try."
"They said they can't guarantee your life. Is it really okay to decide so lightly?"
"Come on, when has this place ever coddled us? It'll be the same as usual."
"Still, I'm not interested. It's not like the rewards are guaranteed, and there are punishments too."
Some applied dreaming of good grades, while others chose to join out of simple curiosity. There were also those who avoided it, believing it would only lead to hardship, and those who refused outright, finding the idea of following orders distasteful. One thing was certain: most students did not take the matter seriously.
The first crossroads appeared in such an unremarkable manner.
<><><>
Spero Kingdom. To Frelia Magnus, the fourth daughter of the Magnus Marquis family, the Academy was a "means of escaping a predetermined path."
An authoritarian father. The position of being the family's fourth daughter. Her beauty was lovely but not exceptional, and while her personality was not sharp, it was not enough to monopolize her parents' or others' affection. Among so many siblings that counting them required both hands, if there was one thing that set her apart, it was her talent as a magic user.
But even that was only half a talent. The most straightforward way for a magic user to demonstrate their power was in combat, yet Frelia was extremely unskilled at fighting. She had tried learning swordsmanship, but she could only dodge without ever swinging her weapon at an opponent. Even the most basic spell, the low-tier magic arrow, never managed to hit its target.
It was not that her motor skills were catastrophically poor or that she lacked mana control. She was simply afraid of attacking living people.
Watching his daughter struggle even against a single family guard—let alone prove herself as a magic user—the Marquis of Magnus abandoned his expectations for Frelia. That decided her future.
Talent as a magic user tended to be hereditary. While one or two children might not inherit it, with four or five offspring, one could reasonably expect at least one to receive the parent's gift. As the fourth daughter of the Magnus family, one of the key houses in the Royalist faction, she possessed good looks, a pleasant personality, and the talent of a magic user. There was no better pawn for a political marriage, and indeed, proposals had been pouring in even before she came of age.
If news of the Empire Academy's founding had not spread across the continent, Frelia would have married the partner her father chose. The Royalist faction, to which the Magnus family belonged, had close ties to the Empire. When the Great Emperor called for volunteers, they could not remain uninvolved. As a "gesture of sincerity toward the Empire," she participated in the entrance exam and, fortunately, passed.
The days that followed were not bad. Unlike combat or magic classes, the support department classes she first encountered at the Academy posed no major problems even without fighting talent. She achieved good results in alchemy, earning the somewhat excessive evaluation of being an honor student. When forced to fight monsters under the guise of assignments or clash with Imperial soldiers, she had honestly felt out of her mind—but looking back, there had been no casualties.
"Lady Magnus, the color isn't coming out properly at this heating stage. Do you know what might be wrong?"
"Ah, for that, you need to grind the ingredients more finely before putting them in water. The finer the powder, the more vibrant the color that comes out."
"I see. Thank you. You really know everything about alchemy."
"That's… far too kind…"
Hearing the genuine admiration from a young lady of a high-ranking Imperial family—who would never have spared her a glance outside—Frelia thought to herself: Ah, if only time could flow peacefully like this.
If she could slowly build her alchemy skills and connections until she could stand on her own, she might live as she wished after graduation, without being swayed by her family. Perhaps she could open an alchemy workshop somewhere in the Empire and supply goods to nobles, living a reasonably comfortable life.
"By the way, Lady Magnus, have you seen the notice?"
"Yes, I have. The Special Request Team, right?"
"I heard about forty people have applied so far."
Out of 183 total students, roughly forty had volunteered. Frelia gave her honest impression.
"That's more than I expected."
"Isn't it? Even though participation is voluntary, people are still jumping into something that sounds so dangerous. I don't understand it."
There was no clear mention of compensation, and unlike past events, there was no obligation to participate. Above all, not knowing what exactly they would have to do made it most unsettling.
"Still, if you accomplish something difficult, there might be some kind of reward, don't you think?"
"There are rumors that they'll be deployed in small teams like a special forces unit."
Other students nearby joined the conversation.
The young lady who had been speaking with Frelia replied, "Well, if you're really curious, you can just ask the people who come back later. What they did, what the rewards were, that sort of thing."
"Maybe they'll give out a mountain of gold coins?"
"If it were enough to fill an entire room, maybe. But honestly, any ordinary amount wouldn't interest me much."
No, at that amount, she would have run over immediately. Though the Magnus family ranked among the upper nobility of the Spero Kingdom and seemed immensely wealthy to commoners, keeping up with the financial sensibilities of Imperial young ladies was another matter.
"Come to think of it, I heard Midas is participating too."
"As expected. The reward must be money, then."
"No, maybe it's unexpectedly a vacation? If they gave us a week off to relax, I'd be willing to do just about anything."
As the students chattered with laughter, Frelia Magnus thought to herself.
'If Chrome Midas is getting involved… maybe I should participate too?'
It was not because she was particularly close to Chrome. They had simply been paired as the male and female representatives in alchemy class, leading to various joint activities that caused some students to misunderstand their relationship. But they were nothing more than the professor's assistants, A and B. Occasionally she sold him practice potions at a low price or received requests to research strange substances, but even that was hardly private interaction.
In the first place, he was not the kind of man she wanted any romantic involvement with. Even if his younger sister gave off the impression of being able to charm any man, she was family, so that was one thing—but this was a man who was always with that girl named Ligret and was even rumored to have seduced the princess.
The reason Frelia considered moving after hearing about him was simple.
'If things continue like this, I feel like I'll be swept up in some other current again.'
It was a sense she could feel precisely because she had spent most of her life flowing along the currents presented by those around her. Something was happening. She did not know what it was or how to respond to it, but at least there was a hint.
Chrome Midas. That blond boy wearing the monocle was always positioned in the optimal place whenever an incident occurred. Whether it was simple luck, a merchant's intuition, or the result of some behind-the-scenes investigation, following him did not seem like it would lead to loss.
She was still poor at fighting and remained unskilled. Even so, she was satisfied with her life at the Academy and had no desire to be pushed out toward somewhere else.
That day, the number of volunteers for the Special Request Team increased by one.