Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Training's End and the Hijacking
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The field training proceeded smoothly without any major incidents. Midway through, one cadet suffered a minor grazing wound from an arrow, but at the victim's request to keep quiet about what happened in the forest and thanks to the on-site officer's deft handling, it was quietly swept under the rug.
Safe first day.
The week-long field experience training.
Obviously, the duke's residence couldn't accommodate everyone. The academy cadets scattered to various inns across the Claudia Duchy. As nobles first and cadets second, some trickle-down economic benefits could be expected.
And.
Being unable to host everyone also meant.
They could host a select few.
"...It's been a while, Your Highness Cassius."
"Ah, indeed it has, Lady Claudia."
"I regret not visiting sooner due to being bedridden with illness."
"No matter. I heard from your knight that it was just a feigned illness."
"That's right."
Eve smiled brightly while desperately suppressing the sound of her teeth grinding. She rolled her eyes. The presence of the 3rd Prince, Cassius, here was somewhat understandable. The only ill will he harbored toward her was political, leading to her execution.
'Come to think of it, that pisses me off.'
Still, she could understand why the 3rd Prince, who killed the crown prince and seized the throne, would eliminate her for legitimacy and political influence. But there was one existence she could neither understand nor forgive.
A trash who, despite being engaged to her, lusted after another woman, fought his own brother over her, lost, got deposed, and in the end, got himself killed while leaving his fiancée to die. She could never forgive that scum.
And seeing the temptress who seduced that scum sitting right in front of her was even more unbearable.
"Hello! Duchess Eve! I'm Cordelia from the Piesita Barony, first-year in the Academy's Magic Department! Nice to meet you!"
"I'm Eve Claudia. Lady Cordelia. Nice to meet you."
However.
Eve was no naive noble who would show weakness in front of royalty. Quite the opposite. Including her previous life and this one, she had centuries of experience comparable to the duke's age. She could be said to harbor hundreds of sly foxes within.
"I was so excited to meet you that I couldn't sleep last night and waited all day for today!"
"Oh dear, losing sleep ruins the skin. Make sure it doesn't happen again."
"Yes! Thank you!"
Eve Claudia, smiling sweetly, fanned her mouth with her fan. She had to, or her expression would give her away.
Keeping only the corners of her eyes curved while pulling down her lips, Eve inwardly unleashed a torrent of curses as she gazed at the 3rd Prince.
"By the way, Your Highness. May I ask the reason for your visit today?"
"Ah—nothing much. Our dear Cordelia here insisted on meeting you."
"I see. Lady Cordelia? What business did you have with me?"
"—I want to be friends with you, Duchess!"
Cordelia slammed the table with a thwack! and rose to her feet. The 3rd Prince beside her seemed entirely captivated by the resulting jiggle of her chest... but Eve, sitting directly across, saw differently.
The duchess glimpsed pure innocence on her face. Goodwill and kindness untainted by any ulterior motive. The kind of purity that made one think of a snot-nosed three-year-old begging to be friends.
'...Yes, you were always like that.'
Eve recalled the Cordelia she met right before her execution. When she had been imprisoned by the 3rd Prince, Cordelia had secretly visited, weeping sorrowfully that she never imagined things would turn out this way.
You never lost your purity even then. While everyone called me a witch and hurled stones, you cried that you wanted to be my friend.
Only then did Eve understand how Cordelia had whitened the kingdom. That pure white, which erased any stain, was poison to a kingdom stained pitch black.
"What are you saying, Lady Cordelia?"
"Ah... As expected, no...?"
"We've shared tea at the same table. Doesn't that make us already friends?"
Joy flooded Cordelia's face, which had been darkening with disappointment. Seeing that detestable expression, Eve smiled back.
Undoubtedly, this woman would whiten the kingdom again in this life too. The stains entranced by her purity would dip their hands into that white to cleanse themselves even a little.
And thus, the same chaos as before would ensue.
However.
This time, she wouldn't just be swept away like last time.
"Let's get along well from now on, Cordelia."
For that, she had prepared for ten years.
The cadets, having experienced this unprecedented field training, each left their own impressions.
"Why the hell are we doing this crap?"
"Do they think we have time to spare...?"
"This is awful. Eating and sleeping in a dump like this?"
Those were natural reactions. No matter how good the Claudia Duchy was, it couldn't surpass the kingdom's capital, Gracia territory. Similarly, it couldn't boast facilities superior to those of the academy built in Gracia territory.
Of course, a few might have enjoyed capital-level accommodations. But not everyone. Humans rage more over what they lack than what they have, so the cadets fumed over not enjoying the highest facilities.
As the majority who couldn't vented complaints, and even the rare few who could grumbled about unsatisfactory experiences.
Enri was facing the culprit who brought the academy cadets here.
"—One more time."
The son of Theodor Balheim, captain of the Kingdom's Greatest Knight Order.
Christopher Balheim was gripping his sword hilt like a crutch with trembling hands as he forced himself to stand.
"One more time, please."
He bowed his head to the man before him, grinding his teeth. Enri stretched lazily, openly expressing boredom, but didn't outright refuse the request.
Dealing with weaklings was boring, but not entirely joyless.
Enri beckoned lightly, as if saying come at me. At that signal, the clearly inferior Christopher charged. He had his pride as top of the knight department, but not enough to strut before a veteran knight.
Especially one who had already floored him multiple times. Without hesitation, Christopher swung his sword. The kingdom swordsmanship learned from his father since childhood, praised by countless knights—but useless against Enri.
Tap.
Thud.
Crash.
"Ugh!"
When Christopher came to, he was rolling on the ground. A skill gap so vast he couldn't even guess what hit him. It felt like his opponent could read his every move.
The biggest issue with this spar was that the opponent had no intention of teaching him anything. Enri simply downed him in the most effective, efficient way.
If this were done to a talentless cadet or child, it could be called abuse.
However.
"One... more."
Christopher was the son of the Royal Knights' captain.
A genius forged entirely of talent.
And a man with unyielding spirit.
"Please... teach me...!"
Simply.
"Time to end this."
The one he faced was beyond common sense.
After that unilateral declaration, Christopher witnessed Enri moving first for the first time. Even standing still, the man overwhelmed him; once moving, the result was shocking.
Christopher blacked out from a single blow. He saw neither Enri's approach nor his swing. But certain something was coming, he endured somehow.
"You've got grit."
Enri let out a small admiration seeing Christopher remain on his feet despite passing out. Seeing a tenacious junior wasn't a bad feeling.
Just not worth the hassle to witness.
After the unconscious Christopher awoke and joined the procession back to the academy, Enri checked the calendar. A week had already passed.
Most gained nothing.
But some made friends, others gained enlightenment.
Time for farewells to wrap everything up.
They likely wouldn't meet again for a while—perhaps never.
As he thought that and headed to the barracks for rest.
"Pardon? What?"
Enri received Eve's sudden summons.
"The train was attacked."
There, he heard thunderbolt news.
The train carrying the academy cadets had been seized by terrorists.
Normally, the noble families would handle ransom and rescue themselves, but not now.
The train also carried the 3rd Prince.
"Our territory is the closest."
No time to leisurely prepare ransom or negotiate.
"So go, Enri."
Go show them your strength.
The knight receiving the order nodded carefully.
Yes, my lady.
Moments later.
A single knight departed the Claudia Duchy.