Field Training Has Already Begun (2)
Naturally, the first-years—which was to say, academy students in general—had zero experience in the field.
Every last one of them hailed from a privileged lineage. With the empire long past the era of endless wars, the only time any of them ever rolled in the dirt was during family drills. Granted, a few came from impoverished branches or were regarded as outcasts by their kin, but even so...
"Hey, how do you use this?"
"Beats me... This is a knife, right?"
"Do I stick it in here?"
"What's this rolled-up thing that looks like a caterpillar? Where does it attach?"
Not a single one among them had ever handled such an assortment of expedition gear. They had thirty minutes to pack their squads' rucksacks and fall back in.
"There's too much stuff! It won't fit!"
"Just pack it efficiently, will you?"
"Yours is overflowing too!"
Naturally, none of them had ever packed a military rucksack before. Everything was unfamiliar, and chaos quickly reigned.
Ziel watched the spectacle in quiet contemplation.
"Instructor, how are we supposed to do this?"
"I am taking no questions. Sort it out yourselves."
He shut down inquiries with icy finality. It was a stark departure from his usual demeanor, where he would at least answer when approached. But the evaluation had already begun, and this very trial was the process of selecting their squad leaders.
A few students were quick on the uptake, none more so than Deleve.
"Let's put the heavy items on the bottom," Deleve said. "If we cram everything in like this, we won't be able to find anything when we open it later."
Ziel offered an almost imperceptible nod. A correct assessment, Cadet Deleve Kundel.
Scratch, scratch.
One point was added to Deleve's tally.
Heavy, seldom-used items went to the bottom, while lighter items needed frequently went toward the top. It was the cardinal rule of packing a pack. Yet for students ignorant of even the basics, they had nothing to rely on except their intuition, common sense, and wits.
"What's this thing?"
"Looks like a tent. Better shove it down to the bottom."
"I've seen one before. When I followed my father to watch the garrison drills, they had something just like it."
Relying on scant memories was another valid approach. Of course, knowing such trivia was not enough on its own to make someone a leader.
"Everyone gather round," Celia called out. "Let's put our heads together and talk this through."
With twenty people in a single squad, keeping order was no small feat.
"The way I see it... if you unroll this, it looks like a person could slide inside. Wouldn't that make it something to sleep in?"
"No way! How could anyone sleep in that? It's like a chrysalis!"
"We're heading into the field, remember? We can't expect the beds we have at home."
Celia had rounded up her squad and initiated an organized discussion.
Scratch, scratch.
A point was added to Celia's score.
A squad leader was not chosen simply by who swung a blade hardest. A true leader needed the ability to rally peers, gather opinions, and reach a consensus.
"Haha! I know this one well! It's a knife!"
"Anyone with eyes can see that, Quantus..."
"Someone might not know, Anne!"
"No matter how clueless someone is, they know what a knife is..."
Anne sighed deeply as she watched Quantus bluster. We'll never finish at this rate.
With little practical knowledge among them, the squad members were simply staring blankly at Quantus, the loudest voice in the group.
"First, let's lay out all the gear on the ground," Anne announced, stepping in to take charge over Quantus's boisterous shouting.
Scratch, scratch.
Ziel promptly awarded her a point.
Amid the scramble, another student displayed an unexpected degree of competence.
Cadet Maris Sophen. Not bad.
The Sophen family commanded a vast merchant guild with extensive mercantile enterprises. Perhaps because of that upbringing, Maris was familiar with a surprising amount of wilderness equipment.
"This is a grappling hook," Maris explained. "You usually tie it to the end of a rope, or secure it around a tree trunk."
"How do you know that, Maris?"
"When I was young, I saw the mercenaries hired to escort my father's caravans use them. And this... this is a sleeping bag."
It was an unexpected display of practical knowledge. While his reputation among his peers remained lukewarm at best, such social standing was entirely irrelevant to Ziel.
Scratch, scratch.
Points were steadily tallied.
Ziel continued to assign marks to several other standout students, his cold, razor-sharp gaze sweeping across the chaotic crowd. Yet what was truly astonishing went unnoticed by the cadets.
"There's room on the side of the pack! Can't we clip this on here?"
"Look at this! It folds up like this!"
"What's this for? It's awfully heavy."
Amid the cacophony of dozens of students chattering over one another, Ziel picked out every single voice with pristine clarity, tracking the progress of every individual squad in real time.
Before long, the thirty minutes had elapsed.
Ziel inspected the reassembled students. As expected, the results were an utter mess.
"Is it okay if we just carry this in our hands?"
"It won't fit inside, so what else are we supposed to do?"
Some squads had managed to pack their bags, only to have supplies left over.
"Was just standing up always this exhausting...?"
"Ugh, I can't catch my breath."
Others had crammed everything inside, but the center of gravity was so terribly skewed that they wobbled on their feet like drunkards.
The squad led by Maris had fared relatively well. Having identified the purpose of most items, they had packed their gear with a respectable degree of efficiency, even if it was far from perfect.
Teaching them the right way was a simple matter. All it took was a direct demonstration.
"Attention, everyone."
The moment the words left his mouth, Ziel's hands became a blur. Starting with heavy items like the tent and bedroll, he systematically packed and fastened every piece of miscellaneous gear onto the rucksack.
"W-Whoa..."
"His hands are so fast..."
"Wait, that's how it's supposed to fit?"
Murmurs of genuine admiration rippled through the ranks. Having completed the pack in mere moments, Ziel called Anne forward.
"Cadet Anne Peshua. Step forward and compare this with the pack you prepared."
Anne stepped out and hoisted the rucksack onto her shoulders as instructed. The difference was night and day. It did not drag her backward or throw her off balance like the one she had cobbled together. Ziel then reached down and buckled the strap around her waist.
"Fastening this distributes the weight across your hips, making it far more manageable."
"Ah... so that's what that strap was for?"
With the demonstration concluded, Ziel explained why he had withheld instruction until now.
"I will now announce the squad leaders. The selection was based on how effectively you rallied your teammates, gathered opinions, and organized your efforts during the past thirty minutes."
A collective gasp rose from the cadets. None of them had realized the evaluation for leadership had already begun.
"First, Squad 1. Cadet Deleve Kundel. You are the squad leader. While your knowledge of the equipment was limited, you received high marks for your ability to organize the other students."
Deleve accepted the appointment with quiet composure.
"Next, Squad 2. Cadet Celia Rihardt."
"Yes!"
"Your immediate initiative in gathering your squad to exchange ideas was commendable."
Celia beamed, practically glowing with pride at earning her instructor's praise.
"Next, Squad 3. Cadet Anne Peshua."
"Whaaat?!"
The shout came not from Anne, but from Quantus.
"Cadet Quantus Hophel. It is heartening to see you rejoice so passionately on your friend's behalf."
"Th-That's—!"
Before Quantus could correct the misunderstanding, Ziel pressed on without pause.
"Cadet Anne Peshua, much like the other leaders, effectively rallied her peers in a moment of confusion to facilitate coordination. Though there were disagreements regarding packing methods, her process of persuasion was commendable. That is all."
Quantus looked ready to contest the ruling with every fiber of his being, but Anne shot him a level look.
"You can be the leader next time."
"B-But the leader spot..."
"How about vice leader?"
"Vice leader?" Quantus's eyes lit up.
"Whenever I'm not around, you're the squad leader."
"Hmph! Well, if that's the case...!"
As always, Anne was the only person capable of handling Quantus.
"Moving on. Squad 4. Cadet Lydia Rohas."
Lydia Rohas. She was one of the first-years who had never enrolled in Ziel's elective class. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"M-Me?"
"Yes."
"B-But Yurio and Karen are in our squad..."
"Does that present a problem?"
Ziel clarified his reasoning.
"Cadet Lydia Rohas actively assisted struggling peers, using the opportunity to address her own deficiencies and gather necessary information. As a result, her squad packed their gear most proficiently, rivaled only by Squad 5."
Lydia flushed crimson and bowed her head. She had never imagined that someone as timid and reserved as herself would be named squad leader. Moreover, with Yurio and Karen—who had both distinguished themselves brilliantly during the Exchange Event—assigned to her squad, she had never entertained the thought of leading.
"C-Could Yurio do it instead of me?"
"No."
"Understood..."
Ziel shut her down without a second thought. In more ways than one, the man was utterly unyielding.
"Lastly, Squad 5. Cadet Maris Sophen."
A flicker of surprise ran through the crowd, but the students of Squad 5 nodded in mutual agreement.
"Cadet Maris Sophen utilized his foundational knowledge to pack efficiently while assisting his fellow squad members. He was awarded high marks for that contribution."
With that, the appointment of the squad leaders was complete.
"All designated squad leaders, step forward and receive your Praise Cards."
The eyes of the five leaders gleamed instantly. Before handing the cards out, Ziel added a brief clarification.
"For this field training, an additional feature has been implemented."
"What is it, Instructor?" Celia asked, her eyes practically sparkling with curiosity.
"You will be informed once the field training commences."
"Aww, but I want to know now!"
"Exercise patience."
At that point, Celia raised her hand again.
"Instructor! Are we allowed to ask questions now?"
"You may, Cadet Celia Rihardt."
"Why are we packing rucksacks like this for field training in the first place?"
"You must survive for three days and two nights relying solely on the rations and supplies provided to you. There will be no outside support."
"Ah..."
"I have been informed that faculty intervention will occur only in genuinely perilous circumstances."
"And what counts as perilous?"
"In the event of a fatality or severe, life-threatening injury."
"..."
In other words, under normal conditions, the students were entirely on their own.
"Are you coming with us, Instructor...?"
"I will be accompanying you."
"Phew. Thank goodness."
At any rate, the purpose of the rucksacks was clear. A three-day, two-night expedition into the wilderness. The primary objective was to survey ancient ruins, confront demonic beasts, and gain practical field experience.
"Furthermore, grades will be assigned based on your performance during this practical."
On top of everything else, achieving high marks was an imperative. Academic standing carried immense weight. While excelling in the Exchange Event offered a rare path to early scouting, that privilege belonged only to an exceptional few. The vast majority of students had to prove their worth through academic marks.
Consequently, the upcoming Field Training was a monumental occasion.
Yet Ziel casually added a reassuring remark.
"There is no need to concern yourselves over your scores."
What did he mean by that? No need to worry? Were first-years exempt from standard grading?
"Every one of you is capable of achieving top marks."
The reaction to his proclamation split sharply down the middle.
If the instructor says so, it must be true.
Well... he pulled it off during the Exchange Event, didn't he? It'll be the same this time.
His regular students placed absolute, unwavering faith in his words. Conversely, the first-years who had never trained under him wore expressions dripping with skepticism.
What does that even mean? How are we supposed to get good marks?
Is there a catch...?
Amid the starkly divided reactions, Ziel laid out the upcoming schedule.
"Field training begins next week. Therefore, between now and then, you will undergo daily drills specifically tailored for the expedition."
Once more, the reaction divided completely.
Ugh... just how brutal is it going to be this time...?
Will it be worse than the reflex training and the endurance runs?
One half was already drowning in dread.
What kind of drills?
How are we even supposed to prepare for ruins?
The other half simply tilted their heads in complete bewilderment.
Unable to bear the suspense any longer, one of the newer cadets nudged Celia.
"Um... Squad Leader."
"Yeah?"
"What kind of training is the instructor talking about?"
Celia pondered the question for a moment, then gave her honest answer.
"It means you'd better prepare to die."