Chapter 30
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Approaching Dark Clouds
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The closer the midterms loomed, the thicker Enter's killing intent grew.
It was downright terrifying, especially since I could sense a sliver of real sincerity mixed in with all his talk of killing me one moment and saving me the next.
I even went out of my way to avoid him for a good while.
"Richi. What do you think about this part?"
Instead, I'd been hanging around with Ariete in Enter's place, which brought us surprisingly close.
We both had plenty of interest in each other, and tackling Officer Department assignments together was way more efficient anyway.
We spent so much time together that our conversations flowed naturally, and even little moments of casual touch started happening.
Sweet enough as it was, it was a total mystery why my brother had never dated anyone.
At this rate, I had to wonder if Enter had deliberately stepped aside to push me toward Ariete.
Of course, I didn't dare ask. No way was I risking an inkwell straight to the skull from him.
"If the enemies are positioned like this, can't we just hold the front and strike from the rear in the meantime?"
Ariete tilted her head, studying the enemy and allied formations.
It was a classic envelopment, or anvil-and-hammer setup, but I pointed out the more critical issue.
"That's the theory, but in practice, it's unlikely to play out that way. That's why they say to leave it to the commander's discretion on the field. Real battles are unpredictable and ever-changing."
"...It's tricky."
"Not really. It's just like swordsmanship. No matter how much you imagine sparring from a book, there's no guarantee your opponent will move that way."
That was probably why everyone upstairs kept harping on about 'experience! More experience no matter what!'
Someone who's actually been through it—or even just felt the battlefield vibe—had the edge.
Knowing that, even the tragic news of deployments right after finals couldn't faze the Officer Department folks.
They just shrugged it off with a 'Well, what can you do?'
Proper attitudes. If they'd whined, 'Hey, we're nobles—let's take it easy!', I would've been the first to rewire their brains, juniors and seniors alike.
"More than anything, the answer they're looking for here isn't 'how to defeat the enemy.'"
"Then what is it?"
"Look here. We're far from our supply base, but the enemy is close. It's flawed from the start. Water is the top priority. I'd argue whether we can change the current formation—and if not, how to secure supplies first."
Something I could actually do well. Playing to my strengths.
Unfortunately, I was a bit distant from this world's tactics and strategies.
This was a gunpowder era for me, but here it was all cold steel.
Magic existed, sure, but it mostly got blocked by enemy spells, like missiles in an intercept storm.
In other words, plenty of true experts here knew the local fighting styles better than I did.
So I chose the rear guard. Make sure they could fight properly.
If I couldn't be the commander, I'd be the planner. That was plenty.
I could still shine there, even if cold weapons weren't my forte.
"Richi."
"Something else bothering you?"
"You're so certain about your future."
Ariete propped her chin on her hand, a smile playing on her lips.
Certain about my future. Why did she—and everyone else—keep saying that?
What was so special about picking a goal and charging straight at it?
But thinking about it, from these 'nobles'' perspectives, maybe it was a big deal.
Back in my old world, if you didn't pick a career fast and grind your teeth toward it, you'd get called a NEET or a loser.
Hating that, everyone scrambled to find their own path somehow.
But here? Nobles rarely locked in on a 'this is it!' future.
Hereditary ones would inherit titles anyway, and the rest could coast.
No real need to work; life rolled on fine without it.
"You're set on becoming a knight too, Ariete."
"Well... someone's been calling me 'adjutant' so much, it's shaking my resolve."
I'd said it half-jokingly, but her response put me in a bind!
If Victory Duke overheard, it'd be 'My daughter must be a knight! No officers!'—and if one of the three dukes targeted me, my HP would hit zero in seconds!
The first dark cloud—midterms—finally passed. True to form, they were hell. Fuck.
No matter how much I studied or how sharp my brain was, two exams were pure agony.
I was almost grateful Enter hadn't charged at me chanting my name three times like a death vow.
"Student Richi?"
I was thinking of treating our dear Enter to lunch as thanks when a man suddenly blocked my path.
A stranger. I'd memorized most classmates' and seniors' faces by now.
And his outfit wasn't academy staff—more like a nav... wait.
Hold on. No way. Why would someone from there be here?
"You're Student Richi, right?"
"Looks like it. Richi Reinhardt. That's you, isn't it?"
"Uh, wrong person. Not me."
"You look just like Kenes Marquis."
Damn it. Fucking squid stench!
"Kenes Marquis? He's got actual titles: Imperial Army Marshal and Allied Forces Supreme Commander. Even for Navy Ministry, isn't calling him that too obvious? Come on, soldier to soldier."
Goddamn squid bastards. Sure, the Army overshadowed them, but this was low.
You squids are military too—why harp on 'marquis' instead of Marshal or Supreme Commander?
Trying to reduce him to just a noble? Dragging down the Navy's rep with your squid asses? Huh?!
"See? Knew it was you."
Where the hell did he hear about me? Squids. This is why I hate Navy pricks!
All that 'men of the sea' bullshit while acting like total my-way-or-the-highway assholes!
"And hey, I'm a Navy Marshal too. What's wrong with calling Kenes Marquis that?"
"If you're Navy Marshal, then I'm the future Allied Forces Logistics Command—"
Sudden bad vibes. My possessor senses were screaming bloody murder.
A quick scan confirmed it: his entourage reeked of the sea.
I'd tried playing dumb, but they were everywhere.
"...You're joking, right?"
"What lunatic jokes about the Navy Marshal seat?"
"You're really, really the Navy Marshal Excellency?"
"Pleasure to meet you. Ernest MacRaven."
It was real. Fuck. For real! Ernest MacRaven of Peon!
Why was the Imperial Navy Marshal at the academy—in front of me of all people?!
This is why Navy! Why you squid spawns! I just can't stand you! Raaagh!
"What brings you here, Navy Marshal Excellency?"
My mouth said the polite thing, but my body was already bowing swiftly.
Last thing I needed was 'Army Marshal's son disrespected our Navy Marshal!' drama.
Whew... Be grateful for my dad and brother, Excellency. That's why I'm holding back.
"Ask Kenes Marq—er, the Army Marshal about that. I asked him for a favor, and he just told me to come to you directly."
Of course he did. Dad's Army through and through; Navy makes him itch.
Knight and officer groups growling? More like kittens mewling compared to Army-Navy rivalry.
Army and Navy never getting along was universal truth, anywhere in the world.
Dad becoming Allied Forces Supreme Commander was partly why: among top Army brass, he was the one Navy could somewhat talk to.
Only relatively, though. Nobody really wanted to hang with squid bastards.
"He figured a Navy Marshal wouldn't bother a mere academy student directly. Tried dodging my request that way... Fat chance. Nom!"
"... ."
Unbelievable. So Dad predicted right, and this guy actually marched here to avoid it?
Imperial Navy's top dog visiting the academy for one student?
This is why I hate Navy pricks! What kind of insane outfit is this?!
Look at his adjutants and guards—'What the hell is this?' faces all around!
Why's the Navy Marshal even here? Oh, there's our poor president too.
First my brother, now the Navy Marshal! Wow! Stress collapse = not guilty!
"Make us one too."
"E-Excellency. Been into the daytime drinks?"
I knew it was rude. But damn, I couldn't hold it in.
Make what? The hell you talking about, dangling the subject like that? Expect me to just go 'Oh, sure!'?
"Saw the one from the War Ministry. 'Imperial Army March,' they called it. Damn good, actually! So I called their PR head, and your name came up: Richi Reinhardt. Figured since your dad's Army Marshal, I'd ask through him—but he kept dodging. So here I am."
"... ."
Ha. Fuck. I just stared blankly at the sky instead of answering.
After midterms, I'd braced for finals or Koenihesen's summer offensive as the next dark cloud.
Goddamn. Turns out it was squids all along!