Chapter 54
Chapter 54
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Salleon Faction Tea Gathering
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Salleon faction core members' tea gathering.
The pastries were disappointing, but I could tell there was no room for me to butt in.
However, because I'd approached too boldly, their gazes turned toward me.
"Ah...!"
Erina's eyes widened upon seeing me. Casper, on the other hand, furrowed his brow, while Gilbert tilted his head.
'No helping it now that they've noticed.'
I urgently signaled Erina with my eyes to come find me later, then tried to slip away pretending I hadn't seen them, but she misinterpreted my glance and cautiously invited me over.
"Would you like to join us, Lord Ilrain? Father, is that all right?"
"Suddenly? More importantly, Erina, do you know this boy?"
"Yes. We're acquainted."
"That's intriguing. Very well. What's your name, young man?"
It was clearly an awkward spot, but my eyes were already locked on the oily cookies on the table. How could cookies be that moist-looking?
I decided to grit my teeth and join them just this once.
"I'm Als Ilrain. It's an honor to meet you, Lord Gilbert."
"Ilrain? Ilrain... Where have I heard that?"
He soon clapped his hands and spoke.
"The Baron Ilrain newly appointed as lord of Rainpole!"
"Yes, Baron Ilrain is my eldest brother."
"Hmm."
His expression changed. The Ilrain barony belonged to the Helian faction, after all.
But a barony was still just a barony. No telling when they might switch sides, so rather than be wary, he seemed welcoming.
"I had some questions about Rainpole myself. Come, take a seat here."
The only empty chair left was next to Erina. As I sat beside her, Casper's face twitched.
"Switch seats with me."
He stood up immediately and said as much, but Erina dismissed him coldly.
"No need for that."
"But Lady Erina..."
"Lord Ilrain is a guest. Father even said he has questions for him. It's not for you to decide."
"Ugh..."
Casper sat back down awkwardly.
I ignored them and just helped myself to the pastries.
There weren't many left, which was a shame, but Erina astutely slid the ones from her own plate toward me.
Seeing this, Gilbert shot her a look demanding an explanation.
Erina began introducing me in my stead.
"Lord Ilrain topped the class at Rainpole Academy. And that was combining both the general and cadet tracks."
"Oh ho. But I hear there are hardly any Caliper alumni there. Must've been tough to take first place. He couldn't have claimed integrated top honors like Casper did at our Gransel Academy."
"Not at all, Father. Lord Ilrain spent his middle academy first year not at Rainpole, but at Julia Academy—and he still took first place. He was classmates with Lord Millias back then, too. And he never lost top spot even in elementary academy. He's incredibly talented."
"Is that true? That's impressive. I always thought Casper had held top spot consistently."
At that, Casper made an excuse.
"I had to miss academy often for personal tutoring, so it couldn't be helped."
"Hmm. But Erina, how do you know so much about him?"
Even I was getting chills.
'Is she a stalker or something?'
Seeing my disturbed expression, Erina waved her hands frantically.
"Ah, no! I just heard about it from Joan!"
"From Joan? Why is Joan's name coming up?"
"You wouldn't know, Father, but Lord Ilrain participated in the butler training at our estate about two years ago. Joan was the instructor then."
"Butler...? Ah, right, that happened. And back then..."
"Yes, there was that insolent group trying to kidnap me. Lord Ilrain protected me."
"You're talking about the incident with Prince Eldric. Come to think of it, I recall you saying a brave boy shielded you."
"That's right. It was Lord Ilrain."
Erina smiled nostalgically. Sensing the mood shift, I quickly deflected.
"Brave? I was just busy running for my life."
Gilbert shook his head.
"No, the fact that you've become a proper cadet officer proves you had the talent. I want to thank you for what happened then."
"I'm at a loss for words."
My stomach was sufficiently full now. I tried to excuse myself, but Gilbert launched into questions as if just getting started.
"By the way, Ilrain, I hear Rainpole has begun mining its gold mine recently. Do you know anything about it?"
"As far as I know, it's been assigned to Crossing for development. My family has no involvement."
"Tsk tsk, that Helian fool. Handing over development rights to Crossing just like that..."
He began probing me about Rainpole's affairs.
Rainpole had already surpassed a population of 300,000 with the mass influx of Kurabel natives, establishing itself as a solid mid-sized city.
Our family's standing had risen accordingly, bit by bit.
Gilbert seemed very interested in pulling our family into his faction.
"Your father chose the Helian faction, so your brother who inherited the title might think differently."
"I wouldn't know. My brother is so shrewd that even someone like me can't read his mind."
Sensing my evasive reply, Gilbert's eyes narrowed.
"Hmm. Come to think of it, they've been spotting Wade around Rainpole lately. What do you make of that?"
"Obviously fakes. The real Wade is right here."
It wasn't a lie.
Since I was here.
"You think so? In that case..."
But then.
"Quite relaxed, aren't you, Gilbert?"
It was Duke Helian. He appeared with his attendants, not hiding his displeasure.
"What's the matter, Regnat? I'd appreciate it if you didn't interrupt my quality time with my daughter."
"If it's that important, shouldn't you finish your duties first? His Majesty wants specific survey data on Madon territory. Wasn't that your task, due today?"
"About that..."
"No need to explain to me. Report to His Majesty yourself. And..."
Helian turned his gaze and spoke in a cold voice.
"You too, Wade. What exactly are you doing here?"
He was staring at Casper, but the warning was obviously aimed at me.
Thinking it was directed at him, Casper floundered awkwardly to his feet.
"I-I should head back to training now."
He fled the scene.
I tried to slip away quietly too, but Duke Helian wasn't having it.
"You there—mind helping me for a moment? I have a message for Ironheart."
Naturally, there was no such message.
Once we were alone, Duke Helian hissed at me in a low voice.
"What was that just now? Trying to threaten me? Saying you might join them?"
It must have looked extremely risky from his perspective.
Gilbert, Erina, and even Casper had been there. If I'd sided with them, the fake act's risks would vanish, giving the Salleon faction momentum.
"Nothing like that. I just happened to score some food."
"Food?"
I explained the camp's meal situation, and Duke Helian clutched his forehead.
"Understand my position. There are so many idiots who just transferred to cadets. We have to toughen them up to fix their mindset."
"To weed them out?"
"Something like that."
In fact, over fifty had already applied to return to general track, unable to endure.
"Even so, it's too harsh. Raise the training intensity if you must—don't mess with the food."
"Got it. It's been a week, so I'll tell them to ease up. If there's anything you want to eat, just say. I'll have my subordinates sneak it in."
"Ooh, in that case..."
I rattled off a menu.
Duke Helian let out a hollow laugh at the variety.
*
*
*
The half-month special training finally ended.
We changed out of our uniforms into civilian clothes and entered the classroom for military studies class.
I'd expected it to be stuffy, but it wasn't.
The kingdom had prepared a high-level curriculum, clearly intent on properly developing the cadets.
"Pleased to meet you all. I'm Dunhan Grimwood. Some of you may not know me personally, but I trust you've at least heard the name."
Dunhan Grimwood.
Caliper Kingdom's top military man and one of the continent's famed Twenty Warlords.
Enthusiasts called him Dunhan of the Melee.
"Grand General Dunhan teaching personally?"
"What do I do? My heart's suddenly racing."
The cadets buzzed at the bigwig's arrival.
His son Dorothy sighed with a dark expression.
"Quiet down. I get the surprise. There's good reason for it."
Dunhan explained the turbulent international situation from successive wars.
"In that context, this class of cadets is exceptionally special."
Because of admission to Pensilon High Academy.
Pensilon Academy was located in Platon, the old capital of the Pensilon Empire, and stood at the pinnacle of higher education.
As a neutral zone unaffiliated with any nation, it drew students from across countries.
Select cadets would spend their second and third years of high academy there.
"Don't let foreigners outdo you. Strive to win even in the smallest things. Prove you're the best."
With the unsettled times, even trivial matters sparked national rivalries. Cadets, as future battlefield talent, were direct points of comparison.
Thus, top military expert Dunhan had taken the podium himself to hone them.
"But no need to worry too much. After all, you're what they call Caliper's Golden Generation."
As he spoke, Dunhan gazed intently at Ruan Chase and Casper Millias.
And me.
The military studies class began in earnest.
Dunhan described real battles and demanded answers from the cadets.
"This battle in the Perryton Marshes was especially grueling. The enemy used numerical superiority to tighten their encirclement, and supplies dwindled steadily. Then the worst misfortune struck our forces. What do you think it was? Dorothy Grimwood, speak."
"M-Me...?"
"Who else? Go on."
"Was it... enemy reinforcements?"
"Wrong. I said the front was stalemated—no reinforcements for us or them!"
"Ugh..."
Dunhan bellowed like thunder. Treating his own son harshly to avoid favoritism accusations.
"Next, Ruan Chase. You try."
"...I don't know."
"Good attitude admitting ignorance. Better than pretending. Next, Casper Millias!"
Casper racked his brains, then said.
"Was there a drastic terrain change? I hear the Perryton Marshes have especially harsh natural conditions."
"Hm, abstract, but close."
Murmurs of "As expected of Wade..." and "Amazing..." rippled around.
Dunhan could've let it pass, but he turned to me.
"Als Ilrain. Your turn."
"What a hassle..."
"What was that?"
"Nothing. In that situation, the worst misfortune would've been supply issues. As you said, facing off in Perryton Marshes from May to June overlaps with the gluttonous burrower beetles' adult phase. As larvae, they burrow into food stores with their small bodies, then mature and devour everything after a time. That's probably what damaged the supplies."
"Spot on."
Exclamations rose here and there.
I was already seen as a top talent among my peers.
Topping Julia Academy, then Rainpole—rumors spread inevitably.
Among male cadets, I ranked after Casper and Ruan.
Dunhan jotted something on what looked like a grading sheet and continued.
"Unfamiliar with local geography, we failed supply management. We broke through the encirclement at one point before supplies ran out. Unexpectedly, it caught the enemy off-guard. Thanks to the beetles, we timed our attack perfectly. Thought they were damn pests, but they were lovely little things. My adjutant Gerald even stripped and bowed to them."
Hahaha! Laughter filled the classroom.
Stiffer than expected, but surprisingly witty.
"Battlefields have such random elements. We must control even those. After this, no beetles ate supplies in any unit under me. Well done. Sit."
"Yes, sir."
As I sat, furtive glances stabbed from all sides.
Some female cadets stared like they wanted to devour me, forcing me to rest my chin on my hand to hide my face.
Dunhan kept targeting me with questions afterward.
My spotlight only grew.
After class, cadets gathered around me—mostly female, and commoners at that.
"Lord Als, got a moment? I'd love to discuss the lesson..."
"Call me Als casually. I'm just a low noble anyway."
"Als, then?"
That's why they clung like this. Same as the maids fawning during butler training.
A noble's bastard child still counted as noble per law, so lowborn male nobles were popular with commoners.
Noble status brought huge perks, leading to strategic marriages.
Pureblood nobles despised it, of course.
"...Hmph. Lowly scum."
That was why Casper shot us contemptuous looks.
I wondered what face he'd make if he knew I carried imperial blood.