“Granoli-kun. Did you enjoy the academy?”
Surprised to be asked such a thing, she widen their eyes.
“Y-Yes. There are many students, and I’m enjoying going to school every day with a fresh feeling.”
“I see. That’s good. Keep supporting your friends like that.”
“Yes–“
After leaving Wellrain’s room, Raze lets out a sigh.
She were surprised to hear him say something like a parent.
(Oh, come to think of it, he’s also a father.)
Despite being a parent, it’s hard to imagine the atmosphere, so she unintentionally forget about Addis.
“Throwing me off balance.”
Scratching her head, Raze teleports to her office.
Once back in the room, Raze mutters to Cross.
“It’s difficult to get information from outside while at the academy.”
“Because you’re isolated…”
An academy somewhere in the Cyan Kingdom.
It’s possible to speculate on the location, but there are too many candidates to narrow it down.
With such a vast campus, it wouldn’t be strange if it were easily found, since it even has an arena, but if it still hasn’t been identified, it’s suspicious if it even exists in this country.
Because of this environment, they rely on newspapers or letters from outside to obtain information.
Raze also had interactions with Cross, but since it was military correspondence, the content of the letters was limited. There was always a risk of leakage or inspection, even for mundane conversations, so Raze was cautious. Although he sometimes used codes, it felt awkward to chat casually with them. Harrens usually mediated the transmission of important information.
Because of this, detailed exchanges via letters didn’t happen, leaving her in the dark.
“First, I need to confirm what happened while I was away,”
Cross said, stopping his work with a small sigh.
“Have you heard about the suspicious movements of the Empire?”
he asked seriously, to which Raze responded with a bewildered expression.
“It’s nothing new for that country to act suspiciously,” he remarked.
When would they give up their invasion plans?
Guarding the border was a crucial task within the military, but the soldiers in the Border Defense Corps were always busy. They not only dealt with wild beasts but also had to handle people. Most newcomers were assigned to this unit, so everyone understood the situation.
“Yes, it’s become a regular occurrence. However, instead of Ordiana, the frequent contacts have been happening in Barouda.”
“Eh…..”
“Yes, it’s nothing new, but there have been frequent contacts in Baluda instead of Ordiana,” Cross explained.
Baluda was a continent the same size as Ordiana. Unless they overlapped, it was unlikely to encounter troops from other countries. There was also a considerable distance between the Magenda’s base and them, so there was no incentive for them to send people here.
“They seem to be observing our movements. It seems like they’re coming to gauge our strength. Those we’ve caught have been sent to jail,” he added.
More headaches were coming their way.
As he envisioned the battlefield, Raze’s expression turned bitter.
“Just when they seemed to have quieted down…”
Hearing the weariness in her words, even Cross fell silent.
“They’re just lying low because they lack the strength. Once they recover, they’ll attack again,”
The motives were simple: a clash of ideologies for their own country.
Raze couldn’t help but feel exasperated at the thought of the Magenda Emperor, who engaged in such meaningless battles without anyone to advise him.
“What happened to the captured prisoners?” Raze asked.
“That’s… Things have gotten chaotic there too,”
“Really…?”
The conversation was taking a grim turn. Raze glanced at Cross, who frowned.
“They’ve been enchanted and turned into puppets. Those who managed to break free of the spell are begging to be rescued from the Empire,”
Hearing that, Raze’s eyes sharpened.
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“Has the Empire fallen so low? If they’re resorting to such magic, we need to come up with countermeasures quickly,”
If their allies were enchanted and turned against them, it would significantly impact the war.
If manipulated individuals were sent in, it would demoralize their troops.
Apart from the inconvenience and the strength of the opponent, they needed to have means to counter the enemy’s strategy.
“The Magic Research Division is working on it, but it seems to be a new type of magic. It may take some time for a complete analysis,”
“…I see. Since they dug up forbidden techniques during that big clash before, the enemy’s magical development can’t be underestimated. We’d like to recruit that kind of talent over to our side.”
Her attempt at a joke earned him an awkward smile.
“While we could respond quickly to the forbidden techniques thanks to existing literature, this time seems quite difficult.”
“Only around 15 percent of the population excels at mind-affecting magic, so it’s a minor area they’re attacking. Trying to control our soldiers, I wonder what ethics the Empire even has.”
As she reached for the materials on her desk, anticipating another summons soon, her past life’s knowledge throbbed painfully.
(…Is there even such a thing as ethics in war…?)
She pushed that thought to the back of her mind.
Despite living in a world where adults and children could match each other’s abilities through magic, she was now working as a child soldier herself. Honestly, she couldn’t ignore the Empire’s actions either.
“Wasn’t there a time when the representative infiltrated the Empire?”
“Yes, there was. At that time, the Empire seemed eager since they still had resources to spare. I didn’t see the atmosphere in other areas, but at least in the main districts, that was the vibe,”
Cross reminisced, looking at Raze with a mixture of emotions.
Being told about the past by a girl younger than himself was strange, but there was nothing he could do about it.
“I wonder how things are now. If soldiers are being forced against their will, the citizens might not stay silent for much longer, right?”
Raze analyzed calmly. It had been a while since she returned, and her behavior as a soldier seemed deeply ingrained. Cross couldn’t believe she had been mingling with students until now.
“Representative. You haven’t changed a bit…”
Cross’s heartfelt remark left Raze bewildered.
Continuing his words, Cross asked,
“Regarding Raze Granoli’s background, I’ve made the necessary changes as per your instructions, but how was your time at the academy?”
“Hmm? I enjoyed being a student…”
Confused by Cross’s question, Raze responded with a question mark hovering over her head.
“You didn’t get recognized as a soldier?”
Cross asked a question that wouldn’t normally come up during regular duties.
“Well… There was an incident where I got singled out by a teacher when something happened. But I don’t think the students realized. Some might have guessed I had combat experience, so I arranged for them to think of me as an adventurer.”
Raze found the title of adventurer convenient in such situations, which surprised Cross.
“I could feel it from reading the letters, but you seem to be quite close now. This time.”
It was uncommon to see Raze, who carried out her tasks flawlessly, resorting to after-the-fact measures.
Her admirable quality was thoroughly preparing countermeasures beforehand, but this time seemed different.
“You’re right. Truthfully, I had wanted to conceal my presence in a corner of the classroom, but it didn’t quite work out. The sense of distance was rather difficult to gauge, or perhaps I misjudged it entirely.”
It was rare for her to make negative comments about her own conduct.
Even Raze, who handled everything smoothly, apparently struggled with missions in unfamiliar environments. This left an impression on Cross.
“But you’ve made friends with some remarkable people. That’s good.”
“…You think so?”
With a dull response, Cross glanced at Raze’s expression.
By the time he paid attention, Raze’s gaze had already shifted to the documents. Although she seemed focused, her response hinted at something deeper.
What seemed like a peaceful mission might have been difficult for her.
Cross didn’t inquire further about the academy.
A few days later…
“All right, everyone. As citizens of the Cyan Kingdom, you all know what day it is today, right?”
Dressed in combat gear, Raze, known as Shess Orphan, stood at the head of the 537th Special Assault Battalion, raising her voice.
Her aura was fitting for someone referred to as the “representative” of the army, even in front of men twice her size.
“That’s right. The three days from yesterday mark the peak of the Star Festival. And today, the middle day, is when the festivities are at their highest. But where are we? We’re in the monsters’ paradise!”
With more enthusiasm than usual, Raze’s words were met with stares from her comrades, but their morale was high due to working with her again.
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Thanks for the chapter
BTW, IMHO Raze is more appropriate to be addressed by her subordinate as “Leader” i/o “Representative”. “Representative” feels mouthful, don’t you think?
In the raw Raze is a 代表 (daihyō) which isn’t exactly the same as “leader” because it’s more about being a representative or delegate, which can include roles like ambassador or spokesperson, rather than just someone who guides or directs.