-------------------Hervalle Empire, Hervalle Magic Academy------------
A small crowd had formed outside of Garden Hall in Hervalle Magic Academy. Garden Hall wasn't usually a place for students as it held mostly professor offices and administration faculty. The high number of faculty was the very reason the crowd of students had gathered.
"WE WANT WAR!" A simple somewhat confusing chant came from the crowd of a few dozen students. Including a large portion of Eagle Class whose actions had sparked this particular protest as well as members from every other class. Even sparrow.
"WE WANT WARRR!" Jessica's voice seemed loudest of all. At her side, Piran covered his reddening face while James and even Avior joined in on the chant between bites of lunch.
The whole protest had apparently been sparked by a rather patriotic lecture given to Eagle Class. Who afterward, found themselves unwilling to wait to graduate before joining the war with Vernicus. They'd rallied the other classes and asked the professors to allow them to go only for the request to be unceremoniously denied. A denial that resulted in the current situation.
A professor looking disgruntled left the Garden Hall forcing their way past the students in order to get to their classes. At the appearance of faculty, the crowd was reinvigorated, and the volume of the chant was increased.
"WE WANT WAR!" This time it was Christina much to Avior's surprise whose chant was the most vibrant.
This was the third day since the protest had started. Every day the number of protesters was growing as more students decided to throw their lot in with the crowd. This particular protest was taking place at lunch and was about to be called off so they could return to their classes. They'd reconvene tomorrow in the morning before classes began. But just a few minutes before they dispersed a figure emerged from Garden Halll. It was an incredibly short but wizened-looking woman with white hair and a comically loose robe.
A gasp went up from the crowd as the students recognized the woman.
"It's the Headmaster!" Again Christina's voice seemed oddly loud, likely due to the sudden quiet of everyone else. Avior remembered thinking it was odd she was called Headmaster and not Headmistress, but apparently, she preferred Headmaster. So much so she had a history of becoming rather violent when she was called anything else.
"Yes. It is me. The Headmaster." The Headmaster said dryly but not with a comedic tone. Unfortunately for those who had to attend her classes that was simply how she talked.
"I enjoy afternoon naps. You are loud in the afternoon. Stop being loud in the afternoon." She finished and turned around seemingly bent on returning to her nap. But before she could do so one of the Eagle Class students a Duke's son named Windsor Ridley spoke up.
"Headmaster please we want to see combat and fight for our country. Why won't the Academy approve our desire to protect our people?"
The quiet crowd became even quieter as the brave student poked the tigress. Turning around slowly, almost with an audible creak the Headmaster's narrowed eyes fell on Windsor.
"If you fight in a war. You will die. If you want to fight. Go kill monsters before men." As if the issue was resolved the headmaster turned around once more.
Windsor encouraged by his semi-successful first question went to ask another one. "D-"
Surprised at the sudden cutoff the crowd turned to Windsor only to see his body frozen and his face growing from a red to a deep red then slowly a purple. The door to Garden Hall closed with a click soon followed by Windsor suddenly collapsing on the ground gasping for breath.
Avior raised his eyebrows. Sometimes he forgot just how ruthless that old Headmaster could be when she missed her naps.
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The next morning as the students were gathering in front of Garden Hall they were met by three professors and a familiar guest speaker.
Duvain spoke first, "Alright, since I apparently got the school into this mess I've been summoned to deal with the consequences. I heard you lot want to go to war."
Windsor the apparently talkative one of Eagle class was quick to respond. "Yes sir! Just like you said we feel our patriotic duty and don't want to sit back while others shed blood for us anymore!"
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Duvain exhaled audibly. "If you went to war as you are now you'd only get your comrades killed. Do you think those two hundred troops you can command after graduating are some kind of spell that you can learn and use as many times as you want? They're people and every mistake you make on the battlefield means they die. Hell even without a mistake, even with a perfect plan many of them will still die. The only way for them not to die en masse is for their Mage in Command to protect them from enemy mage strikes and make good decisions when necessary. As you are now if I let you into the soup you'll not only get yourself killed, but your entire support squad axed as well."
Unable to be put at rest so easily a new voice chimed up this time a girl from Hawk Class. "Then let us go by ourselves. We'll just enlist with normal soldiers! At the very least let us do something!"
Duvain seemed to be losing his ever-patient facade. "As a Mage, you're a walking target. I'm sure there are recordings of my past lecture about just how happy enemy commanders are willing to trade any number of soldiers to kill a mage. If you're in the ranks by yourself that means everyone around you will die, including you. Most of you are Mages of the 1st or 2nd even the few who are already at the 3rd don't know battlefield tactics or how to properly hold a mana shield while under fire. That's something this Academy helps you figure out when you get closer to graduation by having its senior students partake in combat exercises and yes sometimes even minor conflicts. In fact, I suspect the reason I don't see any students who've been here more than three years among the crowd is because they're out doing just that."
Feeling the spirit of the apparent Q and A session Christina raised her hand and asked a question. "If we allow senior students to take part in minor conflicts can we just take part in the small battles of the war to learn first?"
Duvain's patience unfortunately ran out with Christina's question. "Small battles? Small battles? WE ARE AT WAR!" His voice now booming clearly showing his anger echoed throughout the gathered students. "There are no small battles in this war, two scouts in a fistfight can develop into tens of thousands fighting in minutes. It is not a place to "gain experience or learn" that is what THIS ACADEMY IS FOR! You are the future of this country. Those out there are fighting for YOU! If you go out there you'll be slaughtered or have others sacrifice themselves to buy you just a moment to save yourself, a moment you'll no doubt blunder away, dying anyway because you don't know a thing about war, you'll be personally pissing away the thing they're all fighting for. The thing they sacrificed for! The thing their friends DIED FOR!" A huffing Duvain was showing his recent injury as he took a break from speaking for a moment to catch his breath.
Seeing the students shattered spirits, especially the pale and shaking Christina, one of the other professors who'd been silent until now stepped forward to prevent Duvain from carrying on with his "answer."
"Mr. Markun's points are all good ones. You are the bright future of this country please allow yourself the time to grow and become the truly great mages we all know you can. Then I have no doubt you'll be able to help make the Hervalle Empire even grander than ever before."
Pausing a second to let that sink in the older professor continued. "Now we do understand the importance of passion in learning. As a result, the Academy has assigned three professors and Mr. Markun here to help give you a bit of practical training experience in a bit of a safer setting than a full-blown battlefield."
Taking advantage of the still silent students likely still reeling from Duvain's outburst a second professor, one who looked much younger, just a few years older than most of the students spoke up. "Now by no means is this safe. What we plan to do is escort you all on a monster hunt."
A gasp went out from the students, but this time they kept their questions to themselves.
Finally the last professory spoke. One who Avior was familiar with as this professor was one of the worst teachers in the academy often left to teach Sparrow Class. He'd attended more than a few of the man's incoherent lectures that no doubt left most students far more confused than before they'd begun.
"Hello, yes. War and such is dangerous and unlike humans, monsters don't target mages. Well most don't. Well some don't. Either way, the important thing is we all have fun and that you bring me all the monster parts you gather. You can trust me to sell them for you at a good price." The man who should really commit to going bald with how few strands of white hair he had left gave a friendly smile similar to that of a conman at a shady market stall.
"Ahem," The young professor coughed into his hand, "Just please remember to be safe. Each of us will be holding a special class going over different skills for combat during the next few days. All students from any Class are welcome to attend. We plan to leave for the monster hunt in a week. Attendance at all four of our classes at least once is mandatory in order to attend the monster hunt. Any questions?"
The still-shocked crowd failed to muster their courage fast enough before the professors tucked their tails and ran leaving only the unfriendly-looking Duvain with the crowd.
As the crowd began to disperse they were all halted with a hand from Duvain. "I apologize for losing my patience, but please understand the sacrifices made on the battlefield is not a debt you're ever going to be able to repay. Because there is no debt in the first place. They fought and died for Hervalle. They fought so a place like this Academy could exist. A place that gives young minds such as you all, an opportunity to grow and be free to pursue what you wish. If you do eventually wish to continue in their footsteps by fighting those who threaten the Hervalle Empire and its people, do so when you can do so to your utmost. Do so as a fourth-rank Mage who saves hundreds of soldiers' lives in every single battle, not as a glory hound who only brings trouble to those around them. Remember this academy is an opportunity and you can do anything you want with it. Just don't waste it."
With that, Duvain left the students who felt as if they had gained a new perspective on their time at the academy. There were no more cries for war that day or any other in the following week instead they threw themselves into their studies determined not to waste this opportunity they'd been given.