Despite my morning grogginess, I forced myself to rise with the first blare of my alarm, which allowed me to get ready without a fuss, even indulging in a leisurely shower. Thanks to this, plus the privilege of slipping into the Break and back - a cheat inaccessible to most - I managed to appear as fresh as any other freshman despite my measly four hours of sleep. This time, I arrived at the familiar classroom a good fifteen minutes before schedule, making me one of the earliest birds.
Only Claire had beaten me to class. She was perched on the windowsill, seemingly engrossed in an organic chemistry textbook when I walked in. On closer inspection, however, I spotted a women's magazine craftily nestled between the textbook's pages. This detail, which revealed itself as Claire hastily shut the book, added depth to my mental image of her. Her boisterous demeanor and ostentatious dedication to her studies had always seemed incongruous to me. But now, everything fell into place.
"How!" Claire hopped off the windowsill to greet me.
Today, she was dressed more formally than usual: a knee-length skirt and a light linen jacket over a plain t-shirt. Her hair, too, was different, swept up into a bun at the back of her head instead of her usual playful ponytails. Despite her attempts to appear mature and responsible, Claire still came off as a schoolgirl - albeit one who'd raided her older sister's closet and makeup kit. However, as is often the case with attractive people, she managed to look good regardless of what she wore. The rule held true for her.
"Ave!" I responded, mirroring her raised palm.
"Was that deliberate?" She sauntered up to me, peering into my eyes.
"What do you mean?" I asked, trying not to let my gaze wander. At such close proximity, her thin t-shirt and open jacket left little to the imagination.
"You responded to my Native American greeting with an even older salutation from Ancient Rome."
"That was unintentional," I replied, shrugging and seating myself at the desk to shift my line of sight.
"Unintentional, you say..." She drawled, but her words were cut short as the classroom door creaked open and Jan Larson walked in.
Acknowledging us with a nod, the Scandinavian silently took a seat in the front row. He pulled out a notebook from his folder, placed it in front of him, and then seemed to zone out, staring at the wall with unblinking eyes.
"Hey!" Claire immediately forgot about me and perched on the edge of his desk, waving her hand in front of the guy's eyes.
"Yes?" Jan queried without turning his head, seemingly unaffected by the attractive girl sitting on his desk.
"You're strange." Claire twirled a finger around her temple. "Even stranger than this one." She pointed her finger at me without hesitation. "And him…" Her next gesture was aimed at Christian who was just entering the room.
"I'm normal." The Scandinavian responded indifferently, his gaze still fixed on the wall. Suddenly, he whipped around, startling the girl, and retorted, "It's all of you here who are…" He stuttered for a moment before settling on, "Eccentric."
"Yep, we are!" Christian chimed in, not fully grasping the situation. "Hi everyone!"
Jan seemed to lose interest in the conversation once again. Claire moved to greet the newcomer, who attempted to sneak in an innocent grope under the guise of a welcoming hug. This earned him a swift and skilled jab to the spleen from Claire. Groaning and clutching his side, he made his way to his desk. Interestingly, Claire didn't seem to take offense to this behavior, or at least she pretended not to.
"Two minutes to nine," Jan declared, seemingly to no one in particular.
Claire and Christian immediately ceased their bickering and took their seats. In true aristocratic fashion, Gabriel made his entrance to the classroom precisely five seconds before the bell rang.
As diligent and respectful students, we immediately rose from our seats to greet our teacher. Unfortunately, our greeting wasn't in unison; however, the "count" didn't seem bothered by this minor hiccup. Returning our greeting, the astrophysics doctor didn't approach the lectern but chose to stand near the first row.
"I'm glad that those present here decided to accept my proposal." The remark was formal, but his tone suggested equality. This straightforwardness clearly left a positive impression on Christian, Claire, and Jan. "Unfortunately, Michael Shcheguy won't be joining us." After a brief pause, he explained, "He notified me of his decision via email." The "count" didn't elaborate on the reasons behind Michael's refusal. "As for Lady Maya Grimm, she has requested an additional day to consider… You're probably already aware that the Break Knights of Wilflaes were involved in thwarting a Breakthrough late last night... And since Lady Maya participated directly in the battle, risking her life, I naturally granted her request."
It turned out that one of us was genuinely surprised by the mention of the recent Breakthrough. Jan Larson looked around bewildered at this revelation. It seemed that he had been so engrossed in thinking about the "count's" proposition yesterday that he had entirely disconnected from reality. His confusion elicited genuine smiles from both Christine and Claire. Furthermore, when Gabriel wasn't looking, Christine gestured towards Jan and twirled her finger at her temple. In response, I gestured that she was the crazy one, while Jan was just being normal.
While we were busy exchanging gestures, Gabriel was explaining the regulations of our education. According to him, we were still officially enrolled in our respective faculties. However, we had also been grouped together for what he called "experimental training." Essentially, we had become a small, independent faculty. From what I gathered, we were being molded into general technical specialists. This only reaffirmed my suspicion that our future roles would lean more towards being inspectors rather than engineers.
After going over the rules, Gabriel couldn't help but spend another half-hour enthusiastically discussing the potential benefits space exploration could offer humanity. His compelling speech stirred up feelings of pride within me, pride for potentially becoming part of a significant space program project. The impact of his speech was even more profound on the others; Claire was so engrossed that she held her lollipop the entire time without even attempting to unwrap it. Gabriel concluded the session by handing each of us a folder.
"Here are your new class schedules for this term, as well as a list of textbooks and literature. Review next week's schedule right now," he instructed us.
Following his directive, I opened the folder and started reading.
"Do you have a question?" Gabriel asked. I hadn't finished reading yet, and Christian was already raising his hand. "Go ahead."
"Do we all have the same schedule?" Christian asked, a hint of discomfort in his voice under the aristocrat's gaze, yet his tone remained steady.
"No, it's split about fifty-fifty. You'll attend half of the classes as a group and half separately. This is to ensure an individual approach that maximizes the strengths each of you displayed during the tests. For you," Gabriel pointed at Christian, "the focus is on programming and digital systems design. For Jan, it's math and game theory. For Izao, it's physics and, in particular, optics. For Claire, it's analytical mechanics and materials science."
Why is my focus optics? Well, it makes sense: all my past life, I've been tinkering with lenses and similar objects, and since I enjoyed what I was doing, I amassed a substantial amount of knowledge on the topic. I suppose, for the rest of us, the choice of direction is related to leveraging our strengths. For instance, the "Count" seems to want Jan to become an analyst. And given how I inadvertently witnessed the guy considering Gabriel's invitation, it seems to be the right choice. The Scandinavian clearly has the potential to be a great analyst. However, Claire surprised me. Analytical mechanics was my personal hell in a past life, as it was for all my friends, and yet the girl seems thrilled. Is this discipline easy for her? Once again, I'm reminded that appearances can be damn deceptive.
"Yes?" This time, the teacher turns to Jan, who raises his hand.
"Will we have classes at the military department?"
"Of course," the "Count" affirms with a nod. "You can't escape reality, and the military accounts for at least half of the space program's budget and is the primary customer. This leads us to the fact that you need to understand how the military think and what they truly need. You don't have to receive a full-fledged military education, but it would be beneficial to study the general strategy, as well as the tactics of using the fleet and aviation."
I'm somewhat taken aback by Gabriel's forthrightness. He could have skirted around the issue with vague phrases, but he didn't, providing a detailed and honest explanation instead. I appreciate this approach, which tips the scales of my opinion of the reigning duke's youngest son further into the positive.
"And no... You shouldn't pout so dramatically, Claire," the "Count" advises, looking at the girl intently. "Novilter is one of the most progressive states on Earth, but military matters are a man's business! Although you won't have classes at the military department, your schedule won't be any less packed because of it." Then, he changes the subject. "Regarding the workload... Don't worry... In reality, you'll end up with a workload comparable to ordinary students. Since you'll be taking exams and tests in a simplified form, and I'll be the one personally assessing you."
Clearly, he wants us to understand the subject matter, not just memorize formulas. I get it, but the prospect of taking all the tests directly with the "Count" seems to have unnerved the others.
"Our next meeting is in the same classroom on Friday at nine in the morning. But you already have that noted in your papers," Gabriel allows himself a smile.
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Then he picks up his folder and takes out some small stickers. He walks up to each of us and affixes a stylized yellow wolverine to the corners of our student badges.
"This emblem will unlock doors that were once barred to you," the nobleman explained. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must take my leave - I have other obligations."
We all hastily rose from our seats to bid farewell to the tutor. As soon as the door clicked shut behind him, Christian immediately began scratching his nose fervently and muttered aloud.
"Just half an hour until the next lecture, and I haven't had any breakfast!"
"Are you certain it's wise to eat before your military class?" Claire quipped, narrowing her eyes teasingly as she glanced over the fellow's shoulder to check his schedule. "What if you're required to run or something?"
"I won't throw up!" The young man puffed out his chest in defiance, but a hint of uncertainty wavered in his voice. "But, you're right. I can hold off until the lunch break."
"Phew!" Claire grinned widely, directly in his face, then glanced around at the rest of us in amusement. "Who's accompanying this lady to the Chemistry Department?"
"We can all go together," I offered. "The Chemistry building is next to the military grounds, so we'd be going that way anyway."
Like Christian and apparently Jan, my next class on the schedule was "Fundamentals of Strategy: From the Ancient China of the Qin Dynasty to the Early Hellenistic Traditions of the Mediterranean."
"I'll go alone," the Scandinavian declared, rising from his seat and exiting the classroom without waiting for us.
"Is it just me, or does he rub everyone the wrong way?" Christian frowned.
"I like him," Claire responded earnestly, looping her arms through ours as she had done the day before.
"He's a decent guy," I agreed with her.
"Are you messing with me?" The dark-haired guy glanced between us, registering our serious expressions. "You're really messing with me." He seemed certain.
"Let's get moving!" Claire nudged us forward, shooting me a playful wink behind Christian's back. Seeing that we weren't in a hurry, she added with a coy downward glance, "Uru-ru?"
We had ample time before our class to escort Claire to the Chemistry building. Throughout the journey, Christian and she debated about Michael's rejection of the "count's" proposal and whether Maya would accept it. I occasionally chimed in when explicitly asked for my opinion. Honestly, I wasn't particularly invested in the subject - since the decision of the plump half-blood was his own business, with potentially a myriad of reasons behind it. Reasons that might seem utterly unfathomable and far-fetched to outsiders. As for Maya, I was no longer concerned whether she would accept or refuse. If the maiden Knight had requested a delay, despite her initial opposition to joining the group, it strongly suggested that Zanh Kiem had managed to discuss the matter with her. I was almost 100% certain that Maya would join us, if not tomorrow, then definitely by the end of the week.
By the way, I need to visit the Maker tonight - I have some questions about the recent Breakthrough. More specifically, I can't get out of my head the visions that I saw when the reality gap collapsed, and then promptly forgot. Maybe he can help fill the gaps in my memory? Who knows what such high-ranked sensums are truly capable of...
"Alright." Claire interrupted my thoughts with a sudden stop. "We're here." She gestured towards the nearest building. "Be careful among the military." She advised us.
"I'll keep a low profile and not draw any attention." Christian shrugged nonchalantly, grinning and winking. "I'm not sure I'll be comfortable among so many nobles."
"There are commoners in the military department too." I corrected him. "From vassal clan families."
"I've checked the stats." The black-haired guy dismissed my comment. "They make up less than ten percent."
"Also..." Claire let go of our elbows and stepped back. "Keep an eye on Jan. He's capable enough on his own, but he's still one of us."
"Nah..." Christian shook his head. "I'm not his babysitter."
"Pf-r-r-r-r..." Claire stuck her tongue out at him and briskly turned, heading to her classes.
"Darn it." Christian muttered, watching her go. Once she was out of earshot, he added, "Why am I attracted to weird girls?"
"She's pretty." I didn't hold back my thoughts. "I like her too."
"Watch it!" He jokingly assumed a boxing stance. "She's mine!"
I was about to tell him, "Sure, take her," but I realized that such a response was utterly inappropriate for a seventeen-year-old student.
"Sure..." I mimicked his pose. "We'll see about that."
"Already gearing up for a fight?" Jan Larson walked past us while we were goofing around. "What did the Count of Runar see in you?" He muttered, supposedly to himself, but loud enough for us to hear. He then sidestepped us and headed towards the gate to the military grounds.
"Is that the 'normal' you and Claire were talking about?" Christian shook his head. "He's got a screw loose..."
"An hour ago, he seemed normal to me." I responded slowly. "Now, I'm not so sure."
I truly didn't understand the Scandinavian's behavior. He seemed reasonable and intelligent, then suddenly acted superior to us, even though he ranked lower than both me and Christian in the tests. Despite his outward calm, maybe he was just anxious.
"Alright, enough messing around. The lecture's about to start."
"Right. Let's go." Christian nodded.
He seemed confident, but as we approached the gate, behind which stood the military department buildings, it became clear to me that he was nervous. So nervous, in fact, that his fingertips trembled slightly. He wasn't exaggerating when he said he'd be uncomfortable amongst clansmen. The original Izao would likely have felt the same way. As for me, I don't really care about the local nobility. I'm aware of their presence and I act accordingly, but I don't feel inferior to anyone just because their parentage gifted them with different blood. Those born in this world seem to have a different attitude towards shapeshifters ingrained from birth. Yes, in Novilter, they're trying to level class differences, but society here is conservative. True equality is a long way off, probably at least half a century. Half a century? I barely managed to suppress a grin before Christian noticed. Half a century? We're uncertain about surviving the next two years, and here I am, contemplating such a distant future.
Our badges earned us passage through the gate without a single question from the guards. But this wasn't surprising. The university guards were well aware of the significance of the symbol belonging to the "Count of Runar" and the level of clearance it provided.
If I were on my own, I would likely have gotten lost in the unfamiliar territory before finding the right classroom. However, Christian seemed to possess some inbuilt ability to navigate unfamiliar terrain, leading us unerringly to the correct building. Or perhaps he studied the map at the gate more thoroughly than I did. That could be a possibility as well.
The lecture was scheduled in a decent-sized hall this time, complete with semicircular study tables nearly pressed against each other, ascending row by row.
When we entered, the room was already half full. The military department freshmen present, same as us, glanced at us indifferently, showing no sign of recognition. In contrast to them, we were dressed in everyday clothes, which seemed to elicit nothing but barely concealed contempt among the local crowd. It wasn't just our commoner status contrasting with their nearly all-clan composition; this disdainful attitude of the military towards civilians was something I had observed numerous times in my past life.
Christian shivered but feigned indifference, steering us to the remote corner of the auditorium, presumably to distance us from Jan. I didn't object; he was already stressed enough.
Three minutes before the lecture's commencement, the hall was completely full. The class was evidently a shared one across all the military department faculties, as both army and navy cadets were present.
The lecturer was a grey-haired yet energetic old man in a dark blue uniform, sporting a vice-admiral's epaulets. In my past life, I had seen such people who would mechanically recite lectures from a piece of paper without looking up. Even the most fascinating topic could become dull and sleep-inducing under their tutelage. Nonetheless, I followed the other students' lead, took out a notebook and pen, and prepared to take notes.
Ten minutes into the lecture, however, I found my initial impression overturned. The short old man proved to be deeply interested in history, and he was an excellent speaker capable of holding the attention of the entire room. He commenced his lecture on strategy not with formations and analysis of ancient military practices, but with philosophy. I found myself listening, literally with my mouth agape, as I learned about how legalism and Confucianism in ancient proto-China influenced military thought, and how the philosophical trends of Athenian city-states laid the foundation for the famed Greek phalanx. The vice-admiral was certainly teaching the students to think critically, delve deeper, understand the essentials, and approach military matters beyond merely a formal level.
The hour of the lesson flew by entirely unnoticed. After completing the introductory part, the lecturer began to pose questions, listened to the responses, and explained the fallacy of formal judgments using their examples.
"Execution of laws is undoubtedly an integral part of the state machine," the vice-admiral began to reason, stepping out from behind the pulpit. "Legalism, as a philosophy, postulates the superiority of the state's laws over everything, not just over a person who, in the understanding of legalists, is nothing more than a cog in the state machine, but over religion too. Any offense, even the smallest, in Qin dynasty China was punishable by death or life imprisonment. Now, I have a question for you. Why, having the largest and the most efficient army in the region... The army that allowed the once-small principality of Qin to emerge victorious in the clash of warring kingdoms and subdue all of China... While preaching a similar philosophy that strengthens the state... Why did the Qin Empire last only a few decades?" The lecturer scanned the auditorium and stopped on the second row. "Ketsu Sugawara, what are your thoughts?"
The Japanese guy I knew rose from his seat.
"Natural anomalies. Famine. Peasant uprisings," he listed, then added, "A combination of these factors."
"Sit down, Sugawara." The vice-admiral waved his hand in dismissal, then turned to the audience. "You've just heard a formal, meaningless, and non-explanatory answer. The real answer was already given to you in the question itself. Natural disasters, famine - these things were constant at that time. And the peasant uprisings in China were like a continuous background show touring from one province to another. However, the professional army usually dispersed the peasants without much difficulty." The lecturer cast a heavy glance around the hall. "The Qin Empire was destroyed by its state philosophy - legalism, and by the triumph of laws over common sense. Once, a large detachment of guards escorting convicts to penal servitude was delayed due to heavy rains and washed-out roads. A trifle? Not at that time and in that country. According to the law, not only the convicts should have been executed for such an offence, but also... You're right - the entire guard detachment. I can see from your expressions that you are beginning to understand... Indeed, realizing the state of affairs, the battle-hardened veterans serving in the guard naturally didn't wish to be executed. As a result, the numerous but scattered and ineffective peasant uprisings gained professional leadership. After seven years, one of the greatest empires of its time, feared by all in the region, fell. Not just because of the guard squad that turned their weapons in the opposite direction, but because people are not nails, not cogs, and they have their limits. Entire regions and cities began to defect to the rebels at their first victories. Because their leadership was also afraid of being executed for the slightest misconduct. Thus, the harsh laws that allowed the Qin dynasty to rise also served as the catalyst for its downfall." Standing at the pulpit, the vice-admiral concluded the lecture with the following words. "You are the future officers and commanders. I hope this story will teach you that you will command not units, not cogs, but people. And it will make you realize that strategy is something bigger and much deeper than toy soldiers, tanks, cannons, airplanes, rockets, and ships..." His gaze seemed to burn through the students. "Dismissed!"
As Christian and I exited the hall, we nearly collided with Sugawara at the doorway. Respectfully, I stepped aside to let the Japanese guy pass, maintaining an outwardly respectful gaze, but... I had a hunch that he comprehended my silent question perfectly. He even gritted his teeth, yet managed to hold back any words and walked past. My eyes seemed to be silently asking him, "So, which of us is mediocrity?"
I admit, I shouldn't have provoked him like that, but he'd touched a nerve! Regardless, it was a mistake, and I need to exercise more restraint; otherwise, my actions would suggest that I am indeed just a seventeen-year-old.