Chapter 5
“Bonus points are awarded when a trainee performs better than others in training or shows initiative, but I don’t think any of you will earn them, so there’s no need to know,”
Even I agreed with that.
‘It would be nice to get them, but there’s no need to think about bonus points.’
The key was simply to avoid losing points.
“Next, I’ll explain the schedule. First, the regular officer trainee program lasts twelve weeks.”
Twelve weeks—84 days in total.
Just hearing that was suffocating.
“Due to the special circumstances of wartime, we’ve shortened it to two weeks, which is really unfortunate.”
Unfortunate? Not at all. What nonsense is this?
‘Even two weeks is too long.’
Every single day here felt like hell to me.
“Because the time is shortened, we will focus only on essential training. However, the Imperial Army does not need incompetent officers, so the amount of academic study remains the same.”
My ears were questioning what I had just heard. It sounded completely unreasonable.
‘So they’re trying to cram twelve weeks of study into two weeks?’
The expressions of all the trainees, myself included, turned stone cold.
“Therefore, the basic schedule will be training until evening, and academic classes here from evening until 2 a.m.”
A schedule so brutal it could slap the most disciplined student in the face. My hands started trembling.
“Classes start today, and training—drill and running—will begin tomorrow morning. Keep that in mind.”
Two training sessions a day, followed by studying until 2 a.m.
‘This is basically a death sentence.’
Normally, the army allows lights out by 10 p.m. at the latest. Basic common sense was being destroyed in real time.
“Finally, I will explain the barracks rules that will cost you points if violated. Take notes.”
I wanted to write them down, but I had no notebook.
‘Guess I’ll have to memorize them somehow.’
As I prepared to commit them to memory, Ion pulled a notebook and an expensive-looking fountain pen from his pocket.
‘Talk about being prepared.’
I couldn’t resist asking for help.
“Could I copy what you write later? I want to note it, but I don’t have a notebook.”
“Sure. I’ll show you later when we return.”
“Thanks!”
“Glad carrying it around has been worth it.”
As expected of someone from a wealthy family—prepared from the start.
“The most common point deduction comes from lying in bed outside of sleeping hours. Being caught results in a two-point deduction, no excuses.”
“Wha… what?!”
“You can’t lie down? That’s impossible!”
Exclamations of shock and despair echoed from every noble trainee.
“During random inspections, if cleanliness is poor, two points are deducted. The room and individual can each be counted, for a maximum of four points. Clean properly.”
Point deductions kept coming. It was culture shock for the nobles.
“That is all. If you have questions, raise your hand.”
Almost immediately, dozens of hands shot up.
‘Why are they so curious? This feels ominous.’
To me, the explanation was clear, and I had no questions. But the nobles looked insatiably curious.
“You there in front, ask your question,”
The instructor pointed, and the candidate stood.
The question they asked was astonishing.
“Do we have to clean ourselves? It seems much more efficient to summon our family’s servants.”
At this point, I wondered if maybe they were normal and I was the crazy one, given their consistency.
‘No. They are just insane. Bringing a servant to the army, especially the training corps?’
I shook my head, but the situation worsened.
“That’s a good idea. It’s ridiculous for us nobles to clean ourselves.”
“I should contact my family. Tell them to bring supplies when they come.”
Pluto and Crushel nodded at each other.
‘Weren’t they supposed to be paying attention now?’
I sighed.
The instructor frowned, clearly feeling my frustration, and pressed his hat down.
“Trainee, step forward. Begin.”
“Uh…?”
The candidate walked out, looking confused.
“Let me ask again. You asked if you could have a servant clean the barracks instead of doing it yourself?”
“Yes. The person who usually cleans does a much better job. Should I have them clean your room too, sir?”
‘Oh… insane. Absolutely insane.’
I wanted to go out and shut that mouth immediately.
“Ha… these idiots,”
The instructor sighed, pressing his head down. Naturally, he was furious.
But the reaction that followed was unexpected.
“Forget about that ever being possible. No more questions. Move to dinner. That is all.”
The instructor, who I expected to roar, left the auditorium without a word.
‘Wha… what just happened? That feels ominous.’
He had clearly been furious. I could feel it radiating, and yet he let it go? Impossible.
“Let’s go eat. There’s been too much going on in such a short time. I’m starving.”
Once again, we formed four ranks and marched to the dining hall.
‘The facilities here are really good.’
I loaded my plate with seven types of food, self-serve style.
“Wow, this looks delicious.”
There was meat, salad, and everything else. This was good enough to not worry about meals.
But the picky noble trainees voiced complaints.
“The meat is overcooked. How am I supposed to eat this?”
“Where’s the cake? We need dessert.”
Normally, they’d get an instant punishment for this, but the instructor wasn’t in the dining hall.
‘They don’t interfere with meals. That’s convenient.’
I ignored their nonsense and sat down.
“Everyone, enjoy your meal.”
“Enjoy.”
“This isn’t so bad.”
We exchanged small greetings and I took a bite of meat.
‘Oh… this is good.’
It wasn’t as fancy as what I ate at a viscount’s house, but it was unfair to compare.
‘If army food had been this good, 21 months would have been a little more bearable.’
The meals back where I came from were truly hellish.
‘Would they get mad if I called it garbage food?’
I had eaten mostly frozen meals, so my health suffered.
‘If I hadn’t exercised regularly, I would’ve left the army obese.’
No matter how poor the food source, messing with soldiers’ meals is unforgivable.
“What about tomorrow’s training? I’ve never exercised before.”
Crushel asked, looking worried.
‘Tomorrow is drill and running.’
Drill would focus on education rather than physical exhaustion, so it wouldn’t be too hard. As long as someone didn’t mess up and force group punishment.
‘The running, though…’
Running. Even the word meant “run until you die.”
“Have you never run before?”
“No. I just read books during that time. You’re the same, right, Palan?”
“Yes… I guess.”
It annoyed me that they tried to equate me to them, even though I was the army’s peak physical standard. But there was no way to argue. My current body was similar to Crushel’s.
‘I trained a bit in the week before enlistment. I wonder if that’ll be enough.’
The key was how far we’d have to run.
‘Most nobles are skinny pigs or just pigs. They won’t survive high-intensity training.’
If that happened, it would be a relief. Far better to have everyone struggle equally than a few succeed.
“This is scary, but let’s do our best together.”
“Agreed.”
We dipped bread in sauce while talking briefly.
‘This tastes amazing.’
The meat was good, but the sauce was clearly top-notch.
“This will be fun. Will there be bonus points for finishing the run first?”
Deric, clueless, looked excited.
‘Does he think training is a race?’
It’s possible, but I knew army training wasn’t like that.
“Deric, do you exercise often?”
Ion asked while cutting meat.
“Yes. More than my peers. Every morning I climb mountains, and in the afternoon, knight training…”
The schedule was insane, and everyone looked shocked at Deric.
‘For him, this might be a vacation.’
It wasn’t that he was just excited about being in the army.
“A-amazing,”
“I don’t think I could survive that,”
“Really? This is fun. And if you don’t sweat, your body feels itchy.”
Sweat prevents itchiness? Nobody could relate. Everyone focused on eating.
We finished quickly and returned to the barracks.
“Ugh, now would be perfect for a nap.”
Pluto looked at the bed with greedy eyes.
‘Already thinking about lying down…?’
A noble idea, but the real genius was next.
“What if one person stays awake for ten minutes as a lookout, while others lie down?”
Ion, from a duke family, had a brilliant plan I couldn’t even argue with.
‘That… could work.’
Our room was far from the entrance. If the lookout spotted the instructor, there would be enough time to wake everyone.
“Wow! Truly a future duke’s strategy. Brilliant idea.”
Pluto praised him.
“Thanks. Then we should decide the lookout order. Shall we do rock-paper-scissors?”
“Agreed.”
“Can’t wait to lie down. Let’s do it now.”
Without hesitation, we played several rounds. My body and mind were exhausted, so I didn’t resist.
‘This is foolproof.’
“Loser stays awake!”
“Loser stays awake!”
With so many people, it took multiple rounds, and miraculously, I won first.
“I’ll stay awake first,”
I wanted the first shift so I could sleep deeply afterward.
“I’ll go second.”
“I’ll go last.”
Everyone else lay down.
‘These guys have guts.’
They even covered themselves completely with blankets, unlike me.
‘The ones who said they’d endure two weeks like death… are they already dead?’
I had nothing to say, as I was participating too.
“Quiet.”
Except for those using the restroom, there wasn’t even an ant in the hallway. Everyone either slumped on chairs or bravely lay down.
‘Weren’t we supposed to have class after dinner?’
There was plenty of time to call us back, yet no one did.
‘They wouldn’t give us free time, so maybe dinner isn’t over yet.’
Being a lookout is boring, and my mind wandered endlessly.
‘Ugh.’
Halfway through ten minutes, I stretched and prepared to lie down. Yawning as the shift approached…
Knock!
A sharp sound hit the back of my head. I turned and met the gaze of the instructor in the red hat, standing outside the window.
‘Why is he… out there?’
I froze, unable to speak. The instructor opened the window and stepped inside. If we stayed still, we’d be dead.
“Everyone, rise!”
His voice was loud enough to wake everyone.
“Ugh… huh?”
The trainees froze in disbelief.
‘Get out of bed already!’
Even trying to react required coordination, and they had none.
“I thought we weren’t supposed to sleep. Did you ignore my orders?”
Anger was palpable. This was real.
“Sorry!”
Crushel bowed without hesitation.
“Trainee, didn’t you hear not to sleep?”
The instructor confronted Crushel, still half on the bed.
“I heard… sir,”
“Then why are you lying down?”
Finally, the roar exploded. Crushel’s bangs scattered.
