Chapter 9
Am I hallucinating?
No. It looks far too real for that.
It was the size of a baseball, wrapped in a green sealing ring around the magic bomb.
And the safety pin that I could not find no matter how hard I looked.
‘Damn damn damn damn damn.’
My brain almost shut down, but maybe because the situation was so urgent, my mind instead became calm.
‘Run…? No, it is already too late.’
In front of death, hundreds of thousands of possibilities flash through your mind.
Among them, I had to find the single option with the highest chance of survival.
“Get down!!!!”
‘Get down? Are you telling me to die?’
Ignoring the instructor’s useless shout, I kept thinking again and again.
‘I have to live. I must survive.’
At this very moment, my thinking speed was like a supercomputer.
The moment I came up with the best solution, I moved without hesitation.
“Please!”
Instead of creating distance, I did the opposite and grabbed the magic bomb lying on the ground.
If it exploded right now, I would die instantly.
Yes, this was a gamble.
‘Do not explode. Do not explode. Please.’
I tightened my arm with all my strength and threw the magic bomb toward the empty space behind us.
Whoooosh!
The bomb shot forward in a straight line after leaving my hand.
Before it even touched the ground, time ran out and it exploded brilliantly.
KWA BOOOOM!!!
‘Seriously….’
After the loud explosion, silence followed.
Only one thought filled my mind.
“I almost died.”
As the extreme tension faded, it felt like not only the strength in my body but even my soul had drained away.
“Haa.”
It was a miraculous survival. And I was not the only one who survived.
“Hyung… hyung!!! You are seriously crazy!”
Derek, who had been right next to me, clung to me with tears almost in his eyes.
“Th… thank you. I survived because of you.”
“If that had exploded….”
.
.
The other cadets around us all expressed their gratitude.
If it were not for me, they would have died or been severely injured.
‘I did not do it to save them, but I guess the result is what matters.’
In the end, it turned out well for everyone.
“Cadet.”
While I was responding to countless handshakes, the instructor who had been handling the situation approached.
“Cadet, Palan!”
“You did not respond according to my instruction.”
I expected words like “Excellent” or “Impressive,” but I was completely wrong.
“Therefore, for disobeying orders, I will deduct 1 point.”
‘What? Is he insane?’
I saved his uniform from being taken off, and this is how he repays me?
“What? What are you talking about?”
“He saved people and you deduct points instead of giving bonus points?”
Not only me, but the other cadets also glared at the instructor in disbelief.
‘So they can actually take my side too.’
Even if they are useless, they are still nobles. Somehow that felt reassuring.
“But.”
The instructor, who had been receiving contemptuous stares, broke the silence and continued.
“At that moment, it cannot be denied that it was the best possible decision. You saved many lives. The result was outstanding.”
Is he trying to give both carrot and stick? His words changed so easily.
“Thank you!”
“Since it was exemplary behavior, I will grant 3 bonus points. Make sure you do not lose the quick judgment you showed today after commissioning.”
“Yes, sir!!!”
After deducting 1 point and giving 3 bonus points, I ended up gaining 2 points. I felt relieved.
‘But what kind of nonsense is this?’
Deduct first, then reward. I bet he thinks he looked cool just now.
“And the one who threw the magic bomb toward his fellow cadets….”
The praise session ended, and the instructor’s voice turned cold as he looked toward someone.
At the end of his gaze, the terrified bomb-thrower was trembling.
“Hii… I am sorry!”
He bowed deeply, sweating cold sweat, but that kind of mistake cannot be overlooked so easily.
‘You deserve to get hit.’
“I am tired.”
Since there was an accident during training, I thought they might give us a break today.
Of course, that did not happen.
‘No mercy, no consideration. Truly hopeless.’
At least the class was in the auditorium, so it was not physically exhausting.
But fighting off sleep was another kind of torture.
“Ahem, can everyone hear me?”
After all the cadets entered the auditorium, a man with an unfamiliar face stepped onto the stage and spoke into an amplification magic tool.
“You there, the gray-haired cadet in the back.”
“Ca… Cadet Barus!!!!!”
“Nice voice. Can you hear me well?”
“Yes, sir!!!!!”
“Good. Instructor, give that cadet bonus points. Excellent.”
“Al… understood.”
The instructor answered reluctantly.
‘He is just shouting because of three hours of PTSD, and it turns into bonus points.’
What ridiculous luck.
“If you told me to do it, I could shout that loud too.”
Ion looked at Barus with jealousy.
Honestly, I felt the same.
‘Luck is part of skill, sure, but why does it go to him?’
Major Barus should be losing points, not gaining them.
But what can a mere cadet do? The man on stage is the real authority.
“Nice to meet you all. I am Major Jabein, and I teach tactics at this training camp.”
Clap clap clap!
For the first time since enlistment, we saw a proper greeting. The cadets applauded.
‘So that is why the instructor could not say anything when he ordered bonus points.’
The instructor here is only a First Lieutenant. Compared to a Major, the difference is heaven and earth.
“Maybe because this batch is all nobles, I can feel a different kind of elegance compared to before.”
Perhaps that is why he seemed relaxed. He felt more like a university professor.
“Since today is the second day, you probably did some basic drills. I heard the running was canceled. Is that right?”
He asked a cadet in the front row.
“Yes, sir!”
“You all look very disciplined after drills. In my class, you do not need to be that stiff. Relax a little. Just do not fall asleep.”
In other words, if you fall asleep, you lose points.
“We do not have much time, so let us begin. First, receive the textbook being handed out.”
Assistants distributed books about two finger joints thick.
<Basic Theory of Military Tactics>
“You will study this for three days. It was originally a two-week course, but you know why it was shortened.”
Without thinking, I lifted the book to feel its weight.
‘Finish this in just three days?’
That is nearly impossible. No, just impossible.
“For reference, I do not plan to go easy just because time is short. In three days, you will take an exam based on this book. You can lose up to 10 points, so keep that in mind.”
I thought he was a good person at first.
But now he started dropping bombs one by one.
‘No wonder he is high rank. He speaks kindly, but he is just another devil.’
Maybe even worse.
“Let us begin. Chapter 1 is about the relationship between terrain and tactics. The front part is useless. Open to page 7.”
Flap flap flap!
The sound of pages turning filled the auditorium.
“Terrain is one of the three key factors to consider when planning tactics.”
Scratch scratch.
I turned my head and saw Ion writing down everything Jabein said.
‘Elites are different.’
There is always a reason smart people succeed.
“Think about it. If there is a cliff, is it safer to be on top or below? Obviously on top.”
“…….”
“But the enemy knows that too. Then what decision should the field commander make? Anyone want to answer?”
Ion’s hand shot up instantly.
“You there. Answer.”
“Cadet Ion. We must plan tactics to occupy the high ground before the enemy.”
“Correct. But what if the enemy clearly has superior numbers? If you clash head-on, defeat is certain.”
“Uh….”
Ion was speechless. He had not thought that far.
“It is okay. Answer as you think.”
“I… I am not sure. If we cannot take the high ground, perhaps another approach.”
“That can happen. Sit down.”
Ion sat with a disappointed expression.
“Anyone else want to answer?”
No one raised a hand.
‘If we cannot take the high ground….’
My brain is not great, but I forced myself to think.
‘If we cannot take it, then the battle is unfavorable. If it is unfavorable….’
My hand shot up as soon as I found a plausible answer.
“Oh, cadet. Go ahead.”
“Cadet Palan. If we give the high ground to the enemy, we should retreat to a location where that terrain advantage disappears.”
“Retreat.”
Jabein stroked his chin thoughtfully.
‘Was that not good?’
For soldiers, it might not sound heroic. They only think about charging.
But thankfully, the Major was different.
Clap clap!
“It is not the answer I expected, but excellent.”
A strange thrill rose inside me.
“Instructor, give that cadet bonus points.”
“Thank you!!!!”
With the reward following the praise, I shouted louder than ever since enlistment.
‘Teacher, I love you.’
If God exists, he must look like this man.
“To overcome numerical inferiority, you must think flexibly. Do not forget that.”
Flexible thinking.
A phrase that does not suit the army at all.
“Next is mountain warfare tactics. Since the western front, the main battlefield, is mountainous, memorize the entire section.”
About thirty pages.
I thought he would explain it, but he just told us to memorize it.
‘If it is important, should he not teach it?’
The teaching method felt strange.
“Oh, by the way, cadets, do you know what happened yesterday regarding the war?”
The cadets shook their heads.
‘When I came in, the situation was already bad. Did something happen?’
The western border defense line had collapsed from a surprise attack, and battles were ongoing at the newly established line.
But that does not mean we are losing badly.
‘The real war has not even begun yet.’
The Aditz Empire and the Lycan Empire, where I belong.
There are other kingdoms, but these two dominate the continent.
Even though Aditz attacked first, both empires have too much to lose to go all out easily.
‘They must be negotiating above.’
Diplomacy to avoid total war.
I even read in the newspaper that talks were ongoing without progress because their demands were too different.
“You might be very disappointed when you hear this. Do you still want to know?”
He asked a cadet in the front row. The cadet nodded without hesitation.
“If the cadet wants to know, I should tell you. His Majesty has recalled the envoys stationed at the border after the Aditz Empire made excessive demands. Surprised?”
‘W… what?’
My eyes widened. And I was not the only one.
“Th… then does that mean the war is really starting?”
One cadet asked with a trembling voice.
“Most likely. His Majesty has ordered war preparations. Now all that remains is for us to go out and fight.”
‘That is the hardest part!’
He says it so easily.
“Rumor says they demanded fifty percent of the Orkan Mine’s shares. Does that even make sense?”
‘What is the Orkan Mine?’
Apparently, I never cared about geography.
“That mine is managed by the Duke of Belburn’s family, if I remember correctly. Is anyone here from that house?”
Ion raised his hand.
“So all the empire’s nobles are gathered here. As a member of the Duke of Belburn’s family, what do you think of Aditz’s demand?”
Ion answered without hesitation.
“It is insane. If they truly made that demand, war is justified.”
His voice was full of disgust. He looked genuinely angry.
“The higher-ups think the same, which is why we are preparing for war. Sit down.”
After Ion sat down, I could not hold back my curiosity and whispered.
“Is it that important?”
“Thirty percent of the empire’s mana stones come from the Orkan Mine. If they demand fifty percent of that… it basically means they have no intention of negotiating.”
Mana stones.
An essential material for making magic tools, more valuable than gold of the same weight.
‘And his family manages that place?’
I already knew he was rich, but this is on another level.
