The field training program, which I thought would be full of complications, ended up going surprisingly smoothly.
Originally, the plan was to choose a nearby location for safety and cost reasons. But this time, the northern side offered to cover all the expenses, so there was no hesitation in picking it as our destination.
Even the princess who was acting as the student council president said that organizing and getting approvals for the paperwork went incredibly smoothly. She mentioned how rare it was for external events to go this easily, sounding a bit relieved.
Even if it was just one class of first-year students, the cost couldn’t have been cheap. The fact that they were willing to pay for everything showed just how much the Grand Duke loved his daughter.
“…Does he really want to see me that badly?”
And just like that, our field training plans for the North were quickly finalized.
Some students from other classes complained about how only our class got to go, but once I explained that the Grand Duke had personally singled me out, those complaints settled down pretty fast.
Excitement sparkled in the eyes of my classmates headed for the North.
I mean, even most regular citizens of the Empire don’t go there. Just the fact that we were going to another country was enough to make kids our age feel excited.
For the record, the Saintess came along as a kind of emergency medical staff, just in case, and the Princess joined us as a supporting guide.
While everyone else was full of anticipation, I felt nothing but dread the entire way.
Honestly, for first-years, there’s not much actual “training” involved in field training.
If I were to compare it to something from my past life, it felt more like a school trip. It’s technically for observation, not actual work. But to me, it felt like I was being conscripted into the army.
The moment we arrived at the outskirts of the North, a sharp, icy wind greeted us.
“Brrr… i-it’s so cold… Mars, are you okay?”
“Hmm? Yeah, I’m holding up alright.”
Pollo who was clearly not used to this kind of cold kept shivering even though he was bundled up in warm clothes.
Well, it made sense. Since the inland areas of the Empire were always fairly mild, and the regions where Poklo and I lived never had harsh winters, this kind of brutal cold would be tough for most people to endure.
Me? Maybe because of memories from my past life, the cold was definitely biting, but still manageable.
The country I lived in before had extreme temperature swings between summer and winter, so even though this northern cold was harsh compared to the warmth of the Empire, it didn’t feel unbearable. It was just brisk.
Shiver, shiver, shiver…
But apparently, I was the only one who felt that way. The other students who came with us were all trembling like leaves in the wind.
“If we hang in there a little longer, we’ll be fine. Inside the Northern Grand Duchy, they use magic devices that regulate the temperature, so it’s not this cold indoors.”
At Frezia’s words, a bit of relief spread across the students’ faces.
Time passed, and we finally arrived at the Grand Duchy of the North.
Unlike the Empire, the white snowy backdrop and the chilly aura given off by the fortress walls of the Grand Duchy made the place feel a little… intimidating.
The guards, having apparently been informed about our arrival in advance, only carried out a light, formal inspection before letting us in. The entry process went quickly.
I figured the proper etiquette would be to greet the Grand Duke first, so we headed toward the castle. I assumed Frezia would take the lead…
But instead, one of the guards stepped forward to escort us.
“……”
Was it because her notorious lack of direction was well-known even in her own homeland? Frezia looked a little sulky but didn’t argue and just followed behind the soldier in silence.
Before long, we arrived at the Northern Grand Duchy’s castle, made of solid black iron, and headed straight for the audience chamber to meet the Duke.
“Hmm… First of all, welcome to the North.”
…What the hell is that?
At first glance, I thought he was a bandit.
When people think of the Grand Duke of the North, they usually imagine a refined nobleman who was handsome, with skin as pale as snow. But the man standing before us looked more like the leader of a bandit gang fresh off a hunt than any elegant nobleman.
And it wasn’t just me who thought that. I could see the students around me visibly startled, some even stepping back in shock the moment they saw his face.
“It’s an honor to meet you. Thank you for graciously accepting what might have seemed like a rather rude request on our part.”
“There’s no need to call it rude. This is for the sake of the students, isn’t it? Future leaders of the continent who’ll guide us into an age of glory. It’s only right to do whatever I can for them.”
Our homeroom teacher and escorting professor, Professor Idrus, bowed his head first and expressed his gratitude. In response, the Grand Duke welcomed us with a hearty laugh, as if to say this was nothing worth fussing over.
His laid-back, warm demeanor eased the tension in the room. Even the students who had been stiff with anxiety began to relax, lowering their shoulders one by one.
And when he looked at Frezia, standing among us, the way his eyes softened and overflowed with affection made it impossible not to believe the rumors about him being an over-the-top doting father.
Just as I was starting to feel relieved by the friendlier mood, the Grand Duke’s expression suddenly shifted and his eyes narrowed as he threw out a question.
“There’s just one thing. Answer this one question, and you’ll all be able to enjoy a very comfortable stay here in the duchy.”
“What might that be, Your Grace?”
“…Which one of you is Mars Noctus?”
As soon as he asked, every single gaze in the room snapped to me.
Oh no.
I’m screwed.
***
“Hmm… The harvest on the western front has dropped significantly. Could it be due to the recent unstable temperatures…? I suppose I’ll have to release some of the reserve grain to stabilize things for now.”
Inside the Emperor’s office.
The Emperor, the head of the Empire’s power, was hard at work in his office, buried under a relentless stream of reports.
His hands moved with almost divine speed as he scanned the documents and issued precise solutions on the spot. But, in truth, his mind was elsewhere.
I wonder if Asteria is doing well over there… It’s supposed to be cold in the North. She won’t catch a cold, will she…?
His daughter, Princess Asteria, had accompanied the first-years’ field training as an observer. He was so worried about her that her safety and well-being consumed his thoughts, even as he worked.
For an ordinary person, performing flawlessly while being distracted would be unthinkable. But he was an Emperor with exceptional capabilities, so it wasn’t particularly difficult.
Haaah… That damn brat. I heard he’s the reason she ended up in the North again. He’s ridiculously clueless, yet somehow always popular with women!
The Emperor had already received a full account of the trip from his informants. Learning that Mars Noctus had once again been the central figure in the events, albeit unintentionally, stirred a quiet anger in him.
What truly baffled him, however, was how the boy remained completely oblivious despite Asteria clearly showing interest and making efforts to approach him.
Yet, even with that frustration, he couldn’t bring himself to interfere. Because in Asteria, he saw a reflection of his younger self.
When the Emperor had first laid eyes on the late Empress, he’d fallen in love at once. He’d pursued her relentlessly, forgetting that he was the heir to the Empire.
If he’d used his power, marrying her would have been as easy as breathing. But he didn’t want to win her that way. So he’d circled around her, unable to approach directly.
Watching his daughter walk the same path now made it impossible for him to intervene.
Still, he eventually did end up with the Empress. And with that vague hope that his daughter would also find her way to Mars, he waited for that uncertain day to come.
Tap—tap tap—
“Hmm?”
At the sudden sound of tapping on the glass, the Emperor turned around to see a bird pecking at his office window.
Given that his office was located on a high floor, this wasn’t entirely unheard of. But something about the unfamiliar bird’s behavior felt strange. When he opened the window, the bird flitted in and gently landed on his desk.
“This is… a paper bird?”
What stood out most was that the bird was made entirely of paper.
While he was wondering if it was imbued with magic, the bird slowly began to change shape and reverted to its original form of a folded letter.
The Emperor stared silently at the paper that had once been a bird. As if suspecting something, he unfolded the letter and began reading.
“……”
“…….!!”
Before even finishing the letter, the Emperor abruptly summoned the Prime Minister.
Moments later, the Prime Minister arrived at the office.
“Your Majesty, I came as soon as you—”
“Prime Minister. Come inside. Now!”
The Emperor cut him off before he could finish his greeting, urgently calling him in.
Sensing the gravity of the situation from the Emperor’s raised voice, the Prime Minister stepped inside and locked the door behind him.
He assumed that whatever was happening, it was something far too serious to be leaked outside.
“Your Majesty, please calm yourself. What has happened?”
“We must send troops to the Kingdom of Narok. Immediately!”
A shocking statement….the emperor actually wanted to deploy forces to another country.
Anyone hearing that would assume it meant war, and the Prime Minister couldn’t hide his alarm as he tried to stop the Emperor.
“Wh-What are you saying all of a sudden?! A war….this is madness! And the Kingdom of Narok is one of our allies, no less!”
“It’s not war! We’re sending them to save them!”
“What do you mean by that—!?”
The Emperor handed the letter over to the Prime Minister.
As the Prime Minister carefully read through it, his eyes widened in disbelief.
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