The Beginning of Survival Training

The clear chirping of crickets announced the dawn.

In the night sky, the waxing moon revealed its presence, shining brilliantly.

It was indeed a beautiful scene.

Clink─

Helena poured wine into a semicircular glass while looking at the training ground in its natural state, without a single person in sight.

As the purple liquid filled the glass, the sour scent of grape wine filled the room.

The wine flowing down the surface of the glass sparkled in the moonlight, showing off its brilliance. As a synonym for wealth and leisure, an air of antiquity prevailed.

“Haah…”

But Helena was not like that.

Her expression reflected in the glass was full of anguish and dejection.

‘Now it’s irreversible.’

She sensed that she had crossed a river of no return.

By my own will, I conducted a background investigation on the eldest son of the Streman family, who could be said to be the closest to the imperial family.

If discovered, everything would be over.

I had violated the unwritten rule among nobles, somehow ending up in a position where, from Wolf’s perspective, I was sharpening a knife behind his back.

To make a small excuse, it couldn’t be helped.

There was no other way.

How could I just sit still when, by adhering to my belief as the head maid of the family, the imperial princess might be expelled from the military academy?

I had to do something.

The most important thing wasn’t observing noble etiquette or keeping the unwritten rules between families, but supporting Lady Rina so she could live a life without any misfortune.

‘Even if it’s just an excuse…’

I should have prevented this from happening in the first place.

Even if I tried to justify myself by creating a grand cause about protecting the imperial princess, the reality was that I had violated an unwritten rule that should never have been broken.

Who could I lament to?

It was none other than me who had escalated the situation to this point…

“Damn it.”

Helena messed up her short hair with her hand propped on her elbow on the table, and weakly raised the wine glass to her lips.

It wasn’t sweet.

Only bitterness was felt.

The unbearable guilt weighing heavily on her body had even numbed her sense of taste.

If I had been just a little more careful, the situation wouldn’t have developed so harshly, and there certainly wouldn’t have been any need to worry about the imperial princess’s treatment.

It was all my fault.

It was my misjudgment and mistake.

I underestimated Yena just because she was a commoner. I made the mistake of thinking she was an insignificant person.

I should have been cautious…

I should have approached the mission more seriously…

I should have thoroughly considered the daily failures in tailing her, the moments when I lost her while following.

I should have quickly realized that Yena was not an ordinary cadet.

But I didn’t.

That carelessness led to the current result.

Click─

Helena took a deep swig of wine with a gloomy face.

Although she had taken out the alcohol to relieve her stuffy feelings, the more intoxicated she became, the more suffocating it felt.

Because the questions still weren’t properly resolved.

‘Who could be behind her?’

This incident had amplified her curiosity even more.

It seemed she already knew that Wolf was secretly plotting something with the equipment manager.

If she didn’t know, there would be no reason to specifically request an investigation on him, would there?

When there are so many other cadets…

That’s why it didn’t make sense.

No, on the other hand, it was shocking.

“Ha.”

Helena frowned, crossing her legs under the windowsill where starlight poured in.

Her hand holding the wine glass trembled slightly.

Doesn’t this mean she already knew everything Wolf was plotting?

Wolf’s meeting with the maintenance officer.

And Yena’s anger about it.

Unless one was completely oblivious, seeing all these circumstantial evidences, one couldn’t help but notice.

That Wolf, who met with the maintenance officer even breaking school rules, was the main culprit who had damaged Yena’s diving equipment.

In the end, it meant the girl had seen through everything.

The secret that even I didn’t know well, about who had tried to put her in danger by breaking her diving equipment.

It was surprising.

And impressive.

It seemed that rather than being afraid that the eldest son of the Streman family was plotting against her, she was planning a counterattack.

Indeed, she was no ordinary cadet.

An ordinary commoner would tremble just at the fact that an ancient family of the Empire was hostile towards them.

Hoping there would be no harsh treatment.

They would bow their heads, begging to be forgiven just once.

But Yena was different.

Rather, she demanded my silence, saying she would deal with it herself.

‘A head-on confrontation, huh.’

Helena’s eyes glinted coldly as she took a sip of wine.

It was interpreted as meaning she would end it with her own hands, without informing the principal and instructors of the military academy to open a disciplinary committee.

Doesn’t that mean she’s going to settle things with Wolf? At first glance, it seemed there was no chance of winning.

Wolf had a huge family backing him.

Of course, since the military academy was located in the Federation, it would be difficult for outside forces to intervene, but it wasn’t a small family, was it?

The Streman family was a noble family in name and reality with connections to political circles, so their name would certainly carry weight.

Yet she would fight taking all that on?

Anyone could see that Yena was at a disadvantage.

But it couldn’t be concluded that she would lose.

Given her personality, she wouldn’t even attempt a fight she thought she would lose.

That means she had confidence she could win, and what that implied was one thing.

An even stronger power──

It seemed she had such a formidable force behind her that she could dismiss Wolf as nothing.

‘What on earth does she have?’

To come out so confidently.

Helena’s head throbbed thinking about Yena, who was now so unfathomable.

A heavyweight politician?

A military officer equivalent to a general?

Or the Prime Minister?

She hoped these current imaginings were just delusions, but considering the aspects Yena had shown so far, it was hard to see them as groundless subjective beliefs.

“Haah…”

“Helena?”

With her mind in turmoil.

Helena was sighing deeply, filled with the smell of alcohol, when she flinched at a sudden voice.

“Ah, Your Highness.”

“Mmm, why aren’t you sleeping?”

The owner of the voice was Rina.

As soon as she confirmed it was her, Helena quickly erased her worried expression and greeted her with her usual demeanor.

Although she couldn’t hide her cheeks flushed from the alcohol.

‘I must have made too much noise.’

This was the imperial princess’s quarters.

I was staying here to assist her.

I had been at ease because the bedroom and living room were quite far apart, but it seems I woke her up by letting out too many sighs mixed with worry.

I was just sorry.

To think that I, who should be looking after the imperial princess the most, had caused her to lose sleep.

“I’m sorry, please go back to sleep.”

“There’s no need to bow your head like that. If there’s something troubling you, tell me. I’ll help as much as I can.”

“…Thank you for your encouragement.”

Helena grasped Rina’s shoulders as she smiled, rubbing her eyes with both hands, and once again guided her towards the bedroom inside.

‘Don’t become weak.’

Focus only on the imperial princess’s safety.

Prioritize that above everything else…

“You can go back to sleep now.”

“Mm, okay.”

“I’ll inform you as usual when morning comes.”

As she laid Rina down on the mattress, she inwardly repeated the same words dozens of times to straighten her resolve.

In any case, since her relationship with Yena was almost settled, it wasn’t something to be greatly concerned about.

Wouldn’t the deal end once she hands over the additional information about Manfred von Eckhart tomorrow morning?

Although she hadn’t even heard a hint about the third proposal yet…

‘That’s a matter for then.’

The most precious thing right now was the fragile girl before her eyes.

Wasn’t she worrying about me, a mere head maid?

She truly had a kind heart.

I must absolutely look after Lady Rina’s well-being.

As the current situation was flowing urgently as if some huge event was about to happen, Helena strengthened this creed even more and her eyes glinted coldly.

“Hmm, but Helena. I think I saw wine earlier, where did it come from? If you could give me even a little later…”

“That’s an item I purchased from outside, but I’m sorry. According to school rules, cadets are not allowed to drink alcohol, so I won’t be able to give you any.”

“But still…”

“Please sleep well.”

“Tch, alright.”

And so,

Click─!

Turning off the lights, she ended the long night.

---

A warm baguette and steaming milk.

“Munch.”

A morning that starts with these.

Click─ Click─

I walked down the corridor with a mug in one hand and bread in my mouth.

To participate in class.

And not just any class, but for the opening ceremony of the survival training, which could be called one of the highlights of the joint training.

“Finally, huh.”

Perhaps because of this, the air coming in coolly through the corridor windows felt especially refreshing today.

Anticipation and joy.

I was very much looking forward to what various things would happen in the survival training starting in just a few hours.

Rustle─!

Manfred von Eckhart.

What kind of plot he, whose detailed information was written on this paper, was scheming.

I didn’t expect it to come so soon in the morning.

Was Helena’s desire to not harm Rina really so desperate? I never imagined she would finish the investigation in just one day.

Even considering that it wasn’t such a difficult task to find out which of the remaining trainings he would be in charge of.

Well, it’s good for me.

The faster the better, as it gives more time to establish plans.

Thanks to this, I discovered a new fact, didn’t I?

That the possibility of the plan set up by Wolf and the equipment manager happening during the survival training was significantly low.

Is this fortunate?

Or unfortunate?

This survival training was handled by a different maintenance officer, not Manfred.

This meant that he had less opportunity to tamper with my belongings as he did in the diving training, in other words, it meant that at least this time I could be at ease.

Although I couldn’t be absolutely certain, it was quite meaningful data.

I’m grateful to Helena.

Isn’t she following along too naively?

Although it was an action based on the misunderstanding that my background was not ordinary, it was still commendable.

Rip, rip─!

There was no need to look at it anymore.

I had memorized most of it in my head.

I tore the document into small pieces, burned them in the wind, and let them flow out the window.

“Could I ask you for this?”

“Yes, please put it here.”

“Thank you.”

I smiled gently at the elf cleaner I suddenly encountered in the corridor, handing over the now empty ceramic mug.

“Then, take care.”

Then I hurried my steps.

“Hmm.”

Indeed, isn’t it comfortable?

Although the room facilities weren’t as good as the dormitory, considering conveniences like this, it could be seen as even better accommodation.

Unlike before when we had to go to the cafeteria to eat breakfast, at least breakfast was directly delivered and even cleaned up like this.

“I hope the training goes as smoothly.”

Having arrived at the end of the first-floor corridor before I knew it, I muttered briefly while tying my hair back.

Creak─!

At the same time, I pushed the main door open with both hands.

“We have to catch monsters?”

“They say there are even Grade 3 and above ones…”

“Hey, what rank are you aiming for…?”

“Hungry…”

The open space was full of bustle.

The sight of the entire first year gathered.

It was the first time since the previous entrance ceremony that nearly a thousand cadets gathered in one space.

It was that chaotic and noisy.

In some ways, it was majestic to see people in the same uniforms lined up in an orderly manner at regular intervals.

“Yena, over here!”

Even among them, Erika’s presence was firm.

Even with so many cadets crowded together, her figure waving her tiny hand in greeting was clear.

“Tsk.”

“……”

Including Wolf and Rina maintaining silence beside her.

Trudge─ Trudge─

I squeezed through the cadets following Erika’s gesture.

Even then, it was still inconvenient that my view was blocked by the shoulders of the cadets as my head was covered.

I wish I was in a growth phase.

If I could just grow one head taller, there would be no discomfort. Isn’t it possible to aim for that much growth when I’m still young and just a first-year?

“You can’t see either, huh.”

“Yeah, hehe…”

Should I say it’s fortunate that I’m at least taller than Erika?

Somehow, I felt a sense of kinship in the fact that we both couldn’t see the platform in front well.

It reminds me of the entrance ceremony.

It’s exactly the same situation as now.

The many, many cadets looking around with lively eyes, the imperial flags with eagle emblems hanging here and there…

“Everyone, attention!”

Even Principal Rustet starting his speech at the front.

A scene reminiscent of the past.

I curved my lips into a smile while raising my chin.

Then I focused.

“I will now begin the guidance for the survival training!”

Towards the principal opening his mouth at the front.