Ch.14014. First Rule of Engagement. The God-Machine Soldier is Not Omnipotent.

If you were to ask who is the best at Demeia Academy, where even the faculty is counted among the elite, there would be much debate. But if you were to ask who has crossed the most fierce battlefields, without question, this man would be chosen.

Alexander Stigma Hamilton.

With a scar running across the middle of his face and a prosthetic left arm made from magical engineering, he had suffered an accident during the war that severed his left arm. While piloting a Goliath, he was hit and not only lost his left arm but had it completely obliterated, making it impossible even for church priests to regrow it.

No matter how miraculous the power of faith wielded by priests might be, regrowing a completely vanished arm was in the realm of miracles that couldn’t be achieved without the presence of a saint.

For this reason, Alexander, a fierce general who fought for the Empire, had no choice but to retire from the imperial army. Even with a magical engineering prosthetic, it was difficult to perform the delicate operations that a natural arm could, and piloting a Goliath was precisely a collection of such delicate operations.

When he realized he could no longer operate a Goliath as before, he decided to retire. Though he was exceptional at devising strategies and could have served as a tactician, he refused. In his own mind, he was a general who used his talents to lead from the front lines.

With nowhere else to go, it was Marquis Lucas, who had fought alongside him on the battlefield, who extended a hand to him. This was how he came to be a professor of Goliath operations at Demeia Academy, to train the next generation.

Gilbert was also well acquainted with this figure. He felt somewhat familiar with him, especially since he played an important role in the main storyline that would unfold at the academy.

“Some cadets may know about this professor, and some may not.”

No cadet nodded at Alexander’s words. That was to be expected, as there was no way any Demeia Academy cadet wouldn’t know about this war hero who had achieved glorious feats before his retirement.

He was the second son of the Hamilton family, one of the influential noble houses, so he was well-known among the nobility due to both his family’s prestige and his own achievements. Even among commoners, there was hardly anyone who didn’t know Alexander’s life story, which was a favorite subject of minstrels.

“But that’s not so important. This professor’s goal is to train cadets to survive on the battlefield, and the cadets’ job is to receive this professor’s teachings and return safely from that hellish place.”

His brief statement implied much. It was a clear warning not to take the battlefield lightly.

The cadets’ gazes naturally drifted to his prosthetic arm. Though it might have been considered rude, Alexander merely smirked.

“Yes, this professor is living proof. As you cadets can see, I lost my left arm on the battlefield and subsequently retired from the military. Was I careless? Absolutely not. Had I been careless, this professor wouldn’t be standing before you cadets now.”

Professor Alexander spoke calmly, but the cadets couldn’t hide their chilling feeling. As if death’s shadow had brushed against their napes, some even shivered slightly.

Gilbert, too, deeply engraved in his heart the fact that this was not a game. One careless moment, and it wouldn’t be an arm but a head that would fly off.

“The subject that cadets will learn from this professor is officially called Goliath Operations. Cadets admitted to Demeia Academy surely possess at least minimal talent for handling Goliaths. If war breaks out and you participate, it’s clear that cadets will become knights piloting Goliaths. Therefore, this professor will teach cadets how to operate Goliaths to the best of their abilities, and additionally, how to survive on the battlefield.”

The teachings of a Grade 2 Knight who had roamed battlefields until recently were a precious experience that couldn’t be bought with money. Though he could no longer perform precise operations due to his severed arm, a Grade 2 Knight possessed the power to knock down any newly admitted cadet no matter how many charged at him.

Gilbert was also looking forward to Alexander’s teachings. In the game, it was described as “attending lectures,” but in reality, there was nothing more tedious than actually sitting through lectures. Since the scenes would appropriately transition to the end of the lecture, this was his first time actually attending one.

“Judging by the cadets’ expressions, it seems you understand well. Then, I shall proceed with the lecture.”

Professor Alexander nodded as he saw the cadets’ eyes sparkling at his words. Indeed, being in the Grade 1 class, their scholarly enthusiasm and vitality were almost tangible.

“Before beginning the lecture, I ask the cadets: What do you think about Goliaths?”

It was an extremely fundamental question yet abstract at the same time. The cadets found it difficult to gauge Alexander’s true intention in asking about their thoughts on Goliaths, the culmination of magical engineering.

Even Gilbert found it hard to understand what the war hero professor was asking. So he reframed the question in his mind, thinking of the Goliath as a combat aircraft he had risked his life piloting.

That gave him an answer.

“Was my question difficult? There’s no correct answer. Just tell me your opinions without reservation.”

In Gilbert’s judgment, what Alexander was asking the cadets wasn’t really about their thoughts on Goliaths. Like asking a pilot about their flight philosophy, Professor Alexander was inquiring about their operational philosophy regarding Goliaths.

How one thought about Goliaths would determine how one piloted them.

And to Gilbert, who had experienced war, the meaning that both fighter jets and Goliaths held was singular.

“Would you like to answer?”

Alexander’s finger pointed at Hans. Though he seemed a bit surprised by the sudden selection, he opened his mouth with unexpected composure.

“Your name?”

“Hans, sir!”

“Well, Hans. What do you think about Goliaths?”

“I think they are shields protecting the Empire’s citizens.”

“An interesting perspective. Why do you think of them as shields?”

“Because Goliaths are at the forefront of war.”

“That’s not incorrect. But you’re well aware that Goliaths have mobility limitations. Wars don’t end in an instant. Therefore, Goliaths move cautiously, like pieces on a chessboard. It’s fair to say they rarely stand at the vanguard. What do you think about that?”

“Then wouldn’t the enemy also deploy Goliaths? If we wait until the mobility limit, damage will accumulate. Considering that, I believe it’s not unreasonable for them to be at the forefront.”

“That’s also correct. Good. Then what do you think?”

After Hans’s response, Alexander selected several others in turn to hear their opinions. Some called it a sharp sword, others the culmination of magical engineering. If not that, then to some it was a dream, a future.

“Lastly, would you like to answer?”

Alexander’s finger pointed at Gilbert.

His sharp gaze poured over Gilbert as if analyzing him.

Whether it was because he had seen Gilbert’s piloting during the entrance mock battle or because of the rumors surrounding him, the reason was unclear. But he didn’t mind much. It was a situation he was already accustomed to, and he had a firm opinion about Goliaths.

“They are killing machines.”

A cold silence descended upon the classroom. Since Demeia Academy had many noble-born cadets, they didn’t hesitate to attach flowery descriptions to Goliaths.

The shield protecting the Empire.

The blade pointing at the Empire’s enemies.

The culmination of magical engineering.

And so on, all embellished words.

As always with noble speech and conduct, elegance was emphasized, and with many such cadets, even commoner cadets naturally used their limited linguistic skills to embellish Goliaths.

It wasn’t that they didn’t understand the meaning Goliaths held. After all, if one thought about why Goliaths were active as war machines, their purpose was clear.

For example, if one considered why Goliaths weren’t used in industries like construction, one could understand why they were only used as war machines.

The reason was that the cost of maintaining a Goliath was not insignificant.

Just maintaining a general-purpose Goliath at Demeia Academy for a month cost enough to run a medium-sized territory for about a year. If asked whether using them in industries like construction would be cost-effective, one would naturally shake their head. Including the value of the pilot operating the Goliath, it was not economically viable.

But war was different.

The rights gained when victorious versus the rights lost when defeated.

When comparing these two on a scale, no matter how astronomical the cost, one had no choice but to operate Goliaths. The emergence of Goliaths became the starting point for encouraging wars between nations and shaped the current continental landscape.

War always brought money, and money became the strength of the nation.

In that sense, Goliaths, used only as war machines, were killing machines. After all, what a war machine could do in war was kill enemy soldiers.

But the reason no one here expressed it that way was because, as nobles or under noble influence, they elegantly circumvented the direct statement.

As if that were a virtue.

To Gilbert, or rather to Kang Do-jun, the Air Force pilot who had experienced the Third World War in his previous life, when thinking of Goliaths, they were nothing more or less than killing machines. As a soldier who had moved for his country and national interests, he had earned the title of the world’s best pilot, but that title meant he had killed many people.

Therefore, he simply couldn’t attach any flowery descriptions to a war machine. Like all soldiers who had gone to war, he was the same.

“Are you Gilbert?”

“Yes, Professor.”

“Is the Count in good health?”

“He won’t falter for the next 30 years.”

Alexander’s eyes grew a bit distant. He recalled the days when, as a rookie, he had shared hardships with Count William under Marquis Lucas. At that time, it was the current Count of Lithuania, the Iron Border Count, who had guided him when he lacked much.

He felt the weight of the years as he thought about returning to the Count’s child the question that Count William had once asked him on a battlefield.

“That’s good to hear. Please convey my regards.”

“I will.”

“I’ve digressed. So you said they are killing machines?”

Alexander, ceasing to trace his fading memories, shook off the remnants and focused on the current situation.

He recalled hearing that the Iron Border Count’s eldest son was no better than a good-for-nothing. Considering the source of the rumor, he thought it must be true.

‘But should one judge everything based on that alone?’

Alexander’s eyes sank heavily.

He had rolled through battlefields for 10 years. During that time, he had countless brushes with death, and it was common for comrades who had laughed and talked with him one day to return as cold corpses from the battlefield the next.

That wasn’t all. There were informants who backstabbed in bleak battles and numerous traitors who stabbed from behind.

Experiencing such things for about 10 years naturally honed his ability to judge people. And when evaluating Gilbert with such eyes, he couldn’t help but doubt the veracity of the rumors.

‘Should such eyes be called those of a good-for-nothing?’

It’s often said that one can know a person by looking into their eyes. Alexander also tended to agree with this opinion, and it was generally accurate. What he felt when looking into Gilbert’s eyes was that he was like a comrade who had rolled through battlefields with him. A mysterious mixture of regret, hatred, and emptiness felt when returning alive from that horrific place.

He was surely the young master of the Count’s family who had never even been to a battlefield, yet Alexander couldn’t understand why he felt this way.

“That’s right. Given that Goliaths can only be used as war machines, their purpose is predetermined. And to express it briefly, I believe they are nothing more or less than killing machines.”

“That’s also correct.”

Alexander had similar thoughts. No matter how one packaged Goliaths, as long as they were used in war, they were war machines. And the purpose of war machines is focused on killing enemy soldiers.

Not intending to discuss views on Goliaths indefinitely, Alexander struck the podium to refresh the atmosphere.

“There’s no correct answer to what this professor asked the cadets. It’s fair to say that everything the cadets thought is correct. The reason this professor posed such a question was simply to understand what thoughts you have about Goliaths. And based on that foundation, I hope you’ll take to heart what this professor says.”

He began to set the tone for the formal lesson. There was one thing he had taught students first since he ascended to the podium and became a professor.

He wrote that teaching on the blackboard as if drawing a picture without hesitation.

“First combat rule: Goliaths are not omnipotent.”

Ten years of experience.

He shared the truths he had realized with the talents who would become the future of the Empire.