The Ferry Crosses the Rubicon

Click!

As I turned on the ceiling light, the view of the small conference room came into sight.

“Wow… it’s spacious. I didn’t even know a place like this existed.”

The sight of about a hundred seats gathered in a semicircular, tiered formation centered around the central podium was reminiscent of a modern university lecture hall. There couldn’t be a more suitable place for a presentation rehearsal.

Was there a set number of conference rooms allocated for each year?

Perhaps because it was a space too overwhelming for cadets who couldn’t even properly memorize the instructors’ names yet, we were able to borrow it without any wait.

“How did you know about this?”

“It was all in the military academy guidebook.”

I brushed off Lina’s question as I looked down at the spacious podium and took a seat in the front row.

Creak─

Let’s see how well she’s prepared.

The research project, or rather the Magic Tactics Planning Department report presentation, takes place with the full attendance of the officer in charge, the student affairs head, and all department members.

For the Magic Tactics Planning Department, Derian in charge, Acting Officer Rommer, and Department Heads Itrit and Berto would lead the evaluation. Originally, it would have been conducted under Officer Lutz’s attendance, but now Rommer has taken that place.

Anyway, the fact that they’re both men of weight hasn’t changed.

Many children will coldly evaluate the assignment and ask sharp questions. For the already timid Erika, this preparation will serve as a good medicine to prevent her from trembling during the actual presentation.

“Ahem! Well then…”

Rustle!

“I will now begin the presentation─!”

Erika, who had been muttering to herself several times while staring at what appeared to be a script, finally raised her hand high. She started her introduction while pinning a large black and white photo to the blackboard.

“I, I have written about ‘Bern’s Vulnerabilities in Preparing for Severe Cold and Countermeasures’… based on books stored in the department and literature that I received permission to use from Instructor Gartel, Officer Derian, and Officer Rommer.”

She didn’t approach it playfully just because only cadets were present. She used formal speech as if considering Lina and me as her superiors.

“Also, to enhance the usefulness of the research, I wrote the report assuming the Federation as an enemy country, so I would be grateful if you could take this into account…”

She looks quite nervous.

Erika swept her gaze over the empty chairs above her as if imagining the small conference room, which had only two people besides herself, was bustling with people.

It was a good attempt, but did it perhaps cause unnecessary anxiety? Although she continued speaking steadfastly despite her trembling shoulders, she couldn’t keep her fingers still, and her pronunciation kept slipping due to her trembling tongue.

“You’re doing well, don’t be nervous.”

I gave Erika, who was looking at me pitifully, a thumbs up with a wink for encouragement.

After all, she’s a cadet who probably hasn’t had many proper external activities, and she was originally so shy that she couldn’t even speak to her classmates. I encouraged her, thinking generously that this was a stage of skill development.

“U-um… ahem! Then, first I will comment on the current state of Bern’s winter combat uniforms!”

As expected, Erika quickly regained her vitality.

“Assuming we carry out an advance operation towards Federation territory in winter, before smoothly executing this, there are two major problems existing in Bern.”

Click!

She pointed at the picture she had already attached with a wooden stick provided along with the blackboard.

“In the case of the winter combat uniforms officially adopted by Bern today, as you can see, inadequacies are revealed in many aspects.

Although it’s not an exaggeration to say that it’s superior in appearance compared to other countries… honestly, I think essential functions for survival, such as heat retention, are crude compared to the Federation’s winter uniforms.”

At the end of the stick Erika was wielding was a picture comparing the fabric components of the Federation and Bern’s combat uniforms, dissecting each.

“Unlike the Federation, which excels in heat retention based on expertise gained through long periods of harsh climate, Bern’s uniforms are made focusing on temperate climates, making it difficult to withstand sub-zero weather.

When I personally experimented by wearing clothes from each country alternately in a freezer… ugh, as expected, Bern’s uniform was so cold that I couldn’t even move my fingers properly.”

What she critically focused on was the problem of uniforms that only emphasized outward appearance.

“Just as the Gallic Republic suffered devastating damage when encountering winter as a powerful enemy during its invasion of other countries in the past, Bern also needs to improve this without neglect. As for countermeasures…”

She mentioned the chronic defect of uniforms made solely for external appearance, lacking the necessary heat retention and causing soldiers to freeze to death. As a countermeasure, she suggested new development using warm fur and dense materials mimicking the Federation’s uniforms.

This is better than I expected.

I raised my eyebrows as I watched Erika, who started with simple points and then spewed out a series of pre-prepared methods. I knew what topic she would write her report on, but I didn’t know her presentation would be this excellent.

Above all, she accurately pointed out what would later be identified as a factor in the defeat of the Great War. I couldn’t help but highly appreciate Erika’s insight.

I also quite liked her approach of using past examples as a stepping stone for lessons and discussing rational measures. Although it might be difficult to compare with senior cadets, it belonged to the upper ranks among the candidates.

The next topic Erika brought up was similar.

“The second problem is! The lack of preparation for the geographical characteristics of the Federation.”

Tap!

Following the wooden stick that had moved down one level with my eyes, a word in the Federation language was displayed.

“Rasputitsa is a prime example of this.”

Rasputitsa (распу́тица).

Just imagining it makes me groan in disgust.

The memory of barely enduring the murderous cold of the Federation’s December, trying to continue the advance again, only to have the entire division become bogged down and isolated on the front line not long after, vividly came back to me.

Unlike us who mostly have mild climates, the Federation had many areas full of swamps. At least in winter, they were frozen solid, making movement easier. But when spring comes and the ice soon turns to water, melting into the mud…

“Armored vehicles can become immobile, and heavy equipment like field artillery and anti-tank guns may have to be abandoned on the battlefield.”

Rustle, thud!

Erika changed the picture to one of a tank completely submerged in mud.

“However, although I asked Instructor Gartel, both officers in charge, and even the senior in charge of the school library and went through various materials, I couldn’t find any strategy or tactics book that described this in detail…”

Even if there were any, they wouldn’t be of very good quality.

No matter how secretly Bern was increasing its military power, officially, as the number of officers was limited by treaty, they were overwhelmed just trying to produce the necessary literature.

The military academy and the general staff were abolished too.

There was no leisure to record mock winter combat tactics books treating the Federation, Bern’s only friendly nation, as an enemy country.

Of course, that doesn’t mean Erika’s point was wrong.

Anyway, it was an appropriate point for a cadet to bring up, as the majority of those serving as instructors at the Astrakhan Military Academy didn’t even know there was a term called Rasputitsa.

Rather, I was proud of Erika for not limiting her investigation to just the weather conditions of severe cold, but also pinpointing the closely related characteristics of the Federation.

“A-ahem! As a solution to Rasputitsa, I would like to suggest the construction of bridges using logs and metal structures, and the wide-gauge tracks recorded to have been used by the Federation since the imperial era…?”

After about twenty minutes, Erika finally turned the last page of her script.

Clap clap clap─!

“Good job.”

“Th-that’s the end, thank you!”

When I applauded her as Erika stood awkwardly and hesitated, she bowed deeply and with quick steps,

“H-how was it, how was it?”

She sat on the podium opposite to where Lina and I were seated, flapping her arms and blinking her eyelids.

“You really did well. Even though you were a bit anxious at first, as you went on, you didn’t stutter, your eye contact was good, and above all, I liked how confidently you spoke.”

“Ahem! L-Lina…?”

“The topics of combat uniforms and Rasputitsa were novel, and I found the comparison of winter uniforms between the Federation and the Empire particularly interesting. It was a presentation that showed your effort.”

As expected, it was all praise. Even Lina, who had been listening quietly to the presentation, nodded in satisfaction.

You must have been tired, but it’s admirable.

We continued sparring without skipping a day. There was no proper time to store up energy, and each day was accompanied by muscle pain and fatigue. Yet Erika completed her assignment perfectly.

Erika’s most formidable weapon might be her perseverance. At least from my perspective, there wouldn’t be more than a handful of cadets who could do better than this.

“Now then…”

Is it Lina’s turn?

Whisk, whisk!

Erika and I turned our heads almost simultaneously towards her, who was resting her chin on her hand.

“…Me?”

The girl could only point at herself in response to the converging gazes.

---

It’s a peacefulness I haven’t savored in a while. To think that no incidents have occurred in Astrakhan, which was always busy with commotion, how long has it been?

I was able to handle my duties while appropriately enjoying some leisure.

It was certainly something to be happy about as the principal.

But why?

One corner of my chest feels heavy, and the uneasiness doesn’t go away.

‘Politics and the military should be separate.’

Politics is like a drug to soldiers who need to control their thinking rationally. The moment personal emotions and ideologies intervene in commanding national defense, the shield that should protect the people and the country changes direction and becomes a blade.

‘Yena Freud…’

Yes, she’s quite a versatile child. Despite her status as a commoner, which is prone to prejudice, she has enough authority to lead all the cadets.

She was an admirably good student as a principal.

If it weren’t for the bomb she brought, she would have been perfect.

Due to just one cadet, and not even a formally commissioned candidate, political factions that had been taboo until now have formed.

There was no legal issue as the formation of political groups wasn’t strictly regulated by military law. However, the moment politics mixes into the organization that should be united as an army, division is inevitable.

‘Even the instructors are starting to show such aspects.’

It was one of the most concerning points.

Even the officers who had been united under the soldier spirit, despite being divided into conciliatory and opposition factions in policy matters, have started to split into factions centered around the Labor Party.

It wasn’t that I particularly wanted to ostracize the Labor Party.

I also supported their rearmament policy.

However, this is a matter of discipline.

In today’s Astrakhan, Yena is the political faction. Now that she has been reborn as a political symbol through her Bern speech, the Bern military will be torn apart and treated like a toy under Erdoff.

“Sigh…”

Looking at Yena’s abilities alone, she’s a kid I really like, but it’s truly troubling.

Thud─!

“Commander, there’s urgent news from Bern.”

Did such heavy feelings bring misfortune?

Rustet gently closed his eyes as if sensing something.

Being called by his military title rather than as principal, and the secretary coming with such a flushed face, meant there was an urgent call from the Bern National Command, not from within the school.

“…Speak.”

He didn’t reprimand the secretary who had opened the door so forcefully that it broke the quiet atmosphere, but just nodded with a stern expression.

“The, the President of the National Government in the East has broken the agreement and entered into civil war.”

Slowly,

The embers that had died down at the cost of millions of blood drops began to revive.