Discovering a Hidden Dragon

“A leave?”

“Yes, I’d like to visit my parents’ graves to pay respects, as I haven’t been able to do so for a while, and take a brief rest.”

Lustet tilted his head, as if it was an unexpected answer.

“Well, it’s possible… but is that enough?”

“I’m satisfied with that.”

In a way, it might seem like I’m settling for just a leave in exchange for the guarantee of a powerful figure like the Eastern Commander-in-Chief. Perhaps that’s why Lustet repeatedly asked, but I stuck to my opinion.

“What burdensome requests would a cadet have? A ten-day rest is sufficient.”

I even showed the image of a proud soldier with appropriate words.

From Lustet’s perspective, it might seem very modest, but in fact, it was a decision I made after deep contemplation.

It would be nice to receive material compensation.

Given that this old man is a figure that even those in political circles can’t easily touch, it would be easy to receive a large sum of money taking this offer as an opportunity. But what use would that be?

Value exists only if there’s a proper use for it. As long as I’m stuck in the military academy, tens of thousands of dena would only be useful for buying snacks and eating meat.

It’s not like I have any connections either.

Those with many relationships might be able to do something using helpers within the Empire with money received from the principal, but as a commoner, I would just be left twiddling my thumbs.

So I decided to go outside. More precisely, I decided to aim for power rather than compensation like money.

“Hoho, a warm heart that prioritizes family over money or honor! Your parents in heaven would surely be proud if they saw you. You should be sufficiently proud!”

Thud!

When Lustet burst into hearty laughter and grasped my hand, I sat demurely and gave a fresh eye-smile.

“Thank you.”

In fact, just hearing about visiting the grave would make one think I was a filial daughter.

But unfortunately, I wasn’t such a devout person. The claim of visiting my parents was just a surface reason, and I had a different true intention.

None other than intervening in the National Diet building fire incident.

After finishing the joint training and returning to the military academy, there was only a week left until the Diet building would burn down. I was contemplating whether to just let it pass…

Luckily, I got a chance to go outside the military academy, right? If so, I should know how to utilize this situation effectively.

“Then I think it would be okay to let that person from earlier in now.”

“Ah, right. Wait a moment.”

Seeing the principal who trusted me so firmly somehow made a part of my chest cold, but well, isn’t it good to be good? I continued to act as an innocent cadet until the end.

“Secretary, where did Party Leader Ernst go?”

“Ah, about that…”

As I watched Lustet go outside briefly and chatter with the secretary,

“Slurp.”

I sipped the espresso on the desk that I hadn’t noticed was served. Perhaps because I drank it with the joy of the deal being made, it was the best-tasting coffee I had ever had.

Rattle, click!

It seemed the conversation was over as Lustet returned to his seat. But Ernst, who should have been beside him, was nowhere to be seen.

“He said he had to leave urgently. Something about a sudden schedule… I think it’s okay for you to go back now.”

He’s already gone?

It seems he left the military academy while I was having a sincere conversation with the principal. I don’t know if he really left because of a schedule, but since Lustet said so, I should believe it.

“I’ll be going then.”

I was about to leave the office with the thought that I ended up not settling things with Ernst after all.

“Ah, the secretary said that he wants to grant one request as compensation for the trouble he caused you.”

“…Really?”

“The secretary heard it directly, so it’s probably not a lie. You have his business card, right? Contact him directly using the number written there.”

But I stopped in my tracks upon hearing the old man’s consecutive remarks.

What’s the intention?

Not only did he come personally to break the ice, but he’s also offering help? I realized this was the main point Ernst was trying to make. But this was beyond expected goodwill.

Is it because I achieved overwhelming grades within the school that Ernst chose to approach rather than reject me?

Flutter─!

Anyway, there’s nothing bad about it. I picked up the business card I was about to leave on the desk and put it in my pocket.

“If you need a phone, just say so. I’ll gladly lend you one.”

Then I went out into the corridor, sent off by the principal who curled up his lips contentedly.

---

“Good work!”

“I’ll be going first.”

With both first and second-year students gone from the planning department room, Derian finally prepared to leave as quickly as possible once even the research department head and deputy head disappeared.

‘Now if I just organize this literature, I’ll be done.’

He had spent another fulfilling day. He had handed over work to Officer Rommel and almost completed writing the documents that needed to be finished before Superior Lutz arrived.

Click, clack!

Now if he just fills this one page with text, his work will be done. Derian leaned forward and typed diligently.

‘I should have a smoke and finish up.’

After progressing about halfway through the work, unable to resist the urge to smoke any longer, he grabbed the pipe placed on the table.

“Phew…”

After putting in tobacco and lighting it with a match, he found peace by deeply inhaling the smoke.

Thud, thud

Thus, Derian, having found an untimely moment of rest, briefly stopped writing and headed towards the space where only the wind blew, now empty of cadets who had left.

“They all worked hard…”

On each desk lay reports that the department members were writing with all their heart. He felt proud of their passion for no particular reason.

‘I don’t know about the second years, but the candidates who haven’t even been commissioned as official cadets yet are writing while looking up each piece of data one by one?’

From the perspective of an officer, that is, an educator, their appearance was only heartwarming. That’s why he looked forward to the time when the research project deadline would come, and he would receive the students’ results.

Especially the report of Yena Freud, that child.

“Hmm, it should be here… Ah, finally found it.”

Flutter!

Derian arrived at a cadet’s desk with his hands behind his back, and took out a bundle of papers that the child had been keeping.

[Breakthrough Tactics Using Magic Units and Mechanized Equipment – Authored by Yena Freud]

It was the research report of Yena that he had been paying such close attention to.

How could he not look at it? His curiosity about what she was researching had reached its limit, and he finally couldn’t resist.

‘Mechanized equipment, huh.’

Seeing the title made him even more curious. Right away, the breakthrough tactics Yena was establishing were similar to what Superior Lutz had been researching when he was at the military academy.

“Phew…”

Wondering what the content would be like, Derian put the pipe in his mouth and began to examine the paper closely.

“Uh, umm?”

And not long after, his eyes widened enough to make his mustache twitch.

[…Authored by Yena Freud]

Even looking at the cover again, it was a document written by Yena. He checked here and there several times in case he had brought the wrong one, but there was no problem.

‘Then this was written by a single first-year student?’

Derian stared at the document in silence, not even thinking of smoking despite the tobacco wastefully burning away.

“Ha, haha.”

Soon he burst into a hollow laugh.

Although he looked at the report just to see the topic, he was amazed at the professional level that was difficult to consider as the idea of a first-year candidate.

The qualitative aspect is not just excellent, but perfect. It felt like he was looking at a report that Officer Lutz had been creating.

‘No… it’s an even more advanced document.’

Although there weren’t many pages that seemed finished since there were still about 3 weeks left until the deadline, Derian could guess the level even at a glance with his discerning eye.

‘At this level, it’s superior to academic papers.’

This went beyond the simple hierarchy of the military academy like first year, second year, and could be compared even to active-duty instructors.

How is Yena writing about the same armored tactics that Superior Lutz is working hard to develop in the first place? Is there something that connects geniuses?

“Ha, I might have been in charge of a more amazing student than I thought.”

Derian finally emerged from the shock and placed the report back where it was. Then he deeply inhaled the smoke from the pipe he hadn’t finished smoking.

Hiss──

Now he understood why Gartel gave a recommendation letter. He had seen the footsteps of a monster before himself.

He had just realized earlier than others that the most talented person in Astrakhan Military Academy was neither the princess nor any other powerful individual, but Yena.

And now I’ve encountered the Empire’s sleeping dragon that hasn’t yet awakened.

“…Should I introduce that kid to him once?”

Indeed, it’s a shame to know about this alone. Derian looked out the window, which had already turned dark, remembering his close friend.

‘He would like it.’

The corners of his eyes facing outside were drawing a full arc.