Alright, now about the school trip.
We arrived in the Carenheit Margraviate, and I had a chat with the Margrave there.
Whether that exchange of snide remarks could be considered a ‘chat’ is debatable, but it’s not something worth thinking about too deeply.
It’s nothing new for other nobles to dislike me, anyway. At least they don’t confront me directly, which is a relief, right?
Now then.
The students seem to be hearing stories about real battles from veterans in the Carenheit Margraviate, which was once the front line, gaining knowledge of the latest lessons from war.
But I can’t help but think that all of that will soon become useless now that my new magic system is spreading.
Lining up knights and shouting “Charge!” is already outdated. Isn’t trench warfare going to be the new thing?
…No, wait. Area attack magic has already been standardized.
If you’re holed up in a trench, you’d just end up like the Viet Cong under fire magic.
Hmm? But with defensive magic, you might be able to block area attacks?
In that case, infiltration tactics? Blitzkrieg? Maybe enhancing your body with magic, charging into enemy lines, and killing the commander?
I don’t really know, but… I think new tactics will emerge from now on.
…Well, in any case, I decided not to interfere. I figured it wasn’t necessary.
Many of my classmates have already become my subordinates, but teaching them everything from A to Z would rob them of the chance to grow.
I’d prefer if they could come up with new tactics using the new magic on their own.
…So, after listening to these front-line stories for a while, it seems they’re going to borrow a fort and conduct combat exercises there.
This country’s strength lies in its number of magicians and its education system.
Apparently, other countries don’t have organizations as foolish as our “Academy.”
Even Proxia only has research institutes and artisan guilds for developing magical tools and industrial products, and Adon, just north of here, only has a state-run research institute for magical tools.
The “Academy” in this country is truly progressive in that even commoners can enroll if they are magicians, receiving training to become soldiers.
Moreover, the fact that they have departments like the “Knight Course,” where non-magical nobles and the warrior class are trained nearby, and they’re taught cooperation from a young age, makes it quite an advanced system. It’s like a high-low mix, right?
“Ah, um, Exus-san! Professor Kurjes is calling for you!”
Oh, a subordinate.
Right, I remember hearing that there are magicians who rose from commoner backgrounds here.
A magician who came from a commoner background… clean-looking, a bit chubby. A face that suggests he’s been pampered growing up.
He’s probably the child of a merchant or something?
These types often take pride in being accepted into the Academy as magicians during their first year, but get their egos shattered during practicals, which leads to this kind of respectful attitude.
And now, these commoner-born magicians, lacking any backing, end up joining the faction of the second prince, the Aurora Corps—which, by the way, is my faction.
Of course, there are plenty of such kids, so they’re expendable, but…
Still, it’s important to show that those who follow me will be treated with tolerance. It’s something a superior must display.
Those disgusting light novel protagonists who are all lovey-dovey with their friends but kill enemies left and right are, in a way, correct.
Though, such trash could probably only rise to the level of a bandit leader at best.
True leaders enforce strict rewards and punishments.
No matter if they’re executives or low-level members, those who violate the rules of the organization are punished without mercy. This kind of strictness toward one’s own people is what keeps large organizations running. Especially in a place like this, in a narrow-European-esque world.
“It should be ‘Professor Kurjes is calling for you,’ right? If you can’t even use proper language as a subordinate, it reflects poorly on me as the leader of the organization. Do you understand?”
“Eek…! I-I’m terribly sorry!”
“Good. Now, lead the way.”
“Y-Yes! Right away!”
“…Well, as long as you can switch to being formal when necessary, it’s fine. But if you’re not confident in switching back and forth, it might be easier to stay formal from the start.”
“Y-Yes…”
…That said, I’ve properly trained those I chose as executives, so they don’t make such mistakes.
So, educating the lower ranks… I think about it, but training the lowest levels isn’t really my job…
I have no experience leading an entire company, only project teams. I, too, am practicing and training.
We’re in the living room of the quarters we borrowed from the Carenheit Margrave.
It’s a building separate from the main castle, where soldiers who were conscripted during emergencies used to sleep.
The students will be staying here.
It’s not exactly a place fit for nobles, but as soldiers, they may even have to camp out. This is to get them accustomed to such conditions, I suppose.
According to Fran-chan, staying in a cramped building like this requires a different kind of caution compared to camping in open fields.
And there, sitting in a chair by the fireplace in the living room, is old man Kurjes.
“What do you want, old man?”
“Call me Professor Kurjes.”
He sighed deeply before starting to speak.
“…Combat training begins tomorrow.”
“Yeah?”
“We’ll be culling monsters in the shallow layers of Mount Vege in the north.”
Ah, I see.
I had wondered why they would bring students to the former frontlines for drills, but it turns out it’s not exactly here.
The mountains to the north have turned into dungeons, making them impassable.
The Adon Magician Kingdom invaded by bypassing Mount Vege.
So, while this is technically the front line, playing around in the mountains won’t cause any trouble, it seems.
“And? So?”
“I’m giving you your credits already. In return, could I ask you for one favor?”
“I don’t want to.”
“Of course, there might not be any direct benefit to you, but it’s not a bad proposal.”
“Hmm?”
He then said…
“Something unusual seems to be lurking in Mount Vege.”
