<h4>Chapter 21: Academy (4)</h4>


    There were theory sses in the morning, while martial arts sses took ce in the afternoon. This routine carried on daily, like clockwork. That was the academy’s way of teaching, where it was believed that repetition would result in true progress of one’s skills.


    <i>‘I’m bored to death.’</i>


    At first, Henry enjoyed taking part in school life again for the first time in years, but the fun onlysted three days.


    <i>‘Even I could teach better than this.’</i>


    Henry sighed softly to himself as he observed the teaching officer bumble his way through another lesson. It was a massive pain taking lessons from a teacher who was not only teaching what Henry already knew, but was also bad at teaching it.


    However, Henry escaped the fate of being bored for his whole term there. As they entered the third week of lessons, there was a new ss called “military training”.


    Military training.


    Some sessions involved protecting other teammates while facingrge numbers of opponents, while some were grouppetitions. The training methods mirrored specificbat situations and tested the cadets’ limits. The oue of these special sparring sessions was always the same.


    “The winner is Cadet Henry.”


    Henry looked around at his fallenrades before casually canceling his magic buffs.


    “Damn, we lost again!”


    This time, it was a team event. However, Henry’s ssmates had formed a temporary alliance andunched a coordinated attack to defeat him, but even that had failed.


    There were also some who acted unexpectedly. While everyone else cooperated in the attack, Ronan did not. Besides wanting to protect his pride as the second best, he was also not in the best shape.


    “You good?”


    “Damn, when am I ever gonna defeat you?”


    “With that attitude, will you even be able to draw your sword against a demonic beast?


    “Have you ever stopped to think that you were that one that’s too good for the rest of us?”


    “Excuses.”


    Henry reached his hand out to Ronan, who had fallen, and helped him up.


    This concluded thest day of training at the academy. The training officer gathered the cadets together and spoke to them calmly.


    “Today’s thest day of training, right?”


    “Yes sir!”


    “By tomorrow, the locations for your first jobs will be decided based on the grades you have achieved so far.”


    <i>Gulp.</i>


    Everyone swallowed dry at the words “first jobs”.


    “No need to be so afraid. Based on the data obtained during your training period, we will assign you to positions that best suit you. If that ends up not suiting your aptitude though, you can always be transferred, so don’t be so downtrodden.”


    Being amander didn’t necessarily mean dealing with demonic beasts. Some were in charge of battle, while others were in charge of things like supplies.


    “You’ve done well so far. Tomorrow, after the discharge ceremony, you will be transferred to your respective assigned units. If there are any hard feelings between you guys, best to resolve them now. After all, you’rerades.”


    “Yes, understood.”


    “Then, now that the teaching is all over, how about a little celebration, eh? Liquor and meat have been prepared in the dining hall, so let’s all unwind and eat as much as we want! Dismissed!”


    “Thank you, sir!”


    The cadets whooped and cheered. After a month of training, they finally had permission to drink. As everyone headed to the dining hall in high spirits, the education officer pulled Henry to the side.


    “Cadet Henry?”


    “Yes, sir.”


    “Captain Isn is looking for you. A carriage is waiting for you in front of the administrative office, so move right away.”


    “Yes, understood.”


    A carriage was indeed waiting for him in front of the administrative office, and Tini was waiting for him too. She smiled softly and waved.


    “You’re here!”


    Now that Henry had gone from a civilian to a military trainee cadet, Tini naturally dropped verbal formalities with Henry.


    “Yes, ma’am.”


    “Oh, no need to talk to me like that now. Just call me Tini.”


    “Understood.”


    “Now hurry up. Captain’s waiting.”


    Once the carriage departed, Tini spoke.


    “How was your stay at the academy?”


    “Thanks to your care, I’ve had a ratherfortable stay.”


    “Oh, I didn’t do much. Besides, I’ve heard how you’ve been doing. As expected, you were rated as the best in your batch, weren’t you? Man, I’m starting to feel a little jealous.”


    “What do you mean?”


    “I’m a graduate from the academy, you see. So I guess you''re my junior?”


    Henry already knew to some extent that Tini was an outstanding part of the personnel, thanks to the officers, but he didn’t know that she was his senior.


    “The Captain is pleased. Oh, and I’m just telling you so that you don’t get the wrong idea. You’re not being called up by the Captain because you are favored by him.”


    “Then why?”


    “Originally, for every batch, the top cadet is personally congratted by the Captain himself. He’s just extra happy this time because that top cadet is you.”


    “I see.”


    “Ah, I almost forgot. This is just a tip from me as your senior, but the Captain grants the top seat of each batch one wish.”


    “A wish?”


    “Yep. You are aware that Captain Isn is the third-highest-rankedmander in the fortress, right? He can amodate most wishes, so think carefully.”


    This was unexpected information. Henry had figured it would just be another round ofpliments followed by a long night of drinking.


    “Of course, you’ll have to put in some hard work today.”


    “Sorry? What do you mean?”


    “I’m talking about <i>this</i>.”


    Tini raised her ss and wiggled her pinky at it.


    Henry sighed. “I knew it.”


    “Heh heh, good luck.”


    Henry’s worst nightmare hade true.


    * * *


    Not long after, the carriage came to a stop. However, it wasn’t the administrative office that the carriage arrived at, but Isn’s residence. Tini called out to Henry as he made his way toward the entrance.


    “Ah, one more thing!”


    “Yes?”


    “I won’t be sleeping today and I will be waiting for you. So when you need me, inform one of the soldiers to call for me. Then I’ll head to the residence.”


    “What do you mean by that?”


    “You’ll find out in a little while.”


    Henry had no idea what Tini was talking about, but she said that he would find out soon enough, so he decided to wait and see.


    “Then, all the best!”


    “Thank you, Tini.”


    As Tini departed, Henry sighed to himself at the thought of the uing night of drinking. It was time to enter the residence. There stood Isn, draped in a robe with dripping wet hair. He was holding a gigantic mug of beer in one hand, and his figure was reminiscent of a Giant Dwarf. He greeted Henry as he walked in.


    “Oh, you’re here?”


    “...Did you just take a bath?”


    “A bath after a long day of work is the most perfect thing, isn’t it?”


    “Looks like Tini hasn’t ended her work for the day though.”


    “She must have some extra things to take care of. Do you want to take a bath too?”


    “...No, thank you.”


    “So you graduated at the top of your ss, eh?”


    “Yes.”


    “With record-setting scores like yours, it’d be strange if you didn’t. So, how was your life in the academy?”


    “It was a little boring, but it was good.”


    Isnughed heartily. “You crazy boy. One day you’ll find out that your best days were in the academy.”


    He beckoned toward one of his soldiers. “Hey, you there! Prepare dinner.”


    “Yes, sir!”


    Soon, Henry and Isn were sitting facing each other at the dining table, with a massive feast before them. Once again, there was so much food that the table looked as though it would buckle under the weight at any second.


    “I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I just got them to prepare everything.”


    “I’m honored.”


    “Are ya? Then let’s have a light toast before we feast!”


    <i>Thud!</i>


    Isn lifted a huge keg from under the table and ced it on the table.


    “I ordered this specially for today. This is Makgus'' ming Whisky, Keg Edition!”


    <i>''Holy shit.''</i>


    Makgus'' ming Whisky. It was one of the three strongest whiskies in the empire, made by the master brewer Makgus.


    <i>‘And to bring a whole keg of that too…’</i>


    Makgus’ whisky boasted a uniquely high alcohol content. No man, no matter how much they could hold their liquor, could drink a full bottle of it. However, Isn had prepared an entire keg.


    “Have a drink.”


    Isn poured a massive mug of the dark brown liquid and handed it to Henry. With this whisky, even Henry would need some time to break down all that alcohol with his mana. Even with the issue of breaking down the alcohol aside…


    <i>‘We’re going to drink this on the rocks!?’</i>


    Their mugs full of whisky had only a couple of ice cubes in them. Henry could not imagine drinking Makgus’ whisky unmixed.


    “Now, now! To the sessful upbringing of that good ol’ Hans’ son over here! Cheers!”


    <i>ng!</i>


    Henry closed his eyes and poured the ming Whisky into his mouth.


    <i>‘This is crazy…’</i>


    The drink tasted so toxic that it felt like it was numbing his entire tongue. On top of that, the taste of the whisky was truly something else. This was definitely not a celebration, but a cruel penalty.


    “Delicious, isn’t it?”


    “...Yes, it’s the best.”


    Henry felt as if his throat was on fire. Makgus’ whisky was meant to be drunk from a cocktail ss, not a giant mug.


    Isnughed uproariously. “Now, now! Before I get too drunk, shall we hand the top cadet here his prize? Oi, bring the prize over here!”


    Isn must have known that even he was no match for the ming Whisky, as he quickly called for Henry’s prize before it knocked him out cold. The soldier returned with a sword in a scabbard.


    “Take this.”


    Henry had not expected to receive a sword as a gift. Swords were not an appropriate gift for wizards, and Henry had been a wizard his entire life. Holding the sword, his eyes began to shine.


    It was a gift that Henry would never have been interested in in his past life. However, now that he was taking on swordsmanship, it was only natural that his interest in swords had grown.


    <i>Schwing!</i>


    His face still burning hot from the whisky, Henry unsheathed the sword.


    “How is it?”


    A faint glow seemed to radiate from the de. Even Henry, who knew little about swords, could tell that it was crafted beautifully.


    For a while, Henry observed every detail of the sword, as if admiring the figure of a beautiful woman.


    “That’s a holy sword.”


    “Sorry?”


    “It’s a sword blessed by the top priest in the fortress. Only then can a sword be considered holy.”


    A priest’s blessing meant borrowing the power of God. It was impossible for any ordinary being to bestow a blessing upon anything unless they possessed divine power.


    “How is it? This should be perfect for dealing with the demonic beasts, right?”


    “It’s outstanding. Thank you very much for giving me such a fine sword.”


    “As you should. Now, let’s have another!”


    “Yes!”


    It had been an extremely long time since Henryst felt such joy from receiving a gift. In the past, he simply could not understand why the knights were so passionate about swords that, in his eyes, were nothing more than des. Now, however, Henry realized clearly that there was no treasure more precious to a knight than a good sword.


    Henry emptied his mug ming Whisky with satisfaction.


    “<i>Buuuurp.</i>”


    Despite clearly being a bitter whisky, it tasted quite different from his first ss. Henry began to feel his mood rise as his face heated up.


    “You can certainly drink well. You bastard, if it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t even get a taste of such a precious drink!”


    “I am truly grateful for this opportunity!”


    “That’s the spirit. So, shall we get your second prize out?”


    “There’s another prize?”


    Henry knew it was probably the prize that Tini had mentioned, but he responded calmly, pretending not to know anything.


    “Of course! Do you think that I, Isn, am the kind of person who would just give you a mere sword as a gift?!”


    Isn gestured with his chin once more, and this time, two soldiers appeared with a huge bulletin board.


    “This is…”


    “The others have already been assigned their positions and jobs. But what about our top cadet Henry? The best-performing cadet in our history, at that! Now, this is the organization chart for Caliburn Fortress. Tell me where you want to go, and I’ll send you there.”


    This was truly an unexpected gift. After all, Henry was very curious about what kind of job he would be assigned to, since he had recorded the best score in the fortress’ history. But the privilege to choose his own job? With so many things to do at the fortress, this was possibly the best gift he could have received.


    “You don’t have to decide right now. Let’s deal with the details after this is over! For now, drink!”


    Isn was considerate enough to give Henry the time he needed to make his decision.


    Of course, once Henry had to deal with Isn’s drunken tendencies, he wouldn’t have time for any kind of deliberation.


    <i>‘This is truly an incredible opportunity!’</i>


    Soon, Henry’s involvement with the fortress would begin. Right now, however, facing Isn, who was determined to get absolutely smashed, that was at the back of his mind.


    * * *


    A few hours passed.


    “Whad di’ I tell ya! Oi! Addat mo… men… raise the.. sword like THIS! Yeah!? This high, yeah?”


    Makgus’ ming Whisky had bested Isn, as expected. By the time the two had mostly emptied the keg, Isn was far more intoxicated than before. Of course, Henry was also busy focusing on breaking down the strong alcohol in his body.


    “Fwuh… dis.. As espact…ed… Magkus… I caaan’t… han…der…”


    Isn’s speech was incredibly slurred, as if his tongue had turned into a worm.


    Looking at Isn, Henry thought to himself, <i>‘Phew, this is so much better. The drink may have been potent, but at least the party ended a lot quicker.’</i>


    Since the whisky was incredibly potent, Henry had a tough time as well, but it was much better than hearing Isn repeat the same story over and over again. Then, at that moment…


    “Oh yeah, and you… is der sum…ting… you want… or wanna do…?”


    Isn was barely intelligible, but it was obvious that this was the moment Tini had told Henry about.


    “Are you saying that you’re going to grant me a wish?”


    “Ob curs, ya lil’! I’b granded… wisses… to yer seniors… I hab to… grand yours too… right?”


    “Will you really grant me any wish?”


    “Of… course!”


    “Thank you, Commander-in-Chief. Then my wish is…”


    Henry had been pondering his wish since the carriage ride. With soldiers by his side as witnesses, Henry told Isn his wish.