Chapter 59 - Covered in Ashes (3)
The clothes ordered by the first-year cadets through Robert began to arrive one by one.
"Incredible."
The Disciplinary Instructor and Disciplinary Officer marveled as they saw the piles of clothes waiting for their owners to pick them up. It hadn't been long since the orders were placed. Yet, Robert's father had somehow managed to have so many custom outfits made and sent to the Military Academy in such a short time.
"All the tailor shops in Grimman must have jumped in on this."
"They had no choice if they wanted to meet the deadline… Still, to actually pull it off is impressive."
"It probably wasn't a bad deal for the tailor shops, either. Getting their names in front of the houses that can afford to send their sons to the Imperial Military Academy is valuable advertising."
Robert's father hadn't produced the clothes in just one place—he'd contacted every tailor shop in Grimman and had dozens of outfits made at the same time. That's why the bags containing the uniforms delivered to the Academy each bore the names of different tailor shops.
"Oliver Trading Company. Talk about resourceful."
And on all those bags, clear as day, was the name of Robert's father's business—Oliver Trading Company.
Remarkably, he'd even had brand-new bags specially made just to deliver the clothes.
There was no need to wonder where Robert's knack for clever dealing and reading between the lines came from.
Incidentally, Robert received a letter from his father because of this whole affair.
"My father said he really loves me."
"That's a good thing."
"He said since I did well, he has high hopes for me."
"That's another good thing."
"And, since I'll be spending three more years at the Military Academy, he expects me to generate even greater profits—and after graduation, when I'm commissioned as an officer and enter Noble Society, he wants me to expand my influence even further to bring in even more enormous gains."
"I'll just get promoted faster than you and boss you around for fun."
"...."
Robert's plan had been to graduate, get commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, wait for the right moment, buy a hereditary noble title with money, and then retire as soon as possible.
However, now that his father, Oliver, had made a significant profit from this whole clothing venture, Robert's plan was ruined.
Oliver now believed that Robert could fit right in with Noble Society and rake in huge profits, so he was trying to firmly anchor his son's future in the military.
In other words, it meant that Ernest, as the superior of the so-called Worst Guy Robert, would eventually be able to boss him around.
In any case, as the ordered outfits continued to arrive, the First Year Dormitory became crowded with cadets dressed in Egg Yolk Colored Outfits.
"Seeing everyone wearing them like this, it's honestly not so bad."
"If you say so…"
Robert grew somewhat fond of the bright yellow clothes he'd forced into fashion.
But to Ernest, who kept his cool, everyone still looked odd.
"It's enough to make my eyes hurt."
Just like Ernest, Ferdinand wasn't swayed by trends, and when he saw the other cadets walking through the hallway in their new Egg Yolk Colored Outfits, he looked more bewildered than anything.
"You're the weird ones for not realizing how great this color is!"
Robert, proudly showing off the very outfit that started all this, shouted at the others.
Ernest and Ferdinand could only shake their heads and exchange glances.
"…Black."
"Black."
When Ernest spoke in a solemn tone, Ferdinand replied just as gravely.
Now, at the Year-End Party, the only first-year cadets not dressed in Egg Yolk Colored outfits were the two of them.
Fortunately, since both wore black, they wouldn't feel lonely in their fight for individuality—after all, plenty of others would be wearing black as well.
"The first-years all coordinated their colors, didn't they?"
"I saw it. That yellow, right?"
"Mm…"
The upperclassmen were also taking a keen interest in the trend set by the first-years.
"How about we coordinate colors next year too?"
"I like that idea."
Although, with the Year-End Party just around the corner, there wasn't time to match colors now—but it might be possible for the next Founding Declaration Day party.
Of course, there had been cadets who'd tried this sort of thing before. But everyone had failed, since it was virtually impossible for a mere cadet to get the unanimous agreement of all the house scions, tangled as they were in countless political complications.
The reason it worked for the first-years this time was because Robert, a minor noble not entangled politically with other houses, and Wilfried, the Duke's son, who could push through his own will despite political connections, had schemed together.
For Wilfried, this meant he would set the trend for his peers until graduation—so it certainly wasn't a bad outcome for him. In fact, that's exactly why Wilfried had agreed to Robert's request in the first place. Friends are friends, and politics are politics. Besides, Wilfried is a boy who knows how to look after himself—he can, and he should.
As time passed and the Year-End Party drew ever closer, Grimman's luxury hotels and villas were teeming with people who had come from all across the Empire.
After all, the Year-End Party wasn't exclusive to the Military Academy; any house with influence and means would be hosting their own.
Among these many gatherings, the Imperial Military Academy's party—held at Grimman—ranked among the top ten most important events.
"Do you think we'll be able to sneak out without getting caught this time?"
"If you're going to try, do it alone."
"How could I pull off something like that without Teacher Ernest's help?"
"Even if I managed to sneak out on my own, I'm not confident I could get you out with me unnoticed. Just endure it."
Robert was plotting his escape before the party had even started.
Ernest wasn't much different, but after being caught by Armin during the Founding Declaration Day party and being forced to listen to stories about his father's past, he'd given up on sneaking out of the banquet hall altogether.
"Damn it. Guess I'll just have to eat as much as I can."
"Yeah, let's eat a ton without anyone noticing."
So, the two boys shifted their plans from escaping the banquet hall to thoroughly enjoying the meal.
By the time Ernest and Robert had carefully drawn up and even rehearsed strategies for maximizing how much of the exquisite banquet food—set out mostly as decoration—they could devour, the day of the Year-End Party, a day neither of them had ever looked forward to nor wanted to attend, finally arrived.
"This is really one of those days when I don't want to do anything"
"Robert, you have to take responsibility for starting the trend with that Egg Yolk Colored Outfit. Get up. We need to get ready for the party."
The cadets began preparing for the party from early morning, even though the event wouldn't start until the evening. Some, like Ernest and Robert, just had to change their clothes and were done. Others put in much more effort, donning wigs and applying makeup with great care.
Ernest and Robert finished getting ready quickly, and with nothing else to do, they passed the time in their room as usual.
"By the way, I wonder what Marie's going to do…"
"I'm not sure."
"Can she just show up like that?"
"Then what, is she supposed to make some kind of special report or something?"
"Wouldn't she? She's Aeblon, and from Fiders, after all…"
"The official stance of the Imperial Military Academy is that all cadets are equal."
"Officially, sure…"
Robert gave a wry smile, recalling all the mockery and bullying he'd endured since the entrance ceremony, simply for being a minor noble.
"I don't know what it was like before, but I think the rules are being followed pretty well now. As long as Marie doesn't break any Academy rules, she deserves the same rights as any of us cadets."
Ernest spoke calmly about Marie's rights. Robert couldn't help but agree, since they themselves were the ones who had put an end to the unspoken discrimination and harassment that had been permitted up until now. The Cadet Corps was shattered just this spring—there's no way there's some crazy bastard out there brave enough to try that stuff again.
"Still, doesn't it seem a bit much? I mean, if Marie walks into the Banquet Hall all by herself..."
"Should we go get her, then?"
"Tsk..."
Robert looked genuinely worried about Marie. But because he also had to consider his own situation as a minor noble, he couldn't bring himself to help her any more than this.
"She'll make it on her own."
"Hey, aren't you being a bit cold? How are you acting even colder toward Marie than I am?"
When Ernest answered with such calm indifference, Robert started criticizing him. Ernest wasn't in the wrong. Robert hadn't done anything wrong, either. But feeling so uncomfortable that he could hardly stand it, Robert had to reassure himself somehow that this wasn't his fault.
"If you intervene any more when you're not even responsible, that would be true arrogance."
"...Damn it. You're right."
"And Marie knew all that, yet she still chose to come to the party, Robert
"Marie has already made up her mind, and at this point, she won't listen to anything we say."
"I don't know. Wouldn't she listen if you said something?"
"That would make it even worse."
Ernest spoke firmly.
"To Marie, I'm just a nobody. Someone like me ignoring her resolve and trying to interfere on my own—how could that possibly be right?"
Robert was reminded that this was exactly the kind of person his friend had always been. These days, they joked around and teased each other like ordinary friends, but when they'd first met, Ernest was so cold and composed—so sharp and strict, almost frighteningly so—that it was hard to believe they were the same age.
Having had no close relationships but with Father Haires, Ernest had ended up resembling his father more than anyone needed to. That's probably why, even at just fourteen, he could speak with that look in his eyes and that tone in his voice.
"Still, if anything bad happens to Marie, I know I'll feel uneasy about it," Robert grumbled, undeterred by Ernest's icy resolve. Robert himself had matured a great deal—he could now crack jokes with instructors and disciplinary officers, even while they scolded him. Complaining to Ernest was nothing in comparison.
"That's why I've told you again and again. In official settings, nothing will happen. She's under the Headmaster's protection, after all."
"And what about unofficial situations?"
"That's something Marie decided to handle herself. It's not our place to get involved."
"You cold-hearted bastard! Don't you feel sorry for little Marie, who just wants to lean on her older brother Ernest?"
"Robert, I'm warning you just this once. Unless you're planning to show up at the party in your cadet uniform instead of that Egg Yolk Colored Outfit you made so popular, that's enough."
"Geez, I was only joking. Yes, of course I was joking. Naturally."
If Robert, who started the trend of that bright yellow color, actually showed up in his cadet uniform on the day of the party, he'd be criticized mercilessly.
Even by his own father!
Time seemed to crawl by. It got so boring that Ernest and Robert even took a refreshing nap to prepare for the party, which would stretch late into the night.
"It's time! Let's get going!"
"Agh!"
"Ugh!"
Startled, they jumped up at the sudden voices in the hallway. Looking out the window, they saw the sun was just about to set. Ernest and Robert hurriedly washed their faces to wipe away any traces of drool.
"Hey! Your hair!"
"Yours too!"
After sprawling out for a nap, both boys' hair was a total mess. In a hurry, they scooped up handfuls of pomade, smeared it into their hair, and tried to plaster it down firmly before quickly washing their hands and rushing out.
As they hurried through the hallway, Jonas—a cadet passing by—let out a heavy sigh when he saw them.
"…Did you sleep?"
"We did."
"Brilliant move. Just looking at the back of your heads makes me feel sick. Even after slathering on all that pomade, your hair's still sticking up."
"Oh man, what do we do?"
"tsk tsk tsk. Come here."
Jonas led Ernest and Robert to his room. Then he pulled out a charcoal iron that he'd heated up for pressing clothes. The charcoal was almost burnt out, but the iron was still plenty hot.
"Wow! You actually brought one of these?"
"You can't go to a party with wrinkled clothes, can you?"
"So what are you planning to do with that?"
"Don't move and sit still. You might get hurt."
Jonas sat Robert down on the chair and placed a towel over his head.
"Wait, what exactly are you about to do?"
"Hey, just stay still. I told you, you'll get hurt if you move."
"Save me!"
"Stop making such a fuss—I swear, it's not even that hot."
Jonas quieted Robert, who was squirming desperately, by bringing the hot iron close. Then, carefully, he began to glide the iron over the towel on Robert's head.
"...."
"...."
The heat was so intense that Robert could barely breathe, while Ernest nervously watched—worried Robert's hair might end up fried.
"All done."
"…Oh!"
Fortunately, Robert didn't end up screaming and throwing himself headfirst into icy winter water. When Jonas confidently took away the towel, Robert's hopelessly messy hair was now neatly pressed down.
"You can smooth hair with heat just like you do with clothes. Plus, as the pomade melts and then resets, it keeps the style in place."
"Do me next."
After brushing his own hair, Ernest pulled Robert out of the chair and sat down, entrusting his hair to Jonas, who was still holding the hot iron. Jonas, clearly skilled at this, tidied up Ernest's messy hair at the back in no time.
"Jonas, you're really good with your hands, aren't you?"
"I know, right?"
Robert kept praising Jonas in amazement. Ernest was also impressed with how neat his hair now looked.
"We're going to be late. Let's hurry."
They had spent more time on their hair than expected. The three boys dashed off toward the auditorium, which had been turned into the banquet hall.
"Ernest!"
As soon as they joined the rest of the First Years, Ferdinand called out to Ernest in a loud voice.
For once, he couldn't hide his delight—understandably so, since with Ernest momentarily absent, Ferdinand had been the only cadet in the First Year wearing black, one of just two that night.
Ernest, leaving Robert and Jonas behind, quickly ran over to join Ferdinand.
"...."
"...."
The two boys shook hands firmly like gentlemen. After all, black truly is the color of a gentleman.
They were the only true gentlemen among the First Years.
While Ernest wore a simple, unadorned outfit, Ferdinand was dressed in clothing that looked almost identical to an officer's uniform. Change the color to navy and you might mistake him for a real officer.
"Hey, look at those guys over there—can't even keep up with the latest trends," someone whispered. "How unfortunate, honestly," another replied.
As Robert pointed out Ernest and Ferdinand, the rest of the First Years began snickering and teasing them.
But Ernest and Ferdinand stood their ground with resolute expressions, refusing to abandon their 'Black Outfit Alliance.'
"But those two are the top student and second place, aren't they?"
"Damn! They're so competent, no one can even rally against them!"
With the First Year's top two standing firm, their stubbornness almost looked like dignity.
"Let's stop here and go in—if we keep this up, we'll really be late."
Wilfried said with a laugh, prompting everyone to move in perfect unison toward the banquet hall.
Everyone else wore Egg Yolk Colored Outfits, but for some reason, Wilfried alone seemed draped in gold, as if a golden halo shone around him. Being good-looking really is everything.
The First Years entered the banquet hall, followed by the other classes in quick succession Amidst all that, the First Years—dressed almost entirely in the same color—stood out unmistakably.
"Are you a First Year too?"
"Don't talk to me..."
Some upperclassmen had also followed the trend and donned Egg Yolk Colored Outfits, but they instantly became targets of teasing.
After all the cadets had gathered, people began streaming into the banquet hall.
"Father!"
Family members and others who had been invited for political reasons entered. The cadets rushed to find their families, while those whose families hadn't come were left awkwardly standing around, unsure of what to do.
"I get why I'm here alone, but what about you?"
"No idea."
Robert, a minor noble, tapped Ernest—the hereditary noble—on the arm, but quickly stepped back in surprise at Ernest's reaction.
Ernest felt sulky as he watched all the family reunions. Haires had already apologized and made it quite clear that he had no intention of attending such formal events, so Ernest, as the top cadet, was frustrated by the thought that he would never get to see his father proudly boasting about him in the banquet hall.
"Marie... I don't see her anywhere..."
Instead of searching for family that wouldn't be there, Robert looked around for Marie. But he just couldn't spot the little girl—no matter where he looked, he couldn't find her. She would have stood out easily in that rough, shabby dress, especially when everyone else was dressed so well.
"She'll come"
Ernest replied as if it were obvious. Marie would definitely come. She said she would.
Before they knew it, the banquet hall had become a noisy place, filled with cadets reuniting with their families and the sound of friends introducing each other to their families. As he looked around, even the high-ranking officers from the Military Academy, including Armin, were mingling in the crowd. The party had begun in an exceptionally warm and gentle atmosphere.
"It's mealtime."
"Let's go."
This meant that Ernest and Robert could finally start dinner.
They immediately charged toward the untouched food.
It was best to eat it while it was still fresh and hot.
"Krieger!"
"Huh?"
But before Ernest could reach the table, someone stopped him from getting his meal.
"Where have you been?"
"Where do you think—I've been in the banquet hall."
"Whatever, just come here for a second."
"What? Why?"
"Hurry."
Before Ernest knew it, he was dragged away and found himself greeting the families of other cadets.
At the last Founding Declaration Day party, there were still some uncertainties about Ernest's standing.
But now, as the son of a soldier who had been awarded the Noble Heart Medal and as the cadet who had taken first place among the first years with an overwhelming score, Ernest seemed like someone worth the attention of many.
"Ha! Just watch me enjoy my meal!"
"Jimman! Over here!"
"Wait—!"
With a sly grin, Robert made his way to the table, only to be swiftly pulled aside like Ernest and made to talk with other cadets' families. Ever since the order for the Egg Yolk Colored Outfit, quite a few noble houses had taken an interest in the Oliver Trading Company.
Even the most dignified noble houses wouldn't turn their noses up at money.
There was nothing to lose by fostering good ties with the extremely wealthy Oliver Trading Company.
By the time Ernest and Robert finally met up again, the food laid out in the banquet hall had already gone cold.
"..."
"..."
They said nothing, their heads spinning after meeting and greeting so many people.
At this point, all they wanted was to fill their hungry stomachs.
"First of all, I want to thank everyone who has joined this party again this year and helped brighten this evening."
But as if someone had decided to prevent the two boys from enjoying their meal, Armin raised his glass and began speaking in a booming voice.
"Damn it."
"Shh."
With the food right in front of them, Ernest and Robert had no choice but to raise their glasses and quietly wait for Armin to finish speaking.
As everyone focused their attention on Armin, Ernest—whose concentration had greatly improved even though he was still in the habit of looking around after reducing his tonic dosage—spotted a small girl stealthily making her way into the banquet hall.
After everyone else had entered the hall, Marie arrived a little late. She had waited outside in the cold winter wind, then seized the opportunity while all eyes were on Armin to slip in unnoticed and successfully sneak into the hall.
"...."
"..."
But only one person, Ernest, was watching Marie in that moment. Their eyes met as Marie, clearly frightened and nervously darting her gaze around, suddenly froze. Realizing it was Ernest who had seen her, she let out a sigh of relief and clutched her chest.
Ernest quietly signaled to Marie with his eyes. Though flustered and not understanding right away, Marie eventually caught on and hid herself behind a column in the corner of the hall, just as Ernest had indicated.
"For His Majesty the Emperor."
"For His Majesty the Emperor!"
After Armin's brief toast, everyone raised their glasses high and took a drink. Ernest only pretended to sip his wine before setting it down, and Robert did the same. Swiftly, they piled food onto their plates and, just as they had planned, disappeared behind the column in the corner of the banquet hall.
"Hello, Marie."
"What, when did you get here?"
Ernest greeted Marie first. Robert, surprised not to see her at first because of the column, called out and then stepped around to look at her.
"..."
"Uh…"
Then, looking a bit flustered, Robert paused and darted his eyes around. He examined Marie's clothes carefully—anyone could see what she was wearing—and with an awkward smile, he asked,
"Did you not like it?"
Marie wasn't wearing the dress Robert had given her; instead, she was wearing the same loose cadet uniform she always did.
"No. I liked it."
Marie shook her head slightly and looked directly at Robert, the one who had given her the dress, as she answered. Robert looked a bit confused.
"Then why aren't you wearing it?"
"I did wear it. In my room."
"No, you were supposed to wear it at the party. I gave it to you to wear at the party."
When Marie explained that she had tried the dress on in her room, Robert, feeling frustrated, tried to keep his emotions in check as he spoke again.
"Wanting to have a dress and wanting to join the party are two different things."
Ernest spoke in a calm, low voice. He looked down at Marie with gentle eyes.
"As long as we're here, it's unlikely that anyone will notice. Watch from here."
"…Okay."
"And eat this."
"Okay."
Ernest handed Marie the plate he had brought. Marie quietly accepted it and, hiding behind a pillar, started to steal glances at the party hall.
"…Why?"
Robert, flustered, asked Ernest. Ernest took Robert's plate as well, accepting it very naturally.
"What Marie's interested in isn't the party—it's the clothes."
"…Why?"
Robert asked again, completely baffled by Ernest's matter-of-fact response. He really didn't understand the situation at all.
"Marie has always been interested in your clothes from the beginning. She liked the dress too."
"Wait. Hold on. So that's how it is…"
With his mind in a whirl, Robert tried to make sense of the situation. He glanced down at Marie, who was hiding behind the pillar, watching the crowd in the banquet hall and admiring all the extravagant outfits.
"So it wasn't that she wanted to join the party?"
"Well, you have to participate if you want to see everything up close, so it's not entirely wrong, I suppose."
"…Why?"
Robert asked again. Marie gave Robert a quick sideways glance, hesitated, and then mumbled quietly,
"…Because they're pretty…"
"Hm… well, I can't think of a single reason to argue with that. It's a perfectly valid reason."
Robert paused, then nodded with great seriousness. Completely distracted by all the beautiful blond women at the party, he took Marie's answer entirely at face value.
Marie, who had hesitantly shared her feelings with Robert—the one who had given her the dress—found a bit of courage when both Ernest and Robert listened without laughing and took her seriously.
"When I was little, I saw my older sister wearing a dress."
For once, Marie began talking about something personal.
"It wasn't as nice as the one you gave me, Robert, but I thought it was so beautiful. I really, truly envied her."
Marie's face, though whispering softly, was twisted in a bitter, pained expression. Marie, who had been destined to be sold as a slave if she failed the Balt Aptitude Test, thought that shabby dress looked unimaginably beautiful—almost to the point of madness—and she envied it so much.
"When I came to Grimman and saw what everyone else wore, I stopped envying those things."
The dress her older sister had worn was, by Grimman's standards, even worse than the low-quality clothing worn by commoners here. That's why Marie no longer envied the dress itself.
Instead, she began to envy the love from her parents that the dress represented.
And, separate from that jealousy, she started to want something else.
"Um… so, it's just… it's not that I want to wear a dress… No, I mean, I did wear one…"
Robert, now thoroughly baffled, started to ramble. Marie said nothing, silently gazing at the banquet hall and the glittering, magnificent dresses within it.
"Do you want to make them?"
At Ernest's question, Marie flinched, fiddling with the plate in her hands.
Her cloudy blue eyes flickered about, lost and unsure where to look.
After a brief pause, Marie mumbled, her face turning bright red,
"I… I'm good at sewing…"
Marie clutched her loose cadet uniform tightly with her small hands. Looking closely, there were signs of tears and holes all over her uniform. These were marks left from not being able to perfectly block bullets during training. In Fiders, they didn't issue new uniforms just because of a few holes, so Marie had sewn them up herself.
"I see."
Ernest spoke in a low, calm voice.
As always, in moments like this, there was only one thing Ernest could say to Marie.
"Hang in there, Marie."
At Ernest's words, Marie's face turned even redder than her hair as she gave a slight nod.
But it was clear to Ernest and Robert, and even to Marie herself, that her dream was nothing more than wishful thinking.
A Baltracher is a highly valuable human resource.
Even though Marie had already been registered in the army as a Fiders, it wasn't as if she could retire just because she wanted to.
She would live as a soldier for the rest of her life, and one day, likely die on the battlefield.
That's why giving Marie any advice or encouragement beyond a simple "hang in there" would have been an act of great arrogance from Ernest or Robert.
They could never take responsibility for her fate, and Marie knew that as well.
While the banquet hall was bright with lights and filled with countless people in dazzling, sparkling clothes, Behind a pillar in a dark corner, the girl imagined things that would never be allowed to her—she felt as if she were drowning, caught in a dream.
If she were to stay lost in that dream until the end, even if it meant her end, perhaps that wouldn't be so bad. After all, that was what she truly wanted.
Marie, her cheeks flushed from dreaming, smiled faintly.