Chapter 218: A Tale Of The Past, The Pied Piper of Hamelin - 4

The graduation practical exercise was a field evaluation meant to unearth talents that were difficult to identify through exams or sparring.

In other words, it was prepared as a last chance for children who couldn't enter military academies.

Desperate children volunteered for dangerous practical exercises that resembled real combat.

The practical exercise went smoothly.

The graduation practical exercise was a comprehensive evaluation; the goal was to have students collaborate to build a raft, travel down the river, receive an assessment from an instructor at a downstream base, and return after collecting supplies.

Alchemy, craftsmanship, strength, stamina, map reading, organization, negotiation skills, etc. It was a practical exercise that had been prepared to evaluate various abilities. Despite various crises, the students excelled by using their talents appropriately.

"Chento. You studied ballistics and a bit of meteorology, right? I know the field of study is a bit different, but what do you think? Would it be better to set a sail?"

The boy called Chento grimaced as if touched upon a sore spot and turned his head.

"...Tch. I dunno. How am I supposed to know that? I dropped out halfway."

"Still, there's no one here who knows better than you."

"Ha. Are you making fun of me right now? There's you. Huey. The top student of the whole school."

"I'm just book-smart. I have a huge difference in experience when compared to you, who has actually thrown, shot, and observed things."

"...Hmph. It was just child's play. Anyone could do it."

Even as he grumbled, Chento still checked the wind direction and the material of the mast. Then, he fiddled with something. When the wind blew, the raft moved a bit more easily. Subtly but noticeably.

"It does help."

"...Not really."

Chento bowed his head in misery. He didn't show the demeanor of someone who had accomplished something, but I understood his circumstances and didn't say anything unnecessary.

After all, praising something that had already been given up on would only increase regret.

The raft fleet moved slowly. The Hamelin River that stretched south wasn't very large, but it was winding and slow, with all kinds of floating debris and many birds and beasts targeting them. When a dark shadow scraped the bottom of the log, everyone trembled with fear.

It was during the middle of such a time. Right as an instructor, who was observing for evaluation, temporarily left his post to move to the next point, an emergency occurred.

The river was blocked due to the abundance of driftwood. With the already slow current filled with chunks of wood and leaves, the rafts couldn't move forward at all.

The sudden obstacle plunged the children into confusion.

"The current slows here, so the driftwood must have accumulated and blocked the river."

"What do we do...? Night will fall if we stay like this! We need to reach downstream by today."

And all too naturally, their gazes turned to me, hoping for a resolution.

At the beginning of the school year, all the children entered the secondary military school with a blank slate, full of dreams and hopes.

Most of the children imagined themselves in smart, stylish uniforms. Level 3. A special position that was different from ordinary Military State citizens; an essential step forward.

But specialness was limited by numbers. Something was only special because it was rare, and because it was so special, everyone desired it.

But that did not mean that everyone could grasp it.

I called forth a former Mage Officer aspirant.

"Kerapald. Can this be solved through magic?"

"With the amount of mana we have, Standard Magic would take ages. And even then, it won't be enough. If it were Lankart... then maybe it would be possible."

His response was astringent but nevertheless, a clear fact. I nodded and turned elsewhere.

"Shiati. Clearing all of that while on the boat is too impractical, right?"

"...With the footing we currently have, it would take all day. And there's nowhere to put it, even if we manage to clear it out."

Right as Shiati stomped her feet, a scream erupted nearby.

She was a promising melee combatant in her own right, but Shiati's growth had stalled and she didn't have the talent to overcome her physical limits. Cornered, she hoped to reverse her evaluations in this graduation practical exercise.

Shiati suddenly turned to me and snapped.

"By the way, shouldn't you be giving orders, Huey?"

"Me? Why?"

"What do you mean 'Why'? This graduation practical exercise was actually arranged for you, wasn't it?"

It wasn't that she was aware of Gluttony. If Shiati had known, it wouldn't have ended with just stomping her feet.

Shiati squinted at me, probing for information.

"The Chief Instructor wanted to assess your ability to command. That's why you, the top student, had to participate in something like this when you usually wouldn't need to."

Sadly, that was just the superficial reason. Nicholas had spread such rumors among the instructors and some students to create a reason for my participation.

And since I was forced into a corner by a reason too valid to refuse, I ended up stuck here...

Perhaps, even the driftage was prepared just for me.

"...Give the orders, General. I'll wait for your command."

Shiati spoke sarcastically.

At the same time, a sense of helplessness and dreariness seeped through from her words. After all, she spoke as such, but she, too, accepted the situation.

I issued the orders for the sake of her, who waited for them.

"Let's bring the boat to the riverbank and clear the driftwood from the land. It'll be much safer to clean it up there."

"Then, we'd have to go into the forest...."

"This boat is just a raft. Though we've been hoisted onto it like luggage, it's already overloaded. Let's move for now. If need be, we can always come back."

In the end, we moored the boat nearby and set up a temporary camp. It was a bad idea to go deep into the forest, so we lit a fire in a clearing not far away and huddled around it.

Clearing the driftwood was tremendously difficult. After all, the driftwood was soaked with water and vines were tangled with all sorts of debris like a net—it was a tough endeavor even for a hundred vigorous kids.

Just when we thought we had made some progress, the kids looking up at the sky murmured.

"...Isn't this dangerous? It'll be night soon."

"To be fair, night has already fallen. It won't be long before the sun sets too."

"Night is dangerous, though. How did we end up like this?"

They could not even dream that this situation might have been orchestrated by someone.

After pushing through the forest a bit, an open area appeared, which showed signs of previous occupancy—a perfect spot for setting up camp. The children were happy, but I sensed a sinister fate below and smiled bitterly.

Night fell. It became the time of beasts. In the darkness, humans comforted themselves with small fires.

We had never planned to stay in such a place. There was a shortage of water, food, and clothing. If there weren't tents, blankets, and firewood left on the other side, we might have had to spend the night shivering on a shaky boat.

"It's a relief we have a camp. We would have been helpless wi...."

Unaware that this was all part of the scenario, the children were relieved by this fortune among misfortune.

They gathered around several small fires, and as time passed, anxiety sprouted in their hearts. The clear fires illuminated their reddened eyes as they murmured to each other.

"What should we do? Shouldn't we just give up now?"

"Is there anything we can do? Let's try making a big fire to signal the instructor. Staying the night like this is dangero...."

Making a big fire was no different from a declaration of surrender. The instructor would come, but we wouldn't be able to avoid a negative evaluation... Nonetheless, for the sake of immediate safety, some thought it was necessary.

That was when Chento suddenly stood up and shouted.

"We can't call the instructor!"

The kids nodded solemnly, as if agreeing with Chento. Shiati concurred as well.

"The graduation practical exercise is very important! This is an unexpected situation, but overcoming it could lead to a better evaluation! Why did we come all this way in the first place?! Wasn't it so that we could become Level 3?!"

"But-"

"If we give up now, we'll stay Level 2 forever. We would have to labor day after day, living hand to mouth! It would be the same repetitive life, as if on a treadwheel! Are you seriously telling me you're okay with that?"

There was a saying that it was better to live as a Level 0 than to be Level 2.

A Level 2 citizen, having graduated from a secondary military school, had to work for military facilities needing labor at a secondary education level. Though labor in name, in reality, it was military service.

It was riskier and more cumbersome than other labor. Although better paid than its more general counterparts, it was utterly pointless. After all, it would only result in an inheritance that could not be passed down anyway.

"I have to become Level 3. Otherwise, it's meaningless! And I know all of you feel the same way!"

What did a higher level bring? Merely a lowly sense of superiority. And even that was purely emotional. If Level 2 or lower were to commit violence or issue personal commands, they'd be immediately dragged off to labor camps.

Only the Military State could discriminate between levels. Level 2 or Level 0, they were slaves to this Military State all the same.

However, things changed starting from Level 3.

Reminded of this fact, the kids were engulfed in another surge of excitement.

"Yeah! That's right! This is actually an opportunity!"

"If we navigate through this situation properly, we might even get a better evaluation!"

"Let's set up a night watch! Ah, and a countersign too!"

Was it perhaps thanks to Shiati's speech? The kids rallied together, buoyed by high spirits. They flared up like the fires around them before settling down.

I was watching them quietly when Kerapald called me in a low voice.

"Huey. Come here."

Mind Reading revealed all. I slowly nodded, having instantly understood Kerapald's intent.

He, who had once aspired to be a Mage Officer, was now a devout follower of Lankart, serving him like he was God. And that very Lankart had called for him yesterday and subtly hinted to his ever so devoted believer.

That there was a trap hidden in this test.

As such, he was the first to notice something amiss and approached me.

"I've discovered something."

In the middle of this dark night, Kerapald led me to the riverside where the boats were tied. He shone a light onto the surface with Standard Magic. His glowing finger revealed that under the river... a long and sturdy rope was tied below the surface.

I looked up. Due to the low light, it was hard to see clearly, but on the water's surface illuminated by the moon's shadow... a line of driftwood extended in a straight line from the rope.

Kerapald spoke as if to boast.

"It's a net. These driftwoods were caught in it, so they were halted in their tracks."

"I see."

It was just as expected.

Although this point was where the current slowed and driftwood accumulated, for it to stack up so timely... As expected, it must have been artificially manipulated.

"It seems you roughly knew about this too. Keke. Right. The existence of this seemingly pre-arranged camp was weird from the start. The superficial test is to go downstream, but the real test is... handling a crisis. The true purpose of this test is to smartly manage and survive an emergency situation. Isn't it?"

No. It wasn't. The real purpose of this test was for them to manage such a situation poorly and die. So that no one could tell that this was even a trap.

In that sense, Kerapald was a kind of reminder sent by Lankart.

A personality that loved to dig things up. Someone who relished discovering knowledge itself rather than using it. He would continue to roam in hopes of uncovering the true intention hidden in the test. If left alone, he might dig up the secret, the Anathema Ritual, hidden in this camp. No, it was certain he would.

Kerapald, having received from Lankart hints of something similar to an Anathema... was the very definition of a time bomb.

Though he was an existence I must push towards death first for the sake of consuming all these children... Though he was a figure that was designed for such a purpose...

Lankart.

You are not present in this place. The desire I hear now is solely Kerapald's.

Therefore, I cannot heed your intentions. No, you will not be able to change me with this kind of method.

And so, I smiled instead.

"Correct, Kerapald. To think that you have realized this already. You're quite capable, aren't you?"

Kerapald's eyes sparkled with satisfied curiosity.

"As expected of the top student! I knew you would already be aware of this!"

｢The top student to his very bones, huh.... I guess there's a reason for that. I only knew because Lankart gave me a hint. But still! Right now, in this place, I am in 2nd place! ｣

His desire calls to me, blowing like the wind.

A desire for life. The joy of achieving something with the knowledge one has acquired. Camaraderie and fellowship. Or perhaps, hope that has finally arrived.

I could not trample on these things just to gain a handful of mana or Qi.

Rather...

"Kerapald. Your guess is correct. There is definitely a secret hidden in this camp."

"What kind of secret?"

"Even I can't know everything. We'll have to find out starting from now. So, Kerapald, can you be the one to do it?"

The Military State has abandoned you. Perhaps, it might be because of me. Because I am such a perfectly optimized talent for Gluttony, Nicholas went ahead with it.

But that doesn't mean the blame is on me. Nor is the responsibility. It was schemed by the Military State, or Nicholas, or Lankart. Not me. After all, I do not want to kill any of you.

It's a bit weird to say this, but all of you are already more than enough as nourishment for my mind.

Both Nicholas and Lankart want to change me, but that's all there is to it. Their emotions are placid. Regret and remorse lay quietly settled at the bottom like a serene surface of water.

And I have no interest in cold emotions that merely wielded others without any potential for regret in themselves.

Rather...

"I have a lot to do, so I'd like you to form a team and investigate."

"Really? Me? You have to report about this properly later, okay?"

"Of course. What reason do I have to leave out something you have done?"

I am more curious about how you will react when this problem comes back to bite you. What emotions you will show.

All of you should lay your lives on the line as well. Only then is it fair, isn't it?

"You were the first to notice this fact, so only you are qualified to do this. Kerapald. How about you start by drawing a map of the camp?"

"Alright!"

As you draw the map, you'll find out exactly what form this camp takes. What lies beneath.

And if blood does flow, what shape it will draw.

｢See! I already grasped the essence of this test. With this, I'll be steps ahead of the others! ｣

The truth obtained at the end could never be joyously received.

But regardless, I must also prepare. I needed to gradually release information and spread breadcrumbs so the children could accept a more definitive truth.

Even if it was merely superficial knowledge, it should be enough to realize that this was an Anathema.