Yes, I safely became a 3rd year student.
In total, 7 members of the pilot department remain. With our 4-people group, the remaining 3 peoples from the 2nd group I feel that they were chosen because they are people who probably have a chance of making it.
The furthermore reduced members a.s.sembled in the cla.s.sroom, While Professor Gasoul is standing in front of the desk, He continuously is explaining about the expedition outside the city that is drawing near next week.
“Among you guys, up to now, have you done any camping before?”
To the Professor’s question, just Layla and me had our hand raised. Well of course, After all, the rest of the members are all n.o.bility. Their parents can’t allow such a thing. On the contrary, it should have been those that are not from this town.
And even I can say that I’ve done some camping a few times when I came to this town, although the cooking preparation and the look-out have mostly been done by the aluminare squad members. I somewhat helped, it isn’t something that can be said with pride.
Therefore only Layla has really experienced outdoor camping.
“In the real battlefield, things like outdoor camping are commonplace. Therefore, I’ll have you all personally experience it, you’ll personally experience things like what kind of movement you should actually do, in what way should you use a tool and the severity of being the guard. Even if it’s the first time you’ve camped outside in combat, it will be just an annoyance ”
This is certainly the fastest learning method in order to gain experience . No matter how much I study from the top of my desk, it isn’t like a tool that can easily be mastered.
Although it’s possible to easily ignite a fire with a simple magic, in order to keep an open-air fire burning, one must keep throwing firewood into the fire. It should deeply sink into one’s mind the importance of a thing called human power.
“The period will be, as planned, starting from next week about 3 weeks. Divide into 2 groups, I’ll have each group move in a horse-drawn carriage. As for the group a.s.signment… I guess it’s fine to go with the peoples you usually hang out with?”
The Professor also noticed that they’re unwilling to form a 2nd group. As Layla and co began to gradually master the manual control, the difference between us ended up widening furthermore. Although in somewhat 3 years, we received lessons because we could graduate, there are circ.u.mstances where there was mid-way resignation. I guess such things happens every year.
For now, while we’re forming our usual group for the camping experience, all that’s left is to head for the destination.
That being the case, the destination is…
“a one-way trip would take about a week, the destination is Jakarta. So I can have you study and observe the aspects of the knights in the front line and the maintenance aspect”
Jakarta’s a big city on the eastern side of the Kingdom. It’s fully equipped with Magia Liquid generation factory, a High Magia Liquid’s storage tank and also an aluminare maintenance facility.
If one goes further to the east from here, through some small towns and villages, there is a buffer zone with Obardo, beyond that point is the Obardo Empire.
Buffer zone is exclusively of the battlefield, but never Jakarta becomes the battlefield, aluminare fronts for repair and replenishment is a of here come back on a regular basis.
If it’s here, we’ll certainly be able to fell the atmosphere of a battlefield without having to brave dangers.
“After the tour, I’d have you all similarly come back to this city. If all goes smoothly, it’s scheduled to end in a little over 2 weeks. The remaining time will be a holiday, however if the schedule ever got delayed that part will be jam packed with lessons”
Saying so, Professor Gasoul put on a grinning smile. In that smile, everyone’s expressions stiffened.
Well, even under normal circ.u.mstances the schedule is packed with training and studies, if he squeezes us any further it’s quite likely for us to die. Everyone will do their best.
“Are there any questions? If there are none, explanation is over. Each one of you, make sure to take this on seriously.”
“Yes! ”
Well, Now I, not thinking about what to do in the usable free time in the future.
Taking out the Jakarta guidebook from the bag, I start thinking about where to go.
I’m feeling like traveling, selfish? Yeah, it’s a school trip.
Time pa.s.sed just like that, day of departure. The appointed time is set at sunrise, however I got in front the city gate a little earlier.
“Good morning”
“Good morning. For you that always the first one to come, it’s unusual for you to be the second one”
“Professor, Eldo is only fast when aluminares are involved”
“So it’s like that”
“You aren’t off…”
By the time I arrive at the gate, Layla and 3 professors were already waiting, there were also 2 horse-drawn cart being prepared. The horses weren’t tied up yet, next to the horse carriage there baggages being piled up.
“Are those our luggages?”
“That’s right, When everyone comes we’ll confirm the luggages, afterward we’ll load them along with you. From there on, it’s all training”
“I see”
If you were to become an aluminare squad, although there’s a support maid, you’ll have to do the loading yourself to a certain extent. What kind of loading is correct? In what way should you do the fixation, In other words, this is also part of the test so we better remember, huh? Well, such things are easier to remember rather than just hearing an explanation.
As sunrise approaches, other students also begin to gather one by one.
Just as the a.s.sembly time slowly approaches, Baptiste and Leon emerged.
With Baptiste’s unkempt hair, there was none of the usual MC-like and gallant atmosphere. And Leon was somehow already tired.
” h.e.l.lo, what’s wrong?”
“This idiot overslept. It’s first time he goes outside of the city. I guess he couldn’t sleep from the excitement”
“So childish…” “Childish indeed”
“*Yaaawn*, Since I got here on time, isn’t it all right?”
“I had to go pick someone up so I got delayed”
I see, the reason why Leon was tired was because he had to wake up this idiot and get him ready. Childhood friend, it’s a disaster in various ways. If this was a woman, I wonder if there was such a development in a romantic comedy but unfortunately both are men.
Speaking of childhood friend, is my childhood friend Anjou all right? I’ll return as soon as possible and notify her, since two years have already pa.s.sed. Besides, she might already another man she loves. She’s now also a 17 year-old, she’s at an age where it wouldn’t be strange for her to get married.
Oh, when I think about it, my heart is already ablaze. As expected to be loved in such a honest manner, I don’t expect her to not fall in love. Having said such a self-important phrase like ‘Let’s think about our future’, Anjou wouldn’t be reluctant to go out someone else. That’s funny, ha ha ……
Grasping the pendant I got from Anjou, I looked up at the sky in the direction of the village.
“Eldo, what’s up?”
“I hope my childhood friend is fine. I’m just a little worried, that’s all”
“Anjou-chan right? you haven’t sent a letter and such?”
This world’s letter… doesn’t mean there are professional deliveryman. Pa.s.sing through that village while peddling, while handing over the gold take the opportunity the get it delivered.
“I also thought about writing but… When a blank page is in front me I’m a.s.saulted by sleepiness”
Even I, naturally have sent once or twice a letter to my family and anjou. However, tired in cla.s.s, tired in sword training, studying until the last minute, with a tired out body, when a blank paper is in front of me, attacked by intense sleepiness, I always end up sleeping.
At the point when this repeated 3 times, I gave up on the letter.
“Certainly, once you return to the dorm you’re completely exhausted. Writing a letter can be painful.”
“Moreover, it’s extremely difficult To find out whether the peddler would come or not once a month in this town ”
“It certainly can be difficult. But that girl, isn’t she being worried?”
“I wonder about that. Since she’s also in a surprisingly active place, maybe she might doing such thing as coming to this city.”
Anjou, I even said such thing as “The way I am right now, well…” in parting. Maybe, she really might come… No, no way. Naaaaa–
“Hehe, if that’s the case introduce her to me”
“It ‘s just a joke. Lighten up”
“I guess everyone are gathered. I’ll start explaining”
Called by Professor Gasoul, the conversation got interrupted.
After confirming the a.s.sembly, Professor Gasoul started explaining the loading. After briefly explaining, time for the real thing.
“Well then, start. Call on us if there’s a point you don’t understand”
“Good, let’s start. Baptiste have you woken up?”
“Yeah, Layla’s ice is effective…”
I ordered Layla to use her ice magic on Baptiste who looked sleepy even as the Professor started his explanation. What kind of magic? Simply put, it produce ices the size of pebbles and just shoot them at the back of Baptiste.
But, it seems that the effect was outstanding.
” Ok, Let’s put the luggages”
“First of all, it has to be something we don’t use that often”
“They are aluminare’s maintenance tools”
This time, in order to move the supplied things with the common things, there are also things that also useless to us such as a complete set of maintenance tools for aluminare and sense board writing equipment and so on.
Given that those are unlikely to be the ones that we’ll take out first once we reach the center of the camp, we’ll cram them to the inner most part of the carriage.
And next is food, while as such thing as a barrel of water will be opened immediately, around it there are vegetables with long shelf life, bread, ingredients such as salted meat and cooking utensils solidly solidly keeping them.
On the opposite side, there are set of tools for tents, spare of firewood, a place for the bonfire stones and lastly the weapons were placed at a spot that’s easily accessible.
Each one of them are tied with a string so that they don’t collapse from impacts, fixing them by stuffing in other things, The loading takes about 30 minutes to complete.
“It ‘s pretty tiring.”
“There are many heavy things. I didn’t know that tent frames could be this heavy”
“The fact that there’s water like this. Including the reserve, it’ll probably last for 1 week right?”
Actually when we were trying to load the luggages in one way, we were surprised by their quant.i.ty. The most abundant is water. The water was poured into 2 barrels to the brim that much is responsible for the considerable weight. We somehow managed to lift them up with the help of 3 men, however it isn’t something I’d like to do many times over. I miss the forklift.
The abundance of food. Basically we won’t get food from the local place in this trip, there is a need to aim for the city while having to make do with the food placed here.
Because originally from here to Jakarta there are several towns and villages, there’s no need to be hard pressed, but the more you’re nearing the national border, the lesser the number of villages and the harder it becomes to get supply. Therefore, we have to about how to manage our food consumption.
As for the tent iron pipes that are hard to break are being used, its size is so large that you can even conduct a meeting with all the team members, there are 2 types of tent that are loaded that look like they would become full after 4 persons go in them.
In addition to this, when we finish loading the equipments and weapons, there’s very little s.p.a.ce left inside the carriage. It’s to the point where about 2 persons can only sit by using the luggages as a subst.i.tute for a chair.
“We’re ready in here”
“I see, The other party has less people so there’ll be a delay of a few minutes. Once the other party is done with its preparation, we’ll depart”
“Roger”
As the other team has 3 peoples in it, they seem to be struggling at loading. Accordingly, the luggages are few, but heavy things are still heavy.
Then in about ten minutes, the second group also completed its loading.
Each professor is verifying and inspecting if there’s any problem, in order to give them both the OK, it was to finally time to depart.
“We’re finally in Jakarta”
The scale of the city is almost equal the city of Fortran. Just as a major city, it’s similarly wrapped by a solid outer wall changing it into a fortress.
After the evening of the 7th day. Combined with the 2nd group, we arrived in Jakarta without any incident. Basically, Layla took command as both the person with camping experience and the person who can cook, we had to follow her instructions, that was correct.
The cooking made by Layla was skillful and her instructions were precise so no one became bored.
The goal is to have as much used ingredient to the point of it not being used up by tomorrow.
Honestly, I wonder how it’d go if we were 3 men… ,Even I’m not that good at cooking and those guys would confidently declare “Isn’t it called cuisine because a chef do the cooking”. What the, It’s like an excuse stating that since curry is taken from spices, it’s j.a.panese! Only in such time can a n.o.ble-like remark cause an explosion (of laughter).
Otherwise there were no particular problems, we were able to proceed as planned.
I mean, there’s no way to cause any problems in the first place. Being on the main road from here the capital city of Fortran and connecting to large cities toward Jakarta where the merchants frequently come and go. Therefore, the soldiers patrolling had to be severely done as we could be destroyed altogether by things like thieves and dangerous wild beasts.
As long as we don’t cause any artificial problems, it’s not that different from an ordinary trip.
“Well, it’s as planned. Once we make our appearance at the headquarter of the Knight Order, we’ll entrust them the carriages. a.s.semble along the outer wall without entering into the city”
“Understood”
Leon being responsible as coachman uses the reins, propelling the horses. Whether the professors gave to other party the same instructions or not, the 2nd group’s carriage is following along behind us.
As we proceed along the wall, soon another closed gate could be seen. Here, this gate is made in such a way that it’s size is so large that an aluminare can pa.s.s through it.
And, as for the one guarding its gates, apparently they aren’t city guards, it seems to be the country’s soldier.
“It’s Academy Professor Gasoul Ortega”
“We’ve receive the message. We were waiting for you. Please wait a minute, the gate will open”
“I rely on you”
“Open the gate! Open the gate !!”
When the soldiers shouted, the gate that has been closed began to open slowly and making sounds.
At the sight, we, all 4 peoples are looking at the opening with our mouth agape.
Inside the opened gate, it was as if it was a base from somewhere. On the wide road, hangars are lined up. In the back a building connected to a thing that looks like the control room.
If there is a difference, it would be that all its surfaces are covered with stones. Well, the interior is reinforced with metal anyway.
“Good, you can advance”
“Y… yes.”
Leon advances the horse with a slightly nervous look.
Inside, there isn’t even one private house, on the contrary, we can’t even catch a glimpse of things like a restaurant. In the distance, a huge cylindrical thing is standing, a complex scaffolding is provided at its feet.
“Does this mean that this land is for the exclusive use of the army?”
“Yes, similar to Fortran, without the unification with a city, it’s established as a base that allows all at once the inspection, maintenance and repair of an aluminare by being completely separated”
“I see”
In other words, this place is the aluminare’s front line base. Then inside those hangars, It means that the aluminares are lined up so that they’re maintained in order to go towards the front line! No, as aluminares are limited in numbers, it’s not like that. It would be two or three machines.
“I’ll rent out this hotel, you guys will also be sleeping in it”
“So, as for us, we won’t be able to get out of this base, right?”
“No, later on I’ll hand you guys a pa.s.sage pa.s.s. If you use it, it’s possible to pa.s.s through the gate leading to the city besides. Still, after coming all the way here,I won’t confine you in here”
“Great great. With this…”
“womanizing is prohibited”
“That!? Where should I release my pent up desire!”
“Pour it into a ditch”
As Baptiste is perplexed, Layla looked down on him with a cold gaze. Well, it’s natural.
“It’s here, Get off.”
The Professor made the carriages stop, it was the building that looked like a control tower from a while ago.
Apparently, this is Jakarta’s command center.
combined with the 2nd group, we proceed following the two professors.
The people pa.s.sing by us are all member of the maintenance department none of them are wearing the knight’s uniform. I wonder if it’s all paid for everyone by now? But, are there still some defense in the base?
While thinking such a thing, I’m restlessly looking around the base, I b.u.mped on Layla’s back.
“Hey, properly look ahead while walking”
“My bad”
Layla stopped because the professors stopped. That is, this place the destination room.
The Professor opens the door after knocking on it.
A deep red carpet has been laid, it’s a dazzling room.
A sparkling chandelier on the ceiling and an expensive looking sofa and table. On the room’s walls are stuffed animals and sword, where the word very magnificent comes out.
However, what caught our eyes the most isn’t even in the chandelier or the swords not even the stuffed animals.
It was the shirtless muscular bodybuilder keeping on squatting in front of our eyes.