~Roy
The instructor walked ahead of me through a quiet corridor to a large, clean room located outside of General Daniel's office.
The tidy waiting area had red couches in the corners, a collection of musical instruments on a stand, and bookshelves along the wall. A few paintings hung neatly above the bookshelves.
When I entered General Daniel's office, the atmosphere changed. It was more luxurious, with expensive carpets, leather chairs, and bookshelves covering the walls. Everything was in its place. Tidy.
General Daniel was already sitting at his desk with perfect posture and sharp eyes. On the desk in front of him were two cups of tea. One was untouched; I think it was mine.
I gave him a hand salute in a gesture of respect and waited.
He returned my salute. "Have a seat."
I sat down silently.
He took a sip of his tea before speaking. "Okay, Roy. Tell me everything that happened in the fourth stage."
I carefully explained everything. I described the ambushes, what happened with Jack, and the final encounter.
Daniel listened without interruption; his eyes fixed on me. When I finished, he glanced at a document on his desk. Then, he raised his eyes again, this time looking more serious.
"You did a really good job," he said. "You and your team."
Then his expression hardened. "But can you help me understand why James's and Jack's right hands and left legs were severed?"
I shifted in my seat, breaking eye contact.
His tone wasn't angry, but firm. "The rule was clear: Do not kill. But that doesn't mean you can leave people disfigured or crippled."
I paused, exhaled softly, and met his gaze.
"They attacked us intending to kill. We defended ourselves with equal force. We didn't break the rules, but I understand the consequences of what happened. However, I take full responsibility. I'm sorry that it has come to this."
Daniel nodded slowly, his fingers tapping the rim of his desk.
He took a sip and spoke. "James, Jack, and Lucas have been removed from duty. After pressing James, we also found out about the instructor who supported them. He was fired as well. Their files have been referred to the High Council of the Empire. They will decide what happens next."
He looked at his teacup, then back at me.
"I'll let it go this time because of your performance. You did your job well. But don't take that as meaning that you are free to act without restrictions."
He leaned forward slightly.
"As a future leader, you need to understand one thing. Revenge never ends with justice. It plants new seeds for more bloodshed. Knowing when to stop is what separates a soldier from a leader."
I blinked, surprised. He had known from the beginning.
I swallowed that fact and nodded respectfully. "Thank you, sir. I will remember your words, sir. I won't act like that again."
He finally gave a slight smile. "Good. It would be a pity for a cadet of your caliber to act that way."
Then he stood up and continued. "You've been through quite a lot. Today and tomorrow, everyone who passed Stage 4 has a rest day. You will receive your results tomorrow."
I rose from my seat. "Thank you, General."
He nodded once.
Then, I left the room. Suddenly, I thought about the fight with James, a strange feeling came in. He completely overpowered me. If the poison didn't work there, I could really lose. I am not strong enough yet to protect those around me. Because of that, I am going to train more seriously starting from tomorrow. There will be no more rest for me.
I headed straight for the showers. Finally, hot water, clean soap, and no dirt around my fingernails.
By the time I finished, it was afternoon. It was quiet. I felt like I hadn't breathed freely in a week.
Next, I went to the food court.
The smell of real food drew me in. I filled my plate and kept eating until I could barely move. My stomach was craving this more than I realized. I'm used to not eating for days, but I'm not going to turn down opportunities like this.
Before heading back to my room, I went to the prison where Lily had been staying since her arrival over a month ago.
Thanks to Yuri's conversation with the guards, things were easier now. The instructor on duty recognized me and let me in.
When Lily saw me, she smiled. "You disappeared for seven days," she said.
"I was in the fourth stage," I replied.
She tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
"Just a survival phase," I replied. "Seven days in the woods, and it wasn't fun."
She looked surprised. "That sounds horrible."
"It was," I said with a small smile. "But I'm already done."
"You must be tired," she said softly.
I nodded. "A little."
We made light conversation for a while. As I stood up to leave, I realized something. I had come here to earn her trust. But being with her made me feel kind of comfortable. In fact, I didn't mind it.
When I returned to my room, I found Andrew sitting on the floor, leaning against my bed and reading a book.
I raised my eyebrows. "A book on medicinal plants?" That's new."
He chuckled and lifted his head. "When I dropped Sophia off, she gave this to me before she left. She said I should study plants and learn how to make medicine from them."
I smiled wryly. Even when she wasn't around, Sophia left a good mark on him.
I closed the door and threw myself on my bed.
"Love changes a man, doesn't it?"
Without turning or lifting his head, Andrew grabbed an empty bag and threw it at my face.
"Stop."
He sighed and closed the book. "Anyway, what did General Daniel say?"
I pulled the bag away from my face and recounted everything that had happened in General Daniel's office to Andrew, word by word.
He breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God it ended like that," he said. Then, his eyes narrowed slightly. "But wait... How did he know? Do you think James told him?"
I shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. I wouldn't be surprised."
Andrew tapped his fingers on the side of the bed. "So, you spent all this time with the General?"
I shook my head. "No, after that, I went out to eat and I ate a lot. This is the first decent meal I've had in a week. Finally, I went to meet Lily."
Andrew laughed. "You're not alone. I did the same thing. I thought to myself, 'Finally, real food.'"
He suddenly straightened up, his voice turning serious.
"But enough joking around. Seriously, what's going on with the princess?"
I blinked. "What do you mean?"
He sat up straighter, gesturing with both hands and turning his face to me. "You've been visiting her a lot. You go to see her, talk to her, and stay longer each time. Tell me, how do you feel about all this?"
I stopped. He wasn't being sarcastic; he really wanted to know what was going on. It made me think for a second.
"It doesn't bother me to talk to her," I said. "In fact, I feel comfortable with her. We have some things in common. I feel like myself when we talk."
Andrew raised an eyebrow. "So, you like her."
I looked at him calmly. "If I liked her, I wouldn't be so stupid as to not realize it." {<-- He is}
He stood up and sat down in the chair. "The feeling you're having is called admiration or liking someone."
"Why are you so confident? Of course I know what it feels like to like someone." {<-- He doesn't know.}
He folded his arms. "You've never liked or admired anyone before, so you don't even know how..."
Suddenly, the door opened with a loud kick.
Crimzo stood there, smiling like he owned the place and munching on an apple. "Hey, guys, I'm bored. What are you doing?"
Andrew jumped up. "Don't you know how to knock?"
Crimzo tilted his head innocently. "Why would I do that? Are you hiding something?"
I glanced at him. "He's got a point."
Andrew glared. "It's just called manners."
"We were just talking about the mission," I said, trying to change the subject.
Crimzo came in and sat in the desk chair in the corner of the room. "Your room isn't bad."
I replied. "You like it? Who do you share your room with?"
"I didn't even know his name. He dropped out of the first stage. I'm in there alone." He took two more bites. "And it's cozy."
Andrew narrowed his eyes. "Crimzo, you're already on our team, right?"
Crimzo took another bite of his apple and ignored the question completely. His gaze fell on the chessboard on the table in the corner. "Oh, chess! I've heard a lot about this game. Sounds like fun."
Andrew stood up. "Don't avoid the question..."
Crimzo, still chewing, interrupted him. "Anyway, I didn't come here to sit in a room with four walls. Do you want to go for a walk?"
Andrew sighed, clearly annoyed, but let it slide. "Okay. Let's go see what's going on at the campground."
I stood up and stretched. "Yeah, why not?" My feet are already tired, but it's fine if I walk a little.
As the sun set behind the hills, we walked through the camp. It was unusually quiet because most of the cadets were sleeping or resting after the fourth stage. The final list of winners wouldn't be announced until tomorrow, so the camp seemed peaceful for now.
Along a pathway near the edge of the camp, we saw a blonde girl stretching alone, deeply focused.
Crimzo nudged me with his elbow. "This girl is Lauren. She came back alone from the fourth stage without a scratch. Not even a bruise. She's good."
I looked at her, feeling slightly curious. There was something unique about her, but we didn't stop. We kept walking.
Ahead of us, we saw Stephanie coming back from the medical tent. Her hand was bandaged and she had some fresh scratches on her face. She must have fought harder than the others. After finishing our walk, we went back to our rooms.
Morning came and tension filled the air. Everyone was waiting for the results.
I walked with Andrew, Crimzo, and Sophia, who leaned slightly on her cane for support. Together, we walked toward the central board where the results were posted. A crowd had already gathered around it, looking at the results. I recognized everyone in the crowd. Everyone we knew was there: Kaylie, Loyd, Lora, Ria, and Henry.
I scanned the list.
Above it was the official note:
Congratulations to all cadets who passed the fourth stage!
Ranking is based on the number of flags captured and tokens collected.
Oliver Patriot – Rank 1
Stephanie Lisa – Rank 2
Lauren Kathy – Rank 3
...
Roy Celgius: Rank 6
...
Sophia Villa – Rank 8
...
Crimzo Lee – Rank 10
Andrew Celgius – Rank 11
...
Lora Brave – Rank 19
...
Kylie Lokes – Rank 24
.
Loyd Harren – Rank 27
.
Ria Velton – Rank 28
.
Henry Loith – Rank 71
Please head to the administration office to pick up your new metal badge after handing in your old one.
Seventy-one cadets?! That's a drop from 132 to 71. Almost half!
Oliver and Stephanie remained at the top. That was impressive. My ranking jumped from 38 to 6.
Honestly? That was enough for me; I didn't want to be in first place. I just wanted to be among the top names. For now, that was enough.
Sophia laughed beside us. "You're still last, Andrew. You need to work harder."
Crimzo smiled. "You talk a lot, but I'm ranked higher than you. Show some respect."
Andrew laughed and shook his head. "You two really know how to get under each other's skin."
I looked at Lauren's name again. Rank 3. Yesterday was the first time I'd seen her. It was strange how I hadn't noticed her before.
Then, my eyes dropped to Henry's name. Rank 71.
It was sad and funny, in a way. He deserved better than that—maybe even a spot in the top 30.
And good job, Kaylie, I thought, looking at her. She looked happy. Ranked 24th. Not bad. Same for her friends and Lora.
I slowly walked away from the board, trying to escape the conversations that would follow.
I looked at my hand and remembered that fight. There was no room for failure anymore. I needed to get stronger.
I quietly left, wandering away from the crowd because I wanted to spend some time alone. That's when I ran into Oliver.
I looked at my hand and remembered that fight. There was no room for failure anymore. I needed to get stronger.
I quietly left, wandering away from the crowd because I wanted to spend some time alone. That's when I ran into Oliver.
Our eyes met, but this time, I spoke first.
"It's impressive how you stayed in first place the whole time," I said. "I admit you're talented."
He smiled and walked beside me in the opposite direction. "You did well too. You didn't disappoint me in the end. But I think we'll face each other in the final stage. Be ready."
He spoke in a slightly annoying way. "Sure," I replied simply.
But that was another reason to train. Oliver wasn't like James. He was smarter and more composed. I needed to face him with all my strength.
On my way back, I saw Yuri approaching.
"There you are," he said. "I was looking for you."
We walked together to a quieter area.
He asked me about everything that had happened in the fourth stage. I told him the truth, even about the revenge.
"Revenge was a mistake," Yuri said bluntly. "It's good that Daniel let it go. Still, you did well. I'm not judging your actions."
Then he laughed and added, "Honestly, if I were in your place, I probably would have done the same thing."
I narrowed my eyes, still trying to understand him. He was quick to let things go, yet nothing escaped his attention.
Then his tone changed. "After a lot of letters and messages, we finally reached an agreement about the princess. An exchange agreement."
He looked me in the eyes. "So, I came to ask you, have you gained her trust?"
I paused and looked down. There was a strange feeling in my chest. Was I sad or happy? Or was it something else?
"If that's what it is, then yes," I said. "I'll go talk to her now."
Yuri nodded. "You won't have much time. Daniel could call us at any moment. But if you win her trust, it will be good for the future."
I nodded respectfully. "I'll go make sure," I said, quickly walking away.
I had to go see her. Not for a simple conversation this time.
I had to ask the questions that had been on my mind for so long.
Do you know me?
Why do you treat me differently?
Did she know anything about my past?
Today, I would find out. I hoped she would answer me.