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{Chapter 11} What are you?
🕑 Added 2025-09-19 12:35:02 +0000 UTCThe recruitment officer didn't quite understand why Kaelis was acting so defensive, yet insisted on going to the battlefield.
But... he had just said he'd help Kaelis if possible.
And upon hearing Kaelis wanted to earn military merits for promotion, he actually had a way...
...
One day of preparation passed quickly.
Soon, personnel were gathered and transported to the frontlines...
Kaelis originally prepared to depart with the troops, but just as they were about to move out, the recruitment officer called her back.
“Don't head to the frontline yet...”
The moment they met, the recruitment officer spoke.
“Hmm?”
“You said you wanted to get promoted quickly, right?”
Looking at the seemingly naive girl before him, the recruitment officer shook his head slightly.
“We have a few recommendation slots every year... If you show excellent performance, you can enter the Military Academy for training... Although it's only about ten days or so, if you pass, you'll be directly promoted to Commander. And if you rank in the top three, you could even become a Centurion.”
“Eh? Is there such a thing?”
Kaelis was taken aback, surprised.
But soon, she understood after the recruitment officer explained, the so-called Military Academy wasn't the kind of place where one studied for two or three years before graduating.
In fact, the Kingdom had never had a Military Academy before. This was something temporarily established in recent years due to war.
Its main purpose was to have veteran soldiers train promised recruits, so they could perform better in combat.
It was somewhat like a crash course... though the speed of this “crash course”...
“Normally, each class has a month of training time, but this session is essentially the Academy's final one. I asked a friend to arrange your entry, you'll only have about ten days to study... As for your results... I can't guarantee anything.”
The recruitment officer continued, his words making Kaelis's expression turn complicated.
A month's study time was already short enough, now she has only ten days?
What was the difference between dragging an ancient person into learning Science, Math, English, Politics, History, and Geography in ten days and then sending them straight to the national college entrance exam?
Kaelis was confident her learning ability wouldn't be inferior to others, but... she simply didn't have enough time!
Still, she nodded seriously.
Since the opportunity had come, she might as well give it a try.
At worst, if it really didn't work out, she'd just avoid this path in her next simulation.
Seeing Kaelis wasn't resisting, the recruitment officer nodded.
Soon, the guide arrived.
After a brief greeting with the recruitment officer, the guide took Kaelis onto the carriage.
Slowly, they drove off toward the distance...
...
After a day and night of travel, Kaelis soon arrived at the so-called Military Academy.
Calling it an academy was a stretch, it was more like a wilderness camp, situated deep in the mountains. According to Kaelis's memory, it was actually only about ten kilometers from the battlefield near the capital.
The camp was dotted with guard posts, and men and women were clearly divided into two separate areas.
After briefly showing Kaelis around key locations, mainly the mess hall and rules, the guide brought her to the office.
Soon, Kaelis was given an ID badge, two sets of clothing, and assigned a dormitory.
“Though you're a transfer student, I won't give you special treatment... You'll take the exam with everyone else ten days from now. Your results will determine your future path... Any objections?”
The camp's instructor was a typical rigid old man, gray-haired, with a stern and resolute expression. His silver-white heavy armor seemed welded onto his body.
This made Kaelis slightly curious.
As for his words...
“No problem.”
Kaelis had no objections.
“Then go back to your dormitory and rest for now... This afternoon, follow your class to training..."
The old man waved his hand, dismissing Kaelis.
After a moment of curiosity, Kaelis shook her head slightly and turned to leave.
It was nearly midday break. Walking through the nearly silent camp, Kaelis felt somewhat uneasy.
Luckily, her luck was good. Within ten-odd minutes, she found her assigned tent dormitory...
It was actually a four-person room?!
Kaelis raised an eyebrow, quite pleased.
Inside, two women were already standing at attention.
They stood side by side, respectful expressions.
The moment they saw Kaelis enter, they immediately rushed forward with beaming smiles...
This suddenly gave Kaelis a flustered feeling.
But in the blink of an eye, the two women glanced left and right, then looked at Kaelis, who was casually picking up her clothes, with confusion.
Something was off... Although they'd never met that person before, someone of such status would never fetch their own clothes!
So was Kaelis her maid?
Realizing this, their smiles immediately faded. They glanced at Kaelis and spoke.
“Where is Her Highness?”
“...Her Highness?”
Kaelis blinked, instantly realizing they'd mistaken her identity.
She shook her head slightly.
“I don't know.”
“This one doesn't know?” The two grew even more puzzled. “Aren't you Her Highness's maid?”
“...While I do think maids are nice to have, I just like being taken care of. I'm not a maid myself.”
Kaelis shook her head, not getting angry.
People, after all, often show small tempers when their expectations are dashed.
Although Kaelis now looks young, she wasn't really a child anymore. Most of the time, her emotions remain quite calm.
Her response made the two women frown.
You see, to get close to that person, they had exerted much effort and connections, taking advantage of the old man's absence to drive out other competitors and free up this four-person room.
This space was originally meant for welcoming Her Highness, but now...
Kaelis had taken their spot?
The two felt dissatisfied, but after exchanging glances, they suppressed their inner irritation.
“Which family are you from?”
“Hmm?”
“Your family name, noble rank, and where is your fief?”
Facing Kaelis, the two girls began seriously interrogating her background.
Kaelis froze for a moment, then silently shook her head.
“Family name Kaelis, no noble title, no fief.”
'Are they security personnel? Did I get assigned to some big shot's dorm?'
Kaelis's thoughts were quite simple.
She didn't get angry by their questioning, instead seriously considering their motives.
Such thorough interrogation... Are they worried I'm some dangerous person?
Quite dedicated.
Kaelis even considered whether they were the type who looked down on others, but quickly shook her head.
Unlikely... In this era, are there still such fools?
Judging by status...
But Kaelis clearly overlooked one point...
In the timeline she lived in, such people were indeed rare, but... this was ten years ago, an era before the new elites rose.
Noble status was still the mainstream.
Hearing Kaelis was merely a commoner with nothing, the two girls immediately dropped their politeness.
As Kaelis calmly began unpacking her few possessions, she suddenly saw her bed frame tremble.
Turning in confusion, she saw the two women standing with arms crossed, glaring at her with clear hostility.
They had just kicked her bed...
“Get out.”
The woman spoke, tone harsh.
“Hmm?”
“Be smart and leave on your own... This isn't a place for you.”
When Her Highness came, she'd certainly bring her maid, meaning at least two spots would be occupied.
If Kaelis took one, then either the princess or her maid would have to stay outside... Although most likely the princess would stay and the maid go elsewhere, they had spent so much effort, wasn't it exactly to get close to Her Highness?
Therefore, even if there was the slightest risk, they had to eliminate it.
But...
Their chosen method was the worst possible one...
“Hmm? Picking a fight?”
Seeing their attitude, Kaelis wasn't slow to react.
But she didn't get angry. Instead, she tilted her head, looking at the two before her as if they were children.
Seeing their hostile expressions, she paused, then burst suddenly into laughter.
“Because of my status?”
“...You know best.” Seeing Kaelis seems to admit it, the two softened slightly, then arrogantly lifted their chins.
Good, she'd leave on her own and save them the trouble.
But then, Kaelis's blunt words fell once more.
“...Then what exactly are you?”
Kaelis asked with a full smile, her calm words hiding a girl's emotions.
From childhood, Kaelis had learned the virtue of being proud toward superiors but never humiliating subordinates. In this world, she was like a mirror, reflecting everyone's true nature.
If you're polite, Kaelis might listen. But if you act like this... Kaelis wouldn't waste words.
“I don't know what's on your mind, what families you're from, or what status you hold, but... I don't like being bullied.”
Kaelis didn't waste words. She stepped forward, her originally beautiful eyes now revealing waves of menace!
Violence isn't the best way to solve problems, but it's the fastest!
Unlike these children still in training, Kaelis... had truly been on battlefields and killed people!
In an instant, Kaelis's dangerous presence frightened the two girls. They instinctively stepped back, wanting to distance themselves from this dangerous person.
Seeing their reaction, Kaelis paused, then gasped.
“Kids...”
That was her final verdict.
But this brief remark made both their faces turn red with rage.
They naturally refused to admit their retreat was out of fear of Kaelis. Seeing Kaelis's disdainful gaze, a surge of anger welled up in their hearts!
“You savage!”
One couldn't hold back, instinctively drawing the training longsword beside her bed and raising it!
But in the next instant, she only saw a flash of white!
Kaelis, somehow, had already drawn her sword, pressing it against the girl's neck!
Counterattacking after the opponent initiated!
Those fierce black eyes stared at her as if looking at a dead person.
“So, what exactly are you?”
Coldness instantly spread from her spine, freezing her previously agitated blood.
Kaelis's cold, death-staring gaze made her teeth chatter.
“Clang...”
The sword dropped from her hand.
Raised in a life of luxury, she simply relied on the ability to fight Kaelis. Even without activating her special abilities, the sword techniques Kaelis learned from Old Struth were more than enough to completely overpower her!
Seeing her opponent drop her weapon out of fear, Kaelis merely reiterated, saying nothing, nor foolishly softening her sword.
She quietly stared at the girl before her, gently applying pressure, forcing her to her knees.
Her gaze remained calm and indifferent...
The companion beside her tried to intervene, but Kaelis only interrupted, freezing her body in place.
In just this short time, Kaelis used force to show these two girls clearly.
The status and noble titles they valued so much were nothing in Kaelis's eyes!
When people are killed... they die...
A silent, oppressive atmosphere gradually brewed in the room.
At that moment, a woman dressed as a maid calmly lifted the tent flap.
Seeing the scene inside, her original intention to warn suddenly paused.
Watching Kaelis pinning two girls to their knees with a single sword, she hesitated briefly, then slightly frowned.
This was...
“Bullying?”
