The four batches gathered in the training ground for the morning roll call.
The ranks, lined up according to each batch, maintained a sharp straightness without any deviation, except for the 87th batch.
Only the 87th batch stood crookedly, as if they still carried the traits of new recruits, while its members scratched their heads.
The 87th batch had followed the instructor’s words to adjust their clothes by merely shaking the dust off their undergarments and smoothing out the wrinkles.
However, it did not take long for them to realize they were the only ones who had come to the morning roll call in ordinary clothes.
The moment their eyes met the burning gaze of the one-eyed instructor, they felt it immediately. Their hopes were completely dissipated.
The only ones in the 87th batch wearing the official uniform were Chloe and her companions.
“There was a reason for your insistence on wearing the official uniform even if we were late.”
Finny muttered, speaking with a face that looked as though she had finally attained enlightenment. Just a moment ago, she had been pestering Chloe every minute, saying they should abandon the idea of changing clothes now and hurry to the training ground before it was too late, because they had been waiting for the older students to finish using the shared bathrooms.
It was fortunate that she realized it, even if only now.
“Trainee of the 86th Batch, Lennon Bart! Full count of 31 individuals including myself, no absences!”
“Trainee of the 85th Batch, Daphne Rosset! Full count of 29 individuals including myself, no absences!”
“Trainee of the 84th Batch, Mia Grifane! Full count of 34 individuals including myself, no absences!”
After those standing at the front of each batch finished reporting the number of individuals, the inspection tour of uniform and conduct followed. Naturally, everyone who came in ordinary clothes received negative points and collective punishment.
Roselyn, who survived the collective punishment thanks to Chloe, watched her batchmates receiving physical punishment with an envious eye, then said mockingly:
“Being an overachiever is better for me than being subjected to all this torment since the morning.”
The sense of mockery she had received from her batch before the start of the roll call just for wearing the uniform was melting and fading away with refreshment.
‘Isn’t wearing the official uniform a basic requirement for the roll call?’
Of course, the elite Chloe was unable to understand this chaos.
“It is not thinking that proves us! It is our actions!”
After the end of the collective chant of unknown meaning, the running began immediately.
Because this morning routine was also followed at the Royal Central Academy and in the Military Intelligence Agency, Chloe ran with a calm face among the members of the 87th batch who were gasping for breath after the collective punishment.
When they reached fifty laps, the rhythm of the collective run began to slow down gradually, but the demonic instructors did not hesitate to unleash their verbal whips upon them as if they could not bear to see it.
“Faster! And while running, recite the Academy anthem!”
“What is this sound? Is this the best you have? Raise your voice more!”
Just showing any sign of a slight slowdown in the run was enough for these instructors to fix their sharp eyes on them and begin shouting.
On top of that, there was a ridiculous custom stating that first-year students must not fall behind students of the higher years.
It was enough for an ordinary garment to appear in the ranks for the older students to sharpen their eyes and pour curses upon the 87th batch from every direction until their minds nearly vanished.
After the run ended, the 87th batch entered into intensive training of basic military drills.
-‘Starting now, formal honorifics will be omitted for the sake of training instruction.’
-‘Since you have entered Northfort, you must throw your rotten minds away and do your utmost to be born again as people befitting Northfort.’
-‘Here, it is not thoughts but actions that prove you! Move instead of thinking!’
This was training to open their eyes to the extent of their stupidity and lack of character, under the guise of “mental conditioning.”
-‘It seems you still lack harmony. Put your hands on the shoulder of the person in front of you! One: Concentration! Two: Unity!’
-‘I said left, you fool! Before the instructor notices, hurry and return to your place.’
This was training that made them learn how to threaten their colleagues who made mistakes in movements so the instructor wouldn’t notice, rather than learning how to perform the movements accurately.
-‘Everyone prepare for the push-up position! If one person touches the ground, we will remove your fingers from the ground one by one, understood?’
-‘Still no awareness? To the left, roll! To the right, roll! You are not rolling straight!’
Merely breathing was enough for them to receive shouting accusing them that their minds had flown away, with collective punishments implemented at any moment.
From the perspective of Chloe, who was an elite officer and had received specialized military training, this was not basic military training, but training to turn scoundrels into human beings.
Chloe reflected for a moment, remembering that the journey she had traveled from the barren desert to Northfort was a condensed version of five weeks of basic military training at the Royal Central Academy.
Except for mental training, parade movements, marksmanship training, and chemical training, the fitness exercises, guarding, first aid, smoke grenades, individual combat, and marches were all compressed into 48 consecutive hours.
This thing is difficult even if one receives it in five stages over five weeks, so what about those who were civilians until just hours ago?
Northfort was truly a mad place.
Finally, today’s training ended. Even the elite Chloe had exhausted her strength.
‘First, I will collect materials to build a temporary residence, then I will check the older students’ times for using the bathrooms.’
Yesterday, the 87th batch was alone without daily tasks, so they were able to bathe early, but starting today they would follow an official schedule like the other batches.
That meant she could not expect the luck she had yesterday.
If she knew when the older students used the bathrooms and shared baths, she would automatically know the remaining time in which the 87th batch could use them.
It was a constant fact: first-year students are always last in line.
“Hey! You’re from the 87th batch, right? The one who was the first to come from the desert!”
As soon as Chloe reached the dormitory building, one of her batchmates rushed toward her with a face full of joy.
“Perfect! Help me a little. one of the older students told me something a moment ago but I didn’t understand a thing.”
The place this fool had come from was indeed the dormitory building containing the shared bathrooms, but Chloe had trusted that he possessed a shred of sense toward the older students.
“And what did he say to you?”
But Chloe was oblivious to something important.
It is that those sent to this place are scoundrels who have never lived a day considering the feelings of others.
“Umm, he said: ‘I give you ten minutes. Everyone from above you to below me, assemble.’ That’s what he said.”
The worst phrase in the first year came out of this fool’s mouth.
“Everyone from above you to below me, assemble.”
Chloe had been subjected to this type of summons several times when she was a junior student at the Royal Academy, and she had also practiced it when she became an older student.
It is a summons by name only, but in reality, it is a summons to hell.
This is not just a request for attendance from the higher batches. It is dragging them all to the punishment square.
A first-year student summoning the higher batches? And because of a first-year student’s mistake?
This is a literal death declaration.
The discipline of the Royal Academy was severe, but Northfort? Worse.
This is what Chloe understood after a few days of interaction with these scoundrels.
Elites maintain their prestige, but profligate scoundrels? Prestige is not in their dictionary.
And this is the biggest difference between the Royal Academy and Northfort.
“In what year was this older student?”
“I don’t know?”
And Chloe blessed him in her heart with a happy death.
There was not even a bond of “together in hell” between them, so there was no reason to help him or pity him.
All she could do was explain the meaning of the sentence to him.
“This means that everyone of a higher batch than us must assemble. I will gather our own batch.”
From the moment he heard that, this fool became the bottom of the 87th batch. Therefore, it was natural that they also assemble.
After a short time…
“Everyone gathered their precious time and assembled here, yet the person who caused all this summons does not appear?”
The fourth-year student said, smiling a terrifying smile before the assembled 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-year batches.
“Excuse me, I will go now and bring him.”
“No. Why strain yourself? We will wait until he comes. He is a precious person, so we must wait for him, must we not?”
The fourth-year students were clearly angry, the third-year students were withdrawn with their heads down, and the second-year students were standing in a straight line with their hands behind their backs.
The first-year students also stood with their hands behind their backs, feeling anxious about the scary atmosphere, huddled in a small corner, cursing whoever caused this mess.
Long moments passed.
Sighs of pain began to leak from the mouths of the third-year students who were bowing their heads.
Then… finally…
With a creaking sound, the storehouse door opened.
“Oh, our dear first-year trainee has finally arrive—”
The words of the fourth-year student, who was looking toward the open door mockingly, stopped.
And the rest of the batches, who were standing with tense eyes and hands behind their backs, began rubbing their eyes slowly, in disbelief.
‘Is he insane?’
While Chloe stared with an open mouth, she saw immediately behind the troublemaker the instructors entering one by one into the storehouse.
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