Imperial City of Archades, 695 (o. V.)

'Gabranth! Your hair!'

My mind stopped for a moment as I was filling my mess tin in the Akademy's refectory. Vitu's words didn't click until I remembered my visit to the hairdresser the previous week. Actually, I had meant to cut my hair for a long time, but didn't resort to it due to my fear of looking – even more – like Basch. However, the hassle of keeping such long locks inside the helmet most of the working day overtook my reluctance.

I joined him on the table where members of both our divisions used to gather to eat. More precisely, I was the only member of the Sixth amidst the joyous din of the Ninth. Sometimes, when they're all busy chatting, I imagine the viera appearing next to us and watching over me, but she had disappeared for good since the Empress's death.

'Why did you do that?' Vitu insisted. 'Nobody will recognize you this way! Judge Drace will certainly be disappointed.'

'I never talked to Judge Drace, nor to any Judge Magister for that matter', I noted before emptying my glass of water. 'We are the rank-and-file, only supervised by majors and sometimes generals'.

There was an unusual silence – unusual for Vitu, at least. I raised my eyes towards him and saw a dreary face, with a lowered grim gaze and an absent smile.

'What about you?' I asked. 'Did you ever meet Judge Zargabaath?'

'I did.'

He had waited for his colleagues to leave the table before answering.

'But I shouldn't have!'

'Why is that?' I asked. 'If he summoned you, it is a normal thing for you to appear next to him.'

'He did not summon me', Vitu revealed. 'And that is the utter problem, my friend…'

His behavior was definitely atypical. His head was shaking while he joined his hands in apprehension. His food was barely touched. In this worrying state, he decided to continue:

'It has been weeks and weeks I was itching to see him. Last year's events left a much bigger trace on him than what he shows to his troops. I could somehow… feel it. Everyone in the division talks about his guilt of not fulfilling his duty as Empress Sentia's official guard, but I can sense there is something else. Something that cannot be grasped or even described, but that makes him suffer terribly. Without identifying its nature which does not concern me, I know it does make him suffer and I can't help suffering with him. The echoes related by the judges made me more troubled each day, and I couldn't stand imagining our Judge Magister endure unsaid misfortune without his soldiers' support. So… So I decided to go seek him with neither formalities nor warning, and I used all the courage I had to ensure him out loud of my loyal backing, as well as all of the division's, for the charge we're holding together.'

His words resonated distinctly in my mind, but unlike his dull mood, I felt much delight at his action. Although he had no trouble engaging a conversation, Vitu was definitely the timid kind, so considering that Judge Zargabaath was a sort of idol for him, I could only imagine the grit needed to make such an appearance.

'And what was his reaction?' I inquired.

'None. Nothing at all. He stared at me perplexedly and all I could do was salute and leave.'

He took his head between his hands and added with terror:

'I should never have done that!...'

'I believe what you did was unexpected but if neither your major nor Lord Zargabaath himself reprimanded you afterwards, no offense was taken and you should be alright.'

Vitu's eyes shifted towards me in a ridiculously absorbed way. Perhaps, drowned into his self-blaming obsession, had he never envisaged this eventuality.

'It is still an outrage but… now that you mention it, I don't think my major ever reproached me a single thing. He often extols my fencing moves and regularly speaks of my stamina progress. It doesn't make much sense, as there are so many soldiers better than myself… he's highly overestimating me, if you ask me!'

I rather deemed Vitu was highly underestimating himself, but he soon regained his appetite so I let it at that. Vitu Palnissen traditionally joined the lunch table later than his comrades, and during his absence, the latters had been recently speaking about how strong he became. He went through some training to become a major, but never made it due to his lack of leadership. According to them, it was a shame that someone so skilled and determined would see his career doomed so soon.

At that point I was still living with my mother, at the small Rienna apartment. She spent her days reading various books, newspapers and magazines, and took great contentment in describing her findings every evening at the dinner table.

'Did you know that the Six Roses orphanage did not close after the Empress's passing?' she said once while enthusiastically cutting a slice from the Nanna meat Fleischküchle she just cooked.

'I thought this structure solely depended on her funds', I answered.

'It was definitely the case! But Thembeka told me today that all the girls who lived there were able to stay, study and pursue their regular activities without any sort of trouble. That means someone took over her charge! Perhaps the Social Affairs Ministry?'

'Mother', I explained in a weary tone. 'The Empire is not a charity crew. They shall not invest in anything that does not assure them profit. I can see it everyday.'

I was glad that the loyal neighbor still cared after my mother, after all the years she had spent in another country. Thembeka genuinely enjoyed her company, and the two regularly spent hours chatting in the Rienna building or the Nilbasse parks.

As my salary kept rising, I was able to properly furnish the rooms we had, providing all the comfort that could be found in Archades – and that was completely unknown to us until then. Slowly, my mother let go of her fear of being captured by Archadian justice, and allowed both me and herself to walk in the capital's busy streets. After all, she was born an Archadian citizen, and even if I wasn't, I was part of the Ministry of Law under the command of one of the most prominent Judge Magisters of the country. So she slowly got rid of her traumatic visions from the Landis invasion, to focus on living a honorable life, learning everything about Archadian life – so different from when she had fled it – and being the best support to the only son that remained to her.

However, as days passed and our situation looked more positive each year, I quickly realized that there was something that all the gil and knowledge of Ivalice could not bring back to Linda Gabranth : her health.

As soon as the restrictions she had initially ordered for strolling in town were lifted, I ran to search for a doctor. I did not exactly know where to search, so I knocked at every door available. Medical visits were extremely expensive in Archades – more than I had ever feared. But I brought my mother to every single health professional I could find, and every time their observation was the same: my mother's illness was not common and thus, there were not enough cases to confirm a treatment's efficiency. Basically, trying a cure at this level of knowledge would involve more risks than certainties, and we jointly decided not to attempt this route until the diagnosis was confirmed. In addition to breathing difficulties, she was suffering from acute muscle pain that manifested frequently while she moved and during her sleep.

As for my own health, the back pain categorically disappeared after regularly applying the Viera unguent and practicing specific stretches before and after military training. Surprisingly, other members of the Sixth Division had access to that ointment, as I randomly discovered during one of the afternoon's "Disengage Snacks" that Judge Drace put in place. A few female and male soldiers had a similar issue and also had contact with the viera; and after the latter vanished, were able to get a stock of the precious unguent through a Molberry pharmacy, which chemists successfully replicated the salve.

My contacts with the Sixth became less and less scarce, and although I did not get close to any member, I managed to attract less mockery and more curiosity – which was not easy to deal with as I could not tell anyone where I was from. In the beginning of the year, I was transferred to another troop, which was evolving along with three others under the rule of Lord Cinna, forming the Plastron Battalion. Lord Cinna held the title of general, and this transfer – decided by Judge Drace – promoted me to the rank of officer cadet. My new mission consisted in assisting General Cinna in training and patrol organization, as well as the various duties of daily life at the army. As officer cadet, I was not at the head of any group of soldiers, even if I technically could summon any member of the battalion – which totaled a hundred swordsmen, marksmen and magi.

This promotion came as a surprise to everyone in the division, starting with myself. All echoes I had concerning Archadian culture – and Archadian military culture in particular – converged at the idea that only soldiers born in the proper families saw their careers elevated. Officially, I was an Archadian man born in House Gabranth, but I never gave any proof of my ties to other Gabranths, and nobody in the capital ever showed by my side to demonstrate I was suitably integrated or important. Furthermore, some tongues inside the Sixth, observing every line on my hand and every expression in my speech, began doubting my Archadian blood. I chose to ignore those enclosed whispers, and continued to act with as much dignity as my body could display.

During a cold morning where I was expected to process the incorporation of the new recruits of the year, I raised my head at the wall of the Military Akademy's Hangar n°8, and read the hour on the clock hung beneath the ceiling.

'Vitu's calling!' I murmured with a sigh of relief.

I was happy to take a break from the morning's heavy work, but the task was not complete and I was annoyed to let it on hold. Nevertheless, having promised Vitu that I would see him at that time of the day, I left the papers on the desk and quit the empty hangar.

Pivoting left and right, my head did not notice any trace of Lord Cinna. I therefore headed for the western runway of the military aerodrome, where the Ninth Division, specifically trained in airship mechanics, often gathered for workshops during the week. My eyes did not find Vitu at first, but soon enough, I recognized the only soldier who ran from troop to troop with tragic nervousness. Even when I approached, he didn't pay attention to my presence. I had to call him twice and lift my helmet to alter his neverending rush.

'Ga… Gabranth?' Vitu said, removing his helmet in turn.

Would he have the audacity to ask what I was doing there when he was the one who summoned me at that hour?

'It is always a delight to see you around!' he added in relief.

No matter how grating he could be, Vitu Palnissen always had the talent to put people at ease, through his contagious smile and sincere shining eyes.

'It is as I said. You should not have cut that hair of yours! Now you're another man. Follow me, Gabranth; there are peculiar people here who would like to make your acquaintance – and I believe you will like theirs as well.'