[Special Feature] West Zemuria Trade Conference

"The West Zemuria Trade Conference has finally commenced. As the first international conference of its kind, it has naturally become the subject of much attention and discussion since its initial announcement. We will be bringing you the latest news from the Crossbell State itself, where the representatives of the various nations attending continue to arrive. Each of the attendees is of the highest standing in their respective countries. Representing our nation of Erebonia will be Prince Olivert, on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor, and Chancellor Osborne. The delegate from the Calvard Republic will be head of state President Rocksmith, and the Principality of Remiferia to the north will be represented by Prince Albert. Lastly, Crown Princess Klaudia will be the spokesperson for the Liberl Kingdom to the south."

The Conference's Direction

"With the heads of the various nations in Western Zemuria gathering in one place for the trade conference, what matters will be discussed?

A former diplomat offered his opinion: 'It is difficult to predict. The president of the Calvard Republic and head of the Erebonian government coming together for a discussion like this is unprecedented.'

No matter what topics of discussion come up, the outcome of this conference is sure to determine the direction of international politics for years to come. Specialists in the fields of policy, international relations, and economy will be watching with bated breath."

…

"You know, they say reading on a moving train is bad for your eyes."

Morgan glanced up from her newspaper at Crow, who was seated across from her in the train booth. "That's just an urban legend," she replied. "The worst it'll do is give you motion sickness."

Crow smirked. "Heh. You're tougher than you look!"

"What can I say? I'm just built different."

There was actually a more concrete reason as to why she was unaffected by the motions of the train. As someone who had undergone pegasus knight training, Morgan was used to focusing on a single target while moving around, and maintaining a steady gaze on a single sheet of paper close to her was exponentially tamer than locating an enemy unit from high in the sky. Of course, that wasn't exactly something that she could just spring up in any regular conversation, especially when Erebonia had no counterparts to the pegasi the same way the Scalyptera was to the wyverns.

A bell rang over the intercom, followed by a voice that announced, "We are now arriving at…Celdic. When disembarking, please ensure no belongings are left behind."

"Guess that's our stop," said Rean. "Come on. Let's meet up with the rest of our class."

The members of Group A all gathered their belongings and followed Rean out of the train compartment they were seated at. Morgan tucked her newspaper in between her arms. The time was currently 9:30, a good few hours since they had left from Legram. They first took the Ebel Branch Line to get to Bareahard, then immediately changed trains in order to travel to Celdic. From there, they would rendezvous with Instructor Sara and the rest of the class in Celdic and take the Transcontinental Railroad all the way to Garrelia Fortress.

As soon as Group A disembarked from the train, they were immediately met with an unusual sight. The entire station was swamped with Railway Military Police officers, and there was a lengthy rope barrier on one of the platforms.

"All passengers disembarking here in Celdic, please exit the platform via the bridge. I repeat, do not approach the rope barriers on Platform One!"

"Passengers wishing to travel on the Transcontinental Railroad, please wait on Platform Two!"

"Look at all this security…" Emma gasped. "I wonder what's going on."

"I hope nothing bad happened to the market again," Morgan muttered worriedly.

"Heehee. Well, isn't this quite the coincidence?" a female voice called out from the side.

All the students turned in the direction of the voice. "It's Captain Claire!" Morgan shouted out loud.

Given the heavy presence of the RMP at the station, it was no surprise that the Icy Maiden herself would also be present. With that said, having someone of her status personally reach out to them felt very surreal, and Captain Claire, for what it was worth, evidently looked happy to see them. Of course, one could chalk it up as her acting more friendly now that one of her fellow Ironbloods was among their ranks, but it genuinely felt like over the course of their many encounters during Class VII's field studies, the captain had developed something of a soft spot for the students as thanks for their continued efforts.

"Whoa-ho-ho!" Crow whistled. "That's one classy-lookin' babe!"

Morgan elbowed Crow in the ribs.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Show some respect!" she hissed. Must he flirt with every new woman who enters his field of vision?

Claire, fortunately, took everything in stride. "Good day, everyone. Let me thank you again for all your help during the recent crisis in Heimdallr."

"Don't worry about it," said Rean. "So what's the situation?"

"There's no need to be so anxious. All that's happening is that Eisengraf will be passing through here soon, so this station's operating under heightened security."

"Eisengraf?" Gaius repeated, the words sounding foreign to him.

"As in 'Iron Count,' right?" Emma translated.

"That's the express train reserved for members of the Imperial government," Crow explained. "Like the name implies, it's the personal favorite ride for our one and only Blood and Iron Chancellor."

Claire let out a small hum. "You've done your research. I don't believe we've met before."

"I'm a second year student, so I know a few things." The silver-haired student made a saluting gesture with his right index and middle fingers. "Name's Crow Armbrust. I just transferred into Class VII this past month. A pleasure to come face to face with the Icy Maiden herself."

"Ah, so you're the other student who joined with Millium. Hmm…" Claire moved her eyes up and down, assessing the gunslinger intently. Perhaps she was determining his combat capabilities?

Morgan was the first to break the silence. "He's a bit on the dim side, but you can count on him when it counts."

"Hey, I'm not that dim, Morgs!"

"Also, his grades are the reason why he's with us in the first place."

"Oi! Rean! Why're you making me look bad in front of a lady?"

The captain's focus crumbled, and she giggled. "My apologies. I didn't mean to stare. It seems like you're fitting in nicely with your new class. "I hope you'll continue to set a good example as their upperclassman, especially since I consider Millium to be something of a younger sister to me…"

She glared at the slacker again, her eyes significantly colder than before. The students could almost feel the temperature in the air drop several degrees. "You will agree, won't you?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am."

Crow was practically quaking in his boots, almost like he was ready to pee in his pants. And who wouldn't be? It was basically the equivalent of the renowned Icy Maiden holding him at gunpoint.

"Wow. Who would've thought that we'd see Captain Claire get protective over someone?" Morgan whispered to Rean.

"Yeah. You don't see this sort of thing every day," Rean agreed. "But at the same time, I can sort of see where she's coming from. Elise and I aren't related by blood either, but I know I wouldn't tolerate any guys looking at her funny. I'd even get physical to get my point across if I needed to."

"Ahaha…" Morgan laughed nervously. If that were to ever happen…well, she would feel sorry for the poor schmuck who ended up on Rean's radar that day.

"Man, I wish I could've seen Gramps's train…" Millium booed in her seat, but not a moment later, she brushed off her pout with a grin. "But at least I got to see Claire, though!"

"I still can't believe you leapt out of the train window the moment you saw her on the platform…" Jusis recalled, shaking his head in disbelief. "Please refrain from doing such things in the future."

"Ahaha! It's only Claire! She'll forgive me!"

Instructor Sara merely shook her head and sighed. "Still, it sounds like both of you guys had a pretty eventful past few days. Though I guess one group had a more…fantastical trip than the other."

"I still can't believe what I'm hearing…" Alisa said. "You guys actually saw ghosts?"

"Nooo!" Millium pulled the pom-poms on her knit beanie over her ears. "I thought we were done talking about the ghosts!"

Jusis scoffed. "You're such a child…"

Laura patted Millium on the head, looking much more forgiving of the latter's outburst. "Well, we were almost dragged into the afterlife ourselves, so I would say her fear is justified."

"Lauraaa!" Millium wrapped her arms around the swordswoman. "See Jusis? You should be more like her! Blegh!"

The blonde noble rolled his eyes at the sight of the Ironblood sticking her tongue at him and returned to reading his own copy of the newspaper Morgan had been reading earlier. "So the trade conference is commencing as we speak. A shame we won't be able to see it in person."

"I hope Prince Olivert is going to be alright…" Morgan muttered.

"I'm a little concerned about the upcoming trade conference in Crossbell, too…" Instructor Sara added. "Same goes for the Imperial Liberation Front. They've been awfully quiet since that show they put on last month."

Morgan's newspaper elicited a crinkling sound, the result of her hands balling into fists as she held the paper. The other students couldn't see her face, but they got her message. Her distaste for the terrorists that kidnapped Princess Alfin was just as strong as ever.

"Deep breaths, Morgan," Emma told her. "Is that related somehow to why we're going to Garrelia Fortress, Instructor?"

"Well, it's not the main reason, but it's not entirely unrelated. I'll let you look forward to finding out all about it when we get to the fortress itself. Anyway, how many of you have passed through Garrelia Fortress by train before?"

Four people raised their hands: Millium, Crow, Fie, and Elliot.

"Elliot, your father is the commander of the 4th Armored Division, correct?" Gaius remembered. "Is he stationed at the fortress?"

"Yup. Which means that we're gonna end up meeting him sooner or later…" The red-haired teen sighed, making it all too clear that he was not looking forward to that inevitability at all. "I'm surprised you haven't been there, Morgan."

"There are plenty of places in Erebonia I haven't been to yet! It's not like Her Highness had any reason to venture that far out."

Crow snickered to himself. "Haha. Then I can't wait to see everyone's first reactions."

Fie nodded in agreement. "True."

"Why's that? I mean, we know it's big, but…"

"Big is an understatement."

"Yup. A camera can't really capture how ridiculous it is."

If both Crow and Fie were agreeing on something, then clearly there had to be some merit to their words, the other students figured.

"I've seen it in photographs, at least," Alisa said. "Surely it can't be that bad, right?"

…

"...You know, I take back what I said earlier," Alisa said as the train pulled into the platform. "That much money being spent on a fortress is NOT okay."

Crow was still holding his sides from all the snickering he did looking at the bewildered expressions on his classmates' faces. "Haha! Whoo! Yep! That was about as entertaining as I'd hoped."

"Not that I'm surprised," Elliot commented. "I thought the same things when I first saw it."

With the initial shock of seeing the enormous scale of Garrelia Fortress out of the way, the students followed their instructor out of the train. There weren't many other passengers who accompanied them off the train, save for a few people in engineer uniforms. Sara then led her students towards the end of the platform, where a familiar face was waiting for them.

"Good morning, Instru-er, Major Neithardt." Sara gave a salute to the officer. "Instructor Valestein of Thors Military Academy, homeroom teacher for Class VII. Reporting the arrival of myself and all students in my care."

Neithardt responded with a salute of his own. "Acknowledging your arrival at 1130 hours. Welcome to Garrelia Fortress."

Instead of the purple suit and white trousers that he wore while on campus, the military science instructor was now wearing the standard officer's uniform designated for the Imperial Army. He turned to the students and explained, "In addition to my teaching duties at the academy, I hold the rank of major in the Imperial Army's 4th Armored Division. I'll be acting as your guide, as well as your instructor for special lectures, during your time here at the fortress. Now, if you'll follow me…"

First, Major Neithardt directed the students and Instructor Sara to their lodgings. The army had provided for them two guest rooms, each one segregated by gender. They weren't much to write home about, but they did provide the basic essentials, such as a bed for each person to sleep in, a large table to write on, and lockers to put their respective belongings in.

After everyone dropped off their stuff, they reconvened in the briefing room down the hall.

"Including today, you have two days remaining in this month's field study," Major Neithardt recapped. "However, we won't be assigning you any tasks during that time. Instead, you'll be participating in a series of special lectures and a field trip."

More than a few members of Class VII reclined in their seats at that. Compared to what they usually did during their field studies, their agenda didn't seem so bad. Naturally, this didn't go unnoticed by Neithardt.

"I imagine that has some of you feeling rather relieved, doesn't it? It does sound like a pretty easy engagement. But we'll see how many of you feel the same after experiencing it for yourselves."

The major then proceeded to outline the schedule for their stay. At 1400 hours, they would attend a joint military exercise featuring the 4th and 5th Armored Divisions at the proving ground. The students would be free to tour the fortress at their own leisure in between lunch and the military exercise. For the following day, there were three significant events: participating in the Imperial Army's physical fitness training in the morning, attending a special lecture in the afternoon, and visiting the fortress's famed railway cannons immediately after.

From there, Neithardt escorted the class to the mess hall, where lunch was being prepared for them. There weren't any other officers present, as most of them were still on duty. The students stood single file in front of the counter and were each given a tray with identical portions of food on it: salty corned beef, a bowl of vegetable soup, cheese, fruit slices, bread, and a glass of water. Needless to say, compared to what the students were usually eating during their field studies, the contrast was like night and day.

"This is the exact same thing they served when I came here with my class last year…" Crow reminisced. "Heck, this probably came from the same batch, too, from the looks of it."

"I was pretty surprised the first time my dad brought me here, too," Elliot said. "It's almost nostalgic in its own memorable way."

Machias picked up the piece of bread he was given and banged it against his plate. "This bread is so hard and thick, you'd think that Morgan was the one who made it."

"I heard that!" Morgan called out from across the room. The others laughed before returning to their food.

Complaints about the food's visual appeal aside, Morgan understood the reasoning behind the choices. On top of containing everything a soldier could look for in a balanced diet, all of the ingredients that were used could be stockpiled in large quantities and easily stored and preserved. The corned beef, for example, was salted so it could have a long shelf life and cut in cubes for easy distribution. The quantity of food was also just enough for someone to feel full without reaching the point of indigestion, which could affect one's performance on the battlefield. At least the students were being treated to a full meal and not just some salted crackers or something.

"Does the army serve simple foods all the time to avoid the decrease in morale from wartime rationing?" Rean asked Neithardt.

"Not all the time," the major responded. "However, one can think of this food as a philosophical statement from the continent's strongest army, in the sense that it suggests that soldiers should live and work each day as though a war effort depends on them."

"E-Every day?" Alisa's jaw was wide open.

"Every day." Morgan nodded her head in agreement. She then remembered something her father told her: "Every battle is won before it's ever fought."

"What does that mean?"

"Basically, preparation matters. Just because a country's at peacetime doesn't mean that its army should become complacent. If they did, they wouldn't be doing a good job."

"It is as Daraen says," Neithardt said, giving her a subtle nod of approval. "Our pride as the strongest army in Zemuria requires a high base level of vigilance. Of course, we do make sure there is some variety in our meals so that soldiers can keep track of the passing of days."

"Oh yeah! Today's hashed beef rice day, isn't it?" Instructor Sara pumped her fist, still holding on to the fork in her hand. "Awesome! We came at the right time."

Though she had said that, the rest of the class figured that she planned it so they would arrive on that exact day so they wouldn't be served the same boring meals for the entirety of their stay.

The students managed to tough through the rest of their meal while making some more small conversation about the standard of army meals in other parts of Erebonia and beyond. As she scarfed down the last of her food, Morgan tried to recall what she would have eaten while she was training to be a pegasus knight. Trainees were expected to perform menial chores that knights who were on duty couldn't do themselves, so that would also have included helping the kitchen staff prepare meals in the mess hall. As such, she would have had to prepare her own food in advance. Maybe a sandwich and some jerky? Her options were probably limited, considering that she had her curse to worry about.

Morgan frowned. When exactly DID she get cursed? Was it something she was born with? Was it something that would only show up when the time was right, like the Mark of Naga? No, it couldn't have been that. After all, she willed it into existence just the previous night, the same way she would activate a skill. If it was like Ignis and Galeforce…

She shuddered at the memory of last night. It was only for a brief moment, but she had allowed herself to be overcome with negativity, a single desire to see something destroyed. Frankly, it was unsettling just thinking about it. If her curse was truly a skill, then she hoped she wouldn't have to use it again for a long time.

After finishing their lunch, the students were free to do whatever they wished before the joint military exercise at 2:00 in the afternoon. Incidentally, that also meant they were free to wander around the premises so long as they didn't enter any restricted areas.

"There's the hangar, the outside base, and the flight port… We've got a packed schedule tomorrow, so now's my only chance to get a good look at the place!"

Naturally, this was an opportunity that Morgan did not want to pass up. Who knew when she would be in another state-of-the-art military facility? She was going to make the most of these few hours if it was the last thing she did.

"Now first things first!" She pointed down a hallway leading to a set of stairs going up. "Let's see where that way goes! I just have a feeling that it's going to lead to somewhere important!"

Walking down the hallway and up the stairs, Morgan eventually came across a door that was flanked by a guard armed with a rifle. The sign located above the doorway denoted why such security was needed in the first place.

"The main command center…" she read. "In other words, this is the most important room in the entire fortress. I'm guessing that's off limits to me, though. What a shame!"

Even with that said, Morgan couldn't help but fantasize what it must be like sitting in that room. Maps rolled out across the table, military plans adorning the walls, specs for weapons just within arm's reach, maybe even some technology that was unknown to her. For a budding tactician like her, the command center was like a treasure trove that she just had to have a small glimpse in.

"I hope you're not thinking of sneaking into our main command center, Daraen."

Morgan gasped and turned around. Neithardt was approaching the command center alongside another officer with a fancier uniform. Judging from his looks, Morgan guessed that he was one of Neithardt's superiors.

"Oh! Instructor Neithardt! Sorry if I'm in your way. Wait. Should I call you Major Neithardt while I'm here?"

"This is a military facility, so I would prefer that you address me as such while you're here."

"Okay, then! Major Neithardt it is!"

"Hmm…" The older officer studied Morgan intently. There were a few age lines present on his face, but that did little to diminish the strict aura he was giving off. "So you're one of the students who have come to tour the fortress."

Morgan briefly had to flip through her big mental notebook of all the important people in the Imperial Army. If she recalled correctly, the person in charge of Garrelia Fortress was…

"Yes, Lieutenant General Walter," she responded with a salute. "Thank you once again for granting us the opportunity to visit. It really is an honor."

The lieutenant general gave a slight arch of his eyebrow before returning to his neutral expression. "At least you aren't lacking in manners. Hardly built like a soldier, though. I have my doubts that you'd be able to endure the military's training regimen with a physique like that. You sure you're training them properly, Major?"

"My apologies, sir."

Morgan frowned. Even if he was their instructor, Neithardt wasn't as intimately associated with Class VII the same way that Sara was. Therefore, he shouldn't have to apologize on Class VII's behalf. And while some members weren't exactly built for combat yet, they still made up in other areas to compensate.

But before she could speak up, the lieutenant general kept going. "Though I hear the academy has a former bracer as their combat instructor. They must really be scraping bottom. I've heard of the 'Purple Lightning' before, of course, but a bracer is still a bracer. Leaving such an important role in the hands of a civilian is ridiculous. The famous Thors isn't what it used to be."

"...If you're that concerned about Thors' reputation, you can always direct your complaints to Principal Vandyck."

The two grown men in front of her looked surprised. It was then that Morgan realized she had blurted out her thoughts without even thinking.

"Uh, I mean, that was…"

"Perhaps that is not a bad idea," Lieutenant General Walter said. "If Thors is bringing up youths who speak out of turn in front of a commanding officer, then I have some choice words regarding their code of conduct."

Morgan silently hung her head in embarrassment. She had basically committed a rookie's-no, a baby's first mistake in front of one of the army's most important officers. If she were still in Her Highness's service, Fauna would have immediately taken her aside and started lecturing her for forgetting her manners.

"As fortress commander, allow me to welcome you to Garrelia. Keep in mind, though, that we're constantly on alert for potential threats from the East. I have no problem with your class conducting your field study here, but see that you don't get in the way."

"Of course, sir…"

The lieutenant general curtly gave his leave and continued past Morgan to the command center, leaving her alone with Major Neithardt. Being freed from the lieutenant general's strict gaze made Morgan feel like a weight she never knew existed had been lifted from her shoulders. And yet, it had been just as easily replaced by something else.

"I'm sorry, sir. I should have kept quiet."

"Indeed," Neithardt bluntly agreed, which only made Morgan feel worse. "Lieutenant General Walter is responsible for keeping one of the Empire's most vital defensive fortifications running smoothly. Considering the ongoing tensions between the Empire and the Republic, you should be grateful that he allowed you to come at all."

"I am. And I won't forget that."

It was impossible to read Neithardt's gaze at that moment. Perhaps at the academy, he had learned to deliberately make himself look approachable for students. But here? He was in his element. He was like a mighty stone wall, unyielding to the world on the outside and keeping the town on the inside safe.

"While there are people who can vouch for your abilities," the major continued, "in the end, you alone must be the one to obtain the respect of your superior officers. Especially since, as a woman, you will be among the minority in the army. If you truly wish to walk the soldier's path, you must be prepared for whatever forms of adversity may head your way."

"...I know that," she responded. "I didn't choose this path because it'd be easy. It's because it's something I want to do."

Major Neithardt nodded. "You're welcome to tour the rest of the fortress, but don't try to enter the command center. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm afraid I must also be on my way."

"Of course. I'll see you later, Major Neithardt."

Both instructor and student parted ways, with Neithardt continuing up the stairs to the command center and Morgan going back the way she came. She wasn't sure where she was heading to next; her initial enthusiasm to explore the fortress had all but left her after that talk.

"What's that kid doing here?"

"Didn't you hear? Some students from Thors are staying the night for a field trip."

"Oh yeah. Does that mean they'll be taking part in tomorrow's exercise?"

"Think any of them'll even be awake at that hour? Ah, to be young and in school again!"

The three officers snickered to themselves as they made their way to the mess hall for their lunch break. Some of the other officers stationed at their posts were also silently assessing her based on her appearance. She couldn't give them too much flak; after all, they had nothing else to go on. Still, their expressions ranged from acting skeptical at best to dismissing her at worst.

"If you truly wish to walk the soldier's path, you must be prepared for whatever forms of adversity may head your way," she remembered Major Neithardt saying.

'Yeah, I'm already experiencing that adversity firsthand…'

Suddenly, her vision was blocked by two large hands. "Boo!"

Morgan gasped a lot more loudly than she would have liked. "Gods, don't sneak up on me like that!"

The culprit laughed to himself. "And that's why you should watch where you're going! You never know when you might run into trouble around here."

"Rich, coming from someone who's just a stone's throw away from getting reported for sexual harassment."

"Okay! I'm just joshing with you! Geez…" Crow lowered his hands and Morgan turned around to face him, her hands on her hips. "Just thought a little scare was the right cure for all that tension you had there."

"Tension? I wasn't-" Morgan stopped herself. Now that she thought about it, she was feeling less stressed than she had been a few moments earlier. Probably because Crow had presented himself as an immediate threat, her mind had completely shut out all thoughts about her run-in with Major Neithardt.

Crow's grin only grew wider as watched the realization dawn on Morgan's face. "Eh? Eh?"

Morgan cleared her throat to regain her composure. When was the last time she ever had to do that? "Look, I appreciate the gesture, but next time, try not to be so…hands on. You could've just said 'Hey! How's it going?'"

"Eh, not really my style, to be honest."

"I'm not talking about… You know what? Never mind." Morgan shook her head. "So what's up? I thought you were going to hang out with the other guys."

"Yeah, we sat around for a bit. But then they all dipped to take a look around Garrelia, leaving me all by my lonesome. So I just started wandering around till I saw you moping around."

"I was NOT moping around."

"Really? Could've fooled me. You were looking all excited when you hopped off the train. It felt like you did a complete 180!"

"Oh, I'm still excited, don't get me wrong. It's just that…" Morgan's voice drifted off. Her encounter with Lieutenant General Walter and Major Neithardt played back in her head.

Crow rested his chin in between his left thumb and index finger. "Let me guess: you got a run-in with a high-ranking officer, they chewed you out cause they thought you weren't up to snuff, and now you're worried you won't be able to become a tactician like you wanted."

Morgan blinked. "How did you…?"

"Hey, don't sweat the small stuff! It's not like they can tell how much ass a person can kick just from how they look. I bet you can take five of those guys, easy!"

"Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves…" At that point, Morgan could feel that he was exaggerating. Still, she appreciated his attempts to cheer her up.

Crow then snapped his fingers together. "Hey, I got an idea. Why don't I show you around?"

"You?"

"Oi. What's with that look? I got the whole tour of the place last time I was here, I'll have you know. Got all the important places memorized and everything. So what do you say? Better than moping around the mess hall."

It was an enticing offer, Morgan had to admit. She personally would have preferred someone who was actually stationed at the fortress to give them a tour, but better someone she trusted over a stranger, she supposed. And it's not like Crow was the worst option for a tour guide. Perhaps this was what she needed to lift her spirits up again.

"Alright, then," she consented. "Lead the way, Mr. Tour Guide."

Crow flashed his trademark grin. "Attagirl! Just leave everything to me!"

The first stop on their tour was the hangar, where all of the army's tanks and armored vehicles were being stored.

"There's so many of them…" Morgan remarked. "It's almost kind of intimidating."

"Do they have armored cars where you're from?" Crow asked.

"Not in the slightest. Actually, Ylisse never had cars, period."

"Seriously? What sort of backwater place was your hometown, anyway?"

"Hmm…" Morgan had to stop and think for a moment. "The capital city, Ylisstol, was the largest in the nation, but it's nowhere near as big as Heimdallr or even Ordis. The castle was built on top of a large hill overlooking the rest of the city, kind of like how Legram is structured. Oh, and we didn't have orbal technology, so we made do with arrows and mounted horses."

"Man, that is some medieval-type stuff right there."

"I guess by Erebonian standards, we were pretty old school. Except…"

"Except…?"

'We also had things like pegasi, wyverns, griffons, and magic.' That was what Morgan would have responded with, had they not been interrupted by another voice calling out to her and Crow. The two of them turned around to find Alisa and Elliot, both of whom had also decided to visit the hangar.

As they caught up with their classmates, Morgan wondered how Crow might have reacted if she had told him about the more fantastical elements of her previous life. Would he have thought she was joking around?

"I'm not entirely sure how to feel seeing so many Achtzehns lined up like this…" Alisa grumbled.

"The Reinford Company made all of these?" Elliot asked, staring wide-eyed at the rows of tanks that stretched as far as he could see.

"Unfortunately so. I'm sure they'll be using them for this military exercise, too. As far as I can tell, they'll be pitted against the older, automated models."

"It'll be a brutal sendoff to those older tanks, that's for sure. Dad's always so gung-ho about 'showing the pride of the Empire' and all that."

"Well, you don't get the chance to go eyes-on with this stuff every day. In that case, I'll take the opportunity to see for myself just how competent they are!"

Morgan smiled. 'That's Alisa for you. Give her a challenge, and she'll fire back in no time.'

"Excuse me! Comin' through!"

The students quickly moved out of the way of a forklift carrying a large crate. The engineer who was manning the vehicle gave a shout of thanks before continuing on his way.

"Well, I think we've seen enough of the hangar. What do you think, Morgs? Want to check out someplace else?"

Morgan was keeping her eye on the forklift, as she had noticed that the driver had made a rather sloppy right turn to enter the next area of the hangar. As it did so, something slid off from atop the crate onto the floor. Morgan rushed to pick up the object, which turned out to be a clipboard with a piece of paper attached to it.

"Contents of crate: twenty C-Units. Order date is…today." Shrugging her shoulders, she darted in the direction of the forklift. "Excuse me, sir! You dropped this!"

The engineer who had been driving the forklift noticed her and waved his hand. "Thanks a bunch, kid! Was wondering where I dropped it."

Morgan gave the clipboard to the engineer. Plastered onto his jacket was a name badge that read "Douglas."

"You hanging in there, Mr. Douglas?" she asked. "You look a little exhausted."

"Don't worry! I'm used to it!" He put his hand on the opposite bicep and gave a small flex. "Besides, my daughter's turning three soon. Knowing that gives me the motivation to see things through!"

"Really? Congratulations!"

"Thanks! Don't worry! Daddy'll be home soon! He just needs to survive his overtime!"

Morgan laughed. Even after just a few exchanges, she could tell that Douglas loved his daughter. At the same time, it made her feel wistful for her own father. If he were here in her shoes, would he be feeling as lost as she was? Or maybe he would just be jotting down everything he could find about the Achtzehns and drafting up new combat scenarios in his notebook. Given his penchant for new discoveries in the later years of his life, she figured he would probably be doing the latter.

"Heyyy!" Crow called from across the hangar, running towards her at top speed. "You gotta warn me the next time you run off like that!"

Morgan smiled smugly. "What? Afraid I'll get lost? I was only just a hallway away."

"Yeah, tell that to the last hallway I left you behind in."

Morgan let Crow catch his breath before she told him her next destination. "I wanna visit the flight port next!"

…

After saying goodbye to Alisa and Elliot for the time being, Morgan and Crow exited the hangar and made their way to the flight deck. On the way up, they ran into another pair of touring students.

"I had heard about the fortress from my father," said Laura, "but seeing it in person really drives home its incredible scale."

"Your father helps train the Imperial Army in swordsmanship, right?" Morgan remembered. "I can see why he's so busy."

"I have no idea how his teachings are actually being applied, though. Perhaps we'll have the opportunity to find out during today's military training exercise."

"The soldiers here seem pretty well trained," Fie noted. "Pretty well equipped, too. You'd need to put in some serious prep time if you wanted to topple it."

"Fie, I'm not sure that's something you should say within earshot of the soldiers."

The former jaeger shrugged at Laura's comment. Old habits were difficult to put down, it seemed. "By the way, I heard from Sara you guys fought an archaism in Legram."

"Are you referring to the mechanical monster?" Laura asked.

"Hey, I remember Toval calling it that when I went with him to the highway," Crow said. "That's what bracers call them, apparently."

"What else have you two heard about them?" Morgan inquired.

Crow looked around to make sure no one was around to eavesdrop on them. Determining that the coast was clear, he leaned in and whispered, "Toval said that they're made by this secret society, then get distributed on the black market. It's a lot like the stuff George tinkers around with, but on a much higher level."

"You can get a lot of them for the right price, and they come in different flavors, too," Fie added. "More and more jaeger corps have been getting their hands on them as of late."

"A secret society…" Morgan muttered. "Do they have a name?"

"Between the four of us? Toval said that their name is Ouroboros."

"Ouroboros?" Laura repeated Crow's words. "How odd. If the bracers know about them, why haven't they been dismantled?"

"Wouldn't be a secret society if it was that easy," Fie pointed out.

"I suppose you're right. My apologies."

Morgan meanwhile, was already digesting this newfound information. The secret society, Ouroboros. The last time she heard about them was in June, when she had talked to Olivert and Mueller in Ordis. The two of them had insisted that she needn't worry about them, but at the rate things were going… Yes, given the events that happened in Legram, this would no longer just be a problem for them to handle.

Fortunately, she had already directed the Radiant Blademaster to seek the prince's aid. He would be a powerful ally moving forward, to say nothing of the B-rank bracer who was also accompanying him.

There was no chance that she was going to let herself sit out of this anymore.

…

"...This place and Jurai really are like night and day."

"Yeah. From the way you described it, Machias, it's hard to imagine two places more diametrically opposed, especially compared to Legram."

"What're you two talking about?"

Rean and Machias turned to see Morgan and Crow walking towards them.

"Oh! Morgan and Crow! We were just trading stories about our respective field studies. Machias and I both wanted to check out the flight port, so here we are. Are you two doing the same?"

"Sure am!" Crow enthusiastically wrapped an arm around Morgan's shoulder. "I'm giving her the grand tour of the place!"

That sent a wave of suspicion through the other boys. It was understandable, given Crow's track record, so Morgan spoke up. "He's telling the truth."

"You're sure?" Rean asked tentatively.

"Yes. Though with that said…" Morgan pushed Crow's arm off her shoulder. "That's not an excuse to just wrap your arm around me."

"Awww… And here I thought we were onto something after what happened in Legram!" Crow moped.

"You know, that reminds me…" said Machias. "I neglected to tell you this before, but thanks again for all the info you gave us about Jurai, Crow. It really helped us out a lot when we had to do our tasks around the city."

"No prob. It's a senior's job to look after his cute juniors, after all. So how was it? Did it blow your mind?"

"Honestly, yes. I didn't know what to expect with the recent annexation by Erebonia, but everything looked fine to me. It has offices, an entertainment district, and all of the people I saw were thoroughly enjoying themselves. I'd go as far to say that they're happy to be under the Imperial government's control."

"You think so?" Crow arched an eyebrow. "Sure you're not missing any spots?"

"What do you mean by that, Crow?" Rean asked.

"Oh, nothing. It's just that a little bird told me Chancellor Osborne was the one behind the annexation in the first place. It also told me he used some pretty forceful tactics to get them to agree. And of course, most of their tax money takes a brand new detour straight into the Imperial government's pockets… Heh. I wouldn't be surprised if he made the annexation happen just to fatten his pocketbook."

Morgan could detect a not-so-subtle hint of disdain in Crow's voice. She wasn't sure if anyone else in Class VII knew that Crow hailed from Jurai, but just that one piece of information was enough to get an understanding of what the gunslinger thought on the matter.

"B-But paying taxes is a citizen's duty!" Machias defended. "It's only natural that they'd do so now that they're under Erebonia's protection, right?"

"Yeah, that's the case now…" Rean said. "But there's not a whole lot the general public knows about how the government handles stuff like this. It's not like your father tells you everything about what's going on at work, right?"

"Well, yes. That's true…"

"It's not really that big of a secret that the chancellor is working with territorial expansion in mind," Morgan finally spoke. "But in the end, all he wants is to strengthen the Empire in his own way."

"What's the Imperial family think about him, anyway?" Crow looked at Morgan. "Well, Miss Former Royal Attendant? Think you can give us some insight?"

"C-Crow!" Machias hissed at him. "I don't think Morgan's at liberty to leak Imperial secrets left and right here!"

Morgan looked into Crow's bright red eyes. She wasn't sure how she could tell, but she had a suspicion that he was genuinely looking for an answer. It sure wasn't one of his usual laid-back comments to continue the conversation.

"Morgan, you don't have to answer if you don't feel like it," Rean told her.

Morgan shook her head. "I can't speak on their behalf…" she began. "But what I do know is that Chancellor Osborne wouldn't have been able to enact all his policies if he didn't have the emperor's explicit approval first. And while he can be very…extreme at times, he produces results. That's more than enough to justify his rising influence over the past few years, and it's for that reason that regardless of how each individual member feels about him, all of the Imperial family harbors a great deal of respect for him."

The other boys all nodded at her answer. Crow especially seemed to be satisfied, much to Morgan's relief.

"I might be a bit biased given my background, but I tend to lean more towards Osborne's faction," said Machias. "We can't deny that it's thanks to him that the living standards for commoners have improved."

"That's true, but…" Rean cupped his chin. "At the same time, there are places like Karlorff that were left out of reconstruction plans. Because of that, places that were otherwise important in their respective provinces have since faded into obscurity."

"It's a complex issue, that's for sure…"

"Crow…"

Morgan looked at her upperclassman with a twinge of sorrow. Even if he wasn't showing it, it was evident that anything relating to the Erebonian government, particularly about the Iron and Blood Chancellor, was a sore subject for Crow.

Why, then, would a Jurai native end up in the country that took away his hometown's autonomy?

…

Garrelia Fortress on the outside carried an enormous presence. No citizen of the Empire would ever refute that fact. But like Crow and Fie had implied on the train ride over, a photograph just couldn't beat the real thing. Metal structures towering over the train tracks on all sides, the rest of the army base stretching out like an open plain, the main building looming over all like a mountain in the distance. It was without a doubt the truest essence of what made the Erebonian military so mighty. For military students, it was important that they understood what comprised the military's strength and formed its foundation. What other place in the Empire has that on display as clearly as Garrelia Fortress?

"Awww…"

"Why the long face, Millium?" Morgan asked. While she and Crow were walking along the outer perimeter of the fortress, they came across Millium aimlessly looking at the scenery. Contrary to the rest of Class VII, the blue-haired girl looked bored out of her mind.

"You know that huge Orchis Tower where they're holding the trade conference?" Millium replied. "I'm trying to get a good view of that!"

"You can see it from here? But we weren't able to see it from the flight port."

"That's cause we were on the wrong side of the fortress," Crow answered. "If you want a good look at Crosbell, you'll need to be by the railway guns."

"Yeah, I tried that." Millium put her hands behind her head and pouted. "But the soldiers got mad at me and shooed me away."

"You actually tried to get close to them…?" Even though she said that, on the inside, Morgan wasn't very surprised. Of all the members of Class VII who would try to get a sneak peek at the railway cannons, of course it was going to be the loose cannon of a government agent.

"Well, yeah! I work under Gramps!" Millium answered cheerily. "This whole place used to be, like, my playground! But NO! The scary lieutenant guy said as long as I'm with you guys, I gotta stay grounded like a good girl. Boo! I wish I could've gone with Gramps instead of being stuck on some stupid field study…"

Morgan pinched the bridge of her nose. "Weren't you the one who got so excited you couldn't sleep the night before we left? And I would know; I live right next door to you, remember?"

"I gotta agree with the midget here," Crow said. "Crossbell sounds like a way better place to hang out than Garrelia Fortress. Don't they have that theme park there or something?"

"Oooh! Yeah! That's Mishelam! I've always wanted to go there!" The small girl held up a fist and shook it towards the sky. "Darn it, Lechter! How come you always get the fun assignments?"

Morgan wanted to change the conversation in case a soldier happened to overhear Millium spilling any more government secrets. Maybe something on current events? "Hey, speaking of Crossbell! The newspaper said they'll mostly be discussing finance rules for western Zemuria. I wonder what else they'll be talking about?"

"Wouldn't be surprised if it ends up going down to who Crosbell belongs to," Millium stated matter-of-factly.

Oh joy. They were already off to a good start.

"It does sound like a pretty legit place to make a statement, not gonna lie," Crow agreed. "I bet our old favorite chancellor's planning on making Crosbell the newest addition to Erebonia."

The blue-haired gremlin snickered. "Heehee! You're right! That's totally something Gramps would do! Especially with how easily he got Jurai annexed."

Uh oh. There was that look in Crow's eyes again. Morgan had to say something quick. "A-At least Prince Olivert's there with him! He'll at least try to calm everyone down before those kinds of negotiations can happen."

"Probably! He knows how to shake things up when it counts!" Millium's eyes then lit up. It looked like something had finally caught her fancy. "And speaking of princes! Heeeyyy! It's Jusis!"

The blue-haired girl excitedly skipped all the way across the base to where Jusis was. He had been discussing some things with Gaius when Millium suddenly pounced on his back with another one of her bear hugs.

Morgan couldn't help but smile at the sight. "Aw, it's like he's her Prince Charming." She then turned to face Crow. "You feeling okay?"

"Huh? Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Crow grinned at her. "Take a look at this smile and tell me I'm not okay."

But Morgan wasn't about to leave his bluff uncalled this time. "You're from Jurai, an SEZ that used to be an independent city-state until the Empire annexed it. You're worried that the chancellor's going to do the same thing to Crossbell."

"Honestly, I couldn't give two shits about what happens to Crossbell," he replied bluntly. "All I know is that Osborne's got something cooking in his back pockets. He's just waiting for the right opportunity to spring it for the whole world to see."

"And you think he'll do that at the trade conference?"

"Well, at the same time, that conference is looking pretty stacked. If he makes any funny moves there, it'd basically be a declaration of war, so there's a shot he'll save it for later."

That made Morgan feel relieved. Still, just the fact that something like Crossbell's independence was even a possible topic of consideration was enough to make her shudder, especially with the immediate threat of war. Prince Olivert was going to have his work cut out for him.

"Hey, Crow?"

"Whassup?"

"What was Jurai like? Back when you were still there?"

"What's gotten you curious all of a sudden?" Crow raised an eyebrow, looking mildly surprised by her question.

"Just think of it like you're giving me another tour! Like what are some of the main landmarks? And what's the food like? I want to hear it from the words of an expert."

"Hmm…" Crow thought about her proposition for a moment. "Well, maybe if a cute girl like you were to ask me politely…"

"Please, Mister Crow? I would very much like to know!" Morgan clasped her hands together and donned her best pleading expression. "Pleeeaaase, with sugar on top?"

Crow visibly gagged. "Oh, god. You didn't have to take it that far."

"What? Didn't think I'd actually do it? Don't underestimate me, my Trickster." Morgan smirked and winked. That was just the sort of reaction from him that she was aiming for.

"Alright, alright! But don't say I didn't warn you." Crow cleared his throat. "So back in those days, Jurai was known as Jurai City. Like you said earlier, it was a city-state off the coast of northwest Zemuria that prospered through maritime trade with west Erebonia, North Ambria, and Remiferia. It had a population of 150,000 people, so it wasn't exactly a big place or anything, but because of that, the surrounding nations left it alone and let us live our days in peace. We were pretty fortunate, all things considered…"

He then proceeded to explain the sorts of things the city thrived on. Being a coastal city-state, Jurai was in a strategically favorable position when it came to maritime trade with other nations. Coupled with some septium mines just outside the city perimeters, it grew into a bustling hub for travelers, merchants, and tourists alike. The main diet of Jurai mostly consisted of seafood, but thanks to trade from other countries, they were able to combine so many other cooking disciplines and ingredients that things never got stale. Fish filets were fried and put on burgers. Red meat and seafood were frequently combined into a main course. Squid ink was used as a sauce to cover pasta. Just hearing about it all made Morgan's mouth water, and even more exciting was how Crow was able to spin up stories from out of nowhere, always managing to keep her engaged.

That all changed, however, when he touched upon one specific event that single-handedly changed the course of Zemurian history.

"The North Ambrian Disaster."

"Yup. A giant pillar of salt inexplicably falls from the sky, the Principality of North Ambria is turned to salt, you know how the rest of that goes. With one of its major trading partners out of the picture, Jurai's prosperity started to fade away. Still, it wasn't all bad. We had our fishing, our historic landmarks, and our septium mines. The mayor at the time wanted to make use of those to get trade going again, both to keep our state running and to help out North Ambria. Unfortunately, that plan wouldn't ever come to fruition."

"Why not?"

"Well, cause that was when the Empire came in and offered to extend a railway line from Heimdallr all the way to Jurai. Came right the heck out of nowhere, but we sure as hell weren't complaining. We didn't have to rely on the sea alone for trade, and within a year, the city had all of its old life and then some."

Morgan tilted her head. "That's…good, right?"

"Right, but keep in mind, this was a result of huge amounts of Imperial capital flowing into the city. And where there's money, there comes the investors. Everything became a target for investment, and before we knew it, land and buildings we once treasured were bought up left and right. The mayor tried what he could to get the situation under control, but it was too much for him; all people cared about was making money."

"That's terrible…" Morgan muttered. "So how does Chancellor Osborne fit into this?"

The Jurai native rubbed the back of his head. "Okay, so fast forward about a year after things picked back up. One day, someone blew up the railway line leading to Jurai."

"What?!"

"Mhm. But wait! It gets better. While everyone was demanding that it be repaired ASAP, guess what the Imperial government did? Stand on the side and watch as the chaos unfolded."

"B-But why…?" Morgan almost couldn't believe what she was hearing. "They built the railway! Why wouldn't they fix it? Aren't they worried about their trade with Jurai?"

Crow wagged his finger at Morgan. "Tsk tsk. You forget that Jurai was still an independent city-state back then. The Empire wasn't obligated to help it like it does with its other provinces, and it's not like they had a shortage of other trade options. Instead, they chose to blame our own security arrangements for not being able to prevent the bombing from happening in the first place. This happened all the way back in 1195, by the way, so I wouldn't be surprised if you don't know about it. Heck, as far as the government's concerned, they probably covered up the whole thing so the public wouldn't help them behind their backs."

"No…"

"At any rate, by the time the Empire did finally come back, Jurai's economy was at its lowest point. They decided to lend a hand, but this time, there was an additional caveat."

"That Jurai became a special economic zone of the Empire," Morgan surmised. "And the one who proposed that was…

"...Mr. Blood and Iron himself, yup," Crow confirmed. "The mayor obviously thought that the timing was a bit too perfect, but by that point, he had lost the trust of everyone on the committees. So, he was forced to retire. The rest is history."

Morgan nodded slowly. Once the city had tasted the prosperity that the Empire had provided for them, it was too late to go back. Chancellor Osborne knew this, which is why he waited until Jurai was at its lowest point before approaching them about the annexation, where they would have no choice but to rely on the Empire for assistance. Any earlier and his offer would have been brushed aside by the city's newfound pride. Crow was right; the timing was too perfect to be true.

"And so there you have it! That's the story of how Jurai became an SEZ. Hope you took lots of notes, cause I'm pretty sure it's gonna be on the final for Old Mustache Man's class."

Morgan snorted and laughed, unprepared for the mention of Crow's moniker for Vice Principal Heinrich. Even now, she still couldn't get over how much it fit despite it clearly mocking him. Adding a bit of levity after some serious talk was what she had come to expect from Crow, but at least for this moment, the levity had come at a good time.

"Hey, can I ask another question?"

"Shoot."

"Why did you leave Jurai? I thought you would hate the Empire after everything your hometown went through."

"'Hate' is a pretty strong word, Morgs," he warned her. "Might wanna watch your mouth around these parts."

Morgan covered her mouth and looked around them. Fortunately, there weren't any soldiers nearby. "R-Right. Sorry."

"Honestly, it's nothing too big. I just…" He hummed to himself for a moment before responding with, "Didn't have a reason to stick around anymore."

"I'm surprised you didn't stay for the casino."

"Hey, I'm not THAT addicted to gambling!"

"Your candy prize pool with the kids in Trista suggests otherwise, my Trickster."

The trickster grunted in response, but he nonetheless continued with his answer. "Basically, once Jurai became an SEZ, the economy shifted in a different direction. A lot of jobs that were popular before were pretty much made obsolete. My folks lost their jobs, and I decided it was as good a time as any to spread my wings into the unknown. Remiferia had its own share of crises, and North Ambria was…well, North Ambria. So that left Erebonia. I packed my bags, said goodbye to Jurai, and left for the Empire. Never looked back since."

"And eventually, you were accepted into Thors Military Academy and drafted into the experimental Class VII project with Towa, George, Angelica, and Instructor Sara."

"Yup! We did our fair share of field study-ing and just being a great big group of misfits, but that's a story for another time." Crow took a big breath. "Whoo! Didn't think I'd be talking for this long."

Morgan giggled. "I hope I didn't make your voice hoarse or anything."

"Nah, it's no big deal. And honestly?" He leaned against the side of the railing. "Reminiscing about the old days… It felt kind of refreshing. Haven't really done that in a while."

"You DID say before that you were more of a forward-thinking person," she remarked as she leaned against the railing beside him. "Still, it's important that you never forget your roots.

So long as you remember where you come from, you'll always remember what it is you're fighting for."

Crow chuckled. "Is that another quote from your dad's notebook or whatever?"

"Nope!" she replied cheerily. "I came up with that one myself! What do you think? Pretty poetic, if I do say so myself."

"Bet I could do better." Crow cleared his throat and announced loudly, "In each of our hearts, there exists a flame that must never be allowed to go out. Wear it proudly like an emblem for all to see, and you will find the conviction to overcome anything that gets in your way."

"Oooh." Morgan clapped her hands together. "Bit on the overly dramatic side, but it works! Do you have any experience being a playwright? Or maybe just a motivational speaker?"

"Who knows?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe I was one of those things in another life."

"A flame in each of our hearts… Worn proudly like an emblem…" Morgan muttered to herself. For some reason, the word choice Crow had used struck a chord within her. It was a strange, yet familiar sort of feeling.

"In our hearts, the flames of silent anger. In our hands, the hammer of judgment that shall topple the dictator. That is our cause. Our purpose."

Morgan frowned. Of all the things her mind had to think of, why did it have to be that haunting message from the Imperial Liberation Front?