A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

Chapter 212

This world has numerous countries, but if we consider the great powers, they can be divided into three nations.

The Matra Empire, the Granada Empire, and lastly, the Hwan Empire in the East. Byzantium is a neutral country, and it's ambiguous to call it a great power.

Anyway, even these nations have different languages, and sometimes, even regions within the same country have different languages, making communication difficult.

Just as in the distant past, when China was unified, but the North and South couldn't understand each other, language tends to solidify unless the nation educates it.

Because of this, even very small countries inevitably have their own languages. The academy's common language is a very special case.

"We can't use the common language script? Then, does that mean we can't speak either?"

"That's not the case. You can speak, but literally, you just can't use the script."

"If we use the script, will a penalty be imposed?"

"No penalty will be imposed, but the content of the transmission will be revealed as is."

And understandably so, as without the common language, most people wouldn't be able to communicate.

Although many here are capable individuals who can speak two or three languages, the inconvenience remains the same.

Moreover, some students wouldn't be able to communicate at all without the common language. Kara is a fitting example.

It wasn't as if I was the only one being targeted; the exam itself was strangely equal yet unequal.

"You seem to have many complaints. I understand. It's already hard with different languages, and now you have to deal with encryption. But that's why you need to use your brain."

Despite the students' complaints, Godin persisted with his explanation. It seemed the professors had already reached an agreement.

This class apparently has a lot of students from great powers compared to other classes, making it easier to classify.

Even in remote kingdoms, the languages are often similar. So with good decoding, at least 70% should be possible.

"Ah. Of course, the structure of Western and Eastern languages is fundamentally different, so it'll be tough. That's why we divided the Eastern students precisely in half."

"... ..."

"Above all, the essence of this practice is occupation. The distances between occupied areas and command posts are far, but as long as communication is smooth, there won't be any problems."

Godin is right. The essence of this practice is indeed occupation.

The long distances are a drawback, but this can be somewhat covered with communications.

In other words, cooperation and communication between each other are the most important aspects of this practice. Deciphering codes is part of that.

"Also, as I mentioned earlier, occupying alone will take a significant amount of time. Furthermore, the method of occupation is unique. To reoccupy an occupied area, you first have to turn it into a neutral zone and then convert it to your team's territory."

"Time will be tight, won't it?"

"It'll be hard to go solo."

The more I listened, the more I felt that the professors had put a lot of thought into this.

If I were to act alone, it would have been difficult to proceed with the practice itself.

So it seems they've changed it to a system that requires investing 'time.' Since I can't manipulate time, I have no choice but to comply.

In the end, I have no option but to stick together with others and move as a group. There's no way I can act alone in the middle.

'Since the distances are long, it'll be tough if the middle gets cut off.'

If I were to dash off on my own, the remaining members could be annihilated.

If that happens, a significant amount of time will be wasted. This practice has many restrictions in various ways.

A practice even the Soul World couldn't prepare me for. My existence alone has changed so much of what I knew.

That's why it seems even more fun. It's still a headache, but new experiences are always welcome.

If the future involving the demon had changed, it would have been confusing. But this is just an academy practice.

"May I ask a question?"

Then, Karas, who was sitting behind me, raised his hand.

Godin gestured to him to speak, his face showing curiosity.

"If the command post is decided, does the command post have to stay there no matter what? I'm curious if leaving midway is prohibited."

"No. That's not the case. If it's judged that too much force is concentrated at the command post, specific personnel can be sent out. However, it is not recommended as it could disrupt the command system."

"Then is it possible to attack the command post?"

"It's not allowed. Since revival happens at the command post, it would be problematic if someone just camped there."

That's not for me, but a restriction to prevent a kind of loophole.

If someone were to camp in front of the command post and ambush every time, it would be infuriating.

It's a trade-off between safety and power. It's a relatively fair restriction.

"Hmm. That's good."

"... ..."

Karas, after listening to the explanation, smiled with satisfaction and nodded.

Watching that, I couldn't help but feel deeply uneasy. Because Karas would be leading my team.

Honestly, no one fits the role of commander better than Karas. Kara is more of a vanguard who charges into the front lines.

At least Grace will probably stay by the command post for codebreaking. Since the command post is said to be safe, it should be fine.

"Are there any more questions?"

There were various questions afterward, but nothing particularly noteworthy.

Instead, they said that supplies useful for siege or defense would be provided occasionally.

Since those supplies could be moved to other occupied areas, it seems like an interesting strategic battle will unfold.

"If there's any relief, it's that Sivar listens well, even if he causes trouble."

"But isn't it ambiguous how to convey that message?"

"That's true."

I had no intention of causing chaos either. I just planned to quietly follow orders and move around.

Like Captain America giving orders to Hulk, I'd only wait for the command to destroy everything.

At that point, even the professors might laugh in half-disbelief. I was a little excited.

"That's it for today's class. As I mentioned earlier, you'll have time on Thursday afternoon to plan codes and strategies. So, everyone, good luck."

Godin's class ended. As the class concluded, murmurs spread throughout the room.

Understandably so, as it's quite a mentally taxing exam. Especially for the command post, the burden is immense.

Fortunately, I'm not part of the command post; I'm a soldier on the front lines. It would be strange to assign me to the command post.

"Come to think of it, Ms. Yeonju is on a different team. What a shame."

"Indeed."

"Our team has many people from the Matra Empire, right? Then should we base the code on the Matra Empire's language?"

"Who knows? Even in the Matra Empire, languages often differ depending on the region."

Since the rules were quite complex, most people were already planning their strategies.

Me? I just listened. Even if I received the code, there's nothing I could do with it.

Black is text, and white is paper, so I'd just pass it to someone else.

'They'll definitely assign people to me.'

One mage and one person to decode the code.

Grace is perfect for it, but she's a talent suited for the command post.

Anyway, things will be sorted out when the time comes. I stood up to have lunch.

"Wait. Sivar, I have something to tell you."

Then Karas called me over briefly. Curious, I looked at him with a puzzled expression.

His characteristic cheerful smile and unreadable eyes. The phrase 'madman with clear eyes' suited him perfectly.

That's why he's scary. He's unpredictable in a different way than me.

"What is it?"

"The stock you told me about last time."

"Stock? Oh."

It wasn't the one Antonio recommended, but something I suggested. I had completely forgotten about it.

It was a stable stock that would steadily rise, so I recommended it with confidence.

I don't know how much it's risen now, but it must have increased decently.

"Thanks to you, our empire has become wealthier. Today, it's up by as much as 5%."

"Oh."

I didn't expect it to rise that much. I was genuinely impressed.

It's a fairly large trading company, so even 5% is a significant figure. They must have made a hefty profit by now.

"Um... Lord Karas? May I ask how much you invested?"

Grace, who overheard our conversation, intervened. She looked a bit uneasy.

Understandably so, as Karas had mentioned before that he would use the Matra Empire's treasury for the stock.

He said it would be good to make money through stocks. It was practically a public declaration of a national project.

"I didn't invest much. Since it was the first attempt, I had to play it safe."

"How much?"

"1000."

If it's 1000 silver coins, that's not much. It seems he really invested just a little.

"Just add ten thousand to that."

"... ..."

"Next time, I plan to invest more. If I had known this would happen, I would have trusted Sivar more. My faith was lacking."

Then why don't you just start your own merchant guild instead of dabbling in stocks?

...I wanted to say that, but given the times, there's no choice. If the nation invests, it becomes a national industry.

'This is how revolutions happen.'

For reference, it's not communism, but the French Revolution. The concentration of wealth is this severe.

Some tremble over 1,000 silver coins, while others boldly invest 10 million.

I could have earned quite a bit while subjugating Usk, but Karas just sat back and invested.

It's a moment that makes me realize how terrifying social status can be. Honestly, I'm a little envious.

"...You really didn't invest that much. The national treasury won't go bankrupt."

"Exactly. I'm not a fool."

"Is there nowhere to seek asylum..."

Grace muttered in despair. She seemed to sense that something was terribly wrong.

Of course, it was just a joke. The problem is the uncertainty of how far Karas's madness will extend.

I wonder if this will eventually affect me as well. Perhaps it will show during this practice session.

"Ah. I almost forgot to mention. May I take command?"

"There's no one better suited than you, Lord Karas."

"Good. Then let's add Sivar to the mix."

"?"

No, damn it. Why me?

As my name was suddenly mentioned, not only I but others also looked at him.

Everyone wore expressions close to disbelief, as if they had misheard.

"What did you say?"

"Sivar as part of the command?"

"What on earth are you thinking?"

Such reactions are entirely normal.

"It's like trading intelligence for strength."

Even Luna, for once, said something accurate. Not that I lack intelligence.

It's just that my language skills are a bit lacking. I'm not Zhuge Liang in stamina or Lü Bu in brains.

A flood of objections erupted, naturally drawing attention toward us.

And as always, Karas maintained his clear gaze and declared confidently.

"Everyone underestimates Sivar too much. You've all said that Sivar isn't dumb. So why are you opposing this?"

"That's different from commanding! Besides, Mr. Sivar only knows the common language!"

"Even with just the common language, he can manage what needs to be done."

"No, seriously, why are you doing this? Do you want to lose that badly?"

Following Grace, Kara also vehemently opposed. They're the only two who can raise their voices to Karas.

In response, Karas maintained his deepening smile and opened his mouth.

"Well..."

The words that followed from his lips were.

"Because it seems fun."

It was truly a Chaos-like answer.

[Faith Increases!]

I'm going crazy, really.