the one who remembers

The four men spent the remainder of the day entangled in bureaucratic formalities. They were entered into the registry, assigned a group number, and issued uniforms. For Cale, however, the most exciting moment came when he received his results. With the copies in hand, he settled between Cedrik and his new supervisor to examine the papers. Every question concerning the noble family - answered with the Eldest's assistance - was correct. His only point deductions came from the final few questions, largely due to his handwriting being illegible.

"You are well-educated", Cedrik remarked after a moment, glancing between his own answers and Cale's.

Cedrik had scored 83% on the exam, making him one of the best. But the real front-runner should have been Jarle von Mornet. He had scored 91% and was the second best. If Cale hadn't cheated, the inconspicuous duke's son would have been the best in his class. At the same time, however, it was also an indication that they had really grouped people according to their abilities, which made Cale wonder how the practical exam had affected their positions.

"I do enjoy reading, yes," Cale confirmed, though he couldn't help but think of the fact that he owned no books at home. The place still felt empty and strange - hardly a place one could truly say was lived in.

"Don't rejoice too soon, you will all have much more to learn. You should know that from now on you are considered soldiers of the royal family and your actions and behavior directly affect the palace. Your high title will be of no use to you when you are at work, which makes it all the more important that you learn how to deal with certain people", Sir Meyrl explained calmly, fixing his gaze on the second heir to the Duke of Mornet. "Be mindful of this, and take heed."

With hesitant glances, the men nodded in agreement and began to gather their belongings. They still had one more stop ahead of them, which was probably what interested Cale the most at the moment. Their duties, their accommodations, and, of course, their pay. With their new uniforms and slips of paper in hand, the three soldiers followed the red-haired man inconspicuously, while Cale took the opportunity to memorize the map of the estate. They were in the southern part of the palace, where the soldiers' and maids' quarters were located. Mamoru led them across a large courtyard, where dozens of servants were walking around, toward a somewhat remote building.

"These are the rooms that the palace offers to its employees. We soldiers usually have the large block back there for ourselves", he explained calmly and clearly, pointing to a light-colored brick house next to a large meadow and some trees. "If you need it, you can live here. However, the rent will be deducted from your salary."

"Are children permitted?", Jarle asked a short while later, turning his gaze to Cale - and Cedrik did the same.

"No, family members and pets are not allowed here. Do you have children?"

"I personally don't, but Zod does, if I remember correctly."

"My daughter and I will continue to live in the city. We have our own little house there", Cale announced calmly, causing Sir Meyrl to give him an unclear look and continue with the topic.

"Nevertheless, you can use the common rooms here at any time. What about you - Jarle, Cedrik?"

"I think I'll take you up on the offer."

"Me too", Cedrik announced, so their supervisor nodded and led the group to the entrance of the house.

Two young women stood at the reception desk, occupied with soldiers who also sought lodging here. It was no surprise - unless one was wealthy or owned a home, the rooms were temptingly inexpensive and well-situated. Cale understood Cedrik's desire to stay, but Jarle's presence was puzzling. His home lay on the southern tip of Sylve, and Cale would not have been surprised if Jarle's father had already arranged accommodations for him.

While Jarle and Cedric joined the queue, Cale and Mamoru took a seat on a bench in front of the building. The pale sun filtered through the cloud cover, carrying with it the scent of impending rain. The wildlife lay silent, and only the voices of the busy townsfolk around them broke the stillness.

"So, you have family in Bellator?", Mamoru Meyrl asked, prompting Cale to shift his attention to the man beside him.

"My daughter Ahri lives with me. She is attending the state institute for education in the east of the capital starting this year."

"And your wife?"

"She... is no longer alive."

"Forgive me - that was inappropriate of me."

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"It's okay, you couldn't have known."

"It must be difficult to raise a child on your own. Will it not prove troublesome for you now that you are beginning your service as a soldier of Sylve? You will be away often."

"I'm aware of that, but I'll manage. My daughter is young, but she's very smart and independent. I don't need to watch over her constantly. She knows what to do", Cale explained with a smile on his face. He stared at his counterpart for a while until it suddenly dawned on him where he knew his name from. "If the question isn't too personal, Mamoru... do you have relatives in Groka?"

"Groka? Yes, I do. Groka is my birthplace and my parents live... lived there."

"Are they...?"

"Gods forbid, no. They moved to Scarle after the attack, a larger city on the border with the province of Pistori", the man explained with a casual undertone. At least Cale knew that the attack had been somewhat well-known. Although not as many people had died as in the past, it must have left a certain impression nonetheless. "But how do you know I had relatives there?"

"Your name sounded familiar, though I couldn't place a face to it."

"Ah, probably because of my father, Robert Meyrl. He was mayor of Groka."

"Ah!", Cale exclaimed, even though he was only acting.

He had already figured out where he knew him from, though he saw no need to mention it. Likewise, he wanted to avoid Mamoru thinking that he knew his father personally. He did indirectly, but even being acquaintances was a complex issue. After all, his entire existence was based on his mother, and Cale wasn't sure if this relationship wouldn't backfire.

"It's good to know that nothing happened to them. Were you present during the attack?"

"No, not personally. My father was, however, and he recounted the matter to me in detail."

"Must have been a frightening experience", Cale replied, leaning against the wall and watching a group of soldiers in front of them talking to their advisor.

Cale wondered how much he had already influenced the events in Sylve. Had Mamoru also worked as a companion for newcomers in his past lives, or had his life taken a different course after his parents died? What was the group like without him and Cale? Had Jarle and Cedrik also gotten together, or had that only happened in this life? How many destinies and relationships had Cale changed through his intervention this year?

"Absolutely. My father and I had often encountered creatures, but even he believed that without the help of the magicians, something terrible would have happened."

<You don't say.>

Cale remained seated in silence, thinking about how the inhabitants had probably abandoned their home, Groka. Although he hadn't taken a closer look at the surroundings after the battle, he suspected that the destruction was irreparable. Building an entire village of 10,000 souls from scratch was probably an enormous expense that neither the inhabitants nor the Duke of Caplens wanted to bear.

"Have you ever come into contact with the creatures in your life?", Mamoru asked after a moment, just as Jarle and Cedric appeared behind them empty-handed. They seemed to have completed their registration and had likely left their belongings there.

"More than I intended, yes", Cale replied mockingly, straightening up before offering his teacher a helping hand.

"What about you two? Have you each seen and killed a creature?"

His gaze fell on the two young men who had followed Cale and listened in on part of the conversation.

"I've seen them once or twice, but never up close, let alone killed one. Will we do that during our training?", Cedrik asked with a frightened expression on his face.

"If the opportunity arises, yes. Humans aren't the only thing you have to watch out for. What about you, Jarle?"

"Neither. You don't really notice it in my homeland", he announced with a slight shrug before the group moved on to their next destination.

They entered the administration building, where Mamoru led them on a brief tour before bringing them to the office where they were to receive their future schedules. Cale balanced his uniforms and results in one hand while reaching for the small booklet with the other. One quick glance told him it contained the timetable for their upcoming training. Scanning the lines, he soon detected a subtle pattern.

She had alternating classes, starting with theory lessons early in the morning and followed by training in the afternoon. A few dozen different names, buildings, and rooms were listed that Cale didn't recognize. His gaze fell on the practical section, about which he found almost no information.

He immediately wondered when they would be allowed to carry weapons and whether he would have the opportunity to use his own sword. Not that he wanted to present Karekama to the public, but he would still prefer a Kama-sword to the usual metal one.

This monotonous routine would only change after six months, because from then on, they were supposed to work as soldiers. No specific date was given, which led Cale to suspect that Mamoru Meyrl had the final say on the matter. Presumably, he had to weigh up whether his protégés were ready to take on real work. From then on, they would take turns with other groups and slowly be introduced to the work of a soldier. It was a good approach, even if it was uncomfortably drawn out and somewhat overly cautious. It seemed important to the royal family that their men be well-trained in order to avoid mistakes or even conflicts. Presumably because their men and women were considered model soldiers for the rest of the provinces.

<If only every province would train its people so carefully.>

With a quiet sigh, he put his documents in his other hand and stood next to Cedrik against the wall. He glanced at him briefly, but then focused back on the schedule. Jarle did the same, only Sir Meyrl was talking to another soldier from the 3rd Company.

<All in all, today was a successful day. Now I just have to concentrate on becoming a real soldier as quickly as possible and rising in rank. Maybe I can get some information about Mamoru's background if he's so open with us. Only Jarle and Cedrik can slow me down a bit if the royal family really insists that we work together as a group.>

As if Cedrik had heard his thoughts, his head shot up.

"What is it?", Cale asked, confused.

"When are we supposed to eat with this tight schedule?"

Cale glanced at his new colleague in surprise before breaking into laughter - Jarle soon joined in.