Epilogue: The Conferment Ceremony, and...
It was a month after the prisoner exchange. The First and Seventh Legions, entrusting the defense of Fort Caspar to Major General Hermann and the eight thousand soldiers under him, set off back to Galia Fortress. There was no sign of a response from Kier Fortress, and the new defensive line around Fort Caspar had come together, so there was no need for their continued presence. Lambert and Neinhardt were to continue on from Galia back to the royal capital.
Upon their return, Otto and a number of others were so snowed under by the day-to-day tasks that had piled up in their absence that they ended up working round the clock. Ashton, in his newly official role of tactician, attended to Otto, who in turn drilled into him everything he would need to know about the military.
Meanwhile, Claudia was on her way to see Olivia.
I can’t wait to see the lieutenant’s face when she hears this, she thought gleefully. She forced her face, which had slipped into a smile, back to a neutral expression, then she cleared her throat, and knocked on the door.
“Is that you, Claudia? Come on in.” Despite the fact that she hadn’t announced herself, Olivia guessed it was her. Wondering if there was some tell in the way she knocked, she opened the door. Olivia was sprawled on her bed as usual, reading a book. She looked up, then immediately said, “What’s with the funny smile?”
Was I smiling again without realizing it? thought Claudia, feeling stung. “Wh-What? I’m not smiling!” she protested hastily. “Though as it happens, I have good news, ser. Prepare yourself for a real surprise!”
“Mm, I think I’ll be fine,” said Olivia seriously.
“That’s what you think now, ser,” said Claudia with a chuckle. “Second Lieutenant Olivia, you are to be awarded a Golden Lion!” There was a moment of silence, before...
“Huh,” said Olivia without interest, and went back to reading her book. The silence drew out, punctuated only by the sound of pages turning.
That... That’s it?! Claudia was frozen with shock. Olivia had been true to her word. Now that Claudia thought about it, they’d had a similar conversation once before.
Back then, I was pretty sure this wasn’t going to be a fun job... thought Claudia dryly.
“Are your ears working, ser?” she pressed Olivia. “A Golden Lion! It is the greatest possible honor! You are aware that only three have ever been awarded, right?”
The first was awarded in the eighth century to Chief of Staff Leonhart Varkess, for his valiant efforts in purging the kingdom of political corruption and saving it from ruin. The second had been in the ninth century to Major General Tristan Windsome. The general had fought against Minister Theodor’s coup d’état in the Theodor Uprising, subduing the army of twenty thousand rebels in only two days. The third was awarded later that same century to a warrior who, through a string of military triumphs in the later days of the warlord period, had earned the moniker “The Invincible General”—none other than Field Marshal Cornelius vim Gruening. Each had gone down in history as a hero. With this, Olivia would herself become a hero of the kingdom as the first woman to receive this honor.
“You’re so obsessed with honor. I told you before, didn’t I? I’d rather have books and good food,” said Olivia, tapping the cover of the book in her hands. Claudia, at a loss for words, found her eyes drawn to the cover. To her surprise, she saw it was Comet, the Mischievous Fairy, a book she herself had read over and over again as a child.
“Are you fond of that book, Lieutenant?”
“Yeah. I love how Comet plots all these tricks, even when they’re terrified of humans. Have you read it?” she said, her interest sparked. Claudia puffed up her chest, as though to impress upon Olivia the foolishness of her question.
“I don’t mean to boast, ser, but I happen to own every book in the Comet series. When I was little—though it’s a little embarrassing to admit—I was convinced Comet was real and tried to catch them.” It made her squirm a little to reveal this memory, but no sooner was it out of her mouth than Olivia leapt up from the bed to seize her by the shoulders.
“Wh-Wh-What are you—?” yelped Claudia, feeling a little scared. Olivia’s eyes were gleaming like a predator with prey in its jaws.
“Me too! Me too! Oh, no way, I tried to catch Comet too!” cried Olivia breathlessly. Realizing she was just excited to find someone who felt the same as her, Claudia let herself relax—and as she did so, she felt happiness bubble up inside of her. None of her friends back then had loved those books like she did, not one. She decided to make a proposal.
“That is quite the coincidence, ser. I’d be happy to give you the rest of the books, if you like. I think they’re still all at my parents’ house.”
“You would?!” Olivia’s whole face lit up in a smile as brilliant as the summer sun. Almost any boy she smiled at like that would fall head over heels in love, Claudia mused absently, feeling the bones in her shoulders crunch a little under Olivia’s grip. If they were a high-ranking noble, they could send her a hundred books—two hundred, even—without batting an eye.
“Of course, ser. My only concern is... Well, there are over twenty volumes in the Comet series...” She looked around at the room, packed with towering piles of books.
“No problem!” said Olivia, clapping a hand to her chest. “I’ll get Ashton to help tidy these up.” The idea of doing it all herself apparently hadn’t occurred to her. Claudia felt a little pang of sympathy for Ashton, forced into cleaning duty on the whim of his superior officer.
“In that case, I’ll write home to have the books sent directly.”
“Thank you! Oh, you and Ashton are both such good humans!”
Though Olivia’s odd way of speaking threw her a little, as it always did, Claudia still thanked her politely.
I’ve told her about the Golden Lion, at least. Now, to ask about this. She looked down at the white box in her arms.
“Sorry to change the subject, ser, but do you have a dress uniform?”
“A dress uniform?” said Olivia, perplexed. “Nope, I don’t have anything like that.” Good thing I thought to procure one, then, thought Claudia, feeling privately pleased with herself.
“That won’t do at all, ser. Everyone must be in full ceremonial dress for the conferment ceremony.”
“I can’t just wear my normal uniform?” Olivia asked, picking at the jacket she currently wore.
“While your standard uniform is good for most situations, ser, I’m afraid it won’t do for the conferment.”
“I guess I won’t go then,” said Olivia. Seeing her reach out again for her book, Claudia seized her wrist. Olivia’s eyes went round with shock.
“C-Claudia?!”
“You’re the guest of honor; you can’t just not go!” she exclaimed, then sighed. “Anyway. I had a feeling this might happen, so I took the liberty of bringing a spare dress uniform for you. Luckily enough we’re about the same height, so it should fit.”
“Claudia, you didn’t have to go out of your way for me,” said Olivia as she looked away from Claudia, but she sounded like a bad actor reading a script. She tried to casually slip her arm out of Claudia’s hand, but Claudia just tightened her grip.
“You really should try and sound like you mean it when you thank people, ser. Now hurry up and get changed. If anything doesn’t fit right, let me know and I’ll get the tailor to fix it up,” she said, and thrust the pure white dress uniform into Olivia’s hands. The epaulets were embroidered with the lions and chalice of Fernest. It was her first time taking the spare out of its box, but it appeared to be in good condition.
“You’re being so pushy lately, Claudia,” said Olivia, pouting as she began, reluctantly, to undress. The dress uniform was of more or less the same make as the standard uniform, so it didn’t take her long to change. The woman who stood before Claudia now was an officer of such nobility she might have stepped straight out of the world of legend.
“Just as I thought. You look wonderful, ser,” Claudia complimented her. Olivia picked at the white uniform, tilting her head back and forth in dissatisfaction about something.
“Is there a problem, ser?” inquired Claudia. She couldn’t see anything amiss in the length, nor the cut that would necessitate calling the tailor. Olivia made a discontented noise.
“The chest is way too tight, I can’t breathe properly. And the waist is all baggy.”
She looked up at Claudia when the other girl didn’t respond. “Hello? Did you hear me?” she said.
“That’s how it’s supposed to be, ser. You’ll just have to put up with it.”
“What? But you said if anything doesn’t fit right...”
“There’s nothing to fix.”
“But—”
“Nothing to fix.” Claudia’s gaze was ice cold.
“I... Um, okay. You’re right, Claudia,” Olivia said, then changed out of the dress uniform, still looking dissatisfied.
The Great Hall at Galia Fortress
The great hall rarely saw use, but today it glowed in the light of dazzling chandeliers, its walls lined with the crimson banners of the Kingdom of Fernest, each emblazoned with the lions and chalice. In the center stood Paul, wearing a purple cloak over his dress uniform. To his left and right respectively, civilian and military officials stood in perfectly straight lines. Otto stood beside Paul, also wearing his dress uniform. On a plinth, there rested a shining gold medal engraved with a lion.
“Let the conferment ceremony commence!”
At this pronouncement, trumpets blared, and the guard slowly opened the heavy doors to the hall. From behind them stepped forth Olivia in her white dress uniform. She showed no sign of nerves under the eyes of the assembled officers, and made her way forwards with her head held high. While they had all heard the rumors, for most of the civilian officials, this was their first time seeing Olivia in the flesh, and they gaped at her in amazement. One removed their glasses to check the lenses.
They probably expected her to be all muscle and brawn like Lord Paul in his younger days... thought Otto, just as a civilian officer nearby muttered, “Who was saying all that about muscles?”
Olivia walked up to Paul, then put a hand to her chest and sank down gracefully on one knee. Otto was taken aback at how well she did it. He hadn’t had time to teach her the proper manners for the ceremony, so he’d been prepared to grit his teeth through whatever indignities he had to witness. He looked over at Claudia, standing at the end of the right column, before shaking his head firmly.
Is this Warrant Officer Claudia’s doing? I swear, I don’t understand that girl at all, he thought, bemused. Beside him, Paul’s eyes were shining like a young boy looking at a new toy.
“Second Lieutenant Olivia. Today, your great service to the Kingdom of Fernest is to be recognized through the conferment of the Golden Lion.”
“Yes, ser! Thank you for this honor, ser!”
Otto went over to the kneeling Olivia and affixed the medal to her chest. She stood, took a step back, and bowed deeply. Then she turned, and with her crimson cloak emblazoned with the crest of Fernest billowing behind her, she strode from the room. Otto heard sighs and gasps of awe from the assembled officers, and—
“My... My lord!” The atmosphere was shattered as a soldier came bursting into the hall.
“What is the meaning of this interruption?!” bellowed Otto, as the assembled officers all scowled at the intruder. “We are in the midst of the conferment ceremony!”
“Forgive me, ser! There’s... There’s been...!” The soldier appeared too panicked to continue.
“Calm down, soldier,” said Paul. “What’s happened?”
“My lord, we’ve just had word from the capital—the Third and Fourth Legions on the northern front have been defeated!”
It was the year Tempus Fugit 999. In the Kingdom of Fernest, dark clouds were gathering.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login