A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

Fun (3)

***

“S-Sivar, why are you here… No, before that, what did you just say…”

Kara, clearly traumatized, mumbled incoherently. She was trying her best to understand the situation.

Anyone who has been through the military or had a similar experience would react to such words.

Kara must be confused as to how I knew to say that.

Of course, I had experienced it myself, which is why I knew how to dig deep.

“…Wait a minute. Could it be?”

Realizing the situation, Kara hurried outside the tent.

Kara scoured the now silent castle. But there was nothing to see.

The other tents, the guards on the walls who had been sleeping—everyone had been evacuated.

“Did you do this?”

“Yes.”

“Even so, it was way too quiet. You knew you were coming, so you even lit all the fires?”

Kara asked, unable to understand. She couldn’t believe how easily the castle had fallen.

Honestly, I had expected some noise, but the guards’ negligence made it all too easy.

“They were sleeping.”

“Sleeping? Who? The guards on the walls?”

“Yes. Leaning against the walls, fast asleep.”

“Agh. Those idiots… I warned them not to sleep…”

Kara ran her hand down her face upon learning the guards had been asleep.

There are always useless soldiers everywhere, and here was no different.

But the deed was done, and the castle had fallen. Kara was the last one standing.

“Sigh… So, what now?”

“Huh?”

“What are you going to do with me? Fighting you is like hitting a rock with an egg. If you’re going to eliminate me, do it quickly. Might as well save my energy.”

She had already ruled out fighting or fleeing.

Though eliminating her would be the best option, I had thought of a more interesting alternative.

“Come with me.”

“What?”

“Come with me.”

“Come with you? To your base?”

I nodded at her question. Kara looked puzzled.

She pondered for a moment before speaking cautiously.

“What if I try to escape?”

“I’ll catch you.”

“…Hmm.”

Kara hesitated but then sighed and nodded.

“Alright. Let’s go together. I should see what you’re thinking. Whatever happens, you’ll suppress me with force anyway.”

Fortunately, Kara didn’t resist and followed me. If she had tried to run, I would have caught her immediately.

We opened the castle gate and started heading back to our territory.

Returning to our territory would prompt us to capture the castle immediately. My job was done.

“Sigh. If I had known, I would have taken the night watch. But we’re not soldiers; they wouldn’t have experienced this.”

“…”

“Sivar, do you take night watch?”

“Yes.”

It’s not so much a night watch as always being aware. Since gaining my wild instincts, I’ve hardly slept deeply.

Even when I did sleep deeply, it was when I fainted. My ears are always open, and I wake up at the slightest sound.

“Did the contract say you had to take watch?”

“I do it. I don’t sleep.”

“Really? That’s interesting.”

Despite the dark dawn, Kara and I returned to our territory without any issues.

My night vision is good, and Kara’s senses are sharp, allowing us to distinguish objects in the dark.

Thunk.

“Oops.”

“Careful.”

But seeing the ground beneath us was difficult. I caught Kara as she stumbled.

“Thanks. It’s so dark at dawn. There’s little moonlight today.”

“Let’s hold hands.”

“What?”

“Let’s hold hands. I’ll guide you.”

“Uh… okay.”

Kara hesitated but took my hand. Her hand was rough and calloused, befitting a seasoned warrior.

My hands were equally tough, but Kara’s were more so. She had wielded weapons all her life.

“Have we ever held hands before?”

“Don’t know?”

“It’s not very soft, is it?”

“It’s fine.”

It seemed Kara was self-conscious about her hands. But I found them reassuring.

They showed her determination and struggle to survive.

Rize once told me that a person’s hands, like their eyes, reveal much about them. I understood now.

“Sivar, your hands are quite rough too. Lots of scars.”

“Yes.”

“Weren’t they painful?”

“They were. Very much so.”

From getting hit by Porori’s iron fist to having my left arm bitten by a wolf, I had endured a lot.

At the time, I was left-handed, so it was especially troublesome. I went through many hardships afterward.

While I had many scars all over my body, my hands bore the brunt of it. They were the most injured.

“We’re here.”

“The guards are doing their job. I’m jealous.”

We chatted and soon reached our territory.

Thankfully, our guards were vigilant and reacted immediately upon seeing us.

They quickly informed the inside, and the command staff soon emerged.

“Yawn… Huh? Sivar, and… Kara?”

Grace yawned elegantly, and Luna came out with sleepy eyes. They looked puzzled at seeing Kara.

I moved behind Kara and hugged her. It was a back hug.

“What are you doing? Suddenly…”

Kara was startled as I lifted her. She was tall, so her feet barely left the ground.

Ignoring her surprise, I looked at Grace and Luna, who were trying to grasp the situation.

“I brought her.”

“What?”

“…Huh?”

Both Kara and Grace looked confused.

They needed more explanation. Holding Kara, I spoke calmly.

“Prisoner. Kara is now a prisoner.”

“…Wait. Sivar? What do you mean I’m a prisoner?”

“…”

Kara asked urgently, and Grace looked bewildered.

It must be absurd for a prisoner to walk in on their own. But it was part of my high-level strategy.

With supplies running low, ending the exam early was necessary.

“Kara.”

“Y-Yes?”

“You’ve been kidnapped.”

“…?”

Kara was fooled.

***

When was ettable.

Kara, the princess of Tatars and a warrior during the tribal wars, had been captured by a ruse.

She had never been a prisoner during the war, thanks to Hector’s strength and negotiation skills.

“Huh. What a situation.”

“Indeed. Sivar is quite cunning.”

Kara’s defeated tone matched Luna’s agreement. Currently, Kara was bound with rope.

Luna was guarding her, but it was more symbolic. Kara had already given up.

With the guards asleep, it was effectively a loss. Capturing Kara was just confirmation.

“He’s smart, but you could also say he’s sly. He did this on his own?”

“Yes. The original plan was for Sivar to deal with everyone in the castle, and we’d follow.”

Luna couldn’t hide her amazement. They had followed the plan but gained more than expected.

Sivar understood the final exam system better than anyone. Normally, a knocked-out student was evacuated immediately.

But capturing them as prisoners prevented evacuation, causing a significant loss in strength for the other team.

Moreover, capturing the team’s leader, Kara, who was responsible for more than half of their strength, created a massive gap in their defense and strategy.

“That’s not all. Sivar suggested to Grace that we use Kara as a hostage for negotiations.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“He proposed we make a deal with them like we did with him. If they meet our demands, Kara goes free.”

“Wow… I’m impressed.”

Kara was genuinely amazed. He had figured out the concept of prisoner exchange without formal training.

He combined prisoner exchange, contracts, and siege warfare tactics, all on his own.

‘He’s impressive.’

Luna looked over at Sivar, who was enjoying a meal from the supply depot.

Other students were too focused on the “exam” framework to think outside the box.

And capturing Kara as a prisoner required significant sacrifice, something only Sivar could manage.

“Sigh. The exam is essentially over. Losing the castle too easily and failing the negotiations means nothing.”

“You weren’t interested in the exam anyway, right?”

“True, but it’s frustrating. Everything went wrong because the guards slept.”

“Yes, that’s true. At least others learned the importance of guards.”

Sivar’s actions during the night served as a significant lesson.

A single failure in vigilance could lead to defeat in war.

The phrase, “Forgive a soldier for a failed mission, but never for failed vigilance,” wasn’t without reason.

Though the result might have been similar even if Sivar hadn’t infiltrated, at least Kara wouldn’t have been captured.

Screech.

While Kara and Luna chatted, the fortress gate slowly opened.

Beyond the gate, the enemy team appeared. It looked like a delegation.

Antonio led, flanked by two guards.

“They’re here. Do you know the terms of the negotiation?”

“Not sure. I heard Grace and Sivar are handling it.”

“Grace, fine. But Sivar too? Can I watch?”

“Of course.”

Luna helped Kara up. Though her hands were bound, she didn’t intend to escape.

“Welcome. Shall we get started?”

“Let’s.”

Antonio glanced at the captured Kara.

The test, ruined by the guards’ negligence, was already a failure in his mind.

Nonetheless, he aimed to salvage his personal score. Though the team score was in shambles, he planned to secure his individual score.

“Are you kidding? You want supplies? We’re already short on food!”

But the terms of negotiation made him furious.

The main demand was for supplies, which was acceptable.

“Asking for half of our supplies for four days? That’s too much! You’re asking us to lose!”

They demanded half the supplies for four days, leaving them with nothing.

Their water supply was already low after Sivar’s human cannonball incident destroyed the containers.

Despite Antonio’s outburst, Grace remained calm, maintaining her composure.

“Kara is worth it. What can you do without her?”

“Damn it…”

Antonio felt dizzy. Grace was right.

Without Kara, they’d struggle with direct confrontation and strategy planning.

Her practical experience was invaluable, which is why all teams valued her leadership.

“Alright. But four days is too…”

“Four days.”

Before Antonio could finish, Sivar spoke.

A simple statement, but its implication was anything but simple.

“Are you kidding? Half the supplies for four days, that’s two days’ worth…”

“Four days.”

“Are you mocking us? The amount you eat is…”

“Four days. I hate being hungry.”

Sivar stubbornly repeated “four days.” Antonio’s face reddened with anger.

I don’t want to be hungry. If you don’t agree to provide supplies, I’ll take them by force.

Faced with his ultimatum, Antonio had a simple choice.

“Forget it! Let’s see who wins!”

He flipped the table, exasperated.

Grace had anticipated this and smiled, her sharp eyes adding to her intimidating presence.

“Fine. Negotiations are over. Sivar?”

“Yes.”

The moment negotiations failed, the outcome was clear.

“Supplies will come in an hour. Go take them from their territory.”

“Okay.”

“You guys…!”

The final exam ended much earlier than the midterms.

End of Chapter