22 Chapter 22: Eastern Front! (1)
"All the carriages are fully occupied!" the drivers for each carriage reported. These were the thirteen vehicles responsible for bringing a hundred graduates to the eastern front. The number of guards was a fifth of the number of graduates, further showing the importance of this mission.
"We're ready, baron!" said the leader of this convoy. He's also one of the five Aura Users responsible for the graduates' safety.
Hespar could feel the same threat level in strength alone, somewhat on par with Hector's.
"Waste no time then! Make your way to the eastern front now!" said the baron. At the same time, he's preparing to depart toward another village. It was said that the baron had no time to rest, as he had to visit nine villages in these twenty-seven days.
"May the king's protection land on you, milord!" the convoy leader chanted before leading everyone out of the Lavos Village. Parents stood on both sides of the road as they bid farewell.
Hespar's mother, Catherine, was one of the many. Hector couldn't be seen near her, but Hespar soon noticed his father at the village entrance. His heart calmed when the convoy gained a significant distance away from the settlement.
Being protected by a group of twenty veteran soldiers made Hespar understand how efficient and properly they're trained.
Even Hector's discipline and the academy's strict program can compare to what they were shown by the twenty soldiers escorting them.
"Three Forest Goblins spotted on the convoy's left side." another report came right after the soldiers killed the few Forest Orcs blocking their way.
"The third lane should handle the goblins. Left forth lane, split your manpower to cover both lines until they return." the convoy leader ordered.
"Convoy leader, may I ask if you're using any magic tool to communicate with one another?" Hespar asked. He had prior knowledge from seeing one in Hector's hand. Still, the one in Hector's had limited usability.
Based on what Hespar knew, the one used by Hector can only pair with one magic tool and not multiple.
"Yes. This is the communication stone for officer-ranked soldiers. It can be paired with ten different stones at once, but the magic stone inside has to be replaced more often." the convoy leader happily answered.
Apparently, he had quite a favorable opinion of Hespar due to his excellent result and how he tackled the assignment. Furthermore, this recently turned adult was also an Aura User.
An Aura User would always maintain a degree of respect towards one another, as they're considered equal, after setting aside the differences in Military Rank.
Of course, the ranking of Aura Users is further divided into classes based on their contribution, fame, and strength. The grading was accepted officially throughout the continent, so even if the Aura User decided to serve another faction elsewhere, the qualification they obtained before this would still be valid.
The starting point for all Aura Users would definitely be the Bronze-Grade Qualification. Here, they'll be further divided into four subcategories: the Entry-Rank, Veteran-Rank, Intermediate-Rank, and Master-Rank.
Promoting from Bronze Grade would be the Silver Grade next, followed by Gold, Black Gold, and Crystal.
It was said that throughout the record, only three Crystal-Grade holders ever existed. Two of them had passed away, but the last one is believed to be still alive in seclusion.
"No wonder it's a little different from the one my father had. Thank you for answering my curiosity, convoy leader. I would stop bothering you now." Hespar politely excused himself after saying thanks.
"There's no bother. Feel free to ask me if you have something you're curious about. As a senior of yours in the commanding hierarchy, I'm sure there's many stuff and tips I can share with you."
"After all, the officers had to maintain a good relationship and cooperate when necessary. Only through this way our kingdom's soldiers can be counted as truly strong and united." the convoy leader said.
"And by the way... Call me Luther. Eidos Luther." the convoy leader introduced himself. But weirdly, he had a second name.
"Convoy leader Luther, are you a noble?" Hespar asked again. It was unavoidable that he had this much curiosity inside him. After all, this was his first trip out of the Lavos Village.
"I'm not, unfortunately. But for the northerners, like a few in my team and me, we all had a nickname in front," answered Eidos Luther. Based on what he said, the Eidos would be the name he was called since he was young but changed to Luther when there's a need for more formal addressing.
"Forest Goblin killed. We've spotted another pack nearby, but they don't seem to be aiming for us." the voice of a member moving inside the forest interrupted the chat between Hespar and Luther.
Without saying anything, Luther left the carriage after giving Hespar a nod. This made Hespar shift his attention back inside the carriage they were on.
Only now did he notice that Lucas and Victor were part of those inside the carriage. The other seven are quieter, but all of them belonged to the bottom achievers in the top 100.
"Hespar, can I ask you something?" Lucas finally opened his mouth after being inside the carriage for a while. He seems to have something in mind but is afraid to speak out.
"Of course. As long it was a non-official discussion, I hope you'll treat me as your peers. Everyone here came from the same village, after all. All of us here is to rely on one another. We should be united and stay strong together." Hespar replied.
"Everyone else too. If you have something in mind, just ask. We should use this time to get along and understand one another instead of keeping quiet and plotting before arriving at the eastern front." Hespar added.
"Hespar is correct. I heard from my father that the situation there can hardly be compared to the peaceful Lavos Village. Assignments to hunt monsters were issued nonstop, with high demand for all sorts of manpower." someone else chipped into the conversation.
"True. My merchant father said the sound of fighting can be heard when you step outside the gate. Even gathering outside the town wall is dangerous."
"I heard that..."
"Me too..."
The atmosphere inside the carriage got livelier as more of them opened their minds to one another.
This made them quickly forget what Lucas wanted to ask. The carriage was drowning in the conversation about the rumors they had heard.
"So, what you wanted to ask me?" Hespar moved closer to the corner where Lucas was seated. Because Victor was sitting adjacent to Lucas, he simply moved and made a space for Hespar to sit.
"I just want to know... What was the feeling when you managed to control the Aura? Does the Aura always feel so disturbed, havoc, and overbearing whenever you try to tap into them?" Lucas said.
His voice was neither loud nor soft, but because the carriage was getting so noisy, only Victor and Hespar managed to hear what Lucas said.
'Ah! It was a talk about Aura. I should listen and learn about it too.' thought Victor. There's no question why he would be interested in this topic because out of the top 5 graduates, only Hespar and Lucas had shown their potential in utilizing an Aura.
Being the second in the class but not sensing the opportunity to tap into Aura was Victor's greatest regret for now.
"From what my parents told me, the Aura reacts according to our emotion. After all, Aura is a form of an obsession of the individual. This obsession is then divided into thought, impression, and desire." Hespar answered using his own understanding of what he was taught.
"Thought, impression, and desire? Won't that mean I am crazy about fighting and winning? That's why my Aura is so disturbing?" Lucas continued. He had somewhat manifested part of his Aura, but they're not as stable as Hespar's.
"Not really. If what my father said was accurate, it means you misinterpreted your Aura. Let's use an example of someone where Aura manifests from the inside. He was someone with solid justice, but the Aura grew further only when he killed a monster."
"So, was his Aura related to justice or slaughter?" Hespar asked.
"Justice," Victor answered. His mindset is much easier, and since the person in Hespar's story is someone with a powerful devotion to justice, there shouldn't be anything wrong with the answer.
"I feel... Both?" Lucas replied. He had a hint of confusion from thinking about this scenario too much.
"Both of you are not wrong." Hespar smiled in reply. He didn't say that they were correct either.
"From what my father tells me, someone like Victor would have it much easier because he knew from the start what he wanted and what is his obsession. But the person in my story is similar to Lucas, who's still confused about his obsession."
"It's all come to how you embrace the Aura. Like in the story, if the person assumed that slaughtering is the only way to manifest his Aura, then his Aura will be as disturbed as yours. But if he chooses justice, the manifestation might too some time instead."
"Of course, my mother also said that... It's possible to choose both." Hespar somewhat explained it in his own way, loud enough just for Lucas and Rory to hear.
'Mother? Hespar's mother is also an Aura User?' Victor's jaw dropped from listening to Hespar's answer.
"Is that even possible?" Lucas asked.
"Why not? It is our own obsession, not others. We decide it, not what others tell us to do. At the end of the day, the Aura developed how we wanted to, not how others wanted us to. My mother said before..."
"If she wanted, she could make her Aura damages instead of healing someone. And like our fist and swords. It can kill, but it can save lives too." Hespar added.
