Colonel Vallen lounged back in his oversized chair, one leg draped over the armrest, a cloud of smoke curling lazily from his lips.
His office, if you could call it that, was a maze of papers, maps, and trash, the chaos reflecting his approach to everything relaxed, unbothered, as if the Academy was just a game he could afford to play half heartedly. The smoke from his cigarette spiraled upward, mingling with the dusty air, creating a haze that blurred the lines between responsibility and apathy.
He glanced at the stack of unread reports on his desk, barely suppressing a yawn. "One more cigarette." he muttered to himself, leaning back further. But anyone who knew him well enough understood thinking wasn't something Colonel Vallen did with any sense of urgency. Not when there was time to waste and tobacco to burn.
His office was completely engulfed in smoke when footsteps from the hallway began to echo, growing louder. With a deep sigh, he stubbed out his cigarette and walked to the window to let in a bit of fresh air, but it was as if he were a vampire when the sunlight hit his eyes, he immediately pulled the blinds shut. At that moment, the door swung open, and a girl entered.
Hands on her hips, her head tilted slightly as she looked angrily straight into Vallen's tired eyes. "Did you finish the expense report?" she asked, and Vallen, instead of hurrying, lit another cigarette slowly, as if he were just trying to stall for time.
"No." He exhaled the smoke directly in her face.
"Vallen!" She yelled. "Since the summer break, you've done nothing but sit here and smoke that poison. Not to mention your office looks like a dump!" She gestured toward the half eaten sandwiches and empty bottles.
"I'm just a colonel. The budget report is for the Division General, not me." He said, turning to the desk and picking up a paper that had been buried under something and stained. "Here." He held out a document with coffee stains all over it.
"What's this?" She asked, holding the paper with two fingers, not even glancing at it.
Vallen looked as if he found even explaining it a burden, while the girl only grew more flustered and she had reason to be. On the stained paper, the only thing she noticed was the Astoria seal, something only the council can issue.
"Defense permission." Vallen puffed smoke into her face again. This time, instead of getting angry, her expression shifted to one of concern, and she finally began to read.
Her eyes darted across the lines until suddenly, she stopped at a particular section. "How can they be this stupid?" She muttered, taking a deep breath and gripping the hilt of the sword at her side.
"They're putting a former slave among the nobles…" He stubbed out her cigarette and sat back down, propping his feet up on the already cluttered desk.
"This isn't a coincidence, is it?" She gripped the hilt even tighter. "They know exactly what will happen to her if she stays there, and they don't even care. How can they be so-"
"Enough, Liora." He placed his hat over his face. "The permission is already signed. If anything happens after this, I'll handle it."
"Oh, and by the way, you have to attend the enrollment ceremony, so put on your uniform." She slammed the door so hard on her way out that a stack of documents on the desk collapsed.
Vallen didn't say a word, lying there comfortably, nearly falling asleep, until the sound of trumpets and drums filled the air the ceremony had begun. With a deep sigh, he stood up and pulled back the dark curtains. A large crowd of new students stood below, as stiff as soldiers already, while their parents watched proudly at least those who had parents.
Putting on his uniform, Vallen took one last look in the mirror, where he saw what could only be described as a zombie staring back at him. Dark circles under his eyes, disheveled hair, he looked utterly exhausted. Before leaving, he paused in the doorway, glancing back at his sword on the wall before muttering, "I'm off."
Vallen's uniform was anything but decorated there were no medals, no aiguillettes, and even his rank insignia had been removed, as if he were a cadet himself. The only thing he carried with him were his white gloves and the cigarette dangling from his mouth, which he immediately lit as soon as he stepped outside, just as the band began the opening music for the ceremony.
Vallen should have been standing on the stage with his senior officers and superiors, but instead, he found his place among the professors.
"Colonel, in the sunlight, you almost look alive." The person sitting next to him commented.
"Professor Sehrn, please don't call me by my rank. I'm just a student like everyone else." He replied, his dark eyes fixed on the beautiful professor beside him. "And maybe you shouldn't show off those gorgeous breasts of yours like that. Someone might call you a whore again."
Those sitting around them turned in shock at Vallen's words.
"I've told you before, use my first name, let me hear you say it." She teased, leaning closer, her chest brushing his shoulder. But Vallen, unimpressed, merely took another drag of his cigarette, showing no interest despite being near such a beautiful woman.
"Stop harassing the Colonel, Hana." Said another professor, taking a seat behind them.
Hana turned around, forming a heart shape with her hands. "Don't be jealous of the colonel," She said, snuggling closer to Vallen, much to the intrigue of everyone around them, who seemed more interested in this interaction than the ceremony itself.
"Professor Sehrn, while you're busy sexually harassing me, I'm having a staring contest with General Dracon, whose veins look like they're about to pop." Vallen commented dryly, puffing more smoke into the air.
And it was true General Dracon, standing on the stage, had immediately noticed Vallen, surprised that he even showed up. But the moment he saw a professor clinging to him, any joy on his face quickly disappeared.
As the situation calmed down and everyone refocused on the ceremony, the principal of the academy stood up to give a speech. But it was less a speech and more of a ninety minute seminar, filled with information everyone already knew.
He introduced the Generals and Division Generals on stage, warning the students that these figures would make their lives difficult. He then paused at an empty chair, smiled, and said, "One last thing, dear students there is only one person at this academy you cannot challenge to a duel, aside from the staff. This seat belongs to that person, but never mind." He continued introducing the others, leaving both the students and their parents confused by his earlier statement.
"Could he be talking about you, Colonel?" Teased Sehrn, nudging Vallen, who had been sleeping with his eyes open until General Dracon woke him.
"Vallen, they've already started packing up, and you're still here napping like a cat."
"General Dracon, what a pleasure to see you." Vallen stretched lazily.
"I have a request no, an order for you," Dracon said, his gaze locking with Vallen's as if he were staring at a corpse. "The permission you submitted regarding the girl, I want you to take her under your wing."
"Impossible." Vallen stood up, now visibly irritated.
"Vallen-"
"Caius, Darnell, Lily, Anna, Roman." Vallen muttered, his gaze lowering to the ground as he pulled his cap over his eyes. "But you know their names too, General."
"Vallen!" Dracon stood up, shouting. "Don't think I've forgotten they cross my mind every day. But don't forget you have a duty."
Vallen paused for a moment, his eyes fixed on the sky, reaching out as if trying to touch something.
"Fine, Dracon." Vallen turned toward the General, suddenly transformed, as if the person he had once locked away had returned. "But I want my right to duel back."
His gaze was sharp and piercing he looked like a true soldier, and even Dracon felt a surge of fire in his chest, realizing he was gripping his sword. "I'll try to negotiate it, but you must promise one thing. You cannot challenge anyone below the rank of general."
"And if they challenge me?"
"Only if there are two or more against you."
Vallen walked away, smiling, while Dracon stood paralyzed by fear, still gripping his sword, long after Vallen had gone.
"General?" Came Liora's voice from behind, startling him. "Sorry, sir, I didn't mean to scare you." She bowed.
"It's fine, Liora, I was just lost in thought."
"I saw Vallen here earlier. He seemed tense. Did something happen, if I may ask?"
"We agreed that he would get his right to duel back."
Liora stood with her mouth agape, as if her brain had short circuited, then came the sudden realization and panic.
"General, but then—"
"Don't worry, he'll be bound by rules. Everything will be fine. But I must admit, for a moment, he was terrifying." He looked at his hand, still trembling with anxiety, realizing he might have made a decision that would change the academy once again.
Liora quickly said goodbye to the general and rushed back to Vallen's office, where she literally barged in through the door. Vallen was in the middle of "cleaning" the office, or rather, tossing trash from one corner to the other.
"General Dracon told me." She said, standing there with wide open eyes.
"Okay."
"Okay?! Do you understand the huge imbalance this will cause if you get your dueling privileges back?"
"Liora, it's alright," Vallen replied, lying down on the floor next to the pile of garbage.
"No, you don't understand the gravity of this. If you get your dueling rights back, you'll be the highest ranked swordsman at the Academy."
"Cool."
"Vallen, how many people do you think will challenge you?!" Liora, now visibly anxious, began pacing, clenching her fists.
Still lying on the floor, Vallen lit a cigarette, which Liora promptly kicked out of his mouth with surgical precision. In response, Vallen grabbed Liora's leg, causing her to fall, and a wrestling match began.
Meanwhile, General Dracon sat quietly and tensely in the Academy Council, where nearly everyone was pondering what might come of this situation.