Khan had requested a promotion, but he didn't expect it to arrive so suddenly. He had read something about those events from Lieutenant Pouille's books, so he knew that they weren't anything major, especially for the lower ranks. Yet, Khan still believed that he would have had some time to prepare.
Khan inspected himself. He had showered, but the drive back to the teleport had tainted his uniform with sand and dirt. He even raised his arms to sniff his armpits, and the effects of Onia's heat quickly became evident in his nostrils.
"Don't worry," Amber giggled when she watched that scene. "It won't be anything major, so you are more than fine like this."
"I hope my promotion doesn't cause problems," Khan stated while giving up on the matter and resuming the march.
Amber was older than Khan, and she had two stars on each shoulder, but she had basically revealed that she was still a regular soldier. Khan would have to work with her, so getting a promotion before her could create envy and other issues.
"I'm the only one to blame for my position," Amber admitted. "I've spent all my life inside training camps or cities. I have only left Reebfell's area a few times."
"You must be outstanding as a professor then," Khan complimented to keep the topic on Amber.
"I only have a good academic record," Amber explained. "Most soldiers ignore that mana can bring far more than destruction. The Global Army has developed countless minor spells that many ignore to focus on their stars."
Khan could only nod. He had already tested the "enhanced reading"' value, and he believed that the "simulated mental battle" would also become extremely useful once he learnt how to deploy it. He could easily guess that the Global Army had other good minor techniques in store, and his broad approach to the mana strengthened that belief.
"Though enough talking about me," Amber smiled. "You are the hot topic of the year, and I can be the first to question you."
"My profile already says a lot," Khan sighed. "I'm still getting used to my fame."
"You might want to do that quickly," Amber suggested. "Everyone in the camp has already learnt about your arrival. They can't wait to see you."
"I guess I need to prepare a good first lesson," Khan wondered.
"You can't possibly be scared of a few recruits after everything you have gone through," Amber teased.
"It's not that," Khan responded as his eyes began to wander through the camp. "I think I can really help some of the recruits. I wouldn't claim that my knowledge can save lives, but I might be useful. It would be a pity if I couldn't convey what I've learnt due to my poor experience."
Amber's eyes widened in surprise. She didn't expect such a mature answer. She had initially been worried that someone so young wouldn't understand the responsibilities of a professor, but it seemed that Khan didn't need any help there.
Khan lost himself in his thoughts during those silent seconds. Reebfell's training camp unfolded in his eyes, and complicated emotions filled his mind.
The clean streets, the perfectly intact buildings, the joyful and carefree voices in the distance, and the overall lack of tension in the air created a peaceful scenery that Khan had almost forgotten. He wasn't used to that calm and safe environment anymore. Even Onia didn't have that atmosphere.
Amber had misunderstood Khan. He didn't acknowledge his responsibilities due to his new job. He wanted the soldiers to hear him out because he had seen what a lack of experience could cause.
Khan had witnessed too many deaths, so he wanted to share his knowledge to prevent others from going through the same pain. He knew that most of those naïve and innocent recruits didn't deserve it.
"It's nice, isn't it?" Amber eventually asked while gazing at the young soldiers in the distance. "I almost can't believe how things can be so normal after Istrone."
"I'm surprised some training camps recovered so quickly," Khan admitted.
"The Global Army had to make many promises to reassure the various families," Amber explained. "I don't know the details, but I bet that the wealthy families have requested far more than simple Credits."
"Is your family wealthy?" Khan asked.
"A bit," Amber said through an awkward laugh. "I feel a bit bad for how easy it has been for me. I didn't have to go through what you guys have experienced."
"Being lucky isn't a sin," Khan reassured as his eyes kept inspecting the camp. "I'm sure none of Istrone's survivors would wish that to happen to others. I know I don't."
Amber remained speechless again, and a warm smile inevitably appeared on her face. Khan was only being honest, but that was enough to reassure her. She could see that he had remained a good person even after everything he had gone through.
"You sure know your way with words," Amber teased.
"What do you mean?" Khan questioned while bringing his attention to Amber.
"I've heard that you are quite popular with the ladies," Amber giggled while covering her mouth. "I can understand why now."
"Who is even spreading these rumors?" Khan frowned.
"Well, you can't stop soldiers from looking into you," Amber responded. "Besides, people like to spread gossips. I've heard the craziest things about you even before you got a job here."
"Give me an idea," Khan insisted.
"Are you sure?" Amber asked as her laugh grew louder. "Some rumors see you in bed with Ef'i."
"How would a human even do that?" Khan cursed while shaking his head.
"I have no idea," Amber replied without bothering to hold back her laugh anymore. "Still, they worship strength, and you won the tournament. Also, you already had experience with aliens, so-."
"Alien," Khan interrupted. "One alien."
Khan did his best not to reveal anything, but Amber understood that she had touched the wrong topic. She didn't expect the atmosphere to change so drastically, but she quickly addressed the issue. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I'm sure everyone will understand the difference between the truth and the rumors once they see you."
"It's fine," Khan replied while wearing a fake smile. "I'm just a bit anxious about the promotion."
Amber could see that something had changed. Khan had spoken honestly until now, so she recognized his lies. Still, she decided not to probe further since the topic had clearly annoyed him.
The atmosphere between the two became a bit awkward, and Khan didn't do anything to ease it. He continued to inspect the camp, but his eyes had long since stopped examining the various details of the scenery. A dark face filled his vision, and the memories of a cozy coldness had started to seep inside his mind.
The two eventually walked near a group of young soldiers busy interacting with each other. The latter's first instinct was to wave their hands at Amber, but they stopped their gestures when they noticed Khan. He casually glanced at them and performed a fake smile, but he quickly disregarded them to move his focus back on the various buildings.
Similar scenes happened as the two crossed more soldiers. All of them tried to greet Amber, but Khan's presence made them hold back from trying to interact with the duo.
"They sure like you," Khan commented after witnessing the same scene four times.
"I just do my best," Amber exclaimed happily. She couldn't help but feel relieved to see that Khan didn't take her previous words to heart.
"That seems to be enough," Khan stated, and silence fell between the two again.
It didn't take much longer for Amber and Khan to reach a large building that seemed to stand at the center of the camp. Large windows and tall metal columns created an expression of modern architecture that the settlements on other planets struggled to have. Khan even guessed that the Global Army had renovated the structure recently.
Amber led Khan inside the building. The large corridors and halls connected to them were almost empty due to the late hour, but the two still met random soldiers busy patrolling the areas or activating the robots meant to clean everything. Those men and women limited themselves to nod at Amber, but they didn't hold back from inspecting Khan from head to toe.
The two climbed a series of staircases until they reached the last floor. Various locked doors filled the sides of the single corridor in the area, and Amber walked straight for the office at its end.
"Headmaster Pitcus," Amber called after pressing on an interactive menu on the door. "It's Professor Teldom. I brought Khan."
The door took only one instant to unlock and slide open. Khan could soon see a large office featuring a long short table, two luxurious couches, two armchairs, and a large desk at its end.
Khan's eyes quickly went on the old-looking man sitting behind the desk. Headmaster Pitcus had long grey hair tied in a bun and thick eyebrows of the same color. Small glasses tried to hide his brown eyes, and a short beard grew from his chin.
Headmaster Pitcus appeared slightly overweight, but his figure retained the huge silhouette of a muscular man. Still, his threatening size didn't match his amiable face. The corner of his eyes carried evident wrinkles, but they didn't ruin his harmless vibe.
Khan found it strange that the man's military uniform didn't have stars. Yet, he could vaguely evaluate the Headmaster's level through his senses, and his inspection surprised him. The soldier appeared weaker than Colonel Norrett, but not by much.
"Thank you, Professor Teldom," Headmaster Pitcus cleared his throat and stood up before pointing at one of the chairs in front of the desk. "Please, Khan, take a seat."
Amber performed a military salute and left the office. The metal door closed behind her, leaving only Khan and Headmaster Pitcus in the room.
"It's an honor to meet you," Headmaster Pitcus exclaimed as Khan approached the door.
The sudden statement made Khan interrupt his gesture for a second, but he quickly sat and voiced a polite answer. "The honor is mine, sir."
"Nonsense," Headmaster Pitcus laughed as he sat back on his chair. "I'm just a retired old man. I can't compare to the latest champion of Onia's tournament."
'An old man with the power of a colonel,' Khan thought while performing the best fake smile that he could muster.
"I won't keep you for long," Headmaster Pitcus stated. "The promotion to Lieutenant is usually uneventful, and yours won't be an exception. Things will change if you make it to Captain, but you will only get new offers and a monthly allowance for now."
"That's more than fine," Khan replied without dropping his smile.
"Excellent," Headmaster Pitcus declared while activating a menu on his desk and browsing through a few labels.
Khan's phone rang at some point, and Headmaster Pitcus gestured at him to take it. A message featuring a long text had appeared on Khan's device, and he skimmed through it to get a vague idea of its contents.
The message congratulated Khan for his promotion to Lieutenant and described the benefits of his new position. The monthly allowance and the access to better jobs were only some of the advantages. He could also use special discounts and offers for soldiers at his rank. Some services in the cities and other camps would also feature pros now.
Everything sounded terrific, but Khan didn't know what to do with it now. He glanced at the list of possible jobs out of curiosity, but they didn't change too much. He could be in charge of specific platoons or have better pay in other locations, but that was it.
"You probably are the youngest Lieutenant in the history of the Global Army," Headmaster Pitcus eventually said, claiming Khan's attention. "I feel quite lucky to be the one who has approved your promotion."
"I'm the lucky one, sir," Khan politely replied.
"Nonsense, your promotion is completely deserved," Headmaster Pitcus scoffed. "I know Captains who have achieved half of your feats after being in service for decades. Keep working hard, and I'm sure that more promotions will come in no time."
"Thank you, sir," Khan exclaimed.
"Well, I will send you the details about your habitation and duties while you exit the building," Headmaster Pitcus explained while closing the menus on his desk. "There won't be lessons tomorrow, so you can use that time to coordinate with the other Professors. Except for that, you can use the whole camp as you wish. I won't pry in your personal life as long as it doesn't affect your duties."
Khan understood the hidden meaning behind the Headmaster's words and stood up to perform a military salute. Then, he turned to approach the door.
"One last thing," Headmaster Pitcus called. "I know that you are young, but it's not ideal for a Professor to hang around recruits. Try not to use your position to gain, let's say, female attention."
'Why is everyone worried about that?' Khan cursed in his mind, but his fake smile remained unaffected. He even managed to speak without letting anything tamper his voice. "I understand, sir. It has never been my intention."
"Excellent," Headmaster Pitcus wore a broad smile while pressing a button behind his desk to open the door.
Khan left in a hurry, happy that he could finally drop the act. The Headmaster seemed a decent person, but he preferred not to disclose too much of his personality until he learnt more about him.
His phone rang while he was descending from the staircases. Khan could quickly learn where he would stay and his working hours. His courses barely occupied fifteen hours of his week, so he would have a lot of free time.
The night had fallen on the training camp, but the street lamps kept everything visible. The curfew didn't apply to Khan, but he still decided to head directly for his habitation due to tomorrow's inevitable meeting with the other Professors. Still, a familiar presence entered his sense's range after he began to march toward his destination.
Khan wouldn't care about the soldiers who broke the curfew. He would just change road and pretend not to have seen anything. However, he could only halt his steps and focus on the figure sitting on a bench in the distance now.
The figure noticed Khan only when he stopped walking. He could see it leaving the bench and sprinting toward him. It didn't take long before he found Cora clung to his torso.
****
Author's notes: I basically didn't celebrate the holidays for the past two years due to this job. I'm a mess this year, and the twenty-six hours spent sleeping in the last two days have proven that my body is at its limits, so I've decided to slow down during this period.
I'll go down to one chapter for Chaos and two for Demonic Sword for a few days (I'll keep you updated), and I'll probably skip the 25th entirely. I'll let you know how I'll handle new year's eve in later chapters.
In short, the will arrive in 10 hours.
