"…your performance should meet the highest standards. The whole human race would be watching you. You'd be performing under his majesty himself. I implore and order you, do your very best. If your best isn't enough, do better." The New Dean of Earth, Anna Walker, said in the conference room.
The cadets shifted nervously in their seats and nodded repeatedly. There was visible anxiety among them, one was literally wetting the chair with his sweat.
Anna pursed her lips and gave them an encouraging nod. "I know it's hard on you, but do remember, you got to perform over millions of other cadets. However small it be, you're carving a part of history for yourself. People need hope, they wish for things to get better. The Emperor brings peace to the realm and you youngsters would be telling public that their future is in safe hands."
Her words eased some of the tension. Indeed, they were incredibly lucky to get this opportunity. The performers would even get a chance to dine with Emperor and talk with him privately.
'I must be dreaming…' Olivia pinched her thigh and wondered as the Dean walked out.
After Sarah 'disappeared' from the Academy, she took over as the captain of Siarah team. Ivy, Crimson and Luca remained. They're all third year cadets now and have reached all reached high level 6.
They'd reach peak level 6 by the end of this semester and in four years at most, they'd be able to advance to level 7. Or in one, if the new surprise product announced is not fake.
"Hey, Olivia, the Dean is cool, isn't she? I heard that she used to be a low level 9. But after this war, she suddenly reached the peak of level 9 and there are rumors that say she'll hit the sovereign state." Luca nudged her with his elbow and snapped her out of her thoughts.
Olivia looked at Luca's face and nodded with a weird expression. Wasn't he feeling weird with all of this? Just that?
"Eeeeh! What will I do? Should I resign? There's still time, right? Right?" Ivy jumped out of her chair and clutched her pink hair as she walked back and forth, her petite framing making her look like an angry cat.
"You'll be fine." Crimson leaned back in his chair and answered.
"Really?" Ivy leaned toward him, her eyes sparkling with hope.
"I mean, you might fail. But it'll still be fine." Crimson replied with a bright smile but Ivy didn't return that smile.
"Arghh, you're hopeless. Olivia, Olivia! What do you think I should do?" Ivy hopped toward her and asked with a pitiful face.
Even though she's a third year cadet, her small face and petite body made her look like a doll. Everyone instinctually treated her as a little sister they must protect.
"You've prepared well. We'll be fine." Olivia patted her small head.
Ivy enjoyed the head pat for a moment before she stepped back and crossed her arms with a defiant expression. "I'm not a child, okay? No head pats."
Olivia smiled at her antics.
Ivy tapped her chin and looked at her teammates with a silly face. "But really, are we going to perform in front of Varian? It'—"
"Shut up and give him proper respect." A sudden shout from the group of six cadets in the room stopped Ivy.
"I…" Ivy put her fingers together and looked at them in embarrassment. "I know him from before, I was just…"
The six members glared at her.
"Fine," Ivy's shoulders slumped and gave them a glance of annoyance. "Are we really going to perform in front of his majesty? It's just weird, right? What do we say in dinner? How have you been?"
Olivia smiled wryly. "I think we're getting ahead of ourselves. Would he bother talking to us?"
Her words caused the three of them to look lost. But they also agreed that it might likely be the case.
Varian, no, his majesty was now far beyond their reach.
— — —
"Every year on this day, the graduates would hear something about the horror or war and the need for peace. But not today. You've lived through the worst war of our times and are alive to see the beautiful peace," Irene glanced at the graduates of Uranus Military Academy with compassion and pride.
The graduates seated in the huge auditorium glanced at the empty seats around them. Each seat had the designated nameplate, but more than 40% of them were empty.
All of them died. They saved many helpless and killed many invaders, all at the cost of their ultimate sacrifice.
They wouldn't leave a big mark in the history. A hundred years later, no, even ten, twenty years later, the world wouldn't talk about them. Only their families and close people would remember them.
But the impact they had on the world was irreversible. Who knows? A child they saved at the cost of their life might one day become a sovereign and push the human race forward.
Yet, even with all those thoughts, the graduates still cried softly. They lost their friends, roommates and comrades. Just a year ago, they're all laughing and having fun together. A year later, they're all dead.
Irene looked at them and her eyes softened. But she took a quick breath and continued. "The abyssals have perished. But we cannot discard our weapons. The Emperor said…"
The graduates sat upright hearing that title and unknowingly held their breath. Tears stopped flowing and ears began to perk up.
"He said that the end of abyssals is just the beginning of many such conflicts. The universe at large has many civilizations and races, far beyond our current imagination.
We're in no immediate danger now. But we need to be prepared. If you want to prevent another war like this, if you don't want your juniors and their juniors to have a graduation like today, then grow strong." Irene finished.
The graduates stood up and gave her a military salute.
Irene gave them a salute and said. "For the Human Race."
The stadium shook at the graduates' shouts.
"For the Human Race!"
"For the Human Race!"
"For the Human Race!"
