Chapter 67 At this very mont, Eleanor is on business.
"So you an that Eisenburg has recently seen a lot of uninvited guests?"
Eleanor von Schwarz's voice was unhurried, with a touch of nonchalant elegance.
She walked side by side with Colonel Bergman through the college's long corridors, sunlight streaming through the ornate windows and casting dappled shadows on the marble floor.
The walls on both sides of the corridor are covered with portraits of outstanding graduates from all dynasties, those heroes of the empire watching over every passerby with cold eyes.
Colonel Bergman adjusted his military cap with so annoyance.
He was a traditional Viktorian, and in accordance with tradition, he grew those two exaggerated mustaches.
At that mont, his mustache trembled slightly with his expression, like two startled caterpillars.
“Indeed, Baron von Schwarz.”
He lowered his voice, his gaze sweeping warily across the empty corridors on either side.
"According to the reports I have received, a large number of suspicious persons have appeared in Eisenburg in the past week."
Eleanor raised an eyebrow.
"Be more specific."
"Our intelligence agencies have tracked down at least three different factions operating within the city."
Bergman's voice beca even lower.
"Among them are remnants of the Sons of Dawn—their organization suffered considerable losses after the Victorian Comrcial Street bombing, but it was not completely eradicated. There are also so... from the east."
East.
The direction of Usar.
Eleanor's steps remained unchanged, but her eyes turned slightly colder.
"Anything else?"
"We have not yet confird the identity of the third force."
Bergman's tone beca more serious.
"But what is certain is that their objectives seem to differ from the forr two. Based on so fragnted intelligence we've intercepted... they are very interested in the academy itself."
He paused, then lowered his voice and added:
"Excuse my bluntness, Eleanor, what kind of mission did you receive from the military upon your return to the Royal Knights Academy? If you could share so information, perhaps I could better cooperate..."
Eleanor did not answer imdiately.
Her gaze went over Bergman's shoulder and toward the end of the corridor.
There was an archway leading outdoors, beyond which lay sunshine, grass, and—the third training field.
It was a spacious outdoor training ground, complete with a running track, horizontal bar, and sandpit.
At this mont, under the bright sunshine, hundreds of students wearing uniform training clothes are sweating profusely on the track.
Those are the freshn who just enrolled this year.
The instructor stood on the sidelines, holding a brass gaphone, and was yelling at the top of his lungs:
"Hurry up! Run! You're already panting after just the first lap? Are you guys here to be knights or to retire?!"
A slightly overweight boy looked like he couldn't run anymore, and he was panting heavily with his hands on his knees.
The instructor rushed over imdiately, shoving the loudspeaker right next to the unfortunate guy's ear:
"Who told you to stop?! Keep running! If you can't run, crawl!"
Typical intimidation training.
The aim is to break down the arrogance and laziness of the new students, while selecting those with strong willpower.
Eleanor stopped in her tracks.
Her gaze swept past the group of sweaty freshn and landed on one of their figures.
She was a girl with short, reddish-brown hair. Her running form was textbook perfect. Although she had run countless laps, her strides remained steady and powerful.
Her eyes were unique; they weren't the arrogance typical of aristocratic children, nor the restraint often seen in ordinary students.
Rather, it is a kind of...
A beast-like, alert gaze, always ready for battle.
Natasha Petrova.
Is this Xiao Pa's roommate?
Eleanor morized the man's appearance.
Bergman looked at Eleanor with so confusion as she suddenly stopped, but he didn't say anything. He simply stood there beside her, looking together at the training field in the distance.
The two stood there in silence for a long ti.
The sun was still warm, and a gentle breeze stirred Eleanor's long, dark hair.
How is Eileen doing?
Eleanor finally spoke again, her tone softening.
Bergman was sowhat surprised, but then he understood what she was asking.
"Everything is proceeding according to the Schwartz family's requirents. Miss Eileen is currently at the top of her class in her second year, and she passed all the simulated driving tests. The instructors' evaluation of her is—"
"There's no need for all that official jargon."
Eleanor interrupted him.
Is she happy at the academy?
Bergman paused for a mont.
This question was clearly beyond the scope of his preparation.
"Um... from what I've observed, Miss Eileen is quite popular among her classmates and has made several friends. She also participates in the college's club activities, and she does seem... quite happy?"
Eleanor was silent for a mont.
"That's good."
Her voice was very soft.
Then, she straightened her military uniform.
She maintained her dark blue Imperial military uniform ticulously, with every brass button gleaming.
She took the military cap off her waist and put it securely on her head.
The brim of her hat was pulled low, casting a shadow over her eyes.
The mont she completed this action, a subtle change occurred in her overall deanor.
She is no longer that gentle older sister.
No longer a casual visitor.
She is now a lieutenant colonel in the Imperial Army.
She is now the eldest daughter of the Schwartz family.
She is now a special envoy of the Imperial Army General Staff.
Eleanor turned away, her back to the sunlight streaming through the archway.
Backlit, her face beca sowhat blurred, only her ice-blue eyes remained clearly visible.
Cold and frigid.
sharp.
Undeniable.
"Colonel Bergman."
Her voice suddenly beca formal and cold.
"I am now conveying a top-secret order to you as a special envoy of the Imperial Army General Staff."
Bergman's expression suddenly turned serious.
He instinctively straightened his back, put his hands behind his back, and adopted a standard posture of obeying orders.
"Please issue the order, Your Excellency."
Eleanor's voice was not loud, but every word was as clear as if it were engraved on a stone slab.
"Before the end of next year's Awakening Month, we must ensure that the item codenad'Sleeper' is successfully sealed at the Royal Knight Academy."
"During the sealing period, there must be no leakage, damage, or loss."
"No one unrelated to it is aware of its existence."
"Those who disobey orders shall be punished for treason."
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