The Empire of Reimia (3)

Phizalis, of course, reprimanded Linnea for administering the injection outside the academy's infirmary and for not informing him about it, but he decided not to pursue the matter further, opting instead to examine the unconscious student. As it turned out, his life or health was not in immediate danger, but it was impossible to determine when he would regain consciousness. Phizalis assumed that the young man should wake up within a week. And so it happened – Shogo came to his senses a few days later, in early January, while everyone else was in class. After a brief examination, he took a couple of days off, with the permission of the chief physician, and went somewhere. He sighed heavily and sat down on a bench in one of the small parks in the city center, staring tiredly into the distance. Before leaving the academy, he had managed to eat in the cafeteria, but the hunger that had accumulated over several days of sleep was making itself felt. But now, Shogo wasn't thinking about food. He would probably live a few more years, but what then? And after that, nothing, because the situation he was in had not fundamentally changed. "Well, I didn't solve the problem, and I ruined someone's holiday." He took a cigarette from the pack he had bought today and lit it, something he hadn't done in a long time. When Linnea suggested that he leave the decision to her, he wanted to object, saying that this option wouldn't change anything, but he didn't want to continue arguing with someone who wanted to help him. Perhaps it was a mistake, but it was too late to change anything now. And in any case, whether he did it or not, he would regret the lost time if the serum was destroyed and he would be tormented by guilt if he used it. This situation would not have been so unpleasant for him if the Empress had ordered him to use the contents of the vial under threat of death, but the choice was left to him. "Young man, what are you doing?" A young woman approached the bench where Shogo was sitting and looked at him sternly. "Hmm?" he replied with a puzzled look. "I don't understand what you mean." "If you're not aware, the government recently banned smoking in all public places." "Oh, I see, I didn't know," he said, extinguishing the cigarette and throwing it in the trash can. "I hope that solves the problem?" "Yes, but please be more careful in the future." After the woman left him alone and disappeared from his sight, a sense of heaviness settled on his heart, and he fell into deep thought. Shogo moved slowly through the corridors of the well-equipped, protected, and very clean, perhaps even sterile, complex. He was accompanied by a short girl, whose uniform indicated that she was a major. "I must admit, I was sure I would never see your face in this place again, but now, after listening to you, I understand why. Such foolishness is very much like you." It was Estella. Like him, she had been involved in the center where research was conducted on "fragments of fate" and ways to forcibly awaken them in people, but she was a few years older. He was lucky that his old acquaintance was still in contact with this research center, had the necessary authority, was available, and responded to his request, even though they hadn't spoken for several years. "By the way, I never asked you, but how did you end up in the army?" "What made you suddenly so curious after so many years? Oh, well..." She waved her hand at him. "You should remember that I was one of the few who agreed to participate in the project of my own free will. I wanted to benefit my country and was ready for any sacrifices for this goal, so when Yujian Reim became emperor..." She closed her eyes, remembering that time. "To find out, after so many years of pain and other suffering, that the project was simply closed... I didn't know what to do then and couldn't understand what my life had been for. But despite this, my loyalty to the empire did not waver, and I decided to try myself in the armed forces." "Well, nothing new or surprising. In any case, it's amusing to see you in a military uniform." He was obviously referring to her petite figure and almost childlike face. "You're just a cadet now, but don't forget that one day you might be under my command." Estella stopped. "We're here." Ah, home sweet home. Shogo was about to witness something he had become a part of a few days ago and would forever remember. A couple of days later, he would return to the academy and behave as usual, with the only difference being that he would be less frivolous and would pay more attention to his studies.