Chapter 80: Commander Cedric
Lionel quietly followed behind the commander afterward while the other trainees remained on the evaluation grounds. They were getting surrounded by soldiers who were informing them of their own results.
I wonder why the commander specifically asked for me... Lionel sighed at it. He couldn’t predict anything that would happen right now because this was something that didn’t really happened before.
After walking for a few moments, they went back to the building located near the center of the training grounds. It was where he first saw the commander.
"Enter." The commander pushed a more private office door before stepping inside.
"Yes, Commander." Lionel immediately followed him.
When he went inside, he noticed that the office itself looked simple. On the walls, there were shelves filled with military records, while in the middle of the room, there was a large wooden table positioned. It was surrounded by a few chairs.
The commander walked to the table before sitting down. However, Lionel just remained standing quietly in front of him. For a brief moment, silence filled the room. The commander slowly looked through several papers before eventually speaking.
"You handled yourself well today, young man." He commented.
Lionel was thankful for the comments, but he remained calm.
"You showed stable control during every evaluation." The commander placed the papers down afterward. "Your swordsmanship is clearly above the level of an average newcomer."
"And while your archery isn’t exceptional, your skill with it was still decent enough."
"As for horseback riding..." The commander leaned slightly against the chair. "You already understand the fundamentals properly, so that is one."
Lionel quietly listened without interrupting. While doing that, he noticed how the commander’s sharp eyes looked at him intently.
"However, it was obvious how you’re still lacking in several areas." The commander’s voice remained calm and strict as usual. "Your body is still young, and your experience is clearly limited."
"However..." he paused briefly. "You have a good foundation."
"Thank you, Commander." Lionel slightly lowered his head.
"Because of your results, I’ll place you under one of the higher intermediate training groups." The commander crossed his arms afterward.
Lionel’s eyes slightly moved after hearing that.
Compared to the lower divisions, the higher groups received far better training conditions since they should already know the basics of everything. Since it’s a nice level too, then that means the instructors there were usually more skilled, and the other trainees were also stronger overall.
But still, being in a better group means more competition in it.
"Just remember that the people there won’t go easy on you just because you’re young," the commander continued firmly as he reminded Lionel of a few important words.
"If you fall behind, you’ll be removed immediately at that class.
"I understand, Sir."
"Good. For now, continue improving your fundamentals." The commander nodded.
"Don’t become arrogant because of today’s results either." His sharp gaze narrowed slightly. "The evaluations today were only for newcomers."
"There are countless soldiers inside the Imperial Army who could defeat you easily."
Lionel already expected that much. He knew that right now, there would be people stronger and more skilled than him. After all, even Sir Reinhardt alone was already enough proof of how big the gap between true experienced warriors and someone like him still was.
"I’ll keep that in mind, Sir," Lionel responded calmly.
But of course, he wasn’t planning on just being good. He vowed to be better here.
"Good." The commander quietly looked at him.
"Report to the barracks on the first day of next week. Once you arrive here, you will be led to your assigned training group." The commander leaned slightly against his chair before continuing.
"Once your training begins, you’ll be staying here at the training grounds. You will only be allowed two days off every week."
"I understand, Commander."
After hearing Lionel’s reply to it, the commander waved his hand lightly toward the door.
"You may leave."
Lionel immediately bowed properly before turning around and heading to the exit of the office. However, before he could even leave, a question would suddenly pop into his mind. Before he could even forget it, he slightly turned around.
"Commander, I apologize. But may I know your name?"
The commander paused slightly after hearing the question. For a brief moment, silence filled the office once again. The man’s sharp brown eyes slowly lifted toward Lionel before he answered him.
"Cedric Varenthal." He called out his own name.
The moment Lionel heard that name, his eyes widened secretly..
Varenthal?
How could I not recognize it?
Even before entering the Imperial Army and even in his last life, Lionel had already heard stories about that man countless times. Commander Cedric Varenthal was one of the Empire’s most well-known military commanders.
More importantly, he was one of the youngest people to ever reach the rank of commander inside the Imperial Army.
Unlike many nobles who only inherited their positions through family influence, Cedric Varenthal earned his reputation directly from the battlefield itself. He was born without any noble blood.
It was said that he first entered the army at a young age because of poverty and quickly became known for his discipline and overwhelming combat ability. During one border war several years ago, he reportedly led a heavily outnumbered unit that still managed to force the enemy soldiers into retreat.
That achievement alone was enough to make his name spread throughout the Empire.
As he could recall, this man and his father should be great friends. That’s when he remembered that he had already seen the guy once, but he was too young back then
Just like his father, Cedric was feared because of how strict he was with soldiers under his command. He hated incompetence more than anything. Even noble sons received no special treatment from him during training.
Cedric believed that only people with power and wealth could afford to fail. Men who entered the army with nothing had no choice but to work harder and survive through their own efforts.
Because of that, many trainees feared being assigned under his supervision. At the same time, however, soldiers personally trained by Cedric Varenthal were also known to become far stronger compared to ordinary troops.
