Chapter 253: Darian Arcturus
Aurelian and Astra had not gone far into the estate before Orvain’s earlier words began to settle more heavily in his mind.
The method for training possible commanders sounded almost too simple when Orvain explained it, but after thinking about it for a little longer, Aurelian understood why ordinary people could not use it.
Source fragments were not something civilians could simply buy, even low-grade gray ones.
The right to trade them was tightly controlled by the Alliance and by the great families, because anything connected to commander growth could not be allowed to spread without limits.
It was not only about fear.
It was also about order.
A commander needed resources to grow. Source fragments, shipgirl support, combat opportunities, territory, training, and maintenance were not small things.
If random unregistered commanders appeared everywhere, most of them would be trapped at the lowest level, and some would eventually turn desperate.
Desperate commanders with even small fleets could become pirates, private warlords, or tools in someone else’s scheme.
That was why the academy system existed, and why the old families quietly kept their own methods while letting the public believe the academy path was the only real one.
Aurelian did not like every part of that truth, but he understood it.
Orvain, who was waiting for them inside because Cassion was not yet ready, spoke as they walked through the inner corridors of the estate, clearly noticing that Aurelian was still thinking about the matter.
"The method is simple," Orvain said, "but simple does not mean easy. Low-grade source-material trials can identify candidates the academy may have missed, but there are limits. Most successful awakenings through this path begin with gray or white-grade shipgirls, and if the family is willing to spend more, light green is possible. But blue and above is not something you should expect from this method."
Aurelian nodded slowly. "So it is useful for building a broad base, not for creating elite commanders."
"Exactly. It produces steady people if managed well. Patrol commanders, escort commanders, local defense commanders, and administrative fleet officers. Those are not glorious roles, but a territory cannot survive without them."
"That still helps the March."
"It helps any region that wants to become more than a military camp."
Aurelian glanced toward him. "What about an academy like the main Alliance naval academies?"
Orvain smiled faintly, as if he had expected that question.
"That is possible, but not soon. The blueprints and structure for higher naval academies are not unknown to the top families. The Alliance does not hide that from us, because families like ours are part of the system that keeps humanity stable. The problem is the foundation required."
"What foundation?"
"A developed Tier V life-bearing world, or something equal to it. Not merely a habitable planet, but a world with enough population, energy flow, infrastructure, education, and stabilized source resonance to support proper high-grade commander awakening systems. Without that, you can build a school, but not a true academy."
Aurelian thought of Larkspur Haven.
It was alive, but wounded.
Useful, but young.
It had a long way to go before reaching that kind of foundation.
"So Crownward March can build a command school first," Aurelian said, "but a true academy will need time."
"Time, people, and a planet that can carry the weight," Orvain replied. "Still, beginning early is the right choice. If you wait until everything is perfect, you will already be too late."
That was probably the most useful thing Orvain had said all morning.
The conversation continued as they walked, and Aurelian found that Orvain knew more old family customs and quiet Alliance rules than he expected.
It was not that Aurelian had never studied politics or command structure, but studying something in a classroom was different from hearing it from someone who had spent centuries surviving inside it.
Having an elder in the family really was useful.
Even an elder who smiled like he was preparing to cause trouble.
They eventually reached one of the older estate transit halls, and Aurelian realized only then that Orvain had not been leading him toward Cassian’s wing.
Instead, they had come to a separate section of the estate grounds tied to Orvain’s branch.
The buildings here were not as grand as the central halls used by Cassian’s main line, but they were still elegant and old, built around a wide courtyard with white stone paths and dark blue banners carrying the Arcturus family crest with Orvain’s branch mark beneath it.
Officers and staff moved through the area with a busier energy than Aurelian expected, and several turned their heads the moment they saw Orvain returning with him.
Aurelian stopped walking.
"Orvain."
"Yes?"
"You brought me to your branch headquarters."
"I did."
"That feels intentional."
"It was."
Aurelian looked at him for a long second. "You are moving too quickly."
Orvain’s smile was mild. "There is no better time than now."
"That is exactly what people say before creating problems."
"Only if they are careless."
Before Aurelian could respond, someone in the courtyard noticed them properly and hurried closer.
It was a middle-aged man in a family officer’s coat, broad-shouldered and slightly winded as if he had been walking for exercise rather than duty.
His face looked familiar enough that Aurelian searched his memory for a moment before recognizing him.
Darian Arcturus.
One of Orvain’s senior descendants and a Tier V commander from the branch. Aurelian had met him a handful of times when he was younger, though never closely.
Darian had been away on family operations for much of Aurelian’s childhood and had only recently returned from the southern expansion route.
His eyes widened when he saw Aurelian.
"Lord Orvain, you’re back. And... Aurelian?"
He stared for another moment, then broke into a smile that seemed too honest to be formal.
"You’ve grown so much I almost didn’t recognize you. Last time I saw you properly, you were still being dragged through fleet etiquette lessons."
Aurelian smiled politely. "I remember trying to escape those lessons."
"You were terrible at it."
"I improved later."
Darian laughed, then seemed to remember who he had greeted first and quickly straightened toward Orvain.
"My apologies, Lord Orvain. I got excited."
Orvain gave him a flat look. "You are always too quick to get excited. You are old enough to have grandchildren in command training, yet you still run over like a cadet when surprised."
