Chapter 1629 - 101: Fox and Mouse Game (11)_3

Chapter 1629: Chapter 101: Fox and Mouse Game (11)_3

Siegfried opened Far East Geography, and almost had his jaw drop after just one glance. He’d thought the "Far East" in the title meant Saracen lands; he hadn’t expected it to be the Monsoon Continent instead.

Siegfried asked in astonishment, "How come it’s the Monsoon Continent? Are you lot planning to go fight a war there too?" 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

"There’s no such plan for the time being," Jeska replied.

"Then why are you teaching them this stuff?" Siegfried was almost laughing from anger. "What use are the customs and manners of the Monsoon Continent to your war in the Two Mountains Narrow Land?"

"It has no direct use," Jeska said earnestly, "but for them to know the Monsoon Continent exists, to understand that the world is more than just this little corner of the Two Mountains Narrow Land—that fact itself matters a great deal.

"One day the war will end, and these children will have to return to a society outside the army. Even if the war doesn’t end, at some point they’ll inevitably leave the military.

"When that time comes, we hope they’ll be whole citizens, not tools that know nothing but killing.

"We graduates of the Alliance Army Academy have spent too long in army life. We entered military school at a very young age, so that we can’t survive outside the military at all.

"I don’t want my students to end up the same way. A qualified Allied soldier ought first to be a qualified citizen, not the other way around."

Siegfried hadn’t expected an answer like that.

"You still expect to live to see the end of the war?" Siegfried asked. "You still dream of peaceful days?"

"What else, then? What do we fight for?" Jeska replied.

"I think you fight for the sake of fighting. Deep down, you hope the war never stops," Siegfried said. "Because I don’t see any so‑called civic education here. All I see is a Monastery that teaches the arts of war, and a group of ascetics obsessed with the arts of war."

"Ascetic training and civic education don’t contradict each other. Our civic curriculum is thin because our material conditions are too poor. If I could, there’s a great deal I’d like to teach them—but it’s not that there’s nothing," Jeska paused. "That Far East Geography you’re holding is one such thing."

"After all," a faint smile appeared on the old blind man’s face, "the core of civic education is precisely those things you might never use once in your whole life."

"Citizen?" Siegfried silently mouthed the word; a term that had existed since the time of the Ancient Republic suddenly felt utterly unfamiliar.

The Empire had no citizens.

"Interesting view," Siegfried gave a dry little laugh.

"Those are Winters Montagne’s words," Jeska said. "I’m only quoting him."

"What kind of person is Winters Montagne?" Siegfried’s curiosity was faintly aroused.

For this offhand question from Siegfried, Jeska thought for a long time.

"He’s a..." Jeska, uncharacteristically, hesitated. "He’s someone very much like you—just as young, just as brilliant—but in many ways, not like you at all..."

"Oh? In what ways?"

The old blind man "looked" at Siegfried and answered slowly, "He knows why he fights."

Siegfried felt as if an invisible sledgehammer had slammed into his chest.

"Is that so?" He used a mocking laugh to prop up his dignity. "I’d rather like to meet him."

"You’ll have the chance."

"Go," Siegfried dismissed him. "I need to rest."

"All right." Jeska rose briskly and felt his way toward the door.

"Send me more paper and pens."

"No problem, but may I ask what for?"

"So you can get a taste of the Royal Military School’s textbooks," Siegfried lay back on the bed and yawned. "Your teaching materials are trash."