"That'll be 20 piso."
After Nuriel paid the fare, the carriage went on its merry way into the distance.
He opened the wallet he brought with him, checking its contents.
The denomination went as follows: a union copper was worth 32 piso, an allied silver was worth 20 union coppers, and a golden eagle was worth 12 allied silvers.
Nuriel looked around the area. Deyvind Street was relatively empty, there weren't any houses that he could see and since there wasn't a lot of people, he pulled out a golden bill from his wallet.
'I should put this in a bank… a golden eagle is way too much to carry around.'
To put it into perspective, a naval battleship would cost Bose around 17,000 golden eagles to construct. The mere thought of such amount made Nuriel drool.
After putting the bill back, he began walking and as he observed the scenery, he still couldn't find any houses. The only thing he found was long lines of stylish fences and the occasional gates that were placed far apart.
'He should've given me a house number,' Nuriel criticized Edward as his legs grew tired.
During the walk, he spotted a black car that was moving to his location before stopping. Nuriel could see the silhouette of a man, spinning the car's roller to open the window.
"Hey! Get in," Edward shouted, pushing his pair of sunglasses upwards.
Following his instructions, the two drove away.
"I'm sorry I couldn't entertain you in my house, I'm going to the College of War. I need to thank that major who saved us back then."
Nuriel blinked. 'I came all the way here just to go back… my coins…'
Noticing his look, Edward consulted him with promises and such, and as soon as those words hit Nuriel's ears, he'd already forgotten the carriage fare he paid.
Snapping out of his delusion, Nuriel thought about what he said just now. The child soldier who saved them appeared in his memories, however Nuriel remembered one other important person.
"Did you also thank that medic who was with your sister?" Nuriel asked.
Edward turned to Nuriel, smiling.
"Don't worry, I paid him a hundred golden—
'A HUNDRED?!'
—eagles," Edward replied, with a calm face despite the hundred he just said.
Nuriel paused briefly, admiring the scenery on his other side of the seat window, but the sight of fences that stretched for on and on slapped him on the face.
'The properties must be so big, that's why I couldn't see any houses…' Nuriel cried silently.
"Is Yushin doing alright?" Nuriel asked to distract himself from tears.
Edward nearly froze.
"Right… Yaromech told me what happened, but he's actually performing quite well," Edward brightened his face. "However, his presence is a little distracting for the girls."
Nuriel chuckled. 'I guess there are people in this world that like the bad boy archetype.'
But remembering that brutal scene didn't reinforce that archetype.
***
Unlike the path that Vivienne took towards the Swordsmanship Academy, Edward drove to the Military Academy, where the bulk of the nation's military officers received their advanced education.
Compared to the Swordsmanship Academy, the Military Academy felt more like a proper school, with its beautiful architecture and the large park around it. It was devoid of the harsh environment that was expected of an academy from the College of War.
"Do you know the way?" Edward asked, looking around to his left and right.
Nuriel replied, leaning his head on the window "It's my first time here—watch out!"
Edward's head was busy, but after hearing Nuriel's ear-piercing scream, he instinctively slammed on the brakes.
In front of them, a half-track infantry vehicle rumbled before them, its heavy iron tracks shaking the earth, and the two heavy-duty wheels in front grinded against the road as it turned. Since it was an open-top vehicle, the people riding on top of it quietly stared at the two shock-stricken men.
"We could've been crushed…" Edward nervously chuckled. "Cars always confused me anyways."
After parking near the building, the two entered the near-empty hallways of the school. After all, it was the weekend, and there were only a handful of lessons ongoing.
Edward approached a help desk nearby. Nuriel could see his charm building up as he spoke to the girl behind the desk.
"Do you know where…"
Edward pulled a note from his pocket and began reading it aloud.
"Yevdokiya… Nochnaya is usually found?"
The girl's mouth was agape, maintaining eye contact as she gestured at the glowing stone near her, meticulously searching up the name of the student in the floating screen.
'It seems like they can only have one on each building' Nuriel thought, staring at the contraption.
But behind Edward, Nuriel was silently criticizing him with a cold gaze.
"Ah, she has a class ongoing, room 115, the… first floor," she answered.
After Edward thanked her, the two went to the designated room, watching the signboards above each door they passed—100, 101, 102—then finally, they saw room 115.
Since the class wasn't over yet, the two sat together on a nearby bench. Nuriel could see a small opening in the door, and right at the front, he saw the tiny girl who needed a pile of books to sit on just to rest her elbows on the table.
But no one batted an eye at the sight. They all listened attentively, not uttering a single word. The only noises present were the hoarse voice of the professor discussing history and the students scribbling on notebooks.
"Don't you think it's strange? A child soldier," Nuriel turned towards Edward.
Edward stared forward, taking his time for a reply. Nuriel could see him parting his lips for a moment before closing them.
. . .
"It's not my place to ask why that's the case… I'm only here to give my thanks, that's what's required of me," Edward said, straightening his back.
'I wonder… is you paying me a duty-bound requirement?' Nuriel thought as he stared at Edward, but he couldn't find himself to say that straight to Edward's face. That would've been too shameless for his taste.