After returning to my room and finding myself left with nothing to do, I decide to attempt this “meditation” Relia spoke of.

  However, seeing that she didn’t exactly explain what that is, I’m left to work out something for myself.

  Which, somewhat frustratingly, leads me back to what Nuvia taught me regarding magic.

  As I’m currently in the barracks, albeit locked in this place, I likely should avoid accidentally releasing the magic from this gem.

  Those who live here probably wouldn’t appreciate it very much.

  This leaves my ice magic.

  I’ve discovered the best way to become stronger as a mage!

  Everyone will want to know the secret!

  All one has to do is die in a torturous experiment and return to life.

  Or unlife.

  Simple, isn’t it?

  As I discovered before, my ice is now much more intense if I try using it.

  Too intense.

  I’ve already accidentally formed several large blocks of ice around my room.

  Yet what I need now, which I would also appreciate with my other magic, is control.

  After several hours, I finally succeed in forming only a thin layer of ice over my hand, rather than yet another block to chill my room.

  Unfortunately, before I can celebrate, there’s a pounding at the door, and I’m once again harshly ordered out to the field.

  What follows is far too many hours of this "training", which basically is merely Relia’s working term for abuse, but then I'm apparently finally allowed to call it a day.

  "Usually, I'd tell you now to grab something to eat before hitting the bunk, but as that would be wholly inappropriate of me in your case, I'll rather allow you to roam a bit." (R)

  To roam?

  Like, I can walk around?!

  "Really? I-isn't that an issue?" (Y)

  Given what Commander Antares said, it sounds like something that is likely to cause issues.

  On the other side, Relia does seem like the kind who doesn't mind causing some strife.

  "Don't get your hopes up too high. You'll be shadowed. Just a general measure to prevent any clashes." (R)

  Several guards step up.

  They look young, but also give off that sense of experience, making quite the stern impression, just like the other guards.

  Also, they all seem to be the rather quiet, hard-to-talk-to kind.

  Relia gestures to the one in the front, who has deep-black, short hair, and a sun-tanned, but overall clean face.

  "The dark and gloomy one is Kilian. Best you ignore he's there, but don't ditch him, or it'll cause trouble." (R)

  "Commander Relia, this is hardly appropriate." (K)

  Yes, yes. Whatever. Being stiff about formalities is not going to change my mind on this." (R)

  How am I supposed to not acknowledge the heavily armed guards, who are likely instructed to kill me in case something goes wrong?

  It's not like that thought is easy to push aside.

  Though, Relia is right. I really want to make a bit out of the rest of my day.

  "Additionally, and I hope this is clear to you, you are allowed to roam the premises of the military complex, but not beyond the second ring. Can't unleash you upon the civilian populace." (R)

  So I'm something like a prisoner with walking privileges.

  Sigh.

  So this is my life now.

  Well, 'unlife'.

  Yet, as there's nothing to do about it, I at least want to enjoy the day a bit.

  The one positive thing about my current circumstances would be that things have a certain order.

  So to say, now that I've gotten through training and my superior allowed me to do what I want with the rest of my day, I basically have nothing to concern myself with.

  I can truly calm down, knowing I don't have any more duties to mind for the remainder of the day.

  No urgent business to take care of or otherwise have to keep anything in mind.

  Well, if I were to be allowed to leave the inner walls, I would want to go to Mum and Dad, to talk to them and make up, but given what I heard, giving them some time might be just the right thing to do.

  The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

  Also, I feel some deep tiredness within me.

  I'd say my energy reserves are somewhat fine, but I just don't feel all that active anymore.

  I walk a bit and try to enjoy the area.

  I always held a deep appreciation for the inner fortress.

  If you look at it from the outside, it looks already fairly impressive, how it rises above the whole landscape.

  A monument of stone that promises to protect everyone around.

  When I was young, there was once an open day where people were allowed to visit.

  To most, it probably didn't mean much, but little old me was totally struck by the perfection of the buildings and how all the facilities formed this whole thing that keeps the military running.

  But back then, it was only a short tour, and it ended far too soon.

  Now I can enjoy this place at my leisure.

  Though, actually, I don't quite know what to do now.

  I don't want to sneak around the officers and disturb the processes.

  But what else?

  There are training facilities for the soldiers, but I doubt that working out has any point for me.

  Worse, it would deplete my energy, and something tells me, I'm gonna need every last bit of it tomorrow.

  Visiting the stables could be something, but after today, I'd feel weird being around horses.

  Then maybe I could hit the barracks mess hall.

  But eating is simply impossible for me, and I don't want to stir up trouble.

  If I look around here, I seem to have already raised quite a bit of attention.

  But maybe that could just be my odd looks.

  Sigh.

  I could really use some nicer faces for once.

  Hmm, that reminds me...

  I turn to my watchers.

  "I want to go to the second ring. Looking around a bit." (Y)

  The leader merely nods in affirmation.

  It doesn't seem like they're particularly concerned about me going there.

  After all, it's the part with the most soldiers, so it's not like I could particularly act out.

  Thus, I go and visit the second ring.

  I've got acquaintances there I'd like to visit.

  Passing through the gate is also surprisingly simple.

  It seems like my guards, as well as my own rank, make this quite a trivial matter.

  While the military, in general, still shows a degree of security, the fact that Akaras mostly stands as a barrier against the orcs makes most anti-infiltration measures quite obsolete.

  At most, they need to watch out against theft or noble shenanigans.

  However, entry to the second ring is not really restricted.

  Especially not if you're coming from the inner fortress, where security is, naturally, even tighter, so controls the other way would hardly make sense.

  The ring stretched out ahead of me is far more spacious and lively than that which I left.

  The majority of the soldiers are there, and with most of the high officers now away, well, they are a lively bunch.

  I look around for some time, trying to spot the distinct patterns in my surroundings.

  How some recruits are still training, to where those who've finished are going, how other soldiers are mingling and what they do.

  And eventually, I spot who I was looking for.

  "H-hey, Ethan!" (Y)

  "Yomi?!" (E)

  Yep, my friend.

  I wasn't sure if I could find him here, at the scale of Akaras' operations, but as a fresh recruit, I thought he might still be about and I could maybe spot him.

  Yet he looks confused, trying to find who has called out to him.

  While he certainly spots me, he seems unsure about his assessment.

  So I decide to double down on it.

  "Ethan!" (Y)

  "Yomi, it's really you? I almost wouldn't have recognized you. You know, with, well, the hair, the uniform, and everything." (E)

  Right, I look a little differently.

  "There are... rumors. About someone with your current looks doing, well, strange magic. Like, abnormal magic. It can't be you, right? The one they're talking about?" (E)

  He comes walking my way.

  Oh no, he comes walking my way!

  "Ethan, stop!" (Y)

  Oh, god's mercy, he did.

  I don't think I was close to draining him.

  I got a little bit from Commander Relia that still lasts me for now.

  "What's wrong?" (E)

  "You, I don't know what they told you, but it's likely to be true. It's dangerous to come close to me. And I mean that quite literally!" (Y)

  "Okay. Am I at risk of also getting white hair?" (E)

  "Ehm, no, rather that I reverse heal you by pulling the very life out of your body." (Y)

  "You…sorry, you what?!" (E)

  "It has happened already. Like some kind of... hunger, but not hunger. Like I can't really breathe, and when I desperately try to do so anyway, the air I suck in comes from other people instead." (Y)

  "But... how is that even possible?" (E)

  "I'd say because I got caught up in some freak magic accident. Well, the 'freak' actually was a lunatic magician who thought I would be a great participant for some torture experiment. Let's say, I didn't exactly have a great time recently." (Y)

  There's a lot of concern on his face.

  I mean, my current condition might downplay the worst assumptions, but in total, it's pretty hard to deny that nothing happened.

  People don't just change as drastically as I did over nothing.

  Yet now I think I did it.

  Ethan simply stands stunned, with a blank expression.

  "Ethan?" (Y)

  "Sorry, I, I just don't know what to say." (E)

  Guess I can't blame him for that.

  "Uh, well, nothing to fret over, I think. It's just, for the time being, I'm apparently confined inside the fortress. So maybe if you get out during your next leave, you could tell my parents, well, that I'm sorry for what happened. And maybe that I still love them." (Y)

  To emphasize my point, I gesture at my guards while saying this.

  I know I said before that my parents might need time, but I think I should at least in some form reach out to them.

  "Confined? You still love them? Why would... Did something happen?" (E)

  "I don't know. I, I kinda drained them. At least a bit. It wasn't great. I haven't heard from them since that time." (Y)

  It kinda hurts to think they're now too afraid of me to come again.

  Or worse...

  "Ethan! What are you doing there?! Get back on the field! Don't believe you get special treatment because you're Commander Antares' son!" (officer)

  "Shit. Sorry, I have to go. Till next time!" (E)

  "Ethan, the message..." (Y)

  "Sure, I'll take care of it! Bye!" (E)

  Well, I guess that's all I can demand.

  That's it, it seems.