Aira looked at Roje with a bewildered expression.

“What kind of ship is the Paul Nor?”

“You don’t know? Oh, I guess you wouldn’t.”

Seeming to suddenly remember Aira’s background, Roje’s expression turned awkward before she explained carefully.

“It’s nicknamed the ‘Tax-Eating Ghost.’ Been in service for over 80 years.”

“80 years? Can it even still move?”

“Honestly, it belongs in a museum by now.”

Siris shrugged at Aira’s blank stare.

“But it’s still on active duty without being decommissioned. Though it barely functions as a warship anymore.”

“Even with Lieutenant Commander Will aboard, pirates would make short work of it.”

“Hey! Watch what you’re saying.”

The cadets who had been murmuring behind Roje chimed in one after another, revealing just how poor the ship’s reputation was.

“It’s true though. Do its cannons even work? They’re still the same weapons from 80 years ago.”

“Why?”

No matter how old a ship might be, as long as it remained in military service, it should be continuously upgraded with new weapons. Otherwise, it would be decommissioned.

Someone clutched their chest in exasperation at Aira’s genuine confusion. The branch of service they would join after graduation and which ship they would serve on were the cadets’ greatest concerns.

That’s why the cadets, who were keenly interested in active vessels, responded with irritation to Aira’s ignorance about “that ship,” infamous for all the wrong reasons.

“That’s because it has a completely useless mission! They could just abandon it, but they keep sending it on that incredibly dangerous assignment!”

“Right, and it’s all because of the Empire! What if you get assigned to the Paul Nor after graduation?”

“What exactly does it do that’s so—”

Suddenly, blind resentment turned toward her. The gathered cadets’ gazes grew hostile, seemingly remembering her Imperial origins.

Roje quickly positioned herself to shield Aira from those stares and explained.

“Arctic exploration.”

“Arctic…? Oh!”

Finally, Aira understood why the arrows of blame had suddenly turned toward the Empire.

Over 100 years ago, the Archipelago, which had appeared suddenly, claimed to have come from a large island called Antarctica, located at the end of the sea, far south of the Republic’s northwestern continent and the Empire’s southeastern continent.

The Archipelago described it as an extreme land uninhabitable by humans, but both the Empire and the Republic repeatedly sent expeditions to this island they had never known about.

About 20 years later, the Empire, which had a geographical advantage being somewhat closer than the Republic, succeeded in their exploration and discovered enormous resources there.

Black gold, used extensively in the Republic.

Having monopolized these resources first, the Empire sold them to the Republic at exorbitant prices through trade with the Archipelago.

Left empty-handed, the Republic changed its approach and sent exploration ships northward. The Empire followed suit, but this time the Republic had the geographical advantage and made discoveries faster.

However, the new land discovered by the Republic—the Arctic—could hardly be called land at all.

It was an endless, desolate ice plain in a polar environment, composed entirely of ice. There wasn’t a speck of resources to be found there—nothing but ice and blizzards.

The discovery of the Arctic itself was the Republic’s achievement.

But the Republic couldn’t announce it was a meaningless endeavor. So they continued sending exploration ships there, promoting the idea that resources would eventually be found.

Gradually, as no resources were discovered, they reduced the number of ships sent there until now only the Paul Nor, commissioned over 80 years ago, remained to carry out this mission.

And Jens Will was going to serve on that ship?

Aira’s mouth fell open slightly in disbelief, just like her angry classmates. Sensing they had finally found common ground with her, the cadets redirected their hostility back toward the Republic government.

“That ship is where majors who can’t get promoted go to serve out their careers!”

“It probably spends more time in its home port of Lüet than in the Arctic.”

“Ugh, go to the northernmost part of the continent and freeze to death!”

“That’s why even old-timers voluntarily retire when assigned to the Paul Nor.”

It was definitely not a ship for someone young, promising, and exceptional like Jens Will. Aira asked unconsciously.

“But why is Jens taking that ship?”

The cadets, somewhat calmer after venting their frustrations, shot Aira sharp glances.

Only then did she realize she had called him by his first name, the way she did in her thoughts. She raised both hands in surrender.

“…Lieutenant Commander.”

“Don’t speak so casually, Imperial.”

Someone said through gritted teeth. Cadets existed in a space between civilians and military personnel. While civilians disliked Imperials, they rarely had opportunities to encounter them, making their hostility more conceptual. Cadets, on the other hand, often came from military families and inherited vivid animosity toward the Empire.

Moreover, the naval academy deliberately instilled anti-Empire sentiment. They taught about the scale of damage to ports from Imperial landings 300 years ago and the number of soldiers who died in wars, omitting causes and context.

Additionally, despite the Republic’s rejection of monarchy, they emphasized royal assassination incidents from the distant past to foster hostility toward the Empire.

Aira immediately lowered her eyes. There was no need to provoke unnecessary hostility. Unwanted attention was troublesome.

But it was Roje, not Aira, who flared up.

“Imperial? How could there be an Imperial at Conifer, where even Archipelago citizens can’t enroll!”

Though meant to defend her, Aira inwardly gave a bitter smile at Roje’s words.

They were right. She had come here merely to preserve her life—no, to throw it away—not because she particularly followed the Republic’s ideology.

“No, I was wrong. Regardless of who I am, addressing a senior officer without proper respect was inappropriate. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“Hmph.”

In truth, cadets often referred to admirals and captains casually when among themselves, sometimes even with insulting nicknames.

But Jens was particularly popular among them, and Aira was of Imperial origin, so this wasn’t really worth getting upset about. After all, she did appear to have a personal connection with him.

The bell signaling the next class cut through the awkward atmosphere. Everyone dispersed to their seats before the tension could fully dissipate.

Aira nodded briefly to acknowledge Roje’s concerned look and prepared for the next class. But her mind was foggy with doubts.

‘Why has it changed again?’

During the Servolang Naval Battle, the Archipelago’s betrayal had changed because of her presence.

But she couldn’t even begin to guess why Jens would be assigned to the Paul Nor instead of the Elika Ter.

With the monotonous voice of the instructor in front of her, Aira scribbled in her notebook.

[Oculer,]

Aira hesitated a bit.

Would he still be at the Will family mansion? Was he preparing for his appointment at Naval Headquarters? Or had he already moved to his new post? If he had moved, would Kle inform her of his new address?

The northernmost point, she thought. Could letters even be delivered there?

Would this connection continue unbroken?

I still need to learn so much about you.

[Oculer,

Paul Nor, Lieutenant Commander Jens Will.]

No, since it was a ship where majors served as captains, someone already a lieutenant commander like him would surely be the captain.

[Oculer,

Paul Nor, Lieutenant Commander Jens Will.

Paul Nor, Captain Jens Will.]

“Captain” didn’t seem right either. It felt truly strange. Before her death, the ship he had used as his flagship to conquer the Archipelago as an admiral had the grand name Gloire-Honneur. It was the finest vessel the Republic had provided in recognition of his abilities.

But now he would be serving on an old ship that had been in service for over 80 years and was facing retirement. It was unbelievable.

[Paul Nor, Captain Jens Will.]

Aira looked down at what she had written with a perplexed feeling. After much deliberation, she carefully wrote:

[Paul Nor, Captain Jens Will.

Could I see you once before you take up your post?

– Aira Til.]

After hesitating, Aira carefully reached into the inner pocket of her cadet uniform. She took out something she always carried with her.

Unfolding the handkerchief embroidered with the armeria flower, symbol of the Will family, she revealed a business card with Jens’s direct address. It was an address that would reach him wherever he went.

But she hadn’t used it until now. A direct address was something too personal and intimate.

However, she really wanted to see him at least once before he left.

Jens, why has your present diverged from the past I knew?

* * *

Thump, thump, thump.

Clunk, clunk, clunk.

The old ship couldn’t absorb even footsteps, making simple walking unbearably noisy. Though the hull had been converted to steel long ago, this outdated vessel was a mixture of steel frames and wood. As a result, hollow thumps and creaking sounds resonated together.

Schaefer, following her superior officer quietly, frowned. She had never served on such a dilapidated ship before.

“You can still turn back. By now, the personnel officer is probably regretting sending a talent like you here.”

Schaefer was dumbfounded. Who was he to say such things?

“It’s not me the personnel officer is waiting for, but you, Lieutenant Commander.”

“Hmm. Isn’t it about time you called me Captain?”

Jens reached up and pushed back a broken pipe that was dangling halfway from the ceiling. The gesture was as casual as brushing aside an overhanging branch.

“Major Ibsen has also submitted a transfer request to the Paul Nor.”

“…Well now. That must have given the personnel officer quite a shock. I feel bad about that.”

“Lieutenant Commander, are you serious? Are you really going to the Arctic?”

Jens, who had been walking ahead and inspecting the ship’s condition with indifference, turned his head with a shrug.