Nero grit his teeth, his emotions once again starting to go wild as he heard that no progress had been made regarding Dave. It was understandable, to be honest. Dave’s condition was not great when Nero sealed him, and if he hadn’t been an Initiate he would have died already.
"You’re not the only one disappointed by the lack of results on that front," Dr. Iris said as she stood up and began to take Nero’s pulse. The aether she had sent into his body had dissolved by now, so she had to begin her treatment. In truth, Nero could still be considered gravely injured.
"While you were out, the tribunal came to a conclusion, and they even made a public announcement across all of Kolar. Chief of Army Morphius Kade received an official Letter of Reprimand, and Non-Judicial Punishment. The tribunal concluded that the Chief had set a precedent for utilizing Neophytes for short-term benefits, sacrificing the future generation for momentary relief.
"The use of Neophytes for army missions has been outlawed. Any officer who decides to attempt such a thing in the future, including in the case of exploring ruins, will be court-martialed, liable to lose all rank and be sent to a cursed zone for life.
"As for the Chief, while he did not lose rank or position, for ten years, he will receive no Sage level ingredients as a forfeiture of pay. Furthermore, he has to personally sweep Kolar clean of curses for six months."
Nero nodded, though he had access to unique information which allowed him to know why the tribunal came to such a conclusion. With Fair Weather available, even higher level Card Masters would be able to enter the ruin basements. Of course, for that to happen, the fog would need to retreat from the ruins first, but that would happen next year when the weather was right.
"Lieutenant Earl also received an official Letter of Reprimand for sending you all in," she continued as the treatment went on. "Although his payment hasn’t been docked, and his rank hasn’t been dropped, the letter is bad for his future career. Moreover, the existence of traitors within command has caused quite a stir, and the ambassador of Nova has filed an official complaint since Vanessa was the target. In a few weeks, a team will be arriving to do a sweep of all of Fordham, as well as this base.
"Speaking of which, you have received an unofficial commendation for saving Vanessa’s life. It’s unofficial, but it will still go on your record. Something like this will help you a lot when you finally enter KMA. Also, once your recovery is complete, you’ll be sent back to Fordham to complete your sentence since you’re no longer needed here. Focus on your recovery, and let me know if you feel any discomfort."
Nero naturally assumed that since he was a fresh Initiate, he was no longer qualified to enter Perilith. Since Neophytes were banned, the next group to go would be Initiates, and among that group Nero was a beginner.
What he didn’t know was that the more important reason he was no longer required was because something had changed. The wooden tavern no longer took them to Perilith, but some place else where the level of the creatures inside would not change or be suppressed. As such, naturally a team of elites would be gathered to send in.
This news was classified, and Nero was obviously unqualified to learn of it, so Iris did not mention it, instead turning the conversation in another direction. Simultaneously, she took note of his hair finally turning blue.
Nero was originally focused on the news about the tribunal and what it meant for the future of Kolar, but when Iris mentioned his recovery, there was something he was unsure if he should mention. He looked at her hesitantly, yet the keen doctor immediately noticed.
"What is it? I’m a doctor, you can tell me anything," she said, her greedy smile returning. "Your body really is the best test dummy I’ve ever encountered. I always get to learn new things after I treat you."
Nero looked troubled, thinking back to everything that happened since he became an Initiate. The problem with his emotions... he wasn’t even sure if it was a real problem, but he decided to consult a professional about it anyway.
Slowly, he informed her of everything relevant to his emotions, about how rapidly and strongly they had been fluctuating ever since he became an Initiate. It was genuinely a test of his self-discipline to be able to keep them reigned in.
While retelling the story, he recalled the metal button he’d taken from the dead soldier Shawn, but noticed it placed on a table next to him. It was odd that the button was still here. Had someone mentioned something to the army?
More troubling than that was that as he told the story, he saw Iris’ expression slowly turning solemn. She looked at Nero knowingly, as if she had discerned his issue, and it was a grave one.
For a moment, Nero worried about what it might be. Yet, as a soldier to be, as a son of soldiers, as a Kolari, his will was not so weak. He tempered his mind, telling himself that as long as the condition did not result in death or crippling his aether, he would deal with all other consequences head on.
Once Nero stopped talking, a deep silence enveloped the room and the two only communicated through the look in their eyes. Nero was curious, but Iris looked mournful.
"Nero, how old are you now?" she asked, instead of directly answering his question.
"I turned sixteen some time ago," he stated. His own birthday was entirely inconsequential to him. With everything that had been happening to him, he had not even registered it. After all, sixteen was not a significant age.
"Right, sixteen years old. So tell me, what year were you in school?" she continued to ask.
"I was about two years from finishing High School. After that, I’d be eligible to apply for KMA."
"Right, right, KMA. But that’s not what I was asking about. Forget it, let’s say you took admission into the public education system around five years old. Regular physical fitness classes begin from seven years onward, and basic combat training begins at ten.
"If we talk about the average student, then let’s say they became a Neophyte at the age of ten, and after five years became an Initiate. That’s several years of physical training to bring the body in its best shape so that when the transition to the Initiate level begins, the student can get the best upgrade. You should already know this. But do you know what exactly are the enhancements one gets when going from Neophyte to Initiate?"
Nero nodded.
"Yes, they have their physical body strengthened and enhanced holistically, as well as the quality of their aether," he provided a textbook answer.
"Yes, that is what is taught in the basic education system," Iris said as she poked Nero’s forehead and channeled some aether into his body, continuing his treatment once more. "But I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Not everything you learn in basic education is true. Greater knowledge, greater secrets are hidden behind big gates. Only after you prove yourself worthy of that knowledge is that imparted to you.
"What you treat as fact right now may actually just be a convenient tale told to the masses. In truth, this is also something the older generation knows. After all, they’ve all served in the army, so they all learn some basic information which is contrary to what is common knowledge. But that is only the basic level. Greater truths are hidden deeper because the ramifications of them are great. You want an example of what I mean?
"Why do you think that, compared to the other five countries, couples in Kolar get married and have children at a younger age? Almost everyone becomes a parent before 25, when they’re forced to enlist in the army. The only exceptions are almost all those who enlisted earlier, leaving very few people who did not enlist, and also did not get married or have kids?"
Nero opened his mouth to answer, but he had none. What did any of this have to do with his situation? This was such a random question. But then his mind started to analyse the situation. Since she asked, there had to be a correlation. Yet before he could reach it, Iris gave the answer herself.
"It’s because the higher the physical fitness when one becomes an Initiate, the greater the physical changes that take place. If you say you become stronger after becoming an Initiate, you’re correct, but that is not the whole answer. Your eyesight improves, your hearing improves, your digestive system improves, your mental clarity improves. In short, anything and everything about you and your body will improve upon becoming an Initiate.
"So, you Nero, to answer your question about what’s going on with you, nothing is going on with you. It’s just that everything about you has been kicked up a notch by your abnormally potent growth caused by becoming an Initiate. That includes the emotional outbursts and mood swings brought on by puberty.
"In short, there’s nothing wrong with you. You just have a different kind of fire burning in your chest, causing your emotional mood swings, loverboy ."
Iris’ solemn expression finally transitioned into a wide grin as she gave Nero a wink, thoroughly enjoying his shocked and dumbfounded expression.