Chapter 1404: Prologue (Part 1)

Fritz narrowed his eyes. It was a high appraisal, yet one that could be applied to anyone—whoever fate favored wouldn’t achieve something significant? And who among those who achieved something significant would dare say they had not been favored by fate?

Looking at the handwriting, it’s hard to say the person didn’t write this evaluation in every file.

Continuing on, most of the comments that follow are also evaluations that can be applied to anyone, with the geometry teacher’s comment simply being another circle.

Only one teacher’s comment caught Fritz’s attention.

The swordsmanship instructor Richard Nal’s evaluation.

And he only wrote one word:

[Underwater Volcano]

The file was almost at the end, and as Fritz continued to flip through, he found a piece of paper wedged in on the last page of the internship assessment.

This paper was not part of the files but was placed in later by someone.

It only had a single line of text:

[Commendation: Special Promotion]

Flipping further, the back cover.

The voice of the former minister came from across the carved desk:

“What are your thoughts?”

Fritz closed the file, put it back in the bag, and returned it to its original place.

After pondering a moment, he calmly said:

“In my memory, there’s no cadet who took second place in the swordsmanship school competition for three consecutive years.

“In other words, he’s not from the 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, or 18th batches of cadets.

“The files are original, the paper is new, no signs of fading, so it’s highly probable he’s not a cadet from before the 14th batch.

“Among the 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd batches, I’ve also never heard of someone consistently taking second in the swordsmanship school competition for three years. But I’ve heard there was a swordsmanship master in the 21st batch who was unquestionably first every year.

“So the situation might be that the oddity of being second for three years might be overshadowed by the even rarer occurrence of a three-year undefeated first place.

“Therefore, I speculate he’s a 21st batch cadet and a Venetian, from a military family…”

“Stop—” Cornelius tapped the table, asking seriously: “Why do you suspect he’s a Venetian, why do you think he’s from a military family.”

Fritz was initially hoping to verify his conjecture through the former minister’s reaction, but Jansen Cornelius kept a cold face as usual, revealing nothing about his emotions.

Fritz could only suppress his unease and replied:

“Special promotion commendations are only awarded to officers who have participated in actual combat and performed exceptionally in service.

“The internship period for 21st batch cadets was from the middle of the year 557 to the middle of 558. During this year, the Republic of Palatu did not launch any campaigns against the Herders, only Vineta and we had military actions in the Taniria Islands.

“We had no actual combat throughout, so I judge it’s highly likely he’s Venetian.

“If he is Venetian, then considering his school performance, he’s likely from a military family.

“Because unlike cadets from the Federated Provinces, most of whom come from army schools, a considerable portion of Venetian cadets enter preparatory schools through external examinations, and the vast majority of those advancing from army schools are from military families… because in Vineta, it’s only army soldiers and poor people who would send their children to elementary army schools. And in Vineta, no cadets from poor families can advance to preparatory schools… at least not in my peers and predecessors…”

“How confident are you in your judgment?”

Fritz thought for a moment, then said honestly: “Very little confidence. If I used just one ‘likely,’ I would be confident. But when many ‘likely’ stack up, the conclusion ‘likely’ could be wildly wrong.”

“That’s enough.” Cornelius tapped the table and straightforwardly said: “Your intelligence analysis ability is quite good, you passed.”

Fritz didn’t ask what he passed, instead, he countered: “Was it you who placed that paper in?”

“Yes. That was the test paper.” Cornelius tapped the table again: “It’s now bonus question time, is there anything you wish to add?”

“If possible.” Fritz cautiously said: “I would like to inquire about Richard Nal’s opinion on the other party.”

Cornelius’s lips slowly curved into a smile.

He opened a drawer, took out an envelope, placed it on the table, and pushed it in front of the former cadet.

“The final question, no points.” Jansen Cornelius stood up, placing both hands on the side of the desk opposite the other, and looked down at his once student: “‘Who’ are they?”

“Based on existing intelligence analysis, I’m sorry, I don’t know.”

Fritz met the former minister’s gaze: “But among the Venetian cadets of the 21st batch, I’ve only heard of one… the one everyone’s heard of…”

Jansen Cornelius laughed.

“Exactly that one, the one everyone’s heard of.” Jansen Cornelius reached out, unfolded the file cover in front of the former cadet: “The best graduate of the Alliance Army Officer Academy in the past decade, and will be the most formidable opponent for the Southern Army… of course, if you wish, they could be yours as well.”

Fritz lowered his head to look at the dossier.

The first page of the cover, name field:

[Winters Montagne]