Imperial Academy Girl Magic Officer

The office after lunch.
Tap, tap─
Gartel sat at his desk, scanning through work documents.
Numerous papers were scattered around him, but among them, one document with a title of three words stood out the most.
[Astrakhan Instructor Recommendation]
He turned the paper over, looking at it with a faint smile.
It was a letter for Yena.
‘She was more incredible than I thought.’
Whenever he thought of that child, a sense of satisfaction welled up.
Even if her father had improved Prussian magic technique, applying it freely in actual combat required considerable talent. Moreover, Yena was just a first-year student.
In a situation where many third-year cadets still couldn’t properly use magic techniques, for a mere candidate to have perfectly mastered magic technique.
A genius.
He was certain she had talent that would greatly contribute to the Empire’s development in the future.
“…That’s why it’s a shame.”
If only she had enough mana. Even if it was just at Wolf’s level, she would have been considered undoubtedly the best in the military academy.
Gartel took off his monocle and took matches out of the cabinet. Then he put tobacco in the pipe from his breast pocket,
Flick, hiss, whoosh─!
He lit it.
“Phew……”
Biting the smooth olive wood mouthpiece, he stared blankly at the top of the recommendation letter with Yena Freud’s name written on it.
Unlike God, Yena was given terrible stats beyond mere weakness. No matter how good her movements were, she was a magic officer. Without mana, it was meaningless.
“At least the Magic Tactics Planning Department should be able to guarantee that child a sufficient future.”
The recommendation for the research department was also decided considering such backgrounds. It was like providing her with a kind of opportunity.
If the body is bad, just make the mind very good, right? By sending her to the Planning Department, which is at the top of the tactical and strategic research field, Yena would grow into a genius military strategist.
And if such successful development takes off…
‘I’ll take her to the Imperial Administration.’
That was the ultimate goal.
It was a proposal Yena wouldn’t dislike either,
Gartel leaned back in his chair and exhaled a long white smoke towards the ceiling.
Because she was a type he had never seen in his life and at the same time had attractive strengths, he had no intention of letting her go. From an administrator’s perspective, she was a talent he absolutely wanted to acquire.
So he was willing to go through the trouble of writing a recommendation letter to raise Yena as his successor.
‘If there’s one worry, it’s the behavior of Officer Lutz.’
As the person overseeing the Magic Tactics Planning Department with Officer Derian as his successor, he might have good judgment and try to snatch Yena away.
Since Lutz held the high position of overall director of the research department, he had enough authority to do so.
“I hope such a thing doesn’t happen.”
Fortunately, Lutz had an eccentric and rigid personality, and he was away in another place now, so he could put his mind at ease, but there was always the possibility of ‘what if’.
Gartel decided that even if friction arose with the Planning Department, he would never yield.
Creak─!
In the middle of such minor thoughts, suddenly the office door opened.
“Hm?”
He turned his head slightly.
“Ah.”
Gartel, recognizing someone he had to be formal with, immediately tapped his pipe in the ashtray.
He buttoned up his coat that had been loosened and pressed his cap straight.
“Greetings, Principal.”
And he bowed to the man slowly approaching.
“We’ve known each other for years, yet you still show such formality. Stop bowing and sit comfortably.”
Gert von Lustett, the person who gave the entrance ceremony speech, came to see Gartel with the face of a kind old man.
“Please sit here. Would you like a cup of coffee?”
“Yes, without sugar please.”
Gartel guided the elderly man to the sofa.
Hiss─
Soon after, he brewed and served a cup of hot coffee.
“Thank you.”
“I prepared it the way you always drink it.”
“Hoho, I see.”
Lustett opened his mouth while moistening his throat, savoring the aroma of the coffee beans.
“So you need my signature?”
“I’m going to write a recommendation letter for a candidate.”
“You are?”
He seemed slightly surprised. Having spent several years together at the military academy, it was interesting that Gartel, who had always avoided writing recommendation letters, was now in a situation to write one for the first time.
“I plan to have a student named Yena Freud join the Planning Department. Her grades are low, but she seems very intelligent.”
Gartel calmly answered the principal’s question and pushed forward the recommendation letter.
Lustett checked the paper with the reading glasses hanging around his neck, then glanced at the instructor in front of him with a chuckle.
“Her grades are the lowest, yet you recommend her. I’ve lived long enough to see everything.”
Rustle, rustle─!
Then he took out a fountain pen and signed without much reluctance.
Gartel believed in him, and although he had doubts about Yena Freud from head to toe, he didn’t doubt her because he was certain she wasn’t someone who would tell lies.
“Isn’t this the first time in the military academy’s history to write a recommendation letter from the first day? And for the student with the lowest grades in the whole school at that.”
Still, he should know the detailed inside story.
“What’s the reason?”
Lustett interlocked his fingers and leaned forward.
One can’t feel at ease without resolving curiosity, can they? He wanted to know what charm this student named Yena Freud possessed that made Gartel so smitten.
“She demonstrated an improved magic technique. She even defeated a cadet with overall ability equivalent to Grade 4 in a duel.”
And,
“What?”
Lustett couldn’t hide his shock at Gartel’s answer.
“Are you joking?”
“How could I?”
He narrowed his eyes as if he couldn’t believe what he had heard.
“In just two days?”
“Yes.”
“When they’re barely learning the form of magic technique in basic training, you’re saying she improved the entire technique?”
“It seems she was influenced by her father who was a veteran soldier.”
“Even so……”
It was a statement difficult to accept with his common sense. Having served as the principal of the military academy and produced many officers, he knew how absurd those words were.
“Hoho.”
But looking at Gartel’s confident eyes made him confused again. Knowing that he only told the truth when he made such a face, it was awkward to rebuke him.
“Hmm.”
Then should I give her a chance?
It’s also awkward to refuse when he’s affirming this much, which means he’ll take full responsibility for Yena.
‘I should hope his words are true.’
Lustett decided to trust in the faith he had built up so far.
If Gartel’s words were truly fact, this cadet named Yena Freud that he mentioned would be a talent that would become a good driving force for the Empire in the future.
“You said her name was Yena Freud?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“I hope your judgment is right.”
Thud─
“I’ve already signed, so you can give it to the cadet as is. Well then, I’ll be going.”
Lustett put the document on the desk and stood up.
“Yes, take care.”
“The coffee was good. The beans had a nice flavor.”
Click─!
Finally, as he was leaving the office,
‘A cadet the instructor is interested in.’
His calm expression broke into a small smile.

After walking for several minutes, I finally arrived.
“Found it.”
I wiped my sweat while looking at the vast grounds.
The sturdy steel structure in the shape of a scarecrow, spare parts piled up to be used when needed, and the
[Training Ground No. 43]
wooden sign hanging at the entrance, anyone could guess this was a place for training.
Nothing has changed.
Thud, thud─!
When I knocked on the steel structure deeply embedded in the ground, a dull sound was heard.
It was very solid. At a glance it might look like a pile of scrap metal, but in fact it was an alloy made by combining magic stones, boasting tremendous strength. It wouldn’t even compare to steel.
The mana resistance was also amazing.
When I slightly sent magic power, it absorbed everything like a black hole. Made for awakened ones, whether strength or magic, it wouldn’t get even a scratch from most attacks.
So my ultimate goal for today is to smash this stupidly thick lump with all my might.
Normally I would have broken it easily, but I need strength.
Zing─!
I glanced at the ice sphere rippling at my fingertips.
Currently, operating this one magic for ten minutes was the best I could do. Since the absolute amount itself had decreased, I had to use mana more precisely and densely than before.
In the end, training is the answer.
I need to hone my body every day, and again, to regain my former mana and physique. At least I need the ability to cope with unexpected situations.
Rustle, rustle─
I put down the coat and cap that were on my arm and unbuttoned my shirt.
“Haa.”
Then I formed white frost crystals on my wriggling palm.
I wonder how magic is activated in reality, and what kind of impact it will have. How long does it take to recover once mana is depleted, and what will be the aftermath when exerting maximum power?
“Phew……”
I calmly collected my breath. Feeling the cold temperature of the frost that had settled down to my wrist, I focused on the steel target in front of me.
Rustle─
As the wind died down and my flowing hair settled, and the swaying of the surrounding trees subsided,
Patter!
I kicked the ground hard.