Academy of Arkanis [Translation]

Chapter 5

Leonidas knew exactly what to expect when he entered the room in front of which he had been lingering for a moment too long. He could picture his father's face as if it were already before him now. He could literally feel the displeased wrinkle and the cold expression of disappointment on Pryde's face.

Leonidas took a deep breath and continued to stare at the door in front of him. He had known his father would be in touch and had from the moment he had received the test results of his preliminary theory exam back. But it was no use, after all, if Leonidas kept Pryde waiting any longer, it would only add to his displeasure. So the brown-haired boy raised his hand to open the door.

Irritated, he noticed that his fingers were trembling and displeased, he drew his eyebrows together. He felt ridiculous. Not only had he flunked the preliminary exam, but now he was terrified of his father's scolding! Angrily, Leonidas clenched his hand into a fist. He would not allow this. He would not allow this weakness, especially not in front of his father.

General Pryde expected Leonidas to behave like a man who could handle his defeats. Leonidas would not allow himself to act like a weakling. A weakling, as his roommate was. Leonidas opened the door and forced himself to enter, his chest swelling fearlessly and his footsteps loud. "General Pryde, you wanted to see me!"

Pryde's face was just as Leonidas had imagined, but seeing it now for real was worse than any imagination. The brown-haired boy swallowed slightly. The crease on Pryde's forehead, the tightened corners of his mouth, the iron disappointment in his eyes, all seemed much worse now than in Leonidas' nightmares. "I wanted to talk to you."

Pryde's voice was as emotionless and restrained as when he spoke to a soldier. This fact alone made Leonidas's façade crumble. Pryde was his father, he shouldn't talk to him like he was talking to a foreign subordinate. "I hope you know why."

Leonidas knew it was a request from Pryde. The brown-haired boy should speak out what they both knew anyway. His hands tightened behind his back and he literally felt Pryde's expression burn into his brain, providing material for new nightmares there. He would have done anything at that moment to escape this situation. Anything. Hell, he would have even killed someone just to get rid of a tiny bit of Pryde's disappointment.

"I failed the preliminary theoretical exam. Since the theoretical performance at the academy counts for 60 percent and the practical for 40 percent, I will fail the first year if I also...fail in the real exam in five weeks." Leonidas' voice had sounded clear, calm, and loud. Like the voice of a man who had made a mistake and stood up for it. Like the voice of the man Pryde expected. "
" 'Failure' ,good that you found the right word for that misstep."

Pryde paused after that sentence to let his words sink in with Leonidas. And they did. Leonidas could literally feel the weight of the word 'failure' on his shoulders. "Leonidas, I've told you often enough, and I was hoping I wouldn't have to break it to you again, but you don't seem to be very good at remembering things that have nothing to do with shooting, flying, or fighting. So I'll explain it to you one more time." Pryde had pronounced his name in a way that sent chills down Leonidas' spine.

"I sent you to that academy for a reason. I sent you there so you could succeed. Leonidas this academy is the best chance for rank and fame you can have. There are hundreds, no thousands, of youths in the First Order who would give anything to trade places with you. I have given you this privilege! Do you understand? I am paving the way for a golden future for you, and all I ask of you is to walk that path. But instead I have to watch you stumble around like a drunk. That's beneath you, Leonidas! And it's beneath me! You're gambling away your future with these poor performances!"

Pryde had grown louder and louder during his speech and now paused. Leonidas sensed that his father was taking this pause to calm down. "General, I didn't want to disappoint you and I certainly didn't want you to get upset because of me...", Leonidas started a pitiful attempt to relax the situation a bit. But Pryde merely pulled his lower lip up briefly in a displeased gesture. "Don't you think this thing is important enough for me to get upset about!" Even though Leonidas tried to suppress it, he winced at these words and lowered his gaze.