Chapter 27: Chapter 27: Early Graduation
With the victory at the Turin battlefield, stability returned to France. The local authorities lifted the mobilization order, and many conscripted soldiers were demobilized. Naturally, this included the student military unit to which Roland belonged.
Originally, Brienne Military Academy had sent 600 students into battle, but sadly, not everyone was as fortunate as Roland. Following the battle at Macken Village, over 400 students lost their lives, including Instructor Pearson, who was shot in the head by an enemy rifle and died instantly.
When Roland returned to the academy, he found it noticeably quieter. Those who survived were dispirited. From the 600 who departed, fewer than 200 returned. The loss of numerous instructors in the battle was a tremendous blow to Brienne Military Academy.
However, life must go on. Although Brienne Military Academy suffered heavily, the remaining students were all hardened by the crucible of war. If they were merely students before, they now resembled seasoned soldiers. They had come to understand the harsh realities of the battlefield, and as a result, their training became even more rigorous, a change that was, in its own way, heartening.
But all this had little to do with Roland anymore. He had already decided to submit an application to the school, hoping to take part in that year's graduation exams. Time was precious to him, and he had many things he wanted to do, all of which required time.
Thus, upon his return to the academy, Roland submitted his application immediately.
Roland's request to graduate early caused quite a stir within the academy. There had never been a precedent for early graduation, and Roland was not just asking to graduate a year early—he was requesting to graduate three years ahead of schedule.
Normally, if an ordinary student made such a request, the academy's leadership would outright reject it and severely reprimand the student for their audacity.
But Roland was no ordinary student.
Upon his return from the battlefield at Turin, where he had played a pivotal role by eliminating the enemy's commander, Roland had already demonstrated qualities that surpassed those of his peers. His performance on the battlefield was consistently excellent. In the face of unexpected situations, Roland remained composed and adapted swiftly—a level of proficiency rare even among seasoned soldiers.
Clearly, Roland possessed the qualities of a military officer. The only barrier was his age; at 16, becoming an officer seemed like a plot from a novel.
The leadership at Brienne Military Academy found themselves at a loss over how to handle such an unprecedented situation, so they decided to defer the decision to someone else—Napoleon.
Choosing Napoleon was a well-considered decision by the academy's leaders. On one hand, they were aware that Roland was Napoleon's nephew. On the other, the military academy was a department under the Army Ministry, and Napoleon, being a general of France, was inherently a leader of the academy.
Publicly and privately, Napoleon was in a position to influence the decision regarding Roland's early graduation. With the academy leaders' unanimous consent, someone approached Napoleon that very afternoon to seek his opinion.
Napoleon was quite surprised upon hearing of the request, not expecting Roland to have achieved such distinction. He immediately agreed to the proposal and even decided to personally visit the academy to review Roland's exam results.
Roland's exam results were outstanding. Whether it was academic or military training, Roland excelled in both areas. The academy's leadership, after seeing his results, were thoroughly convinced and agreed to his graduation.
Napoleon was very pleased to learn of Roland's performance, thinking to himself that Roland had indeed lived up to his expectations, proving himself worthy of being a Bonaparte.
However, Napoleon soon felt a tinge of regret. According to plans he had made with Louis, they had intended for Roland to join the logistics department upon graduation—a safer place where sometimes one could even profit a bit. But now, such an arrangement seemed inappropriate. Roland was simply too talented, and it would be a tremendous waste to sideline such a promising individual in a non-combative role.
Napoleon began contemplating the feasibility of keeping Roland close to him. Despite being married for many years, he and his wife had no children, prompting him to urgently seek a suitable heir. Among all his acquaintances, Roland was undoubtedly the most appropriate choice. Not only did Roland possess outstanding military acumen and strategic insight, but he was also Napoleon's nephew, providing a blood connection that was crucial for an heir.
Ultimately, Roland graduated smoothly. However, his early graduation and excellent performance caused a sensation at Brienne Military Academy and didn't end without further consequences. Roland's precedent encouraged many lower-grade students, who considered themselves equally capable, to apply for early graduation, hoping to join the military in glory just like Roland.
Faced with the students' fervent enthusiasm, the academy's leadership reluctantly agreed to allow early graduation applications. After all, they couldn't very well grant privileges to Roland and deny others; such a decision would likely lead to upheaval within the school.
Pressured by these developments, the school modified its regulations. Any student who believed they could pass the graduation exams was allowed to apply. Upon approval, they could take the exams early. If they passed, they would receive their diploma; however, each student was given only one chance to attempt early graduation. If they failed, they would have to wait until their final year to try again. This rule was introduced to prevent impulsive decisions among the students, which would have overwhelmed the faculty with constant examinations.
This new rule was immediately met with praise from the student body. In the following month, many students applied to take their exams early. Though the pass rate was quite low, it did not deter their enthusiasm. In fact, it significantly boosted their determination and competitive spirit, driving them to strive harder in their studies and training.
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