Chapter 57: Sezile Family
"You see," Angelica continued, "this large scale cooperation, from arranging food to preparing it, to setting up proper camps. Everything is designed to train students for military life."
"And the biggest, most important part of this entire exercise," she added, "is conditioning the students to follow orders without question."
"This time, you were only asked to obey without any questions asked. And luckily, no unreasonable orders were given," she said. "But next time, that may not be the case."
"Orders will be issued. Most likely illogical, perhaps even contradictory. You will want to question them, but you would not. Not openly. With every additional camp, you will be pushed closer to blind obedience."
"By the time you finish your fourth year at the academy," she said, her tone turning serious, "you will be perfectly conditioned to follow commands from anyone placed in charge. No matter how absurd or dangerous."
Athar stared at her, stunned. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. Was everything really so calculated, so deep?
"But... not every student joins the army, right?" he asked hesitantly.
"True," Angelica nodded. "Not everyone is selected. But the moment you are admitted to the academy, a file is opened in your name. Every achievement, every failure, every merit you earn is carefully recorded. You are fully profiled."
"And only the top few, the cream, are chosen for the army."
She paused, then added with quiet bitterness, "And over those four years, you will be brainwashed into believing that serving in the army is the highest honour. That sacrificing your life for the empire is the noblest thing you can ever do."
Athar took some moments to process all what he was hearing.