Every student in the school knew that the strict instructor was a serious soldier.
But every week, there would always be a day or two when the instructor would wear this yellow flower brooch on his chest.
The smile on the instructor's face would always bring the students a sense of relief.
For when the instructor wore the yellow flower brooch, it meant that they could take a day off and go home.
Once his boisterous students had finally gone, the instructor would visit a silent graveyard.
There, after a moment of silence, he would pay his respects to the familiar names carved on the tombstones.

"I don't have the talent to command an army as its general,
Nor am I qualified for anything beyond being a soldier.
All I can do is to be a strict instructor to these children,
So that they might survive on the battlefield a bit longer."

Every military school student knows that the so-called "free training time" could not have anything less to do with freedom.
The instructor sits back and watches while the students train rigorously in the field.
A cup of black tea with a little too much sugar in it marks a typical afternoon for the instructor.
This peaceful time is a privilege of the instructor, and the embodiment of his authority.

The strict instructor once sharpened his own combat skills on the merciless battlefield.
What he teaches the students goes beyond self-defense techniques to apply in battle.
Moreso than attacking and defending, what he imparts to them is the skill of surviving on the front line even in the face of insurmountable odds.
Every move and technique he demonstrates pays homage to the veterans of wars gone by.
For it was their sacrifices that helped him become who he is today.

A pocket watch treasured by the instructor. It is not, however, military-issue gear from the instructor's school.
Back when the instructor was still a soldier, this pocket watch was used to coordinate charges against the enemy.
It marked victories and defeats, and counted the final hours of the soldiers.
For the students, it represented the hardships they endured on the long path towards becoming a real soldier.