Pendleton Revolution
Chapter 5

“Do you have contraception?” Jeria, the most practical of the group, asked bluntly.

Standing beside her was Cheryl, whose face had turned as red as her hair. She had also been cursing Elena’s benefactor, but having decided that she was too young to be of any help, she focused on picking up the dirty laundry that had fallen on the ground instead. Alice’s ears were blazing red too. She lowered her head with embarrassment and then reached for her laundry as well. Quite a few women were locked up in convents due to unwanted pregnancies. Andrea, who was relatively more familiar with the topic, continued to mechanically scrub her clothes on the slate while listening attentively to the conversation between Jeria and Elena.

“I bought some pills,” Elena replied in a muffled voice.

“Where did you buy them from?” Jeria asked immediately.

“A black market dealer nearby. You know, the old lady in the back alley. It’s the kind you need to take within seven hours of intercourse.”

“All oral contraceptives are harmful, but the ones from that old lady are especially bad. Even if they work—they’ll destroy your body. Those pills are the first of their kind before any improvements are made, which explains why they’re so cheap…” Jeria scrunched her face up with concern. “Once you pop those pills, tell your teachers that you’re on your monthly and go rest in the nurse’s office for at least two days. Don’t exert yourself by going to class. Not that resting would make them suddenly less harmful, but you have to eat well and rest well.”

“Taking them more often would make it worse, right?” Elena asked.

“Of course. Those pills spell death and disease for women. I’ll look for the least harmful pills I can find from the merchants next month, so don’t take any more of those street drugs than you need… and make sure to get plenty of rest.”

“It’s okay, Jeria. I’ll be fine. I don’t have enough money to buy the expensive stuff anyway,” Elena quickly replied.

Even the good contraceptives had side effects, but because they were better, they were also more expensive. Most protégés only received money whenever their benefactors felt like giving, so it was difficult to ask for more. Hence, neither Elena nor Andrea had the means to purchase such expensive medication. Alice, whose family was not well off either, craned her neck with her eyes wide open.

“Why would I sell such expensive drugs to you?” Jeria asked, waving her hands dismissively.

“If you’re gonna give it to me for free, it’s all the more reason I can’t take it,” Elena said, pushing back firmly. Recognizing Elena’s stubborn nature, Jeria gently pushed her by her shoulder.

“I’m not giving it to you for free. Just pay me back what it costs straight from the maker. I’ll find it and get it for you. It’s gonna be wholesale anyway, so I can only get my hands on a few as a favor from the merchants I know. It’ll be much cheaper than the market price. Neither of us has anything to lose.”

“But…”

“One pill costs twenty vahts, and for the contraceptive to work, you need to take one pill before, one pill immediately after, and one more between fifteen and twenty-four hours after intercourse. That’s three pills total, which comes out to sixty vahts. Can you afford it?”

Sixty vahts was the cost of two regular textbooks. The working poor ate grain or a small hunk of hard bread to stave off hunger. Each of these kinds of meals cost anywhere between one and three vahts. Andrea’s benefactor was more generous than others, so she received 350 cens every semester on top of the 200 cens tuition fee for Military Studies.

On the other hand, not only was Elena deprived of adequate support for daily life, but she also had to change her major to something more affordable. The Arts Department only required a 120 cens tuition fee each semester. Aside from this funding, Elena only received a few cens to spend on herself every month.

Andrea did some calculations in her head—one cen was worth one hundred vahts—Elena could only afford a handful of the pills. The price of good contraceptives alone was so expensive that no commoner or orphan could ever dream of buying them.

No wonder the convent was always full, Andrea thought, cursing to herself.

For a while, Elena bit on her cherry-red fingernails and mulled over Jeria’s offer. At last, she slowly nodded and said, “I’ll buy nine pills every month… and try to limit the night dates to three times a month.”

“All right.”

“You’re an angel, Jeria.”

“Why so sappy all of a sudden? Shhh. Here come the guys.”

Thanks to Jeria’s warning, the four female students immediately dropped their conversation and washed their dirty clothes in silence. It wasn’t the kind of topic to discuss in public. If a stranger overheard them, Elena’s reputation could go to the dogs. Worse, if word reached her benefactor, she would be given hell.

Andrea scrubbed her clothes in silence. Not long after, a head appeared from behind the water pump.

“I was wondering what someone as tall as you was doing with the girls. So it was you, Ed,” the intruder remarked, albeit quite affectionately.

Andrea’s eyes narrowed, ready to interrogate the peeping Tom. When she raised her head, she was instead greeted with a familiar face. She smiled. It was Jovani Monati, another student in the Military Studies Department. He also smiled and ran back to his group of boys and began turning on the tap.

“What are you doing here, Jovani?” Andrea called to him.

“What do you think?” he replied jovially.

Despite being the second son of an influential family of knights, he didn’t discriminate against the commoner students. His brilliant blond hair and olive eyes formed a ruggedly handsome face. Indeed, his beauty left quite an impression on any beholder. Cheryl, who had a thing for beauty, turned back to her laundry with bright red ears. Meanwhile, Alice stood there helplessly—she couldn’t move from the moment the crowd of boys arrived.

Without a word, Andrea discreetly took the rest of Alice’s dirty clothes so that she could return to the dorm first, then turned her attention back to Jovani. Meanwhile, the male students only briefly took an interest in whom Jovani spoke over the water pump. To their dismay, it was none other than Andrea Yuriness, one of the few girls in Military Studies who had made a name for herself for being tough.

“Nobles don’t use the laundry area,” she pointed out.

“We had a combined class just now. The boys wanted to do laundry after, so I tagged along,” Jovani said, gesturing to his classmates.

“Combined class?”

“Practical Swordsmanship. You don’t take it yet ’cause you’re still a first year,” Jovani explained patiently.

Andrea had first met Jovani, a fourth year, in a combined class on swordsmanship theory just the day before. He showed great interest in the rumored Andrea and immediately initiated a conversation with her, during which he urged her to drop the formalities. At first, Ed was peevish, thinking that the young master of an aristocratic family was simply messing with her. When the other noble students taunted her for daring to join the department as a woman, Jovani lost his temper and gave them a mouthful. It was then that Andrea decided to open up to him.

Although House Monati was led by a count, they were originally a family of knights. Indeed, they were an impressive military family, with a surname bestowed upon them by the emperor personally. The children of House Monati had a strict upbringing because the family still stuck to their military customs. In fact, the members of the household were senior officers. Their family values and motto were also derived from military principles. So, twenty-three-year-old Jovani seemed to believe that all soldiers were equal regardless of background or gender, so long as they were capable.

“I heard that the drill instructor of the first-year class complimented you. It is both the fate and duty of a member of a military family to win over soldiers with good potential…” Jovani had said when Andrea had questioned his interest in her. “I heard you’re good with a sword. Is it really your first time learning how to wield one?”

Andrea was happy to be recognized for her abilities. She also liked that Jovani didn’t care that she was a commoner or a woman. His honest confession about why he was friendly to her earned him her favor.

As soon as the class ended, they sat on a bench and chatted away. They hit it off awfully well. It seemed Andrea had found an ideal senior classmate. He had even carved out time before dinner to teach Andrea how to hold a sword correctly. For a beginner like Andrea, help from the son of a military family was huge.

After Jovani’s instruction, they had dinner together. Students from noble families usually went to upscale dining halls or restaurants, but Jovani insisted on going wherever Andrea went and eating whatever she ate. He appeared quite struck by her. When she asked if he was usually so accommodating to his juniors, he tickled her with, “If I know you’re gonna be an excellent officer and comrade in the future, of course I’ve got to be your friend.”

They ended the day running laps around the training grounds all evening, unable to stop talking to each other as they exercised. That was how they had become best friends overnight.

“Wow, I really wanna take that class. What did you learn exactly? Basic sword skills? Footwork? Self-defense? How was it? Did you spar too?” Andrea asked eagerly.

“Easy there. One question at a time,” Jovani replied with a chuckle. He began scrubbing his filthy clothes with unexpected agility as he recounted what he had learned.

For a while, Ed was absorbed in Jovani’s description of the class. After quickly finishing Alice’s laundry, she promptly sent Alice and Elena away before starting her own. Only Cheryl and Jeria, who had big loads because they changed clothes frequently, remained.

“You said the monk who looked after you only ever taught you how to defend yourself with a stick, so I figured you’d want to know.”

“My God, your kindness is out of this world, Sir Jovani.”

“Out of this world? What am I, an alien?”

“I’m just saying I’m grateful to you.”

“Also, don’t call me ‘sir.’”

“Not even as a joke?”

“No, not even as a joke, Andrea,” Jovani replied coldly, which was out of character. His sensitivity to the subject made Ed realize it probably involved the unspoken rules between officers and soldiers—it likely went against military code. She struggled to understand, having been raised in an orphanage, and decided not to push the subject further.

“In any case, thank you for telling me about the class. So far, I’ve learned the basics of physical training and how to swing a sword. As for marksmanship, we’re only allowed to shoot once a month,” Andrea complained.

“That’s ‘cause you need to hone the basics.”

“Just let me complain, will you? I don’t wanna get stuck practicing the basics for an entire year.”

“Why do you say that? With your skills, I’m sure they’ll let you start the practicals next semester.”

“What?”

“Huh?” Jovani stared back at her, looking genuinely confused. Both of them were bewildered.

Andrea stared at him blankly before tilting her head and asking, “What are you talking about?”

“Didn’t you know?”

“Know what?”

“There’s an advancement exam at the end of every semester. I bet you’ll pass the first year’s exam with flying colors.”

Andrea’s benefactor had not told her about that, nor had the enrollment guidebook mentioned it. Since her benefactor was not only wealthy but also caring and considerate, Andrea decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Such an essential piece of information like that should have been outlined in the guidebook! Or at least explained by the enrollment officer on the first day of school. Andrea’s face wrinkled into a frown before she could help it.

“It’s my first time hearing about that.”

“Look at me. This is my fifth semester, but I’m already considered a fourth year.”

“Well, I thought it was ’cause you age quickly, Jovani.”

“You rascal, how dare you talk to your senior like that?”

“Oh dear, my apologies, my lord.”

While Andrea and Jovani goofed around, Cheryl and Jeria finished their laundry. Before telling them to head back first, Andrea quickly pulled Jeria aside.

“Jeria, if it’s okay with you, I’d like to buy some of that drug too. About three to six pills a month,” she whispered.

“Why? Are you nervous too? Did you get a similar letter from your benefactor?” Jeria asked in a hushed tone, her face full of concern.

Andrea had not revealed to her fellow students in Military Studies that she had a benefactor.

“No, it’s not that. I’m just worried about Elena. I want to buy some extra for her, just in case,” she responded before Jeria could fret longer.

“While I think it’s a good idea, leave it. Let’s not bruise her ego. There’s no way she’ll accept your help.”

“I can tell her I got them just in case the same thing happened to me, but she can borrow some if it’s an emergency. She can always pay me back when I need them later. Isn’t that convincing enough? I think that’s about as much as I can do not to upset her,” she explained.

“All right, then,” Jeria said, smiling.

“Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it. I feel a lot better knowing that you’ll help.”

Andrea could not stop worrying about her friend, but finally grinned. Jeria patted her on the shoulders a couple of times before heading back. Andrea sent her roommates off with a smile. After they left, she felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She slowly scoured her dirty clothes as she listened to Jovani explain the details of the advancement exam.

“Didn’t the enrollment officer tell you on the first day?”

“Nope.”

“But it’s part of the introductions,” Jovani said, cocking his head in confusion. Suddenly, he scowled and said, “No way…”

“What is it?”

“I hope it’s not the case, but I might be onto something. Look, don’t take it personally. It’s just a guess, and I can’t guarantee it’s happening, but…”

“What is it? Stop beating around the bush and tell me.”

“What if the enrollment officer thought you wouldn’t pass the advancement exam because you’re a girl?”

“What? Are you saying they tried to pull some shady sh*t on me?”

“Watch your language,” rebuked Jovani.

Growing up sheltered in a prestigious family, he flinched at Ed’s crass words. Andrea dramatically smacked her mouth several times before picking up her laundry basket.

“Anyway, thank you for the high-level intel. My roommates have already left, and I better get going too. Thanks again. Let’s go for a beer sometime. My treat.”

“I’ve never tried beer before.”

“Goodness, Lord Jovani, your nobility is out of this world.”

“Why don’t you wipe the foam off your lips first?”

“It’s your fault. It’s ’cause you made me smack my lips, Lord Jovani.”

After shamelessly shifting the blame to her friend, Andrea spun on her heel and walked away. Behind her, Jovani nagged her to stop calling him “my lord,” but she didn’t look back. She simply waved her hands and trekked back to her dorm as she hummed.

She was preoccupied, feeling guilty for being a financial burden to her benefactor. The tuition for the Military Studies Department was 350 cens per semester, with four to five years of study. If Andrea played her cards right, she could graduate in less than four semesters and begin repaying her benefactor’s kindness sooner. Jovani had given her high-level intel indeed. How could anyone throw around 350 cens? Four semesters already cost 1,400 cens, which was expensive enough.

I almost missed this vital information because of some bigoted enrollment officer! Andrea cracked her neck from side to side and gritted her teeth. Who knew what other important details she was missing out on? It was time to put the screws on the enrollment officer. At least, that was what she planned to do that afternoon.