"Enlisted into the army? What?"
Xiao was taken back from the news revealed by General Blake, he never thought he would be arranged into the army.
"But....but why? why the army? I don't understand," asked Xiao confusingly to General Blake.
General Blake gave Xiao a stern look, thinking that how someone like Xiao can be selected as one of the heroes who will save the world.
"First of all," said General Blake as he paused for a while to clear his throat while showing a sign of annoyance and unwillingness to explain to Xiao, but has left no choice because he was ordered by Pope Baton to do so.
"I will be honest here, you are weak, even weaker than any soldier or adventurer, I doubt that you can even kill a Rank D beast with your current strength."
General Blake spoke out his mind, he gave out his honest opinion towards Xiao's current strength
Although Xiao had already known General Blake's opinion about him, it still doesn't feel good at all when he got told right to his face, even Pope Baton shows a bit of shocked by General Blake honesty.
"Though I have no idea what makes you the most suitable person to be one of the heroes, I will just have to respect and trust the will of the Crystal Ball of Truth, in order words, we will have to train you to at least until some certain level of strength," General Blake explained.
"We think that the army is the most suitable place for you to learn the skills and technique you needed, it is also a good place for you to experience this world and its culture, you will be under the care of us, which mean you will be provided with food every day and a place to stay," Pope Baton added on right after General Blake finished explained, he explains the benefits of the decision they made for Xiao as to make Xiao think that they were thinking what's best for him.
Just when Xiao was easing up a bit by hearing Pope Baton said about a place to stay and food provided, General Blake immediately butts in with a rough tone of voice.
"Putting aside of your training, don't forget that you are still the main suspect of Lars Leo's murderer, we can't let you wander off too far from our surveillance, so again, the best place to keep you under our watch while we can whip you into the condition to fight off the Demon God's army is none other places than our Julian Empire army."
Pope Baton gave General Blake a look upon his statement.
"He needs to know, Supreme Pontiff, it is my duty to remind him about his current status," General Blake responds to Pope Baton, he then looks back at Xiao and said:
"And of course, you have no rights to refuse our plan for you, your only option is to accept it and prepare yourself for the upcoming days."
General Blake stays quiet once he finished his explanation and looks at Xiao, waiting for his response upon hearing what he had said.
Xiao had already known that there was no way for him to say no, not with his current position, and he should be thankful that they did not put him in a death sentence like how he ended up in his world.
"So, when will I be joining the army?" Xiao asked, showing a sign of giving up arguing and tired of how his life got moved around by others.
"Watch your tone! Boy!" General Blake shouted at Xiao as he found Xiao's attitude and the way he responds was disrespectful of him and Pope Baton.
"Let me tell you something, boy, if it wasn't for our Supreme Pontiff, you will be dead by now," General Blake blurted out to Xiao in a spite of irritation towards Xiao, which shocked Pope Baton as he never thought General Blake would reveal the situation of when they decided Xiao's fate.
"What do you mean?" Xiao asked curiously.
Pope Baton tried to stopped General Blake to reveal any more information, but General Blake was too furious to even heed his signal and call as he continues to reveal.
"All of us, the nobles, the heroes, the King, we wanted you dead, because like I said before, you are the only one that we believe has the highest possibility to kill Lars Leo, and with all the evidence we had gathered so far, it should be enough to mark you as the murderer of Lars Leo," General Blake explained, he then move to the side of Pope Baton and present him both hands to Pope Baton while says:
"It was Supreme Pontiff Baton here who saves you from your death, he was the only one that kept objecting of the idea of concluding you as the murderer, he even uses his authority as the Supreme Pontiff of Julian Empire to guarantee your innocence, and he was the one that proposes the idea of enlisting you into the army because there was no other way for you to walk out from this situation alive."
General Blake stopped talking when Pope Baton walks towards him and touches his shoulder, indicating him to stop revealing anymore discussion they had made in these past few days. But Pope Baton was too late, for General Blake had spilt out everything to Xiao, including the fact that everyone wants him dead.
(And here I thought the people in this world was better than the one in mine all of them wanted me dead, just like the time at my world, history is repeating itself in the most bizarre and disturbs ways, Goddamn it.)
Maybe because Xiao was starting to get used to people wanting him dead, he took the news from General Blake quite calmly, and because there was Pope Baton who still care about him, which made him feels much better than the last time
"Thank you, Pope Baton, I will never forget your deed in helping me, I may not be able to repay anything for now, but I will, one day, return the favour to you," Xiao thank Pope Baton with sincerity as he bows to him.
"Please, Xiao, raise your head, I am not worthy of your gratitude I should be the one that apologizes to you, for you as the visitor from another world to endured such hardship, please forgive me for not being able to do more for you," said Pope Baton while he immediately move forward and urge Xiao to raise his head.
"Take good care of yourself, Xiao, I will try to my best to help clear your name in this case, for the time being, gain experience and comrades in the army, I am sure that you will be as strong as the other heroes in no time," Pope Baton gave Xiao his encouragement before General Blake gave a sign to him saying that it is time for them to leave.
"Thanks, I will," Xiao replied, thanking Pope Baton for giving him a chance to life and a chance to grow his strength.
Pope Baton respond Xiao's thanks with a gentle smile, he then makes a bow to Xiao, said goodbye to him and leave the cell room, leaving only Xiao and General Blake, who still have something to say to Xiao before leaving the cell room too.
"Starting from tomorrow onwards, you will join our Julian Empire army as a Private Class soldier, your uniform will be delivered to your cell tonight, wear them on tomorrow, and wait for the guard to give you your order."
"Alright," replied Xiao instantly as he wants to quickly end the conversation so General Blake would just leave him alone.
"What did you said?" General Blake gave Xiao a stern look while strictly asking him as if he was going to burst out in anger any moments from now.
"Huh?" Xiao responds in confused as he never expects General Blake to suddenly sound hostile upon his reply.
"When talking to your superior, you are to address me as Sir! Boy!"
Xiao jumped by the sudden outburst of General Blake, it was the first time he shouted at Xiao in such an angry manner.
Xiao quickly analysis the fact that General Blake asks to be addressed as, immediately, he knows what's going now.
(Good riddance...)
Xiao already knows what to say to General Blake, so he took a deep breath and gather his might at his throat, before shouting out:
"Sir! Yes, Sir!"
Xiao shouted out the words with all his might, though he never been in an army nor any cadet bodies during his time in high school, he knows that the people in the army always talk in a shouting manner like their superior is deaf.
"For God Sake..."
Normally, when being responding by these words, the superior should reply something like "Good!" or "Alright!", but in this case, Xiao was not worthy of General Blake respect, so much that he did not bother to respond to Xiao and walks out the cell room while still showing disappointment of how things turn out.
With the two visitors gone and the latest news he got from them, Xiao can only let out a sigh of helplessness as he waits for his breakfast, which he no longer felt excited about it.
Time moves fast afterwards for Xiao as his mind was occupied by the fact that he will become a soldier who will defend and fight for this country, and with the current status of him as the suspect of a murdering case, he may be sentenced to a lifetime serving in the military.
(So much for a fantasy world...now a soldier? What the hell is going on with my life?)
It was already midnight, the sound of the cricket can be heard from a distant, together with the faint sound of the footsteps from the guards around the area.
Xiao was staring at the brick ceiling, unable to falls asleep.
(Enlisted into the army, huh? Well, well, well, how the hell thing is going to that direction? From a normal high school student to a convict, and then become a hero, now a suspect of a murder case, and starting tomorrow, I am going to be a soldier? You sure can predict what life is going to happen next, or maybe it's just my life.)
Xiao looked at the uniform beside him, which was bought to him earlier ago by the guard. Thought Xiao noticed that there was a cloth, a pant, a belt and a pair of boot, he did not care to take a good look at it as he left it the way the guard had put it, as he thinks that he should be enjoying his last day as a freeman without worrying about the days he got sentenced to a lifetime of serving in the army.
(At least it keeps me alive, guess I will just have to start working my ass off to gain enough strength and experience to become a real hero.)
With the feeling of uncertainty on what's going happen to his life, Xiao slowly gives in to his drowsiness and falls asleep.