With a short shriek, a terrible scene happened
A human was cleanly split into two
He was alive during the process, making his death even crueler
He was hated by everyone
Abusing his power as the instructor, he looked down on everyone and tormented them. There is no one who would like such a guy
Everyone wanted to see his misery someday
However, can we even cheer at this cruel death?
「The trash is gone」
But there is one person who was indifferent, the one who caused this tragic event
The owner of the heart of tiger
「Look closer, o new recruits. This is the fate of the one who only thought of himself and tried to harm the empire. The empire will reward everyone who contribute, will destroy everyone who is against us. Carve it into your heart, and always support the empire」
「...」
「Understood?」
「「「「「...Y, yes!?」」」」」
The trainees were frightened and replied together
「Be relieved. I will guarantee your passing. In the name of Wartaiga, the second place of the Twelve Apostles, you guys have splendidly passed the final examination, so do your best to serve the empire. I will be your witness」
With that, we have officially become regular soldier....
This is the time to be delighted, but there were too many things happened, the fatigue was becoming stronger
If I feel relieved then naturally, fatigue will come out too
「But Jira」
「Yes!?」
Suddenly, the "number two" called me!?
I can't be relieved yet!?
「Your ability is wonderful. Even as a trainee, you destroyed the Spiked Big Face with one hit」
「You even saw that!?」
「Your power should be effectively used for the empire. Therefore, you are accepted to participate in the Twelve Apostle's selection meeting」
Haah!?
「Is it fine to decide such a thing so easily!?」
「I observed everything just for that reason. It's to select the promising people to participate in the upcoming meeting. It is alright for me to decide based on my own judgment」
As expected of the second strongest person of the empire!
The trust he received is not small at all!
「Next is Rei」
「Hah?」
Wartaiga once again called another person
「I heard that you received the invitation to become an elite cadet. And also your refusal」
「That was a disloyalty toward the empire. I will receive any kind of punishment」
Rei prostrated
However, the attitude of the strong person is soft
「You are a man with high loyalty and seriousness. But since you are still young, you haven't learned how to deal with your serious heart yet. I expect you to study more. Also taking consider of your ability, I give you the qualification to enter the Twelve Apostles' selection meeting」
「...Haha!」
It seems like decent people would be given a second chance
Wartaiga doesn't stop being generous
「Gashi」
「Y, yes!?」
「Your power comes from that gigantic body. You have fought hard against demon beast even as a trainee. That chivalrous spirit should be given a chance too. You can also participate in the selection meeting」
「Thank you very much!」
Gashi was also given a chance to become one of the Twelve Apostle
「Also, Seki」
「Even me!?」
「The intuition that allows you to run through the dark mountain road without losing your way even once was magnificent. If you want to use that power for the empire even more, then try to become one of the Twelve Apostles」
「But, I was boss Jira and Gashi aniki's...!?」
「You don't want to support the empire?」
「I willllll!!」
And even Seki received the qualification to enter the Twelve Apostles' selection meeting
「Four of you」
The second strongest of the empire turns back
「You will receive information about time and place of the selection meeting later. Until then, don't neglect your own preparation until then. Others will receive instruction from the headquarter about your assignments. I pray for your success as the new regular soldiers」
Ah, I see
Everyone has become imperial soldiers
Moreover, it was directly recognized by one of the two strongest people of the empire
If you think about it, it was super amazing, right?
The excitement was transmitted to everyone. And the unbearable excitement explodes
「Oooooooooooooooh!!」
「Oooooooooooooooooooooooooohーーーッ!!」
Cheers of joy resound under the night sky
To be proud of the incident happened to night, the soldiers will do their best on the battlefield
Skilled people with war knowledge can create soldier who will fight until death like this?
This is how awesome the second place of the second place of the Twelve Apostle, Wartaiga, is...
◆
「...Ano!」
I called out to Wartaiga
He was about to leave after finishing his task....
「...Are there anything else?」
「Ano, please answer this one question. Do you know the name Sero?」
「...」
After a small moment of silence, the man whose heart has become tiger's said
「...I don't know」
And he left
◆
Half a month later....
「What happened to Gilly after that」
The four of us gathered after a while
Gathering around a table of a Café in the town and marrying gossiping, we looked like an ordinary group of friends in the same generation
「The family will be crushed. To discontinue a distinguished family which had continued for several generation just because of an idiotic brat, it was harsh, right?」
The one who reported that gossip is Seki-san who is in charge of information gathering
Really, this guy know lots of information from various place
「Planned to unfairly pass the exam by bribing the instructor, and using the demon beasts which were originally the empire's property for his own battle just because of a peculiar grudge. Both are disgraceful acts, but the worst thing is that he used a magic tool granted by his highness the Emperor」
In the empire, merits are higher than family status
Despite being born as a noble, Gilly was unable to understand that tradition and was boastful of his lineage
In that dark mountain, after all the demon beasts he relied on were annihilated, he ran away in panic
Since it was a mountain covered it darkness, of course he was lost, and was found 2 days later by a rescue party while crying at the bottom of the valley
Well, rescue-cum-capture party
Then he was judged
「The family head...」
Rei spoke seriously
I hear about the core matter from the concerned rather than from Seki who only gathers gossips
「Decided to voluntarily dispose Gilly-sama. It seemed like he wished to deal with the criminal by his own hand to show his loyalty to the empire, and to wish for the survival of the household」
「Dispose..., you mean killed!? Nobility is that awful!?」
Gashi was outraged, but that method was certainly effective
The empire cares about merit. If they keep giving important positions to high-ranked aristocrats, it is not because of tradition, but because they produce real capable personnel one after another
Crushing the all superior relatives just because of a single pathetic relative is very untactful
「By disposing a single bad guy, everyone would be happy, huh?」
That is unique to the evil empire though
「Is Rei okay? Do you have any dispute with the main house?」
「I haven't been told anything for now. It must be because I was chosen as one of the candidate of the Twelve Apostles. This is a delicate time where nothing can be said」
I see
It is unlikely, but I think Wartaiga anticipated this so he decided to pick Rei as a candidate of the Twelve Apostles to protect him, who is in an awkward position
...no, impossible
「It was me who was unable to stop Gilly-sama. To make up for that, I will become one of the Twelve Apostles. I intend to use that power to help the main family to survive」
「I will, too」
Gashi spoke seriously
「If I become one of the Twelve Apostles, I can immediately get close to my final goal. This is a chance. I didn't think a chance like this would appear, but I will seize it without fail」
「It's already decided that I'm with you, right?」
Gashi and Seki seek the power to improve the slum where they were born and raised
「From now on, we are rivals」 (Rei)
「Right, if it's necessary, don't hesitate to defeat each other」 (Gashi)
「However, I hope all of us can obtain a seat in the Twelve Apostles」
「Even me!? Please give me a break」 (Seki)
Right, today we gather not for chatting
Today is the day of the selection meeting to decide the official members of the Twelve Apostles
We finally became imperial soldiers, but this is the next step
After entering the imperial army, the next step is to stand at the top of the imperial army
「Let's go, everyone」
「「「Right!」」」
This is the so-called "exchange sake cups"
「No matter if we pass or fail, let's show everyone the spirit of the former members of the 18th training camp!」
We headed toward the meeting hall
Toward the castle of the emperor