Chapter 274 – Selection Exam
The Imperial Palace training ground was packed with soldiers from the Imperial Guard and Imperial Defense Department. Ahead of the talent selection, they also had internal promotion exams.
Especially for the Imperial Guard, two positions for captains were vacant. Everyone was focused on boosting their strength and honing their skills.
Barsabe, severely injured, leaned on the second-floor railing, watching her comrades train.
“Oh my, Miss Molar. You can’t train but you’re still attending regularly?”
“Ah, really.”
Her roommate held a cold drink to her cheek, mourning the absence of her molar. Barsabe roughly took it and drank half in one gulp.
Since that rainy day, the day Barsabe survived the black armor, everyone had been like this. The first joke she heard while lying in the hospital bed was something like ‘You really don’t have a molar anymore.’
“Why do you keep calling me Molar when I don’t have one?”
“Because you don’t. We’re commemorating it.”
“Go finish your laps. I saw you skipping one. You know it’ll be multiplied by ten if the captain catches you, right?”
“Doesn’t our Miss Molar know the word ‘self-training’?”
“I’m really going to die!”
“Hahaha!”
While her comrades were training with sweat and screams, Barsabe could only watch listlessly. Her whole body was itching to move, but there was nothing she could do. She was told that if she overdid it now, she might never be able to hold a sword again.
She frowned, glaring at the center of the training ground. Her roommate followed her gaze.
“He’s crazy, right? He’s been like that for an hour.”
“We got beaten up together, but I don’t know why that bastard is so fine. It’s unfair.”
It was Beric. He was covering the training ground with sandbags attached. Running, rolling, getting scolded by Captain Jeirutt, charging with a sword and getting beaten. He had been repeating this for an hour without rest, but showed no signs of fatigue.
Her roommate shook her head, fumbling for a cigarette.
“You at least have the excuse of being injured, but I’m perfectly healthy and still can’t keep up with that guy’s stamina. What would have happened if he hadn’t been stabbed in the stomach?”
Barsabe let out a sigh somewhere between envy, surprise, and lamentation, dropping her head. Seeing this, her roommate patted her shoulder playfully to comfort her.
“Don’t be like that. If you feel bad, your wounds will heal slower. There are rumors that he’s not human, you know.”
It was a rumor that had spread from Captain Jeirutt’s background check on Beric. Of course, the starting point was Beric’s miraculous recovery ability and behavior that was unlike any normal person.
Barsabe frowned and sneered.
“Not human? That’s funny. I’ll admit he’s a dog, though.”
“I’m leaning towards that too. The more I look at him, the less human he seems. Haha.”
How many people must have seen Beric’s naked body while treating his ruptured organs and mangled limbs? If he wasn’t human, there should have been some peculiarities left on his body. Instead of vague rumors, more concrete and certain words would have come out.
“Is that why Captain Jeirutt is pushing him like that?”
“Pushing? He’s been beating him up all day.”
“...Have you ever seen the captain move unnecessarily?”
At Barsabe’s question, her roommate just shrugged. Beric and Xiaoshi were almost the only outsiders apart from the Imperial Guard and Defense Department. Nevertheless, Captain Jeirutt was instructing them along with the Imperial Guard and made no effort to hide it.
Thwack!
“Aaaah!”
Sure enough, along with a clear striking sound, Beric’s scream rang out. The troublemaker had been hit by Captain Jeirutt. Everyone had been sneaking glances at Beric while pretending not to, but now they openly turned to look.
“It hurts, old man! Look!”
“...What the fuck?”
“No, look! Look at this! Bump! Bump!”
Thwack!
Beric clutched his forehead and fell forward. His body was already soaked and limp with sweat, so this was a ploy to lie down and rest. Realizing this, Jeirutt clicked his pocket watch in warning.
“If you don’t get up in 1 minute, you’re banned from the training ground from now on.”
“Aaaaargh!”
It was a scream mixed with annoyance, but his body was diligent. Beric jumped up and swung his fists in the air. Even without looking, it was clear who he was imagining.
“Oh, really. Just wait until I become captain!”
“...Haa, haa.”
As Xiaoshi tried to pass by, breathing heavily, Beric rolled over to block her path. While Beric was swinging his sword and making a fuss, Xiaoshi was diligently carrying out the basic training as ordered by Jeirutt.
“If you can’t handle it, quit. No one’s forcing you to do this. The training ground would be more pleasant without you. I’d welcome it, actually.”
“Jeirutt! Damn it! Just you wait!”
Bang! Boom boom!
He kicks the ground several times as if filled with anger. Xiaoshi handed water to Beric, who poured it over his head to cool down instead of drinking it.
“Hah, shit.”
“...You’re doing well.”
“This is doing well?”
Xiaoshi nodded. Jeirutt was now teaching Beric discipline, and Beric was accepting it. For someone who lived like a ruffian to wear a uniform, isn’t this process essential?
Xiaoshi knew from experience. To obey something, suppressing one’s instincts is the beginning.
“If I knew it would be like this, I wouldn’t have said those things at the start.”
When they first came to the training ground, Jeirutt was closer to coaxing Beric. Just being a magic swordsman made him valuable.
But-
‘I want to be number one.’
‘Everyone wants that. But in the end, those who achieve it are those who desire it more desperately than others. You only want strength. No matter how deep that desire is, your driving force is just that one thing.’
‘So? Is there anything else besides that?’
‘Beric, create meaning. Decide what you want to do with your strength. If you don’t, it’ll be hard to reach your goal, and even if you do, it’ll be difficult to fully enjoy that joy.’
Jeirutt’s advice reminded him of that day. Beyond his father’s violence and the attacks of robbers, that recent day. When Timothy asked if he and Ian were truly friends, and he was at a loss for words, unable to boast about anything.
“After all that talk, who knew he’d completely change his attitude and push me like this? Fuck, I’ve been conned, really. I shouldn’t have let Ian bring it up!”
Crunch!
Beric crumpled the water bottle and threw it far away. Then he ran off as if to vent his frustration. Xiaoshi, who suddenly lost her water bottle, sighed.
Tap!
And without another word, she started running again. Both of them wanted the same thing. To be selected and prove their worth. It was the way to benefit themselves and their comrades.
Jeirutt watched the two with a whistle in his mouth. The Imperial Guard knights were also watching. Jeirutt blew his whistle hard and shouted.
“I see some slacking off with their swords. Keep moving!”
“Yes, sir!”
“If you have complaints, rise to the captain position! No matter how much you shout from below, I can’t hear you!”
“Hyaah!”
Tweet!
The Imperial Palace training ground faced its noisiest days ever. Day and night, the challengers’ battle cries never ceased as they strove to achieve their goals.
***
And on that long-awaited day.
It was the start of the talent selection exam that would take place over two weeks. People with number tags on their chests were lined up, waiting to enter the training ground. Beric and Xiaoshi were among them.
“Enter in single file. Keep your order and spacing!”
“We’ll call names from the front row. Go over there for a simple physical examination, then come for the basic fitness test. Those below the standard will leave the palace immediately, and those who pass, bring your name tags. We’ll make a sparring schedule.”
“Quiet! Don’t cause a commotion!”
“You there! Leave your weapons at the entrance!”
It was noisy, very chaotic. Beric grabbed Xiaoshi’s arm, who was standing right in front of him, shaking it to release his tension and excitement.
“Wow, there are so many fucking people.”
“......”
“Huh? Xiao, look over there!”
Beric turned Xiaoshi’s head upwards. Familiar people were standing in front of the second-floor railing. Ian, Romandro, and Jin were watching the two of them.
As their eyes met, Romandro waved both hands in greeting. It was encouragement to do well without getting hurt. Jin also carefully raised one hand, and Ian was just smiling with his chin resting on his hand.
“Iaaaan!”
“......”
“Xiao, you shout too. Sir! Romaandroo!”
Although the call was buried in the noise, it reached Ian. He smiled and nodded. As if to say, well, let’s see how well you do.