To the Imperial Capital (2)
Near the entrance of the demon realm, the 7th Legion's main headquarters existed.
It could be said that every fortress of the 7th Legion, including Paruzan, had been constructed with this place as the starting point.
The carriage carrying Louis did not go directly to the capital but arrived here instead.
That was because it was a place all 7th Legion soldiers summoned by the emperor had to pass through.
Soldiers selected from each fortress stretching out from the headquarters into the demon realm were gathering.
The soldiers from Paruzan Fortress, who arrived the latest, felt a sense of déjà vu as soon as they got off the carriage.
"This place feels familiar sohow."
"I think I've been here once before."
Anyone assigned as a soldier of the 7th Legion had co through here at least once.
After going through so simple procedures here, the process would send them off to one of the legion's fortresses.
Thanks to that, Louis and the rest of the squad mbers rembered this place well.
"So, what do we do now?"
"For now, just stay here. I'll go report to the command room."
When Victor, looking around, asked, Klein hurriedly left the spot.
Before he disappeared, he left Silia, who had to manage the squad mbers alone, with a warning.
"Ah, make sure to keep an eye on those brats so they don't cause trouble here."
"Understood."
Perhaps the squad mbers understood his words, as they stood quietly and just looked around.
Nurous buildings centered around a massive fortress were standing as if to prove this was the headquarters of a legion.
The area was easily more than twice the size of Paruzan Fortress.
It wasn't hard to guess what was inside the buildings reminiscent of a village.
Surely, just like in Paruzan, there would be military facilities like weapon storages.
However, there was a big difference between here and Paruzan Fortress.
"Huh? Sothing slls delicious."
Rio made a dazed face as she caught a scent that tickled her nose.
Turning her head toward it, she spotted a building with smoke pouring out of its chimney.
It was just one among many buildings, but a lot of knights in armor were going in and out of it.
There was even so kind of sauce staining the lips of soldiers coming out of the building.
Just from the aroma wafting from inside, it was clear what kind of place it was.
"Is that a cafeteria?"
"Ha... lucky them. We don't have anything like that."
Unlike the fortresses which existed to tornt soldiers, this headquarters was where regular soldiers stayed.
Since they were not convict soldiers, they could at least expect to be treated like humans.
Thinking back to the stale nutrient rations and a cup of water she'd had last night, Pram sighed in envy.
"Guys, the more I look at it, the hungrier I get."
" too."
"I'm jealous. When's the last ti we had a decent al?"
Other than when Louis brought candy or bread as a reward, they rarely ever had a proper al.
The nutrient packs given as supplies were only enough to keep them from starving, but never sated their hunger or gave them any taste.
"I want to eat mom's stew again."
"For , it's the at the orphanage director used to make."
The squad mbers wore sorrowful expressions, but suddenly, their eyes t with so knights exiting the cafeteria.
Those knights, looking over, frowned as if they were looking at bugs.
When a few others sneered as they passed by, Rio's face darkened.
"This is infuriating. Should I go take their heads off, young master?"
"Stand down. If you act out here, they'll have us all killed."
This was a place where the commander of the legion, ranking above even the commander of a fortress, was stationed.
If they caught his eye, they could be executed on the spot without question.
"Can't you see that?"
When Louis pointed, the squad mbers were startled.
There, so 7th Legion soldiers could be seen being tortured.
They were from another fortress who'd arrived earlier than them.
What's more, the knights of this headquarters were openly enjoying tornting those soldiers.
"If you don't want to end up like that, you'd better stay quiet."
"Why?"
"What do you an, why? We're 7th Legion soldiers."
"But isn't the 7th Legion only for criminals? What cri did we commit?"
At Rio's question, Louis fell silent.
The rest of the squad mbers also lowered their heads, expressions bleak.
"I forgot all about it until now. We've been so focused on surviving monsters, adapting to the demon realm, and getting stronger that there wasn't room to think. But seeing this place, all the important stuff finally ca to mind."
Why were we put in a place where only criminals were sent?
The realization hit Rio with a wave of sorrow.
"It's not that we forgot. We just endured it. And we've just kept submitting. Don't you think this is way too absurd?"
They'd lost their hos and parents—they were victims, but with just the 7th Legion's stigma stamped on them, they were branded criminals.
Even though they hadn't really done anything wrong, it was inevitable the world would see them as convicts.
Just like those soldiers being tortured there now.
"This is our fate from now on, too. Just for being branded with the stigma, we'll be used for the rest of our lives and just die at the end."
All it took was one officer casting a spell and they could be worked like slaves.
For everyone except Louis, the future looked just as dark as ever.
Rio sumd up their fate in one sentence.
"Is this really right?"
Of course not.
But no one goes around shouting that in public.
Society will never allow it, and in the end, the truth just gets buried.
The anger festering inside that buried truth only turns against society, leading, inevitably, to the birth of so-called "evil"—outlaws.
"Hey, you lot! Did you just look at us?"
Just then, two of the knights whose eyes they'd t earlier approached the squad mbers.
Their sneering expressions betrayed their intentions.
"Well, well. What're those faces for?"
"You weren't just looking at us—you were glaring at us, weren't you?"
The squad mbers happened to be wearing depressed expressions right then.
From a distance, it could easily look like they were scowling.
The knights, having caught a perfect excuse, reached out and touched Rio's shoulder—she looked the most dismal.
"But I gotta say, you guys are actually decent looking, huh?"
"Why don't you say sothing? Lift your heads."
A knight forcibly lifted Rio and Pram's chins.
They were the only two females among the soldiers, and both fairly good-looking, but their grimaces deepened.
"What's with that look? Are you still glaring at us even now?"
"You little criminal brats, we'll have to give you a taste of proper discipline."
When the knight raised his hand inscribed with a spell, Rio finally panicked.
Every day, those damned spells strangled their lives, and the squad mbers shuddered as if on cue.
"You bastard!!"
That was when it happened. Soone struck the back of Louis's head and knocked him to the ground.
Everyone was startled to see it was Silia.
"What was that for...?"
"How many tis have I told you not to call
elder sister?"
Despite the angry look on Silia's face, Louis wore an indignant expression.
But in truth, there was no real anger in her voice.
When Silia followed up with a wink, Louis imdiately realized her intentions.
He began to act along with her in earnest.
"Owwww!!"
"I told you to call
squad leader!!"
As Louis pretended to clutch his aching head, Silia shouted, triggering a spell.
Of course, it had no effect on Louis, but he began acting as if he were suffering from it.
"Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!!"
"How many tis is this now? Do you have any idea what's going on?!"
"Kwaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!"
At Louis's inexpressible screams, even the knights who'd wanted to torture him flinched.
They were used to tornting with spells, but it was their first ti hearing a soldier scream like that.
It was loud enough for other nearby soldiers and knights to turn their heads.
The squad mbers looked at Louis with a look that said, 'What's going on?'
There was no real pain, so why was he making such a fuss?
"Squad leader, what is this...?"
"If you don't want to get caught up in it, keep still."
When Rio asked, Silia gave a covert warning.
Then, she kept up the act of torturing Louis.
Only Louis would "receive" the torture. The squad mbers understood and stayed quiet.
"Now, say it! Call
squad leader!"
"Ugh..."
Silia played the strict supervisor, but Louis sensed sothing lacking.
The anger was just a bit too overt, making it obvious it was all an act.
He soon ca up with a better idea.
"Elder Sister. Rember after the stampede, when we were resting? I woke up to use the bathroom and heard sothing weird in the middle of the night."
"...?"
"Where was it...? Pretty sure it was the officers' break room."
A chill spread from Silia at those words.
Though the squad mbers shivered, Louis continued speaking undaunted.
"I heard sothing really interesting coming from there."
Despite holding a serious position as deputy-commander, Silia had a peculiar hobby.
Simply put, it was reading—but not ordinary books—she read novels.
'Not holy scriptures (????/聖書), but erotic books (????/性書).'
Only Silia herself and Louis, with his superhuman senses, knew that those books were hidden deep in the deputy-commander's spot in the officers' break room.
"I had no idea you were into that sort of thing."
"Stop it."
"Co to think of it, didn't you say you read it once through classmates back in the academy days?"
"I told you to stop."
Her voice carried new weight at Louis's teasing.
"Hey, everyone! Did you know?! This elder sister—she secretly... in the break room—a real pervert..."
Just as Louis, ignoring Silia's state, was about to shout,
*Thwack!!*
His face was suddenly flattened.
Silia's fist, moving at inhuman speed, slamd Louis's head into the floor.
"I said stop it!!"
Seeing Silia, having lost her temper, smash a soldier's face into the ground, the squad mbers recoiled in shock.
Nearby knights, flocking around, were also left dumbfounded by her ferocity.
"How did you know about that?"
Pausing her assault for a mont, Silia grabbed Louis by the hair and asked.
"How did you find out?!"
"You know very well."
With his superhuman senses, what couldn't he find?
As he said that, Silia's face turned as pale as her own hair color and she threatened,
"Keep it a secret. Don't tell a soul."
"I refuse."
"Then you die and I'll die with you!!"
Silia slamd Louis into the ground once more and raised her fist.
No one dared approach, seeing her look more monstrous than ever.
It didn't look like a person beating up another, but a monster turning a herbivore into mush.
"What's with you guys?"
"Huh?"
"Eek!"
The knights who'd just approached the squad mbers t Silia's eyes.
Seeing her monstrous, nacing appearance, they instantly ran for it.
"Squad leader, let's call it off now."
With the knights gone, the act had served its purpose.
Louis spoke, but sothing was off.
"Call what off? You started this."
"Huh?"
No one else had been tortured, so the goal was achieved.
That's all Louis considered, but seeing Silia's wicked expression, he realized too late.
She was too far gone.
"Squad leader, honestly, I'm not hurt at all."
"Then let's keep at it until you are. Okay?"
It seed she had truly lost it.
Louis was left wondering what to do.
"What are you all doing right now!"
Klein appeared like a savior, pulling Silia away.
Seeing Klein, she snapped out of her daze and looked flustered.
"Mage... this is..."
As she flustered, she t eyes with Louis, sprawled on the ground.
Even after that beating, Louis looked just fine, and she clicked her tongue in disbelief.
"It's ti for an assembly. Everyone, move to the underground training hall."
The squad mbers felt a surge of curiosity toward Silia, who had just shown such savagery.
To be precise, curiosity about the "books" she read.
.
.
.
That order was delivered to all 7th Legion soldiers assembled at headquarters.
They were led to a massive arena built under the headquarters.
Once all the soldiers had gathered in the place called the training hall, an old man stepped onto a platform.
He addressed the soldiers assembled below.
"Welco to the 7th Legion headquarters, you trash."
"Who are you calling trash, old man?!"
One soldier, enraged by the old man's words, shouted back.
The next mont, the soldier suddenly collapsed, bleeding.
The old man, having sohow unsheathed his sword, calmly sheathed it again as he spoke.
"No need for you to know who I am. But I know you all very well. You're the trash that hit rock bottom and have co here hoping for a second chance."
So soldiers frowned at his scornful words.
However, witnessing how quickly one of their fellows was taken out, the rest stayed silent.
"I heard soone among you defeated an Great Devil. I'll ask you all here."
The old man scowled at the soldiers with such force it seed to press them down.
"Do you really think the likes of you could do that? Not just any demon, but a Great Devil? Don't make
laugh! The only reason you're all here is to use that rit as an excuse to escape from the bottom!"
How could ones who couldn't even handle higher-rank monsters possibly defeat an Great Devil?
Whoever they were, the old man saw through the true motives of the 7th Legion soldiers from the start.
"That's not just my opinion. Even His Majesty the Emperor agrees."
"The Emperor?"
"Do you really think His Majesty would overlook what kind of disaster could occur if criminals like you were let out into the world?"
It was obvious soone would claim to be the Great Devil slayer.
Anyone, even without His Majesty's perspective, could guess that.
"So, you will all be tested right here."
Knights standing near the old man unfurled scrolls.
As light shone forth, a barrier wrapped around the training hall.
To the soldiers now trapped, the old man declared:
"Whichever squad survives, I'll send to the capital."
So soldiers murmured in confusion, but others, sensing his intent, swallowed hard.
Of course, Louis saw through it, too.
To put it simply:
From now on—they were to kill each other.
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