Chapter 1: Demotion
The Gastro Empire. It is the oldest and most mature nation on the continent, with a history of over a thousand years.
Among them, the Imperial Palace towering in the center of the imperial capital is both magnificent and graceful. The imperial residence, where the lavish mansions of the upper aristocracy are lined up, is the residential area. The administrative district, where the imperial generals in the center conduct government affairs. The entertainment district, which gathers the pleasures of the entire continent and entertains the imperial family, nobles, and state guests.
Virtually all cultures and functions were concentrated in this place.
At one time, a drunken noble muttered,
“Those who do not live in the Imperial Palace are not human.”
It was in this glittering stage that the inauguration ceremony for the new generals was held.
There were 24 of them this year. They were elite candidates who would take on the core of the empire. A glamorous life within the Imperial Palace. A promised promotion. A sparkling social gathering of those of unparalleled status. While the newly appointed generals, their hearts racing at this brilliant future, were lined up, a young man with black hair muttered.
“It smells rotten.”
“…!”
At this out-of-place remark, the girl standing next to him, Emma Donaire, was stunned. She quickly confirmed that no one around them had noticed, and glared at him with tearful eyes.
“Be careful with your words. If possible, don’t say another word.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it.”
“Don’t just casually say something that would cause a big problem if you’re overheard!”
“Eh? But I couldn’t help it, so it can’t be helped.”
“Then please be silent for the rest of your life!”
Although Emma’s tone became sharp, the young man with black hair did not show the slightest sign of being shaken.
His name was Hazen Heim.
He, too, was a newly appointed general, a shiny first-year student. But unlike the excited reactions around him, he was utterly expressionless, watching the greetings of the upper aristocracy.
“…Phew.”
Hazen sighed, thinking it was a complete waste of time. He didn’t deny the effect of increasing loyalty and solidarity through the ceremony, but there were too many people taking the stage, and the time was too long. The content was also thin, with some merely reading the prepared script in a flat tone.
It no longer seemed to be for the sake of the new generals, but only for the pleasure of their superiors.
After the greetings of the upper aristocrats had exceeded three hours, the oath ceremony for the new generals finally began. Lezard Ligra, the top-ranked, was called and began his greetings on the stage.
“I thought for sure Hazen would be the top-ranked.”
Emma muttered beside him. She was someone he had spent time with in the same academy. They had always been together for lectures, lunch, and other events, in other words, they were classmates.
“It’s fine being 3rd place.”
“…If anyone other than you said that, it would sound like sour grapes.”
Emma couldn’t help but smile wryly.
Every year, more than hundreds of thousands of people take the general examination. Just passing it is an extremely difficult challenge. The content is only practical magic and written tests. It is recruited with the pretext of evaluating capable personnel regardless of commoner or aristocrat status, based solely on ability.
But that is only the surface.
An investigation into the disclosed grades and the backgrounds of the successful candidates revealed that there was not a single top-ranked candidate from a commoner background. There were none in second place either, and the highest was third place. Furthermore, the top and second places were occupied entirely by prestigious aristocratic families. It was clear that the grades were being manipulated in a biased manner.
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In other words, commoner generals who could outperform prestigious aristocrats were unnecessary.
Nevertheless, the examination itself is a difficult hurdle. Whether they are aristocrats or commoners, each individual pours their full effort into passing the exam and never even thinks of “manipulating the rankings”.
But for a man like Hazen Heim, it was the natural thing to do.
Since he was aiming for the core of the empire, strategic thinking was essential. Especially within the Imperial Palace, where upper aristocrats were crowded, he had to move cautiously. A competent commoner-born general who was not exceptionally brilliant, but reasonably capable – that was Hazen’s desired starting point.
The oath ceremony was over, and it was time for the new generals to be assigned. Placement was one of the biggest concerns for the new generals, and a major event that would greatly impact their future careers. The first one called was the top-ranked general who had just gone up on stage to give a speech.
“Lezard Ligra. Imperial Palace Guard Division.”
“Yes!”
The spirited, hardy young man’s voice resounded, and the new generals stirred among themselves.
“As expected, he’s been assigned to the central military division.”
Emma couldn’t help but smile wryly.
The Imperial Palace Guard Division was responsible for guarding the imperial family and upper aristocracy, and was considered a course for advancement. Lezard’s father, Gazalia, was the head of the prestigious Ligra family, ranking third among the upper aristocracy. Therefore, Lezard’s assignment could be said to be a result reflecting not only his grades, but also his family background.
“Emma Donaire. Imperial Palace Agricultural Department.”
“Y-yes!”
Somewhat flustered, she replied joyfully. Originally, she had aspired to be a civil servant, so she seemed to be relieved. The content of the general examination was such that the examiners assessed the candidates’ aptitude based on their grades, without any distinction between military and civil service. As a result, many were assigned to departments they did not wish for.
One by one, the high-ranking officers were being summoned.
Hazen, watching them leave from the corner of his eye, muttered “How terrible.”
It was clear that they were being called in order of rank, and were being assigned to the so-called elite government agencies. Even a fool could see that Lezard, the top student, and Emma, the second-best, were being prioritized. This was a common practice that reflected the organization’s structure. It seemed to reveal how the Empire favored the imperial family and the higher nobility.
“Next… is Hazen Heim. Northern Garna District. Border Security.”
“Yes.”
The young commoner called last responded plainly. But the murmuring around him was much louder. Suppressed laughter could be heard, and everyone had a look of disdain.
Not assigned to the central Imperial Palace, but to the frontlines in the region. It was clearly a demotion.
The Northern Garna District was a hotly contested area where more than half of those assigned there were killed or injured. It bordered the Diode Duchy, but there was no diplomatic relationship, only constant territorial disputes.
Furthermore, there were occasional attacks by foreign tribes that required constant response. Typically, such dangerous areas were staffed by lower-ranking officers, not high-ranking generals.
As Hazen stepped up to receive his orders, a higher nobleman whispered with a smirk,
“Good luck. Do your best.”
“Thank you very much,”
Hazen replied, politely bowing and stepping down, unfazed.
After the ceremony, Hazen and Emma exited the hall, where a silver-haired girl was waiting. Unlike the petite Emma, this woman had a voluptuous figure from intense training.
“Lei Fa! Long time no see,”
Emma said happily, approaching her. Lei Fa greeted her with a warm smile, gently patting her head. Lei Fa was a Zexan, a people known for their physical prowess. The three were old schoolmates, and after graduating, Hazen had hired Lei Fa as his bodyguard.
Imperial officers were allowed to have a retinue of bodyguards matching their rank. Lei Fa’s skills in combat were outstanding, though her academic performance as a civil servant was lacking.
“Hazen and Lei Fa, to the Northern Garna District, huh. That’s a really intense place,” Emma said.
“Don’t worry. I’ll protect Hazen,”
Lei Fa said, puffing out her ample chest.
“…He’s the kind of guy who wouldn’t die even if you killed him a thousand times, so I’m not worried about that at all,”
Emma gave a wry smile that was hard to describe.
“The front lines are exactly where I want to be. I’ll achieve results as quickly as possible and come back to show you.”
“Heh… You’re just putting on a brave front.”
The one who cut into their casual conversation was a chubby young nobleman with a smirking face.
“Uh… You were Dometa Cares, right?”
Hazen managed to recall the name. It was vaguely familiar, tucked away in the far corners of his memory. He was also a graduate of the same academy. Though they had never really talked during their time there.
“How pitiful. A commoner worked so hard to become an imperial officer, only to get posted to the remote front lines. What a waste of effort. Good job, I guess.”
“……”
It seemed he had been itching to say that. Dometa patted Hazen’s shoulder with a triumphant smile.
“Emma, I got assigned to the Ministry of Commerce. It’s strange for a person of noble ancestry like you to keep worrying about the feelings of a commoner like this. You should be more careful about the company you keep.”
“…Haha.”
She gave a wry smile that was hard to describe.
“And you, woman,”
“yes”
Lei Fa, when called, straightens her posture and replies.
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