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Rampaging aristocrat
「That was your doing after all?」
After turning all the beasts into silent corpses, I talked towards the gaps between the trees
「I know you are there. How about coming out dignifiedly like the noble you are?」
The previously used <Life detection> has revealed all living creatures lurking in this area
Even the ones with malicious intent
After a short while of silence, finally there are several sound of someone stepping on fallen leaves……。
The one appeared was Gilly, a noble-born and also a trainee like me
「……My view on you have improved, Jira-kun. A plebeian like you can do this much, huh?」
「I despise you, instead. I didn’t expect you to do this much」
Inciting the demon beasts was Gilly’s doing
If you organize the story, then it’s not absurd
I have mentioned this many times, but the empire have contracted with Beast god Beast and can use demon beasts as war potential
It seems like officers with a certain rank can be granted the privilege to control demon beasts by the emperor, who is one of the contract’s entity
「……that wand? I can strongly feel the demon beast’s power」
Gilly is holding a wand-like thing in his left hand
That should be the symbol to assign the right to command demon beasts from the emperor
It’s that kind of magic item
「Exactly! This 『lesser beasts’ command wand』 is the sacred tool given to the chosen ones within the imperial army circles! With this I can control demon beasts as I wish!」
「It’s not something you can have by any means」
「No, I have the qualification to use this sacred tool! Because I am one of the imperial nobles! I have the right to lead, the right to command everything!」
This guy who can’t even properly do the trainee’s examination?
I noticed that I couldn’t find him before the start of the examination
It was not my duty to care so I ignored that, but I wonder if he had waited here since then
「So what do you want? Hindering other people’s important test which will judge whether they can become a regular soldier or not, I will have you pay for that, depending on your answer」
「Such trivial thing is out of my consideration. My aim is you, Jira-kun」
Hmm。
「You who didn’t want to become my ally are just an eyesore. So my conclusion was to crush you as early as possible」
「So, it leads to this reckless action?」
「You guys were taking a test on a mountain at night. An unforeseeable accident happened, and unfortunately a promising plebeian died. It was a sudden tragedy caused by self-conceited」
「I’m not self-conceited though？」
「You did. Otherwise, you wouldn’t refuse the invitation from a noble like me」
Veins of anger appeared on the face of the conceited noble
「I will kill you after fully teaching you how much you have flaunted your success. Opposing a noble is enough of a reason for you plebeian to die!」
He looks determined
I don’t hesitate to accept his challenge, but before I can, someone caught the idiotic noble’s shoulder
「Please stop, Gilly-sama……!!」
Rei
Did he also follow him?
「Don’t you understand? He is not someone who can easily be killed even if you incite the demon beasts. The 『Lesser beasts’ command wand』 was only given to you by your father. It would be a big trouble if someone knew you took it out as you pleased. Your situation is worse than what you imagined!」
「Shut up! Are you ordering me, Rei!?」
But the idiotic noble, who is a prime sample of a foolish ruler, doesn’t comply
「I just need to kill that plebeian! In that case, on the parade ground, the attentions will gather on me, and I will be chosen as a candidate for the reorganized imperial guards! To me who will stand at the top of the imperial army, this guy is a hindrance!」
「Please discard that unrealistic dream!」
Rei speaks with a piercing determination
His feeling is transmitted to me through his voice
「Even if Jira-dono is not there, the imperial army is not so easy for you to be successful! Even excluding him, there are many other great warriors in the empire! You can’t win against anyone. It’s a world where even your father’s backing won’t help you! Please quickly realize it!!」
「Whattttt!?」
The idiotic noble’s expression wrapped because of Rei’s honest speaking
Rei’s final admonition was a direct speaking without cutting any corner
It’s like that corner is piercing his heart
But, he is a fool whose heart won’t change even with that admonition
「Disloyal! You dare to betray me! I will tear you to pieces together with that conceited plebeian!」
「Guaa！」
Rei directly received a kick from the noble’s son without being able to defend
I rush over to him, who has fallen
「Are you ok, Rei？」
「I am sorry……I have caused trouble for you, I am sorry……！」
The tears welling on Rei’s eyes are not because of pain, but it’s because of his anger towards his own worthlessness
「When he stole the 『Lesser beasts’ command wand』 from his house to incite the demon beasts, I should have stopped him even if I had to beat him up. I thought even the demon beasts wouldn’t be your opponent and you could easily deal with them. I thought if he witnessed that with his own eyes, Gilly-sama would be afraid and would change his thinking……！」
Ah, so that’s your plan
「But that prediction is just a cowardly optimism. I want to make up for this with my own life. Jira, right now please head to the summit. I will hold this place even if I have to exchange my life!」
「Even if you say so……？」
Is it necessary to brace yourself?
I have defeated all dog demon beasts the noble’s son have incited
Right now, everything that need to be deal with by exchanging your life is……。
……Ah
「Don’t tell me, there is something else？」
「Right, there is another monster that the lick dogs can’t be compared to」
Then, the noble’s son has a very ugly and distorted smile……。
「It’s too late, Rei. You too will become food of this strongest demon beast. The strongest Spiked Big Face!」
He said strongest twice
Did he have that much confidence?
The grotesque thing that pushed its way through the dark night is a monster that couldn’t be compared to the demon dogs appeared a while ago
It’s a big, cat-like animal, but the face is especially big
Its face alone is about as high as my body
The eyes on that face are bizarrely huge, just like 2 big mirror shields being set there.
And those eyes are staring at us
I understand its silence
Those are the eyes evaluating its preys
Its mouth is also big just like its face, it could swallow me easily without chewing
「This guy should do it……」
As expected, the one coming out is this one
I already played 『Beast Fantasy』 series in my past life, so naturally I know this demon beast
Spiked Big Face is a powerful demon beast which appeared in the middle stage of the story throughout the series
Therefore, it couldn’t be compared to the lick dogs which appeared in the early stage
Not just that, but this big faced cat is stronger than the trash mobs that appeared frequently at the same stage, so it’s limited to only one per encounter (like you can meet a pack of dogs in one encounter, but only 1 cat per encounter)
It’s not an enemy that should be met at the stage where it will decide whether one can pass to become a regular soldier
「Gyahahahahaha!? You got cold feet!? Bringing this guy which is the strongest in father’s demon beast house is the right choice! It’s natural to be astonished, now dieee!!」
Gilly who is accompanied by a powerful demon beast already look like he has won
On the other hand, Rei had a grim expression
「As you can see. I don’t know how long can I control a demon beast of that level, but if you can live then I will gladly give up my life. When I give signal, please run without hesitation……！」
「Don’t joke. At this time, comrades should help each other, right?」
I said jokingly
「Even so, we are trainees from the same camp. Shouldn’t we become soldiers together?」
「It’s as Jira said!!」
The ground shakes with a thud, and a giant lands next to us
That is……。
「Gashi!? Why are you here!?」
「You said 『I will catch up soon』, but you was slow so I came to check the situation. It seems like it’s worth doing so, right?」
Gashi also look up at the monstrous big faced cat
Then he has cold sweat
「I can see it’s not just a normal demon beast with just a glance. So this Gashi-sama’s assistance is needed, right?」
「I’d say it’s like pouring water on a hot stone. Really, why do you return to such a dangerous place?」 (pouring water on a hot stone = doing something with inadequate effort, so it’s bound to fail)
Really, if he advanced with the other guys, right now he would already become an imperial soldier as he wished
「That is fine……I should do something for the whimsical guy who cries for my sake, right? 」 (1)
「Haa」
「Don’t worry, the other guys should have safely reached the summit. The assaulted place is unexpectedly close to the summit. That Seki is also here」
Being told so, I turn back. Certainly, there is a small guy waving his hand from behind
「You know his ears are good, right? But in fact his eyes and nose are also good. By relying on him, we can reach the summit without getting lost. Let’s quickly defeat that monster and pass the exam with all four of us!」
「But, I……!?」
Rei looks downward while standing with us
「It’s fine, let’s do it」
Me, Gashi, Rei, Seki, four of us。
In order to reach the summit and become imperial soldiers
Firstly, we must defeat the monster before us