The Empire of the Sun is a mature nation with over a thousand years of history, making it the oldest on the continent. At its center stands the Skypalace, magnificent and elegant. The lavish Imperial Palace and the mansions of high-ranking nobles line the residential area. The administrative district is where the central imperial officers conduct political affairs. The entertainment district gathers pleasures from across the continent, hosting exchanges between royalty, nobility, and national guests.

This place was the center of nearly all cultures and activities. One day, a nobleman, intoxicated by the moon and wine, muttered suddenly, "Any noble who does not reside in the Skypalace is not human."

The appointment ceremony for new officers took place in such a dazzling setting. This year, there were twenty-four new officers, the elite candidates who would shoulder the core responsibilities of the empire. The splendid life within the Skypalace, the promised rise in status, and the glamorous socializing were carried out among those of impeccable status. Among the newly appointed officers, their hearts brimming with the promise of bright futures, a young man with black hair whispered softly, "It smells rotten."

"...!"

The girl standing next to him, Emma Donia, was aghast at his utterly inappropriate remark. She quickly confirmed that no one else had noticed and glared at him with tears welling up in her eyes.

"Mind your tongue. If possible, I’d prefer you don’t say another word."

"Oh, sorry. It just slipped out."

"Don't let such comments that could cause a huge problem just slip out!"

"Huh? It escaped, so there's no way to stop it."

"Then, please stay silent for the rest of your life!"

Emma's tone turned formal as she lost her temper, but the young man with black hair was unfazed. His name was Heisen Heim. He was also a new officer, a fresh first-year. As the high-ranking nobles began to give their greetings one after another, Heisen sighed, finding it an utter waste of time. While he did not deny the effect of strengthening loyalty and solidarity through ceremony, there were too many people giving greetings, making it endlessly long. The content was thin, with some merely reading prepared scripts monotonously. It no longer seemed to be for the new officers but rather to please their superiors.

After the high-ranking nobles' greetings lasted for more than three hours, the new officers finally began their pledge greetings. Rezard Rigra, the valedictorian, took the stage and began his speech.

"I thought Heisen would be the valedictorian," Emma muttered beside him. They had once attended the same academy. They had spent lectures, lunches, and other events together, primarily as school friends.

"Third place is fine."

"Anyone else would sound like sour grapes saying that."

Emma couldn’t help but smile wryly. Every year, hundreds of thousands of talented individuals from across the country take the officer exams. Simply passing the exam was an incredibly narrow gate. The exam results were widely disclosed. The content consisted solely of practical magic and written tests. Recruitment was based solely on merit, regardless of whether one was a commoner or a noble. At least, that was the official stance. Examining the family backgrounds of the top scorers over the past 300 years revealed that not a single valedictorian was from a commoner background. Not even the salutatorian. The highest rank achieved was third. Moreover, the valedictories and salutatories consistently featured prestigious nobles. It was clear that there was arbitrary manipulation of the results. In other words, the empire had no need for commoner officers who outperformed the noble elite.

Nevertheless, the difficulty of the exam itself did not change. Whether noble or commoner, everyone put all their effort into passing the exam without even thinking of manipulating the ranks. However, for a man like Heisen Heim, it was obvious. A strategic mind was indispensable when aiming for the core of the empire. Especially within the Skypalace, packed with high-ranking nobles, one had to maneuver carefully. Achieving third place, the highest attainable rank for a commoner, was essential to standing at the starting line as an officer.

As the pledge greetings ended, it was finally time for the new officers' assignments. It was one of the biggest concerns for new officers, greatly impacting their future careers. The valedictorian, who had just finished his speech on stage, was the first to receive the call.

"Rezard Rigra. Assigned to the Sky Palace Guard."

"Yes!"

The robust young man's voice echoed, and the new officers buzzed.

"The central military receives him as expected." Emma couldn’t help but smile wryly. The Skypalace Guard was responsible for the royal family's and high-ranking nobles' security, a so-called fast track to success. Rezard's father, Gazaria, was the head of the prestigious Rigra family, holding the third-highest noble rank of "Grand Duke." Thus, his son's assignment reflected not only his grades but also his lineage.

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However, Heisen didn’t seem particularly concerned.

"Emma Donia. The Skypalace has assigned Emma Donia to the Agricultural Ministry."

"Y-yes!"

She responded with a bit of a stutter but looked relieved. Her initial aspiration was to become a civil officer, so she appeared to be feeling a sense of relief. The examiners used the officer exam results to evaluate suitability, making no distinction between civil and military departments, leading to the assignment of many to departments they had no desire for.

Then they called the officers one by one. As Heisen watched them out of the corner of his eye, he muttered, "This is terrible." It was obvious that those with higher noble titles were being called in order and assigned to the so-called prestigious departments. Rezard, the valedictorian, and Emma, the second-ranked student, were exceptional in their own right, but their blatant line-up made this clear to anyone, even a fool. This custom served as a microcosm of the organization. It highlighted how much the empire pandered to the royal and high-ranking noble classes.

"Heisen Heim. Northern Garna District. Border Security."

"Yes."

The young man of common birth, the last one called, responded in a mechanical voice. However, the surrounding buzz was particularly loud. Snickers and sneers leaked from all directions.

He was not assigned to the central Skypalace but rather to the front lines of a regional area. It was practically a punitive transfer. On his first day, they assigned him to the extreme frontlines. It was a blatantly discriminatory demotion against a commoner. The northern Garna District is a fiercely contested area where more than half of the assigned personnel end up dead or injured. Geographically, it borders the Duchy of Diold, with which there are no diplomatic relations and a strained relationship. Battles rage day and night as they constantly clash over territory. Furthermore, the Cumin tribe, an ethnic group that requires constant vigilance, periodically raids the area. Non-commissioned officers below the rank of warrant officer normally assign themselves to such dangerous regions, and they rarely dispatch officer candidates there.

When Heisen stepped onto the stage to receive his orders, a smirking, high-ranking nobleman muttered, suppressing his laughter, "Good luck. Do your best."

"Thank you."

However, Heisen didn’t care and made a formal imperial bow before briskly descending the stage. After the appointment ceremony, Heisen and Emma exited into the hallway, where a massive warrior awaited them. He had a robust, well-trained body from his rigorous training.

"Kakuzu! Long time, no see."

Emma happily rushed over, and the called youth shyly smiled and gently patted her head. Kakuzu, a giant warrior of the physically gifted Zeksan ethnicity, was a fellow student of Heisen and Emma. After graduation, Heisen hired him as a bodyguard. Imperial officers could have bodyguards accompany them, depending on their rank. Kakuzu wasn’t excellent academically, but his martial arts skills were outstanding.

"We have assigned Heisen to the northern Garna District. This implies a separation between you and Kakuzu," Emma pondered sorrowfully.

"Don’t worry. I’ll protect Heisen," Kakuzu said with a broad smile, thumping his thick chest.

"I’m not worried about that. He is the type of individual who would not succumb to death, regardless of the number of times he was killed. But accepting such a demanding role from the start?"

"I welcome the frontlines. I’ll achieve results quickly and come back."

"Heh, trying to act tough."

As they were chatting, a chubby young noble approached with a sneer.

"Oh, you’re Domeita Kas, right?"

Heisen vaguely remembered him from the very fringes of his memory. Domeita had also graduated from the same academy, though Heisen couldn’t recall ever having a conversation with him.

“It’s pitiful, isn’t it? A commoner puts in a great deal of effort to become an imperial officer, only to find themselves on the front lines. Such wasted effort. Good job, I guess.”

“...”

Domeita wore a triumphant grin and patted Heisen on the shoulder. It seemed he had been dying to say this.

"Emma, the Ministry of Commerce has appointed me. It’s unbecoming for someone from a noble family like yours to keep associating with commoners. You should choose your friends more wisely."

“Ha.”

She forced a strained smile. Meanwhile, Heisen stood before the bewildered beauty, looking perplexed.

"Domeita, could you not trouble my friends?"

"W-what?"

"Despite the enormous advantage of being from a prestigious noble family, they judged you as 'not worth associating with' and chose to befriend a mere commoner like me. Do you understand what that means?"

Heisen tilted his head with a radiant smile.

"Ugh..."

"If I were in your position and had feelings for Emma, I’d be ashamed enough to kill myself right here. However, you, who proudly display your noble status as an imperial officer despite your poor academic performance, may not care. I envy your thick skin, which matches your physique."

"Ugh..."

The black-haired youth's expression was stunningly beautiful, and he smiled brightly.

"So, why don't you befriend others who share your pitiful belief that noble lineage is the only identity? Have fun among yourselves. I’d appreciate it if you could avoid any further interaction with me. Goodbye."

With that, Heisen briskly walked away, followed by a pale-faced Emma and Kakuzu.

"Oh my..."

It was a scene often witnessed during their academy days. Heisen, unyielding regardless of his opponent, would crush anyone he saw as an enemy. Everyone, with the exception of these two, overwhelmingly disliked Heisen. But Heisen himself didn’t care one bit.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”

“W-what were you thinking...?”

“It’s the truth.”

“There are some truths you shouldn’t say!”

“Why create more enemies? Someday, you’ll get ganged up on!”

“Ha.”

“Ugh...”

Ignoring the tearful protests of his friends, Heisen was already lost in thought.

“It’s worse than I imagined.”

The empire was undeniably vast and powerful. But as a nation, it was overly mature and clearly rotten at its core. Especially in the central skypalace, he glimpsed the deep darkness within. He hoped things weren’t as dire in the provinces.

“Well, it doesn’t change what I need to do. I’ll do what I have to do.”

“I feel sorry for all the imperial officers, enemies, and everyone in the northern Garna District awaiting your arrival,” Emma said, to which Heisen responded with a fearless smile.