Chapter 3

"Mr. Taro, this is Lieutenant Thunder."

"Hmm, so you are the 'Reformer' this time. I've heard the Emperor is in a foul mood."

"Probably because I'm just an ordinary middle-aged man."

"Appearance and talent aren't necessarily related... It seems the Emperor can only judge by surface level, which is quite a problem."

"Lieutenant Thunder, that's a dangerous statement."

"Baron Stein is probably saying similar things behind closed doors. Can you really talk about others?"

"Not as much as the other major nobles."

"While I agree with your assessment of the Emperor, they can't really talk about others either."

"It's frustrating not being able to retort. Well, I'm not a major noble, though."

When we arrived at the barracks with Baron Stein's guidance, Lieutenant Thunder, whom I had heard about, appeared. He had a copper-colored skin, a well-built physique, and a large scar on his left cheek, giving him the appearance of a seasoned warrior. He was about the same age as Baron Stein, and I thought he wasn't much older than me. This made us three in our early forties. Despite his intimidating appearance, from the conversation with Baron Stein, he seemed to be a down-to-earth person.

"This is your last service before retirement, isn't it? Training a 'Reformer' isn't something that can be done easily. After all, it only happens once every fifty years."

"Indeed, you're retiring. The military brass is as foolish as ever, retiring someone like Lieutenant Thunder."

"The limit of a 'commoner marshal,' I suppose. They need to bring in some noble's foolish son through connections and make him a lieutenant immediately. That's why a commoner like me was pushed out. Besides, the current Bart Kingdom isn't in a state of tension with any other country. Even a scarecrow would do."

"Is it because of the lack of water? I heard the sea is also narrow, yet there are fewer conflicts?"

"Indeed, Baron Stein must be quite capable. You're a hundred times smarter than those foolish nobles."

Lieutenant Thunder complimented me, but in my case, I'm just an ordinary middle-aged man. Without war, there's no sense of crisis, and large organizations tend to make such mistakes regardless of the world. It's just like how in any company, a fool can come in through connections with executives or major clients and cause trouble for everyone else.

"The sea in this world is monopolized by four countries, including the Bart Kingdom. Other countries can't intervene due to their location. Besides, this world is mostly desert, and the deserts are filled with sand beasts. It's not a place for war."

"If there's such leeway, why not hunt sand beasts?"

"Exactly."

There are many countries in the Great Desert, but only four, including the Bart Kingdom, have access to the sea. Other countries rely on rivers, oases, and groundwater for their livelihood. This makes it difficult for countries to wage war against each other. Due to the lack of water, it might be impossible to advance into enemy territory.

"Sand beasts often try to enter human territory. Most of the military's work involves dealing with these sand beasts."

"Then why are you retiring, Lieutenant Thunder?"

"Hey, don't call me 'Lord.' I'm not a foolish noble. You, as a 'Reformer,' might not know, but in the military, 'Lord' is added after the rank of nobles. It's a rule not to add 'Lord' to commoners."

"Is there such a rule?"

"Among other things."

"Commoner marshal. So, commoners can't become higher than a lieutenant?"

"You understand well. I graduated from the military academy, but even so, I'm still better off."

"Most commoner graduates end up retiring as captains."

According to Baron Stein, Lieutenant Thunder's promotion to lieutenant during his active service is proof of his exceptional ability.

"Usually, they give you a lieutenant rank as a favor before retirement. So, being a lieutenant and still active means Lieutenant Thunder is very capable. Soldiers call commoner lieutenants 'commoner marshals' out of respect."

It seems as difficult for a commoner to become a lieutenant as it is for a noble to become a marshal. I wonder how the military doesn't lack officers with such a system.

"Nobles can become colonels no matter how incompetent they are."

By adopting a noble-first promotion system, the number of officers is maintained. Incompetent noble children are pushed into the military to gain prestige. As a result, an excellent commoner like Lieutenant Thunder has to retire in his early forties.

"It's fine for me. I can become a hunter."

"A hunter?"

"Hunters are people who hunt sand beasts for a living."

Baron Stein explained that the most prosperous species in this world, without a doubt, are the sand beasts that live in the desert. They constantly try to invade human territory and turn non-desert lands into deserts. If human territory continues to shrink, humans will decline. Therefore, the military's main job is hunting sand beasts rather than waging war.

However, in the Bart Kingdom, the majority of military commanders are nobles.

"The military alone can't handle sand beasts, so civilian hunters also hunt them. In terms of income, hunters earn more."

Lieutenant Thunder doesn't seem to have much attachment to the military. For someone as capable as him, becoming a hunter might be more profitable than staying in the military. As an excellent soldier, he could lead hunters to hunt sand beasts more efficiently and earn even more.

"Thus, the military becomes weaker. It's a headache for the nobles."

However, if you tell this to incompetent military nobles, it will cause significant friction. Baron Stein can only sigh.

"Ah, but the noble children seem to be of high caliber, so they might lead the fight against sand beasts?"

"No way. Most of them just warm their seats. They just order the soldiers to 'charge!' and watch from behind. Hunters, who deal with daily life and safety, are much more capable commanders."

All the capable and strong commoners become hunters, I see. I wonder if the Bart Kingdom is okay with this. Is it only because there's no war with other countries?

"I didn't ask your name."

"My name is Kato Taro."

"Are you a noble?"

"Even so, there's no such big difference between commoners and nobles in this country. Besides, I'm a noble from another world, so don't worry about it."

"You're a strange noble."

Actually, I'm not a noble... Since Lieutenant Thunder doesn't seem to like nobles, I decided not to emphasize my noble status. It's a dirty judgment typical of middle-aged men.

"We'll start training tomorrow, but first, we'll issue you a uniform."

"Is this uniform a problem?"

"Purple clothing can only be worn with the Emperor's permission."

Since I, a mediocre person, was wearing it, it's no wonder the Emperor was angry. I decided to change quickly... but then a young officer appeared. He immediately saw my clothes and shouted angrily.

"Even if you're a 'Reformer' or a noble from another world, that clothing is unacceptable! Purple clothing can only be worn with the Emperor's permission!"

"Lieutenant Dorn, I was planning to have him change."

"Lieutenant Thunder, you're too slow."

Despite being a superior officer, Lieutenant Thunder uses 'Lord' with the noble officer. Conversely, the noble Lieutenant Dorn speaks quite rudely to his superior, Lieutenant Thunder. This shows the significant class differences in this world.

"Many people wear purple clothing indoors, but it's hard to obtain in the first place."

Baron Stein quietly explained the situation to me. While you need the Emperor's permission to wear purple clothing outdoors, it's not a problem indoors. However, there are strict restrictions on the sale of purple clothing, making it difficult to purchase.

Clothing stores are punished if they sell purple clothing to those without the Emperor's permission, and they don't stock it due to the limited supply. If you want to wear purple clothing at home, you can only get used items from someone with permission, but if caught, you'll be punished by the Emperor. Therefore, they only sell to trusted nobles.

From an outsider's perspective, it seems ridiculous, but every world has its own reasons. It's not right to criticize or mock it openly. I'll stay quiet.