Everyone wants to become a great person. Whether it's money, fame, or skill, it doesn't matter.
They pile up the firewood called themselves and ignite the fire called their soul. They burn more brilliantly than anyone else. In that moment, they are as beautiful as the protagonist of the world.
But not everyone could burn their lives brilliantly for a lifetime.
'The amount of firewood each person can pile up is different. The amount they can burn is also different.'
Some can burn for a lifetime, while others can only burn for an instant. The strength of the flame is also different. Some people go thin and long, while others burn everything in an instant.
'And the process doesn't always end ideally.'
Someone can forge their will in a stable environment without any particular danger. But others cannot achieve what they want due to external circumstances. From Osian's perspective, the latter were overwhelmingly more numerous.
'That's the world right now.'
People were trapped in helplessness. They lived meaningless days, busy just surviving on the daily wages given to them. Even when someone kindles their inner fire, those around them pour cold water on it. They even blatantly interfere, unable to stand seeing others do well.
This wasn't just Tirna's problem. Tirna, where recognition came through skill, was actually better off. The situation in other countries was more serious. You could tell just by looking at how classes like commoners and nobles were still prevalent.
Helplessness is contagious. Negative emotions are like a plague, dragging others into the mire together to face decline. The world's civilization has advanced and become more convenient. But humans' inner selves have become sicker.
It felt like walking through a marsh thick with hazy fog. Could one not lose their light in it? Could they reach the destination they wished for?
At least Osian had thought it was none of his business. But after the death struggle with Red Eternity, that thought changed.
'The barrier is weakening, and external monsters are running rampant even more. At the same time, the remnants of the past remaining in this world are also moving in their own ways.'
Osian stood at the center of that massive flow. It was useless even if he didn't want it.
'World affairs don't flow as intended. It's confusing because you can't know even an inch ahead. Conversely, in that unpredictable life, unintended pleasures sometimes come.'
The scene unfolding before Osian's eyes right now was one example of such pleasure.
"Grrrraaahhh!"
"Hyaaaaah!"
Resounding roars and battle cries that conveyed the pain of souls echoed throughout the training ground. There were enough people outside the training ground to form a line, but the inside was no less crowded. Most were people who had come to take the Starlight Knight Order's admission test.
It was the Starlight Knight Order conducting the admission test. It seemed they were rotating with one person controlling the line outside while the rest managed things inside.
"Hey! Is this all you can do! One!"
"Grrrrugh! One!"
"One!"
"Two...One!"
"One!"
"Three...Why only one!"
Wailing sounds echoed from all around. This might be what it would feel like if souls burning in the fires of hell were screaming.
If the people standing outside had heard these screams, they would have fled in terror. Just from the sound, you could mistake it for demons stirring people in boiling cauldrons. At least half the waiting line would have disappeared.
But unfortunately, the screams echoing here never reached the outside.
'I heard they recently added soundproofing facilities using magic.'
Since the Starlight Knight Order made so much noise whenever they trained, complaints had apparently come in from the surroundings. So they spent money to fix the training ground's soundproofing facilities. The effect of the soundproof walls imbued with magic that suppressed air vibrations was tremendous. No matter what they did here, no sound would be heard outside.
'Hmm. Saying it like this makes it sound like we're committing murder.'
The test began like this. It seemed a considerable number of people had already come and gone, as hot heat was spreading inside. It was much better than before. Thanks to adding ventilation facilities in addition to the soundproofing.
"Okay! Good work!"
A fixer who had been taking the test from David put down the heavy barbell and collapsed with a thud. Having wrung out every muscle in his body, all he could do was gasp for breath.
When David gestured, his two automatons stepped forward. Ronald and Reginald loaded the applicant onto a stretcher and disappeared.
After sending off one applicant like this, David clicked his tongue as if unsatisfied.
"He was pretty decent, but still not quite right."
He couldn't see any applicants he liked. There were still many waiting, so he shouldn't be disappointed already, but he couldn't help feeling regretful. While thinking this, David spotted Osian entering with Jonathan.
"Successor!"
Hearing that shout, knight order members from other areas all rushed out. Asmer, Anthony, Judge, Burkan, Purse. All of them came out and respectfully greeted Osian.
"We greet the Successor!"
At that resounding voice, the applicants' gazes focused on Osian.
"That person is exactly that...!"
"It's Fixer Osian! He really came!"
The applicants looked at Osian with admiring gazes. Some among them also sent suspicious looks, wondering if he was really as strong as the rumors said.
Among the various emotions mixed in their gazes, Osian calmly received the knight order's greeting.
"You all seem to be doing well. So, have there been any results?"
The applicants here hadn't come just to see Osian. About half were people who had come after being impressed by the Starlight Knight Order's activities. This was thanks to word spreading about commissions the Starlight Knight Order had recently solved under the name of practical experience.
Therefore, many people approached the admission test more seriously than anyone else.
"Hmm. There hasn't been anyone particularly appealing."
Asmer, who stepped forward as representative, spoke in a troubled tone. At most, he had his eye on one or two people, but it was ambiguous to call them particularly noteworthy.
"Did you set strict standards?"
"Not exactly. The standard itself is simple."
"What is it?"
"Our instinct."
The waiting applicants' eyes widened as they overheard this. The passing standard was their instinct? What kind of arbitrary standard was that?
What was even more surprising was Osian's reaction.
"Hmm. Excellent."
Even if it was an organization formed by bottom-tier fixers, to think it operated so haphazardly. Several applicants seriously considered leaving right away. The reason they couldn't leave was because they were reluctant to just give up the opportunity they'd barely gotten after lining up since early morning.
'Well, I can understand that reaction.'
Osian noticed that the applicants were quite disappointed. But this side wasn't joking either.
'Recognizing the qualities to become a knight cannot be simply distinguished by data.'
What mattered was one's mindset. No matter how strong one's body was or how excellent their talent, they couldn't become a 'true knight.'
'To become a knight, the mindset to overcome hardships and adversity is important. The body can be perfected through acquired training, but the mind cannot.'
An indomitable spirit, that was the innate quality needed to become a knight. The knight order members knew this too. However, that mental quality wasn't something that could be easily confirmed.
This was exactly why they treated applicants harshly in this training ground. When the body reached its limit and could no longer exert strength, what choice would they make next?
"Damn it! I wasn't told it would be like this!"
"I can't do it! Just kill me instead!"
Applicants who hadn't expected it to be this difficult kept giving up midway. It couldn't be helped. They had only looked at the honorable position called knight order, but failed to see the arduous process of getting there.
'People don't acknowledge how much effort someone who stands tall in a high position put in to get there.'
Those who just wanted to claim the sweet fruit had no qualification to become knights.
"Still, it's not entirely negative. I saw a few among those waiting outside with unusual looks in their eyes."
Jonathan spoke with confidence. Being upright in character, he at least had firm standards for judging people. Having become a knight despite being a mutant, his intuition was worth considering.
"I understand. For now, don't mind me and continue the test."
"Will you be alright?"
"I said I would entrust it to you. If I interfere here, it would confuse the applicants too."
The applicants would try to be evaluated by Osian rather than other knight order members. That wasn't what Osian wanted. What meaning would there be in petty showing off just to look good to him?
"I don't think you'll go easy just because I'm watching."
At Osian's words, all the knight order members laughed heartily.
"It seems we'll have to show you directly how well we're doing."
David spoke with bravado.
The admission test continued. With the Starlight Knight Order's grueling high-intensity training, most participants either gave up midway or were carried away on stretchers after collapsing.
Those who made it to the end had decent internal evaluations, but that was all.
Osian, watching this scene from the second-floor railing, judged coldly.
'Doing their best is good. At least they get points for not thinking of doing things half-heartedly after coming this far. But that's not enough.'
The applicants who did their best wouldn't believe it, but the admission test being conducted now wasn't even half of half the high-intensity training the Starlight Knight Order normally did.
Rather, they were doing it in simplified form, adjusted to the applicants' level. People being carried out on stretchers and calling it simplified? Even if they argued it didn't make sense, it couldn't be helped. There was a reason knights' bodies were transcendentally strong.
'The most important thing is not losing fighting spirit until the end, even in such training.'
Even those who had done their best changed their expression when their bodies reached their limits. Wouldn't this be enough? Wouldn't this much be sufficient? They listened to the voice of compromise heard from within themselves.
Knights shouldn't be like that. Even if the end was visible, continuing forward was what made a knight. In that sense, there was no one among the applicants who was satisfactory.
"Next applicant!"
At Purse's shout, a young man appeared. Osian, watching from the second floor, lit up his eyes.
'That's the guy who picked a fight with me at the entrance.'
The young man looked around with a slightly frightened face. Then he flinched when he saw Osian. But he didn't bow his head or cower in fear. As if steeling his resolve, he clenched his fists and stood before Purse.
Interest flickered in Osian's eyes. A knight's intuition activated. It seemed worth watching that guy.
"Begin!"
Under Purse's guidance, the young man began the admission test. The test was simple. Using the equipment provided in the training ground to squeeze the body to its limits. It looked simple, but there was nothing better for checking one's qualities as a knight.
The young man did his best as Purse instructed. However, perhaps because his experience wasn't outstanding, he seemed to tire faster than expected.
'His basic physical strength seems quite lacking.'
Not a few people felt impatient because of this and pushed themselves too hard. Unintended overexertion prevents one from displaying even their original ability.
But the young man didn't do that. As if trying to do his best with the trials given before his eyes, he didn't care about anything else and focused only on Purse's guidance.
'A good choice. He couldn't hide his impatience, but he wasn't swayed by it either.'
Considering the young man's level, he was doing quite well. But even so, his momentum couldn't continue for long.
'His body has already reached its limit.'
The young man could no longer breathe properly. His whole body was shaking, and his lungs repeatedly swelled as if they would tear, then deflated. His heart was probably beating as if it would burst.
The moment had come when anyone would want to close their eyes and collapse immediately. It was also the biggest hurdle where most applicants failed.
"Huff!"
The choice the young man made at that moment was simple: don't stop.
He didn't give up and continued the given test.
Even though Purse hadn't told him to, he tensed his body to lift one more heavy barbell. His trembling body was pitiful to watch.
Other applicants looked at the young man and clicked their tongues. They seemed to think this green youngster was being stubborn without knowing his place.
'How could that little guy do what even we couldn't?'
'I heard even ranked fixers failed. How could such a youngster possibly...?'
The young man's face, gritting his teeth, turned bright red. Even while sweating like rain, he lifted the barbell one more time. Seeing this, the applicants snickered. It was amusing to see him struggle so much just to lift one more of those light things.
-Clang!
The young man who had lifted it one last time collapsed with a thud. His eyes were unfocused, clearly having fainted from overexertion. Other applicants shook their heads at the young man's appearance as if feeling sorry for him. Their gazes also contained reproach for showing such an unsightly appearance to the knight order.
But admiration flickered in Purse's eyes as he watched the young man. He looked up at Osian.
"......"
Osian quietly nodded toward Purse.
The first successful candidate had emerged.