Stag New Blood (II)
Keller could not get away. In the end, he slapped the badge on his chest down in front of Brook.
"Brook, looks like you still don't get it. Do you really think a Formal Knight can leave a mark like this on such hard metal with just his fingers?"
Keller roared, sounding somewhat frantic.
Brook opened his mouth and looked at the badge, at the single scratch the Knight Retainer had left so easily. There was room for seven marks in total.
Every training camp had Knight Retainers like that, and they were all members of the Stag Legion who were currently injured and unable to take on missions.
"Brook, I'm a Formal Knight too, but let me tell you, this is a metal badge forged on Blacksmith Street. You know the rules of the Frozen Earth Territory. No one gets to cut corners."
"I'm telling you, as a Formal Knight, forget leaving a mark like that—even if I took this sword, I couldn't chop this badge in half!"
Keller stared hard at Brook.
"The Reserve Force's seven trials don't test our strength. They test the soul traits we have as attendants."
"But in the end, after completing the seven trials, we become Stag Attendants who can leave marks on metal with our fingers just like that."
"7"
"Do you know what that means?"
"It means that after you complete the seven trials, the trial war that sublimates you into a Stag Attendant will be terrifying. Terrifying things will happen, and terrifying enemies will exist."
"However large the gap is, that's how difficult the process will be."
"No. 1 Training Camp tests your [Loyalty], but I think they don't only start checking your loyalty once you enter that place. The moment you enter the Reserve Force,