A decent living environment, though? Forget about it.
Becoming a demon’s slave meant being exploited like the villagers from Higanjima—stripped of everything, physically and mentally.
That said, some demons were clever. They lured humans in with videos showing people living carefree, comfortable lives—and all they had to do was surrender.
Yes, some people did live like that. But they were a tiny minority.
By treating a select few slaves well, demons funneled the hatred of the vast majority toward them, feeding on that negative energy. That was how they worked.
Worse yet, the special treatment only lasted for a limited amount of time. Once it was over, the so-called lucky ones were dumped into the same slave pits as the rest.
Basically, it went like this: Someone defected and sent messages to their family and friends saying, “This place is paradise!” that convinced more people to defect. Then once the demons had lured in enough humans, that first person conveniently disappeared into slavery.
By then, there was no one left to complain that they’d gone missing.
“It’s awful, but effective. Really awful, though.”
I didn’t believe everything the military said, but when they showed me some of the videos sent to families to “enlighten them,” it was obvious the backgrounds were reused.
The military knew exactly what happened to the missing people. They had seen what was left of them when they reclaimed cities.
And they weren’t hiding it. They were broadcasting it everywhere.
Because of that, most people nowadays refused to entertain the idea of negotiating with demons. And they saw the Symbiosis Faction as nothing less than traitors to humanity.
The people who joined the Symbiosis Faction did so for all sorts of reasons. Some were deeply tired of war. Others had loved ones who were being held hostage.
But the most active members were people related to that tiny, pampered group living under the demons’ favor.
They had made a deal: So long as they kept delivering humans to the demons, they would be treated well. So when they said it was possible to negotiate with demons, they weren’t exactly lying. Their recruitment pitches had real conviction behind them.
And sadly, there were always people who fell for it.
The thing about humans is that they tell themselves that it will never happen to them. By the time they realize the truth, it would be too late, and all they can do is resign themselves to their fates. The truly unfortunate ones were the family and friends who got dragged down with them, but I didn’t have the luxury to care about strangers anymore.
Anyway, I had no plans to join the Symbiosis Faction, and I wasn’t about to let my sister anywhere near it, either. So if the military wanted to have soldiers patrol our neighborhood, I had no complaints.
“So, Officer. Any chance we could move into military housing?” I asked.
“Nope.”
“Why not?”
“Because too many people think the same way you do.”
“Gah!”
“…That said, you did show a high magicite affinity. We can bend the rules a little for someone like you.”
“Huh?”
My aptitude test had revealed I was compatible, but if that was enough to receive special treatment, they should have said so from the start.
Getting shot down only to be offered a sweet deal right afterward seemed like a pretty big red flag.
There’s always a catch, right?
Still, it wasn’t like I could afford to walk away.
I was a total nobody, just some random kid. No connections, no clout. If I pissed off the officer in charge of my future, I was screwed.
“…What do you mean, exactly?”
I figured I might as well hear him out. If it sounded too sketchy, I could always say no.
“Good. Keep that cautious mindset. Even after you’re officially assigned, don’t blindly trust anyone. Except your superior officer, of course.”
I know sarcasm when I hear it.
“…Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.”
“I wasn’t being sarcastic. I meant it as a compliment. But fine.”
I’d asked the question with the courage of someone walking to their own execution, but the officer seemed to see right through me. He gave a dry chuckle before continuing:
“It’s simple. You know you need proper training to pilot a mech, right?”
“Well, yeah.”
Of course you did. Even getting a driver’s license took at least a month (though that was partly to benefit the driving schools). Operating a mech was considerably more complicated, so obviously, it would take longer.
“Generally, the military prefers to conduct training at a facility. It’s better for unit coordination. But for younger recruits like you, there’s another option: the military academy. We send you there to build your basic knowledge and skills before deployment.”
“…Because it’s better to deploy someone after they’ve learned the basics, rather than throwing an untrained kid into a unit and trying to whip them into shape?”
That made sense. Teaching the basics could be a real hassle, and more than that, no one wanted to deal with some brat who thought he was hot shit just because he had a natural affinity for magicite.
“To put it bluntly. Plus, the academy helps us assess your suitability for different assignments.”
“Can’t argue with that.”
An academic record—or in this case, an internal assessment—would make it easier for higher-ups to scout talent later on and plan further training.
“The usual program is three years. You’ll get a small salary, too. And while things like birth or background aren’t entirely irrelevant, the most important factor is compatibility with your mech. Also, your time at the academy counts as officer training, so once you graduate, you’ll be commissioned as a junior officer.”
“Seriously?!”
So I’d get paid and have a path to promotion even without any connections? That was huge!
“I wouldn’t lie about something like this. Also, if you go to the academy, you’ll live in the designated dorms. But lately, we’ve had more cadets like you who want to stay with their family, so we also have two-bedroom and three-bedroom units available. There’s an elementary school and a junior high school nearby, so you won’t have to worry about your sister’s education.”
“Wow! I see!”
Yes, this was basically the military trying to secure talent, but I was totally on board. No issues here!
“How about it? If you’re interested, I can begin the process to sign you up now.”
The military academy, huh? Sounds perfect to me!
“Please do!”
“Good, good. I’ll get started on it, then. Do your best.”
“Absolutely! And thank you for the advice!”
No way was I going to let a golden opportunity like this slip through my fingers. I was all in.
…At the time, I’d taken the officer’s words at face value and was so giddy that I didn’t notice a thing—certainly not the smirk that crept across his face when I told him I was willing to sign my future away.
I didn’t stop to think about how strange it was to get paid simply for going to school.
I’d just been telling myself that if something sounded too good to be true, there had to be a catch. And yet I hadn’t had the slightest suspicion about the tempting deal the officer had dangled in front of me.
No. Back then, I really hadn’t seen any of it.