Volume 2 Chapter 40 Escape Journey
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
It was well past noon when we left Obernbach.
Most of the villages and towns east of the Danube River were generally surrounded by city walls.
This was less to ward off monsters or wild beasts like bears, and more to ward off people.
They might call themselves mercenaries, which sounded well enough, but they were essentially groups of thieves.
If you were near the border, it wouldn’t be strange for the mercenaries of an enemy country to come looting at any time.
Then, there were the foreign tribes.
Various foreign tribes had been moving west from the east, establishing themselves while causing strife, and it was said that it all began with slaughter and looting.
For the past hundred years or so, no such major migration had occurred, but there were stories that during the era of the first Sage¹, a massive ethnic migration saw foreign tribes enter Pannonia, and Obernbach had served as the defense line here.
Therefore, the houses where people lived were inside the fortifications; if you came out of the forest and saw fields or pastures, there ought to be a fortification nearby.
When I passed through the forest, I searched for the city walls.
I had spent quite a long time moving through the forest, but I couldn’t seem to get out of it.
Just as I thought I would be camping out in the forest, a wide-open landscape spread out before my eyes.
It was Paltofelden in the Olden region, where there were coal mines.
It was the village I had stayed at when I first went to school.
Back then it had been a storm, so I hadn’t understood the surrounding situation well, but now I could see the fortifications surrounded by quite large farmland where the hills had been cleared.
Thanks to the horse Pasta, I was able to slide inside the fortifications just before sunset.
”Wait a minute,” Brother commanded.
In the central square of the village, I lined up the carriage just like the others, gave water to Pasta, and wiped off its sweat, when Brother returned carrying fodder.
Along the way, it was snatched by some unknown horse, but he didn’t care.
He dumped it with a thud in front of Pasta.
He used his own body to prevent other horses from stealing it, but he didn’t seem to care much.
”I’ve booked an cheap inn called the Bergman Gasthof up ahead. If you mention the name, they’ll show you to a room. I’m going to go have some fun before I head over,” Brother said.
”Wait a second, did you give them my name?” I asked.
I had been attacked once before, and even though there were strong military people including Louise present, I had been nearly killed.
In this situation without any guards, I wanted to use a fake name, if anything.
”It’s fine. There isn’t an idiot who would target a brat like you,” Brother dismissed.
”I was almost killed, you know,” I reminded him.
”I don’t care,” he replied.
Brother pushed the fodder toward Pasta with his foot and started walking in the opposite direction of the inn.
”Take the food and blankets, mine too. Also, put the Magic Lamps in the inn. There are a few bad groups around, don’t let them be stolen.”
”What about the carriage?” I asked.
”Take it to the inn; it’s already been arranged that they will keep it in the hangar,” he said.
Ah, damn it.
(This is bad… I can’t sleep like this.)
But there was no helping it.
I waited for Pasta to finish eating the fodder and moved the carriage toward the inn.
I believed he had said it was a cheap inn called the Bergman Gasthof.
On both sides of the road, regular houses and merchants were lined up, but I didn’t see anything that looked like an inn.
”Hey, are you a traveler, kid?” a voice called out.
What a stereotypical entrance.
About three bratty kids blocked the front of the carriage.
Just in case, I had put my luggage on the coachman’s seat, and it was the right decision.
If even one person went around to the back, I would have no way to prevent it from being taken.
”Yes, yes, what is it?” I asked.
I didn’t want to deal with them, so I whipped Pasta’s rear.
”You bastard, are you trying to kill me?” one shouted.
Pasta started moving toward the brats.
”If you’re going to get in the way, please go ahead and die,” I said.
It was best not to deal with such bratty kids.
In my previous life, if I had raised a hand against a brat, I might have ended my career as a working adult, but here, it wasn’t that bad, and there were no juvenile laws.
”I told you to wait,” the kid persisted.
”And I’m showing you with my attitude that I don’t want to,” I replied.
”You’re going to the Bergman Gasthof, right?”
I pulled on Pasta’s reins and brought it to a stop.
”What do you mean?” I asked.
”I knew it. It’s an escort, an escort, we’ll guide you to the inn,” they claimed.
Something about this felt suspicious.
”That’s fine, you can just tell me,” I said.
”It doesn’t work like that,” they insisted.
Just as I thought.
The sound of someone climbing into the carriage from the back, and someone else came up from the other side of the coachman’s seat and tried to steal my luggage.
I couldn’t help it, so I created a Fireball in front of the eyes of the brat who had climbed onto the coachman’s seat.
The brat was surprised by the ball of fire, the size of a volleyball, that suddenly appeared before his eyes, and tumbled off the coachman’s seat.
”What will you do? Shall I turn you into charcoal this time?” I asked.
I tried saying a line like a Demon King from a Light Novel.
”What do we do? He’s a Mage,” one brat whispered.
”No choice, go call the Big Sister,” another replied.
What, “Big Sister”?
Was there some female boss who skimmed off the top of the brats’ robberies?
I became a little interested.
I wondered what kind of Gorilla Woman would show up.
”Hey, do I have to wait until your helping big sister arrives?” I asked the leader-looking boy blocking the front of the carriage.
While I was asking, one of them disappeared into an alley.
”Hmph, this time it’s your turn to become charcoal,” I declared.
It sounded like a line from a villainous monster in a sentai show.
If it looked like it was going to take a while, they were just kids; I would just run them over with the carriage.
Then, unexpectedly quickly, a voice came from the alley.
”Why do I have to go out?” the voice sighed.
”Please, we haven’t eaten anything since last night,” a boy pleaded.
Was that the reason?
”The other guy looks like a poor person too, so if we could get even a piece of bread…”
”Good grief, you are so troublesome,” the woman replied.
Well, I learned that they didn’t seem to have any intention of stealing the whole carriage.
Then, a woman came out from the alley who wasn’t much taller than the boys and pointed at me.
”You, show some mercy and give these kids a piece of bread, or maybe one silver coin. …Why is Marie’s man here?”
The woman who noticed my presence halfway through was from here in Paltofelden and a classmate from the Magic School.
A Dwarf who wouldn’t speak to Marie.
Her name wouldn’t come to me, but the Principal had given me all failing grades to force a trade between her and me.
”I see, that’s right, you had all failing grades, you have to go back to school and study soon,” she mocked.
I didn’t like her triumphant attitude.
”That’s not it. Even that Romy passed half the subjects, is it possible for me to fail every single one?” I argued.
She had a face like she was asking, “What if you were told that?”
I remembered; this woman was Ilse, Ilse Klein. We were the same age.
”But it’s a fact that you failed,” Ilse said.
”Shut up, I’ve already quit the Magic School, you idiot,” I snapped.
I ended up saying something immature.
Ignoring Ilse, who was asking what I meant, I told her that I didn’t have any money right now and only had bread for tomorrow morning, so I couldn’t afford to show mercy.
”Then how come you can stay at an inn?” she asked.
”My brother has the money. Sorry,” I replied.
”Is this guy’s brother the big man who was at the inn earlier?” Ilse asked the boys.
The brats were consulting with each other.
”Ilse, is there a Medical Mage here who treats people for free?” I asked.
”There’s no way such a person exists,” she said.
”Then keep those brats over there from attacking my brother. It won’t end with just a few minor injuries,” I warned.
I gave them a warning, just in case.
As I tried to move the carriage, Ilse stopped me.
”What do you mean you’re quitting school?”
”I’ve become too busy to have a laid-back student life at the Magic School.”
I couldn’t tell her the truth, but well, it was close.
It wasn’t a lie.
At my words, Ilse had a frustrated look on her face.
I supposed she must have also known that I had frequent contact with people from the military.
”Listen, old man. Big Sister has already found a coal mine. She’s in a different league than you. Eventually, I’m going to go to the Magic Academy and become the best Mage in the Kingdom of Schuberitz. The next Sage,” one of the boys bragged.
”Don’t use such an ‘important’ Big Sister as the backbone for robbers. You shitty brat,” I spat.
I was used to being called an old man in my previous life, so it didn’t bother me, but this body was fourteen years old!
”Move,” I commanded.
I gripped Pasta’s reins, shouted, and when I moved the carriage, the boys opened the way.
There was no help for it.
I broke the black bread I had in half and threw it to the boy who said Ilse would become a Sage.
If you can, please really make her a Sage, you shitty brat.
If I could just live a laid-back life in Strock Village surrounded by women and children, there was nothing better than that.
I didn’t know what he was doing for fun yesterday, but Brother returned near dawn, and slept until we were kicked out of the inn by the exasperated owner.
Thanks to that, the sun was high by the time we got into the carriage, and no matter how energetic Pasta was, it looked like we would arrive at the territorial capital at night.
”Don’t worry, don’t worry,” Brother said, sleeping soundly in the back of the carriage.
From here on, it was a road that connected to the Bohemia region, which had newly become territory from the territorial capital, so there were many carriages even in the forest.
I wasn’t wearing my Magic School Uniform now, and I was wearing a hat, so I thought those who were targeting me wouldn’t notice, but…
I didn’t think it was a good idea to say your name at an inn or talk to acquaintances.
Thinking about such things, the fortifications of Wildorf in the Regen region finally came into view as the sun began to set.
Previously, it hadn’t taken half a day to get from here to the territorial capital, but just as I thought we would be staying here tonight, I was told to drive past the gate.
”Are we going all the way to the territorial capital like this?” I asked.
”It’s fine, for tonight,” Brother replied.
I didn’t know what was fine about tonight, but there was no point in defying him, so as told, I passed through Wildorf without entering.
”Larry, you’ve been to the Royal Capital before, right?” Brother asked.
”I have been, but I’ve never seen the inside of the city,” I replied.
”I see. I’ve never been there either.”
”Then what are you going to do over there?” I asked.
I had asked the thing I wanted to hear the most, which I had missed the timing to ask until now.
”It’ll work out somehow, we’re in the same country, after all.”
This was it; his careless side hasn’t changed since he was a brat.
Was he really the Village Head of Strock Village?
Come to think of it, I had an older sister in the Royal Capital.
One year older than Hans-niisan.
”Ariane, right?”
Calling one’s own sister by her first name.
Well, Hans-niisan had been too mischievous, so he hadn’t really been doted on by his two older sisters.
”That’s right. When we get to the Royal Capital, let’s find where Ariane married and ask to stay there.”
If it were just me, she might have let me stay, but what about Brother?
”What’s with that look, as if I wouldn’t be allowed to stay?” he challenged.
A violent person with good intuition would be hated, you know.
I was driving the coachman’s seat, but I was hit on the head from behind.
As expected, the sun had nearly set by the second village after passing Wilndorf.
”Take that path down,” my brother commanded.
”Is that really safe?” I asked.
My brother directed me toward a path that descended to a small river, even though we had enough water loaded for Pasta.
”Just drive down,” he insisted.
The stream created a small valley, and it felt like a good spot for a carriage to water or wash horses in normal circumstances. But at this time of day, it would not be strange if Goblins or Orcs appeared.
”Sleep here tonight,” my brother ordered.
”No, no, no,” I protested. “If we sleep in a place like this, it wouldn’t be strange to be attacked by monsters. It’s forest all around the river. At least on the bridge above, the visibility is good, so we could take turns sleeping…”
”Shut up, sleep here,” he cut me off.
”You tell me to sleep, Brother…” I trailed off.
”I am going hunting,” he said.
Could it be that he intends to use Pasta or me as bait to lure monsters? He wouldn’t go that far, right? No, he is capable of it, but I cannot defy him.
I had no choice but to remove the carriage harness from Pasta and tie the reins to a nearby tree. Just in case, I laid a blanket under the carriage to lie down, as it is hard to hear outside sounds from within the carriage’s hood.
My body was tired, so I was glad to lie down, but there was a possibility I would be eaten by monsters if I fell fast asleep. I had to keep my ears pricked.
I strained my ears. The sound of the stream, Pasta’s breathing. My brother’s footsteps as he walked away were soon inaudible. The wind brushed through leaves and branches. After a while, frogs began to croak, scattered as if asserting their respective territories. An owl hooted in the distance.
There was no change, and I felt like I would fall asleep, but I could not. The temperature dropped, and I wrapped myself in the blanket. It became even colder, but I had nothing else to cover myself with. Suddenly, a small sound made me look back; two pitch-black Man-Eating Spiders¹ were watching me.
They were within reach. Their eyes shone in the faint moonlight, and I felt a terror as if my internal organs were rising up. But they were scavengers. They would not eat me while I was alive, but they were as large as my outstretched arms. It was eerie. Perhaps because I moved, the Man-Eating Spiders gave up and slowly went off toward the river.
After a while, Pasta began to stamp his feet in short bursts. The frogs’ voices stopped.
”Ah, ah,” I heard strange voices, mixed with footsteps.
They were not wearing shoes. Judging by the voices, they were Goblins. I drew my only weapon, my Treasure Sword
, and held it. Man-Eating Spiders do not eat people, but Goblins truly do. From here on was a life-or-death exchange. My heart began to pound, sending blood throughout my whole body.Pasta began to rampage. They were close.
Crunch.
I heard feet kicking the ground and crawled out from under the carriage in a hurry. When I looked toward the path, three Goblins were collapsed, and my brother was standing behind them.
”Tch, Goblins,” my brother said. “If they were Orcs, I could have earned a little more.”
He wiped his bloodstained sword with nearby leaves and told me to sink the defeated Goblins in the river to bleed them out. He really had used us as bait.
At dawn, when the light began to fade, two Orcs appeared. After soaking them in the river to bleed them out, we loaded them onto the carriage and departed.
”I’m going to sleep,” my brother said, “so wake me up when we arrive at the territorial capital’s checkpoint.”
Even though I hadn’t slept either.
At the checkpoint, when my brother showed the Strock Village Village Head plate
, they let us pass without any problems. They didn’t even ask for my name, which made me feel a little relieved.As my brother told me, we traveled along the north bank of the Inn River. The nostalgic Willow District. Past that, there was a small river flowing into the Inn River, flanked by houses. After crossing the bridge and turning right, it was a place like a slum with a suspicious atmosphere.
”This is the place, here,” my brother said, stopping the carriage in front of a shady-looking shop.
”Old man, it’s Hans,” my brother shouted. “I’ve brought some high-quality Orcs and Goblins.”
He went inside and returned with a small Old man and the shop’s young workers.
”Are they really high quality?” the Old man asked, leaning on a cane. He was white-haired and frail; my brother could have ended him in one hit.
”Ho, you have bled them out properly, haven’t you,” the Old man remarked.
Under his instructions, the young workers pulled out the prey one by one.
”This one is six silver coins,” the Old man said.
”That’s not it,” my brother argued. “No matter how you look at it, it’s high-quality goods worth eight silver coins, Old man.”
”Are your eyes blind? There’s a mark here where it was bitten by a spider. Six silver coins is the limit.”
Hans-niisan fell silent.
”This one is also six silver coins,” the Old man stated.
The next Goblin was also haggled down, but for the third one, the negotiation settled at eight silver coins. The next one was an Orc, and my brother proposed five silver coins.
”No, this one is eight silver coins,” the Old man countered.
”Why? It’s an Orc,” my brother said.
The first Orc was lowered to the price of a Goblin because the nerves at the back of its neck were damaged. Certainly, when making Golems
, if those nerves are damaged, it cannot be used.”This one is, well, let’s see, three silver coins and five silver coins,” the Old man negotiated.
The last piece of prey was bought for a considerable amount. In total, it was about five silver coins—maybe 50,000 yen. It was an amount that made me uneasy about our trip to the Royal Capital.
”Is that young one there your follower?” the Old man asked.
”Well, something like that,” my brother replied vaguely.
”Hans’s surname was Fee, right?” the Old man asked.
What does he mean?
”That plate is from Adolf’s shop,” the Old man continued. “And the Treasure Sword. The master’s name is Larry Fee Getys, right?”
The Old man guessed my name. Who is he?
”Old man, give us the money quickly,” my brother demanded.
Perhaps feeling the ominous atmosphere, my brother was trying to leave. In fact, the young workers were loosely surrounding the carriage.
”Hmm, that is fine,” the Old man said, “but when your younger brother appeared, a circular was sent around from Adolf to bring him in.”
”Hey, Old man, what is the meaning of this?” my brother asked.
”It is just as I said. I am merely guiding you both to Adolf.”
”What if we refuse?” my brother asked.
If my brother went on a rampage, it would be no laughing matter.
”Hans-niisan,” I whispered. “Let’s go quietly.”
”The master’s younger brother is understanding,” the Old man said to me. “I think it would be better not to do anything rough.”
My brother hesitated. It would not be strange if he jumped at them at any moment.
”Do you know that Adolf-san is the boss of the underworld around here?” I asked.
”I’ve heard of him,” my brother muttered.
”Then you understand,” I said.
The bloodlust disappeared from my brother.
”Old man, just give me the money for now,” my brother said.
”Here, here,” the Old man said, handing my brother the silver.
My brother climbed onto the coachman’s seat and turned the carriage around.
”See ya, Old man,” my brother said. “Give my regards to that Adolf-san.”
He whipped Pasta and took off.
”Brother,” I called out.
He didn’t look at me, driving out of the Willow District. When we reached the Danube River, he crossed the bridge and turned the carriage upstream.
”Brother, what are you going to do?” I asked. “The opponent is a yakuza. Plus, there was a time they helped us once.”
”What of it?” he snapped. “If they’re yakuza, it’s all the more reason. The Old man didn’t say he would guarantee your life.”
That is true, but I didn’t think they would capture someone connected to the military.
”When you don’t know things like that, you run away,” he said. “Besides, if it’s the territorial capital, Klaus is there. He has unexpectedly wide connections. If it’s a big problem, he’ll tell us.”
”But, is it okay?” I asked.
”What would you do if you were captured without even knowing the reason?” he asked. “I don’t want that.”
There might be truth in his words, but I felt we were crossing a dangerous bridge. We approached the checkpoint to the Royal Capital, and the Village Head plate exerted its power once more; we passed without problems. Thinking there would be no pursuers, my brother slowed the speed of the carriage.
Do I have to be careful not only with intelligence agencies but also with yakuza? The mental burden weighed heavily on me. At this rate, we should reach the Royal Capital by the next evening, but because of the all-nighter, I spent the night at that place that looked like an Old Master’s bus stop.
—
Summary:
The protagonist and his brother arrive at Paltofelden after fleeing Obernbach. Along the way, the protagonist deals with local street urchins and a tense encounter with an old Magic School rival, Ilse. The journey continues toward the territorial capital, marked by his brother’s reckless and cryptic travel plans. An unresolved tension remains regarding their destination in the Royal Capital and his brother’s lack of a solid plan.
Hans forces Larry to camp in a dangerous area as bait for monsters, succeeding in securing a catch. They arrive at a suspicious shop in the slums, where the proprietor identifies Larry and reveals a connection to an underworld figure named Adolf. Hans and Larry narrowly secure their payment before fleeing, now pursued by the implications of their identity being compromised.
—
Trivia:
- Historical ethnic migration patterns in Pannonia
- Specific Magic School curriculum failures
- The political status of the Bohemia region
- The specific mechanics of ‘bloodletting’ in this world’s monster economy.
- The exact nature of the ‘circular’ sent by Adolf
—
Character Insight:
The protagonist shows growing frustration with his brother’s lack of responsibility while maintaining a defensive, somewhat cynical exterior to survive the encounters with his past. Ilse displays a mix of superiority and latent frustration regarding her own aspirations vs. the protagonist’s status.
Hans shows extreme pragmatism, viewing his brother as an asset, while Larry shows growing desperation and fear, realizing their journey is fraught with systemic threats beyond just physical monsters.
—
Glossary:
Notes:
• Pasta – A horse used for pulling the protagonist’s carriage.
• Al – Alberto (Al), a massive red‑haired man recently wed to Mary, lives near the Dish Basin. He’s a companion of Hans, helping intimidate and rally elders as a villager and leader.
• Louise – A towering, seven-foot-tall former Golem Battalion Deputy Commander of noble Jutland lineage. This muscular woman with a large build and short red hair has minor telepathic defenses. Professionally analytical yet fierce, she wears black and gold dress or armor. Deeply attached to the protagonist, Larry, who saved her via Golems after she protected his child, she is currently subject to restraint play.
• Gorilla Woman – A towering, muscular mercenary of the Weasels of Bohemia, this aggressive woman dominates the village with her sheer presence and sharp insight into the value of mages.
• Marie – Novakova, a bold, headstrong 15-year-old noblewoman, Barsheni elder’s granddaughter, and Isabella’s niece, is a sharp-tongued Bizan Magic School student who comically resembles Nico with a floral hairpiece. Determined to live independently as a mage, she is raising a child with her boyfriend Larry. After a complex three-month stay with Nico and the protagonist, she is currently visiting a nursery.
• Mar – A battle‑hardened veteran, clad in worn armor, uses door panels as shields and captures enemy crossbows; Larry’s comrade who teases him about his sister‑in‑law’s pampering, known as Martin to his companion Edmond.
• Principal – The mother of Line and the administrative head of the institution. She exercises authoritative control over research assignments and seeks to trade Larry for Ilse Klein due to interpersonal conflicts in her laboratories. The mother of Sabrina and Rhein who intervenes during Rhein’s violent corridor assault to break up the confrontation.
• Romy – A flamboyant 16-year-old Magic School freshman, ‘von’ Odonkor family member, and Henrietta’s messy lab assistant despite low Mana. Heavily made up yet cute, she wears a strapless mermaid dress and lounges casually. A “troubled child” bullied in Wilson’s territory, she now gets an allowance from research blueprints and shares a space with Larry, whom she addresses with familiar, teasing informality.
• Klein – The Klein family name, carried by Ilse. The lineage is tied to the Olden region and its coal mines.
• Ilse – A dwarf girl and former Magic School classmate of the protagonist, she is the same age as him. With a strong connection to the mining town of Partofelden, she serves as a central figure for the local student group.
• Larry – Larry Fee Getys is a tall, athletic, light-haired Bizan Magic School student, Fifth Sage candidate, and tech-minded, telepathic reincarnated former slave-soldier. A pragmatic, calm corporal in the Arsenal Bureau, he masks explosive strength behind plain clothes, wielding a Treasure Sword and blueprints. He reluctantly mentors/benefits his wives Nico, Monica, Teressa, and Louise in a rural village.
• Village Head – The elderly leader of Balsheni Village who previously sold furs in Obernbach. The elderly leader of the village and grandfather to Marie. The leader of the village who orchestrates Larry’s integration into the family.
• Hans – Hans-niisan (17) is the rugged, 2m-tall, 100kg heir to the Kessler estate, Larry’s brother, and reckless Village Head of Strock Village. Known as a charismatic ruffian across Obernbach, he acts as an elder brother to the protagonist. Pragmatic and occasionally harsh, he manages agricultural and financial stability, shares Willow District intel, and protects the village and the narrator’s family.
• Ariane – The protagonist’s older sister residing in the Royal Capital.
• Ho – Ho, a comrade of the protagonist. A member of the military unit that defended Garao Village and was slaughtered alongside Marx-san.
• Fee – Larry Fee Getys, of the court-recognized Fee lineage, heads the Getys household governing Strock Village alongside Hans and Iffens. Embodying traditional authority, his family—including Teressa, served by the maid Nico—manages regional finances. Connected to Adolf and local underworld power structures, the Getys family name, indicating Larry’s lineage, is also part of the protagonist’s full name.
• Adolf – The behind-the-scenes boss of the Viscounty of Bizan owns a central local shop that doubles as an intelligence hub. Dressed in high-quality luxury clothing, he radiates a polite yet dangerous aura. He maintains crucial connections with powerful mercenary figures, positioning himself and his establishment at the very heart of regional events.
• Getys – Larry Fee Getys is a Strock Village youth from the Viscounty of Bizan. Belonging to a noble family of rugged warriors—including Hardy, Denis, and Teressa, who married into the house—he was raised by aunts Alisa and Monica. Court officials used his academy-recognized lineage and family name to clear him of guilt. He holds forest lands and village leadership, inheriting a rugged warrior appearance.
• Klaus – Uncle Klaus, thin and nervous, is the Thalbach family’s finance chief and vassal to Viscount Bizan, attending the wedding as a close relative. He wears a light‑grey cloak and a black hat trimmed with gold; deep dark circles shadow his high‑strung, exhausted face, worn by endless work and his wife’s jealousy. Larry and Hans despise him, and he is the narrator’s uncle living on the hill in the territorial capital. Larry’s uncle, a professional among noble colleagues, often closes his eyes when deep in thought or stressed.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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