Volume 3 Chapter 10 The Hags
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The calendar here follows the moon, so the beginning of the month is always a full moon.
”Sixteen-night moon—Izayoi,” I mused aloud. “It means the moon comes out just as you’ve started to get a little tipsy. Then there’s Tachimachi, Imachi, Fushimachi, Nemachi… The names describe how long you wait for the moon to rise: standing, sitting, lying down, or even waiting until after you’ve slept. People in the old days truly loved their moon-viewing.”1
I remembered my professor of contemporary literature, nicknamed Daruma for his rotund shape, explaining this with smug pride.
Today was November 3rd, which made it the seventeenth night. Two days after the full moon, so it should be Tachimachi-zuki—the moon you wait for while standing.
Watching that moon, now nearing its zenith, I could not help thinking of my previous life.
After boiling water in the hearth to make herbal tea and wasting time with idle chatter, the women must have been exhausted from the journey. By now, they should have been asleep in the back of the wagon.
I needed to sleep too, but the thought of tomorrow’s decisive battle kept me wide awake and drew me back to the hearth.
It was cold, so I started another fire to boil water.
Military regulations forbade unnecessary noise in the dead of night on the battlefield, so no one was shouting, but there seemed to be others like me scattered around. Between the patches of grass, I could see flickering flames and moving shadows.
”The moon is beautiful tonight, isn’t it?”
The person who suddenly appeared and sat beside me was Tatyana, an assistant professor from the Golem Laboratory.
A confession of love?
No, no, no.
Natsume Soseki does not exist in this world.
”In this atmosphere, it feels like a fierce battle is going to break out tomorrow, doesn’t it?”
Huh?
I told them we were going to meet the enemy, but I never said anything about it being a decisive battle or about our chances of losing.
”I know because I used to be in the Golems Battalion,” she said lightly. “Fierce battles happened often when I was there.”
I could not answer that.
”Are you anxious?” she asked playfully, even at a time like this.
”Yeah, well… I’m not the only one.”
”You’re so young, yet so brave.”
Tatyana-san stroked my hair, and the motion naturally drew me into her embrace.
She was soft.
She smelled good.
”You,” a sharp, spiteful voice cut through the air. “Are you tryin’ to get into trouble with women again?”
The Elf Mage stood behind me.
I jumped away instantly.
”In his case, he flirts with women for the attention. Right?”
Of course Kenze had to come over too.
Why are all my “Slavery” girls so sharp-tongued?
”They’re callin’ for you at headquarters.”
At this hour?
These people were so inconsiderate.
A man in the uniform of a noncommissioned officer stood at attention behind the two of them, waiting.
* * *
Entering the headquarters tent, I passed several lieutenant-looking officers on their way out.
Inside, there was someone who had not been there last night.
”Nice to meet you. I am Major Friedrich von Kärcher, commander of the infantry engineers.”
With a von in his name, he was likely a noble, but he still stood to greet me.
In terms of age, he was probably next after Lieutenant Colonel Onhart, the commander in chief.
He seemed composed, and with no beard, he gave off a clean, professional air.
A map lay across the round table, with military tokens arranged on it in a way I had seen in movies and anime.
”The plan was for our forces to occupy this hill, Nadidas Hill, first, and then engage the enemy at Hoyt Wetlands,” the major stated. “However, it has already been occupied by the enemy.”
What are you people doing?
Even in Professor Yokoyama’s Romance of the Three Kingdoms or Professor Hara’s Kingdom, capturing the hill first is a fundamental rule for gaining an advantage in battle.
On top of that, they had more than twice our number.
I really needed to start figuring out a way to escape.
”The near side of the hill is an agricultural area dotted with forests, and through its center runs a main road wide enough for four carriages to travel abreast. To the northeast, along the Danube River, there is a forest on a natural levee, so the water is not visible from here.”
So I had to watch the river again.
Surely scouts should have been enough for that.
If we were going to use Golems to attack the enemy fleet coming down the river, we needed a place where the water was deep and the current was fast.
Destroying the ships and letting the soldiers drown would save us the trouble of killing them one by one.
That left only the point where Nadidas Hill jutted out toward the river.
Downstream from there, the riverbanks widened and the current seemed slow. Looking at the map, there were sandbars and shallows everywhere, so even if we sank the ships, the soldiers would probably still be able to land.
These geographic details matched what I had heard from Katarina after her fixed-wing drone flight.
If the locations were already set, I did not see the point of using another fixed-wing drone, but—
”We want you to monitor the Danube River from the air.”
Since they had spelled it out that clearly, I would comply.
”North of Nadidas Hill, there is a narrow road leading to the territorial capital of the Wilson Barony, but…”
”The end of that road is my own duchy. There is no need to worry.”
Commander Onhart said it was fine because it was his home turf.
Well, that road wound through the mountains, so if anything happened, we might be able to count on friendly reinforcements.
Relying on that, I supposed, was why they were deploying troops on the plains.
For my part, I was worried there might be a side path from the wetlands behind the hill to that road.
But if reinforcements were coming, they would at least buy us time to escape.
”With that in mind, I want Larry-kun and the others to advance to this point.”
As expected, it was near the river, slightly to the rear, where half of the Magic Armored Division was positioned.
”Between the forests, the engineering corps has built barricades, just as shown on this map. Whether advancing or retreating, make sure you have it firmly etched into your mind.”
I had already confirmed that from the air.
If they had time to build barricades, they should have occupied the hill.
Well, I was not the commander, and since this was my first time here, there was probably a great deal I did not know.
”Um, can we decide how to use the spare fixed-wing drone ourselves?”
”That’s fine, but make sure you are ready to move at a moment’s notice.”
Of course.
I would make sure we were ready to run at a moment’s notice.
The Magic Armored Division, which took time to move, would depart before dawn under the protection of a small cavalry unit.
After that, I was told the main force, centered around the cavalry, would form up on and around the road to confront the enemy.
”So you should move with the Magic Armored Division as well.”
Before dawn meant there was not much time left.
I should go back and at least get a little sleep.
I could not sleep comfortably on the wooden boards of that wagon, but a few hours of dozing would be enough.
It reminded me of my previous life as a corporate slave, sleeping on cardboard on the floor.
* * *
”Larry-dono.”
Corporal Heinz, my guard, woke me where I lay on the boards.
”Is it time?”
”There’s soup. Warm yourself up, and then we depart.”
”Thank you.”
When I sat up, the other girls were not in the wagon.
I shoved down the soup and bread Heinz had prepared, then took care of business in the grass.
The time had come.
That feeling was strong.
I would take my girls and run just before it became desertion in the face of the enemy and got me beheaded.
To put that into action, I needed to organize the situation one more time.
The battlefield was a long, narrow agricultural belt bordered by the territorial capital of the Wilson Barony, Nadidas Hill, the Danube River, and the Rhein Mountains.
It was about twelve kilometers long and two to four kilometers wide.
The Gallia Highway ran through it, and the Duke’s Highway followed the foot of the Rhein Mountains.
Most importantly, two rivers flowed from the Rhein Mountains into the Danube.
Looking from the encampment, I arbitrarily named the closer one the East River and the farther one the West River.
According to last night’s discussion, the battle was expected to take place beyond the West River, and the Gallia Highway in the center was the nearest road by which the carriages could cross those rivers.
The wagons transporting the large Golems were roughly the same size as ours, but they were pulled by four horses. They might be able to run along the Danube’s shore.
Our two-horse wagon would likely get stuck in the sand and become impossible to move.
The only escape route was the Gallia Highway.
I had no choice but to park the wagon as close to the highway as possible, preferably near a bridge.
Other than that, there were forests of various sizes and the barricades our side had built within the farmland, but I would need to observe them at low altitude to see whether they could actually be used.
That assumed, of course, that we had the luxury of escaping by wagon.
The most likely scenario was that we would detonate the two fixed-wing drones inside the wagon, burn it and the other parts until nothing remained, and then split up onto the horses.
”Is it really that dangerous?” Rosa asked.
That was why she should not have come.
”It’s only a possibility, but this is a battlefield. We are trading lives here. In this world, if you don’t kill, you get killed.”
I briefed my squad while we ate breakfast.
When I talked about escaping—or rather, retreating—it seemed not only Rosa but also Tura began to feel afraid.
That was exactly why I had to tell them the truth.
My guard unit had three spare horses, and there were two hitched to the wagon.
I, Kenze, Tatyana, and the genius Rosa could all ride.
If Tura, Katarina, and Pamela rode with someone else, we could escape with a fair amount of freedom.
”Then I will carry Pamela.”
Kenze and Pamela were always together, and Pamela knew a great deal about the vats.
”Then, Associate Professor, please carry me.”
Tura raised her hand, but I rejected the idea.
She could not. She would be operating the fixed-wing drone.
Considering everyone’s weight, we decided Tatyana would carry Tura, and Chief Katarina would carry the genius Rosa.
If anyone was captured or fell off a horse, no one was allowed to go back to save them.
I drilled it into them firmly.
Think only of yourself.
Abandon your comrades.
I hoped they would remember it properly.
”Then, Associate Professor, if I fall off my horse, you won’t save me?”
”That’s right. When it’s time to run, you run. Conversely, if I fall, you are not to save me.”
For a young girl like Rosa, that probably did not sit right.
We went back and forth for a while, but in the end, she started crying, turned away, and lay down.
She had a god-given intellect, but did she really not understand?
* * *
By the time we reached the near side of the West River, the sky was beginning to brighten.
The Gallia Highway stretched toward the center of Nadidas Hill, which had two peaks.
The foot of the hill was less than a kilometer away.
Left boob and right boob, then.
I decided to call the left and right sides of the hill that in my mind, then launched the radio-equipped fixed-wing drone.
There was almost no wind near the ground, but higher up, a strong wind blew from west to east. The air currents were chaotic because of the hills and mountains, making the drone difficult to fly.
When I finally maneuvered it beside the nipple of the left boob, I saw that, just as headquarters had predicted, thirty ships were sailing down the river using both sails and oars.
”Is there an intelligence officer here?”
I shouted while still wearing the radio-control helmet.
”I’m here,” a young voice replied.
”About three kilometers upstream from the side of Nadidas Hill, I have discovered a fleet of about thirty ships.”
”Is that true? How many enemy soldiers?”
”The ships vary in size, and they are too distant to count clearly, but they are all using sails and oars. If we intend to respond, the sooner, the better.”
I could tell by sound alone that the intelligence officer had scurried off in a panic.
My fixed-wing drone was struggling to maintain stability, and as I searched for a pocket of steady air, I witnessed something truly unbelievable.
Hidden behind the left breast of the terrain was a staggering number of soldiers.
”Rosa, can you fly the fixed-wing drone and make a detailed observation of the Danube River?”
I asked despite her sour mood, and she reluctantly complied.
She retrieved the fixed-wing drone she had modified for personal use, climbed onto the coachman’s bench, and launched it.
”Something wrong?” Kenze asked, her tone clipped and professional.
”There are approximately three thousand soldiers concealed on the slope behind the left hill.”
”Are you certain?” Tatyana asked sharply.
”I am going to conduct a wider survey of the area behind the hill.”
With the radio-equipped fixed-wing drone, that was well within my tactical capability.
I relayed my intended course, climbed to a higher altitude, and felt the air currents stabilize slightly.
Near the nipple of the left breast, tents had been erected, though there was almost no sign of life.
It appeared to be a decoy.
They could not possibly believe this flimsy feint was enough to seize the hill.
I maintained altitude and crossed the valley.
On this side, the eastern slope, there was scarcely anyone present.
But once the terrain leveled out, infantry, archers, and cavalry were already arrayed in formation, with what appeared to be support cavalry massed on the flanks.
By contrast, our own forces seemed to be struggling to assemble into any coherent formation.
If I were the enemy commander, I would not waste this opportunity.
I would begin the engagement immediately.
As I thought that, the wagon I occupied crossed the bridge on the western side and began moving along the embankment toward the Danube.
I shifted my focus back to the fixed-wing drone’s field of view.
On the far side of the valley, several units of cavalry and infantry were being held in reserve.
I piloted the fixed-wing drone farther to inspect the right breast’s nipple, but there was no one there.
Instead, near the lower slope beneath it, twenty-odd cavalrymen were waiting.
I could not tell clearly, but there appeared to be a narrow, obscured path running along the right breast that led out to the Duke’s Highway.
When I reduced altitude, the turbulence pushed me badly off course.
With no better option, I climbed back to my original altitude and decided to return for now.
”What is the count of enemy soldiers?” the intelligence officer barked over the comms.
”Excuse me?”
”The number of enemy soldiers descending the river!”
I was circling down while trying to locate the wagon, but he persisted.
”What is the number of enemy soldiers?” he demanded, his tone bordering on reprimand.
”Five large ships capable of carrying three hundred, twenty-two medium ships capable of carrying about one hundred, and three small ships of unknown capacity.”
As expected of Rosa, the fisherman’s daughter.
The fixed-wing drone she operated lacked the range to reach the hill, but she must have climbed high enough to confirm the count.
”Then, approximately…” The officer sounded as though he was struggling with the mental arithmetic.
”Estimating generously, five thousand.”
”F-Five thousand?”
Upon hearing that figure, I heard his footsteps sprint away in a panic.
”Isn’t it four thousand?” Tatyana asked.
”It’s fine,” Rosa retorted. “Those people don’t trust us anyway.”
Indeed, she was correct.
As expected, the intelligence officer returned to question Rosa.
”With three large ships holding three hundred and twenty-two medium ships holding one hundred, how does that equal five thousand?”
”I told you I was estimating generously, didn’t I?2 Ships are sometimes loaded to one and a half times their capacity.”
I began to feel pity for the intelligence officer, who had been reduced to an errand boy for children.
”If you don’t hurry, they’ll bypass the interception point and make landfall!”
”Quiet! I am well aware of that!”
Once provoked, he shouted and stormed off.
I dismounted from the wagon to retrieve the fixed-wing drone.
I attempted the maneuver Rosa used—reducing speed and letting it float gently—but it was beyond me.
The radio-equipped units were somewhat heavy, and if I reduced speed too much, they would simply stall and crash.
Upon removing the radio-control headgear, I noticed five familiar, robed grannies approaching.
”Hey, sisters!” I waved to them, though it was mere flattery.
They were veterans of the Golems Battalion who had crossed the river with me during the Haritz Rebellion, clearing out enemy soldiers while escorting us to the Academy.
”You hags, you were still alive?” Kenze said, unusually blunt.
”That Amazoness from back then? It’s been quite a struggle finding a place to die,” the lead granny replied.
”You haven’t managed to kill the boy yet, either, have you?”
”I’ve reached the point where I can no longer resist the boy’s charms, you see.”
”…That is not the case.”
Kenze, you were a beat too late.
”You. What were you thinking?”
I was kicked sharply in the rear.
”Just as I suspected.”
”You’ve been getting hammered.”
”Youngsters these days.”
I had not been with Kenze that often.
Perhaps four days in a row.
Sensing that she might strike again, I changed the subject.
”More importantly, are you heading out to engage in guerrilla warfare?”
The grannies carried launcher-type artificial shishi-odoshi, their ammunition belts slung diagonally across their chests.
They looked as though they had walked straight out of a war film.3
”No, we simply came here to provide an Amber charge for you.”
”The leadership here is brain-dead, so we’re providing some protection as well.”
”Couldn’t they have chosen more competent people?”
Hearing them describe the leadership as brain-dead made me smile.
It would be a court-martial offense if any superior heard them, but I was relieved to find battle-hardened veterans who shared my assessment.
”Since you’ve come all this way, please rest inside.”
”That sounds reasonable.”
As they moved toward the wagon, a gong sounded in the distance from the direction of the Gallia Highway.
A staggering number of arrows were loosed toward our forces, yet roughly two-thirds of them veered off course and fell. The bang of impact reached our ears seconds later.
Had the large artificial shishi-odoshi proven effective?
They were weapons I had originally created to transmute fireballs into sound and air cannons using the magical magnetic fields generated by Mana-conducting coils.
”It appears the skirmish has begun. In the meantime, I shall have a cup of tea.”
”Tea?”
”We came all this way. The least you could do is pour us some tea.”
Only then did the wagon carrying the Golems begin moving toward the riverbank.
”How are the ships faring?”
A man in a noncommissioned officer’s uniform stood behind me.
It was the person whose voice I had previously mistaken for the intelligence officer’s. Though his skin was smooth and unblemished, he was older than I was.
”Ask the girl inside. I have already asked her.”
”And what are you doing?”
”Boiling water. I intend to serve a special herbal tea to the grannies who came to provide an Amber charge.”
”Tea? In the middle of this situation?”
He twisted his smooth face and glared at me.
”Did you not hear? The engagement has begun.”
”Perhaps. But if soldiers were to emerge from behind the left hill, I suspect you would panic.”
”Hmph. I am well aware of the ambush behind the hill thanks to the scout reports. Even without your unorthodox tools, our army will not be defeated.”
”Is that so? In that case, officer, would you care for some tea?”
”I have no need for it. More importantly, I seek that girl from before.”
The man turned and climbed into the wagon.
As I tended to the stove, the gong rang once more.
Still, no war cries were audible.
Did that mean a full-scale clash had yet to begin?
Instead, eerie, unsettling noises and voices drifted from the direction of the river.
”Your manner of combat is quite tedious.”
”Is it?”
”Indeed. It lacks blood and thunder.”4
Kenze was saying something rather dangerous.
Together, we poured tea into cups, arranged them on a tray, and carried them into the wagon.
”The situation at the river seems to be over.”
”Is that so? Then we made it in time.”
”Not entirely. Two ships managed to make landfall, but they were dealt with. I would rather die in a proper blood-and-thunder struggle than by drowning.”
”True. Drowned corpses are quite wretched.”
The grannies’ perspective was morbid, but Tatyana’s behavior was the strangest of all.
”Tatyana, is something wrong?”
When I asked, she merely shook her head.
Leaning closer to listen, I learned that to Tatyana, these grannies had been untouchable figures at the time of her enlistment—the very women who had bossed around the current Professor Elga Dean.
”Professor Elga Dean served as the battalion deputy commander, did she not?”
”They were the ones who stood above her.”
She said only that much, drawing her shoulders in as if awestruck.
I wondered if they had bullied her badly during her early days in the battalion.
”Now, boy, you flew over the hills to observe, did you not? What was your assessment?”
While I had not been the one physically flying, I relayed everything I had seen: the far side of the left hill, the formation in the valley, and the cavalry positioned behind the right hill.
”That cavalry—what were they?”
”The air currents were turbulent, so I could not observe them in detail, but there were more than twenty riders. I felt the horses were somewhat larger, though I may have misjudged.”
The grannies huddled together.
Was the matter really that important?
”Boy, could you fly over and observe them once more?”
”I want to go.”
Rosa, who had been monitoring the Danube River with a non-radio fixed-wing drone, interrupted.
”I can read the wind better than the Associate Professor.”
Her impudence was irritating, yet I could not deny the truth of her words.
”Oh? She is a spirited young woman.”
”She may end up bearing the boy’s children in the future.”
”Indeed. The boy has always been fond of that type.”
”I refuse! I would never bear the child of a man so undisciplined with women.”
The hags and my two slaves erupted in laughter at her declaration.
Whether I was truly undisciplined with women was a separate matter, but I acknowledged that Rosa’s piloting was exceptional.
Still, I warned them to be careful with their words.
When held in sufficient quantity, Mana allowed telepathy through skin contact. In greater concentrations, one could even touch another’s consciousness and share sensory input.
Every mage present possessed this ability.
At that moment, the grannies and I made physical contact with Rosa, who had switched to the radio-equipped fixed-wing drone, and shared her field of vision.
When one perceived her thought process directly, her ability became undeniable.
She piloted by reading the state of the air from the smallest fluctuations in the wind.
Following the grannies’ instructions, she flew from east to west across the hill.
With her stable technique, we obtained a clear view of the cavalry at the base of the valley.
”They are Amazoness.”
”Beyond a doubt.”
”How did they manage to cross the continent?”
I had heard rumors of this.
The Amazoness who worked as mercenaries primarily occupied the far south of the Southern Continent.
Because the Turkic Empire—which bore them deep enmity—had consolidated control over the northern Southern Continent and the surrounding seas, they should have been barred from accessing the western region of the Central Continent entirely.
”There are twenty-four Amazoness in total.”
”That is equivalent to a thousand Royal Army cavalry.”
”A prime spot for dying, wouldn’t you say?”
”I’ve had a delightful realization.”
”Oh, this is good. This is very good.”
The coven of hags let out a chilling collective giggle through telepathy.
I hoped they were not cooking up anything too lethal.
One of them, having already let go of Rosa, fixed her gaze on me and spoke.
”Boy, I have a small favor to ask of you.”
”I refuse!”
”Don’t refuse before you’ve even heard the request. Have a little pity on an old hag whose days are numbered, won’t you?”
”Even so, I refuse.”
”Tell me, boy… would it be all right with you if that student of yours died here?”
”What is that supposed to mean?”
The grannies’ smiles vanished instantly.
—
Summary:
Earnest spends the night before a critical battle reflecting on his past and preparing for potential desertion. He coordinates with his subordinates on escape plans, assigning horses and flight roles to ensure survival. As the dawn approaches, he uses a fixed-wing drone to confirm the enemy’s position on the Danube River. The tactical situation remains tense as he alerts headquarters to the approaching enemy fleet.
The protagonist identifies a hidden enemy force while scouting the Danube River with a drone. As they return, they encounter a group of veteran mercenaries who offer protection and insight into the tactical situation. The skirmish begins, and the group discovers that the enemy has deployed rare Amazoness cavalry, signaling a significant escalation in the conflict.
The protagonist faces a confrontation with a group of ominous hags who have released the student, Rosa. The hags attempt to coerce the protagonist by threatening his student’s life. The situation escalates from macabre amusement to a direct, dangerous ultimatum.
—
Trivia:
The calendar system follows the moon cycle, meaning the month begins with a full moon.
Earnest uses “Daruma” as a nickname for his rotund literature professor, contrasting his past life with his current situation.
The battlefield is restricted to a narrow zone between the Danube River and the Rhein Mountains.
The protagonist plans to destroy his technological assets (drones) rather than let them fall into enemy hands if retreat is necessary.
The protagonist created the artificial shishi-odoshi weapons.
Rosa is the daughter of a fisherman.
The grannies previously protected the protagonist during the Haritz Rebellion.
Mana allows for shared vision and telepathy through skin contact.
The Amazoness were previously thought to be barred from this region by the Turkic Empire.
The hags utilize telepathy for their collective communication.
The protagonist has a past history with these specific hags.
The hags are planning a confrontation with an Amazoness.
—
Translation Notes:
Notes:
• Daruma – A professor of contemporary literature from Earnest’s previous life, nicknamed for his rotund appearance.
• Tatyana – A 31-year-old human female and Assistant Professor at the Royal Magic Academy. She is a divorced mother of two who hails from the territorial capital of Viscount Bizan. A soldier serving in the military who seems to hold respect for the older veteran grannies. An assistant professor from the Golem Laboratory. She has a playful demeanor and prior experience in the Golems Battalion. An assistant professor from the second-floor laboratory who is a former member of the Golems Battalion. An assistant professor mentioned as one of the protagonist’s associates. An assistant who synchronizes with Golems during the combat. An assistant professor who accompanies the students and remains composed during the crisis.
• Kenze – An exceptionally powerful, muscular Tashkurgan Amazoness, Denis is a short-haired, niqab-wearing slave guard with a Slave Crest branded on her forehead. A blunt, foul-mouthed former intelligence operative and deputy general, she serves as a stoic companion to the protagonist and her acquaintance Larry, whom she protects on an expedition to raise her offspring. She practices the Dragon God faith, speaks Turkic, uses a dagger and bow, and has a masochistic attraction to pain. She shares a bed with Pamela, deeply dislikes Southern Continent Amazonesses, and currently nurses her newborn, Zaboo, while keeping her other children in urns.
• Friedrich – A composed noble who values professional protocol, this Major commands the infantry engineers and serves on the tribunal panel. Credited with anticipating battlefield needs and constructing effective barricades, he maintains a strictly structured relationship with others, prioritizing military protocol and duty over personal ties in both his engineering and judicial roles.
• Major – A commanding military officer with a sadistic inclination toward interrogation. She orchestrates the sessions and utilizes Telepathy to coordinate with her subordinates.
• von – The noble particle ‘von’ indicates high social standing and ancestral roots connected to territorial estates within the Sabaski lineage. It marks the noble bloodline and full names of Annerose von Bülow, Walter von Riedel, and Marc von Harritz, establishing their shared aristocratic identity and familial relationship within the Kingdom.
• Onhart – A tall, stern Lieutenant Colonel and Duke’s eldest son/heir who commanded forces in the Haritz Rebellion and 53rd Fatherland Defense War. Confident in his home territory’s security, this future Duke serves as a tribunal presiding judge. He also interacts with others as a caravan leader under the alias Roberto de Calimen, blending his high-ranking military identity with a commanding presence.
• Ho – Ho, a comrade of the protagonist. A member of the military unit that defended Garao Village and was slaughtered alongside Marx-san.
• Roman – The Roman family name, carried by Louise. The lineage oversees a barony characterized by thin soil and a history of glacial weight, primarily sustained through sheep farming and recently established salt and sugar industries.
• Katarina – A 29-year-old human Chief Researcher at the Royal Magic Academy and lead student in its lab. Diligent and nearing her thirties, she is an acquaintance of Larry who serves as Earnest’s attendant, manages the protagonist’s needs, handles rosters, and assists in operations. Escorted to safety during a skirmish, she faces expulsion after being used by Pauman. She is fascinated by drone piloting.
• Wilson – A baron who held territory where a prior military tribunal occurred.
• Commander – A man leading the mercenary press-gang at the south gate.
• Larry – A 14-year-old Japanese reincarnated protagonist and cynical, debt-ridden Royal Magic Academy associate professor from Strock Village. This abrasive, genius dueling champion designs coilguns, drones, and mana machinery. Recovering from an ambush, he was imprisoned but granted immunity. Now leading a caravan to a new land, he is married to Marie (Getys family), expecting ennoblement, and resembles infant Griselda.
• Corporal – A combat engineer with shattered legs and ribs who admires Captain Bours.
• Heinz – A broad, square, and robust Corporal in the Army’s Central Division 307th Battalion with shaggy hair and a dense beard. Serving as a diligent escort and guard for Earnest, he is highly attentive to his superior’s needs. He also works in the security unit, where he assists the protagonist by building a lean-to shelter.
• Rhein – A former student of Hoffman who was purchased at a slave market.
• Rosa – A cynical 14-year-old Sabaski academy student who resembles a Dwarf. This headset-wearing, “boku-girl” drone pilot and motor tech genius caught the Magic Armored Division’s eye. A fisherman’s daughter struggling under a “hag” with the harsh realities of war, she utilized a fixed-wing drone in combat, earning her a personal audience with the King, yet remains a subordinate coping with wartime.
• Tura – Nineteen but physically resembling a five-year-old, this dramatic, highly emotional Elf Mage from a mining family is a Royal Magic Academy research student. Passionate about Earnest’s flying devices, she serves as his field assistant and attendant alongside Katarina, operating fixed-wing drones. Escorted to safety with Katrina, she is deeply impacted by others’ sacrifices for her protection.
• Pamela – An arrogant, petite Elven Mage of unknown age who hides her ears and slave crest beneath white Gothic Lolita fashion. Formerly Henrietta’s slave, she now acts as the protagonist’s primary wife, intimate partner, and loyal companion alongside Kenze and Larry. A sharp-tongued Arsenal Bureau resident and academy student, she serves as the caravan’s interpreter, logistician, and basic healer.
• Mana – A non-commissioned officer and liaison who previously had their mana drained by Larry.
• Dean – A professor whose office serves as a central hub for academic administration.
• Elga – An imposing, stern, and direct Magic Academy professor who serves as Dean and department head of the Simple-type faculty. A former battalion deputy commander, she runs a laboratory with authority over research students, golems, and the protagonist’s staffing, while maintaining personal attendants. As a prominent academic managing administrative affairs, she frequently finds herself at odds with Lizabel.
• Earnest – Reincarnated into a broken world with the mind of a 40-year-old, this cynical associate professor and militia soldier navigates military transport and political intrigue. An expert in magic tech and drones, he constantly evaluates battlefield risks while adjusting to distorted morals. Despite his youthful outward appearance as a young man, his mature identity shapes his complex relationships.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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