Volume 1 Chapter 18 Respective Resolves
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Bours-san kept most of the equipment for the militia drilling¹ at his place. Apparently, that was the duty of any retired officer living in the sticks. He kept weapons, leather armor, and tents maintained in a shack on a corner of his property, ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice for any emergency. When I asked him if the gear shouldn’t normally be kept at the Village Head Tower, he told me that was so obvious it was practically a security risk. According to him, it was best to keep things distributed among various households.
”Why is Nico even here?” I asked.
”Oh, hush. It’s fine,” Nico replied. “I just got caught up in the flow of things. Besides, women are much better at the fine details when it comes to cleaning up.”
(You’re usually the messy one, though…) I almost said the words out loud.
”Fine. Nico, could you handle putting away the gladiator combat sandals²?” I asked.
She thought about it for a second before giving a cheery “I’d be glad to!” Her face gave it away – she was definitely calculating how this compared to the chores waiting for her at home. Honestly, she should just go back already.
The men set to work cleaning more than just the spears used in the drilling. We pulled out all the stored weapons to wipe away the grime and apply a thin, protective coat of oil to prevent rust.
”My son will probably take over for me once he makes it back alive,” Bours said. His eldest son had graduated from the military academy and was currently stationed with a division on the northern coast, right on the border between the old Kingdom of Larland and the current Russian Empire.
”Hey, Bours-san, what do I have to do to get into the military academy?” Edmond-san asked.
”Huh? You want to be a soldier, Ed?” Bours asked.
”I mean, yeah. Assuming I survive this, anyway. Watching you made me want to give it a shot. I’m just a second son of a farmer, after all,” Edmond-san replied.
Celt-san and I both looked at Edmond-san in shock. To be honest, while his personality wasn’t exactly the opposite of Bours-san’s, he was slow on his feet and didn’t exactly scream “discipline.”
”The academy has an age limit,” Bours said. “You have to be under twenty and have already had your coming-of-age ceremony³, but are you within the bracket?”
”I’ll be twenty next September. Is that okay?” Edmond-san asked.
”Then this year is your last shot. Applications go in through December, then exams and interviews are held in early January – the thirteenth month⁴. If you pass, you start the following January,” Bours explained.
”What else?” Edmond-san asked.
Bours-san laid out the requirements:
- Being able to read, write, and handle basic math.
- Having a healthy body.
- Having a letter of recommendation from a graduate of a military prep school, or a soldier or former soldier, OR having experience serving as a regular soldier or a militiaman.
Finally, they’d judge if you actually had the potential to be an officer during the final interview. Based on that, Edmond-san would actually qualify after this stint of service.
”How good do I need to be at the reading and math stuff?” Edmond-san asked.
”If you paid attention in church, you’ll be fine,” Bours replied. “That’s all my son and I had going for us.”
”Okay. What else?” Edmond-san asked.
”You have to be caught up on your taxes and have no criminal record beyond minor offenses,” Bours said.
”So, does everyone just pass?” Edmond-san asked.
Even the stoic Bours-san looked surprised by that one. “Listen, Ed. There are ten military prep schools across the Kingdom of Schuberitz, and you can get into those easily enough. But there’s only one military academy, and it’s in the capital. The exams are held at the prep schools, and they have strict quotas for each region.”
”Oh… really?” Edmond-san said. It looked like he was finally realizing how high the bar actually was.
”You know the prep school in Besanburg, the capital of the Viscounty of Bizan? My son and I both took our exams there. They only had eight slots. In the entire Kingdom of Schuberitz, there are only two hundred spots total. And believe it or not, that’s actually an increase,” Bours said.
Edmond-san, Celt-san, and I all froze.
”Only eight people?” Edmond-san sighed, clearly deflated by the odds.
”Well, yeah. You get two years of tax exemption, plus free room and board. Look, just give it a shot. I’ll write you a recommendation if you want it. Just go in with the mindset that if you pass, you struck it rich,” Bours said.
”Fair enough,” Edmond-san replied, accepting the reality surprisingly quickly.
”Wait, is the tax exemption only for two years?” I asked. “I thought the academy was a three-year program.”
”Two years in the classroom, then one year rotating through different units as a private – with a salary. You can’t lead men if you don’t know what life is like in the trenches. You’d be a useless officer otherwise,” Bours explained.
”Still, that’s two hundred new officers every year,” I noted.
”No, although it’s named ‘military academy,’ graduates start from Corporal (Non-Commissioned Officer), and there are many who cannot rise to Commissioned Officer. Plus, not everyone even joins the military after graduating. I’d bet fewer than a hundred people actually become commissioned officers in the Kingdom Army each year,” Bours said.
The Kingdom Army’s hierarchy went from Privates to Non-Commissioned Officers (Corporals, Sergeants, Sergeants Major), and then the Commissioned Officers. The officers started at Company grade (Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, Captain), then Field grade (Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel), and finally General grade.
”Hold on. You get a tax break, get paid, and then you don’t even have to join the army?” Edmond-san asked, sounding annoyed.
Bours-san explained that while you’re technically supposed to join, you can be exempt if you pursue higher education or join a noble’s private guard. Apparently, quite a few people do that. Some go to the Military Institute or War College to aim for the future core of the military, others go to agricultural school to become colony leaders, and many go to law school to become candidates for senior guard positions.
I remembered Hans-niisan saying he wanted to be a colony leader, but hearing this, it sounded like he might be out of his depth.
”So, I guess noble kids and the children of high-ranking guards probably take the exam too, right?” I asked.
”The academy’s brutality is famous,” Bours said. “During that third year of field training, they make you do everything from laundry to hauling waste and inspecting rotting corpses. They don’t care about your social standing. In fact, the instructors usually go harder on the nobles, so it’s not exactly popular with them.”
Celt-san pointed out that while plenty of younger noble sons who won’t inherit anything try to become soldiers, they usually go through private schools and aim straight for the Military Institute above the academy. Bours-san added that even that wasn’t an easy path. Consequently, most of the academy students are common freemen.
”Alright, I’m actually starting to feel pumped!” Edmond-san barked.
”So there are at least some nobles there, right?” I asked.
”Forget nobles, there are royals,” Bours replied. “Take Duke Gerhard, who’s a lord now but used to be a general. He’s the King’s uncle and was a prince back when he was a student. He was one year ahead of me. Then there’s Marquis Wilhelm Sabaski. His uncle is the famous sage, Earl Autumn von Sabaski. The Marquis is an incredible man; he became a general at a young age. He’s a lord now, but he still doubles as a staff officer at the heart of the military. He was in my son’s year.”
”Man, that academy is no joke,” Edmond-san whispered.
”She’s not a noble, but the ‘Witch of the Black Forest’ (Hexa des Schwarzwalds) is an alumna too. In her case, she’s an oddball who graduated from magic school, then prep school, then the academy, and finally the War College after she enlisted,” Bours said.
The Witch of the Black Forest (Hexa des Schwarzwalds) is the commander who leads the Golem Battalion, the prized child of the Kingdom Army.
”Are there women in the academy too?” I asked.
”Maybe two or three a year,” Bours replied.
The conversation reminded me of the excitement regarding my potential trip to magic school, so I asked about the military prep schools.
”Prep schools are for training specialized roles like cavalry, engineers, or magic soldiers. As I said earlier, there are ten locations nationwide. The entrance age is up to eighteen, so you’re out of luck, Ed. Entering is easy, but graduating is difficult.”
”That witch lady must really love her books,” Edmond-san said.
”She’s from an orphanage,” Bours said. “Usually, orphans get sent off to be maids at age seven, but she had magic talent. She lived and worked in a magic tool shop from age seven until she was old enough to enroll at thirteen, studying the whole time. School meant free living expenses. Now she’s the only female Major in the Army – a total anomaly.”
(I’d like to spend my entire life never meeting someone that driven,) I thought.
”Edmond-san, the academy sounds incredible. Don’t forget us when you pass,” Celt-san teased.
”O-Of course,” Edmond-san replied, looking quite pleased with the ego boost.
”Regardless of how it goes, I’m going to try. But first, the war. I’m definitely coming home alive. I’ll start by taking this drilling in Obernbach seriously. It’s not like me to try hard, but I’m going to give it my all,” Edmond-san said.
”That’s the spirit. Good luck, Ed,” Bours said, cheering him on.
”I’m definitely coming back too,” Celt-san added, his voice calm but determined. “I’m going to take the tax money I save and buy land to become an independent farmer.” Celt-san was surprisingly easy to sway once the mood got going.
”What about you, Larry?” Edmond-san asked. “Going to take over as Village Head?”
Nico, who had been busy dismantling the combat sandals, stopped her hands. Her ears were practically twitching in my direction.
”I don’t really know. It’s up to my uncle. I don’t think I’ll be the Village Head, though. I have a feeling he’s looking for a family for me to marry into,” I said.
”That’s not what I meant. What do you want to do?” Edmond-san pressed.
”I guess… I want to see different places,” I replied. I couldn’t exactly mention that I could use magic or that I might go to magic school. That was also up to my uncle. Bours-san, who knew the truth, just gave me a knowing smirk.
”Seeing different places? Like a traveling troupe, a minstrel, or a street performer?” Celt-san asked.
”The Village Head’s kid falling to the pariah class⁵?” Edmond-san scoffed.
The pariah class were essentially “free slaves” – people living outside the protection of the law. They could be killed, and no one would even be allowed to complain. Most lived in slums, scavenging to survive, but some traveled the world as musicians or performers.
”I have zero talent for the arts, so that’s a no-go,” I said. I definitely didn’t want to end up as a pariah, so I shot down Celt-san’s suggestion.
”What about an Oshi⁶, then?” Celt-san suggested. “You can become one if you convert to Shinto⁷. You’d have to train, of course.”
”It sounds interesting, but I’m not big on performing in front of people,” I replied.
The Oshi were like monks in other faiths. They delivered amulets to believers, but they also sold seeds and other goods. They were an odd bunch. They visited the village twice a year, drawing crowds with drums and flutes. While they sold their seeds, they would tell stories about the capital – scandals, accidents, or rumors about the royals and nobles.
It was basically a festival whenever they showed up. They were master storytellers. They’d write their topics on a blackboard and go through them one by one. If someone arrived late and missed a story, they’d ask for a repeat, but the Oshi would refuse unless the person bought something. Usually, after some back-and-forth, someone would cave and buy some seeds. The Oshi would bark out a “Much appreciated!” and start the story over. Their charisma and the way they handled the crowd was always fun to watch.
Watching from the sidelines was one thing, but I couldn’t imagine actually doing it myself.
”Well, it can’t be helped then,” Edmond said. “Larry, you’re the new Village Head.”
”But, Uncle…”
”No ‘buts’! You just have to set your mind to it. Which do you think is more likely-me getting into the Officers’ Academy, or you becoming Village Head?”
(What kind of logic is that?) Nico started working again, her face wearing an expression that said she wasn’t even listening.
”Listen,” Edmond continued. “On the battlefield, the moment you give up is the moment the Grim Reaper starts cozying up to you. You need something to look forward to when you get back. For me, it’s the Academy. For Celt, it’s being an independent farmer. If you’ve got a drive like that, you won’t break over the small stuff. You get what I’m saying?”
I never took Edmond-san for the type of guy to say stuff like that. (Death flag⁸.) A strange drawer opened up inside me, and that phrase bubbled into my head. It supposedly means a foreshadowing of death, but it’s a vague concept I don’t quite grasp.
”Ed’s right,” Bours-san chimed in. “Don’t you have anything?”
”How about getting laid by Teressa?” Edmond added.
(Wh-what the hell are you on about, old man Ed?!) Sure, it was a strong desire, but it was a bit much to say out loud. Especially with the maid, Nico, standing right there. Speaking of Nico, her whole head was turning a bright, beet-red.
”Whoa, Larry, your face is flushed! You’re an open book, kid,” Edmond said, laughing. “I mean, she’s a beauty, even after two kids. Living under the same roof… yeah?”
(My face is red? Not Nico’s?) I wondered who he was looking at for backup.
”That’s true,” Celt-san added with a smirk. “A night-visit⁹ is probably too much for Larry-kun since he hasn’t had his Rite of Passage yet. But once he’s back from the war and has his ducks in a row, he’ll have the guts for it. He can do it-if he wants to.”
Even Celt-san was joining in.
”Look, my sister-in-law isn’t… she’s not a ‘target’ like that,” I stammered. “She’s more of an… an idol? Someone I admire.” Maybe making excuses was a bad move.
”Oh? So you’re fine with some other guy ravishing Teressa and making her moan in pleasure?” Edmond asked.
”No, no, no, no! That’s not what I’m saying at all!” (And for God’s sake, Edmond-san, ‘moaning in pleasure’? Really?)
”Then sneak into her room when you get back from the war,” Edmond said. “Women have needs too. I bet Teressa’s lonely as hell since she lost her husband. She won’t be able to turn you down.”
(You moron, Ed. Go die in a death flag.) “Sister-in-law is… I mean, Nico is always in her room anyway, so a night-visit is… it’s just not right.” My voice trailed off as I tried to choke down my rising emotions.
”Nico, what do you think?” Edmond asked, throwing the ball into a completely outrageous court.
”Wh-what do I think about what?!” She was visibly shaken. Edmond seemed to be getting a real kick out of it.
”About Larry sneaking into Teressa-san’s room.”
Even Celt-san was watching Nico with a suppressed chuckle. “I wouldn’t know anything about that!” Nico snapped and turned her back to us.
”Is that so? Well then, Larry, how about you sneak into Nico’s room instead?” Edmond teased.
(Idiot Ed! What do you mean ‘how about’?! You’re spewing absolute nonsense.)
”I like that,” Celt-san said. “They seem close. It’s a solid pairing. Yeah, I’m for it.”
(Celt-san, what do you mean ‘I’m for it’?!)
”Excuse me.” Nico stood up abruptly. “I just remembered I have something to do. I’m going home!” She shouted and bolted out of the barn. Just as she left, Bours-san’s young wife walked in with a tray of drinks.
”I wonder what’s wrong with Nico-chan?” she asked. Bours-san gave her a quick summary.
”Oh, you shouldn’t tease her like that! You have to just watch over them,” she said, though her eyes were clearly laughing. She started handing out mugs of wine. The Bours family owned the only vineyard in the village. “Say, Larry, you hate being the center of attention like this, don’t you?”
”Uh, yeah. Pretty much.”
”See? It’s no good when the peanut gallery makes a scene,” she said. “If it’s Larry, he’ll probably just make his move tonight and seal the deal. Right? He’s a man, after all.”
(Wait, lady, aren’t you the one egging them on the most?!) I looked over, and the “quiet” young wife was trembling with suppressed laughter, even slapping my shoulder. The whole barn erupted into a chorus of guffaws.
”Don’t bother, Sis,” Ed laughed. “This kid only has eyes for Teressa-san.”
”Is that so? Well, she is a stunner, even with two kids.”
(Do your damn job before you start roasting me, Ed!)
”And because of that, he’s completely blind to Nico,” Edmond added.
”That’s just sad,” Bours’s wife said. “A man who can’t read a maiden’s heart is just a boor.”
(You women… stop joining in!) Bours-san, I don’t care how much younger your wife is, you need to rein her in! Bours-san, however, stayed out of it, silently maintaining his spear with an indifferent face.
”Right? And get this-yesterday was his fourteenth birthday,” Edmond said.
”I heard! We’re celebrating that tomorrow, too, right?”
”Which brings us to… who’s going to be his partner for the Rite of Passage?”
Their voices dropped to a whisper. Edmond, Celt, and the wife started huddling in a suspicious conference.
”We’ll have my husband act as the bookie. Want to put a bet on it? I’m in!” the wife said.
(Hey! You people! Do your work!) Even Bours-san, while polishing the spear tip, was practically leaning in to listen.
”Okay, the favorite is Granny Ferris,” the wife whispered. “The runner-up is Teressa-san. The long shot is Nico-chan… but Nico-chan seems like a virgin herself, so the Rite of Passage might be a bit much for her.”
”I see. How about Emma-chan then? That new girl at the old lady’s place,” Edmond suggested.
”The one rumored to be so cute she’s making all the men’s heads turn? The one making the local gossip circles all catty?”
”Is that the rumor? Scary stuff.”
They were being incredibly insensitive, but I found myself eavesdropping with everything I had.
”If we’re talking dark horses, maybe Monica,” someone suggested. “They’re childhood friends, right? Someone saw them chatting happily in the plaza the other day.”
(They even saw that?!) Monica was my childhood friend. She married into the Getys family at thirteen, had twins at fourteen, and then last month, her husband died in the same place on the same day as my big brother, Iffens. She became a widow at fifteen. Since then, she’s been close with my sister-in-law, helping look after Lyrica.
”Oh, speak of the devil! Monica-!” Bours-san’s wife yelled toward the outside of the barn. Outside the gate, past the canal, I saw Monica walking. She was carrying my niece Maria and holding Lyrica’s hand.
”Whaaaat?”
”Just come here a sec!”
Monica crossed the canal bridge and headed our way. Yutia was behind her. Yutia, the maid, was helping out at Monica’s house in exchange for them watching the kids. Yutia stopped by the horse, Carpaccio, in the yard and took Maria from Monica’s arms. Meanwhile, Lyrica spotted me and came running over.
”Uncie, what are you doing?”
”Just cleaning up after the militia drill, sweetie.”
”I see! I’m going to Monica-oneechan’s house with Maria and Yutia-san. They said the house is busy.”
(Are they frantic with tomorrow’s preparations?) Monica has twins a bit younger than Lyrica, so she loves going over there.
(Wait. Monica, who’s only a year older than me, is ‘Big Sister,’ but I’m ‘Uncle’? Dammit, Monica, you’ve been ‘educating’ her, haven’t you?)
”I knew Larry would be here,” Monica said. “I saw Carpaccio and figured as much.”
”See? Told ya,” Sheeta said with a smug look. Edmond and Celt nodded like idiots.
”So, Sheeta, what do you want?”
Wait, Sheeta? Monica was calling her by her name even though Sheeta is ten years older? Are they that close?
”Hey, come here a sec…” Sheeta beckoned her over. The two started whispering, shooting glances my way. It was the quintessential girl talk.
”Oh, that sounds fun,” Monica said, looking at me with a grin.
”Big sister, what’s fun?” Lyrica asked, looking up at me. I just tilted my head as if to say, I have no clue.
”I’m in!” Monica declared. She smiled, but she was missing a front tooth, so it looked a bit intimidating. Then, as if reaching a decision, she looked me dead in the eye. “Larry, let’s have s*x.”
She said it with a perfectly casual smile. My brain couldn’t process the words immediately. Naturally, the other adults froze. Lyrica just stood there, blinking, clearly not understanding the meaning.
”Hey! You! That’s a total rule-breaker!” Sheeta-san yelled, finally finding her voice.
”Hell yeah! I’m gonna go reserve Emma-chan for tomorrow night right now!” Edmond shouted.
(Dammit, Ed! Why does it always go there?! And even for a bet, cheating is wrong! Wait… what the hell am I even thinking?)
The barn was descending into pure chaos. I really wish they’d stop playing with my life.
”Bours-san!” I shouted over the noise, raising my hand. “Can I go home now?!” Without waiting for an answer, I sent Lyrica back to Monica and turned my back on them. I don’t even care anymore.
* * *
Larry fled from reality, and Autism Mode¹⁰ activated. Inside him, the spirit of a man reincarnated from another world coexists; he is known as the Parasite Person. When Larry himself enters Autism Mode, the Parasite Person’s consciousness awakens and takes control of the body.
* * *
(Whoa, what’s with the sudden shift? Right, I just took control from Larry.)
Where am I? Oh, Bours-san’s place? I share a decent amount of memory with the host, Larry, so I can recognize people and places instantly.
”Larry!” I heard Ed’s voice behind me and turned around. Ed, Bours, Sheeta, Celt… I get that. But why are Monica and Lyrica here too?
”You! Who do you want to break you in? Tell us your decision!”
(Man, they’re asking some pretty graphic stuff in front of a kid. Well, she’s little, so it’s probably fine. But ‘decision’? That’s a bit dramatic. Doesn’t really sound like Ed.) Hmm, losing my virginity, huh? If I’m Larry, it’s gotta be the sister-in-law. If I name anyone else, it’ll probably cause a lot of resentment later.
”It’s obviously my sister-in-law,” I replied, keeping my voice as refreshing as Larry’s usually is. Immediately, everyone huddled together and started arguing at the top of their lungs.
(What?) Then, Larry’s memories started trickling in. The short-term stuff. The context.
(Oh. I think I might have said something really bad.) Better get out of here fast. As I walked toward Carpaccio, I locked eyes for a second with Yutia, who was nearby patting Maria’s head. Is she… pissed? She immediately looked away and limped off.
(Shit. I really stepped in it. What a massive blunder. Host-Larry is gonna hate me for this.) Then again, these people are trash-betting on Larry’s Rite of Passage and then trying to cheat.
(But, there is one thing I can’t ignore. Monica… would she really let me? Actually, that wouldn’t be half bad. Would I be able to see that small birthmark on her hip again now that she’s grown up? Some ‘Narou’¹¹ protagonist once said he could get off just on the words ‘childhood friend.’ If I’m going to do it, I might as well do it right so I don’t have any regrets.)
* * *
That night at dinner, my sister-in-law talked happily about how hectic the preparations for tomorrow were. Nico was still mad at Ed, and things were a little stiff, but it was a normal family gathering for the most part.
”Mama,” Lyrica said. “I heard something really funny today.”
Lyrica, who had finished eating a few moments after the adults, looked toward my sister-in-law and spoke with a wide, beaming smile.
”What is it, Lyrica? Tell me,” my sister-in-law said.
”Monica-neesan said she wants to have s*x with Uncle Larry!”
A hollow, mirthless laugh hung in the air before a stifling silence swept over the dining table. I could see my sister-in-law’s face beginning to twitch. Still, everyone surely assumed it was just a child’s rambling—a crude joke planted in her head by some tasteless adult. They must have believed the whole thing would end with a strained, awkward chuckle.
”And then, you know what?” Lyrica continued.
(Now what…?)
”She said Uncle Larry set his mind on having Mother be the one to take his Rite of Passage¹²!”
(Good grief, Lyrica… you really need to pick better adult friends.)
Perhaps I should have just dodged the subject right then and there. But then I remembered that one comment: “It’s obviously going to be my sister-in-law, isn’t it?” If I had only looked into the memories of Larry’s current situation sooner, I never would have said something so incredibly stupid.
I’ve really done it now. I was too terrified to even lift my head and see how my sister-in-law and Nico were reacting.
—
Summary:
While maintaining and cleaning militia equipment, the group discusses their post-service goals. Bours provides deep insight into the Kingdom’s military academy system, revealing high stakes and social mobility. Edmond and Celt declare their life-altering resolves, while Larry remains evasive about his own future.
During militia drills at Bours-san’s vineyard, Larry is teased mercilessly by Edmond and Celt about his upcoming birthday and the Rite of Passage. Monica unexpectedly proposes s*x to Larry, causing him to dissociate and trigger his ‘Autism Mode.’ The Parasite Person takes over, inadvertently choosing his sister-in-law as his partner in a bet, leading to a potential disaster at the family dinner.
A family dinner turns into a disaster when young Lyrica repeats a conversation she overheard. She reveals that Monica wants Larry, but then drops the bombshell that Larry apparently wants his own mother to take his virginity. The narrator realizes he has made a grave social error by previously suggesting his sister-in-law would be the partner.
—
Trivia:
- The military academy in the capital is the only one in the Kingdom.
- Graduates of the academy start as Corporals (NCOs), not commissioned officers.
- A ’13th Month’ exists in this world’s calendar.
- The ‘Witch of the Black Forest’ is a commoner orphan who reached the rank of Major through sheer academic and magical effort.
- Oshi are traveling storytellers/seed-sellers who act as the primary news source for rural villages.
- The pariah class (free slaves) has no legal rights, making them easy targets for violence without consequence.
- Monica is only 15 but is already a widow with twins.
- Bours-san’s family is the only one in the village with a vineyard.
- The term ‘Autism Mode’ acts as a literal switch for the Parasite Person to take control.
- Larry’s brother Iffens and Monica’s husband died on the same day in the same battle.
- The ‘Narou’ reference points to the Parasite Person being from modern Japan.
- The term ‘Rite of Passage’ (筆おろし) specifically refers to a man’s first sexual experience.
- The narrator has the ability to peek into memories, which informed his later regret.
- There is an in-universe betting pool hosted by Sheeta regarding Larry’s partner.
- Jutte-san is specifically noted for being a ‘fat slave prostitute’
—
Character Insight:
Edmond shows significant growth, shifting from a simple farmer’s son to someone with a clear, ambitious goal. Larry displays cautious maturity, masking his magic potential to avoid being swept into the high-stress ‘driven’ lifestyle of people like the Black Forest Witch.
Larry’s extreme modesty and ‘maiden-like’ heart make him a prime target for the boisterous village adults. Monica shows surprising agency and a lack of social filter, likely due to her early life hardships as a widow. The Parasite Person shows a more cynical, analytical side but is still prone to social blunders by acting on logic rather than social nuance.
The narrator shows a tendency to jump to conclusions before checking his ‘memory’ resources, leading to high-anxiety social blunders. Lyrica acts as a ‘truth-bomb’ character, likely due to a lack of filter common in children.
—
Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The author uses Bours as a ‘lore-dump’ character to establish the social hierarchy and the specific difficulty of escaping commoner status through the military.
The author blends grounded, gritty rural life (widowhood at 15, child soldiers) with meta-commentary on the isekai genre (Death Flags, Narou tropes).
The author uses the ‘child repeating adult talk’ trope to break the status quo of the household dynamic and introduce the ‘Rite of Passage’ conflict.
—
Glossary:
Notes:
• Bours – Tall, scarred, in a faded uniform, he is a former Royal Army captain turned militia instructor. Stern, he trains village youth with veteran archer precision, blending tactical Heal magic, orc‑hunting skill, and wilderness survival. Father of a son serving in the Imperial border division.
• Nico – A young woman living with Larry’s family, childhood acquaintance with high social skills, once met Camilla, and helps clean gear to avoid home chores—formerly head servant, now a diligent, rule-bound lady’s maid to Teressa, stern yet protective of Teressa and Yutia, scolding Larry with blunt authority; her silver-haired elderly manservant mentor, in faded livery, commands respect from staff and the headman, while she, though cold toward Larry, embodies the sister-in-law figure who supports neighbors with quiet diligence.
• Edmond – Second son of a farm, tall and lanky, wiry and restless, he arrives late to the academy, lacking discipline until Bours‑san’s harsh lesson on punctuality. Militiaman from Mauer Village, Mary’s brother, teases Martin and Larry, and mocks manual labor while plotting the village celebrations.
• Ed – A local village youth and acquaintance of Larry’s.
• Celt – A modestly dressed tenant farmer in simple work clothes, level‑headed and cautious, avoids conflict and notes Bours’s overwhelming strength; skilled sandal‑maker, observant and knowledgeable, often discussing military and historical matters. As a militia member he questions war’s civilian impact, seeks tax exemptions to buy land and become a farmer, and translates Bours’s jargon for others.
• Hans – Rugged, wild‑eyed delinquent known as the ‘Mad Dog’ of Strock Village, he is the second son of the Fee family, a chronic alcoholic with a record of assault and extortion. Larry’s older brother and primary heir to the Kessler estate, he now shirks his duties.
• Larry – Fourteen‑year‑old third son of the Strock headman, with reddish‑white skin, bronze eyes and curly bronze hair, houses a 40‑year‑old salaryman’s consciousness—an obsessive fan granting faint Showa memories and minor fire magic. As pragmatic backup heir, he hides his growing magical talent, performs chores, feels existential dread, silently admires his sister‑in‑law, and navigates conscription, family duty, militia training and a path toward magic school while preparing to become Village Head.
• Teressa – Larry’s eldest sister‑in‑law, widow of Iffens, serves as deputy village head and now Village Head. Mother of infant Lyrica, she has blonde short hair, a big‑chested, motherly aura, and wears a wool jacket over her blouse with a button almost split. Sharp, mischievous, big‑sisterly, she manages the household and village reporting, and as the narrator’s sister‑in‑law she reacts with physical shock to Lyrica’s revelations.
• Ferris – Granny, an ageless elf who looks like a 30‑year‑old but is over 200 years old, runs a village pharmacy with deep magic and elf‑style healing. She claims to have known Larry’s grandfather, is blunt and unfiltered, and is the elderly woman Martin hopes to marry.
• Emma – A slave girl with large black eyes, a cold, sorrowful expression, black hair tied in a bun, and a three‑colored crest on her forehead. She works at the village inn, serves Ferris‑san, stays with her, and witnessed a healing session, positioning her as a candidate for Larry’s rite of passage.
• Monica – Sun‑tanned, tomboyish and 15, she is Larry’s childhood friend, now a widow and mother of twins; she raises her children while caring for infant niece Maria, embodying how even non‑combat villagers share the war’s indiscriminate danger.
• Iffens – Eldest son of the Fee family, village head of Strock Village and older brother to Larry, he fell in battle. Remembered as a solemn, battle‑scarred figure, his death casts a heavy emotional shadow over the household and fuels Yutia’s fear.
• Lyrica – Larry’s young niece, a toddler under three, with an innocent yet brutally honest demeanor, repeats scandalous adult gossip.
• Maria – The three-month-old second daughter of Ifens and Therese.
• Yutia – A hunched, muscularly abnormal servant girl with a severe speech impediment and lingering tension from a near‑fatal fever lives with Larry’s family. Though disabled, she is exceptionally dexterous and once served as lady’s maid to Teressa.
• Sheeta – Bours’s young wife; ten years older than Monica; enjoys teasing.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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