Volume 2 Chapter 6 Arrival
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Monica and Lili saw me off as the stagecoach pulled away from the Obernbach station.
At first, I couldn’t settle in.
Eventually, I did what the other passengers were doing: I clutched my bags, closed my eyes, and let my body sway with the rhythm of the road.
It was a two-horse team.
The ride was technically smoother than the Fee family’s carriage, but I was one person alone in a crowd of total strangers.
I don’t hate being by myself, but there’s a specific kind of loneliness that comes with being a face in a crowd.
During the war, I at least had my village mates and the guys from militia drilling.
Even when I was separated and wandering through Kiridal, Rudy had been there.
(I wonder how that idiot is doing…)
The relationship between his village and Mauer Village had apparently gone south.
With his personality, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was just pouring gasoline on the fire.
(Hopefully, he’s just being a good boy and hunting Al-miraj¹ with the old man.)
”Hey, kid. You buying a stone?”
While I was lost in thought, the Granny sitting directly across from me said something bizarre.
She didn’t look like a peddler—her clothes were far too nice for that.
I’d managed to board first thanks to the “Viscount’s Treasure Sword”², but “stagecoach” was a generous term for this thing.
It was a freight wagon with planks for seats and a hood thrown over it.
Since I was at the very back, I was right against the peephole for the driver’s box.
That’s where the draft is the worst.
The seat was freezing.
I was wearing a coat made of layered linen with wool sewn into the lining, but the wind still whipped at my face and turned my toes to ice.
”It’ll keep you warm,” she said.
She held out an object wrapped in cloth.
(It’s probably just a rock she heated up in a fire.)
”Sounds good. Granny, give it here. How much?”
The man sitting next to me cut in before I could answer.
”Five silver coins. No haggling,” she replied.
”What? That’s highway robbery! I hate playing games—how about four?”
The man tried to skip the song-and-dance by naming a flat price, but the Granny just shook her head.
”Then I don’t want it,” the man said.
”Pauper,” she spat.
As the Granny snapped at him, the woman sitting next to her—who was so bundled up I couldn’t even guess her age—pulled a clasp purse from her bosom and silently handed over the coins.
”Stupid,” the man next to me whispered, just loud enough for me to hear.
”Give it an hour. She’ll be begging us to buy them for half-price.”
The Granny handed the stone to the woman and then hugged the bag containing the rest of her stock against her stomach.
”Ahhh… so toasty,” the Granny sighed.
It was a blatant sales tactic, but God, it was cold.
(I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted.)
”Old lady, give me one too,” a young man at the tail end called out.
He shuffled over and bought one, and soon the other passengers followed suit.
Before long, the only ones without a stone were me and the guy next to me.
”Sold out. All gone.”
She made a show of turning the empty bag upside down and shaking it at me.
Well, fine.
At least that killed the lingering regret of not buying one.
The fare from Obernbach to the territorial capital of Besanburg was one gold coin and two silver coins.
Looking at the Granny’s earnings—two silver coins and five silver coins—it wouldn’t even cover her travel costs.
(She’s remarkably used to this, though.)
I suddenly remembered that Monica had given me some apple cider right before I left.
Normally, you’d let it ferment until after the New Year, but she had filtered some early just for me.
I pulled the flask from my bag.
One sip told me the alcohol content was high.
It was sweet, but it sent a searing heat from my throat all the way down to my stomach.
(That helps with the cold, at least.)
The man next to me shot me a look like he wanted a hit, but if I gave him any, I’d have to share with the whole wagon.
I pretended not to see him and shoved it back into my luggage.
The carriage stopped for a break roughly every hour.
The driver watered the horses while the passengers got out to stretch.
Since there weren’t exactly any rest stops, “the bathroom” was just the side of the road.
The women usually disappeared behind the trees. With every break, however, the headwind grew fiercer.
Occasionally, white flakes danced in the air.
”We’re staying in Palterfelden tonight. We move out at dawn tomorrow,” the carriage master announced.
He and the driver had been conferring at the fourth break.
The man next to me and one other passenger protested, but the decision was final.
The original plan was to stay in Wildorf, another ten kilometers or so ahead, but the wind was too strong and the sun was setting fast.
Palterfelden was the largest village in the Olden region.
Wildorf was the largest in the Regen region.
Both regions had provided militia to the 303rd Unit during the Battle of Vod Fortress.
The Olden guys, in particular, had been so well-trained you’d never guess they were just militia.
These two areas had developed around the Olden and Regen coal mines discovered fifty years ago.
Their golden age was over, but small-scale mining was still scratching along.
Even for a “large village,” the population was about the same as Strock Village.
However, the entire settlement was enclosed by a heavy, sturdy fence.
The carriage passed through the village gates and pulled directly into a massive hangar.
There was already another carriage there, but the space was so large it didn’t matter.
A stove was even burning inside.
”Alright. Two blankets and one loaf of black bread per person. If you want water, get it from the well yourselves,” the carriage master said.
He handed the supplies out as we disembarked.
It was clear we were expected to just wrap ourselves up and sleep on the dirt floor.
The area around the stove was already claimed by the earlier travelers.
Once I choked down the nasty bread, I had no choice but to lie down in a corner where the draft whistled through the gaps.
”If those stones cooled down, I’ll reheat them for you,” the Granny called out.
(Wait, is she going to use the stove?)
The people who had bought stones earlier gathered around her with their little pouches.
The Granny pulled a pitch-black stone out of a bag and sandwiched it between her palms.
”There you go,” she said.
Did it get warm in just a few seconds?
She slipped the stone back into the pouch and returned it.
”Are you a Mage?” the young man who had bought a stone asked.
”Yeah. Can’t do much else, though,” she replied, already reaching for the next person’s stone.
”Is it that unusual?”
She caught me staring.
”You want to give it a try?”
(Does this Granny… know I can use Mana³?)
”Hand yours over.”
The Granny barked at the woman who had been the first to buy a stone, practically snatching it back from her.
”This is called bituminous coal⁴. Makes the best hand warmer there is.”
She tossed the black stone from the pouch toward me.
It wasn’t the shiny coal Daniel-san used at the forge; it was matte, black, and slightly rounded.
”Now, if you flow too much into it, it’ll just burn up into ash. You only need a little—wait, too late!”
(I really wish she’d said that sooner.)
The coal began to glow a violent red.
It was far too hot to hold, so I dropped it.
It started burning right there on the ground.
”My… my five silver coins…” the woman let out a soul-crushing sob.
”Ah, I’m so sorry!” I said.
”‘Sorry’doesn’t pay the bills!”
I thought she was the quiet type, but she turned out to be a real spitfire.
She stomped over to me and punched me in the head with everything she had.
It wasn’t quite as bad as Hans-niisan’s hits, but it made my nose sting and my eyes water.
”Pay up,” she demanded.
I pulled out my wallet, but I only had silver coins.
”What about the change?”
The woman snatched a silver coin out of my hand.
”Shut up!” she snapped, stomping back to her bed.
”Your Mana control⁵ is absolute garbage, isn’t it?” the Granny noted.
She turned her back on me and lay down.
(Just my luck. When it rains, it pours.)
The next morning, we set out before dawn.
By our third break, we were in Wildorf in the Regen region, where breakfast was handed out.
I had passed through here on my way from Vod Fortress to the territorial capital of Besanburg.
We were almost there.
I noticed a high volume of civilian freight wagons alongside the military ones.
(Is the post-war cleanup still going on?)
At the second break after Wildorf, Viscount Bizan-sama’s castle came into view.
From this distance, it was hard to make out the details, but the castle sat right in the middle of the river.
More accurately, it was built on a sandbank nestled inside a massive curve of the river.
On the opposite hills, I could see a long wall snaking through the forest.
In this region, they relied on that long wall to stop enemies rather than just the castle fortifications.
After one last break, we reached the checkpoint—an arcade beneath a watchtower at the edge of the Danube River.
As I waited my turn and stepped off the carriage, I saw that the river had swollen.
From here, the white castle and its many spires looked like they were floating on the water.
That was the place where Rudy and I had received the “Viscount’s Treasure Sword.”
Past the castle, the Danube took a sharp turn, revealing the urban sprawl beyond.
The city sat on a sandbank where the rivers diverged.
To the left flowed the Inn River; to the right was the main branch of the Danube.
Just before the split, the Ina River joined from the east.
Besanburg was clearly a massive hub for water traffic.
Before the checkpoint and the Ina River bridge, there was farmland on the right.
I’m pretty sure the stables where we bought the horse Carpaccio for the Fee family were back that way.
The wedge of land between the Ina and the Danube was a high plateau.
Apparently, the Viscount’s actual residential castle was up there, but I couldn’t see it from below.
Finally, we crossed the incredibly long stone bridge over the Danube and entered the heart of the capital.
At the very tip of the triangular sandbank were naval ports and Royal Army facilities.
We followed the road along the perimeter of those buildings.
To the right, the bustling commercial districts climbed up the hills, while the banks of the Inn River were lined with private docks, warehouses, and offices.
The carriage reached the Inn River, turned right along the quay, and pulled into the capital station.
The boat landing right in front of the station was packed with long, narrow vessels.
I remember taking a boat from here with Rudy to head back to Obernbach.
It felt like a lifetime ago—being helped by that kind guard to get our paperwork in order and get on the boat.
I looked back, but the people I’d traveled with from Obernbach had already vanished into the city.
(Time for me to move, too.)
I pulled out the map my sister-in-law had drawn for me.
If I walked along the Inn River toward the hills, I’d hit the Willow District Hans-niisan told me about.
According to the map, the Magic School, Uncle Klaus’s house, and her family home were all up on the hill.
There were two streets parallel to the river that led upward.
My sister-in-law had told me those streets weren’t just for shops—they were lined with food stalls.
I figured I’d need supplies for my new life anyway, so I ducked into an alley next to the station to check things out.
A delicious aroma hit me immediately.
The bread on the carriage had been borderline inedible.
Maybe I should grab something from one of those stalls she mentioned.
I emerged from the short alley onto a wide street lined with shops.
In the middle of the road, massive carts converted into stalls were parked here and there.
That’s where the smell was coming from.
(It’s my first day. A little splurge won’t hurt, right?)
I started to jog toward them—and then I froze.
Standing at the stall I was heading for was a large woman in a military uniform.
A cold shiver raced down my spine. She was wearing a military uniform that didn’t suit her at all, but there was no mistake.
I looked away for a split second, then did a double-take just to be absolutely certain.
There was no doubt about it. It was Isabella, the leader of the “Weasels of Bohemia”⁶.
Her filthy, matted hair had been cropped into a neat, short style, and she’d traded in that reeking leather armor for a crisp Kingdom Army uniform. Even with the makeover, I knew it was her.
’Marie is my niece. If you ever do anything to make that girl cry, I will find you no matter where you hide and kill you.’
The memory of those cursed words, spat at me in front of Vod Fortress, was impossible to shake.
Isabella’s head shifted slightly, and I moved. I looked away fast, darted across the street, and disappeared into an alleyway.
I didn’t know what was happening, but I knew I had to run.
I didn’t think she’d spotted me, but she was a leader of the Weasels; I couldn’t afford to be careless. Lugging my gear, I scrambled from one alley to the next, weaving through the side streets. When I hit the river, I doubled back, took another turn, and kept on sprinting.
I lost track of how long I’d been running.
Eventually, I came back out to the riverbank. After scanning the area to make sure no military uniforms were in sight, I slumped against the stone railing to catch my breath.
(If she finds out I’ve married into another family, she’s actually going to murder me…)
No, wait. Thinking back on it, Marie was the one who performed a Night-visit⁷ back at the Village Chief’s house in Barsheni. It wasn’t like I’d pursued her—and it definitely wasn’t her first time, either. Being killed over something that ridiculous was the height of injustice.
Still, logic didn’t seem like something that woman cared about. She was Marie’s aunt, after all, and they clearly shared the same nasty temperament.
I decided to give up on the downtown area and head straight for Uncle Klaus-san’s place.
I had just started to straighten up from the railing when it happened.
”Hey.”
A sudden slap on my back nearly sent me over the edge. I jumped, heart hammering against my ribs. I hadn’t even realized someone had gotten that close to me. I scrambled back, eyes wide.
”You’re a suspicious-looking character. Where did you come from?”
Standing there were two guards in tights. I felt the air leave my lungs. (Don’t scare me like that…) I thought, nearly collapsing on the spot.
”Why don’t you come with us to the guardhouse for a bit?”
One guard drew his sword, and the other reached out toward me.
”I’m from Strock Village!” I blurted out, my voice cracking under the pressure.
”Strock Village? Never heard of it. So, what are you doing here?”
”I’m here to enroll in the Magic School.”
”Hah! The Magic School? Listen, kid, if you keep spouting bullshit like that, we’re going to ship you off to the coal mines.”
Things were going south fast.
”Before I went to the school, I was supposed to go greet my uncle!”
”Then why were you sprinting out of the alleys like a rat?”
I wanted to explain, but it would have taken a lifetime, and they didn’t look like the patient types.
”Fine, whatever. What’s this uncle’s name, then?”
”Klaus. Klaus Thalbach. He’s a vassal to the Viscount.”
That seemed to take the wind out of their sails. The guards shared a look before turning back to me.
”Do you know the address?”
I pulled out the map my sister-in-law had drawn for me and showed them the location. They leaned in to inspect it, and the older one finally spoke.
”Well, even so, we still need to take you to the station once.”
His tone was much more level now, so I agreed and we started walking.
”When did you get in?”
”Yesterday morning. I left the village, took the coach from Obernbach, and just got here a bit ago.”
”Man, that’s a hell of a trip,” the younger guard said, sounding genuinely sympathetic.
”But seriously, kid, didn’t you have a better coat? You look like a vagrant in that thing. Can’t blame us for thinking you were a squatter.”
I couldn’t really argue. My brother Iffens’s coat was way too big, and Hans was using his own. My sister-in-law had remade my grandfather’s old overcoat for me because she was worried about the cold, but apparently, it looked like a mess.
”Well, that parchment isn’t going to cut it as an ID,” the older guard added.
It was clear they’d assumed from the start that I had no way to prove who I was.
”I have something,” I said. “Something like an ID.”
”What?”
I unbuttoned my grimy coat and showed them the “Viscount’s Treasured Sword” strapped to my waist.
”Whoa.”
”What the…?”
I didn’t know what they were so worked up about; they’d asked for an ID, and I’d just given them the best substitute I had. The two guards inspected the sword with surgical precision before handing it back.
”Wait… are you that boy soldier? The Kiridal Survivor⁸ who actually made it back?”
”Uh, yeah. That’s me.”
Suddenly, both of them were grinning ear to ear. I didn’t realize I was actually a local legend.
”Man, you really shouldn’t be wearing that coat, then!”
”Yeah, could’ve cleaned up a bit, Mr. Celebrity!”
Apparently, my “fame” made my fashion choices even more offensive to them. For some reason, they decided to pull a few strings and got a carriage to take me straight to Uncle Klaus-san’s.
The guardhouse was a sturdy stone building near the Danube River that looked a lot like the Village Head’s tower back home. Inside, the heat was cranked up, and guards were either working under magic lamps or lounging by the stove.
As I was led in, everyone gave me the “guilty until proven innocent” stare.
”Hey, you lot! Any of you know who this kid is?” the older guard shouted to the group by the stove. They all shook their heads.
”Check this out.”
He flipped up the hem of my coat to show off the Viscount’s sword.
”What’s the deal?” the toughest-looking guard in the group asked.
”It’s him! The kid who survived Kiridal!”
The room erupted. Cheers and skeptical murmurs broke out, and even the guys at the desks got up to see the “hero.”
”Is it really you? What’s your name, kid?”
”Larry Fee. Well, Larry Fee Getys now, since I married into a family.”
The crowd let out a collective “Ooooh!”
”Is it true you gave the leader of the Weasels of Bohemia that burn on her face?”
”Yeah, well… about half of it.”
”No way! I saw her earlier, and her face was perfectly fine.”
So it was her. When he said “fine,” he didn’t mean she was a beauty—he meant the burn was gone.
”Why is she even in the capital?”
”Heard she was getting some medal at the Royal Capital and is on her way back.”
”Tsk. Typical mercenary garbage.”
”Hey, watch it. I heard she’s a Second Lieutenant in the Army now.”
It seemed Isabella wasn’t exactly popular with the local guards. I was picking up a lot of intel, but I really just wanted to get to Uncle Klaus-san’s.
”You really burned her, though?”
”I did. But she had it healed and now she’s charging me five gold coins for the medical bill.”
That was the punchline. The guards absolutely lost it, howling with laughter.
After that, I had to tell the whole story again—the same one I’d told a hundred times. I told them about getting separated from my unit, being forced to chop wood in Barsheni, getting caught in a manhunt in Opcheri, being turned into a Slave Soldier, escaping again, and finally making it home to meet the King.
”Damn, kid. Hearing it from the source is something else.”
Apparently, my old Master had been bragging about me to anyone who’d listen. Talk about a headache.
They treated me to some ale and jerky while we chatted, and eventually, the carriage arrived.
”Thanks for everything,” I told the pair who’d brought me in.
”Don’t mention it!” the older one said, waving as a crowd of guards watched me climb into the carriage. I really was becoming a public figure.
”And get rid of that coat!” someone yelled as we pulled away.
The carriage started up a gentle slope. At the top, the houses were more magnificent than anything I’d seen in Obernbach, with massive government-style buildings nearby.
”Here you go. The Thalbach residence.”
I thanked the driver and waited until he disappeared from sight before approaching the door.
I rang the bell, and a maid answered. I gave my name and explained why I was there, but my uncle wasn’t home yet. While I was waiting, a middle-aged woman appeared—Aunt Camilla.
She didn’t look as mean as I’d expected. She had slightly droopy, narrow eyes and looked like a perfectly ordinary, quiet auntie.
”I see. Thank you for coming all this way. I’ll let Klaus know you stopped by when he returns.”
I told her I was there to pay my respects before starting Magic School, but her reaction was totally flat. I’d been worried she’d drag me inside for a long lecture, but it was surprisingly anticlimactic.
”Well, I’ll be going then.”
”Yes. Good luck.”
(Well, that could have been worse,) I thought. But as I turned to leave, she called out to me.
”Is Ursula doing well?”
”Yes, she’s getting along great with my brother.”
Tsk.
I didn’t mishear it. She definitely clicked her tongue in annoyance.
”Anyway… excuse me.”
I gave a hurried second bow, feeling a bit shaken.
”Yes. Goodbye.”
She didn’t even look back as she vanished into the house. I suddenly felt very, very sorry for Uncle Klaus-san.
As I left the front gate, a carriage pulled out from behind the building.
”Whoa! Larry? What are you doing here?”
”Tommy!”
It was Tommy, the Thalbachs’ servant and driver. Whenever he came to our village, he always had plenty of gossip to share. I told him I was in town for school and had just stopped by to say hello.
”Right, right! If I’d known, I could’ve given you a lift to the school, but I’ve got to go pick up the Master now.”
”It’s fine. I’m actually heading to my sister-in-law’s parents’ place next.”
”The Kneffs? That’s on the way. Hop in, I’ll drop you off.”
It was a huge relief not to have to find the way myself. I sat up front with Tommy, who spent the entire drive venting about his married life until we reached the Kneff house.
Unlike my uncle’s place, the Kneffs showed me straight to the parlor.
”Uncle Larry!”
Lyrica, my sister-in-law’s oldest, came sprinting out and tackled my leg. She and her little sister Maria were being raised here, and it looked like they’d settled in perfectly.
”Is she… is my daughter doing well?” my mother-in-law asked, her voice full of worry.
Since my sister-in-law had been born to her parents later in life, they clearly doted on her. Her father, a man with pure white hair who’d handed his duties over to his son, seemed to be enjoying a peaceful retirement playing with his grandkids.
We talked for a while, but I must have been a bit careless. As I was talking about my mother, Lyrica suddenly realized I was talking about her own mom and started crying, saying she missed her.
The three of us—the grandparents and me—trying to comfort her, but she cried for a long time. Eventually, she cried herself out and started nodding off in her grandmother’s arms.
Once my mother-in-law left the room to put her to bed, my brother-in-law walked in.
”Nice to meet you.”
He looked to be in his early thirties and had a very friendly, refreshing vibe. Apparently, he’d run into Tommy, heard I was here, and hurried over.
He told me his family lived just a few houses down. They’d stayed here until Lyrica and Maria arrived, but moved out once the house got too crowded.
And then, it was time for the usual routine.
By the time I finished recounting the series of events in Kiridal, much as I had at the guardhouse, the world outside had turned completely dark.
”I should be heading to the school soon,” I said.
I wasn’t exactly worried about finding my way on an unfamiliar road, and since the night was clear, I figured I’d manage. I stood up to take my leave.
”You’re already here, so stay for dinner. Zoltan, see him off in the carriage afterward,” the man said.
Zoltan was the name of my brother-in-law. Thanks to his offer, I was treated to a lavish meal featuring actual meat.
”That’s right. Father, did you tell him about Nico?” Zoltan asked.
I hadn’t expected Nico’s name to come up here, but thinking about it, she was my sister-in-law’s cousin. That meant she was the child of one of my father-in-law’s or mother-in-law’s siblings, so it wasn’t that strange.
”I completely forgot,” my mother-in-law admitted.
According to the parents and Zoltan, Nico had run away from home shortly after returning from Strock Village.
”We’ve all been out searching everywhere for her,” she added.
It had been about ten days since she vanished, and they still hadn’t found a trace. If she had been kidnapped, she might have been forced into slavery and sold off by now.
I didn’t want to think that the girl who had claimed she’d be my wife was going through that, but it was the most likely possibility. Nico’s mother had been bedridden and unable to eat since the disappearance.
* * *
After the talk, my brother-in-law took me to the school in his carriage.
”The front entrance is closed,” Zoltan noted.
Just as he said, the main gate was shut and locked tight.
”Let’s try the dormitory side,” I suggested.
We rounded the corner and pulled up next to a long, narrow two-story building. A gate stood adjacent to it, and a light was burning in the room closest to the entrance. I hopped down from the driver’s seat and gave the bell hanging by the gate a sharp jangle. A moment later, a figure emerged from inside.
”Looks like you’ll be fine. I’m heading back, so do your best,” Zoltan said.
Giving me a final cheer, my brother-in-law turned the carriage around and headed home.
”The curfew has already passed. How incredibly thoughtless,” a woman muttered.
She looked to be somewhere between a middle-aged woman and an older sister. Wearing glasses, she peered closely at my face.
”And who might you be?” she asked.
”Um, my name is Larry Fee. I’m a new student starting this term,” I replied.
I introduced myself, but she clearly didn’t believe me. Her eyes traveled from my head to my toes and back again.
”Are you truly the special recommendation student, Larry Fee-san?” the woman asked.
”Yes. Well, I married into the family, so my name is technically Larry Fee Getys now,” I explained.
(That’s right, the ‘Viscount’s Treasure Sword.’)
I pulled back my overcoat to show her, but she still didn’t seem convinced. I started to panic. I didn’t want to spend the night out here in the freezing cold. Then I remembered—the enrollment permit was in my luggage.
Relying on the moonlight, I dug through my things and pulled out the permit. Finally, she believed me.
”I’m so sorry. We have a lot of girls here, so I have to be strict with the men,” she apologized profusely. “By the way, Larry-san, I was given a message for you. You’re to report to the Principal’s office tomorrow morning at nine o’clock sharp.”
I didn’t know how the Principal knew I was coming, but if they’d left a message, did I really need to show her my permit? I was exhausted and just wanted to lie down. I could feel a bit of anger bubbling up.
”Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Kunila Kelfenstein, the dormitory matron,” she said.
(She’s just now introducing herself? She might be a bit of a space cadet.)
Inside, a long hallway stretched out with doors lining the right side. She told me sixty students lived across the two floors. Curfew didn’t seem to apply inside the building, as I saw several female students in uniform wandering around.
”Is that the ‘Special Recommendation’ guy everyone’s talking about? Look at that filthy coat. He looks like a total backwater bumpkin,” one girl whispered.
(I don’t mind being a country boy, but ‘filthy’ is a bit much.)
”The first and second-year boys and girls are all mixed in together here,” Kunila explained, catching the comments and offering a strained smile.
I’d never lived with people my own age before, but the atmosphere already felt a bit dangerous.
”That reminds me. About your attendant—could we have them work a part-time job in the laundry?” Kunila asked out of nowhere.
(She really is a space cadet.)
”Sure, that’s fine, but…” I trailed off.
I wondered if the school had prepared an attendant for me. I remembered the permit saying it was best to have an attendant or bondservant handle my daily needs, but it hadn’t mentioned providing one. Was this a perk for the special recommendation students?
”We’ll pay a proper wage, of course. It’ll be enough to cover the Poll Tax,” she added.
(Right. Since they’re my attendant, I’m the one who has to pay the tax. This is getting complicated.)
”Your room is at the very end. Oh, and Larry-san? We tell the students to use the public restrooms, but since you’re a man, please try to use the one in your own room as much as possible,” Kunila said.
Near the center of the building, a walkway led to a separate structure that looked like the latrines.
I had a history of accidentally walking in on Nico in the bathroom because I hadn’t knocked. If I did something like that here, I’d be dead. The thought alone was terrifying.
(A wise man stays away from danger.)
”I’ve already handed over the key,” Kunila said.
”To my attendant?” I asked.
”Yes,” Kunila replied, giving me a puzzled look.
I ignored it and knocked on the door.
”Coming!” a voice chirped.
It was a voice I’d heard before. The door opened, and there stood Nico—the girl who had run away and gone missing.
”You! Do you have any idea how worr—”
Before I could finish, she grabbed my arm and hauled me inside. Nico gave Kunila a quick greeting, slammed the door shut, and looked at me with a mischievous smirk.
—
Summary:
Travelling across the cold northern regions by stagecoach. Facing physical discomfort and awkward social interactions with other travelers. Arriving at the capital Besanburg only to encounter a formidable military figure.
Larry arrives in the territorial capital and immediately encounters Isabella, the woman who once threatened his life. He is detained by guards but released when his identity as a war hero is revealed through his sword. After a cold reception at his uncle’s house, he reunites with his sister-in-law’s family and meets a new brother-in-law.
Larry arrives at the academy dormitory after a final dinner with his in-laws. He navigates the cold reception of the matron and the mockery of students. He discovers his supposedly missing bride-to-be, Nico, is already waiting in his room.
—
Trivia:
- The historical context of the Olden and Regen coal mines as the reason for the local fortification style
- The narrator’s specific sensory experience with apple cider as a warming agent
- The geographic detail of Besanburg being situated at the confluence of three rivers: Danube, Inn, and Ina
- The specific geography of the Danube River relative to the guardhouse
- The fact that Isabella is now a Second Lieutenant
- The exact reason for Aunt Camilla’s hostility toward Ursula
- The master’s role in spreading Larry’s fam
—
Character Insight:
The narrator demonstrates a lack of practical experience with mana application outside of combat, leading to an embarrassing and costly mistake in a public setting.
Larry is struggling with ‘imposter syndrome’ regarding his celebrity status, while Isabella has successfully integrated into the formal military structure.
—
Glossary:
Notes:
• Monica – Sun-tanned, slender, tomboyish fifteen-year-old widow and childhood friend of Larry, missing a front tooth, she lost her husband Denis at Vod Fortress and now raises her twin children while wet-nursing her infant niece Maria; observant, assertive in negotiations, and the household’s weary voice of reason, she manages domestic life with bitter authority, haunted by survival fears and Larry’s neglect—so much so she gave up her son—and offers the narrator early-filtered apple cider as a quiet, poignant farewell at the station.
• Lili – An older, slightly plump maid of the Getys household, with exceptionally large breasts, serves as a quiet bondservant handling most housework. She joins the family in inspecting new land and accompanies Monica to see the narrator off at Obernbach Station.
• Fee – The Fee family — Larry, Hans, and Iffens — governs Strock Village; Larry’s surname changed to Fee Getys after marrying into another household, presenting a distinguished, unified presence.
• Rudy – Fourteen-year-old black-haired militia recruit from Heberich Village, formerly of Garao, now wood-hauls with Larry as his brother-in-arms; grandson of a hunter, he knows forest creatures, excels at math, and code-switches dialects to negotiate, yet struggles with armor, horses, and formal settings. Filthy and traumatized, he mocks Larry’s condition but fiercely protects him amid captivity, visits daily, and devised a hidden-trail escape. Holds elitist views of Strock Village, understands northern trade and Al-miraJ biology, and despite his immaturity and war anxiety, remains Larry’s most loyal, if flawed, guardian.
• Mauer – A stout man from the Rosen family with thin, downy white hair. He wears a beige dalmatica.
• 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.
• Daniel – White‑haired dwarf with a thick mane, over 100 years old, migrated from Kiridal’s southern mines to Strock Village, where he runs a blacksmith shop opposite Granny Ferris. A jovial, blunt master of metalwork and carpentry, he also exterminates monsters, serves on the council, teaches that a strong grip fuels mana, and is famed for his trademark laugh and marimba at weddings, using glossy coal in his forge.
• Hans – Hans‑niisan, 17, nearly 2 m tall and over 100 kg, rugged heir of the Kessler estate and elder brother of Larry, now Village Head of the Fee family. Rough‑coarse yet charismatic, he enforces the headship’s will, refuses the role himself, and holds his own wedding while his aggressive brother declines it. Known for physical strength and for sharing Willow District intel.
• Bizan – The Bizan family name, held by the Viscount. He is the lord of the territory and owner of the castle built within the Danube River.
• Tim – Jarek Dvorak, 14, the village’s eldest son and recent graduate, has short dark hair, a lean build and thoughtful eyes. He arrived in Obernbach with his father, watches the Golem’s arrival with trepidation, and, as a sugar‑beet cultivator from a family that refines sugar, boasts of pleasures in the district. A carefree, slightly reckless friend of Larry’s.
• 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 both despise him. He is also the narrator’s uncle who lives on the hill in the territorial capital.
• Isabella – Towering, muscular leader of the Weasels of Bohemia (Opcheri) now a Second Lieutenant in the Kingdom Army. She has a short‑cropped, slightly disheveled bob and a facial burn scar from Larry’s fireball. Her massive frame, low sour‑voiced growl, and aggressive expression dominate the village, while her sharp insight into mages earns respect from allies and foes alike.
• Marie – Fifteen‑year‑old granddaughter of the village chief, she wears a school uniform and has a build nearly identical to Nico’s. As a military clerk she adopts a cynical, suspicious, interrogative demeanor that mirrors Iva, Larry’s former acquaintance. She pretends to harass him to hide their secret affair, valuing village rules over personal desire, and claims to be carrying Larry’s child.
• 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.
• Thalbach – The Thalbach family name, representing the household of Larry’s uncle Klaus.
• 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.
• 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.
• Getys – The Getys family, a once‑thriving Strock Village lineage that arrived after the original four families, now bears the name carried by Alisa and Monica; its members — Hardy and his late brother Denis — were known for their rugged, weather‑worn appearance and a heritage of combat and trade. Plagued by disease and war, the clan has been drastically thinned, leaving its survival precarious, while the household is in transition after the death of its former masters.
• Larry – 14‑year‑old third son of Strock Village Head, reddish‑white skin, curly bronze hair, bronze eyes. Slave‑soldier in Militia Unit 303, Mage Lv 3, hosts a 40‑yr‑old Sage’s mind, fire magic, mana sensing. Married into Getys, manipulates mana for warmth, close with sister‑in‑law, preparing wedding with Monica & Teressa, suspected Fifth Sage.
• Camilla – The aunt of Larry and wife of Klaus. She is described as a middle-aged woman with narrow, slightly droopy eyes and a quiet, yet potentially bitter temperament.
• Ursula – Ursula Ullman, 28, tall and dark‑haired, is the virgin former maid of Aunt Camilla and now Hans’s fiancée. Daughter of a northern‑coast man, she was a gifted child, joins him at breakfast, and prepares to become the new Village Head’s wife, a union strained by family intrigue.
• Tommy – A talkative servant and coachman for the Thalbach family, he has driven horses since age seven and is the same age as Hans; he shares gossip freely and often vents about his troubled married life while tending to the family’s stables and carriages.
• Lyrica – Larry’s niece, a toddler under three, looks innocent but hides a dark edge; she bluntly repeats scandalous gossip she overhears, exposing adult secrets with childlike honesty. As the eldest daughter of Larry’s sister‑in‑law, she is being raised in the Kneff household and misses her mother deeply.
• Maria – The three-month-old second daughter of Ifens and Therese.
• Nico – Silver‑haired, once a poised head maid devoted to Teressa, now a prickly, haunted figure with frayed elegance. She fled with Larry, raising his children, works at the school laundry, and quietly aids neighbors by cleaning gear. Plays violin on stage, scolds Larry bluntly, and as a Village Head Fee member recently completed her coming‑of‑age ceremony.
• Kunila – A woman serving as the dorm mother of the magic school’s dormitory. She guides new students and oversees the living arrangements for the young residents. Despite her professional appearance, she is noted by others to be somewhat of an airhead. she is responsible for the management of the student dormitories and guiding new students.
• Suu – Secretary for the Royal Capital Beast-person Mutual Aid Association and a cat beast-person. Sample No. 19 in Kento’s report. She steps up as the first witness for the defense.
• Ed – A lanky refugee youth in simple farmer’s garb, Larry’s close friend and soon-to-be conscript, now a militia member training spear-walls; he witnessed the initial skirmish at Mauer Village as part of the group seeking safety in Strock Village, was an associate of Captain Bours, and participated in the ambush of the mercenaries—fiercely protective of Larry, remembered for his quiet resolve to survive the battlefield.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply