The dense, whispering canopy of ancient trees began to thin, the scent of damp earth and pine gradually replaced by the distant, homely smell of woodsmoke and baking bread.
Before me, the wild forest landscape softened and yielded to the rustic order of a frontier town. The path underfoot transformed from soft, mulchy soil to uneven cobblestones, worn smooth by generations of travel.
This was no mere path but a proper main road, a vital artery pulsing with life.
It buzzed with the rhythmic clip-clop of hooves and the constant rumble of wooden wheels as carriages trundled past, their drivers calling out greetings. Flanking the busy thoroughfare, half-timbered shops with leaded glass windows leaned towards each other like old friends sharing secrets.
And on either side, standing with rigid professionalism, were knights in polished armor, their watchful eyes tracing every movement, a silent promise of order amidst the cheerful chaos.
After a few days of travel and rest, we finally arrived at the capital. The massive gates of the fortification were what one might expect of any kingdom, but with one key difference: knights meticulously checked everyone entering and leaving.
When it was my turn, I stepped forward and presented my identification. The knight examined it briefly before signaling to a man in a wide-brimmed hat.
The hatted man approached, holding my papers, and began his interrogation.
"Is this information correct?" he inquired.
"Yes," I replied, my answers ready and concise for whatever he asked.
"It says here you come from the Principality. You were expelled for rebelling against a traitorous noble, but they didn't want you to stay because you could cause… problems." He looked up from the document, his eyes narrowing. "What makes you think this kingdom would grant you asylum?"
This was a routine question for all asylum seekers, but in my case, it was a test to determine if I was a threat.
"I understand how it must look," I began, the story Ange, the Queen of the Principality, had coached me on flowing naturally. "But I am no threat. To begin with, the corrupt noble was injured during his escape while I was merely nearby. The man who raised me was none other than the Ashen Knight. And though I received his training and have fought monsters, I have never killed another person."
I continued, layering the narrative with a hint of dismissive irony. "He is old and senile now, unable to even lift his sword. So, you see, instead of keeping me as a potential asset, they cast me out over senseless fear. Foolish, isn't it?"
The man, a known nationalist, seemed to savor the idea. I could almost see the thought forming in his mind: How foolish those Principality officials are. My reputation within the royal palace was already known, but more importantly… (A noble of this kingdom will provide the necessary papers, so I have nothing to worry about.)
The hatted man finished signing a few documents and motioned to his colleague, who brought over a sealed envelope.
"Very well," the man stated. "Everything seems to be in order. You are permitted to enter the country without issue."
"However, due to your former status, you cannot simply become a commoner. Therefore, the palace has decided to grant you the title of Baronet."
"This means you must have a family name. Since surnames cannot be chosen arbitrarily, one will be selected at random from our archives of the deceased."
"Deceased?" I asked.
"Indeed. When lesser nobles pass without heirs, their family names are retired to the archives. New nobles must be granted a name, but to avoid bestowing one associated with debts or criminal records, we modify them slightly."
"For example," he said, pulling a paper from the envelope and showing it to me. "Here you can see the designated surname was that of the late Lyonne family. Therefore, your name shall now be…"
"Alex Ford Lyones. Welcome to the Magical Kingdom of Lynneburg."
"As with all who are granted asylum, we expect you to contribute to the realm. The capital, Bauer, is the largest in the kingdom, with a production output of six million units."
With that, I was free to go. I passed through the giant gates and officially entered the country.
◇
Three months had passed since my arrival in the kingdom.
They had given me a small stipend to survive on until I could find work. I won't lie—a part of me was initially thrilled to see the world I remembered from the game made real.
This country is the most advanced in the world, or at least the most advanced I've seen so far, and I can't deny its achievements.
But I must be honest: the treatment of people here is horrible. The inhumanity shown to those like me, of scarce means, is palpable.
Finding a job is nearly impossible. There are no resumes or waiting lists; they simply look at you and kick you out. It didn't matter what work I sought; I was either denied outright or spat upon.
The only place that offered me a chance was cleaning ditches. I had to wake up before the sun rose to scrub a specific sector of the streets.
Then, I had to venture into the subterranean sewers to hunt the rats that infest them. After that, I was forced to go help move rocks. There is magic here that can create golems for such labor, but hiring mages is expensive. So, they use us as free manual labor. All that work, and it was worth the same pitiful wage.
The currency here is the same as in the game.
One copper coin is worth about 10 yen.
One silver coin is worth 100 yen.
One gold coin is worth 1000 yen.
And finally, the rarest of all: white gold, or platinum as I like to call it. That single coin is worth approximately 1 million yen. It's an unimaginable amount of money, something I will never see in my lifetime.
I get paid in copper coins, but they take half back. A full day's grueling work for five copper coins. It's a violation of any conceivable labor law. Only a corrupt, black company would do this. But I can't refuse. If I get fired, the only work left would be theft, and criminals here are whipped to death in the public square.
Because of this, my meals often consist of watery soup and a rock-hard piece of bread. I never realized that my life back in the Principary, and back in Japan, could be considered first-class. I even miss the toilets. Speaking of which, this country actually invented them and distributed them to the world; I suppose I should thank them for that.
I live in a rundown inn, in the attic to be precise, with rats, spiders, and an infernal cold that seeps in at night. Living here is like returning to my own world, but I'm on the side of extreme poverty. It seems it doesn't matter if it's a fantasy world from a game; the reality is that there will always be a sector of people living in misery, receiving a pittance for their labor.
Today ended like all the others, though I was dead on my feet by day's end because I had decided not to go to work anymore. Thankfully, tomorrow was an important day for me.
After first arriving, I did just as in the game: I went to a church to take an exam. This exam is for anyone wishing to enroll in the royal academy and win a scholarship.
The scholarship has existed for a hundred years, since a past king wanted to reward a plebeian friend of his. That was the game's backstory. And in the game, the heroine was the only one who could obtain it. But reality is different.
There are two scholarships: one for boys and one for girls. To obtain them, the applicants are naturally divided into two groups, male and female. The score is out of 100 points, and only two people—one of each gender—can achieve a perfect score. Naturally, only those of scarce resources are eligible.
The whole system is a rigged scam, like a slot machine. The peasant boys who go have no books or even a pencil to write with; many go on luck alone. The sons of minor merchants have a slightly better chance.
From what I heard, since its foundation, no one has ever managed to get 100 points because the questions are too difficult for commoners. But if you're the son of a wealthy baron, that knowledge would be easy to know.
For me, however, the questions from the game are memorized. They're just basic math, cooking, and population percentage problems. They're incredibly easy.
I feel a pang of sadness for those who can never hope to achieve the score, but my objective to save the villainesses and then the world is paramount.
I went to the church to see the results. Many were there, crying. On a large board were the names of those who had failed. The scholarship is granted only once every four years, and curiously, this year coincided with the beginning of the game's storyline.
I searched for my name and, just as expected, I had obtained the maximum score. I went to the priest, who looked at me with deep suspicion. I told him I had old books inherited from my father before he died. With clear disgust, he handed me the scholarship papers after I signed them. It seems he cannot lie, as he swore an oath to the goddess.
After thanking him, I looked at the board for the girls, searching for the heroine's name. And I saw an anomaly.
"Lillie?"
Instead of the heroine's name, I found the name of a girl who didn't exist in the game.
It must be an alias, I thought. I hope it's an alias. I'll be in real trouble if she doesn't enroll.
By the way, who the hell is Lillie?