“Are you… alright?”
“Huh? Ah, it’s not like I didn’t expect it. Alright, let’s switch my focus.”
As I mulled over Apricot’s words and thought about the reason I’d ended up in this world, Primrose looked at me with a worried expression.
I hadn’t given up on returning home, but there was nothing I could do about it immediately. I decided to shift my focus to what I should do now.
“Can you really switch your focus so easily?”
“I wonder. This is the first time something like this has happened, so I can’t really say, but Father and Master always told me to stay calm no matter what happened. Maybe it’s just that I haven’t fully processed that this is reality yet. But I can’t do anything about this situation here, so I thought I should focus on the immediate matters.”
“I see.”
“Regarding those immediate matters, I have a proposal for you. You’ve confirmed that we are of Ducal lineage at the Library, haven’t you?”
“Yes. Though, to be honest, I don’t know how to interact with nobles, as there aren’t any in my world.”
It’s not that there aren’t any I suppose, but there certainly aren’t any in Japan. There’s royalty, but explaining that would take too long, so it’s fine to leave it out.
“You can interact with us normally. In fact, the Duke Hydransia household has already been abolished because the head of the household, my husband, was falsely accused and executed.”
Ah, so that’s why they’re former nobles. And I heard you mention false accusations. Isn’t this country, Valentia, quite a dangerous place?
“I’ll explain that later, but my master, anticipating this outcome, had arranged for me and Prim to escape to our neighboring country, the Amister Kingdom. However, the Beast King of Valentia is also targeting me and Prim’s lives and has sent assassins after us.”
“Assassins? Like those bandits from earlier?”
“They appeared by chance while we were fighting the assassins. But because of that, my attendants and coachman were killed, and I intended to head towards Porton, a border town with Amister, while protecting Mother. That’s when you appeared.”
I see. It was an unexpected attack, and they took their chance. That probably means I can guess what Apricot wants.
“In other words, you want me to escort you until we reach Amister?”
“That’s right. More precisely, not just until we cross into Amister, but until we reach a town called Feel in northern Amister.”
It’s asylum, then. If they stayed in Valentia, their lives would constantly be in danger, and considering future circumstances, it makes sense for them to do this.
This world has two large continents, and the continent I was transported to is called the Philia Continent.
The country I’m currently in is the Valentia Confederacy, ruled by the Beast King. The Amister Kingdom, which Primrose and the others are heading towards, is its neighbor and is said to be the largest nation on the Philia Continent.
There are also the Solemn Empire, ruled by an Emperor; the Valentia Dragon Kingdom, governed by a Dragon King; the Retisentia Imperial Kingdom, ruled by an Imperial King; the Torencia Phantom Kingdom, led by a Phantom King; the Alegria Grand Duchy, under a Grand Duke; the Bassion Papal State, a religious nation led by a Pope; and the Libertarian Federation, represented by an elected Consul. These nine countries make up the nations of the Philia Continent.
On the other hand, the Gradia Continent to the east is said to be about one-third smaller than the Philia Continent, and it is unified under the Abarysian Divine Kingdom, ruled by a Divine Emperor. There is little diplomatic or trade relations with Abarysia, making it difficult to transmit information about the situation.
“I don’t mind, but is there something special about that town?”
“Yes. That town is a major hub for Amister, thriving in magic silver craftsmanship. Therefore, it holds significant influence from the Amister Royal Family, and yet, there’s no lord overseeing it, making it easier to hide compared to the capital. Of course, we’ll have to inform the Amister Royal Family eventually, but not right away. If we handle this poorly, it could spark a war between Valentia and Amister.”
Magic silver, is that a legendary metal that appears in games and novels? I’m intrigued. Even with the Royal Family’s influence, the absence of a lord and the ease of connecting with the Royal Family if needed makes it an ideal hiding place. But putting that aside, there’s something else that’s bothering me.
“I understand that, but aren’t you going to sell us to Valentia? To avoid war, I mean, it seems like a more straightforward and certain option.”
Yes, even though it was a false accusation, Duke Hydransia was executed by the Beast King of Valentia. In other words, they are officially declared criminals. Logically, Valentia would want to apprehend his wife and daughter. Harboring them would mean Amister would be harboring fugitives. If that ‘spark’ ignites, it could lead to war, and if a formal request for extradition is made, it would be difficult to refuse.
“That’s true, but the Amister Royal Family will likely not hand us over.”
“And why is that?”
“The Second Princess of Amister is Prim’s childhood friend. If it were just me, perhaps, but I can say with certainty that she would not sell Prim out.”
A childhood friend, huh? If she’s confident enough to say that, they must have been close. However, from my perspective, that’s a weak basis for judgment. Betrayal by someone you trust is a predictable trope.
“Also, this is something I’ll be asking of you, but once we reach Feel, I’d like you to register as a Hunter.”
“You mentioned it briefly before, but what exactly is a Hunter?”
“They are people whose profession is hunting monsters. I don’t know what your world was like, but in Helios Orb, there are monsters, and their damage is significant. However, materials obtained from monsters are often useful, so Hunters hunt monsters, and Guilds handle the trading of these materials. It also reduces the number of monsters that ravage crops, making it important from a food production standpoint. Some monsters are also delicious to eat.”
In Helios Orb, there are Guilds, which are organizations for combat and production professions. The Hunter’s Guild is one of them, serving as an intermediary for monster subjugation and material gathering requests, similar to adventurers you’d know from games and novels. Of course, they also undertake escorts for nobles and merchant caravans, and hunt down bandits. Naturally, if one commits criminal acts, they could face registration cancellation and be handed over to the Knights, and if they become bandits, they become wanted and hunted by Hunters worldwide, which is also a familiar trope. Furthermore, the Guild does not interfere with the safety of Hunters nor guarantee their lives. While they don’t intervene in disputes between Hunters, the poor conduct of mid-tier Hunters in recent years has become a problem, and the Guild is increasingly making its presence felt. The purchase of monster materials can lead to price drops if supply is high and price increases if demand is high. At the reception, you can accept monster subjugation requests. The request forms are posted on the request board, and you can take them to the reception, but you must be careful not to overestimate your level and rank, as some requests cannot be accepted depending on your rank.
There are also the Crafter’s Guild, a gathering of experts in blacksmithing and craftsmanship; the Trader’s Guild, an assembly of merchants; the Butler’s Guild, a meeting place for maids and butlers; the Healer’s Guild, which also functions as a healing facility; the Priest’s Guild, the largest religious organization in Helios Orb; and the Order’s Guild, the Amister Kingdom Knights. The Order’s Guild, being the Amister Kingdom Knights, naturally only exists in the Amister Kingdom. While they are responsible for maintaining public order in various regions, they are also a direct organization under the King, so even nobles cannot intervene.
The Guild ranks are common to all Guilds, starting from T, I, C, B, S, G, P, M, A, and O, from lowest to highest. The reason mineral names are used is that the Crafter’s Guild was established first, and its rank system was adopted directly. Incidentally, B-rank is the most common among Hunters, with S-rank considered elite Hunters. Beyond that, there are only about 100 individuals across all ranks, with G-rank having several dozen, P-rank a few, and M-rank only one. A and O ranks currently have no members.
“Registering myself is fine with me, so there’s no problem, but what good will it do?”
As someone with combat skills, this is a welcome offer. It should be fine for a normal life without extravagance. But I don’t really understand how it will help the two of them.
“A Hunter’s rank is determined by their level. Of course, you won’t reach that rank overnight, but it’s common to reach a rank corresponding to your level relatively early. Your level corresponds to G-rank, which is said to have only a few dozen people in the world. Many Hunters of this rank are treated favorably by their countries and have close relationships with royalty and nobles, giving them significant influence. Moreover, since you have evolved into a High Human, you will undoubtedly be welcomed warmly by any country.”
Is that so? In other words, if I become a Hunter, Amister will be less likely to interfere with them, regardless of who they are, simply because they are associated with me. Of course, it’s best if nothing happens, but it can serve as a safety net. If that second princess truly doesn’t sell Prim out, that will be taken as the country’s will. At the same time, if my presence as a guest becomes known, any country that covets my knowledge will likely remain silent on the matter. I don’t know if they’ve thought that far ahead, nor do I know what kind of existence a guest is in this world, but it’s more reassuring for me than just accepting their kindness.
“If that’s the case, I understand. I will escort you two to the town of Feel, register as a Hunter there, and then continue the escort while gaining experience.”
“Rather than ‘us two,’ it’s Mother’s escort. I’ll explain more on the way, but in Helios Orb, there are most people in their late thirties, while those above level 50 are in the dozens, and at most, a little over a hundred.”
“I see. So, with you and Primrose, we can get through most situations by force, can’t we?”
“That’s right. I’ll register as a Hunter too.”
Wait a minute, you want to do that too, Princess? There might be quite a few Hunters of the Foxy race, but those with wings would be quite rare, wouldn’t they? And if she’s a girl who’s a white fox, there’s a high chance her identity will be revealed quickly.
“That’s true. But you understand that meeting you here was also unplanned for us, right?”
“Clearly. And, I see. Primrose is also level 48, so becoming a Hunter would reduce the possibility of being handed over to Valentia. Furthermore, if she registers in Amister, she’ll be an Amister affiliated Hunter, and the Hunter’s Guild won’t just stand by unless she’s a clear criminal.”
In a way, it also serves to protect her. But there’s a problem. A princess of Valentia becoming a Hunter in a neighboring country means she’s likely to be unable to return to Valentia. She probably understands that much, but if anything happens in Amister, she’ll have to face them regardless of whether they’re from Valentia, and it’s also possible that events will transpire while she’s taking on completely different requests. The Hunter’s Guild has branches all over the world, and high-ranking Hunters may even receive direct requests from the Guild. Of course, they take personal circumstances into account, but if you refuse too often, you’ll lose trust, and in the worst case, you could be expelled. Even with high levels and ranks, trust is paramount, even for Hunters.
“Precisely. Also, you can call me Prim. You don’t need to add ‘sama’. We’re the same age.”
“That’s very kind of you. Ah, I should mention beforehand, I can’t ride horses, and I can’t drive a horse-drawn carriage either.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. In the first place, very few people in my world can ride horses. And it’s not because there are no nobles. We have more convenient means of transportation than horses. I can drive those, though.”
You know, in the category of “Living Type Engraving Tools,” there’s a classification called “Automatic Four-Wheeled” and “Automatic Two-Wheeled.” These are, in essence, cars and motorcycles. You can obtain a license at the age of 16. Of course, I have one, and I’ve driven the family car a few times. I was planning on buying one for myself, but that opportunity is gone now.
“Is that so? I’m interested in that, so please tell me about it when you have the chance.”
“Regardless, the Beast Carriage has also been destroyed, so we’ll have to walk to Porton. Ah, but we should retrieve the Beast Carriage.”
“Yes. I can store it in my storage, and we can procure a Beast Carriage in Porton.”
Another unknown word, “storage.” What is that?
“Ah, ‘storage’ refers to the storage magic called ‘storaging.’ You can only use it after evolving into a High Class, but since we Winged Tribe have high magic power, we can usually use it once we reach level 40. Ah, since Yamato has become a High Human, you should be able to use it normally.”
Prim quickly explained. So, it’s the so-called “item box.” I heard that while living things can’t be stored, corpses can, and time inside stops. The storage capacity depends on magic power. Apparently, even if you’ve only just become High Class, you have a storage capacity equivalent to a small house. It’s a convenient world to have such magic. Since I’ve become a High Human, I can use it too, so I’ll have her teach me on the way.
“I see. Then after we retrieve it, we’ll walk to Porton. How long do you think it will take?”
“Let’s see. On foot, it will probably be night. If we use the Beast Carriage, we should arrive around evening.”
So, we’ll have to camp overnight? I don’t mind, but given that pursuers might appear again, it’s probably better to get to Amister quickly. Walking from here would be an unforeseen circumstance for Prim and Apricot.
Ah, maybe that hand of mine can be useful.
“Prim, do you have any catalysts?”
“Catalyst? I have magic stones if you need them.”
Magic stones are solidified masses of magic power obtained from defeating monsters. They have high magic conductivity and can store magic power, making them useful in magic tools. Generally, higher-quality magic stones are obtained from stronger monsters, but even the magic stones of weaker monsters are in demand, making them an important source of income for Hunters. This is quite fortunate then.
“Oh, could I have one? I don’t know if it will work, but there’s something I want to try. Whether it succeeds or fails, I think the magic stone will become unusable.”
“I don’t know what you’re going to do, but if that’s the case, let’s use the magic stones from those guys. We should have enough.”
The bandits’ weapons, armor, and belongings were all retrieved and stuffed into Prim’s storage after confirming them in the Library. Stealing from corpses is considered robbery, but there is no penalty if the target is a bandit. In the first place, since bandits are criminal organizations, their possessions are considered spoils to the victor. It’s just like a template from another world.
“This should be fine, don’t you think?”
As I was thinking that, a pale green stone emerged from the magic circle on Prim’s palm.
It’s a bit late to mention, but Prim has blue eyes and her beautiful silver hair is tied back in a ponytail. Her dress, though torn in places, has a design that befits a princess and looks easy to move in. With her white wings, she could be mistaken for a goddess or an angel. And her chest is large, too. Ah, her ears and tail are pure white.
Apricot has blonde hair, blue eyes, and shoulder-length hair. Her dress is more relaxed than Prim’s and has a classic design that doesn’t seem suited for intense movement. She has a balanced figure and, despite being 36, is beautiful enough to pass for someone in her twenties. In fact, I initially thought she was Prim’s older sister.
Foxy’s fur color is white or yellow, and their skin tone is based on Asian humans. Ah, while many beastmen in novels and games have animal ears in addition to human ears, it’s not the case in Helios Orb; they simply have a pair of ears. The ears of beastfolk are positioned slightly higher than those of humans, and their ears are also larger.
Oops, I shouldn’t be thinking such lewd thoughts. It’s completely rude.
“Is this a magic stone? Green means wind?”
“Correct. Red is fire, blue is water, yellow is earth, purple is lightning, white is ice, silver is light, black is darkness, and gold is all.”
There are more attributes than I expected. In Engraving Magic, lightning is fire and ice is water, but are they treated as separate attributes in Helios Orb? Also, “all” – does that mean all attributes? Well, I can ask later.
As I realized during the previous battle, magic power seems to be the same as the “imprints” consumed to use Engraving Magic. Imprints were also called spiritual power, aura, or prana, so it makes sense when you think about it. And since magic can be performed by consuming magic power, it’s natural that it’s similar to Engraving Magic in some ways. In any case, a wind magic stone is convenient.
“Thanks.”
After receiving the magic stone and walking for a while, I spotted the Beast Carriage of the Duke Hydransia household. I cautiously used Sonar Wave to check if there was anything around, but found nothing. The Beast Carriage didn’t look damaged, so it should be fine. I then engraved the wind magic Fly Wind (Wind Attribute B-rank Target Interference Magic) and Gust Blind (Wind Attribute B-rank Wide-area Interference Magic) onto the wind magic stone Prim gave me, and after getting Apricot’s permission, I placed it in the driver’s seat.
Incidentally, the reason they’re called Beast Carriages and not horse-drawn carriages is that in Helios Orb, they are pulled by monsters that are naturally docile or easy to tame. The word “carriage” itself doesn’t exist. Such monsters are called “Beast Carriages,” and monsters ridden on their backs are called “Mounts.” Also, looking at this Beast Carriage, I was surprised to find that the interior was much larger than it looked. It seems to be expanded using a spatial expansion magic called Mirroring, and such magic-infused magic tools are said to be quite expensive. I certainly wouldn’t have expected three rooms inside this Beast Carriage, so the price makes sense. By the way, there are also magic tools infused with Storaging, which are highly coveted by Hunters and merchants.
“Alright, this should be good.”
I flowed imprints into the magic stone I’d placed in the driver’s seat and activated Fly Wind, levitating the Beast Carriage slightly and moving it in the direction of travel. The imprint consumption was better than expected, and Gust Blind could clear small obstacles like pebbles, so it seemed like we could achieve a decent speed.
“T-moving the Beast Carriage using wind magic…”
“I see. It’s not very efficient, and the magic consumption is said to be immense, but you should be alright.”
No, the compatibility with the magic stone was good, so the imprint consumption wasn’t that high. Of course, moving such a large Beast Carriage, comparable to a minivan, for an extended period would be tough, but since coming to Helios Orb, my imprints – no, magic, should I say – seem to have become more active, so I should be able to manage until we reach town. Apricot, who was surprisingly amazed, rode in the Beast Carriage, and Prim and I sat in the driver’s seat, channeling magic into the magic stone and moving the Beast Carriage.
“Alright, this should work. I can’t go too fast, but we should be able to reach it around evening with this.”
“Amazing. Not only being able to enchant it with magic, but the speed is also faster than a Beast Carriage. We might arrive earlier than originally planned.”
“It’s not exactly enchantments, though.”
After all, engraving is a common technique in my world. While Engraving Magic is a personal skill, leading to variations in results, it’s programmed to perform at a minimum level of effectiveness, so issues rarely arise unless something goes seriously wrong. Ah, the engraving of highly lethal Engraving Magic was problematic though.
“Now you’ve made me even more curious. We have time, so tell me about it?”
“That’s my line. I have a mountain of questions.”
Prim smiled, as if to say “we’re in the same boat.”
This was the fated encounter between me and her, Primrose Hydransia.
