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Translator: Barnnn
Should they venture to the Republic of Adoghan by way of the Kingdom of Lazulseed, or instead chart their course through the Kingdom of Tajellia?
It truly boiled down to these two paths, each carrying its own uncertainties.
Izumi, for her part, was eager to leave this kingdom behind. Still, there was no assurance that Tajellia would be a hospitable place.
“We don’t need to make a decision right this moment,” Takada said. “Let’s just head toward Tajellia for now — by the shortest estimates, it’ll take us at least a month from here, anyway. That’s plenty of time to prepare ourselves for whichever way we end up picking. We can gather information as we go, maybe even near the border — and if things don’t look promising, we can take the southeastern route instead.”
“Are you sure you’re fine with that, Takada-san? Switching routes so suddenly?”
“Of course. Rather than going straight to Adoghan, traveling through another kingdom gives us a chance to see more of the world. And, honestly, I’m just as eager to leave this place as you are.”
Izumi exhaled, relieved to find that Takada shared her restlessness. She smiled in gratitude and offered him a fancy cake stuffed with brandy-soaked fruits and nuts.
Takada blinked, taken aback. “W-what the hell…?”
“This right here…” Izumi began, unable to suppress a chuckle, “…is the very cake the Finance Minister had a meltdown over yesterday. Apparently, when he couldn’t get a slice, he threw a fit and knocked out his own secretary in the process.”
“W-where did you even get this!?”
“Weeell… I may or may not have ‘acquired’ it from the residence where the otherworlders are staying.”
Izumi’s laughter filled the room, smug and contagious, as she cut herself a slice and set it on the table.
The two of them were seated in a room far more luxurious than they were used to — it was one of the temporary lodgings reserved for high-ranking officials and bureaucrats visiting the capital for their periodic reports.
Spacious, impeccably clean, well-maintained — and with plumbing that actually worked — this hideaway had become Izumi’s top choice after some careful reconnaissance.
“Wow, Ichikawa-kun, you’ve really outdone yourself this time. How in the world did you manage to sneak stuff out from that residence? You didn’t get caught, did you?”
“Not a chance,” Izumi said, waving off his concern. “I’ve marked those four with my Perception skill. I always know where they are.”
Takada gave an appreciative nod. “Impressive. Did you pick up any useful intel while you were at it?”
“Hmm… Not much — just a sense that the whole place is drowning in corruption. You know how summoning otherworlders is supposed to be this rare, monumental thing, right? Well, they’ve gone and built an entire residence just for them, with an obscenely large annual budget to boot. But the management? Lax, to say the least. Everyone there acts like they own the place.”
“Ugh… Are the high schoolers getting caught up in all this?”
“Not yet, no. But when they start going on monster hunts, I can see there being delays in supplies and the like. The procurement process is a mess.”
Takada sighed, rubbing his temples. “All right, got it. Next time you come across any solid evidence of corruption, bring it to me. I’ve got a contact in the Finance Department I THINK I can trust. I’ll slip the info into their reports, see if we can’t shake things up.”
“Roger that.”
Their chat continued, the two of them non-seriously discussing ideas for dismantling the rot that had crept into the system.
It seemed their time in hiding had begun to influence their actions to better fit this world’s mold.
“Oh, by the way,” Takada began casually, as if it had just crossed his mind. “Next time you go to that residence, mind taking me too?”
Izumi blinked, caught slightly off guard. “You’re curious about it too, Takada-san? I mean, I don’t mind at all, but is there something specific you’re hoping to find there?”
“I’m thinking I’ll help myself to some of the goods from the residence… and cash them in with the Converter.”
“Huh? Why?”
“See, I’ve been scraping together a bit of money here and there, but I’m not confident it’s enough for the kind of journey we’re planning. That residence, though… it’s gotta be where those officials keep all the fine clothes and jewelry they’re SUPPOSED to give to the otherworlders, right? We’re otherworlders too — technically, we have a claim to those items! Considering the corruption swirling around that place, if a few things go missing, the blame will fall squarely on them.”
Izumi’s eyes widened as she processed the logic. “Oh wow, that actually makes a lot of sense.”
“And that’s without even flexing my Art of Negotiation skill!”
Chuckling smugly, Takada echoed Izumi’s earlier laugh, then stabbed his fork into the cake.
The two of them savored the indulgent dessert — its sweetness rich enough to make even high-ranking officials groan in pleasure — as they chatted and began to hash out the next phase of their plans.
Tasks to complete while in the Royal Castle:
– Convert goods into cash using the Converter
– Obtain a detailed map and plan their route
– Acquire travel gear
– Confirm necessary documents for crossing the border (ID, travel permits, etc.)
Tasks to complete after leaving the Royal Castle:
– Undergo the Coming-of-Age Ceremony
– Check travel gear and routes for ordinary people
– Confirm prices and currency values
– Investigate the roles of various guilds and how to register with them
“There’s quite a bit to do,” Izumi noted.
“That’s the way it goes — once you’ve got a clear goal, the to-do list gets longer. I wish we could dig up more intel on the guilds while we’re still here, but it seems like they operate independently from the royal institutions. We’ll have to tackle that as soon as we leave. Joining the Adventurers’ Guild might be our best shot at getting an ID, and then we can complete some odd jobs to earn permits for crossing the border. Bada bing.”
Izumi grinned. “Sounds like we’re in for a classic intro session of Dun–“
“I know, I know,” Takada interrupted. “But yeah, it’s about time we started sticking to the template, don’t you think?”
“Pff, what a nerd.”
“Oh, shut up, kid.”
With their next moves mapped out, the two decided it was best to remain within the safety of the castle walls a little longer, taking their time to gather resources and further their preparations.
Naturally, they made frequent trips to the otherworlders’ residence during this period, covertly collecting evidence of corruption, pocketing some unflattering jewelry, and helping themselves to fresh vegetables and supplies that would sustain them on their upcoming journey.
To escape undue attention as young children on such a long journey, they chose to travel under false identities, presenting themselves as brothers.
Their shared history allowed for only minor discrepancies in the stories they wove, concealing their unfamiliarity with this strange new world.
Izumi had also realized that, all this time, Takada seemed unaware that she was, in fact, a girl — a secret she intended to keep, at least for a while longer.
For his alias, Takada chose the name “Hal,” a simple English variation of “Haru,” drawn from his given name, Haruka.
Izumi, on the other hand, wanted something short yet fancy. She wavered between “Ys” and “Ize” — both pronounced “east” without the final “t” — before ultimately settling on “Ize.”
As for their surname, they agreed to forego one for now — it wasn’t clear if commoners had them. However, they figured they should come up with one regardless, in case it became necessary later.
“…We could combine Takada and Ichikawa together… Takach? Takaga? Tachie? Hmm, Takyu… Takachu… Turquia…? Turquia! Yeah, that’s it! Let’s go with that!”
Izumi shot him a deadpan look. “What a nerd…”
“What was that?”
“Nothing. Anyway, ‘Hal,’ I’ve changed both our names in the status windows, so we’re all set. No surname for now. Let’s get some rest — we’ll need it.”
“Sure thing, ‘Ize.’ Good night!”
Two more weeks slipped by as they continued to lay low, gathering what they needed and fine-tuning their to-do list.
At last, with their preparations complete, the two vanished from the royal castle of Lazulseed.
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