Volume 1
Chapter 1 Part
1
Enjoying Life
in Karen 1
Translator : PolterGlast
――Year 3999, July 1.
Southern Shumon
Province, Karen.
The early summer heat
is famous for its intensity, especially here in the southern part of the
region.
Even in the early
morning, when it was still twilight, the heat was so intense that one could not
stop the sweat from dripping down one's face.
A dojo attached to the
8th garrison station, which is located near the southeastern outskirts of
Karen, and whose main mission is to defend the southeastern part of Karen, was
full of energy even in the early morning because of the vigor of morning
training.
"Offense, ready!
Raise, stance!"
""Yes,
sir!!""
The voice of Asogi
Genji, who doubled as the commander of the 8th garrison and the dojo's master,
rang out.
The boys, whose oldest
was just 14, responded with simultaneous shouts to follow his strict
instruction.
Their wooden swords
were swung in a single, unwavering movement, "-Zeii!", with youthful
vigor, the wooden swords were swung down.
""-Zei ~i!-Zei
~i!-Zei ~i!-Zei ~i!-Zei ~i!""
Everyone's voices and
movements were in harmony, making the sturdy cedar planks of the floor creak.
The expressions on the
faces of the boys wielding the wooden swords made of oak were tense, resembling
those on the battlefield.
If they were to fall
out of sync with their surroundings even slightly, they would receive a
scolding and at the same time a hundred additional swings.
The wooden swords
slashed unwaveringly through the void. At the same time, the wooden swords made
of oak were swung down in an undisturbed motion in unison with the boys' vigor.
The heat swirls in the
air and drops of sweat drip from their soaked faces, wetting the polished oak
floorboards.
Akira, who is thirteen
years old this year, was among the boys, wielding a wooden sword with a tense
expression on his face.
It was a common sight
in this dojo.
It was a rehash of the
same daily routine.
On the day he was
banished three years ago, he jumped on a train and was swept away to the
farthest destination.
Akira is spending his
days peacefully as a garrison soldier in the Shuto Garrison with other boys in
similar circumstances in the southern part of Karen, the capital city of Shumon
Province.
――――――――――――――――
Chime, chime. The bell
chimes to signal the end of morning practice.
After morning
practice, after watching the rice balls being served to the boys and the boys
eagerly devouring them, the head instructor, Asogi Genji, returns to his office
in the camp.
Before sitting down at
his desk, he checked his yin-yang meter, a daily routine.
He flicked his finger
on the edge of the old instrument and made the needle float to stabilize the
readings.
Sway, sway. It swayed
from side to side, then stopped at a point.
"...The readings
result is 3, and the miasma concentration is less than 5. ..... It's overly
good."
Despite the result,
Genji's expression was a little stern.
Unwilling to give up,
he flicked the edge of the instrument to measure the balance of yin and yang
and the concentration of miasma again to get a new result.
There was no change in
the results, and he let out a groan that resembled a beast gasp and sat down
vigorously on his seat.
"...... Based on
the results this time, it's excessively good, huh? But the miasma level is low,
so it's not necessarily a bad thing."
The deputy chief in
charge of the office, Niikura Shin, raised his head from the accounting
paperwork and spun his words in a dubious manner.
Niikura's doubt was
justified.
The maximum value of
the yin-yang meter is 50 for both yin and yang.
Considering that it
was now daytime when the sun was in full bloom, it was strange for them to say
that the results were excessively good.
"It's not just
about today. It is slightly above zero, and the miasma levels have remained low
for almost ten days now."
"Ha~a......."
Frustrated by
Niikura's cryptic response, he scratched at the dimple on his forehead.
However, this did not
mean that a good explanation could be given based on the results obtained by
such a strictly intuitive approach.
As far as the
numerical values are concerned, only distinctive daily fluctuations are
recorded.
In general, the miasma
concentration that rises due to the activities of Kegare (defiled) is low, and there is no hint of danger.
Genji's sense of
uneasiness is, to put it bluntly, nothing more than a hunch.
"...What about
the record of those vigilante group's combat activity up to yesterday?"
"Let's see... as
far as the past week is concerned, there are not many. Medium-sized Nekomata and
dog-shaped defiled beast at best. The last time a big one was seen was that
Giant Centipede about two weeks ago."
Giant Centipede...
It's true that they are considered "big ones" because of their
troublesome nature, but in terms of their actual abilities, they are not much
stronger than medium-sized ones.
"The regular
meeting at the 1st District HQ is today, right? I'll let them know my concerns.
For the time being, I want to ask them to send at least two guardians as
backup."
Guardians are those
who are entrusted with the protection of the land, and who are especially
capable of handling powerful spiritual techniques with high-ranking spirits
residing inside their bodies.
In the 8th garrison,
there are eight guardians, Asogi Genji and Niikura Makoto, as well as six others
who are assigned to the position of guardians, but the rest are just regular
soldiers who are trained physically.
Every garrison is in a
similar situation, and every unit was short of guardians, of which there are
only a few in number.
"The host of
today's meeting is the Commander-in-Chief, Bando-sama. And, Captain, you're
being observed, so I suspect he'll see it as a problem."
"If I can buy
safety at the expense of my reputation, I'll sell it to anyone for a low price.
Besides, if we can respond immediately with the usual amount of strain, then
there will be no loss even if a day is wasted."
"......... Haha~.
Understood. Let me borrow the authority of Captain Asogi and make a splendid
speech."
"Alright. Since I
can't rely on my own tongue, I'll just have to use yours. ...... Ah, by the
way, how many talismans do we have left in reserve?"
"We have enough
for our regular supplies, but we're a little short for the offensive-type
talismans reserves."
"After the
meeting, buy as many as you can afford. What about the recovery
talismans?"
"We have enough
in stock to withstand two larger-than-normal battles."
Genji's intuition
whispered to him that it would not be enough.
However, the garrison,
which is in a dire financial situation, does not have ample funds. Is it
necessary to add a supplementary reserve fund?
Or, should we go after
the talisman association that controls the distribution of the talismans and
get them to offer us as many of them as they have at a discount?
Having thought about
it, he remembered.
"Speaking of
which, Niikura. Have you heard about the rumors of the recovery talismans that
have been going around lately?"
"Oh, do you mean
the highly effective regeneration talisman?"
"That's the one.
I heard that it healed a nearly severed arm in an instant."
"I've been
looking into it, though I'm not certain of the accuracy of the information. I
don't have any proof yet, so I was planning to report it later. As for the
rumored regeneration talisman-.........."
After saying that
much, he closed his mouth when he felt the presence of someone outside the
door.
After a knock was
heard, the sliding door leading to the office was opened with a clattering
sound.
"Excuse me, sir.
――I have brought the daily report of the morning training."
With a bow, Akira
stepped into the office.
Akira, who has grown
up in three years, tilted his head at the subtle atmosphere in the office, but
put the daily report on the shelf of documents waiting to be processed without
questioning it.
Reading the air, he
left the room without saying a word, simply bowing and turning to leave.
"Akira. Wait a minute."
"Yes, sir. What
can I do for you, Captain Asogi?"
"Tonight is your
first night shift since becoming team leader, right? How's your team's
situation?"
"...I'm still
getting used to the relationship with the team members, but overall, everything
is going well. There are a few guys who are a bit nervous because they haven't
had a good rest recently."
"...I see, just
keep everything in check. Things get rough precisely when you least expect
it."
"Yes, sir."
"Today you will
be heading to Mt. Myokaku, so make sure you have sufficient talismans ready.
――Also, two reinforcements might be coming here. Make preparations for them as
well."
"Yes, sir."
Akira responded with
few words, but knowing that he was fully prepared for the job, Genji did not
add any more words.
Niikura's words
followed next.
"Akira-kun, I
would like to ask you to replenish the supply of the recovery talismans, how
many have you made?"
"I believe this
week's supply was delivered the day before yesterday. The vigilante group shift
yesterday didn't seem to have consumed any either, so isn't there enough
available?"
"There may be a
situation in which a large amount will be needed to be expended in accordance
with the captain's instructions. I'm sorry to bring this forward, but if you've
been making them, please make sure you have as many as you can."
Niikura's request made
him ponder for a moment. After a brief pause of hesitation, he nodded.
When he joined the
garrison, Akira had told Asogi and Niikura that he could make recovery
talismans. Although they had kept quiet about it because of the possibility
that Akira might be exploited, they were very pleased that there was someone in
the garrison who could make recovery talismans, even if it was just the initial
type of talismans, and they made a contract with Akira for the delivery of 10 recovery
talismans per week.
To Akira's surprise,
there were very few people in the southern Shumon Province who had the skills
to create these talismans.
This was due to the
characteristics of the region.
Those who received the
blessings of the deity of the Northern Province showed a good affinity with
talismans, or more precisely, with the art of Yin-Yang.
On the other hand,
those in the southern Shumon Province have the highest affinity for martial
arts and spiritual tools.
Neither is better or
worse than the other.
It is simply a matter
of compatibility. Compared to the northern region, where it is easier to find
people who can create talismans, the southern region lacks a large number of
master talismans and has a scarce supply of talismans.
Thanks to this, even
the initial recovery talismans created by Akira could be traded at a fixed
price, which was a blessing, but in such an unexpected situation, he had to
keep working to get the required number of talismans.
"...I will bring
the talismans that were supposed to be delivered next week ahead of schedule.
For that reason, I would appreciate it if you would understand that I will not
be able to complete the next one's delivery."
"No problem,
please. Any reason why you needed to keep them in stock?"
"It is in case
there is a situation where I can't make one, and it seems to have worked in
this situation as well."
"...Hm, that's a
good point. Please do me a favor this time. I don't mind if you can't do the
next one."
"Yes, thank you
very much."
After seeing Akira off
after he bowed and left, Genji finally opened his mouth after keeping silent
for a while in response to the conversation between Niikura and Akira.
"Why don't we
just ask him to bring us everything he has? He still has some with him,
right?"
"Are you trying
to make our relationship with Akira-kun worsen? Thanks to him, we are able to
increase our supply without being interrupted by the association's intermediary
fee, and because of this relationship, the 8th Garrison has been able to secure
a good supply of recovery talismans."
"That's true.
Damn it, I envy those guys in Kokuten. They don't even have to worry about
obtaining talismans, I bet."
"I used to think
so too, until recently. But it seems that's not true."
"What do you
mean?"
"Even over there,
it doesn't change the fact that a certain level of aptitude is required to
write a recovery talisman. It seems that Akira-kun is the only one who is
unique in this regard."
Hearing this, Genji
tilted his head.
There is obviously
something unusual about it.
"As I recall,
Akira joined the military when he was 10 years old. It is a great
accomplishment for a commoner to be able to make a single talisman at that age,
even if it is in its early stages. I wonder, what brought him to the
South?"
"I don't know,
but I didn't ask him about his circumstances. You don't want him to hate us, do
you? ...... Let's change the subject. About that highly effective regeneration talisman
we were talking about earlier."
"About that, huh?
I've heard rumors about it. Is it really that effective?"
"It sure is
effective. It is said that the person who makes them is an old man of short
stature with the pseudonym Gensei, and has been around for 3 years. Also he
sells 10 of them a week to the association."
"Since that long
ago!? Why was this information never gotten through to us!"
He shrugged off
Genji's irritation by shrugging his shoulders.
In fact, there was
nothing Niikura could do about it. The reason was that the association had kept
Gensei's information a secret and had also kept the talisman from being passed
on to the garrison as well as to the guardians themselves.
The only reason why it
was discovered was because the higher-ups in the association were planning to
add a prestige to Gensei's reputation.
"If the
association had not made the signature product without Gensei-dono's
permission, it would not have been discovered even now."
The signature product
is, in other words, a premium product whose effectiveness is guaranteed by the
individual and the association.
The presence or
absence of the signature branding can drastically change the price of the
product.
In other words, by
making the signature branding without Gensei's approval, the association wanted
to keep Gensei's fee as it was and get all the brokerage fees for themselves.
"So the union got
ahead of themselves, huh? Those money-grubbing bastards sure are not doing a
good thing, are they?"
"But it's a good
thing that it came to light, isn't it? Anyway, I heard that he always comes
whenever he sells his talismans. I threatened them so that if Gensei-dono comes
to sell his talismans, they will give priority to us."
"――Well done.
Once we get them, let's see if we can verify the rumored effects."
"Understood.
Then, let's put it to use as soon as we get it."
Niikura followed
Genji's canine-toothed sneer and laughed.
They knew it was not
right to threaten the association. Both of them are in fact organizations. However,
the two of them also understood that cleanliness is not the way to go when it
comes to running an organization.
――――――――――――――――
By the time Akira left
the garrison grounds, the sun had risen high in the sky.
He thought about going
back to his room and then going to school, but that would be taking too many
detours.
Since he had
everything he needed in his baggage, including school textbooks, he wondered if
he could put up with the sweaty smell and go directly to the school.
The other members of
the garrison, who had scattered in groups, were nowhere to be seen. He couldn't
help but smile at their thoughtlessness, but he didn't blame them.
They knew that Akira
was the only one who could afford to study at an ordinary secondary school.
The rest of his
friends did not have enough money, so they worked as apprentices for carpenters
or merchants to make ends meet.
When he enlisted in the
garrison in Shumon Province in accordance with his grandmother's will, Akira learned
for the first time that there were a surprisingly large number of boys who were
forced to leave their hometowns and ended up in the capital.
It seems that peasants
and commoners of the lower ranks usually let their eldest son or the best of
their children take over the family, and the rest are sent away to other
provinces.
There is nothing
strange about this. If there is more than one child, if all the children are to
inherit the family, the allocation for one child will naturally be reduced by
that number of children.
If it is a woman, she can
marry into another family, but it is rare for a family to want to adopt a
son-in-law.
If that is the case,
then where do these ill-fated boys go? Generally, they choose to look for work
in large cities such as the capital, where they can earn a living.
The boys who are
unable to find work often join the garrison and become apprentices to learn how
to work.
Since joining the
garrison itself was not enough to support themselves, it was common for them to
have a separate job as a prospective apprentice for their main occupation.
The garrison was
intended to defend against foreign enemies, mainly against Kegare, but it was not an easy task for young boys who were not
even trained to be guardians.
What Akira and the
other trainee soldiers were expected to do was to buy time for the guardians
and those above them to arrive on the scene, which naturally resulted in a high
mortality rate.
――This was a kind of
reducing the number of mouths to feed, using the garrison as a cover.
Even so, it is said
that it is normal for these migrant boys to belong to the garrison.
The reason why
everyone wants to join the garrison, even in an environment where lives are
sold at such a low price, is because there is a candy that is coveted there.
After six years of
service in the garrison, those who successfully complete their service will be
allowed to acquire citizenship as soon as possible. Once someone has
re-registered under the Civil Registration Bureau, he or she will be able to
secure an unshakable position for himself or herself in the country. This is
one of the most realistic ways to be recognized as a citizen of the county.
It is perhaps one of
the greatest ambitions of boys who have been banished from their homeland, no
matter what their circumstances were.
Akira is among the
boys who have this ambition.
For that reason, he
must survive.
Tonight is his first
night-shift duty after being in charge of a team. He had no choice but to live
in the mud for now, believing that if he left a good track record, he would be
able to acquire citizenship that much faster.
――Wasn't it Mt. Myokaku
tonight? And I remember the captain saying that backup would be coming, so I
guess it would be one of the guardians. I hope it's not someone arrogant.
He put his baggage
back on his shoulder, hoping for the best.
He could not afford to
be late for the first day of school. In the blazing heat, Akira took a small
step forward.
――――――――――――――――
TIPS: Regarding the
garrison.
The garrison consists
of four squads with regular soldiers and two squads with trainee soldiers.
Each garrison has 6 to
8 guardians.
The mortality rate is
high for trainee soldiers and not so much for regular soldiers.
For the record, Akira
was able to become the leader of the trainee squad in less than 3 years because
the mortality rate is so high that only a few can survive in that span of 2
years time.
