by Ryota Hori
“Feel like talking?”
The young man nodded desperately. If Ryoma were to keep strangling him like this, the man would die without a doubt. The fear of death made his resolve snap.
“Gho righ’ dow’ the khorridor, an’ akhross th’ ko’tya’t...”
“Go right down the corridor, and across the courtyard?”
Seeing him nod desperately, Ryoma tightened his grip on the young man’s neck further and further, strong enough to snap his neck...
Ryoma didn’t have the option of letting him stay alive. It didn’t matter how good of a person he was, or how harmless he looked. He couldn’t allow any witnesses if he wanted to escape this castle alive. The sole advantage Ryoma had in this utterly unfavorable situation was that the enemy had little to no information about him.
“Guah... Gaaaugh...” Gurgles and moans leaked from the young man’s mouth, and the blunt sound of his neck snapping echoed from between Ryoma’s hands.
Trying to push Ryoma’s body off to the best of his ability, the young man’s body then went completely limp. His muscles completely relaxed, and a putrid smell leaked from his crotch.
“Sorry.” Ryoma whispered to the corpse at his feet, after removing his hands from the young man’s throat.
That word was the only thing Ryoma could offer to the doctor who had believed him to be an ally, and was honestly worried for his well-being. Bringing his hands together before the corpse, Ryoma once again made preparations to run. Firstly, he searched the three corpses’ pockets, taking out their sacks of coins. Pouring them all into one sack, he tied it around his waist.
He then dipped a bandage into the hot water in the room and used it to wipe the blood off his armor. Walking around in bloodied armor would attract attention.
Right, I’ve got eight people’s worth of money now. Guess these are gonna have to be my funds for the time being.
Having money on hand was important. Without that, he wouldn’t be able to get too far in his escape. After reconfirming the weight of the sack at his waist, Ryoma tore the curtains and sheets away, as well as the cloths in the medicine cabinet, and lit everything in the infirmary on fire. Since he’d picked all the flammable things he could find, the fire spread swiftly through the room.
Right. This is the deciding moment.
Ryoma left the infirmary as it started billowing black smoke, and took a deep breath.
“Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiire! There’s a fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiire!” Ryoma’s voice echoed through the castle.
One of the palace thaumaturgists, Orlando, was crossing the courtyard on his way back to his office from the barracks, when he heard the shouting.
“What?! A fire?!” The blood drained from his face the moment he heard it.
A fire in the castle was a serious crisis. If the home of the royalty and the center of government were to catch fire, it would leave a scar on the empire of O’ltormea itself. And besides that, the damage to property would be unimaginable. Most of the items in the castle were high class and expensive, and if there were damage done to the nobility, it could cause internal strife at worst. Even Orlando, who was seen as flippant and easygoing by his peers, realized the severity of the situation.
Orlando’s nostrils then caught the whiff of a scent in the air. The flowerbed was rife with flowers blossoming proudly, releasing a fragrant aroma into the air. But within that was mixed a foul, burning aroma. And as he listened carefully, the shouting reached his ears again.
“It’s a fire! A fire in the infirmary!”
“A fire? Where did you say it was?!”
“The infirmary’s on fire! Get water, quickly!”
“No, call a palace thaumaturgist! They can put it out faster!”
“Don’t be a fool! We must evacuate His Grace and the nobles first!”
Many soldiers, maids and butlers were working hard to put out the fire. They were all shouting and moving about frantically. Some were trying to move valuables out of the way, a few were looking for a superior to give them their orders, and others were carrying buckets to extinguish the fire. It was a true crucible of disorder and chaos. And within that were nobles running away from the infirmary to the courtyard with their personal guards.
Realizing there really was a fire, Orlando broke into a run over the flowerbed. He felt some guilt at stomping over the diligently tended to flowers, but now wasn’t the time to care about that. He cut through the flowerbed and made his way to the infirmary. He knew that once he got there, he’d be able to swiftly put out the fire. That thought dominated Orlando’s heart.
And that was exactly why he failed to notice the sight of one suspicious soldier, mixed in with the rest of the nobles’ guards, walking towards the exit and ignoring the fire and chaos behind him...
I should be able to get out as long as I just blend in with them...
That was a fortunate miscalculation on Ryoma’s part, and he couldn’t restrain the smile playing over his lips. He’d lit the fire hoping to sneak away in the chaos, but he didn’t expect the nobles to dash for their lives like this. The sight of them all running for the gates reflected in Ryoma’s eyes.
“Phew. Well, I’ve made it this far now...”
Blending in with the fleeing nobles, Ryoma evaded questioning from the guards and successfully slipped out of the castle. He then looked back, glaring up at the white castle he’d just managed to escape, the cold, dark flames of hatred burning in his eyes.
Chapter 2: Escape
By mixing in with the fleeing nobles, Ryoma successfully crossed through the castle gates. What spread out before him was a cityscape that felt like it was pulled out of medieval Europe. The castle was erected atop a small mountain, so the castle gates Ryoma was currently near were on top of a gentle incline that offered an unbroken view of the city below.
“Ooh! This is... impressive...” An amazed voice escaped his lips.
The cityscape before him was that orderly and organized. Firstly, the areas five hundred meters off from either side of the gates where Ryoma stood were lined with impressive houses, with gates of their own. The nobles fleeing the castle disappeared into those residences. This ward was probably populated by the nobility’s mansions.
Five hundred meters ahead of the gates, down the main road, was another set of gates. That was likely the sector where the commoners lived. The rooftops of the houses he could make out beyond the open gates in the distance were significantly smaller than the ones he saw before him.
For now I’m gonna need more information... plus a change of clothes.
Ryoma decided to start by trying to blend in with the commoners’ sector. He decided that finding a crowd to disappear into would be the correct course of action for now, and he would likely be able to gather the information he needed there.
Perhaps because he was dressed in a soldier’s attire, whenever he passed by some noble’s guard or an armored soldier, none of them seemed to spare a glance in his direction. But that wouldn’t work for long. They would trace the fire in the infirmary back to the soldier who had been carried in there sooner or later, and the armor would be the only evidence they had to seek Ryoma out with.
I’m not gonna be able to wear this armor forever.
Ryoma made way to the commoners’ sector, hoping to find clothes that would better allow him to blend in with people. Lowering his head at the gatekeeper, Ryoma crossed through with a rapid gait. The moment he crossed the second gate, Ryoma was hit with a kind of energy and liveliness the nobles’ sector lacked. Countless people passed in every direction, and there were many stalls and vendors around. Unlike the nobles’ sector, there was no paved road, but simply exposed earth, and the buildings were erected in a cluttered manner.
It was the very vision of a bustling marketplace. Ryoma looked around at the people’s appearances. Many were dressed in robes and mantles. But looking more closely, some were dressed in armor, and others wore pants and shirts. One old lady had an apron on. There was a great variety in clothing d
epending on gender as well. In all likelihood, the former people Ryoma saw were travelers, while the latter were citizens of the capital.
“There’s more people around here than I thought... A lot of them are armed, too...” Ryoma whispered to himself.
Many of those clad in armor were likely mercenaries hired by the country, because their equipment was simply too different from that of the soldiers. And to top it off, many of them had the kind of dangerous faces that made it painfully obvious they were criminals, most likely bandits and thieves.
“Yeah, this is definitely another world... Well, shit. I’m pretty far from happy about this.”
Ryoma was certain the sight before his eyes wouldn’t have been possible in any country on earth. White and yellow shades of hair and skin color adorned the various people walking by, in a medieval European-style city environment, clothed in a wide assortment of garments. Ryoma had no choice but to acknowledge he was in another world.
But I guess this won’t make blending in a huge problem, at least.
Just the thought his hair and skin color wouldn’t stand out was a soothing one. With such a lack of uniformity when it came to people’s outside appearance, his black hair and eyes wouldn’t pose a problem.
“Right, time to find some new threads...” Ryoma whispered to himself, when suddenly his empty stomach let out a contemptuous growl.
He’d been summoned to this world on his way to having lunch, so he hadn’t eaten yet, and after that, he’d been so focused on escaping that he’d forgotten about his hunger.
Well, there’s no going back there, so I’ll just focus on finding clothes for now.
Just thinking about the boxed lunch he left behind in the summoning room made Ryoma salivate uncontrollably. He’d have to put acquiring new attire ahead of his empty stomach, though. The longer he stayed in this armor, the greater the possibility he might get caught would be.
Rubbing his stomach as it growled in dissatisfaction, Ryoma hastened his stride. As he walked down the main road, he looked around, and his gaze was drawn to a sign with a drawing of a dress on it.
That day, an odd customer visited Meg Resta’s store. It must have been just after two in the afternoon when he walked in.
“Welcome!”
Meg greeted the customer with her usual widely beloved lively voice, but then saw the customer was a man clad in a soldier’s armor. Of course, people coming in to shop with armor wasn’t all that unusual, but a soldier going into the store in armor was a rare sight. Unlike adventurers and mercenaries, soldiers often went shopping in their normal attire.
Maybe he’s here for some other reason?
Meg thought so, naturally enough, but judging from how the soldier examined the outfits on display, he certainly seemed to be interested in shopping.
“Are you looking for something? Do you need me to explain anything about our stock to you?” Meg worked up the courage to ask, despite eying the soldier suspiciously.
But as if to make a mockery of her resolve, the man responded in an all too ordinary voice.
“Yes, could you please get me a set of clothes I can use for an everyday outfit, along with some underwear, a robe with a hood, and a leather belt as well?”
He’s pretty polite. Though, he is dressed in the imperial castle’s armor...
The man’s voice caused Meg to think something was strange. Most people who came to this store were arrogant and pompous, and that held especially strong for soldiers and nobles. Those working in the imperial castle were especially conscious of their status as elites and particularly selfish, which gave them a pretty bad reputation among the store’s employees.
This store was set up on the main street, so its prices were naturally higher than their market value. Of course, those who frequented this store had more money to spend than most, and were prideful to match, regardless of their societal standing. But from where Ryoma was standing, he simply gave a normal, natural answer.
“Is there any particular color you would prefer?” Meg asked the man again, quieting her doubts.
“Black, please.”
“Very well. Please wait, I’ll have it prepared.”
He wasn’t all that different from any other customer. He told her what he needed, and the color he wanted. Sure, his politeness was a bit odd, but Meg had to laugh at all the undue concern she held over this.
Maybe he laundered his clothes and doesn’t have anything else to wear? Oh, drat! I forgot to ask him for his size... Well, never mind. I’ll just bring over some large sizes.
As she pondered that, she brought over the clothes the man requested, each in three sizes. Incidentally, they all looked a bit plain but were well-tailored; they were the best clothes she had to offer that weren’t aimed at nobles.
“Thank you for waiting. How about these?”
“They’ll do well. Could you pack them for me?”
Huh? Isn’t he going to check for their size?
Few people would buy clothes without trying them on first, and he didn’t check to see if they were the right size. Meg tilted her head with obvious confusion.
“Erm... What about their size?” Meg asked with a reserved tone.
What a weird man... It’s like he isn’t actually interested in buying anything. Don’t tell me he’s a robber...?
The worst possible conclusion rose up in Meg’s mind, but that concern seemed to be unfounded.
“Oh, my size... Just give me the largest one you have.”
It seemed to be the kind of casual attitude that displayed a desire to finish shopping as quickly as possible. His attitude was certainly suspicious, but he seemed to be a paying customer. Meg swatted her apprehensions away.
“Very well, then. That comes to one silver coin. Please wait, I’ll go wrap it.” Meg said and bowed her head, heading behind the counter.
“Hey, wait a minute!” He said in a panic. “I’m kind of in a hurry, so I’ll take them the way they are.”
With that said, the man placed a silver coin over the clothes he bought.
“This is enough, right?”
His words made Meg eye him quizzically again.
Oh, he’s just going to take them at that price? Maybe he’s some noble’s child. But why is he in a soldier’s armor, then?
Few commoners wouldn’t try to barter down a cost of one silver coin, and the prices were actually set with the idea that the customer would haggle for a lower one. The only ones who wouldn’t seek a discount would be nobles obsessed with honor.
He certainly looks every bit like a noble, but the way he’s paying... Perhaps he’s the son of some noble traveling incognito? Well, I guess it doesn’t matter, so long as he’s paying!
Meg decided to stop thinking too hard about it. A paying customer, no matter how suspicious they may seem, is a good customer.
“Very well, you may take it as is.” Lowering her head, Meg made her way to the counter.
Leaving the clothier’s shop, Ryoma heaved a heavy sigh while cautiously making sure no one noticed him.
“Phew... I got through that, somehow.”
It was just shopping, and he was no child, so he obviously had experience going to stores. But never before in Ryoma’s life had he been under so much stress in a store. But regardless of how he managed to do it, he’d done it just the same.
“Now it’s a race against the clock.” Whispering to himself, Ryoma made his way down the main road and outside the walls, to shake off his yet-unseen pursuers.
“Ma’aaaaaaaam, im’ma begging you, give me today’s special. Make it extra big, if ya please.”
Ryoma was now within an establishment in a dark alley on the other side of the main street. Its name was the Sea Rumble Parlor. It was the kind of store that was visibly attached to the city it was in, and didn’t serve first-time customers. But contrary to its dirty outwardly appearance, its insides were quite clean. It served men, women and those with children, and was quite the homely place.
It must have b
een just after three in the afternoon when Ryoma finally obtained his much anticipated lunch, clad in the black shirt and pants he’d bought from Meg’s store.
I made it in time, one way or another...
Ryoma recalled how, just as he returned from outside the walls, he passed by a small army and snuck a peek at their commanders. They were all on horseback, so there was only one objective they could have had.
Just like I figured, they came on horses... All I can hope is that they take the bait.
Ryoma left the capital while wearing his armor, to create the impression he’d escaped from the city. Normally, one wouldn’t bother coming back, and instead would run as far as they could. Ryoma, however, didn’t make that choice. Running away without a map and no proper equipment wouldn’t achieve anything, and wouldn’t get him anywhere. If he didn’t manage to gather some information regarding where he should go, how far it would be and how he should get there, leaving the city right now would be suicide.
Besides, Ryoma didn’t know how to ride a horse.
Just as most people in the modern world do not own horses, Ryoma had no experience riding on horseback. He’d seen carriages in the city, so he assumed his pursuers might use horses to go after him. With him on foot and them on horseback, they’d inevitably catch up to him.
That was why Ryoma had left the capital while wearing his armor. The empire’s men didn’t know Ryoma’s face, and their only clue was that he was in armor, so if they heard an armored soldier left the walls, they’d have no choice but to go after him.
But since he’d read their actions so far, coming up with a countermeasure was easy. He was worried the enemy’s preparations may have ended more swiftly than planned, but the heavens were on his side. He found a thicket of trees near the gates where he wouldn’t be seen, then removed his armor and helmet, changing into his newly bought clothes. He buried his armor in the ground, and passed his pursuers just as he returned to the castle town.
Right... What’s my next move?
He started formulating his plan for escape.