Traveler's Life

What I did back on Earth was still a bit of a broad question, but I wasn’t going to be more of an asshole about this. The conversation should naturally flow if they wanted to know more. “I was a student before all of this happened.” I figured getting into specifics may be more confusing than helpful. Even if they had a fair number of visitors, most people didn’t seem to have that much knowledge about us.

The fact that I was a student seemed to surprise them judging from their expressions. “Like an apprentice?” Apprenticeships were still a thing on earth, but not that common in the way that they were thinking I realized.

I shook my head. “Not like that. Do you have schools or basic education?”

Renold glanced around to the others. The development of the kingdom wasn’t something that I was very aware of. Or even the world for that matter. I doubted that they had a full system like my experience, but it might have been the case that they had something. Though that was looking doubtful.

It was Denica that answered instead. “There’s nothing like that here. The Free City of Largace has an academy, but only the rich and powerful attend. The best you’re going to find here is a personal tutor and once again that’s only the rich and powerful.” No education whatsoever, that didn’t surprise me all that much. It's probably why their knowledge on us was so limited and left to rumors.

“So you’re an adult student?”

I guess that was a strange notion when framed as such. “They’re called college or university students. When you become an adult you can choose to attend higher education as an adult for more specialized knowledge and skills.”

“Still sounds a bit like being an apprentice if you ask me.”

“I don’t think he was,” teased Ferin.

The scout smirked back before looking over at me again. “What were you training for?”

“Computer science, doesn’t mean a lot here. But it was supposed to give me a lot of options for a career.”

“Oh, got something that you were eying?”

“Not really,” I answered immediately. It wasn’t really something I thought about recently. After four years it was just routine and pattern. I was barely keeping my head above water most times. Why did I pick it? This was bringing up heavier topics than I wanted to think about in the middle of a mission to spy on a world ending demon.

“What did you want to do?” Snapped out of my thoughts, I thought Renold had asked me, but I noticed that it was actually Eri’Sol. It wasn’t the first time she asked about me. So it didn’t surprise me that much.

This was more attention than I wanted now. Weren’t we rested enough now? “I don’t know. I didn’t have anything in mind. Part of it definitely was just expected that I did. I had obligations. But it was just a simple answer. I like playing games and computers, so it seemed an easy path to take. There wasn’t a lot of thought to it.”

“When would you have finished?” asked Renold, now bouncing me questions.

“This year if my grades held. And then I’d have to look for a job or go back to my parents.” I hid my sigh thinking about them again. Did they know I died? They were still in Sapporo, I think. I only really saw them when mom was flying out to the headquarters for a big meeting or a holiday. And even then, it was just dad and me sometimes if she was too busy. They probably would get there eventually.

“You don’t look happy about that.” I blinked looking back up to Renold with a little confusion and surprise that he came to that conclusion when I hadn’t said anything. “It’s all over your face.”

“Not really things I have positive impressions about.”

“Hate your parents that much?”

“Nothing like that. It’s complicated. Just a lot of bad memories. Uni was stable and safe. It was a routine I knew. I didn’t have a lot of that before.”

“And now you’re pulled over here.”

“Wouldn’t have been my first pick. But it’s not like I’m not used to the endless bouncing and untethered lifestyle. I did that for eighteen years, what’s another few more before I die.” I gave a bit of a grim grin to them. I wasn’t sure how it was read, but as much of a joke as it was, it was a possible reality if not worse. The fate I had still needed to be proved wrong to everyone, but that was just a stubborn wish rather than something that was a certainty.

Eri’Sol bounced, no longer hiding her attempts to be next to me. She placed herself right at my side. “You’re not going to die in a few days or years! And I’ll be there at your side so it won’t be lonely for you!”

“Eri’s already got her spot picked out, eh?”

“Of course! I made a promise, but more than that we’re friends! We look out for each other!” I looked away to the ground trying my best to not react too strongly. Renold was more observant than I was expecting. It still burned inside in a way that I almost couldn’t control.

“Watching each other’s backs is important in this line of work. Need someone that you can trust.”

With some relief, that ended the questions and the rest of the break went without much issue. The march resumed once more with the same pace set as before. We got about as much use as before, but Eri’Sol continued to try to put in her best. Her eyes kept watching what Denica did absorbing everything. It seemed she was doing a little better after the pause.

Finally, we reached what looked like the heart of the cave or rather the source of the trouble we came for. Roughly a hundred meters ahead there was something that put off an orange and pink glow. At the distance it was blurry, but that evil mana Ferin mentioned was probably that. Though more concerning, it looked completely empty.

Everyone gathered up behind some larger rock out croppings. If the demon was there they showed no hints of noticing us. We had been very quiet, but we reached the end of that. In hushed words, Denica and Renold discussed their way to get eyes in the chamber.

They went on for a bit before I tapped Denica on the shoulder. She looked a little bothered, but I showed a bottle I brewed up for what seemed like this possibility. “I’ve got a potion of invisibility. Can’t promise it’ll cover all forms of detection, but would this solve your dilemma.”

She looked over to the scout who nodded. “Good planning, appreciated. We’re in the final stretch now, switch your Exchange to Renold. If he gets into trouble I want you to do what you can to keep him healthy.”

“Right.” The only problem with my spells was that they were bright as Christmas in Tokyo. Abilities at least had a small profile, but with it switched, he drank the bottle and tossed it back to me before fading completely from sight.

All we could do was wait, stare and hope he didn’t get spotted.

A minute passed with nothing, a second and still it looked empty. Where was the demon? And then Denica rose a little looking like she saw him. I turned to see what it might have been. There was some gray-green mass that slowly moved into view.

“Is that a Greater Theric? What the hell is that thing doing here?” That didn’t sound like a demon, but still something of a risk. She suddenly motioned to the others in the group. What was going on? Why did it look like we were attacking? Then suddenly a roar came through the chamber, rattling the earth. It had to have spotted Renold! I jumped up and started to prepare my spell.

We were in for a fight.