School trip.
We’re heading to the frontier territory of the Carenheit Margrave’s lands over the course of two months, where we’ll apparently camp (set up an encampment) in the mountains of Veje nearby.
For a moment, I wondered if it was really okay for students to go to the Margrave’s domain, which is right on the front lines with the Adon Magic Nation… but apparently, things are in a ceasefire for now.
From what I’ve heard, the Adon Magic Nation’s main industry, the production and sale of magic items, has been completely made obsolete by some secret society’s introduction of home appliances and personal defense items. As a result, their domestic situation is apparently in chaos in more ways than one…
Scary, huh?
Moreover, decades ago, there was a big war with the Adon Magic Nation, and although a ceasefire agreement was reached, we’re still in that period of truce.
Also, this Carenheit Margrave family isn’t directly neighboring the foreign country; it mainly serves as a coordinator for the surrounding lords.
In other words, if there were a sudden attack from the Adon Magic Nation, the first ones to die would be the vassals of the Carenheit Margrave, and while their subordinates are dying, the Carenheit Margrave family would have time to prepare, and we students would be evacuated inland.
Because of this, they’re being considerate, and it seems like we’re not likely to die so easily.
Well, that’s only natural. We’re the country’s most important resource as mages, and most of us are the children of nobles. They’d never leave us to die.
“Alright, we’re starting with the usual baggage check. Place your belongings on the desk.”
Oh, that old man Kuruges is saying something.
Right, the baggage check.
Since this is going to be a long trip, they’re giving us guidance on what to bring.
When I pulled out my bag as instructed…
“Oh, you’re fine.”
I was completely ignored.
“Why???”
“There’s no point in checking the belongings of someone who can create things out of thin air.”
A perfect argument.
So, after smoothly passing the baggage check, I successfully left the academy.
Now, we’re supposed to move as a group…
“Exus-sama♡”
“Aida, huh?”
…They didn’t exactly say we had to move only with our group members.
We’re only second years, so it’s more like a group trip with our supervisors (teachers).
It’s like a training trip for new hires, with everyone moving in a big group.
When we get to our fifth or sixth year, we might actually take on monster hunting jobs and move in teams, or rather, parties.
At that time, we’ll probably split into separate groups or have our group members shuffled around to build adaptability.
But for now, we’re not expected to go that far.
It’s like a tutorial phase for everything.
We’re fourteen, after all, so that’s how it’s going to be.
“Alright, we’re starting with marching practice! One! Two! One! Two!”
At this stage, they’re teaching us how to move in groups.
You know how on Earth, in elementary school, they teach lining up and marching as a remnant of military training? You’ve probably heard that kind of thing.
We, modern-day humans, naturally know how to do that, but people in this world are different.
Quickly lining up, matching your pace with others, and walking in order… they can’t even do that simple thing.
Even though they’re about middle school age.
It’s a sad reflection of the difference in education levels. They don’t even come close to Japan’s, despite all the complaints about how “behind” Japanese education is.
Well, it’s a medieval Naroupa (Noble-European-like) world…
Especially with group activities, many of them really struggle.
Some might be considered brilliant on an individual level, but most have trouble with group dynamics.
Well, they are nobles.
Some have been trained up to a decent level by their parents, siblings, or tutors…
But it’s hard for humans to adjust to those more or less capable than themselves.
It’s a common thing: the kids who are competent have a hard time matching pace with the common soldiers.
“It’s tough, huh?”
“Yeah, it is.”
“…Come out!”
Huh?
While we were traveling on a magic-powered bus, old man Kuruges called me out.
“First of all… what is that?”
“A bus.”
“Ah… and the girl driving it?”
Hm?
Oh, the driver?
The driver is a dog.
“That girl? That’s Mary, my dog.”
“Woof woof! Mary is Master’s dog, woof!”
She’s an assassin girl whose mind I broke at some point, but since she’s pretty and amusing in her miserable state, I kept her.
Recently, I’ve been using her brain data to install skills into homunculi, so she’s become something of a data source for them.
Since she’s so obedient to the point of death, she’s a perfect data reference for creating homunculi, a subordinate species.
“I can’t allow you to use an outsider for assistance, you know?”
“No, no, she’s not a human. She’s a dog. Look, shake!”
“Woof woof!”
Mary put her paw in my hand.
“Other paw!”
“Woof!”
The same again.
“Beg!”
“Woof!”
She lifted her skirt, exposing herself to everyone around her.
Naturally, everyone was totally disgusted!
“I understand that she’s trained, but still…”
“Wait a second, old man. Mary, ‘kill yourself.'”
“Woof!!!”
Mary slashed her throat with the knife on her waist.
“Hm…”
“Kyaaaa?!”
The old man Kuruges noticed. My classmates all screamed at the sudden gore.
I sealed Mary’s wound and applied an appropriate shock to her nerves, reviving her.
“Woof!”
“Good girl, good girl.”
“Whimper, whimper!”
As Mary played with me, the old man…
“Honestly… To think you’ve truly created a ‘tool’ at your age. Very well, I’ll acknowledge that as a tool, not a human.”
He gave me his approval.
A person whose mind has been completely broken and who obeys every command is nothing more than a lump of flesh, a fresh golem.
In other words, they’re not considered human.
Even the royal family and some noble houses have them.
They’re tools in human form that obey commands like “die” without hesitation. The dark side of society, I guess you could say.
Such tools have limited judgment and can’t do much without instructions, so they’re counted as tools.
Old man Kuruges must be a so-called “veteran,” someone who’s seen these tool-people before.
And so, my dog was officially recognized as a tool, and we continued traveling by bus…
