A Widening World
“What the hell are you starin’ at, huh?!” A huge man shouted at me, trying to intimidate me.
I braced myself and took a stance. I raised my left hand, palm up, in front of my chest. Then my right hand, palm down, also before my chest. I brought both hands together in front of me.
Lowering my hips and leaning forward, I drew in a deep breath from my gut and spoke, “Hehehe, couldn’t help it, Sir. You’re just so damn impressive, I was mesmerized. My bad.”
Rubbing my hands together, I bowed my head repeatedly.
“Uh, o-oh,” the big man responded awkwardly now that his momentum was thrown off.
“I mean, it’s like there’s this aura, this presence, just overflowing from you, Sir. You’re not just anybody, are ya?”
“Y-yeah. You get it, don’t ya, hehe.”
Flattered, the big guy scratched his cheek with a finger, looking almost bashful.
“Boss, let me buy you a drink as a token of friendship.”
“Hehe, you’ve got good sense, don’t ya.”
Heh, my ultimate move, the buttering-up-technique1, worked perfectly. This guy’s a pushover. Way too easy.
Still, a two-meter-tall middle-aged man blushing and scratching his cheek… yeah, not cute at all.
It was the kind of move I’d want to see a sporty, tomboyish girl pull off. Thinking something that stupid, I made my way over to the table where the big guy was sitting.
At the table, besides the big man, were two other men. One looked like a hunter, with a bow propped up nearby. The other gave off the impression of a sharp-eyed, refined middle-aged man. He was too neat and composed to be a typical adventurer.
The big guy who was in such a good mood after my compliments was named Gonz. The hunter-looking one was Kimon, and the sharp-eyed gentleman was called Albrecht.
Kimon seemed to be the quiet type. Even when spoken to, he’d only nod or shake his head and barely said a word. I wondered if he disliked me, but apparently he was just like that by nature.
Albrecht, on the other hand, told me to call him Al, and spoke in a calm and polite manner. He smiled, but his eyes didn’t. He was probably being cautious of me.
As the drinks flowed and we started to loosen up a bit, Gonz disappeared up the stairs that led to the second floor, together with a prostitute he was clearly familiar with.
The tavern doubled as an inn, but the place was full of rough-looking adventurers. Ordinary customers were too scared to come near, so no one stayed here except adventurers.
It seemed the rooms upstairs were used either when drunken adventurers passed out, or when they went upstairs with prostitutes.
For rookie adventurers, this inn was so rough it was said they’d never dare stay here.
They say that once you can spend a night at the Adventurers’ Guild inn, it means you’ve finally made it as a real adventurer.
After Gonz went upstairs with the prostitute, I talked about all sorts of things with Al. Maybe he was just starved for conversation, or maybe he was trying to feel me out through our talk, I couldn’t tell which, but thanks to it, I learned a lot.
I told him my backstory, I said I was the son of a freed slave from a remote countryside where people still traded goods instead of using coins. It was a good way to explain my different Asian-looking features.
At first, I worried that calling myself a slave’s son might get me discriminated against, or worse. But I couldn’t think of any better excuse.
In the end, my concern turned out to be needless. Most people who become adventurers are either former criminals or second and third sons who couldn’t inherit the family land.
Apparently, a lot of adventurers come from poor villages.
In those villages, when the harvest fails and they can’t pay taxes, families sometimes have no choice but to sell their own members into slavery.
So for people from poor villages, it’s not unusual to have family or close friends who were sold as slaves. Because of that, they don’t tend to look down on slaves or their descendants.
That’s when the hunter, Kimon, said quietly, “My little sister was sold off too.”
After muttering these words, he took a deep drink of his liquor.
It was a relief not to be discriminated against, but the conversation had taken a heavy turn… I felt like I’d just stepped on a landmine.
Pulling myself together, I started asking Al about the kind of general knowledge that ordinary people would be expected to know. He didn’t seem annoyed at all and explained everything patiently.
It seems that Rock Cliff, the town I was in, belonged to a country called the Holy Forest Kingdom. It sounded like an elf country to me.
Apparently, it’s the biggest of the Minor States and styles itself as their leader, thanks to the sacred forest, known as the Forest Sanctuary, located to its north. People say it’s a bit of a pretentious country.
“Everyone gets mad when you bring this topic up,” Al warned me first. “So even if it’s uncomfortable, just bear with me.” Then he went on to explain about the Minor States.
The Minor States make up a landlocked enclave. The west and south are bordered by sea, the east by steep mountain ranges, and the north by the Forest Sanctuary. It used to be a penal colony for the human nations.
The people of the Minor States are descendants of exiles, and because of that, they were looked down on by the larger countries on the continent.
Since I wasn’t from the Minor States myself, I just listened and thought, “Huh, so that’s how it is,” without feeling particularly involved.
Al was puzzled by how calm I was, but when I explained that my own roots trace back to my grandmother, who was brought here as a slave, which is why I don’t mind if the people of this country are descended from criminals, he accepted that.
Anyone would snap if someone called them descendants of criminals. Maybe he brought it up on purpose to test my reaction. He’s not a man I can let my guard down around.
Originally, this land was inhabited by beastfolk, and the exiles lived alongside them in cooperation. As the years passed, the number of humans grew, and so did their power.
Once the humans had gained enough power, they started a war. The humans won, and took control of the Minor States. Most of the beastfolk who lost the war either died or became slaves.
I’d heard that the town of Rock Cliff was built on what used to be a fortress for fighting “barbarians.” Apparently, those “barbarians” were actually the native beastfolk.
Killing the natives and stealing their land in a penal colony… It reminded me of Australia.
How could humans kill fluffy beastfolk? Unforgivable. For a moment I felt a surge of anger, but I forced myself to focus on Al’s story.
Aside from the Minor States, there are apparently only two human countries.
To the west lies the hegemonic Megad Empire, and to the east the great superpower, the Leagam Kingdom. These two nations absorbed the surrounding countries and grew into enormous states.
The humans succeeded in consolidating their strength into these massive nations. With their power unified, they drove out the other races and now monopolize all the comfortable, livable regions of the continent.
North of the human lands is a dangerous area called Monster Heaven, a paradise for monsters, where high-rank monsters roam. Both the Megad Empire and the Leagam Kingdom struggle constantly against monster incursions from the north.
On the opposite side of Monster Heaven from the Megad Empire, the beastfolk who were expelled by the humans formed a huge nation known as the Beastfolk Tribal Union.
Even though they’re all beastfolk, it seems there are many different types, and they lack cohesion, so they never launch organized attacks on the human countries.
On the opposite side of Monster Heaven from the Leagam Kingdom lies the Dwarf Kingdom.
To the east of the Leagam Kingdom, and also to the east of the Dwarf Kingdom, lies an enormous mountain range. Beyond that range is uncharted territory, a land no human has ever reached in all of recorded history.
The massive mountains are said to contain a wealth of mineral resources.
The elves, meanwhile, never leave the great forest west of the Megad Empire. They’ve shut themselves in completely.
The Megad Empire has sent its armies into the great forest several times, apparently to capture the long-lived and beautiful elves.
But they suffered devastating counterattacks. Fighting elves in their own forest is practically suicide. Even the Megad Empire’s elite soldiers, famed for their strength, were helplessly defeated and swallowed by the forest.
Despite that, the Megad Empire continued its invasions. Yet they have never won a single battle, even to this day. In the modern Megad Empire, the great forest has become a taboo topic.
Northwest of the Beastfolk Tribal Union lies the nation of the demonfolk. Its name is… the Harmonious Demon Kingdom. An odd name, to say the least.
“A demon king’s country called ‘Harmonious’?” I wondered. The peaceful word “harmonious” didn’t mesh at all with the image I had of demonfolk.
According to Al, the demonfolk nation advocates harmony with all humankind. With monsters as a shared enemy of all peoples, this isn’t the time for the races of humanity to be fighting each other.
From that standpoint, they accept members of every race, like couples who fell in love across racial lines, curious people who want to interact with other species, anyone. Many such people have gathered there, and the country’s territory is quite large.
When I heard that humans and beastfolk were still fighting elsewhere, I had given up hope, but now it seemed like there was a ray of light for my beloved fluffy beastfolk! My spirits skyrocketed and I said, “That sounds like a wonderful country.”
Al, looking exasperated, went on to explain.
The demonfolk are said to be the strongest race among humankind. Long lifespans, powerful bodies, immense mana. However, they have low fertility and their numbers are extremely small.
No matter how strong they are, a small population can’t expand its territory. So by accepting large numbers of other races, they increased their national power and acquired wide lands.
However, the important government positions are all held by demonfolk. And it seems that many demonfolk look down on the other races.
They preach harmony, yet monopolize the key positions and look down on everyone else. Because of that double standard, the demonfolk are disliked by just about every race.
Since their lands lie far to the north, the climate is harsh and cold. Demonfolk are known for their tough bodies, and some types of beastfolk have thick fur. But for other races, living there is difficult.
So paradise didn’t actually exist. Sob.
“It seems I’m getting a bit drunk. The story’s going off topic. Let’s get back to the Minor States.”
Al’s face had grown red; the alcohol was clearly starting to hit him.
The ancestors of the Minor States were people who had been exiled. But not all of them were criminals. As the Megad Empire and the Leagam Kingdom expanded, executing political dissidents and the members of former royal families they had overthrown would only earn them resentment.
So instead, as a so-called act of mercy, they exiled them. But they dumped them, with nothing but the clothes on their backs, into regions controlled by beastfolk. In reality, it was no different from a death sentence.
However, the exiles turned out to be tougher than the Major States expected. They interacted with the beastfolk, steadily built up strength, and eventually conquered the region in return.
Once humans controlled the peninsula, the landlocked enclave, previously considered worthless, gained value. Situated between the Megad Empire and the Leagam Kingdom, the Minor States became an important relay point for trade between the two countries.
The Megad Empire and the Leagam Kingdom may be at war, but commerce is another matter entirely. If there’s money to be made, merchants will trade even with their enemies.
Because of the powerful monsters in the area, ships can’t venture out into the open sea. However, as long as they stay close to the coastline, they can sail.
Thanks to that, the Minor States flourish as the relay point for trade between the Megad Empire and the Leagam Kingdom.
As for the Holy Forest Kingdom, where I currently live, its territory is the largest among the Minor States, but it has no coastline, and aside from crops and spices, it doesn’t produce much of value.
Its large territory is only because the steep mountain range happens to act as a natural border. It’s not land they claimed through their own efforts.
So why do they call themselves the leader of the Minor States? Because they supposedly blocked the Megad Empire’s invasion. Though it’s not like the Holy Forest Kingdom actually did anything, the Megad Empire simply self-destructed.
But what exactly is the Forest Sanctuary? Long ago, there was an age when humanity flourished far more than it does now. The monster-controlled regions were far smaller, and humans lived as the rulers of the continent.
Then, oracles descended upon every church of every religion, declaring, “Let no one set foot in that forest.”
Those who ignored the oracle and entered the forest never returned. In time, the forest came to be known as the Forest Sanctuary.
People feared and revered it, and no one dared to set foot inside.
As the ages passed, humanity entered a period of decline, namely the Era of Lamentation, a time of massive civilizational collapse. Humanity narrowly avoided extinction and eventually rose again.
Among the survivors, humans grew stronger than the other races. As the Megad Empire continued its expansion, it finally set foot into the Forest Sanctuary, despite it being a forbidden zone.
The Megad Empire had become highly centralized, to the point where even the pope, the supreme head of religion, was appointed by the Megad Emperor.
The pope, as God’s representative, was considered the being closest to God. In the hierarchy, the only one above him was the transcendent entity known as “God” itself.
Even in Earth’s history, religious leaders sometimes held power that exceeded that of kings.
But the Megad Emperor went so far as to declare himself the living god, the vessel of a god, a god incarnate.
In the Megad Empire, when an emperor ascends the throne he becomes a god. They perform a ceremony to house the deity within him. Upon accession, the emperor abandons his previous name and becomes “the Xth Megad Emperor,” a being rather than a person.
It’s all to abandon one’s humanity and become a god. I broke out in a cold sweat when I heard that. That’s seriously messed up. Definitely not someone I want to get involved with.
Maybe it showed on my face, because Al gave me more explanation. Apparently there hasn’t been a single foolish emperor in the Megad Empire’s history. On the surface people say it’s because they’re of divine blood, but the truth is that a Megad Emperor who bungles things simply finishes his role as the god’s vessel and “ascends to heaven” to serve the god.
That’s just a euphemism for mercilessly executing the incompetent, isn’t it? Extreme centralization collapses the moment an idiot ends up at the top. They clearly understand that.
Also, Al knows way too much about the empire. His name sounds a bit German, he carries himself with grace, and he’s sharp.
Was he maybe an ex-imperial noble or something? I was curious, but apparently it’s taboo to ask an adventurer about their past. Better not say anything foolish. I’ll keep my mouth shut.
The Megad Empire is highly centralized, and because the nobility’s power is weak, incompetents are made to return their domains without mercy.
Some degree of misconduct is overlooked, but severe abuses are punished harshly. There are regional disparities, but overall public security is good, and ordinary citizens find it a comfortable place to live.
I apologized for derailing the conversation and asked him to continue where they left off.
Since the Megad Emperor is a god incarnate, going against divine oracles poses no problem for him. With that justification, he invaded the coalition of the Minor States by cutting straight through the Forest Sanctuary.
They could have used ships to attack by sea. However, although the place is an exile territory and holds value as a relay point for trade, the civilization level is low, and the country is populated by descendants of criminals. Controlling such a land would have required an enormous financial burden if done by deploying a naval fleet along the costly sea route, so they likely chose not to pursue that option.
Moreover, valuable fruits and medicinal herbs can be gathered in the Forest Sanctuary. That said, anyone who grew greedy and ventured deep into the forest apparently never returned.
A considerable number of years have passed since the Forest Sanctuary was designated as a sanctuary, and the forest has expanded. The newly grown areas are not considered part of the sanctuary, so entering them seems to be permitted.
However, they said that if one grows greedy and ventures too far in, one ends up trespassing into the true sanctuary and is struck by divine punishment.
Intending to reduce costs and to exploit the resources of the Forest Sanctuary, the emperor led his army into the forest. Not a single person returned.
Because the imperial troops, advancing under the orders of the emperor who claimed to be a living deity, were annihilated in the sanctuary by divine punishment, the emperor’s authority declined. His aggressive policy of expansion had already been forcing the empire onto a harsh trajectory, and uprisings broke out in various regions.
The empire abandoned its extreme expansionist policy and began focusing on stabilizing the territories under its control. By devoting several generations to internal governance, it established a solid ruling structure. The current Emperor of Megad is now using that accumulated power to slowly encroach upon the lands of the Leagam Kingdom.
The Holy Forest Kingdom, which should have been invaded by the Megad Empire, ended up repelling the empire that had once exiled its ancestors to an island.
Protected by the Forest Sanctuary, they began claiming that they were loved by the gods, and they changed their country’s name to its current form.
The Forest Sanctuary borders the two neighboring countries as well. The Megad Empire happened to advance from the side opposite the Holy Forest Kingdom and destroyed itself. Yet it seems the Holy Forest Kingdom got carried away, boasting as if they had personally repelled a superpower.
The Holy Forest Kingdom buys salt from the western country and ores such as iron from the eastern country. Because of this, its bargaining position is weak.
Since it also has no coastline, it cannot participate in trade between the Megad Empire and the Leagam Kingdom. Even though it is economically inferior, it insists on being the leader among them and clings to its pride.
For that reason, the Holy Forest Kingdom is mocked as a foolish and troublesome country. That is what Al told me.
Although I was only listening to geography and history, I found it very enjoyable. With a smile, I thanked Al. Thank you for sharing such valuable knowledge.
Al looked a little blank for a moment, then laughed and slapped my back repeatedly. After laughing for a while, Al said, “Yajin, I like you. I think I’ll sleep well tonight.”
After saying that, Al disappeared up to the second floor.
Kimon seemed satisfied after drinking a certain amount, and some time after Gonz went upstairs, he too headed to the second floor with a worn-looking prostitute whose appearance could hardly be called beautiful.
Since Al, who had been talking with me the whole time, had gone upstairs, that marked the end of the gathering. I decided to settle the bill.
I paid the tavern owner for the food and drinks, as well as for my own lodging. One-fifth of the compensation money I had received from the village chief was now gone.
The compensation from the village chief had been a considerable sum. Those guys drank like idiots just because it was on someone else’s tab.
With my eyes watering, I climbed the stairs to the second floor.
I entered my room and slid the bar across the door. Once I felt secure, I threw myself onto the bed, sulking.