Mushoku Tensei (LN) - Volume 8 - Chapter Ep

Epilogue 

THREE MONTHS HAD PASSED since I enrolled. My school life was a monotonous one. In the morning I would wake up, train, practice my magic, eat breakfast, go to class, eat lunch, do research at the library, go home, eat dinner, review material in preparation for the following day, then sleep. Rinse and repeat. 

It would be a lie to say it wasn’t enjoyable. In my previous life, I’d been a shut-in. I attended junior high but not high school, and obviously, never gone to a university. This place had food I’d never had in junior high. It also had a wide variety of classes in subjects I was interested in. 

Granted, this was the first time in a long time that I’d gone to school, and I might just be wrapped up in the nostalgia and the novelty of it. The shine might wear off with time—but I’d cross that bridge when I got to it. I didn’t need a degree to get by in this world. There was no reason to force myself to stay any longer than I wanted to. 

In the meantime, though, my life had changed for the better in the past three months. 

First there was Julie, the dwarf slave girl that Zanoba, Master Fitz and I had purchased together. For a prince with no other interests aside from figurines, Zanoba was doing a good job of looking after her. He taught her to read and write, fed her, gave her clothes to wear, and a place to sleep. In fact, he treated her more like a younger sibling than a slave. He had tried to give her the same name as his deceased younger brother, so there was probably some real affection there. 

Through all this, I was getting a glimpse at a more human side of him, which made me happy to see. Julie was also getting quite attached to Zanoba. She listened to him no matter what he said, and toddled after him wherever he went, like a duckling following its mother. When she looked at me, however, I occasionally saw a hint of fear in her eyes. She was fine when I was giving her lessons, but if she messed up or couldn’t do something I asked her to, she would tremble and hide behind Zanoba as she apologized to me. She acted like I was the kind of teacher who would yell at and hit their students who did something they didn’t like…which I wasn’t. I’d never done either of those things. 

Feeling a bit disheartened, I decided to ask Zanoba for his opinion. “Zanoba, why is it that Julie seems so fearful of me?” 

“Hm,” he said. “The dwarves have a fairy tale called ‘The Hole Monster.’” 

The Hole Monster, he explained, lived deep, deep within a hole from which it normally never emerged. However, it loved bad children so much that it would sluggishly crawl forth to kidnap them. If a child tried to run, the ground beneath them would instantly turn to mud and trap them, whereupon the monster would stuff them in a bag and drag them back down to its lair. The children it took would eventually reappear on the surface, but they would be so well-behaved they seemed like different people. You had to wonder—what happened to the bad children when they went down that hole? 

“She probably associated you with that story after seeing what happened to Linia and Pursena.” 

When you put it that way…it was certainly true that I’d used my quagmire against those two, then stuffed them in a bag and held them hostage. I’d also punished them with Master Fitz’s help while Zanoba and Julie weren’t around, and now they were both well-behaved and subservient. From Julie’s perspective, I fit the role of the Hole Monster to a T. 

I knew I couldn’t please everyone, but I didn’t like that she was afraid of me. I decided to be extra careful to refrain from scolding her during our lessons, and pat her head, compliment her, and give her some candy when she did things right. 

Wait, no—I didn’t want to treat her like a pet, either. Hmm. This was harder than I thought. 

Linia and Pursena, meanwhile, had been calling me “Boss” ever since that incident. They weren’t carrying my backpack for me or tailing me everywhere I went, but they would bow in greeting whenever they saw me, and move aside to let me pass. 

“Heya. You’re here early again, Boss, mew.” 

“Morning.” 

They even casually struck up conversation during homeroom, sitting close by to Zanoba and me. 

“You two sure have been acting more friendly lately,” I remarked. 

“Would you prefer us to act more respectful, mew? We’re not too great at acting all formal though, mew, so we’d probably trip up if we tried.” 

“Our respect is genuine. We respect the strong.” Pursena wagged her tail as she said that. 

More than anything, it was nice to have young girls around me. They were a sight for sore eyes, particularly compared to Zanoba. As an added bonus, the other delinquents had been keeping their distance from me ever since Linia and Pursena started acting this way, which was just fine by me. 

“Heeey, Rudeus!” The moment I stepped out of the building after homeroom, Elinalise called out to me. “You sure have made a lot of friends in a short time.” 

“Friends…? Oh, yeah.” I hadn’t been looking to make friends, but I’d acquired a bunch anyway. Perhaps not surprising, given that this was a school. If I kept up this pace, I’d have twenty friends in a year. With this school’s seven-year system, I might eventually have a hundred friends. 

“But they’re all girls. Not surprising, I guess, you are Paul’s son.” 

“That’s not true. Not all of them are girls.” 

“You know, Paul said something similar a long time ago.” 

Come to think of it, my relationship with Elinalise had changed, too. We hadn’t had much contact since we started attending the school—not that we’d been particularly close prior to that, either. She was probably busy enjoying school life to the fullest. 

“Miss Elinalise, it’s rare for you to come all the way here. Was there something you needed?” 

“Yes. I need to borrow something.” 

“You’re going to have to find someone else for that. Mine is currently out of order.” 

“That’s not what I’m asking for. I left my magic textbook back at the dorm. Could you lend me yours, please?” 

Sexual proclivities aside, Elinalise was actually attending classes in earnest. I had no idea what an S-ranked adventurer like her hoped to learn, but Ghislaine had told me stories of times she struggled because she couldn’t use magic. Maybe Elinalise figured she had nothing to lose by at least learning the basics? 

“Well, I suppose so. I only have one copy, though, so don’t forget it again.” 

“I’ll return the favor at some point,” she said, waving as she left. 

*** 

Unbeknownst to Rudeus, there were two pairs of eyes watching him. One was behind him—the gaze of a young boy who’d just left the classroom where homeroom had been held. Appearing incensed, the boy averted his eyes and returned to class. 

The second pair watched from above, from a closed-off room on the highest floor of the research building. If one were to look up and meet those eyes, they might tremble in fear or widen their own eyes in shock, for the watcher had a featureless white mask covering their face. 

As Rudeus’s school life proceeded smoothly, there was movement far to the east of him. Past even the Northern Territories’ easternmost Kingdom of Biheiril, far across the ocean, lay an island known as Ogre Island. It was inhabited by the Ogre Tribe, a people with dark red hair and single horn growing from each of their foreheads. Their militia was led by a strong warrior called the Ogre God. 

The Ogre Tribe were a race of demons who had participated neither in the Great Human-Demon War nor in Laplace’s War. For that reason, humans saw them separate from the demon race, much like the dwarves or elves. However, since they generally kept to themselves on their island, their existence was not common knowledge. The only friendly relationship the tribe had with humanity was with the Biheiril Kingdom, and outsiders entering their territory were mercilessly attacked and killed. 

But even this tribe would open its heart to a recognized visitor. There was currently one such person among them—a man who’d been traveling aboard a ship belonging to the seafolk when it came close to the island. Curious about the island, he disembarked. After some fuss, the Ogre Tribe accepted him as their guest. 

The man found the island comfortable and settled down there. He spoke amiably with the Ogre God, drank with the tribe, and at times, trained their young. Two years passed that way. For this guest, who’d lived several thousand years, it was little more than the blink of an eye. 

One day, a letter arrived for him. He’d made an emergency request of an S-ranked adventurer, a seasoned traveler, who had sent the letter swiftly. The letter was concise: I found the person we were looking for in one of the Three Magic Nations. In a few more months, we’ll be heading for the Ranoa Kingdom’s University. 

After reading it, the man stood. Having seen the contents of the letter and the look on their guest’s face, the Ogre God asked, “Are you leaving?” 

The guest tossed his head and said, “Yeah. I have to go now.” 

Upon hearing this, the Ogre Tribe spoke unanimously. 

“We’ll be so lonely without you.” 

“Please don’t go. There’s so much more that I want you to teach me!” 

“Can’t you just live here? All of the village people would welcome you!” 

He grunted in acknowledgment at each outburst. “Trust me, I’d like to do that as well. But humans have short lifespans. If I spend too long enjoying myself here, the one I have to meet might die on me.” 

The Ogre God, leader of the Ogre Tribe, only bid him a single “Take care.” 

Though reluctant, the other ogres obeyed. A grand farewell banquet was held, and the guest and the Ogre God enjoyed a variety of special events such as wrestling matches and eating contests. Then, in good spirits, they saw their guest off—the amiable man who had suddenly showed up one day and then lived in their village for close to two years. An immortal man who fought with the Ogre God and lost, only to revive the next day and lose over and over in a cycle of death and rebirth. A great man with pitch-black skin and six arms. 

“Fwahahaha! Just wait!” 

He pushed his way west. One country was surprised by his sudden invasion and hurled Advanced-tier magic at him. Another prepared tribute for him. He ignored all of them and just plunged forward, heading deeper west. He crossed mountains and passed through valleys at a speed that surpassed that of the humans’ information network. By the time each country figured out what he wanted, he’d already crossed their borders and left. Further and further west he went at a breakneck speed. His destination was Ranoa Kingdom.