Episode 1: The Day I Was Exiled
“My child, Thor Rhigas. The great Dolgarian Empire is sending you as a hostage to another country. The carriage has already arrived. Use up your life for the honor of our family, the Dukes of Rhigas.”
That was the first thing my father said to me after seeing him for the first time in three years.
He twisted his lips and looked as if he was talking about an amusing idea.
Although it didn’t make any sense to me at all.
“I don’t quite understand, father. Why do I have to be held hostage by another country…..?”
“Because you deserve to die.”
My father — spitted out.
The Duke’s butler and the head of the guard were laughing beside him.
This is the Dukes of Rhigas’s house, in the capital of the empire.
That is, my parent’s house.
In the office of the head of the family, the Duke of Varga Rhigas, I listened to my father.
…..Why am I here? I thought I had cut ties with the Duke’s family long ago.
I got a job when I was 13, and left home.
For the next three years, I lived as a commoner. I had no intention of ever returning to the Duke’s house.
Yet today, while I was at work, the Duke’s soldiers came and brought me to this house arbitrarily.
My coworkers and bosses who were there were silently watching us go.
I was facing a very tough opponent.
The Dukes are the top nobles. There was no way a commoner could disobey.
Then they put me in a carriage and brought me into the Duke’s office — and here we were talking.
“What do you mean by…. you deserve to die?”
I asked my father.
“As you know, I left the Duke’s family. I’m not even using the Rhigas’s last name. I am now working as a civil official for the Empire. It’s a low profile job, but I haven’t made any particular mistakes —”
“Shut your mouth!! You’re a disgrace to the Duke’s family!!”
My father pounded on the table.
“If you’re useless, why don’t you just shut your mouth and listen to me? Why do you argue with me?!”
“.....It’s because I don’t understand what you are talking about, father.”
“Why do you not understand?!”
How could I know?
There’s very little explanation other than “sending me out as hostage” and “using up my life”.
“I’ve told you this before! That the Duke’s family doesn’t need anyone without combat skills!!”
…..Why does this guy look like he was told irrational things?
I’m the one who was forced to come here, and is being yelled at.
“Our ancestors took the sword with Her Imperial Majesty and created this Dolgarian Empire. Her first Imperial Majesty is also a hero who once fought alongside the brave souls! The emperor who has taken the sword and expanded her territory is the pride of the whole empire!”
“I know that, father.”
“Therefore, the whole empire has strength as their supreme need. Especially if you’re a nobleman. Our Duke’s family must be an example to other noble families and to all the people! But you!”
Just by looking at my father’s expression, I knew the next line to come.
It’s something I’ve been told a lot since I was a kid.
“You have no skills whatsoever to fight! You can’t even use combat type magics! This is the eldest son of a Duke with a grandfather who was a master swordsman we’re talking about! Do you know the despair of a parent who has a child like that?!”
I didn’t answer.
I already know that it’s no use answering him anything.
If I answer “I know”, he’ll say “What is it that you think you understand?” and a fist would fly at me.
If I answer “I don’t know”, he’ll say “Why don’t you understand?!” and hit me with a wooden sword.
It’s always been that way.
I always had no choice but to shut up.
“You seem to be speechless. Now, the head of the guard and the butler. You may talk about Thor’s sins.”
The Duke gave an unpleasant smirk.
In response to his words, the head of the guard in armor and the butler in black stepped forward.
“At the age of 10, the skill appraisal of Thor Rhigas was conducted in the temple. There were no combat skills. He is unworthy of Duke’s eldest son.”
“Likewise, a second skill appraisal took place when he was 12 years old. At that time, in addition to combat skills, magic skills were also checked, but this person did not have any attack magic skills. It is a blunder unbecoming a nobleman.”
They averted their gaze from me, as if the conversation was over.
This is how people who have no combat skills are treated.
The Dolgarian Empire has been expanding its territory by force of arms.
Both nobles and commoners value combat skills.
In particular, nobles who do not have skills for combat are thoroughly looked down upon. This is because many nobles are inherently gifted with superior combat skills.
That’s why I left the Duke’s family.
I took the test and became a civil official, and I’ve been doing paperwork and item repair work.
I’ve been doing my job well. I liked paperwork.
There were jobs where I could use my skills from time to time.
“.....You’re right, I don’t have any skills for combat.”
I looked over at the Duke and said.
“But I have 'alchemy' skills.”
I could see my father’s face distort.
It’s the same face I saw when I was 10 and 12, after I gave him the results of my skill appraisal.
But this is the last time. I’ll say what needs to be said.
“My 'alchemy' skills are useful for repairing and mending items. In fact, I’ve been entrusted with the task of managing items at the public office. If I brush up this skill, I may even be able to create new items. That’s why I’m saving money for it, and eventually I’ll have my own workshop —”
“Shut your mouth! Those things are worthless!”
The Duke shouted.
“The people of the empire are all vying to be the strongest! We don’t need any other ways! Besides, the empire has the holy sword and shield that the brave souls used. The best ones are already here….. and you’re going to make new items? Does that mean you deny the ways of the Empire?!”
“That’s not what I meant. I —”
“To deny the ways of the Empire is tantamount to treason against Her Imperial Majesty!!”
The Duke slammed his fist on the table, and a crack appeared at the top.
Come to think of it, the Duke was skilled in swordplay and combat. Apparently, he’s not declined yet.
“—Good grief, he’s no nobleman.”
“—I thought he had a minimum amount of pride left even after leaving the Duke’s family, but this is…..”
The head of the guard and the butler laughed, keeping their voices down.
The Duke ranted and raved as he watched.
“We’ve already decided to send you out as a hostage. Suck it up!”
That’s enough. My father and his associates can’t understand a word I say.
If that’s the case, I’ll at least get the information out of them.
“.....I understand that it’s already decided. But what do you mean by 'use up your life'?”
“That means it’s a dangerous place to go.”
“Dangerous place?”
“We’ve taken hostages from the Empire many times in that area. But they all went missing. Not a single one of them came back.”
“Where am….. I going to be sent?”
I asked, and my father looked at me with a sly smile.
That was all I needed to know the answer.
“Don’t tell me it’s the Demon’s Territory!!”
“You are considerate, I’ll give you that….. No, if you are really considerate, you would have understood my thoughts and committed suicide long ago. You’re still alive, which means you’re really incompetent.”
…..I don’t care what he thinks of me.
What’s important is that the Duke didn’t deny my use of the term “Demon’s Territory”.
Is this guy really going to send me to that place…..?
The Demon’s Territory is a land inhabited by demons and subhumans who were once enemies of humanity.
A few hundred years ago, the Demon Lord and humans were fighting for territory.
The Demon Lord was invading the south with his powerful demons.
At the time, humans countered this by summoning brave souls from other worlds.
The Demon Lord and the demons were powerful, but the brave souls who sided with the humans were also strong.
After a fierce battle, the brave souls drove the Demon Lord’s army away from human territory.
After that, a boundary line was drawn between the human world and the Demon’s Territory.
Beyond the forest to the north of the empire is an area of demons and subhumans — the Demon’s Territory.
The south of it became the human world.
Since the boundaries were drawn, no major conflicts have occurred.
However, it is said that the Demon Lord and the demons, who were driven to the north, hate humans.
The Demon’s Territory is still a mysterious country.
“I didn’t know that….. there was interaction between the Empire and the Demon’s Territory.”
“Our empire is the closest to the Demon’s Territory. The demons and subhumans must be dealt with.”
The Duke spitted out.
“That’s why we offer hostages to the Demon’s Territory once every few decades. It is said that demons and subhumans are bloodthirsty, so we offer sacrifices to appease them.”
“—The Demon Lord and demons are like beasts, you know.”
“—They would be satisfied with killing humans to confirm that they are strong.”
The Duke and two of his men were laughing.
….. Apparently, these people really want me to die.
That’s why we don’t communicate very well.
There is no need for them to talk to a person that’s going to die.
“My job is done. Get out of here. I told you the carriage is already here, didn’t I?”
The Duke waved his hands.
As if on cue, the soldiers who had been waiting outside the room came in. They grabbed my arms.
“—!! Let go!!”
I tried to shake them off….. but they wouldn’t budge.
I knew it. There was no way I could escape the restraints of the guards who have combat skills.
If I could, I would have run away long ago. I wouldn’t have come here in the first place.
“Can’t you even escape the restraints of the guards?”
The Duke held his forehead and had a sour face.
“You really don’t have the skills to fight, do you? How could such an incompetent person have been born into our Duke’s family…..?”
“—My sympathies, my dear Duke.”
“—My thoughts are with you.”
I felt nauseous.
I should have refused the physical examination before entering the room.
If I had done that, I would have thrown the stone I carried around as an alchemy material at the Duke’s face.
“.....I hate you so much, Duke of Varga Rhigas.”
“You are a dead man. And dead men tell no tales.”
“If you want to send people to the Demon’s Territory, you should go there yourself.”
“Me? Why should I do such a thing?”
“It would serve the Empire better, wouldn’t it? Why don’t you just tell the emperor what you’ve seen and heard with your mouth?!”
“The Empire has defeated the Demon’s Territory. Who needs information from a loser country?”
“You’re being too careless. You’re done for. You —”
“I said dead men tell no tales!!”
I felt a shock in my stomach.
“.....Gah…..ugh….”
My breathing stopped unintentionally. I wasn’t able to speak.
…..Shit. After all, they just use force.
“Take him.”
The Duke waved his hands.
“The wrongly born child is gone, and a new day begins for our Duke’s family. Today is a memorable day. Let’s celebrate, shall we?”
With those last words, the door to the office closed.
And so I was exiled from the country where I was born and raised.
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