#1271 Junior’s Adventure - Setting Off 

I’m Saint Kidan’s son, Junior. 
I’ve set out on a journey of training, to rebuild myself from the ground up. 

Dad said, “Overcome hardships and grow strong enough to succeed me.” 
So here I am, determined to gain experience and become a respectable man. 

That’s why today, I leave the farm!!! 

“Good luck, brooo!” 
“Fight on, Young Masterrrr!!!” 

My younger brothers and the people who’ve lived alongside us on the farm all gather to see me off. 

“Junioooorrrrrrrrr!! Come back a maaaan! Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!!!”  
“Don’t forget to send letters! If anything happens, it’s fine to come home right awayyy! Teleportation magic and all sorts of things are convenient these days, you knooowwww!!!” 

Among them, my parents are waving their hands the most wildly. 
They were the ones who suggested this training journey in the first place. Why are they like this? 

And then… 

“Gwoooooh! Let me go! I’m going with Juniooooooooooor! We are one body and one soul!!!” 

Veil tries to force her way into coming along with me, but Sensei the Lifeless King restrains her. 
Very few people on the farm are capable of holding Veil back. 

“Endure it. If you go with him, every obstacle will crumble, and Junior’s chance to grow will vanish.” 

Exactly, Sensei. 
Parting with Veil, who’s been by my side since birth is painful for me, too. But enduring that pain is also part of my training, so I set out. 

It feels like saying goodbye to a beloved pet dog. 

And parting with Sensei carries a bittersweet weight, like leaving the nest after years of learning under a mentor. 

But it’s only a temporary farewell! 
I’ll definitely come back to this farm one day! 
Until then, adieu!!! 

Shutatatatatatatatatatatatata! 

“He bolted off.” 
“That child can sprint at Mach 2, you know. Honestly, even as his parent, I don’t understand how his body is structured.” 

Who knows!  
If you think you can run, you can run! 

And so, my training journey begins. 

*** 

Of course, just wandering around aimlessly isn’t going to teach me much. I need a clear goal. 

Before I left, Dad gave me a recommended plan for traveling. 
“Since you’re at it, why not tour the whole world?” he said. 

From the Human Kingdom, to the Demon Kingdom, to the Mermaid Kingdom, travel through the major nations, and observe the lives of smaller races along the way. That would make for a wealth of experience. 

That’s Dad for you.  
As both a Saint and the King of the Farm Kingdom, his insight carries real weight. 

I think I’ll go with his advice and start with the Human Kingdom. 

The Human Kingdom is home to one of the three great races, and in the recent past it actually collapsed once.  
It’s a rare case of revival from ruin. 
 

It used to be a place worn down by absolute authoritarian rule. But after losing the war, the royal family and the Church—who had been clinging to power—were swept away, and a healthier system of governance was established. 

Now, they elect a national representative, and under the first president, a man named Ritheseus, the country flourishes. 

It took him ten years to root out all remnants of the old guard.  
With that gone, the government can finally devote itself to protecting the people and developing the nation. 

…Or so I’ve learned from all of Sensei's lessons. 

But the whole point of this journey is to experience things with my own eyes, ears, and skin. To gain living knowledge.  
That’s the spirit! 

Still, running at the speed of sound forever would get tiring, so I decide to use proper transportation. 

Conveniently, the central hub of the Farm Kingdom is on my route, so I head there and hop on the train. 

The fare?  
Don’t underestimate me! I may only be sixteen, but I’ve helped out with farm work and even pitched in with national affairs, earning pocket money in return.  
Plus, I’ve saved my New Year’s money, too. I’m practically loaded for my age! 

Thank goodness my parents aren’t the type to snatch New Year’s gifts “for savings” (supposedly)...! 

Now’s the time to splurge!  
I rush to the ticket counter... 

“One Green Car seat, please!” I say. “Children’s fare!” 
“Children’s fare only applies to under twelve.” 

What...?!  
At sixteen, I don’t count anymore?! 

Very well. Moving on. I'm gonna buy a station bento, too! 
The classic: shumai bento!  
It’s in a special package, celebrating its tenth anniversary. 

Munch munch munch munch… 
Even cold, it’s delicious! The thought that went into making it a great boxed meal really shines through! 

…And before I know it, I’ve arrived at my destination. 

“Royal Capital, Royal Capital... This is the terminus. Thank you for riding Otherworldly Railways. This train will now turn back, so please make sure you disembark.” 

I get off.  
Ah, my body creaks after sitting so long. 

So, this is the Human Kingdom’s capital…! 

Not that it’s my first time.  
Dad took me here a few times when I was younger. 

But walking its streets on my own two feet carries a different meaning. 

What should I do first?  
If I just wander around, it’ll feel like sightseeing...  
Then I’ll end up just buying souvenirs for my family and heading home. That won’t do!!! 

If I want to grow, I need to dive deeper into real people’s lives. 

As I’m standing at the station, lost in thought, someone calls out. 

“Hey kid, you looking to be an adventurer?” 

Huh? 
I turn around. It’s some random middle-aged guy wearing a big friendly grin.  
Suspicious. 

“You’re not? Usually, youngsters who step off the train looking lost are here chasing a dream. They want to become adventurers and make it big, but they don’t even know where the guild is or what to do next.” 
“Really?” 
“You’re not one of ‘em?” 

An adventurer, huh… 
Of course I know what that is. Tons of S-Rank adventurers came to visit the farm, after all. Brings back memories. 

They often got fired up explaining what it truly means to be an adventurer. 

From what I heard, anyone can become one, and if you’ve got the skills, you can rise high. 
So that means I could sign up right now.  
That sounds like the perfect hands-on experience. 

All right!  
The theme of my training in the Human Kingdom is set! 

“Thanks, Mister! My path is decided!” 
“Eh? Don’t you want me to tell you where the guild is…?” 
“No worries, I know the way!!!” 

I’ve been to the royal capital plenty of times! The map’s all in my head! 

Not just with Dad, I even came here with Veil once for a ramen shop crawl!  
The Adventurer’s Guild is out the south gate, then left at the big corner, then sprint straight for five kilometers! 

I take off running, leaving the man staring blankly after me. 

“...” 
“Hey! You’re soliciting illegally again, aren’t you?! You were about to scam another rookie by luring him to your shady recruitment office instead of the real adventurer guild, weren’t you?! This time it’s not just a warning, you’re under arrest!!!” 
“Eeeeeeek! The law here’s gotten way too stricttttttttt!!!” 

I think I hear some kind of ruckus in the distance, but it doesn’t concern me. 
To the Adventurer’s Guild I go! 
Time to become an adventurer!