NOVEL NEXT Chapter 3: Chapter 2
Once the Ren awakens, he finds himself in a small field in the middle of nowhere. He immediately sits up and begins patting his body all over, looking and feeling everywhere, dropping that at the end???? Yep, I really don't like him...hm? Nothing seems to be off with my body...the only difference is...my pubic hair is gone...and my body hair. I have no facial hair either...what's the point of that?
After Ren finishes checking himself, he looks around and finds a small bag next to him. Inside is a flask with water; some food, money (he assumes), and a note. The note says that the food and water should last him to the town ahead, and the money should last him 2 weeks worth of food and shelter at an Inn.
The typical start of an isekai story flashes through his mind, it all starts at the city of beginnings, where its a nice place to start on your journey. Big city with lots of resources, an adventurer guild, etc. Then the face of Adam flashes though his head, for some reason, the idea of doing exactly what he wants kind of pisses me off. Let's go somewhere else instead, guide me my Ultra Instincts!
And so, he decided to go to in the opposite direct, following the road away from the city. Adam, looking at him while sitting on his throne in the grassy plain through one of his mirrors, "hm? Where's he going? The city's in the opposite direction...oh, he must be following his instincts. Let's see, that way leads to...oh, things might get interesting from the start. He needs to be careful though, he hasn't learned to fight yet. I lose nothing if he dies early, but I doubt I'd find another hero that has as much potential. Getting a true hero is complete luck after all. I had to wait a long time for one. But it could be worth the wait, I mean, I can't believe he thought of Electromaster all by himself. And like he said, most people tend to underestimate the power of lightning because it's so powerful in itself".
On Ren's journey of following the road, an old woman comes from behind in a horse-drawn carriage and stops, asking the Ren what he's doing, "it's a bit rare to find a traveller on foot, especially a man. Anything happen, son?".
Ren, how should I respond to this, "It's a bit complicated, but I'm walking to the next town". Old woman, "It'd take the entire day and night if you walked to Visat from Starventure. Hop in the back, it'd leave a bad taste in my mouth if I left a man out here to die", and I'd be executed if anyone found out.
Ren, "I'd much appreciate it. I don't know how much I'd be able to repay you though", as he bows his head. The old woman is flabbergasted, "oh my gosh! Why are you bowing to me?!".
Ren, oh, it looks like bowing isn't a good idea, "em...I thought I saw something fall out of my pocket. It looked like a coin. I wouldn't be able to repay you without it". Old woman, "You don't need to worry about repaying me, just ensuring some kids are born is more that enough for me, so think nothing of it, please".
Ren stopping the urge to bow, "I appreciate it". As he's hopping into the carriage, kids? What's she going on about? Does she want to set me up with her granddaughter or something? Sorry, but I don't think that's a fair trade for a carriage ride...even if it really helps me.
Ren settles in the back and they head off. While in the carriage, Ren does some thinking, I'm actually in another world. It's weird but I can tell it's reality. The question is what I'm going to do in this world? Adam asked me to defeat the Demon King, but I know absolutely nothing of the situation. I should probably ask this old lady some questions but she'd probably be suspicious of me not knowing anything...nothing is coming to mind. It's probably best to say outright why I'm here?...yea, that'd never work. Let's see...ah, Ren, "excuse me...em, sorry, but may I ask your name?".
Old woman, "It's Mali dear, and you don't need be so polite". Ren, probably be best to not use honorifics either, "ok, Mali. It may be hard to believe but I was in an accident not too long ago and lost all my memories. Can you explain the current situation to me?".
Mali, "my, my, you poor dear. Of course, I'd be dangerous if you didn't know anything. How much do you remember?". Ren, "not much unfortunately, just that demons and vampires exist, and that humanity is struggling".
Mali, "that'd be an understatement, dear. Let's see, our country extends to the far northwest of the continent from here but the top half is desert. We don't have the population to spare to try and settle up there, so there's only one major city up there as a fall-back with a few villages in between. If we get pushed back, that will be our last line of defence, so I'd be good to remember it. Sanjahorn is the city's name. The bottom half of our country is grassy plains so it's good for settling on, even if it's closer to the Demon Lands. The capital is on the border of the grasslands and desert so you will find more settlements between there and the frontlines".
Ren, "wait, even if it's easier to settle on grasslands, shouldn't you settle where it's safer?". Mali, "the frontlines are where the men are, dear. It's just not feasible to settle away from them. Only really high rank of birth men are exempt from enlisting, and they settle in the major cities. For the average peasant woman, the frontlines are their only hope. It's also far cheaper to live there". Ren, "I see, when you say it like that, it makes sense, as unfortunate as it is".
Mali, "unfortunately, I don't know much about the situation on the frontlines. All I know is that we're losing all the time". Ren, "you've been helpful, thank you. Where are we heading by the way? Visat you said?". Mali, "indeed dear, it's a small town a bit close to the border, on the frontline".
Ren, "the frontline? Why are you heading there?". Mali, "I could ask you the same question dear". Ren, "me? I was just walking in a random direction. Since I was following a road, I figured I'd find people eventually".
Mali, "you must have been attacked by a wild monster and lost your memories. You're lucky, if the Green Bandits found you, you'd be in a world of trouble". Ren, this world has monsters? Well, there's Demons and Vampires, so it's not that surprising, "Green bandits? Who are they?".
Mali, "a group of women who enjoy plundering, led by a woman named Ella. Lately, they've been kidnapping nobles for ransom. Rumour has it they even kidnap men and use them like a bull to impregnate them all. Bunch of barbarians", not that it's not understandable.
Ren, what the hell! Isn't it the usually the other way around? That's scary! The situation must be bad if they're resorting to such tactics. This sound like some eroge instead of a hero story, "thank God you picked me up on the way. I'd have been a sitting duck otherwise". Mali, "no problem. We can't have any men fall to the likes of them".
A short silence falls between them which Ren eventually breaks, "so ultimately, why are you going to the front line?". Mali, "oh sorry dear, we got side-tracked and I completely forgot. I'm going to go pick-up my daughter and grandchildren". Ren, "are you taking them away from the frontlines?".
Mali, "yes. My daughter got pregnant with a soldiers child and gave birth to a boy. Women who give birth to a boy are thought to be more likely to give birth to another, so their value shoots up. As soon as he was born, I went to the capital to search for a noble who would take them in. A low-ranking noble will take her as his third wife. And my grandson will become his successor if none of his other wives will produce him a son. At the very least, our safety is guaranteed, thank God we can get away from the front lines".
Ren, "hm...wait, why did you have to go all the way to the capital? Didn't you say they're nobles in the major cities, like the one you said earlier, Starventure was it? Isn't that closer?", if there's a particular reason, I may want to avoid Starventure.
Mali, "the nobles in Starventure have...rumours floating around them. The capital is safer". Ren, aristocrats didn't have a good reputation in my world, and it doesn't seem much different here…maybe, "I hope everything goes well". Mali, "thanks dear. I wish I could be more help to you". Ren, "you've done more than enough, thank you".
Mali, "your memory does really seem to be gone. Normally, I'd beg you to fornicate with my daughter, even offer her up to you for marriage. However, she's promised to another and I don't know your status, so that's not an option. Your clothes are nice but a tad weird, probably some low level noble if I had to guess".
Ren, what the hell? Things are that desperate? When Adam said polygamy was legal, I thought...I dunno, but not this, "very perceptive. Hopefully I remember soon enough". Mali, "I certainly hope so dear. There's a cloak in the back, take it. I'd be better to hide yourself until your able to properly take care of yourself, the women will eat you alive otherwise".
Ren, if some women are resorting to kidnapping, they very well may eat me alive, "I see your point, I'll take you up on the offer. I don't have much but I have some money in my pocket. Please take enough for what the cloaks worth", the women of this world sound scary. Mali, "I can't take money from an injured person. My family is entering the nobility, something like that isn't even pocket change for them". Ren, "I see. Thank you very much". Mali, "no problem dear. Hope everything turns out ok for you".
In a cave not terribly far from where Ren woke up, a young woman just entered with a decent group of women following her. The woman has luscious green wavy hair that falls down to just past her shoulders. She's wearing a tight shirt covered by a sleeveless jacket, a pair of leather shorts and leather boots. She looks about 18 years old.
Random Woman A from the group, "sure love it when it goes according to plan". Woman B, "this will surely wipe the grim off of those nobles' faces". In the middle of the group of women are three young teenage boys, about 10 or 11 years old. Behind them, a group of girls around 13 or 14.
Woman C crouches down to be eye level with them, "this is your new home. It's a bit cramped at the moment, but please bare with it", as she gives them a bewitching smile. Woman D does the same, "we'll take care of you from now on". The boys are too scared to move. There is a muffled voice making a clutter. It belongs to a woman who's hand's are tied with rope, gagged at the mouth, and wearing a blindfold. She seems to be in her late twenties.
The green haired woman signals to the group with her eyes. They take the boys and girls to a different room in the cave. The green haired woman approaches the bound woman and removes her blindfold and gag. Woman, "ELLA!!! ONCE HE HEARS ABOUT THIS-". A loud clap echoes in the room, the woman's cheek going a deep red from the slap.
Ella, "who said you could talk?". The woman's eyes flare up in anger, "how dare-". Ella slaps her even harder on her other cheek, "don't make me repeat myself!". The woman still has defiance in her eyes, "you-". There's is no slap this time, but a hard kick to the stomach instead.
The woman falls to her knees in pain. Ella crouches down and grabs her the woman's hair, tears welling in her eyes as she is forced to look up at Ella, "don't get the wrong idea, scum like you has no worth",
Ella forces her free hand into the woman's dress and starts forcefully fondling one of her breasts, "but your body is just my type, so you'd do well to learn your place". Ella frees the woman from her hold and address one of the women standing nearby, "bring one of the ones we got today".
A woman nearby holding a bag rummages through it and takes out a black collar with a red vertical strip on it. The woman goes ghostly pale upon seeing it, her eyes wide with shock, and then she starts to flail hysterically as she tries to escape, "NO, ANYTHING BUT THAT, PLEASE".
Ella kicks her in the side, rendering her immobile as she struggles to catch her breath. Ella takes the collar from the woman who brought it over and puts it on the bound woman's neck, "you are not to attack me in any way, shape or form. And you are not to orchestrate anything without your direct involvement either".
The woman's tears start flowering as she starts sobbing in despair. Ella releases her bound hands and points to a hallway, "my rooms at the very end of that hall. Go there, strip down, and wait for me on my bed". The woman is unmoving, completely dejected, but then the collar starts tightening, choking her, making her gasp for breath. She hastily gets up and starts doing as she was instructed, tears not stopping as they role down her cheeks.
Once the woman is out of sight, Ella turns to a woman who was standing guard at a different hallway, "get them for me would you?". The guard leaves and a minute later, two small twins about 5 years old come running out, "MOMMY", and jump into their mother's arms.
Upon seeing them, Ella formed a motherly smile, as if what just transpired never happened, "Anabelle, Isabelle. Did you miss me?". The twins, who talk in turns, "very, much. It, was, very, boring, without, someone, to, play, with".
Ella, "I see. All of the girls are back now so you can play with whoever you like. They're are some new teenagers you can play with as well. Mommy has business to attend to, so go have fun". Twins, "yay, new, friends!", as they happily run off. Ella's expression hardens as she walks down the hallway to her room.