Chapter 2 - A Day Inside the Cage
In a camp primarily filled with troublemakers, even I, with my somewhat rebellious nature, can live a normal life without drawing too much attention.
Many of the women here are, well, let's just say they pay little attention to what’s said and rarely learn. It’s a blessing for someone like me.
Thanks to their lack of awareness, I can live a normal life without pretense. Being able to be myself is a luxury.
After classes, it’s lunchtime.
I treat the bland meals as mere nutrition.
When I’m out, I’ll eat delicious food, absolutely. It’s starting to feel like a goal in itself.
As I move to the dining hall and mechanically consume my nutrients, someone starts shouting rudely.
“Hey, you! Who did you ask to sit in my special seat?!”
I know who it is without looking. She’s a notorious figure here, a giant woman who starts fights with anyone and everyone daily. I’ve lost count of how many times she’s challenged me.
She always seems so irritable. I wonder why.
She usually sits on the opposite side, but that seat is empty.
I could ignore her, but this is a re-education camp. I can’t afford to come off as weak.
“Let me teach you, you forgetful fool. The seat you always take is on the other side.”
“Shut up and move!”
The giant woman, without wasting a moment, slaps me across the face. Her hand moves at lightning speed.
I avoid the sudden attack but not before she hits the bread I’m holding.
“Ah!”
My bread. It’s not delicious, but it’s a valuable source of calories.
Personally, I’ve always had a strong aversion to those who waste money or mishandle food.
Even if it was unintentional, she took away a valuable source of calories.
I’m not about to suppress this anger. I’m not that docile.
I stand up without a word. The others quickly move away from the table, now accustomed to the scene.
In a place like this, where only troublemakers reside, showing weakness is the end of you.
If you show a single weakness, you’ll be treated like a lackey for a long time.
When someone challenges you, the best course is to knock them down.
And, whether it’s a blessing or a curse, the staff usually turns a blind eye to most conflicts.
Fights are a regular occurrence, and as long as you don’t seek help, they’ll leave you alone. They probably find it too much trouble to get involved, but it’s still unsettling for staff of a re-education facility.
“Hey, you!”
Without giving me a chance to think, the giant woman lunges at me, this time with a punch. She’s as reckless as always.
I grab her extended fist, pull her arm in, and get close, then use the momentum to throw her over my back. It’s an osoto gari!
I easily throw her and slam her to the ground, hitting her with the full force of her own weight.
This is the umpteenth time I’ve thrown her. I wish she would learn already.
“Wow! Impressive!”
“Amazing!”
The onlookers, who are always around, cheer. It’s an everyday occurrence.
I pay them no mind, set the table back in place, and resume my meal.
By the time lunch is over, a lower-level healer should be on duty to take care of any injuries.
Even if the giant woman is hurt, the healer will treat her with magic. No need to worry.
After lunch, I usually study intensively, but sometimes I read lightly for leisure.
Surprisingly, there’s a thriving publishing industry here, with academic books, entertainment novels, and even newspapers and magazines. The selection of written materials is quite extensive.
I can enjoy and learn a lot from the well-stocked library.
Lately, I’ve been making a point to read the newspaper.
The newspaper is generated at a set time daily by a magic device similar to a fax machine, and it’s in full color. Isn’t that amazing?
According to recent articles, the Kingdom of Brenark, where this camp is located, and its eastern neighbor, the Kingdom of Retnark, are both in a precarious state.
Ever since the so-called 'Arrogant King' ascended the throne a few years ago, the Kingdom of Brenark has seen a steady outflow of talented and intelligent individuals.
Even high-ranking officials have fled the country, and if this continues, the kingdom might become ungovernable. This will inevitably affect the re-education camp, which is run by the state.
In the Kingdom of Retnark, a coup recently occurred, and the military regime now holds power.
The coup leaders have gained no popular support and are in a state of chaos, yet they show signs of invading the Kingdom of Brenark.
Neither kingdom’s populace is faring well.
Ironically, the re-education camp feels more peaceful than the outside world.
After studying or reading, I usually do my daily training in the exercise area.
I call my friend Zenobia, and we work out together.
Zenobia is a somewhat famous mercenary.
Mercenaries are a valuable profession in a patriarchal society, as one’s skills can speak for themselves regardless of gender.
She has a lean, muscular build that exudes strength while maintaining a feminine balance. It’s a balance I aspire to achieve.
Zenobia, by the way, is in the camp for assaulting a man.
She apparently knocked out a persistent harasser who turned out to be a wealthy young man. He had her retaliated against and sent to the camp. It’s a truly terrible story.
While it might have been illegal, she was sent to a re-education camp instead of a prison.
Zenobia is a swordsman, but she became very interested in my throwing techniques and approached me first.
We do basic fitness and strength training, practice off-balancing techniques, and work on throws, though we have to stop short of actually executing them since there’s no mat.
I wanted to exercise for my health, and Zenobia’s offer was very welcome. Training with a partner is far more efficient than going it alone.
As we continued our routine, more and more women started joining us, and the group training sessions grew to about thirty people on some days. It’s a great way to pass the time and stay healthy.
If I mentioned how great exercise is for beauty, even more people would join. But that could get complicated, so I don’t.
We continued training in a friendly atmosphere for a while.
“Ah, I’m tired. Let’s head to the showers soon. I want to rinse off the sweat.”
“Sure. Let’s go before it gets crowded.”
The showers are the only way to bathe here.
After that, there’s free time until the nightly camp work starts.
After dinner, I usually head back to the library for a session on magic.
Oh, yes! Magic!
Even within the realm of magic, there are many types and attributes.
Fire, water, support, healing, summoning, alchemy, and more are some of the attributes that exist.
Most people typically have a magic affinity for one or two attributes and excel in that area. There are, of course, individual differences.
While you can use affinities outside your own to some extent, their effects are significantly inferior, and you can’t use high-level magic. Many types of magic are completely unusable without the proper affinity.
And, amazingly, I have a magic affinity!
All inmates are assessed with a magic appraisal device upon arrival, and based on the results, we are tested further. The revelation was quite a surprise.
My magic affinity is for Alchemy Magic and Mineral Magic. Both are rare, and even I’m still learning more about them.
Alchemy Magic is derived from Healing Magic, and Mineral Magic from Earth Magic, or so it seems.
While there aren’t as many mainstream attributes, it’s not something to regret. Being able to use magic is exhilarating in itself.
“Are you researching magic again, Yukari? You seem to love it.”
“It’s fine. I didn’t even know magic existed before.”
“In the countryside, I guess that’s normal?”
I don’t know anything about the countryside in this world, so I just let it slide.
“Soon, I want to use magic. What’s your affinity, Frederica? What’s it like?”
“Even if you ask me, it’s all about the image you create. Everyone’s experience is different. Besides, I’m not very good at magic.”
Unfortunately, and very unfortunately, all inmates wear a Magic-Sealing Bracelet, which prevents us from using magic. Thanks to this, I haven’t experienced magic firsthand.
I’ve learned the basic mental imagery needed to activate magic, so all that’s left is to actually try it.
I want to try as soon as possible. It’s one of my primary hopes now.
Really, I can’t wait!
Frederica is reading a newspaper, so I ask her about it.
“What’s the situation with the kingdom? It seems a bit fishy, doesn’t it?”
“Right, this camp is in a remote area, so the impact should be minimal. Still, we can’t be too careful.”
From the newspaper articles, if war breaks out, the Kingdom of Brenark might struggle to defend itself. The situation is quite precarious.
And according to gossip magazines, the military regime in Retnark is accused of being a chaotic band of raiders, and if they invade, things will be dire. This re-education camp won’t be spared.
“Yeah, I think it’s best to prepare for the worst. So far, we’re the only ones aware of the situation. We should start thinking about a plan.”
The newspaper and magazines are the few sources of information in this camp. While fake news is possible, it’s still valuable.
“Once the war starts, it might be too late. I think it’s important to have a plan. I’ll talk to my acquaintances about it. We should consider our options in case of an emergency. I’m counting on you, Yukari.”
“Well, you were a fraudster, so you’re good with words.”
“It wasn’t fraud! It was legal, legal! What about you, Yukari? You’re an illegal immigrant, right? Sneaking around is your specialty!”
I wasn’t prepared for anything and ended up in this world. There’s no sneaking around here.
When I was found, I was an undocumented immigrant, without a Record Card in this world.
I was discovered by a knight on patrol and sent to the camp for being an illegal immigrant. Namu.
Still, it’s a relief that I’m not in prison. It’s a silver lining.
It might seem like the worst of situations, but you can tackle most things with determination and perseverance.
“Sneaking around isn’t relevant now. What’s important is information gathering and planning for the future. I want to hear about the town from new arrivals.”
“Leave it to me.”
“You were a fraudster, after all. You’re quite the talker.”
“Let’s not talk about that anymore!”
While specific actions are still far off, it’s best to avoid the worst-case scenario.
For now, I need to focus on studying my magic affinities. It will definitely be useful after I’m released. Studying is important.
Before lights out, we have a short nightly camp work session.
It’s a simple task, hardly worth mentioning. We just touch a magic stone to infuse it with magic.
Due to the Magic-Sealing Bracelet, we don’t use much magic, so we can store a lot by the end of the day. We don’t so much infuse it; the stone absorbs the magic on contact.
Magic stones are a crucial energy source for various magic devices, indispensable for daily life. It’s a meaningful contribution.
Moreover, using magic strengthens it, increasing your total capacity. For inmates, it’s not a bad situation.
Tonight, as usual, I’ll let the stone absorb my magic to the max before sleeping.
After work, I’ll head to bed early. Good night.
And so, thanks to the fortunate (or not) circumstances of being sent to this camp, I find myself here today.