Terres could barely contain his excitement. He was already sixteen and the time has come for him to go to the Ranorosso Academy!

His health didn't improve that much but it at least wasn't at the point when he would suddenly collapse without any apparent reason as did actually happen from time to time when he was younger so, although reluctantly, Terres parents gave their consent.

Everything was playing out acceding to the game script, even the thing when the carriage provided by the king as a show of good will towards the general Timotheus was late as the back-story stated.

It all happened so that he, Terres, would get impatient and ride past the heroine whose carriage broke alongside the way and she had to continue on foot with a mountain of baggage on her back. The heroine would see him through the carriage window and start thinking that it would be nice if somebody helped her and then the prince of Galgartia, the continent's biggest kingdom, and the main capture target would see her troubled face and magnanimously offer her a spot in his carriage.

But what if I will stop and invite her first? Won't it kick-start my route?

Terres giggled to himself while checking his luggage for the last time, just to be extra sure he didn't forget to pack anything.

After that he let the coachman put all the luggage at the carriage's back and he turned to his parents standing side by side and looking at him with worried faces. Laurianna even had tears in her eyes.

"Terry, do you really have to go? I know you're almost a grown-up but don't you want to stay with mom...?"

While hugging her son she started sobbing uncontrollably and Timotheus had to make her let go of Terres.

But as Laurianna leaned against his shoulder and started drenching it with her tears, he looked at his son with a serious expression and extended his hand towards him.

"Son. I believe in you. Show them what's Aboys are made of!"

He said proudly.

"Of course, dad! I won't bring shame to our family name!"

Terres declared and shook his father's hand.

On the side note, in the game, Terres's dialogue was voiced by a female voice actress and, for Terres great sorrow, he sounded just like her.

Timotheus gritted his teeth. His son was using a lot of strength to shake his hand, but only to his own standards. Timotheus had to be very careful not to crush his son's fragile hand by mistake.

How can I let this child go into the world...!?

He was every once just as worried about his son as Laurianna but he was a general, he couldn't just show it, and Terres looked so excited that Timotheus gave his best in hiding his true emotions.

"Goodbye, son. Don't forget to write to us from time to time or your mother won't let me hear the end of it."

Timotheus laughed and patted his son's shoulder.

"I will!"

Terres nodded solemnly.

"Mom, dad... I'm going."

Terres smiled entered the carriage and leaned from the window while the coachman made the horses pull the carriage.

"Bye!"

Terres waved to his parents.

"Mommy will miss you, Terry...!"

Laurianna cried out and hugged Timotheus. Timotheus himself raised his hand and waved back at his son.

What started was one of the most boring experiences in the joint memories of Terres. The sights from the window were nice and all but when the boy was excited about the event that would mark the beginning of the game the scenery was the last thing on his mind.

Terres was planning how he should act during the scripted events to get the heroine to like him the most out of all the possible capture targets, how to impress her and how to protect her from the intrigues and skims that were common amongst the student body in the Ranorosso Academy.

The journey was supposed to take seven days and he was supposed to meet the heroine only a few hours before the end of it.

Terres sighed and shifted his position on the cushioned seat to make himself more comfortable.

"The anticipation is going to be the end of me..."

He said to himself jokingly and closed his eyes.

It was the early morning of the seventh day since the journey started and Terres was feeling just terrible.

Even though the seat was cushioned, his body was sore all over.

Even though he never before got motion sick, he started getting nauseous from all the constant jumping of the carriage's wheels on the unevenness of the road.

He honestly just wanted the ride to be over.

The coachmen turned out to be one gruff man so that also didn't help at all.

"At least I should meet the heroine today."

Terres sighed to himself and started staring expectantly out of the window.

They were riding through some small town, the last stop before the neutral city, Masscraval, and Terres was getting kind of worried.

He should have already encountered the heroine.

Could it be that he was late and the prince of Galgartia already took her to his carriage...!?

Have I messed up somehow...?

Terres tilted his head when something pulled his attention from the dark thoughts.

There was some sort of a commotion on the side of the route. A group of men was surrounding a tall boy and a few suitcases were lying between them in the mud.

It was clear that the boy was getting mugged.

"Stop the carriage right now!"

Terres stood up and knocked on the wall of the carriage.

"That person needs help!"

He shouted and the coachman surprisingly obediently stopped the carriage.

Terres pulled out his light-weight sword and opened hurriedly opened the door and rushed outside.

"Stop, you ruffians!"

He shouted courageously and stepped towards the group while pointing his weapon at them.

One of the attackers turned around to check who was screaming at them with such a high-pitched voice...

And as soon as he did that he got punched right in the face by the black haired boy that he and his four companions had surrounded and he fell on his back unconscious.

"Boss!"

The other four shouted and jumped at the tall boy without holding back.

No one was pulling punches, the tall boy was clearly better but still, there were four opponents.

"L-leave him alone or else...!"

Terres tried to make his voice sound threatening and pointed his light-weight sword at the brawling men that were punching the living shit out of each other.

Terres was clearly being ignored.

Of course, he could just walk over and stab someone but that wasn't a part of his father's teachings plus he never actually hurt anyone, of anything even while sparring he was always on the losing end.

"I said stop hitting him!"

He stomped his foot and sheathed his sword, then he grabbed it together with the scabbard and started to hit the men who after ganging up on the tall boy gained were gaining the advantage and many of their hits connected.

The tall boy's clothes got torn and his nose was bleeding but the fire in his eyes hasn't gone out at all.

"Ow! You punk! How dare...UGH!"

One of the four men got hit on the head by the Terres's scabbard and shouted at him, the tall boy used the opening without fail and planted his elbow right on that man's temple knocking him out instantly.

Another one of the attackers got hit on the cheekbone and closed his eyes, that one met with a knee to the face and crawled away with a few of his teeth missing.

And the flow of the fight changed exponentially, the attacking men were still ganging up against the tall boy but their fighting spirits cooled down.

As they started hesitating, the tall boy punched one of them in the stomach and kicked him in the face while he was down.

The last man who remained in moderately good health raised his hands and backed away slowly.

"Hey, let's not get too hasty here, alright...?"

He said nervously, looking at the grim tall boy and pale Terres.

"You can go, alright? I'm sorry so...OWUGHUH!"

The tall boy without even a second of delay kicked him right between the legs and the man jumped three feet in the air and fell down face-first with the whites of his eyes flashing and foam coming from the mouth.

The tall boy wiped the blood coming from his nose with his sleeve and glared at Terres with cold eyes.

Terres subconsciously took a step back and felt his back pressing against the carriage.

He nervously gulped down his saliva while shuddering under the cold glare.

"A-are you alright...?"

He asked.

Without saying a word the tall boy rushed at him and smacked his hand against the side of the carriage right beside the Terres's head.

"Who the hell are you!? And what is your purpose in helping me!?"

The tall boy roared furiously and stared down at Terres who was shorter them him but at least a foot or more.

"I...I just saw you getting surrounded by those men and I wanted to help...!"

Terres became shaken and felt tears of anger gathering in the corners of his eyes.

He just helped that tall boy and now he's getting threatened by him!?

"As if someone from Jereonia would selflessly help anyone in trouble! Did you hire them or something? Tell me what are you planning or else...!"

The tall boy grabbed Terres by the collar and pulled him so close towards himself that their faces almost touched.

"I'm not from Jereonia!"

Terres shouted while tearing up.

Jereonia was a small kingdom that surrounded the neutral city of Masscraval and it certainly wasn't famous for its upstanding citizens.

"I am Terres Aboy form the Nafrezia Empire! I'll have you know that I'm on my way to the Ranorosso Academy!"

Terres couldn't stand being falsely accused and adamantly refuted the tall boy's words.

"Huh? You're also going to the Ranrosso Academy?"

The tall boy let go of his collar and raised his brows in surprise.

"Well, that's the uniform all right... But damn you're tiny are you even old enough?"

He muttered to himself while checking out Terres's clothes.

The pale boy blushed from embarrassment while being apprised like that.

"Yes, I am! And you are very rude towards someone who helped you!"

Terres became angry and started scolding the tall boy but the tall boy just laughed.

"You did provide some distraction alright, but it certainly couldn't be called helping. I got pummeled way too hard. If you just used this toothpick sword of yours and just stabbed one of them those country bumpkins would have pissed themselves and run away instantly!"

In response to Terres scolding, the tall boy began scolding him back and Terres didn't know what to do!

"I-I mean... But if I stabbed them they could die..."

He explained awkwardly and looked away.

"I didn't say you should have stabbed them in the heart, even a jab in the arm would be good. Sigh! Nevermind! We're both freshmen at the Ranrosso, so thanks, I guess, tiny one."

The tall boy waved his hand dismissively and turned away from Terres.

"Hey! My name is Terres and...! Eh...!? You are a freshman too!?"

Terres exclaimed in surprise.

Now that he looked at the tall boy, he was indeed wearing the freshman uniform of the Ranrosso Academy on. A torn one without many buttons missing and one sleeve stained with blood but a uniform nonetheless.

The tall boy started picking his luggage while ignoring the groaning men sprawled on the ground. When he got everything he just straightened his back and started walking as if nothing happened without looking back.

Terres flinched and looked around.

"Hey! Wait! Don't you have a carriage or something!?"

He called after the tall boy.

"Nope, it broke down two days ago, it's remaining are somewhere in the ditch alongside the road.

The tall boy shrugged his shoulders in response and just casually marched forward.

And Terres felt uncomfortable. Leaving someone in need, that wasn't something that his parents have taught him!

The men on the ground? They deserved getting hurt since they were the first to start the fight!

"Y-you can ride with me in my carriage!"

Terres said nervously and the tall boy stopped and looked at him suspiciously.

"Why are you so nice all of a sudden, it's suspicious..."

He said hesitantly.

And Terres got red again.

"It's not suspicious at all! I'm offering help to my fellow freshman! What is suspicious about it!? Do you don't have nice people in your country!?"

He shouted agitated and went inside his carriage and shut the door behind him. Then he opened the door a little and glared at the tall boy.

"We do, but we are only nice to our friends, and we..."

The tall boy pointed at Terres and then at himself.

"We don't know each other yet."

Terres sighed and fully opened the carriage's door.

"I told you before. My name is Terres Aboy form the Nafrezia Empire and I just want to help my fellow freshman in need, get on the carriage, the academy is still a few hours by carriage anyway, you will waste a whole day just to reach it."

The tall boy scratched his cheek with a concerned expression and finally, he shrugged his shoulders and walked towards the carriage.

"Well, if you insist..."

He said and entered the carriage.

When he closed the door the coachmen, who didn't even budged during the whole situation, made the horses move again.

"Then, what's your name?"

Terres who was starved for human interaction asked instantly.

"Meru Erstes from the Tresonte."

The tall boy shrugged his shoulders and introduced himself.

Terres's jaw dropped.

"C-could you say that again, please...?"

He asked clearly shaken.

Meru tilted his head and looked at him confused, he did speak loud and clear after all.

"My name is Meru Erstes from the Tresonte, it's a small independent territory in the south of the continent."

This time he added some more information.

"Meru?"

"Yes."

"Erstes?"

"Yes."

"Meru Erstes?"

"Oh for the love of...! Yes, that's my name! What about it!?"

Meru got angry at Terres weird questions and punched the back of his seat.

"D-don't you have a sister or something...?"

Terres asked in a high-pitched voice and Meru raised his brows surprised.

"What? No, of course not, I'm an adopted son of Kauldy Erstes, the ruler of Tresonte."

He said a bit grumpily.

Terres slowly hid his face in his hands and pressed his forehead against his knees.

"That's not possible..."

He whispered so quietly that Meru didn't hear him.

"How come you're not a girl...!?"

He cried silently.

Because Meru Erstes was the name of the heroine of 'Im streben nach glück!' and the back-story matched the one of the heroine's too. This Meru and that Meru even shared the same color of the hair and eyes but the gender of this Meru was all wrong!

The heroine is a man!? How!? Why!?

Terres wanted to scream but he controlled himself.

Maybe it's not the game world after all...

"Hey, Terres, are you feeling alright...?"

Meru became worried and nudged Terres in the arm.

The pale boy sighed deeply and straightened his.

"No, it's fine, everything is fine..."

He said but the way he said it and the expression he was making told Meru that no, nothing was fine.

"Listen... I'm sorry if I came out as rude before, alright?"

Meru looked down and awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

While he was doing so two red lines started oozing from his nostrils.

"Ugh! Sorry I..!"

Meru hurriedly put his sleeve to his face to block the blood from staining the carriage's interior.

Terres sighed and pulled a handkerchief from his shirt pocket and offered it to him.

"Here, use this."

He said.

"O-oh...! Thanks..."

Surprised Meru took the offered handkerchief and put it against his nose.

"...Wait... Why have we stopped...?"

Meru with the handkerchief on his nose suddenly stiffened and looked through the window. They were inside some sort of stable or a barn.

Suddenly a sound of coins being tossed rung out and they heard a voice.

"Here just as promised, the Aboy's kid is inside right?"

It was an unfamiliar voice and Terres pulled out his sword while pale as a ghost.

"There's one extra kid we picked up along the way but the kid you want is there alright."

The second voice belonged to the coachman.

I-I've been sold out...!

Terres started shaking.

As the son of a general he already met with more than a few kidnappers but each time he was saved before he would be abducted since his father always cared about protecting him. But this time neither his father nor any of his men were present...

Terres couldn't stop shaking even though he knew that he should calm down.

"Meru, you should run away when you get the chance, they want only me... Sorry for making you a part of this..."

He said apologetically and tried to act composed.

Meru looked at him with serious eyes and shook his head.

"No, I don't feel like it."

He said.

"What!?"

Terres gawked at him stunned.

"I don't feel like running away. Give me that toothpick and hide behind me."

He said and took the light-weight sword out of Terres's fingers stiff from stress and stood in front of him.

Meru pulled the curtain over the door's window so the no one would be able to peek inside and waited with the readied weapon.

"Aboy's kid! Get away from the door and don't try anything funny! And the other one better do the same!"

Another voice, different from the ones before called and the two boys heard the footsteps getting closer.

"If you as much as budge I will kill you!"

The voice threatened them and the doors started to open.

Meru made sure that Terres was behind him and bettered his grip on the weapon and slowly breathed out.

And when the door opened Meru lunged forward and pierced the head of a middle-aged man through the man's eyeball. The man became dead so fast that he didn't even manage to make a sound.

Only his lip body falling back and thumping against the floor alarmed his partners.

"Guhil...!"

Someone shouted and pulled out a short sword and run towards the carriage.

Meru went outside the carriage and blocked the door with his body.

The man with a short sword slashed at him but the black-haired boy dodged the blade and slashed upwards cutting the man's beck, slicing open his artery with the tip of the light-weight sword. The blood gushed out from the wound so vigorously that Meru had to cover his eyes from it.

And at that moment the coachman stuck him in the side with a dagger.

Above Meru's head, a bright pink orb appeared and the black-haired boy gritted his teeth, grabbed the coachman's arm and made him pull out the blade and punched him in the face. Then again, and again, and when the coachman was all wobbly from the punches, Meru coldly pierced his chest with the light-weight sword.

Then he grabbed his bleeding side and frowned.

"That... might not be good..."

He wheezed through his teeth.

"Meru!"

Terres opened the door and Meru almost lost his balance.

"Ugh! Hey, I'm wounded