Published: September 10, 2025
※2015/8/20 Typo corrections made.
※2015/8/20 Some parts revised.
※This is the second update today.
※This time, it’s from Pochi’s perspective.
Today is a fun field trip.
After this field trip ends, we’ll return to the Labyrinth City, so it’s sad to say goodbye to my close friends and the Shatei.
That’s why Master and Liza told us, "Make some fun memories," and sent us off.
“March halted! We’ll take a short break here. Senior students at the knight academy, look after the juniors.”
When the platoon leader with the blue beard shouted loudly, my close friends and the Shatei sat on the ground, panting heavily.
“Phew, I didn’t think walking through the forest would be this tough.”
“That’s what happens when you’re raised in the Royal Capital…”
“Look at Pochi and Tama. They’re calm and collected, right?”
—You mean us?
Feeling like I was being praised somehow, Tama and I struck a sharp “shakiin” pose together.
“Hey, first years! Don’t just play around, get some proper rest. We’ll be walking through the forest till evening. Rest your body as much as you can now.”
A senior student, the senior student leader, lightly tapped my head and gave some advice.
—I’m still totally fine, you know?
That’s what I thought, but when Tama caught my eye, she made a “zip your lips” gesture with her closed mouth, so I kept silent.
â—‡
The soft forest floor never gets boring no matter how much I walk.
While playing hopscotch, a senior girl at the rearguard scolded me, “Behave seriously.”
—Is something wrong?
I pricked up my ears.
I couldn’t hear anything (………).
“Pochi~?”
Tama seemed to notice something strange too.
“Something’s weird.”
I nodded at Tama to let her know I noticed it too.
“What’s strange, first-year dog-person?”
The senior student leader asked, so I answered.
“The forest is too quiet.”
“Well, that’s natural since we’re moving in a large group, isn’t it?”
“No, the pack of grey wolves that was stalking us and the watchful eye of the giant grasshoppers watching from the other side of the forest—they’ve all disappeared.”
Despite explaining carefully, the senior student leader gave my head a light smack.
“Don’t talk nonsense—”
Calling me an idiot is exactly what makes you the idiot, you know?
“If such a pack or monsters were nearby, the escort knights or the platoon leader would have warned us.”
The senior student leader tapped my head again.
“That hurts!”
“If you don’t want to be hit, avoid reckless actions.”
She murmured with tears in her eyes, “You thick skull,” while rubbing the hand that had just hit me.
“—They’re coming~?”
Tama noticed it first.
As expected of a ninja!
â—‡
“Soldier mantis spotted!”
“Damn! They were hiding inside the tree hollow!”
“Oh no, mantis eggs are hatching! It’s a swarm of dwarf mantises!”
“Students, form a circle and protect each other's backs! Focus on defense, do not go on the offensive!”
Just as I was about to jump into monster hunting, the blue-bearded platoon leader gave the order to stop.
When I turned around, Tama was gone.
“Pee~poo~”
Tama quietly returned and imitated whistling.
—I know.
Tama sneaked off ninja-style secretly.
The presence of the war mantis sneaking up from behind disappeared, so there’s no doubt.
“Platoon leader! I’ll take care of the weak dwarf mantises!”
“Understood! The ten of us will protect the students, even if we have to leave our bodies here.”
We can’t die.
Master always tells us that.
“Three soldiers, fifty-seven dwarfs?”
“There are three soldiers, but fifty-nine dwarfs. Two are being carried piggyback by others.”
Tama and I checked the count together.
There aren’t many enemies, so the daggers at my waist look lonely.
“This is hopeless…”
“Eight knights and sixteen soldiers alone can’t win.”
“Including eight seniors and sixteen juniors, it might be a little better.”
Tama and I can each fight alone, you know?
Just as Shatei was about to say, “If it’s Pochi or Tama…” the senior student leader scolded her.