“Shinobu can I tell you my deepest, darkest secret?” I said.

“Spilling your guts to a girl you just met, You’re a bold one, Mari.” 

“I’m not from this world, I died and was reincarnated here, so I have zero knowledge of this world,” I said.

 

         “Oh no you’re just making fun of me, that’s not nice Mari…”

         “I’m serious,” I said.

 

         “Okay, let’s for a moment pretend you’re not entirely crazy. I’ll humour you, what do you want to know.” 

 

 

Should I ask her about the geography or the structure of the world, or while regular animals like rabbits exist alongside monsters like those hellhounds. I guess I should start with the most pressing concern where the hell am I?. 

 

“Okay first question, Where exactly are we?”

 

“Wow, you don’t listen do you?” Shinobu said

“ I have selective hearing,” I said

 

“We’re in Shikishima, like I said earlier,” Shinobu said

“Where’s that exactly? I said

 

“You’re kidding? Maybe you are from another world.” Shinobu said.

 

 

Shinobu explained that we were in the farming village of Shikishima in the eastern territory of Hyogo one of the four corners of this crazy world. 

 

So that answered the first question, I had to figure out how to derive the most amount of information from the fewest questions. 

 

“Okay, the second question,” I said.

“Make it a good one you only get three,” Shinobu said. 

“Cheapskate,” I said.

“Why are you dressed as a nun, where are the parents of all these children.” I said. 

“I’m starting to believe you’re story, you’re clueless aren’t you?” Shinobu said.

 

 

It turned out that Shinobu, Caroline and all the other sisters were from an organization called the church of Flanade the most prosperous religion throughout this world. Shinobu and Caroline had been sent from the church headquarters to aid the suffering villages throughout the four territories. 

 

 

“When we first arrived in Shikishima the village was teeming with lives. All of the children had fathers, mothers and elder siblings.”

 

“What happened?” I asked. 

 

“Hyogo used to be a peaceful nation four years ago. Than the Eris empire declared war by attacking Kimura our second-largest city behind Shimizu our capitol.” Shinobu said

 

 

“Why the hell did they attack you?” I said.

 

“ Beats me, the emperor disguised his army as Hyogo soldiers and ordered his men to sneak into Kimura and start slaughtering citizens indiscriminately. Shinobu said

 

“That’s awful,” I said.

“The war has been raging for the past five years without an end in sight,” Shinobu said.

 

“So the parents of all these kids were killed by Eris Soldiers than?” I asked. 

 

 

Shinobu’s face turned solemn and she lowered her gaze back to her empty bowl of rabbit stew. 

 

“Not exactly,” Shinobu said raising her gaze upward again. Perhaps I was pressing her too hard I thought it was inconsiderate to probe about such a grim subject. 

 

“The parents of the children were conscripted to fight by the Hyogo military. Though they were untrained in combat they were used as the first line of defence.” Shinobu said. 

 

“The strategy was simple round up all the men and woman from small villages and use them to drain the Eris empire of their stamina than send in the true vanguard to strike them at their weakest,” Shinobu said.

 

“So they used them meat shields? I asked

“Yes,” Shinobu said.

“Those bastards!” I said.

 

 

I slammed my fist down hard on the table causing all the chatter in the hall to stop, shifting everyone’s focus onto Shinobu and I. Shinobu apologized for the ruckus and the chatter resumed as nothing had happened. 

 

“Sit down and don’t make a scene it’s embarrassing,” Shinobu said.

“Sorry, of course, my bad,” I said. 

“So you sisters look after the children right?” I asked.

“Yeah, these kids are under the churches care now. So we’re stuck here till bigger kids come of age and can look after the younger ones” Shinobu said.

 

 

 

Hearing that story got under my skin maybe it was the guilt I felt for not being present In the lives of my children, looking back I was never really there for them in any capacity. Sure I kept the lights on and food on the table but I had no idea how to be a husband let alone a father. Maybe I’ll start a family here and do it right this time. 

 

“Isn’t it dangerous here Shinobu?” I asked.

 

“Why would you say that?” Shinobu said. 

 

“The war’s still happening, right? What if Eris Soldiers show up” I asked.

 

“That won’t happen,” Shinobu said.

 

“Why not?” I asked. 

 

“Because the Eris empire has no interest in occupying a farming village with no resources in the middle of nowhere,” Shinobu said.

 

“That makes sense,” I said

 

 

 

Government’s willing to use their citizens as a disposable resource isn’t uncommon but it still aggravated me to my wit's end. Great so not only do I still know next to nothing about this world but there’s a grand scale war transpiring just my luck. 

 

“It must be hard on these kids, losing their parents so young,” I said. 

“Yeah I can’t relate never knew mine, I was born into the Flanade church,” Shinobu said. 

 

 

Down to my final question, It needs to be an important one, think Mari, think. 

 

“Two down one to go, What’s your last question for me?”

 

Okay so I know where I am and what’s going on in the world if I’m going to survive I should figure out how to defend myself so I don’t end up mincemeat for those diabolical hounds.

 

“Okay I’ve got my last question,” I said. 

 

“Great I’m tired, Let’s hear it,” Shinobu said

 

“How did you make it rain blades of fire earlier?” I said. 

 

“By chanting the spell duh, Maybe you aren’t from around here.” 

 

“So magic’s real here?” I said. 

 

“ If by magic you mean spells, curses, hexes and enchantments than yeah, absolutely,” Shinobu said.

 

“Teach everything you know, Please Shinobu,” I said jumping from my seat with vigour. 

 

“What…me, on such short notice,” Shinobu said.

 

“Please I need to learn everything I can, I’m begging you,” I said. 

 

“Oh fine but I don’t know much so lower your expectations.,” Shinobu said.