Ahhhaa! The map drawn by the folks over at Ostsee looks really amazing! They’ve accurately mapped Northeast Volland. Right now, we are somewhere around here on the road between Annorva and Fort Kar- oh damn, Miss Gertud’s iron wagon really is quite fast! I didn’t know we’re already reaching the outskirts of the forsaken fort. Ludvig seems rather afraid, especially knowing what happened the last time they’ve been to some ruins. But I told him not to worry. Unlike Zal’Ray, this place may be a bit under, but with the influx of refugees into Ishkur there very likely might be some shelter and even folks on the area.

Hey, I saw some Cantharvan and Hundmenn building huts around the fort’s ruins. Mhmmmm… so they already started their little neighbourhood. And oh, it seems someone has also sculpted a stone statue of the Beast Goddess of Volland, surrounded by glowing runes and blue orbs—just like the one in Av’Nako. Though, I’m still wondering, are General Nygru and Headchief Komemau related to the beast goddess somehow? I asked Miss Gunhild, she said they might probably be, although both seem to not possess anything special, so she shrugged. Ughhuuu… I hate unsolved mysteries!

Miss Gunhild pointed outside of the iron wagon’s window. Hmmm, looks like a bunch of iron wagons; rather similar to Miss Gertud’s, actually. Although the flag looks a tad bit different. Instead of black-white-red, it’s just black and yellow with a double-headed eagle in the middle. Miss Gertud stops by for a bit, looking very confused. She went to park the iron wagon close to the fort ruins. We just followed her inside the ruins and found a bunch of humans in strange green outfits. Is this another Neu Breslau? But when Miss Gertud greeted them, they looked as confused as she was! HMMMMMMM!! Something’s wrong, I can feel it.

Her first thought was that they were her fellows from an Ostsee Security outpost we’ve never heard of somehow, but she then realised that they were from somewhere. She asked a few questions about them. They said they are security staff from Franzdorfia Alps Corporation and that they don’t know anything about Ostsee GmbH or even Deochland. They were confused when Gertud asked about where they were from. They told us that they are from somewhere named the Danubian Federation; they even told us that Deochland is, or was, a land united by the Kingric of Prussia before collapsing in something called the “Great Frederick’s War”. Gertud was confused, speechless, and just came back to us saying that they were from another world entirely! I’m getting confused too!

I saw a Lacertan in their ranks, and Miss Gertud instantly pulled out her weapon. She called it a disgusting beast! Those strange green man also pulled their weapons and aimed at Gertud, seemingly trying to defend themselves. It almost ended in bloodshed, pweeeh! Thanks to Miss Gunhild, she subdued us all to prevent us from killing each other! She forced us all to stand down and kneel with her threatening aura! I just shuddered as I was kneeling. She gave Gertud a piece of advice to not act too rash, especially if it’ll put her and Ludvig’s lives in danger. She apologised to the Lacertan and his friends about the little incident, and told them Miss Gertud just hates how Lacertans look, which seems to have agitated that Lacertan just a bit, but he said it is alright. Whew! We literally dodged bullets there. Miss Gunhild just sat near the strange men’s bonfire. We of course joined and sat down, though Gertud’s face seems quite disgusted while Ludvig was really afraid of the Lacertan’s presence. Hmmm…

Well, we started introducing ourselves. Miss Gunhild told the group that she was just a regular old adventurer and hunter, but then the Lacertan said she actually killed lots of big mean monsters. But when introduced myself as an adventurer who’d travelled far and wide, even telling them that I’ve just published my second book “The Orientals’ World” (go buy it, by the way, hehe), but that damned Crocodile didn’t even recognize my work and called me out for being “bogus”! Miss Gunhild just chuckles and reassured them that I’m an actual adventurer, but even then they still had some doubts! HUMPH!! How cometh thou not seeth the work of a bright mind? ‘Tis a most vile belittling of myself!

Miss Gertud and Ludvig then introduced themselves, and we began talking about a bunch of stories and interesting titbits from our lives, and it was pretty fun talking to other outworlders who have different lives and experiences. There is also a Fuhsanich woman who dressed the same as these strange men. She offered us a snack, and wow! These are some really small papadoes! Hueh, I ate one with tiny pinch of salt. Ummuu! This could be a really good and simple snack for camping! I learned something a bit back, over in Annorva, that in Earth they call these “earthapples” hueee! I’m smort! Also, the Fuhsanich and Lacertan told me that they’re just hired mercenaries from Northwestern Volland. Ohoo, interesting. Also, given that this Lacertan isn’t dead, it seems these strange fellows accept the existence of Lacertans, unlike Ostsee.

While Miss Gunhild and Gertud were having some conversation with the strange men, I’m going to explore the ruins a bit, of course with little Ludvig with me! Eehh? He pouted a bit when I called him little, but I sense he’s happy inside. Fufu~. We might’ve found something valuable, there are some sections in this fort that piqued my interest, such as the armoury and the underground chambers. I even whispered a lie to Ludvig, that a big meanie monster might hiding in there! He looked terrified, ahue! Of course it doesn’t exist. It’s probably already been killed by some adventurers a long time ago.

“So Miss Eros gave me her notebook and told me to write any interesting things that I see. Hmm… well, this place is really scary, but Miss Eros seems to be looking around for shiny stuff. But everything in the armoury is just old rusty metal. Oh, wait! I found this spear with what looks like old Viking Runes! It emits lightning sparks, too! It looks rusty and cracked, but yeaaaaa!! I found a treasure!!

Oh. Miss Eros told me that it was just a weaker duplicate of a spear famously wielded by Lord Jynladrnn of Yurvik. She told me more about the story, and apparently the man himself sent a schematic of his spear to the Dwarves of Wuldorger and ordered them to forge 500 duplicates of his weapon. He intended to arm his personal elite guard with them to defeat the Kingric of Aenglia, but she said it didn’t go quite as planned. Most of the spears actually ended up in Aenglish hands, and the rest were scattered all over the world. Well, even if it is fake, I guess I will just keep it. Maybe I could have it restored if I get money!

I kept following Miss Eros. This place sure is dark, our only light source was a tiny orb of magic light on her hand; whoa, I want to learn how to do that. Well, we’ve arrived at some kind of wine cellar. Of course, there’s nothing to see her- wait, Miss Eros just found an old-looking bottle of wine that is still sealed. She estimated it to be around 700 years old! Ohoo~, we should show off what we found to Miss Gunhild and big sis Gertud!

Eeeeeeeh! We were just chased by something that looked really big and really angry! Miss Eros didn’t have time to draw her weapon, and we just ran together to the surface. We ran and ran, tring to save ourselves, until we heard a gunshot. We stopped and looked back, and what was chasing us was actually a really big mean boar! A man with cat ears came to us and said his thanks for us “helping” him with hunting the big jungle boar, and then he give us a small sack of coins. Miss Eros just snatched the prize happily! I guess this is a quest completion reward? Anyway, I guess we’ll just go back to the campfire.” - Ludvig Wallen

Eheee! Yup, it’s Eros again. We’re back with the group. Their gave us worried looks and it seemed they were about to look for us after hearing a gunshot, but I told them it was alright and that gunshot was just a hunter shooting the boar that was chasing us. The Lacertan guy came out of nowhere and told them the same. I also showed them what we found! I handed the old, still sealed bottle of wine to Miss Gunhild. She inspected it and seemed delighted to see it. She said that it’s a pretty rare brand. Little Ludvig also showed off what he found to Miss Gunhild and his big sister. Miss Gertud pat his head while Miss Gunhild praised him for finding a duplicate of Lord Jynladrnn’s spear. Meanwhile, I saw the strange fellows doing something; they put a white pillowlike thing into a bag… and then put those into another bag? Huh? Then the bag suddenly expanded and looked like it was steaming up? What’s going on??

That Fuhsanich woman gave me one bag. Ow! It’s a bit hot! Taking a look inside of it, I see what seems to be food. It almost looks like curry or something. Whoa, it smells good too. But, and there is always a BUT, it tastes really weird. It wasn’t utterly horrible or anything, just… odd. Miss Gertud told me this thing is called an “MRE”, a shortening for “Meal, Ready-to-Eat”. Apparently it’s a form of something like food preservation used by many different armies. But… I’ve never seen this method preserving food before! So the food comes in these small bags, and is cooked in such a way that it wouldn’t rot for a really long time! That sounds pretty cool! But, well, the taste leaves something to be desired. Miss Gertud says that the taste might be bad at first, but if you eat it for long enough, you’ll get used to it; the fact that you have to eat it means that there isn’t much of an option, anyways. Well, Miss Gunhild seems to be enjoying it somehow! Hmm… eh, food is food, I guess. I’d better eat it quick.

Hmmm?? So the weird fellows told us to visit this place called “Franzdorf”. Asking where it is, it happens to be pretty close from here. However, what’s odd is that we don’t see any sign of it in Ostsee’s maps! We asked to borrow a copy of their map for a minute. Hueeeehh?? There’s a place marked “Franzdorf” alright, but no “Neu Breslau”! Anyway, that Fuhsanich woman told us that they’ll inform their “boss” that the map needs a bit of an update, and that they’ll go scouting at where Neu Breslau is. Hmmm… we’re off to Franzdorf, then. Also, I found it pretty cute, but Ludvig’s face has that look where he really didn’t like the food but preferred to stay silent. Yeah, that Lacertan is giving him quite the fright.

HMMMMPH!!! Is that what my only purpose, huh?! To charge Miss Gertud’s iron wagon?! GYAAAH!! I’m so angry! But… it’s interesting. The iron wagon is powered by magic all along, huh? Also, Miss Gunhild chuckled when she saw me angrily charging the iron wagon, and then helped me charge it with her warhammer. Whoa… the hammer emitted a small bluish spark, and Miss Gertud was surprised at how fast it charged the iron wagon! Though she’s a bit worried that it might have fried the insides. Does the iron wagon not have magic resistance? Weird; a magic wagon with no magic resistance; very weird indeed. Anyway, into Frazndorf we go!