It's been eight days in total since coming to this world.

Now i'm almost left alone since Lisa is doing some crazy test by herself in the laboratory, and only another assistant-researcher young man come with me to monitor help me translate things for my comfort. For my security i'm advised against going out of the copy-paste hogwarts castle until we find clues to help me return home. Since i'm terribly weak.

Ho yes, one of the things we discovered about my body is, since i'm a sort of black hole for magic power, withouth being able to use any of course, i cannot be strengthened by it. Because yes, all the people here are naturally much stronger than normal humans, with magic naturally flowing trough them to make them stronger, more resistant to diseases, more nimble, more everything blah blah. And it's worst for people using real strenghtening magic, an advanced form of the natural effect.

To explain that to me, they said i am roughly speaking at the power level of a 8-10 years old child. No, i'm not jealous at all. No magic, feeble as fuck, It's like starting the indianapolis car race with your foots and a walking frame.

It dont bother me, anyways. When you got fucked up so much it's going from your ass all the way to your mouth, it doesn't matter if it's going one or two meters more after all. You already have the aftertaste. I'm not jealous i said.

Ok, done ranting. Back to business.

I'm planning to wait two more days and try to break out of here if nothing change. I have concealed some coins from the money-they-paid-me-but-i-cant-use-any and i made a translated list of some importants typicals phrases to at least explain some simple need when outside. I've decided to only use writing as a mean to communicate. Better pass for a mute than recognized as an otherworlder because of some horrible misspealing.

And who the fuck can say five consonnant following each other to start with ?!

I've been able to prepare this since i spend most of my time in the library. Besides this and looking at the children practicing magic, there's nothing to do. My translator guardian dont speak to me or initiate a conversation, and when i start one, he answer as briefly as possible. He avoid touching or coming close to me too. Heh, he didn't ever bothered giving me his name. I dont know if it's because he's wary of me or some otherworlder xenophobic reaction, but for me, he's catalogued as an asshole. I stay polite with him but he can go fuck himself for all i care.

At some point, i even missed Lisa and her antics. I really must be down...

While i was in a corner of the library, reading one of the last few book in english i didn't already read left, book girl came and speaked some words with my ball-and-chain translator.

" - Sir, it seems the Professor want to have a word with you. Can you follow her ?"

" - Gladly !"

Perhaps some news finally ? Or at least, something special happened since he didn't say it was for a test, but to discuss. I hurriedly close the world map encyclopedia i was browsing and follow book girl.

Guess i didn't described book girl before. She look like 20~ years old, petite frame, blonde hair with bobbed hair style, always with a random large book disproportionate to her size, and an unfazed look. Beside that, that's all. The only personnality trait i was able to have a glimpse of, is the fact she seems to have some pity for me during the many times i was experimented. She's also the only one i see regularly besides Lisa.

While i am reminiscing this and others details, we abruptly arrive to Lisa office.

This is also a serious problem when i navigate here : i cannot recognize right from left, i can get lost in less than five minutes if someone doesn't show me the way. My glorious plan to escape is for naught if i cant even find at least the exit of this castle.

Me ? Direction impaired ? So what ? Have you ever tried to find your way in a giant castle with moving rooms and staircase ? It's nice in a movie ? No shit. A nightmare in reality.

In the simple room with a lot of papers and torture-looking devices scattered everywhere, Lisa is seated behind her desk, smiling calmly.

" - Please take a seat Kyle. I have some very good news for you. The academy has given is OK to proactively help you go back to your world. For that, we need to go see someone who can have some clues about it, so, are you ready to follow us ? The departure is scheduled in two days."

I involontary shiver. It's like a dam of pent-up stress break suddenly and i'm surprised at my own excitation.

" - Finally ! Thank you to help me, THANK YOU ! What do you need to do before this, how can i assist, anything ? To be honest, i'm about to explode staying here while doing nothing at all. Do you need the money i have ? Since this money is worth nothing in my world, i'm not planning to keep it, so if it can help gather the equipment or the mean of transportation faster, i would gladly use it for that !"

Lisa eyes widden a little because of my outburst. She seem somewhat relieved, and, still smiling, lean toward me. Wo-hoo cleavage. But sadly, i need to look at her eyes.

" - Since you want to participate, it would be rude to decline. And since you want to have some fresh air, you can go with one of the assistant to the adventurer guild to hire an escort. Delegates from this school will come with you for the journey of course, but since we are scholars, not travellers, we need to have specialized people to guide us to destination. If you're okay with that, you can go now, i call for the assistant."

Yeah ! Even the two hours of walk to the guild doesn't scare me now. I'm really too stuffed here and it's a good change of pace.

Finally, i was right to not escape, everything go in the right direction ! Almost.

I thank again Lisa as i'm brought back to my room to prepare. I promptly put on a set of civilian clothes with a leather jacket, who will not make me stand out when outside, and some light leather kneepads and gauntlets, because we dont know what can happens. And because it look damn nice too.

Ten minutes later, i follow book girl and the translator-researcher-assistant-scum towards the exit of the castle - damnit it was here ! - and we walk along the yellow road toward the city.

Since we're early afternoon, we pass the lake and the forest while taking our time, thereby i can observe much more of the local wildlife i wasn't able to see the first time i came here.

Bees the size of my head, fox with burning bright red eyes, and... Hey, we dont have all day ! Hurry up, let's move on !

Half an hour after, we pass the exterior gate of the academy and enter the suburb of the city. At start, there was still a majority of students moving to the different shops on each side of the road, but gradually we cross more and more "normal" citizens and more different races of people. It almost didn't see any beastman in the acadamy for exemple ? Well, in fantasy folklore, they werent the best at magic, if i remember it right.

I've thinked about that multiple times, but otherworlders have influenced - i dont say tainted - this world in many ways, but how come we, in earth, have legends about the different creatures i've encountered here ? Logically, it's because people have done the reverse path ! So yeah, there's really hope to come back. Full of these hopes, i walk faster to the adventurer guild. Or more like, i walk faster to catch up with the two accompanist. Damn it, even physically weak scholars can leave me in the dirt withouth breaking a sweat !

Two hours passed, and we're now in front of the sturdy batiment of the adventurers guild.

Before we entered, the book girl said something to the translator and went to a door on one side of the batiment.

When we enter, the guild was mostly the same than last time, only a lot less people were inside. The only ones i was able to see on the first floor were only two receptionnists, a barman, a waitress and three rough looking groups of adventurers near the bar drinking beer and visibly waaaay past the maximum consumption to safely drive after.

Translator-scum invite me to follow him to the counter where a beautiful blonde elf receptionnist... I must have done something horrible in a past life... wait for us with a strained smile. I go slightly behind translator when he start speaking to her. I'm not a sissy, they said it themselves, i'm weak.

Since i'm avoiding staring at her, i look around and spot a tipsy guy from one of the adventurers groups coming unsteadily at us with a beer mug. He size me with his eyes and, while spewing some of the beer in his mouth, say something to me.

Ya know, i can't understand you, partner.

I shrug my shoulder, showing that i didn't understood, but he keep yapping something.

Since translator-scum turned to look at the commotion, i ask him.

" - I'm sorry, but what the hell is he saying ?"

" - Ha, he's saying that weak-looking guys like you have nothing to do in the adventurers line of work and some others mean things. I'm sorry, miss receptionnist say it happens sometimes when they come back from a long mission, they drink withouth restraints and do stupid actions. It's their means to decompress."

" - Ho, i see."

I will have all the cliches throwed at me ? Now the brawling adventurers ?

" - Can you say for me to the receptionnist that for the job, i absolutely dont want this guy and his team ?"

" - Huh, yes, i do it right away."

He then speak to the receptionnist who slowly write it on a paper. She then yell something in the direction of the adventurers standing at the bar.

...

Two minutes after, we peacefully walk out of the guild while people are fighting hard inside. It seem the leader was not happy to be left out from a potentially good paying job, then it escalated quickly. Translator-scum look at me with doubtfull eyes. I dont care, you know. Hooo, guards are coming. Good luck, guys.

I may be physically weak, but money is still power. Muahahahaha.

We wait a little for book girl to join us again, then go back to the castle. Again, two more hours, walking... But for some reason, i'm in a good mood.