By the time I’d noticed that the men had left the stable, the nighttime bugs began to chirp and the room grew colder. Shivering under the stack of hay, I stood up in the darkness. Unable to see, I stumbled around like a drunkard, before I pressed my hand to the wall for balance. My other hand went to my stomach. I hadn’t eaten since the morning I arrived in this world—and with no money and no access to anything, I couldn’t even afford a basic meal…
I hobbled along the wall in pitch black, hoping to find the door. It took a few minutes but I finally grasped the shape of a knob and twisted it open. My eyes adjusted to the few candles illuminating from the building, while the ground became visible from the starry sky.
“Evening.”
“Ah!” I nearly fell backwards, catching myself on the door. From that familiar voice, my eyes looked up to see Sorah once again, holding a pot and some plates. “You…”
He bowed to me and walked through the doorway. “Did you wait long? I’ve brought a little something for you to eat.”
‘Eat’... Still outside, I glanced left and right before heading back inside. I didn’t see any trace of the men that entered the stable. My stomach rejoiced as my nose picked up the scent of a steamed meal. Sorah lit fixed candles on two wooden columns and seated himself in one of the animal stalls. He urged me to come close, and I sat down on the pile of hay across.
Sorah set down the pot and distributed two weaved bowls to both of us. I observed him take the lid off, and dug his hand into the pot. From it a lob of rice came forth, and he dumped it on his plate. Then Sorah continued to mash it in his hands, forming a ball.
All I could do was stay silent. Why was this guy going to such lengths for me? I rubbed the back of my head.
“Ruri already went back to her place, so she couldn’t join us.” Sorah broke the quiet atmosphere in the stable. He kept on grabbing rice from the pot and created more balls. “Sorry for having you stay here the rest of the day.”
“...”
“And unfortunately, as long as the Royal Marshal disapproves of your status, you may never be able to level up. They’ll be searching for you for a while, though I believe they’ll give up soon enough. Done.” He tidied up his palms and picked up his plate full of rice balls. Sorah pointed to my plate and I raised it, to which he placed some of the food on it. I couldn’t believe it…my first meal in this world was in a stable—and I was dead broke, with someone having to bring me a meal.
I stared at the rice balls, bewildered at the guy’s generosity. Was this some kind of ploy?
“Rice. ‘Mesyi’,” Sorah said aloud, and I repeated it. Then he smiled and raised his hand over our plates. “With this meal we humbly receive, in Chibu’s grace of the Pacification.”
[System Announcement]
Lingual Cognizance UP
46 >>> 48
+2
That system message appeared in my periphery again. I knew I learned how to say ‘rice’, but two points of Lingual Cognizance? Something wasn’t right. If only I could view the words I’d known.
Bringing the plate to my lap, I clasped my hands together and closed my eyes. “Thanks for the meal.”
Sorah and I ate in silence. I indulged on my first food since yesterday, after being hit by that truck and being discharged from the hospital. Even my mother…I pondered whether she would’ve cooked for me. Maybe if I was better, if I was more successful in getting a job, maybe she would make my father’s dishes.
But here I was, leaving that all behind.
Eventually the pot of rice was empty, and Sorah cleaned up the area and stacked the plates on each other. I layed back to stare at the ceiling. The night had blanketed everything in pitch black, except for the lone candles flickering in the stable. I expected that after Sorah had eaten with me he would return to his home but…
He fell back onto the haystack behind him and put his hands on his belly. Once comfortable, Sorah then pulled a book from his pocket and began reading upside down. I lifted my back up in confusion. Why was he staying here? Shouldn’t he go home?
“Dousyite anta… qoqo iru?Why you... here are?”
Sorah let the tome fall to his chest. “Hm? You ask why I’m still here?”
“...Yes?”
“Well.” He sat straight. “It’s your first night in town, and I want to make sure you’re okay. Don’t mind me, I’ll be studying until I feel drowsy.”
“Hm.”
“Please rest assured, Mister Kaizenji Kawari. I’ll teach more words tomorrow morning, and I hope to dispel your doubts. ‘Nandozo, yasundekur’.”
[System Announcement]
Lingual Cognizance UP
50 >>> 51
+1
Hearing those words, I guessed that I could sleep easily that night. The end of my first day in this new world.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
[System Announcement]
Lingual Cognizance UP
51 >>> 103
+52
The next morning, Qawasumi came over to the stable and dropped off Sorah’s belongings. Him and I’d been cooped up in that tiny space, so I made sure to leave the stable to stretch. The immediate warmth of the sun brightened my anxious mood, almost as if I didn’t spend the night in a foreign land. Sorah’d already packed, and greeted me as he walked out the door.
I looked at my hand. In this world, I was crippled by my lack of ability to level up, but I hoped that there could be a work around. Getting stronger without leveling…I’d already played my share of games back home.
Sorah slung his gear around his back. “Ruri, did you—”
“Yeah, yeah. I already accepted a hunting quest from the Guild.” She shrugged her shoulders, her bow jingling behind her. Qawasumi then walked towards me and held out her hand. “Zuhyo.”
A screen appeared before her as she continued to click something on it. In a matter of seconds I heard a notification sound ring inside my head, and another screen popped up in front of me. I brought my arm up to see.
[System Announcement]
Party Invitation
[Snow Wolves (2 ppl.)] has invited [Kawari (Lv0)] to join the adventuring party.
[◯]
[╳]
I glanced at Qawasumi, only for her to return a glare. My fingers hesitantly hovered over the circle button. As soon as I clicked it another message flashed in front of me.
[System Announcement]
Quest
The adventuring party [Snow Wolves (3 ppl.)] has invited [Kawari (Lv 0)] to the following quest:
Defeat 10 Hyohton boars and obtain their hides.
Sponsored by the Adventurers’ Guild Waqwaq Branch
Time Limit: 10 hours remaining
[◯]
[╳]
I knew the word for quest after hearing her, so I expected something like this. But couldn’t I just accept the quest without joining a party? Well, maybe it was better to be in one then going solo. I tapped the circle again.
[System Announcement]
Joined Party
Accepted Quest
[Kawari (Lv0)] has joined [Snow Wolves (3 ppl.)]
Accepted quest [Defeat 10 Hyohton boars and obtain their hides.]
“Welcome to the group, Kawari.” Sorah patted my back and walked ahead. The girl joined his side with a resigned frown.
“...I am in your care!” I gave a bow of respect. The words given to me began to stick, and those gibberish became more intelligible. With sweat dripping down my arms I put my hands on my knees as I lowered myself, the morning sun searing into my skin. Qawasumi sighed and held her hands to the back of her neck.
I followed behind Sorah and Qawasumi while leaving the town. Sorah’d been quite cautious on our exit, checking around the streets and glancing at certain people in the ocean of pedestrians. Only when he made it to the farmland and countryside, did Sorah relax. From then on I followed them across the quiet plains, entering a line of forests bordering the prairies. The sun was not harsh, and I concluded my sweat stemmed from my nervousness.
Light conversation happened between the two adventurers in front of me, and I didn’t know how to interact with them. They’d taken me in after arriving in this world, so it would be awkward to join them for mundane errands. As I lost myself in deep thought, I collided into their backs, not paying attention that they stopped.
Qawasumi elbowed me in the stomach. I collapsed to the dirt, grasping my stinging abdomen. But when I got up, I soon realized why they’d stood still.
“This is…”
My eyes widened. In front of them was the door—my bedroom door that I’d arrived through. The whiteness of it still hadn’t faded, and the blood from the monster that once attacked me had long dried on the gravel nearby. I stepped forward past the two and ran to the door.
Slowing down, I stopped to grasp the doorknob. A multitude of worrying feelings welled inside my hand. For a second I wanted to return home. Right in front of me I could walk back into that apartment. What would I say to my mother? My brother? What would my father think?...I remembered his genuine smile, the look on his face when he argued with my mother. All the pains I’d experienced in my life were on the other side of the door. I bit my lip.
“When we first found you, this strange structure appeared in the woods.” Sorah approached me, with Qawasumi trailing behind. “...What is it?”
I looked down. I tried to find the words in their language to describe it, but I couldn’t. “It’s my… ‘world’.”
“Huh?”
“My ‘world’. Sekai.”
“‘Se’—”
“SekaiWorld.”
“SeqayMonde. Wait…” Sorah motioned a ball with his hands. “Sphere?”
I swayed my head. “No.”
“...World?”
I nodded, and turned to face the door again. My fingers tensed as I gripped the doorknob and shoved it open. Sunlight from this world peered into the darkness of my room. It remained the same as it was when I’d fought the sankakujuu. Cool air from the AC flooded into the area, providing a fresh breeze and the scent of vanilla air refresher. Sorah and Qawasumi got closer and peeked through the frame with curious eyes. They shook their heads at each other, blinking. In a flash I shut the door.
Sorah held his hand to his forehead. The two of them were stunned to speak for a moment. After taking a few breaths, he spoke, “Well, I don’t know what to say. If this is truly your world, it is best not to tell anyone else. And it doesn’t matter to us where you come from.”
He took out an object from his back pocket and placed it in my hand. As I flipped my palm over, I noticed what it was through a screen that appeared before me.
[System Message]
Weapon Equipped
[Tatshi Dagger]
Activation Cost: 1 EP; Upon activation, Deal 5 extra DMG if used on the stomach.
“We’re on a quest right now, aren’t we? We won’t tell anyone about your situation. ” Sorah gave a slight grin of determination. “So let’s teach you how to hunt those boars.”
Grasping the dagger, I finally made my decision.