Common Story Here - Prologue - Chapter 2

Thank you to all Patrons!
Aiji S., Alex, Alexander P., Bakadeathly, Bazsi, Ben I., BigZak, Blackghoul45, Brben, Brili3an, Chocolat, Chowok11, Christian S., Code_Vio, Corey, Daniel B., Daniel L., David G., Deguaro, DKLA, Dragoncamper, Gabriel C.,  Jakers, Jason, Jaycob T., Jealyn L., John V., Jones, Joseph A.,  Kaichu, Kiriaky, Luis D., Luther S., Malinkat, Maverun, Max, Myla, Ograf, Omniamore, operaa, Pao Y., Scott M., Sean D., Shaun, SK, Sniktaw, Soomin B., Taiyou D., Tenkkun, Tim N., TsuTsu, Tuan N., Urko M. M., Will B., William H., X3N0R0X, XxChemical_fire, YMK,  and Z!

Previous Chapter - TOC - Next Chapter

The World After Death

 ……this is, I wonder where is this place?

 A strange scene spread out before me. It’s an unbelievably wide great hall. The floor is polished and shining, and there’s not even a speck of dust on the floor. What’s projected on the floor is a world bathed in shades of purple. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 On one side of this spacious room are countless windows lined up. Measuring them by eye, I guess the size is so big that they can easily let a single person pass through. Perhaps, even larger creatures could pass without an issue. There are countless such windows, too many to count. And reflected on the floor of this spacious room is the color of the sky beyond the window. It was a shade of purple, making me uneasy.

 Countless shadows were rushing towards those windows. They all have the same purple color but their silhouettes vary, from something similar to humans, rats, dogs, or even insects or plants. They were rushing one after another, throwing themselves with great force from the windows.

 I followed where the source of the mass of purple color came from with my eyes back to the wall right behind me. Parallel to the horizontal rows of windows lined up, this too has no end in sight.  The wall is pitch black, or rather it is a void of pure darkness. Just from its look, the wall that I had my back on was transparent glass, and on the other side of the wall was an abyss of total darkness world. The floor also cut off right at the start of the wall and even when I peered down, it was so dark I couldn’t tell how deep it was.

 It was such a transparent wall but it seemed to be one-way. A purple shadow would suddenly rise from the darkness right at my feet, rising up with a faint flicker of motion. They don’t turn back, just continuing forward silently with hollow expressions. And then once again, they would fall down through one of the windows once they reach it. Taking a closer look, their silhouettes collapse as they fall and turn into grainy particles like sand in a sandbox.

 Even so, they are surging toward the window in great numbers but strangely quiet. Experiencing neither hot nor cold. Pain or pleasure. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 So, what kind of figure would ‘I’ look like while looking at them?

 ……「me」?

 Suddenly, I look at my own hands. They were purple. Just like a heat haze, the silhouette sometimes blurs.  Looks like I’m wearing clothes. Until just now.....「until just now」?

 My memories finally return at this moment.  That’s right, I was sent flying by a truck.

 I was walking back home on the last third of December, in Tokyo, Japan. I dropped the pocket watch from the flea market I bought the other day.  And because of picking up my pocket watch, I didn’t realize the approaching truck.

 Huh? That time, I’m sure the light was green. I also walked on the crosswalk, right? So that means, the truck back then ignored the traffic light as the driver fell asleep at the wheel or something?

 Oh well, whatever. That aside, right now the problem is, where I am. I don’t remember I’ve ever heard or saw a place like this in my life. In the first place, why was I in a place like this even though I was sent flying by a truck? Wouldn’t I normally wake up on a bed in the hospital?

 So.....that means, that’s how it is?

 Maybe because I had been spacing out until now that my mind felt hazy as if covered in clouds, but I finally managed to see things clearly.

 Who am I? Saeki You, 36 years old, single, male. I was a temporary worker who just got fired.

 And then.....that 「me」 seems to have died. My face was hit by a large truck coming at me at high speed and didn’t brake. I didn’t even have time to feel pain, and I must have died instantly.

 I started to get a little angry because of that. What was the driver thinking, driving recklessly like that?

 But soon, that anger disappeared like mist. That’s right. To begin with, I had no reason left to live. I had no wife or children and both of my parents passed away before me. The only people left were my older brother who was in debt and my younger brother who was in jail. And there were no friends or acquaintances left with whom I had relationships. I was not doing a job that I love doing, nor did I have a hobby I was passionate about. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 In a sense, it was a natural destiny for me to die. The world after death is this quiet, and if I knew that there would be no pain or sorrow, I would have come here sooner. At any rate, my body was not in good condition. I have suffered from stomach ulcers more than once or twice due to stress from social interactions and my job. But if I’m here, I’m free from worries. If I must say something, I felt a slight feeling of anger that my life was over without many good things happening to me.

 But, when I felt that, another part of me started to get angry.

 My goodness. I thought that death would be the end, and that’s why I put up with my life each day trying to get past my hopeless life. But look at this scene now.

 Countless shadows creep up from the darkness. Then they jumped through the windows over there. Could this possibly be.....a place for  「Reincarnation」? In other words, if I were to also walk towards those windows and jump from there, I would end up being reincarnated somewhere.

 Don’t joke around! I finally died. I was afraid of dying when I was alive. And I would probably feel like that no matter how many times I was reincarnated. And when I’m afraid of dying, I would endure the pain of living every day. But look at that. I will be reincarnated even if I die. And the memory of my past life would most likely be erased.

 I would make the same mistake, the same sufferings all over again, die again, and live again. I don’t want to do that!

 I sat down on the spot with a thud.  I’m not going to move even an inch. That’s what I decided.

 If anyone wants to live again, they can do whatever they want. But, I’m done with that. Being born and living again, I don’t want to do that. I don’t care what the result will be. No matter how boring it is, I will stay here until I decay. Can I - who already died - die again? If that is possible I will stay here.

 But still, this is such a boring place.

 Ah, I see, watching the countless different shadows coming and going helps stave off boredom at first. But, this group of shadows, every single one of them has a blank look on their face, and all they do is move forward. They also don’t make a sound, just continuing to climb up silently. It was too monotonous. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 So, I called out a man-looking shadow who was about to pass in front of me.

「Oi! Hello? Hello? Ni hao!」

 But, he still shows no sign of stopping, even when I called out to him. So I try to go past him and flail my arms and legs. However, the man still rushes forward without stopping.

 I quickly protected my face with both of my hands. I felt a heavy sensation on the arms in front of my face. How should I put it.....it was like forcefully shoving my arms into a loosely packed sandbag.

 Suddenly, I look around. The man was no longer in front of me. Looking back, I saw the remains of that man with part of his face missing and the color of his silhouette getting pale, but he continued to move forward without any change.

 ……did I, just do something bad to him?

 My body feels blurry sometimes, but there is a sense of completeness inside me compared to before. I don’t know what it is, but in any case, I have a hunch that 「I took something away from that man」.

 But, that man continued to move towards the window and fell. And his figure, just like the others, turns into grains of sand. So, whether I got in their way or not, there would eventually be no change in the final result.

 Un, let’s just be practical about it.

 There is no other entertainment in this place. Also, there are only dead creatures without ego in this place. So, it shouldn’t matter if I do whatever I like. By chance, I saw a beast that looks like a male lion approaching from the other side. Of course, he doesn’t have anything to do with me, just, simply walking toward the windows.

 Yosh. This is where my punch came in.

 I strongly hit my fist against the lion. It’s like hitting a sand castle, my arm easily drilled through the lion’s face. And once again, I felt a heavy sensation when hitting, as though it was a tightly packed sand. The lion didn’t resist even when I hit or kicked it, not even looking back. He ended up scattering as grains of sand across the window.

 I looked and I saw a grain of rice floating in the air, without legs or anything. It’s like it was slowly drifting toward the windows. I try grabbing it with my hand. When I touched it with my hand, it left a slight impact and turned into fine dust. That dust continues to slowly drift toward the window.

 This time, there was the figure of a young woman. She’s wearing a suit and a tight skirt.....could she be a college student job-hunting? How pitiful. However, this is a rare opportunity. I lied down at her feet. As expected, if you’re a man you should do this kind of thing at least once. But, just as I thought, she didn’t care about it at all even when I peeked inside her skirt.

 So, I carefully reach out with my hand. As I put my hands together as if pulling a thin membrane, the back of the skirt alone crumbled apart and disintegrated into dust. While chasing after her like that, I slowly strip her clothes. I’ve already confirmed that their body will crumble if I stick my hand too deep.

 As a result, a captivating figure that was pleasing to the eyes appeared, but it meant nothing to the current me. There is no pain nor pleasure in this place. And there is hardly any desire. I see, I certainly understand sexual desire in terms of knowledge, but there’s no such thing as a body in this place to reduce that desire so it’s natural. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 Nevertheless, I’m also an awful person when I calm down and carefully think about it. Looking at the naked body of a woman who unfortunately passed away at a young age....well, the person herself didn’t realize it and there’s no point in worrying about it.

 In the meantime, the woman also disappeared beyond the window.

 It’s a little scary, but  I wonder what it looks like on the other side of the window?

 I stood close by the window and first touched the window frame. Un, this is fine. I don’t want to get pushed by the other purple shadowy figures and inadvertently fall off. In that aspect, it seems like I’m going to be able to grab the floor and the wall.

 I lightly moved my line of sight below while putting both of my hands on the window frame from behind. In contrast to the cliff on the other side, there was a dazzling, warm light that could be seen from far below.

 I want to look a little more, so I stretched my neck a little trying to see a bit more.....but, that ‘a bit more’ felt dangerous. There is a small amount of space to stand on the other side of the window frame, but it appears that even if you don’t fall down, once your body leaves the window, it will immediately start to collapse. This is going to make it difficult for me to casually observe the world below.

 Now then, there’s nothing left to do. And unfortunately, I’m not feeling sleepy either. I have no desire, nothing to wish more and if I could just lie on the ground in this languid state for eternity, I wouldn’t need anything else but, for some reason, my consciousness has become pointlessly clear.

 And so I sit there.....how long was it, no, how many days has it been? Before I died, I should have picked up my pocket watch but, where did it go? But even if I have it in my hand, there’s the chance that it won’t work. I wonder how much time has passed since then? So boring. Nah, it’s more than just boredom, I want some excitement.

 But, when it comes to the sole excitement in this place, there are only the purple shadows moving in a straight line. I headed toward those groups and dived with all my might. I slammed my fist and delivered kicks to them. I scattered countless sand just like children playing in the sand.

 It was a waste. But on the contrary, it feels like.....I don’t know, it’s as if my body has become denser or as if my head was packed with something.....the hazy feeling I had when I first came to this place is starting to fade away.

 I gave up.

 In any case, let’s not do anything.

 It was the moment when I thought like that and sat down. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

「……you…are.....still conscious……?」

Common Story Here - Prologue - Chapter 1

New series picked up!

Thank you to all Patrons!
Aiji S., Alex, Alexander P., Bakadeathly, Bazsi, Ben I., BigZak, Blackghoul45, Brben, Brili3an, Chocolat, Chowok11, Christian S., Code_Vio, Corey, Daniel B., Daniel L., David G., Deguaro, DKLA, Dragoncamper, Gabriel C.,  Jakers, Jason, Jaycob T., Jealyn L., John V., Jones, Joseph A.,  Kaichu, Kiriaky, Luis D., Luther S., Malinkat, Maverun, Max, Myla, Ograf, Omniamore, operaa, Pao Y., Scott M., Sean D., Shaun, SK, Sniktaw, Soomin B., Taiyou D., Tenkkun, Tim N., TsuTsu, Tuan N., Urko M. M., Will B., William H., X3N0R0X, XxChemical_fire, YMK,  and Z!

  TOC - Next Chapter

Pocket Watch

 It was still just after 6 in the evening, but the surroundings had already gotten dark. Occasionally, the headlights of passing cars illuminated the city road, weaving between buildings. The cheap leather shoes made a sound as they rubbed against the asphalt underneath. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 My toes, which had been covered in cold sweat just a moment ago, are starting to get cold. I shifted my bag to my left hand and blew air on my already-cold right hand. My skin - affected by the winter dryness - was covered in cracks.

 I looked back, as if to reaffirm the reality that had just been thrust at me a short while ago. Light is still leaking from the windows of buildings. These days, there are no companies that finish their work at the scheduled time. So, what led me to leave my office so early?

 My worries only deepened on one hand but, I felt lighter. No, it would be better to call it, feeling refreshed. To think that I would get fired in less than a month.

 The reason is also not that complicated.  First is my status. Unlike regular employees, there are usually no guarantees for temporary workers. I had previously worked on a job site for a one-year contract. I mainly worked to do system maintenance for government and municipal offices, but once the busy period at the start of the fiscal year passed, I was quickly laid off. Anticipating that possibility, I had been doing my work properly so they wouldn’t be taking advantage of me.

 But this time, on top of that, I had also made a slight mistake. I found the job site’s leader’s mistake and I pointed that out. And since then, that leader has been gunning me for it, and I ended up being kicked out of the job site.

 Even if I work hard, I won’t get a reward. I’m used to it already. Anger at being treated unfairly and worry for my life in the future had made my palms sweat uncontrollably until just a moment ago, but now that it’s over I can finally accept it for what it is

 This is also a common occurrence in a salaryman’s life. However, would it be better to make use of my strength if I had to endure life anyway? I couldn’t help but wonder if there was still a place I could return to as a chef. Maybe it’s been too long since I’ve been unemployed. But they won’t need extra workers at this time of the year.

 Even so, it’s such a bad time to get fired. Job openings stop during the year-end and New Year’s holidays.

 I take out a silver pocket watch from my pocket and check the time. Eleven past six. I should be able to return home after seven.

 In any case, there is no use in staying here. I started walking.

 I walk through the city at night while exhaling white breath. With the end of the year approaching, the surroundings are illuminated with bright and beautiful lights. For Japanese people, Christmas may be something like a pre-year-end and a new year holiday. It would be easier to imagine if you think of the feeling of freedom on Friday night. In fact, that is the most fun part.

 But that has no meaning for me. I had also planned to work in Christmas Eve, but I ended up having free time like this. Even if I’m going out to play, I don’t have money to squander, and there is no close friend to hang out together. I have long ago lost contact with my friends from my student days, and for someone who changes jobs frequently like me, I have no colleagues either. As for a girlfriend, wife, or children, that’s out of the question.

 I wouldn’t say that I’m a person without a single relative in this world.  When I was a child, I did receive presents, albeit just a few. If I remember correctly, I received a set of cheap-looking, set of colored pencils for Christmas when I was 7 years old. And I had a cake too. Friends from the same elementary school also visited. It is one of the few happy memories in my life.

 But, for the new year - which is a week after that -, I don’t know what to say. Forget about receiving a New Year’s gift, I don’t even have enough to eat. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 To sum it up, it goes like this. My father is a man who resorts to violence and likes to gamble, moreover, he has the habit of cheating. The day before the New Year’s Eve, my father’s affair was discovered, and there was a huge fight. At first, he looked guilty and embarrassed, but then he quickly fought back and started beating my mother. In the end, he grabs most of the money in the house and goes on a trip to a hot spring by himself.

 So, what happened to my mother, me, and my two brothers who were left behind? First, mother took out her anger she couldn’t take it out on him at stuff in the house. She overturned all the osechi meal1 made in advance and smashed them on the floor, and then she threw all the plates in the house against the wall. Once she finally regained a bit of calmness, she left the house by herself.  Maybe she runs away back to her parents’ house? The answer is no.  Actually, mother has what is called 「A lover」. He is a university student ten years younger than her, living alone in Tokyo.  She contacted him by phone, sought comfort, and hurriedly left.

 Next, is my older brother. He nimbly brings a chair and drags out a bag of sweets from the shelf. Also, a pet bottle from the refrigerator. After that, he calls a friend’s house. Requesting he wants to stay over to play. And having skillfully persuaded the other person, he wastes no time in quickly leaving the house.

 As for the second older brother, who is not good at socializing and has few friends, he took a more prudent approach. After making sure that the older brother had left the house, he started picking up the scattered osechi dishes on the floor. He put them all into a clear plastic bag. But, when I got up and tried to help him, he glared at me with such a horrible look. He has no intention of sharing at all.

 My second-oldest brother, who doesn’t trust me.....no, his family climbs the stairs what all the food he has gathered in his hands. At this time of the year, it would be kept well if you put them in the shade on the veranda, even if you don’t have a refrigerator. And he will guard his food in his own room until everything returns to normal. That was not the first time my parents had arguments like that. If that were summer, he would set up his sleeping area in front of the refrigerator. He’s used to it.

 The problem is me. Most of the money in the house was kept by my father and the rest went out with my mother. My older brother took out sweets with excellent shelf life. My second-oldest brother monopolizes the remaining food in the house. What I have in abundance are tap water from the faucet, some leftover condiments, and bits of food stuck on the floor.

 Why not get out of the house and ask for help from other adults? I’ve done that before. But after I’ve done that, the result is scary. My father thinks that appearance is more important than anything else in society, and I don’t know what kind of punishment will fall on me, it’s impossible to predict. To begin with, it may be my father’s pretension to deliberately invite the kids in the neighborhood to celebrate Christmas grandly a week earlier.

 There was also a time when I followed my mother and asked for help. But she completely ignored me because her sweet time with her lover was interrupted. Of course, I was threatened and forbidden to tell the matter to anyone after. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 So, there was no more countermeasure for the situation. At least, as a 7-year-old, I had no idea. My body will get colder even if I drink water and my hunger worsen. So I desperately licked the food left on the floor.

 ……orange light leaks out from the open bar facing the road. With each step I take, the hustle and bustle draw closer. Men and women - with their faces red from alcohol - are immersed in their conversation. Employees wearing black aprons are moving busily, clearing plates. On the white plate are stir-fried vegetables.....very colorful thanks to the paprika and bell pepper....but have a dull shine from the oil. You could see from just looking at the dish, this place is not as good as it looks. The vegetables are undercooked, and there’s too much oil.

 But even those half-baked-looking dishes don’t seem that big of a deal for the drunk customers. What on earth are they talking about anyway? Where could such a thing exist, something that could bring so much joy? I can’t even imagine.

 I widened my stride a little.

 My parents eventually divorced, but despite all the sacrifices made the situation didn’t get any better. The eldest son stayed with my father while the second oldest brother and me, the youngest, were taken in by my mother. Whichever choice was chosen, I’m sure it must have been a life full of distress but in any case, my mother had no money. Despite that, she didn’t quit smoking and continued going to pachinko.  Due to that, I mostly ate cheap instant foods during my growth period. Meanwhile, I made full use of my experience during my childhood years, working hard and doing part-time jobs every day.....in other words, I continued working in the kitchen. If it weren’t for the meals provided at my workplace, I’m sure I would have collapsed due to malnutrition.

 Before long, my second-oldest brother started hanging out with bad company. Even though he’s not strong, he got involved in fights, got into drinking even though he can’t drink, and smoked cigarettes while choking on it. And due to his smoking in his bed, he burned his apartment and ended up burning even a few of his belongings, and was forced to move.

 Only the elder brother was treated well because he was the eldest son. My father remained the same, and although he was sometimes becoming violent toward my brother, suddenly it looked like he was still valued because he was the heir of the family. He spent a lot of money to send him to a private university and get him to graduate. However, the older brother - who was good at everything like socializing and was fortunate in his place of employment - lacked one crucial talent. He just didn’t have the patience.

 Less than 3 years after he started working, he deliberately quit working at the large company he worked at, and jumped into join a group that calls itself a venture company. However, that was just a fake company as they didn’t have a proper revenue base, and to make a long story short, the project soon went bankrupt. The effect of that extended to me as well. As one of the company’s directors was my brother, in the position of the investor, and yet, he didn’t have any money on hand.....so he had no choice but to borrow money from his brother - who was working normally. The amount of money was actually 2 million yen. For me - who was in my early 20’s - that was practically all my savings.

 My brother gave up at first and started working normally, but before he could pay off his debt to me, he jumped at another easy chance of making money. That time, I was glad I didn’t have to invest. Unlike me, my brother was the type of person naturally loved by women.  While living a life like being half-financed by women, he lived as he pleased, without paying back his debt or taking care of his aging parents who could no longer work. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 One day, my second older brother - whose whereabouts were unknown - came to visit me. Since he didn’t have a place to stay, I let him stay in my house, but a few days later he ran off with all the money I had in my room. That alone would have been fine, but he also took my credit card with him and made a bunch of cash withdrawals without permission. He was then arrested for another charge and is now in jail, but all his debt is now my responsibility. The total amount of debt was 4 million yen. Since interest accrues, I haven’t been able to pay it off in full.

 ……suddenly, the smell of perfume hits me. A woman with heavy makeup passes by me, making a sharp clicking nose with each step. Although her steps were steady, her upper body skillfully leaned on a large man walking beside her.

 As for the man, he is muscular with a broad physique, his clothes make him look like a frivolous person, his face also has an expression that hints at roughness. Incidentally, his hair is short and blonde. And without paying attention to the woman fawning over him, he walked in big strides without looking ahead while fiddling with his mobile phone

 Men are men, and women are women. Is this world really full of people like this?

 My older brother married a woman who is exceptionally generous with money. And as a result, both my brothers and father started telling me what to do. Meaning, get married quickly. But, it seems like I’m not an attractive guy to women. I’m popular with older women, but that is probably because of my serious and humble personality, not because I’m popular with women. I guess cash dispensers and domestic animals might be valued more. On the other hand, it was completely different with young women.

 I was once introduced to someone and went on a date. But, no matter how hard I tried, it showed no result. I bought her expensive bags or accessories whenever she asked, but before I knew it, she didn’t answer my call or reply to my email.

 Come to think of it 「she」 never called me You. Always calling me 「Saiki-kun」.

 ……I came out onto the main street. Once I cross here there is a stairs leading to the subway. Cars passed by accompanied by the sound of tires sliding on the road.

 I wonder if it’s because the air is dry? The friction sounds of the car wheels rolling on the asphalt road strangely stuck in my ears. It hasn’t been long since the sun set and I also notice several trucks driving by without their headlights on.

 Although I think it is dangerous, but I can’t help imagining that I might also be able to find relief if  I were to step in the middle of the intersection. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 It was last year. My mother - who lives separately from me - lives daily in self-indulgence by smoking, drinking, staying up late, and going to the pachinko finally fell ill because she neglected her health. They also found a scirrhus stomach cancer inside her body, and by the time they found it, it was already too late.

 And it was my father who was the most miserable among them. Although we had no contact for several years, that day my older brother contacted me, and I went to pick him up. He had lived the way he wanted all his life, but at this point in his life, he began to suffer from dementia.

 And dementia is much more pitiful than it looks. I’m sure there must be intense anxiety inside the person experiencing it. But, for the person taking care of them like me, I also had a terrible time taking care of him. Whenever communication didn’t work out well between us, my father would lose his temper. It was normal.....for me to return home and find the place to be messy.

 Unable to handle it on my own, I asked for help from my brother, but he refused to help, whether in effort or money. And even if I were to call a caregiver it would cost money. So I’ve been carefully using every trick in the book to do my best to get by over the past year. But, that ended last month.

 During the day on a certain weekday, he wandered alone behind the caregiver’s eyes and got hit by a car. I was actually interrogated by my practically unemployed brother in the hospital morgue. Why did I take my eyes off of him?

 ……the traffic light turned green. I stop daydreaming. And thinking about suicide.

 When I think about it, I’m already in my mid-thirties, but I have no lingerie attachment to this life already. But, isn’t that good? My parents have already passed away. I’m also about to fully pay my debt. I see, I have no lover or family, now I can devote myself to things that I like, such as hobbies or finding for reason to keep on living. Even so, there is nothing left that makes me want to die in a hurry. The only thing that matters in this world for the current me, is how to 「get through」 this life.  Just that.

 Why did I try so hard? Even though I know it’s useless. Maybe, I just wanted to look cool, even a little. Not something anyone would rate, but my own self-respect. For that reason, my originally worthless life became even more miserable. Even if I think that I pulled it off perfectly, from others’ point of view, I probably look like a fool. It’s not uncommon. It’s a common story here in this world.

 I take a step to cross the intersection. After I take several steps, I hear a small metallic sound brushing against my ears. Looking down, I saw a small, silver pocket watch rolling on my feet. I should have put it inside my suit’s inner pocket after I looked at the time earlier.....

 I bought this at the flea market in Setagaya the other day. It’s a little bit of luxury I can buy with just 2000 yen ($13). Checking the time on a mobile phone is a bit boring. And to begin with, there are sites where it is prohibited to bring or browse my own mobile device on-site during system development and maintenance work.

 At the time, it was on a whim that I bought this thing.

 Ever since I was a kid, I have loved the story 「The Gift of the Magi」. Well, it’s a common story.

 There was a poor husband and wife, and the husband had a treasure, which was a pocket watch. On the other hand, the wife also had a treasure she was proud of which is her beautiful hair. On Christmas night, she thought of giving her husband a present but she didn’t have money so she sold her hair. And of all things, the husband sold his important pocket watch to buy an expensive comb for his wife.

 A chain without the pocket watch. And a comb without the hair. Isn’t that ridiculous? I wonder if there is anything else more pointless than that? They each ended up losing their treasures. They are both really foolish. And I, who did my best to look cool, was also not much different. But, why am I drawn to such things? www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 When I saw the worn-out pocket watch, I suddenly remembered those feelings from long ago. So, even though I knew it was an unnecessary luxury at the time, I ended up wanting it.

 In any case, it fell from my pocket, so I just have to pick it up. I bent my upper body and ran my fingers across the cold, dry asphalt.  At that moment, I heard the sound of an engine approaching.

 I suddenly looked up in surprise. A grey bumper of a large truck completely filled my vision.

 The next moment, I felt an impact, and everything was painted black. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

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Postscript 2021/09/28

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Author note :

Regarding the total loan limit regulation, I received a comment from a reader, so I'll add some details here. The total loan limit regulation was applied in 2010. This rule sets the maximum amount of debt a person can incur to one-third of their annual income. In this story, You Saiki ends up with a debt of four million yen. If this event took place after the total loan limit regulation was applied, he would need an annual income of 12 million yen. However, the story began in 2015. If we assume Yo Saiki is a real person, 36 years old in December 2015, then if this event happened around the time he was 30, he would not have been restricted by the one-third income limit and could still borrow money.

Furthermore, in the case of credit card fraud, of course, claims can be made. However, if a family member or cohabitant is involved in the fraud, theft insurance will not be helpful. In the end, the person who took out the loan will be liable for repayment, and for the time being, they must pay out of pocket. If they fail to do so, penalties, such as cancellation of the card, will fall on You Saiki, the victim. If the family does not have the ability to pay, even if they win a lawsuit, nothing can be seized, and the debt cannot be recovered. You Saiki's second brother, Tomiyoshi Saiki, is a thug, so he has no ability to pay and ends up in a situation where he has to accept the loss.

Tensei Shite Inaka de Slowlife wo Okuritai - Chapter 606

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Previous Chapter - TOC - Next Chapter

Eccentric Magician

「Next I will fry vegetables that take longer to cook」

　Once I finished serving the unusual food, I decided to fry the ingredients that are harder to cook through. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

　Vegetables have a lot of moisture, each cooks differently and has a different texture, so it is important to process them with the appropriate frying method. It is surprisingly one of the most difficult ingredients to fry.

　You basically start with lighter, lower-moisture vegetables. Start with ingredients such as bell pepper, shishitou pepper, and king oyster mushroom, followed by vegetables that cook relatively easily, such as onion, eggplant, and shiitake.

　This will prevent the oil from getting dirty and the temperature from stabilizing easily, allowing you to slowly fry the ingredients while maintaining the optimal temperature.

　Once those are done, it will be time for the soft ingredients such as pumpkin, sweet potato, and potato.

　These take a long time to cook, and the point is to fry them slowly and thoroughly at a low temperature of around 160 degrees Celcius. If you fry these first, the other ingredients will become soggy, so it is better to fry these in the latter half of frying.

　Last are those with high water content, like cherry tomato and zucchini. The oil will splatter around if there is too much water ,and the batter will come off easily. Especially the cherry tomato could burst, so you need to be careful.

　As I proceeded carefully while lightly explaining to Bernard and the others, I was able to fry all the vegetables without problems.

「It’s an assortment of deep-fried vegetable skewers」

　They are served as an assortment of skewers on a single plate.

「……the sweetness from the eggplant and the richness of the oil go perfectly well 」

「The sweetness from the onion is also good」

「The vegetables, they’re deliciousー!」

「By deep-frying the vegetables, the sweetness, umami, and texture are outstanding」

「Yes, it is also colorful and they are all very delicious」

　It looks like the Misfid house members have all become captivated by the vegetable skewers.

　It is well-received by people of all ages, from children to adults. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

　It is especially popular among women, including Floria and Alicia.

　When you think of skewers, the image of flashy skewers like shrimps, whiting, and pork will come to mind, but the hidden powerhouse among skewers could be said to be vegetable skewers.

　Now then, it’s about time for the frying to come to an end.

　Having gone through several rounds of quick-cooking vegetables, seafood, and other ingredients, the guests’ eating pace has also begun to settle down.

　There are people with hearty appetites such as Gideon, Shelka, Ra-chan, Barnack, and Gregor, but if it’s just frying enough for 4 people is not at all tiring.

　Perhaps he was just waiting for that exact situation that Bernard asks.

「Alfried-sama, would it be alright if I could have a little taste? I would like to know the difference with the ones we fried…」

「Sure」

　So he said, but there’s probably no difference between the ones I fried with what Bernard and the other chefs fried, right? After all, my fried food is just slightly better than a home-cooked meal.

　I served the freshly fried vegetable skewers on a plate while feeling nervous inside.

　Bernard picked up a shishitou skewer.

　

I know you will choose that.

「――!」

　As soon as he took a bite of the shishitou, Bernard’s body trembled and his eyes opened wide.

　I thought he would immediately tell me his impression of the shishitou, but Bernard just stared at the shishitou skewer with blank amazement without moving a muscle.

　The Misfid house’s chefs were saying things like 「As expected it is different from what we fried」,「I could never make crust like this」,「The texture and the trapped savoriness are different」 after trying it.

　As I was confused why only the head chef - Bernard - had not given any thoughts about the skewer, he slowly turned towards me. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

「……Alfried-sama」

「Yes?」

「Have you gotten better at frying now?」

「Is that so?」

「Yes, this is clearly different from the skewer I tried in the beginning」

「I don’t know that. I mean, I haven’t even eaten a single skewer」

　I should be one of the guests at this party, but I wasn’t able to eat a single skewer since I was the developer of this ‘dish’. Even if you told me there is a difference in flavor from the beginning, I completely have no idea.

「Then please, make sure of the flavor yourself」

「Ah, un. Okay I said, stop trying to make me open my mouth 」

　I understand your feeling of trying to make me realize it as soon as possible, but having an old man saying ‘Aah’ to me is extreme.

　I took the skewer he brought closer to my mouth with my left hand and ate the fried skewer without knowing what it was.

「Ah, it’s pumpkin」

　The fluffy texture of the pumpkin came out from within the fragrance, and gentle sweetness seeped out.

　The texture of the crust adds a very nice accent and the slow frying enhances its sweetness.

　It’s like sweets.

「It’s truly delicious」

「Right!?」

「But, I can’t tell the difference between this and the meat-wrapped asparagus that time. I think the asparagus that time was tastier」

「That’s not true! Compared to back then, there are huge differences in the color of the crust, the texture, and the flavor!」

「That’s right! That was also delicious, but the result was hugely different from the food now!」

「This one is tastier, seriously!」

　When I answer like that, all the Misfid house’s chefs - including Bernard - vehemently protested.

　Even if you told me about the better coating color, the texture, and the flavor, that’s rather subtle.

　I feel like the meat-wrapped asparagus was overwhelmingly tastier.

　Still, I wonder if that was because of it, as a late-night snack situation was not good?

　I mean, eating fried food on a sleepless night, so it won’t get found out with a small number of people, was both sinful and delicious. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

「It is definitely tastier right now」

　Just as I was tilting my head in puzzlement, Bernard said that to me as if to assert it.

　Maybe that was a memory bias caused by a dopamine rush.

「The umami is fully maximized despite still retaining the ingredients' original texture. Is there are difference in the temperature control?」

「Hmーm, might be because I use Psychic....」

「So it is magic?」

　When I use Psychic to fry the skewers, it becomes noticeably easier to fry compared to doing it manually.

　It’s easier because I don’t have to use my hands, but that’s not it.

　The sound when the ingredients tighten, the sensation when heat has completely settled in the ingredients, the crispness of the coating, the size of the oil bubbles, I think I became more sensitive with the mana passing through them all, or something.

　This is probably a magical experience that the craftsman or artisan from my previous life is finally able to perceive after accumulating decades of diligent studies.

「Let me try it too」

　After I stated my guess, Bernard started chanting the Psychic spell while rolling up his sleeves.

　Apparently, he can also use non-attribute magic.

　Bernard’s magic caused the skewer to float in midair.

　He’s kinda poor in control, though. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

　Just as I observe feeling hazy and unsure, there’s the sound of the skewer submerged in the oil.

「……how is it?」

「I do not grasp anything」

　I tried asking after about a minute, but Bernard shook his head.

「Hmーm, is there anyone with better non-attribute magic?」

　Frankly, I feel like Berbard is not that good at magic, so he can’t perceive that feeling.

「Unfortunately, the people here are all chefs……」

　That’s true. It would be wrong to expect that much magic skill from a chef.

「Then, Ranna-sama――not, I mean, let’s ask Tickle」

　I thought it would be bad to ask the Duke’s daughter - Ra-chan - to help, so I immediately changed it to someone else.

「Sure. I am also indebted to Alfried-sama」

　She readily agreed after I got permission from Gregor and asked her.

　……truly a good kid, Tickle is.

「I just have to use Psychic to fry the skewers, right?」

「Un, please do」

　Once she arrived at the cooking space, Tickle cast Psychic to make several batter-covered skewers float in midair.

「As expected of you, it’s really smooth」

「It is all due to Alfried-sama’s guidance」

　Since I thoroughly taught her how to control dolls, Tickle’s activation of Psychic has become extremely smooth and her mid-air control is also stable. It doesn’t make you uncertain about it when you see her Psychic. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

「Just put them into the oil just like that」

「Yes」

　Following my instructions, Tickle gently put the 3 skewers into the oil.

「How is it? Can you feel the sensation from the skewers through your magic?」

「……I can feel a slight vibration from the bubbles, but I do not understand what Alfried-sama said about the ingredients tightening or the heat spreading throughout the ingredients」

「Hmー, I wonder if it was just my imagination?」

「But, I can somehow understand what Alfiried-sama is trying to say. If only I were more proficient in Psychic.....please forgive me」

「No, Tickle did nothing wrong. Thank you for your help」

　I cheered Tickle as her shoulders drooped and looking truly disappointed with herself.

　Although she was not exactly the same as me, Tickle also perceives it more or less so it’s probably not wrong, right?

「Hmm, I think it is a cooking method that can only be done by Alfried-dono, who boasts extraordinary Mana Sense and Mana Control」

　As I was discussing things with Bernard, Schugel came over and told us his thoughts.

「Is it like that?」

「Yes, Alfried-dono’s amount of mana is incomparable. I also say this as the headmaster of the Magic Academy. I am certain of it」

　I was also told something similar by Salva in Lazur.

　I’m fairly confident in my magic, but still, turns out my mana is quite a lot.

「So that means it is impossible to cook with Psychic. We are chefs, so let us aim for the path of mastery using our skills and experiences we have cultivated so far」

「Eh, isn’t it too early to give up?」

「It is impossible to become a non-attribute magician with Alfried-dono’s level」

「It will indeed take time but you could consider employing a capable person from outside to help, for instance――」

「Even if they do exist, a mage with such skills will not think of using their magic to do something like cooking」

　That will make me - someone who uses magic to cook - like an eccentric mage, wouldn’t it?

　And when I said that, the people around looked at me as if saying ‘What are you talking about at this point?’

　Even though I sulked a little and couldn’t accept it, I continue to fry the remaining skewers with Psychic. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

Isekai Nikyoten - Chapter 45

Thank you to all Patrons!

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Previous Chapter - TOC - Next Chapter

How To Enjoy The Royal Capital

 The next day, after my trip to the royal capital with Nina. I came to the royal capital once again.

 I realized that I am still quite inexperienced when I went around the royal capital with Nina.

 If I were asked whether or not I could guide Nina - who came to the royal for the first time - smoothly, the answer is no. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 I am too unfamiliar with the royal capital’s entertainment.

 Being unfamiliar with one side of my base location as someone who lives a dual-based life is too pathetic. As someone who lives a dual-based life, I should know how to enjoy both sides and lead a fulfilling life.

 And for that reason, I came here in order to find out how to enjoy and have fun in the royal capital.

 Although the royal capital is huge and there are also a lot of shops. In a world where there are no computers and the internet like in my previous life, it is difficult to search for something.

 And that’s why I decided to ask Elza - who is familiar with such ways of enjoying life in the royal capital.

 I know she is familiar with the royal capital.

 First, I thought of learning her top recommended way of enjoying things and then found out about my own way of enjoying things.

 After teleporting into my room, I open the door and step out into the hallway.

 Then, there was a loud bang as if the door hit something.

「Eh?」

「～～～～～～!?」

 Peeking through the slightly opened door, I saw Arche holding her forehead with her hands screaming voicelessly.

「Waah! I’m sorry! I didn’t think someone would be in front of the door!」

「I, it’s alright. I’m sorry for being inattentive」

 Arche bravely apologized despite saying that with teary eyes.

 She’s holding cleaning equipment in her hands, so she was probably about to clean my room.

 And so, an unfortunate accident where I bumped into her right after I teleported happened.

 Even though she’s the injured party here, she didn’t even complain. What a good kid.

 And I feel an incredible sense of guilt after having hit such a kid with the door.

 I could treat her if I could use Recovery magic, but I don’t have such convenient magic.

 I only have Space magic, so for the time being, I take out ice and towel from my subspace and give it to Arche. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

「Cool your forehead with this for now」

「Thank you very much」

 It should be better just to have ice, even if it swells.

「……what with the nois――ah, I roughly understood the situation. It was bad timing for both of you」

 Elza arrived after hearing the noise, but it seemed like she understood the situation after seeing me.

 Elza’s ability to grasp the situation is incredible.

「You can take a break for now Arche-san」

「Yes, then please excuse me」

 Arche withdraws while holding the ice wrapped in the towel on her forehead.

 ……un, really sorry about that.

「Welcome back, Kureto-sama. How may I help you today?」

 Elza asks with her usual calm voice so I try telling her about how I feel about yesterday.

「……how to enjoy the royal capital, is it?」

「Yeah, how do you spend your day off, Elza?」

「I often go out alone. I went to cafes to eat breakfast, bought books in the bookstore, ate lunch in a restaurant I had been interested in, or wandered around looking at clothing stores」

「That’s nice. It feels like a calm and adult way of enjoying your day. What kind of stores do you usually go to?」

 And just like that, I continue to ask more questions and learn about Elza’s way of enjoying her time in the royal capital. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 I start writing notes on a memo paper whenever there is something that caught my attention.

「That was how I spent my time. I think Arche knows how to enjoy your day with a large number of people. She often invites Lulua-san and Ralasha-san and hangs out together」

「I’ll try to ask her next time」

 I just bumped her head with the door so chasing her now and asking Arche about it is going to make both of us uncomfortable.

 I think first I will take my time to carefully go around those places that interest me alone.

 Once I’m used to those places, let’s try asking Arche’s way of spending her time to enjoy the royal capital.

「Thank you for telling me. I’ll first go to the bookstore first」

「Yes, please take care and have a safe trip」

●●●

 I came to a cafe street in the northern district of the royal capital recommended by Elza.

 Not only are there a lot of cafes with good atmosphere in this section of this area, but this is an area where the wealthy reside, and there are also plenty of bookstores that include those selling second-hand books.

「Heeー, this place has a nice, calming atmosphere 」

 And because this is an affluent neighborhood, the people walking on the street are also well-dressed.

 It’s not as bustling as the central district but it gives a sense of calm passage of time.

 Just the ideal place to spend a relaxing time on your day off.

「I’ll stop by the bookstore first」

 I enter a small bookstore after seeing a sign with a book sign on it.

 Inside the stone building, there are shelves lined up closely together and tightly packed with books.

 The smell of paper and ink tickles my nose. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 Looking at the description written inside the store, it looks like this store deals with second-hand books.

 In this world where only woodcut printing is widespread and mass printing technology does not exist, books fall into the category of luxury goods.

 Unless they need specialized technical or magic books, most people would get second-hand books, and there were only few people standing in the store.

 The books are categorized into genres such as fairy tale, novel, practical books, food, plant, history, and self-development.

 The books are not as well-organized as in my previous life, it feels like I’m having a uniquely precious encounter with the books instead.

 I know the of history, fairy tales, and novels that anyone knows of in order to have good communication in our business, but beyond that, I hardly know anything.

 I have more time since I started living a dual-based lifestyle, so reading might not be a bad idea.

 With that in mind, I continue to take fairy tales and novels I have heard about in the past but never read.

「……picture books, huh」

 I found something while picking up the fairy tales that caught my eye.

 Thanks to that God, I can easily learn the characters of this world so I don’t need them, but perhaps Nina might enjoy them.

 While going around the royal capital, it looks like she was able to read simple characters so I guess she would be fine with something of this level. And even if she got tired of reading, it could be passed around to the village’s children.

 Thinking like that,t I picked up several picture books about fairy tales and went to buy them.

 Storing the books I purchased into my subspace as I walked, I saw a flyer posted on the notice board.

 Apparently, there is an art exhibition nearby.

 I had no connection to such places back in my previous world so it seems interesting to visit and just to take a look around.

 Thinking it that way, I remember the map drawn on the flyer and walking down the cafe street.

 And before long, I could see something that looked like a museum.

 It’s a western-style house that seemed like it belonged to a noble. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 There is a security-like person holding a spear standing in front of the open double door. Just that alone probably shows how valuable the exhibition is.

 When I passed through the door while feeling nervous, I found myself standing in a spacious entrance hall.

 The whole surface of the floor is made of pure white marble and they are so beautiful it felt like I could even see my reflection on it.

 I pay the admission fee after recording my name at the reception counter.

 After undergoing an inspection by a male and female security guard standing by at the entrance, I could finally enter the exhibition area.

 I wonder if the museum is such a place with a high threshold for entry.

 Or perhaps the exhibition this time is particularly strict? I couldn’t judge since I don’t normally visit.

 When I entered the exhibition area, the floor was entirely covered in black carpet.

 It is probably meant to absorb the sound of people’s footsteps and the reflection of light.

 There are a lot of paintings on the wall, continuing all the way to the back in a row.

 There are many people looking at them, but there are hardly any sounds.

 The only sounds that echo in this place are the slight stirring of people and breathing.

 I slowly walk and look at the painting on the wall to my right.

 In an elegant frame was the painting of the royal capital’s cityscape, Zeral.

 It is extremely detailed, and I don’t know if it was painted using paints or other pigments.

 Once I’m done looking at one painting, I continue looking at the second, third, and fourth paintings in succession.

 Apparently, the theme for the exhibition at this time was the royal capital’s scenery.

 The market and the commerce area I visited with Nina in the central district the other day were also depicted in the paintings. They range from purely landscape-focused pieces to those that capture the daily lives of the people living there.

 Looking at them made me feel like I was there myself.

 As I continued to look at the paintings, I noticed a lot of people gathered in the exhibition area in the back.

 A huge canvas, so large you have to look up, has been placed there.

 Even though the inside of the building is quiet, voices and hushed conversation could be heard from that spot.

 The staff nearby didn’t try to stop them, and the air from the people around seemed like it was something inevitable. Is it really that amazing of a painting? www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

When I approached it out of curiosity, I saw the Zeral castle painted on the huge canvas.

「Ohhー……」

 An astonished voice unintentionally escapes me.

 The painted Zerall castle, painted and filled the entire canvas, conveys the grandeur and beauty to the viewers.

 It was as if I were looking up at the Zerall castle from a good position.

 This feels far more beautiful than when I saw it with my naked eye in the royal capital’s public square.

 I entered the exhibition area and looked at many paintings, but I understood that the level is different just from a glance. Even an ordinary person could understand it so for someone with more discerning eyes, the stark difference must have been even more apparent.

『Zeral Castle　Painter　Lefyria (レフィーリア)』

 A title and a name were written next to the canvas.

 A world with digital or photography technology. So there is actually someone who can paint such a beautiful painting with only analog painting material?

 I continued to gaze at the beautiful Zerall castle painting for some time. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

Isekai Nikyoten - Chapter 44

Thank you to all Patrons!
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Previous Chapter - TOC - Next Chapter

Souvenirs From The Royal Capital

 The general store written on Elza’s memo is a stylish single-storey brick building with stained glass embedded in the upper part of the windows. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 Entering the building, a spacious interior greets us.

「Waa, there are all sorts of things!」

「Yeah」

 This ‘general store’ has the same definition as the one in Japan, so the items displayed appeared to be goods that take into account their use for everyday life and interior items.

 There are plates with various shapes and beautiful colors on the display case.

 I purchased some for my new house in Howling village, but when you see such a cute tableware, it makes you want to buy more.

 Just when I was looking at the tableware that would suit my new house, Nina started looking at the accessories lined up on the rack.

 As expected, a girl her age seems to be interested in that sort of thing.

 Nina reached out for a hair band and tried putting it in her hair.

「Oh, are you going to buy a new hair band?

 When I approached and asked her that, Nina shyly smiled and shook her head.

「No, I was thinking of buying a souvenir for kaasan」

 Nina has the same hair as Stella, so she probably just wants to check if it looks good or not. This is the only method that can be done if the parent and child have the same hair color.

「I see. I think that’s going to suit Stella」

「Un. But, there are others with pretty colors, it’s difficult to choose」

 The hair band with floral decorations in Nina’s hands came with six colors: red, orange, pink, green, blue, and bluish purple. Looks like it’s difficult to choose from among them all. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

「Shouldn’t you just go ahead and buy two kinds of them?」

「Hmーm.....I also wan to buy a souvenir for tousan....I might not have enough....」

 It would be the wrong move if I were to give her money at this time.

「Then why don’t we decide on the souvenir for Andre first? After that, you can calculate your remaining money and choose to either buy one or two」

「Un, that’s right! But, I wonder what will make tousan happy? Still, I don’t think I can buy wine for him.....」

 Speaking of the wine-loving Andre, it will be a bit expensive to buy it with a child’s pocket money. Other than that, it seems like Nina can’t think of anything.

 Actually, I think he will be happy with whatever Nina bought for him. But that is not the answer she was looking for.

「If you can’t buy a wine, then how about a glass? There are various types of wine glass in this place, y’know」

「Ah! That’s right! I’ll check the wine glass!」

 It looks like Nina also caught on to my suggestion.

 Nina’s expression changed from troubled to a cheerful one and she moved to the place where the wine glasses are lined up.

 However, Nina slightly tilted her head, looking at those.

「What kind of glass is good?」

 Nina is still a child and has never drunk alcohol.

 So it’s natural for her to worry about what kind of glass would be good.

「Wouldn’t it be better ot choose a glass with a different shape from the ones in your house? I think it will be good to buy a hair band for Stella-san with the remaining money after」

 Actually, I also don’t know much about wine and glass, but Andre will probably be happy with what Nina chose at first glance.

「Then, I wonder which among these three」

 Nina said as she looked at the 3 lined up glasses in front of her.

 Then, after staring at them closely, www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

「I’ll get this one!」

 Nina picked a wine glass with a short handle.

 It is characterized by being shorter and easier to hold than the common wine glass.

「Ooh, why did you choose that?」

「Looks easy to wash!」

 So she decided it while considering their house’s situation, huh?

 Certainly, it is going to be troublesome if the tableware and glassware are hard to wash.

 It’s proof of her being family-oriented to consider those things calmly.

「Now then, it’s a hair band」

「Un, I can only buy one, but I’ve decided」

 Having decided on Andre’s souvenir, Nina returned to the hair band again.

「I’ll go with this!」

 And after much deliberation, she finally chose an orange hair band.

「What color were you struggling with at the end?」

「Light blue, I guess. I think it’s going to look good too」

 Un, that is certainly going to look good with their hair.

 Howling village is lush and green, so those kinds of colors are going to stand out more when worn.

「I’ll buy these then」

 As I was staring at the light blue flower hair band, Nina quickly said that and went to settle the bill.

 After making sure that he was turned toward me, I headed to the cashier with several flat plates and the hair band Nina had been reluctant to part with.

●

 After buying souvenirs at the general store, Nina and I went around to check the recommended clothes store and leather craft store from Elza’s note and wandering aimlessly to look around various stores.

 And before we knew it, it was already the time when the sun goes down. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 The sky is dyed crimson, and the buildings in the royal capital start to turn bright red.

 And it is probably because it’s time for people to get off work, the people coming and going on the street have also increased.

「Shall we head back to Howling village?」

「Please let me stay here for a bit more」

 I suggested that since I judged it was time to go home, but Nina reluctantly told me to wait while tightly gripping my hand.

「It will be dark soon. Stella-san and Andre-san will be worried if we return much later」

「…………un」

 Nina nodded while looking disappointed when I gently chided her.

「It’s all right. I will bring you here again with my magic. It’s not like it is a place you can not go to again」

 This kind of place will be a rare experience for someone who lives in Howling village like her. However, it’s different if you have my Space magic. As long as we have the time, I can take her here anytime.

 And if our schedule allows it I can also bring Andre and Stella with us.

「You’re right. Thank you, Kureto」

 Nina - who had been looking down - raised her head as if agreeing with what I said when I told her that.

「Now then, let’s head back to Howling village」

 After moving to a place with no one around, I cast Multiple Teleport with Nina with me to return.

 The view changed from the back alley of the royal capital to the front of Andre’s house in Howling village.

「Niiiiinnnaaaaaaaa!」

「Waaa!」

 Immediately after that, Andre - who had been waiting with an imposing stance - shouted loudly and rushed at us. Then he hugged Nina tightly.

「My god I was so worried! Why would you go to the royal capital so suddenly! Did you experience something terrible over there!?」

「I’m fine, tousan! I was always with Kureto, and it was really fun! The buildings over there are huge, and there are various kinds of people!」

「I see」

 Seeing Nina talking full of joy, I guess he realized that there was no particular problem with her as he looked relieved. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 Then he turned toward me with an unsettling intensity.

「…………」

 He didn’t blame me or anything maybe because Stella already clearly explained it to him, but his reproachful eyes clearly express his complaints.

「Come on, don’t give Kureto-san funny looks. I was the one who asked and took responsibility 」

「O, ooh」

「Kureto-san, thank you very much for looking after Nina today」

「No no, I made a promise before, and I had fun touring the royal capital together with Nina」

 It was not ‘looking after’. I wouldn’t have been able to stroll around the royal capital like this while I was usually at the royal capital for work if there hadn’t been such an opportunity.

 After strolling around the royal capital again this time, I realized that the royal capital is filled with a lot of interesting stores and things.

 I was also able to get things I wanted, so it was an extremely worthwhile experience.

「You could tell from Nina’s expression that she was having fun as well. Thank you, Kureto」

「You’re welcome. Let us have everyone go there together if you have the time. I can take you all with my magic after all」

「I want to go there with tousan and kaasan!」

「That will be great!」

「O, ooh, right」

 Stella and Nina were in high spirits when they answer,d but it was obvious only Andre’s expression was strange.

「……why are you giving such a vague reaction, tousan?」

「Could you be scared of going to the royal capital?」

「Th, there’s no way! No way I’m scared!」

 When I said that, as if teasing me with Nina's question and staring at him, Andre reacted defensively.

 Oh well, our values and believes are pretty much set in stone at our age, so it’s only natural to feel afraid of unfamiliar places.

 Stella and Nina smile wryly at Andre’s adorable reaction.

「Right, Nina. Andre-san might not be afraid of the royal capital if you give him ‘that’」

「You’re right」

 When I whispered in her ear, Nina took something out from her pouch as if she remembered something. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

「Here you go, these are souvenirs for you both!」

「Ooooohhh! A present from Nina!」

 Andre is trembling in happiness and becomes completely frozen from Nina’s present.

 Strictly speaking, it’s a souvenir, but I guess it can also be said to be a present.

 Carefully opening the wrapping paper, Andre takes out the wine glass from inside.

「It’s a wine glass!」

「Un! I couldn’t buy tousan’s favorite wine, but you will be able to use a glass of wine for a long time」

「Thank you, Nina! I’m going to drink wine with this glass every day from now on!」

「You can’t do that every day」

「Un, you can’t」

 Andre declared - overcome with emotion - but Stella and Nina rejected it.

 He’d be so happy if he were probably drinking every day after all.

「Kaasan too, open it open it!」

「Okay」

 Urged by Nina, Stella opens the package.

 Inside was the hair band with orange flower decoration she had bought at the general store.

「Ara, there are beautiful hair bands in the royal capital, eh」

「I was also surprised! There is a lot of variety, I was troubled about which to choose!」

「I’m happy to wear anything that Nina chose for me」

 Ooh, Stella unusually said something like Andre after receiving a souvenir from Nina.

 As expected, any parent will be happy receiving something from their daughter.

 Thinking like this, I should have given my father a few more presents. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com

 Somehow, I feel embarrassed that I didn’t do that. I regret what my past self didn’t do.

 I wasn’t able to do it with my relatives, but I can do so with people close by who took care of me.

「I also have souvenirs for the three of you」

「Ooh, really?」

 Andre shows an expression of anticipation after I said that.

 I take out several packages from my subspace and hand them over to Andre.

「……smells good. Could it be, food?」

「Yes, there are foods from the royal capital inside. It was preserved with Space magic, so it’s almost fresh. Please have them for dinner if you’d like」

「So warm! Thank you, Kureto!」

 I made a promise with Nina back at the mansion. That I will bring some to Andre and Stella when we return.

「Lastly,a  souvenir for Nina」

「Eh? Me too?」

 Nina looks amazed, I guess she didn’t think there would be something for her, too.

 I take out a small package from my subspace and hand it to Nina.

 It was the same package I got when I went to the general store with Nina. Seeing that, Nina made a face as if she realized what was inside.

 Nervously opening the package, she took out a hair band with light blue flower decoration.

「Ah, this is the one I was having difficulty choosing at the last moment!」

「It’s a gift from me. I think it will be nice to wear a matching one with Stella」

 I ended up buying it since I want to see the sight of a mother-daughter pair happily wearing the same type of hair band.

 I bought it to satisfy my personal feeling, but I wonder if she’s happy to receive it?

「Thank you, Kureto! I’m so happy!」

「That’s good to hear」

 It seems like such a worry was unnecessary, as Nina thanked me while holding the hair band carefully.

「Why don’t you both wear it since you’re all here」

 Stella and Nina nodded at Andre’s request and wore the hair bands that had just been bought.

 They both have the same hair done in a ponytail. Behind their head, light blue and orange flowers are in full bloom.

 Checking each other's hair bands after wearing them, Stella and Nina looked as close as sisters.

「Thank you, Kureto」

 Seeing the two of them looking so happy, Andre mutters.

「No, thank you」

 I felt like I was able to do something I couldn’t do in my previous life, thanks to the three of them. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com