Sasaki and Peeps - Volume 1 - Chapter 1

<Invitation to Another World>

With my fortieth birthday nearly at hand, my heart was lonely.

Which was why I’d come to a pet shop. One of my senior coworkers had adopted a cat, and the pure joy on his face when he brought up his beloved kitten had infected me. That cat was now plastered all over his computer and phone wallpapers. His every day suddenly seemed blissful.

Still, cats weren’t exactly a beginner’s pet.

Having one would catapult apartment-renting deposits into the stratosphere, and they needed a lot of space. To make matters worse, I’d been told the start-up fee for cats was in the hundreds of thousands of yen. Sadly, with my meager salary, that was enough to make me have second thoughts.

I wish I had money, I thought. That way, I could adopt my very own cat. Actually, even a dog wouldn’t be out of the question. A golden retriever—the greatest pupper of them all.

But I didn’t have that kind of money, so no dogs or cats for me.

And that brought me to today. For today, I was after a small bird.

My current home was a studio apartment with a separate kitchen, which limited the space I had to raise pets. That narrowed my options down to a bird or a rat. Unfortunately, rats had a heartrendingly short life span—I’d heard that most of them died within two to three years.

If I was to raise a rat, I’d be too preoccupied with trying to cherish our short time together, the dread that this year or the next might be our last together always lurking in the back of my mind. What I wanted was a pet to heal me, not add all that tension to my daily life.

When I thought about it that way, a bird was the only choice. If possible, I wanted one that was relatively quiet, smart, and able to handle a degree of stress.

Spying a golden retriever puppy in the shop, my heart longed for a big dog. It yearned to raise a golden retriever in a spacious single-family home.

“He’s so cute…”

The puppy was dozing in its cage. I couldn’t help but let my gaze linger on the adorable scene; it almost made me pause on my way through the shop. My eyes were drawn to the price tag, and I found myself comparing the number with my credit card limit.

But even if the limit would have allowed for it, this was one wish that wouldn’t be granted.

My home, after all, was a tiny six-tatami room—only about a hundred square feet. More importantly, I still didn’t have the money to shell out for it.

Letting the sweet little puppy pass me by, I continued toward the bird section.

“There they are…”

I’d already decided on the species: a Java sparrow.

As far as birds went, according to the internet, they were comparatively quiet, fairly smart, and lived for about seven or eight years. Plus, they were small—and easily grew attached to people. Once I’d learned that, I couldn’t imagine getting any other type of bird, so I’d arrived at the pet shop with one goal in mind.

“Oh no, they’re adorable.”

Buying it. Already bought, in fact. But which to choose? The shop had more than I’d thought it would.

“……”

This was troubling. After all, I was about to choose my life partner for the next several years. Considering how most divorces happen within the first five years, I was basically searching for a marriage partner. I needed to adopt one that had values as compatible with my own as possible. Appearance was another important factor.

I went down the line of cages, carefully checking each. After a few, I heard a voice from one of them.

“Pick me, pick me!”

“……”

That sparrow had just spoken to me.

Though it surprised me, I had read online that a rare few of these birds could speak. Maybe this was one of them.

“Pick me, pick me!”

It seemed it wanted to go home with me.

Not that I believed it understood what it was saying. I was sure that was just a phrase it had picked up from someone. Besides, those were the only words it kept repeating. A conversation between a customer and a store clerk must have sparked something in this particular sparrow. Talk about slick self-marketing.

“……”

It had certainly piqued my interest. In fact, I was starting to feel like fate had a hand in this.

Well! My mind was made up.

“Excuse me! I’d like this Java sparrow…”

My new family member would be this chatty bird.

I left the pet shop and returned home. After cleaning the birdcage, I set it on a colored plywood box in a corner of the room. With that, the welcome reception was complete. Unlike with cats or dogs, I didn’t need to set up a pen or somewhere for it to go to the bathroom, which was nice. The only other things I’d prepared had been bird food and a cloth to hang over the cage.

“You’re so cute…”

Looking at the creature inside just warmed my heart. Golden retrievers were great and all, but so were Java sparrows. Pleased to meet you—and welcome to the team.

“Oh, that’s right. I need to give you a name.”

But what sort of name would be good? I wanted to give it a cute one. Preferably something that commented on its appearance somehow.

“My name is Piercarlo the Starsage, inhabitant of another world.”

“……”

It had just talked. The sparrow had spoken to me. It seemed as though it already had a splendid name of its own—wait, no, that didn’t make sense.

“Piercarlo?”

“Indeed.”

“……”

Oh, great. I’d just communicated with a bird. Like a regular conversation. Didn’t Mr. Yamada from the pet shop say this chick was only two months old? He’d told me if I acclimated it to human contact, it might even learn to sit on my hand. I’d headed home, vowing to make that happen.

“Peeps.”

“Peeps.”

“Great. We’ll go with Peeps.”

“……”

For a moment, it seemed like his face got a little scarier. Was he unhappy with it? But he was so cute.

I decided to talk to him a bit more, just to make sure.

“Peeps, what would you like to eat today?”

“I desire a Kobe beef chateaubriand.”

“What? How did you…?”

“The man named Yamada employed at the shop claimed it was the greatest thing he had ever tasted.”

“……”

That did it. This was definitely a conversation.

Also, Mr. Yamada was sure eating some fine cuts of meat. Didn’t chateaubriand go for, like, ten thousand yen per one hundred grams? And the famous brands were twice that, even, or three times…

“…You don’t want these pellets here?” I asked, pointing to the bag beside the cage. It contained the comprehensive nutritional diet pellets I’d bought when I’d gotten him. The clerk had said they were packed with all the nutrients sparrows needed and that as long as the bird ate these, the only other thing it would require was water. It was a lifetime diet for a sparrow—kind of like a chain restaurant beef bowl for poor office workers.

“Their taste is not to my liking.”

“Oh…”

If they didn’t taste good, that was that. If it were me, I wouldn’t want to eat lousy food, either.

Ah, but wait. The beef bowl from chain restaurants was actually pretty good. Top it with a heap of red pickled ginger and mix it with a raw egg, and that sweat you got when eating it was just the best. Whenever I got off the last train and had some of it at the neighborhood beef bowl place, I felt like I could put in my best again the next day. Occasionally, I’d splurge and get a bowl of pork miso soup with it, too.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think I can do chateaubriand.”

“Why is that?”

“It’s a very expensive kind of meat, and I don’t have the money to buy it.”

“…Is that so?”

“I’m sorry you had to be bought by a poor office worker.”

“……”

For the time being, I set aside the fact that I was talking to a sparrow. An impulse flew through me to take a video of him and upload it to YouTube, but he was more human than I’d anticipated, so I hesitated to do something like that. For now, I decided to talk to him a little more.

“I have pork ribs. Would you like some of them instead? They’re in the freezer.”

“If you haven’t the money, you need only earn it.”

“Huh?”

Does he not like pork ribs? I think they’re pretty tasty myself, but…

“I’ve thought about a great many things since being exiled from the otherworld and receiving new life in this form: How will I return to my former world? What do I need to do to accomplish that task? And what would I do if I did return?”

“…Is that right?”

All of a sudden, he’d started up a monologue. This sparrow had quite the backstory—more than I’d ever imagined. I found myself getting curious about the rest of it and had replied before I knew it.

“And I arrived at a conclusion.”

The way his beak kept popping open and closed was so cute. It was like he was begging his mama bird to feed him.

“That I should, simply put, start living the way I wish.”

“…I see.”

Despite the big preface, his epiphany was fairly average. Still, the perspective was, in my opinion, precious. It isn’t worth wasting your own time trying to fit in with everyone else. We all die alone; I figured it was better to do everything you wanted, to the best of your ability, while you were alive. As a corporate slave, I felt this keenly.

Anyway, was that why he’d been saying Pick me, pick me? He was starting to seem positively adorable.

“To that end, I require the assistance of someone from this world.”

“I understand.”

“I’d like you to help me. You’ll find it quite easy to make riches if you do.”

“You know I’d do anything for my cute little birdie, but—”

“Good. The contract has been finalized.”

“What—?”

The sparrow cut me off by opening his beak and giving a squawk.

And then, suddenly, a magic circle emerged in front of me—the sort you see a lot in anime and manga. It floated in midair, glittering brightly. I don’t remember buying a toy like this, I thought. Had Peeps created this?

“Peeps, what’s this?”

“I shall give you a portion of my powers,” the bird said, the magic circle giving off more light.

Then with a quick flash, my vision went white. It was incredibly bright. Unable to withstand it, I shut my eyes and flinched. As I did, I felt a warm sensation materialize in my breast. It felt almost like someone had stuffed heating pouches inside me.

“Wait, I, uh, hold on…”

“Calm yourself. It’ll only last a moment.”

“……”

If nothing else had convinced me, this little act had—Peeps was no ordinary sparrow. Maybe I should have gone with the bird in the next cage over, I thought in spite of myself. What if this magic circle produced short electromagnetic wavelengths? Like, radiation exposure? Maybe I’d have to make my next checkup a more thorough screening.

The brilliance only lasted ten seconds or so. Gradually, the glow from inside the cage subsided. The magic circle that had appeared in front of Peeps also vanished.

“We are now connected by a path.”

“What?”

I had no idea what a path was. It certainly didn’t look like anything existed between us.

“Would you open this cage for me?”

“Oh. Right.”

I didn’t quite grasp what was happening, but I’d come this far—might as well see it through. I had a lot of things I wanted to say about whatever this was, but I was already too caught up in it to bother. I was also a little afraid of pissing off Peeps by complaining. Since we were going to be living in the same room, I preferred to stay on good terms.

I slid the cage door open.

“…Is that good?”

“It is.”

Peeps flew out of the cage and settled on my shoulder. A sparrow on my shoulder! How cute! He didn’t even have to practice standing on my hand and positioned himself right next to my head. I was ecstatic—I’d done the right thing, picking this one.

“I can now use my former power by channeling it through your body. Your flesh is quite frail, but it is better than this small bird’s. Using magic should not cripple you, at least.”

“Um, if this is going to be bad for my health, I’d like to refuse…”

“Let us be off.”

A moment later, my vision went black.

A few moments after the blackout, I noticed the scenery had changed completely.

To summarize, it was a fantasy world of swords and magic. The streets were lined with stone buildings, and the path was paved with bricks. The people going by looked just like the characters in a role-playing game. Here and there, I could see swords, spears, and armor—retro-looking items, every one. I even watched as a carriage clattered by.

We stood in an alley that opened up onto a main road, watching all this from the side.

“Peeps, where are we?”

“The world in which I lived before my reincarnation into this form.”

“Oh.”

“It is a provincial town in the Kingdom of Herz called Baytrium.”

“By the way, I’m not wearing shoes.”

“…Indeed you aren’t.”

In fact, I still had on the sweatshirt and sweatpants that I only really wore at home. It made me very self-conscious. If I was going to be out in public, I at least wanted a pair of slacks and a collared shirt. Thanks to my age, it was hard to get away with jeans and a T-shirt these days. I felt like I couldn’t expect basic human rights unless I had on at least a jacket and slacks.

Just going to a convenience store or supermarket in jeans and a T-shirt versus pants and a nice shirt made the clerks look at you differently. Maybe it was my imagination, but for a gross, poor older guy, it was a vital form of self-defense. A business card and a suit and tie—they alone would protect older dudes the world over.

“This certainly does seem like another world.”

“Convinced?”

“Yes, I think I finally get you.”

“Happy to hear it.”

It looked like he hadn’t been lying to me. A talking bird should probably have been enough to convince me, but the sensation of bricks beneath my feet dispelled every last doubt I had.

“But how does this connect to making money?”

“We can travel freely between this world and yours.”

“…And?”

“We can do business between the two worlds. Things that are cheap in your world may sell for a high price in this one. And inexpensive items from this world may be valuable in yours.”

“I see.”

“And that should be enough to put Kobe beef chateaubriand on my plate.”

“…I suppose.”

I had figured out what Peeps was implying. I had the feeling, though, that it would take a lot of time to build a watertight system for it. After all, he was suggesting the possibility of exchanging items from this world with yen—which was synonymous with circulating stolen goods.

And it would be very hard work for any of this to actually get chateaubriand onto our plates every day. It would cost tens of thousands of yen per meal, which would be over ten million yen per year. That wasn’t the kind of money you could ever take lightly.

“Peeps, that might be pretty difficult.”

“Why is that?”

“Even if we did obtain valuables in this world and bring them to mine, we’d have no way to convert it into money. If anyone asked where they came from, I wouldn’t be able to explain it.”

“…Why not?”

“If I was honest and told them it came from another world, it would be a catastrophe.”

“Could you not simply keep it secret?”

“I thought you’d say that—but no.”

If an ordinary, lifelong wage slave repeatedly brought things to a pawnshop, the shop owner would, beyond a shadow of a doubt, contact the police. Pawnshops actually work with the authorities in secret pretty frequently. If they asked me where I’d gotten the goods… Well, I couldn’t think of any way to get through that line of questioning.

Even if I was able to make the exchange, it would definitely be exposed on my tax return.

Japan, in particular, is very precise about managing currency circulation. Sex workers, for example, often get penalized with additional taxes by the government simply because they are self-employed and start working without understanding the system.

Even when your salary is paid in cash, it’s surprisingly easy to get caught. Tax office workers have ways to check into the flow of our money, and they’ve only gotten more effective as the digital economy has become more and more normalized. A remarkable number of people don’t know that one of the goals of a cashless society is so they have a perfect grasp of every single person’s expenditures.

I knew that if I was to continuously exchange high-value items for money in the public market, they’d start wondering where the items were coming from. If a tax office investigated me via my dealings with a pawnshop, it would be over just like that. Still, that didn’t mean I could ever make the decision to simply not pay taxes on public deals.

Japan has adopted a system of tax payment by self-assessment and a system of taxation by estimate. If they were to learn I’d been evading taxes, the tax office would force me to pay penalty taxes based on their calculations. To avoid that, I’d have to present a convincing legal case.

I could say a lot of things, but not that I’d brought treasures from another world. If I told them that, they’d interrogate me until I told them literally everything—and they’d take Peeps away from me. Plus, even if I went bankrupt, I would still have to pay the taxes.

Risks like that weren’t something I wanted to take. That meant we needed some way to prevent them from happening—such as money laundering, the kind you see a lot in yakuza films.

Ideally, I’d just be able to exchange the goods for yen and pay the taxes, but that was simply impossible. The whole idea was predicated on otherworld commodities that would never add up in the books. To make these deals a reality, I would need to come up with a better solution.

I explained all that to Peeps.

“Your world’s financial systems seem quite troublesome.”

“They really are.”

“But also incredible. It’s a wonderful system, in my opinion.”

Surprisingly, he was quite understanding. What a clever bird. I even thought, despite myself, that maybe recording us talking like this and uploading it to YouTube would be the quickest way to achieve our goal. I wouldn’t do it, though—I’d feel too sorry for him.

“And if we got things anyone could get and sold them at auctions or in flea markets, we wouldn’t be able to get your Kobe beef chateaubriand for dinner every day. It may take some time to accomplish what you’re suggesting.”

“Hmm…”

“On that note. How do those pork ribs sound for tonight?”

Depending on how you cooked them, pork ribs could be quite delicious. They were the king of all stir-fry ingredients, and pork kimchi was the best of all—perfect with rice.

“I suppose there is little choice. I must give up on enjoying myself in your world.”

“Sorry about that. And after you went through all the trouble of suggesting it.”

“In exchange, we shall enjoy this world instead. That suits you, does it not? My curiosity pertaining to the food and entertainment of your world is boundless, but the road is long, and there’s no rush. Sometimes, one can wait a short while, and the situation will change.”

“Does this world not have systems like ours?”

“Taxation exists, but it is nothing so strict.”

“Oh.”

That shouldn’t cause a problem, then.

As it happened, I had been getting pretty curious about our surroundings. Watching from where we were in the street, everything I saw was completely new to me, and I was in the mood for some sightseeing. If we could come and go at will, then it looked like my vacation plans for the time being were all set.

“It seems we have settled on that, then.”

“Sounds good to me.”

With the two of us in agreement, we went back to my apartment.

The next day was a weekday, which meant all good wage slaves had to go to the office at their assigned times. This day, however, it would be just a tiny bit different for me.

“Wow, we really can move here instantly…”

Peeps chanted a spell, and a magic circle emerged at my feet. A moment later, my surroundings had changed from the front door of my apartment to the back alley right next to where I worked. In the blink of an eye, we’d moved a dozen or so kilometers.

I had effortlessly evaded taking a packed train. What could possibly make me happier? That one man, older than me, who I fought for a seat every day—it frustrated me to forfeit my match with him, but on the other hand, it was kind of like moving into the major leagues from the minors. Thinking of it like that was satisfying.

“Didn’t I say as much?”

“Well, sure, but you had to expect it would be shocking for me.”

“You just experienced this yesterday.”

“Yeah, but I thought that was a setup specifically for going to other worlds.”

“The fundamental idea is no different.”

I was whispering back and forth with Peeps, who was perched on my shoulder. Fortunately, the surrounding area was clear of people. He said he could use magic to bring me here instantly, so I figured we might as well test it—and now we were actually here. It was making me more excited than I should have been for my age. The possibilities of this spell were endless.

“Could I use it, too?”

“Currently, you have only received my mana. You may have the power needed to use a spell, but that alone is not enough. However, if you keep to your daily training, you will eventually be able to use magic just as I do. It may still take time, though, depending on several factors.”

“Oh, is it possible for you to expand on that a little…?”

“Once you have returned from work, I will teach you.”

“Really? Thanks so much, Peeps.”

“I’ll await you at home.”

Suddenly, I was really looking forward to my after-work time. I’d have to finish up early and get back home.

“You’ll go to the bathroom in the cage like you’re supposed to, right?”

“Yes, I am fully aware.”

With a brief answer, Peeps vanished along with the magic circle. What a clever bird he was, learning where to use the bathroom on day one. He only cost three thousand yen, too. What a bargain! I did still wonder why he was a little cheaper than the other birds, though.

The workplace looked the same as usual. We weren’t a very well-known business—just an average-size company, the sort you’d find anywhere. Bad sales meant bad wages. And naturally, I didn’t get paid overtime, so I had been barely scraping by since I’d been hired.

Changing jobs was out of the question, since before I knew it, I had passed thirty. To someone like me who had experienced a job drought before, facing the market again was a frightening prospect, so I let my company work me to the bone. I figured they’d probably keep using me like that until the day I died.

“Mr. Sasaki, could you take a quick look at this settlement report?”

“Hmm?”

My colleague had spoken to me from the next seat over. He was a newer employee who had been here for four years now. He’d enrolled right out of his technical college, making him twenty-four this year.

Other companies might consider a fourth-year employee a key part of the team, and as a coworker, he was excellent. Unfortunately, those above him were nearly a decade older, so he was still being called the new guy. I felt kind of sorry for him. In my personal opinion, he was the best worker in our office.

“…Right. Yes, the language here does bother me a little.”

“Oh, you thought so, too?”

“You know how the department head is. I think you should explain that part a bit more.”

“Thank you, I will.”

“You really don’t need to spend your time on trivial things like this. Feel free to ask me whatever you want— In fact, you could just pass it straight to me. Then maybe you could get some work-work done, and we’d all benefit.”

“Work-work?”

“You know. Stuff you could use somewhere else…”

“……”

“…What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I was just thinking you’re absolutely right.”

“Right?”

He was still young—there were better places that would let him shine. He didn’t need to spend all his time working for a dull manager at this tired old company.

“Want to go have a smoke?” he suggested.

“No, no. I don’t smoke.”

“Then I’ll buy you a soda or something.”

“Well, I suppose…”

Accepting his invitation, I got up from my seat. Normally, we’d have gone to the vending machines on the same floor. This time, though, he led us right past them and outside. I followed him quietly, wondering where on earth he was going.

Eventually, we came to an alley next to our company’s building. It was two, maybe three meters wide. No vending machines in sight. He picked a spot with no one around—what did he want to talk about?

My colleague, expression serious, spoke.

“Mr. Sasaki, would you be interested in going independent with me?”

“Huh?”

“I plan on quitting this job next month.”

“…Oh.”

This was a heavier topic than I’d expected. He filled me in on the details—he’d started planning a start-up half a year ago. He’d already been talking to several business connections he had, and that was apparently going well. As for his team, he’d called up some of his school friends and had gotten quite a few of them on board.

“I think having someone with your experience would really help us out.”

“……”

It seemed like he’d asked me because he thought having at least one older person would round out their young team. I was extremely happy to get the invitation, but it was such a sudden offer it caught me off guard.

“Can I count on you? I think we can offer you more than you’re getting now.”

“Well…”

But I couldn’t exactly answer on the spot, could I? I’d just adopted Peeps the previous day. I was pretty pressed for time right now.

“Would you give me a little while to think it over?”

“Yes, of course. You’re even free to see how things go from the outside for a year or so. I know you’re probably uneasy with a bunch of young people like me putting together a start-up. It’s only natural.”

“No, that’s not what I meant. It’s just that my, well, private life is a little busy…”

“Huh? Oh, are you getting married?”

“…No, that’s not it.”

“It isn’t? I’m sorry; I guess I shouldn’t have asked that.”

“But I am really happy you invited me. Thank you.”

“Not at all. I’ll look forward to your answer.”

“Okay.”

He explained he would be the face of the company. I’d always thought he was talented, but to launch a start-up at his age—that was really something. Having him approach me so frankly was an unexpected and happy occurrence.

If there did end up being something I could help them with, I’d gladly give him a proper answer then.

I had just gotten back from work and was at the door of my apartment when I noticed a figure in front of my next-door neighbor’s place. A middle school student wearing the sailor uniform of a nearby school was sitting with her knees up and her back against the door. A bag sat next to her—probably the one designated by her school. When I noticed her there and looked over, she glanced up at me as well, and our eyes met.

“Hello,” she said in greeting.

With the temperature dropping down fast, I felt chilly just looking at her, hugging her knees and making herself seem even smaller. I didn’t notice her wearing any cold-weather clothing under her skirt—only her socks were visible, pulled up all the way. The wind had been strong recently, including today. She must have been cold.

“It’s been getting colder out. Are you all right?”

“…I’m fine.”

This wasn’t the first time I’d talked to the girl. I’d known her since she was in elementary school. She’d been living in the next unit over with her mother since before I moved here. From her seat on the floor, she claimed that her mother wouldn’t let her into the apartment until she got home. This woman was either a toxic parent or a neglectful one.

At first, we hadn’t had much to do with one another. Once, I’d put in an anonymous tip to a public agency. Since then, I’d just pretended I didn’t see it happening. I hated that, but if I wasn’t careful, talking to her could get me arrested. I figured this was a job for the authorities anyway.

“I’ve got a disposable heating pouch here, if you want it…”

“Are you sure?”

“They’re cheap, and I bought a few too many.”

“…Thank you.”

However, I still saw no signs of things improving. How many months had passed like this? One day, I’d come home on the last train of the night after a company drinking party. Flecks of snow were visible on the rooftops, and she was sitting just as she was now, holding her knees in front of the door. Her stomach rumbling had drowned out the sound of my key in the lock, and I gave in. At the time, I guess I just pitied her. I’d grabbed a pastry from my apartment and given it to her—that was our first contact. Since then, I’d give her a little something now and then when we saw each other.

“Well, good-bye.”

“Good-bye…”

Bowing slightly to my neighbor, I entered my apartment. I made no move to invite her in. Even if she’d accepted, letting someone under eighteen into your home would be kidnapping—a criminal offense. I’d done some research, and even for a first-time offender, the prosecution would just skip the probation and go right to the jail sentence. I couldn’t take that much of a risk with a parent I already knew was guilty of neglect.

So I kept our conversations to a minimum, too. I was only giving her a little bit of help until she could stand on her own.

That evening, I had arrangements to receive a lecture on magic in my apartment from Peeps.

I’d finished eating dinner and had a bath, and my mind and body were clean and clear. I sat in the chair at my desk, and Peeps perched atop his metal cage, positioned on top of some cardboard boxes in the corner of the room. It was a cramped apartment—a studio with a kitchen—so our current positions seemed likely to become routine.

“I see. So you chant the words and create an image in your mind, and it just comes out?”

“Now that I’ve shared my power with you, you don’t need to worry about lacking mana. You will likely never need any more for most spells. If you can chant the appropriate words and construct a sufficient image in your mind, you can use magic.”

“That’s surprisingly ordinary.”

“Ordinary in what way?”

“Sorry. Don’t mind me.”

This meant the issue came down to chanting. If the incantation was long enough to fill a whole page of notebook paper, there was no way I could memorize it. It would be nice if they were as short as the ones in fantasy games—I wondered if there were any like that.

“How long are the incantations?”

“It depends on the spell. Some are short; others are long. The shortest are just a few words in a row, but the longest might take up an entire book. Memorizing the latter would likely prove impossible.”

“That’s quite a range.” More so than I’d expected.

I remembered having to read aloud in Japanese class during my school days—and how one time a kid named Ookawauchi had been called on by the teacher to read aloud, and brandishing his textbook in front of him, he’d started belting out the magic chant from a popular anime. Wonder how he’s doing these days. If the bell hadn’t rang as he was trying to sort out his failed prank, things would have gone a lot worse for him.

“You can also shorten incantations once you are accustomed to them. However, to do that, you’ll need an even stronger, even clearer mental image. It’s hard to describe, but spells will steadily sink in over the course of using them hundreds or thousands of times.”

“Hearing all this makes it sound more like a practiced skill than I thought.”

“Yes. And that is why learning magic takes time.”

I’d been thinking magic was more of a specific technique. This seemed much more difficult. But it was basically like making an illustration, wasn’t it? Beginners did plenty of rough drawings before starting their final draft. Professionals, on the other hand, could start from the draft, since they could tell what it would be like already. Depending on their level of skill, they could even skip all the way to the line work. Was that a good analogy for incantations and shortening them?

When I thought about it like that, it started to feel like this was going to be a long journey. I’m pretty bad at drawing, too…

“Personally, I’d like to use the spell for teleportation like you did this morning.”

“That is a fairly advanced form of magic. The incantation isn’t overly long, but it is extremely difficult to form the mental image. I cannot recommend it as a first spell, with you only just beginning your studies.”

“I see.”

I still wanted to use the teleportation spell, though. I could skip the crowded trains. I could make my commute time zero. Being a corporate slave working in the city gave that a value that was hard to substitute. I could rent a cheap place in Hokkaido for the summer and in Okinawa for the winter, then still work here in the city. It was like a dream—and this spell could make it reality. I very much wanted to learn it.

This morning, I’d shown Peeps the company’s location and a picture of the area using a map application, so he could see what it looked like before transporting me there. He’d mentioned it was difficult to go somewhere you haven’t already been, but even he was surprised at how smoothly it went. It was a fearsome combination of magic with satellite imagery and a street view.

“In that case, I’d like to learn two spells at once. Would that work? First, I’ll learn whatever spell you think would be easiest, and at the same time, I’ll study the teleportation one. How does that sound?”

“Quite ambitious, I must say. You seem quite curious about magic.”

“Maybe not magic in general, but definitely the teleportation.”

“I see. Then you will need diligence. I will teach you the spells. In the meantime, I can send you to work. It will likely make it easier for you to form the image in your head as you experience it over and over.”

“Thank you so much, Peeps.”

The night hours passed just like that. Peeps told me the incantations needed for the spells, and I wrote them down in a notebook. In contrast to the teleportation spell, which was about half a page long, the other spell was only the length of a haiku.

I’d read and memorize them during my breaks at work. It was best to go steady with everything. If you went hard right away at something you weren’t used to, you’d quickly exhaust yourself. Good old daily practice suited my personality. Still, the idea of teleportation magic was attractive enough to make even me want to rush.

The problem occurred the next day in my office. And the cause was magic.

During my lunch break, I’d read out a spell, a notebook in one hand. Not the teleportation one, but one Peeps had explained to me as being simpler. I must have gotten the incantation and mental image right, because a small flame burst to life at my fingertips. Essentially, it was like a magic lighter.

I was in a bathroom stall at the time. When the spell triggered, it created a bigger flame than I was expecting. It was stronger than a lighter—it was more like what you got when you sprayed a flammable aerosol into a lighter’s flame. The flame was so large that I started to panic.

A moment later, the smoke detectors went off, and things went down the crapper. I’d obviously be in deep trouble if they found me out, so I hurried out of the bathroom. Returning to the now-lively office, I joined up with my concerned coworkers and looked back at the restrooms, acting like I didn’t know anything.

Fortunately, they never found the culprit and decided someone had lit a cigarette in a restroom stall. I was eliminated as a suspect right away since I never smoked, and things ended without incident.

When I got home and told Peeps about it, his reply was encouraging. “It seems you have more of an affinity for this than I thought.”

“Affinity?”

“I didn’t think you would succeed all at once. That is quite an accomplishment.”

“Getting praised by you like this makes me kind of happy.”

“And you should be proud. The day may well come when you exceed even my powers.”

“Does that mean if I try hard, the teleportation spell will be possible?”

“I had thought at first it would take years, regardless of how fast you were. But if you keep this pace, it will probably happen much more quickly. It will still take more than a mere few days, however. Just never forget your daily diligence.”

As a modern man born and raised in a society always surrounded by tests and exams—high school exams, university entrance exams, all manner of certification tests—I was used to tackling a single task over the span of years. Since picking up a guitar as a hobby, a few years had passed in the blink of an eye.

“I know it’s early, but can you teach me other magic, too?”

“Indeed I can. Next…”

Peeps generously taught me more spells.

I took these and created folders on my PC, neatly separating them into such fantasy-esque categories as attack magic, healing magic, fire magic, and water magic. It felt almost like I’d become a novelist. Memorizing these spells would be my daily task, it seemed. One was over a page long.

Peeps, you’re really something. How did you memorize all this?

I spent nearly an hour organizing the text files I’d be studying for now. Then once my magic studies were complete, it was time for a short stay in the otherworld.

“Now then, we shall hurry on to the otherworld.”

“Oh, about that. Do you have a second?”

“What is it?”

“I wanted to know what happens here while we’re over there.”

It would be no joke if I ended up being late for work after returning. Today was Tuesday, tomorrow was Wednesday—for the next three days, I had to show up at my desk at the office at nine AM every day. Morning roll call was set in stone at my company, and they timed it very strictly. If I missed roll call, I’d immediately be marked as late. The management—led by the company president—seemed to have it a little easier, but it didn’t take much for us rank-and-file employees to get a bad reputation. This rule has been instated five years ago, when our profits started to plunge.

“Time does not flow equally there. Last time, I calculated the difference. If my estimation is correct, the long needle on that clock moved about three times.”

When had he figured that out? Peeps was just such a clever bird. I didn’t have the disposition to think that far ahead. It felt like we’d been over there for a little under an hour to me. If that was right, three minutes in this world was one hour to theirs. In other words, an hour here was around twenty in that world. That was a bigger gap than I could have anticipated—almost an entire day.

“…Peeps, that place is incredible.”

“Is it?”

If I ever collapsed or caught a cold, I could ask Peeps to take me over. I could get a few days’ worth of rest and refreshment, and only a few hours would have passed here. That was literally out of this world!

But wait, wouldn’t that mean my life span would be shortened at the same rate? In that case, I would probably be better off not doing it too often.

“There’s still more than an hour before the date changes, so let’s get going. Thank you again.”

“Mm. Let’s be off.”

His beak popped open adorably, after which a magic circle emerged in front of him—the same effect as before. And the next thing I knew, my body had been moved from my apartment without a trace.

The first thing I did upon arriving at the otherworld was to start trading the merchandise I’d brought with me.

Since this world was lax about currency management and taxation, I’d carried along as much as I could. I put it all in a large backpack I’d bought a few years ago after deciding to make a hobby out of mountain climbing. I’d used it once, after which it had sat there gathering dust—until now, at least. Now it was packed full of goods.

I’d already had Peeps check the things I’d stocked up on. As an observer—and a former local of this world—he had pointed out last night what items would probably sell for a high price. Most were things I didn’t have in the apartment, so on my way home from work, I’d stopped by the neighborhood superstore and bought them.

The goods included the following: ten kilograms of chocolate bars, ten kilograms of white caster sugar, one thousand sheets of printer paper, and five hundred ballpoint pens.

After having lugged it all here, I was struck by how insanely heavy the load was. The five hundred ballpoint pens, which I’d picked up last, were especially conspicuous. With one being ten grams, that meant five hundred weighed five kilograms. I never thought the day would come when I’d be measuring pens in kilograms.

All of it, though, would apparently sell at a high price in this world.

I wondered if it was all right not to quarantine the goods, but according to Peeps, that was likely not going to pose an issue. Since I had no familiarity with this world, I had little reason to doubt him.

Besides, these days, even common items get antibacterial treatment. Big manufacturers have clean, hygienic manufacturing processes. In that sense, my body was probably far more dangerous than any of my wares.

On the other hand, caution was probably advisable when I ultimately brought things back home. Even a single bug on my jacket could be catastrophic. A clothing brush, at least, as a precautionary measure would likely be a good idea. I’d have to grab one the next chance I got.

“The nobility has great influence in this world. If you wish to make large sums of money at once, you will be dealing primarily with them. Commoners form the majority of the population, but their total wealth is far less than that of the nobles.”

“Not much different from my world, then.”

As I walked down the street, I saw the same sights as before. If I recalled correctly, this was a provincial town in the Kingdom of Herz called Baytrium. Though night had fallen in Japan, it was still midday here.

“Still, it will be too difficult to trade with high-standing nobles right away. It will be easiest to form relationships with nobles of lower rank, then have them introduce you to others. Thus, I would like you to meet the lord of this domain.”

“An acquaintance of yours?”

“Not precisely, but I can vouch for his character. However, I would like you to keep my return to this world a secret for now. This will be very important to help secure your own safety.”

“Wait, does that mean…?”

“Do not worry. It is not what you are thinking.”

“Are you sure?”

I didn’t want to think about my pet having a criminal record. I wanted him to be clean in body and soul, so I could love him unconditionally.

“The world consists of many types of people. It’s not possible to forge harmonious relationships with them all. Even simply maintaining a normal lifestyle is bound to produce unwanted discord. It was as a result of this that I had to cross over to your world.”

“……”

Despite his looks, maybe Peeps has had a really rough time of things. Maybe I could splurge on some slightly more expensive meat for dinner the next day. Perhaps a roast?

“That building is home to one of the trading companies run by the nobility. If you do business there, word will spread quickly. You should be able to raise money to make a start using the items you brought today.”

I followed Peeps’s gaze to a large building made of stone. Five stories high, it had an extremely pretentious design, and its architecture was similar to the gothic styles I’d seen in social studies textbooks. At its entrance stood an armor-clad man holding a spear, overseeing those going in and out. It looked like some foreign embassy building you might find in a city.

Before the heavily ornamented facade, I hesitated over whether I should really be going inside. Most of those entering and exiting had a high-class look to them, beyond what the others I saw on the streets were wearing. This place was probably like Japan’s Isetan or Mitsukoshi, both lavish, upscale department stores.

I had come wearing a suit, though, so while I did stand out from my surroundings, I trusted I wouldn’t be in violation of the dress code. Peeps, perched on my right shoulder, however, still made me hesitate.

“Should I really be going inside with a sparrow on my shoulder?”

“There should be no issue if you refer to me as a familiar.”

“I see— Those exist, huh?”

It looked like I’d have to study more than just magic—I’d need to acquaint myself with this world’s rules and sensibilities, too. Taboos would be the highest on the list of things to learn.

“Let’s go inside.”

“What’s this place called anyway?”

“The Hermann Trading Company.”

“I see. Hermann, then.”

Urged onward by the self-professed familiar, I let my steps take me inside the trading company.

To sum up, my dealings went far better than anticipated.

“This is incredible…”

I had been shown to what seemed to be a reception room, where we’d started talking shop. On the other side was a man who called himself the vice manager of the company. He was probably about my age, but his facial features were very handsome, and he was quite tall, to boot—good-looking enough to make me think he’d probably never had issues finding women. His green eyes and green slicked-back hair were striking. He went by the name Marc. Apparently, as a commoner, he didn’t have a surname.

“What do you think, Mr. Marc?”

Given that we had sat down for business, I decided to be formal, addressing Marc with mister and asking him his thoughts with a smile.

I certainly wondered why I even needed to sell products in another world. Somehow, though, given it was a request from my adorable birdie, I found that I was able to give it my all.

That didn’t mean it wasn’t difficult, of course. The reception room was even more lavish than I’d expected, and it had elicited in me unanticipated awe. Even the wooden frame of the chair I was sitting on had gold trim, and its cushion was soft enough that I sank into it. This had all conspired to put a slow, slimy sweat on my brow.

“I do believe I’d like to purchase everything you have.”

“Thank you very much.”

Peeps had clued me in to the prices for the items I’d brought, saying three hundred gold coins would be appropriate for everything. That broke down to fifty gold coins for the chocolate bars, fifty for the sugar, one hundred for the paper, and one hundred for the ballpoint pens.

In local currency, one gold coin was equivalent to one hundred silver coins; one silver coin to one hundred copper coins; and one copper coin to ten cents. For meals, lunch cost about ten copper coins, with a one-night, two-meal inn stay generally priced at about one silver coin. One copper coin seemed to be about the same as one hundred yen. Converting it like that gave three hundred million yen.

However, the price of crafted goods was terribly high compared to Japan, such as a new outfit costing ten silver coins or a kitchen knife—even a used one—costing around a dozen. So the real value probably had one or two fewer zeroes on the end, bringing the three hundred million yen to thirty million.

Also, this currency was only circulated in the nation that was home to the Hermann Trading Company, where I was presently doing business—in other words, the Kingdom of Herz. Adjacent kingdoms, explained Peeps, distributed their own forms of currency, with each weighed against the others according to relative strength.

“I can prepare four hundred gold coins right away.”

“Four hundred?” Peeps had mentioned the number three hundred beforehand; this was one hundred more. It was far too much money to be a miscalculation.

“In exchange, I would like to secure your business in the future…”

“Ah. In that case, very well.”

This was the shop my adorable little pet had recommended, so there couldn’t be any harm in making friends. I didn’t think this one trade would get my name around the lower echelons of the nobility; better to sell my things wholesale right here and build up business results.

“Thank you very much.”

Peeps hadn’t said anything at all this entire time. He just sat on my shoulder, still and patient. What a good-mannered sparrow he was. When starting my business, I’d simply explained he was a familiar and hadn’t gotten any pushback. Apparently, familiars were commonplace in this world—just like he’d told me.

There was, however, a concern with Peeps’s choice of perch. I remembered hearing from the pet shop clerk that birds would sometimes go to the bathroom very suddenly and being advised to be careful taking him out of his cage. I felt bad because I wanted to trust Peeps, but I couldn’t do so completely. No matter how logical his mind was, wouldn’t it be difficult for him to resist his biological imperatives? It seemed like a real possibility he might accidentally do his business right on my shoulder. The animal feces I saw littering the cages in the store spoke to some unfortunate accidents.

“Would you mind if I asked you a question, by the way?” the vice manager asked me right after our transaction was completed, his expression again turning serious.

“Not at all. What is it?”

“I understand the chocolate and the sugar. Their quality is positively mind-boggling, but even I could procure them given enough time. What I cannot understand are these pens and paper.”

“I see, sir.”

“Forgive my rudeness, but you appear to be from somewhere beyond our borders…”

“I’m terribly sorry, sir, but please allow me to keep my sources a secret. It may not be much in the way of compensation, but I won’t sell the paper or pens to any other store. I’d very much like to maintain our good relationship.”

“Do you mean that?”

“Yes, sir, I do.”

A little lip service never hurt. Plus, I’d always wanted, just once, to try some of that self-important business talk, no contract in sight. Days spent bowing on behalf of my company’s pathetic products flashed through my head. So this was how other company’s sales reps felt. What a devious pleasure. I relished it all the way to the bottom of my heart.

“Understood. I would very much like that as well.”

“Thank you so much for your understanding.”

With all that behind me, four hundred gold coins found their way into my pocket. I knew it was a significant amount, but it still hadn’t sank in. All I’d done was pass ten thousand or so yen’s worth of goods from right to left. It felt as though I hadn’t done any real work. I wondered if this was what it had been like for those who’d made a fortune from cryptocurrency during its genesis.

“Again, forgive my rudeness for asking, but are you lodging in the area?”

“No, I’m staying at an acquaintance’s house.”

“Oh, I see. I apologize again.”

“I believe I’ll be able to bring some more goods in the near future, so long as I have your permission.”

“Of course—you’re my guest, and you’re more than welcome.”

After parrying all sorts of questions with suitable answers, my first objective was complete. I was politely seen off, then I left the building behind me.

Just like Peeps had predicted, my backpack had emptied in under an hour. The same went for the printer paper and ballpoint pens I’d been carrying in my hands.

I was finally able to take a breather. It felt like a burden had been lifted from my shoulders—which it literally had.

I had exchanged all those wares for one hundred gold coins and three larger gold coins. Large gold coins were, as their name implied, bigger versions of the gold pieces, apparently worth one hundred of them each. They were used mostly for major business deals, though, and didn’t generally circulate in the markets.

Carrying around this fortune had me on pins and needles. Still, according to Peeps, there were no signs of anyone following me. That gave me some measure of comfort as I continued down the street. And physically, a job well done felt good, too.

Which all turned my attention to today’s lunch.

“Peeps, what should we do for lunch?”

“I would prefer a shop with tasty meat.”

“I wholeheartedly agree.”

The only issue was that this world didn’t have any restaurant review websites. Walking down the main road, I spotted plenty of eateries, but as someone who had been unlucky many times with places in the city, I was hesitant to charge in somewhere without knowing its reputation. Internet review sites were a must-have for the modern man.

“What say you to that shop there?”

“…It does smell good.”

The fragrant scents of cooked meat were wafting from its doors. It was so wonderful to have a partner who took the lead and suggested a place to eat at. Peeps was very cool and macho—so much so that I bet he was all the rage with the ladies before becoming a Java sparrow. In contrast, I was the type to fret and worry about things.

“Okay, let’s go there.”

“Yes.”

Time to sample some otherworld dishes. How exciting! Since I’d sold the chocolate bars and sugar at such a high price, my expectations were somewhat low. Still, I figured we could find one or two tasty offerings. Otherwise, there would be less point in me trying so hard in this world. Prompted by the sparrow’s glassy eyes, we headed into the store.

Or at least, we tried to.

Just as we were about to try the door, the entrance burst open, and someone came flying out.

“You sure as hell ain’t my apprentice anymore! Get out of here, now!”

The young man, who was either in his late teens or around twenty, groaned. He was tall and possessed some muscle. He seemed to be a cook, given the apron that was part of his outfit, but to me, he had more of a carpenter vibe. The sight of him being flung to the ground in front of the shop set my nerves on end.

The one who appeared to have sent him crashing outside was another man, also wearing an apron. This guy appeared to be in his forties. They were probably coworkers, one being the senior cook and the other a junior—or perhaps an employer and his employee.

Now, though, relations between the two of them weren’t exactly looking very good.

“Don’t ever show your face around me again!”

“Master, just…just hold on, please! I swear it wasn’t me!”

“Enough lies! I have proof!”

“I was framed! I’ve worked hard for this shop—”

“Now you’re going to lay the blame on someone else?!”

“Please wait! If you fire me, I… I’ll have nowhere to go! I won’t be able to provide for my parents, so please! Please, I’m begging you! I’ll be living on the streets!”

“And you can die there for all I care!”

With a loud bang, the door to the shop slammed shut.

The man stared balefully at it. His hairstyle—long and bright red, with one side combed back—combined with his deeply inset features gave him a noticeably stern look. He kept his words mostly polite, but the sharpness of his eyes gave him the air of a low-grade punk. Definitely more the air of a carpenter than a cook.

Also. Had I just witnessed a firing?

I suddenly had an idea and called out to the man on the ground.

Something along the lines of “Would you like to have a talk in that café?”

Which was, now that I thought about it, an incredibly suspicious-sounding invitation. But having just been fired, he was still in a daze and accepted with less fuss than I would have anticipated. You could even say he was like a zombie as he tottered after us.

We walked together to an eatery a little farther up the same road and settled into seats near the rear of the shop, with him, still in his apron, opposite me. Only drinks—hastily ordered—sat on the table.

“Pleased to meet you. My name is Sasaki.”

“Oh yes. Hello. My name is French.”

“All right, Mr. French.”

“I, umm. What did you want to talk to me about?”

“Well, I happened to overhear your troubling exchange.”

“…I’m ashamed to admit it, but yes.”

After getting a look at this world, I had realized something. Just a few hours ago, I’d been overjoyed that one hour in Japan equated to one day here, but that wasn’t necessarily advantageous. During weekdays, when I was at work, more than ten days would pass in this world.

That wasn’t a time gap I could laugh away, especially if I really wanted to get something started here. Even if I came to do business during lunch breaks, several days of empty time would still pass. That would make my future dealings difficult.

What was I to do to make up for the time difference between our worlds? Obviously, I had to make some local friends.

“Excuse me, Lord Sasaki, but are you a noble?”

“A noble?”

“It’s just that you’re wearing such fine clothing…”

Oh my goodness. I just got complimented on my suit. Even this drab, bargain-rack outfit seemed fine enough that others mistook it for noble dress. Clothes really weren’t cheap here. This sort of free status boost certainly wasn’t unwelcome… I’d have to make sure I always wore a suit during my visits in the future.

“No, not a noble. I’m a merchant.”

“Oh, I see. A trader,” said Mr. French, his expression looking somewhat relieved.

Judging by his attitude, a big barrier must have separated nobility from the common folk. I’d have to ask Peeps about this when I got a free minute. I was the one being mistaken for a noble, so things had worked out—but doing it the other way around would be a terrible mistake.

“If it’s all the same to you, would you mind telling me your story?”

“Huh? Um, I…”

“I may be able to provide some assistance.”

“……”

Anyone would be suspicious of a first-time acquaintance saying something like that. I’d have left the shop already, personally.

But what he’d shouted in front of the restaurant certainly hadn’t sounded like lies—that bit about supporting his parents and having nowhere to go. He seemed to be in a very tight spot; it only took a few moments before he started spilling everything.

To sum it all up, it appeared he’d been framed by a coworker.

Having worked as an apprentice at the restaurant since he was young, his culinary skills had—by his account—been growing rapidly in recent years. A coworker of his was jealous and falsely claimed French had stolen the shop’s money—or something like that.

Then, today, his attempts to convince the shopkeeper of his innocence had fallen on deaf ears, and he’d been driven out. That was the final, decisive scene I’d happened upon.

“That is an awful story.”

“I’ve been working there ever since I was little. Everything I did was cooking, so I don’t know much about how the world works. I can’t really write, either. Now that I’ve been fired, I have no idea what to do.”

“……”

“At this rate, I won’t be able to provide for my family anymore. One of my parents lost a leg and an eye as a soldier and can’t do very much work anymore. I have a younger sister as well, but on top of being a woman, she also takes care of our parents, so she can’t save up that much money.”

“That sounds terrible.”

I could sense the hopelessness oozing from Mr. French’s tale. I even thought for a moment that if I left him alone, he might have been dead by his own hand the next day. It seemed this world had less of a social safety net than I thought.

“…I apologize. I don’t even know you, yet I’ve gone on and on…”

“No, don’t apologize. I was the one who asked.”

We had talked for close to an hour, and he didn’t seem like a bad person.

So I decided to make an investment—using the day’s profits. It may have been a lot of money in this world, but with Peeps’s support, I hadn’t had to work that hard to make it. I’d only brought one backpack of goods, too, but I planned to bring some bigger gear starting next time. To me, it was like shoving a wad of bills into a street-side donation box.

“If you’re interested, would you like to open a place with me?”

“…Huh?”

Mr. French’s pupils shrunk in surprise.

If he really was an excellent cook, this proposition would benefit Peeps and me as well. Peeps loved meat, and pursuing flavors that could satisfy his taste buds went along with his ideal of living the way he wanted to. And of course, when a pet is happy, the owner is happy, too.

With Mr. French in tow, I went back to the trading company Peeps had pointed me to. After a brief conversation with the security at the entrance, I had them announce me to the vice manager. In blank amazement, I was shown once again to the reception room from before—with Mr. Marc already present and everything.

“Is something the matter? Did you have reservations about our business agreement?” he asked cautiously. My sudden return must have made him anxious.

“No, it’s nothing like that. There was something else I was wondering if you could prepare for me, separate from that matter.”

“I see. In that case, I’m all ears.”

“Thank you.”

The vice manager smiled back at me. I used that as a chance to launch into my proposal. “This may seem abrupt, but I’d like to open an eatery in this area. Can I ask you to procure a shop, equipment, and foodstuffs for it? I regrettably have no expertise in this field myself, so I wanted to know if the Hermann Trading Company would be willing to assist in this matter.”

“We wouldn’t mind, but what of your companion?”

“I plan to make this man the shop’s manager.”

“…What?”

Mr. French stared at me agape, clearly wondering if this was a joke.

I’d already explained that much to him—had he not understood? Well, it didn’t matter. I’d already talked to the vice manager about everything, so I was set on this course. Better than him wandering the streets.

“If you could stock the equipment and foodstuffs in accordance with his wishes, it would be much appreciated. I believe three hundred gold coins would be enough to cover initial expenses. If that is insufficient for anything, I’d like to pay the difference during our next deal. Would that be possible?”

I remembered seeing on the internet that you needed at least ten million yen to start up a restaurant in the city. Because of how expensive furniture and utensils were in this world, I felt like three hundred gold coins was just barely up to the task. If things seemed tight, I could supplement the payment in our next business deal.

“…Did you want to get into the food business here?”

“No, I wasn’t planning on anything that big. And I have no intention of stirring up trouble with competitors. Some of the products I deal in are food, so I thought it would be nice to prepare a simple location to test the market.”

“I see— So that is your plan.”

My explanation seemed to have convinced him. A frown crossed his face for just a few moments, but his expression quickly returned to normal—and then he smiled.

“Can I count on your support?”

“Yes, by all means. Please allow me to assist you with this venture.”

“Thank you very much.”

The unexpectedly eager response made me hopeful things would go smoothly even after I returned to Japan. Given that he was vice manager for a huge market like this, the level of support he could offer was likely significant.

“I have entrusted the matter of the shop entirely to him, so please ask him for all the details you need. He is a first-rate cook but somewhat unfamiliar with the more delicate parts of the job, so I would greatly appreciate it if your company could assist him on the business side of things.”

“I understand—I’ll send one of my people to help.”

“Really? Thank you so much.”

When I looked at Mr. French, who stood beside me with his face white as a ghost, I felt like I’d started up a temporary personnel agency. I did feel sorry for doing it to the guy, but if this fell through, it wouldn’t really cause any issues, so I wanted to keep things easy and carefree.

“Don’t worry too much about it, Mr. French. Give it your best.”

“Um, yes, sir!”

And with that, I had taken my first step toward fulfilling my promise to Peeps.

After leaving the minor details to Mr. French and the vice manager, I left the Hermann Trading Company. Normally, I would have stayed with them until everything was hammered out, but I didn’t have a choice. Something more important demanded my attention—lunch with Peeps, which I’d put off quite a bit. I didn’t want to make him grumpy and end up stranded and alone in an unfamiliar world.

As planned, we headed for the place where Mr. French worked—well, used to work. With him set up for the time being, we could now return to our original objective.

Still-steaming meat dishes lined the table in front of us.

“…Not bad.”

“Yeah.”

I’d gotten the day’s special for lunch, which the manager had recommended. Peeps had ordered the one thing he’d smelled from outside, à la carte. It was some sort of animal meat cooked and marinated in a secret sauce, and the sauce was in the special, too. It was quite delicious. We were very pleased.

“Despite chocolate bars and sugar selling for so much, this is quite the variety of flavors.”

“That’s simply because sugar and cacao are precious.”

“Would pepper sell highly, too, then?”

“Indeed. If you can procure it cheaply, it would be worth looking into.”

The suggestion came naturally from me, partly since I hadn’t noticed it on the list of ideas Peeps had given me. When it came to valuable commodities, pepper was a sure thing, right? Pepper is always a safe bet. In an Age of Discovery sort of sense.

“I’ve heard there was an era in my world when it was worth its weight in gold.”

“Yes, pepper is certainly valuable in this one as well. However, it doesn’t fetch an astronomical price. In fact, I’m rather curious how it came to be worth its weight in gold, as you say. Why was there such a demand? It is a luxury item like sugar, is it not? And you can substitute it with herbs or other such things.”

“I think they needed it to cover the stench when eating poorly preserved meats.”

“Why would they need to eat poorly preserved meats?”

“Huh? Well, hmm. They didn’t have refrigerators back then, so…”

At the time, the rotting of meat plagued both noble and commoner alike. It had been especially bad in early spring, after the preserved meat had already started to go bad. There must have been so many people with upset stomachs—or worse—from eating tainted meat.

I remembered reading on the internet once that Carnival, a holiday familiar to Christians, had started as a way to consume, all at once, the meat they had stored up during the winter before spring came and it spoiled too much. Whether that was true, I wasn’t sure. But meat must have really been rotting badly back then to produce a story like that.

“Ah, I understand.”

“You do?”

“Magic exists in this world. To preserve meat, one must only prepare ice. Create a room filled with ice and store meat in it. Then you can eat fresh meat whenever, wherever you are.”

“…I see.”

“Spells to create ice are relatively easy to learn. Slightly more advanced forms can also freeze specific objects in ice. Prepared this way, you can preserve foods for long periods of time.”

“I guess there was that icicle-flinging spell you taught me about yesterday. If you could gather the icicles instead of launching them, you could make a refrigerator, just like you say. I’m sorry—it seems I didn’t think hard enough.”

Man, magic was handy as heck. I doubted this world would have proper refrigerators for a long time.

“It is another world. You can hardly be blamed.”

“It’s also giving me a lot more ideas about things to bring here…”

“Mechanical goods would likely be an easy option. The metalworking technology in that world is extremely advanced. I would also suggest luxuries that haven’t yet circulated or taken root here. And the other thing—plastic, you called it? I believe that would fetch quite a high price as well if you stocked it.”

“Yes, I see.”

I’d have Peeps come with me next time I stocked up. I got the feeling I’d be able to pick out the goods more efficiently that way.

After finishing lunch, we went back to my apartment. Having spent half a day in the otherworld, we found upon arriving that a little less than thirty minutes had passed in Japan time. Peeps’s estimation seemed about right; I could safely assume one hour here was the same as one day there.

Exhausted from our exploits, we went right to sleep.

The next morning, this corporate slave went to work, just like the day before. Curiously, the coworker who normally sat next to me was nowhere to be found. Other than that, though, nothing out of the ordinary happened. The little fire incident from the day before had apparently gone unsolved, with the culprit unable to be identified. Mr. Kikuchi, the general affairs manager, was really frustrated about it.

Finally, quitting time rolled around. Except it was after nine by that point. Having gotten home a little early today, this corporate slave decided to take Peeps to the big superstore near the house. The place was open until eleven, so it was popular with office workers of all kinds who returned home later.

Right after leaving my apartment, I spotted a familiar face outside the neighbor’s front door—a middle schooler in a sailor uniform, sitting down with her hands around her knees. I hadn’t seen her when I got back from work, so she must have returned a little later even than this corporate drone. Still, her mom wasn’t home yet, so she was whiling away her time in front of the door.

“…Is that a Java sparrow?” she asked suddenly, looking in my direction—or rather, at Peeps. He was packed in a bird carrying case hanging from my shoulder.

“Yep, it is. I got him recently.”

“……”

The case had a metallic frame base, with the cage part made of clear PVC pipe and a polyethylene mesh. It looked like a miniature travel bag with a perching tree inside. You could see Peeps resting on it from above or from the sides. I’d ordered it online around the time he’d started talking. Luckily, it had come in just as I’d gotten home, and I’d decided to put it to use right away for my outing today. A sparrow sitting on a man’s shoulder while he was shopping would draw some stares.

“Do you not like sparrows?”

“No, that isn’t it,” came the laconic, indifferent answer from my neighbor, before her stomach gave a loud rumble.

I would have expected a girl her age to show some sign of embarrassment at that. She didn’t seem to care one way or the other, though, and just watched Peeps. For her, this was simply another nonchalant moment in her daily life.

“Hold on a second.”

“Actually, I’m just going to bed for today, so…”

Having an apartment made for a single person came in handy at times like these—the front door was very close to the kitchen. One of the cabinets was near enough that I could lean in without having to take off my shoes. I grabbed a pastry I’d had in reserve, then turned back to face my neighbor.

“It expires today, so here.”

“……”

It was a lame excuse. With her mom coming home soon, I couldn’t have a lengthy conversation with her. Anyone who saw me—a middle-aged man who, at a glance, had no women in his life—would probably interpret the interaction as somebody trying to bait a minor. Actually, they definitely would. That was why I really had to insist on a sense of distance between us. I seriously didn’t want any rumors starting about me among the neighbors.

“We’ve got things to do, so good-bye.”

Ending the conversation, I placed the bread on her bag, which was sitting next to her. It felt like I was making an offering of a few coins to a shrine’s donation box—and wishing that, one day, the good deed would come back to me.

“…Thank you,” my neighbor called after us as we left the apartment.

Our destination was, as planned, the neighborhood superstore. They had food and everyday sundries in addition to books, bicycles, sports gear, and even home appliances. Basically, it was the kind of massive supermarket you find in the suburbs. We headed to the second floor to stock up for tonight’s business.

“This seems good.”

“Gotcha.”

Following Peeps’s instructions as he sat in the carrying case, I put one item after another into my shopping cart. I spoke softly and kept my mouth closed when passing people so nobody would overhear us. They would just think I was an eccentric owner who really loved his Java sparrow.

Oh, a frying pan. “Peeps, what about this?”

“How is it different from a normal pot?”

“It’s incredibly hard to burn.”

“This is good.”

“I’ll just throw it in, too, then.”

I tossed the Teflon frying pan into my cart. It didn’t feel like enough with just one, so I put in a few more. I also added several peelers—I had the feeling they were a more recent invention.

Thanks to my aggressive series of carefree purchasing decisions, the total price was significant. I was a little scared of next month’s credit card payment. I still hadn’t thought of any way to convert valuables from the otherworld into yen.

After quickly paying for everything, cart still fully loaded, we moved to a space that was empty of people next to the restrooms. It would be a pain to get all the way back to the apartment like this, so we’d devised a way to go straight to the otherworld.

“Let’s be off, then.”

“Okay.”

After making sure nobody was around and no surveillance cameras were on us, Peeps activated his magic. As the magic circle appeared under my feet, our surroundings shifted.

The destination was right next to the trading company I’d visited last night, in the middle of a small alley coming off the main one. It was only a little over a meter wide, so nobody ever came through here. Taking advantage, I exited the alley and headed for the trading company.

The sun was high in the sky, so if it wasn’t a holiday, stores would be open. Peeps returned to my shoulder from the carrying case as well.

It was a ton of fun walking a supermarket shopping cart down a fantasy road. Many other people were pushing their things along in a similar way, so nobody would pay much attention to me just for the cart. We were able to get right to our destination—the trading company.

The guard in front of the entrance was an acquaintance at this point. After I asked him for the store’s vice manager, he happily nodded. I was then shown back to the reception room I’d been in the day before.

“It’s been a while, Mr. Sasaki. It’s good to see you again.”

“And thank you for responding to such an abrupt request, Mr. Marc.”

It had only been a day for us, but for them, it had been almost a month. We took our seats on the sofas, which might have looked relaxed, but with the low table between us, I could feel a bit of a difference in enthusiasm. Apparently, he wasn’t as carefree as I was today.

“Forgive me, but would I be able to see the goods right away?”

“Yes, by all means.”

I didn’t want to put on airs, so I got straight down to business.

I’d brought sugar and chocolate again at the vice manager’s request. More, this time—twenty kilograms of each. The lower rack on the cart was filled with sugar and chocolate, as well as a few spices and seasonings, new this time.

The main part of the cart, however, was absolutely packed with new products. The one I particularly wanted to recommend was the calculator. They were cheap at a hundred yen a pop, but according to Peeps, the abacus was in its heyday over here, so they would likely be worth a lot. With their solar batteries, they could work for years without any maintenance, too—that would spice up the deal. It was a really good thing this world’s number system was base ten. Not to mention they already understood the concept of zero.

However, our characters were different, so they would need to convert from one to the other. Their digits were similar to our Arabic numerals but still not quite the same. Peeps had said, though, that they only had ten numeric symbols, so it shouldn’t prove that difficult for them. On our way here, the bird had been fiddling with one himself as we walked. Seeing a sparrow poke at the buttons with its feet and beak was the most adorable thing ever.

“How do these work?”

“I can’t explain in detail, but they use very complicated mechanisms. It would take several years just to understand the principles—and even more to develop similar ones. You would need decades, at least, and vast amounts of capital.”

“……”

The vice manager kept a stony silence as he looked at the calculator in his hand. By that, I could anticipate a high selling price. I had also only brought three. If I was told the abacus was more convenient and they had no use for the devices, I’d be in trouble, so I’d kept it to a minimum.

“How is it?”

“…Does two hundred gold coins sound fair to you?”

Whoa, I felt like the selling price just went way down. Last time, I’d gotten four hundred gold coins for my trouble.

“That is somewhat less than before, isn’t it?”

“Oh, excuse me—I meant just for one of these.”

“Ah, I see.”

That was far higher than I’d ever imagined. I stole a glance at Peeps, who was sitting on my shoulder. I made out a very subtle nod from him—the price must have sounded good. It was a godsend, having a local to help me out.

“Understood. Two hundred will do.”

“How many of these do you have with you, by the way?”

“I have three…”

“I will pay you in cash for all the goods you’ve brought today. In exchange, could I purchase all three calculators?”

“Yes, of course you can.”

Judging by his reaction, calculators would be my biggest earners for a while. I’d have to search for more solar battery–powered electronics on the internet later.

“May I ask how many of these you have in stock right now?”

“Let me see…”

It wouldn’t be good to stock so many of them that I crashed their market value. I wanted to assume as much of an air of importance about them as I could and maintain the price at two hundred gold coins apiece. I was thinking about one per house for nobles and leading merchants was a good standard. Probably best to limit my supply to ten per month in that case.

“I believe I can bring you ten more for our next trade.”

“Excellent! I would very much love to purchase those as well.”

“Understood, sir. I will be sure to prepare ten more.”

“Thank you very much.”

The vice manager’s face was a full smile. Praise the heavens for calculators. Industrial goods like these seemed to sell for higher prices more easily than food-related products. I could keep costs to a minimum buying them, too, and they weren’t bulky, making them effortless to deliver. Seemed to me like the direction for my future business had been decided.

Ultimately, this sale brought me a total of fifty large gold coins. Not only did the calculators add a ton of value, but I was also able to sell the sugar and chocolate at a stable price. On the other hand, the Teflon frying pans and peelers didn’t do quite as well. I supposed it was important to go for items the nobles would want.

The vice manager also gave me some advice: Apparently, hunting was becoming quite a major hobby among the upper classes. Hobbies were, in essence, trees that grew money. Maybe advanced, high-cost outdoor equipment would do significantly well with them. As we went over things like that, Mr. Marc’s reactions were so encouraging that it really got me thinking about everything. If only doing business at my actual workplace were this easy.

“By the way, about the eatery…”

With our deal concluded for now, the vice manager steered the conversation in another direction—one I was curious about, too.

“How is it doing?” I asked.

“We have prepared a nice plot of land on the main road. It isn’t a very big shop, but it’s in a relatively good location and costs about two hundred gold coins per month for rent. Combined with things like labor costs and stocking supplies, think of it as thirty per month.”

“Did you have enough for the initial expenses?”

A plot of land on the main road? That sounded more luxurious than I’d imagined. When I had said “in the area,” he must have taken that to mean the entire town. I was shocked. He’d apparently already prepared the place, so I couldn’t ask him to put it somewhere else. It was all on me for delegating the matter wholesale to them.

“Yes, that was no issue. We created the shop using our own products, so we were able to finish it up somewhat more cheaply than would have been possible had we entrusted it to someone else. In the coming month, we’d like to use the budget you provided and start up operations.”

Judging by his remarks, it seemed they were doing more than a little work for no pay. I mulled over his words, estimating the coming month’s portion. I would have to indirectly thank him somehow.

“Thank you so much for going to all that trouble. I really appreciate everything you’re doing for me.”

“Don’t worry about it. I am enjoying it, myself.”

“I’m happy to hear that.”

“Not to change the topic, but would you like to pay it a visit?”

“Yes, of course. If you please.”

I’d actually wanted to check on how they were doing during my lunch break at my office but couldn’t find a way to get Peeps into the building with me, so it had to wait. The difficulty of going to work with a sparrow was not to be underestimated.

I had the option of renting an apartment closer to the company, but thanks to rent in the city center being so awfully high, I couldn’t afford it with my current income. More than a few ways to mitigate this likely existed, but none were being implemented. Really made you feel how entrenched land ownership was in this nation.

“Then allow me to ready a carriage. It shouldn’t take more than a few moments.”

“Thank you.”

You’re getting me a carriage? You’re so generous, Vice Manager.

Come to think of it, what was I supposed to do with the supermarket shopping cart I’d brought without asking? This kind of thing was exactly why stores were so sensitive about how people treated their carts. I felt endlessly apologetic about it.

A few rattles of the carriage later, and we’d arrived at our destination.

They seemed to have finished doing all the interior decorating, and the view of the shop from the road was neat and tidy. It was like a decked-out, foreign-owned coffee shop. Built entirely of stone, too, which gave it a very cool, retro atmosphere.

When the vice manager and I entered, we saw Mr. French in the kitchen.

“S-sir!”

When he noticed us, he came running up. We met halfway down the hallway. Several other people, probably the kitchen staff, were visible inside. This world seemed to have that “all cooks wear white aprons” rule, too, because every last person in the kitchen had on the same exact uniform.

“I apologize for my long absence,” I said.

“No, don’t trouble yourself, sir! You entrusted this wonderful shop to me, after all…”

“Have you decided on a grand opening date?”

“I talked it over with the vice manager, and we thought it best to discuss it with you first. I’m deciding on the menu myself, but I figured it would be best to consult you at some point, sir.”

“I see.” Nothing special really crossed my mind, though. Except for one thing. “You can feel free to do what you will with the menu. As long as you are respectful to the customers, I don’t see any reason to restrict you at all. Still, I do have one request apart from all that.”

“Wh-what would that be?”

“I’d like you to re-create some recipes I’ll bring with me next time.”

“You can cook, too, sir?”

“Think of it as a dish from my homeland.”

“Oh, I can’t wait!”

“How long do you think it will take to get the shop ready to open?”

“The kind folks at the trading company have been handling all the food procurement, so just say the word, and we could open the day after tomorrow. Hermann Trading Company has amazing influence. Buying things wholesale from them is like a dream!”

“I see.”

In that case, I’d need to get some recipes together for my next visit. If he was somehow able to reproduce them, Peeps and I could eat delicious food without spending any Japanese yen. A Kobe beef chateaubriand might have been out of the question, but if there were any similar ingredients here, a comparable flavor was likely possible.

“Oh, but I can’t really read, so…”

“I’ll handle that, so don’t worry about it.”

“I’m sorry. Thank you.”

I couldn’t read or write this world’s characters, either. I’d probably have to ask the vice manager for someone to help me out.

“Also, I have your pay for this past month. Here, take it.”

I took two gold coins out of my pocket and handed them to the manager. In this world, the amount of money someone could make by working from morning until evening without having any special skills or expertise was said to be about a silver coin to two. Considering my hire’s position as manager of this eatery, I quintupled that. Then assuming I’d been away from things for thirty days, that made three hundred silver coins. I added a little something extra to arrive at five gold coins total. That would probably suffice, right?

Still, compared to my interworld trade profits, the amount seemed very small. I couldn’t help but feel bad about it. Considering I was still a novice in this otherworld, I couldn’t quite grasp the value of money as locals saw it. That was something I’d have to solve step-by-step.

“Huh? Is—is this really okay?”

“In exchange, I want to leave everything about this shop completely in your hands in the future. If that sounds fair, would you accept it? I can promise the same amount from next month on, too.”

“Are you sure, sir? I’m not; I’m just a—”

“Please, take it.”

“…Sir.”

It seemed like he hadn’t been paid very much at the last restaurant. He’d worked his way up from an apprentice, after all, so maybe everyone else had been taking him for granted. Single-manager businesses seemed to always be cutting corners.

“I’ll work like my life depends on it!”

“…Thank you.”

As I watched Mr. French bow, I couldn’t help but compare him to a certain corporate slave. It hit close to home.

What was labor, really?

I wondered what kind of answer Peeps would have for me if I asked him that question.

After we’d checked on the restaurant, Peeps and I went outside the town together.

It was time to practice magic.

Peeps used his teleportation spell to warp us from town into a nearby wooded area. The plains surrounding the town were apparently enormous, and we’d come right to the edge of them. There were zero people in the vicinity, of course. There, I recited the incantations to try to learn the spells.

After a short while of repeating the same words over and over, Peeps asked me a question.

“What do you stand to gain by setting up a restaurant in town?”

“Huh?”

“I don’t remember it being in our initial plans.”

“I figured it would be helpful for when you needed to eat.”

“Then, you did it for me.”

“It’s the first step in indulging in this world’s pleasures. I did want to use this for myself as well, of course. Oh, and there was one more serious reason for it: because purchasing so much stuff is putting a strain on my finances back home.”

“Ah.”

“I’d like to reduce expenditures by eating here.”

“Hmm…”

Each meal by itself didn’t cost very much, but they still added up. Buying sugar and chocolate in kilograms was surprisingly expensive, and I was already scraping against my credit card limit. I had to be frugal where I could.

The time difference between the two worlds only made this more urgent. Still, that difference wasn’t purely a disadvantage. Since one hour in that world was a day in this one, a corporate slave could spend time here in relaxation. Once Mr. French’s restaurant got on track, we’d be one step closer to the relaxing life Peeps wanted.

“Oh, water came out!”

As we were talking, water burst from my outstretched palm like a fire hose.

The magic I was testing was a spell to produce water from nowhere. I’d recited the incantation a few dozen times and had finally managed to cast it.

Peeps had mentioned the water was drinkable, so I figured I’d prioritize this one. Water sprayed like tap water out of a broken faucet from the magic circle that had appeared in front of my palm. A fairly powerful spray, too.

Keeping it going would probably soak my boots, so I hastily stopped it.

“You’re learning these spells at a considerable pace.”

“Thanks to you.”

Normally, using magic spent something called mana, so beginners couldn’t use spells dozens of times in the same day. But since Peeps had shared a staggering amount of mana with me, I was able to overcome this and keep on practicing without getting tired. Hence my marked improvement. In just two days, after learning the lighter spell, I’d acquired a second.

Still, I was getting nowhere with my main objective: the teleportation spell. Its difficulty truly seemed to be on a different level than beginner magic, like Peeps had said. That was why I was coming all the way out here to practice.

“Peeps, I want to learn the teleportation one next, if possible.”

“What is your fascination with that spell?”

“It makes it easier to get to work. Right?”

“Do you truly wish to go to this company of yours so badly?”

“Well, no. I’d rather not, actually.”

“Then you don’t wish to go?”

“I suppose I don’t, but it’s more that I’d prefer to avoid those shaking, jam-packed trains. I’m sure you’d understand if you tried it—ah, but you might get squished in your current form…”

“…Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

After that, I practiced the teleportation spell at length. I asked Peeps to use the spell on me several times so I could experience it, hoping to feed that experience back into my training. However, despite persisting in my efforts until the sun went down, I produced no particular results.

I knew the incantation forward and backward, but it seemed this road would be a long one.

That day, instead of returning to my apartment, I decided to stay the night. Our lodgings were notably high-class; I’d been told they were mainly used by nobles and wealthy merchants. I’d given the vice manager a ring beforehand, so I was able to check in without much effort. A two-day, one-night stay with three meals would cost one gold coin.

“Not a bad room.”

“It’s amazing…”

The place must have been over a hundred square meters. Aside from a master bedroom, there was a living space, plus separate rooms for the toilet and bath. Though I could see slight differences, it was almost the same as a hotel room in my world. The furnishings were expensive-looking, too, including the bed and the sofa set.

If I found a room like this in the city, one night in it would cost six digits in yen.

The rooms here all had their own private maid, too, who would see to the needs of whoever was staying there. She had introduced herself when I’d arrived—a very cute girl, apparently in her midteens. Right now, she was in a space close to the room’s entrance made for her to wait until needed.

I hadn’t figured out if she was an attendant or a companion. Peeps was with me, so I was reluctant to start anything like that. And I would rather pass on making a mistake and contracting a sexually transmitted disease.

A few years back, a superior at work had taken me to a brothel, and I’d picked up a case of chlamydia. After going through treatment, I decided I’d had more than my fill. If the alternative was going through such a wretched, painful experience again, I was fine with my right hand as my lover for the rest of my days.

According to some statistics I’d looked up afterward, among female high school students with sexual experience, one in eight had chlamydia; the ratio was three in ten for those age eighteen to nineteen. Most of them apparently didn’t even realize it. Incidentally, the ratio for male high school students was one in sixteen.

“Peeps, I want to live here forever.”

“Go ahead. I’ll accompany you.”

“But we need to make money in my world to keep stocking goods.”

“…No prospects for promotion, then?”

“Not at the moment. My pay hasn’t gone up a yen in the last five years…”

“I see…”

Never thought the day would come when a pet Java sparrow would be badgering me to get a promotion. I’d heard nice-sounding stories about other companies and how they held evaluations for promotions anywhere from every few months to every year. My dead-end, midsize company, however, offered almost no opportunities to move up the ranks. The only ones who got raises were the managers’ relatives.

My coworker’s assertion that he’d quit next month and go independent was seeming more and more like the right choice. If it worked out for him, then I should probably follow his example and look for greener pastures myself. Unfortunately, given my skill set, the only jobs available paid less than what I was getting now.

My colleague had invited me to his independent start-up, but I didn’t have the guts to give a response. I knew myself best. Maybe it would be different if I had a job in mechanical design or programming or something.

“Isn’t there some way to make money over there?”

Sinking into the soft, fluffy sofa, I racked my brain. Peeps hopped off my shoulder and onto the low table in front of me.

“There is a spell called Charm. It charms a person to make them do as you bid them. However, a single Charm will only be effective for a few months at most, and their memories will persist even after it wears off. Would it be possible to solve the problem using this?”

“That’s something to consider. But if we went for it, we’d need someone else to stand in for us. Or else we’d have to keep charming every single person we ever dealt with, forever.”

The former idea would be to buy and sell valuable goods under another person’s name to simply get the money from the sales. Or perhaps we could falsify a store’s books. Either way, the person or pawnbroker whose name I borrowed, as well as whoever I asked for help using the money I got to keep stocking goods—in other words, all the targets of Charm—would be in deep trouble afterward. If I didn’t care about said string of abuses, then maybe it was an excellent plan. Charm could wear off once the people had been arrested and their crimes proven without any issue. Without evidence, avoiding the false charges would be impossible. Basically, they’d be the disposable cell phones mooks used for scam calls.

The latter idea, on the other hand, had a way to protect Charm’s victims. However, the number of targets necessary to Charm would keep on increasing, one after the other as time went on, so it didn’t feel like a very realistic plan.

“With the second idea, the duration being only a few months would be the bottleneck. Ultimately, we’d have nobody but people we’d charmed around us, and we’d lose track of everything, wouldn’t we? I can’t help feeling like we would. And it might lead to the magic itself being exposed.”

“As you say, there are some who use Charm on too many targets and bring about their own ruin.”

“Yeah, I thought so.”

“Why not charm a government official directly instead?”

“The short version is that you can fool people, but you can’t make it so the money never changed hands. False records are still records kept. And if there was anything suspicious in their books, it would be caught, and in the end, someone would have a fine dropped in their lap.”

“Which would force you to Charm other targets whether you wished it or not.”

“I think so, yeah.”

I didn’t want to risk it if, the moment the spell’s effects ended, I’d be hounded by additional taxes or criminal charges. No matter how much I wanted to build a place for myself in this world, my home would always be modern Japan. My position here was dependent on my life back home. I wanted to make my fortune peacefully and without anyone finding out, though I knew this was me being greedy.

“Still, I have solved part of the stocking issue.”

“Have you?”

“If you use your teleportation to bring us to another country and buy goods there, in local currency, we could probably get away with it. Japan monitors visitors entering and exiting very closely, so if we just carry the goods straight to the otherworld, I doubt they’d catch on.”

“Then outside the country, you can make it so the money never changed hands?”

“There are other issues with the idea, so it might take some time to figure out—like whether I’d have to disguise myself, for example. We’d also have to exchange for foreign currency. Still, I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t have the tax office fishing around for us.”

“In that case, you could buy and sell precious metals overseas.”

If there was any other problem, it was that I couldn’t speak English. Peeps had gotten straight to the painful heart of the matter. “I certainly don’t think it’s impossible.”

“Truly?”

“Unfortunately, I can’t speak any foreign languages. I could maybe buy products at a local supermarket, but I wouldn’t have the connections or skills to sell valuables of dubious origin. Nine times out of ten, the local police would arrest me.”

“…I see.”

It would be best if we could start with untrustworthy currency and, in a roundabout way, convert it into foreign currency. But I was pretty sure I’d need some language abilities under my belt for that. But if I was able to make that sort of stable system, wouldn’t that be a business of its own?

If I was able to pull it off, I had a feeling something even scarier than the Japanese tax office would be chasing me.

“Could I have some more time to think about it?”

“I’ll read up on the workings of your world as well.”

“Thanks. I knew I could depend on you.”

The more I thought about it, the more I realized how well put together money-related systems were in my world.

And so with a bit of this and that, the day passed.

After practicing magic for a few days in the otherworld, we returned to my apartment.

I’d been able to dedicate a big chunk of time to my studies, so I’d been able to learn several spells. Most were, according to Peeps, made for beginners. After the lighter spell and the faucet spell, I’d kept going, acquiring a spell that shot icicles, one that made the ground ripple, and another that shot a fireball.

Even those were apparently meant to be learned over several months or even years. Perhaps that was why I was feeling rather good about myself at the moment. However, I still had no prospects for the going-to-work spell. I really wanted to get that one quickly.

And so the next day, I went back to work.

It was a refreshing experience, thanks to Peeps—I skipped the loaded trains and ate breakfast at a beef bowl chain near the company before going to the office. A big part of it was having taken multiple days off in the otherworld.

“Anything good happen lately, Mr. Sasaki?”

As I was doing some clerical work at my desk, my coworker spoke up from the next seat over. Apparently, it was written all over my face.

“No? Not in particular,” I said.

“You just seemed like you were in a good mood.”

“I bought a new bed, so maybe I slept better.”

“I see. That’s excellent.”

Compared to my tiny pipe-frame bed, the one I used while staying in the otherworld had been wonderful. I could stretch my arms and legs and still not reach the edges—that was how big it was. And so soft, too. Plus, the private maid changed the sheets every day.

Because of that, when I had gone to bed in my apartment last night, I’d really started to feel how cramped my room was. My body was getting more and more used to a luxurious lifestyle. I’d even started to consider not just eating over there but sleeping as well.

“Oh, right. Mr. Sasaki, are you coming to the company drinking party next week?”

“Actually, my finances are a little strained at the moment…”

“If you go, I’ll go, too.”

“I’m sorry— I just can’t make any promises.”

“Oh…”

My budget was incredibly tight now that I was stocking up goods for the Hermann Trading Company. I was quite sure I had no spare cash to attend the company’s drinking party. Not having secured a way to make money here was quickly getting me in over my head.

“Heeey, Sasaki! About the school thing…”

“Yes, sir! I’ll be right there.”

Whoops, the section chief just called. I bowed to my coworker and rose from my seat.

I’d put my best into my job today—but in moderation.

After finishing work, I set out for the superstore near my apartment to stock up, like always.

One day in this world corresponded to several weeks in the other. I couldn’t afford to miss a single supply run. I already had a surplus of over a thousand gold coins, but keeping my relationship with the vice manager affable necessitated stocking up regularly. And I planned to go there with Peeps again today.

Like last time, I had him get into the outdoor carrying case. When I asked if it was comfortable, he responded that it was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable. I figured we’d keep using the case when going out together for the time being.

It was just after we stepped out the front door of the apartment.

“Good evening, mister.”

I immediately heard a familiar voice right next to me. I directed my attention toward the source where I found my neighbor, sitting up against her front door, hands around her knees.

“Wait, is she still not home?”

The lights had been on in their apartment already when I’d returned from work. I’d thought for sure her mom had gotten back. So it seemed strange, seeing her sitting alone at the front door like this.

But her next words made everything clear. “She brought a man over.”

“Ah…”

Was this her showing a modicum of parental concern, or did she just not want her daughter getting in the way? The reason was unclear, but whenever her mother brought a man to the apartment, as a rule, the girl would get kicked out. It was a scene I’d witnessed more than a few times before.

“By the way, can you drink black coffee?”

“…Yes.”

Remembering something, I plucked my wallet from my pocket. Buried in between the receipts was a coupon to get a free can of coffee at the nearby convenience store. They’d held a lottery as a one-time service for any customer who bought more than seven hundred yen’s worth of items, and I’d won it as a prize. I’d been saving it for something like this.

I held it out to her with the side labeled ONE FREE PRODUCT faceup. I’d checked the expiration date on it last night, so it should have been fine.

“It has a place to sit and eat inside.”

“……” It seemed like this was her first time seeing such a thing. She stared at the paper.

In the past, I’d tried to give her cash and the like several times. It was more convenient and would put me at ease since I’d have to interact with her less often. Besides, if I gave her food, it might be some time before she got around to eating it, by which point it might have gone bad, upsetting her stomach.

But she stubbornly refused to accept any money. She’d probably set a hard rule against it. It did make things more difficult for me, but I wanted to honor her pride. Which meant that little things like these came in handy.

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve been avoiding black coffee lately—it gives me indigestion.”

“It does?”

“Tossing it would be a waste, so will you take it?”

“……”

After thinking about it for a moment, she took the coupon apologetically. It would give her something to do until her mom finished her private business.

Parting ways with my neighbor, we headed for the superstore as originally planned. We looked high and low, pushing our clattering cart all the while. Peeps rode on the cart like last night, tucked away nice and safe in his carrying case.

“What will you stock today?”

“I heard hunting was popular among the nobles.”

“Indeed. It would be akin to golf in this world.”

“You’ve really been studying hard, haven’t you?”

“You are letting me use this ‘internet,’ after all.”

As he said, I’d given him access to the computer in my apartment. Which was, naturally, connected to the internet. He was small, but using magic, he employed a magical creature called a golem to elegantly work the keyboard and mouse. I’d told him about a certain internet dictionary, so he had probably been perusing it all day long.

Magic of the sort that allowed one to go back and forth between worlds was apparently quite the ordeal. Though Peeps couldn’t use that spell on his own, the one for creating a golem was relatively easy. No support from this corporate slave needed.

To create the golem, he’d used some dirt from the land on which the apartment building was built. At Peeps’s suggestion, I went to check and found about two buckets’ worth of dirt missing from beside the concrete block wall. Needless to say, I was more than a little surprised to find a strange automaton moving around my room.

“Right, so I wanted to stock up on some outdoor equipment they could use for hunting.”

“You have an eye for this. You are sure to get a good deal for them.”

Yay, Peeps gave me a compliment! If he’s right, I can relax and just stock up.

The vice manager had once again requested sugar and chocolate. Sugar was fairly cheap, so that wasn’t a problem, but purchasing chocolate retail got surprisingly expensive. I decided I’d deal with the problem by getting less chocolate for now and making up for it with more sugar. That left the goods I had promised specific amounts of, beginning with the calculators.

“I wonder how this would be?”

“What is it?”

“A small version of a telescope.”

“Oh yes. That is likely to sell for a fair sum.”

Apparently, the otherworld had telescopes and other similar items. Peeps gave a sparkling appraisal, so without further ado, I threw them in the cart. They weren’t very expensive, so I could get more than one—I tossed in a few more. If they got good reviews, I could maybe buy some more advanced ones off the internet. But for that, I’d need a way to raise money in this world.

“By the way.”

“What?”

“What is that metallic object? It looks awfully busy.”

“Huh? Oh, that’s a Swiss Army knife.”

“A Swiss Army knife?”

“It’s a knife with a bunch of stuff attached, like scissors, tweezers, and a bottle opener.”

“It contains much despite its diminutive size.”

“Well, we might as well grab one.”

They were a bit pricey, but they sure looked impressive, so I decided to buy a few. It wasn’t like anyone in that world would know what Switzerland was, so I doubted calling it that would cause an issue. I’d heard the really good ones had fifty or sixty tools attached. It was lunacy.

“I’d also like a nice, wooden tree for my cage in your apartment. My claws have grown long.”

“You can’t make do with the plastic one you’ve got now?”

“No, evidently not. I did research on the internet and found that Java sparrows cannot sharpen their claws using plastic trees. A wooden tree would seem to be the solution.”

“I didn’t know that. I’m sorry I bought you all that cheap stuff.”

“I only just learned of it myself. Do not worry about it.”

“There’s a pet aisle over that way, so let’s look for one.”

“Yes.”

I was very pleased to have a pet who could manage and report on the state of his own health. What a smart bird he was.

And just like that, same as last night, I filled the cart with all manner of items. Naturally, I racked up a considerable bill, as before. If I keep on shopping like this, won’t my savings hit rock bottom very quickly?

After we finished stocking up and went back to the apartment, we headed to the otherworld. Peeps’s spell took care of the interworld transportation.

We arrived in an extremely average room—the kind where commoners would normally stay. I’d paid its rent for the next few months, making it our base for moving between worlds. It eliminated the risk of someone witnessing the teleportation and getting suspicious.

It would also allow us to bring several shipments over, meaning I could bring more than just ten kilograms of sugar—I could get twenty or even thirty here at once. Because they sold for a high price compared to their low initial cost, they seemed set to become my main product for the time being.

Now in the otherworld, we went straight to pay the vice manager a visit. At the Hermann Trading Company, we entered the reception room and got down to business.

“Mr. Sasaki, you could sell this to the nobility.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“Viscount Müller, who controls this city, also enjoys a good hunt.”

The load of items I’d bought were lined up on the table for our deal. I was getting the feeling my guesses had been right on the mark.

“I see. Thank you for the information.”

“These were called binoculars and Swiss Army knives, right? I would think they’d be very useful in battle as well as for hunting. If you don’t mind, my idea is to create similar items here at the company and sell them ourselves.”

“Oh, you can go right ahead.”

I never planned to prohibit imitation products. From what Peeps had told me, there was no patent-like system over here, so it wouldn’t be possible to restrict them anyway. I could struggle all I wanted, but these wares were fated to be copied. The only exception would be a monopoly approved by the state, be it official or unofficial.

Either way, it would require organizational backing, so I gave up on that. Even with the strong framework of patents back home, modern society overflowed with bootleg products. Given this world’s culture and civilization, it was really too much to ask. Instead, I’d been choosing things that were hard to copy.

Also, even assuming one of them was copied, there was a limit to the level of quality this world could produce. That made me think strategic branding was in the cards—I could provide higher quality and thus more expensive goods, bringing the value of those products up in general.

“In that case, will you not need them in my next delivery?”

“No, no, that isn’t what I meant!”

“Oh?”

“And we’ll promise you twenty percent—no, thirty percent of the profits on the imitations.”

“Well, thank you.”

Still, though, I’d figured it was a waste to simply nod and agree, so I acted a little grumpy about it. And what do you know, it seemed I’d be getting a better deal than expected. I’d wanted to discuss the sale price if possible, but since manufactured goods were so expensive here, it would be difficult to set a base price when I didn’t know how much they would cost to manufacture in the first place.

Mr. Marc seemed to have no intention of deceiving me, either, so I decided to simply agree then and there. Peeps hadn’t shown any particular reaction, so I assumed that meant the arrangement was suitable.

“Regarding this deal in its entirety,” he went on, “the total price we’ve discussed comes to twenty-five hundred gold coins—but actually, since we will be studying them to our profit, would twenty-six hundred be amenable? I would pay in cash.”

“Yes, that works just fine.”

My total sales had risen even higher than last time. It was probably the outdoor goods being so attractive to him, though the fifty kilograms of sugar I’d brought no doubt helped. Combined with the sales from last time, I now had over four thousand gold coins in my pocket.

Since it cost one gold coin for a night and three meals at my previous lodgings, and assuming three hundred sixty-five days in a year, I could spend the next ten years here without working, doing nothing but eating and sleeping. Articulating it that way made it seem like a very charming prospect.

“There is one other thing I’d like to ask of you, Mr. Sasaki.”

“What is it?”

“I have been entrusted with a message from Viscount Müller.”

“A message?”

Oh-ho—it appeared a noble finally wanted to talk to me.

The name of this personage of interest was Müller. Casually glancing at Peeps, I made out a small nod. This was definitely the person he was after. Personally, I was fine just doing business with the vice manager, but if a noble willed it, I could only obey. Being on good terms with a noble would likely be a merit unto itself.

“He says he wishes to meet and speak with you.”

“I see. In that case, I would be happy to oblige.”

“Ah, then you’ll accept?”

And so I ended up in a meeting with the town’s bigwigs—just like we’d planned from the start.

We spent the first night of our stay at an inn. The next day, we paid a visit to Viscount Müller’s castle. A carriage came all the way to our lodgings to pick us up, too. It seemed the vice manager had contacted the viscount in advance and relayed the name of our inn. As a result, we had no trouble finding our way.

In any case, we were shown to the castle’s audience chamber. The vice manager and I stood side by side before the viscount, who sat in the highest seat. We were kneeling on the floor and bowing our heads.

Many others had congregated in the room as well—apparently nobles—and were lined up against each wall. It all looked exactly like the throne room you’d see in a fantasy video game. I’d imagined our host would come off more like a petty official given his low rank of viscount, but that wasn’t the case at all.

Also, aside from the other nobles—who were essentially observers—several others stood around the room. They looked like knights, with swords in hand. And boy, were they glaring daggers at us. I felt like they’d come running at us if I so much as sneezed.

If this was how a viscount did things, what would a king be like? Just thinking about it terrified me.

“It is good that you have come.”

I’d asked the vice manager’s assistance in communicating with Viscount Müller. I had no clue about any of this world’s standards of courtesy or etiquette. It was all I could do to just keep my head bowed in accordance with the instructions I’d received earlier.

“You may lift your heads.”

“Yes, my lord!”

With a short response, the vice manager looked up. I followed his lead and returned my head to its previous posture.

“Is this the Sasaki we discussed?”

“That is correct, my lord.”

The vice manager’s voice rang through the room.

With that, I sensed the attention of everyone assembled there focusing on me. I felt like I’d turned into a panda in the zoo. The fact that my skin color, hair color, and features were all different was probably only making them even more curious.

“I have heard he deals in items that are quite delicately made.”

“We have brought some along with us today, my lord.”

“I see. I would very much like to see them.”

Viscount Müller raised his voice. Two of the knights who had been waiting in the chamber moved. Between them, they carried a gorgeous pedestal bordered with gold. They lumbered over and placed it before the chair on which the viscount perched. Atop it was an assortment of items we’d given them in advance.

“What is this one called?”

“My lord. That one is…”

Among the objects on the pedestal, the viscount had picked up the Swiss Army knife. From that point on, the vice manager explained what everything was. Incidentally, these were all products already purchased by the Hermann Trading Company. According to the vice manager, it wouldn’t have been possible for some nobody merchant like me to bring them straight here.

I supposed that made him sort of like a guarantor. He’d said that if things chanced to go extremely poorly, it would be his head on the chopping block, literally. Wasn’t that a horrifying prospect? It seemed wise to be even more particular about the products I brought in the future. I couldn’t afford to bring something like surströmming, even as a joke.

Once the vice manager had finished his round of explanations, the viscount spoke to me.

“Your name was Sasaki, yes? I had a question for you.”

“Yes, my lord. What is it?”

This was the first chance I’d gotten to speak since setting foot in this place. Naturally, I was incredibly nervous.

“I have heard that you came from another continent. Is this correct?”

“It is, my lord.”

I wasn’t lying. It was probably safe enough. I’d explained the calculator numbers as being from that culture as well.

“Then allow me to ask you this. Do items like this regularly circulate in common markets on this other continent? Or are they special products, the sort that only a select few, such as the nobility in this country, would possess?”

Viscount Müller’s concerns were reasonable. I had no idea how far away other continents were from this one, nor if it was even possible to travel between them. However, I could easily tell he was afraid of outside invaders.

“Only a select few possess these goods, my lord.”

“Truly? Then, naturally, that would make you a man of high status in your own right. What of that? You may be from another continent, but I have misgivings about one-sidedly dealing with a noble or someone with equal status.”

Upon hearing the viscount’s words, the vice manager shuddered next to me. He seemed surprised at the revelation. If I pretended to possess too high a status, then if there was ever a chance to meet those from the next continent, my lie would be exposed, and that would probably be a disaster. Status fraud came with many kinds of punishments in Japan, too. I decided it would be best to settle on a suitable rank.

“I am a craftsman, my lord. I had left for a voyage on the sea before shipwrecking and drifting to this continent. The goods I’ve brought today are the ones I had with me as well as ones I have newly made.”

“I see— So you are a craftsman.”

Internally, I was distressed. What if he asked me where I was making them? I’d never been this nervous even speaking to our best customers at the company. It was mainly the knights waiting behind the viscount who scared me. I mean, they had swords and everything.

“Do you plan on working in this town for the moment?”

“Yes, my lord, if it so pleases you.”

I didn’t want to carelessly move to another town and fall victim to a bad government. I got the feeling such environments were relatively common. The lord of this territory—Viscount Müller in front of me—was good-natured enough, according to Peeps. I wanted to be in his care for the time being.

“Do you intend to sell your wares wholesale to the Hermann Trading Company?”

“I do, my lord.”

“Then, in the future, when you sell to the Hermann Trading Company, you will also make a contribution to me. I will purchase them for a slight increase on top of what the company pays. Depending on the usage of the items you bring, they may greatly affect our lives.”

“Understood, my lord.”

“Henceforth, you are permitted to enter this mansion. If, while living in this town, you notice anything strange or strike upon anything that could benefit my territory, report it to me when you bring me your wares. I will also spread your name to the others of my house.”

“You do me a great honor, my lord.”

And with that, our conversation with Viscount Müller came to an end.

I felt better about how it went than I’d expected. I’d successfully gained a noble connection, just as I’d discussed with Peeps. Still, I could hear envy-laced mutterings from the other nobles who had congregated involving phrases like “just a commoner,” so I knew I’d have to be on my guard when entering and exiting the mansion.

Additionally—and this I heard from the vice manager later—different viscounts would actually be higher or lower in status than one another. It was like a massive corporation, with head section managers and senior managers. This world probably had too many higher-ups for its own good, just like mine.

And the viscount who ruled this town was in a relatively high position compared to others.

With the audience over and done with, we headed straight for the town’s restaurant quarter to check on the store I’d left in Mr. French’s hands last time. The vice manager said he had things to take care of at the castle, so just Peeps and I visited. He was probably still listening to Viscount Müller and working out other administrative tasks.

They’d provided us a carriage from the castle again, just like when we’d traveled there. The shop wasn’t terribly far, but with my still-shaky understanding of the town’s layout, I decided to gratefully accept the generosity. The vice manager had told the driver our destination—everything was done for us.

And so we arrived at our destination. Saying my thanks to the driver, I climbed off the carriage.

Today marked my second visit. I was apologetic to Mr. French for pushing everything on him, but I didn’t really want to work in this world, too. I’d returned with the intention to at least pay him enough to make the venture worth his while.

When we entered, we saw a good number of customers inside. About 30 percent appeared to be nobles. They wore cloaks around their shoulders and expensive-looking accessories on their bodies. The rest appeared to be commoners, but most of them were of proper appearance. It seemed this shop’s clientele had become comparatively upper-class.

“Ah, sir!”

I walked through the shop, heading for the kitchen. Upon doing so, I ran into a familiar face.

“Hello. It’s good to see you again.”

Mr. French, who was holding a knife, ran to me when he noticed me. I could see other staff members nearby—they seemed to be people he’d hired. Seeing the strange foreign man come in, they all stopped what they were doing and bowed to me. It seemed he’d already told everyone in his establishment about me.

After mildly telling them they could go back to work and didn’t have to worry, I turned back to face Mr. French again. “I’m sorry for leaving you by yourself. How have things been?”

“Thanks to you, the shop is running smoothly. With the help of the vice manager from the Hermann Trading Company, we’ve been able to turn a profit from the first month. As you can see, even at this hour, our seats are filled, and we have reservations going forward quite a while.”

“Wow—that is amazing.”

“We tried using the chocolate and sugar you brought to make sweets, and now it seems like they’ve become our main draw. Of course, they say our regular meals are delicious, too.”

The reason they were flourishing seemed to be the sugar and chocolate.

Having one star offering, the kind you’d put front and center in an ad, was the key to a restaurant’s success, after all. As a shop, it was a little small, but the location was great, which surely helped. However, I never thought they’d end up being a reservation-only place.

“I brought the recipes I mentioned last time.”

“Really? Thank you so much!”

I’d handwritten a bunch of recipes on printer paper, then stapled them together. It was a collaboration between Peeps and me. I’d checked recipe videos in my world and added a few minor points to them, then Peeps used a golem to put everything together in the local tongue.

Peeps was actually the one who decided what should be included, mainly things he wanted to eat. Wouldn’t that mean we could eat my world’s food here the next time we visited?

“Do you have any staffers who can read?”

“The one the Hermann Trading Company introduced can.”

“Then please have them read it for you.”

I handed the recipes to Mr. French. He took them reverently, like a student receiving his diploma or something.

“Also, here is your pay for this month.”

“Huh?!”

Finding some cover so the rest of the staff didn’t see, I held out about ten gold coins. I’d given him five before, so he’d just gotten a raise that doubled his pay in a single month. The exchange made me wish my company was as aggressive with promotions.

“Please, take it.”

“No, I—I can’t—”

“It’s thanks for getting this shop on course.”

Mr. French immediately began getting flustered. Acting that conspicuous would draw strange looks from the nearby staff. I didn’t know how much anyone else here was working for, so having this get out would be a pain.

“I’ll put it right here.”

I tucked the coins into his apron’s front pocket.

“Wait…”

“Please look after the shop like you’ve been doing. If you have need of additional equipment or anything, just tell the vice manager. I’ve already notified him about it—and the recipes as well.”

“…I-I’ll do my best!”

“Thank you.”

The restaurant was packed, and if I stayed too long, it would bother the customers. For today, I decided to take my leave.

Leaving the shop behind us, we headed for outside of town to practice magic. We used the same spot as last time—the outskirts of the plains surrounding the town, right next to a forest. Peeps had been kind enough to use his magic to get us here.

Then for a few days, while going back and forth between there and our lodgings in town, I practiced magic.

When I wasn’t eating, sleeping, or bathing, I spent all day practicing, and I had managed to learn several more spells this time. Plus, I’d figured out how to cast the lighter magic and faucet magic I’d learned before without even chanting.

“You are progressing very quickly…”

“Really?”

“Yes. Perhaps even more than I. It is slightly vexing.”

“I think that may be going a little far.”

“No, it certainly isn’t. You must be quite talented with the handling of mental images, though this is just my own thought on the matter. If you keep learning at this rate, you may be able to get to intermediate-level magic in the near future.”

“I see.”

Apparently, magic was categorized in several different difficulties—beginner, intermediate, advanced, and the really dangerous stuff above that. The last was a very loosely defined category, as the sheer span of spells above advanced was enormous, and so few people could actually use them that they generally were never even talked about.

All the spells I’d learned thus far had been beginner ones. The teleportation spell, though, was part of that “really dangerous stuff.” It took so much mana to use that few ever learned it. Naturally, after hearing that, I was worried—but Peeps said the mana he was supplying would be enough.

“It’s a lot of work memorizing the incantations, though…”

The number of spells I could use had been rapidly increasing, and keeping the incantations straight had become troublesome. I’d have to learn how to use the simple spells without reciting their incantations at an early stage, or else they’d turn into a complete jumble when I tried to learn more. I got incantations wrong several times during practice, too, causing my spells to bomb.

“Why not simply bring your grimoire and use that?”

“My grimoire?”

“Haven’t you been writing the incantations down?”

“Huh? That’s what a grimoire is?”

“Yes.”

“Well, that’s surprisingly simple.”

I’d imagined a grimoire as more like… It would increase your mana when you held it—or something. The level of disappointment I felt at knowing a bunch of sheets of printer paper could be a grimoire was massive. Anyone else would have looked at that and seen an elementary or middle school kid fooling around, playing wizard.

“Many of the grimoires in this world have magic stones and magic circles embedded in them in addition to the incantations. It is possible to use one such grimoire to increase the power of magic. Grimoire refers to all of them as a single group.”

“I see.”

It looked like what I was imagining existed, too. Hearing that made me suddenly remember something the vice manager had told me—the printer paper and ballpoint pens would sell like hotcakes with magic users. Now I could easily understand why. They were probably using them to make grimoires.

Not only was the paper I brought thinner than this world’s, it was also of higher quality. I bet it was handy for those who wanted to carry around a whole bunch of incantations. In that case, if I brought thick, unlined notebooks and sturdy leather covers to put on them, they could sell for a high price. I’d have to check on it the next chance I got.

“I’m thinking it’s time to wrap things up for now.”

“Hmm. I see.”

“My biggest achievement was learning healing magic, I think.”

I could cure wounds, as long as they were small scrapes and such. At higher levels, I would actually be able to regrow severed limbs. Beyond that, apparently healing magic could deal with most problems affecting the human body, such as disease and whatnot.

“Despite the high demand for healing magic, few are able to learn it. I’m treating the spell you learned as a beginner spell, but one could view it as intermediate given the degree of difficulty. Because of this, you should be careful when using it.”

“I see.”

I got the feeling I could make a lot of money using healing magic in modern times, maybe by starting a religion geared toward older, powerful folk. Still, secondhand religious corporations had been on the rise in recent years, which would make it difficult as a source of small-time cash.

Other than the healing magic, I’d learned a spell to shoot fire arrows, one to make objects float, another to create a gust of wind, and one to create light. Combined with those I’d learned last time, that made ten. It felt like a nice beginner magician’s set of magic to me.

Each of the spells apparently had a version that was more difficult that corresponded to it. As Peeps had said, some of them would naturally be categorized as intermediate. I figured I could start learning them next time. It was way more fun than studying bookkeeping.

“The sun is setting anyway, so let’s go back, Peeps.”

“I would like meat for dinner.”

“Didn’t you just have meat yesterday?”

“I like meat.”

“You sure eat a lot even though you’re so small, Peeps.”

“Is that bad?”

“No, I’m just a little surprised…”

“Then make more and more money and give me even better meat.”

“Well, how can I say no to my adorable birdie?”

“That’s the spirit.”

With Peeps’s magic, we returned to our lodgings. After taking dinner in the attached dining room, I slept the night away in a vast bed before returning to our apartment. We’d kept careful track of what time we came and went this time so that, upon returning to Japan, there would be a little under an hour before I had to go to work.

For the time being, it seemed I wouldn’t have much chance to use my pipe-frame bed. My relaxing life in another world was really getting started now, apparently. And I felt kind of like… You know. Like the main character of a role-playing game who was fully geared and carrying as many healing items as he could. I’d gotten my level pretty high, too. Now I’d just have to follow the strategy guide, defeat the last boss, and take down the secret boss. Maybe I could even livestream it on a video website.

That was how I felt.