Chapter 2

"Wow, that's amazing. I wonder how it works."

Standing at the boundary between the tatami room and the stone-paved path, Ichirou muttered with half his face exposed to each side. Incidentally, the space of the tatami room at the boundary with the path was covered with a blue sheet so that he could walk in shoes.

Currently, Ichirou's field of vision is in a rather peculiar situation, with the stone-paved path visible in his left eye and the tatami room he was originally in visible in his right eye. He enjoyed this new sensation for a while, but as his brain got confused, he started feeling nauseous, so he moved to the stone-paved path.

"I wonder what's beyond. It looks a bit bright."

Looking down the path, he saw a corner about 30 meters ahead, and it seemed bright, as if light was coming from outside. The path itself was also brightly lit by something like bioluminescent moss.

While thinking, "Bioluminescent moss is a natural monument, I wonder if I should report it to the authorities," Ichirou headed towards the light at the end of the path and found a strange object at the corner.

"Huh? What is this... Oh!"

On closer inspection, it turned out to be a human skeleton wrapped in a tattered kimono, weathered and worn out.

"Seriously... whose body is this? And how long has it been left here to be skeletonized and the clothes to be in tatters?"

Ichirou took a few steps back from the skeleton and muttered, "I thought I finally found a quiet place, but now I have to deal with the police," as he took out his mobile phone to report it.

"Huh, it's out of range."

The signal bars, which were solid when he arrived at the mansion, were now showing out of range. Wondering if it was because he was inside the path, he turned the corner to go outside, and found that the path led directly to a mixed forest, allowing him to go outside. Checking his phone again, the signal was still out of range.

"That's strange, why is it out of range?"

Tilting his head, Ichirou decided to move to a place with a signal and looked around for his car.

"Where's my car? Actually, where's the mansion? And now that I think about it, the area around the mansion was a bamboo forest, not a mixed forest, right?"

In Ichirou's field of vision, only the entrance to the path he had just come from and the mixed forest were visible. The distance he had moved from the back room of the mansion to here was at most 50 meters. It was impossible for the surrounding environment to change so much with just that much movement.

"Could this be...?"

With a serious expression, Ichirou whispered and ran back along the stone-paved path. On the way, he said to the skeleton, "I'll just pass through here."

"Sure enough, that's it."

Back in the tatami room, he checked his phone again, and the signal bars were solid.

"The other side of this threshold must be connected to some distant place. That's why it was sealed and locked."

Feeling satisfied, Ichirou thought, "This is an amazing supernatural phenomenon!" and, picking up the Boston bag he had left at the entrance of the mansion, he crossed the threshold again and headed towards the mixed forest. Deciding to satisfy his adventurous spirit, he put aside the report of the skeleton.

"There are stories of people instantly moving from one end of America to the other in strange events around the world. It's possible that I've moved to a different country."

To avoid getting lost, Ichirou marked the trees he passed with stones he picked up and walked for about five minutes. Suddenly, the mixed forest ended, and a field appeared before him. Beyond the field, he could see simple, almost primitive wooden houses scattered about, and it seemed to be a village. He could also see a few villagers working in the fields.

"Ah, first villager spotted. ...With blonde hair, this must be Europe or America, right?"

The word "illegal entry" flashed in Ichirou's mind for a moment, but he decided to be optimistic and pretend to be a tourist, thinking he wouldn't be caught immediately.

Then, taking the opportunity, he took photos with his digital camera. The villagers noticed Ichirou and were talking to each other while looking at him. Thinking it would be troublesome if he was suspected of being a suspicious person, Ichirou decided to speak to them first before they reported him. Carrying a Boston bag, he could pass as a tourist.

"Hello! I'm a tourist. I'm Japanese!"

Smiling and waving his hand widely, Ichirou walked towards them along the path. A particularly thin, short-haired blonde man, who was talking to the others, replied in perfect Japanese:

"Huh? What did you say!?"

Ichirou lowered his hand, which he had been waving, and thought, "Damn... I thought I was in a foreign country, but it's like I'm in a theme park in Nagasaki or Aomori..."

Feeling disappointed, he tried to cheer up, thinking it was still good to be in Japan.

"I'm visiting this area as a tourist. Where is the nearest station?"

Walking up to the villagers and trying to confirm his location, Ichirou asked. The man who had replied earlier looked puzzled and glanced at the other villagers, who also looked confused.

"Um, I don't understand what you're talking about... Are you one of Sir Nelson's servants?"

"Huh?"

Ichirou was now the one who was confused. It didn't make sense to ask someone looking for a station, "I don't understand what you're talking about." And who is Sir Nelson?

"Ah, I want to ride a train and am looking for a station..."

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're saying."

The man, who seemed somewhat tense, replied. Ichirou folded his arms and looked down, muttering, "Hmm." Thinking that the word "station" might not be understood, he tried to use his limited knowledge to form a sentence in a language-like manner, but it didn't seem to get through. Moreover, it was strange that someone who could speak fluent Japanese wouldn't understand the word "station."

"(It's as if he's hearing the word 'station' for the first time.)"

At that moment, Ichirou suddenly looked up and surveyed his surroundings again. The buildings he could see were all simple, wooden, single-story houses with thatched roofs, far from being impressive. The clothes of the villagers in front of him were made of unknown materials, with rough stitching and no patterns. Looking at the fields, the hoes were made entirely of wood, both the handles and the blades, and didn't look easy to use. Moreover, the villagers he was talking to were very thin and clearly malnourished.

"(Is this really Japan? Could it be a completely different world?)"

With the disappearing padlock in front of his eyes and the threshold that changed the space when crossed, it began to feel like this place could be a different world.

Thinking that even if they were acting in some event, he would just be laughed at, Ichirou decided to act as if they were genuine.

"Ah, sorry. I let my dialect slip. I'm a traveling merchant, and my name is Kazura. I'm looking for a place to stay for the night."

Ichirou unfolded his arms and smoothly lied with a business smile. He thought that in this world, or at least in this area, the cultural level was quite low. The contents of the Boston bag he was carrying should be enough to get him through as a merchant.

"You're a merchant? We've never had a merchant come to this village before..."

"Oh, really? I got lost and ended up here by chance, but I guess I'm the first merchant to visit this village. Even by chance, it's an honor."

Ichirou's friendly smile seemed to ease the tension of the man and the other villagers. They probably mistook him for a servant of a powerful local figure named Nelson.

"As a token of our acquaintance, I would like to offer some of the goods I deal with to the village. How about some salt and medicine to relieve pain?"

"Salt? ...Salt! And medicine!?"

To the man's shocked reaction, Ichirou inwardly smiled and said, "Yes, salt and medicine. As a token of friendship, I'll give you a little."

The man, who was now flustered, urged Ichirou, "Wait a moment, I'll call the village chief... No, I'll take you to the village chief's house, please follow me."

Ichirou replied with a smile, "Sure," while thinking, "Good."

If he could make a good impression on someone in a position like the village chief, he might be able to use the village as a base to explore this different world for a while.

After walking through the village for about ten minutes with the man, they arrived at a house that was somewhat more solid compared to the other village houses. The man told Ichirou to wait a moment and knocked strongly on the sliding door of the house.

"Ms. Barretta, it's Rozuru! I've brought a traveling merchant! He says he will give us salt and medicine!"

After waiting for about ten seconds, the door opened, and a young, thin woman appeared.

"Oh, Rozuru... I heard medicine..."

The woman had dark circles under her eyes, and her arms and legs were thin like sticks. She was a perfect embodiment of malnutrition and overwork. Standing at about 170 cm, Ichirou was a head taller than her, which made her look even more frail. Her blonde hair, which she had tied in a ponytail at the back of her neck, was dry and lifeless due to malnutrition.

"(If she could get proper rest and nutrition, she might become quite cute.)"

Even in her current malnourished state, Ichirou thought her face was quite cute. Ignoring Ichirou's thoughts, Rozuru started talking excitedly.

"Yes! If the medicine Mr. Kazura offers can cure the village chief's illness!"

"Really? Can my father be saved? Thank you!"

Hearing about the medicine, Barretta's tired face lit up, and she bowed to Ichirou with tears in her eyes.

"Huh? Wait a moment. Is your father ill?"

The conversation was heading in the direction that Ichirou was a savior who would save the woman's father. He had some medicine for colds and stomachaches, but if it was something serious like tuberculosis or cancer, he wouldn't be able to do anything.

"Yes, he has been bedridden for about five days, with a high fever. Even if I try to give him nutritious food, there's nothing good to eat... If we had money, we could call a doctor, but we can't afford it... I was almost giving up."

It seemed that her father was seriously ill. For some reason, they thought that the medicine Ichirou offered would cure the chief, even though he hadn't even said what kind of medicine it was.

"(The only medicine I have is some stomach medicine and some painkillers I got from a doctor a while ago. And some Lipovit.)"

Thinking about the medicine in his bag, Ichirou felt gloomy. If the chief's illness was a serious one, the medicine he had wouldn't help, and Ichirou, who was not a medical professional, couldn't make a proper diagnosis. He had brought some strong painkillers, thinking there might be villagers with sore legs and backs from farm work, but he had been too optimistic.

"I'm not sure if the medicine I have will work, but can I see the chief's condition?"

"Yes, please! Thank you!"

With Barretta bowing deeply, Ichirou prayed, "I hope it's just back pain or malnutrition," and followed her into the house.

"Father, this person has brought medicine! It's going to be okay!"

"Chief! It's going to be okay!"

"Ugh... medicine...?"

"(Yes...)"

The moment Ichirou saw Barretta's father lying in the room, he thought, "I'm going to have to bring condolences tomorrow."

"How is it, Mr. Kazura? Will my father get better?"

Barretta, holding her father's hand, looked up at Ichirou, who was standing there, with a tearful expression.

"Where's the nearest funeral home?"

Feeling the atmosphere, Ichirou couldn't say such a thing and decided to sit next to Barretta's father to check his condition.

"Wow, he has a high fever. His eyes are sunken, and he can't focus. He's shaking all over... It's going to be okay! He'll get better!!"

Despite his initial honest reaction to the severe condition, Ichirou quickly changed his words when he saw Barretta start to cry. He regretted it as soon as he said it.

"Really!? ...Thank you..."

"Hold on, I mean, he'll be freed from his suffering soon..."

Holding Ichirou's hand, Barretta, crying, thanked him repeatedly, and Ichirou started to sweat profusely. As if to add to his distress, Rozuru said,

"Great! I'll tell the other villagers about this!"

Ignoring Ichirou's frantic attempts to stop him, Rozuru ran out of the house.