Chapter 4

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Finally, the flashback ends.

I’ll reconfirm my current situation. Fortunately, the land I was sent to seems to be a breathable Earth-like world. No, there’s still a possibility that what I saw earlier was a dream or some kind of video, and I was suddenly brought to an unknown place.

Believing in that possibility, I re-examine my surroundings.

I’m on a cliff where I can see the horizon and the sea level. It’s more like a flat, barren wilderness that suddenly ends, with the sea spreading out below. Even the wilderness is more like a savanna with a bit more green. I’m sitting on a bed right in the middle of this scene, which looks like it could be from a Western movie.

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Trouble.

I don’t understand anything……

I decided to stop thinking about the location and check my belongings instead.

“First, I’ll check my belongings.”

Talking to myself is a habit. Apparently, I started mumbling to myself sometime after I began living alone.

I turn the duffel bag upside down on the bed.

First, a toothbrush and toothpaste. A razor.

What? You think a business hotel would have these?

Disposable cheap ones hurt my gums, and disposable razors make my skin break out! I need at least a four-blade razor!

Don’t call me delicate!

Panting. Next!

A set of clothes. Boxer shorts, a running shirt, and socks. Come to think of it, I haven’t taken a shower yet……

Two dress shirts. One I’m wearing and one for a change. They’re still in plastic from the dry cleaner.

A laptop. I wonder if I can find a power source here……

A set of writing tools. Not just mechanical pencils and ballpoint pens, but also pencils and a utility knife, leftovers from my student days. I also have a notebook and an eraser.

A half-drunk bottle of tea. A 500ml PET bottle. The company is really cruel, making us bring in tea during such a long, unnecessary meeting. I wonder what happened to the company? Well, it doesn’t matter, that black hole of a place.

A wristwatch. It’s reasonably cheap but made in Japan, so it’s very precise.

A smartphone. Everyone has one these days. Oh, there’s also a mobile battery with a charging function. No signal, though. I had a glimmer of hope that if the antenna worked, it might be a prank. But being air-dropped to a place outside Japan for a prank… no way.

A weekly manga magazine. Everyone buys them, right?

It’s a famous weekly magazine filled with battle, friendship, eating, throwing, and accidental nudity. I can’t read the next chapter……

A set of medicines. Over-the-counter stomach medicine, painkillers, and cold medicine. I’ve been carrying them since I had a bad experience on a train. Especially on business trips.

Cigarettes… I finished them all just now…! A whole pack…! Cigarettes! I can’t smoke here!? No way! Impossible!

Damn it! I demand a do-over!

I shouted at the blue sky, but no one answered. I almost cried.

With my shoulders slumped, I resumed my investigation.

A lighter. Of course. I won’t throw it away. I won’t give up on my dreams and hopes!

Glasses. I’m wearing them now. What if they break… my vision is less than 0.1…

And a week’s worth of 1-day contact lenses, just in case. I use them when my glasses break. I don’t use them regularly because of the maintenance cost. Also, my female colleagues at the office seem stricter when I wear contacts. Probably just my imagination.

And contact lens solution. My eyes get dry sometimes.

Leather shoes and a suit… it’s hot! Why am I still wearing them! I took off my cheap suit and threw it into the duffel bag.

The duffel bag isn’t that big. It’s more like a large backpack with wheels. It’s hard-shelled and durable. By the way, if you pull out the handle, it’s a convenient item that you can pull along.

But it doesn’t seem like the wheels will be useful here. Good thing it’s a backpack.

Business cards and a card holder… I don’t need these at all.

I also found a handkerchief. I usually don’t pay much attention to it, but this time I had a clean one in my pocket.

Is that all I have on me?

Oh, I forgot my wallet. A synthetic leather wallet and some coins in my pocket, but based on what she said, it’s unlikely I can use them, not just in Japan, but maybe not even on Earth.

I’ll thoroughly search the duffel bag again.

I found two packets of tissues from street vendors. I must have thrown them in unconsciously.

A candy came out… I don’t remember buying it… and only two is odd.

Where did I get this… oh, it was given out after a barbecue. Strawberry and lemon flavors. They’re individually wrapped, so they should still be edible. They might melt in this heat, so I’ll put them in the back of the bag.

And a hotel bed set. I can’t carry that. Am I supposed to live on this cliff in the wilderness? No way. I’ll look for a village first.

So, my plan from now on is to find a village.

…Where do I start looking?

The cliff behind me has a coastline that stretches endlessly, and the wilderness extends to the horizon. Come to think of it, this might be the first time I’ve seen a real horizon… but in this situation, it’s not very impressive. Damn.

No, no, where should I go?

I might be in a dead end.

My life is really a crap game……