9-I'm really, truly, 18 years old

"Please forgive me. There was someone who wasn't prostrating himself, so I was warning him. Come on, kid. Hurry up and prostrate yourself," the knight said.

I told him, "I'm not a kid. I'm 18 years old."

""""""HUH?!""""""

Somehow, I felt like I heard that word voiced from various directions.

Not only from the knight who spoke to me, but also the other knights who were standing so still looking forward that I thought they were statues, and even the people who were directing the horses and moocs.

Everyone was looking over here. I felt a little uncomfortable under all their gazes.

And it was a little depressing that this fact caused such a commotion.

The knight finally said, "That's a funny joke, but you should make it more believable next time."

Mr. Knight, you said it's funny, but your voice didn't sound like it was laughing at all. Though with your face all covered up with a helmet, I couldn't really tell.

But, yeah... I knew you would react like that!!

It was true, though. I really was a true, full-fledged, high school graduate. An 18-year old turning 19 this year.

Well, I get it. Even I would think it was a lie if someone who looked like a 10-year old said they'd be turning 19 that year.

Yup, it couldn't be helped. I'm definitely not disappointed. Nope.

"I'm Shinobu, 18. I moved to this world three months ago. By the way, in my world, I'm a normal Japanese of below average height."

A voice emerged from the carriage. "So you're the immigrant? That's why you look like that."

The door to the coach box opened, and the person who came out had dazzling golden hair and was slightly shorter than Norn.

I say, 'slightly shorter', but it was already plenty tall enough for me that I had to crane my neck to look at him.

I noticed that all the young people I've met in this world, whether it was Norn, or Couge, or this person, were all good-looking people. But the uncles who gave me candy all had dark skins and beards, and looked really fierce.

Maybe Norn and this guy were still in the middle of growing, and once they finish they'll all look fierce?

Though I didn't think they'd become like the uncles unless their bodies deteriorated down to their very cells.

This world really was strange.

"Excuse me."

While I was still standing dazed, deep in thought, the golden-haired man easily jumped into my land.

The knight looked ready to act. Seeing that, I panicked, but contrary to my expectations, Pochi remained where he was. Actually, he looked much more relaxed than before.

"Firks-sama, please take care," the knight said.

"Just who are you saying that to? There's no animal that would attack me."

Just in case, I grabbed onto Pochi and pushed him down. The golden-haired man—Firks-sama?—who'd been observing me with scrutiny bent down and gently pulled at my bangs.

He said, "I can feel a strange aura coming from you. You received a blessing when you came over to this world, right? What was it?"

Was he talking about the cheat skill?

"It's a plant ability," I answered.

Whenever I gave this explanation, I always felt like I'm talking about a laundry detergent. Like something that didn't irritate the skin.

"I see. So that's why the plants are all lively here."

"You can tell?"

"I can understand the feelings of plants and animals. They can also understand me. Though we can't perfectly communicate with each other like how humans can. It's in my blood."

I didn't really understand, but I guess he meant that not everyone in this world could do it, and that Firks-sama's family was special?

Then, he could understand what Pochi was thinking right now?

That's amazing! It must be really fun being able to talk with Pochi and Pyonkichi.

"Um, is Pochi saying something? Is there anything he wants to tell me?" I asked excitedly.

Firks-sama stared at Pochi. Pochi stared back, then barked.

"'Vegetables are fine, but I'd like to eat meat too,' he says."

I was a bit heartbroken that our frugal food situation was being exposed to the public.

I'm sorry, Pochi. You're a dog after all, of course you want to eat meat.

But I'd been hesitating buying meat because I was worried that with the warm climate, the meat would rot during the travel time from the town market back home.

But now that I thought about it, Genett-san's home produced meat. I could ask for some early in the morning while it wasn't hot, then store it in a cool place.

Or maybe I could smoke it.

"I'm sorry, Pochi. I'll ask Genett-san next time he comes, okay?"

"Arf!!"

"He said he'd like to eat a lot."

This person was unexpectedly easy to talk to. With his gorgeous appearance, I'd thought he was the snobby type who'd be all, 'you take care of it'.

"Um, can I ask you a question?" I said.

"What is it?"

I asked him a question I'd been thinking of since earlier, "How long should I prostrate myself?"

"In general, until the procession has passed."

The expression on his face said, 'that's it?', but it was quite important to me. If I raised my head too early, thinking it was fine, and the parade stopped again, it'd be too troublesome.

Until the procession has passed, huh... That was quite a long time, wasn't it?

You couldn't work during that time, and having to keep kneeling on the ground would be a killer on the legs.

Just imagining it made me groan inwardly.

Maybe it showed on my face, because Firks-sama coolly raised an eyebrow and asked, "What about in the other world?"

"In Japan, people would wave their hands or some flags to show their enthusiasm, but they don't prostrate themselves, I don't think? It's also not set that they would keep doing so until the procession has passed. There are people who would only wave their hands when the important person passes by then leave for work, and there are some who would watch from beginning to end. It varies."

If it were the Edo Period, it would've been taboo for someone to cross in front of the path of an important person, but modern Japan had more freedom.

By the way, I was pretty bad at remembering historical dates and the like, but I liked anecdotal stuff. For example, the toilets in row houses in the Edo Period only had half-doors which only covered one's lower body. I knew a lot of little trivias like that.

Of course, that kind of thing didn't show up in tests, so they were all useless knowledge.

"Hm, how rational. I've always thought that it was useless for people to prostrate themselves when I'm inside the carriage and can't even see them. Rather than them having to prostrate themselves against their will, it would be a far sight better for people to wave their hands if they wanted to. I'll take your words as reference. I permit you to disregard us and return and devote yourself to your work."

After he spoke, Firks-sama returned once more into his carriage.

The knight also conscientiously bowed to me and returned to the road.

In the end, I still didn't know why Firks-sama was a person I should give thanks to. I decided to ask Norn next time I meet him.

But shortly after, Norn said that he'd be busy with work and we couldn't meet up, so in the end, I forgot to ask him.

It was only when I came to watch the eating contest that the town held regularly and I met the armored knight once more that I remembered.

"Norn! Long time no see. How have you been?"

Norn was waiting by the entrance to town. I waved at him and he waved back with a smile.

Somehow, he looked tired. Had he been that busy with work?

He used to visit once every five days, but recently, I couldn't get in contact with him. I was worried so I came by Couge's restaurant to ask, but Couge said he himself hadn't been able to see Norn in a while.

But today was the first day of the eating contest held every third or fourth month, and we were finally able to meet.

I had left my wagon at Couge's restaurant, and the three of us were now heading to the eating contest venue.

"What are they going to be eating for the contest?" I asked.

Couge replied, "It changes every time. The food is announced just before the start of the contest. Last time it was raw garlic, and the venue got pretty smelly."

Raw garlic, huh. That'd be really spicy.

Contenders would be able to eat for free so the contest was popular. Participants were drawn by lottery though, and the food chosen was pretty much hit or miss.

"We have food fighters who'd compete in who can eat the fastest or the most food in Japan too. If you make this into a tourist attraction, it'd probably draw a lot of people?"

"So you hold this kind of event in the other world, too," Norn said.

"Yeah. And it's not only men who participate, but women too. Some of them can easily eat three kilos worth of food. They go through all kinds of special training and treat eating contests as their profession."

It was really amazing. They could even win against two pro wrestlers.

Just watching them made me feel full.

Couge said, "The other world is really deep. But I'd rather taste the food when I eat."

Couge seemed a bit bewildered. Well, he was a chef. Of course he wanted people to appreciate the taste of food.

But you didn't have to worry! The food fighters of Japan ate very well.

A lot of time had passed since I first came to this world. But the essay that I was supposed to write about my experience living here still hadn't been mentioned.

When I asked, 'Didn't you ask me to participate in drawing tourists in? Are we not doing that anymore?' Norn told me that the knowledge and ideas of the other world that I was passing on through casual conversation were plenty useful.

That was why whenever I was speaking to Norn, there were a lot of times when he suddenly took down notes.

So I tried to remember and talk about a lot of things about my previous world as much as possible. But today, it seemed he was taking a break from note-taking. He never once took out his notepad from his pocket.

"It'd be great if the two of you could visit Japan one day. When you do, I'll be your guide."

"Yes...When that time comes, we'll be in your care."

I was so excited for the contest that I didn't notice Norn's listless response.

Couge declared, "We're here. It's about to start. The participants are already all on stage on standby."

We were at the assembly hall near the town market, and it was crowded with people.

There were a lot of food stands to cater to tourists, and they all smelled delicious. The people of this world truly loved their meat; there were a lot of gigantic grilled skewers that looked like yakitori being sold.

The seasoning was...salt, as expected. I kind of wanted some tare sauce, but there was no sign of that sweet and spicy smell anywhere.

Maybe this world didn't have soy sauce?

It looked like I wouldn't be able to implement my plan to make some soft and dripping-in-sauce oyakodon soon. Besides, I hadn't been able to find any rice since I arrived here.

Norn said, "Oh, the food is being brought in. This time it's...onion, huh. Looks like this time's eating contest is a miss. It's been two consecutive misses now."

"Then, what would be considered a hit?" I asked.

"Of course, it'd be ravi steak," Norn replied.

"Norn's favorite is ravi meat, after all," Couge said, amused.

Pyonkichi...was Norn's favorite. So the reason he'd sometimes kept staring at Pyonkichi whenever he came to visit was probably because he'd been thinking that he looked delicious.

The sounds of a bell being struck rung in the air. It seemed the eating contest was starting.

But I couldn't see anything but the back of the person in front of me.

"N-Norn, what should I do. I can't see anything!!"

"Ah! I forgot! What should we do... It seems I didn't plan well enough," Norn fretted.

Couge offered, "Should I lift you up?"

I was grateful for Couge's suggestion, but being lifted up by someone my age was a little...no, it was too embarrassing.

I didn't know how well he could hold up, but I was obviously heavier than a frying pan full of five eggs. Him having to carry me the whole time would definitely be too tiring.

How would I be able to watch? I tried jumping up and down. Then, someone tapped me on the shoulder.

"Use this."

I thought I'd be scolded for jumping in the middle of a crowd, but someone brought a wooden box from somewhere.

"Th-thank you!!"

After I thanked him, he put his hands under my armpits and lifted me up on top of the wooden box.

Yay! I could now see the stage above everyone's heads!!

I gave a thumbs up to the person behind me, and he answered in kind. Turned out, it was the bearded uncle who was our first ever customer the day I met Couge.

I never thought we'd meet again here. It really was a small world.

The eating contest was almost midway through. The contestant who had eaten the most was the one who was furthest on the right. The person standing behind him had three fingers raised. Did that mean this was his third onion?

He was stuffing his mouth woodenly, with his gaze fixed at one point. I knew it, even the people of this world found it hard to eat raw onions.

Look, the person beside that contestant was affected by the smell and had tears streaming down his face as he ate.

"Come on! Eat more!!"

"Show some guts!!"

The crowd pointed at the contestant with the runny nose, boisterously laughing and cheering him on.

This time the food was onions, so they jeered for the contestants to eat more. But it seemed that if the food was a popular one, they would tell the contestants to hold back and eat slowly.

"Ahahaha! Do your best, everyone!!"

The onion eating contest heated up. I also waved my arms and cheered.

I was sure this contest would be popular in Japan too. After all, there were even television shows for this kind of thing.

Maybe soon there'd be a contest to determine who'd be the king of eating contests between Japan's food fighters and the people of this world.