“198… 678…The total amount comes to 3,992 yen.”

“Okay. Oh, I should have some loose change.”

I was currently at the shopping district near my home, buying a week’s worth of groceries. I opened my wallet and frowned. There was only 5,092 yen inside. Once I pay for these items, there’d only be 1,100 yen left.

It had been 8 months since my super hands-off parents divorced ‘to find true love’. I’ve been living on my own since then. But this month, they didn’t send me an allowance.

Since I’ve graduated high school, they probably wanted me to support myself. Maybe they thought I’d found a job because I said I wasn’t smart enough for university.

I did plan to do that, but I couldn’t get one!

Even university students have a hard time finding jobs, so of course, someone like me who was dumb and physically weak couldn’t find a place to take me.

I thought about getting a part-time job so I could at least have something to eat, but when I went to the interview for a well-paying graveyard shift job, I was rejected because of my babyface.

I can’t believe they mistook me for a junior high student. I am already 18 years old!

I’d been too shocked then so I just quietly went home afterward, but ever since then, it’s been bothering me. What year in junior high did they think I was in?

No way, right… No, of course not. There’s no way they thought I was in my first year. Right?

“Dear customer, these are some tickets for our spring lottery. For every ten tickets you can draw once. We encourage you to participate.”

“Okay, thanks.”

The cashier lady gave me three tickets. I had seven tickets in my wallet.

I could draw, but the shopping district lottery didn’t really give any good prizes. …Well, that was what I thought but when I looked at the back of the ticket…

“The first prize is 300,000?!”

300,000 yen, if I budgeted it, it would last me two whole months. I had to get it!

I exhaled heavily through my nose, exited the store and headed for the lottery area.

It was the last day, so there was a long line. It seems the first prize hasn’t been won yet. Lottery tickets in hand, I recited Buddhist chants as I waited for my turn.

“That’s 10 lottery tickets.You can draw once.”

There was only one chance. I had to put my all into this draw.

I drew deep breaths thrice then rolled.

Get it get it get it get it!

I rolled with all my might. Finally, a ball dropped. It was yellow.

Yellow! Yes, I won!!

‘Clang, clang’

The auntie energetically rang the bell in her hand. “Congratulations! You’ve won the special prize!!”

Huh? Special prize? Not first prize?

I hurriedly looked at the poster. There was indeed a special prize written above the first prize. It was called ‘Choose your own prize’.

It’s over. What the hell was a ‘choose your own prize’? I wanted the money.

“This is our catalogue. There’s a deadline so please make sure to redeem your prize on time.”

“…….Thank you.”

I took the catalogue. Amidst the applause from the people around me, I headed home with slumped shoulders.

Well, a loss was a loss. Nothing to it. I was the type who recovered fast. It wasn’t like I was gonna get richer if I got depressed. Maybe I could choose something expensive and sell it off. With that in mind, I started to peruse the catalogue.

There really seemed to be a lot of good stuff. It was worthy of being called a special prize. Seeing perfectly marbled Matsuzaka beef on the list, I couldn’t help gulping.

Ever since I lost access to more money, I’d only been able to eat chicken breasts. Saliva pooled in my mouth at the thought of such delicious red meat.

No, no, I can’t. Don’t give in. Once you eat the meat, it’ll all be gone. I needed something that’ll make me money.

I read the catalogue page by page so seriously I forgot to blink. On the last page, there was a very unusual item.

“‘Migration to another world’? Hmm, they’ve even got something like this here.”

It’d been ten years since the entrance to another world was found. Going on a tour in the other world has become a popular vacation activity. It was even more popular than traveling to another country.

“Let’s see, ‘Wouldn’t you like to be the first Japanese to settle in such an undeveloped area? It’s a must for people who’d like to live a slow life in the countryside! We’ll give you a farmhouse and various livestock as a bonus! If you avail of this service during the campaign period, you’ll get to choose one cheat skill as well.’ These are some pretty favorable terms.”

They could arrange for migration so it was probably perfectly safe. It was perfect for people who wanted to try living in another world.

Besides, if it didn’t work out you could just go through the gate again and you’d easily be able to return here.

While I was immersed in reading the catalogue, the sun had completely set and it’d gotten dark out. For now, I should turn on the lights and eat dinner.

“………Huh? It won’t turn on?”

I flicked the switch numerous times but nothing happened. Then I realized. Today was the cutoff date for paying the electricity bill.

“Uwah, the power got cut off?”

This was bad. Really bad. Without power I can’t do anything.

“Ugh. Dad, Mom. I wish you’d contacted me before you cut off my allowance…”

They were wandering around who-knows-where abroad, so I couldn’t exactly write them a letter. They had a PO Box here, but I didn’t know when they’d come back to Japan.

Worst case scenario, this house might even get repossessed.

Then I was struck with a thought. If I moved to the other world, at least I’d have a house for sure. And with livestock there’d be eggs and milk so I wouldn’t starve.

“I’ve decided. I’ll apply for it tomorrow.”

If I sold all of the furniture and stuff in the house I’d be able to get some money. Then I could buy a survival book and I’d be set!

Like this, my decision to move to the other world was set.

Moving day. I stood in front of the gate to the other world with a rucksack on my back. Just as I’d planned, inside the bag was a survival book, a knife and a change of clothes.

I didn’t know what to get for the chosen cheat skill so I just put in ‘plants’.

There was no point in me getting a combat skill since I was a coward and wouldn’t be able to fight anyway. And though I think having magic would be pretty cool, when I asked, they said to be able to use magic you’d have to memorize long spell chants. That was obviously impossible for me.

In that case, it was better to have a skill that could help me grow plants. That way I’d be a better farmer.

“We will now be opening the gate. Please enjoy life in the other world.”

Once the announcement aired, the gate opened.

Matsumoto Shinobu, 18 years old, now leaving for the other world!!

I felt my body get pulled into the gate. In a space where I couldn’t tell up from down, waves of light floating and bending swept me forward.

It was the first time I was passing through the gate and I was so tossed around I felt like vomiting. I should’ve taken some motion sickness medicine.

I didn’t know if it took only a moment or several hours, but I finally saw the shining exit in this space where time felt distorted. Once I go through that, my new life will start!!

“Blergh. I don’t feel good.”

That last jolt was something. Nobody told me the ride was going to be that bumpy!!

“Welcome to Agram, Shinobu-sama.”

As I was sitting on the ground with my head in my hands, I heard a gentle-sounding voice come from above me. I desperately tried to stop from vomiting everything up, and managed to nod my head in reply.

I definitely didn’t want to start my other world life with such a grand reversal!

“Excuse me, Shinobu-sama. Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

I grasped the hand he extended and somehow got up. The man guided me into a small room.

Antique furniture and stone walls. It had a similar feeling to the medieval times of my previous world.

By the way…

It’s hot.

It was the end of April in Japan. The past few days have been cold so I’ve been layering clothes. Now it was too hot.

“Um, so it’s summer here, right?”

“What is summer?”

“Well, do you know the four seasons? The temperature changes throughout the year, turning hot and cold. Where I was, it was spring, the season where it’s a little cold. But when I came here it suddenly became hot so I was surprised.”

“Heh, so something like that happens in the other world. How interesting. That kind of change in temperature doesn’t happen here. There’s a little change here and there, but generally the weather is like this all throughout the year.”

Wow! This world was amazing!

I wasn’t good with the cold, so having summer all year long was really a blessing for me.

“I love this kind of climate.”

“That’s good. Since you’re immigrating here, I’m glad you’re coming to like this world. That’s right, I haven’t introduced myself. I’m your guide to this world, Norn. If you have any concerns, please don’t hesitate to come to me.”

Now that I looked at him, the smiling Norn-san was actually pretty good-looking. He was wearing glasses, and when he was silent he looked a little cold, but he spoke warmly and had a kind smile. He was so handsome that even a man like myself could fall for him.

He was like a handsome school doctor character.

“Thank you.”

“By the way, Shinobu-sama is still so young, why are you moving to this world by yourself?”

“Eh?”

“You’re still at an age when your parents should be taking care of you. Do people in the other world become independent this young?”

I’d gotten happy thinking that I’d found a reliable ally, but Norn-san’s words really had quite the destructive power. He was able to depress me in just an instant.

‘So young’…just how old did Norn-san think I was?

“How old do I look?”

“Let’s see, maybe 10 or 11 years old. Did I get it right?”

G-grade schooler…!! I looked like a grade schooler?!

“I’ll be 19 this year.”

“Eh, you’re the same age as me?! You’re an adult?!”

So you were the same age as me, Norn-san. You’re so tall and mature-looking I thought you were older.

I looked like a kid even in this world. What’s more, I looked even younger here.

“I-I’m so sorry. I treated an adult like you as a 10-year old. You have such an adorable height, I thought you were a child. The people of the other world really look young.”

Yeah, I know. I know that I’m short!

I’m happy you’re trying to make me feel better, but ‘adorable height’ doesn’t make me feel better at all!

“Err, I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I’m used to it.”

I didn’t have what I didn’t have. It couldn’t be helped. I didn’t want things to sour just because of this, so I tried my best to smile.

Being charming was important. Smiling would give others a better impression of me.

Norn-san read the atmosphere and quickly changed the topic. “Then, I’ll lead you to your new home. I’m sure you want to get some rest soon.”

Right, let’s go. Go immediately! I’ve been looking forward to my farmhouse.