Eternal Adventurer (WN): Chapter 1

 

1

As usual, my alarm goes off.

I stop it, feeling annoyed by the high-pitched sound that pierces my ears.

It's 5:00 in the morning.

I head to the kitchen, trying to make as little noise as possible.

I heat up the dishes I made yesterday.

Cook rice

Dissolve the miso for the miso soup in a pot and add the ingredients

And prepare two lunch boxes.

I hear a sound behind me.

"Good morning."

I said to my father who got up and changed into a suit

"Good morning."

That's all for the conversation.

It's not like we're on bad terms.

""Thanks for the food.""

Breakfast as usual.

--------------------

"I'm going to be late tonight, so I won't be needing food."

"Okay."

Father leaves the house with a garbage bag and a briefcase.

I have to go to school too.

"I'm off."

I said to the empty house.

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It's just another day like any other

Go to class

Have lunch

Talking about irrelevant things in class

I was asked

"Speaking of which, don't you have a smartphone or something?"

I have a cell phone.

The cheapest one.

"I only have this"

"You can only make calls on that phone."

It can't be helped

It's important to save money.

------------------

Evening

I went straight from school to my part-time job

Waiter at a restaurant

Today from 4pm to 8pm

"Good night."

"Good work."

I let the manager know I'm going home.

From there, I went home.

The usual way home.

About a 20-minute walk.

Today was a little different.

Only one street light was out.

“Onii-san, can I have a minute?”

A small table with a candle lit under the lamp

An old woman in black, shady clothes was sitting there.

"You're so cautious... can't you live without that?'

When I stopped silently, she said something meaningful

"I usually charge money, but I'll read your fortune for you for free. No, it is correct that I want to read your fortune."

"Are you asking me to come over there?"

"Yeah, you... how can I say it, I feel like I'm on to something great."

"That's ambiguous."

"I think so too. Would you mind drawing seven of these cards of your choice? That's all I need."

Strangely enough, my guard faded.

Dozens of cards on the table

With patterns on them I'd never seen before.

"Okay, I'll take these seven."

I turned the cards over

All of them had symbols I'd never seen before.

"Thank you. Can you give me those?"

I handed the cards back to the old woman.

"This is......"

"Is there a problem?"

"You've been through a lot, haven't you? Especially in the last five years."

She hit the mark

"I'm sorry to tell you this. You will continue to have a hard time."

"........."

“It's the least I can do. If you don't mind, will you take it?"

Saying so, the old woman took a bracelet out of the luggage behind her.

"No worries, it's just a bracelet woven from dried grass."

"Is that so?"

"But I prayed a lot to it. At least I hope it can give you a good dream."

There is one white stone woven into the bracelet.

A very small stone, like a Go stone.

"Please take it."

"Alright."

So I parted with the old woman

-----------

I came home.

"I'm home"

No answer from the pitch-black house

I ate reasonably simple food

Take a shower and went to bed as usual

All that's left is to sleep

"At least I hope it can give you a good dream."

I remember that bracelet

"If it helps me have good dreams, then it's worth it."

Let's hope for a placebo effect.