The Starting Town (part 1)

 

 

 

 

 

Ahh, I so don’t wanna go in there. 

 

I bet nobody would want to go in unless they really really have to. Even from the outside the place reeks of brutes and flashy people. It sounds like a fish market in there: hectic, boisterous, hot, sweaty, stuffy, and everything related to discomfort. 

 

Why did Seryy-sama have to spawn me in this city in particular? I’m certain there should be at least one branch of A.B.A.M (short for Abnormal Beings Association & Management) that is peaceful and pristine. 

 

I bet everything on that no introvert, or really any normal person, would want to go in there. Can’t I have someone else do it for me? 

 

Yeah, I can’t. 

 

I have to do it myself. 

 

I now realize how grateful I am that I didn’t have to go out when Sayu was taking care of me all the time. I wonder if she’s alright. 

 

I shook my head and started taking steps towards the intimidating building. A small step forward each time. 

 

No point in worrying about her.

 

“Fuuuh….you can do it Itsuki. You can do it……” 

 

As I approached the large wooden door, I could see some people coming towards me. I thought it would be right to open the door for them, and instantly regretted it. 

 

“F**k….owwww”

 

It slammed open right into my face and I fell backwards hard on the floor. 

 

Fortunately I didn’t hit the back of my head, but my nose hurt a lot. 

 

“Hahahaha, look at this newbie. He came out straight out of his mother’s womb. He definitely didn’t know to never stand like an idiot before the door. Hahahahaha” 

 

“Hahahahahaahahahaha.”

 

“Hahahahahahah”

 

“........”

 

Haa….I so don’t wanna go in there. 

 

I wanna die right now. This is so humiliating. I wanna disappear. Seryy-sama, let me just die. I don’t want to be here…….

 

I curled myself up in a ball and escaped reality. 

 

“Mr. Newbie, are you okay? Can you stand up?” 

 

A gentle, honey-like voice called out to me. 

 

I couldn’t resist my curiosity and peeked up from my arms towards the voice. 

 

Oh my f**king god, it’s an actual older-sister type receptionist. The type that appears in the isekai genre. She has that motherly and caring aura wafting from her. She isn’t that beautiful but definitely a proper beauty. 

 

Wh-what should I do? Should I say hello? Tell her my name? Answer her question? Uwaaaa, I’m panicking. Calm down Itsuki. You can talk to girls, it’s just like talking to Sayu and Seryy-sama. Nothing different at all. 

 

Oh right, Seryy-sama told me to compliment her when we first met, so that should work. 

 

“Yo-you are very pretty.” 

 

“.......are you trying to hit on me?” 

 

My life is over……

 

“Mr. Newbie?? D-don’t go collapse on me!? Wake up!! Hey!! Wake up!!” 

 

 

 

****

 

 

 

Ugh….my head hurts. 

 

Did I hit my head or something?

 

I think I passed out again…..after trying to hit on a girl?

 

No no no no, I wasn’t hitting on her. 

 

“I-I wasn’t hitting on her!” 

 

I shouted out loud and woke up. 

 

“Oh, you’re up. Thank goodness. Would you like some water Mr. Newbie?”

 

“Huh…? Oh um water? Sh-sure.” 

 

I timidly responded to her as I looked around. 

 

It looked like I was brought to a private meeting room? 

It felt like an abandoned place, forgotten and replaced.

 

There was a set of dark and dulled brown, wooden tables arranged in a small rectangle with wooden chairs, of which some were leaning and broken, most of which were buried under dust. 

 

The walls were painted a dark green with flower pots randomly occupying corners. There were a few, old drawer chests of different sizes attached to the walls, with papers sticking out of the drawers. 

 

The room was poorly lit with the flickering flames of a few candles, our shadows exaggeratedly projected on the dull walls, making it seem as if the wall itself was just a shadow. 

 

“So, you were not hitting on me. I apologize for being rude and making an assumption on my own. I hope you can forgive me.” 

 

The older-sister type receptionist gently smiled at me after making a sincere apology. It sounded too formal and too important compared to the small, insignificant accusation. 

 

She handed me a small, weird looking glass. It looked like made-of obsidian, except really shiny when the flame reflected on it. 

 

But the water didn’t look weird, it was the same old colorless and odorless water. It was a huge relief.

 

I took the glass, without any hesitation, and responded to her overly sincere apology.

 

“N-no no need to apologize. It wasn’t your fault to begin with. It’s my lack of contact with the outside world to blame. I’m just not a people person anymore.” 

 

“I see. You mean to say you’re a ‘shut-in’?” 

 

My hand stopped midway through as I was about to take a sip.

 

“Huh…sh-shut-in? Ye-yes. I-I guess I was a shut-in.” 

 

“Then If you’re feeling uncomfortable in any way please let me know. I wouldn’t want you to fall unconscious again.” 

 

I slowly lowered the weird glass on my lap, still secured in my hand. 

 

“May I ask you something?” 

 

“S-sure. Ask away.” 

 

“Are you from ‘real world’, Mr. Newbie?” 

 

Real world? Does she mean earth? The world I lived in? How does she know? 

 

Is she from there too? 

 

“U-uhm do you mean as in earth? Like um….”

 

“I think ‘real world’ is also called earth, so yes. Have you died before?” 

 

“Ye-yes, I ha-have…I um co-comm—” 

 

“So that is it. Haa…….” The older-sister-type receptionist sighed and leaned back on her chair, closing her eyes for a moment.

 

“why can’t Maria-sama send people who aren’t shut-ins and neets? Does it kill her to send at least some normal, social people?” 

 

Why do I feel like I’m being insulted right now?

I feel like I shouldn’t be here right now. 

 

But I am. Can’t be helped. 

 

“So um, should I get going? I feel like I’m troubling you. Actually I did. Sorry about that.” 

 

I finally took some gulps of the water in the weird glass, and was about to stand up. 

 

“No no no, I did not mean anything bad by it. It is just that Maria-sama likes to pick up timid people particularly, so it’s hard for them to start new here. Though it is kind of her to give them a chance to come out of their shell.” 

 

So she did say “Maria-sama” and not Seryy-sama. I was worried I misheard, or might hurt her if I corrected her, or embarrass myself after trying to correct her. 

 

“Um, I wasn’t sent here by Maria-sama.”

 

“Oh. Was it Noah-sama? That’s very unusual of her. She normally—”

 

“No, it wasn’t Noah-sama either.” 

 

“Th-then maybe some other god?”

 

“It’s a goddess.” 

 

“Ri-right. Only goddesses handle that stuff…..so…”

 

At this point, the older-sister-type receptionist was acting unlike her character and more like a girl whose secret was exposed. She was scratching her pleated skirt which had been neatly resting on her lap and trying to keep her gentle expression from falling through. Which was cute to watch, as Sayu rarely lost her composure, or was flustered. 

 

But I wanted to be over with this and return to my room soon, so I had to speak up. 

 

“Seryy-sama.” 

 

“I-I see. I see. Okay. So what can I help you with today? Are you looking for a quest? To register as a member? Replacement card?” 

 

“Uhhhh……..Yeah, so I want to register as a member and get a card. And if possible a suitable quest.” 

 

“Understood. Please follow me to the front desks.”