As a puff of smoke appeared in the vast grassland, my figure materialized atop a small hill.
There was no delay in my senses; my gaze was the same as it was before I was teleported, and, as expected, my surroundings were completely foreign.
The air was purer, and the wind felt stronger—both more intense than in the countryside of my city. A strange sensation coursed through my body, as if my insides were in constant contact with something.
Maybe this was mana? Or something else. Either way, my body felt... different somehow.
From the top of the hill, I could see a town or city of sorts. Many people moved about, some carrying sacks full of grain, but most were guiding carriages loaded with stones and ores. In front of the town, children and men of various ages tended the fields, sowing seeds and plowing the land.
It was already late at night, yet myriad blue fires illuminated the town, turning night into day. In addition to the glowing fires, there were many circles surrounding plots of land, shining with green light. These circles seemed to transmit visible energy into the plants, the energy being siphoned into the soil. Peasants traveled back and forth from the mountains behind the town; those returning carried ores and stones.
The town wasn't anything like the medieval towns I had imagined. It was larger than a village but lacked walls or many stone buildings. Most wooden houses seemed to be for the peasants, as I saw families entering these humble huts with weary expressions.
"This is truly another world…" I muttered, not visibly surprised, though my heart burned with excitement. There was little fear of the unknown.
I looked at the sky and saw the moon's position. By the direction it was moving, the town appeared to be to the south—assuming astronomy hadn't changed in this world.
After checking my surroundings, I confirmed that to the west lay more grassy plains, to the east were more mountains, and to the north, a small lake.
"If I couldn't read your mind, I'd think you weren't surprised by all this," a voice said from behind me.
I turned around to see the same man who had sent me to this world.
As usual, my face was blank. I was surprised, but not enough to show it.
"You followed me here? More importantly, where exactly is 'here'?" I asked.
That man was, as expected, Sixth.
"I did follow you. Watching from a distance would be too boring, so I tend to follow those I summon. As for where we are... I have no idea." Sixth shrugged, his mocking smile growing wider by the end of his statement.
I didn't get angry. It was clear this god wasn't the most accommodating.
At the very least, he didn't seem inclined to cooperate with me, and his smile reminded me of those villains in anime that I always wanted to see die.
"How can you not know where we are? Or maybe you just don't want to tell me? Aren't gods supposed to be omniscient?" I asked calmly.
Sixth glared at me, his mocking smile now more of a sneer.
"First, gods are not omniscient. Some might claim to be, but they're usually either stupid or lying. Second, I used a randomized algorithm to send you to a magical world, so I won't know where we are unless I choose to. However, I did ensure some things would be guaranteed—such as placing you near conscious beings who speak English, or something close enough, and who won't kill you on sight. You're welcome," he said, as if he'd done me the greatest favor in the world.
Though I was slightly annoyed at this god who had transported me to a random world for no apparent reason, he had a point. As a god without restraints, he could have easily sent me to a place where I would suffer until I died.
"Okay… But what did you give me after I came to this world? A system? A cheat item? Special physique?" I asked, eager to know what kind of advantage I might have.
After all, it's common for gods to grant powers to their summonees… Unless... No, please don't let it be that!
My fears were realized when, after hearing my question, the god began to chuckle.
"A cheat? Has life ever had cheats, boy? Use your wits if you want something. I'm not going to give you help for no reason," he said, laughing loudly. His laughter made me angrier, and I wanted to scream:
It's the damn rogue-like scenario of being summoned with no cheats?! Damn it, why is my luck so bad now?
I'd been born into a relatively lucky life, so maybe this is divine punishment... Although divine sadism seems more likely.
I could only sigh at the god, who was laughing hysterically, probably reading my thoughts. I didn't want to speak to him anymore, so I headed toward the town.
…
I had walked for a few kilometers, and surprisingly, I wasn't as tired as I thought I would be.
Back on Earth, I was an otaku and programmer who did nothing but sit at home. The only 'physical' activity I ever did was playing a few instruments I learned because I thought it would be cool. I'd often get tired just taking the bus to my mother's house, let alone walking several kilometers.
Aside from my newfound stamina, I'd noticed that my skin wasn't as oily as before, and my acne had vanished. I had lost some fat, and my muscles, though not bulky like those of gym rats, were firm and healthy, like those of a very fit person.
The annoying god had caught up by now and was walking behind me. Noticing my thoughts about my physique, he explained:
"After you transmigrated, your body was synchronized to this world's parameters and re-initialized. That doesn't make you stronger, but it allows you to wield this world's magic and restores your body to perfect health. At least for now, you're as healthy as a human can be."
His explanation made sense; my body structure would hardly be the same as someone from another world. At least he accounted for this. I now looked a bit more handsome, could run longer without feeling exhausted, and my mind seemed clearer… Knowing the benefits of a healthy body now, I wish I'd exercised more in my previous world... But that'd be too much work, so it remained as just a thought.
...
I had been walking for a long time, and as the sun rose, despite my fit body, I was tired and sweating from the journey.
As I passed by, I noticed someone in the fields—a young boy covered in sweat. His clothes were a rough tunic, and although they were filthy and crude, they were better than I'd expected for a peasant in a feudal world.
"Greetings, my little friend," I said, trying to soften the coldness of my face to the bare minimum... It probably looked like I needed to take a dump.
The boy looked at me and then at my clothes, now ragged leather after I transmigrated for some reason. Then he looked at my black hair and back at my clothes, as well as my healthy white skin, noticing that, despite the dirt, there was no blood or filth on me.
"Hello, mister... Are you one of them scholars?" the boy asked, giving a quick nod. He seemed to think I was someone important.
Seeing the respect in his expression, scholars must be of higher status here… But why would he confuse me with a scholar specifically and not a noble or something of the sort?
" Yes, that's right. Little one, would you be so kind as to tell me what town this is? I've been wandering and seem to have lost my direction, as well as my belongings while camping out at night," I said, trying to smile… and failing miserably.
I should really consider not smiling anymore.
However, the boy remained respectful, even after seeing my constipated expression.
"This here's Red Stone. Lord Angus runs things—he's some kinda baron, they say," the boy said, his tone respectful but a bit uncertain.
I nodded and asked again.
"Is there any position for someone like me in this town?" Perhaps there were jobs for scholars. I sure as hell can't fight, but I can write, I think. Maybe I could manage as a scholar or scribe...
The boy thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Well, maybe, sir. They say Lord Angus needs someone to write down stuff for him. Folks 'round here don't read much, and them from the big towns don't wanna come out this far."
I nodded and thanked him quickly, then continued toward the town. Knowing this place is remote is good for me. Being on the outskirts of the kingdom could be a good cover; I could claim to be from a small, remote village to explain my lack of knowledge of this world. The baron also probably has some books I can read, and if all he needs is a scribe, I won't need to know much about this world.
I kept going, with renewed hope for a good life in this world.
…
Reaching the town, I saw many communal dwellings and a few stores. Most of the buildings had signs that were just images carved out of wood, with no writing on them.
I felt a bit anxious; even though the spoken language was English, there was no guarantee the written one would be.
But when I reached the center of the town, I sighed in relief.
There was a plaque with a coat of arms painted on it and words carved in plain English: "Red Stone Household."
The words were exquisitely carved and looked like a piece of art—not that I'd know its true worth, but it still looked impressive to me.
Two guards with spears stood in front of the iron gate. One stepped forward as I approached and shouted:
"Halt! Who goes there?"
I stopped at his command.
Taking a deep breath, I said, "My name is Kyle. I am a scholar seeking a position as the scribe of this household."
If I have any luck left, I hope it plays a role here. But if nothing else, this is the beginning of my new life.