In a crowded market street, people wearing traditional Japanese kimono's walked back and forth on the dirt road, kicking up dust.
On a corner of the street a thin and filthy old man slept while wearing nothing but rags on his lower body.
His skin had turned brown and rough after being cooked under the sun for decades.
Hitori turned to lay on his back as he stared up at the blue sky. Scenes from his life rapidly flashed by his eyes.
His inexplicable arrival in this world, his struggle working in the market for a year just to survive.
Learning the language, saving up for years, buying farm land, his first harvest, his marriage to his wife, his fields going up in flames, being unable to protect his wife from the bandits, the bandits trampling him as he grovelled under their feet and offering all his wealth while begging them for his life.
Selling his land for a fraction of it's worth, being robbed by the same bandits again and becoming a beggar on the streets.
Hitori clenched his teeth, in order to survive and clingy to his life he had given up everything. His youth, his honour, his pride, his wife, his wealth. Yet death had finally arrived.
Hitori's eyelids grew heavy and the warmth from his limbs disappeared, unable to resist, he closed his eyes and everything went dark.
••••••••
Opening his eyes Hitori felt the surging vigor in his body, looking at his hands, they had returned to how they looked when he first arrived.
Feeling the pleasant touch of his silky smooth palms, the palms of a person who had never worked hard in their life, Hitori was sure that he had gone back in time.
Looking around him, Hitori found himself in the forest he had first arrived in this world. In his first life he had run around in circles looking for a way out as he had suddenly woken up here.
Looking around, Hitori found the tallest tree and started climbing it. Although his current body was unfit and without practice, Hitori had plenty of experience climbing trees in his first life after being chased by a bear.
Slowly climbing up, he finally arrived at the top, looking around he saw nothing but trees.
Looking at the sky it was late in the morning.
'There should be a city north of this forest.'
Climbing down, using the sun's position, Hitori started walking north, he had to take the long way around after coming across the tracks of a giant bear but he finally arrived at the city of Imyo.
People gave him strange looks as he walked through the city, after all he was wearing clothes from the modern world.
He needed to blend in so he went to a tailor he knew from his past life. In his past life he had given his clothes to this tailor in exchange for some clothes suitable to this world.
Walking inside the shop he approached the young shop keeper. Seeing the familiar face that had scammed him in his past life her resisted the urge to punch him and talked to the man who had his eyes glued to his black hoodie and jeans.
"Oh what's this? Mr.Haitu are you that enamored by my garments?" Speaking in the manner of the rich nobles of the land of fire I said while covering my mouth with my hand.
Recognising my speech patterns and mannerisms the young shop keeper straightened up and said "I am sorry my lord, I was simply drawn in by the elegance of your clothes."
"Oh is that so, then I'll allow you to have a feeling of the fabric of my attire." Hitori said with a smile before allowing the shop keeper to feel his sleeve.
"I have never seen such a fabric, may I enquire where my lord acquired such exquisite garments?"
"I bought these garments along with several others from a merchant from a faraway land. If you have grown a fancy to them I don't mind gifting them to you." Hitori said with a smile.
The shopkeeper's eyes sparkled as he asked me hesitantly. "Truly?"
"Of course, I've bought several of these clothes but I will require something to change into, I trust you can lend me some garments."
"Of course! Follow me." The shop keeper said as he brought me to a changing room, bringing several Kimono I picked out a black kimono with a white flower pattern made from high quality silk, wooden sandals and white fan.
Having scammed the young lad out of 100,000 ryo worth of clothes I wasn't satisfied yet.
Feeling around my bosom I said "I seem to have misplaced my purse. A pity I looked forward to tasting some sweets."
Fumbling around his kimono the shopkeeper reluctantly handed me a small purse with both hands and said "Please my lord, this isn't much but I hope you will accept it."
"Then I shall borrow this. A friend in need is a friend indeed." I look forward to enjoying tea with you in the future.
The shopkeeper's heart thumped loudly at the prospect of making friends with a wealthy noble and visions of wealth and beautiful woman flashed before his eyes as he gulped.
"I will look forward to it as well."
Hitori left the shop and went to another tailor, there we bought a normal kimono for 4000 ryo and changed into it before going to another tailor where he sold the first kimono.
The first kimono being made from silk was worth at least 80,000 ryo and after a long back and forth between him and the tailor he sold it and the fan for 65,000 ryo and walked out.
Looking at his money purse that was bursting at the seams Hitori went to an Inn and rented a room, feeling the days physical and mental exhaustion wash over him, Hitori fell asleep.