I almost walked right past it but ended up doing a double take.
Golden fur, twitching fox ears, and a fluffy tail swishing back and forth.
A beastkin? No, this wasn't cosplay.
She wore a red and white maiden outfit, though it was slightly shorter, likely tailored for a young child, making it look easy to move in.
"...More like a fox deity than a beastkin," I muttered.
Apparently, my voice had carried, as the large fox ears twitched, and she raised her head from where she had been crouching on the ground.
Our eyes met.
"...!"
"Ah, hi—"
Before I could finish my greeting, the fox-eared girl seemed to panic. Her movements became frantic for a moment, and then, as though melting into the air, she vanished.
'Damn… Did I scare her?'
Judging by what I had seen, she was probably a "spirit type."
Sometimes, when magic accumulates to an extreme degree, it takes the shape of a living creature and manifests into this world.
These beings are overwhelmingly proficient in magic, able to cast it as naturally as breathing. Their precision is unparalleled compared to any other life form.
That's likely why I couldn't sense her anymore.
I had encountered a few such creatures in the other world, but still…
"So fox deities actually exist, huh…"
◇ ◇ ◇
It was a strange encounter, sure, but given my experiences in the other world, such events were almost mundane. I felt a bit guilty for startling her, but I left the scene and continued on my way.
Still, meeting a spirit type in City Q of all places was unexpected.
That said, I had already confirmed that this world contained magic. If that were the case, it wasn't entirely surprising for phenomena like this to occur.
It made me wonder how many urban legends, ghost stories, or unexplained events were caused by things like this.
Fascinating stuff.
While I was lost in thought, the surroundings gradually darkened. Realizing it was getting late, I decided to head to the nearby supermarket I used to frequent to buy dinner.
I had my wallet with me, and upon checking its contents, I found 600 rmb in cash and some coins.
'Barely enough to scrape by one week.'
I stopped by an ATM in the store to check my savings balance: just over 6000 rmb.
"Huh. If I don't find a job soon, I'm in serious trouble."
Technically, my item box contained countless weapons, magical tools, and enchanted jewelry that I could sell for enough money to live comfortably for the rest of my life... if I could find a buyer.
I didn't have the connections, nor could I casually bring those items into the public eye.
I wasn't looking to live extravagantly or become a millionaire, so I decided it would be best to find a proper job.
Back then, I had no ambitions and worked part-time at temporary jobs to get by. But now, I could just view work as a means to earn money and simplify things.
Work honestly, earn enough to get by, and enjoy the occasional good meal. That's the dream.
...Though, if possible, I'd prefer a job with less stress and a lighter workload, even if the pay wasn't great.
Well, whatever. I'd figure out the job situation later.
For now, the priority was tonight's dinner.
"Oh! Hot pot!"
It was just the normal vegetable section of an ordinary supermarket, but since there was no hot-pot in the other world, I couldn't help feeling excited at the sight of it after so long.
Amazing. Just this was enough to make me happy.
The other world had taught me how much of a blessing it was to eat proper food made from fresh, unspoiled ingredients.
I supposed I should feel grateful to that country for teaching me this... Yeah, right.
...Well, honestly, I didn't hate the country that summoned me. I didn't wish for its destruction or anything.
Otherwise, I wouldn't have risked my life fighting for it.
The other world was simply at its breaking point.
To the extent that they summoned someone from another world to fight their battles, they were desperate to protect their people.
For someone like me, forced to fight, I couldn't help but think it was absurd. But still… I had formed bonds there.
I had made connections with people, and that gave me a reason to fight. That's all there was to it.
Anyway, tonight's dinner: a hot pot bowl with few dumplings!
The sheer joy of being able to buy such a luxurious spread at a supermarket. Life was good.
Feeling great after purchasing my dinner, I headed home in high spirits—
"…"
A prickling sensation ran across my skin.
It was an instinct I had honed through countless battles—a heightened sense of awareness of my surroundings.
What I detected was a wave of hostility.
An enemy.
"An enemy capable of triggering my sense of danger…?"
In Earth?
Maybe I was being cocky, but if the enemy was just a human, even elite soldiers fully equipped wouldn't pose much of a threat to me now.
I tossed my recently purchased dinner into my item box and sprinted toward the source of the unease.
"...This really is the Earth I know, right?"
I was starting to have doubts.