Allen the Reincarnated Merchant: A Plan to Get Rich in Another World

The place I arrived at using my Otherworldly Travel ability was a village deep in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture.

As far as the eye could see, there were rice fields surrounded by several mountains. Public transportation consisted of a bus that came from the neighboring town a few times a day. Apart from that, only an occasional small truck passed by, making it almost feel like the medieval European world of Asfial was more advanced.

There were unmanned roadside stalls and surprisingly well-stocked vending machines for such a small village, typical of the countryside.

Additionally, there was a small store selling weekly magazines half a month late, and an excessively well-equipped gateball court. The only convenience store was about 10 kilometers from the Moon Gate.

The village looked like something out of a game I used to play in my previous life, resembling the idyllic countryside.

In retrospect, I’m glad I didn’t end up in a city where people and goods are abundant.

The reason lies in my current appearance.

My current attire is that of an ordinary citizen of Asfial. In modern society, I looked like a foreigner with rough cloth clothes, tall stature, and a strong build, which could easily get me reported.

Despite this, the villagers warmly welcomed me, giving me second-hand clothes. Now, I merely looked like a plainly dressed foreigner.

However, without an ID or any form of identification, I was essentially an illegal resident, and would have to run if questioned by the police.

“Allen-kun, you’re such a hard worker.”

“No, this is nothing.”

While pulling weeds in the yard under the scorching sun, an elderly woman named Taeko, whom I met through an old man, was watching me while drinking tea on the porch.

The old man, Genji, was a well-known figure in the village. He was a local landowner and owned many mountains surrounding Akane Village, a seemingly hidden village from the modern world.

Through Genji’s introduction, I did various tasks, from farming to shopping for the store, chatting, and weeding.

Though the pay was minimal, I received various items like sweets and clothes in return.

“Allen-boy, do you want some vegetables? We just harvested some eggplants…”

“Are you sure? I’d love to have some.”

On Earth, it was just the beginning of summer. Unlike Asfial, Japan’s summer was hot and humid, making it unbearable. The heat was dangerous, even for someone acclimated to another world.

This year was considered relatively cool, which was daunting. Furthermore, Akane Village, at a high altitude with lower average temperatures, was relatively comfortable, though not exactly a summer resort.

“My granddaughter lives in Tokyo. When I called her recently, she kept complaining about the heat.”

Sweaty from weeding in the sun, I was allowed to use Taeko’s bath.

As I cooled my heated body with lukewarm water, Taeko brought a plate of cold somen noodles and shared stories about her granddaughter living in Tokyo.

“Tokyo must be extremely hot this time of year.”

Slurping the thin, white noodles with refreshing broth, I listened to Taeko’s story, accompanied by the summer sound of wind chimes hanging on the porch.

“Even when she lived here, she always complained about the heat. It must be tough in the city. She said she’s coming home this summer because it’s too hot.”

According to Taeko, her granddaughter Arika graduated from a high school near Akane Village and then went to a university in Tokyo.

Arika seemed to have a strong longing for city life. Initially, she enjoyed Tokyo, with all its conveniences, but after the rainy season, she started complaining about the heat to Taeko, especially in July when the full summer heat arrived.

“That’s great. You’ll get to see your granddaughter after a long time.”

“Yes, Arika is a good cook and very smart, unlike me and my husband, but she’s still single and always engrossed in her hobbies…”

“Is that so…”

Though I hadn’t seen it, Taeko’s house had a room that seemed to belong to Arika.

In the wooden, aged house, there were some items hinting at otaku hobbies, and the door to what seemed like Arika’s room had a sticker of a cute, deformed anime boy.

“Maybe you could date Arika? She’s a bit too focused on her hobbies but was quite popular in her class.”

“That would trouble Arika.”

“Do you think so? She might be happy. You resemble her favorite character.”

“…”

Favorite character… Taeko’s words made me a bit worried about her granddaughter Arika.