Chapter 4:
If they hadn't come to meet him with such suspicions, he would've been cautious of remaining here.
Stepping off his bike, he walked forward to meet them.
" Wa o mototte kita."
" I come in piece..." He said while raising his hands in a harmless display.
He took a look around and noticed everyone present resembled westerners, which made him wonder whether he was actually still back on earth but recalling that it was the middle of July on earth, the snow didn't quite add up.
" #"##£#@@#-+"
*Dggyddtrg..gcf?"
Takahashi heard them speaking and frowned, he was adapt in over 6 popular languages yet couldn't understand a thing they said.
' This really isn't Earth...' he thought to himself, feeling a headache coming on.
********
Fast forward several months later.
Takahashi has been living in the village for a few months now. While he couldn't understand them at first, surprisingly, he'd actually grasped their language in but a few months time.
His relationship with the villagers had also grown, in the beginning, he'd been made to stay with a random family as a guest but now he had his own house, which he had built himself with nothing but wood, a log cabin that didn't require the use of nails to hold it together, but by using a traditional wood building technique he learned on earth called Kigumi.
******
Takahashi slip open the front door of his home and stepped out into the morning sun light. The landscape was no more covered with snow since winter had long since ended, now it was summer, with the sun hanging triumphantly in the sky.
" Good morning Mr Mahoraga." A passing village woman noticed him and offered him her greetings, smiling fondly as she did so.
" Morning Mrs Benson." Takahashi returned the greeting with a nod and smile.
He had already informed the villagers to refer to him with his Merc code name upon coming here, which explained the woman's greeting.
" Good morning Mr Mahoraga."
" Morning Mahoraga Sir."
" Morning Sir."
Villagers nearby began greeting him simultaneously, their eyes filled with fervour, some warmth, others admiration.
As for why they did so. One reason was that Takahashi had helped them on several occasions during the cold winter.
At first they were not sure if it was ok to allow a strange guest to offer them aid, but when it seemed the food in the village was running low, he'd personally stepped forward and volunteered to help, joining the hubty party gathered by the villagers and playing a major part in the hunt, returning with far more game than the villagers had ever seen in their lives.
Also, when some hungry wolves had ambushed the village, he also saved them, and even killed every single one himself.
Of course Takahashi did all this without relying heavily on his equipment. His body was strong enough to pull off all those feets without them.
Besides learning their common tongue, he also learned a lot of things. For one, he now knew that the village he was in was located in a kingdom called Enchancia. A kingdom ruled by humans who were reliant on magic.
Enchancia was a kingdom in the north of the continent. And it had several neighboring nations all around it, some nations were even run by non human races much to his suprise.
Besides other things that were common knowledge, he didn't learn anything else, particularly the one he wanted to know the most, which was how to get back home.
Nevertheless, he wasn't discouraged, because he had a plan. Today was in fact the day he would put said plan in motion.
As for what that plan was, it was simple really.
He belived that somewhere out there in the world was someone who could help him get back home, and if his countless years as a Merc taught him anything, it was that building ones social circle was the best way to complete such a quest, and what better way in this new world was there to do such a thing than to become a seasoned adventurer?
Or in his case, a mercenary in this new world.
********
" You're already up Sir Mahoraga, you really are that eager to leave aren't you." Said a young woman who entered Takahashi's yard with a basket in hand, a sweet smile on her pretty face, her long brunette hair swinging about as she skipped towards him as if in a jolly mode.
" Morning Maple." Takahashi greeted with his common smile and nod. The girl in question was the daughter of the family he'd been staying with on arriving at the village, ever since he moved out, she'd always come to see him. Since she wasn't a nuisance, he didn't actually mind, besides, she would always bring freshly made food on arrival so Takahashi didn't see a reason to chase her away.
Of course her intentions were clear to him, he merely pretended not to notice.
" I see you have something for me again? Could it be your signature fruit salad." He said with a light chuckle.
" I'm sorry, I didn't know you would've wanted to have those." Maple's expression turned apologetic.
" It's alright, I'm happy with way since you're the one bringing it." Hearing his kind words, her expression perked up once more.
" I brought you freshly baked bread this time, for your trip into the city." She said while raising the basket to reveal its contents.
" I appreciate it." He collected the basket, taking a whiff, a smile emerged on his face, there was nothing he liked more than free stuff, especially free food.
" Are you really going to leave."
" Yes, I'm afraid so." He raised the basket down and nodded with a helpless look.
" B-But... I heard being an Adventurer is really dangerous. Wouldn't it be better if you just stayed in the village and..." Maple blurted out, sounding worried but she came to a stop at the end because she realized that what she was doing was not looking out for him but herself.
Keeping him here in the village was safe sure, but was that what he truly wanted? She thought to herself. She wanted him to be happy, but if she had to strip him of his happiness to make herself happy, then was it truly worth it? She wondered.
" Just be safe out there, alright." Maple bit her lower lip and said. " Don't forget to come back too... The village really won't be the same without you here."
" Alright, I'll be sure to remember."
Maple nodded her head, a smile gradually emerging on her face, she then
turned around and left.
Takahashi took the bread basket in hand and headed inside to go prepare.