The next day.
　I woke up and my body was able to move.

　I was worried that maybe it would stay that way forever, but I was able to head east to Wald as I had originally planned.

　The directions and precautions were given to me by the innkeeper, so I didn't get lost in the process.
　I was prepared for a long road as we were crossing the country, but we arrived at the border in the morning without a hitch. Perhaps because these five countries have territories surrounding the labyrinth, it seems that the closer you are to the labyrinth, the closer the distance between the five countries becomes.

　What's more, there was no need for any formalities to cross the border, just a simple stone wall at the border. I was curious about how they managed the comings and goings of people and things, but when I saw the example of the 'magic stone line' (line) stretched across the stone wall, I resolved myself by thinking that they were using an unknown technology to manage it.

　If I walked around Virtue for a bit, I could immediately understand the difference between it and Hoozeyards.
　The difference between rich and poor was also noticeable, but most importantly, the job class was different.
　Most of the people you see are dressed as adventurers.
　Many of them carry blades, and those who make a living out of roughing things stand out.

　I arrive at the new place, and this is where I decide on my objective.
　My first goal is 'return'.
　If I continue to stay in this mysterious and disturbing world, I will soon go mad.
　I have to return home for the sake of the family I have left behind.

　However, there are few guesses as to what 'return' means.

　First of all, there's the legend that 'anything can come true' associated with this huge labyrinth that appeals to you to challenge yourself. From a game point of view, it's the right answer. The next step is to look into the magic and culture that might be involved in The Return: ...... This one is unlikely. I couldn't find anything like that at all from the library.

　Whether it's to do research or conquer the labyrinth - what you need is money.
　If you get a meal or stay at an inn, you lose money.
　If you are going to enter the labyrinth, you will need to spend money on various tools.
　It's the same with weapons.

　It's money, money, money.
　The choice I made for that is--!


　◆◆◆◆◆


Hey, new guy. When you're done doing the dishes, you can take out the trash.
Yes, I understand!

　I had started a part-time job at a bar.

　Honestly, I don't want to go in the labyrinth ever again. I don't want to see it.
　That's how I feel with all my heart.
　I decided that it was premature to make money in the labyrinth. To be honest, I'm freaked out. I'd like to stay up for some time if I could.

　Luckily, while walking through the Valt, I found a tavern near the entrance of the labyrinth that was hiring employees, which was probably the difference between fate and fate.
　I had a lot of things boiling in my head, so I decided to give it a try and get an interview. When I challenged it, I passed the interview on the first try. Without much background check, I am now working in this way.

　I was surprised at how smoothly I was able to work in another world.
　I want to share it with other depressed countries in my world.

　By the way, I have worked in restaurants before.
　As for cooking, I cooked for my sister every day, so I'm confident in my cooking skills.
　It's a good thing that I didn't think too much about it, because I had that kind of aptitude, so I jumped on it without thinking too much about it. ...... A bar close to the labyrinth is too good a source of information, so I don't regret it too much.

'Christ, put this away!'
Yes!

　Christ.
　This is my name in the other world, in spite of various considerations.

　At an interview for a part-time job at a tavern, I was going to say my real name, Aikawa Uzumi, but at that moment, the face of the perverted girl named Rustyala popped into my head.
　But at that moment, the face of that perverted girl named Rustyala popped into my head. Using a name known to that dangerous person is nothing more than increasing the rate of encounters with that thing.

　To put it bluntly, I'm scared.
　I'm afraid of that girl Rustyala.

　That fear made me think of a Western name on the spot.

　The first thing I thought of was to assert my position under a false name. Talking about the possibility, it's not necessarily true that there are no residents of my world in this other world. And when we get a chance to meet each other, it's better to use a major name to immediately recognize our compatriots. That's the idea.

　It should be the most famous one in the world. After thinking about whether it was a country name or a president's name - or something even more famous than that - I said, "I'm ...... Christ Eurasia. Please take care of me.

　It would have been a pretty drastic choice, even though I had a really short amount of time to think about it.
　I took what is probably the most famous job title in the world as my 'temporary name' to live by.

　Once you've taken on a name, there's no way to get it back.
　It was decided to use this name in this other world.

　...... But I personally think it's not so bad.
　The literal translation is: the one who saves the continent. In my taste, it's about eighty points better.
　If I had a sister here, I'm sure I'd get a story for about six months after being dismayed by my brother's usual sense .......

'Ha-ya-ku!　Mr. Christ!
I'm sorry!

　The tall Lin, the tavern's signature girl, blames me for stopping.

　This is not the time to be pensive.
　This is not the time for me to feel uncomfortable about my first alias.
　From today, I am Christ Eurasia, living in another world.

　I tell myself that and then I go back to work.

　It's dinner time, the busiest time of the day.
　Adventurers who have finished their labyrinthine explorations have filled their seats to fill their bellies. It's a tacky and noisy, but it's also a lively place.

　I do my chores while picking up information about the labyrinth.

Hehehe. You've earned a lot of money today.
'Yeah, I broke out in a cold sweat when we ran into a herd of soldier ants, but it turned out to be a tasty hunt in the end.
"It's just luck whether you meet the herd or not. ...... Well, it was a risk, no doubt, but the return on investment was worth it.
As it turns out.

　A lot of the conversations we have at the bar are about the labyrinth.
　It's very meaningful to listen in as we exchange information and find ways to reflect on the day's labyrinthine exploration.

　I continue to observe my surroundings as I wipe the dirty table.

''Yo. You're new here, kid. Did your old brother quit?

　Many people talk to me.
　Unlike the original world, restaurants in this world are friendly.

'Yes. I'm ...... Christ, who is in today. I think the last one quit.
I see. It's a thin paycheck for a very busy place.

　The man who spoke to me smiled good-naturedly.
　From the restaurant's kitchen, he says, "Is it bad that you're thinly paid! The manager's voice flew off, and the man laughed even more.

　The balance of power in this tavern is special.
　For all intents and purposes, the manager of this bar seems to be a famous labyrinth explorer by nature, and he doesn't take a step back even when dealing with the roughnecks in his clientele. I've heard him swear at the customers many times, as I did earlier.
　Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to set up a shop right next to the labyrinth.

　For example, if a female employee, Lin, is about to be teased, the store manager flies straight to her and follows up. I've only been in contact with him for a short time, but he seems to be a trustworthy manager.

　However, since he hired me immediately, he doesn't have any trust in management.

I don't know how many priests I can get. They're all annoying customers, including me," he said. Including me.
No. They're all very nice people. They make me feel good about my work.
'Ho, you're used to it ....... Your language is so much better than your old brother's.
'Really? ......?　Well, thank you.
But I don't want you to be too formal. Just take it easy.

　And when I kept talking to the sober man.

Hey, Crow!　You can't keep holding on to our new guy!　I'll knock you out!

　A louder voice came flying in from the back than before.

　Apparently, the manager and the man called Crow were acquaintances.
　The dialogue was truly unrelenting.

'Well, I'll be back then. The dishwasher is waiting for me.
Heh. So long. I don't need my ass kicked by a guy like you.

　Crowe-san raised one hand and nodded.

　After responding to it with a bow, I hurried back to the kitchen and began the process of cleaning a large number of dirty dishes.

　For now, today, I've been entrusted with lowering the plates and washing the dishes, so I'm going to put my efforts into that.
　It was hard because I had to move constantly, but the experience I had gained in my former world was helping. Also, the magic 《Dimension》 of the example was always deployed, so it was also great that I was able to do things efficiently.

　Thus, my first job in the other world went on until late at night.


　◆◆◆◆◆ ...


　The last customer is gone and the manager speaks to me as I start the cleanup process.

'Whew. You're done, rookie. How was your first job?
...... was quite a customer base, so it was worthwhile.
'Cheeky bastard. At this rate, he'll be here tomorrow.

　With a grin, the manager laughs and builds in tomorrow's plans, but his reaction is a bit disheartening.

'Eh ......, was that cheeky?　Now.　
No, not that much, okay?　It's just that, what can I say ......, that weirdly polite language sounds cheeky, doesn't it?
Indeed, I was told today that it was stiff: ......

　Maybe there is a culture gap between the worlds.
　I thought I was trying to speak in a way that wouldn't make them feel uncomfortable, but it's possible that it doesn't work in this world.

　It seems I need to change my perception a bit.
　Let's try to be a frank shopper, as the customer just told me.

'Well, don't take it easy ....... You'll get used to it. I expect more from you in the kitchen than I do from the customer service.
Oh, Christ, you work in the kitchen too?

　At the mention of the word "kitchen," the sign girl, Miss Linn, comes up to me, swinging her long brown pigtails, which suit her tall stature.

'Oh, Christ, I think I'll have her do the kitchen too. When I tested her, she was unquestionably good with knives. He's very dexterous with his hands and apparently has a long history of cooking.
'Heh. So that's why you passed on the same day.
"It was a waste of time to talk to him, he seemed polite and customer-friendly. I ain't got no reason to turn him down.

　But that doesn't mean you should let them work in the store without a good explanation.
　That's the hardest part of being a lowly employee, even if you think so.

That's true. I didn't have much to teach them.
'Right?　So I wasn't blind. Then I'm going to retire to the back. You take care of the rest.
Yes, sir.

　The manager said, and went to clean up the kitchen.

'Good for you, Christ. You needed the money soon, didn't you?
'Yes, thank you for the help. But it seems to be quite different from my home countryside, so you might not be able to expect much?

　I didn't want to be expected to do too much, so I decided to take precautions.

Oh. Did you come from a faraway country?　Aaaaaaand ......
It's Fania.
Oh, yeah, Fania. I've never heard of you, Fania. It's so nice to see you from so far away.
I tried to go into the labyrinth in my faintest dreams, and here we are.

　Then he shows the burn marks on his arms.
　In other words, I'm doing it as 'a boy who dreamed of getting rich from the countryside and challenged the labyrinth, but was defeated in one day'.

Ooooh, there you are. I'm glad to see you, though. I don't have a broken arm or broken eye. As long as you're working here, you're not going to die.

　Lin-san has a light tone and says some pretty scary things.
　It's a different worldview, but he must have seen a lot of things after working in a tavern on the front lines of the labyrinth attack for a while now.

''Yes. I'm glad I'm working here, it looks like I won't have any problems eating for now.''
Yeah, yeah, work. Your sister is rooting for you. You are much more polite than the other guy.

　Apparently, I seem to have a good impression of Lin-san. As for politeness, it's probably the difference in education level between the different worlds, and as for remembering things, thanks to the magic 《Dimension》, so I feel ...... like I'm cheating, which makes me feel a little uncomfortable.

''I'll ...... do my best. Now, let's clear the table too.
Yes, I'll help you.

　Once the store is cleaned up, the manager and I will discuss the details of the contract in detail.
　I've been told that he's going to give me preferential treatment because he's short on staff, but depending on the details of the contract, I may have to turn him down.
　For me, part-time work is just a means to an end, and I'm still trying out different things.

　But I can't deny that I like the people in this shop.

I'm done. Christine, go and lock the door of the shop for the last time.
I understand.

　After finishing the job, Lin asks me to finish the last part of the job and walks to the back door.
　I do as I'm told and head to the entrance of the store and try to put a wooden Kanuki lock on its large door.

　--Then I suddenly realize.

　The magic, Dimension, is trapped.
　There are people outside the shop.
　I check my remaining MP and then increase my magic.

...... Yeah, it works. --magic, dimension, multiple expansion.

　Spend the extra MP to pick up more details about the situation outside.

　By the way, this magic 《Dimension Multiple Expansion (Multiple)》. It's an application of the one I used to use in the labyrinth to get a better understanding of the long distance, but I changed the name to make it easier to understand.
　My personal theory is that the longer the technique name is, the more exhilarating it is to use.

　There was a large wooden bulletin board outside the restaurant.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

　--It's a good idea to go out of the store.

　I'm not sure if it's a good idea.
　It was only a few flakes, but it was a beautiful sight.
　These white grains are called 'Tear Ray' and are apparently different from the snow in my world. It is said that they are not ice crystals that fall in the winter, but magical crystals that have accumulated in the sky and are falling down. I knew this from the library, but I didn't know all the details.

　The child in front of the bulletin board keeps squatting with a tearray piled up on his hood, so I call out to him.

'Hey (...), are you awake (・・・・)?'
-Oh!

　The kid in the hood looked up and looked at me.

　His eyes widened in surprise and met my dark eyes.
　The child was a girl.
　Her golden hair spilled out of the hood as she raised her face. Her hair was as straight and long as the warm sunshine. And her large blue eyes are striking, and she has an innocent, neutral face.

　The girl looks at me and stands up.
　She's probably close to my age, but she's two heads shorter than me. She's petite.

　I fell in love with her for a moment, but I immediately treat her as a clerk.

'I'm glad you're up. I'm afraid this place is closed now: ......
Can't I just stay here at ......?

　The girl replies bluntly, not matching her face.

''Hmm. I think it would be better if I didn't do anything weird. 'Maybe.'
Yeah. Well, I'll stay, then. Let me know if I'm bothering you.

　Then the girl sat down.
　She's a more masculine girl than I am, but I can't leave her alone.

'No, I'm not, ....... It's already midnight and it's not safe for a girl to be alone.'
............

　Maybe I'm meddling without knowing what's going on.
　But the ethics of the original world had spun the words on its own.

'Somewhere I can stay--'
'I'm short of money, so I've been warming up in front of a hot tavern.

　She quickly dismissed my argument.

　It seems to be a matter of money.
　Then there was little more I could say.
　The only thing I can do is to close up shop and pretend I never saw her. Even if a girl smaller than me is going to camp out in a place closer to this labyrinth--

...... Yeah. I'll close it then.
............

　I don't have the luxury of helping a stranger.
　With a backward glance, I try to close the store.

'I'm not a girl, by the way (・・・・・・・). Don't worry about it.

　Just before it closed, he heard a girl's voice.

　No, a boy's voice, apparently.
　Apparently, she said she was a man and didn't need to worry about what I was thinking.
　I close the shop, surprised at that fact.

　I don't know if it's a lie or not.
　I'm not sure if that's a lie or not, but I dismiss it as pointless for me to think about it any longer and walk to the back of the store where the manager and his team are likely to be waiting for me.


◆◆◆◆◆ ...


　After work, the manager and I decided a lot of things about the contract.

　It's not as detailed as my world, though, and it's very general.
　In the meantime, he's going to test me out in a variety of ways on a daily basis. The salary will change depending on the results of those days, and today I received about ten copper coins.

　He even offered me a bribe and told me I could sleep in a corner of the tavern.　
　I was surprised at this treatment.

　I was surprised at this treatment, and I even complained to him about it.
　But when I told him that I was being cautious, the manager was all for it, saying that he had confidence in my eyesight.
　Lin said, "If you do something bad, you'll be caught by the 'magic stone line' because your face is cracked, and you'll be caught right away. Apparently, the 'magic stone lines' that are drawn in various parts of the town have security and crime prevention effects. Maybe that's part of the reason for the treatment.

　This is why I am now properly wrapped up in a blanket under a roof.

　Compared to the boy from earlier, it's the difference between heaven and hell.

"Status, skills--


[Assignment of points]
　Skill Points 2
　It's still there.


　I was in the corner of the tavern trying out various 'displays'.

　The last rathtiala raid raised my level and generated bonus points and skill points, so I took care of those.

　The bonus points were the effects of increasing things like status power and endurance, and the skill points were said to have the effect of gaining and growing skills.

　I didn't want to die, so I spent all the bonus points on increasing my HP.
　If this were a game, I would be thinking about efficiency and so on, and I would swing to strength and agility, but considering that I can't die even once, I gave priority to HP.
　I've increased 10 in 1 point, so my maximum HP is now 151.

　I've narrowed down my skill points to only swinging Dimensional Magic.
　I did so, and it was changed to 'Dimension Magic 5.01+0.10'. When I used the magic "Dimension", there was only a small change, so the remaining 2 skill points were put on hold.

''I might be able to get some new magic and ......

　Whether you want it or not, you will definitely be involved in the labyrinth in your future life.
　It would be appropriate to assign this skill point 2 to magic for that purpose.

'I've been told that I only need to work at the tavern at night and ....... Tomorrow I'll walk around town until noon to gather information. ......

　I calmly build up my schedule.
　It looks like I can expect a certain amount of income, and I am in less of a hurry now.
　My confusion and fears about other worlds have been mostly erased by the skill "? I am very careful not to let my mind wander.

　For now, it's important to move rationally towards the 'return', step by step.
　First of all, I'll spend a few days gathering information and gaining common sense about the labyrinth.
　I'm sure you'll be able to learn how to use the display and magic, prepare your equipment and tools, and then you'll finally be able to challenge the labyrinth.

　I keep trying to figure out how to make the "display" work - and in the middle of it all, I fall asleep.
　Thus, my second day in the other world passed rather peacefully.