“Cold!”
I awaken to an intense chill. Cold? What? This is strange; it’s autumn here. (Geita Niiga experiences the four seasons just like in Japan.)
“What is this? Where am I…?”
First, I need to assess the situation. I was banished by Orokani Kuso.
I had intended to leave the country with joy. But just as I was about to prepare for my departure in my room, I lost consciousness.
When I next opened my eyes, I was greeted by a vast expanse of snow… achoo!
“Ah, I see… they must have knocked me out and dumped me in the snowy mountains… achoo!“
It was almost certainly Kogomi who ordered me to be discarded here. She wanted to eliminate me, the obstacle, to keep her lies from being exposed.
If she had directly harmed me (like stabbing me with a knife while I was asleep), it could have led back to her. So, she likely chose this roundabout method of tossing me into the snow-covered mountains.
“Achoo! It’s so cold… too cold… I might die…”
I grasped the situation, but I had no idea where I was. However, if I stayed here, I would freeze to death.
“I-I need to find warmth…”
I wondered if there was a cave somewhere to wait out this blizzard. I began to trudge forward through the snow.
It was freezing. I had come here in light clothing.
I had no supplies—no clothes, no food. And to make matters worse, I couldn’t use magic.
My only weapon was… the Skill [Internet]. This Skill allows me to access the Internet even in this other world.
There was a time when I thought I could dominate this world with knowledge. But to use this Skill, I needed a device.
Like a computer or a smartphone. Fortunately, I had my smartphone with me when I was transported to this world. But…
The battery would die quickly, and there was no way to recharge it in this realm. So, I was unable to use the Skill [Internet]…
“It’s over…”
I could vividly see a future where I wandered these snowy mountains and died of exposure.
Just then…
“Grrrr…”
“Wha—no way…”
In the midst of the blizzard, I encountered a gigantic wolf. It was so large that I had to look up at it… Th-that’s definitely a Fenrir, isn’t it!?
In web novels, they are often depicted as friendly towards humans. But the Fenrir before me was glaring at me with bloodshot eyes.
It bared its fangs, hostility radiating from its very being!
“W-wait! Let’s talk! We can understand each other!”
“Awooooooo!”
“Yikes! It’s coming this way!”
I ran for my life. If I stopped, I would die! I could either freeze to death or be eaten by the Fenrir. If I had to choose, no, I wouldn’t want to choose at all!
In reality, I was overworked as a corporate slave, and even in this other world, I was facing misfortune! I absolutely refuse to meet my end by being devoured by a dog!
I ran, ran, and ran…
Then, I suddenly realized.
“Wait, where am I…?”
When I looked around, I found myself in a completely different place. I should have been in the snowy mountains, yet there was no snow in sight.
“Grass is growing… There’s no snow at all… It’s not even snowing. What is this? What’s going on…?”
I surveyed my surroundings. A vast meadow stretched out before me. There were no trees, and no snow was piled up.
Looking up at the sky, I saw blue skies above me. In the distance, I could see overcast skies…
“Is it only here that it isn’t snowing…?”
Although it was still cold, the absence of the blizzard made it feel somewhat more bearable.
“Hm? What’s that…? A cabin…?”
At the center of this mysterious space stood a wooden structure. It was a single-story building, resembling a log house. In front of the log house was a small garden.
“A house…?”
I didn’t feel relieved just yet. No matter how I looked at it, this place and that cabin were strange.
“But what about that Fenrir?”
When I turned around…
“Gau! Gaw gaw! Gau!”
“It’s still here… but wait? This is odd…”
The Fenrir was close by, yet it wasn’t entering the area.
“Can’t it come in? Is it unable to? Could it be a Barrier…?”
That’s right. I had seen this phenomenon before. My own Barrier had prevented monsters from entering. The scene before me mirrored that memory.
“There must be a Barrier set up around here… That’s why the Fenrir can’t enter, and the snow can’t come in either.”
I collapsed to the ground. For now, it seemed I was safe.
“Haah… I’m exhausted.”
Having narrowly escaped death, I realized I didn’t know when this Barrier might break.
For now, I should move to a safer place. I decided to head toward the cabin.
Up close, the cabin looked like a typical log house you might find in the snowy mountains. The walls appeared new; the wood wasn’t rotting. This meant there was a possibility someone lived inside…?
“Hello! Is anyone home?”
I knocked on the door loudly, calling out. But there was no response.
“Gau! Gaw gaw!”
“Yikes! I-I’m coming in!”
Before I could be devoured by the Fenrir, I hurried inside the safe haven of the cabin. I thought the door might be locked, but it opened easily.
A spacious living room greeted me. A carpet covered the floor.
However, there was hardly any furniture. Just a table for meals.
“Hm? A stove. And a faucet?”
The civilization level in this world was medieval. Yet, thanks to magic, it had developed its own unique cultural system.
In the royal capital, magical tools, known as magic devices, were commonly sold. This stove was likely a magical stove, similar to a portable gas stove in reality, which ignited when twisted.
When I turned the faucet, water flowed out. This was probably a magic device too.
“The infrastructure is well-developed. Too well-developed. It’s certain that someone has lived here, or is still living here…”
I began searching the house. There were six rooms.
A living room, kitchen, bedroom, study, storage room, bathroom, and toilet. The study was filled with books. One wall was lined with shelves packed tightly with books.
In the storage room, there were numerous weapons and armor. And they looked impressive (to say the least).
There were golden swords, armor radiating a black aura, and all sorts of items that seemed exceptionally rare. Outside the cabin, there was a garden with vegetables planted.
“I wonder if someone still lives here…”
There were so many items, and they were all in remarkably good condition. But who on earth could be living in a place like this…?
“If someone is still living here, it wouldn’t be wise to search the house too thoroughly.”
It was unclear whether someone still resided here or not. But I had no intention of going outside. It was dangerous and cold.
“Well, it’s cold in here too…”
But at least I had secured my safety. I let out a sigh of relief.
I sat down in a chair. I would wait here until the owner of the cabin returned.
“Haah…”
I unconsciously pulled out my smartphone from my pocket, a habit from my time in reality.
When I was there, I was addicted to my smartphone.
Whenever I got on a train or took a break, I would pull out my smartphone for no reason. Even now, I had simply picked it up out of habit.
The smartphone that should have been dead for three years…
“Wait, what!? It’s… turned on!?”
No way. The smartphone that should have been out of battery was now functioning!
“W-what? Why? It should have been out of battery long ago.”
And then, at that moment…
Ping!
A message? Huh, a message?
No, I mean, with my Skill [Internet], I could use the Internet even in this other world, but…
A message… from whom?
I opened the messaging app.
【God】
…
…
God?