Kays Translations

Volume 1: How I realized that the skill I thought was mediocre was actually pretty Amazing

Chapter 1. I got caught up in a different world and somehow received a skill

I can spend about 1,000 yen worth per day—on things I have bought before.

That is the ability I was given.

It’s a pretty limited ability.

My goal is to somehow live safely and without any problems in this other world, but with such a mediocre skill, I wonder how I can stabilize my life…

Ideally, I would like to live quietly without getting involved with those in power!

That is my wish.

Right now, I’m on a road that seems to lead to a fairly large city.

To explain the current situation very simply:

I am Saki Imai, an ordinary person who got caught up in a typical hero’s summoning to another world.

Apparently, the other world was in danger, and a hero summoning was carried out, summoning five high school students using a magic circle. And somehow I ended up being on top of the magic circle when they did.

I’m sure you don’t understand what I’m talking about, but since I enjoy reading web novels as my hobby, I was strangely able to calmly think, “Oh, this is what is popular right now.”

I was barely hanging onto the edge of the magic circle, about to fall into some part of the other world, when a god from that other world picked me up.

Yeah, yeah, this is all common.

In this case, if it were the latest trend, or rather the trend from a while ago, it would be that I would end up with a good ability, perhaps a true hero or saint, and things would go smoothly. But it seems that it’s not going to be that way.

In a vague white space, a god with a perfectly handsome face shining with sparkles explains the situation in an unnecessarily sweet voice and apologizes:

“I’m sorry for dragging you into our circumstances.”

“Just to ask, could you possibly return me to my original world?”

“No, that’s not possible.”

Yeah, I figured. If it were possible, I would already be back. 

Well Even if I could go back, I am a member of the ice age generation, working for low wages at a family-run company in the countryside, both of my parents have passed away, I have a few friends but no boyfriend, and while I am surviving, I have no hope for the future.

Even hearing that I can’t go back to my original world doesn’t cause me much despair.

But I’ve always wondered—since I’ve been reading a lot of web novels—whether a modern Japanese person, who has lived comfortably and peacefully,  can really survive properly in another world.

“If I can’t go back, then I suppose I’ll have to live here. Do you provide any kind of support or assistance?”

When I tilt my head and ask, the god answers:

“Those who are summoned are basically granted the following abilities: sealing, automatic translation, adaptation, and storage abilities. And then, one ability of their choice is bestowed. However…”

Yes. Because I am an irregular case, it turns out there are very few resources I can use.

Most of the resources have already been used by the heroes. 

Apparently, the total amount of power the god can bestow on the world is strictly limited, and it cannot be exceeded. How cruel.

First, I asked about the basic abilities that are granted;

Sealing—is the ability to seal the miasma of the world and the demon lords born from that miasma. There seem to be other things it can do, too.

This was the purpose of the summoning, and for some reason, this skill can only be bestowed on people from another world. Also, the ability values differ from person to person, and they seem to select people with high sealing ability to be summoned.

I also received this ability, but when I asked the God about it, they said my ability value is low, and even if I grow stronger, I probably won’t be able to seal the Demon King.

Next, the automatic translation:

It allows communication even when languages are different.

When it comes to speaking, it switches automatically without you even having to think about it..

In other words, even if you are not conscious of it, you will automatically speak in a way that matches the other person’s language.

When it comes to reading and writing, it’s something you can do if you concentrate really hard, but it’s impossible to read a sign at a glance, and it seems like you can only understand it if you look closely at them. 

I guess it’s like reading English while using a dictionary.

Adaptation sounds a bit  like a disease prevention skill.

Apparently they decided to add it because there were many cases where people from another world would die immediately if they were sent there as is.

　

It helps them adapt to this world, making it harder to catch illnesses, especially endemic and infectious diseases, and also prevents stomach troubles from eating things from this world. Basically, it helps the body adjust to living here.

Honestly, I think it’s the most important skill.

Storage is about the size of a four-and-a-half tatami mat room, and has the time stop function, so living things cannot be placed inside.

You can put things in and take them out by with just a little thought, and it also has a list function, so it seems convenient.

Apparently just granting these basic abilities already takes up a considerable amount of resources.

Even so, if asked whether I can discard some of these abilities, the answer is that I need them all.

Ah, maybe this isn’t necessary? I thought, but turns out the sealing ability is a prerequisite for summoning and cannot be removed. Too bad.

So, the question now is what to do with the abilities I can get with the remaining resources.

“I want to at least somehow provide for the bare necessities of life – food, clothing and shelter.”

That’s my wish.

　

I want the ability to survive at the very least.

My biggest concern is my diet. I think the standard of food in modern Japanese society is too high.

“Can I somehow get a ‘mail-order’ ability?”

From what I’ve read, I thought it would be nice to have something like an online shopping ability in another world. I think it would be incredibly helpful. But it would be so sad if I couldn’t eat Japanese food anymore.

“a mail-order? Ah, I see.”

The god nods slightly and responds.

“It’s not impossible, but due to resource constraints, it’s quite limited and difficult.”

It’s not impossible?! Did you just read my thoughts?!

If it’s possible, I’d choose the mail-order ability without hesitation.

“Actually, It won’t work the way you imagine it would, the exact same format as online shopping isn’t feasible. Since the order will be placed through you, you can’t order things you don’t know about. You’ll need to specify what you want. The price will be the same as whatever you’ve bought it at before.”

So, if I think of something I’ve bought before, does that mean it will be ordered for me at the price I bought it at before?

That makes sense. I understand that I can’t order things I don’t know about.

“It’s also difficult to buy things with our world’s currency.”

Huh? That means I can only buy with Japanese yen?

What’s that??

The god, who was making a gesture as if looking into a hollow space, suddenly turned their eyes back to me.

“The upper limit is roughly 8 million yen, which is the value of your savings, land, buildings, and household belongings in that world.”

“8 million yen…”

Wow. The land and buildings I inherited from my parents in the countryside are… more valuable than I thought?

It’s in the countryside, so there’s no way it could be sold for that much. Mountains should be worth next to nothing.

But it’s probably the assessed value for fixed assets, right? 

With that much, I could buy a lot of things and maybe even make some profit here.

“Furthermore, you can only spend about 1,000 yen a day. If I set that restriction, it should be doable.”

1,000 yen a day?

Isn’t that pretty strict?

But if I think of it as food expenses, maybe I can manage?

One month’s worth at 1,000 yen per day is about 30,000 yen a month.

Yeah, it’s not impossible, but wouldn’t rice and other essentials cost more than that?

“Um, what if I want to buy something over 1,000 yen?”

“You can buy by grams.”

It’s sold by weight?!?

But,

“There are some things that can’t be divided, right?”

I ask, focusing on clothes, one of the three basic necessities: food, clothing, and shelter. Sure, there are clothes under 1,000 yen, but it’s tough. Buying just the sleeves or parts and sewing them yourself is too high a hurdle.

“Can I save up this 1,000 yen and use it for shopping?”

If I can’t buy it all at once, I can just save up and buy it later! That’s what I thought, but…

While I can’t buy things all at once, if I wish for a skirt that costs 2,980 yen, I can probably order it after three days.

But what if I accidentally wish for a ring worth 1 million yen, would I be unable to use the skill for a year? I’ve never bought such an expensive ring, though!

Oh, and before the item arrives, I can cancel the order, but I won’t get the money back.

Okay. Then I’ll just go with this skill setup!

One more thing I want to ask:

“Can I modify the storage ability granted to me?”

I want to fix my living situation.

“How?” the god asks.

Oh, can I do it?

“If there’s a four-tatami room, I think I could at least sleep there. Time stop seems to eat up a lot of resources, so can I remove that and make it so that I’m the only living thing that can be inside?”

After some negotiation, it’s decided that the storage will be two-tatami mats in size, a storage unit type that requires manual access, and a door will appear when I wish for it, making it an interesting storage unit.

When I say “Manual entry and exit”, I mean just that. Normally, I could take them out and put them back in by just wishing for it, and it has a list function and everything, but I’ve cut all those resources.

I’m the only one who can see the door and the contents, and I’m the only one who can enter, and it seems like I’m invisible to other people while I’m inside. I guess it’s like I suddenly disappear and suddenly reappear.

I sacrificed time stop and size, but I have no regrets.

With this, I can at least manage the basic necessities of food, clothing, and shelter, right?

TL Notes:

*「氷河期世代」 (hyougaki sedai) in Japanese refers to the “employment ice age generation” or “lost generation”. It specifically denotes the group of people who graduated from school and entered the workforce during the period of severe economic recession and job scarcity in Japan following the collapse of the economic bubble, roughly from the mid-1990s to the mid-2000s. This period was characterized by a sharp decline in job opportunities, making it extremely difficult for new graduates to find permanent, full-time employment.

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