Then...
I found myself back where I started.
Ugh…!!!
This bed felt terrible.
What's in it?
Don Rong—was that my new name? Should I change it?
Can you even change your name in this world? I wasn't sure it was possible, but I figured I could.
Who would really know, right?
Who names their kid after "Done Wrong"?
I should prepare myself...
I wasn't certain if my deal with the Hanged Man had gone through after all. Every time I tried to talk to him, he either ignored me or worried about what Miss Justice wanted.
Well...
I don't blame him.
She's just too cute.
And sexy...
Her voice, the way she carries herself...
If she's blonde, I have to court her.
But do I even have a chance?
I'm not some noble here, and this place certainly doesn't scream nobility.
For crying out loud, I better not be paying an arm and a leg for this dump.
I could see daylight streaming through a hole in the attic roof, and I couldn't ignore it. I glanced down at the ground where something had fallen earlier.
An orange brick lay there.
Its rough surface hinted at the damage above.
It had cracks in it.
From that alone, it was clear this was a rundown apartment.
First, let's look outside.
I gently pulled back the heavy curtains, revealing a narrow window nestled in the wall.
"What is this?" I muttered to myself, disbelief evident in my voice.
Horses galloped below, pulling carriages along cobbled streets, while guards in traditional attire wore swords sheathed at their hips. But there was also a train… Why did its design look so futuristic, standing next to the streets? It looked out of this world compared to everything around it.
Okay, now that I've confirmed it, let me make a plan.
First, I need to walk around this place.
But will I remember the way back?
Clink!
I heard metal clink in my pants.
There are two small pockets on both sides, and in the right-side pocket, I found a key attached to a piece of cardboard.
It had the exact location printed on it.
Was it some identification?
Well, either way, I knew what I needed to do.
I don't think it was smart to try to get information about Beyonders.
If they held powers the world didn't normally possess, then I would be doomed.
am i a beyonder?
Surely not, right?
I didn't know for sure.
"Abakabara kadam."
I raised my hands, shouting moves.
"Rasengan"
"Let fire rise"
This isn't working....
What about Chants?
"One of the five great elements from which the world is constructed."
His voice was like a whisper.
he continued
"The great flame of the beginning."
"It is a light of blessing that raises life and a light of judgment that punishes evil."
"It is overflowing with calm blessings and with freezing misfortune that destroys cold darkness."
"Its name is fire, and its role is the sword."
Be manifested and become the power that eats into my body!"
Really? Nothing at all...?
I guess I'm not a Beyonder.
Do they even use chants?
Do they actually use magic?
Hmm... But didn't the Hanged Man mention that they have some powers when he was talking to Miss Justice?
That's strange.
How do they have these powers if they don't even chant?
Is it similar to how superheroes can command their powers?
If that's the case…
Give me some powers too....!!
well...
At least I tried....
----
Time dragged like molasses as he finally made his way outside.
As he stepped into the bustling streets, the air was thick with chatter, laughter, and the distant roar of traffic.
The narrow alleyways were brimming with people, creating a chaotic noise of movement.
Suddenly, a gruff voice sliced through the clamor.
"Hey, watch where you're going!"
An older man, his brow furrowed with irritation, barked at him after he inadvertently bumped into him while hurrying past.
"I'm sorry," I quickly apologized. He looked genuinely upset by my mistake.
In situations like this, it was always best to apologize to resolve things as quickly as possible.
The older man seemed somewhat appeased.
I stepped aside quickly, and he moved out of my way.
"Sorry, I'm just passing by," I mumbled as I hurried on.
"You twit," the old man grumbled something under his breath before continuing on his way, though I couldn't hear what he said.
I made my way toward the bakery shop in front of me.
A sign plastered on the window caught my eye.
It was exactly what I needed.
"We are looking for new employees."
When I talked with the Hanged Man, he offered something generous: I could pay for the spectator potion in installments, since it would take him some time to get a new one. He mentioned that it would take about a week, just in time for our next meeting.
Now I realize that I need to find a job to earn money in this world.
Damn, I really have transmigrated to a new world.
This feels new, but at least there are attractive women here.
Should I try to get a girlfriend?
I think I have the looks for it.
I managed to be a player in my old world with the worst looks, so it can't be that hard here.
Right?
Wait, no... I want to pursue Miss Justice.
I wouldn't have cared about that in my old world...
So why do I care now?
Have I changed...?
It's only been a day, though?
She's just too cute, after all...
At least a brothel...?
right...?
Before I could even procrastinate.
a voice entered in my ear.
It was somewhat hoarse.
like they were eating just moments ago.
"Are you here for the new hires...?"
Hires...?
He means the hiring Poster outside, right?..
"Mhm... Yes, exactly that"
In a moment of pure excitement, I shot my hand into the air, my finger extended and pointed directly at him, eager to capture his attention.
"Mhmm.... We can have an interview, since not many people want to work here. Sit there, please; I'll be back in a moment."
He gestured for me to take a seat in the back. Behind the counter, an open door led to a small room.
I entered. A small table and two chairs sat opposite each other.
They stood opposite each other. A paper sat on the table.
"New hires information"
I was in the right place.
On the table, there was also a name: Manager: Klein Moretti.
Moretti—like Sherlock Moretti?
Wait, am I getting that right?
I think I'm getting things mixed up again.
Damn that habit.
It...
Sherlock Holmes, right?
Damn, my memory is failing me again.
Even in this world, I can't seem to get rid of this habit...
'What can I say? I just read too much'...
---
Time passed.
About 30 minutes or so.
Instead of waiting just a minute, as he said. I waited for 30 minutes.
Where was he?
It felt like an eternity.
But I didn't move.
This was important after all.
Ack—!!!
My back felt stiff...
How old was I here...
In my past world, I was 22, right?
Yeah, I think I was 22.
Am I 22 here too?
"Sorry about that, Klein. Had to go somewhere. I will fill in for him. You're fine with that, right?"
A middle-aged woman came in; she had some wrinkles on her forehead.
Her hair was A tinge of Brown. It looked exactly like my own.
"We aren't related, right?"
"Haha..."
I had made her laugh. It was unexpected. That would be the first thing I said to her.
She didn't expect that. And it caught her off guard.
"your funny, But no, we arnt."
"Just making sure I have a bad memory, you know...?"
It was awkward.
Silence accompanied us.
Maybe I shouldn't have said that. maybe it was a sore memory or a nerve for her.
"But to answer your question, I'm fine with whatever you assumed. Should we start now?"
I made it apparent I didn't have any issues with her.
And I spoke; I grabbed the pencil from the side, from a small bin right above the paper.
The document was titled "Employee Information" at the top.
Filling it out was mandatory, as it always had been.
It requested basic information such as my home address, where I currently live, the distance from my residence to the shop, my availability, what times I can work, and whether I have any previous experience.
After I finished writing down my previous work history.
She gave me a look. Almost like she didn't believe it.
I've worked at a bakery since I was 8 and have 10 years of experience in this type of work.
I've done baking, cleaning, and management before.
But the look she gave me was disbelief, and she didn't believe I was telling the truth.
"You do know we won't hire you if you're lying...?"
And then and there, she started to question me.
as if she was some detective.
that was grilling an inmate or a convicted convict.
"I used to have a father who made me work in his bakery, and I have very fond memories of that time. However, after his passing, I lost all contact with his family. Since I was so young and couldn't pay for everything, they took the shop as collateral. If you ask around, you will find information about me. You see..."
"Why didn't you contact them...?"
She raised her words like a sword poised above my throat.
New words came out of my mouth.
"Well, you see... I have an extremely bad memory for people I don't see often. I usually forget them or misremember their names if I haven't seen them for a while. Plus, my father's family were merchants, so they never stayed in one place for too long. How could I contact them if I can't even remember their names?"
"I'll give you a week to see if you are telling the truth. If I find that you were lying, I'll fire you immediately. You're fine with that, right?"
She spoke as she wrote down my entire sob story that I had mouthed out.
was she a detective in her past life...?
"Yes, that's fine with me... When do I start?"
Tomorrow, your schedule will be Tuesday-Saturday, 6 o'clock to 8 pm.
"Yes, ma'am."
She stood up, her hips twisting as she prepared to leave.
But her curiosity got the best of her.
"Also, what's your name...?"
"Ron Dong, ma'am."
I replied swiftly, trying to get this done as quick as possible.
"Alright, Wrong Don, I'm really nice to people."
Did she call me "Wrong Don"?
I knew it... I should have changed my name.
My face was a disaster. One look, and you could tell I was irritated; it was plastered onto my face.
But...
She left just like that.
But, wow...
She was good-looking.
If she didn't remind me of myself, I would definitely chase after her.
But I'm not into that sort of thing...
Still, she was a solid 7/10—
maybe even an 8 on a good day.