I woke up in the same bed I'd fallen asleep in — which, honestly, felt like progress.
My bladder was about to explode. There was a chamber pot under the bed, but relieving myself into it felt… awkward. Better to find the outhouse. I figured I'd ask the old man, but it looked like I'd woken before either of the elderly couple. Fine. I'd find it myself.
I unbarred the wooden door and stepped outside. As expected, the outhouse was behind the house, with a barn to the left.
While relieving myself, I started thinking about what to do next. Should I leave this place? Varren, the tall guy with red hair who was burying me yesterday, went the other way, away from the village. There had to be something out there. Another village? But then again, without knowing the language, where would I go?
So I was stuck. Leaving might be riskier than staying. I don't know the language or how mana works. I'd be wandering blind into the unknown. But staying wasn't exactly safe either. I had no clue what the village elder was thinking, or what he wanted from me. Either way, I was walking on thin ice. The only real option was to learn their language — and figure out how they used mana — as quickly as possible.
I headed to the bathroom in the old man's house. Near the tap was a strange greenish-brown brick. Soap? I hadn't noticed it yesterday. It smelled odd, but it lathered — good enough. As I was washing my face, I heard someone step outside the house. Probably the old man.
I waited near the door, leaning against the wall, but it was the old woman who came in first. She gave me a glance, washed her hands, and headed to the kitchen. Then, finally, the old man showed up and went outside too. Huh. At least we shared some routines.
A while later, the old woman served up an omelette — simple, with chicken eggs and salt. The old man pulled a round flatbread from a storage box. We sat down to eat. The two of them chatted in good spirits while I focused on the food. The omelette was decent, but I would've killed for some tomatoes or onions in it. The bread, though… that bread was divine — soft and fluffy. Better than the eggs, honestly.
After we finished, the old man disappeared into his room and came back dressed for work. He looked me over, then looked at my clothes and sighed — loudly. Then he kissed his wife and gestured for me to follow him.
We made rounds across the village, stopping at several buildings. It looked like he was collecting some sort of tax or payment. Every stop was a business — the barman, butcher, pastry maker, blacksmith, and tailor. Then we reached a plain-looking house. A young woman opened the door.
Unlike the other visits, the old man lingered here, clearly talking about me. The woman — Ellie, I gathered — wore dark clothes, which stood out in the summer heat, but she looked striking. She threw me a few sidelong glances, each tinged with what felt like mild contempt. Was it my clothes? My face? Either way, nothing else happened.
After some time, we reached the village hall. The old man placed the silver coins in a small chest with an iron lock. Then we returned home. He headed to the barn and came back holding a rake and broom, handing them to me with a wide grin. He approached the front of the house. With his hand, he traced the village's paths in the air. Then, he made a gesture, the same gesture Marsel did before he handed me to the old man. Well, nothing is free in this world, I guess.
I started raking, dragging twigs, leaves, and other debris into piles. He gave me a nod and walked back toward the village hall. Wait — am I supposed to clean in front of the house? Or... the whole village? No way. No freaking way.
The sun was relentless. Sweat drenched me as I roasted under its glare. Not quite what I pictured for reincarnation. There's no overpowered system, no flashy magic, and no beauties gathering around me. Just sweat, dust, and an aching back.
Four hours later, as I was losing the will to live, someone tapped my shoulder.
It was the old man — the same elder I'd spent the last hour silently cursing. He smiled and tossed me a silver coin. I caught it clumsily, surprise and a faint smile tugging at my lips.
If only I'd known that silver coin would be gone in the most unexpected way... just an hour later.