Hi, My name is Sylvan.
I'm twenty-five years old.
One hundred sixty centimeters tall.
Male.
Virgin.
Former business owner. Very dedicated.
I have short black hair and brown eyes. No scars. No special marks. Nothing about me that would make someone look twice. If you dropped me into a crowd, I'd disappear instantly.
You could say I'm painfully average.
That said, I do have plenty of practical life skills, carpentry, masonry, camping, basic survival, cooking. I learned them to compensate for my lack of formal education. Not impressive on paper, but useful when life gets messy.
In my free time, I enjoy cooking, gardening, fishing, and playing computer games. I love idle living. That's why I pursued business in the first place, to retire early and live quietly.
I never liked school. Too crowded. Too noisy. Too exhausting.
And yet..
I was suddenly transported to another world.
Got arrested.
Interrogated.
And somehow…
I ended up studying again.
As a preschooler.
I don't even know the local language. That's as low as you can go.
Really.
Hahaha…
I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
Somehow, I ended up here thanks to Baron Eldritch's recommendation. Thinking back, when he brought me to this place and introduced me, I agreed to start studying immediately, without hesitation.
Why?
…Was it because the teacher is beautiful?
Let me introduce her.
Miss Erica.
Long brown hair tied neatly behind her back. Bright eyes full of life. Slender build. Fair skin. No makeup at all.
Natural beauty. Peak beauty.
She doesn't have a last name, only nobles do.
That reminded me. I introduced myself earlier using my full name.
That was dangerous.
I should avoid using my last name from now on. People might assume I'm a noble and try to rob, or worse, kidnap me.
I sat on a tiny wooden chair meant for children, knees awkwardly bent, back straight out of habit. Around me were actual preschoolers swinging their legs, scribbling on boards, and whispering nonsense to each other.
I listened attentively. Very attentively.
Now that I think about it… this might be the first time in my life I've paid this much attention in class.
Is it because my teacher is a babe?
No.
She's just genuinely good at teaching.
Look at me, an adult man, eagerly absorbing preschool lessons.
After a few hours, I managed to learn a handful of basic words. Simple greetings. Numbers. Objects. Painfully slow, but progress is progress.
My stomach suddenly growled.
"Oh… right. I haven't eaten breakfast."
I placed a hand over my abdomen and sighed internally. I'd eat after class. Good thing I still had money left from earlier.
Baron Eldritch had already left after introducing me. Even though Miss Erica was "only" a preschool teacher, in this small town, she was the only one who taught children how to read and write.
If I wanted higher education, I'd have to go to the capital.
And that would cost gold coins.
…Education really is expensive, no matter the world.
"All right, class. That's it for today."
Miss Erica clapped her hands lightly, smiling as the children cheered and jumped from their seats. It was already afternoon.
Now was my chance.
I stood up, straightened my clothes, and bowed politely.
"M-Miss Erica, I… need… to… ask… you… something."
Forming words was exhausting. Talking was already hard, doing it in a foreign language was torture.
She tilted her head slightly, hands folded in front of her.
"Yes?" she asked gently, smiling.
For a split second, I had the urge to kneel and propose marriage.
Good thing I restrained myself.
"I… need… to… ask… about… the… currency… here."
She leaned her cheek into her palm and looked at me with curiosity before explaining patiently.
This world uses bronze, silver, gold, and large gold coins.
Ten bronze equals one silver.
Ten silver equals one gold.
And one hundred gold equals one large gold coin.
That jump between gold and large gold coins was massive.
Probably related to gold purity, or maybe tradition.
I also asked about the nearest inn. She pointed the direction clearly, even repeating it slowly for me.
She's an angel, I thought sincerely.
I wanted to ask more, but my vocabulary was still painfully limited. Better not push my luck. Food came first. Survival before curiosity.
I bowed deeply.
"Thank you… very much."
Miss Erica smiled warmly in return.
And just like that, my first day as a preschooler in another world came to an end.
I stepped outside and followed the directions Miss Erica had given me.
The street was busy, vendors calling out, carts creaking as they rolled past, townsfolk moving about with baskets and sacks in hand. As I walked, I noticed people glancing at me. Not staring, but clearly curious.
"…Is it because of my clothes?"
I looked down at myself.
Yeah. That would do it.
I was still wearing modern clothes. Compared to the tunics, cloaks, and leather boots around me, I probably stood out like a sore thumb. If someone didn't know better, they might mistake me for a noble's son casually strolling the streets without guards.
That was dangerous.
I needed ordinary clothes. Fast.
As I walked, a familiar area came into view.
…This was where I got arrested earlier.
My steps slowed slightly. The memory made my shoulders tense. I glanced around until I spotted the building Miss Erica had described. A modest two-story structure with a wooden sign hanging above the door.
"Cameon Inn."
I squinted at the sign and chuckled weakly.
"Well, would you look at that. It really is Cameon."
I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The inn was quiet. Too quiet.
Behind the counter stood a woman wiping down a table with a cloth. She had long brown hair and calm brown eyes. Judging by her appearance, she looked to be in her late thirties. Her clothes were simple and modest, not shabby, but not fancy either.
Middle class, I concluded.
This was probably what a comfortable life looked like in a medieval town.
I walked up to the counter and took a breath.
"G-Good day," I said slowly. "I… want… rent… room. How… much?"
The words came out clumsy, almost childish. But at least they were understandable.
She looked up at me and nodded.
"A room is three coppers per night," she said calmly. "If you plan to stay long-term, it's twenty silver per month. That includes one free meal per day."
My ears perked up.
"I… take… one month," I said, reaching into my bag. I placed twenty silver coins carefully on the counter.
"And… free meal… now. Hungry."
She smiled faintly.
"I'll prepare your meal. In the meantime, I'll have Betty show you to your room."
She called out a name, and a young girl peeked out from behind the counter.
"I'll take him upstairs," the girl said cheerfully.
Betty looked to be around eleven years old. She had the same brown hair and eyes as the innkeeper, probably her daughter. She gestured for me to follow and led me up the creaking wooden stairs to the second floor.
"This one," she said, opening a door before quickly scampering off.
…That was fast.
I stepped inside.
The room was small, but decent. A single bed. A wooden desk. A chair. A candle resting in a simple holder. No luxuries, but clean and functional.
This would do.
As soon as the door closed behind me, my chest tightened.
"…I miss my computer," I muttered.
Earth felt impossibly far away. My parents. My friends. My old life. I clenched my fists briefly before exhaling slowly.
I had to survive first. Missing home wouldn't feed me.
I glanced out the window.
Would there be an adventurers' guild here?
Thinking back to the streets, I had seen burly men with swords and axes strapped to their waists and backs. Fighters. Mercenaries. Adventurers, maybe.
If there was a guild, it could be a way to earn money.
Money…
I sat down on the bed and did a quick mental calculation. I could survive for a month with what I had left, but only barely. I needed income, and soon.
Language first.
Literacy next.
Then work.
Step by step.
My stomach growled again.
Right. Food.
I left the room and returned downstairs, taking a seat near the counter. A few moments later, the innkeeper placed a wooden bowl in front of me.
Porridge. With small chunks of meat on top. A piece of bread on the side.
Simple, but filling.
I ate slowly, savoring every bite. The food was decent, though bland. The meat had a strong flavor, but there was no salt. No spices.
Spices must be a luxury here too, I thought.
I sighed softly.
"I really want fried chicken right now…"
Eating once or twice a day was normal here. Three meals were a noble's privilege. I'd have to adjust.
Still, it was funny. All those random historical articles I read online, stuff I thought was useless, were now saving my life.
After finishing the meal, I leaned back slightly.
I could become a merchant here. That was still an option. But first, I needed to understand this world, its language, its rules, its economy.
After that…
I'd check if there really was an adventurers' guild.
Because in a world like this, surviving quietly might require getting a little dangerous first.