Learning About the World

The Witch Cult was probably the equivalent of the "demon lord's army" in this world.

Witchbeasts, Witch Cultists, witches... another world really was dangerous, after all. As Subaru silently organized the information he had just received, he felt a slight chill run down his back.

Rem had just finished telling him how the previous Sword Saint had died fighting the White Whale. Since she had mentioned the White Whale, she naturally went on to the "witch" who created the witchbeasts, and from there, it was impossible to avoid talking about the Witch Cult-the people who worshipped the witch and spread fear and slaughter across the world.

"Rem-chan, have you ever seen the Witch Cult in action? Your expression got really serious when you started talking about them."

"No, Rem has never seen the Witch Cult with her own eyes. Rem has only heard about them in books and rumors."

"But even if you've never seen them, their fearsome reputation alone is enough to scare you-is that it?"

"Rem isn't scared. If the Witch Cult dares attack Rem's home, Sister will wipe them all out. But it's more or less as you said."

Subaru nodded, understanding. To a girl like Rem, who had grown up in a remote village, the Witch Cult was probably like a natural disaster, an earthquake or something of the sort.

She had never seen them with her own eyes, but she had heard the terrifying rumors again and again. Just hearing them was enough to make a person instinctively tense up.

"What about you?" Rem looked at Subaru with a gaze that was half exasperated, half curious. "Rather than coming from another country, you almost make Rem suspect you came from another world. Who hasn't heard the story of the heroes sealing the Witch of Envy four hundred years ago?"

"...What if that's really the case?"

"That kind of joke won't amuse Rem."

The conversation was going more smoothly than Subaru had expected. Watching Rem give a gentle, exasperated sigh, Subaru couldn't help chuckling. Then he reached for the sweet potato in the bowl, which was no longer very warm. He had learned most of what he wanted to know, so it was time to taste the little girl's thoughtful offering.

"Oh! It's so good!"

The moment the sweet potato entered his mouth, Subaru's eyes went wide. Before he had even swallowed, he let out a heartfelt exclamation. He looked down at the unremarkable tuber in his hand.

"You made this yourself?!"

"Yes. It's one of the few things Rem can still do. Sister doesn't actually need it, but to put Rem at ease, she still asks Rem to do things like this, even though Rem knows there's no need to ask."

"Why are you always putting yourself down like that? If you keep belittling yourself, your confidence really will disappear little by little."

"Rem is only telling the truth."

"No, no, no, I'm the one telling the truth. It's really, really good! Being able to make something taste this good at your age is amazing!"

Subaru wasn't just flattering her. The sweet potato had gone completely cold, and normally it should have hardened as it cooled, but it had none of those problems.

It was still soft and fluffy, and the light seasoning brought out the sweet fragrance of the sweet potato itself just right. The control of the cooking temperature was masterful.

"...Really?" A distinct note of uncertainty entered Rem's voice.

"Why would I lie? If I were just flattering you, wouldn't I be going way overboard?"

"That's true."

Rem's gaze settled thoughtfully on Subaru's sparkling eyes. "Rem has never met anyone who wears all their emotions on their face before. If Rem didn't look after you, you really would starve to death, wouldn't you?"

"I wouldn't go quite that far... but life definitely wouldn't be easy."

"I see. It looks like Rem really has ended up with a nuisance." With that, Rem stood, smoothed the wrinkles from her skirt, and turned toward the door. After a few steps, she stopped and added over her shoulder.

"But never mind. Rem will come see you again tomorrow. If you don't work, everyone will gossip. Don't get the wrong idea, Rem is only carrying out her task of keeping an eye on you."

After delivering that textbook tsundere speech, Rem picked up the empty bowl and disappeared through the library doorway without looking back.

After his first night in another world-a night filled with uncertainty, longing, and confusion, with sleep so poor that staying up all night playing games would have been more enjoyable-Subaru welcomed the second day of his life in another world.

"Seriously? I really have to work?"

Subaru stood in the morning light, a small ax in his hand. The village was already bustling in the early morning, and villagers carrying farming tools passed by nearby one after another. Not one of them showed the slightest surprise at the sight of a ten-year-old chopping firewood so early.

"What else?" Rem stood beside him and answered as if it were obvious. "You have to work to earn food. Even Sister has to work."

"This is completely different from the life in another world I imagined..." Subaru muttered, looking down at the ax in his hand, which was so small it looked like a toy.

Where are the demon lord and the hero I was promised? Where are the princess and the holy sword? How did I end up finding work as a child laborer instead?

"But come to think of it, if we're chopping firewood, why did you only bring one ax, Rem?"

"Because Oni don't need tools for this kind of work."

Rem calmly raised both hands and aimed them at the wood on the chopping block in front of her.

"Crack."

The wood split neatly in two, leaving clean, even surfaces.

"Magic really is useful!" Subaru's eyes lit up at once. "Can I learn it?!"

"Don't look at Rem so expectantly right now. Rem is busy too."

"Right... then what about later? Could I ask you to teach me later, Rem? I'll work really hard!"

"...If Sister is busy."

Subaru automatically translated that as a yes and, thoroughly satisfied, swung the little ax. He started chopping wood. It was the first time in his life he had done such heavy physical labor. Back home, the hardest work he had ever done was putting washed dishes back on the rack.

So, in practice, Subaru needed several swings of the ax to split a single piece of wood. The first swing lodged it in the wood, the second pried it loose, and only on the third did the wood barely split apart, leaving a crooked surface.

Compared to Rem beside him, who could raise a hand and make a piece of firewood burst cleanly in two, his efficiency was worlds apart.

"Come to think of it, this is a farming village, right? Does Ram have to do farm work too?" Subaru asked as he battled the stubborn wood.

"Of course. And Sister works much harder than we do. Sometimes the village also commissions her to do jobs that only she can do."

"Like what?"

"There are three wells in the village now. Sister dug two of them by herself using magic."

"She's that strong?!"

Once again, Subaru had to revise his understanding of the pink-haired little girl's abilities. Then, gritting his teeth against the chafing and soreness in his palms, he continued his battle with the firewood in front of him.

After they had chopped for a while longer, Rem inspected the results of Subaru's labor. She tilted her head as she studied the uneven pile of firewood on the ground.

"Some pieces are too thin, and others are too thick. So this is how the efforts of the woodcutters who felled the trees are treated."

"...It's my first time, you know. I've rubbed the skin off my hands." Subaru held out his palms pitifully. Sure enough, they were red all over, and the skin had broken in several places, with tiny beads of blood seeping out.

"But if it's going to be burned, it's barely usable. Let's call it barely passable. So Rem will barely give you this."

"You said 'barely' three times in a row. Is it really that bad...? Is this money?"

Subaru took the small pouch Rem handed him and opened it to find a single silver coin lying inside. On its face was the image of a person wearing an ornate cloak. The features were indistinct; they probably hadn't intended to make them clear when they minted it.

"This is your pay for a week's work. Rem could have waited until the week was over to give it to you, but Rem thought she might accidentally spend it if she kept it, and use all of it to buy Sister something tasty, so she's giving it to you in advance. But if you dare slack off from now on, Rem will teach you a proper lesson."

"I don't know what the purchasing power here is like... but I never expected that the first wages I'd get from the first job of my life would be in another world."

"Thanks, Rem-chan! Let me treat you to a meal! And while we're at it, could you consider teaching me magic?"