Chapter 9: Chapter 8: Integration is never easy!
Is the internet that important???
After the whole family had settled down to dinner with my father's canned goods in a tense manner, realizing that they had been duped by an unscrupulous real estate agent, we decided to retire early. The next morning would be a long story.
I woke up to the resentful mumblings of my father, Renji, as he attempted to make a Japanese-style breakfast with what he had bought at the market that morning, according to him.
When my stomach was full (or at least no longer growling, although the taste of breakfast still lingered in my mind), my mother placed her hands on the table and said seriously, "We need a money-making plan. Kazuki, do you have any ideas?"
I was still trying to get used to the white rice porridge that my father called "okayu" but had a texture more like... paste. Next to it was a tamagoyaki rolled egg with a burnt edge, salty and bitter as if he had mistakenly summoned pure sea salt from the ocean.
"This is Japanese food?" I looked at my father suspiciously.
My father folded his arms and nodded firmly. "Of course! I followed Kiroku's instructions exactly!"
I glared at Kiroku, who was hovering over the table with a triumphant (if the book had existed) expression. "Are you sure you're not trolling my father?"
"Humph! The recipe is perfect! Blame the chef, not the book!" Kiroku retorted.
My father frowned and glared at Kiroku. "That's a lousy book! You clearly gave me the wrong recipe on purpose to harm me!"
My mother just glanced at the failed dishes without showing any surprise. It seemed that after many years of living together, she had become completely immune to my father's cooking skills.
Not bothering to comment on breakfast, she just gently picked up her teacup, took a sip, and seriously changed the subject:
"Renji, instead of arguing with a book, we should focus on learning how to make money legally in this world. Get a book on legal labor."
My father raised his eyebrows, seemingly hurt that his wife ignored his earnest breakfast incident. But knowing that arguing back wouldn't change anything, he nodded indignantly.
I raised my eyebrows. "Um... scamming?" I mumbled, but was immediately given a smack on the head by my mother.
"I said it was legal!" My mother growled.
My father stroked his chin thoughtfully. "I think I have a solution. Let's ask Kiroku. After all, it's a talking book, it might have useful information about this world."
With that, my father snapped his fingers, and Kiroku, the most obnoxious talking book in the universe, flew out of his robe pocket.
"Oh, you finally remembered me? Let me guess, you guys want a plan to make money without using your intelligence, right?"
I gritted my teeth. "Hey, can you tone it down a bit? We're in serious trouble!"
Kiroku sneered. "Hmm, making money in this world? It's easy! You can be a convenience store clerk, an office worker, or a delivery driver. Easy, right?"
All three of us frowned. I picked up Kiroku and shook him. "Do we look like office workers? Or do you think a high-level mage should be delivering food?!"
"If not... well, let me think about it." Kiroku continued to suggest.
My father crossed his arms, thinking. "I still don't understand this world... what channels do people in this world usually use to find jobs? I don't see them posting ads or someone shouting out on the street to recruit people?"
My mother nodded. "We need to at least understand how technology works here before thinking about making money."
I sighed, feeling that my family's future was becoming darker than ever. But before I could say anything, Kiroku floated up and let out a disdainful snort.
"How pitiful, you guys are not only poor but also technologically illiterate? This world revolves around digital devices!"
My father frowned. "You say that, but we've never seen those devices, I've only seen cameras and computers and haven't had time to understand how they work. How does technology work here anyway?"
In our world, magic is the ultimate technology, who needs these... glowing metal boxes?!"
Kiroku shook with excitement. "You information blind people, open your eyes and listen! In this world, people don't rely on magic to communicate or store information, but instead, they use something called digital technology!"
I blinked. "Digital technology? That sounds like a low-level form of magic."
"Shut up and listen!" Kiroku cleared his throat. "What you call a 'glowing metal box' is actually a smartphone! It's a personal communication device that can be used to make calls, send messages, look up information, and even take pictures and videos. It's something everyone must have to survive in this world."
My father narrowed his eyes. "What about that larger rectangular thing we saw in the stores? Is it also a form of technological weapon?"
"That's a television! A device that displays moving images, similar to the magical projection technology you had in the old world."
"However, instead of using magic to create stereoscopic illusions, televisions rely on electronic signals and communication networks to broadcast programs, news, and entertainment."
"It can help people follow events around the world, watch movies, and there are even cooking programs, although I doubt Renji's cooking skills can improve thanks to it."
My mother crossed her arms and asked seriously. "What about that thing called the internet that I've heard about? Is it a form of information barrier?"
"Not exactly, but it's close. You can imagine it as being comparable to the magical information technology in our world."
Kiroku replied. "The Internet is a giant network that connects all the digital devices in this world. It helps people exchange information instantly, study, work, and even watch useless things like dancing cat videos... in general, in terms of function, this type of technology is similar to the technology in our world, but it is more interactive and interesting."
My father rubbed his chin, his expression gradually becoming serious. "In other words, this is the method that people use to learn, communicate, and make money?"
"Exactly! If you want to integrate into this society, it's best to learn how to use technology instead of fiddling with magic wands!" Kiroku said proudly.
I swallowed my saliva. It turns out this world is more complicated than I thought..."
"That glowing metal box?!" Kiroku almost screamed. "That's a smartphone! It's the most basic survival tool in this world! Without it, you're worse than kids!"
The whole family looked at each other, then sighed in unison. My mother put down her teacup and nodded, "Alright, it seems we can't keep living the old way forever. Putting aside magic, we need to equip ourselves with the necessary things to integrate into this world."
My father crossed his arms and thought. "I think so too, but in addition to making money, we also need to redecorate the interior of this newly built house."
"I haven't put out all the things in the storage ring yet because I'm not sure if we can live here for long. But if we're going to stay, maybe we should start rearranging the furniture."
I thought for a moment and then asked, "So where are we going to go shopping for these things?"
But as soon as I finished speaking, another panic struck me—I almost forgot that my parents hadn't finished unpacking the things they'd brought with them from their storage rings.
The thought of having to pull out tons of magical items, from clothes to bulky experimental equipment, and arrange them neatly in this small house… I felt my back starting to hurt.
We'd be dealing with a whole mobile warehouse! I shuddered. If we opened the storage rings without a plan, we might be buried under hundreds of magical items that weren't usable in this world.
I may have been ready to learn how to adapt to this world, but no one had prepared me for a "massive relocation" like this!
At that moment, Kiroku shook his head in satisfaction. "You're finally listening to me? Good! First, let's go to a place called a shopping mall or an electronics store."
"There, you can find everything from household appliances, furniture, to those 'glowing metal boxes' that you still can't digest."
My mother nodded. "Then let's go! We have a lot of shopping to do!"
I sighed. It looked like today was going to be another long day...
After agreeing on the plan, our whole family quickly left the house to find our way to the shopping mall. However, this wasn't easy since none of us knew how to look up a map or use GPS technology.
"How the hell does this world not have a sign that displays a magical map?!" My father grumbled, staring at a paper map and travel guide that we had just bought at a nearby convenience store.
"We're going to have to ask for directions manually?! This is nomadic behavior!"
"Father, we're literally nomads who have wandered into another world." I reminded him, but was immediately ignored.
My mother, with the air of a long-time aristocrat, walked up to a nearby passerby, smiling confidently. "Excuse me, where is the nearest shopping mall?"
The man seemed a little confused by my mother's overly formal way of speaking, but still gave us directions kindly. After a few more inquiries, we finally figured out how to get there.
"Now we just need to find a way to get there." I breathed a sigh of relief, but immediately saw my parents frowning at the busy traffic.
"It runs on fuel, not magic." Kiroku, who was being held by my father, explained. "You should take a service car to go faster, they call it a Taxi here."
A moment later, a taxi stopped in front of us. My mother got in first, sitting in the seat with an air of authority, while my father sat next to her with a distrustful attitude.
I sat in the front, trying to control my feelings of embarrassment at seeing my parents act as if they were getting into a royal carriage.
The taxi driver, a young man with flowing brown hair and a bright smile, turned to look at us through the rearview mirror. His name tag read: Hayato.
"Is this your first time taking a taxi? Oh... judging by your demeanor, I guess you usually use your own vehicle?"
My father was still clutching the armrest, his face pale, but he forced a wry smile. "Uh... well, it's true that we're not used to these types of vehicles..."
"Ah... yes, we just moved here. We're not used to this way of traveling yet."
The driver smiled politely. "It's okay, you'll get used to it. Tokyo is always crowded like this. The shopping mall you want to go to is Shinjuku Takashimaya, one of the busiest shopping areas in the city."
"Really? Is there anything special about that place?" My mother asked curiously.
"Oh, that's Shinjuku Takashimaya, a huge shopping mall. There's everything from electronics, fashion to high-end restaurants. If you want to buy necessities, that's the best place."
Hearing that, my parents nodded, but my father still muttered in a doubtful voice. Before getting out of the car, my father hesitated a bit and then asked:
"Can we have his contact number? It's more convenient to call him next time."
The driver nodded happily, giving us a business card with his phone number. "Just call me if you need to go somewhere."
After paying and thanking the driver, we got out of the car and looked up at the massive building of the Shinjuku Takashimaya shopping mall. The staff at the entrance immediately greeted us and enthusiastically guided us to the technology equipment section.
I could only sigh. It had been a long day...
Entering the electronics store, I was immediately overwhelmed by the vast space, the white light from hundreds of glowing screens making everything look like another world.
A young employee with a professional smile approached us, bowing to us. "Hello, how may I help you today?"
My mother, still maintaining her aristocratic demeanor, nodded solemnly. "We would like to buy some technology devices, mainly phones and computers. Can you advise us?"
The employee nodded, leading us to the phone display area. "We have a wide range of popular models right now, including Apple's iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, Samsung's Galaxy S, as well as high-end models from Sony like the Xperia X10. If you're interested in a local brand, the Sharp and Fujitsu lines are also worth considering. Do you have any specific requirements?"
My father frowned at an iPhone, flipping it over and over as if analyzing the structure of a new creation. "So this is the communication device of this world? The technology is not bad, but it seems a bit fragile, doesn't it?"
The staff smiled, skillfully directing my father to another model. "If you're interested in durability and performance, I'd like to suggest the Sony Xperia X10.
This is one of Sony's top models, with a solid design and a powerful operating system. In addition, Sony is a Japanese brand, so if you want a quality local product, this is a very good choice."
Meanwhile, my mother was looking at the laptop models displayed nearby.
"Apart from phones, we also need a computer. Can you recommend a suitable model?"
"Yes, if you need an easy-to-use computer, I can recommend some laptops from Toshiba or Sony. These are popular brands at the moment, with stable performance and easy to get used to for beginners."
I looked at the price list and suddenly realized something surprising. Compared to the huge numbers in our storage space, these things were really cheap! We had only spent 50 million yen, and there was still 450 million yen left in the storage ring.
Compared to the spending on magical research or large-scale transactions in the old world, the price of these devices was no different from the pebbles on the roadside.
"Then we'll take three VAIO laptops and three Xperia X10 phones, all of which must be the highest-end models," my mother nodded in agreement.
"But how do we activate and use them?"
The staff smiled. "After purchasing, you can register a SIM card to use the phone's calling and mobile network services. We can also help with basic settings if you need it."
After receiving detailed instructions from the staff, we bought three new SIM cards and activated them right at the store.
After shopping for electronic devices, my whole family went to another area to shop for necessities for life in this world.
Although the magical world also has similar things, in order to integrate better, we decided to learn about and use common items here.
Entering the supermarket's shelves, I was immediately overwhelmed by the variety of items.
My mother crossed her arms, looking around with a sharp gaze, while my father held a shopping cart, seemingly fascinated by its smooth wheel design.
"This thing moves quite smoothly!" My father said, pushing the cart around and nodding in satisfaction. "It seems simple but it's very convenient."
My mother shook her head, pulling him back to reality. "We need to focus on shopping, don't waste time. Kazuki, start with the home appliances section first."
We walked through the stalls, buying bedding, kitchen utensils, and some other household items.
When we reached the home appliances section, my father looked curiously at a microwave and asked the sales clerk, "How does this thing work? Does it use some form of energy to heat the food?"
The polite clerk smiled. "Yes, this is a microwave oven, which uses electromagnetic waves to heat food quickly without the need for fire."
My father nodded. "Hmm... a form similar to magical heat but carefully tuned to not burn food. Not bad."
We bought so many household appliances that we couldn't take them with us. Microwaves, refrigerators, washing machines, vacuum cleaners... all kinds of modern appliances that made me wonder if our family really needed all these things. But because they wanted to integrate into this world, my parents still decided to buy enough.
When we got to the checkout counter, the clerk looked at us with a surprised look at the huge amount of goods.
"Would you like to use the home delivery service? With this amount, it will take about a day to deliver to your door."
My mother thought for a moment and then nodded. "Then please help deliver it to this address. We'll pay the extra shipping fee if necessary."
After completing all the formalities, we left the store without having to worry about carrying this heavy stuff home by hand, which we could have done if we used magic but you know, it's too obvious.
When we reached the food section, my mother checked the quality of the vegetables and meat, muttering her evaluations as she examined them.
"Even though they weren't preserved by magic, they still retain their freshness quite well. Their preservation system is commendable."
I was only focused on one thing: checking the prices. But then I realized something interesting—these items were too cheap for what we had.
I sighed in relief, at least we wouldn't have to worry about finances for a very long time.
After filling the cart with all the necessary items, we headed to the checkout counter. My mother scanned the list and nodded in satisfaction.
"So we have the basics. If we need anything else, we'll come back later."
I looked at the pile of stuff and sighed. It looked like it was going to be another long day of packing...
Since I was the one who learned how to use the phone the fastest, my parents immediately assigned me the task of calling a taxi. I dialed Hayato's number, the ringing sound lasted a few seconds before his voice came through: "Hello? Who is this?"
I blinked. "This is Kazuki. Did you forget that quickly?"
"Ah, Kazuki! Sorry, I don't have your family's number yet. Do you need me to pick you up?"
"Yes. Can you take us to a nearby telecommunications station to sign up for the Internet for our house?" I asked.
"Of course, I'll be there in about 10 minutes."
After leaving the store, we quickly got into Hayato's car and he took us to the nearest telecommunications station.
Here, the staff greeted us enthusiastically and advised us on the most suitable Internet service packages. My mother listened seriously, while my father wondered about the data transmission mechanism that didn't require magic.
After some consideration, we chose the strongest package to ensure a fast connection, serving the purpose of studying and getting acquainted with this world.
But then, another problem arose. The telecommunications staff looked at our home address and hesitantly said:
"Your home is quite far from the center and is in a private area, so the installation will require a large fee to deploy the transmission line."
My parents and I glanced at each other worriedly. Was the installation fee large? Would our remaining money be enough?
"How much is this fee?" My mother asked with a serious expression.
The staff quickly checked and quoted: "Yes, the total cost of installation and usage for the first year will be around 300,000 yen. Please rest assured, this is the standard price, there are no hidden fees."
"The reason is because your house has never had a network line before, and the old system in that area is too outdated, it needs to be rebuilt from scratch."
"This is only the total amount for the first year including the infrastructure deployment fee, after the first year it will only be 30,000 yen. If you want to pay in advance for a long-term usage package, we can give you an additional discount."
My mother squinted her eyes warily. "You mean if we never had a network line, then this deployment is a mandatory fee? Isn't this a scam?"
The staff member quickly waved his hand, his forehead sweating. "No, absolutely not! This is standard procedure when installing a network in private areas without existing infrastructure."
"We are committed to providing honest and transparent services. If you need, I can provide detailed documentation of the installation process."
My father chuckled, and my mother said softly, "Then we will sign up for a 60-year contract."
The telecommunications staff stood frozen for a few seconds, eyes wide open as if they couldn't believe their ears.
"Q-You said... 60 years?"
"That's right. If possible, sign the contract now." My mother smiled.
The employee almost cried with happiness, his face looking excited as if he had just won the lottery. "Yes! I'll do it right away! Please wait a moment!"
I've never seen anyone so enthusiastic about doing paperwork. It seemed like we had just brought him a lifetime sales achievement.
After completing the contract, the employee happily announced, "We will proceed with the installation within a week. That's the time it takes to deploy the network system in your area."
Hearing this, I suddenly remembered something. "Wait... a week? That's also when we will receive our ID cards from the government, right?"
My mother nodded, seemingly satisfied. "That's too convenient. Then we will officially have legal identity and internet access at the same time."
My father folded his arms and chuckled. "It seems like things are going more smoothly than I thought."
I sighed. Looks like we'll be taking another crash course in technology after today...
After completing the contract, we called Hayato to pick us up and take us home. As we got in the car, my family started talking to him more and realized that Hayato was quite friendly, open-minded, and extremely knowledgeable about the roads and traffic in Tokyo.
.................
.................
Sitting behind the wheel, I couldn't help but glance at this strange family through the rearview mirror. They had a distinctly aristocratic demeanor, but they acted like people who had just set foot in a big city for the first time.
When their son, Kazuki, spoke to me, I smiled and replied politely.
"I've been a taxi driver for several years, and I was born and raised in Tokyo, so it's only natural that I know the roads well."
Everything was normal until Mr. Kazuki suddenly asked, "You say that, but without a map, how can you remember all the routes in this big city? Isn't that too difficult?"
Their little boy coughed, quickly interrupting, "He means GPS."
I blinked. "Map...? Oh, you mean GPS? Don't worry, my car is equipped with a modern GPS, so I can easily find my way no matter where I go."
We continued to chat for a while, and I began to feel the atmosphere in the car become much more friendly.
This family had a very formal way of speaking, but not at all distant. They asked me about my job, about the most congested roads in Tokyo, and even asked me what I thought about life in this city.
After a while of talking, I decided to tell them a little about myself.
"Actually, I graduated from a prestigious university in Tokyo and worked for a large company. But because some of my colleagues were jealous, they tried to harm me, which led to me losing my job. From then on, I turned to driving a taxi to make a living, which is quite a sad memory."
The father, Renji, folded his arms and pondered. "So you're being bullied because you're too good? This place is really complicated. In my hometown, if you dare to do something bad to your colleagues just because they do a good job, you'll be dealt with by the entire council immediately."
I laughed. "I wish the rules here were that simple. But anyway, I have no regrets. No matter what job I do, as long as I can continue to move forward, I'll do my best."
I glanced in the rearview mirror, and saw Renji with his arms crossed mysteriously, and Reika nodding with a "personnel quality assessment" look.
They looked at each other, then at me, then at each other again—I was starting to feel like I'd just walked into a job interview without even knowing it.
"Hayato, do you like your current job?" Reika asked in a gentle but meaningful voice.
I swallowed. "Well... it's fine. There are good days, and there are... less good days." (Like the day I had to drive a karaoke customer for 30km without stopping.)
"Then if there's a better opportunity, would you like to try it?" Mr. Renji said slowly, his eyes narrowing deeply. Kazuki's mother nodded, a hint of interest flashing in her eyes.
"Hayato, if in the future we have a stable job and need someone who knows about traffic to help, would you be interested?"
I panicked so much that I accidentally stepped on the brake! The taxi stopped suddenly in the middle of the road, and the whole car swayed a bit. I immediately realized my mistake and quickly apologized.
"Oh my, sorry! I was a bit surprised...!"
Fortunately, the road was quite empty, but a car behind immediately passed by, and I could hear the other driver yelling: "Who's that crazy?! Does he even know how to drive?!"
The whole family stared at me, looking surprised and... slightly worried. Mr. Renji raised his eyebrows in doubt. "Is this your driving style? I almost thought someone was attacking you."
Mrs. Reika crossed her arms and nodded. "At least your reflexes are fast. Better than crashing into something."
Kazuki muttered, "I think maybe you should learn to drive yourself... just in case."
I smiled wryly. Oh my, one minute I thought I found a chance to change my life, the next I almost lost my regular customer!
But wait... what job? They didn't say it clearly! Did I just agree without knowing what the job was? A private driver? A butler? Or... something more mysterious?
But looking at their confidence, I felt that this wasn't just empty talk. They definitely had big plans.
Okay, Hayato, this could be a chance to change my life! I thought to myself, trying to contain my joy. I kept thanking fate for accidentally meeting these special guests.
After years of trying, going through hardships and losses, now I feel like I've found a new direction... Or at least an opportunity that doesn't make me have to pick up drunk passengers in the middle of the night.
Here it is, the big moment! Should I ask for details? Or just accept it and figure it out later?
"Uh... of course! I'm always open to new opportunities!" I said firmly, even though my mind was in a panic. What kind of job is this?!.
They looked at each other again. I didn't know what I had just agreed to do, but it definitely wasn't driving a taxi for the rest of my life!
.................
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After returning home, my whole family breathed a sigh of relief. But the joy didn't last long when my mother suddenly spoke up:
"Alright, it's time to unpack and organize this house."
I froze in place. My father was also silent. We both knew what was waiting for us.
All this time, because they weren't sure if they could live here long term, my parents hadn't taken all the belongings out of the storage ring. But now there was no reason to delay.
"I'll take each item one by one to make sure nothing gets lost." My father declared, then chanted a summoning spell.
BOOM!
Immediately, a huge pile of items appeared before our eyes, from intricately carved tables and chairs, precious wood bookcases, magical fur rugs, to luxurious robes and magical experimental tools. Some of them even glowed or smoked slightly.
"Father, why did you bring all these alchemy furnaces?!" I shouted, looking at the pile of stone furnaces and cauldrons stacked on top of each other.
"I had to bring them just in case! Who knows if this world will provide enough materials for me!" My father put his hands on his hips, proud of his careful preparations.
My mother simply shook her head. "First, arrange the furniture. Don't let the house turn into a messy storage room."
And so the grand move began. I had to use all my strength and magic to drag the heavy wooden cabinets into place, my father was busy checking each magical item, while my mother strictly coordinated everything.
"Kazuki, lay out the fur rug properly!"
"Renji, don't put the bookshelf right in front of the door! It's blocking the way!"
"Watch out for that potion! If it spills, no one will be responsible!"
After hours of struggling, our large mansion finally started to look like a real place to live instead of a mobile magical warehouse.
I collapsed onto the sofa, panting. "Finally done..."
My mother crossed her arms, looking around with satisfaction. "Not yet. We still have to buy some more necessities in this world tomorrow."
I cried out in despair. When will we ever get a break?!
What a Busy Day
After dinner, my family and Kiroku decided to spend the evening learning how to use the new gadgets we had just bought, namely the phone and laptop.
"Okay, let's start with this one!" I placed an Xperia X10 on the table. "Who wants to try it first?"
My father crossed his arms. "Kazuki, you're the fastest learner, you try it first. Then show me the instructions."
My mother nodded in agreement. "It's better to let him be a guinea pig. If something breaks, at least there are two spares."
I sighed, but did as I was told. Powering it on, basic setup, SIM card connection – everything went pretty smoothly. But then...
"Wait, this isn't like Kiroku's instructions?" I frowned at the screen.
Kiroku, the talking book, vibrated in annoyance. "Of course it's not the same! I last updated it 20 years ago! Who knew human technology would change so quickly?!"
My father laughed. "So you'll be outdated one day?"
"Humph! Don't look down on me! Give me the phone, I'll update it myself!" Kiroku hovered, trying to "observe" the screen like a serious scholar.
While I continued to instruct my parents on how to use it, funny situations kept happening. My father accidentally turned on the continuous shooting mode and took a series of blurry photos of the ceiling. My mother tried to text but entered the wrong PIN too many times, almost locking her SIM. And Kiroku? He kept screaming every time he discovered a new feature he didn't know about.
"What?! Can phones play music now?! Back then, I remember they were just black and white bricks?!"
"Oh my, it even has such detailed maps?! No need for location magic?!"
"Hey, why can't we install apps?! I want to join the digital civilization too!"
My family just sighed, continuing with our crash course in technology. It was a long evening, but at least it wasn't too bad, because we were finally able to use phones and computers relatively proficiently.
After testing it out, I put the phone down on the table with a proud expression. "So we can now use this world's technology proficiently!"
But as soon as I finished speaking, the phone screen suddenly went black.
"Huh?" I tried pressing the power button. There was no response. "It seems to be broken...?"
My father also picked up the laptop, pressing a few buttons. "Kazuki, this one won't turn on either. What did you do to it?!"
My mother checked her phone, then frowned. "Nothing's working! What's going on?!"
An invisible fear gripped the entire household. I held the phone, turning it back and forth, trying to figure out what was going on. Then my eyes stopped on a tiny icon on the screen before it went dark: Low battery, please charge the device.
I blinked. "Ah... it must be dead. Just charge it."
"Charge...?" My father frowned. "So what do we need to do to charge it?"
I looked around the room, then realized a more serious problem.
"Wait... we don't have power!"
The room fell into absolute silence. After a few seconds, I saw my father's face stiffen, my mother pale, and Kiroku... trembling with worry.
My mother narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Kiroku. Explain."
The book floated in the air, clearly trying to find a way to defend itself. "Um... well... I forgot that this world needs electricity to operate technology... Who would have thought that you guys would buy all this stuff without installing electricity?!"
"YOU'RE A BOOK, HOW CAN YOU FORGET?!" My father roared, raising his fist in anger.
Kiroku quickly flew up into the air, spinning like a scroll caught in a tornado. "Hey, hey, calm down! I'm just a book, not an electrical engineer! Besides... it's not just electricity! This house doesn't even have a water supply system!"
My entire family froze. An imaginary cold wind blew by, carrying the sound of rocks falling from our foreheads to the floor.
My mother closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them with the scariest smile I had ever seen. "Kiroku... do you want to get beaten?"
"No, no! Hitting a book is an act of intellectual violence!" Kiroku panicked, spinning around as if he wanted to evaporate from the scene.
My father held his head, groaning: "We really have become too dependent on magic... A magnificent, fully furnished villa but without electricity or water... It's no different from a medieval castle!"
I scratched my head and pulled my hair. "Alright! Tomorrow we'll find a construction company to take care of this! Now go to sleep, or else we'll find something else missing tomorrow morning!"
Kiroku hovered a little further away, as if he wanted to keep a safe distance from my mother's wrath. It seemed like our integration process would be a long one...
I returned to my room and collapsed onto the bed, picking up my phone and sighing. "This world is really complicated..."
The next day...
After my family had just finished breakfast, a loud sound came from outside the gate, signaling the arrival of a delivery truck from the shopping mall.
I walked out and saw a large truck parked right in front of the villa's gate. The driver - a middle-aged man - was flipping through the invoice, his face showing confusion.
"There must be some mistake..." He muttered. "I passed by here the other day, there was clearly just an abandoned villa, why is it now turned into such a luxurious mansion?"
A young delivery man standing next to me also nodded in agreement. "Are you sure you're delivering to the right address? Look at this gate, you might have delivered the goods to the wrong tycoon."
I walked over, trying to hold back my laughter when I saw their surprised expressions. "Hello, are the goods from the shopping mall? This address is correct, deliver the goods."
The driver turned to look at me, then at the villa behind, then looked back at the list of goods. "Ah... yes, but... is this really your house?"
"Yes." I nodded firmly.
He was still surprised, but had to accept the reality. While the staff started unloading the goods, they continued to gossip.
"Look at their demeanor, luxurious clothes, polite attitude... Are they the upper class who like to live in seclusion?"
"Or are they descendants of some noble family that survived from ancient times?"
"Maybe even more..."
I smirked but didn't say anything, letting them imagine freely.
After everything was unloaded, the staff started to help my family install and instruct them on how to use the appliances. But then, one of them suddenly frowned, looking around the villa in confusion.
"Wait... I don't see any electrical outlets?" One staff wondered, looking around the walls.
"That's right, there's no plumbing either!" Another spoke up.
The group of staff stopped, turning to look at my family with suspicious eyes.
"Ah... this..." I froze, breaking out in a cold sweat. My mother immediately kept a calm expression but I swear she was also a little panicked.
My father coughed lightly, trying to act natural. "Ah, the thing is... we just finished building the house so... we haven't had time to install the electricity and water yet! That's right, we just haven't installed it yet!"
A moment of silence fell. The staff looked at each other, then at us, their faces filled with doubt.
"Um... this house looks like it's been lived in for a long time, right? It's fully furnished, but there's still no electricity or water?"
My mother immediately smiled with a noble, authoritative smile. "We like to do things in our own order."
I nodded vigorously. "That's right! We like the minimalist... lifestyle! Very... relaxing! It's fine without electricity or water!"
An employee muttered, "The secluded upper-class family is really different..."
Fortunately, they didn't ask any further questions, just nodded and continued working. But as they left, I heard someone whisper to a colleague, "Who the hell built this place... so bad, their family must have been fooled?!"
I sighed. "Okay, now let's start organizing this pile of things."
After finishing organizing the pile of things we just received, my family looked around the house once more. It was starting to look like a real place, except for one big problem—there was still no electricity or water!
My mother crossed her arms, deep in thought. "We need to deal with this immediately. Kazuki, call Hayato to take us to a construction company."
I nodded, pulled out my phone, and called Hayato. A few seconds later, a familiar voice rang out:
"Hello? Kazuki? Where do you need me to take you again?"
"Yeah, it's a construction company this time. My house... um... needs electricity and water installed."
There was a brief silence on the other end of the line, then Hayato laughed. "Wait, what did you say? Such a grand mansion and no electricity or water? Are you kidding me?"
"No kidding. Hurry up, do you still want the fare?"
"Okay, okay, I'll be there right away!" Hayato chuckled, then hung up.
Just ten minutes later, the familiar taxi stopped in front of the door. Hayato got out, still smiling. "Alright, I know a reliable construction company. Get in the car, sir!"
So my whole family got in the car together, preparing for a new mission: fixing the mistakes in the construction of this house!
After arriving, the construction company advised my family on the installation and collected a fee in advance to sign the contract. They said they would coordinate with the electricity and water supply companies in the area to do it as quickly as possible, and it would be completed by the end of this week.
To be honest, the magical devices we are using are much more advanced in terms of energy and water, the magical light bulb in our mansion can stay on forever as long as you supply it with enough magical power, just gently cast a spell to turn it on and off, we don't have to spend a single penny on electricity.
The same goes for water, we have a magical device that creates water, it uses the principle of synthesizing the surrounding air to create water, it sounds pretty cool right?
But anyway, it shouldn't look too suspicious in this world, fortunately everything went smoothly..............it's just the beginning!!!!!