While Jack now had a legitimate identity, his physical life was currently in a state of transit. His student ID, his schoolbag, and his actual wallet were all waiting for him at his apartment in Beika Town. He was, quite literally, a man with nothing but a magical system and the clothes on his back.
Since he had no money for the bus, he had to rely on the "common knowledge" memories to navigate his way on foot. It was a long walk, but the sights were fascinating. He passed districts that looked like they were pulled straight out of a high-budget production, filled with cherry blossoms and clean, modern architecture. By the time he reached the address of his apartment, the moon was high in the sky. The building was a two-story wooden structure that had clearly seen better decades. It was the kind of place that felt cozy to some and "haunted" to others.
Jack checked the manager's office on the first floor. He needed his keys. He knocked twice.
The door creaked open, and a petite, elementary-school-aged girl with a high ponytail popped her head out.
"Jack-kun?" she said, her eyes widening. "You're back late! I was starting to think you'd been caught up in one of those police cordons again. Beika is dangerous at night, you know!"
Jack looked down at his landlady, Sayuri. Despite her appearance, she managed the building with an iron fist and a surprisingly mature attitude.
"Sorry about that, Sayuri-chan," Jack said, offering a tired smile. "I had a... very long day. And to top it off, I managed to leave my keys in my room this morning."
Sayuri sighed, a sound that carried the weight of a woman three times her age. "Goodness, Jack-kun. You're a high schooler now. You can't keep being this scatterbrained! What if I had gone to sleep early?"
"I'd be sleeping on your doorstep," Jack joked.
"Hmph. Well, wait here." She disappeared into the room, and Jack heard the sound of keys jingling. A moment later, she skipped back out, holding a master ring. "Come on, I'll let you in. But this is the last time this month, okay?"
As they walked up the creaking stairs, Sayuri didn't stop talking.
"So, how is Tonosaki Academy? Have you met any cute girls? You're a handsome enough boy, you shouldn't be wasting your youth staring at textbooks or locking yourself out of your room!"
"No, let's talk about that after I graduate from college," Jack said, his voice carrying a dry, weary tone that belied his youthful appearance.
"Eh? Jack-kun, you're really that kind of person?" Sayuri pouted, her small face scrunching up in mock disappointment as they reached the landing of the third floor. "Someone who only knows how to bury their head in textbooks! Hehe, listen to your big sister, Jack-kun. This is the golden age of your life! You should be falling in love, getting your heart broken, and chasing girls. Studying is just a side quest, enjoying your youth is the main story!"
Jack couldn't help but chuckle. If she knew that his "youth" was actually a second-hand soul from a former salaryman, she might not be so encouraging. "Sorry, Sayuri-chan, but I wasn't born into the luxury of being a landlady with an entire apartment building to collect rent from. Some of us actually have to work for a living."
"If Jack-kun wants a building of his own, he could always have one," Sayuri said, turning to look at him with a smile that felt a bit too meaningful for a girl who looked like an elementary schooler.
Jack felt a cold sweat prickle his neck. No, no, sis. I'm technically fifteen now, and you look about eleven. If I took that hint, the police would be at the door before I could even say 'I'm home.'
"Anyway," Jack said, cutting the conversation short. "We've reached my room."
"Aww, we got here so fast," Sayuri complained, swinging her master key ring around her finger.
"It's only the third floor, Sayuri-chan. Not a trek up Mt. Fuji."
"For me, the third floor is practically the summit!" she huffed. Deftly, she picked out a silver key and slid it into the lock. With a crisp click, the door swung open. Sayuri poked her head inside first, her nose twitching like a curious kitten. "Alright, it's open. Let's see... wow, Jack-kun, your room is surprisingly tidy! No weird smells, no piles of dirty laundry... you don't act like a boy your age at all."
Jack stood at the threshold, silently swallowing the polite "Would you like to come in?" that had been on the tip of his tongue. He had already confirmed that his landlady was a little too "eccentric." If he actually invited her into his private space, he was afraid the conversation might take a turn toward territory he wasn't ready to navigate.
"Well, I'll leave you to it then!" Sayuri said, her teasing stopping just as abruptly as it began. She stepped back and waved. "Remember to bring your keys from now on. And come over to my place when you're bored, your big sister will treat you to some juice."
"...Right. Thanks, Sayuri-chan."
After Sayuri left, Jack entered his room. On the living room table, he found exactly what his memories promised: a single brass key and a slim leather wallet. Inside were his new identification documents, a local bank card, and a few banknotes. He tested his system immediately. With a single thought, the wallet and the key vanished from his palm, reappearing as icons in his [Inventory].
He moved to the bedroom area. A sturdy desk sat against the wall, topped with neatly stacked textbooks for Tonosaki Academy. His schoolbag hung from the back of the chair, and the bed was made with fresh, clean linens.
Jack walked over to the window and pushed it open. A faint evening breeze carried the scent of grilled fish from a neighboring apartment, making his stomach give an audible, treacherous rumble. He headed to the kitchen and swung open the refrigerator door. Empty.
He went to the counter and noticed a sharp kitchen knife sitting on a cutting board. After a moment of dark reflection, he reached out and stored the knife in his inventory. Then, spotting a heavy aluminum baseball bat propped up in the corner of the living room, he grabbed that too.
In his old world, this would be paranoia. But this was Beika Town. Carrying a weapon for self-defense wasn't a choice; it was a survival requirement. Just as Jack was locking his door to head out, a piercing, panicked scream erupted from the ground floor.
"Ah!!! Help! Someone help me!!!"
Jack's heart skipped a beat. That voice... it was Sayuri!
Jack didn't hesitate. He pulled the baseball bat out of his inventory, the cold metal feeling heavy and reassuring in his grip. Instead of running down the creaky stairs, he looked at the railing of the third-floor landing and leaped. As he plummeted toward the courtyard, he kicked out against the empty air.
[Skill: Double Jump]
A golden ripple manifested beneath his feet. The downward momentum vanished instantly. He landed in a silent crouch, his heart hammering against his ribs. He tiptoed toward the manager's office, bat raised. He expected a burglar. Instead, he saw Sayuri standing alone, clutching a broom like a holy relic.
"Jack-kun!!" Sayuri pounced on him. "Save me! There's a snake in my house! This long! It suddenly appeared under the table! It scared me to death!!"
"So... it's just a snake." Jack let out a long breath. "Leave it to me. Stay back."
He grabbed a long clothes-drying pole from the hallway. Under the living room table, a twenty-centimeter-long black snake was flicking its tongue. Jack raised the baseball bat. Thwack! The bat connected with a dull thud. The snake's head was flattened instantly.
In that same moment, Jack heard two unusually crisp, metallic sounds. Two bright copper coins suddenly erupted from the snake's body, clattering onto the floor and rolling a few inches away.
Jack stared at the coins. Monsters drop money? He leaned down and picked them up. They were perfectly clean. He checked his attribute panel, no experience bar, just money.
"Jack... Jack-kun? Is it over?" Sayuri cautiously poked her head in. "Oh, thank goodness! Jack-kun, you're a hero!"
"It's done. You want to keep this?"
"No! Get it out of here!"
Jack bagged the snake and headed out. He put the "material" in his inventory, then checked his wallet icon.
[Current Balance: 0 Gold, 0 Silver, 2 Copper.]
Jack smiled. It was a start. Now, he just needed to find something bigger than a snake.