65

Chapter 65 [Insert Story A Day in the Life of a Three-Penny Novelist]

In a room bathed in the morning light in an apartment, the electronic sound of an alarm clock echoed.

"♪♪♪♪♪ ♪♪♪♪♪ ♪♪♪♪♪ ♪♪♪♪♪"

I reached out from the futon to silence the alarm. Stretching, I got out of bed. It was half-past nine. Considering the various activities I engaged in late into the night, I could say I woke up early.

Breakfast consisted of the usual two pieces of toast and coffee. After cleaning up and brushing my teeth, I turned on the computer. This was also part of the routine.

My name is Yoshiki Karasuma, a bona fide Japanese—at least, until recently. That is, until I discovered a passage to another world in my closet and began a daily routine of traveling back and forth between worlds.

I, who was supposed to be an ordinary shut-in, ended up leading an extraordinary life, all thanks to chance or perhaps the realm of miracles. Not that I regret the matter itself. In that other world, I met important "family" members.

Up until then, I considered myself somewhat of an "otaku." Though labeled as an otaku, I lacked the social skills and motivation to venture out to Akihabara or similar places. Despite delving into illustration and figure creation, I had a preference for animals over humans from the start. Concepts like "moe" were beyond my understanding. While I considered myself reasonably skilled, I wasn't into the current trend.

In accordance with my parents' recommendation for a more wholesome hobby, I tried bird watching and sketching flowers. However, due to the multitude of individuals who would approach me, I became disheartened and eventually stopped going outside. Since then, my life became a straight path to becoming a shut-in.

However, despite appearances, I wasn't a NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training). I was, in a way, a novelist, specifically a light novel author. After graduating from a reasonably high-level university, though not a national one, with a major in history, I wandered aimlessly without finding regular employment. Then, my understanding aunt gave me this apartment. She always understood me peculiarly well. But, Aunt, you didn't know about the passage to another world and gift me this place because of that, right? She had a slightly skewed sense of commonality, and my mother often complained about it, but... I can't believe Aunt is also someone with experience in an alternate world. Well, let's not dwell on unproductive thoughts. I need to think about work now.

As a light novel author, my pen name is Kuro Karasuma. Yes, the name Crow, which became famous in the other world, is a play on my pen name. Since I received the apartment, I've been leading a somewhat shut-in life, but one day, I posted a love-comedy-like story I wrote for fun on a net novel site. Surprisingly, it gained popularity, and after various events, it ended up being published. From then on, at a pace of one or two books per year, I write and live modestly on royalties. If you don't need rent and you're a shut-in, you can manage to live somehow. However, it's been three months since I finished preparing the manuscript for my previous work serialized on the net. I should post a new story soon; otherwise, I might be forgotten. Is there any good material? Well, maybe I can use my experiences from the other world as material. Since it's based on real experiences, I can guarantee authenticity. However, a shut-in otaku's life in an alternate world might not be well-received by readers, so let's make the protagonist a boy from another world and involve summoned familiars...

Oh, it seems someone has come...

...

It wasn't a horror novel-like development; it was just a regular insurance solicitation. Let's put off thinking about novel ideas for now. More importantly, I need to think about what I should do on the other side.

Lately, life on the other side seems more fulfilling. I'm starting to feel like I might have been born there by mistake and grew up in Japan. Well, for now, let's consider what I should do in the other world.

Perhaps, I should use my experiences over there as material. Since it's based on real experiences, the realistic aspects are guaranteed. However, being a shut-in otaku, it might not appeal to readers. So, let's make the protagonist a boy from the other world and involve familiars...

Oh, someone seems to have come again...

...

Let's not worry about horror-like developments. It's just another insurance solicitation. Instead of thinking about unproductive things, I should focus on what to do on the other side.

Now, what should I bring today...

Preparations are done. Well, let's go.