episode_0001

Life is often so fragile that a small, futile hope can sometimes lead to a great upheaval.

For example, it’s like the excited voice of an awakening ability examiner telling you that since you’ve awakened an ability type that has never appeared before, you are definitely going to do something very important.

Of course, if you are mature and have good self-objectivity, not easily swayed by others’ words, then you wouldn’t be living a life that collapses due to such futile hopes.

But at the time I heard those words, I had just turned twenty, pretending to be an adult when in reality I was nothing but a kid, and I was so vulnerable to such futile hopes as I was caught up in yearning for the title of “adult.”

So, looking back now, I realize that I greatly overestimated myself due to the examiner’s boastful words, which I find quite laughable now.

“Ughhh… Seriously, this guy is insane.”

As a result, at the beginning of my twenties, I became a debtor, having to repay most of my youth, all because of the awakening ability I possessed.

This was all due to the awakening ability I had, which made the examiner exaggerate.

—–

[Name: Stay]

[Gender: Male]

[Age: 24]

[Grade: F Grade]

[Ability: Status Window (Epic Grade)]

Visualizes information of contacted objects in an understandable manner for the user.

!Cannot check the status window of objects beyond the user’s level.

[Current State: Disappointment]

!The user’s own status window.

—–

My ability is the Status Window, just as it is written in front of me. It visualizes the information of contacted objects in a way that I can understand.

Just based on this, it’s certain that the examiner exaggerated about my ability.

Being able to extract information just by making contact is an incredibly useful ability anywhere.

If I were to bring the corpse of a gate’s monster, all the information about that monster would be revealed through my status window.

I could also learn the uses of newly discovered substances, and if I broaden the scope of usage, I could expose information or intentions hidden by spies with just one touch.

Well, that’s only if we consider the possibilities.

One potential was a killer ability, that much was certain. However, there was one downside I, in my early twenties, hadn’t known about.

It was the very sentence written below the explanation of the ability.

!You cannot check the status window of objects that exceed the user’s level.

This.

Because of this damn phrase, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that my early twenties flew by.

With a body slightly better and stamina and recovery just a bit above average, I couldn’t even confirm the presence of a tiny amount of mana in an item, which was no different from an ordinary person at my inadequate level.

If I had realized my skill back then, things wouldn’t have turned out like this·······.

But unfortunately, at twenty, I was as full of hot air as a blimp, thinking that if my level was lacking, all I needed to do was raise my own level. Of course, I wasn’t living well, and being twenty, there was no such thing as savings, so I borrowed all my investment money through a special loan for awakened individuals.

I used that money to buy elixirs, even delving into loan sharks despite not seeing any effects, and when I came to my senses, I had accumulated an enormous debt that I could never repay by doing ordinary work.

As soon as I turned twenty, I personally drove my life into ruin.

When I realized that my life had gone to pieces, I had only two choices left.

One of the options was to become a rare and valuable bio-awakening organ storage facility, always trading at high prices, where loan sharks would detach organs whenever they needed them.

And the other was to consider that maybe the former might be better, making me think a hundred or a thousand times, that unless you’re really a total wreck, you wouldn’t even consider getting a job at a hellish workplace that nobody touches, the kind of place that makes you think a dog’s life might be better, a job for awakened individuals only, always struggling with a shortage of staff, working as a gofer in the awakened-only emergency room, a job that pays an unimaginable sum in an ordinary workplace.

I chose the latter because even rolling in the dog poop field, it’s better than rolling in this world.

That’s how I ended up working as a gofer in the awakened-only emergency room.

Four years, truly, it was a hellish four years.

Chronic understaffing leads to early mornings, overtime as standard, average sleep of 3 hours, no lunch or dinner breaks. You just have to fend for yourself to survive.

In this environment, a janitor must do everything.

Yes, janitor.

It signifies a position that requires doing everything not requiring professional knowledge and skills.

Truly, absolutely everything. I had to do everything to ensure the emergency room functioned as it should.

Even then, dealing with awakened individuals in agony, if they so much as twitched, nearby equipment and people (myself included) would be wrecked, and the senior staff, no different from me, were impossible to find solace in if one felt disgust towards people.

Moreover, due to the nature of the job, new recruits either quit within half a day or at most three days, leaving me as the youngest for a whopping 4 years.

Living a life in a 3D workplace where rumors spread like wildfire, with no other options but this trashy workplace for seniors whose lives had gone awry, enduring constant nagging for 4 years, working every day without a single holiday, sleeping only 3 hours each day.

Living such a life, I gave up on expecting anything from myself.

I began dreaming of living a very ordinary yet romantic life, away from the gaze of everyone, running a cafe or tea shop, cutting ties with the life of a splendid hero that everyone looks up to.

With that dream as my goal, I worked hard, and by chance, I made a huge amount of money.

Enough to pay off the overwhelming debt I couldn’t even begin to repay.

“Life is truly ironic.”

The reason I could earn that huge sum was all thanks to the status window.

The status window both ruined my life and saved it from ruin.

“Yes, finally… I’ve paid off all my debts. And opened a cafe.”

Yes, the embodiment of my dream right before my eyes. The ‘stay this place’ cafe was entirely thanks to the status window.

“When I worked as an emergency room janitor, people used to curse, asking what kind of trashy ability I had. But now, I can’t help but acknowledge it. I really lived thanks to the status window.”

The dream that became a reality left me feeling more disappointed than accomplished.

“Well, isn’t this how it usually goes? When things we’ve only dreamed of suddenly become real, everyone feels disappointed and all, right?”

Alone with no one around to hear, I muttered my disappointment. Oddly enough, as I did, the feeling of disappointment vanished, replaced by a newfound eagerness to fill the void.

“At last. At last, I can lead an ordinary life… Sleeping eight hours a day! Taking weekends off! Going on vacation once or twice a year! Living such an ordinary life!”

For others, an ordinary life is taken for granted. But for me, that ordinariness was more precious than anything, and so, facing an ordinary life filled me with excitement.

“No more odd jobs or caretaking gigs without a routine! Now, only ‘Stay this place’ remains, where we savor the leisure of daily life!”

When my excitement reached its peak, I shouted with genuine enthusiasm.

“Phew… Alright, let’s start our first day in business.”

After that, I began to feel like my life had truly begun, and I opened the café’s doors for the first time.

Now, it’s the start of a truly ordinary life, a leisurely daily routine!

※

It should have been… It definitely should have been.

“M-Mr. Stay, I feel like I’m going to die. I came to apologize. Please, please accept my apology and make peace with me. If not, I really feel like I’m going to die…”

Why.

“I, and please, gently stroke my forehead like you used to, caress my cheeks, then run your fingers down my neck lightly, tapping on my collarbone with your fingertips. After tensing me up like that, when I’m least expecting it, undo my bra with a soft touch, then grab it and tear it off, squeezing my chest tightly with force, silencing my surprised gasp with your rough lips. Please, I beg of you…!”

※

“I never could acknowledge you as a stay.”

Why not?

“You’re the weakest among those I know, a mere wisp who would crumble at the slightest touch, someone I wouldn’t have noticed in the past, a weed by the roadside… No, that’s not right. Weeds have some strength. You’re more like a dandelion seed!”

Why?

“So, show me! Show me that you’re strong! In the past, I might have been cursed and unable to respond, but now things are different! Once I’m alert, I won’t be toyed with by your feeble, pathetic attempts! So prove to me if you’re a man worthy of my recognition through sex! Just so you know, victory is only when one of us is knocked out! You better be prepared for that!”

“Finally, finally, we’ve met······. We’ve finally met······! Stay, from now on, I’m going to make a proposal, so listen carefully without missing a single syllable. I’ve never had any discomfort living alone until now, but after waking up from the curse, I’ve encountered some difficulties living by myself. That’s why I thought about hiring you as my butler. Of course, I can offer you a salary as per your expectations. This is a scout, and the salary you hope for under your humble sense won’t be a burden for me at all. Oh, if you don’t need money, you can ask for other valuable items. I can give you anything you desire. If, if you don’t want that either, if you don’t desire anything material from me, then, then I’ll specially allow it. Because you’re you, someone who could be considered my benefactor. You can touch my body as you please. My, my bu, buttocks. Yes, you like that, don’t you······? How about it? It’s an unimaginably good condition, right? So, of course, of course you’ll accept, won’t you? Right?”

Why······. Why do people I shouldn’t have any reason to meet anymore come looking for me?

I just want to live an ordinary life······!