"Hey, what's with you? High school makeover, huh?"
The usual crowd pressed in close around me, their faces twisted into those familiar, thin sneers as they looked for a fight, just like they always did. This was the scene of my high school entrance (or rather, just after middle school graduation). I saw the ridiculous light-brown hair, the awful style, and the face that contorted through a hundred expressions of petty malice, leaning right into mine.
"Oi, what's with those eyes, huh? What are you lookin' at? You keep looking at me like that, and maybe a punch to the face is comin' your way, what then, ahn?" One of them balled his hand into a fist, bringing it menacingly close to my face while he snickered and guffawed, the nasty, cheap laugh of a small-time thug.
"...Ah, I was just told that I'm allowed to use self-defense now," I observed, cutting through the noise. "So, who's going to be my opponent?"
"Huh?" the thug blurted out, losing his rhythm.
"Until now, my old man told me to never hit back, no matter if I was punched or kicked," I explained, keeping my voice level. "But he figured that once mandatory schooling was over, there wouldn't be any idiots left who couldn't tell right from wrong."
"So, who's my opponent? Is it you? Or maybe you? Or perhaps you?" I went around the circle, pointing at each of their faces in turn. "Go on, hit me already. You always did before, didn't you? Because after you start, I can fight back, too."
At that, the five or so former 'classmates' who had me surrounded immediately started to back away, stumbling over their own feet.
"W-what's with him... did he suddenly get scary?" one whined.
"What the heck's gotten into him, seriously..." another griped, totally flustered.
.
..
...
"......"
I awoke to the familiar sight of my bed. It was the ceiling I had looked up at for three months now, inside my room at the 'Clan' Inn. "That's the dream I get to see after all this time? My past?" I muttered to myself as I sat up. It wasn't really a trauma, I supposed, but still...
My father, it seemed, had once held a pretty high-ranking position in the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force. 'It seemed' because he never spoke much about it. And the schools I attended, both elementary and middle, were in a district heavily promoting 'Peace Education.' For some reason, people who preach peace in that country often seem to target those who try to defend the nation, or those who are engaged in that duty—and their families, too.
Being in such a place, my father must have thought the only way to protect his son was to strictly enforce the rule of 'never stand out.' 'Don't raise a hand, even if you are punched or kicked,' was his command. I thought it was completely unreasonable, but frankly, anything those kids did to me was tolerable compared to disobeying my father. So, I complied without complaint.
For years, from late elementary school until I finished middle school, I let them do as they pleased. But the moment mandatory education ended, and it was confirmed I was leaving the district, my father finally gave me permission for self-defense. I thought, Great, now I can finally hit back! I won't be a one-sided victim anymore!
What I was greeted with, however, was merely the end of one-sided violence. Since self-defense was my only option, I needed them to attack me first. Yet, the moment I declared I could use self-defense, the number of people who dared to rush me with a shout like, "Bring it on! I'll take you!" was a magnificent zero.
The groups that used to pick on me were usually five to eight people, and there were about four such groups in total. I wasn't particularly physically gifted compared to them; my height is only about 170text{ cm} now, and back then, a few of them were 10text{ cm} taller. Over twenty of them had had their way with me, yet not a single one, not one—who used to swarm me like insects in the mating season the moment they saw my face—now vanished the instant they saw me from afar. The aggressive delinquents and punks who 'never back down' only existed in anime and manga, I realized.
When I told my father the whole story, he apologized, "I'm sorry, I made you do something meaningless."
"It certainly felt like an anticlimax, though," I mused back.
The next year, I asked one of the teachers promoting 'Peace Education' at the first alumni reunion what he thought about 'that whole incident' with me. The following year, I stopped receiving invitations to the reunions. I suppose he knew what was happening and just ignored it, figuring I'd just suffer in silence. He definitely didn't want it brought up again.
Around the same time, a new problem popped up. Apparently, my former 'classmates' had been recounting their bullying of me as 'tales of bravery' to their 'juniors.' So, after those juniors finished middle school, they started trying to pick a fight with me, often with a few girls in tow. It was usually a party of about five boys and two or three girls. They probably wanted to look cool in front of the girls or their peers after starting high school.
But I had no reason or obligation to humor them. The information that I was 'a punching bag who was only violent when I was defenseless but stopped messing with him the moment he declared self-defense' had somehow not been shared. So, when I asked them directly: "Yeah? What do you want?" or "What are you trying to accomplish?" and then, "Oh, you guys are high schoolers now, right? Mandatory education is over. If you want a fight, hit me once and we can start," they'd lose their nerve instantly.
"I didn't hear about this..." one would mumble.
"What the... the story was different..." another would complain.
Naturally, there was no fight. I suppose the very fact that I, alone, could face down a gang of younger delinquents without flinching was already 'different from the story.' And the girls' reactions to their boyfriends were brutal.
"Ugh! That's the worst! You're just going to turn quiet all of a sudden?"
"How many of us are there? And he's just one person!"
"He doesn't even see you as an opponent, idiot!"
The boys were verbally thrashed with masculine language right there and then, which went beyond being pitiable to just pathetic. I truly hope they've learned to live strongly. As for the girls, they should at least stick to the process of having their internal arguments after the confrontation. It's incredibly awkward to watch that happen right in front of you.
Though these memories are neither helpful nor harmful, they taught me two things, quite literally on my own body:
* Being defenseless is meaningless; it only encourages the other side.
* There are people who only react to strength.
That experience undoubtedly shaped my current values. Jan-san must have smelled that 'field-tested' scent on me when he called me 'used to the environment.'
But it wasn't all bad. My outdoor hobbies and hunting knowledge come straight from my father, and I received quite a bit of 'tutelage' from him. For that, at least, I should be grateful.
"Well then, what shall I do today..."
About a week had passed since I visited the orphanage. Since my days off are the only time I can move freely, today fell into that cycle. For now, I'd head to the bathhouse installed in the 'Clan' Inn. It was already past noon, so I figured I'd take a nice long bath and decide what to do today. I quickly changed into my outdoors clothes and headed downstairs.
Twenty minutes later—after my bath, I was having lunch, which also served as my breakfast, when a familiar voice hit my ears.
"Shin-saaan! Are you there?"
The fox-eyed girl with semi-long hair, Mel-san, burst into the inn, waving enthusiastically.
"Mel-san? It's not a workday for you, is it? What's the matter?" I paused my eating and turned to face her.
"The Guild Master said that the things Shin-san mentioned are ready, and you should come check them out!"
"Check them out... Ah, I see." After bringing up the foot-stamping massage idea to the orphanage, I had a follow-up meeting with Jan-san, Raid-kun, and Milia-san at the Guild. I felt we needed to eliminate as many safety risks as possible if we were going to hire the children, especially after hearing from Ribera-san, the orphanage director.
I then made a proposal. Since this was a business, we needed to look the part. To put it bluntly, if kids from a dirty orphanage showed up in rags, they wouldn't be taken seriously. Appearance isn't everything, but presenting a professional image is a reality we had to face.
So, we decided to make two preparations.
The first was the renovation of the orphanage. Eventually, I wanted them to offer the foot-stamping service at the orphanage itself, so it needed to be a proper, decent building, complete with flush toilets and a bath. The second was the clothing. Since they weren't selling a material product, we needed to create a sense of exclusivity—something that would make customers feel that the service was worth paying for.
It was a complete fabrication, but I recalled the original concept—that it was a festival ritual offered to the gods—and decided to have them prepare clothes and hakama¹ (trousers/divided skirt) that resembled Shinto priest's vestments. Though it had nothing to do with the gods of this world, the hakama, which is neither a skirt nor trousers, would certainly catch the eye. The vestments would be white for both genders to ensure a uniform appearance, but the hakama would be blue for boys and red for girls for distinction.
Since I was the one who proposed it, I offered 1,000 gold coins as expenses to the orphanage. However, Jan-san warned me that just dumping the money on them would make the orphanage suspicious. We agreed to frame the money as:
* Savings from the sewer construction being more cost-effective than expected.
* The reward for my contribution to the Guild and the town, which was exchanged for my rank-up to Silver Class.
"Well, then, once I finish eating, I should head straight to the Adventurer's Guild..."
"Oh, he said to head to the orphanage! They delivered the prepared items there, too!"
True, we didn't need to check everything at the Guild. But if I was going to the orphanage, I should take a gift...
"Mel-san, do you have a moment? Since I'm going to the orphanage, I was thinking of catching some fish to take with me. Could you wait here while I do that? Of course, I'll pay you for your time."
"Oh, no worries at all! You always help me out, Shin-san!" she chirped.
So, I had her wait at the inn and made an impromptu trip to the river for fishing.
About an hour later—I returned to the inn with the fish and quickly asked Mel-san to top up the bucket with fresh water. If you set a cage trap in the river, fish usually collect within thirty minutes to an hour. I kept the water to a minimum to transport them quickly. I didn't want to keep them waiting too long, so I stopped after catching about ten fish. I was about to head to the orphanage when Mel-san offered, "I can carry that much! This is my thanks for the extra income!"
Her willingness was appreciated, and if she used her body strengthening, I'd definitely take her up on it, but I felt uncomfortable letting a woman carry everything. We ended up carrying half each.
When we arrived at the orphanage, it was clearly still under renovation, with exposed wooden beams and holes visible in the walls. Apparently, construction using wood and stone is more expensive and takes longer than digging and building the sewage system. It was a good thing I gave them extra money.
We reached the entrance, and I called out.
"Oh! It's Uncle Shin!"
"It's the bird and fish person!"
"Hey! Where's the big sister?"
Children of both genders swarmed out to greet us, having given me some strange nicknames. I was about to ask them to call Ribera-san, the director, when—
"Kyaaah!! Oh my gosh, that's SUPER-DUPER cute!!"
Mel-san shrieked, instantly snatching one of the children up and hugging them. Yes, the children had come out wearing the new costumes. They looked like mini-Shinto priests and shrine maidens, and judging by her reaction, the effect was more than satisfactory.
I set the bucket of fish near the entrance and proceeded inside. The sight that greeted my eyes was—
"...Uh, Jan-san?"
"O-oh... Is that you, Shin...?"
There was the Guild Master, receiving a foot-stamping massage from one of the costumed children.
Beside him, the director was also lying face down, being trodden on. They looked like an elderly couple being trampled by their grandchildren.
"Ah, Sh-Shin-san? P-please wait just a moment," Ribera-san scrambled to sit up.
"Oh, it's fine, I just got here! Stay right where you are for a bit... And I see the Guild Master was here, too." I opened my mouth to stop her.
"Y-yes... I heard it from R-Raid, and... Milia..." Jan-san struggled to speak. "But... this... this is reviving. It's not like Healing Magic, but... it feels so good, doesn't it?" he concluded, a look of utter satisfaction on his face, even while being stepped on.
"So, Healing Magic does exist?" I asked, curious.
"It exists, but... those people tend to move up to the Royal Capital," he answered, his voice slightly garbled from the pressure.
It made sense. If you can heal sickness and injuries, you'd go where the population and the demand are highest. If you're going to use the same magic, you might as well target the wealthy. That's not something to criticize, though. Everyone has the right to aim for the place that values them the most.
"Speaking of which, though..." Jan-san continued. "The one you mentioned... at the public bathhouse... it's all finished."
"Oh, it's fine to talk about it after you're done! I'll wait until you're settled."
So, I waited about fifteen minutes, and then Jan-san, Ribera-san, and I sat facing each other to talk.
"I see... So, the preparations are complete then?"
"For the most part, everything is exactly as you requested. The resting area in front of the changing room? We had them partition off a corner for six people, complete with handrails." It was fortunate that I had requested a large resting space, considering I planned to offer snacks and entertainment later.
"And the clothes for the customers?"
"Those were delivered there, too. Both Ribera and I tried them on, no problems." High-end massage parlors offer loose-fitting clothes for changing, which I remembered and requested for the customers. Considering the local economy, we needed to ensure people wouldn't damage their own clothes, and that the service felt accessible. They ended up looking like thin, plain yukata (a casual summer kimono). Since the Guild Master and Director were just being stomped on while wearing them, the quality and durability must be acceptable. Besides, the testing was ongoing even now.
"Hnnngh, ohhh, FWAHHH... Just a little lower, please... Right there..."
I ignored Mel-san, who was making questionable noises on the side, and continued the conversation.
"Well then, we'll start with the eight children over eight years old, with the rotation based on age and gender. They've been practicing diligently for the last week, right? How are they doing?" I directed the question to Ribera-san.
"Since this is their first time doing the foot-stamping itself, I can't really judge their improvement..." she worried.
"Well, you just gotta look at that, don't ya?" Jan-san pointed to Mel-san, who was letting out a sensual groan, and we exchanged wry smiles.
"Uwaaaahhh... Kid, do you want to be my little brother? I'll feed you every single day!"
"That's enough of that. Honestly..." Jan-san pulled the boy away from Mel-san, who was hugging him and wouldn't let go. The boy quickly fled the room.
Speaking of food—I previously thought that adults could maintain their bodies with just the minimum amount of food, relying on Body Strengthening (Boost). However, that only applies to adults; children who can't properly control their magic or mana still need a certain amount of food. Luckily, grains and root vegetables are cheap, so they weren't starving, but meat and fish were just a dream. Since I started hunting and fishing, Raid-kun and Milia-san have been bringing them occasional gifts. I was just starting to think I needed someone to help me secure more birds and fish when the Guild Master pulled me back to the present.
"Hey, Shin. What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing. Well, then, as we discussed, let's have the children perform the service at the bathhouse. Starting tonight."
Mel-san, finally recovered from her blissful state, jumped into the conversation. "That is definitely going to be a hit, Shin-san! So, h-how much?"
"I'll explain the fee and everything over there. Ribera-san, could you please lead the children?"
The director looked troubled. "Um, all of them? And I can't leave the orphanage unattended."
Jan-san quickly interjected. "I'll watch the place, so don't worry about it. The kids will feel safer if Ribera is with them." He threw us a lifeline.
"And what about the Adventurer's Guild?" I asked.
"Raid and Milia are handling that. Though, one of them is probably going to show up later anyway." He was incredibly smooth about it. He must have been a few steps ahead, planning everything so the director wouldn't worry.
"Oh, can I come too? A post-bath session sounds heavenly!" Mel-san asked.
"Then you should probably go ahead of us—" Before I could finish my sentence, Mel-san was gone with the speed of light.
About thirty minutes later, the director, the children, and I headed to the public bathhouse.
"Huh? What's all that?"
"Isn't that the 'Giant Boar Slayer'?"
When we arrived at the already bustling bathhouse, people who were about to take a bath and those who had just emerged from the changing room in the resting area turned their attention to us. My face was now quite famous, so I ignored that. The real issue was—
"Aren't those kids wearing the cutest outfits?"
"Mom! Those clothes are so cool!"
Just as expected, the children's cosplay—or rather, their traditional Japanese-style attire—was drawing attention in a good way. We had dressed all the children in matching outfits, not just the eight who would be working, and they attracted attention all the way to the bathhouse, serving as excellent advertising.
I addressed the curious crowd and started explaining the foot-stamping massage. Honestly, it was faster to just have them try it, so I steered the explanation in that direction.
"Well, this is a custom from my home village, originally an offering to the gods in a festival... and we are offering one session for one copper coin."
The room buzzed with chatter. It was cheap, perhaps too cheap, but the goal was to lower the barrier for people to try it. Most people would try it for that price. Once they had one session, no further explanation would be needed.
"However, one copper coin is just the minimum fee. If you are satisfied with the service, we would be very happy if you could add a little extra. But one copper coin is perfectly fine, too."
It was, in essence, a tip-based system.
"If you are interested, please come to the partitioned area prepared over here. Inside, you can change into the special clothes provided, and then, you are in their hands..." I led the children into the partitioned corner of the resting area dedicated to the massages.
Inside, the space was divided into six small rooms, each with a futon on the floor and handrails installed on either side. I had also ordered hourglasses as a prop, setting one service at approximately ten minutes.
"One copper coin, I guess I can afford that..."
"Nothing else to do when I get home anyway."
"Um, is this okay for women, too?"
Perhaps due to the lack of entertainment, or perhaps the low price, customers began to enter the partitioned area.
"Alright, four customers stepping in now! Both men and women are welcome! Ah, but please, no children!" I announced, my voice switching to a customer-service tone. Ribera-san watched the situation unfold, clearly nervous.
"Ribera-san, if you don't mind, why don't you take a bath? I'll watch the proceedings here."
Our workforce was eight children aged eight and up, which left four younger children with nothing to do. It would be cruel to make them sit still. Besides, children that small could probably all go into the women's bath together.
"I-is that so... Well, then, I'll take you up on that, thank you."
And so, the foot-stamping massage service began.
"Well... this is something."
When Ribera-san emerged from the changing room after her bath, she was met with what could only be described as a long, winding line.
"No kidding! This really works!"
"My body feels so much lighter!"
"I paid an extra silver coin. This is worth more than that!"
"Aww, I want that kid to step on me again...♪"
Some of the comments were questionable, but the reputation was clearly excellent.
"We've finished with about fifteen people already. It's a huge success," I informed her.
"B-but... Are the children alright?" she asked, still worried.
"I'm having the tired children rest, so they're fine." That was the reason I limited the partitions to six. The eight children were meant to rotate and cover for each other's fatigue, and it had proven to be the correct decision.
About two hours after arriving at the bathhouse, we ended the first day's business after serving about fifty customers. As an aside, the children who were too young to work had waited in the resting area after their bath, and their costumes drew attention. The women customers fawned over them, and the children who came with their guardians envied them—an unexpected advertising bonus.
"All that's left is to have the working children take a bath... and then we're done."
"And, um... What about Shin-san's share?" Ribera-san asked, clearly finding it difficult to bring up the subject.
I shook my head. "No, as I told you, I've already settled that with the Guild Master. It's in exchange for my rank-up to Silver Class. Oh, by the way, how much did we make?" We had fifty customers, so fifty copper coins were guaranteed. I remembered that a few people added three copper coins, and some of the more generous ones added up to three silver coins.
"One hundred fifty copper coins, and thirty-two silver coins..." she calculated.
That was about 15,000 yen plus 32,000 yen... roughly 47,000 yen. Even if that was just the result of the first day, knowing they could earn almost 50,000 yen in a day—about 6,000 yen per child—was significant. I figured it would drop once things settled down. Besides, the children looked quite tired after just two hours. I needed to talk to Ribera-san and the Guild Master about not increasing the work hours.
"Ah... Speaking of which, what should we do about the girls? I can supervise the boys, but..." I realized that the director had already taken her bath. I had completely forgotten that children need an adult chaperone to bathe. Mel-san had already left, happy as a clam after her massage, so I was considering asking the director to go back in when—
"This is where I make my grand entrance!"
"Ah, Milia-san!"
Apparently, she had left Raid-kun in charge of the Guild and rushed over to help. But...
"I'm glad you came, but the foot-stamping is already over."
"Yeah, well, I, uh... had plenty of sessions done at the orphanage already, so?" Milia-san looked away, clearly embarrassed. I suppose it counted as practice, so I didn't mind. With Milia-san's help, we were able to get the children bathed and safely headed home.
"I'm so sorry, having you do all this..." Ribera-san apologized.
"No, not at all, I was the one who suggested it," I reassured her.
On the way back, the smaller children were already asleep, so Milia-san, Ribera-san, the older children, and I were carrying or piggybacking them.
"...But today really felt like a dream come true. To see the children being praised and called cute by so many people... It felt like they were finally accepted in this town—" Ribera-san's voice broke with emotion.
"......"
In this world, human rights are basically non-existent. It didn't take much imagination to know how the orphans were typically perceived. The success was good. However—the problem starts here. It would be nice if the story just ended on a high note, but it won't. Wherever there's a benefit, there's always a disadvantage. I've already consulted with the Guild Master about it, but we'll have to take action starting tomorrow.
Summary:
Shin's tough past, where passive resistance only bred more bullies, is contrasted with the phenomenal success of his foot-stamping massage business. The orphans, previously ignored, are now celebrated in their cool, temple-like uniforms. The money poured in, proving the value of the unique service. The emotional climax is Ribera's gratitude, feeling the town finally sees her children. But Shin knows this success brings the risk of new problems, and he's already planning the counter-move with the Guild Master.
Character Insight:
Shin is not just a clever businessman; he's a pragmatic survivor. His decision to introduce the 'self-defense' concept in the dream, and his immediate planning for the orphans' security, shows he has learned that strength and proactive defense are the only true currencies against exploitation. He feels amusement, not pain, from his past—it's a resource he uses. Mel-san is the perfect barometer for the product's success—her over-the-top, sensual enjoyment proves the foot-stamping is a genuine hit.
Behind the Scene:
The business plan is essentially a high-value, low-cost (for the customer) tip economy, designed to quickly establish a market presence. The costumes are vital as they instantly elevate the children from 'dirty orphans' to 'special performers'—a social hack. The 1,000 gold is disguised as 'guild business' to prevent the orphanage from feeling obligated or scared off by the generosity.
T/L:
¹ The 'hakama' is a traditional Japanese garment worn over a kimono. Shin's choice of 'priest-like vestments' is an attempt to give the children a visually unique and semi-sacred look, making the service feel special and high-class, despite the low price. The red/blue is a common way to distinguish male and female uniforms in Japanese culture. ↩
Notes:
• Jan - The sturdy branch manager of the local Adventurer's Guild. He is short, has muscular build, and gray hair.
• Shin - An average, middle-aged Japanese salaryman who prides himself on his common sense and average abilities. He was forcibly sent to a fantasy world by a God and granted the 'ability' to prevent anything 'outside his common sense' from occurring in his presence.
• Mel - A young girl Shin hires for her Water Magic to clean his catch. She has semi-long hair, and slightly foxy, sharp eyes.
• Ribera - The director of the local orphanage, deeply invested in the children's well-being. She is a middle aged woman.
• Milia - The young receptionist at the Adventurer's Guild. She has short hair, tanuki-face like (cute), wears round glasses, and business attire.
• Raid - A young, 'normie' adventurer who gets saddled with the job of escorting Shin. He is carefree and friendly but is instantly put on edge by Jandou's ominous warning. He has short black hair, sun-tanned skin, and wears casual adventure gear.
• Gil - A Bronze-class adventurer and recent graduate of the local orphanage. He specializes in Earth Magic (Stone Bullet), but its initial power is weak. He and Luce are close, almost like siblings. He has short hair, slender build, and looks unhealthy.