Chapter 3.1. I’ve Been Reincarnated As A Mob

I’m 5 years old. I’ve just turned 5. My house is about 50 square meters. It’s small, but it has a garden and a parking lot. It’s a modern house, and it hasn’t been 10 years since it was built. I wonder if my parents built it when they got married.

But I don’t intend to act smart. I won’t read difficult books or make adult-like remarks to surprise my parents. There’s no need for a child who lacks cuteness like that.

No, it’s fine if the child is normally smart, right? But I think it’s not good to show off how smart you are after being reincarnated. Even adults can tell, the difference between a child’s intelligence and an adult’s intelligence.

The intelligence of a cute child and an adult that you find smart. There’s a high chance they’ll think their child is different or creepy. If they’re kind parents, they might not mind, though.

There’s no need to unnecessarily test my parents’ hearts. So, I pretended to be a young child.

I stood on my step stool in front of the sink and washed my face. I checked if I had any bedhead in my hair or any dirty spots, and made sure my outfit looked good. Young children like to be clean. There’s nothing strange about that. And children who take good care of themselves are well-received.

“Mii-chan, you like being clean, huh? Good for you.”

“Kyaa~”

I happily exclaimed and hugged my mother. She gently laughed and patted my head. Feeling reassured by the pat, I closed my eyes.

“Since it’s almost lunchtime, shall we go shopping?”

“Yeah! Can I buy some snacks?”

“Well, if Mii-chan helps me carry the bags, I’ll give you a treat.”

“I’ll carry the bags!”

I jumped with joy. Parents love these little requests from their children. My body is also craving something sweet because I’m still a child.

I held hands with my mother and set off for shopping. I carried the eco-bag because I’m a good kid.

I saw the familiar asphalt road, cars passing by, and convenience stores. It’s a reassuring and safe view of Japan. I’m glad it’s not a world of swords and magic. I waved my hand with that thought in my heart as we walked.

“Hehe, you’re in a good mood, Mii-chan.”

“Yeah, I’m looking forward to the snacks!”

“Oh my.”

My mother laughed, and we headed to the supermarket. Come to think of it, where do I live? Tokyo, maybe? I can’t see any forests or fields. Tokyo right? It doesn’t look like Kansai. I’ve never seen anyone using the Kansai dialect here.

But I don’t see any foreigners either. In Tokyo, there are always foreigners working in convenience stores and restaurants. Hmm, isn’t everything the same as Japan in my previous life?

As I walked, I was briefly curious, but I can look that up later. I can’t ask questions because I have no point of comparison, and I don’t want to be seen as a strange child who asks weird questions. I’m aware I’ve become a bit timid, but I want to cherish my family relationships.

“Oh, Takano-san. Shopping with your kid?”

“Yes, just a quick trip to that supermarket over there.”

“Hello, ma’am!”

I greeted energetically with a cute smile. Basic neighborhood etiquette is all about greetings. If you can greet well, you can earn a decent reputation.

“Oh my, what a lovely greeting. Mii-chan is always so adorable. I’m envious.”

Along the way, an older lady and my mother exchanged greetings. My first name is Takano, my mother is Takano Birei, and my father’s is Houretsu. Somehow, my parents’ names sounded somewhat upper-class, but it didn’t matter to me.

We walked leisurely. Spring was in the air, and the rainy season was approaching. I didn’t like the rainy season, but I chatted happily with my mother as we headed towards the supermarket.

And then, I encountered something that would disrupt my life. Honestly, I didn’t want to meet it.

It had a human shape. It walked with clanging metallic sounds.

“Mom, is that a cosplay?”

The soul of a middle-aged man had truly changed. I, now a cute 5-year-old child, pointed at it.

“Oh, that’s an adventurer heading to the dungeon.”

“But don’t you have to change into your costume at the venue for cosplay?… But their hair is pink or green, and they seem really into it. Maybe there’s a cosplay event around here?”

I saw a giant middle-aged man in mechanical iron armor with a futuristic machine-made spear, and a green-haired girl with a triangular hat and black robe, wielding a gnarled wooden staff. She had pink hair, by the way.

People with similar outfits and unusual hair colors walked by, and I thought there must be a cosplay event nearby. In my previous life, I had never been to a cosplay event. I had never even been to Comiket, which happens in summer and winter. So, I expressed my first proper request: I wanted to go.

It was a different kind of request from asking for sweets. It was a request that my mother might decline.

I turned such a trivial wish into my first request, but I had decided to live as I pleased since being reincarnated. Of course, family comes first.

In response, my mother chuckled and informed me.

“Cosplay, huh? Don’t let them hear you say that. They are adventurers who awakened to the power of mana and graduated from the Magic Academy. Around here, it’s the Third Magic Academy, Yayoi.”

“Adventurers?”

Huh? I was puzzled. Uh-oh. This conversation was not good; my instincts were sounding alarm bells. But without noticing my confusion, my mother gently stroked my head and explained.

“They’re the people who conquer dungeons in this world. They’re splendid individuals who destroy scary dungeons where monsters appear. The fact that their hair isn’t black is a sign of them awaken their mana.”

“I see.”

I stared at my mother’s face in disbelief, but there was no sign of lying or joking. Huh? Is that the kind of world it is?