Chapter 13: Souta Finished Bathing
Suddenly, Souta paused for a moment, thinking about how the ground was able to carry waste to where it should go without any issues.
Without thinking too much about it, Souta quickly shook his head and realized how many small things are often taken for granted, yet are very meaningful to the people in this village.
"As long as there is water, soap, and a decent toilet, I won't ask for more," Souta thought firmly. "This village may be the poorest, but I can't demand more. I can live with this. And I will make sure this place becomes even better."
Souta finished bathing and grabbed the towel that lay on the rack. The towel was simple, a dull gray color, but large enough to cover Souta's body perfectly.
After quickly drying himself, Souta then looked at himself in the mirror on the bathroom wall. The mirror was simple, its frame made of rough wood that looked unkempt, but its function remained clear.
The face reflected there was not the face Souta was used to seeing. It was the face of the boy whose body Souta Tetsu now inhabited, a young body with still clean skin.
The face looked innocent, with large, deep black eyes, full of curiosity and its own confusion. However, for Souta, seeing that face only added weight to his shoulders. He felt complicated, confused, and even a little anxious.
Souta didn't know how he ended up in this body, and what was even more confusing was the soul of this boy. Was the soul of this child still here? Had that child's soul now merged with Souta Tetsu?
Souta tried to remember, searching for fragments of memories that remained. Some of those memory pieces were unclear, as if they had been torn apart, but Souta could feel that there were a few memories left from this child.
Just a few, but enough to provide a hint. However, Souta couldn't fully understand them. There was a deep sense of loss, a void that couldn't be easily filled.
"How could I be here? How could I take over this body?" Souta murmured, his voice barely audible. Souta looked at himself with a questioning gaze, trying to find answers in the mirror that only reflected his doubts.
Souta took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "If this soul is gone, then I hope you are at peace there. I will make sure this body is used well. I will ensure that Sunagakure becomes a better place, and I will fight for that."
Souta couldn't be sure what had happened to the soul of this boy, but he felt there was something connecting them. For a moment, in the mirror, the boy's face seemed to smile at Souta, if only for an instant. That smile quickly faded, leaving only Souta's face full of confusion. Souta was startled, but that feeling soon disappeared.
"Thank you, I will make you proud. I will ensure this village is better. Watch over me," Souta whispered softly, as if speaking to himself, but Souta's heart was certain that the boy was still there, watching from some unseen place.
Souta gazed at the bathroom ceiling, made of sand, and in his mind, he drifted far away. Souta imagined a larger sky, a place where souls might rest after life ends. That place was somewhere unknown, but Souta felt a peace that seemed to come from there.
After a while, Souta lowered his head and stepped out of the bathroom. His steps were steady, but there was a silence within him that only Souta could feel.
...
Chapter 14: Saving
Entering the room, Souta put on simple clothes he found—a dark blue long-sleeve shirt and matching shorts. He glanced at himself in the room's mirror, feeling as if he were someone new, not just accepting things as they were, but also ready to make a change.
Souta stepped out of his room. His steps were firm and purposeful. A new day awaited, and Souta was ready to face every challenge ahead.
...
...
...
Souta walked casually toward the kitchen, though there was a hint of curiosity in his mind. The air inside still felt cool, even as the hot desert wind began to creep in through the small cracks in the walls. Souta stopped in front of the kitchen cabinet made of compacted clay, perfectly blending with the wall.
There were no carvings or decorations on the cabinet, just the rough texture typical of dried earth. Souta then reached out, pulling the handle of the cabinet door, which was also made of the same material. The hinges creaked as the door slowly opened.
Souta's eyes quickly scanned the contents of the cabinet. However, all he found was a stack of simple plates made of coarse clay, a few spoons, glasses, and other eating utensils. There was no food. No raw ingredients. In fact, there wasn't a single item that could be used for cooking, like a pan or a frying pan.
Souta sighed, closing the cabinet a bit harder than necessary. The "thud" sound echoed softly in the empty kitchen.
"I… have no food," Souta muttered, realizing this fact with a hint of frustration.
Souta stepped out of the kitchen, heading toward the living room, which also had very few furnishings. A small window in the room framed the typical view of Sunagakure—a winding sandy path, rows of earthen buildings, and a few people starting to go about their morning activities.
Souta leaned his hands on the edge of the window, feeling the rough surface of the wall. He then took a deep breath before finally mumbling with an annoyed expression, "Damn..."
Souta crossed his arms, contemplating his next move.
"Should I buy groceries? But even though there's a kitchen, I have no cooking utensils… How much money do I have left?" Souta thought, shifting his gaze from the window and turning back into his room.
Without wasting time, Souta walked toward his room. As he passed through the doorway, his steps went straight to the simple cabinet in the corner of the room. The cabinet, like the other furniture in this small apartment, was also made of compacted earth. There was no artistic touch, just a functional storage space.
Souta opened the cabinet door with a calm motion. Inside, there weren't many valuable items—just a few neatly folded clothes in the corner, and on the bottom shelf, some crumpled Ryo bills. The morning light coming through the small window illuminated the surface of the money, clearly showing the amount.
"Thirty thousand Ryo," Souta murmured quietly.
That amount was equivalent to a Genin's salary for completing one D-rank mission.
Souta stared at the money with a thoughtful expression.
"Every month the government will provide allowances, so I don't have to worry about running out of money anytime soon..." Souta thought.
However, even so, Souta still had to be careful in managing his expenses. It was impossible for him to rely solely on the monthly allowance without thinking it through.
"I need to start saving..." Souta thought.
Moreover, Souta also needed to find a way for his money to not just sit idle. Perhaps by starting a small business, or at least finding a method to ensure his money could grow without having to continuously rely on the government.
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