Prologue
In this world, unbelievable things happen from time to time. People are quick to call them miracles. I was no exception. “So miracles really do exist!” When I first laid eyes on that unexpected scene, I was overcome with joy and awe. But as someone once said, life is a tragedy up close and a comedy from a distance. Ah, those words truly cut to the heart of a person’s entire existence. That’s why I decided to shout it out with all my heart.
“Life’s a bitch!”
My greatest wish in life had been to live as a “natural person” after retirement. But that “natural person” meant tending a modest garden in a suburban rural housing complex for returnees—complete with a big-box store, a general hospital, and a bustling shopping district all within a thirty-minute drive. It did not mean desperately digging dirt and sowing seeds in some “romantic” world filled with monsters and magic!
“Hey, Wizard! Get out here and catch some fish! What, you still lazing around in bed? Tsk. Don’t you know the exiles’ golden rule? No work, no eat! Hurry up and get ready, move it!”
And to top it all off, this place was an island village. I’d once wondered whether mountain life or seaside life would suit me better for a quiet retirement. Well, problem solved—in the most ridiculous way possible. Thanks for nothing, you bastards.