Heron's Hearth In Another World

Heron was just an average, overworked salaryman who had a bad habit of saying yes. “Yes, I’ll stay late. Yes, I’ll save a kid from Truck-kun. Yes, I’ll feed a dragon—wait, what?” Stranded on a tiny planet with no way to call for help, no village to start anew, and no gods to pray to, Heron Saito realized he was screwed. And not the kind of screwed where he failed a monthly report or was berated by his boss. Screwed as in he didn’t consent to playing a farming simulator in his second life. Magic existed, but it had a price. Summon a carrot? Fine. Summon bread, cheese, or anything processed? Enjoy passing out. The farming life it was, and Heron accepted the lack of call to adventure or saving a kingdom. Still, peace and quiet wasn’t so bad. A life of solitude, a cozy cottage of his own, and trying to figure out how to summon milk and eggs without accidentally dying from mana overconsumption kept him busy. Heron happily grew his crops and baked his vegan bread.  Then a dragon landed in his potato field. Now he was really screwed. What to Expect: ★ Dragons and interdimensional travel ★ Progression and fantastical worlds ★ A cozy, comedy, slice-of-life story ★ From a farmer, to a cafe owner, to a tavern keeper ★ “The Heron we didn’t know we needed.” Participating in Royal Road Magazine [January 2026 Edition]