"Cheats? Skills? I have no need for them."
"—Say what?" The God standing before me was utterly confused.
I prided myself on having extremely average stats and a complete understanding of common sense. My personal data profile was that of a man nearing his late thirties. I was a man nearing forty¹, smack-dab in the middle of the 'employment ice age'. I was of average build and height, and I was a middle manager in a mid-level company. I was, in short, a genuinely ordinary person.
"No, but—look, here's the thing, yeah? If you go to the other world like this, you'll be dead in two or three days. You might even die instantly, you know?" I just found myself in this situation without any preamble. An old man who called himself a God was suddenly standing before me in a featureless void. Logically, it was impossible, but since he was there, I suppose I had to deal with it.
According to this so-called God, I hadn't actually died, but I was going to be sent to some 'other world'. He mentioned something about probability or a spatial anomaly, but the only thing that was certain was that I wouldn't be able to return to my original world. Since this was happening due to the Gods' own convenience, the deity explained that as an apology, or at least to help me adjust to my new destination, he would bestow an 'ability' upon me.
"...My goodness, you are quite composed," the God observed, stroking his beard.
"If weeping hysterically would improve the situation, I would certainly do so," I replied, keeping my tone level.
"No, that's not what I meant at all," the God muttered, seeming to fall into deep thought. Could even a God have things to worry about?
Well, I was a single man, and both my parents were already deceased. I didn't have any human relationships outside of my job, so it was a rather appropriate choice, seeing as there were practically no people who would mourn my loss.
"Therefore, I shall ask you once more: do you truly not desire an ability?" the God implored, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice.
"No, as I have stated—I would much prefer it if you could send me to a world as close to my original one as possible."
"The world you are going to has already been decided! It possesses magic, dragons, spirits, and even monsters! I advise you against refusing; I shall bestow an 'ability' upon you, so state your desire!"
That was precisely the problem: that 'ability' of his was the whole complication. I could understand the concepts of magic and skills. However, if I went to a world where those things were the norm, any power I received would only be a fleeting advantage—a mere patch. The natives would have a lifetime of expertise, and it would only be a matter of time before they countered me. Furthermore, intentionally stepping into their ring to compete on their terms in an unknown world struck me as utterly illogical.
I hesitated to answer rashly, and the God gazed at me with profound curiosity.
"Hmph... I have had people make all kinds of demands, but your case is truly a first, I must say."
I understood why people would be excited if offered a special power; it was understandable to get carried away. However, I knew that those who let themselves be consumed by the 'Mwahahaha!' feeling usually met a bad end. While I had some theoretical knowledge of other-world stories and light novels, I seriously doubted my ability to devise a truly useful 'cheat' skill that could counter everything. It would only delay the inevitable, and I didn't want that. I would rather just die cleanly and quickly than prolong my suffering and waste my time.
"Sigh... Is that truly all? They speak of how young people are leaving behind everything these days, but I never expected it to spread this far," the God groused. He was probably trying to say that young people were leaving behind 'cheat skills,' never mind the fact that I was pushing forty.
"Speaking of which, what about the language and literacy?" I inquired, needing to cover all my bases.
"You may rest assured about that. You shall be a resident there, so you will have no trouble with basic communication. Now, is there anything, anything at all? Are you absolutely certain?"
I pondered the matter, wrestling with the insistent God.
"Hmm... Then, at the very least, I do not wish for anything outside of my common sense to occur in my presence. That is to say, I would like to be fortunate enough never to encounter such a situation. Would that be possible?"
"Hmph!" The God crossed his arms and fell into deep contemplation once more. That was odd; I had thought Gods were supposed to be omniscient and omnipotent.
"...Fine! I have decided! The ability I shall bestow upon you is—'the power to prevent anything outside of your common sense from occurring!' You cannot possibly complain about that, can you?"
"No, I simply wanted the good fortune not to have to deal with such things, but..."
"Enough! Just go now! Go immediately! Get out of here right now!" the God exploded, thoroughly exasperated.
"Ah, just one last thing—"
"What is it?! Is there still more?!" he demanded, absolutely frantic.
"I apologize for the trouble I have caused you."
"You certainly have!" he practically shrieked.
I had merely exercised the last bit of my manners as a good corporate citizen. I had no idea what had irritated him so profoundly. And so, with the half-crazed God's parting shot ringing in my ears, I was enveloped in a blinding light and reflexively closed my eyes.
* * *
"...Mmh."
When I opened my eyes again, I was standing in a dense, overgrown forest. I inhaled the scent of the trees, observed the shafts of light cutting through the leaves (Komorebi), and felt the texture of the soil beneath my feet. I wasn't an expert on plants, but so far, I couldn't spot anything that seemed 'other-worldly.' Everything was still within the realm of 'common sense'.
I glanced down at the clothes I was wearing, and it appeared they had at least provided me with an outfit suited for this world. It was a simple, coarse cloth tunic, the sort a common person from the Middle Ages or earlier might wear. I was also wearing what looked like cloth shoes. My movement and ability to walk were unrestricted.
"Now, what should I do?"
If I were lost, the basic principle would be not to move—but since rescue was out of the question, I had no choice. The logical next step would be to secure a water source. After all, I didn't have any convenient cheat skills. However, I was a rare breed of man, an outdoors enthusiast who enjoyed being alone, so I often traveled solo or went mountain climbing on my days off. Therefore, I possessed a decent amount of knowledge regarding dealing with nature.
I thought to myself that the sound of running water or even its scent would be enough to locate a source, and just then, an incredibly powerful odor assailed my nostrils.
"...!"
Did it just appear suddenly? Or had it been there all along, and I simply hadn't noticed?
It burst through the thicket, snapping reasonably thick trees as it shoved them aside, and a creature of truly astonishing height revealed itself.
"Fugoh, Hooooh, Fugogoh...!" I knew this animal from Earth. It was a wild boar. Except for its size—that is. With two tusks protruding from both sides of its nose, a streamlined body specialized for charging, and disproportionately short legs, it was the very image of a highly dangerous, cautionary creature in a mountain setting.
"Still, this is truly an 'other world'... —it is 'outside of common sense' in its sheer scale."
I tilted my head back, truly grasping the creature's extraordinary dimensions. Was it perhaps three meters tall just to the nose?
"No, that is simply not possible."
On the one hand, it seemed to be a giantized version of an Earth boar, scaled up proportionally—but that could not be the reality.
In reality, such a thing was physically impossible. While it is often said that 'bigger is better,' there are, of course, inherent risks to great size. There was once a legendary giant wrestler who broke his leg after losing his balance while drinking alcohol before a match. The cause was his own body weight. If you look at reconstructions of dinosaurs, you will notice that the larger the dinosaur, the thicker and larger its legs are. Conversely, unless it is that massive, it cannot support its own body weight.
"...Pugiii!?" Suddenly, the colossal body slumped to the ground. No—it only looked that way. In reality...
Size cannot be simply scaled up by equal proportion. Unless an organism is two-dimensional, it is composed of volume: length multiplied by width multiplied by height. If a human were to be ten times larger, they would require not ten times the food, but roughly one thousand times the amount, as their stomach would have expanded cubically. The same applies to every part of the body. If you disregard this calculation, the natural consequence for legs scaled up to that proportion would be...
Crushed and broken by its own body weight—
"Pigii, Giiyih, Fugoh, Piiiiih!!" The gigantic boar let out a scream that sounded like utter confusion, as if it didn't understand what had happened.
"Ah... It seems you are just a bit overweight," I commented, a wry observation slipping out. It is true that Earth has enormous animals, such as whales and sharks—but they live in an aquatic environment.
For example, a whale washed up on a beach is guaranteed to die; it's a simple fact. Once they are out of the water, their internal organs and lungs cannot withstand their own body weight.
Crushed by its own mass—
"Fugii... Pugiih, Pigih..." I felt pity for the creature, but there was nothing I could do. I could only stand there and watch as the colossal beast weakly breathed its last breath.
"Hah... To be sent to another world and have this happen immediately. I am dreading what comes next... Hm?"
Finally, the sound of flowing water reached my ears. There must be a river nearby. After walking for about five minutes, pushing through the undergrowth, I reached what looked like a rough path. I soon saw the river I was looking for, and further downstream, the first artificial structure I had seen in this world: a bridge.
"It seems there might be a village or a town nearby. I should take a rest there."
* * *
As I walked along the river and approached the bridge, the full scope of the structure on the other side became clear. What I initially thought was a simple fence was actually a formidable stone wall, perhaps three meters tall, surrounding a fortress-like settlement.
"Well, considering there are monsters like that one, this level of defense is probably necessary," I mused.
There was a large gate guarded by two armed men who looked like security personnel. I had prepared myself for the possibility of sleeping outdoors, but if possible, I certainly preferred a civilized lifestyle. I steeled my resolve and walked toward them, making sure to smile and appear as friendly as possible.
"Who are you?" one of the guards demanded.
"Where did you come from?" the other asked.
It seemed we spoke the same language, so the fundamental communication issue was resolved. I hadn't exactly disbelieved the God, but honestly, I had been half-skeptical.
But the main issue was now at hand... I certainly didn't have the nerve to tell them I had been sent from another world by a God. If I were them, I wouldn't let such a person inside. It would be tantamount to saying, 'I am a suspicious person.'
"I am merely a traveler who has lost his way... I came from that forest over there," I said, pointing toward the bank of the river where I had been. I hadn't lied... I don't think.
The two guards exchanged a look.
"You... you were lucky to make it back safe! We just got information that a massive monster appeared in that forest—"
"That's right! You! Do you know anything about that monster? We are in the middle of organizing a subjugation team, so please tell us anything you know, no matter how small!"
Their highly anxious expressions pressed me for an answer.
"W-well, I did see a monster that seemed to fit the description..."
"Really?!"
As soon as I answered, one of the guards grabbed my arm and pulled me urgently through the gate.
"I-I understand, I understand! Where are we going?" I asked, nearly tripping.
"We are recruiting a joint team of adventurers and soldiers! We need you to come to the Adventurer's Guild right now!"
It seemed there was a proper organization in place to handle these situations. Since this was an emergency, I decided it would be best to cooperate quietly to earn their trust. Thus, I was hurried through the two-story building without even getting a proper look at the town's streets or scenery.
The guard who had brought me explained the situation frantically to a female receptionist, and then I was instructed to go up the stairs. The receptionist, it seemed, would now be my guide.
"I leave it to you! I'm going back to my gate duty!"
After parting ways with the guard, I was led into a room that looked like it belonged to a person of authority. I was encouraged to sit on a long sofa-like bench, and all the while, people bustled in and out of the room.
In less than a minute, a man a bit older than myself, perhaps in his fifties with streaks of white in his hair, entered the room. Though he wasn't tall, his physique suggested a close-range power type. However, he was clearly under pressure from the situation, as I could sense his anxiety and heavy breathing in his expression and demeanor. The woman who had guided me remained standing, and the man sat across from me.
"I apologize for the wait. I'm Jandou, the branch manager of this Guild," the man said, still catching his breath.
"Ah, I am Shinsaku. It is a pleasure to meet you," I responded, giving my first name but omitting my family name for now. I reasoned that he hadn't offered his family name either, and in a world with a strict class system, commoners might not even be allowed a surname.
"Shin-sak-u? That's a strange name... It's hard to say. Is it alright if I just call you Shin? You can call me Jan," Jandou suggested, finding my name peculiar.
"Ah, yes. That's perfectly fine," I agreed.
He seemed quite friendly. Perhaps he was just too stressed to care about formalities.
"To get straight to the point, please tell me everything you know about that monster. Ordinarily, I wouldn't bother a passing traveler, but the situation is dire. Anything at all—its location, its condition—" Jandou pressed, leaning forward.
"About that, I don't know if the monster I saw is the one you're looking for. So, I will start by describing its features..." I said, trying to be as precise as possible.
He nodded vigorously, urging me to continue, and I used what little vocabulary I had to convey the physical details of the monster I had encountered. It largely matched the Earth boar, so I hoped my description wasn't too inaccurate.
As Jandou listened, he occasionally exchanged worried glances and brief, quiet words with the woman behind him, and his face grew increasingly distressed.
"No mistake, that's a Giant Boar," Jandou confirmed, his voice low. "It might even be a subspecies, given the size you describe... I don't know how you managed to escape alive."
Indeed, if a creature of that magnitude had been able to move normally, I certainly would not be here.
"So, its location? Was it raging? Was it weakened? Was it resting? Do you know where it went?"
"Ah, it is deceased," I announced plainly.
Thwack. The woman behind Jandou dropped the papers she was holding. Jandou himself froze, his mouth agape.
"...Eh? Uh, hmm? So, what, exactly? You mean, the monster was already dead when Shin found it?" Jandou asked, attempting to clarify, the relief in his tone palpable.
"No, sir. It was alive when I saw it. Then, it died right in front of me," I explained simply.
Jandou sat there for a while, arms crossed, looking down. Then he slowly tilted his head back, gazing up at the ceiling for a good ten seconds, motionless. Finally, he straightened his posture in the chair, faced me, and spoke.
"Hmph... I apologize, Shin, but I will need you to guide us to the location where you say the Giant Boar died. We must confirm it, you see."
"I have no objection, but might I impose upon you for some food and drink beforehand? I am embarrassed to say that I was rather lost in the forest..."
Jandou immediately turned to the woman behind him.
"Milia, please fetch some appropriate food and a drink. Also, inform the people downstairs—the ones currently gathering—that we will be going on a reconnaissance mission for the time being."
"Y-yes, sir. Understood," Milia chirped, her slipper-like shoes pattering as she exited the room. So, the receptionist was Milia.
Jandou stood up as well.
"I will go downstairs to select the members of the reconnaissance team. Please wait here for me, Shin."
And so, it was decided that I would be reunited with the gigantic boar-like monster (even though it was dead). I certainly hoped that I could lead a peaceful life in this world, and making an influential acquaintance was a small price to pay. Once I confirmed I was alone, I let out a soft sigh of relief.
* * *
"It's... dead, alright."
"Obvious, isn't it?" Jandou, who was acting as the team leader, curtly confirmed the comment from one of the reconnaissance team members.
After eating my fill, I joined the reconnaissance team gathered at the Guild and entered the forest to the location of the Giant Boar's carcass. The corpse was found quickly, and the ten or so people immediately swarmed it, beginning their investigation.
I was once again overwhelmed by the immense size of the creature, and a sigh of surprise escaped my lips.
"Hah... It really is massive, isn't it?"
Jandou, standing beside me, clapped a hand on my shoulder.
"That's why I said you were lucky to get away," he rasped, before leaning his face closer, his hand remaining on my shoulder. "(So, how did you defeat it?)" he whispered, his voice too low for the others to hear.
I leaned in and replied in a similarly quiet voice. "(As I told you, it simply died on its own, sir.)"
"(...I see. So, what happens now?)"
"(?? What do you mean, 'what happens now'?)"
Jandou spoke in a normal voice this time, apparently deciding that whispering was no longer necessary.
"Just as Shin said, the Giant Boar's corpse has been confirmed. A high-value subjugation reward was placed on this thing. You should get a good amount just for finding it."
This was rather attractive information. I had checked my possessions when I arrived and found nothing of value. I needed money to live, so I would certainly accept any reward offered.
"Hmm... Where do I go to claim it?"
"The Guild—but I'd like you to head back first and wait for me. The room where we first met will be fine. Raid!" Jandou called out. "You go back to town with this man. Gather the dismantling crew and the transport personnel."
A young man, perhaps in his late teens, who looked like the very picture of a youthful 'jock', swaggered over with a cheerful grin. He had short black hair and sun-tanned skin, giving the impression of someone who might frequent the Shibuya district back home.
"Oh, man, you're working me too hard, ya know? Ah, you're Shin-san, right? Let's go then, yeah?" he said, approaching me a bit too casually.
Jandou put the young man in a headlock, turning his back to me. It seemed that training new recruits was difficult everywhere. When Raid was finally released, he turned to me with a tired expression, having apparently been severely scolded.
"Ah, well, Shin-san. Let's head out."
And so, I found myself heading back to the Guild once more.
* * *
"Wow, you got lost in the forest, like... That sounds rough, yeah?"
"It was difficult for me since I was short on money and resources—I was almost literally only wearing the clothes on my back. So, this is quite a relief," I replied.
I was now sitting on the long sofa again, across from Raid, in what I assumed was the Branch Manager's office. On the way back to the Guild, Raid and I had managed to break the ice a bit, and I took the opportunity to gather some information.
As I suspected, this was a world rampant with monsters and magic, and the public safety was not great—in fact, it was quite bad. It was apparently not uncommon for people skilled in magic to become bandits or mountain robbers. Although this town was considered safe, there were places where the entire town was run by a criminal organization. It was a world that truly lived up to the stories of drug lords and the Mafia.
"But hey, the Guild Master here keeps things totally straight, so none of that nonsense happens here, ya know? That old guy's a good leader, for real," Raid said with confidence.
"Indeed. I did not get the impression he was forcing me to cooperate with him. When a person in charge is like that, those who work under him must feel secure," I observed.
It is often said that a person's true reputation is determined by what others say when they are not around, and I felt this was true. In fact, when we returned to the Guild, a drunken adventurer at the tavern/waiting room on the first floor tried to hassle me—but Raid shut him down immediately by saying, 'The old man, Jandou, will yell at you later!'
"Well, I'm gonna head downstairs, like, and gather the guys for the dismantling and transport, just like the old man told me to. Shin-san, you just wait here. I think the Guild Master will be back right after I leave," Raid said, standing up.
"Yes, thank you very much."
He seemed a bit flighty at first glance, but he was a genuinely good young man. I revised my opinion of him and watched him leave the room.
Once he was out in the hallway, Raid didn't go far. He collapsed onto his knees a short distance from the door, looking utterly shaken.
"Are... are you kidding me?!" he groaned.
In fact, Jandou had given him a dire warning during the headlock.
"Listen to me! Do not mess with Shin, not even a little. If any idiot tries to cause trouble, you stop them with everything you have. You do not want to anger a guy who can walk away unharmed after confronting a Giant Boar!"
He replayed the warning in his mind, and a cold sweat trickled down his cheek.
"I've been forced to haul a Magic Bomb before, but I never thought I'd have a mission more stressful than that. They should share information like that beforehand! I thought I was going to die when those morons downstairs tried to pick a fight... Damn it!"
He swore under his breath before heading down to the ground floor, rubbing his neck.
* * *
"Sorry, I kept you waiting," Jandou said, entering the room.
"Not at all, sir. However, it seems to have taken quite a long time, has it not?"
It wasn't that far from the town to the forest. I doubted he was helping with the dismantling himself... At my comment, Jandou scratched his head roughly.
"Materials from a Giant Boar are rare, after all," he explained.
"Dismantling, selecting buyers, contacting various parties—it's confirmed overtime for me, now!" Milia added, taking over the explanation from Jandou.
I hadn't had a good look at her before due to the chaos, but she had round glasses and short hair, a rounded, slightly cute 'tanuki-face', and looked to be a young woman around twenty years old.
She handed a pouch to Jandou, who placed it in front of me with a soft jingle of metal.
"...What is this?"
"It's the reward for the information that led us to it. There are one hundred gold coins inside."
"I see," I murmured, the utter lack of enthusiasm in my voice causing Jandou to respond with concern.
"Is it too little?"
"Ah, no... I simply don't know the going rate. I am from a distant land, so I don't know if this is a high or low amount—or even how much one needs to live here," I explained, embarrassed.
Jandou and Milia exchanged a look, and then they took turns explaining the currency to me.
Living expenses varied widely, but if you weren't particular about quality, a meal cost three to eight copper coins. Cheap alcohol was about two copper coins per mug. Ten copper coins made one silver coin, and five or six silver coins could get you a night's stay at an inn. Add another silver coin for a meal. Twenty silver coins made one gold coin.
(Hmm... So, one copper coin is roughly equivalent to a hundred Japanese Yen? That means one night at an inn is about five to six thousand Yen... If twenty hundred-yen coins make one gold coin, that's two thousand Yen times one hundred...)
I looked at the pouch in front of me.
"...Haaaaaaah?! Is this not far too much?!"
Jandou stroked his chin at my astonishment.
"Our initial response was very fast this time. Materials are always better when they are fresh—that corpse alone is worth at least three thousand gold coins at market price. It also helped that the military and adventurer teams were still in the preparatory stages. Moving people is not free, you know. Especially for a dangerous quest like this, we'd have to pay them upfront."
So, because they hadn't fully mobilized, they saved money and were generous with the reward.
"Also! We only sent a reconnaissance team made up of Guild adventurers because the military hadn't mobilized yet. That means! The Giant Boar is entirely ours! We owe you so much, Shin-sama!" Milia chirped, eyes sparkling with business excitement.
I see. If they had a guaranteed profit of over sixty million yen's worth, two million yen was nothing to them. I, on the other hand, was indebted to the Giant Boar.
"So, what will you do now?" Jandou asked.
"Ah, well... I am ashamed to say I do not know the right or left of this place." I crossed my arms, pondering, when Milia offered a suggestion.
"Then why don't you stay in the Guild staff dormitory?"
"Oh, no, that is far too much! I could not impose that much..."
"Regardless, you need a place to stay," Jandou interjected. "I know a good inn. I will write you a letter of introduction, and you can go there. I will also prepare your Guild Card. It will make future procedures less complicated."
This was an unexpected stroke of luck. As things stood, I was a perfectly respectable person with no known identity and no fixed address or occupation. I would certainly need some form of identification, and I was grateful that the Guild Master himself offered to provide it.
"Then, I humbly accept your kindness. I apologize for all the trouble I have caused."
"Raid is probably downstairs. Have him guide you. Your Guild Card will be ready tomorrow. You can come pick it up in the afternoon."
I bowed repeatedly and left the room.
I had worried about what would happen after being forcibly sent to another world, but it seemed I had been fortunate enough to meet good people.
* * *
"...Has he gone?"
"Y-yes, sir."
Jandou and Milia, who remained in the room, exchanged glances, assessing each other's expressions.
"...I will draft a memo later. We must thoroughly brief the idiots downstairs."
"Um... About Shin-san, you mean? Is he that dangerous?" Milia asked, now instructed to sit in the very spot Shin had just occupied.
"The Giant Boar's corpse—... There were no signs of magic, stab wounds, slashes, or arrow wounds," Jandou stated, his voice flat.
Milia stared blankly for a moment.
"Eh? What? What does that mean?"
"He killed it without using magic or any weapons. The hide was perfectly intact—but the bones in the forelegs and hind legs were completely shattered, and the internal organs were severely damaged. ...What do you make of that?"
She thought back to the man who had been sitting there moments ago.
"...Indeed, he wasn't carrying any visible weapons..."
"It's only natural to assume he took it down by some physical means. He must have used some kind of body enhancement (boost), of course. To defeat a Giant Boar bare-handed, and alone... He is an 'Ultra' High-Risk Individual."
A heavy atmosphere filled the room, and Milia, unable to bear it, broke the silence.
"But, but, he seemed like such a gentle person! If we don't provoke him, won't we be fine?"
"Then why did he say it 'died' instead of saying he 'defeated' it? ...Moreover, he wasn't lying. He must have a reason for not wanting to stand out. Furthermore, that calmness is the most troublesome thing about him. If he were to snap, he could easily say, 'I was perfectly polite, wasn't I?' to justify himself," Jandou sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"You are right... It almost feels like a silent demand: 'Don't pry into my affairs,'" Milia conceded.
* * *
While the two were looking glum and pale with anxiety, one person who was equally uneasy was walking with the man at the center of the storm.
(Just a little more... Just a little more. Once I drop him off at the inn, my job of guiding this 'walking emotional time bomb' will be over!) Raid thought to himself, his whole body tense.
"Oh, hey, once you get to the inn, show them the old man's letter, yeah? They'll know what to do," Raid instructed.
Oblivious to Raid's distress, the person being guided continued at his own pace.
"I see. Oh, is that it right there? Then I think your guidance is sufficient, Raid-san."
I figured that once I entered the inn, the receptionist or a staff member would take over, and I shouldn't burden Raid any further.
"Oh, yeah? Then I'll head out here, like... And hey, just call me Raid. You're way older than me, right, Shin-san?" he asked, trying to sound casual.
"Hmm... Even so. Very well, Raid-kun. Please give my regards to Jan and Milia-san," I replied, waving my hand as he turned to leave, but I called him back.
"Ah, Raid-kun."
"Huh? What is it, man?" he stammered, turning back.
I pressed three gold coins into his hand.
"This is a token of my gratitude for guiding me here."
"N-no, no, no! I was just doing what the Guild Master told me, like! I don't need this, seriously!" he protested, trying to return the money.
I gently pushed his hand back.
"I myself did not expect to receive so much money. Besides, I imagine I will cause you some trouble again in the future—yes?"
"O-oh, really? Well, then, thank you very much," he relented.
He accepted the gold coins, bowed his head, and hurried away.
Excellent. That should secure a good first impression, I thought to myself. He was one of the few acquaintances I had made in this world, and it was a small investment to make an ally for the future. I was quite pleased with my foresight. With that, I stepped through the entrance of the inn.
* * *
"An introduction from the Guild Master? You are welcome here, then."
I arrived at the Inn 'Clan,' handed over the letter Jandou had prepared, and went through the check-in procedure. I knew the name 'Clan' because I had seen the sign. Although it wasn't in Japanese, I somehow 'understood' the script, just as I understood the language.
I booked thirty days with breakfast and dinner included. At seven silver coins per night, the total came to two hundred and ten silver coins—ten gold coins and ten silver coins.
"Prepayment? You must have plenty of money. Fine, I'll give you a discount of ten silver coins," the innkeeper, a woman in her forties whom I assumed was the proprietress, said. She returned one of the eleven gold coins I had handed her.
"Ah, thank you very much," I replied.
"It's just too much trouble to calculate the change. Your room is at the end of the second floor, over there." She handed me the key, and my eyes drifted toward the stairs, scanning the interior of the inn.
Suddenly, I felt a gaze and met the eyes of the proprietress, who was staring intently at me.
"...? Is something the matter?"
"Oh, nothing at all. It's just that the Guild Master usually only sends me greenhorns and new recruits," she explained.
Ah... In that case, I supposed a man nearing forty would certainly stand out.
"Well, adventurers have all sorts of reasons for doing what they do, so I won't ask for details, but..." she finished.
In my case, I was forcibly sent here by a God and have become one by accident, I thought, but knew I couldn't say it.
In any case, I had secured food and lodging. It was a little while until dinner, so I decided to take a nap. I bowed and placed my hand on the stair railing.
* * *
"Honestly, that man sent me an absolute monster," the proprietress muttered, letting out a deep sigh after the customer was out of sight. "'Can kill a Giant Boar with his bare hands,' 'Absolutely do not anger him,' he wrote? I'll need a surcharge to make this worthwhile!" The letter from Jandou included a note that the Guild would pay a special fee—a fact unknown to Shinsaku.
* * *
"I'm back, Old Man."
About ten minutes after Shin entered the inn, Raid returned to the Branch Manager's office on the second floor of the Guild.
"Oh, thanks. Sorry about that," Jandou said.
"Seriously, man, you're the worst," Raid grumbled, but he remained standing, facing Jandou.
Jandou, the older man, sat down, but the young man positioned himself behind Milia, who was already seated. Milia looked up at Raid behind her.
"H-how did it go?" she whispered.
"I got a tip, three gold coins—'Hoping to maintain a good relationship in the future,' he said, something like that," Raid explained, jingling the coins.
Milia turned back to Jandou.
"That's unexpected income. Good for you," Jandou said, trying to be encouraging.
"Are you serious right now?" Milia asked, exasperated.
Jandou looked past her at Raid.
"...What do you think?" he asked the young man.
"He wants to maintain a good relationship from now on, yeah? Conversely, if we ever cross him—" Raid began, his voice tense.
Jandou spread his legs as if bracing himself in his chair, gripping his knees with both hands.
"—Listen, Raid. Go downstairs right now and buy those idiots a round of drinks."
"Huh?"
"Use those three gold coins you just got. After they've all had a drink—tell them it's from Shin."
Milia clasped her hands over her mouth.
"I-I see! By making it look like Shin-san bought them all a drink, you're distributing the responsibility!"
"Oh, nice idea! Totally! Hardship needs to be shared, ya know? Let's go with shared liability!" Raid said, his anxiety replaced by cynical enthusiasm.
He sang a little tune as he headed downstairs, and the three gold coins were used to buy everyone a round. It goes without saying that the moment the drunken adventurers learned the truth, a hellish chorus of screams erupted downstairs.
Summary:
The ultra-rational salaryman Shinsaku gets a logic-bomb ability from a panicking God and immediately causes chaos in a new world. He uses pure common sense to accidentally kill a massive Giant Boar, making the creature collapse under its own, impossible weight. The local Guild is terrified of him but rewards him handsomely for the untouched corpse, believing him to be an unmatched, bare-handed assassin.
Manager Jandou uses a young adventurer, Raid, to spread Shinsaku's wealth and thus the risk of his power, proving that even a good leader will sacrifice a bit of peace for the greater good of his town. Shinsaku remains completely oblivious to the panic and focuses on securing a safe, quiet life in his new lodgings.
Character Insight:
Shinsaku's deepest desire isn't power, but stability and anonymity, which his unique ability constantly undermines. Jandou is a pragmatic leader whose fear drives his genius for risk management. Raid is the perfect foil, a typical, youthful fantasy character thrust into a terrifying reality.
Behind the Scene:
This chapter is the entire premise: what happens when real-world physics and corporate etiquette meet fantasy tropes? The Giant Boar's death is the first manifestation of Shinsaku's power, which forces a fantasy world to conform to a Japanese middle manager's understanding of reality. This isn't a power fantasy; it's a social anxiety simulator where the protagonist accidentally becomes the biggest threat.
T/L:
¹ Alafo: A blend of Japanese and English, a contracted term for 'Around Forty' (A-ra-fo).↩
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.
• 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.