Chapter Text
A man with brown hair, wearing a tailored suit with a rose pinned to his lapel, floated in a blank space.
If he weren't floating, the man might stand around 6 feet tall. He had neatly combed hair and calming blue eyes that paired well with his glasses.
The man spoke in a measured, clear intonation, clearly explaining various things to me, but I could only listen absentmindedly.
What even is this place? Am I dreaming?
But a dream in an empty space with a man I clearly didn't recognize somewhat didn't make sense.
"Hello, are you listening? Saparata, I want you to go live in a world different from your own."
This man, who kept calling my name and speaking nonsense, called himself God.
Ah, it's one of those cliché story tropes, isn't it? I thought in the back of my mind.
Transmigration to—or reincarnation in—another world had become popular in recent media.
I'd seen a lot of books and games with this exact genre, and I knew the basics of it, but I'd never once touched media in those genres.
Maybe I've been secretly wanting to experience this type of story, I pondered. I guess I'll try to find a game with reincarnation stories when I wake up. I heard there are a lot of visual novels with this trope... I guess I'll start there.
While I was lost in thought, the man floated closer, his face somewhat displeased.
"Are you going to answer me?"
Y'know, this dream feels way too tame despite me downing four shots of espresso to finish my essay, I thought. Usually, I'd get dreams that left me heaving after I woke up—like that one where I dreamed of falling from a tower after speedrunning a report due precisely at midnight, fueled by coffee and Monster drinks.
Maybe something good had happened and I'd forgotten about it, but my subconscious somehow remembered, which was why I wasn't having any adrenaline-inducing dreams. Yeah, that must be it.
That's why I was here.
"Hey, are you actually not listening? Because I don't want to explain it all over again."
"I am, I am, don't worry. So, why am I going to another world, actually?"
From my response, the man lit up, happy that I was listening and not brushing him off.
"It's a complete random selection. There have been several others I've sent to different worlds, especially this one! And you've been one of the lucky ones chosen, just like several others before you. To be a Hero and save the world!"
"But since there are other people like me in that world... is it fine if I don't go?"
"...What?"
The man, completely baffled by my question, froze with his smile still plastered on as he stared at me like I was joking.
"I'm talking about reincarnation here! Transmigration! Isn't this popular in your world?! The other kids went in happily!"
He stammered profusely, trying to get me to change my mind, but I wouldn't budge.
"Even so, it's fine if I don't go. Saving the world, solving world hunger, conquering a kingdom, or whatever—if there are others already doing it, then why should I?"
"Oh dear, no, no, no... this is not going as I hoped it would."
Dream or not, my answer would be a firm: No.
"Why?"
"Why what? Why I didn't accept?"
"Yes! You're the first person to say no."
"Ah, that explains the reaction," I said, rubbing my neck. "You said 'other kids,' right? I'd assume they're like... in their teens?"
"Yes, they were all in their teens."
That explained why they all happily went. When I was a teen, I played Minecraft so much I wanted to jump into the screen to pet my pet wolf, so I understood the feeling.
"I probably would've gone happily too if I was in my teens like them. But then campus life hit, accompanied by countless questionable decisions."
If I were to hear the sentence "transported to another world," I would've found it thrilling and agreed.
Like what God said before, it sounded like the world I'd be transported to was like a freeroam RPG.
I'd be playing a major role in a world full of swords and magic, meeting new people, going on adventures, learning and seeing things I'd never seen before.
It sounded like a dream, unlike being a tired, burnout student.
But the more I thought about it, it wouldn't all be sunshine and rainbows.
"Hey, you said it's a world with fighting, right?"
"Yes, that's why I'll grant your wish before sending you there. Every human from this world will gain a tremendous amount of magic once they're transported there. With that power, you can easily learn advanced spells only Heroes can wield. But if you want even more advanced magic, I can do that. The other kids asked for OP weapons or improved physical abilities. Oh, I did grant a wish to one kid to change their appearance."
Hearing God's explanation, I pondered for a second.
"I don't like fighting, but I'd do it if it came down to it. But if there's always a choice, I'd always pick solving things through discussion until we reach an agreement that benefits both parties. So, weapons and physical enhancements are out of the question."
"But the more I think about it, I feel like the cons outweigh the pros..." I blurted out. "Sure, I may be a tired student with a fucked sleep schedule, but going to a new world means I have to restart my life all over again. That offer may seem like a good thing, but it seems like a drag, no? I'd leave my friends behind, my Minecraft world would be forgotten, and there's no guarantee I'd even understand the language in that world."
The man stayed silent for a while, contemplating my words before letting out a sigh.
"Even so, you still need to go. Once you're picked, it cannot be rewritten." He said in a quiet, apologetic tone.
"What a stupid system."
"It's just how it works. It keeps the balance. But I don't mind if you decide to live a quiet life, as you said—there are others already doing it for me."
I stayed silent for a while, staring directly at the man with a conflicted expression. He genuinely had zero intention of sending me back to my original world, so arguing was useless.
I sighed, raking back my white hair and furrowing my eyebrows. So... all of my hard work was for nothing then? Those sleepless nights and all that progress in my game. Damn.
The man chimed in again, floating down until he finally stood on his feet. "I'm very sorry if it's not what you hoped for. So, in exchange, I'll grant your wish—your dreams. I'll do anything to make it true."
"My dreams, huh?"
Dreams... I worked part-time at a café as a waiter to gain a somewhat steady income to pay my tuition fees. Sure, Mom also sent monthly money to cover it, but I'd like to pay for it on my own one day so I wouldn't burden her.
Time for myself? Yeah, I could say that was one of the things I'd wish for. Team projects, work, and essays always crowded me, making it almost impossible to find time to enjoy myself.
Marriage? Probably. I'd graduate, get a job that's not part-time, earn enough money to move to a better apartment (a house is too much to ask with how the economy is moving), and finally rizz up someone or get rizzed up.
"I can wish for as many as I want, right?"
"Yes, but all the other kids until now had only wished for one thing."
"...Ah, so I can only wish for one thing?"
"No, no, you can wish for as many as you want! I apologize—I wasn't more specific."
Right, then those kids only made one wish because God forgot to explain it. I sighed, then nodded.
Before accepting his offer and making a wish, I decided to ask for more details. Better safe than sorry.
"So, if this is like a freeroam RPG, there has to be a demon king, monsters, and their own nations. Is the currency, language, and fundamental knowledge the same no matter which nation I'm in?"
"Yes. Though there are local languages, overall the people use a universal language for easier communication."
"Okay. How do people know about our—or the Heroes'—status?"
"Upon arriving, a Hero mark will appear on your body. If seen, people will probably figure it out."
"So, it's like a tattoo? I don't want any flashy symbols."
"It's nothing flashy—just a simple design that will appear on you."
"Can I choose the placement of the mark?"
"That can be arranged."
"Then... can I put it on my eye? I know, weird placement, but it'll look cool, and I can pass it off as a genetic defect or something."
I said, pointing to my left eye. Sure, one pupil different from the other could attract questions, but I was good at deflecting—making up reasons was easy.
"Oh, if you use any Heroic-level spells, the mark will glow and stand out."
"Okay, so no using it near people."
For now, I'd gained the fundamentals of how that world functioned and how to hide my mark.
Knowing myself after two decades plus some, I knew full well I wasn't protagonist material. I could fight well, yes, but I'd like to live quietly, away from people who might use me if they knew my status.
"Is there any country that's peaceful enough and has solid defenses?"
"Well... I'd say Tricolor and Luminara are pretty solid. Tricolor is a big nation; their queen isn't strict about her status and advocates for peace. Luminara is smaller than Tricolor, slightly discreet, but their knights are very skilled and their administration works fast, so they're rarely damaged by monster attacks."
I pondered for a moment, weighing the choices. Though Tricolor sounded like a good option, its size as a big nation added the risk of being found. Luminara, on the other hand, could be a solid choice—a decent-sized nation with very skilled, trusted knights I could count on.
"I want a small café I can live in within Luminara's territory, somewhere slightly secluded from any towns. Like in a forest."
"There's a thick forest somewhat far from town but still close enough to the main trail if you need to go into town for whatever reason, so I'll place it there. Though, you might not receive many customers with how secluded your place is."
"I wouldn't worry about it. I just want to be able to enjoy my life."
Though, saying that, I realized that wouldn't cut it.
I still needed to handle life expenses and all.
"This might be too much to ask, but I want to be able to access all the books in that world, get ingredients and daily necessities, and money. Emphasis on money. Can you help me with that?"
"You sure ask for a lot. How about this?"
As soon as God said that, a small, antique-like pocket watch appeared in front of me.
As I reached out for the floating pocket watch, it fell directly into my palm.
It was an ornate gold pocket watch. The case was decorated with floral patterns in green, purple, and yellow, plus a small loop at the top for attaching a chain. It fit perfectly in my palm.
I opened the watch, and a translucent search screen—like something from a computer—appeared in front of me, showing a catalog of various things.
"The screen you're seeing is conjured out of your mind. Simply think of a word, and it'll summon it for you, so you don't have to manually use the search bar. Oh, it's unbreakable too, since it's God-made."
...This is like those cliché action stories I've heard people talking about. Holy shit.
"Can I have it automatically return to me if it's stolen or lost, and make it so no one questions what I summon with the watch?"
"That can be done."
I looked at the man, feeling a little bad about my inquiries, but I could feel bad later. I needed to make sure of this as much as possible.
"How about the backstory for where I came from?"
"Let's just say your village was brutally torn down by monsters and you're the only survivor. Orphans there live under the care of the nation and get placed in government-funded orphanages. Once they reach 18, they can decide to be independent or work at the orphanage—of course, they get paid too."
"You said there are local languages, right? I want to be able to understand them too."
"Done."
I was starting to feel uneasy with how much I was asking, but really, could you blame me?
I was going to be put into a world with monsters.
I wasn't taking any chances of dying!
"I have a lot of magic, right? How do I use it? Incantations, runes, any specific medium?"
"Hm..." God smiled at me, finally interested after my barrage of questions.
"So?"
"Most humans often use a medium to perform their spells, but for Heroes like you, I recommend simply... visualizing it. Feel it, see it, and release it. You have unlimited magic points, but you haven't learned any spells yet."
"How do I learn them?"
"Learn from other people or teach yourself with books."
"Heroic spells too?"
"Yep. Though you might need to find a fairly old book to learn them. The theory is difficult, so you won't be able to use them just from reading. Practice a lot!"
"...If I want to use Heroic magic from the start, what would happen?"
"I would certainly grant it to you, and your magic will increase to match the spell you'll cast."
This seemed too good to be true. But God's face was earnest and sincere—I really was winning at life with these cheats.
"Are there any types of Heroic magic?"
"Well, there's offensive magic with powerful attack power, defensive magic that can put up the strongest barriers, or recovery magic that heals any wounds or ailments."
I nodded, bringing my hand to my mouth to think for a moment.
Offensive magic would be good if I planned to live like an adventurer, but I didn't. Defensive magic would be the better choice—it could increase my survival chances.
"Then, make me able to use Heroic-grade defensive magic from the start."
"Also, just for clarity, I'll be able to use ordinary magic with no problem, right?"
"Yeah, you'll be able to use it just fine."
"Cool. What will happen to my existence in my original world?"
"Well, without your presence there, the world rewrites itself to fit the narrative. You'll have died when you were young, but there'll be no changes to the environment other than that."
"Well, as long as I didn't go missing, I guess."
I looked at the man, feet tapping the ground, thinking of what else I could ask.
"Um, once I go there, will I be able to contact you?"
"Usually, this would be the end. But I could make occasional visits to the world."
"...Could you make it so I can contact you? You know, so I can make a wish."
"Jeez, you sure ask a lot. It's possible. I'll answer your call and grant your wish, but this time you'll only get three. No, you can't wish for more wishes."
"I won't be involved in the life or death of humans, so if you wish to bring back or take someone's life, I cannot fulfill that."
"Right, understood. Thank you."
Hearing my confirmation, God seemed to lighten up, thinking I was done with my inquiries. But I still continued, asking whatever I could think of with zero hesitation.
Ultimately, God looked tired with all my questions. I didn't even realize he'd brought out a book to answer them. Somehow, it reminded me of myself taking orders back when I worked part-time as a waiter.
And thus, my life in an alternate world begins.
No crazy adventures, no fighting, and living quietly while avoiding unnecessary interactions—truly a dream come true.
Ah, and to the kids traveling in the same world as me, I'll leave everything to you. I'm sorry and thank you for your service.