Overloaded With Attributes Chapter 00

The "Isekai Hero (Merchant)" Gets Sent Back.

Inside a cramped, old building made of rough-hewn stone.

I’m standing at the counter—a cheap, worn-down wooden thing—counting coins of all different shapes and materials. Roughly minted copper and silver.

"Ten long years of hardship... I really toughed it out, even if no one's here to pat me on the back. I don't have any combat skills. I struggled against the weakest monsters. For a guy like me to finally be able to open his own shop..."

Of course, it’s not in the "Royal Capital" or anything. It's in a regional city. And on top of that, the building is second-hand, you know? But this is a world with dragons, demons, and even a "Demon Lord" running around. For safety, I picked a regional city, but it's a "Fortress City," so even a used property cost me a pretty penny.

You think I should've gone for a new building instead of a used one? ...Duh, of course I would've! But, like I keep saying, this is a fortress city, okay? Trying to build something new on a tiny, walled-in, safe-but-cramped plot of land? That's beyond unreasonable.

Taxes just to demolish the old building. Taxes on the demolition waste. Taxes on the lumber and stone. And, of course, taxes on the new building.

Unless you're a massive store—maybe not #1 in the country, but in the top ten—or the official, pampered merchant for some great noble, you just can't go around rebuilding shops on a whim.

So, even if it is a used building! For a guy my age to "own his own shop" is still a huge accomplishment! ...Man, who am I even trying to brag to...?

Right, let's back up a bit.

It was about ten years ago that I was summoned to this "other world" called "Iskaria."

Behold! The "Eagerly-Awaited Rookie" no, the "Hero of Hope!" With a massive fanfare, I was abducted from Earth as one of the "Heroes"... wait, no, "abducted" isn't quite right. They did technically check for my consent before teleporting me.

But c'mon, okay? Back in reality—back in Japan—I was in the middle of a traffic accident while on a trip with my parents. The bumper of a massive truck was right in my face! My mind went totally blank! Pure, unadulterated panic! I was in a complete state of shock, you get me?

And to top it all off, if I refused the summoning, I'd be left right there... at the accident scene. Meaning my death was 100% guaranteed. In that situation...

"Ah, sorry, that's kinda against my religion, so... I'm afraid it just wasn't meant to be this time."

...Who the hell says that?! Is there anyone on Earth who could've said no?!

And what was with that line?

"Fortunately, you have been recognized by a great existence. Would you not henceforth perform glorious deeds as a Hero in our world?"

Yeah, right! What are you, 'God' (you bastard), some shady recruiter for the Self-Defense Forces?! I was so shocked by the whole thing, I just muttered in my head,

"O-Oh..."

That reply wasn't a "yes"! It was that uniquely Japanese, vague, question-filled, ambiguous expression! It was a subtle nuance of the heart, dammit!

But they took that as consent and bam—I was suddenly in a place I'd never seen. A massive, solemn stone church, with light streaming through dazzling stained-glass windows. My state of mind... well. If this was a reincarnation story, you're supposed to at least let me say, "...This ceiling is unfamiliar."

And get this, they went to all the trouble of "confirming" I wanted to come, and I was supposed to be a "Hero," but... I didn't get a useful-sounding "Class" like everyone else. And, of course, I didn't get any of the "I'm so OP!" combat skills, like swordsmanship or magic, that are supposed to come with it.

Seriously, I don't know if it was "transmigration high" or what. The fact that I actually tried to fight monsters with one single Blessing (Gift) called "Isekai Merchant"—which, just from the name, screams 'not for combat'—baffles me to this day.

I must have really lost it back then...

The extraordinary new reality of an "other world." The cold, hard reality that my parents were, without a doubt, dead back in Japan. As if I didn't care about anything in the world, including my own life, I just...

"Hahaha, who needs skills when you can just hit 'em really hard?!"

...I was shouting total nonsense like that while swinging a blade around. Looking back on it now as an adult, it was clearly the act of a total psycho. Like giving a knife to a madman.

Of course, that kind of adrenaline-fueled meathead routine couldn't last forever. About two weeks in, before I could snap out of it, I got myself seriously injured. I ended up hovering on the brink of life and death.

Even if I was useless, if a rumor spread that "The summoned Hero of Hope has died..." It would destroy the morale of the newly-formed "Demon Lord Subjugation Army" and the other "Earthlings (Transferees)" who were summoned with me. The commoners supporting us on the home front might even panic and riot, you know? Thanks (?) to that, I received unbelievably good treatment. And luckily, my life was saved... however.

Sure, my injuries did heal, more or less. But I was a guy who, no matter how you sliced it, was clearly not going to be useful in a fight. The decision they handed down to me was:

"You have, until now, proactively stood on the front lines, inspiring our hearts. You roused our spirits when we could only fear and tremble before the demon race. It is extremely painful to have to make such a cruel declaration to you, who has tried so hard... But with no skills useful for war, nor a blessing that shows effect on the battlefield... you will not be able to follow us in the battles to come."

...Seriously, you're noticing this way too late! You should've realized that the second I was summoned! You knew it the moment you checked my skills and blessings, dammit!

Having had my own near-death experience, the emotional doping I'd been running on—my grief over my parents' deaths—completely wore off. All that was left was me, with my calm, calculating, profit-and-loss-driven mind fully restored.

Of course, I couldn't look happy about the proposal... that would be rude to the other Earthlings who were going to keep fighting. So, I put on my most "end-of-the-world" expression. I clenched my jaw, squeezed out a few tears, and—reluctantly—accepted their offer of retirement.

...It goes without saying that, in my heart of hearts, I didn't feel a single shred of regret about leaving the battlefield.

There was a huge farewell party with the comrades I'd fought beside. Tearful goodbyes and everyone's gratitude. I was dropping out midway, but it was the end of a battle I had, in my own way, tried my best in. I received a bit of severance pay to start my new life and was transferred from the front lines to the rear.

Yes! This was it! My cheat-level "G R A N D ☆ S U C C E S S!!" using the blessing from God, "Isekai Merchant," was about to begin...!

...Yeah, right. If the ability was that good, they would've been kissing my ass from the start.

"Isekai Merchant." From the name, you'd probably imagine:

"A [Net Shop] ability that lets you purchase and order goods from another world—i.e., Japan."

And you'd be... exactly right, actually. But the price required for it was...

"An amount calculated based on the item's value in this world—the other world—in the region where the item was purchased."

It was a completely pain-in-the-ass system.

...Isn't that just the same as buying from a local shop?! Aren't these things supposed to let you "buy low and sell high"?! Let me make a fortune on pepper and sugar, dammit!! It's an ability to get items that are rare in this world, but the only "profit" is a tiny handling fee. It makes no damn sense...

Of course, there was a way to make a bigger profit, you know. That method was...

"Stocking up from the Isekai Shop on items that are cheap in the current town but will sell in another town, and then traveling."

That's just plain-old trading! I'm just a regular traveling merchant! If that's the case, at least give me a wise wolf as a partner! Send me a cute wolf girl, dammit!

The items from the Isekai Shop never went out of stock and were always high quality, so I can't really complain, I guess. I could even get stuff like rice, soy sauce, miso, and Wagyu beef. ...Cost a fortune, though.

So, I managed to leave the front lines with what you could call a blessed "FIRE" (Financial Independence, Retire Early) for an isekai-er. I didn't have much starting capital or any powerful backers. A life filled with nothing but anxiety began.

For ten years, I worked my ass off, relying only on this blessing I couldn't tell was useful or useless. I didn't get sidetracked by women or booze. I pinched every single penny. And finally, finally, I was able to buy a shop I could call my own castle!

...By the way, burning your fingernails or body hair smells awful, so all you good kids out there, don't do it.

"Hmph, heheh... This is it! My triumphant march begins now!"

That's right, as of today, I am the lord of my own castle!

"Fufufu, fufu... FWAHAHAHAHA! Right! First thing's first... time to find myself a young wife!"

My spirits were sky-high! A fresh start! I was supposed to start enjoying my new life... but then.

"Huh? W-Wait? Wh-What the hell is this?! No, no, no! My body... My body's disappearing! It's dissolving, starting from my fingertips! Huh? Wha-? Wha-?"

I've heard that when people fall into a situation that makes absolutely no sense, they become strangely calm. Well, that's about half right. I wasn't screaming, but as I stood there, simply dumbfounded, a voice echoed in my head.

It was the voice I'd heard when I was first summoned to "this world." Not that I'd heard it enough to feel "nostalgic"... The androgynous voice of "God (temp)."

"O Heroes from another world... thank you for everything. Thanks to your efforts, this world has been spared from destruction. The defeated Demon God has released the magical power it had accumulated... As promised at the beginning, we shall send you back to your original world, your original place, and your original time."

...Apparently, someone else. Someone who wasn't me, one of the others who was abducted with me ten years ago, must have actually done their job and defeated the Demon God.

"Furthermore, all experience gained in this world, as well as any items you've obtained, will all be reset—that is, reclaimed. We ask for your understanding."

...Wait, hold on! I never once said I wanted to go back! In fact, I never even thought it! And besides, nobody ever told me we'd be sent back if the Demon God was defeated, you know?! I worked so hard, I worked and worked and worked... and I finally got my own shop, you know?!

...Okay, let's ignore for a second how nuts it is that a "Hero" summoned to kill a "Demon God" was just diligently running a business! My life was finally stable! I was literally just about to go out and hit the town! This is the timing you pick?!

Tonight, to celebrate, A beastman onee-san (the wild type). A dark elf onee-san (the sultry type). A hobbit onee-san (the legal loli). I was planning to hit up all the adult clubs where those lovely ladies would "take care" of me! I was gonna try my best at marriage-hunting! If I got lucky, I was thinking I'd find some simple, innocent-looking girl in her early teens to make my bride!

"I DON'T WAAANNNAAA!! I DON'T WANNA GO BAAAACK!! No matter what, I'm staying in this worl...d..."

There was no way a selfish tantrum like mine would reach anyone. Just like that time I was suddenly sent to this other world. My body and my consciousness... cleanly—poof—vanished from that place.

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