When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a pure white space.

There was no sun and no electric lights, yet everything around me was brightly illuminated.

There was no end in sight, and the vastness of the space was impossible to measure.

I stood there in complete silence.

Feeling someone’s gaze on me, I turned around and saw an incredibly beautiful man with radiant golden eyes and long golden hair that reached his feet.

His beauty was almost inhuman, and he looked at me with a gentle smile that seemed capable of embracing everything, making me instinctively want to clasp my hands together in prayer.

But upon closer inspection, I noticed he was wearing nothing but a strip of white cloth wrapped around his waist, just enough to cover the important parts.

His perfectly sculpted physique was a work of art, but for someone like me, whose age equaled the number of years I’d been single, it suddenly became impossible to know where to look, and my eyes wandered awkwardly.

“Welcome.”

“We will now begin the ritual of reincarnation.”

A clear voice echoed directly inside my head.

“Huh?”

“Reincarnation?”

“And you are…?”

Still confused, I addressed the man who seemed to be the source of the voice.

“I am the god of Terralis, the world where you will soon live.”

“A god?”

“Why am I here?”

“If you’re really a god… does that mean… I’ve died?”

The owner of the voice answered my question calmly.

“Yes.”

“You lost your life on Earth.”

“However, your soul never lost its brilliance, and so it was welcomed into this world, Terralis.”

“No…”

“It can’t be…”

“I… died…?”

I searched through my memories of my previous life.

How had I died?

If I remembered correctly, I had been walking home from work that night…

The first thing I remembered was a beautiful white cat.

Its image returned vividly to my mind.

It had one sapphire-blue eye and one golden eye.

Its odd-colored eyes, elegant appearance, and extraordinary beauty had captivated me.

Then, just as I passed by the cat…

I saw the headlights of a truck hurtling toward me at incredible speed.

The instant I accepted that I was about to die, the world slowed to a crawl.

I picked up the cat that was near my feet and threw it with all my strength out of the truck’s path.

The last thing I saw was the cat looking utterly shocked after being flung away.

Then a tremendous crash rang out, and my consciousness faded.

‘So… I was hit by that truck…’

It seemed that was exactly what had happened.

“God…”

“What happened to that cat?”

When I asked, the god silently pointed toward my feet.

The white odd-eyed cat appeared before me, surrounded by a soft glow.

“He is my apostle.”

“He had gone to Earth to search for souls suitable for summoning.”

“If one of my apostles dies in another world, their soul is completely erased.”

“You saved him by risking your own life, preventing his soul from being destroyed.”

The cat I had saved had actually been a divine apostle.

My eyes widened in shock.

The cat walked over to me and stopped.

“Thank you very much.”

“I offer my heartfelt gratitude for your kindness and courage.”

The cat bowed politely to me.

I was startled that it could speak, but considering it was the god’s apostle, perhaps that was only natural.

“I-I’m so glad.”

“You weren’t hurt.”

“As long as you’re safe, that’s enough for me.”

As soon as I said that, the apostle rubbed affectionately against my legs.

“This time, our own oversight caused you to become involved in the accident.”

“An oversight?”

“In Terralis, a summoning ritual is performed roughly once every hundred years.”

“People from Earth who possess magical aptitude are summoned here.”

“During this latest search, you were accidentally caught up in the process.”

“Originally, you were destined to narrowly avoid the truck.”

“But I got caught up in it.”

“I suppose that was fate too.”

“Then perhaps this is fate as well.”

“You possess magical aptitude.”

“Rather than summoning you, I will grant you a new life in Terralis through reincarnation.”

“Does that mean I’ll be reborn as a baby?”

“Yes.”

“A new body is required.”

“Normally, only those summoned from Earth receive skills directly from me.”

“However, I shall grant you skills as well.”

“Is that really alright?”

“Terralis is a world of magic and swords.”

“It is also home to a Demon King who rules over monsters.”

“Unlike Earth, it is a world where danger is ever-present.”

“Without skills, there is a high possibility that you would lose your life at a young age.”

The god carefully explained everything.

But it was all so overwhelming that almost none of it actually sank in.

There was another reason I couldn’t focus.

Gathering my courage, I finally said what had been bothering me the whole time.

“Um… God!”

“I’m truly grateful for the chance to be reincarnated and receive skills.”

“But… could you please put on some clothes?”

Ever since meeting him, I hadn’t been able to look directly at the handsome yet nearly naked god.

I’d been stealing glances while desperately trying to avoid staring.

The god quietly murmured, “Hmm,” before gazing intently at me.

His eyes seemed capable of seeing straight into the depths of my soul, making me feel strangely embarrassed.

Then, in an instant, his appearance changed into that of a perfectly tailored suit.

“Is this the kind of clothing men wear on Earth?”

The sight of the god flawlessly dressed in a suit was even more dazzling than when he had been nearly naked.

I couldn’t help getting excited.

“Thank you so much!”

“It looks wonderful!”

“It’s a feast for the eyes!”

“I’m glad you like it.”

The god smiled gently.

‘He’s seriously a god!’

‘Even if I get reincarnated, I might never see someone this handsome again!’

“Yes.”

“I truly am a god.”

“Were you doubting me?”

“Eek!!”

Hearing him answer my thoughts, I realized my inner voice had been completely exposed.

I felt my face grow hot.

“I-I’m sorry.”

The god simply smiled and didn’t scold me.

Then he began explaining the choices for my next life.

“You may choose one of the following four options.”

Four glowing words appeared in the air before me.

[Hero]

Excels in swordsmanship, martial arts, and defensive skills.

Possesses abilities effective against the Demon King.

[Sage]

Has aptitude for every magical attribute.

Possesses immense magical power and can learn powerful magic effective against the Demon King.

[Saint]

Specializes in holy magic.

Possesses purification skills that only a Saint can use.

[Beginner’s Starter Pack]

Has no specific title and is free to enjoy life in another world.

A support package that allows even someone with no knowledge of another world to live safely.

“Wow…”

“That’s amazing!”

“Can I really choose for myself?”

“I thought you’d simply decide my skills for me.”

“Normally, those summoned through the ritual are given skills appropriate to the circumstances.”

“However, since our mistake caused your death, you are free to choose whichever you wish.”

“Thank you very much!”

I stared at the glowing words floating before me.

‘Let’s see… There’s even a Hero!’

‘That’s amazing!’

‘But defeating the Demon King…’

‘There’s no way I could fight someone like that.’

‘It’s way too scary.’

Next, my eyes moved to the Sage.

‘The Sage sounds appealing too…’

‘But I’d still have to fight the Demon King.’

‘Would I end up on the Hero’s party?’

‘I really don’t want to join a party like that…’

Then I looked at the Saint.

‘The Saint’s purification skill must be incredibly important.’

‘Being a Saint would mean carrying everyone’s expectations.’

‘That’s far too much responsibility for me.’

‘And since they’re called a Saint, they’d probably have to stand in front of crowds all the time.’

‘Helping people is wonderful…’

‘But that’s a little embarrassing.’

In the end, only the fourth option remained.

‘Beginner’s Starter Pack?’

‘This one feels completely different from the others.’

‘Having no specific title probably means I won’t be forced into a particular role.’

‘It says it’s a support package for living safely.’

‘Since it mentions safety and peace of mind… maybe it lets me live quietly in the countryside or something?’

That option stood out as being completely unlike the other three.

Would I really not have to fight the Demon King?

If possible, I’d much rather live peacefully somewhere in the countryside.

Besides, even in a world of swords and magic, staying alive came first.

Safety mattered.

“Um…”

“What exactly is the Beginner’s Starter Pack?”

“It is a collection of multiple skills that previous reincarnated individuals found indispensable while living in another world.”

“It grants no special title like Hero or Saint.”

“Instead, it contains abilities that are genuinely useful for people from Earth to survive in a world of magic and swords.”

If it contained skills that previous reincarnated people considered essential, then it was probably full of practical abilities.

For someone like me who wanted the best chance of surviving, the beginner’s option definitely seemed like the right choice.

“Then…”

“I choose the Beginner’s Starter Pack.”

Making up my mind, I pointed toward the fourth glowing option.

“You have chosen the Beginner’s Starter Pack.”

“Yes, please!”

I answered without hesitation.

I wasn’t looking for extraordinary powers.

All I wanted were skills that would help me live a peaceful life.

Maybe someday, with this Beginner’s Starter Pack, I’d be able to travel the world at my own pace.

The thought filled me with excitement for my new life.

“Then it is time.”

“I wish you good fortune.”

“Thank you.”

The white space was enveloped in a brilliant golden light.

My consciousness suddenly compressed.

The next instant, I felt cold air and an intense light.

“Waaaah!”

A tiny cry, one that didn’t even sound like my own, echoed out as I was wrapped in warm cloth.