I Became a Foreigner Loved by Transcendentalists

1 – Episode 1. The Hero and the Outsider

“Hey, porter! Aren’t you coming quickly!?”

“Ah, yes. I apologize.”

For such an unknown reason, it’s been around 2 years since I reincarnated into another world.

As a porter fulfilling the role of inventory for the party, I apologized to the damn woman who was yelling while walking ahead, and clutched the strap of the luggage bag.

“Don’t just apologize, come quickly! Can’t you see the dungeon raid is being delayed because of you!?”

“Ah, yes. I apologize for my slow feet.”

It’s irritating to deal with someone not carrying a single piece of luggage and acting haughty, but I have to endure it since it’s hard to live otherwise.

Since initially dealing with a malicious complaint is part of the hardships of a service job, it was within an acceptable range for a mere porter like me to be treated this way.

If there’s something regrettable, it would be that I wish she’d call my name properly, at least?

“But um, party leader? I have a name, it’s Woo Hyo-seong.”

From my father’s surname Woo, I was named Hyo-seong, meaning to uphold one’s convictions and to speak out loudly.

The meaning is to hold one’s convictions and speak out loudly at any time and place.

After coming to this world, my confidence dwindled, changing me into a passive personality, but still, I hoped to live uprightly and have my voice heard by others, if possible.

“Ha, so?”

However, the wizard lady, my actual employer, simply shoots me a disgusted look.

“Do you think I have an obligation to remember the name of an insignificant worm like you?”

“No, there’s no obligation, but since we’re traveling together, knowing at least the name would be…”

“Just shut up and follow me. If you don’t do properly, I’ll talk to the labor union and get you a demerit! Understand!”

She grumbles and continues deeper into the dungeon.

Typically, wizards, being back liners, shouldn’t lead, but she is recognized even in this world, unlike a porter like me.

If we were to make a comparison, it’s like the difference between an ant and an elephant.

Even if she only relies on the reputation, she’s in a position where she can act arrogantly among the ants, so to speak.

“Geez, the hero of this party is incredibly grumpy this time.”

“Even if we don’t know, it seems like the porter is a fellow school alumnus or something.”

Luckily, unlike the hero woman, the residents of this world aren’t entirely cold towards me.

On the contrary, since they too are ignored by her, the feeling towards me, the porter, might be closer to empathy.

“Ha ha, well, it can’t be helped. From my outsider perspective, it’s an honor to be under the hero’s command.”

“He he, enduring that much even when she doesn’t remember your name. You’ll treat your wife quite well later on.”

“Who knows, from what I see, it looks like I’ll be whipped instead.”

Exchanging jokes with a smirk, the middle-aged vanguard and archer followed the wizard woman.

Following them while forcing a smile, I pondered upon what they said in the process.

A woman who doesn’t even remember my name, huh…

Maybe not.

***

“Status open!”

Then came the rest period.

Setting down the luggage bag for a moment, I took time to check my status while seated.

To check the ‘special ability’ I awakened when I came to this world.

“Oh, what’s happening?”

And my colleagues, showing interest like ghosts smelling something, appear.

But I don’t particularly like nosy people.

“Ah, go away. Why do you always try to look at personal information?”

“He he, why are you so sensitive? We can’t even read it anyway.”

“What’s that, what is it called, Spicy or s*xtate? What’s written there? They say that all you otherworlders have some special ability.”

“Don’t be too interested in personal information.”

Thump!

When I threatened them with no real intent, the two chuckled and went back to maintaining their equipment.

Withdrawing my gaze from them, I looked at the status window before me.

—

—

[Reincarnate Woo Hyo-seong]

Class: Scout

Unique Ability: Existence Imprint

Aptitude Score

Physical: C+++ Skill: C++

Intellect: C- Sensibility: C+

Spirit: A Mystery: F

—

—

“Oh, this is…”

At a glance, it’s a status where, aside from spirit, nothing much stands out.

If class isn’t some kind of hidden class, then joining a guild makes it common…

What needs attention is the unique ability and aptitude score.

Among them, the aptitude score is also present in the residents of this world, which would be like status in a game, but it doesn’t increase with level, making it distant from such a structure.

To put it simply, it ranks the parameters that an individual has… Well, to simplify, if you’re strong, physical increases, if you’re skilled or clever, skill increases, if you’re smart, intellect increases.

From meeting various people, although not precise, adult men who have experienced labor are likely C rank for physical. Professional athletes or soldiers in training are B, those with above-average real combat experience like special forces are A, and humans considered the strongest or above are presumed to be S rank.

And my physical, which was only a C, now has three pluses attached after 2 years of odd jobs.

This means that even aptitude score can increase if you toughen your body… Darn, the more I see it, the less it makes sense.

What catches my eye is that spirit is A rank, but it only means maintaining calmness even when something happens in front of you.

Actually, physical, skill, and intellect, which help in battle, are all C rank, which is not satisfactory.

No, more than that, why is my intellect C rank?

If my college entrance exam score averages 3rd grade, that should be in the top 20%, so shouldn’t it be B rank? Is it the same in this world that unless you score in the 1st grade, you’re ignored?

“Sigh, what’s with that damn college entrance exam, making my insides rot even in another world.”

Of course, if you’re lucky, you can fly high in a reincarnation to another world, but ironically, I didn’t even have that luck.

It’s this unique trait.

The special skill given only once to a reincarnate, and the reason why the people of this world are so fascinated by reincarnates.

—

—

—

[Unique Trait-Existence Imprint]

[The people you meet will not forget your existence. Regardless of who they are, or whatever happens.]

—

—

—

…Yes. Being remembered is all there is to it.

Regardless of who they are or whatever happens, they don’t forget the name.

What is this?

Where is this supposed to be used?

“Hey, porter. Carry all of this and follow.”

That’s when something heavy was dumped in front of me, as I was frowning at the status window.

When I looked down to see what it was, it was loot brought by a wizard who had been hunting even during the break time inside the dungeon.

Fist-sized teeth, and large magic stones one by one on the leather… Wow, did she sweep through a monster horde alone somewhere?

No wonder people of this world prostrate themselves before the able.

“What are you doing? Hurry up and put the stuff in!”

“Yes~ Yes~ I’ll do as told~”

“Your way of speaking is annoying. Do you have a complaint by any chance?”

“Sigh, a complaint? What complaint can I have, considering my position? I’m grateful enough that you’re providing for me.”

“…I’ll keep watching, so remember that.”

Tch, the wizard woman turns her back on me, flicking her tongue, and leaves her spot.

Soon after, my colleagues, barely finished with their preparations, staggeringly follow her, and begin to desperately flatter her, trying to accommodate her mood.

“Um, miss? It seems like you overworked yourself even during our break, how about taking a little rest? Your magic power must have hit rock bottom.”

“I have enough magic power, so all you guys need to do is shut up and follow me. You only need to listen to me, the hero.”

Oof, yes yes. That’s right. Us worthless folks just need to listen to the hero.

Even though internally I made snide remarks, in the end, all I felt was self-loathing.

“Sigh, how did I end up being treated like an outsider.”

Right, she, having awakened formidable power in her previous life, was a hero, and I, who awakened a pathetic power, was a worker from another world, in short, an outsider.

Even though I reincarnated into this world, just because of this darn lack of luck I have to be treated like a slave… There’s a limit to the saying ‘life is full of ups and downs’.

“Kyaaak!”

In the midst of that, a scream echoed from the front.

Surprised, I turned my gaze forward, and saw that the wizard woman who had been leading was caught by tentacles that surged up from the ground.

Darn woman. Did she move forward confidently only relying on her power without properly checking for ambushes?

“What, what is this! Let go of me now!?”

“Oh no! The party leader’s been captured! The tentacles are thicker than we thought, we can’t approach easily!”

Giant, thick tentacles spread out in every direction. Before we could respond, the woman wizard’s limbs were gradually being strangled by the tentacles.

If we leave her, she will surely face a terrible fate. Thinking that, a frontline gentleman urgently turned towards me and shouted.

“Damn, I might get swept away if I go in too. Hey, porter friend! Isn’t there some way to save that lady!?”

“Eh? Even though she’s a hero, she’s a damn woman; isn’t it fine to just leave her?”

“Surely, like you said, that hero lady always lives with a curse on her lips, lives lavishly with her arrogance, and wastefully spends the money she earns. Her character is no different from a shameless ruffian, but, isn’t she also pretty with big breasts? You never know! If we save her, she might let us touch them once!”

Ah, this uncle, what he’s saying is really.

Does wanting to touch those darn breasts warrant risking one’s precious life?

Do men just need a pretty face and a large D, after considering it, that’s sufficient?

Thinking about it, it makes sense.

“Eek, this monster!”

However, while having such thoughts, the wizard woman’s body was fully bound by the tentacles.

“No, surely…”

Afterwards, the moment she imprinted the grotesquely wriggling tentacles in her eyes, her face started to turn pale.

As if she had a premonition of her future from their movement.

“You, this monster! Are you trying to violate me!?”

-Kyaaak!

Without any proper countermeasure, her limbs were torn off by the force of the tentacles.

“Gag…”

The eyes of the darn woman rolled back, and her head dropped.

Undoubtedly, a perfect instant death.

“Ahh! It’s a tentacle monster that dismembers limbs!”

With a reflexive scream, my body hastily moved to the opposite side.