Job Hunting for Reincarnators: What Did You Learn in Your Otherworld Life? - Episode 2

I am a recruitment interviewer at Startoy Co., Ltd., a major Japanese game manufacturer.

Due to the nature of my job, I pride myself on being well-versed in the popular professions of the otherworld in a Japan where trips to other worlds have become a daily occurrence.

Heroes, saints, and recently, villainesses who want to change the original story are all attracting attention, but there is one profession that always sits stably in fourth place.

That is the merchant.

In any world, everyone has a desire to earn as much money as they can.

If you are an otherworld traveler, you can earn enough money with just one idea, even as a so-called side job. For example, producing potions on the side while defeating the Demon King, mass-producing miracle cures for epidemics in between prayers, or concocting elixirs as part of your slow-life routine to go sell.

The conversation has skewed toward medicine, but the things merchants sell are truly diverse. I also hear stories about food made using skills, materials, and Japanese products that shake up otherworld cultures very often. It makes me worry that eventually, every other world will just become a degraded version of Japan.

Today, I am interviewing someone with experience as a merchant. The reason for such a restriction is that we are recruiting for a sales position.

"Our ace, Tanaka, got summoned to another world. I saw the magic circle with my own eyes. So, I need an immediate asset to replace Tanaka."

This is the third time Sales Manager Furukawa has told me this story. I could see that Furukawa was so damaged by the ace Tanaka's trip that he kept repeating the same story, but I dared not offer cheap encouragement like 'I hope he comes back soon.'

We are 'corporate warriors' who have experienced our subordinates and colleagues tripping to other worlds many times, and we have survived work that would make us vomit blood together.

Furukawa is a long-time employee who has been in sales his whole career, and one of my few friends. With his smart, youthful appearance for his age, combined with his likable personality and rhythmic Kansai dialect, he is a man deeply trusted by his subordinates and clients. By the way, he apparently experienced being a merchant in another world when he was young and built up enough wealth to buy a country.

"Losing your ace is tough. Are you treating it as 'Otherworld Leave'?"

"Yeah. I just hope it doesn't go to waste."

At our company, we grant employees who can no longer come to work due to an otherworld trip a paid leave called 'Otherworld Leave.' It is a system where we pay 70% of their salary for up to two years and keep them on the company roster, with the goal of supporting their reintegration into society and their remaining family.

While it is a kind system, the conditions for eligibility are actually strict. Cases like our ace Tanaka, where the summoning scene is witnessed, are quite lucky. They get immediate paid leave status. On the other hand, otherworld trips due to 'death' from traffic accidents or overwork are difficult to prove, and it is hard to get approval from above.

And what Furukawa is worried about is that Tanaka will never return to Japan.

Although Furukawa is making light of it, he must be worried about the ace Tanaka deep down. Since he is a subordinate he raised with great care, that is only natural.

That is why I must hire a promising candidate. That is the only encouragement I can give my friend.

***

・Masaki Kifune (32)

　Kifune was a cheerful-looking man with jet-black short hair that looked like he had dyed it specifically for the interview, and his ears still bore the marks of many piercings.
　If his resume was accurate, he had dropped out of university, drifted between part-time jobs, and then spent ten years in another world.

　In modern Japan, being a university graduate or a new graduate is not highly prioritized. Following our president's policy of valuing the unique other-world experiences that only a specific individual can offer, I began to probe into Kifune's previous job—his work in the other world.

“Now, first of all, please tell me about your previous job and your reasons for applying to our company.”

　Furukawa, sitting next to me, nodded as well.
　I was in charge of the questioning for this interview, and Furukawa was to ask follow-up questions if anything caught his interest.
　He had asked a few questions in the interviews today, but he didn't seem to have found anyone who clicked with him, and he looked a bit discouraged.

　I would be happy if Kifune-kun had been doing some kind of novel business.

　Of course, he had no way of knowing my selfish expectations.

“For ten years, I was a merchant in the other world's Kingdom of Pald. My main products were medicines, and I was able to gain the patronage of many regular customers... I applied to your company because I thought that by utilizing my sales know-how and negotiation skills, I could help more people play your games.”

　Medicine again! I've interviewed over ten medicine merchants just today. I wish he had at least some individuality.

“What was your motivation for deciding to sell medicine?”

“It was because the Goddess granted me the power of [Poison Magic] as a reincarnation bonus. I thought it was a trash skill that everyone would be disappointed in, but I realized that poison can also be medicine, so I used magic to create medicine. The effects are sleep induction and mental stabilization.”

“Many people make medicines that restore physical strength or magic power, but your perspective is interesting. Why did you decide to make that specific medicine?”

“The Kingdom of Pald suffered a lot of damage from monsters, and people were literally spending their days unable to sleep. Therefore, I thought I would take on the role of healing the hearts of the citizens.”

“If you are being attacked by monsters, anxiety would certainly build up.”

“Yes. I was also terrified. I spent my anxious nights taking medicine.”

　Kifune laughed, looking slightly self-deprecating.

　The way the words flowed out of him so smoothly was pleasant.
　But that was also what made me feel uneasy.
　Even though he was eloquent, his eyes kept darting around like a goldfish.

　It didn't seem like just simple nervousness...

　I can only describe my feeling as an interviewer's intuition. I had a vague sense that Kifune's words contained elements of fiction, and it made me feel like there was something shady going on.

　When I glanced at Furukawa sitting next to me, he was nodding with a frown, as if he felt the same thing. That must be a merchant's intuition.

I cupped my hands around my mouth like a megaphone and activated my [Expose] skill.

"Mr. Kifune. Please tell us about your commercial achievements."

"Yes. At first, I couldn't get any customers, so I distributed medicine to the poor people in the slums for free. That spread my reputation, and not only did I get more repeat customers, but I also succeeded in business negotiations with nobles afterward. My income jumped to 200 million gold coins, and it was even used at large parties... Oh!"

Kifune's eyes widened in surprise, and he stopped talking.

Ah, so that kind of medicine.

I spun my words, having understood everything.

"Medicine at parties, you say? Mr. Kifune, could you tell us the effects of your medicine once more?"

"Um... my medicine gives you an amazing sense of pleasure, or rather, lets you have good dreams... The side effect is that your internal organs get shredded, but it's addictive, so once you use it, you're a guaranteed regular... Ah, I didn't mean to say any of this!"

Kifune began to panic and tremble.

"I see. That doesn't sound like a commendable effect."

"B-but it's not illegal! That country doesn't have any laws regulating drugs! So I'm not in the wrong!"

Other worlds have their own laws, and if you don't violate them, it's not a crime. Even the harassment of a villainess or a 'serves you right' revenge, if there are no laws or rules to regulate them, you won't be held accountable for a crime.

But you know, Mr. Kifune, that kind of childish excuse won't be tolerated in Japan.

"What was your reason for returning to Japan?"

I interrupted Kifune's words to ask my question. The final blow.

"...I was forcibly deported by a goddess who snapped at my drug party."

"Did you not read the job requirements? I'm sure it was written in Japanese: 'Those who engaged in illegal activities in another world based on Japanese law are ineligible to apply.' Did you forget Japanese because you were in the Kingdom of Pald for ten years?"

"I was only in the Kingdom of Pald for three months..."

Kifune hung his head with a dejected expression.

Yes. Life points are at zero.

However, Furukawa, who was waiting to my right, didn't let it end there. In other words, overkill.
Furukawa looked extremely angry and slammed his hand onto the long desk with a loud bang. At the same time, Kifune shrank back.

"You're just full of lies! I can't entrust our sales department to anyone who isn't honest!"

Intimidated by the harsh Kansai dialect, Kifune shouted, "I'm so sorry!" and bolted out of the interview room as if fleeing.

Furukawa watched him go with a scowl and muttered, "What kind of 'S-rank merchant' is that?" as he roughly flipped the resume face down on the desk. I suppose it's a mercy he didn't tear it up.

His ideals as a merchant and sales manager are higher than mountains and deeper than the sea. As expected of a former 'S-rank merchant'.

"What do you have to do to become an S-rank merchant?"

Thinking I should lighten the mood in the now-quiet interview room, I spoke up.

"I bought a fallen kingdom and sold it to the princess of the ruined nation at a bargain price!"

Seeing Furukawa's smug look, I couldn't help but be impressed, thinking that sounded more like a hero than a merchant.

"We didn't have any excellent applicants like you this time. I'd like to pass on hiring anyone, but what does the sales department think?"

"The whole sales department might end up dying from overwork and going to another world..."

That would be a problem. I couldn't let our company become a factory for overwork-death-otherworld-trippers—or so I was about to say.

"Manager Furukawa. I need you to stamp the 'Otherworld Activity Report'."

The young man who poked his head into the interview room was none other than Tanaka, the ace of the sales department.

"Tanakaaaa! I'm so glad you're back!"

"Sorry for the trouble. That other world, the Paald Kingdom, had way too many drug addicts. I got lucky and picked up a saint who had been exiled, so I sold a ton of 'Detox Holy Water'."

It seems a common reincarnation saved an entire other world. As expected of Furukawa's subordinate.

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