Allen the Reincarnated Merchant: A Plan to Get Rich in Another World

Life forms from outer space swiftly took over the star, ushering in a new era.

Fortunately, these beings didn’t intend to needlessly destroy nature or kill existing creatures. They aimed for coexistence rather than domination, studying the inhabitants without exterminating them.

“Human have reached near the Great Tree of Origins, but it seems Ove and others are strongly opposing them. A conflict is ongoing.”

The beings who called themselves Ningen (humans) explored every corner of the star and established settlements within a matter of decades.

They adapted—not by evolving to their surroundings, but by using tools to carve out homes in various environments. From humid subtropical zones to the endless silver expanses of the permafrost, and even venturing into volcanoes and the deep sea, their curiosity knew no bounds.

Thus, it was only natural for these inquisitive Ningen (humans)to make their way to the Great Tree of Origins, the heart of the star.

“Are there casualties?”

“There doesn’t appear to be any significant damage to Ove and the others, but the Ningen (humans) have suffered considerable losses. They’re already beginning to retreat and have abandoned their forward base.”

I am in the vast cavern beneath the Great Tree of Origins, where everything began. The towering tree pierces the clouds, surrounded by abundant nature, nurtured by the star’s enduring energy, providing a home for my children under its boughs.

According to Reeve, almost the entire star has been subdued by the Ningen (humans). Although some creatures have been driven from their habitats, most live peacefully, unchanged. The area around the Great Tree of Origins, however, has faced repeated surveys by the Ningen (humans) since they first arrived.

“Ove usually behaves well, but…”

“I agree with Ove. They may conquer and settle this star, but we cannot yield this land.”

Even Reeve, who stands before me, voiced distaste for handing this land to the Ningen, who had swiftly come to dominate the star.

While I, too, have a fondness for this land where I was born and still reside, I am not like Ove, Reeve, or the others; I do not wish to remain here to the point of excluding others. I could travel the cosmos and settle on another pleasant star if needed.

“What about Ningen casualties?”

“Rough estimates suggest over 200,000. Most were likely crushed by Ove.”

Ove, one of my children, is massive, and the Ningen call him a giant mammoth. Whether he’s actually a mammoth or just resembles one, I’m unsure, but the Ningen’s radiant weapons have no effect on him, and he tramples them beneath his immense feet.

This is the fourth time the Ningen have attempted to reach the Great Tree, each attempt thwarted by Ove and others who share his views. In total, nearly a million Ningen lives have been lost.

Despite the ingenuity with which they try to defeat Ove and the other children affected by my influence, they have not succeeded.

“However, it seems Maro has gone to the Ningen… drawn to one of them, it appears.”

“Oh?”

Unlike the previous three surveys, my child Maro seems to have allied with the Ningen this time. Reeve explained that a Ningen with energy similar to that of the being who once granted me power happened to be nearby, and Maro followed this Ningen.

“Could it be that Allen was Ningen too?”

“Unclear. The Ningen with similar energy is not called Allen.”

All I know about the being who once granted me power is the name Allen. I asked Reeve the Ningen’s name, and apparently, she’s called Fujinomiya Sakura, a female Ningen of high rank among their people.

“The Ningen call Maro’s kind ‘cats.’ Although there should be friction, they seem to treat him well…”

“He’s not very good at fighting, so he probably hasn’t garnered much resentment.”

When I first heard that Maro had gone to the Ningen, I was worried, but he seems to be getting along with them better than I’d imagined.

If this could end the conflict, I’d be delighted… but that’s not for me to decide.

“If you intervene, Mother, the conflict could cease.”

“It may sound heartless, but I don’t feel compelled to act on behalf of either the Ningen or my children.”

Looking at the history of the battles, eliminating the invading Ningen wouldn’t be difficult. We could even obliterate those Ningen still lingering in the sky. However, this would destabilize the star, potentially killing many of my children in the aftermath. It would only take a day to wipe them out if I were the sole survivor, but turning this into a lifeless star would be meaningless.

Great power comes with great responsibility. If one wields it recklessly, only ruin awaits.

I know of many beings who built empires only to perish, and even some of my children who were consumed by their own power and met tragic ends. When harm extends to close ones, it’s even more devastating.

So, I use my power to help, but I’m careful about using it to harm others.

After a century of Ningen presence, perhaps my hopes reached them. The “cat-like spiritual species,” as Ningen called Maro, bridged the gap between us, ending a long, fruitless struggle.

In the end, we of the spiritual species suffered no losses, nor did we relinquish anything. The peace offering came from the Ningen, who proposed that they be allowed to settle on this star, which they called Seisen, and that they stay clear of the Great Tree and its surrounding forests.

The agreement limited the number of Ningen residents on Seisen, forbidding them from destroying the environment or killing animals without cause.

This allowed them to live on the star without any gain on our part. However, neither I nor Ove, who once took a hard stance against them, opposed their residence on Seisen. We merely barred them from the Great Tree; if they respected this rule, no conflict would arise.

The major shift is that, with our formal agreement, a few spiritual species began interacting with the Ningen, as Maro once did. But like Maro, who resides with the woman possessing power similar to Allen’s, complete trust is yet to be established.

“Sakura will be this star’s overseer. Her family will manage Seisen while other Ningen relocate.”

Over the next decade of exchange, Sakura was appointed the official leader of the Ningen on Seisen. The reason lies in her unique energy, passed only to her direct descendants.

Containing energy akin to the dark liquid I once unknowingly drank, Sakura is, predictably, popular with my children.

She may not fully understand why, but I’ve been unable to answer the question posed by Ningen, through Reeve, as to why my children are drawn to her.

(If there’s any plausible explanation, it’s that she may be Allen’s descendant…)

I heard that Ningen have a lifespan of about a hundred years.

Unlike me, who has lived for thousands of years, Ningen live short lives, easily succumbing to accidents and disease. During the conflict over the Great Tree, nearly a million Ningen perished by Ove’s hand.

If Allen, who I consider my parent, was also a Ningen, he is likely long gone, and our chances of meeting are slim.

(…Yet, I still feel that we may meet someday.)

There’s no solid proof, but my instincts tell me so.