Chapter 1 – Death by Delivery Bike (Seriously?)

Erik Thermos was thirty years old, and if life was a game, he’d been speedrunning “loser route” with world record pace.

His father? Ran away years ago after drowning the family in debt.
His mother? Happily remarried to a guy who looked like he bathed in perfume and money, hahahaha..I really hate that guy to be honest ..She pretending Erik was just some “distant relative.”

And His friends? Nonexistent..80% married with kids and 20% is big money earning. Like you usually watch in dramas..
Girlfriend? Ha. Not even in another timeline. Even you create 14 million universe. Unlike Ironman I would never get a single gf in any single parallel world.

The only thing Erik had left was his faithful delivery bike. Old, rusty, and more duct tape than metal, but it was his partner in crime. Well—his partner in cheap fried noodle deliveries. Not only noodles, you get all kind of foods snacks in late night.

“Thirty years old, no savings, no future, delivering cold noodles and snacks to people who don’t even tip,” Erik muttered, swerving past cars. “Living the dream. Can’t wait to brag about this in my imaginary high school reunion.”

As if the universe had been listening and decided it was time for a punchline, the gas tank hissed.

Pfffffssshhhh.

Smoke puffed out like a magician announcing his grand finale or some WWE wrestler coming to knock me out of the tournament in 1st round punch. What the hell I am even talking about.

“…That’s not good,” Erik said flatly. I have to stop the bike and run. But where?

Anyway I have to run..run..run..run..

A second later—

BOOM!

The bike exploded. Flames, noise, and the faint smell of something like burnt chicken. I feel so cold yet my body is becoming ash. This is the same feel phoenix feel every time while reborn? Just like that, Me, Erik Thermos—thirty years old, unprofessional delivery man, amateur disappointment—was deleted from existence. Just I thought if I am dying like phoenix I want to reborn again..

When my eyes opened again, I wasn’t in a hospital. I wasn’t in the morgue either. I was lying flat on my back in a wide, open field. I can see a some weird creatures around and some weird birds too. Their sounds woke me up. Far I hardly see any house or city.

Green grass stretched endlessly. The sky was painted in blue, dotted with clouds that looked like they came from a desktop wallpaper. Wind brushed his face gently. East side I see forest starts.

It is… peaceful yet scary.

“Uh.” Erik sat up slowly. “So either I’m dead, or I accidentally delivered myself to the countryside.”

The memories returned one by one. Thirty years. my failures, my regrets—or lack of them. All the wasted years, the dead-end jobs, the nothingness.

I thought I would feel sadness. Regret. Anger. Instead, I just muttered:

“…Wow. I didn’t even live a B-grade life. More like… Z-grade. Thirty years and I accomplished nothing. Didn’t even learn how to play guitar. Or bake bread. Or ever successfully talked to a girl. Or—dammit—I didn’t even finish my Netflix and Prime Video list.”

sighed.

“Well, at least I died before paying next month’s rent. Small victory, Big Cost”

Then it hit me.

Literally.

A stabbing pain in my head. Then it came to my eyes and eyes burned like I would stared at a welding torch.

“Gah! What the—?!”

A sound rang in my ears.

DING!

A glowing blue screen pops up in front of me. Words scrolled across it like some anime’s cheap opening credits.

SYSTEM INITIALIZING…
Name: Erik Thermos
Age: 30
Job: Detective

Wait Wait. What is happening? I got a system? Its mean I really teleported? God is GREAT.

I cried in happiness. Little felt sad for my earth but its ok nobody there to receive my body anyway.

But But But….

“…Detective?” I rub eyes. “No, no, no. Hold on. Where’s ‘Hero’? Where’s ‘Chosen One’? Where’s at least ‘Sword Guy #57’? Why am I—Detective?!”

The glowing text didn’t care. It beeps again and proudly displayed:

First Mission Assigned
Target: 1 km west
Objective: Help a girl find her missing stone
Reward: A House

“…Wait. Did I read that right? A house? Just for finding a rock?”

Erik blinked. Then blinked again.

“…Seriously? Back on Earth I worked thirty years and couldn’t afford rent. Here it’s: ‘Find a pebble, win a mansion.’ What kind of fantasy housing market is this?”

“It’s not a pyramid scam right? Like its all dream or I am in drugs?”

Anyway I stand up, brushing grass from my cheap delivery uniform, staring west.

Yes you guessed right, I am still wearing my favourite delivery uniform.

“Alright. Deep breaths, Erik. You died. You reincarnated. You got a system. This is normal. Happens in anime all the time.”

I puffed my chest. “I’m the isekai protagonist now! Erik Thermos, Detective of Another World! The man who solves mysteries!”

A butterfly floated down and landed gently on my nose.

“AAAAAAAAAH!” I screamed, flailed wildly, and fell backward into the grass.

laying there, staring at the sky.

“…Great start, Detective Thermos. Truly inspiring.”

Still, the mission screen glowed in front of him.

A girl.
A missing stone.
A house.

my very first case.

I could feel it—my blood rushing, adrenaline spiking. This was it. my second chance at life.

Except, of course, there was one tiny problem.

“…I don’t actually know how to be a detective.”

Somewhere, the system gave a cheerful ding, as if mocking me.

I groaned. “Fine, fine. West it is. Let’s go find a girl’s rock. Worst case, I trip on it and get rewarded anyway.”

I stumbled forward through the grass, muttering to myself.

If not success I have to spend night with some wolves and there 1% chance they will be civilized with me. I need this house fast and then foods too and then bath, then some chicken stew and rice and egg top. But it’s a different world. What I get here actually?

Something is definitely wrong here…

And thus began the misadventures of me, Erik Thermos, thirty-year-old delivery man, part-time corpse, and the world’s newest—though possibly least prepared—detective.