The story begins with the protagonist, a salaryman named Sato Haru, dying in a workplace fire caused by his boss's carelessness. Upon death, he finds himself in the afterlife, only to be informed by a flustered demon official that there was a mistake and he was supposed to have survived. This survival was contingent on a witness who, unfortunately, was killed by a runaway car whose driver vanished. Due to this unforeseen complication, Haru is now outside the normal afterlife system and is offered a choice: reincarnate in another world with a goddess's blessing and skills, or reincarnate without them. Haru, having no strong attachments to his previous life and preferring a simple existence, reluctantly agrees to reincarnate with a blessing, wishing for a comfortable, white-collar job. The goddess, a beautiful woman named Forte, grants him the Alchemist job skill, along with Appraisal and Magic Bag (spatial storage).
Haru is reborn as Harold, a commoner in a rural village. He retains his adult consciousness and pragmatic personality, finding the idea of romance with his current young peers unappealing. His mother, Mina, is beautiful but manipulative, relying on others' affections for her livelihood. His father is absent, and Harold is largely raised by his maternal grandparents, who are diligent and kind. Harold works hard on the farm and hunting to support himself and his grandparents, aware of his mother's detrimental influence.
A significant conflict arises with Ronald, a boastful childhood acquaintance who possesses considerable talent and is destined for the Royal Academy. Ronald frequently bullies Harold, forcing him to carry his belongings and disrupting his work. Mina, Harold's mother, actively encourages this behavior, even striking Harold when he refuses to comply with Ronald's demands. This incident, witnessed by Ronald's younger brother Peter, leads to a shocking discovery: Mina and Ronald are engaged in an inappropriate relationship. The ensuing village scandal results in Mina abandoning her family, leaving Harold and his grandparents to deal with the fallout and the villagers' ostracization.
Harold, his grandparents, and Peter (whose family is also implicated) are forced to leave their village. They relocate to a new village where Harold's grandmother once lived. Here, Harold begins to cultivate rare medicinal herbs and vegetables, which are highly valued. He also forms a partnership with Aaron, a skilled hunter and fellow orphan. Together, they hunt and gather resources, with Harold using his Magic Bag and developing his Alchemist skills, including rudimentary fire magic. They also discover ways to create sugar and pepper substitutes from local flora.
During this time, Harold has a dream where he meets Goddess Forte again. She reveals that the complications in his afterlife were due to the main god's (Forzat) actions and that she is intervening to protect him. She bestows further blessings, including a magical bracelet that can form a bow and shoot elemental arrows.
Their diligent efforts and growing skills attract attention. The local Adventurer's Guild, recognizing their potential and the unusual nature of their abilities, reports them to the capital. This leads to an invitation for Harold and Aaron to study at the Royal Capital, a prospect Harold dreads due to the potential reappearance of Ronald, but one they must accept due to national policy.
The narrative concludes with Harold and Aaron preparing for their journey to the capital, facing the unknown with a mix of apprehension and determination, while also dealing with the ongoing challenges of survival and the lingering effects of the main god's "mistakes."
