TL Notes: In response to the possible question: “Why are you not translating from where the last translator left off?” please allow me to say a few words. This is my first translation project, and I am only getting up to speed. The initial translation for this chapter, with some 1600 words, took me about 1 hour 40 minutes. I am testing the waters and seeing how doable this is while experimenting with style and such. Please offer me criticism and suggestions. Enjoy:
Prologue – Death and Reincarnation
A life so normal that nothing can be said about it.
After leaving college, I joined a major general contractor firm and am living alone now at the age of 37. Having no girlfriend.
Filial duty left to my older brother, my life is essentially that of an independent, single noble.
Neither short of height, or wanting of a good face. Yet unpopular. I have tried exherting effort into finding a girlfriend – and have confessed thrice! – but after being dumped, my heart is left shattered. Well, having reached this age, I can honestly say that this romance thing is naught but troublesome.
And although you could say that I am mostly busy with work, it’s not like I am troubled by not having one. It’s not like I am making excuses… really.
「Senpai! Sorry for keeping you waiting!」
With a cheerful smile the young man approaches me. And, by his side–a beauty.
More specifically, the young man, Tamura, is a junior at the same company I work at; the one by his side is our company’s renowned Madonna, the receptionist Sawatari-san.
Yep, I have been asked by these guys to offer consultation on their upcoming marriage. And by the way, this is the reason why I started wondering about my own unpopularity.
The after-work rendezvous was held at an intersection, and there the two hoped to indulge my thoughtfulness and support.
「Yeah. So, what kind of advice are you looking for?」
I ask while greeting Sawatari-san.
「Hello, pleased to meet you.My name is Sawatari Miho. Although we have seen each other before, this would be the first time we are speaking, right? Makes me nervous, somehow. 」
The nervous one is me, damn it! I mean, I am not that good with speaking to girls in the first place. Cut me some slack! With such words, I silently complain to myself.
And in the first place, with no apparent love experience, what kind of advice can I even offer? Aren’t you all just poking fun at me! It’s spite, isn’t it.
「Hello. I am Mikami Satoru. No need to be nervous or anything. Sawatari-san is famous with us, so I know who you are even without the introduction. About Tamura–we went to the same University, you know, so we’ve had lots to talk about. After which we naturally hung out a bit.」
「What’s this about being famous? Are there weird rumors floating about?」
「Yeah. Like having had an affair with Chief X, or going on dates with Y-kun–things like that.」
It was all just teasing, of course. And although I intended these to be just some light jokes, Sawatari-san’s face turned bright red and she looked at me with watery eyes. Hate to admit it, but she looked adorable.
Well, my jokes lack both delicacy or tact, and I am often told to keep my mouth shut… but I end up saying them anyways.
Yep, failed again, huh? Yep, I am just bad with women.
And as if on cue, in steps Tamura, lightly tapping her shoulders.
Damn it, Tamura you bastard! It’s these situations where you riajuu should just all explode! I should shout this, right?
「Senpai, please leave it at that! And, Miho, you are just being teased!」
With a laugh Tamura continues mediating the situation. Aren’t you dandy, junior!
Bright, cheerful, and without a hint of sarcasm. Isn’t he a lovable guy…
Tamura’s only 28. And although we are so many years apart, we’ve got something in common. Well, nothing to do I guess but to give them my blessing…
「My bad. I’m just not that good with women. And, well, the location doesn’t help much, does it? Let’s get something to eat and talk there.」
It’s just jealousy, after all. And just when I thought so…
「「「Kyaaaaaaaaaa!」」」
Screams. Confusion.
What? What’s going on?
「Move it! I’ll kill you!」
Turning to the sound of the voice, a man brandishing a knife and holding a bag is running towards us.
I hear the scream. I see the man. I see the knife. Where is it pointing? At….
「Tamuraaa!」
*Don* I hit Tamura out of the way.
*Dosu* There’s a burning pain in my back.
「Tch, damn hindrance!」
Having shouted thus, I see the man escaping and turn to make sure Tamura and Sawatari-san are safe.
With a shout that resembled no words, Tamura runs up to me.
Sawatari-san is stunned by the sudden turn of events, but appears without other injury… thank god.
That being that, my back burns. Feelings of pain aside, it just burns.
What’s up with this? It’s too hot… can’t it let off a bit?
＜＜Confirmed. Establishing heat resistance. Success＞＞
Could it be… was I stabbed?
Can’t be dying from a stab wound….
＜＜Confirmed. Establishing pierce resistance. Success. Additionally, establishing physical attack resistance. Success＞＞
「Senpai… there’s blood coming out… it’s not stopping… it’s ain’t…」
What’s up with this loud guy. Feel like his voice was strange just now; well, that much can be expected from Tamura.
But blood? Yeah, that’s clearly leaving. I am human, after all. When stabbed, I bleed!
But pain is unpleasant, isn’t it….
＜＜Confirmed. Removing perception of pain. Success＞＞
Well… this is bad, right? Pain and impatience are muddling my senses.
「Ta… Tamura… you are damn loud. It… is not that big of deal, right? Stop worrying…」
「Senpai… the blood… you keep…」
His face blue, on the verge of tears, Tamura continues to hold me. That’s the face that is the ruin of handsome men.
I tried to take a look at how Sawatari-san was doing, but my vision is too hazy. Can’t see.
The burning sensation in my back is gone. Instead, a ferocious cold strikes me.
This could be bad… when people don’t have enough blood, they die, don’t they?
＜＜Confirmed. Creating a bloodless body. Success＞＞
(Hey, you, what’s this you’ve been going on about the past few minutes….)
I try to speak, but no words come out. This is bad, maybe I really will die….
But hey, I no longer feel neither pain nor the burning.
But it’s cold. So cold, and nothing I can do about it. What’s with this… I am too busy of a man to be freezing in this cold.
＜＜Confirmed. Establishing cold resistance. Success. Additionally, heat resistance has successfully evolved into thermal fluctuation resistance EX＞＞
At that time, the dying brain cells of mine, with a flash of inspiration, have remembered the truly important things!
Yes! The contents of my PC hard drive!
「Tamuraa!! If and only if, I say, I die… take care of my PC. I beg you… submerge it in water, turn it on, and completely wipe the data clean…」
Thus I, having summoned the remainder of my strength, have conveyed the matters of most grave importance.
＜＜Confirmed. Attempting full format of all information. Error, impossible due to lack of definition. Attempting alternate interpretation. Establishing electricity resistance. Success. Additionally, paralysis resistance has been acquired＞＞
I don’t know exactly what Tamura was saying at that moment, while giving me that blank look.
But, I understood the meaning of what was said.
「Haha… that’s so like Senpai…」
He said with a bitter smile. Who would even want to look at a man’s crying face? That grin is so many times better.
「You know, I… about Sawatari, I wanted to show her off to senpai…」
Heh, I knew it.. .this bastard.
「Tch… jeez. I’ve forgiven all of it, so your girlfriend, make her happy, got it? And take care of the PC…」
The last of my strength, was only enough to say that much.
Completely unsatisfied, Mikami Satoru died.
And at that instant, Mikami Satoru’s “soul” linked with a spawned monster in another world.
Into a dimensional crack so small that no eye could see. His soul linked with a mass of demonic energy.
This mass was the origin of demons, and to Mikami Satoru who had linked to it, his thoughts as a base, the mass constructed a body.
What is normally is essentially an impossibility with an astronomically small chance of occurrence, Mikami Satoru was reborn as a monster in another world.
A life so normal that nothing can be said about it.
After leaving college, I joined a major general contractor firm and am living alone now at the age of 37. Having no girlfriend.
Filial duty left to my older brother, my life is essentially that of an independent, single noble.
Thus, a virgin.
Unbelievable, departing the world without ever been put to use… my ‘son’ must be crying right now.
Sorry, I never could make you into an adult…
When I am reborn, we’ll change things around. Go on the offensive with a bang. Call them out, and go on devouring spree…. But that’s no good, is it?
＜＜Confirmed. Unique skill [Predator] has been acquired＞＞
And well, at almost forty years old, the thirty year old virgin that I am, in a magical world would certainly be a sage… heck, a great sage wouldn’t be out of the question, would it?
＜＜Confirmed. Extra skill [Sage] has been acquired. Additionally, extra skill [Sage] has successfully evolved into unique skill [Great Sage] ＞＞
…. the hell you’ve been on about? The hell is [Great Sage]! Are you making fun of me?
It isn’t even a bit unique!
I am not laughing here!
So rude..
Thinking that, I went to sleep.
(So this is death, huh… not as lonesome as I thought.)
Those were, for Mikami Satoru, the lost words spoken in this word.