Prologue Part 2: But I Refuse!

And here is the second part of the three-part prologue! I don’t know why the author split it into three, but since he did, I decided to follow his format. Once again this was translated by Blue, and edited by me, Kuro! If you see anything I missed feel free to say so! =)

But I Refuse

 

My mundane apartment is suddenly overflowing with light.

 

The intensity is such that it is shining through the window, making shadows that override those cast by the sunlight. But there was no one who seemed to notice.

(Lit. is displacement)

 

「Yosh, now I will go to him!」

 

Saying that, the beauty who cast the light disappeared.

Then all that was left was the sound of the game he had been playing.

(TLNote: stupid inconsistencies in the source text regarding perspective… |:T)

(ENote: don’t worry too much, I think it’s done on purpose)

 

「Well, now that she’s gone, shall I continue playing?」

 

The man who had earlier been gripping his game controller was there.

Eeh, why didn’t you get hit by the light? What kind of stupid things are you saying?

Who would just go along with what someone is doing when they point there palm at you, and then is purposefully hit with some strange light?

What I did is simple, when I am playing games, I am often between the couch and the coffee table. These days, wireless controllers are so convenient. In the past, I always struggled to get enough distance from the TV because of the wired controllers.

But I digress. When that bijin-san (the illegal intruder) came, she first appeared across the table in front of the TV, and I was on the sofa side of the coffee table. Then she stopped me from making a 911 call, then I tried to get farther away from her. That’s when our positions were reversed, and I was on the TV side.

And then light flashed from the Bijin-san’s hand, which I avoided by hiding under the table. At that moment, the universal theory that under the table is the safest spot was proven. Since it could even be effective in an earthquake, this just goes to certify its versatility.

 

I calm down and try to get back to enjoying my holiday.

 

Most people would probably be asking; “why aren’t you running away?”. But think about it for a minute. She was able to suddenly appear in my locked house with some form of psychic power, if I tried to run away, thinking that she wouldn’t be able to catch me, and considering that she seems to have a desire for me specifically, there is no way that she wouldn’t be able to find me.

 

In conclusion, the next time she finds me I will hear her out, and then she’ll have no choice but to accept my refusal.

I should contact the police? Oi, oi, if I were to say “A woman suddenly teleported into my apartment!’ they’ll either think it’s a prank, or lock me in a mental ward.

 

For now, I’ll continue my game, as the clock says it is 12:00pm and one of the shows I enjoy is about to begin.

 

「Food…. should I make some…. or get takeout…?」

 

In an emergency, it is an annoying problem. Having takeout when I am busy (including from a convenience store) is my limit. Currently, it’s a holiday, and in the current Japan, men who can’t cook are few, or at least I think so. I could cook even when I was a student.

And no, I am not including something such as cooking instant ramen in boiling water for 3 minutes.

(TLNote: ohh…. D:)

(what, you can’t cook? =P)

(TLNote: I.. uhh.. er……)

 

Since I live alone, I have to think of material costs and efficiency when shopping or eating out.

But then I remembered something.

 

「Young Man, please eat this!」

 

(ENote: When an older person calls a younger man, onii-chan, it is the equivalent of saying young man in a friendly/close manner)

(TLNote: gotcha)

 

The old lady in the apartment next to me brings me preserved pickles.

 

The pickled vegetables that this old lady makes are a wonderful seasoning to me. It’s the most versatile food, you can eat it as is, as a side dish for rice, in Ochazuke, or even as a bar snack with sake!!

 

Pickles alone are unsatisfactory, but there’s no other way to make a side dish as pickles are already decided.

(TLNote: Starts using である, a formal and/or archaic way of speaking.)

 

“Miso Soup, Grilled Salmon, Fried Eggs, Nori.”

 

Such are the foods of Japanese dining tradition. I like Natto in the morning or evening.

And I have rice in the cooker that only needs the switch flipped, and there’s Miso Soup, so Tamago Nori… OK!

 

「I should go buy some salmon」

(TLNote: Someone please explain this to me I am so lost. Is he just doing this while she’s still in the room, or did he already get zapped?)

(ENote: He avoided the zap, but she thought he was and went to where she sent him, and now he is planning what to eat.)

 

Recently, one slice of salmon has been selling at the same price as a whole meal.

All that was left was to grab my wallet, smartphone, and keys, then leave the apartment.

 

「Dang-it, there was a buy 2 deal today so I got carried away and bought two slices instead of one!」

(TLNote: changed ‘Chi’ to ‘Shit’ to better reflect the culture that the text is being ported to.)

(ENote: I like to use dang-it personally =) it doesn’t have any other meanings =) )

 

In front of my apartment, I stared at the bag with annoyance. I had also bought green onion and other spice related things…

Yes, one slice of salmon was an overwhelmingly better deal than two slices. Buy two, get 10% off the original price was the story. This time, what I had aimed for was 80% off.

At this rate, I’ll just have to eat the two slices. I can either call the old lady if I’m worried I can’t eat two, or just enter the house.

 

「Impossible, you avoided it… How?」

 

In front of me in an erect posture stood the intruder from before.

 

In conclusion, there is no possible way for me to run.

 

And then the woman from before turns her hand over this way.

 

「This time you will not escape!」

 

Right, this time I have no possible way of escaping.

 

「I want to eat so please move from there, have you had lunch?」

「Uh, no I haven’t had lunch…」

「Perfect, what I bought is mostly cheap, but I’ll hear you out so please eat with me.」

 

Saying so, I headed to the kitchen.

 

「Hey, you can just sit down on that sofa over there.」

「Oh, okay.」

 

The woman calmly sat down on the sofa.

When I take the unexpected route, most humans have a delayed reaction, and this sometimes prevents good judgment.

Well, if she is a human that is.

 

And then after the meal….

 

「Thank you for the meal! Ah~ did you make the pickles yourself?」

「No, those were made by the old lady next door. They’re great, right?」

「They were very delicious! They were definitely pickled for many years to get this flavor.」

「Yup. Have some tea.」

「Oh, thanks!」

 

After sipping tea, (which was still hot)…. now, let’s get to the main topic.

 

「Now, I promised to hear you out.」

 

Whether she was a scary illegal intruder Bijin-san, a monster, or a goddess, it would seem I would have to change the honorifics I’m using.

 

「Ah yes! I forgot!」

 

…This person…

 

「For you to hear the story, you won’t even need to move, so I’ll explain here.」

 

Then what was the point of her location changing beam of light?

 

「Fufu, it would seem you’ve given up. Good, I’ll talk now.」

 

She’s completely looking down on me. As expected, I’m not even a bug to her.

 

She’s standing up with her hand on her hip and pointing at me with no care for politeness.

 

「You’re going to go to another world, manage a Dungeon, and take on the role of maintaining that world’s balance!!」

 

Even hearing these words I was not upset, as it was roughly as I expected it to be. This must be what people mean when the say ‘Talking to an Evildoer of the hand does no harm’.

And she carries on.

(TLNote: I have no idea how to explain this better. It’s one of those things where the Japanese have a word for it because they’re more philosophical and English doesn’t because reasons.)

(ENote: I have to agree with you, it is some form of idiom.)

 

「You won’t be able to come back to this world, however you will be able to have one wish, including bringing an object from this world!」

 

And let’s stop this here.

 

「But I refuse!」

 

Who would throw away their current life?

 

「Huuuuuuh?」

 

A surprised voice sounds. However, no matter where you are, there is no one who can resist the element of surprise.

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