Refuse Harem
Translator: Tsukii
Editor: BeeBerry
Read at Watashi wa Sugoi Desu!
Prologue
Nakamura Tasuku, 25 years old.
Right now, as he was facing the greatest danger of his life, Tasuku was thinking that this might be as old as he’d ever get.
After graduating high school, Tasuku got a job in sales. He wasn’t sure if that time felt long or short, but after seven years, he found a new goal and retired from the company. He had finally gathered enough money to move into a new field he was more interested in.
It was at this time that Tasuku’s longtime best friend invited him on a trip to Europe using the money he won from the lottery. He said it was to celebrate his new beginning.
Tasuku was impressed by buildings and history that was so different from Japan’s and he’d thanked his best friend for inviting him.
However, who would have thought that the luxury liner, which was the main attraction of the trip, would sink?
It was painful.
Humans didn’t belong in this airless world.
His body, which had been thrown off the liner, was already sinking into the sea; his strength and willpower were being sapped away by the cold water.
I guess this is as far as I can go…
Resignation filled him. He was unable to move, and was gradually sucked down deeper into the deep sea; at this point, it seemed funny.
At the very least, I hope that guy Tenma survives.
Tasuku wanted his friend to live on.
The moment he wished so, somebody grabbed his arm.
—Tenma!!
The person who grabbed his arm was his best friend.
He wore a desperate expression which Tasuku had never seen on his face before, and he was trying to pull Tasuku up.
Even though there was no way they could hear each other underwater, Tasuku felt like Tenma was calling out to him, just like Tasuku had called out to him
He instantly knew that Tenma intended to rescue him.
However, Tasuku also knew that such a thing was impossible.
…What an idiot. Unlike me, who’s all alone in the world, you still have a family who was waiting for your return.
He laughed under the cold waves.
Even though he was dying right at the moment, seeing his best friend choose to put himself in danger in an attempt to rescue him made Tasuku happy. That was enough for him.
That was why he squeezed out the last remaining power he had in his body and pushed Tenma up, along with hope that he would be saved. That last burst of strength as he was dying was so strong that it even he himself was surprised.
“—!!”
He understood Tenma’s surprise.
As his best friend was pushed up to the surface, Tasuku sank further into the deep sea.
Tasuku was no longer scared of the sea’s depths. He couldn’t feel fear anymore.
Aah, God.
If God does exist in this world,
I beg of you.
Please, at least let Tenma return to safety.
Maybe this last moment of his life wasn’t enough to ask for that.
If this life is not enough, I would devote my chastity to God as a clergyman in my next life.
Whether it was fortunate or not, I had led a decent life. I was a good man, so I get the feeling I would be born beautiful in my next life. For some reason, I have solid confidence in this.
He didn’t know whether reincarnation was real.
But he couldn’t help but pray.
I beg of you.
He was the only one who’s stayed as my friend since my childhood days.
He was the only one who gave color to my lonely world.
I beg of you, God, God…
As my consciousness fades,
As I fall into the bottom of deep sea,
That is the sole thing I wish for—
Tasuku’s consciousness—though he wasn’t sure if that’s what it should be called—returned in the dark yet warm sea.
He felt neither fear nor the cold. He only felt the calm passing of time. He wasn’t aware of where he was, but it was a comfortable place without worry, and he had no intention to open his eyes and check.
Aah, I wish I could stay here forever
However, his wish was quickly denied. From the dark, yet warm sea, there suddenly shone a spot of light that he was being pushed towards.
Without really understanding what happened, discomfort struck his whole body.
Earlier, he hadn’t even thought about how he was breathing and had just slept comfortably, but currently, he couldn’t breathe properly and it hurt.
UEeEEEEE, what happened? Somehow, it feels disgusting!!
His body felt heavy. Although he hadn’t even felt the pull of gravity before, after he was pushed through the light his whole body felt weighed down. He tried to say something about how uncomfortable it was, but he couldn’t hear himself. Was something wrong with his ears? For some reason, all he could hear was a baby crying.
He was feeling panicked, confused, and powerless when a warm sensation wrapped around his skin. It felt similar to the warm sea. It took some time until he noticed that it was a person’s arms.
Wrapped in a warm embrace, a fingertip gently touched his cheeks.
“Oh God, thank you so much! What a lovely child!”
The first thing he heard was a low, masculine voice speaking words of gratitude. The voice quivered as though he were crying.
“Sophie. Your name will be Sophie. My dear child, please grow up healthy.”
Now it was a woman’s voice that was whispering gently and compassionately. Although her voice was small, he could feel strength within her words.
Wha…t? Who is Sophie?
Even though he intended to open his eyes, his view was so hazy he couldn’t tell what was going on.
Lovely child?
Dear child?
What does that mean?
…I wonder if she also thought the same thing when I was born.
He remembered his mother who had abandoned him as a child. However, he rejected that thought because he had no memory of ever being loved by her. He thought he wasn’t loved, that he was an unlovable child.
But that doesn’t matter anymore…
There was his best friend who’d treated him like a family. He’d managed to live on mostly due to his best friend. Tasuku considered himself fortunate for being able to die feeling someone’s warmth beside him.
As he listened to an unfamiliar voice calling out “Sophie,” he thought,
Although I have no idea who you are, Sophie, I hope that you will be a child that is loved by your parents.
He wished for Sophie to be a child loved by her parents and friends, just as she would love them back.
In this hazy world, he wished for Sophie’s happiness without knowing even what she looked like, but then… he had a thought.
I wonder where I am right now? I wonder where my soul has gone after death?
The baby’s crying was getting louder.
Was this Sophie’s cry?
Although it sounded close, he couldn’t tell where she was.
Sophie, I wonder where you are?
The baby’s cry got even stronger. Even though she was crying this much, he couldn’t tell where she was.
“Sophie, our precious treasure.”
A pleasant voice reached his ears. It was a voice that conveyed a mother’s love for their children.
Only then did he notice that the voice was directed at him.
At the same time, the moment he noticed that the baby’s crying he was hearing belonged to himself, he lost his consciousness.
T/N:
Hello, nice to see you!
Following the suggestion of fellow translator Kagura, I began to translate this. Although I’m aware this novel is translated somewhere else, I confirmed that the related group has already dropped the series. Since they only translated a few of the chapters, I chose to start from scratch rather than continuing their progress.
There might be differences in the translation or the names, such as Tenba to Tenma, but this way makes it easier for me, so I hope for your understanding. I hope you had a fun ride with this!
Want early access to Cannon Fodder, Melancholy of the Demon Army Officer, and I Was a Man Before Reincarnating, So I Refuse a Reverse Harem? Support the translator on Patreon!
How did he know it’s impossible? If he really tried hard enough, there’s still possibility they could survive… As long as they didn’t give up, that is…
Oh… He was a Homo from the beginning huh….. Ew.
its life partner, not necessarily bound by marriage
Bet u never have a best friends
let them enjoy what they have. no need to mention it
Is it “Sophie” as in “Sophy,” or is it “Sophie” as in “Sophia”?
Sophie as in Sophy
I hope that Tenma was reincarnated too, and they get together in this life.
there was a certain character who is “possibly” tenma’s reincarnation. he didn’t appear yet though.
I hope he didn’t die, as he had family waiting for him
Tks
thx too