Kays Translations

Chapter 1: The Man Dragged into It

My name is Koichi Sato. I’m 37 years old.

I went to an all-boys middle and high school, followed by a decent university. After graduating, I got a job at a construction management company.

When I finally became a working adult, I thought a bright future awaited me. But the company I joined turned out to be a super exploitative black company, where 300 hours of overtime per month was the norm.

I managed to endure it through my 20s with youth and sheer willpower. But at 37, both my body and mind broke, and I ended up in the hospital.

Though unpaid overtime was standard, my salary wasn’t great despite the demanding work. But since I was too busy to spend any money, I had saved up a lot. That nest egg was the only silver lining, as it meant I could cover my hospital bills without worry.

After being discharged, I planned to move to the countryside for a fresh start and take it slow in my second life.

It was a modest dream, but a dream nonetheless—until I woke up in a completely unfamiliar place.

I had been sleeping in a hospital bed, but when I opened my eyes, I found myself in what looked like a royal palace straight out of an anime or manga.

Beside me were four young men and women, all in their late teens, radiating confidence.

At 38 years old and fresh out of the hospital, I couldn’t have felt more out of place.

“Huh? Where the hell is this?—Wait, Shoji? Mika? Yui?”

“Ren! Where are we!?”

“Thank goodness we’re all here, but…this place…where could it be?”

“So it’s just Ren, Mika, and Yui here… Hold up, who’s the old guy?”

It seemed the four of them knew each other, but I was the odd one out.

Here I was, the oldest one in an unknown place, and the only stranger to the group.

From their perspective, I could easily look like a kidnapper.

To clear up any suspicion and make it clear I was also a victim, I decided to introduce myself.

“My name is Sato—”

Before I could finish my introduction, a large door in front of us swung open.

A man dressed as a soldier entered, clad in armor and carrying a real sword—something you’d never see in Japan.

The soldier exuded a threatening aura, causing everyone in the room to freeze.

The setting already felt like something out of a fantasy world, but the presence of this soldier confirmed that we’d been thrust into such a world.

As fear and excitement swirled within me, another figure entered the room behind the soldier.

“There’s no need to be so on edge. You’ve been chosen as heroes to save this world. We mean you no harm.” 

The newcomer said.

The speaker was an elderly man wearing a crown—clearly a king.

Judging by his tone and the content of his speech, it was safe to assume we’d been summoned to this world as part of some classic isekai hero trope.

The idea of being transported to another world sparked a momentary excitement within me.

But that was immediately overshadowed by the fact that I was a 38-year-old man.

I was far too old to be a hero. I was a middle-aged man whose spirit had been crushed by a black company. There was no way I could save the world as a hero—that was absurd.

“We’re…heroes!?”

“This is just like one of those isekai anime!”

“Oh, you’re already familiar with the concept? That makes things easier to explain.” 

The king said.

“For some unknown reason, people summoned from other dimensions gain powerful professions and skills. You’ve been chosen by the gods to use those abilities to save this world. Rest assured, the entire nation will support you.”

The king’s words were typical of a fantasy scenario.

The four young people beside me seemed thrilled to be called “chosen ones” and were raring to go.

Had I been in my teens, I probably would have been just as enthusiastic.

But at 38, the idea of suddenly becoming a hero was too much to handle.

As the atmosphere grew more energized, I awkwardly raised my hand to address the king.

“Um… am I really one of the chosen heroes? I feel like there’s been a mistake…”

When I poked my head out from behind Ren, the king looked visibly shocked.

It was obvious from his reaction that my presence in this world was unintended.

At that moment, a dreadful thought crossed my mind: banishment.

If I were thrown out into this unfamiliar world with no knowledge or preparation, I wouldn’t survive.

My heart began to race as panic set in.

“…I-I apologize, but we intended to summon only four people. Something must have gone wrong, and you were caught up in it.”

“I-I see… Is there any way for me to return to my world?”

“It is possible, but the magic to send someone back requires an immense amount of power and can only be used once every few decades. In other words… to send you back now, all four of them would have to return with you.”

In short, if I returned, the other four would have to go back as well, rendering the entire summoning effort a waste.

Because of me, this world might remain unsaved and be destroyed by whatever demon king or disaster threatened it.

I was undeniably dragged into this situation, so it wouldn’t be unreasonable for me to insist on going home.

But honestly, I had no lingering attachment to my old life.

My parents had already passed away, and my only plan for the future had been to move to the countryside and live quietly.

If that was all I wanted, maybe I could manage to do the same in this world—provided I wasn’t banished.

“By the way, I’d like to know what the other four think about this. If they’re willing to save this world… I’m fine with staying here.”

“Is that true!? That would be truly wonderful!”

The first to respond to my suggestion was the king himself, who expressed his joy with an enthusiastic voice. Following his lead, the four young people began to share their own thoughts.

“I’m willing to give it a shot. I like games like Dragon Quest.”
“Same here! Being a hero, chosen and all, it’s exciting!”
“I think I’d like to try, too… I’m still not sure about it, but with the four of us, I think we can manage!”
“I feel the same. It’s scary, but more than that, it seems like it’d be fun with the four of us.”

Since all of them seemed determined to save this world, it wouldn’t feel right for me to insist on going back to the original world.

The knight’s initial hostility had been alarming, but the king, along with the others, didn’t seem to have any ill intentions. There was no sign of me being forcibly cast out either.

“Then, I’ll stay until this world is saved. However, I hope you can forgive me for not being able to fight as a hero.”

“Of course! I’m truly grateful for your kindness, especially after you were dragged into this. I have no intention of forcing you to fight. You’re welcome to stay in this castle, or if you’d prefer life in the city, we’ll arrange a place for you to live.”

“Thank you very much. If it’s all right for me to choose, could I share my preference with you?”

“Certainly. I’ll do my best to honor your request. But before that, would it be all right for the other four to move to another location for a while? They’ll need to check their equipment, classes, and skills.”

“Of course. Should I just wait here, then?”

“Yes, please wait here. I’ll assign an attendant to assist you. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”

After saying that, the king left with the four young people, leaving behind an attendant in a chic maid uniform to accompany me.

I couldn’t shake the uneasy thoughts of potential bad outcomes, but the king’s polite demeanor and the friendly disposition of the four reassured me a little.

…Although I could tell they were the type I’d never get along with back in school.

Once they had all left the room, I found myself alone with the attendant. The atmosphere grew slightly awkward, so I decided to strike up a conversation.

“Um… would it be all right if I asked you a few questions?”

“Of course. I’ll answer anything I can.”

“Thank you. Could you tell me about this world and what’s currently happening, as much as you know?”

“Understood. This world has seven nations, one of which is this country—the Kingdom of Graylan. You’ve been drawn into this world because of the ‘Hero Summoning’ performed by the Kingdom of Graylan.”

The attendant explained my circumstances in a clear and concise manner.

As I had suspected, I wasn’t a hero, just an ordinary person who had been caught up in the summoning.

“Thank you for explaining it so clearly. This might sound like a strange question, but are there monsters or magic in this world?”

“Yes. While the cities are safe, there are monsters outside the walls that attack humans. Also, magic does exist.”

“So it really is that kind of world. Can you use magic, too?”

“I can use basic spells, but I’m more skilled in close combat. My magic abilities are limited to the absolute basics.”

I felt a surge of excitement at the mention of being able to use magic, and the words “Please show me some magic” almost escaped my lips, but I managed to swallow them.

After all, it wouldn’t be appropriate to use magic indoors, especially in a castle, and if I had voiced my request, I would’ve undoubtedly caused trouble for the attendant.

“…Even though you’re more skilled in close combat, you can still use magic. Can everyone in this world use magic?”

“No, I think the majority of people cannot. I can use magic only because I come from a minor noble family and received instruction in magic from a young age.”

I’d already noticed a certain refinement in their demeanor, and it made sense now—this attendant was of noble origin.

Of course, serving the king likely required a clear lineage, and even as an attendant, being of noble birth was probably a prerequisite.

“I see, so you’re from a noble family—”

Just as I was about to finish my sentence, the large doors swung open.

It seemed the soldiers and the king had returned.

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