Prologue

Editor : Szimy

Proofreader : Millinia

Nakamura Tasuku, 25 years old. 

Now, Tasuku was experiencing the utmost crisis of his current age, becoming the age of death on his tombstone. 

Tasuku graduated from high school and started working in sales, and after a long but easy seven years, he left the company to pursue a new goal. He finally had enough money saved up to go into the field he wanted to learn.

The long-time best friend of Tasuku invited him to go on a trip to Europe with the money he won in a lottery to celebrate his new start. 

It was his first time there, and Tasuku was impressed by the history and architecture, which was different from Japan, and was grateful to his best friend for bringing him along.

But who would have guessed that the luxury cruise ship, which was the main attraction of the trip, would sink?

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Rv’p rykdqwz.&dcpr;

G prynl okvbswv yka bye vbl rsola vs lypkzu lmvkdtwkpb y bwxyd zkql.&dcpr;

Yu cseu, obknb oyp qzwdt swv, oyp yzalyeu pkdjkdt kdvs vbl ellr oyhlp, yde vbl nsze oyvla oyp vyjkdt yoyu xu pvaldtvb yde ldlatu vs pvawttzl.

(R twlpp kv kp bsrlzlpp yzalyeu…)

G pldpl sq ycydesdxldv qkzzle xu blyav. Yu cseu, vbyv bye pvsrrle xshkdt, yxwpkdtzu elpnldele esodoyae yp kq kv oyp clkdt pwnjle kdvs y ellr nwaaldv.

(Gv zlypv Mldxy yzsdl, vbyv twu yzsdl…)

R oydvle bkx vs zkhl.&dcpr;

Mbl xsxldv R okpble vbyv, psxlsdl tayccle xu yax vbyv oyp pvalvnble swv vs pvawttzl.

(―――Tenma !!)

It was my best friend who grabbed my arm. 

He tried to pull me up with the most desperate look on his face I’ve ever seen. 

I felt that Tenma was calling my name, just like I was calling for him between the choppy waves, but our voices could not be heard. 

I knew in an instant that he intended to save me. 

But I also knew very well that it was impossible.

(…You idiot. Unlike me who is all alone, you have a family waiting for your return.)

I laughed in the cold water. 

For me, having a best friend who was willing to put himself in danger to save me, made me feel happy, even though I was dying. That was already enough for me.

So, with the last of my strength, I pushed Tenma upward with the hope that he would be saved somehow. The last strength of my life was so strong that I amazed myself.

“―――― !!”

I could feel Tenma’s shock. 

My best friend, who was pushed up, went to the surface and I fell into the deepest part of the ocean. 

Tasuku was no longer afraid of the deep sea. He felt no fear anymore.

Ahh, God. 

If there is a God in this world, please I beg you. 

Please, just send Tenma back safely. 

I knew my precarious life wouldn’t be enough to compensate though. 

If this life alone was not enough, I would serve God as a priest in the next life. 

In this life, fortunately or unfortunately, I had a pure body, so I am sure that will be the case in my next life too. For some reason, I had firm confidence in that regard.

I didn’t know if there was such a thing as reincarnation. 

But I couldn’t help but pray.

Please, I beg you. 

He was the only one who had stuck by my side since childhood and the only one who had brought colour to my lonely world.

Please, God, God… 

Amid my failing consciousness, 

In a consciousness that was fading into the darkness of the surge of water, 

I begged for only that one thing ーーーー.

◆ ◇ ◆

If it could even be considered consciousness, it was in a dark but warm sea that Tasuku’s consciousness came back. 

***

There was no fear, no cold. It was just a peaceful place to be. I didn’t know where I was, but I didn’t feel uneasy in this comfortable place, and I didn’t have the intention to open my eyes to check either.

(Ahh, I want to stay here forever…)

But my wish did not work for long. I was suddenly pushed out of the warm, dark sea into the light beyond. 

I didn’t know what happened, but anyway, my whole body felt quite uncomfortable. 

Just a while ago, I didn’t even think about how to breathe, I just slept comfortably, but now I couldn’t catch my breath and the air was filling my lungs.

(Uwaaaa, what is this, somehow, I feel super bad!)

My body was very heavy. Before I was pushed into the light, I didn’t feel gravity, but now I felt the burden on my flesh more than ever. I shouted at it’s pressure, but I didn’t hear my voice. Have my ears been damaged? For some reason, all I could hear was the sound of a baby crying.

There was a slight shock and fear, and I was panicking helplessly when I felt a warm object being wrapped around my skin. It was very similar to the warm sea. It took me a while to recognize that it was a human arm.

I was held in warm hands, and their fingers gently touched my cheek.

“Oh, thank you, God! Such a lovely child!”

The first thing I heard was the sound of a deep-voiced man’s thanks. His voice was shaky, probably because he was crying.

“Sophie. Your name is Sophie. My sweet child. Please grow up healthy.”

A woman’s voice murmured affectionately and gently. Even though her voice was faint, her words were filled with strength.

(Wh…at? Who is Sophie?)

Although my eyes were supposed to be open, there was a blurry haze over them, making it hard to see what was going on.

A lovely child? 

A sweet child? 

What is that?

(…I wonder if that person also thought that way when I was born.)

It reminded me of my mother, who abandoned me when I was young. I immediately denied it, because I had no memories of being loved. I was not loved. I was a child who was not loved.

(But it’s okay now…)

Because my best friend, who was like family to me, was there for me. Thanks to my best friend, I had a satisfying life for myself. I am sure that my life was a happy one because I died with the knowledge of the warmth of having someone by my side.

I thought as I heard an unknown voice calling affectionately, “Sophie”.

(Even though I don’t know who you are, Sophie, I want you to be a child whose parents give you plenty of love.)

I wished that she would be a child who would love and be loved by her parents and her friends. 

In a world where I couldn’t see clearly, I wished for the happiness of Sophie, a child whose face I didn’t even know. I thought but… 

Where on earth am I now? Where did my soul go when I was supposed to be dead?

The baby’s cries became even louder. 

Could this be Sophie’s cry? 

It sounded so close, but I didn’t detect her presence.

(Sophie, where are you?)

The crying got louder. She was crying so much, but I didn’t know where she was.

“Sophie, our precious baby.”

A pleasant voice entered my ears. A voice that conveyed a mother’s love for her child. 

It was then that I finally realized that her voice was addressed to me.

***

Likewise, the moment he realized that the baby’s cry was his voice, Nakamura Tasuku’s consciousness was cut off.