Until the Middle-Aged Man Who Became Young Becomes a Harem Master in Another World - Chapter 3: When I Become Younger, I Was Confessed (Misunderstanding? No, That’s Not It!)

A big sigh echoed through the room. This room was given to Kojirou and is about four and a half tatami mats in size.

A simple bed, a simple desk, and a full-length mirror are all that fill the room, with just three military uniforms and a change of clothes in the closet.

This room is for junior military officers, and the summoned high school students, regardless of gender, are assigned similar rooms.

“I can’t believe I got caught up in another world summoning…”

At that time, he can’t help but think that if he hadn’t crossed paths with those four, considering they are also victims of abduction, he can’t bring himself to curse them.

And the ones who kidnapped them, like King Rydock IV and Master Isaac, don’t care at all about that.

From Kojirou’s and the other’s perspective, it may seem selfish, but in this world, it was natural for the people to bow down and accept the orders of the king and nobles.

Sitting on the bed and exhaling deeply once more, Kojirou was captivated by his reflection in the mirror.

“Huh?”

Step by step, he slowly approaches the mirror.

“Why?”

The Kojirou reflected in the mirror was not in his teens, but he was young, around his early twenties.

He keeps touching his face, but there haven’t been any particularly deep wrinkles lately.

During the period of unhealthy living, his weight exceeded 120 kilograms. By losing weight down to 70 kilograms, his body became somewhat muscular, but due to the significant weight loss, his skin developed large sagging and wrinkles. Even when he leaned in closely to the mirror, he couldn’t find those wrinkles.

“Did I get younger…?”

Master Isaac said that the summoning ritual not only includes a technique to draw out abilities but also a technique to enhance the body. Perhaps due to its effects, Kojirou had taken on a youthful appearance, looking twenty years younger.

“I had a face like this!?”

Perhaps because of the dark era painted completely black, he had never been able to recall his youthful face until now.

“…It might be a good opportunity to start my life over.”

He was a factory worker in a small town at the age of forty. He wouldn’t say that’s a bad thing, but if they ask him if he’s satisfied, the answer is no.

Kojirou must have had a youth too. With his now youthful appearance, he might be able to enjoy his youth. He could color his darkened youth with vibrant hues. Thinking that way, he felt a bit of hope.

“But, will I never be able to see Dad and Mom again…”

Like a pillar eaten away by termites, it was his family of four who desperately supported him when he was on the verge of collapsing mentally.

When he thinks that he will never see that family again, he feels lonely and sad.

Still, since he is alive, he must think positively. Kojirou thought that this would be his way of repaying his family.

“Pudding… I can’t eat it here anymore…”

He picks up the pudding in the plastic bag placed on the table, and when he imagines his parents happily eating the pudding, tears come to his eyes.

He has a past where he wanted to die and thought about suicide many times. He even cut his wrist once. During those times, his parents told him that it was enough for them that he was just alive.

So, no matter how miserable it was, Kojirou decided to live, to endure.

Just because he was summoned to another world doesn’t change his feelings.

“It seems that as a pharmacist, I can’t become invincible, but there must be diseases and injuries in this world too. Depending on how I go about it, I should be able to live a reasonably wealthy life.”

The class of pharmacist was unexpected, but thinking back, there was a time when he researched medicine because the girl supporting the protagonist in his favorite light novel was a pharmacist.

He can’t believe that such half-hearted knowledge would be enough, but he can’t think of any other reason why he ended up in the class of a Pharmacist.

For dinner, the five of them gathered in the mess hall. This is a military mess hall, and it is much smaller than the place where they met with King Rydock IV, with several tables set up.

“Um, there are… only three of these, but please eat them.”

The three puddings he bought at the convenience store for his parents and himself will spoil if left as they are.

Not wanting it to go to waste, he brought it to the high school gal, Midori, to eat. She took care of him when he was feeling unwell. Even though he might not be able to be of much help to her in Kojirou’s class, he wanted to repay her kindness, even just a little.

“Pudding!? What’s going on with this?”

Midori reacted to the pudding and snatched the plastic bag.

“I bought it at the convenience store on my way back from work, but I was summoned.”

“Can I eat this?”

“There are only three, and I apologize for not having enough for everyone, but please take one.”

“I can’t handle sweet stuff, so you guys divide it among yourselves.”

Raito said, sounding like an old man who loves alcohol, and the three of them, knowing he wasn’t fond of sweet things, gratefully accepted it.

“What are you going to do from now on?”

Among the four high school students, only the high school gal girl, Midori, cares about Kojirou.

Midori sat next to Kojirou and tossed some side vegetables into her mouth. Despite Kojirou’s appearance being in his twenties, for some reason, Midori spoke to him casually.

“As the king said, I will leave the castle in a week.”

King Rydock IV made the decision to expel Kojirou as he lacked the ability to fight. However, he didn’t just throw him out without any guidance; it seems he will teach him the basics of using his blessings and the common sense of this world.

It seems that King Rydok IV intended to show generosity, but for Kojirou, it was not satisfactory. However, he thought it would be dangerous to voice any objections, so he remained silent. Kojirou wanted to avoid as much as possible the classic light novel trope of facing an assassination attempt.

Moreover, he was thinking of leaving early because staying too long might get him caught up in the war.

“I see. Maybe I’ll tag along too.”

“”””Eh?””””

Kojirou was surprised, but the other three high school students were also understandably shocked.

“Midori, are you serious?”

“Because being forced to fight someone…”

“Indeed, if you stay here, you’ll be thrown into the fight, but your livelihood will be guaranteed.”

“I think that kind of thing will work out even after leaving the castle.”

Rio tries to persuade Midori, but it’s like pushing against a split curtain.

“U-um, you know, we have a week, so maybe think about it a bit more.”

Touga suggested taking some time to think it over, and the situation calmed down.

Kojirou was in no position to listen to the four of them. He was under the mistaken impression that he had been confessed to by a young and cute girl like Midori.

Indeed, Midori said she would follow, but she never confessed. Kojirou had never dated a girl and never confessed to anyone, and of course, had never been confessed to as this made a grand misunderstanding.

Misunderstanding that Midori suddenly confessed, Kojirou felt his heart racing and even had the illusion that it was about to leap out of his throat.