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The post Atelier Tanaka – Volume 5 Chapter 2 Part 12 appeared first on Rhex's Translations.

After my rapid flurry of questions, I calmed her down by telling her my name and she told me hers. She seemed to lower her guard somewhat after this.

Her name is Yui Tachibana and she was a third year middle school student before all of this. She escaped from a large horde of infected with her parents two months ago and until a few days ago, she lived with them in a shelter dozens of kilometres away from here. There were many hunters with guns at this shelter and it was as safe a place as you can find in this world.

However, this shelter was overrun by a sizeable horde only a few days ago. The survivors there had grown used to the relative safety they lived in and let their guard down, allowing the infected to attack them unawares. Most of the survivors were killed or infected while the rest fled in any direction they could.

Yui lost her parents in all of the confusion and was at a loss as to what she should do. Returning to the shelter was out of the question now that it was overrun with infected, but there was no other way of finding her parents. With no idea what to do next, she just ran east. She ran and ran with no plan of what to do until she arrived at this town this morning.

Because of the suddenness of the attack, Yui was unable to bring much of anything with her when she fled. She decided to enter this store only out of desperation for food and water.

“You’re really by yourself?”

“How many times do I have to tell you?”

Yui suddenly responded with an attitude unfitting of someone younger than me. If I continue this one-sided questioning, she’s going to grow suspicious of me.

“I’ve been living alone here for a few weeks now….”

Yui looked surprised to hear this, but I was more surprised to hear that she ran all the way here without getting caught.

“Well, I’ve stayed indoors most of the time, so I’m not exactly sure if I’d call that living.”

“So you must live near here?”

For a moment, I was at a loss as to how to answer. If I tell her yes, she’ll ask for my protection. While I consider the apartment building I live in safe, the risk of living there grows as more people are brought in. There’s also the obvious increase of supplies that comes with living with a second person. I can’t afford that increase right now.

Just as I was about to give her my answer, I heard a noise coming from the entrance. I instinctively got down in a crouch and whispered to Yui to do the same. She crouched down and moved behind the counter as well, but I was unsure if she heard the noise or not.

I carefully took out a telescopic pointer from my bag with a mirror attached to the end. I stuck it out from around the counter and angled it toward the entrance. It may be something I made with my limited skills but it’s proved to be incredibly useful so far.

If we make any sound right now or try to move, the infected will hear us for sure. That is an outcome I want to avoid at all costs.

The unsettling guttural sounds emitted by the infected filled the supermarket. As long as they have no prey (humans) in sight, they’re relatively docile, but as soon as it spots a living human, it will chase down its prey like a lion chasing down a gazelle. This is how the hundreds of millions of people that tried to outrun them ended up dead or as a part of the ever growing infected horde.

Just hurry up and leave. There’s nothing here that interests you. I could probably handle it on its own but it would come with considerable risk.

The groans of the infected passed through a few aisles for a few minutes before it began to lose interest and headed back to the entrance. I was relieved at the thought that we were safe for the time being, when I could hear the strange sound of metal scraping against the ground. The sound came from the direction of Yui.

I was so focused on the infected that I forgot about Yui entirely. There were countless coins strewn across the floor near the register, but that’s not the issue. The problem is the sound.

Yui and I held our breath as I returned my vision to the mirror.

The silent prayer I said in my mind fell on deaf ears as the infected turned toward the direction of the sound. It looked around for a few moments before taking a step closer to us.

The face of the infected grew larger in my mirror as it slowly made its way toward us. It was a high school boy still dressed in his school uniform. Because the athletic ability of the infected is based on state their body was in when they became infected, a high school student is potentially one of the worst ones to run into. They hold a near unlimited potential and when the infected turn, this potential unlocks. This is just plain bad luck.

Please stop! Don’t come over here, just stop! But the infected ignored my desperate pleas and continued his slow march toward us.

And –

“Nooooooo~!”

Yui finally gave into her fear and fled towards the back of the supermarket. The infected immediately gave chase and it was clear that hiding no longer made any sense.

“Run, just run!”

I stood up and screamed while clutching my crowbar in both hands. The infected quickly changed his target from Yui to me and began a dead sprint straight at me. The distance between us shrank in an instant and as the infected grew closer, I could see a mixture of blood and saliva dripping from its mouth.

I suppressed the overwhelming desire within me to run and held my ground while measuring out the distance between us. It took less than a second for the infected to get within one metre of me.

As soon as it reached this distance, I swung down hard with the crowbar aiming for its left temple. There was a sickening crunch as I felt the infected’s skull give way beneath the metal of my weapon. The momentum of the infected sent its lifeless body hurtling onto the nearby counter where it collided with one of the registers. Its body collapsed off the counter and finally came to a rest on the floor of the supermarket. 

Since the infected are just hyper aggressive humans, damaging their vital organs is enough to kill them, but the same could be said for a grizzly bear and that doesn’t make them easy to kill.

After confirming the infected boy was dead, I grabbed my bag and ran in the same direction as Yui toward the rear exit. I only took a moment to look back and see a large group of infected swarming the main entrance like ants emerging from an anthill.

Infected let out a distinctive howl when they spot their prey and other infected head toward the direction of this howl. If we’re spotted by new infected, they’ll howl and an endless chain of infected will gather toward us.

The infected chasing us entered through the front door and shattered windows and ran down the aisles of the supermarket. The smart thing to do would’ve been to circle around toward the back so that Yui and I would have no chance of escaping, but the infected don’t think like this. They may resemble humans but they don’t possess the intelligence of even a young child. Their thoughts are consumed by the desire to pursue their prey and they will always choose the most straightforward way of catching their prey, even if this isn’t the fastest. Shortcuts nor encircling your prey doesn’t exist in the mind of the infected.

It’s a useful flaw to exploit when trying to run from them.

There were a few different roads that branched off from the main street so I just ran as fast as I could to the first corner in an attempt to break line of sight. As expected, I reunited with Yui as soon as I turned the corner, but she was on the ground and her knee was bleeding.

“Are you okay?”

“Aah….”

Yui was holding her injured knee as she tried to stand, but she let out a small scream before collapsing back to the ground. She must have also injured her ankle when she fell.

“Damn it!”

All I could think to do was curse. If she can’t run the infected will eventually catch us.

The idea of leaving Yui behind quickly flashed through my mind. After all, it was her fault to begin with that the infected heard us and I’m under no obligation to help her in the first place. Frankly speaking, we’re complete strangers and I’d be putting my own life at risk just to help —

“Please, help me.”

This remorseless idea that was forming in my mind was quickly swept to the side by Yui’s desperate pleas for help. There was no way I could abandon an injured girl looking up at me through tears in her eyes.

I can’t say for sure why I felt this way. Maybe it was due to Yui being the first person I’d seen in weeks and I’d immediately formed an attachment to this person. Or maybe this is just the type of person I am, no matter how much I try to suppress that fact. Whatever the reason, I couldn’t abandon her.

I could hear the howls of the infected growing closer with each passing second. I only have a few moments before they round the corner and spot us. I won’t have time to hide in a nearby house before they make it around the corner.

I’ll have to carry Yui in the so-called ‘princess carry’ while also carrying my full backpack. With a pack on my back and a third year middle schooler in my arms, my body became heavy and, naturally, my ability to run was also hampered. No matter how hard I dug my feet into the ground, I felt as if I was barely moving.

I considered dropping my bag for a moment, but I don’t have the time to set Yui down nor can I afford to lose my supplies. Now that such a large group of infected are aware there are living humans in the area, I won’t be able to return to the apartment or the supermarket. This may be the only supplies I’ll have for several days. I can’t toss it aside without knowing when or where I’ll next be able to find food or water.

“They’re coming!”

Yui was looking over my shoulder as I held her against my chest. She shouted this just as the howling of the infected rose to a crescendo. I can’t afford to look back myself, but I know we need to find somewhere to hide soon…!

I’ve been living in this town for a few weeks, but I’ve only left my apartment when necessary and took the same general route to the market every time. I’m not all that familiar with the layout of the streets, but I spent hours studying the map and looking out over the city through my binoculars. 

There should be a gas station not far from here. If we can make it there, we might stand a chance. I pictured the map in my head and matched the street names to the street signs and planned out my route.

I ran as fast as my body would allow while carrying so much extra weight. Yui’s entire body trembled in my arms as the howling of the infected grew louder. The howling and Yui’s trembling pushed me forward.

It wasn’t long before the gas station came into view. Many modern gas stations are attached to a convenience store, but this one must have been privately owned as there was only a public restroom and small break area for the employees. Still, there must be somewhere for us to hide. I have to believe that.

However, my body was reaching its limits. My arms felt heavy, the straps of my backpack were digging into my shoulders, and my mouth was dry. I was gasping for air as my lungs demanded oxygen and the sound of my pounding heart was slowly beginning to drown out the howling infected.

We were within fifty metres of the station at this point. I forced myself to continue running as I used every last bit of my strength to push me forward toward safety. There was a car that had crashed into the side of the station. It had shattered the glass on the front door and was now partially blocking off the entrance, but there was a small gap between the roof of the car and the top of the doorway. I climbed onto the roof of the car, still carrying Yui before we both slid in through the small opening.

In the break room, there was nothing but a few chairs, a sofa, and some tables, but in the corner of the room was a locker used to store cleaning tools. This was our only option.

I set Yui down on the sofa before tossing my bag to the floor and emptying the locker of everything inside. Even with everything being removed, there was barely enough room for two people to hide. With no other place to hide, we weren’t left with much choice. If we don’t hide, we’ll just be accepting death.

“Get in.”

I grabbed Yui by the arm and dragged her into the locker with me. I could hear her say something but couldn’t quite make it out and ignored her as I closed the door.

The locker was even smaller than I originally thought. Yui and I were so close that are faces nearly touched. I had one hand stuck between the door of the locker and Yui’s body while the other was covering her mouth. It might look like we’re embracing, but my hand was only on her body due to the cramped space we were in while I was purposefully covering her mouth with my other hand. We’ll be killed for sure if she panics and screams this time.

I could clearly feel a soft sensation brushing my left hand but let’s not worry about that right now. I can probably guess what this sensation is but this is an emergency so it can’t be helped. Still, I thought they’d be bigger.

Yui tried to say something, but I just said, “Shh!” and pressed harder over her mouth. Obviously, I avoided covering her nose so she’d still be able to breathe.

I listened for the sound of any infected that followed us. There was a tiny slit at the top of the locker’s door that allowed me to see a small glimpse of the break room. 

It was only a few seconds after we entered the locker that the first infected came in through the space above the crashed car. One after another, they made their way into the room and began searching for us. I could feel Yui gasp beneath my hand as her body started to tremble. I unconsciously pressed my body against hers in the hopes of calming her down.

The infected continued pouring into the room and howling as they searched for us. Even if my bag and the cleaning supplies are all thrown on the floor in front of the locker, this won’t mean anything to the infected. As long as we didn’t make any noise, this locker was of no interest to them.

They passed in front of the locker several times, each time they did, Yui would tremble as if a jolt of electricity ran through her body. She seemed to be engulfed by her fear as she believed we had no chance to escape. If I didn’t feel the need to protect Yui, I may have fallen into despair just like her.

Several minutes passed before the infected finally gave up their search. With no sign of us in the break room, one-by-one they slowly climbed out over the car in search of their next meal.

As a precaution, we still waited for nearly ten minutes after the last infected left before finally exiting the locker. Due to us being in such close contact with each other in that cramped space, we were both drenched in sweat and it was quite the relief to finally get out.

I made sure to carefully check outside before finally giving myself a moment to relax. There were no infected in sight outside. After running for so long carrying an awkward load and then hiding in a hot box for over ten minutes, my mouth was completely dry. I took a bottle of water out from my bag as soon as I confirmed we were safe.

“Do you want some?”

I held out the bottle to Yui who quickly snatched it up and began greedily drinking. She finished the bottle off before wiping her mouth and saying,

“You touched my chest…!”

She noticed.

“That was just due to the circumstances. It was cramped in there so I didn’t have much choice.”

“So there was nowhere else you could have put your hand!?”

“Well, it’s small so at first I didn’t even notice I was touching it….”

An empty bottle suddenly hit my head. It hurt, but I was so relieved to have survived that I couldn’t help but laugh. Yui was, at first, angry about my comment about her small chest, but my laughter proved infectious as she slowly joined in.

It was only a little while ago that I would’ve called this girl a nuisance, but now I feel a closeness to her that I haven’t felt for anyone in a long time.

This was also the first time in a while that I thought it was nice being alive.

“…so, what are we going to do now?”

Yui timidly asked this as she watched me gather my bag and get to my feet. I took out some rubbing alcohol and cleaned the wound on her knee and wrapped her ankle in a wet towel to reduce the swelling. It will be hard for her to walk, let alone run, for at least a day.

“I can’t go back to my shelter now and I can’t afford to stay here for long. My best bet is to go to a new town and find somewhere safe to stay.”

“W-Wow, you’ve already got a plan for yourself.”

Yui glanced up at me through upturned eyes. I could tell what she was hinting at, but it was embarrassing to ask it outright or maybe my pride just wouldn’t allow me to.

…I guess it’s too late now.

“I-It might be nice to have a friend to travel with and I’m worried about your foot too.”

The friends thing may not be entirely true, but I am worried about her injury. I’d be sentencing her to death if I just left her here.

I smiled before continuing,

“Do you want to come with me?”

Yui’s face lit up and her eyes started shining.

“Of course!”

….more importantly,

“Can you stop calling me ‘you?’ I already told you my name.”

“Oh, right, I think you said your name was Hentai?”

“I don’t remember ever saying that was my name.”

“But only a pure hentai would take advantage of a situation like that to grope my chest.”

“Like I said, it was so small I didn’t even notic– oi, oi, why are you reaching for the crowbar!?”

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The post Never Stop Running Volume 1 Chapter 4 appeared first on Rhex's Translations.

The first thing I did after emerging from the apartment building was to check the street. I wasn’t checking to make sure there were no cars before crossing, but rather, to be sure there were no infected in sight. I don’t think I’ve seen a car running in nearly a month.

If there were any around, I could easily hide inside and wait until it’s clear or exit the building through a different door. The most important thing to remember is that the infected will pursue you as long as they know where you are. If spotted, the first thing you should do is try to find a corner that you can take to break line of sight. Which is why, when I move through the city, I approach any intersection by hugging the wall and moving towards the corner.

The obvious risk with this tactic is that I can’t see if there are any infected around the corner which is why I remain as quiet as possible. There’s no foolproof way of avoiding detection. All you can do is minimize the risk.

Reminiscent of a special forces unit from a movie, I carefully crept towards the corner with my body pressed against the wall. I peeked around the corner to make sure the coast was clear. This is how I’ve managed to survive the last three months.

I moved forward after confirming there were no infected in sight. Still trying to remain silent, I made my way across the street to the next corner I spotted. The infected have the same level of hearing as a human, so it’s unlikely that any of them would be able to hear me unless I made a lot of noise, but I can’t know if there are any lurking in a nearby building or around the next corner, so it’s best to assume they’re everywhere.

Running also isn’t an option. It would obviously make more noise, but it would also tire me out faster. Assuming I don’t draw the attention of any of the infected while running to my destination, I may have made it there quickly, but I’ll be exhausted and easy prey for them.

My destination was a supermarket located not far from the area I saw that woman being eaten. It’s across a main road, which means there are plenty of long, unobstructed sightlines from which the infected could easily spot me. These areas are one of the few times I’ll break my rule and sprint across them as quickly as possible.

I checked both sides of the street before finally making my decision to sprint out from my hiding place behind a flipped over car. I ran full force with the speed of a high schooler that ran a six second fifty metre dash. The total distance I needed to run was only around thirty metres or so, but it felt like over a hundred. I was certain I’d be spotted as I made my dash to my next cover, a crashed semi-trailer.

The trailer was only a few feet from the entrance to the supermarket. It had tipped over off the side of the road and now lie partially on the sidewalk, blocking off one side of the front doors. I carefully stepped through the shattered glass doors and made my way inside.

The interior of the market resembled the open apartments I’d passed earlier. Most of the shelves had been cleared while cans and bottles covered the floor. There was a surprising amount of products left considering the place had obviously been looted. My best guess is some of the infected interrupted whoever was here before me. This town is all but deserted now, so even with there being relatively few infected remaining here, it’s not likely that any survivors would come to grab the remaining supplies.

However, the supplies were beginning to dwindle with me making several trips here over the last two weeks. There’s potentially a few weeks left of supplies here before I’ll need to find a new source of food. The apartment I’ve been living in is an ideal shelter so I’d hate to leave it unless necessary.

The shelf containing all of the food was barren. The first time I came here I moved anything useful out of sight so other survivors wouldn’t take anything I need. There’s too little food here to be split up.

I made my way to the back counter and reached underneath cash register six and pulled out the plastic bag of supplies. There were several cans of food and bottles of water. From what I can tell, there’s no sign of anything missing. I took out a week’s worth of supplies before returning the bag to my hiding place. 

Several of the registers had been broken into and loose change was scattered across the counter and floor. Whatever survivor was here cleared out most of the registers, but I don’t understand what purpose they would have for money at this point in time. Supplies are more important than even gold and your life’s most important. What purpose does risking your life for money serve?

I heard reports from the Japanese government that they’d guarantee the value of any cash once the outbreak was contained, but that same government is now in ruins. The few communities that do exist exchange goods rather than using any currency.

I guess it’s true that if mankind makes it through this and everything returns to normal, the people that stole and hoarded cash will become rich, but I don’t see such a peaceful future ever happening.

I wrapped everything in a towel to reduce noise before placing it in my bag. Just as I was getting ready to pick up my bag and leave, a hint of movement near the entrance caught my attention. I got down low behind the counter and locked my eyes on the entrance.

There’s someone in here with me. From what I can tell, there was only one figure, but due to the light flooding in from outside hitting them from behind, I couldn’t make out their face. Is it an infected or a survivor? If it’s just one, I should be able to handle them.

I grabbed my crowbar and maglite and readied myself. The maglite can be used as a baton, but it’s too light to be used to beat someone over and over. The crowbar is my go to weapon for that. It’s long and reasonably heavy, but it’s also easy to carry when I need to run at full sprint.

The figure appeared to be carefully checking the shelves. If they were infected they’d have no reason to do this nor would they possess the intelligence to confirm what they’re looking at anyway. It has to be a survivor.

Just because they’re human doesn’t mean I can let my guard down. In this new world, there are plenty of people that will kill other survivors just for fun. 

The person slowly made their way toward the direction of the food aisle. The only way for them to get there was to pass straight by the sixth register. I waited for them to pass in front before springing out to confront them.

“Who’s there!?”

I kept my voice low while speaking clearly enough for them to hear me. I stood up while shining the light in their eyes. I heard, “Kya!” before seeing the figure fall to the ground.

The person searching the market looked to be a high school girl. She had short black hair and wore a sailor uniform that must have belonged to the school she attended. When she fell to the ground, her skirt flipped up but I was unable to see her panties due to the shorts she wore underneath.

…it’s not like I was disappointed or anything!

“W-Who are you…?”

Her voice trembled as she spoke. I checked both of her hands for a weapon before lowering my maglite. It’s unlikely that she’s a threat, but I still kept my crowbar at the ready.

“I asked you first. Do you live here? Are there other survivors?”

“I-I only recently fled a refugee zone. We were attacked and overrun by them….”

“You’re alone?”

The girl quickly nodded in response to my question. I noticed how her eyes were constantly shifting from side-to-side as if she were looking for a means of escape. She’s scared of me and I can understand why. I surprised her and started interrogating her without ever giving her a chance to ask anything herself.

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The post Never Stop Running Volume 1 Chapter 3 appeared first on Rhex's Translations.

Two weeks had passed since I barricaded myself on the top floor of an apartment building.

I carefully cracked open the front door and winced as the hinges creaked slightly. After being locked in a pitch black room with all of the windows covered, the sudden rays of sunlight hitting my eyes from the corridor partially blinded me for a moment. I closed my eyes in anticipation of this, but it still wasn’t enough to prevent it entirely.

My vision returned to normal after a few seconds and I was able to see out into the hallway through the crack in the door. I couldn’t see much, so it’s possible there could be something hiding in the shadows further down the hall.

I sat in silence for a minute as I waited to see if anything had noticed me. After confirming that nothing was moving in the hall, I opened the door the rest of the way and quickly emerged out from the doorway before closing it behind me. I was alone.

I let out a sigh of relief and removed my hand from the hilt of the axe hanging from my waist. I didn’t even remember putting my hand there, but there were many reasons that I may need to use it.

In this new world, it’s rare to see anyone not carrying a weapon. Without a weapon, you’re welcoming death and with a weapon you’re only postponing it. My axe has seen plenty of use and the wooden handle has been dyed red.

It was a weekday — not that the day of the week mattered anymore — yet the town was eerily quiet. There were no cars driving on the streets and no neighbours idly chattering away. The only sound I occasionally heard were the caws of the countless crows circling the buffet beneath them.

I moved to the end of the hall nearest the staircase and took my binoculars out to look out the window. This vantage point gave me a good chance to survey the utter devastation that had overtaken the town.

There was a burnt out truck that had crashed full-speed into a block of houses. 

An overturned car that had crashed.

The charred remains of a home that had burned to the ground.

Two trains had collided head-on at some point with the wreckage now lying sprawled out across the silent city streets.

…and the countless crows perched along the power lines.

This scene has been the norm since around three months ago. Civilizations across the world have all fallen into ruin. 

I looked toward the direction of main street where a small amount of movement caught my eye.

Through the lens of the binoculars I could see several humanoid figures moving through the streets. At a quick glance, they appeared to be normal humans, but the skin around their mouth was stained red and a stringy object was grasped in its hand. If I looked closer, I could see that it was something like the intestines of another human.

There was a small group of these creatures huddled around something on the ground. It reminded me of a group of old ladies swarming to the market when there was a good sale on, but, in this case, the object they were swarming to was a dead body. And they were devouring it.

The body was once a young woman. It was as if she were being assaulted by a group of men, but through the gaps in their arms and in between them I could see she was covered in blood with huge chunks of flesh being ripped away while the creatures swarming her gorged themselves on her organs.

Bits of dangling flesh and the white of bone could be seen where her left arm had been ripped off below the shoulder. Her right arm was shaking about in response to the creatures tearing at her flesh.

It was a horrific scene, but I didn’t look away. I used to get squeamish watching horror movies and even when there were clips of doctors operating in documentaries, but I’ve grown used to this. I’ve seen corpses in worse condition and I’ve lost count of the number of people I’ve seen eaten alive. Their screams, however, will forever haunt my dreams.

A man wearing a suit that was probably on his way to work the day the outbreak started, turned to me as if he knew I was watching him. A piece of meat dangled from his teeth. The shirt on his right arm was torn off completely and the skin of his arm was almost as mangled as the body he was feasting on. He quickly returned his attention to the meal on the ground causing me to lose sight of the young woman’s body.

I lowered my binoculars and turned away from the nightmare on the street. I’ve grown accustomed to seeing people eat other people over the last few months. I no longer think about why it’s happening or what caused them to become like this. Thinking about that is meaningless. All that matters in this new world is action.

Those people — the infected, they attack people on sight and eat them. I don’t know exactly why, but they seem to be motivated by an uncontrollable hunger and increased aggression. They’re constantly starving and angry. Just the sight of a human is enough to send them into a frenzy.

I remember hearing reports before when the TV and radio were still working that the cause was some type of virus. If you become infected by the virus, you’ll lose your humanity within a few hours and turn into a creature motivated purely by rage and hunger.

The infected view humans as enemies (or maybe simply as meals), but they either consider other infected as allies or they merely have no interest in them.

All the memories they held and everything that made them human is gone. They become pure beasts that only resemble humans.

When the infected become frenzied at the sight of a human it’s as if the limiter in their bodies has been turned off. They use their full strength and feel no pain. They still remain human, however, and a mortal injury can kill them. They could lose an arm or two and keep coming at you, but the blood loss would eventually take them down.

They clearly resemble zombies from movies or games, but these infected never died before resurrecting. They were just normal humans that have been infected by a strange virus that makes them violent. This hasn’t stopped many people from referring to them as zombies and it’s honestly understandable considering the infected will continue chasing a human even if both of their arms and legs are broken.

Well, it’s not like there are many people left to call them anything.

The virus originated in Africa before quickly spreading throughout every country on the planet. The saliva of an infected possesses the ability to transmit the virus near instantly. A single bite from one of the infected will transform a human into one of them in only a few hours.

The number of infected increased dramatically with no real way to control it. Governments across the world collapsed one after another. The police and military fought valiantly against the growing horde, but in the end, all they did was add to their numbers. When your opponent is something capable of running as fast as an Olympic sprinter and can continue moving even when their limbs are cut off, there isn’t much hope for anyone. In addition to this, with each ally that falls a new enemy is born.

In Japan just like many other countries, the infected soon become the dominant species. Before the final radio broadcasts ended, there were reports that nearly ninety percent of Japan’s population had become infected or died. Public transport ended and people hid within their homes as the electricity and other infrastructure fell into ruin.

People fled from the cities to more remote areas in order to hide from the infected. But the infected were unrelenting in their pursuit and this only served to spread the infection across all reaches of Japan.

The government fell. I’ve heard rumours here and there that the SDF and whatever remains of the police have set up a base somewhere in an attempt to rebuild. I’ve also heard rumours that the base was overrun. The latter seems more likely.

I was just a normal high school student only a few months ago. After the outbreak started and we lost electricity, my family moved into a refugee camp not far from our home. Within a week of living their a large horde attacked the camp. I managed to escape but lost sight of my parents in the panic. 

I met countless survivors after that day, but they’ve all either died or we became separated during an attack.

And today is the first day in a while where I’ve decided to venture out into this hellscape. I’m not doing this out of choice either but by necessity. My stores of food and water are beginning to run low.

The infected attack humans on sight, but if you remain out of sight you’ll be safe. The infected have no limiter when it comes to their physical abilities which means they can run as fast as an Olympian, but this doesn’t apply to their senses except for when it comes to no longer being able to feel any pain. They can’t see in the dark and they won’t be able to smell you unless you’re creating or emitting a particularly strong smell. If you were to drive a car or make a loud noise, they’d be able to find you based off of the sound. As long as you remain quiet, they can’t find you.

And so, after a few days of wandering alone, I found a suitable shelter for me to temporarily call home. I lived with the curtains drawn all day and night and only lighting candles when I absolutely needed to. I lived like that in relative silence for two weeks. The room itself wasn’t anything special; I simply settled on it because it was left unlocked and on the sixth-floor. The fact that I could get away with making a few small sounds without attracting attention was the main appeal of this place. Not to mention that keeping the infected out was as simple as blocking the stairway.

The infected won’t stop chasing a living human as long as they can locate them, either by sound or sight. If you hide well enough, they’ll eventually give up. It may be impossible to outrun them entirely, but if you can run fast enough and turn a corner, it’s possible for them to lose track of you. They’ll linger in the area where they last spotted you, paying attention to the slightest sound or smell, but they will always eventually lose interest. I’ve been attacked on several occasions, but I’ve always managed to escape by hiding in some manner.

The reason I’ve survived for so long comes down to two simple factors: luck and speed. I’ve loved playing outside since I was a child and tag, in particular, was my favourite game to play. This led to me being in good shape when I entered middle school and also led to me deciding to join the track and field club where I was able to set several school records for short distance sprinting.

But one of the biggest hindrances you can create is overburdening yourself. A large bag swinging back and forth on your hip can slow down even the fastest runners. There’s a convenience store not far from here that still has some supplies remaining. I’m not sure if the people here were evacuated early, or if the infected overran this area before it could be looted. Whatever, the reason it’s good for me.

However, the amount left there was more than what I was willing to carry at once. It may seem prudent to bring in as much food and water as possible, but if I got caught out in the open with a heavy bag strapped to my back, I’d either be killed or end up tossing the bag to the ground as I fled.

I decided that I’d play it safe and only take supplies with me that I could carry while still being able to run comfortably. I brought enough with me each time to last a few days and would head out again whenever I started to run low. I never starved myself. I needed to keep myself near full strength in case I were to ever be attacked while outside.

I made sure I had my weapon and a small amount of food and water in my bag before heading out. If I’m spotted by any infected, I plan on running or hiding, but a weapon is necessary in case I’m forced to fight.

I had the hatchet and crowbar I could use as a weapon and I could even use my maglight as a baton if I needed to. I didn’t own any of these before the outbreak. They were all just a few of the many items I had found in one of the houses or apartments I took shelter in at some point. It would be nice if I could find a gun, but I think the chances of me finding one in a random home are basically nonexistent. If I had survived for this long in America, I’m sure that I could’ve gathered enough weapons and ammo to have a proper arsenal, but this is Japan. The only guns I can think of are the ones possessed by the SDF, US soldiers, and only a small number of hunters. Some gangs own guns illegally, but I doubt I’m lucky enough to randomly stumble upon one of their members that just happened to have a gun on them.

Infected people aren’t like zombies from movies. They don’t have a specific weakness that is the only way to kill them. Admittedly, they are difficult to kill, but if you properly damage their vital organs or mortally wound them in some other way, they’ll die like any other human. It’s not my preferred strategy, but if it comes down to a fight, aiming for the heart will be enough to take one down.

As always, the strategy when encountering any infected is to hide first and only fight as a last resort.

If I run into a single infected, it should be easy enough to take them down with a weapon, but if there are two of them, I’ll observe the situation before deciding what to do. Taking down two is challenging. The first kill is easy, but if the two infected are anywhere near each other, the sound will draw the attention of the second and I’ll only have a split second to take that one down before I enter a foot race against the equivalent of an Olympic sprinter. If there are ever any more than that, the only option is to run. 

If this were a movie, I’d be able to take down an entire room full of infected before any of them even noticed me. Even if things turned for the worse, I’d easily be able to escape, but this is reality. These infected will relentlessly pursue their prey unless they lose sight of them.

Driving a car is a suicidal act. I never got a license before the outbreak, so I’d be likely to crash without the added hazard of the horde of infected chasing after the sound of the engine. Most of the roads are blocked off by crashed vehicles or other debris left over from the chaos that consumed the world three months ago.

There’s still plenty of fuel left over at gas stations, but that’s because most of the remaining population realize the dangers of travelling by car. Hitting any of the infected while driving is also a real concern. The collision could send the body through the windshield, body parts under the tires causing them to slide, or there could be severe damage to the engine.

I remember travelling through the mountains when I was a kid, and we crashed into a wild boar. The car was in such terrible shape that we were stranded there for hours. It may be possible to modify a car to prevent these issues, but I don’t possess the skill, time, or tools necessary.

With my bag strapped to my back, I moved the sofa out from in front of the staircase and got ready for my descent. With the elevator no longer operational, this is the only route I had to worry about any infected coming from. If any did manage to find me, my plan was to escape out through the window of my room and down the fire escape. 

The total weight in my bag was around ten kilograms. This included necessities like clothing, medicine, food, and water. This was the heaviest weight I felt comfortable carrying while still being able to run.

Incidentally, with my supply of food and water running low, I left nothing behind in the apartment. I don’t know what waits for me outside this building, but if everything goes to plan, I’ll be able to return here with enough supplies to last a few more days. If I were discovered and tried to return here, I’d just be leading the infected straight to my home. Even if I managed to hide before returning, they’d still continue roaming around the area they last saw me. The better option would be to hide and find a new shelter.

The only non-infected person in this town is me. I’d check outside infrequently while locked in the apartment, but the only living creatures I ever saw were crows and wild cats and dogs. Even if there are some survivors here, none of them would go out of there way to help me. If I’m spotted while outside, I only have myself to rely on.

I took my binoculars out once more and looked in the direction of the dead woman I spotted earlier. The infected were no longer gathered there and there were none in sight. I wonder if they ate their fill.

The amount of damage done to the woman means she’s without a doubt dead. That’s good. She won’t turn into another infected and I don’t have to worry about her screams drawing any infected my way.

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The post Never Stop Running Volume 1 Chapter 2 appeared first on Rhex's Translations.

I stared into the candle’s red flames as they gently danced in the pitch-black room. It was my lone source of light in my new home.

The lifeline known as electricity that humanity had grown accustomed to had disappeared long ago. It’s not as if I forgot to pay the electricity bill either. The people in charge of running the power plant have long since abandoned their posts. No matter how many times I flip the switch, none of the lights will turn on and the streets will remain dark at night.

I moved closer to the window covered by a blackout curtain and lifted it slightly so I could see outside. The entire city was shrouded in darkness with not a single light on in any of the buildings that I could see, nor were there any headlights from the cars on the streets. The clouds in the sky covered up the only other source of light, making the darkness feel heavy and causing a sense of claustrophobia. 

The wind was picking up and the window was rattling from the force. It had been raining since noon and I was lucky to have found a suitable shelter before it started.

I was in a room on the top floor of an apartment building. It was a rather large apartment complex, but there wasn’t a single soul in sight when I arrived. They’re either all dead now or prowling the streets looking for their next victim. Some of the doors to the apartments were still locked, but the apartments that were left open had all been ravaged. They didn’t look as if they had been looted, no, it was as if a tornado had swept through the room, destroying everything in its path.

I was careful when entering the building and checked the few rooms that were open to be sure that I was alone. After confirming this, I decided to choose a room that had its door closed but was fortunately unlocked.

There was no sign of any devastation in this room. It’s possible the owner of this room forgot to lock the door when they went out, never to return. No matter what the case, their mistake is my fortune.

It’s also fortunate that this room is on the top floor. The infected rarely pay attention to anything high up. As long as I remain quiet and keep my light low, I shouldn’t have to worry about any of them finding me. The door to the staircase leading to the sixth floor is also closed, so this room is as safe a place as any for me to call home.

“Now then….”

I sat down on the floor of the living room facing the window and took out the contents of my backpack. I chose a can of corned beef and a bottle of water as today’s dinner and placed the rest back in my bag.

“Let’s eat.”

I clapped my hands together and opened the canned food. A few months ago I would’ve considered this a poor meal if even a meal at all. But in this world, canned food is more valuable than money. Luxury items are worthless and there are plenty of people alive today willing to kill over a few cans of food. 

I took my time eating the greasy corned beef and savoured every bite in the hopes that it would stave off my hunger for a little longer. I can’t simply eat whenever I get hungry. I don’t know when I’ll find my next meal. I got lucky here and the water tower on top of the building still has water in it. I’ll be able to fill up my water here which means one less thing to worry about for now.

After finishing my meal, I decided to more thoroughly search the room with the use of my candle while chewing on xylitol gum. The gum was more of a dessert rather than a means of preventing tooth decay. It’s likely there’s still something useful here as the entire place still looks like it hadn’t been touched since the outbreak. The reason I’m choosing not to use my flashlight is not only due to it being a waste of batteries, but there’s also a greater risk of the infected seeing the bright light of a flashlight.

My obvious first destination was the kitchen. The food in the refrigerator was rotten due to the electricity being out but there were still several bottles of unopened water.

There were several cans of unopened food in the cabinet and around 500 grams of uncooked rice. There was also plenty of seasoning available and, if I’m careful about the smell, I could actually prepare a halfway decent meal for the first time in a while. 

Most of the necessities have already been covered at this point, but I might as well check the other rooms. I was able to find some tools, batteries, a small amount of medicine, lighters, and a few other useful items. The medicine is especially important now that there are no more doctors. I sorted everything out before placing it in my bag.

There was also a child’s room in the apartment. Everything was relatively standard: a desk and chair, bookshelf, and bed. There was also a school uniform still in a plastic bag from the cleaners hanging from the closet door. It was safe to assume that the boy that lived in this room was studying for exams based on the numerous answer sheets scattered about his desk.

Seeing this undisturbed room reminded me of my own peaceful life, not long ago. I never imagined my future would be in a world overrun by monsters. I’m sure this boy was the same. Going to school every day, struggling with his studies (or maybe that was just me), and spending time with his friends.

That was until a few months ago….

After collecting myself, I returned to the living room and dusted off the sofa before lying down for the night.

I took a portable music player I found in the apartment out of my pocket. That being said, this device isn’t exactly the newest touchscreen model with an internal memory. It was an older device that I’d imagine existed around forty years ago and played cassette tapes. The people that lived here must have valued it for it to still be functioning.

I selected one of the cassette tapes I found, put in my earbuds, and pressed play. The light and vibrant music filled my empty world now that the candles had been blown out.

I couldn’t help but smile after hearing the old-fashioned music. This is the type of song you’d expect to hear in old movies and tv shows. It protested sending troops to Vietnam and conveyed the feelings of the average citizen being shipped off to war. Throughout the song, the word ‘unlucky’ stuck in my mind.

“Was I just unlucky?”

Am I lucky to have survived so long in this world? Or am I nothing more than the unluckiest person alive? I can’t say for sure, but I know many would think the latter. Many people that survived the initial outbreak chose to take their own life rather than living another second in this messed up world, just like that unnamed man in the house. Suicide has become a regular and accepted practice.

There is a common belief that it’s better for you to choose how to die and make peace with yourself rather than being ripped apart and eaten alive, or, even worse, turning into one of the infected and attacking those you care about. Deep down, I think that’s how I feel as well, but I’m too much of a coward to take my own life. I’ve been attacked several times when I’ve been with other survivors, but while so many others have died, I have survived, alone.

“Why did this happen….”

The exhaustion I had been ignoring for some time suddenly hit me all at once. I’ve been constantly on the move since yesterday and even before that I was rarely sleeping. The world I’ve been living in for the last few months may have trained my body in certain ways, but I am still a seventeen-year-old boy. I’m not a trained soldier that’s capable of staying awake for days on end.

The thought of one of the infected finding me while I’m asleep is impossible to ignore, but I reassured myself that I was safe. I’m on the sixth floor and there are no lights on. Any noise I’ve made should have been drowned out by the pounding wind and pouring rain. The stairs leading up to this floor are blocked and I have a means of escape if any of the infected manage to make it to my door.

I’m safe. Immediately after reassuring myself of this once more, sleep finally overtook me as my vision faded to black.

[Good morning. Today is the seventh of March and this is your morning news. There have been reports of several riots breaking out in multiple African countries yesterday evening. The African Union is pleading for assistance from the international community….]

Only a few months ago, the world was at peace. I remember hearing reports on the news that violent riots were erupting all across Africa. To me, and so many others at the time, these events might as well have been in a different world; something happening in a far off country that won’t have any effect on our lives. Either way, I paid as little attention to the news that morning as any other high school student would have.

[The violent riots which originated in Africa have now reached mainland Europe and have even spread to parts of South America. The total number of fatalities from these riots numbers in the tens of thousands….]

When the news reported this a few days later, I’m sure many people still believed that this would never affect them. I remember that’s how I felt. Who had time to worry about the tens of thousands of dead when the stock market was dropping so substantially? My parents and the government reassured me that this would pass and the world would be able to return to peace in no time. I didn’t fully believe them at the time, but I know I never expected it to get this bad.

[The cause of the rioting that has affected Africa, South America, and Europe has finally been discovered. A research institute based out of the United States has found a link between the heightened aggression noted in the rioters and a newly discovered virus….]

[People infected by the virus lose all reason, turning violent and attacking those around them….]

[Today, the President of the United States has ordered that the U.S.-Mexico border be closed in the hopes of preventing the virus currently ravaging South America from spreading to the States….]

[An emergency cabinet meeting was announced today to discuss ways to prevent the virus from reaching Japan….]

I was still calm several days later, even as the news continued to escalate. A few people were voluntarily choosing to evacuate to less populated areas, but many people, including my parents, continued going to work as if nothing was happening. Everyone was going about their lives like normal in a desperate attempt to avoid facing the horrors that were moving closer with each passing day.

The number of flights in and out of the country was practically nonexistent at this point and the economy was the worst it’s ever been. At this point, the government understood how serious the situation had become, they attempted to close schools all across the country, but this all happened around the end of year exams and after a heavy backlash from students and faculty alike, many schools remained open. I was allowed to continue living in blissful ignorance with my friends for a few more days.

Up until the day the world ended, there were people trying to continue their daily routine.

But that all ended when —

“…hah!”

I sat bolt upright on the sofa. At some point, the cassette player had finished playing and now sat silent. A few rays of sunlight were shining in through the gaps in the curtain. I checked my watch before getting up and peered out the window. There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky.

My clothes were wet with sweat due to the unpleasant memories haunting my sleep. I had to take a moment to calm myself down. I accept the world that I live in now, but the memories of that day still cause pain in my chest. A pain that I hope someday will heal.

I forced the bad memories of the past out of my mind and regained my focus. There’s a lot that needs to get done today.

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The post Never Stop Running Volume 1 Chapter 1 appeared first on Rhex's Translations.

Thank you to Mason who donated to say thanks for releasing that last part so quickly. I’d definitely like to release more frequently but can’t make any promises. Right now, sadly, work comes first.

Enjoy the chapter!

The post Atelier Tanaka – Volume 4 Chapter 6 Part 1 appeared first on Rhex's Translations.

[Sophia-chan’s point of view]

The only way for this maid to spend the afternoon after a long hard day of work is with tea and snacks.

I was away from my usual place at the desk and was instead at the small kitchenette attached to the office. I bought a bucket of oysters on the way home and was waiting for a pot to boil on the stove.

Just as the water was beginning to bubble, I grabbed my cup off a nearby shelf when Tanaka-san’s cup that was right next to it suddenly cracked.

“Ah….”

The crack slowly spread across the face of the cup before splitting into two as it made its way towards the lip.

“….”

What happened?

It just cracked out of nowhere.

“…o-oh no!”

I knocked it off the shelf.

I hit it with the back of my hand as I lifted my own cup from the shelf. It fell to the ground and shattered.

W-W-W-What am I going to do?

I’m going to be in trouble. He always used this cup; it must have held some meaning to him. Or maybe it’s really expensive.

“….”

Could I find a replacement at a shop? He’s not here and I don’t know when he’ll be back, but I’ll hopefully have a few days to find one. If I give it my all, I should be able to find it.

Plans to hide my mistake started flowing through my mind.

Then, an all too familiar voice erupted in laughter behind me.

“Oooooooohohohohooo~!”

“Who –!?”

Her shrill laugh echoed throughout the kitchen.

I turned around to see Doris-sama standing at the entrance.

Her drills bounced around as she threw her head back in laughter. Visiting me in the office has  become a habit of hers over the last few days.

“Sophia, did you think you’d get away without anyone seeing!? I saw everything!”

“D-D-Do-Doris-sama!”

“Did you think I wouldn’t recognize it? That’s your master’s favourite cup! I wonder how he’ll react when he finds out his clumsy maid shattered it into pieces?”

“….”

There was a sinister smile on her face.

That’s right. This is the type of person she is.

 A complete sadist.

A sadist capable of controlling a demon.

“If you wish for me to remain silent, you’ll accompany me at my tea party.”

“B-But….”

“I also believe I possess an identical cup to the one you broke.”

“T-That’s….”

It’s a very attractive proposal.

This must be how people fall into depravity.

“What do you say~? Or do you plan on refusing my simple request?”

“T-That’s absurd! I-I-I’ll be in your care!”

This is the first I’ve heard about Doris-sama’s tea party.

Knowing her, it must be a sadistic party indeed.

“Ufufu~, I love honest girls like you.”

“….”

A commoner like me will surely be maid to strip in front of the rest of the nobility attending her party. They’ll take their time and have fun humiliating me all night.

I’ll enter as an innocent maid, but the party will continue. As I’m forced to do things I never thought me capable of, the party will continue. Before the end, I’ll no longer resemble the woman I once was, but the party will still continue.

Aa~h, just thinking about it sends shivers down my spine.

***

The explosion was deafening. The fireball exploded at the centre of the table, obliterating anything near it and sending everything else flying towards the walls.

Still, Richard and the muscular grandpa were alive. The room itself still remained intact but the table was gone and a black scorch mark was left on the ceiling and floor where Richard was seated.

The smoke and dust caused by the explosion lingered in the air for some time and took nearly a minute before it started to clear. Just like I had experienced previously, my healing magic began forming a new head on my shoulders. The attack Richard had launched at me was enough to cut through most of my neck but my head still remained attached by a thin strand of muscle. As my new head formed, my old one fell to the floor with a thud.

“….”

Magic is dangerous.

I can understand why the United States has such a problem with guns.

This entire room was destroyed by only two people possessing the ability to destroy everything in sight within a few seconds. The table and chairs were completely obliterated or shattered into splinters. The fine plates we were eating off of had been shattered or blackened to the point of being unrecognizable.

After the smoke cleared, I took a quick survey of the room. Mama-san had been knocked to the floor, but Richard was on top of her and protected her from the worst of the explosion. Both appeared to be alive as I could see them breathing and hear groans coming from them.

The muscular grandpa was standing at the epicentre of the blast protecting Ester-chan. A strange aura surrounded him that resembled the protection magic the noble mage used while fighting the dragon. What a cool pose. I could fall in love.

This must be his way of confirming his love for his family.

While secret lover number two Allen is…oi, oi, didn’t he do something incredible? He used a section of the table that had broken off as a shield to protect himself and the maids. The wood was scorched and splintered but he and the maids were safe.

Today’s MVP is number two.

“Thank you, Allen. I knew I could count on you.”

“N-No, you’ve done more than me, Tanaka-san.”

“Don’t you all ready know, Allen? It will take a lot more than this to kill me.”

“Y-Your as amazing as ever….”

That look of astonishment on his face when he first entered the dining room returned.

It doesn’t feel bad seeing him so impressed with me.

But my heart was actually racing. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep everyone alive through another attack. The only reason I let things come to this was in order to protect Allen. If it were anyone else sitting next to me, I would’ve already ran away.

Ester-chan’s attack was also unexpected.

“But I-I’m lucky I had this….”

With a bang, Allen dropped his makeshift shield.

He let out a big sigh as he did so.

“Don’t say that. That was a clever use of a table.”

“But it was just –!”

Secret lover number two still tried to remain humble.

As number one, I wonder what our future will hold.

This is all a result of Ester-chan doing whatever she wants, after all. Well, I can’t say it’s all bad. It’s because of her doing whatever she wants that I was awarded the title of baron in the first place.

“…Baron Tanaka.”

Someone suddenly called out my name.

I looked toward the voice and saw Richard was beginning to move and as he got up on one knee. The suit he wore was covered in dust and soot while several holes had formed where his clothing had caught fire. Recovery magic can’t fix clothing after all.

“Sorry if I’ve caused you any inconvenience, Duke FitzClarence.”

“….”

There was a clear look of confusion on his face after I bowed.

And, with a more subdued tone than usual, he spoke,

“You are human, aren’t you?”

“Your child can attest to at least one human side of me.”

“….”

I wasn’t sure how effective an attack like that would be against a Duke considering I was holding back.

But I had no other cards left to play.

Maybe regrowing my head was enough to scare him.

“Duke FitzClarence, I have a request.”

“…please, ask it.”

“Allen is a good person.”

“….”

“Please, as a favour to me, consider him a member of the family.”

He should be able to understand what I really want.

No matter how furious he may be, he has to realize he stands to gain nothing by continuing this fight. Sophie-chan described him as a monster but he’s not an idiot. There’s also one key difference between the dinner from Sophie-chan’s past and this one, Richard is the one kneeling.

Given our positions, this makes my request more of a threat.

“…I’m certain I cut clean through your neck, Tanaka-san.”

“It will take more than that to have my head, Hegel-san.”

“….”

I held my index finger up.

It’s time for the mysterious Asian busamen to make his getaway.

“Now then, if you’ll excuse me for today.”

“W-Wait a moment! We aren’t finished yet….”

Both sides need some time to cool their heads.

I ignored Richard’s words as I floated into the air using my flight magic. I took a quick glance around the room and saw that a nearby window facing out to the garden had been shattered. What a perfect place to make a cool escape.

The cool wind whipped against my cheeks as I floated out of the window.

“….”

The view of the cityscape from this vantage point was breathtaking.

No, no, there’s no time to regret my actions.

The only place I can go is Dragon City.

Farewell Kalis. It would be best if I stayed away from the capital for a while.

***

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The post Atelier Tanaka – Volume 4 Chapter 5 Part 12 appeared first on Rhex's Translations.

The sun had set and night had fallen over the FitzClarence estate. The time had come.

I was taken to the dining room by Ester-chan in order to eat dinner with her father. It seems to be common practice for this family to eat together when everyone is home.

There were three other people seated at the table other than myself: Ester-chan, her father, and the muscular grandpa. Her mother was out at the moment and we were starting without her.

This room was just as beautiful as every other room in the house. Edita Sensei’s home could easily fit inside the dining room. The entire setting made me think of a luxury restaurant where a single item on the menu would cost over 10,000 yen.

The table and chairs were polished beautifully and the golden chandeliers were opulently decorated with gems. 

“Let’s have a toast to the new Baron. Cheers!”

““Cheers.””

As Ester-chan’s father raised his glass, so did everyone else.

There were several maids standing around the room, ready to offer us any assistance if we need it. It was hard for me to know where to look considering every last one of them was a beautiful girl in her teens.

One criticism I do have is that their skirts could be shorter.

“Feel free to enjoy yourself tonight, Baron Tanaka.”

“I’m undeserving of such kindness, Duke FitzClarence.”

“I apologize if me disguising my identity offended you in anyway. I’d like for this dinner to be an opportunity for us to start fresh. In this room, we’re all equals.”

That’s a lie. An absolute lie.

He forced Sophie-chan’s dad to grovel beneath him.

“I understand that it is an important ability for an aristocrat to be able to change their persona depending on who they’re speaking with. I’m sorry, but I don’t believe I possess that ability.”

His words reminded me of a drunken boss at an after work party telling his employees to treat him like ‘one of the gang.’ Some less experienced employees might take him up on that offer, but the veterans won’t be fooled. The boss might not remember much of the night the next day, but anything said to offend him or that he can use against you will remain fresh in his mind. 

You must never forget the difference in status between anyone and everyone you speak to, so is the mantra of the wage slave.

“Well, if that is the case, feel free to use this dinner as practice.”

“Thank you. I’ll try my best.”

I might as well agree to it so we can move along.

“You possess the magical ability to build an entire city in less than a day and gathered people to your cause in order to help you meet the admittedly difficult targets His Majesty set out for you. I believe that there’s a lot I can learn from you.”

“You give me too much credit, Duke FitzClarence. Most of my success is down to sheer luck and coincidence.”

“Humility will do you no good in this world, Baron Tanaka.”

“It’s not humility. Even if it were, it’s an undeniable truth that I wouldn’t have been able to do any of it without the investment received from you, Duke FitzClarence.”

“So you’re saying I deserve all the praise for your success?”

It’s here already. His first attack.

I can give him an honest answer.

“Of course, I also owe thanks to Elizabeth-sama for helping out and showing me patience. She also convinced Doris of Ahan from the Pussy Republic to aid me, and the members of the Twilight Company led by the eldest son of the Aufschnaiter family.”

“….”

“I also received help from the Vice-Captain of the magic Knights, Cyan Bitch-sama, and Lord Fahren granted me access to the Academy were I was able to further my knowledge and deepen these relationships.”

“Lord Fahren did that for you?”

“I believe he may have had his own motives, but I benefited as a result.”

“…I see.”

Ester-chan’s father perked up when I mentioned the noble mage’s name. Even though Sophie-chan called this man a monster, he still pays respects to that magic lunatic.

Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen the noble mage since he left Dragon City. Did he make it safely back to Kalis? It’s possible he did something to annoy the loligon on the way back.

“T-That’s not true, Papa!”

“What do you mean, Liz?”

“I’m not responsible for getting Doris to help!”

Why did the lolibitch have to speak up now?

What is she going to say? It’s just making me more anxious.

“He fought against the Pussy Republic in the previous conflict and that is where he became acquainted with Doris! He’s also the reason Doris remained obedient while she was in Tricklis. He is owed all of the credit for ending the conflict and for obtaining aid from a member of the Pussy Republic.”

The lolibitch spoke confidently.

To be more precise, Christina being far more powerful than the long-haired man is the reason why Drill-chan has remained docile. If she wasn’t around, that drill haired virgin would’ve attacked Tricklis already.

However, her words seemed to have an impact on her father.

“So that’s what happened.”

“I think she’s just being kind.”

“You should be more proud of your accomplishments, Baron Tanaka.”

“Thank you, Duke FitzClarence.”

It turns out that letting Ester-chan speak was a good idea.

Maybe she’ll be the key to me getting out of here safely.

As I said this silent prayer in my mind, I was suddenly hit with another verbal attack from the side.

“I will not allow this to continue any longer! It must stop! Even if my son will allow my precious granddaughter to be manipulated by you, I will not allow it any longer!”

The muscular grandpa spoke up for the first time.

“I will remain silent on matters concerning the house, but not when it comes to my cute grandchild!”

“Liz is my daughter before she is your granddaughter.”

“….”

Esther’s father was the one to interrupt him.

The muscular grandpa couldn’t say anything against him. He was struck down so quickly even though he was fired up moments ago. It was a little sad, honestly. It’s not an exaggeration to say that his son possesses all of the power in this house.

However, I think that the family has only reached the heights it has because of him. His son may have increased their wealth and power but it all started with the muscular grandpa.

“Still, my father raises a fair point.”

Ester’s father’s eyes moved from the muscular grandpa to me.

His eyes turned into straight lines.

He’s becoming serious.

“How exactly would you describe your relationship with my daughter, Baron Tanaka?”

“How I would describe it…?”

What am I supposed to say?

I took a moment to consider my answer as I slowly took a sip from my glass. Sophie-chan said that all of the rumours about Ester-chan’s father spoiling her are true. It makes me seriously worried about my answer. If I were Ester-chan’s father and the man that broke her hymen confronted me, I don’t think I’d be able to stop myself from beating him to a pulp.

I understand why her father is curious to know.

As I was still trying to carefully choose my words, the door to the dining room opened.

The sound pulled everyone’s attention away from me.

“I’m back, darling.”

A beautiful woman emerged from the hallway.

She was someone I had met previously. I can’t remember her name, but I do remember seeing her with Ester’s father when he first introduced himself as Hegel. Once she spotted Richard, a cheerful smile spread across her face as she greeted him.

As her words suggest, she must be Ester’s mother.

At least, that’s my assumption.

But —

“Eh…? E-Ester…and Tanaka-san?”

It took me a moment to realize that Allen was standing next to her, but the real shock came when I noticed his arm around her waist. They clearly aren’t strangers to each other and the image reminded me of a couple exiting a love hotel.

The look in their eyes and their body language told the story of how close they were. If Mama-san’s arm was also around Allen, he may have been killed on the spot. Even so, this situation is bad.

It looks like the ikemen has been thinking with his lower body again.

Of course, the moment Allen noticed everyone in the room, his expression changed to utter confusion.

“I’m sorry about this, Allen-san.”

A small smile floated across Mama-san’s face before she slipped out of Allen’s arms and moved to Richard’s side.

Here eyes weren’t smiling.

“Umm, w-what is going on…?”

Allen was beginning to tremble.

“We wished to speak with you with everyone present. Father, mother…and daughter.”

“….”

What have you done, Allen?

Ester-chan said that she saw the ikemen leave with a group of noblewomen at the party. One of them must have been this woman, but I would think that Allen would recognize Ester-chan’s mother.

“Liz, who is this boy?”

Richard’s emotionless words sent a chill down my spine.

Allen only just arrived and he’s already stepped on a landmine.

“….”

“Ara, darling, there’s no need to make such a scary face. He’s been such a great escort today. With him constantly telling me how beautiful I am and his other attempts at flattery, I’ll be able to remain happy for years.”

“I see. What a nice young man. Is that how you become so close to Earl Bitch?”

“Uh….”

Allen probably assumed that Richard knew nothing of his relationship with Earl Bitch. This ‘nice young man’ was getting paler by the second and he was at a complete loss for words. The situation was bad at first but it’s quickly become even worse than I anticipated.

Ester-chan’s mom must have approached Allen knowing who he is with the intention to lead him on. Allen was so excited by the prospect of her high-class pussy, that he failed to realize she was leading him straight to the execution block.

Ester-chan’s parents are terrifying.

The muscular grandpa is nothing more than a figurehead.

He hasn’t even said anything yet.

“Your name is Allen-kun, correct? Please, take a seat, I’ve had a place set for you as well.”

“…I-I think I’d be intruding.”

In response to Richard’s invitation, Ester-chan’s secret lover number two attempted to quietly excuse himself.

“I told you to take your seat. Or did you not hear me?”

“….”

Allen fell silent as he moved next to me and took his seat. So that’s why there was an empty seat next to me. Ester-chan was seated at the head of the table while Richard and the muscular grandpa sat opposite of Allen and me.

Incidentally, this meant that Ester-chan’s two secret lovers were both sat on the same side with every other member of the FitzClarence family facing us.

I think I’m starting to understand Sophie-chan’s story a little better.

Ester-chan’s parents are going to strike before either of us have a chance to prepare ourselves.

In stark contrast to the graceful smile he’s showing us, Richard has a serious violent side he has yet to show. After Allen and Mama-san took a seat, the meal continued with both Allen and I mechanically eating the food served to us. I just did my best to match the pace at which the members of the FitzClarence family ate their food.

I don’t even remember what any of it tasted like.

“Umm, P-Papa….”

Ester-chan attempted to offer us a lifeline.

As things stand, Allen is likely to be dead by the morning. That much is only natural considering he tried to sleep with the wife of the country’s most powerful nobleman. In Japan, an affair at that level could easily lead to him paying millions in consolation money.

But, in this instance, Allen appears to have been invited by Mama-san.

Almost any man would easily fall for Mama-san’s charms if she threw herself at them. I would even be okay with having a threesome with her and Allen if it meant I got to sleep with her. The lewdness factor would increase by at least ten times considering she’s Ester-chan’s mother. A nice aged beef sandwich.

“There’s just one thing I haven’t been able to confirm.”

Richard completely ignored his daughter and continued focusing on Allen and me.

He set down his silverware and looked straight at us. There was a smile on his face, but I know from what Sophie-chan told me that I can’t trust it.

“There’s no denying my daughter has changed for the worse and there’s only one reason I can think of as the cause for this. I just need to know which one of you two taught Liz these unnecessary things.”

A fast ball down the centre of the plate.

“….”

I could feel Allen’s shoulder trembling next to me.

This is bad.

This is just as bad as making an enemy out of Christina.

“I’ll only ask this once more: tell me which one of you, Tanaka-san or Allen-kun, taught my daughter these frivolous things? I would like to continue our meal, but we can’t continue until this matter has been settled.”

“….”

What should I do?

If what Sophie-chan told me was true, once he learns the answer, his next action will be to attack with magic.

And I’m guessing Allen doesn’t know this.

Knowing him, he’ll want to make his relationship with Ester official —

“E-Ester and I….”

This ikemen is too honest.

There’s only one thing I can think of doing to stop him.

If I don’t do it, I only see one way of this ending for Allen.

He started his life as a yarichin in the capital and his life as a yarichin will end here as well.

“Richard-san, I was the one that took your daughter’s virginity.”[Tanaka]

I slowly stood from my chair while simultaneously activating my recovery magic.

This is the same type I used to protect myself against Christina’s punches. Based on the last few times I’ve used this, no matter how powerful his attack, I should be able to survive.

“…is this true, Tanaka-san?”

“Yes.”

“That’s strange. My research suggested different….”

I have no choice but to do this if I want Allen to leave here alive.

Allen removed all other options the moment he entered the room and stepped on the landmine.

“I find younger girls attractive. Despite Ester-san’s age, she still doesn’t grow any hair down there. It’s truly fascinating. I wasn’t able to suppress my desire toward her and corrupted her into becoming my plaything –”

I spoke as if I were intimately familiar with her hairless pussy even though I only saw it once in the bath.

At the same time, attack magic was sent flying at me.

“Ah….”

I could hear a few sharp gasps from someone in the dining room after this exchange.

I fierce pain struck my body and the force of his attack knocked me back several feet, but I remained standing. There was a sharp pain emanating from my neck, but this only lasted a few seconds before my recovery magic kicked in. Richard remained seated at the table with only his hand raised slightly toward me. 

His eyes that were normally closed were now slightly opened.

He’s the type of ikemen where his eyes open a little when he’s starting to lose his temper.

His good looks annoy me.

The scenery in the dining room changed drastically. The tablecloth and all of the tableware was now dyed red with my blood. I recalled a similar scene when the Dark Elf decapitated me. What a waste.

“P-Papaaaaa!”

Ester-chan’s scream filled the room as she aimed an attack at her father.

“Ha!?”

That was the first time I ever heard a hint of surprise in his voice.

He must have never expected his daughter to attack him.

I was as surprised as him.

A swirling mass of flames around one metre in diameter erupted from Ester-chan’s hand directly at her father. Fireball. The point-blank attack erupted on its target and exploded in a blinding flash of light. 

I could feel myself getting weaker and decided to check my status while taking cover.

All right, I still have plenty of MP remaining.

My MP took a big hit, but it should be the same for Richard. He won’t be able to follow up with another attack of that magnitude which will give me plenty of time to recover. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to attack without destroying this entire mansion and killing everyone in it. It might be possible if I hold back and activate a healing circle around the table at the same time.

Will it work though?

Despite my terrible LUC stat, I decided to hope for the best and activated the circle at the same time I shot a fireball toward Richard.

Another wave of pain enveloped my body.

***

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The post Atelier Tanaka – Volume 4 Chapter 5 Part 11 appeared first on Rhex's Translations.

As I slowly pushed my way through the crowd, I finally arrived back in the ballroom.

I set my sights on my target and made my way over to her.

The idol bitch was smiling while surrounded by a dozen or so noble men. She seemed to be having a good time. As one would expect of an idol bitch like her. She has to put in the hours when in public to keep her fan base strong.

“I’m sorry to intrude on your conversation, Cyan-sama.”

“…Baron Tanaka?”

“Your father wishes to have a word with you. I apologize, but if you could please follow me.”

“….”

She’s just staring at me.

I know she’s smart enough to understand what I want, but I’m not sure if her idol bitch nature will allow herself to be taken away from her adoring fans.

“I understand. I’m sorry everyone, but if you’ll excuse me for a little while.”

Great she’s going along without any questions.

Thank you, Sophie-chan.

On the other hand, the crowd of gathered men were annoyed at my intrusion. However, due to me mentioning Sophie-chan’s father, none of them raised any objections. This is the common reaction of most herbivores.

Honestly, I was expecting them to try a little harder. There are several good looking guys among them. If they were around Ester-chan, I’m sure that one of them could have successfully made a move on her. I stopped that train of thought there as I felt a cold pit forming in my stomach.

“This way, please.”

“Yes, of course.”

I escorted the idol bitch through several hallways, weaving our way through the crowd as we went. We continued on until we found our way outside and the crowd had thinned considerably. The final location I decided on was a secluded area of the garden located between the walls of the mansion and the walls surrounding the entire estate.

“I don’t think anyone will be able to hear us here.”

“Thank you for remaining patient, Cyan-sama.”

Sophie-chan stopped on the spot and turned to me. 

The slight turn caused her miniskirt to lift up slightly. Every movement she makes is calculated. Furthermore, the words she said to me were ones that every man wishes to hear from the opposite sex at least once in his life.

“…and Sophie is fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“As long as there’s nobody around to hear.”

The feeling of being offered a special treatment by Sophie-chan was amazing.

The pure sexual aura that she emits is almost overwhelming.

If I didn’t study in Kabukichō, I’d be in danger by just being near her.

“Really? Good, I feel more comfortable this way.”

“Of course.”

However, the reason I brought her here is serious.

I need her advice.

“I need to know about Ester-san’s parents.”

“Have you finally decided to marry her?”

“No you’re mistaken. Her father invited me to dinner tonight.”

“…you’re serious?”

“Yes.”

Sophie-chan’s eyes opened wide. It gave her more of a cute look rather than her usual aloof one.

She always hides her emotions and it’s rare to be able to see a real reaction from her.

“He might be planning something after all.”

“….”

Her reaction worried me.

“My father and I were also invited to dinner here once. I was around ten at the time, but I still remember that day clearly. Honestly, I try not to think about it if I can.”

“I’m sorry, but could you tell me more.”

“I was young at the time, so I didn’t understand the full extent of what was happening. However, I didn’t need to understand their words to understand their difference in status. The image of my father prostrating to Ester’s father will forever be burned into my mind.”

“….”

Oi, oi, the mood became serious again.

“I belong to a prestigious family. We have held power and the title of ‘Earl’ for generations now, but that was the first time I’d ever seen my father bow down to anyone. I couldn’t believe my eyes at first.”

The idol bitch may have given me my answer.

Run away and tell Edita Sensei about all of my problems.

I want Sensei to embrace me.

She’ll probably be confused at first, but I know she’ll want to comfort me.

Maybe she’ll let me lie my head on her thighs as she strokes my head.

Free of charge, of course.

“I’m sorry for making you relive those bad memories.”

“I don’t mind.”

“But….”

“This house, party, and everything you see today is nothing more than a facade to hide the true monster that is the FitzClarence family.”

“Monster?”

“It’s not just the members of the FitzClarence faction that are aware of this. Anyone allowed entrance to the imperial castle know that the head of the FitzClarence family holds tremendous power and is capable of committing atrocities without a second thought. He only took over as the head several years ago, but in that time, he’s raised the FitzClarence family up from being one of the weakest Duke families to become the strongest in the Empire. That is who Esther’s father is.”

“Wow….”

I know that there are very few Duke’s in this country. It’s safe to assume that, even though Sophie-chan described the FitzClarence family as being weak when Richard first took over, the muscular grandpa must be powerful as well if he earned the title of Duke. 

“If there is one piece of advice I could offer you it would be this: I’ve been close with Ester for many years, and all of the rumours about her father’s relationship with her are true. He would do anything for her.”

“I see.”

“Whatever your intentions are, maintaining a good relationship with her will make whatever path you choose to walk much safer. That is as long as it’s you.”

“As long as it’s me?”

“Ester and Allen weren’t that close just a few years ago, but I think it was good that they became as close as they did. And that’s not just because of the relationship him and I developed.

“….”

Sophie-chan looked off into the distance.

However she sees Allen and how she feels about Ester-chan ending her relationship with him, she must have genuinely been worried about what may happen to him if Ester-chan’s father found out about his true relationship with her. The relationship between a commoner and a noble would not be approved of in this world.

At the very least Sophie-chan considers Allen a friend, but there’s no denying her attraction to him as a man. She may have claimed to be willing to accept almost any man to sleep with, but it’s obvious that the idol bitch would be happy that she has an opportunity to get closer to Allen.

“Ah, please, pretend you didn’t hear that.”

She did reveal their relationship to her father after all.

“Have you given up on Allen-san?”

“Of course not.”

“Really? I feel like I’m starting to understand you a little bit more.”

“….”

How is Allen able to get both Ester-chan and Sophie-chan to love him? I guess it’s natural, isn’t it? That guy is so handsome that it’s only inevitable that many beautiful women would gather to him. As always, I’m envious of him.

“I didn’t mean to be rude; it’s just that you seem to be more open with who you want to be with if you’re considering a serious relationship.”

“…what are you saying so suddenly?”

“I’m not sure either. I just feel like I can be open with you.”

“It doesn’t make me happy at all to hear you say that.”

“How disappointing.”

“It doesn’t sound like you’re disappointed at all.”

Don’t fall for her charms. It’s all just a scam, she doesn’t have a hymen after all.

Yes, it’s all a scam.

How can a woman that’s already lost her virginity speak so casually to a busamen like me? She treats me as a person, she’s smart and good-looking, yet she lacks the most important feature: a hymen.

“Still, it’s not wrong to say that, as you are, you’re not doing anything to further your relationship.”

“You think so?”

Oh, is the idol bitch coming to her senses?

“Honestly, I’m not sure what I really want for myself.”

“….”

That’s actually quite philosophical.

I”m not sure how to respond to that myself, but I’m the one that brought it up so I should at least be able to offer her some advice.

“If you worry about it too much, it will just become harder to figure it out. You can take your time to think about it and not rush into anything. It’s not like you need to be worried about this at your age.”

“At my age?”

“You’re still young. You’ve got a lot of time left to figure out what you want out of life.”

“A woman only has a few key years before she begins to lose her charms. I’m already passed the turning point.”

“….”

She’s as perceptive as always. 

Which explains why she’s been idling.

“Things may be different here, but in my hometown, women in their thirties were still considered beautiful and the average age for marriage was around twenty-five.”

“Eh….”

The idol bitch stared at me with her mouth agape.

That confirms what I already suspected. Teenage marriage seems to be common here. As a lolicon, that makes me happy. If you get married so young, that means you’ll have another twenty or so years of youth to enjoy.

I could love her honestly until the day I die with no need to lie to myself.

“I-Is there something wrong with the men there?”

“The country has low birthrates and over forty percent of the population is considered elderly.”

“Wha–”

The idol bitch was left astonished again.

It was nice seeing a real reaction on her face, but I feel like if I tell her anymore of the unfortunate truths about my country my chest will start to hurt.

“By the way, Sophie-san, I have something I want to ask that only someone as cute as you could do for me.”

“I don’t need any of your meaningless compliments. What is it?”

“I’m sorry to ask this so suddenly, but, will you go out with me?”

“…come again?”

Sophie-chan was completely dumbstruck.

Again, she looked cute.

But she’s used. Remember that she’s used.

“I’ve told Ester-san that I have someone that I like, and it’s true that I do, but I’m not sure if I’ve made any advances toward furthering that relationship. To be honest, I don’t know if it will ever happen.”

“In other words, you’re asking me to be your scapegoat?”

She immediately regained her usual composure.

“I appreciate your ability to understand the situation so quickly.”

“….”

There’s no chance I can win a fight against Ester-chan’s father head-on, but if I choose to further my relationship with Ester-chan, Allen will lose the one thing that protects him from her father’s wrath. Therefore, in order to protect both of us and our positions in the country, the idol bitch netori plan begins.

However, the idol bitch looked reluctant to agree.

“What do I get out of this?”

“”Eh, umm, that’s hard to say….”

“….”

She’s just quietly staring at me with her upturned eyes.

Why?

Why is Sophie-chan so cute today?

Was some of the food that I ate an aphrodisiac?

“I can’t do it.”

“…is the idea really that terrible to you?”

“I can’t put the Bitch family in a dangerous position for a favour. I’ve already told you how much the Duke dotes on his daughter, so you should be able to understand what Duke FitzClarence would do to punish those that betrayed his beloved child. If you actually want to marry me, you’ll have to take down the FitzClarence family first.”

“I should’ve known that things can’t be resolved that easily.”

“Of course not.”

It was useless.

Now I have to come up with a new plan.

“…is that everything?”

“Yes, thank you for speaking with me.”

“All right, then I’ll be going.”

The idol bitch turned on her heel, raising the hem of her skirt as she did so.

“Be careful.”

“….”

I had no reply to give her.

Her figure disappeared around a corner and I was left alone in the garden.

***

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