Chapter 25: 24

Vol. 1 Chapter 24

24th day of confinement

Translated by SoundDestiny
Edited by Kaepinned

 

I’m out of ideas.

 

‘『He who has gone a hundred miles is halfway to ninety』?’

 

Even if I quote the proverbs and pretend to be clever, new ideas won’t come.

 

I put down my pen and begin to squat silently.

 

‘An erotic alien said to to the hero: 『Give me the most erotic person on Earth, or I will blow up the whole planet』. And the protagonist was chosen as Earth’s representative. He solved the difficult problems posed by the erotic aliens with his own delusional powers…So far, so good. The problem is the climax. The final test was to 『show the erotic aliens that you are in heat』. However, the last boss, an erotic alien, was so ugly looking that even the protagonist, who had a mass of troubles, was turned off by their appearance. They had the appearance of an evil god who would pinch your SAN value if you looked directly at them, and a rotten smell that made you want to vomit. How is the hero going to get through this difficult situation? …..’

 

I kept worrying while doing sit-ups.

 

‘I mean, it’s kind of like a routine to do muscle training when I’m stuck……’

 

Before I was locked up, it wasn’t like that at all.

 

When it came to relaxing myself I would read other manga, play games, or even if I did move my body, at most I would go for a walk to the local convenience store to buy some groceries.

 

I hated exercise and never thought about muscle training.

 

But what about now?

 

I am exercising my body as easily as I breathe.

 

“Food.”

 

In the meantime, Konata brings me lunch.

 

“Oh, okay. That’s a pretty healthy lunch today.”

 

I stop my muscle training and sit down on the floor.

 

Brown rice and calcium-rich mezashi. Boiled spinach and vegetable soup.

[ED : Mezashi is a dried fish product. It is several small fish, such as sardines, anchovies, or round herrings, that are held together by a bamboo skewer or a piece of straw that has been passed through their eyes to their jaws after they have been salted and dried. It is normally grilled before eating.]

 

The menu looks as if it had been devised by some health appliance manufacturer.

 

“Last night’s dinner was a little too calorie-dense.”

 

The tray is placed on top of a cardboard box and a thoughtful tilt of her head is seen.

 

“Tonkatsu? That one was good but I am feeling a little less hungry now, so I appreciate something as light as this.”

[TL: Tonkatsu means pork cutlet]

 

“Okay. Chew your food well. It’s better for your digestion.”

 

“I will.”

 

I finish my lunch while slowly chewing it.

 

Then, while sipping the green tea that she brewed for me, I face the drawing tablet again.

 

But it still doesn’t give me any ideas.

 

‘But when I think about it, it’s an extravagant problem, isn’t it? Just a month ago, I was sick of even hearing the word [Manga].’

 

Even though I’m stuck with the development, just the fact that I’ve been able to draw the story so far is a miracle for me.

 

‘It’s all thanks to Konata that I’ve made it this far, isn’t it?’

 

If I had been alone, would I have been able to recover from the situation I’m in now?

 

No, it would be impossible.

 

I decided to escape from everything but if I had lived alone normally, I would have ended up still indulging in drinking and smoking.

 

Even if I had been able to abstain from them, I would have relied on convenience foods or store-bought food for my meals. It is easy to imagine that I would have eaten whatever I wanted and as much as I wanted or at least would have had a more unhealthy diet than I do now.

 

‘Not just physically. Mentally, being locked up was a blessing in disguise for my creative work.’

 

Being placed in an environment without the internet means that I have no distractions while working.

 

Of course, I can’t go out and make excuses to myself to do this or that.

 

My escape route is physically and mentally blocked, and I am forced to face the manga, whether I want to or not.

 

‘It’s strange to feel this way about Konata who has locked me up without my permission. Even though it’s strange…..’

 

Imprisonment is a fine crime.

 

As a good citizen, I should not allow it to happen. Rather, I should hate it.

 

Even though I know that in theory, it is an undeniable fact that what fills my heart at the moment is gratitude towards Konata.

 

“Hey.”

 

Konata pours a refill of tea into a cup and calls out to me.

 

“Wha, what?”

 

I bring my consciousness back to reality.

 

I was just thinking about her, so I am kind of embarrassed and my voice goes up a bit.

 

“If you’re free, can I shave your beard? It’s been on my mind for a while.”

 

Konata says this pointing at my face.

 

“Beard? Oh, now you mention it, I’ve let it grow.”

 

I rub my chin, where the stubble hair has grown unchecked.

 

I haven’t shaved once since I was locked up, come to think of it.

 

I’m sure that to other people, I’d look rather scruffy.

 

This is, however, not an unusual state of affairs when I get into creative and withdrawn mode but it may not be okay with  high school girls.

 

“If you’re busy, it doesn’t have to be right now.”

 

She adds, with reserve.

 

“No, now it’s fine. Please shave my beard.”

 

I say while drinking my cup of tea.

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“Well, I’ll go and get my tools.”

 

“Aaa..”

 

Konata walks out of the room.

 

＊　＊　＊

 

“….. Sorry to keep you waiting.”

 

When she returns, in her left hand is a hot towel and shaving cream. And in her right hand a razor blade.

 

At first glance, it looks like an average shaving set.

 

“Eh? you’re going to do it?　Are you sure? Shaving can be quite painful if you’re not careful.”

 

What she is holding in her hand is not a safety razor with a guard.

 

It is a bare blade, like the kind used by barbershop workers.

 

“I can do it.”

 

Konata says with a meaningful smile.

 

“I see.”

 

‘She is never good with knives, but she’s confident with razor blades?’

 

I have such a question.

 

Well, girls seem to have a hard time getting rid of their unwanted hair and so on.

 

By the looks of it, she has clear skin without even a hair on her face but behind the scenes she may be making various efforts to maintain her good looks.

 

“Well, let’s get started.”

 

“Be gentle to me please.”

 

My mouth is warmed by the towel.

 

The shaving cream foam tickles.

 

“…..It’s a mystery.”

 

She murmurs.

 

The blade strokes my moustache.

 

The coldness of the metal and the heat of the friction.

 

The opposing sensations create a unique feeling of comfort.

 

“Ee? Unn? What?”

 

Distracted, I ask back in a muffled voice like a bad ventriloquist.

 

Sometimes the back of my head feels the soft touch of her breast and I can’t really concentrate on the conversation.

 

“Unwanted hair grows. Yet it is shunned, hated and shaved. Everyone tells you to take care of your body, but the unwanted hair is left out. I feel sorry for them.”

 

The razor blade, which has already conquered the top of my lips, invades the chin and beard.

 

Konata’s tongue is as smooth as the blade.

 

I don’t know where the switch is but she seems to be the type of person who becomes verbose when she is interested in something.

 

I’m more of a geek myself, so I know the feeling.

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Unmute

 

Still, it’s a very unique idea.

 

I’m a bit envious that she can have this kind of perspective, because although I work in a creative profession, my sensibilities are more on the side of an average person.

 

“In that sense, I’m still lucky with my beard. Sometimes I let it grow because of fashion.”

 

“Fufu, sometimes it’s crueller to be left halfway hopeful.”

 

Konata lets out a dry laugh while saying so.

 

Munyu~~Half of my head is enveloped in the warmth of happiness.

 

Her chin rests on my whiskers, her sweet voice shakes my brain through bone conduction.

“Well, I see, that’s one way to look at it.”

 

I say, making a plausible face.

 

While saying that kind of line, you should see first if the man you are talking seriously to have the tendency to have a perverted mind or not(warning).

 

“……Sometimes I get confused. How much of me is me and how much of me is not me. To what extent is the hair or the nails that I cut still me? Does it cease to be me the moment I cut it off? Or is it the moment when they are thrown out as rubbish and burned?”

 

“Sorry. I’m not an educated man, so I don’t really understand those difficult philosophical things.”

 

I’ll be honest and come clean.

 

If I pretend to know-it-all, she’ll soon find out I’m an idiot anyway.

 

It’s better not to defend my dignity to death.

 

“Fufu, I like that part of your manga.”

 

Konata says with a bouncy voice.

 

“Are you making fun of me by any chance?”

 

“I’m not mocking you. Rather, I’m praising you.”

 

Shori, Shori, Shori.

 

Only the quiet sound of Konata moving the razor blade echoes in the room.

 

I don’t know why.

 

While being in this situation, what comes to my mind is an image of the deep sea that I saw on TV.

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