Volume 1 - CH 26

26th day of confinement.

Translated by SoundDestiny

Edited by Kaepinned

“Thank you for the food.”

After finishing a simple brunch of toast and fried eggs, I put my hands together.

“Osomatsu-sama. Then, I’ll take it now.”

[ED : Osomatsu-sama can literally be translated as “It was a lousy meal.” In Asian countries, you say this to someone who just expressed gratitude to you for the meal you served, and in return you express your humbleness and modesty.]

“Yes. Today is kind of a busy day for you.”

Usually we have a bit of a chat after dinner but today Konata is somewhat impatient.

“Was it too loud? You said the manga was going to be finished by the end of the day, so I thought I’d have to prepare a special luxury menu for the celebrations. I’ve been doing a lot of prep work for that.”

Konata speaks very quickly.

She seems to be very tense.

I don’t think it was too noisy but I think I heard rustling in the kitchen in the morning.

“Aaa. It was. Thanks. Sure, I’m supposed to finish the manga today, but if I don’t get it done in time, I’ll feel kind of bad.”

“Is that so…….But if you don’t finish it, a celebration is still a celebration, isn’t it?”

Konata tilts her head slightly as she lifts the tray.

“Why?”

“Eeh? Because it’s your birthday today.”

‘Unbelievable’

I then say, with my eyes widening.

“I see. Come to think of it, it’s my birthday today.”

I am astonished.

Apparently, I was so absorbed in my manga that I forgot  my own birthday.

“So anyway, congratulations.”

“Thank you. Well, then, it’s not so bad either way.”

I nod with a smile and a chuckle.

‘Although, it won’t be cool if the storyboard isn’t  finished here.’

The manga is now in the finishing stage.

I slap my cheeks to get back into the swing of things.

I pen the last scene.

I review the detailed dialogue and the direction of the spread, and read it through again from the beginning.

……。

……。

……。

“──Okay. It’s done! Finally I did it.”

I put down the pen.

I then stretch like I’m doing a big banzai.

As if in perfect timing, I heard the chimes of 『The sun has set on a distant mountain』 from far away.

It is already evening.

I stand up and walk unsteadily towards the door.

“Konata, it’s finished. The manga!”

I pull the doorknob a little and poke my head out from the gap while saying so.

“Good! – Aa, I will be ready in less than ten minutes, so just wait a little longer.”

In her hand is a pepper mill.

On the chopping board, an expensive-looking piece of lean beef is now waiting to be cooked.

“Okay.”

I nod and return to my room.

I haven’t even had a drink, but for some reason I feel like I am in a daze.

Creating a manga is painful but the sense of accomplishment when one’s work is done is somewhat euphoric.

“Here you go.”

Soon after, Konata appears with a tray.

A steak with an appetising aroma of garlic, a sliced baguette with cheese on top, a salad and corn soup. And strawberry shortcake.

She arranged the food in an orderly fashion on the cardboard table.

The mismatched combination of a splendid dinner on a shabby piece of cardboard is somewhat amusing.

“Thanks for cooking.”

“Yeah. Happy birthday and congratulations for the completion of your manga.”

She clapped her hands and said so.

I clap modestly along with her.

“Unn. Thanks. So, um, you know…’

I say and then clam up a little.

“……What is it?”

“Well, I mean, if possible since it’s a celebration, I’d like you to be in civilian clothes, not a uniform…”

I finally conveyed my request, while looking at Konata.

“!”

Konata’s eyes widened.

“It’s just that, you’re always in uniform, so I feel more special if you were in your plain clothes. ─ ─Can you do it?”

I say, glancing at her expression with a sideways glance.

“I can!! I’ll change now! Immediately!”

Konata hums and skips out of the room.

When she eventually returns, her appearance in plain clothes is more than I expected.

Her body is not wrapped in the black, witchy clothes she wore  before.

It is a white, neat and clean dress.

It is the kind of outfit that would not look out of place at all if she were having dinner in a high-class hotel restaurant.

“I didn’t know you had that kind of dress.”

“Well, I am an Ojousama…”

Sitting sideways on the floor, she puffs her chest out with a bit of pride.

“It looks good on you.”

“W,what are you talking about out of the blue? Come on, eat your meat before it gets cold.”

Konata averts her gaze shyly and picks up a knife and fork.

At the beginning of my captivity, I would have been wary of this woman holding a tool that could have been a deadly weapon, but now I have no such feelings at all.

“Okay.──Itadakimasu!.”

I have a knife and fork too.

The meat is lean but not stringy, so the knife goes in smoothly.

I stab it with the fork and put it in my mouth.

It’s delicious.

The seasoning is simple, just salt and pepper but it’s good.

I can feel the muscles around my mouth relax.

The only regret is that──

“If you miss sake, I have red wine, chilled though.”

Konata says, as if she had anticipated my thoughts.

“Are you sure?”

“It’s a celebration. But, you can’t drink too much, just a half-bottle.”

She holds up her index finger.

“You’re very thorough. I mean, how could you buy it when you’re underage?”

“Because it’s your card that has your name.”

Learn more

Pause

Unmute

“I see. I forgot.”

We laugh at each other.

The time passes quickly and the plate in front of us is empty.

A relaxed atmosphere begins to flow between the two of us.

“─ ─ Um, can I see your finished manga?”

Konata suddenly opens her mouth.

“Sure.”

Konata walks towards the drawing tablet.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

I wait for her, tipping my glass of red wine, which is still a third full, quietly.

……。

……。

Eventually, she looks up from the tablet and says

“It’s perfect.”

She mumbled.

“I don’t know if it’s perfect but at least I can’t come up with anything better than what I’ve got now.”

“….. Please wait a minute.”

Konata walks out of the room.

And soon returns again.

In her hand is unmistakably my smartphone.

“Here you go.”

She slowly offers it to me.

“Can I?”

“Yup.”

“Okay.”

Short exchange of replies.

Nevertheless, her feelings are conveyed.

I receive the phone with both hands.

Good.

Now I can submit my story to the editor.

“─ ─I too have to report back..”

Konata says this again, straightens her back and sits upright.

“What is it?”

“……。……。……。I’m going to school tomorrow.”

She may be silent at the start but she firmly states her intentions.

“I see. Congratulations.”

I say gently.

It feels like a lie to praise her so grandly now, with all these words.

“Thanks. So, if I’m away from home for a long time, I can’t deal with anything if there’s an emergency. So…”

Konata walks over to me and bends over.

She has a fluffy, flowery scent.

“You’d be better off without it.”

Konata smiles a little sadly and inserts a dull, dark-coloured key, which she pulls out of nowhere, into my choker.

Gachan.

The chain falls to the floor.

My heart is filled with 70 per cent relief, 20 per cent joy and 10 per cent sadness.

I’ve always wondered but now I know.

The reason why Konata has been locking me up.

It is all so I could get back on my feet as a mangaka.

“….. Go on, then.”

I smile at her, rubbing my neck.

“I’m a bit too nervous going to school  tomorrow.”

She purses her lips cutely.

“Well, yeah. But I’ll probably still be asleep by the time you leave. So – come home early and put a leash on me again, will you? I’m afraid I’m going to get corrupted pretty quickly if I’m alone.”

I say jokingly.

“Okay, I’ll be back as soon as I can, so get plenty of rest.”

“Aa. I’m going to have a good night’s sleep. I’m a bit tipsy.”

“…..Good night.”

“Yeah. Good night.”

We say our goodnight with a smile.

Thus, I have grown another year older and the warped and tortuous relationship with Konata, which was connected by confinement, has come to an end.

What name should I give to our new relationship now?

I don’t know yet.

She takes the tray for two and starts washing up in the kitchen.

I transfer the manga from my tablet to my phone and send it to my editor.

I then proudly make my way to the washroom and quickly brush my teeth.

I crawled under the futon.

Drowsiness came quickly.