Atelier Tanaka

Book 3: Chapter 1 (1)

Conflict 3

My head was cut off. Not good, I’m going to die.

After a revolting squelching sound occurred, the spinning landscape in my vision finally settled. I guess I’ve finally landed on the ground. I confirmed this after seeing my lifeless body lying on the ground squirting blood out at a tremendous speed. It’s like a fountain.

I’ve remained relatively calm up until now, but now I’m starting to panic. I need to calm down, if I remain like this I’ll surely die. I was unable to feel any part of my body. If things end like this, my peaceful life with Sophia-chan will be lost.

I wanted to stay with her through the changing seasons and enjoy the view of her chest spilling out of her maid outfit.

We’d keep each other warm through the cold nights of winter. Spring would be when our relationship truly blossomed. During the hot summers, we’d spend the nights out under the stars, using the faint glow of the fireflies to light our loving embrace. In Autumn, I’d be able to enjoy her shaved brilliance. All year round, she’d be shaved down there.

Shaved.

As a man, I will never stop believing that Sophia-chan is shaved down there.

She must be.

“Ooooooooohohohoho! This is the end!”

A somewhat distant ‘ohoho’ echoed out nearby.

“It’s about time I get rid of this disgraceful look! Geros, recover!”

“Of course!”

Just after Drill-chan barked, the hair on the left side of her head began to regrow. At the same time, Geros’ left arm reformed. After several seconds, both of them had returned to their original appearance.

There’s no doubt. He can use recovery magic.

Why didn’t they use that earlier?

“From being in a disadvantageous position to being the victor! This is the skill required of any true baroness!”

Apparently, she wanted to wait until she had won to recover the wounds of our previous battle.

She certainly did catch me off guard. Honestly, I thought Drill-chan was little more than a comic relief.

I never expected her to win over the Dark Elf and get her to betray me at the last minute. I guess I should’ve been more cautious around the enemy general. She’s actually showed me her cool side in the end.

Wait, am I actually going to let this be the end?

But what can I do? My body is useless.

I love you. I love you, Sophia-chan. I’m sorry for ever wanting to cheat on you with my blonde beautiful loli meat toilet slave sisters. Am I fine leaving nothing behind in this world? Even if this is to be my end, I must leave descendants!

Even if it’s just one. I must shoot my seed deep inside Sophia-chan. I want to graduate and focus solely on a woman of a legal age. I want a child. Goo goo ga ga. For that reason alone I can’t leave this world. Even if my body is torn apart I can’t die until I shoot my seed into Sophia-chan’s womb.

Creampies are the best! Creampies, creampies, creampies!

“Ooooooooooooohh!”

With only my freshly severed head, I’ll do my best.

“Wha–”

The ohoho girl was startled.

My now detached soy sauce face was roaring despite what had happened.

Even after rolling on the ground, I put all of my power into my recovery magic.

However, the efficiency seemed to be poor without the use of my body. As I strained myself further, I could feel a strange sensation around the base of my spinal cord. However, I didn’t see any change in my body or of anything growing from my neck.

For a brief moment, I felt like I was no longer human. Somehow, I knew that if I embraced that feeling I’d surely die.

The black field around my vision began to grow.

I won’t last much longer now.

There are many differing opinions on how long someone’s consciousness lasts after they have been decapitated. However, due to me activating my recovery magic the moment my head was severed, I’ve been able to last considerably longer. Even so, I know I don’t have long left.

I activated the same invincible mode I used to fight Christina. However, this injury is worse than those I suffered fighting Christina. Still, I’ve proven that my recovery magic is capable of healing even the most grievous of injuries. I can feel my MP draining in response to using my recovery magic.

However, no matter how much time passed, nothing began to regrow from my neck.

What’s wrong? The usual sensation I feel isn’t there. Was I too late activating it? But I was able to use it when Ester-chan was attacked. Is it because I’ve been separated from my body? I don’t know.

The only thing I know is that if I stay like this I’ll die.

Damn it. Damn it.

Sophia-chan’s love power! How can I let this be the end?

“Tanaka-san!”

Allen’s yell was barely even audible to me.

He started to run over to me. He ran past my body and approached my head. Even in this world, it seems people are aware that the consciousness lies within a person’s head.

Although my head is lying close to the enemy, the ikemen didn’t hesitate to rush over to me.

In addition to this, he knelt down next to me and picked up my head and hugged it tightly to his chest. This can’t be a pleasant feeling for him. Blood and other bits of me are gushing out. Some other unidentifiable liquid is pouring down on his knees. Even though this is happening, he’s squeezing my head even tighter.

This is love. Overwhelming love.

How can Ester-chan resist falling helplessly in love with this man?

“Tanaka-san! Please don’t die!”

“…t-thank you…very much….’

Love. I can feel the love permeating from his chest.

Even though I don’t have one anymore, I can feel his love pouring into my heart.

It’s overflowing.

I don’t know how to describe my feelings for this ikemen that loves this soy sauce faced man.

Surely, this must be….

“Allen, you really are a good man, aren’t you?”

“T-Tanaka-san!?”

“I’m the last soldier left…. It’s my duty to protect you…. Don’t worry about me. Run away.”

“But….”

“R-Right now….”

My field of vision was gradually becoming more and more black.

My time is almost up.

This is disappointing.

However, at the very least I want this ikemen to survive.

“Geros, please take care of his lover too.”

“Yes, Master.”

Drill-chan said something.

And in response, the long-haired man began to move.

He raised his arm and several shock waves shot forth and struck Allen directly in the back. His armour began to violently vibrate and, soon after, most of his armour was shattered. His eyes opened wide with shock and then….

“A-Allen….”

A profuse amount of blood erupted from his back.

No, this can’t happen.

The wound opened further and tore its way across Allen’s body. It traced a path over his shoulder, down his side, and eventually circled around his waist.

He’s going to end up in the same state as Gonzalez.

“Ta…Ta…naka….san…run….away…..”

How am I supposed to run away when I’m just a head?

I can’t let this happen.

His upper body is starting to separate from his lower body.

I need to use my recovery magic. I need it to be stronger.

I poured all the recovery magic I could on the ikemen. But, what’s wrong? Why isn’t his body repairing like Gonzalez’s body did? Is it due to me lacking MP? Or is it maybe due to their differing levels of HP?

It only took me a few seconds to completely heal Gonzalez and yet Allen is only showing signs of slowly healing.

I must seriously be lacking MP. I must’ve consumed a massive amount trying to keep myself alive. My recovery magic is being pushed to the limit and he seems to be slowly healing. At this rate, it will take dozens of seconds. The image of his body slowly being healed is much more grotesque than my usual way of healing.

“I-I can feel…my body heal…healing…. How…is this…..”

“How can he possibly heal his ally in his condition? I wonder if this is possible due to the special love that can only exist between two men!”

The fallen Allen and Drill-chan stared at my head.

We aren’t in that type of relationship.

Allen could pull way more attractive men than me.

“But it doesn’t seem like he’ll last much longer. Oooooohohohoho~!”

Damn that ohoho girl. She’s so frustrating. Saying whatever she wants.

I need something, anything to allow him to escape.

As I begged and pleaded in my mind, my status window appeared in front of me.

I haven’t looked at one of these in a while. Ever since I met that bastard in the forest.

Hmm? Wait a minute.

Let me check that again.

Almost all of my stats have increased considerably.

I expected my level to increase a bit considering the last time I checked my own status window was some time ago.

I think the last time I checked was when I fought Christina. After that, I fought the long-haired man and Drill-chan. However, unlike against the Red Dragon, I didn’t kill any of these opponents.

Nevertheless, my level increased over one hundred.

“….”

I see.

It’s possible there are unseen values that have attributed to my drastic increase in level. I’m guessing just by living my daily life I’ve been granted experience without even noticing.

Thinking back, even when I was thrown into prison, my level increased just from using my recovery magic.

“That must mean….”

Yes, this is it! These skill points will save Allen.

“Allen…please…live….”

Once he’s completely healed, I need to create an opening for him to escape.

But my recovery magic is already maxed out. What can I do? What should I do, Edita Sensei? If Edita Sensei were here, what advice would she give me?

….

It’s useless. That person doesn’t seem like the type to give great advice.

She’s the type of person that procrastinates and avoids doing any serious work. In other words, the worst person to ask for advice in a tough situation.

But she makes up for it in other ways.

But if she were here, what would she do?

What would her guidance be —

[Play to your strengths! Keep pushing straight ahead until you can no longer continue and then keep pushing even further!]

That was a convenient delusion.

It might be that my loli obsessed brain is desperately trying to hold onto the one thing I’ve ever truly loved.

However, that delusion of mine proved useful.

Play to my strengths.

Keep pushing straight forward.

Is that it? Only forty-five. I guess it will take more to max it out.

Well, either way, this should be enough.

This will show the true power of fire magic. It’s time for my fireball to get serious.

“Not just yet. I still have more to show you….”

In the tight embrace of Allen’s strong arms, I spoke to the smug Drill-chan as she looked down at me in disbelief. I’ll show her the power of my fireball.

I won’t use it all, but I’m going to pour most of my remaining MP into this fireball. It’s possible that at level 45, this attack may consume more MP than I can recover. I expect this to be a one-hit kill against any normal opponent.

A dull humming emanated from me and a massive magic circle formed beneath Allen and me.

Drill-chan saw this and her face tensed up. She must be remembering what happened in the forest. I don’t know if my previous attack should have killed her. It may be that the only reason she survived is due to the long-haired man saving her.

“Geros!”

The big-breasted loli barked out her orders.

Is she hoping to stop me before I can finish my attack?

“Nuuuuuunnn~!”

I forcefully clenched my teeth.

Even if I’m just a head I’ll persevere!

I don’t know where the enemy is positioned, but I’ve noticed a change in the sky above us.

Apart from the formation below us, there were dozens of magic circles of varying sizes forming in the sky. Each of these magic circles was no smaller than ten metres in diameter. They were all aimed straight down at the earth surrounding me. Each of them radiated a brilliant light that became hard to even look at.

There’s so many that the sky directly above us is no longer visible. It’s like a lid has been placed on the sky above this meadow.

Every soldier still in the meadow stood in awe of this magnificent spectacle.

Then, in the centre of each formation, roaring fireballs began to form. Every fireball was similar in size to the ones I had used to fight Christina. The sky was filled with these fireballs. It was as if heaven itself had been set ablaze.

There are probably more in the sky right now than the total number I used to fight Christina.

I’ve only increased my level by thirty, but I could probably defeat that damn female dragon in one shot now.

“G-Geros….”

“Master! I-It’s too dangerous here….”

I looked at them and put all of my anger and pain into a ferocious roar.

“Ooooooohhhhhhhh!”

I used my anger to fuel my fire magic.

I’m sorry, but this is the end.

The numerous flames rained down on the battlefield. The entire enemy was burned alive. As each fireball came crashing into the earth, they left massive craters dozens of metres deep.

The entire meadow became a raging sea of flames.

Several allied troops were caught in the blaze, but that was unavoidable at this point. If I have to choose between Allen and his troops, the choice seems rather easy. Either save complete strangers or someone important to me.

The booming sound caused by each fireball caused my teeth to vibrate in my head.

In contrast to this destructive sight, I was still using my recovery magic at full power.

Allen’s body had already started to heal. His lower body was now growing out from his waist and he was completely healed down to his thighs. In a few more seconds he will be healed all the way down to his feet. In regards to which one of us is bigger down there, I’m the victor.

“…Ta…Tanaka…san…this is….”

“Just wait a little longer….”

Allen is so cool. He’s seriously cool. I could fall in love with him.

But I’m still bigger than him down there.

“…and…can you…tell…everyone…thank you….”

“Ta-Tanaka-san! Tanaka-san!?”

The last thing I saw before my vision faded to black was Allen’s shaved member.

This ikemen even has proper etiquette down there.

***