So I’ve seen that people seem to like the old style of ‘The Little Bird’s Cage’ better so I’m coming out with a poll, what do you guys want?
I enjoy writing both styles, so I have no opinion on what you want to do. This also applies to new styles that you guys want to see me writing in! ^^
Keep in mind, if you guys want to see me writing in a new style I will start again (This applies to the old style too)
—
Welcome to the Underdark
He woke up suddenly. He broke out in a cold sweat, which covered his body. The tips of his fingers were trembling. He thought that this wasn’t his body. There was an unnatural time lag between the body moving after thinking.
“Where am I?”
He was surprised after speaking these words.
It wasn’t japanese.
However, it was possible to understand.
What?
Futoshi opened his eyes wide.
It was a small room.
“Was I thrown into jail?”
He thought that it was a prison. However, it seemed to be different. Innumerable books are piled in the corner of the room.
It’s probably not a prison.
The air was damp.
Apparently, he was underground.
There was a round window near the ceiling.
The light of day entered through there.
“What… is this?”
Futoshi muttered to the pattern towards his feet. Letters and shapes were written in something like white chalk. Drawn with fine characters, straight lines and curves in a wonderful balance.
Futoshi stood in the centre. He lowered his eyebrows. He had a headache, and was wearing a hood.
He felt nauseated.
I remember…
He should be dead.
He took such a bullet.
He shouldn’t be alive.
“Then, here…”
He wondered if he was in the afterlife.
He looked at his palm.
It was starting to sweat.
This is not my hand.
It was missing the mark made by the bean which he crushed every morning as practice.
This was a beautiful healthy hand.
“What does this mean…?”
Futoshi feared.
It was not a fear of violence and death.
It was a fear of the unknown.
“A mirror…”
He said, looking around the room. There it was. A small mirror, carelessly placed on the books. It was as if someone expected it to be used from the very beginning.
“A… ah….”
He looked at himself in the mirror and felt a deep sense of despair. The reflected face was not his. The face he had was stern to the extent others would move out of his way. His hair would casually grow. There was a wound above his cheek starting from his right eye.
But…
The figure reflected in the mirror was quite different. With short silver hair, the foreigner had quite the figure. It’s nose was small but the shape matched with the childish round eyes. Also It’s lips were pink.
Is it a woman…?
It’s features were so lovely as to bring up the question.
Not so tall either.
The body was so thin that Futoshi, who had trained, couldn’t even imagine it.
Is it a man…
He confirmed it as well.
After finishing confirming, Futoshi pulled his hands out of his pants.
He inhaled greatly and tried to regain his calm.
Due to force of habit, he thrust his hands in his pockets.
“Hmm…?”
There was a paper in his pocket, so he took it out. It was a good quality paper which was folded in two. He opened it.
It seemed to be a letter, but the words weren’t written in japanese. Still, Futoshi was able to understand.
———
Nice to meet you, and I’m sorry.
I think you are probably surprised by such a sudden thing.
I’ll express it frankly.
Your soul and my soul swapped places.
Presently, I dislike my world. Therefore, I did a lot of studying and a method of transmigration was obtained. However, a body to accept my soul was needed. I could not choose my own.
By what standard your body was chosen, I know not. The responsibility for your body being chosen is not mine. It lies with your bad luck, and your soul which was expelled from your body, transferred to my body. I’m not certain what becomes of memory and language.
It is possible that you may not be able to read this letter. I found that there was nothing left to learn in my world.
Goodbye person whose name I do not know.
Timasu Meruma
———
“I can read it… idiot!”
Futoshi chuckled to himself as he crumpled up the letter.
In other words…
This world differed from Futoshi’s world. It may be dangerous just to believe this letter, but, it’s probably not a prank. Understanding a language that isn’t japanese, the change of figure, it shows the credibility of the letter.
“I don’t seem to be concerned?”
Futoshi laughed.
“Hahaha, I don’t know either… when it comes to this, I’ll start again in this world.”
—
Something…
Futoshi began to wonder as he crossed his arms. It was a thin arm which he could not think of as his. The clothes he wore were like a red school uniform. He was surprised at such a strange hobby. However, he was convinced that it was possible since the world was different.
He opened the letter which he crumpled up in his hands moments ago.
“Timasu Meruma…”
Finally, he repeated the words…
Because he couldn’t understand the meaning, it was probably his name.
I got a name.
Futoshi looked around the room and wondered what he should do next.
Four walls were covered with books, another only had a small desk.
If you turn to the ceiling, there was a door. A ladder went down from there.
He decided to climb up the ladder. There was no helping it, this room was of no help. That much was obvious. He thought about knowledge and read through the books in the room. However he flipped through a little and gave up.
It was awfully difficult.
He climbed the ladder.
He pushed the doors open and stepped outside. This place was like a warehouse. It was made of stone and the barrel like containers were displayed in rows. It was filled with the smell of dust and mold. He was not used to it being so long. The window for lighting was huge, the outside was brightly lighting the warehouse.
“Meruma-Sama! Meruma-Sama!”
He heard a knocking sound on the door, steadily and suddenly.
Futoshi was startled.
The door of the warehouse was violently knocked on.
“Meruma-Sama! Is this underground? Might I hear it!”
A Woman’s voice.
Still very young.
It was like the lovely tinkling of a ringing bell. However, it was shouting hysterically.
“H, Here I… come.”
Futoshi answered fearfully.
First, it was necessary to become accustomed to the name ‘Meruma’.
“Ah, you came here?”
The woman’s voice became openly relieved.
“Because father is angry…”
“U, Understood.”
Futoshi made up his mind and opened the warehouse door. Standing in front of him was a young woman, her height not too high, having long red hair. There were no traces of freckles surrounding her small nose. Her lips were puffy like a chestnut.
Because her figure was like a housemaid, she seemed to be a servant.
This man belongs to a wealthy family, Futoshi instantly judged.
When he went out of the warehouse, there was a long luxurious corridor. From that, he understood that Meruma was a man of an affluent household.
“Meruma… Sama?”
The maid asked worriedly.
“Such a dated estate… wow.”
Futoshi muttered unintentionally.
“Eh? … What is it?”
“Nothing, I’m alright.”
To the puzzled maid, Futoshi shook his head immediately.
“More importantly, what’s your name?”
“… Yes?”
She seemed to be surprised by the sudden question, the housemaid opened her eyes wide and looked puzzled.
Futoshi tried to ask in a modest attitude again.
“Will you tell me… ?”
“Ah, Erm… Ari-desu, Furankitto Ari. Did you forget?”
“Is that so… thank you Ari.”
Puzzled, Ari gave a small nod.
“Yes… It is Ari-desu.”
“Ari… where is father?”
Hearing Futoshi’s question, Ari frowned.
“F, Father?”
“I said it… different? Was it… Father? Is, papa unpleasant?”
“Meruma-sama, is something wrong? Always… with father…”
“Your father!?”
“Are you ok?”
Being serious, he was worried.
Ali approached by one step and looked into his face.
“Relax, relax … You know where father is?”
“Gurande-sama, is in the study”
Meruma’s father, he understood that the name meant Grand.
Futoshi nodded and went along through the corridor.
“Meruma-sama!”
Ali came up from behind in a panicked voice.
“Hmm?”
He muttered and turned around to Ali’s questioned face.
“The study… is the other way?”
“Ah!”
While returning down the corridor, Futoshi said.
“Is that so!”
He passed in front of Ali and stopped.
While turning around, Ali was still watching motionlessly
Damn…
Futoshi wanted to search the house in various ways as he wished. He did not need to answer his father’s summons. Rather, in this world, meeting in the state that he is in as Meruma, Futoshi knew nothing.
“Meruma-sama… are you alright?”
Ali asked, while catching up with a trot.
“…Strange, what is…”
“Is that so?”
He forced a laugh and scratched his head.
“Are you slightly sleepy…? Is your head racing…?”
“That is so…”
Ali nods.
“Is that so, well can’t be helped. Have you drunk any water? I’ll bring some right away…”
“Ah, that’s good, I’ll wait here.”
“Understood.”
Ali bowed her head and briskly walked across the corridor.
After confirming that she disappeared, Futoshi ran in the opposite direction.
What do I do…?
It doesn’t matter where or what it is.
He dashed out of the house, it’d also be good to go somewhere else.
“But, then…”
He would be the same as his old self.
He would lose a family, and a house to call home.
Apparently, Meruma had a seemingly good house. Quite rich, large corridors, high ceilings. Moreover, the corridors were like a detached room. From a window in the huge house, you could see a bigger mansion on the other side of the garden.
“Therefore … is there any way we can make use of this environment….”
He clenched his teeth, Futoshi decided.
Anything is alright!
He wanted information.
Thinking he was far enough away from Ali, Futoshi opened the door.
There was no particular reason.
Anyway, he wanted information on this world and Meruma. Therefore, if he had known that a beautiful girl with fair hair was on the other side of the door, he would have never opened it.
“K, KyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAA!”
A scream echoed out.
——————–
Translator’s Corner
——————–
Elsondwarf:
Well that’s it for this chapter, I’m personally having fun translating this chapter!
Sam Jakes:
I’m having fun editing it too! Being an octopus is a tough job though. ~~(-3-)~~
Elsondwarf:
…
How’d you guys find it?
Also, Don’t worry, Sexy Fun Times in chapters ahead!
P.S. props to the guys at RTD and the /r/noveltranslations subreddit for helping out on the bits we couldn’t decide for all hells what is going on 😀
——————–
Welcome to the Underdark
Teimasu Meruma didn’t go to horseman training school. In a small library, he opened a book. The magic books that he had spent three years collecting were lined up in the library. He had read them many times, and had already memorized them. A magic formation was set up at his feet.
The floor of the room was filled with geometrical patterns. The complex magic characters and shapes which Meruma had reproduced had been meticulously drawn down to the last detail.
From a round window in the ceiling, the daylight poured down in a straight line.
It’s finally complete…
When meruma closed his book, he was overcome by his emotions.
⇔
Futoshi Saji of the Sajitaishi family was the bodyguard and had a katana in his hand. He was still thinking, how did this happen?
He had dropped out of high school and joined the ‘Namikawa Firm’, a so-called crime syndicate. He was only in the Namikawa Firm for a year. It was destroyed by the prosecution of the police. Though Futoshi was questioned, he was set free with minor charges. Afterwards, he rampaged in the town at night.
If you show off your strength, someone will employ you, so to speak.
Actually, rumours started quickly. An organization that wanted to hire a bodyguard came out.
He judged it to be a place that suited him. Futoshi became a bodyguard. He came to work as a bodyguard in various places. Even now. The ‘Takenaka group’ was invited to a meeting of the ‘Yonezawa group’.
It was the Takenaka group that Futoshi was employed in. He didn’t know what to do at meetings. However, he stands behind the gang leader of the Takenaka Group and glares.
That’s a bodyguard.
When the other person makes a strange move, he fights. He had a katana by his left hand always ready to fight. A man who did not look like a bodyguard stood behind the gang leader of the Yonezawa group.
He had googly eyes.
He quietly stared at Futoshi.
One move and ‘fire’.
He won’t know what hit him
He’s been working as a bodyguard for half a year. However, Futoshi has never pulled his sword. The gang also likes him, he doesn’t try to use violence.
“With such a thing…”
The leader of the Takenaka Group, who was Futoshi’s leader, stood up.
“Please wait.”
The leader of the Yonezawa Group glared at the leader of the Takenaka group in a terrible manner.
“There will be counter measures.”
“Such as?”
In a cold voice, the leader of the Takenawa Group answered.
“So, what will you do?”
“It will be so… so heartbreaking… when the Takenaka group collapses.”
“It is impossible.”
The leader of the Takenaka group winked at Futoshi, indicating that they were returning. Futoshi, standing behind the leader, nodded, bowed, and turned to leave.
Then.
“Wait a minute, hey!”
A yell rises. While he was turning around, Futoshi pulled out his katana. The leader of the Yonezawa group pointed a gun at them and was cut in two by a single stroke. He was cut diagonally from the top.
Fresh blood flowed.
An expensive table and sofa were dyed in red.
“We’re leaving!”
The Takenaka leader yelled.
“It’d be bad if we stay here.”
However, Futoshi was not able to move. The bodyguard of the leader of the Yonezawa group pointed his muzzle.
“You’re the one who he hired, are you not?”
The leader of the Yonezawa group was already dead. The master who he had to protect was gone; there was no need to point a gun. The other party didn’t answer his words.
“I’ll leave.”
The leader of the Takenaka group left the room. The door was violently closed. The sound of footsteps could be heard going down the stairs.
Futoshi strengthened the grip on his katana. He was likely going to die here. He thought vaguely.
Something…
Did he actually do anything sincere in the last 17 years?
His parents, who were working in a small factory, committed suicide after falling into a large debt. Since then, Futoshi’s life noisily collapsed.
He could study.
His kendo was also pretty good.
He wasn’t even a bad person.
He even had a friend.
Why…
Did it go this way?
“I should have murdered for your boss.”
Said the bodyguard of the Yonezawa group.
With a voice thinner than he could imagine.
“The old bird Takenaka was going to die from the beginning
“Is that so…”
I’m not so sure.
Futoshi didn’t know a lot about the underworld. When he realized, he was already there. Thinking, it was probably better to be in that kind of environment from when you were born.
“You will also die here.”
The bodyguard who pointed his muzzle laughed.
⇔
When Meruma went out of the library, he used a ladder. There was a library in the basement of his house. He said it was a study room, that no one can enter.
It seems that originally this room was going to be used as a war shelter. There was no war in the end. As a result, the room remained untouched.
The room was unrefined, it was filled with soil and moist throughout the year. Nobody was entering it. In order not to alert anyone, Meruma quietly entered the mansion.
I may die…
He thought.
If he fails, he might die. He is going to try magic.
He entered a room on the second floor, Meruma wrote two letters.
One was a will, in case he failed.
The other was a letter for if he succeeded.
⇔
The sound of gunfire, from the other side of the door.
Apparently, the leader of the Takenaka group was killed. Multiple footsteps made their way up the stairs.
Futoshi closed his eyes.
He did not give up.
He was ready.
He took a deep breath.
He opened his eyes.
The katana was set up in a lower position.
He kicked at the floor.
A gunshot was fired and sparks rose. Though he expected it, he didn’t avoid it. He shifted his pose slightly diagonally so that he could avoid a fatal injury.
A sharp pain ran through his left shoulder, but he didn’t stop.
He jumped over the corpse of the Yonezawa group leader. He rushed to the bodyguard of the enemy.
He heard the second gunshot.
He raised the sword.
“Shit.”
After the short voice, the bodyguard fell to the floor. He was twitching and convulsing.
He still seemed to breathe. Even then, he still wouldn’t be saved.
He turned around.
The door was open.
Five men entered.
Handguns shone respectively as they were grasped in their hands.
“Wh, what?”
One person said as he looked at the Yonezawa group leader. Futoshi waved his sword. Blood flew off of it. It took time for the five people to assess the situation.
“ Raaahhh—!”
He roared.
Futoshi raised his sword.
One by one, he cut the people in front of him. Several gunshots were heard. His ears were buzzing in the middle. He didn’t hear if his eardrum ruptured. Bright red blood drew an arc in the air as it scattered.
⇔
He finished writing his letters. Meruma left his testament on the desk. Another letter was politely folded and thrust in his pocket.
The door to the room was opened. He confirmed that no one was in the corridor. Masking his footsteps, he descended towards the ground floor. After thinking a little, he entered the washroom. He searched in the drawers and found a handy glass mirror.
He entered the warehouse with a door to his basement. When he descended down the ladder, he inhaled greatly.
Goodbye, world.
It is a fate he chose himself.
He still trembled.
Whether this was the correct choice would depend on what happened later. He walked to the back of the room so as not to damage the magic formation. He lifted the crystal, which emitted a blue light, from the pedestal.
The floor shone as the last confirmation.
Both the magical letters and shapes were artistic and beautiful. A white line was drawn all over the floor, in shapes, letters and text.
“It’s going well.”
He persuaded himself.
Meruma returned the crystal to the pedestal with shaky hands. He put the hand mirror at the noticeable place.
He stood at the center of the formation. His heart was beating loudly.
The wind came unexpectedly.
It was a little cold.
⇔
By the time he’d noticed, Futoshi stood alone in the office.
“A, a monster…”, said the voice of the falling Yonezawa bodyguard.
He seemed to not have died yet.
Maybe he’s right…
Futoshi thought.
He was a monster. His body ate several bullets and was still alive and he was still standing.
⇔
He memorized the spell words. He could say it without having to think about it. Meruma said the incantation carefully.
The wind strengthened.
The drawn magic formation began to glow faintly. He was an atheist, but Meruma prayed for it to succeed.
Please, a place better than here.
⇔
“But it’s already over…”
Futoshi knew himself best.
He couldn’t survive any longer.
He was dying.
Buddha did not believe in God either, but Futoshi prayed.
Please, a better place than here.
⇔
Meruma squinted his eyes.
The light was getting stronger.
The air was warping.
Everything that was visible to him began to distort.
Standing became painful.
His heartbeat was irregular.
It’s a success!
While chanting the spell, Meruma was convinced.
Surely, one’s soul will start to slip out of the body.
⇔
Futoshi fell on the floor.
He was still conscious.
He understood that darkness was approaching around the corner.
⇔
Meruma finished the spell.
At that moment, he was thrown into darkness.
His consciousness was pulled into the darkness.
⇔
Futoshi’s consciousness broke off.
————————-
Translator’s Corner
————————-
elsondwarf:
I’M FINALLY DONE! THIS TOOK FOR EVAH xD
In the meantime anything you guys want to add?
Sam Jakes:
I’m one of the editors of this novel. I like cats, bewbs and ISSTH.
I’m also secretly an octopus ~~(-3-)~~
elsondwarf:
…
Let’s just leave it at that…
Also, GO TO SLEEP!
————————-
Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter
Welcome to the Underdark
I’m not late at all *shifty eyes*
On the bright side, my laptop’s fixed now? heheh
I’ll get to the next chapter… *leaves stage left*
—
“‘You’re almost a man now, it’s almost time to take the rights’
‘But why ma? Why do I have to?
‘So you promise us not to fall into the darkness o…’
‘Of little bird, I’ve got it ma'”
—
Life, such a strange thing, you live, you die and apparently you live again. Not fun.
I mean what goes on in life, fun! The shit that you need to deal with, like the useless idiot called ‘God’, not fun! Especially now I’ve got to deal with this. Lemme explain.
—
This sucks, I’m tired, hungry and the day is about to end…
“Where the hell is the town!”
So far it’s been nothing but trees, hills and grass. Where is everything, no little creatures, no big Deers, not even birds singing! Isn’t this meant to be a fantasy world?
Speaking of fantasy, what are the names of the trees? Let’s look at the oaken looking one!
Well then, what about the one with the spiky leaves next to it?
Wait, aren’t they different?
So that was all I needed to level up my skills was to use common sense?
…
You know what, lets just name this species of plant DAVE, that makes sense in this fantasy world with no REAL LIFE.
Yeah sure, that fits just fine! HI DAVE!
HI DAVE!
… Whoops.
—
And now we come to this point where I have been flooded with the greetings of the forest and the pink of the notifications. Nothing new, nothing old. Just me, the Forest and…
NEW MESSAGE FROM DAVE#20718 “HI”
NEW MESSAGE FROM DAVE#20719 “HI”
NEW MESSAGE FROM DAVE#20720 “HI”
Send help…
Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter
Massive thanks to Giorgio, This really means alot to me ^^
Mean while on the little bird side of things, the chapter is almost done for the 3rd time but coursework and a bloody laptop is in the way ;-;
The chapter will be out by the week’s end, I promise 😀
Welcome To The Underdark 