RL Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Additional Weapon

Prologue, Part 1

Novel Title: 共鳴劣情 オメガバース (Resonance Lust: Omegaverse)

Author：岩本薫 (Iwamoto Kaoru)

Illustrator: 蓮川愛 (Hasukawa Ai)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 本浄天音 (Honjou Amane) & 苅谷煌騎 (Kariya Kouki) / 首藤煌騎 (Shutou Kouki)

*Please read at knoxt.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

֍֍֍

There are three categories of second gender for people in this world.

Alphas, who make up about five percent of the population, are the ruling class with dominant genes. Both male and female alphas enjoy numerous privileges from birth. In Alpha society, lineage and family status are of utmost importance. And even within Alphas, there is a strict hierarchy.

Next, the majority of the population—Betas, who account for 94 percent. They are considered the general citizens. While some Betas rise through effort and dedication to become elite professionals such as doctors, lawyers, or bureaucrats, they remain distinctly separate from the naturally privileged class of Alphas.

The remaining one percent belongs to the rare category of Omegas. Omegas possess characteristics that set them apart from the other groups.

First, they have wombs, regardless of their gender, and can become pregnant and give birth.

Their second unique trait is the Omega heat cycle.

Starting in their late teens, Omegas experience a monthly heat that lasts for a week. During this time, Omegas are required by law to take medication to forcibly suppress the release of sex pheromones. Without the suppressants, they would uncontrollably emit strong pheromones, inadvertently tempting Betas and Alphas around them. Due to the frequent incidents of rape and violence surrounding Omegas in heat, suppressants were developed, and regular usage became mandatory.

At birth, every person undergoes a blood test to categorise them into one of these three groups.

Once the results are submitted to the government, Alphas are assigned a seven-digit number starting with a specific code, Betas are given a nine-digit number, and Omegas receive a seven-digit national ID number with their own designated code. From then on, they are managed under a centralised system by the National Registry.

The national ID is a vital personal number that plays a crucial role in all aspects of life. Without it, one cannot attend school, find a job, get married, or even give birth. Essentially, it is impossible to live a normal life in society. For Omegas, it is especially critical—without the national ID, they can’t go to a hospital, nor can they receive suppressants.

Though the national ID is a lifeline that supports basic human rights, there are a few rare individuals who don’t have one. These are cases where the parents gave birth outside of a hospital and never had their child undergo the blood test.

The probability of being a ‘stray’ without a national ID is zero for Alphas, very low for Betas, and overwhelmingly high for Omegas.

These unregistered—Stray Omegas—are outcasts of the system.

Without access to the facilities or the ability to hold regular jobs, most of them end up working as sex workers in the red-light districts.

***

I was born in one of those brothels in the red-light district. My mother was a Stray Omega sex worker. Most likely, my grandmother was also a Stray Omega prostitute.

I don’t know my father’s name. I’ve never seen his face. I don’t know whether he was an Alpha or a Beta.

Perhaps he was just one of my mother’s customers. Whether he was a regular client or just a one-time visitor, or if there was some special bond between them, I have no idea.

It’s possible that a condom tore by accident and she got pregnant—an unfortunate mishap for both my mother and her partner.

Still, my mother chose not to abort the life she carried and decided to give birth. The owner of the brothel didn’t mind supporting the birth, seeing it as another ‘product’ being added to the future roster.

After my birth, my mother continued working as a sex worker while raising me in the brothel.

Being a Stray Omega, my mother didn’t possess a national ID and had never attended school. But she was fairly educated.

Brothel owners would often hire beauticians to enhance the appearance of their ‘products’. They would adorn them in custom clothes and jewels to boost their market value. In my mother’s case, her employer went a step further, hiring private tutors to teach the workers how to read and write. The owner aimed to differentiate his brothel by advertising the workers as ‘Omegas of both beauty and intellect’.

Most of the naturally beautiful workers lost interest in the tedious studies and eventually quit. But my mother had a knack for learning. Once she had mastered the basics of reading and writing, she devoured all the books the owner provided. Though her peers thought her eccentric, she ignored the noise and immersed herself in her solitary reading.

My mother learned a great deal from books.

The ways of the world. Ideologies. History. Culture. Literature. Science.

These were things she would never have known had she remained confined to the isolated world of the red-light district.

―――You should learn how to read and write. You were born with the handicap of being a Stray Omega. I can’t stay by your side forever. The more weapons you have to protect yourself, the better.

My mother, who instilled this belief in me at a young age, read picture books to me whenever she had a break between clients. At the age of three, I began copying letters. And before long, I could read on my own. She gave me many books.

Perhaps I inherited my mother’s love for reading, as I too became a ‘quiet child, as long as I had books’. I started with children’s literature. By the time I was around six, I could read fairly difficult books.

Looking back, that was the happiest time of my life.

By society’s standards, a Stray Omega living in a brothel might be considered the lowest of the low. But I had a warm bed, never went hungry, and had books within my reach.

More than anything, I had a kind mother who loved me.

Like two canaries huddling together in a cage, we had no freedom. But we lived happy days, overflowing with love. That happiness came to a sudden end when I was seven.

֍֍֍

*Translator’s Note: In the first few parts of this volume, the story was told from the first person point of view of Honjou Amane. After that, it’ll be 3rd person P.O.V.

*P/S-Allow me to explain beforehand for those unfamiliar to Japanese language and culture that Japanese normally introduce themselves with the surname/last name mentioned first before the first name. And in novels, in conversation, they will likely use last names to address others. But first names are used in narration. For example, if the character’s name is Miyamoto (last name) Tsuneyasu (first name), in narration, it’ll be like… ‘Tsuneyasu sat down on the chair.’ And in conversation, when meeting a friend, the friend will ask; “Miyamoto, how long have you been sitting here?”. Get me? Okay. That’s all the explanation for now. -K

Next update: 2025.01.03

֍֍֍