RL Chapter 26

Chapter 26 – Order from ‘Above’

Resonance 3, Part 4

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*

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“…Officially, we called them ‘drinking parties’ for ‘cast members’. But they were basically pillow services. The drinking party and the hotel were a package deal. We’d arrange for our talents to be present at the requests of TV executives, advertising agency higher-ups, and sponsor executives… The return was business favours. Even the talents playing the role of ‘cast members’ got financial incentives. Everyone knew what they were getting into when they took the job as ‘cast members’.”

“But Aya wasn’t one of them, was she?”

Shimokawa hung his head in shame.

“I lied to her, telling her she was filling in last-minute. But the truth is, Aya was requested from the start. Aya didn’t know the real nature of these ‘drinking parties,’ nor did Mizuki Andou, who was close to her. Even then, Aya was reluctant to take the job. And of course, I didn’t want her to do it either. So, I refused. But the sponsor’s side, who had specifically asked for Aya, seemed obsessed. I was given a strict order from above to ‘make sure she attends.’ …I reluctantly accepted on the condition that ‘there wouldn’t be any pillow services and it would just be drinking together.’ I swear, that’s the truth!”

Amane coldly told Shimokawa, who was pleading with his tenugui twisted in his hands, “But in the end, Aya fell victim to rape drug.”

Shimokawa grimaced but admitted, “Yes…”

“When Aya confessed to me about what happened, my mind went blank. I felt deceived. Aya was torn about whether to go to the police. But when considering her future, making it public would have done her no good. So I convinced her. I told her if she took the morning-after pill, she wouldn’t get pregnant, and that she should just forget about it as quickly as possible. That’s what I said to Aya. But I couldn’t shake the distrust I felt toward the upper management after the ‘drinking party’ incident… I fell into depression and left the agency two months later. I vowed never to be involved in the entertainment industry again, cut ties with everyone from that time, including Aya, and after three months of resting at home, I started working here a little while ago. I really had no idea about what happened after I left… I never would’ve imagined that Aya was pregnant…”

It seemed that Shimokawa genuinely had no knowledge of Aya’s situation after leaving the talent agency.

“One last question. Do you have any idea who the father of Aya’s unborn child might be?”

“No, I don’t. I was just passing on orders from above to Aya. I wasn’t even at the party myself.”

“And who was ‘above’? Who gave you those orders?”

“It was President Kourogi. The president himself ordered me. I couldn’t defy him…” Shimokawa bit his lip, blaming himself for his cowardice. 

“I understand. That’s enough,” Amane said.

“Sorry for taking up your time. You’ve been very helpful with all the information.”

At Amane’s closing words, Kouki, who had been taking notes partway through, snapped his notebook shut. After tucking the notebook into his inner pocket, Kouki turned on his heel and started walking. But they were called back with a “Hey!” just as they were about to leave. When Amane turned around, he locked eyes with Shimokawa, who wore an expression of deep anguish.

“The fact that the police are investigating… Does that mean Aya was murdered?”

“We’re still looking into that. —You decided to never involve yourself with the entertainment industry again, didn’t you? If that’s the case, you’d be better off forgetting the past and focusing on building your new life.”

Advising him in a calm tone, Amane turned forward again and began walking behind Kouki, who was waiting for him.

Even though he had said that, it was likely that Shimokawa would spend quite some time blaming himself for abandoning Aya and not protecting her until the end. He might even relapse into relying on medications. But that, too, was a result of his own actions. He had to reap what he sowed.

“―――Shimokawa is innocent,” Amane stated as they stepped out into a back alley lined with shops.

“I agree,” Kouki responded.

“But it wasn’t a waste of time. The president of the production company who set up that drinking party—there’s a chance he knows who attended.”

“The CEO of ‘Chance Promotions’, Kourogi Masashi, is an Alpha.”

Hearing this sudden new information, Amane stopped in his tracks and looked at the man beside him.

“An Alpha? Did you get that from the M-South Station?”

Kouki shook his head.

“The M-South Station closed the case as suicide, so they didn’t extend their investigation to Aya’s agency. However, I was personally curious and looked into ‘Chance Promotions’. —The CEO, Kourogi Masashi, is an Alpha. After graduating from university, he went abroad to attend graduate school and obtained a master’s degree. After returning to Japan, he worked at a major advertising agency before establishing ‘Chance Promotions’. He’s currently 45 years old, divorced, and has one daughter who lives with her mother.”

“Is this Kourogi guy an Alpha you’re familiar with?”

In response to Amane’s question, Kouki—who was the third son of the distinguished Shutou family, an elite among Alphas—answered, “I have no acquaintance with him.”

“I don’t think he’s from a family well-known in Alpha social circles.”

“So even among Alphas, there’s a kind of caste system?”

“…Yes, that’s right.”

Kouki affirmed with a complicated expression.

It seemed that even within the hierarchy of Alphas, who stood at the pinnacle, there were further subdivisions.

Long ago, there was a privileged class called ‘nobility’. And even they were divided into ranks like marquis and earl. This seemed similar.

“Even so, the fact remains that Kourogi is an Alpha. Since this isn’t an official investigation, we can’t leverage police authority. That makes approaching him personally quite a challenge.”

As Amane muttered to himself while fiddling with his earring, Kouki spoke up. “About that, I have a suggestion.”

“A suggestion?”

“Do you remember how I mentioned before that my eldest brother is hosting parties to search for his ‘soulmate’?”

“Oh yeah, you did mention that.”

Amane recalled thinking that even being the heir to a prestigious Alpha family wasn’t easy, especially when they were compelled by their family to find their ‘soulmate’ and produce offspring to continue the lineage.

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*Translator’s Note: Kariya-kun’s elder bro’s romance is in the manga version. Alpha x Alpha (hidden omega). You guys can check it out. I haven’t read it. I have problems reading Japanese manga because of the panel arrangements, I will get a headache. I prefer Korean manhwas so…I might not go and read it. There’s a possibility of knowing what happened further to this pairing and the other pairing from 3rd and 4th volume if I do though. -K

Next update: 2025.01.27

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