Run, Girl (If You Can) - Chapter 14 - Midnight

Utsuro no Hako to Zero no Maria, or The Empty Box and The Zeroth Maria, tells the sinister story of Kazuki Hoshino, who is almost madly attached to his everyday life, and his antagonist Aya Otonashi, who suddenly transfers into his class—for the 13,118th time. She majestically announces to “break” him, without paying heed to anyone else around them.

Deep below the earth's surface, a mystifying subterranean seascape lurks, an archipelago bathed in inky blackness where suspense and horror hold court. Here lie strange islands and even stranger monsters, far beyond the realms of human imagination. In this domain, mankind is far from dominant; instead, madness and death rule supreme.

Pleading for mercy from the unknown creatures of the deep only leads to a slow, tortured existence. The trapped survivors gradually distort, losing what made them human, both physically and mentally, to the gloom as they remain trapped in this eternal obscurity. Their only hope? A perilous expedition into uncharted sea territories.

Fueled by determination, Charles embark on this daunting voyage aboard his steamship, aiming to reclaim humanity's past glory. Together with his crew, they sought a way out of this hidden sea world, a path back to the sunlit world above, where humans once stood tall.

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I read a few comments from Chinese readers that compared this novel with Lord of Mysteries because of similar elements: Lovecraftian, western fantasy, first industrial revolution, and steampunk. However, I have yet to finish reading Lord of Mysteries to do any actual comparison, but I do think those who have enjoyed that novel would enjoy this as well. Also, the author of LotM, Cuttlefish That Loves Diving, also did a shout-out for this novel, so I guess he approves of it too?

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I’ve unexpectedly embarked on a semi-coercive acting life.

…But it turns out, I’m quite good at it.

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“Did you just marry the richest man in the country… by accident? How does that even happen?”Delphinia sighed dramatically. “I know, I’m such an overachiever. But it’s easy, really. Step one: drink too much. Step two: find the perfect man. Step three: say ‘I do’ before he realizes I’m a walking disaster.”“And the revenge?”She raised her glass. “Served cold, with a diamond bigger than my ex’s ego.”—After years trapped in a loveless, abusive marriage, Delphinia had one plan: leave her toxic past behind and never look back. But freedom isn’t as sweet as she’d hoped. With no family to turn to and no place to go, she crashes with her best friend…only to end up at a party where one too many drinks lead to one tiny (accidental) marriage to Evander Walton.Handsome, rich, and absolutely off-limits, Evander is everything Delphinia thought she’d never have. And he has just one condition if she wants to break things off: she’ll have to pay him back…for the huge diamond ring she barely remembers accepting. Broke and in no position to negotiate, she’s got no choice but to play along with her accidental husband and the lavish life that comes with him.Now she’s living in luxury, holding her head high, and plotting the sweetest revenge against the ex who tried to ruin her. Because if there’s one thing Delphinia knows, it’s that payback is best served in designer heels.